Believe in the Power of Stories
Stories entertain us and inspire us to learn, grow, and change
What a strange winter we’re having! After a very wet autumn that inspired a salmon census count in our local streams well above recent years, winter has brought clear skies. It’s been relatively warm and totally dry here in the Sierra Foothills of NorCal, so I’ve made my lake walk often. It feels good in the moment, but is not good at all for the season. South of here, in my growing-up places, the wintertime fires have been like Dante’s hellscape. I can only wonder what spring and summer will bring. I do see rain in the forecast ahead. That’s great news! Photos are from the same spot by the lake on different days and at different times.
Field Trip to the Coast!
Julia Cameron, she of Artist’s Way fame, recommends two things: the daily habit of writing “morning pages” to clear out any plugged up creative pathways, and the monthly ritual of taking oneself on an “artist’s date” or field trip to a place full of inspiration. Good advice! Though, I rarely do the first, I almost always do the second. Sometimes, that field trip takes me to an art museum or a concert, sometimes it’s a fabric store or a garden stroll. This time, it was an oceanside excursion.
Fort Bragg, a quaint touristy town on the rugged North Coast, was the destination for a very restful and inpiring field trip. My travel partners were dear friends John and Janiene. A beautiful and comfortable bed-and-breakfast inn called Annie’s House was our home-away-from-home. We enjoyed “the best fish-and-chips I’ve ever eaten” at Sea Pal Cove in Noyo Harbor, strolled around the Medocino Coast Botanical Gardens, savored terrific pastries at the Good Life Cafe, watched the sunset over the ocean through the wide front windows, and took in a couple DVD movies in the evenings. There’s nothing more mezmerizing, more relaxing and rejuvenating, than watching the ocean waves roll in and out beneath sparkling blue skies, unless it’s doing that alongside good friends. Believe it or not, I squeezed in some writing as well! (Do you recognize that white house, Blair House? Pretending to be on Cape Cod, it was super sleuth Jessica Fletcher’s home in the TV show Murder, She Wrote.)
January’s Books
Because of some upcoming book-related events that I’m super excited about, I have been reading like a mad woman! I finished eight books this month. Lots of them I read with my ears. Five historial fictions, two contemporary fiction—most of which were cross-genre, including important murder mystery and/or thriller aspects, too. Number eight was an adventure memoir, and also an ARC (advanced reader copy). All but one I loved! Have you read any of these books? Any great recommendations? Check out all my book reviews on Goodreads.
A Solitude of Wolverines, by Alice Henderson, reminded me of Nevada Barr’s beloved Ranger Anna Pigeon series of National Park murder mysteries. The main character is a nature biologist and trained survivalist who encounters danger of a manmade kind in the wilderness, while studying the endangered wildlife. An edge-of-your-seat mystery thriller set in the Rockies. 5*****
The Seed Keeper, by Diane Wilson, is the richly written story of four strong Native American women across four generations in Minnesota. It’s about survival and love, about ancestors and the land. It’s about nature’s healing powers and finding strength within oneself. 5*****
Annie Proulx’s Barkskins is an epic tale that spans several centuries. It chronicles the “civilizing” of the northeast—Eastern Canada and Northern New England—by the Europeans who felt compelled to cut down the “infinite forests” they found and subjugate the Indigenous People who lived there. It’s ultimately a story of a slow-motion environmental disaster. Beautifully written, but hard to read. 5*****
Tangles, by Kay Smith-Blum, is set in both the 1940s and 1960s in Oregon. It’s the dawn of the Atomic Age, safety standards are less important than winning the war—WWII and the Cold War. Civilians pay the price. This well written, well researched novel focuses on three people intent on shining a light on the invisible environmental disaster and the risks it poses. The audio-book version of this novel is narrated by Anna Crowe, the same woman who so expertly narrated my Force of Nature. 5*****
Eowyn Ivey’s The Snow Child is the one I didn’t like. My book club friends loved it, and it was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize, but I didn’t like it at all. Set on a homestead in remote Alaska, an older couple struggles to survive, doing so only with the help of more experienced neighbors. A child appears, seemingly transformed into a living being from a little snowman the couple created. With her come both joy and grief. Is it magical realism? Is it coincidence? How does she survive? Where does she go? 3***
The Briar Club, by Kate Quinn, has been on my TBR list for a long while. Set in Washington, DC, the 1950’s McCarthy Era, it’s told through the eyes of several women who live together in a boarding house. Each gets to tell her backstory, as well as her version of their overlapping stories, and everyone of them has a secret. Positively riveting, with several unexpected twists and surprising left turns. 5*****
Louise Penny’s The Grey Wolf brings readers back to the town of Three Pines with Chief Inspector Gamache. This time he must foil a murderous plot by powerful people to use eco-terrorism to gain total political power. Another edge-of-your-seat thriller that felt way too real! Penny’s new audio-book narrator, Jean Brassard is terrific! 5*****
Everest and the Rest of Us: Four Journeys in Search of Adventure, by James Nehring, is an adventure memoir in four parts: a cross-the-US bike ride, a down-the-East-Coast row, and a walk on the Camino de Santiago, plus the philosophical pursuit of the answer to the question, “Why do we seek adventure?” I found the three physical adventures exciting. I enjoyed delving into the deeper meanings of our search for new, challenging experiences. It’s a unique and fascinating adventure tale. I had the honor of reading an early version of this manuscript, which will be released this year. 5*****
The Three Women - Joan, Cappy, and Jane
When I visit with book clubs or give talks at libraries or service groups about Force of Nature, people have lots of questions. Often, they ask about my friendships with Cappy and Jane. “Are you still friends?” “Do you still go on adventures together?”
