The Ninja Writer's Library- They Have Unique Powers

Happy Tuesday book friends,
In this edition of the library we'll be covering books that have people with unique powers.

The Book Jumper by Mechthild Gläser

This book was apparently translated I assume from German. It's also Germany where we start the tale where Amy and her Mother are heading to Scotland to get away from issues they are facing. Once there Amy learns some impressive things about her family, and herself.

I loved the setting, granted I'm biased cause Scotland is on my list of places to visit. I also loved reading the description of Lady Mairead's book themed home, where even the murals have books.

This was a beautiful view into the world of books, filled with familiar characters. I think it's cool the idea of a book world and that there's people who can go there and befriend characters. It was like a book form of the Fiction Fixers games. I almost wish I had Amy's power... almost.

The book did hold some bitter sweet moments more on the bitter side, but it was still a good read. If you love books about books you should defiantly check it out.

A Map of Days by Ransom Riggs

I finally got to read the fourth book in the Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children series. In this book we see peculiardom on this side of the pond. It's a bit of the wild west over here in the States. Jacob is trying to blend his normal and peculiar life, and trying to live up to his grandfather's legacy.

I'm glad to see another book in this series. Although it does mean the happy ending of the third book did kinda get undone, but it wasn't too bad. Emma and Jacob are both dealing with issues related to Jacob's grandfather Abe, Emma is for the first time really dealing with the loss of the man she loved, and Jacob wanting to do more for peculiardom is trying to take up Abe's mantel.

I've noticed I love books or movies with a road trip in it, like the first Percy Jackson movie I love friends traveling on an adventure on the open road.

I'm impressed how Riggs can take a picture and create a story or characters from it. I do wonder what would happen if someone read's the books and recognizes it as an old family picture.
So if you love this series check out it's latest offering, and with the ending I'm sure there will be another one.

It Takes a Coven by Carol J Perry

Here we have another Witch City Mystery, the first 3 books I believe I read about this time last year. We once again join Lee Barrett as she tries to help solve another mystery in Salem while being the new investigative reporter for WICH-TV and the Maid of Honor at a wedding. We also have witches dying or almost dying, crows in mass everywhere, and the same O'Ryan  being the unusually brilliant orange cat he always has been.

This was another good read of the series, it felt like a visit with old friends. It was nice to go back to the home on Winter Street and visit with the wise Aunt Ibby again. But for some reason whether it was a slow beginning, or I just found myself easily distracted. I actually read some of this while at Wal-mart with my Granny. If you love a story set in Salem with a bit of the mystical you should defiantly check it out.

What have you guys been reading let me know in the comments. I hope you all have a good week, read lots of books, and may God bless you.
Ninja <[0000]---------------[0000]> Writer

Pumpkinfest 2019

Happy Friday Friends,

 Today we are gonna revisit last Saturday's trip to the Pumpkinfest in Franklin.

First our players:

Fangirl was a dark Rose Quartz from an alternate dimension of Steven Universe.

I was the 11th Doctor from Doctor Who. I even did my nails for the occasion:

I used L.A. Colors® Color Craze® 424 and tipped it in Broadway Nails Pretty Duckling.
The day was over cast and according to a bank 44 degrees F. So very crisp. I was grateful for a costume with layers.

We wandered the festival looking at the booths. A robot praised my costume. Most people thought I was Stan Pines from Gravity Falls.

I visited Books Unlimited one of my favorite book stores. They have a white cat that roams around the shop that I learned had two different colored eyes. I saw a lovely copy of Pride and Prejudice, but I still have my heart set on the Juniper Books version I first saw at Michael's.

I also visited my other favorite store the Art Room which was packed with people at their art bar making cards. I bought a couple charms for my charm bracelet.

We passed the Tartan Museum and they were done up for the season. While we were sitting I saw this cute sign from the Silver Thread yarn shop:

We also saw geeky famous cars from comic books...

... and movies.

I was most excited to see R2D2 I wanted to take a picture with him for an ultimate geeky mash up.

