Varadero, Cuba - Friday

Though I was wide awake from 5:30am to 7am, I fell back to sleep and slept in ‘til 9am this morning. 

Once I had breakfast, I headed for the beach for a couple hours.

Book ~ "Reflection" (2013) Kim Cresswell

From Goodreads ~ Florida investigative reporter, Whitney Steel, has lived in the shadow of her legendary father long enough. To prove herself she needs to find the “Big” story.

She found it.

Now it may kill her.

After Whitney receives a lead pointing to the world’s first cloned human, now a small child, she vows to unravel the truth. However, sifting through the facts proves to have dangerous results, including death threats and murder.

When Whitney is nearly killed, but is saved by undercover FBI Special Agent, Blake Neely, he refuses to let her get in the way of his own objective - at least not right away.

Caught in a lethal game between a billionaire obsessed with genetic perfection, his hit man’s thirst for retribution, and a Colombian drug lord fresh out of prison determined to make Blake pay for his twin brother’s death over a decade ago …

Can they save an innocent child before it’s too late?

Faced with tough choices, with deadly consequences for many - Whitney soon realizes that sometimes a story becomes more than just a story.

Blake is an FBI agent undercover investigating the death of his sister. He gets a job as a security specialist at the lab run by Nathan Shaw where she worked.

Whitney is a reporter whose ex-husband is murdered while they are having lunch. He tells her that humans are being cloned at Nathan’s lab. Days later, she receives a package in the mail with a key and a video showing a young girl. Knowing this is the story that could finally give her the prestige she wants, she heads to the lab to investigate but using a fake story. But Nathan isn’t fooled.

Nathan, thinking that Blake is his top security specialist, asks Blake to do what he has to do to get the video back. There is an instant connection between Blake and Whitney, though, but each are hiding secrets. In addition, Nathan sends another person, who has a grudge against Whitney, to get the video and eliminate Whitney.

As people start getting killed and houses and cars are blown up, Whitney and Blake have to work together despite not trusting each other.

This is the first book by this author that I’ve read (it’s actually the first novel the author has written) and I liked it. I liked the writing style and it kept me wanting to read more. It was fast-paced and interesting. There were times when I had to leave my sense of belief at the door and go with it.

I liked Blake and Whitney as characters. Blake wants to avenge the death of his sister and is eventually filled with guilt because he is keeping things from Whitney. He knows that once she finds out that he has lied to her, he might lose her. Whitney knows that Blake isn’t being totally honest with her plus works for the man she is trying to bring down but can’t fight the attraction. Nathan is well-portrayed as the villain.

As a head’s up, the language and activity is at times mature.

I received a copy of this ebook from the author at no charge in return for my honest review.

Varadero, Cuba - Thursday

Sister Sarah and I take a vacation together every year, usually the long weekend in May. This time we are meeting up today for a week ... in Varadero, Cuba.

Her neighbours, Pauline and Curtis, have been together a long time and are getting married on Monday here at the resort ... so it was a good excuse to take a vacation!.

About fifteen of them arrived from Halifax today (including Sister Sarah). I arrived today too and there are some more arriving from Toronto on Saturday.

I heard last night that there was a winter storm watch for Toronto for today. Oh no!

It had just started raining when I got up this morning at 6am. By the time I was on the plane ready to go at 10am, it had started snowing and there was freezing rain. The plane had to be de-iced so we were an hour late leaving ... but at least we left.  Yay!

Here’s the view of Toronto out my window on the plane as we were leaving ...

And here’s the view three hours later as we were arriving in Cuba ...

Much better!

Topbox - April 2013

My April Topbox arrived today.

For only $12 a month, you will receive a Topbox with 4 carefully selected, indulgent, beauty products. Then test the products in the comfort of your own home.

It has an Aveda theme ...

Here's what was in it ...

Book ~ "There was an Old Woman (2013) Hallie Ephron

From Goodreads ~ "Don't let him in until I'm gone." 

That's what Mina Yetner's neighbor whispers to her just before the EMTs take her to the hospital. Mina writes down the message - at nearly ninety, she has to write down most things lest she forget - and calls Sandra's daughter, Ginger, telling her that once again her mother needs help.

