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Welcome to my blog. I am married to my best friend. Together we have nine wonderful children , twenty four grandchildren and three great grandchildren - an ever growing family and I love them all. Faith,Family, Friends, Freedom, Fun, Food - all important things to me. It shows in my writing, I'm sure. Please comment on anything that interests you and if there's anything you would like to see let me know. Write a piece to be posted on my blog - stories of grandparents would be great.
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Friday, June 9, 2017
Here is another six sentence story:
The word was "lift"
Mike was riding home late that evening, battling against the rain and wind, when he saw her standing by the side of the road, young, dressed in jeans and jumper but with no coat.
Putting his foot hard on the brakes the motorbike screeched to a sliding stop about fifty feet up the road, just avoiding going into the ditch, and walking back he saw her waiting there, long wet hair falling down her face, eyes on him, her hand raised expectantly and as he approached her he asked , "Can I give you a lift somewhere?"
"Yes please, home," she said, holding the hand he held out for her and giving him her name and address.
She sat behind him on the motorcycle as he drove off slowly but after a few minutes he was aware that her arms she was no longer wrapped around him so, fearfully, he turned back to search, thinking she must have fallen off.
Tired with trying to find her in the dark, he decided to drive to her home, which wasn't far away and at least inform her parents who would want to get the police involved.
He took a deep breath before knocking on the door and when a middle aged woman opened it he stumbled over his words saying, "Does a Diane Coulter live here ?"
The woman's face became a bit grey and as she asked him in she started , "She did once, but she died twelve years ago when a truck mowed her down on an evening just like this actually, just down the road there ...."
5 comments :
Oooh, I wasn't expecting that ending when the story began! It gave me chills! :-) Who wouldn't stop to assist someone standing by the side of the road soaking wet from the rain? I suspect he is going to have a hard time forgetting about this experience and may avoid that road altogether from now on if possible! Great story, Maz, excellent take on the prompt!!ReplyDelete
Oooh chills!!!! Well done!!! IvyReplyDelete
This gave me the chills. Excellent story.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousJune 11, 2017 at 11:18 AM
Well that's mighty chilling!ReplyDelete
Love the surprise ending.ReplyDelete


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New TOS DVD Set.
As CBS continues to mine the existing Star Trek catalog, a new collection of episode featuring Captain James T. Kirk will be released on March 17, 2015. Titled "Captain Kirk's Boldest Missions," the two-disc DVD set will include eight episodes and some extras and will sell for $16.99.
Running Time: 13 minutes 6 seconds
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subset: commoncrawl


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One frugal Friday, I happened upon a link to a super cute blog, The Little Brown House. She had made the most adorable wreath and I just had to make one too.
I purposefully didn't follow the way she used safety pins to secure her filters! I went for the easier option, straight pins. But I accidentally didn't squnch and puff my filters the way she did, and I really wish I had. My wreath looks a lot like a coral (or a toilet brush, as my mother pointed out). I like the way Little Brown's looks like dried hydrangeas or something. I think I might take mine to pieces and try again. But I'll save that for a rainy day!
Linking up with The Shabby Nest and I Heart Naptime!
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Coffee Filter Wreath
One frugal Friday, I happened upon a link to a super cute blog, The Little Brown House. She had made the most adorable wreath and I just had to make one too.
5 comments:
- Adrienne said...
I think its gorgeous! And *psst*...I like it a bit better than TLBH version:)I made 3 of these to use for a friends wedding decorations. I made them rectangular and white, but now I'm going to make one for myself using the natural filters. Thank you!
- April 30, 2010 at 11:25 AM
- MaryJanes and Galoshes said...
Turned out so pretty. And I love the other commentator's idea of doing a square one!
- May 2, 2010 at 11:47 AM
- Meredith said...
Very nicely done :) The straight pins were a smart alternative!
Meredith @ Welcome to Heardmont
- May 2, 2010 at 8:15 PM
- Debbie said...
That is so cute! I would love to make that too!
- May 5, 2010 at 8:43 PM
- Kim @ Starshine Chic said...
I had to laugh that your mom thought it looked like a toilet brush. I'm still giggling over it.
I like how your wreath turned out. I was going to make a wreath with coffee filters. I even bought the natural brown ones.
But as you saw from my post, I ended making a smaller wreath so I used scallop paper punch & book pages for mine.
I may still try & make one with the coffee filters though.
And I'm still giggling. Probably will all day. Thanks!
- May 6, 2010 at 10:49 AM


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Last night I presented a paper at the weekly graduate seminar series I attend and it went surprisingly well.
'Blots, Others and Desire: The dossier of the anxious spy'
This paper navigates the development of the spy genre, beginning with the genre's revolutionary roots, using Lacanian psychoanalysis as its compass. From the troubling blot of the hunted man to the curiosity of the accidental spy, Lacanian concepts enable us to meaningfully explore the psychology of the spy genre. In turn, the spy genre in turn offers fresh territory in which to expand our understanding of the big Other, desire and the Lacanian blot.
I didn't quite stick to this abstract, however; in fact, I'd rather forgotten about it. Bad student.
My paper did look at the history of the genre, as a case study of the anxious subject, but I only briefly touched on desire and the Lacanian blot. Instead, I focussed largely on how the development of the spy-hero can be read through Lacan's Imaginary, Symbolic and Real registers. However, I think I can be forgiven in light of the fact it was a seriously condensed version of the chapter I hope it will span out into.
It prompted a fascinating discussion afterwards on the concept of work (i.e. the adversarial spy who is employed to work v. the 'professional' spy who is a hero) and a debate on why the spy-hero is an object of desire (i.e. as the Other that knows and as a sexualised figure).
Came home with heaps of ideas on where I can take this thing next.


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You might have already seen this quilted - but it is back to tell you - IT IS BOUND!!! Oh yes it is!!! Can you believe it - Bound before the end of the year!!!
And - Because I wasn't as organized as I normally am ( Ok - that's enough laughing from you all!) I had to take the photo all by myself. And this is the one time I didn't cuss the wind - it held that quilt up pretty nicely! Yay wind .... and now since I am done with the wind - it can go away!
This was me being talented and holding with one hand, shooting with the other - you are impressed aren't you?
And just so you can see the texture of the quilting
Yesterday afternoon I was out on my shooting excursion for the week - Look what I found!!! This was on the top post of the entrance to a ranch!! I couldn't help myself, I had to hop out and take a photograph of two!!!
It says singer on it!
Here is the other side without so much sun glare
That is all - you may head back and quilt!!
Linked with:


