David M. Brown's Blog, page 95
August 7, 2012
#BlogFlash2012: 30 Days, 30 Prompts, 30 Posts: #7 – Sunset
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This month Mr B and I are taking part in #BlogFlash2012, run by Terri Giuliano Long.
The idea is simple: 30 Days, 30 Prompts, 30 Posts. Every day there’s a new visual prompt and you have to produce 50-100 words on the theme. The beauty of it is, you can produce anything from a simple anecdote to a piece of flash fiction.
There’s also a Facebook page so you can follow along and swap links.
I am also taking part in NaBloPoMo August.
#BlogFlash2012: #7 Sunset
Dave
My happiest memory of watching the sunset came in May 2008 when I travelled alone to Singapore, New Zealand, Australia and Thailand. In Australia I had made it into the Northern Territory and had the privilege of watching the sunset at Ayers Rock or Uluru.
The tour company had set up orange juice and champagne for us at our vantage point. We were told to take a photo every 10 minutes as the rock face went through a myriad of beautiful colours as the sun’s rays fell on Ayers Rock. They were not wrong. Simply spectacular.
Donna
Like Dave, I have been thrilled to see some beautiful sunsets: Kenya, Sri Lanka, Ecuador. I have seen beautiful sunsets in all these places.
I’m sad that Dave and I don’t have shared memories of these beautiful sunsets, as they were before our time together. However, I look forward to the many sunsets we have ahead!
Here is a Jordan sunset:
NaBloPoMoWhat candy did you eat once that you wish you could get again?Another question that’s got me stumped! However, you used to be able to get strips of bubblegum balls – I think it was called Rainbow gum – and that was always fun, colourful and – it seemed at the time – tasty. I’m not sure if my adult tastebuds would still be as wowed but it… but you never know!
Related articles (external)
Cornwall Sunsets at last!
Valley of the Winds – Kata Tjuta, Australia
SUNSET: ‘thought’
Uluru Afternoon
The Lazy Photographer at Uluru
#BlogFlash2012: 30 Days, 30 Prompts, 30 Posts: #7 – Sunset | Thank you for reading Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dave
August 6, 2012
Literary Love Giveaway Hop: Asterix and the Banquet and The Worst Witch
The Literary Love Giveaway Hop event is being co-hosted by Views From the ‘Ville and Money Saving Mindy. See the linky at the bottom of the post for details of other blogs taking part in this great event!
About the Literary Love Giveaway Hop
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The Literary Love Giveaway Hop “lets you show off the love of your favorite book, whether it be a current bestseller or that great book from childhood that has stuck with you all these years“.
Hmm, now this could be tricky because obviously Mr B and I share this blog but we have different favourite books from childhood. So we decided to showcase both!
As we’re in the UK, a swag themed giveaway is out due to postage issues, so we’re opting for a $20 Amazon Gift Card. Good luck to everyone!
[image error]DAVIDAsterix and the Banquet
When the Romans say no, Asterix says yes. So when the soldiers construct a barricade around Asterix’s village to pen everyone in, he and Obelix embark on a trip around the entire country, collecting local specialties along the way.
Why you loved it?
It was funny!
Informative – one of my earliest brushes with history.
Which character did you want to be?
Asterix, of course!
Favourite line?
These Romans are Crazy!
[image error]DONNAThe Worst Witch
Mildred Hubble’s first term as Miss Cackle’s Academy for Witches starts badly. She can’t control her broomstick, her kitten, or her spells, unlike goody-goody Ethel.
Why you loved it?
I wanted to be a witch!
And it had cats in…
Which character did you want to be?
Mildred Hubbard! She was a clutz but everything always worked out in the end
Favourite line?
Don’t recall one but I loved the broomstick races and the spellcasting
Giveawaya Rafflecopter giveawayThe rest of the hop
Literary Love Giveaway Hop: Asterix and the Banquet and The Worst Witch | Thank you for reading Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dave
#BlogFlash2012: 30 Days, 30 Prompts, 30 Posts: #6 – Reading
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This month Mr B and I are taking part in #BlogFlash2012, run by Terri Giuliano Long.
The idea is simple: 30 Days, 30 Prompts, 30 Posts. Every day there’s a new visual prompt and you have to produce 50-100 words on the theme. The beauty of it is, you can produce anything from a simple anecdote to a piece of flash fiction.
There’s also a Facebook page so you can follow along and swap links.
I am also taking part in NaBloPoMo August.
#BlogFlash2012: #6 Reading
Dave
I follow the great Stephen King in the belief that to be a good writer you must first be a reader. I’m at my happiest lost in a good book. It doesn’t have to be fiction, it can be a biography or history for me, but that feeling of escapism and being taken somewhere else is what it is all about.
