Settle in With a Good Book From JCPL This Fall!

The world of medicine is a wonderful thing, especially at this time of the year, when germs breed at the speed of light. Picking up some cold medicine the other day, I brought it home, and after several attempts to open the bottle, felt as if I should be arrested for breaking and entering. Peeling away one shrink wrapped safety label after another was a feat in itself, and when I finally reached the actual bottle of medicine and had it in my grasp, I encountered the dreaded "child proof" cap, which, in all actuality, should be renamed "people proof." The instructions read, "push down while turning." Pushing with all my might, and trying to turn at the same time, I thought I must be doing something wrong, because the cap stayed stubbornly still. There were even arrows, pointing me in the right direction. "Righty tighty, lefty loosey," I coached myself. Just when I thought I'd have to resort to an extreme bottle makeover to reach the medicine inside, the cap popped loose, and lo and behold, relief was on the way.

With the right medicine and a good book to read, recovering from a cold or whatever ails you is just the right prescription. Here, you'll find a "fiction prescription" from JCPL that's just what the doctor ordered!

Molly Marx leads an enviable, but complicated life. With a husband who has a tendency toward a roving eye, a twin sister that is more competitor than comrade, a controlling mother in law, and a cast of other well-meaning friends and relatives, Molly cherishes most facets of her life, that is, until it ends abruptly, leaving all who knew her to untangle the mystery behind her sudden demise while she looks on from a place called, "The Duration" in "The Late, Lamented Molly Marx" by Sally Koslow.

Three sisters, each with their own unique qualities, find themselves at the center of jealousy, betrayal and tested loyalties in "True Colors" by Kristin Hannah. In this fast paced, compelling novel, you'll meet the Grey sisters, Winona, an overweight bookworm seeking the approval of her stern father, Aurora, the middle child and peacemaker in the family, and Vivi Ann, the youngest of the three for whom everything seems to come easily. When a shocking crime rocks the small town in which they live, nearly shattering the Grey family, secrets are revealed, putting each sister to the test, pitting one against the other in ways they never would have imagined.

In 1950's Enniscorthy, Ireland, jobs were desperately scarce. When a job offer from America was presented to Ellis Lacey, she left her family and country to head for the unfamiliar territory of Brooklyn, New York. Feeling isolated and terribly alone, Ellis slowly begins to adjust to her new life, forming bonds and establishing a routine when she must make a return trip to Enniscorthy for a family emergency, leaving behind her new love and going toward the possibilities that await her across the ocean in "Brooklyn" by Com Toibin.

Iranian scientist, Dr. Ali, is an informant for the CIA, relaying to them the latest secrets of the Iranian nuclear program. Intercepting the encrypted codes is Harry Pappas, who must decide if the codes are authentic. When Dr. Ali gets caught up in a game of cat and mouse with someone hot on his trail, Pappas enlists the help of a British spy team called the Increments, a team whose operatives are licensed to kill. "The Increments" by David Ignatius is a thriller with a hard edge, highlighting betrayal and espionage with boundless energy.

Boundless energy...that's hard to come by when you have a cold, and when you have to try to open a bottle that's sealed up tighter than Fort Knox just to get relief, you might as well settle in, grab your Kleenex, make a nest, and find relief in a good book from your friends at JCPL!

"Find Yourself" With a Good Book From JCPL!

I have never painted anything in my life, with the exception of walls and paint by number sets. Picking up a paintbrush and using my imagination to create something out of nothing are not in my MO. That's why when I brought home a ceramic piece, crafted by my mother in law years before she passed on, I really didn't intend to paint it myself. But, being the do-it-yourselfer that I am, I decided to give it my best shot. Dragging out the paints and brushes, my kitchen table became a study in art as I began to get creative early one afternoon. By 11:00 pm that night, I was bleary eyed and getting clumsy, but decided to do just one more thing before packing it in for the night. That was a bad idea; just ask my cat. Timing is everthing, and as I spilled the brown paint I had just opened back up, my 25 pound orange cat got caught in the crossfire, and in just seconds, his striped, orange coat became a brown blob. Running for cover with me close behind, the hissing and biting ensued as I did the best I could to relieve his hair from permanently splotchy, blotchy brown, back to his original color. My day of self-discovery ended in a mass of brown towels and one really mad cat, which brought me to realize that I should have followed my first instict; do not try to be creative when I already know I don't have a creative bone in my body. I should have stuck to my real bedtime ritual, and that is to open a good book until sleep takes over.

