Tag: Memphis TN

Here’s What’s Going on in My Neck of the Woods

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch

Every now and again, I like to share what’s going on with me and find out what’s going on with you? (I always wanna know what’s going on with you!)

Told ya I just got around to taking
down the decorations!

On the home front, I took the Christmas stuff down…finally. Like this past week. Don’t judge! I’ve been lazy busy. My son just started Karate! He loves it, but bless his heart, he has no coordination!
He fell kicking one of the bags and growled when I laughed. I tried hard not to, but people who fall are funny!

This was at her Christmas recital. 

My daughter resumed piano lessons this past week. I don’t mind because she’s actually really good, and she shuts the door to her bedroom to play. 

I got the two books I’d really been wanting for Christmas. Roget’s Thesaurus and The Chicago Manual of Style 16th edition. 

I also bought a craft book the other day when hubby and I were out. We went to see Sherlock Holmes, which we enjoyed, and then out for a late lunch to our favorite joint, The Flying Fish. Oh the name of the book you say? Now Write! Mysteries edited by Sherry Ellis & Laurie Lamson. It’s several chapters written by various authors. I like it.

I’ve stumbled across some new songs that I’ve added to my playlist. Poison & Wine by the Civil Wars, Holding on and Letting Go by Ross Copperman, and Anywhere but Here by Safety Suit. Great songs for some scenes I’m revising. (I’ve linked them to youtube if you have time and wanna check them out.) Which reminds me, I have a youtube channel with no videos. LOL I keep saying I’m going to vlog but…I have zipola to vlog about. Any suggestions? 

Also…my new website is going to launch www.jessicarpatch.com (cross your fingers) on Monday, January 3oth and I’ll be introducing my new tagline which I’m very excited about! I’ll share more about that in an upcoming post!

And last, I’ve discovered DeeAnne Gist. Since I’m new to reading historical romances, she’s a new find for me. LOVE with a capital L-O-V-E! I read A Bride Most Begrudging and Maid to Match. In two days. Last week. I’ll review them later. I am now reading, Love on the Line by her.

So that’s all I know around here. Oh, I cooked a deer. Not a whole deer, but like a roast. It was pretty good, once I forced my mind away from thoughts that it had disease or was a crazy deer and I was going to get both by eating it…anywho…

Your turn. What’s going on in your neck of the woods? Any new craft books for you writers? Novels? Is your Christmas stuff still up? Ever ate deer? Crazy deer?

Flying Fish, Making Waves, and Happy 4th of July!

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch

This is the Flying Fish in Memphis. I didn’t take the picture, but I did eat there Friday night with my hubby, and our best friends.

We dropped our tweens off at a birthday part, looking oh so cute. Bittersweet. Girls growing up.

We took our little ones with us. They’re a year apart. Little Miss thang is convinced she’s going to marry Myles. Myles tells her, “Stop saying that! It’s embarrassing.” 🙂

We had a great time.

I’m listening to Jason Mraz live in Chitown. He’s one of my favorites.  So that’s what’s been going on in my neck of the woods over the weekend. I thought since I ate seafood over the weekend, and since today is July 4th (this book has a great fireworks scene over the lake) it would be appropriate to review:

Making Waves by Lorna Seilstad

I’ve been branching out–reading historicals. Glad I have! I’ve read so many great ones lately. This is one of them.
Normally, I’m not a big fan of people on the covers of books, but it obviously is popular because most of them are like this. But this cover seems to fit. I pictured the main character, Marguerite, much like this.
“When spunky Marguerite Westing discovers that her family will summer at Lake Manawa in 1895, she couldn’t be more thrilled. It is the perfect way to escape her agonizingly boring suitor, Roger Gordon. It’s also where she stumbles upon two new loves: sailing, and sailing instructor Trip Andrews. But this summer of fun turns to turmoil as her father’s gambling problems threaten to ruin the family forever. Will free-spirited Marguerite marry
Roger to save her father’s name and fortune? Or will she follow her heart–even if it means abandoning the family she loves?”
My opinion

Marguerite is a feisty, fun character living in a time when women had a place and sailing or really anything it seemed wasn’t it. I loved her wit and sass. Some of the things she thought to herself while courting boring Roger made me laugh out loud.
Once she thought to herself that if God would strike Roger with lightning, she’d be happy to move over a few feet.  I’m still laughing over that.
I thought Trip Andrews was flirty and fun. I giggled at their bathing suits back then. Not something I’d find attractive on a man, but it’s a historical, so…
I felt transported back into the time. I wanted to wipe my brow due to the heat and have a glass of lemonade with them. My heart pitter-pattered as love blossomed and I was satisfied with the ending.
4 out of 5 stars
Do you have a favorite historical? Share. I need to dip my toe into the genre more and what are you doing to celebrate the holiday today?