Evie Ferrante is dismayed when she gets the call from her sister.  This time it's Evie's turn to see what their mother's done to herself. But when Evie arrives home - where she hasn't been in months - she's shocked by the state of her mother's house.  It's in terrible disrepair, much worse than Ginger led her to believe. And as Evie cleans and organizes, she finds things that don't make sense: expensive liquor in the garage, pricier than their mother's usual brand, a new flat-screen television on the wall. Where was her mother getting all this money?

The blessing and curse of small neighborhoods is knowing everything about your neighbors and Evie, suspicious and concerned about her mother, rekindles a relationship with Mina. Mina's been having episodes she can't explain lately, and her nephew, Brian, is trying to convince her to move to a community that will provide her with some help. Though Mina's resistant, Evie isn't certain that isn't a bad idea. But before any decision is made about Mina, Evie needs her help figuring out what's been going on with her mother - and the more Evie digs into what her mother's been up to over the past few months, the more a bigger - and more sinister story begins to unfold. 

Mina is 90+ and still living in her house with her cat, Ivory.  She has no family left except her bothersome nephew, Brian, who is trying to talk her into giving up her house and moving into a seniors' residence.  Mina likes her independence but is worried that she is getting absent-minded ... she's forgetting to turn off the kettle and causing small fires, she's putting her purse in the fridge, etc.

Next door lives Sandra, a widowed alcoholic, who has had another episode.  As they are putting her in the ambulance, Sandra asks Mina to call her daughter, Ginger, and says, "Don't let him in until I'm gone."  Evie, Sandra's other daughter, discovers her mother has let her house go ... it needs lots of repairs, it's dirty and there's garbage all over the place ... but there's also a new flat screen TV, expensive vodka, cartons of cigarettes and envelopes of cash.  Where did all this come from?

As Evie gets to work putting the house back in good condition again, she gets reacquainted with Mina.  There's something not right in the neighbourhood and Evie wonders if her mother is involved in it.

This is the first book I've read by this author and I really enjoyed it.  I liked the writing style and found it was an easy read.  The chapters are short and snappy, which I like.

Evie and Mina are the main characters and I liked them.  Evie works for a historical society and is trying to balance cleaning up her mother's house and illness in addition to having a display coming up.  I liked Mina's feistiness and patience in dealing with Brian.  She's set in her ways and a bit crotchety but makes no bones about it.

I had the issue figured out but was surprised at some of players involved.  I was satisfied with the ending.

I'd recommend this book!

Book ~ "The Promise of Paradise" (2013) Allie Boniface

From Goodreads ~ Ashton Kirk, youngest daughter of a prestigious senator, fiancee of a hotshot attorney and fresh Harvard graduate, is headed for a promising law career when scandal breaks apart her family. To escape, she rents an apartment in the sleepy town of Paradise, NH, where no one knows who she is.

Ashton hopes for solitude, but all bets are off when Eddie West, the town’s most eligible bachelor, moves in downstairs. Eddie likes his women and his cars shiny, sleek, and fast, and when he meets his new housemate, he wastes no time getting friendly. While he's looking for a no-strings romance, though, he gets more than he bargained for in Ash, who sees through his bravado to the pain of a loss too fresh to mention.

Can two people from different worlds find common ground, a place to fall in love and build a future? Is it possible to find your soul mate in the place you least expect?

Ash's father, a vice-president hopeful, recently allegedly got caught in a car with coke, a hooker and breathalyser reading saying he was drunk.  Plus her boyfriend of three years broke up with her to be with someone else.  Ash needs to get away and have some space so runs to Paradise, NH.  She sublets the apartment on the top floor of a house and gets a job as a server in a jazz bar.

Eddie is a mechanic who is running away from his own demons.  He was in an accident three years ago that killed his younger brother.  He moves into the bottom apartment of the house the same day as Ash.

Near the curb, engine still running and rock music bellowing from the speakers, idled a red pickup truck. White and yellow flames danced along both sides. Bending over the tailgate was a broad, bare, definitely male back. Yow. No wonder Jen looked like she was about to start drooling. Even one floor up, Ash could trace the outline of nearly every muscle in his arms and back. A bright red and yellow king cobra tattoo curled around his left triceps. Wavy brown hair fell across the sides of his face. His jeans, faded in all the right places, sat low on his hips. Ash squinted harder and ran one hand over her hair.

