I thoroughly enjoyed have a little faith ... a true story. A friend loaned me her copy yesterday, saying I would love it. She was right.

Albom also wrote Tuesdays with Morrie and other books.

Albom was raised in the Jewish faith. But he had drifted away, making more and more time for work and less and less for any sense of religion, except he would go back home and sit with his parents in his seat in the synagogue for High Holy days. He never joined a temple where he lived.

During one of his visits, the only rabbi he ever knew as his rabbi, the one from his childhood, asks him if he would write the eulogy for his funeral, not that he is dying, but he is in his 80s.

And so begins the true story of a return to faith.

Albom feels he must get to know the rabbi better, so he begins to fly in on weekends and ask him questions, the large questions of faith, interviewing him. Do you believe? Why do you believe? How did you survive the loss of your 5 year old daughter? How did you reconcile it to your faith? Do you believe in heaven? What about forgiveness? What comes after this life? Will we meet again?

And about the same time he meets a Detroit pastor, ministering to the poorest of the poor, who himself had been a convict, drug user and who-knows-what-all-else. For a long time Albom doesn't trust that the man is real. His before-story seems so beyond belief, to come from that into this.

The book is written not quite in alternating chapters, but close. One chapter will be the story of the rabbi (Albert Lewis) as it unfolds. Then a chapter will be of Henry Covington. And occasionally there will be excerpts from Lewis' sermons.

I felt it was a privilege to walk the path of faith with these three men. After all, each of our faith walks is different, but all of value to God.

Have you read this book?
I give it 4 stars out of 4 stars.

It is also available for Kindle:

Karin

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Originally posted 2010-08-25 15:24:56.

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Dark Earth is one of my favorite fragrances of Neil's. It is the note I was looking for when I was looking for, yes, an earthy fragrance, similar to what you get after a rain in your garden. A little green, mostly earth.

I actually purchased one from another house, but it is more strident and bright, more like the notes in the cooler of your florist. I wear it only occasionally. By contrast, Dark Earth is the fragrance I was seeking for when I first dreamed of wanting to smell it. It has the ability to transport you to a place and time.

It is subtle, but long lasting. The notes twine around each other, coming full circle more than once. You sense movement in the fragrance; it isn't static. Every time you take a deep whiff, you can capture a subtle difference, the development of the idea...or the progress of your walk.

The notes are:

Myrhh, patchouli, sandalwood, musk, earth, frankincense, and green forest note.

He told me he used golden musk, which he said is

lush, gorgeous, resinous, deep and tenacious. It holds to the skin very well, acting as a fixative to the other notes.

He created the earth note --

like a damp-walk-in-the-forest note, like the spring is here (or a deep summer day) after everything has melted, almost like loam.

The green forest note is very specific

like the smell of a broken leaf.

I'd say he captured it very well, as I smelled all of this before he told me the notes. Again, sweet patchouli runs through it, which adds to both the darkness and the earthiness of it all.

I do not smell the musk. I have trouble with some musks turning on me, but not with what he is using for his fragrances.

Remember all of his fragrances are true perfumes, not edp or edt. They are $150 for 2 oz for these particular ones.

Karin

Originally posted 2008-01-23 13:19:11.

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Karin asked me to share a bunch of fun facts about myself as sort of a getting to know you (getting to know all about you… getting to like you… getting to hope you like me… ahem) post so here it goes.

For those of you who don’t know already, I write and run a romance novel book blog called Love Romance Passion. I’m pretty kooky and not a little bit bonkers (don’t worry all the best people are so I’m in good company.) I love historical romances, blind heroes, and fairy tales.

Oh and I just got back from Antarctica and communing with the penguins, whales, albatrosses and seals.

Now for the good stuff nobody really knows:

1. I helped donate over 600 books last year to the library. Not all of them mine, but a goodly number.
2. I watched more mini-series shows last year than in all previous years of my life combined. You really need those extra 2.5 hours to tell a love story. Le sigh…
3. I frequently think about writing a novel but haven’t gotten past chapter 3. I used to write a crap load of epic length fanfic you’d think this would be no sweat.
4. I started a blog with my youngest sister about young adult novels, called Literature Young Adult Fiction. We’re in serious need of guest bloggers and reviewers.
5. I started reading and loving more contemporary romances since I began blogging. I read them before but in far fewer numbers.
6. I like scruffy beards on men but not full grown beards. I’m also a thigh girl – no cotton padding need apply. Okay, okay you caught me… physically fit (read defined muscles) hunky men in general are my cup of tea… sheesh.
7. I just got business cards made up with both blog URLs. Woohoo.
8. I have yet to attend a book blogger conference – but I really want to do it. Anybody got extra cash lying around to send my way? Pretty please?
9. I have never seriously dated anyone and casually dated only twice. Where’s my blinded, emotionally scarred, vampire Duke McBroodyPants?
10. I love Bollywood movies but am too cheap to get a Netflix account when I have a perfectly good library (and they don’t stock Bollywood movies.) There’s also zero Indian stores where I live so I don’t even have that option.

