Shut Up & Write! by Judy Bridges

If you have it in mind to do some writing, but you don't know where to start, how to get it done, or just plain "don't have time",  you should pick up Shut Up & Write! by Judy Bridges.  Judy is an accomplished writer and the teacher of the Redbird Studio writing center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.  She has put valuable information for writers in clear and readable form. 

My favorite part, however, is the section on how to motivate yourself to get the job done.  One example:  One of her students was complaining about not having enough time to write. Judy asked him if he had any money.  He had a twenty dollar bill.  She put it in her pocket and said, "You can have this back when you write thirty pages."  It took him a week.

Judy's point in this book - Here's how to do it, now get busy and do it!

Kathi Linz

Huggable Crochet: Cute and Cuddly Animals from Around the World by Christine Lucas

Huggable Crochet: Cute and Cuddly Animals from Around the World by Christine Lucas has 24 patterns for crocheting adorable animals.  They are mostly from 8" to 15" tall.  The dolphin is 22" long. 

You'll find animals like a horse and cow to an octopus and snail to a giraffe and a lion. The kangaroo and penguin are cute, too.  My favorite is the hippopotamus.  She has a very interesting face.

Come, all you crafters.  Christmas is on the way.

Kathi Linz

Two Books on Selling Crafts

I checked out two books on selling homemade crafts.  One is The Handmade Marketplace: How to Sell Your Crafts Locally, Globally, and Online by Kari Chapin.  The other is called Crafty Superstar: Make Crafts on the Side, Earn Extra Cash, and Basically Have It All by Grace Dobush.

Both books talk about everything from naming your business to packaging the product for shipment.  You'll read about online options, local options, and craft circuit options. The authors talk about supplies, taxes, and what to do if someone copies your product.

If you have an idea that you would like to live off of your craft or make a little extra money with it, these books might help you get ideas and get started.

Kathi Linz

Crochet Compendium: The Ultimate Collection of Crochet Techniques by Connie Elllison

From beginner to expert, Crochet Compendium: The Ultimate Collection of Crochet Techniques by Connie Ellison will point you to something new and different from your usual project. 

You'll find pages and patterns for such techniques as mosaic crochet, slip-stitch crochet, wiggly, waffle-weave, tunisian or double-ended crochet, hairpin lace, broomstick lace, felting, and filet crochet.  That isn't the complete list. 

There are full-color photos to help you understand what to do.  There is also a chart to help you understand crochet symbols.  If you can't figure out the written pattern, it sometimes helps to see the symbols forming the design.

Kathi Linz

Death on the Aegean Queen by Maria Hudgins

I like the way Maria Hudgins set her mysteries in travel settings.  In the book Death on the Aegean Queen, I found myself on a cruise ship in the Mediterranean Sea with occasional stops at various Greek islands.  The mystery is multi-layered with disguises, murder, red herrings, antiquity smuggling, and four law enforcement agencies all on the same ship. 

Dotsy Lamb certainly knows how to get herself into deep water.  With the help of a few fellow passengers, one of which has a photographic memory, Dotsy tracks down clues that the officials miss  - or don't find because she has picked them up.

A quick, fun read, and you might find yourself learning a little about antiquities.

Kathi