Tell Me a Secret

It is always such a pleasure to read a book by a friend whom you've watched grow. Holly Cupala's Tell Me a Secret is a stunning debut. The writing is excellent, with characters that ring true -- not just the main character, but even the minor ones who make their appearances for just a few pages.

This is not just a teen pregnancy book. It's about a girl trying to discover her true identity in the shadow of her more flamboyant sister's death. It's also about toxic friendships. This is the aspect that interested me. It seems many teens don't discern people well, or even if they do, they still choose the wrong people to be with, for the wrong reasons.

The ending was honest, if not bittersweet. How I wish everything could've been tied up with a pretty bow, because sometimes that is what happens (see a post below with a baby's picture).

I was particularly impressed with how well Holly ties all the plots and subplots together and I was pleasantly surprised to see that the cast of characters were not all white, without race being an issue. Very nicely done.

So, thank you, Holly, for writing one of the best contemporary YA books I've read in some time.

A title like this begs for a secret to be divulged ... hmmm ... I once did not wear underpants to school. We were at the bus-stop and my sister for some odd reason, lifted my tunic and told me run home and put them on. She'd make the bus wait. I did as I was told. After all, I was only five.

*

Summer

So much happening -- getting together with friends, both new and old, dentist appointments, schlepping kids to football and soccer practice (yes, the madness has begun), and this means it's time to get ready for school. I'm not ready ... there are still a million little things I need and want to do with my kids. This summer went by too fast ...

My son took a thousand pictures this summer and I'm so happy because now I can share a few of them with you. And since a picture is worth a thousand words ... well, I needn't say much. Grin.

There's been much hissing:

and clawing:

and cuddling:

and meowing:

and sniffing:

and stealing of dolly beds:

and intent listening to Warrior books:

There was also camping:

and gathering of lavender to make sachets, which the kittens often play with:

And sometimes we simply watched the dewdrops on the spiderweb ...

I hope you've all had a fabulous summer.

*

A New Baby

Today my niece gave birth to a beautiful baby girl -- this baby is the reason her parents got married. They have shown tremendous faith in taking this leap, of making a commitment to each other and to their baby. May God bless them and protect them and help them to grow in faith, hope and love.

Oh, babies!

Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, ~Jeremiah 1:3
*

The End

I typed those two wonderful words "The End" to the first draft of DAMAGED on Wed. I raced through the last 10K ... it's all plot, sort of how my kids tell a story (this happened, then that, etc.) but I am breathless and happy and relieved.

Is it possible that this momentous event happened because my modem was dead all week and I couldn't get online? Methinks ...

Two hours later, my lesson packet arrived from ICL, but I took the night off to snuggle with all the pets and watch a movie.
*

Holy Smokes are Winners!

Holy Smokes of St. Jude have done it again -- taken first prize for chicken, ribs, and People's Choice and third prize for pork shoulder!

Thanks to all our Knights!




*

Followers and Friends

It being summer and all, I've not checked out some blogs, but realized they were still on my "follow" list. A while back, when I discovered the follow feature, I thought it would somehow be an easier way to read everything I wanted to read, but the better way is to have an RSS feed. The follow feature is independent of it. I hate clutter and redundancies so decided to "unfollow" everybody. This was no easy feat because there was no such button ... I did find it eventually buried under the features of the blogs I follow.

I can't believe how cantankerous I am. I don't like words like "friend" or "follow" when all you're doing is reading someone's blog. What's wrong with "reader"? I only have a handful of friends, the rest being acquaintances or colleagues, and so I like to reserve the term "friend" for those special people. And as to follow, I only want to follow Jesus Christ. Words are so important to me, and when people use them casually, it irritates me. I won't go into turning verbs into nouns and vice versa ... they grate on my ears, even though I know language is always evolving.

Anyway, I got rid of the "follow" thingie on my blog as well because it makes no sense to me. Besides, my paltry numbers (20 or so) make me feel terribly unpopular (not that it's anything new). Nathan Bransford as 4,000+ followers. Wow! But I wonder how many of those followers actually read his posts. I was reading his stuff for a while when I was considering getting an agent and even entered one of his contests, but what's the point of saying I follow him when I am no longer reading his blog? Sorry Nathan, if you're reading this. When I am ready to look for an agent, I will most likely go back to reading his posts because they are full of agent-wisdom.

I've seen many contests lately about collecting more followers. I must be the only person on this planet who doesn't get it. Can someone enlighten me? For me blogging is about making a connection with my readers, and I enjoy the company and community of those who are sincere. But this entire "friends" and "followers" business feels more like a popularity contest than anything else. It's high school all over again ...

