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Stepper machines are a great way to work out in the comfort of your own home. Their size means they are easy to store out of sight if you wish, and compared to other machines they are relatively inexpensive. Working out on a stepper machine provides a number of health and fitness benefits. Including cardiovascular health, muscle toning and weight loss. This guide will go into detail on fitness related stepper machine benefits as well as some practical benefits of using stepper machines compared to something like a treadmill or rowing machine.
What is a stepper machine?
Before covering the benefits of stepper machines, let's take a moment to fully explain what they are.
A stepper machine works the lower body by replicating climbing steps or stairs – hence the name! Climbing steps works the muscles of the lower body, this is why your legs start to tire quickly as you walk up several flights of stairs.
You stand on the stepper pedals and raise one foot after the other. There is resistance built into the pedals to make the action more challenging. A workout will simply be pushing up and down on the pedals for an extended period of time.
There are several varieties of stepper machine available that will add to this basic movement, but all are based on the simple up down motion. We will cover the variety of machines later on in this article.
As you climb steps you will also feel your heart rate increase, and your breathing will become heavier. This is your cardiovascular system kicking into gear in order to supply more oxygen to your muscles as more strain is placed on them.
Who is a stepper machine suitable for?
The type of workouts that take advantage of stepper machine benefits mean they are suitable for almost everyone. But there are circumstances when they may be an especially good choice for certain people:
- Those that want to work out at home but have limited space in which to store exercise equipment
- People with lower body joint injuries or weaknesses
- Someone that is looking to tone their leg muscles without them becoming larger
- A person preparing for a climbing event that isn't able to get away from home to train often enough
Pros and cons of stepper machines
|Health and Fitness
|Health and Fitness
|Tones muscles of the lower body
|May not provide an upper body workout
|Improves cardiovascular endurance and health
|Require greater balance than other machines
|Increases muscle endurance in the lower body
|Can be challenging to use for long periods
|Low impact on joints
|Burns high number of calories, helping weight loss
|Practical Considerations
|Practical Considerations
|Take up limited amount of space so easy to store
|Could just use the stairs!
|Can be relatively inexpensive
|Possible to exercise in front of the TV
Stepper machine benefits
Next we will go into detail on the stepper machine benefits outlined in the pros and cons table above.
Tones muscles of the lower body
As mentioned earlier, the major muscles worked by a stepper machine are those in the legs. The quads, hamstrings, calves, glutes and hips all get a workout. The nature of the exercise is more suitable to toning muscle than building it – so don't worry about getting bulky legs! To grow large muscles in the legs you need to perform over-loaded weight exercises in low reps, supplemented with a high calorie, protein rich diet. The high volume non-stop action of the stepper machine will not do this.
There are some machines available with handlebars attached to help balance. These should be avoided if possible. Balancing your own body weight as you move engages lots of stabilising muscles, providing a better, more rounded workout.
Improves cardiovascular endurance and health
Working out on a stepper machine will certainly work up a sweat. The pace at which you step is a determining factor on how much of a cardiovascular or resistance based exercise it is. The faster you move the more it becomes cardiovascular, while moving slower at higher tension levels makes it a more resistance exercise.
Cardiovascular exercise improves the function of your heart and lungs. Making them better at delivering oxygen to your muscles. This is a combination of two major factors. The fist being the heart becoming stronger and being able to pump more blood from a single heartbeat. The second is an increase in the lungs capacity, taking in more oxygen from a single breath, and then becoming more efficient at taking the oxygen out of the air and transferring into the blood.
The stepper machine will get your heart beating harder and breathing heavier. Doing this more often increases your cardiovascular fitness. It's recommended that a person gets 30 minutes exercise 5 times a week and this machine is a great way to do so.
Increases muscle endurance in the lower body
Muscle endurance is the ability for your muscles to carry out a task repetitively without becoming fatigued. When you exercise you tire in two ways. One is when heart and lungs are not able to supply enough oxygen to your body. The other is when your muscles are not able to carry on performing, even if you re not out of breath or your heart is not beating too fast. The second is muscle endurance, and this can be improved by training the muscles to become accustomed to working hard for a period of time.
Stepper training improves the muscle endurance in the legs as well as any other exercise. It is a great way to prepare for an event like trekking and hill climbing. It is also great for preparing for long distance running events, even if they do not require any sort of climbing. You often see long distance athletes train with hill climbing runs. Using a stepper machine does effectively the same thing.
Low impact on joints
A stepper machine is a very low impact way to exercise. Think of the impact on you joints when you bounce around in an aerobics class, or when you run or jog. You are in constant contact with the steps which means your body weight is always supported. This makes working out on a stepper a great option for those recovering from injury or with pre-existing joint problems.
Burns high number of calories – helping weight loss
The biggest muscle groups in your body arm found in the legs. Therefore by working the leg muscles it is possible to burn a high number of calories in a relatively short time. This is a resistance and cardio workout at the same time, which is the best fat burning combo out there.
An average sized 155 pound (11 stone) person will burn in the region of 450 calories per hour on a setpper machine. This figure increases for individuals that weigh more as they have greater resistance against gravity. If you increase the intensity of the workout by adding some upper body exercise on a machine with cords or some dumbbells the calories burned get even higher.
Take up a limited amount of space
Most stepper machines are small enough to be stored underneath a bed or on the floor of a wardrobe. Once you take it out to exercise it will fit into a limited space, meaning it can be used in any part of the house.
The HOMCOM Mini Stepper shown to the right is only 37cm x 41cm x 21cm. A stepper machine is one of the smallest pieces of exercise equipment that can be used at home.
Relatively inexpensive
When compared to the cost of other exercise machines such as exercise bikes or cross trainers, stepper machines are inexpensive. The model shown above right cost just £35.99 on the date this article was published and available for quick delivery on Amazon Prime.
Exercise in front of TV
Exercising in front of the TV can actually beneficial to motivation levels and encourage more regular workouts. Any exercise can become boring, but combining a stepper machine workout with your favourite TV show can keep you entertained as you exercise. This will encourage you to work out more often, and stop you finding excuses to put it off!
Things to bear in mind with stepper machines
It wouldn't be fair to write an article on stepper machine benefits without discussing some of their less positive elements compared to other exercise machines.
They do not all provide an upper body workout
Many stepper machines work only the legs and not the upper body. If you are looking for an all over body workout, a machine like a rowing machine would be a better bet. However some steppers do come with elastic ropes or cords which allow you to exercise your upper body as you step. This can help but the upper body stimulus is still comparatively limited.
Vertical stepper machines are a variation that is less commonly seen but provide a greater upper body workout. They involve an upward pulling motion from the arms and shoulders, we will discuss them in a little more detail later on.
You need a reasonable level of balance to use a stepper machine
Most stepper machines do not have any frame for you to balance against so rely on your core to keep you upright and balanced. Some machines do have a frame to support you, but there are other draw backs to this type of machine.
The fact that you engage your core to balance is a benefit, as you improve your core strength and balance. However for those with balance issues, for instance recovering from injury, a stepper machine can be tricky to use.
A frame to hold on to can assist with this, but the flip side is that you get less of a workout to your legs and core as a result.
Is it not easier and cheaper to use the stairs?!
You may think so, but there are drawbacks to using the stairs.
- Stair walking is tougher on your joints from the impact – which is much reduced on the stepper
- It disturbs the rest of the household!
- Walking up and down the same set of stairs gets boring very quickly
Types of stepper machine
Up/down stepper
As simple as the name suggests, an up/down stepper has pedals that move in an up and down motion. Resistance is provided by the hydraulic pistons beneath the pedals. Step onto the machine and push down with one foot at the same time as raising the other. The level of resistance can be altered to create a more demanding workout. The speed at which you pedal can also be increased to work your cardiovascular system harder.
Twist stepper
Very similar to the up/down stepper but with lateral movement added to the pedals. This creates a "twisting" motion which engages muscles slightly differently. It works the glutes more (large muscles in the buttocks), giving a more toned bottom. They also engage the oblique muscles on the side of your torso (part of the core muscle group).
With cords or ropes
The addition of cords or ropes to the step machine starts to engage the upper body as well for a more rounded workout. The cords are made of rubber which gives them an elastic property, creating a level of resistance when you pull on them. Typically you would include bicep curls or shoulder presses as you step.
Vertical stepper
A vertical stepper is a seriously tough piece of equipment to work out on and is not for the faint of heart! It replicates scaling a step mountain or climbing wall and is one of the toughest machines in the gym. It uses your body weight and gravity to get a great cardio workout. Pushing up with your feet while simultaneously using the upper body to pull yourself up.
Things to consider when using a stepper machine
A simple and versatile machine there are no major complications in using stepper machine. It is worth keeping the following in mind though:
Is upper body exercise important in your exercise plans? If your goals are simply toning your legs and working the heart for instance, then a stepper is great. If you want to exercise the upper body then a vertical stepper will do this, but there are many other options such as weights or a rowing machine.
Your current level of fitness. A stepper machine can be quite demanding if your current fitness levels are low. Especially if you use it for an extended period of time. If you are currently unfit, consider building fitness with easier exercises such as walking on a treadmill first. If lower body exercises with impact are an issue, a step machine can be suitable. But if you have any doubts or concerns then check with a medical or fitness professional first.
Do you want a straight up/down motion or a "twisting" motion? There are machines that are designed to provide either on or the other. A twisting motion tones the outer muscles of the leg and the bottom. An up/down movement is more functional and better suits training for a trekking/climbing event.
Stepper machine workouts
Stepper machines are simple to use, and this is one of their strong points. However it is important to add variation into any form of exercise. There are three major ways to do so with stepper workouts:
- The speed at which you step
- The tension you apply to the pedals, therefore the resistance level
- The length of time you step for
It is important to keep good posture, otherwise you run a risk of injury. Your back must be straight, with your head up, shoulders back and chest out. Posture is as important for stepper workouts as it is for any other form of exercise.
There are more ways to add variation to your routine. The video below demonstrates a 20 minute routine for the stepper machine. You may not wish to follow the video exactly, but it gives some further ideas on how to add variation into a workout.
Final thoughts on stepper machine benefits
Stepper machines are a great, convenient way to work out at home. They have practical benefits such as easy storage and inexpensive pricing as well as health and fitness benefits like muscle toning, increasing endurance and weight loss. Like all exercise machines they have pros as well as cons, but as an overall package they are a fantastic home exercise solution.
p.s. if you enjoyed this article please like or share, it makes it easier for others to find our content. Thanks!


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hello, everyone..
i keep it short....
i'm running 11.0, kde4.2..
when i open power management in system settings, i get this error:
"The configuration module cannot be started, since there seems to be a problem with PowerDevil Daemon. Read below for more details
Another power manager has been detected. PowerDevil will not start if other power managers are active. If you want to use PowerDevil as your primary power manager, please remove the existing one and restart PowerDevil service."
...although i'm running kde4.2, and although i've read that PowerDevil is supposedly built into 4.2, PowerDevil does not show as installed in YaST.
..when i try to install PowerDevil, YaST asks me to downgrade nearly everything kde to 4.1.3...
as of now, i dont really have full control over my power settings. i need control over my power settings; as having total control over my system is the reason i use opensuse..
can any of you geniuses help me out with my issue?!?
i thank you all in advance....
(and, as usual, i will continue to bump and bump until this issue is resolved)

subset: commoncrawl


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As aspiring rock stars ourselves, we we're beyond excited to collaborate with some actual ones for the .com rebuild of Rock the Garden, Minnesota's largest music festival. Aside from looking dead sexy, this site also had to work harder than a veteran roadie, as it was the first year they used a website to promote the concert and sell tickets. Here's how we warmed up the big show.
Rock the Garden
One hell of an opening act.
Create a website that embodied the Rock the Garden brand, promotes the lineup of bands, and streamlined purchasing.
We utilized a component build methodology to create a framework that could be used indefinitely. And we took a cycle-based approach to content (pre-launch, launch, event, and post event) to deliver the most relevant info to users.
Everything from concept to development was world class, and done in less than 30 days. Oh, and thanks to our simplified purchasing experience, this year's event sold out even faster than any other year.
Dynamic content: Just like the perfect set list, this website gives the people what they want, when they want it. Out of the gate we focused on sales, then we switched the spotlight to the headlining acts, and then for our finale we focused on event details. Once it was all said and done, we then used the site as an editorial recap of a show that was one in a million.
Embracing reinvention: The perfect songs have real staying power; the same is true for a website. Through our component build methodology, the framework we created is flexible enough to work with any brand direction for years to come.
Next Case Study


text: Our Provider Network A Network for TennCare Members In 2013, TennCare selected DentaQuest as the new administrator of the TennCare dental program. We were selected based on the merits of our response to TennCare's request for proposal (RFP) during a competitive procurement process. In order to ensure that the approximately 750,000 children who are eligible for dental benefits have access to high-quality care, DentaQuest is now maintaining a statewide network of dentists. We are confident that the providers invited into the network will enable DentaQuest to provide the highest level of dental care to TennCare members. Developing a High Value Network of Dentists DentaQuest was charged by TennCare with establishing a completely new provider network, which was built from the ground up and developed to meet the state's requirements for access, while also ensuring maximum quality and efficiency in how members receive, and providers deliver, dental care. We invited providers into the new network who completed re-validation with TennCare, satisfied peer-reviewed criteria, including care quality and efficiency performance criteria, and met geographic access requirements to ensure care is provided close to home. Included in our quality and efficiency measures are the Dental Quality Alliance (DQA) measures. The DQA was created by the American Dental Association at the request of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to create quality and efficiency measures for dentistry. We use the exact specifications of those measures, which have been validated by the Institute for Child Health Policy at the College of Medicine at the University of Florida. Our evaluation criteria take the following into consideration: Meeting patients' needs consistently with best practices for preventive and acute dental care, with close attention to appropriate costs of care. For example, some of the quality measures include percent of patients ages 6-9 and 10-14 receiving sealants on permanent molars, percent of patients receiving fluoride and percent of patients receiving exams. Coding and delivery of procedures typically provided to Medicaid populations. This information helps us to understand each provider's approach to dental care. Evaluating providers with higher-than-average claims denials and analyzing whether that's an indicator of performing unnecessary procedures. Review of claims data to analyze providers' TennCare treatment and billing practices. The benchmarks for all our quality and efficiency measures are calculated based on the performance of similar dentists in each geographic region to determine the "norm" for that region. TennCare certified our network in December 2013 as exceeding every TennCare-established benchmark for network composition, access and geographic outreach. Our network of dentists currently has a 1:857 provider to patient access ratio, which also exceeds nationally recommended standards for provider to patient access ratios of 1:1,500. We will continually evaluate the network and providers to ensure appropriate access and effectiveness.


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Psychology as a discipline is now more than 100 years old in India, still the term 'Indian Psychology' is new to us and is interpreted differently by different people; some believe it to be limited to the natives of the country while others take it as something psychologists in India do. In actuality, 'Indian Psychology' talks about the universal psychological processes that the ancient seers in India discovered through meditation, deep contemplation and by studying themselves. It does not talk about any one particular practice (religious) or anything that is external or that pertains only to a particular set of people. It speaks about systematic ways to observe oneself and be more aware of our own psychological processes that subsequently assist us in living a better life. Here in this blog, I have attempted to answer a few common concerns one encounters when one thinks of Indian Psychology.
That brings us to the very first question that I often face whenever I speak about the subject, "how can you prove Indian psychology is more effective than Western psychology?"
To start with, everything that exists has a purpose of its own and the right way to look at things is not from the perspective of comparison but to see them in their relevant context and through their effectiveness. Understanding the importance and relevance of one thing does not preclude or make the other thing in question less or more, rather it helps us to apply that understanding to the other aspects as well. The paradigm of western psychology includes a wide range of processes and is mainly behaviour-centric. It talks about observing the 'external', the one that is seen, which in certain situations is the requirement (the effects of advertisement on consumer behaviour, for example, or sports psychology) but psychology does not limit itself to the external. In our everyday life, the source of action lies in the intention and to study the intention one needs to explore the deeper aspects of self. Indian psychology tools like self-inquiry and self-observation help in looking beyond behaviour to understand the source of who we are and what we do. It is worthwhile to spend some time on self-inquiry to try and understand ourselves based on not only our thoughts, but explore and unravel various other motivations that guide and direct our actions. We feel we know ourselves the best, but in actuality we are often not aware of the real and often hidden sources of our actions. So, the more we work on our self and unravel the hidden layers of our personality, the more we will be able to help the world. To understand the importance of this self-work, one must realize that the more efficient our tool, the better will be the results that will accrue, and in the end, our own human nature is our most important tool. Indian psychology practices and methods help us to become more aware, and once we have a heightened sense of self-awareness, we will not only see the world in a different light, but also develop more mastery over ourselves.
Another thing that's often asked is how one can offer counselling to people who do not follow a spiritual path, and address their common concerns.
Here I would like to bring forth the importance of our perception and how we see the world. The common misconception is that the 'spiritual path' is something different from our everyday living and that one needs to give up certain things to walk on that path. But if you really understand the essence, there is no special path known as the spiritual path where you do different kind of things; it is simply doing the same things differently by being more self aware, seeing things in a more conscious light, and being able to trace the psychological processes that happen inside in a particular situation. Indian psychology talks about a life-affirming spirituality, where you continue to live the life you have chosen to live; there is no diversion of route, but there is more care in the way you drive. For example, people face a lot of problems in relationships, be it with a partner, parent or child. Being more aware of the inner process in a particular situation will help you to see the situation independent of the persons involved because of your understanding of the 'self' and you will be less caught in the momentary surface level reactions as you will be able to step back from the situation and take more effective decisions. Constant awareness and practice helps you evolve and for that you don't have to stop following your routine, rather you should follow your routine less mechanically and with more awareness of the processes and their implications.
Next question in line is "do you need to turn to a Guru to solve all psychological problems?"
While answering this question, it is essential to understand the literal translation of the word 'guru', which is described as someone who takes us away from darkness and leads us towards light. In the light of Indian Psychology, it is not a physical body in the form of a guru but your belief in those thoughts and ideas that take you away from darkness. It can be in any form and if you really are a self-aware individual then you will find the guiding light within you which will help you solve all your problems. As they say all knowledge is an unfolding, so the essence of the 'guru' is present in each one of us. If we operate from that state of awareness, our life will be full of light and we will be able to walk on the sunlit path with our guru forever in our hearts. It's not an external phenomenon, it's internal. Tuning into our inner guiding light is being constantly in touch with the guru within.
And the last is a very interesting question which I attempt to answer below. It is the question, how would you counsel an atheist?
As per my understanding of the word atheist – he is somebody who does not believe in the existence of God. Here it is important to understand the concept/interpretation of the word 'God'. Indian psychology talks about consciousness as the source of existence which has no one form in particular and so it is not something external. It is who you are in your essence. It's crucial to understand the other person's understanding and then work around that. Inquire more in terms of their idea about the source of their being. If they have a problem with form, talk about the energy aspect.
Every individual is unique and has a particular set of ideas and beliefs. If each one of us takes up the task of self-inquiry and presents to the world a more aware version of ourselves, it will not only help us live a better and content life, it will also make the world a better place to live.


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It's safe to say that I've had some pretty terrible relationships in the past, with men who probably weren't the best fit for me. However, it's nothing to regret or wish away. Every relationship we have will end until the one that doesn't anymore. And every interaction with another person, be it for a month or five years, allows us to learn more about ourselves, as well as what we need from a relationship and a partner. However, this process of learning is made useless if we can't articulate it. And so, bear with me as I try to define to you how I will know when I've found him, the man of my dreams.
He'll buy me books. And not because I can't afford to. Oh no. It's usually a safe bet to assume that I'd rather live off cereal for a month than go a couple of weeks without the purchase of a new book. He will buy me books because he'll know how very happy it makes me. He'll know how in love I am with the weight of an entire world in my hands, and the smell and feel of the pages as I follow the author's words on a journey unlike any other. And because he loves me, he will buy me books.
He'll be nice to me. My parents have been married for 42 years, and when asked what the secret was to their success, the answer was simple. It was a reference to the film Venus, wherein a senior citizen explores a love affair with a much younger woman. When asked what it is he can provide her that no other man has given her before, he merely replies: "I'm nice to her." This moment dictates my parents' relationship in that they realised that it was the very least you could do for the person with which you intended to spend the majority of your life. So, the man of my dreams will be nice to me. And not because I ask him to be, or because he'll feel he has to be. He'll be nice to me, because being any other way towards me never even crossed his mind.
There will be no need to imagine the potential in him, or us, because it will be all I ever dreamt it would be – and more. This may sound like a tall order, but when it comes to forever and finding the one person next to whom you want to wake up for everyday of the rest of your life, we should never, ever drop our standards. He will be the kind of man with whom I can be whether things are going well or not. I don't care if we make millions in our first year together and live comfortably for the rest of our days, or if we're bankrupt and sleeping under bridges every night. He will want to be with me regardless, and I with him. It won't be about putting off our happiness until things are better, because no matter how things are in that moment, happiness will be he and I. Together.
He will go on adventures with me – even if it entails nothing more than trying to find a different route home in the dead of night. Impulsivity is, I believe, the key to staying young. That doesn't mean never making plans or sticking to the plans you've made. But there are few things more riveting than coming home one day to find both of your bags packed because he's decided you're getting out of the city for the weekend. Or perhaps, you want to try something new such as surfing or kloofing. If I suggest it, the best answer he could ever give me would be "why not?" It may sound a cliche, but I want to live a big and beautiful life – and he'll want to live one with me.
As bad as any fight gets, I won't be afraid that he'll leave me. It may stem from the many experiences I've had with men over the years, or the fact that I never saw my parents fight and make up when I was growing up. But when I fight with him, I won't be gripped by the fear that it will end us. It's taken me a while, but I'm slowly learning that couples can – and ought to – fight, without it being the be all and end all of the entire relationship. And whilst I know I'll still get scared, he'll understand this. And he'll remember to remind me, even in the middle of the screaming match in which plates and pillows are flying at one another's heads, that he's not going anywhere anytime soon.
He'll be real, flaws and all. I don't want perfect. I want flawed. Because I'm flawed. Oh man, am I flawed. These flaws will never mean we treat one another badly, however. And whilst we may take one another for granted sometimes, it won't be too hard to remember how wildly, crazily and incomprehensibly we love one another. I want to know him, warts and all. And I want to be known. I want that connection wherein words need not be used, but everything is understood and clear. Even if we aren't near one another the whole night we're out with friends, a single look need be all that lets me know I'm the one he came with, and I'll be the one he leaves with. And if that look has a smile beneath it that makes me blush, well, that's alright too.
He will make me understand why cliches are cliches, and what all of those love songs were trying to say. The words of love penned by poets and authors will take on a new meaning, and every sense of mine will tingle with a renewed awareness. He will listen to me, he will hear me, and he'll know when there's nothing to be heard. There are so many things we can look for in our significant other. And maybe we spend too long waiting for a partner who ticks all the boxes. But I'm lucky, perhaps, in that I have a heart that let's me know exactly what it wants. And so I trust that it will invariably shout and kick and scream with delight when it finds the man of my dreams. And maybe he won't be at all as I imagined. Whoever he is, here's hoping I have the courage to go and get him…


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So if you're like me, there's not enough time in your schedule to read every single book you'd like to. It's also impossible to keep up with new to new to me authors while also getting my "Oh my god I love her" author's books in. That normally means that for some books that earned so many reader's love, I'm behind on getting them worked into my reading schedule.
For those of you looking for a great read, the following book officially won the RITA award for best romance books published in 2011. I hope you find a few you haven't read and can enjoy!
Do you agree with the winners below? Which one didn't you read the 1st time around and can't wait to read now?
Winner for Paranormal Romance:
Dragon Bound by Thea Harrison
Winner for Romance Novella:
I Love The Earl by Caroline Linden
Winner for Best Novel With Strong Romantic Elements:
How to Bake a Perfect Life by Barbara O'Neal
Winner for Best First Book:
First Grave on The Right by Darynda Jones
Winner for Best Historical Romance
The Black Hawk by Joanna Bourne
Winner for Inspirational Romance:
The Measure of Katie Calloway by Serena Miller
Winner for Contemporary Series Romance Suspense/Adventure:
Solider's Last Stand by Cindy Dees
Contemporary Single Title Romance:
Boomerang Bride by Fiona Lowe
Winner for Regency Historical Romance
A Night to Surrender by Tessa Dare
Winner for Young Adult Romance:
Enclave by Ann Aguirre
Winner for Contemporary Series Romance:
Doukakis' Apprentice by Sarah Morgan
Winner for Romantic Suspense:
New York to Dallas by J.D. Robb
Monday Morning Cuteness!
see more Lolcats and funny pictures, and check out our Socially Awkward Penguin lolz!
Posted by Cheeky Girl 0 comments
Labels: Cat Photos, Cute Pics, Funny Images
Win an e-Reader! Pimp My Read Contest Details
The Pimp My Read Contest:
Pimp My Read is your chance to win one of four fantastic e-readers, as well as best-selling, super-sexy, fun contemporary romances by authors Ruthie Knox, Sarah Mayberry, Shannon Stacey, and Molly O'Keefe. This week, we four authors bedeck ourselves in (virtual) feathers and gold chains, climb on top of our Pimp Caddies, and sing the praises of e-readers and digital books at four fantastic romance review sites: Smart Bitches, Trashy Books, Smexybooks, Dear Author, and The Season for Romance.
At every site, one of us is giving away an e-reader, as well as prizes for runners-up. If you've been on the fence about which e-reader to get, or even why you would get one—or if you love your e-reader to bits and are dying to convert a friend or family member to the digital side—this is the contest you've been waiting for!
At every site, one of us is giving away an e-reader, as well as prizes for runners-up. If you've been on the fence about which e-reader to get, or even why you would get one—or if you love your e-reader to bits and are dying to convert a friend or family member to the digital side—this is the contest you've been waiting for!
The Prizes
- Sarah Mayberry is giving away a Kindle Touch 3G at Smexybooks
- Shannon Stacey is giving away a Nook SimpleTouch with Glowlight at Dear Author
- Ruthie Knox is giving away a Kindle Keyboard 3G at Smart Bitches, Trashy Books
- Molly O'Keefe is giving away a Kobo Touch at The Season for Romance
The winner of each e-reader and two runners-up at each site will also receive Exclusively Yours, Undeniably Yours, and Yours to Keep by Shannon Stacey, Her Best Worst Mistake and Within Reach by Sarah Mayberry, About Last Night and Ride With Me by Ruthie Knox, and Can't Buy Me Love by Molly O'Keefe.
How To Enter
To enter, visit one or all of the four host sites and leave a comment explaining either (a) why you want to win this e-reader for yourself or (b) why you want to win it for someone else. Please include your e-mail address in the appropriate comment field so we have a way of contacting you if you win. Your e-mail address will not be visible to the general commenting public.
The Fine Print
1. Feel free to increase your chances of winning by entering once at each of the four sites! But please, only one entry per site. Deliberate multiple comments on any individual e-reader giveaway post will get you disqualified.
2. The contest opens on each site when the post goes live and closes at 11:59 p.m. EST on Friday, July 20.
3. Ruthie, Sarah, Shannon, and Molly will choose the winners from among the comments on the site where each posts. Feel free to entertain us or tug at our heartstrings — we'll pick the winners whose comments most effectively sway us!
4. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 years of age or older to enter.
5. This contest is open internationally. The e-readers on offer will work in many, but not all, countries. Please be aware that geographical restrictions may affect your ability to use/enjoy your prize.
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Monday Morning Cuteness!
This cute little guy was too cute to pass up this morning. Hope this is the start of a great week for you!
see more Lolcats and funny pictures, and check out our Socially Awkward Penguin lolz!
see more Lolcats and funny pictures, and check out our Socially Awkward Penguin lolz!
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Labels: Cute Pics, Funny Images
Monday Morning Cuteness!
see more Lolcats and funny pictures, and check out our Socially Awkward Penguin lolz!
Posted by Cheeky Girl 0 comments
Labels: Cute Pics, Funny Images
Meg Cabot's Size 12 And Ready To Rock Book Trailer
This book trailer totally cracked me up. Enjoy!
Are you a Meg Cabot fan? Read the other books in the Heather Wells mystery Series? This new one is in stores July 10th. Happy Reading!
Are you a Meg Cabot fan? Read the other books in the Heather Wells mystery Series? This new one is in stores July 10th. Happy Reading!
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Labels: Book Trailer, Meg Cabot, Mystery
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Cheeky Reads is having a Summer Sale on site ads!
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Review: Tempest in the Tea Leaves By Kari Lee Townsend
By Kari Lee Townsend
Berkley Prime Crime Mystery
3 Heart Review
Leaving the Big Apple for the quaint town of Divinity, New York, Sunny is determined to make it on her own as a psychic. With an ancient Victorian house as her place of business, Sunny uses various psychic methods to aid the town's residents. But when she uses tea leaves to give a reading for a frazzled librarian, what she finds at the bottom of the cup is anything but helpful.
Sunny informs the police of her deadly vision, but her warning is too late. And with hard-nosed, ruggedly handsome Detective Mitch Stone denying her abilities and name her prime suspect, the situation is dire. Now Sunny has to use her visions to clear her name, before the killer can put an end to the psychic's future...
I picked this book up at the library because I'm always up for a cozy mystery - especially one that hints at a romance - and this one plainly stated on it's cover that it was the first book in a new series. Win! I wish more publishers would play that up on covers since I like trying out a new series before there are 5 books more to read...
I really enjoyed the author's voice and that this was a cozy with a slightly younger - 29 years old - heroine. As much as I want to shout that there should be older characters in romance, cozies can sometimes take the age thing in the other direction too much. Beyond the age, the heroine Sunny Meadows is also unique and refreshing for a cozy. She still has that "outsider who never really fit in" thing going for her that most cozy heroines do, but she feels fresher. My issues with the book didn't have anything to do with Sunny.
I did have slight problems with the hero Mitch Stone because I found him to be a little wooden and not necessarily because his character is supposed to be guarded and stoic. He just doesn't feel entirely fleshed out and his dialog seems slightly off. He has potential though and I hope that Mrs. Townsend will develop him further in the next book.
The biggest issue I had was with a plot point in the book. From the back cover blurb you know that Sunny has to work to clear her name and I can't go into too many details or I'll be spoiling part of the plot, but how she gets involved in the investigation was really not believe. It took a giant leap of faith for a reader to believe and unfortunately I didn't think it was done in a way that allowed me to take that leap.
Tempest in the Tea Leaves is a solid and fun cozy mystery and I liked the premise and the characters enough that I'll be picking up the next in the series to see if some of my issues get worked out. I do think Kari Lee Townsend has a fresh, sweet voice I really found pleasing to read. I'll be looking for more books by her in the future.
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Dr. Richard Masozera is the Director General of Rwanda Civil Aviation Authority, he told Business Times' Peterson Tumwebaze the driving factors behind Rwanda's aviation business success and how the industry is positioning itself to benefit from the East African Community integration.
Question: Rwanda's aviation industry is growing fast; what are the driving factors behind this growth?
Answer: The aviation industry is not isolated from the rest of the economy; the industry is only benefiting from the overall growth of the economy.
We are also looking at making the industry a business that will spur the growth of the general economy in years to come.
However, the major driver for our growth came in 2008 when government moved towards revamping the industry by investing in the national airline (RwandAir) and also allocated huge sums of money to upgrade aviation infrastructure.
The Government policy and sector laws have also made it easy for the industry to attract more air traffic, boosting its growth.
As a result, the number of passengers passing through Kigali International Airport has grown from about 280,000 arrivals five years ago to 500,000 passengers last year. This year, we project the figure to hit 600,000 passengers.
The airport has attracted more international airlines, including KLM, Turkish Airlines, Brussels, Qatar Airline, South Africa Airways, Ethiopian Airlines, Kenya Airways and Air Uganda.
So what are you doing to deal with the increased air traffic?
Rwanda Civil Aviation Authority has been forced to reposition itself to meet this demand by expanding aviation infrastructure.
We are aware that for the airport to handle more than 600,000 passengers annually is way above its current capacity of 300,000 passengers. That's why we are expanding our infrastructure, including the ongoing expansion project at the Kigali International Airport. When the expansion project is completed in May next year, the airport will be able to handle over 1.5 million passengers annually.
The expansion will also double our departures and arrivals, and provide more space for modern lounges which will change passengers' experience and make the industry more competitive.
With Africa's aviation industry growing at the global level, we are looking at a much tighter and more competitive business. That's why we are developing Bugesera Airport.
How will Bugesera Airport change the dynamics of the local aviation industry?
As airlines and passengers look for more convenient airports and business hubs that can offer better facilities, Rwanda is positioning itself to tap into those opportunities. One way is to have an ultramodern and more competitive international airport.
Bugesera Airport will be the answer when it is completed in 2017.
With a huge cargo centre at the facility, and airlines flying to some of our potential markets around the world, it will greatly boost our exports industry and the country's economic growth. We are also talking of attracting small industries in the area, a railway line and a free trade zone. It will spark a lot of developments, not only in the aviation industry, but across all sectors of the economy.
What are some of the challenges hindering your progress?
The aviation industry is a resource intensive sector in terms of human resource and finances. For any small investment, we are talking of millions of dollars.
There is also the skills gap challenge. It takes long to train pilots, which creates a skills gap, making it more expensive to hire foreign pilots.
The East African Community (EAC) integration is being fast-tracked, how do you think this will impact the aviation business?
The EAC integration will be a game changer for the aviation industry. With the single visa and free movement of people, commodities and services across the region, we are likely to see the number of passengers, especially tourists and businessmen coming to Rwanda, increase.
The question now is how do we make air transport affordable for the passengers so that movement across the region becomes much easier, while also making profits as an industry.
Rwanda is trying to improve its medical services to become a medical hub in the region, where people will be flying in for medical tourism. Through this, we shall be able to kill two birds with one stone, develop our tourism industry while expanding the aviation business, too.
What are you are doing to harmonise the aviation business at regional level?
We are currently discussing how to co-ordinate air transport as per EAC vision for the aviation sector. We are also looking at how we can enhance aviation infrastructure development and safety standards, as well as harmonise some of the aviation regulations in the region.
Talking of safety standards, what are you doing to ensure that as the industry grows, it does not compromise safety?
Through the East African Aviation Corporation, we have a safety guidance Act that guides us on regional safety standards. The Act guides us on technical standards and basic operational issues. We are also emphasising on technical knowhow so that the industry employs skilled and experienced pilots and also opens up opportunities for our people to enroll for aviation courses.
We are also encouraging airlines to operate smaller aircraft; this we believe will make aviation business more attractive and competitive.
With several bilateral air services agreement in place and open sky policies we are signing, our aviation industry will be boosted further.
EAC member states have delayed signing of open sky policies among themselves, why?
We are trying to have it achieved… However, beyond what the environment can offer, there is a private investment interest member states are trying to protect, this may affect the progress. However, with the political will we are seeing, our technical teams will be able to overcome these obstacles soon.
Where do you see this industry in next 15 years?
The aviation industry will be the driving force of our economy. It will create more employment opportunities for our people, who will no longer be looking at the sector as an alien business, but as an investment. This will spark economic growth across all sectors of the economy.
Aviation industry will drive growth – RCAA boss
Dr. Richard Masozera is the Director General of Rwanda Civil Aviation Authority, he told Business Times' Peterson Tumwebaze the driving factors behind Rwanda's aviation business success and how the industry is positioning itself to benefit from the East African Community integration.


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No apology is less genuine than from a three-year-old, eyes down, body turned away, fists clenched, and feet threatening to stomp.
Eventually, they manage to force out a sound which could be interpreted as "sorry," but more likely, it's just a well-timed burp.
As adults, we learn how to offer a more mature apology (or at least one that is easier to understand). But still … giving a genuine, effective apology is hard work! It's particularly difficult in customer service, where there's often a need to apologize while holding firm to your decision, or turning down requests you can't fulfill.
Free PDF: 25 Ways to Thank Your Customers
Ready to turn customers into advocates? Download this handy guide to building a loyal customer base.
Why should you apologize?
Some companies don't allow their team members to say "sorry" because they fear the legal consequences of "admitting fault." That sort of attitude is infuriating to a customer who wants to hear someone admit their part in a problem.
I recall a New York Times article that looked at the rates of legal action taken against medical doctors by upset patients and relatives. Studies found that the biggest factor in reducing legal action was encouraging the doctors to candidly admit to their patients when they had made a mistake. A separate study found "people are more than twice as likely to forgive a company that says sorry than one that instead offers them cash."
Acknowledgement of fault is a powerful act; it tells the customer "You are right, I see your perspective, and I understand it." It recognizes a shared reality with the customer and is the opposite of the defensiveness and denial approach we can fall into. It also helps that("Effective" is the key word, because not every apology hits the mark. "Sorry for any inconvenience" is a phrase which now means almost the exact opposite of the words it contains.)
How to craft an effective customer service apology
I'm talking about written apologies because practicing with writing gives you more time to consider and modify your response, but the same concepts apply on the phone or in person.
1. Really be sorry
If you aren't genuinely sorry for at least some part of the problem, then don't apologize. Instead, ask questions and listen again to make sure you truly understand the situation. Upset customers can be aggressive or extreme, sometimes because they don't think anyone is really listening, and
Before you respond, give yourself time to understand how you are feeling, too. My gut response can be to defend myself and try to attack the customer's views as wrong and unfair. That doesn't ever help, but letting myself feel that emotion, and sometimes even writing it down (not in the email — never in the email!), gives me the mental space to write a much better response.
2. Validate your customer's feelings
You don't have to agree with everything a customer has said, but they do need to know that you have heard them and that you acknowledge how they feel.
"I know it has been really frustrating for you to be held up like this when you just want to get your job done."
Investigate reflective listening; it's a valuable skill at work and at home.
3. Explain what happened
Write a full explanation of the situation as you understand it, making sure to address all the points the customer has raised. You can probably provide information that the customer may not have access to that explains where things broke down and what the consequences were.
Only when you have validated your customer's feelings and given them a clear explanation of what happened does your apology have a chance to be accepted as genuine.
Clear communication is hard to achieve, especially through a computer screen.
Learn How to Talk to Your Customers.
4. Admit to your mistakes
Whether it was your personal mistake, or the mistake of the company or service or product, explicitly admit to it, again trying to reflect the way your customer has described the problem. It should be a genuine and specific admission.
"You are absolutely right; we should have made that clearer much earlier in the process" or "I can see now that I didn't read your email properly, and that's totally my fault."
The sort of grudging "Well, it was really your fault but I guess the customer is always right" apology that some companies tend to give is worse than none at all.
5. Explain what you'll do differently
Explain clearly what you or the company will do differently next time to avoid this happening again. This is your chance to show a commitment to improvement and to start rebuilding customer confidence.
"We've already added a new monitoring tool that will alert our support team immediately if this happens again so that we can get on top of it quickly."
It's up to the customer whether or not they accept your apology, but you should make sure they know that you are there to listen and help.
"I totally understand if this has been a deal breaker for you, but I want you to know that I'm happy to explain anything in more detail, or to hear from you about any other issues. Just reply to this email and it will come right back to me."
How not to apologize
There are a few things that you should not include in an apology:
- Don't make promises you can't keep (e.g., don't say "This will never happen again" if you can't 100% control that)
- Don't trivialize or ignore the customer's feelings (e.g., "Our other customers don't have any problem with this.")
- Don't defend yourself by blaming someone else or minimizing the problem
- Don't over-apologize (the word "sorry" will lose all meaning if you say it too often)
Is it too late now to say sorry?
The ability to apologize effectively is a customer service superpower, and you don't even need to be bitten by a radioactive animal to develop it. With practice, anyone can do it (even, I hear, three-year-olds).


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- The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
- Source: The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, Volume 49, Issue 1, 1 Jul 1993, p. 53 - 62
Vector and Host Relationships of California Serogroup Viruses in Western Siberia
During 1990 and 1991, adult mosquitoes were collected along the Ob River and its tributaries in western Siberia from approximately 51°18′N to 66°4′N. Fifteen virus strains were isolated from 74,196 mosquitoes tested in 1,874 pools. These included Tahyna virus from Aedes cataphylla-punctor subgroup (one) and Ae. excrucians (one), and Inkoo (INK) virus from Ae. communis (one), Ae. communis subgroup (one), Ae. hexodontus (two), Ae. punctor subgroup (two), Ae. punctor complex (one), and unidentified Aedes species (three). In addition, a single Ae. euedes yielded a strain of snowshoe hare (SSH) virus and a strain of Getah, an alphavirus. A Bunyamwera serogroup virus was isolated from Ae. excrucians. With the exception of the two isolates from a single mosquito, minimum infection rates among mosquito taxa ranged from 0.4 to 16.7 per 1,000. The INK virus isolates were widely distributed geographically; however, seven of the 10 isolates were from two sites north of the Arctic Circle. During 1991, sera from two mouse species, five vole species, and four shrew species were collected along the upper Ob River for serologic tests. The prevalence of neutralizing antibody to SSH virus in these sera was 80%. Prevalence rates in the four most abundant species were Apodemus agrarius, 73%; Clethrionomys rutilus, 71%; Microtus arvalis, 80%; and Sorex araneus, 91%. This is the first attempt to clarify the vector and vertebrate host relationships of California serogroup viruses in western Siberia.


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Events for September 29, 2019
This is an invitation from your Secular Franciscan brothers and sisters from the Prairie. Please Save The Date to Celebrate the the 25th Anniversary of the Regional Unity of the Franciscans of the Prairie Region on Sept 28, 2019 at the Chiara Center, Springfield, Il 10:00 am Mass in the [...]Find out more


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Our on-site machine shop and skilled craftsmen can fabricate virtually any type of custom chain sprocket, gear or conveyor component for your particular application, from one to thousands. Just send us your print and we'll do the rest.
For more information, please contact: Martin Hine at (727) 540-1254 or e-mail Martin here.


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"Perfection of Wisdom" is the English translation of the name of a large series of Mahayana Buddhist texts named in Sanskrit Prajnaparamita, sometimes referred to as Prajnaparamita literature. This collection includes around 40 texts and although they vary in length and form, they all explore similar key ideas in Mahayana Buddhism such as emptiness (Sunyata) and other psychological topics related to the nature of perception and cognition. The most popular of these texts are the Heart Sutra and the Diamond Sutra.
Alternative Versions
It became a common practice to name the works of the Prajnaparamita literature according to the length of the texts. Hence, the oldest of this group of texts became known as Perfection of Wisdom in 8,000 Lines, which is roughly about fourteen verses in its Sanskrit version. Later on, larger versions were written, some 18,000 lines, some 25,000 lines long, the longest of all being a text named Perfection of Wisdom in 100,000 Lines, which is about a million words in its English translation.
After growing larger and larger, an important issue arose: it was very difficult and time consuming to use and even preserve hundreds of documents written on palm leaves and strips of birch bark. As a result of this problem, the Prajnaparamita literature adopted the opposite approach regarding the length of the documents: now the interest was to contract them, to make them as brief as possible and offer only the essential Buddhist teachings. Out of this approach, the Diamond Sutra and the Heart Sutra were written. These two texts are the most often recited in Buddhist ceremonies and monasteries all over East Asia.
Stretching this new format to its logical limit, the school of Tantric Buddhism (Vajrayana Buddhism), developed the shortest version of all the Prajnaparamita literature, a work named Perfection of Wisdom in One Letter which, as its name suggests, contains a single letter: A.
Historical Context, Style & Cultural Influence
It is believed that the first texts of this sort were composed around the 1st century CE in Southern India, and the collection kept growing during the next thousand years or so. These works were produced within the monastic Buddhist community and were used as a source for the development of Mahayana Buddhism. Writing was an emerging technology within the Buddhist circle, so it seems that these texts are records of discourses that used to be transmitted orally. Prajnaparamita literature was used as a mean to spread the Mahayana teachings either without relying on oral transmission or complementing it.
The Diamond Sutra is one of the most famous pieces of the Prajnaparamita literature. Its style, like most of the texts that are part of this collection, it is somehow cryptic and unclear. It is interesting to note that there is a Chinese translation of the Diamond Sutra in the British Library and it is the oldest printed book that bears a date, printed on 11th May 868 CE. As an example of its peculiar style, these are the final lines:
Like stars, like an optical illusion, like a lamp,
like a magical illusion, dewdrops, or a bubble,
like a dream, a flash of lightning or a cloud,
so all that is produced is to be seen.
The teachings of the texts are mainly presented in the form of dialogues between important figures, including the Buddha and his disciples. Despite the fact that most of these texts are not easy to understand and they tend to have an obscure style, they gained such a popularity that the Perfection of Wisdom became personified, depicted in female form as the Sanskrit noun Prajnaparamita, which is feminine. In the Tibetan tradition, Prajnaparamita is represented wit four arms, one of them is holding a book, the other holds an object (sometimes a rosary or a sceptre-like object named vajra, which represents a thunderbolt) and the two remaining arms are either folded on her lap (a gesture of meditation) or in front of her chest in the gesture of teaching.


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Virginia Woolf's short story, Lappin and Lapinova, is so quietly devastating that it's almost impossible not to gasp when you read the final line. It tells of a newly married couple who create a fantasy world, a wild wood where King Rabbit and a beautiful silvery hare roam free. This secret world becomes the couple's emotional and, it is hinted, sexual domain. But as the years pass, it's harder to keep the fantasy – and love – alive.
The playwright Lucy Kirkwood, who recently added an Olivier to the pile of awards she won for the sell-out hit Chimerica, first read the story as a teenager and has been haunted by it ever since. She often wondered whether it might be possible to find a way to transpose it to the stage.
"The construction is like a guillotine, and the guillotine comes down with such finality and cruelty," says Kirkwood, sitting in the Place theatre where she is working on Like Rabbits, a sharply contemporary version of Woolf's story with the brilliant young choreographer Ben Duke of Lost Dog, a company set up from the impulse to "say what needs to be said and dance the rest".
Unlike the love match in Woolf's story, Kirkwood and Duke were originally brought together in a shot-gun marriage by the canny Lucy Morrison, who was programming the 2013 Almeida festival. But the union has proved fruitful – on Thursday, Like Rabbits hops to the Brighton festival for one night only though both Duke and Kirkwood are hopeful it might have a future life.
"I was quite wary of Lucy at first," says Duke, "Sometimes when there are words in dance it feels as if everyone is waiting for the next section of text to tell them what's happening and the dancing is just the weird interlude in between. You end up choreographing between the words. I didn't want to do that. But as soon as we met there was an openness about what our roles would be; Lucy was even up for the possibility that there might be no words at all."
Which may seem odd for a playwright. But Kirkwood is part of a new generation of writers who are redefining their role in a changing theatre landscape where even new writing theatres such as the Royal Court, the Gate and the Bush are exploring different kinds of collaboration. Job titles and the expectations of who does exactly what, where and when are all up for grabs.
Kirkwood gets cross when people want to define and limit her role as a writer. "When I did Small Hours with Ed Hime and Katie Mitchell at Hampstead, some quite theatre literate people asked me afterwards: 'So what exactly did you write, because there are only two conversations in the whole thing?' But there were pages and pages of stage directions. Fortunately, I think theatre is starting to catch up and is understanding that there are different ways to work, and many theatres are desperate to do it. People like Rufus Norris [incoming artistic director of the National Theatre] and Vicky Featherstone [of the Royal Court] really get it."
Kirkwood has written some words for Like Rabbits, but not many. She says she sees Duke as the primary creator and that her job is to "open up Ben's brain".
"I've spent a lot of time on my own in a room for the past two years talking to myself and working on scripts so it's good to be able to talk to another human being on a daily basis. It's a form of dramaturgy. We talk and then Ben goes and gives it a concrete reality through the choreography. It's stimulating. I've always liked the way dance is a distillation – that distillation is something apparent in the work of my favourite playwrights, like Caryl Churchill. Doing this has helped me access a more poetic form that I hope I'll be able to use in my future work."
Like Rabbits feels very different from most page-to-stage adaptations, not just because of its dance vocabulary but in the way it plays on the performative nature of the story's central relationship. By exploring the couple's inner lives, it accesses deeper meanings in Woolf's original story.
"It has an innate theatricality," says Duke. "It invites a strong physical language and it's a story anyone in a long term relationship that has broken down will recognise." Kirkwood agrees. "It's a story with no bad guys. Relationships rarely fail because one of the partners is a terrible human being. They fail because people change, the chemistry is no longer right, or they have different commitments or ambitions. But it's still very dark, and very, very cruel."
• Like Rabbits is at Brighton Dome on 15 May as part of the Brighton Festival. Box office: 01273 709709.


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Both Boris Karloff and Bela Lugosi have been in excellent horror films on their own and have also created monster icons in their own right, but some of their best work together lies in the two Edgar Allan Poe films made by Universal in the 1930s: "The Black Cat", and "The Raven".
"The Black Cat" tells the story of the strange and violent relationship between Dr. Vitus Werdegast and Hjalmar Poelzig. For once in his career, Bela Lugosi plays the dashing good guy, but this is to little affect because of his sinister aura. The ending is so shocking and masterfully shot that the film will leave a mark on all viewers! The film features a very modern Bauhaus type furniture, which is strange for a horror story and a pleasant departure from the usual cobwebs and staircases.
"The Raven" is the better of the duo and tells the story of a surgeon, Dr. Richard Vollin, who falls madly in love with a woman soon to be married. He takes in and disfigures murderer-on-the-run Edmund Bateman, who is soon unwillingly drawn into his web of murder. Boris Karloff gives another tragic-but-brilliant performance, and his final heroic act will bring tears to all eyes. Bela Lugosi also gives one of the genre-defining roles as Dr. Vollin, perhaps the greatest mad doctor of all time.
These two films are brilliant examples of Universal Horror. Although they do not feature the blatant German Expressionist photography that "Dracula", and "The Mummy" employed, they do takes us through a newer, more modern type of horror. The films are definitely not supernatural, and focus on psychological horror instead.
The true star of these films, though, is definitely Boris Karloff. His performances in these films are so unnerving (The Black Cat) and tragic (The Raven) that nobody will forget them. The sinister Poelzig will frighten everybody, and the tragic figure of Edward Bateman will definitely make all cry.
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Boris Karloff And Bela Lugosi In Edgar Allan Poe's "The Black Cat" And "The Raven"
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Labels: Boris Karloff Blogathon, Movies
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New York
12 May 2014
Price realised
Wade Guyton (b. 1972)
signed and dated 'Wade Guyton 05' (on the reverse)
Epson UltraChrome inkjet on linen
56 x 36 in. (142.2 x 91.4 cm.)
Executed in 2005.
Galerie Francesca Pia, Bern
Acquired from the above by the present owner, 2005
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Red-hot flames dance enticingly beneath two strikingly-imposed Us in Wade Guyton's Untitled. Bold and alluring, this work is a mesmerizing example of the fire paintings that signaled an important turning point in the artist's radical engagement with computer printing technology. Having experimented throughout the early 2000s with printing computer-generated graphic motifs onto ready-made images torn from books, it was not until 2005, the year of the present work, that Guyton began to explore the potential of the inkjet medium as a tool for painting. Reveling in the unpredictable glitches, smudges, smears and rivulets that resulted from feeding primed canvas through an Epson printer, Guyton's fire paintings were among the first products of this revolutionary method. Combining the seductive invocations of fire with Guyton's signature use of abstract lettering, these works played a critical role in the development of an oeuvre that has come to represent one of the twenty-first century's most searing enquiries into the relationship between art and technology. In their ability to highlight the imperfections--and creative potential --latent in mechanical production, the fire paintings speak directly to issues surrounding image-making in the digital age.
Guyton's earliest engagement with the printer in 2002 comprised a series of so-called "drawings," in which simple patterns created in Microsoft Word were overprinted onto pages ripped out of books from his library. In 2005, however, these works gave way to a new phase of inkjet "paintings" that would dramatically change the course of his oeuvre. Rather than feeding the paper page directly into the printer, Guyton scanned the image into his computer, printing the digital file onto a newly-acquired kind of high-quality primed linen he had chanced upon in New York Central. Made in Provence, this new canvas material was ideally suited to registering ink, and allowed Guyton to explore the painterly possibilities of the printer. Indeed, as the machine attempted to digest the canvas, blurring, bleeding and skidding abounded, creating a new vocabulary of artistic nuances. Guyton was to become expert in prompting these effects, pulling and tugging the canvas to incite ruptures and errors in the printing process. As Roberta Smith has written, these works "record the process of their own making, stress the almost human fallibility of machines and provide a semblance of pictorial incident and life," (R. Smith, "Dots, Stripes, Scans: Wade Guyton at Whitney Museum of American Art," in The New York Times, October 4, 2012, http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/05/arts/design/wade-guyton-at-whitney-mu seum-of-american-art.html [accessed March 10 2014]).
Guyton had originally acquired the flame image from an old book cover found in his library during his earlier "drawing" phrase. In 2005, disenchanted with the increasingly abstract appearance of his works, he revived the vivid book cover as part of his new painterly explorations, hoping to reintroduce a sense of pictorial content to his practice. Yet combined with the remarkable effects achieved through the marriage of canvas and printer, the resulting fire paintings brought the flame motif to life in ways that the artist could not have imagined. "Fire is always captivating," he claimed, "... Destructive, but also generative. And of course hot. There's a great interaction between the image and the material in the fire paintings, which I didn't predict, in the way the ink drips and runs. The first time I printed the fire on linen was one of those brutally humid New York summer nights. No AC in the studio. I was sweating and the paintings were melting," (W. Guyton, quoted in interview with D. De Salvo, in Wade Guyton OS, exh. cat., Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, 2012, p. 204).
The fire paintings reveal the power of the printer not just to reproduce, but to paint--and, indeed, to re-conceptualize. The original book cover, with its torn edges visible along the top edge of the present work, is transformed from a physical object to an image. The flames, in turn, are no longer an image of flames but a new representation of that very image. Guyton's use of the letter 'U' in the fire paintings, added via a second phase of printing on top of the flames, also participates in this sense of double-remove. It was originally deployed as a reaction to the letter 'X' that dominated much of the artist's earlier output, and which had been variously interpreted as holding some kind of symbolic meaning--as a canceling or nullifying gesture. The 'U,' on the other hand, "seemed sufficiently abstract," claims Guyton. "It felt like it could slip out of being a letter," (W. Guyton, ibid.). In the present work, the red 'U' almost becomes an extension of the flames, its lower curve and upper edges appearing to dissolve into melted striations. Conversely, its blue counterpart, printed in the characteristic inkjet tone of cyan, is almost metallic in appearance, echoing the stainless steel 'U' sculptures that Guyton began producing during the same period. Both imprints of the letter contribute to the work's dialogue between pictorial representation and abstraction, in which the primal element of fire is depicted alongside visions of rudimentary alphabetic symbols.
Guyton's harnessing of a medium that ostensibly dispensed with the artist's hand was, in part, a product of his own anxieties regarding image-making in the contemporary world. Faced with both the internet's continual proliferation of digital images, as well as the vast art-historical legacy that preceded him, Guyton was attracted to a method in which artistic effect was partially determined through the click of a mouse. Yet, in the unforeseen potential of the printer to reinvent one of the most time-honored artistic mediums--namely, painting--Guyton's works have come to occupy an important position within the artistic canon that daunted him in his early years. This canon includes the great exponents of contemporary printing techniques--from Andy Warhol to Christopher Wool--as well as proponents of the ready-made image, including the "Pictures Generation" artists such as Sherrie Levine, Barbara Kruger, Louise Lawler and Richard Prince. As Scott Rothkopf has written, "[Guyton] improbably endows these mechanical pictures with a lived sense of his struggle to bring an image from the screen onto the canvas or simply to bring an image into being at all...[T]he interaction between the digital and the manual, the pictorial and the literal, have always been at the heart of Guyton's practice and its deeply rooted connection to the ways in which we haltingly navigate the visual and technological barrage of our time," (S. Rothkopf, "Operating System. I. From Image to Object," in Wade Guyton OS, exh. cat., Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, 2012, p. 25).
Special Notice
On occasion, Christie's has a direct financial interest in the outcome of the sale of certain lots consigned for sale. This will usually be where it has guaranteed to the Seller that whatever the outcome of the auction, the Seller will receive a minimum sale price for the work. This is known as a minimum price guarantee. Where Christie's has provided a Minimum Price Guarantee it is at risk of making a loss, which can be significant, if the lot fails to sell. Christie's therefore sometimes chooses to share that risk with a third party. In such cases the third party agrees prior to the auction to place an irrevocable written bid on the lot. The third party is therefore committed to bidding on the lot and, even if there are no other bids, buying the lot at the level of the written bid unless there are any higher bids. In doing so, the third party takes on all or part of the risk of the lot not being sold. If the lot is not sold, the third party may incur a loss. The third party will be remunerated in exchange for accepting this risk based on a fixed fee if the third party is the successful bidder or on the final hammer price in the event that the third party is not the successful bidder. The third party may also bid for the lot above the written bid. Where it does so, and is the successful bidder, the fixed fee for taking on the guarantee risk may be netted against the final purchase price.Third party guarantors are required by us to disclose to anyone they are advising their financial interest in any lots they are guaranteeing. However, for the avoidance of any doubt, if you are advised by or bidding through an agent on a lot identified as being subject to a third party guarantee you should always ask your agent to confirm whether or not he or she has a financial interest in relation to the lot.
Advised to paint what he loved, the young Kenny Scharf focused on the Flintstones. In 2012 he revisited the theme — adding a Warholian twist
In tandem with an online sale, Trespassing, we take a look at how works by pioneers such as Haring, Stik and KAWS are finding their way into the home
With a prophetic eye for up-and-coming talent, Don and Mera Rubell have been buying art for more than 50 years. In 2015, Jonathan Bastable went to meet them
From the National Gallery of Victoria to the Louvre Abu Dhabi, how the world's great museums are bringing the best of their collections into your home
It can be such a daunting purchase — our expert guide walks you through all you need to know, whether your budget is £1,500 or £1.5 million
Our updated guide takes you through the shows that have been extended and postponed this year, from Christo in Paris to Artemisia Gentileschi in London


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In December, when President Barack Obama signed the "Claims Resolution Act of 2010," which appropriated $1.15 billion to black farmers who said the U.S. Department of Agriculture had discriminated against them, many thought the matter had been laid to rest.
Dr. John W. Boyd, president of the National Black Farmers Association, has a message for America though: The black farmers need more — especially as they initially sought $2.5 billion.
Boyd appeared at the National Press Club Tuesday to say his fight is far from over.
"We contributed to this country," Boyd declared. "The black farmers been wronged in this country and if anybody here today is confused about that, I want to shed a little clarity on that."
Boyd fears that the claims process will result in many farmers who deserve government money being "left out in the cold," especially as so many have come out alleging fraud on the part of those seeking settlement money. Indeed, USDA employees and FBI officials estimate that the number of fraudulent claims ranges from 50 to 95 percent. Boyd takes issue with those statistics, though.
"So when I read the reports talking about, 'There are no black farmers' — people, you confused," Boyd said. "You know what we were doing in this country in the first place? Every black person in this country is over one or two generations from somebody's farm … So when I hear of reports about, 'Where are all these black farmers comin' from?' Hell, you brought them here, you brought them here and after we were free you didn't know what to do with us."
In sworn testimony before the House Judiciary Committee, Boyd estimated the number of America's black farmers at 18,000. However, more than 94,000 individuals have filed claims.
Despite the high number of claimants Boyd says there is no fraud in the system as the law contains "anti-fraud provisions."
"It looks like anything that has to do with blacks in this country there is always double and triple standard, I don't know the reason for that, but that just seems to be the case," Boyd said. "You hear people talking about all this fraud. We put anti-fraud provisions."
Black farmers have yet to get their cases heard. According to Boyd each will be presented before an independent arbitrator.
"At the end of the day those who prevail prevail those who are denied will be denied," he said.


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Hair-stylist Sam McKnight shows how to properly fan hair
In this video photographer Ayaad Damouni and world renowned hair-stylist Sam McKnight work on a photoshoot for Hia Magazine. Ayaad doesn't share a lot of photography tips in this video but it is still fun to watch. Also, watch Sam as he works with the models helping them add some movement to their hair. I think he's using a big Bowens Jet Stream Wind Machine and probably just photoshops out the strays. Very clean shoot and it looks like the lighting is pretty minimal. Enjoy


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Woodchucks (also known as groundhogs) are among the few "true hibernators" found in Massachusetts. In late summer they begin to put on weight in preparation for the move to their winter dens, often located in wooded areas. From October through March, woodchucks settle in for a long snooze and turn their metabolisms waaaaay down to burn as little energy as possible. While hibernating, a woodchuck's body temperature drops from 99°F to 40°F, and its heartbeat drops from 100 beats per minute to 4 beats per minute! Visit our Nature & Wildlife pages to learn more about woodchucks.
They may not be conscious to appreciate it, but here are five photos of woodchucks from our Picture This: Your Great Outdoors photo contest for you to enjoy.


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An Economic View…
The explosion in the precious metals today should be viewed with caution. What we have is either exuberance over the demise of the obama power play, or an unrealistic assumption of the rate of inflation. If the tea party gains influence this will be a huge damper on the rate of inflation. This does not bode well for gold but might be okay for other commodities if industrial production picks up.
The stock market is so depressed currently that it is likely to be stronger than commodities if the conservative trend continues. This will be very powerful for stocks since a weakening of the obama grip means lower taxes and less intrusion in the private sector.
What is shaping up then is a secular Bull Market in stocks. The gold stock cycle now favors stocks significantly. Usually in situations like this it is better to find the blue chips for initial investment.
Later one can choose the secondary and tertiary issues. The key now is to watch if the breakout is sustained. Take a small initial position if you want but buy bigger on a reaction to this first jump. The big boys are watching this very closely. They love breakouts to new highs. Many of their timing mechanisms key on this. Put a stop at the bottom of two bars back on all purchases and good luck.
For more on economics and a detailed insight to "How It Works" Power Cycles has just been released in e-book form. Available here: http://www.bio-etherics.com (Located in the Etheric Shop) Hard Cover is also available in limited quantities.
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November 4, 2010 | Categories: Ascension Energy, Bio-Etherics, Bull Market, Commodities, Distance Energy, Economics, Etheric Energies, Government, Machine Energy, Politics, Power Cycles, Stock Market | Tags: Business, Commodity, Federal Reserve System, Inflation, Investing, Market trend, Precious metal, Stock market | Leave a comment


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ASBIS network of 33 warehouses located in 26 countries supplies products to the customers in over 75 countries. Please find out ASBIS office in your country
News Archive
August 30, 2003 Iomega introduces a new entry level Desktop Hard Drive
August 26, 2003 One of the first DVD drives to read and write all formats
August 25, 2003 Hitachi ships high performance 4GB Microdrive
August 22, 2003 Iomega Introduces a new range of Tape Autoloaders and Librairies
August 20, 2003 ASBIS welcomes customers from Skandinavia and Middle East to its new local web sites
LSI Logic Corporation announced a significant enhancement to its channel product portfolio by introducing new product packaging and expanding the number of kitted products offered with cables included. Single- and dual-channel storage adapter kits for both Ultra320 SCSI and Ultra320 SCSI RAID storage adapters will now be supplied with Tripp Lite 42-inch, five-drive SCSI cables.
August 12, 2003 Promise Sets New Standard in RAID 5 with Serial ATA Solution
Promise Technology, Inc. announced the availability of the FastTrak S150 SX4, a RAID 5 PCI Serial ATA (SATA) adapter for Serial ATA/150 drives. The FastTrak S150 SX4 PCI adapter provides an unprecedented performance-to-price ratio, opening the benefits of professional performance RAID 5 technology to users who have struggled against the historically oppressive price barriers of RAID 5.
August 11, 2003 Seagate Teams With Fellow Technology Leaders To Showcase Serial Attached SCSI At HP World
This week at HP World 2003, Seagate Technology and other technology leaders are teaming with HP to bring Serial Attached SCSI (SAS) technology to the enterprise. Seagate, along with Adaptec, HP and Intel are among those showing key SAS technologies and highlighting their support for SAS development at the event. SAS is the SCSI growth path to greater connectivity, lower cost scalability, and higher throughput performance.
August 07, 2003 Canyon's new products


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Andrea Avari Stevens, Ph.D.
Intuition is a gift from the Light to each and every one of us. It is like being plugged into a direct cell phone line open to the higher realms of consciousness. When we are stumbling along the path, attempting to walk our talk, the line is always open, ready and willing to assist us in our desire to expand our consciousness.
So what stands in our way to being in tune with our intuition? What causes the static on our lines? As always…..the answer lies within us. And that is a good thing because it is really the only concept over which we have any control. The only person we can control is ourselves. More


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I'm sure you all have some favorites from the last month, and it's time to decide on which are the BEST OF THE BEST!
Both The Movie Brony and Saberspark have started up their monthly votes. The more participation we get, the better the top 10 will be! Have some links:
Top Music Voting
Top Video Voting
Friday, August 31, 2012 op 2:00 PM
Labels: Media, Not-Fanfiction, Poll
Top 10 Voting Begins for August! Music and Video!


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SEPURAN® Noble membranes for helium recovery
The thermal conductivity of Helium goes far beyond the other gases. Highly pure helium can be produced from natural gas or recovered from industrial processes.
In many applications, mixtures of Helium and e.g. air, nitrogen or argon are mostly used. By recovering the very valuable helium from these gas mixtures, very high cost savings can be realized. Recovery can take place by means of membranes. The very selective SEPURAN® Noble Membrane developed by Evonik, together with the clever membrane configuration of Evonik, combines high product gas purity with a high helium yield.
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Typical fields of application
Optical fiber industry
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Welding and metal work
Electronics industry
Oil and gas production


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Charlene hopes to support the team at RRSG with her experience in safeguarding, mental health, and wellbeing. She currently works as part of the Leadership Team in a secondary school as Head of Wellbeing. Her previous experience has included clinical and community settings, always in supporting the needs of children, adolescents, or adults in times of need or crisis. Her academic studies have...
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Monthly Archives: March 2018
The Raven's Wing characters, #6: Jenifry, the cunning woman
Sensual. Serious. Slow to trust. Taciturn. Brusque. When her mother was murdered for being different, 11-year-old Jenifry was taken captive, beaten, raped, and bled regularly into a silver bowl. Eight years later she has escaped, and has returned to her secluded home, a large oak tree in the middle of the forest.
Why has she lured our hero, John the Minstrel, there? What does she know of his wife's death? What plans does she have for him? And how, since her legs are broken, is she able to move so quickly from place to place?
"Dark of hair she was, and dark of eye, her gaze the depth of a star-spattered night. She peered up at John from beneath lowered brows, and crawled up his body. Her full breasts brushed his thighs, teasing upwards as she moved her weight from arm to arm. Her gaze never left his as she slowed her advance. John was unable to move. He was held captive, shackled by her glittering eyes as a moth beguiled by the moon."
The Raven's Wing, a medieval adventure set in 1322, is available for Kindle and in paperback (with free postage, in the UK at least) here.
Other character posts (click to read):
Medieval recipes culled from The Raven's Wing
The Raven's Wing features a copious notes section full of fascinating facts about the 14th century in which it is set. Here are three recipes for you to try at home. I can particularly recommend the waffres.
Clap Bread
Beef & Cherry Pie
A little thing that I wrote five years ago while sitting at the end of Seatown harbour in Gamrie. My sincere apologies to any Scottish readers, especially those who live there, for my poor attempts to capture the atmosphere of that wonderful place.
The light was fading rapidly now, sapphire to cobalt to indigo. The agreeable sunset apricot tint had faded from the clouds overhead and now they were simply battleship grey. The sea remained calm, but the surface began to chop as a cool breeze picked up, bringing the delicious scents of salt and seaweed to the shore. Gulls, waders and kittiwakes filled the dusk with their last raucous shrieks, whistles and mock laughter.
A maroon smudge smeared athwart the horizon was all that remained of the day's sun. In the near distance Saltire Craig, a small jut of rock no bigger than a trawler, rose black out of water the colour of molten lead. Pale grey smudges spattered its surface. They swirled and wheeled occasionally about the tattered Bratach na h-Alba, the Banner o' Scotland, that fluttered bravely atop its lonely pole, as it had since planted there by some hardy Scottish brave some time ago.
High on the lookout platform at the sea end of the harbour pier, Fergus eased his bony buttocks on the rusting bollard and stretched out his legs, feet poking out over the edge of the harbour wall. Inside his clumsy old boots he wiggled his toes, and imagined how good they'd feel with sea-water sluicing between them.
A loud splash echoed across the water, startling him. He peered into the murk, seeing nothing. The sound had originated from the other side of Saltire Craig, out of his sight. What could be large enough to make that noisy an impact with the water? Dolphins, perhaps? Or maybe old friends?
He gazed out at the ending day. Sunset always calmed his mind, soothed his soul, helped him to settle for the life he had now. On either side of the bay the headlands were already mussel-black. The vast dimming sky grew steadily darker.
Fifteen feet below his boots the waves lapped quietly at the weathered stone that protected the vessels safely tucked away behind it. More squealing gulls circled the end of the pier, curving pleasing arcs below his feet. Above his head a tiny red light winked on and began to flash.
A small white boat rounded Saltire Craig, its engine popping quietly as it crossed towards the harbour entrance. The boat was small, big enough only to carry two at most, yet now bearing but one passenger. Fergus could read the name painted on the prow – "Maighdean-Chuain".
The single occupant raised a hand to Fergus as he passed and entered the placid waters beyond the sea wall. Fergus lifted his own arm in acknowledgement. It was good finally to feel included after all this time. His peculiar arrival in the village all those months ago had caused many to keep their distance at first, yet now even that extraordinary day was fading from memory. Village folk tended to live in the present rather than lingering on what was past. Folk here had finally started to show friendship to Fergus; yes, and acceptance. He scratched his grey beard and pulled the ear-flaps of his plaid charity-shop hat down over his ears. Getting chilly now.
He pushed to his feet, old muscles complaining. He wobbled a little in a gust of wind and steadied himself on the stanchion that held the harbour light aloft, before slowly descending the curved steps down from the lookout point. He ambled along the dock to where the small boat had tied up, and peered down at it bobbing on the shadowy water.
There was enough light left to see that the man in the boat was gutting a freshly caught fish on an upturned blue crate. A sharp knife, expertly wielded, slit the belly open. Fingers were deftly inserted and slid smoothly inside to pull out the guts. These the fisherman flung into the water for the flocking, shrieking gulls to fight over. He glanced up at the dock.
"Fergus," the man nodded, laying his cleaned fish on a plastic bag beside him.
"Robbie Gamrie, is that you?" Fergus peered uncertainly down into the gloom.
"Aye, so," Robbie confirmed "Got mysel' a couple of late haddock."
Robbie lifted a second wriggling fish and whacked its head on the side of the boat before laying it on the blue crate and sliding in his knife.
"Well done, there," Fergus said. "What kept you out so late?"
"Forgetfulness. I was miles away, daydreaming like a bairn. I'd likely still be out there, but a noise brought me alert."
"The splash? Aye, I heard that. Big splash, it was. Did you see what made it?" Hope glimmered briefly in Fergus' breast.
"Nay, it was behind me, whatever it was."
"Hmm," said Fergus, slightly disappointed. "Too big for a bird, anyroad. Could it have been dolphins, think you?"
"Maybe. They… or silkies, eh?"
Fergus could hear Robbie's grin in the tone of his voice. Robbie didn't believe in silkies, despite the name of his boat. Not many did, nowadays.
"You'll have had your supper?" Robbie asked him.
"Ah, no. I'll have a rollie when I get in."
"Rollie be damned. You'll need warmth inside you if you've been perched up there for long. Here, catch."
A dark shape flew up from below to hover briefly before Fergus' eyes, shimmering a little in the harbour light. Fergus snatched out a hand to catch it before it fell back. The fish was cold and oily, the flesh yielding beneath his fingers as only fresh fish does.
"Got milk, Fergus? Butter and pepper? Get that inside your oven, then get it inside you. It'll do you a sight more good than cold bread."
"Thanks, laddie, I appreciate it." Fergus nodded farewell to Robbie and walked off the harbour, taking the shore path towards his tiny cottage, the haddock hanging limply from his fingers.
Fish for supper. He remembered a time long ago when supper had always been fresh fish. He did not eat it half as much these days, and the gift from Robbie was a pleasant surprise. Fergus was not inclined to take Robbie's advice on how best to prepare the haddock, however. He would not bake the fish in milk. Tonight he would eat the fish raw, just like the old days.
The Raven's Wing characters, #5: Moss, the fire-dancer
Sarcastic, manipulative, and with a mysterious past, Moss is a jongleuse, dancer, and mistress of fire. John first sees her performing at The Angel Inn in Northampton, little suspecting how tightly her fate will become bound to his.
John stared wide-eyed and gape-mouthed. The young woman was fiery in every sense of the word. The hair that tumbled about her bare shoulders was the colour of an autumn sunset. She danced nimbly, bare-footed, to the rhythm of the audience clapping, the nails on her toes crimson-painted.
The woman's features were soft and attractive, yet dragged askew by a scar that tore down her cheek. But the scar was not what gave him pause. More startling was the eye beneath that scar. That it was false could not be in doubt, for a strange eye it was. It looked to be made of amber, or some other ochre-tinged material, and in the centre, where the pupil should be, sat a small black spider.
The Raven's Wing, a medieval adventure set in 1322, is available in paperback (with free postage, in the UK at least) and Kindle here.
Other character posts (click to read):
The Raven's Wing characters, #4: Ailred the smith
A black man of enormous beard and heart. The gruff Ditchford smith smells of hot metal and pie crust. The village gossips say that Ailred is descended from African nobility. He remains silent about such things.
"Hens!" shouted Ailred, waking suddenly. He sat up and looked around with a startled expression, resembling a bewildered owl in the orange light thrown up by the now merrily burning fire. Smoke swirled into the blackness of the roof. He scratched his black beard, dislodging a small bone, which he inspected closely. He descended into a fit of deep coughing. Eventually he achieved some sort of resolution with his lungs and spat copiously in the fire, which hissed a complaint. He threw the bone into the flames.
Ailred's growing romance with the widow Rohesia provides a gentle backdrop to the growing turmoil of The Raven's Wing. One day I shall write his backstory.
"Kumis," Aildred said. "Fermented mare's milk with added honey."
"I call it milk-mead," Rohesia said. "And isn't it just the tastiest thing? Ailred makes it."
"Not often," he said. "It's not so easy to get mare's milk. You can use goat, or cow, but the taste isn't quite the same."
"Apparently, it's quite the thing back in Ailred's homeland, and he learned to—"
"This is my homeland now," Ailred said, squeezing Rohesia's podgy hand.
The Raven's Wing, a medieval adventure set in 1322, is available in paperback (with free postage, in the UK at least) and Kindle here.
Other character posts (click to read):
The Raven's Wing characters, #3: Ralf
A shock of red hair explodes from beneath a ragged wool cap, shading Ralf's smiling eyes. John the Minstrel's best friend is tall and clean-shaven. He is gongfermour for the village of Ditchford, which is to say he digs out and removes human excrement from privies and cesspits, disposing of it into the river below the village. He lives across the lane from Wyni and John, with whom he shares a horse, Molly.
The Raven's Wing, a medieval adventure set in 1322, is available in paperback (with free postage, in the UK at least) and Kindle here.
Other characters: No.1 Minstrel John, No. 2 Wynifreed
The Raven's Wing characters, #2: Wyni
John the Minstrel's recently-dead wife, Wynifreed. She was thin, a result of growing up through the Great Famine, with brown hair in a short bob. She had thrilled John's heart with a lopsided smile, joyful laughter and a love of nature. "He remembered how beautiful she had looked the day that they had wed, a circlet of daisies about her brown head, her smile dazzling in the sunshine." Perhaps surprisingly, she still has a lot to say for herself.
The Raven's Wing, a medieval adventure set in 1322, is available in paperback (with free postage in the UK) and Kindle here.
Other characters: No.1 Minstrel John
The Raven's Wing characters, #1: John the minstrel
Our handsome hero, Minstrel John, who plays a gittern and sings at fairs and festivals around Northampton. He is cheerful and inquisitive, and enjoys riddles and puzzles. His dream is to earn the patronage of the local lord, Baron de Leycester. Currently in mourning after the recent death of his wife.
The Raven's Wing, a medieval adventure set in 1322, is available in paperback (with free postage in the UK) and Kindle here.