Merry Christmas 2014

Brightly colored lights and blow up figurines deck the front yard. Several mini trees throughout the house are lit up to celebrate the holiday in their own special way. The packages have all been unwrapped and the bows and boxes put away. The phone calls have been made and the nosh eaten. Most of the holiday movies have been watched and naps were, thankfully, taken. 

As I sit here at the end of a very fine Christmas, I remark on the quietness of the day and am grateful that I made it this far after a very long, and might I say, tiring year with many ups and downs. But I am eternally grateful for the many blessings that have come my way. I pray for continued happiness and joy in the coming year.

May you all be blessed with peace and I wish you all much love.

From all of us at Today's Writing Woman,

 





Then contact me, Susan Dusterhoft at todayswritingwoman@hotmail.com. I am always looking for more books/products to review. I can also provide assistance with blog writing!

TWW's Book Review: An Almost Perfect Christmas by Donna Fasano

It is common knowledge that Christmas is my favorite holiday. If given the chance I would celebrate it 365 days a year. Of course when you combine Christmas, romance stories, and little children, I am in heaven. In fact, all during 2014, I decided to read more holiday stories than ever before. Most turned out to be nothing to write home about, or for that matter, a review.

However there is one thing that I know for sure. I know that I have found something truly special when I pick up a book, read it, and come to the conclusion that I have to immediately turn around and read it again. I will tell you that it is so rare for me to instantly re-read a book. I find that this only happens when I am truly drawn to a story and just can't let it go. With An Almost Perfect Christmas by Donna Fasano this was one of those moments as I found that connection. I could not put the book aside and start another. I just had to immerse myself in it again.

I have come across a few authors this past year that have truly helped me to write again and Donna Fasano is one of those authors. With An Almost Perfect Christmas, she takes a little sadness and weaves the magic of Christmas, the intuitiveness of a child, and the broken hearts of two people into an unforgettable read guaranteed to fill your heart with joy, and make you forget that it was ever sad at all.

Do yourself a favor and pick up a copy of An Almost Perfect Christmas by Donna Fasano. Read it with a box of tissues nearby and a cup of cocoa. And if you are like me, read it again! Rating:

Wishing you moments of great reading!

 

Like anything you see here? Then contact me, Susan Dusterhoft at todayswritingwoman@hotmail.com. I am always looking for more books/products to review. I can also provide assistance with blog writing!

TWW's Book Review: Italian Christmas Baby by Helen Scott Taylor

 

Helen Scott Taylor certainly knows just how to pull on the heart strings and take the reader away from all the cares in the world. Italian Christmas Baby has all the right components anyone could ever ask for: Christmas, babies and holidays in exotic foreign countries. Who needs anything more?

Our heroine, Emily, shows us that there is nothing wrong with trying to be a single mom, but there is everything right about being with the one you love, even though that someone broke your heart. You could say that this story is about second chances, or perhaps just a little intervention from Mother Nature. Either way, Savino is one lucky guy who is about to have his eyes opened for the first time.

What a joy it is to have my faith renewed in reading again! I have read hundreds of books this last year and found most of them poorly written, dull, and frankly, not worth writing about. Helen Scott Taylor's stories are sincere, heartwarming and capture the essence of what love and romance is all about. I'll read and review her stories any day of the week!

For those readers who only have just a few hours in the evening or a lazy Sunday afternoon, pick up a copy of Italian Christmas Baby and immerse yourself in a read that will inspire you to believe that love really conquers all and babies make it that much sweeter! Rating:

Wishing you moments of great reading!

Like anything you see here? Then contact me, Susan Dusterhoft at todayswritingwoman@hotmail.com. I am always looking for more books/products to review. I can also provide assistance with blog writing!

Insensitive

I have been recovering from a low back injury for some time now. I am a little embarrassed to say this, however, I am going out on a limb and reveal that I have had to use a scooter while I am out shopping. The healing process has been slow and even though I am not that old, I still cannot walk for long distances. Being in this state has really opened my eyes to the world around me. What I have found has really saddened me. When did people become so insensitive to others around them?

While I am not completely incapacitated, the ability to walk normally has been elusive. The furthest distance I can manage right now is about two blocks. This is how far it is from my car to the office door. I have to walk this five days a week, and believe me, by the end of that distance I have to sit down...immediately. Some days are better than others, and some days not. On the good days, I walk more, but I can't push it too much or I will be back to square one.

With that being said, yesterday on the scooter, I found that other shoppers are completely oblivious and insensitive. Case in point, not one...not two...but three other women displayed a careless attitude and were completely oblivious to me. Not only cutting me off, but then not even looking at me straight in the eye, but peripherally and saying "Oh...sorry" (in a snotty voice), or just huffing at me and stomping past when I moved out of their way.

Seriously people?!?! I may not have looked my best yesterday, but frankly, I am more friendly, gracious, and kind than all of you. I just came to get a few things and get out there. Instead, you all made me feel like I was a fat hillbilly loser and not worthy to breathe the same air as you. Your attitudes are offensive and you all should be ashamed of yourselves because someday our roles might be reversed and you'll wish you had my help.

Being insensitive is not in my nature. Apparently it is for others.

Wishing you moments to be sensitive to others.

 

Like anything you see here? Then contact me, Susan Dusterhoft at todayswritingwoman@hotmail.com. I am always looking for more books/products to review. I can also provide assistance with blog writing!

Where have all the visitors gone?

