tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-56714604242424438292024-03-12T19:40:27.927-04:00Balancing the BooksBook reviews and news about book-related events in the Philly 'burbsUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger431125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5671460424242443829.post-35856044838049707822013-01-10T16:01:00.003-05:002013-01-10T16:01:54.043-05:00The Balancing the Books blog is (*sniff*) no more<b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Dear Balancing the Books readers:</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">This is goodbye.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Thank you for taking the time to look at my book-related musings, reviews and event previews on this blog over the last few years. Next week I start a new job in southern Vermont that's going to keep me too busy to blog. I'll be the managing editor of The <a href="http://www.benningtonbanner.com/">Bennington Banner</a>, a 6-day daily newspaper in Bennington, Vt., starting on Jan. 16. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Hopefully I'll still have some time to read!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-eAQ5L60Dmzs/UO8rBKTh_lI/AAAAAAAADE4/2HLU17wFZCI/s1600/welcometovermontroadsign.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-eAQ5L60Dmzs/UO8rBKTh_lI/AAAAAAAADE4/2HLU17wFZCI/s400/welcometovermontroadsign.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">So, like all good stories (I couldn't resist), after nearly five years in existence, the Balancing the Books blog now comes to an end. My apologies to the authors whose books I received in the last couple of months that I did not have a chance to review here. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">My thanks to the publishers who mailed review copies of so many books over the years. I enjoyed using the review copies as giveaways on this blog. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Perhaps you'd like to try your hand at blogging as well. The Mercury hosts myriad bloggers on lots of different topics on its Town Square page. If you'd like to start one, contact Mercury Community Engagement Editor Diane Hoffman at <a href="mailto:dhoffman@pottsmerc.com">dhoffman@pottsmerc.com</a>. If you need help getting started, or have some questions, Diane can help.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">As far as I know, The Mercury has no other book blogger at this point. So if there's another bibliophile out there who wants to give it a try, now's the time.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Thanks for reading!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Michelle</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tMaEEKpV0Nw/UO8rBDHy9rI/AAAAAAAADE0/VwqfiJlpKAM/s1600/vermont_skiers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="252" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tMaEEKpV0Nw/UO8rBDHy9rI/AAAAAAAADE0/VwqfiJlpKAM/s320/vermont_skiers.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(What I hope to soon be doing more of instead of blogging)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5671460424242443829.post-63655974061574104662013-01-02T14:50:00.003-05:002013-01-02T14:50:53.585-05:00Women's Writing Circle to meet Jan. 12 in Exton<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<![endif]--><i><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Hey budding writers, you might be interested in attending this workshop. I received the following announcement from group founder Susan Weidener: </span></i><br />
<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-I-RGb6-82Tg/UOSOEHIjhVI/AAAAAAAADDM/dtFbpN-ARAI/s1600/susan+weidner.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-I-RGb6-82Tg/UOSOEHIjhVI/AAAAAAAADDM/dtFbpN-ARAI/s1600/susan+weidner.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i>SUSAN WEIDENER</i></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: black; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Start the New Year By Writing Your Story</span></b><b><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;"></span></b></span><br />
<br /><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;">
</span></b><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;">
The Women's Writing Circle will meet from 9 to 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, Jan. 12,
at <a href="http://www.wellingtonsquarebooks.com/">Wellington Square Bookshop</a>, 549 Wellington Square, in the Eagleview
Town Center, Exton. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;"></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;">
</span><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;">This
is a supportive group of writers. All genres welcome and writers do not have to
be published. There is a $5 charge to participate in the read-around. For those
who want to listen to the readings, there is no charge. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;"></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;">
The group also discusses writing techniques and publishing options. Free coffee
and tea. </span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">For more information and
directions to the bookstore, go to <a href="http://www.susanweidener.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #0066cc;">http://www.susanweidener.com/</span></a>
or contact Susan Weidener at 610-304-5370 or <a href="mailto:sgweidener@comcast.net">sgweidener@comcast.net</a></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Susan G. Weidener</b> is
a former journalist with <i>The Philadelphia
Inquirer, </i>and author of <i>Again in a Heartbeat, a memoir of love, loss and dating again</i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> and <i>Morning at Wellington Square.</i> </span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Susan started the Women’s
Writing Circle, a support and critique group for writers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span>She is currently working on an anthology of stories and
poems with women writers in the Philadelphia area.</span> </span><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5671460424242443829.post-11722076936936575992012-12-20T12:56:00.001-05:002012-12-20T12:57:53.568-05:00WhatShouldIReadNext.com's Top 20 of 2012<div style="color: #505050; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 150%; text-align: left;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-i3y9kr6XNcw/UNNPzOIOzAI/AAAAAAAADBU/EMZtnkFvWkE/s1600/hunger+games+cover.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-i3y9kr6XNcw/UNNPzOIOzAI/AAAAAAAADBU/EMZtnkFvWkE/s1600/hunger+games+cover.JPG" height="320" width="209" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">In September I blogged about <a href="http://whatshouldireadnext.com/">WhatShouldIReadNext.com</a>, a site that "helps" pick your next favorite read based on what you've already read and liked (check out that post <a href="http://balancethebooks.blogspot.com/2012/09/not-sure-what-to-read-next-try-this.html">here</a>). The site could be a good helper for last-minute Christmas gift ideas - just enter in a book your loved one liked and find an instant recommendation for something similar.<br /><br />The folks at that site recently posted its top 20 books of the year - the top 20 books that have been recommended to users through <a href="http://whatshouldireadnext.com/">WhatShouldIReadNext.com</a>. Not all of them are new - in fact most are not.</span></div>
<div style="color: #505050; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 150%; text-align: left;">
<br />
Here are the 20 most popular books at the site in 2012:<br />
<br />
1. <a href="http://whatshouldireadnext.com/0439023521/isbn" style="color: #336699; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline;">The Hunger Games: Book 1</a> - Suzanne Collins<br />
2. <a href="http://whatshouldireadnext.com/1612130283/isbn" style="color: #336699; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline;">Fifty Shades of Grey</a> - E. L. James<br />
3. <a href="http://whatshouldireadnext.com/0007158440/isbn" style="color: #336699; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline;">The Cat in the Hat</a> - Dr. Seuss<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QhJjb6K8sL0/UNNP4Y9T8dI/AAAAAAAADBc/QB6vV5PtohQ/s1600/50+shades+cover.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QhJjb6K8sL0/UNNP4Y9T8dI/AAAAAAAADBc/QB6vV5PtohQ/s1600/50+shades+cover.JPG" height="320" width="207" /></a></div>
4. <a href="http://whatshouldireadnext.com/0399155341/isbn" style="color: #336699; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline;">The Help</a> - Kathryn Stockett<br />
5. <a href="http://whatshouldireadnext.com/0316160172/isbn" style="color: #336699; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline;">Twilight</a> - Stephenie Meyer<br />
6. <a href="http://whatshouldireadnext.com/0545310601/isbn" style="color: #336699; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline;">Mockingjay</a> (The Final Book of The Hunger Games) - Suzanne Collins<br />
7. <a href="http://whatshouldireadnext.com/0671027344/isbn" style="color: #336699; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline;">The Perks of Being a Wallflower</a> - Stephen Chbosky<br />
8. <a href="http://whatshouldireadnext.com/0747581428/isbn" style="color: #336699; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline;">Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince</a> (Harry Potter 6) - J.K. Rowling<br />
9. <a href="http://whatshouldireadnext.com/000647988X/isbn" style="color: #336699; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline;">A Game of Thrones</a> (A Song of Ice and Fire, Book 1) - George R.R. Martin<br />
10. <a href="http://whatshouldireadnext.com/0062024027/isbn" style="color: #336699; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline;">Divergent</a> - Veronica Roth<br />
11. <a href="http://whatshouldireadnext.com/0451524934/isbn" style="color: #336699; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline;">Nineteen Eighty-Four</a> - George Orwell<br />
12. <a href="http://whatshouldireadnext.com/1847242537/isbn" style="color: #336699; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline;">The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo</a> - Stieg Larsson<br />
13. <a href="http://whatshouldireadnext.com/0340935286/isbn" style="color: #336699; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline;">Water for Elephants</a> - Sara Gruen<br />
14. <a href="http://whatshouldireadnext.com/030758836X/isbn" style="color: #336699; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline;">Gone Girl: A Novel</a> - Gillian Flynn<br />
15. <a href="http://whatshouldireadnext.com/0985114606/isbn" style="color: #336699; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline;">Bared to You</a> - Sylvia Day<br />
16. <a href="http://whatshouldireadnext.com/0739360388/isbn" style="color: #336699; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline;">Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows</a> - J.K. Rowling<br />
17. <a href="http://whatshouldireadnext.com/1904633013/isbn" style="color: #336699; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline;">Pride and Prejudice</a> (Collector's Library) - Jane Austen<br />
18. <a href="http://whatshouldireadnext.com/1612130607/isbn" style="color: #336699; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline;">Fifty Shades Freed</a> - E.L. James<br />
19. <a href="http://whatshouldireadnext.com/0385534639/isbn" style="color: #336699; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline;">The Night Circus</a> - Erin Morgenstern<br />
20. <a href="http://whatshouldireadnext.com/015602943X/isbn" style="color: #336699; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline;">The Time Traveler's Wife</a> - Audrey Niffenegger<br />
<br />
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nNlN-1Vefi4/UNNP8Uf77FI/AAAAAAAADBk/sFdh6RvkqNY/s1600/cat+hat+cover.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nNlN-1Vefi4/UNNP8Uf77FI/AAAAAAAADBk/sFdh6RvkqNY/s1600/cat+hat+cover.JPG" height="320" width="237" /></a>They noted that the first book of <i>The Hunger Games</i> - although it came out in
2008 - completely dominated, with more than 175,000 searches. The third part, <i>Mockingjay</i>, has also been in the top 20 throughout the year, "although interestingly the second part, <i>Catching Fire</i>, never caught fire."</div>
<div style="color: #505050; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 150%; text-align: left;">
Another big sensation was <i>Fifty Shades of Grey</i>,
" which appropriately came in at second place, despite only entering the
top 20 chart in March. Once again the third part of the trilogy made a
good showing - what is it about the second part of trilogies that's
never so popular?"<br />
<br />
They said classics including <i>The Cat in the Hat</i>, <i>1984</i> and <i>Pride and Prejudice</i> are "up high in the charts every month."<br />
<br />
It's fun to try plugging books into the site, whether you're looking for a gift or a new pick for yourself. I (sadly) haven't really loved a book I've read lately.<br />
<br />
Currently I'm reading Jonathan Franzen's "The Corrections." <a href="http://whatshouldireadnext.com/">WhatShouldIReadNext.com</a> says if I like it, next I should try Sharon Osbourne's autobiography .... Not likely!<br />
<a href="http://whatshouldireadnext.com/" style="color: #336699; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline;"></a></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5671460424242443829.post-10769824644950960912012-12-15T11:30:00.000-05:002012-12-15T11:30:01.885-05:00Norristown veterinarian publishes picture book to save her favorite park<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9VuiAUNQ-3I/UMox4f1ri6I/AAAAAAAAC_U/z1ronwpuLEI/s1600/bark+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9VuiAUNQ-3I/UMox4f1ri6I/AAAAAAAAC_U/z1ronwpuLEI/s1600/bark+2.jpg" height="324" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">A new children's picture book, "Bark! Bark! Bark for My Park!" was released Dec. 1 by Norristown veterinarian and conservation educator Jessica Dimuzio with "help" from her 5-pound Papillon dog, Johnny Angel.<br /> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">According to a press release for the book, "Together these best friends, who live in Norristown, PA, began a grassroots campaign to save their beloved 690-acre Norristown Farm Park from development in 2000."</span> <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Dimuzio says Johnny Angel is the hero of her story, helping her to obtain 4,000 signatures on a petition that lead to the "successful ending of this story."</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">"Bark! Bark! Bark for My Park!" by Jessica Dimuzio, VMD, and Johnny Angel, $15.95, available at: <a href="http://www.naturetalesandtrails/">www.naturetalesandtrails</a>, independent bookstores and Amazon.com, </span>is illustrated by nature photographer Timothy Wood. The book is available for purchase locally at <a href="http://www.townebc.com/">Towne Book Center & Cafe</a>, Collegeville; <a href="http://www.ccbmc.com/">Chester County Book & Music Company</a>, West Chester; and <a href="http://www.childrensbookworld.net/">Children's Book World</a>, Haverford.</span><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5Ze3OHX9ltY/UMoyD0DF-sI/AAAAAAAAC_k/kwYESlCeQgI/s1600/johnny+angel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5Ze3OHX9ltY/UMoyD0DF-sI/AAAAAAAAC_k/kwYESlCeQgI/s1600/johnny+angel.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">JOHNNY ANGEL</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Prior to publication, "Bark! Bark! Bark for My Park!" earned the international Kimberly Colen Grant Award from the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators. The story will resonate with animal lovers, conservationists, and kids of all ages. </span> <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Actress and animal activist Betty White said the book is a delight: "As well as falling in love with Johnny Angel, the
environmental message is invaluable. Thank you so very much." </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> "Charming, funny, and ultimately inspiring...Kids will identify with Johnny Angel, cheer his victory, and learn valuable lessons about conservation through the tale of this little hero," said Marvin Terban, teacher and award-winning author of more than 37 children's books.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Here's an adorable sample page from the book:</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BaSrfirvgvg/UMo0YrdQ2yI/AAAAAAAAC_s/n-vQAFUO9YA/s1600/BBBPage09.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BaSrfirvgvg/UMo0YrdQ2yI/AAAAAAAAC_s/n-vQAFUO9YA/s1600/BBBPage09.jpg" height="311" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /><u>About the authors:</u></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wIzsT6iWtxk/UMox-FmEwFI/AAAAAAAAC_c/46ub0msqtE4/s1600/jessica+dimuzio.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wIzsT6iWtxk/UMox-FmEwFI/AAAAAAAAC_c/46ub0msqtE4/s1600/jessica+dimuzio.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">JESSICA DIMUZIO</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Dimuzio graduated from the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, specializing in wildlife preservation. After working to save wildlife around the world, she has discovered that vital conservation work needed to be done in her backyard. Johnny Angel, is a graduate "with honors" of Obedience I and II, Agility I and a Good Citizenship Certificate holder.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The "authors" are available for talks, signings, and school visits. Part of the proceeds from the sale of this book goes to: <a href="http://www.farmpark.org/">Farm Park Preservation Association</a>. </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5671460424242443829.post-55358007087342479132012-12-14T10:30:00.000-05:002012-12-14T12:34:58.186-05:00Ways to wrap an e-book (or other e-gift) this holidayI'm reposting the below graphic from Slate because it's cute and timely. Just how does one wrap an e-gift to look festive anyhow? I like the "ornament" and small gift box options. Note: this was originally posted by The Mercury's sister paper, The San Jose Mercury News, on Dec. 1.<br />
<br />
<h1 class="articleTitle entry-title" id="articleTitle">
Slate: 9 ways to wrap an e-book</h1>
<div class="articleByline" id="articleByline">
<i>By <span class="author vcard"><span class="fn">Holly Allen, Slate</span></span></i><span class="source-org vcard"></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="entry-content">
<div class="articleBody" id="articleBody">
<div class="articleViewerGroup" id="articleViewerGroup" style="border: 0px;">
<span class="articleEmbeddedViewerBox"></span></div>
It
used to be easy to give your loved ones books for the holidays. You
went to a bookstore, browsed the shelves and picked out something
thoughtful: Jodi Picoult's latest for your mom, Harry Potter for your
niece, maybe a Bill O'Reilly rant for that uncle who never shuts up at
Thanksgiving.