Oh God. They still make men who look like that?

“Turn around, please,” Jen commanded under her breath. As if he’d heard her, he straightened up, biceps flexing as he hauled two large boxes from the back of the truck and turned up into the sidewalk. Her sidewalk. He looked up, and Ash’s heart dove into her stomach. A neatly trimmed goatee underscored a crooked nose. He flashed a smile and winked.

“Hey,” he called up. “You live here?”

Jen nodded and jabbed a thumb in Ash’s direction. “She does.”

“I’m Eddie West. Movin’ in today.” It was hard to hear him over the noise of the truck’s humming engine and the music. Ash watched his mouth move instead.

“Need any help?” Jen asked.

Eddie shook his head. “Nah. I’ve just got a couple of boxes to bring in. The rest is coming tomorrow. But thanks.” He continued up the sidewalk.

Jen cupped her hands around her mouth and yelled down. “Come up later, if you want.”

Ash elbowed her. “What are you doing?”

Eddie backpedaled and nodded, grinning wider. As he disappeared from their view, the heavy front door creaked open and, after a few seconds, thudded shut behind him.

Jen straightened up. “See? I told you he’d be good-looking.” She rolled her eyes. “He’s beyond good-looking, Ash.” She fell back against the railing, hands to heart in a dramatic pantomime. “He’s perfect.”

Sparks fly between Ash and Eddie right away.  But Ash is hiding a secret from everyone in the town, including Eddie ... who she really is.  How will Eddie react when he finds out who she really is and that she has been keeping this from him?

I liked this book and the writing style ... it's a quick read.  I liked Ash and Eddie ... though attracted, they start out by hanging out together, sharing supper and some beer and watching baseball on TV.  Eddie finds and adopts a kitty and names him Tiny ... gotta love a guy who love kitties!  Paradise sounds like a nice small town to live in.

I'd recommend it if you are looking for a cute romance.  As a head's up, the language is mature at times.

Jack Astor's Bar & Grill, Toronto, ON (Front Street)

After the Rock game, Gord and I had supper at Jack Astor's (Front/University).

It was loud, busy and stuffy inside so we sat outside on the patio.  It was 15C and there were lots of heaters.

Our beer tasted good!

Toronto Rock 10, Rochester Knighthawks 9

Gord and I went to the Toronto Rock game this afternoon ... they were playing the Rochester Knighthawks.

The Toronto Rock is a professional lacrosse franchise founded in 1998. They are in the Eastern Division of the National Lacrosse League (NLL).

The Rock cheerleaders came out before the game.

 Iggy was pumped!

Book ~ "Z: A Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald" (2013) Therese Anne Fowler

From Goodreads ~ When beautiful, reckless Southern belle Zelda Sayre meets F. Scott Fitzgerald at a country club dance in 1918, she is seventeen years old and he is a young army lieutenant stationed in Alabama. Before long, the “ungettable” Zelda has fallen for him despite his unsuitability: Scott isn’t wealthy or prominent or even a Southerner, and keeps insisting, absurdly, that his writing will bring him both fortune and fame. Her father is deeply unimpressed. But after Scott sells his first novel, This Side of Paradise, to Scribner’s, Zelda optimistically boards a train north, to marry him in the vestry of St. Patrick’s Cathedral and take the rest as it comes.

What comes, here at the dawn of the Jazz Age, is unimagined attention and success and celebrity that will make Scott and Zelda legends in their own time. Everyone wants to meet the dashing young author of the scandalous novel - and his witty, perhaps even more scandalous wife. Zelda bobs her hair, adopts daring new fashions and revels in this wild new world. Each place they go becomes a playground: New York City, Long Island, Hollywood, Paris, and the French Riviera - where they join the endless party of the glamorous, sometimes doomed Lost Generation that includes Ernest Hemingway, Sara and Gerald Murphy, and Gertrude Stein.

Everything seems new and possible. Troubles, at first, seem to fade like morning mist. But not even Jay Gatsby’s parties go on forever. Who is Zelda, other than the wife of a famous - sometimes infamous - husband? How can she forge her own identity while fighting her demons and Scott’s, too? With brilliant insight and imagination, Therese Anne Fowler brings us Zelda’s irresistible story as she herself might have told it. 

