Books I've read and favorite authors (book corner)

[gingerbird]

I'm jumping in here to go back OT with the spirit thing. It's my belief that one can "turn off" the ability to connect with spirits. I do it when I just get tired and don't want to deal with anything. Shutting down my brain also shuts down my ability to teleconnect, or whatever you want to call it. And I don't just mean with the passed over, but with the living as well. I can think about someone for no reason, someone I haven't seen for years, and later that day that person will call me. Stuff like that happens to me ALL the time. I get afraid sometimes to even think about certain things or people, especially if my thoughts are bad.

Or instance, once, for no reason, I thought about a dog owned by a person I used to work with. The feeling was so strong, I called her to ask if Buddy (yeah, another Bud) was okay. My friend was astounded ... Buddy had been stolen two days earlier, and she had just found him that morning.

Things like that can exhaust me, so I've learned to shut the brain down.

I believe, Cindy, that your grand doesn't HAVE an answer to your mom's throat problem, he's just telling you there is one and it's up to you to carry on from there. Just because he's passed doesn't mean he is all-knowing! I also don't believe EVERY person who has passed tries to communicate, although your dreams of your mum, peanut, tell me that she is there for you. It might take a while for her to get strength enough to communicate and for you to open up enough to hear her. Like Cindy's grandmother, who gave the girl-baby-pink-blanket message, some don't have that much to say, so show up only when necessary.

Cindy has thought this all through and has learned to give and take with the communication, it sounds. That takes time, peanut. I'm guessing from what you say, your mum's death is too painful, fresh, life-altering for you to accept it yet. But keep an open mind and, in time, you will get messages if that connect is strong.

And like Cindy says, communication is in subtle, very subtle way, like a light flicker or a butterfly landing on the windowsill. My mom, I am positive, gets me to look at digital clocks at the exact time that is her house number, the number of the home I grew up in. Each time I see that number, I mentally hug my mum.

Maybe we should get a Mystical Experiences thread!

Back OT (funny, because in two of my fav TWoP threads, we all got spanked this week for straying OT. Heh.), I haven't read any of the books you've listed, peanut, except Firestarter. Of course, I love all Kings, so I would start with Lisey's Story. I would skip Angels and Demons since I did not like DaVinci Code. But that's just me!

Because of you guys ("youse guys), I started Dean Koontz's "Frankenstein" yesterday. It's a fast read, not especially THAT good, but it's a page-turner and I'm sure will be shocking soon enough! Not all Koontz novels are this way (Watchers ... VERY good), but sometimes they go way above and beyond in the "gross-out" department, too much blood and gore. Then again, others are just scary and thought-provoking and very, very good. One really has to pick-and-chose when selecting one of his books.

Peanut, your story about 'Salem's Lot was so entertaining! I get the biggest kick from your writings. Your story reminded me of when I was little, my sister and our little friends were all in the living room one night, watching "The Haunting of Hill House" on the late-night movie. It was SO scary, we could barely watch. My mom was coming home from something, and instead of coming inside when she drove up, she walked around the house, looked in the living-room window and scratched on the screen while she shouted "Boo!" at us. We all screamed and I swear, if we hadn't been little tykes, we all would have fainted and died from heart attacks.

[gingerbird]

Peanut: I've read several James Patterson, but it's weird I can't remember titles, like I can't remember the Nora Roberts I've read. I do remember The Lake House and The Beach House titles, however, although I cannot remember what happened in them! I know I've also read some of the Alex Cross books. I used to read two to three books per week. I wish I had kept a list, like I used to do with movies. But back then I could actually REMEMBER things, so didn't think I needed to. I never knew my memory would actually fail me. The brain really is another body part that fails as one ages ...

[Cindy]

Peanut: Ginger described the spirit thing perfectly! And thank you for giving me insight as to WHY he may not be able to point me in the right direction for Mom's throat. I assumed that he knew HOW since he bothered to show it, but I see what your saying, He might just know I need to find it.

My mom was coming home from something, and instead of coming inside when she drove up, she walked around the house, looked in the living-room window and scratched on the screen while she shouted "Boo!" at us.

Is it wrong that I found this hilarious? lol

RE: James Patterson..LOVED Susanna's Diary for Nicolas..just remembered that one!

Alex Cross...that rings a bell...I'll have to look into him.

