Keep the Memories Lose the Stuff by Matt Paxton

 I know, reading a book about decluttering, downsizing, and organizing your stuff probably sounds like the most thrilling way to spend an evening, right? 

 Recently, I picked up Matt Paxton’s Keep the Memories, Lose the Stuff, and it really resonated with me big time. If Matt’s name rings a bell, it’s likely because of the TV show Hoarders. I was both obsessed with and stressed out by that show. It made me anxious just watching it, but it also could turn me into a cleaning machine. I could toss all the things with that show playing in the background. It freaked me out worrying, "Am I on the road to hoarding?"

Ironically, I started reading Paxton’s book while staying with my elderly parents for a few weeks. One had recently had an accident, and both were dealing with mobility issues. Let’s just say the timing of this book was... uncanny. It hit hard.

Right now, I am in a season of life where I am reevaluating what truly deserves my time and energy. I’ve realized that I have a deep emotional response to “stuff”...sometimes pleasant, but often stressful. Clutter is loud to me. Not in a literal sense, but emotionally. It overwhelms me. Spending that time with my parents brought p a lot of old feelings, memories, some unresolved from childhood. But I’ve learned that when I understand the “why" behind my emotions, I can begin to manage them. And more importantly, I can give myself permission to stop accepting things, physical or emotionally, that cause anxiety.

So how does all of this tie back to the book? That’s exactly what makes Paxton’s book so impactful. It goes beyond the surface and digs into why letting go of stuff is so hard. It’s not laziness. For most people, it’s emotional...grief, guilt, memories, identity, and sometimes mental health struggles. This book doesn’t shame or pressure. It offers understanding, insight, and practical steps.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed by your own clutter, or that of a loved one, I would say grab a copy or download the audio version. It’s not just about organizing. It’s about finding clarity, healing, and maybe even a little peace

Remember to support small and shop independent book stores. 

Get a copy here: https://tinyurl.com/36eurd3r 

Things We Surrender: A Lowcountry Novel by Heidi Hostetter - My Thoughts

I just finished up Things We Surrender: A Lowcountry Novel by Heidi Hostetter and I have to admit the cover of the book drew me in.  I was hot off Karen White's Tradd Street series when I saw this and I was still in a Charleston mood.  When am I not in a Charleston mood? 

I have read one prior book of Ms. Hostetter, The Inheritance, so her move to Charleston  interested me.  Honestly, I have a hard time not loving a book set where my heart loves, in the South Carolina Low Country. Things we Surrender follows a family of strong females (family by blood and friendship) as they rediscover their bonds and begin to heal from a lifetime of hurt and misunderstandings. It was a good start but I will be looking for a sequel as the author does leave a wide door at the end for an adventure for some Southern Belle's in Rome!

For a quick fun, read this is definitely worth picking up.

The Guests on South Battery (Book 5 from the Tradd Street Series) by Karen White - My Thoughst

I told you I have been reading again and completely understanding why I used to love it so very much.  It is the BEST escape from the world.  I can't watch a movie or television show and get the same escape.  Give me a good book and some time and I am truly in heaven.

This past week I dove back into the Tradd Street Series with the only book in the series I hadn't read.  Several years ago, when I was part of a book club, we read through this series up to the point there were no more books to read. So, imagine my excitement when I saw there was an addition to the series.

First, I should say I really like Karen White, as a writer, but I have liked some of the Tradd Series books more than others.  I liked ALL of them because they are set in the one city I have never lived in but have a great homesickness for....Charleston, South Carolina.  Normally I also don't read much that involves ghosts and spirits but these books have been an exception because I really like the history that is usually sprinkled in to spice the story lines up.  The Guest on South of Battery did not disappoint and actually finally, after four other books, began to warm my heart to the protagonist, Melanie Trenholm.