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Below is an essay I wrote recently on the democratic situation in Russia and Ukraine… Enjoy:
Given the current situation in Russia and Ukraine, it seems somewhat pertinent for this essay to discuss the nature of democracy in these states and whether they can actually be considered democracies in an orthodox manner or even in the broadest sense; it will also explore whether these post-communist regimes are actually something entirely different, such as a form of authoritarian regime. This essay will begin by analysing the third wave of democratisation and will develop a critique of its application to post-communist states, such as Russia and Ukraine. Subsequently, it will then define the concept of 'democracy' and how democratic regimes have traditionally been defined by scholars. The essay will move on to develop a number of alternative conceptualisations of democracy in turn and apply these to both the past and present regimes in Russia and Ukraine; these definitions diverge from the traditional liberal definition in a number of ways, as will be shown. It is then necessary to contemplate a number of alternative conceptions of the regimes that have existed in Russia and Ukraine, by considering whether these regimes are actually authoritarian and what type of authoritarian regime they are. This essay will conclude that Russia and Ukraine are definitely not orthodox liberal democracies and that they are either illiberal democracies of a number of forms or authoritarian regimes of a competitive or electoral nature.
The third wave of democratisation refers to the third major surge of democracy in history, which occurred in the 1970s, 1980s and early 1990s with the collapse of various authoritarian regimes in Europe and Latin America (Huntingdon, 1991). The existing body of transition theory takes the view that these regimes will eventually transform into liberal democracies (Linz, 1990; Huntingdon, 1993).
There are a number of problems that arise when applying existing transition theory from the third wave of democratisation to the post-Soviet situation in Russia and Ukraine. The context of the transition process in Russia contrasts with a number of countries in Europe that were permitted relatively stable transitions, with economic aid and the metaphorical carrot of membership of the EU and NATO being dangled before them (McDonough et al., 1998). In Russia and Ukraine, there was never the promise of EU or NATO membership and whilst the counties of Western Europe were facing a single transformation as they were situated in economies that had earlier undergone economic liberalisation (Encarnación, 2001; Bermeo, 1994). Indeed, Nelson highlights the fact that Spain's political transformation 'occurred after some fifteen years of considerable economic growth' (1993: 446). Russia and Ukraine were having to move from a totalitarian system to democracy, from a command economy to a market based economy, were having to build new nation states (Tolz, 1998; Kuzio, 2002) sometimes in precarious circumstances (Smith, 1998; Janmaat, 2000), and also, especially poignant in the Ukrainian situation, they were having to build nations from heterogenous groups of people.
Moreover, the notion of transition in Russia and Ukraine simply did not exist: what were they transitioning to and from? In both of these states, there was no historical legacy of democracy, nor of non-authoritarian regimes (Roper & Fesnic, 2003). Additionally, much of transition theory has focused on the number of elections that states have to hold in order to be considered democratic. Some scholars (Schedler, 2002) have claimed that to be considered democratic, they must have a certain number of free and fair elections, with a peaceful changeover of power. In many cases, this cannot be applied to Russia and Ukraine given that they have had elections, but they have not always been free and fair (Pammett & DeBardeleben, 1996; Nicoleyenko, 2004). Most notably in the Ukrainian case, changes of power have not been orderly, with the 2004 'Orange Revolution' (Wilson, 2005; Christensen et al., 2005; McFaul, 2007) and the 2014 'Maidan Revolution' (Guardian, 2014) not being changes of power that were necessarily peaceful or as one would expect in a democratic state. Literature on democratisation often takes for granted the fact that transitions from authoritarian regimes will encompass a certain level of acquiescence with the opposition voice in Russia has been largely paralysed or driven underground by the Putin regime (Blondel, 1997). With Russia and Ukraine, both the old regime and its challengers were relatively equal for most of the democratic transition period, with McFaul suggesting that this particular situation led to "protracted confrontation", which in turn meant that in both these cases, what was created were 'unconsolidate, unstable, partial democracies and autocracies' (2002: 214).
Furthermore, it is imperative to define what a democracy actually is, in order to discuss how such a definition affects how we see the regimes in Russia and Ukraine. The idea that is conjured up when ordinarily defining a democratic state stems from a procedural, westernised, liberal definition of democracy was which firstly offered by Schumpeter. For Schumpeter,
'the democratic method is that institutional arrangement for arriving at political decisions in which individuals acquire the power to decide by means of a competitive struggle for the people's vote' (1947: 269).
Indeed, the conditions that are frequently seen to define a democratic state include the above definition given by Schumpeter, but has also further been defined by a number of works from other scholars, as we will now see.
Dahl (1971) defines democracy as being contingent upon six main characteristics: in a democratic state, citizens ought to be able to have the freedom to form and join organisations; the freedom to express their views and access alternative sources of information; they must be able to vote in free and fair elections and compete for office without major obstacles; to be able to hold politicians to account, but also for politicians to expect to be held to account by the public; and lastly, but by no means least importantly, citizens ought to be able to trust that their judiciary is independent from political control and that the rule of law is upheld by the security forces, the government, and the judiciary.
Further to this, an orthodox definition of democracy, which would suggest that neither Russia nor Ukraine are democratic, was given by Mény and Surel (2002), who highlight the importance of a 'constitutional democracy' to balance out the rule of the demos, that is the popular vote,
'democracy has become a composite regime which combines the rule of the people in many different ways with the rule of law as a counterweight to the discretionary and arbitrary power of the people's representatives' (2002: 8-9).
This form of democracy encompasses a Madisonian definition with the requirements, via a constitution, of good government with limits on executive autonomy and guarantees of individual liberty and collective rights, alongside a system of legislative checks and balances. These do not exist in Russia (Amnesty International, 2013) and only partially in Ukraine (Freedom House, 2014). This essay will now move on to look at a number of other forms of democracy, collectively labelled as "adjectival democracies" (Balzer, 2003) and will be analysed in relation to Russia and Ukraine.
It would be a much easier world for political scientists if all states fitted into these idealised definitions of what a democracy is; sadly, they do not. Russia and Ukraine are notable examples of countries which, in recent years, have come to be seen by political scientists and analysts as something more nuanced than an orthodox democratic state.
In the post-1989 era, scholars have analysed countries from the 'third wave' of democratisation (Linz, 1990) and also from the post-Soviet bloc, which is also known as the 'fourth wave of democratisation' (McFaul, 2002; Doorenspleet, 2005) and have conceived a number of new types of political regime (Way, 2005) which this essay will now analyse in turn. It will evaluate the various forms of democratic regime which differ from the orthodox, liberal norm, these include: illiberal democracies; sovereign democracies; delegative democracies; and managed democracies, before analysing how each of these types of democracy fit in with the existing models of contemporary Russia and Ukraine. Subsequently, it will then consider new forms of authoritarianism which have been forged in recent years, such as competitive authoritarianism and electoral authoritarianism and the impact that these have had on Russia and Ukraine.
Illiberal democracies are democracies in which governance by the people is combined with major shortcomings in the provision of constitutional liberties and individual rights and freedoms (Zakaria, 1997; Diamond, 1999). According to O'Donnell, illiberal democracies are systems that empower an individual
'to become, for a given number of years, the embodiment and interpreter of the high interests of the nation…after the elections, voters/delegators are expected to become a passive, but cheering audience of what the President does' (1994: 60).
Illiberal democracies tend to be strongly majoritarian and Russia, under Putin, is no exception to the rule. An illiberal democracy exists in Russia (Oversloot and Verheul, 2006), albeit in a slightly different manner to O'Donnell's definition. Firstly, although elections take place, they matter even less than the insignificant role O'Donnell gives them because of the fact that the Putin regime has created an almost hegemonic grip on power (Economist, 2003). It has even been the case that voters/delegators are largely a passive, but cheering audience of what the President does, even during elections (Levada Poll, 2012). Even when the Russian presidency was at its most unpopular in the run-up and aftermath of the 2011 elections, the personal popularity of Putin and support for the regime held relatively steady with 30% of voters saying they would vote for Putin, with the nearest rival candidate coming a long distance away with only 10% of the poll, with a significant number reacting positively to Putin's decision to contest the 2012 election (Levada Poll, 2012).
According to some scholars, illiberal democracy is seen to be a 'growth industry' (Zakaria, 1997); this has particularly been the case in Russia with the Putin regime moving towards 'heightened illiberalism' under Putin (1997: 24), fast ending any hope Russia would eventually mature into a slightly more liberal form of democracy. All of the forms of democracy below are of an illiberal nature and having defined what a liberal democracy is, the essay will now consider the other types of illiberal democracy that scholars have formulated in recent years.
The label of a sovereign democracy has been used by some commentators and political protagonists to describe the existing political system in Russia; it has been associated with a paternalistic environment where top leaders and their ideas are more important than the actions and elections of political institutions (Isaev & Baranov, 2009; Putin, 2012; Dubin, 2012). Putin has sought to differentiate Russia from the manner in which other countries of the 'third wave' have democratised by referring to Russia's 'national model of democracy' (Putin, 2012e).
When attempting to analyse Russia's relationship with democracy, one must take into account the significant transformations that have occurred in Russia over the last 25 years. The Federation has moved from being a one-party state and one of two world powers in a nation that combined many different republics, of which Russia was one, to a system that is theoretically a multi-party democracy in a multi-polar international system where Russia has 'sovereignty' over its actions, but no longer has a comradely union with its neighbours due to the fact they are now also sovereign states. The Russian economy has also been transformed from a government-dominated planned economy to a market-based economy, despite being largely controlled by a small number of oligarchic individuals.
Moreover, Dubin (2012) has highlighted that the majority of Russians feel that their political system is substantially different to the more orthodox western European and American models. Russians see their type of government as an imperfect developing democracy, as a result of the transformations noted above (Isaev & Baranov, 2009) and that the Russian political system has defects that are commonplace in countries at a similar level of democratic development (Schleifer & Tresiman, 2004).
