Isabel Roman's Blog, page 35
June 8, 2012
Friday Guest: Linda Juliano
I have a lot of dream vacations, actually, but at the top of the list would be a trip to the Amalfi Coast (preferably with my husband, no kids, pure romance). I adore family vacations, but some types of vacations are better as romantic getaways. I confess the last romantic vacation I took alone with my husband was on our 10th wedding anniversary. That was eight years ago! That may help to explain why, of all the world, a “romantic vacation” is at the top of my list. Plus, I’m a diehard romantic through and through.
Why Italy? My husband’s family (both maternal and paternal) is from Italy, so that’s one draw to the country. I’d love to visit the small towns his family (both sides) originates from in both middle Italy and very Northern Italy. We’ve been to Rome and Venice, but I’d like to see more of Italy, more of its romantic destinations. And I’m sure most of you would agree that romantic destinations abound in Italy.
Another, almost silly reason for choosing the Amalfi Coast, is that years ago we purchased a large lithograph of the Amalfi, and whenever I stop and gaze at it I think how much I’d love to climb inside the picture, into its sunny warmth, dazzling blue sky and breathtaking expanse of endless, azure waters.
Sure, visiting the countries of my own family origins would be great (I’ve already hit two, England and France), but as I’m a “mutt” (a mix of Swedish, Norwegian, French, English, and even American Indian); I’m fascinated by people with only one “ethnicity” or country of origin. So, I’ve developed a fascination with my husband’s. I’ll get to “my own countries” one day, but if we are talking “dream vacation”, the Amalfi coast is definitely at the top of my list. And truth be told, cliché or not, Greece isn’t far behind!
BLURB:
Soon after Josie Gianni moves to Cadence Beach, Oregon, she’s immediately thrust into a strange and chilling interplay with a demented stalker who believes the soul of the wife he murdered has returned through Josie.
Fueled by jealousy and fear of betrayal, the stalker's intentions grow increasingly dangerous when Josie falls for Gordon Forrester, the aloof, attractive owner of the local bookstore.
Will Josie's wit and Gordon's love save her, or will Josie fall victim to the madman's destructive behavior as he attempts to reclaim his wife's soul?
EXCERPT
Allan released his wife’s neck and sealed her swollen, blue mouth with a kiss. “Not even in death shall we part,” he whispered against her wet cheek before rising to dress slowly, methodically.
Like a photographer adjusting his model, he fanned Suzanne’s long, dark hair across the pillow. He pressed her legs together and gently arranged her arms by her sides then sat in the chair by the window and waited for darkness to fall.
At midnight, he scooped Suzanne carefully into his arms and carried her to their back yard where he’d often found her on her knees, lovingly tending the plants. He lowered her into the hole he’d dug earlier beneath the maple tree.
“Goodnight, my love,” he whispered, shoveling dirt over her naked body. “I’ll be seeing you.”
He pulled out 15 of the yellow daffodils Suzanne had planted along the edge of the yard and replanted them in three rows of five in the mound of soil that concealed his wife.
About the Author:
I spent the first 24 years of my life living in a suburb of Portland, Oregon until I was offered a job with United Airlines that took me to San Francisco, CA where I subsequently met my husband and accepted San Francisco as my new home. As strikingly different as Oregon and California (San Francisco, particularly) are from one another, I have a great deal of love for them both.
After the first of my two children was born, I left my job with the airline to become a full-time mother (what an adventure!). When both children were well into school, I began my pursuit of a writing career, following my lifetime love of the craft. I’ve done some children’s stories and several poems, three of which have been entered into a poetry anthology, but found my place as a novelist despite my initial fears and reservations about taking on such a demanding form of writing.
Like most writers (or any artists, really), I’m happiest when I’m engaged with my craft, and for me that means constantly tapping in to the endless supply of story ideas roaming the corridors of my mind.
Every day is a journey with writing (as with life), and with each bit of knowledge I gain, I feel a growing sense of strength and accomplishment. Perusing this as a career is not an easy road, but one of my favorite quotes (from Hebrews 11:1) helps to ease some of the angst. “Faith is the certainty that what we hope for is waiting for us, even though we cannot see it up ahead”.
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Goodreads
Why Italy? My husband’s family (both maternal and paternal) is from Italy, so that’s one draw to the country. I’d love to visit the small towns his family (both sides) originates from in both middle Italy and very Northern Italy. We’ve been to Rome and Venice, but I’d like to see more of Italy, more of its romantic destinations. And I’m sure most of you would agree that romantic destinations abound in Italy.
Another, almost silly reason for choosing the Amalfi Coast, is that years ago we purchased a large lithograph of the Amalfi, and whenever I stop and gaze at it I think how much I’d love to climb inside the picture, into its sunny warmth, dazzling blue sky and breathtaking expanse of endless, azure waters.
Sure, visiting the countries of my own family origins would be great (I’ve already hit two, England and France), but as I’m a “mutt” (a mix of Swedish, Norwegian, French, English, and even American Indian); I’m fascinated by people with only one “ethnicity” or country of origin. So, I’ve developed a fascination with my husband’s. I’ll get to “my own countries” one day, but if we are talking “dream vacation”, the Amalfi coast is definitely at the top of my list. And truth be told, cliché or not, Greece isn’t far behind!
BLURB:
Soon after Josie Gianni moves to Cadence Beach, Oregon, she’s immediately thrust into a strange and chilling interplay with a demented stalker who believes the soul of the wife he murdered has returned through Josie. Fueled by jealousy and fear of betrayal, the stalker's intentions grow increasingly dangerous when Josie falls for Gordon Forrester, the aloof, attractive owner of the local bookstore.
Will Josie's wit and Gordon's love save her, or will Josie fall victim to the madman's destructive behavior as he attempts to reclaim his wife's soul?
EXCERPT
Allan released his wife’s neck and sealed her swollen, blue mouth with a kiss. “Not even in death shall we part,” he whispered against her wet cheek before rising to dress slowly, methodically.
Like a photographer adjusting his model, he fanned Suzanne’s long, dark hair across the pillow. He pressed her legs together and gently arranged her arms by her sides then sat in the chair by the window and waited for darkness to fall.
At midnight, he scooped Suzanne carefully into his arms and carried her to their back yard where he’d often found her on her knees, lovingly tending the plants. He lowered her into the hole he’d dug earlier beneath the maple tree.
“Goodnight, my love,” he whispered, shoveling dirt over her naked body. “I’ll be seeing you.”
