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The Witch's Altar Book Review
I just finished reading "The Witch's Altar: The Craft, Lore & Magick of Sacred Space (The Witch's Tools Series)", by Jason Mankey and Laura Tempest Zakroff, and it proved to be an enlightening time to say the least. It's curious that I didn't see any other book on the subject until now, making this a significant addition to any witch's bookshelf.
I have read and seen chapters and articles about altars, how they should be arranged, decorated, the design, how to bless them, and many other topics, but a book solely on the subject with all the information in one place is something I haven't seen. After finishing this one, I can only wonder why it took this long to have such a text in the market.
Mankey and Tempest Zakroff, although with very different styles and voices, each with their own personality and energy, did a wonderful job creating this book. The style is simple, direct, with very few holes that are meant for readers to answer the questions on their own way. I really liked how both authors handed the subject and made it more cohesive with a clean and neat structure.
One could be inclined to think of this as a long, thick book due the number of pages, but "The Witch's Altar: The Craft, Lore & Magick of Sacred Space" handles the subject in way that makes this an entertaining, light process as the reader understands every sub-topic that is being explored. From history to symbols, deities and qualities, the book shines a light in many aspects of interest.
Perhaps the strangest addition could have been the "Altar-natives" sections, written by several collaborator that included their own point of views on the matter. I'm not a fan of having different styles in the same book, but to take the core of the ideas and get the point of what they say, it complements the rest of the text. Maybe not the most appealing option, but a curious, brave nonetheless.
Because of personal likes, I enjoyed more the parts written by Laura Tempest Zakroff. I don't mean by this that Jason Mankey did a bad job or has a bad writing, but that I personally resonate with his partner's more informal, happy tone. The two complement each other in most cases, but I certainly had an easier time with the lady. Not in vain she is becoming one of my favorite authors.
I want to end this review thanking the publisher for sending the ARC. This proved to be a thought-provoking book. "The Witch's Altar: The Craft, Lore & Magick of Sacred Space" can add a lot of information to the more experienced witches and those who are just learning the Craft, paving their way in this world. I will be waiting for the next one on this collection!
The Witch's Altar: The Craft, Lore & Magick of Sacred Space (The Witch's Tools Series)
Print Length: 288 pages
Publisher: Llewellyn Publications (November 8, 2018)
Publication Date: November 8, 2018
About the Authors
Jason Mankey is a Pagan blogger, a columnist for Witches and Pagans, and the managing editor of the Pagan Portal on Patheos. He talks about rock and roll, Pagan deities, and various aspects of Pagan history at Pagan and magic festivals across North America. Jason lives in California.
Laura Tempest Zakroff can be described as a professional artist, author, dancer, designer, muse, mythpunk, teacher, and witch. She holds a BFA from RISD (The Rhode Island School of Design) and her artwork has received awards and honors worldwide. Her work embodies myth and the esoteric through her drawings and paintings, jewelry, talismans, and other designs. As Tempest, she has been a major pioneer of fusion bellydance for over fifteen years. Her fascination with sacred and ritual dance lead her to bellydance, and she strives to help others connect mind, body, and spirit through movement.
Laura has been a practicing Modern Traditional Witch for over two decades and revels in the intersection of her various paths with witchcraft. She blogs for Patheos as A Modern Traditional Witch, Witches & Pagans as Fine Art Witchery, and contributes to The Witches' Almanac. The Witch's Cauldron is her first book, with a second book on sigil witchery due out in 2018. Laura resides in Seattle, Washington, with her partner Nathaniel Johnstone and at least three cats.
About the Reviewer
Bader Saab is a digital journalist and self-published writer; a solitary, eclectic Wiccan interested in the darker side of magic and divination; a gothic guy who tries to educate whenever he can. He hopes someday to succeed in one of them.


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Trade or Technical Courses
There is a great scope of trade or technical courses in Australia. We offer a range of technical or trade course through our partner institutes all over Australia.
Australia has a population of approximately 22 million people with the land size of nearly a continent. In this 22 million. As per the statistics in 2016, not even the half of this population is working due to age or other reasons. In order to sustain Australia needs at least 200,000 skilled migrants every year.
Due to the above mentioned facts, there is an extreme shortage of skills like Chefs, Automotive Mechanics, Motor Mechanics, Electricians, Air Conditioning Mechanics, Carpenters and many other trades in the country.
Australia is also doing lot of works in terms of infrastructure of the country like NBN, Roads, Flyovers. In addition to this Housing, Tourism and Hospitality industry is experiencing boom due to growing population of overseas migrants from around the world, international students, Chinese interest in investing in Australia and Australia's unique tourism industry.
Due to all this there is a great scope of trade or technical courses in Australia. We offer a range of technical or trade course through our partner institutes all over Australia. So if you are interested in pursuing a technical or trade course in Australia.
Pathway to Permanent Residency
Most of the trade courses are on the MLTSSL List which means that you may be eligible to get Permanent Residency in Australia after finishing your course. We can assist you with your Post Study Work Permit (Sub Class 485 Visa) and also assist you in filing your Permanent Residency as we are also Registered Migration Agents.

subset: commoncrawl


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Hybrid cars
The new Ferrari SF90 Stradale has a hybrid system that develops 1000 hp and propels this hypercar from 0 to 100 km / h in 2.5 seconds. The famous Italian company endowed the Ferrari SF90 Stradale with a V8 biturbo engine that develops 780 horsepower and 800 Nm and three 220-... Read more
Subaru Viziv Concept represents the fresh design direction and new technologies that will reinforce the Subaru brand into the future. Subaru Viziv or Subaru "Vision for Innovation" provide advanced efficiency and performance on all roads and driving situations.Subaru Viziv... Read more
Luxury American car manufacturer Cadillac has announced that they will unveil the ELR in the New Year, an extended-range electric vehicle. The car will be based upon the Chevrolet Volt / Vauxhall Ampera which has already been released in the US and the UK respectively. The ELR however, will be a... Read more
Toyota Avalon is a new powerful and compelling sedan that helps shift the product's generational appeal while symbolizing Toyota's exciting new design and product path for future sedans.Randy Stephens, chief engineer of Avalon: "The point of the new Avalon is to show the market... Read more
The Mercedes-Benz E300 BlueTEC HYBRID combines the excellent fuel economy of the 4‑cylinder diesel engine over long distances (motorway, inter-urban) with the advantages of an efficient hybrid in city and stop & go traffic. It therefore exhibits impressive efficiency with no... Read more
On September 18th, in test drives on the "Nürburgring-Nordschleife", a Porsche 918 Spyder prototype turned in a remarkable best time of just 07:14 minutes for the 20.6 km long circuit. One year before its production launch, the plug-in hybrid super sports car from Porsche AG is already proving... Read more
Lexus unveiled the all-new 2013 Lexus ES lineup, including the ES 350 and ES 300h equipped with Lexus Hybrid Drive. Featuring a progressive new design and enhanced handling, the 2013 ES sedan is set to continue as a favorite of luxury car buyers.Lexus ES 300h... Read more
The 2012 Hyundai Genesis is detailed by exterior design transformations, new direct injection technology for its Lambda V6 engine, new eight-speed automatic transmission, and a nice chassis tuning. In addition, a new 5.0-liter direct injection V8 engine is now available exclusively... Read more
All new Audi A6 opens for ordering in the UK in January 2011, priced from £30,145 OTR (including 20% VAT) - first customer deliveries in spring 2011. Audi A6 is made from composite aluminium and steel construction means 2.0 TDI model weighs just 1,575kg, 15%... Read more
Kia Motors America (KMA) today unveiled the Ray Plug-in Hybrid concept during a press conference at the 2010 Chicago Auto Show, advancing momentum of Kia Motors' global alternative fuel and powertrain research program, and its sub-brand coined "... Read more
Fisker Automotive has selected the Wilmington Assembly plant in Wilmington Delaware to build affordable plug-in hybrid cars. Fisker executives made the announcement inside the dormant facility today, joined by Vice President Joe Biden, Delaware Governor Jack Markell and other state... Read more
70 % of Europeans are expected to live in urban areas by 2015. And recent Toyota studies in urban commuting patterns in France and the UK reveal that over 80 % of car journeys are less than 25 km in length. In France, 55 % of journeys are less than 10 km, whilst in the UK that... Read more
A vibrant and sophisticated re-chargeable hybrid, REVOLTe represents a bold vision of the luxury, compact city car of tomorrow, combining confident styling with environmentally responsible technology to create a unique concept for the future of urban transportation.REVOLTe reflects... Read more
The Frankfurt Motor Show marks the debut of the revolutionary new Volkswagen L1 Concept – a diesel-electric hybrid vehicle constructed from aluminium and carbon fibre weighing just 380 kg and capable of returning 189 mpg on the combined cycle while emitting just 39 g/km of... Read more
The new Auris HSD Full Hybrid Concept, presented publicly for the first time at the Frankfurt motor show, marks a significant milestone in Toyota 's plan to equip its mainstream European models with full hybrid technology. Toyota is committed to making the environmental... Read more
Shortly after the successful market launch of the S 400 HYBRID, currently the most fuel-efficient luxury-segment saloon with a petrol engine, Mercedes-Benz will be presenting the first "three-litre car" in the premium class - the Vision S 500 Plug-in HYBRID - at... Read more


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tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5396767629093597712020-02-29T02:51:36.667-06:00Blessings & MaledictionsThe personal [blog] of Martin Kozicki, writer.Martin Kozickihttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-539676762909359771.post-8980717279682457082012-03-21T15:13:00.001-05:002012-03-21T15:31:21.724-05:00Tennessee vs The SquintsTennessee, my adopted home state, is no stranger to scientific controversy. Adding fuel to a decades-old fire, the state recently approved a bill that would provide legal protection for teachers who, as one web site puts it, "criticize well supported scientific concepts."

