tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-81055989649680838702023-11-15T09:41:10.874-08:00Book ReviewsAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17053327019261893130noreply@blogger.comBlogger28125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8105598964968083870.post-3060797004688041692013-11-26T11:31:00.004-08:002013-11-26T11:31:52.189-08:00Shattered Peace Review<div style="text-align: justify;">
The quiet community of Russell Island has suddenly captured the attention of the entire world. On this small island in Chesapeake Bay, Kiril Varga, Deputy Prime Minister of Balkania, has been found dead. After examining the body, the island's one man police department, detective Starrett Knight, discovers that the victim was executed mobster-style -- with a bullet to the back of his head; a discovery that will not only interrupt the Balkanian peace talks occurring in neighboring Oxford, Maryland, but one that will also disrupt the peace of the residents living in the region. In Joseph Keough's murder mystery Shattered Peace Russell Island becomes a point of convergence: as the press, New York City police detectives, and FBI agents all descend upon the previously tranquil hamlet to solve this international case.</div>
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Russell Island is a place of retreat for Starrett Knight. Following the death of his wife and child, the detective escaped to this idyllic island to recover from his personal loss. After several years on the island, he managed to slowly recoup from the death of his loved ones; gaining strength from close friends and the serene landscape and living conditions he found in the new location. However, in the opening pages of the novel we see that Starrett (nicknamed "Star") is still in a real sense stuck -- bound by grief and unable to move on with his life. Ironically, it takes the tragic death of a stranger to free his mind from morbid rumination upon his own tragic circumstances.</div>
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Early in the investigation a piece of information surfaces that makes this particular case very personal for Star: his friend, Ellen Mannery, an artist, resident of Russell Island, and wife of his best friend Steve Mannery, is suspected of being involved in the killing of the deceased diplomat. Several years before the murder, while she and her husband were separated, she had an affair with Kiril Varga. And although she and Varga were no longer seeing each other, the fact that his body was found on the remote island implicates her in the crime. Consequently, Star, convinced of Ellen's innocence, approaches the investigation in attack mode, vigorously working to prove that she is being framed for the murder; while desperately seeking to uncover evidence pointing to the real perpetrators of the crime.</div>
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Although ostensibly a story about solving a murder, the real plot of Shattered Peace revolves around the dynamic and grief-stricken protagonist, Star Knight. The pressing necessity of proving Ellen's innocence reinvigorates a mind that has perhaps grown slightly dull, or at best bored, due to the complete lack of crime on Russell Island. With his investigative skills resurging with a vengeance -- as Star uncovers hidden clues and makes connections that impress (and at times astonish) New York's finest and the FBI agents assigned to the case -- he also discovers that he still possesses other life instincts that had been lying dormant in his body and being since the death of his wife.</div>
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The romantic relationship that develops between Star and Stephanie Dolan, the smart and stunning Maryland newscaster covering the case, enlivens Knight's erotic impulses; and amplifies the entertainment value of the story underway. In addition, the emerging friendship between Star and the like-minded New York City detective, Frank Petracci, provides the narrative with another engaging element. The witty banter between the detectives, the titillating romance between Star and Stephanie, and the incredible way in which Star and the investigative team piece together the clues of the case, make Shattered Peace an intellectually stimulating and emotionally thrilling book. In particular, witnessing the beleaguered Star rise from his shell of suffering proves extremely edifying and cathartic.</div>
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Reading the surprising conclusion of the story, one is left craving a sequel. It is a work that is suitable for mature readers; and one that would make an excellent motion picture.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17053327019261893130noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8105598964968083870.post-47481435577599885982013-11-26T11:31:00.002-08:002013-11-26T11:31:16.369-08:00Why We Love Gatsby<div style="text-align: justify;">
The popularity of (and critical admiration for) F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby has grown, shrunk, and grown again since its publication in 1925. It was modestly successful at first, then nearly forgotten, then eventually recognized by scholars as one of the great novels of the English language. The book's revival and survival at the top of American literature is certainly due to Fitzgerald's skill with words, but it's also a result of his creation of a character who is particularly compelling to Americans. The book also has a theme we instinctively understand.</div>
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As the book opens Jay Gatsby is in the process of self-reinvention. He has made a great deal of money in a criminal trade, a business never actually identified but presumed to be bootlegging. He downplays his criminal past and plays up his great wealth to win back Daisy Buchanan, a girl who had rejected him years earlier because of his poverty.</div>
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Gatsby embodies much of what we Americans admire. He has succeeded in his business, made himself extremely wealthy, yearns for a rise in social status, and hasn't forgotten an early love. He ticks all the boxes. So, even though he's a criminal who's using his ill-gotten money to steal another man's wife, we tend to like him and are saddened by his death. Victimless crime is not something we particularly hold against him. Gatsby is not just self-made, but also self-remade, and we admire him for that.</div>
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American history is filled with men (and they are usually men) who can be called "Gatsby-like" or "Gatsbyesque." They've made money in some unsavory business and they want to hide that fact in order to be accepted by respectable society. Sometimes they've gone straight, while sometimes-like Gatsby-they haven't entirely left the old life behind. But they've learned to compartmentalize and want to be acknowledged as something they're not. The Gilded Age-the decades before and just after the turn of the last century-was filled with self-made businessmen who hoped people would forget their ruthless business practices and remember their charitable work and their lavish lifestyles. Carnegie, Rockefeller, Vanderbilt-the Robber Barons became the American aristocracy.</div>
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Scott Fitzgerald was probably thinking of all of them as he incubated Gatsby and its title character in 1923 and 1924. The Robber Barons weren't necessarily criminal but they were willing to stretch the bounds of ethics to make their millions, but they each hoped that their sumptuous homes and their generous gifts to worthy causes would mask the origins of their money. But Fitzgerald also had in mind a character whose scale was somewhere below baronial level, a man who could not just downplay but completely obscure the origin of his money.</div>
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When I was researching my book The Best There Ever Was: Dan Patch and the Dawn of the American Century I quickly realized that the great pacer's second owner, Manley E. Sturges, could easily be described as "Gatsbyesque." He obscured his early origins and the source of his money (illegal gambling casinos) so well that even his ownership of a celebrated racehorse resulted in entirely inaccurate biographical information about him. As I discovered more about his background, I concluded that he was not only "Gatsbyesque" but may have been a model for Fitzgerald's character. See my earlier article "The Connection Between the Real Gatsby and Dan Patch" for more information, check the book's website or read the book for the details.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17053327019261893130noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8105598964968083870.post-65525701753743951102013-11-26T11:30:00.001-08:002013-11-26T11:30:37.300-08:00Used Book Sales - It's Getting Harder to Find the Newest Books of Your Favorite Novelists<div style="text-align: justify;">
The digital age of eBooks is progressing and evolving quite dramatically. I am not sure if you have been following all this but there have been DOJ cases and monopoly investigations and lawsuits over companies, plus search engines scanning old books. So far, there have been nearly 100 million eBook reader type personal tech devices sold now. Hey, as an author of eBooks, I'm all in, as in; "Bring it On!" I say.</div>
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The other day, I had an old friend come by my place, and he said; "wow, you have a lot of books," and then he said "soon this place will look like a museum," because no one is going to have actual books in the future, only eBooks you see.</div>
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Indeed, that's funny, but it's also very true isn't it? But guess what, the used bookstores are starting to dwindle, and they don't have as many newer books as they used to, and I have a theory as to why. You see, many novelists, my favorite ones included still come out with several new novels per year, but most of these books are sold electronically, not as hardback or paperback books in the big box bookstores. So, if fewer actual books are sold each consecutive quarter moving forward, there will be fewer used books available, and the gap could be over 50%, as in many cases 50% of these books are now sold directly via the Internet to eBook readers.</div>
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Now then, let's say that you have all the books by a certain author. Perhaps you collect romance novels, spy novels, true crime, detective, science fiction, horror, or historical fiction and you have certain authors where you have every single book that they have written. You have them prominently displayed on your library at home. You make sure to buy books that are damaged from the used bookstore, so that they look good on the bookshelf, and it is a sense of pride and a great conversational piece with your friends that come over to your home.</div>
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Can you see how this might be much more difficult in the future, and this is something very common amongst well-read fans of the top authors. In the future, this may not be possible unless you are willing to pay full price at the bookstore, but that can run you thousands of dollars a year, considering many of these books from the top novelists are quite expensive if you buy them new in the store.</div>
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This will limit the number of books you can read, or feel that you can or should afford. Eventually, you may be forced to get an eBook reader, and get all your books electronically as is the popular trend right now, and I expect that it will continue. Indeed I hope you will please consider all this and think on it.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17053327019261893130noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8105598964968083870.post-61682898961098283682013-11-18T22:53:00.002-08:002013-11-18T22:53:17.165-08:00Alternative Routes for Selling Your Used Books and Clothes<div style="text-align: justify;">
