tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28512689659337938602023-11-16T02:01:26.359-05:00In case I get famousAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03092893374986482194noreply@blogger.comBlogger123125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2851268965933793860.post-23195333133114055592015-01-06T13:09:00.000-05:002015-05-21T20:39:47.627-04:00Getting with it<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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It's 2015. Time to get with the times. I'm moving this blog to tumblr.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://melsurani.tumblr.com/">http://melsurani.tumblr.com</a></span></div>
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Go there.<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03092893374986482194noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2851268965933793860.post-26927942134019824792015-01-01T10:24:00.000-05:002015-01-01T10:24:14.203-05:00Best books of 2014<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
Or rather, the best books I read in 2014. I rarely get to anything the year it's released because as good as this year's stuff is, last year had good stuff and 10 years ago, etc. I also re-read a thing or two, because there's always something you miss the first time through.<div>
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<a href="http://melaniesurani.blogspot.com/2014/12/the-princess-bride.html" target="_blank">The Princess Bride</a></div>
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<br /></div>
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The Unwritten (<a href="http://melaniesurani.blogspot.com/2014/07/the-unwritten.html" target="_blank">pt 1</a>)(<a href="http://melaniesurani.blogspot.com/2014/08/the-unwritten-pt-2.html" target="_blank">pt 2</a>)</div>
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<a href="http://melaniesurani.blogspot.com/2014/07/broken-monsters.html" target="_blank">Broken Monsters</a></div>
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<a href="http://melaniesurani.blogspot.com/2014/05/the-shining.html" target="_blank">The Shining</a></div>
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I also had a chance to re-visit <a href="http://melaniesurani.blogspot.com/search/label/The%20Silent%20Treatment" target="_blank">The Silent Treatment</a>. It got a snazzy re-edit and a new cover. I might never be able to stop touching this book, but maybe now that I've worked out some of the major kinks (really the only serious kink was its boring beginning), I can work on getting something new released. </div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03092893374986482194noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2851268965933793860.post-70019394105402862742015-01-01T10:04:00.000-05:002015-01-01T10:50:18.569-05:00Funny things I found last year<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
From multiple places online. This is not my work.<br />
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<a href="http://themetapicture.com/not-this-month-uterus/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQQsuBeavgwBvoSyGwBPCRIDSLci1tPkl6ZBfqbALGpDjnK9u-l9wTRrFUKFYuHGO8N1BHWZiwxfsiJ9Ka0N48mp0JFmnMO_Fl0ZYVFwRnHJP6UROy5sFvsDz4bMP6_obofZgC_8y-VMI/s1600/uterus.jpg" height="320" width="160" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLXsFACoXEqwdkM8MOigJWX4FLm78wMCY33IwLYfCytVz_MffeyNX9zqky4zH2IovAQVmBsJUtfIOShgw-iatjt3fCN0Y7sBdhgS-FUkALC7IY_EsBMd0OaAKT_L8HVNShEllNARXg37A/s1600/deark+circles.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLXsFACoXEqwdkM8MOigJWX4FLm78wMCY33IwLYfCytVz_MffeyNX9zqky4zH2IovAQVmBsJUtfIOShgw-iatjt3fCN0Y7sBdhgS-FUkALC7IY_EsBMd0OaAKT_L8HVNShEllNARXg37A/s1600/deark+circles.jpg" height="320" width="228" /></a></div>
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*offensive ending to this strip. Click to see the whole thing.</div>
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<a href="http://themetapicture.com/yep-we-can-all-relate-to-this/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8ss5dteU9aqMQ9ZnlzzX9MZDzMfR_AC-l7GeP6IkQcNFZ0hmIVNjhxAD6k22_M4nHNLWeCyr_Pnb-U-4p7LN8-jU-rOff_fz4C1yZRAbygjBOz7T59CY0IzeopYTJjFKLGZ9YMJQTjss/s1600/crying+baby.jpg" height="640" width="206" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">p.s. If you like this, head over <a href="http://melaniesurani.blogspot.com/p/no-baby.html" target="_blank">here</a></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH54sMFZ8xIGr1y87hu8fR9OCWIDKD23kOIiRFeuYEW7IwjgzeIGbd7DJvIAS-JY9EhlSk-63vvKnmzFYV8U1d98flTjeSBrsN6ZrrocTSuHwMcfIySzDzHKYrukywbvDsuCiRiQzB3Ws/s1600/jenkins.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH54sMFZ8xIGr1y87hu8fR9OCWIDKD23kOIiRFeuYEW7IwjgzeIGbd7DJvIAS-JY9EhlSk-63vvKnmzFYV8U1d98flTjeSBrsN6ZrrocTSuHwMcfIySzDzHKYrukywbvDsuCiRiQzB3Ws/s1600/jenkins.jpg" height="200" width="180" /></a></div>
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A bit pointless, this post. Hooray!</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03092893374986482194noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2851268965933793860.post-50489439650692540992014-12-22T18:00:00.002-05:002014-12-22T18:15:09.757-05:00How To Get Rid of an Earworm<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Legend has it there's a song out there that will <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gloomy_Sunday#Urban_legends">cause the listener to commit suicide</a>. Because I'm a glutton for punishment, I listened to the song. (I know.)<br />
<br />
It's called <i>Gloomy Sunday</i>, originally written in Hungarian by Rezső Seress in 1933. The idea that a song can be so emotionally gripping that someone would actually end their life because of listening to it really got my imagination going. I read about it, listened to many versions of it (because if so many people are still recording it, surely not everyone killed themselves) and found it so, so beautiful.<br />
<br />
Here's what happened as a result of that little science experiment: I got a fucking earworm. What's the one song you never, ever want stuck in your head? The one that might kill you through repeated listens. After the third straight day of having it stuck, I thought, <i>maybe this is how it kills you: it gets in and doesn't leave and you have to shoot yourself.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
This hasn't happened severely since then. Sure, I get a song stuck in my head, but mostly it's something I like and it disappears after a few minutes.<br />
<br />
Saturday, I went to a Christmas party and someone played Prince's <i>Kiss</i> a few times -- a song I generally dislike. Well, everyone at the party went nuts singing and dancing and in basic agreement that a prissy little man is sexually attractive to women.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51CdIeNRkoL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51CdIeNRkoL.jpg" height="318" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Like we yanked the bathroom door open without knocking.</td></tr>
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For the next 2 days (up until this very minute), I've had that song constantly playing in my head. It's making me irritable and stabby.<br />
<br />
So how do I get rid of it? After looking up several solutions online, these are the best ideas anyone has:<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Do an activity that works out the brain, like a puzzle/teaser, or reading an engrossing novel. Nothing too taxing, nothing too easy.</li>
<li>Listen to the offending piece all the way through so that the song finds a natural ending.</li>
<li>Listen to a different, equally catchy song.</li>
</ul>
<div>
If those solutions don't work you can shoot yourself and the song will be gone forever.</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://wp.production.patheos.com/blogs/formerlyfundie/files/2014/06/hell23.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://wp.production.patheos.com/blogs/formerlyfundie/files/2014/06/hell23.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Unless that's what Hell is. Maybe don't risk it.</td></tr>
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I tried suggestions 1 and 3 with limited success. Because the song <i>Kiss </i>is like nails down a chalkboard, I was reluctant to call it up online and have yet another listen. Desperate times...</div>
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Here's what I found on YouTube:</div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/ofkGaKtnDwg" width="420"></iframe>
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<br />
Maybe I'm still a 90's teenager at heart, but I like this song, and thought my prayers were answered that I didn't have to listen to Prince. I shut my eyes and played this video a few times thinking that's where the madness ended. 15 minutes later, though, <i>Kiss</i> was back. I even listened to <i>Gloomy Sunday</i> a few times, because even if it got stuck again, at least I find that song beautiful.<br />
<br />
Actually, listen to this tiny girl sing it. It'll make you cry.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/2da7N6ADm9s" width="560"></iframe>
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<br />
Now at least I've listened to enough music all day trying to shove out that damn earworm that maybe it'll perish sometime tonight.<br />
<br />
Please add your favorite earworm-killing tactics in the comments section. </div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03092893374986482194noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2851268965933793860.post-55546162905987520632014-12-15T18:22:00.000-05:002014-12-15T18:22:44.060-05:00The Princess Bride<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00IWTWOI2/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00IWTWOI2&linkCode=as2&tag=nicedream0f-20&linkId=3ARWWPWHXNHLRTJ2" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B00IWTWOI2&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=nicedream0f-20" /></a>Last year at <a href="http://melaniesurani.blogspot.com/2014/06/bookcon-2014.html" target="_blank">BookCon</a>, I caught a fleeting glimpse of Cary Elwes signing his new book (I got a better look at Grumpy Cat, though I didn't stand in line to rumple her fur). Because the convention was a study in chaos and agoraphobia, I didn't get to ruffle his glorious hair or anything. I only just got around to reading the book a few weeks ago.<br />
<br />
Maybe it was the Kindle formatting, but some of the quotes in the book from other actors/crew seemed out of place in the narrative. Beyond that, it was quite an enjoyable read. Made me want to watch the movie again -- especially when he pointed out quirky things that happened during this scene or that one.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0156035219/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0156035219&linkCode=as2&tag=nicedream0f-20&linkId=BVOO5P5Y3ODRYUEU" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=0156035219&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=nicedream0f-20" /></a>So I did. Really, it doesn't matter how many times a person watches <i>The Princess Bride</i>, it never gets old. Not to let the moment go or anything, I read the original book by William Goldman <a href="http://melaniesurani.blogspot.com/2011/09/ten-years.html" target="_blank">again</a> right after that. So much of the plot and dialogue is identical to the movie, but enough is different that I forgot some passages (the Zoo of Death, anyone?). The first time I read the book, I was struck by how funny it was. This time, I felt more of the heartbreak. The lovers are separated (first by distance, then by death). But when they get back together and she faces either death or separation from her love again, she says she can live without love and leaves him.<br />
<br />
So if it were me and the guy I loved so much said he could live without love and left with another chick to save his own life, it would hurt way too much and I would try not to think about him ever again. But instead, Westley is captured at that point, tortured, and in order to survive, he thinks of Buttercup and that gets him through (well, up to a point). Made me wonder if Buttercup was really worth what she was getting. Maybe there was little she could do, but she kind of did nothing but hope really hard she would be rescued. But the whole point of the book (and he says it several times) is that life isn't fair.<br />
<br />
