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Caught in a Conundrum
Skeins follows a group of Indian woman as they travel through Europe learning something about life, each other, and themselves. What served as your inspiration for this uplifting novel?
Both my novels relate to a world well-known to me: urban educated India. I have been travelling a great deal for the past 14 years and I undertake at least one group tour overseas each year. Though the itinerary for the tour described in Skeins is similar to that of a group tour I undertook with Cosmos© in 2015, the similarity ends there as the tourists in the latter included men and women of varied nationalities. Also, when I had traveled to Ireland in 2016, my suitcase had not been transferred in time to the connecting flight by the airline staff at Munich airport during transit. These experiences sparked off my imagination, which led to the birth of Skeins.
There is a great collection of women from several generations in this group. Who was your favorite character to write for?
It's like asking someone who is your favourite child. Each woman character is alive in my imagination with her own distinct personality, dreams and circumstances. They are all resilient as I don't sympathize with whiners. I like women who get back on their feet after a hard tumble and find their own path in life without seeking sympathy or support. However, I particularly empathized with the characters Sandra D'Souza and Vidya Rao who are caught in a conundrum and need to make tough decisions.
I enjoyed how the characters each had their own story that contributed to the depth of their character. What were some themes you wanted to capture in this book?
Though the novel is a breezy read, it deals with serious societal issues related to women. I feel very strongly about the thwarting of women's emotional, professional and intellectual independence and expression by a patriarchal society and a dominant partner who limit her role to that of a mother and a comfort provider. The novel also depicts the generic issues of social hierarchy, aspirational lifestyles, the violence within and without our homes, loneliness and dementia.
What is the next novel that you are working on and when will it be available?
I have a few ideas that I am exploring. When that creative spark is ignited, I know I will not take longer than two months to pen the story and edit it.
Author Links: GoodReads | Facebook
What happens when the skeins of life of 16 diverse Indian women, aged 25 to 67, get entwined when they travel to Spain and Portugal in an all-women's tour?
With a galaxy of identifiable characters from modern urban India depicted with light-hearted mirth in a travel environment, the novel explores serious issues, such as the quest for an independent identity and economic independence, the violence within and outside our homes, the loneliness of old age and the need for constructive channelization of youthful energy. Spanning events across a little more than a year, Skeins depicts how self-expression and a supportive environment trigger a cataclysmic effect and stimulate the women to realize their dreams.
Posted in Interviews
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The Witch Trials: The Becoming
The Witch Trials: The Becoming, by Intrigue Sui Generis, is a short work of historical dramatic fiction. The book is centered around the life and times of Sylvie, a middle-class woman living in southern France during the late 17th century. The story is predominantly about her life, her personal difficulties, and the broader milieu of the time period. Much of the story also concerns her husband Leon and his relationship to the broader Catholic Church, though the nature of this relationship is not well described, or at the least it is unclear how he is so involved with the church despite his main profession. The book also includes content about the broader scope of the time period.
The historical content of this book reads as semi-fictions with the author's experiences, beliefs, worldview, and sense of morality bleeding into the pages of this book. The 1600's in France were themselves bloody times, but the author largely washes away that bloody history, due in part to a lack of detail in the story. The story also includes much more active female roles, especially for those of a middle-class status during that time period. While it is heart-warming to think of a female character, seeking to rise above her station in a steeply patriarchal society infused with, what we would consider, harsh and vile religious fundamentalism, much of it is romanticized so that you can follow Sylvie's story through this dark time without feeling too down about it.
Sylvie's entire history prior to her marriage to Leon is contained within a single page, which seemed too short for me as I found her to be an intriguing character and I wanted to learn more about her. I enjoyed that this book was a short and concise novella, but at the expense of detail. Sylvie comes from a Protestant upbringing, but I felt it was unclear what kind of Protestant. The brevity of the story helps focus this book into a character driven novella, but leaves you wanting more. Overall, the historical additions of the book are strong and seemingly well-researched (as evidenced by the bibliography at the end of the text), but I would have loved to have this further fleshed out to lengthen the book, and these details would have clarified the setting and character motivations for me.
The Witch Trials: The Becoming is intended for a young adult audience with a decent attempt at historical accuracy. There is sexual content, but it is only slightly more bawdy than a television show from the 1950's. There are also depictions of human suffering, the outcome of torture, and threats of imminent pain and death, but these are also very sterile. Overall, this book is short and easily provides a few short hours of entertainment.
Pages: 56 | ASIN: B07D68YSQZ
Posted in Book Reviews, Three Stars
Tags: alibris, author, author life, authors, barnes and noble, book, book club, book geek, book lover, bookaholic, bookbaby, bookblogger, bookbub, bookhaul, bookhub, bookish, bookreads, books, books of instagram, booksbooksbooks, bookshelf, bookstagram, bookstagramer, bookwitty, bookworks, bookworm, catholic, church, ebook, fantasy, fiction, france, goodreads, historical, history, ilovebooks, indiebooks, inquisition, Intrigue Generis, kindle, kobo, literature, love story, nook, novel, novella, political, protestant, publishing, read, reader, reading, religion, romance, shelfari, short story, smashwords, spain, story, the becoming, the witch trials, womens fiction, writer, writer community, writing, YA, young adult
I am Maria
Pyre to Fire follows two stories, the fate of a Spanish village during the Inquisition and the contemporary story of a Cuban girl trying to find her roots. Why was this an important book for you to write?
This was the story of my own family with information that I gleaned from all the archival material that I found while researching my own genealogy. While the trajectory of the family, their occupations, names, etc are the not fiction, I had to embellish on the scenes and fill in the blanks. The little girl in Miami is me and it was important to show the relationship between me and my ancestors in as real a way as possible.
I enjoyed the detail in your vision of the village of Fermoselle during Spain's sudden and devastating conversion to Catholicism. What kind of research did you undertake to ensure your book was accurate?
All my material is primary sourced. I have every single birth, death and marriage certificate as well as land purchases, notarial deeds and last wills of testaments going back to 1545. I then have just wills, notarial deeds and Inquisition records in the archives going back to 1405 Spain and Portugal.
Maria's character was one that I thought was well developed and captured her soul. What was the inspiration for her character?
I am Maria. The whole description of incidents is exactly as they happened to me.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
My next book is The Recipes of the 15 Grandmothers. I was able to locate recipes that were passed to my Mother from Crypto Jewish times through today. The are special in that any keep the kosher laws even when the family was Catholic and are clearly showing a sign of their times. This book is finished and in the editing process.
Author Links: Facebook | GoodReads | Website | Sephardic Ancestry
A compelling work of historical fiction that engages the reader to follow the story of a family from the burning Pyres of the Spanish Inquisition to a young Cuban Catholic girl in Miami, Florida whose soul was ablaze with a desire to return to its' rightful place among the Jewish people.
Posted in Interviews
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The Cursed Girl
Eva, a sixteen-year-old witch, lives with her mother and friend Ritta in 13th century Spain. Eva is a renowned healer who wishes to live a simple life among human peasants. One day she meets a boy named Johnathan who is more than he appears to be. Together with her friend Alec, and her faithful familiar Midnight, the trio travel across medieval Europe to help save the human world from war and the powers of darkness that threaten to engulf them all. Along the way Eva and her friends discover that friendship and love are a powerful type of magic that may help awaken the ultimate power lying dormant inside of Eva.
The Cursed Child by Maria Vermisoglou has everything a young adult fantasy reader could wish for. Supernatural creatures, handsome young men, and a feisty heroine who seems to always find herself in the middle of a major catastrophe – a catastrophe only she can solve. While all the ingredients are there for a delightful supernatural adventure, although sometimes predictable.
The story begins with our heroine, Eva, explaining to us that she is a witch and that witches live for hundreds of years and protect humanity from demons and other dark forces from taking over the earth. Eva has a best friend Ritta who is also a witch and lives with her and her mother in a humble house in the village. One day Eva runs into Johnathan, a handsome boy who asks her to attend the royal ball. Eva agrees begrudgingly and thus begins an adventure across 13th century Europe. Without giving away too much of the plot, Johnathan turns out to be the heir to the throne of Spain, but his ascension to the throne is far from guaranteed. Johnathan's father and uncle have both been warped by their privilege (and in Johnathan's father's case – an actual demon) and end up turning on their own son/nephew to try and take the throne from him. Luckily, Johnathan and his best friend Alec, are interested in being better rulers than their relatives and accompany Eva as she magically wisks them around Europe trying to escape civil war and evil demons.
While Vermisoglou's main trio, Eva, Alec and Johnathan, are a captivating and entertaining bunch, I wanted more unexpected twists to be thrown at the group to see them continue to develop and make them truly engrossing. Eva and Alec are best friends but nothing more. Eva continually berates Johnathan for being stupid but seems to very quickly and neatly change her opinion as things wrap up at the end of the novel. Perhaps one of the most enjoyable aspects of the book however is the great descriptive flair of the author. The fabulous ball gowns and wedding dresses are described in specific detail that leave enough room for the reader's imagination to make them come alive.
All in all, The Cursed Child contains enough magic, political intrigue and heartwarming moments to keep its young adult audience enthralled until the last page.
Pages: 574 | ASIN: B07BV423FK
Posted in Book Reviews, Three Stars
Tags: alibris, author, author life, authors, barnes and noble, book, book club, book geek, book lover, bookaholic, bookbaby, bookblogger, bookbub, bookhaul, bookhub, bookish, bookreads, books of instagram, booksbooksbooks, bookshelf, bookstagram, bookstagramer, bookwitty, bookworks, bookworm, cures, demon, ebook, europe, fantasy, fiction, goodreads, ilovebooks, indiebooks, kindle, kobo, literature, love story, magic, Maria Vermisoglou, nook, novel, paranormal, publishing, read, reader, reading, romance, shelfari, smashwords, spain, story, supernatural, teen, teen fantasy, the cursed girl, writer, writer community, writing, YA, young adult
The Cursed Girl Book Trailer
Sixteen-year-old Eva is a witch who lived in Spain, in the year 1230. She met a boy named Jonathan who would become her whole world. Everything was normal until she was faced with challenges that will change her life forever.
