This Song Speaks to Me of Unrequited Love

The Boring Puppy Diaries

If it’s true that diaries are supposed to be some interesting reading, then you may be disappointed with The Puppy Diaries by best-selling and award-winning author Jill Abramson.  I like dogs, I’ve had dogs as pets. But never did I think their daily life was worth filling an entire book. It was all I could do to get through to the end, so much of it was bogged down in the well-told but tedious detail that seemed to just be filling space between semi interesting events. Interestingly the narrator sounds a bit like a very bored Sigourney Weaver.

I could relate to the stress of having pets that are ill, not feeling well and pass from our lives. But what I could not relate to was the tone of the book. It could be a good read if you are totally immersed in dog culture, live breathe and pursue all things dog. I have never had a Golden Retriever (or a Westie for that matter) nor will I after listening to this tale, nor did I moon over those who breed them or who whisper to dogs.

 In her defense, Jill writes from personal perspective, having invested her heart and pocket book in her own pets. She has clearly done her homework and a great deal of research. This book might be considered a friendly sort of instruction manual. But for me, it sounds all too much like one long winded book report that was, at times, dull as the finish on a chalkboard. I will not recommend this book to anyone.


Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the Amazon Vine program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255

Escape into SLAMMER

When I got my copy of Slammer by Allan Guthrie, I couldn’t wait to begin reading it just before going off to bed one evening. I got comfy  and figured on reading one chapter to whet my appetite, then suddenly found myself on page 85 and up way past my bedtime.

Nick Glass is a new young prison guard that finds himself cooperating with the inmates in ways he never imagined. What it gives him in exchange for what it costs him will keep you guessing every step of the way. Slammer is a first class ticket to heart pounding entertainment.

The slight differences in language, due to Guthrie being a UK writer, were interesting and easily explained, so that the reader always felt connected to the action. His masterful ability to draw me into the world of Nick Glass captured my imagination so completely, that I could barely put the book down to get rest. Once I began it, I made time to keep reading until I found out what happened.  Although a bit gruesome in parts, he wasted no words in gratuitous descriptions.

Although Guthrie might be new to American readers, he has quite a few titles to his credit and I for one, intend to read more of them. If you like psychological thrillers, this is absolutely a must read.


Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the Amazon Vine program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255

Your Back Up Plan

You're out on the freeway in the middle of traffic that has barely crawled forward three feet in the last thirty minutes, you're running late as it and you want to call ahead. You go to make a call and discover your power sucking phone with all the cool touch features is as dead as an unplugged television set.

Now what are you going to do?

Or, you're stuck at an airport and discover there will be an unscheduled extension of your layover and your digital reader just flatlined. There isn't an electrical outlet available to recharge. What's your back up plan?

One possibility is the Aluratek Portable Battery Charger.

The charger comes with a cable and five universal charging tips, for Ipad/Ipad2 Apple iPhone 4, 4G 3Gs 3G (AT&T and Verizon), iPod Touch (1G 2G 3G 4G), Motorola Droid, HTC Android EVO, Blackberry, Kindle DX, Samsung EPIC, Samsung Galaxy Tablet, Samsung Galaxy S.
It also has an auto shut off feature, is light, portable and a high capacity Lithium Ion battery.

Also a plus: if your phone or sound device uses a USB cable to charge up, you can plug it into the Aluratek and it charges beautifully.The flat, compact design slips easily into a purse, pocket or backpack. While it does come with adapters, it does not come with any kind of case in which to hold them. It charged a completely dead cell phone and still had juice to spare.

Three blue LED lights let you get a read on how much power is left. I liked that this could be charged from a USB port, like say, your work computer, so you never have to be left power-less when you need it most. As the saying goes: don't leave home with out it.

Bodum 15 oz. Pavina Glasses

The Bodum 15 oz. Pavina glasses come in a box set of two.. The vibrant red silicone sleeve doesn't insulate what's in your glass, but gives a nice firm grip despite condensation. The shape of the glass fits pleasantly in the hand even when full. I'm not crazy about the silicone banding, because I like seeing what I'm drinking in a glass and this blocks quite a lot of the view. Because of the silicone sleeve, I can make hot drinks in it, like chai, and don't burn my hand. From an aesthetic point of view, also come in different colors and are lovely to look at.

Gourmantra Meals

I love Indian food, the flavors are as complex as a good Russian novel, but it’s proven time consuming to make from scratch. It was thrilling to find kits for making authentic Indian food in under an hour.

I made some Friday night--as a sort of relaxation therapy after a brutal week--while having a glass of wine. The directions were easy to read and follow (as long as someone isn’t using your belly button for a wine glass; I saw that in a movie once).

The kits contain everything I need and list the necessary additional ingredients After I tried the first box, I was glad I bought two kits. Now I want to hunt up that movie…

But, that got me all fired up about cooking this weekend too.

So, I will show you how to simultaneously make Southwestern, Asian and Mediterranean food beginning with…

To see more about cooking click here:  http://theradicalwrite.blogspot.com/2011/10/weekend-cook.html

The Clifton Chronicles: Only Time Will Tell.

Only Time Will Tell by Jeffrey Archer was difficult for me to get into. It took me a long time to feel a connection any of the characters but eventually warmed up to Harry Clifton and Old Jack. Although this was not a straight up historical novel, there were historically significant events. Being largely unfamiliar with England's rich history, though not some of its iconographic leadership, I found it insightful.
By disc two, the story became more interesting, (the whole novel is ten discs) and because I am used to faster paced novels, I found it was too easy for me to stop reading and forget that I was in the middle of this one.
I enjoyed the mix of characters and the stories of their lives. It added to the story that was read by male and female narrators who deepened character personalities with the use of various voices and inflections, and even the telling of the same events from different perspectives.
The closer I came to the conclusion, the more thrilling it became to see how it all turned out. The ending does not really conclude the story which easily leads into a series called the Clifton Chronicles (mentioned by the author in the interview on the last disc). If you enjoy well written stories about England, this would be right up your alley. I do not particularly favor them, but this one was extremely well done.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the Amazon Vine program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255

Can You Take the Heat?

When I closed my review about the Bold & Creamy Jalapeno Sauce from Taco Bell, I said that I thought they could really kick it up a notch. I didn’t know about Bold and Creamy Spicy Ranchero. The heat lingers just a  bit longer in the mouth than the Jalapeno and Chipotle sauces. It never becomes too intense or makes you regret putting a little extra on your tacos, or wraps. Rest assured, that if you run out they will just make more. So go ahead, be bold, put on a little extra. Your taste buds with thank you and your stomach won’t regret it.

This pale orange sauce is about the color of good Thousand Island Dressing. But trust me when I tell you, if you put this on someone’s salad by mistake, they are going to sit up and take notice. It’s the right combination of spicy and creamy and a bottle of this stuff doesn’t last long at my house. It goes on our breakfast wraps in the morning and I am always dreaming up new ways to use it. If you like spicy you definitely want to give this one a try. 

Heat Up Your Fall!

It’s no secret that I like spicy food. When I reviewed Taco Bell’s Home Originals Bold & Creamy Jalapeno Sauce a little while back, I noticed two little words on the label that really got me hopeful: Home Originals. Will there be more flavors in this line?
Yes! Bold and Creamy Chipotle sauce is even more flavorful. Chipotle peppers are fiery chili pepper made by smoking jalapeno peppers. The smokiness adds a depth that’s just hard to beat. If you like creamy hot sauces, you will love this on all those fall meals: tail gate parties, hot dogs, fries, rice and grilled veggies. It's zippy with out being overwhelming and tasty without being  tongue numbing. As always, it's great on all you Mexican food faves. I know this will be a stock item in my fridge.
click here to order

How Strong is Your Protection?

Being on the web without antivirus protection, is like a boy making love

to his girlfriend without contraception and hoping she doesn’t get pregnant.
There are a lots of programs to choose from, and if you’re like most people, you want a good value for your hard-earned money.

You also might want to use something that isn’t always reminding you it’s there, with annoying pop up windows, daily alerts and usage messages. All I really want is safe passage while I surf the web with out needless software distractions. Something that won’t bog down my computer, and doesn’t get in the way. But you also want a name that’s been tried and true, or at least has a good reputation. And I feel I found that value and reputation in Trend Micro Titanium. The 2012 version is just now hitting the shelves.
I first installed the program on a computer at work and it got conflicted with the primary program that we use there. It slowed the computer down and my boss requested that I remove it.

I was not dissuaded from using it on my personal net book at home. You may wonder how I got the disc to load on a net book without a CD driver. It’s easy. Go to their site, and start the download. When the window pops open asking you what version you are down loading, say paid and type in the key code on you disc. I had it installed and ready to run in under three minutes.
With the maximum-security protection, you can extend your protection to smart phones and tablets, including Android devices. It came with a disc for a Mac and a pc (I don’t have a Mac) with a Quick Start Guide and a 30-day money back guarantee.

I used my net book with out any hassles, and no more usage popup screens. It ran easily on my net book and didn’t slow anything up in the least. Although I’ve only been using a few weeks I utilize lots of wi-fi hotspots and will be putting this program through the paces. So far, I am happy with it and would recommend it to my friends for their net books and PC’s.

Mocktail Hour? It's Appletini Time!

I have been a fan of Crystal Light products for years. The mocktail line provides another tasty treat to delight your tastebuds.Everyone I shared it with thought it was delicious and made an impressive mocktail.
This vibrant green, pleasantly apple-flavored drink dissolves quickly and easily in water and can be ready to party in under five minutes. Once your friends try it you'll be lucky if a pitcher of it lasts that long.

Let This Pro Dryer Blow You Away

I was tired of my hairstyle and went to an expensive salon to get a new cut: Something fresh and hip. While the stylist cut, thinned and trimmed, she graciously explained to me how to get the most volume by using a blow dryer. A what? I gave up my hair styling practices when I moved to a climate that caused my hair to rebel. It lays on my head like 3 day old road kill.

Maybe, it was time to try again. That's when I saw Volume Boost, Infiniti Pro by Conair. I am not particularly patient, and with 1875 Watts of power, which for me, means quick-dry. Pro means without ruining it.

The handle was easy to grip and the dryer itself felt balanced in the hand. It seemed a little ungainly
At first, but with a little practice, it seemed pretty comfortable.

With in minutes, my hair is dry with enough body to keep me fantastic-looking through most of my workday. It's hot enough to dry thick or coarse hair, and gentle enough not to fry fine locks. The cold shot button took a few seconds to chill, but it worked. The dryer has two switches that control heat and airflow. It has something else: a removable filter. Which means that you can clean all that lint off the back of the unit and prevent premature burnout.
It comes with two attachments: one a volumizing pic with fingers and a shield for directed air flow to the roots where the hair must be dried (upside down is easiest) to give lift, and a concentrator for focused styling. I love it. It included an instruction and styling guide, and a four year warranty.

Little plusses: there's a soft plastic loop to hang the dryer, and a ground fault circuit interrupt plug with a reset button. The attachments lock in place and can be switched out or rotated with the pinch buttons on either side of the nozzle. It `s packed with good value and for the price, well made, sturdy and should last for many years to come.

Become a WORD HERO

Available on Amazon October 4th!  I originally had intended to keep this book on the down low, as my secret weapon. And after I and my words had become famous, gone viral or I was rolling in the deep, I would give a nod to Jay Heinrichs and his book WORD HERO and thank him for producing such a brilliant book that equipped me with an enormous advantage every time I sat down to write. Once I began reading it and studying the process, I knew I couldn’t keep it all to myself.
Jay breaks his guide into 5 parts: Word Apprentice, Word Novice, Word Artist, Word Wizard and Word Hero. Part one begins with relatively easy exercises, explanations and examples. Sound layers, word play and the invention of words. Inside you will find tons of tropes (and an explanation) stupendous similes and harmonic homonyms. From analogies to Yogisms, this book is a treasure trove of higher wisdom and esily learned tricks for those who love words.
 The lessons were thought provoking and refreshing. If you haven't been trained to think in this way, you might fine his exercises at the last part of each chapter fun, delivering unexpected results. With our writer’s retreat coming up. these chapters would be great writing prompts to jump start writing processes, or inspire on breaks.
I will be recommending WORD HERO to all my writing friends.


Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the Amazon Vine program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255

An Unlikely Trio

When I was a little kid, I used to secretly think my dad was a spy. He tromped off every morning with a silver lunch pail for a place called work. It didn’t take me long to realize, my dad was just a working Joe trying to earn a living and support his ever growing family. Ian Morgan Cron’s title grabbed me right away.

 There are some memoirs that read like school book reports and are as dull and as 25 year old house paint, and then there are refreshing, literary chronicles like Cron’s. Imagine if Lee Child wrote a memoir with the bold-faced honesty of Marr Carr. His unique metaphors will be stolen by writers for years to come. He writes about his infatuation with the rituals of the Catholic Church so vividly, I could smell the incense, see the stained glass and feel my knees hurting.
He writes about the anguish of enduring his father’s alcoholism with biting clarity that will sear your eyes. Ian’s brilliant account is both tragic and insightful. A must-read for anyone trying to walk the razor-thin edge of faith and fate.




Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the Amazon Vine program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255