Love Comes Softly

First order of business: I got my cast off!!

Second, let's talk about some books. I have been rereading this series of books called "Love Comes Softly." The first one, just entitled "Love Comes Softly" tells the story of Marty, a young woman who is moving out into the west with her husband. Through circumstances and hardships, Marty suddenly finds herself alone, trying to make it through her first winter out west. 

In walks Clark Davis. This handsome young stranger proposes an idea, literally. He asks Marty to enter into a marriage of convenience. She needs a place to stay and he needs help raising his young daughter Missy. Realizing that she can't do it alone, Marty unwillingly accepts.

Throughout the novel, we see Marty struggling with her grief and confusion while also trying to teach young Missy, who clearly doesn't have any desire for another mother. The two often quarrel until Marty finally understands where Missy's frustration is coming from. Clark, knowing his daughter needs a mother figure, is okay with stepping back and letting his "wife" and daughter work out their problems.

The story continues and we find Marty pregnant with her husband's child. Clark is determined to be there for her, wanting to keep up his end of the bargain. As winter turns to spring and Marty's son is born, readers see that Clark has fallen in love with Marty and we see that Marty has feelings for Clark as well, although she is unsure of how to feel. Having lost most of her faith when she lost her husband, Marty wonders if she could be good enough for Clark, who is a devout Christian man. 

I must admit that I fell in love with the movie before I read the book. After watching the movie, however, I realized that the book had to be better, and truth be told it was. I have since read the entire series, and it has to be one of my favorites. To see Marty and Clark struggle to come to terms with their past and slowly build a new future together is exciting. 

I say this at the end of all my posts, but if you haven't read it I ask you to give it a try. Join Marty and Clark as they realize that love doesn't always barge in. Sometimes, love just comes softly.  

So I get my cast off in a week, which is definitely exciting!

So someone asked me recently if I knew of an author named James Michener. Truth be told, I don't. But I've done a little research.

He was apparently born in 1907, and in his 97 years he published over 40 titles. He never really knew his parents. His "mother" took in children and raised them. 

One of his most well known works is "Tales of South Pacific" for which he won his Pulitzer Prize in 1948. He has also published some non-fiction works, as well as a memoir. 

I read an interview by Mr. Michener. Click here to read the interview and find out a little more about James A. Michener. 

Michael Crichton dies

So I just posted a blog a few minutes ago, but I just found out that Michael Crichton passed away due to cancer and wanted to pay a tribute to him.

First of all, how freaking awesome is "Jurassic Park?" The movies were great, but the book just blew me away.

Second, Crichton also helped create the medical drama "ER" which I love; great stories lines that have lasted for 15 seasons. Crichton must have done something write (and I spelled it that way on purpose.)

He will be missed. 

The Outsiders

I love "The Outsiders."

The book itself is about the a group of boys who depend on each other when everything else in the world sucks. Ponyboy (yes, that's his real name) is our main character. We follow Ponyboy as he struggles being a "greaser," one of the rough and tumble kids in town as they are known.

"The Outsiders" is about growing up and really learning who your family is. Ponyboy has two brothers who will defend him and help him grow no matter what. But Ponyboy also surrounds himself with some boys who understand that he's really not just some poor kid who is never going to amount to anything. He's something special to each of them.

I prefer the book to the movie, although I would recommend seeing the movie. It's a great story and I think it could really make a difference in people's lives; it helped me see that people might not be cut from the same cloth as you, but they are cut from cloth just as you are (strange metaphor, I know, but we're going to go with it.) Click on "book" to find out more about the book, and "movie" to get some info about the movie. 

Have a good afternoon and be safe.

-Ace

Barnes and Noble

Since I usually blog about books, I figured I would dedicate a blog to my favorite bookstore Barnes and Noble.

Granted, I'm probably a little biased since I work there, but even before I got a job there I loved going in there. They give readers a chance to sit down a browse through books while sipping on their white chocolate mocha (or whatever their choice of drink is from Starbucks) and enjoy the atmosphere. 

Plus, there are hundreds of books. Sports, gardening, children, fiction, history, language, romance, religious, computer, mystery. Almost any type of book you could think of. Barnes and Noble also has a staff (I noticed this long before I started working there) that is really helpful and understanding. 

If  you like to read and are looking for a place to go, give your local Barnes and Noble a try. Curl up with a nice drink from Starbucks in one of the comfortable chairs that are floating around, and get lost in the pages of a book while the music that plays over the intercom soothes you. 

Harry Potter

So, I know most people are thrilled that the "Twilight" movie is coming out in November now. I am excited, yes, but also a little disappointed to hear that Harry Potter got pushed back.

