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Actor Sean Hayes is best known as the flamboyant, quip-spewing, Cher-loving Jack McFarland on the hit sitcom "Will & Grace" and will soon be hitting the big screen as the iconic Larry in the Farrelly Brothers' ("There's Something About Mary") reworking of "The Three Stooges."
So what ties does this over-the-top funnyman have to NBC's, well, grim new supernatural cop thriller "Grimm"? Well, it turns out, it was his idea.
Intriguingly, the notion for "Grimm" – which takes the TV police procedural into fairy tale territories populated by big bad wolves and other supernatural stalkers from the darkly-tinged Brothers Grimm tales – originated several years ago with the Emmy-winning actor who has recently found a new creative niche as an executive producer ("Hot In Cleveland") with his professional partner Todd Milliner.
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"I think with any good idea, it starts with a whisper and somebody may overhear something somewhere at some time, and any good idea will kind of trickle its way through this town," says Hayes of the current fairy trend, which includes ABC's new series "Once Upon a Time" and dueling Snow White-inspired film projects. "I think that's what happens any time that this phenomenon happens where a lot of ideas happen at the same time."
But "Grimm" was conceived ahead of the trend, says Milliner. "Sean and I had the original pitch in 2005, so we just weren't very good at pitching it, I guess," he laughs. "So it's been through a few different changes. It is odd: there're a lot of movies and a lot of TV shows, but ours is so not about the fairy tale. It's a police procedural with a hint of fairy tale."
Hayes and Milliner eventually took the concept to veteran TV writers David Greenwalt and Jim Kouf, who between them had helped steer such fantastical-minded series like "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," "Angel" and "The Ghost Whipserer." "When we heard the words 'Grimm in the modern world,' Jim and I just flipped, and thought this is a great way to tell stories," says Greenwalt. The writers massaged the concept into the final series setup: modern-day Oregon homicide detective Nick Burkhardt (David Giuntoli) discovers he's the descendent the Brothers Grimm and destined to follow in their footsteps battling sinister supernatural forces.
"This all takes place in one world, the real world, and our notion is that the Grimm brothers were actually profilers of criminal events," says Greenwalt. Each case will take inspiration from the classics, which were initially much darker than the later Disney-ized versions that followed , but won't be relentless, er, grim. "The show is meant to be dark and scary but it's also meant to be fun. And as in life you know that terrible things happen, then something not so terrible happens. And I think the character of Monroe – the, quote/unquote Big Bad Wolf, who's going to church, doing Pilates, eating vegetarian, trying to right his nature – is terrific. And we didn't know 'til we wrote that character that 'Oh, this is actually amusing.'"
The possibilities, says Milliner, seem endless. "I got the bound, beautiful Grimm book, and then we started paging through. We thought this is certainly enough for at least 100 episodes." Hayes agrees: the source material is startlingly fertile. "A lot of people don't know there's over 200 Grimm fairy tales," he says. "We're familiar with about 30 of them or so, but it's going to be fun educating people as to what those other ones that aren't as popular."
"We're not really just retelling the stories either," says Kouf. "We're really trying to turn them on their heads or fracture them, so you may not recognize what the story is immediately – it may take a little bit."
Greenwalt says that while the overall series will have a larger story direction than the individual episodes, he wants "Grimm" to avoid becoming mired down in an overwhelming mythology. "What we don't want to have is a show where I need a scorecard to watch the show," he says. "I want a show where I can come on Friday nights and have a fairy tale and a police procedural and put my kids to bed. Or, if I'm really a hardcore viewer, I will notice that every time we do an address there's a secret in the address. We will service over-arching arcs for everybody, but it's got to be a digestible. It's got to be 'I don't need to know so much to watch the show.'"
"Grimm" premieres this Friday October 28th, at 9 PM ET on NBC


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For The Best Pizza
Visit Upper Crust Pizza & Pasta Santa Cruz, You Will Not Leave Hungry!
In April 1979, Sharon and Joe Carollo first opened the doors of their family run Upper Crust Pizza and Pasta, and a tradition was born. Located at the end & Mission Street – next stop Davenport – this Westside Santa Cruz pizzeria has flourished because of their unique, Sicilian square pizza as well as their other authentic Italian food:homemade-style pasta dishes; the best oven-baked sandwiches; thin-crust pizzas, and their over-the-top, tasty, Sicilian, muffaletta sandwiches.
Upper Crust's environment is casual and friendly. A key reason this Santa Cruz pizza restaurant has been been a mainstay for locals for more than three decades: families with kids; UCSC students; local businesses; youth sports teams; active people of all ages who are on the go.
Trend-Setting Pizzas
Square & By The Slice, Santa Cruz
I n 1979, first-time customers often wondered "why square pizza?" though no one ever complained. The simple answer is Joe's family roots are Sicilian. Growing up he worked in his family's Italian bakery, where he learned to make bread, pastries, and, of course, Sicilian-style square pizza.
Being a man who appreciated his old-world family recipes, Joe, with Sharon, gambled that Santa Cruz would love their authentic Sicilian pizza which has a thicker pizza crust plus more texture and crunch than their thin-crusted pizza. Now a Westside Santa Cruz institution, it looks like that "gamble" sure paid off. Another first: Of all the pizza restaurants in the Santa Cruz area, Upper Crust Pizza & Pasta was the first to offer pizza-by-the-slice. How 'bout that?!
Take Out, Dine In
Pizza Delivery From The Westside To Santa Cruz Harbor
At Upper Crust Pizza & Pasta, we get a lot of pizza delivery requests and are geared to handle all your orders seven days a week, all day. Planning a weekend party, or watching The Game with friends and family? Not a problem in Santa Cruz with our efficient pizza-delivery service. Whether it's delivery, dine-in, or pick-up, our unique combo and specialty pizzas, made with our house-made zesty sauce, assures there's something for every pizza-lover to enjoy.

subset: commoncrawl


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- grateful: In Paradisum – Requiem – Faure https://ww w.youtube. com/watch? v=rvYt-QA9 vT0
- Mariana2: In paradisum deducant te Angeli.
- JustaSinner: Another what if thought experiment … What if Satanists steal a Host and are intending to use it in a black perversion of the Holy Mass… ;what can a Catholic in good consci...
- monstrance: johnr , Wasilla would make sense – But no, the school was in the middle of Anchorage.
- OssaSola: Oh dear! I am at least glad that his brother could be with him.
- GHP: As the old phrase goes when questioned : "Why do you carry a gun?" "Because a cop is too heavy." Or: "Whe n seconds matter the police are minutes away.̶ 1;
- Gerard Plourde: My only concern (and this is coming from me wearing my attorney hat) would be the possibilit y of being crosswise with the parish's or diocese's liability insurer in the event a...
- xavier: Father, Sigh. What is about guns that freaks out these beatos? (aka people who view life as some kind of angelic outlook) Would they react similarly if it was swords and other assor...
- Suburbanbanshee: Amen.
- Joy1985: Eternal rest grant unto him O Lord and let perpetual light shine upon him.
- philosophicallyfrank: Ah! St. Frances of Rome, I grew-up in the parish in Cicero, Il. From 1943 thru 1952 I went to St. Frances of Rome elementary school (K – 8). I was in the choir for 5 of...
- Fr. John Zuhlsdorf: Josephus Corvus says: they could be coming for your fish fry next As a transplant here, my impression is that they would have to pry their fish fries from their cold, dead...
- Josephus Corvus: [I'll bet a steady diet of Wisconsin parish fish fries has killed more people than guns sold in that gun show.] Father, please don' t give our illustriou s leadership in...
- Semper Gumby: [I'll bet a steady diet of Wisconsin parish fish fries has killed more people than guns sold in that gun show.] *chuckle* Deo gratias for that Catholic parish and the Second Amendme...
- Semper Gumby: "Eve n a free-think ing deist asserted that humanity has an "inalienab le right to life" given by the Creator. 8221; A solid point by Bishop Hying. Excellent quote and book by...
- Texdon: I don' t live in the diocese of Madison but I am beginning to like Bishop Donald Hying the more I read about him. Perhaps having the gun show in an unused Catholic school in a small...
- Fr_Sotelo: It's unfair to attack the diocese or the bishop. They are allowing an outside group to have the gun show on Church property. Many parishes have allowed the hall or former parish...
- ZestyLemonZach: I bet my life savings that this guy doesn̵ 7;t see any issue with the message being sent over "LGB T" masses.
- johnr: I think a friend of mine up in Alaska has talked about what @monstranc e mentioned. Wasilla, maybe?
- Gab: Thank you Father Z for that clear and edifying homily. Those last couple of sentences make for a good prayer.
- TonyO: Good for Bishop Hying to recognize a crank when he sees one. When is Wysocki going to protest to the bishops about the annual 3 Days of Darkness convention , in LA ? That gathering does far...
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- monstrance: A Catholic school in Alaska had a gun show every year as a fundraiser . Hope they still do —- I was able to acquire a Ruger Bearcat ( 22 revolver ) at one of their shows. Freedom of...
- MitisVis: Wonder what he would say about Wyoming Catholic College 230; where cell phones are banned but guns are allowed. Apparently no one can be trusted to act accordingl y or maturely unless...
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- ASK FATHER: Should we ransom Hosts that have been taken so they are not desecrated? At what cost?
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Grant unto thy Church, we beseech Thee, O merciful God, that She, being gathered together by the Holy Ghost, may be in no wise troubled by attack from her foes. O God, who by sin art offended and by penance pacified, mercifully regard the prayers of Thy people making supplication unto Thee,and turn away the scourges of Thine anger which we deserve for our sins. Almighty and Everlasting God, in whose Hand are the power and the government of every realm: look down upon and help the Christian people that the heathen nations who trust in the fierceness of their own might may be crushed by the power of thine Arm. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. R. Amen.
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Daily Archives: 17 October 2014
What Card. Burke really said to BuzzFeed
Card. Burke to BuzzFeed: BuzzFeed News: I should ask you about the reports that you're being removed from the Signatura. What message is that sending? Do you think you are being removed in part because of how outspoken you have … Continue reading
Posted in SESSIUNCULA Tagged Card. Burke 42 Comments
ASK FATHER: Lay people purifying vessels at Mass
From a reader… I recently attended a "school Mass" at a local Catholic school while I was substitute teaching for the day. I had the misfortune of happening upon a parish that uses about one extraordinary minister per member of the congregation. After … Continue reading
Posted in SESSIUNCULA Tagged EMHC, GIRM, purification of vessels 27 Comments
Card Sarah of Africa on Synod
Even as it had been decided that the Synod will end today, CNS has a piece about the view of His Eminence Card. Sarah. HERE African cardinal: Pressure groups behind push to change Church Vatican City, Oct 16, 2014 / … Continue reading
Posted in One Man & One Woman, Our Catholic Identity Tagged Card. Sarah, Synod of Bishops 20 Comments
ASK FATHER: Can't get real baptism certificate! Wedding in six weeks!
From a reader… I was born in a town in the Jefferson City Archdiocese twenty-four years ago. However upon birth, I was helicoptered to Children's hospital in the st. louis Archdiocese, due to complications. When I arrived at Children's, I … Continue reading
My View For Awhile: Manhattan Edition
I'm off to NYC to meet some friends and have a couple of days of R&R before continuing on my way to Rome for the pilgrimage. So far it's a typical Delta experience: flight delayed. At least I don't have … Continue reading
Posted in On the road, What Fr. Z is up to Tagged travel 13 Comments


