Living With Rogues and Druids

by Pam Ripling

WoW. And I was going to talk about Pong. Your parents-grandparents?-will remember: black screen, two white paddles (actually, two little bars that only move up and down), one blip on the screen that was supposed to look like a bouncing ball. Prehistoric man’s first video game.

Instead, let me tell you about Daniel and James.

Daniel is my son. He is also a Druid, who spends several hours weekly immersed in the World of Warcraft, or WoW, the biggest, most successful MMORPG ever. Oh, that’s massive-multiplayer-online-role-playing-game for you noobs out there. And that word massive? An understatement. Get this: there are over 11.5 million druids, priests, mages, warlocks, hunters, shamen, rogues and warriors subscribing to this fantasy franchise universe, landing WoW in the Guinness book!

Role-playing games are certainly not new. Think Final Fantasy (Square Enix, 1987, for Nintendo), an early RPG that holds seven Guinness World Records. What makes WoW different is that it spans all platforms and is played exclusively online, worldwide. “Old time” gamers will remember playing Warcraft: Orcs & Humans way back in 1994; World of Warcraft was announced in 2001 but not released by creator Blizzard Entertainment until November, 2004.

But back to the Druid in the corner bedroom. This character is also a healer, and he is part of the Alliance. (I, of course, immediately conjured up Luke Skywalker, but he said that wasn’t right.) He is part of a “guild” – a collection of players that meet (either in person or online) in real life and form a sort of a team that always play together. They will even talk to each other with headsets while they play. Dan, er, the Druid, can shape shift, too. Some nights, his guild goes on raids, attacking other dungeons and collecting various gear and other cool stuff to help them progress to higher levels (there are 80 in all!) These raids can last for hours, and it might take a typical player a year to reach that 80th level.

Did I mention James? Okay, he’s in the other bedroom. Or, uh, a different guild, that is. He is a Rogue, and he plays for the Hordes. The tough guys. The black hats. He is sometimes a Troll, sometimes a Blood Elf. This is because, of course, Blood Elves can be Paladins but Trolls cannot. (Didja get that? If you didn’t, Wiki has lots more confusing facts and info on WoW.) As these warring brothers actually “play” in different but identical worlds (okay, “servers”), they rarely have to attack each other, which is a big relief to me.

So what's the big deal? Well, for one thing, it's not GAME OVER if you die. You just kind of become a ghost, wander around a graveyard, find your body and get resurrected. And of course, there is no end to WoW: it's a perpetual, ever-changing world of endless possibilities and new challenges.

I’m not there yet, but I suspect when I am done gathering gold coins for Mario and Luigi, I will find myself wandering around Azeroth, trying to avoid the Wrath of the Lich King. Maybe I will be a priest or a shaman. Mage sounds good. What about you? Horde or Alliance?

Pam Ripling is the author of middle-grade mystery, LOCKER SHOCK! Buy it at Quake, Fictionwise or Amazon today! E-book version now available for your Kindle! Visit Pam at www.BeaconStreetBooks.com.

Wharf

Well this is my first contribution to the Art for Animals blog.

His name is Wharf and he comes from the Hout Bay based organisation, DARG (Domestic Animal Rescue Group). I don't know very much about Wharf, but from his name would imagine he was found wandering round the docks.

DARG have a policy of never putting a healthy animal down and as a result, there are a few dogs and cats who have been staying at the centre for some time. Wharf is one of them, a sweet faced eldery dog who is looking for a home to retire to. Hopefully my little painting will help him find his 'forever' place in the sun!

Talkin' Bout My Gaming Generation

What does an older lady like myself think of gaming today? I’m so freaking jealous, that’s what I think!

In my middle school yearbook, my best friend Kerry Lannaghan wrote that she hoped I got better at PacMan. Yep, the biggest game of my middle school life, though I preferred Centipede far more. Of course I had to walk half a mile and have a pocket full of quarters before I could play!

This is a timely blog theme for me though. I spent most of the night playing Resident Evil 5 with Dustin, my sixteen year old. First-person shooter games aren’t my forte, I prefer Fable and Spyro, but Resident Evil 5 rocks! My first Resident Evil game, I was surprised when the movie clip became interactive. Yeah, the zombie bikers killed me the first time around.

The graphics these days far outshine anything I ever played at Dustin’s age. Ever play the original Donkey Kong? I can’t get the theme song out of my head for weeks after I hear it, which is way annoying. Maybe better though, than watching VH1 reality television and playing Left 4 Dead, then falling asleep and dreaming zombies attacked Brett Michael’s Rock of Love Tour Bus!

The difference between my generation and my son’s is amazing. Imagine all the fights over Playstation 3 being waged for a Cabbage Patch doll. Can we say lame? I’m so stoked to see what’s going to be the gaming system of choice for my grandchildren’s generation. Maybe something like the virtual fighting match in the movie, The Island.

What’s your gaming story? Favorite series and system? What games have you beaten and which ones were the hardest?

J.R. Turner is the author of the Extreme Hauntings series. The first book, DFF: Dead Friends Forever is available at Amazon.com, Kindle, Fictionwise, and Echelon Press.com

It's Gaming Week

We've officially declared this gaming week at Teen-Seen! Quake authors this week will post about their experiences with video games, rpg, game systems, etc.

And what better way to kick off gaming week than with a book about the adventures inside the game!

Visit and comment on each stop of this blog tour and be entered into a drawing for a $15.00 Gift Certificate for Quake.

This is where M.K. Scott has been:

March 23--Life as a Publisher launches the Blog Tour for author M.K. Scott. Discover who M.K. Scott is and what Zamora's Ultimate Challenge is all about.

March 25--Candid Canine Michele will be blogging about her writing companion- Java.

March 26--Cynthia's Attic Discover the story behind the story of Zamora's Ultimate Challenge.

