The Two Rs - Reading & Writing...

Twilight Saga Eclipse!

noreply@blogger.com (Elle Fredrix) — Sun, 10 Oct 2010 15:56:00 +0000

Twilight series (written by Stephenie Mayer) mainly revolves around romance between a human girl (Bella Swan) and a blood thirst vampire (Edward Cullen) and the problems faced by them as the move forward into a dark romantic world of immortals.

After the happy ending of the depressing episode in the book "New Moon" when Edwards returns to his Bella Swan and promises to let her join the dark but magical world of vampires after marrying her. The book start with a note to Bella from her werewolf best friend Jacob Black telling her he can no longer be friend with her. Jacob Black is a werewolf, an arch enemy of all vampires so he especially hates Bella's vampire boyfriend Edward Cullen. Bella who really loves Jacob as a brother is heart broken an tries to meet him in La-Push (a small reservation near Forks) despite the strong disapproval from Edward. As soon as Bella meets Jacob, Jacob confesses his love for her and tells her to choose him over Edward.

While all this drama is happening, nearby in Seattle a female vampire Victoria is building an army of new born vampires to take out the Cullens family. Victoria holds a grudge against Edward for killing her mate James (this happens in the first book "Twilight") and as a revenge she has decided to kill Edward's mate Bella (we find this out in the second book "New Moon"). With the army of new born vampires she can distract the Cullens while she gets hold of Bella Swan.

In the End Bella chooses Edward over Jacob and Victoria army is taken down by combined team work of the Cullens (vampire) and the Quileute werewolves. Victoria is Killed by Edward and some Volturi guards pay a visit to remind the Cullens of there promise (made in New Moon).

Overall the book is very good, with alot of drama but with very little action. Stephenie Mayer did a wonderful job in creating this beautiful world of Twilight and after reading this you will certainly wish for the next Twilight edition "Breaking Dawn" the final installation of Twilight series.

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http://EzineArticles.com/?Twilight-Saga-Eclipse!&id=4560729

The Time Traveler's Wife - Book Review

noreply@blogger.com (Elle Fredrix) — Mon, 04 Oct 2010 12:16:00 +0000

By Carrie A Stiles

The book The Time Travelers Wife, which is written by Audrey Niffenegger is a book about time traveling and love. The book is about Claire and Henry who meet in her field when she is young. The difference between Claire and Henry is that Henry can time travel and Claire cannot go back in time. Henry has been time traveling since the age of five when he was in an accident with his mom who dies in the accident. Claire waits for Henry and accepts that Henry travels through time and they get married.

Claire's love for Henry is very strong in this book because she is always going about doing her everyday business and waiting for Henry to come back from his time traveling. The couple eventually have a child whose name is Alba. Alba can time travel too like her father and this is an advantage that Alba has over Claire because she can see her father when she time travels unlike her mom who cannot do this.

The time traveling that Henry does finally take a toll on him. Henry eventually has to have his legs amputated because he gets frostbite on his feet. He eventually dies from being shot when he goes back in time. Claire is thirteen years old when Henry is shot by deer hunters because he cannot run. Claire is 38 years old when Henry dies. Claire, Alba, family and friends are there when Henry dies on the floor in Claire and Alba's house.

This is a book that is told in journal form by Henry and Claire which has plots that are tight and the story is told in a way that makes it very interesting to read. Love and science fiction are blended in the book. I did not think I would like this book because of the way the book is told in journal form by Claire and Henry but I was surprised. The book engaged me all the way through while reading it.

This book is a very engaging, good book and a book that makes you feel like you are right there with Claire and Henry as you read the book. Niffenegger's book weaves together fiction and love between two people that can withstand time. Be prepared to have a tissue at the end of the book because the end of the book is a tear jerker.

Carrie loves to read and loves writing reviews on books that she reads. She enjoys reading different varieties of genres.

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http://EzineArticles.com/?The-Time-Travelers-Wife---Book-Review&id=5087231

Word Up

noreply@blogger.com (Elle Fredrix) — Mon, 04 Oct 2010 01:38:00 +0000

Word of the Day

Dactylonomy
Dac`tyl·on'o·my • (n.)
The art of numbering or counting by the fingers.

But what if I have to use my toes as well? Is there a word for that too?

Addition by Toni Jordan, A Book Review - Women's Fiction With an Edge

noreply@blogger.com (Elle Fredrix) — Mon, 27 Sep 2010 12:24:00 +0000

By Joanne P

Quirky. In her debut novel Addition, author Toni Jordan presents enjoyable women's fiction melded with an exploration of obsession and compulsion.

