books, art, music

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Grady Harp is an Amazon Top 10 Reviewer

Gene R. Dark waited twenty-five years to write his intensely visceral response to his experience as a Marine in the Vietnam disaster, and then was forced to wait another frustrating twelve years to publish it.

The author’s commitment to tell his story and his dedication to getting it into the publics’ hands was worth the wait: THE BRUTALITY OF WAR is the most honest recounting of the Vietnam War, both in its description of the brainwashing preparation of the kids that were sent there and the grisly realities of the ‘non-Hollywood’ version of the truth about the fighting men, and in the evaluation of America’s angry response to that war to the abuse of the soldiers as veterans that continues to this day.

The cruel truth became obvious. America only accepts winners, and in the eyes of America, Vietnam was a loser, and those who fought were losers.’ Continue reading »

Not long ago, I stopped by my local Borders to attend a booksigning done by a famous mystery author. I LOVED it because she dressed exactly the way you would expect a sleuth-writer to dress: flamboyant cap with a long feather, floor length cape, and for company she carried a stuffed toy cat. Mrs. Fletcher she wasn’t, but Agatha Christie-like she was!

That signing got me thinking about what the best dressed authors should wear to book signings. Would western writers wear spurs, romance writers a sexy teddy? How about chicklit authors? As one of the most rapidly rising genres, chicklit has really blossomed in the literary scene - but what would the bestdressed chicklit author wear? I went searching.

First, I considered a Rebecca Taylor mini dress (don’t you just love the raspberry one!), but on second thought, this screamed romance writer. Hey Jackie Collins! Get over her and get yourself into one of these minis!

Next, I spun by the one-shoulder dresses; they were spectacular, but I’d save these for my nighttime signings - they definitely say “party girl”. Not that chicklit writers don’t love a good party - - but we’re going for the book signing crowd right now.

Finally, I found the perfect dress for the chicklit author: Sundresses to die for. Polka dot, prints, and island-wear - - THE match for authors like Jill Smolinski, Kate Hart, and Nadine Dajani. Better yet, I discovered these women’s strappy sandals, which, when pared with the sundress, create an ensemble fit for a New York Times bestselling author (well, unless the author is a guy!). By the way, my favorite is the Nina brand in metallic gold.

Next time YOU go to a book signing and the author’s wearing a little so-so nothing  - send her over to this blog and let’s educate her on a little style.

A favor to ask, it only takes a minute….

Please  tell ten friends to tell ten today! The Breast Cancer site is having  trouble getting enough people to click on their site daily to meet their  quota of donating at least one free mammogram a day to an underprivileged  woman. It takes less than a minute to go to their site and click on  ‘donating a mammogram’ for free (pink window in the middle).

This  doesn’t cost you a thing. Their corporate sponsors/advertisers use the  number of daily visits to donate mammogram in exchange for advertising.

Here’s the web site! Pass it along to people you know.  http://www.thebreastcancersite.com/

Thanks!

Abraham Lincoln, The Illustrated Edition: The Prairie Years and The War Years

This magnificently produced and illustrated edition of Carl Sandburg’s masterpiece is the compilation of Sandburg’s original six volumes, which sold more than one million copioes.

This illustrated edition, with an introduction by Alan Axelrod, gives readers a glimpse into Lincoln’s world as he journeys from country lawyer to the Presidency.

The photographs, many in color, depict several of Lincoln’s personal effects, including his personal copy of the Gettysburg address. Of course, among the most interesting images are those of Lincoln himself–most notably the two showing 1860 President-elect Lincoln, and the 1865 image taken one week after Lee’s surrender. We all know the presidency ages a man, but the change in Lincoln Continue reading »

Grady Harp is an Amazon Top 10 Reviewer

Call Me by Your Name: A Novel is one of those books so rich in story, in content, and in style of writing that it immediately becomes one of the great novels of the time.

With this novel André Aciman steps into the rarefied air of writers such as Jamie O’Neill, Colm Toibin, Reinaldo Arenas, Constantine Cavafy, Edmund White, Michael Cunningham, and even EM Forster and Thomas Mann - a disparate group of luminaries, perhaps, but each with the ability to create an evocative, sensual love story beyond the limits of traditional tales.

Though highly recommended by friends over the past year, this reader only now had the pleasure of reading this novel, and the result was to immediately read it again, so rich are the treasures this book holds.

Agreeing with other reviewers that telling too much of the plot is unfair to those who have yet to read Aciman’s book, suffice it to say that CALL ME BY YOUR NAME is a meditation on the awakening of love, the myriad emotional and physical responses of the act of attraction developing into acting out and becoming an obsession, and the indelible mark that ‘first love’ makes on the hearts and lives of those involved. Continue reading »

I guess a week of un-San Diego-like dreary weather was all it took to set my writer’s mind off on rainy day ramblings . . . including books, raincoats, and movies . . .