I always think I need to read a new book. I watch TV shows and movies over and over again, so why not books? They're always amazing the second (or third) time through -- always something else to be gotten from them, like they've changed since you've been away. I'm thinking maybe <i>The Neverending Story</i> next to keep with my 80s fantasy movie kick.<br />
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<img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=nicedream0f-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B00IWTWOI2" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />
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<img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=nicedream0f-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0156035219" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03092893374986482194noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2851268965933793860.post-36575769556874672432014-12-10T15:30:00.002-05:002014-12-22T18:21:22.722-05:00The Morning After -- Last Call!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
EDIT: It's too late.<br />
<br />
Publishing is, in a nutshell, a bitch.<br />
<br />
First, you pour your heart into writing something. Then you submit that piece (or a synopsis of it) to countless publishers, magazines, and agents. Most of the time you'll get a resounding "no" (or silence) for all your trouble. But then someone says yes. And it's glorious. Your story goes into print, nobody, but nobody buys it, and it goes out of print.<br />
<br />
So is the fate of <i>The Morning After</i>. Got some great reviews, but ::raspberry::<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs148rVlaacWjMk-npx13iU66qbsN7ECTCGftE7wG5c5kdfWcsDmbVU00yG8IMlh8KyWE6qh54ftXcoGEFpnWPCBVj6_PcEcylgjNYJI7IYGbv_05RBwrHZxU-PQJrlow6knMwnYe_YXM/s1600/better+cover.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs148rVlaacWjMk-npx13iU66qbsN7ECTCGftE7wG5c5kdfWcsDmbVU00yG8IMlh8KyWE6qh54ftXcoGEFpnWPCBVj6_PcEcylgjNYJI7IYGbv_05RBwrHZxU-PQJrlow6knMwnYe_YXM/s1600/better+cover.jpg" height="320" width="212" /></a></div>
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December is the last month it will be available for sale. After that, I'm not sure what I'll do with it. I could send it to another magazine/small publisher and hope for better results (including that they don't go out of business, like has happened with 2 of my other publications), or I can publish it myself.<br />
<br />
So anyway. Head to <a href="http://store.untreedreads.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=7_48_698&products_id=289" target="_blank">Untreed Reads </a>and pick it up for 50¢ (if you like spending more, go to any other ebook retailer and pay 99¢. Either way, I get the same fraction of a dollar as compensation.)</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03092893374986482194noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2851268965933793860.post-69505649923474920962014-12-03T12:22:00.000-05:002014-12-03T12:26:43.559-05:00New Avenues (and a Chapter 1)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="280" src="http://embed.wattpad.com/story/24426783" width="500"></iframe></div>
<br />
<a href="http://www.wattpad.com/story/24426783-the-silent-treatment" target="_blank">Giving Wattpad a try.</a> If you like eyestrain but hate paying for books, my novel is there (and above in the widget)!<br />
For those of you who enjoy a file they can put on their Kindle (or other device), head on over to <a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/130716" target="_blank">Smashwords and pick up a copy</a>. Paperback coming soon.<br />
<br />
Now, I realize to get good sales, I've got to shove this thing down your collective throats. I did that in the past and honestly, it got me nowhere. Expect the occasional "buy my book!" tweet, but I can't be a 24/7 commercial.<br />
<br />
A lot of love has gone into <i>The Silent Treatment</i>. As some of you know, it was available previously, and then mysteriously out of print. An author can never really leave well enough alone with her own work, so I re-edited the whole thing (including a new first chapter), and gave it a shiny new cover.<br />
<br />
During the re-edit, I realized how much I love this story. It's not just the silent film angle, it's the budding romance and the family angst. I've also realized that I probably couldn't write southern dialogue today like I did back then. I was amazed at how little the characters cussed (compared to the still-unpublished <i>Awake</i>, which is much more New York in its vocabulary), which is pretty typical of that region.<br />
<br />
Anyway, I'm hoping those of you who thought the beginning of the novel wasn't quite gripping enough will give it another shot. Recommend it to your friends if you like it -- word of mouth is everything to an indie author. Write a review if you can be bothered.<br />
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And here's a nice closeup of the new cover. A lot of anguish went into its creation, but I'm certain I've got something good.<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDOdeEHKuOV_RRvm8zF1Vk79TzmbRY8lE7E0TP27MgdVWMk6Px4m6DyrFGR0uVwpS2hvQ_FgethuxJaBKAtL_e4G9cP6jSDmiM0nbV7OSdNEcIN4rhaYO7puePlS1ryEgMEn0PaftBqBA/s1600/Untitled.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDOdeEHKuOV_RRvm8zF1Vk79TzmbRY8lE7E0TP27MgdVWMk6Px4m6DyrFGR0uVwpS2hvQ_FgethuxJaBKAtL_e4G9cP6jSDmiM0nbV7OSdNEcIN4rhaYO7puePlS1ryEgMEn0PaftBqBA/s1600/Untitled.jpg" height="640" width="440" /></a></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03092893374986482194noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2851268965933793860.post-45808699676236207712014-11-25T11:18:00.001-05:002014-11-25T11:18:15.841-05:00Adventures in the Middle East<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://media.liveauctiongroup.net/i/8723/9981601_1.jpg?v=8CD4EA7B2330120" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://media.liveauctiongroup.net/i/8723/9981601_1.jpg?v=8CD4EA7B2330120" height="247" width="320" /></a></div>
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My interest in the "mysterious east" probably started with Disney's Aladdin back in *mumble* when I saw it in the theater with my mom and sister. Flying carpets, genies, great monsters made out of sand ... Sultans and Allah and tigers as pets: that stuff isn't real, but it sure was exciting to watch.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i4.mirror.co.uk/incoming/article882979.ece/alternates/s615/Michael%20Jamison%20and%20girlfriend%20Jackie%20Smit%20have%20one%20year%20old%20pet%20bengal%20tiger%20%22Enzo%22" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://i4.mirror.co.uk/incoming/article882979.ece/alternates/s615/Michael%20Jamison%20and%20girlfriend%20Jackie%20Smit%20have%20one%20year%20old%20pet%20bengal%20tiger%20%22Enzo%22" height="212" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">uhh...</td></tr>
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But that stuff (some of it) is really out there. And though I didn't see one single cheetah on a leash, I experienced some pretty fancy stuff.<div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpkzShYTLoU_Al5V_kKIXaww6WmBgguIzMISTkrxXLpb_9jmO6ETloHxAKOKgfIAMXdPYWQylBMTi3ptZYA19xUh6cTUSv2bbrcCYaTyOhN3qStUGpvmrkZkNapHFETSCIyZWFiCe4d-E/s1600/IMG_20141116_171156.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpkzShYTLoU_Al5V_kKIXaww6WmBgguIzMISTkrxXLpb_9jmO6ETloHxAKOKgfIAMXdPYWQylBMTi3ptZYA19xUh6cTUSv2bbrcCYaTyOhN3qStUGpvmrkZkNapHFETSCIyZWFiCe4d-E/s1600/IMG_20141116_171156.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">starry night on the plane</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">before the crowd</td></tr>
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Last week, I finally got the opportunity to visit Dubai, and I flew the wonderful Emirates to get there.</div>
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The food onboard is delicious, the seats are comfortable, and they keep first class on another floor so they don't flaunt their good fortune in our faces.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEyQmcTJIbMRRJ5yERTzSrQeJcPgQefowrqKylK-EU1fc9Ev38zK87MKFWZlhpoI8sLgg1MFRfEUyq6HnN3KzaOZh7u5168_QvMl5aYEqV2ly77Na5CIgIO81hjEOiyIe1M8FevUFDXdI/s1600/IMG_20141118_001938.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEyQmcTJIbMRRJ5yERTzSrQeJcPgQefowrqKylK-EU1fc9Ev38zK87MKFWZlhpoI8sLgg1MFRfEUyq6HnN3KzaOZh7u5168_QvMl5aYEqV2ly77Na5CIgIO81hjEOiyIe1M8FevUFDXdI/s1600/IMG_20141118_001938.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dubai from the air<span style="text-align: left;"> </span></td></tr>
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Our hotel was nicer than our apartment at home. One bedroom, 2 bath, kitchen, living room, and a view of one of the plainer mosques in the city.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8XjjtH9n5e8bJARonKqrjDLS21_Nuc4pm0jHgpbjNQG4vY7HS1jn-xA4gtCmddb_GbEvZRqCMn-ZoIaBIGuqJZosmvKz-UvfEmd07iWAZsbgnnZQ-xM6yejyMgITcJDaPKSuLhISoqeE/s1600/IMG_20141118_064145.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8XjjtH9n5e8bJARonKqrjDLS21_Nuc4pm0jHgpbjNQG4vY7HS1jn-xA4gtCmddb_GbEvZRqCMn-ZoIaBIGuqJZosmvKz-UvfEmd07iWAZsbgnnZQ-xM6yejyMgITcJDaPKSuLhISoqeE/s1600/IMG_20141118_064145.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">still pretty</td></tr>
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The first morning, I woke up at 5 with a "what the hell is that??" feeling. It was the call to prayer, which I'd never heard in its natural habitat before. The second morning, I slept right through. Just like church bells, I really enjoyed listening to the call for prayer throughout the da<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">y.</span><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"> In NYC, no religion is "good" ("follow your own thing and don't talk about it" is the general attitude), so it was nice to have at least one openly celebrated. No one bothered me to cover my head (I didn't go into any mosques) or treated me badly because of my race or gender. There are a ton of tourists and expats, so I never felt out of place.</span></div>
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The weather was another thing. I've never really been in a desert climate before, so I wasn't prepared for how dry my lips and sinuses would get. I was constantly thirsty. Evenings were mild, almost cool, and daytime sizzled. During both parts of the day, the air conditioner ran full blast, bringing back to mind the head-exploding sensation I had growing up in Memphis when I went from scorching to freezing in 2 seconds. Everything from the malls to the subway stations to the bus stops to certain covered street crossings are air conditioned. </div>
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And here's something about the subways: there are doors on the platform keeping the cool air in, and nothing at all anywhere smelled of urine. Everything was clean. I think there were 2 homeless people in the whole city.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheGpnQzm35-7fp9lG1eFF-0oiaA3vIiFXmguhCit4Wo1z7mtu6KOrLscR2JIKh-cI0ixLwWoC5TBMP57ZnDrzdlR779lmCKkE9x3RzNB4eqvNSP6d5vfb2ZIStW8uMhrsTyNa8tgVeXpY/s1600/20141121_130230.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheGpnQzm35-7fp9lG1eFF-0oiaA3vIiFXmguhCit4Wo1z7mtu6KOrLscR2JIKh-cI0ixLwWoC5TBMP57ZnDrzdlR779lmCKkE9x3RzNB4eqvNSP6d5vfb2ZIStW8uMhrsTyNa8tgVeXpY/s1600/20141121_130230.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dubai vs...</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNcOaY8yhRumM2-EQ0QoBMCvKcwyl8nVg6r4HtHDr88WBWojl7_MkmGSxu2mExo7QUr3eKP9D623uv_QMoTUBvhC4APnI0KL4Au5qUvvL98_Pik7kxEksCpPgp213slnugGhfDjmM6zUA/s1600/20141107_202550_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNcOaY8yhRumM2-EQ0QoBMCvKcwyl8nVg6r4HtHDr88WBWojl7_MkmGSxu2mExo7QUr3eKP9D623uv_QMoTUBvhC4APnI0KL4Au5qUvvL98_Pik7kxEksCpPgp213slnugGhfDjmM6zUA/s1600/20141107_202550_HDR.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What the actual fuck, New York?</td></tr>
