Thursday, October 3, 2013

Review - Freelance Writing Guide by Christine Rice

Freelance Writing Guide
By Christine Rice
Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
Pub. Date: August 14, 2012
ASIN: B008XYG27K
Pages: 107

Review:

So you love reading and writing, therefore you have probably thought about stepping into the world of freelance writing, but you probably don't know where to begin. Well, you're in luck, as fellow freelance writer Christine Rice has written the Freelance Writing Guide: What to Expect in Your First Year as A Freelance Writer.

The author gives an honest look into the world of freelance writing, sharing the up and downs of being a writer. There are many great opportunities for a writer online, like Helium, Yahoo, Textbroker, and Suite 101, though the pay is low it is a good way to increase your writing credits.

Your first year of writing shouldn't be wasted; spend your time wisely by taking a free college course (a few websites are listed in the book) or invest in your future by enrolling in a few non-free credited college courses. The completed courses can also be added to your resume.

Other great tips you’ll learn in the book is to start your own blog, create a writer’s website, writing for magazines and ghostwriting. Plus, you'll learn the importance of good marketing and Search Engine Optimization (SEO).

Review - The Courier of Caswell Hall

The Courier of Caswell Hall
An American Tapestry series
By Melanie Dobson
Publisher: Sumerside Press
Pub. Date: September 1, 2013
ISBN: 978-0824934262
Pages: 336
Buy Link: http://amzn.to/1aLxC9s
Blog Tour: http://litfusegroup.com/author/mdobson 

Review:

During 1781, the Continental and British armies are at war, a war that pits father against son, brother against brother, and neighbor against neighbor. In Virginia, Lydia Caswell only wants the two sides to have peace, unlike her Loyalists parents or even her friend Sarah Hammond, who might just grab a gun and join the fight.

By chance, Lydia finds a wounded man near a riverbank on a snowy night. This happens to be the same night the British made plans on sailing up the James River and raiding the capital. The man is named Nathan, who changes her life forever, introducing her to a world of coded messages, disguises, couriers and spies.

As Lydia starts to fall in love with Nathan, she starts to question her beliefs. She must choose between the loyalty to her family and having freedom. Meanwhile, her friend Sarah is put in a similar position when love and war collide.

Wednesday, October 2, 2013

Review & Giveaway - Extreme Pumpkin Carving: 2nd Edition Revised & Expanded Review


Extreme Pumpkin Carving: 2nd Edition Revised & Expanded Review
By: Vic Hood & Jack A. Williams
Publisher: Fox Chapel Publishing
Pub. Date: September 1, 2013
ISBN: 978-1565238060
Pages: 104










Review:

by Gary Falin
Halloween is nearly upon us, meaning its time to buy costumes, bags of candy, and pumpkins to carve for All Hallows' Eve. The origin of jack-o-lanterns is unknown, but the earliest known use of pumpkin carving occurred in the East Anglia during the 1660s; though others claim it originated from Ireland. According to a myth, lighting a jack-o-lantern will keep the undead away from your home. The first record of pumpkin carving in United States was recorded in 1866 and it is now a tradition around Halloween for both kids and adults, who like to make jack-o-lanterns by using printed stencils and place a lit candle inside the pumpkin, thus singling the trick-or treaters that this house is giving away candy.

by John Roth
For others, pumpkin carving is a craft or art. There are even pumpkin carving competitions, like the annual Food Network's Halloween War, but typically these carvings are on the extreme side. Fox Chapel Publishing recently published Extreme Pumpkin Carving (Second Edition: Revised & Expanded) by Vic Hood & Jack A. Williams featuring twenty amazing designs from frightful to fabulous.

Instead of cutting out your pumpkin, you'll learn how to carve a pumpkin like a piece of wood using simple tools, such as a permanent marker, a permanent-heavy-line-felt-tip-marker, a single blade knife or pocket knife, a butcher knife, an old toothbrush, a finish nail and/or pounce wheel, and masking tape. If you have any wood carving tools, you can use those too.

Tuesday, October 1, 2013

"What's Your Darkness?"

The light of the full moon barely penetrates the rolling clouds and scarcely illuminates the yearly ritual taking place among the trees. A multitude of unwholesome and supernatural creatures abound on this most powerful evening, wreaking their mischief as they sneak from house to house attempting to steal away the contents hoarded therein, be it food or small children. Food is always ravenously consumed with great glee - for some of these creatures have not feasted since last year's eve of celebration. Whereas small children are always sought for corruption and transformation, if the mysterious incantations are uttered successfully the hordes will once again multiply next year on this very eve.

Zealously, the residents of the village guard against the coming of the night and all that it brings. It is, however, a self-defeating and fruitless endeavor as the very lights used to illuminate the night to frighten the creatures only serve as a beacon to the souls ready for harvest. In those homes where transformations afflict the children who have succumbed to the magic, adults try in vain to prevent their beloved darlings from joining the spirits and effecting permanence of the incantations - few rarely succeed. With the gift of evasion granted by goblins, the fledgling haunters flee the house to perpetuate the ritual and hoard their share of provisions to stock until next year's coming. To save their children, parents will brave the night and chase their devilish offspring and attempt to rescue them. But this only means there are fewer family members at home to defend against the onslaught of perpetuating rituals in which it will once again be chanted, "Trick-or-Treat".

***

There is something about the human condition that makes us want things to be nice and ordered; a new home, a fancy car, safe neighborhoods, or a decent job. We even desire the same in our quest for intangibles like hope, peace, and love. All is right with the world while we look at our clean and sterile creation, but that is only a part of our existence. There is something more to us, something darker. In a dying breath we set it aside for a short while; to pretend that life is gory and frightening. White picket fences deteriorate into haunted houses, our safe havens collapse into chaos and horror, and grandma no longer pinches your cheek with a smile – she wants to rip off your face, and gum to death the grey matter hiding inside your naked skull.

Jason Voorhees Haunts Halloween Adventure


 
Today is October 1st, which officially kickoffs the countdown to Halloween, you know the holiday where kids dress up and go door to door asking for candy; and I guess there are a few adults who dress up and trick-or-treat along with their children or attend Halloween parties.

Halloween is one of my favorite holidays, though I never cared much for trick-or-treating (even when I was a kid), as I would rather decorate the house with spooky decorations and give away candy. Typically, I wear a Halloween theme t-shirt every year, but this year I'm looking to wear an actual costume.

The local department stores have a very small stock of costumes and very few are for adults. The internet is a great source to find costume stores that have a slue of costumes for adults.

What costume do I want?

Throw a Pirates vs Zombies Party



Pirates and Zombies are two of the most recognized and entertaining characters, with many film characters to emulate and fun costumes to create. And having them battle each other in a party setting is a fun way to celebrate Halloween, whatever your age.

Consider hosting a pirate vs zombies party this Halloween! Everyone should be able to easily create one of these looks without too much fuss: all you need is standard Halloween costume makeup, a few easy props such as plastic swords, pirate hats for pirates and ripped clothes, white costume paint, and fake blood for zombies.  Here are some tips for hosting a pirate's vs zombies party at your place this Halloween.

Invitations
Create invitations that look like pirate flags covered with a splattering of blood, or a pirate and a zombie facing off wild west style. Add the time, date, location, and any instructions for guests - what to wear and what to bring.

Pick a Costume

Your guests can either choose which character to arrive as beforehand or keep their costume choice private until they arrive. Then your friends and family will have an entertaining rivalry. Families or groups of friends could theme their pirate costumes or dress as a combination of both. The great thing about Zombie costumes is that everyone interprets them slightly differently, blood, cuts, and makeup effects will all be slightly different and you will get an impressive range of zombie wounds. Your guest will hardly need encouragement to take each other on. Pirates will fight to the death over almost anything (candy, silly games or party cups) and zombies can be hilarious and mono-syllabic. BRAINS!!

DVD Review - Doctor Who: The Doctors Revisited: Fifth - Eighth

Doctor Who: The Doctors Revisited: Fifth - Eighth
Starring: Peter Davison, Colin Baker, Sylvester McCoy and Paul McGann
Studio: BBC Home Entertainment
Release Date: October 1, 2013
Retail: $39.98
ASIN: B00DNQKF2G
Running Time: Approx. 735 minutes

Review:

BCC's Doctor Who is celebrating its 50th anniversary next month with the special "The Day of the Doctor," but before then you can experience the fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth doctors with today's release of Doctor Who: The Doctors Revisited: Fifth - Eighth, starring Peter Davison, Colin Baker, Sylvester McCoy and Paul McGann in four exciting adventures, Earthshock, Vengeance on Varos, Remembrance of the Daleks, and Doctor Who - The Movie, on four discs.

Earthshock aired in March 1982 and has the Doctor (played by Peter Davison) and his companions (Adric, Nyssa or Tegan) arriving on Earth in the future. They explore a few caves and run into Lieutenant Scott and his men, who claim the Doctor and companions killed Professor Kyle's exploration team. The Doctor convinces Scott that they didn't have anything to do with Kyle's disappearance and offers his assistance to help with the search, leading the Doctor to come face to face with the Cybermen.

Colin Baker plays the Doctor in Vengeance On Varos, which originally aired in January 1985. After the TARDIS comes to a complete stop in the middle of space, the Doctor and his companion (Peri Brown) go to Varos (formerly a prison planet) in search of Zeiton-7, which is what the TARDIS needs to run properly again. The planet is operated by the evil Governor and getting the Zeiton-7 will be more difficult (even deadly) for the Doctor.

Remembrance of the Daleks first hit the airwaves in October 1988 starring Sylvester McCoy as the Doctor, who (along with his companion, Ace) arrives in Shoreditch in 1963, where they track down the strange magnetic fluctuations near the Coal Hill School, which happens to be a grey Dalek. The Daleks have followed The Doctor through time in search of the Hand of Omega; all leading to the return of the creator and leader, Davros.