tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33596136456754725482024-02-26T00:01:40.845-07:00L.K.HillLiesel K. Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03860816358217211833noreply@blogger.comBlogger538125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3359613645675472548.post-43013675608381406082015-09-21T17:29:00.002-07:002015-09-21T17:29:45.263-07:00Tools to Become a Better Writer<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
If anyone were to ask me what to do in order to improve their writing and get them on the way to publication, I would tell them three things.<br />
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1) Read, read, READ! <br />
2) Get a critique group.<br />
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3) Attend writer's conferences<br />
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Numero Uno: I am all for college. I actually have a lot of years of schooling, so I tend to do shameless plugs about getting a college education. Here goes: Get one! Both stories I've written that have been picked up for publication would not have existed if not for my college education. Did it do me good? I think so! That said, no one gets published because they have a college degree. Your writing must stand on its own. Period. What's the best way to educate yourself in writing technique?<br />
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Read, read, READ!<br />
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Read anything and everything you can get your hands on. Read every genre of fiction, non-fiction, poetry, even screenplays. The better grasp you can get on different approaches, angles, and styles, the better off you will be as a writer. You will also learn a lot about yourself and your own writing desires by doing this. If you want to write, you MUST read!<br />
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(Maybe sometime I'll do a blog about the books that have most influenced my writing. Any takers?)<br />
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Number two: Critique groups are a hotly debated topic among both published writers and would-be published writers. There are some who swear by them and others who would rather stop writing than use one. Mostly, these opinions are due to individual experiences. For me, I'm one who swears by my critique group, but I must add an asterisk.<br />
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* There are definitely critique groups that do more harm than good. The reason I swear by my group is because they're awesome! More specifically, they work for me. I work for them. We are awesome together. To make a critique group work, you have to find the right one. You have to find people that you like and trust, and that trust you. They have to be sensitive to your feelings, but also willing to give you the harsh--but constructive!--criticism when it needs to be given. They also need to "get" your writing. Sometimes, through no fault of anyone involved, writer and reader just don't click. If you write horror and the people in your group prefer chick lit and have no experience whatsoever with the horror genre, there's going to be problems.<br />
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One last note about critique groups: your attitude as a writer will go a long way. If you go into your critique group believe that your writing is awesome and couldn't possibly be improved--in short, if you're looking for a captive audience rather than a critique--your going to have some problems. Go in with an open mind and a positive outlook for gaining valuable insight and improvement on your piece. If all people in the group do this and strive to build each other up, rather than the opposite, your group can't help but be a success!<br />
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(Shout-out to my awesome group! They keep me honest, positive, learning and laughing. We have WAY too much fun together!)<br />
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Trois: Go to writer's conferences. Okay, I know conferences are expensive and time-consuming, but nothing beats them! Networking with other writers and industry professionals is so fun and so empowering. And the sheer volume of information they throw at you: you won't get that anywhere else. I can't stress how only two measly conferences changed my writing so much--enough to get me published, actually.<br />
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After joining the League of Utah writers, I went to their annual conference and LOVED it! The feeling of having hundreds of kindred-spirit writers in the room is indescribable. There are events, workshops, classes, inspirational speakers, industry professionals, (fantastic food! Just sayin'.) and more. The next year, I was stoked to go again. I sat in on a class about how to show and not tell. It was a simple, one hour class that showed you how to take your writing from good to great; to show rather than tell; to avoid passive voice; etc. I don't know about everyone else in the class, but it just <i>clicked </i>for me. I went home completely overwhelmed, feeling like I'd have to completely re-write everything I'd ever written. Okay, I didn't do that, but I did do an overhaul editing cycle on all three of my novels. And guess what? Within a few months, two out of three (the only two I've sent out, yet) had been picked up for publication. That was a direct result of going to this conference.<br />
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Enough said?<br />
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Website for League of Utah Writers: <a href="http://luwriters.org/">luwriters.org</a><br />
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So, if you want to write awesomely, read, get a critique group, and attend conferences. Publication is only a rough draft away. Sort of. :D<br />
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How would you other writers answer this question?</div>
Liesel K. Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03860816358217211833noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3359613645675472548.post-35802170642799179612015-09-21T17:29:00.001-07:002015-09-21T17:29:35.954-07:004 Keys to an Awesome Conflict<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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The key to a great story (okay, maybe one of several keys)is great conflict. Have you ever read a story, and you really liked the settingor one of the characters, so you really wanted to like the story, but you justcouldn’t make yourself care? This can happen for any numbers of reasons, butmore often than not, the absence of compelling conflict is what turns peopleoff to the story. As a reader, it’s frustrating. As a writer, it’soh-so-avoidable!</div>
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I’m often told that my subject matter is very interesting.That’s the non-writer’s way of saying that my conflicts are engrossing. As awriter of dystopian, I have to create conflicts within conflicts. My dystopianworld has to be one big conflict, my characters have to be facing conflicts,and it helps if they’re a little conflicted within themselves. So, what makes agood conflict? What is it that makes you devour a story verses devouring dinnerinstead of reading?<o:p></o:p></div>
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I got to thinking about this and came up with a few keys tokeeping your reader engrossed. As you read, apply these points to your favoritestories. They may help you discover the formula for why those stories are yourfavorites!<o:p></o:p></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]-->1)<span style="font-size: 7pt;"> </span><b><span style="color: #0b5394;">You haveto hook them.</span></b> Make them care to begin with. I said that conflict is one ofmany keys that make a story work. Another is characters. In my experience, yourconflict could be relatively boring, but if you make your readers care aboutyour characters, and your characters care about the conflict, then the readerwill care about the conflict too. So, make your characters likable, human,relatable. Give them at least one quality that makes the reader root for them.If you can do that, then your reader will keep reading past the first fewchapters.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]-->2)<span style="font-size: 7pt;"> </span><span style="color: #0b5394;"><b>Make yourconflict something your characters are passionate about.</b> </span>Make sure there’ssomething very threatening to the MC about the conflict. I recently (tried) toread a novel and stopped about a third of the way through. The writing wasactually quite good and the characters were okay, but there almost no conflictin the story. At first the MC was kidnapped, which was good, but then she wassuddenly jumping through all these fantastical worlds, and I just couldn’t makemyself care. I realized that I had absolutely no idea why she was doing whatshe was doing. Make it so that if your characters <i>don’t </i>act, something terrible will happen to them or someone theycare about. If Frodo didn’t run from the black riders, they would have killedhim. If Katniss hadn’t volunteered for the Hunger Games, her little sisterprobably would have been killed. If your character is passionate to the pointof hyperventilation about the conflict (or perhaps putting a stop to it) thenyour readers will feel the same way. Trust me.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">He's pissed the book ended that way!<br />
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<!--[if !supportLists]-->3)<span style="font-size: 7pt;"> </span><span style="color: #0b5394;"><b>Raise thestakes</b>.</span> No matter how dire things are at the beginning of the story, they <i>must get worse </i>as the story progresses.In a way, you really have to stress your reader out. They must fear for thecharacters and what will happen to them should they fail. Things can get worse,plans can fall through, a mentor/friend can die, a worse bad guy can show up. Thesethings will cause your characters (and therefore your readers) stress, whichmeans they will keep turning pages because they so desperately need the releaseof relief when things are finally better. (Why do you think people scream andthrow books at walls when a volume of a series ends on a cliffhanger?)<o:p></o:p></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]-->4)<span style="font-size: 7pt;"> </span><span style="color: #0b5394;"><b>Shockyour reader</b>.</span> That’s right! Shock them. How? <o:p></o:p></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]-->a.<span style="font-size: 7pt;"> </span><!--[endif]--><u>A twist in the plot</u>. Now be careful withthis one. You must make sure the twist is both worth it (twisty enough) andalso realistic enough to be believable (not too twisty). There are some twiststhat are done WAY too often. Since <i>TheSixth Sense </i>came out ten years ago, everyone and their dog has ended thestory with the-character-is-actually-dead scenario. I also thinkthe-character-is-actually-crazy thing is done too often. The best way toorchestrate a twist is by putting in tiny, subtle details early on. They mustbe small enough that the reader won’t pick up on them, but potent enough thatwhen you reveal the twist, they’ll remember the details and have a light bulbmoment. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]-->b.<span style="font-size: 7pt;"> </span><!--[endif]--><u>Shock your <i>character</i></u>. I went to a writer’s workshop about a year ago wherethe speaker (don’t remember her name, which is <i>terrible!</i>) said that you must always know what the worst thing youcould do to your characters is. You don’t always have to do it, but you have toknow what it is. Doing the worst thing to them definitely heightens theconflict, though. J.K. Rowling was masterful at this in Harry Potter. Books 3-7pretty much all ended this way. What was the worst thing that could have happenedto Harry at the end of book 3? Losing Serious after finally finding him. Book4? Facing Voldemort unprepared. Book 5? Death of a loved one. Book 6? Death of <i>another </i>loved one. Rowling figured outwhat would be the worst thing for Harry and did it to him…right before the endof the book. Woman’s a master, if you hadn’t already figured that out.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]-->c.<span style="font-size: 7pt;"> </span><!--[endif]--><u>A betrayal</u>—this one is good, but alsosometimes hard to pull off and *warning* your readers may hate you for it. Ifyou take a character that’s awesome and lovable and relatable, and then havehim/her betray your MC, that will shock your audience. Some of them will hateyou for it, but it definitely ups the conflict.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]-->d.<span style="font-size: 7pt;"> </span><!--[endif]--><u>Death of a character</u>. This only works asa shocker/conflict enhancer if the audience loves the character. Side or stockcharacters don’t count. By far the best author I’ve seen at this is George R.R.Martin. He always said he wanted to write a book that people were afraid tokeep reading. Well, he’s done it. He’s been known to let you love a characterfor two or three volumes (some of them over a thousand pages, people!) and thenkill the character off. Was I sad? Yes. Did I chuck the book across the roomand swear? Uh, pleading the fifth. Did it make me a die-hard fan of the series?Absolutely! Just saying.<o:p></o:p></div>
