Sunday’s Blog of the Week: Silver Birch Press

One of My Favorite Silver Birch Press Anthologies
Definitely 5 of 5 Stars

Silver Birch Press was one of the first blogs I started following when I joined the WordPress family, and it’s still one of the most inspiring out there. Filled with every sort of poetry, excerpts from essays and books, and quotes and ideas that inspire me daily, it’s my Go-To place for a quick look at the difference words can make in our lives.

An independent publisher out of Los Angeles, Silver Birch Press represents new voices in Fiction, Non-Fiction, Plays and Poetry, and does so with flair and style, but they also keep us in touch with the voices of those who have gone before. Part of the fun of seeing what’s new each day is never knowing if I’m going to discover a brand new writer, or be reminded of the brilliance of someone whose work I admired years ago. And I have a special fondness for SBP, since they have given me an opportunity to express my voice, as well. I’ve had poems included in several of their wonderful anthologies. Without that experience, I might never have decided to take the plunge and write my first novel.

For all of the reasons listed above, I’m happy to present Silver Birch Press as my Blog of the Week, and I hope some of you will head on over to check them out. Follow SBP, and you’ll get an email notice keeping you abreast of each new poem or excerpt, so you won’t miss anything that speaks to your heart.  Take it from me, there’s always something wonderful, fun, or inspirational being shared there.

Silver Birch Press

What Are You Reading?

Well, the New Year is here, the holiday madness is over (though mine lasted through this past Sunday, believe it or not), and life is getting back to normal.  Time to find out what everyone is currently reading. 

I’m about 3/4 of the way through

Quote #54 – Mark Twain

“The test of any good fiction is that you should care something for the characters; the good to succeed, the bad to fail. The trouble with most fiction is that you want them all to land in hell, together, as quickly as possible.”
     –Mark Twain

(Certainly BAD fiction makes me feel just that way.)

Swamplandia! by Karen Russell

Rating:  Unfinished

I thought I would be through with this book a week ago, and have it neatly reviewed and happily housed on one of my bookshelves.  Unfortunately, I have had some trouble reading this one, and have decided to take a break.  I am a native born Floridian.  No, really.  I am.  Just me and that guy up in the Panhandle.  🙂  And as a native-born Floridian, I have always been

Welcome To My Library!

Come on in!  You never know what’s going to be happening around here.  Reviews, cover art, author bios, release dates…it’s all fair game at Bookin’ It.  The genres will be widely varied over time, though I’m currently enjoying the glut of decent (and sometimes not so decent) urban fantasy work that’s available.  For many years, that particular section of the bookstore was pretty bare, so it’s fun to read it while it’s hot.  But expect to find reviews on general fiction, best sellers, classics from days gone by, non-fiction, and whatever else catches my attention.  I’ll always be polite, but I won’t pull my punches if I believe a book is poorly written.  The good news is, I like more books than I hate, so the Raves outnumber the Pans. 
Now let’s get started!  See you in the stacks!

NOTE:   PLEASE feel free to respond to any reviews, even with differing opinions and ideas.  I welcome all comments.  Just remember to be respectful.  No flaming, no seriously bad language.  A few milder oaths are not a problem, but  I don’t want to worry about younger, more impressionable readers.  I do review a lot of YA Urban Fantasy, so keep it nice.  Thanks!