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Only Six Days Late . . . With My 2017 Review, I Mean

Normally I like to do an end of the year review of my blogging, but I am running late with practically everything. For those of you who do not read my L. Rigdon newsletter (follow this link to get on my newsletter list), you should know that a few big things happened at the end of 2017. First of all – I got a full-time job! Due to numerous issues – both financial and personal – finding full-time…

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More places for my blog challenge!

I’ve only lived in the Portland area for a little over a year, and, like most crafters, I make friends with other crafters in part to find out the best (cheapest) places to find supplies. Several of my friends said that I must go to SCRAP PDX.

It took a while for me to make the time to head on out there, but I finally made the journey. For those of you who haven’t seen it, I’m not sure if the pictures in this blog will do the store justice, but the pics will certainly give you an idea of what wonders there are to behold.

As I walked through the store, my first thoughts included how impressed I felt at the level of organization. Although you may never have seen such an arrangement of random stuff, the fact that everything is arranged, labeled, separated into individual boxes, and often color-coded blows your mind away.

At the same time, the sheer amount of everything, and the peculiar items for sale, can feel overwhelming, hence the heaven and hell in the title. Fortunately, the variety of items everywhere you look keeps you distracted, and it heightens your curiosity concerning what you’re going to find next.

Like many things in Portland, SCRAP PDX promotes the idea of minimizing waste, and their items for sale emphasize that idea to the extreme. These items for sale are often donated from individuals and businesses.

While the majority of the items in the store are legitimate craft and art supplies, the rest of the items are somewhere between what most would call junk and what others would find typically at a flea market or garage sale.

With prices unbelievably low for the majority of items, this store is definitely the place for mixed-media artists to gather supplies and inspiration. Teachers also would make out like bandits at this store, especially on their limited budgets.

I feel that some, not all, of the fabric and notions were slightly overpriced for a secondhand store. I admit, I am a penny-pincher, so my view on prices is no doubt jaded.

Despite some overpriced fabric, SCRAP PDX seems like an excellent place for a multitude of customers. Similarly, if you just need a store to walk through and look around, your eyes will never want for more in a store like this.

SCRAP PDX, located at 1736 SW Alder Street in Portland, is a nonprofit organization that was founded in 1999. They offer educational classes, including classes for children. Promoting greener living through reusing everything and anything, according to their site, “SCRAP diverted 140 tons of usable materials from the waste stream” in 2016. Find out more by visiting their website: www.scrappdx.org

Heaven and Hell for the OCD: SCRAP PDX More places for my blog challenge! I’ve only lived in the Portland area for a little over a year, and, like most crafters, I make friends with other crafters in part to find out the best (cheapest) places to find supplies.

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While working on my blog challenge, I decided to take a nature walk through the picturesque scene of Cathedral Park, found at N Edison St & Pittsburg Ave.

Located under St. Johns Bridge and directly next to the Willamette River, (Oregonian Pronunciation: Will-LAMB-et), Cathedral Park feels like a place miles away from civilization, despite being directly under a well-used bridge, and being next to a fairly thriving community.

What’s the secrets to the quiet surroundings? Take a look at these pictures and make your guesses:

Figure it out?

In my opinion, the height and placement of the bridge combined with the sounds of the river produce white noise that drowns out all surrounding city noises. Additionally, there are a fair amount of trees in the park, as well as everywhere near the river, which adds the sounds of wildlife. While walking through the park, I often heard the sounds of birds chirping and squirrels rustling in the bushes.

All of this creates the illusion of being far removed from the nearby urban jungle.

As a place to walk through, Cathedral Park provides an excellent setting for exercise, clearing your head, or just a pleasant stroll. Even though there are plenty of man-made structures all around you at Cathedral Park, (GIANT freaking bridge), surprisingly, everything blends in to the background. The bridge is painted a muted green color, the stonework of the bridge has been aged and looks like natural rock, and even the walking paths and benches are all done in earth tones that take nothing away from the surrounding landscape.

Many people come to the park with their dogs. There is plenty of room for dogs to run without intruding upon anyone else. The lack of loud city sounds probably puts less stress on the dogs.

