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  • Teaser Tuesday – Return to Love

    teaser_tuesdays1MizB of Should Be Reading hosts the Teaser Tuesdays weekly event

    Here are the rules:
    * Grab your current read
    * Let the book fall open to a random page
    * Share with us two (2) “teaser” sentences from that page, somewhere between lines 7 and 12
    *You also need to share the title of the book that you’re getting your “teaser” from … that way people can have some great book recommendations if they like the teaser you’ve given!
    * Please avoid spoilers!

    This week’s teaser is:
    “The goal was to save the penguins, honor Reverand Alexander’s memory–and aquairium contributions–and do the best job she could. So when exactly had the goal altered to involve Carter?”
    pg. 106 – Return to Love by Betsy St. Amant

    – I’m super-exicted about this book by my good friend Betsy. 🙂 It releases July 1 and is available at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and lots of other retailers. Betsy did tons of research for this book, and it comes through clearly. It’s like she really works at an aquarium with penguins. But I know she doesn’t. 🙂 Hope you’ll enjoy it too!

    return-to-love

    Monday Movie – Persuasion

    jane-austens-persuasionWhere have I been? As a card-carrying girly-girl, who has seen multiple versions of every other Jane Austen book-turned movie, how is it possible I’ve never seen Persuasion? There are a million versions to choose from, so why haven’t I ever picked one up?

    Well, I changed that this weekend, with a quick trip to the library, where I borrowed a newer version from the BBC. I think this version, staring Sally Hawkins and Rupert Penry-Jones, was part of the PBS run of Jane Austen’s stories last year.

    So Katie and Stephanie and I sat down to enjoy this version on Saturday afternoon. It was overcast, and Katie and I had spent the morning shopping, so we were all feeling rather sleepy. We popped in the dvd, none of us knowing the story. I suggested we turn on the subtitles, because, let’s face it, British English isn’t anything like American English. But even with the subtitles, we all spent about the first 20 minutes not quite sure who was who and what was going on.

    Were Penelope and Mrs. Clay the same person? Who was Elizabeth and how was she related to Anne Elliot (our heroine)? And was Captain Wentworth as amazingly handsome as everyone kept saying?

    After several pauses and much discussion we discovered that in fact: Penelope and Mrs. Clay were indeed one in captain-wentworththe same … Elizabeth is Anne’s sister … and Captain Wentworth? Oh, he’s absolutely as handsome as everyone says!

    What a delightful story of the constancy of love. Eight years ago, Anne Elliot broke off her understanding (aka engagement) with Lt. Frederick Wentworth, a lowly naval man with no nobility in his family. Sir Walter Elliot, Anne’s father, believes Wentworth is unworthy, and Anne’s confidant and friend believes it’s unwise to be engaged to a man with no wealth, no position, and headed off to war (still slightly unclear what war it was that he was fighting in). So Anne was persuaded to end their understanding.

    Now the Elliot’s money is dwindling, and they must rent out their family home. Admiral and Mrs. Croft let the estate. But Mrs. Croft is also Wentworth’s sister. And Captain Wentworth, who received a promotion and made his fortune in the war, has come to visit.

    Anne still loves Wentworth, but struggles to keep her feelings to herself, as she thinks he has fallen for her brother-in-law’s sister. Confusion ensues as Mr. Elliot, Anne’s cousin begins to pursue her, but her heart has never wavered from the man she loves.

    In true Austen form, love is lost and found again, and the sweetness of this story is one to cherish. I can’t recommend it enough. With gorgeous period costumes and setting, it’s gorgeous to watch. And as I mentioned, Captain Wentworth didn’t disappoint with his brooding stares and ruffled hair. 🙂

    Next time you’re looking for a really wonderful chick-flick, pick up Persuasion. You’ll love it, like I do!

    Dreaming with an English accent until next time. -LJ

    Happy Father’s Day

    I didn’t call my dad today. I didn’t send him a card or a gift or anything. Shame on me.

    But we talked for about 30 minutes on the phone yesterday, which must count for something. Right? Well, in order to make up for my bad-daughter status, I thought I’d wish my daddio a huge Happy Father’s Day on my blog. And, taking a cue from Amy, I thought I’d offer a couple things I’m really thankful for about my dad.

