http://blogs.publishersweekly.com/blogs/shelftalker/?p=6864

Upon reading the article, waves of emotions swept through me as I recall the number of beloved small businesses which closed in the last couple of years in our town, the struggle that many of us continue to face, and the intense sadness of possibly not being able to continue to do what I love if things don’t turn around soon. But what was most appalling to me was the ignorant remark left in the comments section by someone who claimed she couldn’t care less about the financial woes of business owners. On the contrary, if this person lives in a community, she SHOULD care. A lot.

Like it or not, everyone who lives in a community is interconnected. Local small business owners are no different than your local teachers, priests, mailmen, firemen, etc. We’re your sibling, neighbor, spouse, parent, grandparent, child, aunt, uncle, cousin, best friend. We live here, eat here, pay taxes here. We work here, earn money here, spend it here, and the money in turn pays for the roads, buildings, public education, parks, and even salaries of city workers. It’s a big contraption with one wheel powering the other. Without earnings, we’re unable to spend, and the wheels slow to a stop.

I’ve lost count of how many times someone walked through our door looking for donations for a charity or school newspaper/yearbook/function or other worthy causes. While we tried to help as many as we could when we first opened, we’re no longer at the liberty to do so due to severe lack of business, hence lack of funds.

A local business owner once told me he was especially frustrated when he noticed the majority of people asking for money from him did not even shop at his store. I started to notice similar trends as many of our former customers turn to e-readers or shopping online. The next time one of them shows up asking whether we would support their daughter’s dance troupe or their son’s cub scout project, I want to know: “Since you do not support us, where do I find the means to support you?”

The same vicious cycle rears its ugly head when people complain about limited selections at small independents. If only they would stop and take a second to connect the dots: No business = no extra income = no extra funds to bring in extra merchandise. Just as our regular customers have noticed that shelves that were bulging to the brim a mere four years ago now seem skeletal in comparison.

There are still many more aspects to this which I will save for a later rant. In the mean time, I sincerely hope that Josie’s blog post on Publisher’s Weekly serves as a wake-up call for many. What businesses will YOU miss from YOUR community if they’re gone? Why not make a list, plan a visit, and let them know how much you appreciate them. Before it’s too late.

Dorothy

2011 was an extremely challenging year for us at the store, as we continue to face the onslaught of e-readers on the market and unscrupulous business practices of behemoth competitors. Still, our loyal supporters propped us up and gave us the will to soldier on. Our passion for reading and physical books has not diminished, and as long as we’re here, we will continue to promote literacy as best we can.

If you haven’t visited us in a while, swing by and let’s get re-acquainted! We now have three in-house book discussion groups: one that discusses general fiction works once a month, one that focuses on the Civil War once every quarter, and another that will be introduced in February that discusses biographies, also once a quarter.

Our monthly Food & Friends Club is going strong, as are Diane’s knitting classes, poised to start again after a brief hiatus over the holidays. We’re working on scheduling special events for the year and possibly introducing more gift items to our inventory. Oh, and we now have a puzzle table in front of the window with an ongoing puzzle, well, just because.

So stop by and say “hello”! And don’t forget to support local independent businesses. We’re your friends and neighbors, and your support is more crucial now than ever.

We wish you good health, abundant joy and great prosperity in this New Year!

Best,

Dorothy

The event took place last Saturday at the Shelton Courtyard Marriott on Bridgeport Avenue. 24 very cool, very happening children’s book authors were there to greet attendees and autograph books: from the award-winning Leslie Connor (Waiting For Normal, Crunch, Miss Bridie Chose a Shovel) to the hilarious Alan Katz (Take Me Out of the Bathtub, Where Did They Hide My Presents? etc.) and the ever eloquent Doe Boyle (Fun with the Family Connecticut, Coral Reef Hideaway, Otter on His Own), it was obvious from the get-go that they are all passionate about what they do and wouldn’t have it any other way.

Attendees were treated to demonstrations of cartoon illustrating by Jon Buller (Travels of  Thelonious, Noisy Counting Book, etc.), a great story by Jana Laiz on the origin of her award-winning book, Weeping Under This Same Moon, and even a chance to cradle a hissing cockroach courtesy of our favorite local author Amanda Marrone (the Magic Repair Shop series, Devoured, Slayed, etc.).

