November Challenge - Catching up

I'm trying to play catch up! Last week I came home to no electricity. Once the electricity came back on I did not think about going to my computer and writing my blog posts because I had actually written ahead. However, when I went to my computer on Sunday morning (then to catch up because I was a day behind) I found it would not turn on. My son went in and checked the breaker box and yes, the breaker had been tripped. However, when he reset it smoke began rising from my computer's surge protector. He quickly turned the breaker back off and came running to help me, because needless to say, I was in a panic! We were able to determine the surge protector had indeed done its job. It died so that my computer may live! Thank you little surge protector.

So on to my catch up for the November Challenge.

November 15 - Sexy Saturday - Bonk: The Curious Coupling of Science and Sex by Mary Roach

Bonk: The Curious Coupling of Science and Sex
by Mary Roach

This is the first Mary Roach book I have read. I have many of her other titles on my To Read List, including Stiff, which believe it or not is not the prequel to this book! Go ahead, laugh, but Stiff has nothing to do with Sexy Saturday, unless of course you are into necrophilia!

I found this book one Saturday afternoon while browsing the shelves at my public library. The title intrigued me, and being a consenting adult, I checked it out. It shouldn't matter what I read anyway. No one has the right to look at my library record to see that I was reading about sex. I was experienced in the subject, obviously. My only child is now an adult (oh, that pains me to say...or write)!

Anyway, on to the book. I have never been much a science person. My interests run more toward history. However when I heard about the manner in which Ms. Roach writes, I was immediately curious and pulled into her book. She has a wonderful way with words she has been called, "the funniest science writer in the country" by Burkhard Bilger of The New Yorker. It may not be the sexiest book you have ever read, but I will tell you it will be the most entertaining science book you will ever read!

November 17 - Mystery Monday - Scrap-N-Craft Mysteries by Joanna Campbell-Slan

Paper Scissors Death
by Joanna Campbell-Slan

One of the very best ways to learn about new books is to simply browse the shelves, whether at the local bookstore (which unfortunately we no longer have in my home town) or the public library. I found the first book in the Scrap-N-Craft Mysteries series by Joanna Campbell-Slan, in just that manner. Be addicted to scrapbooking for many years, the title immediately caught my attention.  I read this first book about fellow scrapbook enthusiast, Kiki Lowenstein, when it was published in 2008. I enjoyed this book so much I could hardly wait for the next title to be released. Currently there are 9 books in the series with a 10th book to be released December 15, 2014 - Handmade, Holiday, Homicide. There are two additional titles: Shotgun, Wedding, Bells and Glue, Baby, Gone which will be released in 2015. Ms. Campbell-Slan has also released 21 novellas / short stories to keep readers hooked between full length novels.

I was thrilled to get to meet Ms. Campbell-Slan in 2012 when she was a panel speaker during the American Library Association's Midwinter Conference in Dallas. She was not only a fantastic speaker, but also very kind to this crazed fan of her books.