What can I say about Simon Fitzmaurice’s remarkable memoir It’s Not Yet Dark except that it stunned me, saddened me, excited me, made me laugh and cry, took me to dark places and then shined lights in places I didn’t even know existed. It stayed with me, haunted me. I finished it months ago and yet… Read More Best book of 2017: “It’s Not Yet Dark” by Simon Fitzmaurice
Next week, I’m starting my 30 Reviews in 30 Days challenge, where I’ll write a book review every day for a month. I’ve been severely behind in book reviews for the past year and need to catch up. I don’t know how many times I’ve finished a book and thought: I loved this book, loved… Read More 30 Reviews in 30 Days
Last week, something exciting happened. My complementary copy of Nasty Women Poets: An Unapologetic Anthology of Subversive Verse from Lost Horse Press arrived in the mail. And people, it’s pink. Yes, a subversive and pink poetry collection by women. What makes the anthology so powerful is the blend of diverse voices, and talent, from poet laureates to… Read More Nasty Women Poets anthology
I was lucky enough to review Kathleen Dean Moore’s lyrical and beautifully written Southeast Alaska novel for the Alaska Dispatch, and I must say that I highly, highly recommend to anyone who loves quirky characters, environmental plots, humor and rain-flecked stretches of Alaska landscape. Here’s the beginning, with a link to the published review: I knew… Read More Review: Kathleen Dean Moore’s “Piano Tide”
Kevin Brennan’s new book just released and I cannot wait to devour. Followers of this blog know I’m a big fan of Brennan and a bit infatuated with his writing style (are you blushing yet, Kev?). Best yet? In No Particular Order is only .99 on Amazon today. So without further ado (and please imagine a… Read More In No Particular Order
It’s summer in Alaska and the days are long and glorious. It’s light until around midnight now and even when it’s dark, it’s not truly dark. The twilight stretches out, dim and filmy, so that even at 3 a.m., you can see perfectly well, or at least well enough. Earlier this week, we took an… Read More Bear paw prints, and long and lovely days
I don’t get it. While I also read “real” books, I buy most of my eBooks from Amazon. And most of those titles are literary fiction, well-written women’s fiction, well-written memoirs and well-written running/adventure memoirs. So why in the hell do such unlikely and badly matched books appear as Kindle ads on my device? Amazon… Read More Odd and unlikely book ads appearing on my Kindle
When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi: Read this book, people. I can’t say enough good things about it. The writing style is sparse; Kalanithi chooses his words with economy and his lines are pure and simple. Reading this is like breathing, like taking a breath, and how unconscious it is until you stop to… Read More Review: When Breath Becomes Air (and January’s book challenge results)
Well, I hit a rough spot, a snag, a burp, hesitation, blah, blah, blah, in my very final I-swear-this-will-be-the-last-time novel rewrite. I printed it out and everything sings. Except the beginning. I just can’t get the damned beginning to flow the way I want. So the struggle continues. In the meantime, there are runs in… Read More Hitting a rough spot
The bad news: I failed on my 2016 Goodreads Book Challenge goal. The good news: I missed it by only three books so I’m going ahead and calling it a success. My goal was 65 books. I squeaked by with 62 and trust me, I finished that last book minutes before midnight, too (this is… Read More My 2016 Book Challenge results
Cinthia Ritchie 