Just Random Stuff

Workable Daily Schedule (Tentative)

2010-10-09T17:19:00.002-04:00

Weekday
6:00 AM~6:30 AM
---Take dogs out, make coffee, turn on computer, start load of laundry
6:30~7:00
---Clear reader & emails
7:00~7:30
---dry clothes, start first post, another load of laundry (if necessary)
7:30~8:00
---Make breakfast, finish first post, fold & put away clothes
8:00~9:00
---Post #2, put dishes away, take dogs out
9:00~10:00
---Post #3 & #4, make any phone calls needed
10:00~11:00
---Fold & put away laundry, do tweets, set up ending soon post
11:00~12:00 PM
---Make lunch, do housework
12:00~1:00
---Kitten's time
1:00~2:00
---Enter giveaways & do housework, quiet time for Kitten (1:30)
2:00~3:00
---Still quiet time, enter giveaways
3:00-4:00
---Pick up toys, get ready to go outside/to friends'
4:00~6:00
---Outside time
6:00~7:00
---Make dinner, pick up toys, give Kitten bath
7:00~8:00
---Vacuum, bedtime stories, do dishes
8:00~9:00
---Bedtime, spend some time with The Husband
9:00~10:00
---Personal hygiene & set stuff up for tomorrow
10:00~12:00
---Clear reader, email. Enter giveaways

Things that can be "put off"
~~~laundry
~~~vacuuming
~~~entering giveaways

Things that can NOT be put off
~~~Kitten's time
~~~Time with The Husband

Weekends will be used for catching up whatever I missed during the week. I'm missing a few things in here & will need to adjust & work them in eventually.

Goals For October

2010-10-09T17:09:00.002-04:00

1. Lose at least 13 pounds
2. Get a baseline on how much I smoke & cut down by at least 1/4
3. Call the dentist & get teeth cleaned & appointment for filling(s)
4. Remove at least 3 garbage bags worth of stuff from home. Donate it, recycle it, or throw it out.
5. Call Dr & set up appointment for physical.
6. Get Learner's Permit (again)
7. Finish pink crocheted blanket
8. Finish Scrap ripple
9. Do at least 3 rows on Irish Chain Quilt
10. Set up a workable daily schedule that allows for extras & surprises

Setting Up Initial Goals

2010-10-09T15:31:00.002-04:00

I am the type of person who likes lists. I like charts & graphs & schedules. My life runs much better when I have a written plan of action.
My life is out of control. Now, I don't mean I'm partying like a rock star or snorting horse tranquilizers; I just mean, well, things aren't anywhere near the way I want them to be. A (huge) part of the reason behind this is I live with people who fly through life by the seat of their pants. This doesn't work for me. Nope, not at all. I need logic, I need order, I need schedules. While it may seem to some this is a rigid way to live life, for me, it works. When I am in control of the day to day details, when I know when things will get done, I'm more capable of dealing with the surprises when they come along.
So, it's time to put my life together. And, gee, wouldn't you know it? Here I have this long neglected blog, just sitting there. Hmm. Maybe I could use this to my advantage?

Goals
~~~~~~
1.Physical/Health
~~~a. I need to lose 48 to 53 pounds. Being overweight makes me tired & cranky. I know how to lose weight, I even know the things I need to do to keep it off. With 22 days left in October, I think I can lose 13 pounds safely this month. Thanksgiving is the 25th of November & I should be able to lose 10-12 additional pounds before then. 10 pounds between Thanksgiving & Christmas, and then 5-7 pounds a month after that. This would take me to either the Beginning of March or April. I think this is reasonable & I can live with this.
~~~b. I need to quit smoking. Yeah, I know. It's so bad for you. I've actually written down every cigarette I've smoked today, because I have no clue how much I actually do smoke. So tomorrow I'll have a baseline to start at, and can work it out from there. Besides the obvious health benefits to quitting, there are two more that need to be taken into consideration: No more wasted time getting up & going out to smoke a cigarette, and the money saved could be better spent on other things. I'd like to be a nonsmoker.
~~~c. My teeth,. I hate going to the dentist, I really do. Unfortunately, my teeth need cleaned AND one of my fillings fell out last night, so it's time to make an appointment. And of course the dentist will undoubtedly find other problems that need fixed. Yeah. Still, it needs done.

2.My House
~~~First & most important thing: Get rid of the excess crap. Honestly, it looks like a WalMart exploded in my house. I live with packrats. Honestly, do you really need a magazine from the early 90's? Why? Seriously. And the thing about this is, it's a bigger battle then most people will realize. And there's no point in trying to get things cleaned, organized & put away until we GET RID OF some of it.

3.Driver's License
~~~Nope, I don't have one. I've had several learner's permits. I am TERRIFIED of driving. I am. There are steps to this, and each of them is a horror to me.
~~~~~a. Physical. Have to make a dr's appointment & go get a physical. Yup, hate this.
~~~~~b. Take the learner's permit test. This wouldn't be so bad; iyt's not as if it's all that difficult. But I have to actually make an appointment & get a ride & pay the fee. Fun.
~~~~~c. Um, learn to parallel park. Yup, failed the test more than once because of this. Like I'm ever going to go anywhere ever where I'm required to parallel park. Uh-huh.
I could make all sorts of excuses here, but the truth is, I'm just terrified. But I'll call the dr on Monday, after I call the dentist, & set up my physical.

4.Works in Progress & Things I Want to Make
~~~a. Pink Shell crocheted blanket. It's almost done. Really, I could have this done before Monday. This is first
~~~b. Scrap Ripple Crocheted blanket. Just need the ends worked in, it too is almost done.
~~~c. Green & crem Irish Chain Quilt. Sigh. I really want to finish this. After all, I only started it a year ago. It would be really helpful if the cats would quit knocking the piles over & mixing them all up. I have 3 rows done. This will take a while.
~~~d. Scrap knitted scarf. Eh, it's a third done.
~~~e. Teddy Quilt & Angel quilt. I need to make a decision on these two. Most likely, because I hate they way they are turning out, I won't finish them & will throw them out.
~~~f. Flannel Teddy. Not started yet, but the yellow flannel would work great. Want to enter this in the Fair next year.
~~~g. Pink Quilt. Not started. Bargello or maybe 6 inch mini patchwork squares. Want this for the fair.
~~~h. Crazy quilt. Not started yet, but they are so EASY to make & they use up the scraps very well. Plus, people like them.
~~~i. Knit baby sweater & cap. Not started yet. Want this for the fair.

