Saturday, May 5, 2012

Jess Faraday Guest Blog


When I was asked to write a guest post for Creatively Green, it took me a few minutes to think of a suitable topic. There are lots of blogs about books, and many that address green living. But how many of them combine the two? And yet the two ideas go together well. Readers and writers are thoughtful people--as are people interested in green living. Surely they must think about the same things sometimes.

I write historicals, which means that in addition to writing stories, I read an awful lot of history. It's amazing how the smallest cultural or technological shifts can cause huge differences in the way people live. My latest book, The Affair of the Porcelain Dog, is set in late Victorian London--an age of enlightenment, but not typically one associated with ecological awareness.

And yet, the Victorians, as it turns out, were amazing recyclers.

Take clothing. In our disposable-everything culture, if something becomes worn, gets a hole, or simply becomes boring, it often goes straight to a landfill. It may be donated or handed down, but certainly not as often as when I was a child. People rarely take the time to mend or darn. Not so for Victorian garments. In Victorian London Street Life in Photographs, Adolphe Smith describes the life cycle of clothing.

After passing through various owners and becoming well worn, a garment would go to a "clobberer," a person who would clean and mend it for resale. Clothes beyond the clobberer's help would go to a "translator," who took the garment apart and created new garments from it. When worn to rags, clothing found one of two fates: it would be reduced to "wool dust" and either mixed with new wool and transformed into new fabric, or the wool dust would be used to fertilize hops fields-- and, as Smith says, "thus are old clothes converted into foaming beer!"

The lack of indoor plumbing in Georgian and Victorian London led to some creative recycling as well. The flush toilet, though invented in the 1500s, didn't find its way into common use until the late 1880s, when indoor plumbing became more widespread. Today's society gleefully goes through not only gallons of precious drinkable water every time we flush, but also wastes (or so to speak) a valuable source of nitrates--a source that Victorian and Georgian farmers depended upon to fertilize their crops.

Until 1870 (when cheap bat guano from South America became available), human waste, or "night soil" was carefully collected from homes, transported to drying yards outside the cities, then sold as a rich fertilizer. And it was organic, too!

How many more things do we throw away that could be put to better use? Bottle and can recycling are a start, but I can't help but think of all of the things buried in the landfills of the developed world or dumped into the ocean, which a more resourceful culture than ours would find new uses for, again and again. One day, perhaps our descendants will realize the trove of treasure buried by people of an earlier, more careless age.

Which gives me an idea for a story....


The Affair of the Porcelain Dog

Author: Jess Faraday

Pages: 240
Pub Date: June 2011
ISBN 10: 1-60282-230-1
ISBN 13: 978-1-60282-230-6

Description

London 1889.

For Ira Adler, former rent-boy and present plaything of crime lord Cain Goddard, stealing back the statue from Goddard's blackmailer should have been a doddle. But inside the statue is evidence that could put Goddard away for a long time under the sodomy laws, and everyone's after it, including Ira's bitter ex, Dr. Timothy Lazarus. No sooner does Ira have the porcelain dog in his hot little hands, than he loses it to a nimble-fingered prostitute.

As Ira’s search for the dog drags him back to the mean East End streets where he grew up, he discovers secrets about his own past, and about Goddard's present business dealings, which make him question everything he thought he knew. An old friend turns up dead, and an old enemy proves himself a friend. Goddard is pressing Ira for a commitment, but every new discovery casts doubt on whether Ira can, in good conscience, remain with him.

In the end, Ira must choose between his hard-won life of luxury and standing against a grievous wrong.

The Affair of the Porcelain Dog has been short-listed for a Lambda Award in the category of "Gay Mystery."
http://www.lambdaliterary.org/llf-news/24th-annual-lambda-literary-awards/

Women of The Dark Streets


Contains
The Trickster Codex by Jess Faraday

Author: various authors
Edited by Radclyffe and Stacia Seaman
Pages: 336
Pub Date: March 2012
ISBN 13: 9781602826519
Genre: lesbian paranormal anthology

Description

Enter a midnight world of the supernatural—a world of vampires, werewolves, witches, ghosts, and demons. A seductive world limited only by your imagination, full of dark fantasies, hidden desires, and sexy women who rule the night. Edited by award-winning editors Radclyffe and Stacia Seaman, Women of the Dark Streets presents all new tales of the paranormal from your favorite Bold Strokes authors.