But now everyone has a Kindle or a Nook or an iPad. And how do you give
an e-book? Sure, you can just hand over a gift card. But where's the fun
in that?<br />
<br />
Here are nine ideas for turning an e-book into a gift you can
wrap up and tuck under the tree.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UdHROzkoank/UMoeyuro2DI/AAAAAAAAC9o/nOcx_z9PZvU/s1600/giftsebooks30.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UdHROzkoank/UMoeyuro2DI/AAAAAAAAC9o/nOcx_z9PZvU/s1600/giftsebooks30.jpg" height="640" width="490" /></a></div>
</div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5671460424242443829.post-1660885800480831232012-12-13T02:30:00.000-05:002012-12-13T14:15:12.345-05:00'United Breaks Guitars' a must-read for anyone who needs proof of the power of social media<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4ox-FcucQOI/UMkPpPHjGdI/AAAAAAAAC5U/MOjOcLdZ1Wo/s1600/Ubg.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4ox-FcucQOI/UMkPpPHjGdI/AAAAAAAAC5U/MOjOcLdZ1Wo/s1600/Ubg.JPG" /></a>We all have a customer service tale of woe tale to tell. Or several.<br />
<br />
Musician Dave Carroll experienced a customer service nightmare in the spring of 2008 while traveling with his band to a gig - and then he actually did something about it (something more than yelling at the telephone like the rest of us, that is).<br />
<br />
You may recognize Carroll's name as the guy who took on United Airlines after his guitar got broken while in the airline's care on a flight from Halifax, Nova Scotia, to Omaha, Nebraska with his band Sons of Maxwell. Since that incident, Carroll has become the bestselling author of <b>"United Breaks Guitars: The Power of One Voice in the Age of Social Media" (Hay House Inc., May 2012, 197 pp., $19.95)</b>.<br />
<br />
But back to the catalyst: During a layover at O'Hare International Airport in Chicago, Carroll and others on the flight said they witnessed - through the tiny airplane windows - Carroll's guitar case being thrown about by baggage handlers on the tarmac. When Carroll reached his destination and picked up his luggage, he found the neck of his beloved $3,500 Taylor Guitar broken.<br />
<br />
After taking the better part of a year to tell his story to several United representatives in different countries (the incident happened in the U.S.; Carroll is Canadian), Carroll's requests for remuneration were summarily dismissed by the airline. When all else failed, Carroll pledged to do what he does best: Write a song about it.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iTE7KjENDcU/UMkPn7OFB7I/AAAAAAAAC5E/NMrqXwSnjKc/s1600/Dave-Carroll-photo1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iTE7KjENDcU/UMkPn7OFB7I/AAAAAAAAC5E/NMrqXwSnjKc/s1600/Dave-Carroll-photo1.jpg" height="256" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">DAVE CARROLL</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
In fact, he and his band Sons of Maxwell wrote <i>three </i>songs about the guitar-breaking incident and its aftermath AND enlisted friends to help make music videos to go with each song - all of which were posted on YouTube (see links below). <br />
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5YGc4zOqozo">United Breaks Guitars 1</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-UoERHaSQg">United Breaks Guitars 2</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P45E0uGVyeg">United Breaks Guitars 3</a></li>
</ul>
But first, Carroll told United about his plans to do so, and gave the
company a chance to make good by paying to six his guitar. Well, United declined, and Carroll went ahead and made good on his promise. He and some friends produced the first video for a mere $150. At this writing, "United Breaks Guitars," which is a catchy Country tune and a <i>hilarious</i> video, has had more than 12.6 million views. Carroll had a modest goal of reaching 1 million.<br />
<br />
According to Wikipedia, "The YouTube video was posted on July 6. It amassed 150,000 views within
one day, prompting United to contact Carroll saying it hoped to right
the wrong."<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Kfz_UP7YwGs/UMkP3f6q4vI/AAAAAAAAC6A/Ahe24WYMTvY/s1600/united-breaks-guitars+screenshot+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Kfz_UP7YwGs/UMkP3f6q4vI/AAAAAAAAC6A/Ahe24WYMTvY/s1600/united-breaks-guitars+screenshot+2.jpg" height="206" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">SCREEN GRAB FROM "UBG 1"</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Mashable.com reported that the video, in its first 10 days, surpassed 3.2
million views and 14,000 comments. "But the bigger story is the video itself and United is likely to
continue to suffer from social media backlash for many more weeks to
come as the new songs come out," states the <a href="http://mashable.com/2009/07/15/united-breaks-guitars/">July 15, 2009 article</a> by Jennifer Van Grove. <br />
<br />
Chris Ayres of The Times Online in the UK wrote in a July 2009 that the incident cost United $180 million, or 10 percent of its market cap: <br />
<br />
"..within four days of the song going online, the gathering thunderclouds of bad PR caused United Airlines' stock price to suffer a mid-flight stall, and it plunged by 10 per cent, costing shareholders $180 million. Which, incidentally, would have bought Carroll more than 51,000 replacement guitars."<br />
<br />
Videos 2 (more jazz-like) and 3 (kind of bluegrass) didn't get the same astronomical number of hits, but were still watched by hundreds of thousands of people.<br />
<br />
Carroll writes, "I'm not the only one who feels that United really missed the boat in responding to the videos. Since 'UBG' went viral, countless authors, researchers and presenters have invested significant time evaluating how United reacted as a brand." ... "The general consensus is that United grossly mishandled the affair from start to finish ... Simple things like saying 'I'm sorry' took months to happen."<br />
<br />
At his own expense of $1,200, Carroll repaired his guitar, which he kept but no longer plays at gigs. In a show of amazing customer service, after hearing Carroll's story and song, El Cahon, Calif.-based <a href="http://www.taylorguitars.com/">Taylor Guitars</a> offered Carroll his pick of two brand-new guitars from its showroom. <br />
<br />
Carroll eventually was successful in a request that United Airlines to pay him a license fee for use of his videos in customer service training. He donated the money to various charities.<br />
<br />
It's a pretty amazing case study in the power of social media - the power of one person, using channels available for free to all, to wage public war on a large corporation.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SMWjGNoXR-g/UMkP1xGh9YI/AAAAAAAAC5w/vZHfmxV1jvE/s1600/United_Breaks_Guitars_1+screenshot.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SMWjGNoXR-g/UMkP1xGh9YI/AAAAAAAAC5w/vZHfmxV1jvE/s1600/United_Breaks_Guitars_1+screenshot.png" height="182" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">SCREEN GRAB FROM "UBG 1"</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Carroll's book is related rather colloquially, with humility and humor and in what seems to be his down-to-earth manner of speaking ... and singing. Overnight he became a cult hero and soon-to-be best-selling uathor. His <a href="http://www.davecarrollmusic.com/">brand</a> - and the status of his band - grew exponentially from the exposure.<br />
<br />
Carroll has joked that when United broke his guitar, the company also broke his career ... wide open. <br />
<br />
Since writing the book, all the while continuing his career as a musician and releasing a solo album, Carroll has launched <a href="http://gripevine.com/">Gripevine.com</a> - the first online social media platform for consumer-complaint resolution. <span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"> </span>He's also become a sought-after speaker on the topic of customer service. <br />
<br />
"What makes 'UBG' so important in the business world is that United's and Taylor's reactions directly affected their bottom line in some way," Carroll wrote.<br />
<br />
While, according to BBC News, for a time in 2009, 'UBG' dropped the market capitalization of United Airlines by 10 percent, or $180 million; Taylor Guitars in 2011 announced that they had "their best year ever, with sales up 25 percent from their previous best year ever (all of this during a recession and with a discretionary item)," wrote Carroll.<br />
<br />
The book is an easy, enjoyable read and likely to become a case study or required reading (if it's not already) in university-level journalism and communications classes. It's great reading for anyone studying or practicing public relations as well. And, it includes a code to download six of Carroll's songs.<br />
<br />
The catchy and campy "United Breaks Guitars" will get stuck in your head, I guarantee it.<br />
<br />
If you've read this far in my blog, that may mean you'd actually like to read this book. I have a review copy to give away. Please comment below with some way to get in touch with you if you're interested in "winning" my copy, sent to me courtesy of Hay House.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CftmxB-yM6g/UMkP2oys05I/AAAAAAAAC54/modg48ta3uI/s1600/sons+of+maxwell.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CftmxB-yM6g/UMkP2oys05I/AAAAAAAAC54/modg48ta3uI/s1600/sons+of+maxwell.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">SONS OF MAXWELL</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<u>About the book (from the publisher):</u><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span class="MainFont2 mobile_product_desc">Songwriter Dave Carroll
wasn't the first person abused by an airline's customer service. But he
was the first to show how one person, armed with creativity, some
friends, $150, and the Internet, could turn an entire industry upside
down. <br /><br />United
Airlines had broken Dave's guitar in checked luggage. After eight
months of pestering the company for compensation, he turned to his best
tool-songwriting-and vowed to create a YouTube video about the incident
that he hoped would garner a million views in one year. Four days after
its launching, the first million people had watched "United Breaks
Guitars." United stock went down 10 percent, shedding $180 million in
value; Dave appeared on outlets as diverse as CNN and The View. United
relented. And throughout the business world, people began to realize
that "efficient" but inhuman customer-service policies had an unseen
cost-brand destruction by frustrated, creative, and socially connected
customers. <br /><br /><i>"United Breaks Guitars"</i> has become a
textbook example of the new relationship between companies and their
customers, and has demonstrated the power of one voice in the age of
social media. It has become a benchmark in the customer-service and
music industries, as well as branding and social-media circles. Today,
more than 150 million people are familiar with this story. <br /><br />In
this book, you'll hear about how Dave developed the "just do it"
philosophy that made him the ideal man to take on a big corporation,
what it felt like to be in the center of the media frenzy, and how he's
taken his talents and become a sought-after songwriter and public
speaker. And businesspeople will learn how companies should change their
policies and address social-media uprisings. <br /><br />Since <i>"United Breaks Guitars"</i>
emerged, nothing is the same-for consumers, for musicians, or for
business. Whether you are a guitarist, a baggage handler, or a boardroom
executive, this book will entertain you and remind you that we are all
connected, that each of us matters, and that we all have a voice worth
hearing.</span></span><br />
<br />
<u>Lyrics for United Breaks Guitars:</u><br />
<br />
<div class="b-lyrics-header-container">
<h2 class="h2l">
Sons Of Maxwell<br />United Breaks Guitars lyrics</h2>
</div>
<div class="b-lyrics-ringrone-container">
<a class="lyrics-ringrone" href="http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/xtra/clktr.php?ug_from=tabs&url=http://www.ringtonematcher.com/co/ringtonematcher/02/noc.asp?sid=NOMOros&artist=sons+of+maxwell&song=united+breaks+guitars&campaign=lm" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">
<span class="ring_left"></span><span class="ring_right"></span>
</a>
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0_zm8WE6hAo/UMkP1G2mbPI/AAAAAAAAC5g/uDv4jI2UFwE/s1600/United+Breaks+Guitars+logo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0_zm8WE6hAo/UMkP1G2mbPI/AAAAAAAAC5g/uDv4jI2UFwE/s1600/United+Breaks+Guitars+logo.JPG" height="170" width="320" /></a></div>
<div id="songlyrics">
I flew United Airlines on my way to Nebraska<br />
The plane departed, Halifax, connecting in Chicago's "O'Hare".<br />
While on the ground, a passenger said from the seat behind me, <br />
"My God, they're throwing guitars out there"<br />
<br />
The band and I exchanged a look, best described as terror<br />
At the action on the tarmac, and knowing whose projectiles these would be<br />
So before I left Chicago, I alerted three employees<br />
Who showed complete indifference towards me<br />
<br />
United... <br />
(United...)<br />
You broke my Taylor Guitar<br />
United... <br />
(United...)<br />
Some big help you are<br />
<br />
You broke it, you should fix it<br />
You're liable, just admit it<br />
I should've flown with someone else<br />
Or gone by car<br />
<br />
'Cause United breaks guitars.<br />
<br />
When we landed in Nebraska, I confirmed what I'd suspected<br />
My Taylor'd been the victim of a vicious act of malice at O'Hare<br />
<span class="b-lyrics-from-signature">[ Lyrics from: http://www.lyricsmode.com/lyrics/s/sons_of_maxwell/united_breaks_guitars.html ]</span><br />
So began a year long saga, of "Pass the buck", "Don't ask me", and "I'm sorry, sir, your claim can go no where".<br />
So to all the airlines people, from New York to New Deli<br />
Including kind Ms. Irlweg, who says the final word from them is "no".<br />
<br />
I heard all your excuses, <br />
And I've chased your wild gooses<br />
And this attitude of yours, I say, must go<br />
<br />
United... <br />
(United...)<br />
You broke my Taylor Guitar<br />
United... <br />
(United...)<br />
Some big help you are<br />
<br />
You broke it, you should fix it<br />
You're liable, just admit it<br />
I should've flown with someone else<br />
Or gone by car<br />
<br />
'Cause United breaks guitars.<br />
<br />
Well, I won't say that I'll never fly with you again, <br />
'Cause, maybe, to save the world, I probably would, <br />
But that won't likely happen, <br />
And if it did, I wouldn't bring my luggage<br />
'Cause you'd just go and break it, <br />
Into a thousand pieces, <br />
Just like you broke my heart<br />
<br />
When United breaks guitars.<br />
<br />
United... <br />
(United...)<br />
You broke my Taylor Guitar<br />
United... <br />
(United...)<br />
Some big help you are<br />
<br />
You broke it, you should fix it<br />
You're liable, just admit it<br />
I should've flown with someone else<br />
Or gone by car<br />
<br />
'Cause United breaks guitars.<br />
<br />
Yeah, United breaks guitars.<br />
<br />
Yeah, United breaks guitars.<u> </u><br />
<br />
<u>About Dave Carroll (from his website)</u>:<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YqkUSefzxIQ/UMkSbxdWHfI/AAAAAAAAC7s/NvwGKtDAKjQ/s1600/Dave-Carroll-photo4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YqkUSefzxIQ/UMkSbxdWHfI/AAAAAAAAC7s/NvwGKtDAKjQ/s1600/Dave-Carroll-photo4.jpg" height="219" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">DAVE CARROLL</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div id="songlyrics">
Dave Carroll is an award winning singer-songwriter, professional speaker, author and social media innovator based in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. He began his music career with his brother Don in the band Sons of Maxwell and has been enjoying success as a solo artist for the last four years. For two decades, Dave has charmed fans with his approach to music. His ability to extract the essence of a message and craft it into song is a rare gift that is attracting fans of all ages while his sense of humour and disarmingly warm stage presence makes each live experience a memorable one for audiences around the world. <br />
<br />
Known as a master storyteller, Dave’s incredible talent was introduced to millions when his 2009 YouTube music video ‘United Breaks Guitars’ became a worldwide sensation. The song chronicled his experience in the customer service process with United Airlines. His creative use of social media to share that message has reached over 150 million people. United Breaks Guitars was named one of the five most important videos in Google’s History. <br />
<br />
The United Breaks Guitars trilogy has awakened companies everywhere to the importance of focusing on the customer and on delivering exceptional customer experience. Dave Carroll is a musician with a message, demonstrating the power one voice can have in today’s socially driven world. Dave has become internationally famous as one of the world’s top media relations innovators & customer experience authorities. He is also widely sought after as a content creator & songwriter. <br />
<br />
Dave has been featured in major news media around the world (including ABC’s ‘The View,’ ABC’s 20/20, CNN, LA Times, Chicago Tribune, Rolling Stone Magazine, Wall Street Journal & BBC to name a few). Several case studies and book references about United Breaks Guitars have been published including one’s by Harvard Business School, University of Toronto and a Thesis by Allison Soule for University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-S2fN0crPJEo/UMkP1adau9I/AAAAAAAAC5k/rhv8uE9CgME/s1600/United-Breaks-Guitars-screenshot+chalk+outline.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-S2fN0crPJEo/UMkP1adau9I/AAAAAAAAC5k/rhv8uE9CgME/s1600/United-Breaks-Guitars-screenshot+chalk+outline.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">SCREEN GRAB FROM "UBG 1"</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div id="songlyrics">
