I just read How To Say Babylon by the poet Safiya Sinclair. Absolutely mesmerizing account of being raised in Jamaica by Rastafarian parents. It was a history lesson on the Rastafarian movement and heart wrenching account of her difficult childhood. I am in awe of her strength and spirit.
Oh, I meant to say that I went back and forth between a hard copy and Audible. I highly recommend listening to the Audible version as it's read by Safiya.
I read all the time as a kid and often above my years. I think I read Valley of the Dolls when I was 10. Recently I have really gotten into Kindle Unlimited and reading through the app on my phone. It makes a great alternative to scrolling. Currently in a phase of reading memoirs from people who grew up with hippy parents. Facebook gave me a suggestion for "Freckled" by Tobey Neal about growing up on Kauai pretty much homeless with her surfing parents. Now I'm reading "Don't Call Me Jupiter" by Tom Bross.
Valley of the Dolls at 10! I’m equal measures impressed and horrified. Okay, horrified is a little too strong. I’m going to dig out my kindle and charge it and look into this Unlimited stuff. Thanks.
Last night, my husband and I had dinner with my 2 sons who are 34 and 39. I said something about how I was getting into reading memoirs from people with terrible childhoods. My husband , without missing a beat, said, "So, are you boys thinking about writing one?" I thought that was hilarious, which about sums up my family.
If you are thinking about self publishing, Kindle Direct Publishing is pretty much how it's done from what I can tell. In Kindle Unlimited, the author is paid by pages read. The quality of the paperbacks is good and you can buy author's copies to sell outside of Amazon for the cost of printing plus shipping. I bought two classes from Writers League of Texas about it. One was from PJ Hoover and the other from Deanna Roy. I learned a lot from both of the classes. Deanna practically had a book she gave as a handout.
In other news, I'm writing blogs on my Substack if you want to check it out.
The great luxury of my life right now is reading all the time. I LOVE audiobooks bec I can do whatever crafting activity I’m favoring in the moment as well as immerse myself in the other world of a book. I read voraciously as a child, and as I age into a fabulous second childhood it’s pure joy. Recently I’ve spent time in Malaysia, New Orleans, and Vietnam, all while weaving in comfortable air conditioning and gazing onto a (for now!) green landscape. I’m always on the lookout for recommendations, so thanks spike!
Once upon a time, a long time ago, being a very black and white thinker I dismissed audiobooks as inferior, as “cheating,” etc. Then I gave them a try. I think that was 2004. TWENTY YEARS of devouring audiobooks. And yes, I love that I can craft to them. Your travels sound amazing. ❤️
I used to be down on audiobooks, but then I considered the fact that for most of human history, storytelling was a spoken thing. We're wired to listen to someone tell us stories. Why would I deny myself that uniquely human experience? I do think that reading is a different brain activity than listening, but I also think doing both is worthwhile. And man, the multitasking opportunities are endless. There's exactly one thing I can't do while listening to a book, and that is read.
To quote Tom Waits…you must be reading my mail. (https://youtu.be/uctxOZEusuI?si=3fmQRGqZdbeH4uC5) I think about this so often—stories were told far longer than they’ve been written. I am smitten with a number of audiobook narrators, so grateful for their superpowers. I’m listening to the new Tana French now and the guy reading that—HOW DOES HE DO IT? All those characters, all those accents. I lover surrendering and letting him read to me.
I know!! I feel like I've become a bit of a narrator snob, too. I will bitch endlessly to my husband if I end up listening to a bad reader. I also can't believe that sometimes authors read THEIR OWN BOOKS. This both blows my mind and makes me so happy. I recently listened to Arnold Schwarzenegger read his book, Be Useful, not because I was interested in the content, but because I just love that guy's crazy accent. lol.
Hahaha. I could not listen to that for any reason. It’s been a very long time since I listened to Stephen King’s Under the Dome but I remember the narrator blew me away. As I recall he was a Broadway actor.