Critics, including many scientists, talk about this like it's a bad thing.

Pardon me, but since when is protecting freedom of speech a bad thing?

People have lost perspective. The fact remains that many "scientific concepts" are exactly that: concepts. They are theoretical in nature, and ever-changing based upon new research. (Illuminating and fun read here.)

But this post is not meant to be a creationism vs evolution debate. Nor am I going to weigh in on the merits of climate change / global warming. This is about education.

If you censor teachers and don't allow them to teach point/counterpoint––especially when said counterpoint is based on cultural or religious beliefs that have existed for thousands of years and should thus be afforded some modicum of respect––then education becomes the very thing many intellectuals claim it is not: indoctrination.

And it's not just teachers at risk here. If students––all of whom are going to have their own unique perspectives––spark a debate in the classroom about widely-held scientific beliefs, would not their rights also be trampled on if a teacher was required to squash the conversation?

It is complete and utter hypocrisy to teach our kids the value of fairness, equality and tolerance with subjects like gender identity or bullying, but then tell them they cannot believe what they want about science or religion.

Academia is not black and white. Neither is science, religion, or culture. They are all organic and (ahem) evolving in their own ways, based largely upon the conscience and moral compass of those who explore them. And in such an interwoven tapestry, where everything is inexorably linked and nothing stands alone, why would anyone want an army of milquetoast educators too afraid to teach from the heart?

There's gotta be some quid pro quo in the classroom, or we're all fascists.Martin Kozickihttp://firstname.lastname@example.com://www.martyko.com/2012/03/tennessee-vs-squints.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-539676762909359771.post-78344794443035112652011-11-23T21:38:00.000-06:002011-11-23T21:38:10.464-06:00I got a Kindle Fire. Sue me.

So, this week marked the arrival of my new Kindle Fire.

It's an e-reader. It's a tablet. It's part of both, and yet neither! But hey, it's $199 and I got $20 off of that (thank you, super-duper one day Amazon promo).

Yes, this means I now own an iPad, a Kindle with Special Offers, a Nook Simple Touch, and a Kindle Fire. Don't be hatin'.

In lieu of a full review, and because I've only had a few hours to really play around with the Kindle Fire so far, here are 5 first impressions.

1.) Great screen. Scrolling is a little too quick sometimes. Occasionally takes multiple taps to register a selection, which many reviewers have also complained about. Yet other times the screen is spry and ideally sensitive. So I'm hoping this is an issue a firmware update can fix.

2.) The interface is intuitive, but the carousel menu function, as well as much of the interface, needs some customization options. As it is, there really aren't any. Personally, I'd rather drop the whole carousel menu and go with an icon-based menu, like the iPad, iPhone and Nook. I know Amazon is just trying to be different here, but sometimes familiar is best. (Note to Amazon: Let me customize my Fire interface.)

3.) The Kindle Reader app is awesome. Books look great, read easy, and there's enough options to make me feel at home. I especially like the ability to tint the page background to a more neutral color, which minimizes the whole black-on-white contrast that seems to result in added eye strain. Good job, Amazon.

4.) The app Easy Installer is available from the official Amazon App Store, and Easy Installer allowed me to side-load the Barnes & Noble Nook reader app for Android. So, I now have access to both my Nook and my Kindle libraries on one device. This is a good thing. I understand Amazon might hesitate to make a Nook app "officially" available at the risk of losing book sales to B&N, but I imagine there are a lot of people like me who would be tempted to sell their Nook device if it meant having their entire e-book library easily accessible on one device, diminishing my need to own B&N's hardware. (Note to Amazon: take a hint!)

5.) The 7" screen size is just a smidge too small for magazines and comics. Don't get me wrong--they look great. And you can zoom as needed. But it shouldn't be needed. I think Apple had it right when they said 10" was the ideal tablet size. Still, if the document is specifically optimized for this screen size, it's gorgeous.

All-in-all, I'm very pleased with the Kindle Fire. It's lightweight and comfy in my hands. I found a great leather case for it. The Fire is agile and streams music and video from the cloud like a dream, which means I'm not concerned about the 8gb storage limit. Because I'm also an Amazon Prime member, I get all sorts of extras, like free streaming movies and TV shows. (The Fire is definitely awesome for Prime members.) And so far, no complaints about the quantity or quality of the apps available. Can't wait to explore the device some more!

Feel free to chime in with thoughts, criticisms, questions or comments.Martin Kozickihttp://email@example.com://www.martyko.com/2011/11/i-got-kindle-fire-sue-me.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-539676762909359771.post-67649890587485030052011-11-17T11:14:00.000-06:002011-11-17T11:14:29.135-06:00Back in the saddle. Still snarky.After a long and trying summer, fraught with many dilemmas and chaotic events that only a family like mine can create, I'm finally seizing small moments of free time to write again.

Hallelujah.

So here's the revelation I came up with for my blog: I hate "blogging" in its formal sense. It's aggravating to feel pressured to write something awesome or substantive or poignant on a frequent basis. Also, I know that most of you don't care. You want dim sum. You want snacks. Or you want dessert. Nobody goes browsing the Internet for meat and potatoes. We like our content bite-sized. (Although, now that I think about it, you can make bite-sized meat and potatoes.)

From here on out, most of my blog posts, when they happen, will be more akin to a Facebook status update or a Google+ post: Short. To the point. Opinionated (always). And inviting comments.

For better or worse, this is my digital life. Welcome to it.

Now, I say "most" of my blog posts because I realize that there will be times when I just want to rant, rail or rave about something and will need the bailiwick that is my blog to do so.

If you come here expecting Shakespeare, you will be disappointed. If you come here looking for equal parts Stephen Colbert, Mitch Hedberg, and Steve Jobs, you'll probably still be disappointed, but you'll have a better time.Martin Kozickihttp://firstname.lastname@example.com://www.martyko.com/2011/11/back-in-saddle-still-snarky.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-539676762909359771.post-33585471656032886192011-07-15T20:59:00.000-05:002011-07-15T20:59:13.957-05:00Kindle vs Nook Part 2 - Dead E-Readers Tell No Tales

My relationship with the Nook e-reader has been love/hate, with slight leanings towards hate in recent months.

You see, the Nook was the first e-reader I ever owned, having pre-ordered the original device (now dubbed Nook 1st Edition) before it hit the market in November of 2009. Upon release, I was in love with the device and all its bells and whistles. (Nerd alert.)

The screen quality was nice and sharp. The illuminated color touch screen was a pleasant way to navigate the menus. It had WiFi and free 3G, which I used liberally to buy new e-books while traveling. Barnes & Noble had a shared Wish List on the device and on their web site, so no matter where I added a book to my Wish List, I could see and buy it from anywhere. The Nook had a web browser, audio capability (presumably for listening to music while reading), games, and more. It looked like the honeymoon would last forever.

And then the problems started.

It began with a strange ticking noise emanating from the Nook whenever it was plugged in for charging. Not only that, but during charging the device would get unusually warm. That's normal when a battery is being charged, but this was a few degrees above normal. A phone call to tech support confirmed my fears that there were reports of overheating batteries. They swapped my Nook out overnight and I was up and running once more.

However, about a month later, the same monster reared its ugly head, and this time I took the Nook back to my local B&N store. The staff there--always friendly and helpful--immediately swapped my Nook out for a fresh one. But it was on the drive home that something tugged at my mind: I was really busy with a new project at work, and I was barely using the Nook as it was. After repeated problems with the device I decided to sell it.

It took less than an hour to find a buyer on Craigslist. Ah, the joys of Internet commerce.

Fast forward a year, to just last month. After enjoying my Kindle immensely, it occurred to me that I had about $100 worth of e-book purchases collecting digital dust on my B&N account--books I was very interested in reading now that I had the time.

(Note: I know many e-reader owners only buy books when they're ready to read them. But the truth is that there are a lot of sales and promotions on e-books all the time, and you can save quite a bit of money buying books when they're on sale, knowing you will read them eventually. For example, I picked up the first four books of George R. R. Martin's Song of Ice and Fire series for $3-$4 each, and those same e-books now sell for upwards of $8-12 each due to the series' soaring popularity.)

This dilemma revealed another ugly reality of e-readers: Digital Rights Management and proprietary e-book technologies. I couldn't simply download my Nook books to my Kindle; the technology doesn't work like that. If I wanted to read those Nook books, I was left with two choices: re-buy them on my Kindle... or just buy another Nook.

Barnes & Noble had just released the Nook Simple Touch, a smaller, lighter Nook that forsook many of the features of its predecessor, but added a few more. The result was that prices on the Nook 1st Edition had dropped. But given my problems with the Nook 1st Edition, I was leery of buying another one, and preferred the updated tech that was part of the Nook Simple Touch. What to do?

The decision didn't take long.

So is the Nook Simple Touch a great e-reader? How does it stack up to the Nook 1st Edition? or the Kindle with Special Offers? Which device do I prefer, and why? All will be revealed in the finale, Kindle vs Nook Part 3 - The Right Touch!Martin Kozickihttp://firstname.lastname@example.com://www.martyko.com/2011/07/kindle-vs-nook-part-2-dead-e-readers.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-539676762909359771.post-86457871111958223522011-07-04T23:42:00.000-05:002011-07-04T23:42:21.643-05:00Kindle vs Nook Part 1 - Frugal is the New ChicAbout two months ago, I was privileged to get an Amazon Kindle e-reader for what basically amounted to free.

