Red Tash's Blog, page 241
December 11, 2011
Paperbacks! Yes, that is This Brilliant Darkness in paperback,...
Paperbacks! Yes, that is This Brilliant Darkness in paperback, for y'all. There will be several opportunities for you to win one of your own, and the "buy" link for these babies should go live any day. I have one obsessive last change to check on, then it's showtime.
If you want to win my Christmas Pickle Prize Pack, you'll...
If you want to win my Christmas Pickle Prize Pack, you'll need to stay tuned this week for details. And please prepare for maximum silliness to ensue. Surely.
thebunnyabides:
Perfectly nerdy. Perfectly amazing.
Thank you,...
Perfectly nerdy. Perfectly amazing.
Thank you, Imgur.
Hey! Heads up! In case you are not prepared, a warning to ya…there's going to be a LOT of posting going on here the next couple of weeks. Like—lots!!! And prizes, and guests, and games, and music, and comics, and stuff. Stuff is fun, yo!
You have been warned.
December 10, 2011
14-billion-years-later:
How X-rays Work.X rays hold a certain...
How X-rays Work.
X rays hold a certain fascination in their ability to peer into the unknown and see bizarre things like snakes that have ingested light bulbs but like a lot of good things in science, X-rays were discovered entirely by accident. They're usually attributed to Wilhelm Rontgen who noticed that a film across his lab begun to fluoresce during experiments with a Crooke's Tube despite taking action to block radiation (in the form of a sheet of black card). It was then discovered that by moving his hand in between the Crooke's tube and fluorescing screen he could see the bones in his hands.
The ability for X rays to penetrate flesh and render hidden things visible lies in the amount of energy contained within them. They simply cannot be absorbed by most atoms because there is not enough of an energy difference between electron orbitals, as such they pass through most molecules and atoms unhindered. However heavier elements, such as calcium, are capable of absorbing X rays and so effectively block them. The formation of X rays lies in the reverse process. To produce high energy electromagnetic radiation electrons are accelerated and fired at a metal (typically tungsten) plate. These high velocity electrons ionize the metal by bumping off one of electrons in a lower energy orbital causing a higher energy electron to fall to the lower state and emit the difference of energies in the process as an X ray photon.
Action Thriller or Meat-By-Product Filler?
And he uses his character's love for food in a very hooky (not...
December 9, 2011
Whenever I see a photo like this one, it starts my creative...
Whenever I see a photo like this one, it starts my creative gears a-turnin'. It's like looking into a holiday fantasy, isn't it? One you'd never want to leave, right?
Hey, are you up for a Christmas fantasy novel? Alexandra Lanc's got a read for you entitled Clara Claus. Leave a comment on this post, and you could be the lucky recipient of a free copy, as well as a lovely ornament made in the style of the "blue Christmas" themed cover.
Read on:
A Guest Post from Alexandra Lanc
Why Christmas is Special to Me
Growing up, Christmas wasn't full of toys or present or even a big feast, because unlike a lot of other children I knew, my family didn't have the money for those things. My mom always made sure that I had at least one thing — and tried to get the one thing that I wanted most — and my dad would buy me a few presents, but because of the "lack" of gifts, Christmas became, to me, more about something else.
Family.
And Hope.
And these became the center of my Christmas novel, Clara Claus.
When I told my family and friends that I was going to write a Christmas novel, some of them looked at me strangely, but when I sat down to write Clara Claus, I was amazed at the story that was unfolding, even though I was the one writing it. Because as I sat down to do something I'd never done before, I was able to share my thoughts about Christmas through my novel, and share the Hope that had been instilled in me as a child.
Because as a child, Christmas wasn't so much about toys or presents — at least, not the presents that I got. Growing up, I made most of my gifts for others, and I loved giving them. I loved decorating our tree, and making sure that the plastic, glittering manger scene we'd had for nearly forever was in its special place underneath. I loved helping making breakfast on Christmas day, and getting up early to put on a Christmas CD (no iPods then). I loved Christmas, and I still do, and writing Clara Clausnot only brought back those fond memories for me, but it helped me to make new ones — memories of seeing reviews and letters from my fans, memories of making people smile as I handed them the signed copy.
Clara Claus is a story of Hope, a story of family, and a story born out of my love for Christmas. I hope you get the chance to read it, and I hope it brings some joy to your heart.
Have a merry, Hope-filled Christmas.
Yours in Writing,
Alexandra Lanc~
True to form, Alexandra has a lovely handmade ornament she'll be happy to send her US prize winner. That's right, if you're the US winner of her giveaway here on my blog, you'll get a signed copy of her book & this lovely ornament:
International winners will not be left out, either. You're eligible to win a free ebook of Clara Claus.
How to enter? Why, I thought you'd never ask. Just follow my blog, and follow Alexandra's, and let me know you've done so, and you're entered! You'll have through the 12th to enter, and then the winners will be notified on the 13th.
Click that gorgeous Christmas scene up top to read the reviews of Clara Claus. Looks good!
Christmas fantasy photo reblogged from:
