Happy 2019!

Cue the streamers, confetti, horns, and paper hats!

I hope you had a wonderful holiday season. Ours was fabulous and thoroughly enjoyable. Now I'm ready to rock and roll again.

Thanks to everyone who participated in my informal survey of what you'd like to see more of at the Tiki Hut. You gave me a lot to choose from.

The most prevalent answer I received said y'all want to know more about where I live. I'm taking that to mean Texas and the San Antonio area rather than my address and photos of my house with all the flyaway dog hair and accumulated writer mess. So I'll be writing more about the Lone Star State and Military City USA.

The second things you wanted most to read were more about me, my writing, what I read, what books inspire me, things like that.

So I'm going start two new features here. They may not appear every month. Or they may be the only thing(s) here some months. Mostly I think you'll see one or the other along with whatever else, if anything, I'm blogging about.

The first new feature will be "My World" and  the other will be "Book Nook." Sometimes these may overlap. I am a writer, ya know 😉

Since it's my first blog of the new year, there's no time like the present to begin.

Book Nook


My bookshelves. Plus two more in a different location. They all need dusting... ssshhhh. This is an old pic from when we first moved in. Not all my books are there. I can't take a new shot because there's now a long table in front of them blocking the view. But there are more books and less space.

I read all kinds of books. Currently I'm reading The Alice Network by Kate Quinn. Have you read it? I'm actually writing this blog on New Year's Eve - the exciting life of a writer! - and I'm about a third of the way through. So by now, I'm probably somewhere around the middle to two-thirds point.

So far, this is the best book I've read in a long time. It was an impulse buy for me - on sale and I liked the blurb. About a quarter of the way in, I looked it up and saw that many places listed it as a Book of the Year in 2017. I understand why.

How did I miss it, LOL.

The opening sentence is: "The first person I met in England was a hallucination." The book just gets better from there. I'm enthralled.

What are you reading now?

My World

I grew up in Texas, but I've also lived in New York City, Miami, Virginia Beach, Nashville, Cape May, NJ, and Ruidoso, NM. My attitude is certainly Texas-based, but having lived a good many years on the East Coast, I still feel very much at home there no matter where I go.

I've traveled a little, and those experiences also go into shaping who I am. Sometimes, I think I'm unique; other times, I wonder who I am. But I so love my life that I don't spend a lot of time thinking about those things.

What about you? Have you grown where you are planted, or have your roots spread all over the place?

Moving on...

I wish you a happy, healthy, and productive January. I'll be back here on Monday, February 4 with some Gracie news.



Comments

A little dust won't hurt the books.
You've lived a lot of places. I don't think there's anyplace I call home other than where I am right now.
L. Diane Wolfe said…
We lived in ABQ, NM for 4 years and loved it.

I grew up on the West coast, but I love the East coast now.
I haven't read "The Alice Network," but it sounds intriguing! Somehow I missed it, too.

You've lived in some really cool places!
A very Happy (and productive) New Year to you and yours.
I haven't come across The Alice Network (and bookie lust ignited) will have to track it down. I am currently reading the latest Ben Aaronovitch and a memoir of a Romany woman. And enjoying both.
Natalie Aguirre said…
Happy New Year! Glad you had a good holiday. Looking forward to your new posts. I always like seeing what people are reading. This one sounds really good.
Mark said…
A healthy set of bookshelves:) I liked San Antonio when I visited once, especially the Alamo and riverwalk, of course:) Although that hot, wet heat in summertime was intense:)
Carol Kilgore said…
Alex - I heard dust actually protects books. Literally... LOL!

Diane - I like Albuquerque. I also like Santa Fe. To be fairly near each other, they're very different :)

Elizabeth - I like exploring around all the places we live. Sort of like extended or immersive travel. A perk of military life.

EC - Thanks for the good wishes! The memoir sounds really interesting.

Natalie - I'm still liking it!

Mark - Summers here are brutal. No argument from anyone.
A home without a bookshelf that is filled with books is empty because books are awesome
Jan Christensen said…
Good to see you back! Coincidentally, I just finished reading A TOWN LIKE ALICE. Really, really good, but I don't know now why I got it for my Kindle. I've thought of making notes about acquiring them, short reviews, etc., but never have. I do put stars up on Goodreads, though. I also have never heard of THE ALICE NETWORK, but now I'm going to check it out.
Like you, military wife, I've lived so many places and love to travel.
Have a terrific new year! Looking forward to your next post.
Janie Junebug said…
I'd like to see the dog hair in your house. It will look like home to me.

