50 Nifty...And All The Reason Why...

I was a little disappointed when I decided to research the best selling books of 2012. Not only were there very few inspirational titles on the list, there was very little inspiration, period. What is there to say when one of the top sellers is not only dark, it's almost fifty shades darker (pun intended)? I mean...really? That's what America wants?

The SAT Study Guide, I can understand. After all, people wanna go to college, right? But Bill O'Reilly talking about Killing Kennedy? The guy's been dead a long time. Isn't it time to let him rest? Never mind Killing Lincoln...

And really, who needs one more recipe book. Even the Pioneer Woman has to be getting tired of eating at home.

Then of course, theirs Jobs, Fitzgerald, and Grisham. They should get a life already, and let someone else have a shot at the list. 

Seriously, what does it mean when you get beat out by Goodnight, Goodnight Construction Site?

LOL! All right, so I admit, I wrote this tongue-in-cheek...mostly. But before I get myself into real trouble, I should probably just tell you which books made the list...and by process of elimination...which ones didn't (mine). ;-)

1.     Fifty Shades of Grey by E. L. James

2.     Fifty Shades Darker by E. .L James

3.     Fifty Shades Freed by E. L. James

4.     The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins (DIDN’T THEY MAKE THIS INTO A MOVIE??)

5.     Strengths Finder 2.0 by Tom Rath

6.     Fifty Shades Trilogy by E. L. James (IN CASE YOU DIDN’T GET THE IDEA FROM THE INDIVIDUAL NOVELS)

7.     Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

8.     Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

9.     The Third Wheel by Jeff Kinney

10.  No Easy Day: The Firsthand Account of the Mission That Killed Osama Bin Laden by Mark Owen, Kevin Maurer (WERE THESE GUYS SEALS? IF NOT, AREN’T THEY WORRIED THEY’LL TICK ONE OF THOSE GUYS OFF??}}

11.  The Hunger Games Trilogy by Suzanne Collins

12.  Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

13.  The Mark of Athena by Rick Riordan

14.  The Official SAT Study Guide, 2^nd edition by The College Board

15.  A Song of Ice and Fire by George R. R. Martin

16.  Killing Kennedy by Bill O’Reilly

17.  Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association by American Psychological Association (IS IT JUST ME, OR IS THAT FUNNY!!)

18.  Killing Lincoln by Bill O’Reilly, Martin Dugard

19.  Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand

20.  Proof of Heaven: A Neurosurgeon’s Journey into the Afterlife by Eben Alexander (NOT REALLY…RIGHT??)

21.  The 5 Love Languages: The  Secret to Love That Lasts by Gary D. Chapman

22.  Barefoot Contessa Foolproof: Recipes You Can Trust by Ina Garten

23.  Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman (CAN YOU CHANGE BACK AND FORTH LIKE THAT? IT’S NOT A CHEVY, AFTER ALL!)

24.  The Casual Vacancy by J. K. Rowling (REMEMBER HER??)

25.  The Harbinger by Jonathan Cahn

26.  The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg (FOR A MINUTE, I THOUGHT IT READ THE POWER OF HOBBIT!)

27.  Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson (UM…THE GUY MADE A GAZILLION DOLLARS AND HE COULDN’T THINK OF CATCHIER TITLE?)

28.  Wheat Belly: Lose the Wheat, Lose the Weight, and Find Your Path Back to Health by William Davis (THIS GUY NEEDS TO WORK ON STEVE JOBS’S BOOK)

29.  Oh, the Places You’ll Go! by Dr. Seuss (J)

30.  The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey (AGAIN WITH THE HOBBITS…)

31.  The Five Dysfunctions of a Team: A Leadership Fable by Patrick Lencioni

32.  Quiet: The Power of Introverts in World That Can’t Stop Talking by Susan Cain (SHE MAY HAVE WRITTEN THIS BOOK FOR ME)

33.  The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

34.  The Racketeer by John Grisham

35.  The Blood Sugar Solution by Mark Hyman

36.  Goodnight, Goodnight Construction Site by Sherri Duskey Rinker, Tom Lichtenheld

37.  The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot

38.  The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

39.  The Serpent’s Shadow by Rick Riordan

40.  One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are by Ann Voskamp

41.  Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail by Cheryl Strayed (OPRAH LIKED THIS ONE)

