Singing the Land

Singing the Land: A Rural Chronology by Chila Woychik

Reviewed by Teri Takle

Many people write about the events in their daily life and the thoughts that make it memorable. Daily record keeping is unnecessary, but every few days is needed to view what we have enjoyed in our little snippets in the back of our minds. Purchase Here.

Depending upon where you live, life is different. If you live in a large city, it is busy, crowded, noisy, and many residents thrive upon that lifestyle.

For some of us, we live in Iowa, one of those fly-over states. We thrive in the quiet life of the country, or a small town, or even a large city.

For the author, Chila Woychik, she adores her life on her farm with her husband in the beauty and joy of nature in Iowa.

January 21

“First snows, like first loves, leave one panting for breath.”

January 31

“Iowa is nothing in winter, but endless roads slick with lonesome.”

How can these two entries be written just ten days apart? The answer is Iowa. The first draws the reader inside the beauty, silence, and complete awe of the first snow. The second reflects the days of hard work, shoveling, and the constant slipping and falling on the ice.

Another author, Stephanie E. Dickinson, is also an Iowa native. In her foreword to Chila Woychik’s chronology, she reveals her love of the people and the way of life in Iowa. She also beautifully reflects about her childhood memories in Iowa.

Many visitors to Iowa frequently have no clue what to expect when they arrive in our state. (Yes, a visiting professor from the east coast appeared before a class wearing a pistol around his waist and cowboy boots that were new and hurt his feet. My class, including myself, were not impressed. How can an educated man be so unaware of this part of his country?)

People who have always lived in large cities sometimes have difficulty understanding the peace and contentment of living in a rural community. Iowa is a land where hard, physical labor brings a joy with living daily with the wonders of nature.

Singing the Land is unique. This non-fiction gem explains how Iowa compares to other places like Alaska in the winter.

Singing the Land is Chila Woychik’s monthly journal of the family farm’s events for one year. Yes, it is likely to change from year to year, depending on weather and challenges. She seems to capture the hearts of those who choose Iowa as their home. However, Chila has a gift of optimism and hope with every word she writes to create this beautiful book, complete with many of her pictures. Between joys and sorrows, births and deaths, unpredictable weather, reflections upon life, time, religion, hard work, and a sense of accomplishment are all part of this book’s gemstone.

Greezers

GREEZERS: A Tale of Establishment’s Decline and Fall by Simon Plaster

Reviewed by Dianne Woodman

Henrietta, a former newspaper reporter, answers a want ad and is given the opportunity to play amateur sleuth when she is hired by erstwhile lawyer Leroy “Lero” O’Rourke to help in his surveillance case involving the prominent DeGrasso family. What starts out as a simple case turns complicated when Henrietta and Lero find themselves in the middle of a high-stakes competition. The race is on as to who might take over the reins of the family owned lube business when the ninety-five-year old family matriarch, Nanette DeGrasso, gives up her position of leadership either due to retirement or death. There are two main contenders for assuming control of the Oklahoma City based company. Charles DeGrasso, Nanette’s son, considers himself not only ready to undertake the role of Chief Executive Officer but also firmly believes that he has been the rightful heir apparent for decades. However, Joe DeGrasso, Nanette’s nephew, is of the opinion that he is a better choice as the successor, and he has already launched a business venture that could impact the company’s bottom line if customers embrace it. With the venture off to a disappointing start, will sales revenue increase? What risks, both personally and professionally, are the two competitors willing to take in order to achieve their dreams of running the family business? As Henrietta and Lero get pulled deeper into the intense family rivalry, how much will the stumbling blocks they encounter hinder their efforts to bring the case to a satisfying conclusion? Purchase Here.

Anyone who has read a story penned by Simon Plaster will recognize his unique writing style and how each of his exceptional stories is imbued with its own unmistakable personality. In Greezers: A Tale of Establishment’s Decline and Fall, the focus is on the effect greed and a sense of entitlement have on people to obtain what they desire and how far legally and ethically they will go to make it happen. Plaster does an excellent job of showing the discord caused by external and internal pressures, in both serious and humorous ways, which occurs between individuals faced with life changing events. The skillful use of literary devices and sensory language help readers connect with the characters and the world they inhabit. All of the characters are true to real life, and each one has their own distinct personality type. Also, readers get an inside look into the behavioral reactions of the characters to the situations in which they find themselves.

Plaster has once again written an intriguing and captivating story involving human interest topics that pull readers in from the beginning and hold their attention until the last page. Readers will appreciate the “Grease Monkey Business” bulletins that tie in wonderfully with the story and keep readers apprised of the public’s view of the DeGrasso family members and their owned and operated business. One of the many engrossing scenes, which reference works of literature, movies, and noteworthy individuals and are pertinent to the storyline, is one in particular where Plaster compares the romantic and competitive relationships between some family members in the novel to the roles people played in a medieval work of literature. The scattering of musical interludes harmonizes with the story in a befitting manner. Greezers is a terrific addition to Plaster’s collection of works.