Review of “Mirror Blue” by Thomma Lyn Grindstaff: A Novel You Can Really Sink Your Teeth Into.
Friends, Just Good Stuff | Posted by Jannie on 22 July 2009 @ 8:06 AM 30 Comments
Picture me today as Vinny in gold chains, Hear the scratch of my polyester sleeves against my fake oak desk as I lean forward to claim that “This — My Excellent Friend — is your lucky day to get in on the ground floor of a once-in-a-lifetime unbelievable opportunity.
‘Cept I’m just regular old Jannie sipping tea here on my futon.
But there is a real deal and her name is Thomma Lyn Grindstaff, author of the very well received Mirror Blue, her debut novel on the Black Lyon Publishing label.
Imagine if Nora Ephron (When Harry Met Sally, You’ve Got Mail, Julie & Julia,) had just published her first novel. And imagine she had a personal blog where she would respond to your comments with a smile and a wink. And often a hug. And suppose she might post wonderful things, as Thomma Lynn does, like…
photos of hikes on her Tennessee mountain,
her garden’s progress this year, where she took this…
to this…
to this…
to this…
and this…
and these.
To have been new BFFs with Nora Ephron when she was just starting out, would that have been cool, or what? That’s how I feel about Thomma Lynn, pictured below with her Marilyn MonREOW. I stumbled onto Thomma Lynn’s Tennessee Text Wrestling blog last fall and am so lucky to call this gardening, cat-wrangling mountain-hiking woman my good friend.
Mirror Blue is categorized as a Literary Romance Novel — Literary being the key word, thankfully, as for me Romance Novel usually conjures up images of Aunt Lucilda engrossed in soaps, chain-smoking menthols and swilling Yoo-hoo while devouring Harlequin Romances. But please, for the love of Pete, don’t let your mind linger on that lovely image one second longer. Mirror Blue falls dead opposite on the Aunt Lucilda spectrum. When you think Mirror Blue, think longing, waiting, charm, humor, deep thoughts, intrigue and heartbreak via characters you easily grow to love and root for, in pages that flow like a dream of delights on many levels, written in highly original, often poetic prose, with a plot that keeps you rooted and rapt from the first sentence to the last. I can see it as a gripping movie.
And I’d tell you a bit about the storyline but I’ll leave that to Julia of the “A Piece Of My Mind” blog in her excellent Mirror Blue review.
Mirror Blue – available from Black Lyon Publishing as an Ebook or as the tasty soft-cover pictured above with my Kit-Kat. Also available here from Barnes and Noble and here from Amazon.com.
So — My Excellent Friends — act NOW to get in on this ground-floor Thomma Lynn’s Grindstaff deal while she’s still got the time and energy for all us little people! She’s already on the third revision of her new book “Heart’s Chalice,” with more novels to come.
Oh, and talk about a mutual admiration cooincidence, Thomma Lynn recently published a review of My CD “I Need A Man” on her blog. Small world of love.
On 22 July 2009 at 8:36 am wade said,
Thanks for the tip, I’ll take a look at the review. I hope that she is not at all like Nora Ephron though.Nora and I have been bitter enemies since “Heartburn”. Of course Nora does not know this.
On 22 July 2009 at 10:02 am TheWeyrd1 said,
That’s awesome! I have a friend from HS who’s in the process of getting a few of her romance novel’s published too!
On 22 July 2009 at 10:37 am Paige said,
Ok so let me get this right you are saying I need this book?
Ok Ok, but I am currenty reading The Opposite of Love- so far I’m liking it; just finished The Wensday Letters – not so great and I have 2 or 3 more in my stack but I’ll add this…gosh why do you do this to me
Girl, you should sell cars for a living
Paige’s last blog post..I love you …Honesty?
On 22 July 2009 at 10:54 am J.D. Meier said,
You definitely have a gift. You find value in people and things and you shine your spot light on the value in relevant and interesting ways.
J.D. Meier’s last blog post..How To Prioritize with Criteria and Weight
On 22 July 2009 at 11:22 am Lynn said,
I will definitely check out her book – it sounds lovely. Her blog is nice – I always admire anyone who can manage a vegetable garden.
Lynn’s last blog post..Return, sign and wee
On 22 July 2009 at 12:08 pm Jannie said,
Hello, Excellent Wonderful Blogging People.
Wade: Heartburn, wasn’t there a cheating husband who left a young mother to re-build her life and eventually grow to kick major ass? I do recall it being engrossing, as all Nora’s stories have been.