As I write my own novels I always hope that they will evoke the same feelings in readers as the likes of Tolkien, Murakami, Orwell, Irving and Pratchett do for me whenever I dip into one of their books.
Donna
I am devouring crime, law and thriller novels at the moment at an alarming rate. In the last month alone I have been through 15 Seconds (Andrew Gross), The Preacher (Camilla Lackberg), Law and Disorder (Tim Kevan), Relentless (Simon Kernick), The Lost Symbol (Dan Brown), and I’m currently reading The Dinner (Herman Koch).
I don’t know what it is about this particular genre that I find so easy to dip in to. I’ll try not to reflect what that says about my character or state of mind! But I certainly love a good mystery!
NaBloPoMoWhat was the first candy you ever tried?I think I inadvertently answered this over the weekend, forgetting that there’s a NaBloPoMo Break! So here’s my answer again:
“I have pondered this one and I honestly have no memory of this. Instead, I’ve opted for one of my earliest memories of buying sweets. 20p would buy you a nice little bag of penny sweets – though if you felt really adventurous you could spend 2p for a large sweet or even – if you really wanted to go crazy – 10p for a giant cola bottle. I still love those penny sweets but I have a feeling that 20p wouldn’t get you so many these days…”
Related articles (external)
Reading to A Child #BlogFlash2012 Day 6
#BlogFlash2012: Day Five – Frustration
Day 5 “Frustration” (#BlogFlash2012 – #Haiku No.4)
#BlogFlash2012: Day Six – Reading
Busy Plans #BlogFlash2012 Day 4
#BlogFlash2012: 30 Days, 30 Prompts, 30 Posts: #6 – Reading | Thank you for reading Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dave
August 5, 2012
New Social Media Icons from Elegant Themes
I was delighted to find some lovely new social media icons that seem to fit the blog nicely, all thanks to the great folks at Elegant Themes. These are completely free and include an icon for Pinterest, which is often overlooked, so I wanted to spread the word. Enjoy!
Elegant Themes: Social Media Icons
Responsive WordPress Themes and Why You Need Them
Why I Recommend Elegant Themes
Be Social On Your WordPress Website
13 Free Social Media Icon Sets To Download
Social Media Icon Tutorial
New Social Media Icons from Elegant Themes | Thank you for reading Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dave
Book Review: The Heiress Companion – Madeleine E. Robins
A spinster of twenty-seven, Rowena gave little thought to marriage — until Lyn Bradwell, Lady Bradwell’s long absent son, returned to England. Their chemistry was immediate — and fiery.
Love was the last thing on Rowena’s mind — or Lyn’s. Lady Bradwell, impatient for her companion’s happiness and her son’s, wondered how long it would be before her companion and her son would open their eyes.
Amazon USAmazon UKGoodreadsReview: The Heiress Companion
First published in 1981, The Heiress Companion is a simple romance where a group of unmarried people descend on the same house and have to overcome differences in opinion and social standing before any resolution can be reached.
At the forefront of the novel is Rowena Cherwood who is in her late twenties and unmarried, having turned down suitors previously. Unwilling to live with her aunt she has become companion of the ageing Lady Bradwell. Lady Bradwell’s home is owned by one of her sons – Jack – with a second son – Lyndon – returning after being abroad for some time. Rowena is also joined by her cousin, Margaret, and the Ambercots including two of Rowena’s childhood friends – Jane and Ulysses along with their scheming sister Eliza. With such a gathering of young and eligible people in one house it’s inevitable that romance will bloom but who will end up with whom?
This is a very simple and unfortunately predictable novel. Rowena has spurned the advances of suitors in the past and though her cousin Margaret is initially perceived as ideal for Lyndon Bradwell, it is Rowena that he becomes keen on. This is no problem to Margaret who falls for Ulysses Ambercot, while Jane Ambercot falls for Jack Bradwell. Eliza Ambercot is keen on Lyndon and begins plotting to scupper Rowena’s chances with him. While two of the couples seem to have romances that are resolved with little issue, Rowena and Lyndon inevitably find major obstacles preventing them from being together.
Though the scheming of Eliza was quite interesting, the novel overall doesn’t leave you dreading that any happy endings will be disrupted. Even the advances of a doctor’s assistant do little to impact on Rowena and in the end the obstacle separating her from Lyndon is strictly between the two of them and has nothing to do with any third parties. Even then the story is resolved very easily and although many readers will rejoice in the ending I just didn’t feel there had been much of a challenge in getting there.
Rowena is an interesting character, independent and strong-willed but the romance between her and Lyndon didn’t convince me entirely. This is still a refreshing story in that there is no sex and it emphasises the importance of good manners and etiquette at this time. It doesn’t work for me in the respect that a small group of people meet and everyone seems to conveniently fall in love with someone else in a very short space of time.
