In the Bloodlands, wishes can come true… for a price.

Julia envied the birds, so she lured them to her windowsill with nectar and seeds, caught them barehanded, and ate them, still wriggling and shrieking, until she found she could raise her arms and lift herself from the ground.

Julia envied Maria her husband, so when Maria was walking along the cliffside with a satchel of ripe plums at her hip, a flock of birds flew at her face and pecked at her until she lost her footing. Only, instead of tumbling into the sea, never to be found, the satchel caught on a root and broke her neck, leaving her dangling there for Matthew to find when he went to see why she was so late returning from the orchard. Dangling, with the marks of a hundred tiny beaks pocking the skin around her eyes.

Matthew’s grief festered within him until it turned to rage. He buried his newborn son with his wife, and when the next morning found a stalk growing from the grave, with a single blood-red plum dangling from its end, he ate it, and fell into a fever that lasted for three days. He awoke alone, tied to a tree far from the village. Snapping his bonds as if they were rotted vines, he stumbled back toward his home. As he fell beside a clear stream to slake a thirst deeper than he had ever known, the face he saw in the water was that of a monster, as much reptile as man.

Julia has taken to wearing a cape that drapes under her arms like the wings of a bird, as she floats through the fields, on the verge of flight, but never quite breaking the shackles of the earth. Tiny messengers land on her shoulders and tell her Matthew is returning to the village, and she pirouettes, five feet off the ground, and goes to meet him.

Matthew sees Julia approaching from where he lurks at the edge of the wood, just shy of the light. A bird alights on his shoulder and whispers in his ear, and he knows. Bellowing a roar no human throat could contain, he charges from the woods, his clawed feet churning up the moist earth. She barely has time to lift her arms, five feet, ten feet; but he is faster than a man now, and he leaps up to catch her legs in a crushing embrace.

And suddenly they are soaring, above the clouds, the sun blinding, the wind deafening in their ears, spiraling across a sea of white foam, her avarice and his rage forgotten in this sudden moment, her exultation and his fear.

When again she swoops down, through the clouds, across turbulent waters, it is to a coast neither of them recognize. She is suddenly tired, and cannot quite veer away from the strange trees. His body weighs her down, her legs numb from his unfailing grasp. They crash into the straight boles, but he swings his legs out and they shatter under the impact of his armored shins.

When they at last touch down, tumble apart, to lay on the wet grass, suddenly exhausted, they stay there, unmoving, for a long time, listening to one another’s breathing.

*

She pauses, thoughtfully, her black quill hovering over the rainbow streaks she has painted on the page. Each serpentine line she has inked connects on part of the story to another, one band to the prior and the next.

“Hmm.” she dips the quill and starts another line.

Description:
Autumn tree in a park at sunset.
Photo taken on: November 13th, 2009

© Photographer: Picsvet | Agency: Dreamstime.com
ApertureFNumber: f/5.6
Make: Canon
Model: Canon EOS 50D
DateTime: 2009:11:13 21:14:45
ExposureTime: 1/640
FNumber: 56/10
ExposureProgram: 0
ISOSpeedRatings: 200
DateTimeOriginal: 2009:11:13 11:42:31
MaxApertureValue: 3625/1000
MeteringMode: 5
Flash: 16
FocalLength: 18/1

Let’s get cracking. It’s been a busy week for my imagination. A quite, scarily busy week. I’m not lucky enough to have awesome dreams usually, and although I might not be able to call my current row of them as awesome, they’re definitely interesting.

I had to date them after I’d written them down. I don’t know why, it was just some compulsive impulse.

Anyway. November posting begins.

Dream 1 : Tuesday 17 of November 2009 – The Nightmare

I scribbled this down in an almost trance-like state and all in capitals which I don’t really do that much.

“DREAMS PEOPLE RUB OUT FRANTICALLY BIT OF PAPER WHICH REVEAL IMAGES SOMETIMES OF T SHIRT DESIGNS OTHER TIMES FACES OR EVEN INJURIES THAT CAN INFLICT PAIN. GUYS FACE GETS BEATEN UP – VAMPIRE SHOWS ATTACKER. RUBBING OUT VICTIMS FACE INTO VIEW WITH VICTIM THEN APPEARING IN PAIN. NIGHTMARE.”

Fudged up if I might add. There’s more I wrote on the other side…

“DRAWING OF (5) FACES RUBS THOSE THAT ARE NOT CULPRITS

SAINSBURY’S – FRIEND FACING UP – MANAGER COMES SO I [face up] DO TOO (I DONT WORK THERE) – ANOTHER FRIEND DOING SOMETHING AT END OF AISLE (TO THE LEFT) – I FIND A FACE RAZOR – OLD STYLE BARBER THING AND 2 SWISS ARMY KNIFES THAT ARE BLUNT KNIVES. I STILL FEAR THEM.

GUY DRAWING, (something) IMAGES IS TALENTED ARTIST? DRAWS THINGS THAT ARE TRULY ‘REVEALED’ LATER.

IMAGE OF CHINESE MAN – FACE WHITE WITH BLACK HAIR – BEING PUMMELLED BY PREVIOUS PERSON RUBBING OUT / INTO FOCUS.”

And that’s what I got written down straight after awaking from this nightmare. It truly was a nightmare too, I had the sensation of wanting to shout out but not being able to, of that sense of going mute when you most need your voice. It’s crazy. In basic terms, I had this dream an artist of some sort is drawing onto a t-shirt, or in another case a piece of paper. While rubbing away at a spot that isn’t supposed to be there, the image doesn’t come alive, but becomes a kind of stop-motion animation, that, with more rubbing brings into focus this gruesome image of a man’s face. Contrasted with a bright white background you have his pitch black hair and pasty looking face. I think that was the vampire reference I made. I can’t recall the exact dream now, but the sensations are coming back the more ~I read over my handwritten notes. I have no idea why I chose to write it down this time, or why my friends were included in this dream with even odder references to butter-knife Swiss army things and store shelve filling. All I know is that it freaked me out. Only after did I think… this would make a really cool storyline.

