I’m not shutting down Callapidder Days at this point, though, and I do hope to return to blogging eventually.

If, however any of YOU are hosting a spring reading challenge, please feel free to post a link in the comments so others can check it out. Thanks!

***

Update: Sandra Stiles is planning to host a Spring Reading Thing this year, complete with button, prizes, and the familiar low-stress approach you’ve seen here. So if you’re looking for a challenge to join, hop over to Sandra’s blog for more details: Spring Reading Thing 2013

The winner of the $15 card is Becky @ Operation Actually Read Bible

The winner of the $10 card is Barbara H. @ Stray Thoughts

Congratulations to both! And a big thanks to everyone who was part of Fall Into Reading 2012!

I want to thank each person that participated in this year’s challenge. I know I was missing in action most of this fall here on the blog, but I assure you that every time I managed to escape with a good book, I thought about all of you who were also setting aside time for reading. Knowing you’re all out there makes the reading extra-enjoyable.

As we wrap things up, I just have one more thing to ask. Would you please write a final wrap-up post, letting all of us know how Fall Into Reading 2012 went for you?  I would love if you’d take the time to write a final post and link to it using the Mr. Linky below.

There are no guidelines for your wrap-up post, though you can revisit some suggestions I made last year if you need a little inspiration. Once your post is up on your blog, come here and sign up on the Mr. Linky below. Don’t forget—include the URL to your wrap-up post, not just your general blog web address, to make it easy for people to find your post.

And don’t forget…there are still two Amazon.com gift certificates ($15 & $10) up for grabs. To be eligible, please post your wrap-up post (and put it on the Mr. Linky) by midnight EST on December 24th to get your name in the drawing. I’ll announce the winner a few days after Christmas.

Thanks again to all the participants. I’ve enjoyed reading with you!

But let’s focus on the positive.

I did finish all six fiction books on my list. And I did read two of the books on my non-fiction list. And I read part of two other books on the non-fiction list. AND I read three additional fiction books. Well, technically, I read one and listened to the audiobook version of two others. So it’s not like I completely neglected my reading this fall.

Beginning in October, I took a photography class and it consumed enormous amounts of time and mental energy. There was lots of reading, lots of thinking, lots of practicing, lots of exhaustion. And with all of that…non-fiction reading just fell by the wayside. I’m pretty sure that if I had forced myself to slog through my entire Fall Into Reading list, I wouldn’t have gotten much out of those additional non-fiction books anyway. Not because they have little to offer (I still think they look great and plan to read them), but because I was just so preoccupied that I wouldn’t have been able to absorb very much.

That said, I thoroughly enjoyed nearly all the books I did manage to make it through this fall. Except for Zoo by James Patterson. I can’t really recommend that one at all. I particularly loved The Drowned Vault (by N.D. Wilson) and The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey (by Trenton Lee Stewart). I also really liked The Terrible Speed of Mercy: A Spiritual Biography of Flannery O’Connor (even though I usually steer clear of biographies!).

Thanks for reading along with me. I wish you many days filled with good books this winter, snuggled under a blanket or cozied up with a mug of coffee!

Don’t forget to visit the main wrap-up post to see how other participants did this fall.

I AM sorry I haven’t been more faithful in checking in, though. No excuses; I should have done better.

I HAVE been reading, though I will admit to you that I’ve strayed from my initial list quite a bit. It’s just been one of those seasons, I guess. And here we are, right in the thick of Christmas preparations. Before we know it, Fall Into Reading will come to an end!

So I’m popping in here to encourage you to hang in there, keep reading, and try to squeeze in a few quiet moments with a book in the midst of all the holiday craziness.

I’ll be doing the same.

See you back here on December 22nd, when the Wrap-Up Mr. Linky will go live!

Anyway, on to the question.

Is there an author (or authors) whose books you are always watching for? Do you jump to snatch up the latest literary offering from certain specific authors? In other words, who are your go-to authors?