As a healer, her job is to help people, but there are forces that will try to prevent that. There is a war coming and Eva and her friends must do everything they can to survive.
Can they fight their way against the dark forces that are surrounding them? Her wits and inner strength helped everyone who encircled her to survive but will she be able to survive herself?
Supernatural creatures, royal backstabbing and many more await you in this thrilling novel that will take your breath away.
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The Seed of Curiosity
Cradle Gift follows Maité as she discovers the origins of her gift and the meaning behind her ability to move in and out of dreams. What were some new ideas you wanted to expand on in the second book in the series that you didn't, or couldn't, get to in the first book?
Here are a few of the things I wanted to explore with Cradle Gift:
- I've always been fascinated with Lucid Dreaming, so to continue expanding my knowledge on that subject was very satisfying. Although I put it to my readers as acradle-giftedability, Lucid Dreaming is something you can develop and perfect through practice… maybe not to the astral projection level Maité achieves, but it's as close to having wings or gills as we can get.
- I wanted to establish the 200-year gap between Celeste and Maité, and plant the seed of curiosity over what happened with the family during those 2 centuries.
- I wanted to highlight "adaptability" without denying the suffering and struggle it takes a person to achieve it. I agree with Charles Darwin: "It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent. It is the one that is most adaptable to change." Maité is strong, intelligent, adaptable and therefore, a survivor.
You were able to craft a world that was equally as beautiful as in book one. What were some lessons learned in book one that helped you write book two?
Book 1 was my first full-length novel and through its production I learned a great deal about the technical aspects of publishing, but more than anything, that is where I began to develop "my voice." Faery Sight became my go-to document for Cradle Gift because locales had been established there along with coordinates for the Faerie Realm—I was so glad that I kept my drafts, maps, and notes! I took with me a briefcase stuffed with all my papers when I traveled to San Sebastián, Spain. I stayed there for one whole blustery week in March to round up my research.
Maité continues to be a dynamic and intriguing character. I find that authors are sometimes exploring their characters when writing just as much as readers are when reading. Do you find this to be true? What kind of exploration did you do with Maité's character in this book?
The women and girls in my family are the inspiration behind my stories—the series really is a family affair.
The girl on the cover of Cradle Gift is my niece (my older sister's first born), some of her character traits and astrological attributes account for a big part of Maité's personality.
FYI: My younger sister's first born is on the cover of Faery Sight, and my daughter is on the cover of Nahia.
Nahia is the third book in your Faerie Legacy series. Where can readers expect the story to go in the next installment?
Nahia is a common denominator whose story covers the 200-year gap between books 1 and 2.
I consider this novel is a philosophical-fiction of sorts because it is about Nahia's journey to know herself, to find her place in the world. She's willful and stubborn, she'd rather ask for forgiveness (grudgingly) than permission, but when the weight of the realm is thrust upon her, Nahia, accepts the challenge, realizing that the time for her to grow up is at hand.
Her strengths and weaknesses lead her to change the genetic footprint of humanity, and to a bitter sweet victory.
Author Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Website
On the day she was born, Maité received a cradle gift from the faery Nahia—a gift that allows her to travel into other worlds while in a dream state.
At seventeen, Maité's mortal world is torn apart with the tragic loss of her parents. Uprooted from the only home she's ever known and isolated in a foreign country, the young woman struggles to make sense of her new life. But the conflict in the realm of Faerie is about to bleed over into Maité's reality. She finds herself in the middle of an ancient struggle between Nahia and the Beautiful One as they furiously clash for control over the realm.
Through her Cradle Gift, Maité uncovers the extent of the Faerie Realm's involvement in her life, and in her quest to come to terms with it, Maité has the help of best friend Emily, and David; a young man whose interest in genetics illuminates possibilities that will change her identity forever.
Posted in Interviews
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Cradle Gift
Cradle Gift is the second book in the Faery Legacy series written by author, Patricia Bossano. In this sequel to Faery Sight, young Maité begins to discover the origins of her gift of foresight and the true meanings behind her ability to willfully move in and out of the dreams of others. Maité finds herself an orphan at the age of sixteen, and she is uprooted when the grandfather she never knew existed calls for her to move to Spain and begin a new life with him. Further complicating matters for Maité, his grandfather's girlfriend, Eva, is hellbent on acquiring the estate that is, by all rights, Maité's birthright.
Having read Faery Sight, I was anxious to find out how Bossano carries on the legend of Celeste and Etienne. I was not disappointed. Bringing their lineage right into the 21st century, the author has crafted another beautiful fantasy story filled with images of faeries, the same stunning wooded area, and new characters equally as rich as those in the series's first book. Maité and her friend Emily have a close friendship rivaling sisterhood and provide plenty of lighthearted moments as they deal with some very serious issues plaguing Maité's looming adulthood.
Bossano has created a unique character in Plinio. The newness of her situation in Spain and the daunting appearance of the mansion in which she must now live makes for a skittish Maité. Plinio's awkwardness, his demeanor, and his rather disturbing appearance stir fear in her heart. With the addition Plinio's character, the author has added another layer of mystery to an already suspenseful tale.
I am one of those readers who tries far too hard in making predictions as I read and must admit I guessed everything but the correct answer regarding the mystifying whispers Maité hears as she makes her way to Spain and inhabits the home of her grandfather. Once the answer was revealed, I have to say I was pleasantly surprised and then saddened. I won't give away too much; I will only say that the story behind the character responsible for the ominous communications is a tragic one. The fact that his feelings span centuries is heartbreaking. Bossano successfully weaves book one into this installment with the inclusion of this character.
I recommend Cradle Gift to any reader who enjoys the fantasy genre but requires a little romance woven into the plot. Both Book One and Book Two are exceptional choices for teen fans of the fantasy genre. It is worth noting that Cradle Gift feels more geared toward teen readers than Faery Sight and the two need to be read in order to fully understand and appreciate the connections between the two.
Bossano, again, keeps readers invested and draws them from one chapter quickly into the next with her rich characters, striking descriptions of the faery realm, and the conflicts between the human and faery elements. Maité and the new additions in Book Two are equally as memorable as those introduced in Bossano's first book in the series.
Pages: 291 | ASIN: B0767K2JK2
Posted in Book Reviews, Five Stars
Tags: alibris, author, author life, authors, book, book club, book geek, book lover, bookaholic, bookbaby, bookblogger, bookbub, bookhaul, bookhub, bookish, bookreads, books of instagram, booksbooksbooks, bookshelf, bookstagram, bookstagramer, bookwitty, bookworks, bookworm, cradle gift, ebook, faery, fairy, fantasy, fiction, goodreads, ilovebooks, indiebooks, kindle, kobo, literature, love story, magic, nook, novel, patricia bossano, publishing, read, reader, reading, shelfari, smashwords, spain, story, teen fantasy, teen fiction, writer, writer community, writing, YA, young adult
Exporter of Popular Culture
I Spy with My Little Eye analyses and discusses our changing behaviours as a society. Why was this an important book for you to write?
This book was important for me to write for three different reasons. First, on a personal level, researching and writing this book has helped me think through a number of concerns that have been in the back of my mind for a while about the direction in which our society is heading. As a result of this process, I'm more convinced than ever that I, as a parent, need to make active choices that go against some of today's societal trends if I'm to provide my children with a sensible worldview and a solid starting point in life.
Second, I find it worrying that there isn't greater debate about the values and norms underpinning our society. I think we need to acknowledge and perhaps rethink many of our behaviours if we wish to solve some of the symptoms of ill-health that are plaguing our societies, such as stress and anxiety, financial indebtedness and shallow aspirations. It's difficult to change course if we don't know where we're heading. Acknowledging the problems is therefore a good start. I raise a lot of issues for discussion in this book and it's my hope that it will be used for spurring debates in schools, book clubs and other places.
Finally, as I see it, questions around morality have too often been outsourced to, and monopolized by, organized religion. What I want to show by using the seven deadly sins and seven heavenly virtues is that being religious is not a precondition for being concerned about, and engaging in discussions around, morality.
This book uses a combination of statistics, quotes and recent topics to illustrate various points. I thought the research was outstanding. What was one thing that surprised you while you were researching this book?
On the whole, the data I used in the various chapters supported the hunches I already had about the issues I raise. In that sense I wasn't particularly surprised by what the data showed. That said, I was still horrified to have my suspicions confirmed, especially when it came to statistics concerning children, such as the large amount of time they, on average, spend in front of screens, and the little time they spend outdoors.
This book looks at some of the problems affecting Britain s society today. Is there a problem that is unique to Britain? What is a problem that is shares with the world?
Although I'm drawing on material mainly from the British context, the issues I'm discussing are applicable to many more countries than the UK. I would argue that much of what I write about are trends found across the Western world. For example, in the first chapter titled Pride I discuss how today's 'celebritisation' – the increased celebration of celebrities – affects the aspirations of young people towards careers that come with fame and glamour. This trend is far from unique to Britain. Seeing, for example, that the reality TV series Keeping Up with the Kardashians is apparently aired in 167 countries, I would say this issue is rather widespread.
Also, the role of the West as a predominant exporter of popular culture and information means that the norms and values we experience today in Britain may well be the norms and values experienced across the developing world in the years to come, if they aren't already.
I think it would be a worth-while exercise to organize cross-cultural debates around the issues I raise in this book. For example, it would be interesting to set up panel debates at universities for students from different countries to discuss commonalities and differences in how they perceive values and norms playing out in their respective societies.
I understand that you currently live in London, but you've also lived in various other countries. How has this affected you as a citizen?
I was born and raised in the Northern Swedish countryside and I have moved many times as an adult, both within countries and across countries and continents. For over a decade now I've called England my home; starting off in London, moving out to the Essex commuter belt, and more recently setting up shop in rural Devon.