The Doctor meets R2D2

We took a seat for a bit. One of the guys that mistaken me for Stan sat with us and talked geeky stuff. I got to try a deep fried Oreo which was delicious. Heard the new mummy roll contest going on in the background. It's where people roll people up in toilet paper to make a mummy.

It sprinkled on us a bit, but after a restroom stop the rain started coming down harder, and with the temps being so cool we called it early. We stopped at a local Chinese place and had lunch.

So that was our Saturday. Have you guys had any fun fall or Halloween events you've been to? Let me know in the comments.

Hope you guys have a good weekend, have a spooky time, and God bless you!

Ninja <[0000]---------------[0000]> Writer

Goodbye Kmart

Happy Friday friends,

Our local Kmart is closing I haven't done much shopping there in a while save the family getting medications and vitamins. But I do have some good memories of the place. 
Like if we popped in there for meds or vitamins during Halloween it was fun to press the buttons on the decorations and see what they did. My Dad and me had fun doing that. I think during our Halloween window shopping with Fangirl we might pop in here.

Another time I was in there with someone and they had Katniss dolls from The Hunger Games and Groom Edward dolls from Twilight on sale and had them in a display together and Katniss' bow was aimed for Edward. I don't know if it was on purpose, but I hope so cause it'd mean someone there had a since of humor.

I have a few Christmas memories from here. At Christmas time they'd have a tiny forest of Christmas trees set up and I felt like I was in a tiny enchanted Holiday forest. Going back to my childhood they'd gather all us poor kids from the area on the first Saturday of December before the store opened and give each kid a budget and we could buy stuff for us or our families. The also did a clothing one when I was in 5th grade maybe.

There was the time the parents when we had some money come in they let us have a little shopping spree, which we never got to do before, so that was fun.

I remember the blue light special being mentioned in Troop Beverly Hills and the game they had. I think I saw it in a thrift store.

Thanks for the memories Kmart, you'll join the list of stores big and small that have left their memory on my life's path.

Do you have found memories of Kmart or some other defunct store let me know in the comments.
I hope you all have a good weekend, I'll be at a festival, which I'll write about probably Monday.

God bless you guys!

Musical Moment- Halloween Playlist

Happy Monday music lovers,
It's that spooky time of the year so in this segment of Musical Moment I'm sharing some of the songs from my Halloween Playlists. So join me on my Spooky musical journey.

This is Halloween by The Citizen's of Halloween Town-
From one of my sister's favorite movies The Nightmare Before Christmas. This is the song that tops the playlist. It's just not the Halloween season without hearing this song. It's also the first of the three versions I listen to.

Samhaim by Heather Alexander, now known as Alexander James Adams-
This is about Samhain and the beliefs surrounding it. It's a beautiful piece of just guitars and vocals.

Monster Mash by Bobby "Boris" Pickett and the Crypt-Kickers-
An old Halloween classic you always got to include in your Halloween playlist.

Headless Horseman by Kay Starr-
This version I believe came out before the Disney Version. I first heard this version in a video Bob Robertson put up of Sindy Skinless and the Decomposers. It's a nice little Jazzy number.

Witches' Brew by Hap Palmer
This is an old song they played for us back in elementary school. I think your kids might enjoy it.

Amas Veritas by Alan Silvestri
From the Practical Magic soundtrack. This musical number makes me think of Fall and New England.

I Put a Spell on You by Singer's Edge Karaoke
This is my favorite song from Hocus Pocus, but sadly it's not on the soundtrack, so instead of Bette Midler's vocals we have to settle for this.

A Nightmare on My Street by DJ Jazzy Jeff and The Fresh Prince
I first heard this on Halloween Radio. It's all about Will Smith's encounter with Freddie Kruger. Fangirl probably hates this song due to an encounter with a haunted house Freddie.

Midnight In Montgomery by Alan Jackson
This is the only country song to be found on the list and it creeps me out, probably more than any song on here. It deals with a spooky encounter in Montgomery with I believe the ghost of Hank Williams Sr. To add to the creep I was watching a Face the Music episode on CMT a long time ago and they showed the footage that they couldn't use cause these white blobs looked like appeared on it even though there was nothing wrong with it.

