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Tuesday, October 29, 2013
Halloween Blog Tour: Elizabeth Black
Welcome to the Wicked, Weird and Whimsical Words Halloween Blog Tour!! A few of my author friends from Broad Universe and I adore Halloween, so we're trading blog posts every other day for this last week of October.
Elizabeth Black is a Broad I've met more recently than the other women on this tour, but I'm so glad to know her now. And I am such a sucker for haunted house stories! I sooo want to go here!
Happy Halloween!!
I Stayed At A Haunted Bed And Breakfast. Twice.
By Elizabeth Black
Yup, I was foolish enough to stay at a haunted bed and breakfast - twice. This B&B dates back to the Revolutionary War, and it sits on a river. I had heard about it from one of my ex's friends, and after much planning I finally stayed there when I was in town for a theater stage crew convention.
The story behind the haunting is as follows:
British soldiers came up the river and proceeded to set the small town on fire, destroying most of it. Soldiers threw torches on the porch of this B&B, which was originally a brothel. The proprietress swept the torches off the porch with her broom. She made a deal with the soldiers. She would house them, feed them, and allow them to use her services as long as they didn't burn the place down. They agreed, and this B&B was allowed to stand whilst homes around it burned to the ground. The haunting involves the ghost of the proprietress wandering the halls in the dead of night, checking on her clientele and the women to make sure everyone was comfortable. There have been other sightings as well. The B&B itself is absolutely beautiful, decorated in Victorian splendor. It includes a lovely bar and discounted dinners every Friday night. The rooms are beautiful, spacious, and very homey in that Victorian style I liked very much.
The first time I stayed it was off-season in mid-winter. I was in a room overlooking the river. What a view! I enjoyed a delicious meal and the company of a man I met in the bar. He came to the B&B several times per month to enjoy dinner when in town on business. No, I did not take him to bed, although he was very handsome. We ate dinner together. That night I slept well until about 3 am when I heard a party going on in the room next to me. There was a lot of noise. I managed to go back to sleep. At about 4:30 am I heard heavy footsteps walking up and down the hallway. I immediately thought of the ghost of the proprietress stalking the halls checking on everyone and went back to sleep. I wondered whys she wore combat boots, since her footsteps were very loud and heavy. I felt very safe, secure, and comfortable. Not the least bit scared.
The next day, when I went down for breakfast, I told the clerk about the party and the footsteps. She told me I couldn't have heard anything because I had been alone in the building all night. Yeeeahhh!!!!! The party! The footsteps! None of it could have happened!!!
Of course, I had to return. J
The second time I stayed I was with my current husband. While we slept, someone turned on the overhead light in the middle of the night. I was a very light sleeper and I snapped awake the moment the light turned on. My husband snored away next to me. I was far too tired to get up and turn off the light, so I went back to sleep. When I woke up shortly before dawn, the light was off. I asked my husband later about the light and he said he had turned it off before going to bed. He didn't get up during the night at all.
So who turned on the light? And who later turned it off?
I heard those footsteps in the hallway again, and felt as safe as I did the first time. No party this time, though. At least this time there were other guests in the place. I wasn't alone in the building again.
So there you have it. I had my own ghostly experiences. Granted, I think there were perfectly natural explanations for what I heard. The kitchen was downstairs right off my room and noise from clean-up could have carried up the stairs. I could have mistaken those noises for a party. It's also likely my husband simply forgot he didn't turn off the overhead light. But I like to think I had ghostly experiences both times I stayed.
Happy Halloween, everyone!
My stay at the Kitty Knight House influenced my erotic romance novel "An Unexpected Guest". Here are buy links and an information page.
Fanny Press
Amazon Paperback
Amazon Kindle
Web Site Page:
Here's where to find me on the web. Friend me on Facebook, follow me on Twitter, and check out my books! I've included my Amazon author pages for both of my pen names, so whether you're into sexy or spooky, I have stories for you!
Elizabeth Black - Blog and Web Site
Elizabeth Black - Facebook
Elizabeth Black - Twitter
Elizabeth Black - Amazon Author Page
E. A. Black - Amazon Author Page
The Wicked, Weird and Whimsical Words Halloween Blog Tour runs every other day October 23-October 31. Join us all five days for Halloween fun! Be sure to say hello on any post to be entered in a giveaway at the end of the tour!
Posted by Trisha Wooldridge 0 comments
Labels: Broad Universe, Elizabeth Black, ghosts, Halloween, haunted house, Horror, Romance
Sunday, October 27, 2013
Halloween Blog Tour: LC Hu
Welcome to the Wicked, Weird and Whimsical Words Halloween Blog Tour!! A few of my author friends from Broad Universe and I adore Halloween, so we're trading blog posts every other day for this last week of October.
I'm honored to have our own Hostess with the Mostest who put this blog together, LC Hu, for today's post! :) And I'm also extremely pleased with this article on vampires because for a long time, I shared her disdain of these particular monsters. I love how she refound the spark of horror!
Happy Halloween!!
Revamping the Vampire, by LC Hu
Happy almost-Halloween, everyone!
A quick shout out to Trisha for hosting me! It's great to be here.
Today, I want to talk about revisiting a classic Halloween monster--the vampire--twice, and what it means to me to reimagine a subject.
We've all heard the old adage "There's nothing new under the sun." (Or the stars, in a vampire's case.) And it's true--it's hard , if not impossible, to come up with something completely new; even if you think of something that's pretty original, odds are good that someone else has thought of it too. There's a lot of people pondering a lot of subjects out there.
So for me breathing fresh life into something old is more about adding a personal touch. Finding what unsettles me, or interests me, and adding that little bit to the existing monster. And hitting a common note is just fine--wanted, perhaps, because it will help my audience connect.
In recent work I've revisited the vampire twice. I find this a little funny--since outgrowing my Anne Rice and Poppy Z Brite phase, I've carried around a little bit of hipsteresque disdain for the befanged blood drinker. But for the Re-Vamp project, we were doing a tour of all the old, classic, monsters, so I was obligated to revisit the subject. And for Midnight Carnival shared world project, part of why I tackled a vampire was precisely my disdain; it seemed like a personal challenge, to make this overdone monster interesting to me again.
Re-Vamp was all about trying to bring the classic into the current, to be both nostalgic and contemporary at once, so for the vampire in my short story "Lump," I read a lot about the origins of the vampire. I decided to go with the elements that disturbed me: the corpse-like pallor, the distended/bloated belly, elements that hearkened back to people being frightened of decomposing corpses. Decay and rot are unsettling to a lot of people. For the contemporary angle, I used situation and location--by the side of the highway, the dark woods, the quandary of helping someone (or something) injured by the side of the road, or leaving it out of fear.
Being a shared, established world, The Midnight Carnival had established certain rules for vampires already, so I only had so much room to work with: they could be wounded or killed by holy water, fire, sunlight, silver; they were made, not born; they live on blood; they are stronger and faster than humans, and able to heal quickly. So it became the little things about my individual vampire, Carver, that I played with to make him interesting to me. I tried to imagine how a vampire like that might blend into the human world best, become the wolf in sheep's clothing as best as possible. What biological alterations the transformation would cause, and what neurochemical or other personality-influencing changes.
His teeth, for example: they are all sharp, like a dog or cat's teeth, even the molars. The canines are longer, the front teeth more flattened/bladelike, but they are not the two puncturing canines of the classic movie vampire. They also retract. The human set and the vampire set are interchangeable, sliding back into the gums, one set replacing the other. Or his breathing--Carver breathes so he can speak, because I liked the physicality of it, the little obedience to the real world, that you must have air in your lungs and expend it to speak. It's also good camouflage, when you're pretending to be human.
And I mentioned mental changes too--it's not clear, in the MC world, if it's a demonic soul outsting a human one to cause the vampiric change, or a virus, or something else, so I went with it being more physical, including alterations to the brain and brain chemistry. Once upon a time Carver was a very good, upstanding man, a detective with a beloved wife and two beloved daughters, and I started thinking about what kind of a vampire a man like that would become, if you took away his regret and a large part of his empathy and handed him a ravenous, unending appetite for blood.
…I could go on all day. Suffice to say, I interested myself in this old, reliable monster again, and had good fun with it too. In the end, I think that's all it takes to breathe a little new life into the old--have fun with it, go crazy, let yourself break rules or obey them, just learn to enjoy the monster--or whatever subject matter you're revisiting--again.
To learn more about The Midnight Carnival: One Night Only or Re-Vamp, visit maddocsoflit.com or find L.C. Hu at elsiewho.wordpress.com!
The Wicked, Weird and Whimsical Words Halloween Blog Tour runs every other day October 23-October 31. Join us all five days for Halloween fun! Be sure to say hello on any post to be entered in a giveaway at the end of the tour!
Posted by Trisha Wooldridge 2 comments
Labels: Broad Universe, Carnival, Halloween, Horror, LC Hu, Vampires
Friday, October 25, 2013
Halloween Blog Tour: Justine Graykin
Welcome to the Wicked, Weird and Whimsical Words Halloween Blog Tour!! A few of my author friends from Broad Universe and I adore Halloween, so we're trading blog posts every other day for this last week of October.
Justine Graykin's second post in this tour tickles me to no end. I've been a fan of her Archimedes Nesselrode since she started reading excerpts from it at Rapid Fire Readings years ago. It was an audio book first, and I just don't do audio books. So, when she finally, finally, finally had a huggable book published, I did, indeed, drive all the way up to her release party in New Hampshire so I could immediately hug my own copy. Squee!
Happy Halloween!!
An Excerpt from Archimedes Nesselrode by Justine Graykin
Archimedes Nesselrode, my newly-released novel from Double Dragon, is mostly gentle and whimsical, a tale of an artist with strange and wonderful creative powers. But these powers also have a dark and frightful side, one which even the artist himself fears.
In honor of the this shiversome season, I offer to the readers of my dear friend Trisha's blog an excerpt from the book in keeping with that spirit of darkness.
We join the artist and his devoted housekeeper attempting to escape from the vengeful anger of Zarah Trebbiano, the operatic diva whose advances Mr. Nesselrode has rejected.
"Get in the car, Mr. Nesselrode," Ms. Mare said firmly, "I shall handle this."
"Oh, yes, get into the car, Michel!" the singer mocked. "Do as your woman servant says! Spineless worm! That is all you are! Gutless and spineless!"
"That will be enough!" Ms. Mare snapped in an imperiously commanding tone that any school mistress would have envied. "You will leave immediately and do not dare attempt to contact Mr. Nesselrode again in any way!"
"Call off your dog, Michel," Madam Trebbiano said, "her yapping annoys me."
"You are a crude, ill-bred woman who ought to be ashamed of herself, but is too arrogant to realize it! Now, good night to you!" Ms. Mare turned on her heel to go. Her employer had still not moved.