These moves have naturally altered the mirrors in which I see myself in relation to other people and cultures. Each time these contextual mirrors have changed I have had to step out of autopilot mode and take stock. In that sense, I think the many moves have made me wiser and more understanding as a person. They have also added a comparative perspective to my societal observations. For example, I think I have a better grasp of American politics because I've lived in both Montana and Washington D.C. And, I think I understand European geopolitics better because I've called Sweden, France, Spain and the UK my home.
On the other hand, I would probably have exercised a louder societal and political voice if I had stayed in my home country. Being an immigrant comes with a natural wish to blend in, and to be accepted. Especially after Brexit, I have sadly found myself adding things like 'my husband is British' or 'I've been in England for many years' when I meet new people simply to justify my existence in this country. I must also admit that I've had a fear when writing this book that people will think 'who are you to come here and judge us?' I sincerely hope the book won't evoke such feelings.
What is the next book that you are writing and when will it be available?
In my next book I highlight the Western world's evaporated trust in politics, business, and international institutions and argue that we need to tackle this lack of trust through greater focus on integrity and honesty in public life. I shed light on a number of the mechanisms believed to induce integrity through interesting (and hopefully amusing) cases from around the world, including whether Donald Trump's fibbing can be stopped by naming and shaming, and if FIFA's culture of corruption is finally an issue of the past. My intention with the book is to re-package academic research into an approachable format and let interesting cases bring the theories to life.
The book is only in its research phase so it won't be ready for publishing for quite a while still.
Author Links: GoodReads | LinkedIn
Which direction is our society heading in? Does it provide a good enough nurturing ground for the next generation to flourish? Is it time we took a good look at our values and behaviour and changed course? Dr Linnea Mills offers a frank discussion about the prevailing norms and values in today's Britain, interpreted through the seven deadly sins and seven heavenly virtues. She tackles head-on topics as diverse as celebrity culture, work-life balance, immigration politics and economic divisions. This is a book for anyone with a keen interest in society, philosophy and politics. Get inspired and join the debate.
Posted in Interviews
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A Victim of Circumstances
Phoenix tells the story of Sonam and her trials and tribulations as she builds her life as a woman in India. What was your inspiration for this heart-felt novel?
I have been inspired by experience and observation. My family background has been similar, and I have closely observed the lives of urban well-educated women in India. Despite a progressive education and multifaceted skills, they are expected to conform to obsolete family norms and not allowed to make life choices. This is especially true for the year 1983, when the protagonist Sonam wants to extricate herself from an abusive marriage. Indian society then was full of paradoxes: on one hand was the evolution of a knowledge society and unprecedented technological advancement and on the other deeply entrenched dogmatic beliefs in gender stereotypes. Instead of sympathising with a woman who was a victim of circumstances, her family and friends blamed her for her misfortunes and ostracised her.
I felt that this novel confronted gender stereotypes in a bold way. What themes did you want to capture while writing this book?
I have always felt strongly about the unequal playing field provided to women, even in the educated elite class, and the perception that they are appendages to male family members, whether father, brother or husband. Why should women be accorded respect only if they have empathetic men to battle for them? This discrimination is especially difficult to combat since one is pushing against one's parents and closest family members whom one loves and respects. Through this novel, I wanted to highlight the need to cherish and support daughters as individuals regardless of the presence and status of their life partners.
I felt that Sonam was a multilayered character that was judged by her failings rather than her success. What were the driving ideals behind the characters development throughout the story?
While her parents despair of what will happen to Sonam after she leaves her husband and judge her by her failure in relationship, she demonstrates exceptional skills and shines in her workplace as an achiever. Her personality growth from 1983 to 2017 despite all odds illustrates the triumph of the spirit over ostracism, bigotry, negativity and injustice. She is rejuvenated from the ashes, just like the mythical bird, phoenix.
What is the next book that you are writing and when will it be available?
My next book, tentatively titled 'A Journey Within' has a very different story though it also deals with women's issues. The lives of 16 Indian women of varying age groups intersect when they go on an all-women's trip to Spain and Portugal. As events unfold during and after the trip, each of them reaches a realization that changes her life forever.
Author Links: Amazon | Website | GoodReads | Facebook
Caught in an abusive marriage, Sonam Aggarwal finds no family support when she struggles to break free. However, with unwavering grit, she makes a place for herself in the world and rises like a phoenix from the ashes of her dead marriage to discover true companionship and professional success.
The evolution of a knowledge society in India that places a premium on human knowledge and skills regardless of gender finally bequeaths her a coveted place in the sun. The novel focuses on the core strength of a woman that asserts her value despite external trappings and women characters who go through their individual struggle with the inevitable challenges that threaten their existence.
Phoenix, a novel, traces the life of Sonam and her upper class family in South Delhi from 1983 to 2017. It highlights the curious paradoxes in Indian society: its global leadership in digitalization contrasted with antiquated prejudices and gender stereotypes.
Posted in Interviews
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Shadows, Shells, and Spain
Shadows, Shells, and Spain follows Jaime as he searches for his wife by following clues she's left for him along Spain's Camino trail. What was your inspiration for the setup to this novel?
Well, I knew that I wanted to write about the Camino. The adventure had everything I think I needed to write my next book. I had the rich history of the Camino; I knew I would uncover interesting anecdotes in every town; and I was assured that I would meet wonderful characters from around the world. All I needed to do was add my fictional story to my already unbelievable reality.
Now when I embarked on my own pilgrimage, I, of course, was immediately fascinated with Spain's compelling landscape and the Camino's magical history, but it was the people on the path who really inspired me. Each walker had their own personal reason for their demanding journey. Some had just quit their jobs. Some had just quit their marriages. Some just needed to unplug from their stressful lives back home. Whatever their reason they were all united in their belief that walking across Spain would help them heal from their hurts or stimulate their minds to live their lives better when they returned home.
So I knew I needed main characters in my book who were equally damaged and required more time to heal from the pain in their pasts. That was the starting point. Then I added the mystery, the suspense, and the quirky love story….
Jamie is a fascinating character and his relationship with Brie becomes something more than he expected. Did you plan their relationship or did this happen organically as you were writing?
For the most part it was planned because I outline everything! I know my beginning and my ending and everything in between. Now while the story evolves and I discover things along the way (especially how characters act and react to each other), the basic narrative remains intact….especially the ending.
I think about my ending much more than my beginning. The ending is often the first thing I write. Even if it's only a paragraph or a few lines of dialogue, it sits there the entire time while I write everything else. Then when I reach that ending, I only have to tweak it. If I don't have my ending, I don't start writing!
However, having said that, yes, Jamie and Brie's relationship did change organically too. I mean, every scene and every conversation had its theme or drama that I had to convey to the reader, but I didn't always know exactly how I would convey that.
So with their voices firmly in my head, their conversations came quite easily. But in some scenes, yes, I did have to change direction because I knew that Jamie or Brie wouldn't say or do certain things. It eventually became down to a scene-by-scene litmus test: "What would Jamie do?" or "What would Brie say?"
This book highlights some fascinating historical and architectural sights. What draws you to the history of Spain?
Because I write what I call fictional travel memoirs, I need locations that are rich in history, filled with local, colorful characters, and steeped in adventure. And now in two of my books, I've been drawn to Spain for all those reasons and more.
The first time was in my book, Bulls, Bands, and London, where I ran with the bulls during Pamplona's San Fermin Festival. London was the primary focus of the story but Pamplona was where the main character was truly challenged and had to make a life-altering decision—while risking his life being pursued by a half-dozen frightened bulls.
Now in my current book, Shadows, Shells, and Spain, the adventure itself is far less dangerous but it still challenges you physically, mentally, and for many pilgrims, spiritually. To outside pilgrims scattered across the globe, the Camino is perhaps a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for some serious soul-searching. To Spanish pilgrims, this 800 kilometer trek is almost a rite of passage: a journey every Spaniard must make in order to test his or her body, free his or her mind, nurture his or her soul—and truly understand what it means to be Spanish.
That's what draws me to Spain. It doesn't matter where you live, what you do for a living, or how much money you make, every citizen embraces their heritage and takes a moment to re-connect with the land and dig deep inside their hearts to re-focus their minds to what's truly important in their lives.
Is there any message you might like to leave with your readers?
Whether you read my new book or not, I really encourage everyone to walk the Camino at some point in their lives. It really does inspire you and gives you plenty of time to contemplate your life while you meet many other friendly, likeminded souls marching across Spain—just like you! Sure, you can contemplate your life while sitting on your couch as well… but only by leaving all your distractions behind can you really experience some form of positive growth. Plus you're going to lose a lot of weight! And that's a pretty good deal too…
Author Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Facebook | Website
Lost and listless on the island of Mallorca, Jamie Draper searches for his estranged wife, Pam, who has left him without any explanation or warning. Exploring her last known location, Jamie stumbles upon an urgent letter from his missing wife promising full disclosure as to her sudden departure and her current whereabouts. There's just one catch: her mysterious adventure is disclosed in a series of letters she's left hidden along the ancient Camino trail across northern Spain. Now armed with a list of clues to track the letters down, Jamie retraces Pam's footsteps, while being both entertained and challenged by the many colorful Camino characters he meets along the way—including the enchanting Brie, who harbors her own secrets that just might compromise Jamie's intended reunion with his wife.
Posted in Interviews
Tags: action, adventure, amazon, amazon books, amazon ebook, author, author interview, book, book review, books, bullets, ebook, ebooks, europe, facebook, fantasy, fantasy book review, festival, fiction, goodreads, historical, history, interview, john meyer, journey, kindle, kindle book, kindle ebook, literature, magic, memoir, mystery, novel, pilgrim, publishing, read, reader, reading, review, reviews, search, shadow, shadows shells and spain, shells, spain, stories, thriller, travel, twitter, urban fantasy, write, writer, writing


