Another One for the Morning Label

Long time readers will know that often when reading novels I'll catalog and note when I see a description of a morning in a novel. Particularly if it's a good one (see here).

I found one in the novel I'm currently racing through . . . trying to finish before my next class starts. 

As usual on a fine morning, the air and the view were exhilarating. The sun was no more than a promise on the far distant horizon and there was a beginning-of-the-world quality in the light. I watched the shadowy shapes of the horses ahead of me curving around the hill with white plumes streaming from their nostrils in the frosty air. As the glittering rim of the sun expanded into full light, the colors sprang out bright and clear, the browns of the jogging horses topped with the bright stripes of the lads’ ear-warming knitted caps and the jolly garments of October’s daughters.

Francis, Dick - For Kicks

Back Again

I have two more weeks to cram in some more fun reading (see here). I have class starting up again in two weeks . . . two classes actually, so I'll be back to writing more about adult learning then (see here). But until then I'm going to push hard to get in more leisure reading!

To that end I went back again to an old favorite. Milo Talon by Louis L'Amour, wasn't bad, but it also wasn't good. A bit of a puzzle in the plot arena. Fun characters and an easy read, but not exceptional. I can't remember if I've read this one before or not, but we shall see!

The Earl of October drove into my life in a pale-blue Holden which had seen better days. 

More Self Promotion

The other day I was discussing self promotion with someone at work. If we don't promote our wins, no one else might. It's up to us, I told her, to let people know when we've done a bad job, but also when we do good jobs. 

So, although I might have said I wouldn't post many more reviews of my work, this one hit me and I thought I would share (see here). 

Cowboy Sunrise

 For a long time I've been cataloging and grouping quotes from novels where the author writes about the morning or the sunrise. It's quite prevalent when you look for it (see here). I just ran into one in the book I'm currently reading (see here).

AT DAYBREAK I went down the street to Maggie’s. The horizon was lifting yellow into the sky, but in the west a few laggard stars remained stubbornly in place. My boots echoed on the boardwalk.

L'Amour, Louis - Milo Talon

Another Old Friend

 As I have a month or so to walk down memory lane before my next class takes over my free time, and as I've already read a Dick Francis, and Lawrence Sanders novels, and as Louis L'amour was also an old fave of mine from when I was growing up, I might as well give him a quick go too. 

I've selected one that I'm fairly certain I have not read. I have read a tone of Louis L'Amour books, but he had what seems like thousands, so there's a good chance I have not read this one. Also, since the other day I discussed pulp art covers (see here), I went ahead and found the most pulpy I could and posted it first.

Guest Post - Christy Herrington: What Makes a Mystery a Cozy

If someone tells you they enjoy cozy mysteries, you may find yourself asking, “What makes a mystery cozy?” The term ‘cozy mystery’ gets its name from the typical setting of the mystery: a quiet spot in the country, a seaside resort, village, etc. 

The modern cozy mystery has its origins in the Golden Age of detective novels which dominated fiction in the 1920s—1940s. Popular Golden Age authors include Agatha Christie, Margery Allingham, Anthony Berkeley, Dorothy L. Sayers, and many more.

Pulp Covers

 I've always been a huge fan of pulp art novel covers. I don't know why, but they've always appealed to me. I think the first I remember seeing was for Foundation by Asimov. I think I've mentioned here before (see here) that when I was growing up I would spend summers with my grandfather in the country. He was an avid novel reader and I became one as well. We would go to the paperback bookstore in the town nearby and trade in all of paperback books and get new ones for a discount. I think that might be where I first became aware of my liking pulp covers. 

Reviews are Good for the Ego

Whenever I wonder about why I'm writing or if I'm actually writing well, I take a moment to go read some of the reviews of my books (see them all here and here). I re-read this one (here) from several months ago from someone who read One the Edge, and I noticed I had gotten another (see below).

I really like that my book and my writing contributed to her understanding more about adventure racing and the military. That is precisely some of the reasons I wrote the novel. Lisa was every reason I wrote the book. Michael's review is amazing, but Lisa's too is amazing in it's own way. 

Camp NaNo

 Since I'm writing more this month, and since I've challenged myself to get my 2021 novel written during this hiatus between classes, I've (apparently) been in "Camp NaNo."

I did not know that NaNo had a summer camp, but I'm glad to be a part of it. 

I'm writing a novel I'm tentatively calling Front Running. Just like the other in this series, the main character enjoys fitness and running. What's different is that he enjoys it in a way like no other character I've written. 

Perhaps I was inspired by Lawrence Sanders (see here), who loves to include descriptions of the cocktails his main characters drink, or perhaps this is based too much on my real life, but the main character is a lush (truthfully, I'm a tad jealous of my main character).

Ran Into These Today

 So, anyone who follows me knows about my passion for these Evershade posts (see HERE). I think I’m well over 50 posts now! Well, I ran into a few more I felt the need to post today as well. Love these. All from the same source, my friend from up North. 

This is from The Curious Optimist:

Tie me up in your words . . . Take me prisoner in your mind.