Online services now offer alternative methods for smaller businesses and it's important to understand the various ways to distribute different items online.<br /><br />New and Used Clothes<br />There are many ways for clothing merchants who sell new and used clothes to promote their business. If the clothing or jewelry is gently used, there are plenty of online services available to sell the clothing for you. Some charge a commission fee on top of whatever you choose to as the price to post on the website. Users of the service are able to browse it easier, knowing that the company has strict guidelines as to what is able to be sold on their website and users can buy with confidence.<br /><br />If you're interested in doing it yourself, consider setting up your own personal web store with an inventory of all the clothing or items you would like to sell. This reduces the hassle of dealing with an outside source, and you're able to customize every aspect of what the customer sees, from the description of the clothes, to the images available for display. One thing that secondhand clothes sellers love to do is hire personal stylists to come to his or her home and pick out the clothing that has the highest potential to be sold online. These stylists have the knowledge and experience to accurately price your secondhand clothing and statistics show that these stylists increase the chance a secondhand retailer successfully sells their clothing by 35 percent.<br /><br />Buying and Selling Books<br />Reading material, books, and eBooks will always be in popular demand by consumers. There are plenty of physical and online book stores that provide new books, but not all of them have a used book sales option. Developing a web shop for your used books seems like a large hassle without much of a gain, and that's because it is. Online retailers are starting to offer people trade in options for their books. These same retailers are also allowing users to post there books online free of charge to be bought. A potential buyer has the option to browse through hundreds of user's personal libraries to see the books that they don't want anymore. This service can also be used by authors who want to distribute their own book without dealing with a publisher or outside distributor.<br /><br />Another type of book that many people have trouble selling are used textbooks. The good thing about text books is that they are generally valued and reusable. The knowledge that you gained from a textbook at one point may be potential knowledge for a future reader. It's important to first determine the overall value of your secondhand textbook. If pages are missing and there is evidence of spilled coffee on the cover, the value goes down significantly. However, a study by HowStuffWorks.com states that the majority of secondhand textbooks are sold have only been used by one or two owners, and the books themselves are in good shape.<br /><br />After determining the value, look up the International Standard Book Number (ISBN) online to get an idea of what other people are selling the book for. If there is a big gap in the pricing of the textbook, this usually is an indication of quality. Determine the overall popularity and ranking of the book at major websites and then find an appropriate seller for your book. There are plenty of services that offer the ability to present your used books for sale, and just charging commission for each sale.<br /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17053327019261893130noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8105598964968083870.post-48512597588890726952013-11-18T22:52:00.005-08:002013-11-18T22:52:35.383-08:00The Camomile Lawn<div style="text-align: justify;">
Mary Wesley has been on my 'to read' list for a very long time. I knew that she didn't have her first book published until she was in her 70's and that she'd had amazing success after this, her 'breakthrough' novel. (Written after the death of her second husband left her destitute.) So when I saw it on the library shelf last month I grabbed it.<br /><br />Written in 1983, the language is obviously not quite contemporary, but see past that and you will find a beautifully crafted novel, full of surprises, twists and turns, which will keep you guessing until the end. The novel begins in 1939, as World War 11 is about to break out. The setting is a house in Cornwall, high above the sea, that possesses a fragrant camomile lawn in the garden. It is this that provides the unusual title. There are quite a number of main characters who interact in many and varied ways, producing some convoluted and often illicit, relationships: five cousins (Calypso, Walter, Polly, Oliver and Sophy), their Aunt and Uncle (Richard and Helena), identical boy twins, sons of the local Rector, who become friends with the cousins, and a husband and wife - Austrian Jewish Refugees who assume an increasingly important role as the story unfolds.<br /><br />Wesley drew on her own childhood and work experiences in building some of the characterisations - like 'Polly', she worked for military intelligence during the war.<br /><br />As well as being evocative of the time, and full of humour, this is one very sexy, naughty, book, and this is all the more amazing given that there is not a single description of 'the act'. Somehow Wesley, with her mature, crisp and uncensored imagination pulls off this difficult feat. She paints a very vivid picture of life in wartime, and the loosening of moral codes that occurs as a result of stress, opportunity, or perhaps a sense of 'well, we may not be here tomorrow so why ever not?'<br /><br />By the end of the book, those characters who are still alive are 40 years older and through them, centered around attendance at a funeral, we find out some of the back-story, and the answers to the many questions we were still asking of the author and hoping wold not be left unanswered before the final page was turned. This book is a great read, and for me, as a professional writer, a study in clean dialogue, not weighed down by all the superfluous 'she said/he wondered/I asked myself and similar phrases that litter so many novels today.<br /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17053327019261893130noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8105598964968083870.post-12034574669217910892013-11-18T22:52:00.002-08:002013-11-18T22:52:07.373-08:00Americanah - By Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie<div style="text-align: justify;">
I stumbled on this book after a brief conversation about literature with a Nigerian friend. After reading it I once again found the answer to the question "why read", and in Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie discovered a mind far more profound and original than most. Like most great works this powerful book afflicts us with many human sensations that are conveyed in simple language.<br /><br />Princeton in the summer, smelled of nothing, and although Ifemelu liked the tranquil greenness of the many trees, the clean streets and stately homes, the delicately overpriced shops and the quiet, abiding air of earned grace, it was this, the lack of a smell, that most appealed to her, perhaps because the other American cities she knew well had all smelled distinctly.<br /><br />Thus with beguiling language, and with every sentence and chapter the reader can smell the world, with its alien and unpleasant presences, that Chimamanda describes<br /><br />The book is a majestic and colossal edifice that follows the lives of two young Nigerians through their trials of youth, life abroad and the return to their homeland. Obinze is the son of a professor: a caterpillar that very slowly becomes a rich butterfly. And then there is his lover, Ifemelu. The latter is the main and compelling protagonist in the story.<br /><br />When one encounters her, one has to alight and linger. Ifemelu is witty, a strong and a wild spirit. She is a heroine in the traditional sense. She can be loving and cold-hearted, submissive and predatory. She is intelligent, caring, and courageous. She can be an enchantress that can reduce a man into a docile slave. She takes a very big bite of life, and savours and survives both the good and the bad.<br /><br />There are other minor characters that convey to us the various transactions and challenges of life. There is "Chief", the lecherous tycoon who occasionally dishes out favours to the sycophants around him. The other is "Aunty Uju", the dutiful, calculating and amiable single mother and her vain search for love.<br /><br />Then there is the tennis coach who wants to be kept warm twice a week. He is an unconscionable sex-monster who conscientiously covers the train fare for his female comforters. This is the man a penniless Ifemelu briefly turns to when she desperately needed a job. Alone, and away from home she had to make choices, and that meant she sometimes had to accept life in whatever terms it submitted itself. At the time she was so broke that she even went into a murderous rage when a friend's dog ate her bacon.<br /><br />The book therefore successfully grapples with the confusion and deep sorrow of being torn away from a society from which one has all one has always drawn one's strength, and making peace with a foreign culture and its values. It also exposes the cynicism of those Nigerians who were returnees from western expeditions, to some of the practices in their homeland: a partial dislocation of an émigré from his own roots. And for some of the characters it is because of these challenges that they finally discover who they really are.<br /><br />Much as the story is about the forces that change humans and their societies, Chimamanda shows her dazzling qualities as a writer by delving deep into the emotional life of her characters. Love, as in life, has a very privildged place in the book. While most reasonable people would bet against love surviving, Chimamanda elevates it to its rightful throne.<br /><br />Americanah is an epic drama that is a mirror of life. It is a symphony of language in which upon every word is displayed the imagination, craftsmanship and the genius of a young African writer who is a great student of life. It is a book that demands and deserves a re-read.<br /><br />Long after completing this uncannily beautiful story, which has one in a spell throughout, it continues to administer delight to the reader in its manifold forms.<br /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17053327019261893130noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8105598964968083870.post-87731977141203833202013-11-18T22:51:00.003-08:002013-11-18T22:51:26.655-08:00Book Review: Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad<div style="text-align: justify;">
One of the first things I noticed about this novel was the splendid use of language, the adjectives, similes, metaphors, and the descriptions. The second thing was the irony, enough to make me laugh aloud, although it is a serious and dark book.<br /><br />Joseph Conrad was a river-boat captain in the Congo, and he experienced a similar journey to the one his protagonist, Charles Marlowe, endured.<br /><br />The story is of an English adventurer who traveled into the Belgian Congo as a steamboat captain. The purpose of the trip was to bring back ivory from the center of Africa. It was a long and dangerous voyage, the steamboat broke down, and most of the boat crew turned out to be hungry cannibals. The narrator, talked about, indeed was obsessed by a man called Kurtz, who resided at the furthest point of the journey.<br /><br />Kurtz was a successful trader of ivory, and apparently a remarkable man; a man of education, of understanding, of culture. Yet after a few years in the darkness of Africa he became unhinged, a despot, demented.<br /><br />The steamboat was attacked by tribal natives as they neared Kurtz's outpost, but the crew survived and met the mysterious Kurtz who was near death and raving. As they took Kurtz back down-river, towards the coast and civilization, he died from an unknown illness that ravaged the inland.<br /><br />The story was quite critical of European imperialism that treated the natives as beasts, commercial slaves, and the country as an opportunity to plunder. At the same time, the novel dehumanized the Africans, reducing them to the background of the story, part of the darkness of Africa. They lost their 'voice' their social life, being reduced to Kurtz's tribal army, and of course cannibals.<br /><br />I wouldn't be too critical of Conrad for this weakness, because this was 1899, and like all of us he was a product of his time and culture. He showed his independence in being critical of imperialism, which, at the time, was still immensely popular with most of the European nations, not to mention Russia, Japan, and the United States.<br /><br />It would be easy for literary experts to build a psychological story from the events of the novel, perhaps even to claim it was all an inner journey, rather than a physical one. I don't see that as a viable argument. It is largely a story as it was written, an adventure that was indeed dark, but told in crisp, intelligent, descriptive prose - a delight to read.<br /><br />Heart of Darkness is consistently ranked in the top 100 English language novels of the 20th Century. It has been made into various plays, movies, and TV productions, the most famous being, Francis Ford Coppola's Apocalypse Now, which transported the story to the Vietnam War.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17053327019261893130noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8105598964968083870.post-9159230920397203582013-11-18T22:50:00.003-08:002013-11-18T22:50:25.890-08:00From Stone Tablets to eTablets<div style="text-align: justify;">
