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#danubemovements online bootcamp
Global challenges, such as climate change, the distribution of resources or human migration are transnational in nature and transinstitutional in solution. They cannot be addressed by any government or institution acting alone, but rather by collective movements of different actors coming together to create a positive change.
To be a success, such movements require a share of knowledge and collaborative action among governments, international organizations, corporations, universities, NGOs and creative individuals – such as YOU!
We believe it is essential to stay on the cutting-edge, constantly testing new ideas and solutions for global challenges. And we are convinced that civic engagement plays a key role when trying to create positive effects for the society and thereby is an important impulse for global interaction.
This is the starting point of the our project #danubemovements! Due to current circumstances the program is adapted for the digital realm.
The #danubemovements bootcamp provides a platform for young people to make a change and fight for their ideals. During 4 online sessions in a period of two weeks they have the possibility to network with one another and realising own projects to make their commitment visible. Supported by campaigning experts from Germany, Serbia and Romania, the participants learn from scratch how to plan and implement promising movements. Our goal: To empower the young generation and sustainably strengthen civil society.
Instead of a selective workshop, the project aims to enable young multipliers to implement and consolidate long-term projects in their respective home regions. This will enable a large target group of young people in the Danube countries to identify options for action and to offer a platform for active involvement. The experiences of peers and experts from the different partner countries should help to build up long-term commitment and to evaluate and consolidate it on an ongoing basis.
Environmental protection, migration and the situation of minorities, nationalism and racism as well as populism and conspiracy theories – these are only a few of the socio-political challenges, in the Danube region and beyond, the participants want to get active in. The young participants bring in their ideas and ideals, the experts bring in their skills and experience, together we will work on campaigns that will be heard of!


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Oct. 31, 2005
5:22 a.m.
6 pounds, 4 ounces
New York University Hospital
Recently, Alexandria Dionne awoke in the middle of the night to a mysterious clapping sound coming from her firstborn son's nursery. Going to investigate, she found her husband of six years, Greg Duncan, dancing Rockette-style in front of the babe, whom they've nicknamed Pumpkin because of his chubby cheeks and ghoulish birth date. "My husband's a really loud snapper," said Mom, 36, a documentary filmmaker. In his daytime hours, Mr. Duncan, 37, presides over Verb Media, a broadcast design company. Ms. Dionne, meanwhile, might have found an apt new documentary subject in the mommy-baby yoga classes she occasionally attends near the family's Park Slope two-bedroom. "Insane," she said.

subset: commoncrawl


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As per the latest reports of TRAI (Telecom Regulatory Authority of India), it could be easily seen that Airtel has now crossed 2 Million Broadband subscribers mark in November 2016. Awesome count, right? In fact, Airtel is offering Airtel Broadband Surprise Offer where users will get 125GB data free every month for lifetime.
Isn't it cool?
Offering such an excellent offer can only be deserved by the lucrative companies like Airtel. This offer is limited for Airtel Broadband Users only.
Well, if you're a broadband user, then most probably you're using BSNL or Airtel. BSNL has greatest Broadband users mark in our country.
Let's show you, how one can unlock this Airtel Broadband Surprise Offer. But before we get started, let's tell you something.
This offer is not for all users and not all users will get 125GB data each month. As you might have noticed, you'll get up to 125GB data. Hope you understood.
Recommended: Airtel Double Data Offer
Airtel Broadband Surprise Offer: How to Unlock Surprise and Get 125GB Free for Lifetime?
1) First of all, Go to Broadband Surprise Offer page here.
2) Enter your Broadband ID or Landline Number followed by your STD code.
3) Now, just hit on the SUBMIT button located there and all after that is based on your LUCK.
4) If your luck works, you will get benefit soon.
Let's see the TOS now.
Terms & Conditions of Airtel Broadband Surprise Offer
1) This Airtel Broadband Surprise offer is a benefit provided by Airtel to their DSL broadband subscriber which have been an active subscriber from 31-12-2016 and availing services for personal use only.
2) To activate Broadband Surprise Offers, eligible customers must have to avail the offer by 29-02-2017.
3) The frequency of the Free Data shall be on the same frequency as subscribed under the monthly plan opted for by the Eligible Customer.
4) Valid for Airtel Broadband users only.
5) Valid for a limited period.
6) Customers who are in default of payment shall not be eligible to benefit from the Offer.
7) The advantages of this Offer may be enjoyed by the subscribing customer in India only.
8) Broadband availability and speeds are not constant and may vary for some reasons, including but not limited to infrastructure, congestion, and availability of the network, the number of active users, weather, topography, acts of God or force majeure.
9) All disputes will be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the Courts in New Delhi only.
Enjoy Airtel Broadband Surprise Offer!
Now, it's time to enjoy the data benefit you got in this surprise offer.
"We are happy to cross this milestone of 2 million customers… therefore, we are delighted to bring the latest 'Airtel Surprises' for them. With these additional benefits, our customers will be able to do much more with their existing plans," Bharti Airtel (India) CEO – Homes, Hemanth Kumar Guruswamy, said in a statement.


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I'm not one to toss and turn. If I'm troubled, I go to bed.
Say to myself, tomorrow will be another day.
Then, place one hand on my chest and pray.
Silently, easy like water traveling a slow path to a broad river.
With morning and time come newness.
The sky was a wide expanse of cold, pale lavender today.
Its width cloudless and open. Enough open space to learn.
An expansive sky, with just a faint glimmer of sunlight in tall tree.
My eyes rested there and remembered my earlier revelation.
I hurt someone's feelings trying to be right. Looking for answers to a question already known with certainty. I have a few sayings.
One of them is never ask a question you know the answer to.
Asking for trouble. Not answers. Asking to be right when being right makes no difference in the hurt, adds harm to hurt.
I was self-righteous. Smug, hot-headed and determined to point of the wrong in another causing hurt that was never intended.
I begged God to fix my mistake. Not the answer you need, said God.
The answer is seeing, truly seeing.
Epiphany, in an insightfully clear sky.
The manifestation of Christ in me, with me despite errant will.
Looking down, it's still there. I thought of adding to my collection earlier, decided to let it rest instead.
A petite pine cone, stiff with the cold and shining silver in brown straw.
And I smiled, remembering gifts of baby pine cones she brought.
O Lord, you have searched me and known me!
You know when I sit down and when I rise up;
you discern my thoughts from afar.
You search out my path and my lying down
and are acquainted with all my ways.
Even before a word is on my tongue,
behold, O Lord, you know it altogether.
You hem me in, behind and before,
and lay your hand upon me.
Psalm 139: 1-8


text:
Good oral health is an important part of your overall wellbeing. Practicing good oral habits and hygiene can have positive effects on almost every area of your life, from your physical appearance to your health, future, and even finances. Some of the things we do every day can be bad for our teeth, mouth, and oral health. In order to help you start leading a more oral health-conscious life, we're here with a list of bad habits you should stop doing today and how those habits can affect you now and in the future.
Bad Habits to Stop Doing Today
It can be easier said than done to stop bad habits in their tracks. And while no one is perfect, striving to eliminate bad oral habits from your life can help you live a longer, healthier, happier, and brighter life. Here are some of the most common bad habits to avoid in order to achieve the smile of your dreams, for years to come.
Personal Habits and Safety
- Not using protective gear during sports and recreation (mouthguards, etc.)
- Biting your nails
- Thumb-sucking
- Biting on pens, pencils, and other objects
- Chewing on or eating ice
- Using your teeth as a tool
Lifestyle Choices, Habits, and Diet
- Nutritional choices (eating candy, sugary beverages, etc.)
- Smoking or chewing tobacco
- Grinding your teeth or clenching your jaw
- Piercings on the tongue or in the mouth
Hygiene and Oral Care
- Not brushing your teeth enough (twice daily)
- Not flossing
- Brushing your teeth too hard
- Avoiding routine visits and care from your dentist
- Not seeking care for dental issues and problems
How Bad Habits Affect Your Oral Health
Our mouth is a part of the body we use all the time. But how we use it and how we treat it can have significant effects on a variety of aspects in life. Having good oral hygiene and practicing the proper habits can leave you with more than just bright, white teeth. In fact, practicing good oral care can help prevent cavities, tooth decay, gum disease, and tooth loss. It can also provide self-esteem and confidence and reduce the risk of developing self-worth and depression issues. Alongside ditching those bad habits and maintaining good oral hygiene, the risk of developing health-related issues like cardiovascular diseases, some cancers, diabetes, osteoporosis, and more, decreases dramatically.
Learn More About Oral Health
It is essential to do your best to break bad habits and create new, healthier habits that benefit you, your smile, and your health. Your dental team is an integral part of maintaining your oral health, to help educate, prevent, and treat all of your dental needs. At Terrace Smiles Dentistry, we strive to provide you with all the knowledge and care necessary for a lifelong, brilliant and healthy smile. To schedule your appointment with our trusted professionals, contact us today.


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Taco Bell unveils Crispy Chicken Sandwich Taco
Published: Feb. 22, 2021 at 9:00 AM CST
(CNN) – Taco Bell wants to make a chicken sandwich with a twist.
The fast-food chain is preparing to test its new Crispy Chicken Sandwich Taco.
The taco features fried chicken marinated in jalapeño buttermilk, coated in tortilla chips and topped with chipotle sauce.
Taco Bell describes the shell as puffy bread that's shaped like a taco.
Starting March 11, Taco Bell will test the new taco at participating restaurants in Nashville, Tennessee, and Charlotte, North Carolina.
It's expected to roll out nationwide later this year.
Copyright 2021 CNN Newsource. All rights reserved.