Narrator and protagonist Grace Lisa Vandenburg is a single woman in her thirties who has a peculiar appreciation of numbers. She believes it is numbers that hold the world together and that if she stops counting, her world and the worlds of the people she loves will fall apart. Her obsessive compulsive behaviour is to such an extreme that she counts the number of bristles on her toothbrush and has a formula for the number of bites she must take when eating a piece of food. The reader is introduced to Grace at a point in her life when her obsession has become debilitating in the eyes of the broader community, leaving her unable to hold down a job and living as a recluse.

Where is the enjoyable women's fiction read amongst this sad state of affairs you might ask? First of all, Grace herself does not believe she is the one that has a problem and she is forthright in expressing her confidence in the value of her beliefs. Then, enter from stage left the quintessential love interest Seamus Joseph O'Reilly. What ensues is a battle of sorts in the mind of Grace - a battle between her love of numbers and her love for Seamus.

This novel does not necessarily fit in the dark humour genre, but as a reader I was at times thrown off guard by the humour gained from the protagonist's thoughts and behaviour that were fuelled by her obsessive compulsive disorder. But I enjoy a novel that keeps me on my toes, and that certainly made it an enjoyable audio book to listen to (narration by Caroline Lee). Jordan has boldly presented a different slant on mental illness and poses the question, at what point does uniqueness become an illness? At the same time, this dark exploration is wrapped up in what is essentially a very sweet love story that explores the classic questions of how much must one compromise ones individuality to form a lasting relationship and can the benefits of a relationship outweigh the independence lost?

The Author:

Australian author Toni Jordan came to writing later in life. Jordan first gained a Bachelor's Degree in Science and worked as a research assistant, molecular biologist and quality control chemist before at the age of 38 changing her career path and beginning to study professional writing full time in 2004. Her first novel Addition has been published in Australia, the United Kingdom and The Netherlands. She has also written articles for newspapers The Guardian, The Courier-Mail and The Age.

This review, along with many others, appears on my Booklover Book Reviews website (http://www.bookloverbookreviews.com). I read a wide range of fiction genre, from literature and the classics, through to mystery thrillers and chick lit. My reviews convey my honest and frank opinions and do not contain spoilers.

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Rogue Wave by Maureen A Miller - A Romantic Suspense Book Review

noreply@blogger.com (Elle Fredrix) — Sat, 25 Sep 2010 14:18:00 +0000

By Maria Elizabeth Romana

Maureen Miller's Rogue Wave is a romantic suspense novel set against the lush, exotic backdrop of the Hawaiian Islands. Ms. Miller's writing style reflects that beautiful background, bringing a lyrical feel to the narrative, despite some of the harsher realities of the storyline, which involve conflict between modern beachfront developers and conservationists, along with some present-day pirating.

Ms. Miller draws her setting with a deft hand, describing the scenery pithily, yet poetically: "Beyond Aloha Tower, the ocean was turning dusky rose under a violet twilight. The lights of the marketplace flickered on, and further beyond, a freighter moored at Sand Island became an illuminated hulk on the dark horizon." She is equally clever with her characters, breathing life into not only the traditional good-looking, successful hero and heroine, but also their quirky side-kicks and bothersome family members.

The central conflict in Rogue Wave begins with a series of unexplained mini tidal waves that threaten the coast of Hawaii. As the story unfolded, I was pulled in by the underlying mystery, and would have liked more of that. Instead, the focus was more on the relationship between the hero and heroine and less on the bad guys' shenanigans, which I wanted to know more about. In other words, the plot was more like a traditional romance than I personally would have liked, but for traditional romance fans, it would be spot-on.

On the technical aspects, the story was well done, showing no clunky transitions or shoddy plot holes, and no more than one or two typos. My one complaint with this story was the frequency of changes of point-of-view in the scenes between the hero and heroine. I am a huge fan of multi-character POV, but I do prefer to spend more than a couple paragraphs at a time in any one character's head, else I begin to suffer the onset of multiple personality disorder. That little detail aside, if you are in the market for an elegantly written romance mixed with an intriguing mystery, Maureen Miller's Rogue Wave will not disappoint.

Want to read about more great suspense novels and authors? Check out the reviews, interviews, and other suspense book finds at Maria Romana's website, Romana's Suspense Books.