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Infographic: Working in the Cold
Working in the cold can not only be hazardous to your health, but also potentially life-threatening. Cold injuries range from chillblain, trench foot and frostbite to hypothermia, which is a medical emergency. In order to work safely, the numerous risks posed by frigid temperatures, wind chill and wetness need to be counterbalanced by various measures, including controlled exposure, education and training, and proper insulation.
Share this infographic which summarizes the major challenges and dangers of cold environments, the symptoms to watch out for, and what employers can do to protect their workers.
View the infographic | See more health and safety infographics

subset: commoncrawl


text: This picture was taken at Taller Leñateros in San Cristóbal de las Casas, Chiapas México in 2009 (I think). (their website: http://www.tallerlenateros.com/) This funky contraption is used to break down pulp to make paper. This image tells a story of ingenuity and invention in the service of printmaking/papermaking. It also hints at the kind of community and ethos Taller Leñateros enjoys and promotes; resourcefulness, creativity, humor and cooperation. If you're ever in the wonderful city of San Cristóbal, visit!


text: The Kapalua Villas, located on the northwest shore, have been a Maui favorite for many years. The one-, two- and three-bedroom villas feature a variety of bedding options, private lanai, air-conditioning, private laundry and high-speed internet access. The resort boasts multiple pools, miles of pristine beach, a putting course, zip line tours, a 30,000 square foot spa and much more but the main attraction is its 36-hole Championship golf course. The Plantation Course is built around the wonders of the West Maui Mountains and ranks among the world's greatest courses. The Bay Course winds its way through towering palms and flowering hibiscus and is sure to excite both beginner and avid golfers alike.


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It couldn't be easier to get to lectures from your Aberdeen University student accommodation. Walk to campus in just seven minutes, or take advantage of the bike storage and pedal to class in just four minutes. Car parking is also available.
Back home at Liberty House - Linksfield there's secure access for your peace of mind, and the onsite team are happy to take delivery of parcels and deal with any maintenance issues.
All bills are included in your rent, and there's free Wi-Fi to keep you connected as you work on assignments at the desk in your room. You'll find it easy to get to know other students as you'll share a bathroom, kitchen and living area, although you can opt for an ensuite room if you'd like more privacy.
With work out of the way you're free to hang out with your neighbours in the outdoor courtyard, eat together in the barbecue area, or simply relax on your double bed.


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Posted on October 26, 2016
Visit Baltimore and the Baltimore Visitor Center are calling on our culinary artists from the restaurant and catering community to showcase their talents during the holiday season at the third annual Season's Eatings Culinary Cooking Showcase.
The showcase will be held at the newly remodeled Baltimore Visitor Center located on the West Shore of the Inner Harbor. These demonstrations will take place December 5-9 and offer great opportunities for the area's top chefs to show off their culinary skills as well as promote the restaurant they represent. In addition, Visit Baltimore will share your chef's bio and recipe during the demonstration at the Visitor Center. The campaign will also be promoted through the Baltimore Buzz e-newsletter, Baltimore.org and our social media channels.
If you are interested in participating in this holiday showcase event, please click here to fill out the participation form and questionnaire, and return it by October 30, 2016, to Tia Wilson at [email protected] to assist us in making this annual event a holiday success.


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March is National Nutrition Month, an annual celebration of nutritious and delicious food sponsored by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. This year's theme, "Put Your Best Fork Forward," promotes the idea that minor tweaks to your eating plan can go a long way to improving nutrition and health.
Change can be challenging, even for the most motivated among us. Everyone has their own way of eating that includes favorite foods and accounts for personal preferences. No matter what your eating style is, you could probably add more nutrient-rich foods – such as fruits, vegetables and whole grains – and pick lower-fat protein sources.
Here are three ways to put your best fork forward in March, and all year long!
Pile on the Produce
- Use an Eat Smart Superfood Salad Blend as the basis of a balanced meal. Add 4 ounces of cooked chicken, seafood, tofu, or one half-cup of cooked legumes (such as black beans), and a whole grain roll.
- Swap smashed berries or mashed banana for jelly in peanut butter sandwiches.
- Add fruit to plain yogurt to avoid added sugar found in fruit-flavored yogurt and to include more fruit.
- Pile pancakes with unsweetened applesauce instead of syrup.
- Prepare your favorite chili recipe with half the meat and twice the beans.
- Drizzle fresh raspberries or chopped strawberries with chocolate sauce instead of choosing a bowl of ice cream.
Go for the Whole Grains
- Make at least half of the grains you eat whole grains, such as whole wheat bread and cereal, including oatmeal.
- Enjoy a whole wheat English muffin instead of a plain English muffin or a plain bagel.
- Swap ¾ cup whole wheat flour for every cup of white flour in recipes for pancakes, muffins, and other quick breads.
- Try quinoa, farro, or freekeh as a side dish instead of white rice or pasta. Add these cooked grains to green salads, soups, and stews.
- Snack on low-fat microwave popcorn (it's a whole grain!) instead of chips, pretzels, or candy.
Make Leaner Protein Choices
- Twice a week, trade in your usual lunch for a tuna sandwich. Experts suggest eating at least two seafood meals weekly.
- To save on saturated fat, switch to 95% ground beef or 100% ground skinless turkey breast instead of higher-fat ground beef.
- Stock your kitchen with low-fat milk and yogurt to have with meals and as snacks.
- Munch on roasted soybeans or edamame, or hummus paired with Eat Smart Broccoli & Carrots.


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Furnished efficiency units. All units are one bedroom with a pull-out sleeper sofa. They come equipped with a fully stocked kitchen (cookware, utensils, plates etc) that includes a full size refrigerator, microwave and oven range. There are two Flat screen TVs with over 300 cable channels and WiFi is included.
Price does not include housekeeping service or electric.
Weekly rates starting at $400 based upon availability and number of occupants. Call for details.
No pets accepted. We are a non-smoking facility.


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(PITTSBURGH, Pa.) - The Carnegie Mellon University men's tennis team hosted Walsh University on Friday, October 5. The Tartans swept through by a 9-0 score.
In doubles action, seniors Chaz Downing (Newport Beach, Calif. / Corona Del Mar) and Daniel Levine (Highland Park, Ill. / Boca Prep International School) won 8-2 in the number one position. Seniors Vayum Arora (Fremont, Calif. / Mission San Jose) and Yannick Bloem (Geneva, Switzerland / EPFL, Lausanne) also won their match, doing so by an 8-6 score at second doubles. The final doubles point came from junior Robert Levin (Virginia Beach, Va. / Princess Anne) and sophomore Joshua Pinckney (Atlanta, Ga. / The Westminster Schools) at third doubles, 8-2.
Levine won his number one singles match, 7-6 (7-3), 6-4, while Levin won at third singles, 6-2, 6-4. Another win for the Tartans came from Arora at fourth singles, 6-0, 6-0, as Downing won by retirement, 6-0, 3-0.
Freshman Clark Safran (Stanford, Calif. / Menlo School) won his fifth singles match, 6-1, 6-4, while freshman Sam Gibson (Chico, Calif. / Pleasant Valley) finished the sweep with a 6-2, 6-2 win at sixth singles.
The Tartans will take a break from team play until February but Levine and Downing will compete next weekend in the ITA Oracle Cup in Rome, Georgia.


