May 13 2014

Birthdays & Books

Melissa Crytzer Fry

The last time I wrote a birthday post was two years ago, when hubby surprised me with a helicopter ride over our desert abode for my fortieth.

This year my birthday was more mellow, but equally wonderful because I took the day off – something I rarely do for birthday celebrations. Before the desert heat draped itself over the valley, I headed out on Rojo Diablo, our little Ranger-mobile. My goal: To get lost in a book. In the desert. Amongst nature.

My book nest, complete with a breeze shooting down the wash. Click to enlarge.

I discovered that the steering wheel makes for the perfect hardcover book holder.

It’s probably fitting that I was reading the book Wilderness by Lance Weller – since I was out in the … well, not wilderness … but the wilds. I saw three summer tanagers, presumably making their way to South America. I saw a great-horned owl, a lizard, two never-seen-before bugs and gorgeous prickly pear and cholla blooms.

But I wasn’t distracted. I read. I became immersed in a different kind of savage wild. And I loved it.

What made my birthday even more special was the number of May 13 book releases – each of which has sparked my interest and is either on my TBR list or on my physical shelf already.

All in all, I’d say this was a perfect birthday filled with all-things bookish (plus, hubby brought home dinner from a favorite restaurant, which I haven’t had in probably five years)!


22 Responses to “Birthdays & Books”

  • Laurie Buchanan Says:

    happy, Happy, HAPPY birthday to YOU! Thank you for sharing it with us and the gorgeous photographs!

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    Melissa Crytzer Fry Reply:

    Thanks, Laurie. Glad you enjoyed my desert-wild photos! So tickled to know you’re so happy in your new home state!

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  • Kathy Becraft Says:

    Sharing your birthday sights is a gift. Thanks for taking the day off (and turning off your cell)so that we could enjoy. The sun is so bright and the blooming desert is a joy to see again!

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    Melissa Crytzer Fry Reply:

    I wish you were here to share our birthday together! Sorry I missed your calls, my friend. But I was actually out of cell phone reach. How did you spend YOUR birthday?

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  • Nina Says:

    Happy birthday!!!

    I can’t wait to read Cutting Teeth and a few of the others. May is crazy for books! Each week there are good ones!

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    Melissa Crytzer Fry Reply:

    Thanks, Nina. I always wonder why publishers choose the specific release dates they do: a Tuesday, in mid-May? Huh? But, yes, SO many books coming out. Yay!

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  • Jackie Cangro Says:

    What a lovely way to spend your birthday, Melissa.
    Sounds like you made the most of your day.

    I’m really excited to read Cutting Teeth also. Julia was my fiction workshop teacher. 🙂

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    Melissa Crytzer Fry Reply:

    Oh what FUN that you know Julia personally. Can’t wait to hear what you think!

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  • Cynthia Robertson Says:

    Happy Birthday, Melissa – sorry I’m late in wishing it. Can’t believe you’re forty. The next decade are the best years!
    Love the photos, as always. You could make a great coffee table book with all the wonderful photos you’ve captured of our unique desert over the years.
    Let me know what you think of The Shadow Year when you get to it. I have the Transcriptionist on my radar. 🙂

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    Melissa Crytzer Fry Reply:

    I’m now a few years BEYOND forty, I’m afraid. But thanks for saying you can’t believe it ;-). I appreciate the compliments on the photos. I DO have a lot of them; am thinking they will make good artwork at some point. But, phew, I have A LOT of them to go through.

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  • Leah Says:

    Sounds like the perfect birthday to me! Happy Birthday to you!

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    Melissa Crytzer Fry Reply:

    Thank you, Leah! And thank you – just got Fall Of Marigolds! Can’t wait to read that one, either. Took a peek at the first few pages and was immediately immersed.

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  • Mark McGrath Says:

    A belated happy birthday, Melissa!

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  • Hallie Sawyer (@Hallie_Sawyer) Says:

    Sounds like a perfect day! So glad you took time for yourself to enjoy the things you love. Love you!

    ~H

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  • Lance Weller Says:

    I’m envious! (…and I hope you enjoyed the book…)

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    Melissa Crytzer Fry Reply:

    Well, dare I say — this might have been the biggest birthday surprise yet: a visit and comment from the author whose book, already, has earned the title of “favorite books ever” (and I’m not done reading — I hope to finish this weekend). Abel Truman… Such a complex, wonderful, sad character… The drinkable prose (I knew after the first few paragraphs, I would be hooked) … the personified wilderness and nature scenes… So, so lovely and addictive.

    Oh, my, Lance! I can’t say enough about WILDERNESS. I’ll be reviewing on Goodreads this week (and I’ve already recommended to my reading pals)! Thank you for sharing this story with readers.

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  • Tracy Mangold Says:

    HI Melissa,
    It’s been a while since I’ve been on here! Happy belated birthday! Sounds like you had a splendid one! I do enjoy reading while I’m out in the woods or even just outside. It adds to the moment for sure. What a lovely day for it too! Such gorgeous pictures – as always. 🙂

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    Melissa Crytzer Fry Reply:

    Hi Tracy! So good to see you, and thanks for the b-day wishes. I hope you’re doing well and writing, photographing, doing kettle bell. I’m going to start back up after a training session in June! 😉

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  • Lisa Ahn Says:

    Happy birthday! It sounds like a lovely celebration. Here’s to a year of words that make us spin and swoop and dream.

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    Melissa Crytzer Fry Reply:

    Ah… you have such a way with words, Lisa!

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  • Annie Neugebauer Says:

    Aw, happy belated birthday, Melissa! I’m glad you had such a lovely day. 🙂

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  • linda anselmi Says:

    Happy belated birthday Melissa! Looks like you had a wonderful day!

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