That's it & all for now, I think. Mostly, this will just be me talking to myself. I'll set up a workable schedule, daily weekly & monthly goals & write up "progress reports" on myself. As I get rid of the excess, set up & organize my life, & accomplish individual goals I'll add more & start tackling the really difficult things.

A Great Giveaway If You Have Kids

2010-03-19T13:12:00.002-04:00

For those of you with children, there is a great giveaway going on at J. Leigh Designz. You could win this fun bounce house from BouncehousesNOW.com. Of course, if you won, you'd have EVERY child in the neighborhood hanging out at your place. Best of luck to everyone!

What: Bounce Bot Inflatable Bobble Bouncer by Blast Zone
Where: J. Leigh Designz
ends 5/3
US & Canada only
shipping will apply to Hawaii, Alaska & Canada
daily entries available

Friday Follow #10

2010-03-19T02:47:00.003-04:00

Woo Hoo! Another Friday Follow!
Hosted by One 2 Try, Hearts Make Families and Midday Escapades!

You know the way to play. Grab the buttons, add your blog to the MckLinky, & follow back if you get a new follower.
It's a great way to find new blogs, meet really nice people, and maybe gain a few followers!

This week's wonderful sponsor is Bea’s Gift Baskets.com

Bummer!

2010-03-18T23:39:00.004-04:00

While doing some Googling, I found that my home town of Mufreesboro NC changed the library from here:

{Historic Roberts-Vaughan House}

To here:

{Elizabeth S. Parker Memorial Library}

While I acknowledge that The Elizabeth S. Parker Memorial Library looks larger, especially as the Roberts-Vaughan House was only half-used as a library, but still. Bummer. I checked out my first Stephen King book from that library. My mother signed a paper stating I could check out any book I wanted. I was 11. I must have checked out thousands of books from the Roberts-Vaughan House. It was literally the best organized library I've ever been in. They had the fiction organized by genre. Cool. Libraries I have been in up North do not do that. :(
It's just kind of a bummer.
(I type House slightly sarcastically, as that is another aspect of it that has changed. It used to be the Roberts-Vaughan Center. )

A Question of Ethics

2010-03-12T23:20:00.002-05:00

Jennifer from J. Leigh Designz received this email:

"I really don't think its fair that you enter contests when you can easily blog things. you should step aside and let regular people win these contests. I would hope that other bloggers wouldn't chose you if you were to win."

You can read her post here.

Now, personally, I have no problem with review/giveaway bloggers entering contests. Seriously, the entries would go way down if they didn't.
In my comment I flat out stated that some bloggers (very, very few) cheat.
Her response was:
"Oh I wasn't implying they cheat. I've seen many of my readers win on the sites in mind. I just wondered if maybe they didn't pick fellow review bloggers."

Here's my opinion on that subject. If you state that you will choose a number at random, then that is exactly what you should do. Your first number stands & IS the winner. (Except in the case of the original winner not following the rules; that's a different thing entirely) You don't get pick again because you don't like that entrant or because that person has won on your site recently or because that person is a fellow review blogger. The ONLY reason to push that button (or draw another name out of the hat or count the number of licks to the center of a Tootsie Roll Tootsie Pop, however you randomly choose) is if the first winner didn't follow the rules. Otherwise, it isn't random. It's picking & choosing.
And if you're going to do it that way, be honest. Say, I'm just going to choose whomever I feel like letting win today.
What do you think? Is it cheating to choose again?

So Not Cool & Friday Follow

2010-03-12T00:19:00.007-05:00

It was time to take the little rat, er, I mean dog out to do his nightly business when I see one of the feral cats that live in my neighborhood walking along the side of my house. I thought to myself, gee that's an ugly cat. Big, too.

This is what he looked like:

Yeah, I know. It's an opossum. I'm a genius sometimes. Luckily the wee dog was on his leash & we hadn't gone off the porch before I realized, not a cat.
So now I have an opossum under my house.
In case you're curious, opossums are not that afraid of people.
They do not have cuddly personalities.
Their diets are kinda gross.
He is going to have to go. Go back to whatever woodland Utopia he waddled away from to take up residence under my house. He can not stay.
Did I mention he was huge?
Yeah.
He has to go.

And now on to Friday Follow!

Welcome to Friday Follow, hosted by One 2 Try, Hearts Make Families and Midday Escapades!
You know how this works. Grab the button, link your blog, and follow back when you get a new follower. This week there's a sponsor, so grab that button too & help keep Friday Follow rolling. It's a great way to meet new people, find interesting blogs to follow, & maybe even gain a few followers yourself!

Have fun!

Oh, and do not fear for the incredibly large marsupial that has taken up residence under my residence. I don't believe in slaughtering animals merely because of their uncomfortable proximity to human habitation. If he doesn't mosey on down the road on his own, he'll be live-trapped & relocated to a place where he is less likely to be damaged or do damage.

CSNStore.com Children's Bookshelf

2010-03-11T15:49:00.002-05:00

I have a giveaway up for a children's bookshelf here.
Take a chance & enter. Someone has to win & it could be you!

My Wish For You Today

2010-03-10T22:34:00.001-05:00

Moo!!!!

2010-03-07T23:23:00.003-05:00

I'm not very happy with myself right now. In May of 2009, after 8 months of keeping off the 37 pounds I had spent 6 months loosing, I was 13 pounds away from my optimum weight. I put on & zipped up a pair of jeans I bought when I was 13. OK, to be fair I couldn't sit down in them. Or, you know, breath, but the fact is, they were on & zipped! I gave away all of my fat clothes. I didn't need them anymore. I went clothes shopping. For myself.
Fast forward to now. I've regained all but 7 of the pounds I lost. So now I'm back to needing to loose 43 pounds. 43 POUNDS!!!
The really pathetic part is, I know how to loose weight. I know how to keep it off. But I got lazy. It really is just that simple. I step on the scale & think, oh, it's only a pound. Oh, It's only five pounds. It creeps up on you. I stopped walking 15,000 steps a day & settled for 10,000. Then it was 7500. Some days I'm only getting 5000.
This sucks. Really.
But fortunately, I know how to do this. I need to watch what I eat. I need to take 15,000 steps a day. And I need to drink more water.
At 1500 Calories + 15,000 steps + 150 ounces of water a day, I lost 30 pounds in eight weeks in 2 years ago. My weight loss slowed down after that, but I still lost pretty consistently. I can do that again. I will loose this weight.

Small Change

2010-03-07T13:05:00.002-05:00

I changed my colors around a bit. I hope this is easier on every one's eyes.

