Dear Abby - Pet Meet and Greet: Lili and Miguel Luis

Dear friends,

Today is my first Pet Meet and Greet post.  I'm very happy to introduce you to two of my long time dachshund friends.  Lili and Miguel Luis live with their human mother, Dianne, in Mexico.  They are in a dachshund group that Momma has belonged to for many years ... and they are great doxies!

Abby:  Who are your pets (names, breeds, ages)?

Dianne:  Lili, “Tweenie” dachshund, 16 ½ years young and Miguel Luis, standard dachshund, 13 ½ years young.

Abby:  Is there a story behind any of your pets' names?

Dianne:  When I adopted Lili, I had two names in mind: Molly and Lili. I took one look at that precious puppy and knew her name was Lili. As for Miguel Luis, he was born here in Ensenada Mexico so he had to have a Mexican name. He was named after my favorite Mexican singer, Luis Miguel.

Abby:  What is the funniest thing your pets have done?

Dianne:  They’re always doing funny stuff but what got me recently is Miguel was on the ramp going from the floor to the couch and just standing there. Lili wanted to come up (bear in mind she is ½ his size). She squeezed up next to hip and with a little hip action, pushed him off.

Abby:  Have your pets had any adventures?

Dianne:  The worst adventure is we were walking on the beach with Teeana (to the bridge in 2008) and were attacked by 2 gigantic mastiffs. The owners had no control over them and they had me on the ground in 30 seconds. The girls ran off (a good decision on their part) and Miguel stayed and fought the big dogs off with me and Jesus. (I kept saying “Jesus help me” and He did!) Teeana waited aways down the beach but little Lili, terrified, ran home, across a busy street a total distance of about ½ mile. 

Abby:  What do you and your pets do for fun?

Dianne:  They’re both older now so short walks. Miguel’s never been much for play but every once in awhile Lili decides she wants to play and runs through the house to get me to play with her.

Abby:  Do your pets have any favorite, special toys?

Dianne:  They used to like balls and, of all things, those brown rubber doorstops, but in the past year or so, they’ve not been interested in toys.

Abby:  What are some special things your pets can do?

Dianne:  Nothing I can think of offhand

Abby:  What are your pets' most lovable qualities?

Dianne:  Those precious faces just looking up at me with so much love, I just want to hug them all the time. I just love them to the moon and back.

Thank you, Dianne!  I loved learning more about my good friends Lili and Miguel Luis here, and know readers will enjoy meeting them here,  too.  You can leave a comment or message for them below.

I would love to include YOUR pets in a future Pet Meet and Greet.  I sent out little questionnaires to everyone who responded in the comments last week.  If you have not received it, please let me know and I can resend.  And if you want to include your pets here, please leave your email in the comments, below.

Love,

Abby xoxoxo 

Book Review - Finding Libbie by Deanna Lynn Sletten

Book Synopsis
Poring over a dusty hatbox of photographs in her grandmother’s closet, Emily Prentice is shocked to discover her father was married to his high school sweetheart before meeting her mother.

In the summer of 1968, Jack and Libbie fall in love under the spell of their small town, untouched by the chaos of the late sixties. Though Libbie’s well-to-do parents disapprove of Jack’s humble family and his aspiration to become a mechanic, she marries Jack a year after they graduate high school. But soon their happiness crumbles as Libbie’s mental state unravels and she is drawn to alcohol and drugs. Despite his efforts to help her, Jack loses the woman he loves and is forced to move on with his life.

Now that Emily’s mother has passed away, Jack is alone again, and Emily grows obsessed with the beautiful woman who had given her father such joy. Determined to find Libbie, Emily pieces together the couple’s fragmented past. But is it too late for happy endings?

 

Purchase Links

Amazon | Books a Million | Barnes & Noble

 

My Review

Finding Libbie tells such a moving story.  It begins with Emily helping her grandmother to clean out her farm house before she moves.  Emily finds an old hat box of letters and photos, and realizes her father was married as a young man, before he met her mother.  

