CORANNA ADAMS
  • Home
  • Blog
  • About
  • Film
  • Contact

Thankfulness

11/26/2016

Comments

 
PicturePhoto cred:https://www.romanticasheville.com/forest-fire

















The mountains of WNC have been ablaze for the last several weeks--since Trump got elected--and for that same amount of time, I've been fighting off the feeling that the world really is burning down around me. My children haven't been able to go outside and play, because of the poor air quality, and to top it off, our oil heater broke. Winter is coming, and I'm not sure yet how we're going to make it through.

So when a good friend emailed me and another small group a list of things for which she was thankful and recommended that we all do the same, I took it to be a reminder from my higher power--stay focused on what is working and be thankful.

I took the hint and made this list:

1. Our new mattress
2. Hubby's steadfast perseverance
3. Little E's smile
4. S' good heart and strong sense of justice
5. Organization, at all levels
6. Celery juice, fresh first thing in the morning
7. Painting and redesigning our bedroom this summer
8. My mother
9. The writing group:Billie, Eben, Hubby, and Jean
10. Unexpected generosity
11. Hard won peace and happiness
12. A musician in our home (Keep playing guitar S!)
13. My new, perfect sunglasses
14. High Falls and swimming in its cold, clear water
15. Hot yoga 
16. Loving my tiny house more
17. Easy laughter between Hubby and I, old love becoming new love
18. My house filling up with friends more often 
19. Amber's green beans w/ chicken, white wine, and preserved lemons
20. Praying more regularly and sometimes having it not be about me
21. Falling asleep with my kids
22. The women in my life, their intelligence and laughter

Take a moment and do the same. Try to be as specific as possible with at least some of the items. And make generalities in others. You'll walk away uplifted, I hope. I know I did.

Comments

Book Review: The Palace Job

11/7/2016

Comments

 
Disclaimer: I love a good heist. So if that genre doesn't delight, then this book isn't for you!
Picture
I've been reading the most delicious book. "The Palace Job" by Patrick Weekes is soooooo much fun!

As I mentioned, I love a heist. And when the heist includes a tough leading lady, a death priestess who used to be a matchmaker, a failed magician, a dwarf acrobat, a unicorn, a young, handsome virgin, and a lockpick then I'm pretty much sold from page 1. 
​
The first thing that makes "The Palace Job" so compelling is its strong world-building. Heaven's Spire, the Republic, and the surrounding lands are an odd mixture of steam punk, high fantasy, and new world technology powered by crystals and daemons. The book borrows from many of the best elements of fantasy and does what good books do: weaves them into a new vision.  As my husband said, this book reads like someone who thinks in systems wrote it--and that's a good thing.

My next favorite element: the large cast of characters. I love meeting new people, and that interest extends into my fiction choices. In particular, "The Palace Job" does a great job of exploring racism and sexism through the vehicle of fantasy, without ever coming off as moralistic or sanctimonious.

​Instead
, the narrative voice is casual and sly in the way it talks around the racism dark-skinned humans face, as well as elves, dwarves, and fairy creatures. In the Republic, there's more than enough bias to go around. For young readers, like my twelve year old son (he's a precocious reader, so yes, this is a book that grown-ups will love. But there are elements of sexuality that may make for some very lively conversations at home, if your tween or teen is reading it too.) the world of Heaven's Spire provides a great mirror to the "real world" and could be a jumping off point for the difficult conversations many of us have been having at home and in the classroom about human rights and privilege in America in the 21st century.

​And lastly, the pacing is incredible. From the first chapter, the reader dives into the story and is dragged forward at breakneck pace until the final pages. This book will read you, so reserve a few hours of time to get on the ride and stay there. I started listening to the audiobook on Kindle and then couldn't wait to get to the end so I started reading it instead. "The Palace Job" ended up being the first book I've finished reading on my phone (Yes, I realize that dates me). Then I plowed through Book 2 "The Prophecy Con" and am just getting starting on the most recent "The Paladin Caper." 

This book would make an excellent Christmas present for anyone who loves high fantasy. 

In three words: Funny. Smart. Eccentric.

​Next three: Buy it now!
Comments

    Author

    Coranna Adams is a writer, filmmaker, and educator from Asheville, North Carolina.

    Tweets by @corannaadams

    Archives

    October 2020
    May 2020
    February 2020
    November 2019
    August 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    March 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    January 2018
    November 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    February 2017
    November 2016
    August 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    January 2016
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    May 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    September 2014
    July 2014

    Categories

    All
    Anklyosing Spondylitis
    Arthur Rackham
    Auto-immune Condition
    Body Awareness
    Collaborative Learning
    Design
    Design Education
    Fairies
    Fritjof Capra
    Generation X
    Healing Arthritis
    Inspiration
    Integral Education
    Integral Thinking About Health
    Metacognition In Children
    Moons
    New World Order
    Nonviolent Communication
    Parenting For Peace
    Second Tier Thinking
    Second-tier Thinking
    Story
    Systems Thinking
    Titania

    RSS Feed

Site Copyright Coranna Adams, 2014 all rights reserved. Do not copy or reproduce without permission.
  • Home
  • Blog
  • About
  • Film
  • Contact