Review: Curse of the Bayou

I just received the latest review for Cynthia's Attic: Curse of the Bayou from Blog Critics and I'm thrilled! Here's an excerpt:

"I have read all of Cunningham’s books so far and I have to say this is the best. I especially loved the "Southern" atmosphere in this book, the threatening setting of the swamps and humid Louisiana climate. Each chapter is filled with mystery and adventure and ends with an exciting cliffhanger. The pace is quick and the chapters short, adding to the suspense."

Here's the link if you'd like to read the full review by Mayra Calvani.
Blog Critics Book Reviews

Mary Cunningham Books

WOMEN ONLY OVER FIFTY (WOOF)

(drum roll, please)

Ahem. Ladies and gentlemen. Boys & girls. Dogs and cats (well, maybe not cats!). I'm thrilled to unveil the new cover for our upcoming release, Women Only Over Fifty (WOOF)! A funny, light-hearted break from the normal spin of the world. An odd but humorous little book to give us all cause to howl at the moon!

Yep. Diana, Melinda and I can't wait for the book release by Echelon Press. Looks like July 1.

Watch for updates, because we'll soon be launching the Woofers Club Blog, including a forum were you can "unleash" all your funny stories, frustrations, and vents about the "joys" of the aging process.

So, get ready for the Wild, Wacky, Wonderful World of WOOF!

Doggone, we're good!

Mary Cunningham Books

A Book Store...Where??

Mother Goose - Random House, 1949

Diana, one of my co-writers on Women Only Over Fifty (WOOF), is my guest blogger today. She was inspired to write about a very unusual Wisconsin bookstore that was featured on CBS Sunday Morning. (Video Segment below)

We love books, right? But just how much? Enough to set aside 12 buildings on our rural property where we house one million (yes, MILLION) tomes? Sure, we would if we could. But you gotta admit, THAT amount of effort takes an amazing passion for books.

Central Wisconsin, off County Road K, that’s where Lloyd Dickman cultivates wheat and corn while his wife Lenore grows the book collection. The Dickman’s bookstore is open regular business hours on Saturday and anytime by appointment…or if you happen to find them stocking shelves and not out procuring more books.

During an interview on CBS Sunday Morning, Lenore, who rather likes her Dickman system for cataloging instead of Dewey’s, pointed to a book table she says is the most important of all. The table does not labor under the weight of leather-bound classics like “Tale of Two Cities” or “Les Miserable.” Rather small, colorful reads such as “Mother Goose.”

“If a child knows eight nursery rhymes by the time he is four years old,” said Lenore, now retired, but who, with her husband’s support and sacrifice, earned a PhD, “that child will be an excellent reader by the time he is eight years old.”

Personally, I have to trust the opinion of someone ensconced by that much paper and ink; a person who when additional book space was needed, cleaned out, fixed up and roofed a huge storage bin that once held cow manure. Actually, that project was Lloyd’s contribution. Soon he’s going to turn over one-third of his tractor garage to Lenore’s ever-expanding stockpile.

That’ll bring their bookstore “chain” to 13. All that without serving one cup of coffee or surfacing the long dirt road leading to their store.

Yeah, one has to love books nearly as much as they do to venture out to their place. And that’s exactly what the Dickman’s count on.



CBS Sunday Morning - Bill Geist reporting

Women Only Over Fifty (WOOF) Summer 2008! (Echelon Press)

Hidden - A treasure for 'tweens

Hidden, By Dotti Enderle
Illustrated by T. Kyle Gentry
Pelican Publishing Company (August 15, 2007)


Hidden is a treasure.

"You can learn a lot from dead people. You just have to know where to look," says twelve-year-old Fiona, the day after her grandmother's funeral. She's none too happy about being recruited by her mother to help sort through Grandma's worldly possessions. That is, until underneath the drawer of an old cash register, Fiona finds an intriguing anniversary card to Millie from Don, with a strange message about having found "a new hiding place." A new hiding place for what?

Unable to draw her mother or dad into the mystery, she turns to a newfound friend named Eugene who seems to appear at the drop of a hat, and disappear just as quickly, especially when Fiona wants to introduce him to her parents. They work together to interpret the clues hoping a valuable treasure will be found. The mystery turns deadly when Grandma's house is broken in to and searched, or as Fiona observes; It looks like the house puked.

Hidden is a real page-turner. I know that's an overused expression, but I couldn't stop reading! A very enjoyable story for 8-12 and beyond. This adult reader enjoyed it immensely. Dotti Enderle's writing is funny, family-friendly, descriptive and concise. No words are wasted in this 'tween mystery. T. Kyle Gentry's illustrations are an added bonus. I'd recommend it for all.