42.  Winter of the World by Ken Follett

43.  The Pioneer Woman Cooks by Ree Drummond (WE KNOW!)

44.  The LEGO Ideas Book by Daniel Lipkowitz (HAVE YOU SEEN WHAT THEY CAN DO WITH LEGOS???)

45.  Heaven is for Real by Todd Burpo, Lynn Vincent

46.  Jesus Calling: Enjoying Peace in His Presence (DIAL ONE FOR JESUS, TWO FOR THE HOLY SPIRIT, THREE FOR…)

47.  Eat to Live by Joel Fuhrman (DIDN’T WE ALREADY KNOW THIS?)

48.  Thomas Jefferson: The Art of Power by Jon Meacham

49.  Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap…and Others Don’t by Jim Collins

50.  The Amateur by Edward Klein (I SHOULD READ THIS. I MAY FIGURE OUT WHY I DIDN'T MAKE THE LIST!!!)

So? Was your favorite book of 2012 on this list? If not, which one would you include?

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Fact Into Fiction: Tips and Techniques for Writing the Historical Novel by Dorothy Love

In addition to the usual concerns about characterization, story structure, theme, plot, setting, and dialogue, authors of historical fiction must undertake considerable research and make some additional choices in storytelling. Here are some tips and techniques to consider:

Accuracy matters. The authenticity of an historical novel depends upon the author’s knowledge of, and judicious use of accurate details. Readers must be able to hear, smell, feel, taste, and touch the world into which they’ve been invited. If your protagonist is on a train trip from Boston to Nashville, what rail lines are in use? What are the routes? What foods are available on board? Is there a sleeping car? What do the stations along the way look like? The hotels? Who are the other passengers? All of this, just to put her on the train!  Don’t depend on movies or Wikipedia. Search out university web sites, or sites run by state historical societies. Read the best books you can find on the subject. Interview the authors of those books, if available.  Search out copies of the magazines of the day. Some can be found online. Reading these magazines, as well as old catalogs, will give you a sense of the language and of the concerns and opinions of the people about whom you are writing. 

Don’t overwrite. Knowing which details to leave out is as important as knowing which to include. . Esoteric facts, no matter how fascinating, should be left out if they don’t advance the plot or reveal something important about your characters. The art of writing historical fiction requires the wise selection of the right detail to achieve the desired effect.  Historical details might entice readers into your novel, but it’s the characters that keep them there. Never substitute solid character development for more detail. 

Be true to your characters and to their times. If you are writing about actual historical persons, treat them fairly. They aren’t here to defend themselves. Don’t give your fictional historical characters a 21^st century sensibility. Let them be bigoted, provincial, ignorant, prejudiced if that is what your story requires. 

 Be judicious with backstory, especially at the beginning of your novel. Tell only    as much as is necessary to set the story in motion. Let the rest of it come out gradually after your readers are invested in the story. The old advice to begin on 

the day that is different, on the day when your protagonist is called to adventure,          has survived  since the days of oral storytelling because it works. 

Expect a long process. Often, you won’t  know what it is you need to know until you are into the story. Expect to stop to look up what you need to know. If your goal is to write fast, if you don’t enjoy this process of unearthing the past, chances are, you won’t  enjoy writing historical fiction, for it’s a bit like setting out on a long journey with very little information about your destination and about what you’ll need to make the trip. But when you finally arrive…wow! 

Read voraciously. Here are a few of my favorite writers of historical novels. Some write inspirational fiction. Others write for the general market. Read to see how these authors begin stories, how they incorporate backstory and how they weave their research into the narrative. 

Lynn Austin, eight time Christy winner, author of All Things New, Wonderland Creek, and many others. I discovered her work with Though Waters Roar and became an instant fan.  

Rosslyn Elliott’s Sadlers Legacy series are outstanding examples of incorporating historical figures into fiction.

Phillipa Gregory, author of the Wideacre series, plus The Other Boleyn Girl, The Red Queen and many others.  