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National Park Express
From one village to another in comfort
With the Pinzgauer Local Train or the National Park Valley Taxi you can easily explore the Hohe Tauern National Park.
Forget everyday life and enjoy nature.
With the Pinzgauer Local train you can access the Hohe Tauern Holiday Region without any stress.
Adventure on rails - steam-engine-tour 2019
Get to the outskirts of the Hohe Tauern National Park in comfort!
The National Park Valleys are closed to traffic in order to protect the precious landscape of alpine pastures, lakes and glaciers as best possible. This also allows hikers to experience and enjoy nature in a peaceful environment. The National Park Valley Taxi enables guests to experience the Hohe Tauern National Park up close. These licensed feeder services will take you directly to the huts and lodges to enjoy a nice snack or breathtaking viewpoint!
Informations to the "National Park Valley Taxi"


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Letter: Will the bridge devastate downtown?
We have been bombarded with how wonderful the proposed new bridge alignment would be for the future of Glenwood Springs. The 6th Street area could be redeveloped into a pedestrian-friendly commercial district, and the confluence area could become a new thriving business and restaurant area.
But what would be the effect on the Grand Avenue business district? Siphoning still more income from downtown Glenwood Springs into two more outlying areas is bound to result in business failures and boarded-up storefronts, ultimately converting what is now the heart of Glenwood Springs into a derelict shadow of its former self.
CDOT will be happy because there will then be little pedestrian activity to get in the way of a complete and exclusive conversion of Grand Avenue into State Highway 82. And there's a lot of money to be made from developing the Sixth Street and confluence areas.
Are these consequences of the Grand Avenue bridge replacement plan really unintended?
John Haines
Chairman, Citizens To Save Grand Avenue
Glenwood Springs
Start a dialogue, stay on topic and be civil.
If you don't follow the rules, your comment may be deleted.


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An "AltaPraise" should include details of specific and exceptional customer service performed by an AltaPointe team. This service should exceed the expectations set forth in the 5SCC Standards of CARE. Only completed AltaPraise forms can be accepted.
The AltaPraise should describe how the AltaPointe group demonstrated at least one of the 5SCC Standard of CARE attributes that include being compassionate, accountable, respectful and encouraging. The Office of Public Relations processes each AltaPraise and makes sure the group being praised receives their AltaPraise.
In 2010, AltaPointe began a tradition. Each year, the Five -Star Committee and the administration review all of the previous year's AltaPraise submissions to select employees that have shown exceptional service. At the Annual Meeting, those chosen employees receive special recognition as Stars of the Year with one being named Shining Star of the Year.


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Udupi, Aug 18, 2017: Kaup police have registered case against woman for assaulting the senior citizen at his residence in Udupi.
Gopal(64)is the victim been assulted by Deepika .
Reports said that Deepika had been to Gopal's house asking for his son Chetan, who is her friend.
As Gopal said that he was not there, began firing him with abusive language assaulted him.
Gopal has registered a case in Kaup police station.
|Comments on this Article
|Kishen Rao, Mulki
|Fri, August-18-2017, 2:00
|Did only this conversation made the woman assault the senior citizen?
|Balakrishna S, Manglore
|Fri, August-18-2017, 12:57
|This shows how the younger generations are trained


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Saturday, February 9, 2008
Still reading: Best Friends...I'm up to part 3. Will probably continue with Marvella tonight.
Did anyone else watch Thursday night's debut of Survivor: Fans vs Favs? What was up with Jonny Rotten, er, Fairplay? Was that sob story on the up and up, or was it a ploy gone wrong? At first, I thought it was just a ploy, to throw one alliance off the scent of one player, enabling the other alliance's target to be sent packing. But instead, it was unanimous (I think) that Jonny went bye-bye.
Which is fine by me. He even admitted in the diary part that he found it incredible that ANY of the players were actually taking his story SERIOUSLY! "Dude...have you not watched the show before?" So better for the drama control that the 'loose cannon' is gone. Back to business.
And then there was Celebrity Apprentice. And more drama, from the Piers-Vinny fallout. Stephen nearly quit! But then the girls lose again...They really need Trace on their team...wow...can that guy come up with slogans, or what? But maybe if Stephen hadn't missed part of the task, maybe it would have gone another way. Who knows? Nelly deserved to get the ax. She should have been axed instead of Gene, but he saved her. Again, I think he wanted to be fired.
Lipstick Jungle. Yeah, I know...not reality. But it put me to sleep. I DVR'd the last half hour, and who knows when I'll watch it?
Update on the aunt: She's bleeding internally and it's only a matter of time. The family decided to DNR her...she wouldn't survive surgery, and one lung is filled with fluid. Was at the hospital until 3 am, but she's still hanging on. The docs can only give her pain meds to keep her comfortable, but not enough to make her sleep. Nothing worse than hearing someone moan constantly...and the dear old lady was concerned about US, needing to go home and get some sleep! Like I said, finally at 3 am, I could no longer prop my eyes open, so I kissed her gently, squeezed her hand, and told her I loved her. Will probably go see her tomorrow after church.
Update on Operation Merit Badge: Went very well! My walls are actually white again! And my MIL's lace curtains are crisp and white, not dingy with gray tops:) Sorry Bron...too snowy to come up there while you're gone! Barb...you're too far away, ha ha....
I came up with an inpromptu verse for Kelly...her 1st book, Time for Love, is just 5 days away from being published/released with Cerridwen Press. Here goes:
5 more days and it'll be free
from the cyberspace mystery
Promos, chats, and sales galore
the mailman bringing checks to your door!
I challenge each of you to create your own little ditty and post it either on her comments the next 4 days, or your own blog. And while you're at it, make one up for Dakota...she's a first time author also; we don't want to leave her out now, do we? I'll see what I can come up with tomorrow for her. Let's encourage our first-timers!
5 comments:
- barbara huffert said...
Hugs for your aunt Molly. I hope for all of you it doesn't drag on. You're in my thoughts.
- February 9, 2008 at 7:17 PM
- Unknown said...
here's the thing - submissions always drag. If it sucked you would have heard back straight away - so look at it that way - it doesn't suck
- February 9, 2008 at 9:10 PM
- Phoenix said...
Poor Auntie. Sorry she's suffering hon.
I'm a survivor junkie. I was glad to see him go but I think he was doing reputation salvage. I think last time recked his integrity while providing fame. This time, with family, he's trying to repair the damage. He said at least twice that people can change and he's proof. It's a ploy but not for the money. He's already making that hand over fist.
- February 10, 2008 at 9:46 AM
- Brynn Paulin said...
So sorry to hear about your aunt :(
- February 10, 2008 at 2:46 PM
- Unknown said...
Cute ditty. I'm brain dead tonight, but if I can think of a couple for Kelly and Dakota, I'll try.
Sorry your aunt is still suffering.
I've never been into Survivor, but I love American Idol and The Bachelor/Bachelorette reality shows.
- February 11, 2008 at 6:25 PM


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To the Editor:
My name is Richard M. "Mike" Yates and I am a candidate for the Colonial Heights School Board. My entire adult life has been dedicated to the Colonial Heights school system and to the parents and students of our city. I had the privilege
To the Editor:
My name is Richard M. "Mike" Yates and I am a candidate for the Colonial Heights School Board. My entire adult life has been dedicated to the Colonial Heights school system and to the parents and students of our city. I had the privilege of working for 34 years as a guidance counselor at Colonial Heights High School from 1975 to 2009. I served the high school and school system in a number of different capacities. I was the director of Adult Education for 10 years. I also served on a number of committees, including the Health Insurance Advisory, Scholarship, Alternative Education, At-Risk, and Gifted Advisory committees.
I received my Bachelor's and Master's degrees from the University of Virginia.
I have been married to Diane Yates for more than 30 years and we have one son, Justin, a 2002 graduate of Colonial Heights High School.
Church and community involvement are very important to me. I am a member of Highland United Methodist Church. I have been a member of the Colonial Heights Lions Club for more than 25 years; served as president in 2009-2010, serve on the Board of Directors; and have been the Sight Chairman for more than 15 years. I serve on the Board of Directors of the Southside Health Education Foundation and volunteer with the Colonial Heights Food Pantry.
Even though I retired from the school system, I still care about the youth of our city and the education they receive. It is my belief that my wealth of knowledge and experience will be an asset to the School Board. As a counselor, my job was to listen to students and parents. I will continue to listen and encourage input from our citizens. I promise to be open to any and all ideas. My primary goal is to ensure that the school system continues to meet or exceed our citizens' expectations. I will encourage the development of programs that will help improve reading, programs that will help lower dropout rates and raise graduation rates.
I will push for new course opportunities that help students develop job skills for the "new" work places and academic skills for higher education. As always, I will continue to be the students' advocate. I will work to increase employees' pay and look for ways to save money, while doing everything in my power to utilize our tax dollars to their fullest.
It will be my honor to represent you on the Colonial Heights School Board. Your vote on Nov. 2 will be greatly appreciated!
Mike Yates
Colonial Heights