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But it is hot outside, and BO is inevitable.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4VU0B0G4cAV7rM-EPl4jcWU0S4fe5UMM1u5vCKqsJ2DPOhe3RxxRKfslA6bY7FSEZl05wUfy3c7zDICBDO9u486vZYixkyyfZSuRnZYCNJxCTY1bGoPPTUBeeg-qlozvtHeG4eYbp_FE/s1600/IMG_20141122_131055.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4VU0B0G4cAV7rM-EPl4jcWU0S4fe5UMM1u5vCKqsJ2DPOhe3RxxRKfslA6bY7FSEZl05wUfy3c7zDICBDO9u486vZYixkyyfZSuRnZYCNJxCTY1bGoPPTUBeeg-qlozvtHeG4eYbp_FE/s1600/IMG_20141122_131055.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a>During rush hour, the "Ladies and Families Only" sections are very nice. It's not that a woman won't squish right up on you when there's no space (they will ... everyone will), but for some reason it feels safer than when a man's big, stupid elbow is taking up unnecessary space right at boob level. Though women have their own section, they are free to move throughout the train if they wish -- they're just given some breathing room away from guys. The only thing better would be a <a href="http://melaniesurani.blogspot.com/2013/09/choices.html" target="_blank">"no babies"</a> section.<br />
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The NYC subway upsets me because I'm usually on it during rush hour, and people smush right up on me for the whole hour and a half trip. Enter anxiety attack. Dubai's subway was just as crowded every time I got on. At one stop, I needed to stay on the car, but almost everyone else got off. There was nowhere for me to get out of the way, so they pushed and streamed around in a torrent, and I think I actually screamed in trample-induced panic. Now, romantic human contact is strictly forbidden, but at that moment, my husband pulled me away from the crowd and gave me a big "calm the fuck down" hug. I've never realized how much he and I touch and kiss each other in public. Nothing graphic, just a peck, a hug, a head on the shoulder. They're automatic responses, so when one of us would say something cute and go in for a kiss, we'd both catch ourselves and step away. This particular time, I stayed in the hug and wished I could go one single day without being crowd-tortured.<br />
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Anyone who visits New York knows you don't make eye contact on the subway (or pretty much anywhere else). Not so in Dubai. People will look you up and down, make eye contact and generally stare. I'm white and my husband is Indian (the majority in Dubai), and we both had the same experience. While it's weird, nobody approached or bothered me, and absolutely no one catcalled me. I'm guessing staring isn't rude in this culture, so I gave myself permission to look at the people around me, and it was nice.</div>
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You can always pick out the Emiratis because they wear white gowns with white or red checked headscarves. I'm not sure what the Emirati women wear. Probably the full black niqab? The abayas and hijabs were so beautiful -- but in the heat I can't understand how they do it. I saw a few women wearing a full face covering -- like a big piece of chiffon draped over their head and face that they can see through. It's eerie and gorgeous.<br />
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<b>The Dubai Mall</b></div>
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If you like shopping, Dubai is the place to be. And because it's hot, there are malls everywhere. The one I liked best was the Mall of Dubai with its aquarium, souk, and various themed areas. You can enjoy this place without spending any money at all.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMI6CCnw2MMDcDWsewoKbCfdLgH3M7yq7e2lHVbH3T0BOpuGM0rj6zsVQqEG4OkTwtgSeqjV87IGFlRhPFomlKVhIGaGSPNThV8QdA8sKF6MVBLgjzGd8_xNS2g4fdV5YUfPAtnB0TJK4/s1600/IMG_20141118_180608.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMI6CCnw2MMDcDWsewoKbCfdLgH3M7yq7e2lHVbH3T0BOpuGM0rj6zsVQqEG4OkTwtgSeqjV87IGFlRhPFomlKVhIGaGSPNThV8QdA8sKF6MVBLgjzGd8_xNS2g4fdV5YUfPAtnB0TJK4/s1600/IMG_20141118_180608.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sharks at the mall<span style="text-align: left;"> </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMSAUnXBJZmZ2WiHKIw9yaxDmfhMFb002v4nZc1_BdFU5aMz1GdetvUbpkJtX3QZENPGtXD36b-nTGWuzzqrTs-dibofaiVn1dynwDc9PqtB7G8KDrqDhhLYYL_OdNVJSbkhcSHEcCI8g/s1600/IMG_20141118_181316.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMSAUnXBJZmZ2WiHKIw9yaxDmfhMFb002v4nZc1_BdFU5aMz1GdetvUbpkJtX3QZENPGtXD36b-nTGWuzzqrTs-dibofaiVn1dynwDc9PqtB7G8KDrqDhhLYYL_OdNVJSbkhcSHEcCI8g/s1600/IMG_20141118_181316.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Souk area</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzRzG6qpagSvU_MgUOI5WPIxCaIktBd-iG9IhNU2tnnbbivHTSR-CXsjF4gNlX4vJyqtTdkIVWlyuBXI5nnGOSuajaWWXNX6OKlbcsoCV3ubT5dDEIxo6wA2jgnF35sRBrvl3jNDRbtoY/s1600/IMG_20141118_220737.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzRzG6qpagSvU_MgUOI5WPIxCaIktBd-iG9IhNU2tnnbbivHTSR-CXsjF4gNlX4vJyqtTdkIVWlyuBXI5nnGOSuajaWWXNX6OKlbcsoCV3ubT5dDEIxo6wA2jgnF35sRBrvl3jNDRbtoY/s1600/IMG_20141118_220737.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A waterfall with diving statues</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsOpPFIjMyfwSzHrloyJX2rrp7SsNZ_kmQWWiZfuHeigTInqr7xxeMwrLPh79U9o87VgKlKfco8dHO3vckWx_gLGe2hrTinMIeL4fcpS_ZiK-nVekvEuPqPLFy9AOPYDqYRqmKDhktUzI/s1600/IMG_20141120_041248.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsOpPFIjMyfwSzHrloyJX2rrp7SsNZ_kmQWWiZfuHeigTInqr7xxeMwrLPh79U9o87VgKlKfco8dHO3vckWx_gLGe2hrTinMIeL4fcpS_ZiK-nVekvEuPqPLFy9AOPYDqYRqmKDhktUzI/s1600/IMG_20141120_041248.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fancy-pants restaurants</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwH8iWFSZGrWG-LcP3kfwL-9BW6hPcJZ2uVP4INxfVE-j7-KsG78gbpcyuaRmz9jpwoNFNIwZg9VgynF6vEFW3ujOC51Bk1CEWDkOCCwV7gcfvO8R7_z4_dfySqBH6sCyFE_JeUZgMfvw/s1600/20141118_183801.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwH8iWFSZGrWG-LcP3kfwL-9BW6hPcJZ2uVP4INxfVE-j7-KsG78gbpcyuaRmz9jpwoNFNIwZg9VgynF6vEFW3ujOC51Bk1CEWDkOCCwV7gcfvO8R7_z4_dfySqBH6sCyFE_JeUZgMfvw/s1600/20141118_183801.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Burj Khalifa, right outside the mall with a pretty brilliant fountain show every 30 minutes</td></tr>
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<b>The gold/spice Souk</b><br />
Arguably the place I was most excited to see, and the place I went almost every single day.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz2xvDi25rq5io0TyJQoJgnYeIMz3xzE1Xbto21crZ_sXPusWrttyYOJ6d_wmE6hi9EBr5sZ7ghVAGJ0MVMTYHTuF-3ZNsIdgNynb5JPwFcbr2JDQ4HnfnImWDBinyqe7gmAJYWnrI0hE/s1600/IMG_20141120_040939.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz2xvDi25rq5io0TyJQoJgnYeIMz3xzE1Xbto21crZ_sXPusWrttyYOJ6d_wmE6hi9EBr5sZ7ghVAGJ0MVMTYHTuF-3ZNsIdgNynb5JPwFcbr2JDQ4HnfnImWDBinyqe7gmAJYWnrI0hE/s1600/IMG_20141120_040939.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The flag was literally everywhere in the city</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr0MakM10E8kSIP0zDqSvFEYlYyCAm99sswXtgjhYSlc24oGE6hayhuAWkRUR8TfjJp52szoeN6jmFCczFlSp9o6X6e3k3huX5hTZC-PyBYjyVctzXCcTlqUVYN6zYgBWsjrrM-XjYjE0/s1600/IMG_20141121_223512.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr0MakM10E8kSIP0zDqSvFEYlYyCAm99sswXtgjhYSlc24oGE6hayhuAWkRUR8TfjJp52szoeN6jmFCczFlSp9o6X6e3k3huX5hTZC-PyBYjyVctzXCcTlqUVYN6zYgBWsjrrM-XjYjE0/s1600/IMG_20141121_223512.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">the scarves were limitless and beautiful</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0Ifg-XsKiP5sqa1MvlHgiPrxCc5vYVkGBb2VA2hV5X8U6YBE41uXlB5uXx-9UyhxuIPRkLlOqBxpl1JMEHtD3qmeuQzUuZ8DbgQZMLhron39A7eHcKkrWGuD-F2K9Q1hKyxTs_OjM1QM/s1600/IMG_20141122_201806.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0Ifg-XsKiP5sqa1MvlHgiPrxCc5vYVkGBb2VA2hV5X8U6YBE41uXlB5uXx-9UyhxuIPRkLlOqBxpl1JMEHtD3qmeuQzUuZ8DbgQZMLhron39A7eHcKkrWGuD-F2K9Q1hKyxTs_OjM1QM/s1600/IMG_20141122_201806.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">and stray cats made me miss my kitty</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgUZp88jiGaShwNFtbrHH8WWt4HhXOmy6GDG9-GeI5S-S7ooRkbyEBynNnJYMEvkzwLndtOdwVaBkU0GB8O_R8_R24PiL8Z18DDNyGVYycI4bHNgVEUkHSDGY5rI2mp69wgCQLHYqmoEg/s1600/20141123_005337.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgUZp88jiGaShwNFtbrHH8WWt4HhXOmy6GDG9-GeI5S-S7ooRkbyEBynNnJYMEvkzwLndtOdwVaBkU0GB8O_R8_R24PiL8Z18DDNyGVYycI4bHNgVEUkHSDGY5rI2mp69wgCQLHYqmoEg/s1600/20141123_005337.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">10th anniversary wedding bands from the Gold Souk!</td></tr>
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But all this foreign-ness didn't stop me from noticing the similarities to my own home and culture. Though all the stores had names in English and Arabic, almost everything was something I'd seen before.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWSeuSA6jvtOzudNgYnzMlZsh4d01uj75D-Q1gCy394obd360mv7DLn6xleyYJyp86HDTwJ68xDgWoSZasQp9uQcPvmpAwy6zoETqudkVWArribISH7_bZs1X7R5XUtcpafcBMC3FcPp8/s1600/IMG_20141120_110752.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWSeuSA6jvtOzudNgYnzMlZsh4d01uj75D-Q1gCy394obd360mv7DLn6xleyYJyp86HDTwJ68xDgWoSZasQp9uQcPvmpAwy6zoETqudkVWArribISH7_bZs1X7R5XUtcpafcBMC3FcPp8/s1600/IMG_20141120_110752.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Donuts, anyone?</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia8pSAa4iRO6OXo8RyKdldXCKQ3Xtz6InLnhHWutJE4DI8mT2V1ODyAXizjIvP1IVDTxWjy02g3qzYwmMmuPcK7GG-BuAhYXz2Iyg3eWVUyWqjJPHJ6Jva4nhP46XsQ0wyhpQBEgGNaHI/s1600/20141121_142748.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia8pSAa4iRO6OXo8RyKdldXCKQ3Xtz6InLnhHWutJE4DI8mT2V1ODyAXizjIvP1IVDTxWjy02g3qzYwmMmuPcK7GG-BuAhYXz2Iyg3eWVUyWqjJPHJ6Jva4nhP46XsQ0wyhpQBEgGNaHI/s1600/20141121_142748.jpg" height="200" width="150" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQfVMwh9itKE7ZkgWywmBSe2-KaqSy8evaOPNR_3EUCUxVFTFqjIfnAvRCSgLUt1kkyajVnG_w6P8RGvsiHKmHag4gWVZi8EldOkjAJkbVfkP4zdPFNfamnJJ2VlP-jQMpt3Zd4hCSTpU/s1600/20141121_142201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQfVMwh9itKE7ZkgWywmBSe2-KaqSy8evaOPNR_3EUCUxVFTFqjIfnAvRCSgLUt1kkyajVnG_w6P8RGvsiHKmHag4gWVZi8EldOkjAJkbVfkP4zdPFNfamnJJ2VlP-jQMpt3Zd4hCSTpU/s1600/20141121_142201.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a>Al Fanar Restaurant was what I expected the Middle East to look like. This place was described as "Authentic Emirati cuisine", which of course raised a little, watchful BS flag in my head. I was sure there would only be tourists inside. But wait -- inside the restaurant I was floored at how many actual Emirati people were eating.<br />
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Outside the restaurant were seating areas decorated with plastic statues of old-timey Emiratis going about their old-timey lives.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFkruxMBzs6CZcUD-EFkjChcTkq553UPf-gBBch547LrE4HGDoAdeNNjqMxrG8332fP6-m_sYTBnlgWRyKXfZYxqExDqb6yRDWETjt1vHEIsIMQaJ5rzAULgWiOlEzQoh1pj8Za0TTbqA/s1600/IMG_20141121_222636.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFkruxMBzs6CZcUD-EFkjChcTkq553UPf-gBBch547LrE4HGDoAdeNNjqMxrG8332fP6-m_sYTBnlgWRyKXfZYxqExDqb6yRDWETjt1vHEIsIMQaJ5rzAULgWiOlEzQoh1pj8Za0TTbqA/s1600/IMG_20141121_222636.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">and lots of plastic goats</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglUTl11o4LvCwQ9zJBEOsEmu1m5HYabItBInZRRF4J3qbB8WItCVAMbG9IcBXMBJqmdQ-12Y8xn7AIA4Ktb7t7dZBLbY4FmXo5levniVP1vZZ2cBvJmDMKdixTTeGXpsoQ6ZOWITb96-4/s1600/20141121_175509.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a>
The Dubai Museum is also a great place to go if you want to see what the city looked like back in the olde days.<br />
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While this is a modern city, parts of which could double for Anytown USA, there are bits everywhere to remind you you're far from home. When it comes to vacations, I want to be somewhere I can forget everything familiar. Maybe next time I'll go somewhere where the words "oh hey, they've got a Dunkin Donuts!" don't pop out of my mouth.<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03092893374986482194noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2851268965933793860.post-74839724268030512342014-11-06T10:26:00.002-05:002014-11-25T11:37:45.293-05:00Guest Blogger D. J. Donaldson<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Things are getting tight for me in the time department. You all know how it goes: work, 2nd job, writing, other exciting, yet secret plans. They're a time-suck. As such, I haven't posted anything here in so long you guys probably have given up hope. I should have a book release coming soon!</div>
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A little while ago, <a href="http://melaniesurani.blogspot.com/2014/08/southern-flavor.html">I reviewed a book by D. J. Donaldson</a> and liked it very much. While I'm reading another of his mysteries, he's agreed to do a guest blog for me. Enjoy!</div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 18pt;">Outbreak… Breakdown<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<strong>A Forensic/Medical Author’s Take on Ebola and the CDC<o:p></o:p></strong></div>
