Cornucopia: Gratitude (ABCDErian+4)

Gratitude (ABCDErian+4)

By Kate Chamberlin

November 2025

I embrace gratitude for:

A  apricot jam on lightly toasted homemade whole wheat bread

B  Bees that produce our honey from wild flowers and clover

C  Communication devices, especially my laptop computer Windows 11 and NVDA screen    reader

D David, my husband of 55-years and counting

 E Eggs, be they scrambled, stuffed omelet, or deviled   

F Friends in Behind Our Eyes and the American Council of the Blind Community

G Gardening for exercise and a bountiful harvest of vegetables and flowers

H Hands that can still tie a shoelace, learn Braille, and caress a great-grandchild

I  Ice cream, homemade with orange syrup and a cherry on top

J Justice through-out our court system, based on our Constitution of the United States of    America

K Kindred spirits who are kind to Kittens, kangaroos, and Kate

L Laundry washer and dryer in my home

M My mother, who brought me up to respect authority, to appreciate the beauty in Nature, and    to advocate for myself  

N Nana, my grandmother with whom I have a spiritual bond  

O Opulence of my life, even though I have a dual sensory deficiency

P Prose for the entertainment it provides

Q Quilts I made for each of my children and the Coin Quilt I’m working on

R Running brooks and streams of clear, clean, cool water

S Sisters and Brothers in Christ

T Telephne visits with family and friends, as well as shopping

U University of Rochester NY, where I earned my Masters Degree and Permanent Teacher’s    Certificate

V Virtual internet connections that keep me in touch with life and the ever changing world

W Warm clothing and bedding

X X-ray and other technologies that detect cancer before it becomes deadly

Y Youthful exuberance and work ethic of my progeny

Z Zippers that don’t seperate at the end

P People who understand not to pet my guide dog while she’s in harness

O Open-mindedness to the fact that other people have issues, too

E Existential movement toward enlightenment

 M Melodic burbling brook in the meadow, schussing of a breeze in the pines, thrumming heart    with love for you.

Cornucopia: The Secret of The Sound

The Secret of the Sound

By Kate Chamberlin

November 13,2025

Click

Plunk plunk

Squeak squeak squeak

Clump clump clump clump

   I’m re-learning the world around me, one sound at a time. I didn’t realize how much my hearing had declined over the years until the Oticon Intent3 prescription hearing aid re-awakened my wonder at the forgotten nuances of sound.

The click of the electric baseboard heater told me the bathroom was getting warm, but how long had the faucet been dripping?

      For years, I thought I walked quietly down the hallway in my soft comfy slippers, but now, I hear the clump clump of each step, accompanied by the squeaking of the floor. When did my home get so noisy and old?

   Later in the day, when I was walking through the dining room, I heard a shushing sound. I stopped to try to figure out what made that shushing sound. It stopped. I started walking again and I heard the shushing again. Then, I noticed when I moved forward, I heard the shushing. Apparently, my Oticons picked up the air movement as I walked and turned off when I stopped. Or was it my curly, grey  hair whispering into the microphone?

   I must agree with the Oticon testimonials that say: My only regret is that I didn’t get a hearing aid years ago.

   Tickity tick tick. I knew my old manual typewriter made a clacking sound, yet, I didn’t realized my laptop keyboard also makes a sound as I type.

   Tick Tock chime chime

   I can hear the tall case clock Dave’s Dad made loudly marking off my life’s longevity.

   The Oticon has rekindled my childlike curiosity about the sounds surrounding me.

   I wonder if I’ll hear myself losing weight? 

Kate’s 2¢: “

“

NOTE: There is a plethora of in-depth biographies of authors and reviews of their books, that state the title, author, published date, and genre; as well as, describing what the book is about, setting, and character(s), so, Kate’s 2¢ shares her thoughts about what she’s read. In her opinion…

   Edoardo Ballerini did an excellent job of narrating this lengthy story. Whitaker has written a powerful saga of right vs wrong and the variations of moral obligations.

A few take-aways:

–Some people are born to make other people work harder

–Sometimes things survive despite the harshest of odds

–The kind of trouble no one recovers from

–Close your eye, so I can paint you away with words.

–If learning is built on trial and error, there can be no mistakes.

–About marriage: love is merely a visitor over a lifetime

–The bad are the few, but often they shout louder than the many

–When all of a sudden there’s meaning  and purpose… Like color in the dark

–To love and be loved was more than could ever be expected, more than enough for a thousand ordinary lifetimes.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Chris Whitaker is a British author known for his books Tall Oaks, All the Wicked Girls, We Begin at the End, and The Forevers.