Take a detective investigating murders of some sort, Comes across a case of the paranormal – vampires. These vampires are preying on ‘night’ people, those who come home late from work or parties etc. Then on top of this there is an artist who can draw… situations, people and possibly attacks. I sensed fear in this artist when I was imagining them, like they felt like they were to blame.I also have  a feeling that they were revealed to me, the ‘audience’ in this weird dream as if it were a story. The rubbing out revealing the next storyline and person. It was like it had been put in my head as if I’d read it or seen it somewhere before, which isn’t the case…

Someone with a creative writing talent needs to turn this into a story for me. Please?

Hi everyone. It has been a crazy busy week, thank you all!!!

I wanted to give you some details about the Forum. I almost have it figured out and ready to go. I am excited to create a safe and positive place for everyone to share their passion, creativity, and love (for makeup and other things!). You will have to register to see the forums because I want it to be a ’safe’ environment. But other than that, the rules will be few…just a place to kick back, relax and chat–and share those makeup looks!

My 1 year Wedding Anniversary is Sunday. Saturday, I am making a traditional (US style) Thanksgiving dinner for the family. Canadian Thanksgiving was in October…we did have a huge family gathering but the fare was mostly Ukranian (yummy!) and I am missing home so this meal is extra special to me. Sunday we will probably go to a little Greek place and perhaps to a Casino. We got married in Vegas, so it seems appropriate!

On to the look. I’ve had this in my head a few days now. I call it “Winter Siren”. Super pinky-licious and bright.

Products used:

all stardust cosmetics unless specified

face
test blend of foundation and concealer
kiss me! and pink sugar blush
winter’s kiss as finisher

eyes
gosh eye base (OMG! this stuff ROCKS)
winter white le
siren
kitten pink
shimmerstorm wet on lower lashline smudged over black pencil
midnight blizzard to line, wet
black mascara Lashblast

lips
gosh l/s #144 mystery (sooo pretty)

Thanks for looking!  I hope you all have a great weekend.  I promised hubby I wouldnt work, so I will only be handling customer service emails.  All orders placed after today will get packed/shipped Monday!

Thanks again,

J.

Heute haben wir ein paar neue Pornofilme vom Amerikanischen Pornostar Audrey Hollander eingestellt.

1.) House of Sex and Domination aus dem Hause PRIVATE

2.) Morphine aus dem Hause VIVID

3.) Anal Supremacy aus dem Hause PRIVATE

Porno Blog Links

Transliteration

kimi to nara　yukeru kegashita
itsuka yumemita basho e　tsuraku kewashii kono michi mo
kitto…　kimi to futari de　aruiteiku…

waratte?　waratte?　kokoro kara no egao de　namida fuite・・・
kizutsuku toki mo aru n datte…　tsumazuku koto mo aru n’datte…
kimi wa itta kedo…

sasaeatte kimi to arukitai　donna kabe ga tachifusagattemo
omou yori wa　takakunai sa　futari naraba…　mune o hatte?

kazoekirenai deai toka　ya ga de otozureru wakare no hi mo…
kimi to deaeta koto wa　guuzen de wa nai kegashite…
ashita o kimi to mukaetari…　sasai na koto de waraiattari…
subete ga shiawase ni omou yo　kimi to futari nara

boku mo keshite tsuyoku wa nai kedo　kimi ga iru kara tsuyoku nareru n’da
ikiteru no mo　warukunai to omoeta n’da…　kimi ni aete…

sasaeatte kimi to arukitai　donna kabe ga tachifusagattemo
omou yori wa　takakunai sa　futari naraba…　mune o hatte?

nee zutto…　sou zutto…　kimi ga soba ni ita you na kegashiteita…

kizutsuku toki mo aru’n datte…　tsumazuku koto mo aru’n datte…
kimi wa itta kedo…

boku mo keshite tsuyoku wa nai kedo　kimi ga iru kara tsuyoku nareru n’da
ikiteru no mo　warukunai to omoeta n’da…　kimi ni aete…

sasaeatte kimi to arukitai　donna kabe ga tachifusagattemo
omou yori wa　takakunai sa　futari naraba…　mune o hatte?

itsu no hi ka　ano basho e yukeru toki ga kitanara
yorokobi o　wakachiaou?　futari te o totte…

zutto kimi to arukitai　motto habataite ikou
kitto mitsukerareru kara　mayowazu massugu susundeku
zutto kimi to arukitai　motto habatakeru hazusa
mayowazu massugu　susumeba ii sa

Translation

I felt fine as long as I was with you
Although this path is painful and rugged
Surely…someday I’ll walk together with you to the place I dreamed…

Are you smiling?  Are you smiling?  Dry those tears with a smile from the bottom of your heart…
Even though there are times we hurt…Even though we stumble…
You said it, but…

I want to walk supporting you, no matter what walls stand in our way
They’re not as big as we think.  If we’re together…will you burst with pride?

The countless encounters and even the days we meet and go our separate ways…
I feel meeting you was not by chance…
Tomorrow I’ll go to meet you…and we’ll laugh about trivial things…
I think of everything happily, if I’m together with you

Even I’m by no means strong, but if you’re there I can be
Even living didn’t seem so bad…
Meeting you…

I want to walk supporting you, no matter what walls stand in our way
They’re not as big as we think.  If we’re together…will you burst with pride?

Hey, forever… Yeah, forever… I had felt like you were always by my side…

Even though there are times we hurt…Even though we stumble…
You said it, but…

Even I’m by no means strong, but if you’re there I can be
Even living didn’t seem so bad…
Meeting you…

I want to walk supporting you, no matter what walls stand in our way
They’re not as big as we think.  If we’re together…will you burst with pride?

Someday if a time comes when we can go to that place
Shall we share that joy?  The two of us holding hands…

Always I want to walk with you. Let’s go, flapping our wings more
Surely, because you found me, I can go on ahead without getting lost
Always I want to walk with you. We should be able to flap our wings more
I wish we can go on ahead without getting lost

Yesterday morning I decided to walk around town for a few hours or until whenever. The weather was actually pretty awesome for a change. This I could get used to. The morning sun made for some awesome shadows on everything. I hadn’t seen shadows so strong in a long time since I’ve been here.