In the realm of fiction, I am likely (okay, almost guaranteed) to pick up the latest books by the following, simply because I know they’ll be enjoyable reads and won’t have irrelevant, objectionable material that makes me want to skip entire pages — or chapters:

• Tim Downs
• N.D. Wilson

And I will definitely check out the latest books from these authors, though I don’t always read them:

• Jeffery Deaver
• Ted Dekker
• Stephen R. Lawhead
• Kate Morton

There are plenty of other authors whose books will catch my eye if I’m in Barnes & Noble and notice they have a new novel out, but the ones mentioned above tend to be a bit more on my radar.

As for nonfiction, I tend to be a bit more eclectic in my nonfiction reading, but I do watch out for books from these authors:

• Elyse Fitzpatrick
• Tim Keller
• James Scott Bell (writing)
• Chris Orwig (photography)

***

Okay, your turn: what authors are on your radar? Let me know in the comments!

(Note: You don’t have to be a Fall Into Reading participant to participate in these questions. Jump right in and share your answer!)

14.

I know that 13 is supposed to be a “milestone year” — officially becoming a teenager, etc. But for some reason, as I write this post, 14 feels very meaningful. After all, it’s not as if I’m just becoming the mom of a teen. We are firmly entrenched in the teen years. Time is flying — more quickly each year. C. is growing into a young man right in front of me.

He asked me yesterday if the first year of his “teenager-hood” had been so bad. He’d heard horror stories about teens for years and when he was younger, he assured Chad and me that he wasn’t going to be “that kind of teen.” Though we never got that promise in writing, I have to admit, this first year wasn’t bad. Not bad at all.

We talk about big things, important things, heavy things. And though we — like all parents and kids — sometimes struggle to communicate well, we work at it. The other night, he told me that he felt we’d really had a good talk. And I agreed.

He’s becoming more and more responsible. He was in charge of mowing the lawn this past summer. He handles all the usual chores without complaint — taking out the garbage, helping with dishes, even babysitting his little brother on occasion.

He puts up with me and my silliness…with a minimum of eye-rolling. Even when I blast Toby Mac in the car and do disco moves while stopped at a stop sign. (And yes, I did just that recently. He just smiled and said he wondered what the passers-by were thinking.)

He loves to read, he’s a compiler of lists and data, he’s fascinated by old pictures and family history. He makes us laugh (or groan) with his corny jokes, he watches out for his Mom, he makes sure his little brother gets into school okay every morning.

He is seeking after God. And that, truly, is the most important thing, the thing that most warms my heart and makes me smile.

I love you very much, C. Happy 14th Birthday!

I hope you’re ready to read, too! And whatever goals you’ve set for yourself this fall, I hope you’re excited about pursuing them, and that you enjoy every book you read!

Here’s a brief recap of how to be a part of Fall Into Reading 2012:

• Make a list of books you want to read (or finish reading) this fall. Your list can be as long or as short as you’d like.

• Write a blog post containing your list and submit it to this post using the Mr. Linky below.

• Get reading! The challenge goes from today, September 22nd, through December 21st.

• Check out other participants’ lists and add to your own to-read-someday pile, if you wish!

• Write a post about your challenge experience in December, telling us all about whether you reached your goals and how Fall Into Reading went for you. But remember: this is a low-pressure challenge that should be fun.

There’s a Mr. Linky at the end of this post. Please use it to link to your blog post containing your Fall Into Reading list. Remember to link to your specific post, not just your general blog homepage. People will be stopping by for days (or weeks!) and when you link to your specific post, it will make it easier for everyone to find your reading list. Also, if you don’t mind, please link back here from your post so that your readers can come check out all the other participants.

So post your list, grab a mug of your favorite autumn beverage, and check out all the other bloggers who love to read as much as you do!

And don’t forget… Periodically throughout the challenge, I’ll be posting questions relating to reading. I’d love to hear your thoughts, so be sure to check back or subscribe to my feed so you don’t miss a question. Thanks!

For more information about Fall Into Reading 2012, check out these previous posts:

• The Basics (includes code for the sidebar graphic)
• Posting Guidelines
• Prizes and Questions

Note: There is NO limit to when people can sign up to participate in Fall Into Reading 2012. You’re welcome to join in any time between now and December! The “deadlines” mentioned in the prizes post are only for prize eligibility.

That should cover all the details. Link up below and let’s get reading!

Was your link deleted? Check the Posting Guidelines to make sure you followed the rules. If you think your link was deleted by mistake, feel free to contact me.

