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The Championship 23 July 2012
Team of the Season 2011-12
WITH the end of the footballing season already here and with the numerous player-of-the-year-type awards having been distributed in typical fashion, it is perhaps appropriate that this website offers a nominal award of its own.
This is the Team of the Season. It is, of course, made up of individuals. However, this particular team has been selected based on more than who has simply performed the best over the course of the season (have a look at the PFA team of the year in that regard)
We have tried our hardest to imagine that this team could play well together.
The players in question are selected on their own individual performances, as well as on how well they would theoretically play with the rest of the team. That is quite an un-scientific method, but it is helped by looking at smaller player-partnerships within the side.
The selected players will be discussed below, together with other candidates for the same role/position.
There might seem to be an inherent bias towards Ross County players (six selected out of 11). An unbeaten run since August 15 2011 and a national record-breaking margin at the top of the table suggests that their team performed significantly better than the others. The number of Ross County players included reflects on how well different partnerships within the team worked.
In a 4-4-1-1 formation:
1. GOAL-KEEPER – David McGurn – Raith Rovers
The Rovers number 1 was, once again, in excellent form during the season. He is arguably the complete goal-keeper at First Division level. Often referred to as 'the witch' by Raith Rovers supporters, McGurn's reflexes allowing him to cast the illusion of defying physics. There is rarely a week when the Raith Rovers highlights do not show an otherwise implausible save pulled off by McGurn.
McGurn's consistently excellent standards seem even more remarkable with the knowledge that he was the only part-time player in the Rovers squad in 2011-12.
Other candidates:
Michael McGovern (Falkirk) one of the team's better performers over the course of the season. His ability to save in one-on-one situations is exceptional.
Rab Douglas (Dundee) who despite turning 40 at the end of the season is still one of the division's best players. His experience is possible compensating for a natural decrease in athleticism, but any team in the SFL would still gladly have him on their records.
2. RIGHT-BACK – Kieran Duffie – Falkirk
Duffie is a right-back who struck a unique partnership with forward Farid El Alagui. Duffie could call the right flank of the pitch his own for the majority of the season, with whomever playing in front of him tucking in to midfield to give him space to attack. Duffie is a similar player to Ross County's Gary Miller, in that both are relied upon to give their team width down the flank. While Miller is probably a more accomplished 'defender', Duffie's final ball was consistently better this season. He provided a number of assists to El Alagui's 18 league goals, which earns Duffie a place in this team.
Gary Miller (Ross County) an ever present in the league during the 2011-12 season.
Gary Irvine (Dundee) a technically accomplished defender who doesn't give up his territory easily.
3. LEFT-BACK – Aaron Sinclair – Partick Thistle
Sinclair is arguably the First Division signing of the season, having previously played for Montrose. At 6'1″, he is strong enough to prevent being bullied in the full-back position. Thistle can have no complaints about his defensive contribution to the team this season.
However, like Duffie, it is when he is attacking when he looks at his best. Sinclair has long legs, an enduring stamina and most of all a considerable willingness to get forward to support in attack. Thistle manager Jack McNamara – after experimenting with a number of formations during the season – eventually settled on a back-three system, with Sinclair given the wing-back role. As such an important player to the system, giving width on the park in attack and helping the left-most centre-back in defence, Sinclair has excelled.
Despite his later role as a wing-back in different three-man defence formations, it is in fact Sinclair's combination with Cairney on the left flank, in a 4-4-2 system, that has consolidated his place in this team. He offers the overlap at will, letting Cairney cut in on the inside, but Sinclair can provide a rare diagonal run towards the corner of the box himself, which attracts opposing defenders towards him and away from Cairney.
Marc Fitzpatrick (Ross County) was injured for the majority of the season, but was part of the team that won nine league matches in succession in the late Autumn
Tam Scobbie (Falkirk) is more a natural centre-back but his not inconsiderable experience for a 24-year-old helped a less established star in Murray Wallace develop, with good positioning to cover Wallace. Scobbie was never spectacular with the ball but still offered an assured pass out of defence.
4. CENTRE-BACK – Scott Boyd – Ross County
Boyd has consistently been one of Ross County's best players since their return to the First Division in 2008. When at first, he seemed a nervous, slight defender who could be harried off the ball and bullied, he is now a much more accomplished player.
Boyd's recovery pace, with his ability to read the game, ensures that he is rarely beaten by forwards on the ground. His maturity – physiologically and psychologically – has made him almost the perfect, covering centre-back partner, to the strong man-marker. During the 2011-12 season, Boyd won his place back in the team after Ross County's only defeat of the season. He and Munro dominated forwards for the rest of the league campaign.
5. CENTRE-BACK – Grant Munro – Ross County
It is safe to say that Munro's experience in winning the First Division title twice previously with neighbouring Inverness Caledonian Thistle, was an important factor towards County's own success.
While concerns can be validly raised on the centre-back's distribution of the ball under pressure, there is no denying his man-marking ability, physical strength and positional discipline.
One fact that looks favourable on Munro is that Falkirk's talismanic forward, Farid El Alagui, scored his only goal against Ross County when Munro was not playing. The goal arrived from a set-piece immediately following Munro's substitution, to treat a wound inflicted by El Alagui himself.
Neil McGregor (Dundee) has been consistently one of the best defenders in the First Division for a number of years. His presence at the back helped Dundee at a time when Rhys Weston's form dipped.
Grant Murray (Raith Rovers) showed that when afforded a place in the centre of defence (he was occasionally needed to play right-back) then his veteran experience could be the foundation on some much-needed form for Rovers.
7. RIGHT-MIDFIELD – Richard Brittain – Ross County
The competition for places in this team's midfield is pleasingly high. However, this team of the season cannot be formed without the inclusion of the title-winning captain.
Brittain is not a natural right-winger, more a functional right-sided midfielder who covers his attacking full-back and can cross well from open play. Yet, "functional" is a dis-service to Brittian, as his high work-rate married to a calm, play-making approach, makes him arguably his team's most important player. Brittain's character and technique is exemplified best in his hat-trick against a resurgent Ayr United in a narrow 3-2 win on a wet Wednesday night. His force of will alone would get him into this team.
Nicky Riley (Dundee) had an exceptional first half of the season. Riley was Dundee's main creative force, winning penalties, assisting with crosses and scoring goals for himself. Riley was unavailable due to injury for most of the season after January.
Chris Erskine (Partick Thistle) is very much a left-footed winger who is asked to play on either flank (or sometimes behind the striker(s)). His unorthodox dribbling and spontaneous decision-making mean that sometimes he can be frustrating to watch, but when his confidence is high there are few more dangerous opponents in the division.
6. CENTRE-MIDFIELD – Paul Lawson – Ross County
Any reader of rosscountytactics.com will appreciate how crucial Paul Lawson's form has been to his team during the recent season.
As a deep-lying play-maker, Lawson's ability to collect the ball from defence, retain possession in midfield, switch play from one flank to another and play lofted through passes are without peer in the SFL.
8. CENTRE-MIDFIELD – Stuart Kettlewell – Ross County
Lawson's midfield partner for Ross County and indeed this team is former amateur Stuart Kettlewell. Kettlewell stood out to this writer in the Second Division, playing as captain for Queen's Park in 2007 on a saturated pitch at Hampden, beating Ross County 3-2. He has improved considerably as a player since then.
Like Boyd and Munro, Kettlewell and Lawson are a balanced partnership. While Lawson dictates the tempo from deep, Kettlewell presses high. Kettlewell's all-round game has improved to the extent that he scored a number of decisive (i.e. winning or opening) goals during the season, ultimately scoring five in the league. His goals typically came from late bursts into the box, getting beyond the striker to meet crosses or through passes. Generally regarded as one of the fittest players in the league, his relentless harrying of opposition midfielders allows the others to play.
Such a balanced partnership can be proven statistically: Ross County have not lost a league match since January 2010 with Lawson and Kettlewell starting together.
Alex Neil (Hamilton) is the closest to being a similar player to Lawson, in a less attacking sense, but is now concentrating on his coaching and had not played the same number of games nor hit the same form.
Fouad Bachirou and Michael Tidser (Greenock Morton) together are another example of a finely balanced central midfield. Bachirou's quick pressing and short, tidy passing is in contrast to Tidser's superior physical size and longer range of passing and shooting. Morton's best moments in the season – there were not many – happened when Bachirou and Tidser were able to play together.
Stephen O'Donnell (Dundee) has matured to become on of the strongest, most technically proficient players in the league, but he struggled without an established midfield partner who complimented his attributes.
11. LEFT-MIDFIELD – Paul Cairney – Partick Thistle
Completing the midfield is Partick Thistle's player of the year. Cairney is another player from the same Queens Park team as Kettlwell. Cairney has not always been a fans' favourite at Firhill, but by scoring 11 goals (roughly a fifth of the team's total output) and generally providing the main creative drive to the team outwith Chris Erskine, Cairney has now endeared himself to the Jags following.
Cairney scored arguably the goal of the season, floating a chipped shot into the top corner to score at Falkirk.
The goal can be seen in motion after 2:00 mins, on Partick Thistle's website.
Cairney has moved onto Hibernian and his strong attacking partnership on the left-side of the team will be missed by Thistle supporters.
Ryan Conroy (Dundee) had an excellent season, also scoring 11 goals. His run of form in the second half of the season almost made up for Riley's absence. Conroy has a strong left foot and now an excellent record at taking penalty-kicks.
Bobby Barr (Livingson) was danger to many First Division defences. Like Erskine, sometimes he was played centrally behind the other forwards, but he is most dangerous when providing the team width and attack an isolated full-back.
Iain Vigurs (Ross County) occasionally lets his temperament spoil his performance, but for the majority shows his class on the ball. Positionally a very intelligent player, he somehow manages to offer his team width, yet moments later show up with the ball on the inside-right channel.
9. STRIKER – Farid El Alagui – Falkirk FC
It would be impossible to pick this team without considering El Alagui, who was in phenomenal scoring form in the first half of the season. A player who scored against every other First Division team, Farid terrorised defenders with his combination of physical strength and off-the-ball movement. His goal-scoring form dropped after January, which co-incided with his strike-partner Higginbotham's transfer-window sale to Huddersfield. Higginbotham was never replaced in a tactial sense and Farid was often left in isolation, while Higginbotham's replacement Willie Gibson drifted to the flanks.
Despite the drop in the number of goals scored later in the season, Farid developed a unique rapport with Falkirk supporters. He has since joined Brentford, but his presence in the SFL will not be forgotten quickly.
Although El Alagui was eventually outscored by Colin McMenamin, it is Farid's combination play with right-back Duffie that ensures a place in this team. Duffie's crosses were a large source of goals for Farid, who knew when and where to gamble with a run across full-backs and centre-backs towards goal.
Colin McMenamin (Ross County) top-scoring with 19 league goals. His link-up play with Gardyne and midfielders was better than most Ross County supporters have seen in their team since Craig Brewster's (last) retirement.
Kris Doolan (Partick Thistle) who still managed to score 13 goals, despite not having an established forward partnership
Rory Boulding (Livingston) scoring 11 league goals in 12 starts.
10. SUPPORT STRIKER – Michael Gardyne – Ross County
Lastly is Dundee United-bound Gardyne, who enjoyed his best season in professional football.
Gardyne started in 30 league matches for Ross County, getting 13 goals. His goals were important to the team, of course, but it is his ability to pass and dribble between the lines of midfield and attack, making him difficult for defenders to mark, that make him a valuable player.
Gardyne holds off Kallum Higginbotham (Falkirk) who left in January but whom also had an excellent season to that point. Higginbotham's relationship with El Alagui would have earned him in a place in the team if he had the chance to continue his form.
It should no surprise to find six Ross County players and two Falkirk players in the team. It is perhaps unfair on some Dundee players who deserve mention and praise, but there are, naturally, only eleven positions to pick from.
With many players still out of contract, we will be looking to the best players of 2012-13 with interest.
DundeeFalkirkGreenock MortonHamilton AcademicalLivingstonPartick ThistleRaith RoversRoss CountyTacticsThe Championship
John A Maxwell
John is a Ross County supporter whose care for the lower leagues is just as thoroughgoing as when Billy Ferries tore down the wing. His footballing favourites include Fernando Redondo, Gordon Connelly and André Hainault.
Episode 17: The 2015-16 Championship Preview
The Championship Team of the Year 2014-15


