Thursday, August 24, 2017

It's the Little Things: HOPSCOTCH by Steve Cushman

Hi there!
Welcome back to Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers.

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Today, we're taking a moment to appreciate the little things in life.  The beauty of nature, the warmth of our family, the comfort we find between the pages of a great read, or even the smile finding one of those nifty painted and hidden rocks brings, if just for a moment.  Today, we celebrate all those little things that add up to big things and make life worth living....because let's face it, that's not always the easiest thing to do.  The title on deck today reminds us of all this and more as we join what may be considered a child's game, but can also serve as a portal to our youth in SO many ways.   Ready or not, here comes today's book of choice...

Hopscotch

by
Steve Cushman
9781604891782

About the book...
Hope can come in many forms, and in the novel Hopscotch, it comes in the form of a hopscotch board drawn on the sidewalk leading to the entrance of a hospital in Greensboro, North Carolina. Despite the hospital’s cleaning crew’s efforts to remove the board, it mysteriously re-appears every day. Eventually physicians, hospital employees, and patients, including Emily, an 8-year-old fighting cancer, and Stan, an Iraqi War veteran, are drawn to this hopscotch board. Hopscotch is a story about the healing power of hope and how the simplest thing can effect and change so many lives for the better.


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The story is told through the eyes of its characters and, bountiful though they may be, they each leave their mark on our hearts as we discover just what secret joys a simple hopscotch board can uncover.  For some, it brings back memories of days shared with loved ones since past when better times were the norm.  For others, it allows them to have a piece of their childhood returned to them despite the heavy health issues with which they are currently dealing.  For still more, it helps heal the wounds of the heart, body, and soul, as they adjust to their new realities and try to regain the balance they thought lost forever.  It was touching and beautiful, introducing us to people that could come from our own life paths, and while there were still times of darkness, it reminded us to continue reaching towards that light.

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From the beauty of a sunrise (okay, sunset...because really...I'm going to bed about that time!) to quality time with the family, a quiet moment all to yourself for reading to a girls night celebration of epic proportions, or perhaps even a simple game from childhood days...it's not what you do, but rather that you DO it and appreciate the moments lived without taking them for granted.  Sounds easy, right?  Yeah...think about your own day to day...do YOU take the proverbial time to "smell the roses"?  I thought not, and I'm guilty too.  We're too RUSH RUSH RUSH in order to keep up with the world around us, but as this story so aptly reminds, tomorrow is not a promised for any of us.  So, make the best of your day TODAY!  There's never going to be a perfect moment to tackle that project, start on the path to reaching that goal, or make amends with someone who has done you wrong, if we don't take the first step on our own volition.  

Recommended for all those who consider themselves lost souls as well as anyone simply needing a lift in their day.



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About the author...


Steve Cushman earned an MFA from UNC-Greensboro.  After working as an X-ray Technologist for twenty years, he currently works in the IT Department at Moses Cone Memorial Hospital.  His debut novel, Portisville, won the 2004 Novello Literary Award. He’s published a second novel, Heart With Joy, as well as the poetry chapbooks, Hospital Work and Midnight Stroll.  Cushman lives in Greensboro, North Carolina with his family.





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Special thanks to Sydney at JKS Communications for the copy for review as well as the chance to bring this title to you.  (THANKS!)  For more information on this title, the author, the publisher, or those promotions on the horizon, feel free to click through the links provided above. This title is available now via Livingston Press, so stop by your favorite virtual retailer to snag your copy today.

Until next time, remember....if it looks good, READ IT!


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