Wild Release #126

My tenth SSM challenge was occasion for the release of Nora Roberts' "Night Shift & Night Shadow" book. I was a day late in releasing this one since I had other plans yesterday at sunset. I took a little walk after work today and left this shadowy book propped up on one of the ornamental lampposts outside the original entrance of the Westmoreland County Courthouse on Main Street. Shadows and light: mission (finally) accomplished!

This week's challenge, set by dicentragirl, follows:

SSM 012708: Shadows
When: January 27th 2008
How: Groundhog day is celebrated in the United States this week. Pick books that have a light or shadow theme or title. Release them in a shadow (could be a statue, a tree, a building). You choose.

Catch #13!

Today my lucky number is 13 since "The Ruby Princess Sees A Ghost," by Jahnna N. Malcolm, is my 13th book caught in the wild. This book was released with three other books as part of dicentragirl's December 23, 2007, SSM; one of the books already checked in a few weeks ago. Two down, two to go! This one may soon be on the move again, according to raeden, who got it from her grandmother. Thank you for joining and journaling, raeden, and welcome to BookCrossing!

Wild Releases #124 & #125

Sister No. 6 and I took a mini road trip to the wilds of Robinson Township today and I took the opportunity to release a couple of books along the way. The first book, "The Face on the Milk Carton," by Caroline B. Cooney, was left inside the milk cooler at Sheetz on Route 30 in Irwin, Pa., while my sister selflessly filled my tank with gas in the freezing cold weather. This was my seventh release that qualified for MRWiley's 2008 Movie/TV books release challenge.

The second book, "She's Come Undone," by Wally Lamb, was left at the IKEA store in Robinson Township, our final destination. I left it on a bookshelf in the home organization area of the downstairs marketplace. If I ever come across another copy of this book, I'll be leaving it next to Etch-a-Sketches.

RABCKs #65 - #70

Six books are on their way to ThanksMom in Duncansville, Pa., to give away to park visitors for Black History Month 2008. The books are: The Wedding: A Novel, by Dorothy West; What Looks Like Crazy on an Ordinary Day, by Pearl Cleage; Alex Haley's Queen: The Story of an American Family, by Alex Haley and David Stevens; Fatherhood, by Bill Cosby; Warriors Don't Cry, by Melba Pattillo Beals; and The Measure of a Man: A Spiritual Autobiography, by Sidney Poitier.

Wild Release #123

My sixth release for MRWiley's 2008 Movie/TV books release challenge was Mario Puzo's "The Last Don." I bought this book a few months ago at the Greensburg-Hempfield Area Library book sale and released it at the Greensburg Post Office. I hope this book's next journey is a longer one, because the library and the post office are directly across the street from each other.

Catch #12!

"The Grinch Meets His Max," by Antonia D. Bryan, has checked in! It's my 12th release caught in the wild. I released it shortly before Christmas on the bench behind the Westmoreland County Courthouse and Penny-Love1 was kind enough to join and journal it. Thank you and welcome to BookCrossing, Penny-Love1!

Wild Release #122

I celebrated not having to work today by meeting my mother for breakfast at Eat 'n Park across from Westmoreland Mall in Greensburg. I took the opportunity to leave another book at one of my favorite (but so far ineffective as far as journal entries go) drop spots: on the newspaper machines on the sidewalk outside. Rachel Pastan's "This Side of Married" was left on top of the Tribune-Review box around 10:15 a.m. and was still there when I left around 11:30 a.m. Write home soon, little book.

Wild Release #121

My ninth SSM challenge called for the release of books about ravens, poetry, or anything Poe-related in honor of the 199th anniversary of Edgar Allan Poe's birthday. I left "Tales of Mystery and Imagination," by Edgar Allan Poe, on a ledge outside the door of the Wine & Spirits shop behind Westmoreland Mall in Greensburg. I wish I had three red roses to leave with it in homage to the Poe Toaster who visits Poe's grave in Baltimore, Md., every year on the author's birthday. Mission Accomplished!

This week's challenge, set by dicentragirl, follows:

SSM 012008: Nevermore!
When: January 20th 2008
How: Quote the raven, “nevermore." Edgar Allan Poe’s birthday is January 19th. Celebrate a day late with this SSM. Books on ravens, poetry, or anything Poe-related.

RABCKs #50 - #64

Fifteen books are on their way to TinkEsq for the Rubber City Book Posse to release at the Akron, Ohio, reading festival in February 2008.

