Joyce Zeller speaking at the Ozark Creative Writers’ Conference

Joyce Zeller, author of Maddie’s Choice (Coffeetown Press, 2013) will be speaking at the Ozark Creative Writers’ Conference in Eureka Springs, Arkansas Saturday, October 12^th @ 2pm.

http://www.arkansas.com/events/details.aspx?id=87463

www.joycezeller.com

www.coffeetownpress.com

SUPERCELL by Buzz Bernard is now up for pre-order on Amazon!!

With a release date of November 2^nd, SUPERCELL by Buzz Bernard, his third thriller published by BelleBooks, is developing quite a store-m front…Less than a month from launch and you can now pre-order on Amazon. http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=SUPERCELL

Book launch for SUPERCELL by Buzz Bernard, November 2, 2013 @ 6:30 p.m. BOOKS For Less BOOKS For Less in Alpharetta, Georgia.

For more information contact George Scott, Events Coordinator, BOOKS For Less. (404) 451-7112. For details and directions: http://www.mybfl.com/contact.php

Buzz Bernard, author EYEWALL, PLAGUE, SUPERCELL, published by BelleBooks www.bellebooks.com
http://www.buzzbernard.com/
https://www.facebook.com/

Enter to win Rose Bush by Stephen Doster – Goodreads “Giveaway” through November 4^th!

https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/show/67592-rose-bush?utm_medium=email&utm_source=giveaway_approved

Once you get to that page, there is an “Enter to Win” button.

SUPERCELL by Buzz Bernard will be highlighted in Southern Writers magazine in November!

www.southernwritersmagazine.com www.buzzbernard.com

Words from Pep

Dreamtime

This is the story of a dream. . . Today, sitting on my porch out of the wind and with the sun warming my face, I began to doze off. As is common in fall, bees were seeking a hiding place for the upcoming cold season. Numerous models of these insect aircraft were hovering nearby, legs, like landing gear, dangling below, engine rpms at minimum. . . . . . As the curtains lowered over my eyes I fell into the dreamtime. There, in a parallel universe, robed in yellow and brown, a Cessna sized bee stood with flaps down, engine off. A phased array of lenses peered at me gathering information without a blink. Drawn toward this craft I used one of its legs as a boarding step and perched myself atop the forward abdominal cabin. Jointed antennae snapped back and I gripped the last segments. Liftoff! Maximum acceleration! Instantly airborne we banked to the right and headed through the trees. In no time we reached elevation with rising vapors. At eleven o’clock sailed a lone swallow and ahead a family of grackles thrashed about in the turbulence of our wake as we flashed by. Fields, marshes, orchards passed below and suddenly a dizzying sharp decent brought us to a colony of white boxes. Panic was rampant in this sweet-city as it seemed few workers had returned from a recent foray. A regal looking drone, colleague of my ride, approached and with twitching antennae, buzzed, dipped and nodded instructions for a mission. We turned, ambled to the edge of the hive and were off. Stop after stop we discovered remains laced with the toxic pollen of insecticides, GMOs, fungicides. At each one my pilot lightly massaged the dead with the hairs of its own body picking up clues to report back to base. At each one my pilot seemed less coherent, less empowered for flight. Finally, our flight plan fulfilled, we again approached the colony but this time gliding in on what little strength remained. The runway was clear. No permission-to-land was forthcoming from the silent tower. Our touchdown was rough and upon taxiing to a stop my friend collapsed among the bodies of the hive. . . . . . I startled from sleep to discover a wasp and bee having conversation on the back of my hand. They turned and looked in my direction. “You need us”, they seemed to say. “Consider your ways”. . . . . . . . . (Albert Einstein stated, “If honey bees become extinct, human society will follow in four years.” Since 1965 bee populations have dropped 85%. The relationship between humans and bees is collapsing and the bees are not at fault. 70% of our food depends on bee pollination.)

www.theteacherwithin.com

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ONE WORLD  –  ONE FAMILY OF MAN  –  ONE CREATOR OF ALL

Indies Unlimited just featured the second trailer for Climbing Maya by Ken La Salle!

http://www.indiesunlimited.com/2013/09/29/video-trailer-climbing-maya/

Paintball Words

By Brandon Loiacono

‘I love you’ ‘Thank you’ ‘You’re welcome’

Now a days, words are almost meaningless –thrown around, shot, and suddenly harmless. People used to understand; only used those words when they meant them — now rendered careless. Careless in the part of which care is opposed, but later changed to a smaller meaning of not focused, unconsidered, care-‘less’. We should consider the true power of words, get to actually know them, those misunderstood bullets of kindness.

Come to The Book Nook, meet Joyce Zeller, get Maddie’s Choice and sample Mock Apple Pie!

The Book Nook, located in the Pine Mountain Village Shopping Center on Highway 62 in Eureka Springs, will host a book signing for author Joyce Zeller’s new romance, Maddie’s Choice. The signing will be from 4:00p.m. – 7:00p.m., Saturday, October 5.

The first thirty guests will have a chance to sample Mock Apple Pie, a dessert served at the barbecue pot-luck dinner in Maddie’s Choice.

The recipe, a creation of Ritz Crackers, dates back to 1934 and is unusual because it doesn’t contain apples. It is made with Ritz crackers and a lemon-flavored syrup. This year it celebrates its 79th anniversary and has become an American icon of home cooking.

Maddie’s Choice is set on a cattle ranch in Arkansas near the small town of Peachville, Pop. 500, which resembles Hindsville, Arkansas. It is a modern story about a New York romance writer with writer’s block who finds her muse in a disheartened cowboy, a war hero.

Mock Apple Pie came out of the depression era. In 1934 there was very little money for food and desperate cooks were looking for anything that might satisfy hungry families. The Ritz Cracker people came up with this and t became an instant success, and a favorite at pot luck suppers . . . an American icon right up there with Green Bean Casserole. I featured this in one of my latest blogs along with Desperation Cake, made of almost nothing. Other depression favorites were white bread and gravy, if you were lucky enough to have some left over from Sunday pot roast or, if you were “rich” that week, potato chips and gravy. In the South, biscuits and chocolate gravy and Poke Salit, which is not only nasty stuff, but can be poisonous if you use the wrong leaves.

The recipe is tricky. The secret is getting the syrup exactly right. My first two attempts failed when I simmered the syrup too long and ended up with a solid rock after the pie baked.

MOCK APPLE PIE

Pastry for a two crust 9 inch pie

36 Ritz Crackers, coarsely broken

1 3/4 cups water

2 cups sugar

2 teaspoons cream of tartar

2 tablespoons lemon juice

zest of one lemon

2 tablespoons margarine or butter

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2teaspoon vanilla

1. Place cracker crumbs in pie crust

2. Heat sugar, water and cream of tartar in saucepan to a rolling boil. Immediately lower heat to simmer. Simmer for 15 minutes. Syrup should just begin to reduce to about 2 1/2 cups.

3. Add lemon zest, juice, and vanilla. Cool until barely warm.

4. Pour syrup over crackers until just covering crumbs, probably no more than two cups. Dot with butter and sprinkle with cinnamon.

5. Roll out remaining pastry; place over pie, trim and seal edges.

6. Bake at 425 for maybe 30 minutes. Watch closely. You want light, golden, crisp crust.

This pie must cool completely, several hours, before cutting into ten servings. It is even better kept at room temperature overnight.

This is a sweet dessert. One serving has 413 calories and 63 g carbohydrates.

Enjoy,

Joyce

In the Blink of an Eye

by Elena Pantelakis

In the time it takes for a child to become an adult, to become a mature, independent thinker, how many advertisements is he or she exposed to? More importantly, how do the ads influence decision-making and self-image? Although child-rearing happens quickly, and parents strain to instill their morals in their children, seemingly simple advertisements easily shape and mold the core values, beliefs, and societal “norms” which children carry through adulthood.

Two advertisements in the September 2013 issue of Cosmopolitan display polar opposite products, even though they are both drinks. The clever choice of color, font, wording, objects, and models promises the target age groups fulfillment by drinking the beverage advertised. The first, selling “Pucker Watermelon Flavored Vodka,” features a red-capped, tall, thin, clear bottle against a black background. In the center of the page are huge, wet, red lips with the words “juicy” and “audacious tastes delicious” in front of them. The “e” in the brand name, “pucker” is shaped like a pair of lips. Deep shades of red and purple are used throughout to evoke a sense of mystery. Advertisers carefully chose these colors, shapes, and objects to appeal sexually to both men and women. Women feel the need, pushed further by American culture, to be skinny and flawless; this ad reflects and encourages that need. The wet, red lips are full, shapely, and smooth, and the bottle itself is slim and shiny. Studies have reported that women told to look at thin, tall vases or bottles tend to feel more confident than those shown short, wide containers (Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 2007), so it’s no surprise a sleek bottle was chosen for this product. Although consumers’ eyes are first caught by the lips, the lips represent a deeper problem that permeates advertising. The use of only lips and not the entire body of a woman indicates a societal issue in advertising today and the past: objectifying women. Often times, only parts of a woman are shown in order to catch a man’s attention. This tactic does work, yet it pressures women to take a second glance at every part of their bodies and contributes to a rise in domestic violence towards women when they are merely seen by men as tools for pleasure (Kilbourne 1987). This ad allows for further imagination and desire by men with word choice. For example, the name of the drink is “Pucker.” The words “juicy,” “audacious,” “tastes,” “delicious,” “wow,” and “boldly” all bring sexual acts to mind. The slogan “audacious tastes delicious” suggests that buying the vodka will produce rewards. The definition of the word “audacious” builds on this idea: “fearlessly, often recklessly bold; unrestrained by convention or propriety; spirited and original” (thefreedictionary.com). This word choice shows the reader a cause and effect scenario: if one is fearless (by drinking the beverage) they will reap “delicious” rewards (sex). It also challenges the reader and flatters the beverage: one has to be bold enough to buy something that tastes so good. The word “juicy” is not only sexual; it makes one thirsty and is used to describe watermelon, the flavor of the vodka. In this sense, the ad appeals to a necessity: having adequate food and staying hydrated. The use of lips in the ad was a smart move because lips have many functions, among them kissing and drinking. In addition to all of these elements, the black background alludes to night life, summarizing the product by saying that using this product will produce an exciting night. Adults, men and women, long for love and affection and are vulnerable during the age where marriage rates are high, which is the age this product targets as it is an alcoholic beverage. Advertisers know this, using sex and emotion to drive their campaigns.

The second ad, for Kool-Aid, is aimed towards children. This aim is clearly featured through bright colors, a clear-blue sky, whimsical fonts, smiling faces, and flowers. The Kool-Aid man himself is red, a color which invokes feelings of warmth and comfort; feelings which young children greatly desire. A clear sky to children means a “play” day; moods are lifted and activities transpire such as sports, exploring, and swimming. Also, one can tell it is a warm day because a girl in the corner is wearing short sleeves and the Kool-Aid man has condensation dripping from his body. A warm day allows for more outdoor events and reminds the viewer how refreshing Kool-Aid is. The youthful font flows with the picture and varies in size, as if written by a child, and emphasizes words which catch attention such as “cherry,” “hopes,” and “dreams.” The Kool-Aid man stands at the bottom center of the page, deciding on which flowers to purchase at a floral stand. The employee at the stand is a smiling gray-haired man who looks like a sort-of grandfather figure to a child. Another customer shops nearby, a teenage girl, reminding children of an older sibling, cousin, or babysitter. The use of these models tells children that adults they trust like Kool-Aid and they should too. One cannot help smiling when seeing the beautiful flowers, and the smile grows when reading the words above the stand: “I’m more than just a big jug of cherry goodness. I’m full of hopes, and dreams, and some pretty big ice cubes.” These words further personify the Kool-Aid man, stating his feelings, and saying that there’s more to him than meets the eye.  Everyone feels the way he does, hoping to be seen clearer on the inside than out. The words also add a touch of humor when the Kool-Aid man says that he’s “full of pretty big ice cubes”; this humor solidifies his credibility as a friend. He is also smiling and round, almost chubby as if he were a real person. The environment in which the Kool-Aid man has been placed not only suggests a good day when drinking the beverage, but it also compliments the taste; the Kool-Aid man is at a floral stand, one with fresh flowers and a sign that says “fresh produce”. If the Kool-Aid man himself only desires fresh products, advertisers are telling the viewer that Kool-Aid has a fresh and revitalizing taste, especially during the summer. This idea of “refreshing” conveys that one’s life will be improved by Kool-Aid. The latest fashion trends exhibited by the teenage girl, the smiling face of the employee, and the buildings in the background all tell the reader that everyday life can be exciting and refreshing by drinking Kool-Aid. In the bottom right-hand corner, as in the Vodka ad, is the brand name. It says “Smile, its Kool-Aid” as a parting reminder of what the product is as the reader turns to the next page, and further implicates that one will be happy when drinking the beverage. The last element, and most important, is the Kool-Aid man. By making their product into a “person,” advertisers can go as far to say that children love the product like a person. Although children will never meet the Kool-Aid man because he does not exist, they still have an instant bond with him, as they do with favorite characters on television. This phenomenon can be seen throughout advertising in America, especially with food; there’s almost always a company mascot that’s happy, kind, and loving. For example: Ronald McDonald, Chick-fil-A’s cow, and Chucky-Cheese’s mouse. The bottom line is that advertisers use children’s susceptibility to friendship and trust in order to sell products.

While the first ad appeals to men, objectifies women, and is mysterious, the second ad has a happy, colorful, personable, and playful atmosphere. Both persuade viewers to buy their products through clever use of colors, fonts, wording, objects, and models. Surprisingly, neither actually uses fruit to advertise their product; the first is watermelon flavored, the other cherry. However, both claim to be worth drinking: Pucker “tastes delicious” and Kool-Aid is “cherry goodness”. Both carry the same message though, that this culture, the culture of America, is one which begs for belonging– whether it is only for one night or a life-long friendship. These two ads target different age groups, but eventually the vodka ad could be used towards the child who first saw the Kool-Aid ad in his or her youth. The message of belonging persists across age groups, but is twisted to fit what advertisers believe is how Americans should act and feel at a certain age. In the blink of an eye, children grow up, but the advertising follows them, toying with the desires of each heart.

This review of ROSE BUSH by Stephen Doster made my day!

5.0 out of 5 stars A Must Read, September 20, 2013

By

Robbi Podgaysky – See all my reviews

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This review is from: Rose Bush (Kindle Edition)

I skimmed reviews of this book and saw all 5 stars. I thought no way can a book be this good. I was so wrong. Stephen Doster takes you into a small southern town in Georgia called Sprite. It starts with a chemical engineer, Dudley, moving to this small town as a contractor for a paper mill. He had lost his wife and needed to get away from where he lived. Stepping into this town there are places he will go and feel like he stepped back in time to before the Civil War. I don’t want to give the book away so I will just say he meets two men Charles and “Q” who will change his life and turn into great friends who have many adventures. In this book you will learn about paper mills, politics, religion, the south, love and forgiveness. It will make you laugh and cry. This is honestly one of the best books I’ve read. Give it a try, I promise you will love the experience!!!