As an old woman listening to the chatter around me from young mothers, discussing the pros and cons of eBooks and audio books, I have to chuckle and wonder. Has it always been this way? Have mothers, since the beginning of time, struggled over the harm that might befall their children with the newest innovative way of recording words?<br /><br />Do we see two or more concerned mothers huddled around the fire ring in off shouldered skin dresses arguing the advantages and disadvantages of using berry juice and other known dyes to record words onto skin and papyrus? Were they concerned that their children might not learn as well, or might lose their copy? Just face it, did this new concept of recording events really compare to the age-old technique of just drawing into the walls of the cave, or the pyramid or tomb? Those wall communications will be there forever. Why is someone always trying to change things up and make it all more confusing? Right?<br /><br />I can understand the need for the printing press after the manual recording of books onto skin and papyrus occurred. It had to be so costly and so time-consuming to have a scribe do all of the documenting. The number of folks qualified to do the work, compared to the number of inhabitants of the world had to be very unbalanced. This is the reason only the very wealthy could even afford to have any kind of written record. I can see the concern there: before, anyone who had a cave had the ability to have a written record. This new process did limit and separate the social classes. Maybe those stone age mothers had a legitimate concern for their children after all.<br /><br />After the printing press came about, the imbalance between the folks qualified to write on scrolls and skins and the number of inhabitants were equaled out a bit. Not completely because of the cost, still, but more than the scribe days. The cost of paper and the cost of printing still limited the numbers of copies that were available compared to the number of inhabitants. For this reason, paper books were treated as very valuable collectables. Hard bound books were given very prominent places in the homes of the very wealthy and were to become status symbols of the times. Less costly to print paperback versions of those same books were sometimes owned by less wealthy folks but were treated with the same respect.<br /><br />Today, I sit in my den and look around me to see my grandfathers school slate sitting on a shelf in a very prominent place. It is a wood framed, genuine slate that he carried to school to do his "sums" and practice his "letters". He has his name written on the wooden frame so that he could distinguish his from all of the others in the class. On the shelf below this slate are hard bound books from my student years, and then row upon row of paperback novels from all of my favorite authors. Down from there is my shelf of audio books and my Kindle is sitting here on the desk.<br /><br />Yes, advancement always has its consequences. For a time, only the wealthy could afford to have the privilege of recorded words, but things turned around again. They always do. Things have a tendency to balance out, somehow. Right now, only the very privileged of children get to carry an eBook, but we will see the time when they will be available to every child. Of course, by then something new will be coming around again.<br /><br />Since we know that technology will always keep advancing, maybe the concern for our young mothers should be the content of the books that their children read and not the book itself. Books will continue to be a source of information, no matter what application is used to record that info. No matter what changes in technology take place, the old acronym GIGO has not and will not change.<br /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17053327019261893130noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8105598964968083870.post-49839842767959498252013-11-18T14:09:00.005-08:002013-11-18T14:09:53.687-08:00The Top 10 Fiction Books of the Last 50 Years<div style="text-align: justify;">
Hello Everybody!! Wanna know the top selling books of all time. The author ranges from JK Rowling, Dan Brown and even more.</div>
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This site covers various categories of books ranging from fiction, non fiction, self help, comics, cooking, arts, entertainment etc.</div>
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So where were we!! Ya. I wanted to tell you top selling fiction books of all time. this information which i have collected is from a very strong base. Grab a look here.</div>
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1. INFERNO, by Dan Brown. (Doubleday.) The symbologist Robert Langdon, on the run in Florence, must decipher a series of codes created by a Dante-loving scientist. 8</div>
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2. SECOND HONEYMOON, by James Patterson and Howard Roughan. (Little, Brown.) As he investigates the murder of a pair of newlyweds, the F.B.I. agent John O'Hara, last seen in "Honeymoon" (2005), is targeted by a serial killer.</div>
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3. THIS MAN CONFESSED, by Jodi Ellen Malpas. (Grand Central.) The final book of the "This Man" trilogy finds Jesse Ward and Ava O'Shea preparing to marry.</div>
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4. AND THE MOUNTAINS ECHOED, by Khaled Hosseini. (Riverhead.) A multigenerational family saga centers on a brother and sister born in Afghanistan. 7</div>
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5. AFFLICTION, by Laurell K. Hamilton. (Berkley.) The vampire hunter Anita Blake encounters a dangerous new breed of zombies.</div>
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6. UNSEEN, by Karin Slaughter. (Delacorte.) Will Trent of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, working undercover as a motorcycle-riding ex-con in Macon, finds himself working on the same case as Sara Linton, the woman he loves.</div>
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7. THE OCEAN AT THE END OF THE LANE, by Neil Gaiman. (Morrow/HarperCollins.) A middle-aged man recalls his lonely boyhood and his friendship with a remarkable girl.</div>
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8. WORLD WAR Z, by Max Brooks. (Broadway.) An "oral history" of an imagined Zombie War that nearly destroys civilization.</div>
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9. ENTWINED WITH YOU, by Sylvia Day. (Berkley.) Eva and Gideon face the demons of their pasts and accept the consequences of their obsessive desires; a Crossfire novel.</div>
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10. MACRIEVE, by Kresley Cole. (Gallery Books.) The 13th installment of the Immortals After Dark paranormal series probes the deepest secrets of the Clan MacRieve.</div>
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11. GONE GIRL, by Gillian Flynn. (Crown.) A woman disappears on the day of her fifth anniversary; is her husband a killer?</div>
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12. THE HEIST, by Janet Evanovich and Lee Goldberg. (Bantam.) In the first book of a new series, Kate O'Hare, an F.B.I. special agent, teams up with Nicolas Fox, a handsome con man, to catch a corrupt investment banker in hiding.</div>
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13. THE NEWCOMER, by Robyn Carr. (Harlequin Mira.) The life of Mac McCain, a single father and Thunder Point's deputy sheriff, is thrown into chaos when his ex-wife returns.</div>
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14. BAD MONKEY, by Carl Hiaasen. (Knopf.) A defrocked Miami cop turned restaurant inspector investigates a grisly murder.</div>
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15. THE WITNESS, by Sandra Brown. (Grand Central.) A public defender who seems happy in her work and her marriage is plunged into a morass of bigotry and hate.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17053327019261893130noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8105598964968083870.post-45369488560060295842013-11-18T14:09:00.002-08:002013-11-18T14:09:15.797-08:00A Visit With Old Friends<div style="text-align: justify;">
Reading books in a series helps to develop the equivalent of friendships that can cause a degree of separation anxiety when the books are finished. Many authors write their books to stand independently, yet reference previous books in order to build relationships with their readers. Series with twenty or so books that take a longer period of time to read cause the characters to become more real to the reader.</div>
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The Amelia Peabody series by Elizabeth Peters has just accomplished this in my life. I have just finished listening to the series in audio book format read by Barbara Rosenblat, and almost feel like I had finished watching a movie. Years ago, I had read one or two of this series and had enjoyed them so when I found the entire series and could listen to them in order I jumped at the opportunity.</div>
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Listening to Amelia and Emerson meeting and falling in love was great. However, the real treat was listening to them develop and grow old together in their pursuits as archeologists and detectives.</div>
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Egyptology has never been a great interest of mine, yet it seemed to come alive as I travelled to and from England to Egypt with this family that attracted all manner of mishaps yearly.</div>
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Each of the nineteen books that I read covered a year in this family's life and inevitably they would find themselves in the middle of theft, murder and mayhem. It seemed quite natural for this family to not educate their children in a conventional manner, to adopt children that no one else seemed to want, and to do it all while excavating some obscure portion of land because they had been banished from the Valley of the Kings.</div>
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While other archaeologists were digging in the Valley of the Kings and finding very little of interest, the Emerson's would stumble on some out-of-the-way temple or tomb of very high significance. They treated their national staff with honor and respect and they highly respected that they were guests in someone else's country.</div>
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This author not only gave me a marked appreciation for archaeology, but also a lesson in how to learn to love and respect a host country. I love to travel and have always hoped that this is the way that I act in a foreign country.</div>
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Listening to Barbara read the voice of young Ramses as a very small child, then grow with him over the years in subsequent books was not only enjoyable, but was astonishing. I feel like I can "remember" this little boy grow up and into manhood. To feel the heat and dryness of the desert was enjoyable as well, especially in the rainy, cold winter months where I truly reside.</div>
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I enjoyed, as well, the interaction between Amelia and Emerson. Both, so rough and gruff in public yet so passionate and loving in private. I saw a different side to the Victorian era in this family and loved it.</div>
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These folks have become friends that I will cherish just as I cherish my flesh and blood friends. I have learned from them and they have enriched my life. Thank you, Elizabeth Peters and Barbara Rosenblat.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17053327019261893130noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8105598964968083870.post-31815480077438176802013-11-18T14:08:00.001-08:002013-11-18T14:08:18.237-08:00Used Books: Where To Find Them And Why They're Such A Charm<div style="text-align: justify;">
The popularity of purchasing used books seems to be rising with more people opting for cheap books still in good condition. Some say there's nothing like the smell of new prints and stepping into an upscale store that carries expensive titles. But another half sticks by previously owned books, stating that the amazing deals you can get are enough to fill a small library.</div>
