Books | M. Suzanne Terry

Archive for the ‘Books’ Category

My Books

Posted in 31 Days, Books, Feast, Fishbowl, NaNoWriMo, Shelfies, Writing on October 8, 2015| Leave a Comment »

This is my favorite picture I’ve taken in a long time. I’m not sure what I was trying to do here, but it makes me laugh and laugh.

I do know where I’m pointing, though. On my shelves, that’s where my books – the books I’ll write – will go.

Like the books of the authors on the L Shelves, I will want to keep my nonfiction and fiction together. You can’t see it in the picture, but I’ve already left some space on this shelf for Tolkien to shift on down when I have my first published book in hand.

(I enjoy that my book gets to sit next to Tolkien on my shelf.)

I have two manuscripts started. This month, I’m working to finish Feast, and I will be starting back up in December writing more on Fishbowl. I have a story I wrote during NaNoWriMo one year called Emma Jane, which Maggie helped me realize was actually two stories, so I’m going to pick up one of those again (I guess the Emma portion) after I finish Fishbowl.

But in November, I’m going to take some of the Jane character and rewrite/add another dimension to her story. Or I may (read: most likely will) start over with that character and a whole new story line. Either way, I’m excited to get another story started.

“But Suzanne – doesn’t that slow down your writing process?” you ask.

Yes and no.

Yes, it takes longer to write two or three books than it does to write one. But – and this is why the process works for me – when one story is getting stagnant, I can turn to another, read a little bit of it, and write it with fresh eyes.

I do some of my best work that way.

And I promise, someday it will show up in that space on my shelf.

I’m taking (sometimes ridiculous) pictures of myself and my shelves and writing about it this month.

Read Full Post »

The L Shelves

Posted in 31 Days, Books, Shelfies on October 7, 2015| Leave a Comment »

My dream home is one that has space for all the books I aspire to own. It will have several bookcases for nonfiction, two bookcases in or near the kitchen for all my cookbooks and foodie books (basically anything with a recipe in it), a large bookcase or two for my feminism/political science/sociology section, and a small bookcase for music.

As for fiction, I want one bookcase for every letter of the alphabet. That does not mean, of course, that I will have enough books in each letter to fill a bookcase. Some will overlap. I mean, I love Anna Quindlen, but I will never have as many Q’s as I have A’s (because Allende and Alvarez…also Austin…suffice it to say there are a lot of A’s). But just imagine – 26 bookshelves, all full of fiction. I’d never want to leave the house.

L is another letter that could use its own bookcase. As it is, it takes up two and a half shelves.The L shelves are the reason that my fiction and nonfiction are currently mixed together; I just can’t bring myself to separate Anne Lamott’s memoirs from her fiction. I want to keep all those babies together. Ditto for Jen Lancaster and C. S. Lewis.

The section of the L Shelves that I have pictured above highlight three of my favorite women to read. Anne Lamott spoke to a lot of my misgivings with various churches I attended and let me know I wasn’t all alone in the world. Jen Lancaster (shout out to Maggie for introducing me to Jen Lancaster, or JenLan as…only Maggie and I…call her) and Jenny Lawson started out as writers of blogs that I love and now have written books that I love. The L’s need their own bookcase so that I have room to own everything they ever write.

Any time I lack motivation or ambition, I just think of how glorious all those bookshelves will be, and it drives me.

What drives you?

I am writing 31 Days about my shelves and all the love I store on them.

Read Full Post »

Sweet Valley High

Posted in 31 Days, Books, Shelfies on October 6, 2015| 10 Comments »

The hand is the only part of me that can reach this shelf…and just barely.

Up high on one of my shelves lives the start of a collection of books that remind me of my junior high years. I loved and read the whole Sweet Valley High saga. As I put down my Barbie dolls, I picked up Elizabeth and Jessica Wakefield and fell right into their world.

All my friends who read them identified as either a Jessica – wild, spontaneous, carefree – or an Elizabeth – responsible, studious, thoughtful – even though no one I knew actually fell into only one category. My friend C was a Jessica. My friend K was an Elizabeth. I thought I was totally an Elizabeth but wanted to be more of a Jessica. Jessica seemed to have more fun.

The one aspect of Elizabeth that I really coveted was her boyfriend Todd. Alas, there was no Todd in my life.

Some people gleefully devoured Sweet Valley Kids and Sweet Valley Twins, but I was a purist. I stuck to canon.

My goal is to own the whole series. I keep watching for them at library sales and keep track of prices on Amazon and various other used book sites.

Do you collect any series? Which one(s)?

I’m showing and telling you about the books I love this month.

