Testimonials are in order of my Interviews.
"Happy Anniversary Jean BookNerd! You're awesome. My fans are always excited to get your bookmarks. Thanks for all the attention you've brought to my books over the past year."
"I love Jean and love her blog! Not only does she have a fantastic passion for books, but she's a really lovely person. The character interview that she did for Alex, the main character in my Angel Burn series, was the most enjoyable interview I've ever done. I'd love to do more (hint, hint!) Happy blog-birthday, Jean! May you have many more of them!"
"JeanBookNerd.com is a wonderful source for all things YA. Knowledgeable reviews, fantastic interviews, and some of the best giveaways out there. It's a go-to site!"
"Jean BookNerd always gets a big reaction when I do an interview there or when she runs a review. The BookNerd has a loyal, dedicated band of readers and followers who get the word out about great books. As an author, I can't thank her enough!"
"Jean's fantastic interview provided me the opportunity to give my favorite silly answer yet" Jean: What question are you never asked in interviews but wish you were? Mike: Would you accept my blog's million-dollar writing fellowship?"
"Thanks for introducing my books, SWOON and SWEAR, to your formidable followers! And for giving nerds a good name!"
"As an independent author getting the exposure in the marketplace is paramount to your success. However, wearing the many hats you do as an indie author and publisher means that you need a place to reach the many readers out there your work. Jeans Book Nerd blog has been a haven for us writers. As a book blogger, Jean has made sure that not only our work, but ourselves, are introduced to the reading public. This lets new readers find you and follow your growth. Book bloggers are the backbone of Independent authors marketing. Thanks to this dedicated individual who simply applauds good writing, many of us have great reviews in places where it matters."
"Jean is so fun to work with! And seeing how her BookNerd community rallies around the authors she features was priceless for me and my novels. I've never felt so loved!"
"I first met Jean when she selected my book Once a Witch to be part of her online book club discussion. Since becoming an author, I've had the good fortune to connect with all kinds of great people across the country and across the world over a shared love of books and Jean was one of them. She's a bright and lively presence with a love of books and book readers that is truly contagious. Her blog is awesome for reviews, author interviews and special giveaways and her passion for reading is definitely inspiring. Oh, and by the way, I feel like Jean has taken the word, "nerd" and made it super cool again!"
"Jean was always professional. And the response from the interview was great. Definitely worth the effort!!"
"Although not all people realize it, horror and the holidays go together like, well, zombies and brains. You don't have to look too deep to find that many of our favorite holidays - especially the winter holidays! - are chock full of gruesome stories and facts. A couple of years ago, I wrote a delightfully dark tale of the Yule Cat, based on the northern European tales of this giant cat that prowls the streets on Christmas night, looking for selfish children to eat. And of course there's Santa Claus, Jolly Saint Nick, a man who is watching you throughout the year and keeping a list of everything good and bad that you've done. Talk about invasion of privacy!
The holiday season brings thoughts of gifts and food and warm nights by the fireplace, but we also have to remember that it's also a time of frigid nights when you can die of exposure. And in those ice-cold nights lurk monsters...the Wendigo of Native American tales. The Bloody Man who often appeared after Revolutionary War battles in the Northeast US. Ice maidens. Werewolves. Tricksters. Yeti. It's quite a list. And luckily for me, I love writing - and reading - about those things.
Which brings me to Jean and her JeanBookNerd site. I began working with Jean a year or two ago, and she's helped me promote my novels to an entire audience - the bloggers and blog readers - that I hadn't been able to penetrate before. And it's not just me. I know dozens of writers who've benefited from her blogs. I love to write, but it doesn't do any good if people don't hear about the books. Thanks to Jean, I've made lots of new fans, and hope to do so again and again in the future.
Which is why I'm happy to provide e-copies of my books for her giveaway, including my latest novel, The Burning Time, which comes out in January 2013 and will be just the thing to warm people up on cold winter nights!"
"Jean has made me such a book nerd! I love her vlogs, her unique competitions, and the bonus amazing artwork from her husband. Happy Anniversary!"
"Jean at JeanBookNerd has so much enthusiasm, it's hard not to love her! I'm thrilled to be celebrating the blog's one-year anniversary with her and the Book Nerds!!!"
"I've always had the best experiences on Jean's blog. I've had an interview and a guest post, and she handled both in a very professional, timely, and friendly manner. Not to mention that the feedback I get afterwards from the reading community is overwhelming positive. Thanks, Jean!"
"One of the great and surprising bonuses of the Flamel series is that it took me out to meet the readers and fans in schools and bookshops. I met Jean very early on - it might have been The Alchemyst tour, but it not, then it was was certainly for The Magician. I believe that was when she gave me my Sophie & Josh bookmark. Over the years, the artwork continued to arrive, including my all time favorite illustration of Scathach. She is building an wonderfully complete library of signed first editions. Jean is a real fan, a genuine lover of books. All writers need readers, fans, collectors - and friends - like Jean."
"One word to describe Jean and her BookNerds – Enthusiastic! I loved being a guest on Jean's blog because she is the definition of joy. She's always excited about books and an absolute gem to readers and authors alike. Thank you, Jean, for being marvelous!"
"I have to say, it's a special experience to be able to shamelessly promote your own work, and to wish your sister a birthday (in lieu of a present). Jean allowed me to do both, and for that I'm forever grateful. And honestly, she offers some pretty fun and dynamic authors and reviews on that blog. Congrats Jean on your first year! Here's to many more and continued happy memories!"
"I have had the GREAT fortune to work with the amazing Jean Vallesteros of the Jean Book Nerd blog and let me tell you – she can put on a blog tour like nobody else! Not only did she get over 27,000 (! EEK !) entries in a giveaway of my second book, THE TORN WING, her very talented husband also created fantastic character art to go along with the stories. Not only is Jean kind, but she is professional, enthusiastic and very organized! I'm so happyI've had the chance to work with her on two blog tours now and look forward to working with her again in the future. She is AWESOME!"
"I'm amazed that Jean's blog is just one year old as it seems like a blogging institution. I was proud to have my Theft of Swords as the BNC pick for June and also have a great interview and guest blog on the site. Interacting through her community via comments was a blast and I'm sure there is nothing but more good things to come. Thank you for connecting readers and writers through your fine efforts."
"Jean is one of the most enthusiastic blogger I have come across, and her readers love her."
"I have done lots of blog interviews, but my interview on JeanBookNerd.com was one of the best. She asked some of the most interesting and insightful questions that I have been asked in any interview. Congrats on your anniversary!"
"Jean was kind enough to be a part of my blog tour this year. She let me talk about my dog, She gave a great interview that made me smile plus I found some new readers." Thanks, Jean! And congrats on the anniversary!
"I loved my guest spot blog on JeanBookNerd last year, and look forward to my upcoming one in December. Jean helped Deadly Little Voices, the fourth book in my Touch series, get a lot of extra traffic and attention. After my guest spot, I received e-mails, got FaceBook-friended and Twitter-followed by a bunch of prospective readers. It was definitely a win-win!"
"My experience with Jean BookNerd's blog has been fantastic! She's great to work with and her interview questions are thought provoking and fun to answer. Plus, the feedback has been great! I've gotten a lot of responses and new readers from her posts!"
"Jean's amazing at what she does in drawing together community and building excitement for a book. I'm so grateful for her passion behind the River of Time Series!"
"Jean is amazing! She went above and beyond, buying several copies of my book to use in giveaways. She chose Eternal Starling as one of her Booknerd Choice selections, then promoted it for weeks. After that, she did additional giveaways to promote me and my trilogy. I also love the beautiful artwork Jean's husband, James, created of one of my main characters. Jean gives 200% to every book she promotes, and I can't thank her enough for all she's done for me!"
"I'm thrilled to be a part of this great celebration and anniversary bash for Jean BookNerd's first year in the book review business. There are a lot of book reviewers out there and Jean's stands above them all with her professional graphics, awesome giveaways and friendly atmosphere. She's come a long way and I wish her many more years of happy reviews."
I was thrilled to be featured on Jean Booknerd blog back in February for the release of my debut novel, Somnium (Halos, #1). The Booknerd community was very welcoming and Jean's humbling review of my book helped broaden my readership. Bloggers are instrumental in bringing readers and authors together and I'm grateful for the opportunity to make such a wonderful connection! Happy Anniversary Booknerd!
"Jean always hosts the best book events. Polished & professional all the way. Enjoy, & Faery Merry Christmas to all!"
"Jean Booknerd is the place for book lovers! Warm, professional, friendly..all the things authors and readers love."
"Jean Book Nerd is amazing! We were thrilled by the review and interview she posted for our novel, FORBIDDEN. It was one of our favorite reviews ever. Happy Anniversary, Jean, and here's to many more successful blogging years!"
"Lucky for us authors, Jean is absolutely passionate about all things books. She took care of all the logistics of running Witch Born's blog tour. All I had to do was fill in the blanks and email it back to her. By the end of the tour, I felt like I had a new friend as well as an advocate for my books."
"I had a great time being a featured guest on the JeanBookNerd blog this year. Jean was an excellent host and the book nerd community was so welcoming and fun! They love books and it shows! I look forward to stopping by again very soon. (Once I'm finally off deadline!) Congratulations on your first anniversary. May there be many more to come!"
"JeanBookNerd.com is one of the most professional and delightful blogs to work with. Jean is a gorgeous person and is so thoughtful in all aspects of her reviews, interviews and blog posts. Not only that, she is diligent and giving to both authors and her followers making it a joy for everyone to be a part of her book community (and has a very talented artist as a hubby to boot!)."
"Jean Book Nerd has been a fabulous supporter of all of our authors! Her following is loyal and loves indies. Go Jean!"
"I had to crawl out from under the gigantic pile of new fans and followers I got from your giveaway. (Um, not to imply they were dead. They weren't.) Thanks Jean! "Congrats on your anniversary!
"The thing that first struck me about Jean's blog post was the professionalism. I was very proud to have her feature my book, as she seems to take great pride in the way her blog looks and makes every author feel like they are special to her."
"Jean BookNerd genuinely knows how to support new authors. Not long after the publishing of my first Sunset Vampire novel in 2010, Sunrise at Sunset, Jean was one of the first book bloggers to read and review my novel. I had only just appeared on the world stage, still trying to raise my voice among the throngs of newly published authors, but Jean treated me with dignity and respect, as if I were already an established and worldly-experienced author. Her reviews are always sincere and refreshing, and her love of books shines through both on her blog and in Facebook. Readers of the world are fortunate that they have Jean BookNerd in their corner, shouting her accolades and warnings for her fellow book lovers. Thanks for not only being a dedicated reader and awesome blogger, but for also being a WONDERFUL person, Jean! Happy Anniversary and all my best to you!"
