A Girl Named Eve

Caged Eyes An Air Force Cadet's Story of Rape & Resilience by Lynn K. Hall is one of those rare memoirs whose story stays with you long after reading. It was the book that poked my sleeping writing muse awake and had me vomiting (as they say and how it felt) more of my own memoir back out. A lot can be said about Lynn K. Hall's new book. I find it hard to summarize without giving too much of it away. It's a brave, honest, open, unforgettable, evocative memoir that will have you feeling a roller coaster of emotions from anger, empathy, understanding, hopefulness, disbelief, determination, and awe. I'm in awe of the way Lynn K. Hall was able to open up and reveal so much of her personal journey and traumas. As a writer, I'm well aware that when you publish a memoir, you can inadvertently put yourself out there to be scrutinized and judged. Caged Eyes is a foremost example of fearless writing. I had been reading a series of how-to books on screen wr...

Daryl Goldberg's First-Time Filmmaker F*#^-ups is one of the more useful books I've read in a long time. I highly recommend it to not only aspiring directors, but to screen writers, film crew, and film actors as well, since it gives you a birds eye overall detailed perspective of the movie making business from what to look out for with legal issues, to who is responsible for moving the prompts on set. I've had the opportunity to be a part of a film crew before so reading helped me understand the ins and outs of what I had witnessed. It will give you an appreciation of what is needed in the making of a movie, as well as easy to follow instructional lessons on the lingo used on sets. I wish there were a lot more books just like this for all sorts of different topics to learn how things work from this easy to follow global yet detailed perspective. It's format is a great way to introduce a broad range of issues and give tips to rookies of common pitfalls.

I enjoyed reading Gordon Smith's latest book, Intuitive Studies A Complete Course In Mediumship because it took me into a whole new world I had never considered exploring before. I have been meditating for several months now on a daily basis. In my journey to learn more about meditation, I also have come across different websites that warn about the dangers or startling revelations that can occur as a result of opening up to the spirit world when you are under certain states such as deep meditation. I decided to read Intuitive Studies A Course In Mediumship in order to learn what to avoid so that I don't accidentally fall into some trance and inadvertently become a medium, like if that was even possible. From the Intuitive Studies, I learned becoming a medium takes much patience and practice.  I appreciate that Smith takes the readers step by step through each exercise, and walks them through being able to distinguish the calling card to ensure you are maki...

I had the pleasure of reading Chiquis Barrón's latest novel, Café Dulcet. Set in the backdrop of Nogales, Arizona, Café Dulcet is a blend of rich characters, culture, drama, and community.   The novel weaves the life of Nena (Ximena Ferrer), a university researcher whose childhood greatly was influenced by the women in the local coffee shop she would frequent, with the lives of the community around her.  Nena's favorite after school hangout was Dona Pilar's Cafe. It was the heart of the community with people coming and going to pick up a cup of jo and learn some new chisme (gossip) or gather new words of wisdom from Dona Pilar as she talked in metaphor's describing people in relation to their respective coffee blends. Mysteries of an unresolved relationship are woven with the drama/tragedy that unfolds within the neighborhood.  You'll want to grab your favorite cup of your favorite coffee or tea, and sink back into a comfortable chair as you read this intriguing...

I finished reading Las Niñas: A Collection of Childhood Memories  by  Sarah Rafael Garcia  the night before heading out on a short trip to El Paso, Texas, where I would visit my father and tias (aunts). Out of all my unfinished books, I'm glad this is the one I chose. It was the perfect read to get me in the mood for visiting family. In Las Niñas, Sarah recounts touching girlhood memories shared with her family of three sisters (las niñas), their proud parents, and extended family of cousins, aunts, uncles, and an unconventional abuela (grandma).  Life wasn't all roses for Sarah, especially after her father passed away when she was only 13. Nevertheless, in her memoir, Sarah focuses on what matters most, the life lessons her parents taught her while growing up, and the simple yet beautiful memories they created as a young Mexican-American family with aspiring dreams. The Garcia family's vision of the future is best summed up in a letter Sarah's father, Ra...

I'm devouring the book,   Go Your Own Way . It’s a collection of travel essays by a very diverse group of women who travel abroad solo. The stories are as unique as the women and the places themselves. Julianne Balmain in Wolf Pleasures purposefully travels unaccompanied in New York City to follow her own whims in search of a perfect breakfast, while Holly Morris chases wild boars through the jungles of Borneo in Snake Eyes of Borneo . Traveling abroad alone can be a dream or nightmare. Stephanie Elizondo Griest is reluctantly alone in Abandoned in Uzbekistan when her travel companion takes off and she has to wait for her visa to clear. But Alexia Brue breathes a sigh of relief when her clingy travel buddy decides to join their college friends on the Eurail in French Laundry . Even though we are by ourselves, we are never really alone thanks to the kindness or insistence of strangers. In Resisting Florence , Lucy McCauley declines an invitation from a kind stranger ...

I finally finished Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert. It was a breathtakingly beautiful book. It reminded me of my own spiritual journey which I have been in for the last couple of years. Spiritual living is not a destination but a way of living. I recommend the book. I hope you are far along enough on your own spiritual journey to capture the depths of this book. I've heard the book gets mixed reviews. Some people just don't get it. Like Eckhart Tolle’s New Earth, you most likely have to have some higher-level of consciousness to grasp the message of the book, and it takes a while to get through the book because you want to stop and reflect. Elizabeth Gilbert takes you on a soul-searching journey with intimate details you would share only with a bestfriend.