Love,
Janie
Carol Kilgore said…
Jo-Anne - I agree about books!

Jan - Wishing you a great 2019, too. I haven't heard of your ALICE book either. No surprise to me :)

Janie - I'll try to remember to post one next month. Most days it looks like little black tumbleweeds scooting across the floor. Both dogs should both be totally hairless by now. Swiffer is my friend.
Sounds like you've had a wonderful time getting the chance to travel around and live in those different places. I'm sure the varied experiences provide great fodder for your stories.
I love being surrounded by books!
Happy New Year, Carol!
cleemckenzie said…
I like your idea about My World. It's always interesting to learn about the people we connect with through blogging. Loved your bookshelf--dusty or not!

Happy 2019, Carol.
H. R. Sinclair said…
I think those two topics for posts are awesome and I think it probably play across blogs 'cause it more personable. I'm trying to incorporate more of that on my blog this year too.
Christine Rains said…
You're supposed to dust bookshelves?! My shelves are so crammed with books, there would be no way to do that. :) Thanks for the little peek into your world. Hope 2019 is going well so far.
Carol Kilgore said…
Michelle - The military transferred us at every possible opportunity - or so it seemed.

Lee - I like learning about other bloggers. Writing about myself is not easy. I've never been able to journal. Don't have a problem writing about people I make up, though :)

HR - I wish us both good luck with our new topics.

Christine - So far so good! I hope the same for you. I'll tell everyone you said I don't have to dust.
Jemi Fraser said…
I love when a book grabs me by the 1st line!
I've recently discovered Marina Adair's books and I'm enjoying the fun & romance.
I've always lived in the same town in Northern Ontario - it's a great place :)
Carol Kilgore said…
Jemi - Me, too! I'll have to check out Marina Adair's books. She's a new name for me. Your town must be great, or people would've moved away. Enjoy :)
I love your book nook.
I've only moved twice in my life. The last place I stayed in for 28 years. I moved to my new place two years ago and I'm loving it, despite the sub-tropical heat.
Carol Kilgore said…
Lynda - 28 years is a long time in one house. I think, anyway, given my history. I know that when we moved often, we didn't collect a lot of extra things. But when we stayed for a while, we ended up having yard sales AND more stuff, LOL.
Happy New Year!

You mean there are actually some homes in existence that AREN'T covered in pet hair and overloaded with books?! If so, they aren't my kinda places...

My reading material is rather eclectic, to say the least. The book I'm currently reading is "Atlas of Men" by David Sklar, which is based on a secret study done on unaware prep school students. So far, it's pretty interesting. I'll have to check out "The Alice Network." It sounds intriguing.

As for where we've lived, my hubby and I have been in the same house here in Georgia since 1971. Prior to that, we lived in Maryland. Yeah, when we put down roots, we PUT DOWN ROOTS. HA!
Carol Kilgore said…
Susan - I think y'all have grown a l-o-n-g taproot :)
DMS said…
Wow- you have lived a lot of places. I love Cape May. :) My mom recently moved there- but I spent vacations there just about every year of my life.

Fun post. Glad you are loving The Alice Network. I haven't read it- but have heard great things about it.

Happy 2019!
~Jess
Carol Kilgore said…
Jess - Cape May is unique. We may be going back for a visit next year. I'm excited! I highly recommend The Alice Network... so far. I'm approaching 2/3 of the way.
Jennifer Shirk said…
Cape May is not far from me!

Grew up in NJ, then lived in New England for 5 years, and now at the Jersey shore. :)
Carol Kilgore said…
Jennifer - Cool! I've been to New England, but never lived there. I love it except not so much in the winter :)
I'm late, but Happy New Year. I hope 2019 is filled with lots of book sales for you and excellent health.

Teresa
Carol Kilgore said…
Teresa - No problem. Late/early... I don't care. Happy to see everyone at anytime. Thanks for your good wishes. Wishing you health and happiness, too :)

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