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Experts suggest connecting the Samsung SNH e6440bn Smartcam HD outdoor cable to the router using the wireless connections but in any case you don't have the access point at your location, you can use the cable connections for connecting your Samsung SNH e6440bn Smartcam HD camera to your home router….


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Category Archives: Susan's Book Talk
DNA by Katie Zaber in the Featured New Book Spotlight
I. Love. This. Cover.
The story's a lot of fun, too. Yeah, I might have prior knowledge of it. And now, today, author Katie Zaber is stopping in to tell you all about her new release, DNA, so you too can have some fun with it.
You want to do this. You do.
Let's start with the important stuff: Katie Zaber, what song makes you think of your book??
There are two songs that have been running through my head while writing.
Heart of Glass – Crabtree Remix
Alone Time – Lovelytheband
The string instruments in the Heart of Glass remix have this haunting effect. They sound so eerie and beautiful at the same time, just like Evie's mysterious pregnancy.
Love becomes mistrust and then divorce when she reveals to her husband she's pregnant, even though he had a vasectomy.
After a heartbreaking divorce, she notices odd things. Things that should never happen. Things that make her think she's going crazy. Possessions, nightmares, and odd electrical problems make her feel like she's losing her mind.
Needing time to figure out her life, Evie goes on a road trip where she meets Lucas. Their relationship is almost a pause on normal life. A break from everything Evie has known. Something completely foreign and refreshing as she rebuilds her life while trying to understand what is happening to her and how she became pregnant.
The moment she meets Lucas, it makes me think of the song Alone Time.
She's unstable but needs something good in her life and someone to enjoy the small moments of happiness with.
And she chooses him.
This Blondie remix? Katie's not kidding about how haunting it is. I mean, Debbie Harry herself is, and this remix really showcases her voice. WOW.
So. If that hasn't told you enough about the book–and it's telling you plenty but not the really good stuff!–then here's the back cover copy.
It's weird how every woman reacts differently. How each pregnancy differs.
Mine is definitely unique.
My sense of smell became stronger, picking up the faintest odors, and my stomach was in constant turmoil. Those were the first signs.
And then I started eating. And eating. If I don't, I get a migraine and people's faces become blurry. Electronics seem to malfunction in my presence. And the nightmares—they don't stop.
Something is changing my body. Something that should have never happened.
Something that my husband and I had prevented from happening.
Something people say is miraculous.
The bigger I get, the more frequently I encounter people who become possessed. And the more often I wind up questioning if I am carrying a miracle baby.
The closer I get to the due date, the more I love this child and the more confident I am that I will protect my baby from anything.
Even its fate.
WHEW! Is that too much, or what? I'm telling you, this one is a crazy fun ride. Jump on now, so you can say you were one of the first to do so!
Here's your buy link. Katie's Amazon-only, which… well, she knows how I feel about that so I'll shut up and support her. Because this book is worth supporting and this author is worth supporting and ALL THE SUPPORT FOR KATIE ZABER. (And I am not saying that because she promised me homemade wine. She's really very talented.)
Connect with Katie Zaber! She might promise YOU homemade wine, too! But if she does, save me a sip?
As always, if you've read DNA, leave a review! (Yes, I think it's okay if you leave a one or two-star review, but you won't want to with this one. I only read one and two-star reviews.) Reviews help books find new readers, so be sure to leave your thoughts. If you're struggling with how to write a review, reach out and I'm glad to help.
And if you're an author or know an author, I'd love to host you AND them. It's okay if we've never met; this is how friendships begin, after all! Here's the link to the handy dandy submission form. I schedule posts on Sundays for the next open Monday.
Love, Death, and the Art of Cooking by Linda Griffin in the Featured New Book Spotlight
Let's welcome Linda Griffin back to West of Mars! She was just here last March, which means she's either really prolific or likes us. Or both!
Her new book is called Love, Death, and the Art of Cooking, and how can you NOT love that title? Not only does it flow really well off the tongue, but it's intriguing as all get out. Let's learn more about it, shall we?
Linda Griffin, what song makes you think of your book?
"Friends and Lovers" by Gloria Loring and Carl Anderson, because Alyssa wants to be just friends, even though they keep ending up in bed, and Reid wants so much more.
Wow, that's an oldie.
So what's the book about? How do Alyssa and Reid handle this familiar (and beloved; it really is one of my faves) trope? Let's see…
Software engineer Reid Lucas loves to cook and has a history of falling in love with married women. When he leaves his complicated past in Chicago for a job in California, he runs into trouble and must call a virtual stranger to bail him out of jail. Alyssa Knight, a tough street cop waiting for a church annulment from her passive-aggressive husband, is the roommate of the woman Reid calls for help, and she reluctantly provides bail for Reid. He falls for her immediately, and cooking for her is an act of love. She just wants to be friends, but they keep ending up in bed together. When his boss is murdered, Reid is a suspect—or is he the intended target?
YES. Cross-genre stuff happening here, it looks like. Some mystery with your romance, some romance with your mystery. Maybe some romantic suspense entirely?
Gonna have to read it to see… Grab your copy today!
Remember, the best way to say thanks for a good book is to recommend it to others. And one way of doing that is to leave a review. Leave reviews, friends!
And connect with Linda Griffin. Authors are fun people to chat with.
Encounter by Alana Lorens in the New Book Spotlight!
Let's welcome Alana Lorens back to West of Mars and the spotlight!
By now, Alana's a veteran, so let's get right to it. Alana Lorens, what song makes you think of your book, Encounter?
The various characters in ENCOUNTER are disparate, so finding one song to symbolize the entire story is not so easy.
Teo and the lawyers obviously come from an upper-class cut, and they can hardly be able to empathize with the have-not illegals like Inez, running from a bad economy in Mexico, or Davi, who has made it in America, but is still tied down to his Mexican roots.
Jake is perhaps an Everyman, a man who's struggling to maintain his sobriety on the best of days— and these are not his best days.
Maybe the song that will sum it up the best is Mad World by Michael Andrews (I love the Pentatonix version tho) Each step people take in this story brings them closer to a life-and-death struggle none will ever forget and some will not survive.
Lots of cultural stuff going on here… I like it!
But.. what's the book about?
Teo Haroun and the other lawyers in his firm look forward in varying degrees to the retreat at the Sherman Ranch in northern New Mexico. The boss has laid down some rules — no phones, no computers, no communication with the outside world — that makes them uneasy. But the corporate team-building exercises are necessary for this firm to survive its inner sniping and turmoil — and to protect the secrets they hold.
Inez Suela and thirty other Mexicans have paid a coyote hundreds of pesos to take them across the border into the United States, where they hope to make a better life. The crowded truck heads north into New Mexico to meet their local driver, the occupants unaware that a freak March snowstorm is waiting in its path.
Jake Patrin, the caretaker of the Ranch, fights demons of his own as he struggles daily with addiction. Working far from the city on the lonely Ranch, hosting those who rent the facility, is his protection and solace. But he's about to lose the only peace he's been able to grasp.
Davi Pilar needs to make some fast money to appease a couple of St. Louis loan sharks, so he agrees to pick up a truckload of illegals and take them to St. Louis. He drives to New Mexico, not knowing that Inez, the woman who rejected him years before, is one of those on that truck.
The intersection of these people, the collision of their cultures, the revelation of their secrets—all these things lead to violence, death, and even redemption in their New Mexico ENCOUNTER.
Border issues are hot topics right now, no? This book was originally published in 2014, according to GoodReads, although I don't know if the version I'm going to link to has been updated to reflect what all we've learned in the past six years. And really, we're talking seven years since the original publication. So hmm…
Pick up your copy and when you leave your review (always leave a review!), let us know.
Smashwords (Affiliate link)
Be sure to connect with Alana Lorens, too!
Alana Lorens has been a published writer for more than forty years, after working as a
pizza maker, a floral designer, a journalist and a family law attorney. Currently a resident of
Asheville, North Carolina, the aging hippie loves her time in the smoky blue mountains. She
writes romance and suspense as Alana Lorens, and sci-fi, fantasy and paranormal mystery as
Lyndi Alexander. One of her novellas, THAT GIRL'S THE ONE I LOVE, is set in the city of
Asheville during the old Bele Chere festival. She lives with her daughter on the autism spectrum,
who is the youngest of her seven children, and she is ruled by two crotchety old cats, and six
kittens of various ages.
https://www.facebook.com/AlanaLorens/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Facebook Goodreads
As always, send your writer friends — even if that's yourself! — to me for their own chance to stand in the spotlight. I'd love to host anyone (well, within reason) who's got a book that's new to my audience.
Dance to a Wylder Beat by Marilyn Barr is in the Featured New Book Spotlight
Let's welcome Marilyn Barr back to West of Mars! This isn't her first, err, rodeo here, so let's get right to business.
Marilyn Barr, what song makes you think of your book?
The core issue of Dance to a Wylder Beat is the need for community. Nartan's secret Shamanic dancing and Olive's paranormal secret keep them on the outskirts of Wylder society. In line with their desires, their song is "Stolen Dance" by Milky Chance.
Listen to this haunting song here – https://youtu.be/k750IIdKq08
In the late 1870s, the Arapaho nation's way of life was being destroyed by the US Government. Their nomadic existence was at odds with the settlements, like Wylder Wyoming, popping up along the railway line. The Arapaho followed the migratory herds with small bands creating circles of teepees for a season before packing their travois and heading to the next place. The US Government turned tribes against each other and in 1871, the Shoshone and Arapaho battles destroyed the Antelope Band which broke my heart. This conflict is the catalyst for Nartan and his brother, Ikshu to set up their homestead at the edge of Wylder.
"I hope they didn't get your mind
Your heart is too strong anyway
We need to fetch back the time
They have stolen from us." –Stolen Dance, Lyrics – Clemens Rehbein
Away on a vision quest, Nartan missed the chance to defend his band. His younger brother, Ikshu, was with the women, elderly, and children when the attack happened. His PTSD gives him night terrors and selective mutism. Despite being a Shamanic apprentice and destined for mystic greatness in his tribe, Nartan becomes a humble leather tanner and protector of Ikshu's fragile state. What he refuses to give up is the support of his spirit team. The six spirits answer his calls when he dances in secret. His ceremonial herbs, dance steps to create the sacred geometry of his people in the dirt, and incantation (the same incantation I use in my energetic healing practice) are offerings to the spirit realm. Such practices are against the law on the reservations which is a second reason why Nartan left. While I would argue Nartan is never stoned, the unbelievers contribute his visions to the ceremonial herbs – which were most likely sage, tobacco, and sagebrush in 1878.
"You've never danced like this before
We don't talk about it
Dancin' on, doin' the boogie all night long
Stoned in paradise
Shouldn't talk about it" –Stolen Dance, Lyrics – Clemens Rehbein
What about his love interest, Olive? While she doesn't dance, this song has a ring of truth for her story as well. Olive is a guttersnipe. These were orphaned kids who rode the railways to find their adventure. Olive migrated from "Mexico to Montana" with the native tribes who would protect her. She learned many skills – such as the basics of leather tanning – from the gentle souls who helped her along the way. Unfortunately, her paranormal secret has kept her from assimilating into the settler towns of the Wild West. Yes, Olive is too wild for the Wild West and tired of wandering alone.
So that I never feel alone again" –Stolen Dance, Lyrics – Clemens Rehbein
When a medicine man on the Wind River Reservation suggests answering Nartan's telegraph ad for a wife, Olive dares to dream of living in a house with a soft bed and a roof over her head. Could she keep her secret, learn to be a settler wife, and have a family of her own? She has nothing to lose.
"Coldest winter for me
No sun is shining anymore
The only thing I feel is pain
Caused by absence of you" –Stolen Dance, Lyrics – Clemens Rehbein
Will they put aside their differences to create a family nestled in the community of Wylder or will Nartan reject Olive out of the desire to hide his spiritual past? Find out in Dance to a Wylder Beat.
Whoa. There's a LOT going on there. And I'm fascinated.
And this song? It's catchy. Fun. I'd add this to my Spotify playlist. I can see myself singing along as the miles while away on a road trip. It's got that vibe. Also, it kinda makes me want to dance. That would definitely be hard to do while driving.
Ready for the back cover copy? Here you go:
Nartan Sagebrush's name may mean "to dance" in Arapaho, but he dances in secret. Forced to abandon his Shamanic apprenticeship, he is overwhelmed with homesteader life, and even his spirit guides are at their wit's end. Nartan takes fate into his own hands. Instead of divine intervention, a wife will help with his responsibilities and in assimilating into the Wylder community.
Olive Muegge answers Nartan's "wife wanted" advertisement. Wildly independent she has secretly dreamed of a family to call her own. The secret she carries inside makes her an outcast and her wild ways don't fit the quiet wife Nartan thinks he desires. Despite their differences, they are drawn to each other but a mistake may drive them apart. Will Nartan embrace his Shamanic past to save them both or will he choose to rid himself of Olive forever?
Yeah… I'm so there. Are you? Grab a copy of Dance to a Wylder Beat by Marilyn Barr
B & N
Go and connect with Marilyn Barr! She and I chat very occassionally on Twitter and just based on that, I can say she's lovely.
Website/ newsletter
BookGems Profile
Still here? Good! Remember that the Featured New Book Spotlight is open to any author of pretty much any book or even if you have a short story in an anthology. I'm here to help spread the word about your fictional masterpiece!
