Linda Browne

Writer, Middle Grade, YA, Historical Fiction, SFF

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Bookcase Bizarro

September 21, 2021 / lindabrowne

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lindabrownewriter

SFF/Historical Fiction writer and container gardener

lindabrownewriter
What happens when you decide not to grow a garden What happens when you decide not to grow a garden and the weeds give you a garden anyway? You make pesto! This batch includes overwintered parsley, chives and sorrel, lamb’s quarters and dandelion.
On this morning’s walk, an unexpected patch of t On this morning’s walk, an unexpected patch of trilliums.
Fire at the farm on a cold, rainy night. Pure bli Fire at the farm on a cold, rainy night. Pure bliss.
For the first time in over 20 years, I've decided For the first time in over 20 years, I've decided not to plant a garden. I've just pivoted to indie authorship and formed my own company, Crooked Mile Media, to publish my own work. I'm planning to launch my first book, SHADOW APPRENTICE, next spring. The learning curve is high and it's taking up all my creative bandwidth. Does that mean I'm saying good-bye to gardening FOREVER? Of course not. Here's what I'm doing this season: I will continue to grow sprouts. They are easy, low care crops that are ready in 5-7 days. I will be helping my partner take care of her amazing rescue garden. (Today's photos are exclusively from that garden.) I'm toying around with the idea of growing 4 pots of herbs that can we can pack into the car when we go away. (But will I grow from seed or - gasp!- buy transplants?) Finally, a friend of mine with a farm has offered me space in her garden. These crops will only get watered every other week (more when we are there). Swiss chard and Italian dandelion, I'm looking at you! This year, I'll be growing sprouts, potted herbs, Swiss chard, Italian dandelion...and a publishing company. How about you?
Walking past other people’s gardens. Walking past other people’s gardens.
And the final result! And the final result!
Second rise (2 hours). The loaves are very sticky Second rise (2 hours). The loaves are very sticky and elastic.
Bread baking day around here. Or rather, bread fe Bread baking day around here. Or rather, bread fermenting day. These loaves will ferment for 12-18 hours at room temperature before shaping and baking. Come back tomorrow to see the results!
This delicious mango slaw was great with fish, but This delicious mango slaw was great with fish, but you’ll discover some equally delicious KIDLIT reads in Bookcase Bizarro, my monthly newsletter, which drops tomorrow. Click on link under bio for new reviews and author bragging.
Perfect day. Perfect day.
I don't know how Sara Pennypacker creates such ach I don't know how Sara Pennypacker creates such achingly beautiful contemporary upper MG fiction, book after book. Stella loves living with her great-aunt Louise on Cape Cod but she doesn't like Angel, the foster kid Louise has taken in. When disaster strikes, Stella and Angel must team up to keep child protective services at bay and to keep on living in the only home they know. That means managing - and cleaning - a suite of rental cottages all by themselves for the entire summer without any help - and without any adults noticing. I love MG reads that involve kids running their own businesses but Pennypacker infuses this particular venture with a desperation that brings Stella and Angel's plight to life with a scary immediacy. I put on this one to listen to while spring cleaning and couldn't turn it off. Adults, do yourselves a favour and read this. Really.
What a difference a week makes! What a difference a week makes!
Spring dance. Spring dance.
I recently re-read this book from my childhood (wh I recently re-read this book from my childhood (which I hated as a kid). The story, loosely based on the British folktale of Childe Rowland, involves 4 1960s British children in a plot to rescue the mythical land of Elidor from evil forces by taking 4 treasures into their own world for safekeeping (though why they should do so is never precisely revealed). It's a very weird read that tends to sharply divide readers into love-hate camps, especially fantasy readers. On the one hand, there's very little discernible plot, there's no motivation for why the children would want to put their lives at risk to save Elidor, most of the story takes place in the contemporary world and there is no ending to speak of. (All the reasons why I hated this book as a kid.) On the other hand, place and setting are sharply evoked, the language is exquisite and displays a social realism uncommon to children's fantasy books of the time. As a GEN X adult, is my fascination with this book due to nostalgia or the atmospheric creepiness of Garner's prose? Probably a little of both though I still hate the ending, which is cruel and abrupt. Interesting fact: Garner considered Elidor to be an 'anti-Narnia' book. It certainly is that.
Happy long Easter weekend from a confused Christma Happy long Easter weekend from a confused Christmas cactus. Or maybe it’s just a secular cactus that doesn’t observe religious holidays, like us.
In this sequel to The Marrow Thieves, @cherie.dima In this sequel to The Marrow Thieves, @cherie.dimaline explores themes of resistance, sacrifice and betrayal amidst the horrific spectre of residential schools, which have been reinvented to 'harvest' bone marrow from indigenous people. When @angelineboulley calls it "A revelatory must-read," she's not kidding. Do yourself a favour and read Boulley's Firekeeper's Daughter while you're at it.
‘Christmas’ cactus. In March. ‘Christmas’ cactus. In March.
An Old School send up of the hero's quest that man An Old School send up of the hero's quest that manages to poke fun at knightly chivalry while seriously exploring the many conflicted choices that ambitious, creative women make. And those meewinks are some of the most bone-chilling monsters you'll ever encounter. (You have been warned.) 38 years later, it's still one of my favourites.
Sprouts decanted. Sprouts decanted.
These little seeds will soon grow into 1 week’s These little seeds will soon grow into 1 week’s worth of sprouts. We usually do 1 large and 1 medium jar of red kale, 2 small jars of broccoli, 1 medium jar of clover and two medium trays of red lentils. In 5 days ( 7 days for the kale), we’ll pack these sprouts into our morning smoothies. Photo 2 shows newly-harvested red kale- my favourite sprout.
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