Music Monday - "Summer Nights" from Grease (1978)

Sharing a fun end of summer song with you -"Summer Nights" from Grease.  This movie musical came out in 1978, during my teen years, and I saw it several times the year it was released.  It was a huge hit with all my teen friends.  This scene is from early in the movie.  Sandy (Olivia Newton John) has just started high school at a new school.  She does not realize that her summer crush, Danny (John Travolta) is at the same school.  They are each recounting their summer romance to their friends ... with slightly different versions.

Is Grease one of your favorites?   What do you think of the upcoming live tv remake?   I would love to hear from you in the comments, below.

Author Interview and Giveaway: Code Grey by Clea Simon

Code Grey: A feline-filled academic mystery (A Dulcie Schwartz Mystery)
Series: A Dulcie Schwartz Mystery (Book 9)
Hardcover: 224 pages
Publisher: Severn House Publishers; First World Publication edition (August 1, 2015)
ISBN-13: 978-0727885067
E-Book ASIN: B010SWRCLE


Synopsis

Did a down on his luck former student steal a priceless book? Grad student and cat lover Dulcie Schwartz thinks not and she sets out to prove it.” 

It is spring break, and Dulcie Schwartz has stayed behind in almost-deserted Cambridge, Massachusetts to concentrate on her thesis. But when a former student turned vagrant, Jeremy Mumbles, is found injured, with a valuable missing book clutched in his arms, Dulcie can t seem to let it go. What was he doing with the book? And why has it turned up after all these years?

With Jeremy now the prime suspect for a series of break-ins in the area, Dulcie is determined to clear the unfortunate former scholar s name. But when she finds a connection between the book he was carrying and her own research into an anonymous Gothic author, the search for clues takes on a new intensity and a new menace.

Birdhouse Books Interviews Clea Simon 

Birdhouse:  When did you realize you wanted to be a writer?

Clea: It was never a conscious realization. I always made up stories. As soon as I could write, I wrote those stories down. It was more a question of how could I make a living writing? And to do that, I went into journalism and then, finally, writing books.

Birdhouse: What was your favorite book as a child?

Clea: Oh, I had so many! I adored – still adore – C.S. Lewis’s “Chronicles of Narnia.” And when I was a little older I got into JRR Tolkien’s “The Lord of the Rings.” Those were probably my main loves. You can probably see the influence of Narnia’s Aslan the lion in my ghost cat, Mr Grey.

Birdhouse: What is your writing day like?  Do you have any interesting writing quirks?

Clea: I go for a certain word count each day. That’s what works for me. And when things aren’t going well, I try to give myself permission to write badly. I tell myself that I can throw out whatever I write the next day, but I have to get the words on paper or I can’t quit!  My biggest quirk is that I tend to not really get started till mid- to late afternoon. I waste hours doing everything and anything else first, but I’ve learned that’s just my process!

Birdhouse: What was the most surprising thing you learned while creating this book?

Clea: I got to research book conservation – how conservators work to save ancient texts, and how some old inks actually eat through paper over time. That was fascinating to me!

Birdhouse: Who are your favorite authors?

Clea: Oh, it depends on the day! I love Hilary Mantel and Donna Leon,  Anthony Trolloppe, and JRR Tolkien. Geoff Dyer and Naomi Novik… and that’s just today!

Birdhouse: What is your next writing project?

Clea: I have a new series kicking off next spring with “The Ninth Life,” also for Severn House (which is publishing “Code Grey.”) It’s a darker book than my other mysteries, and it’s basically focused on an orphaned girl looking to find out what happened to her murdered mentor. It’s narrated by a black cat who befriends the girl (she has saved his life). I’m working on the edits for that now, and it’s great fun!

