Book Review: Small Talk by Diane Weston

Sometimes the hardest part about developing a relationship with someone is getting started. In Small Talk, author Diane Weston shares tips and examples on how to start a conversation, connect with others, and make a great first impression.

No matter where we are in life, no matter what our occupation, we need to learn how to best interact with other people. Life is about developing relationships. Some may be more meaningful than others, but all require us to understand the basics of communication.

Weston opens with why we need small talk and what the reader can learn from Small Talk. Then she covers the important basics of human interaction and communication. She discusses forms of non-verbal communication, like facial expressions and posture. The book discusses positive thinking and general rules for small talk. Finally, Weston shares tips and techniques to master small talk, using several examples to help the reader fully understand how to master each technique.

Small Talk by Diane Weston should be in business and personal libraries everywhere. No matter the size of your group or what relationships you're looking to develop and nurture, you'll find tons of help in this great resource.


Paperback: 140 pages
Publisher: Independently published (April 21, 2019)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1095426907
ISBN-13: 978-1095426906

I received a free copy of this book from the author. This review contains my honest opinions, which I have not been compensated for in any way.

Task it Tuesday - June 25

Originally created by The Geeky Blogger, Task It Tuesday is a weekly meme to help you--and me--get things done. The challenge is to post a task or list of tasks you want to complete before next Tuesday. These tasks can help you with your blogging life, reading life, personal or professional life.

It has been a tough week. A dear friend and member of my church family is in the final stages of her cancer battle. I was blessed to be able to spend time with her family yesterday at the hospital. We prayed together. Cried together. Laughed together.

My to-do list is the furthest thing from my mind, but I need to stay somewhat focused to get everything done.

Here is my list for the week:

• Daily Bible reading (still catching up)
• Blogging
• Review one book
• Pack
• Oil change on Wednesday
• Hiking on Wednesday
• Weed the garden
• Vacuum 
• Wash kitchen floor

Hoping you all have a blessed week.

Task It Tuesday - June 18

Originally created by The Geeky Blogger, Task It Tuesday is a weekly meme to help you--and me--get things done. The challenge is to post a task or list of tasks you want to complete before next Tuesday. These tasks can help you with your blogging life, reading life, personal or professional life.

I am at the point of crying mercy. My list only grows. It's like I can't check anything off it.

Okay, enough whining. Life is good, and though I am not accomplishing what I want all the time, I am still managing to get a lot done and still enjoy life.

Here is my list for the week:

• Daily Bible reading (still catching up)
• Beta read a manuscript - 80% done
• Edit the next chapter of a manuscript for the publisher 
• Blogging
• Review one book
• Make lists for vacation
• Workout - Friday (I am doing stretches while cooking these days, so at least that is better than nothing)
• Start bringing up things from the basement for vacation
• Weed the garden

Mailbox Monday - Jun 17

Mailbox Monday is a meme started by Marcia of To Be Continued. Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came in their mailbox during the last week. It now has a permanent home at the Mailbox Monday blog.

Happy Monday! I hope you all had a nice weekend. We took my father-in-law and his two boys out to dinner for Father's Day. It was nice to get together after a few weeks apart. Usually there are eleven of us, but my son and his wife couldn't make it.

This was an exciting week. The Lil' Diva received a scholarship and I received an award from the Realtor board. 

Work has been busy. I should have a listing coming up soon, and then two or three more once we return from the Outer Banks in July.

On the book front, there was nothing in my physical mailbox, but I picked up the first book in the Tempe Crabtree Mystery Series by Marilyn Meredith while it was free for Kindle. 

When I started this series, I was probably about six books in. That's around when I had started blogging in 2007. I've been meaning to go back and read the earlier versions. Though I have this in paperback, having it on the Kindle Fire will make it easier to read. 

What was in your mailbox? Are you looking forward to any summer reads? 

Book Review: Painting the Psalms by Cherie Burbach

A unique and engaging way to view the Book of Psalms awaits you in Painting the Psalms by Cherie Burbach.

In this beautiful and moving book, the author shares the beauty of the Psalms and how they have influenced her art. Each painting is accompanied by text explaining the inspiration behind the art and followed by Scripture and the materials used to create the painting.

