Storms of Denali - Hanging On Every Word

The Storms of Denali, by Nicholas O’Connell

Reading this book, I found myself continually re-checking whether it’s a novel, or a factual account. These characters are so touching they ascend from the page and bivouac in my heart and soul as real people. The harrowing description of their expedition is so believable, it‘s gripping.

John Walker narrates the story and expedition. He’s a family man who is dissatisfied with what he views is a sedate life as an outdoor equipment store manager, husband and father. He contrasts this to his previously active, mountain-climbing, single life. He’s nursing the wound of turning back before making the summit at Denali last time. Wyn Mitchell is John’s long-time friend, former climbing partner, and a world-class climber who boasts a risky climbing style. Wyn is the expedition leader. He’s driven to make his own personal big splash with this Denali climb in order to attract backers for his desire to attempt Everest next.

John’s wife sets conditions on his undertaking this long and potentially fatal trip. One condition is that John and his partner share the climb with two others, and that one of them has medical skills. That brings into the story Al McKenzie, a Boeing engineer who hopes this climb will help him forge an individual victory that will carry him past his divorce and beyond his corporate work life. Lane Frederickson also signs on. He is a fireman, medic and novice climber who desperately wants to establish himself as a serious climber. The author gives full and vivid treatment to each of these characters – their strengths, weaknesses and how their combination is a volatile mix that precipitates a disaster.

The prominent character towering from the page is the deadly Denali, the great one. Not enough to climb Denali, Wyn wants to make his splash with a new route to the top. Denali will have the final say about that. This is an authentic tale of man’s struggle in nature, and man’s struggle with human nature. The author, Nicholas O’Connell, is a mountain climber. One of the mountains he’s climbed is Denali. His experiences and talented writing bring such realism to this story.

You don’t have to be a mountain climber to appreciate this daring fight for survival on the highest and coldest mountain in North America. I’m a casual hiker, and I was enthralled with every page of this adventure. The pristine descriptions transported me to this foreign destination. The magnificent setting is both alluring and frightening. I recommend that you begin your own expedition into “The Storms of Denali” and experience it for yourself.

Thereby hangs a tale . . . .

One Lump or Two With Your Murder?

This author serves up a savory blend of herbal teas, pastries, and murder.  This novel is just one in a series of “cozy” mysteries that revolve around Theodosia Browning who owns Indigo Tea Shop in Charleston, South Carolina.  I’m such a fan of the series, I’ve read them all.  I’ve read some of them more than once.  Chamomile Mourning is early in the series, and one of my favorites.

Laura Childs gives delightful Charleston the feeling of a small town, and the characters surrounding Theodosia are so intriguing.  This book begins at a catered tea party at the Heritage Society’s annual Poetry event.  But murder becomes a dramatic verse of its own.  The victim is one of the Heritage Society’s own, prominent members.  When clues lead the local police to accuse one of Theodosia’s friends, she is motivated to prove them wrong.  But maybe Theodosia is wrong?

The clues will lead the reader toward several potential murderers and motives.  You’ll enjoy the chase, and during more relaxed moments you’ll also enjoy the detailed descriptions of Charleston.  The author really engages you in the challenges and appeal of running a small business too.  Several of Theodosia’s friends are small business people in the city, and she is so proud of her tea shop.  You’ll get an enjoyable glimpse into the varieties, history and social niceties of teas.  Haley and Drayton, who both work at the tea shop, are each artists at work.  Haley is the baker and Drayton is the tea mixologist.  They help Theodosia in many ways.  And there is an extra treat in the book!  You’re treated to recipes that are supposedly from Haley for pastries and from Drayton for teas.  Do yourself a favor and try these.  The ones I’ve tried have been delicious.

Laura Childs was a writer/producer at several national ad agencies, before forming her own company, Mission Critical Marketing.  She wrote four screenplays, got one read by Paramount, but never actually sold one.  She then thought to try writing mysteries. How fortunate for fans like me!  She really enjoyed the writing, and was so happy when she sold her first couple of books.   A prolific writer, she now has two other entertaining series in addition to the tea shop mysteries.  They are the Scrapbook Mysteries and Cackleberry Club Mysteries, and she’s not done yet.