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These are some awesome ways to up the ante in your stories andmake sure your reader cares about your characters and their conflicts. Take amoment to examine your favorite stories. If you can find where the authorescalated the conflict and made you care just so darn much, you may havediscovered the formula for just why those stories are your favorites. Happystressing everyone! :D<o:p></o:p></div>
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Liesel K. Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03860816358217211833noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3359613645675472548.post-26635258348559439042015-09-21T17:29:00.000-07:002015-09-21T17:29:23.125-07:00The Number One Ingredient in Great Writing<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<o:p> </o:p>As you know by now, I attended Roundup about a week and a half ago. There was a stellar lineup of classes and speakers and, inevitably, I didn't get to listen to them all. Every year there’s at least one hour when two classes are taught that I want to attend, and I have to choose. One class I didn't attend, but wanted to, was on creativity, where it comes from and what exactly it is. I went to a different class that I wanted to hear just a bit more, but I thought this was an intriguing idea.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My niece Cheveya looking out the window.</td></tr>
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This is a picture of my niece, Cheveya (also known as Eve, Munchkin, Baby, and <i>Stay-out-of-the-toilet!</i>) She likes to get up on the couch and look out the window. She’s not quite two years old, so she has a very limited vocabulary. Most of what comes out of her mouth is just baby gibberish. When she looks out the window this way, she pounds on the glass and waves to our neighbors and passersby. She screeches when she sees dogs or cats, and whimpers with fear when a loud car or plane passes. </div>
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She’s just naturally curious and LOVES being outside. When she can’t go out, she looks out the window. </div>
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I think that’s how writers are as well. We’re naturally curious about everything in the human condition. We like to learn about it,observe it, explore it, and find ways to deepen it.</div>
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I’m sure you’ve all heard this a million times, but I’ll say it again: if you want to be a great writer, you need to be a great reader. Reading is one of the best ways to observe human behavior and learn to analyze human motivations. I always say I’m not much of a people watcher, but I am a people analyzer. I analyze everything to death. (What can I say? I’m a writer.) Besides, if I spent my afternoons on a park bench creeping people out by staring at them as they pass me and scribbling ominous things in a composition notebook, I probably wouldn’t be very popular.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cheveya's adorable Sunday morning face!</td></tr>
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I’m not really sure what this post is about except to say: Be like Cheveya. No, don’t play in the toilet water when Mommy isn’t looking. But be naturally curious about everything around you. Take delight in everything you observe, and strive to learn something from it. Children are that way. They can be positively bowled over by the smallest things. They can teach us to live in the moment and savor every experience, be it sensory, emotional, or spiritual. </div>
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So the next time you get writer’s block or just don’t feel very inspired, go to your window, look out, and ask yourself what you see. Or perhaps, what a child would see. C<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=3359613645675472548" name="_GoBack"></a>hances are that somewhere in Utah, a blue-eyed two-year-old has her face pressed against a window, and is gibbering to her novelist aunt about the wonders of the outside world. </div>
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Happy Wednesday, Everyone! :D</div>
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Liesel K. Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03860816358217211833noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3359613645675472548.post-87314239820378796752015-09-21T17:25:00.000-07:002015-09-21T17:25:59.951-07:003 Tips to Avoid Passive Voice<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Every newbie writer struggles with passive voice. We've all been there. But it's difficult to define what passive voice is without sounding like an 8th grade grammar teacher (or just a geek). Sometime try explaining passive voice to a non-writer. There's a two-hour conversation that will leave you contemplating going the way of Anthony and Cleopatra.<br />
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Anyway, I'll give you a quick definition but it's by no means comprehensive. My definitions tend to be directly tied to my tips, so...<br />
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Passive Voice: When your narrative describes indirectly or in a round-about way, instead directly and strongly.<br />
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<span style="color: red;">*Understand that this is different than telling vs. showing. That's an entirely different problem that I may revisit next week.*</span><br />
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To avoid passive voice:</h2>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This explains it WAY better than I do!<br />
From:ollyfiaprimbon.blogspot.com</td></tr>
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1) <b><span style="color: #38761d;">Describe things directly and using the senses of one of your characters. </span></b>"A strange sound was heard from the cave" is not as strong as "Bob heard a strange sound emanating from the cave." Why is that? For one thing, saying who specifically heard it grounds the sensation in the POV character, which means the reader can identify with it more easily. If "a sound is heard," it begs the question, who heard it? Furthermore, the second example allows you to use a word to describe <i>how </i>the sound was being heard (i.e. emanating).<br />
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2) <b><span style="color: #38761d;">Explain action as directly as possible with as few words as you can manage. </span></b>Returning to our friend, Bob, "Bob ran down the street" is much stronger than "Bob was running down the street." The second one is used a lot by amateur writers because it's past tense, but the former is also past tense, and it's stronger because it's not passive voice.<br />
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<span style="color: #e06666;">Example 1</span>. Anytime you use <span style="background-color: #b6d7a8;">'was'</span> before the action word and put an <span style="background-color: #b6d7a8;">'ing'</span> on the end (<span style="background-color: #b6d7a8;">i.e. was running</span>) you are using passive voice. Granted, there may be a few exceptions when this is necessary, but I guarantee 99% of the time, that's not the case. Anytime you catch yourself doing this in your writing, ask yourself if using the past...what would that be? Participle?...would work. Ran instead of 'was running.' If the sentence still makes sense, trust me, use that version. It's stronger and you won't be accused of using passive voice.<br />
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<span style="color: #e06666;">Example 2.</span> Don't say that one character observed another one doing something; just say they did it! Don't say, "<span style="background-color: #b6d7a8;">Bob saw Fred sit down.</span>" Just say "<span style="background-color: #b6d7a8;">Fred sat down.</span>" If Bob is the POV character anyway, the fact that he's doing the observing is implied. You don't need to state it. All it does is jack up your work count and stray into passive voice.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTORLblCaHdBT1Tun_V-l5m7dYMETGV5GTOQTWAXOezVNv45BEDyg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTORLblCaHdBT1Tun_V-l5m7dYMETGV5GTOQTWAXOezVNv45BEDyg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">zazzle.com</td></tr>
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3) <b><span style="color: #38761d;">Don't use "seemed" unless the character is unsure.</span></b> I've mentioned this before in other posts, but it's one of my biggest pet peeves. Newbie writers often overuse the word seemed. 'He <span style="background-color: #f4cccc;">seemed</span> to be walking...' 'She<span style="background-color: #f4cccc;"> seemed</span> to have a headache...' 'I <i style="background-color: #f4cccc;">seemed</i> to think I was a writer!!!' Seemed implies that the character is unsure. So if your bff <i><span style="background-color: #f4cccc;">seems</span> </i>to be sad but you aren't sure and need to find out, then it's fine to use it. But if someone is walking down the street, either they are or they aren't. They can't '<span style="background-color: #f4cccc;">seem</span>' to be walking down the street. Every time you use <span style="background-color: #f4cccc;">seemed</span>, ask yourself if your character (or you!) is sure of what's happening. If they are, you don't need <span style="background-color: #f4cccc;">seemed</span>. Delete it!<br />
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That's it for this post. Not comprehensive in the least, but just a few things I've seen over and over again while editing. Hope this helps a few of you.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">How about you? What are your tips for avoiding passive voice?</span></div>
Liesel K. Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03860816358217211833noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3359613645675472548.post-86540196662499704762015-01-19T04:00:00.000-07:002015-01-19T04:00:04.194-07:00Streamlining my Blogs<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Hello All!<br />
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I've decided to streamline my two blogs, this one (LKHill) and the second one (<a href="http://musingsonfantasia.blogspot.com/">Musings on Fantasia</a>). I'm trying to figure out a custom redirect, but until I do, if you want to read my latest content, just head over <a href="http://musingsonfantasia.blogspot.com/">HERE</a>, to <a href="http://musingsonfantasia.blogspot.com/">Musings on Fantasia</a>. All the same features--Historical and Crime Tidbits, Tuesday lists, Thoughts for Thursday, Follow and Funny Fridays, as well as reviews and writing posts--will all still be present, just at that URL rather than this one.<br />
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Thanks a ton! Hope to see you all over there! :D</div>
Liesel K. Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03860816358217211833noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3359613645675472548.post-51364171379538907822015-01-16T04:00:00.000-07:002015-01-17T20:38:38.865-07:00Friday Funnies<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Welcome to Friday Funnies! Because everyone needs a good laugh on Friday.</span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Evil Author Plan!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Funny story! :D<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">SOOO want to say this to people sometimes!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oh so creepy! (<a href="http://harrypotterallwaswell.tumblr.com/post/13473044772/and-when-you-smile-the-whole-world-stops-and">Source</a>)</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some GoT humor!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This had me and my sisters giggling for WAY too long last night! :D</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Hope one of more of these gave you a laugh. Everyone have a wonderful, safe weekend! :D</b></span></div>
