Friday, March 28, 2014

Goodbye, My Love

For four and a half years I worked at the World's Biggest Bookstore here in Torontonia.

I made some of my best friends there and created some of my favourite all-time memories.


I was recently interviewed about it by the NOW magazine 


This series of photographs broke my heart: 


Even though I only worked there during my university years, I grew up visiting there when my dad would drive me down from Orillia. He ( a minister) would visit parishioners in the big city hospitals and I would go on a book spree. My first personal copy of Little Women was purchased there. My first copy of my own personal Sherlock Holmes adventures and my first This Side of Paradise.

I worked in fiction and literature and this photo is the bookstore I remember:



Here's a pic of me reading a book on X-Wing pilots to my friend Kat ( @bitwhizzle) 


Monday, March 17, 2014

CFBA How Sweet the Sound

This is a bit late because I am halfway through this book and I SO wanted to get my review up in time. But, best-laid-plans.

Anyways, stay tuned for that.

Check out the book





This week, the

Christian Fiction Blog Alliance

is introducing

How Sweet the Sound

David C. Cook (March 1, 2014)

by

Amy K. Sorrells


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:




An Indianapolis native and graduate of DePauw University, Amy lives with her husband, three boys and a gaggle of golden retrievers in central Indiana. After writing and editing for her college newspaper, she combined a nursing degree with journalism and creative writing, which led to publishing and editing a wide array of medical and nursing writing and multimedia projects over the past 21 years, a position as director of communications of her church’s children’s ministry, as well as a weekly column for a local newspaper which ran from 2009-2012.  She has been a two-time semi-finalist for the ACFW Genesis awards, and was the winner of the 2011 Women of Faith writing contest.


When she’s not reading or writing, Amy loves spending time with her three sons; spicy lunches and art gallery walks with her  husband; digging in her garden sans gloves; walking her dogs; up-cycling old furniture and junk; photography; and friends.




ABOUT THE BOOK



From a distance, the Harlans appear to be the perfect Southern family. Wealth and local fame mask the drama and dysfunction swirling through their family line. But as the summer heats up, a flood tide of long hidden secrets surface.


Devastation from a rape followed by the murder of two family members brings three generations of the Harlans together on their pecan plantation in Bay Spring, Alabama. Chief among them is Anniston, who by the time she turned thirteen thought she’d seen it all. But as her heart awakens to the possibility of love, she begins to deal with her loneliness and grief.


This tender coming-of-age tale, inspired by the story of Tamar in 2 Samuel 13, shows how true healing and hope comes only from God. Though our earthly family can wound and disappoint, our heavenly Father brings freedom to those long held captive through His mercy and grace.

If you would like to read the first chapter of How Sweet the Sound, go HERE.

Tuesday, March 11, 2014

Cross this off the Bucket List! *Check*

When I was 17 years old I made a list of all of the things I wanted to do before I died.  One of them was to see Billy Joel in concert. Though I plan on living for many, many years to come, I was DELIGHTED to see him perform BRILLIANTLY at the ACC on Sunday night.


What a concert! 


I was impressed that he did some of my favourite songs ( Vienna *sniff* Vienna)


Here is the setlist for those inclined: http://www.setlist.fm/setlist/billy-joel/2014/air-canada-centre-toronto-on-canada-2bc2fc92.html


He is so wonderful in concert. A truly prodigious talent who harbours such great musicianship. Mostly, though, he is a story teller who loves to perform, who plays our minstrel and teases the keys. 

There is something gritty about him, something that harkens back to Frankie Valli and something still that sews a romantic ballad with similes to take your breath away.


Here's 'Vienna'

)


oh and I know you are all: WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?  traveling for work. So very busy.