"Ill-bred?" the singer cried. "This from an illegitimate brat of the serving class! Oh, yes, I know who you are! You're the housekeeper, aren't you? Do you think to improve your position by coddling your master? A bit of advice to you--don't attempt to bed him! He is a passionless, impotent fish!"
"How dare you?" Ms. Mare cried in outrage.
"Can't you say anything, Michel? No, you pathetic, sniveling poseur! I should never have wasted my time with you! You are not a man at all!"
"That will be enough!" Ms. Mare commanded, uncomfortably aware that they were beginning to attract a crowd. "Mr. Nesselrode, get into the car. We are leaving!"
"Go on, Michel! Run with your tail between your legs! That's all you've got down there! Go home with your faithful dog! Perhaps you can reward her with a few limp-wristed caresses! Or do you prefer little boys?"
"Zarah, shut up!"
The transformation of Archimedes Nesselrode from rabbit to wild-eyed fury was sudden and astonishing. He spun around to face her and his voice rose into a screech. "Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!"
Madam Trebbiano was shocked speechless, taking a step away from him. Ms. Mare was frozen, her mouth open. She had seen him annoyed, fretful, peevish and irritated. She had never seen this. His eyes blazed with madness, but not the gentle, harmless madness she was accustomed to. His face was twisted horribly and malignantly. The winged snake flew up into the air with alarm and darted over to Ms. Mare, coiling about her legs and cringing, afraid of her own master.
"You summon great passion in me, Zarah! Oh, yes! You inspire me with wild emotion!" He laughed, but it was a fearful, maniacal sound. "You are fascinated by my magic, eh? I'll give you a demonstration! See what I create in your honor!" He held out his hands. To Ms. Mare's horror they were dripping with scorpions. If there was any creature which inspired greater loathing in her than spiders, it was scorpions.
Madam Trebbiano's expression showed much the same sentiment. She was grimacing in revulsion. Archimedes Nesselrode, quite monstrously insane, walked towards her. "Embrace me, Zarah! I'm all yours!"
"Get away from me!" she cried, backing away. But she found her retreat blocked. They were no longer standing on a city sidewalk. Archimedes Nesselrode had conjured a chamber of horrors.
The stone walls that enclosed them slanted at bizarre angles and intersected with unbearable asymmetry. The seams where the stone blocks met were cracked and seeping with fungoid slime. From the slime bubbled shapeless things which crawled and dripped to the crazily tilting floor. The ceiling was thickly hung with sticky webs which seethed with black legs and bloated bodies.
"Gifts for you, Zarah!" he shrieked, his voice cracked and shaking, "From the bottom of my heart!" He threw the scorpions at her, and began to laugh hideously. He became swathed in robes of black and scarlet, and from beneath the folds of the robe erupted monstrosities, deformed and hideous. Writhing hunks of severed flesh, embedded with eyes, oozing like open wounds, they flopped and crawled around him. Zarah Trebbiano screamed and clawed helplessly at the venomous creatures that clung to her, stinging her repeatedly.
Stunned with horror, Vivian Mare stared, unable to believe that her timid, sweet employer could have so suddenly mutated into this terrible monster. It took an act of strongest will power to break the paralyzing spell.
"Snake, for pity's sake, let go of me!"
My thanks to Trisha Wooldridge for her gracious hospitality. Archimedes Nesselrode isYou may learn more about this and my humble self on my website, at justinegraykin.com
About the Author:
Justine Graykin is a writer and free-lance philosopher sustained by her deep, abiding faith in Science, Humanity and the belief that humor is the best anti-gravity device. Author of Archimedes Nesselrode, a book written for adults who are weary of adult books, she is producer of the BroadPod podcast. She lives, writes and putters around her home in rural New Hampshire, occasionally disappearing into the White Mountains with a backpack.
The Wicked, Weird and Whimsical Words Halloween Blog Tour runs every other day October 23-October 31. Join us all five days for Halloween fun! Be sure to say hello on any post to be entered in a giveaway at the end of the tour!
Posted by Trisha Wooldridge 1 comments
Labels: Broad Universe, Fantasy, Halloween, Justine Graykin, Romance
Wednesday, October 23, 2013
Halloween Blog Tour: Vonnie Winslow Crist
Welcome to the Wicked, Weird and Whimsical Words Halloween Blog Tour!! A few of my author friends from Broad Universe and I adore Halloween, so we're trading blog posts every other day for this last week of October.
I'm thrilled my first post is from Vonnie Winslow Crist, a woman after my own heart when it comes to faery tales and folklore. I just love her post here!
Happy Halloween!!
Ogerhunches and other Goblins by Vonnie Winslow Crist
Goblins are dark Faeryfolk often associated with Halloween. They appear in fantasy literature and film from J.R.R. Tolkien's Hobbit and Lord of the Rings to J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter to scary nursery rhymes like Little Orphan Annie by James Whitcomb Riley. And there are so many terrifying varieties of goblins that a Red-cap, Bogy, Padfoot, Barguest, Tankerabogus, Grindee, or Ogerhunch could be hiding under your stairs this very minute!
Not all goblins are as fearsome as Red-caps who wear hats died crimson in the blood of their victims. Nor as frightening as a Bogy who is known to follow people around calling out, "I want my bones." Nor as unnerving as a Padfoot who walks behind an unsuspecting person, then runs up to his side and roars. Nor as scary as a Barguest with its horns, teeth, claws, and fiery eyes. Nor as dreadful as a Tankerabogus who comes and carries naughty children away to its pit-hole. Some goblins are actually more terrifying!
When I wanted to add goblins to my Young Adult fantasy adventure novel, The Enchanted Skean, I had to decide what my goblins would be called and what they'd look like. Plus, I wanted to give them characteristics which would make them repulsive and fascinating at the same time.
The first type of goblin I created are Grindees. They're smallish nocturnal goblins that travel in swarms of 20
When it came to creating the second type of goblin for The Enchanted Skean, I decided to find an archaic word for a frightening creature. One of the fabulous words I found in Jeffery Kacirk's The Word Museum was Ogerhunch. According to Kacirk an Ogerhunch is "Any frightful or loathsome creature, especially a bat." Well, I'm a fan of bats, so I decided to make my Ogerhunches goblins that looked like forest debris and stumps. A horde of Hunches will sneak up unnoticed, knock their victims to the ground with their branch-like limbs, then suck their juices out with their rootlets. Luckily for the protagonist in my novel, Ogerhunches aren't especially smart and they're afraid of fire.
In the sequel to The Enchanted Skean, Grindee and Ogerhunches are sure to appear. The trick will be to add an even more devious goblin to the mix.
So this Halloween when your doorbell rings and you open your door to trick-or-treaters, keep your eyes peeled for goblins. It's easy to separate them from the neighborhood kids – their ugly faces aren't masks and they don't come off with make-up remover. And remember "you better mind your parents and your teachers fond and dear, and cherish them that loves ya, and dry the orphans tears and help the poor and needy ones that cluster all about, or the goblins will get ya if ya don't watch out!"
About the guest writer: Vonnie Winslow Crist is author of a YA fantasy novel, The Enchanted Skean, 2 speculative story collections, The Greener Forest and Owl Light, and other books. A firm believer that the world around us is filled with mystery, miracles, and magic, Vonnie celebrates the power of myth in her writing.
Read an excerpt of The Enchanted Skean featuring Grindee goblins: http://vonniewinslowcrist.com/books/the_enchanted_skean_excerpt
Learn more about Vonnie and her writing: http://vonniewinslowcrist.com and http://vonniewinslowcrist.wordpress.com Become her fan: http://facebook.com/WriterVonnieWinslowCrist and http://goodreads.com/vonnie_winslow_crist Follow her: http://twitter.com/VonnieWCrist Purchase Vonnie's books: http://tinyurl.com/Vonnie-Winslow-Crist-Amazon and http://tinyurl.com/Vonnie-Winslow-Crist-UK-Amazon
The Wicked, Weird and Whimsical Words Halloween Blog Tour runs every other day October 23-October 31. Join us all five days for Halloween fun! Be sure to say hello on any post to be entered in a giveaway at the end of the tour!
Posted by Trisha Wooldridge 3 comments
Labels: Broad Universe, faery tales, folklore, Halloween, legend, myth, Vonnie Winslow Crist
Monday, October 7, 2013
Guest Post: Kendra L. Saunders
A few years ago, at the Broad Universe / Spencer Hill Press table at the very first Anthocon, this sweet young woman wandered over. There was chemistry between the bunch of us right away and the group of us table folk absconded with the lovely Kendra L. Saunders for dinner, got her to join Broad Universe, and all promptly bought copies of her first novel, Inanimate Objects, which is a beautiful story of art and immortality in the vein (there's a pun there...) of The Great Gatsby. Trust me, you'll love it!
Then she wrote an entirely different styled book, Death and Mr. Right, which I (and the rest of my friends) also fell in love with. For entirely different reasons. In the humorous style of Douglas Adams and Terry Pratchett, Death and Mr. Right is a romp through Boston and beyond with the diva-like Death (recently-made-former agent of nightmares) as he tries to get back his job, the list of the names of the damned that he lost (oops!), and above all, not fall in love.
As you might imagine, things aren't going so well...
Kendra is an awesome person, and she is kindly sharing her awesomeness on my blog with an interview!! Why? Because Death and Mr. Right is now available for you to love and laugh milk out your nose over, too!
Thanks for stopping by, Kendra!
Oh, thank you so much for having me! And I just wanted to say- thank you so much for The Great Gatsby mention. That's one of my favorite books.
What kind of research went into writing Death and Mr. Right? What is your favorite research story? What cool facts and findings didn't make it into the book, but you loved discovering?
While writing Death and Mr. Right, my friend Megan took me to Boston for a full day of exploration and research! We wandered Newbury Street and some of the popular spots, then down by the swan boats, which I guess a lot of people think are really pretty. I found them to be extremely depressing, haha. The most beautiful spot in Boston is the Church of Science, across the street from the Prudential Center. We found it by accident, because it started raining and we made a dash for cover... the reflecting pool in front of the Church of Science is just breathtaking, though, even in the rain. You feel like you've teleported to Italy or something. If Death and Mr. Right becomes a huge cult hit, I want to offer tours of the major locations in the book, and that would be the most important one. I took a lot of pictures of it, which can be found on my facebook page!
Also, during my research, I found out that Pandora's "Box" was actually a jar! That was a cool fact that I had no idea about previously.
You also have a passion for fashion, which definitely seems to find its way into your work. As the person who is constantly getting notes from her critique group that she adds too much horsey stuff--but generally isn't into fashion at all--I'm curious how you are able to let in just enough of your passion into your writing without overwhelming--and while making it interesting for those of us who normally don't think about fashion? :)
The newest book, The Unlove Spell, has maybe the most of it, because Marling lives in New York City, her friend Kyran is a fashion label obsessed metrosexual and Viktor Arson is a total babe, so we usually hear about what he's wearing. In one part, Kyran says something about standing outside of an Alexander McQueen store and feeling too afraid to walk inside, lest he burst into flames of unworthiness. So there was lots of designer label talk in that one.