And since the best way to say thanks to an author for all their hard work — well, other than buying their book (often in multiples) — is to leave a review, if you're struggling with one, drop me a line. I'm really busy right now and this isn't a free service, but if I'll make the time for you, I'll also make it worth your five bucks.
Prairie Fire by Terri Branson is in the Featured New Book Spotlight
Let's welcome Terri Branson to West of Mars!
Terri is not only an author but a publisher, too, helming Dragonfly Books. Check them out.
Now, Prairie Fire isn't a new book. Nope. It was published in 2008, but as I often say, new can mean New to West of Mars readers, and I bet that's the case here. How many of you have already encountered this book? Not me! And I've run into Terri and spoken with her more than once.
Let's get to it. Terri, what song makes you think of Prairie Fire?
In PRAIRIE FIRE, the handsome rancher Max is in newly opened Oklahoma Territory, because he is running from a murky past which includes a gunfighter. So he's got trouble even before he meets Chloe. So the song that reminds me of this story would have to be DESPERADO, by the Eagles.
Ooh, an absolute CLASSIC song, filled with longing and emotion and all sorts of other chill-inducing stuff. Yes. Most definitely.
Need the official description, or are you ready to buy? Here it is, just in case:
Chloe plans to stay only a short time at her brother Joe's ranch in 1893 Oklahoma Territory. Despite her efforts to avoid Joe's matchmaking schemes, she is soon entangled in them. At the same time, she catches the interest of a nosy and possibly dangerous ghost called Fire Horse.
All Max McKee wants is to buy a few horses. Before he realizes it, he becomes part of Joe's scheme to marry off the rich and lovely Chloe, who happens to be the owner of those horses.
Max is a man with many secrets. Despite the risks, he finds Chloe irresistible. When a series of strange fires spooks the local ranchers, Chloe and Max must work together to discover who is setting those fires and try not to get themselves killed in the process.
I'm curious about the dangerous ghost, myself. Is it a horse? A person? What? Who? And how does it try to mess up the relationship between our hero and our heroine?
Who'd like to find out? Grab a copy:
Smashwords *Affiliate link
Of course, a Spotlight Feature wouldn't be a spotlight feature without letting you know how you can connect with Terri Branson!
The book's Website
As always, the best way to thank an author for their hard work is to leave a review. If you're struggling to write one, drop me a note and I can help.
And, as you've seen time and again — and I mean it! — if you're an author, if your friend is an author, if someone you know is an author and would like to be featured here, that's super. Complete strangers are welcome to drop me an email, especially when they're willing to be more than complete strangers. Here's the link to the handy-dandy form.
Sixshooter by Lyndi Alexander in the Featured New Book Spotlight!
Woo hoo! Let's welcome Lyndi Alexander back to West of Mars!
Lyndi's got a new book out, called Sixshooter, and it's part of the Horizon Crossover series. Want to know more? I sure do!
Let's start with the usual, of course. I mean, it's what we're all here for!
Lyndi, what song makes you think of your book?
The Joker by Steve Miller. I mean, a SPACE COWBOY? I've been a long-time FIREFLY fan, and the thought of living out among the far-flung stars leads naturally to thoughts of Terran cowboys on the Plains. No one's micromanaging you, and you've got the open spaces to call your own. You meet all sorts of interesting people and aliens, too. But as always, evil parts of government manage to get their tendrils into every life, and you've got to fight to stay independent and free.
Oh, and his name isn't Maurice–but his grandfather's is. 🙂
Like space, love has no boundaries.
Heh. His grandfather's name is Maurice. Get it? (If not, hello? CLICK THE LINK.)
So. What's the official book description?
Valeni Pascual wants to be free to make a living hauling cargo with her spaceship and to understand the shapeshifting alien who presents sometimes as the steamy male Nik and other times as the blonde bombshell Nikki.
As a rebel insurgence builds against the oppressive government known as the Agency, Valeni and Nik/Nikki encounter a sexy Terran cowboy named Garrett Rawls. Since being pulled into this region of space by another mysterious wormhole, Garrett has looked for a way to return to Earth. After meeting Valeni and Nikki, he might have found something worth staying for.
However, dark forces may have a much bigger picture in mind for all of them. Valeni, Nik/Nikki, and Garrett are pulled into a life and death fight that lays bare all of their secrets and their desires. Will they lose everything as the battle against the Agency rages around them or can love pull them through?
Pick up your copy!
And connect with Lyndi:
Remember, if you like a book you've found here, the kind thing to do is leave a review (and if you hang out with me here, you're kind. RIGHT?) wherever you bought your copy. Or, better, in multiple places. Tell a friend! Spread the word! Books bring us together as a community.
And if you're having trouble with your review and need some help, drop me a line. I'm here to help!
Phantoms of Ruthaer by McDonald and McDonald in the Featured New Book Spotlight
Featured New Book, Uncategorized
Let's welcome the writing team of McDonald and McDonald back to West of Mars!
You may remember them from their Son of Cayn trilogy, which we featured here, here, and here. That was a couple of years ago, and between then and now, they've clearly been busy, with this first in a new series called Chronicles of Damage, Inc. (Oooh, don't let Metallica's lawyers see that! Although… good song.)
Still, Jason and Stormy have an other song or… well, three… that remind them of Phantoms of Ruthaer. And what songs would those be? Let's let them tell us.
The characters who comprise the bounty hunting team of Damage, Inc. in Phantoms of Ruthaer have been waiting impatiently for us to tell their tale for a while now. During the early stages of their development, we began assembling a playlist of songs that spoke to us about each character, such as Drivin N Cryin's "Straight to Hell" for the irascible archer, Dave, and "Adrenaline" by Gavin Rossdale for the team's leader, Hector. Then we heard "The Outsiders" by Eric Church. Its gritty depiction of a group with a reputation for being dangerous, who aren't afraid to go their own way, and are willing to stand up to anyone captured the essence of Damage, Inc and our novel.
Three songs, so have some aural fun as you read!
But… you're not going to want to read until you know what the book's about, right? Well, here ya go:
In the countries east of the White River, some call Damage, Inc. heroes. Others call the bounty hunters criminals. The truth lies somewhere in between. Hector de los Santos, the team's leader, has only two rules about bounties: finish every job, no matter what it takes, and no charity cases.
Aislinn Yves, the team's half-elven tracker, thought she'd never see the tiny village of Ruthaer again. That is, until a plea for help from her father's old friend, Tallinn, arrives. The job sounds simple: track down a few missing people, perhaps a killer. The trick is convincing Hector to put their current job on hold.
Unfortunately, things are worse than Tallinn implied. Unnatural weather, restless dead, and gruesome murders are just the beginning, for the town harbors a terrible secret more dangerous than Aislinn or Hector could imagine. A secret that could spell the end of Damage, Inc. and drag Ruthaer straight to Hell.
Sounds like a winner? Grab your copy, exclusive to Amazon. And remember to leave a review once you've finished reading. There's no better way to thank an author for their hard work, creativity, time, and inspiration.
And connect with our friendly authors!
As always, remember to share the word of the spotlight with your author friends. Come one, come all! Here's the link to the handy-dandy form.
Kim McMahill's A Measure of Madness takes the Featured New Book Spotlight
Let's welcome Kim McMahill to the Featured New Book Spotlight! Her newest release is the fourth in her Risky Research series, and it sounds like if you are into federal action heroes, this is right up your alley! We'll get to more about the book in a second, but first, let's get to what we're all here for: the music!
Kim McMahill, what song makes you think of your book?
Whenever I hear, In The Air Tonight, I'm transported back to the 80's television show Miami Vice and picture organized crime, hot tropical nights, and those iconic speedboat scenes off Miami. The latest installment in my Risky Research Series, A Measure of Madness, is primarily set in Florida, Puerto Rico, and Brazil. In the opening chapter, as the yacht races through the night, the bow rising and then slamming down over the gentle waves with the moonlight reflecting off the ocean and wind rushing through Max's hair after successfully completing his mission, I can almost hear the music queue up. It really isn't as much about the lyrics as it is about the mood the music creates.
Ahh. Classic song with a new twist. And yes, I can picture this scene? Can you? Well, we've got to know what happens next to this dude named Max, don't we?
FBI agent Devyn Nash's pursuit of a deadly organization heats up in this fourth installment of the Risky Research series.
The FBI locates the mastermind behind Coterie, but attempts to bring him in result in a shootout that sends Coterie's members scrambling for cover. When Devyn's partner is left fighting for his life in a Puerto Rican hospital, she becomes more determined than ever to bring them to justice.
Devyn's decision to ignore her orders and pursue the head of Coterie to Brazil puts her job and her relationship with Sheriff Gage Harris in jeopardy, but she is unwilling to allow those responsible for so much death to live out their lives in paradise.
Hey… where's Max? Max of the cool opening scene?
Well, shoot. Now I GOTTA read this to find out!
Pick up your copy; you know you want to!
And remember: authors are fun to chat and connect with. Here's Kim McMahill's social information:
As always, if you're an author or have a friend who's an author, the Featured New Book Spotlight is open to you or them. And, of course, no matter who you are, leaving a review is always the best way to say thanks to an author for their hard work. If you're struggling with a review, never hesitate to reach out. Yeah, it'll cost you a nominal fee to cover my time, but I am worth it. More importantly, so are you.
Breathe by Lucinda Race in the Featured New Book Spotlight
Yes, it's back to back weeks of Lucinda Race! Woo!
Jealous? Step into the spotlight, yourself. You know I want to host you.
So last week, we learned all about Blends, the prequel novel in the Crescent Lake Winery Series. Now it's time to dive in to the actual meat of the series, and hoo boy, is there meat to this series! Yes, I've had a sneak peek and yes, you will LOVE what Lucinda's cooking up.
So. Book One. Breathe. Let's talk about the important stuff first: the music! Lucinda, what song makes you think of Breathe?
In Case You Didn't Know – Brett Young
Max holds so much inside, afraid of being hurt that he overly cautious – but he does fall hard for Tessa and when I hear this song I always think that Tessa didn't know…
Okay, so what's a rocker chick like me doing, hanging out with the likes of Lucinda Race, who's exposed me to not one but TWO good country songs that I'd actually add to my playlist? Well, expanding my horizons and learning new things, of course! And yes, I can totally see this being Max's song! Want to know why? Get the book.
But before we get to the buy links, here's the official book description:
Romance and fine wine both need time to breathe…
Her family's successful winery business in the Finger Lakes region of New York should have gone to Tessa Price. She'd always dreamed of running the winery, but when the "prodigal son" returns to take up the reins, she boldly strikes out on her own, purchasing Sand Creek Winery—a cash-strapped competitor—right out from under her family. She can forge her own destiny, using her marketing skills and big plans to bring new life to the winery. But first she has a proposition for the sexy previous owner. And he's likely to hate it.
Kevin "Max" Maxwell would never have willingly sold his winery to anyone named "Price." Family always comes first, and if paying for his sister's cancer treatment cost him his business, it was worth it. But when the new owner offers him a one year contract to stay on as general manager, with a possible bonus, he really can't afford to turn it down. He can ignore the effect her deep brown eyes and heart-shaped face have on his senses for a year, can't he?
Relationships, like slowly ripening vineyards, take time. But Max has been keeping a secret from Tessa, one that could destroy her hopes for their future. Will a terrible accident force Tessa and Max to face how much they have to lose, or tear apart their budding relationship forever? Sometimes a romance is like a fine wine. To be its best, it just needs time to breathe.
Ooh, do you love that? "To be its best, it just needs time to breathe."
Here's your universal buy link. Because universal buy links are the way to go.
And remember to connect Lucinda Race so you don't miss out on any of the great books in this series. Yes, I'm still biased, and proud of it.
Remember: I'd love to host you, your friend the writer, the person you really don't like but pretend to… I don't care! I'm about helping books find readers, so take advantage!
Blends by Lucinda Race in the Featured New Book Spotlight!
I am beyond thrilled to welcome romance author Lucinda Race to West of Mars today! And how can I not me? Lucinda is ALL kinds of awesome. If you haven't read her books yet, you're in for a treat. And yeah, I may be a bit biased, but that's okay, right?
So, Lucinda, tell us what song makes you think of your book!
Making Me Look Good Again – Drake White
The line – leather and lace and denim and pearls just sucked me into Sam and Sherry's story – all about opposite fitting together.
This is a new song to me. Probably my first Drake White, too, and… ummm… WOW! Yearning, longing, and yet nostalgia in there. Good stuff.
Ready for the book description? I sure am!
His mother's final illness waylaid Sam Price's college dreams, but he's content working in his family's vineyard in the Finger Lakes region of New York. When he finds a woman with a flat tire on a vineyard road, he's stunned to discover it's the girl he'd had a crush on in high school. He'd never been confident enough to ask her out back then. He'd been a farm kid. Her daddy was the bank president. Way out of his league.
Sherry Jones is tired of her parent's ambitious plans for her life. She'll finish her college accounting degree like they want, but how can she tell them about her real love: working with growing things? Then a flat tire and a neglected garden offer her an unexpected opportunity, with the added bonus of a tall, gorgeous guy with eyes that set her senses tingling.
What does a guy with dirt under his nails and calluses on his hands have to offer a woman like Sherry? It will take courage for her to defy her parents and claim her own dreams. Sam and Sherry's lives took different paths, but a winding vineyard road has brought them back together. Are they willing to take a chance to create the perfect blend for a lifelong love?
People. THIS is the start of a family dynasty. Right here. Don't miss it.
Grab your copy. Here's the universal buy link, and can I tell you guys how much I love universal buy links?