<br />
Dave has testified (and sung) on Capitol Hill in Washington, delivered keynotes at Columbia University’s Brite Conference, NewComm Forum, Mesh Conference, Atlantic Brand Confabulation (with Gene Simmons) , SXSW Interactive, The Power of PR CPRS Conference, G-Force Prague, G-Force Melbourne & other significant customer service & corporate events (including for RightNow Technologies & Sandvik Coromant). <br />
<br />
In 2010 Dave’s song and video ‘Everyday Heroes’ was released on 911Song.com. In a world where broken promises are commonplace, when it counts most, there are people willing to help strangers because they gave their word that they would. The essence of ‘Everyday Heroes’ is about these individuals keeping their promise to respond, regardless of who is in need or the unknown risks that may await the First Responders. As a volunteer firefighter himself for 5 years, Dave wrote ‘Everyday Heroes’ after being challenged by a friend to honour those who answer the call. <br />
<br />
Carroll released his second solo album “Raincoat in Vegas,” in September 2012. </div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5671460424242443829.post-91792346481643532792012-12-12T09:00:00.000-05:002012-12-12T11:58:05.393-05:00Signing of A RIVER AGAIN, Chari Towne's book on the Schuylkill cleanup, slated Dec. 19<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The 135-mile Schuylkill River</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> is not only a scenic, beautiful waterway that winds through Pennsylvania - It's also the source of my drinking water, and the landmark I look for when biking the Schuylkill River Trail.</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uUVUTWjrkeo/UMDqDlfZtFI/AAAAAAAAC18/sMbeFsXHGxs/s1600/ARiverAgainJacket_P1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uUVUTWjrkeo/UMDqDlfZtFI/AAAAAAAAC18/sMbeFsXHGxs/s1600/ARiverAgainJacket_P1.jpg" height="400" width="266" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The river wasn't always as clean as it is today.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Author Chari Towne has written a book about the project that helped to clean up the Schuylkill about seven decades ago.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Towne will be signing copies of her new book, "A River Again," from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 19, </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">at the Schuylkill River Heritage Area offices, 140 College Drive, in Pottstown.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">According to a press release promoting the book signing from the SRHA:</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #134f5c;">"In the mid-20th century, the Schuylkill was one of the nation’s dirtiest rivers. <br /><br />Throughout the Industrial Revolution, its waters served as a dumping site for factory pollutants, raw sewage and, perhaps most damaging of all, coal waste, known as culm. By 1945 an estimated 38 million tons of culm had accumulated in its channel. <br /><br />The Schuylkill was on the brink of becoming a wasteland until, in 1945, the state of Pennsylvania agreed to undertake the Schuylkill River Project. It was the first major government-funded environmental cleanup, and it dredged millions of tons of coal culm from the river. That story, the events that led up to it, and the impact that it had, are the subject of a new book, A River Again, by Chari Towne." </span><br /><br />During Towne's book signing, which is free and open to the public, the Heritage Area’s River of Revolutions Interpretive Center will also be open. Doors open at 6:30, and the lecture begins at 7 p.m. and will be followed by book signing. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Light refreshments will be served. In order to have an idea of how many will attend, the SHRA asks that anyone who is planning to attend RSVP by calling 484-945-0200, or email <a href="mailto:ckott@schuylkillriver.org">ckott@schuylkillriver.org</a>. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The hardcover
books will be available for $21.95 at the book signing, and may also be
purchased directly from the Delaware Riverkeeper Network at <a href="http://www.delawareriverkeeper.org/">www.delawareriverkeeper.org</a>.
It is also available as a free publication on that website, and can be
downloaded from the “Resources” tab by clicking on “Free publications.” </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span><br /> <b><u>About the author:</u></b><br /><br />Towne is a former Olympic rower (1984 games) who trained on the Schuylkill, and today works as the Schuylkill Watershed Specialist for the Delaware Riverkeeper Network. She is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin with a bachelor of arts degree in English and a master of science degree in natural resource planning. Her book was funded in part by a grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources administered through the Schuylkill River Heritage Area. Other funders include The Jerlyn Foundation and The William Penn Foundation. <br /><br />According to the press release, researching and writing "A River Again" took Towne about four years, but her interest in penning a book about the river’s cleanup goes back much farther. <br /><br /> “For more than 10 years I wanted to write this story, because it was something I realized most people didn’t know a lot about, or had misconceptions about,” said Towne. <br /><br /><b><u>Book summary:</u></b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">A River Again tells the story of how a series of environmentally harmful practices throughout the Industrial Revolution so defiled the river that its value as a source of drinking water was severely threatened. It introduces the politicians and environmental leaders who pushed for legislation to eliminate pollution and fought for funding to clean it. <br /><br />The book includes photos of the dredging project and the sediment-filled river, further illustrating the enormity of the problem and the vast effort required to remove the coal culm. <br /><br />Towne hopes readers come away with a greater respect for the Schuylkill and a thirst to learn more about its fascinating environmental history. <br /><br />“People think the Schuylkill is so polluted today. It’s hard for them to put in context just how far the river has come. I’d like to see them regain that perspective,” Towne said. <br /> <br /><b><u>About the SHRA:</u></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />The Schuylkill River National and State Heritage Area, managed by the nonprofit Schuylkill River Greenway Association, uses conservation, education, recreation, historic preservation and tourism as tools for community revitalization and economic development. Visit <a href="http://www.schuylkillriver.org/">www.schuylkillriver.org</a> to learn more. </span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5671460424242443829.post-56695773363216265212012-12-07T16:30:00.000-05:002012-12-07T17:51:56.911-05:00Schuylkill Haven native nominated for national writing contest <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ejH9JtXOzMk/UME2IzyI1NI/AAAAAAAAC3g/CDGyUt3B6BA/s1600/lin-clements.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ejH9JtXOzMk/UME2IzyI1NI/AAAAAAAAC3g/CDGyUt3B6BA/s1600/lin-clements.jpeg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">LINDSEY CLEMENTS</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Lindsey "Lin" Clements, a native of Schuylkill Haven, recently secured one of 12 nominations for America's Next Author, </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">a national writing contest that "takes a page out of the American Idol playbook," according to a press release. The contest was free for contestants to enter and spans eight weeks.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Clements, now a Virginia Beach, Va., resident, was nominated for her short
story "Brown Leather Couch," in which she introduces us to Sam, an Army
veteran reflecting on a life dedicated to service. Read the story online <a href="http://www.ebookmall.com/author/lin-clements">here</a>.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">"In the end, Sam finds
that he has nothing left but a brown leather couch that had been given
to him as a gift to commemorate 20 years and a lifetime of loss," states the release. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Clements said, "I wanted to shed light on life after the service, and
dealing with the emotional wreckage that it can leave in its wake."</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Clements is a
veteran of the United States Navy and a graduate of Ashford University. A
former copywriter with a B.A. in public relations and marketing, she is
currently working on her graduate certificate in herbal medicine from
the American College of Health Sciences.</span> </span> </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">She will advance to the final rounds of competition and have a chance to win $5,000, exposure, and publishing support. A winner will be decided on Dec. 18.<br /><br />eBookMall's America's Next Author seeks to reward the authors of well-written stories. Unlike in other writing contests, contestants in America's Next Author can influence their chances of winning by mobilizing fans through social media and word-of-mouth promotion. On the contest <a href="http://www.ebookmall.com/americasnextauthor">website</a>, readers may vote for their favorite submissions while a jury of industry professionals oversees the competition "á la American Idol."</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Currently
the Battle Round of the contest is on. Visitors can vote for favorite
stories in head-to-head battles between authors to determine which three
will move on to the Jury Round. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />Clements attributes her success to consistency in terms of tweeting and Facebook promotion - but she hopes she'll be able to sustain this level of support through the next round of the competition by getting the word out to her neighbors. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Learn more about Clements and download her story on her <a href="http://www.ebookmall.com/author/lin-clements">author page</a> on the America's Next Author site. You can also post your own review of her work, view her contest ranking and link to her Facebook page.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Good luck, Lin!</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5671460424242443829.post-51173876106456195662012-12-06T13:00:00.001-05:002012-12-06T13:00:25.897-05:00Free holiday story hour for kids will be held Friday at The Mercury<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yyIU6mTReeo/UMDaE-yJUbI/AAAAAAAAC0Y/Vpn4jaY3sbQ/s1600/merc+story+time.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yyIU6mTReeo/UMDaE-yJUbI/AAAAAAAAC0Y/Vpn4jaY3sbQ/s1600/merc+story+time.jpg" height="201" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bring your kids to The Mercury's holiday story hour<br />Friday, Dec. 7, from 6:30 to 7:30 in the media lab</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The Mercury is hosting a free story time for kids this Friday as part of the holiday events happening throughout the month of December in downtown Pottstown. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The Mercury's holiday story hour will be from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Friday</span> in the Community Media Lab, located adjacent to our main entrance at 24 N. Hanover St. in Pottstown.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />Special guests readers Mercury Editor Nancy March, who writes <a href="http://merceditorsdesk.blogspot.com/">The Editor's Desk</a> blog; Reporter Evan Brandt, who pens the <a href="http://evan-brandt.blogspot.com/">Digital Notebook</a> blog; TownSquare blogger Mandy March from <a href="http://so-much-to-do.blogspot.com/">So Much To Do, So Little Time</a>; and Community Engagement Editor Diane Hoffman, author of the <a href="http://halfironadventure.blogspot.com/">Lessons in Triathlon</a> blog, who will read specially selected holiday-themed books to children and their families during the hour. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The book selections include "The Polar Express," by Chris Van Allsburg, which will be read by the beguiling Mandy March</span>.<span class="st"></span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Fresh, home-made cookies and hot chocolate will be available for all children in attendance. (I'm hoping there will be some free cookies and hot chocolate for random adult book bloggers who also plan to visit the story hour.) There will also be a holiday coloring activity for children. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />If you can't make it to story hour, be sure to stop back and visit The Mercury's Community Media Lab during its regular hours. The lab is free and open to the public Monday to Thursday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and is located inside The Mercury at 24 N. Hanover St. With three computers, a microfilm machine in which to look up archives of The Mercury that go back to 1933 and free WIFI for those with their own lab top, the lab is a great place to sit and relax. There's also a free lending library that includes all kinds of books, from "Into the Wild" by Jon Krakauer to a vast collection of Anita Shreve novels, available for borrowing. Coffee and water are also available for $1. The Media Lab is also available to community groups looking for a free space to use. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">For more information about the holiday story hour or The Mercury's Community Media Lab, call Diane Hoffman at 610-323-3000, ext. 156, or email dhoffman@pottsmerc.com </span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5671460424242443829.post-89361167487445833582012-12-06T10:30:00.000-05:002012-12-06T11:37:36.361-05:00Like British novelists? Here's a documentary giveaway just for you<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Athena recently released "In Their Own Words," a BBC-produced documentary featuring archive footage of some of the world's most notable novelists and philosophers.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jITn6xX2Lcw/UL_Zz19NlUI/AAAAAAAACy0/jUEzekNeSTo/s1600/In+their+own+words+cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jITn6xX2Lcw/UL_Zz19NlUI/AAAAAAAACy0/jUEzekNeSTo/s1600/In+their+own+words+cover.jpg" height="400" width="282" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Acorn Media was kind enough to provide me with the two-disc set of DVDs for review. I would like to pass them along to an interested reader. Just email me with your mailing address at mkaras@pottsmerc.com if you'd like to "win" this set.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><u>Win it: </u><br /><br /><b>"In their Own Words" (Acorn Media, U.S. release on DVD March 2012, DVD 2-Vol. Boxed Set — 6 episodes — Approx. 351 min. — Documentary — SDH subtitles, $49.99) </b>features rare footage of J. R.R. Tolkien, Sigmund Freud, George Orwell, Jane Goodall, Salman Rushdie, Evelyn Waugh, Ian Fleming, Margaret Mead, and the only surviving voice recording of Virginia Woolf.<br /> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">According to press information released by Acorn Media, the U.K.'s The Guardian called it “Amazing archive footage” and The Sunday Times deemed the documentary “Riveting.” The programs were produced in 2010-11 but have yet to air in the U.S.<br /><br />"This remarkable set gathers archival footage from BBC interviews, documentaries and films – much of it available for the first time since its original airing – with two programs: British Novelists and Great Thinkers," states the press release.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Because the documentary features footage of famous British novelists, and I happen to be a fan of many famous British novelists, I expected it to be riveting film ( just as The Sunday Times described it). Instead I found it to have brief interesting bits, such as the recording of Virginia Woolf, and many ... less interesting ... segments. Perhaps it was just the mood I was in at the time, but I found this set to be really, really boring. Sleep inducing, really. The great thinkers part was even more yawn-inspiring than the novelist interviews. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I wanted to like it, really I did. Perhaps you'll enjoy it more.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Learn more at <a href="http://athenalearning.com/">AthenaLearning.com</a> <br /><br /><u>About the boxed set:</u></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">With rarities such as J.R.R. Tolkien reading in his invented Elvish language, disquieting footage of participants in Stanley Milgram's experiments in the human capacity for cruelty, and Jane Goodall discovering behavioral links between humans and chimpanzees, In Their Own Words serves as a real-life compilation of historic moments. As an overview of the social and political forces of the 20th century, it's beyond compare as compelling viewing and an exceptional glimpse of the geniuses who have shaped the modern world. <br /><br />Featured in British Novelists: Virginia Woolf, J.R.R. Tolkien, Ian Fleming, John le Carre, Aldous Huxley, George Orwell, Graham Greene, Salman Rushdie, Martin Amis, Evelyn Waugh, Doris Lessing, and Fay Weldon, among others. <br /><br />Featured in Great Thinkers: Sigmund Freud, Bertrand Russell, John Maynard Keynes, Margaret Mead, Susan Sontag, Jane Goodall, and Edward Said, among others. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><u>About Athena:</u></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />Athena releases provide an authoritative and entertaining learning experience through high quality, informative, non-fiction programming. 2011 Athena releases included: The Making of the President: The 1960s, Discovering Hamlet, The Battle for Marjah, Joseph Campbell: Mythos III, and Art of the Western World. Early 2012 releases include Bill Moyers: Capital Crimes, Battlefield Detectives, and The Windsors: From George to Kate. Clips are available at <a href="http://athenalearning.com/">AthenaLearning.com</a>. Athena's DVD sets are available from select retailers, catalog companies, and direct from Acorn at (888) 870-8047 or <a href="http://acornonline.com/">AcornOnline.com</a>. </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5671460424242443829.post-40274671971934080192012-12-05T15:02:00.001-05:002012-12-05T15:02:16.888-05:00Oprah adds debut novelist Ayana Mathis to her new book club<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kKO0V0O1wt4/UL-mdWKx_QI/AAAAAAAACxI/S9zHml3gaKY/s1600/12+tribes+better.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kKO0V0O1wt4/UL-mdWKx_QI/AAAAAAAACxI/S9zHml3gaKY/s1600/12+tribes+better.JPG" height="400" width="273" /></a></div>