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My book, <b><i>Louisiana Fever</i></b>, involves the spread of a bleeding disease known as Crimean Congo hemorrhagic fever. This is a real disease that, like its close relative, Ebola, is caused by an infectious virus. And having researched this thoroughly (and having come from a forensic/health background) I feel compelled to weigh in on the Ebola outbreak.<o:p></o:p></div>
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When I was plotting <b><i>Louisiana Fever</i></b>, I figured I ought to have a character in the book that was once an infectious disease specialist at the CDC. It seemed like a logical idea because the CDC is this country’s unquestioned champion against virulent organisms, an organization staffed with experts that know every nuance of tropical viruses and how they can be controlled.<o:p></o:p></div>
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To make sure my writing about the CDC would have an authentic ring to it, I asked the public relations office of the CDC if I might be given a tour of the place. “Sorry,” I was told. “We don’t give tours.” Considering how many dangerous viruses are stored in the various labs there, that seemed like a good policy, even to me. So there would be no tour. But then I heard from someone in my department at the U. of Tennessee Medical Center that one of our former graduate students now worked at the CDC. I began to wonder if this connection might work to my advantage. <o:p></o:p></div>
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And it certainly did. The former student was now a virology section chief. A SECTION CHIEF…. Holy cow! This could be my way in. But would the man be generous by nature and sympathetic to writers? He proved to be both of those.<o:p></o:p></div>
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On the day of my visit, I reported to the security office as instructed. There, I had to wait until my host came to escort me into the bowels of the place… no wandering around on my own with a visitor’s badge. That day I saw the hot zone in action and spoke with experts in many fields of virology, even spent some time with the world expert on porcine retroviruses. At the end of my visit—including all the cumbersome clinical protocols I had to engage in both before and during said visit—I not only left feeling more educated, but actually more <i>safe and secure</i> that no tropical virus would ever be a threat to this country… not with the meticulous, detail-oriented, security conscious, microbe fighters at the CDC watching out for us. <o:p></o:p></div>
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So, it’s with much regret and… yes, even a little fear, that I witnessed the head of the CDC recently assuring us that the Ebola virus is very difficult to transmit and that we know exactly how to control it. Instead of (what looked like) his clumsy attempts to soothe an ignorant and paranoid public, the CDC head should have given a blunt assessment, educated everyone like adults, and encouraged them to exercise precaution. Then, seemingly in answer, two nurses who cared for the index patient from Liberia become Ebola positive. And the CDC clears one of those nurses to take a commercial airline flight, even though she was in the early stages of Ebola infection…depressing. From a medical professional standpoint, this was practically criminal negligence. At present, the disease is not transmitted by air ("airborne"), but any scientist worth his/her salt cannot account for mutations the virus may undergo. This is why the job of the CDC is to contain harmful microbes, issue protocols to protect the public against them and ultimately eradicate them... period. It is not to be PR professionals for television cameras and fostering carelessness.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I’m still convinced that the combined knowledge and brainpower of the CDC staff will be a major impediment to any virus taking over this country. But Ebola probably has some tricks we haven’t seen yet. That means we may lose a few more battles before we can declare that this particular threat is behind us.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Meanwhile, how is development of that Ebola vaccine coming?<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i>D.J. Donaldson is a retired professor of Anatomy and Neurobiology at the University of Tennessee, Health Science Center—where he taught and published dozens of papers on wound-healing and other health issues. </i></span><span style="font-size: small;"><i>He is the author of Louisiana Fever, one of the seven in the Andy Broussard/Kit Franklyn series of forensic mystery thrillers.</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Louisiana Fever: <a href="http://bit.ly/1u5ohGC">http://bit.ly/1u5ohGC</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Amazon: </span><a href="http://amzn.to/1tEzXhI"><span style="color: blue; font-size: small;">http://amzn.to/1tEzXhI</span></a><span style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">B&N: </span><a href="http://bit.ly/1tjAQw9"><span style="color: blue; font-size: small;">http://bit.ly/1tjAQw9</span></a><span style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Apple: </span><a href="http://bit.ly/1zhb3YX"><span style="color: blue; font-size: small;">http://bit.ly/1zhb3YX</span></a><span style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Kobo: </span><a href="http://bit.ly/1tQODeM"><span style="color: blue; font-size: small;">http://bit.ly/1tQODeM</span></a></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03092893374986482194noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2851268965933793860.post-49381592693226092012014-09-20T08:41:00.003-04:002014-09-20T08:42:26.959-04:00Deadly Assets<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.</span><br />
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<a href="http://henerypress.com/books-humorous-mystery-series-book/deadly-assets/"><i>Deadly Assets</i> by Wendy Tyson</a><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">The first thing I noticed about this book was how disconnected I felt from the characters. At first, I wasn't even sure what Allison's job was (she had clients, though). Image consultant, eh? Can't say I've ever met one, but I did meet a person who picked out all the appropriate colors for your personality, and gave all her clients a "swatch wallet" so they could stop for clothes properly. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">So I didn't connect with Allison. I didn't connect with the victims (a rich old lady and a mumbly teenager), so when the victims went missing, I skimmed the last chapter, </span><a class="jsShowSpoiler spoilerAction" href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2851268965933793860" style="background-color: white; color: #666600; cursor: pointer; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; text-decoration: underline;">(view spoiler)</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"> and put the book down.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">Every night, this book called to me from under my phone/Kindle saying, "You promised you'd read me!!!" And I'd say, "But I found out what happens and I don't really care."</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">It's not a badly written book. It's got some great reviews -- just wasn't for me.</span><br />
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Reading Progress</h2>
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<tr class="user_status"><td class="greyText" style="color: #aaaaaa; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: nowrap;"><a class="greyText" href="https://www.goodreads.com/user_status/show/48116172" style="color: #aaaaaa; text-decoration: none;">08/19</a></td><td style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: nowrap;">page 10</td><td style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: nowrap;"><div class="left" style="float: left;">
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</td><td style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: nowrap;">3.0%</td><td class="wrap" style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;">"lots of description, and I'm not quite sure what it is Allison does."</td></tr>
<tr class="user_status"><td class="greyText" style="color: #aaaaaa; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: nowrap;"><a class="greyText" href="https://www.goodreads.com/user_status/show/48116849" style="color: #aaaaaa; text-decoration: none;">08/19</a></td><td style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: nowrap;">page 17</td><td style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: nowrap;"><div class="left" style="float: left;">
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</td><td style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: nowrap;">5.0%</td><td class="wrap" style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;">"#richpeopleproblems"</td></tr>
<tr class="user_status"><td class="greyText" style="color: #aaaaaa; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: nowrap;"><a class="greyText" href="https://www.goodreads.com/user_status/show/48121424" style="color: #aaaaaa; text-decoration: none;">08/19</a></td><td style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: nowrap;">page 32</td><td style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: nowrap;"><div class="left" style="float: left;">
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</td><td style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: nowrap;">10.0%</td><td class="wrap" style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;">"not feeling a connection with any of these characters yet. bored and not sleepy, so continuing to read."</td></tr>
<tr class="user_status"><td class="greyText" style="color: #aaaaaa; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: nowrap;"><a class="greyText" href="https://www.goodreads.com/user_status/show/48226873" style="color: #aaaaaa; text-decoration: none;">08/22</a></td><td style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: nowrap;">page 71</td><td style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: nowrap;"><div class="left" style="float: left;">
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</td><td style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: nowrap;">23.0%</td><td class="wrap" style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;">"I peeked ahead to the end. [spoiler]"</td></tr>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03092893374986482194noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2851268965933793860.post-3883186862642732552014-08-25T09:58:00.001-04:002014-08-25T10:02:47.877-04:00The Unwritten pt. 2<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00K5ZYKRO/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00K5ZYKRO&linkCode=as2&tag=nicedream0f-20&linkId=APKQB4ABILICMOVC" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B00K5ZYKRO&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=nicedream0f-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=nicedream0f-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B00K5ZYKRO" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />
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I finally read up to <i>The Unwritten: Apocalypse #5</i>. Up until issue #50 (where <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fables_(comics)">Fables</a> gets involved), the story was so interesting I couldn't wait to read every issue again. The characters travel around the world, through fiction, through time, and encounter strange beings (including, but not limited to vampires and zombies -- which they handle in a non-cheesy way). To put it mildly: this series is The Shit.<br />
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So we've got a great story, interesting characters (although Tom annoys me pretty badly, the other characters more than make up for it), and gorgeous artwork. The ending has to be spectacular, right?<br />
<br />
What?<br />
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In comes <i>Fables</i>, an already established comic book series that's making a crossover appearance. While I haven't read this series, other reviewers stated you get caught up to speed pretty quickly. I already knew a little about Fables (fairy tale characters living in the modern world, trying to keep anyone from learning who they are), so I jumped on in. What followed was the weirdest jumble of war and chaos I'd ever witnessed. So much was going on in the panels I sometimes couldn't make sense of it. And these "new" characters? Not my favorites. Skim. Get the gist. Next issue.<br />