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BENTONVILLE, Ark. - A 6-year-old Arkansas girl who was the victim in an abuse case last year and was found dead this past week in a vacant house in her neighborhood was suffocated and apparently raped, authorities said in a court document released Wednesday.
Jersey Bridgeman died of asphyxia or lack of oxygen, and physical evidence also showed signs of her being sexually assaulted, according to the document.
Zachary Holly, a 28-year-old neighbor accused of killing Jersey, appeared in court Wednesday for the first time since his Monday arrest. Holly, his arm shaking, listened as rape was added to the list of other charges he faces: capital murder, kidnapping and residential burglary.
Holly was ordered held without bond and assigned a public defender. Formal charges will be filed sometime before his next court date, scheduled for Jan. 7.
He didn't say anything to reporters as officers escorted him to and from the courtroom in Bentonville, a community about 215 miles northwest of Little Rock that's best known as the home of Wal-Mart's headquarters.
Jersey's death comes after a short life marred by abuse. Last year, her father, David Bridgeman, and stepmother, Jana Bridgeman, were arrested for chaining her to a dresser in their home in the nearby town of Rogers. David Bridgeman told investigators that he restrained the girl to keep her from getting into medication and other things in the house.
He is serving an 18-year prison sentence after pleading guilty in June to false imprisonment, permitting the abuse of a minor and endangering the welfare of a minor. The stepmother is serving a 12-year sentence, plus three years for a probation revocation, after pleading guilty to the same charges.
Last week, Jersey's body was found in a vacant house adjacent to Holly's and two doors down from where the girl lived with her mother. Investigators have said they believe she was killed earlier that day, Nov. 20.
The night before her body was found, Jersey had been next door, where Holly and his wife, Amanda Holly, would often baby-sit Jersey and her younger sister, according to the court document.
The document said Jersey's mother, DesaRae Bridgeman, told police she went next door to visit the couple after she came home from work around 11 p.m. on Nov. 19.
"Afterwards, Zachary Holly carried Jersey home to DesaRae's house, while DesaRae carried Jersey's younger sister, and they placed the two children in the same bed," Bentonville Detective Sgt. Kris Moffit wrote in the court document.
When DesaRae Bridgeman woke up the next morning, Jersey was missing from the bed where her 2-year-old sister was still sleeping, the court document said.
DesaRae Bridgeman looked around the house and then asked Zachary and Amanda Holly to help her before calling 911 to report Jersey missing, according to the court document.
Police searched the Bridgeman and Holly homes before an officer noticed the back door of a nearby vacant house was open. Officers entered the house and found the girl's body.
During an interview with authorities that day, Zachary Holly denied having anything to do with Jersey's disappearance or death, police said in the court document. They said he was cooperative and agreed to give detectives swabs of his check for DNA tests.
He also agreed to give detectives the clothes he wore the night before Jersey's body was found, according to the court document.
Bentonville Police Chief Jon Simpson didn't immediately return a phone message left Wednesday. Prosecutor Van Stone and public defender Jay Saxton declined to comment after Holly's hearing.
No one answered the door Tuesday at the mobile home where police say Holly and his wife lived, but Amanda Holly's family issued a statement through a lawyer Wednesday asking for privacy.
"Jersey was a very sweet girl who our children and grandchildren considered their best friend. Because of this, we ask for privacy. The children in our family are not dealing well with the loss of their friend," the family said.


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Deep Purple's Ian Gillan Didn't Smoke Pot until He Was 38
Although they're considered to be one of the definitive bands for head-exploring stoners, Deep Purple weren't really ones to partake in the sweet leaf, according to lead singer Ian Gillan. In a new interview, he reveals that his personal discovery of marijuana didn't begin until he was well into his career.
"I smoked my first joint when I was 38 years old," he told 100 Percent Rock, which would put the date for his first toke in 1983 or 1984. "And that was with some buddies because I really was intrigued to see what the effect was, and I thought it was great, to be honest. But it's never been my cup of tea."
Gillan said that the band's roots in pubs meant that their indulgences leaned more towards alcohol, and that learning how to handle their liquor at a relatively early age has kept them from the pitfalls that has trapped many of their friends. An exception, of course, was Tommy Bolin, who replaced Ritchie Blackmore in 1975, and died of an overdose on Dec. 4, 1976.
Gillan also had poignant words to say about founding keyboardist Jon Lord, who passed away on June 16, 2012 after a long struggle with pancreatic cancer. The singer says that Lord's influence will always be a part of the group.
"I don't think he'll ever be away from it really," he continued. "Because he created the foundation of Purple. I mean… there was so many influences coming in but his… a bit of rock and roll, soul, blues, folk music and all that sort of thing but his input of orchestral composition and jazz were profound, to say the least."


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Minor league recap for August 3, 2012.
The AZL Cubs continued their tear beating the AZL D-Backs for their fifth straight victory. It wasn't as easy as it should have been however as the D-Backs scored five times in the ninth, but the Cubs hang on to win 7-5. Dillon Maples made his second start on his road to recovery and turned in some solid work going 1.2 innings only allowing one hit while walking two and striking out one. Paul Blackburn, one of two 2012 supplemental draft picks continued his strong season. Blackburn worked 3.1 innings allowing only one hit while walking one and striking out two to earn his second victory of the season and lower his ERA to 1.86. 2012 draft picks Corbin Hoffner and Jasvir Rakkar also worked scoreless innings. It was another night of fireworks from the AZL Cubs offense. Albert Almora, who is on fire right now, went 2-for-4 with a double, a walk, and a run scored. Shawon Dunston, and Ben Carhart each had two hits on the night with Carhart recording his 8th double of the season. Jacob Rogers had a big night at the plate as well going 3-for-4 with a double, an RBI, a walk, and three runs scored.
The Boise Hawks raced out to a 4-0 lead, and held a 5-2 lead by the 5th inning but couldn't hang on as Spokane plated three runs in the 8th on their way to a 6-5 win. Jose Arias didn't get very deep into this one for the Hawks as he tossed 2.2 innings giving up two runs on four hits while walking three and striking out three. Arias left with the lead, but Hayden Simpson couldn't hang onto it. Simpson worked 4.1 innings giving up three runs on six hits while striking out six. Eduardo Orozco only gave up only one run in his inning of work, but that was the deciding run as Orozco was hung with his first loss of the season. Gioskar Amaya had another solid night at the plate, what else is new? Amaya was 2-for-4 with his ninth triple of the season, an RBI, a walk, and a run scored, he is now hitting .315. Daniel Vogelbach continued to be a doubles machine as he was 1-for-3 at the plate with his 5th double while with Boise. Rock Shoulders had a productive night as well going 1-for-4 with his 6th home run of the season, a two run shot.
The Chiefs jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead against Quad Cities but couldn't hang as they fell 4-2. Yao-Lin Wang continued his transition to the starting rotation as he went 5.1 innings giving up two runs on four hits while walking three and striking out six. Wang left with the game tied at two, and unfortunately Jeffry Antigua could keep the River Bandits off the board. Antigua went 1.2 innings giving up two runs on three hits while striking out two earning his first loss of the season. Javier Baez continued his assault on Single-A pitching in the loss as he was 2-for-4 with his 12th home run of the season, he also stole his 20th base. Baez is now hitting .336 on the season, and there are whispers that he is close to earning a promotion. Zeke DeVoss had a solid night at the top of the Chiefs order going 2-for-4 with a double and a run scored.
The D-Cubs fell behind early, and couldn't dig out of that hole as they dropped this one to Dunedin 6-2. Kyler Burke started for the D-Cubs, and was responsible for that hole I was talking about. Burke gave up three runs in the first and then settled down after that. He went five innings giving up three runs on four hits while walking two and striking out four. Hunter Cervenka had a rare awful outing as he struggled with his command in two innings of work, walking four and giving up three runs, two earned. Rubi Silva continued his strong 2012 season at the plate going 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored, he is now hitting .302 on the campaign. Christian Villanueva followed up his stellar Cubs debut by going 1-for-4 with a double and a spectacular catch in the field that I'm hoping to get video of shortly.
Smokies postponed, again.
Things seem to go from bad to worse for Iowa each night. Tonight was no different as the I-Cubs battled Colorado Springs all game before surrendering three runs in the top of the ninth to lose 4-1. Ryan Rowland-Smith got the start tonight and was outstanding as he went six strong innings giving up one run on two hits while walking three and striking out six. Jaye Chapman, who was acquired from the Braves a couple of days ago took the loss as he was knocked around in the ninth. Chapman worked one inning giving up three runs on three hits while walking one, he fell to 0-1 on the season. The I-Cubs were dreadful with runners in scoring position, and they had plenty of chances too, when it was all said and done they were 0-for-10 in the loss. Josh Vitters had a big night once again for Iowa, he went 3-for-4 with his 32nd double of the season. Vitters is now hitting .304 on the season as he continues to try to force the Cubs hand and give them no choice but to award him the promotion he deserves. Dylan Heuer has some great photo's from the game, head on over to his website to check them out!
Thanks for reading,
– George


