penny's pages
purposeful ponderings
Five Stars The Extraordinary Life of Sam Hell is one of my favorite books that I’ve read this year. Dugoni writes a captivating story about a young boy struggling with his uniqueness in a way most if not all readers can appreciate. Yet, the battles for Sam are also his and experiencing them with him […]
In my grandfather’s desk, he kept a slate and a slate pencil. I still feel the narrow smooth soapstone resting against my already-developing writer’s callous. I hear its tap-slide against the charcoal-gray slate. Sometimes I couldn’t wait for the surface to dry between wet-rag washes, and my marks faded before I could finish an entire […]
Five Stars Just get past the first chapter (try not to laugh!) and the rest of the book is a pure eccentric delight. Honeyman’s characterization of Eleanor is believable and poignant as well as dead-pan humorous and winsome. I listened to this one on Audible, but would recommend earbuds for that first chapter and a […]
As I begin my routine each morning, I am flanked by two yellow Labrador Retrievers. They alternate positions, but one tucks under the drop-lid of my desk and splays across my feet while the other plays sentry behind my chair. The Ragdoll-Himalayan watches my back from the wood-slat box under the window ledge. Or he […]
Five Stars Music-lovers and guitar-enthusiasts will appreciate the instrumental inclusion that composing and writing lyric plays in this inspirational novel by Charles Martin. Martin’s characters are well-developed while being imperfect and endearing. His vivid descriptions transport readers through the reviving yet tumultuous story of one family wavering between the pinnacle of passionate evangelism and the […]
I sat in the passenger seat as my youngest son drove to the meet-up for his post-secondary, dual-enrollment classes. I failed at fully restraining from jamming the ball of my foot into the floorboard and from whispering the occasional “slow down.” The week before, my husband suggested that I drive him to his classes the […]
Three Stars The Orphan Master’s Son is a challenging read in structure and content. It is difficult even at the end of the book to be fully certain what is truth and what is a lie. Perhaps that is the point of this book set in North Korea. In such a regime, morality, identity, and […]
After reading my recent post, some of my fellow writers may be inspired while others may be overwhelmed. For those in the latter group, allow me to give you an alternative process for increasing your writing career by 30 percent. This option comes from personal experience. I concede I am planner by nature. I have […]
Five Stars The Library of Lost and Found is a story of eccentric characters and the enchanting family stories that bring them together after years of secrets and estrangement. It is a must-read for book-lovers.
Recently, this article was sent to me. While I applied it to the person and the situation at the time, I began to wonder, how can I apply a 30% increase to my writing career? More importantly, how can I make these criterion a viable “bucket” list for my future projects and endeavors? It’s important, […]