Read Full Post »

Banned Books

Posted in 31 Days, Books, Shelfies on October 5, 2015| 3 Comments »

It’s an unusual year when a Toni Morrison book goes unchallenged. Translation: read more Toni Morrison.

Last week was Banned Books Week. Banned Books Week is a yearly program established by the American Library Association’s Office for Intellectual Freedom. The point of the week is to celebrate the freedom to read – to read any and everything one chooses – and to oppose being told what not to read.

I wish every week was Banned Books Week.

Challenges to certain books being on library shelves is more than censorship. It is cowardice. It is ignorance. In faith-based circles, it is a glaring lack of faith.

Fear of the written word is not unfounded. Words are powerful. But rather than being a reason not to read – to shelter ourselves from the scary things – it is a reason to read more. To march bravely into that which frightens us. Often, we will find more good there than evil. Often, it is the place we find God.

Our tendency to cower and avoid things that we don’t instantly understand doesn’t just cause us to miss out on beautiful literature, breathtaking poetry, and raw human prose.

It dumbs us down. It reduces our understanding of human experience to that which is strictly our own personal experience. It whitewashes everything that is not our experience so that it doesn’t seem real.

It robs us of compassion. Failure to read stories that are different from our own perspective is like putting on blinders. It makes us cynical and distrusting. Cynicism breeds contempt. Contempt destroys compassion.

In an electorate that takes foolish pride in how much it rejects, it allows us to remain uninformed, gullible sheep (only less useful and cute).

It’s why, instead of real debates and platforms during election years, we get the circus (I need a new metaphor; circus performers are way more organized than that.).

One of my favorite Humans of New York posts gives a great piece of advice. If you want to change the world, read books by people you disagree with. I am not sure where Brandon Stanton first heard this nugget of wisdom, but it’s solid. I would make it even broader, though.

If you want to change the world – read. Read everything. Read things you like. Read things you don’t like. Read things you never knew you would like until you read them.

I challenge myself to at least one specific reading goal a year. Next year, it’s going to be reading everything on this list that I haven’t already read. Next year is my banned books year.

What book has challenged you the most?

I am taking shelfies and writing about them this month.

Read Full Post »

Friday Five – Favorite Stories from Childhood

Posted in 31 Days, Books, Friday Five, Shelfies on October 2, 2015| 4 Comments »

My Friday Five this week consists of five stories I have loved since childhood:

Mediopolito (The Half-Chicken) – There are two versions of this Spanish folk tale that I have heard. The dual-lingual book I own is the nicer version, where little Mediopolito helps the wind and the fire and the stream and thus does not end up scorched like a cinder in a soup pot. The version my family told (and it is telling that I can’t remember which family member liked to tell me this story – the love of a good warning tale runs rampant throughout our clan) is the sadder version, where Mediopolito is selfish and unhelpful and leaves his mama to continue to be selfish and unhelpful, and terrible things that give children with vivid imaginations nightmares happen to him.
The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C. S. Lewis – The first time I read The Chronicles of Narnia, this was my favorite book in the series. At different times in my life, my favorite has changed, but this one is the one that I associate most with the wonder of childhood.
Black Beauty by Anna Sewell – First given to me by my Aunt Gale in hopes that through reading (my favorite pastime of choice) about horses, I would become more interested in riding them (her favorite pastime of choice), I fell in love with the stories. I’m not sure it made me want to ride horses more (it DID make me want to race them, for I am competitive), but I enjoyed it.
The Crooked Banister from the Nancy Drew series by Carolyn Keene – Speaking of one of the many things I wanted to be when I was a child, I loved Nancy Drew. I recently re-read this one, and oh, the nostalgia! I have read enough mystery stories since that I was expecting some sort of twist, but no. That’s not how Nancy mysteries roll.
Hank the Cowdog by John R. Erickson – Technically, these didn’t come out until I was in junior high, but I’m still counting it. The author visited the elementary school where my mom worked, and she got me a signed copy. It’s a super cute series, especially for new readers or for reading aloud.

What are some of your favorite stories from childhood?

I’m posting shelfies (and yes, I am counting the top of the table where my books are posed above as a shelf) and writing about them for 31 days.

Read Full Post »

31 Days of Shelfies

Posted in 31 Days, Books, Fun, Shelfies on October 1, 2015| 5 Comments »

My project this October is going to be 31 Days of Shelfies. A shelfie, as defined by MacMillan Dictionary, is “a picture which is taken, usually by a smartphone or a similar device of somebody with a bookshelf or bookshelves behind them,” or just a picture taken of bookshelves. I am going to take broader liberties and define shelfie as “any picture I take that has a shelf in it.”

Don’t worry – it’s not just going to be shelves. Not that there would be anything wrong with that.