March 27--Marta's Meanderings : What exactly is M.K. Scott's "Novel Project" and how does it involve middle school and junior high kids.

And where you can find her in days to come!

March 30--Drey's House : M.K. Scott talks about the differences between writing children's fantasy versus adult mystery

April 2--Booking Mama and Cynthia's Attic How does a multi-genre author balance a big family and writing and TWO blog stops in one day!

April 3--Beth Fish Reads Find out what one Tween thought after reading "Zamora's Ultimate Challenge." A special interview.

April 4--Teen Seen Come on back to give your thoughts on the debut Blog tour for Zamora's Ultimate Challenge and see what goodies you could win.

So, if you've ever wanted to dive into a game like you do a good book, tell us what you think about what makes great rpg's translate into books or movies!

Rochelle
Quake Editor

Comprinhas

Vi esse colar a primeira vez em uma butioque. Me encantei por ele, mas desanimei com o preço: R$87,00. Meu lado pão-duro falou mais alto! Pensei em fazer um igual, mas acabei enrolando e não fazendo, mas lembrava dele cada vez que eu queria uma coisa legal pra usar. E não é que passeando pela feirinha em Belo Horizonte encontro um igualzinho? O preço: R$27,00!


Já esse abrido de latas eu namorava há muuuuiiiiiito tempo. Primeiro foi minha irmã quem trouxe um pra minha mãe. Eu adorei, mas não encontrava um pra comprar, nem minha irmã encontrou quando quis comprar pra casa dela. Esse pequeno objeto já estava se tornando um sonho de consumo impossível! Esta semana eu entrei em uma lojinha para ver umas novidades pra cozinha e não é que vejo o abridor! Meu sonho de consumo foi realizado! Fica a dica: quem encontrar esse modelo por aí pode comprar na certeza de que ele é ótimo!
Beijos

Matheus

Meninas, esse é o Matheus, meu sobrinho/afilhado carioca. Como ele mora no Rio, eu aproveitei cada minutinho dos dias que ele estava aqui para beijar, abraçar, apertar, quase virei uma Felícia (aquela do desenho Perna Longa)! Mas olha que coisa mais gostosa!

Dá ou não dá vontade de apertar?

Beijos!

If you’re reading this teen blog, then I’m about to do what’s called preaching to the choir. If you want to save this country, read a book and learn to write well. Reading and writing are what teachers like to call “inter-related” skills. They are also activities that, if you can master them, you can do just about anything else in the world.

Study after study shows the U.S. has fallen behind in the world as far as academics. We’ve also taken some hefty hits in how we’re viewed by other countries if you choose to believe some of the news reports. The way to get all that back is through reading and writing.

When emailing became popular (and later text messaging), some people claimed that because they are “writing based,” these activities would help raise our standards. Sorry, but writing “R u here?” is not literature or even informational beyond a point.

If you want to understand peace, read about Ghandi. If you want to understand the need, yes need, for war and violence sometimes, read Machiavelli. No text message will ever explore love the way Shakespeare does in a single sonnet. No character better personifies hate than Dickens’ Mrs. Haversham. The Diary of Anne Frank shows us more about the horrors of the Holocaust than any history lecture, and Across Five Aprils not only tells us the background of the Civil War, it also takes us into the living room of a family torn apart by it.

Reading and writing may be life skills, but the things you can learn reading a book are life lessons. They will teach us how to treat each other and everyone else in the world. Save America. Read a book.

This Blog Has Been Hijacked!

My name’s Gus. It’s really Augusta Lee (after my grandfather, Augustus Leander), but if you aren’t looking for a kick in the shins, you better call me Gus.

Nope, I’m not a teenager, yet, but I’m almost there and I’ve been reading Teen-Seen for awhile and feeling a little left out. I’m up to here with Zamora’s Ultimate Challenge. So what if a couple of kids are sucked into a video game? And puh-leeze spare me anymore problems with those annoying Pixie Chicks. If you're Searching for A Starry Night? Not gonna find it here, so go dig somewhere else, Petey.

Like it or not, I’m hijacking this blog for the day. So there.

BFF, Cynthia, and I grew up together on the same sycamore-lined street. We even sat in the same baby carriage (See pic.)

Guess who’s who. Hint: I’m not the one squalling my head off. (I swear I didn’t pinch her!)

We took dancing lessons when we were little, and had to wear these awful tutus. I cringe thinking of our first (and only) recital when we had to dance and pretend to water crepe paper flowers with pink sprinkling cans, but I did learn the value of taking bows!

Still, I would’ve been much happier in jeans and a t-shirt playing baseball in the neighbor’s vacant lot.

We did have a lot of fun, though, especially exploring Cynthia’s awesome attic.

I’ll never forget the rainy summer day we discovered “the trunk.” It looked pretty ordinary when we first opened it. Ya know, dusty, smelly (I’m starting to sneeze just thinking of it!) old clothes. Just your usual old-trunk-in-attic, look. But, looks can be deceiving as we found out the next time we opened the trunk and were sent back in time to 1914!

I’m here to tell you that Cynthia and I have had some strange adventures and met some cool people in our time travels. Ancestors, including our 12-year-old grandmothers, a ghost-kid named Louis, a gypsy named Gabriella and Blackie, a bad-breathed clown, to name a few. But, if I have to pick a favorite (I know, I know. Nobody said I had to...but I am ‘cause this is my blog. Today!) it would have to be Mud Bug, our old Louisiana Cajun guide. He not only saved our lives on a couple of occasions, he has a very unusual talent. Would you believe he can...Hey! I’m not gonna tell you that! Read Curse of the Bayou and find out for yourself!

Read the Cynthia’s Attic series and find out why I’m so *popular.*

Who's your favorite character? Hmmm? Me?

