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Danville Public Library Blog

Local Author Spotlight: Patricia Hruby Powell

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Here at Danville Public Library, we are proud to feature the works of more than 150 local authors. Each Monday, we are featuring one of our beloved local authors by sharing a bit about them and their work.

This week, we feature local author, Patricia Hruby Powell.

Patricia Hruby Powell

 

We asked her a few questions about her past and present work, her favorite books, and what her writing process is like.

What made you decide to start writing? Did you (or do you currently) have another career?

My first career was as a concert dancer/choreographer who traveled around the world performing. Most of us can’t dance into old age, so I became a storyteller who danced in her stories and now I write books for children and young adults.

What do you love about writing? What is challenging about it?

I love writing when I’m in the “zone” and I forget everything else. I love when I think that young readers are reading my books and are becoming transported—or enjoying reading, or inspired to dance or become political activists. What is challenging is days where I feel too “paralyzed” to write.

Do you have a writing routine? Daily? Whenever the fancy hits you?

Mostly I write daily in the early part of the day. If I’m hot into a project, I can write or research or revise until evening time. Every now and then I get an idea in the middle of the night and write it. More often, that might be just a note to myself, but sometimes it turns into an hour or so of writing.

Which of your books gave you the most pleasure in writing? Which was the hardest?

I loved writing Josephine: The Dazzling Life of Josephine Baker. I’d watch footage of Josephine, dance like she danced, then sit down to write what I did and felt. I loved writing Loving Vs. Virginia. The hardest is the Woman’s Suffrage Project which is under contract but I don’t know when it will be released.

What’s one piece of advice you’d offer to young or beginning writers?

Give yourself permission to write on the page (or the screen) words that don’t come together or that don’t please you. Writing happens in the revision process. Don’t worry about first drafts. Just get something on the “page” that you can then work with.

You’re stranded on an island with one book (written by another author). Which book did you bring?

War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy. I haven’t read it yet. It might take being stranded on an island to get to it.

Any books in progress at the moment? Expected publishing date?

4 in progress: Women’s Suffrage Project; Cave of the Heart: The Story of Martha Graham; Sunday Before Sundown: The Story of Ella Fitzgerald and Joe Ernst (Bloomsbury 2023); and Duck Duck Goose, a compilation of poems that tells a story and is scientifically accurate (no contract yet, but I think one might be offered soon).

We’re so grateful for this author’s participation in our featured post. Be sure to check out all of Patricia’s books on the shelves at Danville Public Library!

Local Author Spotlight: M.I.H. McCool

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Here at Danville Public Library, we are proud to feature the works of more than 150 local authors. Each Monday, we are featuring one of our beloved local authors by sharing a bit about them and their work.

This week, we feature local author, M.I.H. McCool.

M.I.H. McCool

 

We asked her a few questions about her past and present work, her favorite books, and what her writing process is like.

What made you decide to start writing? Did you (or do you currently) have another career?

I wrote my first ‘novel’ at ten years old and my first poem was published that same year. I don’t remember a time when I didn’t know full well that writing would consume my entire life. It’s been the one constant thing in my life from the beginning!

What do you love about writing? What is challenging about it?

I love the feeling of creating a story that will hopefully take the reader away from the real world for a little while. The major challenge that I usually face is the need to edit the work to death. Though thorough editing is a good thing in the end, it can certainly slow down the process when you edit while working on the first few drafts.

Do you have a writing routine? Daily? Whenever the fancy hits you?

I try to write daily, but I find that this can be a little unrealistic for me. Typically I will be inspired by something – a song, a dream, a feeling, a piece of dialogue – and then I’ll run with the idea. I’m more of a ‘pantser’ instead of a ‘planner’, which means my style is to develop the story under a basic idea and let it unfold as it is written. It hasn’t led me wrong yet!

Which of your books gave you the most pleasure in writing? Which was the hardest?

I had a great time writing The Contract: The Revelation of the Opal. It was one of those lovely stories that seemed to just fall into place without any issues. The hardest book to write is its prequel, The Immortal Perception. This novel boasts major historical research that was sometimes extremely difficult to get good answers for. It also covers some intense topics, and it takes special care to convey these scenes properly and appropriately on the page.

What’s one piece of advice you’d offer to young or beginning writers?

I have had so much advice given to me by extraordinary people over the years. One important piece is: never be afraid to tell a story that others may not like or understand. You are not writing for everyone and not everyone will be able to comprehend your work. My current series follows an immortal prepubescent antihero as he creates lifelong contracts with people in exchange for their souls. Is my story going to satisfy every reader? Absolutely not. But there is at least one person out there that will read and enjoy my words. And that is more than enough.

You’re stranded on an island with one book (written by another author). Which book did you bring?

The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupér. It is a timeless classic that I love to revisit at least twice a year, or whenever I just need a lovely, short story to ground me. 

Any books in progress at the moment? Expected publishing date?