I'm going to have to get grounding of group six from a second hand book store. My library doesn't have it and I think it's too old for them to think about purchasing.

Peanut: Unlike ginger I enjoyed angels and demons then devinci code. Angels and demons wasn't as good as D-code but it was decent. What I can't figure out is WHY they cast Tom Hanks in the movies..I always thought the male character was way hotter than that (think modern Indiana Jones)

LOL at talking to the "boss." For a minute there, I thought I was Bruce Springsteen. It's a few off topic posts--no worries. Readers can "move past" the spirits and go right back to books--the spirits won't mind I'm sure..:-)

[gingerbird]

Hi Cindy! Peanut just signed off. Heh.

I think the passed only have limited "powers;" it's up to us to take their messages and use them constructively.

Susanna's Dairy for Nicolas sounds familiar. What is the plot? I always have to read the recap page when I go to rent a book at the library. So many times I've checked out ones I've already read, especially with prolific authors like Patterson and Roberts.

[Cindy]

Susanna is the Mom and when she finds out she's pregnant she starts a diary to her unborn child....mom has health issues so...lol don't want to give it away.

[gingerbird]

Okay, Susanna's Diary sound like a new one for me. I remember the plot of one book, maybe a Roberts: A young man is in the service having been raised by his father who is a coin collector and turns out to have asperger's. While on leave, he's on the beach and meets a woman who is with a group of friends; they are staying in the town while they work on Homes for Humanity, or one of those other home-building charity groups. When the soldier rescues the woman's purse that falls off the pier (her "boyfriend" doesn't), she invites him to come to a cook-out at the house the group is staying in, and they start a relationship. He has to go back off leave, she has to go back to university, and they struggle to maintain their love affair. Sound familiar, anyone?

[Cindy]

Yes ginger I've read it can't remember the title though..lol They all blend together for me too...

[gingerbird]

Cindy: I believe that book is a Nora Roberts. I liked it, but absolutely HATED the ending, what the soldier did with his money from the coins. I couldn't believe anyone would be that altruistic (and anonymous), and I thought the woman totally was mean to him and undeserving. Yeah, sure, she took care of her dying husband and handicapped brother, but geesh. I still hated the end. He could have saved something to buy an estate in Italy or south of France or something for himself to start a new life when he got out of the Army! (Or maybe I'm just projecting my own selfishness into it.)

[gingerbird]

Cindy: What my mom did to us kids while watching the scary (scariest movie EVER IMO) movie really was funny. In retrospect. At the time, she fed on every kid's nightmare of "a face at the window." Heck, what do I mean "every kid's nightmare?" I think that could be every PERSON'S worse fear, to look at a dark window and see a face pressed up against it. She scared the beejeezus out of us all, we were screaming and running to hide. Perhaps that's what taught me to always keep the blinds pulled at night!

It's also something I'd love to do to some other group of kids (or adults), given the chance. It's hereditary!

p.s. Alex Cross is a James Patterson character in one of his mystery series, some they made movies out of. They are a pretty good bunch of books, again, building on a character you get to know, like Kay Scarpetta. Scarpetta is a zillion times better, however, as she is a strong woman (!) and totally realistic. You MUST read one of hers!

ETA: Check eBay or Amazon for used books. Our second-hand bookstore here is TRES expensive. I cannot afford it!

[peanut]

Hey! Ginger, thanks for your input. I remember you telling me some of that stuff before. I feel envious that you and Cindy get the kind of comfort you do from your deceased loved ones but I realise that I need to be more open and I know myself that i'm somewhat blocked at the moment.

I'll just add this other wee bit. A wee while ago I really wanted to go to a clairvoyant so I could find out if mom was happy and also happy with the way things are going now in relation to minding Dad. I had only mentioned it to my sisters and then one day my friend was over and had told me about her friends dad passing away and how just before he died (he was dying in hospital of cancer) he sat bolt upright in the bed and roared the name of his desceased son as if he could see him. Then he lay back down and fell asleep and didn't waken again. The mans daughters went to see a clairvoyant who lives locally (that I didn't know of) and found tremondous peace from her messages. I took this as a sign and got my friend to get the number but as soon as I had the number I had doubts about going. Like, maybe it's too soon and I won't be as clear in my head as I want to be. Or maybe it's too soon for Mom. I had thought it would be a good idea for my own peace of mind but it was weeks ago that I got the number and I still haven't called. I think maybe I'm also worried that Mom won't be happy with the way things are I guess.

