tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-90204804487437005642012-01-30T17:20:35.663-08:00"random musings of an expert dabbler" by librarian and romance author, Linda McLaughlinLinda McLaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15291670592316021851noreply@blogger.comBlogger2191100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9020480448743700564.post-24604663336296632932012-01-04T06:27:00.000-08:002012-01-04T08:47:33.806-08:00

When I heard about this book, I checked the local library website and saw that they had ordered it, and wonder of wonders, there was no reserve list yet, so I got my name in quickly. It arrived in mid-December and I checked it out to read over the holidays. John Fitzgerald Kennedy was one of the towering figures of my childhood, and like everyone who was alive in the early 1960's, I have vivid

Linda McLaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15291670592316021851noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9020480448743700564.post-21193228963364772872011-12-07T06:14:00.000-08:002011-12-07T06:14:01.203-08:00

BEWITCHING SEASON by Marissa Doyle Young Adult fantasy / romance Henry Holt Books for Young Readers Bewitching Season is the first in the "Leland Sisters" series, though there are only two girls, so I don't know how many books are planned. The setting is England in 1837, right before Victoria came to the throne, and it revolves around the London social season. The twist here is that the sisters

Linda McLaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15291670592316021851noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9020480448743700564.post-1464942825589384292011-11-02T06:10:00.000-07:002011-12-06T09:30:37.867-08:00

20,000 Leagues Under The Sea by Jules Verne Master Edition prepared by Kent David Kelly Wonderland Imprints, 2011 Jules Verne was one of the fathers of science fiction and a main inspiration for the steampunk genre, so I picked one of his books for the subject Classics. I looked at amazon.com and found a recommendation to this illustrated edition which I read on my Kindle. The story of

Linda McLaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15291670592316021851noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9020480448743700564.post-8818071844456205732011-10-05T04:58:00.000-07:002011-10-05T04:58:00.168-07:00

A First-Rate Madness: Uncovering the Links Between Leadership and Mental Illness by Nassir Ghaemi Penguin Press, 2011 I saw the author interviewed on The Daily Show and had to buy this book. It's political/historical psychology, but also collected biography because he has thumbnail sketches of a number of famous world leaders. The emphasis is on their mental state and degree of mental illness

Linda McLaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15291670592316021851noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9020480448743700564.post-81002057033712815102011-09-07T08:05:00.000-07:002011-09-07T08:05:01.021-07:00

THE COFFEE TRADER by David Liss, Ballantine 2004 Amsterdam, 1659: On the world’s first commodities exchange, fortunes are won and lost in an instant. Miguel Lienzo, a sharp-witted trader in the city’s close-knit community of Portuguese Jews, knows this only too well. Once among the city’s most envied merchants, Miguel has suddenly lost everything. Now, impoverished and humiliated, living in

Linda McLaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15291670592316021851noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9020480448743700564.post-68998802874344024312011-09-06T09:34:00.000-07:002011-09-06T09:34:22.114-07:00

Deception was released on August 21 from Amber Allure, the GLBT imprint for Amber Quill Press. Genres: Gay / Historical / The Arts / Series Heat Level: 3 Length: Novella (20k words) ISBN-13: 978-1-61124-163-1 (Electronic) Description: London 1895, where men who love other men flaunt convention and risk imprisonment for "the love that dare not speak its name." Until Oscar Wilde goes on trial

Linda McLaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15291670592316021851noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9020480448743700564.post-89024686388385666012011-08-03T02:23:00.000-07:002011-08-03T02:23:00.554-07:00

DARK FIRE by C. J. Sansom Historical Mystery The second Matthew Shardlake Mystery finds the hunchbacked lawyer once again working for Henry VIII's chancellor, Lord Cromwell. This time Matthew is on a search for a supply of Greek Fire unearthed in the demolition of a London monastery. But before he can get close, people involved start dying and Matthew himself is targeted. Cromwell sends him a

Linda McLaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15291670592316021851noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9020480448743700564.post-3428449341773617522011-07-06T06:10:00.000-07:002011-07-06T06:10:00.533-07:00

THE LADY JULIA GREY BUNDLE by Deanna Raybourn SILENT IN THE GRAVE, SILENT IN THE SANCTUARY and SILENT ON THE MOOR, Mira. To say that I met Nicholas Brisbane over my husband's dead body is not entirely accurate. Edward, it should be noted, was still twitching upon the floor. In SILENT IN THE GRAVE, Lady Julia Grey literally meets Brisbane over her husband's dying body. Brisbane informs Julia her

Linda McLaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15291670592316021851noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9020480448743700564.post-23249747777700116802011-06-01T01:41:00.000-07:002011-06-01T09:27:03.205-07:00

A FIERCE RADIANCE by Lauren Belfer HarperCollins 2010 Shortly after Pear Harbor, divorcee Claire Shipley, a staff photographer for Life Magazine, is sent to the Rockefeller Institute to document trials of an experimental drug called penicillin. There she meets attractive doctor Jamie Stanton and his sister, Lucretia, a researcher. Romance blooms between Claire and Jamie, but the war frequently

Linda McLaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15291670592316021851noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9020480448743700564.post-64611861282717781472011-05-28T13:15:00.000-07:002011-05-28T13:15:22.776-07:00

Last fall I finally decided to do something about my excess weight, mostly to try to lower my cholesterol. I'd put this off for a long time because I couldn't decide how to go about losing weight. I asked myself, which diet did I want to follow? The answer was none. I've dieted before, and lost weight, but I always gained it all back and then some. I finally decided that the best method would be

Linda McLaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15291670592316021851noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9020480448743700564.post-24445345077750680082011-05-04T06:23:00.000-07:002011-05-04T11:22:47.937-07:00

GOD IS NOT ONE: THE EIGHT RIVAL RELIGIONS THAT RUN THE WORLD--AND WHY THEIR DIFFERENCES MATTER by Stephen Prothero, Harper Collins 2010Prothero, a professor of comparative religion at Boston University, wrote this book to refute the meme that at their heart all religions are the same at the core. He rightly points out that no one thinks difference political or economic systems are the same, i.e.

Linda McLaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15291670592316021851noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9020480448743700564.post-73954484745310197082011-05-03T10:06:00.000-07:002011-05-03T11:39:37.420-07:00

For an interesting overview of the development of literature based on technological advances, check out this blog post:10 Technologies That Changed Literature ForeverLinda

Linda McLaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15291670592316021851noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9020480448743700564.post-41417105024739073252011-03-02T07:00:00.000-08:002011-03-02T07:00:17.800-08:00

SECRET SANCTION by Brian Haig, Warner, 2001Major Sean Drummond, a JAG lawyer, is enlisted to investigate a possible atrocity committed by American special forces during the Kosovo action. Drummond and two other JAG lawyers fly to Kosovo where they find a cover-up within a cover-up. Ultimately, he has to decide whether the truth outweighs the greater good. I enjoyed the book. Haig's first person

Linda McLaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15291670592316021851noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9020480448743700564.post-81832815688527476752011-02-02T04:59:00.000-08:002011-02-02T09:20:31.717-08:00

Dissolution by C. J. SansomPenguin, 2003Published in 2003, this is the first in Sansom's Matthew Shardlake mystery series, set in Tudor England during the Reformation period. The title refers to Henry VIII's dissolution of the Catholic nunneries and monasteries. It is Sansom's first published novel. It was nominated for two of the Crime Writers' Association Dagger awards in 2003.Matthew Shardlake

Linda McLaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15291670592316021851noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9020480448743700564.post-76040490224181280842011-01-05T01:14:00.000-08:002011-01-05T01:14:00.088-08:00

Warrior by Zoe ArcherZebra, 2010Blurb:The vicious attack Capt. Gabriel Huntley witnesses in a dark alley sparks a chain of events that will take him to the ends of the Earth and beyond - where what is real and what is imagined become terribly confused. And frankly, Huntley couldn't be more pleased. Intrigue, danger, and a beautiful woman in distress - just what he needs.Raised thousands of miles

Linda McLaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15291670592316021851noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9020480448743700564.post-52211332907008032102010-12-01T08:15:00.000-08:002010-12-01T08:18:11.794-08:00

I had fully intended to review Zoe Archer's Warrior this month, but circumstances conspired against it. Most of yesterday was spent at the Nissan dealer buying a new 2011 Altima Hybrid. :D My apologies to all my Book Review Club friends. My review of Warrior will appear in January. For this month's reviews, click on the graphic below.Happy Holidays!LindaClick icon for morebook review blogs@Barrie

Linda McLaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15291670592316021851noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9020480448743700564.post-72093874302111844862010-11-16T13:09:00.000-08:002010-11-16T13:11:03.830-08:00

I wrote a fairly long post on steampunk for A Slice of Orange. Check it out if you get a chance.Linda

Linda McLaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15291670592316021851noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9020480448743700564.post-3801850389739143242010-11-03T03:00:00.000-07:002010-11-03T03:00:06.492-07:00

HIS MAJESTY'S DRAGONby Naomi NovikThis fascinating book is a combination of fantasy, alternative history (set during the Regency) and military adventure which I just learned from the Steampunk Timeline is called Flintlock Fantasy. The hero, Will Laurence, is a naval captain would finds an unhatched dragon egg in a French ship he captures. When the dragon hatches, Will is the only he'll let put a

Linda McLaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15291670592316021851noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9020480448743700564.post-30494355526097604762010-10-06T01:31:00.000-07:002010-10-06T01:31:00.272-07:00

This year, for Banned Books week, I read a controversial children's picture book.And Tango Makes Threeby Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell, illus. by Henry ColeNY: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, c. 2005Summary: At New York City's Central Park Zoo, two male penguins fall in love and start a family by taking turns sitting on an abandoned egg until it hatches.This is a very sweet book

Linda McLaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15291670592316021851noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9020480448743700564.post-10228437892352811052010-09-16T13:52:00.000-07:002010-09-16T13:55:16.225-07:00

I'm blogging today at A Slice of Orange on the ALA's upcoming Banned Books Week. I haven't read my challenged children's books yet, but hope to post a review once I do. Linda

Linda McLaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15291670592316021851noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9020480448743700564.post-479467443750298162010-09-01T05:43:00.000-07:002010-09-01T05:43:00.127-07:00

The Fourth Turning: An American Prophecyby William Strauss and Neil HoweNew York: Broadway Books, 1997Almost twenty years ago I read Strauss and Howe's first book Generations: The History of America's Future which tells the story of America through the cycles of generations. In that book they identified a repeating cycle of four different generational archetypes they called Prophet, Nomad, Hero

Linda McLaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15291670592316021851noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9020480448743700564.post-19803979788246767122010-08-16T13:04:00.000-07:002010-08-16T13:06:47.605-07:00

Today I'm blogging at A Slice of Orange on choosing an e-book reader. Drop by and leave a comment if you have a chance.Linda

Linda McLaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15291670592316021851noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9020480448743700564.post-33568558462880134422010-08-04T01:34:00.000-07:002010-08-04T01:34:00.556-07:00

LESSONS IN FRENCH by Laura Kinsale Regency romance, Source Books, 2010Laura Kinsale has long been one of my favorite romance authors, so I was thrilled to see she had a new book out earlier this year. I bought the Kindle version right away. I was a little surprised to see that it was lighter fare than the books I'd loved in the past, full of angst and flawed characters. But I found Lessons In

Linda McLaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15291670592316021851noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9020480448743700564.post-50070723587354412372010-07-22T01:50:00.000-07:002010-07-22T13:25:22.155-07:00

I'm blogging today at LL-Publications blog, my semi-monthly Ask-the-Librarian post. This month it's on Los Angeles Public Library, my first in a Famous Libraries series. Pop on over if you have time.Linda

Linda McLaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15291670592316021851noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9020480448743700564.post-86107308892703576002010-07-07T01:23:00.000-07:002010-07-07T01:23:00.948-07:00

SOUL SURVIVOR: THE REINCARNATION OF A WORLD WAR II FIGHTER PILOTby Bruce and Andrea Leininger, with Ken GrossGrand Central Publishing, 2009This is the story of a little boy with verifiable past life memories, and it's mindboggling. James Leininger started having intense, screaming nightmares when he was two years old. His parents, Bruce & Andrea, didn't know what to do to make the nightmares stop

Linda McLaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15291670592316021851noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9020480448743700564.post-82897048504190202982010-06-02T03:57:00.000-07:002010-06-02T03:57:00.305-07:00

Kushiel's Mercyby Jacqueline CareyAdult FantasyThis is the last of Carey's Kushiel's Legacy series and the third book narrated by Imriel de la Courcel. A prince of the blood of Terre d'Ange and son of the traitoress Melisande Shahrizai, Imriel made his debut in the series in Kushiel's Avatar, book 3 in the series. In books 4 & 5 (Kushiel's Scion & Kushiel's Justice), he fell in love with his

Linda McLaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15291670592316021851noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9020480448743700564.post-21335304822155904782010-05-05T06:41:00.000-07:002010-05-05T06:41:01.223-07:00

Duality By Renee WildesGuardians of the Light, Book 1Published by: Samhain Publishing, Ltd.Dara Khan Androcles is a human healer, or so she thinks, until a demon invades her world and her foster father is killed in battle. The last thing he asks her to do is to save a wounded warrior who came to his aid. Dara doesn't realize that her abilities come from her natural mother's dragon heritage.

Linda McLaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15291670592316021851noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9020480448743700564.post-30588737082783418152010-05-04T15:35:00.000-07:002010-05-04T15:39:10.081-07:00

I'm offering my annual Erotica Stay-At-Home Conference Bag giveaway featuring trade paperbacks, assorted promo items and candy. Go to my website for details on how to win:http://www.lyndilamont.comLinda aka Lyndi Lamont

Linda McLaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15291670592316021851noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9020480448743700564.post-71158425029981528382010-04-16T08:09:00.000-07:002010-04-16T08:09:00.290-07:00

Today I'm blogging at my RWA Chapter's blog A Slice of Orange on the subject of the Aries New Moon. I haven't done any astrology posts in a long time, so this was kind of fun.At my Lyndi Lamont blog, I'm still periodically posting about my Tarot card picks, though the card of the day has pretty quickly turned into the card of the week, if I'm lucky. Yesterday I posted about the Magician card, a

Linda McLaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15291670592316021851noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9020480448743700564.post-32482820611293727052010-04-07T05:14:00.000-07:002010-04-07T05:14:00.922-07:00

Self published in 1903, this sweeping historical novel is the story of Grey's ancestors and their role in the siege of Fort Henry (now Wheeling, West Virginia), the last battle of the American Revolution. Betty was the youngest of the Zanes and the only girl. She played a decisive role in the outcome of the siege when she ran from the blockhouse to her brother's cabin and back with much-needed

Linda McLaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15291670592316021851noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9020480448743700564.post-68862388163824053362010-02-03T02:28:00.000-08:002010-02-03T02:28:00.880-08:00

THE SHAKESPEARE STEALERby Gary BlackwoodMiddle Grade FictionSummary: A young orphan boy is ordered by his master to infiltrate Shakespeare's acting troupe in order to steal the script of "Hamlet," but he discovers instead the meaning of friendship and loyalty.This is the first book in a trilogy about Widge, an orphan boy from Yorkshire who was apprenticed at the age of seven. His first master, a

Linda McLaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15291670592316021851noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9020480448743700564.post-17396397957797926082010-01-29T17:36:00.001-08:002010-01-29T17:37:49.686-08:00

I just discovered that Blogger had put some legitimate anonymous comments in with the spam in my dashboard, so my apologies to all whose comments didn't appear until now. Now I'll know to check it regularly. Linda

Linda McLaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15291670592316021851noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9020480448743700564.post-7960597131395497412010-01-27T13:03:00.000-08:002010-01-28T12:51:51.066-08:00

I'm still drawing a tarot card per day, well, most days at Lyndi's Love Notes. Today's card is from the Hanson-Roberts mini deck. As I noted in my other post, this is a very handy tool for traveling as it's small enough to fit in purse or briefcase. Click on the above link to read the entire blog post.Linda

Linda McLaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15291670592316021851noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9020480448743700564.post-28873582032210138782010-01-21T14:40:00.000-08:002010-01-21T14:44:55.368-08:00

I decided to try drawing a tarot card each day, partly to familiarize myself with my tarot decks and partly to spark my creativity. I'll be posting them at Lyndi's Love Notes which gives the added benefit of keeping my website updated on a regular basis. I won't promise to do this every day, but I'm going to do my best. The first card was the lovely Art Nouveau Two of Wands. Linda / Lyndi

Linda McLaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15291670592316021851noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9020480448743700564.post-63902083797310616262010-01-06T01:23:00.000-08:002010-01-06T01:23:00.236-08:00

I've been a bit blocked lately, so when I did my annual holiday order from Amazon, I added a copy of Kenner's Tarot For Writers for myself along with the Quantum Tarot Deck. Kenner's book is divided into three sections: Tarot 101, The Writer's Tarot, and A Writer's Guide to Tarot Cards. Section One covers the basics, including classic card layouts. The second section provides suggestions for

Linda McLaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15291670592316021851noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9020480448743700564.post-88789722685191536982009-12-16T11:02:00.000-08:002009-12-16T11:04:52.429-08:00

I'm blogging to day at A Slice of Orange on recent updates in the digital world, including the new B&N Nook ebook reader.Also, my alter ego, Lyndi Lamont, is featured this month at TRS Rainbow Studio for GLBT books. Linda

Linda McLaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15291670592316021851noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9020480448743700564.post-79045298948987613462009-12-02T02:55:00.000-08:002009-12-02T02:55:00.348-08:00

I wasn't sure if I was going to buy Dan Brown's latest in hardcover until I discovered that it was about the Freemasons, a subject of lifelong interest. My grandfather was a Mason, my grandmother was a member of Eastern Star, and I joined Job's Daughters as a teen, so you could say it's in the blood. From the product description:As the story opens, Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon is summoned

Linda McLaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15291670592316021851noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9020480448743700564.post-53778077566657424022009-11-04T04:15:00.000-08:002009-11-04T04:15:00.506-08:00

Barrie Summy's book review club review is about the only regular blogging I'm doing these days, so I'm glad for her monthly reminders. This month's review is of BABY BE-BOP by Francesca Lia Block, a Young Adult novel. This summer I heard that a group wanted the book banned from a public library for its gay theme, so I thought I'd see what the fuss was about. Baby Be-bop is a story of a teenage

Linda McLaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15291670592316021851noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9020480448743700564.post-35513000451092790932009-10-16T09:01:00.000-07:002009-10-16T09:16:54.397-07:00

This has been a difficult month for me. I've come down with a nasty head cold, and a few weeks ago my Toshiba laptop was hit by a trojan virus. The good news is that I have built-in tech support (my DH), so fixing it didn't cost much. It took a lot of time though. We finally had to perform shock therapy on poor Toshi. By that I mean, digging the recovery disk out of the manufacturer's box and

Linda McLaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15291670592316021851noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9020480448743700564.post-31307298508562225582009-10-07T01:13:00.000-07:002009-10-07T01:13:00.306-07:00

LIPSTICK JIHAD: A MEMOIR OF GROWING UP IRANIAN IN AMERICA AND AMERICAN IN IRANby Azadeh MoaveniFrom the publisher's description:Azadeh Moaveni was born in Palo Alto, California, into the lap of an Iranian diaspora community longing for an Iran many thousands of miles away. As far back as she can remember she felt at odds with her tangled identity. College magnified the clash between Iran and

Linda McLaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15291670592316021851noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9020480448743700564.post-42261136296043902502009-09-16T03:51:00.000-07:002009-09-16T03:51:00.255-07:00

I'm blogging today at A Slice of Orange about the forthcoming ASUS dual screen e-book reader. Would a dual screen e-book reader tempt you? It sounds intriguing to me.Linda

Linda McLaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15291670592316021851noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9020480448743700564.post-61333733194460940542009-08-16T06:13:00.000-07:002009-08-16T06:13:00.449-07:00

Today's post at Slice of Orange is about defining erotic romance. Feel free to seigh in with your definition.Linda

Linda McLaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15291670592316021851noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9020480448743700564.post-718823053008605462009-08-08T19:10:00.000-07:002009-08-08T19:15:46.261-07:00

I usually try to avoid politics here, but I saw this at Crooks and Liars and couldn't resist posting it. The video was video originally posted in 2006 by ConsumerWatchdog.org, the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consure Rights, and is still right on. Linda

Linda McLaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15291670592316021851noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9020480448743700564.post-88998847107360060802009-08-05T01:12:00.000-07:002009-08-05T01:12:00.320-07:00

Warprize by Elizabeth VaughanShe must choose between her people and her freedom.Xylara is a princess of Xy, but is also a Healer. Xy, which is currently ruled by her half-brother, is under attach by the Firelanders led by a man known only as the Warlord. Lara is determined to heal anyone who needs her help, including the Firelander prisoners, and as a princess, she's the only one who can get away

Linda McLaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15291670592316021851noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9020480448743700564.post-57040245363722729972009-07-17T03:02:00.000-07:002009-07-17T03:02:00.307-07:00

There's nothing like ice cream on a hot day and today is a hot one. While I like ice cream pretty much any way I can get it, I'm OK with being an ice cream sandwich. It's one of my all time favorites, along with Eskimo Pies and hot fudge sundaes. You Are an Ice Cream SandwichYou are well grounded, reliable, and very balanced.You love to work hard, but you also know how to take it easy.People

Linda McLaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15291670592316021851noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9020480448743700564.post-45494983373189817222009-07-07T10:34:00.001-07:002009-07-07T10:39:53.215-07:00

Hi All,My alter ego, Lyndi Lamont, is in the Author Spotlight this week at Author Island, including their website and blog: http://authorislandauthornews.blogspot.com/. Drop by and leave a comment on one of my blog posts to be entered for a chance to win a download of the your choice. There's also a great interview with Trace Zaber, Editorial and Creative Director of Amber Quill Press, at

Linda McLaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15291670592316021851noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9020480448743700564.post-64668050354783016662009-07-01T01:59:00.000-07:002009-07-01T01:59:00.522-07:00

When I started reading Marjane Satrapi's memoirs back in mid-May, I had no idea how timely they would turn out to be. These graphic novels tell the story of her childhood and young adulthood in Tehran under the Islamic Revolution and provide some background for the current political events going on in Iran. PERSEPOLIS: THE STORY OF A CHILDHOOD covers her life from age 10 when the Shah was

Linda McLaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15291670592316021851noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9020480448743700564.post-7740590425996644062009-06-16T01:50:00.000-07:002009-06-16T01:50:01.356-07:00

I've been following the protests in Iran over the recent election with particular interest since I recently read Marjane' Satrapi's memoirs of her childhood and young adulthood in Iran under the Islamic Revolution. Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood, a highly-acclaimed graphic novel, covers her life from age 10 when the Shah was overthrown until age 14 when she was sent to Vienna. She followed

Linda McLaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15291670592316021851noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9020480448743700564.post-30820640415691945102009-06-11T01:24:00.000-07:002009-06-11T01:24:01.634-07:00

Thursday I'm guest blogging at Midnight Moon Cafe about world building for Lyndi's upcoming release Alliance: Stellar Romance: A Collection of Erotic Romance, coming soon from Amber Heat. My post focuses on the religions of the different worlds in the stories.If you have time, drop by and say 'Hi'.Linda / Lyndi

Linda McLaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15291670592316021851noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9020480448743700564.post-19242834472601834632009-06-03T01:57:00.000-07:002009-06-03T09:40:14.620-07:00

I read THE GRAVEYARD BOOK by Neil Gaiman a few months ago on my Kindle and I was completely captivated by this unusual story. Publisher's blurb: Nobody Owens is a boy raised in an abandoned cemetery by the otherworldly inhabitants, but the tale of his growing up is so fabulously spun that even the most grounded non-believer will think twice on their next visit to the graveyard. Like a lot of

Linda McLaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15291670592316021851noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9020480448743700564.post-70294067546328349952009-05-23T17:04:00.000-07:002009-05-23T17:40:17.103-07:00

Linda McLaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15291670592316021851noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9020480448743700564.post-17550889274707458642009-05-22T08:20:00.000-07:002009-05-22T08:23:48.246-07:00

This seemed like a good quiz for the week we chose a new American Idol. You've Been a Little Ruined by American CultureWhether you live in the US or not, deep down you're a little American.And there's nothing wrong with loving American culture, but it may have negative effects on your life.Slow down and enjoy what you have. Reconnect with life's simple pleasures.You don't need to be in a

Linda McLaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15291670592316021851noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9020480448743700564.post-66516032645686950322009-05-19T01:20:00.000-07:002009-05-19T02:57:29.387-07:00

I haven't been reading much except blogs and online articles lately, but I found some quotable lines in this article from Salon.com: The evolutionary argument for Dr. Seuss: Why do we often care more about imaginary characters than real people? A new book suggests that fiction is crucial to our survival as a speciesby Laura MillerHer opening sentences really hooked me:Why do human beings spend so

Linda McLaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15291670592316021851noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9020480448743700564.post-68747333388796831822009-05-15T17:07:00.000-07:002009-05-15T17:15:06.159-07:00

This week I started the process of installing a WordPress blog at my Lyndi Lamont website, so that's where my blogging time has primarily gone. Tomorrow I'll have a post on the newly announced Kindle DX at my RWA Chapter blog A Slice of Orange. During my life I've lived in several different states, from Pennsylvania to California, including short stays in Miami, Florida and Austin, Texas, so I

Linda McLaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15291670592316021851noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9020480448743700564.post-58502466390587249732009-05-08T13:29:00.000-07:002009-05-08T13:34:35.418-07:00

In honor of the new Star Trek movie, I'm posting a quiz on nerdyness. I'm actually a little surprised I only got 36%, but then I don't have a game machine or a comic book collection. I do love Star Trek, though, and I'm hoping to get to see the new movie in the next week or so. So far all the reviews I've seen have been pretty positive.You Are 36% NerdyYou're a little nerdy, but no one would ever

Linda McLaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15291670592316021851noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9020480448743700564.post-51195616801236358402009-05-06T02:32:00.000-07:002009-05-06T02:32:01.124-07:00

Two months ago I reviewed The Reincarnationist by M. J. Rose, and promised to review the sequel, The Memorist, next. The blurb for The Memorist states:The dreads are back. As a child, Meers Logan was haunted by memories of another time and place, always accompanied by the faint strains of elusive music. Now the hand of the past has reached out again. An envelope addressed to her and delivered to

Linda McLaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15291670592316021851noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9020480448743700564.post-86153894594530136802009-04-30T23:51:00.000-07:002009-04-30T23:51:02.440-07:00

I thought this an appropriate quiz for May Day. It'll be fun to see how many of us get the same results!You Are a PlaywrightYou are a highly literate wordsmith. You love both reading and writing.You are also a natural storyteller. You can turn a mediocre anecdote into a riveting tale.You find people and all aspects of life fascinating. No topic is off limits for you.In modern times, you would

Linda McLaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15291670592316021851noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9020480448743700564.post-3130707073623742572009-04-27T03:22:00.000-07:002009-04-27T03:22:01.176-07:00

Anaheim's public library began in a room in a candy store in 1901, but a mere seven years later, moved into a new building financed by a grant from steel magnate/philanthropist Andrew Carnegie in 1908. His original investment was all of $10,000.00. The old building still stands and became the Anaheim Muzeo in 1987. The "new" central library building (pictured below) was authorized by a vote of

Linda McLaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15291670592316021851noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9020480448743700564.post-83178532059399104682009-04-21T13:31:00.000-07:002009-04-21T17:12:55.817-07:00

April 21 through May 21It's so appropriate that Earth Day falls on April 22, after the sun has moved into the sign of Taurus. Taurus is a fixed earth sign, and people born under its influence are typically described as "down to earth". Many, like my mother, have green thumbs and enjoy gardening. My mom loved nothing more than to get outside and dig her hands in the soil. I remember helping her

Linda McLaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15291670592316021851noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9020480448743700564.post-16536902874455448172009-04-20T01:21:00.000-07:002009-04-20T01:21:02.018-07:00

We're having a Heat Wave, but not a tropical one. It's caused by an offshore flow, the opposite of our usual ocean breeze. Temps in the area soared into the 90's and in some areas into three digits, far higher than the normal 73 degrees for this time of year. On Sunday Fullerton had a record high of 100 degrees and it was 101 in Santa Ana. This is very unusual weather for April, and I didn't

Linda McLaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15291670592316021851noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9020480448743700564.post-58574182016144260352009-04-17T01:16:00.000-07:002009-04-17T01:16:00.993-07:00

This one hits home with me because my DH is an early bird while I'm a night owl. It has been the cause of many an argument over the years. My MIL could never understand how I could sleep so late (8AM) and I could never understand how she could be alert at 5:30 in the morning. LOL, I can't even talk at that hour. This quiz kind of fits me.You Are DuskYou are a naturally idealistic and creative

Linda McLaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15291670592316021851noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9020480448743700564.post-44292153908773098622009-04-15T05:06:00.000-07:002009-04-15T05:06:01.225-07:00

Have you ever seen anything so cute?Linda

Linda McLaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15291670592316021851noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9020480448743700564.post-57788140049066963092009-04-14T01:10:00.000-07:002009-04-14T13:18:23.986-07:00

Sometime last week the video trailer for my erotic pirate story Marooned passed the milestone of one million views at YouTube. It took almost two and a half years, so it hardly qualifies as viral video, but I still think it's pretty impressive, though occasionally I have to go into my account and clear out the porn spam from the comments section. I wish I could say this translated into fabulous

Linda McLaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15291670592316021851noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9020480448743700564.post-90273554036433538422009-04-13T11:34:00.000-07:002009-04-13T11:37:02.293-07:00

Sorry, no My Town Monday post from me today, but pop on over to Travis Erwin's blog for his post and the list of My Town Monday bloggers. Linda

Linda McLaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15291670592316021851noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9020480448743700564.post-29092762251191897172009-04-10T11:00:00.000-07:002009-04-10T12:10:54.133-07:00

LOL, this could not be more true, except for the little brother part. There's a caramel Cadbury egg this year and it is decadent!You Are a Cadbury Creme EggYou're the type that stole little brother's easter basket so that you could have MORE CANDY!What Easter Candy Are You?Linda

Linda McLaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15291670592316021851noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9020480448743700564.post-51045531934795292582009-04-08T01:40:00.000-07:002009-04-08T01:40:02.258-07:00

We had a beautiful day on Sunday and I couldn't resist stopping to snap this photo. We're supposed to have a little rain this week which would be nice.How's the weather in your neck of the woods?Linda

Linda McLaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15291670592316021851noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9020480448743700564.post-48279885760703735342009-04-06T01:28:00.000-07:002009-04-06T01:28:01.920-07:00

When I first moved to Anaheim 23 years ago, there was a strawberry field where Downtown Disney us now located. The resort added this outdoor dining and shopping mall in 2001, and it was an immediate hit with visitors and locals alike. It's adjacent to both the Disneyland Hotel and Disneyland, with its own monorail station. Best of all, visitors get three hours of free parking, though visitors to

Linda McLaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15291670592316021851noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9020480448743700564.post-74969213287435782812009-04-04T13:50:00.000-07:002009-04-05T12:44:06.899-07:00

I discovered this meme at Travis Erwin's blog and thought it would be fun to play with. 1. Your rock star name (first pet/current vehicle) - Lucky TL2. Your Gangsta name (favourite ice cream flavour/fave type of shoe) -DDL Sandals (for Dulce de Leche)3. Your Native American name (fave colour/favourite animal) - Red Dog4. Your soap opera name (middle name/city of birth) - Anne Pittsburgh (boring)5

Linda McLaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15291670592316021851noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9020480448743700564.post-8728269864065855642009-03-31T01:55:00.000-07:002009-03-31T08:50:23.846-07:00

Today's quote comes from Plundered Booty by Travis Erwin, an Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award entry, and deservedly so. Travis is a master of short, pithy character description as filtered through the mind of his sympathetic protagonist, Hank Petty Zybeck. With his pointed nose and perpetual five o’clock whiskers, Dave had always reminded me of a fox. Not a sly fox like you read about as a kid,

Linda McLaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15291670592316021851noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9020480448743700564.post-25399446611836889812009-03-30T01:43:00.000-07:002009-03-30T01:43:03.405-07:00

Last Thursday,American skater and LA resident Evan Lysacek won gold at the World Figure Skating Championships in front of an ecstatic hometown crowd. He's the first American man to win the competition since Todd Eldredge in 1996. Evan, who was in second place going after the short program, skated a flawless program to Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue. He was thrilled, esp. since he loves attending

Linda McLaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15291670592316021851noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9020480448743700564.post-10379392854387621082009-03-29T08:32:00.000-07:002009-03-29T09:49:28.859-07:00

Last week the World Championships of Figure Skating were held here in Los Angeles. I've been an avid skating fan ever since my husband bought me my first VCR in 1984 right before the Sarajevo Olympic Games. I set the device to record every day before going to work, then watched in the evening, fast-forwarding through everything that wasn't skating. I was hooked and I've been watching ever since.

Linda McLaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15291670592316021851noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9020480448743700564.post-12605346311922166162009-03-25T10:12:00.000-07:002009-03-25T10:15:09.748-07:00

This isn't new, but every time I see it, I have to chuckle. My DH doesn't think it's so cute though. What do you think?Linda

Linda McLaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15291670592316021851noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9020480448743700564.post-62772449645974890922009-03-23T01:06:00.000-07:002009-03-23T01:06:03.769-07:00

I know this isn't nearly as clever as Stephen Colbert's clever "Better Know A District" segments, nor will there be a video interview with our representative, Loretta Sanchez, but here goes.California's 47th Congressional District is located in north Orange County and includes the cities of Garden Grove and Santa Ana as well as parts of Fullerton and Anaheim, including Disneyland. As

Linda McLaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15291670592316021851noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9020480448743700564.post-66198686123706313572009-03-21T13:59:00.000-07:002009-03-21T14:14:38.608-07:00

Spring began officially yesterday, March 20, as the sun moved into the zodiacal sign of Aries. This is the beginning of the astrological year, so Aries is the first sign of the Zodiac. As such, Aries is considered the "baby" of all the signs. It's the one that represents individualism and ego. People born under this sign are sometimes thought to be self-centered, just as the infant thinks himself

Linda McLaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15291670592316021851noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9020480448743700564.post-79181276144481047242009-03-17T15:02:00.000-07:002009-03-17T15:08:47.578-07:00

It's not what you think, I love St. Patrick's Day. What I object to is the neutering of St. Patrick. Patty is a female name, for crying out loud. There are two acceptable nicknames for Patrick: Pat or Paddy. Patty is short for Patricia. Am I the only person in the USA who goes ballistic when I see "Happy St. Patty's Day" plastered on blogs or, worse, on Cable TV? Aargh!For an interesting and "

Linda McLaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15291670592316021851noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9020480448743700564.post-10507419395987845442009-03-17T00:18:00.000-07:002009-03-17T15:01:12.219-07:00

McLaughlin is an Irish name and about half of my ancestors can be traced back to the Emerald Isle, but they were all Northern Irish Protestants. When I was a kid, my mom used to tell me that I should be wearing orange instead of green on St. Patrick's Day. Since I look awful in orange, I ignored her. That was in the days before people pinched you if you didn't wear green. I've long been a fan of

Linda McLaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15291670592316021851noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9020480448743700564.post-87716159725153759922009-03-16T11:00:00.000-07:002009-03-16T11:02:18.894-07:00

Today is the 16th, my day to blog at A Slice of Orange, the blog for my local RWA chapter. My post is called Driving With Minnie, my new GPS unit. I'll try to have a My Town Monday installment next week, and I'm planning an Irish oriented Two Sentence Tuesday for tomorrow.Travis is moving this week, so Jenn Jilks is taking over as link master. Check out her lovely "ode to spring" and the list of

Linda McLaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15291670592316021851noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9020480448743700564.post-72162970115973890042009-03-14T13:50:00.000-07:002009-03-14T14:02:55.648-07:00

My videos of the living statues at The Venetian / Palazzo Hotel (I'm not sure which one this section is technically in - it seems to be between the two hotels) weren't very good, but I found this one at YouTube which was taken from the main floor and will give you a much better idea of what a cool performance this is. It's a little wobbly at times, but the videographer was much closer than I was

Linda McLaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15291670592316021851noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9020480448743700564.post-56948674830544122092009-03-11T12:58:00.000-07:002009-03-11T13:15:20.018-07:00

I'm still playing catch up since getting home on Sunday, but I did manage to get some of my photos uploaded to my Picasa Web Album, so I'm embedding a slide show here. Unfortunately, my captions aren't included. I'll try to get a detailed trip report posted in the next couple of days. Linda

Linda McLaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15291670592316021851noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9020480448743700564.post-58822889444968810282009-03-09T00:01:00.000-07:002009-03-09T00:01:00.986-07:00

My parents and I once lived in Las Vegas for about two months, the summer before I started high school, so I guess I can claim Vegas as one of my home towns.My half-brother, Mac, who is fourteen years older than I am, was stationed at Nellis Air Force Base outside Las Vegas when his tour ended, and he never left. The summer between 7th and 8th grades, my parents decided to take a long family

Linda McLaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15291670592316021851noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9020480448743700564.post-57371704765446942382009-03-05T05:03:00.000-08:002009-03-05T05:03:00.138-08:00

Yesterday, my friend and fellow author, Janet Quinn, and I drove to Lake Las Vegas for EPICon2009. It's about a 4-5 hour drive. I've got a laptop with me and hope to drop in here from time to time.We had a good drive yesterday, with very little traffic until we arrived in Henderson, and that wasn't bad. It was raining in Orange County, but we soon drove out of it and by the time we got to the

Linda McLaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15291670592316021851noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9020480448743700564.post-65145992931878530272009-03-04T00:01:00.000-08:002009-03-04T00:01:00.897-08:00

The Reincarnationist by M. J. RoseI've always been fascinated by the idea of reincarnation, so when I discovered this book, I had to read it. This is the first in a series of, so far, two books, and I hope there will be more.After being injured in a suicide bombing in Rome, photographer Josh Ryder starts having flashbacks to two previous lives: one in 19th c. New York, the other in Rome c. 390 AD

Linda McLaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15291670592316021851noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9020480448743700564.post-1076279623684748702009-03-02T00:00:00.000-08:002009-03-02T00:00:00.906-08:00

I hadn't heard of the "Sin Express", i.e. the proposed high-speed train from Disneyland to Las Vegas, until it was mentioned by Governor Bobby Jindal in his response to President Obama's address to Congress last Tuesday. Since we live about a mile from Disneyland, I was naturally intrigued and decided to check it out.At first, my husband and I thought it might be part of the California High-Speed

Linda McLaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15291670592316021851noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9020480448743700564.post-30353737094337498202009-02-28T14:35:00.000-08:002009-02-28T14:45:59.322-08:00

I discovered a fun meme at MySpace and thought I'd try it here. Google your name and the word "needs" in quotes ("Linda needs") and see what you get. List the first 7 entries in the comment section below. The quote marks are important... Honestly, I didn't know what a mess I was until I did this. ;)1. Linda Needs Mental Help (sh, don't tell anyone)2. Linda needs a new best friend3. Linda needs as

Linda McLaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15291670592316021851noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9020480448743700564.post-74038977926869437512009-02-16T00:00:00.000-08:002009-02-16T00:00:02.015-08:00

The city of Anaheim, where I live, has its own utility company which is great for the residents because the rates are much lower than those supplied by commercial utilities in California. South Orange County gets its power from San Diego Gas and Electric, one of the utilities deregulated in the 1990's and the rates are much higher than what we pay here in Anaheim. As a result, Anaheim residents

Linda McLaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15291670592316021851noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9020480448743700564.post-46688194014056564972009-02-14T00:00:00.000-08:002009-02-14T00:00:03.650-08:00

Valentine's Day brings out the romantic and the cynical. Yesterday there was much debate on whether the holiday was manufactured by Hallmark. The answer is no, but the true origins of Valentine's Day are a little harder to pin down.February 14 is the feast day of St. Valentine, patron saint of love, engaged couples and happy marriages. Valentine was the name of several early Christian martyrs and

Linda McLaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15291670592316021851noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9020480448743700564.post-44655312682079828002009-02-09T00:00:00.000-08:002009-02-09T00:00:01.672-08:00

I was going to do a perfectly innocuous post about Downtown Disney, but then I got to thinking about California's current budget crisis and decided to blog about that instead. As I'm sure everyone has heard by now, California is in the red, big time. We've been dealing with recurring budget shortfalls for some time now, but this year the problem is worse than ever. Last February, the budget was

Linda McLaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15291670592316021851noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9020480448743700564.post-80405574638910312082009-02-03T09:39:00.000-08:002009-02-03T09:44:21.033-08:00

At the end of the last month I had to send in my self-employment sales taxes for the year. Ah, the joys of being a freelance writer. Doing so reminded me of the Freelance National Anthem I found late last year, so I thought I'd go ahead and post it. It's all true, except maybe for the writing in the buff part. ;) Enjoy!Linda

Linda McLaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15291670592316021851noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9020480448743700564.post-87651970926713453992009-01-27T09:43:00.000-08:002009-01-27T10:00:23.463-08:00

Did anyone else watch The Last Templar on NBC? It was shown as a four-hour miniseries on Sunday and Monday nights. I'd read the book by Raymond Khoury when it came out a couple of years ago, since I'm a total Templar freak, and I remembered enjoying it, but I'd forgotten most of the details, so a movie version sounded good to me. What I did remember was the exciting opening scene in which four

Linda McLaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15291670592316021851noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9020480448743700564.post-70014898818498849962009-01-26T09:01:00.000-08:002009-01-26T10:39:23.449-08:00

Today is the beginning of the Chinese new year. The holiday, known as the Spring Festival, begins on the first day of the first lunar month and ends on the 15th day, called Lantern Festival. This is a major holiday for the Chinese and is also celebrated in places with large ethnic Chinese populations like California. It's also celebrated in other Asian nations that have been influenced by China,

Linda McLaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15291670592316021851noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9020480448743700564.post-20064939881819662122009-01-24T09:41:00.000-08:002009-01-24T10:14:49.701-08:00

First, let me apologize to my Sagittarius and Capricorn friends for neglecting them these last two months. Since my back problems started in September, my blog posts have dwindled to about three per month. I'm in physical therapy now and slowly getting better, but I'm still not supposed to sit for more than twenty minutes at a time, which makes it a little hard to focus on much of anything. I'll

Linda McLaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15291670592316021851noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9020480448743700564.post-84620810084447492662009-01-11T10:09:00.001-08:002009-01-11T10:26:22.028-08:00

Tonight brings the long-awaited seventh season of 24, one of my shows. The two-hour premiere of Day Seven debuts tonight at 8PM EST. (For those not familiar with the show, each season consists of one day in 24 one-hour episodes in which none of the characters ever get to eat or sleep. They live on coffee which may be one reason why it's all so fast-paced and frantic. )In Season 7, Jack Baur, our

Linda McLaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15291670592316021851noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9020480448743700564.post-5220952775123464662009-01-10T16:48:00.000-08:002009-01-10T17:02:48.901-08:00

Blogger and writer Travis Erwin, architect of the My Town Monday meme, suffered a personal tragedy on Jan. 4 when his home burned to the ground. It's heartwarming how the blogging community rallied to his aid, showing how well-loved and respected he is by all of us. Travis has a heart as big as his native Texas and didn't deserve this. You can read his accounts of the fire at his blog, One Word,

Linda McLaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15291670592316021851noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9020480448743700564.post-49734149876403333192009-01-03T13:00:00.000-08:002009-01-03T13:11:59.347-08:00

Preditors and Editors(TM) annual Readers' Poll to honor both print & electronic publications is open for voting.This year I'm pleased to say that Lyndi Lamont's, Alliance: Cosmic Scandal is one of the choices in the Science Fiction & Fantasy Short Story category. My good friend Janet Quinn's novel Betrayals is nominated in the Romance category.Anyone can vote and you can nominate a new entry in

Linda McLaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15291670592316021851noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9020480448743700564.post-90007371962587612162008-12-27T18:47:00.000-08:002008-12-27T19:56:14.925-08:00

This holiday season Random House is generously offering free copies of selected e-books from their catalog. Titles include:Murder List by Julie GarwoodThe Whiskey Rebels: A Novel by David LissThe Idiot Girl and the Flaming Tantrum of Death by Laurie Notaro Free-Range Chickens by Simon RichA Dangerous Man by Charles HustonCaught Stealing by Charles HustonPrague by Arthur PhillipsSix Bad Things by

Linda McLaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15291670592316021851noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9020480448743700564.post-25506335840940623902008-12-24T16:14:00.000-08:002008-12-25T09:45:12.593-08:00

(Note: Link repaired 12-25-08, 9:45AM)The New York Times published an article on Dec. 23, 2008 entitled Turning Page, E-Books Start to Take Hold. Authors Brad Stone and Motoko Rich did a good job of summarizing the situation.The item that struck me the most was the fact that 20% of Amazon's sales of “The Story of Edgar Sawtelle” are Kindle sales. That's very encouraging to us e-book authors. The

Linda McLaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15291670592316021851noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9020480448743700564.post-49421716400709560552008-12-08T11:10:00.000-08:002008-12-08T11:16:09.353-08:00

A group of AuthorIsland.com authors, including moi, have banded together to offer one lucky winner an Amazon Kindle. Click on the graphic below for details:I've had my Kindle for over a year now and I'm still loving it. My acupuncturist lusts after mine, esp. since I showed him how to search the Kindle store from the exam room and we discovered that the Shanghai Daily is now available to Kindle

Linda McLaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15291670592316021851noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9020480448743700564.post-71946866990194010972008-11-19T08:26:00.000-08:002008-11-19T09:00:58.589-08:00

Now that the fire situation is improving, I thought I'd post an update.Apparently the Tea Fire in Montecito was accidentally started after students lit a bonfire during the night. (Must have been Wed. night.) They left thinking they'd put it out, but when the winds kicked up, they blew up some smoldering embers, and before it was all over, 210 homes had been destroyed. Apparently there was no

Linda McLaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15291670592316021851noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9020480448743700564.post-58591902131235695272008-11-16T10:31:00.000-08:002008-11-16T18:14:43.693-08:00

UPDATE AND CORRECTION, 6:15PM: The name of the Orange County fire is the Triangle Complex Fire, not the Freeway Triangle Fire. My mistake. At this time, the winds are somewhat quieter and mandatory evacuation orders have been listed. A lot of damage has already been done, however. On a personal note, my DH and I are not near the fire areas, though a good friend of mine is entirely too close for

Linda McLaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15291670592316021851noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9020480448743700564.post-1038998689327672002008-11-03T09:03:00.000-08:002008-11-08T09:49:16.379-08:00

Scorpio was a recent Urban Word of the Day, which reminded me I'm late with my monthly astrology post. Here's the Urban Dictionarydefinition of the word:Scorpios are sensual, sexy and mesmerizing. they're loyal and sweet to the very end. they're highly intelligent have a quick wit. All the Scorpios I know are adventurous, curious and very loving.damn that wendy girl is hot! she must be a scorpio!

Linda McLaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15291670592316021851noreply@blogger.com5