Back in 1932, Joan Crawford came close to burning a hole in the silver screen with her sultry portrayal of streetwalker Sadie Thompson, in Walter Houston’s Rain. An adaptation of a W. Somerset Maugham piece, Rain is about a steamy seductress who tempts all the men of Pago Pago, including a fire and brimstone preacher played by Houston.

The movie screams hot, humid passion, as the tropical Pago Pago seas crash into the shore, Crawford sizzles up the screen, the rain keeps falling, and Joan spits out at the pious preacher “You can tell them Sadie Thompson’s gone straight to hell!”

It’s only my opinion, but I’m thinking that Crawford wouldn’t have had to turn all those tricks if she’d been wearing a Burberry Trench Coat, Tamara Henriques Rain Boots, and sporting a Shed Rain Umbrella. In that gear, she’d quickly bid adios to Pago Pago and book passage to Paris on the S.S. Get Me Off This Island.

Maybe in Paris, she’d meet Rick . . . you know, before Ilsa, the Nazis, and that whole Victor Laslo thing. There, Sadie and Rick could open a Starbucks franchise, be the first to introduce the Sadie-cchino, and sit out the war in neutral Switzerland, all while perfecting the world’s first dark chocolate coffee blend. What do you think? Is it possible, or has the rain pounded down just a little too hard on my imagination?

Call me crazy, but you never know where one great raincoat will take you.

Harriet Klausner is Amazon’s #1 Reviewer

Fire Study (Study, Book 3), by Maria Snyder.

After being raised in the Territory of Ixia and having gained the trust of Commander Ambrose and the love of his second in command Valek, Yelena returns to her homeland Sitia to study magic.

Belonging to both countries, Yelena wants to become the liaison so that neither place will war against the other. Her studies are once again interrupted when she goes to find Ferde the Soulstealer and Cahill the pretender to the Ixian throne. Continue reading »

Harriet Klausner is Amazon’s #1 Reviewer

Blasphemy, by Douglas Preston.

Physicist Gregory North Hazelius sold the concept of creating a humongous forty billion dollar “superconducting supercollider particle accelerator” based on finding a new source of energy. He knows not to tell anyone about his personal secret agenda behind why he pushed the Isabella project as it is called; he plans to duplicate the Big Bang of creation in order to speak to God.

The Navajo Indian Reservation in the southwest is chosen as the locale for Isabella. Work begins inside the five-hundred-square-mile Red Mesa tableland. However, the project falls behind schedule disturbing DC politicos who bet on its quick success.

Presidential science adviser Dr. Stanton Lockwood sends former CIA operative Wyman Ford to investigate why the delay and is there any way to propel the project back on schedule. At the same time, others strongly oppose Isabella fearing the wrath of God. Continue reading »

Blogging Authors post on How to Write a Memoir to Remember was nominated for Best Tutorial at Daily Blog Tips (we’re down under Other category).  There are some excellent tutorials here - - enjoy!

Blogging

• How To Install WordPress - A Visual WordPress Guide by Jeff.
• Google Analytics for n00bs - Using statistics by Viraj.
• How To Run A Fantabulous Blog Contest by Vijay.
• How to make a Killer Blog by Honeytech.
• Backup guide for bloggers by Mehmet.
• What is a Blog and How to Read it by Lana.
• Tutorial: How to print blog articles the smart way by Jacob.
• A complete guide: How to make your post attractive using images by Vijay
• 5+1 Ways of promoting your Blog/Site/Brand name in your college by Ashfame.
• 8 Effective Ways to Increase RSS Readership by Tejvan.
• Backing Up Wordpress by Dan Cole.
• How to Feature Your Best Posts in Your Sidebar by Matt.
• Effective Linking With Your Old Post in 10 Steps by Dexter.
• Protect Your Blog And Counter Copyright Thefts by Tibi
• How To Launch a Blog Successfully? by Mr. Gee.
• How to incorporate Google Custom Search engine with Adsense into your Wordpress blog by Zaheer.
• How to Install WordPress (Chinese) by Young
• How to Add More Sidebar Text Widgets by Lori.
• How to Write Scannable Content: A 6-Step Approach by Daniel.
• Double Your FeedBurner RSS Numbers Overnight by Joel.
• How To: Showing Only a Post Excerpt in WordPress by Kyle.
• Display User Welcome Message by Mike.
• Absolute Guide to Losing Readers by Ronald.