Hey Weyrdie: That’s so cool. And Overnight Success is often many many years in the making. Keep me updated on those books, m-kay?
Paige: Well, my hubby actully sells cars for a living! And I guess his expertise has rubbed off on me. I have just read Problogger’s book, as depicted with Kelly in my previous post, and I think I could do book reviews. For money. You think?
J.D. Ooo, Thanks! A lovely-worded compliment, that’ll keep me going until at least next month. I’m serious, I’m going to look into doing book reviews – imagine the book flodding by Super-Semi-somebody P.O. box?? But my schtick is I’d only review books I really liked. Book-snob, eh? I have one more review to post next week, of a more serious book. if I can pull that off, I think I may have yet another new new career to supplement all that Google Ad cash I’m raking in!
Lynn: I just loved the book and I just totally fell in love with the characters. And her garden – can you believe it’s splendor. What a wonderful life she has created – and a truly sweet and remarkable person too – like you.
Yay!!!
On 22 July 2009 at 12:22 pm sheila said,
Sounds like a good one! Annnnd I’ll pass this info onto my daughter.
sheila’s last blog post..Wordless Wednesday ~ Dreamin of chicken
On 22 July 2009 at 1:51 pm Tess The Bold Life said,
Nope I can’t imagine being friends with Nora Ephron. However I wish I was cuz I can relate to her book on aging. It’s hilarious.
Sounds like a great book. I you reading this in between Twitter for Dummies?
Oh and I love the photos of the garden…I’m jealous.
Are you on Facebook? I couldn’t find you.
On 22 July 2009 at 2:06 pm Thomma Lyn said,
Jannie, hon, thank you from the bottom of my heart. This review has made me glow, and grin from ear to ear. Thank you so much for your comparison of me to Nora Ephron — I’m flattered and just… wow!
And what fun to see the various pictures of my garden’s progression all together like that — it makes me say “amazing”, too, even as I’m up to my ear lobes in tomatoes! We’ve been so fortunate with our garden.
Oh, I have to share this: while I was breaking and stringing beans (I’ve been doing a lot of that, as you can imagine), I was listening to your wonderful CD, and it occurred to me: “Jannie could write a delightful song about the bean stringing/breaking process.”
xxxxxx oooooo You’re wonderful.
On 22 July 2009 at 4:38 pm wade said,
yes that’s the book. You have laid out the story of “Heartburn” in the same loving and objective fashion that Ephron did.I’m sure that it is fun writing fiction about your divorced spouse, especially when everyone knows who he is. What do you call a female misogynist ? Oh yeah, a misanthropist or a misadndrist.If a man wrote a book (and the screen play is worse) like that he would be hunted down and shot.Not only that, Harry was too good for Sally.
On 22 July 2009 at 4:45 pm Mama Zen said,
Well, I’m intrigued!
On 22 July 2009 at 4:51 pm kimmi said,
YaY, for Thomma’s review!! Great book, Mirror Blue, great person, Thomma.
On 22 July 2009 at 5:24 pm Glenn Buttkus said,
I agree that once you have faith in a person, or a person’s talent, you sink both teeth in it, and take off
like a rocket. Thomma Lyn’s book does sound intriguing. I will recommend it to my wife, who reads a book a week. My reading preference runs more toward Cormac McCarthy, but that’s just me. Jannie, you should run a publicity agency, for yourself and Funsters. You do a bang up job of promoting us.
Glenn
On 22 July 2009 at 7:05 pm teahouseblossom said,
Great info! And I love the photos..especially the ones of the garden. Makes me want to garden!! And I can’t, in my New York City apartment! Wahhhh!!
On 22 July 2009 at 9:10 pm Talon said,
A definite “gotta get it” book. Thanks for the introduction, Jannie. I’m completely jealous of Thomma Lynn’s vegetable garden. Ours just isn’t doing much this year with the constant overcast skies and rain.
Congrats, Thomma Lynn! Look forward to reading Mirror Blue – cool title!
On 22 July 2009 at 9:55 pm Liara Covert said,
The veggies inspire everyone to drink in the miracles of light, rain and fresh air. Every story has a purpose. Thanks for sharing this inspiring example. Love & Light!
On 22 July 2009 at 9:59 pm Heather Kephart @ Happymaking said,
How cool, thank you! I’ll soon be finished with the Twilight Saga and thus curled up into a ball for weeks at a time. After that I’ll be looking for something new to read.
What a touching review.
On 22 July 2009 at 10:00 pm Heather Kephart @ Happymaking said,
OMG! LOL @ “my name is blue bunny and I like fried lettis.”