Friday Follow Week #8

2010-03-04T23:33:00.003-05:00

Welcome to the Eighth Friday Follow celebration hosted by One 2 Try, Hearts Make Families and Midday Escapades! We invite you to join us every Friday to get more blog followers and to follow other interesting blogs. It is all about sharing and having fun.

Here's how YOU can join the celebration:

* Link up your blog name and URL using the MckLinky below. Only need to add on one blog to be seen on all the blog hops.
* Follow the Friday Follow hostesses listed in the first 3 slots.
* Follow as many blogs as you like
* Comment on the blogs telling them you're from Friday Follow
* Follow back when you get a new follower through Friday Follow

Welcome Friday Followers!

Just A Few Things

2010-03-04T21:50:00.002-05:00

1. If your computer was acting wonky today, it may not have been your computer. Google/Blogger has been having issues all day. After some research, they may have done some kind of "upgrade" last night/this morning. Slow loads, timing out, and site not found (not to mention missing widgets) are all problems I encountered today. I'm not the only one, as I read plenty of posts complaining of these same troubles. Seems to be working better now.

2. I am amazed at the number of bloggers who do not have a button. Not even "new" bloggers, but well-established, been around a while bloggers. If you would like a button, email me (gevin13{at}gmail{dot}com) & we'll see if we can work together to make you one.

3. If you do have a button & it isn't on my sidebar yet, I will get around to it. I have been sick this past week & still am, so haven't been getting as much done as I would like. I will catch up this weekend, I hope.

Oh, The Weather Outside Is Frightful

2010-03-01T06:11:00.003-05:00

My Dad sent me these pictures. He lives about 6 miles down the road from me. Isn't Northwestern PA weather lovely? Friday was a snow day & Mohawk Man got to stay home & irritate his little sister all day long. The snow was so high on Saturday, we literally could not push open the back door. Things are starting to melt off, thankfully. Still, it's only March, so another month of random snow (at the least) and another 2 months of fairly chilly nights (and days).
My nephew gave me a cold. I've been sleeping away most of my weekend & have every intention of sleeping away as much of Monday as I can get away with. I was actually awake for a few hours last night. Sneezing, coughing, sinuses feel like they're filled with 15 pounds of cement, and Hubby says, "Here, read this."
It's an article in the newspaper about how people are going to the emergency room with flu-like symptoms. Only it's not the flu, it's a cold. A really bad, mega, virus-on-steroids cold. You know, sorta like I have? This particular cold is worse than & will last longer than a regular cold. Gee, thanks honey. I really needed to read that right now.

Friday Follow:

2010-02-26T00:58:00.002-05:00

Another Friday Follow, Folks. Last week I didn't get to through as much of the list as I would have liked, but I will try to better this week :)

Welcome to the seventh Friday Follow celebration hosted by One 2 Try, Hearts Make Families and Midday Escapades! We invite you to join us every Friday to get more blog followers and to follow other interesting blogs. It is all about sharing and having fun.
Here’s how YOU can join the celebration:

* Link up your blog name and URL using the MckLinky below – Only need to on one blog to be seen on all the blog hops.
* Follow the Friday Follow hostesses listed in the first 3 slots
* Follow as many blogs as you’d like
* Comment on the blogs telling them you’re from Friday Follow
* Follow back when you get a new follower through Friday Follow

*If you are interested in entering blog giveaways, please see Just Contest Stuff. I put up a list of 30 or more New Blog giveaways 5-7 days a week.

How to Make a Button

2010-02-25T16:34:00.018-05:00

Believe it or not, it's not that difficult. Henrietta, from A Hen's Nest, made the button for Just Contest Stuff, but I wanted to see if I could make one for this blog. And I can. So, if I Can do it, you can do it, too.

Start by finding ~OR~ designing your image. I found a free image on the web, but you can upload, scan or design your image however you feel comfortable.

Now, load that image to whatever photo editing software you know how to use. I used good old Paint. Stretch it, shrink it, add text. Play around, have fun with it. Get it how you want it. Easy peasy so far, right?

OK. So, you've got your image how you want it to look. The size is good, the colors fit your blog. Upload it to a photo hosting site {like Photobucket}.
This is my code:

Where I have http://pixie13-justrandomstuff.blogspot.com/, you need to cut that out & paste in your blog URL.
Where I have Just Random Stuff, you ned to cut that out & paste in the name of your blog.
Where I have http://s932.photobucket.com/albums/ad168/pixie13sweeps/fractal_sirograph_blue.jpg, you need to cut that out & paste in the direct link to your image in Photobucket (or where ever)

And it looks like this:

Button made. Yay!
I really tried to put up the code for the code box but can't get it to show. I can email it to you if you want it.

My Last Straw

2010-02-24T14:01:00.002-05:00

This past week has been just a bit too much for my tight schedule. Kitten had grandma & grandpa over for lunch on Thusrday, and it took most of the morning to make lunch, cupcakes, and visit. Friday's "sleepover" lasted well into Saturday. Sunday my husband had a bad headache & took the whole day to recover, AND my one of my cats got out. He's decided that living outside with the feral colony is so much more fun than being safe inside a nice warm house. Can't catch him no matter what I do.
It was my turn for a headache yesterday. A 3 hour nap in the afternoon & went to bed at 10:00pm.
I got up this morning, ready to go! I'm going to catch up with it all! Nope. During the night, my internet provider "upgraded" the system. Fun. Every time they do that, I end up on the phone for an hour, trying to fix my connection. This morning was even better. 3 1/2 hours after I turned on my computer I can finally clear my reader, answer emails, and put up at least a few things. I am, at this point, so far behind that I can't possibly catch up with the giveaways sitting starred in my reader.
So I'm not going to try. I am turning off my computer. I'm going to have a late lunch, then play with my daughter. Do a little cleaning, maybe a bit of knitting, maybe read a bit.
At some point today I may get back online. Later. Much, much later.

Ahh, Family

2010-02-19T23:51:00.001-05:00

Sooo.....My brother calls me last night.
Brother: Can I ask you for a favor?
Me (rather warily): Um, what?
Brother: Can you watch the kids tomorrow? Please?
Me: For how long?
Brother: Overnight? I'll pay you $30.
Me: {after conversation with husband} OKaaaaay.
Brother gives proper thanks, tells me time of drop off/pick up. Says good-bye & I hang up the phone.

