Merry Wanderer of the Night [Search results for VICE] 

Maybe something else good came out of Sleeping Naked is Green, or maybe this is something I've been thinking about for awhile and the book just got me thinking about actually doing something about it. I read. A lot. And I buy a lot of books, which means my paper use is astronomical. I mean really, I look around my house and I see it everywhere. So how do I reconcile the fact that I use all of this paper but still consider myself a green activist?

One way to think about it is that everyone has their vice. Some people have gas guzzlers, some people buy a lot of coffee at Starbucks and use the paper cups instead of bringing their own, and some people buy a lot of imported foods. I just happen to be a reader, and if it wasn't this it would be something else. But that doesn't mean there aren't things I can do to make my vice, say, my hobby, a little nicer on the environment. I have some ideas on how I can do this, and maybe you have some ideas too (I'd love to hear them!).

Here are few things I'm asking myself to do.
1. Simply buy less books. Only buy books you know you will read, no matter how discounted they are, what deal is going on, or how popular a book is. Do your research before you buy, and keep a list of books you hear about. If you continually return to that book as something you want to read then go for it.
2. Buy books used whenever possible, and if the book is unavailable in a local used bookstore but you still want to buy it, order it from a company that has green shipping like Better World Books. Used books are just fantastic. They're usually cheaper, they're better for the environment because it's recycling, and used bookstores are just fun to browse. I've also found that almost anything that is a year old or more can be found on Better World Books, which is a great organization. They have eco-friendly shipping and they help fund global literacy!
3. Use that library card. For books I want to read once, or I'm not sure I want to buy, I need to start using the library. There are so many books I have that I shouldn't have bought. I just read them once, I'm never going to look at them again, I just wanted to read the story and now I'm done. Why did I not use the library?
4. Sell, give away, or donate books that I am no longer using. I might try to give away some of my books on here, and then whatever is left I'll try to sell and donate the remainders. I'm just sick of some of these books taking up space in my house, and even if I don't get anything out of them (monetarily) I would still love to have that extra space and now I'm not wasting the book.
5. Walk or bike to the bookstore and library. If I'm able to obtain the book in Iowa City than it's best to get there without a car. If I do go to the bookstore in the car, then I need to put it with my other car errands/work.

What are some of your ideas for greening your reading?

Copyright by Vice | Photography Sofia AjramBlog
VICESTYLE

VIA Vicestyle Editorial Necromancy

July 8-11

Those that know me are aware of my obsession with thriller and horror fiction. Thrillfest is like my dream come true; the opportunity, according to Jon Land, Vice President of Marketing for ITW, to "mix and mingle with some of the biggest names in the business." But, alas, since I took time off to attend BEA in May, I can't take off any additional work time without experiencing intense feelings of guilt.

One of the highlights of the event is the coveted ThrillerMaster Award, recognizing outstanding contribution to the thriller genre. This year’s winner is noted author David Morrell, widely considered the “father” of the contemporary action novel with his 1974 debut First Blood (which introduced the character of Rambo to the world). The award celebrates Morrell’s amazing career, spanning 37 years and 28 novels published in dozens of languages across the globe.

The prestigious Silver Bullet Award, recognizing outstanding achievement in the encouragement of literacy and the love of reading, will be presented to the #1 New York Times bestselling suspense novelist Brad Meltzer (The Book of Fate).

Additional bestselling spotlight guests that will attend are last year’s ThrillerMaster award recipient Sandra Brown as well as Robin Cook, Katherine Neville, and David Baldacci.

The four-day event includes numerous author signings, a complete bookstore on premises, a cocktail party and reception for readers, a roasting of Clive Cussler, and a breakfast featuring first-time authors. The highlight is the annual ThrillerFest Awards Banquet, which this year will take place at Cipriani, one of New York City’s most spectacular event venues.

Some of the biggest names in the genre will be holding court with interactive panel sessions, including Kathleen Antrim, Steve Berry, Peter Rubie, William Bernhardt, James Rollins, Barry Eisler, Andrew Gross, David Hewson, Jon Land, Eric Van Lustbader, Gayle Lynds, Steve Martini, Donald Maass, Joan Johnston and many more.