If you have young children, there really aren’t any play structures in the area. If your children like running about, walking in nature, playing on the riverbed, and looking at a bridge, then you’ll be fine, but even then some children might get bored.

The bridge itself truly captivated me from the moment I pulled into the parking lot. Looking at the bridge feels like gazing at a stunning piece of art. The Gothic style architecture against the backdrop of the gorgeous hills of the Pacific Northwest produce a stunning visual to behold. No wonder that this bridge is known as the Gateway to the Portland Harbor.

Some interesting facts about the bridge include the following:

The spires stand at 409 feet above the river

St. Johns Bridge was opened in 1931

It’s known as “the largest and most significant suspension bridge in Oregon”*

The bridge weighs over 7,000 tons

From end-to-end, the length of the bridge with approaches is 3,834 feet (Almost ¾ of a mile!) *PDXHistory.com

Within the city of Portland, there are 12 bridges. Each bridge offers its own unique character and view of the city. The St. Johns Bridge, standing high over Cathedral Park, keeps watch over this quiet haven. The park itself offers a tranquil space to rest before or after a visit to the man-made metropolis nearby.

Serene Revelations: A Walk through Cathedral Park While working on my blog challenge, I decided to take a nature walk through the picturesque scene of Cathedral Park, found at N Edison St & Pittsburg Ave.

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As many of you know, at the beginning of the year I gave myself the blog challenge to explore new and strange places and/or restaurants here in the PDX area. My goal was to explore and write corresponding blog posts throughout the year. Sadly, I have not been keeping up with this goal for most of the year, so lately I’ve been pushing myself to do better and MEET my goal!

For example, when I was making plans for when my mother came to visit me in July, I decided to take her to a few places that I could use for my blogs.

So why didn’t I post blogs about my adventures in August?

Instead of blogging about the places we saw, I was busy with my latest publication, Grift and Shadow, (available at both Amazon and Smashwords). After the book was released for distribution on August 31, I was gearing up to play a major game of catch-up with a lot of my other duties/projects, so once again, I had pushed my blog post to the back burner.

Then the Eagle Creek wildfire happened.

Picture posted by KOMO ABC News

On September 2, 2017, the fire was reported in the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area, which is the same area I took my mom during her visit. The days passed on, and air quality throughout the Portland area became dangerous. It rained ash, even though the fires were 30 miles away from Portland.

As firefighters and first responders worked diligently to contain the fire, information was released that the cause of the fire was believed to be the misuse of fireworks by a 15-year-old from Vancouver, WA. A witness saw the young man light and throw the fireworks into the overtly dry grass of the Gorge. The witness questioned the young man afterwards. From all reports, the young man seemed aloof and apathetic, as if he didn’t care about the massive devastation his carelessness had started.

According to InciWeb, as of September 27, 2017, the fire is at 46% containment, and has spread over 48,573 acres. Local news reporters from KATU indicated that teams of experts have already been brought in to assess the damage and determine the best course of action for cleanup, public safety, and returning the Gorge back to “pre-fire conditions.”

Freeway access to the Gorge on the 84 has only recently been available. Before the fire started, I had made plans that sometime in September I would make a drive through the Gorge and go all the way to Mount Hood. That has not happened, and I have yet to see the aftermath firsthand; I’m not exactly eager to see it, if I’m honest.

Despite such monumental destruction in the Gorge, I try to remain optimistic.

I know that the experts, first responders, and volunteers will do whatever it takes to rebuild and heal the region. The fall and winter rains will help cleanse and rejuvenate the area. Granted, with the loose soil, the forestry department and engineers will have to move quickly to avoid massive landslides, but from the news articles and videos, it sounds like everyone understands what needs to be done to prevent more problems.

Now, without further ado, let me talk about the Gorge before the fires.

I have journeyed down 84 a few times since we moved up here to the Pacific Northwest. Going through the region, with the Columbia River by your side, takes your breath away. The historic Columbia Highway, as pictured above, starts off at Crown Point with the Vista House, which is the building in the above picture.

Construction on the Vista House began in 1916. It was designed to be a rest stop and an observatory that would offer tourists an amazing view of the entire Gorge, as Vista House sits over 700 feet above the Columbia River.