Fast forward to this evening. I am now in charge of 4 children under the age of ten & 1 surly teenager. 5 hours of settling disputes, distributing food & drink & making sure all sanitary procedures are followed after using the restroom, and I finally get to sit down. Are they asleep? No, only the teenager. But, hey, 10:00 PM is quiet time, guys.
By 10:30, the first 4 year old is finally asleep. An hour later Kitten finally gives up the fight & conks out. Now if I could just get the other 2 to accept reality. C'mon guys, it's almost midnight & auntie is tired!

Friday Follow

2010-02-19T13:07:00.003-05:00

Hosted by One 2 Try, Hearts Make Families and Midday Escapades

Here's how YOU can join the celebration: {From Midday Escapades}

* Link up your blog name and URL using the MckLinky here.
* Follow the Friday Follow hostesses listed in the first 3 slots.
* Follow as many blogs as you like
* Comment on the blogs telling them you're from Friday Follow
* Follow back when you get a new follower through Friday Follow

This is a brilliant idea. First, because it's a wonderful way to find new & interesting blogs to read. And second, you may just get a few new & interesting followers!

*If you are interested in entering blog giveaways, please see Just Contest Stuff. I put up a list of 30 or more New Blog giveaways 5-7 days a week.

Swagbucks

2010-02-16T12:48:00.002-05:00

What is Swagbucks? Swagbucks is basically a search engine. You get rewarded with swagbucks for searching the web. You also get rewarded for other things, like shopping, completing offers, viewing vidoes, signing up for sites, etc. You can trade your swagbucks in for all sorts of different rewards. A $5 Amazon GC takes 45 Swagbucks.
If you haven't signed up yet, you may want to do so before February 25, as there is supposed to be a huge birthday celebration.

You can sign up using the widget.

The Lunch Punch®

2010-02-15T15:26:00.004-05:00

For those who haven't seen them, The Lunch Punch® is a food cutter specifically designed for cutting the crusts off of your sandwiches with minimal waste. The Lunch Punch® is taller than a cookie cutter, so it easily cuts through two pieces of bread without "squishing" them.
I won a set of The Lunch Punch® from Sugar Pop Ribbons & couldn't wait to get them in the mail. I opted for the Match & Munch™ set. I LOVE companies that go above & beyond what they promise! Not only did I receive the Match & Munch™ set, they also sent the Critter Cutters™ set!
Kitten loves them. But of course, it isn't that dificult to impress a four year old. Mohawk Man loves them, too. (Psst! Don't tell him I told you) It is much more difficult to impress an "I'm-too-cool-for-everything" Teenager. He was actually all like, "Cool!" and "I have to make myself a sandwich!" (A miracle in & of itself)
And The Lunch Punch® sets actually work. I really hate it when you get something & it only sorta-kinda works like it's supposed to. I didn't have that disappointment with The Lunch Punch®. They actually cut right through the bread & filling with no problems.
The Lunch Punch® can be bought in the US at Sweet Madys for $14.00 a set.

FTC: I won these on another blog. No one asked me to write about them; no one asked me to link to anyone. I just think this is a neat product that actually does what it claims to do, & wanted to let people know. I received no compensation for this post.

What Do You Do If You Don't Like a Book? (or product or whatever?)

2010-02-10T00:46:00.002-05:00

Today I read a review of a book that was just plain ugly.
The blogger obviously did not like the book. OK. Check. Got it. Not sayin' lie about it.
But goodness.
I have not read the book in question. I have read a lot of reviews about the book, though, and while none of them were a gushing recommendation, most were fairly positive.
I'll be the first to acknowledge tact is not a native characteristic for me, and I have been known to offend people with my opinions. I get being honest. But even I cringed for this poor author. The review was that brutal.
So what do you do? Do you try to find something positive to say? Do you say it wasn't for me, but if you like XYZ maybe it would be for you? Do you return it to the author/company & tell them you can't write a positive review for them? Or do you open up with both barrels & blast away?

Update

2010-02-08T19:04:00.002-05:00

Uh-huh. I have been accused of unnatural searches. (Sounds rah-ther perverse, doesn't it?) My Swagbucks account has been re-instated. The irony here being is that I can't actually use the Swagbucks search engine as I naturally would, else I am accused of unnatural searches. Ah, well. Back to Google I go.

Huh?

2010-02-08T15:11:00.002-05:00

Swagbucks deactivated my account! What? WHY? According to the rules, there are 3 possible reasons:
1. I have more than 1 account. ~~~Nope
2. There is more than one account registered to this household.~~~Again, nope.
3. I am using it wrong (IE "unnatural" searches.)~~~Huh?

Yup, I do a LOT of searches. Yup, I click on the same websites many times a day. But, the rules also state that if Swagbucks thinks you are "cheating" they will give you a warning. Did I get a warning? Nope.
Ah, but there may be a clue in the "Search Engine Sweepstakes" official rules.

"The browser through which you access Sponsor's website to enter must accept cookies or any similar, successor, known, or hereinafter devised technology which Sponsor does or may use to track Sweepstakes entries. Sponsor will not disclose any cookie results to third parties except as required under statute, court order, warrant, subpoena, or any other legal process"

So...I wonder...does the fact that my cookies clear EVERY time I close my browser have something to do with it? If leaving cookies on my computer is the price to pay for Swagbucks, no, uh-uh.

I have emailed Swagbucks & am waiting to see if I get a response.
Having been doing this for a grand total of 3 weeks, I'm sure I've made mistakes.
Still, if I am doing something wrong, a warning (which they clearly say they will give you) would have been nice.

So not happy right now }:-(

Book Review: King by Right of Blood and Might by Anna L. Walls

2010-02-08T13:45:00.002-05:00

A disaster of tremendous proportions destroys our world. An asteroid crashes into the moon, causing global upheaval & changing the human race forever. A million years into the future, Prince Harris O'Aidyn must learn to be a King & draw his land back together. His allies are shapeshifters, psychics, and magic. But so are his enemies.

I liked this book. In fact, I loved this book. I've been wanting to read it since September, when I first saw it on another blog. The story is one of the past set in the future. The writing is fantastic, with nothing to skip over or skim through.

What is even more amazing is the fact that the book is self-published. I LOVE that the author was willing to take such a chance on herself. If you like fantasy, I really think you should give this book a try.