The Heiress Companion isn’t a bad period romance novel but it’s not one I would hail as a masterpiece either. The difficult obstacles of Pride and Prejudice or Jane Eyre are not really evident here. Though Rowena and Lyndon seem like the gulf between them will never be bridged, the novel soon brushes aside any challenges affecting the three couples at the heart of the story.
Verdict: 2/5
(Book source: LibraryThing Early Reviewers)
Book Review: The Heiress Companion – Madeleine E. Robins | Thank you for reading Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dave
#BlogFlash2012: 30 Days, 30 Prompts, 30 Posts: #5 – Frustration
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This month Mr B and I are taking part in #BlogFlash2012, run by Terri Giuliano Long.
The idea is simple: 30 Days, 30 Prompts, 30 Posts. Every day there’s a new visual prompt and you have to produce 50-100 words on the theme. The beauty of it is, you can produce anything from a simple anecdote to a piece of flash fiction.
There’s also a Facebook page so you can follow along and swap links.
I am also taking part in NaBloPoMo August.
#BlogFlash2012: #5 Frustration
Dave
Many things frustrate me – slow loading times online, those that unlawfully claim benefits or avoid taxes, the majority of reality TV shows. However, there is one thing that really annoys me and sadly I encounter it every day.
I was raised to be a polite and well-mannered person so it’s hard when you brave the streets to find good manners are dying a death. Holding the door for someone and not being acknowledged, people pushing past as if you’re not there, politeness seems to be in decline in the UK and once it’s frustrated me I’m just left saddened.
Donna
Frustration, as exampled by any or all of the above:
Missing the bus by 3 seconds
The cheque arriving 15 minutes before the bank closes – when it takes you half an hour to get there
The person ahead in the queue buying the last chocolate muffin
Elation, as exampled by realising that any or all of the above frustrations are easily shaken off.
Related articles
#BlogFlash2012: Day Five – Frustration
Day 5 “Frustration” (#BlogFlash2012 – #Haiku No.4)
DAY 5 – FRUSTRATION – #BlogFlash2012: 30 Days, 30 Prompts, 30 Posts
Photo Frustration #BlogFlash2012 Day 5
A Furry Friend – #BlogFlash2012
#BlogFlash2012: 30 Days, 30 Prompts, 30 Posts: #5 – Frustration | Thank you for reading Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dave
August 4, 2012
#BlogFlash2012: 30 Days, 30 Prompts, 30 Posts: #4 – Busy
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This month Mr B and I are taking part in #BlogFlash2012, run by Terri Giuliano Long.
The idea is simple: 30 Days, 30 Prompts, 30 Posts. Every day there’s a new visual prompt and you have to produce 50-100 words on the theme. The beauty of it is, you can produce anything from a simple anecdote to a piece of flash fiction.
There’s also a Facebook page so you can follow along and swap links.
I am also taking part in NaBloPoMo August.
#BlogFlash2012: #4 Busy
Dave
In recent years I’ve found that I seem to have less and less time to do the things I want to do each day. Truth be told, time hasn’t changed, it’s just the number of tasks I want to cram into each day.
Feeding and cleaning up after six cats, keeping the house tidy, writing, read, blogging, social networking and in the midst of that maelstrom the need to eat and drink. It’s easy to see why the days go by so quickly. If I could sacrifice sleep to get more done each day I would.
Donna
My Dad used to play a song with the lyrics “Busy doing nothing, working the whole day through“. Do you ever feel like that? I do! How many days do you wake up and feel like you don’t stop until bedtime? And yet, doesn’t it make those moments when you truly are “busy doing nothing” even more perfect?
NaBloPoMoWhat was the first candy you ever tried?I have pondered this one and I honestly have no memory of this. Instead, I’ve opted for one of my earliest memories of buying sweets. 20p would buy you a nice little bag of penny sweets – though if you felt really adventurous you could spend 2p for a large sweet or even – if you really wanted to go crazy – 10p for a giant cola bottle. I still love those penny sweets but I have a feeling that 20p wouldn’t get you so many these days…
Related articles (external)
#BlogFlash2012: Day Four – Busy
Day 3 “Color” (#BlogFlash2012 – #Haiku No.2)
Day 4 “Busy” (#BlogFlash2012 – #Haiku No.3)
My first post for the August NaBloPoMo
Join Us for a Very Sweet August NaBloPoMo
#BlogFlash2012: 30 Days, 30 Prompts, 30 Posts: #4 – Busy | Thank you for reading Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dave
Books for Bunnies Charity Drive
This is a huge giveaway of over 150 prizes to raise money for the House Rabbit Society.
