Vanishing Act

This has been an exciting week. Mia tried out for the Missoula Children's Theater performance of Treasure Island. It's a great organization; two college drama students come to town on Monday with costumes, props, and a script and they corral 49 kids from 6-16 to put on a play on that Saturday. It's an abridged musical version of the classic book by Robert Louis Stevenson with plenty of laughs and condensed to an hour. It introduces kids to theater and helps them become comfortable on stage while also teaching a lot about acting. The audition process was completely painless and absolutely hilarious. Mia was terrified when she walked in, but when she left two hours later, she was jumping for joy, "Mama, I'm a sea gull!" That refrain was repeated often this week. Yes, it's a small part equivalent to a chorus, but she couldn't be happier, and maybe next year she'll get a bit bigger role. I'll take pictures tomorrow of the performance to post on Sunday.

In my weirdest moment in recent memory, last night while I was up reading, around 1:30 am (it was a good book!), I noticed movement out of the corner of my eye. I looked up to see a tree frog slide down the curtain and land right on the blanket over Jesse's leg. I woke up him and we both marveled over how this tiny creature managed to make it not only into the house but on our BED! Then Jesse got it into a cup and I released the frightened thing outside again. Superstition says that a frog in your home means good fortune and wealth. I normally don't buy into that, but it landed right in Jesse's lap and on Friday the 13th. Strange huh? If you have a different interpretation, I'd love to hear it!

Vanishing Act by Liz Johnson is the latest title in the Love Inspired Suspense line Steeple Hill. Nora James disappeared eighteen months ago after watching her father shot by the same men who had kidnapped her days earlier. Now FBI agent Nathan Andersen has been led to Crescent City, Colorado where he's gotten word that Nora is hiding and that an assassin is there as well to ensure that Nora will never testify against her abductors. He has instant chemistry with mechanic Danielle, and when it appears that someone is hunting her, he becomes her protector, but can he let go of his past in order to embrace a future with her? Johnson has written a fast-paced thriller with lots of romantic tension. Every time Danielle and Nathan come together the sparks practically explode from the page, and yet there is also something very beautiful and tender in their relationship. Johnson is definitely a writer to watch for more great romantic suspense.

Thank you to the author for providing me with a copy of this book for review.