Your new BFF,
Gus

P. S. I will not give up control of this blog until a ka-zillion Curse of the Bayou books have been sold!

Discover the Magic in Cynthia's Attic
Amazon

Eat Healthy or Eat Junk, You Decide

With obesity on the rise, eating healthy has become one of our nation's buzzwords. The problem is that many of us don't really know what that means. Do you?

Those thing that you don't usually pay attention to growing up - calories, fat, carbs - do matter.

The book, "Eat This, Not That," is an eye-opener on what some of us eat without even knowing it.

Yeah, unfortunately, the old thing about consuming less calories and exercising more, really does make sense. That cheesy burger looks good, but if you aren't active, it does catch up with you. Guess what girls? That gut hanging over your jeans or that stomach bulge in that tight shirt really isn't attractive. The same goes for guys.

Here's a short quiz on food choices. Can you make the right choice? Read more about some of your favorite restaurants and foods here.

What's better:
A Bagel with cream cheese or a cheese omelet?
B Fish sandwich or chicken sandwich?
C Fruit smoothie or shake?
D Dried fruit or fresh fruit?

Answers:
(Learn more about the foods and see a list of the top 14 non-healthy health foods)

A Surprise! That take-out bagel can have at least 700 calories and tons of fat! The omelet is a little over half the calories.

B Lean protein wins. That fish can make up nearly a third of your day's calories.

C Get the fruit smoothie but use whole fruit and plain yogurt instead of ice cream unless that's all you want to eat for most of the day.

D The problem is the sugar put in a lot of packaged foods. Fresh fruit is healthy and has no added preservatives or sugars.

Where's Ms. Scott?

Today the blog book tour for Zamora's Ultimate Challenge continues at Candid Canine! Author Michele Scott will visit with host Christine V about Java - Michele's dog!

This is great because dogs of all kinds are near and dear to my heart! Java's a Rhodesian Ridgeback (a sighthound) We've had retired greyhounds (also sighthounds) for 18 years and as a family we have successfully assisted nearly 20 foster dogs on their way from the race track to happy homes. The dogs are just one component of my domestic zoo, but they keep me happy and make the best reading, writing, and walking buddies.

I know I'll love Java as much as I loved Zamora's Ultimate Challenge. The book tells the action packed story of two brothers who love video games, but now they have to get inside one to rescue their sister! Packed with fantastic challenges and incredible dangers, the boys must conquer their fears (and some deadly beasts) before their sister is lost forever.

Oh! Michele just launched a contest! Buy Zamora's Ultimate Challenge, write a review, and you could win a trip for two to San Diego! How cool is that!?!

So follow me over to Candid Canine for a healthy dose of dogs, plus all the inside info on the amazingly talented Michele Scott and her new release, Zamora's Ultimate Challenge!

Happy touring!
Regan Black

Learn more about Regan and her books at her website or at Quake.

Emma

This is Emma. She was my friend and companion for 8 years before she went to doggy heaven 6 years ago. She had bone cancer and when she broke her leg, there was nothing the vet could do for her. I miss her still and get a little teary eyed when I look at her inquiring expression.

She discovered squeaky toys late in life and this little pink one was HERS. It seemed to be the only one that wasn't destroyed, maybe because it was a little bit spiky.

This painting of Emma is also my warm-up for Sheila's Art for Animals blog. I need to take photos and get down to painting the unwanted dogs that people throw away. Watch this space!

Reading with Teens

As the electronic era has taken hold of today's society, people have begun to read less and focus instead on other activities, such as playing videogames or watching television. Yet, reading still employs a great sense of wonder and amazement as the reader engages in a new adventure each and every time he or she enters the world of the author's story.

There are many options available, not only to discover new and exciting books to read, but to discuss the story with other individuals and gain new perspectives on a story that had seemed to only have one angle to it before. A book club can offer new opportunities to find a new favorite book or to even learn new facts or opinions concerning a book that you thought you knew everything about. You can check out your local library to see if they have a book club that would be good for you to join and discuss the chosen book.

Reading can open many new doors, so why not go and pick up a book to read today!

Alyssa Montgomery
Author of Where Are You? and Mr. Mysterious

ZZZzzzzzzzzzzz

Have you ever watched the first few weeks of a new season of American Idol? You know, when the wackos and people who couldn't carry a tune if they had a wheelbarrow full of violins all come out of wherever it is they are hiding and go on to bludgeon our eardrums.

Yeah, that show.

Anyway, as a semi-addicted watcher of the show - well,more like husband of addicted - it amazes and horrifies me when someone stands in front of judges and a camera representing a few million more, and then the whole country learns that the someone doesn't have it.

And what's 'it' you ask?

A tape recorder?

Well, yeah, that too. But the 'it' I was referring to was the talent for singing. The ability to have his or her lungs push air up the trachea, and through pursed lips in a manner that pleases other people rather than causing them to clap their hands to their ears in pain.

And half the time this same person, after basically assaulting our auditory senses, doesn't get that they sound like a cat with its tail caught under a rocking chair leg. They think they sound good.

And I, for one, believe them when they are shocked that America can't believe they are the next coming of Wham ... no, not Wham ... Fleetwood Mac ... no, not them, either ... um Dave Matthews. Yeah, we'll go with the DMB.

The reason I give them the benefit of the doubt is because for a long time I truly, sincerely, honestly thought I could carry a tune. What changed my mind? Well, my singing voice put three people in the hospital, caused the entire population of South American llamas to stampede and my own ears to go on a hunger strike for a week.

Not really. I listened to myself on a tape recorder.

I can't tell you how horrified I was when I first heard myself snore, er, sing. Well, the snore-tape was shocking, too.

But, more than shock, I was dismayed. For music is important to me, and I would like nothing more than to be able to participate.

It's a talent I don't have. I blogged about this last week on my blog, www.fangplace.blogspot.com because my wife and daughters do have the talent for singing. i don't.