Please note, this giveaway is being run by The Bunny’s Review and Books for Bunnies, not Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dave
You must make a CASH donation for ANY amount to the House Rabbit Society. For your generous donation you are entered to win a chance at one of over 150 prizes listed above. Make your cash donation here.
You will get a confirmation email directly from the House Rabbit Society. This email MUST be forwarded to books4bunnys@bunnysreview.com in order to verify your donation.
Please visit Books for Bunnies to find out more about the books donated and keep up with the charity event.
To further help spread the word you can add this button to your blog -
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The House Rabbit Society thanks you, The Indie Exchange thanks you, The Bunnys Review thanks you, and best of all the bunnies thank you!
GiveawayTerms and conditions - I am at least 18 years old or older. I understand that my information will not be shared and I will only be contacted if I am a winner. I understand that my entry WILL BE verified and if it cannot be verified then my entry will be removed. I understand that print copies can only be mailed in the US/CAN. eBooks and gift cards can be sent Internationally.a Rafflecopter giveaway
Books for Bunnies Charity Drive | Thank you for reading Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dave
August 3, 2012
Bloggers needed: Mom Powered Media’s $250 Amazon Gift Cert giveaway
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Sponsored by GiftHulk & hosted by Mom Powered Media
At GiftHulk users can earn gift cards, electronics and other rewards the EZ Way, by doing things they already do online – searching, answering surveys and more!
Prizes: $250 in Amazon Gift Certificates
The event dates: 8/20 – 9/3
Sign-Up Here – Bloggers Wanted
Please add Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dave as your referrer if you don’t mind :)Bloggers needed: Mom Powered Media’s $250 Amazon Gift Cert giveaway | Thank you for reading Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dave
Book News, Excerpt, Giveaway: In Leah’s Wake Free 3-4 August on Amazon
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Happy birthday to author Terri Giuliano Long, whose bestselling literary fiction title In Leah’s Wake will be free on Amazon on 3-4 August.
Leah had taught her parents a lesson, all right. Here she was, alone on this smelly hide-a-bed in Hope’s living room, the springs poking into her back, wishing more than anything else in the world she was home, in her own room, in her own comfortable bed. She missed her little sister. She had no one to talk to, no one she could rely on. She was all alone here.
Hope’s response to her arrival this morning had been lukewarm. “I guess you can stay,” Hope had said. “I’ll tell my mom it’s just for tonight, so she doesn’t think you’re moving in or anything. You’ll have to sleep on the couch.” As if Leah had planned to confiscate her room.
Strangely enough, Leah missed her parents. Hope’s mom was cool, but she was not Leah’s mother.
Now she could never go back. After the scene in the car, she could never face her parents; she could never look them in the eye. What was wrong with her? Why couldn’t she keep her stupid trap shut? Her parents hadn’t disowned her exactly; she’d seen their disgust, the revulsion in their eyes. They were probably glad she’d left; glad to be rid of her. Not that she blamed them. She’d disappointed them—again. She’d disappointed everyone. Her mother, her father. Coach Thomas. The girls on her soccer team. The high school dean, who, “for the life of me, Leah,” could not understand why such a bright girl would skip class or let her grades slide. She’d alienated her teachers. Withdrawn from old friends. When she approached, the kids turned their heads or walked away. Worst of all, she’d disappointed Justine.
About In Leah’s Wake (2010)
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The Tylers have a perfect life–beautiful home, established careers, two sweet and talented daughters. Their eldest daughter, Leah, an exceptional soccer player, is on track for a prestigious scholarship. Their youngest, Justine, more responsible than seems possible for her 12 years, just wants her sister’s approval. With Leah nearing the end of high school and Justine a seemingly together kid, the parents are set to enjoy a peaceful life…until Leah meets Todd, a high school dropout and former roadie for a rock band.
As Leah’s parents fight to save their daughter from a world of drugs, sex, and wild parties, their divided approach drives their daughter out of their home and a wedge into their marriage. Meanwhile, twelve-year-old Justine observes her sister’s rebellion from the shadows of their fragmented family-leaving her to question whether anyone loves her and if God even knows she exists.
Can this family survive in Leah’s wake? What happens when love just isn’t enough?
Amazon USAmazon UKAbout Terri Giuliano Long Terri Giuliano Long has written marketing pieces for print and online media, edited technical articles, and written news and feature stories for numerous publications, including the Huffington Post. She lives with her family on the East Coast and teaches at Boston College. In Leah’s Wake is her debut novel.
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Book News, Excerpt, Giveaway: In Leah’s Wake Free 3-4 August on Amazon | Thank you for reading Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dave