Lawrence Hill, Someone Knows My Name

Kelly O’Connor McNees. Kelly is a new author whose two books, The Lost Summer of Louisa May Alcott and In Need of a Good Wife, blew me away.  

Susan Meissner’s The Shape of Mercy. Robin Olivera, also a new author, My Name is Mary Sutter. 

Catherine Richmond’s Through Rushing Water and her debut novel, Spring for Susannah are very well researched and beautifully written. 

Dorothy Love is an award-winning author of seventeen novels for adults and young adults published at Random House, Simon and Schuster, and HarperCollins/Thomas Nelson.  Her work has been honored by the American Library Association, the New York Public Library, and many others. She is a past winner of the Friends of American Writers Fiction Prize and the Teddy Prize for juvenile fiction. She makes her home in the Texas hill country with her husband and two golden retrievers. Her next novel, CAROLINA GOLD will be published this fall at Thomas Nelson. 

SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS: 

Author website: www.DorothyLoveBooks.com   

Facebook: www.facebook.com/dorothylovebooks  

Twitter: writerDorothy

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YA Book Spotlight ~ The Language of Souls

My first "May I Borrow From Your Book?" letter, which I posted last week, was for Lena Goldfinch. Today I'm pleased to share a little more with you about her novella, The Language of Souls, which was recently re-released as a YA read. Then on Friday, January 11th, Lena will be giving away an e-copy of the novella, and you can enter to win by completing a fun puzzle featuring the book's intriguing cover - so be sure to stop by!
 
About the Book

"Solena, a young healer with a generous heart, is desperate to heal her dying grandfather. When she ventures into hostile territory to find a rare herb, she finds out just how much she’s risked when she’s captured by the enemy and accused of being a spy.

As a soldier, Rundan has struggled all his life to please his father, a ruthless army commander, but when he’s ordered to take the beautiful trespasser to the royal courts, where she’ll be summarily tried and executed, he’s plagued by the most inconvenient desire to protect her.

Though terrified and anxious to escape, Solena is confused by the handsome young soldier who cruelly captures her and then displays uncommon kindness. When he risks his own life to save hers, she discovers she may have risked more than her life… she may have lost her heart.

YOUNG ADULT, FANTASY, ROMANCE
TEEN FICTION, ages 12 and up"

About the Author

From Lena's website: "I live in a scenic small town in Massachusetts with my husband, two kids, and a very spoiled Black Lab. In my not-so-murky past, I've worked as a software engineer and a web designer, and now love writing fiction. I also love horses, Xbox Dance Central DC, and Tai Chi, a relaxing but challenging form of exercise/martial art (which is way harder than it looks! ;)).

For reading, I'm a sucker for a good old-fashioned romance, whether it be a traditional Regency, historical romance/mystery, or, naturally, young adult fantasy. I love watching movies with my family and going for walks around a nearby lake, with my very spoiled Black Lab, of course.

Besides wanting to be a writer, I always wanted to be an artist. Although I ended up enjoying a wonderfully fulfilling career in software engineering and web design, I still absolutely LOVE design. Nowadays, I employ both my computer and artistic skills designing my website and also book interiors & covers."
  
Want More?

• You can buy the book now on Amazon.com in e-book (only $.99!) or paperback format! 

• Check out Goodreads for a sneak peek at the cover and synopsis of Lena's next release - a full-length YA fantasy romance novel called Aire!

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Winners!!

Happy Saturday, BB fans! Thanks to everyone who participated in our "puzzling" Friday giveaway! Keep all those facebook and Twitter notifications, coming! This week's winner is:

Lisa Nelson - The Christmas Pony by Melody Carlson!
 
Congratulations, Lisa!

Thank you all so much for stopping by The Borrowed Book!

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Weekly Drawing

It's Fun Friday at The Borrowed Book!

To enter:

Leave the time it took you to complete the puzzle in the comments section as well as your email address for notifying the winner. Winners will be drawn from ALL of the times, so the person with the fastest time may not be the actual winner, but by leaving your time, you double your chances.

Want another entry? Tweet your puzzle time and mention The Borrowed Book, get another entry. RETWEET our Tweet, get two entries!

Post your puzzle time on BB's Facebook wall and...you guessed it...get another entry!