You see, Amazon has this nifty Kindle variant called Kindle with Special Offers. It has a slightly lower entry threshold than a regular Kindle--$114 vs $139--with the caveat that you get little advertisements on the screen. Other than that, it's the exact same device.

The ads are only visible as a screen saver and within the menus (thankfully, they do not show up in your books while you're reading) so they're very unobtrusive. But the best part is that the "Special Offers" are for discounts and promotions that are only available if you own this particular Kindle.

Why is this a good thing? Because most of the offers are awesome!

Fifty percent off a $200 gadget is nothing to sneeze at, particularly if it's an electronic gadget I was literally about to buy anyway. So when a friend told me about that Special Offer back in May, the money I saved essentially paid for the Kindle, give or take $14.

Since then I have more than made up for the cost of admission with this bad boy. Among others, there was the $20 Amazon gift card for $10, a $1 MP3 album, the $10 off any video game, the free Amazon HD movie rental ($5 value), and another offer that amounted to buying 1 e-book and getting 2 free.

Granted, some deals (like "get $30 off a Kindle leather case with built-in reading light") are only good because, well, I now have a Kindle. But for the most part, many of the deals have been on stuff my wife and I would be buying regardless. It's like having a digital coupon book, and we all know that frugal is the new chic.

The case I chose for my Kindle has a built-in
light that is perfect for bedtime reading.

As an e-reader, I'm really impressed with the Kindle. It's light-weight, has a wonderfully crisp screen, and is fast and responsive. The case I bought with the built-in light is also great, because one thing I loathed about my Barnes & Noble Nook was the very ugly and unwieldy clip-on light accessory. So reading in bed next to my wife at night is no longer frustrating.

The Kindle is also exceptionally comfortable in my hands, both in size and weight. This gives it a glove-like fit I just can't seem to achieve with the iPad or Nook, and it's probably the reason why, in just a month and a half, I've read 3 rather lengthy books on my Kindle--it's just a pleasure to use.

Amazon seems to have found a nifty niche here by creating discounts and incentives--good ones!--on their own site, and with various corporate sponsors, in order to subsidize the Kindle's entry price. If the ads were all lousy and the offers pathetic, I obviously wouldn't be so enthusiastic. But they're not--they really are a good mix designed to appeal to folks who are inclined to adopt this type of technology already. That could be me, you, your grandma, or your kids. It's very simple to use, and I often find myself checking the Special Offers page just to see if any useful new gems have popped up. I've also heard that Amazon will start to expand and customize the Special Offer experience to make it even more attractive. I almost feel bad for folks who bought a regular Kindle, as they aren't eligible for these little perks.

In short: the Kindle with Special Offers is the colloquial bomb. If you've been wanting an e-reader, this might be the one for you.

"But wait!" you say. "Didn't Barnes & Noble just release a cool new Nook with a touch screen? Is it better than the Kindle?"

Why yes, yes they did. And as a not-always-happy owner of a 1st generation Nook e-reader, I was keen to try out the new Nook Touch to see how it compared to its predecessor, and the Kindle. But that is a story for another post. Check back soon for Kindle vs Nook Part 2 - Dead E-Readers Tell No Tales!Martin Kozickihttp://firstname.lastname@example.com://www.martyko.com/2011/07/kindle-vs-nook-part-1-frugal-is-new.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-539676762909359771.post-63972211584682551112011-06-08T17:30:00.037-05:002011-06-08T17:30:01.046-05:00Badges? We don't need no stinking badges!Last week I asked a few friends to take a look at the American Film Institute's list of Top 100 movie quotes, pick a quote or two, and I'd write a blog post about it.

Since I hadn't written any blog entries lately, I figured this would be a fun exercise -- a way to get myself back in the habit of writing with the subject matter already provided.

Now, this doesn't mean I'm going to spend the next few weeks writing about movies, Hollywood, or film making. The idea here is to use the quotes as inspiration, more or less.

The first quote selected (thanks, Kevin) was #36: "Badges? We ain't got no badges! We don't need no badges! I don't have to show you any stinking badges!" It's from the movie The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948).

In it, a character named Gold Hat (played by Alfonso Bedoya) is trying to convince Humphrey Bogart's Fred C. Dobbs that he and his men are Federales (Mexican police), and not bandits. Dobbs inquires about their missing police badges, after which Gold Hat utters the famous line.

What happens next? I have no idea. To date, I've never seen the movie. Like many, many other people, I always thought this quote originated from Blazing Saddles, where the line is "Badges? We don't need no stinking badges!"

Of course, I personally cannot hear this quote in any form without thinking, inevitably, about the 1989 comedy UHF starring "Weird" Al Yankovic.

In that movie, about a failing television station run by "Weird" Al and his misfit friends, the character Raul Hernandez (Trinidad Silva) gets a shipment of animals for his wacky Raul's Wild Kingdom show. The delivery man reads the manifest aloud ("one aardvark, one flamingo, four porcupines, two armadillos, three badgers") when he is suddenly interrupted by an incensed Raul. "Badgers? Badgers?! We don't need no stinking badgers!"

Comedy gold.

But I'm not here to talk about comedy, humor or badgers. What struck me as interesting about this quote was how it was mis-quoted, then re-appropriated numerous times, and not always in the places we remember, or that are most obvious.

After all, Treasure was aped by the Monkees (pun intended), who in turn had their modified dialogue quoted in Saddles, and further modded in UHF. But it all hearkens back to the original.

In a way, that's part of the creative process in almost all media these days, from books and movies, to TV, music and video games. We borrow or steal, not verbatim or with an act of plagiarism, but in a way that makes something our own while still paying homage to that which influenced or inspired us.

Sometimes this is very subtle, like a figurative wink or nod to our creative progenitors. Other times it's more obvious, like a big hug, a way of saying "thanks" to our heroes that blazed the trails we now tread.

Think about it: without Tolkien's epic, would we have Harry Potter? Dungeons & Dragons? World of Warcraft? Without Bram Stoker or Anne Rice, would Stephenie Meyer have penned Twilight? Was The Hunger Games a result of some subconscious creative juices blended and squeezed from the fruits of labor done by Asimov, Philip K. Dick, or Jules Verne?

Some comparisons amongst those works are obvious, and others are like little "Easter eggs" left by the creator(s) to be found by astute fans. But it all goes back to what influences us, and how that influence, that knowledge, and those past experiences plays out in our own craft, whatever that may be.

If you're a creative type--author, designer, artist, and the like--feel free to sound off in the comments and list your biggest influences. How does that inspiration come out in your own work? Have you ever been thanked or recognized by one of your own heroes? Most importantly, do you have any badges?Martin Kozickihttp://firstname.lastname@example.com://www.martyko.com/2011/06/badges-we-dont-need-no-stinking-badges.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-539676762909359771.post-33897103323809182452011-04-08T15:33:00.000-05:002011-04-08T15:33:06.283-05:00I'm not dead yet.Now that I've got Monty Python quotes swimming in your head thanks to the title of this post, I just wanted to pop in and assure everyone (who might still occasionally pop in on me) that I am, in fact, very much alive.

Since my last post on February 4, my family and I have had quite a bit of RealLife™thrown in our laps. There's been a surgery due to a cancer scare--thankfully it was benign and all is (now) well. There was a grandmother who got swindled out of vast sums of money by a less-than-caring relative. A bit of travel, to help mop up said mess. Various runny noses, strep throats, and allergy ailments amongst our young'uns. And, while it certainly counts as a good problem to have, my day job (reminder: real estate marketing) has become considerably busier thanks to Nashville's rapidly improving economy.

So, like I said, it's been a flood of activity lately. Nothing we can't handle, but certainly time-consuming. There does not appear to be much let-up in the foreseeable future, so it's likely my blog posts will remain sporadic for the next few months.

My time to write and work on my stories has certainly been diminished to almost nothing--although I'm hopeful that with the wife on summer break from Nursing School as of May, all of that might change and some semblance of sanity and balance restored.

Until then, thanks to everyone who has checked in, dropped me a line, shown up at our door with dinner, sent a card, or thought-about/prayed-for our family in the last 8 weeks. Your kindness is appreciated, especially given the fact that I know everyone deals with their own drama on a regular basis.

Keep writing. Keep living. Keep the faith. I'll catch up soon!
Martin Kozickihttp://firstname.lastname@example.com://www.martyko.com/2011/04/im-not-dead-yet.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-539676762909359771.post-89724575684523691352011-02-04T13:14:00.000-06:002011-02-04T13:14:04.209-06:00Dodgin' Blizzards & Extortion are my new favorite pastimesSo January came and went like an annoying aunt you can't seem to avoid at family reunions.

Or funerals.

The month got off to a solid start, but quickly faded into atrociousness thanks to the flu.

That pesky flu. For years I have put off getting flu shots, emboldened by my typical good health and lack of, well, lack of flu. But this year I have been humbled, beat down, kicked and bruised by the virus that kept on virusing for nearly three weeks.

If December of 2011 rolls around and I haven't blogged about getting a flu shot yet, feel free to scold me in public.

Thankfully my condition improved right before leaving for New York City to attend the Society of Children's Book Writers & Illustrators 2011 Winter Conference. The folks at SCBWI sure know how to put on a show, and I'll be blogging over the next few days about what I learned, who I met, and perhaps one or two scandalous rumors. These are KidLit people, after all--if you think there's some skeletons in those closets, you'd be right. All it takes are a few cleverly timed alcoholic beverages and my gregarious nature and they start singing like a canary.

No one is safe. Nothing is sacred. You know who you are! But I will withhold your inebriated ramblings... for a price.

Now that my web of extortion has been spun, on to some travel tips.

First, please, SCBWI, for the love of all that is holy, can you please explain to me why the Winter Conference is in frigid NYC and the Summer Conference is in sweltering Los Angeles? Unless there's some sort of logical publishing industry reasoning behind it, I highly recommend NYC in the summer and LA in the winter for a switch. Traveling under the constant threat of snow delays, frequent plane de-icing, and strong winds is not pleasant. Also, do you know how hot LA can get in the summer?

To be fair, the trip from Nashville to my layover in Baltimore was flawless. The plane wasn't full, the crew was fun (Southwest FTW) and if there's any airport that's actually enjoyable for 3.5 hours, it's Baltimore. I was able to get some great character concepts written up for my new Middle Grade project, but more on that later.

New York was great. As densely populated urban centers go, it's not that bad. I've seen worse (/glares at Detroit). The sidewalks were covered in plowed snow, and the wind wasn't pleasant, but that's nothing a little cab fare can't fix. I stayed with a buddy of mine who lives in Manhattan and hit up some amazing restaurants.

If you're ever in the area, and like Thai food, head over to Soho and check out Peep. Unbelievably delicious food, good service, and reasonable prices. Tip: be sure to visit the restroom; you won't be disappointed.

On the way home Monday the weather took a bad turn, and everyone in the airport was talking about "Snow-mageddon." Now, I might be a Bible scholar in my spare time, but I'd hardly liken some hardy snowfall as anything-mageddon. It's snow, people. It is, at most, fluffy water... or very light ice. But the way my fellow anonymous travel buddies were talking, you'd think the Fifth Horseman was named Avalanche. (You're welcome, newly-inspired fantasy writer.)

Despite coming up to NYC through Baltimore, my return flight took a detour in Chicago, where Snow-mageddon was about wreak its blustery havoc. Flights were being canceled left and right. Passengers were trying to get on the next flight to AnywhereButHere. Many folks were nervous or cranky, as if doing so would somehow not make them constipated and obnoxious.

Me? I took it all in stride. And by "in stride" I mean that I kept checking my delayed flight status obsessively, whilst smiling encouragingly at the little old lady seated next to me in the terminal. Despite the strong aroma of perm, she was actually quite pleasant.

Anyhow, very long story short, my flight out of Chicago to Nashville managed to take off about 25 minutes before heavy snowfall started battering the Windy City. (Trivia note: Chicago is not called the Windy City because of weather. True story. Look it up.) And by 7:00 pm that evening, I was safely home, with my family, and relieved to have avoided Avalanche and his triumphant ride across the Midwest.

It's been a few days since I got home, and I've had time to do, well, nothing but play catch up on work and family and other stuff. But as the weekend approaches and the prospect of "free time" peeks out over the chaos, I will be back, right here, sharing my notes from the NY11SCBWI conference... and maybe, depending on my Paypal balance, some gossip.Martin Kozickihttp://email@example.com://www.martyko.com/2011/02/dodgin-blizzards-extortion-are-my-new.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-539676762909359771.post-14113741947715674562011-01-03T12:46:00.000-06:002011-01-03T12:46:49.796-06:00Resolving to be re-solvedSome say the new year dawns like a curious infant rising from sleep, rubbing its eyes and wondering what's next in this great new experience called life.

Others believe the year descends upon us like a predator, bringing with it an army of worries and trouble and no small amount of tests for us to endure, hoping against hope that we come out of it unscathed.

The truth, as I see it, is that each year--indeed, each passing day--is a bit of both. We have a measure of goals, a measure of spontaneity, and somewhere someone (or something) is going to try to interfere with it.

Ultimately, it is up to us to be responsible and creative so as to overcome any tribulation set before us, never losing sight of the fact that every breath is a gift that at one time, perhaps long ago, we promised we'd use wisely.

Failure to do so is no one's fault but our own, because it isn't what happens to us, but how we respond to it, that sets the tone for success or stumbling.

This is why I don't believe in new year resolutions. I make resolutions all the time, not letting something so random as a calendar designate the pace and inertia of my existence.

If this isn't you, and you enjoy resolutions this time of year, then I wish you the best in 2011. And, if I may share something that might help you along with your goals, no matter if you made them on December 31st, or if you're like me, constantly making them with every pair of heartbeats.

"Sometimes it takes patience and perseverance to get things done. In my opinion, change never happens fast. It only happens fast to people who weren't paying attention. Change--real change--takes time. It takes someone realizing that a goal is not something you get from a vending machine. You have to save up for it, and have the discipline to see it through. Often you have to compromise along the way. You get a little here, get a little there, a step forward, a step back, etc. But eventually, you get there. Maybe along the way you learn that the goal you were striving for isn't really your objective, and it alters a bit, or you alter a bit. But the bottom line is that no one gets anything by demanding it. You work hard. You keep at it. You grow. And one day, you look up, and you're there."

Now, let's get this year started properly, shall we?
Martin Kozickihttp://email@example.com://www.martyko.com/2011/01/resolving-to-be-re-solved.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-539676762909359771.post-63256514520439204322010-12-17T01:28:00.000-06:002010-12-17T01:28:43.013-06:00Rushing to get out the doorHave you ever been on the eve of a much-needed vacation, and found that your day (or week) was incredibly productive?

Having the thought of rest and relaxation just around the corner, it's incredible how efficient some people become. Meetings are suddenly not so tedious. Projects seem to complete themselves in record time. And like water off a duck's back, those who would, under most other circumstances, annoy you, seem unable to penetrate your armor of optimism.

Personally I don't get many vacations. That whole "husband, father, business owner, writer" bio should be evidence enough that my routine, while manageable, is fairly busy. In the nearly-nine years my wife and I have been married, we've been away together only once. So when I know I'm on the cusp of a vacation, I don't just have a productive day, or week... I have an energy-filled month.

Such has been the case these past few weeks. In addition to working dutifully to finish a special children's book project for a major non-profit (which, I am now told, may not materialize), I have tackled my own personal KidLit project by polishing, editing and preparing it for the query and/or agent stage.

Professionally, my marketing company has taken on some new clients, re-awakened some old ones, and kept steadily busy in the fourth quarter.

Personally, a variety of nagging household projects (the dreaded Honey-Do List) are now complete. The dryer vent duct work has been cleaned and/or replaced. The shower in our master bath has been tiled. The garage is cleaned out and can once again, after a 2-month hiatus, hold both our vehicles, and not just one. And little pockets of clutter have been organized and properly stored, including what we like to call our Everything Closet, a bonus closet that holds everything from luggage to craft materials to light bulbs and air filters.

Oh, and I changed the air filter, too.

These are, of course, all superficial activities, albeit necessary. The real meat and potatoes of life, for me, involves my family, so much of my time recently has been spent on making extra time available for our three kids. That's what I love about being productive on the superficial stuff, because it means more time with them.

Whether it be building the next great LEGO space ship with Nod, helping Blinkin write "big words" on a card that (I'm assured, with all the playful deception of a 6 year-old) is most certainly not for me ("It's not, Dad, honest. Now how do you spell 'happy anniversary'?"), or relaxing with Winkin by playing games on the Wii, every minute is a blessing.

Of course, all of this time management, and resourcefulness, and family time was ultimately leading up to our departure from Nashville on our second vacation ever, which has finally arrived.

As I sit here watching the snow fall and the sun rise over the breathtakingly beautiful city of Lausanne, Switzerland, bells are ringing at the nearby Lausanne Cathedral.

Before sunrise in Lausanne, Switzerland, with the hazy outline of
Lausanne Cathedral just up the hill from us.
Photo Credit: © Martin Kozicki

For the next week, my wife and I are staying with friends in Switzerland, a first-time trip for us. We have... not much... on our agenda. Mostly it's an opportunity to refresh and rejuvenate during the winter holiday. We'll be touring around getting some local flavor, enjoying a unique gastronomique experience, and spending a day or two at a chalet in the Alps.

Already the environment is taking hold of my senses and the architecture is inspiring new ideas. Last night's snow fall couldn't have come at a better time. And while I watch it accumulate on the window ledge over this waking, gothic city, I can't help but wonder: what's next?Martin Kozickihttp://email@example.com://www.martyko.com/2010/12/rushing-to-get-out-door.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-539676762909359771.post-82460290081121189042010-11-23T19:49:00.000-06:002010-11-23T19:49:39.064-06:00Time flies when you throw your watch at someoneThe past ten days have been all sorts of adventure!

A picture book project I'm working on had its deadline trimmed short, necessitating FHDM (Full Hunker Down Mode). Happily, the manuscript didn't suffer and I was pleased with what I submitted. Not surprisingly, though, there are now... complications... so it appears that I'll be spending the next few weeks doing re-writes.

More on that later--like, next week sometime. For now I want to take a moment to expose my inner geek.

Late last week a shiny new toy arrived via the FedEx Man (thanks, George!) in the form of a new MacBook Air! You've probably seen the commercials--Apple seems to be running them on every channel at 90-second intervals (or so it seems).

So what's the verdict? Only a heaping spoonful of awesome!

Not since Blu-ray in 2006 has a new gadget exceeded its hype with such splendiferous panache, right out of the box. The Air is light, nimble and very fast. In a way, it is everything I am not. I guess you could say it completes me.

© Apple Computer

If you're unfamiliar with this Magical Device of Wonder, the MacBook Air is Apple's newest ultra-portable laptop. Available in both 11.1" and 13.3" screen sizes (I got the bigger one, of course), the Air is ridiculously thin, tapering down from a slender 0.68" to an Olson Twin-like 0.11".