He pulled out 15 of the yellow daffodils Suzanne had planted along the edge of the yard and replanted them in three rows of five in the mound of soil that concealed his wife.
About the Author:
I spent the first 24 years of my life living in a suburb of Portland, Oregon until I was offered a job with United Airlines that took me to San Francisco, CA where I subsequently met my husband and accepted San Francisco as my new home. As strikingly different as Oregon and California (San Francisco, particularly) are from one another, I have a great deal of love for them both.After the first of my two children was born, I left my job with the airline to become a full-time mother (what an adventure!). When both children were well into school, I began my pursuit of a writing career, following my lifetime love of the craft. I’ve done some children’s stories and several poems, three of which have been entered into a poetry anthology, but found my place as a novelist despite my initial fears and reservations about taking on such a demanding form of writing.
Like most writers (or any artists, really), I’m happiest when I’m engaged with my craft, and for me that means constantly tapping in to the endless supply of story ideas roaming the corridors of my mind.
Every day is a journey with writing (as with life), and with each bit of knowledge I gain, I feel a growing sense of strength and accomplishment. Perusing this as a career is not an easy road, but one of my favorite quotes (from Hebrews 11:1) helps to ease some of the angst. “Faith is the certainty that what we hope for is waiting for us, even though we cannot see it up ahead”.
Blog
Goodreads
June 7, 2012
This day in history: Earthquake and Port Royal
Pirate lover? Yeah, me too. Then you know all about this, but here's a bit anyway from The History Channel.
Earthquake destroys Jamaican pirate haven
On this day in 1692, a massive earthquake devastates the infamous town of Port Royal in Jamaica, killing thousands. The strong tremors, soil liquefaction and a tsunami brought on by the earthquake combined to destroy the entire town.
Earthquake destroys Jamaican pirate haven
On this day in 1692, a massive earthquake devastates the infamous town of Port Royal in Jamaica, killing thousands. The strong tremors, soil liquefaction and a tsunami brought on by the earthquake combined to destroy the entire town.
June 5, 2012
National Geographic pictures
I was looking at the Your Pictures section of the National Geographic site, which is pretty awesome, and decided to share some of The Best of April photos. My guess is that the theme was water (except for that space photo). And if you ever get the chance to see the museum in D.C, I highly recommend it.
June 1, 2012
Friday Guest: Lauren Clark
Stranger in a Strange Land by Lauren Clark
I moved to the Deep South twelve years ago after living on the East Coast for most of my life. When people talk about culture shock, I really know what they mean!
A month into living in Alabama, I began a new job at a television station in Dothan (WTVY-News 4) working the early morning shift (2 am – 10 am). I was the morning anchor, and try as I could, I still managed to botch words like “Choctawhatchee” and confuse mascots for Auburn and Alabama college football (Tiger and Elephant, BTW).
Joe, the man who directed the morning show, would chortle into my earpiece and Oscar Fann, my co-host and meteorologist would tease me relentlessly about being a Yankee!
One of the funniest experiences I can remember about that first month was running to grab lunch for my news director. I was headed to Subway, and my boss requested a chicken sandwich with “baked glaze.” I paused, as I had never heard of “baked glaze,” so I repeated it back to be certain. A bit annoyed at this point, he huffed his confirmation and sent me on my way. Ten minutes later, standing in line at Subway, I realized that he was asking for “Baked Lays” potato chips. Sigh. I did return with the Baked Lays, by the way.
Since that time, I’ve embraced all that is the Deep South. I've been to "meat and threes," a restaurant that serves an "entree of the day" like pork or beef, then adds 3 vegetables. I understand that when someone says "mash the button" they mean "press it." If a person says he wants to "carry you" to the store, it means "drive you there in a car." I no longer wonder why, on country road, would a stranger behind the wheel of a pick-up wave as you pass going the other direction. My second son was born in Alabama. Every bit the Southern boy, he spouts phrases like “I’m fixin’ to go to my friend’s house,” or “Where y’all going?” and talks about quail hunting and biscuits for breakfast.
Living in the Deep South is not perfect. It is 100 degrees in the shade mid-August, I have found lizards in the laundry (once or twice), and if you're not careful where you step, you might land on a bed of fire ants. They bite and your feet get yucky, puffy welts! I do miss snow at Christmas and the cool breezes on a summer evening. I miss my family. I miss the change of seasons and the brilliant autumn leaves.
But nothing can replace the Spanish moss hanging from the Live Oak Trees or the sound of children playing on the sidewalk outside our 100-year old home. Nothing can replace a neighbor offering to sit with you on your front porch when you’ve had a bad day. Nothing can replace the smell of honeysuckle on the vine in the spring.
For a while, I was a stranger in a strange land. But embracing change and cultural differences is something I truly believe in. My life is richer and fuller because of it. The South is home now and I love it!
BLURB:
Travel writer Julia Sullivan lives life in fast-forward. She jet sets to Europe and the Caribbean with barely a moment to blink or sleep. But too many mishaps and missed deadlines have Julia on the verge of being fired.
With a stern warning, and unemployment looming, she's offered one last chance to rescue her career. Julia embarks on an unlikely journey to the ‘Heart of Dixie’—Eufaula, Alabama—home to magnificent mansions, sweet tea, and the annual Pilgrimage.
Julia arrives, soon charmed by the lovely city and her handsome host, but her stay is marred by a shocking discovery. Can Julia's story save her career, Eufaula, and the annual Pilgrimage?
EXCERPT
I’m a travel writer at Getaways magazine. Paid for the glorious task of gathering up fascinating snippets of culture and piecing them into quirky little stories. Jet-setting to the Riviera, exploring the Great Barrier Reef, basking on Bermuda beaches. It’s as glamorous and exhilarating as I imagined.
Okay, it is a tad lonely, from time to time.
And quite exhausting.
Which is precisely why I have to get organized.
Today.
I sink into my chair and try to concentrate. What to tackle first? Think, think.
“Julia Sullivan!”
Third reminder. Uh-oh.
Marietta rolls her eyes and jerks a thumb toward the inevitable. “Guess you better walk the plank,” she teases. “New guy’s waiting. Haven’t met him yet, but I’ve heard he’s the ‘take no prisoners’ sort. Hope you come back alive.”
I grope for something witty and casual to say, but all of a sudden, my head feels light and hollow.
I’ve been dying to find out about the new editor.
Every last gory detail.
Until now.
“I’m still in another time zone,” I offer up to Marietta with a weak smile. My insides toss from side to side as I slide out of my chair.