I have had the extraordinary privilege to meet a lot of designers that I really admire and have conversations with them in interviews or just while hanging out, and have learned so much. For my freelance work, I talk a lot about fashion (in interviews and articles) and I've been an InStyle subscriber for ten years! So it's very possible that my projects in the future will have more and more of a fashion theme, but generally I try to describe in humorous ways, usually, or with a very light hand. That being said, I recently wrote a short story inspired by one of Zac Posen's photos on instagram, about a designer, and I've been inspired for several pieces by fashion, models, and designers. Music and fashion are my greatest inspirations!
I have had the extraordinary privilege to meet a lot of designers that I really admire and have conversations with them in interviews or just while hanging out, and have learned so much. For my freelance work, I talk a lot about fashion (in interviews and articles) and I've been an InStyle subscriber for ten years! So it's very possible that my projects in the future will have more and more of a fashion theme, but generally I try to describe in humorous ways, usually, or with a very light hand. That being said, I recently wrote a short story inspired by one of Zac Posen's photos on instagram, about a designer, and I've been inspired for several pieces by fashion, models, and designers. Music and fashion are my greatest inspirations!
What is your favorite part of being a writer? Of the whole writing and publishing process? What do you think has been your greatest lesson in the journey thus far?
Definitely for me, writing is a way of processing things that have happened to me. Maybe someone was really cruel and I couldn't react at the time (I'm a slow reactor and very bad at confrontation), so I process it in fiction. Maybe I met a stranger who was intriguing but disappeared from the fabric of my life... I can bring them to life in fiction. Maybe someone is dancing around the edges of my life... I can get to know them through fiction. Maybe there's a place I've always wanted to visit (England, Austria, etc)... fiction is a transportation device. And if I miss a place, a person, a feeling, I can resurrect it in writing. Truly, writing is the best and cheapest way to live a thousand lives.
Also, getting to travel in the name of research and promotion is great. I've had wanderlust all my life and this is the perfect job to allow for that.
What does your writing space look like? What do you need to have around you while writing or editing?
My writing space changes from day to day but my favorite place to write is at the Concord, NH Starbucks. I've written most of THREE novels there (and even dedicated Death and Mr. Right to them!) I like to have a latte (no sugar) and a cup of water at the table with me. My doctor made me promise to cut back on caffeine, but the smell of espresso is just magical! I have to have headphones so I can retreat into my mental writing cave. Spotify has become my best friend... it's an online music database that allows you to listen to whole albums or playlists that you create, for free. It's great because the artists don't lose money and you don't have to pay to listen to new albums. I have a playlist for every major project I'm working on, as well as a "soothing" one, a "love" one, a "girl power" one and lots of others! Plus with spotify, you can receive suggestions from other spotify users. Fabio Costa (Project Runway contestant and co-owner of NotEqual) is one of my favorite people to get suggestions from. He has great taste in music and we can nerd out over indie albums together. Feel free to find my playlists and check them out, and be sure to check his out too!
If I'm home, I like to sit in my room surrounded by my stuffed animals. Because I'm a grown up.
What is one thing that most people don't realize about you?
Well, most people don't realize I have an embarrassingly extensive knowledge of Sting's discography. Not even a joke! I have all of his albums up until the lute one, and even some singles. And I have "Soul Cages" on vinyl, thanks to my friend Isaac. I've also seen a couple of his movies- The Bride (which I told the Nostalgia Critic he should review) and Brimstone and Treacle. And yes, I own his books too. He's been a major creative influence on my writing and life. The lyrics from "Soul Cages" are just surreal masterpieces to me. He's a master storyteller.
Also, Andrew Bird wore the scarf I made for him in a music video with Margaret Cho. Look it up! So cool!
What has been your favorite adventure during your writing career?
Oh, there have been so many of them! But my greatest was definitely going to New York City in May of this year for BEA, staying at the hip Jane Hotel with my sister, getting dressed up in my gorgeous Dmitry Sholokhov dress and high heels, attending a fancy breakfast as a guest author, taking a taxi to the Javit's Center, signing review copies of Death and Mr. Right to tons of strangers and familiar faces alike, and Dmitry joining me at the event as my guest. It was amazing! We chatted and caught up a little after he arrived and I met his lovely friend Anastasiya, and then we posed behind the Spencer Hill table and suddenly there was a whole row of people standing in front of us with cameras. I've never seen so many cameras in my life! It was a surreal experience. Even Dmitry commented that it was a lot of camera flashes. I felt like a princess or something! Later that evening, my sister and three of my best girlfriends got together with me back at the Jane Hotel for drinks and conversation, and then my dear friend Megan and I took a late-night walk along the waterfront. To have so many wonderful people with me for that event was a beautiful experience. And Dmitry has been such an inspiration for me, both as an artist with a lot of ambition and big dreams and good sense of humor, and also because he was the muse for Viktor Arson in "The Unlove Spell." It was the most magical day of my life! (If you don't know about his work, you should look him up on twitter and instagram, both of which are @dmitrysholokhov )
Now that we have had a taste of your awesomeness, what are the deets about your book so we can all buy it? (ISBN, where to buy it, etc.)
Death and Mr. Right drops October 1st. It will be for sale in most Barnes & Noble stores, on amazon and worldwide at bookdepository.com. There are many things you can do to make this funky little book into an indie success. You can call or visit your local bookstore and ask them to order a copy of the book, you can tweet me ( @kendrybird ) with the hashtag #deathandmrright , you can take a picture of yourself with the book and tweet it or instagram it with the #deathandmrright tag... I'm going to feature the pictures on my site, along with a link of your choice, if you'd like. So hit me up!
You've got a very active life in social media, and you promote your work in a lot of untraditional ways. What advice can you offer other authors who are looking to help promote their books and are trying to get online more?
Choose two social media platforms that you really like and concentrate on those. Some people try to do it all- facebook, twitter, instagram, blog, pinterest, tumblr, whatever... it gets to be a burden, especially if you're new to it. I suggest you use two that you really like, and use one more for personal contacts and one more for 'fans.' Facebook is great for personal contacts and twitter is great for fans. With facebook, you have more of a human connection, but you also have the gatekeeper of adding people as your 'friend.' With twitter, you speak and anyone in the world can listen. Post about what makes your life unique. Fans and followers want to see things they can't see in their own lives, like places you've traveled, cool people you've met or whatever else. Also, don't be afraid to tweet people you admire. Everyone is so connected now, and there's comfort in that, even for someone 'on top.' I've interacted with Neil Gaiman, Jonathan Ross, Tom Hiddleston and many other of my personal heroes on twitter. So don't be afraid to try talking to one of your heroes!
Speaking of your active online life, how can fans (un-creeper-like) stalk you to find out what you're up to and what else they can possibly give you money for? :)
I LOVE to hear from everyone! My twitter handle is @kendrybird and I'm on instagram @kendralsaunders and update my website regularly www.kendralsaunders.com In addition, the radio interviews I do go up on my youtube channel after they air. I've interviewed Dmitry Sholokhov, Michelle Lesniak Franklin, Fabio Costa, Melissa Fleis, Miranda Levy.. you can hear those on my youtube channel! http://www.youtube.com/KendraLSaunders I also upload video journals there from my travels. Recent ones include my trip to NYC for Death and Mr. Right's signing at BEA, and my adventures at NYFW!
What are you working on now, and what other projects can we look for from you in the near future?
I've recently finished writing The Unlove Spell, which is probably my favorite thing I've ever written. It's about a young witch named Marling, who lives in New York City and isn't very good at magic. She tries to put an unlove spell on her former lover, sexy Russian writer Viktor Arson, to keep him from falling in love with anyone else, but she accidentally puts it on herself instead. The story begins five years later, when their paths cross again and she finds out Viktor's family are actually fae royalty. The fae and witches have a long, ugly history, and Marling has to decide... does she really love him, or is that just the unlove spell she placed on herself?
It's a comedy and it's fun and it's set in New York City. It's currently with my very favorite agent, so my fingers are crossed!
I'm also mostly finished with a poetry and short story collection about these two people who are never quite right for each other, but they keep crossing paths in different lives and realities. It's really melancholy and I'm excited about the idea of sharing it with the world!
It's a comedy and it's fun and it's set in New York City. It's currently with my very favorite agent, so my fingers are crossed!
I'm also mostly finished with a poetry and short story collection about these two people who are never quite right for each other, but they keep crossing paths in different lives and realities. It's really melancholy and I'm excited about the idea of sharing it with the world!
Once again, thank you so much for stopping by my blog, Kendra! It's always a blast to hang out with you!
Thank you so much, Trish! You're amazing, and I have so much respect and love for you!
Posted by Trisha Wooldridge 1 comments
Labels: Broad Universe, comedy, Fantasy, humor, Kendra L. Saunders, Spence City, Spencer Hill Press
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A few months ago we thought it would be our time to move. My husband has been stationed at this one post his whole career, which has now been 13 years. That is practically unheard of for the Army. We are so blessed to not have to have worried about moving our kids around often, but also because we are still so close to our families. So when we figured it was our time to move, I went through and made a list of things that would need to be done to make our house more "sell worthy".
Thankfully we didn't have to move! But, I have still been going though with my list! I started with the easiest/smallest room. The guest/kids bathroom. It is a very, very small room. Straight and narrow. My youngest starts kindergarten this year, and is a girl. So I figured it was time to update the bathroom to look older. And to make my guests feel a little more comfortable. HA.
They didn't have a place to hang their towels and we desperately needed one. The green shelving on the side was where they would place their toothbrushes. And that was all the storage I could fit, besides the small closet that housed the laundry basket and towels.
I wanted to do a "quick" makeover since we were down to the wire with possibly moving. So I looked for things that would work with the green paint that was already in there.
I found a fabulous grey shower curtain from Kohls, and a cute mustard chevron rug. And that's where I began! The shower curtain is from the Loft line, but I can't find it online now.
I then went to TJ Maxx and found this awesome three basket metal basket that I put over the toilet, and the canvas abstract picture. All that was left that I needed was the holder for their towels. I found that at a local shop called Miss Lucille's Marketplace. Total spent on this bathroom was about $75! Can't beat that for a quick re-do.
Now, my question is....am I crazy for leaving the green as the wall color? Should I go ahead and paint it a different color? What do you think?
I like to party at these places.
Thanks for reading!