Though, Melanie is the main character of the series she was pretty much my least liked character and her peripheral characters, often in the form of ghosts or spirits who had lost their way, endeared the series to me. With this book Melanie was finally developed a with a bit more dimension and I think maybe I misjudged her.  IF you love the Low Country, beautiful, historic homes and, of course, Charleston and a ghost story or two...this just might be the series for you!

The Butterfly's Daughter by Mary Alice Monroe - My Thoughts

There was a time when I regularly did (and got paid) to do book reviews, but then a season arrived where I kind of stopped reading.  Yep, literally quit reading - at least for pleasure.  I think being back in school didn't help that as I spent a lot of time reading for school and not entertainment.  Last weekend, though, I picked up a book I had for along while but not read.  The Butterfly's Daughter by Mary Alice Monroe just happened to be laying on my desk and calling my name.  Well, I now remember why I used to read so much...it is the best escape.  I will not forget that anytime soon. So here is my first (free) offering on a book....

I have always like Mary Alice Monroe and this book had enough information interwoven into the story about Monarch Butterflies that I now have a new interest in butterflies, much like I gained an interest in bee keeping after reading  Sue Monk Kidd's The Secret Life of Bees!  Weird?  Probably, but hey I love odd facts especially if you can weave some mystery and good story telling around them. 

Although The Butterfly's Daughter does weave lovely stories about butterflies in this story, it doesn't come close to the emotional pull of many of Monroe's other works .  The main character, Luz, just isn't developed enough to get invested in fully nor are any of the other characters, except possibly one who actually dies early on in the story.  It was an enjoyable read, because I like reading, but over all it wasn't Mary Alice Monroe's best offering by far.  Honestly, each turn in the book just left me hanging.  It was as if I needed more of the multiple story lines before the author was off dragging the shallow main character into another. In the end....I was just left feeling like I was read a book that wasn't finished. It was disappointing,  as I kept feeling like at any moment I was going to find the page that wouldn't let me put the book down, but it never came.  That being said, I know I will continue to follow Monroe as an author and look forward to reading another of her books where her characters have more depth and puts her talent as a writer more fully on display.

Overwhelmed

You know how sometimes you get an opportunity and you are just excited because it is something you love to do?  That is usually the way I feel when a book comes my way to review.  I was especially excited when asked a few weeks ago to review Perry Noble’s new book, Overwhelmed…anyone else seeing any irony in this? Little did I know, my world would fall apart almost as soon as I receive the review copy. Anyway, I have been reading and plugging along through this book and wondering about God’s real sense of humor when it comes to me (yeah, I do think I am THAT important and my life is part of His personal comedy hour.)

The thing is, I normally would have read this book in probably one or two sittings, but because of what I was going through and being….wait for it…overwhelmed, I had to read, digest, pray, repeat...read, digest, pray, repeat (you get the idea.)  I had to repeat not because it is a hard read but because I was just struggling with the fact that this book was written for me…for just a time as this.  The full title is Overwhelmed, Winning the War Against Worry and if you have been reading my blog as of late you are probably rolling in the floor laughing, laughing, laughing. 

This is a book written by a Pastor, no less, who actually admits to being anxious, worried, stressed, in despair and here is the big one…depressed.  Can you imagine???  Isn’t it a complete prerequisite to being a Christian that we avoid these non-Christian emotions at all cost???  I know I wish that were the case, because I would be on that boat in a New York minute.  There are so many passages in this book I wish I could share and so many that hit me smack in between my eyes (and not in a pleasant way to be sure.)  I was in the process of reading this book as my husband ended our marriage and overwhelmed is probably an understatement but so many things made sense to me because of Overwhelmed and Perry Noble’s personal perspective. 

Some major clarity came to me in this passage, “I once heard someone say that when we rationalize, we tell “rational lies.” Your line of thinking may go something like this:  …The world is always going to pressure us to bow to something other than God because we feel that when we do we are in control. But in fact, nothing could be further from the truth.” (Overwhelmed, Perry Noble 2014.)  I realized that someone I loved dearly was rationalizing their (and my) entire life and managing to tell “rational lies” to themselves and others.  It was a hard, hard reality check…but it was true.  It made me hurt and it made me hurt for them, knowing that they were lying to themselves more than anyone else and no matter how much they “rationalized” it still wasn’t God’s truth and I could be confident in that fact. 