The first time I visited Vista House was in November of 2016, and the wind chill up there froze me down to the bone. We went inside of the observatory and downstairs, where I found a gift shop. Since I am frugal, I usually only buy postcards from gift shops, but because I was freezing, I now own a green hooded sweater with a white graphic of Vista House painted on the front.

As I drove my mom and her friend on the historic highway this past July, we of course stopped at Vista House and took plenty of pictures. Inside Vista House, they also had several displays about the August 21st solar eclipse, letting people know the optimal places to view it. The best place to view it in Oregon was Salem, which is about an hour south of us here in Portland. Of course, here in Portland we would still be able to see 98% of the eclipse, which wasn’t too shabby.

Venturing on from Vista House, we drove down the curvy Columbia River Highway. It’s a two-lane road through the woods, meant to be a slow, scenic trip to enjoy. While you drive, you’ll notice expertly crafted masonry on the walls and the small stone bridges. These reminders of an earlier era give you a clue to the age of the historical highway.

There are several waterfalls that visitors can stop at on their way to the main tourist attraction, Multnomah Falls. In the past, I have stopped at a few of these, and if you have the time, almost all of the waterfalls are definitely worth the side trip excursions. As Multnomah Falls was only the first stop on a long journey out to Hood River with my mom and her friend, we skipped the smaller falls and headed straight for the big one.

The noon sun glares down, making the falls even more captivating.

Parking at Multnomah Falls during the busy tourist season is no easy task. If you want to see the falls, I highly recommend getting there as early in the day as possible. Arrive there after noon, as we did, and you may be circling around for parking for quite some time.

Supposedly, there is an additional parking lot, although I have not yet found this parking haven on either of my visits to the falls. The falls are right by the 84, and the parking lot is off of the 84, but on the other side of where the falls are located, so you walk under the freeway and up a path to Multnomah Falls. I have never gone to the falls via the 84, and instead have always taken the historical route. One of these days, I will have to find this elusive parking lot.

We actually drove through the Gorge on two different days when my mom and her friend were visiting. On one day, we drove mainly on the Washington side of the Columbia River, and we saw quite a number of gorgeous sites.

We had our boy with us on the first day. We’ve taken him on a number of adventures in the past, and for the most part he likes hiking in nature. Like many other six-year-olds, he will eventually get bored, and he needs some motivation to keep going. Ice cream is a great motivator, as is stopping to take pictures with Sasquatch.

On the second day of our Columbia River Gorge adventures, it was just my mom, her friend, and me. After we saw the beauty of the Multnomah Falls, we got on the 84 and headed east to Hood River. My mother’s friend had found a tourist pamphlet about The Fruit Loop, and we decided that would be our adventure.

More than just breakfast cereal, The Fruit Loop is an area around the city of Hood River. In this area, there are multiple stops along “the loop,” including wineries, orchards, flower fields, and more. We stopped at several places to taste pretty much every flavor of jam and jelly you can imagine, including the renowned Marion berry that you only seem to find up here in Oregon. (Don’t let them fool you – it’s just a type of blackberry, but it tastes yummy!)

One of the stops on “the loop” included an alpaca wool shop. My mom both knits and crochets, so she wanted to buy some alpaca wool. In fact, she bought several bundles of dyed wool, letting me pick one of the colors, as it will become a Christmas scarf for me later this year. I promised to look surprised when it arrived!

Another stop was a lavender field. While lavender possesses a strong odor in most beauty and bath products, fresh-in-the-field lavender has a much more subdued smell. What I found incredible occurred as I walked up to the lavender field. As I moved closer to the field, the continuous sound of a low humming noise kept getting louder.

What made the humming noise? Hundreds of pollinators! I got close enough to see the bees moving around from flower to flower.

As my mom and her friend perused the lavender shop, I stepped outside, because I had to take pictures of Mount Hood.

I didn’t think it was possible, but I have fallen deeply and madly in love with this mountain! It makes me smile every time I see it, and I see it almost every time I drive across the bridges, assuming the weather is clear. There are days when you can’t see the top of Mount Hood. I joke that the clouds steal the mountain from me, but they always bring it back. As I ventured with my mom and her friend on The Fruit Loop, it was the closest I’ve ever been to Mount Hood. So, of course, I had to end my adventure with a picture of me and my mountain.