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This boutique cake shop is a must for Melbourne party planners looking for the centerpiece like no other; every delicately handcrafted cake has been uniquely designed with that special someone in mind to guarantee a slice of individuality.
And with flavours ranging from a light and fluffy orange poppy seed to decadently rich indulgences like chocolate and caramel mud swirl, Amarantos Cakes are as good to taste as they are to look at.
Whether the occasion calls for something fun, elegant or exciting, Amarantos Cakes' extensive range of birthday, wedding and christening cakes, cake pops, mini desserts and candy buffets will cater to your every sweet desire.
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>Labor will win the next election handily
>Anyone on the conservative side of politics that thinks we're a chance of winning the next Federal election is, pretty much, dreaming.
And the election will be held soonish.
Here's the Betfair market on the election date:
Now, there's only $700 in the pool and the reason is that nobody wants to put any money into betting against an election date that has already been decided by the government. Sportingbet has a market on the exact date of the election. August 28 is at $2.50, which is pretty short.
Supporting the government's decision to go early is internal polling that shows they've got a strong, election winning lead.
That's reflected in the Betfair market:
Prior to the last election Labor had a healthy lead in the opinion polls and the price available was only a little bit shorter than what it's currently at, which seems to suggest similar polling numbers.
Therefore, my prediction is that the election will be on August 28 and the government will be returned with a 52-48 result.
Friday 2/7/10 UPDATE:
All of the money on the betting markets has been for an August 14 election. Sportingbet has that data at $2.10 and August 28 at $2.75 so I predict that the election will be called this weekend for one of those two dates.
(Nothing Follows)
>Expunging Brand Kevin
>During the 2007 election a large number of ALP supporters chose to wear Kevin07 paraphernalia.
They looked like donkeys.
Now, Brand Kevin is being expunged from the ALP corporate memory. I just got on the ALP website and searched the site for "Kevin07".
Here's the response:
Just four?
There used to be pooloads of Kevin07 information.
By comparison, I searched for "minimum wage" and got 12 responses. "Tony Abbott" returns pages and pages and pages of responses. To be fair there are still many responses to "Rudd".
There really are no more vicious politics than when the left executes one of its own.
(Nothing Follows)
>Labor finally jettisons the worst PM ever
>The worst prime minister in Australia's history has been jettisoned by the Australian Labor Party allowing our first female prime minister, Julia Gillard, to take the reins.
Congratulations to Julia Gillard.
Will she be a good PM? Who knows? As I write every time there's a change of leadership, either in government or opposition, we will have to wait some time to see how a person grows into the role. I suspect that she will be up to the task.
There does seem to be some schizophrenia in the market regarding Labor's electoral chances. Last week ninemsn ran a poll asking whether people would vote for Julia Gillard if she became leader. The vote was 60-40 against her.
ninemsn has repeated the poll after the vote this morning:
Even with only 7000 votes there's still a big no vote against her.
However, the betting market is the one to follow:
The price before the leadership spill was pretty much the same as it is now so the government is still a strong favourite to win the next election.
UPDATE: From the ninemsn website:
ninemsn readers have cast doubt on Julia Gillard's future as prime minister, with almost two-thirds declaring they will not vote for her in the looming election.
At 3pm today our homepage poll showed that more than 50,000 readers would not vote for Ms Gillard in the coming federal election, compared to about 23,000 who said they would.
The ninemsn homepage is visited by more than ten million people each month — 70 percent of Australians online.
In addition to the vote, more than a thousand readers have posted comments — revealing a vast mix of reactions — since Ms Gillard was chosen to replace Kevin Rudd in the top job earlier today.
Many readers who said they might have voted for Mr Rudd have hit out at the Labor caucus vote that put his former deputy in power.
"We the Australian people voted in Kevin Rudd as our Prime Minister … who is the group, a handful, of faceless people who can just come in and change our democratically elected Prime Minister???" wrote Holcars from Cranbourne.
"The people elected Kevin07 for PM not Julia-010," agreed Tony G, from Maroubra.
"No one has heard of these Labor factional powerbrokers and the people certainly did not vote for them."
(Nothing Follows)
>The left's score on Economics 101 – FAIL
>Every so often a study comes along that so profoundly confirms common sense and the real world that it takes one's breath away.
Zeljka Buturovic and Daniel Klein of Econ Journal Watch will make no friends on the left with the publication of the results of a 2008 Zogby poll on 'economic enlightenment'.
From Klein's article in the Wall Street Journal:
Who is better informed about the policy choices facing the country—liberals, conservatives or libertarians? According to a Zogby International survey that I write about in the May issue of Econ Journal Watch, the answer is unequivocal: The left flunks Econ 101.
Zogby researcher Zeljka Buturovic and I considered the 4,835 respondents' (all American adults) answers to eight survey questions about basic economics. We also asked the respondents about their political leanings: progressive/very liberal; liberal; moderate; conservative; very conservative; and libertarian.
Rather than focusing on whether respondents answered a question correctly, we instead looked at whether they answered incorrectly. A response was counted as incorrect only if it was flatly unenlightened.
Consider one of the economic propositions in the December 2008 poll: "Restrictions on housing development make housing less affordable." People were asked if they: 1) strongly agree; 2) somewhat agree; 3) somewhat disagree; 4) strongly disagree; 5) are not sure.
Basic economics acknowledges that whatever redeeming features a restriction may have, it increases the cost of production and exchange, making goods and services less affordable. There may be exceptions to the general case, but they would be atypical.
Therefore, we counted as incorrect responses of "somewhat disagree" and "strongly disagree." This treatment gives leeway for those who think the question is ambiguous or half right and half wrong. They would likely answer "not sure," which we do not count as incorrect.
In this case, percentage of conservatives answering incorrectly was 22.3%, very conservatives 17.6% and libertarians 15.7%. But the percentage of progressive/very liberals answering incorrectly was 67.6% and liberals 60.1%. The pattern was not an anomaly.
The questions were:
1) Mandatory licensing of professional services increases the prices of those services
2) Overall, the standard of living is higher today than it was 30 years ago
3) Rent control leads to housing shortages
4) A company with the largest market share is a monopoly
5) Third World workers working for American companies overseas are being exploited
6) Free trade leads to unemployment
7) Minimum wage laws raise unemployment
8) Restrictions on housing development make housing less affordable
How did the six ideological groups do overall? Here they are, best to worst, with an average number of incorrect responses from 0 to 8: Very conservative, 1.30; Libertarian, 1.38; Conservative, 1.67; Moderate, 3.67; Liberal, 4.69; Progressive/very liberal, 5.26.
Americans in the first three categories do reasonably well. But the left has trouble squaring economic thinking with their political psychology, morals and aesthetics.
To be sure, none of the eight questions specifically challenge the political sensibilities of conservatives and libertarians. Still, not all of the eight questions are tied directly to left-wing concerns about inequality and redistribution. In particular, the questions about mandatory licensing, the standard of living, the definition of monopoly, and free trade do not specifically challenge leftist sensibilities.
Yet on every question the left did much worse. On the monopoly question, the portion of progressive/very liberals answering incorrectly (31%) was more than twice that of conservatives (13%) and more than four times that of libertarians (7%). On the question about living standards, the portion of progressive/very liberals answering incorrectly (61%) was more than four times that of conservatives (13%) and almost three times that of libertarians (21%).
The survey also asked about party affiliation. Those responding Democratic averaged 4.59 incorrect answers. Republicans averaged 1.61 incorrect, and Libertarians 1.26 incorrect.
Adam Smith described political economy as "a branch of the science of a statesman or legislator." Governmental power joined with wrongheadedness is something terrible, but all too common. Realizing that many of our leaders and their constituents are economically unenlightened sheds light on the troubles that surround us.
We all have good friends on the left, people that we love, like and respect for their decency and humanity. However, we all know that when it comes to matters of economics they're dim bulbs. Their views are not only not part of the solution to the world's problems they are the root cause of most of the issues we face today. Not that the left would ever admit to that basic truth. As Dennis Prager likes to say, being on the left means never having to say you're sorry.
The full study is available here and makes great reading.
There are some interesting tables in the study. Firstly, correlation between education level and response (and they give some reasons for the results):
Here's the most amusing table in the whole study:
I must admit that I am truly astonished by the disparity in understanding of economics between the left and right. Given I got all 8 correct – they're hardly difficult – I also admit to being a bit surprised that the results weren't a lot better across all groups.
Naturally, the left will deal with this study in its usual manner: criticise the qualifications of those undertaking the research; impugn their motives for doing so; and accuse them of being in the pay of Big Left Wing Enemy du Jour. So much easier than refuting the results.
Seriously, though, wouldn't it be great if 16 year olds were taught the basics of economics so that they could answer all of these questions correctly? Perhaps the next generation of politicians would be more careful with the nation's economy than the current lot of left wing incompetents.
As an aside, it's ironic that in the West left wing governments are only ever elected when they campaign on conservative, 'responsible' economic grounds when the reality is that they really don't understand economics at all well. Once they're in power, however, the inner Keynesian pops out, they spend whatever surpluses the previous government has left and then make a good, solid attempt to spend the wealth of the next generation, and the one after that, before being turfed out amidst massive financial upheaval, as has just happened in the UK.
I'll have another post on why 2010 will be marked down in history as one of the most important years in modern history. Needless to say, ignorance of economics will be a major theme.
(Nothing Follows)


