Wistful Wednesdayu

What Are You Doing This Summer?

Record heat. Oil spills. The recession. Whichever way you turn these days, you will find a roadblock to summer fun this year. Not to mention stress-inducing events that require some down time to get over them. So how do you do it?

Like most people throughout the country, I am not in the position of taking an actual vacation this year, so I have to find creative ways to decompress and "get away from it all." In fact, the closest I came to having fun was a couple of trips into Boston, but those were centered around my daughter's hospitalization, so they don't count.

Still, it would be nice to be able to do something that didn't require a lot of money, a lot of planning or traveling, but is still fun. What would you do?

For me, it always comes down to books. When I can't go to the actual places I want to, I "travel" to them via books. I love books because I'm not limited by money, availability, or the practicality of doing it. I'm not even limited by time or space. This week, for instance, I am visiting the mills of Northern England in the 1850's via the book North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell. A few weeks ago, I visited the modern day mid-west with Adriana Trigiani's Viola in Reel Life. And the prospects for next week are wide open. I could visit medieval England or the Highlands of Scotland, or maybe spend some time with Louisa May Alcott in 1800's New England. I could delve into the world of geishas or members of a harem, or just meet the girls Friday Mornings at Nine, courtesy of Marilyn Brant. The choices - and the possibilities - are truly endless.

So that is how I will spend the hazy, lazy days of summer in my humid little corner of the world. How about you? Any fun plans for the summer?

A Moonlighters Review of According to Jane by Marilyn Brant

When I first read the premise of According to Jane, I thought, Well, this could be interesting. A young girl inspired by the voice of Jane Austen, whose ghost has taken up residence in her head? Well, that was different. But I like Jane Austen and I've read and enjoyed several books inspired by her, so when I was given the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book, I took it. And I am so happy that I did. According to Jane is everything you could wish for in a book. It's funny, it's witty, even poignant at times, and it's one of those books that grabs you from the beginning and won't let go until you're finished. It's a book that you think about in the down time between readings and stays with you after you finish it. an absolute dream of a book.

According to Jane tells the story of Ellie Barnett: Just your average high school kid until the day that Jane Austen comes to visit her mind - and stays there. the dialogue between them is sharp, witty, sometimes cutting, but always insightful. You see, for some reason, Jane has become Ellie's champion and has taken it upon herself to guide Ellie through the treacherous grounds of high school into adulthood. And Ellie, after a time, even learns to welcome it - for the most part. There are times when she decides to tune out Jane completely and she suffers the consequences for doing so. Especially when it comes to Sam Blaine, whom Jane describes as Ellie's own Willoughby. Sam is the ideal crush material - until he opens his mouth and some unflattering things come out. Sam is always giving Ellie a hard time, which sometimes leads them into trouble, both at school and beyond, when they are both adults. But he isn't just a pretty face. He can be kind and caring and even chooses to go into a noble profession. Sam is more than just a Willoughby; he is far more complicated and multi-layered than the original Willoughby. But of course Ellie doesn't realize this in the beginning. This is one of the lessons that she has to learn on her journey with Jane.

If I had to complain about one thing in this book, it's that there wasn't enough Sam! As I read it, I found myself breathlessly awaiting the time when he would reappear in Ellie's life and they would realize they were meant to be with each other. Then he would appear and I would think, Yes! only to have them part ways again, which left me unfulfilled. And whenever Ellie was with someone else, I secretly thought, No, she should be with Sam, or I like Sam better than this guy. But I suppose that this is a great testament to the storytelling; I became invested in Ellie's life and, much like Jane, I wanted her to make the right decisions. I found myself echoing Jane's sentiments and silently imploring Ellie to listen to Jane, take her advice. This, to me, is the mark of a good writer. Ellie's story became my story and I didn't want it to end, but when it did, I was satisfied with the way it turned out and already thinking of when I would read it again.

So does Ellie take Jane's advice? Does she end up with Sam - or someone else? And does she ever discover why Jane Austen's ghost took up residence in her mind? If you want to find out the answer to these questions, do yourself a favor and get a copy of According to Jane. You will be glad that you did.

Marilyn’s website: http://www.marilynbrant.com/

Marilyn’s blog: http://marilynbrant.blogspot.com/

Where to buy: http://www.amazon.com/According-Jane-Marilyn-Brant/dp/0758234619/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1238387155&sr=1-1