Wild Release #120

This book has already done some traveling--from New York to Texas to Pennsylvania--and I have set it free to travel some more. I left "The Giant's House: A Romance," by Elizabeth McCracken, in the parking lot of Barnes & Noble in Greensburg. It is in a BookCrossing bag propped up on the base of the light pole near the mailboxes. Happy hunting!

Wild Release #119

My usual release and lunch spots were feeling a bit stale, so I thought I'd kill two birds with one stone and head for Chick-fil-A in the Eastgate Plaza. I left "Spider-Man 2," by Peter David, on a ledge outside the side door as I went in. I saw it catch a few patrons' eyes as I enjoyed my delicious lunch, but it was still there when I left.

This was my fifth release for MRWiley's 2008 Movie/TV books release challenge.

Wild Releases #117 & #118

Since I was going to the Greensburg Post Office anyway to mail a couple of birthday cards, I thought it would be a good opportunity to leave a book, especially since someone else left one there just this morning. I left Disney's "How to Catch a Heffalump" propped up on the Automated Postal Machine in the lobby.

My eighth SSM challenge called for the release of a book about a bear in honor of A. A. Milne's upcoming birthday, so I left "Winnie-the-Pooh," by A. A. Milne, sandwiched between two bottles of SueBee Honey at the Route 66 Shop 'n Save in Greensburg, Pa. Mission Accomplished!

This week's challenge, set by dicentragirl, follows:

SSM 011308: Bears
When: January 13th 2008
How: A. A. Milne has a birthday this week (18th). Celebrate with books about bears. Real bears, teddy bears, Pooh bear. You choose. Release location ideas include zoos, with the stuffed bears in a toy store, or with the bear-shaped honey in the grocery store... Get creative!

These books also qualify for MRWiley's 2008 Movie/TV books release challenge.

Wild Find #1!

I got a Release Alert that this book--"Charleston," by John Jakes--was left at the Greensburg Post Office this morning, and since I had to go to the Post Office anyway, I decided to see if this would still be there. Happily it was, as it is now my first official Book Found. I left another book in its place, so anyone else who is hunting can find one as well. Thanks gbgnative! I'll be reading and releasing soon :)

Wild Releases #115 & #116

I had to stop by the bank at Giant Eagle in the Eastgate Plaza on Route 30 in Greensburg on my way to a meeting after work, so I thought I'd leave a couple of books behind. I haven't had any catches from this Giant Eagle yet, but I'm still hopeful. This time I left a pair of children's books in the car sections of two kiddie shopping carts on the sidewalk outside--"The Stupids Step Out," by Harry Allard, and "Arthur's Reading Race/Glasses for D.W. (2-in-1 Edition)," by Marc Brown. Two kids should get more than the surprise of a cold seat when they go shopping with mom or dad soon!

The Arthur book was also released for MRWiley's 2008 Movie/TV books release challenge.

Wild Release #114

Another breakfast meeting, another chance to leave a book at Eat 'n Park across from Westmoreland Mall in Greensburg. This month's book was "The Floor of the Sky," by Pamela Carter Joern. I left it on top of the newspaper boxes on the sidewalk outside around 8:30 a.m. While I was waiting for a table, I saw someone come in with it and heard his companion tell him to look at it later. That's the first time I have ever seen someone "catch" a book! No journal entry yet, but anything is possible.

Wild Release #113

My seventh SSM challenge called for the release of a weather-related book, so I left "The Perfect Storm: A True Story of Men Against the Sea," by Sebastian Junger, with the winter-weather things (rock salt, windshield washer fluid, calcium chloride) at the Hempfield Giant Eagle. Mission Accomplished!



This week's challenge, set by dicentragirl, follows:

SSM 010608: Winter Weather
When: January 6th 2008
How: Today is Carl Sandburg’s birthday. Rain, snow and fog. Release with umbrellas or raincoats? On a weather vane?

This book was also released for MRWiley's 2008 Movie/TV books release challenge.

Wild Release #112

I have been wanting to leave this little book since the New Year and was presented with the opportunity this evening when I went to Cozumel for take-out. I left "Horror-Scopes: Your Day-To-Day Astrological Guide to Disasters, Defeats, and Despair," by Andrews McMeel Publishing, on top of one of the gumball machines in the entrance hall of the restaurant.