 

The first part of the book tells the story of Emily's father, Jack, and his first love Libbie.  They were high school sweethearts in 1968, although she came from a prominent family and he was from a strong working class family.  The book beautifully captures small town life in the 1960's, with details like an outdoor movie on a big screen, Dairy Queen, a roller rink, an A&W drive in, a Fourth of July carnival.

 

Jack and Libbie are both likable, sympathetic characters and I really enjoyed reading about their early romance.  For this reason, I found it really hard to read about Libbie's unhappiness and addiction.

 

The second part of the book involves Emily's search for Libbie.  As I read along, I really hoped for happiness for these characters that I came to care for in Finding Libbie.  I liked Emily's look into the past and search for Libbie.

 

This is a well written, heartwarming, emotionally stirring book.    I recommend it to fans of women's fiction, small town fiction, and family stories.

Author Bio

Deanna Lynn Sletten grew up on the sunny coast of Southern California before moving to northern Minnesota as a teenager. Her interest in writing novels was sparked in a college English class, and she has been writing in some form or another ever since. In 2011, Deanna self-published her first novel and has since published several more, both on her own and with Lake Union Publishing. 

 

Deanna enjoys writing heartwarming women’s fiction and romance novels with unforgettable characters. She has also written one middle-grade novel that takes readers on the adventure of a lifetime. She believes in fate, destiny, love at first sight, soul mates, second chances, magic, and happily ever after—all of which are reflected in her novels.

Deanna is married and has two grown children. When not writing, she enjoys walking the wooded trails around her home with her beautiful Australian shepherd or relaxing on her boat in the summer.

Website | Facebook | Twitter

I received a copy of this book from TLC Book Tours.

Music Monday - "Can't Find My Way Home" by Blind Faith (1969)

"Can't Find My Way Home" by Blind Faith is a classic rock song that is new on my horizon.  I love retro music, but this song doesn't seem to get much airplay even on '60's on 6 (SiriusXM).

I have been watching, and enjoying, the new TV series This is Us.  It's a beautifully written show about relationships and connections between people and time.  It moves back and forth in time, giving little segments of the story out of order, and you slowly start to piece them together.  Although it is a show about relationships, it reminds me a bit of Lost in the non-linear storytelling.  It's really interesting.  Two of the characters in the show are a couple who have multiple babies (triplets) in 1980.  This is their song.  After the episode that featured "Can't Find My Way Home," I had to look this up on Youtube to listen again.  It's a sad song, but really beautiful.

This song was written in 1969 by Steve Winwood and recorded by Blind Faith.  Blind Faith put out one album in 1969.  The group consisted of Steve Winwood, and two members of the band Cream -- Ginger Baker and Eric Clapton, along with bassist Rich Grech.

I find this song beautiful and rather haunting.  



And here is a clip of This Is Us, featuring the song.



I'd love to hear from you in the comments, whether about this Music Monday song or This Is Us.  (I really love this show!).

Book Review and Giveaway - Crepe Factor by Laura Childs with Terry Farley Moran

Book Synopsis

The Winter Market in the French Quarter is in full swing, but murder isn’t taking a holiday in the latest from the New York Times bestselling author of Parchment and Old Lace…

The holidays are a busy time for scrapbook shop owner Carmela Bertrand—but not so hectic that she doesn’t have time to enjoy browsing the booths at the Winter Market with her best friend Ava. The last thing the ladies expect to see is a lurching man stabbed by a serving fork, dying in front of them.

The victim is loathed restaurant critic Martin Lash, who posted his scathing reviews on the Glutton for Punishment website. And the prime suspect is New Orleans restauranteur Quigg Brevard—who was seen giving the critic a tongue-lashing minutes before someone stuck a fork in him. An old flame of Carmela, Quigg asks for her help, which does not please her current beau, Detective Edgar Babcock, to say the least.

Before her relationship is the next victim, Carmela needs to find a murderer who had no reservations about punishing the culinary curmudgeon…

Scrapbooking tips and recipes included!

My Review

Carmela Bertrand, owner of a little New Orleans scrapbooking shop, is enjoying the Winter Market in the French Quarter with her friend Ava when they witness a shocking argument that ends in murder.  The suspect is Carmela's old beau.  The investigator is her police detective boyfriend.