I've read the Harry Potter books since I was young. My mom used to read them out loud to my sister and I on car trips. As I grew older, I found myself re-reading the worn pages of our hardcover edition, which I still do to this day. I have (finally) come to terms with the fact that the series is over, and it might be a while (Twilight is great, but it's just not Harry Potter,) before we see another series like that.

My favorite in the Harry Potter series is "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix." I must admit I was disappointed in the movie, because they left out some of the best scenes in the whole novel. I won't spoil them here (hopefully more will people read the books now.) 

It was fun growing up along side Harry Potter and his friends Ron and Hermione. The struggle with good and evil is something I think everyone deals with and as a child it was nice to have examples of how people's goodness can outweigh the bad. 

If you haven't read any of the Harry Potter series, I encourage you to do so. Especially if you like to read. I find something new in the series each time I read it, which goes to prove that the novels aren't just for kids. Or maybe, just maybe, they will let you escape back into your childhood. With a little bit of magic from Harry Potter, the Boy Who Lived. 

"Nineteen Minutes"

Some people take a 19 minute shower. It takes 19 minutes to drive across my town if I catch the green lights. In the novel "Nineteen Minutes," it takes Peter Houghton 19 minutes to walk into his high school with four guns and kill 9 students 1 teacher. 

 I've read a lot of books in the past few years. I read all the time. But no book has affected me nearly as much as "Nineteen Minutes" by Jodi Picoult. This books sheds light on bullying. The question it raised for me was really a touchy subject. When do the bullied start fighting back? And who has the right to judge another?

 The book is littered with main characters, each playing a significant part. Alex is the judge on Peter's case. She is also the mother of Peter's childhood best friend, Josie, who was hurt in the attack. Lacey is Peter's mother. Patrick Ducharme is the detective that works on the case, trying to get inside Peter's head. All these characters are essential to the novel. 

 Reading this book in high school completely changed my perception. What is constituted as bullying? When is it taken too far? When do the bullied become the bullies? How can we stop it? After reading this book, I realized that these questions are present outside of high school and can define who we are as people and as a society. 

 Read Nineteen Minutes. I hope it gets you to see that bullying is a serious issue. 

 That's it for this post. Have a good night and be safe.

Ace

Finished My Novel and August Rush

Hey everyone,

So I finished up "Where the Heart Is" and I must say it was an amazing read. I had already seen the movie, but at the same time I felt as if I was seeing Novalee in a completely new light. I didn't think about the movie version at all. It was exceptional.

Now, I know I usually stick to writing about books, but I wanted to blog a little bit about a movie I watched recently. My mom had been talking about August Rush for a few weeks now. Well, I finally sat down and watched it in full last night and I was blown away. The acting was great, the music was great. It was just a heartfelt story.

Anyways, back to books. So I had written about To Kill A Mockingbird earlier. Tonight, I met a young man named Atticus. It was so cool. He says he's never read the book, but seen the movie several times. His mom wants him to know where he got his name. Meeting him was great.

Anyways, that's it for this post. Be safe and have fun.

~Ace

broken arm...

So my blogs will be kind of short in the upcoming weeks, since I broke my arm recently. That being said, I want to talk a little bit more about the novel I am reading "Where The Heart Is."

I find myself walking along beside Novalee Nation as she and her daughter Americus get settled into their new life in Oklahoma. I've laughed and cried. and I am barely halfway through the novel. It seems to get better with every page I read.

All right, that's going to be it. Have fun and stay safe.

-Ace

Where The Heart Is

Novalee Nation is a poor 17 year old that is left by her boyfriend at a Wal-Mart in Oklahoma. 

Where the Heart Is tells Novalee's story as she struggles with raising a baby and figuring out where she truly belongs.

She meets great people along the way. Sister Husband is an recovering alcoholic that takes Novalee and her baby girl Americus in. Forney Hull is the local librarian, who opens up to Novalee and falls in love with her. Lexie Coop, a kind woman who has a thing for attracting the wrong men, becomes her best friend. And Moses Whitecotton helps Novalee discover that she can do anything she really sets her mind to.

Willy Jack, Novalee's ex, tries to make it as a singer. As he struggles to achieve his dream, Novalee sees all of hers coming true. She eventually figures out that "where the heart is" isn't where you live, it's where you feel happy and alive and secure. And family doesn't have to be the people God gave you. It can be the people you choose. 

There is a film version of Where the Heart Is, with Natalie Portman giving an excellent performance of Novalee. It features a great cast and (so far at least) seems to follow the book closely. 

I usually don't read books off Oprah's book club list since most are not the "easy reads" I want to read while in school. I don't have time or energy to read Anna Karenina by Tolstoy or The Road by McCarthy. However, I was immediately drawn into Novalee's life and her interesting story.