I thought this book sounded interesting ... F. Scott and Zelda Sayre Fitzgerald are such intriguing characters.  This book is written in first person, in Zelda's voice.

I really wanted to like this book ... but I didn't.  I wasn't enjoying the writing style ... I found it long and really draggy.  I felt like giving up about a quarter of the way through but kept going.  I finally gave up just after half way through.

Toronto Blue Jays 5, Boston Red Sox 0

The Toronto Blue Jays had their home opener on Tuesday.  Gord and I tried to get tickets as soon as they were available (we go every year) but they sold out really quickly.

So we went this afternoon instead ... Toronto was playing Boston.  Kevin, Craig, Rachel, Alfred and Christine went with us.

Here's the singing of the national anthems.

Ace was working the crowd.

And the game began ...

Book ~ "Tin God" (2013) Stacy Green

From Goodreads ~ Getting pregnant as a teenager and being coerced into giving her baby up for adoption left a festering scar on Jaymee Ballard’s life. Trapped by poverty and without many allies, Jaymee nearly gives up hope of getting her daughter back after her best friend is murdered. Now, four years later, a wealthy woman with legal connections hires her as a housekeeper and Jaymee gathers the courage to seek her help. But Jaymee’s last chance ends up in a puddle of blood in one of the historic antebellum mansions in Roselea, Mississippi.

I just murdered your wife … again.

An unsigned letter consisting of six horrifying words turns Nick Samuels' stagnant life upside down. Stuck in emotional purgatory since his wife’s unsolved murder four years ago, Nick is about to self-destruct. The arrival of the letter claiming credit for his wife’s murder and boasting of a new kill sends Nick to Roselea, where he and Jaymee’s worlds collide.

Jaymee and Nick realize exposing the truth about her daughter’s adoption is the only way to solve the murders. Up against years of deception, they rush to identify the killer before the evidence - and Jaymee’s daughter - are lost.

But the truth doesn’t always set the guilt-ridden free. Sometimes, it destroys them.

Jaymee lives in a rundown trailer park in Roselea.  She works in a diner full-time and cleans Rebecca's historic mansion once a week.  She's saving all her money to hire a lawyer so she can find the daughter she was forced to put up for adoption seven years ago when she was a teenager.  Paul, her abusive father, feels she is shaming their family name and beats his wife if Jaymee makes contact.

Nick is a reporter in Jackson whose wife, Lana, was murdered four years ago and the killer was never found.  To avoid his grief, he works all the time.

When Rebecca is found murdered similar to Lana (who was Jaymee's best friend), Nick receives a letter that says his wife has been murdered again.  He rushes to her hometown in hopes of finding out what happened.

Cage is a cop and Lana's brother.  He is Jaymee's good friend but he has deeper feelings for her than she has for him.  Jaymee and Nick are drawn together which doesn't make Cage very happy.

The story follows Jaymee, Nick and Cage as they seek to solve the murders which seem to be tied together.

The term "tin god" refers to Holden Wilcher, who is a TV evangelist from Roselea now living in Jackson.  

"Idol worshippers in Biblical times often prayed to idols made of metal.  Christians (worshippers of the one true God) believed these to be false gods.  A tin god is a false god, an idol who's worshipped by those too ignorant to understand his treachery.

Holden is best friends with Jaymee's father and could be into something shifty.

I liked the writing style.  I found it started out a bit slow but picked up about a quarter of the way in.  The characters were well-developed. I found Paul a bit extreme, though.  He was always raging about something and everyone put up with it.  If he was that big of an A-hole and a bully, why didn't anyone ever attack him (wearing a mask perhaps?) and give him a taste of what he dished out?!

This book had lots of twists and turns and I didn't know who the murderer(s) was/were until it was revealed towards the end.  I wasn't expecting it but I bought it.  The ending was wrapped up very quickly.
 
I received a copy of this ebook from the author at no charge in exchange for my honest review.

Book ~ "Tainted Love" (2012) Erin Cawood

From Goodreads ~ For anyone in a relationship, the words "we need to talk" can only mean one thing. In the last twenty-two years, the McKenzies have been through it, survived it, learned by it and grown stronger from it because life didn't stop for a breath when they needed it. Among the tears and the tragedies, the hopes and happiness, they've built something amazing: a happy family, a luxury lifestyle and a booming empire. Don't they deserve to have it all? 

