Sara Reyes | Waiting for Ike..

Saturday is my day to blog to tell you all about my week's adventures...well, unfortunately, living in North Texas for the past few days we've been consumed by the approach of Ike. So, my attention has been scattered to say the very least. At least we are now very well stocked with lots of gallons of water, ice in the freezer and sandwich meats. If the electricity and gas go out, we'll be using the grill for cooking. Fortunately, I guess, although I've always considered it not a blessing in the past, we don't live in a low-lying area. No creeks or gulches or ditches near by and our trees are stumpy little things, so the only bad thing is loss of electricity and the possibility of the roof flying off. And no Internet. But I digress...

Terry Brooks
Originally uploaded by freshfiction

This week in books...we went to see Terry Brooks at the Star-Telegram Evening with an Author event at Casa Manana in Fort Worth. Getting from Dallas to Fort Worth on a week day evening is always an adventure through at least three bad bad traffic areas...and fifty miles. But some authors are worth the trek and our companions have to drive another 30 miles to their home east of Dallas, so you know it had to be a really serious event. And it was! Terry Brooks was funny, irreverent and a great interviewee. Jeff Guinn, long time book reviewer for the Star-Telegram, knows how to make authors feel at ease and then grills them nicely so the audience feels like they really get to know the author and how they tick. And the audience came up with some great questions during the Q&A. I really like the one where you could feel the fan's fear of sleeping after reading one of Brooks' books! Mr. Brooks was so compelling and the signing line SO long (an additional 90 minutes) that I ended up buying the complete Genisis trilogy!

Sarah Bird and Meagan Kirk
Originally uploaded by freshfiction

The next author was Sarah Bird who drove from Fort Worth to Plano for her signing. Unfortunately for her, she also had torrential downpours! And had to deal with our infamous toll roads. Not a pleasant combination ever!

But Sarah was up for the challenge and entertained us in a very informal setting at the Creek Walk Barnes and Noble. We talked about her character, Blythe Young, in HOW PERFECT IS THAT. A truly poisonous and irredeemable heroine. Sarah Bird knows how to create a comedic truly Austenish piece-of-work! Seriously, after reading a Sarah Bird book I frequently say, "only in Austen." But perhaps that is my snobbish North Texas pretense? LOL. Seriously, HOW PERFECT IS THAT is a fast, funny, hysterical read! I highly recommend it for readers who want like to laugh out loud and don't mind an ending that doesn't "end well!" A perfect book club read because there will be TONS of discussion at this one!

So, I'm back to waiting on Ike...think it will be a bust but I'm prepared. I've got a flash light and a stack of books too! Just in case!

Sara Reyes
DFW Tea Readers Groups

Don't miss our Readers Gathering -- Readers 'n ritas. If you've always wanted to join the fun we have, this is the NOT-TO-MISS event of the year! I promise we'll shut down at least one establishment! LOL