On 23 July 2009 at 12:24 am Jeanne said,
Jannie,
Sounds like a great book!
Wow! What a garden! That’s awesome.
I left Thomma Lyn a comment to that amazing (and accurate!) review of your awesome CD.
Jeanne
On 23 July 2009 at 2:55 am SnaggleTooth said,
Darn good review that peaks interest so you gotta check it out if you enjoy reading. Great job!
I wonder what a review of a book you hated would say- cause I never get thru those ones!
On 23 July 2009 at 7:38 am debbie said,
I love her! I haven’t been reading her blog long but I have enjoyed the time I’ve had. And any gal from Tennessee has to be good:)
On 23 July 2009 at 7:58 am Glenn Buttkus said,
blue bunny: I two wan donuts & beers, many of dem.
kelly: so go git some.
blue bunny: cannot silly gerl, bunnies hav no pocketts, no cash, so out of lukk.
kelly: maybe Mommsie will share her stuff with you.
blue bunny: no way cuz Jannie neeedz the energies from all dat beers to be funnie and craziest one.
kelly: you complain too much, more than rabbits should maybe?
blue bunny: cuz it is so dam hot heir in Austin, makes
my fur turn greenish; den hav to change my namme.
kelly: Mommy don’t like no cussing.
blue bunny: duz 2. I hav herd it from Jannie’s lips too.
kelly: can you jump high again. That was fun!
blue bunny: no can dew cuz jest thinkking of beers and donuts makes me 2 hevvy.
kelly: now you are just being silly.
blue bunny: my pleasure and fun too.
TO BE CONTINUED
Glenn
On 23 July 2009 at 9:06 am Aimee said,
Wow Jannie, you even made ME want to read a romance novel!
“for me Romance Novel usually conjures up images of Aunt Lucilda engrossed in soaps, chain-smoking menthols and swilling Yoo-hoo while devouring Harlequin Romances” – I used to be the assistant manager of a bookstore. I’m pretty sure I sold Aunt Lucilda a few Harlequins
On 23 July 2009 at 9:37 am Jannie said,
Well, well, well, look who’s showed up finally on her own blog, the Fuster-Meister.
Howdy!
Sheila, I was just writing in a note to Lynn that Thomma’s book is amazing at any stage of a writer’s career, let alone her first book. Actually, Thomma Lyn did have a previously-released E-Novel on a small label that folded. This woman can NOT be stopped, and I’m so glad, we’re all the much better for her gifts and stick-to-it-ive-ness.
Tess: Interestingly I know virtually zero about Nora Ephron as a person, hopefully she’s a nice woman
I know Thomma Lyn sure is! Nice, that is! I have not read her book on ageing, I’m totally going to look for it. She’s just such a super super gifted writer. Oh, Twitter for Dummies, I didn’t even crack it open yesterday, but I probably will today. Yes, isn’t her garden amazing?? What a beautiful person to nurture that. You know she rescues tadpoles too? Yep, I’m on Facebook under my Real Name. I’ll e-mail you.
Why hello Thomma Lynn – funny meeting you in a place like this.
I’m so glad you’re okay with this. It’s only my second book review of my illustrious career, i.e. I have NO IDEA how to go about these so am making this up as I go. Oh yes, you for sure Nora Ephron quality. For sure! And you know I truly mean that. I fell in love with your book and your characters. Oh and you know what’s funny,I have NO idea what stringing beans actually means. We always just blanched and froze ours. Is it like strung like popcorn for the Christmas tree? I could write a song about stringing popcorn while drinking beer.
Wade: As I mentioned in the E-mail, your comments here have completely intrigued me. And I’ll be re-watching Heartburn. It’s been many many years since I watched it. I just remember an interesting story, but I’ve forgotten most of it. I do not remember anythinig about someone getting shot. Funny with movies, that way. You can love a movie yet forget so much of it. Hopefully it’s available on DVD at our brand new gorgeous wonderful library. Have you been there yet? The new one on Bee Caves – OMG, it smells even better than I knew it would. Harry, yes Harry was too good for Sally. And I liked Meg Ryan better with long hair.
Mama Zen, and rightly so. Thomman Lyn is going places. What a treat to us.
Kimmi: Hey, how are you doing? Are you back blogging? I haven’t checked in on you in a while. And your book’s review is next, Girl! Another very very well written book, your spirit rises.
Hey Glenn: When I believe in something I love sharing, and the words to describe how I feel just bubble up!