I live within an hour’s drive of one of the most iconic cities in the world – San Francisco. Living “North of the Gate” gives anyone in Northern California the opportunity to travel over the world famous Golden Gate Bridge and into the city to experience all the wonders it has to offer. Unfortunately, it’s not as attractive as it once was long ago.

Firstly, the “powers that be” raised the toll, which is perfectly acceptable in my mind. But then they took away the toll takers so you can’t get across easily without a FasTrak or a License Plate account. They told us that they would bill you based on your license plates, but why do I have to have an account now? 

Oh but wait! Now they will let us make a One-Time Payment…before I cross the bridge. How lovely! And of course, they will mail me an invoice after the fact, but they need to take a picture of my license plate. Which I might add, I have to pay within 21 days to avoid Toll Violations and fines. Well, that is all well and good, but what if I am going on a month-long trip and won’t be home to get my mail. Now I have to pay Toll Violations and Fines!

  

Secondly, what about all those other tourists that don’t have a California License Plate or are renting a car? Can you see how ridiculous this is? 

Thirdly, carpool lanes on the bridge are for three or more people. So for an infrequent visitor like myself with a family of two, why would I bother going at all when carpool lanes elsewhere are two people or more?

The worst part is that it is not just the City or the Bridge, it’s other services, such as parking and the ferry that make it difficult to enjoy the experience. Why? Well, parking in the city is near impossible. Costs have skyrocketed and no one validates anymore. The average cost near Pier 39 is around $14.00…an hour!

Convenient travel via the ferry is only available if you have a smartphone. Otherwise it will take you 45 minutes or more to figure out on their website what to do if you don’t have a smartphone. Newsflash! Not everyone owns a “smartphone”! So much for convenience.

In fact the list of inconveniences keeps mounting, so I ask you. Why bother going into the city? For me, there is only a couple of reasons I would and that is to fly out of SFO to go somewhere else, or drive through it on the way to the Central Coast (still being inconvenienced by the payment options for the toll.) 

Either way, I am not actually visiting the city, I just using it as a by-way to go somewhere else. Kind of a shame, even though there are some nice places to visit while you’re there. No matter how you look at it, the cost and inconveniences outweigh the benefits.

 

Like anything you see here? Then contact me, Susan Dusterhoft at todayswritingwoman@hotmail.com. I am always looking for more books/products to review. I can also provide assistance with blog writing!

TWW's Book Review: Sweet Christmas Kisses: Fourteen Sweet Christmas Romances

Those that know me well, understand how much I love the Christmas Holidays. Last year, I didn't get to enjoy the season as much as I had hoped. But this year, I have been getting into the spirit far earlier and have enjoyed the wonderful opportunity of reading this really awesome anthology of Christmas Romance stories from some very special women!

Sweet Christmas Kisses: 14 Sweet Christmas Romances is just that. "Sweet" indeed! I think "amazing", "honest", "true life", "heart warming" and "love swept" are just a few of the more apropos words that describe these 14 short stories. 

Each of them are uniquely different, but yet intrinsically similar by evoking the true spirit of the holiday wrapped in an abundance of love. With so many to read, you probably won't need to pick up another holiday book for the rest of year! 

The best part of reading this anthology is that it includes some of my favorite authors and also introduces some new ones that I have not read before. Now that I have, I want to read more of their other works! Seriously though, collections such as this are a great way to taste a flavor of writing styles from a variety of authors to help hone your own personal taste in books.

So if you are looking for some amazing, honest, true life, heart warming stories, and feel like being swept away into a world of love, then pick up Sweet Christmas Kisses: Fourteen Sweet Christmas Romances. And just for the record, I didn't have a favorite. I loved them all!  I can imagine myself reading these stories every Christmas Season for years to come! Rating:

Wishing you moments of great reading!

Like anything you see here? Then contact me, Susan Dusterhoft at todayswritingwoman@hotmail.com. I am always looking for more books/products to review. I can also provide assistance with blog writing!

TWW's Book Review: Italian Christmas Proposal by Helen Scott Taylor

A year ago I stopped writing book reviews, and I didn't ever think that I would want to write another review again. While I have been still reading, most of the books, short stories, and dare I say novels have been less than what I would call worth writing about, until today.

Italian Christmas Proposal by Helen Scott Taylor had just what it took to help turn me around and want to share my thoughts on what I am reading.

A short story, just 98 pages, I was able to read this in about two hours! In fact, when I got to the end and looked at the clock, I was surprised that only two hours had past because I was swept into the story from the first page. I had no idea this book was even under 100 pages until well after the fact. Nevertheless, the story was not limited by the number of pages.

What I liked about Italian Christmas Proposal is how I was so in tune with the characters. I could see myself ending up in a similar situation as Claire. I actually saw a lot of me within her. And with the introduction of Leo, who is nothing like you would imagine, the story took on that traditional romantic feel that one would expect, but yet not.

Unlike other stories about finding love while in another country, Italian Christmas Proposal had me wanting to interact with everyone, up to and including drop kicking her "ex" six ways to Sunday! And for this reason, I took it as the sign I was looking for to make me realize that there are still books out there worth reading. Italian Christmas Proposal by Helen Scott Taylor was definitely a winner in my eyes.

Put this one on your Christmas To Read List. You'll enjoy this one! Rating:

Wishing you moments of great reading!

 

Like anything you see here? Then contact me, Susan Dusterhoft at todayswritingwoman@hotmail.com. I am always looking for more books/products to review. I can also provide assistance with blog writing!