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 |  Life, Adventure, Family, Writing what else is there? Random thoughts. |
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WELCOME TO: GEMINI RISING   UPDATED INTRO 28 MAY 2024: Just a little about me. I've been married for 32 years this past NOV and currently live in Southern California, but I grew up in New Hampshire. I've got 2 boys who are young adults. I work as a 911 dispatcher for LAPD. I enjoy my job a lot. Still. If you can believe that. I love to write. Thankfully both of my boys achieved Eagle Scout. My Scouting days are over and I'm back to focusing on my writing. I like to get out in nature, drink coffee and watch football. Here's a little bio about my zodiac. GEMINI: Gemini, the sign of the Twins, is dual-natured, elusive, complex and contradictory. On the one hand it produces the virtue of versatility, and on the other the vices of two-facedness and flightiness. The sign is linked with Mercury, the planet of childhood and youth, and its subjects tend to have the graces and faults of the young. When they are good, they are very attractive; when they are bad they are more the worse for being the charmers they are. Like children they are lively, and happy, if circumstances are right for them, or egocentric, imaginative and restless. Their good qualities are attractive and come easily to them. They are affectionate, courteous, kind, generous, and thoughtful towards the poor and suffering - provided none of the activities resulting from expressing these traits interferes too greatly with their own lives and comforts. Geminians can be successful in many walks of life though their general characteristics tend to make them unreliable. They are often skilled manipulators of language, in speech and writing, and may be: debaters, diplomats (though in politics they are more interested in theory than practice), orators, preachers (brilliant rather than profound), teachers, authors, poets, journalists, or lawyers. This is me. I am a Gemini. Pure, Raw, passionate. The NEW focus of this blog is to share my adventures, travels, random thoughts, book reviews, thoughts, opinions, and writing adventures from actual writing, writing/editing tips, marketing, research. I'll get there.  Find me at: WEBSITE: http://www.stephanieburkhart.com FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/StephanieBurkhartAuthor GOOD READS: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4031660.Stephanie_Burkhart YOU TUBE CHANNEL: http://www.youtube.com/user/botrina?feature=mhee Previous GRATITIOUS Warning, that I decided to keep in case I post about something that might offend.  WARNING I intend to be open, honest, and forthright. No topic is off limits from religion to you name it, I'm going there. If you think you might be offended...back up now - this blog isn't for you. For those who "dare"  check out the "Gemini Rising..." |
| Book Review for: The Viscount Who Loved Me Note: Just catching up on some reviews I've meaning to post for a while...
B00UG8RP22 Author: Julia Quinn Published by: Avon Books, 2006, 2015, Overall rating: 4.5 Stars PLOT: (4.5 Stars) Anthony Bridgerton is a young, attractive viscount who is feeling the urge to settle down and find a wife. Heās not worried about his reputation ā in fact, heās rather proud of being a rake and a rogue. He has absolutely no intention of beginning in love with the woman he picks for his wife, so he sets his eye on the lovely Edwina Sheffield, the belle of the ton. Kate Sheffield is Edwinaās older sister and is also making her debut season in the ton. She finds Anthonyās reputation despicable and is mortified to discover heās set his eye on Edwina. She has no intention of allowing Edwina to marry a rake and a man who doesnāt love her. When Anthony and Kate meet, the sparks fly. Both are so much alike ā stubborn, full of pride, and quick-witted. As Kate runs interference for her sister, she finds herself more and more attracted to the handsome viscount. Dare Anthony fall in love with perfect woman for him? CATAYLIST: (4 Stars) I was shopping at Costco when I found the book. I hadnāt read book #1 (The Duke and I) yet, but I was ready for a historical, regency romance. This cover, for me, was more in line with what I had envisioned for the story. THOUGHTS: (4.5 Stars) For me, both characters were easy to like. Kate made a determined heroine, but her fear of thunderstorms is deep seated. When Anthony finds her in a vulnerable position due to her fear, he strives to help, proving heās more gentleman than a rogue and allows Kateās feelings for him to grow. Anthony, too, has a deep-seated belief ā heās convinced heās not going to live to an old age, dying young as his father did. This fear drives his decisions, and yet when he meets Kate and discovers the power of love, he learns he is the master of his own destiny ā but what choice should he make? The safe one or the risky one? WHAT WORKS: (4.5 Stars) The witty banter. The plot moves a nice clip and I found myself rooting for Kate and Anthony. WHAT DIDNāT WORK FOR ME (WHAT WAS āOFFā): The ending seems a little forced and rushed. Anthony has his epiphany and rushes to find Kate. Good. BUT the scenario where Kate was in danger felt a little, well, forced. WHY 4.5 STARS: I enjoyed the setting and the escapism of the novel. Both main characters were well fleshed out with their flaws and vulnerabilities which made them very relatable. WILL I WATCH THE NETFLIX SERIES: Not at this time. I love a good regency romance and the Bridgerton book series could very well be that, but I appreciate more the realism of the escapism, than the reimagining of it. The TV Series itself would stand much stronger on its own if it was its own world and not the reimagined world of the ton. EXTRA COVER SIDE NOTE: As I usually do with a review, I download the cover and share it with the review. Well, I discovered the book had more than one cover. I suppose I shouldnāt be surprised, as it had a different color when it was published in 2006 and 2015. |