"It is always an absolute pleasure to work with Jean. The lady is not only one of the most pleasant folks I have ever had the opportunity to meet, she is totally on top of her game! The website is slick AND personable, a tricky combo that few can pull off and none with the grace that Jean does. I love this website and am honored to have been on it!"
"Being a teenage author and releasing my first novel to be devoured and reviewed by the whole world can be such a scary thing. But of all the reviewers that I had a chance to interact with this spring, few have been as personal and encouraging to me as Jean and her Book Nerd Community! I was so thankful for the opportunity to share my book with all of you, and your enthusiasm helped inspire me to continue writing, despite all the pressure that being a sixteen-year-old author comes with. I'm so excited to share future books with the Book Nerd Community!"
"When Jean agreed to gracious host my book on her blog, I was ecstatic! And when I saw how she presented my interview and the book, all I could do was smile. Thank you, Jean, for your hosting not just my book, but other Indie Authors, as well. Your thoughtful reviews, your presentation and your dedication to making it happen on line is a gift to all readers and writers!"
"Thanks, Jean – and book bloggers everywhere! – for the way you share your sheer love of books. It's awesome and inspiring, and reminds me why I started writing in the first place!"
"I love nerds of every description but my all-time favorite nerd category is the booknerd. Jean Vallesteros rocks."
"When I received Jean's initial invitation to take part in her blog, I immediately checked out her site to see what Jean BookNerd was all about. What struck me most was that every review – be it a glowing recommendation or a more measured response – was imbued with respect for the art of storytelling and a deep love of reading. Happy one year Blogiversary, Jean. Thanks for inviting me to be a part of your wonderful blog and for introducing me and my books to your loyal followers. The world of writing needs more champions like you!"
"Proud members of the Book Nerd community! Jean does a truly wonderful job. Happy Blogiversary!"
"My Book Nerd interview was one of the very first that I did as a published novelist, and I have to say it was a fantastic way to get the publicity ball rolling. I appreciated your interest in covering Hero's Guide so early on and was thrilled to see that your questions were fun ones to take on. Thank you, Jean, for being a great supporter of Hero's Guide from the very beginning. Please keep up your wonderful work on this site."
"Jean Vallesteros of JeanBookNerd is not only a talented and insightful book reviewer; she's a friend and guide to everyone who loves a great story. Thank you Jean, for being smart and enthusiastic about books."
"Besides helping spread the word about my work, Jean has supported so many great books and authors. She's a real treasure to the reading community."
"Happy Anniversary to Jean and all the Book Nerds! Your site is an oasis full of smart and savvy opinions on the books we all love so much. Congratulations on your most excellent first year!"
"Jean at BookNerd asked great, thoughtful questions for her interview and helped draw attention to my debut novel with a giveaway that had hundreds of entries and tons of RTs on twitter!"
"Bloggers have earned a special place in publishing heaven. They share their own passion for reading and bring authors and readers together. Jeanbooknerd.com introduced me to so many new and potential readers, I'm forever grateful."
"I absolutely love Jean and the Book Nerd Blog. I did my first interview as an author there, and it was so fun to talk to other book lovers about my own novel and the writing process. It's a great place for all of us book nerds to connect."
"Jean BookNerd's readers are the most appreciative I've ever encountered. After my interview was posted, I received dozens of thank yous on my Facebook page – an unprecedented surprise."
"Jean not only asked me some of the most interesting interview questions I've received -- and plenty of lead time to respond! -- but also hosted my most successful book giveaway so far. Doing a feature with her was one of my most pleasurable blog experiences and I'd do it again in an instant.Happy anniversary -- I hope there are many more to come!"
"Jean Booknerd's interview questions were though provoking and a lot of fun. I really enjoyed being interviewed by her. I love reading her reviews. It's wonderful to meet someone who loves books as much as I do. I'm very grateful to her for help promoting me and my books. I'd work with Jean anytime."
"As a UK author I found taking part in the BookNerd blog a very useful way to introduce US readers to my children's book, Muncle Trogg"
"Jean's BookNerd's community has opened up avenues to new readers that I might never have reached" Thank you, Jean, and Happy Anniversary!
"Jean Book Nerd is a celebration of all things we love: books, community, friends, and lots of talk. Thank you for being such a wonderful advocate for When You Were Mine"
"Bloggers like Jean are the lifeblood of the YA community. I'm unbelievably grateful to anyone who spreads word of the books they love, and I so appreciate Jean reaching out and giving me the chance to do an interview for BookNerd."
"Grateful to Jean for interviewing me about STARTERS earlier this year with her thoughtful questions."
"Jean can help any author promoting a book! Her interview with me was superb, and the giveaway that she offered her readers led more than 500 of them to ask for copies! What a great way to get visibility for our writing!" Congratulations, Jean!
"Hello Book Nerds! I hope all is well with you today! I'm here at Jean's blog and I must say this is one of my favorite places to be! I've received a warm welcome from all of her followers and some great reviews! With one cover reveal post and a giveaway I doubled the likes on my Author page on Facebook in one day! Talk about a warm response! Thanks for all the exposure Jean! It's greatly appreciated!"
"I sometimes feel like an odd bird promoting a middle-grade novel in a sea of YA. Fortunately, my book is about an odd bird who is at home in the sea, and I don't think I got more response on my blog tour than when I was featured on JeanBookNerd. Thank you, Jean, for giving Lockley Puffin a chance to soar!"
"Not only is JeanBookNerd a fun interview and a radically enjoyable time, but I was stunned by how many people not only read her blog but acted on it. I got so much out of it, both personally and for my books. JeanBookNerd rocks! And her readers know it."
"Nothing is more important to an author than getting word out to discerning readers. JeanBookNerd is a great place to do just that. With followers who take reading seriously, this is the kind of site that I love having showcase my books."
"Congratulations, Jean, on a fantastic year of great content! I can't believe it's only been twelve short months -- your professionalism and huge readership is amazing. Just goes to show what hard work can accomplish!"
"I didn't have to think twice about being a part of Jean's amazing blog. She shows how much she loves the written word and I am honored to be a part of what she does."
"For me, the best part of working with Jean is knowing how much she truly loves books. Her joy rubs off and inspires me."
"Happy anniversary to you and your blog! It was 100% pleasure working with you. I've loved your blog, interviews, and reviews, and thoroughly enjoy poking around your site. You've created such an amazing community and I'm truly honored to have been featured on your blog. Thanks for all that you do!"
"Great blog, great interview, great place for book lovers."
"Jean's Book Blog is one of the best around. Her insightful reviews, creative posts and generous giveaways make it a goto blog for bibliophiles. As an author, I've had a great time getting to know Jean and being hosted on the blog. Thanks for everything you do!"
"Jean is devoted to giving authors the best experience of what bloggers do best, providing in-depth opinions and connecting readers to authors. Not only is Jean a sweetheart, she is easy to work with. There is no doubt, all authors will have the best experience. Thanks Jean for all your support and making me feel like royalty."
"Not only is Jean's book blog a great resource for readers, but as a writer, being featured on her blog brought a lot of new readers to my book! She was kind and professional. I feel honored to have been part of her blog."
"Jean's interview questions are among the richest, and were a pleasure to answer. Additionally, her review of my debut novel (Narrative Loserdom) is testament to her welcoming attitude toward new authors."
"It was sooo much fun to try out a vlog and have the opportunity to share my writing with new readers! Odaijini over the winter holiday season."
"A huge thank you to Jean and the entire community at JeanBookNerd.com for being so supportive of authors! I really appreciated the support for my debut novel--thank you again for the feature!"
"If I were only going to do one blog interview for my next book, it would be with JeanBookNerd. Jean knows how to maximize audience engagement like no one else! A pure joy to work with."
"Such a well organized blog with clean lines and appealing colors! I was very pleased with the presentation of my interview!"
"Jean Book Nerd has been an instrumental part of connecting me to "fanlings" I may never have gotten the chance to meet! The depths of my appreciation runs ocean deep. Thanks Jean ... from me and the Halflings!"
"It was a great pleasure to be included in Jean BookNerd's author interview series this year. She asked several unique and interesting questions, so I hope the readers enjoyed it too! :) It was wonderful to see so many tweeting about the interview and giveaway in the days afterward. I'm so grateful for all the awesome people who speak up online to share their love of books, including mine. Happy Anniversary, Jean BookNerd!"
"Jean is wonderful! I loved working with her for the UNDER THE NEVER SKY blog event. Happy One Year Anniversary!"
"I'm so glad to have been a part of an exceptional reader's blog that does more than simply spout opinions. Jean does such a wonderful job at getting readers an author's inside look at their books."
"The interview for the Jean BookNerd blog gave me a great chance to connect with my readers--and introduce myself to others. I met Jean in the process--and made a new friend. The way I see it, Jean, you did me a big favor--and I'm grateful!"
"When I went into the interview, I was looking forward to sharing my writing experiences and talking about my books. By the time I came out, I'd discovered things about my writing experience and books I'd never known before!"
"Once a book is written, edited, a cover chosen and it's finally published, indie writers must then find a way to let readers know their work exists. Book bloggers like Jean, who provide reviews and interviews, are a blessing to unknown authors. I'm happy to say that my novel, Legacy of the Highlands, is selling well and has great reviews, in part because people like Jean have given the work exposure to readers."
"Jean BookNerd is one of the hottest blogs around! My book, Creatura, received a lot of exposure by being featured on Jean's blog during my blog tour."
"I had a great time hanging out with Jean's Book Nerds! Jean's blog provides a warm and welcoming community to authors and readers alike. It's a great place to share in our common passion - eternal love for the written word!"
"Jean's Booknerd community was so warm and welcoming and enthusiastic! Knowing readers like that are out there makes me happy. Here's to another great year!"
"What an honor it is to be welcomed into the warm and wonderful community Jean has created with the BookNerd blog!"
"I'm tremendously grateful to Jean for reading my book and giving it such a thorough and enthusiastic review. It meant so much to me as a writer to have my work validated by such a voracious reader, not to mention someone who wasn't under any familial obligation to like it! And Jean asks the best interview questions! Booknerd is a fantastic, addicting site for writers and readers alike!"
I'm very concerned that we "book nerds" are being phased out.
I recently visited a new, innovative Junior-Senior high school. The students proudly ushered me through their up-to-date building, pointing out their classrooms (no blackboards or even white boards; all displays were projected on screens); science labs (multiple); gymnasium (complete with rock climbing), etc. Then they said, "Here is our library!" I stepped into the room, looked around in bewilderment, and asked, "Where are the books?"The kids were equally bewildered. "Books?" Turned out there wasn't a single book in the building. Everything was downloaded onto their laptops.
"But isn't it hard for authors to autograph their books on-line?" I asked them.
