Beloved Old Books

Even with the most beloved grandparents, extended visits can get boring at times. But that was never a problem. In New York, I'd swipe all my relatives' Louis L'Amours. In Virginia, I'd rummage through my grandfather's basement, picking up the old hardcovers to find a something that looked remotely interesting. And I found a few prizes. Thought I'd pass them along, just in case you want a change in your reading. Check them out, if you get the chance!

To Have and To Hold, by Mary Johnston (1900 version) - This is the book I would rewrite if I ever did a historical. Unfortunately, I saw somewhere that someone beat me to it. Regardless, once you get past the 1900 English and the swooning women, the story is amazing. Pirates, bets, mail-order brides who aren't what they say they are, sword fights, panthers, Indians, shipwrecks...This book has it all.

Prisoner of Zenda, by Anthony Hope - The first chapter is hard to get through, but it's a great read from there on. (And a quick one.) More sword fights. A stand-in king. A beautiful princess...

Knights of the Range, by Zane Grey - A great Western. Humor, gunfights (of course), a beautiful ranch owner, and two good men fighting for her heart. Gotta love it.

Scarlet Pimpernel, by Baroness Orczy - A classic. What more can I say?

By Right of Sword, by A.W. Marchmont - Love at first sight and sword fights...I can't remember much past the first scene, but apparently it was good all the way through. If we weren't through with a book by the time our visit was over, my grandfather would let us take it home with us. I finished this one too soon, so I made my brother start reading it, so it could go with us.

There you go. Some of my favorite old books. Try 'em out--they may become yours as well.

Saving Gabby

One of my favorite funny authors is Christy Barritt, with her Squeaky Clean series. Maybe it’s because I’m a house cleaner, so I can sort of relate to Gabby, the crime scene cleaner heroine. Two books in the trilogy have been published. (Check out the books link on my website for my review of Hazardous Duty.)

The third, not-yet-published story is a mystery involving a vegan, a freegan, the Going Green trend, and a whole lot of other fun stuff. Problem is, if Christy’s sales numbers don’t go up on the first two books, the third one might never see the light of day. And that would be a huge shame, not just because so many people will miss out on Christy’s delightful work, but Gabby’s story will be incomplete.

Gabby has three guys interested in her—two of which are too cool for me to choose a favorite. And…Gabby has to find Jesus. She’s been getting closer, but she needs this third one to bring her home. Yes, I probably get a little too involved in the characters, but if the last book in this series doesn’t get published, I’ll probably catch myself praying for Gabby's salvation for the rest of my life.

So please…save Gabby and save my sanity. Put Hazardous Duty and Suspicious Minds on your to-buy list! You can find her website at www.christybarritt.com, and her books on www.amazon.com.

Conference Report

I blogged about the conference on my website. Check it out at www.jennesswalker.com. You'll find it under "Ramblings."
Have a great week!