About the Author:


Jess Faraday is the author of one novel, three book translations, a handful of short stories, and numerous nonfiction articles.

She is a graduate of the University of Arizona (B.A.) and UCLA (M.A.). Since then, she has earned her daily bread in a number of questionable ways, including translation, lexicography, copyediting, teaching high school Russian, and hawking shoes to the overprivileged offspring of Los Angeles-area B-listers.

She enjoys martial arts, the outdoors, strong coffee and a robust Pinot Noir.

Website: http://www.jessfaraday.com

BSB Author Page

Twitter:@jessfaraday

Facebook: Jess Faraday

Friday, May 4, 2012

“The Myth Behind my Novel, Dark Lullaby,” by Mayra Calvani



First of all, thanks to Wanona for having me as a guest on her lovely blog! Today, as part of my Dark Lullaby Virtual Book Tour, I’d like to talk about the myth behind my novel.

During my early to mid twenties, I lived in Turkey. It was an incredible experience. Not only did I learn to speak Turkish, but I also made wonderful friends and learned a ton about their customs and folklore.

In Turkey, a lot of people, especially in the villages, believe in the cin (pronounced ‘jiin’). However, this isn’t the jinn as westerners know it, like the genie that comes out of magic lamps. It is a much darker creature that could better be compared to the fairy. In Turkish myth, it is a being that lives in the forests. It can be good or evil. It is of spirit form but can shapeshift into an animal or human. Like the western fairy, it is often volatile, mischievous and prone to pranks, some of which can be deadly. It loves milk products.

Want me to get creepier? It has a bizarre taste for live human liver and, when in human form, its feet are set backwards!

Oh, and those little lights that you often see in the woods on warm summer nights, otherwise known as fireflies? They aren’t fireflies. They’re cin.

I was fascinated with the accounts I heard, fascinated enough to write a novel. Thus, Dark Lullaby
was born.

If you want to try something different, I hope you’ll check out Dark Lullaby. You can read the first chapters free on Kindle and Smashwords.



Thanks for your support!


May 2 Promo and review
Kindred Dreamheart 

May 3 Guest Blog (have)
Fang-tastic Books

May 4 Guest Blog (have)
The Creatively Green Write at Home Mom

May 5 Promo 
Books, books the magical fruit


May 6 Review
Ramblings of a Coffee Addicted Writer –


May 8 Interview and Promo
Carly Fall - Where Fantasy Meets Romance

May 9 Promo and review
Picked by Poison

May 14 Guest blog
J.D. Brown's Book Blog   

May 15 Guest Blog
Soliloquy 

May 20 Excerpt/Promo
Read2Review.com 

May 23 Review
Reviews By Molly

May 25 Guest blog
Darlene’s Book Nook

May 27 Review
Books, Books, and More Books 

May 28 Interview and review
Froggarita

May 30 Interview and review
Storm Goddess Book Reviews & More- 

May 30 Guest Blog 
Paranormal Romantic Suspense,



Dark Lullaby

By Mayra Calvani


Blurb:

At a trendy Turkish tavern one Friday night, astrophysicist Gabriel Diaz meets a mysterious young woman. Captivated by her beauty as well as her views on good and evil, he spends the next several days with her. Soon, however, he begins to notice a strangeness in her–her skin’s abnormally high temperature, her obsession with milk products, her child-like and bizarre behavior as she seems to take pleasure in toying with his conscience.

The young woman, Kamilah, invites him to Rize, Turkey, where she claims her family owns a cottage in the woods. In spite of his heavy workload and the disturbing visions and nightmares about his sister’s baby that is due to be born soon, Gabriel agrees to go with her.

