After a two-year break during home schooling, we are getting back into the swing of school events and fundraisers (which seem to be a necessity in almost all school settings). I confess these events inspire a little bit of dread in me, probably due to my somewhat introverted personality (i.e. I’d rather read a book or go on a bike ride than attend a big party, hence my affection for Los Angeles Public Library’s annual “Stay Home and Read a Book Ball”). Nevertheless, all three of us want to find a way to joyfully contribute to the fundraising effort at Natalie’s high school. After a couple of brainstorm sessions, William, Natalie and I decide on two silent auction items to donate. Both allow us to share some of our best-loved activities:
A “Downton Abbey” tea tray, which will contain Season 1 & 2 DVDs, the soundtrack, the book The World of Downton Abbey, a costume jewelry strand of pearls (a la Mary Crawley), along with tea and biscuits
and
“Mysterious California: Four Authors,” a Film/Book Club in a Box. William and I produced the film “Mysterious California: Four Authors” a few years ago. The “Box” will include the documentary film and multiple copies of books by the four authors (Laurie R. King, Kirk Russell, Nadia Gordon, and Nina Revoyr) who write California-inspired crime fiction. “Mysterious California: Four Authors” takes viewers on a rich visual journey through the distinctive California landscapes of four crime novels and on an intimate exploration of universal themes: the love of land, the importance of knowing personal and social history, the desire for truth and justice, and the power of place to inspire story. See a trailer from the documentary film “Mysterious California: Four Authors” here — http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7VEXEQDFkjg&feature=youtu.be
Natalie is currently zipping through Laurie R. King’s magnificent Mary Russell series and will soon be posting a review of the first in the series, A Beekeeper’s Apprentice. Watching Natalie read with such pleasure motivated me to re-read The Beekeeper’s Apprentice. It’s just as good (if not better) the second time, which means my light is staying on a little later than it should because I don’t want to stop reading – my idea of bliss.