And now I'll probably lose the 20-odd followers and the 5 or so friends I do have ... but that's okay. I really am a crankypants. I'm nothing if honest.

*

Kittens

Meet the newest members of our family. They are nearly three months old, a brother-sister pair we found at our local shelter. The other critters have not met them yet but we will introduce them slowly, one by one. They know something's up! There's been a lot of sniffing beneath the door of my daughter's bedroom, which is officially the kitten room ... and guess who's sleeping with the kittens tonight?

Happy sigh. It reminds me of the time when we brought our second cat home. The first one is fiercely attached to me, so my husband slept in the guest room with the kitten. A week later, they were both in bed with us, and the kitten's size and weight mirrored my son's growth in my womb. The kitten spent many hours on my growing belly and I could imagine how big my baby would be. Turns out the kitten grew faster ... My son was 8 lbs at birth and the kitten 10 lbs when she was 9 mo. old. Here's a picture of her checking out the new baby. Oh, how quickly they all grow up ... both the kids and the critters.

Let the chaos begin!

*

Reading and Writing

I just finished Escaping the Tiger by Laura Manivong, based upon her husband's years in a refugee camp. It is not an easy read. I cried several times, but they were tears of understanding -- I, too, have had an empty belly, been called a dog and told to go home, and even in the face of huge disappointments, stayed optimistic. These characters rang so true for me, I felt as though I could sit and share sticky rice with peppers with them. I laughed near the end when they marvel at the beautiful, white, dimpled flesh of Americans. I remember wanting to be fat like that too (and now I am).

This book will resonate not just with refugees, but with all people who have no home, who have been marginalized by society simply because of the culture they were born in, and who keep faith and hope alive and survive. Our country is so much richer for people like Troy (Laura's husband) and Laura, who take the time and the trouble to tell their stories.

My son is devouring this book right now and ever since I told the kids that I *know* the author via the Blueboards, that this book is based upon her husband's childhood, they are mightily impressed.

I'm also reading the Collected Works of Flannery O'Connor. It includes letters and essays as well and I am in awe of this woman who took a great deal of time to encourage others, even though she was gravely ill and dying from lupus.

Here's a quote from Mystery and Manners: People without hope do not write novels. Writing a novel is a terrible experience, during which the hair often falls out and the teeth decay. I'm always highly irritated by people who imply that writing fiction is an escape from reality. It is a plunge into reality and it's very shocking to the system. If the novelist is not sustained by a hope of money, then he must be sustained by a hope of salvation, or he simply won't survive the ordeal.

*

A Writing Retreat

So, I alluded that I had some extra time last week. That's because the children were with their grandparents. We live in the suburbs, so a rural setting is quite the change -- a large garden to weed and pick from, a tractor to ride, movies to watch. The kids had a grand time and I was grateful for the gift of time.

And never will I complain about not having enough time to write because this whole week, although I had the time, I still only spent only a couple of hours each day on my writing (ahem, half of it was in day-dreaming) and the rest in other activities. I cooked wicked spicy Indian food, read a lot, played the piano, prayed the rosary, danced along with a dance video, took long walks, and even had a date night with my husband -- dinner at a Thai place followed by Ironman 2 (I love all these movies based on the old Marvel characters). It gave me a taste of what it's going to be like when the kids fly the nest. Quiet, but nice.

Which got me thinking about writing retreats, where all your needs are taken care of so that you only need write. The funny thing is that when you most need this sort of time, you have to have child-care if your spouse cannot take time off from work. And by the time the kids are grown, you don't really need it ... because you can create your own retreat at home. Don't be like me, though ... I enjoy too many other things besides writing.

I am very, very lucky that I won a couple of scholarships to writing workshops before my children started school because once they did, I've not wanted to be away from them for too long. Our time together is short ...
*

Banana Splits and Fireworks

Sharing some pictures from my son's perspective.

Grandma made decadent banana splits nearly every night.

Our dog ran like the wind on the large property.

Why is fire so mesmerizing?

Cars, cars and more cars!

Grandpa sings in a barbershop choir, The An-O-Chords, and this was their old car.

I think this is a P3 -- Sound of Freedom.

It was freezing out on the beach so my daughter and I opted not to go to the fireworks. We cuddled in bed instead.

I hope you're all enjoying your summer. Finally, finally, we have sunshine and I have our clothes and bedsheets and pillowcases flapping in the breeze. A strawberry-rhubarb sauce is simmering that I'll freeze ... to have later this afternoon.

***