Connect with Lucinda Race, because she's fun and totally bad for my discipline and yet so totally disciplined herself and yes, I just adore her.
Remember, the Featured New Book Spotlight is always open! You don't have to be a friend, an acquaintance, or a client to step into it. I've met amazing authors and read great books they've written — and I know many of my readers have, too. Don't be shy!
A Memory Like You by Vickie Fisher in the Featured New Book Spotlight
Do you LOVE this cover, or WHAT???
It's what caused me to strike up a conversation with author Vickie Fisher, and then invite her to stop in today to tell us about the book itself. As if that cover doesn't speak for itself. Ooh, baby. I am in love. With the cover. Don't judge me.
So… Tell us, Vickie Fisher! What song makes you think of your new book?
What's A Memory Like You (Doing In A Love Like This) byJohn Schneider. I have always loved this song and thought how amazing it would be to have someone love you so much that your memory is always just a moment away. Then of course the realization that the reason they are pining for me is that I didn't love them the same way. And the happy feeling the song first gave me turned to sadness. I mean how could someone love someone so completely without that person loving them back. In my romantic mind, I had to fix it. After all, the foolish girl who threw that love away had to have a reason, right. Maybe she did love him like that, but something happened and she had to walk away from him. And so A Memory Like You was born.
Ooh, WOW. What a reason! I love books inspired by songs… obviously, right? Because what's the one question I ask y'all around here? But to improve on the song and make it happy?
I'm there. Totally.
Check out the official back cover copy:
Anyone who knew them never doubted the love Cassidy and Shane shared was a gift from God.
When a misunderstanding blows their relationship apart, no one expects them to still be apart five years later. Champion bull rider Shane Cartwright has made too many mistakes in his life—the worst was letting Cassidy McDaniel go. Can she ever forgive him? With the rodeo season half over, he needs to convince her to once again pursue her dream of becoming the first female World Champion Bull Rider.
Can their time together mend broken fences, or will it take a miracle to bring their hearts back together?
And it's a Western! The cover, the setting… this is my catnip, folks. Is it yours? Or maybe a friend's? Pick up a copy:
And connect with Vickie Fisher, too! We haven't spoken much, but so far, I like her. She's a fellow Pennwriter, after all. (And yes, I highly recommend the Pennwriters, no matter where you live. I have been a member for the past 20 or so years, and then for a short time before that, so yeah. 10/10. Highly recommend.)
Remember, the best way to thank an author for their hard work is to buy a copy of their book–and then to gift a copy, as well! But if you can't do that and still want to pay it forward, think about leaving a review online. If you're struggling with your review, let me know and I'll help.
And if you're an author who'd like to step into the spotlight, or have a friend who you'd like to see featured here, the Spotlight is open to all, even if we've never met before. Fill out the handy-dandy form and I'll get to each entry in turn, usually on Sundays, after my bike ride. Because yes, I'm back on bikes and yes, that's when I'm not busy editing!
Alpha Eternal by Brenda Sparks in the Featured New Book Spotlight
Let's welcome Brenda Sparks back to West of Mars and the Featured New Book Spotlight! If you missed her last visit in the early days of lockdowns and pandemics, here's the link to remind yourself of all the goodness she brought us in March 2020.
Brenda is back today with the next in her Alpha Council Chronicles — the sixth book, actually! Wow! — and it's called Alpha Eternal. But before we talk about the book, let's go for the tunes. Brenda Sparks, what song makes you think of your book?
At the risk of dating myself, I can't help but think of the song, Lovely Day by Bill Withers, when I think about my latest paranormal romance, Alpha Eternal. Having watched his fellow Alpha Council members find their heartmates, the hero of Alpha Eternal is ready to find a soul mate of his own, and he longs for that one person who will give him a reason for being.
Alex most definitely embodies the lyric from the song which goes, "When the day that lies ahead of me seems impossible to face. When someone else instead of me always seems to know the way, Then I look at you, and the world's alright with me. Just one look at you and I know it's gonna be a lovely day."
Alpha Eternal is a dark paranormal story about a vampire who is sent to infiltrate a demonic compound. Unfortunately for him, a chance meeting in the past comes back to haunt him when he is assigned to a guard who despises him. Alex is a spy. Shira is his enemy. And yet for some reason, fate seems destined to bring them together…again and again.
Ooh, that funky bass line! And while the book may be dark, this song is not! How have I never heard this before?
Alexander Hall is a fun-loving vampire whose duty comes before all else, except maybe finding a heartmate. Discouraged when he is assigned to infiltrate a demonic compound, Alex plans on getting in and out fast, but fate has other plans. Once Alex discovers a sexy demon from his past is chosen as his guide, he couldn't be more pleased.
Shira is a demon who likes to keep to herself, so when the demon king asks her to be Alex's guide, she couldn't be less pleased. Keeping the vampire from discovering demon secrets quickly becomes a full-time job. A job she didn't ask for and most definitely doesn't want.
With the vampire's desire for someone to commit his heart to and the demon looking to run as far away as possible, how will fate intervene to bring this unlikely couple together?
A vampire-demon love… I love it! Fresh, unique… I love this sort of fiction!
Need a copy? Take note: The book doesn't release until December 9, so you'll be pre-ordering. Which means you'll forget about it and then on December 9, you'll open your e-reader and it'll be there, a gift from your past self to your present self.
Be good to your future self.
And connect with Brenda Sparks! Chatting with authors is fun.
Twitter Handle: @brenda_sparks
Facebook Author Page
Whew! Lots of ways to get to know a great author. Take advantage! What's the point of social media if it's not social?
And now, for the standard disclaimers:
* One of the best ways to show appreciation for an author's book is to leave a review.
* The absolute best way is to buy a copy and gift it to a friend or family member.
* If you are struggling with a review, drop me a note and I will help!
* The Featured New Book Spotlight is open to anyone, so send your author friends over via this link. This is not something I only offer to certain authors. If you've published a book — or even a short story in an anthology! — the spotlight is yours to step into.
FNB: Adversaries (The Color of Fear) by Lyndi Alexander
Let's welcome Lyndi Alexander back to West of Mars! If you missed her earlier visits, Love Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me was featured here,and she featured Windmills with a spot in my Lines of Distinction fun here, as well.
So what has Lyndi Alexander have for us today? It's her new release, Adversaries (The Color of Fear), and here she is to tell us what song makes her think of her book:
This book wraps up all the waiting that's been building since Lin Kwan first saved her cousin from thugs in Hong Kong in the first pages of WINDMILLS. She has found her father and is poised to give him the herbs that can save the world. Xi San is in St. Louis and ready to have it out once and for all with the white supremacist Gabriel, who's killed his friends and so many others. Assassin Jin Piao knows where to find his targets. Gabriel stands prepared to lead his Angels to cleanse what's left of America of BIPOC. Battle is in the air….
This why "In the Air Tonight" by Phil Collins encapsulates this book, which takes place over only two weeks. IT'S COMING. WINDMILLS and DESTINATIONS have served to pull all the players into place; now all the pieces will fall.
Ahhh… Eighties music for the win, and this is a classic even beyond that.
And look at all these pieces coming together, along with the timely topics the book tackles — but what stands out to me the most is the tight timeline. The entire story unfolds in two weeks.
Here's what this series-ender is about:
Life after the devastating biological terrorist attack that decimated the White population in the US is beginning to recover as Tzu Lin Kwan is finally able to deliver her precious cargo of herbs to her scientist father. Or is it?
The virus may be mutating, spreading to infect those previously immune. Tzu Shin and his fellow scientists—and now Kwan—are literal prisoners of the US military.
The White supremacist army of the demagogue Gabriel has invaded St. Louis. And the Chinese assassin Piao knows where to find his targets. Kwan and her friends Valery, Eddie, and San are ready to fight to the death to defend their recovering world. The question is: Are courage and determination enough?
Talk about timely… Wow!
Grab yourself a copy; you know you want to!
Zumaya Publications
And be sure to connect with Lyndi, too. Because it's always fun to chat with authors.
Website/Blog
Smashwords | Lyndi Alexander
For the standard disclaimers:
* Remember that a review is one of the best ways to show an author appreciation for their book!
* Another good way is to buy a copy to give as a gift.
* If you want to leave a review but are struggling, reach out to me and I will help!
* Send your author friends the link to submit their own.
* Check back every Monday to see what books are being featured, help spread the word, and jam some great tunes.
Below Dark Waters by Katie Zaber: The Featured New Book Spotlight
My good friend Katie Zaber is back with the next entry in her Dalya series. If you missed out on the first one, you'd better get busy because this is a series that's building into something that I fully expect to be monumental.
Katie, what song reminds you of Below Dark Waters?
Kid Fears by Indigo Girls
Wouldn't it be nice to have your childhood fears plague you instead of adult problems? Wouldn't it be easier to hit rewind and relive your childhood when all you had to be afraid of was the imaginary monster under your bed?
Megan had to grow up fast, but that doesn't mean she's ready to make adult decisions. She's constantly second guessing herself, afraid she will screw up or make matters worse. I think she would rather youth's ignorant bliss than dealing with reality and all the lies she believed.
Ooh, so what does THAT mean? Well, you're going to have to read the book to know!
And hey, Katie Zaber? I'm not an Indigo Girls fangirl — I like them well enough, I suppose, for a metal queen — but wow, I like this song. It's moody. The harmony section fits the book. Nice choice!
So what's Below Dark Waters about?
Princess Megan, who never had a reason to assume she was anything but human, has been on the run, protected by her friends. With each step toward the city of Delmont, she hopes they will have time to regroup before setting sail to the Ka'Pamau Islands, their final destination. Instead, her bad luck shadows her and chaos continues to ensue everywhere she goes—including a new part of the world that most air breathers have yet to explore. Confronted with another royal family and a smitten prince whose advances turn cold, she faces another life-altering decision with ramifications she can't possibly begin to guess at.
Back on land, Lilly reveals more of her secrets, her story, and her goals. Monumental changes and challenges are headed her way as she embraces her new role in life.
On the sea, Aunt Carmia is stirring up trouble while continuing her hunt for the treasure she most desires. She experiences upheavals, but she is always prepared for the unknown.
As their stories unfold, they remain unaware how fate connects them in the world of Dalya.
Whaaaat? The song focused on Megan! What's with these others?
Oh, my friends. Grab a copy and start reading — and yes, you must start with the first. Lucky for you, that's only one book ago! (Unluckily for all of us, I have no idea where the third book is or how long we'll have to wait for it.)
Here are your buy links:
Smashwords (This is an affilate link and will give me a few pennies of your appreciation.)
Connect with Katie Zaber!
Zaberbooks.com
And remember, the best way to say thanks to an author for being brave enough to put their book out into the world is to leave a review. If you are struggling with a review, drop me a line and I'll help you put it into coherence.
If you are an author or have a friend who's an author, send them to the Featured New Book Submissions page so they, too, can have their turn in the spotlight! It's quick, it's easy, it's painless… it's one question!
Gelato Surprise by Sadira Stone — The Featured New Book Spotlight
Let's welcome Sadira Stone to West of Mars!
Sadira's a new-to-me author, and I'm glad to meet her and host her here today. Let's get right to business:
Sadira Stone, what song makes you think of your book?
Call me corny, but the song that comes to mind when thinking of my steamy older woman/younger man beach romance novella Gelato Surprise is "At Last" as sung by Etta James. This one's popular at weddings, and for good reason.
Hubs and I are a late-in-life love story. Both divorced, we met while working at the same high school on a U.S. Air Force base in Germany—which makes him my high school sweetheart, I guess. 😊 At our wedding in 2014 my daughter, a gifted singer (proud mama much?), sang "At Last" for our first dance. Reader, there was not a dry eye in the house. I'm so grateful to have found my perfect partner, even if I had to wait 48 years to finally meet him.
Danielle Peters, the heroine of Gelato Surprise, goes through something similar. Forty-two and freshly divorced, Danielle is determined to keep her kids' lives as normal as possible. But her ex spoils their annual beach vacation by whisking the kids away for a surprise Disney trip, leaving her stuck with a two-week rental. Her friends convince her to take the trip solo, time to think about her next chapter. Skeptical and glum, Danielle heads for the beach alone—until she meets Matteo, a gorgeous young Italian gelato vendor and furniture designer. She agrees to be his pretend date to the town's Sons of Italy banquet in an effort to thwart the matchmaking nonna mafia, but their first kiss flares into something much hotter than make-believe.
Now she's faced with an impossible situation: what she promised herself would be a no-strings vacation fling is quickly spinning into a deeper connection, but how can she reconcile that with her responsibilities to her kids?
Here's a peek at Danielle's dilemma.
Still holding her hands, Matteo drew her to a patch of shade beneath a cluster of anemic palm trees. He flashed an adorable, shy grin that crinkled the corners of his eyes. "Danielle, I really like you, but I don't want you to feel like I'm pressuring you to do something you're not ready for."
I'm ready! Her id hollered and waved like an over-excited second grader.
He twined his fingers with hers and continued. "Unfortunately, Sal needs me this afternoon, and I'm driving him to Aberdeen tonight. How about tomorrow? We could do a picnic lunch on the beach. There's a special spot I'd like to show you." He dipped his head and nuzzled the sensitive crook of her neck. "Are you still up for it? Or have I scared you off with my grabby hands?"