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I mean, anyone who knows me knows I take the Scarlet O'Hara approach to war: If anyone talks about it one more time, I'm going to scream.<br />
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And the Orcs trod unto with their veritable swords and axes and lo! came upon an army of --*</blockquote>
ARGHHH!!!!<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">*not an actual quote</span><br />
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I liked this story because it followed a small group of characters. They interacted with each other, discovered, solved, and got into bigger things, and occasionally fought off a bad guy. That's awesome! It's what I want in every story. War, on the other hand, is the reason I skimmed most of <i>The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers</i>. Sorry, Tolkien.<br />
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In conclusion, I haven't read the last remaining issues of <i>:Apocalypse</i>. I believe it's running until December. I'll more than likely finish the whole thing, but I've gotta say with a title like "Apocalypse" I just know there's an epic war coming up and I'm not keen to go.<br />
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Do check out the cover artist <a href="http://yukoart.com/category/work/?work_subject=dc-comics">Yuko Shimizu's</a> work. It's absolutely stunning.</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03092893374986482194noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2851268965933793860.post-13354069511537347632014-08-15T08:56:00.001-04:002014-08-15T08:56:51.038-04:00Southern Flavor<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
There's a big difference between going somewhere and reading about it. For example, I watched a superhero movie the other day in which Park Ave near Grand Central Terminal got totally destroyed. That hasn't happened ONCE since I got here. Monsters and storms are always wrecking this city, yet the only thing I have to complain about is being crushed by the mass of humanity that is 8+ million people on my daily commute (that's actually a big deal to me and I'll be leaving as soon as possible).<br />
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<a href="http://melaniesurani.blogspot.com/2012/12/things-i-never-want-to-do-again-move-to.html">Memphis</a> was almost the opposite. It was so boring there (nothing happening in the suburbs, nothing happening downtown -- unless you were a tourist who wanted to walk down the 2 blocks that is Beale Street) that I left when I was adult enough not to have my parents follow me. But when I write, I like to include Memphis as one of my settings (in <a href="http://melaniesurani.blogspot.com/p/the-books.html">The Silent Treatment</a> I definitely did, and I've hinted at it in others). Why? Because Memphis is more interesting on paper, as any of my hair clients will mention when I tell them where I'm from.<br />
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<i><a href="http://bit.ly/1k633yr">Sleeping with the Crawfish</a>*</i> by Don J. Donaldson is set a little bit in Memphis. Not so much that I felt like I was sitting in morning rush hour traffic on I-40, but enough to make me glance away from the text occasionally and think, "Yeah. I miss it." And the author didn't only focus on the cliche touristy places (such as the aforementioned Beale Street), he takes the characters into a lived-in city.<br />
<br />
The bulk of the book is set in New Orleans and surrounding areas. (Question: does everyone in New Orleans have a French last name?) While the author does write a bit in dialect (mostly in the form of leavin' a G off the ends of words), it doesn't distract from the story.<br />
<br />
This book surprised me. The writing was fluid and nearly invisible. The story kept me going (in the whole "one more chapter... and one more..." vein) and kept me guessing.<br />
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For the squeamish, there's loads of information about how a body is cremated. I found this fascinating, but some might be weirded out. You know what, though? This is a murder mystery with shootings and cars in the bayou and foot chases (with guns) and people getting locked in giant freezers. Grizzly stuff is all part of the genre, and it's why I love mysteries so much.<br />
<br />
While the plot did involve a web of deceit I kind of got confused with (especially with the lengthy "here's how it happened" at the end), the story was exciting and ended in a satisfying way.<br />
<br />
Though this book appears late in the series, it wasn't difficult to get to know (and love) the characters. Hints at past plots make me want to go back and read the other books.<br />
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Don J. Donaldson, you have a new fan.<br />
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*I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03092893374986482194noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2851268965933793860.post-75458609498382050502014-07-23T15:55:00.000-04:002014-07-23T15:55:03.748-04:00The Unwritten<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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A lot of things I "didn't like" as a kid and young adult had a lot to do with my early influences. Mom doesn't like gold jewelry, so I don't like it either. Dad doesn't like opera, so I think it sucks too. Meeting people from the internet is dangerous folly, so I don't do that. And people who read comic books, well, they live in their mom's basement and fix their glasses with tape, don't they?<br />
<br />
Well...<br />
<br />
Having an opinion about something is all well and good, but what's good for one person (silver jewelry only) isn't necessarily good for me (a little gold is actually really pretty). So I delved into some of the things I wouldn't touch with a ten foot pole earlier, and what do you know? Keeping yourself open to new ideas is good. Opera is unbearably beautiful sometimes. I married someone from the internet. And recently, I started reading comic books.<br />
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Hard to get over the stigma sometimes. The way these stories are set up sometimes is freakishly beautiful. Combine reading a book with watching a subtitled movie -- it's a little like that. But that doesn't really matter when I'm carrying one of these books around my house like someone might ask me to solve a calculus problem (that is to say, hoping I won't run into anyone). Hey, I'm a married adult! I work in the beauty industry! I read books without pictures in them! I can't just walk into a comic book store and have everyone stare at me.<br />
<br />
Okay, but I did do it. I walked in. Not only did everyone not stare at me for being a woman amongst the nerds, there were loads of regular-looking women there. Women worked there. Not only that, at every turn, I'd see something and go, "Ooh!" So either the nerd stereotype is way overblown, or I am one and need to embrace that.<br />
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<b>THE UNWRITTEN</b><br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00HQKITU0/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00HQKITU0&linkCode=as2&tag=nicedream0f-20&linkId=IQGCA7Z7PAJCS3I2" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B00HQKITU0&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=nicedream0f-20" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/proxy/AVvXsEio8Kk8jCJvTpw7ZSTjdn6vRUD0WGUVmq-u55D5aVqQjpnueGkaK3FL37HjkQYvML7EWHUvGSElTeQaGkX5R1Z8JECKMBGWi52nSbY2oSIJdvzfAPR7tXpQq2i-hLJrs6_Anc0SGFrxIpbTmY1Me6u4qBTx3eaZ7jgASRyBJtrTddFZ1-zZZie-KUUaD1WTe2JQLMtVl6sRSM6Qsc9qZdtqJZ0fZzQwsbmUQP8J3mWKZCGO6ORY2FqBhPnpnVb_e43GevqLgcWUDw3Y1g9ecFaLpzwM6zRZl-J-r9dHJ1aeHR8nstaO0g" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B00HQKITUA&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=nicedream0f-20" /></a><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00HQKITTQ/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00HQKITTQ&linkCode=as2&tag=nicedream0f-20&linkId=RARXSPFR62XEB2TI" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B00HQKITTQ&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=nicedream0f-20" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00HQKITTG/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00HQKITTG&linkCode=as2&tag=nicedream0f-20&linkId=7DXSMERD2TN4WXEF" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B00HQKITTG&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=nicedream0f-20" /></a><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00HQKITT6/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00HQKITT6&linkCode=as2&tag=nicedream0f-20&linkId=2NTZHJP5PYCXQRIT" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B00HQKITT6&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=nicedream0f-20" /></a></div>
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When I read that this series was about a man who's father had written a book about a "boy wizard" (similar to Harry Potter), and that people thought the son was actually the character come to life, I was intrigued. As the story progresses, we flash back to Rudyard Kipling, Oscar Wilde, Mark Twain, etc. The literary geek in me is squealing (and the "regular" part of me is hoping my husband isn't going to come in the room and laugh -- but screw it: he's reading <i>Game of Thrones</i> and talking to me in Olde Englishe).</div>
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While this series is more fanciful than <i>Habibi</i> or <i>Daytripper</i>, it is a lot of fun. And when I get my hands on the remaining 60something issues, you can bet I'm holing up that weekend to finish it in one gulp.</div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0316216828/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0316216828&linkCode=as2&tag=nicedream0f-20&linkId=C2W37XOQ3QM6LF2O" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=0316216828&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=nicedream0f-20" /></a>It's been a while since I've read a book I loved as much as <b>Broken Monsters</b> by Lauren Beukes. Unfortunately for all of you, it won't be released until September 16th. I got my copy at the mass of humanity that was <a href="http://melaniesurani.blogspot.com/2014/06/bookcon-2014.html">BookCon</a>. (Until July 16, you can <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/show/95643-broken-monsters">enter to win at Goodreads</a>.)</div>
<img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=nicedream0f-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0316216828" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />
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<br />
<a href="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1402314906l/22447321.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1402314906l/22447321.jpg" width="209" /></a>The story follows several seemingly disconnected people, and involves a serial killer in Detroit. I mean, it sounds a little interesting, but something violent happening in Detroit? Not exactly a shocker. However, the first victim is a boy who has been cut in half and fused with half a deer. (That isn't a spoiler; it happens in the first 2 pages -- and on the cover in some instances.)<br />
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It's hard to explain. This book wasn't great because of the plot or because of the characters ... maybe it was because of the way it was written. Reading made me jealous at best. Maybe I'm not supposed to compare myself to other writers, but I kept looking for something, some trick that made what she'd done possible ... but every time I tried to read objectively, I kept getting sucked into the story until the words melted into pictures in my head. Damn you, Lauren Beukes. I love you so much.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4FaC_F1iv2wNRmDQn6eatnL-gLLyTWuiE6UTAAvQ1m37uGVvzBU_L3OV8yDBsz1ruYgnvEx_rGfBfB7PJPmIyH9cVrzWnljEIDki0n2j3V6zp040P5uek_FcA7GcImu9bS57MzgnJ2Rc/s1600/reading+progress+broken+monsters.tiff" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4FaC_F1iv2wNRmDQn6eatnL-gLLyTWuiE6UTAAvQ1m37uGVvzBU_L3OV8yDBsz1ruYgnvEx_rGfBfB7PJPmIyH9cVrzWnljEIDki0n2j3V6zp040P5uek_FcA7GcImu9bS57MzgnJ2Rc/s1600/reading+progress+broken+monsters.tiff" height="169" width="640" /></a></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03092893374986482194noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2851268965933793860.post-55330601710826095352014-06-24T11:40:00.000-04:002014-06-24T11:40:07.724-04:009/11 Museum "Cross"<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://scontent-a-iad.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xaf1/t1.0-9/1394177_606201292773337_960869010_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://scontent-a-iad.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xaf1/t1.0-9/1394177_606201292773337_960869010_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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I came across this picture in my Facebook feed today. Instead of saying something there (where my Bible-Belt friends and family will likely see me as being argumentative), I've decided to take it here.<br />