To buy on Amazon
To buy on Barnes & Noble

Authors websites
Anna's Obsession
Anna's Passion

{psst! FTC Geniuses: I bought this book myself. I received no monetary compensation for this review. I just like the book. kthanxbai}

Wins for 2010

2010-02-07T16:23:00.003-05:00

1. Progresso Panko prize pack from Mommy's Memorandum 1/1 received 1/12
2. $100 Visa GC from Megan's Rad Reviews 1/3 received 1/28
3. The Boy Who Couldn't Sleep & Never Had To from Knopf Doubleday 1/6 received 1/19
4. Rimmel Urban Seductress makeup palette from Martian Delights 1/10 received 1/21
5. Kodak Printer from Natural Mommie 1/12 received 2/4
6. The Little Giant of Aberdeen County from Bookin' with Bingo 1/16 received 2/5
7. The Survivors Club from The Cajun Book Lady 1/16 received 1/28
8. Travel Buddy from Steals & Deals 1/18 received ???
9. Points of Power from You Wanna Know What I Think? 1/20 received ???
10. Girly Stuff from Mama Mirage Reviews & Giveaways 1/21 received 1/28
11. $20 GC Hollywood Cookie Diet Store from 512Kidz 1/22 received 1/22
12. Book from ? 1/23 received 2/2
13. Love in 90 Days from 1/25 received 2/5
14. Seduced by a Rogue at Reviews by Martha's Bookshelf 1/30
15. Lunch Punch set from Sugar Pop Ribbons 1/31
16. Sleep No More from My Guilty Pleasures 1/31
17. Swan Thieves from Thoughts from an Evil Overlord 1/31
18. Single Husbands at Roxanne's Realm 2/2
19. Valentine Pack from MiMi's Mini Tales 2/2 received 2/8
20. WondaWedge from Sugar Pop Ribbons 2/3
21. Bamboosa Pajamas from The Penny-Pinching Mama 2/4
22. Gentlemen Prefer Succubi from You Wanna Know What I Think? 2/5
23. Denise's Daily Dozen from My Reading Room 2/5
24. Kitty's House of Horrors from Readaholic 2/6
25. Ecstacy Unveiled at Zesty Nachos 2/7
26. Countess of Scandal from Roxanne Rhoads 2/9
27. Durex from Misadventures in Baby Raising 2/13
28. Organix at One Income Dollar 2/14
29. Wilton Heart Shaped from Cake Mom 2/17
30. Eden Fantasys $25 Gc from Things That Make You Go Yay! 2/20
31. A Black Tie Affair from Starting Fresh 2/24
32. Powerhouse Hit The Deck from Tara's View of the World 2/25
33. Jordan from Freda's Voice 2/26

Sugar Doll Award

2010-02-07T13:37:00.004-05:00

CC Chronicles was nice enough to give me this award on Wednesday. I love her book reviews. They are short & honest & well-written. If you haven't checked out her blog yet, you really should.

I'm supposed to tell you ten things about myself & then pass the award along to other bloggers.

1. I can knit, crochet & quilt.
2. I read 20-30 books a month.
3. I was born in North Carolina & spent most of my childhood there.
4. I don't care much for instructions & feel things like "recipes" & "patterns" are merely suggestions.
5. I don't have "favorites". No favorite song, movie, color, book, writer, etc.
6. I will be watching the Superbowl today & will be rooting for the Saints.
7. My nails grow freakishly fast. I find it very difficult to do anything with short nails.
8. I'm a cat person. I currently have 3 indoor cats & feed a feral colony that lives in my neighborhood.

Seriously, I can't think of anything else. So... to pass this along...

1. Henrietta at A Hen's Nest
2. Julee at Mommy's Memorandum

OK. I can't think of anybody else right now.

YouTube links

2009-11-22T10:13:00.006-05:00

Maxi Priest Makes Me Wanna Hallah
~~~~~~~~ Wild World
~~~~~~~~One More Chance
Eartha Kitt Santa Baby

Possess Me at Midnight by Shayla Black

2009-10-28T19:18:00.002-04:00

Doomsday Brethren Series, Book 3 — Ice’s story
Publisher: Pocket Books
ISBN-10: 1416578463
ISBN-13: 9781416578468
Genre: Paranormal/Urban Fantasy Romance
Release Date: October 27, 2009

From Shayla Black's Web Log
As a mysterious dark cloud drains the life of her beloved brother, Doomsday Brethren leader Bram, Sabelle Rion can think of little else. Still, every time she meets Ice Rykard’s intense green gaze, her body aches with need for the sexy warrior. Their attraction is explosive, incredible—and forbidden. As dangerous as he is unpredictable, Ice is her brother’s sworn enemy. But as Bram weakens, a more sinister force is gaining power. Evil Mathias and his ruthless Anarki army are on a bloodthirsty hunt for the Doomsday Diary. Sabelle must guard the potent book with her life—and Ice vows to protect the beautiful witch with his. Duty demands that Sabelle deny her lover’s fiery call of possession and mate with a man who can sway the magical Council against the impending rebellion. With the fate of magickind hanging in the balance, will she forsake the burning desires she can’t ignore or turn her back on her people for the courageous man she can’t resist?

Spread the word about the release of Possess Me at Midnight (blog, twitter, Facebook, MySpace, etc) & be entered to win TEMPT ME WITH DARKNESS and SEDUCE ME IN SHADOW, plus free reads from some favorite authors including Maya Banks, Gena Showalter, Sabrina Jeffries and others. 10 books in all!Comment here with link & be entered to win. Winner drawn 11/3.

Books, Movies, & A Fuzzy Little Spider

2009-10-17T19:09:00.004-04:00

Today was the library's bi-annual book sale. 4 (reusable) bags of books, for only 5 dollars (I Paid double for the biggest bag, just cuz it seemed fair). I'm not sure how many books in all, but Kitten got her own bag of books, so at least Mommy & Baby (Even though she's NOT a baby, just ask, she'll tell you) are happy. Mohawk Man & Daddy, not so much. Oh, well. And I bought "30 Days of Night", a REAL vampire movie. Hmm, vampires who are pure evil with no redeeming qualities what-so-ever. Awesome. I miss monsters in my movies & my fiction. Now if I can just get a chance to watch it. Plus,(and this is only one of the reasons I love Halloween) I found the cutest little plush spider. Purple, big eyed, and oh, so cute!

Isn't she adorable? And, yes, it's mine. For now. Kitten may have other plans.

For The Twilight Not-A-Fan Club

2009-10-16T19:12:00.002-04:00

This is funny, but only if you're not a fan of Twilight. The Private Diary of Bella Swan at Keeping Up.

A Special Post

2009-10-12T21:46:00.000-04:00

Cookie Sheet Blanket Contest

Not sure what the prize is; but I think it doesn't really matter in this case.
