Rebecca M. Douglass, Author

I'm posting today with t he fantastic Marvelous Middle Grade Mondays blog hop hosted by Greg Pattridge of Always in the Middle . Check out Greg's blog for a list of additional middle grade reviews. This was one of those library books I found by following the "if you liked that" suggestions. It kind of falls into the "issue books" category, but was an interesting read regardless.   Title: Asking For a Friend Author: Ronnie Riley Publication Info: Scholastic Press, 2024. 268 pages in Kindle Source: Library Publisher's Blurb (Goodreads) : Why go through the stress of making friends when you can just pretend? It works for Eden and their social anxiety... until their mom announces she's throwing them a birthday party and all their friends are invited. Eden's "friends," Duke, Ramona, and Tabitha, are all real kids from school... but Eden's never actually spoken to them before. Now Eden will do whatever it takes to convince them ...

September 6-10 this year, I hiked Iceland's famous "Volcano Trail," the Laugavegur track. I had mixed weather, but the first day combined amazing scenery with good weather, and as a result I have far too many photos to do more than the one day in this post (besides, I haven't finished editing the rest of the hike, let alone the following 2 weeks in Iceland). The excitement started with a 7:30 a.m. bus from Reykjavik. I arrived at the bus station as the sun was about to rise. It's a small city, so the bus depot was only a 15-minute walk from my hotel. It's a 3 1/2 hour ride to the start of the trail at Landmannalaugar, so we had a much-appreciated "comfort stop" partway.   The bus ride was definitely part of the excitement, as this was my first chance to see much of Iceland beyond the city. I managed to score a front seat (always my goal due to motion sickness issues), which allowed for some good photo ops. As far as I could tell, we drove around a...

 Okay, that's not *exactly* the question the IWSG is asking this month, but it might as well be? Purpose: To share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds! Posting: The first Wednesday of every month is officially Insecure Writer’s Support Group day. Post your thoughts on your own blog. Talk about your doubts and the fears you have conquered. Discuss your struggles and triumphs. Offer a word of encouragement for others who are struggling. Visit others in the group and connect with your fellow writer - aim for a dozen new people each time - and return comments. This group is all about connecting! Be sure to link to the IWSG page and display the badge in your post. And please be sure your avatar links back to your blog! Otherwise, when you leave a comment, people can't find yo...