Noble reminds me repeatedly to question “Will we focus on the size of our problem or the size of our God? The reality is, we can’t do both….And we really do have an enemy who is trying to keep us imprisoned. Jesus said Satan is the father of lies (see John 8:44) and that the enemy’s goal is to steal, kill, and destroy us (see John 10:10). He will attack our minds, trying to get us to focus on all the things we have no control over.” (Overwhelmed, Perry Noble 2014.) 

I need to hear over and over, “One of the most powerful lies the enemy will whisper to you in your darkest times is that you are all alone – that no one wants to hear what you are going through and you should just give up.  But life isn’t meant to be lived alone! Even Jesus didn’t do life alone.  If you are struggling with anxiety, fear, worry, and doubt you need to understand a few things:  You are not the only one who has had to battle this tough situation...Even though the storm you are experiencing is intense, He is greater than your storm.” (Overwhelmed, Perry Noble 2014.) 

Very rarely to I feel like a book is written for everyone but this one is a rare gem.  It will be released on April 1, 2014. I can guarantee you won’t come away from the pages of this book unchanged.

Do you entertain outdoors in the Summer?

Do you like to entertain (whether for friends or just for your own family) outdoors during the Summer months?  We do.  One of our favorite things about our house is that we have a wonderful back yard with plenty of space to have friends.  But even when we have lived in different houses without such space, we usually utilized what we did have (which even sometimes included the driveway!).  I think spending time outdoors just makes the time sweeter! 

Sandy, over at the Reluctant Entertainer, is doing a wonderful series called "30 Days of Summer Entertaining" which has been great and makes me want to take every opportunity this summer to enjoy the outdoors with friends and family!  Check it out:

30 Days of Summer Entertaining

Also, if you are like me and are alwasy looking for motivation and inspiration for simple ways to share your life with your friends and practice the art of hospitality check out Sandy's book, The Reluctant Entertainer

Southern Lit. Pick of the Week: Low Country Summer by Dorothea Benton Frank

A few weeks ago, I received a copy of Low Country Summer (the paperback release - originally released as hardcover last summer) to review. I have enjoyed Dorothea Benton Frank’s work for many years, so this was an extra special arrival. Her books are synonymous with summer and escape. The arrival of Low Country Summer was coincidentally timed to go right along with me on Spring Break (no complaints!)

This long awaited sequel to Frank’s earlier work, Plantation (2001), picks up with Caroline Wimbly Levine on her 47 birthday and a cast of dysfunctional Southern family members. We get to go along for the ride as she takes on the role of family matriarch, one recently vacated by her bigger than life Southern Mama, Miss Lavinia. Although Miss Lavinia has “gone to glory” she is still quite present in spirit and in the minds of her children and the residents in and around Tall Pines Plantation in the South Carolina Low Country. Many times I often expected Caroline Wimbly to proudly don a rubber bracelet imprinted with WWMLD (What Would Miss Lavinia Do?) Caroline deals with her man-child brother, his drunken red-neck wife, 4 near feral nieces, her son’s love affair with an older woman, and her own romantic entanglements sometimes more gracefully than others. Not to mention, she has to step in and keep the family moving after a sudden tragedy takes one of their own.

Low Country Summer is filled with the sounds and smells of the South Carolina marshes complete with little tastes of the Gullah culture for good measure. You will find yourself pulled in to all the drama and will come to see how the Wimbly family put the “fun” in dysfunctional. At the end of this book you won’t want to leave Tall Pines and you will be longing for a low country summer of your own.

The paperback release of Low Country Summer comes just weeks before the release of Franks’ latest book, Folly Beach, which promises to be a great summer read:

“Home is the place that knows us best. . . .A woman returns to the past to find her future in this enchanting new tale of loss, acceptance, family, and love.