Post it on your OWN Facebook wall and you could get as many as FIVE entries.

It's all a way to spread the word about the great giveaways on BB. So c'mon! Help us spread the word, and have a little fun at the same time. :-)

This week's puzzle feature is brought to you by Melody Carlson and her newest release, The Christmas Pony.

 

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Did You Know? ~ Auld Lang Syne

Auld Lang Syne has been called the most familiar song nobody knows all the words to.

Scotsman Robert Burns is credited with writing the original song. It was published after his death in 1796. He said he collected some of it "from an old man," which is likely because some of the lyrics are from a ballad “Old Long Syne” printed in 1711 by James Watson. The tune was an old Scots folk melody.

James Watson version:

Should Old Acquaintance be forgot,
and never thought upon;
The flames of Love extinguished,
and fully past and gone:
Is thy sweet Heart now grown so cold,
that loving Breast of thine;
That thou canst never once reflect
On Old long syne.

Chorus:

On Old long syne my Jo,
On Old long syne,
That thou canst never once reflect,
On Old long syne.

Robert Burns version:

Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And days o’ lang syne!

Chorus:
For auld lang syne, my dear
For auld lang syne,
We’ll tak a cup o’ kindness yet
For auld lang syne!

We twa hae run about the braes,
And pu’d the gowans fine,
But we’ve wander’d mony a weary foot
Sin’ auld lang syne.

We twa hae paidl’t in the burn
Frae morning sun till dine,
But seas between us braid hae roar’d
Sin’ auld lang syne.

And there’s a hand, my trusty fiere,
And gie’s a hand o’ thine,
And we’ll tak a right guid willie-waught
For auld lang syne!

And surely ye’ll be your pint’ stoup,
And surely I’ll be mine!
And we’ll tak a cup o’ kindness yet
For auld lang syne!

But it wasn’t until 1929 when Canadian band leader Guy Lombardi and his Royal Canadians played it on New Year’s Eve in New York that it became a New Year’s Eve standard.

Modern version:

 Times Gone By

Should old acquaintances be forgotten,
And never brought to mind?
Should old acquaintances be forgotten,
And days of long ago!

Chorus:
For times gone by, my dear
For times gone by,
We will take a cup of kindness yet
For times gone by.

We two have run about the hillsides
And pulled the daisies fine,
But we have wandered many a weary foot
For times gone by.

We two have paddled (waded) in the stream
From noon until dinner time,
But seas between us broad have roared
Since times gone by.

And there is a hand, my trusty friend,
And give us a hand of yours,
And we will take a goodwill drink (of ale)
For times gone by!

And surely you will pay for your pint,
And surely I will pay for mine!
And we will take a cup of kindness yet
For times gone by!

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Books: Kindle Deals for .99 cents!

Historical Romance set in Johnstown, PA during the horrific flood of 1889. 

Alaina breaks their engagement when Jack fails to put their relationship ahead of his ambitions. But what dark secret is fueling Jack's need to be rich and will Alaina forgive him before time runs out for them both?

.99 for Kindle on Amazon 

Cozy Mystery that will make you laugh out loud. Book 1 of the LaTisha Barnhart Mystery series.

LaTisha Barnhart's bunions tell her something's afoot as she delves deeper into the murder of her former employer, Marion Peters. When LaTisha becomes a suspect, the ante i upped, and she is determined to clear her name and find the real culprit.

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Book 2 of the LaTisha Barnhart Mystery series.

Polly Dent Loses Grip on the treadmill and takes a fatal spill that's ruled an accident.

While helping her mother-in-law move into Bridgeton Towers Assisted LIving & Nursing, LaTisha Barnhart's nose smells trouble simmering. The residents' gossip is revealing all kinds of motives for murder.

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Book 3 of the LaTisha Barnhart Mystery series.


LaTisha’s cook overhears a hitman being hired to take out the mayor. Then said hitman turns up dead and the plot thickens like a pan of stale gravy.
Who would want to kill the mayor? And who would want to kill the killer? When LaTisha is nearly run down in broad daylight, she realizes the stakes are high. Is her goose cooked?

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Note: These books can also be downloaded to registered iPad w/ Kindle app.

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