About The Author

Clea Simon is the author of 18 mysteries in the Theda Krakow, DulcieSchwartz, and Pru Marlowe pet noir series. The latter two are ongoing and include her most recent books, Code Grey (Severn House) and Kittens Can Kill (Poisoned Pen Press). A former journalist and nonfiction author, she lives in Somerville, Mass., with her husband, the writer Jon Garelick, and their cat Musetta. She can be reached at http://www.cleasimon.com

Author Links:
On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/clea.simon.author
My blog: http://cleasimon.blogspot.com
On Twitter: https://twitter.com/Clea_Simon or @Clea_Simon
On Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/49559.Clea_Simon
Publisher: http://severnhouse.com/author/Clea+Simon/9497
Purchase Links: 
Amazon B&N Book Depository

Giveaway

There is a giveaway for 1 hardcover copy.

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Weekend Window Shopping at Birdhouse Books - 10% off 10 Day Sale ... and New Arrivals

Hi vintage friends!

Hope you're having a good weekend.  Wanted to let you know that I am running a HUGE 10% off, 10 day sale (8/28 - 9/7) at eBay.   You'll find over 2000 items on sale, including vintage children's books, cookbooks, Roadside Americana travel postcards, cat cards, dog cards, holiday cards (Christmas, Valentines, Easter, and more).   You'll find the sale items listed here:  10 Day, 10% Off Sale at Birdhouse Books.

I also have lots of new arrivals to share this week.  You can find these:

Birdhouse Books on eBay

Birdhouse Books on Etsy

This cute vintage Valentine features a pink rotary telephone.  "Nothing phoney about this! Be my Valentine."

 An anthropomorphic toy top is featured on this vintage Valentine card.  "You're tops, Valentine."

This vintage Valentine features anthropomorphic grapes.  "I like you a whole bunch, Valentine."

A 1960's big eyed cat is featured on this vintage Valentine.  "Don't pussyfoot around - be my Valentine."

This vintage Valentine features a cute little gopher.  "I gopher you, Valentine."

This vintage Valentine features a cute little bee.  "Just buzzin' in to say BEE my Valentine."

 This vintage Valentine features a little dressed monkey.  "Valentine, I've gone APE over you."

A cute dressed elephant runs by on this vintage Valentine.  "I have a trunkful of wishes for you."

This 1934 vintage Christmas card features Santa Claus and a sack full of toys for good boys and girls.

This vintage Christmas card features an old fashioned Santa Claus.  "Cheerio!"

 This is a newer  Christmas card by Marcel Shurman.  It features a teddy bear dressed up in a reindeer costume.

 This is an unused package of Disney party invitations by Beach.

These pretty bridal shower invitations are 1980's vintage by Hallmark.

Fried Feathers for Thanksgiving is a picture book by James Stevenson.
 

 Once a Mouse is a picture book by Marcia Brown.

Trick or Treat Little Critter is a Halloween picture book by Gina and Mercer Mayer.

The Amazing Turkey Rescue is a Thanksgiving picture book by Steve Metzger.

2 x 2 = Boo! A Set of Spooky Multiplication Stories is a Halloween picture book by Loreen Leedy.

 Wild Horse Winter is a beautiful picture book by Tetsuya Honda.

 The Valentine Bears is a sweet picture book by Eve Bunting, with illustrations by Jan Brett.

I hope you have a wonderful weekend!   Will look forward to window shopping with you again next weekend.

Dear Abby - I Am Six!

Dear Friends,

I hope you have had a good week.  It's been a busy one here, and I have fun news to share:  I am now six!  We celebrate my "Gotcha Day" when I was adopted, August 25.  I was adopted at the age of 1, so I have spent 5 happy years with my Momma.

Today I just wanted to share a few photos from my birthday.  The photo above shows me looking very blonde - I like that!  And yes, it is true:  blondes do have more fun.

I had company in the afternoon and evening, and got treats, a new toy, and lots of attention.  I got a little bit wound up about all the comings and goings.   In the photo below, my Momma had to put a food bowl on her head in order for me to stay still for a picture.