    1. I’m glad we share a similar sense of humor. We must have laughed for at least half of our talk yesterday. Usually we have good chuckles about movies and embarrassing things we’ve done lately. But I can always count on Dad to laugh at my jokes. We repeat the same one-liners and still laugh at You’ve Got Mail’s best line–“Cause it makes my apartment smell mossy!”

    2. When I go back to Arizona to visit, my dad and I usually bond at a movie. We generally go see something that Mom isn’t interested in so that we get to hang out just the two of us. I love that we have a special time just to talk alone.

    3. Dad was the first person in my family to read The Kidnapping of Kenzie Thorn long before it was under contract. He told me I wouldn’t find him buying that kind of book at the store, but he was really proud of me. And he told me he believed I would get published.

    4. When my publisher did call, Dad was the first call I made. I told him I was scared. What if they were turning me down? He told me it would be okay. Told me that whatever happened, God was still in control. He promised to pray for me … which is I’m sure why my nerves were so much calmer as I talked to my editors. Sure enough, they were offering me a contract. And when I hung up, my dad was the first person I called. He celebrated with me like no one else could.

    5. He’s one of the friendliest people I know. At church every Sunday he walks down every row greeting people–and even takes my oldest niece with him most weeks. He really exemplifies loving others and a caring heart.

    6. He always gives good advice–but only when I ask for it. 🙂

    7. He writes the best coverletters and resumes I’ve ever seen. He always helped me write mine when I was still living at home. Even after. I’d probably have a had a grand total of no jobs since college without him.

    And there are a hundred other things I love about you. The Johnson genes run strong, and I’m proud to carry them.

    Love you,
    E

    More Reviews of Kenzie

    I’m stoked about more reviews of The Kidnapping of Kenzie Thorn coming in. They’ve been pretty positive so far–although it does seem that a lot of reviewers agree that the premise is a little improbable. Hmmm … I’ll have to noodle on that.

    But you can check out some of my new reviews at these links:
    RelzReviewz

    read-n-review

    I’m busy doing a bunch of online interviews for the book, and I’ll be sure to post links to those here as soon as they go up.

    Hoping I haven’t said anything too embarrassing in my interviews until next time. -LJ

    Movie Monday – The Proposal

    I miss good romantic comedies. You know what I mean? Movies that are really funny and just happen to have a bit of romance. Movies that make me laugh so hard I snort (not that I ever would snort). Movies with scenes like While You Were Sleeping’s  Bill Pullman falling down on the ice and his pants splitting down the back. And scenes like Lucille Ball losing her slip while on a date with Henry Fonda in the original Yours, Mine, and Ours.

    I first saw those two movies and lots of  other classic rom-coms while I was inthe-proposal high school. Since then, there’s been a bunch of duds and a few chucklers … but almost no snort-inducers.

    Until Saturday night.

    Ever since I saw a preview of The Proposal months ago, I knew I had to see this movie. I generally love Sandra Bullock movies, and I confess to having a little crush on her co-star Ryan Reynolds. So when I saw that there was a sneak preview showing on Saturday, I had to go. I dropped an e-mail to a bunch of girlfriends, and pretty soon, we had a whole evening of fun planned.

    We started at Katie and Stephanie’s new place for fondue. I’ve never had fondue before, and it was wonderful! Steph made an awesome cheesy dip to start with. We dipped bread, pretzels, apples, and even grapes in the cheese and it was awesome. The best moment was when Katie realized that she had dripped “cheese juice” on her shirt. Needless to say, there was much discussion of the new phrase, includingthe idea that if I ever start a band, I should call it just that. I can just see it now … “Now taking the stage … CHEESE JUICE!!!”

    For dessert Steph made an awesome chocolate fondue, and we dipped everything from brownies to marshmallows to strawberries. A-maze-ing!

    So then we headed to the movie. Arriving half an hour early, we should have no problem getting seats together. Right? Wrong. It was crammed, and the best I could find was 4 in a row. So I got the other 4 settled into their seats and sat in a lone seat several chairs over. And then a couple very nice ladies offered to move over so I could sit with the other girls. Thank you random kind women!

    the-proposal-3So the previews started. Nothing too memorable. And then the last preview before the movie started, and I was nearly rolling on the floor when Seth Green was singing a love song to a very large gorilla. It may sound strange, but it brought tears to my eyes. So funny!