Fortunately, I have other talents, talents that others might think are pretty cool.

But I think this is true for every human out there. I think each and every one of us has a lot of talent. Maybe the talent is something subtle like being able to balance a coin on the tip of a finger. Or maybe you don't know what your talent is because it hasn't had an opportunity to surface yet.

What if you were a poor child somewhere who would never know you'd be a concert pianist if only someone put a piano in front of you?

Talent is like a dog. It doesn't care what you look like, and once you have one, it's yours forever. But talent has to meet opportunity, and if you don't think you have any talent, I believe it just hasn't been discovered.

And it's getting late and I have a talent for something. I can fall asleep within five minutes.

Watch...

ZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzz



Norm Cowie
www.fangface.homestead.com

Zamora's Ultimate Challenge Blog Tour

Visit and comment on each stop of this blog tour and be entered into a drawing for a $15.00 Gift Certificate for Quake.

March 23--Life as a Publisher launches the Blog Tour for author M.K. Scott. Discover who M.K. Scott is and what Zamora's Ultimate Challenge is all about.

March 25--Candid Canine Michele will be blogging about her writing companion- Java.

March 26--Cynthia's Attic DIscover the story behind the story of Zamora's Ultimate Challenge.

March 27--Marta's Meanderings : What exactly is M.K. Scott's "Novel Project" and how does it involve middle school and junior high kids.

March 30--Drey's House : M.K. Scott talks about the differences between writing children's fantasy versus adult mystery

April 2--Booking Mama How does a multi-genre author balance a big family and writing

April 3--Beth Fish Reads Find out what one Tween thought after reading "Zamora's Ultimate Challenge." A special interview.

April 4--Teen Seen Hop on over to give your thoughts on the debut Blog tour for Zamora's Ultimate Challenge and see what goodies you could win.

One of the best watercolourists whose work I follow slavishly, has deemed me good enough to receive this award. Mineke Reinders is an incredible artist and I am honoured that she included me in her award list. The award was designed by Kim Ratigan who is an extremely talented animal and wildlife artist. Visit her blog for a look-see.

Now, I need to pass this award on.

Just because you love to create fabulous works of art -

Marian Fortunati - who always makes me laugh
Carol Hadfield - because I know how much she loves to paint
Di McNaughton - who loves life and art and is so generous with herself
Sanjeev Joshi - whose watercolours I love and because he also loves cricket
Jean Lursson - a fabulous watercolourist with links to SA
Sheila Tajima - who gets so many awards I thought I'd just slip this one in
Cathy Gatland - simply because you need to check out her blog

There are so many people out there who I'd like to pass this on to, just because your blogs are so wonderful to read and are also so inspirational. All you really need to do is go to my blog list of friends to know who I think deserve this award.

To those I've linked to, in turn you can link to the person who gave you the award, pass it on to 7 other bloggers whose work inspires you, and list 7 things you love. Or not.

The 7 things I love? Oh ok.

1. The changing of the seasons

2. All animals including cats, rats and bats, but most especially, dogs and horses!

3. Watching a good rugby game especially when our side wins!

4. Staying in the countryside.

5. Reading a well written book - current favourite is The Number 1 Ladies Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith - check it out.

6. Quiet me time.

Ok, that's only 6, but I guess the 7th one would definitely be sitting in my little back room, painting!

Pesquisa diz que homens preferem mulheres com curvas e não se importam com celulite

Meninas, fim do stress! Agora é fato: os homens preferem curvas e não ligam pra celulite, nem pra barriguinha! E mais, não gostam de ver músculos, querem mulheres mais naturais! Duvidam? É só conferir a pesquisa publicada pelo Yahoo! Então pra que ficar preocupada com dieta ou ginástica? De acordo com a pesquisa basta um salto alto, uma bela lingerie, e muita naturalidade!

Y3 Mother's Day cards.

Y3G have been making Mother's Day cards this week and we showed them in our sharing assembly on Friday. We also foud out how it was that Mother's day began way back in the sixteenth century when maids and servants were given the day off to visit their mothers!

The Importance of Helmets

With the tragic news of Natasha Richardson's freak accident and untimely death, I'm reminded of the importance of helmets (bicycle, motorcycle, skiing, contact sports).

I don't know why Ms. Richardson didn't, or wasn't required to wear a helmet, but for whatever reason, this "simple" oversight cost the life of a notable actress, wife (Liam Neeson), mother of two sons, and daughter (her mother, Lynn Redgrave survives).

I've heard the "not so logical" arguments that helmets are confining. "I like to feel the wind in my hair, on my face, stinging my eyes..." etc., but this is all ignorant hogwash, as far as I'm concerned.

Please understand, I'm not trying to place blame on Natasha Richardson or the ski resort. Far from it. This was a fluke, but I'm still left wondering. Why wasn't she wearing a helmet?

What do you think? If this is not a requirement, should it be?

Check out this CNN article about how skiers can cut risk by wearing a helmet.

Or this Time Health & Science Article: Could A Helmet Have Helped?

How do you feel about this argument? Have you read articles to the contrary; that helmets are unnecessary? Please let us know your opinion.

Mary Cunningham

Quake - Shakin' Up Young Readers!

Mary Cunningham Books

Cynthia's Attic Blog

Where Do You Read?

This is the Teen Center at the Schaumburg Twp. Dist. Library in IL, where I work as Teen Coordinator. Last night I had a meeting with my volunteer group, Teen Corps. We are in the process of designing a new teen space to possibly go in the basement of our library building.

The teens want cozy spaces for reading, in addition to tables for playing games, visiting and working on group projects. They want laptops and netbooks for either homework or downloadable books. We planned on more table space, but not for more cozy reading space. The teens really want tables with lamps they can adjust. I thought with more e-books, audio books and more, that space for reading was not as much of an issue.