The way I usually put together a blog post is to write the post and then find or take a picture to complement the post. This month, I am practicing the reverse. I am writing posts from photo prompts. Picture-taking (and the visual arts in general) don’t come naturally to me, but that doesn’t mean I can’t improve what tiny skills I have. This month, I am going to practice taking better pictures and noticing what makes each picture better. This month, my content will be at the mercy of my pictures.

These photos (and their subsequent posts…ideally) will fall into four basic categories:

A bookshelf + me. I thought of doing just 31 days of selfies, but I couldn’t get excited about it. I don’t really understand selfies. I mean, I support other people’s choice to take them for whatever reason they want to do so. But for myself, I’m usually left thinking, “Why?” Unless there’s something new that I’m doing with my hair or something I’m wearing, I look pretty much the same as I did the last time I took a picture. People know what I look like. They don’t need a daily selfie from me, and I don’t require it for myself. But myself plus a bookshelf? I can make that interesting.
A bookshelf by itself. Who knows where this will lead? I anticipate that I will be writing book reviews and telling stories about specific books that have meant something special to me.
Friday five – a stack of five different books each Friday that I have read or am reading and why I recommend them.
Non-book shelves. Because books – while wildly important – are not the only things in life. On the weekends, I will be showing other shelves to remind myself to take my nose out of the books every once in a while.

I hope you enjoy it!

Master list of posts:

Read Full Post »

What I’m Into – August 2015

Posted in Books, What I'm Into on September 1, 2015| 2 Comments »

Right now, I’m into anything that keeps me cool. I’m dreaming of boot weather and soup while wearing sandals and eating sherbet. I feel like I’m living multiple lives.

In face-to-face life, the sister has started physical therapy and is progressing. We may take tap lessons when she’s up and jumping again. School has started, and part-time staff is hired and trained (HALLELUJAH). I have finished slicing off the unnecessary parts of Feast, and now I’m writing new words again. I am teaming up with two other folk from my supper club to write/read/edit. It will be my first primarily in-person writing group (if you don’t count English classes in college, which I don’t).

In reading life, I’ve been working on the reading challenge (very slowly) and have become enamored with The Goldfinch. I have also read two friends’ books this month, and you should check them out – L.V. Smith’s Remember Us and Andi Cumbo-Floyd’s Writing Day In and Day Out.

In Instagram Life, I’ve been participating in Susannah Conway‘s August Break Challenge. Here are some of my favorite shots from the month:

In online reading life, here are some of my favorite pieces:

“This table is large enough for every one of us. There’s space for you and for me, there’s room for my quirkiness and space your solemnity. Even our messy, big, sometimes embarrassing emotions can’t rob this table of its nourishment. Jesus’ is never scared away by our truest selves.” There’s Room at this Table. Come – Osheta Moore

“But then I shook hands with the woman who tore hate from the sky, and I knew that I didn’t have a choice. I knew that I would have to take a stand.” Grit Calls Out to Grit – Abby Norman via SheLoves Magazine

“Governor Kasich thinks the problem with teachers is the teacher’s lounge. The problem with teachers is this: we are having to deal with laws that are being passed by people who have not one single clue as to what our job entails or how we do it.” What Teacher’s Lounge? Some Information for Governor Kasich by Abby Norman (who is on fire this month)

“I am an angry, black woman. What I am not is irrational, fickle or immoral because of my anger over oppression. I am an angry, black, Christian woman and proud of it. I am proud of all those who are angered over injustice and oppression. I am proud of all those who resist, protest, write, march, rap, organize, and advocate out of a deep belief that no one is worthy of oppression. May we be as angry as God at the powers and principalities that let injustice thrive.” God is Not Sad – Austin Channing

I’m linking up with Leigh Kramer – come tell us what you’re into!

Read Full Post »

Friday Five – The Residents Arrive

Posted in Books, Friday Five on August 21, 2015| Leave a Comment »

(Fridays mean the biggest cup for my coffee and the sweetest jazz for my speakers)

Life this week:

This week was move-in week for the majority of our residents. By the end of the day on Monday, I had worked 18 hours already. I thought yesterday was Friday until about noon, and I almost cried when I realized it wasn’t. But today – today IS Friday. And it’s a beautiful Friday. The sun is out, but it’s still cool from our “cold front” (which in Texas in August means mid- to upper 80s), and I just had a honey bun. No regrets.
I met with church folks a lot this week. We had book club where we discussed Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson on Tuesday. Then I joined the choir on Wednesday, which is a bonus to not having class on Wednesday nights. And Thursday was out outreach committee meeting. It’s been one of those weeks where everything happened.
Rest in peace, Julian Bond. Thank you for your legacy.
Oh, Hilary. That second video. My, how uneasy this makes me feel. This is going to be a really intense campaign for everyone.
I LOVE EVERYTHING ABOUT THIS PIECE. I love optimistic late night. I like the satire as well, but authenticity charms me like nothing else.