This is my new toy.  It's a little lime green plush puppy.  All my toys are lovies ... I carry them around and cuddle with them.

At the end of the day, I decided I was really tired, and curled up in my cubby hole in the study here.  It is a stack of soft blankets, and a nice place to unwind.

So that was my fun day!  I don't feel any different being six, but I sure did enjoy the extra treats.

How do your pups or kitties enjoy celebrating birthdays or gotcha days?  I would love to hear from you in the comments, below.

Love and xxx's,

Abby (now 6!)

Book Review and Giveaway - The Reinvention of Albert Paugh by Jean Davies Okimoto

About The Reinvention of Albert Paugh

Dr. Albert Paugh is flunking retirement. After selling his Vashon Island veterinary practice, he soon finds himself not only lost without his work, but suddenly single. His efforts to carve out a new life, both as a bachelor and a retiree, only leave him feeling like his golden years are fast becoming years of gloom. His regrets pile up until he moves to Baker’s Beach where he gets to know a very special neighbor, learns that friends are the family you choose, and finds a new sense of purpose. The Reinvention of Albert Paugh is a sweet, funny love story about retirees that will delight readers (and dog lovers) of any age.

My Review

The Reinvention of Albert Paugh is such a lovely read.  I immediately liked Al, a recently retired veterinarian, and Bert, his loyal chocolate Lab.   Al is at loose ends after retirement, and even more so when his wife suddenly and unexpectedly wants a divorce.

This is the story of how Al - and Bert, of course - move on to a new place and a new life.  The story is told with warmth, humor, and a disarmingly realistic tone.

The descriptions of everything in this novel are so detailed and perfect.  Al describes a trip to the beach:  "The early morning showers had left rain-washed sunlight, a lemony light that filled this golden day of autumn.  It was so beautiful and the air was so crisp, the kind of fall day that always made Al think of the first football game."

Then there are wry, unexpected observations like:  "Al experienced all animals as sentient beings and often felt Bert was almost human until he saw the delight Bert took in rolling in rotten dead stuff."

Jean Davies Okimoto has a gift for distinct and creative characters.  This includes some fine dialogue that really builds the story and moves the story along.  I loved the way the story of Al and Bonnie unfolded.  These are characters that I cared about, and enjoyed getting to know in this book.

I did not know what to expect from a novel about a retiree living on Vashon Island, slowly building a new life for himself.  I'm so glad I took a chance on this unique and distinctive novel.  I recommend it highly to dog lovers, readers interested in life in the Pacific Northwest, and anyone who loves warm, compassionate fiction.

About Jean Davies Okimoto

Jean Davies Okimoto is an author and playwright whose books and short stories have been translated into Japanese, Italian, Chinese, German, Danish, Korean and Hebrew. She is the recipient  of numerous awards including Smithsonian Notable Book, the American LibraryAssociation Best Book for Young Adults, the Washington Governor’s Award and the International Reading Association Readers Choice Award. Her picture book, Blumpoe the Grumpoe Meets Arnold the Cat was adapted by Shelly Duvall for the HBO and Showtime television series “Bedtime Stories.” Her debut novel for adults The Love Ceiling was a season’s pick by the King County Library System, named to the ABA Indie Next Reading Group List and ebook Fiction Winner in the 2009 Indie Next Generation Awards. She has appeared on CNN, Oprah, and The Today Show. Jeanie, who is also a retired psychotherapist, began writing for adults when she and her husband Joe retired to Vashon Island in 2004 where they (and their dogs Bert and Willie) are visited by deer families and their six grandchildren.

For more information on Ms. Okimoto, please visit her website at www.jeandaviesokimoto.com.

You can find the book at Amazon. 

Giveaway

One lucky winner will win a copy of The Reinvention of Albert Paugh.  Contest open to readers in the US and Canada.
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I received this book from TLC Book Tours in exchange for an honest review.