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http://EzineArticles.com/?Rogue-Wave-by-Maureen-A-Miller---A-Romantic-Suspense-Book-Review&id=5048404

Lavender Morning by Jude Deveraux - A Review

noreply@blogger.com (Elle Fredrix) — Thu, 23 Sep 2010 18:56:00 +0000

By Inez Alexander

The blurb inside the front cover of Lavender Morning (published in 2009) sounded intriguing. It promised to be a romance with a large amount of interesting mystery and surprises to be worked through before coming to a conclusion.

The Prologue confused me. It had one of the characters from the blurb, Miss Edi, intimately conversing with a person called Helen, promising to meet together in the next few days. It went on to mention numerous other characters and it had me wondering how everyone fit together. I even checked the blurb at the front, twice, to confirm to myself what and who the story was supposed to be about. Things became clearer as Chapter One progressed, but I had found that the confusing Prologue had interrupted the flow of my reading initially.

I particularly enjoyed the flashbacks to earlier parts of Miss Edi's life that were revealed in bits and pieces so that the jigsaw started to come together. In some ways her story did overshadow the story of the current characters, but that was okay, as it became clearer how their stories were so intertwined.

What wasn't okay with me, was what I considered to be a significant loose end that didn't get dealt with by the finish of the book. Starting in the Prologue, then all throughout the book as events and connections from the past were revealed, was the mention of Miss Edi and her connection to a man called Alex, who knew certain things about her from her past. Their connection, and what Alex knew about Miss Edi, kept being mentioned, right up to the end of the book. On the second last page of the book, when things were resolved with the current characters, there's the suggestion that we'll discover what the secret was, as one character was going to ask their relative about it. It didn't happen. So, this secret that was alluded to throughout the whole book, didn't end up being revealed. To me, that's an unsatisfactory ending.

Then I discovered that Lavender Morning was actually the first book of the Edilean triology. So I looked up some reviews about the next two books, as I was eager to look into acquiring them so I could continue reading about the story that had been built up. I was disappointed.

The second book, Days of Gold, was about people from a few generations before, and how the township of Edilean came into being. It wasn't going to provide information about Alex and Miss Edi's secret.

The third book, Scarlet Nights, like the first novel, was again set in Edilean in contemporary times. From what I've read about the book, its story was based on what happened between two of the secondary characters from the first novel, and introduced a new main character. So it seemed to be an independent book in its own right, that just happened to be set in the familiar setting of the town of Edilean. It's highly unlikely it would be following up on what didn't get answered in Lavender Morning.

So, despite my confusion with the beginning of the book, I enjoyed Lavender Morning enough to want more of that story. However, that's not what Jude Deveraux provided in the following two books.

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http://EzineArticles.com/?Lavender-Morning-by-Jude-Deveraux---A-Review&id=4998804

Book Review For "Protect the Heart"

noreply@blogger.com (Elle Fredrix) — Tue, 21 Sep 2010 19:10:00 +0000

By Steph Burkhart

Book Review for: "Protect The Heart"

Written by: LK Hunsaker

Elucidate Publishing

ISBN: 978-0-9825299-3-5

Print/Ebook Formats

4 Stars

"Protect the Heart" offers a sweet, endearing look at life, love, and heartbreak during war time. Set between Idaho and a war zone, four young adults exchange a series of letters which are raw, full of longing, hope, and gives glimpses into their complex lives.

The novel opens with Cameron giving Abraham a ride into town before they head out to join the military and go to war. Cameron meets Maura and asks her to marry him. She declines, not wanting to be a "war" bride. Abraham visits Sadie. He also declines her advances. Cameron and Sadie nurse their heartbreak by spending the night together.

After the men leave, Maura works hard at the widowed/unmarried mothers and injured soldiers home. She finds the work rewarding, yet tiring. On her off time, Maura writes letters to Cameron to keep his spirits up.

Soon, Sadie seeks out Maura and confesses to her that she's pregnant. Maura assumes Abraham is the father and writes to him. Abraham is surprised to get a letter from her. The misunderstanding is quickly straightened out and Sadie begins writing Cameron. They plan their future. Through the exchange of letters, Cameron, Sadie, Maura, and Abraham really get to know one another, as does the reader. War, however, is never predictable and it will take the four young adults down a path they didn't expect.

The story flows well. Hunsaker's literary voice and writing style shines in the exchange of letters between Cameron, Sadie, Maura, and Abraham.

Hunsaker uses old-fashioned terms to describe the setting in Idaho, but refers to dirt, dust, and Humvees, (more modern terms) when referring to Cameron and Abraham's setting. Where and when the story happens is hard for the reader to pin down.

