SUMMER READING BOOK CLUB - WEEK 1

The Middle School I went to was about two miles from my house. Across from it was the town's library, or in other words, my "happy place". I took the bus home most of the time, but with the library right there, I was often drawn to it, so walking didn't seem so bad. I was a latch-key kid, and in those days, we pre-teens didn't expect our parents to drive us around the way the kids of today do...in fact, we were expected to walk or ride our bikes everywhere...and that's probably why we are so willing to car pool our own offspring now.

The accessibility of the library after school hours was great for a reader like me, but it was also a problem for a reader like me. I couldn't finish a book and be without a new one.Whatever would I do when the sun went down and it was time to come in from outside? My family didn't have cable, and TV watching wasn't what it is today. So without a ride to help me sate my hunger for stories, I had to get as many books as I could each time I visited.

One day, in late May, I stayed on that side of town a little later so I could venture over to the library. I took out twenty-one paperbacks. Not a typo. TWENTY-ONE PAPERBACKS. The pocket size ones with two to three hundred pages in each. I stuffed as many as I could into my backpack with my textbooks, but that still left a stack of eighteen in my arms. I almost brought them right back to the check out counter, but when I thought about choosing which ones to leave behind, I couldn't do it. For me, they were like the puppies you see at the shelter, barking urgently, "Pick me! Take me home!" I couldn't leave any of them behind, so I took a deep breath and lifted. I could barely see over the pile, but I was determined. The good news was that when my glasses would slip down my nose, there was always the binding of a book at eye level that I could use to push them back up...of course if I wasn't sweating from the effort of lugging my heavy backpack and all of these books, maybe my glasses wouldn't have kept slipping....

As excited as I was to walk home and crack open the first one, after a few steps, I realized that I had to make one stop. Friendly's. It was a block away from my school and the library, and I needed a sugar rush to propel me all the way across town with my huge load.

I was right. Hiking that one block almost killed me. It was a hot day and even though those trees I carried were flattened and condensed, I might as well have had an oak strapped to my back and a redwood in my arms. I pulled open the restaurant's door a little bit by using my pinky and my foot and I squeezed through. After falling onto one of the little round stools, my pile of books collapsed on the counter like a deck of cards. A waitress approached and paused as if I might say, "Pick a book, any book". She was clearly a high school student, frowning at my dorkiness and scratching a zit on her cheek that an entire bottle of cover-up would never hide.

I asked for my fave, a Vanilla Fribble, and quickly restacked my books, some on the round stool next to me and some on the counter in front of it. I lay my backpack on the floor and added a hamburger and fries to my order. I wasn't going anywhere anytime soon. She walked away, cracking her bubble gum loudly, and I grabbed the first book off of the pile and opened it up. "DEENIE" by Judy Blume....love her stuff. She set my perspective straight on so many things, and even taught me a bit about growing up.

The waitress came back with my shake and asked, "You're not gonna read alla those books, are ya?"

My forehead was still sweaty and I nodded while I gulped the sugary goodness, not caring if I got brain freeze.

"What are they for a class or somethin'? Ya know, where you gotta read 'em or you'll fail?"

And that's how I knew that I would never stop devouring books. It was either read or end up like my server, never understanding the joy of escaping from reality, learning new words, and gaining a unique point of view within a few pages of fantastic writing.

I sat at that counter for about an hour, reading and eating while the weather changed and the rain came. I asked for a few plastic bags to protect my treasures, and smiled all the way home wondering what would happen next in the story, hardly noticing that my hair and clothes were getting wet. Soon though, the sun reappeared, drying me up in the late afternoon heat.

The only thing I didn't like about reading was that I really didn't have anyone to get excited about my finds with. I never saw any of my friends or the adults around me pick up a book for enjoyment. As an adult and an author, I now surround myself with literary works and stimulating conversation. I am an avid seeker of hidden gems and love sharing my discoveries.

And that's where you, dear reader come in. I invite you to join my SUMMER READING BOOK CLUB...one book per week...I will review them here on the blog, and encourage you to comment and let me know what you thought of each pick. Did you like it? Did you learn something? Did it touch your heart, make you laugh, or stir up some hidden rage? I look forward to hearing your thoughts, and welcome the chance to be in good company this time around.