Health & Lifestyle

• Guide to Cure Acne by Jeni.
• Self-Portrait (with Knits) by Deb.
• Tutorial on Keeping the Wrong Man Away by Fairyshirley.
• How To Stop Worrying by Dee.
• How To Prevent Aging by Chris.
• How to Start a Low Carb Diet by Jo.
• Zero to Rhythm in 12 Days by Amberlynn.

Make Money Online

• How to list an eBay auction for maximum profit by Mike Panic.
• How to go from $0 to $7000 per month and back to $0 again by Patrick.
• Make Money With a Poor Mans BANS (Build a Niche Store) by Guy Patterson.
• How To Make Money Online By Exploiting Your Grandma (An Easy 7 Step Program) by Sucker.
• Google Adsense Beginners Guide by Iulian
• How I made $1,000+ from Dead Blogspot Blogs with SedoParking! by Jacky
• A 5-Minute Method to Redirect Your Affiliate Links by Muhammad.

Other Topics

• The Perfect Homemade Pie Crust ~ A Tutorial with Pictures ~ by Jo-Lynne.
• How to Take Someone Down that is MUCH Bigger than You by Max.
• Fussy’s Handy Ways To Ruin Your Marriage by Mrs. Fussypants.
• Shopping at Adambeauty.com - simple tutorial by Paris.
• How to Write a Memoir to Remember by Nancy.
• How To Write A Letter of Complaint to Your Bank by Pettinger
• How to buy Wedding Invitations Online by Rhonda.
• Questions on Economics You’ve Always Wanted to Ask by Tejvan
• WFMW: Jon Udell’s Library Lookup by Melanie.
• Tutorial: How to Write a Business Letter by Chrissy.
• How To Eat Healthy At Fast Food Joints by Levi.
• Possessive vs. Plural: Getting it Right by Corner Scribe.
• Tutorial on Forward Motion Application with Transcription and Video by Rewsnat.
• How to do your Due Diligence when purchasing land on eBay by Carol.
• Drain and Flush Your Water Heater To Extend Its Life by Chester.

SEO & Web Development

• Strategic SEO - building an optimal keyword attack formula for bloggers by Lex.
• 5 Easy Steps To Oodles Of Search Engine Traffic For Your WordPress Blog by Moshin.
• Optimize your Blog Post for Google - Tips that you might not have heard by Shankar.
• How to transfer a domain from Yahoo to Godaddy by Valerie.
• Gaining Backlinks With SEO Friendly Web Directories by Daniel Harrisson.
• DOs and DON’Ts - Colour by Vivien
• How do you make a scroll box for HTML code? by Melanie.

Technology & Software

• How to connect your Laptop/PC/Computer to your TV by Aseem.
• Ghid de instalare Windows XP (Romanian) by Napster.
• Google Docs to HTML — cleanly… by Scott.
• How to extract and open .daa files for free by Sumesh.
• How To Digital Ink Your Drawings Using Flash by Aywren.
• Boost the Volume in QuickTime Player by Ashwin.
• A tutorial on mastering Digital Photography in minutes! by Praval
• How to make the most using RSS reader by Kriz.
• How to Remove CD/DVD Scratches Using a Toothpaste by Rhodilee.
• How to remove Virus from USB Drives by Madhur.
• How to RSS like a Rockstar… (Part 1) by Lucy.
• How to Play Downloaded Videos on Your iPod, Xbox 360, or DVD Player by Engtech.
• Como criar sua pandoras battery para o psp (Portuguese) by Leandro.
• How To Assemble And Build A PC by JohnTP.
• How-To: Import Audiobook CDs to iTunes by Britne.

Just a reminder to sign up for the annual Whidbey Island Writers Conference, February 29 - March 2, 2008, with pre-
conference Workshops February 28, 2008. Register for the Whidbey Island Writers Conference on their site. (If you’re traveling on the west coast, we suggest Alaska airlines for the best non-stop routes into Seattle).

As the sponsors of the event write “After an energizing opening session on Friday, you’ll meet with a small group of writers for an afternoon of Author Fireside Chats. Led by authors who write in your chosen genre, these intimate gatherings foster in-depth interaction and encouragement. For dinner, choose your cuisine preference from a variety of restaurants, or for a more intimate evening, you can choose to dine elegantly with an author and a small group of literary peers, pampering your palate with high cuisine and your writer’s spirit with rich conversation. Close out the evening with rest in a homey bed and breakfast or an island-style inn.

Saturday, devote yourself to classes and workshops held in Langley’s state-of-the-art high school. As the afternoon closes, gather for a book signing and reception with opportunities to socialize with other writers. Saturday evening enjoy a reading and discussion featuring four renowned literary authors. Continue the learning on Sunday with more classes and workshops, culminating in the closing keynote.”