"Authors?" they responded blankly. "Oh, you must mean content providers!" They apparently assumed a book's content is provided by computers with hired personnel called "content providers" who operate them.
"I'm grateful I was born into a generation of "book nerds. And thank you to Jean BookNerd for keeping book nerds alive".
"JeanBookNerd does everything a great book blog should do. It draws readers in, gets them interested in books they might not otherwise have heard of, and Jean does fantastic giveaways. Can't ask for anything more than that!"
"Since my first book, DREAMING ANASTASIA, came out in 2009, I've answered a lot of interview questions and guest posted on hundreds of blogs. So it's saying something HUGE when one stands out. My interviews and posts for Jean Vallesteros's Jean BookNerd are special. And that's because of you, Jean! I don't know if it's the order in which you asked the questions or the care you take with the authors you choose to champion, but I know that as I look back at our interview from August 2012, you inspired me to dig deep in those responses. Writing YA means allowing my readers to know how I came to write what I do: What my life experiences were and how they took me to where I am today. So you asked about when I wrote my first book. And I told you that when I was nineteen, I wrote about my first boyfriend and our relationship and break up. I don't always tell that story, but for you, I did. You asked me to describe Anne of the ANASTASIA series for someone who hadn't met her yet. You are thoughtful in what you want to bring to you blog readers.
The YA community is a partnership. We authors write. Our readers read. The 'official' reviewers like Kirkus and VOYA review. But the other link in that partnership are the bloggers. The ones like you who have a passion for books and for connecting readers and authors. You do that with grace and style. It's a privilege to work with you, and a pleasure. And I definitely hope that when THE SWEET DEAD LIFE comes out next year, that we can chat again!"
"Happy Blogiversary Jean! In just one year, you have created a fun and supportive community that brings authors and readers together. Your site is gorgeous, your followers are amazing, and I feel super grateful to be part of it. Thank you so much for hosting me on tour for The Jelly Bean Crisis!"
"A blog tour with Jean BookNerd is one of the best decisions I've made as an author! Jean knows her fellow bloggers and who would love AURACLE, she is impeccably organized, she provided everyone with a clear schedule and easy-to-use links, and she knew exactly what magic words to include on the Rafflecopter list to build tons of buzz on Twitter, Goodreads and Facebook. I was thrilled that Jean's husband, James, created an amazing poster and bookmarks of one of the main characters, Rei! The fact that Jean loves to discover great books and share them with others is clear - that level of enthusiasm makes all the a difference between a good blog tour and a great blog tour!"
"I had tons of fun participating in an interview and giveaway on JeanBookNerd.com. Chatting with Jean was lovely and it was a pleasure to be part of her fabulous blog!"
"The greatest part of this writing adventure is the people you meet along the way. Not only is Jean one of the kindest, most supportive people I've worked with, her followers are incredible. Really enthusiastic and gracious. Within minutes of my interview posting, the BookNerds were contacting me on Facebook and Twitter, asking about the book. There are not enough high-fives, hugs, or chocolate cakes I could give Jean to thank her for all she has done!"
"Many thanks to Jean and the Booknerd community for being part of the launch of The Treachery of Beautiful Things. I couldn't believe how many entries there were. Way to go Booknerds! What an phenomenal group you are."
"Connecting with Jean Vallestros through this blog has been a pure delight! When I'm interviewing with Jean, or chatting about giveaways and the like, I feel like I'm hanging out with a good friend. She really loves her readers and the Jean Book Nerd community she has created is a strong one that REPRESENTS! You can bet your best pants that I'll be doing a giveaway with Jean as soon as I get the ARCs for my next book, Monument 14: Sky On Fire." Thank you Jean, for giving so much to the authors and readers you engage on your site!
"JeanBookNerd is one-of-a-kind. I loved our interview, and I was blown away by the response of your readers. Hands down, you're one of the most thoughtful, appreciative, and all-around terrific blogger community out there. Congratulations on your anniversary. Here's to many more!"
"I absolutely loved the unique questions Jean put together for my interview on The Summer My Life Began. And I got such a kick out of how many people retweeted my interview once she posted it to Twitter. Thanks, Jean, for inviting me to be a part of your wonderful blog!"
"JeanBookNerd created one of the most successful giveaways I've ever had! It was an honor to be interviewed here!"
Q: "What was one of the most surprising things you learned in creating Tess?
Then of course there were the more squiggly personal questions.
Okay, Jean, that's kind of personal . . . still I had fun answering it.
Jean, you know how to make readers long for the adventure awaiting them in the next book.
"I had so many new followers and friends after theyentered the contest at JeanBookNerd for a copy of Gifted! Jean supports and encourages a tight-knit community which is an indie author's dream! I also love the question about who my main character would meet in another book. Always fun and thought-provoking!"
"I loved being interviewed by Jean! The questions were both thoughtful and fun, and the BookNerd community is just amazing."
"Happy Anniversary to Jean the BookNerd! I so appreciate all the support and exposure you've given me and my books! You do great things for writers AND readers! Never stop! The book world needs you!"
"Jean Book Nerd is my heroine! The great posts! The amazing artwork by James! The interation with fans all over the world! All of that is easy to quantify, but what is more difficult is how her support, enthusiasm, and love for books, has greated a geniuine community. I am so grateful to be a part of it. I'm JBN's biggest fan!"
"It was a pleasure and an honor to be interviewed and to have my debut novel championed on JeanBookNerd, which is a treasure trove of authors revealing themselves and of wonderful reviews. Jean's questions were fresh and provocative, and the enthusiasm of her book-loving followers was overwhelming. So happy Blogoversary -- and many more!"
"I love Jean Book Nerd! Any Book Nerd friend of Jean's is a Book Nerd friend of mine!"
"Appearing on JeanBookNerd.com was a blast--interview, review, giveaway and fun visuals all in one! It's the total package."
"Thank you so much for asking me to take part! I read Jean's words at the start of her Holiday Bash last year: about how she discovered the whole book blogging community, and first approached an author and incorporated that into her blog. I can echo how awesome this has been: from the other side. The last year all the bloggers, including Jean, who've reviewed Slated and asked me questions and been enthusiastic, friendly and wonderful have really taken me by surprise - a good like opening-lovely-Christmas-presents sort of surprise."
"Jean Book Nerd hosted an interview and giveaway for me and I was amazed at the amount of response it got. Tons of comments on the interview and it also resulted in many more likes on my facebook page as well as traffic to my blog. It was an awesome experience that I would do over again in a second."
"First, congratulations on your anniversary - and second, as one of the authors, it would be hard(er) for us to reach a readership without people like you, so THANK YOU."
"Working with JeanBookNerd.com was a wonderful experience. I was amazed at how many loyal fans this site has. I love the look of the page, not to mention how great my interview turned out, and the fact that there were thousands of entries to win my novel, In Search of Lucy. With all the great giveaways Jean offers, it's clear she's a book lovers who cares about her readers."
At least that's how it kinda felt to me. Thank you booknerds! You folks are 100% awesome!"
"I received an overwhelmingly positive response from the book loving community at Jean the Book Nerd--what an amazing site!"
Promoting with Jean and the BookNerd community did wonders for my online presence! My Twitter and Facebook followers rose dramatically, and if that's not enough, Jean is a real pleasure to work with."
"Writing can be so solitary, I think the best part of the process is finally having the opportunity to connect with readers. Participating in the interview and giveaway with Jean this year, I was amazed at how many fabulous new readers I met. It's a tremendous amount of fun and such inspiration when sitting in front of the keyboard all by yourself. I love book nerds and am thrilled I had the chance to meet so many of them this year. Thank you Jean!
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Jean has been such an amazing support during the launch of my debut novel. I had a blast doing my Book Nerd interview and I always love running into Jean at various Bay Area book events. Thank you Jean! Happy Blog Anniversary!
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"If only more bloggers had such cool author interviews and awesome contests, it would be a better world. Jean is truly fighting the good fight. Long live the Book Nerd!"
"I enjoyed meeting Jean on my Tor Teen tour, and I had a great time answering her fun questions in our Q&A for BookNerds. She's a dynamo in person and online, and a terrific member of the book reviewing community!"
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"When I visited Jean Book Nerd's site during my blog tour, I was so touched by how many of her readers reached out to me on Facebook and thanked me for being on her blog. Their messages were incredibly kind--and surprising since I was the one who was grateful that Jean hosted me in the first place! To top it off, Jean's readers were extremely enthusiastic about my e-book giveaway--we had over 3,300 entries! Congratulations, Jean. You've got a great blog and some pretty fantastic readers. I wish you many successful years to come!"
"I truly enjoyed being featured here on JeanBookNerd and received so much wonderful feedback it was overwhelming. Thank you for having me!"
I love Jean's Blog and was so honored to be interviewed on it! The response to the WHO I KISSED giveway Blew. Me. Away! I was amazed at the amount mentions on Twitter and the positive feedback all round. Thanks JEAN! Former Canadians rocks!
"Jean Book Nerd is totally awesome sauce! She hosted a review and giveaway for Project ELE, our YA Paranormal series. The giveaway is still going and there were more than 4700 entries! This was one of the most successful giveaways as of yet for us. We appreciate all of the fans and followers that were a result from the blog post that Jean Book Nerd did. Thank you Jean Book Nerd for supportingus Indie authors!"
"What a pleasure to work with Jean. She 's friendly, efficient and a super nice person all round. I'm so happy to be a part of Jean's blog experience. Congratulations on your one year anniversary Jean, and may we see many more years of Jean BookNerd to come!!"
"Being on Jean's blog was such a terrific experience. Not only were the questions unique and thoughtful, but her community of readers is extremely warm and welcoming."
"I had so much fun working with Jean and getting exposure for my book--Something Strange and Deadly--on her blog. I think she runs a great, wide-reaching blog, and I had a blast answering her interview questions!"
"Jean is a lovely and professional lady who promotes each of her posts to a wide and enthusiastic readership."
"I just read your post of my interview along with the review of Sasha Plotkin's Deceit. Thank you so much for the integrity shown in the full and accurate quotes coming from the interview. That hasn't always been the case in my experience.
And thank you even more for the excellent review of the novel. I've received many good reviews, but yours tops most in the enthusiasm and -- most important -- your understanding of what I wanted to accomplish with the novel."
Congratulations on the success of your blog, and best wishes for even more success in the future.
"Taking part in Jean's blog event was amazing. I got to connect with readers and make new friends!"
I enjoyed working with Jean of JeanBookNerd. She was professional and responsive and just made doing the interview a joy. And I have to tell you, I was soooo impressed with the Booknerd community as a whole. The way so many of you took the time to join my facebook fan page to thank me for contributing a give-away just made my day. Days rather, since for several days in a row I logged on to posts from yet more Booknerds. Thank you Jean! You guys rock.