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It's true that purchasing new prints has an appeal but they're sometimes practically unsound. The amount of wood needed to manufacture paper is staggering even if trees are sourced from sustainable forests. Not every buyer decides to retain every purchased book either which amounts to a waste of money and resources if discarded.</div>
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The same can't be said of previously owned books. It's a form of recycling that makes a big impact on how much money and resources can be saved. Textbooks, in particular, are valuable for students unable to afford new and expensive books. An added invaluable benefit is the notes and points jotted down by previous owners which help future students during tests and examinations. The same used books can also be resold for almost the same price. This is true for educational books like encyclopedias as well.</div>
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Used book dealers can be found in almost every town. The range of titles they carry is also impressive. Stores are generally classified into two types, those that sell general reading materials and others that deal in rare books. This isn't always the case with independent stores though chain bookstores do carry them albeit at the printed price.</div>
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Like chains and independent stores, most used book sellers are taking to cyberspace to market their wares in addition to having brick and mortar stores. This strategy allows customers to choose from a very wide selection of titles at a cheap cost. In fact, online marketing is the only way for many customers to find desperately needed titles especially if they live in a place where bookstores are few.</div>
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Used bookstores are typically set up by small enterprises, individuals and charity groups. A majority of the books are donated and a few purchased from used book dealers. While stores selling rare and antiquated titles usually set themselves apart, shops carrying general purpose books may also have rare titles hidden away in the shelves.</div>
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Perhaps one of the biggest contributions used books make to society is making available much-needed tomes to the underprivileged. In regions where illiteracy is high and poverty pervasive, the idea of purchasing brand new books is unthinkable. Charity organizations that aim to increase literacy are better off distributing used books because it saves money and gets the job done. The fact that it also keeps precious books from ending up in landfills is a bonus.</div>
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For donors, donating or selling used books is a great way to get rid of junk. Depositing old books in the trash is painful for anyone but they do take up a lot of space. Charity groups regularly hold drives inviting communities to donate used books while dealers buy them. Some online stores also have a buy/sell strategy and a few go the swapping route (customers swap their used books for other used books). So whichever way you look at it, there are benefits to be enjoyed by all stakeholders which is why previously owned books have even facilitated the establishment of popular centers for used book sellers.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17053327019261893130noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8105598964968083870.post-474164864622163052013-11-18T14:07:00.002-08:002013-11-18T14:07:45.595-08:00Encouraging Kids to Read<div style="text-align: justify;">
A number of newspapers and journals from the New York Times to Business Insider to CBS have reported on the decreasing frequency at which children and students read books. Other media options such as movies and television provide much more flash and entertainment, but books aren't exactly about to become outdated.</div>
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Part of the challenge is just in reintroducing kids to reading and showing them how great it can be. Many of them have gotten a bad taste of it from school where they are required to read things that they hate and are penalized if they don't pay attention. They associate reading with laborious and tedious work. Fortunately, you can help them to learn the value of books in a number of ways.</div>
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Don't Think Easy, Think Fun </div>
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Often times, when people start trying to get kids to read, they think about how easy the book is to read. This is a mistake. A book can be very easy to read, but if it is not exciting, then it might as well be written in Greek. Instead, look for whether the book is engaging and fun. It needs to be about a topic that kids will enjoy. Don't assume that it has to be new either. Old books like Treasure Island and other popular classic novels may be a good choice. If possible, match it to the child's interests.</div>
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Have a Film Reward </div>
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This year, sequels to the Hunger Games and Percy Jackson will be coming out in theaters. If your kids have not read these books yet, have them read the books and make the movie a reward. Make it up into a fun event with pizza or ice cream afterward. Over the pizza or ice cream, discuss how the movie and the books differed. Your kids will probably have some surprising insights. Just make sure that you take the time to read it as well.</div>
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Talk About It and Have Fun </div>
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Kids don't like being tested or given pop quizzes. But when they enjoy a story, they love sharing about it. They also want to know that you are proud of them. To accomplish this, you will need to make sure that you read the book. This way you can carry on an intelligent conversation. Also make sure that you allow your kids to form their own opinions about the characters and the events. You might think that they should identify with certain characters or have particular opinions, but part of the point of reading is for your kids to learn how to develop thoughts on their own.</div>
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Give Them the Freedom to Choose </div>
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Sometimes the best way to make sure that your kids read is to give them the choice in books. It's not a dangerous choice, and it gives them the freedom that so many kids crave. You need to make sure that you explain why you are giving them the choice and what you expect from them. Make sure to incorporate fun and not "this is what you have to do." Also don't discourage your child if he wants to read a book that you might think is too challenging. Let him try it. He may surprise you both.</div>
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Read in Front of Your Kids </div>
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One of the best ways to demonstrate that reading is fun is to make sure that your kids see you reading. If they never see you reading, then they're likely to think that reading is just one of those things that they can get by without. You don't have to make a big scene of it. Just let them see that you do enjoy reading your own books. If they ask you questions about it, make sure that you engage them and discuss why you enjoy it.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17053327019261893130noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8105598964968083870.post-64998928763674811312013-11-18T14:06:00.002-08:002013-11-18T14:06:55.025-08:00Open the Door to Audio Books<div style="text-align: justify;">
As a young mother, the only time that I could read was when I put the children down for a nap, or at night after I had put the children to bed. Of course, that was only if the house was clean, the laundry was done, folded, put away, and the baking was done for another week. Usually by that time, I would be so exhausted that two consecutive words in a book would put me sound asleep. In those days, I would hunger to just escape, for a few hours at a time, to some exotic place with exciting people who could speak "grown up" sentences. What I needed to do most, was the one thing that would create havoc in my life. To "steal" away some time for myself, would result in being behind and having to work harder and faster to catch up. I was forced to spend time in the here and now rather than escape. I remember that one of the special events in my life would be when my spouse was available to extract time out of his busy work schedule to spend with the children and allow me a few hours of "Mommy time".</div>
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Out would come the book, (often Erma Bombeck and her sarcastic wit), and I would lay in the hammock on a hot summers day and read and laugh until I had tears running down my face. How much more simple my life seemed when I compared it to the erratic lifestyle of that household. By the time that I had to face reality and get back to parenting, I usually felt rested, relieved and ready for whatever challenge came my way.</div>
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Today's technology allows for all of that to be changed around. Today, young mothers can listen to audio books of every genre while cleaning house and raising their young. No longer does it require "snatching" time from other things in order to read. Why, students can even complete required reading while hiking, running, or even working (in some instances). I am an avid "reader" of audio books, and find that I am getting through even more books a week than my normal three or four.</div>
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If the reader is good, and makes the book seem visual, I find that when it is completed, I feel like I have watched a movie. I am now listening to audio books while walking and exercising as well. How much better can it get than this? There used to be a time when we dreamed of having it all. Maybe you can after all.</div>
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Here in SE Alaska, reading consumes much of our lives since we realize from twelve to fifteen feet of rain a year. Books become our constant companions and source of entertainment. Audio books just broaden the horizons a bit.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17053327019261893130noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8105598964968083870.post-65973172686667292442013-11-18T13:56:00.002-08:002013-11-18T13:56:06.767-08:00Top Indian Novels That Are a Must Read<div style="text-align: justify;">
All this is gradually changing with time as more and more people discover great literature thanks to the internet. Many of the contemporary authors draw their inspiration from everyday examples that they see around them. This is key when it comes to establishing a connection with the reader. Many readers generally associate with the writer and the story when the experiences they read about mirror their own in life.</div>
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Many authors like Chetan Bhagat, Salman Rushdie Aravind Adiga and others have become quite popular with the masses and with good reason. The use of simple language, easy to understand nuances and straightforward plots make them very attractive to the urban reader.</div>
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There are quite a few good books to choose from for your own perusal. For instance, you could try Ruskin Bond's Short Stories. This author has brought out many stories both for grownups as well as for kids. The stories penned by Ruskin Bond are steeped in culture and Indian sentiments, all woven skillfully into literary bliss. He also makes storytelling fun for kids of almost all ages apart from catering to the tastes of grownups. Some of his more prominent work includes the likes of, The Cherry Tree, The India I Love, Room on the Roof, Ghost Stories from the Raj and also Binya's Blue Umbrella to name just a few.</div>
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Apart from Ruskin Bond, you also have the famous Chetan Bhagat with his book, Five Point Someone that shot him to fame. The book is about three faithful friends who join an engineering college only to find themselves at the mercy of the outdated and flawed Education system. They find that though they were brilliant in their own right, in the university, they were graded as simply average. The book revolves around their lives with a dash of humor and serious drama when it is required.</div>
