“Too many YA authors feel the need to show their adult self in the narrative, where as Castaneda successfully avoids that pit fall. “Emmie of Indianapolis” reads as if Emmie is speaking directly to us, simply, succinctly, sometimes without understanding, and other times with deep understanding; but more often than not a sense of wonder. From time to time Emmie does use words from the adult world, and Castaneda’s prose choices makes it clear that Emmie uses them with a child’s appreciation – as borrowed words, rather than as her own.”    Amazon review  5 Stars

https://bookplaces.wordpress.com/2019/09/04/the-last-book/​Has anyone seen the movie The Book of Eli? It’s one of my favorite movies. I’ve seen it many times and I know I’ll watch it again. The film is in the category of ‘timeless literature ‘ and yes, films can be literature, the theme is a horrible one. The last Bible, the last Holy Book left on a post-apocalyptic Earth is kept under guard by a man named Eli who has received divine inspiration to ‘go west’ with the book. His journey is explored in the movie. You must see it! Does the possibility of a world without books concern you? What if there were no more copies of…

I see the word ‘triggers’ a lot in relation to reading. Authors warn readers of possible triggers whereas certain actions or situations may cause harm to a reader mentally, bodily and even spiritually. Recently an author pulled her debut novel out of publication because a book reviewer disagreed with the theme of the book. The author wrote a novel based on her own life and the culture she left when she immigrated to the United States. The protagonist of the book encountered human trafficking, slavery, and forced prostitution in the country where she was born and countries where she l lived enroute to America. The book’s intended audience was older…

A reflection on a prayer written by St. Elizabeth of the Trinity for her sister Guite  1906 Heaven in Faith   The Second Day, First Prayer “Since love is what unites us to God, the more intense this love is, the more deeply the soul enters into God and the more it is centered in Him.” I attended a birthday party for my husband’s twin fifteen year old niece and nephew. I say his, not mine, that is until I watched them dance with their mother and grandfather. It was a slow dance, the boy with his mother and the girl with her grandfather. I’ve never spent much time with them…