How'd I do? Do you feel more informed than before the start of this post?

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I'm happy to share this online interview with Jane Porter. She was gracious to spend some time with us. I think you'll agree that she is a voice we'd like to hear more of.

Jane, I so much enjoyed your book Flirting with 40, and I'm really looking forward to it being a movie! Thanks so much for joining us today.

I understand you have options on another book(s)? I have a friend who has had options also. It's quite exciting to see it come to fruition on screen. Did you write the script or have any say in the script?

Hi Karin, thanks for inviting me! It's a pleasure to chat with you. I didn't write the script. Sony contracted a scriptwriter for the job and she did it beautifully. I was lucky enough to get a peek at it while it was in progress and it was really cool to be included, even briefly, in the process.

The whole book-to-movie experience is great. I spent a week on the set in Hawaii and had a lot of fun. I got to be an extra in beach scenes on two different days, and then wear a headset and sit behind the director and listen in as they filmed. I have to say that it’s been a bit surreal having a movie made of my book, especially starring Heather Locklear.

Were you able to give any input into the casting?

I was asked for suggestions so I got my readers who hang out on my board to help me. We had lots of fun coming up with possibilities but in the end, it was really up to the studio. I n the end it was great that Heather could take the role as she's a Lifetime viewer favorite.

How did you find yourself writing in the genre that you write in? How did you become an author?

I wrote my first story in pre-school. I was four or five and I've written stories ever since. My father was a professor and he wrote-and my mother loved literature and was already reading to us-so writing seemed natural to me. I thought all kids sat down and made up stories, and growing up my favorite books featured girls who wrote as well like Jo from Little Women or Laura from the Little House on the Prairie.

I chose to write stories that appeal to women - that are about women and real life because it's a topic that fascinates me the most. I love women. I think we women have to be compassionate towards each other, but also ourselves and being a teacher, I just found it easy to write stories that encourage and support each other.

What is your favorite type of romance to read? Is it the same as what you write?

I love historical and paranormal romances! I was on a Mary Balogh binge for a few months, and because I go on binges I'll read as much as I can by a particular author and then rotate authors to get a new style. Some of my favorite authors this past year include JR Ward, Loretta Chase, Mary Balogh, and Anna Campbell. Outside romance I read everything I can by Marian Keyes, although Watermelon is probably still my favorite. One of my favorite books I've read this year is Seeing Me Naked by Liza Palmer. It's wonderful and I highly recommend it.

I notice that you have a book title contest. That's fun! Have you done this before? I often wondered whether it was the author that titles a book or the printing house.

They are fun! I’ve done them before and it’s always interesting to see what titles everyone comes up with for the same story. Unfortunately as an author, I don’t really have much say in the title but the publisher asks for input and that’s my purpose for hosting the title contest. I want ideas and suggestions and I send them all to my editor once they come in and after that, it’s out of my hands. Marketing has the final say on titles because they know exactly what has better chances o selling the book.

How do you decide character names?

Sometimes the names just pop into my head as I think of the story and I know it’s the right one. Other times, it takes some time and inventive research to find the right name to fit the right character.

What advice do you have for others who are interested in writing?

As with anything, don’t give up. Don’t accept defeat. Keep learning, keep applying what you learn about the craft, about the world, about you to the story. Writing is a muscle and requires muscle. Learning to write well takes time. It’s like hitting the gym to build a bicep. You only get a better, stronger muscle by working it. Well, the same is true for writing. Of course good writers make it look easier than it is so don’t be discouraged if you have to write and rewrite.

What are some challenges in writing romance? Any particular genre of romance more difficult to pull off? What kind of research do you do, if any? Is there anything you wish you've seen in a romance novel -- and are you writing it for us?

I love writing romance and find it very rewarding as love really does make the world go round. I don't know if one genre is harder than another to pull off. I'm fascinated by them all and enjoy researching for my Harlequin Presents. I tend to read lots of historical accounts, biographies, travel logues, travel books, cook books, and magazine articles when outlining and planning a new book. I want to know as much as I can about a country and culture and the conflicts between men and women in that culture. Obviously a sheikh from Dubai will have a different way on interacting with women than an American or an Italian. The climate is different in every country, as are the foods and customs and I don't just want to write a 'romance', I want to write a rich layered fantasy that seduces the reader and the senses.

