I may be the only person who has not read Winnie-the-Pooh, but I’m quickly fixing my deficiency of Pooh literature. I never knew the story was so funny and packed with adult humor. Just how he came to be named “Pooh” made me laugh loudly when I first read it. I’m kinda glad I wasn’t previously introduced to the honey-loving bear, as my fresh eyes are thoroughly enjoying this new reading adventure. Whether you’ve read the story before or over a lifetime, I hope you’ll give my version a listen.

You can read the original digitized version with me at Google Books.

If you’d like to hear the author, A.A. Milne, read from his work, check out this video.

Hi! I’m returning back to the land of audio with my latest podcast that is a tiny taste of TV shows I’m currently watching. My time away has certainly been lengthy, and I’m coming back with a variety of subjects to talk about and share with you.

First up, I’m watching Will Trent. I watch it on Hulu, but you can also purchase the entire season or pay per episode on Amazon.

I’m digging that the show is similar to Monk, but definitely suited for a more adult audience. The sweet little chihuahua Will rescues is darling and is honestly one of the draws of the show for me. The series is based off of Karin Slaughter’s New York Times best selling “Will Trent” book series that I will be checking out. Have you read the books? What are you thoughts on the show?

Stop what you are doing and RUN to watch Inside Man. The BBC has done it again with a magical mix of drama and mystery that will keep you riveted for four episodes. The end comes too soon, as watching David Tennant and Stanley Tucci is a treat in and of itself. These two talented actors make for a combination that keeps one on the edge of the seat. RUN…watch… report back on what you think.

Finally, a little fluff and fun to wash down the serious watching, as we return to Season 3 of Emily in Paris. I adore Emily and her French friends. How could you not? When I’m not watching the show, I’m listening to the music on the Emily in Paris Soundtrack.

The last episode of Season 3 was certainly a bombshell. Do you believe Cami? I think our favorite secret keeper has grown her nose a bit with this story. I can’t wait for the next season. Will it be the last?

What are you watching this Winter? I’d love to hear your recommendations and view your list of favorites!

Thanks for listening and reading, and I look forward to hearing from you!

Check out my watchlist on IMDB.

Happy National Spaghetti Day! Lovers of pasta unite for a day of celebration for the skinny noodles that have been, for many of us, a favorite meal since childhood. Spaghetti is one of the rare foods that I can eat cold or hot, and it always seems better the second day.

To celebrate the day, I wanted to make a recipe I haven’t tried before, and a quick search returned Vegan Bolognese with Impossible Meat by The Carrot Underground. The recipe is hearty and delicious. Don’t miss a step or overthink the ingredients! Two cups per veggie may seem like a lot, but it is well worth it. The addition of the veggie stock adds a layer of depth to the flavor, and I substituted red wine vinegar for the red wine. If you don’t like Impossible Meat, substitute it with TVP or another tasty option. This is a fulfilling recipe for your weekly table, and it will certainly score at any potluck event. Everyone will walk away with a content belly.

Additionally, this makes a great meal for those Meatless Mondays you may be testing out or the addition you need for your #Veganuary journey!

I made a video while I cooked, and I hope you’ll check out The Carrot Underground, as it is a fantastic spot for vegan recipes. Thanks for the wonderful recipe, Connie!

I am not affiliated with The Carrot Underground. I simply think they deserve a shout out for their great information!

Check out the products I used below!

Some links on my site are part of affiliate programs, and if you click on them or make a purchase from the link, I may make a few pennies, but that will never come at an additional cost to you!

In this week’s Bushnell Unscripted Podcast, I talk about my policy regarding book reviews, and I include my book reviews for Midnight Crossroad and Sea of Shadows.

Below are just a few elements of the information available in the podcast. Note: Show notes are not complete transcriptions of the podcast show.

I share my thoughts on five-star review systems, including what categories I believe deserve close scrutiny and warrant poor evaluations.

What are your thoughts on the five-star review system? Do you like it, or do you think it causes more confusion than it is worth? Is a simple thumbs up or down scale sufficient? Do you think people should be allowed to simply state that they couldn’t finish the book and that is a sufficient review? Let me know what you think!

Listen to the podcast for my full review of the book!

Book: Midnight Crossroad by Charlaine Harris

Pages: Hardcover, 320 pages

Published: 2014

The Day Shift, book two in the Midnight Crossroad trilogy, will be published in Spring 2015.

Having stumbled across Ms. Harris by way of the television show True Blood, I quickly sought out her Sookie Stackhouse series and completed my feast with her other titles.

Midnight Crossroad is a tale of action, mystery, and intrigue! At the heart of the book is a great little town filled with interesting and comical characters who bond over their task of solving the mystery of what happened to the girlfriend of one their beloved citizens.

Let me say this: Midnight Crossroad is not about Sookie Stackhouse. I’m disappointed to discover that some readers are comparing this book to the Stackhouse series, and that is not a fair assessment. I’ll never understand why readers treat their beloved authors with such disdain when the author chooses to write a different series or create a new world or characters.

While there are elements of the supernatural and paranormal, the story doesn’t revolve around those elements.

Have you read it? What did you think of your visit to Midnight, Texas?

Listen to the podcast for my full review of the book!

Book: Sea of Shadows by Kelley Armstrong

Pages: 392, paperback

Published: 2014

Empire of Night, book two in the Age of Legend series, will be published in April 2015.