 

Put your feet up with a cup of tea, or a glass of ice tea now that its summer, and enjoy an entertaining flight of murderous fancy, mull over your clues, and then chase down your suspect.

Still Waters Run Deep, Making a Difference






Quiet Influence: The Introvert’s Guide to Making a Difference,

by Jennifer B. Kahnweiler, PhD



“Do not underestimate the determination of a quiet man,” is a quote from Iain Duncan Smith, British politician.

The quiet one in the background used to be in the shadow of the attention getters in the world. This book insists those introverts can be highly effective influencers when they make the most of their own natural strengths. The author points out the strengths of being an introvert, and then presents descriptive examples of successful ways to use these strengths. Her examples include some surprisingly introverted celebrities. The author states that half the U.S. population is introverted. Instead of struggling to act like extroverts, the author suggests that there are four workplace trends which indicate that the time for quiet influence to be more successful than ever is now.

So why is now a great time to be an introvert in the workplace? The flattened work organization means networking is a personal responsibility. One-to-one connections are strengths of introverts. Increased global diversity means different ways of connecting with people, more personally and in deference to cultures, which are areas well suited to introverts. The virtual world and online social media are tools that introverts can excel in. And heightened competition means a need to listen intently, which the author identifies as something introverts do well.

Early in the book there is a short test to determine if you are an introvert. If you are, you’ll closely identify with so much of what the author writes. This book is also interesting for people who have a son or daughter or friend or other person in their life whom they have never quite understood, and now you see that person is an introvert.

The six strengths of “quiet influencers” include – taking quiet time, preparation, engaged listening, focused conversations, writing, and thoughtful use of social media. The author discusses how influencers can use a mix of these six qualities for success, and she warns about the dangers of their overuse.

Jennifer B. Kahnweiler, Ph.D. is an Atlanta-based author, and speaker, and executive coach who is hailed as a “champion for introverts.” Jennifer works with business professionals across a wide array of industries leading seminars and coaching individuals and groups. Her client list includes NASA, Coca-Cola, Home Depot, Pfizer, Time Warner Cable, AT&T, and more. She is committed to helping introverts unleash their inner leadership voice.

Introverts are continually asked to adapt to an extrovert-centric workplace that rewards being out there and on stage. They plead, how can I be me and still make a difference? Jennifer Kahnweiler’s book will show you, with a plan and through examples, how to stop trying to act like extroverts and instead make the most of your natural, quiet strengths.

Thereby hangs a tale . . . .

You Can't Go Wrong Reading The Wrong Girl

The Wrong Girl
by Hank Phillippi Ryan

Is she the wrong girl? The two women sitting across from each other, recently introduced, look much the same. In subtle and uncanny ways, their mannerisms are similar. Are these women related, long lost to each other and now reunited? Or, is she the wrong girl? Is this really her birth mother? Is this the reunion they’ve both yearned for? Or is this match-by-agency and others like it, someone’s big business scam? The truth is hidden, possibly behind murder.

Award-winning, best-selling author and journalist Hank Phillippi Ryan explores an overburdened state system, some people with the best of intentions taking care of foster children, and some people with questionable intentions. Ryan’s character Jane Ryland, is an intrepid reporter on the trail of a big scoop that she’s hoping will save her job. At the same time, Jane’s friend Tuck has confided to Jane that she’s recently hired an agency to find her birth mother, and reunite them. Now Tuck’s been told she has a different name and she’s met her birth mother. Except, despite all surface familial appearances, Jane’s friend is convinced she’s the wrong girl. She can’t prove that conclusively, but she feels it.

With a police officer as a love interest, it’s not long before Jane’s path crosses his at the apartment where a female murder victim is discovered. The victim’s identity and the motive for her murder are a mystery. Is this murder related to others, all masking a different kind of identity theft and identity fraud? Or is it one of those red herrings that I’m always so drawn to?

