The Art of Steampunk
Revised Second Edition
B Art Donovan
Forward by Dr. Jim Bennett
Publisher: Fox Chapel Publishing
Pub. Date: July 1, 2013
ISBN: 978-1-56523-785-8
Retail: $19.99
Pages: 168

Review:

The steampunk genre is becoming more and more popular every year thanks to recent books, television series, movies, and video games; all blending modern & futuristic technology with the 19th Century Victorian era or the American Wild West, creating steam power technology.

Artists have jumped into the steampunk genre by making original art pieces that look like they literally jumped off of the pages of a book and into reality. Author and artist Art Donovan has complied some of the most beautiful and unique pieces from authors such as Ann Pedro, Anna Dabrowska, Camryn Forrest, Evelyn Kriete, Filip Sawezuk, Jessica Joslin, Mikhail Smolyanov, Sam Van Olffen, Amanda Scrivener, Thomas Willeford, Cliff Overton, Daniel Proulx, Eric Freitas, Haruo Suekichi, Ian Crichton, James Richardson-Brown, Jesse Newhouse, Joey Marsocci, Jos De Vink, Kris Kuksi, Molly Friedrich, Richard Nagy, Stephane Halleux, Tom Banwell, and Vianney Halter.

Caravan Assault Apparatus, 2009, by Kris Kuksi

Writing a Romance Novel For Dummies
By Leslie Wainger
Publisher: For Dummies
Pub. Date: May 7, 2004
ISBN: 978-0764525544
Pages: 384
Buy Link: Paperback

Review:

Have you ever wanted to write a romance novel? I'm sure there are many aspiring writers and romance reader junkies that have dreamed about becoming a romance writer. Now you can learn about the romance publishing industry and how to write your own novel with Writing a Romance Novel For Dummies by Leslie Wainger, executive editor of Harlequin Books; with a forward by New York Times bestselling author Linda Howard.

Get in the inside scoop from Leslie Wainger, who has been editing romance for nearly thirty-five years. She teaches you about what reader are looking for in a good romance novel. You'll learn the difference between contemporary and mainstream genres; subgenres and niche markets; where to set up the perfect writing spot; creating alpha males and fiery females; adding the perfect conflict, climax, and resolution to a plot; setting a great romantic scene; outlining your novel; showing vs. telling; how to get into a character's mind; writing great dialogue; and writing a passionate love scene.

Anyone who knows me knows that I love my coffee. I can't function without it. Despite the fact the name of this blog is Ramblings of a Coffee Addicted Writer, I very seldom get to review actually coffee products, so I was more than excited to get to tryout Pronto! French Roast Liquid Coffee Brewsticks from Barnie's CoffeeKitchen, Florida's original coffee company for over 30 years.

Any coffee lover knows there are many brands releasing single instant coffee sticks, which I have problem tried them all. Barnie's CoffeeKitchen Pronto! is the first brand I have heard of that has actual liquid in the brewsticks!

The concentrated liquid coffee is made from 100% Arabica beans. Each box comes with 6 liquid coffee brewsticks. The directions are simple. Just add one brewstick to a 10 oz. of hot or cold water, stir, and enjoy the delicious taste of freshly brewed coffee.

Looks like The Smurfs 2 didn't do so well at the US box-office as it came in 3rd place with only $18.2 million ($27.8 million over the 5-day weekend), but it did well overseas with $52.5 million, meaning there will be a Smurfs 3 in the near future (July 24, 2015 to be exact), whether we like it or not. I grew up watching the blue Smurfs cartoon and as an adult I continue to collect each new DVD release. I have mix feelings for 2011's The Smurfs live/CGI film, which I have only watched once all the way through. The CGI looked spot on, but the script was horrible. It doesn't take a genius to create a decent plot as there are plenty of stories from the cartoon and the original Peyo comics to adapt into a screenplay, but it seems Hollywood (for the most part) is missing any creative thought.

I could be wrong; maybe The Smurfs 2 is good, but I highly doubt it. I'm sure it falls in the the horrible sequel category as Garfield 2 and the Alvin & the Chipmunks sequels.

At least Disney isn't remaking their classic animation movies, but instead they are releasing them onto their Blu-Ray Diamond Edition Collection series. In 2014, Disney will release Sleeping Beauty (October 2014) and The Jungle Book (February 2014) to this prestigious collection for a limited time. Both films have been hidden in the Disney vault, but are being released with high definition picture and sound clarity for whole new generation to enjoy. The Little Mermaid Blu-Ray Diamond Edition Collection is coming out this October.

Liberty's Kids: The Complete Series
Voice Cast:  Kathleen Barr, Reo Jones, Chris Lundquist, Kevin Williams
Studio: Mill Creek Entertainment
ASIN: B00CMDPTTA
Release Date: July 16, 2013
Retail: $12.98
Running Time: 14 hours 26 minutes
Rating: TV-Y7

Review:

I consider myself a cartoon fan, but there have been many shows over the last fifteen years that have quietly went under my radar, including PBS's 2002-2004 series titled Liberty's Kids, which is set during the American Revolution. The series found its way onto DVD in 2008, but has been out-of-print for quite sometime. Mill Creek Entertainment recently released a 4-disc set of the Liberty's Kids featuring all 40 episodes.

Set in 1773, British teenage girl, Sarah Phillips, travels to the Thirteen Colonies to search for her missing father, Major Phillips, and stays as a guest at Benjamin Franklin's home. She takes a job as a reporter for Franklin's newspaper as she believes a viewpoint from a British girl is just want the newspaper needs. She befriends fourteen-year-old James Hiller, eight-year-old Henri Richard Maurice Dutoit LeFevbre, and Moses. At first Sarah is dedicated to her home country England, but towards the end of the series she clearly understands why the Thirteen Colonies wanted their freedom.

The episodes on the four-disc set are:

The Letters
The Inn at Eagle Hill: Book One
By Suzanne Woods Fisher
Publisher: Revell
Pub. Date: August 1, 2013
ISBN: 978-0800720933
Pages: 320
Buy Link: http://ow.ly/nibGe
Blog Tour: http://litfusegroup.com/books/the-letters

Review:

In book one of The Inn of Eagle Hill series, widower Rose Schrock is turning the Amish community of Stoney Ridge upside down when she decides to open a bed and breakfast in her very own farmhouse. The church members and even her own mother-in-law disapprove of a woman running a business. A bed and breakfast may not be what she had dreamed of doing, but she doesn't have much of a choice as her late husband left her in debt.

Rose's only support is from her neighbor and horse trainer, Galen King, who helps her turn the farmhouse basement into a bed and breakfast. As she gets ready to take in her first guests, she prays that the Lord will look over each one. To her surprise, the Lord is looking out for her and may be sending her an unexpected love, Galen.