His debut novel, Tall Oaks, won the CWA John Creasey New Blood Dagger Award in 2017.

Personal life[edit]

Before becoming an author, Whitaker worked as a trader. He was born and raised in London,[13] and now lives in Hertfordshire with his wife and three children.[14] He also worked part-time at Bishop’s Stortford Library.[15]

From NLS/BARD/LOC:

All the colors of the dark: a novel DB122210

Author: Whitaker, Chris

Reading Time: 14 hours, 39 minutes

Production: National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled, Library of Congress

Read by: Edoardo Ballerini

Subjects: Suspense Fiction, Historical Fiction, Psychological Fiction

Downloaded: 11/17/2025

“1975 is a time of change in America. The Vietnam War is ending. Muhammad Ali is fighting Joe Frazier. And in the small town of Monta Clare, Missouri, girls are disappearing. When the daughter of a wealthy family is targeted, the most unlikely hero emerges–Patch, a local boy, who saves the girl, and, in doing so, leaves heartache in his wake. Patch and those who love him soon discover that the line between triumph and tragedy has never been finer. And that their search for answers will lead them to truths that could mean losing one another. A missing person mystery, a serial killer thriller, a love story, a unique twist on each, Chris Whitaker has written a novel about what lurks in the shadows of obsession and the blinding light of hope.”– Provided by publisher. Unrated. Commercial audiobook.

New York : Penguin Random House, 2024.

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Kate’s 2¢: “Addiction” by H. G. Ephron

“Addiction” by H. G. Ephron

NOTE: There is a plethora of in-depth biographies of authors and reviews of their books, that state the title, author, published date, and genre; as well as, describing what the book is about, setting, and character(s), so, Kate’s 2¢ shares her thoughts about what she’s read. In her opinion…

    John Deming did a good job of narrating this story. Ephron worked her craft well and cast aspersions on many of her characters, but pay attention to an odor mentioned early in the story for a clue to the murderer.

   I enjoyed this book, as it kept me thinking. I liked the ending, too.

A few take-aways:

–Grief has to be felt in order to be worked through

–Anything you can master, loses its menace

–At the time, there was nothing logical about it.

–You could Engage in an endless game of: If only I…

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Hallie Elizabeth Ephron (born March 9, 1948)[1] is an American novelist, book reviewer, journalist, and writing teacher. She is the author of mystery and suspense novels. Her novels Never Tell a Lie, There Was an Old Woman, Come and Find Me, and Night Night, Sleep Tight were finalists for the Mary Higgins Clark Award. In 2011, Never Tell a Lie was made into a Lifetime television movie entitled And Baby Will Fall, starring Anastasia Griffith, Brendan Fehr, and Clea DuVall.

Hallie Ephron was born in Los Angeles, California, to parents Henry and Phoebe Ephron, both East Coast-born-and-raised screenwriters. She is the sister of Nora Ephron, Delia Ephron, and Amy Ephron.[6] She graduated from Barnard College in 1969. She was married for 52 years to Jerold Touger, who died on August 6, 2021. They have two daughters. Her family is Jewish.[7]

Published

Written by Hallie Ephron and Donald Davidoff under the name “G. H. Ephron”

• Amnesia (2000)

• Addiction (2001)

• Delusion (2002)

• Obsessed (2003)

• Guilt (2004)

From NLS/BARD/LOC:

Addiction DBC04602

Series: Dr. Peter Zak

Order in Series: 02

Author: Ephron, G. H.

Reading Time: 10 hours, 20 minutes

Read by: Deming, John

Subjects: Mystery and Detective Stories, Psychological Fiction

To his horror, Boston psychologist Dr. Peter Zak finds his colleague and former lover Channing Temple shot to death. Her drug-addicted daughter Olivia is quickly convicted, but Peter believes strongly that someone else committed the murder. Using his expertise, Peter rushes to solve the mystery before Olivia’s imprisonment.

New York : St. Martin’s Minotaur, 2001.

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Kate’s 2¢: “Time Is A River” by Mary Alice Monroe

“Time Is A River” by Mary Alice Monroe

NOTE: There is a plethora of in-depth biographies of authors and reviews of their books, that state the title, author, published date, and genre; as well as, describing what the book is about, setting, and character(s), so, Kate’s 2¢ shares her thoughts about what she’s read. In her opinion…

   Mare Travathan did a great job of narrating this impactful story. The support group retreat “Casting for recovery” was, as support groups are, the first step and the rest of the journey must be made by the individual in her own time.