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Anurag Mathur is yet another storyteller who has been successful in the Indian market. He and his book The Inscrutable Americans have been critically acclaimed for the story and plot that it contains. The book revolves around the life of Gopal, a small town boy with dreams and aspirations. He and his family have a small Hair Oil factory back in India. He travels to the States to learn Advanced Chemical Engineering so that he can apply the knowledge into the Hair Oil industry back home.</div>
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The book takes a close look at Gopal and his preconceived notions about America. Much of what he thinks he knows about the country is purely from books and movies. The story revolves around Gopal's coming of age and his coming to terms with what America really is, and what it stands for. Definitely a good read for those rainy days when you just want to curl up with a book and some hot coffee.</div>
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Aravind Adiga is also a prize winning author with some literary masterpieces up his sleeve. The White Tiger for example is an exemplary work of fiction about the modern life in India. It is based on a satirical angle of living in the modern day India with its prevalent caste system.</div>
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Another title by the same author which has caught the interest of readers everywhere is Between the Assassinations. The book deals with the time that elapsed between the assassination of Indira Gandhi and then later, Rajiv Gandhi. The book is largely a collection of many short stories of events that supposedly take place between the two assassinations.</div>
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Who can forget Arundhati Roy with her bestseller, The God of Small Things. It is a gripping story about two twins in Kerala who lead a simple life, only to be exposed to new cultures with the arrival of Sophie, their cousin. Many other books are also avidly read by people, like A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry, The Shiva Trilogy by Amish Tripathi, mainly the Immortals of Meluha, The Secret of the Nagas and The Oath of the Vayuputras.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17053327019261893130noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8105598964968083870.post-66706934752564564242013-11-18T13:55:00.002-08:002013-11-18T13:55:41.832-08:00Neil S Plakcy's Golden Retriever Mystery Series Continues Nicely With Dog Helps Those<div style="text-align: justify;">
Bestselling author Neil S. Plakcy, does it again with Volume 3 of his running four-part "Golden Retriever Mystery" series: Dog Helps Those.</div>
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Once more, Professor Steve Levitan and his faithful Golden Retriever, Rochester, are on the hunt for a murderer. This time, it's not just Steve's job and career at Eastern college that's at stake, but the whole prestigious college itself.</div>
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The story takes place in Pennsylvania's quaint and historic town of Stewart's Crossing. In Volume 1, In Dog We Trust, we find out that Steve Levitan had returned to Stewart's Crossing, where he had grown up, after a stint in a California prison for illegal computer hacking. While in prison, his father died and his wife divorced him.</div>
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Shortly after moving back to Stewart's Crossing, Steve's next door neighbor, Caroline Kelly, was murdered one night as she walked her big Golden Retriever, Rochester. Although Levitan didn't like dogs all that much, he adopted Caroline's dog after the murder and the two would later bond and become best friends. Sleuthing together, and with Rochester showing an uncanny ability to sniff out clues, they solved Caroline Kelly's murder.</div>
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In Volume 3, Dog Helps Those, back in Stewart's Crossing, at times in New York city, and at the Eastern campus, Neil Plakcy continues in his fun, entertaining and clever style to weave a tale of multiple suspects and possible motives.</div>
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First, he nicely establishes a very prominent alumna of Eastern, a woman named Rita Gaines who is on the Board of Trustees at Eastern and who is also involved in financial investments that affect the college. Rita is a most unpleasant and abrasive character, the kind that rubs just about everyone the wrong way. She also, as it turns out, owns a large dog breeding and training business.</div>
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One day during an art exhibit, a painting by a foreign exchange student, Felae, upsets Rita and she has the work removed. Felae, a student of both Professor Levitan and his girlfriend Lili, is angry and drives to Rita's place and threatens to kill her. Many witness this threat, including Levitan and his childhood friend-turned-police-officer, Rick Stempler.</div>
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The next day Rita is found dead.</div>
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No one knows how Rita died at first, and it wasn't even clear it was murder, until forensics digs deeper and found she'd been cleverly killed in a way to disguise what really happened.</div>
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Felae is the obvious first suspect, but Steve and Lili aren't convinced. Meanwhile, the plot thickens. All the faculty and staff of Eastern are under tremendous pressure because it's very close to graduation and there's a buggy computer program that's been wreaking havoc and messing everything up. We later come to find out that a long-time staff member of Eastern, who is in charge of computer software, had been taking large amounts of money from the makers of this program. This, in part, explained why nothing had been done about it despite the many problems and complaints.</div>
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As the story continues, it becomes suspiciously apparent that there's a link between Rita's murder and her financial investing, which also had ties to the software causing problems at Eastern. The suspect list builds, which now includes not only staff at Eastern and people involved with Rita's investing, but also some who bought dogs from her or trained at her facility who were upset with her for various reasons.</div>
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Read or listen to Dog Helps Those to find out what happens. Wind your way through the mysterious maze and see how once again, Rochester proves himself to be invaluable in helping solve the case and catching the perpetrator.</div>
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All three volumes are available on audiobook, so be sure to listen to the whole series. Just go to Amazon's Audible site and look for In Dog We Trust (Volume 1), The Kingdom of Dog (Volume 2), and Volume 3, of course: Dog Helps Those. Dog Bless You, Volume 4, will also be available in audiobook in early 2014.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17053327019261893130noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8105598964968083870.post-36914288098179420542013-11-18T13:54:00.002-08:002013-11-18T13:54:28.743-08:00Sexual Assault Prevention Tips - Don't Become a Victim<div style="text-align: justify;">
This book will take you on a realistic journey of a women who was a victim of child molesting by one of her own family relative. Paige Dearth was a victim of child rape. Paige escaped from her pedophile uncle at the age of 19 and got married. She married and moved to Chula Vista, California. After two years of being married, she got pregnant, only to find out her husband was addicted to heroin. When her baby was eight months old she moved back to Pennsylvania. It is Paige's faith that kept her strong and able to face all of her fears to bring such a wonderful true to life story.</div>
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I have to say that it is an honor to be asked by Paige to review her book, I could feel the pain that Paige endured as a child. I love to read books to learn from them, but this book taught me how Paige endured her hardships but kept the fight of life to be better and overcome such horrific torment. It is proof that Paige can encourage and inspire each of her readers despite her lifetime trials.</div>
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Main Character is Alessa (Meaning defender of mankind), at age seven years old found her uncle in her bed, forcing sex upon her. Alessa is the youngest of four kids.</div>
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Main Character is Caterina whom was the youngest of 14 children, Alessa's Mother.</div>
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In Alessa's family turmoil was what Alessa's family thrived on, whereas all Alessa wanted is to be around people who would make her feel loved and like she belonged in her family. This is not the case as she is the outcast everywhere she goes. Alessa's family was very poor making her life all that much harder in the real world.</div>
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How did Uncle Danny get to Alessa? At age six Alessa's grandma died and this was her best friend. Grandma made Alessa feel special, unlike all of the other family members. So during and after the funeral Uncle Danny made Alessa feel comforted, warm and loved. Alessa felt loved for the first time since Granny died. Uncle Danny was well liked by all family members; he made money, funny and well-rounded type of guy. Danny was the type of guy anyone whom would love to be around and like. Danny's girlfriend dies in a tragic car accident which brought him to realize he needed to be around family so Caterina offers a room for him. This helped Danny and Caterina because he needed a place to live and he paid rent for the room which in turn helped out Caterina with daily necessities the poor family needed.</div>
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At night Uncle Danny would comfort Alessa and let her fall asleep in his bedroom. Then around six months after granny died, Uncle Danny "raped" Alessa. This made Alessa feel isolated and alone, at the age of seven. After the first rape, Alessa started to sleep in her own bed and Uncle Danny would enter into the room late at night and continue the abuse.</div>
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By the time Alessa is nine years old, Uncle Danny made it a nightly ritual to help himself to Alessa. By the time she was 12, Uncle Danny wanted more from her and decided to have sex in ways "only a pedophile would do."</div>
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Alessa childhood was robbed but despite it all it did prepare her with the resilience to hold on to her own dreams and later in life be greatly blessed.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17053327019261893130noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8105598964968083870.post-38465134402989189762013-11-18T13:54:00.000-08:002013-11-18T13:54:07.173-08:00Finding That Book You Want in the Condition You Want<div style="text-align: justify;">
There's something about the smell of a book cracked open for the first time. A freshness, a quality, that gets to a book-lover, or bibliophile every time. Old books have their own smell, dusty and weathered, something that almost makes them seem wise and knowledgeable, but ones bought new or checked out for the first time have a special quality beyond just their newness. There are plenty of ways to go about getting either type of book, depending on what you prefer - the feel, scent and untouched quality of new or the aged, worn feel and scent of old books.</div>
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Used and Old Book Options </div>
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The most obvious option for getting your hands on a used or old book is going to the library. Most libraries have a good collection of both fiction and nonfiction books, all of which have probably been opened and handled by at least one person before you. Many are even older, giving you a way to get your fix of that old-book smell. If you want a specific title or subject matter and your library doesn't carry it, libraries usually have an inter-library loan program. It involves filling out a request or having a librarian do it for you, then sending that request to the nearest library that does carry the book in question. These programs open up a wide selection of used books that you might not otherwise be able to get your hands on.</div>
