October's book review post

Go to http://http//jennyrosewriter.blogspot.com/2010/11/when-your-child-is-hurting-by-glynnis.html to read my review of Glynnis Whitwer's When Your Child Is Hurting. It is a great Bible study.

Look for Glynnis Whitwer on Facebook or at her blog http://glynniswhitwer.blogspot.com/

Can I do that?

In 2003, I started getting bored with walking. I dabbled in jogging and by early 2007 I got curious about 5K's. Could a former nerd who got B's in P.E. do a 5K? Now I have never been athletic. NEVER. Never played a sport. Never ran. Never jogged much except Junior High P.E.

I looked into various 5K's over the years and tried different training programs. I didn't relish driving into downtown Dallas at 6AM or running in the heat of Texas summer. Seven-day-a-week training schedules didn't work for this stay-at-home-mom. Then I stumbled upon the Couch-to-5K. Three-days-a-week I can do. While I wasn't a couch potato, being a non-runner and a busy mom, this program really appealed to me.

This year, 2010, Lantana held its first 5K. My own "backyard." I can do that.

I did. This morning--September 25, 2010--I finally accomplished my goal to complete a 5K. I wasn't fast. I finished in 33:48, 25th in my age group, 167th overall. But I did it!

So now what? Beat my time in another 5K. Use up my personal training appointments and move on to boot camps and martial arts. I want to see if I can take my fitness, my new-found "athleticism," to the next level and get my brown belt.

Yep, I think I can do that.

Bonus post

If you have middle school girls, check out this book giveaway:

http://jennifer-daiker.blogspot.com/2010/09/gossip-giveaway.html

http://rosecooperwriter.blogspot.com/2010/09/gossip-and-giveaways.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+RoseCooper+%28Rose+Cooper%29

Pirates: The Midnight Passage by James R. Hannibal

I've been reading a few books over the past month. Island Ghost by Janet Randall (circa 1970) was a nice little adventure for girls. I didn't get past the first chapter of The Secret of Crossbone Hill by Wilson Gage (circa 1960). Then I enjoyed The Adventures of Long John Silver by Denis Judd which is a prequel to Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson.

Honestly, this was all just killing time until I could get my hands on Pirates: The Midnight Passage by James R. Hannibal. It is a good old fashioned adventure that changed my view of pirates. When I thought of pirates, I thought of swashbuckling sword fights and murderous captains. No more. I have since discovered that Long John Silver didn't enjoy killing. Even Blackbeard asked permission before commanding a ship and its crew.

Jim Thatcher was different still. He valued life far above gold doubloons. He only killed for self-defense and when no other option was available. His first loyalty was to the crown of England, though that loyalty was shaken when the crown refused to recognize the letters of marque of the privateers. It was then that the lost treasure of Captain Morgan appealed to Captain Thatchr so that he and his men could buy their pardons and redeem their reputations before the crown.

Obtaining the map to the lost treasure was only the beginning of many deadly dangers that Jim Thatcher and the crew of the Adventure must survive. Underground water ways, strange gases, ancient puzzles, strange riddles, and forgotten civilizations await this band of pirates.

James R. Hannibal does a great job of describing the action. You'll swear you can see the gold glitter, hear the wind and water, feel the fire, and smell the ... you'll have to read it for yourself. What a thrill ride! Incredible! Suspenseful, vivid, humorous ... Pirates : The Midnight Passage is like a cross between National Treasure and Pirates of the Caribbean.

Adventures in Odyssey: Strange Journey Back by Paul McCusker

In my quest to research children's Christian sci-fi stories, I ordered a four-books-in-one Adventures in Odyssey. It appears to have been originally published in the 70's. Have you ever read one of those books that had a good beginning, a slow middle, and a good ending? This isn't one of those. In my opinion, this book was a bit depressing. It opens with ten-year-old Mark Prescott trying to settle into a new town--Odyssey. He and his mom moved because his dad walked out on them. Mark deals with the town bully and meets John Whittaker--the owner of Whit's End ice cream shop and a quirky inventor.

I understand that divorce is an issue that kids deal with, but I wonder if it could have been dealt with differently in the book or balanced out with something. I think the adventures in the book are too short. Little resolution is offered for any of the problems presented. Potential subplots are introduced, but the story ends too quickly and I'm not sure I am interested in reading the sequel.

Too Cute

Several weeks ago, me and my girls were getting ready to watch Mulan. My younger daughter proceeded to put on her shoes and go out the backdoor. I asked her what she was doing and she said she was going out to watch Daddy mow the lawn. I think there was a miscommunication (Mulan/mow the lawn).

Last night, my older daughter informed me that since there is a King size bed and a Queen size bed, there ought to be a Princess size bed. Incidentally, it should be bigger than a twin but smaller than a Queen.

Just too cute not to share ;)

Incredible read - loved it!!

Wraith by James R. Hannibal

The book begins just before the 9/11 tragedy. The American Air Force is running training missions in Saudi Arabia and Missouri and other locations around the globe. As news of the towers tragedy spreads, everyone pauses, trying to process the informaiton. But when the European squadrons are left out, Michael "Victor" Baron is frustrated in Germany feeling like his hands are tied. He has been denied to fly the B-2 Stealth. Not only is he not in America or in Iraq where the action is, but as an expert in Islamic Terrorism, he desperately wants to apply his knowledge and avenge the lost, innocent lives. However, he struggles with his deep respect for life and wonders where the fine line exists between avenging those lives and just wanting to flat out kill the terrorists he had studied so long.

But as the military life goes, Victor doesn't stay in Germany. After a training mission takes an unexpected turn, he is transferred to Missouri. Though he now realizes his dream to train with the B-2s, the opportunity is overshadowed by the accident and feeling like he is still benched from the war.

The war continues and airmen are called in from Missouri, Arizona, Louisiana, and Washington D.C. Victor answers the call to fight and to partake in a new top secret mission with brand new technoloby. While the test runs are mostly successful, the real mission encounters problem after problem that drops Victor in enemy territory staring down the enemy. Literally.

James R. Hannibal does a great job of creating memorable characters, building suspense, transitioning from different points of view and describing Air Force terminology in a way the average civilian can understand. I was only lost on a couple of flight maneuvers, but not for long. The hand-to-hand combat scenes gave me chills. This is an action-packed Air Force thriller that makes you wonder where the line is between reality and science-fiction. Though Wratih is set around the 9/11 tragedy, the focus in on the aftermath and the action the U.S. takes against the terrorists. With the different points of view, Hannibal shows the reader not only how different people reacted to the tragedy, but also how the Air Force works together as a team.

This is the first book I've read by Jim Hannibal. I loved it! I will definitely be following this author and reading more of his work.