But nothing, not even the stunning splendor of the Black Sea, can disguise the horror of her nature. In a place where death dwells and illusion and reality seem as one, Gabriel must now come to terms with his own demons in order to save his sister’s unborn child, and ultimately, his own soul…

*Dream Realm Awards Finalist!

What readers are saying…

“Mayra Calvani is a masterful storyteller… Dark Lullaby is complex and compelling…” –Habitual Reader


“Dark Lullaby is an atmospheric paranormal horror that grips you from page one and refuses to let go until you’ve raced, breathless, to the end.” –ePinions


“Dark Lullaby is a page-turner. A horror story from the top shelf! You’ll love it.” –5 stars from Euro-Reviews


“This is a terrific horror…” –Harriet Klausner


“Dark Lullaby will capture you with its rich descriptions, its exotic location, and the need to uncover the dark secrets hidden within its pages.” –Cheryl Malandrinos, The Book Connection


Author bio:


Mayra Calvani writes fiction and nonfiction for children and adults and has authored over a dozen books, some of which have won awards. Her stories, reviews, interviews and articles have appeared on numerous publications such as The Writer, Writer’s Journal, Multicultural Review, and Bloomsbury Review, among many others. A reviewer for over a decade, she now offers online reviewing workshops. When she’s not writing, reading, editing or reviewing, she enjoys walking her dog, traveling, and spending time with her family.

Visit her website at www.MayraCalvani.com. Join her mailing list and receive the first two lessons of her book reviewing workshop, as well as her free ebook, Reviewers Talk About Their Craft.

Twitter URL: http://twitter.com/mcalvani

Facebook Fan Page URL: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Mayra-Calvanis-Fan-Page/162383023775888

Thursday, May 3, 2012

Culinary Herbs Herb Gardening for Beginners

Culinary Herb Gardening for Beginners By Wenona Napolitano

With the growing popularity of fresh herbs being used in recipes more people are planting their own herbs. Fresh herbs can be costly and sometimes hard to find. If you enjoy cooking a fresh herb garden is almost a necessity. A culinary herb garden does not have to be planted in a complicated design nor do you need a lot of space to plant a simple herb garden.

Herbs are very versatile and can be planted almost anywhere. You can plant them along pathways, in rock gardens, on terraces, in among vegetable beds or your other plants or they can be planted in containers. Most herbs require full sunlight though a few such as mints and lemon balm do best in shade. Most herbs prefer well drained soil with a neutral pH.

Very little planning is needed for designing a basic culinary herb garden. Prepare your spot, clear the area, and add organic matter to your soil such as compost or peat moss. Break up any clumps of soil by raking over it. You can start herbs in your garden by directly planting seeds, though this needs to be done early in the season. It is easier to buy starter plants and transplant them into your garden. After planting your herbs, spread mulch around each plant to keep the plants clean. After planting your herbs do not over water or over fertilize.


Some of the most popular culinary herbs are:
basil
bay
chives
dill
garlic
lemon balm
marjoram
mint
oregano
parsley
rosemary
sage
tarragon
and thyme

Basil is an annual and very sensitive to frost; it must be taken inside for the winter or replanted in spring. Basil reaches about 2 feet in height. Leaves can be harvested throughout the summer.

Bay is an evergreen shrub but it is tender and must be taken inside for the winter. It can grow to a height of 10 feet so you will want to keep it pruned and trimmed.

Chives are small onion like plants that are mostly used in soups and salads. They are a hardy perennial that reaches 12 to 18 inches in height.

Dill is an annual that will need to be replanted every year. They grow 2 to 3 feet tall.

Lemon balm plants grow 1 to 3 feet tall. Lemon balm leaves are often used in teas, jellies, or for flavoring.

Marjoram is a tender perennial that must be taken indoors in the winter or grown as an annual. It reaches 8 to 12 inches in height. There are many mint varieties.

Peppermint and spearmint are the most popular. They are hardy perennials that can grow to 3 feet in height. They must be contained or they can spread throughout the garden.