But for the perfect wife, those four sinister words mean something entirely different. They're a summons into a private world where what happens behind closed doors stays behind closed doors. 

Faith has no doubt in Calvin's undying love for her. It's what kept her sane in the darkest hours. If only she could figure out what it is she does wrong ... because it’s rapidly becoming apparent their tainted love is running out of time.

When Faith starts dating Calvin, he is a widower recovering from the recent death of his wife and infant son.  Things escalate when Faith gets pregnant which prompts them to get married.  Over the years, Calvin displays bouts of rage which progress from yelling and demeaning Faith to beating her up and raping her.  He is always instantly sorry and showers her with gifts ... she feels he loves her and one of these days he'll confront his demons and stop the abuse.  She starts thinking that maybe she's to blame for his outbursts and makes excuses for her injuries.

Though this is a rather intense story, I enjoyed it.  I liked the writing style and think the author did a good job of portraying a woman who is being abused by her husband, wants to protect her children and not let them know what a monster their father is, and is hopeful that Cal will change.  It eventually comes to a point where she can't take it anymore.

The format of the book is interesting ... it's made up of letters and emails Faith writes to her younger brother, Darryl.  This is how she tells her story.

I can't imagine what it's like to be physically abused.  If I was in that situation, I would leave right away ... buh bye!  I felt like reaching into the book and pulling Faith out of that situation and giving her a shake.

I'd recommend this book.  As a head's up, the subject matter and language is mature at times.

Luxe Box - Spring 2013

My March Luxe Box arrived on Monday while I was in Chatham.  Whoohoo!

It is a Steven and Chris inspired box.

Here's what was inside ...

Retro Suites Hotel, Chatham, ON

I'm in Chatham (three hours from Toronto) for a couple days visiting a client.  Rather than staying at a bland Holiday Inn, the Retro Suites Hotel caught my eye when I was looking online.

The Retro Suites Hotel combines historic elements of the King William Block with modern amenities, providing an unparalleled experience for guests to the region.

The buildings that encompass the Retro Suites Hotel have undergone a series of renovations, with an emphasis placed on preserving their original character and architecture.The Block has some of the finest examples of Victorian architecture in the city. T.J. Rutley designed the George Stephens hardware store in the 1888. The store featured a glass façade — the largest windowpane in Chatham at the time. The Chatham Tri-Weekly noted in its newspaper that “…Mr. Stephens is to be congratulated upon the enterprise and success.”

Later, the building housed Zink Hardware. The entrance faced the market square, where Chatham-area residents purchased their fruit, vegetables and meat products from local vendors. Today, the Stephens’ building has been painstakingly restored and now features the hotel’s hospitality suites.

The staircase, in the hotel’s lobby, dates back to 1895, when it was a part of the Merrill Hotel. The terrazzo floors and tin ceilings, along with the contemporary art and furnishings, give the Retro Suites Hotel its unique appeal. 

 Here's the lobby area ... so much to see!

Book ~ "No Way Back" (2013) Andrew Gross

From Goodreads ~ One woman is framed for a horrific crime and desperate to prove her innocence.

A chance meeting with a stranger in a hotel ends in a shocking murder. Wendy Gould is an average mom--and the only witness. Nanny Lauritzia Velez knows a shocking secret that could prove to be deadly. Both of their lives in danger, this unlikely pair must work together against a network of dangerous men who want nothing more than to see them dead.

A fast-paced, riveting tale with strong, compelling characters, No Way Back is an edge-of-your-seat read with nonstop action and a complex mystery.

Wendy and her husband, Dave, had a spat last night and are still not speaking.  She is meeting up with her friend, Pam, in a bar to have some drinks and to talk about it.  Pam is running late and Wendy starts chatting with Curtis, who is also at the bar.  Pam texts that she can't make it after all and Wendy ends up in Curtis' hotel room.  Before it goes too far, Wendy stops things and goes into the washroom to freshen up.  While she's in there, she sees a man come into Curtis' room and shoot him.  To save herself, Wendy shoots the guy and ends up on the run when she is blamed for the murders.

