Pages & Paws

Writing, Reading, and Rural Life With a Border Collie


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Lonely But Not Lost: 2 Young Novels Deserve Discovery

‘No, I am NOT lost, thank you very much. Just takin’ The Scenic Route.’

Ever see a lonely book? You know. A library book perched all on its lonesome on an isolated shelf, looking forlorn and a wee bit lost? Like it’s begging for some intrepid reader to come by and snatch it?

Enter Her Momness. She’s a sucker for lonely books. She found two of ’em in the Juvenile Fiction section of the library the other day. (She hangs out there a lot. Cuz she fits right in. Don’t get me started.)

Anywho, the books are: The Story Web by Megan Frazer Blakemore and After Eli, by Rebecca Rupp. In the first one, hockey… Oh, wait. Mom is elbowing her way into the conversation. As usual. So I’ll let her tell ya about these two “lost” and “lonely” books that deserve discovery:

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Two Non-Fiction Books To Read If You Don’t Usually Read NF

Are you a non-fiction reader or a fiction reader? Or both?

We’re good either way. But if you fall into “fiction only,” we have a coupla recently read books you may want to consider. They’re both excellent reads, with superb writing and taut storylines that’ll keep you turning pages until the very end.

One is based on the real-life story of the hunt for the world’s most notorious Nazi. The other, told by former NFL star Kermit Alexander (L.A. Rams and San Francisco 49ers), is his personal story of tragedy and redemption.

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Why “Finding Dorothy” & The Land of Aahs Are ‘Forever Young’

You know that Good Book Feeling? Where you close the final page of a Really Great Read and sigh? Wish that it’d never end? Or maybe you just go, “aaah”?

Elizabeth Letts’ Finding Dorothy is that kind of book.

Sheer Genius

We turned Finding Dorothy’s last page and sighed. Because this book, like its protagonists, L. Frank Baum and his remarkable wife, Maud, is sheer genius.

Told through the eyes of L. Frank Baum’s indomitable wife, Maud, Finding Dorothy is the story behind The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, the beloved book that inspired the movie classic.

Finding Dorothy is also a love story. It traces the intertwined lives of Maud, daughter of a suffragette leader and a “force of nature” in her own right, and Maud’s husband, creative genius and author L. (Lyman) Frank Baum. The two were devoted to each other until the end of their days.

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Why ‘Hunt for a Hometown Killer’ Kept Us Up All Night

Hunt for a Hometown Killer (EABooks Publishing, 2021)

By Mary Dodge Allen

Fiction/Christian/Romance/Suspense/Mystery & Detective

“Just a sec Kimmi,” chirped Her Momness as she snatched up Hunt for a Hometown Killer. “I’m just gonna zip through a coupla chapters tonight – quick like a bunny – and get a head start on tomorrow’s reading.”

Uh -oh. Heard that one before, says I, Kimber the Magnificent. (You know. The brains in the family.)

And that’s how we wound up staying up until zero-dark-thirty to finish this “just one more chapter! I can’t put it down” rippin’ good read!  Because:

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‘The Red Tent’: The Sisterhood Lives, or ‘Meh’?

The Red Tent

By Anita Diamant

Based on the story of Dinah from Genesis 34, The Red Tent is “historical fiction.” Emphasis on fiction. Indeed, the author takes so many liberties with the original text, “historical” is kind of an afterthought. 

The story is also billed as a “retelling of a biblical story from the perspective of the female characters.”

That’s quite an assumption. It’s also a clue. A big one. As in, if you’re looking for a re-telling that’s faithful to the original account, keep looking. Cuz this isn’t it.

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10 Ways to Celebrate NATIONAL BOOK LOVERS DAY!!

Kimber the Magnificent here.

Can you see me leaping tall buildings in a single bound? Hear me barking my extra ebullient* sunshine bark? (*great word. Mom loaned it to me)? 

Well, I am!

I’m also dancing with Mom today. (Well, okay. One of us is dancing. The other is kind of faking it on two legs.)

Why are we so excited?! Glad you asked!  We’re super-duper excited cuz today is OUR day!! And if you’re reading this, it’s probably YOUR day, too! Like:

Happy National Book Lovers Day!

Yeah, baby!

Book Lovers Day is a great day to celebrate all things bookish. You know. Kind of like we do here all the time! But maybe you can make it a special point to grab an interesting book today. Find a quiet, cozy place (You can’t have Mom’s recliner. I already got dibs). Open that book dive in!

Look at me! I’m still dancing!

10 Ways to Celebrate

And just in case you’re looking for ways to celebrate this auspicious day, here at no extra charge are 10 Ways to Celebrate National Book Lovers Day (in no particular order):

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GUEST POST: Destiny Falls Author Elizabeth Pantley on ‘A Writer’s Life’

‘Bat dog!’