subset: commoncrawl


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At the latest HealthTO meetup, Optimity CEO Jane Wang shared tips and tricks for closing the toughest sales deals, even when your customer says "no."
Wang started her talk by sharing background on Optimity, which provides a digital platform for employee health and wellness. It uses customizable mobile apps and wearables to aggregate data, and retargets high-risk segments to reduce employee risks for heart disease, diabetes, and depression.
Drawing on hypothetical examples of sales meetings, Wang explained how salespeople tend to go overboard when convincing others to buy their "beautiful product" which may lead to a "no." But according to Wang, it's not about pressuring the customer; it's about showing them why they need your product.
"It's not about being flashy or pressuring someone into it," said Wang. "It's really kind of a two-way dialogue. As part of that dialogue, you really have to learn how to navigate. You need to talk about urgency…why do they need that . Every day that they don't have your product, they're losing money."
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You've embarked on your freelancing career, and you've landed your first gig. The only snag, if you can call it that, is that your client is three states and a timezone away from you. What can you do to make this a smooth process for everyone? Take a look at these five things that I do when working with a client I'll probably never meet.
- Be accessible, part one: Depending on your client's needs, you should be available at the least during standard business hours. Their standard business hours, that is. If you're on one coast and your client is on the opposite coast, then you might need to adjust your work hours so they that you are available (and awake) when your client is in the office.
- Be accessible, part two: How do you plan to communicate with your client? If they're an email-only type of company, then plan to check your email throughout the day for any communications and directives from them. For the phone call-only type of client, you'll want to keep your phone on you and plan to answer promptly, or at least within a reasonable amount of time. I'll get to figuring out what's reasonable in a minute.
- Communicate, communicate, communicate: Here's a bit of news that's not the least bit shocking: Each client you have will likely have different expectations regarding status updates on projects. I've had clients that wanted daily updates, while some clients were fine with a quick update from me every week. Ask upfront what they prefer. You also need to ascertain your client's definition of a timely response. Do you have a day or two to respond to an email, or do you need to dash out a reply post-haste? Figuring out their expectations can help in the long run.
- Work on your professional image: When you work remotely, you lose the benefit of in-person interactions with your client. That also means your client forms an impression of you based on your approach to projects, reports, and so on. With that in mind, you need to work a little bit harder than you would in an office to convey a professional image. Turn in your part of the project a bit early, then ask for more assignments. You can ask thoughtful questions in a conference call, keep those lines of communication open, and even wear a suit or appropriate business attire if you're attending a meeting via Skype (no one needs to know you're wearing shorts!). By presenting a professional image, you can tell clients you've got this.
- Keep your gear in working order: You're likely working on your own computer and using your own office equipment, phone, and other must-have items, so make sure everything works. Nothing says "I'm disorganized" quite telling your client that you can't turn in that big report because your computer that can barely hold it together or you have an unreliable Internet connection.
Although working remotely is nothing new, remember that it might be a new experience to your client. You don't want the client to feel apprehensive because your office is located about 800 miles from their office, so take a few steps upfront to let them know you'll take the proper steps to accommodate their needs.


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While we understand that ads are annoying, you should know that advertising-income is what pays for the awesome content we provide [for free to you]. Would you consider disabling adblock on our site? You can also create an account for an ad-light experience!
Thank you for visiting our website! Below you will be able to find the answer to Fish in sushi rolls crossword clue which was last seen on USA Today Crossword, June 26 2018. Our site contains over 2.8 million crossword clues in which you can find whatever clue you are looking for. Since you landed on this page then you would like to know the answer to Fish in sushi rolls. Without losing anymore time here is the answer for the above mentioned crossword clue:
We found 1 possible solution in our database matching the query Fish in sushi rolls
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|Bundt ___ (bakery utensil)
|Romantic poem
|Tiki party neckwear
|Indicator of "shouting," online
|Update, as decor
|"___ Legend" (Will Smith thriller)
|Weightlifters' helpers
|Singles bar delivery
|Breaks up a relationship
|Bounced payment
|Balinese or Bhutanese
|Tubular pasta
|Brothers Grimm offerings
|Na or Cl-
|Absorber of carbon dioxide
|Work with 27-Down
|Letter weigher
|___ cushion (joke shop buy)
|Modeler's material
|Liberal arts major, for short
|"We're in!"
|Jazz jam highlight
|Iditarod dog
|Picks, with "for"
|Symbols in tweets
|Catch some rays
|Smell something fierce
|Takes some downtime
|Distort, as speech
|Act the Lorelei
|Sleep study diagnosis, perhaps
|Immobilizing weapon
|Word after split or snow
|Sod buyer's calculation
|Lends a hand to
|Morse dot, vocalized
|Sign after Cancer
|One of football's Mannings
|Fashion monogramend
|Like ice caps
|Honeymoon locale, perhaps
|Kendrick Lamar's genre
|One-named British pop star
|One-inch putt, e.g.
|Get value from
|"Song Sung Blue" singer
|Potato storage unit
|Anti-nuke treaty topic
|Place for a Swedish massage
|Semiaquatic amphibian
|Ryan of "The Beverly Hillbillies"
|Martial arts blows
|Protection from the elements
|Calf catchers' gear
|Strip mine yield
|Cardiac ultrasound test, for short
|"1 BR" listing, e.g.
|Kelly and Ryan, on TV
|Drill sergeant's "one"
|687 Earth days, to Mars
|400-meter path, perhaps
|Most confident
|Toy for a builder
|Places for mufflers
|Clueless . . . or cruising
|"'Umble" Uriah of fiction
|"Red ___ at night . . ."
|Compulsive hoarder
|Part of an omnivore's diet
|Snowden's former employer, briefly
|"This Is Country Music" singer
|Fish in sushi rolls
|On the level, for short
|Oater showdowns
|"___ we there yet?"
|Big ___ (Villanova's conference)
|Go sour, say
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Liverpool owner John Henry confirms Luis Suarez did have a £40m buy-out clause in his last contract
Liverpool owner John Henry has confirmed Luis Suarez did have a £40m buy-out clause in his last contract.
Last Updated: 03/03/14 10:11am
Arsenal triggered the clause during the summer transfer window but, having lost Fernando Torres to Chelsea in January 2011, the Reds were reluctant to sell.
Suarez made it clear in a series of interviews last summer that he wanted to leave Anfield, but Henry sees the player as a major part of the club's future plans along with Daniel Sturridge and Raheem Sterling.
"Luis Suarez is the top scorer in the English Premier League which is arguably the top soccer league in the world," Henry said.
"And he had a buy-out clause - I don't know what degree I should go into this - but he had a buy-out clause of £40m. So Arsenal, one of our prime rivals this year, they offered £40m and one pound for him and triggered his buy-out clause.
"But what we've found over the years is that contracts don't seem to mean a lot in England - actually not in England, in world football. It doesn't matter how long a player's contract is, he can decide he's leaving.
"We sold Fernando Torres for £50m. We didn't want to sell but we were forced to. For the first time (with Suarez) we took the position that we weren't selling.
"Since apparently these contracts don't seem to hold, we took the position we're just not selling and it's been great for Luis, it's been great for us, and what will happen at the end of year, I think we're going to make Champions League and we have a small chance of winning the Premier League this year.
"We have three gentlemen up front: Suarez, Sterling and Sturridge. Those three are young, and I think Luis and those three could be together for a long time."