The characterization is wonderful and really pulls the reader in. Each character has highs and lows, traits to be admired, and flaws that will break the reader's heart. Cameron loves life and wants to do the right thing even when it's hard. He joins the military and admits his paternity. Sadie has a good heart and is a big help to Maura, but her mistake makes life tougher for her. Abraham is the strong, silent type, but not as articulate with his feelings as Cameron is. Maura has strong will. She cares for everyone, but puts her own needs and wants aside to help others.

The story is sweet for romance readers with only kisses exchanged between the couples. "Protect The Heart" is a story about hardship, endurance, and the power of love.

StephB is an author who likes to read many books and a variety of different genres. StephB is an author at http://www.Writing.Com/ which is a site for Creative Writing.

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The Silent Treatment

noreply@blogger.com (Elle Fredrix) — Sat, 21 Aug 2010 23:15:00 +0000

A man and his wife were having some problems at home and were giving each other the silent treatment.

Suddenly, the man realized that the next day, he would need his wife to wake him at 5:00 AM for an early morning business flight.

Not wanting to be the first to break the silence (and LOSE), he wrote on a piece of paper, 'Please wake me at 5:00 AM. He left it where he knew she would find it.

The next morning, the man woke up, only to discover it was 9:00 AM and he had missed his flight Furious, he was about to go and see why his wife hadn't wakened him, when he noticed a piece of paper by the bed.

The paper said, 'It is 5:00 AM. Wake up.'

Men are not equipped for these kinds of contests.

The White Lie Cake

noreply@blogger.com (Elle Fredrix) — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 17:07:00 +0000

Have you ever told a white lie? You are going to love this, especially all of those who bake for church events.

Alice Grayson was to bake a cake for the Baptist Church Ladies' Group in Tuscaloosa , but forgot to do it until the last minute. She remembered the morning of the bake sale and after rummaging through cabinets, found an angel food cake mix & quickly made it while drying her hair, dressing, & helping her son pack for Scout camp.
When Alice took the cake from the oven, the center had dropped flat and the cake was horribly disfigured. She thought, 'Oh dear, there is not time to bake another cake.'

This cake was important to Alice because she did so want to fit in at her new church and in her new community of friends.
So, being inventive, she looked around the house for something to build up the center of the cake.

Alice found it in the bathroom - a roll of toilet paper.
She plunked it in and covered it with icing.
Not only did the finished product look beautiful, it looked perfect.

Before she left the house to drop the cake by the church and head for work, Alice woke her daughter Amanda and gave her some money and specific instructions to be at the bake sale the moment it opened at 9:30 and to buy the cake and bring it home.

When Amanda arrived at the sale, she found the attractive, perfect cake had already been sold.
She grabbed her cell phone and called her mom.

Alice was horrified - she was beside herself. Everyone would know! What would they think? She would be ostracized, talked about, and ridiculed! All night, Alice lay awake in bed thinking about people pointing fingers at her and talking about her behind her back.

The next day, Alice promised herself she would try not to think about the cake and would attend the fancy luncheon/bridal shower at the home of a fellow church member and try to have a good time. Alice did not want to attend because the hostess was a snob who more than once had looked down her nose at Alice because she was a single parent and not from the founding families of Tuscaloosa but, having already RSVP'd, she couldn't think of a believable excuse to stay home.

The meal was elegant, the company was definitely upper crust old South and, to Alice 's horror, the cake in question was presented for dessert! Alice felt the blood drain from her body when she saw the cake!
She started out of her chair to tell the hostess all about it, but before she could get to her feet, the Mayor's wife said, 'What a beautiful cake!'

Alice still stunned, sat back in her chair when she heard the hostess (who was a prominent church member) say, 'Thank you, I baked it myself.'

Alice smiled and thought to herself, 'God is good.'

My Blog is Broken

noreply@blogger.com (Elle Fredrix) — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 18:15:00 +0000

If you land on my blog and it hangs your computer, my apologies! It’s hanging mine as well, which is why I’ve stopped blogging. I couldn’t stand the frustration anymore.

I did spend an entire weekend troubleshooting, but that turned out to be a giant waste of my time. Blogger doesn’t like something on this blog and I can’t figure out what it is. Although it may be an Internet Explorer issue, because it seems to open fine in Firefox and Safari.

Anyway, I just wanted to let you know why I wasn’t blogging. But don't worry, I'm still out there in webland.

From The Funny File...

noreply@blogger.com (Elle Fredrix) — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 15:28:00 +0000

Ah, romance. Isn't this sweet?