The heat of his breath scrambled her brain. No doubt about it, he wanted her. And she wanted him so badly her teeth ached.
She sucked in a deep breath. "I'll bet you get a lot of single women tourists throwing themselves at you."
He shrugged. "A lot of women flirt. Doesn't mean anything." He rested his forehead against hers. "I collect drawer pulls, and doorknobs, and picture frames—not women."
She pressed her lips together and dropped her gaze to their joined hands. This guy definitely earned an A-plus in handholding. Never had such a simple act felt so intimate, so sensual. The way his thumb traced arcs across her knuckles made her imagine what those hands could do on her bare body, stretched out on her king-size bed, the sea breeze lifting the curtains while his hands brushed over her breasts…
Her common sense made a last, futile stand. "Matteo, I'm old enough to be your—"
"No." He squeezed her hand. "You're not. Though you are old enough to be my sexy babysitter." He quirked an eyebrow. "Every guy's fantasy."
I love a good May-December romance, and this one looks like sexy fun.
Ready for the description? Although after that intro, you may not. That was a GREAT answer.
She came to the beach to find herself—and found him.
Forty-two-year-old divorcée Danielle Peters ends up alone on her family's annual beach vacation. Maybe time to herself is exactly what she needs. That and gelato from her favorite ice cream shop. But when the owner's intoxicating young nephew offers more than sweet treats, she's tempted to indulge in a hot summer fling before returning home.
Thirty-one-year-old Matteo Verducci craved a fresh start to mend his broken heart, and he's found almost perfection in Ocean View, where he scoops gelato by day and crafts furniture by night. But when a sexy older woman stops to sample his wares—Mamma mia! He only has two weeks to convince her their passion is more than a delicious surprise.
Need a copy? I bet you do!
Goodreads link
Universal book link
Bookbub link
And be sure to connect with Sadira Stone. It's always fun to get to know the authors whose books you admire and appreciate.
As always, if you're a reader, remember that the best way to show appreciation for an author's work — well, beyond buying copies to share with your friends — is to leave a review. If you're stuck, struggling, or need help, drop me a line and I'm glad to do so. Remember: I am a former pro book reviewer! I know a few things about book reviews.
And if you're an author or friends with an author, this spotlight is always open to you! The only requirement is that the book be new to my readers…
Bear With Me by Marilyn Barr in the Featured New Book Spotlight
Let's welcome Marilyn Barr to West of Mars today! She's got a new book out, Bear with Me, and I'm curious. Are you?
Of course. That's why you're here.
Marilyn, what song makes you think of your book?
Strawberry Shifters Book 1: Bear with Me is a tale of a failing marriage between two people who love each other just like "Harmony Hall" by Vampire Weekend. Like in the song they "took a vow in summertime" but after 12 years of struggle "now we find ourselves in late December". They have let their marriage crumble by not learning to communicate, listening to each other, and allowing the pull of financial success (and modern life) to tear them apart. When Grant gets the job opportunity of a lifetime, he asks his wife, Alison, to move to Strawberry KY for the "perfect time of that great surrender". She decides to give Grant one last chance to prove he will listen to her and treat her as a partner.
Once in Strawberry, Grant is the workaholic he has always been but this time, Alison is not going to sit idly. The couple tentatively pushes boundaries until a car crash changes Grant forever. The cynical Pharma guy is thrust into a paranormal world which he vows to keep secret from Alison. "A wicked snake inside a place I thought was dignified", Grant's new Bergan Pharma job is a front for a paranormal nightmare. How can he promise Alison to be open and fight Sluagh demons from Celtic myth at the same time? "I thought that I was free from all the questioning but every time a problem ends, another one begins…"
What Grant doesn't know is that Alison has a few secrets of her own. Ones that could make her his greatest ally or greatest weakness. He knows about her sensory processing disorder (which I share, #ownvoices) and finds her fascinating instead of strange. However, he treats her disorder as an excuse to keep her isolated from the world. Alison doesn't want to push it by telling him her other secret she has had from birth until she can't take it anymore. "I don't want to live like this, but I don't want to die…"
Will a new place, a fresh start, be enough, or will their magical secrets tear them apart? Find out in Strawberry Shifters Book 1: Bear with Me. #Strawberryshifters
Whoa! I. Am. Hooked.
And this song? Queue it up, folks. This is a new-to-me band (and song, obviously) and it's now part of my various Spotify playlists. Thanks, Marilyn Barr, for expanding my musical horizons.
Ready to hear what the book's about? Although, wow, that link to the song pretty much said it all, didn't it? That might be the most in-depth answer ever, in all the years I've been running the New Book Spotlight, and that's over ten years now!
Blue eyes, dimples, and silky brown hair; Grant Luther has all of Alison's weaknesses.
When he asks for one last chance to save their marriage, she agrees to relocate their family to isolated Strawberry, Kentucky in pursuit of his career dreams. Grant views Alison's sensory issues as limitations and protects her from outside threats. When he finds his new job includes changing him into a shifter in a war against the soul-sucking Sluagh he vows to keep the changes a secret. What he doesn't know is Alison has been hiding a magical secret of her own. One that makes her a target of the Sluagh.
Will Alison emerge from Grant's shadow to protect her family? And can Grant learn that being different can be a strength not a weakness?
Guys, I am blown away by this concept. There's so much going on here, so much that's fresh and yet so much that's familiar, too. I… gotta read this. Totally got to read it.
Get your copy!
Lots of options, and not one of them is wrong! Chances are if you'd like to help out an independent bookstore, they can order this for you, as well. Just remember to leave a review when you're done reading. And, as always, if you need help with your review, contact me and I'll give you some guidance.
Connect with Marilyn Barr!
BookBub Author Profile
Featured New Book: Ashes and Blood by Katie Zaber
Book Cover for book by Katie Zaber, Ashes and Blood
I can not WAIT to tell you guys about this book!
I've read it and I love it. So you all now need to go get your own copy and see how right I am.
As I said, this is Katie Zaber's debut — wait. I didn't say that. Well, now I am! It's also the first in a series and I doubt I'm the only one foaming at the mouth for the next book. I use a mechanical keyboard, so this is NOT a good habit I've developed, let me tell you… plus the neighbors are a bit worried… okay, more than usual…
Katie, what song makes you think of your book?
Swan Dive by Ani DiFranco —
There is nothing like diving into an adventure, especially when you have no clue where your feet will land… or if they will ever hit solid ground again. And after impact, will you have the strength to get up?
The song "Swan Dive" reminds me of Megan, the main character in Ashes and Blood. She is more pragmatic and sticks to her morals. When faced with impossible decisions, she still does what she believes is right, even if the outcome destroys her.
Yeah, I can see this… this is also new to me. I love it when you guys expand my musical horizons. (Really, this is why I love this feature so much. I get to learn stuff!)
Need the cover copy?
"I'll start at the beginning. Long ago, before roads, before we built structures, before medicine was discovered, before the government was created, before man gained any knowledge, there were The Five. Independent from each other, The Five had a mutual respect for one another. They knew their roles in the world and their duty. They were gods…"
An adventure begins when an otherworldly tree captures the attention of Megan and her friends. The environment morphs around them, transferring them to an exotic planet. Stuck in a rural town still maimed by the plague, a chance encounter with a familiar face gives Megan and her friends some security during their adjustment period.
While settling into new, promising lives, they are attacked and stalked by planet Dalya's humanoid inhabitants, who focus on Megan. One dark night, after an epic, magical attack, the Fae King's knight is sent to fetch Megan. When she wakes up a prisoner, she learns that there is much more to this strange world, and it is oddly more like her own than she ever would have expected.
Guys, this doesn't do the storyline justice! There is SO MUCH to this story and it's new and it's fresh and if you can't tell how high I am on it, well, you're not reading carefully enough.
Smashwords (This is an affiliate link, so you know, but it's also FREE until July 4!)
And, of course, connect with Katie! She is lovely and fierce and all sorts of good things. You'll be glad she's part of your life. I know I am.
Remember, once you've read this, be sure to leave a review! Reviews help books find new readers, and YES it is okay to leave a thoughtful, negative review if the book doesn't work for you. But this one will. No worries there. And if you're struggling with reviews, be sure to reach out. I'm more than glad to help.
Also, be sure to send over your author friends for their turn in the spotlight! Here's the link to the handy-dandy form.
Featured New Book Spotlight: Thank You, Garden by Liz Garton Scanlon
How awesome is the cover for Liz Garton Scanlon's book, Thank You, Garden? Every time I see it, I just want to break out into a smile. Okay, I don't just want to. I actually do. This is the happiness we all need right now.
So I'm especially glad Liz Garton Scanlon stopped in today to visit with us and tell us about her new book.
Liz, what song makes you think of your book?
I love Guy Clark's Homegrown Tomatoes.
I think lots of folks immediately imagine the work involved in gardening but this song is all about the rewards, the pleasure, and the deliciousness that make the digging and tilling and weeding worthwhile!
This song is AMAZING. It's so perfectly representative of its time and it, too, is making me smile as I'm listening to it.
Can we talk about how Liz focuses on the GOOD parts of gardening? I think we all need that, too. Especially if you're like me and don't like digging holes. Once they're in, I'll tend to them. But that planting day? I shudder. I do.
Liz, tell us more about Thank You, Garden:
In THANK YOU, GARDEN — written by Liz Garton Scanlon and illustrated by Simone Shin — a community garden unites neighbors in a celebration of all the things that grow there, from flowers and fruits to friendships. This ode to working together for a better world will have young readers wanting to plant gardens of their own!
My daughter's headed to a college that has a partnership with their local community and supports a community garden. She's already expressed interest in it (having zero interest in helping me in our own home, of course!), and so I doubly love all this garden love right now. Fresh food! Community! Breaking down barriers!
I am SO there.
Pick up a copy!
BookPeople
Connect with Liz Garton Scanlon, because she's pretty darn cool.
And, as always, the best way to give props to an author, short of buying their books for ALL your friends, is to leave a review. If you're struggling and need help, reach out to me. Good writing takes both practice and instruction, and I'm glad to help.
Also, if you're an author or have friends who are, don't wait to be invited into the spotlight. It's always open, ready to shine on you. Here's the handy-dandy form.
Book Cover, Thank You, Garden
Featured New Book Spotlight: A Stolen Heart by Kayelle Allen
It's an absolute honor to welcome Kayelle Allen back to West of Mars today. She's one of my favorites in the book world because she's all class, all the time, and her books… the scope of her imagination blows me away.
Today, actually, is the release for her newest book, A Stolen Heart. It's part of the Antonello Brothers series, if you're familiar with that series. (If not, what are you waiting for? Well, okay, finish reading the post and THEN go check it out.)
Kayelle Allen, what song reminds you of your book?
Uprising — that's the song I played when writing A Stolen Heart. Recorded by Audiomachine, it has Latin lyrics, which is fine — I wouldn't understand the language of my immortals either. It could just as well be sung in their Naro. The rhythm, the majestic sweep of notes, the latent force behind the song all speaks to my spirit. The hero, Luc, is a general who's "retired" for this lifetime. Uprising could be his anthem. Listen to it and you'll hear the troops he's led to victory, and encouraged during defeat. Uprising his a powerful song for a powerful hero.
Was this song written for a movie soundtrack? I love it! This would indeed be awesome to work to.
Ready for the book description? I sure am.
When he rescues a half-human orphan, a glorified space pirate turned entrepreneur sets in motion a chain of events that threatens to topple the powerful Thieves' Guild he once led.
Multiple layers of conspiracy unfold, reaching all the way to Luc's immortal ex–the king. Hidden behind each mystery he solves looms an unseen foe, undoing the good Luc accomplishes. For the sake of this child, Luc must postpone his own freedom and master his desire for revenge or he will violate an ancient vow. Worse, he'll put the toddler at risk.
At war with his compassion for the vulnerable, loyalty to the king, duty to the Guild, and the bright lure of freedom he's coveted for centuries, Luc seeks the right path. Will he choose liberty and unparalleled success, or restore the Thieves' Guild to its former glory while overseeing the child's training?
A hard choice for any man. For an immortal whose inner monster can destroy on sight? Impossible.
A pirate with a monstrous past can never be trusted with an innocent child. Luc must ensure the child is protected, safe, nowhere near danger. Nowhere near him. Even if this little boy has already stolen his heart…
Okay, I'm hooked. Totally and completely. Are you?
The book's available TODAY, but only on Kindle.
And I usually write a short intro inviting you to connect with Kayelle Allen, but she's got that covered, too! Check it!
Kayelle Allen writes space opera with larger than life, unforgettable characters. Come walk in her worlds and meet her misbehaving robots, mythic heroes, immortal gamers, and warriors who purr.
(I love her intro so much!)
Remember, if you're an author, here's the link for your own turn in the spotlight. And if you're a reader (no "just" or "only" around here; readers are important people!), the best thing you can do for a book is to leave a review. If you need help, holler. Reviews are both an art and utterly simple, but if you're struggling, reach out and I'm glad to help.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Belt pouch for Victorinox MiniChamp. With belt loop. Colour black.
I carried the mini champ loose in my pocket for years and use it every day for opening packages , tightening small star head screws and sharpening pencils etc , I recently upgraded to the mini champ alox and bought the small belt pouch for handy storage and quick access , I love it and it sits very neat on your hip without being bulky , the Velcro opening is quick and secure to open and close and the belt loop fits up to a 40mm belt .