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I'm famous. Well, more like I bought myself some fame from a cool webcomic that my friends recently introduced me to, Poly in Pictures (hi PiP visitors! sorry my site's so neglected and cobwebby). (And now the recursive linking circle is complete.)
Because it's not a proper webcomic post without an example:
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Legend Lodges, Hotels & Resorts
Telephone: +27 12 470 5300
The Legend Lodges, Hotels & Resorts portfolio encompasses the rich diversity of Southern Africa: her people,culture, breathtaking scenery and abundant bird, marine and animal life. The group features safari & country lodges, coastal hotels & lodges, urban and town hotels and cultural villages and shebeens in South Africa and Mozambique.
Travelindex allows you to contact all companies and business listed directly. Your message will be send instantly to the above company. Submit your request and click send. A valid e-mail address is required.
Travelindex. Connecting Travel People Direct.


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Tuesday, January 26, 2016
What's Your Point?
Where have all the pencils gone?
Electronic devices seem to be eliminating the need for pencils, or pens, or books or newspapers or phone booths, or so many other things that were once comfortable and familiar. . . . things keep a-changing'.
A colorful arrangement of a collection of vintage and newer leaded writing instruments neatly accommodated inside a simple wooden frame.
Write On!
4 comments:
Aaah Rebeca, I love this, the colours and lines in their uniform-ness and the knowledge that all those lovely pencils are now ignored for texts and emails instead... its just not the same!ReplyDelete
une belle boite..je voudrai décoller les crayons :)))))ReplyDelete
Wonderful, colorful,and playful - I love this!ReplyDelete
I have a collection of old colored pencils I've been using in various projects but not all at once. Nice piece.ReplyDelete
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Drive Safe when visiting those family members for the holidays. http://www.cartalk.com/content/winter-driving-tips-7
Here are some great tips for saving on gas. http://www.ase.com/News-Events/Publications/Glove-Box-Tips/ASE-s-Gas-Saving-Tips-for-Trying-Times.aspx
Happy Holidays from the crew at Box K Auto Repair! As a friendly reminder we will be closed from December 21, 2013 until January 2, 2014. This allows plenty of family time for us. We hope you have a safe and happy holiday and we will look forward to seeing you in the New year.
Don't bother topping off when filling your car's gas tank. Any additional gas is just going to slop around or seep out. Why waste your money paying for gas your car won't use? Stop pumping at the first indication that your tank is full when the automatic nozzle clicks off.
Gas will evaporate from your car's gas tank if it has an escape. Loose, missing or damaged gas caps cause 147 million gallons of gas to evaporate each year, according to the Car Care Council. So be sure to tighten up that gas cap each time you fuel up your car.
The hot summer sun that makes the inside of your car feel like a sauna also zaps fuel from your gas tank.
"If you let your car bake in the sun there's going to be a greater amount of evaporative emissions that take place than if you park in the shade," says Jim Kliesch, research associate at the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy and vehicle analyst for GreenerCars.com.
So park your car in the shade of a building or tree whenever possible. And buy a good windshield shade. A windshield shade blocks sunlight and helps to keep heat out of the inside of your car.
Got a garage? Clear it out and make room for your car. Parking in your garage will help your car stay warm in winter and cool in summer, and you won't have to depend as much on your gas-guzzling air-conditioning or defroster when you drive.
Don't get caught driving on under inflated tires. Under inflated tires wear down more quickly and they also lower your car's gas mileage.
"Tires that have low pressure offer more resistance so the engine is going to work harder to keep the car at 60," says Brian Moody, road test editor at Edmunds.com.
Your car's gas mileage may plummet by as much as 15 percent. Driving on under inflated tires may also reduce the life of your tires by 15 percent or more.
Buy a digital gauge and keep it in your glove box. Compare the pressure in your tires with the recommended pressure listed in your owner's manual and on the placard in your car door. Then inflate your tires as needed. Be sure to check tire pressure when your tires are cold. A good time is early in the morning after your car's been idle overnight.
Fixing a car that is out of tune or has failed an emissions test can boost gas mileage by about 4 percent. So be sure to give your car regular tune-ups. You'll also want to watch out for worn spark plugs. A misfiring spark plug can reduce a car's fuel efficiency by as much as 30 percent.
Keep a close eye on your engine's air filter. When the engine air filter clogs with dirt, dust and bugs, it causes your engine to work harder and your car becomes less fuel-efficient. Replacing a clogged air filter could improve your gas mileage by as much as 10 percent and save you 15 cents a gallon. It's a good idea to have your engine air filter checked at each oil change. The Car Care Council recommends changing your car's air and oil filters every three months or 3,000 miles or as specified in your owner's manual.
You can improve your car's gas mileage by 1 percent to 2 percent by using the manufacturer's recommended grade of motor oil. Opt for motor oil with the words "energy conserving" on the API performance label. This oil contains friction-reducing additives.
Be serious about auto care. Your car's performance depends on it.
"Always follow the manufacturer-recommended maintenance," Moody says. "The car's designed to run a certain way. If you neglect it, it won't be as efficient."
Obey the car-care guidelines outlined in your owner's manual
It is simple just LIKE us on facebook then click the sign up and win link on the left of our page under our profile picture. Please tell your friends & good luck!
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4 item(s) - Page 1 of 1
Rollaway Quiet Compressor Combo - Quiet Case with Compressor, perfect for engraving at trade shows or public events. Our Thomas Compressor comes included and installed. **** Returns must be within 7 day and in new condition and a 25% restocking will apply to returns - No exceptions***
Rollaway Quiet Compressor Case Only with built in fan and vents for operating a portable compressor while inside the case.
Carrying Case. Soft Sided, yet reinforced for stability. Featured telescoping handle and wheels for easy portability. Perfect for carrying supplies or even a compressor.


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Scan your documents to a PDF or TIFF file
Easily convert HTML pages to PNG / JPEG.
Create fractal images with this tool
Convert large format images
A vector drawing software to create mangas and cartoons
A fun graphics editor that lets you create stunning looking images with ease.
Generate HTML colors, in HEX and RGB
A similar to Windows Paint that can be uses over the internet
Graph functions, plot points, and make blank graphs.
Add a menu item to your swatches panel that allows you to add hexadecimal swatches
Creates one perfectly focused image from several partially focused
Move forward or backwards in the undo stack
A small application that allows you to simulate paintings, embroidery, unusual lawns and fields
Program that can render hypercomplex fractals.
Manage your image attributes with this tool
Detect hot pixels and stuck pixels
An application that you can you can use to manage raw image files.
this application allows you to find the HTML/Hex code of a certain selected color.
A batch IPTC image tagger
A set of tools that help you create stunning HD View images
An easy to use cross-platform panoramic imaging toolchain based on Panorama Tools
Hide your image in one image
A fully featured image management program
Height Map Editor is a 2D graphic program that can be used for creating, viewing and manipulating...
An easy-to-use application for batch resizing of digital images
A handy application for image management
A fun and simple holiday card creator.
H2Omarker creates visible or faintly visible watermark on images as a way of preventing illegal...
HtmlSS is an easy to use Slide Show program that allows you create and view Slide Shows locally...
An application that converts Web Pages to PNG, JPG, GIF, BMP or Tiff in batch
Easy-to-use, powerful, and feature-rich powerful graphics program
HexSer is a system for the serialization and burning of 8, 16, and 32 bits Intel hex images.
HotClock is an application that enables you to illustrate time intervals
Perform image transformations without using Java Advanced Imaging library
Display the EXIF information of a certain image.
Eliminates noise from CCD of your digital camera during long exposure night shots
Hexagrab is a color picker that gets the exact hex, RGB, and long code for colors on your screen
A handy graphic tool
Identify defective pixels with this application.
Lightweight, fast Windows presentation software
HD Picture Album Backup/Restore Utility - 1-click custom backup/restore for all you pictures
Create High Resolution Coordinates with this tool.


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Classic Rock Wolf Debuts In College Station
Brazos Valley Communications has flipped Sports "ESPN Aggieland 103.9" KJXJ Franklin/College Station TX to Classic Rock "103.9 The Fox".
The flip returns Rock to the station a year and a half after it dropped its Active Rock "Rock 103.9" identity for Sports. The new format positions KJXJ directly against iHeartMedia's "99.5 The Fox" KNFX-FM Bryan.
KJXJ registered a 0.9 share in the Spring 2016 Nielsen Audio ratings. Its new target KNFX held a 6.4 share.