 (There are more books listed at the end of this post)

The rules and perks:
1. Book discussion comments are left on this site and on: http://lindenhurst.patch.com/groups/christina-fifieldwinns-blog/p/summer-reading-book-club--week-1

2. Comments should only be about the BOOK and in no way be offensive or degrading to any person or persons
3. For this week ONLY... one comment equals one entry to win an autographed print copy of the pick for WEEK 3....a winner will be randomly chosen from the comments left between 6/23 and midnight of 6/29. The winner will be announced on the blog on 6/30.
4. It's ok to jump into the club late. Join us on any day of any week. BUT if, for example, you are starting with SUKI on WEEK 3, DO NOT READ THE DISCUSSION COMMENTS. Stop after you get to the link to purchase the book or you may ruin the story for yourself. I cannot stress this enough.

So without further ado:

WEEK 1 - SUKI by CF Winn         
                                            

We are kicking off the summer with a read that is very near and very dear to my heart because I wrote it:

THE SYNOPSIS:

Life offers one guarantee…death.
Savannah’s situation goes from good to perfect when she meets Dwayne, an ex-Marine with a soft heart. They seem to have it all, until one challenge shakes them to their cores.
We all assume we know what love is, but think again. It comes in many shapes and sizes. If you knew ahead of time that you’d never see ”happily ever after“, would you choose to live at all for the sake of love?
CF Winn flexes her story telling muscle and shows us why she is an award winning author. SUKI will grab your heart and make you think about your place…and your purpose in this world.

THE REVIEW:

(The following review, although it may contain opinions and ideas that I share, was not written by me. It is a compilation of  thoughts that my readers were kind enough to post on Amazon and readsuki.com)


SUKI is a bittersweet story of the joys of love, the perils of living within it, and the process of healing. It addresses love for your parents, love for your self, love for your partner, and love for your child, as well as tragedy, heartache and hope. CF Winn truly takes you on an emotional journey into the soul of a woman and her connections with being a mother.

It is a love story, but like none you have ever read before. It has been said that writers tell the same stories over and over. SUKI is an original; A poetic journey narrated by the most unexpected of characters. There is no way to talk about the book without giving away the compelling originality of the idea or spoilers.To elaborate about the content I feel would do the reader a disservice. The ending is unexpected and leaves you with passionate tears and an imprint on your soul. I admit and appreciate that I was surprised at the story since I had no predispositions.

Well written, and with a back and forth storyline highlighting the anatomy of a love story, SUKI is a novel that can be read in one sitting. It has twists and turns that you don't expect and there are whole pages of writing in this book that are downright beautiful. I must compliment the author. She really made the reader part of the book in that attention was paid to small details which are vital to understanding the characters and their actions. SUKI makes you laugh and cry. CF Winn is an excellent writer and she guides you through her character's journey by allowing you to feel all her emotions with ease.
An eloquently written novel with such description, such emotion, and such a connection with the reader is rare.

You will reflect on the frailty of the human condition long after you have reached the last page. I sat for an hour, just reflecting on the spirit and message of the novel. SUKI touched my heart and showed that there is no time to waste with doubts. Enjoy life to the fullest every minute you draw breath and cherish each experience. Thank you, CF, for a great tale that makes one cry as well as smile. Once or twice a year, I read a novel that haunts me with the tapestry of emotions it evokes. This is the first time where I wished the entire substance of my review could be a coupon for a free copy of this book. The only way to do it justice is to read it. Twice.Then sit quietly for a while. Then read it again. You will need to plan ahead: put your dog in a kennel, send the kids to DisneyWorld, close all the curtains, turn off your phone and disconnect your Internet. It's unbelievable how you just never know what somebody has been through in life. Can't wait to read more from this talented author!

TO PURCHASE:

You can now order SUKI in paperback at BOOK REVUE, one of the nation’s largest independent bookstores, by email at info@bookrevue.com or by calling (631) 271-1442.
Learn more about SUKI at BOOK REVUE http://www.bookrevue.com/localauthors.html

As an e-book: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BJVSHPE
Print copies can be ordered at: readsuki.com

LIKE SUKI on FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/SukiByCfWinn


MORE SUMMER BOOK CLUB READS BY OTHER INDIE AUTHORS: 

WRONG PLACE, WRONG TIME:


http://simplystick.blogspot.com/2013/06/friends-dont-let-friends-read-alone.html?showComment=1430071350264

MY TWO FLAGS: 

http://simplystick.blogspot.com/2013/07/i-am-master-of-my-words-captain-of-my.html?showComment=1430071350264