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I don't care much for travel writing and care much less for travel writing brought about because of economic negotiations. But with the summer dragging on and basketball (fantasy or otherwise) nowhere near starting, I might as well write about it as simply as I can … with colors and shapes!
Side note: I think I've uncovered the reason the respective economies of Spain, Italy and Greece are on their way to the pooper: they're all jockeying for the rights to Donte Greene and Corey Maggette. It's gonna take at least a Stephen Jackson, guys. At least!


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Hyderabad to Ahmedabad, Little Rann of Kutch, Dholavira and Great Rann of Kutch.
Ranger posted a topic in HyderabadMy friend and fellow moderator Sagar always wanted to explore Gujarat. Personally, I had very less expectations on Rann of Kutch. When he came up with Gujarat, our plan started to take its shape but I tried to skip it. I have initiated different plans and suggestions, but he did not budge. On one fine day, he booked the tickets from Hyderabad to Ahmedabad. We pulled in a few more friends and Now we are a group of 10 members ready to explore Gujarat. Car booking: Our next step was to book self drive cars, Only options available were Zoom and Myles. All the 'Myles' cars were booked on our dates, So we have booked three cars from 'Zoom'. Initial plan was to book 3 Eco-sports. But due to unavailability and bad car conditions, we booked the following cars. 1. Ford Figo 2. Ford Ecosport 3. Mahindra Scorpio


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Julia Roberts continued her journey across Westchester by filming "Ben Is Back" on Friday, Jan. 5 along Central Park Avenue and Mildred Street in Yonkers.
That's where film crews were spotted, according to On Location Vacations.
Roberts has been filming the movie, also starring Lucas Hedges, in Larchmont and Mamaroneck.
On Tuesday, Jan. 9, On Location Vacations had her in New City, in Rockland County, with film crews spotted along North Little Tor and South Mountain Roads.
The drama, scheduled for release in 2018, follows Ben Burns (Hedges) who returns home to his family one fateful Christmas Eve. Roberts plays his mother.
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While most lenders require around a 620 credit score for an FHA loan, Ross Mortgage is expanding homeownership opportunities for Severn homebuyers by lowering the minimum credit score to 580 for qualified borrowers.
Who is FHA financing for?
In today's seller's market, it's crucial to find a home loan that puts you in the best possible financial position, so you can give a competitive offer. The FHA loan is a great option not only for Severn first-time homebuyers who are in the process of building their credit from scratch but also a great option for boomerang buyers who may have experienced a foreclosure, short sale or bankruptcy and are working to rebuild their credit.
Additionally, the FHA loan may be a great financing solution for two-income households where one person has good credit and the other doesn't. The FHA loan allows the significant other with the lower score to build credit as a co-borrower on the mortgage while trying to boost their score in other ways, as well.
Advantages of FHA loans
- Easier to qualify for based on more generous credit qualifying criteria. The lending guidelines associated with FHA financing are traditionally less stringent than conventional financing, making it easier to qualify for an FHA loan.
- Flexible credit requirements. With our minimum credit score requirement of 580, qualifying for an FHA loan has never been easier!
- Lower interest rates. Save money over the life of your loan with a lower interest rate.
- FHA loans are a great low down payment option. The down payment requirement for an FHA mortgage starts as low as 3.5% and is ideal for first-time Severn homebuyers who are just starting to build their credit and their savings.
- Down payment and money for closing may be gifted by a relative. Another benefit of the FHA loan program is that borrowers can use gift money, government grants or seller concessions to help with their required down payment.
Drawbacks to consider
- Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI) is required and cannot be removed.FHA loans are subject to upfront and annual mortgage insurance premiums. Although FHA loans tend to come with slightly lower interest rates, additional costs, such as PMI and upfront premiums, should be considered when evaluating the benefits of conventional vs. FHA loans. The additional costs may actually result in higher monthly mortgage payment and cause you to pay more over the life of the loan.
- Property guidelines may be stricter than conventional loans. Because FHA mortgages are insured by the government, there are typically stricter appraisal guidelines. The property in question must meet certain minimum criteria before it can be approved for FHA financing.


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Sun Capital Leverages Prior Retail and Bedding Industry Expertise in Making Acquisition
BOCA RATON, Fla.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Sun Capital Partners, Inc. ("Sun Capital" or "Sun Capital Partners"), a leading private investment firm specializing in leveraged buyouts and investments in market-leading companies that can benefit from its in-house operating professionals and experience, today announced that an affiliate has completed the acquisition of Sleep Innovations (or the "Company"), a leading designer, manufacturer and marketer of memory foam products, including pillows, mattress toppers and mattresses. Terms of the private transaction, which was announced on October 18, 2012, were not disclosed.
Sleep Innovations, headquartered in West Long Branch, New Jersey, manufactures standard and specialty polyurethane foam sold to end markets for use in bedding, furniture, auto, packaging and consumer products, and to be sold through the Company's retail division. Sleep Innovations' retail brands include Novaform, Bodipedic and Sleep Innovations, and it also sells products under licensed and private retail brands.
Sleep Innovations has strong R&D capabilities and introduced more than 70 new products in 2011, including a revolutionary gel-infused memory foam, and has more than 140 new products currently in development. The Company's product development capabilities are supported by state-of-the-art foam pouring and fabricating facilities located throughout the country. Sleep Innovations products can be found in multiple retail outlets including warehouse clubs, department stores, and through e-commerce sites.
"Sun Capital has deep experience in the bedding market, most notably with bedding product retailer Mattress Firm, which was successfully exited in 2007 at an attractive return," said Marc Leder, Co-Chief Executive Officer at Sun Capital. "Sleep Innovations will benefit from our extensive experience in the bedding and retail industries as the Company looks to continue on a growth path."
About Sun Capital Partners, Inc.
Sun Capital Partners, Inc. is a leading private investment firm focused on leveraged buyouts, equity, debt, and other investments in companies that can benefit from its in–house operating professionals and experience. Sun Capital affiliates have invested in 310 companies worldwide with combined sales in excess of $45 billion since Sun Capital's inception in 1995. Sun Capital has offices in Boca Raton, Los Angeles, and New York, as well as affiliates in London, Paris, Frankfurt, Luxembourg, Shanghai and Shenzhen. For more information, please visit www.SunCapPart.com.
About Sleep Innovations
Sleep Innovations is the leader in consumer-driven foam products, proven to deliver comfort, relaxation and rejuvenation. The company designs and manufactures advanced, memory foam products, including pillows, mattress toppers and mattresses. Through extensive clinical testing, Sleep Innovations® has found that its foam solutions help to improve the quality of its consumers' lives through better sleep. For more information, visit www.sleepinnovations.com.


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Emily's tuxedo cat Rosie has been found!
She is very shy and nervous, probably nearly impossible to get if you see her but what would be really helpful would be to know if anyone has seen her and where and what time. Any information would be very helpful. Thank you.
if you think you see her or have seen her or if you know anything that would be helpful please contact Emily
- Location: 60th and Phinney
Also if anyone is willing it would be very helpful if they could check hiding places around the houses….under decks or porches, inside cars or sheds, garages… especially areas with hiding places that are not heavily frequented since she is "a scaredey cat". Anything Helps.Thank you SO Much !