Rounding out the excitement was beautiful face-painting by graphic artist JeriAnn Geller, Amber Alert by the Derby/Shelton Rotary Club, and amazing magic by Chilean magician Matias Letelier.

Major thanks go to our partners who made it all possible: the Shelton Courtyard Marriott, BIC Corporation, Newtown Savings Bank and R.D. Scinto, Inc. They share our belief on the importance of childhood literacy and quality literature.

With the introduction of gadgets and gizmos, literacy has taken a nosedive in recent years. Many youngsters already suffer from lack of social and communication skills, creativity, and individuality. It is more imperative now than ever for us to continue putting physical books in children’s hands. In a world of gadgets and all things electronic, our fear is that one day children will only know electronic books and worse, not know books at all! While we are not trying to curb technology from moving forward, we could at least spread the word that good ol’ fashion reading can co-exist with the latest and the greatest.

Thank you all who attended the worthwhile event. With any luck, we’ll be able to do it again next year! Woohoo!!!

Dorothy

Note: The event doubled as a fundraiser for the Shelton Library System.

CARROT-MUSHROOM LOAF (4-6 servings)

(From the Moosewood cookbook)

1 cup chopped onion                                      4 1/2 cups grated carrots

1 lb chopped mushrooms                             5 eggs

2 cloves garlic                                                   1 cup fresh, whole wheat breadcrumbs

1 cup grated cheddar cheese                      1/4 cup butter

Salt, pepper, basil, thyme and parsley to taste

Crush garlic into melting butter. Add onions and mushrooms and saute ’til soft. Combine all ingredients (saving half of the breadcrumbs and cheese for the top). Season to taste. Spread into buttered oblong baking pan. Sprinkle with remaining breadcrumbs and cheese. Dot with butter. Bake 350 degrees for 30 minutes covered, then 5 minutes uncovered or until browned.

CARROT CAKE COOKIES (makes about 3 dozen)

(Source?)

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter (room temp)                 1 cup packed light brown sugar

1 cup granulated sugar                                                             2 large eggs (room temp)

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract                                           2 cups + all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda                                                           1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt                                                                       1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg                                1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats                                        1 1/2 cups finely grated carrots

1 cup raisins                                                                               Cream Cheese Frosting (recipe to follow)

Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. In an electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat butter and both sugars until light and fluffy, 3-4 minutes. Add eggs and vanilla, beat on medium speed until well combined. Sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger, stir to combine. Gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture, mix on low speed until just blended. Mix in oats, carrots and raisins. Chill until firm, at least 1 hour. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Shape tablespoons of dough into balls and place on prepared baking sheets, spacing 2 inches apart. Bake until browned and crisp, 12 to 15 minutes, rotating halfway through. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Using offset spatula, spread about 2 teaspoons of frosting onto flat sides of half the cookies. Sandwich together with remaining cookies. Store refrigerated in airtight containers up to 3 days.

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

8 ounces cream cheese (room temp)                               1/2 cup unsalted butter (room temp)

1 cup confectioners’ sugar                                                    1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Please cream cheese in a mixing bowl. Using a rubber spatula, stir cream cheese until smooth. Gradually add butter and continue stiring until smooth and well blended. Sift in confectioners’ sugar and mix until smooth. Add vanilla and stir to combine.

SPICY SHRIMP AND RICE STEW (4 servings)

(Source?)

1 large yellow onion (coarsely chopped)                       1 small green pepper (cored, seeded, chopped)

2 cloves garlic (minced)                                                        2 tablespoons olive oil

1 14 1/2 oz can no-salt stewed tomatoes                       1 cup chicken broth

1 10 oz pkg frozen sliced okra (unthawed)                   1/2 teaspoon hot red pepper sauce

1/4 teaspoon dried oregano (crumbled)                     1 lb medium shrimp (shelled and deveined)

1 cup quick-cooking white rice                                        2 tablespoons minced parsley

1 teaspoon lemon juice

Mix onion, pepper, garlic and oil in ungreased 2 1/2 quart microwave-safe casserole. Cover and microwave on high for 4 to 5 minutes or until the onion is glassy, stirring midway. Break up the tomatoes with a fork and stir into the casserole along with the juice, chicken broth, okra, red pepper sauce and oregano. Cover and microwave on high for 12 minutes or until okra is tender, stirring every 4 minutes. Add shrimp, cover, microwave on ghih until shrimp are cooked through, 2 1/2 to 3 minutes. Add rice and stir until all the grains are well moistened. Cover and microwave on high for 2 minutes. Let stand in microwave for 3 minutes, then stir in parsley and lemon juice.