"I had so much fun being interviewed by Jean Book Nerd! The questions were surprising, and really made me giggle and cringe in equal measure, as I revisited my first kiss and that terrible summer job I had on the Dingles perfume counter. Thanks Jean for all your amazing support!"
Jean is incredibly nice and very supportive of me and my book! I found the interview we did to be one of the most fun ones I've done... she asked great questions and to have the chance to reach her vast and large audience/fan base was a huge help! One of the best expereinces I've had in my seven years of being in the book business! Thank you Jean and may you celebrate many, many more anniversaries with your BookNerd Community!"
"Jean is such a wonderful resource for readers, helping keep the reading community in touch with the latest in indie and traditional fiction. She's also a huge help to authors in spreading the word on our new projects, and allowing us to answer unique, fun questions in personal interviews! I'm so thankful to her for that."
I've known Jean for about 3 years now. In the course of the last year, she and I have become best friends. We were always talking about new books, favorite books and favorite authors. When I first started writing, I sent her chapters of my WIP. I wasn't sure what to do with it or if there was anything to do with it. But Jean right away kept pushing and pushing me to keep writing. I was surprised that I had any talent. I always loved writing but just never thought about putting it out there for others to read. Jean believed in me from the beginning. She not only became my cheerleader in my writing but she also became my confidante. She's one of the people I go to when I'm having a bad day. She can turn my bad day into something much better just by her kind and encouraging words and advice. She's been an amazing person through and through and I'm blessed to have her in my life. I hope that she realizes how much I value our friendship because even if we don't talk every day or have bad days, she's one of the few people I really trust. And I'll always do what I can to show gratitude for the things that she's done for me, not only her but her hubby James has been a great person too. He made my first book cover and my newest one as well.
Jean's blog and services have been amazing. She puts so much hard work into making the author feel important and all of their books sound amazing. She's just awesome at what she does and I am glad to be a part of her blog and blog tours. She is so detailed and original with her work. You can really tell she enjoys being a blogger-that and the fact that she loves to meet the authors as well. What an amazing job to have-doing what you love and getting recognized for your hard work. She definitely deserves the recognition. I've always been able to find great books based on her reviews and interviews she puts together. I look forward to many more of her services for my future books.
I'm so grateful that you asked me to participate in the interview and giveaway for The Ghost of Graylock. I cannot believe the amount of exposure JeanBookNerds has given my little book! What a wonderfully supportive and enthusiastic community of readers.
"Congratulations on your first year of Jean Book Nerd! It's fun to see you reach this milestone in such style. Let me thank you again for including me among your interviewees and welcoming me to the Book Nerd community. I've been stunned by how many of your nice followers have connected with me on FB because of you (and 13,000+ entries for the giveaway cannot possibly be true!). You're such a sweet, thoughtful, considerate blogger, and I'm so happy to have you as a new friend." Congrats again! Onward!
"In November 2012, Jean interviewed me about my second book, The Boy Recession. It was great to answer her thoughtful and entertaining questions and to see the impressive banner she created for the interview. As soon as the interview and giveaway were posted, my name was everywhere on Twitter-- clearly JeanBookNerd.com is hugely popular with the online community! Happy one year anniversary to the site and I'm sure there will be many more to come."
"Jean and her team of BookNerds are truly a gift to readers and authors. The search for a good book, one that speaks to us and pulls us in, is a bit like dating. Magic has to happen. In these crazy times of book publishing, when readers are overwhelmed with titles to consider and authors struggle to get their titles noticed, JeanBooknerd.com provides a haven of discoverability—a place where magic can happen. I am grateful for the opportunity to introduce my Professor Bradshaw series to readers here." Thanks Jean & Sarahjane!
"I'm so glad that Jean invited me to be part of the BookNerd Community this year! She's created such a wonderful atmosphere -- not only was I excited to be able to share my book, but I found so many other good books that I'm dying to read now!"
"The BookNerd Community is such a wonderful online forum. A place to LOVE to books, a place to learn more about authors, and a place to win awesome prizes! Being a part of the BookNerd community has meant so much to me with my debut FLUTTER." Thank you, JeanBookNerd, for helping spread the word about awesome books and sharing in the love of stories!
"Jean is such a strong advocate for debut authors, working tirelessly to help us get the word out about our books. And her BookNerd community is one powerful force! Thanks, Jean, and Happy Anniversary!"
"My experience with Jean at Jeanbooknerd.com has truly been wonderful. She is incredibly professional and her enthusiasm is contagious. Her followers are active and just as passionate. The blog tour for Out of Reach was widely followed and attended. I highly recommend her to other authors and would love to work with her in the future. I wish her blog a very happy anniversary!"
"JeanBookNerd is the ultimate book lover! Her creative approach when featuring books and authors is always fun as well as informative. As a reader (not just someone working in publishing), I'm always excited to see who she's featuring on the blog! It's always interesting and fresh."
My experience with Jeanbooknerd.com has been amazing, I have discovered so many new authors and books thanks to Jean and everything she does. the site is one that everyone needs to know and go to on a daily basis to see what new authors are just waiting to be discovered by readers.
"Hi there it's Alba from BookPics and I want to wish Jean a VERY AMAZING-FANTASTIC-AWESOME blogoversary!! I met Jean before she started her blog but I'm pretty sure the one book that brought us together was Ashfall by Mike Mullin. Anyway.
Jean has been a bookish friend of mine for so long that I've come to love her not only as a blogger but as a friend as well. She's completely passionate about books and I cannot believe that within a year she has made this HUGE blog so helpful not only to common readers but to bloggers and authors alike. I think it's safe to say that every single author who's been spotlighted on Jean's blog agree with me when I say that she does everything she can to spread the word about books to the whole world.
Being international has always been a huge struggle for me, but Jean always makes me feel like home :D Like I belong and for that and so much more I'll be forever grateful of having met her.
Jean!! Here's for more years!! Thanks for your generosity, for your love of books, for all the hard work and time you put into the blog! Thanks for sharing James' V. artwork as well!!
I wish I could crush-hug you now!!!
"With her unique and creative approach to blog tours and author interactions, JeanBookNerd is a definite asset to the book blogging community. Not to mention, she's also one of the friendliest book lovers I know!"
Jean Booknerd is many things: a blog, a place to share book related stuff, and a friend. As well as those important things, it is something that makes me forward to everyday.
A blog: Jean Booknerd blog is a blog for booknerds. Let me tell you how I got to discovered it. While I was entering the world of book blogs, I saw a tweet by Michael Scott linking to a Jean Booknerd giveaway of his books. Once I clicked that link, I was fascinated. Not only because of the giveaway, but more importantly because of Jean Booknerd's efforts to let authors shine. Starting a post with an author interview, Jean Booknerd is one of the most author interactive blogs in the blogger community. With the questions that make you want to know more about authors, you are sucked into this magnificent blog. Having reviews along with every author interview, Jean Booknerd, even though requiring lots of time, manages to include her honest thoughts of a book. If you're looking for a superb full of amazing experiences and opportunities, Jean Booknerd is the perfect place for you.
A place for booknerds: With her blog, Jean Booknerd has a Facebook fan page and group that is always open for readers to discuss and talk about books. I'm sure all of you will agree, but sharing and discussing books is a remarkable experience that makes you feel blessed to love books. Jean is always there to share the love of books. A friend: This is the most important thing about Jean Booknerd to me. It's not about the giveaways or winning books. It's about friendship. Jean is always there to talk about things. Bookish things. Random things. Anything. I'm not the best writer, but trust me when I say this: Jean is one person you want to meet. With such devotion to books, you will enjoy your time. Finally, you have to all admire Jean for her hard work for us, her blog's visitors, for authors, and for publishers. If it weren't for Jean, I wouldn't have known about review books, I wouldn't have received signed copies of Lauren Oliver's Delirium and Pandemonium, I wouldn't have been a part of all these blog tours.
Finally, thank you Jean. Thanks for all the blogging tips and help. Thanks for introducing me to the book world. Thanks for the bookmarks. Thanks for City of Lost Souls. Thanks for the surprises. Thanks for helping spread out the word of my blog. And thank you for letting me write this.
"What a pleasure it has been meeting and getting to know Jean. She is a phenomenal blogger as well as a superb blog tour host. Here's to many more adventures in the future!"
"What can I say about Jean? She was one of the first book pages I discovered on Facebook. I found her to be easy to talk to, informative and fun. We became fast friends. When she started her blog I was so excited to see her expand her knowledge and love of books. Her blog is...like Jean, welcoming, informative and FUN. But Jean doesn't stop there. She continues to be a force of nature in the book lovers community. Combining local events, blog tours and giveaways, supporting not only the authors she loves- and often discovers, she also encourages and supports her followers, friends and peers. She's the genuine article. She's amazing. And her blog...well, it ROCKS."
Love you to pieces, Jean Vallesteros. Happy Blogoversary. Here's to turning many more pages in this never ending story.
"Jean at JeanBookNerd has been nothing but sweet and accommodating. The tours she runs are pretty flawless and it has been a pleasure to be a part of some of them. We are looking forward to another year of tours and blogging from her!"
"Congrats on your 1 year anniversary of your blog. I have enjoyed getting to know you over this year and see how much your blog has grown. I love visiting your blog everyday to see what you have going on and what authors you are interviewing. I have come across so many new authors thanks to you and your blog. Thanks to you and your faith in me I was able to start my own blog and I have appreciated all your help with my many questions. I can't wait to see what you have planned for the next year and to see how much your blog grows." Love you Jean!!!!
"I only very recently "met" Jean but she is super friendly and one of the nicest bloggers I know and she's incredibly passionate about books, blogging and the author's she loves. Congratulations, Jean, on your blogoversary!"
She always has the most incredible blog posts with some seriously fantastic authors. I always love going to JeanBookNerd because there is always something new to read about, or a new author interview."
Thank you Jean for an amazing year! Happy Anniversary!! Love ya!!
"Jean, is simply amazing! Sassy Book Lovers is honored to be involved in all the blog tours she hosts. She shares her book passion with us all, helps us discover new authors, she always has giveaways for her fans. Congratulations Jean on your blog anniversary, you've done a fantastic job and I look forward to seeing many more posts and tours in the future."
"I honestly don't think my blog would be what it is today, without the assistance of Jean. Not only have I learned a lot from here, but she has given me a coveted spot on her blog tour bus thus allowing me to work with some fantastic author's as well. I look forward to many more opportunities working with Jean in 2013!"