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M. H. de Young Memorial Museum
Jump to navigation Jump to search
|March 24, 1895
|50 Hagiwara Tea Garden Drive, San Francisco, California, USA
|Art museum
|2,043,854 (2010)[1]
|John E. Buchanan, Jr.
|Public transit access
|44 O'Shaughnessy, San Francisco Municipal Railway
The M. H. de Young Memorial Museum is an art museum in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park. It is often called just the de Young Museum. It is named for early San Francisco newspaper publisher M. H. de Young. The museum opened in 1895. It was damaged in the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake. A new museum building opened in 2005.
References[change | change source]
- ↑ "Exhibition and museum attendance figures 2010" (PDF). London: The Art Newspaper. April 2011. Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 June 2012. Retrieved 11 April 2011.
Other websites[change | change source]
|Wikimedia Commons has media related to De Young Museum.
- Official website Archived 2010-03-04 at the Wayback Machine


text:
For the coming BRAIN & BRAIN PET 2017 Conference (http://www.brain2017.net) , which will be held in Berlin, Germany (April 1st - 4th 2017), Dr Beatriz Rodriguez-Grande's abstract "Acute gliovascular phenotype depends on primary injury severity in a new juvenile Closed Head Injury with Long-term Disorders (CHILD) model" has been selected for an oral presentation and has been nominated for the prestigious Niels Lassen Award after reviewing by the society scientific board. For the same conference, Aleksandra Ichkova's has been selected as a recipient for the Early Career Investigator Travel Bursary, to attend the meeting. Aleksandra's abstract is entitled "Vascular reactivity changes of the intracortical blood vessels after juvenile traumatic brain injury".
Congratulations Beatriz and Aleksandra !"


text:
Another post for me that is simple and hopefully serves as an example for people trying to get blogging as #SQLNewBloggers.
Many people think that that an identity property will ensure a consistent, increasing numerical value. I ran across this tweet that indicates that situation.
This isn't really true, for many reasons, but in this post I'll look at the possible reasons we get gaps in identity values.
Normal Operation
Let's start with a basic table that contains an identity value. I'll use this code:
CREATE TABLE dbo.SalesOrderHeader
( OrderKey INT IDENTITY(1, 1)
, CustomerName VARCHAR(30)
Now I can insert a few rows. Note that the results shown below the code will contain increasing values for the OrderKey.
INSERT dbo.SalesOrderHeader (CustomerName) VALUES ('Andy')
INSERT dbo.SalesOrderHeader (CustomerName) VALUES ('Brian')
INSERT dbo.SalesOrderHeader (CustomerName) VALUES ('Steve')
INSERT dbo.SalesOrderHeader (CustomerName) VALUES ('Anna')
Each of these inserts is a separate transaction, and they cause the identity to increment.
Deleting Rows
This is noted in the tweet as a cause, but let's test this.
One of the common ways that we get gaps in identity values is when rows are deleted. Let's remove the row with Steve in it.
I clearly have a gap in OrderKey here now. What happens if we add a new row? The identity value is built for (some) efficiency and doesn't fill the gap. Only the next value is kept. We insert a row and get a 5.
As a side note, there is no index on this table, and no ORDER BY clause, so you can clearly see that there isn't a reason why I should expect the ORDERKEY column to be returned in numerical or even insert order.
The Rollback
One of the more common occurrences with inserts is a problem with the value. For example, in this table, I have allocated 30 characters. What happens if I run this code?
INSERT dbo.SalesOrderHeader (CustomerName)
VALUES ('A Really Long Name Van Something The Third')
I get an error, which is shown here.
Checking the table, I have no value:
Let's insert a new value and see.
We get a gap. The value "6" was skipped because of the error. The identity was allocated, but the rollback of the transaction due to the error did not rollback the identity sequence.
Reseeding the Property
One of the other ways to miss a value is directly reseeding the table. I can use the DBCC CHECKIDENT function to accomplish this. In my case, let's run this code and set the identity value to 20.
DBCC CHECKIDENT(SalesOrderHeader, RESEED, 20)
Now I can insert new values and I'll get these results.
The identity value was set to 20 and the next insert will increment this and take 21, leaving a gap from 8 to 20.
Be Careful
Don't depend on the identity property to give you uniqueness, consecutive values, or avoid duplicates. It is up to you to code properly to account for these values.
This post came about from helping someone understand the problems and limitations. I wrote this in about 20 minutes (with setup and testing) to ensure that I understood what I was explaining to someone.
You could write something similar to show that you know the ways in which identity works.


text:
Waney Edge Panel, Dura Posts and 6″ Composite Gravel Board Installation
Please enter your fence installation details,
Alternatives to ordering online.
How To Measure Correctly
- Choose the finished height for fence section.
- Measure the length of first fence section at the height requested. Round up to the nearest metre for each section. (Each section is when it changes in height or changes in direction)
- Repeat process for each section
- Add matching gate to a section if required.
(Gate will include post/s & c/w ring latch & 2 tee hinges.)
- Old fence will be taken down free of charge. For removing from site, select 'old fence removal service' & enter length of fence for removal. Only timber can be removed from site. No metal, concrete or spoil due to mixed waste rules.
What Follows Now
- Get an instant installed price.
- Choose a date & time for assessors visit. (To confirm it's position and finer aspects of your order & answer any questions)
- Enter your details. Click Confirm & Pay your deposit.(for peace of mind all monies paid are fully refundable up to & including the day of assessors site visit).
Fence installations available inside selected postcode areas only.
Product Description
Waney edge lap panel on top of a 150mm composite gravel board. Manufactured by Kudos Fencing this panel uses 4 vertical battens front and back with a top and bottom batten for added protection. Produced with batten of size 16mm x 38mm. Installed using a anthracite grey metal Dura posts set in a concrete footing 600mm down. Panels are securely screwed in place preventing rattling in the winds. All Kudos Fencing timber products are pressure treated.


text: These Hardwood pub tables are an exact match to the Level Best Spectator Chairs. The top is 1 inch thick and is 30 inches in diameter. These are available in 3 stain colors, Classic Oak, Traditional Mahagony and Honey Maple. The matching Cue racks are shown to get a stain color closeup.


text:
Finally, all this Dimension Z nonsense is coming to a close. Despite issue nine and maybe one other issue of 'Captain America' being pretty good, as a whole, I've found that this Marvel NOW series has been pretty outlandish, slow, and boring. But now it's coming to an end and I couldn't be happier to get back to a Cap that I'm more used to seeing.
When we last left off in this book from Rick Remender and John Romita Jr., Steve Rogers' long-time foe Arnim Zola is dead, but his diabolical plan to spread his consciousness through an army of his mutates lives on. Now it's up to Captain America and Agent 13 to stop the Zola experiments from passing from their dimension to ours. But one thing may stand in their way as the irrational daughter of Zola, Jet Black, might just carry on her father's legacy yet.
So, after finishing this issue, I found myself hating it, but mostly because it made me sad. Sure, there were still things that I didn't like about it, but the good outweighed the bad in most situations. But I'll start with what I didn't like first. In the preview for this issue, they mentioned something called GODZOLA. I get it. It's like Godzilla. Clever. It could have been pretty cool, but when the character finally appeared on the page, it looked super lame. The first thing that came to mind when I saw it was one of those cheap Power Rangers Megazord knockoffs that you'd find in Chinatown. There are times when I really enjoy JRJR's artwork, but right now is not one of them.
As corny as GODZOLA was, Remender's writing saved the moment. The climax of the book was so suspenseful. There were some majorly epic things going on in those pages. Of course, as I've said, it didn't really end like I would've wanted it to, but deaths usually have a way of not sticking in the Marvel Universe. Hopefully that rule holds true in this case.
Now, we'll be going back to more familiar territory with Captain America with the next issue. Even though I was pleased with issues nine and ten, I can't wait to see what they have in store next because as a whole, I was not feeling the first arc in this new chapter of Steve's journey. However, I am curious to see how he handles things after the events of Dimension Z take a toll on him. Plus, with Jet now by his side, I wonder what else will blossom there. Finally, I have some things to say about the word "nomad". I won't go into details so that I don't spoil anything, but I'll just say that Marvel's equivalent of Carrie Kelley from 'The Dark Knight Returns' is my favorite person to be connected to that word.
As I've constantly said since the start of this run, Captain America is my favorite superhero. Though I wasn't exactly in his corner during the Dimension Z debacle, I'm hopeful for what's to come next.
Final Score:
Written by Rick Remender
Art by John Romita Jr., Klaus Janson, Scott Hanna, Tom Palmer, & Dean White


text:
The photographer, M.F.A. '12, discusses the role race and identity play in his conceptual images.
July 07, 2014
Underneath the glossy surface of each photo, there's a challenge. Photographer Larry Cook is deliberate about confronting race and identity in his images, but his work goes beyond social implications. He urges viewers to look deeper and think harder—and he often delivers messages with a relentless, powerful blow.
Take his photo "All American," a jarring image by all accounts: On the left, there's a figure in red clothing associated with Los Angeles street gang the Bloods; on the right, there's someone in the blue worn by rival gang the Crips; and at the center, there's a Ku Klux Klan member dressed in all white.
"My work deals with representation, particularly in the black community and black culture," he said. "It's asking the viewer in looking at certain symbols in a different way, to enlighten people and raise their consciousness."
Mr. Cook created "All American" while ruminating about the country's history of violence. News channels across the nation were buzzing with coverage of Trayvon Martin, the Florida teen shot by George Zimmerman in 2012. The media frenzy made Mr. Cook wonder why interracial violence became sensationalized, while black-on-black and white-on-white crimes were seemingly ignored.
Mr. Cook's piece, "All American."
"I wanted to take these faces of violence and put them on the same level to force people to make connections they probably wouldn't make otherwise," he said.
"All American" marks one of Mr. Cook's first forays into conceptual art, which he began exploring while earning his M.F.A. at the George Washington University. Mr. Cook graduated in 2012 and has since built a strong following in D.C. His photographs and video installations have shown at the Corcoran Gallery, the Hemphill Gallery of Fine Arts and Baltimore's internationally renowned Walters Art Museum, among others.
If you had told him as a teenager that he'd be exhibiting photos all over D.C., he wouldn't have believed you. His first love was basketball, a sport he played throughout high school in Prince George's County, Md. But when he started college at SUNY Plattsburgh, he wanted to express himself creatively.
"I tried poetry, acting, designing," he said, counting each career on his fingers. "But I was always interested in photography and filmmaking."
He got his hands on a camera his freshman year. Even during that early introduction to photography, there was something unique about Mr. Cook's pictures. He'd go back to the D.C. region and shoot photos of homeless people to tell a different story from his classmates—to capture a shot no one else had.
"The themes have always been there, I was just trying to find a way to articulate my ideas more clearly, open up the dialogue and provide multiple entrances into the work," he said.
After college, Mr. Cook still felt he had room to grow as an artist and became interested in teaching. He was accepted into the George Washington University's M.F.A. program, and shortly after, began exhibiting in D.C.
He almost missed his very first show. Mr. Cook was taking photos of single mothers in D.C. at the time, and he submitted two portraits to an artists' call at Galerie Myrtis in Baltimore. He made it into the exhibit, but his notification letter accidentally went into his spam email. It wasn't until the gallery sent out a press release that he realized his photos would be on display for the public.
"I was like, 'What? Is this a mistake?' I had to scramble to get the piece framed and everything—but it was my first exhibition and a learning experience," he said.
Throughout grad school, Mr. Cook moved from documenting subjects to directing more conceptual shoots, using costumes, videos and other elements. The evolution got Mr. Cook noticed. He was named a finalist for the Janet and Walter Sondheim Artscape Prize Finalist in 2013, and turned heads this January when his solo show "From an Eighth to a Key" came to the Hamiltonian Gallery. The exhibit included photographs he took of black males in graduation regalia.
Photos from Mr. Cook's "Regalia" series at the Hamiltonian Gallery.
"I was really interested in playing off the assumptions that people have of black males by seeing how people respond to these subjects that may be stereotyped in a different context," he said. "That show was also trying to break this school-to-prison pipeline and reintroduce a different view of black males."
These days, Mr. Cook can be found in D.C., setting up photoshoots, going into neighborhoods with his camera or scanning texts by Ralph Ellison or W.E.B. Du Bois for inspiration. He finds subjects wherever he goes, capturing images of people he sees on street corners or at convenience stores. Mr. Cook sometimes thinks about moving to New York or Los Angeles, but his connection to D.C. makes him apprehensive. He wonders if his work will change if he leaves the city and the people that have inspired him so much.
Teaching is still at the top of his agenda—he led an "Intro to Color" class at GW last semester. He's also raising funds for a neon light installation to use in "Converge," an exhibition that will premiere Aug. 8 at the Hamiltonian Gallery, where he is a fellow. New mediums, especially video, continue to compel him and open doors for types of art he might try later in his career.
"I always saw photography as the first avenue to express myself. I'll absolutely still be teaching, but maybe in the future, I'll also be doing film or anything that reaches the people in the way I want," he said.
A video from Mr. Cook's 2012 thesis show at GW.


