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Lisa's Friday Reviews (On a Monday)

Yes, I am a bit late, but my NaNoWriMo word count began November's National Novel Writing Month challenge at an impressive number, so I might not have been reading but I  certainly have been writing.

 Somewhere along my reading journey I have developed a sincere love for true life adventure. A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson fit the bill perfectly for a visit to the state of Maryland. Bryson had me as soon as I saw the book cover. Who says you can't judge a book by its cover?
A Walk in the Woods stirred a longing for just that. A long walk mid the flora an fauna of my Appalachian home land. Or, in my case, a comfy chair and a cup of tea to accompany a pleasant afternoon read.

 MARYLAND
OHIO
I kind of got lost in Ohio, but I did discover my new favorite author. No, I haven't had the opportunity to actually read all of these books, but Jeffrey Eugenides and I have a standing date for post-NaNoWriMo. Yep, Jeffrey and  are going to be spending some time together come December.
Anything by Jeffrey Eugenides


MICHIGAN

Okay, I felt right at home in Michigan. Author Christopher Paul Curtis and I go back a long, long way. During my thirty-three years as an English teacher and reading specialist, his characters in Bud, Not Buddy, and The Watsons Go to Birmingham:1963, earned a permanent seat in my classroom.My students adopted Bud, traveled with the Watsons from frozen Flint, Mich., and learned to appreciate the struggle so the Afro-American culture during the mid-sixties. 
We had a blast collaborating with the eighth grade history teacher in order to fulfill an assortment of requisite state standards and goals; more importantly my students gained an appreciation for books. Thank you, Mr. Curtis.

Great Kids books from this Michigan author!Jean Alicia Elster, Ages 8+, For young readers, the powerful story of an African American girl's train journey south from Detroit in 1937. After boarding the first-class train car at Michigan Central Station in Detroit and riding comfortably to Cincinnati, Patsy is shocked when her family is led from their seats to change cars. In the dirty, cramped “colored car,” Patsy finds that the life she has known in Detroit is very different from life down south.


Whew! That was a bit of travelling and I am on my way to Indiana for more adventures. But, first I need to get back to writing. 
NaNoWriMoFor those of you who are not familiar with National Novel Writing Month, it happens every November. The goal is to write 50,000 in thirty days, starting on the first day of the month.
I LOVE NaNoWriMo and look forward to it every year. This is my seventh year as a participant and during those years NaNo has been instrumental in the completion of three of my five published works. NaNo is not for the faint of heart. It IS an incredible writing tool, though. Especially for those who are deadline driven. This is my Olympic event and I am going for the gold!
nanowrimo.org

Have a great reading week!
Lisa

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