JERUSALEM | U.S. envoy George J. Mitchell began his latest Middle East tour Sunday, and the Israeli prime minister was to head to Egypt as efforts to kick-start the peace process intensified ahead of the opening of the U.N. General Assembly.
The thorny issue of Israeli settlement construction on occupied Palestinian land was likely to top the agenda of talks both in Jerusalem and in Cairo, with Washington pushing for, and Israel so far resisting, a total freeze.
For months, Washington has been trying to secure Israeli agreement to the settlement freeze while pressing Arab governments for reciprocal concessions to clear the way for a resumption of Israeli-Palestinian talks suspended in late December.
While Israel has agreed to a temporary halt, it has also authorized the construction of hundreds of new homes in advance of the moratorium in a move criticized by the European Union and the United States as well as the Palestinians.
The Palestinians have said they will not resume talks - and Arab leaders have said they will not take steps to normalize relations with Israel - without a complete halt to settlement construction.
The outcome of Mr. Mitchell's talks is likely to determine whether Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas meet for the first time later this month, on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly along with President Obama.
"President Abbas … will also renew his demand that the United States intervene to completely halt settlement activity in the Palestinian territories," Palestinian chief negotiator Saeb Erekat said.


The radio link-level delay statistics in a wireless network using adaptive modulation and coding (AMC), weighted round-robin (WRR) scheduling, and automatic repeat request-based error control is analyzed in this letter. WRR scheduling can be used for service differentiation similar to that achievable by using the generalized processor sharing scheduling discipline. The analytical framework presented in this letter captures physical and radio link-level aspects of a multirate multiuser wireless network (e.g., general fading model, AMC, scheduling, error control) in a unified way. It can be used for admission control and cross-layer design under statistical delay constraints. The analytical results are validated by simulations. Typical numerical results are presented, and their useful implications on the system performance are discussed.