Another New Release from my CP

noreply@blogger.com (Elle Fredrix) — Sat, 17 May 2008 20:58:00 +0000

Mixed Blessings

Daniela Blessing’s ability to see crimes through the eyes of victims is a mixed blessing. She thinks she’s a handmaiden of Fate, but when Vincent Gabriele accosts her one sunny morning he calls it eye for an eye justice. He’s willing to keep her secrets—if she helps him. Despite his blackmail tactics, Danni would help, except her psychic abilities evaporate whenever Vincent is around. As truths emerge unlocking Vincent’s past, some of Danni’s history is also revealed. They’ve been intrinsically tied in the past, and their future is about to become a Destiny neither of them expected.

Buy it HERE.

My CP Has a New Release Out!

noreply@blogger.com (Elle Fredrix) — Sun, 16 Mar 2008 00:03:00 +0000

Ready to Reel

When Suzette Michaud reels into the arms of a man she wouldn’t ordinarily look twice at, she reexamines her priorities. Fed up with the social limitations her parents, and her French boarding school background impressed upon her, she decides it’s time to take a walk on the wild side. Handlebar Hank and his Honky Tonk are just the distraction she needs.

She doesn’t count on falling in love with the rough around the edges man, especially when he insists on treating her—a forty-six year old divorcee—like some blushing virgin. And she certainly doesn’t suspect that his big body, heart and sense of humor hide a bigger hurt than she ever could have imagined. Can a wounded bar owner and a bitter French debutante/divorcee make each other feel whole again, or are they just reeling into more heartbreak?

Buy it HERE!

Things That Make You Go Hmm

noreply@blogger.com (Elle Fredrix) — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 15:59:00 +0000

Who was the first person to look at a cow and say, 'I think I'll squeeze these dangly things here, and drink whatever comes out?'

From The Funny File...

noreply@blogger.com (Elle Fredrix) — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 15:55:00 +0000

Bob was in trouble. He forgot his wedding anniversary.

His wife was really pissed. She told him "Tomorrow morning, I expect to find a gift in the driveway that goes from 0 to 200 in 6 seconds AND IT BETTER BE THERE!!"

The next morning he got up early and left for work. When his wife woke up, she looked out the window and sure enough, there was a box gift-wrapped in the middle of the driveway. Confused, the wife put on her robe and ran out to the driveway, brought the box back in the house.

She opened it and found a brand new bathroom scale.

Bob has been missing since Friday.

World Wide Weather Whacked

noreply@blogger.com (Elle Fredrix) — Wed, 30 Jan 2008 20:00:00 +0000

Rare snowstorm hits the Middle East, closing schools and delighting children
By Ian Deitch, The Associated Press

JERUSALEM - A rare snowstorm swept the Middle East on Wednesday, blanketing parts of the Holy Land in white, shutting schools and sending excited children into the streets for snowball fights.

The weather in Jerusalem topped local newscasts, eclipsing a government report on Israel's 2006 war in Lebanon.

Jerusalem's Old City was coated in white. A few ultra-Orthodox Jews, wearing plastic bags over their hats to keep them dry, prayed at the Western Wall, Judaism's holiest site.

Snow falls in Jerusalem once or twice each winter, but temperatures rarely drop low enough for it to stick.

But this time the Israeli weather service said up to 20 centimetres of snow fell in the city.

By late morning, the snow changed to rain, turning the city into a slushy mess. But forecasters says temperatures are expected to drop, and the snow would continue through Thursday morning.

"I'm originally from Gaza where snow never falls," said Bothaina Smairi, 28, who was out in Ramallah, on the West Bank, taking photographs.

"The white snow is covering the old world and I feel like I am in a new world where everything is white, clean, and beautiful."

Heavy snow also was reported in the Golan Heights and the northern Israeli town of Safed, and throughout the West Bank.

In Ramallah, residents were surprised to see snow when they awoke. For some, it was their first time.

"I am just astonished with the snow. When I saw the snow this morning, I felt happy, my heart was laughing," said Mary Zabaro, 17.

In Amman, where a foot of snow fell, children used inflatable tubes as sleds. Some roads were temporarily closed.

Snow covered most mountain villages and blocked roads in Lebanon. The storm disrupted power supplies in most Lebanese towns and villages, exacerbating existing power cuts. Parts of the Beirut-Damascus highway were closed.

Temperatures in Syria dipped below freezing and snow blanketed the hills overlooking the capital, Damascus.

Article found HERE.

And in my little corner of the world it's so windy here today the general public is being advised to "exercise much extreme caution." I wonder if my new roof will hold up to its MPH rating!