I heard firsthand from author <a href="http://balancethebooks.blogspot.com/2012/07/bestselling-author-tawni-odell-gives.html">Tawni O'Dell</a> this summer, when she spoke at BookFest PA, what being an Oprah's Book Club pick does for your career.<br />
<br />
"This is the power of Oprah," O'Dell said. "Before the announcement my
book was 13,000 on the Amazon rankings. After the announcement, it was
instantly No. 1." <br />
<br />
Now Oprah, with her Oprah's Book Club 2.0, is giving that same lift to a debut novelist, Ayana Mathis, author of <b>"The Twelve Tribes of Hattie" (Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group, Dec. 2012, 256 pp., $14.97)</b><br />
<br />
Winfrey announced today that an author
interview will be aired Feb. 3 on Winfrey's OWN network, according to an Associated Press report. Winfrey compared Mathis' book to the fiction of Toni Morrison.<br />
<br />
"The opening pages of Ayana's debut took my breath away," said Winfrey,
OWN CEO, in an interview published on Marketwire. "I can't remember when I read anything that moved me in quite
this way, besides the work of Toni Morrison." <br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XqSDtJz6M2E/UL-micZZPfI/AAAAAAAACxQ/jobAQGYUiJI/s1600/Oprah+and+Ayana.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XqSDtJz6M2E/UL-micZZPfI/AAAAAAAACxQ/jobAQGYUiJI/s1600/Oprah+and+Ayana.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oprah Winfrey and author Ayana Mathis</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Published
this week by Alfred A. Knopf, "Twelve Tribes" tells of a teenager's
journey from Mississippi to Philadelphia in the 1920s and the large
family she ends up raising, per the AP.<br />
<br />
<div>
Winfrey revived her club, now called
Oprah's Book Club 2.0, earlier this year with Cheryl Strayed's memoir
"Wild." Dozens of books over the past 20 years have become best-sellers,
thanks to the former talk-show host's endorsements.<br />
<br />
Click <a href="http://www.oprah.com/omagazine/Quotes-from-The-Twelve-Tribes-of-Hattie-Twelve-Tribes-of-Hattie-Quo">here</a> to read Oprah's best quotes from "The Twelve Tribes of Hattie" from <a href="http://oprah.com/">Oprah.com</a>.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5671460424242443829.post-92003226373833821132012-11-28T13:56:00.000-05:002012-11-29T12:54:06.854-05:00Give the gift of reading (it's free, after all)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-aLaY7hDBlX4/ULZZAEWc-3I/AAAAAAAACtc/CPIM8bvVQ2o/s1600/GENERIC+Reading+in+Park_Kara.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="274" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-aLaY7hDBlX4/ULZZAEWc-3I/AAAAAAAACtc/CPIM8bvVQ2o/s400/GENERIC+Reading+in+Park_Kara.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
I was thrilled to hear about an anonymous donor in the Pottstown area who has pledged to donate $1 to the <a href="http://www.ywcatricountyarea.org/adult-literacy.html">Pottstown YWCA Tri-County Area Adult Literacy</a><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5671460424242443829"> program</a> every time someone "signs" an online petition (find it below), and I was inspired to write a few thoughts about literacy.<br />
<br />
Many of <a href="http://www3.allaroundphilly.com/Mercury/townsquare.html">The Mercury's Town Square Bloggers</a> did the same during the month of November as part of our Read and Write for Literacy campaign. (I'm bringing up the tail end of the month.)<br />
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The first thing that popped in my mind was not a book, but a song: "Cherry Tree" from the 10,000 Maniacs album "In My Tribe" that came out the year I graduated from high school (1990). It's a catchy tune (as most songs sung by the richly-voiced Natalie Merchant are) about someone who doesn't know how to read and desperately wants in on the world where the characters on the page tell an interesting story.<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CpnxPNf3olQ/ULZawLde-4I/AAAAAAAACuM/NkLkhJlnfn0/s1600/GENERIC+my+books+June+2011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CpnxPNf3olQ/ULZawLde-4I/AAAAAAAACuM/NkLkhJlnfn0/s320/GENERIC+my+books+June+2011.jpg" width="240" /></a> Here are the lyrics (take a <a href="http://www.mp3-download-lyrics.com/music/10000-Maniacs/Cherry-Tree_56614.html">listen</a>):</div>
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<span style="color: #660000;">10000 Maniacs<br />Cherry Tree lyrics</span></h2>
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<span style="color: #660000;"><a class="lyrics-ringrone" href="http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/xtra/clktr.php?ug_from=tabs&url=http://www.ringtonematcher.com/co/ringtonematcher/02/noc.asp?sid=NOMOros&artist=10000+maniacs&song=cherry+tree&campaign=lm" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">
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<span style="color: #660000;">
[ Robert Buck/Natalie Merchant ]</span>
<span style="color: #660000;"></span><br />
<span style="color: #660000;"><br />
Over your shoulder, please don't mind me <br />
If my eyes have fallen onto your magazine <br />
OH I've been watching and wondering <br />
Why your face is changing with every line you read. </span>
<span style="color: #660000;"><br />
All those lines and circles, to me, a mystery. <br />
Eve pull down the apple and give taste to me. <br />
If she could it would be wonderful, but my pride is in the way. <br />
I cannot read to save my life, I'm so ashamed to say. </span>
<span style="color: #660000;"><br />
I live in silence, afraid to speak <br />
Of my life in darkness because I cannot read. </span>
<span style="color: #660000;"><br />
For all those lines and circles, to me, a mystery. <br />
Eve pull down the apple and give taste to me. <br />
If she could it would be wonderful. <br />
Then I wouldn't need someone else's eyes to see what's in front of me. <br />
No one guiding me. </span>
<span style="color: #660000;"><br />
It makes me humble to be so green <br />
At what every kid can do when he learns A to Z, </span>
<span style="color: #660000;"><br />
But all those lines and circles just frighten me <br />
And I fear that I'll be trampled if you don't reach for me. <br />
Before I run I'll have to take a fall. <br />
And then pick myself up, so slowly I'll devour every one of those books in the Tower of Knowledge.</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7N5Cg96JzAs/ULZZMHZzMcI/AAAAAAAACtk/DGi0BbwyQDU/s1600/generic+Adults+reading+and+studying.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7N5Cg96JzAs/ULZZMHZzMcI/AAAAAAAACtk/DGi0BbwyQDU/s320/generic+Adults+reading+and+studying.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
I heartily agree that a life without reading would be a "life in darkness."<br />
<br />
My mom says I learned how to read at a young age, trying to keep up with my older brother and sister. She recalls that I, as young as age 5, would tuck her into her bed and then go back to my room to read awhile before sleep. I always had a bookshelf full of books of my choosing or hand-me-downs from my siblings. I can't remember the early, early favorites (oh, it's been so long...), but I do remember being quite fond of the Nancy Drew mysteries, of which we had a full set, the Ramona books and anything by Judy Blume.<br />
<br />
I also loved spending time in the library at Boalsburg-Panorama Elementary, where Mrs. Knob and Mrs. Ritchie would to read us magical stories such as Shel Silverstein's "Where the Sidewalk Ends." I was enchanted. Being able to pick out a new book to take home and devour was like picking out a new present every visit.<br />
<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-eK2KMKw1kkM/ULZZRY6wTFI/AAAAAAAACts/EVcvXjiN4sI/s1600/generic+DadSonReading.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="234" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-eK2KMKw1kkM/ULZZRY6wTFI/AAAAAAAACts/EVcvXjiN4sI/s320/generic+DadSonReading.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
I think it's a gift, to love reading, to want to attempt to write stories like the most imaginative authors do. It certainly has inspired me in my journalism career.<br />
<br />
That's why I'm asking your help in supporting the literacy program at the Pottstown YWCA. There, volunteer tutors help folks who have advanced into adulthood without the benefit of learning to read. Please fill out the form below and $1 will be donated to this cause by an anonymous donor. If my name's not on the blogger list, just choose another (My blog is considered separate from the Town Square bloggers).<br />
<br />
Each name and valid e-mail address nets the program $1 <br />
<br />
<br />
<iframe frameborder="0" height="774" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" src="https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/embeddedform?formkey=dEJLd0Z4NTBCZm44NWk3V2NjYkpIdHc6MQ" width="760">Loading...</iframe> Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5671460424242443829.post-76844169520252346652012-11-21T11:30:00.000-05:002012-11-21T11:30:02.040-05:00Bram Stoker's classic tales of the supernatural make a long journey fly<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QO9YUklUuwY/UKw3pQFJCvI/AAAAAAAACro/UAvEc1TW1eM/s1600/draculas+guest+audio+cover.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="397" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QO9YUklUuwY/UKw3pQFJCvI/AAAAAAAACro/UAvEc1TW1eM/s400/draculas+guest+audio+cover.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I recently had the pleasure of reviewing an audiobook of Bram Stoker's "Dracula's Guest and Other Stories" (Unabridged), courtesy of Naxos AudioBooks.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The collection of stories amassing five hours of recording on five CDs pleasantly killed the time on an long road trip. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Read artfully and wittily by talented voice actor Rupert Degas, the more suspenseful than frightening tales ranged from the macabre ("The Burial of the Rats") to the classic ghost story ("The Judge's House").</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Other stories in the collection are: "The Squaw," "The Secret of the Growing Gold," "The Gipsy Prophecy," "The Coming of Abel Behenna," "A Dream of Red Hands" and "Crooken Sands" </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Naxo AudioBooks released the collection in October 2012 - just in time for Halloween. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The collection of Stoker's memorable stories as well as his classic gothic novel "Dracula," among other titles, are also available for digital download for $23 (see website link below). The collection is also available in "hard copy" audio CD format for $34.98.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">To learn more about the collection, purchase a download, or listen to an audio sample, click <a href="http://www.naxosaudiobooks.com/0075.htm">here</a>. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Book summary, from the publisher:</b></span><br />
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<tr><td class="blurbs"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Best known for his masterpiece of horror, <i>Dracula</i>,
Bram Stoker wrote a number of other novels and many short stories, all
on supernatural themes or filled with a physical terror reminiscent of
Poe. <i>Dracula’s Guest </i>was originally part of the great novel, but was excised and published separately. Some of these stories, such as <i>The</i> <i>Squaw</i>, <i>The Judge’s House </i>and <i>The Burial of the Rats</i>,
rank very high among classic tales of the macabre. These stories
deserve to be better known for the light they shed on the enigmatic
author of one of the world’s supreme literary adventures into the realm
of nightmare.</span><b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span></b><br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">About author Bram Stoker:</span></b></td></tr>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CC9jAqxAHNk/UKw3toEWvKI/AAAAAAAACrw/eMXVacCQ71M/s1600/200px-Bram_Stoker_1906.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CC9jAqxAHNk/UKw3toEWvKI/AAAAAAAACrw/eMXVacCQ71M/s1600/200px-Bram_Stoker_1906.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">ABRAHAM "BRAM" STOKER</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Abraham "Bram" Stoker (1847 – 1912), according to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bram_Stoker">Wikipedia</a>, was an Irish</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> novelist and short story writer, best known today for his 1897 Gothic novel "Dracula." </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">He attributed some of his more creative ideas to a long, unknown illness that kept him bedridden in his early childhood until the age of 7. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">During his lifetime, he was better known as personal assistant of actor Henry Irving and business manager of Lyceum Theatre in London, which Irving owned. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Interesting sidenote: Stoker's original research notes for "Dracula" are kept by the Rosenbach Museum and Library in Philadelphia.</span><br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9lYKWXBqnuk/UKw3_6edADI/AAAAAAAACr4/_PYmAjJsGTs/s1600/RUPERT+DEGAS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9lYKWXBqnuk/UKw3_6edADI/AAAAAAAACr4/_PYmAjJsGTs/s1600/RUPERT+DEGAS.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">RUPERT DEGAS</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">About voice actor Rupert Degas:</span></b><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Rupert Degas, a versatile and charismatic audiobook reader, has read a substantial list of books for Naxos AudioBooks, notably Haruki Murakami’s "A Wild Sheep Chase," "The Wind-up Bird Chronicle" and "Dance Dance Dance," Kafka’s "The Trial," Cormac McCarthy’s "The Road," Rose Tremain’s "Restoration," Tom McNab’s Flanagan’s "Run," and "The Adventures of Brigadier Gerard" by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5671460424242443829.post-84771579432097362112012-11-19T17:12:00.003-05:002012-11-19T17:12:54.573-05:00Book giveaway: Happily Ever Madder<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UfsP0g2p8Mk/UKqsqbLifdI/AAAAAAAACp8/ybR8TtCooNs/s1600/happly+ever+madder+cover.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UfsP0g2p8Mk/UKqsqbLifdI/AAAAAAAACp8/ybR8TtCooNs/s400/happly+ever+madder+cover.JPG" width="265" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I know I could use a little light reading over Thanksgiving, and so, probably, could some of you.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Escape your crazed relatives and curl up somewhere with <b>"Happily Ever Madder: Misadventures of a Mad Fat Girl" by Stephanie McAfee (New American Library, November 2012, 343 pp., $15).</b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">It's light reading - a chick lit novel with lots of, um, "irreverent" language, unlikely situations and more than a few good laughs.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I'm giving this book away to the first commenter who gives me either his/her mailing address or some way to contact him/her to send the book. Good luck!</span><br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Book summary:</span></b><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Diary of a Mad Fat Girl’s plus-sized spitfire Graciela “Ace” Jones returns in a hilarious new adventure from New York Times bestselling author Stephanie McAfee. <br /><br />Ace has left the tiny Mississippi town of Bugtussle for the palm fronds and mojitos of Pelican Cove, Florida. She’s finally opening her long-dreamed-of art gallery, is kick-starting a life with her fiancé, Mason, and has vowed to leave her straight-talking, sassy ways behind her. From now on, she’s going to be as sweet as sugar. Unfortunately, something comes along to sour her plans. <br /><br />That something is Mrs. Lenore Kennashaw and her coterie of crones. They’re a bunch of snippy, snarky, and just plain mean ’ol ladies who aren’t quite as smart or rich as they’d like to think they are. But that doesn’t stop them from treating everyone else like second-class citizens. And when Ace inadvertently takes some of the steam from Mrs. Kennashaw’s stride, she becomes their #1 enemy. But with the support of a new group of fabulous friends, as well as her friends from Bugtussle — and her always-faithful chiweenie Buster Loo — Ace will find a way to make it, even if she has to throw some weight around…<br /><br /><b>About the author: </b></span><b> </b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Stephanie McAfee was born in Tupelo, Miss., and now lives in Milton, Fla., with her husband, young son, and chiweenie dog. </span><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-b2cqkmIG1eo/UKqsvtEarTI/AAAAAAAACqE/RVqcWk9rArA/s1600/stephanie+mcafee.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-b2cqkmIG1eo/UKqsvtEarTI/AAAAAAAACqE/RVqcWk9rArA/s320/stephanie+mcafee.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">STEPHANIE McAFEE</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Check out her <a href="http://stephaniemcafee.wordpress.com/author/gloriapeacock/">blog</a>.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Here's her <a href="http://stephanie-mcafee.com/">website</a>. </span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5671460424242443829.post-77916810275443705112012-11-07T13:55:00.004-05:002012-11-07T14:00:14.334-05:00John O' Hurley to sign books, read to area students before hosting National Dog Show<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<![endif]--><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Actor and author John O'Hurley, of "Seinfeld" fame, will be in Collegeville/Oaks next weekend promoting his books and hosting the 2012 National Dog Show</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> in Oaks</span>. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">On <b>Friday, Nov. 16,</b> at 7 p.m., Hurley will read from and sign his </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">his two dog-related books, </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">“Before Your Dog Can Eat Your Homework, First You Have to Do It: Life