Where do you like to read? When I was growing up, my house had green velvet u-shaped chairs perfect for tipping back and for sitting across with my feet over the side. This is the type of chair the teens seem to want. Now I read where ever I can, even while walking behind my baby and periodically saying "No, no, Owen, don't eat that. Or don't stick your fingers in that outlet."

I've read audio titles in the car, and e-books on a plane. My favorite place to read is still in bed, though, with a booklight late at night. What is your favorite place?

Tools of the Trade

by Pam Ripling

All writers have favorite sources they can turn to when struggling to get through a work-in-progress. Before I developed my on-going love affair with Google, I purchased several reference books that remain on the shelf above my computer to this day. I still use them. Here are a couple you might find helpful:

The Fiction Writer’s Silent Partner, by Martin Roth. “Thousands of ideas, facts, possibilities and “what ifs”, on topics ranging from characters to vivid and unusual locales, that will help you generate solid fiction ideas and develop your imagination.” This book is filled with lists—lots of them. For example, if you are writing about a character who boxes, there is a SPORTS chapter, a “Boxing” subchapter, and under that, details about time, rules, ring, equipment, officials, dress, scoring, max/min weights, etc. There are character elements, names, situations; comedic ideas; medicine, military, espionage, religion and The Old West. Slang, Southern talk, Briticisms, etc. A wonderful resource. ISBN 0-89879-482-X. From Writer’s Digest Books, but you may have to look for it on Amazon.

Also from Writer’s Digest is the Flip Dictionary, by Barbara Ann Kipfer, Ph.D. “For when you know what you want to say, but can’t think of the word.” This handy tool is a cousin to both the conventional dictionary and the thesaurus. In addition to finding phrases for words and words for phrases, there are specific pages of terms for a variety of topics. Say you are writing about a devout, professional musician, and you want him to talk about music directions and notations. Do you know the words for heavy (pesante) joyous (giocoso) or emotional (appassionato)? ISBN 0-89879-976-7.

Last, I always have a current almanac handy, and a good style book or two (see Chicago Manual of Style or Strunk & White's The Elements of Style). Because books are static, once you’ve explored the pages, you know right where to find answers. And there aren’t a million other websites beckoning you into distraction.

Pam Ripling is the author of middle-grade mystery, LOCKER SHOCK! Buy it at Quake, Fictionwise or Amazon today! E-book version now available for your Kindle! Visit Pam at www.BeaconStreetBooks.com.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Happy St. Patrick’s Day Everyone!

Back in my day, if you didn’t wear green to school, you got pinched! Do y’all still do that? What are some of the traditions you celebrate for St. Patrick’s Day?

Did you ever find a four-leaf clover? Do you have a favorite Leprechaun story? Ever chase a rainbow to see if there really was a pot of gold at the end?

Share with me your favorite St. Patrick’s Day tradition, story, movie or personal tale and I’ll pick four Lucky winners to get a free book thong in your favorite color! :)


J.R. Turner is the author of the Extreme Hauntings series. The first book, DFF: Dead Friends Forever is available at Amazon.com, Kindle, Fictionwise, and Echelon Press.com

Paperbax Giveaway!

This week, I’m really excited to be giving away one of my favorite products ever. It’s called a Paperbax, and it’s a really simple, lightweight device that lets you read books anywhere.

See, it’s a pageholder:



A bookstand:


And a bookmark:


Here’s why I love this thing: it won’t bend your book spine. You don’t have to worry about marking your place with dog-ears, tissues or emery boards. If you’re reading and the phone rings, you don’t have to scramble for a bookmark; just lay it down and walk away. And I’ve actually made money by using mine; my books get so little wear and tear now that I can resell them on Amazon for a really good price.

Oh, and my dog loves it, because I always have one hand free to pet him while I read.

So, here’s the deal. All you need to do is comment on this post, and you’ll be entered to win a Paperbax. You can also earn bonus entries by referring friends to comment. Just make sure they mention your username in their comment. (If you're not set up on Google to comment, just send me an email at jacquelynsylvan@sylvaniamaniaDOTcom, and I'll enter you.)You have until Wednesday, March 18 at 8:00 PM to enter, and winner will be announced on my blog Thursday, where, if you weren’t a winner, you can enter again!

Good luck!

I'd also like to thank the lovely model who agreed to pose for our shoot, Surviving Serendipity. Show your support by clicking the link to buy!

Mickie

On November 9 last year, our local newspaper, the Sunday Argus, published an article on "Forgotten Portraits of a People".

The article was about a German photographer, Gustav Fritsch, who came to southern Africa in 1863 and stayed until 1865, and in that time took photographs with the newly discovered technology of photography.

After lying forgotten for all those years, the images were sourced in Germany, scanned by Keith Dietrich of the University of Stellenbosch, and recently put on display at the Sasol Museum in Stellenbosch.

The Sunday Argus published four portraits and a group photo, and this is my interpretation of Mickie, a Khoikhoi who lived in Harrismith in the Free State. The original photograph was taken in 1864, was obviously a sepia image, but what struck me most about the picture was the absolute sadness in her eyes. I think it reflects the history of colonisation around the world, not only in our country. I have tried to reflect not only this sadness, but also the absolute beauty of Mickie.

More, Yes Even More, E-Book Options

Even if you weren't familiar with the Kindle or the Sony e-book reader options, you are now if you keep up with this blog.  There's still another alternative, and it's free!

A program called Stanza, by Lexcycle, is free and is rated as easier to use by some readers.  With Kindle and Sony, you still have to log onto their bookstores and purchase your material. Stanza has a merchant's list (including the Fictionwise Book Store BooksOnBoard eBook Shop, free books from Feedbooks, and offerings from random House and Harlequin) embedded within its programming.