OCTOBER SNOW:

http://simplystick.blogspot.com/2014/06/life-is-like-blanket-of-snow.html?showComment=1430071350264

TRAILER TRASH, WITH A GIRL'S NAME:

http://simplystick.blogspot.com/2014/10/you-know-youre-modern-day-trailer-trash.html

MOORE THAN MEETS THE EYE:

http://simplystick.blogspot.com/2014/09/theres-always-another-story.html

WELCOME TO HEIDI:

http://simplystick.blogspot.com/2014/06/welcome-to-must-read.html

KAFE CASTRO:

http://simplystick.blogspot.com/2013/08/why-are-you-so-serious-do-it-kafe.html

BROKEN ANGEL:

http://simplystick.blogspot.com/2012/09/broken-angel-review.html

DEJA DREW:

http://simplystick.blogspot.com/2012/08/deja-drew-excerpt.html

THE GAZE:

http://simplystick.blogspot.com/2012/05/gaze-by-javier-arobayoyay-or-nay.html

PGB:

http://simplystick.blogspot.com/2012/05/javier-robayo-author-of-gaze-steps-in.html

HAUNTED HOUSE, HAUNTED LIFE:

http://simplystick.blogspot.com/2014/10/haunted-house-haunted-life.html



CF Winn is the author of The COFFEE BREAK SERIES, a hilarious group of short stories meant to be read while on break or in the waiting room of the doctor's office. Her first novella, SUKI, has been grabbing hearts and hugging souls all over the United States.

KIDS TODAY

One day, a few years ago, I picked up my daughter from school. She immediately handed me a note. She hung her head and said, "The teacher told me to give you this."

It said:
DEAR, (long space) MRS. WINN
ISABELLA WAS RUNNING IN THE HALLS TODAY. WE (who is "we"??) WANTED TO WRITE AND TELL YOU THAT SHE IS A BAD GURL.
LOVE,
MRS. SLOMAN

It was written in my 7 year old daughter's handwriting......


     ----------------------------------------------------0---------------------------------------------------------

I was playing colors/shapes BINGO en espanol with my Preschool and Kindergarten students, when I noticed one of the kids slip something into his mouth and begin chewing. I immediately flew over to his seat and stopped the game when I asked him what was in his mouth. He shook his head while saying nothing. Again I asked and he silently shook his head, a little more forcefully this time. Worried that he was going to choke on a small button or something, I got a paper towel and told him to spit it into the paper. He did so without resistance, and when I looked for the object of the controversy, I saw a green boogie....


CF Winn is the award-winning author of The COFFEE BREAK SERIES, a hilarious group of short stories meant to be read while on break or in the waiting room of the doctor's office. Her first novella, SUKI, has been grabbing hearts and hugging souls all over the United States.

You can now order SUKI in paperback at BOOK REVUE, one of the nation’s largest independent bookstores, by email at info@bookrevue.com or by calling (631) 271-1442.
Learn more about SUKI at BOOK REVUE http://www.bookrevue.com/localauthors.html

Hoy Es Chocolate Chip

Once a week for one hour, I used to teach preschoolers basic Spanish. I did  it for five years and the teachers at the school were appreciative. From 1pm-2pm on Thursdays, they got a well deserved break, and the kids in their classes were offered the opportunity to learn how to annoy adults in another language.

I had twenty-five students from many different backgrounds. Some were African American or West Indian, some were mature for their age, some were gifted and some, not so much. But I loved teaching these kids. Every week, somebody learned something, and every week, there was a new story to tell.

For example, one day, my ADD girl, Erin, decided to unbutton her shirt while I was teaching. We weren't doing clothing like last year when Michael, a twin, drew genitals on the androgynous body form we were supposed to be dressing.(His sister, Laura, had the same idea and drew breasts on her paper...damn twin telepathy)

This time, we were going over the alphabet. When she did it, Erin went up to her regular teacher and complained that she didn't know how to button back up. Her teacher said, "Oh no. You got yourself into this mess, now you can get yourself out." Erin is one of my gifted students, but without something to keep her occupied, we lose her. Little did we all know what not getting her clothes straightened out would lead to.

She stomped away from her teacher, frustrated that she wasn't going to get any help,but she plopped down silently in the middle of the kids on the rug. I continued the lesson. I turned my back and pointed to the letter "H". Erin screamed at the top of her lungs, "HACHE!". I spun around quickly and saw her raise both of her hands in triumph but almost choke on her shirt, which was now around her neck like a scarf. Both arms were out of the sleeves and she wasn't wearing an undershirt. I made eye contact with her teacher as Erin was airlifted out of the group and her look clearly said, "You're welcome."