It skips the CD/DVD drive, which is arguably unnecessary in a world where everything is available as a download. Instead of a magnetic hard drive like most computers, it utilizes the much faster Flash memory--a whopping 256 GB in the model I chose. Apple also integrated a series of smaller batteries instead of one big, heavy one. All of this adds up to, well, it doesn't add up to much--the Air is a modest 2.9 lbs. That's significantly lighter than any other notebook on the market, and just slightly heavier than Apple's iPad or Kate Moss holding a dictionary.

When Apple first announced the tech specs on the Air, many critics argued that it wouldn't be able to compete with other ultra-portables in terms of performance. Coming from a heavier, monstrously powerful MacBook Pro, I have to say that the Air keeps pace nicely for what I (and most people) use a laptop for: browsing the web, writing, playing around with photos, and the occasional game or two.

Some of this efficiency is due to the fact that yes, Apple did opt for a slower, less power-hungry processor, but they utilized the speedier Flash memory and also incorporated a very spry graphics processor. The trade-off seems to work well--the Air goes from Off to Ready! in about 11 seconds (most Windows laptops take about 45-120 seconds to boot up by comparison) and waking it from Sleep mode is, literally, instant.

The most important change I've noticed in comparing the Air to my old MBP is that battery life is worlds better. The Pro gave me (maybe) around 2-3 hours of battery life. WiFi use, playing videos, and anything else even moderately taxing would drag that average down to 01:45 or so. With the Air unplugged, I'm still amused when I look at the estimated battery life and see 08:15--it never gets old!

Now, I'm a fan of Apple products, but I'm no fanboy. I understand the Air isn't for everyone. In fact, I'd say the market for an ultra-portable is small compared to tablet devices like the Samsung Galaxy or the iPad. But for what it does, the MacBook Air does it all exceptionally well, at least for me, at a price that isn't hard to swallow for this kind of tech (they start at $1199). And while I don't think it will make me a better writer, it certainly does improve my mood and eagerness to write when I get to do it with a fun new toy.

It makes me wonder... did Shakespeare enjoy writing more when he got a cool new pen? Do you get a nice "shot in the arm" when writing on a new computer, laptop or (*gasp*) pad of paper?Martin Kozickihttp://email@example.com://www.martyko.com/2010/11/time-flies-when-you-throw-your-watch-at.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-539676762909359771.post-16576546250208170802010-11-12T10:29:00.003-06:002010-11-12T10:32:22.442-06:00Another independent bites the dust jacketNews hit Nashville this week that beloved local independent bookstore Davis-Kidd is closing in December. Davis-Kidd is something of an institution around here, and while not truly "independent" in the rawest sense of the word--it is owned by the Joseph-Beth Group--the forthcoming shut-down has many Nashvillians already feeling pangs of loss.

Excessive use of hyphens aside, I am trying to be sympathetic to those who have expressed concern over the "death of the independent book store." Admittedly, however, I'm having trouble with that.

You've Got Mail
© Warner Bros.

Look, I get it. People form attachments to retail locations. Record stores, coffee shops, and hardware stores are all popular community favorites.

For authors and avid readers, there's something even more magical about a bookstore. It gives me a warm and fuzzy feeling walking into a book shop and catching the aroma of billions of pages, that slight hint of ink, blended with the fragrance of ideas swirling in the air.

But at the end of the day, it's a retail store. It is bricks, and mortar, and shelves and employees. It is commerce. And in that respect, it is neither unique nor magical.

My natural conclusion is that these stores close due to loss of market share from larger, "corporate" bookstores, like Barnes & Noble and Borders. Using that as the basis for the following, some of the reasons I've heard why people lament the closure of independent bookstores are:

Independent bookstore employees are better qualified & know more about books - It's true that "big box" stores will employ just about anybody with a pulse. But it's ignorant to assume every employee at an indie store is inherently knowledgeable and every employee at a corporate store is clueless. My local B&N has been around for at least 15 years, and the employees are educated and passionate about their various departments.

The indie bookstore is an American icon - I roll my eyes to this one. Considering that moveable type is still a relatively "new" invention in the stream of human history, and that literacy amongst "ye common folk" runs almost parallel to its existence, book stores are not ancient and hallowed ground. Libraries are. As I mentioned earlier, I understand forming an emotional attachment to a retail location, but the fact remains that many of America's most beloved independent bookstores were opened in the 20th century. There are older car dealerships out there.

If [insert indie store here] closes, where will people get books/authors promote? - Again, another eye roll. It's not as if books turn into a scarce relic the moment an indie bookstore closes. There's likely another option available to the community, whether it be a library or corporate bookstore. There's also online sites aplenty. Corporate bookstores still host author events and signings. They have story time in the KidLit area. You can sit and read there for hours undisturbed, without actually buying anything.

To be clear, I'm not saying I don't support local businesses--especially bookstores--because I do. However, I make my decision on where to shop based upon distance, price, service, and availability. For example, there's a Books-a-Million less than 3 miles from my home, but I happily travel 14 miles to B&N because the Books-a-Million has mediocre service, high prices and lackluster selection (not to mention a depressing Children's section). The Davis-Kidd that's closing next month is twice the distance as B&N--not exactly "the shop around the corner." Alternatively, if I need a book and I'm not in a hurry, I usually turn to Amazon.com or BN.com.

The bottom line here is that, as a writer and book-lover, I am genuinely trying to understand more about why people are so grieved by the closing of a local independent bookstore. What are your thoughts? Do you bemoan the closing of indie bookstores? Do you not care? Do you prefer B&N or Borders, and why?

Sound off in the Comments section and give me the benefit of your perspective. Give me a compelling reason not to feel so indifferent, and I promise to listen with an open mind.Martin Kozickihttp://email@example.com://www.martyko.com/2010/11/another-independent-bites-dust-jacket.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-539676762909359771.post-61699304367495417782010-11-10T18:45:00.004-06:002010-11-10T21:21:36.809-06:00Amazon.com, pedophiles, and free speech

It happened earlier today. A few messages went out over the Twit-o-sphere proclaiming that Amazon.com "published" a "how-to guide" for pedophiles.

It spread like wildfire, with re-tweets and blog posts lighting up the web. The Twitter hash tags #amazonfail and #boycottamazon are on the verge of trending.

In typical Internet community fashion, this whole thing is being blown way out of proportion.

This is, on the whole, a family-oriented site, so I am not going to name the offending book, link to it, or give specific quotes or details. But here are the facts: there is currently (as of my writing this) a Kindle e-book for sale on Amazon that specifically mentions pedophilia and, according to the description, offers advice to pedophiles on how to avoid prosecution if caught.

Now, I'm not one to judge a book by its cover, but this is a terrible idea for a book. It goes way beyond the realm of "free speech" when you start actively promoting ideas on how to escape punishment for committing a crime, and a particularly heinous one at that.

Let's be abundantly clear: I am of the opinion that this book should--and hopefully will--be pulled from Amazon's online storefront. And while I am not an attorney, I would even go so far as to say the author should be investigated by authorities.

In the interest of full disclosure, I've been an Amazon customer for over a decade, and they've always treated me right. A week doesn't go by when a package doesn't arrive at my doorstep from them. Our household relies on Amazon for coffee, cereal, snacks, books, video games, movies--lots of stuff!

However, I've also seen products pulled from their site before, for far more innocent offenses. They can, and do, respond to their customers.

The issue for me here is that most of the people I've seen tweeting and blogging about the e-book in question are not giving Amazon time to respond. The calls to boycott Amazon or bring them up on criminal charges are just knee-jerk, premature reactions that smack of idiocy and ignorance. The offending book may have gone up for sale on October 28th, but the buzz about its controversy appears to be less than 12 hours old in "Internet time."

Here's why I'm not writing off Amazon just yet.

First, from what I've read, the process for independent authors to submit their own Kindle e-book for sale on Amazon is still relatively new. It is by no means "commodity" and is very much still "novelty."

While Amazon claims they review all products submitted, it should be noted that Apple says the same thing about their App Store, but that hasn't stopped malicious or inappropriate content sneaking through. It's a law of numbers--there's just no way they can personally review everything in detail. And being that the system is new, it takes feedback (like they are undoubtedly receiving right now en masse) to properly refine the submission/approval system.

Naturally I agree that a book with the word "pedophile" in the title should have been flagged for further scrutiny, but it wasn't. Instead of whining about what wasn't done, let's focus on what can be done--that is, asking Amazon to improve their system. People need to understand this is a huge, international company; it isn't one guy sitting in an office rubber-stamping stuff.

If this book had been
published today, would
Amazon not sell it?

Secondly, there's the matter of legality. Again, I'm not an attorney, but I would bet dimes to donuts that when an "author" presents an independent book to Amazon for selling on their Kindle store that some type of official Terms & Conditions contract is entered into by both parties.

This contract would undoubtedly grant both sides various rights and obligations. It likely entails that Amazon will not just arbitrarily remove the author's work without justifiable explanation--and by that I mean something Amazon's lawyers have reviewed and can substantiate. Otherwise, a malicious person could send off emails to Amazon all day declaring that the latest Diary of a Wimpy Kid is offensive and demand it be pulled from the store, "just because." Or, conversely, an author could take legal action against Amazon claiming their First Amendment rights were violated if their book was removed. This sort of thing can be a slippery slope, and every responsible company is going to cover themselves from a liability standpoint.

Imagine for a moment if you were an author who put up a "controversial" book for sale on Amazon, and had it removed pell mell just because of public outcry, with no opportunity to defend yourself or your work. I'd imagine you'd feel a bit like JK Rowling when a Georgia, USA mother demanded Harry Potter be pulled from schools. The proverbial knife cuts both ways.