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Other good options for getting used and old books exist within your community. You might have a used bookstore nearby, which buys used books from local people and then resells them. Usually, these are fairly cheap unless the book is limited edition, signed, or a collector's item, and they have broad selections in both fiction and nonfiction. You might even be able to buy books from your library; they frequently have "Friends of the Library" sales areas in specific parts of the building. Other libraries hold annual sales to clear out their old collections and make room for new books.</div>
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In most areas, there are both garage or yard sales and estate sales. In some regions, these take place in specific seasons, since most people don't want to go hunting for good deals when it involves through snow. You might be lucky and hit a sale that has a huge collection of books. Usually, these are well-loved. If you're especially lucky, you'll find that leather-bound copy of the collected Sherlock Holmes stories that you've been looking for over a span of years.</div>
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Getting Your Hands on New Books </div>
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It's much easier to find a selection of books than it is old. Occasionally, you might find them in some of the same places that have used books; an estate sale might have a collection that was never read before the owner died or needed to reduce their collection of things, or you might be the first to check just-arrived books out of the library.</div>
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More obviously, though, you can go to bookstores to find what you need. There are chains like Barnes & Noble that need your business to stay open, but there are also independent booksellers that rely on your business to keep their doors open. Usually, both have excellent selections of books, whether they're new releases or have been around for some time. You should be able to find what you're looking for in a brick-and-mortar store.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17053327019261893130noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8105598964968083870.post-39395565545062498102013-11-18T13:53:00.001-08:002013-11-18T13:53:07.242-08:00Make Money Off That Messy Attic<div style="text-align: justify;">
It's almost that time of year again. Most people choose to do a deep, thorough cleaning of their homes twice a year; once in spring, and often again in fall. The basement and the attic are the two areas of your house that most commonly suffer from clutter no matter how many times you clean it; for many homes, those areas are the dumping ground for junk of all kinds in addition to serving as the general storage areas for things you just might not have room for.</div>
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Boxes of Books Abound </div>
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Chances are, if you or anyone in your family is a reader at all, there are more than a few boxes of books stashed away there: books on collecting baseball cards and a few old issues of that comic series you used to love from childhood, novels from your teenage years, maybe even your child's textbooks from their college courses last year. Most likely these items are just taking up space and don't serve any sentimental value to you and will eventually just be thrown out or recycled. Instead of donating the texts to a paper recycling plant or tossing them to the curb with the trash, it's possible to list the books for sale online and see if anyone would like to purchase them from you.</div>
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How to Sell </div>
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Using an online retailer to sell those old books and make money off them is in your best interest. By far the most lucrative of any options you have for getting rid of the books. If you are not a re-reader, selling them is a good way to get some of your money back, because if the book is in good condition it can be sold for over half of what it cost you to buy in the first place.</div>
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Start off your process of selling books by searching for the ISBN, which it stands for International Standard Book Number. This is a code comprised of 10 digits, is unique to each book, and can be found on the UPC sticker on the back of the book. Typing in the ISBN or UPC number is the easiest way to find your book, as searching by title alone can sometimes return incorrect results. Next, the website will usually bring up basic information on the book: the title, author, publisher, number of pages, and language the text is printed in. From there, many sites that allow you to sell books online offer spaces to put a few comments about the condition of your book for sale, usually a rating and a description. In these sections, it's extremely important to be thorough and honest to avoid buyer dissatisfaction. If there are any defects or damage to the books, describe them. In turn, if there is anything special about the particular book, such as limited run, autographed by the author, or a special edition printed cover to name a few examples, list that also to increase the chances of someone wanting to purchase it. From there, most websites will assess a recommended price based on the quality rating listed, but it is not required; sellers can choose any price they want, but are encouraged to remember that lower priced items sell well.</div>
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Inexpensive Options </div>
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With most websites that allow the listing of books for sale, there are no fees for the listing of the item itself. However, most times when a sale is made, the site takes a portion of the sale price, almost like a commission. The fees are usually very minimal, ensuring that you can still make quite a bit of money.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17053327019261893130noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8105598964968083870.post-38815510099743850232013-11-18T13:52:00.002-08:002013-11-18T13:52:37.807-08:00Know the Best Books on Leadership<div style="text-align: justify;">
Leadership is the most important thing when you are in a workplace, and are handling a team. People who reach this position should be well aware of the qualities of an effective leader. For those who are not aware, there are a number of books that can help you know about what it takes to be a just and true leader.</div>
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1) 'What Ever Happened to Accountability' by Thomas E. Ricks</div>
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The message in this book is simple and straight. The subtitle says "when leaders don't fire the under performing employees; they send a bad message across the whole organization." Marshal, who was the chief of the US Army, was intolerant towards excuses and bad performance. This helped him become a great leader. When companies allow poor employees to work, success factor becomes low. You must read this book to know how to lead.</div>
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2) 'The Warrior Ethos' by Stephen Pressfield</div>
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Pressfield is one of the most brilliant writers of history. The Warrior Ethos deals in how to build up an efficient warrior. It explores all genres of warrior ship from the ancient times to the 20th century. The book tells you about the journey of being an effective leader, and understanding the intricacies that one has to face in the process.</div>
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3) 'How Will You Measure Your Life' by Clayton M. Christensen</div>
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A brilliant writer like Christensen is sure to motivate you through his articles and write ups like this one. This is a great way to enlightenment for everyone from teenage kids to your spouse, and also the senior leaders of a team. After reading the book, you will be able to answer three most important questions, "how to be sure that you'll be contented with your career" "how to be sure if your relationship with your spouse will be a good decision for your family" "how to keep yourself away from jail".</div>
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4) 'When am I Leaving Goldman Sachs?' by Greg Smith</div>
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Greg Smith beautifully portrays the idea of how to carry forward the qualities of an effective leader. It is important to understand the simple idea of being a leader in a business, that if the employees are not going to trust you, they will eventually leave the company. Leaders should live up to their core values, and motivate those who are working with him. This is a must read for those who have just come to be leaders, and who have already made a name in the same.</div>
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5) 'Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption' by Laura Hillenbrand</div>
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If you are depressed about something, this book is just for you. It teaches us how to be strong in times of despair. The summary lies in a simple but powerful line "the trials we go through in our life, prepare us for even worse times." This is a great help for leaders and people who are facing tough times in their life.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17053327019261893130noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8105598964968083870.post-25364967133074821412013-11-18T13:51:00.001-08:002013-11-18T13:51:25.717-08:00What Japanese Textbooks to Use As Beginners<div style="text-align: justify;">
There are more variety of language textbooks to choose from nowadays. It's great that learners have more choices but at the same time they could be as confused as which one to use if they have no one to consult with.</div>
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For Japanese, there are 2 series of Japanese textbooks that I think would be helpful for Japanese beginners: Shin Nihongo No Kiso I & II and Minna No Nihongo I & II. Both series are published by 3A Corporation (or known as 3A Network in Japanese). If you are just after what offers the necessary foundation you need to start with, the 2 series will be good ones to have a look at your local bookstores or the famous Japanese bookstore, Kinokuniya. (Branches outside of Japan: Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Australia, Taiwan, USA, UAE Dubai)</div>
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Reasons</div>
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Have clear structural layout in each lesson. Students can follow the logic easily.</div>
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Contains conversation section in each lesson for students to apply the vocabularies and sentence patterns just learnt earlier.</div>
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The difficulty level of exercises at the end of each lesson increases as the lesson progresses.</div>
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After every few lessons, a revision section is also added.</div>
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At the end of the books: there are summary notes on things like particles, verb forms, and conjunctions for people to revise and compare.</div>
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Bonus 1: they are pretty good reference textbooks apart from the test focused books to use for JLPT (Japanese Language Proficiency Test). Please note that the new JLPT test has 5 levels now.</div>
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Bonus 2: the 2 series would also fit with the Australian high school syllabus for the senior secondary exams (Year 12).</div>
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Comparison</div>
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Shin Nihongo No Kiso I &II focuses more on company trainees in business situation but still contains content for general public.</div>
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Target Audience of Minna No Nihongo I & II focuses more on general public but still contains formal application such as honorific form.</div>
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For visual type learners and learners who want different format of study materials like comics, you can also try:</div>
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Japanese in Mangaland 1-3: Marc Bernabe and published by Tokyo, Japan: Japan Publications Trading.</div>