Marietta tosses me a wry look. “Nice try. Get going already, sport.”
I tilt my head toward the hallway and pretend to pout. When I look back, Marietta’s already disappeared. Smart girl.
“Fine, fine.” I tug a piece of rebellious auburn hair into place, smooth my wool suit, and begin to march toward the inevitable.
Our new editor.
My neck prickles.
I’m not going to worry. Not much anyway.
My pulse thuds.
Not going to worry about change. Or re-organization. Or pink slips.
Focus, Julia.
About the Author:Lauren Clark writes contemporary novels set in the Deep South; stories sprinkled with sunshine, suspense, and secrets.
A former TV news anchor, Lauren adores flavored coffee, local book stores, and anywhere she can stick her toes in the sand. Her big loves are her family, paying it forward, and true-blue friends. Check out her website at http://www.laurenclarkbooks.com/.
GoodreadsTwitterFacebook
I moved to the Deep South twelve years ago after living on the East Coast for most of my life. When people talk about culture shock, I really know what they mean! A month into living in Alabama, I began a new job at a television station in Dothan (WTVY-News 4) working the early morning shift (2 am – 10 am). I was the morning anchor, and try as I could, I still managed to botch words like “Choctawhatchee” and confuse mascots for Auburn and Alabama college football (Tiger and Elephant, BTW).
Joe, the man who directed the morning show, would chortle into my earpiece and Oscar Fann, my co-host and meteorologist would tease me relentlessly about being a Yankee!
One of the funniest experiences I can remember about that first month was running to grab lunch for my news director. I was headed to Subway, and my boss requested a chicken sandwich with “baked glaze.” I paused, as I had never heard of “baked glaze,” so I repeated it back to be certain. A bit annoyed at this point, he huffed his confirmation and sent me on my way. Ten minutes later, standing in line at Subway, I realized that he was asking for “Baked Lays” potato chips. Sigh. I did return with the Baked Lays, by the way.
Since that time, I’ve embraced all that is the Deep South. I've been to "meat and threes," a restaurant that serves an "entree of the day" like pork or beef, then adds 3 vegetables. I understand that when someone says "mash the button" they mean "press it." If a person says he wants to "carry you" to the store, it means "drive you there in a car." I no longer wonder why, on country road, would a stranger behind the wheel of a pick-up wave as you pass going the other direction. My second son was born in Alabama. Every bit the Southern boy, he spouts phrases like “I’m fixin’ to go to my friend’s house,” or “Where y’all going?” and talks about quail hunting and biscuits for breakfast.
Living in the Deep South is not perfect. It is 100 degrees in the shade mid-August, I have found lizards in the laundry (once or twice), and if you're not careful where you step, you might land on a bed of fire ants. They bite and your feet get yucky, puffy welts! I do miss snow at Christmas and the cool breezes on a summer evening. I miss my family. I miss the change of seasons and the brilliant autumn leaves.
But nothing can replace the Spanish moss hanging from the Live Oak Trees or the sound of children playing on the sidewalk outside our 100-year old home. Nothing can replace a neighbor offering to sit with you on your front porch when you’ve had a bad day. Nothing can replace the smell of honeysuckle on the vine in the spring.
For a while, I was a stranger in a strange land. But embracing change and cultural differences is something I truly believe in. My life is richer and fuller because of it. The South is home now and I love it!
BLURB:
Travel writer Julia Sullivan lives life in fast-forward. She jet sets to Europe and the Caribbean with barely a moment to blink or sleep. But too many mishaps and missed deadlines have Julia on the verge of being fired.
With a stern warning, and unemployment looming, she's offered one last chance to rescue her career. Julia embarks on an unlikely journey to the ‘Heart of Dixie’—Eufaula, Alabama—home to magnificent mansions, sweet tea, and the annual Pilgrimage.
Julia arrives, soon charmed by the lovely city and her handsome host, but her stay is marred by a shocking discovery. Can Julia's story save her career, Eufaula, and the annual Pilgrimage?
EXCERPT
I’m a travel writer at Getaways magazine. Paid for the glorious task of gathering up fascinating snippets of culture and piecing them into quirky little stories. Jet-setting to the Riviera, exploring the Great Barrier Reef, basking on Bermuda beaches. It’s as glamorous and exhilarating as I imagined. Okay, it is a tad lonely, from time to time.
And quite exhausting.
Which is precisely why I have to get organized.
Today.
I sink into my chair and try to concentrate. What to tackle first? Think, think.
“Julia Sullivan!”
Third reminder. Uh-oh.
Marietta rolls her eyes and jerks a thumb toward the inevitable. “Guess you better walk the plank,” she teases. “New guy’s waiting. Haven’t met him yet, but I’ve heard he’s the ‘take no prisoners’ sort. Hope you come back alive.”
I grope for something witty and casual to say, but all of a sudden, my head feels light and hollow.
I’ve been dying to find out about the new editor.
Every last gory detail.
Until now.
“I’m still in another time zone,” I offer up to Marietta with a weak smile. My insides toss from side to side as I slide out of my chair.
Marietta tosses me a wry look. “Nice try. Get going already, sport.”
I tilt my head toward the hallway and pretend to pout. When I look back, Marietta’s already disappeared. Smart girl.
“Fine, fine.” I tug a piece of rebellious auburn hair into place, smooth my wool suit, and begin to march toward the inevitable.
Our new editor.
My neck prickles.
I’m not going to worry. Not much anyway.
My pulse thuds.
Not going to worry about change. Or re-organization. Or pink slips.
Focus, Julia.
About the Author:Lauren Clark writes contemporary novels set in the Deep South; stories sprinkled with sunshine, suspense, and secrets.
A former TV news anchor, Lauren adores flavored coffee, local book stores, and anywhere she can stick her toes in the sand. Her big loves are her family, paying it forward, and true-blue friends. Check out her website at http://www.laurenclarkbooks.com/.
GoodreadsTwitterFacebook
May 30, 2012
Guest: N. Gemini Sasson
What are the Top Five Things on my Bucket List?
