TWW Book Reviews

It's been a long time since I wrote a book review. While I have read many books since I've been gone, I am sorry to say that most of them are not worthy for a review. And unfortunately, those others that I had read, and wanted to review will now to be re-read in order to write those reviews! So in between some of those projects that I am trying to finish, and the new books that I am currently reading, I will be re-reading and writing those reviews.

Thank you to all the authors for your patience as I work through the numerous books that are in my queue to read. I will do my best to get those reviews posted as soon as possible.

Until then, 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!

Who Am I

In The Blogging Lounge is a prompt called "Who Am I"; so without further ado...here I am:

First and foremost, I am a girl from the Midwest...through and through. I was raised in the country across from a dairy farm and wheat fields. As the only daughter in a family of four, I had my own bedroom, complete with color TV, stereo, and lots of books. I made up a lot of stories because I spent a good amount of time looking out the window. 

I had few friends growing up...just the neighbor girl who was my best friend. I didn't make a lot of friends because I didn't live in town. It didn't matter to me because I had everything I wanted and I was happy...until I was older and wanted to break free.

I am a wife now and I finally broke free. I moved to the other side of the country and live in sunny California. I remember when my best friend went on a school trip to California and how jealous I was. Now she still lives back in the Midwest and I am here. 

I am not a mom and I am finally okay with that. It wasn't meant to be because apparently God had other ideas and I finally accepted that. 

I am a writer and blogger with a lot of ideas and not a lot of time to execute them. How about that reality eye-opener! Took awhile to figure it out and I am okay with that too. I will get around to all those ideas...just a little slower these days.

I am a crafter with a lot of projects in the works. From crocheting to quilting to scrapbooking...my husband won't let me start anything new until some of the UFOs are finished! Slowly working on those and like anything else, they will get done too!

I am avid book reader...reading well over 50 books a year. This last year it was more like over 100. I also write book reviews and have too numerous waiting to be written. Are you seeing a pattern here?!!

I love to watch all the cooking shows, home improvement shows and almost anything on the Hallmark Channel. It's an obsession and kind of annoys my husband, but I don't care!

I like to watch movies where things blow up. Okay, I know I am a girl with a great aversion to gross stuff, but seriously, watching Iron Man obliterate the bad guys is a great stress relief. No blood and guts, just blowing everything to smithereens! In fact, it's on TV right now and the best scene is up. How's that for coincidence?!!

I love the holidays...from Halloween to Christmas. It's my most favorite time of year.

I play the guitar and have three of them. I love music from Gloria Estefan to Daughtry and Simple Minds to Michael Buble. There's only a few genres of music that aren't on my playlist...but if I heard a song from that type and I liked it...it would probably be downloaded to my MP3 player. I like to think

I am a movie junkie and will watch them over and over and over again. I was secretly thrilled when the DVD was invented. Now I can watch my favorites without wearing out the videotapes.

I dislike having my picture taken...probably because I don't look my best right now. I'm working on that, but until then, no photos of me to be published. You'll all just have to wait!

Let's see if there is anything else...I handwash all my dishes, and take my laundry to the laundromat. I hate to vacuum and iron is tedious for me. I wear a lot of black clothing because I work in a bank and at home I wear brightly colored clothes from the Fresh Produce Clothing Company. I love to travel, especially to Hawaii. I love the ocean but can't swim. I am learning to be a better photographer and just got a new fancy digital camera this last year. 

Anything else...well you're just going to have to go back into the archives and read it for yourself! Or stick around for the next post! I'd love to find out a little more of who my readers are, so please share your comments!

Wishing you moments to figure out who you are,

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!

Letting Go

You can always tell when I am working a lot. The most telling sign is that I haven't written! Once again, I am sorry that I haven't been around much, but I've been making hay while the sun is shining! This is an expression that my dad always said when I was young and it has sort of stuck with me as an adult.

The money has been really nice since I am desperately trying to pay down the last of the credit card debt. I'm finally seeing the light of day and hope that this year everything will be paid off. With a little due diligence, I think I can finally do it. It's going to require selling off a few things, but it's mostly items I no longer look at, wear or need. My tastes have changed over the years and I really feel like it is time to divest my self of a few things. Or, as my husband says, remove some of the detritus!

Sometimes it is hard to let go and that is what I really want to talk about. Letting go of the past and moving toward the future. While the past shapes and molds you to the person you've become, it's really all about taking that knowledge and moving forward to do the things that you want to do and become the person that you want to become.

Opportunities are endless but they require putting in a little effort. I've always subscribe by the theory that you have to make things happen for yourself. So when you're not happy, then do something about it because you're the only one holding you back. It's like all that stuff in your house that is taking up room and keeping you from remodeling, buying something new or even living comfortably. 

Now while I like having my stuff around me, I have two problems.One is that I love my stuff so much I don't want to use it and two, I have too much stuff for my space. At some point, the stuff becomes too much and you either move to a bigger place or you have have to divest of it. In the last several years, I've had moments where I have gone through my stuff, sorted and organized it so that I could let it go, either to to goodwill or the dumpster. It's a very cathartic experience, and I highly recommend it. 

Letting go of the past, via your stuff, so that you can move on is the first step for living the rest of your life to the fullest. Go for it. It's a great feeling!

Wishing you moments to let go,

 

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!

Happy New Year 2014

The older I get the more I realize how much I don't like to make New Year's resolutions. It's not that I am being a "fuddy duddy", but more so that if I say something out loud, it never seems to come to fruition. I much prefer to keep these things inside and then let them happen naturally.

It's kind of a superstition for me. And don't we all have those!

I know that 2013 was a rough year for all of us and that with the luminescent ball dropping in NYC last night just moments before the stroke of midnight, we were all looking towards a better, brighter 2014. 

The one thing that I have learned is that life is what we make of it. So we each need to go out there and do the very best we can do to make it fantastic. It's hard, I know; but anything worth having takes hard work and dedication.

Might I suggest that you take a page from my book and quietly keep any resolutions to yourself and work on the things that only you want to tackle. Then when they come true, you can shout it to the world and we will all congratulate and celebrate your success. Remember that whatever you want to make happen doesn't have to be big, it just has to be something that is important to you.

Happy New Year everyone! Let's make 2014 the most fantastic year ever!

 

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!