It’s Monday! What are you reading?

Posted on April 28, 2014 by Lori Crane

It’s Monday! What are you reading? Feel free to grab this meme and hop over to bookjourney.wordpress and join in the fun.

I am originally from the great state of Mississippi, and the work I am reading this week feels like my old uncle is sitting in his rocking chair on the front porch telling me a story. I have always struggled with dialects in the written word, both writing them and reading them. Some read pretty awful, some are difficult to get through (I’m thinking Mark Twain), and once in a great while an author nails it.

S.K. Nicholls absolutely rocks it in RED CLAY AND ROSES. I’m about halfway through the book and enjoying it immensely.

THE BOOK BLURB

A fictionalized true story of life in the Deep South during the time of Jim Crow Law, and before Roe vs. Wade. Women were supposed to keep quiet and serve, abortion was illegal, adoption difficult, and racism rampant. The discovery of an old ledger opens a window into the dynamics of the 1950s-60s, when the world was beginning to change. Unspoken secrets are shared between Beatrice, The Good Doctor’s wife, and Moses Grier, their black handyman. The Grier’s daughter, Althea, suffers a tragedy that leaves her family silent and mournful. Her brother, Nathan, looks for answers from a community that is deaf, blind, and dumb. A summer romance between Nathan and Sybil, an independent, high-spirited, white woman, leaves more unresolved. Sybil is torn between living the mundane life of her peers, or a life that involves fastening herself to a taboo relationship. Witness social progress through the eyes of those who lived it.

AUTHOR S.K. NICHOLLS

Susan Koone Nicholls is an R.N. who lives in Orlando, Florida, with her husband, Greg. She was born, raised and educated in Georgia, where she also raised her family. She has three children, a step-son, and two grandchildren. Orphaned from her mother at an early age, she spent time in foster care and in a children’s group home in the North Georgia Mountains, The Ethyl Harpst Home.

RED CLAY AND ROSES is available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Smashwords, and you can check out her blog here on WordPress.

Unexpected Coolness from…Dolly Parton?

Posted on April 25, 2014 by Lori Crane

Just because I’m moving to Nashville in three days doesn’t mean I’m going country, but sometimes unexpected cool things just happen. I like Dolly, but I wouldn’t say I’m a fan. I like a few of her songs and she seems to be a kick-ass business woman. She’s a fabulous song writer and everyone agrees, she’s a nice person. I don’t think anyone has ever said a bad word about her. That being said, her voice is a little squeaky to me, not very pleasant, until you turn her 45 on 33 rpm.

The result is this…. http://www.wimp.com/unexpectedsound/

It sounds like Fleetwood Mac and I’m completely in love with it. Enjoy!

Chili Peppers + Give it away now = Goodwill Store

Posted on April 22, 2014 by Lori Crane

So, I’ve been packing to move for four days. Five to go before the movers come. When we moved three years ago, I swear we got rid of HALF the crap we had been collecting for 25 years. How is it possible we have more crap? The trophy husband has taken 23 bags of clothes to Goodwill…which brings me to this…

Maybe the bass player could use some of these clothes.

By the way, that’s my buddy Chad playing drums. We’ve been friends since way before the Chili Peppers were formed.

Going to pack more stuff…

They loaded up the truck and they moved to Tennessee

Posted on April 18, 2014 by Lori Crane

Beverly Hillbillies in reverse. We live in Michigan and we’re moving to Tennessee…NEXT WEEK!

Last Thursday (April 10), my trophy husband said, “My company has a job opening in Tennessee.”

I said, “Well, what are we waiting for?”

We’ve been discussing moving South for quite a while. The snow in Michigan sucks! But since we were here, we’ve also been looking for a farm in Michigan for the last year, but everything we found, put an offer on, got an acceptance on, etc. has fallen through. Maybe we’re MEANT to move South. If you know me, you know my life is about SYNCHRONICITY! I completely believe things happen for a reason, and you will know you are on the right path by the crazy signs around you. Obviously, the difficulties we had trying to buy a farm in Michigan meant we were not on the right path. When things are right, they’re not difficult…they’re easy. Tell me if I’m on the right path when you read the following story…

That night (April 10), I found a farmhouse online and emailed about it. We planned on going down Sunday (April 13) for a couple days for hubby to check out the job and me to check out the neighborhoods for houses. (In 2 weeks, I’ll be out of the country until August, so if this is going to happen, it has to happen quick quick quick.)

Early Sunday morning, I got a response to my email which was uber-strange, stating the owner worked for the UN and was being transferred to South Africa, and asking questions like ‘Can you attach a photo?’ ‘How much can you put down upfront?’ ‘What’s your birth date?’ It was more than a little weird, so you know me, I Googled it. Turns out it was a scam. It’s been running since 2009. They get your info, you send them a lot of money, and you don’t get the house. I searched online and found the REAL real estate agent and sent her an email, telling her there was some fraudulent activity going on with that property. In the car on the way to Nashville an hour later, I got an email from her asking me to call her. I did and we spoke about the email I had received, which I offered to forward to her. I also asked (since I had her on the phone) if I could set up an appointment with her (since she’s a real estate agent and I’m looking for a house).

Monday morning (April 14), I dropped hubby off at the new job and went driving around. Armed with coffee, my GPS, and a list of 20 houses, my plan was to look at all of them before meeting with the real estate agent at noon. All of the houses were in dinky neighborhoods with no yards. I hated them. I’m a country girl. Give me room. Give me grass. Finally, I ended up at the farmhouse I had originally emailed about. I was in LOVE. There were cows and a donkey next to the house…chickens and geese in the barn…and a beautiful 150-yr-old farmhouse.

While I was in the driveway, my trophy husband texted, “The job is a go! Find a house!”