That's my story, and here are some new fiction titles from JCPL, just waiting to be part of your daily ritual!

Grief and denial turns to shock for the friends and family of Greg and Tess MacAvoy when their anniversary sail turns tragic and the pair is found dead. Along with 3 other couples, Greg and Tess were part of a group lovingly called, "The Castaways." "The Castaways" by Elin Hilderbrand is a masterfully woven tale, intense in character driven plot, bringing to life the loyalty, devotion, and love of closely knit friends who also have skeletons in their closets and secrets to be revealed.

The silence of autopsy patients speaks volumes to forensic psychiatrist, Jo Beckett, as she unravels the mysteries behind cadavers while performing psychological autopsies, determining the cause of death for each subject. When Jo is asked to perform a psychological autopsy on a living person who has lost his memory, she has to read between the lines, stringing clues together only to discover that her patient's amnesia must be reversed before disaster strikes San Francisco in "The Memory Collector," Book 2 of the Jo Beckett Series by Meg Gardiner.

As Jericho Ainsley lay dying, the former head of the CIA and Wall Street tycoon summons former lover, Beck DeForde to his bedside. "Jericho's Fall" by Stephen L. Carter features Beck DeForde as an unforgettable heroine, plunging her into the intricately woven plot and battle of wits between foreign governments and powerful corporations with an edge of the seat suspense that delves into the morality of our government offices and the possible meltdown of America's financial system.

Searching for peace from a too-eventful career as a detective, Cam Richter buys a seven hundred acre plantation in North Carolina, but the pretty plantation has its price, and the cost may be Cam's life as the history of the house comes back to haunt him in "Nightwalkers" by Peter T. Deutermann.

Clearly, creativity also has its price. Cost of paints to cover a ceramic piece; $10, cost for brushes; $5, an 11 pm voyage through the house in hot pursuit of an orange cat who is about to color my world and everything in it brown; priceless.

The Personal Touch Not a Lost Art at JCPL

Running to answer the telephone, tripping over toys, cats, and dogs along the way, I hurriedly pressed the "talk" button before the answering machine kicked in, only to hear, on the other line, an automated voice ask me if I could please hang on for the next available representative. Not only did I get roped into answering a telemarketer's call, but I was placed on HOLD for someone who had called ME! Everyone who tries to make a simple telephone call these days knows the drill; the automated recording that gives the inevitable message, "Please listen carefully, as our menu has changed." Several minutes later, if you're like me, you're so confused about which number choice pertains to your particular situation and how to go about finding someone who can answer your question that you have to dial again, just to hear the menu a second time to figure out what you have to do to get results. Is it just me, or is customer service a thing of the past?

"Your Call is (Not That) Important to Us: Customer Service and What it Reveals About Our World and Our Lives" by Emily Yellin is an eye-opening account of the role that customer service plays in today's companies, chronicling the author's meetings with sales reps from around the country, the corporate decision makers, and the distress of customers as they relate their infuriating experiences with her during her travels. This is just one of the new nonfiction titles on the shelves of the Jasper County Public Library. Read on for more great titles!

There are design flaws in everything if you look hard enough, and that goes for the human race as well. With our busy days and multi-tasking ways, mistakes are part and parcel of everyday life. "Why We Make Mistakes: How We Look Without Seeing, Forget Things in Seconds, and Are All Pretty Sure We Are Way Above Average" by Joseph T. Hallinan is the complete synopsis of the author's quest to understand the imperfections that we all have, and the science of human error that allows us to err in judgment, thereby making mistakes. Real life stories make this a valuable resource of the way our minds work, and the reasons behind the mistakes that make us vow to "do better next time."

Is there life beyond our five senses? "Unbelievable: Investigations Into Ghosts, Poltergeists, Telepathy, and Other Unseen Phenomena" by Stacy Horn delves into the paranormal, as a group of scientists from Duke University investigate bizarre occurences, such as reports of clairvoyance, ghosts, poltergeists, and other strange happenings, bridging the gap between science and the mysteries of the paranormal.

The solar system of the 21st Century is explored in "Where Did Pluto Go?" by Paul Sutherland. This guide to the solar system will take you on a journey through the planets, detailing every aspect of the universe and giving full descriptions of the "bright planets," Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn, as well as offering information about asteroids, meteors, shooting stars, and more with this easy to understand guide.