So save a tree and pick up a computer. Read On!

Voltei!

Meninas, voltei! Essa semana estava correndo contra o tempo e super-ansiosa! É que esse ano resolvi tomar vergonha na cara e aprender a dirigir. E no fim de mundo onde me escondo na cidade onde moro (terra do marido) não tem auto-escola... Então eu me levantava todos os dias e viajava 55km (pra minha terra), tomava café-da-manhã na casa da mamãe (parte boa da história), fazia minhas duas aulas consecutivas, esperava a hora de vir embora (vou sempre de táxi, dividindo com outras pessoas, aí tenho que esperar todos ficarem prontos), mais 55km, chegava em casa em torno de 2 da tarde, comia alguma coisa, e já ia trabalhar. Foi assim o mês de fevereiro todo e a semana passada. Mas aí, eu, motorista confiante, resolvi marcar meu exame justamente na semana de entregar a documentação para o contador! Resultado: tensão da banca, tensão do trabalho atrasado!

Ontem, quinta-feira, dia do exame! Levanto mais cedo que o normal, depois de uma noite mal dormida, e viajo meus 55km. Chego em cima da hora, tomo café no bar em frente ao local do exame e começo a esperar. Esperar das 8:00 às 11:30. Nesse meio tempo, fui conversando com outros motoristas, tão seguros quanto eu, e observando os examinadores e o resultado de cada um. Aí eu vejo um, com uma cara de mala, óculos escuros, e observo que ele não aprovava ninguém! Minha vez. Entro no carro, vem o examinador. Quem era? O mascarado de óculos escuros! Nada de pânico, vim buscar minha carteira e vou levar. Auto-controle é tudo! Acalmei. Dei um bom dia sorridente, e vamos lá! O fdp examinador entra e me fala em tom intimidador: "Mostre-me habilidade com o carro e conhecimento das normas de circulação de trânsito." Saí, fui seguindo as orientações, aí ele me manda fazer um controle de embreagem. Trinta segundos com o carro parado, antes que eu bobeasse e o carro apagasse, eu pisei no freio, e olhei firme pra ele. "Siga em frente." Aí o desgraçado examinador me manda fazer uma baliza onde quase não cabia o carro, daquelas que a gente faz com a embreagem. Cada movimento que o carro fazia, o cachorro desgraçado fdp examinador se jogava para frente e para trás, como numa freada brusca a 100km por hora. Não é exagero não, o cinto travava ele pra frente, e ele balançava o banco na volta. Na terceira vez que ele fez isso eu pensei "ele vai me reprovar dizendo que eu soco muito o carro". Foi conta, o carro morreu. Agora é recomeçar as aulas e voltar daqui a 21 dias, torcendo pra que não entre o mesmo cachorro desgraçado fdp mascarado examinador no carro.

Detalhe: Ninguém passou com esse examinador. Os outros examinadores quase não reprovaram ninguém. Ele gastou 10 min pra me reprovar, e nos 13 min seguintes reprovou mais 2.

Espero que me desculpem, não gosto de xingar, nem falar palavrão, mas esse cara me tirou do sério!

Beijos!

Y3G have been busy!

Following on from last week's book week, we made up our own mini-books based on the Anglo Saxon period which we have been studying in History. We found out lots of interesting information which we included in our books. Things like the names of the days of the week which are Anglo Saxon in origin and also place names ending in -ton
, -ing and -ham (Luton, Chessington and Birmingham) as well as many others. We also noticed that there is one single Anglo Saxon wooden church still in existence, (all the others have long since rotted away) and it stand in a little town called Ongar which is only 11 miles away from Hainault. Our teacher Mr. G knows Ongar very well since he lived there for five years.

Ebooks Catching On With Kids

Ebooks catch on with children, according to a Los Angeles Times article,

After he's finished his homework and his chores for the day, 8-year-old Skye Vaughn-Perling likes to read Dr. Seuss. He's a particular fan of the hijinks that ensue when the elephant Horton hears strange voices emanating from a dust speck in "Horton Hears a Who."

He doesn't read from a dog-eared copy of the children's classic, though. Skye, who lives in Agoura Hills, often reads on his computer, pressing the arrow button when he wants to turn a page. Sometimes the characters move around on the screen like animated cartoons on TV. If he wants, Skye can have the computer read a book to him while he's curled up in bed.

"It's a whole new level of exploring the books," said his mother, Victoria Vaughn-Perling.

Readers and publishers alike are embracing a digital future. Electronic-book sales increased 73% in October compared with the same month last year, according to the Assn. of American Publishers, while sales of adult paperbacks decreased 23% and children's paperbacks declined 14.8%. Sales of higher-education books, including textbooks, fell 443%.

And, according to the article, the children's book market is especially ripe for the wonders of the digital world. And, even large publishers such as Harcourt, Harper Collins and Random House are getting in line.

Although I find it somewhat foreign to read an e-book (I’m rapidly getting used to it!) children and young adults today consider iPods and Kindles second nature and are eagerly embracing e-books.

Today's kids, after all, have grown up around technology and don't think twice about learning from computers and sleeping with their iPods. In some cases, watching a book on a computer might even make them enjoy reading more, publishers say.

How about you? Your kids? Are they reading e-books?

Save a tree! Read an e-book! Quake's got 'em!

Mary Cunningham - Cynthia's Attic 'Tween series

Fictionwise

Are you reading GREEN yet? Ebook Week

This is READ AN E-BOOK WEEK, a celebration of reading GREEN.

Why e-books, you ask?

* They're green. It takes 12 trees to produce a ton of paper - and only 5% is recycled, according to environmental notes on the Read an E-Book Week website.

* They take up less space. The Kindle and Sony E-book Reader let you store hundreds of books. Think of the savings in money on textbooks (and less strain on students' backs!)