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Glassing the Hill: January 17 – 20
The TRCP's scouting report on sportsmen's issues in Congress
Administration picks continue to be put to the test before lawmakers. The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee held a confirmation hearing on Congressman Zinke's (R-Mont.) possible role as the next secretary of the U.S. Department of the Interior. On Tuesday, Rep. Zinke, who is perhaps the least controversial pick among President-elect Trump's cabinet nominees, answered questions on federal public land transfer, coal programs, energy extraction on public lands, funding for land management agencies, and other conservation issues.
The following day, the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee will hold a confirmation hearing for Scott Pruitt, Oklahoma's attorney general, who will testify and answer questions about his agenda as the next administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
We're still watching out for President-elect Trump's pick for secretary of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which has yet to be announced.
Budget resolutions were filed, indicating lawmaker priorities. Last week, the Senate and House passed the Fiscal Year 2017 budget resolution by the skin of its teeth, with a 51-48 vote, mostly as a legislative vehicle for the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. While budget resolutions are non-binding, they are taken into account when lawmakers sit down to draft the real deal.
We can also look to natural resources amendments, which were filed but not considered on the Senate floor last week, to predict what will be submitted for the next year's budget resolution. The FY18 resolution will likely be much more relevant to conservation policy, and we expect it to be introduced in the Senate and House by the end of February.
Another forecast: The Clean Water Rule could be withdrawn. In order to clarify the jurisdiction of headwater streams and wetlands, Senators Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) and Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) introduced a non-binding resolution that would express Senate support for the withdrawal of the Obama administration's Clean Water Rule.
To cap the week, Washington, D.C. is expecting an influx of visitors for the presidential inauguration. President-elect Trump will be sworn into office on Friday, January 20.
2 Responses to "Glassing the Hill: January 17 – 20"
David Dailey January 18, 2017
Zinke is a great call for interior secretary. Trump seem's sincere about keeping it public, Pence is the fear. Pence with his T party history will transfer in a D.C. Minute. Thank you for your vigilant oversight.
Techkhalifa February 1, 2017
thanks for overseeing the government's policy for the benefit of society.
1. Glassing the Hill: January 17 – 20
2. All the New Features of TRCP's Revamped Website
3. Glassing the Hill: January 9 – 13
4. Congress Fails Sportsmen on Many Conservation Priorities in Final Hours
5. How Genetic Information from Sage Grouse Feathers Could Help Us Save Them
by: Jonathan Stumpf
All the New Features of TRCP's Revamped Website
It's a new year and a new chapter in Washington, and we're geared up to tackle the future of conservation with a completely redesigned trcp.org.
With our new look, we'll continue to bring you up to speed on the conservation issues that matter to you, but it'll be a lot more fun. Here's what to expect:
Total access, no squinting. No matter where you are, you'll now be able to enjoy our content, take action, or make a donation comfortably from any of your devices.
All our content under one roof. Now, there's just one destination for our latest news and blog posts.
Personalized reading lists. If you're interested in a topic, we'll serve up a "playlist" of posts that you might be into.
A deeper dive on the issues. Conservation is a complex topic, but what we care about boils down to this: We need habitat and clean water, plenty of access to hunting and fishing spots, and support for conservation funding and outdoor recreation businesses. Explore the legislation and management challenges related to these essential fights, and we'll always give you at least one opportunity to take action and make a difference.
Inspiration from T.R. himself. We put some of Theodore Roosevelt's best quotes about conservation front and center on the homepage to remind us of the legacy we're here to uphold.
We hope our fresh design will make it easier for you stay in-the-know and engaged on the front lines of conservation. Let us know what you think of our makeover by emailing info@trcp.org. We'd love to hear from you.
Glassing the Hill: January 9 – 13
Last week was the kick-off of the 115th Congress. Here's what you may have missed:
Public lands were threatened on the first day. A provision was included in the House rules package that would allow the Congressional Budget Office to not consider the lost revenues from transferring public lands, potentially easing the path forward for transfer. The package passed the House on party lines.
Efforts were made to eliminate recent regulations during the first week. The House quickly passed two bills which aim to facilitate the removal of rules that were made in the final days of the Obama administration. "The Midnight Rules Relief Act" would allow a single joint resolution by lawmakers to disapprove multiple rules finalized in the administration's final days, and "The Regulations from Executive in Need of Scrutiny Act" (REINS Act) would require congressional approval for any federal rule that would impact the economy with costs that exceed $100 million. The Senate introduced their own versions of these bills as well: S. 34 and S. 21.
Another way to undo previous rules might be used to weaken water protections. As Obama-era regulations continue to be a major focus of the new Congress, it seems likely that the Congressional Review Act (CRA) may be utilized to stop the most highly controversial rules. The CRA would allow Congress to consider stopping rules that were introduced after May 16, 2016 with only a simple majority. One rule the Republican leadership would like to see blocked first is the Stream Protection Rule, which would limit regulations for coal mining near waterways. The House is expected to begin considering rules under the CRA as early as January 30.
The national monument designation process is also under scrutiny. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) and 25 Senate Republicans introduced "The Improved National Monument Designation Process Act," which would require congressional approval, state legislature and local support, and a certification of compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act before national monuments and marine monuments can be declared by the president.
This is what we're scoping this week:
We'll be watching 2017 budget discussions for provisions that affect habitat and access. To this point, 21 amendments have been filed to the Senate Budget Resolution, with many more expected. The Senate is expected to be voting on budget-related amendments for the majority of this week, including a likely "vote-a-rama," during which many votes will be stacked one after the other into a late-night voting session. Amendments must be written in a way that makes them germane to the budget, but can cover a wide range of policy issues.
The process of confirming Trump's cabinet might begin this week with testimonies in nominees' respective Senate committees. President-elect Donald Trump's nominees for EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt and Energy Secretary Rick Perry, attended meetings with Republicans and Democrats last week in advance of confirmation hearings that will be announced soon. Congressman Ryan Zinke (R-Mont.), Trump's Interior Secretary nominee, will be meeting with Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee members this week in advance of a confirmation hearing that Chairwoman Murkowski pledged will happen before the inaugural ceremonies on Jan 20.
Congress Fails Sportsmen on Many Conservation Priorities in Final Hours
Everglades restoration can begin, but provisions to improve fish habitat, wetlands health, and access to hunting and fishing get left behind again
Today, the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation Act awaits the president's signature, the final step needed to authorize $1.9 billion in restoration projects to help reverse longstanding habitat and water quality issues in South Florida, while moving water south. This should be celebrated as a major win for anglers, guides, and other local businesses that rely on healthy fish habitat.
Image courtesy of Jesse Michael Nix/Flickr.
But in almost every other way, lawmakers overpromised and under delivered on the pending legislation important to hunters and anglers in the 114th Congress. Bipartisan support for provisions that would improve fish habitat, wetlands health, and public access across the country as part of a larger energy modernization bill brought the Sportsmen's Act closer to the finish line than ever before. But it was not enough to finally do right by America's sportsmen after attempts in three consecutive Congresses.
"For six years, or longer, we've needed this policy support for the very infrastructure of conservation and access, which keeps rural America in business during hunting and fishing season," says Whit Fosburgh, president and CEO of the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership. "We owe a debt of thanks to senators who voted 97-0 to move conservation forward with the energy bill, but sportsmen and women should be angry and frustrated that good things like this can't get done in the end."
While major opportunities were lost by failing to authorize the North American Wetlands Conservation Act, National Fish Habitat Conservation Act, and Federal Land Transaction Facilitation Act—a critical conservation tool for Western lands—there was also a disappointing last-minute addition to the water projects bill that would weaken protections for salmon and other fish.
"We are deeply disappointed that language was added to the bill that diverts water away from fisheries that are already struggling, puts wild salmon in jeopardy of extinction, and targets other sportfish for eradication," says Scott Gudes, vice president of government affairs with the American Sportfishing Association. "Senators Barbara Boxer, Maria Cantwell, and all the Northwest U.S. senators, are to be commended for their efforts to defeat this last-minute water grab, which redirects water to agriculture and undercuts environmental protection for fisheries. Unfortunately its passage creates a significant threat to fishing communities, anglers, and the sportfishing industry in the state."
The TRCP opposed the drought provision airdropped into final negotiations and was supportive of a provision to promote use of natural infrastructure, like wetlands, reefs, and dunes.
Image courtesy of Jennifer Hall/USFWS.
In a major defensive victory, language that would have undercut sage grouse conservation was removed from the final conference report of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) signed last week. And a continuing resolution passed in the wee hours of Saturday morning will keep the government funded through April 28, 2016 at decent levels for conservation. But additional threats to protections for sage grouse, headwater streams, and BLM backcountry lands could be yet to come in the new Congress, with the possibility of cuts, riders, and budget reconciliations.
Follow along with the TRCP in 2017, as we work to highlight the relevance of hunters and anglers to their elected officials in Washington and advance conservation in America.
Tags: National Defense Authorization Act, NDAA, Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation Act
by: Dani Dagan
How Genetic Information from Sage Grouse Feathers Could Help Us Save Them
DNA pulled from more than 3,000 feathers is helping to set the course for the future of sage-grouse conservation
Successful hunters gather data. They climb trees, glass ridgelines, or use trail cameras to consider how critters are moving—the more you can comprehend a landscape, the greater your ability to get a shot.
The same kind of big-picture understanding is essential to conservation that benefits fish and wildlife. In the effort to conserve greater sage grouse habitat and avoid listing the bird, researchers and land managers have been using all the innovative tools at their disposal to fully understand the habitat conditions contributing to the sage grouse's plight. The trouble is, with a range encompassing such a huge area of western North America—the birds are currently found in 11 states and some parts of Canada—that's a heck of a lot of ground to monitor.
So, wildlife biologists got creative. They're unlocking more comprehensive knowledge about habitat connectivity by pulling DNA from sage grouse feathers.
Image courtesy of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
The DNA contained in feathers can paint a broader, more in-depth picture of how the birds interact with the landscape than was possible before this technology was widely understood. Genes, discrete bits of DNA, get passed from parents to chicks and vary from bird to bird like a signature. If you know how to decipher the code, it can reveal how related the birds are—and where the landscape might cut them off from one another.
Todd Cross and Mike Schwartz, wildlife biologists with the U.S. Forest Service, recently published a study that begins to unlock the ties between sage-grouse genetics, the sagebrush sea, and how to best conserve the species that depend on it. By recruiting friends and colleagues to help, scientists collected 3,481 sage grouse feathers from 351 leks across the West. Sportsmen were in on the action too—according to Cross, hunter-harvested wings provide the highest quality DNA samples.
Cross decoding DNA back in the lab. Image courtesy of Todd Cross.
Focusing on feathers from Montana and the Dakotas first, Cross and Schwartz looked at gene flow, which is similar to a game of hot potato: Genetic structure gets passed along until someone drops the potato. In a landscape with habitat connectivity, critters share genetic information across distances far greater than a single bird could travel. However, when some groups of sage grouse are isolated from others by fragmentation, birds in one region have different genetic markers than others down the line.
Cross wanted to identify where the landscape results in barriers for gene flow—the places where potatoes get dropped, so to speak—and he and Schwartz found a significant difference in the genetic structure of sage grouse across various parts of the landscape. They took what they learned from the genetic material and created a map indicating the location of subpopulations, clusters of sage grouse with discrete genetic structures, which is depicted below.
Three main subpopulations of sage grouse are colored in reds, blues, and yellows. Pairs of darker and lighter colors signify subpopulations with similar genetics to one another. Image courtesy of Todd Cross.
This discovery—both in terms of the research method they employed and the map they produced—is significant when it comes to conserving and managing sage grouse on the ground. In the words of Schwartz: "The beauty of this work is that it allows for informed decisions."
The architects of the federal, state, and local conservation plans to reverse an overall decline in sage grouse populations have determined where management actions should be taken based on established priority areas for conservation (PAC)—habitat parcels that are essential for the species' success.
Often, discussion surrounding PACs is focused on habitat quality in the specific area in question, which can miss critical ingredients for conservation success. Healthy conditions within one patch of habitat is important, of course, but it must also be connected to other swaths of sagebrush habitat for these birds to thrive. Sage grouse need the ability to move from place to place, and stakeholders must work in cooperation between discrete management areas accordingly—after all, grouse don't recognize the boundaries between state, federal, and private lands.
"We can use the DNA study and other scientific data to better define landscape boundaries for conservation and mitigation actions, as opposed to drawing arbitrary or politically-based boundaries," says Ed Arnett, TRCP's senior scientist. Cross and Schwartz's work helps map out how sage grouse are actually using the landscape.
Image courtesy of Ed Arnett.
Furthermore, the genetic isolation implied by their results in Montana and the Dakotas can be problematic in and of itself. Schwartz explains that inbreeding—a consequence of isolation—can lead to diminished fitness in the population. In other words, without new genes coming into a population from outside geographic areas, sage grouse might see a reduced ability to survive or breed.
"We know this from domestic stocks," he says, referring to agriculture. "You see these consequences in things like reduced milk production. To keep the animals healthy, you have to see new blood coming into populations."
So what does this mean for management? All the stakeholders—including agencies that manage distinct regions—must work together to establish more habitat connectivity to benefit sagebrush species. The good news is that sage grouse have a history of bringing people together.
"We have seen unprecedented coordination and planning efforts across 11 Western states that led to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's decision not to list the bird for Endangered Species Act protection in September 2015," says Arnett. "This type of broad collaboration among the state and federal agencies and diverse stakeholders is a game changer for the future of conservation in America."
Cross and Schwartz also shared a little about the future of their study: They've expanded their work to encompass almost all of the bird's range, and they're uncovering some exciting new information about this icon of the West. For example, they found that a sage grouse traveled more than 120 miles in a single season!
Relying on science to determine what's best for fish and wildlife has always been a key tenet of the North American Model of Conservation. But the innovation it takes to reach informed decisions about land management and habitat restoration is pretty cool on its own.
Learn more about the sage grouse genetics study here. And if you think DNA pulled from a feather is fascinating, check out this mule deer migration study, where big game animals are literally sending their GPS coordinates to researchers' smartphones.
Tags: genetics, sage grouse

