It’s an Ambush!
July 21, 2022
THE AMBUSH OF A GOOD BOOK
A good novel is an invasion;
it marches in and you try
to resist, to put it down
but eventually you surrender,
and it burrows every word
into the thickest parts of you,
deploying characters
in an ambush of emotion
so that years later,
you think of them
not as characters at all,
but your own memories
of a life you got tricked
into believing
was your own.
~ Samantha Reynolds
Long time readers will know I’ve long been an enormous fan of bentlily, the daily poetry project by Samantha Reynolds. My first post featuring bentlily was on May 12, 2013 and I’m so pleased to report that all this time later, she’s still going strong with daily inspiration, laughs and, well, heart-sprongs, for lack of the right word. Poet I’m not. There is a rumour a book will soon appear. You can bet I’ll be back to report on that. In the meantime, couldn’t resist sharing this gem with you, fellow readers. I know you’ll get it!
Been ambushed by anything special lately?
Oh Reader!
June 5, 2022
This little blog seems to come in waves; I land on the shore when I have good goodies I can’t resist sharing. “Oh Reader magazine – For the Love of Reading“ is one such goodie. I’m here to encourage you to take a peek into its pages – you won’t be disappointed!
The magazine’s editors probably best describe its mission: “Oh Reader is not so much about books themselves (although we do love them with almost indecent fervor); it’s more about the lives of those who read them. Because the books we read shape who we are as people.
Oh Reader is a magazine about reading, for and by readers. It looks deep into the art of reading—why we do it, how it affects us, who we are when we read, and how we’re all connected through words.
Expect insightful stories, hilarious observations, fascinating interviews and a lot of word-nerdery. We publish four times a year, in print and online, so you can read any time.”
A great gift for the book lover in your life but be sure to treat yourself too. Each edition is entirely unexpected. Some recent features I enjoyed include: love stories established on a shared love of reading and traveling, odes to the likes of Nancy Drew, Roald Dahl, and Judy Blume, grateful tributes to the words that got one through a tough time, photo essays featuring reading chairs and books and beverages, and always a shout-out to new releases for the ever expanding list.
The magazine is printed on beautiful paper with lovely illustrations and photos throughout so a real life copy is my preference but digital options are available as well. Hope you can find a copy for your bedside table. (Locally, I have had success finding issues at Save-On Foods of all places! Well done, Save-On!) Happy to become an old-fashioned subscriber to this one though.