This is Halloween- Pop Version by Marilyn Manson
The second version on the list and the only song by Manson I like. Can really head bang to it.

Samhain Eve by Damh the Bard
A haunting song about the celebrations of Samhain. Beautiful, haunting male and female vocals.

Harvest Dance by Manheim Steamroller
Usually known for Christmas music the group brings us a tune we can do a little jig to.

Samhain Night- Loreena McKennitt
McKennitt sings of a love story in her haunting tone. I assume it takes place on Samhain night.

This is Halloween by Minniva and The Quintin Cornet
This is done by women. This is a really great version that gives us another rock version with a hint of island.

The Headless Horseman by Vocal Spectrum
Another version of this song done as an acapella

Science Fiction/Double Feature by Richard O'Brien
I first heard this on Halloween Radio, I didn't realize it was in The Rocky Horror Picture Show. I've only seen pieces of it.

Hex Girls by Moon Sisters and The Nostalgia Girls
I original heard this on Scooby Doo and the Witch's Ghost done by the Hex Girls. This is the only version I've been able to find.

All Soul's Night by Lorenna McKennitt
This song combines Celtic and Japanese imagery and they way they deal with the souls of the dead. Check the info page for this song's write up.

Rush by Aly & AJ
This song was in the T*Witches movie. I get a Halloween vibe from it for some reason.

The Zombie Song by Stephanie Mabey
The singer gives us a zombie love story to surpass Twilight.

October Wedding by Montreux
This song gives me images of the leaves falling.

Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! by A*Teens
A cover of the ABBA song, to it has a creepier vibe than the original.

If you like what you see head over to my Spotify Halloween Playlist and jam out to the spooky tunes.

Hope you have a good week, stay spooky, and God bless you!

Ninja <[0000]---------------[0000]> Writer

The Ninja Writer's Library- Magical Regency

Happy Monday Friends,

It's another segment of The Ninja Writer's Library and this time we're diving into the Cecelia and Kate Series by Patricia C. Wrede and Caroline Stevermer. So came along as we dive into these magical reads.

Sorcery & Cecelia or The Enchanted Chocolate Pot
Here we find two regency women, cousins Kate and Cecilia, the former in London the latter stuck in Essex. We follow their adventures as they try to deal with magic and aggravating men done in the form of correspondences the two have with each other during the Season.

Reading this defiantly reminded me of Jane Austin. Older women constantly reminding the younger of proper behavior, or trying to get their daughters or nieces to marry well. Yep definitely a Austin like atmosphere, if Austin had magic. I thought it was fun the story was told through letters. I did find myself getting mixed up on who was who on occasion, trying to recall who was where, but it wasn't often.

I also liked learning at the end that this book was a game of letters between the two authors that they did with each other. That I thought was cool and fun.

The Grand Tour or The Purloined Coronation Regalia

In book two of this series we find the cousins and their new spouses going on their honeymoon travel and finding themselves in a magical mystery.

This book was Austin meets magic meets murder mystery. We learn magicians don't do well near water, which I think this is folklore I might have heard before. We visit a post Napoleon France and Italy in this book where our characters deal with a mystical mystery that fell in their laps not long after stepping on the French shores. It was a great whodunit tale.

I seriously would not want to be a well to do person in this time period. Society protocol having you call on people or have them call on you and you'd have oblige them so you didn't step on people's toes. Was this just a thing with the wealthy people of the time, or did lower class do this too? I'd just want alone time once in a while. I'm in a new place, just married, not that I know what that's like, I think I'd want some time for us and to check out the city you know.

The Mislaid Magician or Ten Years After

It's been ten years since the last book. Now our friends are dealing with parenthood, the railroad, and a missing magician.

Now in these correspondences we are seeing the husbands point of view of things as well as the wives. So it's good to hear from the husbands. There are children now with their parents knack for mischief. Plus some of them have magical talents so that adds to the fun. There is also alot of talk of ley lines lots of ley lines

As with any book that takes place so far after the other books it's bitter sweet for me. I don't know why I guess seeing time pass for me triggers the depression and anxiety in me.