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Liesel K. Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03860816358217211833noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3359613645675472548.post-20478053115029915172015-01-14T04:00:00.000-07:002015-01-14T04:00:06.989-07:00Book Review: Midnight Dreary by John Evangelist Walsh <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23924.Midnight_Dreary">Source</a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The full title of this book is <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23924.Midnight_Dreary">Midnight Dreary: The Mysterious Death of Edgar Allan Poe</a></i>. I've had this book on my shelf for some time and finally got around to reading it. Like many before me, I am fascinated by Edgar Alan Poe, and studied him at some length while in college. So, when I heard about this book, I knew it was one I would want to read. Unlike most of my reads, it was a non-fiction.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Discussion/Plot:</b> Walsh takes what little remains of Poe's personal correspondence and the well-documented facts of his life, as well as those surrounding his death, and analyzes them. This includes whether or not Poe's drunkenness truly could have caused his death, what women he was involved with at the time of his death (women, as much as booze were a trial for him) and what can be read between the lines of surviving letters.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">He also examines some unfortunate prejudices that have sprung up in popular Poe culture, which have long clouded the issues that must be explored in order to understand the poet's death.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Conclusions:</b> At the risk of spoilers, I won't give the exact conclusions Walsh comes to, in case anyone would like to read for themselves. Besides, Walsh does a good job of explaining the characters that populated Poe's life at the time of his death, and without the history he furnishes, the conclusions would be near-meaningless. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">That said, I found his conclusions to be compelling. He makes a good case for his argument, and I think he may just have it right.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Overall:</b> An easy, thoroughly enjoyable read for anyone who's ever wondered about the mystery of Poe's death. While of course there is a certain amount of conjecture involved, it's all based on established fact. Most people don't understand that in order to truly understand history, conclusions must be drawn. And more often than not, when someone is searching for a specific answer, and does an in-depth study, the inspiration they receive is all kinds of accurate. Because of this, I love reads like this one. I would highly recommend it!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>Has anyone else read Midnight Dreary? What did you think of Evangelist's conclusions?</b></span></div>
Liesel K. Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03860816358217211833noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3359613645675472548.post-45608856492050988912015-01-12T22:00:00.000-07:002015-01-12T22:00:03.921-07:00Top Ten Tuesday: 2014 Books I Didn't Get To<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20.796875px; text-align: justify;">Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created here at </span><a href="http://brokeandbookish.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">The Broke and the Bookish</a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20.796875px; text-align: justify;">. This feature was created because we are particularly fond of lists here at The Broke and the Bookish. We'd love to share our lists with other bookish folks and would LOVE to see your top ten lists!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Each week we will post a new Top Ten list that one of our bloggers here at </span><a href="http://brokeandbookish.blogspot.com/" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">The Broke and the Bookish</a><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> will answer. Everyone is welcome to join. All we ask is that you </span><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">link back</b><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> to </span><a href="http://brokeandbookish.blogspot.com/" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">The Broke and the Bookish</a><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> on your own Top Ten Tuesday post AND add your name to the Linky widget so that everyone can check out other bloggers lists! If you don't have a blog, just post your answers as a comment. Have fun with it! It's a fun way to get to know your fellow bloggers.</span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 20.7999992370605px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: large;">Top Ten 2014 Releases I Meant To Read But Didn't Get To </span><span style="color: #38761d; font-size: x-small;">(All covers courtesy of goodreads.com)</span></b></span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 20.7999992370605px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">10. <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13188676-ignite-me">Ignite Me</a></i> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4637539.Tahereh_Mafi">Tahereh Mafi</a> -- This is kind of a cop out as I haven't actually read any of the <i>Shatter Me</i> series. But I really want to! :D</span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 20.7999992370605px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">9. <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13206828-cress">Cress</a></i> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4684322.Marissa_Meyer">Marissa Meyers</a> -- Ditto #10. Really need to, um, start this series. :D</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1385467089l/13576132.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1385467089l/13576132.jpg" width="131" /></a></div>
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<span style="line-height: 20.7999992370605px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">8. <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13576132-the-murder-complex">The Murder Complex</a></i> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5805483.Lindsay_Cummings">Lindsay Cummings</a> -- A futuristic thriller about a world where the murder rate exceeds the birth rate, this immediately made my TBR list, but I never got to it.</span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 20.7999992370605px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">7. <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18079501-a-mad-wicked-folly">A Mad, Wicked Folley</a></i> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6537386.Sharon_Biggs_Waller">Sharon Biggs Walker</a> -- I didn't read much historical fiction last year, but I wish I could have gotten to this one. I've heard nothing but good things about it. </span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 20.7999992370605px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">6. <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18241263-the-fall?ac=1">The Fall</a></i> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1356979.Bethany_Griffin">Bethany Griffin</a> -- I was so very impressed with Bethany Griffin's duology based on Edgar Alan Poe's <i>Masque of the Red Death</i>. Her new book is based on <i>The Fall of the House of Usher</i>, probably my 2nd favorite Poe story. Can't wait to dive in! </span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 20.7999992370605px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">5. <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15839984-cruel-beauty">Cruel Beauty</a></i> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6474354.Rosamund_Hodge">Rosamund Hodge</a> -- This retelling of <i>Beauty and the Beast</i> is supposed to be fantastic. Can't wait to read it! </span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 20.7999992370605px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">4. <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/14288998-into-the-still-blue?ac=1">Into the Still Blue</a></i> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4637369.Veronica_Rossi">Veronica Rossi</a> -- Gotta finish the trilogy about Aria and Perry. Hopefully this year! :D</span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 20.7999992370605px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">3. <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17607716-ruins?ac=1"><i>Ruins</i></a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2740668.Dan_Wells">Dan Wells</a> -- Still one of my favorite dystopians on the market. Can't wait to read book 3!</span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 20.7999992370605px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">2. <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8755785-city-of-heavenly-fire">City of Heavenly Fire</a></i> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/150038.Cassandra_Clare">Cassandra Clare</a> -- Burned through this series in 2013, but still haven't read the latest installment. Must remedy that soon (and maybe start Clockwork Angel? :D).</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20.7999992370605px; text-align: left;">1. </span><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20.7999992370605px; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13618440-dreams-of-gods-monsters">Dreams of Gods and Monsters</a></i><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20.7999992370605px; text-align: left;"> by </span><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/324620.Laini_Taylor" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20.7999992370605px; text-align: left;">Laini Taylor</a><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20.7999992370605px; text-align: left;"> -- Probably my most anticipated read that I never got to. Have it on hold at the library. Hopefully will get a hold of a copy soon. <span style="color: red;">*crosses fingers*</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20.7999992370605px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>What were your top ten non-reads of 2014?</b></span></span><br />
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Liesel K. Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03860816358217211833noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3359613645675472548.post-7424362730093164812015-01-12T04:00:00.000-07:002015-01-12T04:00:07.467-07:00Cover Reveal: Desolate Mantle (Street Games #2)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I'm finally getting ready to release Desolate Mantle, book 2 of Street Games! I've seriously been trying to get this book out for a year. But life happens and it kept getting back-burnered. Well, it's finally time! I'm aiming to get book 2 out in February, though I don't have an exact date yet. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Meanwhile, courtesy of the the great Kelean Patrick Burke, here is the cover of book 2. Enjoy</span>!<br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/21524034-desolate-mantle?ac=1">Desolate Mantle</a> (<i>Street Games</i> #2)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Synopsis:</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">In the most dangerous city in the country, one controlled by the sadistic Sons of Ares gang, Kyra Roberts recently crossed paths with detective Gabe Nichols. She dismissed any liaison with him as impossible, but telling him the truth may prove inevitable...</span>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br />Walking the Slip Mire nightly, dressed in her disguise and trying to infiltrate a homicidal gang, Kyra sees plenty of things she can’t explain. When she begins to suspect a serial killer might be at work, she decides to approach Gabe again.<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br />Gabe has plenty to keep him busy: a bizarre missing persons case, a new development in his brother’s cold case, a new neighbor, and the grisly murders that are a nightly ritual in the Slip Mire. When Kyra shows up unexpectedly, he jumps at the chance keep her around, but it’s harder than he bargained for. She’s not an average source any more than she’s an average Mireling.<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br />Their partnership crumbles, but when things become even darker than usual in the Slip Mire, they’ll need one another get survive a hellish situation. If they can’t work together to shoulder their burdens, they’ll find themselves utterly alone. In Abstreuse, it’s not a matter of not coming out of the darkness, but of being absorbed by the darkness itself…</span></span></span></blockquote>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/21524034-desolate-mantle?ac=1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7W4hkhitnfhrU8YWNU4QK82GH6XbsGE9I12JclERnT2p5sG76gfQfEMSTglVc92ejoc6Ktv6LbkMa_cGkd6qL9a-_KZOyZMPIIuwicsd7L4iDc9NNV8C1qDTP1dHpshSApoNQtzvel8M/s1600/goodreads-badge-add-38px11.jpg" height="63" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">(Check out book 1, <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18369779-dark-remnants?ac=1"><i>Dark Remnants</i> HERE</a></span>)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>What do you think of the cover?</b></span><br />