WEST AFRICAN STEW (6 servings)

(From allrecipes.com, slightly modified by Jan)

2 tablespoons vegetable oil                                          2 cups sliced onions

2 cloves garlic (minced)                                                 1 lb sweet potatoes (peeled, cut into 1/4 inch slices)

Coarsely chopped tomatoes                                         1/2 cup raisins

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon                                 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper

1 cup broth of choice                                                       1 15 oz can chick peas (rinsed and drained)

4 cups coarsely chopped Swiss chard or spinach

Heat oil in skillet, add onion and garlic, cook until onion is tender. Add sweet potatoes and tomatoes, cook 5 minutes. Add raisins, cinnamon, red pepper and broth, heat to a boil. Cover and cook over low heat 15 minutes. Add chick peas and spinach, heat through. Serve over cooked rice or couscous. Dish becomes more flavorful when it has a chance to sit awhile and the flavors blend.

DILL DIP (1 1/4 cups)

(Source?)

1/2 cup dairy sour cream                                         1/2 cup small curd cottage cheese

1 tablespoon finely chopped green pepper       1 tablespoon dried dill weed

2 tablespoons mayo or salad dressing                1/2 teaspoon Beau Monde seasoning salt

Mix all ingredients. Cover and refrigerate to blend flavors, approximately an hour. Serve with an assortment of vegetables.

CRABMEAT DIP (2 cups)

(Source?)

1 cup mayo or salad dressing                                 1/2 cup dairy sour cream

1 tablespoon dried parsley flakes                         1 to 3 teaspoons dry sherry, optional

1 teaspoon lemon juice                                             1/2 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper                                                  1 6 oz can crabmeat (drained and picked over)

Mix all ingredients. Cover and refrigerate to blend flavors, approximately 2 hours. Serve with toast rounds or an assortment of vegetables.

SWEET POTATOES, APPLES AND BRAISING GREENS (10 servings)

(Posted on epicurious.com by Traci Des Jardins)

4 medium sweet potatoes (peeled, cut lengthwise into quarters, then crosswise into 1/8 inch slices)

5 tablespoons unsalted butter + 3 tablespoons melted                   1 tablespoon fine sea salt

2 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper

3 medium baking apples (i.e. Sierra Beauty, Granny Smith) (peeled, cored, and cut into quarters)

6 cups loosely packed braising greens (i.e. kale, chard, collard) (stems removed and torn into 2 inch strips)

1/4 cup loosely packed fresh parsley leaves (coarsely chopped)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. On foil-lined baking sheet, toss sweet potato slices with 3 tablespoons melted butter, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Bake until cooked through and slightly caramelized, about 20 minutes. Keep warm. In heavy medium skillet over moderate heat, melt 3 tablespoons butter. Add apples and saute until tender and golden brown, about 15 minutes. Keep warm. In heavy large pot over moderate heat, combine remaining 2 tablespoons butter and 3 tablespoons water. Add greens and saute, stirring occasionally, until wilted, about 5 minutes. Lower heat to moderately low and add sweet potatoes and apples. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until warmed through, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in parsley, remaining 2 teaspoons sale and 1 1/2 teaspoons pepper. Serve hot.

CROCK POT SWEET AND SOUR POLISH SAUSAGE

(Posted on food.com by Lorealle)

1 lb polish sausage (sliced into 1/2 inch pieces)       1 cup grape jelly

1 cup seafood cocktail sauce

Place sausage slices into crock pot. Mix grape jelly and cocktail sauce. Pour over sausage. Cook for approximately 3 hours.