You know maybe we should open a spiritual thread cuz I have an interesting story for ye about something that happened to me years ago but don't wanna keep holding up the book-talk. I'd be interested in Ginger and Cindy's thoughts on the story.

Cindy, maybe I will just start referring to you as The Boss from now on haha!! Or Ms. Springsteen!!! hee

Ginger I love that you get a kick from my writings haha! And I love that story about your mom scaring you guys when you were little.

Do you remember in the movie of Salem's Lot when the vampires would go to someone's house and they would scratch on the windows asking to be let in? Well my brother used to babysit for a neighbour of ours and if i was on my own in the house when he'd get back (and i was still very young at the time) he would scratch like that on the window and make the weird kind of hissing sound the vampires would make. I used to scream the place down!! He was such an evil brat!!!!

Anyway back to the ole books!!

I think I've read all of James Patterson's Alex Cross books. I enjoyed those. Aside from those and the Women's Murder Club books, I haven't read any others by him. I've also never read any Nora Roberts.

I really enjoyed the Da Vinci Code so I would probably like Angels and Demons. But I think maybe I'll start with Stephen King.

I meant to say that I have all three of the Vampire books by Anne Rice. I liked Interview with a Vampire, both movie and book and I started reading The Vampire Lestat a few years ago but couldn't get into it in the same way. I didn't find it compelling atall. So I put it down and never opened it again.

[Cindy]

THAT's Why I knew the name..lol ok. LOL Peanut you can call me whatever as long as you call me..lol I kid, I kid...

LOL at Ginger wanting to scare everyone..and yet, I'm not really too surprised..I suspect if I met her, Ginger would have that mischievous gleam in her eye that spells trouble..l:P

[gingerbird]

Yes, Cindy, that gleam doesn't come just from my contact lenses! It sort of goes with the red hair, I'm guessin'.

I should try Angels and Demons. I got put off with DaVinci Code since friends read it and SWORE it was true; we even got in an argument about the purpose of the Knights Templar. I know, I know, esoteric discussions seem to be my specialty.

Speaking of true, has anyone read Bridges of Madison County? It's an oldie, and there was a big story that it was true when the book was published, then everyone got mad when it was revealed it was fiction after all. Anyway, it's a small book, quick read, and I HIGHLY recommend it. I read it on Christmas Eve one year. I started crying just a few pages in, and pretty much bawled all the rest of the way through it. I was exhausted at the end and for at least a week afterward. I loved it, loved the story, loved everything about it. It's a wonderful, wonderful love story.

Unfortunately, I read the sequel a while back, and it s*cked pond water big time. Don't any of you EVER read it. I can't remember the name, but it's a waste of time, no closure to the love story, just a bunch of episodes that left me wanting to throttle the author. HATED it!

[peanut]

I've heard the movie of The Bridges of Madison County was very good so it's no wonder the book is too.

Can't authors be sued for 'false advertising' in saying a book is true when it isn't? I know Dan Brown wrote something at the start of The DaVinci Code about it being true but he was allowed get away with it because it could be argued that such things as the templar knights etc were real (at least i think that's why he got away with it).

The book/movie Amityville 2 is alleged on the cover to be based on a true story even though it was proven that the family were lying and that it wasn't true but somehow by some legal technicality they are still allowed to sell the book or dvds with the statement that it's based on a true story. Makes no sense. Even the remake of a couple of years ago was allowed have that statement on it even though it's been years that their claims were proven false. I watched a whole documentary on it. I still don't get how they can continue to make that claim when it was legally disproved.

Ah well.

[Cindy]

Well, I'm happy. I'm going to be getting the grounding of group six through inter-library loan. Which means another library in the area has it and they ship it to mine. I was looking on ebay--the book is $1 but then they charge $12.99 for shipping to Canada..lol right.

It pays to be on good terms with your head librarian (and NEVER have late fees..lol)

[peanut]

Cindy, what is "the grounding of group six"?

Am happy you're getting it!

I haven't started any of the books I wrote about upthread. I intended starting last night but got chatting with my best friend on Facebook up until after midnight so was too tired. I'll hopefully start this weekend. Think I'll go with Lisey's Story as Ginger suggested.