2 Adrian Ave is a Multi-Family building located in Marble Hill, Manhattan constructed in 1926. This 6-story building has 82 units. The building is within Community District 208 and zoned for the following schools - P.S. X037 - Multiple Intelligence School, In-Tech Academy (M.S. / High School 368). Nearby transportation include the 1, A, 4 subway lines.


Nurses are responsible for the well-being and quality of life of many people, and therefore must meet high standards of technical and ethical competence. The most common form of ethical guidance is a code of ethics/professional practice; however, little research on how codes are viewed or used in practice has been undertaken. This study, carried out in six European countries, explored nurses' opinions of the content and function of codes and their use in nursing practice. A total of 49 focus groups involving 311 nurses were held. Purposive sampling ensured a mix of participants from a range of specialisms. Qualitative analysis enabled emerging themes to be identified on both national and comparative bases. Most participants had a poor understanding of their codes. They were unfamiliar with the content and believed they have little practical value because of extensive barriers to their effective use. In many countries nursing codes appear to be 'paper tigers' with little or no impact; changes are needed in the way they are developed and written, introduced in nurse education, and reinforced/implemented in clinical practice.


Recently i am using McAfee and it got expired, I have AVG virus protection always on and windows XP firewall enabled. Why do I still get infected with some Trojan horses? I check for updates every day so I am sure I am up to date.Can anyone tell me the best antivirus of 2010.. There are so many on net so it made me confused and drag me here to ask in the forum..
As per my survey mostly people prefer E-Scan, Avira & Avast but my personal experience with Norton is very good.
my personal experience with kaspersky anti-virus 2010 is very good.Hope this will help..
Norton is very good. Online as well as offline both .
I have already used norton and avast both.But Norton is better than avast.I suggest you you may try this year Norton.I think it will bring you mental satisfaction.
anti-virus for your PC or laptop hope you will find mental satisfaction.
I work in an organization and in every PC kaspersky installed. It is quite good as no issue has been arises yet. You may choose it.
and here is one list i have complied.