Give it a chance; you might just like it.

-Ace

"Remember It's A Sin To Kill A Mockingbird"

To Kill a Mockingbird is only one of the best books ever written. It is still required in most high school reading lists, as I believe it should be.

Jem and Scout. Brother and sister. Best friends. Throughout the story we follow Jem and Scout's adventures through town (mostly involving the newcomer Dill and Boo Radley.)

Their father, Atticus, is the hero of our story, at least in my opinion. Knowing he would be creating problems, Atticus did the right thing and defended an African American who was accused of raping a white girl.

At the beginning of the novel, Scout and Jem are two children who admire their father because he is their father. By the end of the novel, I believe that they admire him because he is a decent man who does the right thing because it's the right thing to do. Not to gain anything.

Readers see that Atticus has his children's best interests at heart throughout the novel. He teaches them to read (earlier than he was supposed to, according to Scout's teacher when she first starts school) and helps them learn values. He shows them that money isn't the most important thing by letting people "pay" them any way they can, whether with food or goods or money.

Click here to read about an overview of To Kill A Mockingbird.

Everyone should check out this book. At least give it a chance. You'll grow up right along side Scout it seems.

Franny and Zooey

So I just picked up Franny and Zooey, a book by J.D. Salinger. I'm sure most of you have heard of Catcher in the Rye (which is a great book) but I'm interested to see what is offered through Franny and Zooey.

Working in a bookstore, I have opportunities to read books I normally wouldn't considering reading: books that test my emotions or books that force me to see the whole picture. For example, this summer I read a book called Eight Lives Down, and it was based on a soldier in the Iraq war. While neither agreeing with or disputing the war, this man tells the story of what it's like being there and how that is his job. It was a great read and since I've finished it I've branched out a little bit more and started reading a little bit of everything.

I encourage everyone to step out of their comfort zone with books and try reading something a little different. If you normally read fiction, pick up a non-fiction history book. If you normally read sports books, give mystery books a try. Just see what is available out there for you. You never know where the next book you'll love is hiding on the shelf.

Twilight mania!!

Bella Swan is an klutzy teenager who moves to a small town called Forks.



Edward Cullen is the mysterious boy that lives there, captivating Bella from the start.



Enter the world of Twilight. where monsters become reality but in a good way. Bella and Edward are the teens who fall in love, though she must come to grips with the fact that he is a vampire and Edward must overcome his basic instincts to drink her blood.



I've heard some compare Bella and Edward's love story to Romeo and Juliet. In a way it is. Throughout the series readers see that Bella and Edward do seem to be star-crossed loves who can't really be together, but can't be apart either. Therefore in lies the problem.

The series consists of four books: Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, and Breaking Dawn. Readers take something different from each book. I am not going to lie, I personally liked New Moon, while I know others who can't stand it. It's strictly a matter of opinion.

Click here to see Stephenie Meyer's, the author of this amazing series, website. And get to reading Twilight.

Army Wives

So there is this show on TV called "Army Wives" that I am completely addicted to.

I love the fact that it's about this group of people who have loved ones in the army. Though it focuses on the army and the realities of war, it also shows a whole different side to the Army. These women, who are dealing with their husbands being in danger, become a family in their own right. They depend on each other and help each other through the tough times as well as the simple days.

What I truly love about this show, however, is that it does not defend the war, nor does it condemn it. I can honestly say that "Army Wives" hasn't once swayed my opinion of this war we are in at the moment. The whole point of the show is to see how it affects those left on the homefront and how they cope with fear, anger, joy, and loss. It's a great show.



All right, that's gonna be it. Have a good night and be safe.

-Ace

First Blog Ever!

I've never blogged before!

How's that for honesty. As a journalism major, facts are something I rely on. Well, it's a fact that I've never blogged before. Right now, however, I am struggling to remember why. This is cool.

Here's a little bit about me:
-I love to write. It's my life.
-I have two sisters and a brother
-My niece has captured my heart (in fact she did from the moment I laid eyes on her)
-I am addicted to the show (okay, cancelled show but I refuse to believe it) Gilmore Girls.
-My favorite book is Oliver Twist, and I think everyone should have a friend like Dodger.

So I guess I should talk about politics, since that seems to be all the rage right now. Well, I'm not going to. At least not in this blog. Maybe a little later on. But not right now.

While politics are in important issue, I also find that not being able to find your socks in cold weather can also be important. Last night, I was lying in my bed shivering. As two o'clock rolled around, I kept thinking over and over "man, I should just go get my socks." But my lazy butt just laid there, shaking almost uncontrollably, too damn lazy to get my socks. Oh well...hindsight huh?

All right, that's going to be it for this post. Be safe and have fun.

Ace