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First of all, I like to do a Google search to find out if this is actually a thing or not.<a href="https://www.google.com/webhp?tab=ww&ei=dJKpU6jkIsbZsQSE64K4CQ&ved=0CBcQ1S4#q=9%2F11+museum+cross"> I searched 9/11 Museum Cross.</a> Turns out, it's a thing. Atheists are trying to get the "cross" removed because it offends them.<br />
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">Full disclosure: yes, I'm a Christian.</span><br />
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So let's look at what this actually is: it's a piece of the original twin towers that was found in the rubble. Just like pictures in the clouds, some people found meaning in its shape.<br />
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The cross, by nature, is an extremely simple symbol, unlike the Star of David<br />
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<a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/bc/Black_Star_of_David.svg/260px-Black_Star_of_David.svg.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/bc/Black_Star_of_David.svg/260px-Black_Star_of_David.svg.png" height="200" width="173" /></a></div>
or the Om<br />
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<a href="http://clipartist.info/www/COLOURINGBOOK.ORG/peace/om-1229px.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://clipartist.info/www/COLOURINGBOOK.ORG/peace/om-1229px.png" height="320" width="246" /></a></div>
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or a crescent and star.</div>
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<a href="http://iranpoliticsclub.net/islam/crescent-star/images/Islam%20Emblem.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://iranpoliticsclub.net/islam/crescent-star/images/Islam%20Emblem.gif" height="179" width="200" /></a></div>
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All easily recognizable, but more complicated than this:</div>
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<a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/87/Christian_cross.svg/220px-Christian_cross.svg.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/87/Christian_cross.svg/220px-Christian_cross.svg.png" height="200" width="143" /></a></div>
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My entire point is this: if workers intentionally sawed the artifact to look like a cross in order to be a comforting symbol for Christians, the Atheists would have something to yell about.</div>
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<a href="https://www.metabunk.org/threads/debunked-wtc-cross-9-11-cross.1075/"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://www.metabunk.org/data/MetaMirrorCache/contrailscience.com_skitch_P000021_20130119_134536.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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But if this is a part of the old building, just a random formation that looks a little like something else, then yes, this belongs in the museum. Everybody chill out.</div>
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<a href="http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01358/jesus-cloud_1358460i.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01358/jesus-cloud_1358460i.jpg" height="206" width="320" /></a></div>
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I'd love to hear other opinions about this, for or against. Please leave your comments.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03092893374986482194noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2851268965933793860.post-66663723024116247602014-06-18T10:44:00.000-04:002014-06-21T20:41:37.800-04:00Reading of the Picture Variety<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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This post will be all about books with pictures. Love me some pictures.<br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0143120255/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0143120255&linkCode=as2&tag=nicedream0f-20&linkId=YCDPQ3QHFTI2LKCL" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=0143120255&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=nicedream0f-20" /></a></div>
<b><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=nicedream0f-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0143120255" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />Paris Versus New York </b>by Vahram Muratyan<br />
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We have this book at my salon because it's located in New York, and my boss is from Paris. On a particularly slow day, I cracked this baby open and read it cover-to-cover (which was easy, because it's literally all illustrations).<br />
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Never once does the author try to say one city is better than the other, it's simply a comparison. He also has these illustrations on his blog (which is where my samples are from): <a href="http://parisvsnyc.blogspot.com/">http://parisvsnyc.blogspot.com</a><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Rg3hRYvJESY/TVKceCYl6gI/AAAAAAAACuo/nhbYnOwI7Mo/s1600/40ingenieur.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Rg3hRYvJESY/TVKceCYl6gI/AAAAAAAACuo/nhbYnOwI7Mo/s1600/40ingenieur.jpg" height="247" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Rg3hRYvJESY/TPQCIM_qSgI/AAAAAAAABuw/n3EQ5t8e_BM/s1600/32bobohipster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Rg3hRYvJESY/TPQCIM_qSgI/AAAAAAAABuw/n3EQ5t8e_BM/s1600/32bobohipster.jpg" height="247" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Rg3hRYvJESY/TMkIIxAkrDI/AAAAAAAABpw/Qp1kLtahmxQ/s1600/01coffee.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Rg3hRYvJESY/TMkIIxAkrDI/AAAAAAAABpw/Qp1kLtahmxQ/s1600/01coffee.jpg" height="247" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://cdn.pastemagazine.com/www/articles/2013/09/25/sexcriminals_3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://cdn.pastemagazine.com/www/articles/2013/09/25/sexcriminals_3.jpg" height="320" width="220" /></a></div>
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00FA7L6OW/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00FA7L6OW&linkCode=as2&tag=nicedream0f-20&linkId=64W2YWPWITV3BZ6C" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B00FA7L6OW&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=nicedream0f-20" /></a><b><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=nicedream0f-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B00FA7L6OW" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />Sex Criminals</b> by Matt Fraction<br />
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Got this (and the following comics) as a free issue at <a href="http://www.thebookcon.com/">BookCon</a>.<br />
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<a href="http://www.comicsthegathering.com/sites/default/files/styles/review_main_img_630_419/public/4-81383fcb2d.jpg?itok=ODmt_4ap" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.comicsthegathering.com/sites/default/files/styles/review_main_img_630_419/public/4-81383fcb2d.jpg?itok=ODmt_4ap" height="212" width="320" /></a>If you can stop time with the power of your ... sexiness(?)... what do you do? Rob a bank or something.<br />
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The artwork is beautiful, and the sex, while explicit, isn't uncomfortably graphic.<br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1632150069/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1632150069&linkCode=as2&tag=nicedream0f-20&linkId=ZWNE5GN3RQ3HEKPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=1632150069&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=nicedream0f-20" /></a><br />
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<b><br /></b>
<b>Alex + Ada </b>by Jonathan Luna<br />
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Not much in the way of story in the first issue, but we learn that Alex is living in the future (and there's some cool new technology around), and he's lonely. At the end, he gets a gift from his grandmother: a robot girlfriend. Creepy? Yeah, Grandma, it is. But thanks. I would like to see where this one goes.<br />
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<a href="http://comicopa.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/revival-02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://comicopa.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/revival-02.jpg" height="258" width="320" /></a><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008I9DFUM/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B008I9DFUM&linkCode=as2&tag=nicedream0f-20&linkId=LOA2NJLDRKWQQYKP" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B008I9DFUM&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=nicedream0f-20" /></a><b><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=nicedream0f-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B008I9DFUM" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />Revival</b> by Tim Seeley<br />
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Didn't capture my attention like the above 2 comics. Small town sherif and maybe some zombies. I enjoyed the artwork, but by the end, an old lady was pulling her own teeth out, and I just can't stomach stuff like that.<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03092893374986482194noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2851268965933793860.post-59132362823240813382014-06-17T10:11:00.000-04:002014-06-17T10:11:16.108-04:00What Have I Been Reading?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Lots of catching up to do. Turns out, when a person is stressed about something in one's everyday life, one delves into the fantasy world to ease that burden.<br />
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Let's get started.<br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00DA98W4O/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00DA98W4O&linkCode=as2&tag=nicedream0f-20&linkId=FWE4SMJQCF2567ZA" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B00DA98W4O&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=nicedream0f-20" /></a><b>Learning Not to Drown </b>by Anna Shinoda<br />
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I won this book in GoodReads' <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway">First Reads</a> program (which I love).<br />
The first thing that struck me about this book is its cover art. I could look at it all day. This is a YA book, which usually means dragons and dystopia what have you, but this one is realistic.<br />
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Clare's brother Luke has been in jail a lot for "being in the wrong place at the wrong time." Clare adores him, looks forward to his visits. As she gets older, she realizes (mostly through other people's reactions) that Luke might not be such a stand-up guy.<br />
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Wonderfully written. Kept me interested, and I never once felt the book was "too young" for me. Why have I not been reading more YA?<br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0036S49NM/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B0036S49NM&linkCode=as2&tag=nicedream0f-20&linkId=4KPBNQTNGXJ7TCYA" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B0036S49NM&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=nicedream0f-20" /></a><b>Split</b> by Swati Avasthi<br />
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Another YA, from the audiobook version. First a word about the narrator: He reminded me of David Sedaris*, but not in a good way. The reading was slow and emotionless (?). I thought about stopping the audio and going to the library to get a paper version, but then I realized I can speed up this guy's reading on my iPod, so I did.<br />
