Hi, My Name is . . . Tired

Yes, ladies and gentlemen I’ve just returned from what I consider the best weekend of the whole year. I’ve been hanging with my friends at the LDStorymaker Writer’s Conference and the Whitney Awards Gala. A big shout out goes to the awesome Josi and Candace for carting me to and from the airport. It was great to spend time with you! I am of the opinion that I have the coolest writer friends known to mankind.

I promise to write more soon, but I’m afraid my brain is still too jumbled at the moment. In the mean time here are a few links to articles about the conference and the gala.

http://www.mormontimes.com/arts_entertainment/books/?linkTrack=mtEmail&id=7434

http://www.mormontimes.com/arts_entertainment/books/?id=7449

The Last Waltz by G.G. Vandegriff

I must admit that when I first received my copy of The Last Waltz by G.G. Vandagriff I was a little intimidated by it. It is a rather thick tome (591 pages) and I’d just finished reading a long list of Whitney finalists that I hadn’t gotten to read throughout the year. I wasn’t quite sure if I could get through The Last Waltz and give it a fair critique when I was brain fried and somewhat tired of serious reading. I am happy to report, however, that this was not the case. Within just a few chapters I was in love with this book and found it a delight to keep reading rather than the drudgery I was worried about.

At first, the writing seemed rather, well, flowery to me—full of poetic descriptions. But I soon figured out that this was the author’s way of expressing the great passion she has for Austria. G.G. studied in Austria as a young woman and that’s what sparked her interest in writing this particular book. She wanted to make sure it felt like a beautiful and real place to the reader because it mattered so much to her and to the main character, Amalia.

The overall writing and story was very good. I did find it weird that all of the love interests in the book seemed to be victims of horrible childhoods. Not just unpleasant. Down right nasty. Ah, such is the poetic license of a writer. We get to do all kinds of nasty things to our characters.

I found a few editorial slips (which I never count against a book because it happens to all of us) and one character dropped out of the story without me ever reading what actually happened to him. At least, I’m pretty sure I didn’t read anything that tied up his loose end. He wasn’t a main character exactly, but he was important to Amalia.

I think this happened partly because The Last Waltz covers a much greater time span than most books would normally address. The story line covers a period from World War I and the beginning of World War II. That’s a lot of history, but it never really bogs down the actual story. The Last Waltz could have easily been a series, but I would have hated waiting for the next installment to be able to continue Amalia’s saga.

As it is, The Last Waltz is divided into sections by the years the story took place in. I’m not really good at perceiving these time changes on my own so it always took me a couple of paragraphs to catch up and figure out exactly how much time had past. There is quite a large span not covered and I’m guessing that’s where the poor character I lost kind of fell through the cracks. It’s too bad because I was kind of worried about him. :)

Though this book did take me several days to get through, it did follow me while I was unable to read. There was always an eager compulsion to make sure I carved out reading opportunities throughout the day. That’s the kind of book I love. I like books that keep you engaged even when you have to walk away.

The Last Waltz was a satisfying read and one I’d recommend for a leisurely spring break when the world is full of hope and newness.

G.G. also has an article in Meridian Magazine this week which talks about learning from Austria’s history as we try to shape the future of America.

Life is Tough: I Doubt I'll Make It Out Alive by Stacy Gooch-Anderson

Do you remember a few weeks ago when I said I needed a book whose sole purpose was to make me laugh? Well, I got a good amount of giggles from one title and another healthy dose from: Life if Tough: I Doubt I'll Make It Out Alive by Stacy Gooch-Anderson. What a fun book!

While reading, I had a lot of laugh-out-loud moments that made my husband look at me funny, but I didn't care-- he's always looking at me funny. Life it Tough is a humorous look at all the little quirks life sends every day that you have two choices about: you either laugh and enjoy them for what they are, or let them weigh you down until everything becomes a drudgery.