   This story resonated with me on several levels, even though I am not a fisherwoman. I liked the metaphor of the river to move one forward after trauma, onto another future.

   A few take-aways:

–I faced my mortality…I can never be the same person.

–Let go of her old self-image and make peace with the way her body was now.

–Let the fear of cancer go down the drain with the dirty water. To live fully, she had to believe she would live.

–She followed it out from the darkness of depression’s labyrinth to the light of the river.

–She wanted to ask him if he wanted to leave before the cancer.

–Time is the substance from which I am made, Time is a river that carries me along.

–I was fortunate to have cancer that was caught in the early stages.

–She was casting her line out into the universe and seeing what took it.

–The choice was not merely to survive, but to live  

–Follow the river home.

–I will be standing in the river of times, waiting for you.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Mary Alice Monroe (born May 25, 1960)[1] is a best-selling author known for fiction that explore the compelling parallels between nature and human nature. She was born in Evanston, Illinois.[1] Many of her novels deal with environmental issues. For example, The Beach House and Swimming Lessons refer to the plight of injured sea turtles.[2][3]

Monroe currently resides in South Carolina, and many of her novels are set in the southern United States and feature “strong Southern women”.[4]

Her novel Time Is a River is about breast cancer survivors in a fly-fishing group in North Carolina, and Last Light Over Carolina describes the life and times of the shrimping industry.[5]

Monroe has received numerous awards, including the 2008 Award for Writing from the South Carolina Center for the Book, 2014 South Carolina Award for Literary Excellence, 2015 SW Florida Author of Distinction Award, the RT Lifetime Achievement Award, the International Book Award for Green Fiction. Mary Alice Monroe is a 2018 inductee to the South Carolina Academy of Authors.

From NLS/BARD/LOC:

Time is a river DB66991

Author: Monroe, Mary Alice

Reading Time: 11 hours, 35 minutes

Read by: Mare Travathan

Subject: Psychological Fiction

After losing her job, battling cancer, and catching her husband committing adultery in Charleston, South Carolina, Mia Landan returns to a North Carolina treatment center. The owner lends Mia a mountain cabin, where Mia reassesses her life–and discovers a diary. Some descriptions of sex. 2008.

New York : Pocket Books, 2008.

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Kate’s 2¢: “Dogs and monsters: stories” by Mark Haddon

“Dogs and monsters: stories” by Mark Haddon

NOTE: There is a plethora of in-depth biographies of authors and reviews of their books, that state the title, author, published date, and genre; as well as, describing what the book is about, setting, and character(s), so, Kate’s 2¢ shares her thoughts about what she’s read. In her opinion…

   The multiple readers did a good job of narrating these stories. Ordinarily, I do not appreciate authors re-writing classics, such as with children’s fairy tales which turns them into fractured-fairytales,however, Haddon put a lot of creativity and insight into his re-writes of several Greek myths. They became modern horror and bizarre tales for today’s audiences. A couple of them gave me angst and nightmares.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

markhaddon.com

Mark Haddon (born 26 September 1962) is an English novelist, best known for The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time (2003). He won the Whitbread Award, the Dolly Gray Children’s Literature Award, the Guardian Prize, and a Commonwealth Writers’ Prize for his work.

Life, work and studies[edit]

In 2003, Haddon won the Whitbread Book of the Year Award—in the Novels rather than Children’s Books category—for The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time. He also won the Commonwealth Writers’ Prize in the Best First Book category, as The Curious Incident was considered his first book written for adults.[1] Despite being categorized as an adult book for some awards, Haddon also won the Guardian Children’s Fiction Prize in 2003 for the book.[2] The book was also long-listed for the 2003 Man Booker Prize. [3] It was adapted as a stage play and was successful for a long run.

The Curious Incident is written from the perspective of a 15-year-old boy, Christopher John Francis Boone. In an interview at Powells.com, Haddon claimed that this was the first book that he wrote intentionally for an adult audience; he was surprised when his publisher suggested marketing it to both adult and child audiences (it has been very successful with adults and children alike).[1] However, it has also been criticised by some autistic readers who objected to its ‘depressing’ depiction of Christopher, the autistic protagonist.[4]

Haddon’s short story “The Pier Falls” was longlisted for the 2015 Sunday Times EFG Private Bank Short Story Award, the richest prize in the world for a single short story.[5] He published a collection of short stories inspired by classical mythology called Dogs and Monsters in 2024.[6]

In 2023, he turned down an OBE for his services to literature, saying: ‘I would feel uneasy accepting an honour which presumes an uncritical acceptance of the British Empire as a good thing.'[7]

Personal life[edit]