Wild Release #111

I had a craving for Panera Bread soup for lunch and I managed to prop "The Book Thief," by Markus Zusak, in a chair on the sidewalk outside around 12:45 p.m., without being seen. I sat at a table by the window inside where I had a pretty good view of the book and I saw about a dozen people look at it, but pass it by, and a couple dozen more just pass it by. It was still there when I left at 1:15 p.m.

Catch #11!

What a great way to begin the New Year! My 11th release caught in the wild, and my first of 2008, is "The Ruby Princess Runs Away," by Jahnna N. Malcolm. This was released with three other books as part of dicentragirl's December 23, 2007, SSM and is on the move again, according to jedc0316, who was lucky enough to find it and kind enough to join and journal it. Thank you and welcome to BookCrossing, jedc0316!

Books Read in 2007

Another year has come and gone and my mind is 63 books richer. Here is a list of the books I finished in 2007. You can follow the links to their journal entries on BookCrossing; those books without a link were either borrowed, or are in my permanent collection for the moment.

January
1. Wicked, by Gregory Maguire

March
2. Cold Case Squad, by Edna Buchanan
3. Shadows, by Edna Buchanan

May
4. Total Control, by David Baldacci
5. Full Scoop, by Janet Evanovich and Charlotte Hughes
6. An American Childhood, by Annie Dillard
7. Anne of Green Gables, by Lucy Maud Montgomery
8. Chocolat, by Joanne Harris
9. Captive of My Desires, by Johanna Lindsey
10. The Bridge Over The River Kwai, by Pierre Boulle

June
11. Dead Watch, by John Sandford
12. The Dressmaker, by Elizabeth Birkelund Oberbeck
13. Shock, by Robin Cook
14. Motion to Suppress, by Perri O'Shaughnessy
15. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, by J.K. Rowling (reread)
16. Sparkling Cyanide, by Agatha Christie
17. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, by J.K. Rowling (reread)
18. Ordeal by Innocence, by Agatha Christie

July
19. The Red Pony, by John Steinbeck
20. The Shawshank Redemption, by Stephen King
21. Eleven On Top, by Janet Evanovich
22. The Chin Kiss King, by Ana Veciana-Suarez
23. The Romanov Prophecy, by Steve Berry
24. Three Fates, by Nora Roberts
25. Mount Vernon Love Story: A Novel of George and Martha Washington, by Mary Higgins Clark
26. A Long Way Down, by Nick Hornby
27. Planet of the Apes, by Pierre Boulle
28. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, by J.K. Rowling
29. The Regatta Mystery and Other Stories, by Agatha Christie

August
30. Suite Française, by Irène Némirovsky
31. Twelve Sharp, by Janet Evanovich
32. Looking for Mr. Goodbar, by Judith Rossner
33. Frankenstein, by Mary Shelley
34. On What Grounds, by Cleo Coyle
35. The Lovely Bones, by Alice Sebold

September
36. The Seal Wife, by Kathryn Harrison
37. Sgt. Piggy's Lonely Hearts Club Comic: A Pearls Before Swine Treasury, by Stephan Pastis
38. Through the Grinder, by Cleo Coyle
39. Around the World in Eighty Days, by Jules Verne
40. Bridge to Terabithia, by Katherine Paterson (reread)
41. Sellevision, by Augusten Burroughs
42. The Testament, by John Grisham
43. Lie Down With Lions, by Ken Follett (reread)
44. Metro Girl, by Janet Evanovich
45. The New People: They Came From The Sea, by Alex Steele

October
46. I'll Be Seeing You, by Mary Higgins Clark
47. Artemis Fowl: The Lost Colony, by Eoin Colfer
48. Water for Elephants, by Sara Gruen
49. Repair to Her Grave, by Sarah Graves
50. Latte Trouble, by Cleo Coyle

November
51. The Eyre Affair, by Jasper Fforde
52. The Lady and the Unicorn, by Tracy Chevalier
53. A Room with a View, by E.M. Forster
54. Spencerville, by Nelson DeMille
55. The Christmas Thief, by Mary Higgins Clark and Carol Higgins Clark

December
56. C.S. Lewis Through the Shadowlands, by Brian Sibley
57. The Floor of the Sky, by Pamela Carter Joern
58. This Side of Married, by Rachel Pastan
59. The Twits, by Roald Dahl
60. Turtle Moon, by Alice Hoffman
61. The Giver, by Lois Lowry
62. The Boss's Christmas Baby, by Trish Morey
63. The Book Thief, by Markus Zusak