Teahouse: Yes, amazing book, woman and garden. Do you have a terrace for a container garden? I love how in Europe they have all those little garden allotments, loved seeing those from the train windows. So cool!
Liara: The best of nurturing delights, for sure. I was saying to Thomma Lyn earlier in an e-mail that if the younger We were to look ahead to where we are today, “old married ladies,” with gardens and homes, the younger We would most likely have run screaming in terror at that surely must be a very boring, grim existence. Yes, this grown-up life is sheer heaven.
Heather: You cannot know how happy I am to see you again here. I’ve missed you so much! And you look so pretty in your picture. (I kind of perfer you without an orange cartoon cat on your shoulder.) I have not ventured into the Twilight Saga but I know it must be great, as it’s Wildly Popular. And I see blue bunnie now has a new comment message up, gotta get up early to keep up with that little guy.
Hey Cutie Jeanne, you are so nice to check out Thomma Lyn’s blog. But then again, I already knew you are super-nice. And one hell of a fandango dancer, as rumor has it. Will you dance in your red dress to keep me compnay as I chop my kindling? I’d appreciate the company.
Snag: Very interesting comment. As I contemplate future book reviews I think I’d only ever post positive reviews, of ones I really like — the ones that particularly touch and grab me. So if someone sends me a book and I do not review it, it’s because I just couldn’t get behind it, which is highly subjective, of course. What I may like, another person may not and vice versa. Does that make me a snob? Perhaps. But after 45 years on this planet, I’ve come to know what I like. And after all this is MY blog.
Debbie: Oh, I am so glad you are familiar with Thomma Lyn and her blog. I don’t have to tell you any further how unique and sweet she is, all the facets of her myriad wonderfulness. And yeah, a Tennessee gal is tops – right up there with gals from the Maritimes of Canada!
Glenn: Kelly’s still asleep but she’s gonna love the latest installment, you wonderful nut. Thanks!
Aimee: I cannot believe I actually used to read those many many moons ago. Thomma’s book is sooooooo not one of those — reading it kind of made me fall in love with falling in love again. Yes, I’m a book snob – there, my truth is out and I’m not ashamed to say so.
And now, I bid thee a great day, all.
xoxoxoxo
On 23 July 2009 at 9:53 am Caity said,
Awesome! I’m going to definitely check it out! I trust Jannie’s judgment.
On 24 July 2009 at 12:39 am SnaggleTooth said,
So you finish the ones you don’t like? Which also brings up, if you don’t like the books ending, doesn’t that ruin the whole thing? Then we’ll never know…
On 24 July 2009 at 5:41 am Natural said,
i am so backed up on my book reading, OMG, not even funny. congrats to thomma and nice garden. although i like to pick my fruits and veggies from my local supermarket.
On 24 July 2009 at 10:51 am Jannie said,
Hey, a trio of sweeties have passed this way. how coolimus maximus.
Caity: That’s just about the nicest thing anyone has said to me in my whole life. Thank you. I trust my judgement too!
Hey Snag: Nope, I generally quit while I’m ahead with books I don’t like, which doesn’t happen all that often cuz I relies on reviews and such and of course usually know by the first paragraph if a book is for me or not. The one I gifted Patricia with, Niall Williams’ “Four Letters Of Love,” is one I highly recommend too. I think you would love it. Ask for it at your local library and you’ll be swept away. I’d originally read it about 10 years ago, and then again a few weeks ago before I mailed it away. And I just love libraries, don’t you? Oh, and I think when I was a kid I may have zipped to a book’s ending a time or two but was cured of that by my 20s.
Natural: I must confess that I do not vegetable garden either. Yet. But I know how and will be doing that again. My mom and dad still plant a big one every year. And he still plants some big kisses on her, they’ll be married 50 years next month! But back to this post. Thomma Lyn is one SPECIAL person, in more than 17 ways.
On 25 July 2009 at 4:32 am Zeenat{Positive Provocations for mind body and soul} said,
Hey Jannie,
You know..i have always found romance novels a bit too mushy mushy to handle. But after reading this review of yours i think i am gonna check it out for sure. It sounds so not like your typical romance novels-Everytime i think of romance novels..i remember a time in my teens when all my friends would mark pages of Mills and boons novels…yuk yuk…so bad na..;)
On 25 July 2009 at 3:17 pm Jannie said,
Hey, Zeenat, I am not familiar with the Mills and boons novels, but your comment makes me think I’ll stay far away from them.
Part of what I liked about Thomma Lyn’s love story was it made me relive the real falling in love experience again. Love is good.