GUINNESS CHICKEN WINGS

(From littleshamrocks.com)

2 tablespoons cooking oil                                                    1 medium onion (chopped)

2 cloves garlic (minced)                                                       4 lbs chicken wings

1 carrot (peeled and quartered)                                       1 parsnip (peeled and quartered)

1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves                                         3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper                                                 3/4 cup Guinness

In large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and saute for about 3 minutes. Remove with slotted spoon. Add chicken wings and cook approximately 5 minutes each side until lightly browned. Add onion, garlic, carrot, parsnip and spices, pour Guinness over chicken and vegetables and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 30 minutes. Uncover and cook for 10 minutes until sauce is reduced by half. Discard carrot and parsnip (or set aside to eat later). Place chicken wings on a baking sheet and brush with sauce. Broil on low for 5 to 7 minutes on each side, basting as you turn them. Serve hot.

That’s it for now! More recipes to follow as they are collected.

By the way, the Food & Friends Club is truly having a blast! Great food, great conversations, great camaraderie. You don’t have to be a seasoned cook to join. The whole idea, afterall, is the opportunity to try new foods, new recipes and share ideas. So whether you are a foodie or a wannabe, come check us out! Call the store at 203-944-0400 or send me an e-mail at dorothy@writtenwordsbookstore.com for more information. See ya!

Dorothy

“Erm……is Harrison here?” She smiled shyly.

I glanced out the door and saw a car parked out front with the engine running. Did I forget my eleven-year-old has a play date? Is he supposed to be somewhere for baseball/swimming/Tae Kwon Do or a birthday party? I went through our schedule in my head quickly and couldn’t come up with anything.

“No……he’s not. And you are……?”

“My name is Chloe*. I was in Harrison’s class.”

“Oh, really? Ooh…….I bet you could tell me stories about Harrison, couldn’t you?” I smiled. Trust me, I wasn’t trying to put her on the spot. After numerous conversations throughout the school year with his teachers and the vice principal, I already knew most, if not all of the “stories” about Harrison at school.

“Yeah.” Completely at ease at having a conversation with me. “But I’m not going to tell you the incident about the dog.” Her eyes grew large as she realized what she just said. “EEEEPS!” She clasped her hands onto her mouth.

I laughed. “Too late now! You better spill!”

That led to a few minutes of conversation about their teachers and curriculum while whoever it was waited patiently in the car outside. I was utterly smittened by Chloe’s precociousness and warm personality. She handled her end of the conversation eloquently without the usual “you know, like” or one-word dead-end answers.

Just when I was debating whether I should type up a marriage contract, she cocked her head, looked at me with complete innocence, and asked:

“Are you his mother or sister?”

THAT’S IT!!!! We’re signing the contract today!!!

It took all I could muster not to laugh out loud.

“I’m his mother.”

“Oh.” She nodded with all seriousness.

For fear that whoever was in the car was going to bill me for gas if we converse any longer, I told Chloe I would let Harrison know she stopped by. She smiled politely, waved, and was gone.

I don’t think I will ever get used to the innocence that comes out of the mouth of babes. What I find particularly challenging are questions that require answers, like the ones my eight-year-old like to catch me off-guard with at the oddest moments: “What’s a comb-over?” “If Moms are the ones who get pregnant, why do we need Dads?” “Why can’t Dad sleep in my room and I sleep with you in yours?” “YOU SHAVE YOUR ARMPITS?!”

I recall finding a quiet and sullen-looking Harrison at the dining table one day. He had a slight crease between his brows and was apparently deep in thought. He was around five at the time, what in the world could have been so worrisome to him?

“What’s going on?”

“Mom, when I grow up, I’m going to marry a woman.”

“Right.” So far so good.

“We’re going to have a baby.”

“Okay….” Uh oh. Is it the birds & the bees? He’s only five! What should I do?? Where’s my husband when you need him?!

“We have to live with you or maybe build a house next door and we could all live together because because BECAUSE…..”

I was at the edge of my seat as his little voice got higher and the crease between his brows deepened.

“…..BECAUSE I CAN’T DRIVE AND I DON’T KNOW HOW TO GET TO THE HOSPITAL!!!”