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Liesel K. Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03860816358217211833noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3359613645675472548.post-60363189991968325392015-01-09T04:00:00.000-07:002015-01-11T09:32:58.072-07:00Friday Funnies: New Years Resolutions<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Welcome to Friday Funnies! Because everyone needs a good laugh on Friday.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I'm actually a bit proponent of New Years Resolutions. I know most people don't keep them, but they're a great way to set goals, and for those who do keep them, they can be very beneficial. Despite that, these are funny, so I wanted to share them. Warning: there may be a great deal of snark below! :D</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>How are your New Years Resolutions coming along? (Hope these made you smile!)</b></span></div>
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Liesel K. Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03860816358217211833noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3359613645675472548.post-8830907582884764492015-01-08T04:00:00.000-07:002015-01-08T04:00:04.994-07:00Thoughts for Thursday: Resolutions<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18.18181800842285px;"><span style="color: magenta;">Thoughts for Thursday</span> is a feature hosted by <a href="http://musingsonfantasia.blogspot.com/" style="color: #a513ad;">Musings on Fantasia</a> and LKHill.</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18.18181800842285px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18.18181800842285px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18.18181800842285px;">In this meme, we share thoughts or quotes that we know or have recently come across. Each week there is a specific subject or theme. These can be quotes from books, quotes by famous people, (quotes by YOU, perhaps ;D). Anything from anywhere is game, though we do ask that you keep your quote to a few sentences at most. Don't quote, for example, entire passages of a book or essay. These can be funny quips, cool sayings, hair-raising antidotes, movie lines, any kind of quote you can think of!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br style="background-color: white; line-height: 18.18181800842285px;" /></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18.18181800842285px;">Just have fun, collect awesome sayings by awesome people, and try to be inspired!</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18.18181800842285px;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18.18181800842285px;">This week's theme is </span><span style="background-color: yellow; color: red; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18.18181800842285px;">New Year's Resolutions.</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18.18181800842285px;"> Check out my <a href="http://musingsonfantasia.blogspot.com/2015/01/thoughts-for-thursday.html">other blog</a><span id="goog_1993232747"></span><span id="goog_1993232748"></span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/"></a> for more quotes.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18.18181800842285px;">Let our New Year's resolution be this: we will be there for one another as fellow members of humanity, in the finest sense of the word.--Goran Persson</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18.18181800842285px;">The changes in our life must come from the impossibility to live otherwise than according to the demands of our conscience, not from our mental resolution to try a new form of life.--Leo Tolstoy</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18.18181800842285px;">Your success and happiness lies in you. Resolve to keep happy, and your joy and you shall form an invincible host against difficulties.--Helen Keller</span></blockquote>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right.--Oprah Winfrey</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“Hope smiles from the threshold of the year to come, </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Whispering 'it will be happier'...” --Alfred Tennyson</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“Tomorrow, is the first blank page of a 365 page book. Write a good one.”--Brad Paisley</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Which quote about resolutions is your favorite? Do you have one to add?</b></span></span><br />
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Liesel K. Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03860816358217211833noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3359613645675472548.post-54827184265557702962015-01-07T09:27:00.000-07:002015-01-07T09:27:39.237-07:00Book Review: Mojave Green<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20860681-mojave-green?ac=1">Source</a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">So I finally got around to read the sequel to <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6913819.The_Brothers_Washburn">the Brothers Washburn</a>'s debut, <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17306347-pitch-green">Pitch Green</a></i>. I loved the first book and, thankfully, <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20860681-mojave-green?ac=1">Mojave Green</a></i>, <i>Dimensions in Death #2</i> is more of the same!</span><br />
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<span style="color: red; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">*Despite discussing things like plot and ending, this review will be largely spoiler-free. I tend to discuss how I liked what happened, rather than giving details about what actually happened.*</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Plot:</b> <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20860681-mojave-green?ac=1">Mojave Green</a></i> picks up roughly a year after Pitch Green ended. Cam and Cal--our best friend MC duo with the potential to hook up some day--are now college age and hope that the terror of the previous year is behind them. But unfortunately for them, that's wishful thinking. The terrors of the mansion return to haunt them, this time bringing new horrors and new monsters to duck. Cam and Cal had better watch their backs or their old nemeses might just catch them unawares, which would be deadly.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Characters:</b> I loved these characters in the first book! They're just both so likable and human. I had no trouble at all relating to them. We get more of those lovable in this book, which I was glad of. We also got some new characters, my favorite of which was probably Lenny, who had a vocabulary that was made of up mostly of the word, "Dude." He made me laugh.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I will say that the "agents" in the book aren't always one hundred percent realistic. With the exception of the main one, who is friends with our MCs, they are portrayed as somewhat dim-witted, but in a YA novel, that's not necessarily a bad thing. Just be aware that this <i>is </i>a YA novel, and not a super-realistic adult novel where the law enforcement officers are concerned.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Writing:</b> I think one of the reasons I was so impressed with the Brothers Washburn's debut novel was the writing. I suppose my expectations must have been low or something. If so, that wasn't intentional. I didn't even realize they were low. I read it and loved the writing. It's just so easy to read and I can totally see the story playing out in detail in front of my eyes. Such a joy to breeze through! Mojave Green was no different. Not a difficult read at all, and fun enough that you just want to keep reading until the end.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Ending: </b>The only thing that I know may bother some readers is that the ending of this book is by no means closed. It ended on somewhat of cliffhanger with a clear intention of another book. That doesn't bother me much--except that I want to know what happens next--but I know some people aren't all about the cliff hangers. For me, I'm excited for what book 3 may hold. (<i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23398514-green-death">Green Death</a></i> is slated for release July 2015)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Overall, I really loved this book, and it's predecessor. It's clean YA horror and tons of fun to read. I would highly recommend it. :D</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>Has anyone else read Mojave Green? What did you think of it?</b></span><br />
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Liesel K. Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03860816358217211833noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3359613645675472548.post-88910189592799510352015-01-06T04:00:00.000-07:002015-01-06T08:05:40.400-07:00Teaser Tuesday: A Midnight Dreary by John Evangelist Walsh<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #003366;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><strong>Teaser Tuesdays</strong> is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of <em>Should Be Reading</em>. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">• <span style="color: #3366ff;">Grab your current read</span><br />• <span style="color: #3366ff;">Open to a random page</span><br />• <span style="color: #3366ff;">Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page</span><br />• <span style="color: red;"><strong>BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS!</strong> (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)</span><br />• <span style="color: #3366ff;">Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!</span></span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23924.Midnight_Dreary?ac=1">Source</a></td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">This week's teasers come from <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23924.Midnight_Dreary?ac=1">Midnight Dreary: The Mysterious Death of Edgar Allan Poe</a> </i>by<i> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/13459.John_Evangelist_Walsh">John Evangelist Walsh</a>. </i>This is a non-fiction, but it reads like a novel and so far, I find it fascinating. :D</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">"When her disbelieving eyes first fell on the <i>Whig's </i>stark notice, Elmira could not have guessed it, but at that moment, Poe had been in his grave one entire day. In the Presbyterian Cemetery of Baltimore, at four o'clock on the afternoon of October 8th, a dark, raw, dismally wet day, the earth closed over all that was mortal of the man many people in sincere admiration had begun to simply call <i>The Raven.</i>" (pg. 35)</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>What are you reading this week?</b></span></span><br />
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Liesel K. Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03860816358217211833noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3359613645675472548.post-84407896819239495672015-01-05T04:00:00.000-07:002015-01-05T04:00:04.920-07:002015 Goals and Resolutions<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://cdn2.amerikanki.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/Most-Popular-New-Years-Resolutions.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://cdn2.amerikanki.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/Most-Popular-New-Years-Resolutions.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://en.amerikanki.com/popular-new-years-resolutions/">Source</a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">2014 was a great year for me in many ways. I felt like I learned and grew a lot, had lots of fun times, made lots of new friends, and even learned a lot about myself.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">If I had one complaint about this past year, it would concern my writing. Last year at this time, I made a bunch of lofty goals and was super-excited to get started on them. But then life hit me and I ended up working a job for most of the year that made it really hard to make much progress on my writing. It was all I could do to keep up with my reading and blogging. I got very little done on the writing front.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Luckily, I'm in a better position to do more with my writing this year *fingers crossed* and I hope to accomplish more. </span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>Last year I wanted to:</b></span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Read 50+ books</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Get 4 Books published. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Do a monthly newsletter.