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*Don't get me wrong, I love David Sedaris. I won't read one of his books anymore unless it's him reading to me. My favorite is when he does the middle-aged woman's smoking voice ("Doll babies" anyone?), or when he sings like Billie Holliday in "The Santaland Diaries".<br />
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But that's way, way off subject.<br />
This book (Split) is about 2 brothers who have been abused by their father. One escapes before the other, and they end up living together and trying to rescue their mother. As anyone who knows anything about abuse can tell you, sometimes it's harder than you might imagine to leave. She still loves him, the good times are really good, he gives me so much, etc. This book does a great job at showing all sides of the story without painting any one person as a big ol' baddie.<br />
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I felt the story ran long, though (especially the detailed descriptions of the soccer games -- can we, as a rule, cut sports scenes from books? Or do some people really like that stuff?), and I was happy to start something else.<br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003K16PXC/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B003K16PXC&linkCode=as2&tag=nicedream0f-20&linkId=BU6MWHDAYDJ6JVUH" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B003K16PXC&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=nicedream0f-20" /></a></div>
<img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=nicedream0f-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B00DA98W4O" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />
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<img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=nicedream0f-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B0036S49NM" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />
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<b><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=nicedream0f-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B003K16PXC" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close </b>by Jonathan Safran Foer<br />
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Wow. This book was told mostly from the prospective of a child, and I felt like the title of the book describes that kid's personality. Always talking right up in your face. But instead of wanting to get far, far away from him, he was interesting and just on paper.<br />
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I didn't realize this book would be a mystery, but it kind of was. Oskar's dad died in one of the twin towers, leaving behind a key in his closet. Oskar finds the key and makes it his life's mission to find out what it opens.<br />
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The story also follows his grandmother and grandfather through letters, which is confusing at first, but then works really well.<br />
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Foer also uses pictures within the text, which isn't usual, but also fit right in with the story. Oskar finds and keeps strange pictures and puts them in a folder, and occasionally flips through them. It's so much like Oskar is talking to us, and then takes a breather, and it's so quiet.<br />
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Very nicely done. Touching story.<br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00HQ2N0M0/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00HQ2N0M0&linkCode=as2&tag=nicedream0f-20&linkId=5UUFLXTPGF2LJHWI" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B00HQ2N0M0&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=nicedream0f-20" /></a><b>The Girl in 6E</b> by A.R. Torre<br />
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I got this book as a free ARC at <a href="http://www.thebookcon.com/">BookCon</a>. Mostly, I was grabbing anything there that looked vaguely interesting -- and look at this cover! How can you not pick this up? The woman at the table said it was "like 50 Shades of Dexter."<br />
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Jessica (or Deanna) is a webcam girl who charges $6.99/minute. (Use your imagination.) She's also a self-imposed shut-in because she may or may not brutally murder the next person she sees.<br />
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As I've discovered with books like <a href="http://melaniesurani.blogspot.com/2014/05/the-shining.html">The Shining</a>, stories about a limited number of characters can work really well. This one does too.<br />
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Jessica stays shut in until she figures out one of her clients might be about to kidnap and rape a young girl, and she can't very well not leave her apartment and try to stop this. "Let's put my murder-y powers to good use!" she says (paraphrased).<br />
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This book was just enough sexy and just enough scary. I loved every minute.<br />
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<img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=nicedream0f-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B00HQ2N0M0" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03092893374986482194noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2851268965933793860.post-64414119025374134552014-06-01T18:05:00.002-04:002014-06-01T18:11:32.129-04:00BookCon 2014<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Grumpy Cat kind of nailed it. She was there, yes. And I got a tiny glimpse (although I didn't stand in the 2+ hr long line to get a picture -- although the one I would have taken would be me standing next to her with my purse wide open with the appearance that I'm coaxing her inside, while she's got a "get this b**** away from me" expression).</div>
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I got 2 tote bags, filled one of them with free books (including Stephen King's Mr. Mercedes) and "swag". Excited to read some of it (a few books, once I read their descriptions, discreetly abandoned them at the convention so as not to weigh my bag down more than it was).</div>
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Stood in line for one (1) autograph: Adi Alsaid. 2 reasons: I want to read his book (Let's Get Lost), and I could see the end of the line. Unfortunately, by the time I got to him, all he had left were sample books. No big deal. He also had a car decked out like the book cover, and I thought about how cool that would be if a car was decorated like one of my books ... maybe I should try and work with Harlequin.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Even he displayed a certain "I'm exhausted" quality.</td></tr>
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Did I enjoy BookCon? Mostly. But it was small, cramped, crowded, and there were lines everywhere. I accidentally stood in several lines just because I wanted to get down an aisle and got stuck. People around me were complaining about every little thing -- almost nobody seemed excited (some downright angry), which brought down the whole spirit of being there. Also, NYC knows when you're trapped and need to have lunch. I spent 8 g****d***n dollars on a small fries and cup of water. Also the line to the one, single ladies room was like an attraction in itself.<br />
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So, because I didn't stand in any huge lines to see authors I really wanted to see (which would have taken all my time), I was able to comb the exhibits several times (because they put out new free stuff every hour or so). Maybe next year the space will be better organized (dare I hope: a little more spread out??), or I'll figure out how to go to Book Expo America instead.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03092893374986482194noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2851268965933793860.post-4229465883830824682014-05-29T08:46:00.001-04:002014-05-29T08:46:47.389-04:00Distraction<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Anyone in need of a "palate cleanser" of the mind should check out Bollywood movies. They provide escapism that American movies generally don't, perhaps because one has to suspend one's belief to incorporate all the singing, dancing, and shirtless men. "When are those a bad thing?" you ask? They aren't. They're wonderful.<br />
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Here are my picks for today. Be sure to tell me your all-time favorites in the comments.<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03092893374986482194noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2851268965933793860.post-43756209926049271862014-05-08T10:04:00.001-04:002014-05-09T08:18:58.458-04:00Reading in Spring<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Winter is finally over -- at least, I haven't had to wear my heavy coat in about a week. People are outside in abundance (some in shorts already, which is really too much). That isn't saying much because people are always out in New York.<br />
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Mostly, I've been <a href="http://www.coiffeurnyc.com/">working</a>. One of the most common questions that comes up 'round the shampoo bowl is, "Do you live around here?" For the clients, that answer is almost always "Yes." Who wants to travel way out of their way to get their hair done? (answer: "no one")<br />
<br />
What about me? I must work near where I live, right? "No, I live in Queens."<br />
"Oh. Oh! Wow. How long does it take you to get here?"<br />
With that answer, I've become a curiosity. It's not like I still live in Philadelphia and trying to make that daily commute like I did in cosmetology school (not recommended). I'm in a nearby borough on the subway line.<br />
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"So wow, if it takes you an hour to get here... that's a long time!"<br />
"True dat, but I divert the time I could spend staring at the person taking up two seats in front of me into reading, so it's not so bad."<br />
<br />
And sometimes I can squeeze in a reference to whatever I'm <a href="http://melaniesurani.blogspot.com/p/the-books.html">writing</a>, and then the haircut is done. With a promise to "definitely look you up on <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Melanie-Surani/e/B0077442QK/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1399558894&sr=8-1">Amazon</a>," they walk out the door and I get not a single sale. But whatever.<br />
<br />
What have I been reading on said subway, you ask?<br />
<br />
<b>"All blank and no blank makes blank a blank blank."</b><br />
<br /></div>
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/ZOWyIqGDZZs" width="420"></iframe><br />
<br />
I totally loved <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0307743659/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0307743659&linkCode=as2&tag=nicedream0f-20">The Shining</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=nicedream0f-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0307743659" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />,
but didn't have to put it in the freezer at any point.<br />
<div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 19px;">I didn't think 3 characters alone in a hotel was going to be so rich. And because I knew the story already (who doesn't these days?), I didn't think it would be so scary. On both counts: it was.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 19px;">Bonus: Jack never says "All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy," among other things the movie made famous. The difference between books and movies is definitely something I'll tackle another time.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 19px;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"><b>Quiet (The Power of Introverts in a World that Can't Stop Talking) by Susan Cain</b></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></span>
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0307352153/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0307352153&linkCode=as2&tag=nicedream0f-20" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=0307352153&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=nicedream0f-20" /></a><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">My dad bought me and my sister this book for Christmas. The plan was for the three of us to read it and discuss in a kind of long-distance book club </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 19px;">(we all live in separate cities)</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 19px;">. </span></div>
