The weather, like that over most of the United States, was so ghastly this weekend that we didn’t get to visit and party with relatives for Christmas Eve/Day. On the other hand, we had plenty of groceries laid in because we were going to make pitch-in dishes for the parties.
All of us in Corydon got together yesterday to give the kids under 18 their gifts, so that was good.
As for reading, the good news is that I finished Alicia Butcher Ehrhardt’s second Pride’s Children novel, Netherworld. The bad news is that I finished Alicia Butcher Ehrhardt’s second Pride’s Children novel, Netherworld. The good news is that she’s working on the final book of the trilogy. The bad news is that she isn’t finished with it. The good news is that Book Two had a happy ending for some of the characters. The bad news is that 1) it was a unwanted ending for some and 2) there’s a third book coming, and that means there’s gonnnaa beee truhhhhhhhh-buulll.
The Pride’s Children trilogy is a complicated dance between three main characters, all of whom threaten — knowingly or unknowingly — the comfort and/or careers of the others. None is an actual villain, although we’ll all have our least favorite. I told the women in the book club to which I belong, “I don’t often read romance novels, but this isn’t a Romance novel; it’s a love story.” They nodded and agreed that there’s a difference. I’m itching to find out how it all turns out. Alicia tells me she has the last book in a pretty firm outline which is so detailed it’s almost a draft, so she knows the ending but I don’t. It’s one of those stories that’s so intricately plotted and characterized that it could go many ways and feel inevitable.
Y’all, I can’t recommend these books highly enough. Hop over and get the first two, so you’ll be ready when the final one comes out.
Now, we didn’t do the big Christmas family feast and sing-along, but that didn’t keep me from doing Christmas nails:
The green base color is Maniology’s Poison. The red base color is Maniology’s Shaka Santa. The white stamping was done with Twinkled T’s the-label-fell-off, and the gold is Hit The Bottle’s Divinely Decadent. The images all came from Maniology’s MXM 043.
A WRITING PROMPT FROM ME TO YOU: A triangle with at least one conflict but no villain.
MA
Dan Antion
December 26, 2022 at 7:24amKudos for making the best of a chilling situation. Cool nails.
Marian Allen
December 26, 2022 at 10:39amThe little girls were adorable! Such good girls, even worn out from Christmas.
RAAckerman@Cerebrations.biz
December 26, 2022 at 2:03pmToo bad the weather dampened your celebrations. Which means not enough folks got to see your nail creations.
Marian Allen
December 27, 2022 at 8:41amNice verse! 🙂
Alicia Butcher Ehrhardt
December 26, 2022 at 3:00pmYou are so sweet to give me a plug. I was wondering where you were in NETHERWORLD.
I’m looking forward to hearing what you thought of what I’ve done.
Hope your eyes are not giving you too much trouble! And so sorry to hear that the storm messed with your Christmas plans – that wasn’t nice.
Marian Allen
December 27, 2022 at 8:44amWe still had a nice Christmas with our little family. The only problem with my eyes is that I don’t have middle (computer) vision. I got some drug store cheaters that make it a lot better, and I get my new specs in a couple of weeks.
I adore NETHERWORLD, of course. But you’ve got me sweating. It’s like when a Thomas Hardy character is in a really good place partway through the story. You keep looking up, waiting for that Acme anvil to fall. lol
AI Profit Insider
December 28, 2022 at 10:50amMy baby absolutely loves christmas nails… the green and reds send him berserk.
It was my first Christmas with him so it was pretty special.
Im glad you still have a good Christmas because you’re right, family is the only thing it matters.
Marian Allen
December 28, 2022 at 11:05amAbsolutely! What kind of baby are you talking about — a human one or a furry one? 😀