Third, I haven't heard or read of anyone who has actually purchased or reviewed this book. If they did, I somehow doubt that person would actually admit it. As such, and given the appearance of this book shortly after Banned Books Week, it is possible, however unlikely, that the contents of the book are benign, open impudence, or just controversial for controversy's sake.

To be clear, I don't think this is necessarily the case. But this is the Internet. Stranger things have happened in a place where anyone can do just about anything they want.

Last but not least, many people are emailing Amazon customer service and getting replies back stating Amazon does not censor its product offerings. They immediately point to this as "evidence" that Amazon approves of the controversial book, without for a moment considering that Amazon, like many large companies, has thousands upon thousands of pre-written email replies for a wide range of regular customer inquiries.

One ABC News article (which I will not link to because it specifically names the book) goes so far as to equate Amazon's canned email reply with an officially issued statement.

Seriously?

As I mentioned before, in all likelihood Amazon's corporate office is aware of what's going on. They are likely consulting their legal team and their own policies in order to make a reasonable, responsible reply. The offensive book is probably being read and evaluated. And I have every confidence that Amazon will make a statement to the media and take proper action--they're a publicly traded company and have a reputation to uphold. But these things take time.

If they do remove the book, great! They listened to their customers and stood up for what's right, even if some minority may say it "tramples free speech." That book doesn't belong on a site like Amazon, in my opinion.

If they don't remove the book, then we should all take a long, hard look at who might be a better source for our e-commerce needs.

Until Amazon makes a formal decision either way, I will continue to buy from them. Unlike some who take a hard line, I will not let unreasonable fear-mongering and ignorance dictate my consumer habits. If we all endorsed this idea that a company should be vilified for carrying products we have ethical and moral qualms about--however justified we may be--then no one would shop anywhere.Martin Kozickihttp://firstname.lastname@example.com://www.martyko.com/2010/11/amazoncom-pedophiles-and-free-speech.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-539676762909359771.post-53598857145082407722010-11-09T08:19:00.000-06:002010-11-09T08:19:48.282-06:00Optimism on Sale - Selling Hope out today!Today marks the release of Selling Hope (Feiwel & Friends), the new book by Kristin O'Donnell Tubb.

I had the privilege of meeting Kristin at September's SCBWI Mid-south regional conference. Ten seconds of chatting with Kristin is enough to make you want to read whatever she writes--she is vivacious and clever, with a winning smile and creative spirit.

Yep, all of that in ten seconds.

Now just imagine what kind of ingenuity lurks inside her new book. Or, you know, just read the synopsis:

It's May 1910, and Halley's Comet is due to pass thru the Earth's atmosphere. And thirteen-year-old Hope McDaniels and her father are due to pass through their hometown of Chicago with their ragtag vaudeville troupe. Hope wants out of vaudeville, and longs for a "normal" life—or as normal as life can be without her mother, who died five years before. Hope sees an opportunity: She invents "anti-comet" pills to sell to the working-class customers desperate for protection. Soon, she's joined by a fellow troupe member, young Buster Keaton, and the two of them start to make good money. And just when Hope thinks she has all the answers, she has to decide: What is family? Where is home?

If you've read any of my previous blog posts, you can probably see why this type of story would appeal to me. It's also got Winkin excited, too! Granted, I'm not a huge fan or reader of YA books, but the artful blend of historical realities with imaginative fiction is irresistible.

Time For More Free Stuff!

So with that said, let's have a give-away! Selling Hope is set during the Vaudeville era, a time when American show business was hitting its stride. Many beloved entertainers became famous during this period, whereas others merely used vaudeville as a platform to launch careers in other venues.

Post in the Comments below and tell me who your favorite vaudevillian performer was, and why. You don't have to go into great detail, as it won't help your chances of winning, but this is a contest so we're trying to have fun -- be original!

On Tuesday, November 16th, I'll pick one comment at random. That participant will win a FREE copy of Selling Hope by Kristin O'Donnell Tubb.

And who knows? There might be an extra surprise in there for you, too!

(Please be sure to include an email address in your comment so I can notify the winner.)Martin Kozickihttp://firstname.lastname@example.com://www.martyko.com/2010/11/optimism-on-sale-selling-hope-out-today.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-539676762909359771.post-79495824891102068392010-11-08T18:26:00.002-06:002010-11-08T18:36:16.507-06:005 Small Steps | Part 4: Dress for SuccessYou hear in business how employees should dress for the job they want, not the job they have. This is especially true of corporations with large hierarchies, where the rank-and-file are often "biz casj" and management is suited up, French cuffs and all.

A lower tiered employee with designs on a promotion may not have to copy that style, but in many cases dressing in less formal attire is an outward expression of inward motivation.

Athletes do the same thing. When trying to earn their spot on a roster, they'll train harder, buy new equipment, and work with mentors, all in an effort to impress the coach and show their dedication. A future on the team, and millions of dollars in contracts and endorsements, depends on it.

Not an author.

Applying that example to the dream of becoming a full-time author, both literally and figuratively "dressing the part" is a good way to let others know you're serious.

Now I'm not sure about you, but I have no idea what a writer looks like. So when I say to dress like a writer, I'm not implying you go out and imitate the fashion choices of Stephen King or J.K. Rowling. But you can dress in a way that makes you feel like a writer, whether it be jeans and a t-shirt or something a tad classier.

More to the point, envision yourself at your first book signing, or book reading, and dress like that. You might be surprised by the psychological benefits to being "in costume," as it were, for your profession of choice, even if you're all alone with a laptop and your thoughts.

It'll Take More Than Just Good Looks

This is more than just an outward expression, though. Like the athlete example mentioned above, this is about building an identity, developing your skills, and creating a support network.

If you are seriously considering writing as a career, treat it like any other career choice. Proactively make yourself into what it is you want to become. Don't let it just happen, but do it on purpose!

Build a résumé of skills and talents - Professionals call this a CV, or Curriculum Vitae. It's Latin for "course of life." Where have you been? What have you done? How does it apply to where you're going? Think of it like a résumé, only more personal. There are limitless free sources online demonstrating how to create a good CV. Keep it updated as you grow, because you'll need it when that publishing deal comes along.

Not an author.

Attend classes & conferences to improve your craft - This really should go without saying, but it's been my experience most people overlook the benefits of continuing education in their selected field. It keeps you fresh! It also means that you will have a leg up on your peers who don't do this (and there will be many). No athlete would dare stop training or practicing after he made the team. No writer should stop learning how to be a better writer.

Enter contests to gain notoriety & win awards - There's a bazillion writing, short story, and essay contests available in newspapers, trade journals, at community colleges, and online. Seek out the ones that match your WIP and enter. If you win, or get some form of special recognition, it's an impressive addition to your CV. Not only does it add to your credibility, but it shows you have confidence in your work. Hint: Agents and publishers like this. Many book deals come about as a result of contest awards, both directly and indirectly.

Network with others & develop references - Every good job applicant is ready to produce references upon request. These can be professional or personal, but they have to be people who can speak to your abilities, talents, ethics, and personality. Writing is no exception. A critique group will make you a stronger writer, hands down. Get in one, or start one! Join SCBWI and communicate with other members. Let people know who you are and what you do. It's true what they say about "birds of a feather." And on the topic of cliché statements, don't forget that it really is all about who you know. With so many publishers and agents not accepting unsolicited material, being referred or introduced via mutual acquaintances is now the norm.

Is likely an author.
© Susan Kuklin

Start building your brand online and off - To you, it's a book. It is the culmination of hours and hours of heart, soul, blood, sweat, tears, and millions of cups of coffee. To an agent or publisher, it's a product. And products have to $ell. You don't have to go nuts with social networking, blogging, or meeting others within the industry--if you do, you'll easily run out of time to write. But you do have to build your brand. Make sure you exist online, whether it be you or an alter ego, and update that existence with compelling content regularly. Gain "followers" online. Meet librarians, book store owners, and others who can be good people to know down the road. Your goal here is not to become a celebrity, but at least be on the radar of those you intend to read (and buy) your book. In short, be accessible, and not aloof or withdrawn.

Treat your goals like they're inevitable - One of my favorite quotes is from the classic video game Star Control II. In it, you play a space-faring captain seeking to save the galaxy from an alien threat. Along the way, you regularly encounter a merchant to trade with. His spaceship is named "Inevitably Successful In All Circumstances." I love this, and have made it my personal mantra for the last 18 years. No matter what you do, or who you meet, or how many times you're told otherwise, persist in your goals like they're going to happen. It's not a matter of "if." It's a matter of "when." This might require some patience, and shrugging off people who give bad advice (like the ones who tell you to quit). But confidence breeds success, and nothing establishes confidence like knowing something is going to happen. It's like Faith, but better!

In conclusion, you will never publish anything unless you engage the industry. To do that, you have to be, well, engaging! Just as money has no value until it is spent, your book has no value until someone wants to read it. Give them a reason to. Dress like a writer. Talk like a writer. Learn like a writer. Live like a writer. Be a writer... and, sooner or later, you will be!Martin Kozickihttp://firstname.lastname@example.com://www.martyko.com/2010/11/5-small-steps-part-4-dress-for-success.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-539676762909359771.post-30366081827300359932010-11-05T23:36:00.000-05:002010-11-05T23:36:09.119-05:00Remember, remember, the Fifth of NovemberThere are many reasons why November 5th is such a memorable day for me. For starters, this is the day my little girl, Blinkin, was born, six years ago. Since Winkin is actually my step-daughter (I abhor the label, but for the sake of explanation we'll run with it), Blinkin was my first opportunity to be Dad to an infant.

At the time I hadn't yet started my marketing company, so I took paternity leave for a few months and did the whole Mr. Mom thing. I'd do bottle feedings at night, diaper changes 24/7, take her to the store or park during the day, and my favorite thing: singing to her when she was restless. A little Phantom of the Opera and she'd drift right off to Sleepy-bye Island.

How did I enjoy those six months? They were a blast! I had so much fun with that kid, watching her grow before my very eyes. Even now, six years later, there is an unmistakable bond between us that I attribute to having that extra time together.

Personally I believe it's important for fathers to be there for their children, right from the start, and as often as possible. Not everyone's circumstances allow for a six-month leave of absence from work to be with a newborn. But I guess the point of this post is that it doesn't have to be six months, and it doesn't have to be a newborn. Fathers, especially, should make a conscious effort to devote extra time to their kids, as often as possible. Not a dad? What about your nieces or nephews? Can you be there for them? You might be surprised how positive an influence you can be... for each other.Martin Kozickihttp://firstname.lastname@example.com://www.martyko.com/2010/11/remember-remember-fifth-of-november.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-539676762909359771.post-41381812752403545942010-10-31T19:49:00.000-05:002010-10-31T19:49:50.918-05:00NaBloWriMo - A month in reflectionThis blog officially opened on October 1, 2010, and I thought a fun way to kick it off--and get in the habit of blogging--would be to sign up for National Blog Writers Month, or NaBloWriMo.

The goal was to make at least one interesting post per day, and I'm happy to say that I only missed 3 days--all for very good personal reasons, and not just procrastination or laziness. So as far as NaBloWriMo is concerned, I consider the event to be a rousing success!

Here are some of the things I'm happy to have accomplished during the month of October.

Getting in the Habit - Over the last 10 years I've started and stopped a few blogs. Not only did I fail to develop a habit of updating them, but I lost interest for two reasons: No solid foundation to build on, and no passion to energize them. As a result, they fizzled. Not this one! BleMals has proved to be a fun place for me to share things with the world that I'm passionate about, using my pursuit of becoming a full-time author as a central theme.

Making New Connections - From the very first day of NaBloWriMo, I started making new virtual acquaintances and following the blogs of intriguing writers. It's been a trip! During the month, I've had the privilege to "meet" several great writers, authors and illustrators; many of them have been kind enough to comment on my posts. Special thanks to Alex J. Cavanaugh, PK Hrezo, Carolyn, and everyone else who checked in regularly. I know all of you are busy in your own right, so thank you for taking the time to support a fellow NaBloWriMo blogger! I will be reading your blogs and following your careers with great interest!

Becoming More Social - Thanks to this blog, I've renewed my interest in Twitter, and have been introduced to other social networks and the fine folks who frequent them. My posts here and on Twitter have resulted in contact with authors, editors, art directors, and others within the KidLit industry. Some have even thanked me for mentioning their projects, or for writing on a topic they are also passionate about. To this, I can only say thank you, ever so humbly, for the recognition, and for your kind words of inspiration!

Building Momentum - Writing a post per day is not easy, especially when I am also being a husband, father, and business owner. Moving forward, it will be my goal to post at least three times per week, and, to the best of my ability, keep up with Twitter and other elements of my "online presence." Other more experienced folks have clued me in to the fact that this is an important activity for aspiring authors. Who am I to argue?

The momentum built during the month of October should carry nicely into the future. Whether it be my quest to find a literary agent, improve my skills, sell my first book, attend KidLit events around the world, or other related topics, I promise to keep the energy alive from one milestone to the next! If you'd like to stick around for the ride, well, I'd be honored.Martin Kozickihttp://email@example.com://www.martyko.com/2010/10/nablowrimo-month-in-reflection.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-539676762909359771.post-89381017416221918712010-10-29T22:52:00.000-05:002010-10-29T22:52:17.035-05:00That's when I do my best work

When I started writing professionally in 1993, I had to contend with deadlines. Admittedly, I was young, and pretty lousy at meeting them. Or maybe I just enjoyed procrastinating. Either way, when I emerged out of journalism and into commercial copy writing, I got much better at staying on-task.

Clients were, understandably, reluctant to pay promptly for late work. So in all my years of copy writing, I was never late, but boy did I like to wait until the last minute!

Or, if a client had tried another writer unsuccessfully, and thus had a much shorter time frame to work with, I'd snap up those opportunities and not bother renegotiating the deadline.

It didn't take long for me to realize that I work well under pressure. In fact, when the heat is on, I do my best work.

So maybe all that time spent waiting until the last minute wasn't really procrastination... I was just letting my thoughts marinate in creative juices.

Whatever works, right?

Today I am faced with a familiar situation: I have a self-imposed deadline of This Weekend for putting the finishing touches and art notes on my picture book manuscript. Additionally, I've been informed that there is a meeting scheduled early next month regarding the children's non-profit project I'm writing.

Time will tell how this all plays out, whether or not I'll finish in time, and if it will indeed by quality work. Talk about suspense! I'd cross my fingers, but it's very hard to type like that.

How do you deal with deadlines? How do you keep yourself on-task? Or do you procrastinate... err... I mean, do you let your ideas marinate for extended periods of time before committing them to paper?Martin Kozickihttp://firstname.lastname@example.com://www.martyko.com/2010/10/thats-when-i-do-my-best-work.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-539676762909359771.post-13186932724073399272010-10-28T19:10:00.005-05:002010-10-28T19:16:10.409-05:00Stepping through the wardrobe

This week an old friend of mine was asking for vacation ideas. Quite casually, and for no reason I could think of at the time, I suggested she visit Prince Edward Island.

Credit: NovaScotiaTravel.ca

She quickly responded that Anne of Green Gables was her favorite book, favorite movie, and favorite source of fun phrases like "bosom friend."

It is quite amusing to say. "Bosom friend." Yep, still fun.

Our conversation got me thinking: If I could visit any location from literature, where would it be, and why?

To this question I added some rules; otherwise I'd be imagining myself on some futuristic alien planet with robots and blue people. (We'll save that for a future post.) So my rules were:

The location must be found in a book.

It can be any time period from past to present.

It must be on this planet.

It can be rooted in fiction, but the general setting must be real.
(Atlantis doesn't count. Hogwarts is stretching it. Watership Down is fine.)

My personal answer came easy: Victorian England. It's the era of Sherlock Holmes, Jack the Ripper, Great Expectations, Wuthering Heights, plenty of clever authors, and many more amazing stories, be they real or fiction.

Plus, there was running water, a sewer system, and various other creature comforts that, quite honestly, I don't think I could live long without, even if I was just visiting. (Yes, I'm a pragmatic time traveler.)

What about you? Using the 4 rules above, where would you go from literature, and why?Martin Kozickihttp://firstname.lastname@example.com://www.martyko.com/2010/10/stepping-through-wardrobe.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-539676762909359771.post-14264909957906920942010-10-27T21:58:00.000-05:002010-10-27T21:58:24.182-05:00And the winner is...The winner of this month's book giveaway--Lane Smith's new picture book, It's a Book--is smurphy379! Congratulations!

Which brings me to my announcement: Every month I will be giving out a free children's book on this blog!

This is a good way for me to both support KidLit authors and to say "thanks" to you, my guests!

As was the case with this month's giveaway--where all you had to do was post a comment to qualify--I will likely keep future giveaways very simple. No forms to fill out. No ReTweeting required. (Although if you do share the contest on Facebook or Twitter, I promise not to turn you over to the Anti-Free Book Police.) My goal here is to spread the joy of reading.

If you win, I'll contact you via email or post a follow-up to your comment, so check back often! I know a few folks had trouble leaving comments and emailed me their comments instead. Still others left comments, but their profiles were private and I had no way of contacting them directly. Blogger is still new to me, so if I find a more intuitive way to keep track of entrants (or if anyone can suggest one) then I'll be sure to post about it and provide adequate instructions in the future.

Congratulations again to smurphy379, and thanks to everyone for participating in the discussion!Martin Kozickihttp://email@example.com://www.martyko.com/2010/10/and-winner-is.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-539676762909359771.post-92178661581142429752010-10-26T22:04:00.000-05:002010-10-26T22:04:35.362-05:00You are now free to move about the countryNext January 28-30 is the SCBWI Winter Conference for 2011. Knowing I definitely wanted to attend, I signed up for the conference the very hour registration opened up on October 6th. But until today I wasn't entirely sure what my travel plans were going to be.

Well, check another item off my To-Do list, because I finally booked my flight!

There's something to that whole Patience is a Virtue thing. When I originally checked flights from Nashville to NYC, the lowest fare I could find was United at around $360 roundtrip. Granted, I don't fly often, but that didn't exactly scream "bargain" to me, and I am always looking for a good deal.

Y'all be flyin' somewhere?
Credit: Southwest Airlines

This afternoon I was browsing Slickdeals.net (one of my favorite bargain-hunting sites -- check it out!) and noticed that Southwest Airlines was offering some seriously good deals if you booked by October 28th and traveled between January and February. Well, well, well, isn't that convenient?

Long story short, I was able to book two roundtrip fares for a grand total of $322. Not each. Total.

My traveling companion will be a good buddy of mine, a very talented artist originally from NYC who now lives here in Nashville. I'm eager to get to the SCBWI conference. He's eager to visit his old neighborhood. We've been friends since we were 10 years old, so that virtually guarantees a good time. He knows New York inside and out, whereas I haven't been there in a decade. (My knowledge of NYC geography is pretty much limited to what I gleaned from Spider-Man comics.) To top it all off, a mutual friend of ours, and former Nashville resident, now lives in the city, so we're all looking forward to the mini-reunion.

I love it when a plan comes together.

