Off the Shelf; Or What's New in My Corner of the World 4

Happy Friday and happy holiday weekend for those of you who have today off. I plan to work, but I think most of my clients are probably enjoying the four-day weekend.

On the Run

In so many ways, I feel like I've been running in circles. It all started with a late April lace weekend, then a trip to see my mom for Mother's Day, then a trip to Colorado for a wedding, and then the Fourth. In between we had our annual doctor appointments, car inspection appointments, and more. Plus we still have a few short trips planned before summer's over. All fine and good, in terms of having some fun times and getting non-work chores done, but I'm really ready to have a totally uninterrupted workweek. Maybe late July???

Audiobook Fans

I don't know how many of you listen to audiobooks, but I wanted to share some news and resources for the listeners out there.

• First, did you know that AudioFile magazine has a daily podcast? The episodes last only a few minutes and each one includes an audiobook recommendation. It's called Behind the Mic and is available via whatever podcast app you like to use. The link will take you to Apple Podcasts, and there you can listen to some of the more recent episodes.
• Did you know there was a daily email newsletter for those of us looking for good prices for audiobooks? It's called Chirp Books, and it alerts subscribers to audiobook deals. Sometimes the discounts are as great as 95 percent! I don't always see books that call to me, but it's always worth seeing what I can buy for about $5.
• Speaking of audibook deals did you know that Audible also publishes a daily newsletter with the audiobook deal of the day. The prices are often around $3. You'll find that newsletter and more by going to to your account details and then clicking on Notifications. I've also signed up for some of the genre newsletters.

Fourth of July

We are so lucky that we can see the local fireworks from our house. We almost always host a Fourth of July dinner--sometimes for lots of people, sometimes for just a few. After dinner we join our neighbors and their guests at the prime viewing spot to chat and watch the show. This year's menu includes grilled chicken wings, a Mediterranean pasta salad, and blueberry crisp. I'm waiting for the dessert to come out of the oven as I'm typing. I'll try to remember to photograph it.

Red Letter Week

Finally, this was a great week in terms of my day job. This month Beatriz Williams's newest novel, The Golden Hour (William Morrow), will appear on bookshelves at your local bookshops and library. I read the book very closely several times--way back in October 2018--because I was the copyeditor.

I'm always excited to get a finished copy of the books I've worked on, but I was smiling big time this week because it turns out Beatriz Williams is a really nice person. Check out the photo, which includes a few lines from her acknowledgments (click image to enlarge it). I think I'll have another cocktail tonight, just to keep the celebration going.