Category: Books

Pardon me, while I get on my soap box as I review Molly Morgan’s latest Skinny Girls book, The Skinny Rules, 101 secrets every skinny girl knows. We are a nation of lazy eaters. We would rather pop a frozen meal in the oven, or stop at one of several neighborhood fast food restaurants than prepare a proper meal. Because of this we are also a very fat nation. Most of us battle weight issues because of our diet of choice. I eat health, avoid red meat and fats yet because of my thyroid issues, I constantly curse my scale and tight jeans. When I was offered the chance to review Morgan’s book I did so because I wanted to find out if there was more I could do in my battle of the bulge.

Morgan starts her book with a definition of skinny that made me stop and think. She says a skinny lifestyle means you are eating right and exercising, being thin has nothing to do with it. The people who are thin, yet smoke, eat junk and sit around may be blessed with a great metabolism but they are not living a skinny lifestyle. I appreciated her take on this, as I know there are many people who are healthy even if they are not model thin.  Kinda makes you feel better about being a size 12 doesn’t it?

Morgan’s book is full of tips on how to avoid extra calories, the kind that seem innocent but over time can lead to weight gain and health issues. What fries? Go ahead if you want, but avoid the sugar laced ketchup.  Eat fresh veggies; just don’t douse them with Ranch dressing. She also claims that if you must eat out, fast food meals have fewer calories than sit down restaurants. Here I would argue that this may be so, but fast food has a lot more chemicals and preservatives and in the long run may be worse.

Like Michal Pollan, Morgan stresses the need for fresh food and to avoid frozen meals at all cost. It is best to shop the outer isles, stick with veggies, protein and dairy. Simple stuff, yet we do not seem to understand this anymore. We forgot just two generations ago there was no such thing as readymade meals, (unless you count tasteless TV dinners).  Morgan’s small rule book is a gentle reminder that skinny people eat a lot like our grandparents did.

As diet books go, I have to say this is one that makes a lot of sense and is easy to use as a guide; as long as you understand what may be needed is a lifestyle change not a quick diet plan.  If this book appeals to you I would suggest picking up Michael Pollan’s An Omnivores Dilemma, as it delves deeper into why a skinny lifestyle is best no matter what your size may be.   

A few weeks ago I decided to get serious about a writing a novel I have had in my head for a couple of years now. Well, not a whole book, just some characters and some a Dan Brown like ideas on how vampires came to be. Ever since I was suckered into reading Twilight and other vamprire books, I have toyed with the idea of writing a historical vampire book. Here is what I had so far:

 

The story would center on a medieval history professor who is very happy teaching night courses in Northern California until she finds herself having heart issues. The college decides to bring in another instructor to take over some of her duties. This new professor is noted for seeming to know everything about medieval history and only wants to teach at night. Why? Because he and his wife and brother are vampires of course! The novel would include the “secret” of the Knights Templers’ power and wealth and what really brought them down. Of course the protagonist and the brother would fall in love and he would save her from her fate. Sounds silly right? Well I thought I would explore this idea over the summer that is until I read Debora Harkness’ A Discovery of Witches. From the book:

Diana meets a vampire named Matthew Clairmont, a fellow professor at Oxford. He is not only a vampire/ professor he is a knight! Are all the good ideas taken?

Harkness is a professor of history who uses her knowledge to weave a great story that spans hundreds of years. She is as comfortable writing a modern scene as she is taking her readers back to medieval France.

Diana and Matthew are drawn to each other over a manuscript and her ability to open it. The manuscript was thought to be long lost and is sought after by witches, demons and vampires alike. Each group wants it to learn the secret to their origin (yet another one of my ideas taken by Harkness) and will do just about anything to posses it. Diana and Matthew’s forbidden love starts a war among the “others” and they must travel back in time to save their families lives as well as find out the secrets of the manuscript. A Discovery of Witches is the first in a series. The second will be about their travel to 1590 England.

I enjoyed many aspects of this long novel, yet there were things that reminded me of Twilight. Again with vampires and possible children? Though, like Twilight, don’t expect sex in this first book. We will have to wait for them to consummate their love. Like Edward, Matthew wants to wait, while Diana is in a hurry to know him better. For those who loved Twilight I recommend A Discovery of Witches as it is a much better read, for those who have never read Twilight (count yourselves lucky) Matthew may well turn out to be your Edward.

So dear Readers, do I keep developing my story or do I roll my eyes and sigh. I may have started mine too late.