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


I have many jpeg files in a directory, and I want to convert them to pdf and concatenate them together to make a document. How can it be done? I'd prefer the command line, as it will be faster.
You will get a single pdf containing all jpg in the current folder.
Edit: Note that images will be out of specific order if they are not numbered. if you have 10 or more you need to name them ending filename01.jpg...filename99.jpg etc. The leading zeros are required for proper ordering. If you have 100 or more 001...999.
This ls will list one file a time in a "natural order" (1,2,3...) and proceed with conversion.
From ubuntuforums.org, the +compress helps it to not hang. NOTE: the +compress turns off compression. The machine I was working on at the time seemed to hang ?forever?(I did not wait forever though to find out.) without the +compress option. Your Mileage May Vary quite a bit! RTFM on imagemagick.org option -compress, maybe experiment with -compress < type> if you have slow compression/hanging problems to find out what will work for you.
Open jpg or png file with LibreOffice Writer and export as PDF.
I hope, this is simple way to export pdf.
It allows all images to have different dimensions, while keeping the output PDF page size the same (A4 in the example below).
It centers the images on the PDF page.
It allows you to guarantee a minimum space between image borders and PDF page borders, to allow printing the PDF without problems.
It does not change the image data. (So image quality is unaffected, the PDF file has about the same file size as the image, and you can re-extract the original images later with pdfimages -j file.pdf img.) At the moment, this only works with PNG – see the comment by @dma_k below.
Use my script from this answer to convert each image into its own one-page PDF file with A4 page size and 5% border all around.
Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged command-line pdf conversion jpeg or ask your own question.


Scarlett Johansson is expecting her first child with fiancé Romain Dauriac, according to a report on E! News this week.
The website said "multiple sources" had confirmed that Johansson is pregnant, although the 29-year-old Avengers actress has yet to release a statement on the news.
It comes six months after Johansson confirmed her engagement to Dauriac, a French journalist. The pair began dating in November 2012, a year and a half after the star divorced her husband of three years, Ryan Reynolds.
Showing off her vintage Art Deco diamond engagement ring at the Venice Film Festival last August, Johansson said she was "very happy".
"He's my buddy," she told People, of her Paris-based partner. "Being engaged is an exciting time to enjoy and to really savour."
Appearing on Good Morning America in January, the star said she was in no rush to get married, saying, "I'm not doing any wedding planning."
She had earlier spoken to the Daily Mail of her desire for children.
"I would like to have my own family, that would be nice," she said late last year. "They say it's never the right time and I am sure that's true, but I think you have to plan it like anything else.
"At some point it is something I look forward to," she added. "I am fortunate in that I have had a long career - 20 years - that has been very diverse. So, you know, picking a time to plan a family feels like something that I could do and not feel as though I was missing out."
The Her actress dated ad executive Nate Naylor for a year before confirmed her relationship with Dauriac. She has been linked in the past to Jack Antonoff, Josh Hartnett, Sean Penn and Benicio Del Toro.
Johansson was in France with Dauriac for much of last year, working on Luc Besson-directed drugs drama Lucy.


Check out these new Harry Potter as Lego images. Aren't they just the coolest?
That's it. Wala na. No more movies.
The era of Harry Potter has ended.
To quote a friend of mine: "I watched Deathly Hallows, Part 2! …What do I do with my life now?" Yes, fans will still continue to read the books, watch the movies and just basically obsess over the entire world of Harry Potter, but you can't deny that something wonderful and special just ended. There would be no more talks of I can't wait for the next movie; instead there would be reminisces and Did you remember those seven books/eight movies about that kid with glasses?
If you couldn't guess, I watched the movie tonight… well, today if you're picky, since the movie elapsed well into the next morning. I'm not gonna talk about the technicalities of the movie just yet — that is reserved for another post (well, maybe), after I watch the movie a second time — since I'm still trying to wrap my head around the fact that THE MOVIES ARE OVER.
Helena Bonham Carter did wonderfully playing a Polyjuiced Hermione — she even got the eyebrows thing Emma does when acting!
Alan Rickman did wonderfully too. I never did feel for Snape… I mean, I know I should because he's been practically living his entire life with a broke heart. And I do feel for him, actually; just a little bit. But Alan's portrayal — whoa. I cried. As in the tears came flowing freely.
I don't think Ron and Hermione's kiss wouldn't be voted best kiss for the MTV Movie Awards because they didn't even show the lip-locking. It's a bit disappointing, since Emma and Rupert have been talking about how awkward it was to shoot. On the plus side, it wasn't as disappointing as Harry and Ginny's kiss.
Ginny's whisper of "I know" to Harry after their kiss is worth mentioning, though. It's just so Ginny, I'm willing to forgive Bonnie's acting for it.
The best scene of the movie was Neville cutting of Nagini's head. Matthew Lewis really did steal the show for me.
Despite Ron and Hermione being love interests, I can't help but keep noticing the chemistry between Hermione and Harry — or I suppose Emma and Daniel. Near the ending when the Trio were holding hands, Hermione was closer to Harry than to Ron, her boyfriend.
And my most anticipated scene of the entire movie, THE EPILOGUE, was quite disappointing. I dunno, I just expected more. It was still nice, though.
All right, I'm off to cry some more now. Oh, and did I mention that I watched the movie in 3D? Yeah, it was awesome.
I've seen the reactions to these speeches first in Tumblr and then in YouTube, and I have half a mind to not watch them myself because I don't want to make myself sad and despondent and depressed. That, and I already have a runny nose from a cold and I don't want to make it worse by crying.
You have to admit though, the post-Potter Depression is a real thing.
On other notes, please like my page on Facebook dedicated to what Emma said to Dan about being the "perfect Harry." Thank you!
It might sound a little out there, the way I managed to nab this copy of Empire Magazine. The magazine can be bought in England. I live in the Philippines and, if you know your geography well, that is as far away from England as possible. I never left Asia. My mother went to England in June. She came to the Philippines and handed me the magazine, and I was all smiles.
Sounds a bit too much for just a simple magazine, doesn't it?
But that's the thing. It's not just a simple magazine. It's Harry Potter special. Though I haven't read it yet (I've been busy like a bee), I know that there's a booklet full of behind the scenes information about the actors Daniel, Emma, Rupert, Bonnie, Tom, James and Oliver, and Evanna.
… Fortunately, my mother had already schedule a trip to England. My hopes of getting a copy of the magazine weren't very high, but when she announced that she was going, I was beyond beyond beyond ecstatic. She was going to scout colleges for me, and a little thing such as a magazine would be no trouble for her. So, voilà! Weeks later, I'm hugging my own copy of Empire Magazine.
I have the best mom ever. That is not an exaggeration; it is a fact. If you don't believe me, then you don't understand. It's not just the Harry Potter magazine. It's about the Doctor Who DVDs (season 4 and 5) as well. It's about the little key chain she got me, knowing my affinity — or I should say obsession — for them. It's about accompanying me as I move back to England, where I'll mostly be independent.
My mom is the best. Beat that.
Anyway, the viewing was fine. I watched the movie with my brother, even going as far as making the two of us snacks. It was just toasted sandwiches pasted together with Lady's Choice spread, but I somehow forgot that my brother did not eat mayonnaise. Oh well. More for me.
The student whom Hermione was talking to in the Great Hall (before the Sorting), I wasn't really certain before whether s/he was a he or a she. The haircut really threw me off. Anyway, I've decided that she was a girl!
I've also wondered if she was Pansy Parkinson (I've seen a picture somewhere, I think). I'm not sure at the moment, since why would someone like Pansy listen to a Muggleborn.
When Harry was Sorted into Gryffindor, Fred and George were chanting "We got Potter!" over and over. I didn't notice that before — I was probably too busy staring at Daniel Radcliffe's cherub face. Shame the twins didn't dance around like in the book, though.
The actor who played Sir Nicholas de Mimsy Porpington was that same guy who was at Fawlty Towers, a British TV show that I really like.
I never noticed before, but some of the scenes were clearly computerized. The scene that comes to mind was the troll scene, when Harry jumped on his back. I don't know how I'd missed it in the first place. Must be because I wasn't looking for it.
Lastly, in my copy of the movie Harry, Ron and Hermione say "Sorcerer's Stone" instead of "Philosopher's Stone"… I suppose that'd karma, right? Anyway, I noticed that whenever they had to mention the Stone, their lips or faces were covered. Coincidence? I think not!
So those were the things I noticed whilst watching the movie. Moving on to the actual topic of this post: watching Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. It's one of my favorite books of the series, mainly because the Harry/Ginny shipper in me just feels fulfilled somehow at the very end, after (SPOILERS!) Harry slays the Basilisk, defeats Tom Riddle and saves Ginny.
Hmm, I wonder if my brother would want to watch Chamber of Secrets with me? He finds the movie frightening, and I've got to admit that at his age, I did as well. Perhaps I can bribe him with some snacks?
The HBO channel showed Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets again tonight, and though I do have my own copy of the film, it has simply been ages since I last saw any of the Harry Potter films, let alone one of the ones from the earlier times. I do tend to avoid them, since watching young Daniel, Rupert and Emma act just makes me… *shudder*.
Watching the movie resurfaced some thoughts I never knew I'd be thinking about again. Not to sound weird and random or anything, but having only caught the late second half when Harry and Ron were in the Forbidden Forest talking to Aragog, my mind wasn't as into the story plot as it might have been if I watched it from the beginning.
Special effects in 2002 really were a fail.
Again, young Daniel and young Rupert's acting — especially during the part when they're uncovering all the information about the basilisk — really made me cringe, but at the same time giddy with pleasure.
Professor (if he even deserves to be called that) Lockhart really must be a coward to be pushed around by two twelve-year-old boys.
That actor playing Tom Riddle is kinda good-looking.
Harry looked horribly crazy swinging the Sword of Gryffindor around. Like madman crazy.
No matter how much I respect Ginny's character, Bonnie Wright can so not act — in the Chamber scene at least.
You can see Jason Isaacs' real hair underneath his wig in that scene in Dumbledore's office.
And finally: what the hell with the "There's no Hogwarts without you, Hagrid." The way Daniel said that was just… *cringe and shudder* I literally hid my face in embarrassment for him. It was so cliché and his expression was so cheesy and — *shudder again* I really, really, hate that line. I have nothing against Hagrid, but really?!
No, seriously — please. Get out of my head, Harry Potter.
Don't get distracted by the poster because by 'Harry Potter' I really do mean the character, not the actor. I mean, Daniel has a heavenly, deep British accent and all — have you heard him sing in 'Brotherhood of Man' from How to Succeed? *swoon* — but not even he can compare to the boy who lived.
What can I say? I love me some speccy-eyed wizard.
I've first come about Harry Potter after I've seen Goblet of Fire. A friend of my mom's suggested to me that I should read the book series (I was around eleven at the time), and so I read Order of the Phoenix. Before long, I was hooked. I found myself going to the local library in Ashington borrowing any of the books from the Harry Potter series that were available at the time. I didn't care that I read them in order. As long as I read them, I was happy.
The Harry Potter series is a really, really wonderful read. I know I've mentioned this once before, but I'm not one of those bookworms who reads books over and over again. I don't like that. Once I read something, that's it. I look back on it every now and again, but to actually read it cover to cover for the second or third time?
Which leads you to wonder: how come I'm such a big a fan? I know all these insignificant details about the Harry Potter universe that really, it's a wonder I know them because the movies barely cover them — you should've heard my running commentary while watching Deathly Hallows Part 1. Anyway, the answer to that question is fan fiction.
Being the internet addict that I am, I stumbled upon Harry Potter fan fiction when I was around twelve. By then I have finished reading all the original Harry Potter books (the ones that were out anyway) and was craving for more.
My first website love was harrypotterfanfiction.com.
And then I discovered SIYE and became a die-hard Harry/Ginny shipper.
Get out of my head, HARRY POTTER!
Plot bunnies have been invading my thoughts. They hop around in my head incessantly and I can't seem to get rid of them unless I write them down and post them online as a fan fiction. I've read a lot of Harry Potter fiction (and some Twilight as well ;D), and let's just say that the stories have all blended together. They are all alike in one way or the other and I just can't help but think that hey, what if I look at this classic storyline and write about it from a different angle?
See, that's the kind of trouble I'm in right now. My thoughts think I have time to make these plot ideas, character conversations and catalysts and whatnot because the things is, I don't. It's summer! I want to be lazy and watch movies and blog about them. My writing juices, as of this moment, is dried up.
Oh, the woes of me. Over and out.