Officials in the government have claimed that Russia is a 'sovereign democracy' in order to define it differently in comparison with models defined by Western scholars and to attempt to legitimise the political establishment that exists in Russia (Hayoz, 2012). The sovereignty of the Russian democratic model is also attached to the fact that Russia feels that although the international system is now multi-polar and Russia has increasing economic and political clout, the United States and Europe still view it as something of a junior partner. Many in the western media portray Russia as the 'other' and whip up a dichotomous narrative about Russia and the West that harks back to the Cold War and neglect to recognise Russia's strategic interests within the existing international system.
Some posited that the Yanukovych regime in Ukraine was also a sovereign democracy as it sought to avoid intervention from outside influences, whilst fitting in with the viewpoint that it was a democracy, albeit in an imperfect manner. The sovereignty of the political regime under Yanukovych can be highlighted by the fact that he was hesitant to side with one grouping or another when it came to deciding whether to sign a trade deal with the EU or to back an agreement with Russia. Further to this, the style of democracy that Yanukovych implemented was all about protecting the political and economic influence of those closest to the regime (Guardian, 2014b); ergo, he sought to crack down on those who opposed the malfeasance of the regime which he embodied (Financial Times, 2014).
A delegative democracy (O'Donnell, 1994) is one in which the formal requirements of democracy are upheld by the regime, despite the fact that residual elements of authoritarianism remain. In such a democracy, the leader (often the President) is able to rule as they see fit and institutions that would normally ensure accountability are largely absent. It is frequently the case that countries that adhere to this type of democracy do not have a long experience of democratic governance. For this reason, Kubicek (1994) has defined Russia under Yeltsin as a delegative democracy as elections were held, but the readiness of Yeltsin to place himself above the political institutions and create a constitution that gave rise to a powerful presidency and a weak legislature, encouraged Kubicek to claim that Russia, in the immediate post-Soviet period, had all the hallmarks of a delegative democratic system.
Further to this, a system which has all the formal trappings of democracy present, but in which the above institutions are restrained, regulated and controlled by a central authority has been defined as a 'managed democracy'. A number of scholars and analysts see Russia in this light, with Markov (2004) seeing the constraints on parliament and the judiciary, to name but a few restrictive institutions being a 'natural stage in the development of Russia from Soviet dictatorship to normal democracy'. Additionally, Colton & McFaul (2002) see Russia in this light as the regime permits a limited diversity of opinion, but it fixes itself the boundaries in which such opinion can be expressed.
A seminal work by Levitsky and Way (2002) brought the idea of a competitive authoritarian regime into mainstream academic consciousness. In a competitive authoritarian regime, institutions and the level of democracy falls short of meeting the orthodox criteria for defining a democracy outlined above. Levitsky and Way posit that 'in competitive authoritarian regimes, formal democratic institutions are widely viewed as the principal means of obtaining and exercising political authority, even if those institutions are biased towards those who hold incumbency' (2002: 52).
Although these regimes do not meet democratic criteria, they cannot be described as wholly authoritarian because the leaders of such regimes are unable to eliminate 'formal democratic rules or reduce them to a mere façade' (Levitsky & Way, 2002: 53). It is often the case that despite the fact that elections take place in competitive authoritarian regimes, those who lead said regimes are 'more likely to use bribery…to legally harass, persecute, or distort co-operative behaviour from critics' (ibid: 53).
A contemporary illustration of Russia being seen at a sub-national level as a competitive authoritarian regime was in the 2013 Moscow Mayoral elections when, rather than moving to ban outright the political opposition or fix theresults in a manner that would not be credible, the regime sought to tame it by including one of its leader, Alexi Navalny in the elections, where he came a distant second (Guardian, 2013). Russia, at a federal level, cannot be seen to be a competitive authoritarian regime as there is no alternative hegemony that competes with United Russia and the Putin regime in presidential or parliamentary elections.
With regards to Ukraine, some have positioned the recent Ukrainian regimes as being of a competitive and authoritarian nature, as they've not been effective at governing for and on behalf of the people (Guardian, 2014c). Firstly, under Kuchma and subsequently under Yanokovich, the state became in thrall to individual and group interests whilst dominant elites used the state to gain power and protect its interests, ergo becoming somewhat authoritarian in nature. What the aforementioned article demonstrates is that the regime in Ukraine is competitive because there is space for more than one elite in Ukraine, as was seen in the aftermath of the 2004 'revolution'. Although there previously have been some irregularities with the Ukrainian elections (Canadian government, 2012), change through the ballot box has been possible as was seen in 2010 when Yushchenko's elite ceded power in a peaceful manner to Yanukovych and his supporters. Despite the frequently peaceful nature of these elites, the quality of democracy in Ukraine that existed between 2004 and 2014 was still somewhat volatile; although some optimistically opined that Ukraine could move towards a process of democratization, eventually becoming a more liberal democracy; the events of the six months have highlighted that Ukraine still has a long way to go and has become an authoritarian state once more. Having looked at what constitutes a competitive authoritarian regime, this essay will now analyse what factors make up an electoral authoritarian regime and apply this case to Russia.
Schedler (2006) defines an electoral authoritarian regime as being one which 'plays the game of multi-party elections', whilst violating the liberal democratic principles of freedom and fairness in the electoral system, to the degree that it renders unworkable any kind of democratic nature of the electoral political system in a state that is led by an authoritarian leadership of this nature.
In an electoral authoritarian regime, the said violations mean that elections become something of an instrument of authoritarian rule. A typical electoral authoritarian regime is that of Fujimori (Carrión, 2006) and some have claimed that under the Medvedev-Putin tandem, Russia is facing a similar situation. Under the Fujimori dictatorship Peruvian elections took place, but any political opposition to the regime was severely restricted (Attwood, 2001). The state manipulation of elections that has been carried out over the last fourteen years in Russia has meant that elections have become subject to manipulation in such a manner that they have been stripped of any possible democratic value.
In Russia, it is possible to make the claim that the federal government exists in something of an authoritarian bubble, as the regime has devised discriminatory electoral rules through legislation, such as the law "on political parties" (2001) leading some to posit that Putin seeks to create a 'dictatorship of law' (Kahn, 2002; 2004). The Russian authorities have sought to inhibit any form of political dissent by minimizing the penetration of a political opposition in the legislature, leading some scholars to concoct a number of typologies into which Russian political parties might fit (White, 2012), with some labeling the United Russia grouping a "party of power" (Roberts, 2012). Whilst opposition leaders have been imprisoned, most famously including Alexei Navalny and a number of other key opposition figures, but also, most recently, interrogating the leader of the opposition liberal party, Yabloko (Yabloko, 2014). Furthermore, the Putin regime has sought to restrict what passes from the public to the mass media by shutting down opposition news websites, but also limiting access to radio stations and TV networks (Rianovosti, 2012; Guardian, 2014d; BBC, 2014), clearly demonstrating that the Putin regime is somewhat authoritarian and that it does not have an alternative elite to compete with it in the same manner that the Ukrainian regime does.
To recapitulate, it is without doubt that neither of these countries would be considered liberal democracies. This essay has shown that both of these countries can be seen as illiberal democracies, however, they can also be seen as hybrid-authoritarian regimes. Russia is best characterized as being a sovereign democracy, a managed democracy or an electoral authoritarian regime. Ukraine, despite the fact that it faces an uncertain future after the 'Maidan revolution' of early 2014, is best characterized by its previous regime, which can be said to be either a sovereign democracy or a competitive authoritarian regime. The recent election of Poroshenko has led to some hopes for a democracy in Ukraine; conversely, one may opine that this is merely a change of elite as previously happened in Ukraine in 2004 and 2010. On the whole, there is still a lot of work that has to be done for either country to move away from a slow march into heightened illiberalism and authoritarianism.
Amnesty International (2013) 'Annual Report: Russian Federation'. Published http://www.amnesty.org/en/region/russia/report-2013. Retrieved on 27th May 2014.
Atwood, R. (2001). Democratic Dictators: Authoritarian Politics in Peru from Leguía to Fujimori. SAIS Review, 21(2), 155-176.
Balzer, H. (2003). Managed pluralism: Vladimir Putin's emerging regime. Post-Soviet Affairs, 19(3), 189-227. Chicago.
BBC News (2014) 'Liberal Russian TV Dozhd fights closure amid boycott'. Published on 4th February 2014. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-26030151. Retrieved on 26th May 2014.
Bermeo, N. (1994). Sacrifice, sequence, and strength in successful dual transitions: Lessons from Spain. The Journal of Politics, 56(03), 601-627.
Blondel, J. (1997). Political opposition in the contemporary world. Government and Opposition, 32(4), 462-486.
Carrión, J. (Ed.). (2006). The Fujimori Legacy: The Rise of Electoral Authoritarianism in Peru. Penn State Press.
Canadian Foreign Ministry (2012) 'Canada Troubled by Irregularities in Ukrainian Electoral Campaign'. Published on 2nd October 2012. http://www.international.gc.ca/media/aff/news-communiques/2012/10/02a.aspx?lang=eng Retrieved on 26th May 2014.
Christensen, R. K., Rakhimkulov, E. R., & Wise, C. R. (2005). The Ukrainian Orange Revolution brought more than a new president: What kind of democracy will the institutional changes bring?. Communist and Post-Communist Studies,38(2), 207-230.
Colton, T. J., & McFaul, M. (2002). Are Russians Undemocratic?. Post-Soviet Affairs, 18(2), 91-121.
Dahl, R. A. (1971). Polyarchy: participation and opposition (Vol. 254). Yale University Press.
Diamond, L. (1999). Developing democracy: Toward consolidation. JHU Press.
Doorenspleet, R. (2005). Democratic transitions: Exploring the structural sources of the fourth wave. Boulder, CO: Lynne Rienner Publishers.
Dubin, B. (2012). The Myth of the" Special Path" in Contemporary Russian Public Opinion. Russian Politics and Law, 50(5), 35-51.
The Economist (2003), 'Putin power'. Published 9th October 2003. http://www.economist.com/node/2122000. Retrieved on 27th May 2014
Encarnación, O. G. (2001). Civil society and the consolidation of democracy in Spain. Political Science Quarterly, 116(1), 53-79.
Financial Times (2014) 'Ukraine protestors dig in fearing bigger crackdown'. Published on 19th February 2014. http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/ba5bbddc-9949-11e3-b3a2-00144feab7de.html?siteedition=uk#slide0. Retrieved on 26th May 2014.
Freedom House (2014) 'Ukraine moves closer to outlawing dissent'. Published 16th January 2014. http://www.freedomhouse.org/article/ukraine-moves-closer-outlawing-dissent#.U4YKj5RdXXw. Retrieved on 27th May 2014.
The Guardian (2013) 'Putin's nose bloodied by Russia's rival mayoral candidates'. Published on 8th September 2013. http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/sep/08/russia-opposition-mayoral-candidates-vladimir-putin. Retrieved on 26th May 2014.
The Guardian (2014) 'Architects of revolt: the Kiev square that sparked Ukraine's insurrection. Published on 8th April 2014. http://www.theguardian.com/cities/2014/apr/08/architects-revolt-kiev-maidan-square-ukraine-insurrection. Retrieved on 26th May 2014.
The Guardian (2014b) 'Viktor Yanukovych is gone, but where are Ukraine's missing millions'. Published on 25th February 2014. http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/feb/25/viktor-yanukovych-gone-where-ukraine-missing-millions. Retrieved on 26th May 2014.