* Less eye-strain? While not everyone likes to read electronically, you can adjust the text size and font. A bonus for older readers.

* Cost. E-books are cheaper.

Will they replace print books? I doubt it. Books are still something that no one wants to see disappear. But e-books are a good option.

While not everyone likes to read on a computer or other device, I think young readers who grew up with computers think of it as "normal." They're used to reading online and using computers in school. Many writers are used to reading on the computer, also. I know I don't mind reading stories on my computer and think an e-book reader itself would be neat.

Hopefully e-book readers will come down even more in price as popularity increases so that they will appeal to more people and pocketbooks.

** Do you Kindle? Read Searching For A Starry Night on Kindle.

** E-book: Read THE WITCH TREE at Fictionwise - only $1!

Page Turning Technology

It's Wednesday, day four of Read An Ebook Week! I've been everywhere I can be, blogging and tweeting about my new-found joy of eReading. Honestly I've been surprised how easy it was to get started and get reading!


Thought I'd miss that new book smell. I was wrong. I'm totally into that instant download gratification.

Thought I'd miss turning pages. Wrong again. I can read Surviving Serendipity with one hand...can you?

The best part? My palm already goes everywhere with me, so I'm never without a book - without having to carry a book!

Discover these great authors in the eBook format that fits you best:

Locker Shock by Pam Ripling

Mr. Mysterious by Alyssa Montgomery

Death Match by Sam Morton

Happy eReading!

Regan
download your copy of Regan's Pixie Chicks today!

P.S. leave a comment (with your link) and you could win a free Quake download.

E-Book Week

I know I have already spent one of my blogs here talking about E-Books, but seeing as how this is E-Book week, I figured I would write another blog on them in honor of the week.

As electronic books are slowly gaining popularity, I have begun to read the electronic books myself. In fact, I just recently read two of the best books, and they were both published in the E-Book format.

A definite pro of E-Books I have noticed is the ease at which they can be read. You simply bring up the story on your computer, and there it is, ready for you to read. Nice and simple. Not to mention that it is easy to scroll through the pages as well. That’s always a nice plus.

So I know I hope to be celebrating E-Book week this week by relaxing and sitting down to read a E-Book!

Alyssa Montgomery
http://www.alyssamontgomery.com/

Where Are You? - Available Now!
http://www.fictionwise.com/ebooks/eBook51168.htm
Mr. Mysterious - Available Now!
http://www.fictionwise.com/ebooks/eBook77204.htm
Heat of the Moment - Available Now!
http://www.fictionwise.com/ebooks/eBook53777.htm

E book stuff

I know I missed the whole week of ebook reading and stuff, but I thought I'd put in my five senses, er, two cents here. Oh, I didn't miss it? Cool beans.

My books are available as ebooks, but I don't think I've sold one ... much less done anything to promote them. Mostly because I'm addicted to the paper ones. I'd much rather get coffee stains all over a book than spilling the coffee on my computer. And I don't own a Kindle or Sony reader.

But here's why I'm thinking about jumping aboard. There are a number writers that I've been wanting to 'sample' without having to hoof my way over to the bookstore or library ... and without paying full cost by ordering the book online. And then there's the whole immediate gratification thing (eyebrow wiggle).

I likes the immediate gratification.

It's also something that I expect to be far more popular with my new readership ... teens. Teens are far more willing to get into the electronic thing ... and some who wouldn't pick up a book otherwise may be willing to read on a computer.

So I'm gonna get my toes wet, and if I like the water, I'm a jumpin' in!

Norm

http://fangplace.blogspot.com

here's where you can get my ebooks (click for link):
The Adventures of Guy ... written by a guy (probably)
The Next Adventures of Guy ... more wackiness

Read an Ebook Week Begins

Read an eBook Week is now!!! March 8th through the 14th!

Why is this such a big deal? Because eBooks are going mainstream. This is the week to give another technology advance a try! Here are some reasons eBooks rock:

Reading is flexible! Now you get to read whatever you want nearly anywhere you want. Ebooks don't mean being chained to your desktop or laptop. Having a reader with you means one less thing to carry and you can create new reading moments anywhere, nearly anytime. (I can even read while I brush my teeth if I want)

While Kindle is a great option, most pda's have e-reader software. I read on my palm now. Maybe the cell phone you already own has an e-reader app. This is the week to find out!

Loads of options! Fictionwise, eReader, Amazon (Kindle) are only a few of many sites full of great authors you love and great authors you have yet to meet. All these sites offer the latest releases in ebooks - straight to your pocket, er, device, and you didn't have to wait on shipping or beg for the car keys.

Check out Quake, a publisher who's leading the field by blending cutting edge talent with ebook convenience.

A world of discovery! Ebooks are an affordable, fast, and fun way to discover new authors or test drive new genres. Several authors are providing inexpensive shorts for ebooks sites for just that reason and some sites even offer free ebooks these days.

Personally, I'd never finished a horror novel until D.F.F. (Dead Friends Forever) by J.R. Turner. But she was my first read after I downloaded the free ereader app to my palm. Now I'm addicted to both Turner's Extreme Haunting Series and ebooks!

No more excuses! Go read an eBook this week - Quake is a good place to start!

ReganBlack
author of Justice Incarnate, Invasion of Justice, Pixie Chicks and other shorts - all available at your favorite eBook site!

You as Superhero!

I just finished reading a book titled Exodus by Scottish writer Julie Bertagna. It begins in the year 2099. The Earth has succumbed to global warming and much of it is under water because the polar ice caps have melted. What once were great expanses of land like Europe, Asia, and North America are now small dots of islands, and only those where the continents' highest mountain peaks are able to remain above the ever-rising waters. As the ocean begins to overtake her small island that used to be England, the main character Mara, a 15-year-old girl, must find a way for her people to leave the land and survive.