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Get my followers to 1) 1000 on FB </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">2) 15000 on Twitter </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">3) 500 for email newsletter</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> 4) Increase blog pageviews to 10000/month</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Combine my 2 blogs</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Yeah, most of that didn't happen.</b></span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I read 44 books (almost met goal)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I only got 1 book published (<i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18722336-citadels-of-fire?ac=1">Citadels of Fire</a></i>) and that was mostly because it had a publisher that did most of the work for me.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Only did 1 monthly newsletter, I think. Totally dropped the ball there. But because I was doing s little, I had little to write about in a newsletter.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I now have 1200 likes on FB, but that's over all my pages, not per page. :/</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I have 5500 followers on Twitter, which is up about 1000 from last year, but not nearly the #s I wanted.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">My email list is about the same as last year (i.e. pitful).</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">And my pageviews are at about 4-5000/month, up from 3000 last year.</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">So, as you can see I've improved (which is great), just not by as much as I had hoped.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>So, now for this year.</b></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://thumbs.dreamstime.com/z/goals-new-year-resolution-sketched-whiteboard-41516562.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://thumbs.dreamstime.com/z/goals-new-year-resolution-sketched-whiteboard-41516562.jpg" height="235" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.dreamstime.com/stock-illustration-goals-new-year-resolution-sketched-whiteboard-image41516562">Source</a></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>Books:</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I'm going for publishing 4 books this year again. Only this time I hope to do it for real. :D</span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1) <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/21524034-desolate-mantle?ac=1">Desolate Mantle</a></i>, <i>Street Games #2</i> (Cover reveal soon to come). Yeah, it's STILL not out, but I'm close. Description <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/21524034-desolate-mantle?ac=1">HERE</a>.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">2) <i>Bastions of Blood, Kremlins #2</i> (Cover reveal soon to come). <a href="http://jollyfishpress.com/">Jolly Fish Press</a> has this one slated for release in March. I don't have the cover yet, but will soon.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">3) <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20831356-the-botanist?ac=1">The Botanist</a></i>. JFP is doing this one too, though it won't be out until Fall. I have the cover for this one and will be doing the reveal soon. This is a stand-alone crime fiction. Description <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20831356-the-botanist?ac=1">HERE</a>.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">4) <i>Dark Matter, Interchron #3</i>. I'm still writing this one, but steadily working on it, so it won't be out until near the end of the year.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">5) A small possibility that I might get book 1 of <i>Dragon Magic</i> (title pending) out this year. I still have massive editing to do on it, but it's my next focused project after I get <i>Desolate Mantle</i> finished. The thing is, I might pedal it to a larger publisher, and if I can get anyone to pick it up, chances are it won't be out until 2016. But, if I don't have any luck, I'll put it out myself, and then I might have it out this year. Who knows?</span></li>
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>Reading: </b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">On goodreads, my official goal for this year is <b><span style="color: red;">55 </span></b>books. If I can manage it, I'll do more, of course. It just depends on how my year is with work. (A sub goal is to finish several series I've been meaning to finish, as well as several dozen books that have been hanging out on my kindle for like two years. Wish me luck!)</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Totally! (<a href="http://www.ceodentist.com/goal-setting-2015-part-one/">Source</a>)</td></tr>
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>Email Newsletter:</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Yeah, I'm gonna try this one again. Once more, hopefully I have enough time to pull it off this year, and in so doing, also increase my email list. Which is perfect segue into...</span><br />
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>Social Media followers:</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I think I'll go with mostly the same goals from last year, since I didn't hit many of them. Maybe a few increases.</span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><span style="color: blue;">Facebook</span></b>: I'd like each of my book and author pages to reach 2,000 followers. I have a strategy for this, which I'll go into down below.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><span style="color: cyan;">Twitter</span></b>: 15,000 followers, which is just under triple what I have now.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: red;"><b>Email List</b></span>: I'd actually like to get this to 1,000+.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><span style="color: orange;">Blog</span></b>: I really am going to combine my two writing blogs, but I want to get my official author site up and running first. I'm hoping to have both these things done by February. Rather than focus on page views, I've installed analytics and would like to get 5,000+ unique hits/month. (Right now I think I'm in the 1,000-1,500 range).</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">How am I going to pull this off, you ask? Mostly by selling more books...</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1stopmom.com/2015/01/01/my-goals-for-2015/">Source</a></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>Sell More Books:</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Most authors know that our books simply don't sell themselves. While I do promote on my blogs and social media, I haven't done much this past year to actually sell books. I've got a whole business plan worked out, but what it boils down to is paying for small promotions on ebook websites. I plan to do as many as I can manage each month, rotating books, and just try to get more readership that way. That in turn (I'm hoping) will increase my following on different venues.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>Personal:</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">On a more personal note, I'm also planning to run a half marathon with my sister. I had a goal last year to lose some weight. And again, things happened and I couldn't focus on it as much as I'd have liked. But I did lose some. About 35 pounds over the course of the year, so at least I'm lighter than I was at this time last year, right?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">So I told my sister I'd train for and do a half marathon with her. Not sure I'm ready for a full marathon yet, but I'm working up to it (psychologically more than physically). We probably won't start training until March, though. We're in Utah, which means pretty heavy snow for the next couple of months. And, quite frankly, jogging in sub-freezing temperatures is a great way to get bronchitis. :D Yeah, let's try to avoid that!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">So, those are this year's goals. Everyone wish me luck!</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;">What are your goals/New Year's Resolutions?</span></b><br />
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Liesel K. Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03860816358217211833noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3359613645675472548.post-69997085412947902102014-12-22T04:00:00.000-07:002014-12-22T04:00:06.904-07:00Out for Christmas<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Hi Everyone! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Just wanted to let you know that I'm out of here until the new year. I'll actually have a couple of pre-scheduled posts going up for my read-alongs, but that's it. And for the most part, I won't be reading/commenting much.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>So, everyone have a safe and wonderful holiday season! <span style="color: red;">Merry</span> <span style="color: #38761d;">Christmas</span> and a <span style="color: orange;">Happy</span> <span style="color: blue;">New Year</span>! :D</b></span><br />
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Liesel K. Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03860816358217211833noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3359613645675472548.post-1618821036489728002014-12-19T04:00:00.000-07:002015-01-04T14:56:15.065-07:00Friday Funnies: Christmas Humor<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Welcome to Friday Funnies! Because everyone needs a good laugh on Friday.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I'll probably be offline this time next week, so I thought I'd put some Christmas funnies up for this week. These are hilarious (and some are vaguely creepy :D). Enjoy!</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Hope these made you smile! Merry Christmas, Everyone! :D</b></span></div>
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Liesel K. Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03860816358217211833noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3359613645675472548.post-11666154353637324302014-12-18T04:00:00.000-07:002015-01-04T15:14:11.995-07:00Thoughts for Thursday: Christmas<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18.18181800842285px;"><span style="color: magenta;">Thoughts for Thursday</span> is a feature hosted by <a href="http://musingsonfantasia.blogspot.com/" style="color: #a513ad;">Musings on Fantasia</a> and LKHill.</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18.18181800842285px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18.18181800842285px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18.18181800842285px;">In this meme, we share thoughts or quotes that we know or have recently come across. Each week there is a specific subject or theme. These can be quotes from books, quotes by famous people, (quotes by YOU, perhaps ;D). Anything from anywhere is game, though we do ask that you keep your quote to a few sentences at most. Don't quote, for example, entire passages of a book or essay. These can be funny quips, cool sayings, hair-raising antidotes, movie lines, any kind of quote you can think of!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br style="background-color: white; line-height: 18.18181800842285px;" /></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18.18181800842285px;">Just have fun, collect awesome sayings by awesome people, and try to be inspired!</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18.18181800842285px;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18.18181800842285px;">This week's theme is </span><span style="background-color: yellow; color: red; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18.18181800842285px;">the Holidays.</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18.18181800842285px;"> Check out my <a href="http://musingsonfantasia.blogspot.com/2014/12/thoughts-for-thursday-christmas.html">other blog</a> for more quotes.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18.18181800842285px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: georgia, 'bookman old style', 'palatino linotype', 'book antiqua', palatino, 'trebuchet ms', helvetica, garamond, sans-serif, arial, verdana, 'avante garde', 'century gothic', 'comic sans ms', times, 'times new roman', serif;"></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: georgia, 'bookman old style', 'palatino linotype', 'book antiqua', palatino, 'trebuchet ms', helvetica, garamond, sans-serif, arial, verdana, 'avante garde', 'century gothic', 'comic sans ms', times, 'times new roman', serif;">I have always thought of Christmas time, when it has come round, as a good time; a kind, forgiving, charitable time; the only time I know of, in the long calendar of the year, when men and women seem by one consent to open their shut-up hearts freely, and to think of people below them as if they really were fellow passengers to the grave, and not another race of creatures bound on other journeys. ~Charles Dickens</span></blockquote>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia, 'bookman old style', 'palatino linotype', 'book antiqua', palatino, 'trebuchet ms', helvetica, garamond, sans-serif, arial, verdana, 'avante garde', 'century gothic', 'comic sans ms', times, 'times new roman', serif;"></span>