I texted back, “Just did! Check your email.” I sent him pictures of the cows and the house, and I headed to the real estate office.

The agent showed me some houses on her laptop (some of which I had just driven by) and I told her the one I really loved was the old farmhouse. She told me all about the history of the house and the land. I asked her why she knew so much about the property.

She said, “Because I’m the owner.”

SYNCHRONICITY

We signed the papers Thursday morning (Apr 17) before we left, and we’re now back in Michigan packing. The movers are coming Apr 29! I gotta go….

50 self-published books worth reading 2013/14

Posted on April 18, 2014 by Lori Crane

Indie Author Land is hosting “50 Self-published Books Worth Reading in 2013/14.”

My book ELLY HAYS made the short list!!!!

Please vote the old girl into the finals in the literary category…and check out the other books on the list. Some are great books, written by very dear friends, but don’t vote for them. LOL! You can vote 5 times.

Click here to vote and THANK YOU! I owe you a marshmallow peep.

If you’d like to know more about the book, look under “my books” at the top of this page.

On This Day in 1861

Posted on April 12, 2014 by Lori Crane

On This Day, April 12, 1861, Fort Sumter, South Carolina was shelled by the Confederacy. This marked the start of the Civil War.

Previously, on February 4th, a convention of seceded states met in Montgomery, Alabama and formed the Confederate States of America.

On March 3rd, Confederate General Beauregard took command of the troops around Charleston Harbor, surrounding Fort Sumter.

By April, the fort was running low on rations. President Lincoln (only president for a month at this point) told them he would re-supply and instructed them to hold the fort.

On April 11th, General Beauregard demanded Union Major Robert Anderson evacuate the fort, but he refused. He was warned if he did not evacuate, the fort would be fired upon at 4:30 a.m. on April 12th.

When the evacuation did not happen, as promised, General Beauregard commanded the men to open fire on Fort Sumter. Fortunately, there were no casualties on either side, but the fort had no option but to surrender.

At 2:30 p.m. on April 13th, Major Robert Anderson surrendered the fort.

The Confederate flag was raise over Fort Sumter and a 100-gun salute to the flag was planned, but a gun discharged prematurely, killing Union Private Daniel Hough. He was the first casualty of the war.

The war produced over one million casualties with between 650,000 and 850,000 Americans giving their lives. They died fighting their own countrymen and left behind as many grieving parents, widows, and children. These Americans gave their lives to save the United States they knew, whether it be Union or Confederate. As Americans, we have a duty to honor their memories and to get it right. God forbid, we ever divide and do it again.

(shameless plug: I wrote this post in honor of my new book On This Day. It’s a perpetual calendar/journal/record book. If you’re a genealogy buff, you HAVE to get this book to keep track of your ancestor’s special dates. Check it out here.)

Awesome Goat-iness

Posted on April 11, 2014 by Lori Crane

I just can’t stand it anymore. I had to compile these mash-ups on one page. Warning: Don’t drink anything while you’re watching these videos. You’ll end up with milk coming out your nose. Note: most of these animals are not goats, but actually sheep. Whatev!

“Let it Goat” from Frozen

“I Knew You Were a Goat” – Taylor Swift

And finally, the Top 5 Goat Songs…

No words can describe the epic-ness of this music video

Posted on April 8, 2014 by Lori Crane

The production and editing of this video are flawless.

“2CELLOS” performance is awesome.

The costumes are beautiful.

The audience’s response at the end…priceless.

Worst Book Titles….EVER!

Posted on April 5, 2014 by Lori Crane

Warning: This post has adult language and adult humor. If you are offended by such things, please do not read any further.

This is a collection of some of the worse book titles to ever hit the bookshelves. Seriously, these book are for sale to the public. As you will see by the “look inside” stickers on the tops of some of the photos, I found most of them on Amazon.

Here’s a collection to enhance the spiritual side of your life: Does this first one look like a battery-powered dildo? Or is it just me?

Everyone loves books. Pick this up for your little sister:

and perhaps for grandma:

Don’t forget grandpa:

and for dad:

I know a lot of my readers are genealogy buffs, so here’s one especially for you:

If you have a child from a sperm donor, consider these treasures: The Pea that was Me: A Sperm Donor Story (I can’t wait to read that one!) or Thank You For Your Sperm. I imagine the sequel to that would be: Sure, No Problem.

The most important books in the world are the ones for children. Remember treasuring your books as a child? Here are a few of my favorites: The Night Dad Went to Jail

All my friends are dead

and my all-time favorite: Go the F#&* to Sleep

If you still can’t find a book that calls to you, try this feel-good story: The Universe Doesn’t Give a Flying F#&* About You

Rainy Day Soup

Posted on April 4, 2014 by Lori Crane

To-die-for Asparagus Soup on a chilly, rainy day! Yummy!

Emeril’s recipe, roughly:

Cut tips off a couple bunches of asparagus and set aside. Boil woody ends of asparagus in 8 cups of chicken stock (or veggie stock for you veggie-type people) for 20 minutes.

While it’s boiling, in a large saucepan cook 1 cup diced shallots, 1 cup diced leeks (white part only), and the rest of asparagus (cut up) in 1/2 stick of butter until softened. (Don’t worry about the size of the dicing, you’re gonna blend it later.) Add 1 tablespoon of garlic, 1 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp pepper.

Remove woody ends from stock with slotted spoon and discard, then add shallot/leek/asparagus mixture to stock. Simmer 20 minutes.

To serve: Remove shallot/leek/asparagus with slotted spoon and blend in blender and then add back to stock, add 1/2 c heavy cream and asparagus tips, warm and serve. Top with Parmesan. (I was tempted to put some diced ham in this. Might be yummier, but I’d probably omit the salt.)

Lori Crane

award-winning author. musician. cute shoes.

Monthly Archives: April 2014