Yes! 2022 will be a great publication year. The Immortal Perception has an expected publication date for Autumn 2022, and McCool Mythos: Dead of Winter, which is also co-written by my brother John R. McCool III, is expected for Winter 2022.

We’re so grateful for this author’s participation in our featured post. Be sure to check out all of M.I.H.’s books!

Monday Spotlight: What’s the Difference Between Libby and Hoopla?

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If you’re a regular reader of the blog, you know that we love the phone/tablet apps Libby/Overdrive and Hoopla. But have you ever wondered why the library has two different ways to use eAudiobooks and eBooks? We have a few different reasons below.

Before we start a quick note about Libby/Overdrive. Overdrive is the service that hosts the Digital Library of Illinois, and Libby is the app that most people use to access it on their phones, computers and tablets. To make matters even more confusing, some older devices and Kindles use the Overdrive app instead of the Libby app. If you have any questions about which one works for you, give the Reference Desk and call and we can walk you through the process. We know it’s confusing to have so many names for one service! For the purpose of this article we will be referring to the service as Libby/Overdrive since that’s the logo people see when using it.

Different Content

Hoopla and Libby/Overdrive have some overlap in the titles that they offer, but they’re far from identical. Libby/Overdrive offers nearly 50k eBooks and almost 20k eAudiobooks, but Hoopla offers over 600k eBooks and 155k eAudiobooks! Even though Hoopla has a massive library, many major authors don’t have their entire collection on Hoopla. For example- Nora Roberts only has 6 of her books on Hoopla and John Grisham doesn’t have a single book on Hoopla right now.

But that’s OK- check Libby/Overdrive! There’s a good chance that what you’re looking for is there. And if it’s not on Libby/Overdrive, you can request it! Login to your account on the Digital Library of Illinois on a browser (it can be your phone or tablet browser) and search for you book. Where you would normally say “Borrow”, click request! It will take you through a process that a librarian will review to add the title that you can then read on Libby/Overdrive. Note, they are not reviewed by a librarian at DPL, so unfortunately we are unable to give you progress reports on your requests.

Different Kinds of Content

Both services offer more than books. Libby/Overdrive (and recently Hoopla as well) offers eMagazines. But Hoopla offers a large non-book/audiobook library. Hoopla has movies, music and graphic novels! In addition to items that you can borrow individually, Hoopla recently introduced “Binge Passes” that lets you explore sites like Great Courses Plus for free with your library card!

Different Ways to Borrow

There are advantages and disadvantages to both ways of borrowing. Hoopla lets you borrow anything at any time with no waiting! It’s like going to an online eBook store- you find something, you borrow it and you have it, totally free for the borrow period with your library card. But you have to use your borrows wisely, you can only use 10 a month. 

Libby/Overdrive works basically just like the physical library works. The library system has bought a set number of “copies” of an eBook or eAudiobook, and only one person can use a copy at a time, so sometimes you have to wait. But as long as you have less than 10 items out at once there’s no limit to how many items you can check out at once. Need more borrows? Just return something and you can check out something new. 

If you ever have an questions about our eCollections let us know at the reference desk! Contact us at 217-477-5228 or email us at Reference_Desk@danvillepubliclibrary.org.You can als checkout other online offerings we have at our database or https://danvillepubliclibrary.org/databases/ eCollections https://danvillepubliclibrary.org/e-collections/  tabs. We have a wide variety of online resources from online classes to historical newspapers to health resources. All totally FREE with your library card!

Friday Reads: Cozy Cookbooks

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Cozy Up with Good Food

The air is cold, and crisp. Biting even. The kind of weather that is nice and cozy, if you’re staying inside! January is the perfect time to try new recipes. Still working on your New Years resolution? We have books with healthy recipes that still taste good. Or do you need something for your family that fills their body and soul? We have recipes that can become part of your family tradition. Or do you want to try something new? We have all sorts of cookbooks from that- from baking techniques to cultural dishes.

Modern comfort food : a Barefoot Contessa cookbook / Ina Garten

Garten shares 85 new recipes that will feed your deepest cravings. Many of these dishes are inspired by childhood favorites—but with the volume turned way up, such as Cheddar and Chutney Grilled Cheese sandwiches (the perfect match for Ina’s Creamy Tomato Bisque), Smashed Hamburgers with Caramelized Onions, and the crispiest hash browns that are actually made in a waffle iron! Home cooks can always count on Ina’s dependable, easy-to-follow instructions, with lots of side notes for cooking and entertaining.

Meals, music, and muses : recipes from my African American kitchen / Alexander Smalls with Veronica Chambers

Alexander Smalls has owned, conceptualized, and helmed some of New York’s most iconic African American restaurants. Now, he follows up the James Beard award-winning Between Harlem and Heaven with Meals, Music, and Muses, a look at his world glimpsed through the lenses of music, food, culture, and history. It is a must-read journey through a life well lived and in recipe and reminiscence details the musical forms learned, the friends and family who instructed, and the foods shared along the way.

