Page 64 - Sonoma County Gazette April 2018

Not Quite Happily Ever After
By Diane McCurdy
Would you like to read a novel that is about a marriage going through a
rough patch but that also functions a a quasi-cookbook and a botanical refer- ence manual? Look no further than Not Quite Happily Ever After by local author, Heidi Freestone. It is three genres wrapped into one, and maybe four as there is a little animal
husbandry thrown in for extra measure. Free- stone, has been tending gardens as a professional landscaper in these environs for over thirty years. In our drought prone area she has spe- cialized in the prudent use of water and advo- cated for native species.
Call to Writers
Call to All Writers Book Launch
Series – All genres considered. Mail to Occidental Center for the Arts - Attn: Book Launch Committee, 3850 Doris Murphy Court, Occidental, 707-874-9392, occidentalcenterforthearts.org
Ongoing
2nd and 4th Tue ~ OCA Reader’s
Theatre Group - Sharing and reading 2-3 short plays, please come. FREE, 7p, Occidental Center for the Arts, 3850 Doris Murphy Court, Occidental, 707-829-2176, Judith or Joan, occidentalcenterforthearts.org
Apr 9 ~ Petaluma Women Who Write - Supportive forum where constructive criticism inspires. FREE, 6-8p, Aqus Cafe, 189 H St., Petaluma, Carole Coates, aqus.com
Every Mon ~ Snoopy’s Writers – Weekly writers group - Write in Snoopy’s atmosphere, a writer’s haven that stimulates the imagination, and bring your favorite Snoopy’s smile. 11-2p, Snoopy's Home Ice, Warm Puppy Café, 1667 West Steele Lane, Santa Rosa. snoopyswriters.com
By Date
Thru Dec ~ Our Free Little Library - 6492 First St., Forestville
Thru Apr 16 ~ West County Poets Wanted for Radio Poetry Slam - KOWS vs KVMR Nevada City - Submit your written or recorded poems for this upcoming event. FREE, 707-540-2641, waccobb.net
Apr 9 ~ Dine with Local Authors - $5 min. purchase, 6-8p, Gaia's Garden, 1899 Mendocino Ave, Santa Rosa, 707-544- 2491, gaiasgardenonline.com
Apr 14 ~ Word Temple - Poetry featuring Rosa Lane, Sharon Doubiago and Jodi Hottel. FREE; 7p, Sebastopol Center for the Arts, 282 South High St., Sebastopol, wordtemple.com/blog
Apr 24 ~ A Night for the Politically Heartbroken and Stubbornly Hopeful – The book Bad Stories, it will understand what the hell happened to our country. FREE, RSVP needed, Donations for the North Bay Letterpress Arts Accepted, 7:00pNorth Bay Letterpress Arts, 925-d Gravenstein Hwy., Sebastopol, 707-304- 1739, northbayletterpressarts.org
May 4 ~ Discover Nature - Citizen Scientist - Searching for Heroes and Hope in an Age of Extinction. $10, Students FREE, 7p, Pepperwood Preserve, 2130 Pepperwood Preserve Road, Dwight Center, Santa Rosa, 707- 591-9310, pepperwoodpreserve.org
Copperfields Books
Apr 7 ~ The Stranger in the Woods: The Extraordinary Story of the Last True Hermit - Asks fundamental questions about solitude and community FREE, 7-8:30p 138 N. Main St., Sebastopol
Apr 8 ~ Secretary Robert B. Reich in conversation with Lynn Woolsey - Book: The Common Good. Price TBA, Petaluma Veterans Memorial Building, 1094 Petaluma Blvd S., Petaluma.