Isn’t it fun getting to know a new fave? Kinda like getting a nice, thick, juicy New York steak done medium rare? With extra crispy bacon the side!

We recently reached out to one of our new favorites, Elizabeth Pantley, author of the Destiny Falls Mystery and Magic series (links to our reviews of her first three books appear below). We offered her a guest post to give you a chance to get to know her better. So here ya go. Enjoy!

***

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What’s YOUR Story?

Are you an author with a story to share?  An excerpt from your next great American novel?  Tips for fledgling (or even seasoned) writers?  How do you overcome writer’s block? What have you learned about editors, query letters, traditional vs. alternative publishing venues? How did you land your first book contract, or are you still looking? What titles have you recently read that are shout-out worthy per our Rating System and Submission Guidelines?

We’re currently accepting guest posts on these and other writing-related topics. 

You don’t have to have the publishing “big boys” banging down your door to post at Pages and Paws.  In fact, we’ve been known to pan Pulitzer Prize winner and hear praise on unknown indie authors who’ve earned it.

To be considered for a guest post here, all you really need is something to say that’s well said, a passion for writing and reading, and the desire to learn and share.  If accepted, your post will include a byline and a link to your blog or website as applicable.

That said, here are a few ground rules and guide lines. 

Submission Guidelines:

  1. We prefer content that’s fresh and original.  That is, content that hasn’t been previously published elsewhere.
  2. We don’t do “auto publish.” All guest posts are reviewed prior to publication. Publication is neither promised nor guaranteed. But if your submission is a good fit for us, you’re way ahead of the game.
  3. We’re partial to “short and sweet.”  Submissions should be between 300 – 500 words.  (Tip: humorous and/or true-life “slice of life” vignettes always catch our eye!) A longer post (up to 850 words, max) may be accepted if we really, really like it.
  4. If your post is accompanied by an original photo or two, so much the better!
  5.  This blog is G-rated.  We reserve the right to reject any submission, for any reason, without explanation.  Likewise, posts that include links or references to sites that are not G-rated or include spam and viruses will not be accepted
  6.  There is no compensation for any posts.  As in, zip.  Your “compensation” is boosted traffic and exposure for your work. 
  7. You are encouraged to promote your submission and share links via your own social network.  More exposure for Pages and Paws means more exposure for you.

How To Submit a Guest Post

To submit a guest post, just leave a comment or email us at: kikero@juno.com. Put “My Writing Story!” in the subject line so we don’t miss it.

Ready? Set? Go! 


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Powered By Hope: ‘Chasing Rainbows’ Refuses to Let Tragedy Have the Last Word

Chasing Rainbows: The Stolen Future of Caroline Ann Stuttle (Pegasus, 2021)

By Richard Stuttle

Non-Fiction/True crime/Self-help

“What continues to destroy me more than anything else is that she had the potential to achieve whatever she wanted in life. I truly thought we would have had a lifetime together.” – Richard Stuttle

An early morning phone call on April 10, 2002 crushed that assumption and changed Richard Stuttle’s life forever.

His younger sister, Caroline, age 19, had been “on the adventure of a lifetime,” backpacking around Australia with a friend. But on that terrible April evening, Caroline was thrown off a Bundaberg bridge and fell to her death.

Chasing Rainbows: The Stolen Future of Caroline Ann Stuttle is the raw, unfiltered story of Caroline’s life, the devastating impact of her murder, and how a “charity born out of tragedy”came to life to help young backpackers travel in a safer environment.

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6 Best Film Adaptations of Classic Books

“Hey, Kimster!” says She Who (thinks she) Must Be Obeyed. (Insert eye roll here. Do I ever have Mom snowed!)  “I’ve got a great idea for summer reading!”

What is it now, Mom?

“Let’s revisit some of our favorites from classic British literature this summer… on film!”

You mean like that Charles D. guy? The 19th century novelist you keep bugging me to read again? As in Pip and Miss Havisham? Lucie Manette and Charles Darnay? Jacob and Ebenezer?

Exactly!

“Exactly!” chirps Her Momness.  (She always does that chirpy thing when she’s on a roll. Me? I save that for bacon.)

Anyway, that’s how we got to binge watching all things Charles Dickens-ish. And 18th century Cornwallish. Wait. Did I say “binge watching”? Well, yeah. One of us claims she doesn’t have the time to plow through Martin Chuzzlewit or Bleak House in one summer, let alone Pip and Magwitch or David Copperfield and Peggotty. 

So we’re watching (mostly) BBC productions and movies of same. Here’s what we’ve watched so far in the classic English historical fiction mode. These are our favorite film adaptations of select classic books, as noted. How many do you recognize?

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