Wow, I used to have one of those. Several, in fact. But that was before they called them ‘Bucket Lists’. Even way back before the early Oprah days, when she talked about ‘visualizing’ your dreams and cutting out magazine pictures to glue on a piece of posterboard. I scribbled my dreams down on index cards and stuffed them in an envelope, sealed it, and dated it for several years later. Those envelopes were crammed with hopes of travel, a farm house in the country, and a happy family. But sometime in the past ten years, I stopped looking ahead and moored myself in the day to day. What happened between then and now? Life happened: two very active kids, a husband who deserved a certain amount of attention, multiple dogs, a herd of sheep, two homes rehabbed – all while I was secretly building a career and juggling part time jobs. It seemed the older I got, the more my bucket lists became strictly to-do lists. Practical, not fun. Duty. Obligation. Responsibility. Finish this, accomplish that, etc., etc.
It’s time to dream again. To open my mind to what is possible. To explore, test my limits, seek new thrills. The kids are off at college, debts have been paid down, the sheep have been re-homed to a location without coyotes and the house is finally just the way we want it to be.
So what’s on my Bucket List now? Fun and memorable stuff:
5) Go see the Summer Olympics – To watch Track and Field. Although actually being in the Olympics would be THE most amazing thing ever.
4) Take a balloon ride, preferably over the pyramids of Egypt.
3) Go hiking in Iceland – It’s a raw landscape, but the geology fascinates me. Hopefully, though, I won’t get trapped there by a volcanic eruption.
2) Sleep under the stars in the Scottish Highlands – Evidently I have a thing for tree-less, wind-scoured locations, but I have this inexplicable attraction to Scotland. I love bagpipe music. I think it’s genetic.
1) Be on The Amazing Race – I figure I could tick all the other items off the Bucket List in one fell swoop that way (provided the producers are on the same wavelength as me). With my map-reading skills and my husband’s willingness to talk to total strangers, we’d be a kick-butt team.
That’s mine. I could go on and on, but doing those would certainly create some exciting memories. What’s on your Bucket List? If you don’t have one, what are you waiting for? And if you have one, what steps are you taking to tick the items off? Me – I need to go back to work today and start saving and planning for four years from now. The Olympics are in Rio de Janeiro. If I don’t make it onto The Amazing Race by then, maybe I can schedule a balloon ride over the Brazilian rainforest or a canoeing side trip to the Amazon?
I love your list! I think going to the Olympics (Summer or Winter) would be amazing. I've been to Iceland, a long time ago--didn't hike, it was March and snowing sideways. But it was an amazing time. Spent 2 weeks in the Scottish Highlands that year as well. For both I recommend bringing snacks (just in case!) and a notebook to chronical the places you've been so when you see those pictures you can remember which castle/waterfall/hill you took it at!
Thanks so much for stopping by!
BLURB:
What is done cannot be undone.
England, 1326. Edward II has been dethroned. Queen Isabella and her lover, Sir Roger Mortimer, are at the pinnacle of their power.
Fated to rule, Isabella’s son becomes King Edward III at the callow age of fourteen. Young Edward, however, must bide his time as the loyal son until he can break the shackles of his minority and dissolve the regency council which dictates his every action.
When the former king is found mysteriously dead in his cell, the truth becomes obscured and Isabella can no longer trust her own memory . . . or confide in those closest to her. Meanwhile, she struggles to keep her beloved Mortimer at her side and gain yet another crown—France’s—for the son who no longer trusts her.
Amidst a maelstrom of shifting loyalties, accusations of murder propel England to the brink of civil war.
In the sequel to Isabeau , secrecy and treason, conspiracy and revenge once again overtake England. The future rests in the hands of a mother and son whose bonds have reached a breaking point.
EXCERPT
Isabella – Westminster, February, 1327
The reminder that I was still married to Edward of Caernarvon stung like an open cut, fresh and deep down to the vein. Except for the sharp whistling of my indrawn breath, the room was silent. Bishop Orleton must have sensed the tension between Mortimer and me, for he excused himself, closing the door firmly behind him.
I turned away to face the row of windows, the world beyond dark with night. In moments, Mortimer’s arms encircled my waist from behind, tugging me gently against him. I kept my body stiff, tempering my resolve against his nearness, but already my knees were weakening beneath me.
“Isabeau ... sweet heaven of mine.” Light fingers traced over my hips, wandering slowly up toward my ribs. His breath stirred on my neck, a fiery breeze of longing. “Let me hold you tonight, hour upon hour, until the dawn.”
I shook my head, even as I felt myself wanting to yield, to abandon all. “I’m afraid, Roger.”
He turned me around, his lips brushing against the crown of my hair, over my ear, the slope of my shoulder. Not until my breathing slowed and I half-closed my eyes, waiting for more, did he lift his head to speak. A smirk, hinting of something sinister, flashed across his mouth. Or perhaps I merely imagined it? His thumb stroked tenderly at my cheek, soothing away my worries. “Afraid of what—that he’ll go free? You needn’t worry, my love. I’ll make sure he never has the chance.”
About the Author:
N. Gemini Sasson is also the author of The Crown in the Heather (The Bruce Trilogy: Book I), Worth Dying For (The Bruce Trilogy: Book II), The Honor Due a King (The Bruce Trilogy: Book III) and Isabeau, A Novel of Queen Isabella and Sir Roger Mortimer (2011 IPPY Silver Medalist for Historical Fiction). She holds a M.S. in Biology from Wright State University where she ran cross country on athletic scholarship. She has worked as an aquatic toxicologist, an environmental engineer, a teacher and a track and cross country coach. A longtime breeder and judge of Australian Shepherds, her articles on bobtail genetics have been translated into seven languages.
Links:
Web siteBlogFacebook
Twitter
Wow, I used to have one of those. Several, in fact. But that was before they called them ‘Bucket Lists’. Even way back before the early Oprah days, when she talked about ‘visualizing’ your dreams and cutting out magazine pictures to glue on a piece of posterboard. I scribbled my dreams down on index cards and stuffed them in an envelope, sealed it, and dated it for several years later. Those envelopes were crammed with hopes of travel, a farm house in the country, and a happy family. But sometime in the past ten years, I stopped looking ahead and moored myself in the day to day. What happened between then and now? Life happened: two very active kids, a husband who deserved a certain amount of attention, multiple dogs, a herd of sheep, two homes rehabbed – all while I was secretly building a career and juggling part time jobs. It seemed the older I got, the more my bucket lists became strictly to-do lists. Practical, not fun. Duty. Obligation. Responsibility. Finish this, accomplish that, etc., etc.
It’s time to dream again. To open my mind to what is possible. To explore, test my limits, seek new thrills. The kids are off at college, debts have been paid down, the sheep have been re-homed to a location without coyotes and the house is finally just the way we want it to be.