The Guardian (2014c) 'Ukraine has not experienced a genuine revolution, merely a change of elites'. Published on 28th February 2014.http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/feb/28/ukraine-genuine-revolution-tackle-corruption. Retrieved on 28th May 2014.
The Guardian, (2014d) 'Russia censors media by blocking websites and popular blog'. Published on 14th March 2014 http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/mar/14/russia-bans-alexei-navalny-blog-opposition-news-websites. Retrieved on 26th May 2014.
Hayoz, N. (2012) "Globalisation and Discursive Resistance: Authoritarian Power Structures in Russia and the Challenges of Modernity." In Jonson, L., & White, S. (Eds.). (2012). Waiting for Reform Under Putin and Medvedev. Palgrave Macmillan.
Huntington, S. P. (1991). Democracy's third wave. Journal of democracy, 2(2), 12-34.
Huntington, S. P. (1993). The third wave: Democratization in the late twentieth century (Vol. 4). University of Oklahoma press.
Isaev, B. and Baranov N. (2009) Politicheskie otnoshenija I politicheskij process v sovermennoj Rossii. St Petersburg: Piter
Janmaat, J. G. (2000). Nation-building in post-Soviet Ukraine: Educational policy and the response of the Russian-speaking population. KNAG.
Kahn, J. (2002). Federalism, democratization, and the rule of law in Russia. Oxford University Press.
Kahn, J. D. (2004). Russia's "Dictatorship of Law" and the European Court of Human Rights. Rev. Cent. & E. Eur. L., 29, 1-1.
Kubiček, P. (1994). Delegative democracy in Russia and Ukraine. Communist and Post-communist studies, 27(4), 423-441.
Kuzio, T. (2002). Ukraine: State and nation building. Routledge.
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Levitsky, S., & Way, L. (2002). The rise of competitive authoritarianism.Journal of democracy, 13(2), 51-65.
Linz, J. J. (1990). The perils of presidentialism. Journal of democracy, 1(1), 51-69.
Markov, S. (2004) in Moscow Times 'Can the system depend on institutions and not just Putin? Published on 8th April 2004. http://russiaprofile.org/politics/a1124.html. Retrieved on 27th May 2014.
McDonough, P., Barnes, S. H., & Pina, A. L. (1998). The cultural dynamics of democratization in Spain. Cornell University Press.
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Nikolayenko, O. (2004). Press freedom during the 1994 and 1999 presidential elections in Ukraine: a reverse wave?. Europe-Asia Studies, 56(5), 661-686.
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A. General Policy
This policy designates who, within the University, is authorized to sign and approve contracts on behalf of the University. The Board of Trustees and the Chairman of the Board have delegated to the President of the University general control and supervision over all educational, financial and administrative matters pertaining to the University. The Board has also delegated to the Treasurer the custody of all funds and securities of the University and directed the Treasurer, in his or her capacity as Vice President for Investments, to assist the President of the University in the financial affairs and operation of the University.
"Signature authority" is the authority to execute transactions up to limits established by the Board, the President or the Treasurer or by relevant University policies. The signer of a contract is ultimately responsible for the appropriateness and correctness of the transaction and its terms. Individuals with signature authority, however, may be assisted by their subordinates who have approval authority to recommend signature. "Approval authority" is the authority to approve transactions for execution by a person with signature authority, and approval attests to the appropriateness of the transaction within the University's program objectives and budgetary authorizations.
Within defined limits, signature authority to approve and execute contracts (including, but not limited to, investment and financial agreements, bank accounts, construction contracts, insurance arrangements, real estate agreements and leases, benefit contracts, employment contracts, estates and trusts, and borrowing) rests with the President or Treasurer depending on the nature of the transaction. The President may delegate signature authority within defined limits to the Provost, specific University Vice Presidents, the General Counsel or other employees of Rice for particular transactions. With the approval of the President, these individuals may further delegate in writing such signature authority within defined limits to deans, directors or managers who report to those individuals. As provided by the Bylaws or authorized by the Board, the Treasurer may also delegate signature authority for various financial transactions under his or her purview to an Associate Treasurer.
Approval authority for general operating expenditures within a budget approved by the President or Provost may be delegated by the President or Provost to a dean, department chair or director of a unit. Approval authority for general operating expenditures within a budget approved by the Vice President for Finance and Administration ("VPFA") may be delegated by the VPFA to the Associate Vice President for Finance and Administration, the Associate Vice President for Facilities and Engineering, the Associate Vice President for Human Resources or any director or manager who reports to the VPFA. Individuals who have received approval authority from the President, Provost or VPFA may further delegate such approval authority in writing within defined limits to individuals who report to them, with the approval of the President, Provost or VPFA, as the case may be.
B. Legal Review of Contracts
The Office of the General Counsel shall perform legal review of contracts. No contract in excess of $75,000 shall be signed without legal review, unless the language of the contract has previously been approved by the Office of the General Counsel or an approved Rice University form is used. (The $75,000 limit applies also to multi-year contracts totaling $75,000 or more.) All contracts that have rights or commitments in excess of three years or which provide indemnification against claims (whether by or for the benefit of Rice) or seek to limit the amount or type of liability in any way also must be reviewed by the Office of General Counsel prior to approval and signature. The Office of the General Counsel shall also review all contracts with provisions establishing the choice of law or the forum or means for resolution of disputes and all contracts with confidentiality or non-disclosure obligations.
C. General Information
1. Any contract for goods or services or committing the University in an amount equaling or exceeding $600,000 must be approved by the President (unless it involves a matter assigned by the Bylaws or the Board to the Treasurer). Multi-year contracts totaling $600,000 or more come under this requirement. Contracts for research or external support for research for $600,000 or more, however, may be approved and signed by the Provost or Vice Provost for Research after approval by the President or pursuant to guidelines and protocols approved by the President.
2. While all contracts require that those approving or signing them have the necessary authority under this Policy, and contracts for $600,000 or more must be approved by the President, any contract in excess of $250,000 also must be approved by the Provost or Vice President overseeing the operational area and signed by the President or the VPFA (other than research contracts governed by C.1 and C.6 of this Policy). In certain circumstances, if approved in advance in writing by the President or the VPFA, signature authority for such contracts may be delegated to the Provost, the Vice President overseeing the operational area or General Counsel, and approval authority may be delegated to a dean, director or manager who reports to the Provost or the particular Vice-President. Any contract involving investments, financial instruments or interests, securities or financial management in excess of $250,000 must be signed by the Treasurer or an Associate Treasurer, if so authorized by the Treasurer.
3. All appointment letters and employment agreements for faculty must follow Rice University Policy No. 201-01 (4) [Faculty Appointments, Promotion and Tenure]. All staff employees are employees at will, unless they have a written employment agreement for a definite term signed by the President, the Provost or a Vice President. Any staff employment agreement must also be approved by the Associate Vice President for Human Resources prior to signature and must comply with University policy and procedures. While the Athletic Director can recommend approval of coaches' employment contracts, the President or his/her designee must sign such contracts.
4. Purchases of supplies, equipment and other goods must comply with relevant Rice policies, including Policy 814-00 (Purchasing Policy) and the Purchasing and Payment Manual issued by the Buy/Pay Department under that policy. Travel expenditures also must comply with Rice University policies, including Policy Nos. 806-99 (Travel Policy) and 811-99 (Business Meeting and Entertainment Expense). Agreements to purchase or obtain a license for software to be used administratively by the University should be approved by the Vice President for Information Technology or his/her designees or comply with guidelines issued by the Vice President for Information Technology in order to ensure that the software and its use are consistent with University systems and policies.
5. Unless otherwise provided in this section C, all contracts for the rental or use of University property or facilities must be approved and signed by the VPFA or his/her designees pursuant to guidelines issued by the VPFA governing the use of University property and facilities. Agreements for the rental or use of the Rice Memorial Center or Ley Student Center, however, must be approved and signed by the Vice President for Student Affairs or his/her designees pursuant to guidelines governing the use of such facilities. Contracts for the rental or use of athletic facilities must be approved by the Athletic Director or his/her designees pursuant to guidelines governing the use of such facilities.
6. The Provost or Vice Provost for Research must approve and sign all contracts for research or external support for research, pursuant to guidelines governing such agreements as administered by the Office of Sponsored Research.
7. The Director of the Office of Technology Transfer for the University shall negotiate licenses and option agreements for licenses with entities interested in developing inventions and discoveries covered by the University's Intellectual Property policies, pursuant to guidelines and limits established by the President or Provost and with legal review by the Office of the General Counsel. Such license agreements for University-created technologies and option agreements for such licenses shall be signed by the President, Provost or Treasurer or their designees.
8. Students and student organizations may not enter into any contracts in the name of or on behalf of Rice University or committing Rice University or any of its funds or facilities without the prior approval and the signature of the Vice President for Student Affairs or his/her designees.
9. Any contracts involving use of the University's name for publicity or advertising or use of the University's logo must be approved by the President or his or her designee prior to signature.
10. Each administrative unit, department or area of the University which executes a contract pursuant to proper approval and signature authority shall keep the signed contract on file for the period of the contract plus four (4) years or the period required by law or the contract, whichever is longer. If signed contracts are sent to a different location, a log should be maintained describing the contract and indicating where it is being kept. Copies of all executed contracts in excess of $75,000, for commitments longer than three years or involving any indemnities or limitations of liability should also be sent to the Office of the General Counsel.
11. No employee may approve or sign a contract in violation of the University's policies on conflict of interest (such as Policy Nos. 216-97 and 838-99), and any matters that may come within the conflict of interest policies must be disclosed and resolved pursuant to those policies prior to the execution of the contract.
12. Any authorizations given under this Policy may be modified or withdrawn by the authorizing person at any time. The Board, its Chair, the President or the Treasurer, depending upon the particular contractual subject, may also modify or withdraw approval and signature authority for a given office or area of the University or on a particular subject matter at any time.
Policy No. 810-01
Date: November 16, 2001