    So then The Proposal starts. It’s the story of Margaret, a high-powered executive at a New York publishing house (I felt a connection already) and her assistant Andrew, a brow-beaten aspiring editor. She treats him like trash, and the rest of the office fears her. For good reason. And then she finds out that she’s going to be deported (“But I’m from Canada!”) and lose her job. Her only hope. Marrying Andrew so she can stay in the country.

    Andrew agrees to marry his boss. If she’ll give him the promotion he’s been working toward. But first their immigration agent demands they visit his family. Alaska, here they come. Quirky family, check. Beautiful scenery, double check. Softening hearts, check and check.

    Hoot out loud humor. At every corner!

    If it sounds trite, it easily could have been. But the laughter didn’t stop until nearly 3/4 of the way through. And by then my cheeks were hurting so bad, I needed a break. The funny bits from the preview were all there, along with a scene where Margaret tries to offer a puppy to an eagle in exchange for her cell phone. One of my favorites is when Margaret is in bed and Andrew is on the floor at the foot of the bed. They share a poignant moment, and then Andrew bursts out in terrible singing. My kindly neighbor in the seat next to me was laughing and clapping so hard, I almost peed my pants because of her. Trust me on this. You’ve got to see it.

    Now, of course, I have to add a caveat, that there is a scene where Andrew’s mom takes Margaret to a club (in the the-proposal-2name of laughs) that’s inappropriate for children … and well, I sure didn’t need to see it either. But fortunately it definitely keeps its PG-13 rating. And I definitely could have used a more fleshed out couple of subplots. The ex-girlfriend and father/son struggle story lines weren’t filled out completely, but I can definitely overlook that for the sheer fun of this flick.

    Not to mention, this is the first rom-com I’ve seen in ages where our hero and heroine don’t jump into bed together on the first date. It was quite refreshing, and so sweet. And still funnier than anything I’ve seen in a while.

    Still snorting just at the memories of some of those scenes. Can’t wait to see it again this weekend (when it fully releases) until next time. -LJ

    Friday Favorite – Diet Dr. Pepper

    It’s hard to say when my obsession with Diet Dr. Pepper started. It was probably back when the slogan was something like “Tastes more like regular Dr. Pepper.”

    But I’m not a big fan of the taste of regular DP. Nope, I love the diet stuff. Seriously! It’s way better tasting with none of the calories. Score!

    There’s something so wonderful about the the carbination and the sweet flavor. It’s like having a dessert, only you drink it! I can’t go more than a couple days without one. (Course that’s probably because of the caffeine.)

    If you haven’t tried a Diet DP lately, I highly recommend you do.

    diet-dr-pepper

    Who needs coffee when there’s a DDP around until next time? -LJ

    Just for fun … Saved by the Bell

    Okay, I’m totally a slug this week and missed my Monday Movie and my Tuesday Teaser posts! How can I ever make up for it?

    Well, let me present a short video that I hope will begin to atone for my shameful lack of blogging this week: Zack Morris on Jimmy Fallon. If you’re  a Saved by the Bell fan, like I am, you’ll love this clip. If you’re not, watch it anyway. It’s high-lar-ious!

    Man, I miss Saturday morning shows.

    For your consideration …

    I submit for your consideration … the perfect eat-while-you’re-driving food:

    CORNDOGS

    So last Friday, I was headed home from work at about 3:30. During the summer, we’re supposed to get to leave work at 1:00. But a phone call with an author that I really needed to talk with and several packages that needed to be mailed, kept me there for a couple extra hours. So when I finally headed home, I was starving! I hadn’t stopped for lunch, and I’d only had a handful of Wheat Thins at my desk to tide me over.

    Somehow, I ended up at Sonic, thinking that tater tots sounded good. But when I pulled up to order, I knew that tater tots would not tide me over until dinner. So I ordered a 99 cent corndog.

    corndog

    I thought I could wait until I got home to dig in to lunch/dinner. Nope. I couldn’t do it. My tummy rumbled, then growled really loudly, so I gave in and plunged my hand into my Sonic bag. I emerged with a corndog on a stick. And you know what? It was easier to eat than any other food I’ve ever tried to down while driving.