Again I shudder at things that was expected of well bred woman of the time. We got aunts who still descend upon on nieces who are grown and married to set them straight if they were to screw up the family name... Glad I have aunts who I'm sure love me, but aren't all sticking their nose in my business.

What have you guys been reading? Let me know in the comments!

I hope you guys have a good week, read lots, and God bless you!

Ninja <[0000]---------------[0000]> Writer

What Am I Doing Now?

Happy Tuesday friends,

Things have been slow lately so I'm gonna take pages from Julie Wunder and Austin Kleon and tell you some of the things I've been doing recently.

Bookwise: I was reading through the Cecilia and Kate series by Patricia C. Wrede and Caroline Stevermer. I got part way through the The Mislaid Magician: or Ten Years After when I saw I wasn't going to finish it before it was time to return it, because it's difficult for me to visit even the nearest branch of my local library I use the digital library and check them out through my kindle app. I'm not sure how to extend my check out, and I don't want overdue fees so I figured I return it an check it back out, didn't realize someone else was on the waiting list, so I'm waiting for it so I can finish. Sadly not all peeps can speed read like I tend to.

Binging: Still watching Critical Role I'm making my way through the second campaign. I love the characters especially Jesture, she's just adorable and mischievous. If I keep watching at this rate I'll be caught up before long. Upside caught up, downside what to watch on the bad anxiety nights, never fear I am going to rewatch and maybe actually finish Barky's Brigade.

Music: I have The Old Ways from Loreena McKennitt's The Visit album stuck in my brain. It's a beautiful song. It's based off a New Year's Eve experience she had the turn is as haunting as she says the experience was in her song description on the CD booklet (Hit the info tab on the website to read it for yourself). I love to lay in bed and listen to this song.

Food: I have been eating everything in sight lately. I'm hungry constantly lately. I think it maybe one of my meds. Cause I had some trouble with eating like this last time I was at a full pill of it. I am thinking about making up some of Sugar Bean Bakers' Pumpkindoodle Cookies, they are so yummy. 

Animal Friends: In the backwoods we have many wild animals that we encounter. I heard a deer snorting last night, I've also heard the call of a screech owl.

For a few days I made the acquaintance of a frog hanging out on a trail, sadly it seems to have moved on, I wish I'd gotten a picture.

I did get a picture of this cute ground hog out my window:

It's things like this that make me happy to live where I do.

Other Things I'm Noticing: I've been noticing couple spider webs. The first is one made on the trail where I spotted the frog. I first noticed the huge spider in the middle of it. Then as days go by I look up in it to see what's up with it. Seems the spider has left it, but it's still hanging there. Sadly due to it's position I couldn't get a picture of it.

The second web I noticed in this morning's sunlight. It shone like a brilliant rainbow of colors. The photo doesn't do it justice:

Saying Goodbye: We had to say goodbye to an old friend. A pine tree:

It was dying we think due to some ivy and it'd got over grown from us not being able to trim it. So we bid it adieu.

What are you guys up to this week? Let me know in the comments.

I hope your week is good, happy Fall, and may God Bless You!
Ninja <[0000]---------------[0000]> Writer

Daily Treasures: Watching for the Space Station

Hello Sky Watchers,

After a few failed days at seeing the space station, we've been covered in clouds when it's gone over, I finally got to see the space station fly over. It's not the first time seeing it fly over, but each watch is unique in it's own way.

Tonight I saw the dark silhouettes of the leaves shaking in the breezes that touched my skyward face. The neighbor's cars riding the roads, causing dogs to bark nearby. Hearing also the motorcycles all the way from the interstate.

Something small jumped in front of me on the drive way and hid in the grass. So that will remain a mystery. Lorenna McKennitt's "The Old Ways" was probably in my head as it is now.
I saw a hand and arm reaching out in the clouds, perhaps to pull the station along.

Looked better before I grabbed the camera.

Then finally the station come over silently. It looks so small, but I know in contains it's own wonders, and maybe people looking down at us.

Do you guys have any good sky gazing tales? Let me know in the comments.

I hope you all have a good weekend, may there be plenty of stars, and God bless you!

 Ninja <[0000]---------------[0000]> Writer