"Creating Your Best Life: The Ultimate Life List Guide" by Caroline Adams Miller offers science based advice for setting goals, making lists, and sticking to them. Complete with exercises and quizzes that help to identify your own individual needs, this book will open your eyes to a self-discovery that you never knew existed, inspiring you to set the goals that you must to live a more productive and happy life.

Is customer service a thing of the past? British writer and journalist, Nelson Boswell states, "Here is a simple rule: Always give to people more than what they expect to get." The personal touch; a human voice on the other end of the phone line; no menu choices; just GREAT choices when it comes to books, magazines, and audio-visual materials; that's what you'll find when you call or visit any branch of JCPL, because your call IS important to us!

Live the Life of Riley; Check Out a New Book From JCPL!

Where in the world do we, as Americans, come up with some of the phrases that we do? Maybe you don't "know beans" about this question, and need to "pull strings" and "go gaga" to find the answer. Or maybe you're too "bushed" to care or would rather "beat around the bush" before you "nip it in the bud." If someone else "beats you to the punch" in discovering the answer, would it "rub you the wrong way?" Boy, that would sure feel like a "double cross," but it would sure be a "red letter day" if you "spilled the beans" yourself, then you could "read the riot act" to your opponent, "lock, stock and barrel."

After all of your hard work, you can kick back, relax, and "live the life of Riley" by checking out a book from the Jasper County Public Library. These new fiction titles are sure to put you "on cloud nine."

Bound together by a kinship that only twins can understand, Marion and Shiva Stone are orphans who grow up sharing common interests, from their fascination with medicine to their love for the same woman. Fresh out of medical school, Marion decides that his passion for the same woman that his brother loves has put a wedge between him and his twin, and flees his homeland. Finding solace in a New York City hospital internship, Marion's past catches up with him, nearly destroying his life, leaving him no choice but to place his trust in the brother who betrayed him in "Cutting for Stone" by Abraham Verghese.

Instilling the love of music in others is a passion for Barbara Hall. Playing the violin herself, Barbara knows that her own musical skills will never amount to anything but mediocre, but when she begins teaching Hallie, she recognizes the girl's talent for music as the real thing. Barbara's drive for Hallie to be the best backfires on her, however, and she makes a terrible mistake, leaving the teacher to reevaluate her past, present, and future in "The Music Teacher" by Barbara Hall.

Not every fairy tale ends happily ever after, and that becomes evident to Julie Hanrahan after her whirlwind courtship and subsequent marriage to Dr. Thomas Larkin when she uncovers unthinkable truths about her new husband in "Die Before I Wake" by Laurie Breton.

Dreaming of a life outside of her father's apothecary where she prepares herbs and remedies, Lilly is haunted by memories of her mother who mysteriously disappeared years before. A trip to London offers Lilly new pleasures and an introduction to the world of fashionable society, as well as the truth about what really happened to her mother in "The Apothecary's Daughter" by Julie Klassen.

Arriving in Summerville, Ohio with her Newfoundland, Bowser, Abby goes to work in her newly owned coffee shop, courtesy of her deceased grandmother. Trouble finds Abby, however, in the shape of an exasperating college professor. Enter Daisy, a web code writer with a hyperactive Jack Russell as a sidekick, and Shar, an ancient history professor with a neurotic dachshund named Wolfie, and the three women pair up to dig in and find out what on earth is happening in the small Southern Ohio town before an ancient goddess stages an apocalyptic takeover in "Dogs and Goddesses" by Jennifer Crusie.

That brings us to the "dog days of summer," which call for something "of a different climate" to read, and in order to "get on the stick" and "find your niche" as the summer comes to an end, just stop in any branch of JCPL, where the new fiction on the shelves will make you want to "check us out!"

