Characters Who... Own or Work in a Small Shop

Another month is coming, and you know what that means: A new reading challenge!

This time, we'll be reading books that are near and dear to my heart -- ones that feature folks who either own or work in small shops. These could be bookshops (my favorite type of shop!), flower shops, mom-and-pop grocery stores, etc.

As in previous months this year, it doesn't necessarily have to be the leading character who owns/works in the small shop. It could be their best friend's neighbor's mother-in-law who only shows up in one tiny scene.

When you post your books, please let us know the character's name and what type of small shop they owned or worked in.

Lessons Learned From... Naomi (Part 1)

Scripture reference: Ruth 1

Ruth is one of my favorite books of the Bible, so I’m sure I’ll come back and write more articles about this book. For this article and the next one to appear on Stones on Fire, we’ll be focusing on only the first chapter of Ruth.

When Naomi went with her husband and two sons to live in a foreign land (Ruth 1:1), I’m certain she never thought all three of the people she loved most in the world would perish there in Moab, leaving her alone in a land that wasn’t her home (Ruth 1:2-5). Yet, that’s exactly the situation in which she eventually found herself. How devastating would it be to first lose her husband and then, ten years later, have to bury both of her sons as well? Her tender heart must have felt wrenched from her chest and filleted into a trillion pieces.

American Omens by Travis Thrasher

This past weekend, I finished reading an interesting book that I got for review. I've never read this author, Travis Thrasher, before, so I wasn't sure what I was in for. Turned out to be a well-paced thriller revolving around technology and the future of our country and Christianity. Here's my review of American Omens, as posted on Goodreads.

FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Multnomah. A positive review was not required. These are my honest thoughts.

The prologue hooked me in with its tension, suspense, and Jason Bourne-style assassin. I knew I was in for an intriguing read, and I wasn't disappointed on that front. I liked that the computer-speak was worded in ways that non-computer-savvy folks can understand the majority of it. I never felt completely lost or confused on the high-tech end of things in this story, though I did have to reread a few sentences here and there to make sure I was catching on to the technology specific to this book's plot.

Packing My Bags - a short story

Note: This one got a little long (just under 1,800 words), because I kind of got on a roll. I hope you like it!

He was packing up clothes in our walk-in closet. Not his clothes, mind you. Mine. I watched from the doorway, my face a complete mess from the hissy fit I’d just thrown when he told me he was kicking me to the curb. My side of the closet was nearly empty now, and I still didn’t know what I’d done to make him mad enough to talk of a separation, to force one upon me so suddenly.

Did it really matter what I’d done, what he hadn’t done, which mistakes the pair of us had made, how often, how big, how messy…?

Our life was a wreck from the moment we got back from our honeymoon and he stopped in front of his parents’ house. When he turned and said, “Honey, we’re home,” I thought I’d die of mortification. Live with his parents? I’d rather melt into the car seat like a crayon on a summer day in the Lone Star State.