</div>
<img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=nicedream0f-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0307352153" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />
<br />
<br />
I was excited to read this book. Being an introvert is not something I always had a name for, and I've struggled with it my whole life. Wanting to be out with people, but never for very long, getting flustered and frustrated with too much information, etc.<br />
<br />
This book helps to outline some of what introversion is and isn't. Why it's not bad to be an introvert (even though most companies and people in the United States want you to be bubbly and open), and ways you can pretend to be an extrovert (at work, for example), and then recharge yourself so you don't go on a killing spree (or whatever people do when they've had too much).<br />
<br />
This book could have been shorter. Some of the information is repetitive, and quite frankly, not interesting. But for the things I learned, this book is valuable.<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00AJ0PGAU/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00AJ0PGAU&linkCode=as2&tag=nicedream0f-20" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B00AJ0PGAU&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=nicedream0f-20" /></a><b><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=nicedream0f-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B00AJ0PGAU" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />Night Slashers by Rashad Freeman</b><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://melaniesurani.blogspot.com/p/book-reviews.html">This review is based on a free copy provided for an honest review.</a></span><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Daniel Montague has a secret. </span><br />
<br style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;" />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">A secret so dark, so disturbing that he’s pushed it to the back of his psyche and moved on. Unfortunately for him, it’s itching to find the light.</span></blockquote>
This book started strong from the first page. The writing was fluid, the plot engaging. This book wasn't overly long, but still felt like a novel (which I love). And while the plot held up throughout, I felt like the book could have used a thorough edit/proofread, especially for punctuation. Then again, I've been editing my own book recently, so my brain's still in nit-picky mode.<br />
<br />
This novel is suspenseful, often employing the "cliffhanger" chapter ending, which I've enjoyed since my Nancy Drew days. Many was the time I'd be near my subway stop, end a chapter, and calculate how much more I could read before absolutely having to put it down. I'm also happy to say that while I thought I'd had the ending figured out halfway through, the author totally surprised me at the end. Still thinking about that ending and deciding whether I liked it or not, which is difficult to do. <a href="http://rashadfreeman.blogspot.com/">Rashad Freeman</a> has other books available.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03092893374986482194noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2851268965933793860.post-1041852779783481552014-04-29T20:27:00.001-04:002014-05-01T10:25:12.862-04:00The Silent Treatment book trailer<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/w4VdFP8Rgtc" width="480"></iframe></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03092893374986482194noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2851268965933793860.post-67889848518078609272014-04-29T18:03:00.003-04:002014-04-29T18:03:57.491-04:00Writing vs. Talking<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV1CB28UpxRVT9xHi91Bqf3ODq_F6iZL4dqlPx8QIpV_bNgC4sWG9_-lw2_Why2iXhoewlOEqoX8aKISV7cgblf-iL0nj0rm_c4TUM90BRI2I3YrSfuxb9q6tnUEpRqsEAY8xrBfJBUQg/s1600/speaking+vs+writing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV1CB28UpxRVT9xHi91Bqf3ODq_F6iZL4dqlPx8QIpV_bNgC4sWG9_-lw2_Why2iXhoewlOEqoX8aKISV7cgblf-iL0nj0rm_c4TUM90BRI2I3YrSfuxb9q6tnUEpRqsEAY8xrBfJBUQg/s1600/speaking+vs+writing.jpg" height="320" width="267" /></a>There are a few reasons I like writing more than anything:<br />
<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>It allows me to daydream as much as I want</li>
<li>I can work through problems in a creative way</li>
<li>and I can redo my work many times to make it ready for the public.</li>
</ul>
<div>
Speaking is different. Speaking is all first draft, and as we all know: first drafts suck.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
So if you meet me and want to discuss something important or upsetting, expect a lot of blank stares and shaky-handed eye coverings as I struggle for the right words.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
"I just ... I mean ... I can't... I ..." <i>sigh. Head shake.</i></div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03092893374986482194noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2851268965933793860.post-30902782077628572732014-04-01T13:50:00.001-04:002014-04-01T13:50:41.453-04:00How To Write: Chopping<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/b1ax-IrfluQ" width="420"></iframe></div>
<br />
When movies started talking in the 1930's, it's kind of all they wanted to do. Fill up that silence.<br />
Just a few years before, characters communicated with a glance or a gesture, relying very little on title cards.<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhLr_A1Ui1Oq94_HT87-ZeT0yNu4-8wNGMDRWTILQMU95pZRAmYuzx-5pRYKAS2OyhTxHZIw7qsxUWoQ_6e6TMxIBxxDsdq8yHF-z9ffANFa3qoUwGCAhqo3QDxyWipJ-11boIW6Ldd6M/s1600/valentino.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhLr_A1Ui1Oq94_HT87-ZeT0yNu4-8wNGMDRWTILQMU95pZRAmYuzx-5pRYKAS2OyhTxHZIw7qsxUWoQ_6e6TMxIBxxDsdq8yHF-z9ffANFa3qoUwGCAhqo3QDxyWipJ-11boIW6Ldd6M/s1600/valentino.jpg" height="320" width="249" /></a></div>
<br />
Eventually, moviemakers discovered that while their characters now had the ability to talk, they didn't have to do it all the damn time.<br />
<br />
As a new novelist, you might face the same problem. Now you've got all these glorious words, and pages are stacking up, you love the feeling of having created something so ... BIG! But now I'm going to tell you to cut a chunk of those words and send them down the great cyber toilet.<br />
<br />
Ooooh... bummer.<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<b>Let's talk about cutting scenes.</b><br />
<br />
There are many stages of editing, but none more painful than taking a giant chunk right out of your book. That's a high word count to trash ... and there was that funny line in there you can't bear to part with.<br />
<br />
Not sure what to cut? Take a look.<br />
<br />
Let's say you're writing a story about a murder. The only way your detective character can trap the criminal is if he goes to the store first and picks up some supplies.<br />
<br />
Scene 1:<br />
The Detective and his friend are discussing how they can trap the criminal before she strikes again. They know ~information~ and how she'll react, they just have to lure her with enough candy to get her in the trap. (It's not original, but what do you want?)<br />
The Detective says he'll go to the store, get the supplies, and the two will meet to set the trap.<br />
<br />
Scene 2:<br />
The Detective browses the aisles of CVS to get just the right kind of candy. Maybe his mind wanders and we learn some backstory.<br />
<br />
Scene 3:<br />
They have the supplies and set the trap, which stops the criminal.<br />
<br />
When I write a story that follows a similar formula and proudly show it to my beta readers, one of them invariably comes back to me with, "the story was good, but wordy."<br />
"WORDY?" The whole thing is words, right?<br />
<br />
Here's what WORDY means: <b>BORING</b>.<br />
<br />
By the time I get that critique, I'm full of my own words. "You stuck-up blankety-blank! That scene shows CHARACTER! It's got backstory! It's not wordy, you just don't get my writing."<br />
<br />
We're writers and we're sensitive. Our books are our babies (for some of us, <a href="http://melaniesurani.blogspot.com/search/label/tokophobia">the only grand children my mom will ever get</a>).<br />
<br />
When I was reading another author's book, though, I came across a similar problem. I was THIS close to the good part, when I get stuck waiting for a damn train to cross the road. Once I trudged through, I realized if the author had started with the first scene and skipped to the third with the detective holding a bag of newly-bought candy, I could have assumed what happened in between.<br />
Of course, when I see someone else doing it, it's easier to go back to my own novel and fix the mistake without all those hurt feelings.<br />
<br />
That backstory or joke or clever line you've got in that dead scene? Either move those pieces somewhere else in the novel, or trash them.<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifudfDSUhANwN58h5KbTCOGxkQgUWlnlB1NRaAX9VW5XTF7fJ4TIA6RxFXBBzvtNSaVv6NLH8ipG-BZXbvgGqBY6yuSou1svvgFkof69Qt9N9dO4XI8E9JJdK6FqXU0gT5uLFrvX9ej6Y/s1600/kill-your-darlings.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifudfDSUhANwN58h5KbTCOGxkQgUWlnlB1NRaAX9VW5XTF7fJ4TIA6RxFXBBzvtNSaVv6NLH8ipG-BZXbvgGqBY6yuSou1svvgFkof69Qt9N9dO4XI8E9JJdK6FqXU0gT5uLFrvX9ej6Y/s1600/kill-your-darlings.jpg" /></a></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03092893374986482194noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2851268965933793860.post-9013957744291534412014-03-30T11:23:00.002-04:002014-03-30T11:24:34.335-04:00New Edit<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
One of the best things about indie publishing is that if I feel it necessary, I can go back into a book and tweak it. That's what's happened with The Silent Treatment. I love this story. Today, you can get <a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/130716">the updated version on Smashwords</a> (soon at other retailers, and soon to paperback).<br />
<br />
New cover:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMoilb4Xycn3t1jph-LxsvlKmvQKpyDFig2gfC6ehXLHuu3o4IDrOwq5GbgRl38sgubw49GfL0bBXsWtxZMUDepIYFGOvMc-7cRlMVsHe7kc-Wd53o4MYVYNwbfC8znX3ZK4cwk6_qCxg/s1600/heart.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMoilb4Xycn3t1jph-LxsvlKmvQKpyDFig2gfC6ehXLHuu3o4IDrOwq5GbgRl38sgubw49GfL0bBXsWtxZMUDepIYFGOvMc-7cRlMVsHe7kc-Wd53o4MYVYNwbfC8znX3ZK4cwk6_qCxg/s1600/heart.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
For anyone who has already bought this book and would like the new version (which includes minor edits, expanded scenes, and a new surname for the protagonist), contact me. </div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03092893374986482194noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2851268965933793860.post-1461245938648735092014-03-04T11:01:00.001-05:002014-03-04T11:01:31.776-05:00Mmm... First Edition Autographs...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://www.ebay.com/itm/151245816809?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_GMhk2Bs6kueNkFSPe1yXmIFgsbYxOHNH4DB5bp-5F8s8csQCRGlIXg46jlGbDeH09Kk6jgyGG1Tx2zM6CTgFQv82CMuEhzPd_hyphenhyphenOkPGpd3neNpI-5sZnPBp4bX-oXpKbXcWn8AHnNIk/s1600/IMAG3114.jpg" height="320" width="223" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.ebay.com/itm/151245816809?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVDBY1eA93EAKK95yOCNYptjpC6aS0olv02LBfNXRHK28NjJrtRGmDqD1bhitdpHUNCXpCbr7L8K-VQUar5jMDeKVfEu5fSTCR4f7uWSwNnk2Qi5YL5RTq-EkWk6hyLfNoatGNap4P5Cw/s1600/IMAG3116.jpg" height="320" width="201" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.ebay.com/itm/151245824338?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLV-n0MPwz2bwkGqmPAe457yNzYJ03NIci0LzzubiL7DJdHmNqkZrEzWb0eApb057PPprvYdD53M5s2sxjxTLBf18TpbFRRp7b73WCk8qkpx-fVO46gjHlbAs8Q873kw6pDZ_jf_3XAfQ/s1600/IMAG3118.jpg" height="320" width="216" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.ebay.com/itm/151245824338?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuJwwxZzdRI3ifl2ipRe7MlhmwaeVw0bmOcbr9Dt0YK38VVygoIk9-E1q0xm3mPQN4M2f3N1x5wdyeHKzj7GxsTWyydJyJXlA0F8__02R4LOXT0Hzmm16FqAY1WFMdCDAk6TmXE1xxs9g/s1600/IMAG3122.jpg" height="203" width="320" /></a></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03092893374986482194noreply@blogger.com0