The Blaue Straube, whatever this place maybe, caught my attention. The reason being, it reminded me so much of being in Rothenburg, Germany. I can never remember the street name but it’s right off the MarketPlatz and is pretty famous for the town. I love Rothenburg. It’s my most favorite place that I’ve been here. It’s so tiny but packed with loads of character. That and it’s seriously a Christmas town.

© Chasiti Moore

RELATED LINKS:

• silhouetted structures of Rothenburgwaiting for the big show
• she takes the world in
• sun bursting personality
• the sun sets in the south side

Author: Octavia E. Butler
Title: Kindred
Publication Date: 1979 (original), 2003 (anniversary edition)
Number of Pages: 264
Genre: Science Fiction, African-American Literature
Geographical Setting: Los Angeles, California in 1976 and the Eastern Shore of Maryland in 1810-1835
Time Period: June-July 1976 simultaneous with 1810-1835
Series: N/A

Plot Summary: Dana Franklin is a modern Black woman in the Civil Rights Era, married to a white man, who is inexplicably pulled back through time to the antebellum South to save the life of Rufus Weylin, an ancestor of hers who also happens to be a white slaveowner.  Dana is pulled back time after time, and must ensure that her family line can happen, no matter what the cost.

Subject Headings: Ancestors,  Rescues,  Interracial couples,  Time travel (Past),  African-American women,  Slavery — Maryland,  Slaveholders,  Maryland — History — 19th century,  Maryland — History — 20th century,  African-American fiction — 20th century,  Science fiction, African-American

Appeal: compelling, densely written, steady, closely observed, strong secondary characters, lifelike, description of slave life in antebellum time period, vivid, episodic, issue-oriented, time travel, nonlinear, detailed setting, rural, evocative, chilling, moody, emotionally-charged, earnest, dramatic, earthy, direct

Three terms that best describe this book: Mind-teasing, Involving, Heartfelt

Similar Authors and Works (Fiction): The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. LeGuin (similar to Butler’s last novel, good segue between authors)
He, She and It by Marge Piercy (set in post-apocalyptic future, like Butler’s Parable books, similar tone)
Pastwatch: The Redemption of Christopher Columbus by Orson Scott Card (themes of slavery and redemption, affecting one person’s life to affect a timeline)

Similar Authors and Works (Nonfiction): Slaves in the Family by Edward Ball (nonfiction about slavery and the American South, from a family point of view)
Doers of the Word: African American Women Speakers and Writers in the North (1830-1880) by Carla L. Peterson (African-American women willing to speak out, like Dana, only not fictionalized)
The Women who Raised Me: A Memoir by Victoria Rowell (a look at the matriarchal society of African-Americans, could have grown out of the split families slavery caused)

Name: Anne

Author: Walter Mosley

Title: The Man in My Basement: A Novel

Genre: African-American/Literary Fiction

Publication Date: 2004

Number of Pages: 256

Geographical Setting: The village of Sag Harbor, NY

Time Period: Present day (2004)

Series: No

Plot Summary: Charles Blakey’s life is falling apart at the age of thirty-three.  Unemployed, drinking far too much, and estranged from his only friends, he spends his days reading science fiction novels alone in his family’s three-story Sag Harbor home.  The Blakey family has a long history in Sag Harbor dating back to the 17th century when they arrived in New York as free blacks.  Now, however, Charles is in danger of losing the home his family has owned for seven generations.  Nearly penniless, Charles is far behind on his loans, and the bank is threatening to take his house.  Then one day Charles hears a knock at his door.  A mysterious, 57-year-old white man named Anniston Bennet has an unusual propostion.  If Charles is willing to rent him his basement for 65 days, Bennet will pay him nearly $50,000.  Though the money would solve his financial problems, Charles is wary.  Who is this mysterious white man, and why did he chose Charles for this strange request?  Why is Bennet insisting on complete secrecy, and what is contained in the large packages he wants delivered to Charles’ basement?  Though suspicious, Charles begins the monumental task of preparing his basement for Bennet’s arrival.  In the process, he discovers a family heirloom – a trio of ancient African masks – that rekindles in him a sense of belonging, family, and identity.  Charles begins to rethink his decision to rent to Bennet, and his anxiety is multiplied when he learns Bennet plans to construct a prison cell for himself inside Charles’ basement so that he can pay for “crimes against humanity.”  Ultimately, Charles’ need for money and cautious curiosity prevail, and he allows Bennet to lock himself in the basement.  As the 65 days pass, the voluntary “prisoner” and his “warden” engage in several heated conversations that explore themes of guilt, punishment, responsibility, and redemption which all lead to an unpredictable ending that will challenge and haunt readers.

Subject Headings: African-American men;  Unemployed workers;  European-American men;  Rich men;  African-American families — History;  African-Americans — Material culture;  Landlord and tenant;  Race relations;  Power (Social sciences);  Identity (Psychology);  Atonement;  Home ownership;  Debt;  Alcohol use;  Los Angles, California;  Psychological fiction.

Appeal: gripping, steady, realistic characters, vivid, strong secondary characters, mythic, character-centered, complex, literary references, inventive, thought-provoking, sexually explicit, small-town setting, contemporary, haunting, philosophical, psychological, suspenseful, frank, some strong language, realistic dialogue

Three terms that best describe the book: Haunting, Philosophical, Realistic

Relevant Fiction Works and Authors:

Dirty Bird Blues: A Novel by Clarence Major – Manfred Banks is an aspiring blues musician in Chicago who’s life is falling apart thanks to his taste for Old Crow whiskey (aka the “Dirty Bird”).  His wife Cleo has taken their daughter and left him for a preacher, and he can’t find work.  Will he be able to quit the bottle and regain his family or will he spiral into drunken oblivian?  (realistic characters, psychological, realistic dialogue, alcohol abuse, unemployment, search for identity, race relations, inventive)

