Books I'm reading or anticipating.

I decided to wash all thoughts political out of my hair. Nothing I say or think makes one whit of difference in the grand scheme of Beltway machinations. Reading good books and cleaning my house are much more productive in the short and long term.



I've had to cut back on the number of books read for review. A huge pile of books awaits on my reading table, and an equally large pile sits to my right on the computer desk waiting for reviews to be written. Since a thunderstorm is passing through right now, I need to finish this fast in case the electricity goes off.



Right now I'm reading Bye Bye Bertie, the second in the Ivy Towers Mystery Series by Nancy Mehl. These cosy mysteries are engaging and, yes, cosy. I'm waiting to read the third in this series. Hard telling what sort of trouble Ivy will encounter as this series progresses!!



Poet Burt Kimmelman agreed to exchange books. I got the best of the bargain when two of his books arrived in the mail the day after my book went out to him. Since the book of poetry featuring work by Stephen Sulik and me is no longer in print, I was lucky to have a copy on hand. Kimmelman's two books are The Pond at Cape May Point, featuring his poems and art by Fred Caruso, and Somehow. I've reviewed his work before and enjoyed his poetic style.

I received Llyn Clague's latest poetry book, Painting Sin, in the mail recently and will be starting that read soon. Clague is another poet whose work I review regularly and enjoy.

Also waiting on my reading table are two of my favorite journals, The Bellowing Ark and Ibbeston Street. These aren't journals to gloss over in a hurry. I savor them over a period of days or weeks. My own poetry has appeared regularly in The Bellowing Ark, but lately my muse has been on hiatus.

The thunderstorm is directly over me now so I need to publish this post before the electricity goes out again. Thank God blogspot saves drafts!