Lauritzia escaped from Mexico and is working as a nanny for a family she loves and who love her. She is going to school and has dreams of opening her own store one day.  But her dreams are shattered with a shooting in the mall and she knows the bullets were meant for her.  She wants to run to protect the family but they convince her to stay so they can help her.

Wendy and Lauritzia have to work together so they can both get their lives back.

This is the first book I've read by this author and I enjoyed it.  I liked the writing style and it sucked me in right away.  It's action-packed and never slows down.  The chapters are short and snappy which I like.

While I liked Lauritzia, I didn't care much for Wendy.  Yes, I was cheering her on but I couldn't warm up to her for some reason.  She had the bad luck to be in the wrong place at the wrong time that set off the chain of events.  Despite not liking one of the main characters, I really enjoyed the book which is a testament to the writing and story.  The bad guys are ruthless and cold.

The pieces start falling together at the end as to what's going on and I was happy with the ending for the most part.  Not to give anything away, I wasn't buying the possible love connection that was hinted at, though.  Really?  It had only been four months.

I look forward to reading other books by this author.

Book ~ "The Prince of Denial" (2013) Doug Wilhelm

From Goodreads ~ The Prince of Denial is a YA novel that portrays the impacts on young teenagers of living with an alcoholic or addicted parent. 

Recruited to play a key role in an intervention that will confront his dad’s drinking and drug use, Casey at first refuses, then begins to break through to the reality that his family has never before acknowledged. 

With multiple characters, a strong vein of humor, and an unexpected outcome, The Prince of Denial is a young adult’s adventure in facing the risks, and discovering the power, of living your truth.

Thirteen-year-old Casey's parents have recently broken up.  His mom and sister move away and Casey stays with his dad.

Casey's dad drinks and gets stoned all the time.  It's up to Casey to make sure that everything is okay in their lives.  So he rushes home from school everyday to clean up and put all his dad's beer bottles in the recycling bin.  He waits for his dad to get home never knowing what mood he will be in.

One day his dad's sister, Janet, approaches him about doing an intervention.  She brings in Joe who organizes it.  Knowing it's the right thing to do so his dad can face his demons and get the help he needs, Casey is conflicted about how his dad will react.

This is the first book I've read by this author and I really enjoyed it.  I liked the writing style and found it to be a quick read (there's a lot of dialogue).  It is written in first person from Casey's point of view and it's as if he is talking to us, telling us his story.

I liked the characters.  I found Casey believable in what he is going through.  He has a good support system in his friends Tara and Oscar, though he keeps what's going on a secret at first because he is ashamed and embarrassed.  Tara is caring and Oscar is both caring and funny.

I'd recommend this book.  As a head's up, there is a bit of mature language.

Mamma Maria's Ristorante, Chatham, ON

I had supper this evening at Mamma Maria's Ristorante on King Street W, which is about a five minute walk from my hotel.

It wasn't too crowded when I got there at 6pm but started filling up.  I sat on the dining room side.

The bread was delicious ... slightly crusty and soft and warm on the inside.  Yum!

Book ~ "What She Wants" (2013) Sheila Roberts

From Goodreads ~ What do women want?

Jonathan Templar and his poker buddies can't figure it out. Take Jonathan, for instance. He's been in love with Lissa Castle since they were kids but, geek that he is, she's never seen him as her Mr. Perfect. He has one last shot—their high school reunion. Kyle Long is equally discouraged. The pretty receptionist at his office keeps passing him over for other guys who may be taller but are definitely not superior. And Adam Edwards might be the most successful of Jonathan's friends but he isn't having any success on the home front. His wife's kicked him out.

When Jonathan stumbles on a romance novel at the Icicle Falls library sale, he knows he's found the love expert he's been seeking—Vanessa Valentine, top-selling romance author. At first his buddies laugh at him for reading romance novels, but soon they, too, realize that these stories are the world's best textbooks on love. Poker night becomes book club night…and when all is read and done, they're going to be the kind of men women want!

Jonathan is a computer geek ... he has his own business fixing computers and that keeps him busy.  He has had a crush on his friend, Lissa, since they were children but she's never see him as anything more than her pal.

Kyle has a crush on Jillian, the receptionist where he works, but she only goes out with tall, good looking well-to-do men.  Kyle is on the short side and has a bit of complex about it.  He does all he can to attract Jillian but she doesn't even look his way.

