I have been saving, hoarding and collecting books with a Southern theme or by a Southern author for over a year now, and am finally starting to register them. Why? For my contribution to the 2007 BookCrossing Convention (which is here in Charleston SC) Goodie Bags! Or for a Southern Books table. Or for a Gift Basket, Door Prize or whatever purpose the prize patrol deems worthy. This is one such book. If I haven't read it (or another copy of it) already, I'm hoping to get it read before the convention. Then it'll go into a tidy stack labeled "Convention Books". Each one originating with me bears a little sticker on it saying it originated its travels at the 07 Convention and has the southern theme. Enjoy! (And don't forget to let the book check in before you release it!)

A lovely little tale about growing older and recovering after loss. An old man, now alone after the death of his beloved wife, adjusts to his life. And during this time, he is befriended by a white dog, that at first, no one else can see. But he and the dog develop a wonderful understanding, and the old man doesn't let a little thing like age stop him from living. The discussions that the old man's daughters had while worrying about him in a widowed state made me smile, for kids never seem to remember that parents were quite competent long before their children became adults. I'm quilty of it myself, with my mum, but certainly I raised a child who will be more tolerant of me and my eccentricities, right?

This was in my goodie bag at the convention. After spending a lovely week in Charleston, it will be fun to read a Southern book :)

I always keep a book in my handbag, and I always keep one in the car, in case I'm ever stuck somewhere and need something to read. Somehow, this was the book in the car the day (about 4 months ago) that I had a day off and went to my favorite tea shop, and I took it in with me to read. I wrote a total of one note on it "lots of flashbacks. Nice, but a bit distracting." And then had to put it aside because it was making me cry in a public place. Seriously, the beginning made me so sad that I can't finish it, so I'm going to release it into the wild in the hopes that someone else will appreciate it.

Pictured -- the best scones in Denver, complete with jam and Devonshire cream.