Yes, Cappy, Jane, and I are terrific friends! Cappy and I both live in the little town of Colfax (pop ~2500) and Jane lives one town over, Grass Valley. We get together monthly for book club and in between for other activities. We’ve traveled together since the JMT. Cappy and I walked in the Cotswolds. Jane and I went to Quebec. We all three went on a Civil Rights tour in Georgia and Alabama. Cappy and I are headed to Vietnam and Cambodia in February! Recently, we met up in Auburn for an interesting talk about the Freedom Train.
It’s hard to believe it’s been over 17 years since our long hike through the heart of the Sierra. We’re much grayer, but still smiling! Our experiences together on the John Muir Trail have bonded us as BFFs—Best Friends Forever!
Looking to the Future & A Heart Full of Gratitude
Deep bow of gratitude goes out to my publisher, Black Rose Writing, and my fellow BRW authors who are an inclusive and encouraging community of writers. I’m grateful for all I have learned and for the numerous opportunities that have come my way through this community’s eagerness to share and collaborate.
Several fun book-related events are coming up, all made possible by that BRW community of writers. I can share with you some info, and I can hint at a little, but much I still have to keep secret for a bit! Shhhhh!
First - GALENTINE’S DAY is coming!
Ladies, Galentine’s Day, February 13, is the perfect time to celebrate with your BFFs— your GAL-friends—and to share some good books about strong women working and playing together, supporting one another, and taking on the world.
Four friends and I, all BRW authors of women-centered books, have created a book adventure to celebrate GALENTINE'S DAY. The five books represent five very different stories, but all celebrate female friendships.
Janis Robinson Daly - The Unlocked Path - Friends Eliza, Olga, and Charlotte
Karen E. Osborne - Justice for Emerson - Friends Aria, Lacy, and Joy
Kerry Chaput - Daughter of Snow and Secrets - Friends Isabelle and Charlotte
Linda Rosen - The Emerald Necklace - Friends Rosalee, Selma, and Fran
and me, Joan Griffin - Force of Nature - Friends Joan, Cappy, and Jane
You can win all five books by entering the drawing. Entries begin February 1 and end February 12. A random winner will be drawn on February 13. Click the button below to go to the entry form. Nothing says “I love you” like the gift of a great book!
Follow me on Facebook @ Joan M Griffin for more info about the Galentine Gals and their books. Plus, we five will be hosting a lively Zoom Q&A together, and I’ll be posting that on my Facebook page as well.
Second - WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH is just around the corner!
My friend, author Janis Robinson Daly, is a Women’s History buff, and for the third year in a row, she has created a Women’s Historical Fiction Reading List for the month of March, Women’s History Month. The list is in the form of a calendar, featuring one book per day, for a total of 31 books. There are great stories about really interesting women, many of whom have been lost to history until now.
I think historical fiction, especially women’s historical fiction, is my favorite genre. I surely read more books in that genre than any other. So, I’m surprised I’ve only read 3 of the 31! Follow me on Facebook @ Joan M Griffin for more information about this month-long celebration during Women’s History Month 2025.
Third - April is EARTH MONTH! And I have something wild up my sleeve!
You might have noticed that most of the books I read during January had an environmental theme, an Earth Month theme. I’m in the process of curating a list of 30 books, one per day, to include in an Earth Month Reading List. The books represent a wide variety of genres and subjects, but all fit into the Earth Month theme, so there is something for everyone to enjoy.
It’s still deep in the planning stages, but I’m anticipating hosting several fun and interesting events. I’m coordinating with a dozen other authors to make this a terrific celebration of our planet Earth.
Follow me on Facebook @ Joan M Griffin to get regular updates on my Earth Month celebration plans, and visit my website for the unveiling!
Mark Your Calendar for Upcoming Author Talks:
Annual Sierra Writer Conference - I will be speaking via Zoom on March 6 at 5pm on “The Mighty Pen: The Power of Literature to Change the World.”
Roseville Library Author Talk Series - I will be speaking at Fig Tree Coffee on Vernon Street in Roseville about Force of Nature, the JMT, and Earth Month.
My OLLI at Sierra College Spotlight on Authors Interview Series continues in Spring Semester with author and teacher Grant Faulkner on February 14 and audio-book narrator Anna Crowe on March 14, both at noon via Zoom.
GREAT newsletter. Love your book reviews!
Thanks for all your book reviews & recommendations. I read Barkskins a while back & couldn't put it down, a real saga. Recently read Pulitzer prize winner Trust by Herman Diaz and found it underwhelming. It's the old Roshoman story, different time & place, but similar structure, i.e 4 different views of the same story. Not sure what makes it a Pulitzer prize winner.