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|Site location. Click to enlarge.
|Sample site, Hutchinson Hall on right.
|The fallen cone microhabitat, with
cigarette butts.
|Female Tachygyna ursina (left)
and T. vancouverana (right)
|Juvenile theridiid
Interestingly, I found no spiders in the cones I tapped in the middle of the plot. All spiders came from cones lying within a few inches of the building or the tennis court wall. Was this random chance, or was it due to differences between the "inner" and "edge" cones in microclimate or predation pressure or some other factor?
|Another view of the sample site.


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In a few days, I will be 24 and my friends will be pouring me with loads of surprise gifts. But every year I waited for three gifts the most, one each from my Sister, Best Friend and Mom!!. But this time, my sis and best friend have disclosed what they are going to gift me.
Best Friend:
Now, I am waiting for my mom's gift!! I know it's going to be good. Plus, I my next post will be about Suitings!!


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We are heavy users of open source projects like Python, Twisted and more. Along the way we've built software we feel might be more generally useful, and are happy to have it available to the community at large.
Eliot is a logging framework for Python that allows you to understand the flow of actions within a running program, as opposed to the normal approach of logging a series of disconnected isolated data points.
Machinist makes it easy to create extremely powerful finite state machines in Python, almost a necessity when doing event-driven programming.


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Higher Education
The Bavarian-Indian Centre coordinates and promotes the university cooperation between India and Bavaria. BayIND acts as a contact point for Indian students, PhD candidates and lecturers, who are interested in the exchange between Bavaria and India.
Higher Education Area Bavaria
- 9 Bavarian state Universities
- 17 state Universities of Applied Sciences
- 6 state Universities of Arts
- 12 Bavarian location of Max-Planck Institutes (for basic research)
- 11 Bavarian institutes and establishments of the Frauenhofer Gesellschaft (for applied research)
- 3.900 partnerships and cooperations with foreign universities and colleges in approx. 123 countries
Location Bavaria
Bavaria has an excellent national and international reputation as a location for science and research.
Above all the state Bavaria is a trend-setter in the fields of information technology, biotechnology, nanosciences, energy and environmental technology.
Study in Bavaria
Due to the low tuition fees and the excellent studying conditions, Bavarian Universities and Universities of Applied Sciences increasingly attract international students. Numerous of Bavaria's universities offer both Bachelor's and Master's degree programmes in English language.
Integration in Bavaria
The International Offices (Akademische Auslandsämter), which are directly located at the universities will support you doing your first steps in Germany. Among other activities, they will provide support in terms of registration of foreign students, so that questions relating to immigration and residence permits could be clarified easily. There is always an active community of Bavarian or international students which will accommodate the newcomers.
Service of BayIND
- Information on higher education in Bavaria
- Information on Bavarian study programmes
- Information on PhD in Bavaria
- Support for student exchange
- Assistance for research projects
Consultations about studying in Bavaria in Bangalore, Delhi and Mumbai
13th and 14th October in Bangalore
5th - 6th October at India Habitat Centre, New Delhi
BayIND as strategic partner


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Would you believe this is in a barn?! Sarah Steinberg of Steinberg Custom Designs out of Cumberland, Maine transformed the space photographed by Kristina O'Brien using materials from a renovation she did of the main home on the property. The results are absolutely charming! I'm drooling over the the walls and floors especially, and that sliding barn door! Such a functional, cute kitchen too...love the shelves! Read more about the project right over here!
Love turquoise? Visit my shopping blog Everything Turquoise...updated several times throughout the day! Check out Decor by Color for even more color-themed shopping!


