#ThrowbackThursdayBookstagram: The Poisonwood Bible

#ThrowbackThursdayBookstagram welcomes THE POISONWOOD BIBLE by Barbara Kingsolver! If you follow this series, you’ll know that last week, I talked about how I’m not a “literary” reader or writer. So when someone suggested reading this book, I was wary. I had only one previous encounter with a Kingsolver novel (Prodigal Summer), and though I loved…

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Strong and Fearless: An Interview with Kristin Smith

One of the beautiful benefits of this interview series is that each interview has the power to bring authors and readers together as well as connect me with new-to-me authors. Shortly after I ran an interview with Charissa Weaks, an email arrived in my inbox from author Kristin Smith, a “former Pitch Wars mentor who…

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#ThrowbackThursdayBookstagram: Bel Canto

#ThrowbackThursdayBookstagram for this week showcases BEL CANTO by Ann Patchett. I knew from an early age that I was not a “literary” reader or writer. While I’m drawn to words and how they are arranged, I’m also drawn to stories with engaging plotlines. The books don’t need to be action packed, per se, but something…

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The Waiting Game

Merriam Webster defines waiting game as “a strategy in which one or more participants withhold action temporarily in the hope of having a favorable opportunity for more effective action later.” And while Alzheimer’s will never result in a “favorable opportunity for more effective action later,” nor is there strategy involved, as I sit with my…

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Finding Myself Again

On Wednesday, October 22, 2008, I decided to take over what had been, at that time, my husband’s blog. Tim is a fabulous and gifted writer, but he’s not a consistent writer. And in those days, my plan was to “update a blog once a week so that [our] little ‘buckets of sunshine’ [could] be…

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#ThrowbackThursdayBookstagram: The Fault in Our Stars

This week’s #ThrowbackThursdayBookstagram features one of my all-time favorite books: THE FAULT IN OUR STARS by John Green. John Green has been one of my go-to authors since my friend Kelsey introduced me to him. In fact, back in April 2012 (a decade ago!), I blogged about my love for John Green and his works.…

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#ThrowbackThursdayBookstagram: I’ve Got Your Number

This week’s #ThrowbackThursdayBookstagram features I’VE GOT YOUR NUMBER by Sophie Kinsella. I never found Kinsella’s Shopaholic series to my liking (unlike just about everyone else on the planet), but this book was a fun, quick read. In fact, readers called it “hilarious,” “engaging,” and a “delightful” read, and I would agree. Kinsella knows how to…

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Missing Out

Literary journals uphold standards by following a style guide. Literary Mama uses The Chicago Manual of Style (CMOS) as its guide, though we do have our own in-house style guide for a few items. One of the standards we follow is to italicize book titles. That choice might seem inconsequential to you, but to someone…

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