Scribbles and Scrambles ~ Uhhh, Well, Uhhh....Why Not?

So. I think Classic Sesame Street is way under appreciated. I'm sharing a few of my quirky favorites.

Scribbles and Scrambles ~ A Happy 11 Morning to You.

I used to torture my children with this one. Not by making them watch Sesame Street but by singing it. Ha. Ha. Not sure why. I think it must have been the range. Truly obnoxious but very fun to sing.

Serials and Scenarios ~ Siri Mitchell's A Heart Most Worthy

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing A Heart Most Worthy Bethany House (March 1, 2011) by Siri Mitchell



ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Siri Mitchell graduated from the University of Washington with a business degree and worked in various levels of government. As a military spouse, she has lived all over the world, including in Paris and Tokyo. Siri enjoys observing and learning from different cultures. She is fluent in French and loves sushi.



But she is also a member of a strange breed of people called novelists. When they’re listening to a sermon and taking notes, chances are, they’ve just had a great idea for a plot or a dialogue. If they nod in response to a really profound statement, they’re probably thinking, “Yes. Right. That’s exactly what my character needs to hear.” When they edit their manuscripts, they laugh at the funny parts. And cry at the sad parts. Sometimes they even talk to their characters.



Siri wrote 4 books and accumulated 153 rejections before signing with a publisher. In the process, she saw the bottoms of more pints of Ben & Jerry’s than she cares to admit. At various times she has vowed never to write another word again. Ever. She has gone on writing strikes and even stooped to threatening her manuscripts with the shredder.



Her ninth novel, A Heart Most Worthy, follows prior Bethany House releases: A Constant Heart (October 2008), Love's Pursuit (June 2009), and She Walks in Beauty (Apr 2010). She Walks in Beauty won the inaugural INSPY Award for Historical Fiction in Dec 2010. Two of her novels, Chateau of Echoes and The Cubicle Next Door were Christy Award finalists. Love's Pursuit was a finalist for the ACFW Carol Award.



Publishers Weekly proclaimed, "Mitchell delivers the historical goods."



ABOUT THE BOOK

The elegance of Madame Forza's gown shop is a far cry from the downtrodden North End of Boston. Yet each day Julietta, Annamaria, and Luciana enter the world of the upper class, working on finery for the elite in society. The three beauties each long to break free of their obligations and embrace the American dream--and their chance for love. But the ways of the heart are difficult to discern at times.



Julietta is drawn to the swarthy, mysterious Angelo. Annamaria has a star-crossed encounter with the grocer's son, a man from the entirely wrong family. And through no intent of her own, Luciana catches the eye of Billy Quinn, the son of Madame Forza's most important client.



Their destinies intertwined, each harboring a secret from their families and each other, will they be found worthy of the love they seek?



If you would like to read the first chapter of A Heart Most Worthy, go HERE.

My Review:


Siri Mitchell tells a good story. I've found myself immersed in her novels, picturing and smelling just what she is describing. I've also found myself connecting with her characters. I'm not sure that Siri has a fiction-writing weakness.

In another historical, which have all been intriguing, Siri takes us to Boston during a time of unrest and upheaval. Italian immigrants have come to America, Spanish influenza is on the horizon, and war overshadows. Three young women take jobs in a dress designer's shop and live in the nearby tenements. Their unique and sometimes similar struggles play out on the pages.

Siri has chosen an omniscient point of view which is not my favorite. However, this novel reads almost like a fairy tale or morality tale. And I found it worked very well. The number of characters might seem overwhelming at first but the reader does get to know each of them and the story flows. The Italian spice and Catholic faith demonstrated through the life of the characters and their interactions add elements that enrich the story, too. As things were tied up it felt a tiny bit hurried but that's minor. One plot element didn't quite feel satisfyingly resolved, but again, that is minor. Read it, if nothing else, for pure escapism. Read it if you are a writer because Siri excels. Read it if you like a good fairy tale.

Scribbles and Scrambles ~ Abide

Romans 12:12

Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.

Scribbles and Scrambles ~ Firmly Planted

Romans 5:^{1 and 2} Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God.

Scribbles and Scrambles ~ Vanishing Obstacles to You

Patience and perseverance have a magical effect before which difficulties disappear and obstacles vanish.

John Quincy Adams

Serials and Scenarios ~Health Care You Can Live With

The health care system may be a mess—

but you don’t have to be

Your health and wellness belong to you—and you alone. While it’s true that doctors and the health care system play a role in your care, they’re only one part of true wellness. If you’re ready to venture into real health, read this book.

Dr. Scott Morris, founder of the church Health Center in Memphis, TN—the largest faith-based clinic of its kind in the United States—shows how your physical health is being affected by your spiritual well being.


In Health Care You Can Live With, Dr. Morris explains how

• health care went wrong

• the church offers real answers

• you can take charge of your own wellness


Showing that healing—both physical and spiritual—is a key aspect of the Christian faith, Health Care You Can Live With provides an understandable framework for wellness and the encouraging real-life stories of those who found a better life within the overarching love of God.

With twenty years as a family practice physician serving a diverse population in Memphis, the nation’s poorest major city, Morris is uniquely experienced in the challenges of our health care system today and Health Care You Can Live With offers a surprising behind-the-scenes visit into the troubles we are currently facing around the issues of health care and health care reform. With a thoughtful yet candid approach, Morris invites the reader to question what we really know about health care. Who does our health care system serve, and what does it do or not do for others? Do we even know what medical research is really accomplishing? With clarity, Morris informs the reader, drawing from history, current research, and personal stories taken from the thousands of patients he has cared for, and equips the reader with both practical and valuable knowledge.

My Thoughts. None, other than the book intrigued me. I've really become more and more aware of what you don't know, do, or don't do can subtract quality of life. In an effort to baby-step towards health vs careen into a disease cocktail, I've made a lot of lifestyle changes. Working in a physician's office is a wake up call. Every year that I work there opens my eyes further. So when I was offered this book to review I jumped on it. Now. I just need to read it. And when I do I'll update this and post a review at Lunch and Amazon, too.

Health Care You Can Live With:

Discover Wholeness in Body and Spirit

by Dr. G. Scott Morris

Barbour Publishing/January 2011

ISBN: 978-1-61626-247-1

http://www.healthcareyoucanlivewith.com/

Listen to an interview with Dr. Morris on uReadBooks!

Would you like to review this book on your blog?

Email Audra at The B&B Media Group to find out how!