Journal – Page 6 – Mary Simses

Beside Myself with This Book

I had never read anything by Karen Joy Fowler before reading We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves and I’m not even sure how I came across it, but I ended up downloading it onto my iPad and I’m so glad I did. (By the way, I’m about half and half when it comes to paper books and e-books. I like e-books for travel and prefer them for night reading, but I still really love the good old feel of paper.) Anyway, I loved this book. I think Fowler is an amazing writer. I was hooked from the beginning – the characters (dysfunctional family, but with reason), the plot, the writing style, which is beautiful, and the way the book made me take a different view of the world around me. There’s a big reveal fairly early on – a moment when I uttered an audible, “Oh!” And from that point on, I couldn’t help asking myself (every few pages), how did she do this? It’s a Pen/Faulkner Award winner. No surprise to me.

March 3, 2017

A Legend Leaves Us

The legendary singer, Al Jarreau, has just died, and I feel as though I’ve lost a friend. I’ve been a fan of his for years, always loving that great blend of musical styles he delivered. I was fortunate to see him perform four times. Once was in the Napa Valley when I was attending a writer’s conference. Some guests at the inn where I was staying in St. Helena told me Al was giving a free outdoor concert that night at a vineyard. Of course, I couldn’t miss it. He gave a wonderful show to a very appreciative crowd. Toward the end of the concert I made my way to the front and got a chance to see him up close. We will miss you, Al.

February 12, 2017

Bookshelves You Never Have to Dust

I went to an interesting art exhibit today and saw some works by Max-Steven Grossman. He creates wonderful “bookscapes” by arranging digital images of various bookshelves he’s photographed. The end result is one huge photograph covered with glass, with lots of interesting titles to peruse – all tied to a theme.

January 23, 2017

“Call My Agent:” Great Netflix Show

A friend who I met a few years ago on a trip to Paris told me about the Netflix series, “Call My Agent.” I’m not a huge fan of TV, but there are a few shows I think are good and this is one of them. It takes place in Paris and the stories are about the people who work in a talent agency. The writing is clever and solid. The story lines are interesting and funny. The acting is well done. Yes, it’s in French with English subtitles, but the show is so good you’ll soon realize it’s not an inconvenience. Check it out. C’est très bien.

January 3, 2017

Siracusa: A Gripping Tale

I loved this novel by Delia Ephron. It’s a page-turner about two couples (and the child of one of the couples) on vacation together in Italy and Sicily, Siracusa being a town in Siciliy. It’s about deceit, betrayal, past and current relationships, and how life can come undone quickly. Ephron tells the story by alternating narrators among the four adults and it’s fascinating to see how each one views the events that take place. For the most part, these are characters you love to hate, making the tale even more delicious. You’ll remember it long after you read the last page.

November 14, 2016

From Novel to Movie

The Irresistible Blueberry Farm, the movie based on my first novel, The Irresistible Blueberry Bakeshop & Café premiered October 2, 2016 on the Hallmark Movies & Mysteries Channel. The movie stars Alison Sweeney (who is also one of the executive producers), Shirley Jones, Marc Blucas, and Kavan Smith. It will air four more times on the Hallmark M&M Channel. To see more information about the movie, please click here.

October 3, 2016

Blueberry Farm Movie Airs Oct. 2

The Irresistible Blueberry Farm, a movie based on my first novel, The Irresistible Blueberry Bakeshop & Café, will air Sunday, October 2 on the Hallmark Movies & Mysteries Channel. Alison Sweeney, Carolyn Jones, Mark Blucas, and Kavan Smith star. The movie will also be shown on Tuesday, October 4 at 7:00 p.m.; Thursday, October 6 at 2:00 p.m.; Monday, October 17 at 5:00 p.m.; and Wednesday, October 19 at 8:00 p.m. Click here for a preview: The Irresistible Blueberry Farm Preview

September 25, 2016

On the Set of “Irresistible Blueberry”

This is the story of the incredible two days I spent this week on the set of The Irresistible Blueberry Farm, the Hallmark Chanel movie based on my first novel, The Irresistible Blueberry Bakeshop & Café. The movie will be aired October 2, 2016 on the Hallmark Movies and Mysteries Channel. On Monday morning, one of the drivers took me from my hotel in Vancouver, Canada to the first filming location of the day. I arrived at this pretty yellow house in the town of Brackendale. In the movie, this is the house in Beacon, Maine, where Ruth, grandmother of the main character, Ellen, grew up.

I went inside and got to meet the incredibly talented Alison Sweeney, who is fantastic as Ellen and who is also one of the executive producers of the movie. Alie and I had talked by phone and had emailed, but this was our first meeting. She had read my novel, loved it, and wanted to

August 12, 2016

Italy Day 9 – Positano

Our last day. I will really miss all of the sights and sounds of Positano. It’s been an incredible trip.

August 2, 2016

Italy Day 8 – Positano

This day was the highlight of our trip, as we spent it on the water in a chartered boat with our captain, Paolo. Here we’ve just left Positano.

We took the boat to Capri, taking time for a swim on the way. The color of the water in the grottos was unbelievable.

We went all around Capri, and then got off the boat and made a quick trip to the town center.

We stopped for lunch at Nerano, a small fishing village with a beach dotted with colorful umbrellas. This was the view from the restaurant.

August 2, 2016