Sea of Shadows by Kelley Armstrong isn’t a book that I would normally have picked up, but I’m glad I did. This young adult, epic high-fantasy, supernatural, and paranormal read is just the ticket for anyone looking to step outside of their reading comfort zone and explore a new world.

Do you use certain genres as palate cleansers between other books? Paranormal and supernatural reads are genres I turn to to cleanse the reading palate. I typically read very heavy literary pieces back to back, and these fun genres give me an escape from those subjects and help free my mind.

I haven’t read any of Ms. Armstrong’s previous work, but I can say that if they are anything like this read, I’m sure to quickly devour them. I can’t wait to find out what happens next in the Age of Legend series.

Ms. Armstrong offers some great extras on her website that I encourage you to check out.

Thanks for tuning in again!

Keep love and kindness on repeat!

Music Credit:

Monkeys Spinning Monkeys Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Guess who has a podcast show? This girl. This first episode is short, but if all goes well, future episodes will be thirty minutes in length. You will be able to subscribe to them in various platforms, including iTunes.

I think you’ll be surprised at what you learn about me, and I’m already planning my future episodes. What are you waiting for? Just hit play and listen!

[typography font=”Smythe” size=”24″ size_format=”px”]Show Notes: Nice to Meet You Podcast – BUEP1[/typography]

Welcome to the Bushnell Unscripted Podcast! I’m Jeannie Bushnell, and this is Episode Number One: Nice To Meet You. This premiere episode gives me a chance to introduce myself to you and share a little bit about my background, my current work, and what I have planned for future episodes.

I’m excited to begin podcasting, because it is allows me to use my experience in broadcast communications. As a little girl, I wanted to be a writer, and when I entered middle school, I was drawn to journalism and the idea of becoming a news anchor.

I did complete an internship at WDBJ-7 in Roanoke, Virginia. In college, I combined my two interests and chose to double major in English and broadcast communications. My hero was Walter Cronkite. The face of news was changing, and as hard news took a back seat to entertainment and opinion-based news, I focused on rhetoric and liberal studies.

As a teenager, I worked at McDonald’s. When I ran the drive-thru window, I used that time to practice enunciation. It was a great exercise. I’m from Texas, and while I don’t think I’ve ever had a very heavy accent, I was instructed to become as vanilla as possible so that I could be hired in any region. I know this is very different today, as it’s common to find someone with a distinct southern drawl reporting the news in New York.

When I went to school, we were encouraged to strip all regional dialects from our voices. It isn’t something that I actively control or regulate now; what you hear is my normal speaking voice. I’m frequently told that when I’m irritated or tired I will tend to slip into my accent—so a little of my Texas roots are visible if you listen frequently and closely enough.

I write both fiction and nonfiction. I’ve written articles and product copy for numerous websites. I’ve had a newspaper column, and as a director of a humane society, I’ve been a featured weekly guest on a radio show where I’ve talked about animals at the shelter who were available for adoption.

In January, I published my first novel, Manual Exposure. It only took me twenty years! I’m proof that it is never too late! I look forward to sharing my journey with you, and I hope you’ll benefit from my mistakes, as well as the great information I continue to compile.

I currently live in Charlotte, North Carolina, with my husband and our rescue cat, Winni. She is often featured on all my social media sites. I’m an animal lover; I’ve worked and volunteered for animal groups and progressive legislation programs for two decades. I’m also a vegan. Creating beautiful and delicious vegan food is my passion. Before relocating to Charlotte, we had a vegan bakery in the stunning mountains of Asheville, North Carolina. We are currently transitioning our business into a fun and educational online destination complete with video tutorials. When I’m not baking, I’m designing and selling eco-friendly pet products. My experience in animal rescue (and my years of caring for three dogs, two ferrets, a hamster, and a cat) has given me great insight into the needs of pets, and I love to share that knowledge with other pet parents.

My passions overflow into everything I do. I’ve started a children’s book based on my experience with pet adoption, and I hope to complete a DIY book for cake and cookie decorating.

As you can hear, I’m never bored. I have a million projects going on at any one time. I have lots of hobbies. I garden and craft; I love to dance, read, and cook. I enjoy hiking, traveling, and uncovering local parks and hidden spots of interest. Nerd alert: I also enjoy video and board games.

The future episodes of my podcast will also revolve around book reviews. I’m fortunate to be sent a number of advanced reader copies of books, so you’ll hear about many titles before they are available for purchase. My hobbies and adventures will undoubtedly be in the mix, too. I will also talk about the process of writing and publishing books, and share what I learn from other writers. I love attending book festivals, and they always provide me with more topics to discuss.

Well, now that you know a little more about me, I hope you’ll stick around for future podcasts.

If you want to reach me, I’m available at jmbushnell.com. I’m on Twitter and Facebook. Don’t be shy—I’d love to hear from you. Show notes are available on jmbushnell.com under the podcast tab. Thank you for listening. I’m Jeannie Bushnell, and I want you to keep love and kindness on repeat!

Music Credit:

Monkeys Spinning Monkeys Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Snow days in the South are much more fun than snow days in the North. My sixteen years in Illinois were filled with snow and ice storms that felt unending. As a native Texan, I’m happy to be located in a place where snow doesn’t wear out its welcome, but visits often enough to keep the magic and love of snow alive. The local news has forecast 7-10 inches of snow for our area, and the snow is definitely sticking and packing on the streets. Stay safe and warm, and bring those pets inside!

Find out more about Winter Storm Pax.

Update: Check it out!! We did get a lot of snow–almost ten inches!!!