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Home > About the faculty > Strategy
2016 - Strategy for the Faculty of Humanities
A strengthened position
By providing a continuously inspiring, open and innovative study and research environment, the Faculty of Humanities aims to strengthen its position as a research-based forum for the study of a wide range of fields within the humanities.
An interdisciplinary focus
The strategy consists of a number of faculty-based initiatives, all related to 2016 – Strategy for the University of Copenhagen:
University pedagogy
The faculty continuously develops both teachers' and students' competences.
In accordance with The Educational Charter of the Faculty of Humanities, the faculty has established TEACH, a center for university pedagogy and didactics. TEACH has developed a wide range of teaching courses, e.g. introductory and theme-based courses in pedagogy and didactics for Danish and international teaching staff as well as academic writing and study techniques for students. Other courses contributing to the development of the Faculty's educational quality include research-based teaching, supervision, and innovation and entrepreneurship.
Full-time programmes
The faculty offers students more classes and provides initiatives to support their learning, well-being and completion of studies within the prescribed timeframe.
The faculty develops ambitious and effective academic programmes, and offers relevant social initiatives on campus in addition to classroom activities. Moreover, increased opportunities for integrating research with teaching, new forms of examination, innovation and case-based learning, internships and collaborations with the public and private sectors are integrated into the development of the study programmes.
"Live University": Available 24 hours a day
Tfe Faculty offers an accessible campus and focuses on an increased use of digital tools and technologies.
Having moved into modern campus buildings in 2013, the faculty has upgraded facilities for working with digital tools and technologies. The ITMEDIA unit supports students and teachers in the development of technology-based education and in audio and video productions.
As part of the University of Copenhagen's partnership with Coursera the Faculty offers online courses internationally.
Career opportunities: A broader focus on career
The faculty focuses on humanistic skills and career opportunities for students, graduates, PhDs and postdoctoral scholars.
The faculty puts a lot of effort into forging links with the public and private sectors. Based on surveys of graduates' job market opportunities, the Faculty has increased focus on society's need for humanitistic competences and skills as regards students, graduates, PhDs and postdoctoral scholars.
Continuing education
The faculty continues to expand its supply of continuing education within the humanities.
With Copenhagen Summer University, the Faculty now offers intensive courses giving the individual participants a research-based angle on their professional practice. The faculty also offers master programmes and courses for employees in both the private and public sectors, who need to specialize and acquire deeper knowledge within their academic field or as a springboard for further developing their careers. Moreover, the Faculty offers a variety of courses during working hours, in the evening or as online courses via Open University.
The faculty focuses on multilingualism and outreach.
The Centre for Internationalisation and Parallel Language Use (CIP) ensures that the University maintains a long-term, research-based strategy for the development of linguistic skills, primarily English and Danish but also other languages. As such one of CIP's primary tasks is to offer language courses for teachers, researchers and administrative staff. Language being one of the cornerstones of the humanities, the Faculty plays an important role in developing the language skills of students from all faculties at the University of Copenhagen.
The faculty aims to strengthen its international perspective in education and research.
With more international collaborations the Faculty is attracting more and more international students and researchers. At the same time the number of Danish students studying abroad is also increasing. In response to these developments, the Faculty offers several study programmes and courses in English and in other relevant foreign languages.
External relations: Increased dialogue with society
The Faculty continuously develops collaboration and communication with the public and private sectors.
The Faculty aims at establishing long-term strategic partnerships with relevant stakeholders. Matchmaking, collaboration about education, putting research findings to good commercial use and strategic dialogue are important means to achieve this goal. Moreover, the Faculty has established an external board, supporting the Faculty's management in strategic discussions regarding relevant political, cultural, business- and media-related issues.
Innovation through cross-disciplinary collaborations
The faculty strengthens the humanities' education, research and contribution to society through cross-disciplinary collaborations.
The faculty is successfully engaged in collaborations such as the University of Copenhagen's Excellence Programme for Interdisciplinary Research, the Center for Healthy Aging, the Centre for Advanced Migration Studies, the Centre for Communication and Computing, the Asian Dynamics Initiative and the Digital Humanistic Laboratory (DIGHUMLAB).
Strategic research funding
The faculty has strengthened its support for researchers in relation to applications for external funding.
The faculty has professionalized the process of applying for external funding. This has led to enhanced support in planning and managing research projects and grants, as well as proactively establishing new cross-disciplinary research and education collaborations contributing to the solution of large-scale social challenges (Horizon 2020).
Management information and internal dialogue
The faculty strengthens internal and organizational cooperation with a special focus on management information.
In strengthening the internal communication between the 8 departments as well as between managers and employees, the faculty's executive management now includes the deans, the heads of departments and the faculty director. To ensure knowledge sharing and the implementation of strategic initiatives, new projects are started up in project teams made up of members of staff and students across the departments at the Faculty. A new system platform makes detailed statistical study data available for the further development of study programmes.
Study and work environment
The faculty is committed to ensuring the continuous development of a good physical and psychosocial study and work environment.
Developing students' teaching and study environment is considered a crucial factor in ensuring students' completion of studies. With the expansion of Southern Campus in 2013 the students have gained better access to all facilities. The faculty has moreover put specific focus on working hours for researchers and teachers and on optimizing the administrative infrastructure across the departments.


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Personal Injury Solicitor
- Recruiter
- Chadwick Nott
- Location
- Hampshire
- Salary
- £37000 - £50000 per annum
- Posted
- 09 Jun 2018
- Closes
- 06 Jul 2018
- Job Function
- Lawyer
- Industry
- Secretarial / Administration, Legal
- Position Type
- Permanent
Personal Injury Solicitor
Our client is a leading, award winning national law firm who are now looking for a junior solicitor to join their highly regarded catastrophic injury department in their Southampton office.
The role will involve assisting partners on high value personal injury claims, working with leading lawyers, top 10 insurers, barristers and experts. This position will provide an opportunity to be actively involved in the cases, interviewing clients and witnesses, attending conferences, applications, instructing experts and resolving issues. The types of claims will cover a mixture of serious injuries such as spinal injury, limb loss and brain injury. You will have already had previous experience of working on similar cases in a reputable firm.
Our client offers a competitive salary, company benefits and a nurturing and collaborative environment within which to develop your career.
For a confidential conversation, please call Penny Heighway at Chadwick Nott.
Chadwick Nott Ltd is acting as an Employment Agency in relation to this vacancy.


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Arashi (嵐) which means storm in Japanese is a five member group from the famous Johnny's Entertainment group. Their musical style ranges from Pop to R&B and Hip-Hop with a bit of Rock thrown in for good measure.
The group debuted in 1999 and this is the group's 39th single. The song is very touching and typical of Arashi.
Check out a preview of the song below
Arashi Generasia Website