At Irisheyes Knitting Blog, Kathy B. is putting out a call for home-made preemie blankets. She originally asked for knitters, but it looks like she'll take crocheted & quilted blankets, too.
This small kindness from you, a stranger, means a great deal to these parents struggling through a difficult time. If you crochet, knit, or quilt, please take a few hours out of your busy schedule to contribute to this call for kindness. A blanket 9X13 takes very little time.
If you don't knit, crochet, or quilt, pass this information along to someone who does. Thanks.

Another Award

2009-10-12T20:53:00.008-04:00

This one from J. Kaye's Book Blog & CC Chronicles

This award is designed with one purpose in mind. Pass this on to other bloggers who have awarded you in the past.

I will honestly make an effort to pass all over-due awards around soon.

Award

2009-10-12T20:42:00.003-04:00

Sorry I'm Soooo late in getting these up. The first is "One Lovely Blog Award" from Amanda's Fun Stuff.
The rules of the "One Lovely Blog Award" are:

Accept the award, post it on your blog together with the name of the person who has granted the award, and his or her blog link. Pass the award to 15 other blogs that you’ve newly discovered. Remember to contact the bloggers to let them know they have been chosen for this award.

Just messing Around

2009-10-11T16:38:00.006-04:00

Got These off of BestSmileys.com.

Stephen King/ Richard Bachman Challenge

2009-10-10T01:35:00.003-04:00

I found this on Cerebral Girl In A Redneck World & just couldn't resist playing along.
Book Geek 2.0 is hosting this challenge. She is a recent addition to the Constant Reader club.

The object of this perpetual challenge is to read EVERY SINGLE book by Stephen King or his pseudonym, Richard Bachman. A complete list can be found here.
* It's not Required to reread books you've already read
* Watch the movies in addition, but not in place of, if you want
* Review the books, if it floats your boat

It's a perpetual challenge, so no time limits.

Here's my list. * is unread, + is read.

* 1960 - People, Places, And Things - Volume 1 (limited edition with Chris Chelsey)
* 1964 - The Star Invaders (limited edition)
+ 1974 - Carrie
+ 1975 - Salem's Lot
+ 1977 - The Shining
+ 1978 - Night Shift (stories)
+ 1978 - The Stand
+ 1979 - The Dead Zone
* 1980 - Firestarter
* 1981 - Cujo
* 1981 - Danse Macabre (nonfiction about horror)
+ 1981 - Roadwork
* 1982 - Creepshow (comic book, illustrated by Bernie Wrightson)
+ 1982 - The Dark Tower I: The Gunslinger
+ 1982 - Different Seasons (novellas)
+ 1983 - Christine
+ 1983 - Pet Sematary
+ 1983 - Cycle of the Werewolf
+ 1984 - The Talisman (written with Peter Straub)
+ 1985 - Skeleton Crew (stories)
+ 1985 - The Bachman Books (novel collection)
+ 1986 - It
+ 1987 - The Eyes of the Dragon
+ 1987 - Misery
+ 1987 - The Dark Tower II: The Drawing of the Three
+ 1988 - The Tommyknockers
+ 1988 - Nightmares in the Sky (Photo book with text by King)
+ 1988 - Dark Visions
+ 1989 - The Dark Half
* 1989 - Dolan's Cadillac (limited edition)
* 1989 - My Pretty Pony (limited edition)
+ 1990 - The Stand: The Complete & Uncut Edition
+ 1990 - Four Past Midnight (stories)
+ 1991 - Needful Things
+ 1991 - The Dark Tower III: The Waste Lands
+ 1992 - Gerald's Game
+ 1993 - Dolores Claiborne
+ 1993 - Nightmares & Dreamscapes (stories)
+ 1994 - Insomnia
+ 1995 - Rose Madder
+ 1995 - Umney's Last Case
+ 1996 - The Green Mile (originally published as a monthly serial consisting of six parts: The Two Dead Girls, The Mouse on the Mile, Coffey's Hands, The Bad Death of Eduard Delacroix, Night Journey, and Coffey on the Mile)
+ 1996 - Desperation
? 1997 - Six Stories (stories)
+ 1997 - The Dark Tower IV: Wizard and Glass
+ 1998 - Bag of Bones
* 1999 - Storm of the Century
+ 1999 - The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon
* 1999 - The New Lieutenant's Rap (limited edition)
+ 1999 - Hearts in Atlantis
* 1999 - Blood and Smoke (audio book)
+ 2000 - Riding the Bullet (electronically published novella)
* 2000 - The Plant(electronically published)
* 2000 - Secret Windows
+ 2000 - On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft (nonfiction autobiography)
+ 2000 - Dreamcatcher
+ 2001 - Black House (written with Peter Straub)
+ 2002 - From a Buick 8
+ 2002 - Everything's Eventual: 14 Dark Tales
+ 2003 - The Dark Tower I: The Gunslinger (revised edition)
+ 2003 - The Dark Tower V: Wolves of the Calla
+ 2004 - The Dark Tower VI: Song of Susannah
+ 2004 - The Dark Tower VII: The Dark Tower
+ 2004 - Faithful: Two Diehard Boston Red Sox Fans Chronicle the Historic 2004 Season
* 2005 - The Colorado Kid
* 2006 - The Secretary of Dreams
+ 2006 - Cell
+ 2006 - Lisey's Story
+ 2008 - Duma Key
* 2008 - Just After Sunset
* 2009 - Stephen King Goes to the Movies
+ 2009 - The Little Sisters of Eluria (limited edition)
* 2009 - "Graduation Afternoon" (in PostScripts)
* 2009 - "Throttle" (in He is Legend)
* 2009 - UR (e-novella available only on Amazon.com's Kindle)

As Richard Bachman

+ 1977 - Rage
+ 1979 - The Long Walk
+ 1981 - Road Work
+ 1982 - The Running Man
+ 1984 - Thinner
+ 1996 - The Regulators
+ 2007 - Blaze

& I'm SO NOT listing the unfinished ones.

So. 20 unread Stephen King works, 61 read. (I think, I may have miscounted) And of the 20 unread, there are 13 I have either A) No intention of ever reading. Or B) Will probably never read because they are limited editions.

I own quite a few of these books & have seen every single Stephen King movie ever made up until today. Yup, I'm a fan.