Took me awhile to convince him that by the time he’s an adult, he would have had a driver’s license and would certainly know the route to the hospital.

Aaaah, if only such innocence lasts and that our biggest worry in life is whether we can find our way to the nearest delivery room.

Dorothy

*Name changed to protect identity.

Title: Let the Right One In

Author: John Ajvide Lindqvist

Genre: Fiction (Horror)

Reviewed by: David Broder

Let’s first begin with the understanding of two things:  1.  I have, up until now, only considered Bram Stoker’s original Dracula as the only “vampire” book worth reading and 2.  I saw both the Swedish movie and its American counterpart (Let Me In) before I read the book Let The Right One In.

Over the years there have been several types of Vampires.  First the traditional demon and purveyor of evil, Dracula.  Dracula was built on the gothic notion of a vampire.  He was evil incarnate, he was a sexual predator and he predominantly victimized women to satiate his need for blood.  He deliberately caused them to become vampires themselves who were subservient to his will and would often prey upon children, making them grotesque and horrid creatures.  They were dead, or undead to be more specific and slept in coffins filled with the earth of their homeland. 

Up until recently that pretty much defined the vampire.  Regardless of who the story was about Stoker’s Dracula was the model.  Then Anne Rice created LeStat.  LeStat was a little more human but because of his immortality, he was philosophically a cynic and a rogue existing from one hedonistic moment to the next.  He was a libertine, a cad and a bounder. Yet, he was charming and handsome.

More recently there have cropped up the genre of teen vampires.  These stories, geared to the young reader audience have taken the typical teenage angst and projected onto the vampire existence, the ultimate outsider and misfit trying to fit in with the dating scene.  What I have found in these characters is a pervasive narcissism and over dramatization of what it is like to be a young person.  Besides the difficulty of being a vampire they also have to worry about zits and who they are going to the prom with.

But I recently watched the movie Let The Right One In which was based on the book by the same name.  It was a Swedish film (as the novel was originally translated from Swedish as well).  I could also describe it as a quiet film.  I then read the book as I was fascinated by the story and the heroine of the story, Eli.

It is the story of Oskar, a boy, small for his age, who is continuously set upon by bullies and not occasionally.  He is the daily target of cruelty that would crush even the strongest of us.

One winter night in 1983 while 12-year-old Oskar is in the courtyard of the condo where he lives with his divorced mother, he is approached by a young girl who had just moved in the NIGHT before.  She begins their relationship with the pronouncement that she can’t be his friend, “that’s just the way it is.”  The next evening, however, the two, Oskar and Eli, start a conversation over a Rubik’s Cube.  Oskar notices however that Eli is only wearing a short sleeve shirt and jeans.  She isn’t cold, smells funny and when Oskar asks her age she can only reply, “12 more or less.”  The next night Eli shows up in the courtyard again with the solved Rubik’s cube and showered.  Smiling, she asks Oskar, “Do I smell better now?”

Thus begins a close friendship, a romance if you will, between a lonely boy who is an outcast and a lonely girl who is a misfit as well.  Of course as you can guess Eli is a vampire.  But one of a different sort.  In her world, vampirism is more or less like an illness.  Eli, unlike traditional vampires like Dracula and LeStat is not dead or undead.  She is a warm-blooded person like you and I, only that she needs the blood of the living to survive.  She is remorseful of this.  In one scene in the movie, she weeps after killing someone.  She must kill them or they will become like her and she doesn’t want to let that happen.

There is a strange and terrible sadness about Eli which for the true romantic is quite attractive.  When Oskar figures out Eli is a vampire he asks how old is she “really”.  Eli says quite emphatically that she is only 12 but has been “12 for a very long time”.  She lives a life that has no end and has no purpose.  She’s been alive for centuries but has never been close to anyone.  Oskar changes all that.

Oskar becomes her friend and confidante.  He protects her, talks with her, one night when she shows up at his window and crawls into his bed, he shows her and allows her to show him tenderness.  Ultimately she becomes his protector.

What makes the book and the movies so unusual for the genre is that the story is really a sort of character study. It focuses on the relationship between these two young people without the clichés one might find in the more teenage oriented versions or in the traditional versions.  This is an adult story about two pre-adolescents who find themselves in each other and develop a bond that transcends Eli’s being a vampire.