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G2 MTG Pro Black Thai Metal Groin Guard
Professional quality competition groin guard, Ideal for muaythai, MMA and other full contact sports.
A steel cup encased in leather with soft padding around the edges for comfort.
The ultimate groin protection.
Secures tightly in place with the attached laces or can also be slipped into a jock strap for ease of use.


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Posts tagged "wiping out thousands"
First Avenue's Best New Bands of 2012: Wiping out Thousands
Weekly Release Spotlight: Wiping Out Thousands
Wiping Out Thousands
This Came First
Wiping Out Thousands are Twin Cities electro-rock duo Alaine Dickman and Taylor Nelson. Following up their successful Reaction Machine EP, they unleash their debut LP, This Came First released on October 23rd. They invite you to their underground of sonorous strata.
"More Than Five Million" welcome you with vocals belting an anthem and layered musicality rushing in to flow along. Silken vocals and lively guitar ride atop thrashing sonar waves in "Creation." Silent suspensions erupt into diverse paces that entice you to wonder what the sonar waves will throw at you next.
This Came First is similar to a theatrical experience with "Follow Me into the Wake" as a transitional intermission. But this intermission won't allow you to get out of your seat while a dark atmosphere unfolds. "Follow Me into the Wake" expands into an echoic chamber of piano and vocals and flawlessly contract into an industrial pace of tiered clicks and taps. The layers blend into a build-up that twists until it disappears into a sudden silence.
Over the summer, I heard "Beach" for the first time when Wiping Out Thousands performed it at the West Bank Music Festival and am thrilled to hear it on this record. The storytelling of this piece is beautifully crafted. The voice softly wanders in and out of the sharp static winds accompanied with fluid piano droplets.
"As We Sink a Foot Deeper into the Earth" winds the album down to a gorgeous finale. It contrasts the albums high-paced movement with the simplicity of gradualness.
Get This Came First for free or pay what you can. According to the band's Facebook page it's what they desire, "We believe in giving our music away for free. It's not a product, it's our art. And we don't like the idea of putting up a pay wall between us and any potential new listeners." Are you craving more? Wiping Out Thousands will be playing at the Ice House with Phantom Tails on November 30.
Written by Abbie Gobeli, Radio K volunteer.
Tags: Wiping Out Thousands This Came First weekly release spotlight
Gigawatt X: "A Century of Cool"
Broadcasting from 1912 to 2012: Radio K celebrates a Century of Cool
MINNEAPOLIS, MN, 8/1/2012 — Take one lonely professor of technology and engineering, one dark stormy night, mix in a few errant sparks from a gap transmitter and the legendary Radio K is born.*
And now the oldest station in the state – is like, really old. And still really cool.
Radio K is taking an entire year to say thanks to the thousands of listeners who've tuned in and turned it up for the past century – whether you caught our in-studio performance last week or listened to us transmit Gopher football games via Morse Code in 1912 – you're part of the Century of Cool and you rock.
We'll get the party started right with a showcase 100 years in the making. On Friday, August 24th, join Birthday Suits, Leisure Birds, Wiping Out Thousands, and us, Radio K, at Hell's Kitchen for the best Gigawatt show ever. And be sure to show up early! The first 77 rockers who show their Music Lover's Card or University of Minnesota Student ID get access to our fun-filled VIP area – complete with prize giveaways, and other between-act entertainment.
And keep in touch – because we have just begun to rock, and here's to the next 100 years of iconic Real College Radio!
* Professor F.W. Springer may or may not have been lonely. We just don't know. What we do know is that he helped invent radio broadcasting and created 9XI here at the University of Minnesota – which was later changed to WLB to KUOM which Zeus-like gave birth to WMMR- which was once again swallowed (Titan-like) by KUOM as it become Radio K in 1993.
Tags: gigawatt gigawatt x birthday suits leisure birds wiping out thousands a century of cool events
St. Motel @ 7th St Entry
St. Motel @ 7th St. Entry
July 20th, 2012
The 7th Street Entry seemed a little dark and dismal on the night of July 20th. Local group, Wiping Out Thousands lured the crowd out from hiding with siren vocals and industrial danceable beats showcased in "I'm A" and "Collision of Teeth/Bodies." Captivating, dark lyrics "Watch for me when you sleep" gently whispered in Mass Nerve add eerie contrast to the brusque electric surges.
Los Angeles based band Races cooled off the crowd with their light airy backing vocals peppered with the lead singer's slight hint of rasp in "Year of the Child" and "Song of Birds" from their recently released album, Year of the Witch.
The ten-o'clock hour chimed and Saint Motel christened the room with their quirky, bouncing tunes surrounded by a swirl of laser lights. The audience's appetite was satisfied with chanting along the lyrics of "Feed Me Now." 1930's swing was resurrected in "Benny Goodman" with bubbling saxophone and silky swoops in vocal ranges that made you envision a big band flashback but with a modern feel. "Puzzle Pieces" will absolutely trigger you to fall apart into uncontrollable dancing with its bright, accented piano plunks and rush of drums that make up for all of those awkward dances that you went during your post-secondary youth.
Written by Abbie Gobeli, Radio K volunteer
Tags: st. motel saint motel wiping out thousands races review


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By Jack Barnwell
INYOKERN — Inyokern Airport's California Unmanned Aircraft Systems Portal team snagged an opportunity to brief the United States Department of Agriculture's top person in California on Thursday.
Dr. Glenda Humiston, state director for the USDA, and a group of panelists from a recent economic development conference found themselves bombarded by information presented to them by Eileen Shibley, head of the Cal UAS team.
Shibley dove into presentation after presentation, highlighting the advantages of both Inyokern as a possible test site for a Federal Aviation Administration-designated UAS test and research site. She also spoke about what unmanned aircraft could do for the state's agriculture area.
"We have the opportunity to become a mecca for unmanned systems," Shibley said.
The FAA is on track to select six test sites across the U.S. The test sites will help integrate commercial unmanned systems into the National Airspace System by 2015.
"We think agriculture will be one of the first industries to benefit from this technology," Shibley said. "We can see Inyokern as a kind of turnkey manufacturer where agriculture people in the Central Valley have an interest in this technology but don't want to own them."
With an emerging industry that could pave the way for the generation of $81 billion and more than 100,000 jobs over the course of a decade between 2015 and 2025, Shibley said California was ground zero to reap the most benefit if a test site is selected in the state.
She added that Inyokern was a logical choice because of its location in the middle of a black hole of aircraft, with Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake's proximity to the area.
Humiston fired off a series of questions, including Inyokern's proximity to Edwards Air Force Base, and whether activity there would affect Inyokern's efforts.
"We don't think it will be a negative at all, but it is a matter of us being good neighbors in sharing the airspace, so it means increased communication," Shibley said.
She added that aside from 327 permits granted by the FAA to use UAVs for certain things, no concrete set of rules exist to govern how UAVs are used.
Humiston asked what competition Inyokern or California faced among the 25 applicants vying for a test site, as well as whether those areas were near rural areas.
"One of the things we do at the USDA when talking with any agency is that we try to scream and holler that some of these programs need to be rural," Humiston said.
Following the briefing, Cal UAS team members provided a UAV demonstration for Humiston.
Jeff Parisse and Scott Brown from Parisse Aviation provided background of how both fixed-wing and multi-rotor UAVs could benefit farmers and agricultural industries, including surveillance and crop dusting. Brown said where it took days with a manned aircraft to survey fields for diseased or stressed crops, UAVs could do it in a fraction of the time at a fraction of the cost.
"When you get images from surveillance back, you can create one large map and see what areas need attention," Brown said. "A farmer can look at this and it allow him to apply pesticide to a small area, instead of spraying the whole field."
Brown added that larger crops, like wheat fields, benefit more from fixed-wing UAVs, while smaller farms might utilize multi-rotor machines.
Parisse added that some of the more advanced UAVs use a number of systems, including infrared and video to monitor or spray crops.
Parisse said added that some multi-rotor UAVs were great for fire suppression and detection of hotspots in forest fires.
The bottom line of utilizing the machines, Parisse said, is cost.
"Modern aviation can do the job, but not often enough and cost effective enough," Parisse said. "The key to UAS technology is going over a field so many more times than a manned airplane could."
During the flight of a multi-rotor machine, Brown piloted a device via a remote control and 3D-simulated goggles, while people watched on a screen. Software allowed the UAV to automatically stabilize if it found itself thrown off balance by wind, Parisse said.
The cost of a setup like Parisse Aviation's: $5,000.
Parisse said those aimed at smaller farmers could cost much less and would be less complex.
"The systems we are building for farms can be thrown like a football. Drink your coffee and 20 minutes later it lands at your feet," Parisse said.
Following the presentation, Humiston, the USDA state director, called the technology exciting.
Humiston added that California was poised to benefit from the technology.
"As you look at Inyokern Airport, the region it is located in, and consider our technology, infrastructure and university systems, California is the place to develop this technology," Humiston said.


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Saturday, April 23, 2011
Rio 'Grande'
I sensed, more than noticed, movement on the row. A small voice said, 'We've moved over one seat so that you can all sit down. I looked and saw a little girl, maybe a year older than Ruby, speaking to us as the rest of the family was busy moving things around to make the seat free. I immediately began to say, 'No, it's OK, really.' But the words stopped before they were spoken. I saw a proud dad looking at his little girl. He'd clearly given her the duty of speaking to us, telling us of the gift of the seat. I clearly saw the desire in the little girl's eyes to do something nice for someone else.
I had a job here.
It was an easy one.
I rolled over a little and bent down to speak to her, 'That's a very, very, nice thing to do. Now we can all sit together.'
She was a little embarassed but she said, 'You're welcome.'
Ruby, who watches adlut interactions like a hawk, chimed in saying, 'Thank you from me too.'
The other child grinned. I looked up at her parents and the whole family was pleased. They looked like good and caring people. For me, this was a wonderful act of great parenting. It's nice to see kids being taught the art of kindness and selflessness. It took work to move four people over one seat, true, but it took kindness and compassion to notice that there was something that needed to be done and that they had the capacity and the means to do it.
When the others arrived, they all sat a few rows away. Ruby stayed with us and we three watched to movie together. After the credits rolled the family next to us rose to leave. The little girl stopped on her way and asked, 'Did you like the movie?'
Ruby answered quickly, 'Yes!'
I added, 'I liked it most because you did something nice for us.'
She then took the hand offered to her and went off into the world. And I think that world is going to be better off because she's in it.
9 comments:
- Kristin said...
Stories like this restore my faith in mankind.
- 23 April 2011 at 01:08
That was such a nice story for this Easter weekend!
- 23 April 2011 at 01:18
A great big yes to good and gentle parenting and thoughtful action!
Julia from Germany
- 23 April 2011 at 02:54
Good post, isn't it great when other people are considerate! Glad you enjoyed the cinema, have a great Easter!
- 23 April 2011 at 06:15
I truly cherish life moments like the one you just described! You're intuition to see the bigger picture of what the little girl was doing is exactly what everyone needs to work on, IMO.
What a great post!
Happy Easter to you, Joe and your beautiful family!
- 23 April 2011 at 09:49
It is nice to know that there are still people out there who care for their fellow man/woman!
- 23 April 2011 at 11:18
- Belinda said...
Maybe my heart is tender today but this brought tears to my eyes at the gentle exchange of gifts...
- 23 April 2011 at 12:53
- Belinda said...
And I love the palm leaf blog template!
- 23 April 2011 at 13:11
This is the sort of thing that just warms the cockles of my heart, a little kindness can change your day entirely :)
Often you get so entirely wrapped up in what you're doing that you don't notice the small thing(s) you could do until it's too late, hooray for this family :)
And Happy Easter to everybody who celebrates it :)
- 23 April 2011 at 21:34


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Career Opportunities
Our Career Center has cultivated a database of thousands of employer contacts nationwide with the singular goal of providing industry-related internships and employment for our students and graduates throughout their careers.
Visual Design Director
Share your creative insight. Develop visual merchandising presentation concepts, trend highlights, and store concepts that enhance the brand's image. Write visual merchandise directives, manage budgets, and attend new store openings to set up merchandising strategies as needed for a store or chain.
Store Visual Manager
Design a "visual theatre" for a retail store. Decide which colors, props, and fixtures will best complement a store's image and merchandise.
Retail Visual & Merchandise Coordinator
Set the standard. Develop the merchandising direction for retail stores, work with Product Managers and Retail Visual Managers to create consistent visual standards for all stores, and liaise between Corporate Office and clients. Some travel may be needed.
Visual Stylist
Create a stunning shopping environment. Choose clothes, accessories, and props to dress mannequins and create unique visual displays for retail store windows and departments.
Set Decorator
Dress the set. Select furniture, drapery, lighting, art, and other objects to make film, television, and commercial sets look like the real thing.
Fashion Stylist
Show off your sense of style. Coordinate the clothes, jewelry, and accessories used in fashion photography and catwalk presentations. Work with individual clients to design a coordinated wardrobe, including looks for the Red Carpet.
Fashion Public Relations Specialist
Build a good reputation. Write press releases, interact with the media, and find other creative ways to help apparel companies and retail stores build and maintain a favorable public image. Maintain strong professional relationships with media personnel.
Promotions & Events Coordinator
Generate a buzz. Coordinate production for promotional events, sponsorships, and programs, including celebrity, PR, film, and advertiser events. Execute event logistics, secure venues, and manage vendor relationships, including agencies, event production companies, and producers.


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Saturday, September 26, 2009
A Contest! Let's Have A Contest!
Friday, September 25, 2009
Interview: Ripley Patton
1) What made you go for short stories and how long have you been writing seriously? Did you ever consider writing novels?
Ever since I could write, I have. For me writing is a necessary process in making sense of the world and my own inner landscape. I write to find meaning and, where none can be found, to create it. However, I started pursuing writing as a serious career in 2005. Stories came to me, and I wrote them down in as many words as it took to tell them. I had no real designs as far as length. If they were short, it was because they wanted to be. That being said, I have always loved short forms of both poetry and prose. There is something about capturing the precise and poignant moment; about creating the most lasting impression in the fewest words that I find wholly gratifying. I do periodically try to manifest a novel, mostly after having been asked again when I am going to write a novel. Conversely, I don't know that I have ever heard a novelist asked when they are going to start writing short stories. To date, all my attempts at novel writing have resulted in more short stories. I think if I wanted to force the issue, I could, but I doubt I'd be proud of the results
2) How do you go about finding markets for your stories? Do you start with one in mind, or look once the story is finished? If both, which do you think is the more successful method?
I write the stories that come to me, the things that inspire and interest me and clamor in my head to be told. There is a quote attributed to the Aborigines of Australia that says, "The big stories are always hunting the right person to tell them." I believe that and I tend to think of stories as gifts, rather than commodities. I always write and fall in love with my stories first. The marketing comes afterwards, and it is a matter of finding the right home for each beloved story, rather than trying to fashion a story to fit a particular kind of home
The question of success is an interesting one. I am notoriously awful at writing to a theme or to preset parameters, because for me the process of writing is much more organic than mechanical. Writing for a specific market isn't particularly successful for me because I end up with a story I'm not that passionate about. I wrote it for someone else, rather than myself, and as a result, it isn't that good.
However, when I write for myself, to tell myself the story I want to know the ending to, and then look for a market, I have great success in placing it. Initially, it may take more effort to find a market that fits, but the results are almost always a sale. I consider writing what I want and selling it much more successful than writing what someone else wants and selling it. And yes, I still feel that way even when I get paid less for not writing whatever is the trend in the more popular markets
3) Where do you get your inspiration from?
It might be easier to answer "Where don't I get my inspiration from?" I have more ideas tucked away in notebooks than I could write in ten lifetimes. It is a rare day that passes without giving me some idea for a story. However, some of my favorite sources for inspiration are my kids, life experiences, nature, fairy tales, ancient mythology, reading, travel, and my dreams
Dreams are an especially lucrative mode of inspiration for me. Many of my short stories were written after just waking up from vivid dreams. Off the top of my head, "A Speck in the Universe," "The Moth Collector's Daughter, "Sheep Women and Dog Boys," and "The Bus to Nostalgia" were all inspired by dreams. Stories born out of dreams often fall into the category of magical realism, which is a genre I very much like to read and write. Dreams work in archetypes and symbolism, just as storytelling does. Joseph Campbell wrote that "Dreams are private myths. Myths are public dreams."
4) Tell us a little bit about why you like writing about magical, mythical themes.
I think of myth and magic as the hieroglyphics of the human psyche. They are a special language that circumvents conscious thought and goes straight to the subconscious. Non-fiction uses the medium of information. It tells us what we need to know. Science fiction primarily uses the medium of physics and mathematics. It tells us how things work, or could work. Horror taps into the darker imagery of the psychology, telling us what we should fear. Fantasy, magic and myth, however, tap into the spiritual potential of the human life. Their medium is symbolism, truth made manifest in word pictures, and they tell us what things mean on a deep, internal level. I have always been a meaning-maker. I have always been someone who strives to make sense of everything and perhaps that is where my life as a storyteller first began. Life doesn't always make sense, but story must. And so I write stories, and the world comes right again.
5) Is it hard for you to keep the stories short?
No. In fact, lately I've been writing and publishing quite a bit of flash fiction, which has helped me learn to better hone and edit my longer works. I haven't yet written any twitter fiction, but there are some great new markets for it out there, and I hope to try my hand at it soon
There are those who argue that short stories and short forms are a dying breed, but I would disagree. I think with the popularity of reading over the internet, shorter forms, which are easier on screen-weary eyes and appealing to a fast-paced electronic culture, are probably more in demand than ever. I am also repeatedly told that no one can make a living writing short stories. I suppose that depends on how you define "a living." It is generally very difficult to become wealthy writing poetry, or painting, or dancing, or even writing novels, for that matter. Thank goodness artists for centuries have been ignoring that brutal fact and creating what fulfills them anyway.
Thursday, September 24, 2009
How Not To Write A Novel -
Ok, i have read numerous books on writing. I have stopped midway through many, my eyes and mind drained and befuddled from terminology and small print and i walk away with a terrible feeling of trepidation - that i will never be good enough to actually write a book (and remember all this nitty things that are so important - pov, climax, development etc.)
Wandering one day, i saw this little book, i picked it up, bought it and began to read it on the train home and i didn't stop till i was completely finished. It now sits by my bed (in a very honoured position) between my Stephen King 'on writing' and 'elements of style'.
In humorous, short anecdotes and tips, this book outlines all the things a person can do WRONG, and strangely enough its one of the most positive writing books i've read because its advice is sensible, practical and the examples portray clearly what they mean.
In 255 pages, and 200 mistakes Sandra Newman and Howard Mittelmark take you from Plot to how not to sell a novel, with lots of great information in between AND with lots of humour too!
So, when i was reading through and saw about ten things that i was doing wrong, i actually laughed, and nodded my head to myself - sniggering at my stupidity because through their amazing fun and friendly style, mistakes are shown and criticism is offered in a easy to swallow form (especially to the hyper sensitive newbie).
Definitely ten out of ten and light years ahead of many 'how to' books! This book is worth every cent!
For more information : http://www.hownottowriteanovel.com/
Monday, September 21, 2009
Interview: Will Lavender
1) First off, when did you decide you wanted to write, and how did you come to write this novel? Where did you get the idea for Obedience from?
2) The plot twists are great - how hard was it for you to keep some information hidden, and lead the characters where they are supposed to go? I'm guessing you must have had a very good plan. Were there times when you missed things, or did most of it come out right first time?
3) Can you tell us a bit about your next book? Is it in any way a sequel to Obedience?
4) I'm dying to know - what happens to Brian after the end of Obedience?
5) Did you ever have doubts about or trouble being published? How did you get your agent & publisher?
6) What advice would you give to aspiring writers?
Friday, September 18, 2009
When Writers Blog: an Interview With Jon Gibbs
WHEN WRITERS BLOG: An interview with Jon Gibbs by gapyeargirl123
On January 11, 2009, novel and short story writer, Jon Gibbs, made the debut post on his online journal. Aside from his long-suffering wife, Denise, only one other person read the entry.
Now, thanks to features like the regular Friday links to interesting posts by writers, agents and editors; oddball competitions like the Meager Puddle of Limelight Awards, and tongue-twisting acronyms like the one for IPAFPFYOJOJB (International Pimp a Favorite Post From Your Own Journal on Jon's Blog) Day, An Englishman in New Jersey, receives over 1,000 visitors a month. Not bad for a virtually unpublished writer.
After much begging and pleading, we finally agreed to ask Jon a few questions about his work, his blog and why he believes most writers should have an online journal too.
TBB: Wouldn't a writer's time be better spent working on stories and books rather than on a blog?JON: It's true that developing an online journal takes time and effort, but in my opinion, the benefits are well worth it. Aside from the fact that a blog can help you get your work seen by new readers, there's a wealth of knowledge and writing know-how on the web. How much would you pay for helpful advice from successful authors, agents and editors in your genre? An online journal gives you access to people from all around the world. Many of them share their knowledge and experience on their blogs, for free.
TBB: When should a writer start blogging, and which service should they use?
JON: It's never too soon to start. As for hosts, I use LiveJournal, but whichever provider you choose, you can keep in touch with people on other blog sites via things like RSS feed.
TBB: How often do you post entries?
JON: I try to post a minimum of four times a week.
TBB: Most entries on your blog are about writing. Where do you get your ideas?
JON: All writers have thoughts and experiences worth sharing, whether the theme is 'Don't make the same dopey mistake I did' (like a lot of my own posts), or about how he/she approaches the craft. I also get ideas from my friends' blogs. The inspiration for one of my most visited posts came from reading about someone else's bad experience at a critique group.
TBB: What can someone do to get more people reading their blog?
JON: I'd say the most important thing is to write about what interests you. Different things work for different people, but if you have a passion for something, coming up with good posts on that subject shouldn't be hard.
Invite discussion. Let's say you're a writer, blogging about your latest work-in-progress. Try adding "How about you?" at the end of the post. Those three little words make a world of difference to a blog entry. They show readers you want to talk to them, not at them.
Have fun! If you don't enjoy writing your blog, how can you expect people to enjoy reading it?
TBB: What shouldn't a blogger do?
Don't be boring. Better no post at all, than a procession of uninteresting entries. That particularly applies to writers. If people find your journal dull, they may assume your writing is too.
Don't ignore people. You'd think this was obvious, but a surprising number of bloggers seem to feel they don't need to acknowledge those readers who take the time to post a comment on their journal. Maybe it's just me, but for a writer, I think that's the equivalent of saying, 'Please don't ever read a story or buy a book of mine.'
Don't be afraid to post off-topic once in a while. My journal is mostly about writing, but I often throw in something on a different subject.
TBB: Which of your writerly blog posts are you most proud of?
JON: Hmm, I got a lot of good feedback for 'The Critiquee's Charter' so let's go with that.
TBB: What's happening with your novels?
JON: I'm currently putting the finishing touches to my sci-fi thriller, Waking up Jack Thunder. My MG urban fantasy, Fur-Face, is under consideration with a publisher at the moment.
TBB: Most of your short stories are flash fiction (less than 1,000 words), is that deliberate?
JON: Yes. More and more people read (or listen to podcasts) on the web. With that in mind, it's good for writers to have their stories available at the click of a button. I do submit to print markets, but for me, I'd rather sell my flash fiction to an online publisher.
TBB: Where can people find your writing on the web?
JON: I only have two 100-word stories online at present. They're linked from my website, A Cat Of Nine Tales.
TBB: Final question: Where do you find time amongst all the things you have going on in your blog to actually write stories?
JON: I'm supposed to write stories too?
My old gran used to say, 'You don't find time, you make time'. Writers make time for pitch/query letters. They do that because they want people to read their work. A good blog will help you achieve that too. Rather than 'Where do you find the time?' a better question would be 'Is it worth the time?' to which my answer is a resounding 'Yes!'
An active member of both The Garden State Horror Writers and The Monmouth Creative Writing Group, Jon Gibbs is the founder of the New Jersey Author's Network. He can usually be found hunched over the laptop in his kitchen. One day he hopes to figure out how to switch it on. If you decide to visit his blog, tell him we sent you.
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Interview: Jocelynn Drake
Nightwalker started a little differently than most of the other stories that I worked on. Nightwalker started as a writing experiment where I was playing with point of view. I wanted to tell a story about a vampire hunter through the eyes of his prey. Unfortunately, from the moment that Mira opened her mouth, she immediately dominated the story and it became harder to bring Danaus into the limelight.
When I started working on Nightwalker, it was nothing more than a short story and I never intended it to be more than that. However, a good friend read it and liked it so much that he demanded that I keep writing. So, I did. It took a lot of careful planning, but after getting about half of the book written I discovered that I had ideas for several other books that I was dying to tell about Mira and all the other characters in her world.
It wasn't until I actually finished writing the first book that I considered trying to get it published. Prior to that, I was writing for myself and my friend. After finishing it, I went through several drafts of polishing it. After working on it for several months, I started sending out query letters to agents. I got a few good nibbles, but nothing definite. The most common comment was that they liked my voice, but the book just wasn't there yet. One excellent agent complained that it was too long. I cut the book in half so that I now had what would become Nightwalker and Dayhunter already written before I even sold the series.
I remember that it had been two years of rejections and I was getting worried. It was the week before Mother's Day and I sent out five electronic queries to agents. I swore that if I didn't get a serious bite from this group, I was going to pack the book away and work on another project. By the following Monday, I had an agent, and she's everything that I've been looking for in an agent. She's amazing and she loves my work.
From there, we spent a week tweaking the book before she blasted it out to several publishers. Three weeks later, we had a contract offer from an amazing editor at Eos/HarperCollins. I was in heaven. It took me a while the land an agent, but getting a publisher was extremely quick.
2) Your vampires often seem quite a lot darker than in many other urban fantasy books at the moment. What led you to writing such a dark book, or was Mira's story always like that, since you first thought of her?
For me, I've always preferred my vampires to be dark, vicious creatures. I tend to look at the dark side of humanity when I am writing. I like to wonder what would happen if you gave a human awesome powers, strength, beauty, and immortality. Would they retain that moral fiber they had during their human years? Or would it be worn away with time? Would the power go to their heads and would they abuse it? We've seen that kind of abuse through the years and it's not such a stretch to believe that vampires would react the same way.
Another thing that was key to me was that I didn't want a bunch of sad vampires, complaining about their lot in life. "I never wanted this." That was something my vampires would never say. Each creature had to make the conscious choice to become a nightwalker and they had to fight death for it. If the human didn't truly want to become a vampire, he or she would just die during the process of rebirth. My vampires want to be vampires. They enjoy their powers and they enjoy the thrill of the hunt. They had strong instincts for survival, and the vampirism really taps into their more animalistic emotions and urges.
3) How has life changed for you since Nightwalker and Dayhunter were published?
I guess the biggest thing for me that has changed is writing on a deadline. Before, I wrote stories whenever I felt like it. Most never were finished. I would write until I got bored with it and then I would start something else. Now, I have a strict deadline of when I have to turn in my next book, so that means that I have to keep a regular writing schedule and I have to stick to it, even when I don't feel like working.
The other thing is that writing used to be time for me to play and daydream. In many ways, it still is, but I am now more aware of the fact that it is also work. When I start working on a story, now I have to seriously consider whether this is something that I want to have published. If it's not, I typically have to push it aside. My time is very limited and I have to stay focused on pieces that I think are publishable. I hope to one day get back to playing a little bit when I write.
OK, this is where the spoilery-for-book-2 questions start - you have been warned!
4) From the end of book two, it seems like we're going to be seeing a lot more of the coven now. You have some great info on your website about the formation of the coven, but I was wondering if there's anything else you could tell us about the members of the coven, maybe things that Mira knows that just won't be in the story, or a little of their history, or any stray tidbits?
Hmmm…. That's a great question. I have to say that pretty much everything that Mira knows about the Coven has been presented in the books. The Coven takes a backseat to the story in Dawnbreaker and Pray for Dawn, but they have a larger presence in Wait for Dusk, which is the fifth book in the series.
The Coven is a dark place in my world. It is where the true violent nature of nightwalker society originates. The one thing that I'm hoping to take a deeper look at is the various alliances that exist on the Coven. By the end of Dayhunter, there is a definite shift in power that will only help to prolong Mira's life, but the other vampires are not about to sit idly by and allow it to happen without some kind of challenge.
One character from the Coven that I haven't had the chance to introduce is Our Liege. The true ruler of the nightwalker race has sat back and been content to watch everything that has been happening. I will admit that I've known this character since Nightwalker. I know his name, his appearance, his mannerisms. Unfortunately, there are too many powerful characters already in the story. I need to strike a balance and not throw too much at Mira all at once. So, I've put off introducing him. However. I do have plans for his appearance late in the series. Don't worry. He's coming and he is his own ball of trouble.
5) So, Mira is Tristan's 'owner' now. Can you tell us anything about why she was reluctant to do that to anyone before, or what it means for them now? What does it actually involve for her?
Mira has always been reluctant to be the "owner" or parental figure in a nightwalker family. Her own experiences with Sadira were extremely bleak. She lived with Sadira for several years as a human and then another hundred years with her as a nightwalker. Sadira was very controlling, monitoring all of Mira's movements and actions. Mira is very independent creature with a mind of her own. She chafes under too much restriction, so she never wanted to be in a position where she would have to restrict the movements of another creature.
Mira and Tristan's relationship is very relaxed. It is partially a mother-son relationship and partially a brother-sister relationship. He is both younger and weaker than Mira, so she feels the need to protect him at all time. And yet, because Sadira is their maker, she is his sister in a way. Because Mira is his "owner" she is responsible for his safety. Should he get into trouble, Mira could step in and protect him if she wanted. Of course, she could also leave it to him to take care of his mess himself.
Tristan is one of my favorite characters. His weakness is not a detriment as it might seem in their violent world. It means that he is more in tune with his emotions, with the frailty of humans, and the general frailty of the world. He had a softening effect on Mira, which she needs. When things get bleak, Mira tends to become very hard and distant. Tristan's presence will help her retain her hold on her humanity a little while longer. On the other hand, Mira can teach Tristan to survive.
6) I don't see how anyone can read these books and not love Danaus - is there anything at all that you can tell us about him? Any teeny-tiny little bits of information?
I love Danaus too. He's one of my favorite characters ever. I've had a lot of trouble getting into his mind because he doesn't always like to talk. He's strong, brave, honest, and reliable. He is also sarcastic, with a sharp, dry wit. I adore him.
Secret Danaus tidbits? Let's see. Danaus was born just outside of Rome nearly two centuries ago. His mother was a witch and his father was a senator. To keep his family beyond the reach of Roman politics, he kept his wife and son outside of the city in a rambling estate. His wife didn't like the arrangement, so she called on a demon to give her more power so she could seek her revenge on her husband. In exchange for the power, the demon claimed part of the soul of her unborn son.
Danaus didn't discover the arrangement until he was in his early twenties. He had been mortally wounded in a battle not far from Rome. The medics looked at him and shook their heads, confident that he would die. But, by morning, he was up and walking around, almost completely healed. Everyone proclaimed that it was a miracle visited on him by the gods. Danaus was skeptical. That night, he rode to see his mother at the estate that he grew up at. She confessed that she had made a deal and that he had been blessed with amazing strength and healing powers. Danaus was enraged that his soul no longer belonged to him. In the blindness of his rage, he killed his mother by boiling her blood. Afterward, Danaus left the city of Rome and has never set foot in the city again.
7) Last one! Can you tell us a bit about Dawnbreaker, in your own words? What do we have to look forward to when that comes out at the end of the month?
Dawnbreaker takes place a couple months after the conclusion of Dayhunter in Savannah where Mira is being hunted by the naturi. They are desperate to capture and destroy the vampire, as she and Danaus are the only ones that could potentially stop the naturi from freeing Aurora, Queen of the naturi, and the rest of the naturi people. While fighting the naturi, Mira is lucky enough to take a hostage that could help her turn the tables on the naturi when she and Danaus finally go to the final showdown at Machu Picchu, Peru. The dawn lies just over the horizon and Rowe is desperate to finally free his wife-queen. The time has come to face the past.
Monday, September 14, 2009
Nightwalker, by Jocelynn Drake
Nightwalker, by Jocelynn Drake
From the website:
For centuries Mira has been a nightwalker -- an unstoppable enforcer for a mysterious organization that manipulates earth-shaking events from the darkest shadows. But elemental mastery over fire sets her apart from others of her night-prowling breed...and may be all that prevents her doom.
The foe she now faces is human: the vampire hunter called Danaus, who has already destroyed so many undead. For Mira, the time has come to hunt or be hunted.
But in a dimension just beyond the worlds boundaries, a banished race stirs dangerously, hungry for power, for domination, for vengeance. Already a protective seal has been breached: already blood flows like a river through the world's great cities.
And only the collaboration of two sworn enemies can save humankind...and its feral brethren.
I've lent my copy of Nightwalker to a friend at the moment, so I hope this review is still ok!
Nightwalker begins with Mira stalking Danaus through Savana, her city. You see straight away how skilled a hunter she is, and her feisty personality come through very strongly. Very quickly, Mira is forced to postpone Danaus's death and trust him as he shows her an enemy from her past who she thought was long dead. The feared Naturi are back. Mira and Danaus must head to Egypt to warn vampires & others alike, all the while wondering whether they can trust each other.
It's very interesting to see how being around Mira is forcing Danaus to reconsider his notions of vampires, and his agenda against them. Mira, too, is changed by being around the hunter. I loved all the interactions between them – one moment bickering, the next fighting back-to-back. It was great to have such strong characters.
Another thing that I really liked about this book was that the two main characters didn't jump in to bed with each and fall madly in love. It's something that really annoys me in a lot of books – characters who've known each other for less than a week deciding that they want to spend the rest of their lives together. There is some chemistry between Danaus and Mira, but I liked that the author doesn't just disregard all the mistrust and stereotypes that they are carrying around with them, in the week that 'Nightwalker' lasts.
The plot was excellent, it pulled me in right away and didn't let go. The ending was maybe a little abrupt, but the second book, 'Dayhunter', picks up right where 'Nightwalker' leaves off.
'Nightwalker' is also a lot darker than many vampire novels these days – there is a lot of fighting, and never much rest for Mira.
I'd strongly recommend this book, and the third book in the series comes out at the end of the month.
Stay tuned to the blog, because tomorrow we are very privileged to have an interview with Jocelynn Drake, the author! I was very fangirl-happy about this opportunity, and I hope you enjoy reading her answers as much as I did.
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Obedience, by Will Lavender
From the back cover:
The beginning of the fall term at Winchester University in rural Indiana. On the first day of class Professor Williams presents a startling scenario to the students in his Logic and Reasoning 204 course: a young girl has gone missing and the class has until the end of the quarter to find her or she will be murdered.
The students believe Williams's tale is nothing more than a logic puzzle, but soon three of them – Mary, Brian and Dennis – stumble upon a real-life, unsolved disappearance that sounds eerily similar to the one Williams described, the case of Deanna Ward, a girl who went missing twenty years earlier and was never found. Each of them becomes obsessed with the two women and with the professor, himself a shadowy figure. As the real world and Williams's puzzle begin to merge, the three young people are thrown into a complex and horrifying game of deception. What's real? What's fiction? And how far will the students go to obey authority?
I'd been looking for this book in paperback for months, after reading a review, and it didn't disappoint. A five hour train journey after buying it, and the only reason I hadn't finished was because it got dark. I just couldn't make myself put it down before that.
After the prologue, the book begins with the ominous heading 'SIX WEEKS LEFT'. As the book goes on, these headings help increase the ever-present tension: moving from weeks into days, then finally hours. The mystery is introduced straight away: it turns out that no one has any idea what their new professor, Mr Williams, looks like – he's somehow missing from the yearbooks, despite his name being mentioned, and the website shows only his brief CV, while the box for the photo is gray and blank. The three main characters are quickly introduced in Williams's first class, where they are both puzzled and intrigued by the scenario he describes. The first couple of chapters follow the three students through their early classes with Williams, and we quickly learn that they have secrets of their own, some that they conceal from their friends, and others that are hinted at but left for the reader to guess about.
I think it's very hard to talk about this book, to describe it, because there are so many twists. There is so much information that is ever so slowly revealed over the course of the story, and a lot of what Dennis, Mary and Brian are discovering throws what they've already learnt into question. Who can they trust? Who should they believe? It is clear that someone is lying, but whether that is the Professor himself, about who Polly is, or Orman, the dean, who claims Williams is a plagiarist, and a liar obsessed with a long-ago crime? The evidence seems to make the issue of who to believe swing back and forth between the two. But then it starts to seem like the students are being pointed in certain directions, herded to exactly the places where someone wants them to go. And the deeper they go, the darker things get.
I love how the narrative switches from one character's point of view to the other – all three of the students have very well-defined personalities, and it adds to the general confusion that the reader never gets to see all of what is going on. Like the characters, I was hooked on finding the answer, and trying to work out what was a prop and what was real.
It was a fascinating read, with a shocking conclusion. I definitely have to re-read, knowing what's happening, to see how different it seems. If you want a book to keep you up past our bed time, and make you give strange teachers a second look, then this is definitely one for you.
Overall rating? 8 stars, I think.
Will Lavender has very kindly agreed to do an interview for us here at the Book Bundle! That will probably go up sometime next week. If anyone has any questions they'd like to ask, please leave them in the comments.
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Interview: Bosley Gravel
This week we've got an interview with novelist and short-story writer Bosley Gravel. I hope you enjoy reading it!
1) How long did it take from you deciding to write with the intention of being published, to getting your first story published?
I informally studied fiction for about two years back in the mid-90s. It took about a year to publish my first short story, a literary piece titled "Stafford's Hands". I believe the magazine was called "Show and Tell" and I was paid two whole dollars plus the (handmade) contributor's copy. I was absolutely thrilled. I continued to write
for another year, I rarely submitted and no more acceptances. The pre-Internet submission process was far more involved, every submission cost you at least two stamps, and typically a sample copy of the publication. All of this works out to two or three months of time per submission. Eventually, as often happens, life got in the way and I abandoned my efforts for over a decade.
Fast forward to 2006, I dusted off some manuscripts, fixed them up the best I could, and started subbing them to on-line markets. As luck would have it, an e-zine named "The Deepening" liked my short story, "The Hanged Man" and decided to run it. That was encouragement enough to begin redeveloping my writing skills.
After some success (and a lot of failures) with the short form, I moved over to novels. Three failed manuscripts later I produced a story about an independent filmmaker in a small town. The novel is titled, "Cannibal Lesbian Zombies from Outer Space --verses-- Doctor Clockwork and his Furious Plastic Surgeons of Doom: The Movie". Despite being written in only 24 days, and starting with nothing but the title, it ended up a fun, and relevant little squib of Americana.
A year or so later, after minor revisions, I started peddling it to small presses. It was accepted on its second or third time out by Mr. Neil Marr over at BeWrite Books, an independent press based in Europe. I'm told it should be available at the end of the year as a paperback and e-book, directly from BeWrite and various other on-line retailers. The final revisions were painless, and even fun, under Mr. Marr's
expert editorial guidance.
Most of this was dumb luck, getting the right manuscript to the right publisher at the right time was crucial. In case I've made it sound like I've been magically blessed with fairy dust and all this just kind of happened, my records indicate an average of a ten to one ratio of rejections to acceptances.
2) Did you start with short stories or novels? Do you prefer one over the other? Why?
I started writing short stories with the idea that it was good practice for writing novels. It turns out, at least for me, this is really two different skill sets. Traditional short stories require tight focus on a single perspective of a theme to be satisfying. Novels, on the other hand, can incorporate multiple perspectives (even
multiple themes). This gives the reader an in-depth look at the theme from all different angles. In a novel, all those perspectives have to be subtly linked through a whole mesh of techniques. So while there is overlap, there is quite a bit of difference too; it's mostly one of scope, in my opinion.
With that being said, moving over to novels was not too difficult, just a little perplexing at first. I tried a couple of novellas, and then moved up to a short novel manuscript, then onward to full length novel manuscripts. I am still a bit intimidated by the commitment it takes to produce a novel.
As for preference, short stories are great for prototyping a concept or character, but due to their inherent brevity they don't allow for much depth. I do enjoy writing them, and will almost certainly continue to do so. However, I've focused on novels for the past year, as I continue to try and get a good grip on the form.
3) How do you go about finding places to have your short stories published? Do you write with a specific place in mind, or do you wait until a story is finished to work out where it's going?
I've always written the story first and then looked for a venue. Being something of an eclecticist (read that as hobbyist-hack), I've never learned any particular genre inside and out. As a consequence I've produced manuscripts in everything from Christian morality tales to visceral slasher horror. And because of this range, it's been difficult to chase a particular niche anyway.
There are some good reasons to write with market guidelines in mind, though. Keeping within a particular word counts and avoiding certain content makes a story much easier to place. For new authors anxious to see their stories published, it makes sense to shorten the wait by drawing inspiration from existing publications, or responding to a call for manuscripts.
4)What are the main differences, for you, between the processes for writing a short story, and writing longer pieces?
I typically produce a short story in one or two sittings. They are almost always incident driven, and show a narrow perspective on a particular theme. My habit for stories of the 2-4k word range is to write about half of it, take a break for a day or two, then finish it up. Flash, on the other hand, I write in one shot, let it rest, and then revise it.
Novels, of course, require stamina and a bit more planning. So I typically do a page or two a day, and a whole lot of day dreaming about the details. I'm much more willing to let the characters drive the story with longer fiction because there is room to guide them gently back on track if it becomes clear the story is heading in the wrong direction -- with short fiction you have no such luxury.
I follow the same pattern with novellas and novelettes as I do with novels; I rarely plan the length, I tend to go slow, and focus on staying one step ahead of the story.
5) Tell us a bit about one of your stories.
The most interesting manuscript I produced this year, I think, is a short novel titled "Servant of the Mud". The story is a dark mythic fantasy that deals with Pauly, a reluctant Christ figure, who must come to terms with not only his responsibilities as a human being, but his responsibilities as something far more. I really let my imagination go wild, and despite being somewhat out of my comfort zone
with the genre, it ended up being a lot of fun to write. The research was a blast; I deconstructed classic myths and then put them back together with contemporary twists, and what I hope was in unusual and interesting ways. The story really has it all: love, lust, betrayal, fist fights, ghosts, djinns, sorcery, angels, hidden worlds, earth, wind and fire elementals, and even a meeting with the Big Guy himself.
I was lucky enough to get Shadowfire Press interested in the manuscript, and it should be available at the end of the year as an e-book. The Shadowfire staff are a great bunch of talented, professional, and friendly folks and I look forward to seeing the final product.
6)Finally, a lot of the blog readers are aspiring authors - what advice would you give us?
You've heard it all before. ;)
Be yourself, learn the craft of fiction, don't be afraid to take chances and have some fun. The only writers I know that have failed, are writers that gave up. Read broadly, write every day, and take part in a writing community. Don't worry about rejection, believe in yourself and your stories; have fun with your fiction. Write for yourself -- don't take acceptances or rejections too seriously, after a certain degree of expertise it's all just a matter of taste anyway.
The is only one rule of writing: be engaging. Follow that and you'll find yourself with an audience.
Bio: Bosley Gravel, eclectic hack writer, was born in the Midwest, and came of age in Texas and southern New Mexico. He writes in a variety of genres. His fiction focuses on the absurdly tragic, and the tragically absurd. He likes good black coffee, nightmares, Billie Holiday, and that hour just before the sun comes up.
Coming soon: his debut literary novel "The Movie" from BeWrite Books (for pre-Christmas Release).
Credits: http://www.ripcot.com
EPIC Member, HWA Affiliate
Monday, September 7, 2009
Upcoming interviews
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Geektastic: Stories from the Nerd Herd edited by Holly Black and Cecil Castellucci
Haven't you heard? Geek is the new cool! Acclaimed authors Holly Black (Ironside)and Cecil Castellucci (Boy Proof) have united in geekdom to edit short stories from some of the best selling and most promising geeks in young adult literature: M.T. Anderson, Libba Bray, Cassandra Clare, Tracy Lynn, Cynthia and Greg Leitich Smith, David Levithan, Kelly Link, Barry Lyga, Wendy Mass, Garth Nix, Scott Westerfield, Lisa Yee, and Sara Zarr. With illustrated interstitials from comic book artists Hope Larson and Bryan Lee O'Malley, Geektastic covers all things geeky, from Klingons and Jedi Knights to fan fiction, theater geeks, and cosplayers. Whether you're a former, current, or future geek, or if you just want to get in touch with your inner geek, Geektastic will help you get your geek on!
After seeing all star cast of authors that were contributing stories to this book, I decided I had to read it. And, boy, did that turn out to be an excellent decision. This book delivers it all in a nifty little package. (The cover has all the authors and comic book illustrators on the front in old school video game style.)
This would be a very long post if I reviewed every story/comic in the book, but it is safe to say that this book comes with something for everyone. We've all gone through a point where we felt inadequate or judged for who we are, so everyone (even if you aren't a geek) can relate to the something in Geektastic. The stories range from laugh out loud funny ("Once You're A Jedi, You're A Jedi All The Way") to ones that make you remember the horrors of high school ("The Truth About Dino Girl".) Every story gives you something, even if you don't realize it at the time.
While each story in the book was wonderful, I believe my favorite part was the comics. In between each of the stories, there is a tiny comic. Each one made me shake with giggles that could not be stopped.
Non-Geeks and Geeks, come one, come all, for this book is amazing. Even if you don't understand Klingon, even if you don't have any idea what cosplay is, and even if you don't know what a con is, you will walk away a better person from reading this book.
I give this book 10/10 stars.