Score one for education in America. No one gets left behind.

Little Michael only spoke Polish. I managed to break through slightly and teach him the phrase, "Me llamo". He also had ADD. The same day, after the Erin incident, I had him sit with me as I struggled to continue teaching. Every once in a while, just so I wouldn't lose him, I would ask him questions. I'd say,"Michael, cual es la fecha de hoy?" He was very enthusiastic as he yelled, "ME LLAMO MICHAEL!" in my ear. (I have to admit,that was a far better answer than the kid who responded "Chocolate Chip", when I asked the same question.)

Most of the time he fidgeted. I put him on my lap so I could control his movements a little better. He faced the class, but his back was to me. Eventually, he started trying to kick a little boy in the face that was sitting in front of us. And someone in the back of the room informed me that Michael was picking his nose every time I wasn't holding his hands to keep him from grabbing the decorations off of the wall.

With fifty minutes still left, and the teachers off to the side eating a snack and gossiping, Nicholas sat in between ten kids coughing up a lung. No one ever moved him out of the crowd.

By the time I got home, I felt like I needed a bath. What's the Spanish for Valium?


 CF Winn is the award-winning author of The COFFEE BREAK SERIES, a hilarious group of short stories meant to be read while on break or in the waiting room of the doctor's office. Her first novella, SUKI, has been grabbing hearts and hugging souls all over the United States.

You can now order SUKI in paperback at BOOK REVUE, one of the nation’s largest independent bookstores, by email at info@bookrevue.com or by calling (631) 271-1442.
Learn more about SUKI at BOOK REVUE http://www.bookrevue.com/localauthors.html

Write Tips: The MILF Factor

Every school yard has one...the single mother. The MILF.

She's easily identified as the pretty young thing that sashays onto the blacktop wearing tight, revealing clothes. She flirts with all of the dads. She's a threat, waiting for the perfect moment to bed as many husbands as possible.

Writers! Ready to take pen to the paper?

YAWN!

Write Tip #1:Don't Stereotype

That woman is the typical mid life crisis, wet dream kind of story...exciting, but only to the guy who wakes up having to wash his sheets the next day. The MILF fantasy from the perspective of the horny guy and the jealous wife is predictable on and off the pages.

Take a look:

Today, a man phone-tapped his wife on Z-100. He had Danielle Monaro pose as the notorious single mother and call to ask if said man would "swing by her house and put a shelf up". The wife was not happy. She called her husband and sarcastically bestowed on him the title of, "Friendly Guy of the Year". She informed Danielle that she felt comfortable speaking for all of the mothers at school by saying that Danielle had overstepped by taking her hubby up on his offer to "give her a hand if she ever needed it".

And there you have it.

The stereotypic response to a woman who calls this couple's house and DOESN'T hang up when the wife answers. They have an entire conversation, and the big bad single mother states that she isn't looking to sleep with the woman's husband. Shockingly, the wife doesn't believe her.

Then the husband admits to having regular dialogue with this woman and to offering her assistance, but still, his agenda must be to sneak around and have an affair.

Snooze, cat nap, deep sleep...

Wifey also addressed the single mom's wardrobe. She said she comes to pick up her kids with her boobs falling out. Wow! Wardrobe malfunctions at the elementary school! Where do THEY live?

Let's jump out of crazy jealous Wifey's head, and into one of a sane person.

Has anyone who's ever gotten a boob job done it with the intention of hiding them behind high necked, loosely fitting clothes? Most teens and twenty somethings, or even those that look like them, show it as long as they can, fearing in the back of their minds that one day they may not have it to show anymore.

Juices should be flowing...inching over into another perspective...wait for it...

Why is this woman single?

Write Tip #2: Build the character.

Is she divorced? Is she a widow? Was she never married but left alone to raise her baby-daddy's kids?

Suddenly, this threat is a human being with some depth.

Would a woman in any one of these situations feel so bad that she might feel she needs a little attention just to get through the day? Maybe it's not YOUR HUSBAND she's after, but an anonymous glance.

And here's one to chew on: Did she dress that way, not for your husband, but for the guy at work she's interested in? And she doesn't have time to change before picking up the kids?

I was that single mother.