With its sandy beaches and bohemian charms, surfers and suits alike consider Folly Beach to be one of South Carolina's most historic and romantic spots. It is also the land of Cate Cooper's childhood, the place where all the ghosts of her past roam freely. Cate never thought she'd wind up in this tiny cottage named the Porgy House on this breathtakingly lovely strip of coast. But circumstances have changed, thanks to her newly dead husband whose financial—and emotional—bull and mendacity have left Cate homeless, broke, and unmoored.

Yet Folly Beach holds more than just memories. Once upon a time another woman found unexpected bliss and comfort within its welcoming arms. An artist, writer, and colleague of the revered George Gershwin, Dorothy Heyward enjoyed the greatest moments of her life at Folly with her beloved husband, DuBose. And though the Heywards are long gone, their passion and spirit lingers in every mango sunset and gentle ocean breeze.

And for Cate, Folly, too, holds the promise of unexpected fulfillment when she is forced to look at her life and the zany characters that are her family anew. To her surprise, she will discover that you can go home again. Folly Beach doesn't just hold the girl she once was . . . it also holds the promise of the woman she's always wanted—and is finally ready—to become. “ Harper Collins, 2011.

This post was written as a member of the Southern Mommas Writers

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Southern Lit. Pick of Week: The Inheritance of Beauty by Nicole Seitz

I am just going to come out and say it, Nicole Seitz’s latest release just left me awestruck. When I finished it, I slid it across the table and sat there, thinking…how can I ever write a review for this one. It was so good; I knew I couldn’t do it justice. So, that is where I left The Inheritance of Beauty for a couple of days. I had to digest this wonderfully complex and sweetly simple story of love and friendship that spans over 80 years…literally a lifetime.


I should have known it would be a good one, when I found myself tearing up while reading the introduction because I miss my own grandmother so very much. Through varying points of view, Nicole Seitz takes us from the 1920s and bare footed, country children in Levy, SC, to Harmony House Assisted Care 80 years later, as these same characters make peace with what life has brought them. This book brings together a cast that fate has tied together with childhood horrors, but with the help of caregiver Miss Annie, they find peace, forgiveness and their circle is completed through a trip back to Levy and the revelations of mysteries long hidden. The life that George and Maggie (Magnolia) Jacobs have lived is full of twists and turns, but the love they share is unforgettable. It isn’t an easy journey, but it is filled with love, laughter, loss, fear and forgiveness. It is a journey I am glad I was able to experience between the covers.

The Inheritance of Beauty is a love story you won’t quickly forget, and is filled with Southern soul. Trust me when I say, you don’t want to miss this one.

*Also available in a Kindle edition.

This post was written as a member of the Southern Mommas Writers

Please come check out the Southern Sisterhood

at Southern Mommas and you don't have to be a Momma!

Book Giveaway! Win Gone With A Handsomer Man before you can buy it!

Hopefully, you read my review of Michael Lee West's upcoming book Gone With a Handsomer Man here, and it left you with a lust in your heart to read it yourself. Well girls, I am here to help you out because the publisher has graciously supplied me with a copy for a giveaway!  How is that for book love?

All you have to do is be a follower of Southern Somedays, and leave a comment here on THIS post. That is all. 

If you would like to blog or share on Facebook and or Twitter about the giveaway you may gain one extra entry per share (you must leave separate comments for addition entries with links to each).

I will use the mysterious random number generator on Thursday, April 7, 2011 to pick someone to win their very own copy of this great, great book. I will post the winner on Friday the 8th!  Good Luck!

Oh, and the publisher just added a downloadable copy of Teeny Templeton's Kitchen Diary!!!

  Click here to Download your own copy!

Also, Southern Mommas is giving away a copy HERE for another chance to win! 