I'm Very Busy

2009-10-10T01:20:00.002-04:00

In the past 24 hours I have

-Read 2 Books (Dark Hunger & The Murder of King Tut)
-Almost cleaned Kitten's room (a huge task since she likes to throw everything she owns on the floor)
-Wrote 6 new post on Just Contest Stuff
-Spent an hour just playing with Kitten
-Read 4 Books to Kitten
-Did some knittin'
-Almost caught up with the laundry
-Entered a bunch of giveaways

And yes, I did sleep. 5 1/2 hours. And on top of that, in the past two weeks I have actually removed from my home 5 full bags (large bags) of useless, broken, or outgrown things. YAY!!!
However, the weight loss thing is not going well. I have actually managed to gain 4 pounds. I blame it on the Chinese Restaurant. All you can eat & the best food on the planet, seriously. All that MSG will take ages to get out of my system.

Over The Top Award

2009-10-05T01:45:00.002-04:00

Henrietta at A Hen's Nest and Amanda from Amanda's Fun Stuff gave me this award for my other blog, Just Contest Stuff. (Yes, I know I should post 'em for where I get 'em, but THAT blog is Just For Lists. 'Kay?) So, big thanks to Henrietta & here are the rules:

Copy and change the answers to suit you and pass it on. It’s quite tricky to use only one-word answers! Once you have filled it out be sure to pass it on to 6 of your favorite bloggers. Alert them that they have been awarded! Have fun!

1. Where is your cell phone? Somewhere?
2. Your hair? difficult
3. Your mother? Nope
4. Your father? Marine
5. Your favorite food? Not
6. Your dream last night? Gone
7. Your favorite drink? Coffee
8. Your dream/goal? Nope
9. What room are you in? Livingroom
10. Your hobby? Yes
11. Your fear? Zombies
12. Where do you want to be in 6 years? Somewhere
13. Where were you last night? Here
14. Something that you aren’t? Normal
15. Muffins? Banana
16. Wish list item? House
17. Where did you grow up? EVERYWHERE
18. Last thing you did? ^
19. What are you wearing? sweats
20. Your TV? old
21. Your pets? five
22. Friends? weird
23. Your life? chaotic
24. Your mood? optimistic
25. Missing someone? yup
26. Vehicle? works
27. Something you’re not wearing? guess
28. Your favorite store? Not
29. Your favorite color? Not
30. When was the last time you laughed? Yesterday
31. Last time you cried? Nope
32. Your best friend? Nope
33. One place that I go to over and over? Not
34. One person who emails me regularly? Bea
35. Favorite place to eat? Not

OK. I totally cheated on some of these. "Not" because I don't have "FAVORITES"(I really don't) & "Nope" because these are issues that are either so incredibly personal that I can't manage to be flip about them or so complicated that there is no way I can post an answer in one word. Sorry. Is The Way I Is.
I am also supposed to pass this along to six other bloggers. I will have to get back to you on that one.

Catching Up

2009-10-04T19:48:00.003-04:00

Running seriously behind the last couple days. Just a quick note to say, I'll post the 3 awards (Amanda's Fun Stuff, A Hen's Nest, & J. Kaye's Book Blog) at some point this week & attempt to get an update on the weekly goals either later tonight or tomorrow.

Bad Day

2009-09-28T14:25:00.002-04:00

I am in pain. Took 3 tylenol, & though it helps a little, it also makes me slow & stupid. Will be 2 or 3 days before this problem corrects itself. The lists are late, my reader is over-flowing, I'm cranky, tired & cold. Days like this suck.

Are You A Zombie?

2009-09-27T11:49:00.004-04:00

Are you a zombie? So many people are. They go through their day without thinking. They don't see the beauty around them, don't hear the words being said, don't feel the great & glorious joy that could be theirs. They go through the motions doing the things they always do because they always have.
When was the last time you literally couldn't breathe because you were overcome by awe? Or felt such overwhelming love for some one that you were just sure your heart would break from it? Have you ever felt connected to the incredible boundlessness of the entire universe? How about the last time you saw something from somebody else's point of view, not just in your head, but in your heart & soul? Do you really see the people in you life, as they really are, or are you seeing them through a filter you've defined them with?
No one can feel these things all the time; it would be too overwhelming. That's why children need naps, why they get frustrated & frightened & cranky. Because each moment is so bright, so filled with something new. Stimulus overloafd.
But as we grow older, those moments become rarer, life becomes everyday. Mundane. Unless we actively seek out the beauty & joy & love in life, we loose them.
I am becoming a zombie. My heart has grown callouses where it has been hurt. My soul is folding in on itself. Anger is replacing love; fear is replacing joy. Obsessive Compulsive behavior has become a poor replacement for passion. But I am aware, and that is the first step.
So here's the thing. For the next year, I'll be setting goals for myself. Each Sunday I'll set a new goal or set of goals. I'll give myself a certain amount of time to reach each one. I'll share my progress, and along the way I'll tell you some of the things that helped to contribute to who I am right now.

Sunday #1
I'm overweight. Oh, not terribly. About 20-25 pounds. But it terrifies me. There is a history of diabetes on both sides of my family. A large number of my family members are very large people. And my eldest sister died at the age of 31 from a massive heart attack. She weighed over 500 pounds. Her death left 3 children motherless & a husband without a wife. These are the things of which real nightmares are made.
So, for my first goal, a relatively easy one. I am giving myself 6 weeks to loose 17 pounds. My scale said 157 pounds this morning, so my plan is to get down to 140, which puts me within 5 to 10 pounds of my ideal weight. Any less than 130 I have a tendency to bare a striking resemblance to a prepubescent anorexic boy.
Sunday goal #2
Slightly more difficult, as this one involves a small amount of cooperation from others. Get my house clean. I live with packrats, people who can't get rid of anything. Ever. So we live in clutter. I hate it. I hate clutter. I have some sort of genetic imparetive that requires me to get rid of things every 3-4 months. I need clean, uncluttered spaces for good mental health. It's time to let the garbage go. If we don't need it/use it, it goes. Alright, this one may be very very difficult. I will let this one run for 4 weeks.

Well, those are enough for now. It's a small start, but a start none the less.

My Reader is Empty!!!

2009-09-25T11:38:00.003-04:00

I've finally caught up. Read, emailed, or posted everything backed up in my reader. Woo Hoo me!