So what’s on my Bucket List now? Fun and memorable stuff:
5) Go see the Summer Olympics – To watch Track and Field. Although actually being in the Olympics would be THE most amazing thing ever.
4) Take a balloon ride, preferably over the pyramids of Egypt.
3) Go hiking in Iceland – It’s a raw landscape, but the geology fascinates me. Hopefully, though, I won’t get trapped there by a volcanic eruption.
2) Sleep under the stars in the Scottish Highlands – Evidently I have a thing for tree-less, wind-scoured locations, but I have this inexplicable attraction to Scotland. I love bagpipe music. I think it’s genetic.
1) Be on The Amazing Race – I figure I could tick all the other items off the Bucket List in one fell swoop that way (provided the producers are on the same wavelength as me). With my map-reading skills and my husband’s willingness to talk to total strangers, we’d be a kick-butt team.
That’s mine. I could go on and on, but doing those would certainly create some exciting memories. What’s on your Bucket List? If you don’t have one, what are you waiting for? And if you have one, what steps are you taking to tick the items off? Me – I need to go back to work today and start saving and planning for four years from now. The Olympics are in Rio de Janeiro. If I don’t make it onto The Amazing Race by then, maybe I can schedule a balloon ride over the Brazilian rainforest or a canoeing side trip to the Amazon?
I love your list! I think going to the Olympics (Summer or Winter) would be amazing. I've been to Iceland, a long time ago--didn't hike, it was March and snowing sideways. But it was an amazing time. Spent 2 weeks in the Scottish Highlands that year as well. For both I recommend bringing snacks (just in case!) and a notebook to chronical the places you've been so when you see those pictures you can remember which castle/waterfall/hill you took it at!
Thanks so much for stopping by!
BLURB:
What is done cannot be undone.
England, 1326. Edward II has been dethroned. Queen Isabella and her lover, Sir Roger Mortimer, are at the pinnacle of their power. Fated to rule, Isabella’s son becomes King Edward III at the callow age of fourteen. Young Edward, however, must bide his time as the loyal son until he can break the shackles of his minority and dissolve the regency council which dictates his every action.
When the former king is found mysteriously dead in his cell, the truth becomes obscured and Isabella can no longer trust her own memory . . . or confide in those closest to her. Meanwhile, she struggles to keep her beloved Mortimer at her side and gain yet another crown—France’s—for the son who no longer trusts her.
Amidst a maelstrom of shifting loyalties, accusations of murder propel England to the brink of civil war.
In the sequel to Isabeau , secrecy and treason, conspiracy and revenge once again overtake England. The future rests in the hands of a mother and son whose bonds have reached a breaking point.
EXCERPT
Isabella – Westminster, February, 1327
The reminder that I was still married to Edward of Caernarvon stung like an open cut, fresh and deep down to the vein. Except for the sharp whistling of my indrawn breath, the room was silent. Bishop Orleton must have sensed the tension between Mortimer and me, for he excused himself, closing the door firmly behind him.
I turned away to face the row of windows, the world beyond dark with night. In moments, Mortimer’s arms encircled my waist from behind, tugging me gently against him. I kept my body stiff, tempering my resolve against his nearness, but already my knees were weakening beneath me.
“Isabeau ... sweet heaven of mine.” Light fingers traced over my hips, wandering slowly up toward my ribs. His breath stirred on my neck, a fiery breeze of longing. “Let me hold you tonight, hour upon hour, until the dawn.”
I shook my head, even as I felt myself wanting to yield, to abandon all. “I’m afraid, Roger.”
He turned me around, his lips brushing against the crown of my hair, over my ear, the slope of my shoulder. Not until my breathing slowed and I half-closed my eyes, waiting for more, did he lift his head to speak. A smirk, hinting of something sinister, flashed across his mouth. Or perhaps I merely imagined it? His thumb stroked tenderly at my cheek, soothing away my worries. “Afraid of what—that he’ll go free? You needn’t worry, my love. I’ll make sure he never has the chance.”
About the Author:
N. Gemini Sasson is also the author of The Crown in the Heather (The Bruce Trilogy: Book I), Worth Dying For (The Bruce Trilogy: Book II), The Honor Due a King (The Bruce Trilogy: Book III) and Isabeau, A Novel of Queen Isabella and Sir Roger Mortimer (2011 IPPY Silver Medalist for Historical Fiction). She holds a M.S. in Biology from Wright State University where she ran cross country on athletic scholarship. She has worked as an aquatic toxicologist, an environmental engineer, a teacher and a track and cross country coach. A longtime breeder and judge of Australian Shepherds, her articles on bobtail genetics have been translated into seven languages.Links:
Web siteBlogFacebook
May 29, 2012
Review: #Eureka
Or Why You Should Watch the Smartest and Funniest Show Currently on TV
Eureka
It's funny. It's smart. It's a smartass show. It's got the 'dumb' town sheriff who thinks like a regular person in a town full of genius disasters--and usually is the one to save the day. It may sound trite and cliche, but it's really not.
This is the last season. I won't go into why I think SyFy cancelled this wonderful show. Or why I don't think we need another 'reality' show about scaring people, ghost hunting, or the paranormal objects people own.
If you haven't watched any of Eureka, now is your chance! You don't have to, but in starting with season 1, episode 1, you can meet Jack Carter and his rebellious (if brilliant) daughter as they stumble (literally) into a hidden town in Washington State that's full of the world's most brilliant people. Even the cafe owner has a PhD in food!
Each season has an overall arc--time travel, space travel, mind travel (trust me on that one). And each season has guest stars. Ever watch Star Trek: Next Gen? Remember stupid little Wesley Crusher?
The only draw back is
Eureka
It's funny. It's smart. It's a smartass show. It's got the 'dumb' town sheriff who thinks like a regular person in a town full of genius disasters--and usually is the one to save the day. It may sound trite and cliche, but it's really not.
This is the last season. I won't go into why I think SyFy cancelled this wonderful show. Or why I don't think we need another 'reality' show about scaring people, ghost hunting, or the paranormal objects people own.
If you haven't watched any of Eureka, now is your chance! You don't have to, but in starting with season 1, episode 1, you can meet Jack Carter and his rebellious (if brilliant) daughter as they stumble (literally) into a hidden town in Washington State that's full of the world's most brilliant people. Even the cafe owner has a PhD in food!