text:
Valerie Rosoux
Senior Academy Associate
Associates are experts in their own field and contractually affiliated with Clingendael.
Although associates are not employees of the Clingendael Institute, they comply with all policies that Clingendael staff do.
- Negotiation & mediation in conflict resolution
Expertise: conflict resolution, memory, reconcilation, Rwanda, South Africa, Franco-German case, Franco-Algerian case.
Valerie Rosoux is a Senior Academy Associate at the Belgian National Fund for Scientific Research (FNRS) and a Professor at the University of Louvain. Since 2017, she is an external Scientific Fellow at the Max Planck Institute Luxembourg and since 2015 a Senior Visiting Fellow of Clingendael. In 2010-2011, she was a Jennings Randolph Senior Fellow at the United States Institute of Peace (USIP, Washington). As a post-doctoral researcher, she worked at The Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS), the Center for International Studies and Research (CERI) - Institut d'Études Politiques of Paris, and the University Laval, Canada. Valerie Rosoux has a Licence in Philosophy and a Ph.D. in International Relations. Since 2016, she is a member of the Belgian Royal Academy. She is the author of several books and articles about post-war reconciliation and the uses of memory in international relations, the latest of which is Negotiating Reconciliation in Peacemaking, with Mark Anstey (Springer, 2017).


text:
Linen table runner linoblock printed Bent pattern
Materials: linen
Linen 100 % , country of origin - Lithuania, about 160 g/m2 weight. Colour- light grey natural linen.
Lino block printed using lino block Bent grass pattern, drawn and carved in the studio.
Fabric inks: green, non toxic water based, mixed by hand in the studio.
Fabric was printed exactly for this item. It is individually cut, print and sewn in the studio.
We don't use any additional chemicals or other forms of fabric distressing, only heat and eco friendly non toxic fabric inks.
Size options:
18x56" or 46x143 cm.
18x79" or 46x200 cm.
18x98" or 46x250 cm.
Printing technology we are using allows to ensure the best quality and durability of printed fabric.
Please take in mind that you are buying 100 % hand printed textile item, so slightly variations may occur in print colour and printing intensity of every pattern motive because of hand work in every stage.
We are proud of the irregularities in pattern, this allows to offer you unique and unrepeatable products.
Made with great attention and joy!
Oct 28-Nov 10
There was a problem calculating your shipping. Please try again.
53 shop reviews5 out of 5 stars
Stunning table runner. Washes really well too (in a cold wash of course), which I was concerned about Before I washed it for the first time. No issues with that and the quality is beautiful!
Nicely made and gorgeous. The presentation is lovely as well. This was my second order from this etsy dealer as I like the first two items so much.
Vita is absolutely lovely and her products are stunning! I sent her a message asking for a runner in a size that was out of stock and she made it custom for me for my wedding day! She is so kind and prompt and my packages arrived with beautiful attention to detail. So much fun to open these gorgeous parcels and I will treasure them forever. Thank you so very much, Vita! 🪴💕
I like very much that table runner, that will be hanged on a wall as nice decoration!! The sketch is so beautifuland and the colors are soft!! It arrives quickly and very well and nicely packed at home. Thank you very much fort the care you have taken!! I am very very happy with my purchase!
Photos from reviews


text:
Poetry: Again and Again
Sensuality of you that touch
reaches me affects me much
I drift I dream a heavy sleep
lilac memories mine to keep.
Sunshine hope is burning bright
but this loving belongs to night
yearning for you from long ago
today am still wanting you so.
Snow is falling so gently outside
by logic my heart will not abide
though we parted in sorrow and pain
you torture my soul again and again.


text:
By Carol McCracken
During it's short life-span this non-profit has grown rapidly and it's future continues to look promising. Its about food and its escalating price which is making it more and more difficult for many Hill residents to find "healthy food at reasonable prices," says Bill Lee, a member of the steering committee for Portland Food Co-op. The steering committee meets monthly at the Munjoy Hill Neighborhood Organization's office at 92 Congress Street.
At the end of last year, 8 members of the Food Now Buying Club, which operates under the Food Co-op umbrella, ordered $650. worth of product from its then only food supplier – United Natural Foods. As of June, 44 members had ordered $2,000 from each of the non-profit's two suppliers – Crown of Maine having been recently added. Each supplier delivers once a month to designated locations. The Food Now Buying Club is "where the action is now" said Lee last month in an impromptu interview at the North Street Community Garden where he and his Japenese wife, Taeko, maintain a hard-working presence.
The recent sale of the Whole Grocer on Marginal Way to Whole Foods was the catalyst for the organization of the co-op. Members with cars take turns picking up the produce at several locations. Those without cars perform other responsibilities that keep the organization functioning smoothly. "It's run by co-op principles," Lee said. "What each of us does, benefits others," added the unpretentious gardner.
Since returning to the States in 2001 from Japan where he taught at the college level, the couple settled on the Hill. Lee is a part-time statistics professor at three local institutions of higher learning in the area. He's also expects to receive another Master's Degree this summer. The soft-spoken Lee said "I'm not unduly rude" and "I'm not a dancing bear." In other words, he takes his teaching seriously and so should his students.
"The Portland Food Co-op is my main interest these days," says Lee as we return to weeding in our respective garden plots. Perhaps Bill and Taeko would consider starting a gas co-op on the Hill, I wonder…next time….


text:
American Pies
Food Network Kitchen made three classic Thanksgiving pies, and then remade each one with a twist.
Thanksgiving Pies
The Classic: Pumpkin Pie
A homemade crust filled with rich, traditionally spiced pumpkin custard is a highly-anticipated way to end a Thanksgiving feast.
Get the Recipe: Pumpkin Pie
The Twist: Amaretto Pumpkin Pie with Almond Praline
For an update on a favorite, Food Network Kitchen baked amaretto-spiced pumpkin custard in a cookie crust and topped it with sweet, crunchy almond praline.
Get the Recipe: Amaretto Pumpkin Pie With Almond Praline
The Classic: Apple Pie
Fill your home with the scent of hot apple pie and your guests' plates with slices of tart apple filling inside a buttery homemade crust.
Get the Recipe: Apple Pie
The Twist: Apple-Walnut Galette
For a new spin on apple pie, try a galette: a free-form pie that's baked on a baking sheet instead of in a pie plate. This version is sweetened with apricot preserves and stuffed with walnuts.
Get the Recipe: Apple-Walnut Galette
The Classic: Pecan Pie
Served with whipped cream or ice cream, homemade pecan pie is a quintessential dessert that no Thanksgiving menu should be without.
Get the Recipe: Pecan Pie
The Twist: Chocolate-Toffee Pecan Tart
Pecan pie gets a chocolatey makeover with a cocoa crust, and the topping is extra cruncy and sweet, like toffee candy.
Get the Recipe: Chocolate-Toffee Pecan Tart


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I fired an email off to The Hub to confirm the date announced at the Comic Con panel, and it sounds like season 3 will NOT be released in August. They do however hope to have it on their schedule by the end of 2012, and will announce it four weeks in advance.
I guess we get to just sit tight for a bit! The Chrystal Pony DVD is scheduled for December, so I'm sure we won't have to wait that long.Wednesday, July 18, 2012 op 9:32 AM
Labels: News, Not-Fanfiction
Season 3 - Not August!
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Japan's economy — which for years has struggled to return to its 1980s growth levels — could be about to boom once again, thanks to bitcoin, cryptocurrency and blockchain technology.
At the Japan Blockchain Conference this week in Tokyo (the first of what's expected to become a yearly event) the chief executive of financial services giant SBI Holdings Yoshitaka Kitao said he is betting that blockchain-related technologies will fuel the next boom for the Japanese economy after decades of economic malaise.
In the 1970s, Japan had the world's second-largest GDP after the U.S. and this boom continued through to the 1980s. However, by the early 1990s Japan's economy had stalled, plunging the country into what has been called the "lost decade" of growth.
It has previously been suggested Japan's economy could be kick-started by a "technological boom."
Improved mobile connectivity through the long-awaited 5G technology, along with the Internet of Things (IoT), rapid increases in computing power and artificial intelligence, could combine to trigger an economic boom, in which Japan is well placed to lead the way.
SBI is investing in companies in Japan and across east Asia through its $460 million AI & Blockchain Fund, established earlier this year.
"We want to take blockchain beyond financial," Yoshitaka Kitao said. "There's a lot of speculative demand around cryptocurrencies, which is why the price is going up so quickly, but people need to think about how these technologies are being used in real life and how they can improve people's businesses."
Yoshitaka expects this boom to happen within the next few years and has been steering SBI towards blockchain and cryptocurrencies as a result.
Earlier this year it was revealed SBI is planning to launch a cryptocurrency exchange this summer and has also invested in a renewable energy wind farm to begin mining Bitcoin Cash — which Yoshitaka believes is more viable than the original bitcoin.
"Bitcoin is too expensive, and people are just holding it and hoping it increases in value," said Yoshitaka.
Aaron McDonald, the chief executive of decentralized app marketplace Centrality, which closed a $80 million initial coin offering (ICO) earlier this year, expects Japan and east Asia to be the core driver of global bitcoin, cryptocurrency, and blockchain adoption.
New Zealand-based Centrality's ICO was predominantly bought by investors from Japan, where one third of adults have used a cryptocurrency wallet.
"We're focused on the region because people in Japan are far further ahead than the rest of the world when it comes to blockchain and crytocurrencies," said McDonald, who agrees the blockchain boom is just a few years away.
Tezuka Mitsuru, the chief executive of blockchain investment advisory company CTIA, one of Centrality's major investors, said: "If blockchain is integrated into the Japanese market it will be a great tool and prevent the market from declining."
This week it was announced Centrality has secured a partnership with China tech giant InfiniVision and Japan-based Jasmy — founded by the former president of the Sony Corporation.
However, there are fears heavy-handed regulation could suffocate the blockchain and cryptocurrency industry in Japan, with the government clamping down on crypto exchanges earlier this year in the wake of a number of high-profile thefts.
Fears of a global regulatory crackdown have contributed to a sharp fall in the bitcoin price in 2018, after a rapid rise last year.
The likes of illegal ICOs, money laundering, tax evasion, thefts, exchange outages, excessive speculation have all become a worry for regulators this year.
While Japan has broadly chosen a more accommodating approach to blockchain and cryptocurrencies, last year introducing a law that resulted in 16 licensed trading venues, in early March it also cracked down, penalizing six exchanges and telling another to revise its management structure among other changes.


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We're in the hangover stage. We've finished our "Best of 2016" lists, we are caught up on Awards Season contenders, drained by the Golden Globes ceremonies, and we're looking directly into the dull eyes of that movie release deadzone of January and February. So, if you're like us, you may be in need of an energy shot. If 2017 is anything like 2016, we are going to need movies to come through big with a remedy of escapism, entertainment, and sense-making. So we've compiled a forward-looking list of all the things that we are excited for in the upcoming year.
Split (January 20, 2017)
Some would say we are really rolling the dice with our first eagerly anticipated film of the year. To many, M. Night Shyamalan does not have the most assured filmography, and this newest film — a thriller propelled by an antagonist with disassociative identity disorder (played by James McAvoy) — has a lot of folks raising eyebrows at the sensitivity of the mental health subject matter. But, even with all of that working against him in the public view, Shyamalan is still at the top of the class in terms of employing film language and narrative economy, and he's coming off of the closest thing he has had to a critical hit in years, with last year's The Visit. But I am steadfast and stubborn in my admiration for this filmmaker and his innovations in film language, and I will be front of the maybe-short line to see Split when it opens. – David Shreve, Jr.
The Lego Batman Movie (February 10, 2017)
Why should you be hyped to see this movie? Well, it's the Lego Batman Movie starring Will Arnett, Michael Cera, Rosario Dawson, Zach Galifianakis, Mariah Carey, Jenny Slate, Ralph Fiennes, and Billy Dee Williams finally getting to play Two-Face. Lego Batman was one of the best parts of the universally adored Lego Movie, and this movie looks to expand his megalomania and the essential weirdness of the character into something bright, colourful, and wonderful. As stated, the cast is killer and every bit of footage that's been released has been hilarious and insane. This is going to be the first superhero movie of the year, and hopefully it sets the tone for a fantastic year of unhinged heroism. – Sean Fallon
Get Out (February 24, 2017)
I think we all assumed that the directorial debut of Jordan Peele would be a comedy. Key and Peele, during its five season run, was an amazing sketch show filled with rich commentary on race in America while also being incredibly funny. However, for Peele's first movie behind the camera, he has gone for a horror movie and the commentary on race seems to still be front and centre. Get Out is the story of a young interracial couple with the black boyfriend (played by Sicario/Black Mirror/Psychoville's Daniel Kaluuya) going to meet his white girlfriend's parents for the first time on their estate but . . . things seem off. Especially in the behaviour of the black hired help who all seem a little bit too happy. The trailer shows that Peele knows his way around a scare and how to build atmosphere like a pro. I feel like Get Out is going to be something brand new in the horror genre and if Peele wants to be the next big voice in horror then it looks as though he's making all the right moves and knows all the right tricks. – Sean Fallon
Logan (March 3, 2017)
Hugh Jackman's final outing as the Wolverine looks like what X-Men films haven't looked like for a while — a narrative with emphasis on character accompanied by vision to actually make it look like a film. Mutant annihilation isn't even a new plot device for these movies, as it's been the plot for a couple of the films already, but the Western-inspired look of the film, the aging of the characters, and the mature rating make it really stand out (not just in its franchise but in the whole genre), not to mention that it grounds the film and gives it a sense of weight. And with it being Wolverine's last solo outing in the foreseeable future, one would expect a meaningful and riveting narrative. I have no doubt Jackman and Director James Mangold, with their passionate love for the character, will be able to deliver. – Anton Reyes
Kong: Skull Island (March 10, 2017)
The Comic Con trailer for Director Jordan Vogt-Roberts' Kong: Skull Island sold me on this latest iteration of King Kong, with its focus on its insanely talented cast of characters, its vibrant depiction of what appears to be hell on Earth, Skull Island, and the mayhem transpiring in their gorilla warfare. One particular shot in the teaser that excited me was the quick visual comparison Vogt-Roberts makes between a dragonfly and the helicopters carrying the protagonists. It signifies something evident throughout the trailer — the protagonists are insects going up against, well, the king. Writer Max Borenstein is penning this, after having written 2014's Godzilla film, which proved to be a thoughtful reflection of man's relationship with nature, so what I'm hoping for (and what the marketing seems to suggest) is that the film takes a similar approach. It's also worth anticipating an egocentric Sam Jackson take a shot at taking down King Kong. – Anton Reyes
Song to Song (March 10-19, Sundance)
There really is no point speculating. Here's what we know: Ryan Gosling has teamed with legendary film philosopher Terrence Malick, and no one stares longingly as well as Ryan Gosling. The rest of the cast is rounded out with a not-too-shabby Rooney Mara, Natalie Portman, and Michael Fassbender. The plot description promises a love story set within the Austin, Texas music scene, which sounds great. Outside of that, it's hard to guess what we're getting. Particularly considering that the name of this film changed as recently as last week (the film had been called Weightless beforehand). If Malick's past output is any indication, it will be just as tough to describe after watching. – David Shreve, Jr.
Beauty and the Beast (March 17, 2017)
My first word as a baby was "Beast." I wish I was kidding. Having watched the 1991 animated film no less than 100+ times in my life, seeing the trailer for Disney's live-action adaption of Beauty and the Beast made me burst into overwhelmed tears of joy. Emma Watson looks like she'll make a fantastic Belle, and it's another win for me seeing I was a massive Harry Potter fan as a kid, too. I think Disney may have gotten ahold of my childhood journal and decided to cast everyone I love for one big, happy fanfic family. In all seriousness, Beauty and the Beast appears to be a stunning big-screen epic that could launch Disney into a live-action renaissance, and you can be assured that I'll be there on opening night to see the film. – Staley Sharples
The Fate of the Furious (April 4, 2017)
The gloriously titled The Fate of the Furious is the eighth installment in the Fast & Furious franchise, which is starting to look like it will never ever run out of steam. The drive this time is a shocking betrayal as our hero Dom (Vin Diesel) turns his back on his family, aligning himself with an deliciously evil Charlize Theron as an international high-tech terrorist with weirdly bad hair. I'll be damned if that powerhouse trailer didn't get the entire F&F fandom totally fired up. Dom gets Hobbs sent to prison before going rogue. Then the rest of the family has to rally around snarky Kurt Russell who recruits evil Jason Statham (the villain from Furious 7) to help them all stop Dom and Charlize. Next thing we know, there's a five-way car stand off and then they're battling through an frozen tundra of sorts where Charlize deploys a GODDAMN SUBMARINE to take them all out. If nothing else, director F. Gary Gray has certainly got the action chops to continue carrying this series. Throw in more than a few gut-wrenching twists and we've got a recipe for one of the most awesome looking movies of 2017. – Ryan MacLean
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (May 5, 2017)
2016 was a lacklustre year for superhero movies with some very good ones and some very bad ones but none that really stood out as excellent. 2017 should hopefully turn that trend around with Logan, Wonder Woman, and Thor: Ragnarok all looking very interesting. But, as interesting as they look, none of those movies has Baby Groot and I'm pretty sure none of them have Kurt Russell starring as a living planet. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 sees the continuing adventures of the ragtag crew from the first movie with Karen Gillen, Michael Rooker, and Glenn Close coming back for more too. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 1 was a big shot in the arm for the genre, but I'm still hoping that James Gunn is given more freedom to lean into some of his more twisted, Super tastes for this installment. – Sean Fallon
The Endless (May 11, 2017)
Every now and then Netflix leads you to something special. One of those times for me was Justin Benson & Aaron Moorhead's 2012 film Resolution. This was an impressively creative addition to the horror genre and the two kept up their momentum bringing us a V/H/S Viral segment and the stunning horror/romance Spring. These two have some sort of magic synergy that consistently produces interesting and fresh horror. That's why 2017's The Endless is almost guaranteed to be great. Cults are at the top of my list for horror fixtures for their tendency to go beyond and show the elasticity of the human mind. In this story, brothers return to a cult they've escaped from with surprising results. Benson and Moorhead both star in and direct this upcoming horror, and that alone makes it a most-anticipated movie of 2017. – Becky Belzile
Alien: Covenant (May 19, 2017)
The most fascinating aspect of the Alien franchise is its ever evolving tone from film to film. Separate films might share similar structures but the DNA is specific to the director's approach to the material. Even Ridley Scott's previous return to the universe in Prometheus was a vastly different aesthetically influenced science fiction epic with elements of "At the Mountains of Madness" . . . in space. The end result was either a hit or a miss depending on who you talk to but it's always a universe worth returning to. I find the best Alien films or moments pair slasher horror movie vibes with existential Lovecraftian dread. With visuals reminiscent of discarded Alien 3 concept art, the first trailer definitely won me over in particular. And lest we forget, there are two Michael Fassbenders in this movie. TWO. – Diego Crespo
Wonder Woman (June 2, 2017)
After breaking out in Batman v Superman, the Amazon warrior will finally have a movie of her own with Patty Jenkins at the helm, and Gal Gadot leading the charge as our titular hero. This could be a major step in terms of seeing more female superheroes on screen and more female directors on major blockbusters, something we desperately need and want. Wonder Woman is as badass as they come, and the film, written by two major comic book writers, looks to cement her place in our cinematic pantheon of heroes. The WWI setting will also be a nice departure from modern set superhero movies and will hopefully examine the effects of violence and war on our world in a way we haven't seen before. While most of the plot details have been kept under wraps, the first trailer for Wonder Woman promises a world just as interesting as Batman and Superman's, but unlike those films Jenkins will be able to create a world unburdened by preoccupations with previous film iterations. Hopefully the film will be the first step in many more Wonder Woman stories to come. – Richard Newby
Spider-Man: Homecoming (July 7, 2017)
A common point of discussion when it comes to superhero movies is the ever-growing scale of conflict. There are only so many movies that can end with a third act showdown with an army of amorphous army of enemies. It's one of the reasons why the character of Spider-Man endures. Peter Parker's primary conflicts don't revolve around universe ending possibilities. He's a hero struggling to get through a handful of thugs and trying to maintain balance between the ordinary and their extraordinary life is what helps separate the character from the other pantheon of heroes. The previous films of Jon Watts (Clown, Cop Car) deal with various expressions of responsibility and power. Given the creative pool Watts has presented on screen prior, there are few directors with a better resume to revitalize our friendly neighborhood Spider-Man. – Diego Crespo
War for the Planet of the Apes (July 14, 2017)
The Planet of the Apes series is one of the strangest and most interesting franchises. The original movie was impossible to follow up, but they managed to bring it back (and get weirder). Then they managed to follow up the sequel's genuinely impossible-to-follow-up ending with another three entries. After the unfortunate misstep of Tim Burton's remake, we got a full reboot/prequel/rebootquel with Rise of the Planet of the Apes, which gave us staggeringly great motion-captured CGI apes as well as an exploration of the animal rights that had merely been background in the previous films. 2014's Dawn of the Planet of the Apes was even better and my second favourite after the 1968 original. While my love for the series keeps me interested in any film set in this world, my excitement for the next one comes from the dedication this revival has shown to the vigilant ethics of the original movies. How rare is it to see a blockbuster that's so firmly anti-violence that the spectacle of battle becomes harrowing rather than thrilling? I'm happy to see a continuation of the story set up through Dawn and excited to see what Woody Harrelson brings to the table as the film's villain. – Jack Godwin
Dunkirk (July 21, 2017)
Every time Christopher Nolan returns with a new movie it feels like an event, and his WWII epic, Dunkirk, is no different. While he may not be offering genre-driven surprised and the first trailer looks far closer to an Oscar season drama, the film's prime summer date and IMAX release has us thinking that Dunkirk will offer a lot more spectacle than what the footage so far has showcased. Led by a cast of Brits, including Nolan mainstays Cillian Murphy and Tom Hardy, Dunkirk is sure to deliver the strong performances that Nolan's films have in-part built their reputation on. Chances are we won't have much to say about the film until we get to see it, given Nolan's penchant for secrecy. But it's a safe bet to say that after its released it'll be one of the most discussed films of the year. – Richard Newby
The Dark Tower (July 28, 2017)
It seems that Stephen King's magnum-opus has been caught in an endless loop of development hell. Fortunately, in 2017, it finally breaks free in a film directed by Nikolaj Arcel and starring Idris Elba and Matthew McConaughey. The film, a fantasy, western, sci-fi, horror hybrid, follows gunslinger Roland Deschain, who along with a young boy, must travel to the nexus point of space and time to alter reality while the sinister Man in Black works toward the tower for his own aims. King's eight-book series gives the Arcel a lot to play off of, and with a television prequel in the works, we'll hopefully get to see the entirety of King's saga play out on both big and small-screens. If the rumors are true, then The Dark Tower, will have an interesting place within the canon of King's book series, one that if pulled off, could really change the way multi-media adaptation are approached. I'm really hoping this turns out to be a hit, because this series is right up there with LoTR for me, and could really add a new element to blockbuster season. If the first trailer is promising, be prepared to have me talk up The Dark Tower for the rest of 2017. – Richard Newby
Baby Driver (August 11, 2017)
Baby Driver will be the first movie Edgar Wright has directed since 2013's The World's End. His presence has been missed. Wright is one of the most visually interesting directors currently making movies and his four previous feature films have all been amazing and instant cult classics, with Hot Fuzz being my personal favourite of the bunch. Baby Driver is the story of a music-obsessed getaway driver who finds himself in over his head when a robbery goes wrong. The titular Baby is played by Ansel Elgort and the rest of the cast is rounded out by Lily James, Jon Hamm, Kevin Spacey, Jamie Foxx, Eiza Gonzalez, Sky Ferreira, and Jon Bernthal. It's been four years since Wright was behind the camera; it's about time he was back. – Sean Fallon
It (September 8, 2017)
Funny thing about viral marketing: it doesn't have to be on purpose. While New Line Cinema has sternly rejected that last year's real-life plague of sinister clown sightings had anything to do with Andrés Muschietti's upcoming Stephen King adaptation It, their participation within and knowledge of the marketing is not necessary for it to work. There are likely a few explanations for why so many folks are afraid of clowns, but I'd wager than many around my age can trace their fear to the 1990 TV miniseries adapted from the same source material. Even with the restraints of TV guides and standards, that earlier film was as damaging to the collective psyche as a horror film has ever managed to be, so it's hard not to be at least curious about what trauma a hard R theatrical version might lay upon its viewers. – David Shreve, Jr.
Blade Runner 2049 (October 6, 2017)
If you'd asked me a couple years ago about a sequel to Blade Runner with Harrison Ford returning, I would have said absolutely not. There's no way that would work. Then Denis Villeneuve came aboard and everything changed. While I'm still a bit hesitant about Deckard returning given how much the ambiguity of the original film is appreciated, if anyone can deliver a smart and calculated return to this world that makes sense contextually and furthers the themes of the first film it's Villeneuve. With Roger Deakins offering beautiful cinematography and the return of frequent Villeneuve collaborators Johann Johannsson on score and Joe Walker on soundtrack, this may be one of the most technically astute films of 2017. And with a cast featuring Ryan Gosling, Harrison Ford, Dave Bautista, Barkhad Abdi, Mackenzie Davis, Jared Leto, and Robin Wright we're sure to get a visionary glimpse of the future populated with characters that rival the original. Keep the spoiler-driven scoops hidden for this one; I think we'll want to be in disbelief of all the things we'll see. – Richard Newby
God Particle (October 27, 2017)
Last year, after 10 Cloverfield Lane, I announced that whichever trilogy was finished first between Cloverfield and Hellboy would officially win the distinction of my favorite film trilogy. Well, J.J. Abrams and the folks at Bad Robot recently moved very close to the finish line by announcing that the Julius Onah-directed God Particle would mark the third installment of that film series. To be honest, I know little about this film and I don't intend to research beforehand. My plan is to recreate the blind experience of Cloverfield and the out-of-nowhere thrill of 10 Cloverfield Lane to the best of my ability. I'd encourage you to do the same. – David Shreve, Jr.
Thor: Ragnarok (November 3, 2017)
After the brief cameo in Doctor Strange's mid-credits scene, I am amped for the big-screen return of Thor. The third Thor installment, Thor: Ragnarok, is set to lead us into the events that will shape the story in The Avengers: Infinity War, and it appears that Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch), my new favorite MCU hero, will be playing a part in the film. Not only that, but recent announcements confirm that Thor: Ragnarok will also include a major connection to the Hulk that may provide a launchpad for a Hulk standalone film. Really, Thor's just bringing everyone together because he is indeed the best Avenger. Oh, and did I mention that Mark Mothersbaugh is scoring this film? Plus, any chance I get to see Tom Hiddleston's delightfully evil Loki chew up the scenery is a total bonus — and we get to see him interact with JEFF GOLDBLUM AKA GRANDMASTER. If that doesn't sell you, I genuinely don't know what will. – Staley Sharples
Justice League (November 17, 2017)
Zack Snyder's third entry in DCEU will finally bring together the world's greatest heroes in a team-up we've waited decades for. There's no doubt that with Batman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Mera, The Flash, Cyborg, and Superman that we're going to be looking at an action-extravaganza as the team goes up against the forces of Apokolips, led by the formidable Steppenwolf and his army of Parademons. As exciting as all of that is in terms of opening this universe up for future installments (Jack Kirby's Fourth World!), my greatest hope is that Justice League doesn't veer away from questioning these heroes and their place in the world just as Man of Steel and Batman v Superman did. Yes, we'll see a more optimistic world in lieu of Superman's sacrifice, but I'm looking to see the boundaries of the superhero movie pushed so that we're not just watching these heroes and villains on-screen, we're thinking about them too. Oh, and here's hoping that Aquaman and Mera become the breakout characters of the year! – Richard Newby
Coco (November 22, 2017)
Any animated film naturally grabs my attention. An animated film by Pixar warrants a double-take. An animated film featuring a minority protagonist with a supporting cast also of that minority origin results in an air-fist pump and heart swelling with uncontrollable joy. Coco centers around Miguel, the young Mexican protagonist, voiced by up-and-coming actor Anthony Gonzalez. Although bound by blood, it's music that seems to flow through Miguel's veins, while music is rejected by the rest of his family. Pixar's greatest asset revolves around their consistent emotion-inducing storytelling. and with Coco inspired by the Mexican holiday Día de los Muertos, the film seems set to land as another example of culturally inspired filmmaking. With director Lee Unkrich and writer Adrian Molina at the helm, I am confident Pixar will centralize on Mexican traditions and remain true to the cultural accuracy to show viewers. – Teaira Lacson
Stars Wars: Episode VIII (December 15, 2017)
If you've read any of my articles, follow me on Twitter, or met me in person you will know that I love Star Wars. And now there are new Star Wars movies and, even better, they're good. 2017 sees one of my favourite directors, Rian Johnson, helm my favourite franchise. He's brought in some new talent with Laura Dern, Kelly Marie Tran, and Benicio Del Toro joining the cast and now that the new movies are established he should be able to break away from being beholden to A New Hope and create something new and brilliant. The Force Awakens left a lot of questions left to be answered such as the nature of Rey's background, who is Supreme Leader Snoke, and when will Finn and Poe finally kiss? – Sean Fallon
Annihilation (Release Date TBA)
Jeff VanderMeer's Annihilation was one of the best things I read in 2016. It's mysterious, haunting, and deeply rooted in human connection, and the lack of it. Alex Garland has proven his ability to handle all of these aspects through his long career as a screenwriter and perhaps most impressively in his 2015 directorial debut Ex Machina. Starring an all-star cast of Natalie Portman, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Gina Rodriguez, Tessa Thompson, and Oscar Isaac, Annihilation follows a team of scientists as they explore an uncharted environmental disaster zone with Lovecraftian elements. Prestige horror has been a quite the roll as of late, and Garland's film is sure to continue that trend. I'm calling it now and saying that Annihilation will be regarded in the same light as The Babadook, It Follows, and The Witch for 2017. – Richard Newby
The Death of Stalin (Release Date TBA)
Armando Iannucci is a comedy god and everything he touches tends to turn out brilliantly whether it's his criminally slept on The Armando Iannucci Shows or his seminal The Thick of It and Veep. In 2017, he's directing his first movie since In The Loop, and it is the story of the political backstabbing and bitter rivalries that emerged following Stalin's death. So it's perfect territory for a master satirist who writes swearing and insults in a way that Shakespeare could only dream about. The Death of Stalin is based on the fantastic graphic novel by Fabian Nury and Thierry Robin and stars Jeffrey Tambor, Timothy Dalton, Olga Kurylenko, Steve Buscemi, Michael Palin, Paul Whitehouse, Jason Isaacs, Paddy Considine, and Andrea Riseborough. – Sean Fallon
Cargo (Release Date TBA)
This is a hard one to talk about without giving anything away. Originally shown as a short at Australia's short film festival Tropfest, Cargo is a story of survival in the harsh Australian wilderness in which a man must get his baby daughter to safety. Also there are zombies. Expanded into a feature film by the original creators Yolanda Ramke and Ben Howling, the movie now stars Martin Freeman in the lead and features a parallel story about a young Aboriginal girl on a quest of her own. I would love to give you more but I won't, and chances are the trailer will do that for me. Either way, Australian cinema is great/needs to be supported, Martin Freeman is great, and a new take on a zombie story is always good. And that's all I'll say about it. – Sean Fallon
Geralds's Game (Release Date TBA)
The third in what should be a milestone year for Stephen King adaptions, this Netfilx-planned release will tell see the up-and-coming horror master Mike Flanagan (Oculus, Hush, Ouija 2) take on what is seemingly one of King's less cinematic works. But if anyone is up to the challenge, it would be Flanagan, whose filmography, from Absentia onward, is full stories of personal haunting hiding in the folds of traditional horror. – David Shreve, Jr.
How to Talk to Girls at Parties (Release Date TBA)
We're excited for 2017 because it is (and hopefully will be remembered as) the year of the Stephen King renaissance, with the big screen release of The Dark Tower, Gerald's Game, and It. But the year is also shaping up to be a banner year for another figure of horror royalty, Neil Gaiman. This John Cameron Mitchell adapted sci-fi romance will star Nicole Kidman and Elle Fanning, and tells the story of romance-focused a young man who wants to make a move on young women at a party, without realizing that his targets are extraterrestrial. – David Shreve, Jr.
Lady Bird (Release Date TBA)
Greta Gerwig is one of the most unique voices in comedy in that she manages to be effervescently charming and at exactingly genuine at the same time. Lady Bird, which she both wrote and directed, follows the adventures of a young woman in Northern California, undoubtedly offering the kind of human insights that made Frances Ha and Mistress America such compelling looks at the lives of 21st century women. Starring Saoirse Ronan and Lucas Hedges, who impressed us in Manchester by the Sea, Lady Bird is shaping up to be one of the most-anticipated films on the indie circuit next year and maybe just maybe we'll get a Greta Gerwig film every year to counter all those Woody Allen movies we keep getting. Fingers crossed! – Richard Newby
Okja (Release Date TBA)
Bong Joon-ho's Okja has a plot as intriguing as its cast. Snowpiercer, Bong's first English-language film, was fascinating in its visual direction and entertaining premise, and Okja looks as though it will provide the same. Okja is a story of a girl named Mija (Ahn Seo-hyun) trying to save her best friend Okja, described ambiguously as a "massive animal," from a multi-national company. Promising to address themes of capitalism, activism, and the connection between humans and nature, Okja hopefully balances the same social examination and tense storytelling as Snowpiercer. Filming in both South Korea and America, the film's cast has both a Korean female lead and American supporting actors, such as Jake Gyllenhaal, Tilda Swinton, and Paul Dano. Premiering on Netflix, and set for a limited theatrical release in mid to late 2017, Okja will hopefully be a visually interesting and emotionally grounded take on a monster story. – Christina Tucker
Featured Image: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures/New Line Cinema


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Jon: We're getting over the shock a little bit, which is good, because they're due in early August. I can't believe you have twin boys!
Tanya: It takes a while to get over the shock. I think that I actually cried for 2 weeks!! I love having twin boys and am very glad that they came first because it was a lot of work in the beginning. The good news is that while everyone with singletons is entertaining their kids, yours will be entertaining each other. I think they also help each other sleep through the night. It took the other two a lot longer to sleep through the night. In fact, I am currently bribing my youngest (almost 4) to stay in his own bed at night. Twin boys, 19 months later a little girl, then just when we thought we might be done, 20 months later another boy. I was trying for another girl! I love having them all really close, but it is exhausting!!!
Jon: I started laughing uncontrollably during the doctor's appointment when we found out about the twins. This is apparently a no-no, since it caused my wife to laugh and prolonged the examination, neither of which were particularly comfortable for her.
Do people stop you whenever you go out to ask questions or fuss over the kids? I've heard this happens, but I've also heard that people walk up to pregnant women to rub their bellies, and I haven't seen that happen to Christina yet (thankfully).
Tanya: YES! People always came and fussed over them and tried to touch them when I had them out in the stroller. I would always try to keep them covered, but people would just pull the blankets off of them. I hated that and would just say that they were sick and asked them not to touch. And yes, people always touched my belly, which didn't bother me, but drove my husband crazy! I think I got sooo large that it started to scare people.
Jon: What sorts of weird questions do you get?
Tanya: I get all kinds of comments when I go out with my kids. Lots of "Do you know how that happens?", a little of "I know what you do with your free time", but mostly, "wow, are they all yours?". My favorite was in the National Gallery a mother said to her daughter, "watch out for the daycare group."
Jon: Did you dress them alike when they were little?
Tanya: I always dressed them in similar outfits, but never matching. Now that they dress themselves, it drives me crazy when one comes down in polo shirt and khakis and the other in crappy t-shirt and sweats. Mine are identical, though. I may have dressed them the same if they had looked different.
Jon: Are you putting them in the same classroom? This seems to be a big disagreement people have. I guess some of it depends on the kids, but it seems like it might be easier on the parents to have to keep up with one classroom instead of two.
Tanya: The classroom question!! We just spent a month discussing it again this year. You will get tons of advice on this. My advice is to do what you think is best for them. No one else really knows, although it is nice to get feedback from teachers. We keep them together for a lot of reasons. When they were going into pre-k, they didn't know anyone else, and I was afraid that it would be to hard for them to adjust. When they were going into kindergarten, there were only 4 readers in their class and they wanted to group them together. They strongly encouraged us last year and this year to separate them again, but they seem to be very independent of each other within the classroom, and our other 2 will be in school this year too! So, it is just easier and they like it. It is definitely easier to keep them together for us, but lots of twins are extremely dependent and will do better apart.
Jon: How long before you were able to tell them apart? Did you use any tricks, like painting toenails, etc.?
Tanya: I could always tell them apart and actually didn't believe that they were identical. It help most people that Connal had a HUGE hemangioma on the front top of his head. I remember when my dad showed up for their 2nd B-day and looked at me with fear in his eyes and said, "They grew hair!". He couldn't tell them apart at all. We also never dressed them the same. They each get half of a dresser drawer. Connal's clothes go on the right side and Nolan's clothes go on the left side on each drawer. I think they did this though!
Jon: How do you handle birthdays? I assume they share a party, but do they each get their own cake? Do they get their own presents?
Tanya: They always share a party because it would be the same people invited. I always do a chocolate cake for Connal and a butter (vanilla) cake for Nolan. As for the different gifts: our house rule is if you get an individual gift it is yours for the day. After that anyone can use it and you better not call anything "mine". That rule applies to all four kids.
Jon: I was thinking it would be a good idea to wrap things up and post the interview soon before things get nuts around here. I'm sure I'll have more questions once reality hits, but I appreciate your answering my "preview" questions!
Tanya: I know things are about to turn upside down at your house and I am very excited for you guys! If you have any twin questions for the boys, let me know. They will answer anything, but don't really understand why we just talk about being twins. Please feel free to contact me with any questions you may have along the way! Good luck and keep me posted.


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How to Make an Audiobook for (Almost) Free by Doing It Yourself
Heidi Thorne is a self-publishing advocate and author of nonfiction books, eBooks, and audiobooks. She is a former trade newspaper editor.
My Audiobook Experience
Over the past few months, I have been working diligently on creating audio versions of self-published business nonfiction titles in my backlist. My reasoning behind this is that the world of audio content is on a roll and on the rise due to shifts in how we consume content and communicate via technology. Our cars and smartphones can play podcasts and audiobooks. We ask our digital voice assistant, often named Alexa, to order things for us, provide information, and also play audio content. We want to multitask by listening to audio while doing other things.
I've just submitted my fifth audiobook edition for review for publishing on Audible, Amazon, and iTunes. I've learned a thing or two by doing these editions DIY (Do It Yourself) . . . and without spending a ton of money. In fact, I've spent almost nothing compared to my peers, who could have spent hundreds, even thousands.
That doesn't mean there's no cost to doing a DIY audiobook. The cost will be in time, talent, and effort, and it has been significant. But it can be done.
As well, the following only applies to self-published works for which you have all rights, meaning you own the copyrights to all formats and markets for the work. If you are unsure of your rights, consult an attorney to confirm. So once you hold the necessary rights, you're good to go.
Here's a short summary of how I did it, so you know what's involved.
ACX: Amazon and Audible's Audiobook Publishing Platform
Though uploading your audio files is the final step in the process, the choice of your audiobook publishing and distribution platform is actually the first choice you need to make so that your project meets their requirements.
Since all my print and eBooks are produced and sold via Amazon, Createspace, and Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), I chose to use ACX (Audiobook Creation Exchange, acx.com)—owned by Amazon and Audible—to self-publish and distribute my audiobooks. Once your audiobook is approved by ACX, it will be distributed on Audible.com, Amazon, and iTunes.
Because ACX is integrated into Amazon, it allows you to "assert" and connect your audiobook project to your existing titles on Amazon. When uploading your audio files, you'll need to confirm that you have the necessary rights to the work, including audiobook rights.
Once you set up an account with ACX, you can start preparing your audio files.
Cost: $0
Your Microphone for Recording Your Audiobook
A few years ago, I was a guest on a podcast that required me to have a better quality microphone than what was available on my PC. They specifically recommended the Logitech H390 ClearChat USB microphone and headset, which is currently at a retail price of around $40, lower on sites like Amazon. So I bought it and have been using it for podcasting, video, and audio recording for years now.
Is it the ideal microphone and headset for recording audiobooks? Maybe not, but it is serviceable. And though I do have access to my husband's higher quality Blue Yeti microphone, that microphone boom (an adjustable armature to hold the microphone) is so awkward with my desk and PC that it's impossible to use without drilling into my desk. So I'll use my Logitech headset until I get a new desk setup down the road.
If I had to pay for the same microphone hubby has, it would have put me back about $130 (as of this post date). Still not too bad for a piece of equipment that you could use for several projects in the future, podcasting, social media videos, or other spoken-word works. But for easier editing, you'll probably want good headphones, too. So that would set you back some additional dollars, depending on your choice. That's also why I chose to stick with an all-in-one headset with a microphone. Less hassle, less cost.
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But whether you go with something like my cheap setup, or one that's more expensive, you'll need to have some sort of windscreen to reduce the pops, clicks, hissing, and breathing sounds that your voice makes when being recorded. A windscreen could be a foam ball or piece that fits over the microphone. Or, for mics that have a stand or larger boom, it might be an actual screen that gets positioned in front of the mic. There are also some furry-looking ones that I'm going to have to try, which claim to reduce a lot of breathing sounds and such. Even if you do have a windscreen, you'll usually have to do some editing of extraneous noises. (The ACX folks called me out on that for a couple of my files.)
The little foam windscreens are super cheap on sites such as Amazon (around $10 as of this writing) for use with headsets that have small boom microphones like mine. Musical instrument retailers (Guitar Center, Sam Ash, etc.) also carry this type of thing.
Use What You Already Have?
So if you already have a decent quality headset for online activities or gaming, you might be able to use what you have and not spend on more equipment. But if all you have is your computer's built-in mic, you're well-advised to get something that can record higher quality audio to avoid massive editing and possible file rejection by ACX.
The only way to test if your current equipment works for ACX is to try it. ACX will come back with what needs to be changed. But there is a way to check if your recording might pass before you even submit it. I'll talk about that a bit later in this post. So keep reading.
Cost: As low as $50, depending on your microphone and windscreen choices. Free if you already have these items.
Audacity Audio Editing Software for Audiobook Recording
Because I had used it for other audio recording projects in the past—and because it's free, open-source software—I chose to record and edit my audiobooks using the Audacity program. Simply go to Audacity (audacityteam.org) and download for PC or Mac.
The recording procedure is pretty simple with video/DVR-type, mouse-controlled buttons (red dot to record, two vertical bars to pause, black square to stop, green arrow to play). Plug in your mic, click the red dot record button, and start talking!
You may have to select your microphone if your computer has multiple microphones. Most computers have a built-in microphone, and others can be plugged in. If that's the case for you, you'll need to select which microphone you're going to use to record. Otherwise, it will default to your computer's built-in microphone (yuck!). See the Audacity documentation for how to do that.
Though ACX will accept either mono or stereo recordings, all of your files must be one or the other. I've gone with mono since I think it's easier to handle, especially for audio editing beginners. Stereo files may be more complicated to edit with multiple channels.
Also, each chapter, opening credits, and closing credits need to be in a separate file. ACX also has requirements for what needs to be in the opening (title, author, and narrator) and closing credits ("The End" is the bare minimum).
Heads up that the Audacity "help" files are not that helpful since they do not have an easy search function. This is likely due to it being open-source, meaning that it is constantly being updated by its contributors. So when I need to find something, I usually end up going to Google to search for what I need on Audacity or online forums. Even if you do find what you're looking for, it's usually written in audio geek-speak.
Exacerbating the issue is that the ACX "help" information is similarly skewed toward information for audio engineers. As well, the ACX submission requirements use terminology that isn't the same as on Audacity. For example, when ACX talks about RMS levels, it's handled by the Compressor function on Audacity.
Cost: $0
Being an Author-Narrator
When I first looked at ACX maybe a year or two ago, I was totally discouraged by their emphasis on using professional narrators for audiobooks. I want to be my own narrator! Not just because I wanted to do this on the cheap (narrators could charge hundreds, even thousands, of dollars, depending on your book), but because I wanted to be personally talking to my readers, similar to what I do with my podcasting. Because it didn't seem like the system was designed for self-published author-narrators, I put this effort on the back burner.
But lately, it seems like they've made it easier to be an author-narrator. The interface has been updated, and is easier to navigate through the process. So maybe ACX is realizing the profit potential that self-published authors could bring? I'll just hope that it continues to get even more user-friendly over time.
Yes, You Really Sound Like That
Even though ACX is much easier to handle than it's ever been, what's not easier is learning to become your own narrator since ACX requires that audiobooks be narrated by humans, not text-to-voice robots.
You have to get comfortable with speaking into the mic and hearing your own recorded voice. This unnerves many authors since they're devastated by how they sound on the recording. They don't feel they sound like they do in "real" life. And, they're right—they don't!
The way we hear the sound of our own voices can be altered by the physical structure of our eardrums, skull, vocal cords, etc. Google "why you sound different on recordings," and you'll get an earful (pun intended) about this phenomenon. So what you hear on the recording may actually sound more "real" and closer to what your listening audience actually hears.
As well, you'll have to learn to control your voice in terms of volume and emphasis. This takes time, even years! So if this is new territory for you, practice, practice, practice. And remember that digital audio is cheap (like free if you record, as discussed here). So keep re-recording it until you get it right.
Even though you want to aim for a recording with as few bloopers as possible, don't worry about it being perfect because you can edit mistakes later. I've found that once I make a mistake, I just keep recording and speak the passage again, leaving a bit of silence between the blooper and the corrected passage so that it's easier to identify and cut out the bad stuff.
Cost: $0 (plus your time and effort)
Once you've finished recording yourself reading your book, then the editing begins. As any audio or video pro will tell you, this is the most time-consuming part of developing the finished project. In some cases, it can take several times the actual time it takes to record it . . . at least that's been the case for me. For example, I just edited a five-minute segment that took me about 25 to 30 minutes to finalize. Aargh!
Further extending the time it takes to edit is the necessity to learn how to edit audio with Audacity. Recording with the software is easy, but editing is a completely different story. Audacity was developed by audio geeks for audio geeks, not regular folks like self-published authors.
Tip: When you open up your raw recorded file, save it again in a separate file with an identifier such as "Edit" in the file name. This "Edit" file is the one you'll use for your editing. This way, if you mess up on the editing and accidentally cut out and obliterate a segment that you wish you would have saved, you still have the raw file, so you don't have to re-record.
Actually, I save a separate "Edit" file for each edit round, e.g., "Edit1," "Edit2," etc. My first edit file is for cutting out speaking mistakes, and then the succeeding edit files are for the audio quality adjustments. I do this because undoing some audio quality adjustments may not work after the file is saved. As with the raw file, having a file with just the bloopers cut out prevents me from having to do the whole darn thing over if it doesn't pass ACX review.
Cost: $0 (plus your time and effort)
The Audiobook Editing Process
Making the Cuts
First, you're going to want to cut out the bloopers. You just select the bits you want to cut out with your mouse and press the delete key or click the Cut (scissors) button on the Audacity toolbar.
While this is relatively easy, it will take some time to get used to "reading" the waveform. I look at it in Waveform(dB)—not just Waveform—because I find it easier to see little noises that I might want to cut out.
Besides the bloopers, some of the noises you'll want to cut out are loud breaths (which seem to increase for me as I talk faster), clicking noises for your mouse, and what ACX calls "mouth sounds," which could be things like swallowing.
Audio Quality Adjustments
I'm not even going to pretend that I have a clue about the finer details of audio editing. However, from both online research and experimentation, I have found that these are the key functions in Audacity to help make your files ACX-friendly.
Noise Reduction
This huge! Even if you've done your best to reduce environmental noise during recording, if you're recording on your computer, noise from the computer (fans, background static, etc.) will show up on your recording, and it needs to be removed.
Trust me, you'll be able to hear the hum from your computer on your recording, and it's annoying! So I use the Audacity Noise Reduction in the Effect menu to remove it. You'll have to select a portion of the recording that just has that annoying background noise and identify that as the "noise profile."
The Compressor function is typically used to address the loudness issues or, in audio geek-speak, RMS (Root Mean Square) levels. Adjusting the RMS will help smooth out your recording from having spots that are too loud, too soft, and too annoying for your listeners.
For ACX, the RMS (currently) for each entire track needs to be between -18dB and -23dB. Sadly, there is no "please adjust my audio to -18dB and -23dB" function in Audacity.
You can handle the RMS issue with the Compressor in the Effect menu. Set it for factory defaults (Effect > Compressor > Manage > Factory Presets > Defaults) to start and adjust the sliders (Threshold is usually the primary aspect that needs adjusting). Also, set the Noise Floor to -60dB (required by ACX).
This is another loudness issue, but it deals with the maximum volume level your track will experience. At present, the level ACX requires is -3dBfs. Even though you may set it for this ACX requirement, you may need to adjust it up or down to meet spec due to your file's particular qualities. I've found that adjusting this in 0.1 increments is sometimes all that's needed to make it work.
How Do You Know if Your Audiobook Files Meet ACX Specs?
Largely by stumbling around on the Internet to find answers on mastering my audiobooks, I found this amazing free plugin for Audacity, the Nyquist ACX Check, which can be found here.
Once you're done making all your audio edits, adjusting volumes, and removing noise, you will go to Nyquist Prompt in the Audacity Effect menu, and it will check your file to see if it meets ACX submission requirements for sound levels and quality. Then you can adjust your files with the functions noted above if it fails. Other adjustments may also need to be made, depending on your file.
Of course, using this plugin is no guarantee that ACX will accept your files. For example, on one of my submissions, everything checked out on the ACX Checker. But there were some extraneous noises at the beginning and end of some of my tracks. So even though those noises met spec, they had to be removed. Also, your files must meet content and other requirements to be approved by ACX.
However, this plugin helps avoids submitting your files to the ACX "black box," just hoping they'll meet spec. The ACX review process is long (up to 14 days). So every submission that doesn't pass could mean extra weeks until it becomes available for sale.
This plugin has been a lifesaver for me! My first audiobooks had to go through two rounds of approval. On my third book which had 40+ chapters (!), I was able to get it through the ACX approval process on the first try.
Cost: $0 (plus your time and effort)
Exporting Your Audiobook to MP3 Files
More gobbledygook to follow. But I'll do my best to clarify.
According to the ACX submission requirements, your files need to be 192 kbps or higher MP3, constant bit rate (CBR) at 44.1 kHz. I am not even going to attempt to explain what this means! However, I can tell you that this deals with how your audio files are encoded so that they play properly on your listeners' devices.
Once you're finished editing your audio files and it's passed the ACX check, you'll go to File > Export in Audacity to create the MP3 files for uploading. You will set those ACX requirements in the File > Export screen.
Cost: $0
Your Audiobook Cover
Even though ACX makes it easy to connect your audiobook project to your existing print books or eBooks on Amazon, there is no transfer of the cover art to ACX. This is due to a couple of issues.
First, the artwork is not sized or designed to meet ACX cover specs. ACX requires a 2400 X 2400 pixel square. Most print and eBook covers are vertical rectangles. And ACX does not allow you to drop in this vertically oriented art into a square which then creates borders on each side of the art. So you have to create brand new artwork for the audiobook.
Next, since I created my print and Kindle eBook covers using the Createspace and KDP Cover Creator tools, images may not be licensed for use with ACX and audio editions. Thus, I would have to create new art for the audio cover no matter what.
ACX does have a cover art tool. However, it is so crude that it may fail to impress potential readers. But it works.
What I've ended up doing is creating a new cover that coordinates with the existing book cover art. In one instance, I created a new cover for the audiobook and then redesigned the print and eBook covers to match. Not suggested! Too much work and really not necessary. Better to just do a simple text-only audio cover that matches the color scheme of any existing book cover artwork.
To create my text-only covers, I've used the free Canva online graphic layout program (Canva.com). Caution! Do NOT use their templates or images! They may not be licensed for a commercial book or audiobook use (see Canva's Terms of Service for details). Just set up a custom dimension square for 2400 X 2400 pixels, select a color for the background, type your text, and be satisfied with it.
All that really matters is that your title is easily readable for your reader-listeners.
Cost: $0 (unless you hire a graphic designer or license stock photos and artwork)
Why Is It So Hard to Self-Publish an Audiobook?
We learn a lot through trial and error. And learning audiobook production is no different. So what I did was to create the audio edition of a short, focused topic Kindle eBook that I already had published. I'm glad I did because I was able to figure out many of the issues before I launched into creating a much longer audiobook of 40+ chapters!
Right now, I believe all these tech issues are keeping self-published authors from delving further into the audiobook arena. Truth be told, hiring an audio mastering pro and professional narrator will probably produce a beautiful-sounding result. So that's why I think there's so little useful (emphasis on "useful") information on DIY audiobook production for self-publishing on the web. The pros are still handling production for authors.
Don't believe me? Do some Google searching for any of the terms in the ACX submission requirements or the Audacity functions. You'll be directed to geek-speak audio engineer forums and blogs that are impossible to understand and apply for the layman. The only way I can describe it is that these resources tell you how a clock works when you only want to learn how to tell time.
But authors are contributing to the issue, too. Most authors are writers and creatives, not tech geeks. So many of them may be unable or unwilling to learn how to use these tools. Like me, some years back, they see the enormity of the project and decide to back burner the effort until it becomes a more practical reality, or they have the financial resources to hire the pros.
Aside from the tech issues, I think the idea of recording and hearing one's voice is so troubling for more introverted authors that they don't even attempt it. Truth be told, audio narration is a performance art akin to acting. That takes practice, practice, practice! I can attest to that even though I've done public speaking and teaching for years. So if you're not up to doing it yourself, you'll have to hire the pros.
And I haven't even touched on unique marketing issues for audiobooks!
To further assist self-published authors who are trying to figure out this whole audiobook thing, I developed a video course on Udemy that includes step-by-step demos (search for my name on Udemy). But as we saw with eBooks, I think that at some point, the Amazon/ACX geniuses will come up with ways to make audiobooks more doable for authors. They've proven it with eBooks by giving us Kindle Create and Kindle Direct Publishing. We'll see. Until then, it'll continue to be a steep learning curve.
This article is accurate and true to the best of the author's knowledge. Content is for informational or entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for personal counsel or professional advice in business, financial, legal, or technical matters.
© 2018 Heidi Thorne
Heidi Thorne (author) from Chicago Area on August 20, 2018:
Linda, glad you thought the tips were useful. And if you dive into the audio book pool one day, I hope you'll keep us posted on your adventures.
Have a wonderful week!
Heidi Thorne (author) from Chicago Area on August 20, 2018:
Hi Rodric!
Can totally appreciate the "lost my mind" bit. :) I love Audacity, too. But it can be challenging to say the least.
I'm glad you found the article helpful and that it inspired you to give it a go again. I'll be anxious to hear how your audio book adventures go. Keep us posted!
And, yes, our friend Bill Holland has been one of the highlights for me in the HubPages universe.
Thanks so much for stopping by and chiming in! Have a terrific week!
Heidi Thorne (author) from Chicago Area on August 20, 2018:
Thanks, Larry! If you ever do an audio book one day, let us know. We'd love to hear it. Happy Monday!
Larry Rankin from Oklahoma on August 20, 2018:
Very helpful.
Rodric Anthony Johnson from Surprise, Arizona on August 19, 2018:
Thank GOD for people like you Heidi! I tried doing this about six years ago and almost lost my mind! It was so involved that I decided to get away from it because it was getting in the way of my writing itself. I have Audacity and was using it to make videos and voiceovers. It is a great tool that I can concur does not have helpful help tools yet.
This article has inspired me to get back into getting my books audio recorded with my voice. I like the tips that you gave. I did not make it all the way through your article before I was recording my preface to one of my books as I referenced your hub! Good on you!
I am glad I found you. Of course, I found you by reading Bill Hollands comment. He has been a wealth of health for me directly and indirectly for the past several years.
Linda Crampton from British Columbia, Canada on August 19, 2018:
This is a great article filled with useful details, Heidi. I'm sure people thinking of creating an audio book will find your instructions very helpful.
Heidi Thorne (author) from Chicago Area on August 19, 2018:
Flourish, I don't the accent is much of an issue, except when it may be difficult to understand by the listening audience. I've been told I have a serious Midwestern "Chee-cah-go" accent. So it's not much of a non-accent. :)
Thanks for taking some time of your weekend to stop by and chime in! Have a lovely week ahead!
Heidi Thorne (author) from Chicago Area on August 19, 2018:
Hi Louise! While it is quite a project, it is an interesting one for sure. Glad you found the info helpful. Let us know if you decide to do an audio book one day. Thanks for stopping by and have a great week!
Heidi Thorne (author) from Chicago Area on August 19, 2018:
Bill, maybe one day when that spare 20 hours is available. Trust me, that's at least how much time it takes. :) Thanks for spending a bit of your weekend here. Have a wonderful week ahead!
Heidi Thorne (author) from Chicago Area on August 19, 2018:
Liz, audio books and podcasting are so very much like radio! Glad you found the article helpful. Thanks for stopping by and have a great week!
Liz Westwood from UK on August 19, 2018:
This is an incedibly informative article and a great step-by-step guide. It takes me back to my student radio producing days.
Bill Holland from Olympia, WA on August 19, 2018:
Nope, not going to happen, but thanks for the instructions. lol Maybe if I had a spare twenty hours in a week I would give this a go. :) But alas, it ain't going to happen.
I hope you have a monumentally successful week my friend.
Louise Powles from Norfolk, England on August 19, 2018:
Oh this would be interesting to do. Your advice is really helpful, thankyou.
FlourishAnyway from USA on August 19, 2018:
You've demystified this process by breaking down the process. Is it important to have a midwestern "non"accent?


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