Books, charity and other things that touch lives.

Hi everyone!

This week I’ll be talking about a few things that are on my mind right now.

First I'll start out by giving you a review of a book I recently finished. It’s called Cactus Jack: A Novel and it’s written by Brad Smith. The book isn’t released yet (it will be on June 16, 2020), but I got the e-book on NetGalley in exchange for a review.

Cactus Jack: A Novel by Brad Smith ★★★★☆

Summary: “Billie Masterson is a thirty-something chronic underachiever, drowning herself in alcohol and bad relationships in Ohio. She hasn’t been home to the family’s broken-down thoroughbred farm in Kentucky since college. Her mother committed suicide when Billie was a teen and she blames her father, Will Masterson. When Will drops dead while working on the farm, Billie returns to rural Kentucky for the funeral, intending only to pay her respects before high-tailing it back to Ohio. However, she’s informed by her father’s lawyer, the garrulous David Mountain Clay, that she now owns the farm…and all the debt that goes with it. Determined to sell everything, settle the debts and get out of town, Billie discovers that her father’s colt, a horse named Cactus Jack, is the object of obsession for billionaire Reese Ryker, the louche scion of a department store dynasty and now owner of Double R Racing, one of the top thoroughbred stables in the world. Billie is willing to sell everything to Ryker—until she realizes that he’s an entitled misogynist and a not-so-subtle racist. Against her better judgment, she decides to keep the farm and the untested horse. To do that she needs to race the animal—and beat Ryker at his own game. Assisted by a team of misfits, including a washed-up trainer with whom she has a bit too much history, the horse-crazy little girl next door, and her father’s ex-girlfriend, Billie and Cactus Jack take the track by a storm.” (Goodreads) To me Cactus Jack was a very pleasant surprise. The plot was well structured and believable, there was a lot of character building (especially when it came to Billie and Luke) and the ending was very satisfying. It was also refreshing how Billie managed to solve her problems without falling in love with a man who had to come to her rescue, but also without turning her into some superwoman who didn’t need anyone. I highly recommend this book, so be sure to read it once it’s released!

Now on to the second thing I want to talk about!

“No one has ever become poor by giving.” Do you remember how a few weeks ago I talked about the Medici Charity Quiz? It was going to take place on May 15, but it had been cancelled due to technical issues (what do you expect when Bradley’s involved, right? No just kidding, I love that guy, he’s amazing 😊). Thankfully it was postponed to last Saturday (May 30) and it was SO MUCH FUN. I have to admit that I did quite horrible as I only got 7/15 questions correct. I Medici is my favourite TV series of all time so I am aware that I should be ashamed of myself 😉

Congrats though to the winner, you did a fantastic job!

If you’d like to (re)watch it, you can do that here. But even more important: if you’d like to support the NHS as well, click HERE.

“You must make time for that which matters, for that which defines you: your passion, your progress, your pen. Take it up, and write your own story.” I think it’s obvious by now that writing (or making up stories) is one of my greatest passions. I write every week (some weeks every day) and I never get tired of doing it!

So what am I currently writing? This year I’ve been busy writing two books, two fanfics and a short story for a Dutch writing competition (the latter is finished, the rest is still very much in progress). But last week I started on a new book (I know, ANOTHER one) and I am very excited about it. Since I’ve only finished one chapter I won’t say much about it yet, but I’ll be sure to tell you more about it in the future 😊

You might think that I write way too much stories at the same time, but that’s just the way I roll. It’s the same with reading. I am currently reading six books and that truly works for me. I just need variety, I guess.

Why do I love it so much? What I love about writing stories, is that in a way I am writing for/about myself. I don’t mean that I am writing some sort of autobiography, but that by writing about other people, I find a way to express and gather my own thoughts and feelings, even when some of the characters are very unlike me.

For example, the protagonist in my short story is a huge dreamer. People think she’s naive, but it doesn’t matter, because as long as she keeps believing she can make things happen. And then there’s Hayden, one of the main characters in one of my books, who’s all about doing the right thing, but life, fear and mostly Hayden himself keep getting in his way, leaving him depressed and hopeless (until he finds the strength to carry on and try to make the best out of things, only to be dragged down again). If you know me a bit, you will recognise me in both of them, even though they don’t seem to be very much alike.

But I am also writing about a character who betrays the person she loves—something I can’t imagine ever doing—but she does it because in her opinion the end justifies the means. I personally don’t like this one bit, but there’s more to the story: this belief has been drilled into her mind from a very young age. I don’t like it, I don’t agree with it, but I accept it (thank you Lando Calrissian)—I accept her—because I understand it. In this example the character is not like me, but writing about people like her helps me understand other people (and perhaps even myself) better.

“All photos speak a thousand words.” Another thing I wanted to share with you is that I started a Bookstagram today! When I began with this blog the plans for a Bookstagram were already in the making, but I wanted to practise a bit first. You can see the photos at @bellsbooksandwritings (don't forget to like, comment and follow😊) and for all of you who don’t have an IG account: if everything works as planned they will be visible here as well (probably somewhere on the main page). I hope that you'll like them 😊

“Our finger prints don't fade from the lives we touch.” To end my post there is something important I’d like to say. Over the last weeks I’ve been getting (private) messages from people who’ve been reading my blog, telling me how they’ve been thinking about some of the things I wrote about and how my words have touched them (in a positive way I might add).

I just want to say that hearing those stories really are the highlights of my weeks. Thank you so much for sharing that with me!!!

In light of that, I would like you to ask the following question:

Are there subjects YOU would like me to talk about in my next blog(s)?

I can't promise I'll have anything meaningful to say about it, but I will definitely TRY.

You can let me know in the comment section, but I am aware that most of you don’t have a Wix account, so it’s 100% okay if you keep commenting and sending your thoughts in other ways.

Thank you for reading & I hope you have a wonderful week ahead of you!

Much love,

Annabel

Used quotes:

“No one has ever become poor by giving.”― Anne Frank, Diary of Anne Frank: the play

“You must make time for that which matters, for that which defines you: your passion, your progress, your pen. Take it up, and write your own story.”― V.E. Schwab, Vicious

“I don’t like it.” He extended a second finger. “I don’t agree with it.” Then he extended his whole hand, and shook Beckett’s. “But I accept it.” ― Mur Lafferty, Solo: A Star Wars Story

“All photos speak a thousand words. This one contained a library.” ― Rivera Sun, Steam Drills, Treadmills and Shooting Stars

“Our finger prints don't fade from the lives we touch.” ― Judy Blume