text:
Q: "javax.crypto.BadPaddingException: pad block corrupted" exception during decryption I am working on an existing app, coming to it having not written it.
I get this exception (javax.crypto.BadPaddingException: pad block corrupted) during decryption of a username and password in this method:
private static byte[] decrypt(byte[] raw, byte[] encrypted) throws Exception {
    SecretKeySpec skeySpec = new SecretKeySpec(raw, "AES");
    Cipher cipher = Cipher.getInstance("AES");
    cipher.init(Cipher.DECRYPT_MODE, skeySpec);
    byte[] decrypted = cipher.doFinal(encrypted);//ERROR HERE////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
    return decrypted;
}

The value of encrypted is a byte array with 16 numeric values between -89 and 126. Can anyone see an issue with this code? Here is all of the important code:
Inside the Settings class (the client of the Encryptor class):
private final String ENCRYPTION_SEED = "MH8734()9Akg&*3d";

    public void loadAuthorization() {
                try {
                    username = getStringEncrypted(sharedPreferences, KEY_USERNAME);
                    password = getStringEncrypted(sharedPreferences, KEY_PASSWORD);
                    isAuthorized = sharedPreferences.getBoolean(KEY_IS_AUTHORIZED,
                            false);
                } catch (Exception e) {
                    Log.e("LOAD ERROR", "Exception during loading authorization");
                }
            }

    public String getStringEncrypted(SharedPreferences sharedPreferences,
            String key) {
        try {
            String valueEncrypted = sharedPreferences.getString(key, "NULL");
            String valueDecrypted = Encryptor.decrypt(ENCRYPTION_SEED + key,
                    valueEncrypted);
            return valueDecrypted;
        } catch (Exception e) {
            return "NULL";
        }
    }

public void saveAuthorization() {
    SharedPreferences.Editor ed = sharedPreferences.edit();
    try {
        setStringEncrypted(ed, KEY_USERNAME, username);
        setStringEncrypted(ed, KEY_PASSWORD, password);
        ed.putBoolean(KEY_IS_AUTHORIZED, isAuthorized);
    } catch (Exception e) {
            Log.e("SAVE ERROR", "Exception during saving authorization");
        }
        ed.commit();
    }

public void setStringEncrypted(SharedPreferences.Editor ed, String key,
            String value) {
        try {
            String valueEncrypted = Encryptor.encrypt(ENCRYPTION_SEED + key,
                    value);
            ed.putString(key, valueEncrypted);
        } catch (Exception e) {
            e.printStackTrace();
        }
    }

The full Encryptor class:
package com.boolbalabs.petlinx.settings;

import java.security.SecureRandom;

import javax.crypto.Cipher;
import javax.crypto.KeyGenerator;
import javax.crypto.SecretKey;
import javax.crypto.spec.SecretKeySpec;

public class Encryptor {

    private final static String HEX = "0123456789ABCDEF";

    private static void appendHex(StringBuffer sb, byte b) {
        sb.append(HEX.charAt((b>>4)&0x0f)).append(HEX.charAt(b&0x0f));
    }

    private static byte[] decrypt(byte[] raw, byte[] encrypted) throws Exception {
        SecretKeySpec skeySpec = new SecretKeySpec(raw, "AES");
        Cipher cipher = Cipher.getInstance("AES");
        cipher.init(Cipher.DECRYPT_MODE, skeySpec);
        byte[] decrypted = cipher.doFinal(encrypted);//ERROR HERE////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
        return decrypted;
    }

    public static String decrypt(String seed, String encrypted) throws Exception {
        byte[] rawKey = getRawKey(seed.getBytes());
        byte[] enc = toByte(encrypted);
        byte[] result = decrypt(rawKey, enc);
        return new String(result);
    }

    private static byte[] encrypt(byte[] raw, byte[] clear) throws Exception {
        SecretKeySpec skeySpec = new SecretKeySpec(raw, "AES");
        Cipher cipher = Cipher.getInstance("AES");
        cipher.init(Cipher.ENCRYPT_MODE, skeySpec);
        byte[] encrypted = cipher.doFinal(clear);
        return encrypted;
    }

    public static String encrypt(String seed, String cleartext) throws Exception {
        byte[] rawKey = getRawKey(seed.getBytes());
        byte[] result = encrypt(rawKey, cleartext.getBytes());
        return toHex(result);
    }
    public static String fromHex(String hex) {
        return new String(toByte(hex));
    }

    private static byte[] getRawKey(byte[] seed) throws Exception {
        KeyGenerator kgen = KeyGenerator.getInstance("AES");
        SecureRandom sr = SecureRandom.getInstance("SHA1PRNG");
        sr.setSeed(seed);
        kgen.init(128, sr); // 192 and 256 bits may not be available
        SecretKey skey = kgen.generateKey();
        byte[] raw = skey.getEncoded();
        return raw;
    }

    public static byte[] toByte(String hexString) {
        int len = hexString.length()/2;
        byte[] result = new byte[len];
        for (int i = 0; i < len; i++)
            result[i] = Integer.valueOf(hexString.substring(2*i, 2*i+2), 16).byteValue();
        return result;
    }
    public static String toHex(byte[] buf) {
        if (buf == null)
            return "";
        StringBuffer result = new StringBuffer(2*buf.length);
        for (int i = 0; i < buf.length; i++) {
            appendHex(result, buf[i]);
        }
        return result.toString();
    }
    public static String toHex(String txt) {
        return toHex(txt.getBytes());
    }
}

This answer suggests not to use SecureRandom to generate a key. The code in the app that I'm working on does use SecureRandom for that. How can I fix it?
Here is the code that uses SecureRandom.
private static byte[] getRawKey(byte[] seed) throws Exception {
    KeyGenerator kgen = KeyGenerator.getInstance("AES");
    SecureRandom sr = SecureRandom.getInstance("SHA1PRNG");
    sr.setSeed(seed);
    kgen.init(128, sr); // 192 and 256 bits may not be available
    SecretKey skey = kgen.generateKey();
    byte[] raw = skey.getEncoded();
    return raw;
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange