Well Read

My friend Starshine was sweet enough to tag me with a meme, which always helps me to kick-start my writing again.

What book are you reading right now?
Condi: The Life of a Steel Magnolia by Mary Beth Brown. I stumbled across this book at SAM's Wholesale. I enjoy biographies on occasion and I have had a lot of curiosity about Condoleezza Rice. She is a remarkable woman with a interesting history. I'm about one third of the way through and her family has played a huge role in her life. Her family's philosophy on life emphasizes faith and education, which to me are two of the best tools or weapons (depending on how you look at it) to conquer anything.There is no hint of a "victim of society" or entitlement mentality. Her success is based on a strong, abiding faith in God and honest, disciplined hard work.
What was the last book you read on a plane?
I think it was The Well of Lost Plots by Jasper Fforde. This is the third book in a series of books based on a blend of mystery, science fiction, classic literature and brilliant puns. The setting is England in a future time. The heroine Thursday Next is a Literary Detective with Special Operations (SpecOps) and her job is to investigate book violations. Fans of classic literature (Shakespeare, Jane Austen, and Charles Dickens) will get a kick out of them. Although you can start reading the books anywhere in the series. I highly recommend starting with the first book and going forward to keep all the characters straight. These books are to literature what Frazier was to sitcoms: a thinking person's humor.

Note: I also always take my Newsweek and World Magazines on airplanes. I'm a news junkie and I figure between the two of them I get a fairly balanced view.

What was the last book you read on a roadtrip?
The last book I remember reading on a roadtrip was found in the place we were staying. We had taken a quick overnight trip to meet up with my best friend and her husband. We discovered a great little B&B called Fox Meadows, which I highly recommend. On the bookshelves in our cabin, I stumbled across an out of print poetry book by Leonard Nimoy entitled: You and I. The poetry was simple but striking.

What is the most unusual place you find yourself reading?
Lately, the park. MY HUSBAND and I went to a local park on a Sunday afternoon and he practiced his juggling while I read. It was a perfect day!

What books would you take to keep yourself occupied on a two week vacation to the beach?
Brilliant by Marne Davis Kellogg - This was a Christmas present from a good friend. It's a mystery that sounds like a fun time and looks like a good beach book.


This Year You Write Your Novel by Walter Mosley - I bought this a few months ago for inspiration and would like to finally get into it.

The Bible (New Contemporary Version) - I really like this version for its readability. I read the Books of Acts in two days because I couldn't put it down. It makes me want to read my Bible.

Coming Home by Rosamunde Pilcher - This was loaned to me by a friend. It's a big, thick hardback book-perfect for a long beach stay.

I would be curious to see what my friends Laura, Tim and Ann are reading.

Recipe of the Week - #1

Since cooking one of my favorite endeavors and since the previous post makes me hungry, I have decided to share one of my favorite breakfast recipes. I first had it about 14 years ago at a sleepover. Starshine’s Mom made it for us and I have made it every Christmas for breakfast in the last 10 years.

From the Kitchen of Starshine’s Mom

Easy Overnight Sticky Buns

Ingredients:
18 frozen rolls (from the freezer section – they should be in little dough balls)
4 tablespoons dry butterscotch pudding mix (not instant)
1/2 cup melted butter
2 tablespoons cinnamon
1/2 cup brown sugar
Chopped nuts (optional)

Directions:

Place frozen rolls in buttered bundt pan.

Sprinkle with 4 tablespoons dry butterscotch pudding mix (not instant).

Mix melted butter, cinnamon, brown sugar and nuts Pour butter mixture over rolls. Cover with foil and let set overnight. Do not refrigerate. In the morning, bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and invert to plate or 13x9 pan. Makes 18.

Starting the New Year Write

In the spirit of turning the page to a New Year, I have set a goal to write daily. I purchased a book last year in the hopes of transforming from an "aspiring" writer to a writer. In order to be a writer, one must write. The book is entitled The Write Brain and contains 366 writing exercises or prompts. I share below the fruits of my labor from the first exercise. I had to pick three words from a list and use them in the piece and begin the piece with the first sentence provided. The words provided by the book are in bold print, the rest is what spilled onto the page. Enjoy....

Sometimes I feel just like a gerbil, running around and around on his wheel! Everyone around me thinks my preoccupation with the perfect creme brulée is nonsense. But it's not when your livelihood depends on it. Being a great chef with numerous cookbooks and accolades under your apron is not easy. The critics never care what you've done in the past. Earning three stars in the Michelin guide isn't enough if you can't hold onto them. Competition is ruthless. Today, Madagascar vanilla is the rage; tomorrow, it could be Georgia peaches. It is an endless endeavor: a love/hate relationship with cuisine. The minute one becomes insensitive to the criticism, to the culinary race, is the minute your restaurant seats fewer customers.

People tell me it is a vain endeavor, a meaningless carousel, my quest for the perfect creme bruleé but they are fools. They cannot understand the dedication that goes into the creation of a masterpiece. You only get the first bite to make your impression. And it must be the perfect blend -- reaching the tongue with all the right flavors in all the right places. It matters not whether the dessert is eaten but whether it is savored. The moment that occurs in that one bite - that is what critics write about, that is what makes the reputation of a great chef. The pursuit of the perfect bite is never in vain.