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Smarter than the average medieval bloke… possibly!
An investigation into the intentions of the narrator in Chaucer's "Book of the Duchess"
In "The Book of the Duchess" the reader is presented with a duality of dream vision and cathartic intervention; a poetic, psychological discourse between the bumbling narrator of the poem and a strange, anomalous black knight. Of course the dream is dialogued and staged managed by its author and what at first appears to be merely an analogous tale of circumstance and coincidence contains instead a depth of meaning that would've undoubtedly been perceptible to John of Lancaster, for whom the poem was intended upon the anniversary of the death of his wife. The interactions between the dream figures are clinically developed to the point where the imagination and sympathies of the reader are juxtaposed by the alter-egos of the protagonists. Is it the narrator who's being assisted by the lovelorn knight, or is the knight an allegory for the narrator's own problems? Perhaps it goes even deeper and is instead an intimation of concern by its author for its recipient? The concept of dream reality is that anything is possible and all interpretations are valid. In this particular dream the subjectivity of the dreamer is secondary to the revealed truths. Although all the clues have been provided it's for the reader to decide whose giving advice to whom, and for what reason; in short "cui bono?" By analyzing the conversation of the dream figures we can justly surmise that the narrator is both the recipient of innate wisdom and a well-intentioned pretender with regard to the amorous dilemma of the knight.
The nature of dreams is such, that what's impossible in the quotidian can easily occur within the construct of a dream reality. A nightly purgative where one is offered visions to help one tackle the difficulties of life; where the subconscious administers somnial wisdom to ease the cares and worries of the dreamer. The figure of the black knight within the somnium is an allegoric persona for the narrator's own mortal concerns. It's through the sadness of the knight that the narrator, upon awakening, is able to translate the experience and resolve his own issues via the medium of poetry. The encounter in the forest doesn't appear to be pure chance and lends itself to the mediation of Lady Fortuna; her intervention allowing the dreamer to once again mount an ascending cycle. From the inept and troubled chronicler we meet at the beginning of the poem to the dexterous and adept interviewer who's able to draw the knight from his reverie and illicit reasons for his melancholia, we discover a man capable of dexterous psychological machinations even if his apparent brilliance is the result of a dream. Although we're led to believe that he doesn't comprehend the knight's sorrow, despite his heart wrenching confession of lost love, he manages to resolve the knight's dilemma by coercing him into conversation with a play on stupidity and in so doing reveals to himself the nature of his own malaise.
The dream vision was a popular vehicle in medieval literature whereby the fantastic could be committed to paper without fear of accusations of heresy, treason or perhaps misinterpretation. After all, what was being realized was a dream that occurred not at the will of the dreamer but instead was the result of some mysterious sub-conscious revelation; therefore, the retelling of it could cause no offence. Popularized by the writings of authors such as Macrobius , dreams could be categorized into five distinct topics. The most important of the five were the oraculum, a dream containing a message, the visio, the prophetic dream and the somnium which was of psychological importance. The regimented characterization of dreams allowed one to translate their meanings and offer some pseudo-scientific commentary in order to explain them. "The Book of the Duchess" is a somnium where the narrator, our dreamer, falls into a deep sleep and is led through fantastic vistas of imaginative landscapes and ultimately to a man dressed in black armor; a knight sitting alone in a forest contemplating suicide. The somnium therefore offers insight to the dreamers mind, allowing him to draw the necessary conclusions and correct accordingly.
The medieval idea of fortune's wheel also plays a significant role in the dream and is significant for both the knight and the narrator. When we first encounter the narrator he's sick and unable to sleep, believing himself close to death. Clearly he's reached his human limit and without some form of divine intervention sees little hope in extended life; a direct allusion to the complaint of the knight. Through the retelling of the story the narrator is able to regain his vitality and his ability to sleep, as evidenced by the poem itself. Having fallen asleep and dreamt, he awakes to complete the manuscript. Clearly Fortuna has cast a glad-eye and he's once again in the ascendency, although the troubles of the knight, except in verse, are conveniently forgotten.
The persona or mask that Chaucer paints of his main character is of a bumbling, inefficient, rather naïve individual. A comic comparison to himself may be drawn via the insomniac reading in bed who, despite his questionable intellect, does seem to have more than a passing understanding of the classics and is able to draw on these throughout the narrative. Thus the conclusion can be made that the narrator is Chaucer. It's is from this point of intellectual redemption that he adds an element of humor to his enduring tales. His foolishness is displayed when after retelling the story of Alcyone and Ceyx, where Alcyone offers a pious life to Juno in return for details of her missing husband, the narrator instead offers a bed so that the god of sleep, Morpheus, may rest comfortably. The offering of a comfortable bed is clearly more in line with the narrator's needs than the gods.
Upon falling asleep whilst reading a book the narrator, despite earlier protests that he's unable to do so, awakens within the somnium in a fabulous room decorated with the story of the "Roman de la Rose," which describes an allegorical dream vision of courtly love; foreshadowing of what the narrator is yet to encounter. An environment where the sounds of a royal hunt can be heard and where the narrator, with youthful vigor springs naked from his bed to his horse, before being led by a puppy into an exquisite forest! Here the reader is made comically privy to the inconsistency of dreams; how they skip from one scenario to the next without apparent reason. It's in the forest where we encounter the knight, and the sympathetic meeting takes place between the two.
From the outset there's intent on the narrator's mind. Although he's unaware of the reasons for his arrival in the dream-scape he's already met and been cordial with members of a hunting party heading to the forest, and spoken with one of the young boys to ascertain the nature of their business and company. Upon seeing the knight sitting in the wood he makes a decision to creep up on him. Why would he do this if there wasn't some kind of forethought in his mind to possibly take advantage of the information divulged during the knight's complaint? The knight is unaware of any other presence and upon being disturbed may react in any number of ways. Safe and secure in the blanket of the somnium the narrator makes his way towards him.
"I stalked directly behind him and I stood there as still as possible, so that, to tell the truth, he didn't see me; so he hung his head down, and with a deadly sorrowful sound he made a complaint of ten or twelve rhymed verses to himself, the most pitiful, the most doleful, I ever heard."
At this point it's fair to assume that the knight is unknown to him, however, it may also be construed as a meeting of self. The knight is forlorn and hopeless just as the narrator is sick and dying, a mirroring of the "real" world with the dream. Therefore the narrator by confronting the self is able to comprehend what it is that ails him. Rather than the simplistic we're offered a complex dream vision where it appears that a fool is engaged in a conversation with no comprehension or understanding of what is being addressed to him. A self-help allegory intended perhaps for the alluded to John of Lancaster on the anniversary of the death of his wife?
The knight is discovered mumbling a complaint of lost love and is left, strategically, undisturbed by the dreamer who, not wishing to interrupt, stands back and listens. He then confronts the knight who after some encouragement from the narrator describes an allegorical game of chess between himself and Lady Fortuna who's apparently taken his queen during the game but who in reality has stolen the love of his life. The game of chess is a metaphor within the metaphor of the dream vision to describe the great sadness induced by lost love – courtly love – and although having heard every word of the knight's complaint, the narrator pretends not to have been listening, presenting himself as one who'd rather help than pry. This is both a sympathetic and a cunning action which will gain him the knight's respect and a chance to hear the remainder of his story.
"Straightaway I began to search, to look where I might, for a worthy subject for discussion, so that I could get to know him better."
In order to placate, the narrator describes a list of classical figures that've suffered equal loss and who despite their circumstances overcame hardship and apparent hopelessness. After offering his naive understanding of the knight's feelings he is rebuked, the knight claiming he can never understand what he's lost, as his loss is far greater than all of classic tragedy. Through this act of pretended idiocy the knight is drawn into conversation. From not wishing to divulge anything at all the knight frustratingly insists that the narrator listens "with all his wit to his lamentable tale," which our seemingly inept narrator promises to do. The knight proceeds to describe the beauty of his love the "good fair white" and lists the blazon of her physical attributes from lip to foot in which he describes an image of female perfection. After this heart felt outpouring the narrator cunningly pretends to understand her beauty, but to add insult to injury, suggests that it was without doubt, that in the eyes of the knight the woman was the most beautiful that ever lived. The exasperated knight is once again drawn in by the machinations of the narrator who then has to redouble his efforts to the apparent fool beside him, just how much she meant to him; a classic psychological move, where a patient is pushed to reveal the depths of distress through personal catharsis rather than forced intimation. The knight cannot help himself and at such a seeming affront is forced to divulge the very depths of his heart to explain the beauty he's lost.
To the narrator the death of the "fair white" is obvious or rather implicit in the knight's telling long before the conclusion.
"What loss is that?" I said then; "Will she not love you? Is it so? Or have you done something wrong, that she has left you? Is it this? For God's love, tell me everything."
The knight's anguish is palpable, and there can be no other conclusion. The narrator who's listened patiently to the complete tale and who through naïve commentary has drawn the knight out further and further to the point of complete emotional confession, continues with his inane questioning.
"And tell me also what you have lost, as I heard you mention earlier."
"Yes!" he said, "you know not what you mean by your words; I have lost more than you think."
"What loss is that?" I said then; "Will she not love you? Is it so? Or have you done something wrong, that she has left you? Is it this? For God's love, tell me everything."
The narrator still pretends to misunderstand and forces, rather like Lady Fortuna, the knight into a position of check. The knight has no choice and is compelled to respond to the narrator's questions and through a moment of self-realization admits to both himself and to the narrator what has actually occurred. A moment of release and healing that'd been coerced from the initial moment when the narrator first pretended not to hear the knight's complaint, to the moment he forced him into admitting the worst.
"She is dead!"
"Yes, by my word!"
"Is that your loss? By God, that is such a pity!"
By drawing the Knight out and discovering the truth regarding "the fair white" the author has achieved three things; absolution for the knight, enlightenment to the narrator and sympathy for John of Lancaster. The purpose of the somnium with regard to its characters has been to rescue the knight from his grief and imbue the narrator with renewed drive and a will to live. Both characters have been saved by the Machiavellian machinations of the narrator. Clearly the narrator was endowed by some form of wisdom discovered within the dream that allowed him to play the part he did. The fact that he first awoke in a room decorated with images from the "Roman del la Rose" points to foreshadowing and a learned affinity with courtly love. With an intuitive understanding of the rules of love, the narrator is successful in both his contrived deceit of the knight and his necessary achievement of innate wisdom with which to recover his own self-worth.