100 techniques : master a lifetime of cooking skills, from basic to bucket list / America’s Test Kitchen.

“This book isn’t meant to be a sequential cooking course, so dip into it wherever and however you like. Try one of the simple essentials that will make your everyday life easier and more enjoyable, like simmering a great tomato sauce or making a pan sauce for cutlets. Or invite some friends over to share in the success of a kitchen project you’ve always wanted to tackle, like achieving genuine Texas-style barbecue in a regular kettle grill or baking a New York deli-style cheesecake. We hope you think of 100 Techniques as your guidebook to a lifetime of cooking success.”– Provided by publisher.

The how not to diet cookbook : 100+ recipes for healthy, permanent weight loss / Michael Greger, M.D., FACLM ; recipes by Robin Robertson.

From Michael Greger, M.D., FACLM, the author of the New York Times bestseller How Not to Die, comes a four-color, fully illustrated cookbook that shares the science of long-term weight-loss success. Dr. Michael Greger founded the viral website Nutritionfacts.org with the aim to educate the public about what healthy eating looks like and connect them with a community through food-related podcasts, videos, and blogs. Since then, Nutritionfacts.org has grown and so has Dr. Greger’s platform. How Not to Die and the How Not to Die Cookbook were instant hits, and now he’s back with a new book about mindful dieting-how to eat well, lose, and keep unwanted weight off in a healthy, accessible way that’s not so much a diet as it is a lifestyle. Greger offers readers delicious yet healthy options that allow them to ditch the idea of “dieting” altogether. As outlined in his book How Not to Diet, Greger believes that identifying the twenty-one weight-loss accelerators in our bodies and incorporating new, cutting-edge medical discoveries are integral in putting an end to the all-consuming activity of counting calories and getting involved in expensive juice cleanses and Weight Watchers schemes. How Not to Diet Cookbook is primed to be a revolutionary new addition to the cookbook industry: incredibly effective and designed for everyone looking to make changes to their dietary habits to improve their quality of life, weight loss notwithstanding.

Taste of home : one pot favorites / Taste of Home Books.

One-dish meals have been a dinnertime staple for yearsand today theyre more popular than ever! Thats why the team at Taste of Home assembled 519 best-of-the-best recipes for the incredible new cookbook One Pot Favorites. From Instant Pot meal-in-one dishes to complete dinners baked on a sheet pan, these hearty one-dish wonders cant be beat. Youll also find simmering Dutch oven specialties, cast-iron skillet suppers, slow-cooker classics, satisfying stews and many more recipes, each offering the one-dish convenience todays family cooks crave.

 

A Darker Shade of Magic by V. E. Schwab-3 Stars

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A Darker Shade of MagicA Darker Shade of Magic is the series opener for the Shades of Magic trilogy. I was recommended this series years ago due to its setting in multiple different alternate Londons. I do love fantasy novels and London, so it’s been sitting on my to-read list for awhile.

I was slightly disappointed that none of the three Londons resemble the London that I visited closely, with the exception of the magicless Grey London, where we don’t spend much time in the familiar parts of the city. This disappointment was quelled by the other Londons being interesting in their own right. Red London is a typical fairytale city with just, beloved rulers who have a complicated family life and magic being as common as water. White London is a cruel land where magic is a dark art used by the power hungry to beat everyone below the strong into submission. There’s also a Black London, a forbidden place ravaged by out of control magic that looms in the background, but isn’t visited in the majority of the book, though I suspect that it will feature heavily in later series.

The characters are fine, but they’re also common in fantasy tropes. Our hero is a rare breed of human who can use more magic than anyone else and has the ability to easily travel between worlds. He struggles with the loneliness that comes with being one of the last of his kind. He’s joined by a street urchin who longs to be a pirate and who is teased to have hidden power of her own. They aren’t bad characters, but they aren’t characters I haven’t seen many times before.

The plot progresses in a predictable manner, the war torn White London is in tension with the peaceful Red London, supposed allies double cross the heroes, the good prince is put into mortal danger. I do like a traditional good-vs-evil story, but this one plays too closely to the rules plot wise without giving me the characters that either ooze goodness to the point you can’t help but love them (like basically the entire Fellowship of the Ring.) or the moral struggle that leads to empathy (like the relatable Edmund from the Chronicles of Narnia.). There are some shades of gray to some of the characters, particularly with Lilah (the Oliver Twist-like orphan), but I didn’t find the shades of gray to add the interest I was hoping for.

Note: I use the star system recommended by Goodreads- 3 is a book that I liked, but not loved. 4 is a book that I enjoyed very much, and quite possibly loved. 5 is “This is my new favorite book, and one of the best books I’ve ever read”. I might finish the Shades of Magic series at some point, but I’m not in a rush to do so. I have more original things on my to-read list that I’ll be reading first.

I listened to the audiobook version on Hoopla narrated by Steven Crossley. As with many narrations on Hoopla, it was a very well done production with a fantastic narrator.

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