Over the last few years, I’ve read different opinions on global warming. Some experts say we are destroying our own planet. Other scientists say the temperature increases and polar ice melting are normal events that have a natural cycle. Regardless of what the science says, I believe we all have a moral obligation to be good stewards of the land, energy, and water we use. Being a good steward leads to what all the scientists agree on—sustainability. That means people who come 30, 50, 100, 200 years after us will have trees, clean water, and clean air.

So many times in our lives we face the question, “What can I do as one person that will make difference?” When it comes to taking care of the environment, the answer is, “Plenty!”

I live in South Carolina where, in the summer, it’s pretty darn humid, so the first thing I’m NOT going to tell you is to “Set your thermostat to 72 degrees in the summer months.” Doing that in my house would earn you a painful beat down! But what you can do is turn out (or cut off as we say in the South) lights or the television as you leave a room if you’re the only one in the room. Turn off things like computer printers and gaming systems that stay plugged in, but aren’t always in use.

One of the biggest things you can do as an individual, and you can start right this second, is recycling. Almost everything we use is packaged in plastic, glass, cardboard or metal. When my daughter was a Sunshine Scout, she pledged to recycle. I bought a second trash can for the kitchen and reserved it for recyclables. I was amazed! We, one family, cut our garbage that went to the dump by one-third. (Yes, I measured it. I’m anal sometimes.) And we've been doing it for five years. Can you just imagine what we haven't sent to a landfill?

Now our daily newspapers, drink bottles, vegetable cans, glass containers, and cardboard packaging go back for re-use. Our city sanitation department picks it all up at the curbside from my bin.

These are only two ideas, but they save a ton of waste. Do I believe in a 100 years the Earth will be drowning under water like Mara’s world in the book? Not really, but I still want to do my part. What are things you can do? Whatever it is, trust me, like a hero in a book, you’re saving your world.

Kallis

Well, I'm now back in sunny South Africa and what a temperature shock it's been. Leaving Stockholm airport at minus 5 deg C (that's 23 deg F in old money!) and arriving back in Cape Town to soaring temperatures of 38 deg C (100.4 deg F)! These first two days at home have been sweltering and the news has been that fires have destroyed one of the wine farms in Paarl and are still raging in the area. Yesterday we couldn't see Table Mountain because of all the smoke blowing through from the countryside. I know I miss the family, but with this heat, a little bit of that snow (a teeny bit!) .... maybe that would be nice as well.

But one of the nice things about coming back home is that I can now watch the cricket and rugby again. So, to celebrate that fact, I am posting a painting I did just before I left, of one our "boys" who is a household name right around the cricketing world, Jacques Kallis.

It is also a sort of celebratory painting as it was done just as he achieved his 10 000th test run in world cricket. He is the only Test cricketer in the history of the game to hold more than 10 000 runs AND 250 wickets. He also has over 10 000 runs in One Day Internationals.

Hope you like it.

The Writer's Life

Cynthia's Attic 'Tween Fantasy author, Mary Cunningham, pounds away at her computer writing Book Four, "Cynthia's Attic: The Magician's Castle."

"Hellllpp...hellllp..."she cries, weakly. Nourishment! I need...nourish...ment...

Donations of Dove Chocolate or Hershey's Special Dark would be greatly appreciated (and might give her the encouragement to finish her book!)

Mary Cunningham Books

Cynthia's Attic Blog

Quake

Mais um selinho!!!

Meninas, pela segunda vez recebo esse selinho. Isso me deixa muito feliz, porque tem mais gente achando o bloguito aqui "maneiro". Dessa vez quem me passou foi a Vanessa Senatore.

As regras são :

1 - Exiba a imagem do selo “Olha Que Blog Maneiro” que vc acabou de ganhar.

2 - Poste o link do blog que te indicou.(muito importante!).

3 - Indique 10 blogs de sua preferência.

4 - Avise seus indicados.

5 - Publique as regras.

6 - Confira se os blogs indicados repassaram o selo e as regras.

7 - Envie sua foto ou de um(a) amigo(a) para olhaquemaneiro@gmail.com juntamente com os 10 links dos blogs indicados para verificação.Caso os blogs tenham repassado o selo e as regras corretamente, dentro de alguns dias você receberá 1 caricatura em P&B.

E eu repasso para:

1 - Raquel - Não sou Amélia

2 - Rubi - Meu Canto, Minha Prosa

3 - Rose - La Vien Rose

4 - Jo - Vi por aí

5 - Ana - Cafofo da Ana

6 - Mel - Casa da Mel

7 - Cacau - Achados da Cacau

8 - Patrícia - Construindo com Criatividade

9 - Margaret - Margaret

10 - Barb. - Just like a pill

E todas que me visitam sintam-se presenteadas também, podem pegar à vontade!

Beijos!

Totally Tech

Yep, this picture is small, but technologies are getting smaller and smaller. It wasn't so long ago that we all carried brick phones and plugged them into the car lighter.

I was recently running a teen painting party program at the library and all teens were comparing their phones. One girl's phone was the size of a pen! She played some Weird Al eBay song for me that she stored on there. She did not believe that Weird Al was popular when I graduated high school 2 decades ago.

What's next? What has made your life much easier? Adults love Twitter. I got asked three times this week to 'drop someone a Tweet'. A year ago that would have sounded obscene. I don't see teens doing the Twitter as much, but every teen I passed at the library on the computers was doing Facebook.

I downloaded Twilight this summer and listened to it while walking. eBooks are greener and easier than ever to obtain now. If you haven't read an eBook or listened to an audio file of a book, try it soon, because you are missing out! While prices are lower on downloads in many cases (Quake books, for example!) many libraries offer online audio and print books right into your device or home computer.

Next week is the Young Adult Library Services Association's Teen Tech Week, and this week is eBook week. Celebrate by trying a new way to read.