The Book of Illusions: A Novel by Paul Auster – Since losing his wife and young sons in a plane crash, Vermont English professor David Zimmer has been lost in an alcoholic haze.  When a chance T.V. viewing of old silent film star Hector Mann makes him laugh for the first time in months, Zimmer sets out to track down the actor.  This is a difficult task, however, because Mann had disappeared years before at the height of his fame.  Zimmer’s quest to find Mann leads him to confront death, chaos, and his own guilt and leads to haunting encounter with the old film star.  (gripping, steady pace, realistic characters, complex, haunting, psychological, frank language, alcohol abuse, inventive)

Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison – This classic work traces a young African-American man’s life journey from the South to New York City during which he concludes he is an “invisible man.”  After growing up trusting, the narrator encounters shocking injustices at college, at a paint factory job, and as a member of Harlem’s Communist Party.  These experiences convince him that to whites he has no identity.  He’s an invisible man on to whom they project their own preconcieved ideas.  (gripping, haunting, realistic characters, psychological, thought-provoking, race relations, philosophical, vivid, search for identity)

Relevant Non-Fiction Works and Authors:

In Hope of Liberty: Culture, Community, and Protest among Northern Free Blacks, 1700-1860 by James Oliver Horton – Co-written by professors of sociology at George Washington and George Mason Universities, this book traces the lives of the first free blacks in America from the American Revolution through the Civil War.  It examines this black communities struggles with racial injustice while striving to maintain a unique identity.  This book is about Charles Blakey’s own ancestors.  The Blakey family decended back to these same free black families in Sag Harbor, and it is with this family past that Charles longs to reconnect.

African Masks from the Barbier-Mueller Collection by Iris Hahner-Herzog – Written by a noted ethnologist, this book presents nearly 250 of the finest African masks from the renowned Barbier-Mueller collection.  With 100 color photographs and in-depth essays explaining the origins and uses of the masks, this book offers a fascinating look at fascinating African art form.  As Charles Blakey cleans family heirlooms from his basement, he discovers a trio of “passport” masks from his African ancestors.  These masks help him reconnect with his roots and start to reform his identity.

The Corporation: The Pathological Pursuit of Profit and Power by Joel Bakan – Written by a law professor at the University of British Columbia, this book traces the rise of the corporation over the past 150 years and contends that today it is a pathological institution.  As a system “programmed to exploit others for profit,” the modern corporation is a dangerous possessor of great power over society.  When Anniston Bennet wishes to imprison himself in Charles’ basement, it is to atone for the great evils he has committed in service to corporate interests.  He’s exploited the African people and literally killed children to provide profit and power to the corporate elite.

Name: Russ

Author: Mitch Albom

Title: The Five People You Meet in Heaven

Genre: Inspirational

Publication Date: 2003

Number of Pages: 198

Geographical Setting: United States, Amusement Park

Time Period: Present

Series: No

Plot Summary: The story begins at the end, with Eddie, an old man, dying. We are then taken with Eddie into “Heaven” to meet five different people, who have had an impact on his life, or he has had an impact on their life. They are not the five people that he imagines, and we learn how all of the people and Eddie are interconnected. Through Eddie, we appreciate our own lives and the people who are in it, even if we do not know why they are. This book shows us what truly matters in life, and how each one of our lives are intertwined with others.

Subject Headings: Life after death, Heaven, Death, Secrets, Memories, Accident victims, Senior men, Repairers, Veterans, Octogenarians, Amusement parks, Amusement park rides, Psychological fiction

Appeal: compelling, deliberate, unhurried, insightful, inspiring, thought-provoking, flashbacks, classic, engaging, thoughtful, vivid, melancholy, hopeful

3 Terms that Best Describe this Book: hopeful, inspiring, classic

3 Relevant Non-Fiction Works:

90 Minutes in Heaven: A True Story of Death and Life by Don Piper (Baptist minister dies and recounts the sights of Heaven, when he is brought back to life.)

Realityland: True-Life Adventures at Walt Disney World by David Koenig (insight into creation of amusement parks, as well as what happens when it doesn’t go according to plan.)

Spook: Science Tackles the Afterlife by Mary Roach (scientific explanations as to what happens after we die.)

3 Relevant Fiction Works:

I Never Saw Paris: A Novel of the Afterlife by Harry I. Freund (a pedestrian who is hit by a car and killed finds himself traveling to heaven with a group of people and they share their life stories.)

Rules for Old Men Waiting by Peter R. Pouncey (a retired old man creates a list as to how he will live out his final days.)

The Ten Best Days of My Life by Adena Halpern (29 year old woman arrives in Heaven with her dog, and discovers that in order to stay at the highest level must prove herself.)

Name: Kathryn

Author: Cisneros, Sandra

Title: The House on Mango Street

Genre: multicultural fiction

Publication Date: 1984

Geographical Setting: Chicago

Time Period: 1980s

Series: no

Plot Summary: Esperanza Cordero is an 11-year-old Mexican American girl growing up in a shabby apartment in the barrio of Chicago. She dreams of someday moving to an actual house with a yard – her version of the American dream. But first she must escape the oppressive environment around her, full of poverty, violence, fear, and disregard for women. She watches as a beloved aunt dies from illness, friends are married off before they reach eighth grade, and others stay trapped in their homes because they cannot speak English or they cannot go outside without their husband’s permission. Her only hope is to work hard in school and stay out of trouble. As a friend’s aunt reminds her, however, “When you leave, you must remember to come back for the others… you can’t erase what you know. You can’t forget who you are.”

The book is made up of short stories and lyrical prose that tell an overall story. Written in first person, the narration is childlike, telling the stories of Esperanza’s friends, family, and neighbors through her 11-year-old eyes. Cisneros writes thoughtful descriptions of Esperanza’s colorful neighborhood and the people who live in it. The stories are told like memories—not following a linear plot. Instead, readers get an inside look at what it is like to grow up poor and Hispanic in a big city. The mood is earnest, sad, yet hopeful, with an unresolved ending that you hope turns out well.

