A little light reading...

Just a little light reading over the weekend.

P.S.

American Sniper is well worth reading. I'd rate it PG-13 for the language. (I strongly dislike foul language.) However, it is a fascinating look at one of America's warriors and the war on Iraq. It's not heavy reading either. It's well written and kept me turning the pages.

What I'm listening to this week

This has been rocking through my speakers on the way to and from work this last week. It hit store shelves on Tuesday, June 12.

My entire family enjoys Josh Turner's music, and we've bought every album he's made so far. So we were looking forward to this one. His current radio single, Time Is Love, is from this album. The CD has a great mix of songs from upbeat-make-you-want-to-move-your-feet songs (like the title cut Punching Bag ), to slow, melancholy songs (like Pallbearer). There are two gospel-flavor songs on this album compared to one on his other albums, but they're both great songs.

My favorites right now, though, are - in no particular order - Deeper Than My Love, Good Problem, Find Ne a Baby, Whatcha Reckon, and Left Hand Man. I really like it when Josh sings love songs, and these are great ones.

The title track Punching Bag would be a great work-out song, at least for me, because the beat just makes you (me) want to start throwing some Tae Bo moves. In fact, it's almost hard to drive the car when the song comes on. :-)

Can't wait to see what song will be the next radio release. There's some great ones to choose from. I've already picked what I think will (should :-) be the next single.

So. Do you listen to Josh Turner? Have you picked up the album yet? What's your favorite song? And what do you think will be the next radio single?

Short-Straw Bride

I've read several books lately that were okay, a few that were "ho-hum," and some that were downright disappointing, but I hadn't read anything in the last couple of weeks that was especially noteworthy. And then I walked past the bookshelves in Walmart and saw this little beauty...

I promptly plunked down my money at the register and hurried home with it. I couldn't wait to start reading.

Short-Straw Bride is Karen Witemeyer's fourth book and absolutely fantastic! I loved her first three books, so I was eagerly awaiting this one, and it did NOT disappoint. In fact, it's the best book I've read in several months.

Everybody knows you don't step on Archer land if you value your life, but Meredith Hayes has overheard a plot to burn them out and steal their land. Twelve years ago, one of the Archer boys came to Meri's assistance, and she vows to repay the debt and warn them.

Travis Archer has protected his family for fourteen years by scaring off would-be trespassers, but he can't run off the courageous, now-grown girl he helped so many years ago. And then Meri's good deed leaves her injured and her reputation in shreds. Travis will have to rescue her once again.

Four Archer brothers. Four Straws. Will Meri ever be more than the Short-Straw bride?

I read this book in one day because I simply couldn't put it down. I loved the plot, the dialog, the setting...basically, everything about it. Oh, except for the fact that it ended. I didn't like that part. ;-)

You don't have to have read any of Karen's other books to enjoy this one as it is a stand-alone title, but after reading this one, I have a sneaking suspicion you'll want read her other titles. Grab your copy of Short-Straw Bride today. You won't regret it. (Oh, and by the way, it's cheaper on Amazon than at Walmart.)



My Facebook page

Good morning, friends.

I've just published my Facebook author page. Head on over and check it out. I'm so excited to announce the release date for my upcoming book The Marshall Meets His Match.

I'll see you at www.facebook.com/ClariDees

Happy Monday!

♥
☺

Para... what?

Paraprosdokian. 
Yep. That's actually a word. And this is what it means.

a figure of speech in which the latter part of a sentence or phrase is surprising or unexpected in a way that causes the reader or listener to reframe or reinterpret the first part.

Did you get that? 
Yes? No?
Don't let the big word or the long explanation scare you because this is a very fun word. 
Don't believe me?
Check out some examples of Paraprosdokians.


"You can always count on the Americans to do the right thing—after they have tried everything else." —Winston Churchill


"I've had a perfectly wonderful evening, but this wasn't it." —Groucho Marx


"She looks as though she's been poured into her clothes, and forgot to say 'when'." —P. G. Wodehouse


"I like going to the park and watching the children run around because they don't know I'm using blanks." —Emo Philips


"I haven't slept for ten days, because that would be too long." —Mitch Hedberg

"She was good as cooks go, and as cooks go she went." —Saki

"I sleep eight hours a day and at least ten at night." —Bill Hicks

And now you know what a Paraprosdokian is. What about you? Do you have any Paraprosdokians to share?