In the end, I decided to choose 12 books. And, as I often do, I split them evenly between fiction and nonfiction. (Knowing all the while, of course, that I’ll likely breeze through the fiction and then have to exercise great self-discipline to complete the non-fiction.) At least I’m honest with myself.

Fiction:

	The Spirit Well by Stephen R. Lawhead Finally! The third book in the Bright Empires Trilogy. My husband and I have both been enjoying this series…aside from the fact that we’ve had to wait a full year between each installment. Ah well, the third book is here, and I graciously allowed Chad to read it first, saving my own enjoyment of it for Fall Into Reading.
	The Drowned Vault by N.D. Wilson Another “series book” that I’ve been waiting for. (Along with Chad and C., my teen.) The first book in this series was The Dragon’s Tooth, a great adventure story suitable for middle school kids right on up. I’m looking forward to seeing what adventures Cyrus and Tigs have in The Drowned Vault.
	Zoo by James Patterson Okay, this was one of those impulse buys. I was at the bookstore one day with a coupon and a gift card and picked up this thriller. James Patterson is hit or miss for me — some of his books I’ve loved and some have been…meh. Hoping this one is a winner.
	Sarah’s Key by Tatiana de Rosnay I’ve had this book recommended to me by countless people and will finally be reading it this fall.
	The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey by Trenton Lee Stewart C. and I read the original Mysterious Benedict Society several years ago as a read-aloud. Then I gave him this book, the second in the series. But silly me — I never read it. Since there are already several more after this one, I figure it’s about time for me to get on the ball here.
	Bonus audio: Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand by Helen Simonson Another book that I’ve had recommended to me by several friends. The audio version of this book is loaded into my iPhone’s Audible app, ready to go. I don’t think it’s my typical kind of book, but I’m looking forward to reading it (well…listening to it).

Nonfiction:

	Jesus + Nothing = Everything by Tulian Tchividjian I’ve read the first couple chapters in this book and it’s great so far. As is typical of me with nonfiction, I’ve left it languishing on my nightstand… But now, I will finish it!
	The Explicit Gospel by Matt Chandler Lisa (of Lisa Writes…) had good things to say about this book, and I already enjoy the Village Church podcast on a regular basis. That was enough for me. It’s on my list!
	The Terrible Speed of Mercy: A Spiritual Biography of Flannery O’Connor by Jonathan Rogers I never read biographies. Or history books. Really — never. But for this fall, I challenged myself to pick a biography. Flannery O’Connor has always intrigued me a bit, so I settled on this new biography put out by Thomas Nelson. We’ll see how it goes.
	Age of Opportunity by Paul David Tripp I’ve been saying for years that I need to read this book. And yet I haven’t. Mostly because I’ve been in denial that I am actually the parent of a teen. But since C. will turn 14 during this challenge, I can deny no longer. Time to read this book!
	Help! For Writers by Roy Peter Clark Because I’m a bit of a writing/grammar/etc. geek, even when I’m not a faithful blogger. Besides, the subtitle is “210 Solutions to the Problems Every Writer Faces.” Who can resist 210 solutions?
	Bonus audio: Cleaning House by Kay Wills Wyma Jennifer (of Snapshot and 5 Minutes for Books) recommended this one and I thought it would make a great listen. Perhaps while I’m cleaning out closets and drawers this fall.

So there we have it. Six fiction, six nonfiction, for a total of 12 books in about three months. I better go get started!

Don’t forget to stop by the official launch post for Fall Into Reading 2012 to check out the other participants!

Sometimes, on those days, it helps to do something a little therapeutic. For me, that can mean picking up my camera and capturing something beautiful.

It’s been a rough summer, weather-wise. Dry, dry, dry. Of course, we picked this summer to plant gardens here at our new house. At least one plant didn’t make it. Others struggled. We often wonder which perennials will actually have the wherewithal to come back next year.

But our marigolds have thrived. In fact, they’ve practically taken over. It’s as if they’re saying, “Drought? What drought? Everything is just fine.”

And on the tired days, the weary days, their hearty growth bright splash of color lift my spirits and remind me that God is good. And that He is always at work, in all things.