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Ask DJ Fuego Heat #3
The spicey one is back once more to answer life's burning questions. This month, the Heat kills Metallica, marries Justin Beiber and talks openly about circumcision. Now with double the graphs. Jason asks: Dear The Heat Could you please explain what the following words mean for people like me and their moms: Swag Ballin' 2.0 Justin Beiber Thanks Not Jason Dear Not Jason They created urban dictionary for a reason.... Read More
Hey Yoof! Here's The Troof!: No News Is Good News
We know that it's hard to know what's true in this world, especially as a youth. Luckily for you though, we've got your back. We've managed to convince truthsayer extraordinaire, Skullboy, to fill you in on the troof, a slightly off center version of what everyone else has been telling you. This time Skullboy takes a look at the news and doesn't like what he sees. I don't read newspapers at all. I wish... Read More


text: Looking for opinions on an overdrive I can use with my Marshall 1974x that will get me as close to the sound of that amp cranked, when I have to run it at low volume. The closest I've come is an HBE powerscreamer in clean boost mode that is hit with a Barber DD with gain all the way down and level up. Essentially in clean boost mode as well. Any Ideas on a single pedal that will get me that classic Marshall crunch from a pristine clean amp? Thanks


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The Wright State men's soccer team had hoped it did enough to make the field of 48 in the NCAA tournament for the first time. The Raiders have an RPI rating of 35 and were ranked all season in the national polls until falling to UIC in the Horizon League championship.
But despite a banner year under first-year coach Jake Slemker, they weren't awarded an at-large berth when the bracket was revealed Monday. Most of the bids were gobbled up by major conferences such as the ACC, which put nine teams in the tourney for the second straight year
»RELATED: Wright State upset by UIC in Horizon final
The Raiders finished 13-3-3 — their most wins since also notching 13 in 1992 — and won the second regular-season league title in program history. They also were competitive with teams that made the NCAA, beating West Virginia, 3-0, at home and losing narrowly on the road to Virginia, 2-1.
"There's a few teams we're pretty shocked got an at-large bid ahead of us. With everything we'd put together, we thought we had a pretty good shot," Slemker said.
"We had a good year, but our expectations were to play in the national tournament, and we fell short of that."
The Raiders were the fifth-highest scoring team in the nation going into the league tourney, averaging 2.47 goals per match. But they survived a 1-1 tie with Milwaukee in the semifinals by prevailing on penalty kicks and then were beaten by UIC, 3-1.
"I don't know if it was tired legs or the games just got a little tighter, but the goals weren't falling our way," Slemker said. "I think our tie in the semifinals hurt us pretty badly."
On the NCAA Selection Show, Jeff Bacon, the Division I men's soccer tournament chair, addressed the committee's thinking on at-large berths, particularly the ACC's record haul.
"At the end of the day, they've got great programs that really do put results on paper. And frankly, it's harder for those schools because they maybe don't have as great a record because they play in such a tough league, so how do you balance that? How do you look at teams that may have eight, nine, 10 wins compared to others with 13,14, 15 but play in different conferences?" he said.
"It's always a challenge, but we try to look at what those teams do inside and outside the conference. … It's certainly a difficult conversation, but we try to stick to what the teams did on the field."
The Raiders are expected to be strong again next season since four all-league offensive players, including national assist leader Jackson Dietrich, and conference goalkeeper of the year Joel Sundell will be returning.
"We've got to get back to work and rebuild the areas we need to improve so we can get over that hump," Slemker said.
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mria Welcome to the website of the Marine Renewables Industry Association (MRIA) which represents companies and interests on the island of Ireland - Ireland and Northern Ireland - in the Marine Renewables Emerging Technologies' (MRET) fields of wave, tidal, floating wind and 'hybrid' energy. The Association includes firms engaged in device development and manufacture, developers of projects and sites, academic researchers, consultants, professional firms and researchers.
The Association is an all-island body.
This website was recently (May 2018) revamped to make it more accessible and user-friendly. The Association wants it to become an important source for all interested in the Marine Renewables Emerging Technologies and welcomes e.g. any donations of photographs of MRET devices or facilities for the site. We would also be delighted for any suggestions for the (Members only....sorry!) Library.
January 15th 2020: Happy New Year! If you have'nt already done so, please register for the annual MRIA Forum by emailing firstname.lastname@example.com. Admission is free but, of course, the Association reserves the right to refuse admission. The Forum will be held on Thursday, February 6th, 9.0am - 3.30pm at the Alex Hotel, Dublin. The Forum is now among the most important marine renewables experimental technologies event in the globally.
October 20th 2019: Early warning! The annual MRIA Emerging Technologies Forum will be held on THURSDAY, February 6th 2020 at the Alex Hotel, Dublin
June 17th 2019: MRIA has issued a newsletter to members only today setting out the epochal marine policy and legislative changes underway in Ireland which will support ocean energy and will have a fundemental impact for the rest of this century.
May 29th 2019: MRIA Council will hold its Spring meeting on Friday. Packed agenda and full house at a time of great hope for Irish marine renewables in light of forthcoming Climate Action Plan
February 27th 2019: Presentations from MRIA's 2019 Forum are here .
February 25th 2019: MRIA's submission on the Draft National Climate and Energy Plan is here. Contains MRIA's forecasts for wave and tidal deployments off Ireland out to 2040


text: You are here: Home > Course > Starters / Snacks > Soya Based Snacks > Soya Rolls Soya Rollsby saan1997 02 Jul 2004 add to my cookbook You are not signed in. Please sign in to access your cookbooksExisting members click here to sign inNew visitors click here to sign up Or Make a new list and add recipe to it Added to 4 cookbooks This recipe has been viewed 21916 times Soya rolls makes the basic roll recipe with a nice healthy twist. The soybeans are soaked, mashed and then mixed with spice powders, chillies, semolina and then made into roll. Enjoy as a healthy baked snack with chutney of choice. Add your private note Soya Rolls recipe - How to make Soya Rolls Tags Soya Based SnacksRollsKids Wraps and Rolls Preparation Time: 15.. Cooking Time: 30min...   Total Time: 30 mins     Ingredients soya granules half cupcahna dal 4 tbs,garam masala 1 tes,dhania pd 1 tes,onion 1 smallred chilli pd to test,turmeric pd, salt to tastegreen chilli 3,4garlic 1 tes, ginger (adrak)maida half cup,salt for maida,oil 4 tbs,corriander leaves, Method Make a dough with maida,salt and 4 tbs oil mix everything then add water to make dough type consistency,and keep it aside..then add 5 tbs oil in pan and add onion saute for 5 min...then add boiled soya granules saute nicely then add boiled chana dal mix garlic ginger saute until its cook,then add all dry masalas ans salt add corrander leaves at the Other Related Recipes This recipe was contributed by saan1997 on 02 Jul 2004Know more about this member, Click Here


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How can you top playing for Edmonton, Phoenix and Pittsburgh? How about playing for the Montreal Canadiens, the greatest professional team of all time, with the richest history and in your hometown to boot?
When the Canadiens called that summer, even though it was a tough decision to choose between Edmonton and Montreal, the bottom line was that I had the opportunity to play in my hometown and in front of my family. I couldn't refuse. My mom had supported me my entire career and you can imagine how hard it was for her to cheer for me when I played for another team while she was living in Montreal. So when I became a free agent, I knew she and the rest of my family residing here would be happy with my decision.
Unfortunately, my first year didn't really go too well as I had to start dealing with injuries in training camp, and then later, a herniated disk in my back. At one point, I didn't just think that I needed surgery, I thought my career was over. I couldn't even move at times and was in terrible pain. Thankfully, because of the great work of our team medical staff, doctors and cortisone pills, I was able to play some games. Well, I ended up playing only 33 games. That was really disappointing for me and a lot of other people and I understand why. All summer there was this build-up about the Canadiens finally signing a tough guy and that's all they ended up getting? Injuries are part of hockey but this was the first time in my 11-year career that I had to deal with so many. If I only had been able to stay healthy for the next two seasons in Montreal, this would have just been a bad dream.
You can imagine how much criticism I had to endure that year because I wasn't playing, because I was hurt or because I wasn't the same player I had been the year prior in Pittsburgh. In Montreal, hockey is like a religion and the team receives a lot of coverage. You hear everything, and I mean "everything", even if it's not true or if it becomes exaggerated. We, as players, understand it, so we have to ignore the press and do our job. Usually the most credible sources in the media who cover our team are the people actually in the room interviewing the players. This group also includes people who have previously coached in the NHL or have played the game. At the end of the day, you need a thick skin to play here, especially if you were born in this city. You do every interview in French and English and understand everything you hear in both languages which isn't always fun. This team hadn't had a tough guy in a long time. So, from the beginning, people had different views about signing a heavyweight. The last legitimate tough guy the team had was Donald Brashear, frankly the toughest guy in the NHL, and he was pretty much run out of town. When I got there, I was ready for everything and to be honest, I was having fun with it as you probably already knew!!!
In my second year, things didn't get much better. I was still hurt a lot and at the same time, I was playing for a coach that did not believe in fighting. So when there was a time for me to fight for the team, our coach Jacques Martin kept me on the bench. The dirty job didn't get done. Some people thought I just didn't want to fight anymore because they obviously didn't know the truth. And that became a huge distraction to the team, to a point that on January 21th, 2010, the team released me and my contract got bought out that same summer. So that year, I only got to play 28 games.
Despite all that, I loved playing in Montreal. I loved the fans and still do. At the end of the day, I didn't care about negative comments from the media and I didn't read the papers or watch sports news on television. These stories are for the most part fiction designed to boost ratings or to sell papers. All I ever cared about when I stepped on the ice was the support of my teammates and fans. This is what drove me. Every time I stepped on the ice, I felt the support of the fans behind me and every time I fought, it gave me shivers to hear them screaming their lungs out standing on their feet. People can say whatever they want about my signing, but if you asked my teammates that I had at that time, they will tell you that they saw a major difference in the way teams played against us when I was part of the team. And it is for that reason Montreal signed me that summer!
While I played for the Montreal Canadiens, I got really involved in the community. I helped different charities in order to try and make a difference and to be a great role model for the local children. I got so involved with the Montreal Canadiens Children's Foundation that the team had to assign a person (Genevieve) to schedule all my appointments every week. The other three teams I played for also had to assign me someone in order to keep up with all my charitable endeavours. So at end, to retire as a Montreal Canadien, with 695 total games in the NHL, I have no regrets and feel fortunate to have played in the best league in the world!