Appeal Terms: personal, nuanced, spare, simple, nonlinear, first person narration, moving, poetic, lyrical, vivid, innocent, coming of age story, character centered, intergenerational, descriptive, urban, unpretentious, colorful, serious, thoughtful, female empowerment in a male dominated culture, inspiring, Mexican American immigrant experience, violent, set in Chicago, unresolved ending

Subject Headings: Mexican American fiction – immigrant experience – home – memories – family and relationships – poverty – physical abuse – rape – short stories – adolescence – Latino neighborhoods of Chicago – female empowerment

Three Terms that Best Describe the Book: vivid imagery, coming-of-age story, immigrant experience

Three Nonfiction Titles:

Barrio: Photographs from Chicago’s Pilsen and Little Village by Paul D’Amato
- A collection of 90 images taken of life on the streets and in the homes of the Mexican American communities of Pilsen and Little Village.

Home: The Blueprint of Our Lives edited by John Edwards
- A collection of brief, evocative personal essays and photographs from 60 contributors—some famous, some not—about the houses they remember and family relationships.

The Latin Deli: Telling the Lives of Barrio Women by Judith Ortiz Cofer
- An autobiographical assortment of essays and poems

Three Fiction Titles:

How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents by Julia Alvarez
- The story of four sisters who must adjust to life in America after having to flee from the Dominican Republic

Flight and Other Stories by Jose Skinner
- Realistic stories about Latinos living in the American Southwest

Migrations and Other Stories by Lisa Hernandez
- Short stories present the life, loves, and predicaments of very different Chicana women in America.

I did a super fast simple look today:

What I used:

On face I used a test blend of foundation and concealer, Frolic blush and Candlelight blush.

For the eyes I used the test concealer as my primer then did a soft wash of Cashmere Mittens LE with a fluffy blending brush, then wetlined Ribbons and Bows LE.  Followed with a couple coats of Lashblast.

Lips are NYC brand Dubonnet.

Thanks for looking!

Author: Donald Goines
Title: Dopefiend
Genre: African American Literature
Publication Date: 2004 (orig. 1971)
Number of Pages: 319
Geographical Setting: Detroit, Michigan
Time Period: Present Day (at the time that it was published – 1970s)
Series: No
Plot Summary: Goines shows us what desperation truly is when addicted to dope and living on the mean streets of Detroit. We first meet a young couple, Teddy and Terry. Teddy is already bordering on addiction in the beginning of the story, while Terry is an occasional user who comes from a good family holds a good job, and maintains her own car. We also meet Porky, who runs the dope house located in the slums. This character makes it his mission to  hook people into “the lifestyle” using his drugs to wield control over them– especially women. We watch as Teddy and Terry fall deeper into their habits, doing things they never thought that they would do and losing so much in order to feed their addictions.

Subject headings: Drug addicts – Fiction. | Drug abuse – Fiction. | African Americans – Drug use – Fiction.
Appeal: Bleak, dark, dramatic, hard-edged, conversational, direct, unembellished, vivid, fast-paced, engaging, explicitly violent, issue-oriented, linear, plot-centered, sexually explicit, strong language, tragic, urban.

Three terms that best describe this book:  poignant, coarse, graphic.

Relevant Fiction Works and Authors:
Pimp: The Story of my Life by Robert Beck (AKA Iceberg Slim) (Like Goines’, Beck also writes about street life (Chicago), urban problems, and falls under the subgenre of African American literature. This is a story based on the real life of the former pimp, Iceberg Slim).

The End of a Primitive (or If He Hollers, Let him go?) by Chester Himes (Similar to Dopefiend because of its theme of addiction and illustration of how it affects the love relationship of the interracial couple in this story. Set in 1950s New York.).

The Scene by Clarence Cooper Jr. (This book contains themes of street life, drug abuse, prostitutes and pimps. A specific city is not mentioned).

Relevant Non-Fiction Works and Authors:
Out of the Madness: From the Projects to a Life of Hope by Jerrold Ladd (A real-life story about one African American man’s life experiences in the projects with a heroin-addicted mother. The author ultimately beats the odds and reaches his goals of escaping and creating a new life for himself).
Parallel time: Growing up in Black and White by Brent Staples (Staples, a black journalist, writes about growing up in Chester, Pennsylvania. He highlights his father’s drinking problem, the family’s financial problems, constant moves, his drug dealer brother and his murder, and shoddy education. Staples beats the odds by going on to college and landing a professional job. After he leaves, his family life becomes even grimmer.).
Low Road: The Life and Legacy of Donald Goines by Eddie B. Allen Jr. (Allen writes Donald Goines’ biography. He details his life of hustling, pimping, felony, incarceration, and drug addiction. In the end, (which is placed at the beginning of this book) Goines’ fast life catches up with him when he is murdered in his Highland Park apartment in 1974.).

Name: Susan

Author: Nalo Hopkinson

Title: Midnight Robber

Genre: Multicultural, LGBTQ Science Fiction

Publication Date: 2000

Number of Pages: 330

Geographical Setting: The Caribbean colonized mirror planets of Toussaint and Half-Way Tree

Time Period: Sometime in the far future

Plot Summary: On the Caribbean-colonized planet of Toussaint, the artificial intelligence of the master computer, called Granny Nanny, watches out for the citizens by recording everything that happens and talking to everyone through nanotechnology in earpieces implanted in everyone at birth. When Mayor Antonio kills the rival for his wife Ione, he escapes prosecution by “climbing the Half-Way Tree” through another dimension to the mirror planet of Half-Way Tree and out of the jurisdiction of Granny Nanny. Antonio tricks his daughter Tan-Tan to come with him, but he soon begins forcing himself on Tan-Tan, saying she looks just like Ione. Tan-Tan finally kills Antonio and escapes to the home of the bird-like douen people, who live far out in the bush. Antonio’s second wife Janisette pursues Tan-Tan, who is also pregnant with Antonio’s child. Tan-Tan assuages her own guilt for killing her father by playing the part of the mythic Robber Queen (a character like Robin Hood based in the Caribbean Carnival tradition), and a whole mythology builds up around this character. For more on Carnival characters, visit this link.

Subject Headings: Caribbean Area, Caribbean Novel And Short Story In English, Multicultural, Jamaican, Canadian, LGBTQ, Science Fiction & Fantasy

Appeal: densely written, leisurely paced, vivid and detailed characterizations, intriguing secondary characters, character centered, layered plot, complex episodic storyline, explicit violence, literary references, mythic, open-ended, sexually explicit, incest, thought-provoking, tragic; detailed setting, exotic, gritty, hard edged; homespun conversational style with a lot of unusual jargon.

