I’m still not very brave | by Linda Brendle

Published in the Rains County Leader on August 29, 2017:

The first time I read Gone with the Wind, I wanted to be just like Scarlett O’Hara. I conveniently overlooked the needy and manipulative parts of her personality and focused instead on her strengths. To me she was a brave southern woman who stood tall and strong in the face of all adversities and enemies. Compared to her, I had very little adversity and even fewer enemies, but I knew that, if the occasion ever arose, I would be just as brave and fierce as she was as she stared down war, poverty, and more. I was wrong.

Book Review: The Road Cain Walks by Matt Kilby

About the book:

When psychologist Joe Richards came home to Pine Haven, he expected to find the same tranquil town he left ten years ago. One that hadn’t seen a murder in decades. One without Grady Perlson or the vicious thing inside him. But when the bodies start turning up and the local sheriff’s department has trouble finding answers, his newest client’s past might explain it all and warn of worse to come. Dark and introspective, The Road Cain Walks explores the consequences of regret as it builds constant tension towards its staggering conclusion.

My review (Four stars out of five):

Matt Kilby is a talented writer and an amazing story teller. The opening line of The Road Cain Walks – “Pine Haven was a town people passed through on their way somewhere better.” – let me know I was in for a treat.

Kilby’s debut novel is a tale of mystery and suspense, fantasy, and horror with an intricate plot and, at times, an overwhelming cast of characters. I have to admit that I sometimes got lost in the maze, but in spite of the occasional lag, the author’s engaging style kept me turning the pages, all 744 of them. Ultimately, though, my persistence was rewarded, and every question was answered. Well, almost every question. There was just enough ambiguity to leave room for a sequel.

Before I commit to another marathon read, I would like to see the author use a strong editorial hand – either his or someone else’s – to tighten up his story, to use fewer pronouns to ensure that the reader knows who is doing what, and to correct a few repetitive grammatical quirks that detract from the story. If the second novel incorporates these changes while maintaining the same level of storytelling, I would have no trouble giving Matt Kilby a five-star review.

About the author:

Matt Kilby lives in North Carolina, where he continues to write. His first novel, The Road Cain Walks, is the first book in a series that will span multiple genres and themes.

You can find Matt at:

Twitter 

Facebook

Find the book at Amazon

Blessings,

Linda

Kitty loves us! | by Linda Brendle

Published in the Rains County Leader on August 22, 2017:

Many of Kitty’s fans have been asking about her recently, so I decided early in the week to make her the focus of this week’s column. Before I sat down at the keyboard, I consulted the Internet about the meaning of a couple of her idiosyncrasies I intended to write about. What I found was an article written in 2014 by Modi Ramoson titled “9 Signs Your Cat Actually Loves You.” It provided some very interesting insights into Kitty’s behavior.

1. Your cat brings you their “presents” – When your cat brings you their kill it is actually meant as a present…a love token.

Thankfully, Kitty is an indoor cat, so her presents consist of various toys. Her favorite at the moment is a yellow stuffed elephant. It frequently ends up at David’s feet when he’s sitting on the couch or on my side of the bed when it’s time to make it up.

Quote from “A Long and Winding Road:” No place feels like home | by Linda Brendle

Anniversary edition available at Amazon.

Blessings,

Linda

August Rain, Climate Change, and George Carlin | by Linda Brendle

Published in the Rains County Leader on August 15, 2017:

This creek is usually 6″ wide and half that deep.

“I think we’ve been abducted and mistakenly returned somewhere other than Texas.” I’ve heard David make that statement several times recently. It’s a valid observation. August is usually very hot and very dry in the Lone Star State, but so far we’ve had between 8-10” at our house and a week with highs in the 80s – and it’s only the 13^th!

I hesitated to broach this subject, because it usually leads to discussions about climate change. The last time I engaged in that kind of conversation, it didn’t end well. Shortly after the last election, a friend who was unhappy with the results reached out to me in an attempt to understand “the other side.” She asked questions and asked for honest answers, but when I responded, she was shocked. Knowing someone disagrees with you apparently evokes completely different emotions than seeing it written down in black and white. Let’s just say she now thinks the Venus/Mars difference between men and women is more manageable than our differing beliefs.

Changing the Recipe | by Linda Brendle

Published in the Rains County Leader on August 8, 2017:

David and I go to a home group Bible study every Friday night. We meet at somebody’s home and share dinner before we study. I post a sign-up sheet on WikiSpaces every week, and we take turns bringing various parts of the meal. Friday was my turn to bring the main dish. One of the men was planning to order egg rolls from the mother of a co-worker, so I decided to stay with the theme and make teriyaki chicken. I had never made it before, so I went on-line and found a recipe that looked fairly easy and tasty.

Author Interview with Anaiah Press

Today has been a busy one and it’s barely past breakfast! Here is a link to an interview I did with Anaiah Press. Click it and see if you learn anything about me and my writing you didn’t already know.

AUTHOR INTERVIEW

Blessings,

Linda

 

Check out the Anniversary Edition!

How caregivers keep a marriage strong | by Linda Brendle

Today I am the guest of Kayelle Allen on her amazing site called Romance Lives Forever. Click on the link below and read my post titled “How caregivers keep a marriage strong.”

CLICK HERE

Blessings,

Linda

Check out the Anniversary Edition!

 

What a city girl doesn’t know about pigs | by Linda Brendle

Published in the Rains County Leader on August 1, 2017:

I met a new friend this week. Becky owns a one-operator beauty salon outside of town, and she is very popular at the Senior Center for her Senior Thursday haircuts. She’s also very interesting to talk to.

While she was working on my unruly curls, she mentioned that her son might be going to college on a scholarship, that is, if he agreed to continue training pigs for the show ring. Training pigs? I knew that pot bellied pigs could be domesticated and even trained to use a litter box, but I had trouble imagining them jumping hurdles in an agility ring or responding to commands in an obedience ring.