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The best designed and most versatile line for all around trout fishing, This Weight forward floating fly line delivers accuracy for any distance.
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Waiting rooms are the worst. They have the unique ability to actively suck the life out of you even though you are doing nothing but sitting and waiting. The TV options are usually limited and mindless. And if you must go to the DMV, you feel as if you will never escape the dull confines … Continue reading The Waiting Room
3 Reasons Why We Need To Share Our Faith
Happy Monday! My new post for Candidly Christian is up, but I have had a lot of new subscribers lately, so wanted to share a little bit about myself with you all. My name is Jess, and coffee, chocolate, and pink roses are my love languages. Now since we have covered that, let's get to … Continue reading 3 Reasons Why We Need To Share Our Faith
Each year on New Years Eve, Mike and I go to dinner, and discuss 4 things to pray for as a family, and individually through out the year. Then at the end of the year we reflect on how God has answered our prayers. Deciding on what to pray for in 2019 was hard. We … Continue reading Because…
New Year, New Beginnings
It was a test, and it was a test I was failing. If I thought I was being tested before, it was nothing compared to what was coming. A few months ago, I put in a proposal for an online conference for moms for a message I wante to share on how to be a … Continue reading New Year, New Beginnings
My Finest Mommy Moment
Santa is a struggle at our house. We don't teach our children about the commercialized Santa Clause. However, in the world we live in, Santa is everywhere. So we need to talk about him. The day after Christmas, we were talking about the North Pole, and Charlie told me that Santa lived there. I responded … Continue reading My Finest Mommy Moment
The Story of the Deer: The Heart of Christmas
I said in Friday's blog that I wasn't really into the Christmas season this year. The things that I have usually enjoyed doing, haven't brought the enjoyment that it usually has. I am usually the one who likes Christmas movies (the Hallmark, and Lifetime ones...go ahead make fun of me), the ribbons, bows, etc. And … Continue reading The Story of the Deer: The Heart of Christmas
What My Husband Called Me Out On This Christmas
My husband called me out on it, more than once, I might add. I haven't really been in the Christmas spirit. My nights are usually filled with watching Hallmark Christmas movies, and I can't even get through one with my favorite Hallmark actress, and actor (Torrey Devitto... also known as crazy nanny Carrie, and Chad Michael Murray. Yes I am a One Tree Hill fan). In a way I feel weary...
When Presents, Ribbons, And Bows Don't Mean A Thing
How many of you get flustered with Christmas shopping... or decorating for Christmas... or all of the things that you have to do that come with the season? Today I am sharing 2 ways to get our joy back this Christmas season.
How Can I Bring Joy To Others This Christmas?
Are you in a Christmas rut? Do you want to bring joy to others this season, but are unsure how to do it? I have been there! Join me on Candidly Christian today where I share how I feel about Santa Clause, and 9 ways to bring joy to others this Christmas season!
The Truth Is
Have you ever felt like you are existing and not really living? Are there parts of your life that feel dead? Is your grave fear, insecurity, or disbelief? There is one answer.


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Kinderhook Farm Grass-fed Flank Steak, 1.5lb
Out of stock
100% Grass Fed Flank Steaks from Kinderhook Farm(NY) are a fantastic cut perfect for the grill.
Made popular in Latin cuisine for years, they are cooked to medium (medium rare if you're like Mike) and cut thinly across the grain…Incredible in fajitas, as a main course, or one of our favorites, cold over a salad the next day,
All meat is Hormone, Steroid, and Antibiotic FREE and 100% Grass Fed.
1.5lb Steak, serves 4-5 People


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Sunday, January 04, 2009
Top 20 Job Prospects for George W. Bush in 2009: #17
#20 and #19
#17 Form a partnership with Ollie North. Turn the Crawford Ranch into a marijuana farm/ meth lab. Sell the drugs to raise cash for funding covert military operations in Central and South America.
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Goblin Valley, Utah cross stitch pattern... This counted cross stitch pattern of Goblin Valley, Utah was created from a photograph copyright of Top Photo Corporation/Corbis. Only full cross stitches are used in this pattern.
Price: $9.95 USD (online download)
©Crosstitch.com - all images and designs copyright and may not be used or shared without permission.


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During trying times, family support means everything for successful healing. Valley Behavioral Health aims to unify and strengthen families dealing with difficult circumstances by providing clinical assistance through various innovative methods.
If you or a loved one need support reuniting with family in difficult times, contact a ValleyWest clinician today.
What Is The ValleyWest Clinic?
The ValleyWest Clinic provides a range of outpatient mental health and substance use services for adults and children in Salt Lake County. Our clinicians offer clinical care focused on assistance for reunification with children, parenting classes, evidence-based trauma treatment, and family inclusive drug rehab programs.
The mission of the ValleyWest Clinic is to further unify families using evidence-based models of care with highly skilled teams of providers committed to the success of the family unit. Our ValleyWest clinicians are highly trained and utilize innovative resources to achieve optimal short-term outcomes and long-term solutions.
Family Therapy And Counseling Services
- Individual Therapy
- Family Therapy
- Group Therapy
- Parenting Classes
- Targeted Substance Use Treatment
- Family Preservation
- Medication Management
- Case Management


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- Office For Lease
- 151 Dundee Avenue, East Dundee, IL 60118.
- Price: $17 psf Modified Gross
- 1,000 - 3,100 sq. ft.
Download Brochure Ask a Question
- Divisible
Former medical office with (8) exam rooms, Lab, (3) baths, (3) offices, conference room, break room, reception desk, waiting room. Can be divided into 2 or 3 separate suites with private entrances. Great visibility on Route 25 with traffic counts of 25,000 vehicles per day. Ideal for professional or medical uses. Co-tenant is James T Borello & Co. financial consultants. See photos and layout.


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In recent years, there has been a new development in the laws surrounding the running of red lights at intersections. This new development has occurring with the new photo automated enforcement regulations. On the street, you'll hear the concept referred to as the inception of the red light camera. Red light cameras take pictures of cars that come through intersections as the light in their direction is red. The cameras are often perched up high in the intersection, and most people hardly notice that they are there. The camera not only takes a photo of the car itself and the license plate, but it also gets a photo of the driver in the car. Soon after the picture is taken, the car owner will receive a citation in the mail. In a perfect world, this citation is only sent out once the owner of the car's driver's license photo is compared to the photo of the person in the red light camera picture by a police officer.
The Driver Should Be the Responsible Party
Something to keep in mind with these tickets is that the driver is generally the one who is supposed to take care of the ticket. The owner of the car is not liable. If you are the owner of a car and have received a citation that says you ran a red light and need to pay, make sure you check the photo. In some states, you are supposed to receive a copy of the photo in the mail along with your citation. In other states, you will need to request the photos. If you had loaned your car to a friend or relative and it is that person in the photo, they should be liable to pay the expense.
Bring Up The Question of Technological Error
If you would like to fight a red light camera citation, you could bring up the question of whether or not there was a technological error. Sometimes, these red light camera devices do not work properly, and it's worth checking out. In a trial, it is required that either a state prosecutor, a police officer or some other representative of the government prove that the red light camera device was and is working properly. At the trial, this representative of the government is also required to show the photos. The picture of the person on trial must be easily identifiable in the photograph, and the representative should show the picture alongside a picture of the person's driver's license so that the court can see the resemblance as well. Lastly, there must be clear and obvious photos of the license plate.
Other Possible Defenses
There are a few other defenses you can make to fight a red light camera ticket. In some states, it is required that there are obvious visible signs that tell drivers of police enforcement by way of red light cameras in the area. You could also argue the ticket if you were running the red light to avoid a serious accident nearby that was not photographed. Remember, don't just pay these tickets as soon as they arrive in the mail. Think critically about the citation's validity.