Open only to readers in the U.S. and Canada (per supplier's shipping request)

Southern Lit., Pick of the Week: Gone With A Handsomer Man by Micheal Lee West

Mail time is sometimes an extra happy time around here, especially when I receive a package containing a new book to be read! Fortunately, for me, this particular package contained the book, Gone With A Handsomer Man by Michael Lee West. I had been anxious to read this one because I enjoyed the author’s previous work (Mermaids in the Basement)! Of course, knowing it was set in Charleston didn’t hurt either!

I was completely drawn in by page 3 when the heroine, Tenny Templeton, arrives home to discover her fiancé, Bing, playing naked badminton in the back yard with not 1, but 2 other women! Teeny stands stunned and out of sight, until one of the Trollopes kicks her dog, and then we start seeing the feisty side of our heroine. She springs into action, climbing a nearby peach tree and beginning an all out assault on the 3 badminton players with, yes…peaches! Unfortunately, for Teeny, this doesn’t end well and she finds herself on the receiving end of police charges and a conviction for assault. This peach throwing incident leads to more than a broken engagement and probation, as just a few days later Teeny discovers her ex-fiancé murdered and she is the prime suspect. The story has a variety of unforgettable characters and is sprinkled with some wonderful Southern foods and recipes. Teeny has a cookbook full of family recipes to which her Mother and Aunt added their own made-up funny and deadly recipes. These women coped by making up recipes to “fix” what or whoever ails you, the way some women use retail therapy! Some of the real (and safe) recipes are included in the back of the book as an extra bonus.

I enjoyed every twist and turn, as the mystery of who killed Bing and who will be next, unfolded. The descriptions of the South Carolina Low Country had me hankering to jump in the car for a road trip and even the descriptions of the interiors were wonderful. Throughout this book I found myself laughing at the good guys and the bad! This is a great book, which keeps its greatest surprise for the very end. Gone With A Handsomer Man is the 1st of series by West and I will be waiting, with great anticipation, for the 2nd installment because I have fallen head over heels in love with Teeny Templeton and her life.

Check out Teeny Templeton's Kitchen Diary:  Click here to download!

Gone With A Handsomer Man will be released on April 12, 2011.

This post was written as a member of the Southern Mommas Writers

Please come check out the Southern Sisterhood at Southern Mommas

and you don't have to be a Momma!

Southern Lit., Pick of the Week: The Island by Elin Hilderbrand

The Southern Lit. Pick of the Week takes us just a bit north of the South for this week’s read. I just finished Elin Hilderbrand’s The Island. It is set on a tiny rustic island off Nantucket called Tuckernuck where 4 women gather to heal, grow and make peace with where they find themselves.

The story revolves around Birdie, who is recently divorced from her long time husband, and her grown daughters, Chess and Tate, along with her artsy, widowed sister, India. Birdie has planned a month long get away to help her daughter, Chess, heal her heart after the end of her engagement and emotional breakdown. But, like all good books, each woman has her own “row to hoe” (as we say in the South) and being isolated and away from the busyness of modern life gives each heart the spotlight to open up, heal and deal with the pain of the past. New relationships develop among the women, along with a couple of surprises from unexpected characters. The story doesn’t disappoint and by the end you will find yourself longing for an escape just like what is found on the shores of Tuckernuck Island.

Reading The Island was like sitting on the beach listening along with the girls as they deal with where life as dropped them. Each of these four women are very different from one another, but I am sure you will find a kindred spirit among them, though by the last page, you will love them all. This is the perfect Spring Break book or beach read.

Also includes book club guide, Author interview along with recipes for some of the foods mentioned in the story!

This post was written as a member of Southern Mommas Writers

Please Check out the Southern Sisterhood at Southern Mommas

(and you don't have to be a Momma!)

What Every Chick Should Have...

Today found me thumbing through one of my all time favorite books, Nesting, It's a Chick Thing by Ame Mahler Beanland and Emily Miles Terry (click here for my original book mention Deals and Inspiration.) I love this book, and anytime I pick it up, it seems I can't put it down!   I came across one of their wonderful "every chick should have..." lists pertaining to the kitchen, and since I have been spending more and more time in my kitchen lately, I particularly loved it and thought you might as well:

According to Beanland & Terry, in your kitchen "every chick should have....