I particularly enjoyed Stacy's account of the hard work she put in to learning to be the perfect mother before her kids actually came along. Ah, I remember those days well. Although I have to say I did a mite better in my home ec. classes than she did. I even won a state-wide academic competition for my home making prowess, and an outstanding student award at the end of my senior year. If it were possible to letter in home ec I would have. I started college as a home ec major (a degree our advanced society seems to have phased out, or maybe just “outsourced” to more professional venues.) How much of it have I actually used as a mother? Hmmm, good question. I think I sewed a hidden seam once when I was adventurous enough to sew for my adorable girls-- 1 and 3 at the time. I soon came to my senses and stopped that nonsense in its tracks.

Just when I thought I'd found the ultimate do-nothing-but-make-me-laugh book, Stacy whips out some serious life problems. Even though doing so meant Life is Tough flunked my serious fluff test, it proved a very good point. Up until then, all the stories had been completely relatable and completely drawn from every day life. I can see where it would be easy for someone to pick up this book and say, “Well sure, she can laugh. She's never had to face real trials like mine.” Not so. Stacy proves that what does not eventually make us laugh will likely be the thing that kills us.

There were a handful of jokes scattered throughout that I recognized as mutated versions of things I'd heard elsewhere. But, I was willing to forgive that since I was having the time of my life with the rest of the experience.

Although I'll probably never forgive Stacy for getting Rod Stewart's "If You Want My Body" stuck in my head for over a week, I highly recommend letting Stacy Gooch-Anderson throw you a life saver of humor the next time you need a good laugh. Who knows, you might learn something along the way as well.

Stacy is on virtual tour this month and providing a “life-saver” a day on the tour. Please visit her blog: Stayinalivewithstacy.blogspot.com to explore the gem of wisdom for today “Any one who thinks you are too small to make a difference has never been alone in a tent with a hungry mosquito.” And any other life saver that will make your day.

yourLDSneighborhood has added exciting new things to its website. Please drop by and take a look, browse around, check out our vendors, our radio station, our authors, our musicians and more. Check out the Neighborhood.

And while you're there, subscribe to the yourLDSneighborhood Newsletter. In addition to being able to shop in the new virtual neighborhood, the newsletter brings you articles, products, services, resources and interviews from around the world-all with an LDS focus. Look for issues delivered to your email inbox every week on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

Master by Toni Sorenson

I’ve had Master by Toni Sorenson pegged for the Easter weekend slot in my book reviews for several months. So, even though it was a Whitney Finalist I’m going ahead with my review. I just won’t tell you if it won my top vote or not. :)

Master is a fiction portrayal of the Savior’s life from the time of early childhood until his resurrection. It is a story told by one faithful follower who was beside him through out all these years. Toni Sorenson sets up a scenario in which Almon, the narrator of the story, is taken in by Mary and Joseph when they find him sick, beaten, and abandoned on their journey home from Egypt. Almon is a mute with a keen eye for observing things around him. It is through these highly perceptive eyes that the reader gets to experience the author’s view on what Christ’s formative years might have been like.

Toni Sorenson sets up a scenario for every aspect of the Savior’s story as it is told in the scriptures and stays close to those scriptural accounts in her retellings. It’s a nice look at what it means for Christ to be our Master and Savior in a non-stressful, non-preachy environment. There are no deep gospel philosophies expounded upon. It’s not nearly as intense on the history and culture aspects as the Kingdom and the Crown series by Gerald N. Lund. It’s easy to stay in the story and not get lost in all the “technical” aspects of the time period. In other words, it doesn’t make you feel bad if you’re not the ultimate scripture scholar.

Master is simply one person’s journey in coming to know the Savior and understanding His divinity. In fact, the author seems to be so careful about making sure everything is scripturally accurate that you don’t really see/hear Jesus speak in the young chapters. When Jesus “once was a little child” he is described in depth, but he never really says much. That seemed kind of weird to me, but that may just be me. I don’t know that the average reader would pick up on it or care. Christ’s childhood is described with loving care and you do get an impression of what life with Him could have been like. He does have more direct quotes as He begins His ministry, but even then the author is very careful about what she actually has the Savior saying.

That little harrumph aside, I found Master by Toni Sorenson to be an engaging and sweet story. It’s too long for a Sunday afternoon, but I’d recommend you specifically set aside some time each night this week to read a chapter or two. I think it will add a nice depth to your worship this Easter season. It may be fictional, but Master clearly leaves you with the most important message any of us can understand in this life. In the words of Almon: “Jesus was . . . He is . . . and will always be . . . my Master.”

yourLDSneighborhood has added exciting new things to its website. Please drop by and take a look, browse around, check out our vendors, our radio station, our authors, our musicians and more. Check out the Neighborhood.

And while you're there, subscribe to the yourLDSneighborhood Newsletter. In addition to being able to shop in the new virtual neighborhood, the newsletter brings you articles, products, services, resources and interviews from around the world-all with an LDS focus. Look for issues delivered to your email inbox every week on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

Confessions of a Completely In*sane Mother by Kersten Campbell

Naturally, the first thing that caught my attention about Confessions of a Completely Insane Mother by Kersten Campbell, was the name. I mean, how can you go wrong with a name like that? The next thing that appealed to me was its compact size. This was no overwhelming volume of prose no mother has time to read. When I flipped through I knew it would be completely doable to fit this title into almost any busy mother’s day. It’s just the right size for slipping in a purse or diaper bag and each story is short enough to get through during a car wash cycle. Yes, I have been known to take my children on a field trip to the car wash just so I can strap them in the car and entertain them at the same time.

Confessions of a Completely Insane Mother is a collection of very brief stories that help you laugh at life as a mother. The writing style is not complex or overly poetic. It’s light and simple and designed to bring a smile to your face. When I began reading my first impression was, “Meh, its okay.” But, by the time I was several stories in I was getting excited to see what the next adventure might hold. By the time my daughter got out of seminary 30 minutes later, I had tears rolling down my cheeks from laughter. She was very confused, until I gave her the book to read on the drive home. It didn’t take long before she was giggling as well.

This isn’t a book you want to turn to if your looking for prophetic and inspiring thoughts on the wonderful gift of motherhood. This is the book you turn to when you need a good friend to lighten your heart after a day that makes you wonder what in the world you thought you were doing having kids in the first place.

I highly recommend having a copy of Confessions of a Completely Insane Mother on hand. In fact, here’s my advice. Take this book and a flashlight and stash them behind the extra toilet paper rolls in the bathroom. Since no one but you ever changes the roll they won’t get disturbed. Then, the next time you’re ready to go insane yourself, sneak in the bathroom. Close and lock the door. Don’t turn on the light, the kids will find you too soon. Pull out the book and flashlight, put a towel over your head to block out the light and read a couple of chapters. Be forewarned, if you giggle too loudly that will set off the mommy pheromones as well and your hiding place will be discovered. Bite the towel if you have to because every mommy needs their own “time out” spot.

When you’ve read a few chapters you’ll feel better and be ready to face the world again. Not because you have been reminded that “Motherhood is next to Godhood” but because you’ve remembered that you’re not alone in the craziness. Go ahead, put Confessions of a Completely Insane Mother by Kersten Campbell on your list of things to do just for yourself. It won’t eat up much time or money, but it will help the next time you walk into the kitchen to find your children making pancakes in the middle of the floor- without a bowl. We all have those days and it helps to be able to giggle about them.

yourLDSneighborhood has added exciting new things to its website. Please drop by and take a look, browse around, check out our vendors, our radio station, our authors, our musicians and more. Check out the Neighborhood.

And while you're there, subscribe to the yourLDSneighborhood Newsletter. In addition to being able to shop in the new virtual neighborhood, the newsletter brings you articles, products, services, resources and interviews from around the world-all with an LDS focus. Look for issues delivered to your email inbox every week on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.