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Japanese the Manga Way: Wayne P. Lammers and published by Stone Bridge Press.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17053327019261893130noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8105598964968083870.post-27931776497051630942013-11-18T13:50:00.001-08:002013-11-18T13:50:53.073-08:00Zara's Curse by Andrew Domonkos - A Book Review<div style="text-align: justify;">
I will say straight away that vampire-themed fiction is not my usual cup of tea. I usually stick to thrillers and mysteries. Having said that, there is something deeply compelling and fun about Zara's Curse.</div>
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The book starts out with Zara Lane attending a nightclub with her friend Abby. The club is an old church that has been converted into a Goth bar. At first I was mildly disinterested with the character of Zara, but she quickly won my affections very early on with her snappy lines and sense of humor.</div>
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Where the author really shines though, is in the rich back-story he has given each character. These aren't two-dimensional people who you could care less about. Each of them have very unique personalities which stand out.</div>
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Without giving too much away, because the book is so ripe with twists and turns, the book is more or less a vampire-romance. But unlike books like Twilight or its many clones, Zara's Curse doesn't keep the reader bogged down with incessant moping and brooding. Sure there is some of that, but not much.</div>
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Zara herself is a bold female character, who swoons a bit for her vampire crush, but at the same time exhibits inner strength and logic. Qualities that are almost devoid in most females who exist within the genre.</div>
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The character Twig--Zara's quirky hipster friend--offers more than just comic relief, although he has some of the best lines in the book. He is also a breath of fresh air, and more of a realistic portrayal of a guy than the oiled-chested beef-cakes who usually dominate these types of books.</div>
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The lead vampire character, Micah, who plays the target of Zara's affections, is mysterious and often amusing in his glib outlook on the world. His eccentric family are fun to hate. The sinister Damon Caspari is cunning and deeply disturbed. Micah's sister Vivian is also alluring in her oddness. She is elegant and subtly dangerous.</div>
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Then there is Drake. Micah's close friend who might just be the most twisted of the lot. On the surface he appears to be a jock with not much going on upstairs. But as Zara's Curse progresses, we start to come to grips with just how violent and evil Drake really is.</div>
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This is book one of a series entitled, Empire of Fangs, which is also written by Andrew Domonkos and slated to be released sometime in October. He is an exciting author whose sharp, dynamic style could give Twilight a run for its money.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17053327019261893130noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8105598964968083870.post-22533332383119734792013-11-18T13:37:00.004-08:002013-11-18T13:37:47.521-08:00Harry Potter Paperback Box Set Books 1-7<div style="text-align: justify;">
I, like a number of other people, accustomed to dislike Harry Potter. I'd never really browse the books, but for whatever reason looked lower on Potter fans, thinking these to be a little off color. I had been sure that the entire factor was highly overrated which it absolutely was blown way to avoid it of proportion (like Twilight).</div>
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I possibly could not have access to been more mistaken. I finally browse the books in the continuous advocating of the friend within my junior year of senior high school, and they've become my personal favorite books ever. I've already reread all seven books and was lined up for hrs to determine the night time premiere from the latest movie.</div>
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Just when was the final time you've read a magazine and instantly desired to get it and browse it again? It doesn't happen frequently.</div>
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I can't even begin to let you know how incredible these books are. They are not only very entertaining, but they're full of the key styles of excellent versus. evil, the energy of affection, and the need for good options. The figures within this book have end up part of my existence.</div>
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If you're whatsoever reluctant to see this series due to its classification like a fantasy' series, You can be assured that you won't be disappointed. Yes, it is all about magicians and miracle, but you'd be shocked at just how rapidly the storyline pulls you in.</div>
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I'm able to only request you to definitely PLEASE browse the first book. If you want it, keep reading through. Should you not, keep reading through. The books improve because they progress, and that i believe that the ultimate sections from the last book are the best reading through I've ever done.</div>
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Also, don't judge these books in the movies. Everyone recognizes that it is definitely much better than the film, and it is exactly the same situation here. The films are wonderful, but you have to browse the books to completely appreciate what's happening and be a real Potter fan.</div>
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Regardless if you are youthful or old and also you have not yet read any one of J.K. Rowling's wonderful number of books in regards to a youthful wizard named Harry Potter, this group of the very first six books will be a wonderful method to start your own journey.</div>
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Harry Potter's story starts using the 1997 book "Harry Potter and also the Sorcerer's Stone". At 11, he's been taken proper care of from the moment he was just one years old by his Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia, who've a young child that belongs to them named Dudley. They've taken proper care of Harry because their own parents, James and Lily Potter (Lily was Petunia's sister) were wiped out through the evil wizard The almighty Voldemort. The Dursleys want nothing related to miracle, and also, since Harry might be a wizard, they haven't treated him perfectly. However, right before Harry's eleventh birthday, he received instructions in the Hogwarts School of Wizardry and Witchcraft however the Dursleys will not allow him to browse the letter. More & more letters from Hogwarts arrive until from desperation, the Dursleys attempt to hightail it with Harry but they're easily found as well as on Harry's birthday, an enormous guy through the title of Hagrid involves personally deliver Harry's invitation from Hogwarts to review miracle. It is just then that Harry discovers that he's a wizard which the Dursleys had lied to him about how exactly his parents died. Harry leaves with Hagrid and starts his newbie at Hogwarts, where he makes his first true buddies: Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger. This is an exciting story as Harry discovers to experience quidditch, discovers products using the uncomfortable Professor Snape and becomes entangled in certain secret matters in the school. He might have an encounter with "He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named".</div>
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In 1999, Harry's story ongoing with "Harry Potter and also the Chamber of Secrets". At 12, Harry continues to be treated slightly better through the Dursleys over his summer time holiday, but things start to turn sour when an elf named Dobby all of a sudden seems in Harry's bed room to provide him a note: he shouldn't go back to Hogwarts this season. Not accepting the warning, Dobby makes mischief as the Dursleys are entertaining. Uncle Vernon puts bars on Harry's bed room window and will not allow him to go back to Hogwarts, but a flying vehicle transporting Ron Weasley and the siblings Fred and George arrive and save Harry. Harry's does finally reach Hogwarts, but students start to be assaulted by a mystery pressure and Harry begins to listen to strange voices. This is when they find out about popular area of the castle known only as "the chamber of secrets", where a horrible monster is stated to dwell. Will Hogwarts get shut lower, or can Harry and the buddies determine in which the chamber is? Consider Professor Gilderoy Lockhart and Moaning Myrtle.</div>
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And in 1999, Harry's adventures ongoing using the discharge of "Harry Potter and also the Prisoner of Azkaban". At 13, after Harry accidentally causes one of his other uncomfortable muggle aunties to inflate just like a balloon, he goes out in the Dursleys to hold back the finish of his summer time holidays elsewhere. Harry meets the Minister of Miracle themself, Cornelius Fudge, but he doesn't' get in danger for blowing up his aunt. Rather, there's something much more ominous: Sirius Black, a really harmful prisoner and charged killer, has steered clear of from Azkaban prison. Everybody at Hogwarts should be on guard, particularly with the dreaded dementors around the prowl searching for Sirius. While Ron & Harry can't know how Hermione is dealing with all her classes (some classes simultaneously), Sirius Black is searching for Harry. When Harry discovers who Sirius Black is, he goes ballistic but things might not continually be because they appear.</div>
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In 2000, at 14, Harry starts his 4th year at Hogwarts within the book "Harry Potter and also the Cup of firesideInch. It is really an unusual year at Hogwarts: rather than the typical quidditch matches between your four houses, an worldwide Tri-Wizarding Tournament will be held. Restricted to only upper-class students, everybody is shocked when Harry is known as to become one of their participants. The Tri-Wizarding Tournament is sort of harmful to the participants, but Hermione finds herself within an affair having a world-famous quidditch player who's representing his school within the Tournament. Meanwhile, Harry begins to possess his first teenaged romance having a girl named Cho Chang, but his existence is complicated as he starts to see strange visions of snakes and "He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named". What's "He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named" doing? Harry will without doubt be caught within the thick from it also it may hinder the Tournament!</div>
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In 2003, at 15, Harry's adventures continue in "Harry Potter and also the Order from the Phoenix". Following the occasions that conclude the prior book, Harry saves themself and the cousin Dudley from two dementors close to the Dursleys home. In danger for getting used miracle being an underage wizard, Harry is introduced before a court in the Secretary of state for Miracle. Because of Professor Dumbledore, Harry's attendance at Hogwarts is saved, however the Secretary of state for Miracle thinks Harry is really a liar. To help keep a lid on Harry & Dumbledore, the Ministry helps make the lives of Hogwarts' staff and students (especially Harry) miserable using the arrival of Professor Dolores Umbridge direct in the Ministry. Besides she personally make Harry's existence miserable, Harry needs to take extra training from Professor Snape! However, something which The almighty Voldemort frantically wants takes his gang of Dying People as well as their fight using the To the key halls from the Ministry itself producing a terrible cost for Harry.</div>
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In 2005, at 16, Harry starts his sixth year at Hogwarts within the lengthy-looked forward to book "Harry Potter and also the Half-Bloodstream Prince". After making it through Professor Umbridge and also the terrible occasions from the fifth book, the reputations of Professor Dumbledore and Harry happen to be restored because the Secretary of state for Miracle continues to be forced to handle the growing quantity of attacks around England in the Dying People. Actually, Cornelius Fudge continues to be changed through the more capable Rufus Scrimgeour because the new Minister of Miracle. Professor Dumbledore themself gets to the Dursley's the place to find take Harry and it has a really interesting discussion together. Also, he informs Harry that he'll be giving Harry private training throughout his sixth year. These training concentrate on teaching Harry about Voldemort's existence story, as well as Professor Dumbledore remember. While Harry, Ron and Hermione convey more homework than ever before, Voldemort's war rages along with a deadly plot is hatched which involves Draco Malfoy and Professor Snape leading to Harry being confronted with one of the very most difficult encounters of his existence. Choices will be made which will have significant implications for J.K. Rowling's seventh and final (yet un named) book within the Harry Potter series.</div>