* Luxurious hand lotion next to her kitchen sink

* A stereo in the kitchen to play tunes that inspire, calm, and cheer

* At least one delicious frozen entree in the freezer -- for afternoons or evenings too fun to stand in front of the stove

* A well worn recipe card with a favorite family dish from a grandmother or other cherished relative

* Pictures of family and friends on the refrigerator door

* Someone to call if you get into a culinary fix

* A hidden box or bag of some wonderful junk food

* A signature specialty that you can whip up with one arm tied behind your back

* Something distinctly "you" in your kitchen -- a frilly apron, an oven mitt, or a trivet from a memorable trip

* A beautiful bottle or tin of something deliciously refined and gourmet -- like a limited-run, estate-bottled olive oil or balsamic vinegar, or English tea biscuits in a vintage tin

* A neighbor who will lend you an emergency cup of sugar or an egg"

Ame Mahler Beanland & Emily Miles Terry, Nesting: it's a Chick Thing, 2004

Do you have anything/s that you think some be added to this "should have" list? 

What are your favorite must haves for your kitchen? 

Southern Lit., Pick of the Week: What are YOU reading these Days?

source

Hey girls! This week, I am taking a bit of a breather from reading (well, actually I am doing some catch up reading - magazine style! Remember....fluff, it does a body good!) but I would love to hear what you are all reading and what you have found that you couldn't put down.

*Have you discovered a new author or just a new to you author?

*Have you redisovered a book you had long forgotten about?

*Do you have the scoop on some new amazing "southern" book that I should not miss?

Please leave a comment with what you are currently reading, what you have loved lately or what you can't wait to read. I am looking forward to getting some inspiration from you!

This post was written as a member of Southern Mommas Writers

Please Check out the Southern Sisterhood at Southern Mommas

(and you don't have to be a Momma!)

Southern Lit., Pick of the Week: Suck Your Stomach In & Put Some Color On! by Shellie Rushing Tomlinson

Hey girls! I might be a little late to the party with this week’s review of Shellie Rushing Tomlinson’s, Suck Your Stomach In & Put Some Color On! What Southern Mamas Tell Their Daughters the Rest of Y’all Should Know Too , but all I have to say about that is, better late than never!

I have been a follower of Shellie for several years, even before her first book hit store shelves (and she just happens to be a member of Southern Mommas!). I found her originally when I was living “up nawth” in New York and was desperate for some southerness. While roaming the internet I found her “porch” at All Things Southern, and her very first eBook. She was like a breath of warm, humid southern air to my cold, snow-blind self. Well, the Shellie I came to know and love online has a wonderful book full of sweet, southern wisdom! She writes, “Our Southern Mamas have filled our lives with important values and silly little lagniappe, all woven into the fabric of our lives so subtly that it takes a discerning eye and a determined focus to bring them to light. Like a sentimental add-a-pearl necklace, each gem symbolizing an important event or a milestone, these mother-daughter jewels all have a unique value. It is up to each of us, the daughters of the South, to take the time to thread them into beautiful heirlooms worthy of bequeathing to the next generation.” So if you haven’t already read Suck Your Stomach In & Put Some Color On! I encourage you to get yourself a copy and read it quickly, because in May, Shellie’s newest book will be hitting store shelves!

Sue Ellen's Girl Ain't Fat, She Just Weighs Heavy: The Belle of All Things Southern Dishes on Men, Money, and Not Losing Your Midlife Mind will debut in just a few short weeks, and I am already lining up to read this one: “Guided by principles from the ancient Belle Doctrine, the host of radio and television's All Things Southern offers down-home advice on everything from health and fitness-managing thy caloric calculations without going Straight Running Crazy and surviving the Raging Inferno Syndrome (aka hot flashes)-to the Southern art of handling your man (Bubba Whispering). Whether giving business tips or debunking the Big Boned Theory, making political observations or celebrating the inevitable resurgence of big hair, Shellie is an adviser women can relate to and laugh with regardless of their age or which side of the Mason-Dixon they call home.”

