The big news is that Robin is off at the Alpha writer's workshop! We dropped her off Wednesday. So far it sounds as if she's having a great time -- and keeping very, very busy. They've had two days of sessions with author Theodora Goss. Next up are husband and wife Scott Westerfeld and Justine Larbalatier, and the conference will close with Tamora Pierce. After that, most of the teen writers are staying on for a few more days for a less-formal extension of the conference.
Mr. Bookwyrm and I joke that while Robin is at the workshop, we're having "empty nest boot camp." In a way, it is a chance to get used to having her away from home -- though in truth we had plenty of experience with that a few years ago, when she stayed with her grandparents for three to six weeks at a time to work with her vision therapist. Nonetheless, the house seems very quiet without her, these last few days.
Still, I've got plenty to keep me busy, between the blog, choosing music for the fall choral season, and trying to get a website up and running for my indexing business! Mr. Bookwyrm and I have also started thinking about things we'd like to do together this fall. There will be several book festivals within driving distance, as well as a fiber festival that also has sheepdog competitions (and yummy food!) Nearer in time and closer to home, we're headed this week to a local museum we've never visited, the home of an American artist.
The past week on the blog:
- Review: Four in Hand by Stephanie Laurens
- Top Ten Tuesday: Best/Worst Movie Adaptations
- Review: Steadfast by Mercedes Lackey
- News & Notes -7/13/13
The coming week:
- To DNF or not to DNF: When does giving up make sense?
- Top Ten Tuesday - Authors Who Deserve More Recognition
- News & Notes -7/20/13
- Reviews: The Mysterious Woman; Gameboard of the Gods
New additions to the hoard:
For Review:
- The Arrangement (Survivors' Club #2), by Mary Balogh (thanks to Goodreads First Reads and the good folks at Dell)
- Dragonwriter: A Tribute to Anne McCaffrey and Pern, edited by Todd McCaffrey (thanks to Smart Pop and NetGalley)
- A Seaside Christmas (Chesapeake Shores), by Sherryl Woods (thanks to Harlequin and NetGalley)
Bought or Downloaded Free for My E-reader:
For Kindle:
ePub:
Free Audiobooks from SYNC:
- The Peculiar by Stefan Bachmann (read by Peter Altschuler; HarperAudio)
- Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens (read by Simon Vance; Tantor Media)
We have had a few years or more to get used to the "empty nest syndrome." Surprising how much we find to do...
ReplyDeleteThat's good to hear! Thank you for stopping by!
DeleteBy the way, I enjoyed your Sunday Salon -- what a lovely tile! -- but I can't figure out how to leave a comment. I'm not on Google+, which may be the problem.
DeleteI got the Sync books this week too--of course! :) Oh and I totally mention you in one of my post this week! Have a great week!
ReplyDeleteSP & STS
Sandy @ Somewhere Only We Know
Thanks for the mention! I enjoy our conversations, too. You're having fun with the Book Blogger Challenge; it's fun to read your responses. Have a lovely week!
DeleteSounds like a great week ahead...and an empty nest can be fun!
ReplyDeleteEnjoy....and here's MY SUNDAY UPDATES/MAILBOX MONDAY POST
Thanks, Laurel-Rain! Yes, it can. :-)
DeleteI won't have an empty nest for a while, but I do understand some. Out oldest in a dorm at the university and it took some time getting used to with her not living with us. Enjoy the new books.
ReplyDeleteJenea @ Books Live Forever's Sunday's Post
I think it's going to be an interesting fall. Challenging and fun, as I try to expand my indexing business and explore "what I want to be when she grows up" -- and spend more one-on-one time with my wonderful husband. But also sad, because I will certainly miss her daily presence in my life. She is a joy: a friend as well as a daughter.
DeleteThe empty nest is hard to get used to. We all visit often and I'm so proud of the adults they've become, but...sometimes I wish they were still at home! My husband and I've done more traveling since our kids left home so that's a positive thing. And we're closer than ever...also good.
ReplyDeleteWe'll have our vacation to the West Coast in a few days where we'll have lots of family time.
I'll look forward to your reviews...both the Mary Balogh book and Dragonwriter are on my August list of books I'm interested in.
I think it's wonderful that your family gets together as often as it does. But I think every parent wishes sometimes that the children were still home, or at least nearby.
DeleteI'll try to get those reviews out soonish -- though I don't want to be too far in advance of the release dates.
The Arrangement looks well yummy! Enjoy your quite time, and have a good week! The Sunday Post
ReplyDeleteIt was! (I devoured it already.) Thanks, Kimba, and I hope you have a great week, too.
DeleteDragonwriter looks awfully tempting; I'll have to check that out.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad that Robin is enjoying her writer's workshop, and you all are enjoying your time as as couple. :)
Thanks, Bea! We had a great time Sunday afternoon, visiting a local museum. I hope to get a review of Dragonwriter out before too long.
DeleteShe has to be having a great time. :) And sorry about the empty nest though. :) Hope you have a relaxing week.
ReplyDeleteIf you'd like to stop, I have a Sunday Post up as well...
http://melissa-melsworld.blogspot.com/2013/07/sunday-post-19.html
So far, she seems to be having a wonderful time, though I don't think any of them are getting much sleep! They have sessions all day, then write into the wee hours.
DeleteAnd of course I'd like to stop by! I'm sorry I couldn't yesterday, but we were out most of the day, and I'm only now catching up.
Haha, she'll sleep when she gets home. :)
DeleteAnd no rush on visiting. :) Thanks for stopping.
I expect she will! But she's having a ball. I'm hoping she'll have time to write up a guest post about her time at Alpha, in between getting ready to leave for college.
DeleteSuch nice new reads...enjoy!
ReplyDeleteHere's my Sunday post: http://www.bookclublibrarian.com/2013/07/sundays-weekly-book-recap-26.html
Thank you! I've already finished the Mary Balogh; I bumped it up my reading schedule because I simply couldn't wait. And it was wonderful.
DeleteHave a lovely week!
Aww, fall book festivals sound wonderful. I hope you and Mr. Bookwyrm have a blast! Here’s my POST. Have a great week!
ReplyDeleteThey do sound fun, don't they? I've enjoyed the ones I've been to in the past, but we haven't gone to one in some years now. I'm not even sure why. But I'm definitely going this fall.
DeleteEnjoy your week, and thanks for stopping by!