Chapter 39 - Hope

I don't know if this has ever happened to you and, to be honest, it has only happened to me a few times but...I am having a super dry spell when it comes to reading. I have jettisoned a few books by favorite authors that I was really excited about. I have read about halfway through both, and for both, I don't really care about the characters or the stories. Right now I don't feel particularly motivated to read any others on my TBR pile in fear they also may disappoint me.

Usually when I go through a dry period, I reread a well loved book - something I enjoyed in childhood, a good mystery, or even a family saga which I can sink my teeth into. Honestly, not even the promise of that has had me wanting to read.

Enter two very good friends, both writers who have requested my help by reading their works and either giving critiques or reviewing their books. The first of these friends is Brittany Benko. Brittany's genre is poetry and for me, the short and sweet of poetry is that it is like comfort food to me. I love how poets are so able to get to the heart of a matter with just a few words or ideas. Brittany is a mom to a beautiful teenage daughter and also to a sweet special needs little boy. Her previous books, Poetic Poetry and The Guiding Pen are both really heartfelt reads and can be found on Amazon. The Guiding Pen in particular is Brittany writing to her daughter all the things moms want daughters to know. Her latest. Fragments of Us, is in pre-order right now and is for anyone who has suffered a relationship loss. It is packed full of heartbreak, healing, and wisdom. If you enjoy poetry and have read Rupi Kaur's Milk and Honey, I would strongly suggest ordering Brittany's latest and keeping it on the shelf to remind yourself of how to get through tough times. Actually I'd recommend any of Brittany Benko's books.

My second friend who has helped me get over my reading hump is T.I. Lowe. T.I. Lowe writes southern fiction. Tonya has sent me her latest book in draft for comment and critique. I downloaded the manuscript and started to read it (just started it) and it has grabbed me from the very first page. As you know I am a big fan of T.I. Lowe and her books. The most recently published is Low Country Lost and Tonya is currently doing speaking engagements to talk about this book. So while I’m not going to give away the story of the book in development, I will tell you about Low Country Lost.

In Low Country Lost Avalee Elvis is on a mission to make neglected places whole again although her own life is a bit of a mess. Her latest project is to reclaim a ghost town. Unfortunately, her ex-husband Rowan Murphy, is also on the job as a structural engineer. Can they save the town? Can they save the characters they encounter? Can they solve the mystery of the town? Finally, can they save each other? If you've never read a book by T.I. Lowe, I strongly recommend them. They are good southern reads with grit and heart.

So thanks to my two friends, I am back in the reading saddle again!

What do you do when you are in a slump? Let me know!

(If you are wondering about the Bird and the Book illustration above - my inspiration was Emily Dickinson's poem - Hope is a Thing with Feathers. I am always hopeful about the next book I pick up!)