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<span style="font-family: georgia, 'bookman old style', 'palatino linotype', 'book antiqua', palatino, 'trebuchet ms', helvetica, garamond, sans-serif, arial, verdana, 'avante garde', 'century gothic', 'comic sans ms', times, 'times new roman', serif;">Christmas is the gentlest, loveliest festival of the revolving year — and yet, for all that, when it speaks, its voice has strong authority. ~W.J. Cameron</span></blockquote>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia, 'bookman old style', 'palatino linotype', 'book antiqua', palatino, 'trebuchet ms', helvetica, garamond, sans-serif, arial, verdana, 'avante garde', 'century gothic', 'comic sans ms', times, 'times new roman', serif;"></span>
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<span style="font-family: georgia, 'bookman old style', 'palatino linotype', 'book antiqua', palatino, 'trebuchet ms', helvetica, garamond, sans-serif, arial, verdana, 'avante garde', 'century gothic', 'comic sans ms', times, 'times new roman', serif;">Christmas is a necessity. There has to be at least one day of the year to remind us that we're here for something else besides ourselves. ~Eric Sevareid</span></blockquote>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia, 'bookman old style', 'palatino linotype', 'book antiqua', palatino, 'trebuchet ms', helvetica, garamond, sans-serif, arial, verdana, 'avante garde', 'century gothic', 'comic sans ms', times, 'times new roman', serif;"></span>
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<span style="font-family: georgia, 'bookman old style', 'palatino linotype', 'book antiqua', palatino, 'trebuchet ms', helvetica, garamond, sans-serif, arial, verdana, 'avante garde', 'century gothic', 'comic sans ms', times, 'times new roman', serif;">Our hearts grow tender with childhood memories and love of kindred, and we are better throughout the year for having, in spirit, become a child again at Christmas-time. ~Laura Ingalls Wilder</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: georgia, 'bookman old style', 'palatino linotype', 'book antiqua', palatino, 'trebuchet ms', helvetica, garamond, sans-serif, arial, verdana, 'avante garde', 'century gothic', 'comic sans ms', times, 'times new roman', serif;">Happy, happy Christmas, that can win us back to the delusions of our childish days; that can recall to the old man the pleasures of his youth; that can transport the sailor and the traveller, thousands of miles away, back to his own fire-side and his quiet home! ~Charles Dickens, </span><i style="font-family: georgia, 'bookman old style', 'palatino linotype', 'book antiqua', palatino, 'trebuchet ms', helvetica, garamond, sans-serif, arial, verdana, 'avante garde', 'century gothic', 'comic sans ms', times, 'times new roman', serif;">The Pickwick Papers</i></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: georgia, 'bookman old style', 'palatino linotype', 'book antiqua', palatino, 'trebuchet ms', helvetica, garamond, sans-serif, arial, verdana, 'avante garde', 'century gothic', 'comic sans ms', times, 'times new roman', serif;">Christmas is the season for kindling the fire of hospitality in the hall, the genial flame of charity in the heart. ~Washington Irving</span></blockquote>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large; line-height: 18.18181800842285px;"><b>Merry Christmas, Everyone!</b></span><br />
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Liesel K. Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03860816358217211833noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3359613645675472548.post-81717781073396416982014-12-17T04:00:00.000-07:002014-12-17T04:00:00.773-07:00Book Review: Gone Girl<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8442457-gone-girl">Source</a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I finally read <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8442457-gone-girl">Gone Girl</a></i> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2383.Gillian_Flynn">Gillian Flynn</a>. Took me long enough, right? This was the most-reviewed book on Goodreads.com in 2013 (I think). I mean, we're talking something like 28,000 reviews. (Holy crap!) And recently a film version came out, which I have not seen. I might watch it eventually, but I'm not in any big hurry to.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Plot:</b> This is your basic wife-disappears, husband-becomes-prime-suspect story. Been done a thousand times, right? But the reason it was such a successful novel is that there's a major twist on it. It's hard to tell whether the husband, Nick, did something to his wife, Amy. Even when we get chapters from his POV, it's unclear. He's definitely hiding things from the cops, and also the reader, so you feel compelled to keep reading to find out what he's hiding, and whether he really hurt Amy.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>POV: </b>The point of view oscillates between Nick's first person narrative and diary entries from Amy, leading up to when she disappeared. As it's a diary, they are also in the first person. I'm not usually a huge fan of doing multiple first-person narratives, but in this case it was so well-done, it didn't bother me. Diary entries can also be tricky to write, but Flynn is a master at her craft and it truly didn't feel any different than any other well-written narrative would. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Characters: </b>Neither of these characters--husband or wife--was particularly likable. They were both majorly flawed, and obviously their marriage suffered for it. That made them both believable and compelling, but I reiterate: unlikable. I had really mixed feelings about the characters. They were both incredibly frustrating at times. I had a really hard time getting behind either one of them. Villainous characters don't need to be likable, but I'm a firm believer that main characters should be. I was obviously compelled enough to finish the book, but I would never say that I loved it, or that I loved the characters because, yeah I didn't.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.independent.co.uk/incoming/article9646550.ece/alternates/w460/Gone-Girl-Poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://www.independent.co.uk/incoming/article9646550.ece/alternates/w460/Gone-Girl-Poster.jpg" height="320" width="244" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/news/new-gone-girl-movie-poster-reveals-ben-affleck-searching-for-amazing-amy-9646507.html">Source</a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Psychological Aspects:</b> Okay, here's the crux of my problem with the book, which happens to coincide with why it's become such a phenomenon. The psychological aspects (read: psycho) are what makes the book so intriguing. We get these really flawed character studies, see these mind games that were played within the marriage, and then as the readers, we have to try and translate that into whether or not Nick did something violent to his wife. I totally understand why this book has been so talked about.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">That said, I really didn't like it much. First of all, it was very negative. And I don't just mean the subject matter. Both characters were very pessimistic. Like, they would work hard to find the worst side of <i>everything. </i>Now don't get me wrong, it was very well-written. Kudos to the author. But I would be reading and just think, Wow. No wonder you're so miserable! Just once can you try to look on the bright side of things, or at least not go out of your way to be so cynical? It was actually really annoying. Like I said earlier, just really unlikable characters. No redeeming qualities at all. And I get it: that was the point. But it doesn't make for a very inspiring story.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">It also is about the worst, darkest, most terrible picture of a marriage you'll ever come across. The worst kinds of abuse (and not just physical), the worst kinds of name calls two people can call one another, the worst, most un-loving, un-intimate sex you can imagine in a marriage. Etc., etc. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Content Warning:</b> And while we're on the subject, I'll add that this was a very R-rated book. These two called one another every swear word in the English language, both out loud and in their heads. There was a lot of sexual content and also some mild violence. I definitely wouldn't recommend it for kids, or even teens.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Ending:</b> This definitely doesn't have a "happy" ending. And please understand, that is <i>not </i>a spoiler. I don't mean it's unhappy like, someone dies or, it's oh-so-tragic. Rather, it just really doesn't have a closed ending. Nothing really gets resolved. And where normally the reader would feel betrayed because we stuck with the story so long and then were denied closure, I didn't even feel that way about it. I think, because the story itself was about a messed-up situation, complete with mind games, she wanted the ending to be the same way. And honestly, the ending kind of fit. But for me, I just kind of went, <i>Huh. </i>And moved on. Was kind of relieved to be done, actually.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Overall:</b> As I said earlier, I didn't <i>not </i>like it. I'm glad I read it. But it's not the kind of book you can describe as having "liked." It just wasn't that kind of book. If you like the dark, psychological types of stories (again I'm going to stress the <i>no redeeming qualities </i>angle) then you'll probably enjoy it. It's not the type of book I would recommend to...just about anyone, though. I prefer my stories to have at least some hope and enlightenment, and that was largely missing from this one. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>Has anyone read Gone Girl? Seen the film? What did you think of it?</b></span><br />
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Liesel K. Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03860816358217211833noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3359613645675472548.post-87500802572949263382014-12-15T22:00:00.000-07:002015-01-11T08:21:20.823-07:00Top Ten Tuesday: Top Books I Read in 2014<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20.796875px; text-align: justify;">Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created here at </span><a href="http://brokeandbookish.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">The Broke and the Bookish</a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20.796875px; text-align: justify;">. This feature was created because we are particularly fond of lists here at The Broke and the Bookish. We'd love to share our lists with other bookish folks and would LOVE to see your top ten lists!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Each week we will post a new Top Ten list that one of our bloggers here at </span><a href="http://brokeandbookish.blogspot.com/" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">The Broke and the Bookish</a><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> will answer. Everyone is welcome to join. All we ask is that you </span><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">link back</b><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> to </span><a href="http://brokeandbookish.blogspot.com/" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">The Broke and the Bookish</a><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> on your own Top Ten Tuesday post AND add your name to the Linky widget so that everyone can check out other bloggers lists! If you don't have a blog, just post your answers as a comment. Have fun with it! It's a fun way to get to know your fellow bloggers.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: blue; font-size: x-large; font-weight: bold;">Top 10 Books I Read in 2014 </span><span style="color: #274e13; font-weight: bold;">(All covers courtesy of Goodreads.com unless otherwise linked)</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I had lots of re-reads this year, and of the ones that were totally new to me, there were several I didn't like, so I didn't have much to chose from. But, these were the things I liked the most. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">10.