3 Terms that best describes this book: Exotic, complex and mythic

Similar Authors and Works (why are they similar?):

3 Fiction Works

Prospero’s Daughter by Elizabeth Nunez (a scientist raises his daughter in isolation in the Caribbean until love develops between her and a boy of mixed race)

Dark Matter: Reading the Bones, edited by Sheree R. Thomas (a collection of science fiction and fantasy stories by African-Americans)

The Shadow Speaker by Nnedi Okorafor-Mbachu (Ejii witnesses her father’s murder, sets off to find her father’s killer and awakens her own mystical powers)

3 Non-fiction Works

Talking Taino: Essays on Caribbean Natural History from a Native Perspective by William F. Keegan (A look at the Taino people, natives of the Caribbean before Columbus, and their perspectives on the natural history of the islands)

Masking and Power: Carnival and Popular Culture in the Caribbean by Gerard Aching (A look at masks in the traditions of the Caribbean as a “socially significant practice.”)

Toussaint Louverture: A Biography by Madison Smartt Bell (Biography of a key figure in the Haitian revolution)

Name: Christine E.

Mantan Miss California, Carrie Prejen sepertinya benar-benar bangga mempunyai bentuk tubuh yang seksi. Terbukti, ditemukan delapan video seks dan sedikitnya 30 foto panas dirinya. Itu merupakan skandal video seks terbesar dan terheboh sepanjang masa.

“Ini merupakan kesalahan terbesar dalam hidup saya,” ungkap Carrie Prejen setelah mengakui mengenai video seksnya tersebut, seperti yang dikutip dari Hollyscoop.

Selain itu, ada tujuh video lainnya yang lebih panas yang menampilkan “pertunjukan solo” dari penyandang mahkota kecantikan ini. Dan ada 30 foto dari Carrie, dengan berbagai variasi pose tanpa pakaian. Beberapa di antaranya menunjukkan segala sesuatu bagian tubuhnya. Sebagian besar foto bugil tersebut diambil oleh Carrie sendiri, di depan cermin.

Di satu rekaman, Carrie mengenakan blus putih sambil menyentuh dan menggoda bagian tubuhnya sendiri. Di beberapa kaset,juga terdengar suara erangan dan rintihan Carrie.

Dalam buku yang baru dirilis oleh Carrie, tertulis, “Tuhan memberi kita tubuh ini, dan menjadi suatu hal yang benar bila kita memanfaatkannya dengan berbagai cara� untuk memberikan kemuliaan kepada Tuhan.”

Perusahaan porno terbesar di dunia, Vivid Entertaiment telah memperoleh salinan video seks solo Carrie secara legal, tetapi mereka sedang menunggu Carrie untuk menandatangani kontrak perjanjian sebelum video ini ditayangkan.

I don’t really understand,
my mind works in teeters.
These ideas they bound-
like feral rabbits running;
The thoughts that pass,
Of wayward afternoons
Filled with dusted silence,
because we cannot speak.

Then there is the evening,
pressing primped people
To an unwavering tap.
So you lure me there,
I fall for senseless things-
taken aback by forth,
The opposite of Love
but all just the same.

A dreary head snaps,
eyes flood with a vision
That vastly resemebles-
the opening morning.
Arms fall, legs asleep
mind with vivid images,
Wordless conversations
are what get us through.

Vancouver-based artist Alex MacKenzie has built his own ingenious hand-cranked device called The Wooden Lightbox using bits and pieces from projectors. He presents impressive cinematic performances drawing on ideas from techniques from early film. Tomorrow night from 7-9pm at VIVID, he will perform. 7 inch Cinema will also be on hand with music, cake and a selection of short films.

Earlier in the day, from 1-5pm there will be a workshop, Flashes of Light: 16mm Rayogram Contact Printing Workshop at VIVID. It will explore the potential of moving image rayograms, a technique whereby objects are placed on the surface of the film, exposed to light, and processed to negative.

No prior experience is necessary but places are limited – for more information, and to book call VIVID on 0121 766 7876 or email info@vivid.org.uk.

The afternoon workshop costs £5, and the evening performance £2 on the door.

What I used:

All Stardust Cosmetics unless noted

Face: Test foundation blend, Glow veil
Cheeks: Winter’s Kiss LE
Lips:  Rimmel ‘kiss off’ gloss (not sure of name, its bright pink with blue glitter)

Eyes:  Too faced Shadow Insurance
Lady of the lake on lid, wet
Go to Paris in crease, wet
Crystals and Velvet LE above crease, wet

Arctic Whisper LE as highlight
Midnight Velvet shimmerliner LE
Black Mascara (Lashblast)
Ardell 120’s

Thanks for looking!

Author: Erik Larson

Title: The Devil in the White City

Genre: Non-Fiction

Publication Date: 2003

Number of Pages: 390

Geographical Setting: Chicago

Time Period: 1890’s

Series: N/A

Plot Summary: This book is an account of the Chicago Columbian Exposition (World’s Fair) in 1893. It discusses detailed accounts of the construction and the people involved in planning it, as well as the life of serial killer Herman Mudgett and the people he preyed upon. The book is very interesting because it is a true account that is filled with historical details, but it reads like a novel. Daniel H. Burnham was the architect in charge of creating the “White City” of the fair, and had to overcome numerous obstacles to do it; even death of his business partner. Dr. Holmes (Herman Mudgett) was responsible for many murders before, during, and after the fair, and the account of his killings is very chilling and true to life. He killed between 27 and 200 people (no one knows for sure how many) and even constructed his own World’s Fair Hotel to lure victims (it had a crematorium and gas chamber). The book switches points of view from Burnham and Holmes, which works because the reader often needs a break from the psychotic Holmes chapters.