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Wednesday, September 24, 2014
One of the secrets of a happy life is continuous small treats. ~ Iris Murdoch
5 comments:
- Lisa said...
Yes, this is so true. And it's not a matter of selfishness, but more like encouraging oneself.
- September 24, 2014
- FlowerLady Lorraine said...
Pretty roses dear Val, and they look so lovely in your sweet place.
Love and hugs ~ FlowerLady
P.S. What did you have in mind for a needleworked heart?
- September 24, 2014
- La Table De Nana said...
I like that saying.. when I started working..I put my salary into our home with Jacques..but I always saved something out of it..for something..First items?
2 Cabbage Patch Kids..one for each of our daughters:)
I still remember.
I see Strawberry Shortcake back there.
You are too cute.
The roses are beautiful.
- September 24, 2014
- Marie Rayner said...
What beautiful roses Monique. I love the quote you opened with. It is the secret to being joyful in life. Everyone needs a treat, and money need not be spent. It is in the simple things. xxoo
- September 25, 2014
- Val said...
Lisa, I really like that way of looking at it: Encouraging oneself. That's a nice way of thinking of it. And this bouquet was only $3.99! 'Silly not to treat myself more often when it's such a small splurge.
Lorraine, thank you--and I will email you about the heart. :)
Monique, I remember well the Cabbage Patch craze. :) How sweet that those were your first two "saves." :) And thank you. Strawberry Shortcake, Care Bears, and Holly Hobbie are all happy memories for me--and some of oldest memories. Such sweet, good characters. ♥
Marie, thank you. And yes.
- September 26, 2014


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These are the times for conscious healing and transitions. It is a time for finding solace and joy and the liberal (or conservative) application as your needs demand.
Me? I needed extra sleep so that is why the Freakout is being posted on Saturday.
For your musical balm of the week coming out of the Grooveyard is the beloved Earth, Wind and Fire with their spacey rendition of Let's Groove
So that is the thought for the next week. If you are in Staycation or airborne mode this is your life; let's groove while we still have the chance.


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Two nights ago I was fortunate to hang out with my friend Daniel aka eGlamour.
He just happened to be in the same city!
I have known him for three years and he has been progressing with his craft. You can check out his myspace page at eGlamour
I had not seen him in those three years. I came across his photos when he began and I always thought they were special.
What I admire about Daniel is that he is humble and that he has worked very hard for everything that he has. His story is an empowering one and it inspired me. (maybe you guys will read it and feel inspired too) He could have just given up in so many ways but he hung in there.
Three years ago he came to Dallas from Los Angeles to make a better life for himself and escape his family's drama. Things didn't happen the way he thought they would and Daniel ended up living in his car. Alot of lonely nights in his car with no one to talk to except for God. Determined to make ends meet he worked 20 hours a day at Denny's. He finally got on his feet but it wasn't easy. He always had faith. Just when things seemed dim and dire he kept pulling on through. He didn't know how it was going to happen for him, he just kept at it. He moved back to Los Angeles and as his luck would have it, stumbled upon meeting the right people at the right time. Of course this didn't happen overnight. He is now the personal photographer for the artist Ray J and has had progressive success with his photography.
I was delighted to know that he has a great head on his shoulders still and has remained focused.
Everyone has a different journey in life. I cannot wait to see how his unfolds. I know he is meant for great things.
He is a great example of the virtue of patience.
(I posted a blog about PATIENCE a few days ago.)
Ps. If you are in the local area, you should get your photo taken by him. He is a swell guy!
Pss. I don't have a picture to post of us! I forgot to bring my camera and I guess he didn't use his. We just ended up hanging out and talking till the wee hours.
Here are some of his recent photographs below:
"You can't be what everybody else wants you to be. Do what makes you happy." - Tiffany Limos 3/31/09
"Acting is easy, writing is hard!" - Marlon Brando
"I am filled with love and affection." - Tiffany Limos 3/22/10
"Forgiveness is the fragrance that the violet sheds on the heel that has crushed it." - Mark Twain
About Me
- Tiffany Limos
- "Be yourself, everyone else is already taken." - Oscar Wilde
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Wednesday, April 8, 2009
eGlamour (inspiring story)
Posted by Tiffany Limos at 4/08/2009 05:19:00 PM
Labels: Brandy, Daniel Gonzales, eGlamour, Ray J


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Don't you just love how you put something away where it will be "safe" and then you can't find where you put it? I know my big camera is around here somewhere, but I still haven't found it. However, I will admit, I haven't been searching 100%. I have only looked (basically in the same places over and over again) when I think I need to take a picture of something. Then I get frustrated when it is not in those same spots and quit looking. On the plus side, I have found my challenge fabrics that I need to use in an upcoming challenge quilt. If I decide to make it. I am still up in the air on this one. Not driven to create like last years fabrics made me feel. This years fabrics are gray and blah and dull. That is how they make me feel and I am having a really hard time being inspired to create anything as amazing as my last two years quilts. I do have something in mind and that idea morphs and swirls in my head, but just hasn't come together in a way that says, "YES!! I want to make that quilt". Hopefully it will do that soon, or I will not be participating in the challenge this year. Speaking of which, I need to find out when I need to send in a picture of the "finished" quilt if I do plan on entering. Hmmm. I hope I have a little more time before I need to do that.
Tonight is Wednesday night and this is my own self-designated night for quilting. It is the one night of the week that I really, really try to make it into the studio and work on a project or something. Some weeks, I may make it to the studio every night, but there are other weeks that I only make it in there on Wednesday night. I don't know why I started or even when I began making Wednesday my quilt night, but there it is: "WEDNESDAY - QUILT NIGHT". Some Wednesdays it is staring me in the face waiting to see if I will even stick my pinky toe in the room and I can feel the pressure to sew something, anything, just sew! Other times, I don't even think about it, it just comes naturally and I can sew all night long. Well, tonight, LOL, was neither of those nights. It was in between. It just was. I sewed together two blocks from a scrappy challenge by Judy over at Patchwork Times. I think, if I remember this correctly, she will be posting a block a month and we are to use said block and make a couple of really scrappy blocks. I think (okay, I read the posting a couple of weeks ago and I have been sick since then and done a million other things so I don't remember why she is doing this. I really need to get back over there and find out, but . . . million of other things. . . plus I really don't care why, I just liked the block and I love making scrappy so I am totally happy with the plan the way I have it in my head) Anyway, I made two blocks using my scraps from my box of blocks. I put them up on my design wall and I really like the way they look. Sorry you can't see them right now - hidden camera problem. I also finished quilting my word of the year quilt and am in the process of hand stitching the binding on. I know, it goes really fast if you do it by machine, but I like hand stitching it (after I sew it on by machine to the front, then I hand stitch it on the back) I just like the look and sometimes even enjoy doing the handwork. I will tell you what my word is, once I find my camera and can take a picture to post. Here again, it all goes back to the top and the question of the night, Don't you just love how you put something away where it will be "safe" and then you can't find where you put it?


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June 2017
London. 1894. 'I am not a detective, chief constable.' 'No, but you are a poet, a freemason and a man of the world. All useful qualifications for the business in hand.' So says Police Chief Macnaghten to Oscar Wilde, in a Chelsea drawing room in the company of Arthur Conan Doyle. The business they are gathered to discuss is none other than the case of Jack the Ripper, the most notorious murderer in England. And thus the three men set out to solve one of the world's most famous mysteries - the ultimate truth about the identity of Jack the Ripper. Case Closed is Arthur Conan Doyle's account of the events of 1894, the year of the return of Jack the Ripper. Jack the Ripper: Case Closed is by Gyles Brandreth.
July 2017
The Hidden Room is by Stella Duffy. Life is good for Laurie and Martha. They have three great kids, a much-loved home in the countryside, and after years of struggle, Laurie's career as an architect is taking off at last. Everything's perfect. Except, it isn't. Someone is about to walk into their happy family and tear it apart. Laurie has been hiding from him for years. The question is, now that he's found her, can she keep her family safe? And just how far will she go to protect them?
The life she wanted wasn't hers. Everyone has an idea of what their perfect life is. For Agatha, it's Meghan Shaughnessy's. These two women from vastly different backgrounds have one thing in common - a dangerous secret that could destroy everything they hold dear. Both will risk everything to hide the truth, but their worlds are about to collide in a shocking act that cannot be undone. The Secrets she Keeps is by Michael Robotham.
Dead in the Dark is by Stephen Booth. How do you prove a murder without a body? Ten years ago, Reece Bower was accused of killing his wife, a crime he always denied. Extensive police searches near his home in Bakewell found no trace of Annette Bower's remains, and the case against him collapsed. But now memories of the original investigation have been resurrected for Detective Inspector Ben Cooper - because Reece Bower himself has disappeared, and his new wife wants answers. Cooper can't call on the Major Crime Unit and DS Diane Fry for help unless he can prove a murder took place - impossible without a body. As his search moves into the caves and abandoned mines in the isolated depths of Lathkilldale, the question is: who would want revenge for the death of Annette Bower?
When Louise Williams receives a message from someone left long in the past she feels sick. Maria Weston wants to be friends on Facebook. Because Maria Weston has been missing for over twenty years. She was last seen the night of a school leavers' party, and the world believes her to be dead. Particularly Louise, who has lived her adult life knowing herself responsible for Maria's disappearance. But now Maria is back. Or is she? As Maria's messages start to escalate, Louise forces herself to reconnect with the old friends she once tried so hard to impress, to try to piece together exactly what happened that fateful night. But when another friend's body turns up in the woods outside their old school, Louise realises she can't trust anyone and that she must confront her own awful secret to discover the whole truth of what happened to Maria .... Friend Request is by Laura Marshall.
The Fallen is by Ace Atkins. Mississippi sheriff Quinn Colson had to admit he admired the bank robbers. A new bank was hit almost every week, and the robbers rushed in and out with such skill and precision it reminded him of raids he'd led back in Afghanistan and Iraq when he was an army ranger. In fact, it reminded him so much of the techniques in the Ranger Handbook that he couldn't help wondering if the outlaws were former Rangers themselves. And that was definitely going to be a problem. If he stood any chance of catching them, he was going to need the help of old allies, new enemies, and a lot of luck. The enemies he had plenty of. It was the allies and the luck that were going to be in woefully short supply.
Soot is by Andrew Martin. York, 1799. In August, an artist is found murdered in his home - stabbed with a pair of scissors. Matthew Harvey's death is much discussed in the city. The scissors are among the tools of his trade - for Harvey is a renowned cutter and painter of shades, or silhouettes, the latest fashion in portraiture. It soon becomes clear that the murderer must be one of the artist's last sitters, and the people depicted in the final six shades made by him become the key suspects. But who are they? And where are they to be found? Later, in November, a clever but impoverished young gentleman called Fletcher Rigge languishes in the debtor's prison, until a letter arrives containing a bizarre proposition from the son of the murdered man. Rigge is to be released for one month, but in that time, he must find the killer. If he fails, he will be incarcerated again, possibly for life. And so, with everything at stake, and equipped only with copies of the distinctive silhouettes, Fletcher Rigge begins his search across the snow-covered city, and enters a world of shadows...
Russian Roulette is by Sara Sheridan. Brighton 1956 When Mirabelle's on-off boyfriend, Superintendent Alan McGregor, is taken off a gruesome murder case because the key
suspect is an old school friend, Mirabelle steps in to unravel the tangle of poisoned gin, call girls and high stakes gambling that surrounds the death. It isn't long before McGregor's integrity is called into question and Mirabelle finds herself doubting him. So when a wartime hero's body turns up on the Sussex Downs, she is glad that McGregor is caught up in a mystery of his own as Brighton's establishment closes ranks. Mirabelle is in a dangerous situation though and she doesn't have McGregor watching her back on this one. And when the dead man on the Downs turns out to have been a member of a deadly thrillseekers club, related to the earlier murder, Mirabelle is determined to uncover the truth and free the innocent people who are bearing the brunt of the cover up. As her relationship with McGregor reaches breaking point, she has to draw on all her wartime experience to stand up for what she believes in - even if it means their relationship may not survive.
Where She Went is by B E Jones. TV journalist Melanie Black wakes up one morning next toa man she doesn't remember. It's not the first time - but he ignores her even though she's in his bed. Yet when his wife walks in with a cup of tea he greets her with a smile and to her horror, Melanie comes to realise that no one can see or hear her - because she is dead. But has she woken up next to her murderer? And where is her body? Why is she an invisible and uninvited guest in a house she can't leave; is she tied to this man forever? Is Melanie being punished in some way, or being given a chance to make amends? As she begins to piece together the last days of her life and circumstances leading up to her own death it becomes clear she has to make a choice: bring her killer to justice, or wreak her own punishment on the man who murdered her.
August 2017
When charred human remains are discovered in the driver's seat of a burning car, DCI Carol Jordan and psychological profiler Tony Hill are brought in to investigate. They soon discover that what appeared to be a terrible accident is, in fact, murder. Delving deeper into the case, they begin the dangerous hunt for a most sinister killer with the power to inflict untold fear and pain on their victims. Insidious Intent is by Val McDermid.
In 1360 a deputation from Cambridge ventures to the Suffolk town of Clare in the hope that The Habit of Murder is by Susanna Gregory.
the wealthy Elizabeth de Burgh has left a legacy to Michaelhouse. Yet when they arrive they discover that the report of her death is false and that the college seems destined for bankruptcy. Determined to see if some of its well-heeled citizens can be persuaded to sponsor Michaelhouse, Matthew Bartholomew, Brother Michael and Master Langelee become enmeshed in the town's politics. They quickly discover that a great many other people in Clare have recently met untimely deaths. These killings, combined with the arrogance Lady de Burgh has shown over the refurbishment of the church and the grotesque behaviour of some of her entourage, have created a dangerous restlessness in the town: an atmosphere intensified when yet more murders occur. One of the victims is a fellow traveller of the Michaelhouse contingent, and Matthew Bartholomew and Brother Michael feel honour-bound to identify his killer. It is a hunt which takes them deep into Clare's murky foundations and which threatens their own survival as well as that of their beloved college.
When a mysterious figure appears on the village green on a cold November day in Three Pines, Armand Gamache, now Chief Superintendent of the Sûreté du Québec, knows something is seriously wrong. Yet he does nothing. Legally, what can he do? Only watch and wait. And hope his mounting fears are not realized. From the moment its shadow falls over Three Pines, Gamache suspects the creature has deep roots and a dark purpose. When it suddenly vanishes and a body is discovered, it falls to Gamache to discover if a debt has been paid or levied. In the early days of the investigation into the murder, and months later, as the trial for the accused begins in a Montreal courtroom on a steamy day in July, the Chief Superintendent continues to struggle with actions he's set in motion, from which there is no going back. "This case began in a higher court," he tells the judge, "and it's going to end there." And regardless of the trial's outcome, he must face his own conscience. Glass Houses is by Louise Penny.
Blame is by Jeff Abbott.The crash that killed him Two years ago, Jane Norton crashed her car on a lonely road, killing her friend David and leaving her with amnesia. At first, everyone was sympathetic. Then they found Jane's note: I wish we were dead together. A girl to blame From that day the town turned against her. But even now Jane is filled with questions: why were they on that road? Why was she with David? Did she really want to die? The secrets she should forget Most of all, she must find out who has just written her an anonymous message ...I know what really happened. I know what you don't remember.
The Weight of Angels is by Catriona McPherson. What secrets do the dark bones of Dundrennan Abbey hold? A year ago, she was happily married, bringing up her beloved son, running her successful beauty salon and living with her loving husband in her dream house. Now Ali McGovern's dreams are slipping away and all her old ghosts are coming back to haunt her. A job at Howell Hall, the private psychiatric facility near her rented cottage and the ruined abbey, seems too good to be true. But why has the couple who run the place employed her when she is clearly not qualified to do it? How can they afford to pay her so well? And what are they hiding? When a body is discovered in a shallow grave by the abbey on Ali's first day at work, it feels like one last horror. But it's just the beginning of her descent into a nightmare world she never imagined existed so close to home.