US equity futures moved higher in pre-session hours on Monday amid growing political risks over US-China trade relations and as players looked ahead of key economic reports.
President Donald Trump and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping are expected to meet at Florida's Mar-a-Lago golf resort to discuss jobs and trade.
Wall Street top three indexes ended lower on Friday, as market participants continued to receive key economic data while keeping their eyes on speeches from Fed officials.
In the last day of the first quarter, the Dow Jones industrial average dropped nearly 65 points, with Goldman Sachs among the strong decliners. The S&P 500 was also dragged by financials, while the blue-chip Nasdaq composite finished around breakeven.
While US stock indexes closed in red territory on Friday, together they amassed 4.6 percent in profits during the first three months of 2017. Not so bad, right?
Last week, Washington's actions remained on the spotlight after President Donald Trump pulled the healthcare bill due to insufficient support from its own GOP colleagues. The American Health Care Act (AHCA), also known as "Trumpcare", was meant to replace the previous legislation approved by Barack Obama, which was heavily criticized by Republicans.
Now, investors are trying to figure out how Trump's administration will actually move forward with its long-awaited heavily-advertised tax reform and a series of deregulation measures for key industries of the economy. The AHCA was not so much about healthcare, but rather a confidence test of whether Trump is able to coordinate efforts with its own peers or not.
On the data front, core PCE for February came in at 0.2 percent, in line with month-over-month expectations and at 1.8 percent from last year, tick higher than forecasted.
Personal spending was down by 0.1 percent in February. Analysts had predicted a 0.2 percent build. Chicago PMI outperformed estimates with 57.7 points.
Also on Friday, Michigan University released its consumer sentiment index, which came in at 96.9 points in March, while economists were pointing at 97.6 points.
Ahead in the day, investors are waiting for Markit's Manufacturing PMI for March as of 13:45 GMT, with expectations at 53.5 points. The Institute of Supply Management will also release its own manufacturing PMI index at 14:00 GMT. Also, a series of Fed speakers is due today including New York Fed President William Dudley at 14:30 GMT, Philadelphia Fed President Patrick Harker at 19:00 GMT and Richmond Fed President Jeffrey Lacker at 21:00 GMT.


text:
Levir Culpi (Curitiba, 28 de febrero de 1953) es un exfutbolista y entrenador brasileño, que actuaba como zaguero.

Carrera
Se inició como entrenador inmediatamente después de concluir su carrera dentro de las cuatro líneas, en 1986, en el Caxias. Mostró talento como entrenador cuando comandó los tres grandes clubes del fútbol paranaense: Atlético Paranaense, Coritiba y Paraná, habiendo destacado-si nacionalmente cuando dirigió el Crucero, con el cual sagrou-si campeón de la Copa de Brasil de 1996 venciendo el badalado equipo del Palmeiras. En la condición de técnico de São Paulo fue campeón paulista en 2000 y vice de la Copa de Brasil.

Dirigió aún el Criciúma en la Copa Libertadores de América de 1992 y llevó el equipo catarinense a las cuartas-de-final (5° lugar). Además de la Portuguesa y el equipo japonés Cerezo Osaka, en 1997. Protagonizó uno de los más tristes momentos de la historia del Palmeiras el año de 2002, asumiendo el cargo de técnico del club en situación desesperadora y no consiguiendo salvar el club del descenso para la Serie B del Campeonato Brasileño.

El año siguiente, Levir fue contratado por el Botafogo, equipo que fue escariado junto con el Palmeiras en 2002. Levir Culpi condujo el equipo a un vice-campeonato de la Serie B, trayéndolo vuelta para la élite del fútbol con una de las dos vacantes de acceso a la Serie A.

En 2006 llevó el Atlético Minero, de forma brillante, de vuelta a la élite del fútbol brasileño. Habiendo asumido el mando del equipo en medio del campeonato, con el equipo en la incómoda 14ª posición, Levir formó un gran equipo y, contando con los goles de Marino y con las buenas actuaciones de atletas formados en el club, como Lima, Diego y Rafael Miranda, llevó el equipo al título del Campeonato Brasileño Serie B en 2006. Manteniendo esa base, fue Campeón Minero en 2007. Después fue para el Cerezo Osaka, de Japón, quedando hasta el fin de la temporada 2011 en el fútbol japonés. Retornó al mando del equipo japonés en medio de 2012, para intentar salvarla del descenso a la J-League 2.