2009 Thriller Award Nominees:

Best Thriller of the Year

Hold Tight by Harlan Coben
The Bodies Left Behind by Jeffery DeaverT
The Broken Window by Jeffery Deaver
The Dark Tide by Andrew Gross
The Last Patriot by Brad Thor

Best First Novel

Calumet City by Charlie Newton
Child 44 by Tom Rob Smith
Criminal Paradise by Steven Thomas
Sacrifice by S. J. Bolton
The Killer's Wife by Bill Floyd

Best Short Story

Between the Dark and the Daylight by Tom Piccirilli (Ellery Queen Magazine)
Last Island South by John C. Boland (Ellery Queen Magazine)
The Edge of Seventeen by Alexandra Sokoloff (The Darker Mask)
The Point Guard by Jason Pinter (Killer Year Anthology)
Time of the Green by Ken Bruen (Killer Year Anthology)

So, if you are able to attend Thrillerfest, do so! I plan on attending next year. For more information, and to register, visit The International Thriller Writers Web Site.

The Montaigne Readalong is a year long project in which I try to read over 1,000 pages of Montaigne's essays. Every Monday I write about the essays I read for the week. You can share your thoughts or join the readalong if you'd like, just check the Montaigne Readalong schedule. You can read several of these essays for free on Google Books or subscribe to Montaigne's essays on Daily Lit.

Essays Read this Week:
1. On moderation
2. On the Cannibals

Favorite Quotations:
"True victory lies in your role in the conflict, not in coming through safely: it consists in the honour of battling bravely battling through." (On the Cannibals)

"I wish everyone would write only what he knows--not in this matter only but in all others. A man may well have detailed knowledge or experience of the nature of one particular river or stream, yet about all the others he knows only what everyone else does; but in order to trot out his little scrap of knowledge he will write a book on the whole physics! From this vice many inconveniences arise." (On the Cannibals)

General Thoughts:
On the Cannibals is frequently taught in nonfiction writing classes, or at least it is at Iowa, which is why it makes me think not so much about the essay itself as nonfiction writing. That last quote in my favorite quotations about writing what you know, I think that is my biggest takeaway from this essay. Montaigne is really interested in judgement and the the human tendency to think there is only one way to do something. Your way. Culture to culture we all do things a little differently and it's easy to think of the world only in your terms. I think part of what essays do is help the writer recognize the way he or she does something while still pushing their boundaries and looking at how others might do it.

So then how do you write about your experience in another culture and still acknowledge that you are not an expert on that culture? This seems to be a huge problem in travel writing. The best travel writing, I usually feel, is either completely inward or completely social. In the inward variety the author really doesn't experience much but rather writes about the displacement of being in another culture and ruminates on that. The more social kind involves the writer talking to people of that culture but acknowledging his or her outsider status and understanding.

I am struggling with this quote a little bit because it doesn't acknowledge the writer's ability to go seek out first hand knowledge from an expert. Maybe I'm struggling because I become annoyed by people who do very little research and try to pass themselves off as experts. Part of the reason I love John McPhee is he always acknowledges how stupid he is on a given topic, even if he knows more than the average person. This seems like an extremely important aspect of essay writing--no wonder I'm pulling it from Montaigne.

I am an Amazon Affiliate. If you make a purchase using one of my links I will earn a small percentage which will then go back into this blog.

Copyright by Vice | Photography Hayley Louisa Brown | Styling Mischa Notcutt | Hair Angela Hertel | Make-Up Ellie Gill | Photography Assistance Caitlin Warren | Models Lykke at M&P, Jone V. at FM | Special Thanks Rufus Day
VICESTYLE

VIA Get Over It

There are these things right now, the "Stop Online Piracy Act" (or SOPA) and the Protect-IP Act, that are getting a lot of attention. And chances are, that if you are spending much time online right now (Jan 18) you have run into at least one site that has been 'blacked out' in protest. (If you haven't, go to Google's homepage).

I thought about joining the black out, and the idea of it really appeals to me, because I am strongly, adamantly opposed to these two bills. But I'm not going for a black out, because, quite honestly, I'm pretty sure I would break my blog.

So, instead, I'm going to give you a quick run down of why I think these two bills are so detrimental and then I'm going to direct you to how and where you can actually make a difference.

FIRST: What are they?

Essentially, the purpose of these two bills is to stop the blatant copyright violations we see online. The goalis that it can be used to restrict the ability of sites to steal copyrighted information and content (movies, music, books, television shows, etc). And honestly, I think that is all fine and good. We have copyright laws for a reason and if you hold that copyright, you should legally be allowed to protect it.

However. The wording of these bills is far too vague to be effective in the way the bill intends. People who support this bill claim that it will only be used in extreme cases to protect blatant and flagrant violations of copyright. But by now, I think everyone is fully aware that when a law gives you a little bit of wiggle room, you wiggle and jiggle and finagle until you've taken advantage of every bit you possibly can.

So. To protect media copyrights, this bill will grant corporations the ability to have a US website shut down if it violates the copyright laws, or it will force US ad agencies and money/payment services (like Paypal) to remove all advertisements or connection to these sites.

To get a website restricted/blackballed/turned off (whatever you want to call it) all the copyright holder needs to do is get a court order. And to get a court order... Do you know what you need? A judge. ONE judge who agrees with you and is willing to sign off. There is no due process, no opportunity for you to make a case for yourself, nothing. If a copyright holder who feels they have been violated can convince a judge that this website has wronged them, it's over. And that's it.

This is not the best analysis of SOPA out there. There are many more, some who have more information, and some who, I'm sure, present it in a much clearer manner.

But what I AM going to do is provide you with a way to make a difference.

SOPA is the bill being voted on in the House of Representatives.
Protect-IP is the version being debated in the Senate.

I did an internship in the office of my Senator and here are some things I can tell you, so that when you call in to voice your concerns, they actually pay attention-

Do NOT call the Senate and complain about SOPA. It's a House of Representatives Bill, so the Senate hasn't 'seen' SOPA yet, and they won't 'see' it unless the House votes on it and it passes. Calling your Senator to tell them to VOTE NO doesn't do anyone any good, because they won't be voting on it at all. So, when you call your Senator, talk about the Protect-IP act instead. (and vice versa for the House).

Another thing — If you are from Minnesota, don't call a California Senator's office and expect them to care. It doesn't make a difference. Most offices will politely listen to what you have to say, get you off the phone quickly and then disregard your concerns. It sounds harsh, I know, but honestly — a Congressman's responsibility is to their own Constituents. So call YOUR state Senators and House members.

Also — When you call the House of Representatives, know which District you are calling from. House members are state representatives, but their primary focus is to their own district. It is a way to be sure that all areas of the state are equally represented. So a call to the House member from your District will bear more weight.

Don't know who or how to contact them? The following website is GOLDEN. It lists every single member of the Senate and House of Representatives, sorted by state and includes an email address as well as a link to their website. GO HERE:
GIANT List of Congressional awesome

OR you can call this number — 202-224-3121. This is the number for the Senate Switchboard operator. Ask for the Senator from your state & they will transfer you to the correct office. AND many of the staffers you speak to will be willing to transfer your calls 'in house' as well. So, call one Senator, who will transfer you to the office of the other Senator, who will transfer you to the House member from your district.

I'd love to have you come back and comment after, letting me know if it was successful, who you talked to, why you are against (or for) SOPA/Protect-IP.

It's something that will drastically effect almost everyone and can seriously change the sharing of information in the future, and it's something I think everyone should care about.

So go out, research & contact your Congressman. This is why we elect them, so that they can represent the interests of their constituency. So speak out!

Hey everyone! Help me welcome Maureen McGowan today! She's the author of the Twisted Fairy Tale series, which so far includes Cinderella, Ninja Warrior (read my review here!) and Sleeping Beauty, Vampire Slayer (read Misty of The Book Rat's review here) . She also participated a little during Fairy Tale Fortnight (you can read that here) and it's great to have her back!

Hi Ashley and thank you so much for inviting me to guest post on your blog.

While I’ve always loved the romantic aspects of traditional fairy tales, I wanted to write stories in which the heroines were strong and capable—not waiting around for a prince to save them.

One of my aims in writing Cinderella: Ninja Warrior and Sleeping Beauty: Vampire Slayer was to “fix” some of the story elements that bothered me in the traditional versions of these classic tales. Both of my stories include the tried and true fairy tale themes of finding true love and good triumphing over evil, but there are twists, too.

The traditional Cinderella character was too much of a victim for my taste, and I never liked the idea that the prince needed a shoe to recognize her the day after supposedly falling in love. Plus, he falls in love at first sight—presumably because of her beauty— but then doesn’t recognize her the next day when she’s out of her fancy dress? What kind of message does any of that send to modern young readers about love or self-worth?

Sleeping Beauty: Vampire Slayer probably has fewer similarities to the traditional tale. (There were no vampires in the original? An oversight, I’m sure.) When I first started the book, I thought it was about prejudice—humans’ misconceptions about vampires and vice versa. But as soon as I started writing, it became more of a child of divorce story. Sleeping Beauty has to learn that her parents’ and kingdom’s problems aren’t her fault— even if she’s cursed. This theme popped out at me as soon as I started thinking about how parents might react if they knew their daughter carried a curse. And what it would feel like to grow up with this huge weight hanging over you.

But, although I think the stories do have positive messages for girls and an overall theme of empowerment, they are by no means “issue books”. They’re meant to be fun, fast — paced, exciting and most of all—entertaining.

When I began to explore adding reader interaction to updated fairy tales, I had no idea how to pull it off, but I knew what I didn’t want to do: I didn’t want to include “wrong” paths or unhappy endings. (Even thought I know this has disappointed a few readers.)

Fairy tales by their nature promise happy endings—and pretty specific happy endings in some cases—so, I decided that each book in the series should have a single ending. As I started to write, I did look at a few choose-your-own-adventure stories, hoping for hints or clues as to how to structure my books, but I didn’t like the “bad choice—you die!” aspects of some of those “old school” stories.

The way I see things, each day we face choices, and the alternatives aren’t necessarily right or wrong—just different. Smart heroines (and smart readers) will make smart choices, so I wanted to present reasonable alternatives at each decision point without making it obvious which choice was better. Also, a capable heroine—even if she makes a mistake—should be able to face whatever challenges her chosen path places in her way.

When I decided on the structure, I didn’t realize what a difficult path I was laying out for myself! My choice created challenges for me—almost as tough as those facing Cinderella in her magic competition, or Lucette when she’s the only one awake and facing vampires in the night.

There were times while writing these books when my head was spinning so badly I didn't know which end was up!

But ultimately, I had as much fun writing them as I hope readers will have reading them.

Now several companies are responding to demand from brides-to-be, keen to channel 27-year-old Pippa's look for their own big day.
Meeting demand: Dan Rentillo, design director at David's Bridal, will be ordering as many copies of Pippa's dress as he will of Catherine's
Design director Dan Rentillo told the New York Times: 'There was really no anticipation about Pippa’s dress. I can’t think of one where there was such a fuss over the bridesmaid’s dress.'
Andrew Hops, vice president for JS Collections, added: 'She wore it so well, so we said, "We’ll do that dress right away."'
Unexpected trend: Mr Rentillo said that he couldn't think of a time when so much fuss was made over the bridesmaid's dress
Sketch in time: All three companies already have samples made up, and expect to get dresses on sale within six to eight weeks
source: dailymail

VIA Forget Kate! The dressmakers working overtime on copycat gowns for brides-to-be...

Author Bio:

A native New Yorker, RITA-winning author Annie Solomon has been dreaming up stories since she was ten. After a twelve-year career in advertising, where she rose to Vice President and Head Writer at a mid-size agency, she abandoned the air conditioners, furnaces and heat pumps of her professional life for her first love—romance. An avid knitter, she now lives in Nashville with her husband and daughter.

Edie Swan has returned to her small hometown of Redbud, dead set on revenge. When she was a child, her father committed suicide after being involved in scandal and soon after her mother had a breakdown. Her possessions consist of her motorcycle, a few pieces of clothing, and a list of names. The individuals on the list were the last people her father spoke to before killing himself. She wants to scare these men into turning themselves in, admitting their deceipt. So, she sends them small, plastic black angels. A black angel decorates her father's grave and Edie is certain the small trinkets will send a message the guilty will not misinterpret.

But then the recipients of the black angels start dying, one by one. Redbud's Sheriff Holt Drennan is certain Edie is involved somehow. When he and Edie become romantically involved, Holt is torn between protecting his town or protecting the life of the woman he has grown to love.

ONE DEADLY SIN is an amazing character-driven romantic thriller. The romantic aspect isn't overwhelming, which is one of the many reasons I enjoyed this book. While there are a few steamy moments, the suspense can hold it's own. I can typically figure out most "whodunits" but ONE DEADLY SIN kept me guessing, literally, to the very end.

Giveaway:

Thanks to Anna at Hachette Book Group, I have five copies to give away!

To enter, please comment on this post. You MUST include your email address in your comment. If no email address is included, the entry will automatically be disqualified.

For additional entries, blog and/or tweet about it. Be sure to include a link to your blog entry and tweet in your comment.

US & Canadian residents only. No P.O. Boxes, please. Books will be shipped directly from the publisher.

Contest ends Friday, May 22nd. Good luck!