A Man Called Ove - #TeaserTuesday and First Paragraph / First Chapter / Tuesday Intros

Ove is one of the most fascinating characters I've read about in a long time. He's not likable, and I'm pretty sure I'd avoid him if he were my neighbor. But ... sometimes there's more to a person than what we see on the surface.
This is a 5-star book that I highly recommend.

First Paragraph:
Ove is fifty-nine.
     He drives a Saab. He's the kind of man who points at people he doesn't like the look of, as if they were burglars and his forefinger a policeman's flashlight. He stands at the counter of a shop where owners of Japanese cars come to purchase white cables. Ove eyes the sales assistant for a long time before shaking a medium-sized white box at him.
     "So this is one of those O-Pads, is it?" he demands.

Teaser from 36% on my Kindle:
She talked as if she were continuously on the verge of breaking into giggles. And when she giggled she sounded the way Ove imagined champagne bubbles would have sounded if they were capable of laughter.

Genre: Literary / Humorous
Book Length: 352 Pages
Amazon Link: A Man Called Ove

Synopsis:
Meet Ove. He’s a curmudgeon—the kind of man who points at people he dislikes as if they were burglars caught outside his bedroom window. He has staunch principles, strict routines, and a short fuse. People call him “the bitter neighbor from hell.” But must Ove be bitter just because he doesn’t walk around with a smile plastered to his face all the time?

Behind the cranky exterior there is a story and a sadness. So when one November morning a chatty young couple with two chatty young daughters move in next door and accidentally flatten Ove’s mailbox, it is the lead-in to a comical and heartwarming tale of unkempt cats, unexpected friendship, and the ancient art of backing up a U-Haul. All of which will change one cranky old man and a local residents’ association to their very foundations.

A feel-good story in the spirit of The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry and Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand, Fredrik Backman’s novel about the angry old man next door is a thoughtful exploration of the profound impact one life has on countless others. “If there was an award for ‘Most Charming Book of the Year,’ this first novel by a Swedish blogger-turned-overnight-sensation would win hands down” (Booklist, starred review).

Teaser Tuesday is hosted by Jenn of Books and A Beat. Post two sentences from somewhere in a book you're reading. No spoilers, please!

Link at Books and A Beat

First Chapter/First Paragraph/Tuesday Intros is hosted by Bibliophile By The Sea. To participate, share the first paragraph (or a few) from a book you're reading or thinking about reading soon.

Link at BibliophileByTheSea

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Puyallup Herald Article

Here's a photo of the talented members of my Puyallup, Washington, writing group. Reporter Allison Needles of The Puyallup Herald interviewed us at Starbucks - our regular meeting place. The article highlights our upcoming book signing on Saturday, November 12, as part of the Enumclaw Wine Walk. 

Here's the link to the complete article: Puyallup Herald article

Soaring Eagle Regional Park - #SaturdaySnapshots

I've been on a lot of hikes with the Auburn Senior Activity Center over the past several months, and one thing I've noticed is that each adventure has something that sets it apart from the others. My recent trek at Soaring Eagle Regional Park took place at the end of October, and the abundance of autumn leaves is one thing that made it memorable.
[Click on photos to enlarge.]

Soaring Eagle is 600 acres of mature forest, wetlands, and wildlife habitat in King County, Washington. The trails are shared by hikers, equestrians, and mountain bikers. Although it's conveniently close to Seattle suburbs (part of the park abuts a golf course), the area feels as if it's in the middle of wilderness.

We had a break in the weather on the day of our hike, but we'd had rain for almost a week beforehand. That made the leaves slippery in places. They obscured rocks and roots, ready to trip any hiker who wasn't paying attention to her footing. A single Big Leaf Maple leaf can be as wide as 11.5 inches across, and that seemed to be the predominant tree in these woods. The senior center brochure warned of "areas of mud and exposed roots in this mixed forest environment." 

As you can tell from the map above, multiple trails intersect. Although our hike was planned to be five miles long, we went farther than intended and my FitBit (and other hikers' pedometers) said we walked closer to seven. I believe it! We were definitely ready for our lunch break at 3.5 miles.

This sign warned of hazards on the Devil's Slide trail, which we avoided. Someone said the owls were dive bombing hikers.
Update: According to the Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife website, aggressive behavior from owls is “motivated by defense of their territory or young, or their search for handouts.” It’s heightened in the winter months when owls establish their territories and prepare to raise their young.]

Our hike was rated 2 on a scale of 1 to 4. 

More info about Soaring Eagle Park HERE.
Here's a map. Click on the + or - to zoom in or out.

Saturday Snapshots is hosted by West Metro Mommy Reads.

To enjoy a variety of beautiful pictures from around the world, 

click HERE or on the box below.  

To participate in Saturday Snapshots: post a photo that you (or a friend or family member) 

have taken then leave a direct link to your post in the Mister Linky on the host blogsite. 

Book Signing & #Wine Walk - Enumclaw, WA

Mark your calendars! Three members of my Puyallup writing group are participating in Enumclaw, Washington's, Semi-Annual Wine Walk on November 12. We'll be signing our books at Arts Alive! 

Stop by and say "hi."