There were two reasons I requested to review Painting the Psalms: I wanted to experience one of my favorite books of the Bible in a new way, and the painting on the cover reminded me of artwork from a local author that I admire.

The paintings are stunning. I could look at them for hours. Painting the Psalms is a great book to display or would make a wonderful coffee table book. It would be even better in hardcover.

There were moments I felt the narration was too personalized. Many passages spoke of the author's feelings or experiences, so in those moments I felt kept at a distance and not truly able to appreciate the beauty of the passages or feel the Scripture speaking to me. I did find, however, some explanations to be more generalized, like with "Her Home Was Peace and Kindness," where the author speaks of how we spend a lot of time on the concept of home and how, in the end, the only true home is a spiritual one. Those were moments that drew me in closer.

Regardless of that, I enjoyed Painting the Psalms from beginning to end. I'll definitely be reading through it again.


Paperback: 104 pages
Publisher: Independently published (March 18, 2019)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1090858671
ISBN-13: 978-1090858672

I received a copy of this book from the author. This review contains my honest opinions, which I have not been compensated for in any way.

Task it Tuesday - Jun 11

Originally created by The Geeky Blogger, Task It Tuesday is a weekly meme to help you--and me--get things done. The challenge is to post a task or list of tasks you want to complete before next Tuesday. These tasks can help you with your blogging life, reading life, personal or professional life.

Spent two days (one day last week, and then yesterday) with the kids, totally dedicated to them, so I am feeling good about myself. Next week will probably be Thursday, since the rest of the week is crazy with work.

I did not, however, get a lot of things from my to-do list checked off. I'm not feeling it lately. Why? I'm not really sure. Energy levels are way low. I'm still adjusting to the CPAP machine too.

Here is what this week's to-do list looks like:

• Daily Bible reading (still catching up)
• Beta read a manuscript - 80% done
• Edit the next two chapters of a manuscript for the publisher - DONE
• Blogging
• Review one book
• Make lists for vacation
• Workout - Friday and Saturday

What is on your list to accomplish this week?

Mailbox Monday - June 10

Mailbox Monday is a meme started by Marcia of To Be Continued. Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came in their mailbox during the last week. It now has a permanent home at the Mailbox Monday blog.

Welcome back to another Monday. It is supposed to be rainy and hot here today. We will see how that goes. Could use a bit of rain right now. Funny how we are hard to please. When it was raining, I was complaining about needing to build an ark. :)

My mailbox wasn't busy this week, but it had one great book I really want to read.

These guys ruled the 80s comedy scene. I still enjoy watching their SNL skits on YouTube. I'm looking forward to reading this one soon.

What was in your mailbox? Anything exciting you would like to share this week?

Bargain E-book: The Nantucket Inn by Pamela Kelley

Lisa Hodges needs to make a decision fast. Thanks to her dead husband’s gambling addiction, their savings is almost gone. In her early fifties with a large, waterfront home on Nantucket to support, Lisa hasn’t worked in over thirty years, has no in-demand skills and is virtually unemployable.
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Her only options are to sell the house and move off-island, or, she could use her cooking and entertaining skills and turn her home into a bed and breakfast. She desperately needs it to succeed because she has four grown children with problems of their own and wants to stay close to them.

Her oldest daughter, Kate, has a fabulous career in Boston--working as a writer for a popular fashion magazine and engaged to a dangerously handsome, photographer, who none of them have met.
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Kate's twin, local artist, Kristen, has been reasonably content with her on-again off-again relationship with an older, separated businessman.
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Her son, Chase, runs his own construction business and is carefree, happily dating here and there but nothing serious.
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Youngest daughter, Abby, is happily married to her high school sweetheart, and they've been trying to have a baby. But it hasn't happened yet, and Abby wonders if it's a sign that maybe their marriage isn't as perfect as everyone thinks.
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Come visit Nantucket and see how Lisa's new bed and breakfast has an impact on almost everyone in her family. It's the first book in a new series that will follow the Hodges family, friends, and visitors to Nantucket's Beach Plum Cove Inn.

File Size: 2962 KB
Print Length: 248 pages
Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited
Publisher: Piping Plover Press (April 19, 2019)
Publication Date: April 19, 2019
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services LLC
Language: English
ASIN: B07QGR5S23

Purchase now for only $3.99!

Book Review: Grumpy Mom Takes a Holiday by Valerie Woerner

Are you a mom who is stressed? Worn out? Grumpy? Those moments come to all of us. In Grumpy Mom Takes a Holiday by Valerie Woerner, the author shares some of her trials as a mother and encourages other moms to ignore the world's lies about motherhood and, instead, embrace the energy, joy and peace that can be found in spending purposeful time with God amid the daily chaos that is called motherhood.

Grumpy Mom Takes a Holiday will have you smiling. It will have you laughing. There are moments where you'll say to yourself, "Yes, that's just how I feel." In this helpful resource, you'll learn Woerner's story of how she realized she needed to tackle her Grumpy Mom for her and her family's sake. Then she plots out action steps for you to take so you can rein in your Grumpy Mom. Each chapter also has a Bible verse and a prayer.

One of the best pieces of advice for me came in Chapter 4. This chapter discusses worry--something we moms know a lot about. Woerner puts worry (and our need to control things) into the right perspective by reminding the reader that God is the One in control. As she says, "He is able to love my kids better, discipline them better, comfort them better, and counsel them better than I ever could."

Grumpy Mom Takes a Holiday reminds the reader to trust in the Lord, spend time in His presence, and be open to His plan for your life. In the fourth section, Woerner talks about connecting to your spouse, your friends, and with God. There are tons of helpful tips here on how to connect in all these relationships. The last section is about thriving--enjoying some breathing room, slowing down, and living in the moment. For me, anyway, this is the hardest part. As Woerner says, however, "...with God's help, we're going to choose peace and joy and fulfillment right in the middle of it."

I truly enjoyed Grumpy Mom Takes a Holiday and will hold onto it for future reference. Also available is Fresh Start for Moms: A 31-Day Devotional Journal to Renew Your Joy, which nicely complements Grumpy Mom Takes a Holiday.



Paperback: 272 pages
Publisher: Tyndale Momentum (April 9, 2019)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1496435303
ISBN-13: 978-1496435309

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher. This review contains my honest opinions, which I have not been compensated for in any way.

Task it Tuesday - Jun 4

Originally created by The Geeky Blogger, Task It Tuesday is a weekly meme to help you--and me--get things done. The challenge is to post a task or list of tasks you want to complete before next Tuesday. These tasks can help you with your blogging life, reading life, personal or professional life.

What a blessing a new week is. As you know from yesterday's post, our oldest daughter graduated over the weekend. That put me behind on some of the items on last week's to-do list. Now, both girls and I are home for the summer--though, of course, I am working (real estate stops for no one).

We have plans to so something fun on Friday. My hope is to be able to dedicate one day of the week to them. I've added them to my calendar, so that should keep me from scheduling anything in that place. Even if it is just for a few hours, that will be better than doing nothing with them at all.

Here is what this week's to-do list looks like:

• Daily Bible reading (fell behind last week and want to catch up)
• Rework the flower beds - Finish Saturday
• Beta read a manuscript - 60% done
• Edit the next two chapters of a manuscript for the publisher - almost done
• Blogging
• Review novella - DONE
• Make lists for vacation
• Workout - Thurs and Sun

Do you use to-do lists to keep you on track? Do you have a daily planner? What is the best time management tip you can share?

Mailbox Monday - Jun 3

Mailbox Monday is a meme started by Marcia of To Be Continued. Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came in their mailbox during the last week. It now has a permanent home at the Mailbox Monday blog.

It's that wonderful time of year again--end of school. This year it came about a month earlier than usual. Both girls are done with school until August. With the Lil' Diva graduating from high school--thank God for little blessings--it was a hectic week of senior events and a medical procedure that I foolishly jammed between them.

Prom night

Lil' Diva and Yia-Yia

Lil' Diva, Lil' Princess & the Boy

Our Graduate

I truly can't believe she graduated already. It seems like she just started Kindergarten.

The other thing that happened this weekend is that we decided there was nothing left at our old church to save. I'm sad, but strangely at peace with the whole thing. God has a plan. I'm sure it will be revealed at some point.

On the mailbox front, the only new offering is this book that I needed to review.

What was in your mailbox?