    No fear of things melting onto my lap or dropping greasy fries on my pants. It was perfect!

    So next time you’re looking for a quick meal on the go, try a corndog. They really are perfect for the road and not just for kids! And quite tasty too. 😉

    Wondering when my next corndog run will be until next time. -LJ

    Friday Favorite – 99 Favorites

    In honor of my 99th post on this blog, I thought I’d share a very special Friday Favorite. Here are 99 of my favorite things across lots of categories. Are some of these favorites on your lists, too?

    Top 13 Movies
    1. Disney’s Beauty and the Beastbeauty-and-the-beast2. Seven Brides for Seven Brothers
    3. Anne of Avonlea
    4. Anne of Green Gables
    5. BBC’s Pride and Prejudice
    6. The Count of Monte Cristo
    7. Penelope
    8. While You Were Sleeping
    9. Newsies
    10. Miracle
    11. Frequency
    12. Maverick
    13. Bend It Like Beckham

    Top 7 Novels
    1. The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare
    2. The Princess Bride by William Goldman
    3. Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers
    4. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
    5. Splitting Harriet by Tamara Leighsplitting-harriet6. Pants on Fire by Meg Cabot
    7. How to Hook a Hottie by Tina Feraro

    Top 6 Nonfiction Titles
    1. No Wonder They Call Him the Savior by Max Lucado
    2. In the Grip of Grace by Max Lucado
    3. Wild Goose Chase by Mark Batterson
    4. Through Gates of Splendor by Elisabeth Elliot
    5. Confessions of a Pastor by Craig Groeschel
    6. 90 Minutes in Heaven by Don Piper

    Top 11 TV Shows
    1. Friday Night Lights
    2. Veronica Mars
    3. Robin Hood
    4. Sports Night
    5. Burn Notice
    6. Pushing Daisiespushing-daisies7. My Boys
    8. Life
    9. West Wing
    10. The Pretender
    11. Psych

    Top 7 TV Characters I’d Like to Hang Out With
    1. Coach Taylor and the Panthers team (Friday Night Lights)
    2. Ned and Olive (Pushing Daisies)
    3. PJ and Bobby (My Boys)
    4. Charlie Crews (Life)
    5. Josh and Sam (West Wing)
    6. Robin (Robin Hood)
    7. Danny (Sports Night)dan-rydell-sportsnight

    Top 6 Chain Restaurants
    1. Red Robin
    2. Olive Garden
    3. Chili’s 
    4. Red Lobster
    5. Panera
    6. Texas Roadhouse

    Top 5 Magazines
    1. Reader’s Digest
    2. Enteratinment WeeklyCVR849.indd3. People
    4. US Weekly
    5. Writer’s Digest

    Top 6 Vacation Wish Spots
    1. Prince Edward Island
    2. Dublin, Ireland
    3. Scotland – the whole country
    4. New England (CT and MA in the fall to be exact)new-england-in-the-fall5. New York City
    6. England

    Top 3 NFL Teams
    1. Indianapolis Colts
    2. New York Giants
    3. Denver Broncos

    Top 9 Musical Artists
    1. Brandon Heathbrandonheath32. Third Day
    3. Chris Tomlin
    4. Matchbox 20
    5. PFR
    6. Casting Crowns
    7. Kelly Clarkson
    8. Relient K
    9. Natasha Bedingfield

    Top 7 Brandon Heath Songs
    1. London
    2. Give Me Your Eyes
    3. Red Sky
    4. Soldier
    5. I’m Not Who I Was
    6. Wait and See
    7. Beauty Divine

    Top 5 Desserts
    1. cookie dough ice cream
    2. browniesbrownies3. white cake with white buttercream frosting
    4. frosted sugar cookies
    5. Little Debbie Nutty Bars

    Top 3 Musicals
    1. Aidaaida2. Beauty and the Beast
    3. Phantom of the Opera

    Top 5 Holidays
    1. Christmas
    2. Thanksgiving
    3. My birthday!
    4. New Year’s Eve
    5. Easter

    Top 6 Stores
    1. Barnes and Noble
    2. JC Penny
    3. Target
    4. Old Navy
    5. Bath and Body Worksbath-and-body-works6. Kohl’s