Carol's Notebook – Page 540

Complete: Fairy Tale Challenge

April 2, 2011April 7, 2011 by Carol5 Comments

So, I've completed Tif's Fairy Tale Challenge. Here's the list of what I read/saw, but I'll definitely be sharing more fairy tales during my Friday posts. I'm hooked. "The Ice Maiden" by Hans Christian Andersen The Ballad of Belle Dorcas by William H. Hooks "Vasilissa the Beautiful" retold by Post Wheeler "Bearskin" by The Brothers Grimm "The Story of the Three Little Pigs" by Joseph Jacobs "The Gingerbread Man" "Beauty and the Beast" by Marie Le Prince de Beaumont "The Story of Tuan Mac Cairill" told by James Stephens Red Riding Hood (2011) "The Sea-Maiden" by Joseph Jacobs Puss in Boots by Charles Perrault, translated by Malcolm Arthur "The Pedlar of Swaffham" by Joseph Jacobs...

Flash Fiction: “At the Gate”

April 1, 2011 by Carol11 Comments

Dottie at Tink's Place has a Monday Morning Flash Fiction challenge that I'm enjoying. Each Monday a new picture prompt will be posted and if you choose to participate you post your story on Friday - 350 words, give or take. At the Gate by Carol 398 words Cian hated the gate. Téodóir’s Gate had been standing here in the forest for as long as anyone could remember. And it was beautiful, even he could recognize that. The gate was massive, reaching toward the treetops, gold glinting through the vines twisting around it. The sun, which couldn’t penetrate the ancient wood, warmed the clearing and a pleasant breeze embraced him. The villagers believed the gate held a protective enchantment, keeping them safe from invaders and enemies. Cian understood. There had been peace in their land since the time of his ancestors and as generations passed on, the stories became legends and the people felt safe. But Cian’s grandmother had remembered and believed. Others called...

Friday’s Tale: The Pedlar of Swaffham by Joseph Jacobs

April 1, 2011March 31, 2011 by Carol7 Comments

The only bit of magic in this tale comes in the form of dreams. A peddler, who lives in Swaffham in Norfolk. "He'd much ado to make his living, trudging about with his pack at his back and his dog at his heels, and at the close of the day's labour was but too glad to sit down and sleep." One night he dreams about the London Bridge and hears that if he goes to the bridge he will learn good news. when he wakes up, he dismisses the dream, but he has the same dream the next night and the third night. He can't ignore the dream any longer, so he travels to London and stands on the bridge for two uneventful days. On the third day, however,...

Review: Cloud of Ink by L. S. Klatt

March 31, 2011 by Carol7 Comments

I think I've learned my lesson. I truly enjoy poetry even though I don't read it often, and I was looking forward to reading this collection, but I got it as an e-galley. Apparently I need to stick with actual, physical books when reading poetry. I think I would have read slower, appreciated it more if I had had the printed version. And the formatting didn't help the situation. This the description from Goodreads, since to be honest I missed the meaning on most of the poems. The imagery was interesting, the writing eloquent, but they just went past me. I think I may give it a try again, but pick up the paperback first. On the surface, L. S. Klatt’s poems are airy and humorous—with their tales of chickens wandering the highways of Ohio and Winnebago trailers rolling up to heaven and whales bumping like watermelons in a bathtub—but just under the surface they turn disconcertingly serious...

Review: The Secret Adversary by Agatha Christie

March 30, 2011 by Carol8 Comments

I need to say straight off that I have adored Agatha Christie books since probably junior high. I like all of her series characters for different reasons, but Tommy and Tuppence are pure fun. This is the first book to feature the pair. It takes place just after WW1 and both Tommy and Tuppence are facing rough times. Unemployed, running out of money, they decide to advertise themselves as "Young Adventures," looking for cash and an enjoyable exploit. Their first client works for the British Government and hires them to find a young woman who carries a document that could drastically effect England's future. Of course, the job is fraught with danger, murder, kidnappings and international intrigue. Like most of Christie's books, the plot is good with a convincing red herring. The pair find themselves in quite a few sticky situations, but there's really no doubt that they'll manage to come out on top. This was a reread for me, but it's...