"Do-able" Fiction Titles From JCPL

Unless you've been living on another planet entirely, you know that the past month has been a bad one for celebrities. Leaving behind the legacies of their talents and their star quality, all of these celebrities have, at one time or another in our lives, left an imprint. Michael Jackson gave us a different spin on music and dancing, moonwalking his was to stardom, Karl Malden, also a native of Indiana, was cast in many dramatic roles throughout his career, and Farrah Fawcett, as we all know, left us the legacy of great hair. Thinking of that, I decided to take a trip down memory lane and have a look at my high school yearbook. I was a child of the '70's...and as I paged through my past, it came to me that many of us who take this trip back in time must be asking ourselves, "What was I thinking?!" That was the day of the "unisex" hairstyle; the pre-Farrah style that had NO style, parted straight down the center and hanging limply around the curves of our faces, actually leaving very little face to see the light of day. You had to look closely at the photographs and read the names of the kids pictured, just to make out who was male and who was female, because the boys sported the same do's as the girls; do's that would, these days, be considered, "don'ts."

Thankfully, time marches on, and with that, we have found simpler, more fashionable ways of doing things. The Jasper County Public Library has kept up with the times, and here are a few fiction titles that you'll find "do-able."

In the aftermath of discovering that her husband had become a casualty of the Iraq War, Abby Fitzgerald is confronted with truths about her husband and the complex life that he led, leaving her shell-shocked in "One September Morning" by Rosalind Noonan.

Sixteen years old and diagnosed as a paranoid schizophrenic, Will Heller boards an uptown B train in New York City. Convinced that the world is being changed by the climbing temperatures brought on by Greenhouse Gasses, Will believes that he can reverse the heating up of the planet by cooling down his own body. "Lowboy" by John Wray takes the reader on a journey through the tunnels of the city as Will searches for Emily Wallace in his own psychotically haunted attempt to save the planet.

Set in the coastal area of New England, "The Geometry of Sisters" by Luanne Rice introduces the reader to Maggie Shaw, a woman torn by the tragic disappearance of her husband and oldest daughter. Taking a teaching position at Newport Academy, Maggie, along with her fourteen year old daughter, Beck, struggle to adjust to their new lives, but the age old rift between her own sister and herself haunts Maggie, and similarly, Beck can't forget her own sister, Carrie.

The old Victorian house that Ivy and her husband, David, purchased is full of unwanted items that need to be cleaned out. When they decide to hold a yard sale for their unwanted items, a woman who turns out to be a classmate of David's appears, wanting to see the inside of their home. "Never Tell a Lie" by Hallie Ephron, Ph.D is a thriller that you won't be able to put down, full of secrets, betrayals, and lies that spin a fantastic web of deceit, making everyone who reads it ask the compelling question, "How well do you really know someone?"

The year is 1944, and Johnny Wrigley is a newly minted marine headed for overseas. Baseball is his true passion, and the dream of one day playing in the major leagues is what he holds onto while away. "Oh Johnny" by Jim Lehrer is a coming of age story about a talented athlete who never gives up on his dreams.

Everyone, at one time or another, has to ask themselves, "What was I thinking?" It's just a right of passage as we go through life. Checking out reading material that suits you does not have to fall into the "What was I thinking" category, however, and that is because the Jasper County Public Library offers such great choices that you can never go wrong!

Make a New Book From JCPL Your All Time Favorite!

My favorite book of all time is " The Thorn Birds" by Colleen McCullough. This family saga, set in the Australian Outback, spans three generations of the Cleary family, their trials, tribulations, tragedies, loves and losses. The main focus of the story is the forbidden romance between Meggie Cleary and the family's parish priest, Father Ralph de Bricassart. When Meggie marries Luke' O'Neill out of desperation to get her mind off of Father Ralph, you suspect that things are going to go downhill for her in a hurry, but as an innocent bystander, and not the one who penned the story, you are powerless to stop the unfolding events.

"The Thorn Birds" is a classic story, and one that will live on as a favorite for many who pick it up. Read on for a list of new adult fiction that may become a favorite to you sometime in your near future.

"All the Colors of Darkness" by Peter Robinson features Detective Chief Inspector Alan Banks and Detective Annie Cabbott as they investigate a double murder, unveiling nightmarish motives and one enormous surprise after another, unhinging the reader with shocking details and plot twists and turns that make for page-turning suspense.

With the planet on the verge of eco-disaster, a series of strange events begin to unfold when a mysterious sign appears everywhere that natural disasters, terrorist activities, or sites of conflict are occurring. Is this a sign of resolution in the world, or could it be a portent of catastrophic events to come? Only one man understands the mysterious meaning behind the symbol in the sky. Will he be able to save mankind with his knowledge, or could it all be a hoax? Find out in "The Sign" by Raymond Khoury.

