diary from the ridge | The Oasis at Four Queen Palms

The sunrise was quite lovely this morning; the pearl grey sky burst into rosy pinks as the sun rose over the horizon. The pond sparkled like diamonds cast along its gently rippling surface, and my day began with all the optimism and joy one could ever want.

As I stood on the terrace and watched a hawk circle overhead, I thought about a question that is sometimes posed to me – the request to recommend which of my books someone should read. As always, it is a difficult question to answer, because every reader has his own preferences in reading material. It is a decision that each and every reader needs to make on his own.

Recently, and over the past three years, an individual has been asking me that question, and my answer to that reader is always, “Well, decide which genre you enjoy, read the plot summaries, and choose a book that tickles your fancy. I cannot choose for you, because only you know what you enjoy reading.” Besides, I do not know that individual personally, so with that deficiency, it makes it even more difficult to make any recommendation.

It really is as simple as that. Because my answer is never a hand-holding one (I have great respect for my fellow readers’ intelligence and their own choice of reading material), the same individual slides over to Best Friend to ask him the same question: “What books should I read that were written by Susan Marie Molloy?”

*sigh*

I write in many genres: roman à clef, psychological, satire, parody, science fiction, history, political science, analysis, essays, poetry, travel, et al.

And on it goes . . .

Unfortunately, I don’t really understand why the same question is asked over and over these past three years. In fact, I did, once, recommend to that individual a book I wrote, but that same individual kept vacillating, did not read it, and resumed asking the same question.

As for me, I am back on my reading kick of short science fiction stories from the Golden Age of Science Fiction. Because they are short and quick to read, they are great little fillers in my day when I have fifteen or twenty minutes to spare.

Meanwhile, I am busy re-writing some of my older short stories to be published this fall. I do have a propensity to keep polishing my works, and a new book is also in the works.

Oh, my!

As ever,

The eastern sky was colored a bright pinkish-orange as I looked across the meadow behind The Oasis at Four Queen Palms. Happy for a new day, I headed down to the kitchen to pour myself a cup of cold coffee with milk – my version of café au lait. With cup in hand, I walked to the window overlooking the terrace, and by this time, the sun was just over the horizon, looking like a fiery orange ball. The pond sparkled as though a million diamonds danced upon the surface. A lone hawk circled high above. And there, the day began.

I received a strange survey of sorts (I think that’s what it was) through my Goodreads account; a neighbor asked if I still live here at The Oasis. After answering her, she wrote back with a statement that I wrote a book or two recently. (As if I didn’t know that fact!) So how did I answer that? Well, I replied to her with a, “Imagine that!” I heard back with a strange response – “Happy trails!” she wrote. I suspect I won’t hear back from her for another two years, because that was the last time something like this happened with her, when she messaged me about her “handsomest father who ever lived” and comments about her neighbors, none of whom I know. I don’t get it. I suspect I won’t hear from her for another two years, because that was the last time she contacted me. I never even met her in person.

Something like that used to bug me, but now I just laugh it off. People are people, and I’m not going to guess or psychoanalyze their motives. That sort of “hit and run” action seems to be the norm these days. It’s much like the “hit and run” Best Friend and I encountered last autumn by a relative, and *Poof!* she disappeared as quickly as she popped up.

The news is much like that, too, in the current news cycle. One day, we learn about spy balloons, the next day it’s the hubbub of a mass murder, and the next is the screaming of a post-Constitutional America. News today seems to be more like attention-getting than unbiased reporting as it’s supposed to be.

Ah, well, that is ancient history.

This is the new world – the bombardment of spewing about events, screaming deceit, ginning up violence.

Everybody has an opinion, but who is really listening?

As ever,

The Oasis at Four Queen Palms

Gracious Living at The Oasis.

Category Archives: diary from the ridge

What Should I Read?

Hit and Run.