One day I will go back and re-read it. Been nearly half a lifetime since I wrote it. It will be interesting to see how the passage of so much time will impact my perspective.
I've been a book lover since my sister taught me to read as a child. She is 3 years older, and was determined that I should know everything she had learned during her school day. Strangely, she hates to read. I, however, fell straight into the worlds that were created in my mind. From reading every horse story I could find in my school library, to stumbling across The Cross and the Switchblade and learning about things not found in my extremely small town. I read everything. Then in my teens I discovered historical romances and started borrowing stacks of them from my aunt. The chubby, unattractive girl I was longed for the wild and tragic loves in those books. Now, so many years later, I still gravitate towards those worlds but with a much more jaded and saddened heart. I love the fantasy world of immortal beings that Kresley Cole writes about. Her YA series about the tarot cards coming to life to fight to the death is one of the most original I have read in a while. (The Arcana Chronicals, for anyone interested.) Currently, Carian Cole is breaking my heart with her stories of tormented souls and their search for love. I guess I'm just a sucker for that search. Aside from the imaginary, I'm working on my own healing with The Body Keeps the Score.
This entire comment is a breathtaking poem! This line resonates the most: “I still gravitate towards those worlds but with a much more jaded and saddened heart.” YES! Small town librarians hold a very big place in my heart—the library was my sanctuary and my savior when I was little.
Thank you, this is high praise coming from you. 🙂 My town had few things to recommend it, but an excellent library was definitely one. I can still remember the smell of the books and smile.
I have a bff in LA, Bahni Turpin ( yes, Google her! 🤗) who is an Actor and also an award winning Professional Narrator, so I listen to anything she has done. I have the luxury of imagining what a beautiful brilliant human she is, on top of loving her choice of books she reads by knowing her heart!
I just read How To Say Babylon by the poet Safiya Sinclair. Absolutely mesmerizing account of being raised in Jamaica by Rastafarian parents. It was a history lesson on the Rastafarian movement and heart wrenching account of her difficult childhood. I am in awe of her strength and spirit.
Thank you for recommending it AND for reminding me. I’m going to go put it on my wishlist so you don’t have to remind me again. 😃
Oh, I meant to say that I went back and forth between a hard copy and Audible. I highly recommend listening to the Audible version as it's read by Safiya.
I read all the time as a kid and often above my years. I think I read Valley of the Dolls when I was 10. Recently I have really gotten into Kindle Unlimited and reading through the app on my phone. It makes a great alternative to scrolling. Currently in a phase of reading memoirs from people who grew up with hippy parents. Facebook gave me a suggestion for "Freckled" by Tobey Neal about growing up on Kauai pretty much homeless with her surfing parents. Now I'm reading "Don't Call Me Jupiter" by Tom Bross.
Valley of the Dolls at 10! I’m equal measures impressed and horrified. Okay, horrified is a little too strong. I’m going to dig out my kindle and charge it and look into this Unlimited stuff. Thanks.
Last night, my husband and I had dinner with my 2 sons who are 34 and 39. I said something about how I was getting into reading memoirs from people with terrible childhoods. My husband , without missing a beat, said, "So, are you boys thinking about writing one?" I thought that was hilarious, which about sums up my family.
If you are thinking about self publishing, Kindle Direct Publishing is pretty much how it's done from what I can tell. In Kindle Unlimited, the author is paid by pages read. The quality of the paperbacks is good and you can buy author's copies to sell outside of Amazon for the cost of printing plus shipping. I bought two classes from Writers League of Texas about it. One was from PJ Hoover and the other from Deanna Roy. I learned a lot from both of the classes. Deanna practically had a book she gave as a handout.
In other news, I'm writing blogs on my Substack if you want to check it out.
