I have to make this snappy…and short. My husband thinks I’m hiding a secret addiction as I remain secreted away upstairs in my FROG (Family Room Over Garage). You might already what that acronym means, but I defined it just in case. I didn’t know what it meant until six years ago when we bought this house. Ah, the FROG. It doubles as a study and an occasional bedroom for children and grandchildren when they come to visit Grandmama. It even has a skylight that provides a glimpse of the blue sky (today), a bathroom (painted Hydrangea Blue), and a large closet where we stuff things to get them out of sight.

But I digress. I’m not hiding a secret addiction unless it’s one I’ve developed for writing. Seriously, I have to write something every single day, and for the past several days I’ve been too busy traveling, reading other people’s books, taking care of grandchildren, and grading assignments that I haven’t had much time to write. Today I churned out two blog posts, and this is the third. Maybe after I post it, I’ll be able to go downstairs and begin packing for our trip tomorrow without having withdrawal symptoms.

So what to write about on my reading and writing blog? Hmmm. I just finished reading The Cove by Ron Rash and found it enjoyable, yet unsettling. Reviewers have called it Gothic, but I don’t know enough about Gothic to say aye or nay. I just know that I learned a lot from reading the book, not just about Appalachia but also about the craft of writing. I’ll never be of Rash’s stature, but I can admire his way of painting a scene, describing a person (appearance and character), and foreshadowing future events. He’s a master of “show, don’t tell.”

I’m currently reading The Misremembered Man by Christina McKenna for book club and am enjoying it so far. I’m keeping my fingers crossed that Jamie and Lydia will find each other and live happily ever after, or as happy as one can live in a community such as theirs. Today I received Succulent Wild Woman by Sark, a recommendation from a young friend that I met last week. Looks promising. Oh, and I’m also reading The Button Collector by Elizabeth Jennings, a new writer that I “met” from blogging. Thus far, it’s delightful.

As for the writing component of the blog, I’m getting ready for some upcoming events, book signings and a presentation at a conference for librarians in two-year colleges. The latter is geared towards Crossing the Bridge: Succeeding in a Community College and Beyond. I’m not sure of exactly what my topic is yet, but I’m gathering my thoughts on why I wrote the book. The reason is simple really. I want students to succeed in and after college, and I know what it takes to do so. All teachers know this; we’re all just trying to get them (the students) to take heed.

The natives are restless. My sweet husband is looking for his suitcase so I need to tear myself away from my addiction and start our travel preparations. I’ll probably take my computer along, but then again, I might settle for a notepad and pen…and my iPad of course.