It was getting a little clogged because yesterday I spend three incredibly productive hours reading I Can Has Cheezburgers & Failblog. OK. Perhaps "productive" is a bit of a a stretch. Maybe "a complete waste of time but at least it was funny" would be a better description. Plus, Kitten really enjoys the LOL Cats. And on Wednesdsay I actually watched a movie. Oh, yeah. Doesn't happen very often. In fact, X-Men Origins was so good, I watched it twice. {And as an aside, in my personal opinion any movie with Hugh Jackman AND Liev Schrieber should be labeled "porn for women" and sold in a plain brown wrapper.}

Blog Addict Award

2009-09-24T23:53:00.005-04:00

From Rachy at ParaJunkee's View, another award for my blog, Just Contest Stuff. Thank you, Rachy!
Blog Addict - the award goes to the blogs that fosters my addiction.
Thanks for all your hard work! It pays off - I read your posts. Great blog design and content! You can pass this one on if you want, but no obligation. Make it worth it!

Another post I'll have to think about & get back to. I will do so.

Where Have All The Followers Gone?

2009-09-23T13:16:00.003-04:00

If your Google Friend Connect widget (followers) has gone blank, please go to Missing Followers?
and Complain. Get all of your blogger friends to complain. Re-post this link on your blog. Perhaps if Blogger hears from enough people, they will make an attempt to fix what is obviously a problem that has been going on for some time. There is also a form to fill out to help Blogger "debug" the issue. Thanks!

My Second Award!

2009-09-18T10:55:00.007-04:00

Another award for my blog, Just Contest Stuff! Thank You to CC Chronicles for this award. (and as an aside, doesn't she do lovely work?)

The Heart of a Dragon Award is a very special award for the blogger who inspires you and/or others to go above and beyond or the blogger who helps keep us all connected.

Here are the rules:
1. Post the award on your site with a link to the person who gave it to you.
2. Pass it on to the blogger(s) who inspire you and list why they are receiving the award.
3. Post a comment on their blog.

1.Henrietta at A Hen's Nest, because she's the one who got me into blogging in the first place.
2. Trisha at Trisha's Book Blog, because she's a really nice person, helping out other beginning bloggers & holding out and holding on against the few *brats* out there.
3. Lady Hightower at Psychic Mama*Indigo Child, because she helped (technologically challenged) me out with a few things I had no idea how to do when I first started.

OK. I've been thinking about this for about 9 hours, and I just can't come up with anyone else right now. Not because there aren't great blogs out there, but because CC already gave this to SEVERAL of they blogs I would have chosen! So I'm sticking with these 3.

My First Award!!!

2009-09-18T09:59:00.002-04:00

Thanks So Much to CC Chronicles for my first award for my other blog, Just Contest Stuff.

The Dragon's Loyalty Award is an award for the loyal fan/commenter, whether the recipient is a fellow blogger or just a someone who follows and comments regularly.

Here are the rules:

* If you have a blog, post it on your blog with a link back to the site who gave it to you.

* Leave them a comment on their site, email, etc. to let them know.

* If you don't have a blog but have a website, Facebook, MySpace, Twitter or other type account, post there with a link back.

* Pass this on to 3-10 loyal fans.

OK. So... I only have 8 followers as of this morning, so I'll be passing this along to each of them

Shelley at Book Fanatic
Carter at CC Chronicles (yup, I'm shootin' it back at ya!)
Rachy at ParaJunkee's View
Michelle at red headed book child
J Kaye at J. Kaye's Book Blog
Amanda at Amanda's Fun Stuff
Henrietta at A Hen's Nest
hayden392 (if anyone has any idea how to get in touch with hayden392, let me know?)

OK. Off to notify people of this beautiful award. Thanks again to CC Chronicles for not only giving me this award, but designing it as well.

A Trip To The ER

2009-09-15T00:37:00.002-04:00

SO...I was just about ready to make dinner when Kitten comes in & tells me, "I put a rock in my nose." Then she shoves her finger in there & pushes it deeper!!! Almost all the way to the bridge; I couldn't see it but I could feel it. Well, off to the Emergency room. But, of course, she's starving, so a rare trip to McDonald's Drive-Thru first. We get to the ER, and who knew? Those jokes about having to wait f-o-r-e-v-e-r in the waiting rooms are NOT jokes. 2 hours later & the (Very small) stone I couldn't see when we left the house is an eighth of an inch from the outside world. It had worked it's way out! The doctor was in the room with us, no kidding, maybe two minutes. Plucked it right out. He asked me if I wanted it for a souvenir. Um, no? Any way. The stone is gone, Kitten is sleeping, & I am so glad I have children. And how was your day?

Much Love, Henrietta

2009-09-13T03:16:00.004-04:00

This is just a quick Thanks Much to Henrietta from A Hen's Nest for offering to design a button for my other blog, Just Contest Stuff. Thanks!!!!

A Win Today

2009-09-10T00:23:00.002-04:00

I was starting to get a little discouraged, as it's been a week since I've gotten a win. Today, thanks much, I received an email informing me I'd won a copy of Dark Hunger by Rita Herron from Found Not Lost. Go check it out, there's a few book contests up. Go ahead, enter them, you know you want to. I like competition. Good Luck, and watch for a coming review of Dark Hunger.

The Manhattan Prophet

2009-09-06T21:28:00.000-04:00

From the cover:
Set in the near future in New York City, The Manhattan Prophet picks up in a world where the doomsayers predictions have come true,where a limited nuclear exchange between the West and radical Islam has traumatized society and left civilization in a new Dark Age.

Salem Jones is the Manhattan Prophet, emerging from his life long imprisonment in Rikers Island Prison. His message is one of hope & faith for the survivors. Maria Primera is the beautiful, privileged journalist slated to be the first person to interview him. And Herbie Lipton is the surprising key to humanity's salvation.

This is, without a doubt, the best new book I've read this summer. The story is one of spiritual redemption, rather than one of religious dictates. All of the main plot points are definitely well within the realms of possibility. Terrorists attacking with nuclear devices? Easily believable in this day & age. An over reaction in the Middle East which causes localized nuclear war? Yup. A mutated AIDS virus? Not really a stretch. Even Herbie's family history is completely believable, given the hippy culture of the sixties. Oh, yes, the story IS GOOD!

Now, let's talk about the writing. In a few places in this book, the author stumbles just a little & the writing goes a little down hill. However, over all I'd have to say the writing is very good. I like that the author wrote this book on the presupposition that the reader had access to a higher than fifth grade education. Details & back story are deftly woven in with the action. The author obviously understands the writers' adage "show, don't tell."

This book will stick in my head, and I will be rereading it soon.

The Manhattan Prophet is Jake Packard's first novel. For more information about the book & it's author, visit www.themanhattanprophet.com.

Swagbucks

2009-01-22T21:19:00.001-05:00

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