What We Saw before the Fire: An Adventure in the Gorge As many of you know, at the beginning of the year I gave myself the blog challenge…

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Getting My Print on! QUICK PROMO PLUG!!!

Getting My Print on! QUICK PROMO PLUG!!!

As many of you know, on August 31, 2017, I released my latest novel, Grift and Shadow, available at Amazon and at Smashwords. This was also the first book I’ve ever released in print. In the spirit of moving forward as an author, and thanks to the wonders of print on-demand, I have just made one of my other novels, Words on a Feather, available in print through Amazon. Click on the pic below to…

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Rebuilding with Retraining: Ideas for Rebuilding after Hurricane Harvey

Rebuilding with Retraining: Ideas for Rebuilding after Hurricane Harvey

America has been watching the devastation of Hurricane Harvey, and all of us are wondering what happens next. Obviously, people will need to find ways to get their lives back together, but how do you even begin to do that when everything you own has been damaged beyond repair? Experts are already estimating how much money it will cost to start the rebuilding process, but it’s not just a matter of…

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My NEW Book Is Officially OUT

My NEW Book Is Officially OUT

Grift and Shadow is available for purchase NOW!!!! The pre-order push has been amazing! Thank you to everyone who pre-ordered the book=0) Now you can officially buy your copy of Grift and Shadow! Plus, and this is new and exciting for me, Grift and Shadow will be my first book available IN PRINT through Amazon. So whether you like electronic copies or the tactile touch of books, I’ve got you…

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OMG! Only 1 Week Left to Pre-order and Save on Grift and Shadow

OMG! Only 1 Week Left to Pre-order and Save on Grift and Shadow

Hello again my wonderful fans! This is your FINAL REMINDER that Grift and Shadow is available now for pre-order. The official release date is August 31, 2017. That is ONLY 7 DAYS AWAY!!! REMEMBER, if you pre-order now, you will save 25% off of the list price. You wonderful people who pre-order the book before August 31 will only pay $2.99. On August 31, it goes up to full price. I have also made…

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ONLY 2 WEEKS LEFT to Pre-order and Save on Grift and Shadow

ONLY 2 WEEKS LEFT to Pre-order and Save on Grift and Shadow

Hello again my wonderful fans! Just another reminder that Grift and Shadow is available now for pre-order. The official release date is August 31, 2017. REMEMBER, if you pre-order now, you will save 25% off of the list price. You wonderful people who pre-order the book before August 31 will only pay $2.99. On August 31, it goes up to full price. I have also made sure that my book can be…

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Grift and Shadow Available for Pre-order NOW!!!!

Grift and Shadow Available for Pre-order NOW!!!!

After several delays, Grift and Shadow is weeks from being published!!! The official release date is August 31, 2017. But, if you pre-order now, you will save 25% off of the list price. You wonderful people who pre-order the book before August 31 will only pay $2.99. On August 31, it goes up to full price. I have also made sure that my book can be pre-ordered in multiple formats. Click the pic…

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Why are Talks about Russian Orphans Such a Big Deal?

Why are Talks about Russian Orphans Such a Big Deal?

As the media circus concerning the actions of President Trump, his cabinet, and connections to Russia unfold, many people are questioning the significance of one key factor: namely, Donald Trump Jr.’s meeting with a Russian lawyer, which supposedly resulted in a discussion about Russian orphans. What exactly do these Russian orphans have to do with any of the politics going on right now? Although…

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Coming Down from 100% Art Focus

Coming Down from 100% Art Focus

I just finished writing my novel, Grift and Shadow, which is currently being line edited and will hopefully be published in the beginning of August. Shameless plug of the cover: (Art by Travis Bewley) As some of you may know, I had originally hoped to finish and release this book at the end of last year, but moving to the Pacific Northwest, among other challenges, pushed everything back. Just to…

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As many of you will remember, I have given myself a challenge for 2017, which you can read about fully HERE. To sum up my challenge, I am trying to visit strange food places and other destinations in or near the Portland/Vancouver area.

For this blog, I chose The Freaky-But-True Peculiarium and Museum, at 2234 NW Thurman St., Portland, Oregon, 97210.

Located in the northwest side of Portland, the Peculiarium offers passersby an intriguing and thought-provoking outside display.

When you venture inside, the first thing you notice is that the shop is on the small side. Nevertheless, the ceilings are tall. How tall? Tall enough to accommodate a life-size Bigfoot.

The owners have packed an insane amount of peculiarities into every nook and cranny of the small storefront area. Most of these items are for sale, but some are for display only. Your eyes don’t know exactly where to focus, since there are objects of intrigue all around you.

When I walked into the store, I noticed the curtained doorway directly to my left that marked off where the museum began. I also took note of how the small storefront area was separated from the museum via carefully positioned display cases, curtains, and temporary walls. I surmised that the museum took up the bulk of the building, leaving the leftover space of the storefront cramped but cozy.

After I browsed around and found a few fun items to purchase, I went to the cashier to pay for my goods and to pay for a ticket to walk through the museum. By the way, great staff members work at this place! Super nice and easy going.

For a single person, it costs $5 to go through the museum, unless you have an awesome costume, and then it’s free. There are also some group-rate bargains, as you can see from the picture below.

So What Is inside the Museum?

For the most part, it is a collection of pictures, statues, knickknacks, movie props, antiques, and other strange items. Here is a good sample of pics that show some of the highlights:

When you walk through the museum, it really captures that shock and awe sensation of the 1950s and 1960s science fiction and horror genres. Cult classic design. Some of the items might frighten or upset the average person, but given that I write contemporary supernatural and horror fiction, I’m not exactly the best person to judge what is and is not “creepy.”

Would I Recommend This Place to You?

If you are in this part of Portland and you have some time to kill, it’s an amusing way to spend half an hour or so.

You should probably go with another person, if not with a small group. I don’t say this because you might get too scared – far from it. I suggest you take another person, because there are several spots in the museum where you can pose with or in the displays, and this works better with someone else holding your camera.

Realize before you go that this place offers cheesy schlock sci-fi and horror thrills. It’s totally the type of place that the guys from MST3K would mock extensively! If you are looking for serious artifacts that unlock the secrets of the unexplainable, you might be disappointed. If you are looking for a good laugh, come visit the Peculiarium.

Browse through the Bizarre at the Peculiarium As many of you will remember, I have given myself a challenge for 2017, which you can read about fully…

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What to Say (Cite) When Conservatives Say Obama ALSO Banned Muslims

What to Say (Cite) When Conservatives Say Obama ALSO Banned Muslims

Background We have seen a barrage of articles praising and chastising Trump for his recent executive order effectively banning people from 7 mainly-Muslim countries from visiting the United States. There have been countless protests at airports against this executive order. Political leaders have made their opinions against Trump’s executive order known, and other societal leaders have also…

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As part of my 2017 challenge, I will be reviewing both intriguing eating establishments and strange locations throughout the greater Portland/Vancouver area. My first choice of the year was the Jolly Roger at 1340 SE 12th Ave, Portland, OR 97214.

Whenever you eat at a themed-restaurant/pub, you expect a certain type of decor. For the exterior of the Jolly Roger, as seen in the images below, they have the mast with their logo and some pirate-themed phrases on the side of the building.

Not over-the-top, but enough for some random passerby to recognize that they are about to walk into a themed-restaurant.

Once you walk inside, however, almost all the themed decor disappears.

When you step inside, you’re standing inside of a dimly lit bar. I guess you could argue that the dark and dingy lighting re-creates the feel of being in the hull of a pirate vessel, but that would be stretching the truth. If I were to transport you from wherever you were into this bar, it would take you a while to recognize that you were actually in a pirate-themed place.

Just check out these pictures if you don’t believe me.

By the way, PLEASE forgive the quality of the interior pics. When I say dimly lit, I am NOT exaggerating!

It’s not that the area is devoid of any pirate-themed attributes. It just feels like whoever did the decorating either went with the most Hemingway-minimalist approach possible, or, after they were done decorating a bar, they remembered, “Oh yeah, pirate stuff. What do we have?”

