I hope everyone got through Irma safely. My family and I were extremely lucky and didn’t have any major damage. We did lose power, but only for about 24 hours, which was extremely fortunate. There are still a lot of people without power or running water and suffering from major damage, so if you can, please donate to help those in need.
Even though my family and I got through Irma without a scratch, the day without power and the week I had off from school was enough to make us a little stir crazy. I did a lot of reading to keep my sanity, and this is my Hurricane Irma reading list.
1) The Revival by Stephen King
Genre: Supernatural
Page Count: 416
Stephen King novels are very fitting when the weather is bad. The Revival was really good and I enjoyed it. It’s not as scary as the reviews said it was. More than anything, it’s sad.
A dark and electrifying novel about addiction, fanaticism, and what might exist on the other side of life.
In a small New England town, over half a century ago, a shadow falls over a small boy playing with his toy soldiers. Jamie Morton looks up to see a striking man, the new minister. Charles Jacobs, along with his beautiful wife, will transform the local church. The men and boys are all a bit in love with Mrs. Jacobs; the women and girls feel the same about Reverend Jacobs—including Jamie’s mother and beloved sister, Claire. With Jamie, the Reverend shares a deeper bond based on a secret obsession. When tragedy strikes the Jacobs family, this charismatic preacher curses God, mocks all religious belief, and is banished from the shocked town.
Jamie has demons of his own. Wed to his guitar from the age of thirteen, he plays in bands across the country, living the nomadic lifestyle of bar-band rock and roll while fleeing from his family’s horrific loss. In his mid-thirties—addicted to heroin, stranded, desperate—Jamie meets Charles Jacobs again, with profound consequences for both men. Their bond becomes a pact beyond even the Devil’s devising, and Jamie discovers that revival has many meanings.
2) A Writer’s Guide to Nonfiction by Elizabeth Lyon
Genre: How-to
Page Count: 240
Don’t get lost on the publishing path. Just forge ahead with the Writer’s Compass. Drawing on decades of professional experience as an author, editor, writing instructor, mentor, and marketing consultant, Elizabeth Lyon helps you navigate the art and craft of writing—with clear, easy-to-follow directions.
NORTH
Getting Your Bearings
Understand your purpose and your audience; learn to refine your ideas, select effective titles, and find the best method of organization for any piece
SOUTH
Troubleshooting
Use checklists and guidelines to spot weaknesses and problems in leads, organization, conclusions, and style—and find out how to correct them
EAST
Learning to Market
Map a successful cover letter, query letter, or proposal, and discover a four-step process to facilitate publication and sales
WEST
Refining Your Vision
Brainstorm to gain perspective on your writing—and how it fits with your values, goals, and dreams
Having the power out gave me some time without distractions to learn how to improve my writing. This is a really helpful book for anyone looking to do nonfiction writing.
Get A Writer’s Guide to Nonfiction at your local bookstore.
3) Jewels of Truth: Volume 3 by Atrayo
Genre: Spiritual
Page Count: 258
Once the power was back on I was able to use my electronics without worrying about the battery and I made a lot of progress on Jewels of Truth, which I plan to review on here soon. It’s been a very challenging book for me, which is why it’s taken me so long to read it. Luckily I’m almost done and I should have a review done soon.
Your spiritual journey of self-improvement continues in volume three of the Jewels of Truth series by Ivan A. Pozo-Illas, a.k.a. Atrayo. In this new compendium of 365 statements of spiritual wisdom, Atrayo shares daily inspirational tools to explore all of the must-haves in your life, including love, faith, forgiveness, and certainly, God(dess).
His daily statements get right to the heart of the matter quickly and efficiently, to inspire you that finding quiet time in your busy, stressful life is easier than you may think. From these poignant and concise statements, rather than lengthy diatribes, you can easily and quickly find the essential kernel of truth to help you on your journey today.
No matter your religious or spiritual traditions or background, this volume is written from an all-inclusive perspective. Jewels of Truth: The Journey of the Soul Continues is the sacred and uplifting result of clairvoyant automatic writing as the genesis motivation to reach the masses. The channeled spirit teachers are all angelic in divine nature. They are nameless as a united continuum of the Holy Spirit.
Spirituality has a core need in our lives. No matter where you are on your journey, these messages of hope are shared in love.
Get Jewels of Truth at your local bookstore.
How was everyone’s week? Let me know in the comments.
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