Too Early?

Not-so-hot weather recently (still expected in the coming days), but it still feels wrong for schools to be starting now. I've now wondered how kids in my area feel when it's still hot (nearing 100) at the beginning of fall. 

I could never have handled going back to school in early August. It just seems too soon. 

That school supplies photo hold true even today, though most Kmarts have been long gone. Now it's at Target, Walmart, and Dollar Tree. And speaking of Kmart, the former one in my town has been stocking supplies for the up coming Spirit Halloween store. The store's website says it's opening in August. Well, I'm going to be as soon I can once it opens, even if it seems too early.

Book Discussion: Sprayed Edges

 

What is your take on books with sprayed edges? I've seen a lot of them in bookstores lately, but have yet to buy a new book with such an edge, or even find a used book with one. But I have gotten a few from the library, including one I have out now:

It seems some people like to display sprayed-edge books so that edge sticks out. A pretty idea, but then you have to keep checking to see what the book is. I have seen this done in our local bookstore, mostly with romance book ( which, BTW, have a whole room to themselves).

I haven't given a lot of thought to spayed edges; I just notice them if they're on a book. 

August Bookish Bingo

The new card is here.

My books:

1. The Viognier Vendetta--Ellen Crosby (5 squares): DNF Last Month, Audiobook, In a Series, Character from Someone's Past, Not Fantasy
2. Dinner For Vampires--Bethany Joy Lenz (5 squares): E-Book, Found Family, Single POV, Not in a Series, Random Book Rec
3. CatStronauts: Mission Moon--Drew Brockington (3 squares): Library Book, Physical Book, Free Space
4. Blue Lily, Lily Blue--Maggie Stiefvater (5 squares): Cozy or Whimsical, Set in a School, Plants/Garden, Duty/Responsibility, Siblings
5. The Night We Met--Abby Jimenez (2 squares): Why Choose, Book Club Read

End of the Month

I haven't posted in over a week and now it's the last day of the month. They just keep flying by. This past week has been jam-packed and the weather has been so hot  that I've been too tired to post!

Today I saw this on my Facebook memories:

Summer may seem to be gone, but I chose summer as my trivia topic for this month. The class is today. I based my questions off those in this video:

Christmas in July was said to be last Saturday. Yet Halloween has been appearing at Dollar Tree, but no signs of Christmas just yet. And I was surprised to still see solar stake lights at Dollar General. 

Thursday 13

Colleen at The Thursday 13 holds a weekly blogging prompt where bloggers make a list of 13 things on Thursdays. The topic is for you to choose. 

Again, I'm stealing a graphic from another participant, this time from Blue Country Magic. I liked this one.

Some things this month so far:

1. A lot of appointments this coming week, including this afternoon by phone. At least I can be home for that one. But I am a little nervous about getting a mammogram next week. Glad to have someone going with me. And speaking of appointments...
2. Yet another change in doctors, for both mental and physical health. I'm now seeing an in-person psychiatrist for the first time in years. The previous Zoom-meeting one left. And my primary care doctor retired in May, so I have a new one of those as well. I've seen both already.
3. In recent years, I had not listened to the radio while driving, and just learned the one station I'd enjoyed would be moving exclusively to HD2 Radio (did so yesterday at noon), no longer on the FM dial. No HD radio in my car, and I can't afford it. So it must have been a good I've rarely listened in recent years. 
4. A "No Beach Beach Day" at work last week, but so few people participated. It was hard to find summer items in stores this late in the season.
5. And I think you all know what stores are trying to emphasize now. The Dollar Tree just began getting and setting out Halloween, though back-to-school items remain in the front window. 
6. I learned that Spirit Halloween will be opening once again in the empty Kmart. I'm hoping the opening won't be delayed until after the first of October this year. 
7. A field trip next Wednesday to San Juan Bautista, near where I live. I haven't been to that town for a long time now and am looking forward to going. Which brings me to this...
8. I had a friend who lived in San Juan, who passed a little over a year ago. A celebration was life was held a year later at his family home. It was great day, remembering him and seeing people I had not seen in some time. We did our best not to make it a sad day.
9. Weather has been weird. It was supposed to be in the 90s on Tuesday, but didn't quite reach that. Just the same, it was muggy.
10. Pickleball next Monday at work. It's been a month or so since we last played. I haven't participated much recently, but it's fun to watch. I now hope it's not too hot then.
11. As I often seem to, I've been getting exhausted in the hot weather.
12. Still having trouble finding writing ideas.
13. I've escaped this so far. And have been seeing things like this:

Some have said it's because we aren't being locked down.

Book Discussion: Confusing Similar Author Names or Similar Titles

 

Lisa wrote a blog post asking if people ever confuse authors with similar names. This gave me an idea for a discussion post. At one time, I could not remember if it was Elizabeth Gilbert or Elizabeth Berg who wrote Eat, Pray, Love. It was Elizabeth Gilbert. I've read books by both, the most recent book from Elizabeth Berg being A Year of Pleasures  in April this year. 

I don't recall if I ever confused any other authors with similar names, but I am aware that there is an author named Steve Martini (I've never read any of his stuff) and know not to confuse him with Steve Martin (Yes, that Steve Martin. He has written some books). 

Lisa's post reminded me of a post I'd done on the blog years ago (I wasn't participating in the Book Discussion at that time, BTW). I've seen others confuse similar titles more often than similarly named authors. Linked in that post is how people confused a book called Girl on a Train with The Girl on the Train. The second book is better known, but the first one received little to no attention when it was first published. Here is the original article. 

Also in my original post, I pointed out how my now-defunct book club had chosen a book called The Silent Wife. They did not say the author's name, and when a member looked for the book on Amazon, she found two different books with that title. When we met to discuss the book, some members realized that they had read the "wrong" book. Many had found this one, but the one selected was this. A search on Amazon produced even more books with this title, including one from the Will Trent series. And as you may have seen one the books titled The Silent Wife was written by a Kerry Fisher, whose name is similar to that of Carrie Fisher, who though primarily an actress, also wrote books. The spelling of each one's first name, however, is different. I did not know about Kerry Fisher until this book.

Some of you may have heard how the YA novel Between Shades of Gray was  mistaken for a certain popular erotic romance. Do I even have to say what the erotic novel is? 

Which do you find more confusing--similar Author names or similar titles?

Thursday 13 for World Emoji Day

Colleen at The Thursday 13 holds a weekly blogging prompt where bloggers make a list of 13 things on Thursdays. The topic is for you to choose. The blog host doesn't have any official graphics to display on the Thursday 13 posts, so I decided to whip one up myself. 🙂  

Tomorrow is World Emoji Day.