I prefer personally to read a more emotional, intense romance. I love deep conflict and angst and sensual love scenes but those love scenes must come out of the character's emotion and conflict, not just stuck on top. Great writers are writing these books and I'm just lucky I'm able to read them!

Do you ever get writer's block? If so, how do you handle it? What do you find difficult, if anything, about writing? And what do you like the best?

I don't believe in writer's block. I see difficulties in writing related more to craft or knowledge, or sometimes physical fatigue. Sometimes I make a mistake writing a story which leads me to a dead-end. I won't know I've taken a wrong turn until I can't seem to move the story forward, or if I've begun to make a series of wrong decisions. Then I just end up in a muddle and I won't write for awhile until I figure out where I went wrong.

The most difficult part of writing for me is the time alone, and also the wear and tear on the body from sitting in one place so long and typing like mad for hours. I have to be sure to get lots of exercise when I'm writing hard as the days tend to be long and it's easy to get carpal tunnel like symptons in my wrist and elbow.

Was it difficult to get published? How did you find your agent?

It was hard. Lots of hard work – but totally worth it. It took me fifteen years to sell my first book. I had over twelve rejected manuscripts before I finally sold my first book in January 2000. I actually write for two publishers–very different stuff–and since January 2000 I have written and sold 30 novels. It’s been an a lot of work but I’m living my dream. I’m read around the world. I’m published in over twenty-five countries and nineteen languages. I even have Sony and Lifetime making a movie out of one of my books (Flirting with Forty). This is why I didn’t quit. I wanted to see if I could do it. I wanted to know I could achieve it. I wanted to prove that anything is possible.

Do you work on deadlines now? How long does it usually take you to write a book?

Yes. I think every writer’s life revolves around deadlines. We just have to develop a system to handle them as works best for us.

I try to plan in advance as much as possible and then block out time. If I know I’m on deadline for a book, the last 4-6 weeks will be grueling with 10-18 hour days at the computer so before and after I block out dedicated mom time, time where I don’t need the sitter over, and I plan a fun trip or weekend activity with the boys. Same thing for my social life. Once I’ve been freed from my deadline, I try to catch up with girl friends and have coffees and lunch as when I’m writing hardcore I literally only leave my house to take kids to school and sport events. When the pressure is on me, everything falls away but work and kids.

What about bedroom scenes? What makes a good one? (I know I've been turned away from books where it was crude.)

These can be tricky and I can read things I can't write, but I'm writing fewer love scenes than I used to. I think we all know what sex is and in a book where there isn't a lot of emotion a love scene reminds me of a game of Twister--right hand on yellow dot, left foot on blue--so for me, the love scene must not just be about physical desire and physical pleasure but the emotional, psychological and spiritual connection between the two.

How do you define love?

Love validates the self. Love makes one feel important and valued and real. Which is why I like to write about all kinds of love in my books--not just romance, but love between friends, sisters, parents and children. Love really does make the world go round.

What do you hope your readers will gain from your books?

As I touched on above , I write about women, for women. If we want the world different for our daughters we have to be the ones to demand change and although I have boys not girls, I want the world different for all the little girls coming after me. I want to be strong, powerful, courageous and encourage children to be the same. We should teach our girls to be brave and encourage them to face discrimination and talk about what makes us hurt and what makes us hope and make sure that we’re part of the decision making. It's important girls understand that life’s hard, sometimes very hard, but it’s also gorgeous and fascinating, challenging, rewarding and complex and that there will be times life is going to smack you and hurt you and knock you to your knees but you can get up. Falling down won't break you. Falling down is just part of getting stronger and smarter and more compassionate. Falling and failing happen to all of us. And this is why I write. I want women to know what it's taken my forty years to figure out--that life is only as good as you give, and you have to fight hard for what you want, including fighting for happiness. We all deserve love, joy, freedom, peace and respect. We all deserve the good stuff but the good stuff doesn't just fall into our laps. We're going to have to work for it.

What do you do to relax and get away from writing? I'm sure you find ideas all around you! Is there something that really gets you away from it all?

When not writing, I read, and travel. Love to travel, be with my kids, love new places and new experiences. I am always looking for a new adventure!

What are your hopes for the future?

More books, more time with friends, more travel, and hopefully, one more baby.

Is there anything else you'd like to share with us? When can we expect your next book?

I'm so glad you invited me to join you. This has been great fun. I always have lots of contests and conversations over on my website, www.janeporter.com, including info on my next book which is a July '09 release from 5 Spot. For the Harlequin fans, I'll have another book out late in 2009 as well.

Thank you, Jane, for being here.

Jane has offered us a signed copy of Odd Mom Out, her September book which is the first of the two connected novels set in Bellevue. If you'd like to be included in this contest, leave a message here, and we will include you in this contest.

Karin

Originally posted 2008-08-10 23:35:08.

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