Each season has an overall arc--time travel, space travel, mind travel (trust me on that one). And each season has guest stars. Ever watch Star Trek: Next Gen? Remember stupid little Wesley Crusher? The only draw back is
May 24, 2012
Thursday Thoughts
If people let government decide what foods they eat and what medicines they take, their bodies will soon be in as sorry a state as are the souls of those who live under tyranny.~Thomas Jefferson
Want to know what's happening with our food? Watch
Farmageddon
. You won't regret it. And if it helps us to buy local, support our own communities, and treat our world better, then it's all good.
Because one person can make a difference.
Want to know what's happening with our food? Watch
Farmageddon
. You won't regret it. And if it helps us to buy local, support our own communities, and treat our world better, then it's all good.Because one person can make a difference.
May 21, 2012
Unusual Historicals
I love Regencies, don't get me wrong. But I also love romances set in other time periods. I've talked about this before (here, here, and here to name a few), but my question remains:
Why don't other people like unusual historicals?
Is it because they like the familiar? Or is it because they don't like those other time periods? I just don't know. For instance, why isn't the American or French Revolutions popular? Is it the time, locale, or is it the face of a war? The Civil War used to be hugely popular, but I only see it in ebooks now, though I do buy those.
Why don't other people like unusual historicals?
Is it because they like the familiar? Or is it because they don't like those other time periods? I just don't know. For instance, why isn't the American or French Revolutions popular? Is it the time, locale, or is it the face of a war? The Civil War used to be hugely popular, but I only see it in ebooks now, though I do buy those.
May 16, 2012
Wednesday Review: Mancode Exposed
I know, even the title is pretty catchy! I received a free PDF of this from the author via Goddess Fish Promotions for the specific purpose of reviewing it. My first question is: How can you expose the man code in a mere 46 pages?Here's the blurb Rachel sent along with the book:
I'm over forty. I don't have a blankie. I have vodka.
I'm no 'ologist.' I don't give advice. If that's what you're looking for, go buy Dr. Somebody's book.
I write about men, women, sex, & chocolate. My experiences, my truth, my martinis.
*Note: Thompson employs hashtags (i.e., the # sign) in her work. Google it. These are not typos, people #deargod.
Here's my review:
Not exactly a book one reads from beginning to end, this read more like a series of one-liners. Funny, sometimes dead on one-liners, but not exactly a narrative. Wow, that sounds very librarian of me!
When I received this book, I figured it would be funny (it was!), snarky (oh definitely), and, based on the warning if nothing else interesting.
Mancode: Exposed has sex in it. If that offends you, move along. It’s sarcastic and snarky. If your sensibilities run toward the conservative, you might not want to read any farther. (Pssst: I also throw in the occasional well-placed curse word or two.)As I read, I realized what the book reminded me of: a Twitter conversation. And one with her husband, though she did stress that in the beginning that this book was about her.
What this book is truly about: me, exposing my beliefs, experiences, and thoughts on men and women. Stripping off the pretense of stereotypes, undressing myself for your reading pleasure.Now, was this intentional? Possible, it’s also possible Ms. Thompson thinks and speaks in one-liners, I don’t know.
That said, I admit to chuckling over certain aspects, as I, too, am a fan of the witty one-liner. And I adore Twitter, as anyone know knows me will attest. However, I found the random hashtags (#) mildly annoying and intrusive.
Half-way through the book, the stereotypes that annoyed me so and were seemingly prevalent throughout Mancode Exposed were really the surface and only by reading further and deeper into the words themselves, did you truly get the book. At least I hope that’s the case! If not…well, let’s not go there. But let’s hope all the surface snark was to show what truly lurked beneath.
All in all, 4 of 5 stars. I’m not sure how much man code exposure she did, but she had me chuckling and cringing throughout, and some of the topics she touched on were at the core of what marriage is really all about.
May 15, 2012
Guest: Matt Chatelain
Did you ever wonder what it was all about? As a kid, it was all I could think of. I was always fascinated by the mysterious, the unexplained. Growing up, my fascination matured. I graduated to serious topics. UFOs went by the wayside, joining Bigfoot, the Oak Island treasure, and the Bermuda triangle. It was time for the big guns, the real issues.
Life, death and everything.
Some authors out there were writing about it. I'll never forget The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail, by Michael Baigent, etc. It was one of the first books to rip a veil off my eyes, a veil I had not known was there. Later, I came across the book The second Messiah, by Christopher Knight and Robert Lomax. Another shocker, starting with Jesus' brother James. I didn't even know Jesus had a brother.
I was also reading books like 'The strange story of the Quantum' and researching theories like 'The Electric Universe' and ' Quantum electrodynamics'. There were ancient texts from across the world talking strangely similar concepts, events like the Flood and the big bang. All of it pouring into my head, question upon question.
What was it all about?
No matter the book I read, fiction or non-fiction, all of them fell short of the goal. None seemed to do more than tease me then leave me hanging… and we know how we hate that. The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown only made things worse. A fiction treatment with everything jumbled together, impossible to make heads or tails of anything.
I wanted to read something with some meat to it. Something with girth to the story. I wanted to expand on the complexity of things. I knew it all tied together. The problem was no one had taken the problem in hand. I decided I was going to do it. I was going to stroke all those small facts into one gigantic explosion of a story.
So I did.
Of course, I was fooling myself. It wasn't as easy as all that. It required some finesse. I wanted to write a single book, something simple to start off my writing career. I ended up taking six years to write a four-book epic story. Most of the readers out there think it's just a normal epic story but, between you and me, it's much more than that.
Don't tell anyone. Keep this as our secret.
As long as we're sharing secrets, allow me to let you in on what happened to me when I wrote this thing. In some ways it was like holding a tiger by the tail. I could never get myself to let go. Weird coincidences happened (You can read about them on my website in the 'writing the series' essay). I had trouble separating fiction from reality, which was strange because the secret topic of the book was that the world was an illusion.
Weirdest of all was that I wasn't the first one mixing fiction with reality. Tons of people had inserted fiction into real life until everyone accepted the fiction as real (such as with 'the Holy Blood and the Holy Grail). In fact, just about all history was fiction. Most ideas we used to formulate our concept of reality were flawed from the beginning. Nothing we knew had substance, not even matter. It too was illusion.
What was going on?
Luckily, my problems are your boon. I was sick and tired of reading books that claimed to go the distance and always fell short. My questions drove me to write the book that answered all the questions. I went there, examined the place and came back with pictures.