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Overall, I rate J.K. Rowling's first six Harry Potter books having a resounding 5 from 5 stars and recommend them. You also will understand what Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff and Slytherin are and some from the secrets about Hogwarts and it is magical world. You may even stumbled upon a hippogryph named Buckbeak, a spider named Aragog, a werewolf along with a wide range of engaging figures. I greatly anticipate reading through the seventh and final book.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17053327019261893130noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8105598964968083870.post-22334060561289177242013-11-18T13:37:00.001-08:002013-11-18T13:37:04.495-08:00Setting Up Book Signings on Your Own<div style="text-align: justify;">
Getting a book signing can be a great way to increase your notoriety as well as to develop some extra marketing for your books. However, when you decide to self publish, you must act as your own marketing agent. Even if you decide to go with a traditional publishing house, you will still need to make sure that you handle most of the advertising yourself since the publishing houses do not offer much for the majority of their authors.</div>
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Setting up a book signing can be time-consuming, but it isn't that difficult. You'll need to make sure that you research your options, and then you'll have to go about convincing a venue to give you the chance. Fortunately, you don't have to be a best-selling novelist to accomplish this.</div>
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Research Possible Venues </div>
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While a bookstore provides a fantastic place for a book signing and can lead to increase sales for both your books and other authors, you can also have a book signing at a convention, library, event day, conference, or anywhere else that people who might be interested in your book frequent. Some authors even have book signings in grocery stores. The key is to look at your book and see where you are likely to run into people who want to buy it.</div>
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When researching the possible venues, start with places that you have connections to. For instance, look at your own hometown and see who might be interested in allowing you to have a book signing. The local author hits it big is always a popular theme, and your local library as well as a number of other associations and organizations might be more than happy to help you out in this regard.</div>
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Try to Talk in Person </div>
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When you decide on the possible venues that might be interested in your book, try to talk to the owners in person. While phone calls and emails are good, an in person conversation will generally reveal more. Set up an appointment if you don't know the person well. Regardless, make sure to make the meeting as quick and as convenient as possible. You don't need to prepare a long sales pitch. You will just want to explain what you want to accomplish and how you will help the venue do that. If you can demonstrate the benefits that the venue will receive from your book signing, then be sure to mention these as well.</div>
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Offer Your Own Books </div>
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Unless you're dealing with a bookstore, the venue probably will not have copies of your book. Make sure that it's clear you will supply the books for them. While most places may assume that you will do this, you can make it sound like an added negotiation point by assuring them that you provide all of the copies. Emphasize the fact that the business will not suffer any losses. Do not, under any circumstance, charge the venue for your unsold books.</div>
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Assist with the Promotions </div>
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Make sure that you assist with all the promotions. Contact newspapers and news networks as well as magazines that cater to your target audience in the area. You won't get acceptances from all of them, but you will get some positive responses, hopefully. The key is to build up as much momentum as you can. Maximize your contacts on your social media platforms, and coordinate with the venue for promotions. Most venues do not have a large budget for this kind of advertising, and so expect getting the word out to fall squarely on your shoulders.</div>
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Setting up a book signing is as simple as finding a venue that is going to allow you to host a signing. You don't have to be a best-selling novelist. To find a venue, research your possible venues and then try to talk to the owners in person. Make sure that you offer your own books so that they don't have to suffer any losses. Then take the time to assist in the promotions and marketing so you can get the best turnout you can.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17053327019261893130noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8105598964968083870.post-83486997889887713432013-11-18T13:36:00.002-08:002013-11-18T13:36:45.876-08:00The Storyteller<div style="text-align: justify;">
With the onset of digital books, there has never been a more exciting time for reading, whenever and wherever you happen to be. It has also opened up a more fun way for children's reading material. Although there are still those of us, me included, who love the feel and the smell of an actual paper book in our hands.</div>
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I do believe there is a writer in all of us and it takes no special reasoning to realise that from the moment we awake in the morning, we technically begin our own story. There are many of us that record our daily stories in diaries for our own personal outlet, but mainly most of us are unaware that every day we tell a different life story and if we put it all down onto paper, it would probably read like a famous soap opera!</div>
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If you could become aware that you are creating your own stories in your daily life and then read them back, would it be a story you would really like to live? Would you change it if you could? These are questions I am asking myself right now and I am giving myself some very interesting answers, along with some great challenges for change! How many books have you read, that you thought could have benefited from certain changes to the plot, to make it more exciting, more fun, more adventurous, perhaps even more romantic? We are certainly very interested in the daily lives of others, whether they happen to be famous or your neighbour next door and the tendency to be judgmental and critical, seems to be one of our undesirable facets.</div>
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Perhaps taking more interest in our own lives first, would be far more beneficial and positive, not only to us as individuals, but to others' as a whole. Whether we like it or not, we are not all the same, our likes, dislikes, opinions, ambitions, preferences and even perceptions can be radically different from each-other. I find this extremely interesting and exciting, as it is an opportunity to look at the world from a different perspective and allows the expansion of knowledge and experience that we all crave! Which is why, now and again, I move away from my favourite authors and book topics and try something completely new.</div>
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Whilst trawling the bookstores for an 'out of my box' experience, I came across the series of books by Terry Pratchett. I obviously had heard of him, but never have I been drawn towards his books, before now. I took a leap into the unknown, for me that is, and purchased his novel called 'Snuff'. I have no idea what to expect, but am very excited about the unfolding of the story. Hopefully I will be back to share the snippets of my new found genre.</div>
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So, whether it is a book based on a true story or purely from the imagination of the writer, or perhaps even your own story, there is nothing more blissful than sitting down with a good book!</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17053327019261893130noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8105598964968083870.post-21527368055102918842013-11-18T13:35:00.001-08:002013-11-18T13:35:44.362-08:00Mind Control Attacks in The Verity Key<div style="text-align: justify;">
Mind control is a favourite staple of the technohorror stories that characterise the cyberpunk genre. The possibility that a technology could be invented that might intrude upon a person's most intimate space is a modern interpretation of the old fears of witches and warlocks. This article looks at three examples of mind control exhibited in the cyberpunk novel The Verity Key.</div>
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The first is a basic and overt display of psychological black magic, as seen in Chapter Three. The story's protagonist, Jonty Gillespie, is taking refuge among a group of cybercultists when he is approached by the intelligence agent Richard Nordmark. The cultists, in an attempt to dispel the agent's presence without physical conflict, embark in a ritual war dance.</div>
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Although this ultimately proved ineffective in the story, the same approach is used every day in real life. Any display of physical or mental power might induce fear in any weaker person who saw it, even if it was as little as striding confidently along a path in expensive clothing.</div>
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The second is also overt but is much more intrusive. In Chapter Six, Jonty has been taken prisoner by the security services when some psychologists tasked with breaking down his resistance introduce him to a device called The Red. This apparatus forces the user into virtual reality environment that generates a horrorshow of believable impressions in order to cripple him with fear and self-hatred.</div>
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When encased inside the chamber of The Red, the subject of it entirely forgets that they're in a virtual environment, meaning that the illusion is not only believable but can have the effect of traumatising its victim. The effect of The Red is such that the demoralising effect of the illusions creeps into Jonty's subconscious, meaning that he must strive to find peace and dignity again.</div>
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The third is more subtle and is only achievable by use of the Verity Key itself, a device that offers its controller the ability to remotely usurp the minds of other people and to control their behaviour. Although the exact mechanism of the Verity Key's control is not explained in the novel, its effects are described as allowing the consciousness of the user to replace that of the target so that the body and mind of the target come under the user's control.</div>
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The disturbing thing about this level of technology is that it could operate on a person without them being aware that they were being manipulated. Subtle things like memories, beliefs and attitudes could be imperceptibly removed (or added), causing the target to think that they had made decisions about things when they really had not.</div>
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Because people are so complex, and their motivations overlap in all manner of ways, any malicious force that took control of their mind would be nearly impossible to detect. For this reason, the remote mind control attacks described in The Verity Key are an example of the future possibilities of literature opened up by the reality of scientific and technological advancement.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17053327019261893130noreply@blogger.com