The reader feels sympathy for Eli.  She is after all a child but will never grow up and have a real life.  She must live in the darkness, in fear of being discovered and in fear of the knowledge that everyone and everything around her will age and pass and leave her behind.  But for now Oskar is her light.

I think if you are interested in this book, which is wonderfully written with a lot of detail, action and character, you should read it before seeing either of the movies.  The movies differ from the book in that the story is a bit more complex, there are more characters with their own stories and conflicts, like that of the detective who is trying to solve a series of murders which of course are connected to Eli. There are a few twists and turns and the author moves Eli’s character in a direction that at once was surprising but for me somewhat disappointing.  I really wish he didn’t add to Eli’s secrets this one in particular.

The movies have a simpler story, less dialogue and more mood, if you will.  Also, there is greater focus on Oskar and Eli (Abby in the American version).  In the movie version of the story Eli is a simpler character, more childlike and therefore more sympathetic.  The ennui that surrounds her is more evident and emotionally affective.  I enjoyed the book and the story but was moved by the film.

I highly  recommend the book and the movies.  Though they differ the story is engaging in both forms and provides something different from what you might expect from the genre.

David

“Have you read this?”

“How about this?”

“And this? And this?? How about this???”

“These books are for sale, right?”

“I’d like to place an order to go.”

“This isn’t Chinatown Shelton?”

“This is the BEST book I have ever read!”

“This is the WORST book I have ever read!”

“Mommy, are we renting these books?”

“Ooh, can I have a bookmark?”

“Your last bookmark is still under the couch.”

“Pleeeeeeeeeeeease can I have a bookmark??”

“You don’t even read!”

“Do you have a bathroom?”

“Do you have the one about Justin Bieber?”

“Can you get James Patterson here?”

“How about Stephenie Meyers?”

“Chinatown Shelton? I’d like a #4 with fried rice, please.”

“I don’t remember the title.”

“I don’t remember the author.”

“I don’t remember what it’s about…”

“It’s blue.”

“What do you mean this isn’t Chinatown Shelton?!”

“But I AM looking at the menu!”

“Oh.”

“My son hates reading.”

“My son loves reading.”

“Do you have the one by that guy who’s really famous?”

“It’s yellow.”

“I need it for school.”

“I need it for work.”

“I need it.”

“This isn’t Chinatown Shelton, is it?”

“I’ll wait ’til it comes out in paperback.”

“I only read hardcovers.”

“No, I am NOT buying you another bookmark.”

“Oooh…..do you want a bookmark?”

“I love bookstores!”

“I’ve always wanted to own a bookstore.”

“My dream is to open a bookstore!”

“I’m just browsing. I’m waiting for my food from Chinatown Shelton.”

“I’m waiting for my pizza.”

“I just dropped my dog off at the groomer’s.”

“I’m waiting for my prescription.”

“I just came from the doctor’s.”

“I’m going to the doctor’s.”

“I have some time to kill.”

“Smells good in here.”

“Hmmm…..books……..”

“Gotta have my books!”

“I’d like to stick to my favorite authors.”

“I’ll try anything! What would you recommend?”

“I like romance with a hint of mystery.”

“Zombies!”

“Mysteries.”

“A good mystery.”

“Mysteries. The kind that’s not gory.”

“Agatha Christie-like mysteries.”

“Historical fiction.”

“I can’t stand historical fiction.”

“It’s for my friend.”

“It’s for my mom.”

“It’s for my nephew.”

“It’s for my sister.”

“My dog ate my last copy.”

“Is that a real bird??”

“Hello? Chinatown Shelton?”

I was traveling with a couple of colleagues to New York by train for a business meeting on a hot summer day when the conductor sauntered down the aisle checking for tickets. He did not look happy. “Good morning!” I piped up with exuberance. He startled. “Good morning.” Not quite sure what to make of me. I don’t  recall what I said, but by the time he was finished with our tickets, he had broken into a smile and one could almost see the knots in his brows melt away. “Do you HAVE to talk to everyone?!” My seat mate mused. Ah, they have much to learn.