Apr 10 ~ Book Signing - Big Foot and Little Foot by Ellen Potter – Celebrates friendship and the spirit of adventure. 4p, 140 Kentucky St., Petaluma
Apr 13 ~ Varina by Charles Frazier - Historical fiction brings to life the chaos and devastation of the Civil War. FREE, 7-8:30p, 140 Kentucky St., Petaluma
Apr 17 ~ To Die But Once by Jacqueline Winspear - Maisie Dobbs investigates the disappearance of a young apprentice. FREE, 7-8:30p, 140 Kentucky St., Petaluma
April 19 ~ Book Signing - Unicorn Rescue Society, The Creature of the Pines by Adam Gidwitz - First in a hilarious new series. 4p, 140 Kentucky St., Petaluma
Apr 19 ~ Writers Forum - Jean Hegland – Ways that we can do our best work. 6:30- 8p, FREE, 140 Kentucky St., Petaluma
Apr 20 ~ Gardening on California’s Coast by Julie Monson – A practical and beautiful addition to any gardener’s library. FREE, 7-8:30p, 140 Kentucky St., Petaluma
Apr 20 ~ Your Guide to Forest Bathing: Experience the Healing Power of Nature by M. Amos Clifford - Deepen your relationship to nature. FREE, 7-8:30p, 138 N. Main St., Sebastopol
Apr 22 ~ The Corporation: An Epic Story of the Cuban American Underworld by T.J. Enlgish – History of the Cuban mob in the United States. FREE, 2-3:30p, 106 Matheson St., Healdsburg
Apr 24 ~ Rescue and Jessica: A Life- Changing Friendship - Heartening story of the love and teamwork between a girl and her service dog. 4p, 140 Kentucky St., Petaluma
Apr 25 ~ Cycling the Pacific Coast: The Complete Guide from Canada to Mexico by Bill Thorness – Alternate routes, lodging, camping and more. FREE, 7-8:30p, 775 Village Court, SR
Apr 27 ~ The Great Chicken Escape by Nikki McClure - Picture book about four chickens fleeing their coop for the day. 4p, 140 Kentucky St., Petaluma
Apr 27 ~ Birds of the Photo Ark: The Extraordinary Lives of Birds by Noah Strycker - Celebration of birds from around the world. FREE, 7-8:30p, 140 Kentucky St., Petaluma
Apr 27 ~ To Play Again: A Memoir of Musical Survival by Carol Rosenberger Stricken with paralytic polio, she struggled to rebuild her technique. FREE, 7-8:30p, 775 Village Court, SR
Sara, her protagonist is
an environmental lawyer
whose relationship with
her husband is normal
and nice, maybe too
normal and too nice. She
has a vague feeling of
restlessness and discon-
tent whose source she
really cannot identify.
Sara’s best friend, Jen,
is in Chicago experienc-
ing a more overt, very
di erent type of mid-
life meltdown. She is
anxious and clinically
depressed. Sara agrees to
take in her teen-aged son
for the summer to give
Jen a break. Sara is also dealing with the attentions of a very irtatious gourmet cook. Since she is very con icted she takes solace in her cooking, her gardening and her chickens. She lives near Healdsburg.
The prequel to this piece is called Growing Home in which the author rst presents the characters who are eshed out in the sequel. The sequel stands alone but it was interesting to discover how Sara arrived in Sonoma County. Apparently she obtained the land by default in a divorce settlement. So the city girl from Chicago became a country girl and also found her perfect man which prompted one critic to ask, does the heroine always have to have a guy to feel happy and whole? Point well taken.
Most entertaining are little hints about cooking and gardening which are woven right into the fabric of the plot. Did you know that grating some lemon zest into a salad then adding black pepper and turmeric will give it zip? How about dried tomato and herb garlic bread? Or, Portobello mushrooms stu ed with celery, garlic and onions? Wa es with ax seed and nuts? Of course, I didn’t like the part about rabbit fricassee with sage as I still mourn the loss of my beloved pets.
The ending is a little too sweet but that is a minor blip. The ve-hundred plus pages y by because the author’s prose is clear, crisp and clean.
64 - www.sonomacountygazette.com - 4/18
Readers Books
130 E. Napa St., Sonoma, 707-939-1779, readersbooks.com All events are free.
Apr 5 ~ Waights Taylor Jr., He reads and discusses his murder mystery series. 7p
Apr 12 ~ Linda and Charlie Bloom, 7p