When Adam returns from a business trip in Alaska (he stayed a couple extra days to fish), he discovers that his wife, Chelsea, has changed the locks and is MAD.  Why?  Because he has forgotten their anniversary yet again and she's tired of being taken for granted. Adam has to figure out how to get her back.

The three friends get together every Friday night to play poker along with their other friends, Vance and Bernardo, and lament about women.  What is it women want?!

Jonathan decides to do some research ... by reading romance novels.  The hero in them always seems to know the right thing to do and say to get the girl so maybe he can learn something.  At first he hides what he is doing from his friends because he knows they'll tease him about it ... and they do.  But he shares his list of what he's discovered with Kyle and Adam and soon they are exchanging romance novels.

With Jonathan and Kyle's 15 year high school reunion coming up, Jonathan starts working out, taking dance lessons and getting a new wardrobe in hopes that Lissa (who has since moved away) will see past their friendship and want something more.

I enjoyed the writing style and it kept me reading more.  It's lad-lit ... the guys are the focal characters which is fun for a change.  It was funny to read the conversations they have while playing poker discussing the romance books and what they discovered in them.  Definitely not your usual manly man talk.

I liked the characters.  I was cheering for the guys and hoped they figure things out (it's was funny to follow their progress).

This is the fourth in the Life in Icicle Falls series ... I'd read the second one, Better than Chocolate, in the fall and enjoyed it.  I liked this one even more.

Chilled Cork, Chatham, ON

I am in Chatham (about three hours from Toronto) for a couple days visiting a client.

I had supper this evening at the Chilled Cork, which is near my hotel.

Inside it's kind of funky ...

Happy birthday, Crumpet!

My girl is two years old today!

Book ~ "Editor-Proof Your Writing: 21 Steps to the Clear Prose Publishers and Agents Crave" (2013) Don McNair

From Goodreads ~ Veteran editor Don McNair lays out an easy-to-follow and systematic method for clearing up foggy writing—writing that’s full of extra, misused, and overused words—in this guide to producing sparkling copy that attracts readers, agents, editors, and sales. McNair explains the common mistakes made by most writers and shows how eliminating unnecessary words strengthens action, shorten sentences, and makes writing crackle with life. 

Containing 21 simple, straightforward principles, Editor-Proof Your Writing teaches how to edit weak verb forms, strip away author intrusions, ban redundancies, eliminate foggy phrases, correct passive-voice sentences, slash misused and overused words, and fix other writing mistakes. A superb addition to any writer’s toolkit, this book will not only make writing clearer and more grammatical, it will also make it more concise, entertaining, and appealing to publishers.

Have you ever thought about writing a book?  If so, this is a great book with some sound advice before you send it off to a publisher:

If you’ve never been published, there’s both bad news and good news.

The bad news is that most unpublished writers will never be published. Editors receive hundreds of manuscripts each week and ultimately buy fewer than one percent. We’ve all heard of hapless writers who have wallpapered their home or office walls with rejections. Perhaps you’re one.

The reason is basic. Many writers send problem-riddled manuscripts to editor after editor, as Barbara did, believing they are perfect. In the meantime they blithely build the same flaws into their next manuscript. They simply don’t know they’re making those mistakes. Unless someone tells them or they somehow learn on their own, their manuscripts will be rejected the rest of their lives.

Note, however, that someone does recognize their problems. Those editors! They quickly spot them in a manuscript’s first chapter—often on the first page—and reject the submission without reading further. They know the rest of the manuscript contains the same mistakes, just as we know an iceberg’s submerged part is made up of more of the same ice seen on top. But editors simply don’t have the time or inclination to teach authors writing skills. So they send out “sorry, it’s not for us” letters and move on to the next manuscript in their bulging “in” baskets.

There are three parts to this book:

1. Putting words in - hooking your audience, deciding on your point of view (POV), adding conflict, etc.
2. Taking words out - using fewer "-ing" words and infinitives, shortening verbs, using active voice rather than a passive voice, etc.
3. Sharing your words - how to find critique partners, editors, publishers and agents, and writing a query letter

Each part goes into a lot detail with many examples.  There are quizzes at the end of each chapter plus a story to correct to re-enforce the lessons of the chapter.

I enjoyed this book and what I read will make me more conscious of my writing in general and the editing I do at work.