How has your week been?

Read Full Post »

Summer Reading Challenge – The Master List

Posted in Books on August 11, 2015| 2 Comments »

I am participating in Hood County Library’s Summer Reading Challenge, and I know that if I don’t make a plan, saying, “I’m participating,” is about as far as it will go. Even with a plan, this is a lot of books, some sections have two titles (because I couldn’t choose one), and it doesn’t include a couple of friends’ books I’m looking over this month, so odds are slim. I may have to extend it beyond September 28. But here’s the master list. You will know I’ve finished a book because there will be a hyperlink to it either directing you to my review (where there will be links to buy) or to a link to buy it somewhere.

Anyone want to join me? This is going to be fun.

Checked out from the library – More than half this list, actually. But for the purposes of the challenge, two Thursday Next books that are due soon –

Lost in a Good Book by Jasper Fforde

The Well of Lost Plots by Jasper Fforde

From the FOL Bookstore – Not specifically from Hood’s Friends of the Library store but from Fort Worth’s. That’s close enough.

Alone in the Kitchen with an Eggplant by Jenni Ferrari-Adler

Set in Texas –

Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry

#WeNeedDiverseBooks – From what I can gather, this looks like a challenge for children’s books, but I’m gonna go ahead and read some for the grown ups.

How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents by Julia Alvarez

Bad Feminist by Roxane Gay

Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates

Translated from another language –

Venerin Volos (Maidenhair) by Mikhail Shishkin

Collection of short stories –

Will You Please Be Quiet, Please? by Raymond Carver

Out of your comfort zone – Jesus, be a cocktail…

A Queer Thing Happened to America by Michael L. Brown

Set somewhere you’ve always wanted to visit – Argentina ❤

Long After Midnight at the Niño Bien by Brian Winter

You own but never have read –

Inés of my Soul by Isabel Allende

Award winner –

All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr

Banned or challenged book –

Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov

Local Author –

Surrendering Oz by Bonnie Friedman

Recommended a book to a friend – This is supposed to be the freebie square on the bingo card, but I’m going to take the opportunity to finish two books that I’ve started, loved, recommended to others…and then never quite finished myself.

Jesus Feminist by Sarah Bessey

Quiet by Susan Cain

Author under 30 – at least, at the time of publication (she turns 30 this September)

The Tiger’s Wife by Téa Obreht

Turned into a movie – One I’ve been dragging my feet about…

The Help by Kathryn Stockett

Graphic novel –

The Sculptor by Scott McCloud

Collection of poetry –

Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson

Night Cycles by Beth Morey

Young adult book –

Once Was Lost by Sara Zarr

Memoir –

Unbearable Lightness by Portia de Rossi

Published the year you were born –

Ragtime by E. L. Doctorow

Re-read –

Why Girls are Weird by Pamela Ribon

Recommended by a friend –

The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt

Your choice of nonfiction –

Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson

From your childhood – Nancy Drew ❤

The Crooked Bannister by Carolyn Keene

You finish reading in a day –

Men Explain Things to Me by Rebecca Solnit

Read Full Post »

What I’m Into – July 2015

Posted in Books, Music, TV, What I'm Into on August 3, 2015| 4 Comments »

This is going to be short and sweet. I’m not that into July. Because OMG hot. I’m into July being over.

Y’all. Y’ALL. You know how much I love Nina Simone.

Well. WELL:

Here, there was originally a great video of Lauryn Hill singing Feelin’ Good on the Tonight Show, but it has been taken down. If you haven’t seen it, you’re going to want to Google it. If you have seen it, you know you’re going to want to Google it again.

God bless Lauryn Hill. I need that album. NEED.

(I will make real sentences soon.)

To watch (other than that video, of course):

My sister and I have been watching White Collar. I just love this show. My heart cannot accept that it was canceled.

I blame the charm of Neal Caffrey for my sudden need to watch old Robert Redford/Paul Newman movies (think The Sting and Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid) this month.

To read:

My favorite thing I’ve read this month is Tiny, Beautiful Things by Cheryl Strayed. If I were to be an advice columnist, this is exactly the advice I would give. I have never agreed so fully and adamantly with pretty much everything someone said in a book as I did with this one.

To do:

It’s been a busy month, but I’ve been into the usual things – book clubs, supper club, random outings with friends. I did make time to enjoy this glorious thing: