In the Studio

In the Studio

Nightstand January 14, 2018

I hope you all had a great weekend. It was a lovely weekend with lots of sun here although according to the weather reports we’ll be seeing some very cold weather soon. I guess I don’t mind as that means I can spend more time in the studio without being distracted by going out to do things.

This weekend I was in the middle of bookbinding. I’ve had books in process for months so it was time to finish some up and start planning the next ones. So aside from my little coptic bound postcard journals, I’ll have more sketchbooks and some new journal types. It’s so much fun to create.

As my husband was helping me take pictures of some of the finished books so I can post on my Etsy shop, he found some old calligraphy work he doesn’t need any more and gave those sheets to me. I’m so excited. I can incorporate some of the pieces into the “junk journals” I’m making so I can’t wait!

Of course as I’m planning my next journals that means a lot of time going through scrapbook papers, Italian decorative paper, marbled paper, and other beautiful papers that I’ve accumulated over the years. I’m really drowning in paper over here so I guess I better get busy making more books right? haha.

Anyway, that’s the scoop from over here. I have got to tell you about some of my current reads soon. I’m in the middle of some good books. How about you? What have you been up to?

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World Lit

World Lit

Nightstand January 12, 2018

Happy Friday everyone! Hope you are all ready for the weekend. I’m sitting here with a cup of coffee and doing a bit of catching up with GoodReads and doing some serious catch up on my World Literature Today magazine reading. I’m behind by three issues. How did that happen? Of course the one downside of catching up on all those issues is that my reading list is going to get a bit longer.

Aside from that I’m wondering what to do about book group next week. We are reading The Preacher’s First Murder by K.P. Gresham but I tried starting it last night and couldn’t get into it. The mystery is set in rural Texas and I think that’s the problem. I typically don’t read a lot of books set in Texas because I already live here. I want to “see” other places through my reading. And, now that I’ve been catching up with the WLT magazine, my wish is to read about faraway lands and other voices. Does that make sense?

If I don’t read the book I will probably still go to the discussion and maybe I’ll find out I’m missing out on a good read.

Anyway what are your plans for the weekend? I’ve been doing a bit of crafting this week so I’ll do an update on some of my recent projects. I think a visit to some thrift stores might be in order this weekend and other than that, more reading. Hope you have a great weekend and more book talk soon!

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The Best Kind Of People

The Best Kind Of People

Nightstand January 9, 2018

“For months Joan would replay this moment, trying to decipher the look on her husband’s face. Was it guilt? Confusion? Indignation? Stoicism? Acting? But nothing, not even a revolving camera of omniscience, a floating commentary opportunity to narrate, would allow anyone to truly understand the truth about George.”

The Best Kind of People
By Zoe Whittall
Published: September 19, 2017
Source: Advance review copy

For the Woodbury family life is full and fulfilling. Joan and George have been married for many years and have successfully raised their two children. One is already in a successful career in NYC and their youngest Sadie, is a popular high school student. Everything is going according to plan until one evening two officers appear at their doorstep and arrest George.

The popular high school science teacher even had become somewhat of a mythic hero as he had saved his daughter and other customers in a bank hold-up years ago but not even that can save him from the stares and withdrawal from friends when it is announced that he’s been accused of sexual misconduct with students.

The family is in shock understandably and the story proceeds as George is awaiting trial. While Sadie tries to go back to school and resume her daily life, Joan is determined to find a reason as to why George could have done what he is accused of. Is he ill, how will they move on? Meanwhile Andrew returns home to help his parents but also finds it difficult to assimilate what has happened.

There are those in the community that are quick to assume the worst and if there are any who support George, then others think they are against the victims. The strength in this novel is having alternating viewpoints from Joan, Andrew and Sadie. While the biggest downfall for me was not enough from George, the accused.

This novel was a finalist for the Scotiabank Giller Prize and as I read it during so many of the sexual misconduct scandals that dominated the discussion at the end of 2017, it definitely felt like a very timely and important read. While it was not one of my favorite reads of 2017, it was a good read and I think this is an author to watch.

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