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Last month I had the opportunity to visit Barcelona for a quick weekend getaway and it was amazing. It was my first visit to Spain, and I can't wait to go back. Nadalee, Hilary and I took the train from Paris on a Friday afternoon and arrived 6 hours later with plenty of time to settle in to our super cute AirBnb rental, explore the neighborhood, and have dinner and drinks. The weekend was a whirlwind with tons of sightseeing packed in. Our apartment was perfectly situated in the center of Barcelona- I loved the Old Town neighborhood and will definitely stay there on my next visit. We were only a few minutes walk from Las Ramblas, the Picasso museum, the beach, and so much more- yet the streets weren't packed with people and we were surprised at how quiet it was. It did get pretty noisy at night- it was Friday/Saturday and we were right above a super lively bar that seemed to stay open until daylight....- but on the second night I remembered a pair of earplugs I'd packed and slept just fine. Super easy fix and way worth it for all of the advantages of the area.
A few highlights:
After breakfast at Satan's, we walked around the quiet streets marveling at the gorgeous architecture and beautiful little details of the buildings and eventually made it to La Boqueria. Oh my god. Do not dare visit Barcelona without stopping at this market. Originating around 1217 as a meat market, it is now home to dozens of stalls offering every fruit, veggie, and delicacy Barcelona has to offer- and then some. From the official website:
"fresh fish and sea food; tinned food; butchery and offal; birds; game and eggs; fruits and vegetables; herbs; delicatessen; breads and pastries; restaurants; frozen items; artisan products; charcuterie; farmers' shops; wine; and even a Greek and an Italian hand made pasta stall have joined the consortium/maelstrom that keeps La Boqueria alive."
It was a kind of amazing sensory overload experience nearly impossible to describe. I'd only ever seen photos of markets like this one, and was so so excited to actually be visiting one. We ate and drank our way through- and I was so thoroughly immersed that I took little to no photos. I could have spent all day there, and would have had we not planned to do a walking tour that afternoon.
I've always kind of rolled my eyes at these tours, likening them to grade school field trips and preferring to go my own way instead of being herded around and seeing the top touristy spots of a city. So I was pleasantly surprised when the Sandeman's tour my friends had planned for turned out to be a really great way to see various neighborhoods on foot, and learn a ton about Barcelona's incredibly interesting history in the process- but without feeling like a boring school trip. Of course the quality of the tour 100% depends on the guide, but they are "free" with a tip expected at the end based on your experience. We did a 3 hour tour, learned a ton, our guide was great and the 3 hours flew by. They have guides in 18 major cities, and I definitely recommend giving them a try! I've linked to their site at the bottom of this post :)
On Sunday before heading back to Paris, we visited Parc Guell and Sagrada Familia. Both incredible, both worthy of spending hours in. We unfortunately had to carry our bags with us for these visits, so the very serious trek uphill to Parc Guell was...serious. Even with being in relatively decent shape and regularly trekking around and up and down the streets of Paris, we had to take a breather or two. But it made the view from the top that much sweeter. If you're willing to make the climb the views of the city are spectacular.
Due to time constraints we cabbed over to Sagrada Familia, but I would have loved to have walked as the area around Parc Guell was so cute and definitely worth exploring during a future visit. It kind of reminded me of Montmartre at first glance. Sagrada Familia was well worth the wait and the price of admission (Definitely ask for the youth/student rate! I do qualify so I asked, but they don't bother to verify. Easy way to save 6-7 euros). This place was like something from a sci-fi/space-y film- I've never seen anything like it (if you're not familiar with the work of Catalan architect Antoni Gaudi- give him a quick google!) Visiting in the late afternoon was perfect. With the sun going down, the light streaming in from all of the stained glass windows bathed everything in a rainbow of colors and light. So unreal, and of course seemingly impossible to photograph and do it any justice.
There was a metro stop right outside the cathedral, so when it was time to head back to Paris it was super easy to take the metro directly to the train station.
This trip was a great little taster of Barcelona. Way too short, but long enough to have experienced enough of the city to know that I want to go back. We packed so much in to so little time and it was exhausting and I feel like I hardly have any decent photos to show for it- so obviously I'll need to go back and remedy that! Below are a few that I did manage to snap in between the flurry of touring, eating churros and drinking sangria.
Links from this post:
|Cheating here, this is from a Google image search. The smells of the market pulled me right in and I couldn't be bothered to photograph the beautiful signage.
"At the Boqueria people eat, shop and gossip together doing what the Spanish excel at, living life well and enjoying a sense of community"
Tiny winding streets.
Baixada de Santa Eulalia - one of the patron saints of the city, who had a festival going on this same weekend.
Satan's chai latte. A+
The "Well of the Geese" in the Barcelona Cathedral/Cathedral of The Holy Cross and Saint Eulalia (told you she was popular!)
Here's the story on Eulalia (according to our guide, at least): she was a young virgin who, according to Catholic tradition, suffered martyrdom during Roman times in the city. One story says that since she refused to renounce her faith, she was tortured and exposed naked in the public square..until a miraculous snowfall in mid-spring occurred...covering her nudity and preserving her modesty. The enraged Romans put her into a barrel with knives stuck into it and rolled it down a street (Baixada de Santa Eulàlia, shrine pictured above)..pretty gruesome yet she allegedly came out unscathed so they continued to torture her. The body of Saint Eulalia is entombed in the cathedral's crypt. Above are 11 of the 13 geese that are kept, the number explained by the assertion that Eulalia was 13 when she was martyred. THIRTEEN!
Fountain in the atrium with the Well of the Geese.
Sweets at La Boqueria
Glimpse of the Church of Santa Maria del Pi / Blessed Lady of the Pine Tree / The Virgin Mary, located in the Barri Gotic. Construction started in 1319.
Churros/ xurros as they are called in Catalan, with a cup of thick, hot chocolate sauce- nearly hidden by a mountain of rich whipped cream. No regrets.
These were from Granja La Pallaresa. The subject of best churros in Barcelona is hotly debated, but most agree that you'll find them on Carrer de Petritxol- a small winding street with multiple xurrerias nearly next door to each other, and almost certainly with lines out their doors no matter when you go. It's not a long wait and it's pretty much guaranteed to be well worth it no matter which shop you try.


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Who is Oscar Tremont, Investigator of the Strange and Inexplicable?
He is a private investigator who solves seemingly inexplicable puzzles. He is a dichotomy of Victorian charm and progressive spirit. He has a keen intellect, is a master of disguise, is rather fond of whisky, and has a tendency to enter buildings illegally while working on a case. He uncovers secrets, but he also has many of his own. With every new adventure, you'll grow to understand this complex chap a little more.
The Hunt for the Stayne Fortune introduces the mystery fan to Oscar Tremont, Investigator of the Strange and Inexplicable. Work is slow and Oscar is having a hard time making ends meet, but when he stumbles across a coded message in a second-hand bookshop, he knows he won't rest until he's cracked it. With secret messages and family legends, hidden compartments and masterful disguises, The Hunt for the Stayne Fortune has everything the armchair detective needs.
Can you get to the bottom of the mystery before Oscar Tremont? You'd better hop to it! He's already in his "thinking chair" with a dram of whisky at hand. The hunt is on!
File Size: 953 KB
Print Length: 84 pages
Publisher: Black Beacon Books
Publication Date: August 5, 2017
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services LLC


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Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has defended his treatment of striker Marcus Rashford.
Mourinho has been criticised for not playing the 20-year-old, who scored twice for England during the international break, enough in United's opening four Premier League games.
But the Portuguese said Rashford's playing time compares favourably with young English players at rival teams.
"People speaking about his minutes, they are a bit confused," he said.
In his news conference before Saturday's league match at Watford (17:30 BST), Mourinho outlined his use of Rashford over the past two seasons.
He said the forward has played 5,744 minutes in 105 games in all competitions.
"Marcus Rashford is not [Liverpool striker] Dominic Solanke. He's not [Chelsea midfielder] Ruben Loftus-Cheek. He's not [Everton forward] Dominic Calvert-Lewin," said the 55-year-old.
"He's Marcus Rashford, Manchester United player, with an incredible number of appearances and an incredible number of minutes played at the highest level in the best possible competitions."
Figures from football statisticians Opta show no player currently aged under 21 has played more competitive minutes for a Premier League team than Rashford (7,280) since his debut in February 2016.
Mourinho highlighted the club's record in bringing through young British players, while listing Rashford's appearance statistics since he took charge at Old Trafford in 2016.
He added: "So, Manchester United supporters. For you – and just for you – to know what we are doing with Marcus Rashford, Luke Shaw, Jesse Lingard, Scott McTominay. That's what we are doing here."
On England duty, Rashford scored the opener in the 2-1 Nations League loss to Spain and the only goal in a 1-0 friendly win over Switzerland, resulting in questions on the forward's playing time at United.
During Friday's news conference, Mourinho joked he would be "criticised for not playing Rashford tomorrow" against Watford, despite the striker being suspended for three games after being sent off in the Reds' win over Burnley.
He said: "Some of the boys are really obsessed with me and, some of them, I think they have a problem with some compulsive lies."
There has been a lot of debate over the past few days about Rashford's development – and whether his career would be better served by a loan move.
You can prove anything with statistics of course, but it seems Rashford has fared better than comparable youngsters since Jose Mourinho's arrival at Old Trafford in the summer of 2016 – and that includes United and England team-mate Lingard.
Since the start of the 2016-17 season, 20-year-old Rashford has played 5,866 minutes in all competitions. Lingard, 25, has been involved for 5,070 minutes.
Chelsea's Loftus-Cheek, 22, has managed 2,341 minutes, and that includes his spell on loan at Crystal Palace.
The argument for Rashford is that if he moved somewhere like Everton, he would get more game time.
However, they don't play as many matches, so 21-year-old Calvert-Lewin, one of the most used of the Toffees' group of talented youngsters, has only been involved for 3,793 minutes.
It won't make the argument about how much playing time England's younger players are getting – but maybe Rashford is not the right example to use.


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(KHARTOUM) – The Sudanese government dismissed reports saying it agreed to move the venue of Darfur peace talks to the Ethiopian capital, Addis Abab, reiterating its commitment to the Doha Document for Peace in Darfur (DDPD) to end the 11-year conflict in western Sudan.
Darfur peace implementation follow-up office issued a statement on Tuesday denying press reports saying Khartoum government had accepted to negotiate a peace agreement with non-signatory rebel groups in the region.
The office said that there is no such a deal and "we reject this idea in principle", stressing that "the government sticks to the Doha platform as the sole and final venue for the Darfur peace process".
The Sudanese government and the rebel Sudan People's Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N) failed last week to reach a framework agreement, but said they achieved some progress without disclosing on what they disagree.
Also while the talks were taking place, the rebel alliance Sudanese Revolutionary Front (SRF) including Darfur holdout movements and the SPLM-N issued a roadmap for peace in Sudan proposing to unify the two tracks to end armed conflicts in Darfur and the Two Areas.
The rebels further proposed that a joint mediation – composed of the head of the African Union High Level Implementation Panel (AUHIP), Thabo Mbeki, Darfur peace mediator Mohamed Ibn Chambas and UN special envoy Haile Menkerios – brokers talks on security and humanitarian issues and matters related to their areas before to join a national conference on the new constitution.
Darfur peace office however said that the eighth meeting of the DDPD Implementation and Follow-up Commission (IFC) reaffirmed its support to the Doha forum and that the AUHIP is a partner in the Darfur Darfur dialogue process as provided in the document.
The ICF meeting, which was headed by the Qatari deputy prime minister, Ahmed bin Abdullah Al Mahmoud, took place on 29 April in El Fasher with the participation of the African Union, the European Union, the League of Arab States, Canada, Chad, China, Burkina Faso, Egypt, France, Japan, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States.