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| Just some musings on the 4th on July. They're fairly positive, upbeat musings... What does the 4th of July mean to me? A lot.  One of my earliest memories was my parents and family going down to the bi-centennial parade in Manchester, NH. I was just a kid, but it was impressed on me that it was a big day and I wouldnāt experience another milestone like this. I have a few pics from that day, but theyāre a bit faded now. I often think back of my family walking up from my house to Deerfield Park in Manchester to watch the fireworks. Fireworks bring out the little kid in me. They capture an āawe factorā Itās a reminder of Freedom to me and having an appreciation of that freedom. Growing up when I did in NH, civics was important. I learned a lot about NH government as well as the nationās. I think the one of the lasting impressions I have from that period is that āFairā means a lot. And itās important to me that Iām a fair minded person. In 1986, I entered military service on 8 July. Not quite the 4th, but I remember the spirit of patriotism was soaring high in the nation. It was the time of Reagan, and I was very proud to serve under Reagan as a president. Between 1986-to about 2005ish, the 4th meant a time to relax, enjoy the lazy summer day, BBQ, fly your flag and tip your hat to Americanās birthday with a fireworks display. Then in 2005, our family went to Avalon, CA on Catalina Island for the 4th. It was amazing. Nothing said āhomeā California style than the golf cart parade and the USC marching band. After a BBQ on the beach, we went and saw the fireworks on the beach in Avalon. We went to Avalon from about 2005 to 2012. It was a memorable time for us and the boys. They still have warm memories of the 4th. Even 2012 which was overrun by the in-laws. This year we're off to Ventura for a picnic, relaxing times, patriotic music and fireworks. So to all the founding fathers ā thank you. Happy 4th to the USA!! Home of the Brave and Land of the Free. We have a Republic. Letās keep it. "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness." Fun Facts: John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, 2 of our founding fathers, died on the same day - 4th July 1826. 50 years after the Declaration of Independence. 200 copies of the Declaration of Independence were drafted, but only 27 are accounted for. Congress declared the 4th of July an official holiday - in 1870! The Star Spangled Banner was inspired by the War of 1812. A poem put to music, it became the USA's official national anthem in 1931. What did you do for the 4th? |
 I just want to welcome the Blog followers to July! The 4th of July is just around the corner, and I bought tickets to see the fireworks show at Ventura college. Weāve gone before. Itās nothing special, but it feels more special than just staying in Santa Clarita and watching the fireworks at the mall. I love Santa Clarita, but fireworks at mall is a tad crowded and thereās too much asphalt. Weāve gone to Ventura a couple of times, now. Itās at the college and we get to sit down on the grass and bring items for a picnic. We can bring in coolers, lawn chairs, blankies, but thereās no alcohol, no pets, no smoking/vaping. There will be food trucks, which are kindaā neat. I think I got an ice cream from them last year. When the boys were little, they went and played on the bounce houses. This year we just have Joey who is 17. Andy is on Catalina Island at Camp Emerald Bay during the 4th doing his Boy Scout thing. The only thing with Ventura is that it can get a little cramped feeling. Joey has never been big on fireworks. With his ADHD, heās also sensitive to loud sound. The vacuum cleaner drove him crazy when he was younger. For a long time, we used to go to Avalon on Catalina Island for the 4th of July. What started out as a 2-3 overnighter turned into a week-long event. And trust me, you can pack a whole week of 4th of July fun on Catalina. We usually rented a condo on Hamilton cove and drove the golf cart everywhere. Thereās BBQāing, fishing, relaxing, and the fireworks in the harbor were very memorable. Thereās the golf cart parade and the USC marching band. 4th of July on Avalon was something special, and I think we did it from 2005 to 2012 when the boys were little. We stopped because the in-laws started coming and honestly, 2012 was not as pleasant as it could have been.  We might go back next year. Joey suggested we go while on vacation and Brent and I are seriously considering it ā no in laws. Weāre putting our foot down. I think Joey, heck - we all do - have great 4th of July memories on Catalina and weād like to go back. The 4th of July isnāt the same when weāre not in Avalon. This year I bought some fun decorations at Walmart and Dollar tree to spruce up the lawn. Iāve got beads and headbands. I want to bring Popeyeās chicken to eat on the lawn in Ventura. Last year Brent made sandwiches and they were okay, but it was too much. What do you have planned for the 4th? |
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