-9. <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6752378-city-of-fallen-angels">City of Fallen Angels</a></i> / <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8755776-city-of-lost-souls">City of Lost Souls</a></i> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/150038.Cassandra_Clare">Cassandra Clare</a> -- I was still finishing up this series at the beginning of the year and I loved it. And no, I haven't read the most recent book yet. Hopefully this coming year. :D</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">8. <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18710190-allegiant">Allegiant</a></i> by Veronica Roth -- I know lots of people had issues with how the trilogy ended. I was kind of <i>meh</i>. Didn't hate it. Didn't love it. Most of my issues with the book though was how it was written, rather than the plot. All that said, I still enjoyed it. I love the series and I was glad to read the final installment. </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11870085-the-fault-in-our-stars">Source</a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">7. <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11870085-the-fault-in-our-stars"><i>The Fault in Our Stars</i></a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1406384.John_Green">John Green</a> -- This was the first John Green book I had ever read and, while I don't think I am in love with it quite as much as most people, I still thoroughly enjoyed it and hope to read more of Green's work in the future.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.fiktshun.com/fiktshun/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/the-soul-screamer-series-covers.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://www.fiktshun.com/fiktshun/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/the-soul-screamer-series-covers.png" height="158" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.fiktshun.com/fiktshun/tag/soul-screamers/">Source</a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">6.-3. <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6315602-my-soul-to-take">Souls Screamers</a></i> series by Rachel Vincent (there are actually 7 books :D) -- Another series I seriously loved. If you haven't read it, do!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">2.-1. <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7235533-the-way-of-kings">The Way of Kings</a></i> / <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11543195-words-of-radiance">Words of Radiance</a></i> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/38550.Brandon_Sanderson">Brandon Sanderson</a> -- Probably the best stuff I read all year: Sanderson at his best with an new, epic fantasy series that I can't wait to continue. I don't think book 3 is set to come out until at least late next year, but I'll be eagerly anticipating it. :D</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>What were the top ten books you read in 2014?</b></span></span><br />
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Liesel K. Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03860816358217211833noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3359613645675472548.post-6283112416518763362014-12-15T04:00:00.000-07:002014-12-15T04:00:00.618-07:00History Tidbit: Delaware Christmas Crossing<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Okay, I'm totally re-posting this, but this is one of my all-time favorite historical Christmas stories. Definitely worth a re-telling. Enjoy. :D</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://history%20notes.net/">Source</a></td></tr>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Did you know...?</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">What our founding fathers were doing Christmas Day, 1776?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">On the night of December 25-26, George Washington decided it was high time this American Revolution was won. He took all his troops and ferried them across the Delaware River. This was a very dangerous maneuver. Logistically it was difficult and time-consuming, made more complicated by the below-freezing temperatures of both the air and the water, and the jagged ice chunks floating down a swift, swollen river.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">What they hoped would only take a couple of hours took more than four, and things didn't go according to plan. At all.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Why were they doing this, you ask? Well, as I said, our primo presidente thought it was high time the war was won. His men were starving and wanted to return to their homes and families. It was Christmas, and they were stuck in a freezing, starving, mud-caked war camp.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Meanwhile, across the river in Trenton, New Jersey, a camp of Hessians (German mercenaries hired by England) were holding the American insurrection at bay. Washington guessed that the Hessians would have spent Christmas day eating, drinking, and celebrating. He figured if he could take them unawares, while they were still sleeping off their mead-hangovers, he could take Trenton.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">He meant to ferry his men over quickly and stealthily march into the Hessian camp under cover of darkness. Well, as stated above, things didn't go so well. By the time Washington's army reached the Hessian camp, the sun was rising.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">But Washington had guessed right about the state of the mercenaries. They had partied and drank all night, and most were still a-snooze when the American troops stormed their camp.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Despite everything that went wrong, the revolutionaries took the Hessian camp without a single American casualty. It was a Christmas miracle. Only days later, on January 2nd and 3rd, they defeated British reinforcements under General Cornwallis. It was a turning point in the American Revolutionary War.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">This Christmas season, let's be sure to give thanks for those who came before us, spending Christmas without their families so we could spend ours with our families in a free land.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Let's give thanks for our loved ones, especially our children who are safe in our homes and in our arms at a time when twenty families in Connecticut can't say the same thing.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Let's remember the significance of Christmases 2000 years past, look forward to a New Year (of writing and publishing perhaps?) and live in the moment. Because the moments we have this Christmas will never come again.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>And remember, knowledge of our past is our inheritance. What we do with that knowledge will shape our destinies...</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>Do you have a favorite historical Christmas story you like to tell every year?</b></span></div>
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Liesel K. Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03860816358217211833noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3359613645675472548.post-48128866686360514932014-12-12T04:00:00.000-07:002014-12-13T15:33:07.419-07:00Friday Funnies: Best Friends and Dating<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Welcome to Friday Funnies! Because everyone needs a good laugh on Friday.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The theme today is mostly friends and dating. Sort of. :D (All images courtesy of pinterest.com.)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>Did these give you a chuckle? Which was your favorite?</b></span></div>
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Liesel K. Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03860816358217211833noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3359613645675472548.post-68992053747178287972014-12-11T04:00:00.000-07:002015-01-04T15:52:15.174-07:00Thoughts for Thursday: Telling the Truth<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18.18181800842285px;"><span style="color: magenta;">Thoughts for Thursday</span> is a feature hosted by <a href="http://musingsonfantasia.blogspot.com/" style="color: #a513ad;">Musings on Fantasia</a> and LKHill.</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18.18181800842285px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18.18181800842285px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18.18181800842285px;">In this meme, we share thoughts or quotes that we know or have recently come across. Each week there is a specific subject or theme. These can be quotes from books, quotes by famous people, (quotes by YOU, perhaps ;D). Anything from anywhere is game, though we do ask that you keep your quote to a few sentences at most. Don't quote, for example, entire passages of a book or essay. These can be funny quips, cool sayings, hair-raising antidotes, movie lines, any kind of quote you can think of!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br style="background-color: white; line-height: 18.18181800842285px;" /></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18.18181800842285px;">Just have fun, collect awesome sayings by awesome people, and try to be inspired!</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18.18181800842285px;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18.18181800842285px;">This week's theme is </span><span style="background-color: yellow; color: red; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18.18181800842285px;">Telling the Truth.</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18.18181800842285px;"> Check out my <a href="http://musingsonfantasia.blogspot.com/2014/11/thoughts-for-thursday-belief.html">other blog</a> for more quotes.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large; line-height: 18.18181800842285px;">Truth never damages a cause that is just--Mahatma Gandhi</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://quotes-kid.com/telling-the-truth-quotes.htm">Source</a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">The truth is incontrovertible. Malice may attack it, ignorance may deride it, but in the end, there it is.--Winston Churchill</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://quoteeveryday.com/telling-lies-quotes/">Source</a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">If you tell the truth, you don't have to remember anything.--Mark Twain</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">For more truth quotes, check out my <a href="http://musingsonfantasia.blogspot.com/2014/12/thoughts-for-thursday-telling-truth.html">other blog</a> as well.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>Which is your favorite quote about truth telling? Do you have one to add?</b></span></div>
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Liesel K. Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03860816358217211833noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3359613645675472548.post-9967454623042208692014-12-10T04:00:00.000-07:002014-12-10T04:00:02.153-07:00Crime Tidbit: The Carbon Copy Murders at Erdington<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mary Ashford killed 1817 (<a href="http://www.dark-stories.com/eng/the_erdington_murders_coincidences.htm">Source</a>)</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Have you heard...</span>of the Carbon Copy Murders of Erdington? They're downright stupefying.</b><br />So...there are two victims in this case, and their stories are eerily similar.<br /><br /><span style="color: blue;">20-year-old <b>Mary Ashford</b> was murdered in May of 1817. Her body was found in a flooded sandpit 5 miles outside of Birmingham, England, in a small village called Erdington. She'd been raped and strangled.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: purple;">Then there was <b>Barbara Forrest</b>, also 20 years old. Her body was found in the long grass, roughly 300 yards from where Mary's body was discovered. She, too, had been raped and strangled.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: blue;"><b>Mary Ashford</b> was a well-liked local girl who delivered dairy products. The day before her murder, May 26th, was Whit Monday, a local English holiday. Mary had made plans to celebrate it and attend a dance with friends.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: purple;"><b>Barbara Forrest</b> also died on the eve of Whit Monday, though it fell on May 27th that year. She, too, attended festivities.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: blue;">On the day of her murder, <b>Mary Ashford </b>visited her best friend, Hannah Cox, to change from her day clothes into a dress. They then attended the dance together, where they spent the evening with two local boys.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: purple;"><b>Barbara Forrest</b> also visited a friend's house to change for the festivities, and then spent the evening at the Whit Monday dance.</span><br /><br />Both women were killed around the same time of night and dumped in the same place. <br /><br /><span style="color: blue;">A<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.dark-stories.com/eng/the_erdington_murders_coincidences.htm">Source</a></td></tr>