Now, of course, I don't blame you for being skeptical. You've been promised before. Sweet-talking just doesn't cut it anymore. You want to see the wedding ring, I understand. Worse yet, I'm self published, so you're worried about the quality of the work. Fear not. I edited those damn books for years. Book One, 'The Caves of Etretat' was edited fifteen times. It was crazy but what can I say? It had to be done to make sure all the storylines fit it properly.
The end result is an Action/Adventure story like no other. The story is a non-stop rollercoaster where nothing is ever as it seems. Don’t go into this book looking for details or unimportant side-stories. Go into it looking for answers, looking for supreme satisfaction, for the answers to your important questions.
Life, death and everything.
Discover the Sirenne Saga, the four book epic series written by Matt Chatelain. It's the ultimate story, challenging and testing you but, best of all, entertaining you. You can find out about it on my website, www.mattchatelain.com . The first book (The Caves of Etretat) is available as Kindle Ebook and on Amazon as hardcopy. The next three books will be published this year, so no waiting forever to get your answers.
Best of all, I've got a free contest on my website with a monthly draw of signed hardcopies of my books. All you need to do is register on my site. Of course, that traps you into getting my news releases so you can know when to buy my other books. There are also some audio excerpts and interviews you can listen to on my website, as well as a pile of freebies. Drop in and say hello.BLURB:
In 2007, Canadian bookstore owner Paul Sirenne is suddenly thrust into a quest for answers, when his parents are found brutally murdered, their bodies cut up and shaped into the letters H.N. Finding a note inside his father's copy of 'The Hollow Needle', by Maurice Leblanc, Sirenne is determined to uncover the roots of his long-forgotten family secret.
He heads to the town of Etretat, France, on the trail of a hundred year old mystery hidden in the pages of the 'Hollow Needle'. Falling in love with Leblanc's great-granddaughter, he deals with puzzles, theories, codes and historical mysteries, leading him to believe that Leblanc held a secret war against Adolf Hitler, fighting for the control of an incredible complex of caves hidden in Etretat's chalk cliffs.
'THE CAVES OF ETRETAT' is the first in a four-book epic adventure following Paul Sirenne, an average man unknowingly manipulated into becoming the key in the final phase of a complex conspiracy spanning millennia. Inextricably woven into history, the series re-writes everything we know in a non-stop rollercoaster of a ride where nothing is ever as it seems.EXCERPT:
While I drove toward my father's place, my rear view mirror allowed me the occasional glimpse of a familiar vehicle and its driver, Norton. His companions were nowhere to be seen. Perhaps he was intent on protecting me but I doubted it. His comments had seemed disjointed to me, despite the circumstances. Everything he said had come across insincere, as if he were following another agenda. I resolved to ignore him for the time being. Let him do his watching.
To some, police protection might seem comforting. To me, it felt like an irritant. I preferred to mind my own business and for others to do the same, even in dire circumstances. That way I hurt no one and no one got hurt. I almost changed my opinion when I arrived at my father’s house. Even Norton's company would have been preferable to that of my own thoughts. I hurried up the entrance staircase and stopped in front of the door, taking a deep breath. I felt frozen in place, unable to open it.Breaking the spell and forcing myself to move, I removed the police tape with a trembling hand and entered, closing the door behind me. I looked around the entrance hallway. Everything looked normal but it felt wrong, empty, too quiet. I walked into the living room and there it was: the bloody outline of the H and the N. I was horrified by the bloodstained dots after each gruesome letter, knowing what had left those imprints.Seized by a sudden, irresistible impulse, I ran to the kitchen, filled a large bucket with hot water and picked up a heavy bristle brush.
Those stains had to go!
I returned to the living room, trying to stay calm, to think nothing about what the stains represented. I knelt down, splashed some water on the floor, and began scrubbing the dark stains. I didn’t care if I scratched the wood. At some point, I started crying in great, wracking sobs, the tears streaming down my cheeks, dripping onto the bloodstains on the floor.
By the time I was done, my tears had dried, evaporated by a burning resolve unlike any I had before. I did not know how, I did not know when, but I would catch that monstrous killer. He would pay for what he had done.Aboutt the Author:
Born in Ottawa, fifty-two years ago, I have been the owner of a used bookstore I opened in Ontario, since 1990. I have been writing since I was ten. Beginning with poetry, I quickly moved on to short stories and non-fiction pieces. I stayed in that format for many years, eventually self-publishing a franchise manual (How to Open Your Own Used Bookstore), as well as a variety of booklets, such as 'How to Save Money at Home', 'Build a Greenhouse with Style' and the ten booklet series of Eddy Brock, Brockville Detective.
Having semi-retired from the bookstore, I embarked on the project of writing my first serious novel, which I expanded to a four book series after discovering an incredible mystery hidden within Maurice Leblanc's books.
My interests are eclectic. I like Quantum Physics, Cosmology, history, archaeology, science in general, mechanics, free power, recycling and re-use. I'm a good handyman and can usually fix just about anything. I'm good with computers. I love movies, both good and bad, preferring action and war movies. I can draw and paint fairly well but am so obsessed with perspective and light that I cannot think of much else. I am too detail oriented. Takes too long to finish anything.WebsiteFacebook
PRIZE INFORMATION
Matt will be awarding a $20 Amazon GC to one randomly drawn commenter during the tour as well as to the host whose post receives the most comments (excluding his or the host's) during the tour.
Life, death and everything.
Some authors out there were writing about it. I'll never forget The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail, by Michael Baigent, etc. It was one of the first books to rip a veil off my eyes, a veil I had not known was there. Later, I came across the book The second Messiah, by Christopher Knight and Robert Lomax. Another shocker, starting with Jesus' brother James. I didn't even know Jesus had a brother.
I was also reading books like 'The strange story of the Quantum' and researching theories like 'The Electric Universe' and ' Quantum electrodynamics'. There were ancient texts from across the world talking strangely similar concepts, events like the Flood and the big bang. All of it pouring into my head, question upon question.
What was it all about?
No matter the book I read, fiction or non-fiction, all of them fell short of the goal. None seemed to do more than tease me then leave me hanging… and we know how we hate that. The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown only made things worse. A fiction treatment with everything jumbled together, impossible to make heads or tails of anything.
I wanted to read something with some meat to it. Something with girth to the story. I wanted to expand on the complexity of things. I knew it all tied together. The problem was no one had taken the problem in hand. I decided I was going to do it. I was going to stroke all those small facts into one gigantic explosion of a story.
So I did.
