Blog Posts for Stacy Ann Nyikos

Rage, Rage Against the Dying of the Light

Stacy Ann Nyikos — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 07:22:36 -0800

It wasn't exactly what Dylan Thomas had in mind, but I'm still raging. Daylight Saving begins this weekend. I love that extra hour of sleep in November, but I'd gladly exchange it for no time change at all. Here in the heart of the Midwest, we sit pretty badly for such an early change. It has just started getting light about 6:30 a.m. now. Come time change, it will be another month before we ...

There is Hope, World

Stacy Ann Nyikos — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 06:48:41 -0800

When I was growing up in the 1970s and 1980s, the Olympics were all about beating the Soviet Union. China was a dark force whom "we" didn't like very much, but the Soviet Union? Yeesh. Darth Vader, Sauron and Lex Luther all rolled up into one. Have times changed. My family and I were watching the games the other night when Canada won its first ever gold on home ground. It ...

The Book Review Club - The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-time Indian

Stacy Ann Nyikos — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 12:53:16 -0800

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-time Indianby Sherman AlexieYA It's a bit daunting to review a book that's won the National Book Award. I mean, does it get any better than that? Okay, there is the Pulitzer, or maybe the Nobel Prize, but hey, this is the National Book Award. Wow. Does Alexie live up to the hipe? In a word, yes. This is a character driven piece about a ...

The Book Review Club - The Old Country

Stacy Ann Nyikos — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 17:18:19 -0800

The Old Countryby Mordica Gerstein Alone Gerstein's name would lure me to read one of his books. It has such an interesting and old country sound to it. His middle grade novel, The Old Country, is, of course, even more intriguing. Gisella, a famous violinist, tells her grandson the story of how she was once a fox...in the old country. Filled with mystery, war, controversy, ...

Parent Jitters

Stacy Ann Nyikos — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 07:32:18 -0800

I wish I could blog about how thrilled I am to have completed my first semester at Vermont College, what a ride it's been, how much I've learned, how much better my writing has gotten, all of that good stuff, but today, this week's professional accomplishment has been entirely overshadowed by something so much bigger. My oldest goes in for minor surgery tomorrow. She's having her ...

Honey, I Home...

Stacy Ann Nyikos — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 07:47:47 -0800

They say role reversal can pep up your marriage. My husband is home this week chilling on the couch. I'm at work. Okay, okay, I don't normally spend my days when he's not home on the couch in front of a roaring fire popping bon bons, but, you know, I sometimes get the impression my husband thinks I do. I'm a writer. What else can I be doing for long stretches of time while he's off ...

The Book Review Club - Bull Rider

Stacy Ann Nyikos — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 14:53:41 -0800

Bull Rider by Suzanne Morgan Williams upper middle grade/ya Drugs, sex, teenage pregnancy, you name it, children's authors write about it. Suzanne Morgan Williams is no different. She has taken on perhaps the mother of all controversial issues for this country, the war on terrorism. Bull Rider's story is current, it's controversial, but far more importantly, it's really really well-written. Any ...

The Book Review Club - Butt Wars

Stacy Ann Nyikos — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 07:09:00 -0800

Butt Wars By Andy Griffiths Age Range: ? ? ? My seven year-old brought this book home. It was the party favor at a birthday party. She was disappointed. Butt Wars? It sounded so boy boy boy. I was puzzled. Butt in the title...of a middle grade? I had to read it. Right after I convinced her she should at least try it. It was outside her comfort range because of the boyishness. And ...

The Book Review Club - Butt Wars

Stacy Ann Nyikos — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 07:08:14 -0800

Sustainability

Stacy Ann Nyikos — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 07:03:57 -0700

I know. I know. Sustainability is actually one of the big millennia buzz words, usually referring to important things like, saving our planet. Recycle. Reduce. Reuse. I get it.But right now I'm really worried about sustaining my hair. It's all because of the gray. Gray changes everything. It makes your hair wiry. And changes the whole styling thing. It pretty much makes you reassess your haircut ...