Now, how can that one not be a winner?

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Southern Lit, Pick of the Week: I Love You - Now Hush by Melinda Rainey Thompson & Morgan Murphy

Don’t you love a good mixed gender dinner party? You know the great ones, where you sit around the table and conversation flits to and fro, full of hilarious, truthful, and sometimes surprising perspectives? That is what reading I Love you - Now Hush by Melinda Rainey Thompson and Morgan Murphy is like. When I finished this book I felt as if I had been sitting around having a wonderful party with friends.

These two authors dish it up in a comedic blend of “she said/he said”. Both are true Southerners who feel the roots of Southern culture deeply. They have a ball discussing how Southern culture impacts gender relations. I mean, there are even opposing essays on swearing! See, I told you it was interesting.

Melinda Rainey Thompson has written 2 other books, SWAG: Southern Women Aging Gracefully (see my review here: SWAG: Southern Women Aging Gracefully) and The SWAG Life. She loves her a little Southern with a big side of sass. Morgan Murphy has written for Forbes, Vanity Fair, Esquire, and was formerly on the editorial staff of Southern Living). He is a true Southern gentlemen with a dry wit and is the epitome of what we would all like our little Southern Gents to become. I knew he was my kind of man when he wrote, “Casual Day. Those two words denote the ruination of our civilization, the collapse of all that is good and decent in our land. The unknotting of the necktie will be the unraveling of our social threads, mark my words.” Just makes me swoon!

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Southern Lit, Pick of the Week #2, Miss Hildreth Wore Brown

Miss Hildreth Wore Brown was a quick little read that I soaked up one afternoon and thought y’all (all Belles in your hearts, right?) would enjoy. Of course, I had to read it when I saw on the book jacket, “With storytelling written in the finest Southern traditions from the soap operas of Candler Street in the quaint town of Gainesville, Ga….” See, we moved from Gainesville just a few months ago. It was too tempting!

This is my favorite type of book to pass a few hours, full of pithy Southern Anecdotes laced with just enough truth. My accent just gets thicker from the reading! It is the kind of book that makes you wonder if someone hasn’t watched YOUR Southern family and decided to write their observations down – the good, the bad and the truly nutty. Miss Hildreth Wore Brown is the author’s first book and she claims that she wrote it because her husband ("long suffering husband" – her words, not mine!) told her to write her stories down as he had apparently heard them a time or two enough. She is a true Southern Belle, and how can you not love a Belle who lists her sorority affiliation in the first line of her bio( Olivia deBelle Byrd)?

I found myself chuckling throughout the book, and no more than in the section where Mrs. Byrd talks about worrying about her children. I was practically rolling when she described what she worried about when her daughter went off to college: “Do I worry about her eating right or getting enough sleep? No, I worry because I don’t think she shaves her legs often enough. One time I sent her a postcard from France. It didn’t say “Having a great time. Wish you were here.” It just said, “Shave your legs!” Deep down, the main reason I was glad she got a boyfriend, I figure she would shave her legs more often.” Now, if that isn’t a true Southern Momma, I don’t know what is. Of course, I may relate to this a little more than some, as I told my daughter when she went to college that if she became one of those girls who wore their jammies to class (yes, they do that now…everywhere) I would cut off her allowance – and I was (am) serious. So, if you are in need of a Southern infusion pick up a copy of Miss Hildreth Wore Brown, you will enjoy!

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Southern Lit, Pick of the Week: Decision Points by George W. Bush

I recently finished Decision Points by President George W. Bush. I didn’t read this book out of a love or dislike of the former President, nor did I read it because I was terribly interested in one political perspective or another. I read it because I was curious about the President’s own voice. Would his memoirs present the same picture of the man that I perceived during his eight years in office?