Most of the pirate decorations are pics on the wall, though there are a few mirrored portholes to give the vague implication that you might be inside of a ship. All of the walls are wood, which is a nice touch. Some of the wood is more shingles rather than paneling, which I thought peculiar.

Here are the few bits of pirate paraphernalia inside the Jolly Roger. I think my favorite has to be the bathroom signs.

Even though they have very few pirate decorations for a supposedly pirate-themed restaurant/bar, I do give the owners massive girl points for including this little gem in the bathroom:

I cannot tell you how many bars I have been in that did not have a place to hang my purse and coat in the bathroom. Heck! I’ve been at upscale stores and restaurants that neglected this one detail! I’m not sure if the owners of the Jolly Roger chose this shape of hook specifically, but I kind of hope they did, because to me this shape always looks like a fighting octopus, which would work well with a pirate-themed place.

How’s the Grub?

My partner and I were in this area of town running some other errands, and we chose to go to the Jolly Roger for breakfast – believe me, I was just as surprised as you were that a pirate-themed bar was open for breakfast. I was equally surprised to see a food menu with so many options.

Most of the food was simple, good old-fashioned home cooking. You get a good amount of food for what you pay, and the low prices make this cheapskate one happy camper!

I ordered the breakfast sandwich. The buttermilk biscuit bread had a good texture of softness, but thankfully didn’t crumble as I bit into it, as can happen with biscuit bread. Delicious and savory bacon! The scrambled eggs were average, but cooked appropriately. I am not normally a fan of melted cheddar – I just don’t like the taste that much – but on this sandwich it worked. Besides the sandwich, I was given a heaping helping of hash browns. I prefer cubed hash browns, and these were the fried mass of grated-up potato kind, but they were cooked enough that they were decent.

I did a cursory scan of the rest of the menu, which included sandwiches, burgers, and other common meals cooked-up fast and fresh at diners. That said, nothing really stuck out on the food menu. After all, this place is a sports bar first. It is NOT family friendly, and doesn’t allow anyone under 21 inside. Their priority is to get you drinking, and the food is only there to either help you sober up or give you a reason to stay a little longer and drink some more.

In other words, the food is decent and tasty, but not necessarily anything to write home about. Since this Jolly Roger is located in a neighborhood full of unique food trucks and other local restaurants, they are not even trying to beat out there competition in terms of food. What makes them stand out is that they have a nice, warm building, lots of alcohol, 10+ TVs for sports watching pleasure, and a small gambling gallery.

Would I Go Back?

If I were in the area, I might try their lunch or dinner menu, because they have good prices, but with so many other interesting food places nearby, I don’t think I would go to the Jolly Roger for food. As it is a sports bar, and I’m not exactly into sports, I’m not even sure that going there for drinks would be all that interesting for me. If they had more pirate stuff and kept up with the pirate-theme, then that might make it a more interesting bar for my personal tastes.

Ultimately, I see this sports bar/diner like a frat boy going to a Halloween party.

He didn’t plan out his costume, and/or he didn’t realize he had to have a costume until literally an hour before the party started, so he ran to the nearest store and put something together that vaguely looked like a pirate costume. After all, he’s just going to the party for his friends, the food, and drinks, so what does he care about how he looks?

There Be No Pirates on This Breakfast Boat! – A Review of the Jolly Roger in Portland As part of my 2017 challenge, I will be reviewing both intriguing eating establishments and strange locations throughout the greater Portland/Vancouver area.

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What Amazon Is NOT Doing for Kindle Users -- L. Rigdon Wants You to Know!

What Amazon Is NOT Doing for Kindle Users — L. Rigdon Wants You to Know!

Today I received an email from one of my fans who is blind. My fan indicated that the assistive technology that he/she uses for reading books is not compatible with Kindle. My fan wanted to know if I published on Smashwords, as that is a more blind-friendly platform. First of all – I was shocked! How can a company as big as Amazon not have this technical issues sorted? I am not blind, but I am…

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Writing fiction is the act of weaving a series of lies to arrive at a greater truth.

Khaled Hosseini (via theperksofbeingabookseller)