Dotti's Website

Amazon

It's All About the Food!

The picture was taken on our train trip on the Blue Ridge Mountain Railroad. If you look closely, you'll notice a rock formation. This is a 500-year-old Native American fish catcher.

"In our mountain greenery where God paints the scenery. Just two happy people (and their dog) together..."

DH, Molly and I just returned from a glorious, 4-day trek to the mountains around Morganton, GA. A super, relaxing mini-vacation, for the most part.

Mentally weary, we couldn't wait to relax on the porch of our rented cabin, listening to the birds, staring at the mountain vista, rejoicing to the gentle sounds of rain on the tin roof, cursing our neighbors who yelled, partied and played rock music until 4:30 AM Friday morning...

Well, that was one of the few downsides to the trip, other than the fact that our senior doggie, Molly, couldn't get the hang of the stairs and kept tumbling to the bottom. Fortunately, she didn't hurt herself, other than her pride, and finally got the hang of going up and down by the time we left on Sunday.

We took a train ride on Friday from Blue Ridge to McCaysville, GA-Copperhill, TN. We could, literally, take one step and be in Tennessee. The border splits the town in half. In fact, we ate at an Irish Pub (I know...how stupid is it to pass up one barbeque joint after another to eat at an Irish Pub in "Georgiasee"?) where you ate in Tennessee and went to the ladies room in Georgia!

Speaking of eating, we found an amazing Italian restaurant just outside Blue Ridge called the Cuchina Rustica. Wonderful gourmet food! Seriously! I'm not kidding! We had the most amazing cold asparagus appetizer ever. I can't tell you what our main courses were because neither one of us could pronounce them...but they were great!

We also had super lattes and peanut butter fudge at Sweet Treats in Blue Ridge. Do you see a pattern here? Our vacations are no longer booked with walking, riding bikes, scouting out local scenery, or wildlife as the main focus. It's all about the food!

Oh, and on the way home, we stopped at Mercier's Apple Orchard for apricot muffins, apple cookies, jalapeno bread (5 loaves), apple/cinnamon doughnuts, and apple/cinnamon bread. Yep-all about the food!

I Need An Exemption!

Let's wise up, people! (says Terrie, my friend, Suzette's terrier)


My previous post extolled the virtues of my "complaint-free world" bracelet that I've started wearing and must switch to the other wrist whenever I complain...about anything! I have really, really tried. I'd say my complaining about minor issues has been cut in half. EXCEPT FOR POLITICS!

This is not the year to stop complaining COLD TURKEY. And, to exploit the favorite subject this week from the "talking heads" ...it's making me bitter.

Okay, folks. Enough is enough. No matter which side you're on, let's debate what's really important. Health care, the economy, Iraq, housing crisis, climate change, anything that doesn't revolve around the "horrors" of the word, bitter.

Are voters really as shallow as the press portrays? I'd love to hear some opinions.

(Whew! Glad I took politics out of the complaint/bracelet equation.)

Aw...Quit Your Complaining!

That's our goal. After months (years) of complaining about everything under the sun, my husband and I are trying to give up the habit. We saw a story on CBS Sunday Morning about "A Complaint Free World" and decided that this was our last hope. In case you're not familiar with the concept:

Our words are powerful indicators of our thoughts, and our thoughts create our lives. When we complain, we draw to us negative things because we put out negative energy. Therefore, one of the most important things we do is to learn not to complain.

And, in order to remind ourselves not to complain (for a small, tax-deductible fee), we were sent purple bracelets to wear. Apparently, you're supposed to put it on one wrist or the other. If (when) you find yourself complaining about ANYTHING, you must remove the bracelet and put it on the opposite wrist. The objective is to wear it on one wrist exclusively for 21 straight days.

Now, please tell me how this is possible in a world of never-ending war and astronomical gas prices?!

(Oh. Hang on a minute while I switch wrists)

...Politics being thrown at you 24/7??

(Sorry. Gotta change)

And, HAVE YOU BOUGHT A GALLON OF MILK LATELY??

(Excuse me, again)

Not to mention the fact that there are three houses in foreclosure in our neighborhood and several more with rusty, faded For Sale signs.

(Uh-oh. Wonder how strong these bracelets are? Hope they can handle lots of stretching)

Well, you get the idea. Here's the link to the website, if you dare. Bwwahahahah...

A Complaint Free World

P.S. We also bought bracelets for our kids and friends!