Category: Ruminations

Numbers Game: 1,000th Post

On By cherylmahoneyIn Ruminations4 Comments

Drumroll and fanfare…according to WordPress, this is my 1,000th post on Tales of the Marvelous! 🙂  Thank you to all you faithful readers who have read 10, 100, 500 posts or even more…if I was talking into a void, I’m sure I would have stopped long ago.

1,000 posts is a LOT of words.  Today, I thought I’d give you a few numbers.  Since beginning this blog, I have posted 468 Reviews, 54 Fiction Fridays with excerpts from my writing, and 56 Blog Hops on bookish topics.  I’ve posted 29 times updating about NaNoWriMo, and 45 times to update you on my writing.  I’ve shared other people’s writing (or at least, clever sayings) with 47 Quotables.

I’ve referenced L. M. Montgomery in 65 posts, J. M. Barrie in 42, Edgar Rice Burroughs in 35, Terry Pratchett in 62 and Star Trek in 78.  I’ve referenced the Phantom of the Opera in 80 posts, including reviews of 7 different versions.

But possibly my favorite number?  All of you have left me more than 4,600 comments.  🙂  Thank you for reading, and for joining the conversation!

Lunar Chronicles Swag!

On By cherylmahoneyIn Ruminations1 Comment

I think we all know I am eagerly awaiting the final installment in Marissa Meyer’s Lunar Chronicles, Winter.  I’ve posted pretty gushing reviews of the first three books (Cinder, Scarlet, and Cress, plus prequel Fairest), which apparently caught someone’s eye…because the publisher recently emailed me to ask about sending a Winter-themed gift.

Not an Advanced Reader Copy, they were quick to clarify (alas!), but I still figured, Winter swag?  Sure, of course I’m in!

And so this fun little gift arrived in my mailbox…

Winter SwagI thought I’d share the fun!  And mention that there’s less than two months left until Winter will be out… 🙂

Guest Post by Kristen Heimerl

On By cherylmahoneyIn RuminationsLeave a comment

Along with today’s review of Inspector Dewey, I’m delighted to offer a guest post from author Kristen Heimerl, on one of our mutually favorite subjects…cats!

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Kristen HeimerlMy Book Project: Now This Is Joy–Cats by Kristen Heimerl

What could be more marvelous than a cat? I know dog lovers disagree, and I love a goofy pooch as much as anyone, but there’s just something about cats.

I’ve loved cats from the first time I discovered Fred, my aunt Diana’s big, red, crabby tabby. My sticky outstretched hands, tottering stride, and sound-barrier-shattering shrills of joy did not impress Fred. I didn’t care. It was love.

Cats are people. Really. Their personalities are as distinctive and developed as any human I know, and their social structure and norms are as sophisticated and, at times, as senseless as ours. Their “me in the middle” mindset is a match for any child’s and many adults’.

I am fascinated observing cats—not because I don’t understand them, but because I do. So when it came to writing a book, I couldn’t imagine writing about anything but my beloved furry housemates. I know . . . I know where you are going: “Here we go . . . another cat lady.” Judge away—I’m immune to your disdain! I surrender to the status. Proudly. Continue reading “Guest Post by Kristen Heimerl” →

Blog Hop: What’s In a Name?

On By cherylmahoneyIn Blog Hop3 Comments

book blogger hopThis week’s Book Blogger Hop question: How many years have you been blogging, and is there a story behind your blog’s name?

I started my blog November 1st, 2010, so it will be five years in another couple months (wow, it goes by!)

Some time years before that I stumbled on L. Frank Baum’s quote: “For since I can remember, my eyes have always grown big at tales of the marvelous.” The funny thing is, it’s a woefully unnoticed quote. It’s buried in an author’s note at the beginning of one of his lesser-known novels, and no one else seems to know about it. Seriously, do a Google search for “L. Frank Baum” “tales of the marvelous.” You’ll get very few hits and most of them will be my blog.

I thought it was a lovely turn of phrase and when I needed a name for my blog I decided it was a good one to adopt, since no one else appeared to appreciate it!

Blog Hop: Buying Library Books

On By cherylmahoneyIn Blog Hop4 Comments

book blogger hopThis week’s Book Blogger Hop question: What time of the year does your library have its library sale?

My library does a warehouse sale about every two months, which is completely brilliant. Best prices in town–$1 for kids books and paperbacks, $2 for hardbacks. But a couple of times a year they do a brown bag sale—just $6 for as many books as you can fit in a grocery bag. I brought home 17 books last time…

The warehouse sale is very bad for my bookshelf space, but very good for my book budget! And I’ve been able to find some books I really love and would have spent a lot more money on if I had to. I’ve also bought some books (especially at the brown bag sale) that I might not have bought if I hadn’t been able to throw them into the one bag for the same price—but while I usually only buy books I know I want to keep, in this case I make an exception. And if I read the book and don’t want to keep it, of course I donate it back to the library!