Sunday Salon for 6 August 2023
Happy Sunday! Sunday Salon is hosted by Deb at ReaderBuzz. Check out her post and the links to see what other bloggers have been up to in the last week.
How’s the weather?
I’m looking out at a very green landscape. Everything seems to be recovered from the hot days a couple of weeks ago, given plenty of rain for nourishment.
What are you reading?
Jane and the Year Without a Summer by Stephanie Barron. This is the 14th in a series of mysteries featuring Jane Austen as the amateur sleuth. I don’t usually dip into a series in the middle, but I’m currently fascinated by the Year Without a Summer.
In 1816, an eruption the previous year caused a volcanic winter in several parts of the world, including Europe. Most famously, it dampened the visit that Percy Bysshe Shelley and Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin (later Shelley) made to Lord Byron at Lake Geneva, Switzerland — a partial inspiration for Frankenstein.
I’m learning things about Jane Austen’s biography while also enjoying a romp in Cheltenham Spa, England, with a growing mystery to boot. This is fun enough to start the series at the beginning.
What are you watching?
Kate Humble’s Coastal Britain on PBS. I’m using the PBS Passport (a benefit of my membership to my local PBS station) to stream this walking travel documentary on my computer. Speaking of a green landscape…. Coastal Britain is filled with lovely spots of woods and grass overlooking stunning view of the sea.
What are you doing?
Recovering from COVID. After bragging last week that I had, thus far, escaped the disease, it showed up. I mistook it for allergies for a couple of days, even when Rick developed symptoms. When he developed a fever, though, we decided to test. It turned out, we were positive! Fortunately, we were diagnosed early enough in the course of the disease to benefit from antivirals.
With a 2 to 14-day incubation period, it’s pretty hard to know where I got it. Possibly the Barbie movie, even though I chose a quiet theater at a quiet time on a weekday. Possibly while dealing with a medical appointment.
Health-care researchers and practitioners around the world were honored with Barbie dolls in 2021
What are you writing?
I’m playing with titles and elevator pitch ideas for my novel. It feels a little backwards to write those before I write the novel, but lots of advice says to do it, anyway. Starting with an elevator pitch might give me a focus that I’d rather discover earlier in the process than later.
For British Isles Friday, I reviewed Beyond Paradise, the spin-off from Death in Paradise. Fun show!
How are you this fine Sunday?
Sorry you and your husband test positive and hope your over it soon. There are 10 people at work as of the count I last heard that are positive. Plus a friend and her husband test positive too. Seems the numbers are increasing everywhere again.
“you’re”
Hope you are completely recovered from Covid soon.
I’m sorry CoVid finally caught up with you, and I hope you are both fully recovered soon.
Jane and the Year Without Summer sounds really good.
I enjoyed Beyond Paradise too.
Oh no, I’m so sorry you’ve been dealing with covid, too. Our cases were also relatively mild and I think all those shots paid off. Hospitalizations are on the rise in the northeast now. I’ll definitely be getting the newly formulated booster when I’m eligible.
My daughter has read several of the Jane Austen mysteries in that series and enjoyed them all. I don’t read many mysteries, but this might be a fun one to try this fall.
I went to see Barbie last night and there were people in the seats in front and behind me, but none too close on the sides. Hope I came away covid free, now I think of it.
I haven’t read any of the Jane Austen mysteries but may get to one some time soon.
I read a couple of the Louise Penny series from the middle and liked them so much I went back and read the series from the beginning and it was SO worth it. Hope you like this one. Hope your covid is a mild case. Thanks for the visit. Have a terrific week.
Terrie @ Bookshelf Journeys
So is it okay jumping into the series of Barron’s books on book 14? I’ve wanted to read the series but could never make myslf start one of them
Yes. I didn’t feel like I was missing out in anything. We learn a little about the Austen family, but pretty quickly journey off to Cheltenham Spa with all new characters to deal with.
Joy, I am so sorry that Covid hit, but I’m glad you were able to get in right away and take advantage of the new helpful potions that are now out there. I do hope you are feeling much, much better.
I’m very interested in Coastal Britain. I’m just really learning how to find all the wonderful old series on PBS Passport.
Sorry you guys are sick.
I love those healthcare professional barbies!
I have always been fascinated by the Year Without a Summer. Well, not always but once I learned about it in college I was. Lol. I will have to look for that book.
I love the green after a good rain. I hope it will be another wet winter here, but that may be wishful thinking. I will definitely have to check out Stephanie Barron’s series. The Jane Austen tie-in is especially appealing to me.
I am sorry to hear you caught COVID. Hopefully it was a mild case.
Have a great week, Joy! Happy reading!