Crepe Factor is my first read in the Scrapbooking Mystery series.  It took me a couple of chapters to catch up with the characters, and by then I was really interested in the mystery.

This is a lively read.  Carmela and Ava are fun characters, and I loved their scenes together.  The dialogue is sharp and quick, and really moves the story along.

I especially liked the New Orleans setting and the place descriptions.  Laura Childs did a great job at capturing the city!

This was an enjoyable weekend read, and I think other cozy mystery readers will like it, too.  I also liked the crafting tips and recipes in the back of the book.  I want to try the Crock-Pot Cajun Pecans! 

Author Bios

Laura Childs is the New York Times bestselling author of the Tea Shop Mysteries, Scrapbook Mysteries, and Cackleberry Club Mysteries. In her previous life she was CEO/Creative Director of her own marketing firm and authored several screenplays. She is married to a professor of Chinese art history, loves to travel, rides horses, enjoys fund raising for various non-profits, and has two Chinese Shar-Pei dogs.

Laura specializes in cozy mysteries that have the pace of a thriller (a thrillzy!) Her three series are: 

The Tea Shop Mysteries – set in the historic district of Charleston and featuring Theodosia Browning, owner of the Indigo Tea Shop. Theodosia is a savvy entrepreneur, and pet mom to service dog Earl Grey. She’s also an intelligent, focused amateur sleuth who doesn’t rely on coincidences or inept police work to solve crimes. This charming series is highly atmospheric and rife with the history and mystery that is Charleston. 

The Scrapbooking Mysteries – a slightly edgier series that take place in New Orleans. The main character, Carmela, owns Memory Mine scrapbooking shop in the French Quarter and is forever getting into trouble with her friend, Ava, who owns the Juju Voodoo shop. New Orleans’ spooky above-ground cemeteries, jazz clubs, bayous, and Mardi Gras madness make their presence known here! 

The Cackleberry Club Mysteries – set in Kindred, a fictional town in the Midwest. In a rehabbed Spur station, Suzanne, Toni, and Petra, three semi-desperate, forty-plus women have launched the Cackleberry Club. Eggs are the morning specialty here and this cozy cafe even offers a book nook and yarn shop. Business is good but murder could lead to the cafe’s undoing! This series offers recipes, knitting, cake decorating, and a dash of spirituality. 

Laura’s Links:

Webpage – http://www.laurachilds.com/
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/laura.childs.31

Short-listed twice for The Best American Mystery Stories, Terrie Farley Moran is delighted to introduce mystery fans to the Read ’Em and Eat café and bookstore, which debuted with Well Read, Then Dead. followed by Caught Read-Handed and Read to Death released in July of this year.  The only thing Terrie enjoys more than wrangling mystery plots into submission is playing games and reading stories with any or all of her grandchildren. 

Terrie’s Links:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/terrie.moran.9
Blog:  www.womenofmystery.net
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/23186092-terrie-moran

Purchase Links:

Amazon    B&N    Goggle Books    IndieBound

Giveaway

(2) Print Copies of Crepe Factor by Laura Childs with Terry Farley Moran - U.S. Only 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I received a copy of this book from Great Escapes Book Tour in exchange for an honest review.

October Book Reviews and Spotlights - Coming Soon!

Hi all!  

Just a peek at some books you'll see at View for the Birdhouse in October.  Many of these have giveaways.  Some are reviews, and some are spotlights.

Crepe Factor by Laura Childs (cozy mystery set in New Orleans)

Finding Libbie by Deanna Lynn Sletten (women's fiction)

Masking for Trouble by Diane Vallere (cozy mystery set at a costume shop)

Just Fine with Caroline by Annie England Noblin (women's fiction)

Life of the Party: The Remarkable Story of How Brownie Wise Built, and Lost a Tupperware Party Empire by Bob Kealing

Memory of Muskets by Kathleen Ernst (cozy mystery set at a Civil War reenactment)

Unlucky Charms by Linda O. Johnston (cozy mystery set at a dog boutique)

All Is Bright:  A Devotional Journey to Color Your Way to Christmas

Stay tuned - lots of book fun ahead!