Finished THE REJECTED WRITERS' CHRISTMAS WEDDING

A piece of fluff that I needed at this time.  Funny, gentle, sweet, and there was a plot that kept my interest.  I enjoy this series.

I have now started The Night is Forever, Krewe of Hunters, Book 11 by Heather Graham.  This particular series has a pattern:  there is murder, ghosts help to solve it, and the main characters fall in love.  Into that pattern, each mystery takes place in a different city and the history of the area plays a part in the solving of the mystery.  That especially appeals to me because I've camped near most of these places.  This book is set outside Nashville.

Finished another 100 pages of ALEXANDER HAMILTON

This section covered the founding of the National Bank, the growing break between Hamilton and Jefferson/Madison who believed Hamilton favored a return to a monarchy.  Not, of course, what Hamilton believed, but he did favor a growing industrial economy such as he saw in Europe/Britain, whereas Jefferson and Madison envisioned the growning USA as a large pastoral farming nation.  The Hamilton faction became known as Federalists and the Jeffersonians took the name Republicans.  Our first political parties.

I have now started the third book in The Rejected Writers' sage, Christmas Wedding.  Flora and Dan will be getting married in two weeks, but not only is Doris trying to take over the preparations, but a mysterious man has arrived in town and is looking for Flora.

Finished AGELESS AUTHORS ANTHOLOGY

If you are thinking of writing something, this is a great book, especially if you are over 65.  I keep thinking about writing about my travels--camping across the country in my beat up old van after this single woman reached the age of 50.  This book results from a writing contest in which prizes are awarded in first, second, third place, and honorable mention in three categories: poetry, essays, and short stories.  Many non-winners are also published in this book.  Of course, I read it because my friend Larry, whose book exerpt telling about the puppy he adopted in Viet Nam won third place in the essay category, sent the book to me. I found most of the entries excellent.  And the fact that the contest and book exists as well as several of the articles talking about writing and getting published--well, I found it inspirational.

I had now begun the next 100 pages in Alexander Hamilton.  This section started with a discussion of Jefferson returning from France to take the office of Secretary of State while Hamilton is Secretary of Finance--first cabinet members under Washington.

Finished THE LAST ORACLE

Yes, that was tense.  A worthy addition to the series.  Almost non-stop action.  When it does slow down to describe history, technology, or environment, watch out--the roller coaster is about to start again.  Imagine a group of autistic savant children decended from gypsies who were descended from the Delphi Oracle....  Now imagine how they might be exploited!

When my friend, Larry Sanders, got his first story published, he autographed and sent me a copy of it.  I had already read the story (at least twice and it is in his book) but I will read it again.  I will also read all the rest.  This is a group of writers age 65 and older...some published, some not.  The book starts with poetry--good stuff--and then goes on to essays (where Larry's story is--in fact, he won third place.)  The book is motivational.  You can submit a story to the annual contest and you may get it published!  Cool.

Finished THE LOST BIRD

I enjoy this series.  These books are mysteries with very likable characters set on an Arapaho reservation in present time.  Though they are fairly lightweight in the "thriller" category, they do have exciting climaxes, made better by the enchantment of the setting and the protagonists.

I have now started The Last Oracle (Sigma Force #5) by James Rollins.  This series is one of high adventure on several continents, thrilling close calls throughout to keep us on the edge of our seats, technology and science enough to chew on, and characters interesting enough to care about and mourn.  This book starts out with history on the oracle at Delphi, the murder of all adults in a Gypsy camp, and the capture of the children, a murder and two narrow escapes...

Finished DRAGONS (THE ENCHANTED WORLD SERIES)

I very much enjoy this beautifully illustrated series.  This one was especially good in that it had a nice section on Asian dragons (a decided hole in my knowledge)  as well as Persian dragons (another hole.)  In the series the illustrations are in the style of the culture of the time period and region discussed, which, in this book especially, added greatly to the atmosphere.

I have now started Gods and Goddesses in the same series.  I know quite a bit about Greek and Roman gods,  a little about Norse mythology, but could use more, very little about Egyptian or Hindu gods.  I wonder how much of these will be covered.

Finished ALL BY MYSELF, ALONE

Well, she fooled me again, though it is rare for me to be ahead of Mary Higgins Clark.  By giving us the duo of Alvira and Willie Meehan and setting the story on a luxury cruise, she makes the story lighter than much of her usual fare, but I still found it most compelling and the climax left nothing to be desired.  Love this author.

I have now started #5 in the Wind River Mystery series by Margaret Coel.  Father Joseph only arrived at St. Francis Mission on the Arapaho reservation in Wyoming two weeks ago.  But the elders in the tribe remember him from the '60s when he had been assigned here as a young priest.  He left to become a professor at various Catholic colleges, but in retirement has been assigned back here.  This evening he was killed while arriving to give last rights to a dying woman.....

Finished DEAD TO ME

The silly complications in this book compliment the action sequences in a tongue-in-cheek adventure which were, to me, a welcome change of pace.  The situations are implausible even if you do believe in ghosts (which I do when I am reading about them) but I rather enjoy silly.  I'd get tired of this series pretty quickly if I read the books back to back, but I never do.  The next book I am reading is Mary Higgins Clark.  I read a fantasy followed by a realistic novel over and over with some non-fiction and biography thrown in probably seemingly hap-hazardly, but I do have carefully stacked piles in many genres.  I will buy more books in this series, but I will read close to 15-20 books before I read the next Simon Canderas (protagonist) adventure.

I have now started All by Myself, Alone. by Mary Higgins Clark.  We are off on another cruise, but this one is an ultra-luxury cruise going around the world, but the first leg is from NY to Southampton.  Characters include a gemologist whose fiance was arrested for mega-fraud just before the wedding, an 85 year old woman who is a connoisseur of jewelry, a jewel thief (whose identity we don't know), an Interpol agent, a man who specializes in returning stolen art to the rightful owners, and, much to my delight, Willie and Alvirah Meehan, my favorite Mary Higgins Clark characters who are celebrating their 45th anniversary.  We are in for a bumpy ride.