Jane Ryland has her hands full. She’s investigating this complex story, trying to scoop the rest of the media. She has to keep one step ahead of an ominous voice and shadowy person who’s threatening to harm her. She’s eager to compassionately help her insistent friend Tuck. In the meantime, she struggles to maintain a separation of professional interests and play it cool, while her hot love interest is the police officer in charge of solving the murders.

This writer is a master at pacing. The book starts out a little slow, while a lot of ground work is laid. But momentum is building subtly, almost imperceptibly until the book jumps out and grabs you. That will be the point of no return, because you won’t want to be interrupted and you won’t put it down until you finish the epilogue. Is she the wrong girl? Are there others? Why?

As Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “curiosity is lying in wait for every secret.”

Thereby hangs a tale . . . .

The Paris Wife

The Paris Wife

By Paula McLain

I found a great he said/she said pair of books.  Published after Ernest Hemingway’s death, A Moveable Feast is his memoir of his experience starting as a writer in 1920’s Paris, with his wife Hadley Richardson.  It was put together by his fourth wife, Mary Welsh, who edited his personal manuscripts and notes containing his observations and stories.  The Paris Wife is a fictionalized account of these same Paris years as told in fiction by Paula McLain as if this is Hadley’s memoir.

The time period and characters are very well researched.  In an interview Paula McLain said, “I first came to know Hadley in the pages of A Moveable Feast. His reminiscences of Hadley were so moving that I decided to seek out biographies of her life—and that's when I knew that I'd found something special. Her voice and the arc of her life were riveting. She's the perfect person to show us a side of Hemingway we've never seen before—tender, vulnerable, and very human—but she's also an extraordinary person in her own right.”

The author takes the time to weave her story from before Hadley meets Hemingway, so that what shaped her character and personality are well understood by the reader.  The writing is entertaining, and each of the characters’ feelings comes across so intensely that you are drawn to them.  You’ll find this book hard to put down.  It’s written as if a friend is confiding in you all her hopes, desires, and fears, as well as sharing all her joys.

In this book you also encounter all the other writers and friends that Ernest Hemingway describes in his memoir, including Gertrude Stein, Ezra Pound, and F. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald.  You read Ernest Hemingway’s impressions of these people as expressed to Hadley, but also you get Hadley’s feelings about each of these friends, and her insights into how they all interacted.

The author successfully paints a picture of the excitement, fervor, temptations, and creative energy of this Jazz Age period.  You can vividly imagine the conversations and scenes of these larger than life people.  You’ll be captivated by the evolution of the Hemingways’ relationship that was a profound first love.  It was so interesting to get to know Hadley’s warm sense of humor and personable charms, through this author.  You’ll also see a different dimension of Ernest Hemingway that is not often described in his legend.  As the author said, “The myth and reputation of the later Hemingway—all swagger and feats of bravery—stands in sharp contrast to his twenty-something self, and makes him all the more fascinating to me. He had incredibly high ideals as a young man, was sensitive and easily hurt. Hadley often spoke of his ‘opaque eyes,’ which showed every thought and feeling. She would know in an instant if she'd wounded him, and then feel terrible. That vulnerability alone will surprise many readers, I think.”

"The more I see of all the members of your sex," Ernest Hemingway wrote to Hadley in 1940, "the more I admire you." She remained untainted in his mind, an ideal that persisted and reminded him that the best luck and truest love he'd ever had he found with her.

Thereby hangs a tale . . .

Linda Evans' Savory Recipes for Life

Recipes for Life,
by Linda Evans
Start with a large serving of a lifetime of memories including appearances around the world, interesting stories with friends, including many other celebrities, and loves of her life. Season it with many vibrant pictures that spice up the stories. Then sprinkle that with the author’s favorite recipes, as well as some recipes shared by her celebrity friends. Finally, stir in a great sense of humor, and then you’ll feast on this savory memoir by award-winning actress Linda Evans.

The stories about her life and her celebrity friends are treats. You’ll get to know about Linda Evans, and also gain glimpses into other famous people’s lives and characters. It all begins with her childhood and her interesting parents who moved to Hollywood. How funny to find out that at 15, she worked as an usherette at the Paramount Theater in Hollywood, where year’s later her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame was placed right outside.