Oregano is a hardy perennial that reaches 18 to 30 inches in height.

Parsley is used in soups and salads and as a garnish. Parsley is often grown as an annual reaching 12 to 18 inches in height.

Rosemary is a perennial shrub growing 2 to 6 feet high. It must be sheltered or taken inside during the winter.

Sage is a short lived perennial growing to 2 feet in height.

Tarragon is a perennial that grows 2 to 3 feet tall.

Thyme is a perennial that grows only 8 to 12 inches tall.

When planting your herbs you will want all your tallest plants to be in the back and the shorter ones in the front of your garden. Space them out and if you have to take any in during the winter make sure they are easy to reach and dig out without damaging any surrounding plants. You also have the option of putting everything in containers that way any that need to be taken indoors during the winter are easily transplanted and you can easily rearrange them and move them around.

You may only want to plant a few herbs at first, mainly the ones that you know you will use. Some of the smaller herbs like chives, basil, parsley, rosemary, sage and thyme can easily be grown in window boxes or small container gardens. Hanging baskets are another option if you just want a small culinary herb garden.

Herbs that do well in hanging baskets are basil, marjoram, sage and thyme. It is easiest to grow herbs together in containers or baskets that require the same type of care. Most prefer well drained soil and are draught resistant so they do not need a lot of water.

Some herbs can be continually harvested while others are best to harvest at peak time right before they flower. Some herbs can be used fresh others you will want to dry. Bunches of herbs can be dried by hanging them in a dry place out of the sunlight. Store dried herbs in airtight containers and kept in the dark. It is best to store herbs in a cupboard or put them in dark containers that you can not see through.

With minimal effort and care you can have a culinary herb garden. Imagine bragging to guests that you made culinary dishes prepared with herbs grown in your own garden

Wednesday, May 2, 2012

Have Green Birthday Party

Overview

Disposable plates, napkins, silverware, all that wrapping paper, unwanted gifts...the trash that piles up just from one birthday party can be overwhelming. It's time to make celebrations a bit more eco-friendly. Tread more lightly on the planet and think before consuming resources and producing so much waste. You can go green and not go without.

Send eco-invitations. You have several options: recycled paper, tree free paper or no paper. You can make or purchase invitations made from recycled, tree free or even handmade seeded paper. You can also go completely paperless by sending emails or using a digital invitation site like Evite or Pingg


Get creative with the tableware. Use cloth table linens, napkins, and reusable plates and silverware. If you don't have enough scour the thrift shops for something colorful and fun that is relatively cheap. If you don't want to keep it after the party, donate it back to the store. You'll be doing doubly good by saving resources and helping a good cause. If you must use disposables options for papers made from 100 percent post consumer recycled waste and fibers that are biodegradable.

Make the decorations part of the gifts. Have the decor do double duty as presents. Skip the balloons and toss away posters and streamers. Get decorative lamps, vases, framed prints and other eco-friendly items that can be part of an elegant decor, but that can also be given as presents.

Look to Mother Nature for other eco-friendly decorations. Flowers, potted plants, pretty rocks and stones, branches, fresh fruit and veggies in vases--all of these make eco-elegant decor and can be eaten or returned to nature after the party.

Serve a yummy menu full of local, seasonal and organic foods. Visit your local Farmer's Market, local farm stands and roadside produce sellers for fresh seasonal foods. If it's the middle of winter and your options are minimal, at least opt for organic.

Bake a green cake by using local and organic ingredients. If you don't bake, find a local baker that uses locally grown/made and organic ingredients. It's still a cake, but it will be a healthier, greener version of the traditional cake.

Create a green registry so guests can bring eco-gifts like recycled glassware, bamboo linens and kitchenware, tree-free journals and note cards, soy candles or whatever other eco-stuff the birthday person would like. If the birthday person is a child, ask for organic stuffed animals, wooden toys and other green goodies for kids.


Request packages and gifts with little to no packaging and wrapping paper to save on resources and reduce waste.

