Number 3 On Mitch's List of Five Fav Reads!

#3) The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien. Tolkien succeeds as the creator of one of the most unique, complex worlds of a mythic fantasy. His writing has endured and still excels more than a half century later. I first read his trilogy, prefaced by The Hobbit, when I was eighteen, and this is another story I will keep rereading at least once a decade.

Mitch Lits
http://www.mitchlitsbooks.com/

Mitch Lits: Number 4 on his top 5 list!

#4) The Time Traveler's Wife byAudrey Niffenegger. A paranormal romance that succeeded big time as a bestselling mainstream novel. This is the book that I hope to emulate in my own fashion with Golden Eyebrows, my attempt at a mainstream thriller/paranormal romance, first draft of which I completed in November 2008 as my NaNoWriMo entry.

Mitch Lits

http://www.mitchlitsbooks.com/

Mitch Lit's Recommends...

#5) Martin Eden by Jack London. Published in 1909--how amazing is that! A semi-autobiographical account, in fiction form, of a young man struggling to raise his station in life and succeed as a famous writer against insurmountable odds. I first read this in college, and reread it at least once a decade. One hundred years old, and still the most inspirational book about writing I have ever read.

Mitch Lits

http://www.mitchlitsbooks.com/

Editor's note: come back next week to see Mitch's #4 fav!

Author Visit: Sybil Rosen

You meet someone and it just clicks. That's how it was about a year ago when first time I met Sybil Rosen (pictured on the left with her friend and CCWC member, Claire Baker). She's an award-winning author, screenwriter, playwright, and amazingly warm, sincere, talented and giving woman.

She spoke again at our meeting yesterday. Her book Living in the Woods in a Tree: Remembering Blaze Foley having just been released by UNT Press in September, she shared with us a bit about both the experience of writing the book and having it published.

I encourage each of you to Google Sybil Rosen and get a sense of her accomplishments. I would also urge you to take a moment to look at where it is in your life, in your person, in your being and embrace that place where you carry your light.

We all have it. Some of us just emit it a bit more than others.

Thanks to Sybil, yesterday was a little brighter. And today…

Diana Black

Judi Presnell Recommends These Reads

Peace Like A River, a novel by Leif Enger, is a National Bestseller that takes you on a journey spawned by tragedy but leads you on an adventurous path of intrique, healing, and love.

Peace Like a River is told through the eyes of an 11-yr-old family member, but the story would touch the soul of any age reader. One message points to the blessings of family, faith, and friends when the enemy is in hot pursuit, a message that can be internalized and help the reader in the future when life may seem unsurmountable. I recommend this book for adults/young adults, but teens would enjoy the story as well.

I have yet to see how this intriguing story ends, but I'm looking forward to knowing the "whole" story while feeling sad that the story will soon come to a close. Books like this are a treasure!

Traveling Mercies, a National Bestseller, by Anne Lamott, who was born of mixed-race parents, tells her story of family life, confusion, God, and yes, even her dreadlocks. Laughter and tears will catch you unexpectedly. Though you may not have walked in her shoes, you will empathize with how she feels in her quest to make sense of her faith and life in general. A few spicey 4- or 5-letter words are included but are relevant to her story. Her exuberance, tenderness, and cantankerousness will captivate you. This book will get you to think while you soak in her actions and predicaments! This is a wonderful book if you are trying to "sort out" life a bit yourself!

--Judi Presnell

When Writers Unwind!

Food! Fun! Friends! Family!

The four Fs were on hand Saturday night at the Little Hawaiian on Rome Street when the CCWC members gathered to celebrate the holidays.

Pictured are:
Richard & Dolly,
John & Zan Marie,
Kevin & Joann,
Bev & Bob,
Abbey & Mitch,
Joe & Kathy,
Claire & Paul,
Mary, Ken & Diana,
Shelly & Mermaid...

Those members who could not attend were sorely missed (well, all except "Olivia"!)

Here's to a brave new year!

-- Diana

Hoarse, But Happy!

I spent yesterday morning with 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th grade students from Oak Mountain Academy in Carrollton, GA, reading and discussing my YR series, Cynthia's Attic.

At first, I was a little leery about reading my books to 2nd graders, but they were wise beyond their years! The Missing Locket is set in 1964, with twelve-year-old best friend, Cynthia and Gus listening to a Beatles record. I mistakenly assumed that these youngsters wouldn't have a clue as to what a record, record player, and especially, what a Beatle was!

Was I ever wrong! When I pulled out an old circa 1963 Beatles album, they not only knew what records and record players were, one student shouted, "I have that album and listen to it all the time!"

To say my chin almost dropped to the floor wouldn't be much of an exaggeration. My morning with these delightful students was a satisfying, but humbling experience and reinforced my opinion that you should never assume. (We all know what happens then!)

Above all, never, NEVER talk down to young readers.

Mary C, aka, Babe

Mary Cunningham Books