Subject Headings: Mudgett, Herman W., 1861-1896; Burnham, Daniel Hudson, 1846-1912; World’s Columbian Exposition (1893: Chicago, Ill.); Serial murderers- Chicago, Illinois; Serial murders- Chicago, Illnois- Case studies; Architects- Chicago, Illinois; Deception in men; Murders; the Nineties (19^th century); Chicago, Illinois- History- 19^th century

Appeal: Cinematic, complex, dramatic, historical details, investigative, compelling, dark, deliberate, suspenseful, tragic, urban, violent, vivid, historically political, multiple plot lines

3 terms that best describe this book: World’s Fair, serial killer, Chicago

Similar Authors and Works

Non-Fiction:

1. The Beast of Chicago: an account of the life and crimes of Herman W. Mudgett, known to the world as H.H. Holmes by Rick Geary- Tells the true account of the life & crimes of Holmes. It contains black-and-white artwork by the author.
2. Jack the Ripper: the uncensored facts: a documented history of the Whitechapel murders of 1888 by Paul Begg- Tells the true story of another famous serial killer; Jack the Ripper in London.
3. Sin in the Second City: madams, ministers, playboys and the battle for America’s soul by Karen Abbott- True history of America’s most famous brothel, the Everleigh Club in Chicago from 1900 to 1911.

Fiction:

1. A Proper Pursuit by Lynn N. Austin- Violet Hayes’ mother has been missing since Violet was 9 years old, and Violet goes to the Chicago during the World’s Fair to find her.
2. Loving Frank: A Novel by Nancy Horan- Novel about Frank Lloyd Wright, who was mentioned in The Devil in the White City.
3. Bloody Mary by Joe Konrath- Chicago police lieutenant Jacqueline Daniels deals with her personal life while trying to track down a serial killer.

Bonus: The Stranger Beside Me by Ann Rule- The true story of Ted Bundy, a student who was put to death for killing multiple people.

Author: Robert Kurson

Title: Shadow Divers: The True Adventure of Two Americans Who Risked Everything to Solve One of the Last Mysteries of World War II

Genre: Non-Fiction

Publication Date: 2004

Number of Pages: 375

Geographical Setting: United States, New Jersey

Time Period: 1980’s-Late 1990’s

Plot Summary: Two American divers discover an unidentified submarine off the coast of New Jersey. The search for identification turned into a 7 year process, and a process in which 3 divers perished. The identification turned out to be a German U-Boat, with 56 men still aboard, that no one, not even government officials knew was there.

Subject Headings: Nagle, Bill, 1952-1993, Chatterton, John, U-869 (Submarine), Excavations (Archaeology) — New Jersey, World War II — Naval operations – Submarine, World War II — Naval operations, German, Shipwrecks — Atlantic Coast (New Jersey), Underwater archaeology — New Jersey, Deep diving — New Jersey, Divers, The Nineties (20th century), Submarines, German

Appeal: breakneck, engrossing, dramatic, vivid, authentic, strong language, authoritative, natural, suspenseful, emotionally charged, investigative, historical details, details of deep sea diving

3 Terms that Best Describe This Book: historical details, dramatic, engrossing

3 Similar Non-Fiction Titles:

The Last Dive: A Father and Son’s Fatal Descent into the Ocean’s Depths by Bernie Chowdhury (story of 2 divers who perished while searching for identification on the German U-Boat)

Deep Descent: Adventure and Death Diving the Andrea Doria by Kevin F. McMurray (another acocunt of a deep sea diving adventure)

Complete Wreck Diving: A Guide to Diving Wrecks by Henry Keatts (complete manual to learn how to deep sea dive)

3 Similar Fiction Titles:

An Honorable German by Charles McCain (novel about being German during World War II)

Quicksilver Deep by Buddy Cox (Young adult novel about deep sea diving and the treasures that can be found)

Night of Flames: A Novel of World War II by Douglas W. Jacobson (A novel about World War II, in and of itself)

Name: Kathryn

I hadn’t really been paying too much attention to the release date of the Shauna Sands DVD by Vivid with a fine tooth comb.  I figured since it was already delayed once and I hadn’t seen a lot of news about it the last week, that most likely it had been delayed again.

To my surprise, I went to the home website and surmised it had indeed been released and a small rush of adrenaline rushed through my veins.  Since I had already made two prior posts about her ’secret’ sex tape and how I was looking froward to it, I seriously contemplated dropping the $34.95 on the DVD.  I mean from the trailer and the picture stills, it looked very promising.

But before I did that, I decided to check a website/forum I visit here and there to see if there was any scuttlebutt about it, and maybe that rare chance that someone ripped a copy to a share site.  Generally, new movies like this are indeed ripped, but then very quickly taken down due to copyright infringement, star name, etc., etc.  I’m sure Vivid is banking on a lot of hype for this movie and wouldn’t be too happy to learn free copies are floating around in cyberspace the very first few days.

To my utter schock, upon a simple search, I found it very quickly.  The WHOLE MOVIE….FOR FREE.  What?  Somebody must have just posted it hours before, because there was only a few replies.  But I jumped on it quickly and was able to obtain a copy within minutes.

And after watching it, I’m glad I didn’t drop the aforementioned $40.  I’m not going to say it was a bad movie, I mean, it was a supposed ‘leaked’ private movie…not intended for general scrutiny…but somewhat fails to deliver all my Shauna Sands fantasies.

There is no doubt she has one incredible body.  Her legs, waist, and buttocks are to akin to being as perfect as any man could dream for.  She is incredibly fit, tone, and has a very flat tummy for having three children.  Her hair is blonde out of a bottle for sure, her lips a little Botox or Collogen enhanced, and she has quite lovely eyes.  Her boobs are a tad weird…not in a ‘bad’ way…but despite being augmented in the typical Melrose tradition, she has some notable scarring around the areola’s as if they had been reduced in diameter.  Otherwise, she has Barbie-esque like figure and her tan lines automatically boost her apeal for me.

The french boyfriend is in ‘Adonis’ like shape and in between sucking down drink and chain smoking like there is no tomorrow, I’ll admit, I’m a tad bit jealous how chisled this guy is.  He blows most male porn stars outta the water with his physique.  He’s a guy after my own heart as he seems to really be into his sexcapades, although his camera work and constant mumbling in french gets a bit annoying.  A good portion of his dialogue is actually sub-titled and Shauna speaks in both English and French.