Remember the saying about “sticks and stones”? Well…..that’s true and false to a certain degree. Words can and do hurt. The perfect example is one that was collected in a wonderful book, Simple Little Words, by Michelle Cox & John Perrodin, about an eighty year-old woman named Beatrice Pearl as she recalled a painful experience: (excerpt) Tears welled in Bea’s eyes as she recalled the day her teacher slammed a paper down on her tiny desk, pointed to a word on it, and demanded, “What does that say?” “Oh, that says ‘Pearl’, ma’am. That’s my middle name.” little Beatrice  beamed. “Well,” snapped the teacher, “don’t you write that name until you can shine like one.” Bea’s lips quivered, her voice faltered as she tried to choke back the surge of welling tears. She was only six. It would be another thirty-one years before she could write her middle name without crying. As the author wrote: What if that teacher had used the same energy, the same number of words, to relay a different message? “Pearl? That’s a precious gem. One day you will shine like one.” One dozen words and a heart broke. One dozen words and a heart could have bloomed. Bingo.

I was returning from an exhausting business trip overseas, my body ached, my head was pounding, and every fiber of my being was threatening to shut down as I dragged my feet through the Immigration line – my least favorite part of flight travel as I had encountered way too many rude and crabby Immigration Officers in my many years of travels. But I really didn’t care this time, because I was crabby too and just wanted to get home. The line was moving swiftly as the serious-looking officer processed everyone’s passports efficiently, with barely a nod. I handed mine over when my turn came and not having forgotten my manners, I managed to squeak out a weak “hello”. His eyebrows shot up a couple of centimeters, but maintained his stern posture. “Business trip?” I didn’t see him asking anyone else questions, why me? “Yes. It was a quick trip and I’m exhausted.” I was so tired the words must have sounded like I was about to cry. Like a miracle, his facial features softened almost immediately. ”Welcome home.” He said, as he handed my passport back to me. I was stunned at such kind and unexpected words. All I could do was stare at him. What I really wanted to do was jump over the counter and give him a hug. To let him know that at that particular moment and time, as my body and soul were utterly drained, he had said the sweetest words. Words that immediately acted like a soft blanket that comforted me. Words that say, hey, you’ve had a long day, we’re so glad you’re home. I have never forgotten that moment and never will.

One more story.

I never cared for the front office people at my doctor’s office. There was no warmth in their demeanor, and they always seem indifferent to anyone calling either in person or on the phone. There were three office staff behind the desk when I walked in for my appointment this morning. One was on the phone, another with her back to me taking care of paperwork. The third one came to the window and asked for my name, no greeting, no smile. Sigh. It’s time for some magic again. “Do you have the same insurance?” She asked as she pulled out my file. “Ooh, I don’t think so, it’s been awhile since my last visit, hasn’t it?” No answer. After looking through some papers, she asked: “Golden Rule?” “Nope, it’s Aetna now. Wow, it HAS been awhile! When was my last visit?” She looked, “2009.” “Yikes. My mom used to tell me that the older we get, the faster time seems to fly, and I never believed her!” Wait for it…… “Sometimes I open my mouth and I realize I sound just like my mother!” AND. SHE. SMILED. Mission accomplished. I laughed, “I don’t mind becoming my mom. But I’ve warned my husband never to turn into my mother-in-law! Ha!” Her smile got bigger as she rolled her eyes in mock disgust, “I know exactly what you mean!” The person with her back to us chuckled. There we go. By the time I walked out we were all smiles. Now isn’t that much better?

I’m no doctor, scholar or guru. I’m not going to write some psychobabble article analyzing what words can and cannot do. In fact, I don’t have to, because you know exactly what I’m trying to say, don’t you? The right words at the right time do wonders. Try it. At the bank, supermarket, gas station. When you’re talking to the mailman, teacher, the guy behind the deli counter. Make someone’s life brighter because they’ve met you. The right gesture, the right words. Make them sincere and genuine. Or how about a wink and a nod? Show that you care. Let’s all be human again instead of mindless drones stuck in the rat race of life. I triple dare you put a smile on the face of everyone you meet tomorrow.

And the day after.

And the day after that….