Decision Points isn’t a quickie read! It is full of details, events and perspectives presented by one who has sat in the chair of power and faced the world as only a President of The United States can. It is broken up, not in historical order, but rather Bush wrote in topical form (thus the title) and covered just the items he felt were some of the most far-reaching. I found some of the topics easy to get bogged down in, particularly in the discussions of his key official choices, managing his teams, and foreign policy interactions (I am not a lover of political history which would probably explain my feelings!)

In relational perspective, the book covers nicely personal issues such as his relationships with both parents, his siblings, marriage, children and some key friendships. President Bush presents his feelings for his family in plain sight. His words state strongly how much love his extended and immediate families share. There is quite a bit of Bush family biographical information that is very interesting, particularly when considering how much the family has influence the United States over the last century. I enjoyed reading his personal perspectives on his faith and challenges in that area of life, especially in regards to politics. Not to be overlooked, there is an inherent self-effacing humor in Bush’s candid words, which is refreshing among the more dry topics.

Regardless of your political leanings, it can’t be denied that George W. Bush served this country during some of the most challenging and uncharted times in American history. There was no play book, after September 11, 2001. Honestly, I can imagine being President. I do believe it is probably harder in modern days, not necessarily from the additional challenges from the world - though they are great, but rather the challenges of the enormous media attention that every facet of your life and family receive. Most of us would wither under the scrutiny. So, agree or not agree, I respect the office and those who serve. Even in our small, individual lives I think we can relate to the humans that take on the monumental task of serving. George W. Bush says in the epilogue of Decision Points: “As I hope I have made clear, I believe I got some of those decisions right, and I got some wrong. But on every one, I did what I believed was in the best interests of our country.”

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GiveAway time is coming!

Please keep an eye out for my up coming giveaway which will be a copy of a new realease from a very popular Southern Aurthor (I have it, but it hasn't hit the shelves yet!!!).  IF you love to read keep an eye out and I will hopefully have it up in the next few days!

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Southern Lit Pick of the Week: Between The Tides by Patti Callahan Henry

Me with Patti Callahan Henry

I don’t know when I have been more excited to talk about a book than this week. I am so excited because just a few days after I finish Between the Tides by Patti Callahan Henry, I was able to attend a luncheon where she spoke, talked about her writing and I met her in person! When you read someone’s book it is impossible to know the personality that is truly behind the words, so to read a book and then almost immediately meet the author is quite an interesting experience. It was great to hear this author’s thoughts on how writing evolves for her and what several of her books have meant for her personally.

I read Between the Tides in one night. Yes, one night, because a couple of interesting details really drew me in personally…one being a character named Piper. I have a daughter named Piper! Then there was a little boy named Sam, with green eyes. I have a little boy named Sam with green eyes! So, for me, those two coincidences kept me reading until the wee hours of the morning (yes, it was painful dragging out of bed for church the next morning).

Between the Tides is a true Southern novel that is set in the South Carolina Low Country where the main character, Catherine, is tasked with completing her Father’s last wish. She must return to a place that she both loved and hated and come to terms with many mistakes of the past, most of them not hers. This book is a journey of moving into the future by way of the past. We get to walk along as Catherine experiences things she never knew, and things that weren’t what she thought they were, both literally and emotionally. It is an interesting journey to watch the characters make sense of the dark secrets we can all hold in our hearts. Also, this book is filled with interesting personalities but one personality - that of Catherine’s deceased Mother, is one I really would love to know more about. (Hint!!! Great Book Writing Powers That Be…I think there is an entire other book about Mrs. Leary!).

I look forward to reading more of Patti Callahan Henry’s work and meeting more of her characters. Fortunately, at the luncheon was able to pick up her latest release, The Perfect Love Song, which is a Christmas story!. She said she doesn’t plan to become an author that produces regularly scheduled Christmas novels, but I am excited about this one because I love a holiday story to get me prepared for the season. So look for my upcoming impression of this newest release!

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