The "Spellman Series" continues with side-splitting antics and hilarious character develpment in "Revenge of the Spellmans" by Lisa Lutz. In this latest installment, Private Investigator, Izzy Spellman, is on court-ordered therapy after getting too close to the previous subject of her investigation. Not quite mentally on board yet for another case, Izzy decides that tailing the wife of a suspicious husband should require no real mental muscle and takes on the case. The simple case becomes more and more complicated and vexing wtih each day of boring surveillance, and more questions than answers begin to pop up, bringing Izzy to the conclusion that her mental health must be taking a turn for the worse. Add to that her confused feelings for Detective Harry Stone, and the result is Spellmania at its best.

Committed to ridding the world of its depraved human members, Arlan is enlisted by another member of the Kahill clan's kill team to assist in uncovering the mastermind of the Buried Alive Killer case. Agreeing to meet with the key informant, Macy Smith, Arlan is taken by surprise when he becomes enamored with the blonde, petite, and beautiful lady who holds a deeper connection to the Buried Alive Killer than anyone could have imagined in "Undying" by V.K. Forrest.

Some stories are just more memorable than others. What is your favorite book of all time? If you don't have an answer, it's definitely time to visit your local branch of JCPL, where the most memorable title for you is just waiting to be checked out!

Make these Great, New Fiction Tltles Part of Your Summer "To Do" List

Anyone who is old enough to remember the Ray Rayner Show is old enough to remember that one of the trademarks of that children's show was Ray Rayner's jumpsuit, filled with papers that were his own personal "to do" lists. You knew the show was over when all of the papers on Ray Rayner's coveralls were gone. Are you a list maker, or do you throw caution to the wind?

Here, you'll find a list; but this list is one you won't want to ignore, because in it, you'll find the key to summer relaxation...a new fiction title from the Jasper County Public Library. Here are just a few of the new books you'll find among "lists" of many others!

There are always three sides to every story. In "Above the Law" by Tim Green, nothing is as it appears when an illegal Mexican immigrant is shot to death on a ranch outside Dallas, Texas. The shooter is a well respected young Senator who tearfully and convincingly claims that the shooting was a tragic hunting accident. When the victim's sister-in-law comes forward telling a different tale, Casey Jordan, an attorney from the local legal aid clinic, takes on the case, determined to uncover the truth. But, the real truth is that the popular Senator is a wily and vindictive opponent, and will stop at nothing to save himself.

When you win the lottery on the very worst day of your life, it's time to go into hiding. That's exactly what Lucy Parker does in "Good Luck" by Whitney Gaskell. With a cheating boyfriend, a failed career, and now a media circus at her heels, all that Lucy Parker wants to do is become invisible. Escaping to Palm Beach to stay with an old college friend, Lucy does her best to put her notoriety behind her, but no matter how discreet she tries to be, her past catches up to her, and just when she's ready to give up and cash it all in, fate intervenes, giving Lucy a glimpse of what she's really worth.

Seeing things from the perspective of a four legged canine is what "Nose Down, Eyes Up" by Merrill Markoe is all about. Narrated by one of four dogs owned by Gil, this hilarious romp of a book is the story of "Jimmy" the dog, and how he shares his knowledge of people with all the other dogs in the neighborhood. Gil, Jimmy's owner, finds his pet's lectures to be ingenious, and comes up with the idea to take Jimmy's show on the road and merchandise his advice on the Internet. This, combined with Jimmy's realization that he is adopted and that Gil is not even the same species as him, brings the canine-human existence under scrutiny, while at the same time, leaves no doubt of the bonds that are forged as humans and "man's best friend" co-exist.

Thanksgiving dinner is ready and Eve feels abundantly blessed as she shares the perfect holiday feast with her family. When a phone call interrupts their peaceful meal, Eve's husband, Jonathan, retreats to their bedroom to take the call. Irritated by his lack of hospitality, Eve walks in on what looks like a very intimate conversation with her husband and a woman that she later learns is named Laney. Jon swears that there's nothing physical between he and Laney, but can a man and a woman be "just friends?" Find out in "Love and Other Natural Disasters" by Holly Shumas.

If you have a paper trail following you everywhere you go, you're in good company. As long as that paper trail is inevitable, you may as well add one more stop to your list, and that is a trip to JCPL, where you'll be glad with all of the new fiction on the shelves that the list goes on and on!