I really enjoyed this memoir. I was interested in the change from jobs to career, friends she shares good and bad times with, and stories about the men in her life, her romantic loves. With Linda, love doesn’t end because a relationship does. Her loves are intense and long lasting, and so are her friendships.

The woman she is, her lifetime of experiences, the people and events who have influenced her, and she’s not done yet! Early on, Barbara Stanwyck had an influence during The Big Valley days. Known as “Missy,” Stanwyck was an adviser and an advocate, a living example, and a dear friend. The author notes how Barbara Stanwyck always treated her fans well and made time to meet them because she appreciated them. I can tell you by my experience that Linda Evans is the same way. I was fortunate to meet her at one of her book signings, and the line to meet her was epic. She took time with each person and was so gracious.

There’s so much I learned about Linda Evans, including how much she loves to cook and plan wonderful meals with family and friends. The recipes included each relate to the life story being told in the chapter. Delicious! Some are the favorite recipes that were shared by the author’s friends, for example John Wayne’s favorites shared by his wife Pilar.
From her beginnings in Connecticut, then the family move to Hollywood, to her discovery of a beautiful life here in Washington state, the author has stayed gracious and remarkable. From her big break with “The Big Valley” to the drama of “Dynasty,” she has remained delightful. And from what I’ve read, I think everyone needs a friend like her fun-loving Bunky.

Thereby hangs a tale . . . .

Linda Evans and me at her book signing

Once Upon a Project, an empowering reunion read

Once Upon A Project, by Bettye Griffin
It’s an invitation to a different kind of reunion. Its 50 years since the opening of the Chicago housing project, and one of the former residents wants to celebrate their past community. Many of the former residents come, spanning generations. This book focuses primarily on four women who grew up in the project as best friends. They halfheartedly kept in sporadic contact as busy adults, and now reunite as each is turning 50 years old. Each woman faces this milestone with different challenges on her horizon.

A clear message in this novel is that in life’s journey where you end up is not determined by where you begin. You plot your own path in life and make your way with dreams and persistence. Still, life has a way of throwing obstacles right across that path you’ve plotted. Once reunited, the four best friends feel their bond again as they help each other through decisions and circumstances they are facing.

Elyse and Franklin, her husband of 27 years, have just seen the last of their kids leave for college. They are looking forward to this chapter in their lives when they can have fun together and rekindle the couple they’ve been. Thirteen years her senior, Franklin is slowing down and has been disappointing Elyse by cancelling activities at the last minute due to fatigue. Is he losing interest and lazy, or is there something seriously wrong?
On the surface Susan appears to have an idyllic marriage and wealthy life. She has kept hidden from her friends her ordeal with breast cancer. She has survived, to find that her husband hasn’t been able to cope with what she’s gone through. Her marriage is faltering. At the reunion she sees a former flame and she starts to wonder if there’s more to life for her than this stale marriage.

Grace is a very successful and exciting executive. She travels all over the world and lives an eventful life in Chicago. Her focus is on herself, and she likes it that way. Twice divorced, is it her wild success that intimidates men and complicates her relationships? She does get lonely and doesn’t like the idea of growing old alone. Does she have to compromise her career, or her relationship aspirations?

After losing the love of her youth due to family conflicts, Pat never found another serious love in her life. She is surrounded by lots of friends and colleagues in her very full life, but she regrets what she lost. He is now married for the second time, and never to her. She is still pining for him and wishing for destiny to bring them somehow together. At the reunion, she’s also reacquainted with an old friend from her law school days. Can she let herself plot a new path? Can this opportune meeting turn into a head-over-heels romance so late in her life?

You’ll enjoy following the dramatic turns and choices these ladies make. You’ll be hoping for the best for each of them and wondering what will happen next. You’ll want to contact some of your old friends that you knew once upon a time, and you’ll remember to cherish the friends you’ve kept near.

Thereby hangs a tale . . . .