Of course, I was fooling myself. It wasn't as easy as all that. It required some finesse. I wanted to write a single book, something simple to start off my writing career. I ended up taking six years to write a four-book epic story. Most of the readers out there think it's just a normal epic story but, between you and me, it's much more than that.
Don't tell anyone. Keep this as our secret.
As long as we're sharing secrets, allow me to let you in on what happened to me when I wrote this thing. In some ways it was like holding a tiger by the tail. I could never get myself to let go. Weird coincidences happened (You can read about them on my website in the 'writing the series' essay). I had trouble separating fiction from reality, which was strange because the secret topic of the book was that the world was an illusion.
Weirdest of all was that I wasn't the first one mixing fiction with reality. Tons of people had inserted fiction into real life until everyone accepted the fiction as real (such as with 'the Holy Blood and the Holy Grail). In fact, just about all history was fiction. Most ideas we used to formulate our concept of reality were flawed from the beginning. Nothing we knew had substance, not even matter. It too was illusion.
What was going on?
Luckily, my problems are your boon. I was sick and tired of reading books that claimed to go the distance and always fell short. My questions drove me to write the book that answered all the questions. I went there, examined the place and came back with pictures.
Now, of course, I don't blame you for being skeptical. You've been promised before. Sweet-talking just doesn't cut it anymore. You want to see the wedding ring, I understand. Worse yet, I'm self published, so you're worried about the quality of the work. Fear not. I edited those damn books for years. Book One, 'The Caves of Etretat' was edited fifteen times. It was crazy but what can I say? It had to be done to make sure all the storylines fit it properly.
The end result is an Action/Adventure story like no other. The story is a non-stop rollercoaster where nothing is ever as it seems. Don’t go into this book looking for details or unimportant side-stories. Go into it looking for answers, looking for supreme satisfaction, for the answers to your important questions.
Life, death and everything.
Discover the Sirenne Saga, the four book epic series written by Matt Chatelain. It's the ultimate story, challenging and testing you but, best of all, entertaining you. You can find out about it on my website, www.mattchatelain.com . The first book (The Caves of Etretat) is available as Kindle Ebook and on Amazon as hardcopy. The next three books will be published this year, so no waiting forever to get your answers.
Best of all, I've got a free contest on my website with a monthly draw of signed hardcopies of my books. All you need to do is register on my site. Of course, that traps you into getting my news releases so you can know when to buy my other books. There are also some audio excerpts and interviews you can listen to on my website, as well as a pile of freebies. Drop in and say hello.BLURB:
In 2007, Canadian bookstore owner Paul Sirenne is suddenly thrust into a quest for answers, when his parents are found brutally murdered, their bodies cut up and shaped into the letters H.N. Finding a note inside his father's copy of 'The Hollow Needle', by Maurice Leblanc, Sirenne is determined to uncover the roots of his long-forgotten family secret.He heads to the town of Etretat, France, on the trail of a hundred year old mystery hidden in the pages of the 'Hollow Needle'. Falling in love with Leblanc's great-granddaughter, he deals with puzzles, theories, codes and historical mysteries, leading him to believe that Leblanc held a secret war against Adolf Hitler, fighting for the control of an incredible complex of caves hidden in Etretat's chalk cliffs.
'THE CAVES OF ETRETAT' is the first in a four-book epic adventure following Paul Sirenne, an average man unknowingly manipulated into becoming the key in the final phase of a complex conspiracy spanning millennia. Inextricably woven into history, the series re-writes everything we know in a non-stop rollercoaster of a ride where nothing is ever as it seems.EXCERPT:
While I drove toward my father's place, my rear view mirror allowed me the occasional glimpse of a familiar vehicle and its driver, Norton. His companions were nowhere to be seen. Perhaps he was intent on protecting me but I doubted it. His comments had seemed disjointed to me, despite the circumstances. Everything he said had come across insincere, as if he were following another agenda. I resolved to ignore him for the time being. Let him do his watching.
To some, police protection might seem comforting. To me, it felt like an irritant. I preferred to mind my own business and for others to do the same, even in dire circumstances. That way I hurt no one and no one got hurt. I almost changed my opinion when I arrived at my father’s house. Even Norton's company would have been preferable to that of my own thoughts. I hurried up the entrance staircase and stopped in front of the door, taking a deep breath. I felt frozen in place, unable to open it.Breaking the spell and forcing myself to move, I removed the police tape with a trembling hand and entered, closing the door behind me. I looked around the entrance hallway. Everything looked normal but it felt wrong, empty, too quiet. I walked into the living room and there it was: the bloody outline of the H and the N. I was horrified by the bloodstained dots after each gruesome letter, knowing what had left those imprints.Seized by a sudden, irresistible impulse, I ran to the kitchen, filled a large bucket with hot water and picked up a heavy bristle brush.
Those stains had to go!
I returned to the living room, trying to stay calm, to think nothing about what the stains represented. I knelt down, splashed some water on the floor, and began scrubbing the dark stains. I didn’t care if I scratched the wood. At some point, I started crying in great, wracking sobs, the tears streaming down my cheeks, dripping onto the bloodstains on the floor.
By the time I was done, my tears had dried, evaporated by a burning resolve unlike any I had before. I did not know how, I did not know when, but I would catch that monstrous killer. He would pay for what he had done.Aboutt the Author:
Born in Ottawa, fifty-two years ago, I have been the owner of a used bookstore I opened in Ontario, since 1990. I have been writing since I was ten. Beginning with poetry, I quickly moved on to short stories and non-fiction pieces. I stayed in that format for many years, eventually self-publishing a franchise manual (How to Open Your Own Used Bookstore), as well as a variety of booklets, such as 'How to Save Money at Home', 'Build a Greenhouse with Style' and the ten booklet series of Eddy Brock, Brockville Detective.Having semi-retired from the bookstore, I embarked on the project of writing my first serious novel, which I expanded to a four book series after discovering an incredible mystery hidden within Maurice Leblanc's books.
My interests are eclectic. I like Quantum Physics, Cosmology, history, archaeology, science in general, mechanics, free power, recycling and re-use. I'm a good handyman and can usually fix just about anything. I'm good with computers. I love movies, both good and bad, preferring action and war movies. I can draw and paint fairly well but am so obsessed with perspective and light that I cannot think of much else. I am too detail oriented. Takes too long to finish anything.WebsiteFacebook
PRIZE INFORMATION
Matt will be awarding a $20 Amazon GC to one randomly drawn commenter during the tour as well as to the host whose post receives the most comments (excluding his or the host's) during the tour.