Haddon is a vegetarian. He describes himself as a “hard-line atheist”.[8][9] In 2019, he had heart bypass surgery. Later he contracted COVID-19 and, as he recovered, was diagnosed with long COVID. He has struggled with “brain fog” that left him unable to read or write. In 2024 he spoke to The Guardian about his five-year-long process of partial recovery, saying that although he still could not read properly, the fog was “starting to thin a little”.[10]

Haddon lives in Oxford with his wife Sos Eltis, a Fellow of Brasenose College, Oxford, and their two sons.[8]

From NLS/BARD/LOC:

Dogs and monsters: stories DB125334         

Author: Haddon, Mark

Reading Time: 9 hours, 2 minutes

Read by: Robert Bathurst, Steve John Shepherd, Rachel Bavidge, Christina Cole

Subject: Short Stories

“Mark Haddon shapes ancient fables into fresh and unexpected forms, and forges new legends to sit alongside them. The myth of the Minotaur in his labyrinth is turned into a wrenching parable of maternal love – and of the monstrosities of patriarchy. The lover of a goddess, Tithonus, is gifted eternal life but without eternal youth. Actaeon, changed into a stag after glimpsing the naked Diana and torn to pieces by his hunting dogs, becomes a visceral metaphor about how humans use and misuse animals. From genetic engineering to the eternal complications of family, Haddon showcases how we are subject to the same elemental forces that obsessed the Greeks. Whether describing Laika the Soviet space dog on her fateful orbit, or St Anthony wrestling with loneliness in the desert, his astonishing powers of observation are at their height when illuminating the thin line between human and animal.”– From publisher. Unrated. Commercial audiobook.

London, England : Penguin Random House, 2024.

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Kate’s 2¢: “Pushcart Prize 29: best of the small presses, 2005  

“Pushcart Prize 29: best of the small presses, 2005  

NOTE: There is a plethora of in-depth biographies of authors and reviews of their books, that state the title, author, published date, and genre; as well as, describing what the book is about, setting, and character(s), so, Kate’s 2¢ shares her thoughts about what she’s read. In her opinion…

   Suzanne Torren did a good job of reading this lengthy anthology of submissions from many small presses and magazines.  There were almost 8000 submissions and only 62 (the annotations stated 60, but the book stated 62.) were selected. Apparently, the editor of this 2005 Pushcart Prize edition, was mistakenly thinking sexual exploits made for good literature. I suspect there were better examples of good literature amidst those almost 8000 submissions.

   One of the memorable pieces was the one about the French teacher who renamed all the students with French painter’ names. I thought this was clever and made me chuckle..

   I also liked “virtuoso Mio” fiction by Karen Palmer from the Kenyon Review, submitted by Joyce Carol Oats.

   I like to read the Pushcart Prize anthologies to note which small presses submit pieces and what kind of pieces they deem submittable.

From NLS/BARD/LOC:

Pushcart prize: best of the small presses, 2005 DB59636

Reading Time: 23 hours, 2 minutes

Read by: Suzanne Torren

Subject: Short Stories

Sixty short stories, essays, and poems from literary magazines and small presses across the United States. Authors include Patricia Monaghan, Benjamin Scott Grossberg, Chana Bloch, Jeffrey Harrison, and Andrei Codrescu. Strong language and some descriptions of sex. 2005.

Wainscott, N.Y. : Pushcart Press ; New York, N.Y. : Distributed by W.W. Norton, c2005.

Take Action On Pushcart prize,: best of the small presses, 2005

Kate’s 2¢: “Abigale Hall: a novel” by Lauren A. Forry

“Abigale Hall: a novel” by Lauren A. Forry

NOTE: There is a plethora of in-depth biographies of authors and reviews of their books, that state the title, author, published date, and genre; as well as, describing what the book is about, setting, and character(s), so, Kate’s 2¢ shares her thoughts about what she’s read. In her opinion…

   Madelyn Buzzard did a good job of narrating this story. There are some gruesome scenes, but the time switching of events past and present will keep you on the edge of your seat for 12 hours, 42 minutes.

Featured snippet from the web

Lauren A. Forry was brought up in the woods of Pennsylvania before moving to New York City to earn her undergraduate degree in Cinema Studies and Screenwriting from New York University. She later earned her MA and MFA in Creative Writing and Publishing from Kingston University in London, England.

About | Lauren Forry

Lauren Forry

https://www.laurenforryauthor.com › about

from NLS/BARD/LOC:

Abigale Hall: a novel DB88632

Author: Forry, Lauren A.