Cassie Edwards – Plagiarism

noreply@blogger.com (Elle Fredrix) — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 18:49:00 +0000

Every once in a while there’s a tempest that sweeps through the industry. Generally, they die a normal death in a week or so.

The current storm surrounding Cassie Edwards--the allegations of plagiarism against her--is showing no signs of a natural death. Instead, the winds of destruction have gained strength and they are heading straight for CE herself.

In case you’ve been out of the loop, or hiding under a rock, I first learned of this last week HERE, but the story broke HERE. They've also provided a PDF of similarites. Dear Author is covering the story as well.

There were some that may have had sympathy for CE at the get go, but I’d say that’s dwindling, if not disappeared. What was the woman thinking? And don’t give me that “she’s old” story. Old does not equate with stupid. Who of us doesn’t know what plagiarism is? I could ask my mother—who is older than CE and has never written a word in her life—what plagiarism is, and she could tell me. She could tell me it’s something unacceptable. She’d tell me never to fall into such an immoral, unethical trap.

When the story first hit, it seemed that CE was just “taking” from works that are now public domain. Out of copyright. And that she didn’t know that what she was doing was wrong. Uh huh. You can check out the AP story HERE, and get her response—and her husband’s.

As I said, the storm has gained strength. Now it’s been discovered she’s been “taking” from works that are still protected under copyright. Non-fiction and fiction.

The latest is that she’s taken from Pulitzer Prize winning Laughing Boy by Oliver La Farge. And Hiawatha by Longfellow!

Both the RWA and Signet—CE’s publisher—initially pooh-poohed the issue and stated no wrongdoing. Signet has reassessed that statement and is now diligently checking all of CE’s work.

This just makes me sick. I’d originally thought to stay out of this, but the blatant wrongness of it overwhelms me. How can any writer claim not to know this is wrong? Here’s an excerpt from my contract for my little e-book.

Author Warrantees
Author warrants that s/he is the author and sole owner of the Work or has been assigned the rights delineated above; that it is original and contains no matter unlawful in its content, nor does it violate the rights of any third party; that the Work is not in the public domain. Author also warrants that these rights are owned or controlled by him/her without encumbrance and that Author has full power to grant the listed rights to Publisher.

I’m guessing a big house like Signet had CE sign something similar.

Oh yeah, the storm is fierce now. And it's blowing CE right toward the fan along with you know what.

Can you Even Imagine??

noreply@blogger.com (Elle Fredrix) — Sat, 12 Jan 2008 03:41:00 +0000

Twins separated at birth met and married
Fri Jan 11, 2:33 PM ET

LONDON (Reuters)-A couple discovered after they had married that they were twins who had been split up at birth and adopted by separate families, according to a member of Britain's House of Lords.

British peer David Alton recounted the story to parliament last month to support his argument that artificially conceived children should be told who their biological parents are.

Alton said he had heard the story of the separated twins from a High Court judge who had dealt with the case.

"This did not involve in vitro fertilization: It involved the normal birth of twins who were separated at birth and adopted by separate parents," said Alton, an independent member of the Lords. "They were never told that they were twins."

"They met later in life and felt an inevitable attraction, and the judge had to deal with the consequences of the marriage that they entered into and all the issues of their separation," he said.

"I suspect that it will be a matter of litigation in the future if we do not make information of this kind available to children who have been donor-conceived," he said.

Alton could not immediately be reached for comment and no further information was available about the twins or where they were from.

"I think it's a very tragic story for the people involved," said Pam Hodgkins, head of a group that helps adults affected by adoption.

"It is a lesson that we need to learn and apply to the situation of donor-conceived children," she told Sky News.

"Whilst ... nowadays it would be most unusual for siblings to be separated ... the risk of secrecy affecting the lives of people born as a result of egg and sperm donation is exactly the same as the risks that have affected adopted people in the past," she said.

Story found HERE.

From The Funny File...

noreply@blogger.com (Elle Fredrix) — Tue, 08 Jan 2008 02:09:00 +0000

Never let your mother-in-law do the wedding invitations!

Click the pic for a larger image.

Check Out This New Release!

noreply@blogger.com (Elle Fredrix) — Mon, 07 Jan 2008 04:05:00 +0000

Settling Back - Lainey Bancroft

Hey gang, my CP has a new release.

Angelina Jordan has lived up to her late mother’s wish that she never settle for an ordinary life and it’s left her feeling—unsettled. When the grandmother who raised her breaks a hip, she returns to the tiny northern Ontario town she couldn’t wait to escape and is surprised to discover it feels like home for the first time in years. She is also amazed to discover she still shares an incredible connection with Billy, her high school sweetheart. It’s just too bad he’s the same carefree and utterly lacking in ambition man she left behind. How can she be so attracted to who he is, when she finds what he is distasteful?

Why not head on over HERE and buy yourself a copy?

Don't Worry, The Bleeding Has Stopped

noreply@blogger.com (Elle Fredrix) — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 00:30:00 +0000

Yeah, I fell off my chair and hit my head when I saw this headline. But then I read it and well, maybe, just maybe, she has a point.

Publishing a Book in the Digital Age is a Snap
Source: By CANDACE CHOI, The Associated Press
Posted: 01/02/08 12:10PM

NEW YORK (AP) Getting a book published isn't the rarefied literary feat it once was.

New printing technologies are making published authors of legions of aspiring writers, a population that once toiled for years on tomes that might not see the light of day.

The vast majority of today's instant authors may sell only a few dozen copies of their books, but on-demand publishing is letting thousands realize the ambitions of generations of would-be writers.

On-demand publisher Lulu.com has churned out 236,000 paperbacks since it opened in 2002, and its volume of new paperbacks has risen each month this year, hitting 14,74 in November. Retail giant Amazon.com got into the game this summer, offering on-demand publishing through its CreateSpace, which was already letting filmmakers and musicians burn DVDs and CDs.

The programs are easy for just about anyone to use: Authors select basic options, including the book's size, binding style and paperback or hardcover. After the manuscript is uploaded, users go to a page where they select a font and design the book's cover. Even after a book has been printed they can fix typos for later printings.

Unlike vanity publishing, in which aspiring authors pay to have their books run on traditional presses, on-demand publishing doesn't have to cost writers a cent.

Publishers produce books only after they're ordered and paid for, which eliminates overruns and the need for warehousing. They charge for printing, or take a cut of sales, and they set up payment systems, online bookstores and Web marketing tools.

Some authors publish on-demand books in hopes of catching the eye of a major publisher. But not all writers who use on-demand publishers aspire to write the great American novel.

The system also allows small businesses to print high-end brochures, screenwriters to shop their scripts around and others to assemble wedding and other special-event books for friends and family.

"I'm just amazed I have the book in my hand," said Catherine Dyer, a 49-year-old Atlanta resident who co-authored a cookbook with her four sisters through Lulu.com. "I knew trying to get a traditional publisher would take ages. With this, I knew at the onset I could have a book in my hand."

"You Want Me To Bring a Dish?" — the sisters' 104-page cookbook — sells for $22.76. They've ordered about 100 copies to stock stores around Atlanta and are promoting the book through local signings and radio appearances.

Dyer's already brainstorming ideas for a spinoff.

"Cause I know I can get it published," she said.

The challenge for authors now is getting the word out about their work.

"It's all about the marketing and distribution. We realized early on that that was the bigger challenge," said Eileen Gittins, founder and CEO of Blurb.com, an on-demand publisher with 11,000 available self-published titles.

To help authors, Blurb automatically creates widgets that can be dragged and dropped onto other Web sites.

What makes self-publishing viable is the Internet, which gives writers instant access to audiences that share their same interests, no matter how obscure. Authors also use online communities such as blogs, MySpace.com and others to market their works.

"It used to be, if you created a book about an obscure topic, your audience was limited. Now maybe you're part of an online gardening community, and you already have an audience of 5,000 who care deeply about roses," Gittins said.

For most aspiring authors, a book deal with a major publishing house remains the ultimate dream, however.

Big companies like Random House Inc. or HarperCollins Publishers can promote authors on a national scale and get titles in major bookstores. Professional editors also polish copy in the traditional publishing world, a step that can transform a manuscript into a best-seller or perhaps a masterpiece.

"The value and cachet of being with a larger house is still something authors value," said Tina Jordan, vice president of the Association of American Publishers.

Users of Amazon.com's CreateSpace are listed the same way as literary giants online. Keyword searches will pull up self-published books along with those of Grisham, Shakespeare, Hemingway or Rowling.

The writers are willing to live with drawbacks that would drive a purist crazy. Printing quality can vary, with images possibly emerging denser or brighter in some copies. Some in the industry say the quality of on-demand publishing has improved greatly and few would be able to distinguish the difference from those printed on traditional presses. And on-demand books are priced according to their length, making them pricier than books printed en masse.

But Gittins said shoppers are willing to pay a little more for a book tailored to a specific audience.
"It's really an opportunity for people to get their creative content out there to millions of people," said Stacey Hurwitz, spokeswoman for CreateSpace.

Article found HERE.

Talk About Not Reading the Fine Print!

noreply@blogger.com (Elle Fredrix) — Fri, 14 Dec 2007 02:00:00 +0000

$85K cellphone bill shocks Bell user

Customer refuses to pay even after Bell knocks debt down to $4,000

Jorge Barrera
CanWest News Service

Thursday, December 13, 2007

A Grande Prairie, Alta. man is gearing for a fight with his service provider after receiving an $85,000 bill for using his cellphone as a modem for almost two months.

Bell Canada has since cut the bill down to around $4,000 but Piotr Staniaszek, 22, of Grande Prairie said he has no plans to pay it off -- and challenged the company to make the next move.

"There is no way I can afford it as a 22-year-old living in Grande Prairie, working in the oil industry that's going slow. I am not even working right now," said Staniaszek in a cellphone interview using the same Motorola KRZR that's brought him the debt grief.

Staniaszek said Bell never made the rates clear and should have at least alerted him when his bill started climbing into the stratosphere. He was using his cellphone as an Internet modem for his computer, believing it was part of his mobile web-browsing package.

He said he started using the phone as modem in October. His November bill hit him between the eyes with a $60,000 charge. Then it grew to $85,000.

"They never called me when it got up to $1,000 or $2,000 or $30,000 and I kept using the Internet. It is kind of unfair," Staniaszek said.

He said he didn't know about the $15-per-megabyte modem charge.

A spokesman for Bell said Staniaszek downloaded the equivalent of 10 high-resolution movies in one month. Mark Langton said accessing the modem service requires online registration and agreeing to terms spelling out the higher fees.

"It is quite clear it wasn't accidental. You have to agree to the conditions," he said.

Langton said the size of the bill was an anomaly. Staniaszek's billing cycle managed to slip through a newly implemented data-usage monitoring system, he said.

But the company expects him to pay.

"He used the network, used the service and did so knowingly and willingly," he said.

Consumers' Association of Canada president Bruce Cran said Staniaszek has the right to refuse to pay.

"The bill is absolutely ludicrous. They should have noticed something very wrong when they sent the billing," Cran said.

Staniaszek's father, Piotr Staniaszek, 53, also thinks his son should fight the company to the end. "They're bloodsuckers," said the elder Staniaszek, a physicist who lives in Calgary and came to Canada from Poland 22 years ago.

Story found HERE.

Right Brain or Left Brain?

noreply@blogger.com (Elle Fredrix) — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 22:51:00 +0000

The Right Brain vs Left Brain test ... do you see the dancer turning clockwise or anti-clockwise?

If clockwise, then you use more of the right side of the brain and vice versa.

Most of us would see the dancer turning anti-clockwise though you can try to focus and change the direction; see if you can do it.

LEFT BRAIN FUNCTIONS
uses logic
detail oriented
facts rule
words and language
present and past
math and science
can comprehend
knowing
acknowledges
order/pattern perception
knows object name
reality based
forms strategies
practical
safe

RIGHT BRAIN FUNCTIONS
uses feeling
"big picture" oriented
imagination rules
symbols and images
present and future
philosophy & religion
can "get it" (i.e. meaning)
believes
appreciates
spatial perception
knows object function
fantasy based
presents possibilities
impetuous
risk taking

I've had left/right/quadrant tests done, and while I'm predominantly left brained, it's only by a hair. I'm still quite strong in the right brain capabilities. You?

I found this HERE. If you like stuff like this, check out some of the links under it. The helicopter one is cool.

Yes, I’m Still Alive

noreply@blogger.com (Elle Fredrix) — Mon, 26 Nov 2007 20:38:00 +0000

Thought I should pop in here and let you all know I haven’t fallen off the planet.

I got sick at the beginning of the month (so much for Nano!) and really haven’t been able to get my head back into the game.

Also, I’ve been seriously thinking about stepping away from blogging and forums to spend a bit more time concentrating on what I really should be using my time for. You know, writing!

So, don’t panic if I only pop my head up from time to time. Everything is cool.

NaNo - Day 5

noreply@blogger.com (Elle Fredrix) — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 03:22:00 +0000

It's a sad face day! For a few reasons. Last night I started coughing before I went to sleep. Didn't think much of it.

Day 5 = 546 before work this morning
Total = 9,356

By noon I had a fever! Now a fever is a good thing, it means my body is fighting something off. However, a fever isn't conducive to writing. So we're leaving it at 546 for the day and hoping to be back in form for tomorrow.

Damn flu season!