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fter <b>Mary Ashford's</b> body was discovered, the boy she'd spent the evening at the dance with, Abraham Thornton, was arrested for her murder. He admitted he and Mary had had sexual intercourse before he took her home, but he pled his innocence on the subject of her death. He was tried, more than once, actually, due to the laws of the time, but ultimately acquitted.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: purple;">A local man by the name of Michael Thornton was arrested in the case of <b>Barbara Forest</b>. He, too, was tried vigorously, but ultimately acquitted.</span><br /><br />Neither case has ever been solved. The two women even have similar physical features.<br /><br />These cases are obviously very similar. Does it sound like they're related? Perhaps a serial killer or copy cat at work? Well, normally, that would probably be the theory. There's just one problem: these cases happened 157 years apart, to the day. Barbara Forest was killed in 1975.<br /><br />T<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Killed 1975 (<a href="http://www.dark-stories.com/eng/the_erdington_murders_coincidences.htm">Source</a>)</td></tr>
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he similarities are downright chilling. <br /><br /><span style="color: blue;">And just one more similarity: A week before her death, <b>Mary Ashford</b> told Hannah Cox's mother that she had "bad feelings about the week to come" though she couldn't say why she felt that way, or about what specifically. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: purple;">Ten days before <b>Barbara Forrest </b>died, she told a colleague, "This is going to be my unlucky month. I just know it. Don't ask me why."</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Was it coincidence? Related somehow? An evil spirit setting these things up? What do you think?</b></span><br /></span><br />
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Liesel K. Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03860816358217211833noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3359613645675472548.post-49123858043497217562014-12-08T22:00:00.000-07:002014-12-08T22:00:03.845-07:00Top Ten Tuesdays: New-To-Me Authors of 2014<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20.796875px; text-align: justify;">Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created here at </span><a href="http://brokeandbookish.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">The Broke and the Bookish</a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20.796875px; text-align: justify;">. This feature was created because we are particularly fond of lists here at The Broke and the Bookish. We'd love to share our lists with other bookish folks and would LOVE to see your top ten lists!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Each week we will post a new Top Ten list that one of our bloggers here at </span><a href="http://brokeandbookish.blogspot.com/" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">The Broke and the Bookish</a><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> will answer. Everyone is welcome to join. All we ask is that you </span><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">link back</b><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> to </span><a href="http://brokeandbookish.blogspot.com/" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">The Broke and the Bookish</a><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> on your own Top Ten Tuesday post AND add your name to the Linky widget so that everyone can check out other bloggers lists! If you don't have a blog, just post your answers as a comment. Have fun with it! It's a fun way to get to know your fellow bloggers.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: blue; font-size: x-large; font-weight: bold;">Top 10 New-to-Me Authors I Read in 2014 </span><span style="color: #274e13; font-size: x-small; font-weight: bold;">(All covers and author pics courtesy of Goodreads.com unless otherwise linked)</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I don't have many of these. I did a lot of re-reading and reading authors I already know and love this year. I guess I need to make a goal to read more new authors next year. LOL.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">4. Robert Galbraith -- yeah this is totally a cop out because it's really J.K. Rowling and I love <i>Harry Potter</i>. But...technically it's a different author on goodreads, right? :D</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">3. John Green -- I read <i>The Fault in our Stars</i> and really loved it. (Haven't had a chance to see the film yet, though.) I'll definitely be reading more John Green in the future.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">2. Rachel Vincent -- I read the entire <i>Soul Screamers</i> series at the beginning of the year and was surprised how much I loved it. As most of you know, I'm not someone who's terribly into YA. It's not that I don't like it, but I'm VERY picky. That said, I really loved <i>Soul Screamers</i>. Definitely worth a read!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">1. Brandon Sanderson -- Okay, another cop out. I had technically read Sanderson before because he finished the <i>Wheel of Time</i> series when Robert Jordan passed away. But this was the first time I'd read something that was wholly his. (And I loved it, btw. <i>The Stormlight Archive</i> is awesome!)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">There were a few more new authors I read this year, but the others I didn't really like so I can't put them on a top ten list in good conscience. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>How about you? What top ten new-to-you authors did you read this year?</b></span><br />
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Liesel K. Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03860816358217211833noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3359613645675472548.post-86630931845900336212014-12-08T04:00:00.000-07:002014-12-08T04:00:01.207-07:00Historical Tidbit: The Origin of Common Figures of Speech<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Did you know...</span> that most of our weird figures of speech actually do have their origin in historical truth?</b> It's true!</span><div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Let me start with a disclaimer. I didn't write this. At all. One of my best friends posted it on Facebook and I knew I had to share it. But I posted the entire thing as is. <a href="https://www.facebook.com/dantheeffinman">Here's</a> where it was originally posted so you can try and trace it back to the original source if you want. I didn't bother. </span><div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">This is pretty much a list of common idioms and their origins. Who knew figures of speech could be so historically fascinating?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">They used to use urine to tan animal skins, so families used to all pee in a pot & then once a day it was taken & Sold to the tannery.......if you had to do thi<span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline;">s to survive you were <b>"Piss Poor"</b></span></span> </blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline;"></span>But worse than that were the really poor folk who couldn't even afford to buy a pot......they <b>"didn't have a pot to piss in"</b> & were the lowest of the low<br />The next time you are washing your hands and complain because the water temperature isn't just how you like it, think about how things used to be. Here are some facts about the 1500s: </span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Most people got married in June because they took their yearly bath in May, and they still smelled pretty good by June.. However, since they were starting to smell . ...... . Brides carried a bouquet of flowers to hide the body odor. Hence the custom today of <b>carrying a bouquet</b> when getting Married. </span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Baths consisted of a big tub filled with hot water. The man of the house had the privilege of the nice clean water, then all the other sons and men, then the women and finally the children. Last of all the babies. By then the water was so dirty you could actually lose someone in it.. Hence the saying, <b>"Don't throw the baby out with the Bath water!" </b></span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Houses had thatched roofs-thick straw-piled high, with no wood underneath. It was the only place for animals to get warm, so all the cats and other small animals (mice, bugs) lived in the roof. When it rained it became slippery and sometimes the animals would slip and fall off the roof... Hence the saying <b>"It's raining cats and dogs." </b></span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">There was nothing to stop things from falling into the house. This posed a real problem in the bedroom where bugs and other droppings could mess up your nice clean bed. Hence, a bed with big posts and a sheet hung over the top afforded some protection. That's how <b>canopy beds</b> came into existence. </span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The floor was dirt. Only the wealthy had something other than dirt. Hence the saying, <b>"Dirt poor."</b> The wealthy had slate floors that would get slippery in the winter when wet, so they spread thresh (straw) on floor to help keep their footing. As the winter wore on, they added more thresh until, when you opened the door, it would all start slipping outside. A piece of wood was placed in the entrance-way. Hence: <b>a thresh hold.</b> </span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">In those old days, they cooked in the kitchen with a big kettle that always hung over the fire.. Every day they lit the fire and added things to the pot. They ate mostly vegetables and did not get much meat. They would eat the stew for dinner, leaving leftovers in the pot to get cold overnight and then start over the next day. Sometimes stew had food in it that had been there for quite a while. Hence the rhyme: <b>Peas porridge hot, peas porridge cold, peas porridge in the pot nine days old.</b></span><b> </b></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Sometimes they could obtain pork, which made them feel quite special. When visitors came over, they would hang up their bacon to show off. It was a sign of wealth that a man could, <b>"bring home the bacon."</b> They would cut off a little to share with guests and would all sit around and <b>chew the fat.</b><br />Those with money had plates made of pewter. Food with high acid content caused some of the lead to leach onto the food, causing lead poisoning death. This happened most often with tomatoes, so for the next 400 years or so, tomatoes were considered poisonous. </span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Bread was divided according to status. Workers got the burnt bottom of the loaf, the family got the middle, and guests got the top, or <b>the upper crust.</b> </span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Lead cups were used to drink ale or whisky. The combination would Sometimes knock the imbibers out for a couple of days. Someone walking along the road would take them for dead and prepare them for burial.. They were laid out on the kitchen table for a couple of days and the family would gather around and eat and drink and wait and see if they would wake up. Hence the custom of <b>holding a wake. </b></span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">England is old and small and the local folks started running out of places to bury people. So they would dig up coffins and would take the bones to a bone-house, and reuse the grave. When reopening these coffins, 1 out of 25 coffins were found to have scratch marks on the inside and they realized they had been burying people alive... So they would tie a string on the wrist of the corpse, lead it through the coffin and up through the ground and tie it to a bell. Someone would have to sit out in the graveyard all night <b>(the graveyard shift.)</b> to listen for the bell; thus, someone could be, <b>saved by the bell</b> or was considered <b>a dead ringer</b>. </span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">And that's the truth....Now, whoever said History was boring?</span></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>Did you know the origins of any of these figures of speech? What do you think of how they came about? </b></span></div>
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Liesel K. Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03860816358217211833noreply@blogger.com0