Skip the guest treat bags or give eco-treats. Fill reusable canvas or cloth tote bags with green goodies like a CFL bulb, organic cookies or soy tea light candles. For kids, go with mini notebooks made from recycled paper, eco-friendly crayons or markers, wooden yo-yos and low sugar organic cookies or candy.

Recycle everything you can after the party: cans, bottles, left over paper, etc.

Tuesday, May 1, 2012

Basic Yoga Descriptions

Hatha Yoga
A basic yoga most people associate with yoga practice. "Ha" means the moon and "tha" the sun. This is the regularization of breathing to modify the circulation of the "prana," or vital fluid in the physical body. This is yoga of the physical exercises known as "asanas.".This is essentially a Shivaist yoga consisting of the physical movements, postures and breathing techniques.

Raja Yoga

Raja is known as royal yoga or the "royal road." It begins where Hatha ends. It works on the mind to direct the current of the prana. It is essentially Vishnuist yoga. Raja incorporates exercise and breathing practice with meditation and study to produce a well-rounded individual.

Bhakti Yoga


Bhakti is the yoga of devotion. It is the love for the divine, the guru in human form. It is a practice of extreme devotion in one pointed concentration upon one's concept of God. This is more of a religious yoga.


Karma Yoga


This is the yoga of action and is subdivided into many other yogas. This is the yoga of duty accomplished without affection, selfishness or self interest. Karma is all movement, all work of any kind done with the mind centered on a personal concept of God.

Jnana Yoga


Jnana is the yoga of knowledge, the intellectual realization of the divine. Jnana is the path of wisdom and is considered to be the most difficult path of yoga to follow.


Tantra Yoga


Tantric yoga is a way of showing the unseen consciousness in forms through specific words, diagrams and movements. It joins the physical and spiritual bodies. Tantric yoga takes into account both inner and outer realities. Tantra is most often associated with sex magic, sexual power and enlightenment.

Kashmir Shaivism


This yoga system states everything in the universe has both male and female qualities. The male and female principles form an equal partnership that can not be separated. Kashmir Shaivism is based on emotion rather than intellect.

Ashtanga Yoga

Ashtanga is a sequence of breathing and movement that produces a heat to purify the body, nervous system and mind. Ashtanga is referred to as Classical yoga. It possibly dates back as far as the 1st or 2nd Century BC. It was compiled by Patanjali, a scholar. It consists of the eight steps or eight limbs.

Many of the original classifications and types of yoga are today blended to form a well-rounded simple yoga for everyday use.

Fighting Gravity Release Day Blitz

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Monday, April 30, 2012

DIY Paper Making


Have you ever thought about making your own paper but you weren’t sure where to start or what to do? Well here’s a tutorial for you that can help you out.
Handmade paper can be made from many differnt materials or a combination of several materials, including bits of old scrap paper you have lying around the house or even scrap fibers such as cotton. Even dryer lint can be added to paper slurry for a colorful touch.
Many types of plant fibers can be turned into usable paper too, though some raw plant materials need special preparations which can be a lengthy process. But if you just want to toss a few flower petals, leaves or seeds in with scrap paper fibers it’s very easy.

Here’s what you’ll need to make your homemade paper:
  • Lots of scrap paper
  • Anything you’d like to add to the paper- fibers, string, flower petals, small leaves, herbs, glitter, confetti, etc
  • A couple of wooden frames that should be a little larger than the size you wish the finished piece of paper to be
  • A window screen a little larger than the largest frame; it has to go over the frame and attach to it
  • Staples and hand stapler or staple gun (if you are making your own screen frames, if you have premade frames you won’t need the stapler)
  • An old blender, preferably not one you’ll want to use again for food processing
  • A large rubber or plastic tub, big enough to immerse the frames in
  • Pieces of felt or wool larger than your frames, at least two per sheet of paper, or old towels (this id for absorbing water and to help dry out the papers)
  • Sponge
  • Rolling pin
  • Cornstarch to mix into the slurry and make the paper easier to write on
  • Flat, edgeless cookie sheets
  • Optional items, including large cookie-cutter shapes, an apron, and extra towels and rags
You may have many of these supplies around the house. If you don’t you can find papermaking supplies at craft and hobby stores.
The frames and screen are called a mold and deckle, and the tubs are vats.
To make your paper you need to:
1. Collect a lot of scrap paper, fibers and any extras you would like to add to the paper. Not all paper is a good choice for making your own recycled product. Newspaper will turn everything gray, and magazines are too glossy and will make everything gunky. The best paper choices are junk mail, office, computer, and copy paper.
2. Once you have all your papers, rip them up into small squares or shred into small pieces.
3. Once the paper is all ripped up or shredded, soak it in a tub of warm water for at least two hours- even better soak overnight.
4. (Optional- not needed if you already have frames or a mold and deckle)
To make your mold, cut your window screen an inch or two larger than the frame, then stretch it over the frame and staple it to the back side. If you want your paper to have straight edges you’ll want to use a second frame with no screen; this is called the deckle. The deckle sits on the mold and defines the shape of the paper.
5. After the paper has finished soaking, mix it up in your blender at a ratio of one cup of paper to 2–3 cups of water. Start with 2 cups; if the mixture is too thick and lumpy add another cup. You want to have a thick slurry, smoothie or thick milkshake consistency. If you want to be able to write on the handmade paper, add a tablespoon of cornstarch. The cornstarch will make the paper less likely to absorb ink.
6. Blend your mixture on a medium high blender setting until it has the consistency of thin oatmeal.
7. You can experiment with colors by adding food coloring. Pour it in and mix very briefly. At this point you can also add your flowers, herbs or other materials. Or if you don’t want your materials all blended up you can wait until you pour the paper mix into the mold then add your materials by hand. Do not blend seeds in the blender. If you want to make plantable paper, wait until your pulp is ready in the molds.
8. Once your paper is blended into a nice slurry of pulp, fill your tub with about two inches of water for every blender-full of pulp.
9. Pour the paper pulp into a mold, then lower the mold into the tub of water at an angle and shake to distribute the pulp evenly over the screen. If you are using a deckle, place it over the mold now, gently shake it back and forth, and pull both the mold and deckle up out of the water tub gently. Let the water drain. Allow all of the excess water to flow back into the tub of water.
10. If you don’t want to dip the pulp into the water you can now add your materials such as seeds, flowers, and herbs. By not dipping the pulp into the water your paper can be thicker but not as even.
11. Use a sponge, cloth, or towels to dry the excess water off the back of the screen. You want as much excess water removed as possible so your paper can dry.
12. Now it’s time to lay a piece of felt, wool, or thick towel on top of the paper pulp on the screen and turn the whole thing over — mold and all — onto a hard surface such as a flat edgeless cookie sheet. If the paper doesn’t come off easily, dry the back of the screen some more, tap it, or carefully peel the paper off.
13. If you have not already done so, you can now add flowers, herbs, or seeds to the paper mixture. If you choose, make imprints in the paper by pressing plants, leaves, or even textured objects such as lace into the paper. Leave the objects there until the paper has dried.
14. Cover the paper with another piece of felt and roll over it with a rolling pin to bind the fibers together and to help imprint any designs. This will also help your paper dry faster, flatter, and more even.
15. You can keep adding new sheets of paper to your pile as you make them; just separate each one with a piece of felt so they don’t stick together.
16. Sandwich all the paper sheets together and keep them lying flat by piling books or boards on top of them. If you really get into the homemade paper process, you could make a simple paper press from boards and C clamps. Kitchen cutting boards are also very effective for pressing the paper to keep it flat.
17. Leave the sheets alone until they are dry. Drying time can vary, but start by leaving the sheets overnight. Store the sheets so they remain flat until you are ready to use them.
Making handmade paper is a fun though somewhat time consuming process but after you get used to it all it becomes less complicated. The first time is the hardest.
This tutorial was excerpted and edited from The Everything Green Wedding Book by Wenona Napolitano.