Dorothy

As I review the current crop of Young Adult releases, I was extremely annoyed to find the same story lines with the same heroine/hero in the same situations with the same experiences. I could close my eyes, throw a dart at the book catalog and chances are, it’ll hit a title that features a girl, beautiful, of course, somewhat of an outcast because of her rebellious personality/magic ability/unique talisman her long-lost great-grandfather left for her in a long-lost box buried under the long-lost tree out in the long-lost backyard. She didn’t know initially that she holds the key/power/ability to save the world, that she was the chosen one, that she will rise up and defy authority and…and…and…by gosh, did I say SAVE THE WORLD???

But first, readers will find out that her parents are not around (either dead, off traipsing in the Amazonian jungle somewhere, abducted by a troll, or simply nonexistent), and she is sent to a “special” school for “special” kids, or enter a magical realm through a portal one can only see on Wednesdays during leap year while standing on one foot, where her powers will come to be.

And wait, there will not be one, not three, but two, yes, two, to-die-for guys just crazy about her. And why wouldn’t they be? Afterall, she’s “the one”! The guys will be totally “hotties”, one a disturbed bad boy, the other a kind-hearted, sensitive soul. They will lose limb and heart over her and stand by her and fight to the end.

The predictability makes me want to vomit.

Due to the success of The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, there has also been a suffocating rash of dystopian novels all centered around a strong, powerful central  government and oppressed people. Sigh.

Akin to songs and movies, there really aren’t too many “new” ideas out there, mostly old ideas with new packaging or presented with a different twist. I get it. But I have little patience for obvious copycats trying to sell a book/song/movie. Do you have any idea how many novels were released recently riding on the coattails of The Help by Kathryn Stockett? The topic of racial tension in the South is hot again and publishers are stepping over one another to release similar books.

As for middle-grader and even early reader chapter books, the main characters are more often than not, a boy and a girl. I could hear them now: “Why yes, we MUST appeal to both girls and boys and that’s the quickest way to do it!” If the protagonist is a boy, his new best friend is a girl, and vice versa. A young man could be having an adventure perfectly well on his own, but before long, he’ll come across, yes! A girl! What a surprise! I could pretty much time it flipping through the pages.

I know I know. If people are buying it, they’ll continue to supply it. I guess I’m just an odd duck. That’s why whenever I come across a book that is truly unique, I hold on to it like a lifeline. The elixir to quench my thirst of reading. It is caressed and loved and cautiously recommended until I stumble onto another one. Unfortunately it’s too few and far in between.

Dorothy (done venting, for now)

Title:                           Weeping Under This Same Moon

Author:                      Jana Laiz

Genre:                        Fiction (categorized for both young adult and adult)

Reviewed by:          Dorothy

Based on facts, the award-winning book tells of two teenage girls: Mei, a Chinese escaping the Vietnam war, and Hannah, an American girl with a chip on her shoulder and how their lives come to intersect.

The first eighty pages were written from the voice of Mei with readers following the emotional roller coaster of her family once the decision was made to break the family apart to escape communist Vietnam. Mei and two of her younger siblings were the first to leave. Laiz did a fabulous job describing the anguish of Mei’s parents and the intensity of the moments during separation. Unfortunately, what could have been a good, meaty historical fiction waned slightly towards the end of the eighty pages: Their approval and subsequent arrival in New York seemed glossed over hurriedly to usher in the next eighty pages: Hannah’s story.

While the first part was engrossing and educational, the second part left me a little impatient as Hannah describes her existence as an angry teen. Granted, Laiz once again did a great job in painting the right mental picture for readers and I come to fully understand Hannah’s character, but after Mei’s interesting and harrowing story, Hannah’s “problems” seemed trivial by comparison and I had trouble relating to her.

The last part of the book brought the warmth back as the girls meet and Laiz drives home the tale of survival, friendship and compassion. As an adult book, it falls a tad short for me. I would have loved to see Laiz write about Mei alone with no limitation of page count and fully flesh out her experience and her character. As a young adult book, it will no doubt educate and open the eyes of many teens about the hardships of refugees and also encourage volunteerism. I will not hesitate to recommend this to high schoolers and  middle graders who are strong readers. Great book for classroom use.

Dorothy