The video is slightly longer than 1 hour and by all accounts I would break it up into three main scenes.  Two traditional sex scenes and 1 oral scene in which Saundra gives one heck of a fantasy blow job.  But between all this is some fluff…mostly casual converstaions between the two in a bedroom or on a balcony.  Most of these conversations are completly mundane where Saundra does 80% of the talking and her boyfriend and his shakey camera follows her around.  And in most of this filler stuff, Saundra is topless or wearing this little wrap number around her waist in which she is not wearing any panties and you get some nice shots of her shaven womanhood.  She’s clearly comfortable in the nude behind closed doors and plays up to the camera in some of these instances.  I have a feeling she can ber very naught when she’s in the mood.

And it helps a lot during these drawn out sequences that she’s very easy on the eyes.  It’s more like a tantalizing tease to the viewer than anything intentional on her end.  It’s very natural and not scripted which lends to a certain girl-next-door mystique as well.

Now, onto the ‘good stuff’….Well, I’m kinda torn on how erotic the sex scenes actually play out.  The two main scenes in which Shauna and her boyfriend have sex are nothing out of the ordinary and because he’s holding the camera most of the time, there are a lot of closeups of either her chest or her vag.  Sadly there are no money shots either, and its very hard to tell if and when either of them climax, until he aks her once “Did you?” and she simply responds, “Yes.”   In the first scene she starts off by wearing some crocthless panties and when they stop all she says is “You soaked my panties.”, but as the viewer you can’t tell this at all and just have to take her word for it.

There’s no transitions between positions either in the first scene, just smash cuts.  One second he’s taking her from behind, next she’s in missionary, then she’s straddling him and the camera is now positioned behind them.  She’s also relatively quiet with a few moans and gasps here and there, and I guess I expected her to me much more vocal, but somehow I was let down.  Not sure what I expected from her, but she seemed to be holding back in the auditory department.  They finish this up with him using a jelly dong on her for her second climax

The second major scene involved the camera being set up on a table and capturing them both from a slightly further distance where he pounding her missionary style on a couch.  Okay, it’s amazing to see two perfect bodies like this, but again, I was somewhat distracted by Shauna….she kept stealing looks towards the camera with this ‘deer-in-headlights’ like stare…more like someone wanting to make sure they were in frame rather than enjoying themselves or being seductive and/or erotic.  I’ve seen other ‘home’ movies where the girl is seducing the camera with her eyes and facial expressions and really seem to be getting into it for the viewer, where Shauna just kinda stares at it and I couldn’t help but wonder if she was on something ’cause it just looked a bit ‘off’.  Sadly, no money shot here either….I felt robbed again.

The last scene was probably the most erotic buildup of the tape.  Here Shauna is eating ice-cream and letting it drip from the spoon as she hold it to her mouth and lets it melt down her naked body as she stands in high heels at the foot of their bed.  This was quite a turn on for me and I’ll have to request that in my personal life.  She then offers to give her boyfriend a blowjob in which she purs some melted ice cream from her pint container onto his junk and proceeds to lick it off.  There is no sex here at all, just a very messy blowjob, and the only let down here was Shauna making the comment that she didn’t want anything getting in her hair.  At the end of the BJ, we finally see a pop-shot to her face, but again, she just seems oddly disinterested.  She just opens her mouth with no real expression or afterglow indulgence afterwards as he finishes himself off.

Then fade out to black and shows over.

I may have to watch it again (I’m sure I will), but it’s very hard to critique.  Clearly Vivid took the best few ‘tantalzing’ seconds to cut a perfect trailer, but it just doesn’t seem to deliver what the trailer hyped up.  Shauna is drop dead gorgeous, he’s a chisled Adonis, pictures are clear and seemingly high quality, and she’s basically nude the whole 60+ minutes.  The blowjob was great as was the lead up, but the finish with the only money shot just falls flat at the end.  The other two scenes show off her body in great close-up fashion, but again, Shauna just doesn’t seems into it and with no pop shots or vocal climaxes it just feels like the scenes end prematurely with little payoff. 

If I had to buy it, I may say it’s worth $15, maybe $20 tops, but not worth the full price Vivid is asking, so I’m very glad I found it for free.

Author: Barbara Delinsky

Title: The Secret Between Us

Genre: Women’s Fiction/Women’s Lives

Publication Date: 2008

Number of Pages:343

Geographical Setting: United States,

Time Period: Present day

Series: No

Plot Summary: Deborah Monroe and her daughter Grace are driving home from a party on a rainy night when their car hits a man. However, this is not just any man, but Grace’s history teacher. Grace was driving the car, on a learners permit, and Deborah decides to take the blame, and the consequences, for the accident. The lie eventually begins to threaten the mother daughter bond. There are other issues also happening in the book, which make Deborah’s life very stressful. Her father is trying to hide a drinking problem, her son has medical issues, she only recently got divorced, and her unmarried sister has just announced that she is pregnant.

Subject Headings: Mothers and Daughters-Fiction, Alcoholism, Vehicle Accidents, Family Relationships, Teenagers, Guilt in Women, Deception, Psychological Fiction

Appeal: deliberate, steady, unhurried, dramatic, engaging, reflective, well developed, tragic family-centered, character centered, contemporary, small-town, heartwarming, simple, vivid

3 Terms that Best Describe this Book: Heartwarming, character centered, small town

3 Relevant Non-Fiction Works:

Goldie Guttenberg- Speed Demon (a woman turns her car into a weapon with her daughter in the vehicle.)

Susan Cheever- Note Found in a Bottle: My Life as a Drinker (influence of alcohol on life and relationships)

Elizabeth Kendall- American Daughter : Discovering my Mother(memoir explores roles of women, as well as mother daughter bond)

3 Relevant Fiction Works

Kristin Hannah- Summer Island (similar feel to Delinsky’s books)

Kathleen Gilles Seidel- Summer’s End (family dynamics and small towns)

Patricia Gaffney- The Saving Graces (friendship and support in times of crises)

Name: Kathryn