El día 24 de abril de 2014, fue anunciado como sustituto de Paulo Autuori en el mando del Atlético Minero. Esta será el cuarto pasaje de Levir Culpi por el club minero.

El día 4 de septiembre de 2014, contra el Palmeiras válido por la Copa de Brasil, Levir Culpi completó 200 juegos comandando el Atlético Minero, hecho así, lo 4º entrenador que más entrenó el Atlético Minero en la historia. La partida terminó con la victoria del Gallo por 2x0, en el Estadio Independencia.

Al final de 2014, después de una excelente temporada, habiendo liderado el Atlético en las victoriosas campañas de la Recopa Suramericana y de la Copa de Brasil, el entrenador tuvo su contrato renovado por más una temporada.

En 2015, luego en la primera partida oficial de la temporada, victoria atleticana por 2 a 0 sobre el Tupi, Levir llegó al juego de número 228 al frente del equipo alvinegra, haciéndose el tercer entrenador con más juegos por el club. Con la nueva marca, el entrenador queda atrás sólo de Telê Santana con 434 juegos, y Procópio Cardoso con 328.

El 3 de mayo de 2015, Levir volvió a escribir su nombre en la historia del Campeonato Minero al se sagrar campeón minero de 2015, por el Atlético. Con más esta conquista, la quinta del entrenador, se aisló como el mayor vencedor de la historia del Campeonato Minero, en la era profesional del fútbol. Antes, ya había erguido la copa con el propio Gallo en 1995 y 2007, además del Crucero, en 1996 y 1998. Anunció su retiro como entrenador de fútbol el 16 de diciembre de 2019, con el objetivo de dedicarse a su familia. la mayoría abandonó el retiro y regresó al terreno de juego, donde entrenará al Cerezo Osaka por cuarta vez.

Estadística en el actual club

Clubes

Como futbolista

Como entrenador

Palmarés

Como futbolista

Torneos regionales

Como entrenador

Torneos regionales

Torneos nacionales

Torneos internacionales

Referencias

Enlaces externos
 Perfil de Levir Culpi en la Gallo Digital

Nacidos en Curitiba
Entrenadores de fútbol de Brasil
Futbolistas de Brasil
Futbolistas del Coritiba Foot Ball Club
Futbolistas del Botafogo de Futebol e Regatas
Futbolistas del Santa Cruz Futebol Clube
Futbolistas del Vila Nova Futebol Clube
Futbolistas del Club de Fútbol Atlante en los años 1970
Futbolistas del Figueirense Futebol Clube
Futbolistas del Esporte Clube Juventude
Entrenadores del Esporte Clube Juventude
Entrenadores del Club Athletico Paranaense
Entrenadores del Clube Náutico Marcílio Dias
Entrenadores de la Associação Atlética Internacional
Entrenadores del Criciúma Esporte Clube
Entrenadores del Sport Club Internacional
Entrenadores del Coritiba Foot Ball Club
Entrenadores del Paraná Clube
Entrenadores del Guarani Futebol Clube
Entrenadores del Clube Atlético Mineiro
Entrenadores de la Associação Portuguesa de Desportos
Entrenadores del Cruzeiro Esporte Clube
Entrenadores del Cerezo Osaka
Entrenadores del São Paulo Futebol Clube
Entrenadores del Sport Club do Recife
Entrenadores de la Sociedade Esportiva Palmeiras
Entrenadores del Botafogo de Futebol e Regatas
Entrenadores de la Associação Desportiva São Caetano
Entrenadores del Fluminense Football Club
Entrenadores del Gamba Osaka
Entrenadores del Santos Futebol Clube

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


I once took part in a Web design exercise which set the participants a "budget": we sliced up an imaginary heap of money for spending on design activities, all listed on cards. At the end of the exercise, my team had one hundred imaginary dollars unspent. So on a blank card we scribbled a new category - "lunch with the guy who controls the pursestrings" - and assigned the $100 to that. This whimsical touch started heads nodding all around the group. Everyone in the group agreed that creating a usable Web site required real organisational commitment, commitment that could only come from senior management. And most of the designers and design managers around the table that day wanted to build such support. But few knew how to teach their colleagues about the importance of site usability.
Enter Steve Krug, with a book you can hand to your collegues and your manager for them to browse overnight, a carefully-crafted little volume that will sell Web site usability painlessly to your colleagues. As a bonus, most usability practitioners will enjoy its stylish condensations themselves.
By the standard of current texts like Joann Hackos and Janice Redish's hefty User and Task Analysis for Interface Design or Jakob Nielsen's ubiquitous Designing Web Usability, this book is a carnival midget - eleven large-print chapters, some under 2000 words long, the text broken up by scores of cartoons and other pictures. As Krug himself suggests, he's created the Classics Illustrated version of all those bigger usability texts, the comic-book version that tells you what's in the big books you haven't read.
"When I look at a Web page it should be self-evident. Obvious. Self-explanatory. I should be able to 'get it' - what it is and how to use it - without expending any effort thinking about it."
Users don't read; we scan.
Users don't make optimal choices; we look for the first good-enough solution (a process that economics calls "satisficing").
Users don't figure out how things work; we muddle through.
In other words, designers should think "roadside billboard" rather than "A Suitable Boy".
Krug doesn't ruthlessly strip out material the way the billboard analogy implies. Indeed, many of his page designs look almost as cluttered as anyone else's. But the principle holds. If you want your site used, pare everything down to the essentials.
Actually, the principle of paring everything back has produced good design for thousands of years. The book itself works because it has slimmed the messages of Web site usability down to an essential core. It makes itself useful to designers by powerfully reinforcing a handful of key ideas that most designers already use. It makes itself useful to the designer's non-designer colleagues by teaching those ideas in a concise but highly engaging style. It is least useful when it tries to dig deeper into issues such as navigation design.
Before Don't Make Me Think, Steve Krug was a relatively obscure figure in Web site usability. His book suggests a flourishing consultancy practice, and contains endorsements by the likes of information designer Richard Saul Wurman and designer Roger Black. But Krug's most convincing qualification is Don't Make Me Think itself. Like some of the very best Web sites, it lets its audience learn without ever feeling that they've had to make an effort.


We all know that here are a lot of negative connotations associated with the term "hoarder" or even "packrat". They always seem to get a bad rap. And while I know that there are for sure negative effects and consequences of hoarding behavior, for today's episode I offer you a slightly different perspective on the topic.
My paternal Great Grand Mother And paternal Grand Mother were past Horders. They came from growing up poor in the turn of the 20th century. She married a man who was mean at the wrong issues were brought up. My grandma was abused by her father did she was married at age of 17 when she met her soul mate. Due to tough early life and experiences may become a Hoarder and affected all the us .


6th November 2018 £450.00 The Sony Cyber-shot HX99 is one of the best travel-zoom cameras on the market, offering a compelling mix of great still and video image quality and an upgraded feature-set... Read the Review.
13th September 2018 £499.00 The new Fujifilm XF10 is a largely successful attempt to woo both smartphone upgraders and serious enthusiasts, ultimately satisfying both camps thanks to the combination of excellent image quality and diminutive size. Read the Review.
31st October 2017 £499.00 Although the GoPro HERO6 is primarily a video camera, the fact that you can use it for stills in situations where you wouldn't be able to use other cameras (or your phone) makes it a versatile option for a range of different photographers - not just those who are into extreme sport. Read the Review.
1st April 2019 £769.00 Overall, although the Lumix FZ1000 II may not mark a hugely exciting new entry into Panasonic's line-up, it's a great choice for those looking for flexibility and high image quality and comes recommended, particularly for travelling photographers. Read the Review.
7th January 2019 £999.00 ...if you're in the market for a camera that handles like a Leica, thanks to the various top plate dials and controls, yet performs with the relative simplicity of a Panasonic (including the LX100 II it's obviously based on), should all you want to do is point and shoot, then the Leica D-Lux 7 ably fits the bill for visually documenting that next city tour or mini break. Read the Review.
3rd October 2018 £849.00 A relatively large Four Thirds sensor, excellent 4K video, a fantastic Leica-branded lens, touchscreen LCD and a viewfinder are just some of the mouth-watering features on offer in the new LX100 II. Read the Review.
24th July 2018 £1,150.00 The new 24-200mm literally opens up a whole new vista, allowing you to capture everything from ultra-wide-angle landscapes to close-up candid portraits, all with a camera that you can carry everywhere in a trouser pocket or small bag. Read the Review.
27th February 2018 £729.00 All in all, if you want a camera that can slip into your pocket, then you'd struggle to find a more comprehensive option than the Panasonic Lumix TZ200. Highly Recommended! Read the Review.
28th November 2017 £1,149.00 ...if you want a relatively tiny camera with a fixed lens that can deliver DSLR-like image quality, the new Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark III should certainly be on your short-list. Read the Review.
27th November 2017 £1,799.00 The Sony Cyber-shot RX10 IV is in a league of its own. No other bridge camera handles and performs so well. Read the Review.


text:
Jansen Noyes Jr. (1918–2004) was an investment banker and stock brokerage company executive.

Education and career
Noyes earned a mechanical engineering degree from Cornell University in 1939. During his senior year, Noyes was elected to the Sphinx Head Society. He was chairman of the Board of Trustees of Cornell University from 1978 to 1984.

Noyes was a founding partner of Noyes Partners, Inc. in 1980, and remained as its president until 2003. In 1983, Berkery Associates was merged with Noyes Partners, to create the investment banking firm Berkery, Noyes & Co.

Personal life
Noyes was the son of Jansen Noyes Sr. who founded and was senior partner in the Hornblower, Weeks, Noyes & Trask investment firm of Wall St.

Charitable work

In 1966, Noyes' family donated Noyes Center, a student union on Cornell University's West Campus. The building was designed by the architecture firm Todd & Giroux.
The building was demolished along with the six University Hall dormitories as part of the West Campus Initiative whose goal was to create a residential college system on West Campus. The building was replaced by the new Noyes Community Recreational Center that opened in 2007 on a nearby site.

He was also the director of Helen Keller International from 1946 to 1996.

References

1918 births
2004 deaths
American bankers
Cornell University alumni
20th-century American businesspeople