Lessons from a Wise Old Dog to a Young Boy” (Hudson Street Press, 2007, 176 pp., $21.95) and the New York Times Best Seller "It’s Okay to Miss the Bed on the First Jump and Other Life Lessons I Learned from Dogs,” (Plume, 2006, 176 pp. $12)</span> at</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> <a href="http://www.townebc.com/">Towne Book Center</a>, 220 Plaza Drive, Suite B-3, Collegeville, PA 19426, across the parking lot from Wegmans in Providence Town Center shopping center. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The event is free. For information, call 610-454-0640 or visit <a href="http://www.trappebookcenter.com/event/john-ohurley-towne">www.trappebookcenter.com/event/john-ohurley-towne</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The next day, <b>Saturday, Nov. 17,</b> Hurley will lend his signature voice and presence to the 2012 National Dog Show at the <a href="http://www.phillyexpocenter.com/">Greater Philadelphia Expo Center</a> in Oaks. </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">He has been the host of Purina's annual National Dog Show every Thanksgiving since 2002.</span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HAykfVGG_Vg/UJqpvIt6kUI/AAAAAAAACoY/IKhr_rY2z8Y/s1600/JOH+book.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HAykfVGG_Vg/UJqpvIt6kUI/AAAAAAAACoY/IKhr_rY2z8Y/s1600/JOH+book.jpg" width="263" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Starting at 11 a.m., O'Hurley will give a special reading to some Spring-Ford Area School District elementary school students who are part of </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">the Dogs Are Readers Too (DART) program as well as some therapy dogs.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Event information provided by the Spring-Ford Area School district doesn't specify what O'Hurley, who is best known for his turn on "Seinfeld" as Elaine's catalog job boss "Mr. Peterman," will be reading. I would venture that his selection will likely come directly from one of his books.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Following O’Hurley’s reading, the Spring-Ford Area Senior High School Honor Guard will open the day’s events at the National Dog Show prior to the national anthem. </span> <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /><br /><b>WHEN: </b>The reading at the National Dog Show will take place from 11 to 11:15 a.m. The Spring-Ford Area Senior High School Honor Guard will be featured at 12:50 p.m. </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /><br /><b>WHERE: </b>Hall D of the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center, located at 100 Station Ave. in Oaks, Pa.</span> <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /><br /> <b>BACKGROUND:</b> D.A.R.T. introduces certified therapy dogs into a classroom setting, where the animals lie down on a blanket with students taking part in the course. From there, students read with the animals for about half an hour. Educators have learned that students struggling with reading avoid the skill because it tends to be difficult, but when they are paired with the therapy animals, reading becomes an enjoyable experience. </span> <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The National Dog Show will be broadcasted nationally on Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 22. </span><br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-SeL92J-M8MM/UJqpgiMo-RI/AAAAAAAACoA/Rj3OHxN6B2c/s1600/john+o+hurley+w+dogs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-SeL92J-M8MM/UJqpgiMo-RI/AAAAAAAACoA/Rj3OHxN6B2c/s1600/john+o+hurley+w+dogs.jpg" width="394" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">JOHN O'HURLEY WITH HIS DOGS</td></tr>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">About Hurley </span></b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">(from Wikipedia)</span><b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">:</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">A native of Kittery, Maine, John George O'Hurley (born Oct. 9, 1954) is an American actor, voice actor and television personality. He is known for the role of J. Peterman on the NBC sitcom "Seinfeld" and was the host of the game show "Family Feud" from 2006 to 2010. </span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Related link:</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Check out this Nov. 6 column, "<a href="http://www.montgomerynews.com/articles/2012/11/06/entertainment/doc50994576e1fd0131585422.txt?viewmode=fullstory">BOOK BOUND: John O’Hurley’s words of wisdom go to the dogs</a>," by </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Nicolette Milholin,</span> columnist for The Mercury's sister paper, Montgomery News. </span> Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5671460424242443829.post-5919642268510397782012-11-06T14:03:00.003-05:002012-11-06T14:03:55.742-05:00Feel like you need a stiff drink after Election Day? Here's a book that might quench a thirst for knowledge ... about bourbon<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-weKUe898N1s/UJlb7yDEHYI/AAAAAAAACmE/z7T5FOHMMME/s1600/beam+straight+up.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-weKUe898N1s/UJlb7yDEHYI/AAAAAAAACmE/z7T5FOHMMME/s1600/beam+straight+up.JPG" height="400" width="285" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">It's Election Day, and after all the debating, mudslinging, stumping, and ubiquitous advertising, I think most of us could probably use a good stiff drink.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">So, today I'm giving away not bourbon ... but the closest thing to it that I, </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">as a book blogger, </span>could muster: A BOOK about bourbon.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>"Beam, Straight Up: The Bold Story of the First Family of Bourbon" by Fred Noe (Wiley, Sept. 2012, $22.95, 206 pp.) </b>is an insider look at the famous Jim Beam family written with humor and humility by a member of the family, Frederick "Fred" Booker Noe III.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">This book is a cute little feller ... a bit smaller in length and width than usual. This puts it in more of a business/gift book category, in my opinion. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">It's the Beam family and business history told plainly, with a color photograph insert of family photos, with a wealth of information about bourbon and the bourbon business, and even includes many drink recipes such as:</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Knob Creek Bourbon Mint Julep</span></b><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gVx3VFz1w88/UJlcAUIJhKI/AAAAAAAACmM/Q_Q17U3YfqM/s1600/Knob-Creek-Mint-Julep-with-Knob-Creek-Bottle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gVx3VFz1w88/UJlcAUIJhKI/AAAAAAAACmM/Q_Q17U3YfqM/s1600/Knob-Creek-Mint-Julep-with-Knob-Creek-Bottle.jpg" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Ingredients:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">1.5 oz. Knob Creek Bourbon</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">1 tsp. granulated sugar</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">2 tsp. water</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Finely crushed ice</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Fresh mint, washed and patted dry.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Preparation:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">In a highball glass, dissolve the sugar in the water. Fill glass with crushed ice, and add bourbon. Stir contents until glass becomes frosty, adding more ice if necessary. Remove stems from some of the mint leaves and use a straw to push them into the chilled julep mix for added flavor. Garnish with remaining sprigs of mint. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">But mostly the book focuses on the business end of making bourbon. Whether you're a bourbon fan or a business fan, this book will keep your interest.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #274e13;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Want to win it?</span></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #274e13;">Comment below with your email address and I'll put you in the running to win my hardcover review copy of the book, compliments of Wiley.</span></span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">About the book (from the <a href="http://www.wiley.com/WileyCDA/PressRelease/pressReleaseId-104719,descCd-release_author_info.html">publisher</a>):</span></b><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gU3bC8Z1h3s/UJlcPNOrUYI/AAAAAAAACmc/H4PrVLF7UCo/s1600/fred-noe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gU3bC8Z1h3s/UJlcPNOrUYI/AAAAAAAACmc/H4PrVLF7UCo/s1600/fred-noe.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">AUTHOR FRED NOE</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The evolution of bourbon in American history is a rich and complex one, and the seven (and counting) generations of the Jim Beam family have been right there at the forefront of its storied transformation for the past 217 years to experience it in all its glory. <br /><br />In his delightful new book, seventh generation Beam family member Frederick “Fred” Booker Noe III chronicles how the First Family of Bourbon – the Beams – molded the bourbon industry into what it looks like today, and even reveals his own individual journey towards marking his footprint in the family business. <br /><br />Back in the day, every Bourbon distiller in Kentucky was a relative of the Jim Beam family, but with the release of this new book, Noe has become the only family member ever to author a book about the Beams’ illustrious role in the distillery industry. His effortlessly fun, but honest demeanor shines through in the process, providing a fresh new perspective on how to survive in an age-old business. <br /><br />In Beam, Straight Up, Noe not only offers valuable business insights and takeaways for any business person, he also shares his personal story of coming to terms with and reflecting on his own life, defining life milestones as colored by his family’s line of work, and eventually touching on his personal relationship with his character of a father, Booker Noe. Besides this, however, he also opens up about: </span><ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">His life on the road, spreading the bourbon gospel</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The legacy behind creating the world’s No.1-selling bourbon, Jim Beam Bourbon</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">His long journey to becoming the face of one of America’s most iconic brands</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Special cocktail and food recipes</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The bourbon industry today, and how the Jim Beam family helped shape it</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The various sponsorships, charities and events that the company supports </span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Part biography and part business book, this entertaining yet sincere account presents a spirited lesson on how to live up to your potential, and perhaps even more importantly, how to enjoy your whiskey along the way. <br /><br />For more information about Jim Beam, visit <a href="http://www.jimbeam.com/">www.jimbeam.com</a> or find Fred Noe on Facebook at <a href="http://www.facebook.com/jimbeam">www.facebook.com/jimbeam</a>. </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">About the author:</span></b><br /><br />Frederick Booker Noe III of Bardstown, Kentucky,</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> is the Global Brand Ambassador and Master Distiller of Jim Beam, one of the best-selling brands of bourbon whiskey. He is the seventh generation in the Beam family to assume this responsibility, officially assuming the Master Distiller role in 2007.</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5671460424242443829.post-92103316456421299762012-10-31T15:44:00.000-04:002012-10-31T15:44:18.921-04:00Pre-teen author Victoria Johnson to sign book at Coventry Mall Books-A-Million Saturday<!--[if !mso]>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ILdOyF38FIs/UJF5IhRl0WI/AAAAAAAACkk/PT03g-ox_EU/s1600/Victoria+Johnson.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ILdOyF38FIs/UJF5IhRl0WI/AAAAAAAACkk/PT03g-ox_EU/s1600/Victoria+Johnson.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Author Victoria Johnson<br />(Photo by PhillyBurbs.com)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Author
Victoria Johnson will be at the Coventry Mall Books-A-Million store on Saturday, Nov. 3, at 2 p.m. to sign copies of her children's book, "The Lemonade Standoff."</span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Read a Feb. 12, 2012, <a href="http://www.phillyburbs.com/news/local/the_intelligencer_news/year-old-author-publishes-her-first-book/article_8a22db1e-bd43-5a0d-96d8-09dfec09b89c.html">PhilllyBurbs.com story</a> about Johnson, who is now 12 (that's right, she's TWELVE) but started writing this story when she was 10. In the article, Johnson offered this advice to other aspiring young authors: </span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">"Don't let a challenge stand in your way. Be brave."</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Johnson is now in the 8th grade and resides in Warminster with her family.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">He 28-page book sells for $9.99 and is available at the Pottstown Books-A-Million, via online retailers including <a href="http://amazon.com/">Amazon.com</a> and <a href="http://barnesandnoble.com/">BarnesandNoble.com</a>, and through the book's publisher, <a href="http://www.tatepublishing.com/bookstore/book.php?w=978-1-61346-501-1">Tate Publishing</a>, as a paperback, audio CD or ebook. </span></span><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span></span><br />
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<a href="http://www.tatepublishing.com/bookstore/images/9781613465011large.jpg?width=1763&height=2663&t=1351098191" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" id="_x0000_i1026" src="http://www.tatepublishing.com/bookstore/images/9781613465011large.jpg?width=1763&height=2663&t=1351098191" width="265" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Below is the brief press release I received from Tate Publishing about the event: </span></span></div>
<br />
<h2>
<span style="color: #45818e;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><strong><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Author Victoria Johnson
Book Signing Event</span></strong></span></span></h2>
<h2>
<span style="color: #45818e;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"></span></span></h2>
<span style="color: #45818e;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">
<strong><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">WHEN</span></strong>:
11-3-12<br />
<br />
<strong><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">TIME</span></strong>: 2
p.m.<br />
<br />
<strong><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">WHERE</span></strong>:
Books-A-Million, 351 W. Schuylkill Road, Ste G16, Pottstown, PA 19465 </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #45818e;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><br />
<strong><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">WHAT</span></strong>:
Johnson, a resident of Warminster, PA, will be available to sign copies of her
children's book, <em><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">The
Lemonade Standoff.</span></em></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #45818e;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><b>BOOK SUMMARY:</b> It's finally
summer, and Keenah and Shay are really excited about their lemonade stand! But
when their sworn enemy, Brianna, opens a lemonade stand, their summer becomes <em><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">The Lemonade Standoff</span></em>.
Will the girls ever stop fighting? Can Keenah and Shay save their lemonade
stand's reputation?</span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"> </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">For more information about the book-signing, call the store at </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">610</span>-<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">323-6805.</span><br />
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5671460424242443829.post-87398736006288980242012-10-27T12:30:00.000-04:002012-10-27T12:30:01.291-04:00Need a bedtime story? Look no further than your blanket<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I recently saw the below photos on Facebook about Project Sleepless, a collaboration between London's The Great Eastern Hotel</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> and students from the Royal College of Art's Design Products department<a href="http://www.ronarad.com/"></a>.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Part of the project was a cool-looking, functional blanket entitled Bedtime Stories. Designed by Tiago da Fonseca, the blanket has several sheets containing a traditional bedtime story. Each “page” adds a layer of linen making you warmer (or cooler) and hopefully sleepier. </span><br />
<div class="entry-meta">
<span class="meta-prep meta-prep-author"><br /></span><span class="comments-link"><a href="http://style-files.com/2007/05/27/project-sleepless/#comments" title="Comment on project sleepless"></a></span>
</div>
<img alt="" class="photo" height="710" src="http://style-files.com/images/bedtimestories500x710.jpg" width="500" /><br /><br />
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5671460424242443829.post-85791944622113856712012-10-25T15:47:00.001-04:002012-10-25T15:47:03.409-04:00Author-run events to show thanks for beloved bookstore that may be in its last chapter<br />
<div class="art_para" id="7">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EyyYutC1vxk/UImU-Zc54XI/AAAAAAAACis/d5cK0A2U-0w/s1600/CCBMC+inside.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EyyYutC1vxk/UImU-Zc54XI/AAAAAAAACis/d5cK0A2U-0w/s320/CCBMC+inside.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo courtesy CCBMC <a href="http://www.chesterco.indiebound.com/">website</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">If you've never visited to the Chester County Book and Music Company, time may be running out. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">But don't panic just yet <span style="color: black;">—</span> there's still time to visit and several great excuses to do so. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">There are amazing, free author events to be considered. Also, I encourage any book lover to visit the cavernous, well-stocked bookstore, and to stop by the in-house <a href="http://www.chesterco.indiebound.com/menu">Magnolia Grill</a>, which I just learned makes beignets (and other wonderful things, but I am forever in search of a good beignet in southeast PA). I am <i>so</i> there for my next brunch outing. </span></div>
<div class="art_para" id="7">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="art_para" id="7">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Back in July, bookstore owner Kathy Simoneaux, in a <a href="http://www.dailylocal.com/article/20120718/FINANCE01/120719681/last-chapter-about-to-end-for-book-store&pager=full_story">July 18 article by Daily Local News reporter Gretchen Metz</a>, said her lease expired for the space in
the West Goshen Center on Paoli Pike in January and the store has been
renting month-to-month lease since. </span></div>
<div class="art_para" id="7">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="art_para" id="7">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The landlord will give the bookstore 60-days notice to vacate when it comes time to move, and national fitness chain LA Fitness may be eyeing the site. However, the decision to end the lease was “mutual,” Simoneaux said. “It was a 15-year-old lease that steadily increased every year.” Eventually, she said, the rent got
“unbearable.” </span></div>
<div class="art_para" id="4">
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zkvkX6SQcog/UImVN-aVCXI/AAAAAAAACi0/O9iY-ZJ5e64/s1600/CCBMC+inside+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="204" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zkvkX6SQcog/UImVN-aVCXI/AAAAAAAACi0/O9iY-ZJ5e64/s320/CCBMC+inside+2.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Photo courtesy of CCBMC <a href="http://www.chesterco.indiebound.com/">website</a></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">As for a closing date for the store that dates to 1982, “I have no idea when that will happen,” Simoneaux said in the article. “We’re going along business as usual.” </span></div>
<div class="art_para" id="4">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">(Read the <a href="http://www.delcotimes.com/articles/2012/07/29/business/doc501514907ea1f955050650.txt?viewmode=fullstory">follow-up July 29 article</a> by The Daily Local's Michael Rellahan here). </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">In the meantime, authors who have launched books at the beloved store have announced two events for customers and fans to show their appreciation. The first event is tomorrow night (Friday, Oct. 26). </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Below is a press release I received from event organizer/author Kathye Fetsko Petrie about the events:</span><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uY6UKK3RN14/UImR3aAo_VI/AAAAAAAAChE/u3tT2wJkAZY/s1600/CCBMC.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="205" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uY6UKK3RN14/UImR3aAo_VI/AAAAAAAAChE/u3tT2wJkAZY/s400/CCBMC.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> <b>Authors
to Celebrate Chester County Books</b></span></div>
<h2 align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">...</i>and everyone is invited</b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></b></h2>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">WEST CHESTER </span><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"> — </span>While the fate of the Chester
County Book & Music Company (CCBMC) is being decided — will it close or
move? — area authors, regardless of the outcome, are planning to celebrate and
show support for the beloved independent via two events to which the public is
invited.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Two "Authors Say Thank You to CCBMC"
nights will take place on Friday, Oct. 26, and Friday, Nov. 23, from 6 to 9 p.m. at the store's
current location, 975 Paoli Pike, West Chester. On these nights, area
authors will gather at the bookstore to shop, perhaps share a meal at the
Magnolia Grill, and mingle with each other and customers. Participating authors
include <b>Jerry and Eileen Spinell</b>i, <a href="http://balancethebooks.blogspot.com/2012/09/launch-party-for-philly-author-beth.html"><b>Beth Kephart</b></a>, <b>Jen Bryant</b> and <a href="http://balancethebooks.blogspot.com/2012/04/scottoline-to-sign-new-novel-in-north.html"><b>LisaScottoline</b></a>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">"We hope everyone who loves buying books at this wonderful
bricks-and-mortar bookstores will join us," said Kathye Fetsko Petrie, one
of the events’ author-organizers. "It's a chance for authors to thank
CCBMC for three decades of providing space for readings, and for showcasing and
publicizing our work. It’s a chance for readers to meet and talk with a number
of authors all at once, maybe get books signed. And it’s a chance for everyone
via their presence and purchases, to give back to a place that has given so
much to the local book-loving community.</span><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">"</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">Petrie called CCBMC "the shining epitome of all that an
independent bookstore is known and loved for, including warm and knowledgeable
booksellers, and well-stocked shelves where you can find the titles you came
for plus make exciting discoveries. Though we are sad it might all go away,
these two Friday nights are intended as happy gatherings where we toast the
past together, and are optimistic about the future."</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">Authors scheduled to for each event are listed below. More authors
are signing up daily.</span><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span><span style="color: black;">"You never know
who may show up at the last minute," said Petrie.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black;">10/26/12:
Cordelia France Biddle, Jen Bryant, Nero Blanc, Jim Breslin, Jessica Dimuzio,
Merry Jones, Susan Beth Lehman, Lisa Loeb, <a href="http://balancethebooks.blogspot.com/2010/09/author-to-sign-jailing-johnston-gang-at.html">Bruce Mowday</a>, Kathye Fetsko Petrie,
Jan Mulligan, Marc Schuster, Kelly Simmons, Gloria Slater, Chris Shaughness,
Jerry Spinelli, Eileen Spinelli, Joelle Sterling, Laura Tamakosh, Walt Trizna
and Steve Zettler.</span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black;">11/23/12:
</span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Carmen Ferreiro-Esteban, Stephen Fried. Beth
Kephart, Elizabeth Letts, Jonathan McGoran, Karen E. Quinones Miller, Jan
Mulligan, Kathye Fetsko Petrie, Chris Shaughness, Lisa Scottoline, Francesca
Serritella, Kelly Simmons and K.M. Walton.</b></span></div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3k2ePd5srEw/UImVaQ4xTeI/AAAAAAAACi8/DTPm05n5FJM/s1600/CCBMC+inside+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3k2ePd5srEw/UImVaQ4xTeI/AAAAAAAACi8/DTPm05n5FJM/s320/CCBMC+inside+3.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo courtesy CCBMC <a href="http://www.chesterco.indiebound.com/">website</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<u><b>Directions to Chester County Book <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">and </span>Music Company:</b></u></div>
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The Chester County Book & Music Company is
located at the intersection of Route 202 and Paoli Pike in the West
Goshen Center, West Chester, PA. Exit at the Paoli Pike ramp from Route
202 and trun right on Paoli Pike. The West Goshen Center will be
directly on your right. For point-to-point directions, refer to that
specific feature at Mapquest.com.</div>
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<b>Store Hours</b></div>
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Monday - Friday 10:00 am - 9:00 pm</div>
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Saturday 9:00 am - 9:00 pm</div>
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Sunday 9:00 am - 6:00 pm<br />
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Visit the store website <a href="http://www.chesterco.indiebound.com/">here</a>. </div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5671460424242443829.post-44871644156990403672012-10-25T14:16:00.002-04:002012-10-25T14:16:37.675-04:00Poet Laren McClung to speak at Arcadia University FridayPoet Laren McClung, author of "Between Here and Monkey Mountain" (The Sheep Meadow Press, poetry, April 2012, 64 pp.) is speaking at a free event tomorrow at Arcadia University. Below is a press release I received about the event from Arcadia University. McClung earned her undergrad and master's degrees from Arcadia, incidentally. Click <a href="http://www.thethepoetry.com/2012/06/poem-of-the-week-laren-mcclung/">here</a> for an audio clip of McClung reading one of her poems, "For IbrahimQashoush."<strong> </strong><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 20.0pt;">Arcadia
University Hosts Author and Poet Laren McClung Oct. 26</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"> </span><b><i><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">A
Writers Return to Campus Lecture Series</span></i></b></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vTP2FPRFcIo/UImBSazHz9I/AAAAAAAACfU/BlGXuWDx7hY/s1600/laren-mcclung+black+and+white.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vTP2FPRFcIo/UImBSazHz9I/AAAAAAAACfU/BlGXuWDx7hY/s1600/laren-mcclung+black+and+white.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">LAREN McCLUNG</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"> </span><b><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Glenside </span></b><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">— Arcadia University Writers Return to
Campus will host author and poet, <b>Laren McClung, ’01, ’03MAE</b> on Friday,
Oct. 26 at 7 p.m. in Grey Towers Castle. McClung’s lecture “At the Confluence
of Rivers and Mouths: Poetry of War, Witness, and Imagination” is free and open
to the public. </span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">McClung</span></b><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"> also holds a graduate degree New York University. She
has been the recipient of a Teachers & Writers Collaborative Van Lier
Fellowship and has led yearlong workshops in creative writing at Goldwater
Hospital on Roosevelt Island and in New York University’s Veterans Writing
Workshop for Iraq and Afghanistan War Veterans. Her work has appeared in
journals and reviews including the <i>Massachusetts Review, War, Literature
& the Arts, PN Review,</i> and<i> Cerise Press.</i> She currently teaches
at New York University. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Arcadia’s Writers Return to Campus Series
is part of the Writers program, which brings back to campus Arcadia alumni
writers who have recently had a notable literary success in their lives.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">The Writers Series also brings to campus
writers of distinction—poets, novelists, short-story writers, memoirists,
playwrights—and ranges from the well-established to the up-and-coming. Past
guests include writers Seamus Heaney, Richard Wilbur, Marilynn Robinson, Tobias
Wolff and Richard Russo, as well as poet Jean Valentine. At each event, the
writer gives a reading, followed by a question-and-answer session with the
audience. Books or CDs by the writer will be available for purchase. The events
are free and open to the public.</span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FXu6oU31VXU/UImBlRCqQEI/AAAAAAAACfc/eB-3LtoqlO4/s1600/Between+Here+and+Monkey+Mountain+cover.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FXu6oU31VXU/UImBlRCqQEI/AAAAAAAACfc/eB-3LtoqlO4/s400/Between+Here+and+Monkey+Mountain+cover.JPG" width="287" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">For more information, contact <b>Dr.
Richard Wertime</b>, Professor of English and Director of Graduate Studies in
English and the Humanities, at 215-572-2963 or </span><a href="mailto:wertime@arcadia.edu"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">wertime@arcadia.edu</span></a><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">.</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">About the Author:</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Laren McClung is a poet from Philadelphia. She is co-editor of the
anthology, Inheriting the War. She has been the recipient of a Teachers &
Writers Collaborative Van Lier Fellowship and has led yearlong workshops
in creative writing at Goldwater Hospital on Roosevelt Island and in
New York University’s Veterans Writing Workshop for Iraq and Afghanistan
War Veterans. Her work has appeared in journals and reviews including
the<em> Massachusetts Review, War, Literature & the Arts, PN Review</em> and<em> Cerise Press.</em> She currently teaches at New York University. </span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5671460424242443829.post-51898995917744001422012-10-24T14:31:00.001-04:002012-10-24T14:31:17.191-04:00Local ghost stories told here: Charles J. Adams III to present scary tales at two area locations<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hs3N6WPCstU/UIgyQdMZgTI/AAAAAAAACcI/ysBCQrXO0AU/s1600/Charles+Adams+III.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hs3N6WPCstU/UIgyQdMZgTI/AAAAAAAACcI/ysBCQrXO0AU/s400/Charles+Adams+III.jpg" width="265" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Charles Adams III in ghost storytelling garb</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Storyteller Charles J. Adams III, author of "Montgomery County Ghost
Stories" and radio personality, will be recounting spooky tales at two area locations in
the next week:</span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Tonight from 7:13 p.m. to 9:04 p.m., Adams will present "Spooky Towne" at <a href="http://www.townebc.com/">Towne Book Center and Cafe</a>, Providence Town Center (across from Wegmans), Collegeville. His book </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">"Montgomery County Ghost
Stories" (Exeter House Books, 2000, $11.95)</span> is available for purchase at the bookstore. The event appears to be free. To learn more, call Towne book Center and Cafe at 610-454-0640. </span></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Tuesday, Oct. 30, from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the <a href="http://www.readingpublicmuseum.org/">Reading Public Museum</a>, 500 Museum Road, Reading. Adams will present "Museum Mysteries: Ghosts in the Galleries." </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Cost: $5 for Museum member adults and all children 17 and under; $10 for non-member adults.</span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>About Adams</b> (from his <a href="http://www.exeterhousebooks.com/adams.html">publisher</a>)<b>:</b></span><br />
<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-K1GtVRG480M/UIgyUtYdr4I/AAAAAAAACcQ/y-KafgtScNU/s1600/Montco+Ghost+Stories+cover.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-K1GtVRG480M/UIgyUtYdr4I/AAAAAAAACcQ/y-KafgtScNU/s320/Montco+Ghost+Stories+cover.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">In addition to writing books, Adams has written travel stories for several publications. He has also been the morning air personality on radio station WEEU in Reading since 1978. <br /><br />Adams has been a speaker at the International Ghost Hunters Alliance and GhostWorld conventions in Gettysburg and at regional paranormal conferences in New Jersey, Maryland, and Pennsylvania. He has been interviewed on ghostly topics in England, Ireland, Northern Ireland, South Africa, and on several American radio and television stations.<br /><br /> He has also appeared on The History Channel's "Haunted America: New York" and "Haunted America: Philadelphia" programs, and has served as consultant and on-air "expert" for programs on hauntings and ghosts on The Learning Channel, MTV, and The Travel Channel. His latest television work is a segment at the haunted Eastern State Penitentiary in Philadelphia for The Travel Channel's "Mysterious Journeys" series. </span> <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /><br />Adams has also organized and escorted tours of haunted places in the United States, England, and Scotland.<br /><br /> He has produced, written, and conducted "ghost tours" in Lancaster County, Reading, Hamburg, and Philadelphia; Cape May, N.J., Greenwich Village, and New York City. His stories have been selected for inclusion in anthologies including "Classic American Ghost Stories" (August House Publishing). At the personal request of the producer M. Night Shyamalan, his book, "Bucks County Ghost Stories" was used as a prop in the 2002 movie, "Signs," which stars Mel Gibson. </span> <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5671460424242443829.post-18841818643149401302012-10-23T14:19:00.001-04:002012-10-23T14:20:34.686-04:00Put down your book and run for a cause! The Lemon Run to benefit Alex's Lemonade Stand FoundationThis isn't a book-related event <i>per se</i>, but it is a great event for a very worthy cause. (You could always bring a book to read before or after ... ) Consider supporting Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation at this Nov. 11 Philly event. You don't even have to be a runner (there's a 5K Walk as well). Below is a press release I received from the foundation.<br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">The Lemon Run Philadelphia, Alex’s Lemonade Stand
Foundation’s 5K Run/Walk & Kids’ Dash, Returns for 4<sup>th</sup> Annual
Event, Sunday, Nov. 11, 2012</span></b></div>
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Wynnewood, PA – Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation is
pleased to announce the return of the Foundation’s 5K Run/Walk and Kids’ Dash, The
Lemon Run Philadelphia, presented by Volvo, on Sunday, November 11, 2012 at
8:30am. The event, in its fourth year, will once again return to Memorial Hall
in Fairmount Park to bring athletes of all calibers together to support the battle
against childhood cancer. Participants are encouraged to register in
advance to receive the reduced rate of $30 per person and $15 per child (ages
10 and under), but can also register on the day of the event.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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Running enthusiasts and all supporters of Alex’s Lemonade Stand
Foundation are invited to participate or attend the event. In addition to the
3.1 mile course, which participants can run or walk, The Lemon Run is a family
friendly event, which includes a kids’ dash and includes the participation of
several childhood cancer heroes and their families. <span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Winners in each age group will be recognized as part of an
awards ceremony at the end of the race along with top fundraising teams.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-m2cGJFx5wLQ/UIbem7UjtWI/AAAAAAAACaY/dC94Fd-CbRk/s1600/lemon+run+2011+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="238" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-m2cGJFx5wLQ/UIbem7UjtWI/AAAAAAAACaY/dC94Fd-CbRk/s320/lemon+run+2011+2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A family participates in last year's event<br />
(Photo courtesy of Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation)</td></tr>
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As in previous years, participants are encouraged to form a team,
bringing together friends and family members to challenge themselves to both
the athletic feat and raising additional funds toward curing kids’ cancer.
Several teams honoring hero families are among the early registrants including
Team Smiley Riley, honoring childhood cancer survivor <a href="http://www.alexslemonade.org/mypage/84396">Riley McComb</a>; Team Dave-O,
honoring the memory of <a href="http://www.alexslemonade.org/mypage/83276">David
Theobald</a> who succumbed to childhood cancer in 1982 at the age of 8; and <a href="http://www.alexslemonade.org/mypage/85624">Austin’s <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Avengers</a>, honoring the memory of Austin
Burke who passed away after his battle with medulloblastoma in 2012. </div>
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“The Lemon Run has truly become one of Alex’s Lemonade Stand
Foundation’s signature events,” said Jay Scott, father of Foundation creator
Alexandra “Alex” Scott. “This athletic fundraising event brings out runners,
walkers and supporters of the battle against childhood cancer. The morning of the
Lemon Run has proven to be one of my favorites as the entire childhood cancer
community comes to run for a cure, some even donning lemon costumes.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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The day’s festivities will also include various forms of entertainment,
music and guest speakers. Awards will be given to the fastest male and female
runners in the following categories: <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">kids’ dash-10 years and under, 10-19, 20-29,
30-39, 40-49 and 50+. Additionally, p</span>rizes will be awarded to the top
individual and team fundraisers. <span style="font-size: 10.0pt;"></span></div>
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Check in the day of the event begins at 7am; the kids’ dash will start
at 8am. The 5K Run/Walk will begin at 8:30am. For more information on the event,
to volunteer, register or become a sponsor, visit TheLemonRun.org. Questions may
be directed to Addie Spector at (866) 333-1213 or <a href="mailto:Addie@AlexsLemonade.org">Addie@AlexsLemonade.org</a>.</div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LBysqiiAx_4/UIbewLGWRmI/AAAAAAAACag/lYSe1GJffKs/s1600/lemon+run+2011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LBysqiiAx_4/UIbewLGWRmI/AAAAAAAACag/lYSe1GJffKs/s320/lemon+run+2011.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The start of last year's run. (Photo courtesy<br />
of Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
In addition to The Lemon Run Philadelphia, Alex’s Lemonade Stand
Foundation added to its repertoire of athletic events earlier this year with
its first bicycle tour, The Lemon Ride, in July of 2012. The event is slated to
return in the summer of 2013. For more information, visit <a href="http://thelemonride.org/">TheLemonRide.org</a>.
Additionally, the Foundation’s national athletic program, Team Lemon, continues
to thrive with athletes across the country participating in endurance events on
behalf of the Foundation. Each race Team Lemon participants run, walk, bike or
swim raises funds for Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation. To learn more about the
program and access to sold out races, visit <a href="http://teamlemon.org/">TeamLemon.org</a>.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span class="copy"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">About Alex’s
Lemonade Stand Foundation</b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.alexslemonade.org/lemonade_stand.php" title="http://www.alexslemonade.org/lemonade_stand.php"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Alex's Lemonade Stand
Foundation</span></a><span class="copy"> (ALSF) </span><span class="style48">emerged
from the front yard lemonade stand of cancer patient Alexandra “Alex” Scott
(1996-2004). In 2000, 4-year-old Alex announced that she wanted to hold a
lemonade stand to raise money to help find a cure for <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">all </i>children with cancer. Since Alex held that first stand, the
Foundation bearing her name has evolved into a national fundraising movement,
complete with thousands of supporters across the country carrying on her legacy
of hope. To date, Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation, a registered 501(c)3 charity,
has raised more than $55 million toward fulfilling Alex’s dream of finding a
cure, funding over 250 research projects nationally. </span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5671460424242443829.post-21955496164119123462012-10-21T11:30:00.000-04:002012-10-21T11:30:00.107-04:00'The Beginner's Goodbye' follows author Anne Tyler's comfortable pattern<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uF38fobBhnM/UIGl4g0irWI/AAAAAAAACYY/0s8oF6yZjXo/s1600/The+Beginner%27s+Goodbye+cover.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uF38fobBhnM/UIGl4g0irWI/AAAAAAAACYY/0s8oF6yZjXo/s400/The+Beginner%27s+Goodbye+cover.JPG" width="265" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Oh, Anne Tyler, you are so formulaic and that's why I love you. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I just finished Tyler's latest, <b>"The Beginner's Goodbye," (Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group, 208 pp., April 2012, $24.95)</b> which, true to the pattern of many of her novels, is about a Baltimore native who loses his way, has a quirky antiquated family, finds comfort in work, and is ultimately saved.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Knowing this would be the case as I started the book was comforting, like curling up under a favorite afghan with some tea (which I did, while reading it). It was a fine companion to me the last few days while I spent a lot of time feeling under the weather.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">It's also a bit of a ghost story, which I decided was timely to write about so close to Halloween. The supernatural twist is, I believe, a new device for Tyler</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Aaron Woolcott loses the love-of-his-life, his wife Dorothy, in a tragic accident: a tree falls on their house, upsetting a big old television that falls on and crushes her. Dorothy hangs on for a few days in the ICU at Johns Hopkins, but soon succumbs to her injuries.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Aaron is completely devastated, and pushes away many well-wishers as he refuses to leave his ruined, tree-filled house ... until a rainstorm intensifies the damage. He moves back into his old room in his childhood home, occupied solely by his sister Nandina, and reluctantly finds a contractor to fix his house (though he's unsure he may ever be able to return).</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Aaron is set in his ways, a la Macon Leary, the protagonist in Tyler's 1985 novel "The Accidental Tourist." He has his routines and traditions of sorts, and is emotionally unavailable and a bit curmudgeonly to the people in his life. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Aaron works as an editor in the family business - a publishing house that produces books that regular people-turned-authors pay to have published. Woolcott Publishing has also had some success with a series of how-to books that start with the words "The Beginner's." (Examples: "The Beginner's Book of Kitchen Remodeling," "The Beginner's Wine Guide," and "The Beginner's Book of Dog Training.")</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">It was while working on a title called "The Beginner's Cancer" that Aaron met Dorothy, a radiation oncologist. He was immediately enchanted by her matter-of-fact, take-no-prisoners nature. He loved that she barely - only clinically - took notice of his handicap (one leg is shorter than the other and one arm is palsied after a childhood illness). </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">After four months of dating, they marry - to the chagrin of Aaron's family. Dorothy is 8 years older and clearly possesses no nurturing capabilities or social graces. She doesn't cook at all, is a "clutterer," according to Aaron, and leaves a trail of apple cores and used tissues wherever she goes, doesn't care for fashion (often wearing her white lab coat out to dinner), and cuts her own hair.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Those issues withstanding, their marriage seems to work for them. It appears to be more of a cohabitation than a partnership, highlighted with frequent but soon-forgotten arguments. Nonetheless, when Dorothy's gone, Aaron feels utterly lost. He shuts everyone out - his coworkers at the publishing house, which include his sister, his very thoughtful neighbors who keep dropping off food and old friends who keep </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">trying to check on him</span>.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">And then one day, months after her death, he sees Dorothy standing in the middle of the street, patiently waiting for him. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">He continues to feel her presence now and again in unlikely places - an alley, a farmer's market. Her "visits" don't last long. Sometimes she cryptically speaks to Aaron, and other times is silent. In any case, the visits help Aaron to work through his grief and move on.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">"I used to toy with the notion that wen we die we find out what our lives have amounted to, finally. I'd never imagined that we could find that out when somebody else dies," Aaron says. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The ending is a happy one, and I won't spoil it for you. You'll likely see it coming but find it reassuring all the same. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">While the journey through Tyler's latest novel might seem very familiar, it's a pleasant one.<b> </b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Book summary from the publisher:</b><br /><br /><span style="color: #073763;">Anne Tyler gives us a wise, haunting, and deeply moving new novel in which she explores how a middle-aged man, ripped apart by the death of his wife, is gradually restored by her frequent appearances — in their house, on the roadway, in the market.<br /><br /> Crippled in his right arm and leg, Aaron spent his childhood fending off a sister who wants to manage him. So when he meets Dorothy, a plain, outspoken, self-dependent young woman, she is like a breath of fresh air. Unhesitatingly he marries her, and they have a relatively happy, unremarkable marriage. But when a tree crashes into their house and Dorothy is killed, Aaron feels as though he has been erased forever. Only Dorothy’s unexpected appearances from the dead help him to live in the moment and to find some peace. </span></span><span style="color: #073763;"> <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /><br /> Gradually he discovers, as he works in the family’s vanity-publishing business, turning out titles that presume to guide beginners through the trials of life, that maybe for this beginner there is a way of saying goodbye. </span> <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> A beautiful, subtle exploration of loss and recovery, pierced throughout with Anne Tyler’s humor, wisdom, and always penetrating look at human foibles. </span></span><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HhUy0H5y5Qw/UIGoMpOWwCI/AAAAAAAACYg/0hvrI9PW32U/s1600/Anne+Tyler.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HhUy0H5y5Qw/UIGoMpOWwCI/AAAAAAAACYg/0hvrI9PW32U/s1600/Anne+Tyler.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">ANNE TYLER</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">About the author:</span></b><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Anne Tyler was born in Minneapolis, Minn., in 1941 and grew up in Raleigh, N.C. This is her 19th novel; her 11th, "Breathing Lessons," was awarded the Pulitzer Prize in 1988. She is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters. She lives in Baltimore. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Her novels include:</span><br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i>If Morning Ever Comes</i> (1964)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i>The Tin Can Tree</i> (1965)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i>A Slipping-Down Life</i> (1970)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i>The Clock Winder</i> (1972)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i>Celestial Navigation</i> (1974)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i>Searching for Caleb</i> (1975)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i>Earthly Possessions</i> (1977)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i>Morgan's Passing</i> (1980)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i>Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant</i> (1982)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i>The Accidental Tourist</i> (1985)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i>Breathing Lessons</i> (1988)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i>Saint Maybe</i> (1991)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i>Ladder of Years</i> (1995)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i>A Patchwork Planet</i> (1998)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i>Back When We Were Grownups</i> (2001)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i>The Amateur Marriage</i> (2004)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i>Digging to America</i> (2006)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i>Noah's Compass</i> (2010)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i>The Beginner's Goodbye</i> (2012)</span> </li>
</ul>
</blockquote>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5671460424242443829.post-82186472725775875912012-10-20T09:30:00.000-04:002012-10-20T09:30:01.735-04:00Singer/author Patti LaBelle to sign cookbook at King of Prussia Wegmans store<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-97culs_QRyM/UIF7DjmURFI/AAAAAAAACWw/3Ncvdmj-8FY/s1600/Patti+LaBelle+cookbook.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-97culs_QRyM/UIF7DjmURFI/AAAAAAAACWw/3Ncvdmj-8FY/s400/Patti+LaBelle+cookbook.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The new Wegmans store (opened May 2012) in King of Prussia has announced that Patti LaBelle will be signing her third cookbook, <b>"Recipes for the Good Life"</b> next week.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">LaBelle, best known for her singing career, also a chef and author, will be at Wegmans King of Prussia on Thursday, Oct. 25, from 6 to 8 p.m., for a free "meet-and-greet" book signing. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">While the event is free, space is limited and purchase of the book at the store (at or in advance of the event) is required. Wegmans advises those who wish to attend to pick up a voucher at any Wegmans service desk ‘That’s T.H.E. Ticket’ location to reserve a space</span>. <br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">"Recipes for the Good Life," written by LaBelle, Judith Choate and Karen Hunter (Gallery Books/Karen Hunter Publishing, 2008, 224 pages) is on sale now at Wegmans for $17.50, a 30% discount off the list price. Books must be purchased at Wegmans to attend.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />Wegmans King of Prussia is located at One Village Drive, King of Prussia, PA 19406. It's pretty close to the King of Prussia Mall. For more information, call the store at 484-690-3500.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">For three sample recipes from the book, including Over the Rainbow Macaroni and Cheese, visit the recipes page of <a href="http://www.pattilabelle.com/store/over-the-rainbow-mac-and-cheese">Labelle's website</a>.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></span></span><br />
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">About the book (from the publisher):</span></span></span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">"A lot of my memories with my loved ones are set around a dinner table, sharing a meal and sharing good conversation. Food has always been at the center of my joy, from the fish fries my parents had every weekend to the barbecues I have in my backyard today. Food can bring people together, to laugh, to eat, and to simply celebrate life. Most people know me for my voice, and that is truly a gift from God. But food and the ability to share it with others is also a gift — a gift that you can give to those you love. It is with that spirit that I share my third cookbook." — Patti LaBelle <br /><br /> Miss Patti is back, as fierce as ever, sharing more than 100 new recipes that will have your mouth watering and your guests begging for seconds! With dishes ranging from the Over the Top, Top, Top Macaroni and Cheese (with shrimp and lobster!), to the Poached Salmon with Basil Cream Sauce and Fettuccine, to the Tender and Juicy Barbecued Baby Back Ribs, to the Fried Apple Pie, there's something perfect for every occasion. She not only walks you through the preparation of her favorite dishes with ease, but also shares heartfelt and witty stories about food, family, and life throughout the book. Her first two cookbooks were hits and this one is sure to please as well.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></span></span><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></span></span></b></span><br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">About the author:</span></span></span></b><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Patti LaBelle is an American R&B soul singer and songwriter who began her career fronting the group Patti LaBelle & the Bluebelles. The group later changed its name to LaBelle and enjoyed worldwide success with the hit "Lady Marmalade." LaBelle then went solo and had a number of chart-topping songs. She is best known for her passionate stage performances, wide vocal range and distinctive high-octave belting. Her autobiography, "Don't Block the Blessings," remained at the top of The New York Times bestseller list for several weeks. She has also had success with her two previous cookbooks, "LaBelle Cuisine: Recipes to Sing About" and "Patti LaBelle's Lite Cuisine: Over 100 Dishes with To-Die-For Taste Made with To-Live-For Recipes."</span><!--[if !mso]>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Instruis
Publishing Company — a new publishing firm dedicated to training and based in the Philadelphia suburb of Abington — recently released its first title, "Alcohol
HACCP — The Solution for Responsible Service and Sale of Alcohol<i>" </i>by </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span dir="ltr">Susan Algeo</span>, <span dir="ltr">George Zameska</span>, <span dir="ltr">Tara Paster.</span><i><span dir="ltr"> </span></i> </span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3etvwymHiOE/UIB0HPdVR0I/AAAAAAAACVA/f7UZ12Ih3ck/s1600/Instruis+logo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="209" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3etvwymHiOE/UIB0HPdVR0I/AAAAAAAACVA/f7UZ12Ih3ck/s320/Instruis+logo.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">It is first
of four titles to be released by the new, privately held publisher within the next year as the publisher strives to
produce a comprehensive series of training titles and support materials for the
hospitality industry, according to a press release.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">“The need for focused
training of owners, managers and staff has never been greater. Instruis
Publishing Company will meet that need," said James Egbert, CEO and publisher. “We will produce a comprehensive series of
training titles and support materials for the hospitality industry. Our
initial titles will bring key innovations to responsible alcohol management and
food safety training.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">All the
training materials will feature the proprietary SURE
system (<u>S</u>afe, <u>U</u>seful, <u>R</u>esponsible <u>E</u>ducation), which offers a complete cycle of training. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Follow
Instruis Publishing Company on Facebook (<a href="http://www.facebook.com/InstruisPublishing" target="_blank">www.facebook.com/InstruisPublishing</a>
) and Twitter (<a href="http://www.twitter.com/Instruis" target="_blank">www.twitter.com/Instruis</a>
).</span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-u3u1aXE87tc/UIB0OPcqzeI/AAAAAAAACVI/bMFh0v1tudk/s1600/Alcohol-HACCP-Medium.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="308" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-u3u1aXE87tc/UIB0OPcqzeI/AAAAAAAACVI/bMFh0v1tudk/s400/Alcohol-HACCP-Medium.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">About the book </span></b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span><b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span></b><b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span></b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">(from the Instruis website)</span><b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">:</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point) is a widely
recognized scientific method for analyzing and minimizing risk.
Developed by Pillsbury for NASA in the 1960s, HACCP is used worldwide to
keep the food supply secure.<br /><br />
Alcohol HACCP is a system that businesses can use to avoid
alcohol-related incidents. Businesses that serve and/or sell alcohol are
responsible for preventing and reducing the occurrence of
alcohol-related incidents. To successfully prevent and reduce the
occurrence of alcohol-related incidents, operators must develop and
implement a comprehensive system.<br /><br />
Specifically, businesses that serve and/or sell alcohol must meet legal
standards to not serve individuals who are visibly intoxicated, or under
21 years of age, and must take reasonable efforts to intervene if a
patron is intoxicated or giving alcohol to minors. If an alcohol-related
incident occurs, businesses may face criminal charges and/or civil
litigation. This can be avoided by creating a system that manages and
monitors operation practices and procedures to meet legal
responsibilities. This book saves lives and saves money.<br /><br />
"Alcohol HACCP-The Solution for Responsible Service and Sale of Alcohol"<i> </i>will
guide the reader through a process that will lead to the development of
an Alcohol HACCP plan for their specific business or facility.
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Speaking about the publication of the book, co-author Tara Paster said, “This is a
breakthrough is so many ways. Now anyone who serves or sells alcohol
will have a scientific approach to prevent, eliminate, and reduce risks
to minors or sales to visibly intoxicated persons. The book will guide
the reader to the completion of a comprehensive Alcohol HACCP plan for
their business or facility.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">"ALCOHOL HACCP - The Solution for the Responsible Service and Sale of Alcohol" is available in paperback for
$49.95 or as an eBook for $39.95. Books can also be purchased online at
<a href="http://www.instruis.com/">www.instruis.com</a> and <a href="http://www.pastertraining.com/">www.pastertraining.com</a>. <b> </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>About the authors:</b><span style="color: #666666; font-weight: normal;"></span></span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><u>Susan
Algeo</u>, MPH, CP-FS, has a degree in behavioral and community health sciences from the University of Pittsburgh and a bachelor of science in biobehavioral health from Pennsylvania State University. She uses
her education, along with years of experience in the restaurant
industry, as Vice President of Training at Paster Training Inc. Algeo
is a Certified ServSafe® Instructor for the National Restaurant
Association. She is a member of the National
Environmental Health Association (NEHA), the Central Atlantic States
Association of Food and Drug Officials (CASA), and is on the executive
board of the New Jersey Association for Food Protection (NJAFP).</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><u>George Zameska</u>, RS, MS, CP-FS has a degree in environmental health science from West Chester University and a bachelor of arts in biology
and public administration from Rider University. Zameska served
as a government regulator and administrator for 32 years prior to his
current position as vice president of regulatory affairs for Paster
Training Inc. He has participated in and worked with multiple
interdisciplinary, food, and hospitality related industry organizations
as well providing numerous public health related training presentations
and programs for the food and hospitality industry. Zameska is a
Certified ServSafe® Instructor for the National Restaurant Association,
Certified HACCP instructor and certified TIPS (Training for Intervention
ProcedureS) trainer. He has held membership, leadership and
committee positions in organizations including the Association
of Food & Drug Officials (AFDO), Central Atlantic States Association
of Food & Drug Officials (CASA), National Environmental Health
Association (NEHA), International Association of Food Protection (IAFP),
and the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><u>Tara Paster</u>, FMP, CP-FS, is president and founder of Gilbertsville-based Paster Training
Inc. She is an expert witness in alcohol-related court cases. With
more than 25 years of food industry experience ranging from fine dining,
quick-service restaurants, convenience stores and distribution, Tara
possesses unique expertise in the industry. She earned a degree in hotel, restaurant and institutional food service management and achieved
her credentials as a Certified Food Safety Professional (CP-FS), Food
Management Professional (FMP), and Master Trainer status in HACCP, as
well as in Training for Intervention Procedures as a master alcohol trainer in responsible alcohol certification programs. She is the author
of three HACCP books. Tara is a member of Central Atlantic States
Association of Food & Drug Officials (CASA), Association of Food and
Drug Officials (AFDO), National Environmental Health Association
(NEHA), the Conference for Food Protection, NACS - National Association
for Convenience and Fuel Retailing and New Jersey Association for Food
Protection (NJAFP). Tara is on the CASA Executive Board as the Associate
Member Representative for Industry in New York, Canada, New Jersey,
Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, Virginia, Maryland, and Washington,
DC.</span></div>
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