Huzzah! To all of this! 🩷❤️🩹🩷
The great luxury of my life right now is reading all the time. I LOVE audiobooks bec I can do whatever crafting activity I’m favoring in the moment as well as immerse myself in the other world of a book. I read voraciously as a child, and as I age into a fabulous second childhood it’s pure joy. Recently I’ve spent time in Malaysia, New Orleans, and Vietnam, all while weaving in comfortable air conditioning and gazing onto a (for now!) green landscape. I’m always on the lookout for recommendations, so thanks spike!
Once upon a time, a long time ago, being a very black and white thinker I dismissed audiobooks as inferior, as “cheating,” etc. Then I gave them a try. I think that was 2004. TWENTY YEARS of devouring audiobooks. And yes, I love that I can craft to them. Your travels sound amazing. ❤️
I used to be down on audiobooks, but then I considered the fact that for most of human history, storytelling was a spoken thing. We're wired to listen to someone tell us stories. Why would I deny myself that uniquely human experience? I do think that reading is a different brain activity than listening, but I also think doing both is worthwhile. And man, the multitasking opportunities are endless. There's exactly one thing I can't do while listening to a book, and that is read.
To quote Tom Waits…you must be reading my mail. (https://youtu.be/uctxOZEusuI?si=3fmQRGqZdbeH4uC5) I think about this so often—stories were told far longer than they’ve been written. I am smitten with a number of audiobook narrators, so grateful for their superpowers. I’m listening to the new Tana French now and the guy reading that—HOW DOES HE DO IT? All those characters, all those accents. I lover surrendering and letting him read to me.
I know!! I feel like I've become a bit of a narrator snob, too. I will bitch endlessly to my husband if I end up listening to a bad reader. I also can't believe that sometimes authors read THEIR OWN BOOKS. This both blows my mind and makes me so happy. I recently listened to Arnold Schwarzenegger read his book, Be Useful, not because I was interested in the content, but because I just love that guy's crazy accent. lol.
Hahaha. I could not listen to that for any reason. It’s been a very long time since I listened to Stephen King’s Under the Dome but I remember the narrator blew me away. As I recall he was a Broadway actor.
The book I’m reading right now puts me in a French cemetery. What’s not to live about that?! 😂
I managed to snag a copy of All the Wrong Men and One Perfect Boy. I read it in three days.
One day I will go back and re-read it. Been nearly half a lifetime since I wrote it. It will be interesting to see how the passage of so much time will impact my perspective.
I've been a book lover since my sister taught me to read as a child. She is 3 years older, and was determined that I should know everything she had learned during her school day. Strangely, she hates to read. I, however, fell straight into the worlds that were created in my mind. From reading every horse story I could find in my school library, to stumbling across The Cross and the Switchblade and learning about things not found in my extremely small town. I read everything. Then in my teens I discovered historical romances and started borrowing stacks of them from my aunt. The chubby, unattractive girl I was longed for the wild and tragic loves in those books. Now, so many years later, I still gravitate towards those worlds but with a much more jaded and saddened heart. I love the fantasy world of immortal beings that Kresley Cole writes about. Her YA series about the tarot cards coming to life to fight to the death is one of the most original I have read in a while. (The Arcana Chronicals, for anyone interested.) Currently, Carian Cole is breaking my heart with her stories of tormented souls and their search for love. I guess I'm just a sucker for that search. Aside from the imaginary, I'm working on my own healing with The Body Keeps the Score.
This entire comment is a breathtaking poem! This line resonates the most: “I still gravitate towards those worlds but with a much more jaded and saddened heart.” YES! Small town librarians hold a very big place in my heart—the library was my sanctuary and my savior when I was little.
Thank you, this is high praise coming from you. 🙂 My town had few things to recommend it, but an excellent library was definitely one. I can still remember the smell of the books and smile.
Love the recommendations!
I have a bff in LA, Bahni Turpin ( yes, Google her! 🤗) who is an Actor and also an award winning Professional Narrator, so I listen to anything she has done. I have the luxury of imagining what a beautiful brilliant human she is, on top of loving her choice of books she reads by knowing her heart!