If you're familiar with NYC and know of any good restaurants or points of interest, please let me know in the Comments section. Our itinerary gives us 2 extra days to bum around the city, and I'm eager to be entertained and well fed!Martin Kozickihttp://firstname.lastname@example.com://www.martyko.com/2010/10/you-are-now-free-to-move-about-country.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-539676762909359771.post-60270968617414035312010-10-25T23:08:00.001-05:002010-10-26T08:58:15.904-05:00Blinkin and the Busted LipSincerest apologies for my absence over the weekend. Yes, I know it throws a wrench in my NaBloWriMo goal of one blog post per day during the month of October. But I am, foremost, a father and husband, and often find being both requires no small amount of time away from my electronicals.

For the purposes of this blog, let's call my three children Winkin, Blinkin, and Nod. They are 12, nearly 6, and newly 4, respectively. To say we have a busy household is a vast understatement, but all three are generally well-behaved children, unique in their own special ways, and unstoppably adorable.

Blinkin is a curious child. Not curious in the sense of, I have no idea what's going on in that little head of hers. (In fact, she's so much like me, I'm pretty sure I always know what she's thinking.) She is curious in the sense that she enjoys exploring and pushing boundaries, physical or otherwise.

This is generally a plus; she's a great problem-solver and beautifully creative. The down side is that, while engaged in her various explorations, Blinkin tends to lose track of her surroundings.

This happened on Saturday morning when, while playing with Winkin, she temporarily forgot she was on Earth... and that Earth has gravity... and that floors are hard. She slipped and fell face-first onto our living room hardwoods.

This is not the first time she has suffered a facial injury while playing. Last year, Blinkin turned to run during a game of Tag and immediately connected with a window. The resulting golf ball-sized knot above her eye necessitated long bangs and excessive hat-wearing, both at her request. I wouldn't go so far as to say she's accident prone, but they certainly know where to find her.

Saturday's busted lip injury wasn't all that bad, actually. It gave off very little blood, and, while significantly swollen, turned out to be a fairly minor injury. She barely cried. When my wife returned from her sewing class, she praised my triage skills. (Being married to a nurse certainly has its benefits.) She also praised Blinkin for being a good little patient. Indeed, by the time Mrs. Kozicki got home, Blinkin was already back in good spirits and playing once again.

It dawned on me later in the day that I suffered a similar injury when I was 5 years old, too. Although, granted, my case involved an older brother forcibly introducing me to the corner of a piano bench. Still, the whole situation was terrifying. I have memories of being held down on an operating room table while a doctor sewed up my lip, all the while cracking lame jokes with a chef hand puppet.

You might think I'm making that last part up, but there are pictures.

Unlike my experience, Blinkin handled hers with aplomb. She has always been brave about bumps, bruises, shots, and all the various harassment that tends to exist amongst siblings. I respect that about her, and love her all the more for being such a great kid and not making Daddy freak out under pressure.

The balance of my weekend was spent hanging out with Blinkin, reading books, coloring, playing games, all the while enjoying her unique humor. She might be a brave, creative, and goofy 5 year-old, but she's still a 5 year-old. When kids that age are hurt, for whatever reason, they tend to enjoy the security and comfort of being with Dad the most. At least Blinkin does, and that's OK by me.Martin Kozickihttp://email@example.com://www.martyko.com/2010/10/blinkin-and-busted-lip.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-539676762909359771.post-86967730606112596102010-10-22T20:18:00.000-05:002010-10-22T20:18:26.577-05:00Two pedants walk into a bar......You'd think one of them would've seen it.

Coming just days after my Grammar Nazi post, I found this video particularly fun and enlightening.

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While I enjoy proper spelling and grammar, I'm less concerned with syntax than I am with using the right word in a given situation. Your not going to a wedding. You're going to a wedding. See what I mean?

The video is narrated by the brilliant Stephen Fry, and the thing that I took away from it was that language is a living, breathing, organic thing.

As a long-time believer in using "conversational grammar" in all but the most formal of circumstances, I know in my heart of hearts that Fry is right. We have the right to shape language and bend it and caress it into whatever form agrees with it.

As a personal favor, however, can we all commit to drawing the line at cramming language, shoving it, breaking it, or forcing it--kicking and screaming--into submission? It's not a pretty sight, and it seldom ends well.Martin Kozickihttp://firstname.lastname@example.com://www.martyko.com/2010/10/two-pedants-walk-into-bar.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-539676762909359771.post-76724774890894426862010-10-21T17:13:00.000-05:002010-10-21T17:13:50.474-05:00It's a Controversy

Careful. Books can be dangerous!

Two weeks ago I wrote a brief post about Lane Smith's incredibly clever and illuminating picture book, aptly titled It's A Book.

Today, an article on the School Library Journal web site--originally published in the SLJ newsletter Extra Helping--discussed the controversy surrounding Smith's use of the word "jackass" in the book as a double entendre.

For the curious, the characters in this book are simply referred to as the animals they are: mouse, monkey, and jackass. As you can imagine, it's the jackass who serves as the story's antagonist, quizzing the monkey about his choice of non-electronic entertainment.

"Can it blog? Can it tweet?" asks the quizzical donkey.

"No. It's a book, jackass," replies the monkey.

Smith admits his books are cheeky by design, definitely appealing to the more mischievous kids out there. But is his use of "jackass" a reason for controversy? Is it introducing young children to words their fragile ears shouldn't be exposed to? Is it forcing parents to have "uncomfortable" conversations with their kids?

More importantly, should It's A Book not be in Kindergarten classrooms, daycares, or libraries?

Yeah, what he said.
Credit: Roaring Brook Press

Some people are posting negative comments on the SLJ web site, viciously giving the book 1-star reviews on Amazon, and generally blasting Smith for exposing kids to "filth" and "profanity."

Here's my take on the matter: Words only have the power we attribute to them. I read this book to all three of my young children. They loved it! But they did ask me if "jackass" was a bad word. That's fine; I read the book in advance and expected them to.

"It depends on how it's used," was my immediate reply, and I explained to them that certain words can mean different things when they're used offensively. It doesn't make the word "bad" or "filthy", and they shouldn't ever feel ashamed for using a perfectly normal word in its proper context.

As for the people who think this book doesn't belong in classrooms or libraries, I can only shake my head in disbelief. No one parent has the right to decide what an entire classroom, or school, or community should learn. After all, child-rearing begins at home, and reasonable parents know this.

What's your opinion on the matter? Is Lane Smith over-stepping his boundaries as a KidLit author? Or are some critics just being, well, jackasses?

Sound off in the Comments area, and next week I will pick one comment at random. That guest will win a FREE copy of It's A Book, courtesy of yours truly. So spread the word!Martin Kozickihttp://email@example.com://www.martyko.com/2010/10/its-controversy.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-539676762909359771.post-31291034747266382722010-10-20T18:37:00.001-05:002010-10-21T11:38:45.489-05:00I'm just mad about saffronThe rumors are all true: I'm a total foodie.

Many people who know me also know that I love to cook. In fact, one of my favorite things to do is host a dinner party for a few dozen friends, complete with theme ingredient, homemade menu, and custom cocktail.

Credit: Wikipedia

If this event can be combined with a much-anticipated football or hockey game, all the better. But I'm perfectly OK just hanging out with family and friends, hopefully giving them a culinary experience they've never had before.

This year I decided to start my own herb garden. With the exception of the chives that never quite managed to grow properly, the rosemary, cilantro and especially the sweet basil were phenomenal.

You'd be surprised what happens to ordinary pizza when you bake it over a charcoal grill and top it off with fresh basil. Even the frozen store-bought stuff is instantly transformed into something beyond delicious.

It's fall now, and all of my herbs have withered up for the year. Even the rosemary--which is supposed to be evergreen--just couldn't bear the Indian summer weather here in Tennessee, and finally gave up.

My two saffron planters, sitting comfortably
on a sunny dining room window sill.
© Martin Kozicki

All is not lost, however. I placed an order earlier in the summer for some fall-blooming, indoor-growing saffron, imported from the Middle East (or so they claim). It arrived this week in the form of two planters and 10 saffron crocuses (bulbs).

Saffron is an expensive spice. In fact, it's the most expensive spice in the world. In local grocers, I've seen a small container priced as high as $40! So growing my own made sense. From what I gleaned from the planting instructions, each saffron flower will produce three edible stigma, which are clipped and used in cooking. Being extremely potent, even one stigma is enough to flavor an entire dish.

To paraphrase the Bard, herein lies the (spice) rub. I've never cooked with saffron before. I know it is used extensively in many Central American, Middle Eastern, and Asian dishes. But, assuming it actually flowers and doesn't die a horrible death, this will be my first experience using it in my kitchen.

So, I'm looking for some good recipes that make fine use of this pricey little plant. Feel free to email me, or share them in the comments. If I make your recipe, and love it, I'd be happy to reciprocate!Martin Kozickihttp://email@example.com://www.martyko.com/2010/10/im-just-mad-about-saffron.html


text:
Park Forest, IL-(ENEWSPF)- The Knights of Columbus held their penultimate fist fry at the St. Irenaeus Religious Education Center, 207 South Orchard Drive, on Friday. Serving over 60 meals in two hours, the group is making ready for the last fish fry of the Lenten Season.
The menu includes all you can eat fish for $9.00, or six pieces of shrimp for $9.00. A combo meal with two fish and three shrimp costs $11.00. Soda or water are $1.00 each. All meals include mac & cheese, green beans, cole slaw, bread and butter.
Coffee and tea are complimentary.
Carry-outs are available, and there's usually a 50-50 raffle or two or three happening each evening.
Lent began this year on Valentine's Day, with Ash Wednesday falling on February 14. Easter, certainly not for the foolhardy, arrives Sunday, April 1.
Plan your Friday dinner now.
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