Every year at this time people feel the exaggerated emptiness of loved ones who are gone or live far away.

This year I am very blessed and as excited as a 6 year old in anticipation of a rare Christmas with family coming to share the holiday at my home.

The loneliness I am experiencing is due to my separation from my fictional friends! Oh, I've been reading all right. But my selections have been limited and dry. I have been studying some new materials, and statistics have been a large part of the curriculum. That is finished for now and I can finally resume my pursuit to get acquainted with some new and interesting people!

Olive Kitteridge and her community of neighbors was my last indulgence. Elizabeth Strout made me a part of their intertwined lives, sharing with them thirty years of love and sorrow. Next, I intend to be introduced to the mystical woman of Luis Alberto Urrea's The Hummingbird's Daughter. I can't wait!

I hope you all enjoy the magic of this season: with friends, with family, with the wonders of the stories on the pages of your next anticipated read!

Happy Holiday Reading,
Frances