The Tarot talks ...but is anyone listening? In the heart of South West London, just a short stroll from the Thames, lies a single row of cottages. Residents may come and go but they all have one thing in common: Tinderbox Lane - small, enclosed, unknown to any iPhone or supermarket delivery van - is the place they call home. Foremost among the residents is Dolly Greene: divorced and permanently broke, she shares her tiny house with her 21-year-old daughter Pippa, who can't afford to leave. Aside from Pippa, the other constant in Dolly's life is her Tarot business, and when Dolly reads the cards for the magnificently voluptuous and highly-sexed Nikki on a stiflingly hot summer's day, her Tarot patter is interrupted by a sudden vision - a flash of Nikki's face, covered in blood and bruises. Death hangs over her - but there is an etiquette to reading Tarot and Dolly will not talk of murder to her client. A few days later when the body of a battered woman is washed up by Chiswick Bridge, Dolly is haunted by the belief that Nikki's time may have come up ...but can she be sure? How far is Dolly prepared to go to act on her intuition? And will Sergeant Raff Williams, the officer assigned to investigate the murder, think Dolly's hunch insane? The Prime of Ms Dolly Greene is by E V Harte.
A rising political storm is threatening to engulf De Vries and the stability and security of Cape Town. As the legacy of El Nino scorches Cape Town, threatening it with drought, fire and civil disorder, the city is gripped by two horrific crimes: an explosion in the tourist centre, and the gruesome murder of a seemingly random victim. In his investigation, Colonel De Vries of the Special Crimes Unit discovers a frightening back story and developing pattern of criminality, and comes to believe that there is more than one killer on the loose, each one with a connection to a man who, as a child, drowned his sister and destroyed his family. Newly promoted investigator Lieutenant Mike Solarin, working with De Vires, discovers a trail to the perpetrators of the bomb in the city but, when he is recalled and the incident branded work of extremists, he pursues an alternative route, calling into question the role of the political elite, the media, and the police themselves. Now sharing the single belief that there must be justice at any cost as they struggle to represent victims of so many atrocities. De Vries and Solarin fight – against gathering forces – to save their city and their country. Apostle Lodge is by Paul Mendleson.
September 2017
Secrets in Death is by J D Robb. No one is going to miss Larinda Mars. A ruthless gossip queen with a lucrative sideline in blackmail, there's no lack of suspects when she's murdered in a fashionable New York bar. With so many people wanting her dead, it's going to be a tough case to crack. Lieutenant Eve Dallas may not like this particular victim, but it's her duty to bring the killer to justice. As she digs deeper into Larinda's mysterious past, it becomes clear the reporter had a unique talent for uncovering secrets. Including ones very close to home for Eve and her husband Roarke...Someone was willing to commit murder to keep their secrets hidden. And with Eve now working to uncover the truth, she and her team are heading into serious danger.
Precious Ramotswe has always idolised her father, the late Obed Ramotswe. She feels that she knows all about his life - but does she? Sometimes our parents surprise us, and we discover that things were not quite what we thought them to be. And the same goes for Mma Makutsi, Mma Ramotswe's feisty assistant, who also makes certain discoveries about her own past that cause some surprise. The placid world of the No 1 Ladies' Detective Agency is further disturbed by the arrival in Gaborone of somebody whom Mma Ramotswe - and Mr J.L.B. Matekoni, for that matter - definitely do not want to see. Of course calm eventually prevails - as it always does in the timeless world of these remarkable ladies. Tea is served, and life continues. The House of Unexpected Sisters is by Alexander McCall Smith.
Never Let You Go is by Chevy Stevens. She thought she'd escaped him forever. But will he ever let her go? Eleven years ago, Lindsey Nash fled into the night with her young daughter, leaving an abusive relationship behind. Her ex-husband ended up in jail and Lindsey started a new life. Now, Lindsey is older, wiser and believes she has cut all ties with the past. But when Andrew is released from prison, strange things start happening. Lindsey's new boyfriend is threatened, her home invaded and her daughter followed. Her ex-husband denies all knowledge, but Lindsey is convinced he's responsible.
It's 1920, and Louisa Cannon dreams of escaping her life of poverty in London, and most of all her oppressive and dangerous uncle. Louisa's salvation is a position within the Mitford household at Asthall Manor, in the Oxfordshire countryside. There she will become nurserymaid, chaperone and confidante to the Mitford sisters, especially sixteen-year-old Nancy - an acerbic, bright young woman in love with stories. But then a nurse - Florence Nightingale Shore, goddaughter of her famous namesake - is killed on a train in broad daylight, and Louisa and Nancy find themselves entangled in the crimes of a murderer who will do anything to hide their secret. The Mitford Murders is by Jessica Fellowes.
Sleep Like a Baby by Charlaine Harris.
The Girl in the Green Dress is by Cath Staincliffe. How far would you go to protect your child? Can you really keep them safe? What if who they are puts them at risk? And what if they have blood on their hands? Teenager Allie Kennaway heads off for Prom night, cheered on by dad Steve and her little sister Teagan. But Allie never comes home, beaten to death in an apparent hate crime because of her transgender identity. As police investigate the brutal murder, a crime that has appalled the country, one parent is at her wit's end with her son's behaviour. Are his outbursts and silences hiding something much darker than adolescent mood swings? And if her suspicions are correct, then what does she do? Another parent will fight tooth and nail to save his boy from the full force of the law. After all, blood is thicker than water and everyone should look after their own. But if he succeeds then Allie and her family will never get the justice they deserve. A groundbreaking story of love and hate, loyalty and betrayal, in a world of change.
October 2017
The Well of Ice is by Andrea Carter. Mid-December in Glendara and solicitor Benedicta 'Ben' O'Keeffe is working flat-out on the usual raft of sale closings before Christmas, so the last thing she needs is a complaint about noise emanating from the Oak pub. The one bright spot on the horizon is the anticipation of her first Christmas with Sergeant Tom Molloy. In Dublin to close another sale, she walks out onto the street. Two trams pass each other, and staring at her from across the tracks is Luke Kirby, the man who killed her sister. He approaches her, remorseful, conciliatory, plausible. She walks away. But as she does so, he says something that chills her to the bone. Back in Inishowen, Glendara is in chaos. The Oak has burned down. To make matters worse Carole Kearney, the Oak's barmaid, is missing. And then on Christmas morning, a walk up Sliabh Sneacht results in a gruesome discovery: a body found face-down in the snow. While Molloy and Ben try to find answers, someone is planning a revenge which will have devastating consequences for at least one of Glendara's residents.
Death in the Stars by Frances Brody.
Agatha Raisin and the Witches' Tree is by M C Beaton. Toil and trouble in store for Agatha! Cotswolds inhabitants are used to bad weather, but the night sky is especially foggy as Rory and Molly Devere, the new vicar and his wife, drive slowly home from a dinner party in their village of Sumpton Harcourt. They struggle to see the road ahead - but then screech to a halt. Right in front of them, aglow in the headlights of their car, a body hangs from a lightning-blasted tree at the edge of town. But it's not suicide; Margaret Darby, an elderly spinster of the parish, has been murdered - and the villagers are bewildered as to who would commit such a crime, and why. Agatha Raisin rises to the occasion, delighted to have some excitement back in her life as if truth be told, she was getting bored of the long run of lost cats and divorces on the books. But Sumpton Harcourt is an isolated and unfriendly village, she finds a place that poses more questions than answers. And when two more murders follow the first, Agatha begins to fear for her reputation - and her life. That the village has its own coven of witches certainly doesn't make her feel any better...
The Burnings is by Julian Lees. With discovery comes certain death...When Australian Jillian Parker's scorched remains are discovered in her burnt-out car Ruud Pujasumarta and his team are brought in to investigate what appears at first to be a routine homicide. But when Canadian citizen Anita Dalloway's charred body is found a few days later Ruud finds a banner unfurled by the corpse's feet. A verse from the Quran is scribbled across it, calling for unbelievers to be burned. The killer is targeting Christians. And the team's suspicions are confirmed when a third body, that of English backpacker Emily Grealish, turns up with the same M.O. But who is responsible? Is it the senior Australian diplomat from the embassy who was obsessed by the first victim? The Imam who preaches Sharia law? The Indonesian three-star military general taking backhanders and living a life of luxury in Jakarta? Or the local drug dealer with a score to settle? But Ruud is suspicious that the killer may be someone much closer to home, someone Ruud has trusted for many years. What unravels is a terrifying chain of events for Ruud. And what he discovers puts his and those around him lives in danger.
November 2017
An atmospheric novel about the disappearance of Anna, fifteen, on a cold night in a small town in the Italian mountains close to the Slovenian border. Vogel, a policeman specialising in murder cases, has two suspects: a lonely literature professor who could be connected to the crime; and a teenage boy tracked down via Anna's diary. In true Carissi style, the lines blur between policemen and murderer and Vogel is a potential suspect in the case of Anna's death. Surrounding all this is a media storm with the girl's family at its centre - it culminates in a television interview between Vogel and the professor and a strange and shocking revelation about Anna's death. The Girl in the Fog is by Donato Carrisi.
Dark Places is by Roberta Kray. Lolly has always known her mum was different. Sometimes Angela Bruce was ill in a quiet sort of way, but other times she roamed the Mansfield estate shouting about whatever had wormed its way into her head that day. Either way, Lolly was on her own so she learned how to look after herself pretty quickly. Mal Fury has never got over the disappearance of his daughter all those years ago. He hadn't entirely given up hope though because the police never found Kay's body. So when his private investigator turns up a lead that connects Kay to Lolly, Mal needs to find out more. But in doing so, he's delving into a decades-old mystery that could throw Lolly's entire world into chaos ....