Reading Time: 12 hours, 42 minutes

Read by: Madelyn Buzzard

Subjects: Gothic Fiction, Mystery and Detective Stories, Occult and Horror Fiction, Psychological Fiction

In Britain after World War II, orphaned sisters Eliza and Rebecca are shipped off to Wales to work as servants. The isolated manor house is run by a vicious housekeeper bent on keeping the girls from discovering its secrets. Some violence. 2016.

New York : Skyhorse Publishing, 2017.

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Kate’s 2¢: “Spy  Pups: Treasure Quest” by Andrew Coke

“Spy  Pups: Treasure Quest” by Andrew Coke

NOTE: There is a plethora of in-depth biographies of authors and reviews of their books, that state the title, author, published date, and genre; as well as, describing what the book is about, setting, and character(s), so, Kate’s 2¢ shares her thoughts about what she’s read. In her opinion…

   I downloaded “Spy Pups” Treasure Quest” from BookShare™ with synthesized speech. I wasn’t happy with the speech and didn’t really like the anthropomorphized animals speaking. Eventually, I adjusted to the synthesized speech and settled into enjoying the story.

   The author kept the feel of the dogs by using “paw salutes” and woof or barked instead of “said”.

   There was a lot of suspense and drama, especially when the bad guys got their come-up pence with slap stick humor.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

• This biography of a living person needs additional citations for verification. (December 2010)

Cope was born in Derby in 1966. In addition to writing children’s books, he also describes himself as a teacher, trainer and learning junkie.[3] He completed a PhD (Loughborough University, UK) specializing in happiness and flourishing in the workplace. He set up a training company in 2005. ‘Art of Brilliance Ltd’ delivers a wide range of positive psychology and wellbeing programmes to business and schools around the world.

Andy has also teamed up colleagues to write personal development books aimed at teenagers and young people:

• Diary of a Brilliant Kid (Capstone)

• The Art of Being a Brilliant Teenager (Capstone)

From bookShare™

Spy Pups: Treasure Quest (Spy Pups)

By: Andrew Cope

Synopsis

Our favourite canine secret agent Lara has two brand-new puppies! And they’re ready for an adventure at Aunt Aggie’s smuggler’s cottage, with its creaky floorboards and dark hidden tunnels . . . Especially when there’s an ancient castle nearby with a legend of hidden gold.Soon the Spy Pups are sniffing out an underground adventure – can they reach the treasure in time?

Copyright:

2009

Book Details

Book Quality:

Publisher Quality

Book Size:

176 Pages

ISBN-13:

9780141931296

Related ISBNs:

9780141326030, 9780141326030

Publisher:

Penguin Random House Children’s UK

Date of Addition:

10/07/25

Copyrighted By:

Andrew Cope

Adult content:

No

Language:

English

Has Image Descriptions:

No

Categories:

Children’s Books, Animals, Literature and Fiction

Reading Age:

7–9

Submitted By:

Bookshare Staff

Usage Restrictions:

This is a copyrighted book.

Kate’s 2¢: “Robert Ludlum’s the treadstone rendition(4)”

    by Robert Ludlum and Joshua Hood

“Robert Ludlum’s the treadstone rendition(4)”

    by Robert Ludlum and Joshua Hood

 NOTE: There is a plethora of in-depth biographies of authors and reviews of their books, that state the title, author, published date, and genre; as well as, describing what the book is about, setting, and character(s), so, Kate’s 2¢ shares her thoughts about what she’s read. In her opinion…

   Ron Butler did an excellent jobreading this story for us. It is full of action, blood, guts, clever quick thinking and a great ending.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

(I wasn’t able to get passed the ‘dontate now or later’ message, so I don’t have information of these two authors.)

From NLS/BARD/LOC:

Robert Ludlum’s the treadstone rendition DB125479

Series: Treadstone

Order in Series: 04

Authors: Hood, Joshua, Ludlum, Robert

Reading Time: 7 hours, 58 minutes

Read by: Ron Butler

Subjects: Spy Stories, Suspense Fiction

“Adam Hayes promised his wife that he won’t put his life on the line any more, and there’s nothing that will make him break it. Well, almost nothing. With America withdrawing from Afghanistan and the Taliban closing in, Abdul Nassir reached out to his old friend. The Afghan is the only eyewitness to a massacre committed by a rouge team of CIA contractors. Not only can he identify the butcher who directed the bloodbath, he has photographic proof. He’ll only be safe when those pictures are made public. Now, there’s just one man he can trust to get him to safety, Adam Hayes”– Back cover. Unrated. Commercial audiobook.

Waterville, ME : Penguin Random House, 2023.

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