I had three kids and didn't look like it. Blessed with good genes, I looked ten years younger than my actual age. I wasn't willing to dress in the standard sweatpants and t-shirt uniform I so often see at school pickups. I was working multiple jobs and feeling bad about the situation my kids and I were in. I knew that if I let myself go completely, I'd never recover. When someone was nice enough to say "Hello" to me, I certainly wasn't going to be rude or turn down adult conversation.

Not A MILF. Just A Mom.

WRITE TIP #3: Perspective

From the perspective of this single mother, I spent a long time mourning the loss of partnership...not looking for it. When I was finally ready to get back out there, I wasn't looking for a guy who was already taken, or one with kids. I already had three.

I would have loved it if someone would have shown me some kindness by offering to help me out with anything. I didn't have the time, energy or know-how to do many of the things that needed to get done. If a man would have come to help and brought his wife along, maybe she and I could have been friends. I would have been so grateful because being the single girl can be awfully lonely and isolating at times.

On behalf of MILFs everywhere, do we want your husbands, the middle aged, beer bellied, balding guys we see at the schoolyard?

Write Tip #4: Take The Plot Less Traveled

There are often many sides to a story, and exploring them can mean writing the next great hit.

CF Winn is the award-winning author of The COFFEE BREAK SERIES, a quirky group of short stories meant to be read while on break or in the waiting room of the doctor’s office. Her first novella, SUKI, has been grabbing hearts and hugging souls all over the United States. 

You can now order SUKI in paperback at BOOK REVUE, one of the nation’s largest independent bookstores, by email at info@bookrevue.com Learn more about SUKI at BOOK REVUE. 

CF Winn is the founder of Winning! Publications, a firm specializing in editing and promotion services for authors. Her latest project is the just released Trailer Trash, With a Girl’s Name, a hilarious and heartwarming story of a boy saddled with a girl’s name and forced into a nomadic existence. Order it now: http://www.amazon.com/Trailer-Trash-With-Girls-Name-ebook/dp/B00IX0MIAO 

Lunchables

Help me. I'm hungry.

So one morning, I'm editing SUKI, when my daughter sends me a MAYDAY text:

"Sam has no lunch. Please call his father and tell him to bring him some. I have to go into class now."

What?! My beloved godson has no lunch?! He's a teenager...at a very crucial point in his growth cycle...he needs to eat every meal!

I stop everything and call my friend, but he doesn't answer.          

Send Out Sustenance

I leave him a VM:

"Corey, this is your BF calling... from New York... to let you know that your son...in Colorado... has no lunch. He called my daughter...in New York...to ask her to get in touch with you...in Colorado...so you can bring him the lunchable that's on the shelf in the refrigerator. Unfortunately, she has to be in class now, and is not allowed to use her cell phone, so she SOS'd me to help."

My friend does not respond all day, but I have faith that the law is the same in Colorado as it is in New York, and that the school will allow Sam to eat the same hockey puck burgers and limp salads that we all ate in high school, and that tomorrow his parents can pay the cafeteria back.

When I'm sure school has let out, I text my godson and ask, "So what did you do for lunch today?"

He says, "Nothing. But then my mom's hair stylist dropped off some food at the end of the day. I ate it on the bus on the way to my basketball game, and then I got a hot dog and popcorn after the game."

???

So, wait. That's how it's done??      

Drop those scissors! We have a crisis!

I would LOVE to call up MY hair stylist, ROB, at SALON 3028 and say,

"Hey Rob, Ali left her cell phone at home and I she's gonna need to text me after school to pick her up from her play practice. I know that I just interrupted you cutting John Edward (the famous psychic) to come to the phone, and I know that it can take weeks to get an appointment with you sometimes because your salon is so busy, but would you mind dropping everything, and running this over to her? Thanks, you're a doll! SMOOCHES!"

I'm gonna call him tomorrow and see how that goes...

CF Winn is the award-winning author of The COFFEE BREAK SERIES, a quirky group of short stories meant to be read while on break or in the waiting room of the doctor’s office. Her first novella, SUKI, has been grabbing hearts and hugging souls all over the United States. 

You can now order SUKI in paperback at http://hopress-shorehousebooks.com/cf-winn/  or at BOOK REVUE, one of the nation’s largest independent bookstores, by email at info@bookrevue.com Learn more about SUKI at BOOK REVUE.  

Her blogs have been syndicated on multiple sites including The Masquerade Crew. More posts like these can be found at Humor Outcasts and The Patch where she is a regular contributor.  

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