#Pamela chee

[randomrichards]

BOOGIE:

Rebel Asian teen

Expectations bring pressure

Basketball relief

[aspiecrow]

Earth-46: Fancasts

So, as of right now, these are the characters I have fancasted for Earth-46. I’ll most likely be adding to this as I fancast more characters. Also, I’m aware that there’s some repeats. That isn’t a mistake.

In alphabetical order, they are:

CANON CHARACTERS

“Aunt” Harriet Cooper: Madge Blake (circa 1966-1967)

Ace (Alycia Wayne): Millie Bobby Brown (circa 2015-2016)

Adam Strange: Vincent Ventresca (circa 2008)

Agnes “Crystal” Bellinger: Amy Poehler

All-American Kid (William “Billy” Armstrong) & Kid Karnevil (Jeremy Karne) (possessing spirit): Mason Cook (circa 2012)

Alpha (Michael Sommers): Keanu Reeves

Anarky (Leonard “Lonnie” Machin): Dane DeHaan (circa 2011-2012)

Arthur Curry, Jr: Nathan Gamble (circa 2011)

Bat-Devil (Michael Lane): Michael B. Jordan

Batgirl (Cassandra Cain): Yanin Vismitananda (circa 2007-2008)

Big Barda (Barda Free): Gwendoline Christie

Bizarro: Christopher Reeve (circa 1986-1987)

Bizarrogirl: AnnaSophia Robb (circa 2008)

Black Adam (Teth-Adam): Dwayne Johnson

Black Canary (Dinah Laurel Lance): Sarah Michelle Gellar

Black Mask (Roman Sionis): Zachary Quinto

Blue Beetle (Theodore “Ted” Kord) [RETIRED]: Adam Scott

Blue Lightning (Jefferson Pierce): Cress Williams

Bluebird (Harper Row): Bex Taylor-Klaus

Brother Blood (Sebastian Blood IX): Freddie Highmore

Calendar Girl (Paige Monroe): Monica Bellucci

Captain Boomerang (George “Digger” Harkness): John Jarratt

Captain Cold (Leonard Snart): Wentworth Miller

Captain Marvel: ??

William “Billy” Batson: Noah Schnapp

Carrie Kelley: Sophia Lillis

Carter Grant: Levi Miller (circa 2015)

Catherine “Cat” Grant: Calista Flockhart

Chief (Niles Caulder): Timothy Dalton

Chief Peter “Pete” Ross: David Harbour

Christopher Kent (Lor-Zod): Jackson Robert Scott

Colonel Jacob Kane: Michael Keaton

Cyclone (Maxine “Max” Hunkel): Sadie Sink

Cynthia “Sin” Lance: Aubrey Anderson-Emmons

Darla Dudley: Faithe Herman

David Cain: Stephen Lang

Deacon Joseph Blackfire: Denis O’Hare

Deadshot (Floyd Lawton): Will Smith

Deathstroke (Slade Wilson): Joe Manganiello

Detective Harvey Bullock: Brendan Gleeson

Devil Ray (David Richardson): Michael Kenneth Williams

Doctor Linda Martin: Rachael Harris

Doctor Mid-Nite (Elizabeth “Beth” Chapel): Anjelika Washington

Doctor Poison (Rei Aoyama): Eihi Shiina (circa 1998-1999)

Doctor Simon Hurt: Jeffrey Dean Morgan

Dream Girl (Nura Nal): Nicole Maines

Dreamer (Nia Nal): Nicole Maines

Elasti-Woman (Rita Farr): April Bowlby

Elongated Man (Ralph Dibny): Seth Green

Eugene Choi: Ian Chen

General Zod (Dru-Zod): Terence Stamp

Green Arrow (Oliver “Ollie” Queen): Ewan McGregor

Green Lantern (Alan Scott): Jeff Bridges

Green Lantern (Kyle Rayner): Tyler Posey

Guardian (Malcolm “Mal” Duncan): John Boyega

Headmaster Collingwood Vaughn Hammer: Christopher Lee (circa mid-to-late 2000s)

Holly Robinson: Katie Stuart (circa 1998-1999)

Huntress (Helena Bertinelli): Eliza Dushku (circa 2007)

James “Jimmy” Olsen: Rupert Grint

Jonathan “Pa” Kent: Harrison Ford

Knight (Cyril Sheldrake): Matt Smith

Lady Shiva (Sandra Wu-San): Ming-Na Wen

Lian Harper: Lily Chee

Livewire (Leslie Willis): Natalie Dormer

Lois Lane-Kent: Winona Ryder

Lori Lemaris: Eline Powell

Lori Luthor: Isabelle Fuhrman

Lucifer Morningstar: David Bowie

Lynn Stewart: Christine Adams

Maps (Mia Mizoguchi): Mana Ashida

Mary Batson-Bromfield: Malina Weissman

Merlin: Sam Neill

Millie-Jane Cobblepot [DECEASED; GHOST]: AnnaSophia Robb (circa 2003-2004)

Mister Terrific (Michael Holt): William Jackson Harper

Negative Man (Lawrence “Larry” Trainor): Matt Bomer (voice); Matthew Zuk (body)

Nicholas “Nick” Bromfield: Cooper Andrews

Nightwing (Richard “Dick” Grayson): Jesús Castro

Nora Bromfield (née Parker): Marta Milans

Ocean Master (Orm): Patrick Wilson

Oracle (Barbara Gordon): Kiera Allen

Pedro Peña: Jovan Armand

Plastic Man (Patrick O’Brian): Ben Schwartz

Poison Ivy (Pamela Isley): Jessica Chastain

Power Girl (Kara Zor-L/Karen Starr): Melissa Benoist

Professor Alexander Scarlet: Roddy McDowall (circa 1966)

Professor Edgar Heed: Vincent Price (circa 1966-1967)

Professor Emil Hamilton: Matthew Modine

Professor Hugo Strange: B.D. Wong

Professor Isla MacPherson: Michelle Gomez

Queen Hippolyta: Lynda Carter

Queen Rhea: Teri Hatcher

Rā's al Ghūl: Oded Fehr

Raven (Rachel Roth): Natasha Negovanlis

Red Hood (Jason Todd): Dylan O’Brien

Richard Dragon (Richard Drakunovski): Jason David Frank

Riko Sheridan: Zoe Flood

Robin (Damian Wayne): Arsalan Ghasemi (circa 2005)

Robin (Timothy “Tim” Drake): Asa Butterfield

Robotman (Clifford “Cliff” Steele): Brendan Fraser (voice); Riley Shanahan (body)

Rupert Thorne: John Goodman

Scarecrow (Jonathan Crane): Julian Richings

Scarlet (Sasha Volkova): Ashley Boettcher

Scream Queen (Nina Skorzeny): Kristen Stewart

Secret (Greta Hayes): Lulu Wilson (circa 2016-2017)

Simon Trent: Adam West (circa 2015-2016)

Solomon Grundy: Kevin Durand

Spoiler (Stephanie Brown): Chloë Grace Moretz

Squire (Beryl Hutchinson): Maisie Williams

Starfire (Princess Koriand’r): Sharon Belle

Stargirl (Courtney Whitmore): Brec Bassinger

S.T.R.I.P.E. (Patrick “Pat” Dugan): Luke Wilson

Superboy (Jonathan Samuel “Jon” Kent): Finn Wolfhard (circa 2015-2016)

Supergirl (Kara Zor-El/Kara Danvers): AnnaSophia Robb (circa 2008)

Superman (Clark Kent): Christopher Reeve (circa 1986-1987)

Sweet Tooth (Jeffrey Leonard “Jeff” Fink): Jeff Blim

Tempest (Garth): Jack Falahee

The Atom (Raymond “Ray” Palmer) [RETIRED]: John C. McGinley

The Atom (Ryan Choi): Ryan Zheng Kai

The Joker: is a complicated case. Basically, as an extension of the idea that he has so many different moods, I’m using a variety of different face claims for him. So for example, one day he could look like Willem Dafoe, and the next, like Cesar Romero.

Theodore “Teddy” Malik: Danny Pudi

The Penguin (Oswald Cobblepot): Bob Hoskins (circa 2005)

The Question (Charles Victor “Vic Sage” Zsasz): Misha Collins

The Riddler (Edward Nygma): John Mulaney

Thomas Wayne [DECEASED]: Jeffrey Dean Morgan

Thunder (Anissa Pierce): Nafessa Williams

Tobias Whale: Marvin “Krondon” Jones III

Trickster (James Jesse): Mark Hamill

Two-Face (Harvey Dent): Jon Hamm

Vigilante (Gregory “Greg” Saunders): Nathan Fillion

Wildcat (Theodore “Ted” Grant): Bruce Campbell

Wildcat (Yolanda Montez): Yvette Monreal

Willoughby Kipling: Mark Sheppard

Wonder Girl (Cassandra Sandsmark): Julia Sarah Stone

Wonder Woman (Diana of Themyscira aka Diana Prince): Ioanna Triantafyllidou (aka Joanna Fyllidou)

NON-DC CANON CHARACTERS

Samara Morgan: Daveigh Chase (circa 2001-2002)

ORIGINAL CHARACTERS

Abaddon (Ryan Gaven): Joe Keery

Annabelle McConnell: Summer Glau

Defense Attorney Alexander “Alex” Wright: Wayne Brady

Detective Warren White: Joel McHale

Elizabeth Kennington: AnnaSophia Robb (circa 2006-2007)

Gemstone (Kayley Smith): Joey King

Lily Wynstrom: Kennedy Brice (circa 2013-2015)

Lumina (Aurora Dawn): Jodelle Ferland (circa 2010)

Queen (Jesminder Kapoor): Linnea Berthelsen

Rosaleen Hatcher: Jodelle Ferland (circa 2006-2007)

Violet “Teacup” Stoker: Talitha Eliana Bateman

[tlatollotl]

Head from a figure, Xochipilli-Macuilxochitl

Date: 15th–early 16th century

Geography: Mexico

Culture: Aztec

Sculpted from black obsidian, this head of a male figure depicts the Central Mexican god Xochipilli-Macuilxochitl (pronounced sho-chee-PEE-lee mah-kweel-SHO-cheet[l]). His simplified facial features, aquiline nose, and upturned chin exemplify many of the hallmarks of the late Aztec sculptural tradition (ca. 1500). Yet the glossy, mirror-like finish, detailed ornaments, and anatomical precision of the outer ear and brow reveal the talents of a gifted artist. The eye cavities were hand-carved and would have initially held precious stone or metal inlays, while the hollows of the nose and ears were worked with a bow drill and supported removable jewelry. Uniformly beveled, the close-fitting cap features a pair of rosettes with pendant tassels placed to either side of the head. Along with the now-broken topknot of the figure’s headdress, these features help to identify the subject as Xochipilli-Macuilxochitl. A youthful deity associated with indulgence and sensual pleasure, Xochipilli (from xochitl, "flower"; pilli, "prince" or "child") is often adorned with turquoise and other precious jewels, feathers, and flowers. In the Spanish accounts of native life in Mexico, he is specifically referred to as the patron of "palace folk," reinforcing his connection with luxury goods and material wealth. Equally important, however, is his patronage of music, feasting, games of chance, and other activities. Although largely benevolent, he also punishes overindulgence, or sensual excess, by afflicting the guilty with hemorrhoids, venereal diseases, and boils. That Aztec artists should elect to sculpt the likeness of Xochipilli from a glassy, reflective mineral such as obsidian is perhaps unsurprising, as both god and stone were regularly consulted in certain divination rites. An igneous rock, obsidian is just one type of volcanic "glass" that forms when molten rock quickly cools after coming into contact with water. Because of its rapid solidification, the atoms that form the stone are prevented from assembling into a crystalline configuration. Hence, when obsidian breaks, it does so with a conchoidal fracture along concentric lines, evidence of which can be seen here in the figure’s damaged topknot. This head was published in Leopold Batres’ Antigüedades mejicanas falsificadas(Falsified Mexican Antiquities, 1909). Subsequent obsidian hydration tests performed by the Smithsonian Institution in 1961—not to mention the large number of archaeological materials that have since been scientifically excavated and compared with this piece—have confirmed an early sixteenth-century date for this work. William T. Gassaway, 2014–15 Sylvan C. Coleman and Pamela Coleman Fellow ----- Resources and Additional Readings Batres, Leopoldo. Antigüedades mejicanas falsificadas. México: Soria, 1909. Miller, Mary E., and Karl Taube. The Gods and Symbols of Ancient Mexico and the Maya: An Illustrated Dictionary of Mesoamerican Religion. London: Thames & Hudson Ltd, 1993. Sahagún, Bernardino de. Florentine Codex: General History of the Things of New Spain. Translated by Arthur J. O. Anderson and Charles E. Dibble. Santa Fe and Salt Lake City: School of American Research and University of Utah Press, 1950–82. —For a discussion of Xochipilli-Macuilxochitl, see Bk. 1, Ch. 14.

The Met

[tarotfreeblue]

¿Que es el tarot? Breve Historia

¿Cómo funciona?

El tarot es una herramienta. En cierto modo, es como una calculadora. Según las variables que ingrese, generará un resultado más probable. Sin embargo, ese resultado nunca se fija. Nadie puede predecir el futuro con certeza porque tiene la fuerza de voluntad para cambiar esas variables cuando lo desee. Si no le gusta la salida, cambie la entrada. Cambia tus variables, que son tus acciones, tus actitudes, tus palabras e incluso tus pensamientos. El tarot puede servir como una guía sobre qué variables deben cambiarse para obtener el resultado que desea, pero el esfuerzo real para hacer ese cambio depende de usted.

Lo comparo con el cálculo de raíces cuadradas. Algunas personas pueden hacerlo mentalmente. La mayoría de nosotros no podemos. Necesitamos un artilugio. Asimismo, algunas personas tienen una visión panorámica intuitiva y empática de la vida; pueden ver el pasado y el presente y luego calcular el futuro basándose en esos factores. La mayoría de nosotros, sin embargo, encontraremos el tarot útil como nuestro dispositivo, nuestra calculadora.

Resumen histórico de 60 segundos:

Los naipes se remontan a la dinastía Tang en China, 618 d.C. al 907 d.C., donde las referencias culturales o míticas se ilustran en las tarjetas y se utilizan para juegos. Sin embargo, se dice (y esto es solo una leyenda) que las concubinas del emperador usarían estos naipes para adivinar la suerte. Esa era su forma de lidiar con el aburrimiento que abrumaba la mente cuando el emperador no estaba, ejem, en sus dormitorios. A través del comercio, estas cartas fueron llevadas al Medio Oriente en 1370. A través de un mayor comercio, terminaron en Europa. En la década de 1440, apareció una baraja de 78 cartas con ilustraciones impregnadas de mitos judeocristianos. El tarot era un juego de cartas, sobre todo entre los ricos. La Iglesia prohibió jugar a las cartas bajo las leyes contra el juego, pero en muchos casos estableció excepciones para el tarot porque el tarot era un juego que jugaban los poderosos aristócratas de la época.

El registro más antiguo que tenemos del tarot utilizado para la adivinación es de 1780 en Francia e Inglaterra utilizando una baraja de tarot ahora conocida como Tarot de Marsella, solidificando el primer sistema de adivinación del tarot. Ahora para una lista de jugadores ocultistas clave que se destacaron como eruditos del tarot: Eteilla en la década de 1790; Eliphas Levi en la década de 1850; Encausse, también conocido por su seudónimo Papus en la década de 1890; miembros de la Orden Hermética de la Golden Dawn a partir de entonces y hasta la década de 1900. Luego vino AE Waite en 1909 con el sistema de tarot Rider-Waite-Smith (Rider para el primer editor de la baraja, Waite para AE Waite, y Smith para Pamela Colman Smith, la artista). Ese es el sistema con el que me siento más cómodo. Waite y este otro tipo, Aleister Crowley, no se llevaban muy bien. Así que Crowley creó su propia baraja en la década de 1940, que se publicó póstumamente en 1969 y ahora se conoce como el sistema de tarot de Thoth. Hay tantas similitudes como diferencias entre los tres sistemas de tarot.

Vaya, lo siento si tergiversé. Probablemente tardó más de 60 segundos en leerse ...

Hoy en día existen innumerables versiones de tarot en el mercado, la mayoría de ellas basadas libremente en el sistema Tarot de Marseille, Rider-Waite-Smith o Thoth. Algunas de las barajas contemporáneas que me gustan son Robin Wood, Goddess Tarot, Hermetic Tarot y Golden Tarot. La mayor parte del tiempo, sin embargo, sigo leyendo con mi fiel Rider-Waite de 1971 (también conocido como Rider-Waite-Smith), la baraja que se muestra arriba.

Benebell, ¿cuál es tu teoría de por qué funciona el tarot?

Creo en una fuerza vital llamada "Qi", que se pronuncia "chee". Al menos así lo llaman los chinos. Hay otros nombres para el mismo concepto. Kundalini, una creencia yóguica. El antiguo concepto egipcio de "Ka" es notablemente similar a "Qi". El inconsciente colectivo, si te gusta Carl Jung.

Qi es la fuerza vital que fluye a través de todos los seres vivos y nos conecta cósmicamente unos con otros. La medicina tradicional china, las artes marciales, el taoísmo (o taoísmo) y la práctica del feng shui basan su eficacia en la teoría del Qi. Tu Qi personal es como el concepto de espíritu. Es lo que te da vida. Conecta sus funciones físicas entre sí. Conecta tus funciones físicas con tu mental y tu mental con tu espiritual. Eso es Qi personal. Su Qi personal está conectado a todos los demás Qi personales individuales que existen. Esa unidad se llama Qi universal.

El tarot funciona cuando logras conectar el Qi personal del lector de tarot con el Qi personal del consultante o el Qi del buscador con el Qi universal. Se produce una especie de trinidad realmente genial y, por algo que algunas personas llaman sincronicidad, se extraen ciertas cartas del tarot que responderán mejor a la pregunta en cuestión.

Sincronicidad

Entendemos dos eventos relacionados dados a través de causa y efecto, o el principio de causalidad. En 1930, Carl Gustav Jung propuso una segunda teoría para eventos relacionados, en particular cuando dos eventos ocurren simultáneamente, sincronizados, aunque no parece haber una relación plausible entre los dos eventos. La causa y el efecto no pueden explicar la coincidencia. Un principio llamado sincronicidad, sin embargo, sí puede.

Jung utilizó la sincronicidad para explicar la inusual precisión de la adivinación del I Ching. El I Ching, si se puede ofrecer una explicación demasiado simplificada, es un libro de 64 hexagramas que data desde el 475 al 221 a. C. en China. Cada hexagrama sugiere ciertas palabras clave y se interpreta para representar un aspecto de la condición humana, no muy diferente al tarot. Al igual que el tarot, se utiliza un método de generación aleatoria para extraer un hexagrama o una serie de hexagramas y la extensión es interpretada por un practicante experto que luego ayudará a proporcionar información sobre la vida de un Buscador. Según Jung, la sincronicidad explicaba la sintonía de un estado psíquico con eventos externos. Creo que la sincronicidad es una explicación plausible de por qué parece que extraemos las cartas más relevantes de una baraja de tarot que mejor se aplican a nuestro estado actual de cosas.

[gosunsolarenergy]

GoSun gives Solar Oven and Solar Powered Cooler Grants to Non Profits

GoSun is proud to announce the recipients of our Gifts of Gratitude product giveaway. 2020 was a tough year and we wanted to support individuals and organizations who are contributing to a brighter future and leading the fuel-free frontier by donating $10,000 worth of GoSun products. We had over 500 applications, which made for some very tough decisions for our team to make, but we were so inspired by the amount of people and organizations doing a lot of good in our world. Below, you will find the winners of these products, a brief description of their organization and a link to their project.

Flatware: Travel Cutlery Set: Kathryn Reinhardt,Makers Guild Inc.

Kathryn Reinhardt represents Makers Guild Inc. MGI increases impact by creating local jobs opportunities, empowering their workers and being involved in a downtown revitalization of an empty main street store into a makerspace. MGI hopes to launch a local makerspace for innovation, creative reuse/upscaling of items and job growth in a small rural, upstate New York town. MGI is an example of creative design and concern for the environment.

Flatware: Travel Cutlery Set: AI FENG CHEE, Individual as well asF&B cafe

Ai Feng Chee is an individual who has enjoyed using our Flatware often and takes pride in eliminating single use plastic. They also own a F&B cafe, where they plan to introduce and bring more awareness to eco-friendly products and influence others to make a change.

Flatware: Travel Cutlery Set: Melanie Kobran, Solidarity and Snacks (checkout @solidarityandsnacks on Instagram)

Melanie Kobran represents Solidarity and Snacks. S&S works with residents of Skid Row in Los Angeles to provide food and supplies for their living situations. These people have very limited access to power/water/sanitation in this area where just under 5,000 people are living on the streets in a very condensed area of the city. S&S works with community leaders who have established community kitchens.

Go: Portable Solar Oven: Pamela Sweeny,The Royal Canadian Legion Ontario Provincial Command

Pamela Sweeny represents The Royal Canadian Legion Ontario Provincial Command, this organization assists homeless veterans by providing them with backpacks filled with clothing, toiletries and other necessities. They’ve assisted over 900 veterans in 174 different countries including those who prefer to live off-grid and will benefit from a solar cooker.

Go: Portable Solar Oven: Solar Cookers International

Solar Cookers International is an organization that improves human and environmental health by supporting the expansion of effective carbon-free solar cooking in the regions of the world in greatest need. SCI leads through advocacy, research and strengthening the capacity of the global solar cooking movement. SCI has contributed to over 7.7 billion solar-cooked meals so far with various solar cookers and solar ovens.

Go: Portable Solar Oven: Stephen Gitonga,United Nations Development Programme, Regional Hub for Arab States, Amman, Jordan

Stephen Gitonga represents the United Nations Development Programme, Regional Hub for Arab States in Amman, Jordan, this organization aids countries in crisis contexts such as Yemen or those bordering crisis countries and impacted by hosting refugees. They plan to use their GoSun solar oven to improve social impact and contribute to clean energy transition and contribute to address climate change in these counties.

Go: Portable Solar Oven: Angel M. Sewell via Becky Townsend

Becky Townsend, had nominated her friend, Angel Sewall to receive a GoSun Go solar cooker. Angel is a traveling artist who lives in an RV and helps aid homeless people she comes across on her journeys. She is always willing to help everyone and will often give her last dollar to someone so they can go eat.

Sport: Fastest Solar Oven:Jennifer Gasser,Global Development Solutions, Solar Education Project

Jennifer Gasser represents Global Development Solutions, Solar Education Project, a local library that they work with has started a solar oven lending program in their community, which is the first program of its kind for solar ovens. The Solar Education Program provides educational materials, training and support. Gasser and her team are passionate about providing solar cooking educational resources to reduce deforestation and fossil fuel usage as well as educating to help eradicate poverty.

Sport: Fastest Solar Oven: Michael Chacon,Solar Smart Living

Michael Chacon represents Solar Smart Living, which is a renewable energy company focused on bringing sustainability to families. Chacon will use this solar oven to bring awareness of solar cooking to these families.

Sport: Fastest Solar Oven: Anders Hasselroth,GREAT WORLD CENTER

Anders Hasselroth represents his local resilience center, Great World Center, he has dedicated his life to creating resilient centers in order to help save our world. He raises awareness about solar products and educates people on how to use them. Anders products and distributes solar cooking videos and plans to put on events again soon after lockdowns have been lifted.

Sport: Fastest Solar Oven: Bob Lucy,Maasai Conservation Fund (MCF)

Bob Lucy represents the Maasai Conservation Fund (MCF). The Maasai village of Makuyuni is developing a permaculture demonstration farm to feed themselves and teach their neighbours about sustainable agriculture. Part of that plan is to reduce dependence on forests for fuel and are seeking the ability to cook with the sun with the aid of a solar cooker. The MCF works with the people of the village by implementing sustainable developed projects to improve education, food security and economic development all while protecting their environment and unique culture.

Sport: Fastest Solar Oven: Kim Ricket,Highlands Elementary School (Garden Program via PTA)

Kim Ricket represents the Highlands Elementary School Garden Program. The mission of the program of over 500 children is to build a love of nature in young children and to help them to understand the need to work toward a sustainable future. Ricket says that as the children take these lessons home, they see change in the community. They build an appreciation for nature in the children of today so that the adults of tomorrow will take better care of our environment. Ricket plans to use the GoSun solar oven to teach children about the science behind solar powered cooking and how it ties into their sustainability curriculum.

Flow Pro: Filter + Sink + Shower: Denise Luttrell,Colorado Navajo Resiliency Project

Denise Luttrell represents the Colorado Navajo Resiliency Project, this organization supports Navajo people who have no access to running water, this gift will go to a family living in a remote area with no access to water or power. The Colorado Navajo Resiliency Project raises money to purchase goods and accepts donations and then delivers them to individuals throughout the Navajo Nation. They supply both short and long term sustainability needs and in relation to GoSun, have already distributed over 25 Sun King Pro solar light kits!

Flow Pro: Filter + Sink + Shower: Steven Ralf,Eudaimonia

Steven Ralf represents Eudaimonia, a primary school in Kenya that is in need of a washing and drinking facility for the children and their families. Ralf’s business in Eudaimonia is committed to using permaculture pericesses and only using natural resources, they increase impact by encouraging entrepreneurial responses to social problems and developing free thinking.

Flow Pro: Filter + Sink + Shower: Brenna Holzhauer,Aldo Leopold Nature Center

Brenna Holzhauer represents the Aldo Leopold Nature Center, a nonprofit organization that offers a range of environmental education programming. ALNC leads the way to ensure visitors of all ages and backgrounds have the opportunity to connect with nature by offering positive and constructive learning opportunities that capture their interest, engage their senses and teach them to appreciate the interconnectedness of all living things. Some of their programs have adapted to take place mostly outdoors and they plan to use the solar powered GoSun Flow for an outdoor hand washing station.

Fusion: Hybrid Solar Oven: Greg Saxe,Freedom Trail Supply

Greg Saxe represents Freedom Trail Supply and offers free solar cooking demonstrations with GoSun solar ovens at school and events such as Earth Day and local potlucks to feed the hungry. Saxe educates attendees on the environmental, health and economic benefits of solar cooking and shows the effectiveness of everyday living to promote acceptance and use by creating familiarity and a user community.

Fusion: Hybrid Solar Oven: Pamela M. Smith,Change for Hope

Pamela M. Smith represents Change For Hope and has been working in a rural village of Kalitar in Nepal for 15 years. Smith has  a plan that the GoSun Fusion solar oven will change the way that the women cook, but preventing smoke filling homes and preventing them having to haul wood for long hours everyday and ultimately will bring clean air to these families.

Fusion: Hybrid Solar Oven: Ian Dodkins,SunnyMoney (SolarAid)

Ian Dodkins represents SunnyMoney, which is a national distribution network  specifically designed to ensure low cost distribution of renewable energy products to last mile communities such as Malawi. The GoSun Fusion solar oven will help Dodkins and his team test the quality, durability and feasibility of solar cooking as an alternative to wood cooking in these low income rural areas.

Fusion: Hybrid Solar Oven: Monique Pool,Green Heritage Fund Suriname

Monique Pool represents the Green Heritage Fund in Suriname. Green Heritage works to save endangered species such as sea turtles, dolphins, manatees, mangroves, sloths and anteaters. Pool and her team will use their new solar oven during their fieldwork to cook in the field without having to carry around and use a gas stove or harm the sensitive ecosystems that they work in.

Sport: Fastest Solar Oven andFusion: Hybrid Solar Oven: Solar Household Energy

Solar Household Energy (SHE) is an organization that strives to unleash the potential of solar cooking to improve social, economic and environmental conditions in sun-rich areas around the world. They employ the technology of solar cooking to combat hunger, the global threats of biomass cooking and address seven of the eight United National Millennium Development Goals; eradicating extreme poverty and hunger, achieving universal primary education, promoting gender equality and empowering women, reducing child mortality, improving mental health, ensuring environmental sustainability and developing a global partnership for development.

SolarTable 60: 60W Solar Charger + Battery: Dawn Deydey,Wildsight Elk Valley

Dawn Deydey represents Wildsight Elk Valley, a non profit based in Fernie, BC that aims to protect plant and animal biodiversity and create sustainable communities in the Southern Rockies region of British Columbia. Their aim is to cultivate a thriving, knowledgeable and resilient local food culture in the Elk Valley through education, advocacy and community engagement. They’ve just  launched a new local food store, run a local farmers market as well as a community garden and facilitate environmental education programs in schools. Deydey plans to use the solar table at the Community EcoGarden and Farmers Market events and access power at these events where they do not normally have electricity!

SolarEnergy Bundle: Charge & Power: Dean Seibert, MD.ACTS Honduras

Dean Seibert, MD represents ACTS Honduras, ACTS has been working in Honduras since 1986 to foster cross-cultural understanding and to promote sustainable programs for health, education, agriculture and economic development. ACTS works to address immediate needs of the community, support programs that encourage learning and leadership among adults and youth communities. Solar panels and a solar powered lithium ion battery (which also acts as a cell phone charger) will help bring clean power to the Honduras community.

Chill: Portable Fridge + Battery: Kerry Hughes,Ecosystem Restoration Camps - CA

Kerry Hughes represents the Ecosystem Restoration Camps in California and is building an off grid mobile kitchen to travel to disaster sites in California and feed volunteers who work to restore the land and communities. This organization started after the Camp Fire which destroyed the entire town of Paradise, they restore ecosystems through camping experiences that teach people how to care for the land, empower people to take this knowledge back to their communities and teach others to heal the land through restoration best practices.

Chill: Portable Fridge + Battery: Joseph Appell, Solar by Jos

Joseph Appell represents Solar by Jos, a non-profit clean energy consultant and presenter. He displays fossil-free/grid-free yard and garden solutions and works with energy fairs, Earth Day events and environmental groups such as;. Kiswaukee350, Forest City350, Audubon events, Galena Green events, and DeKalb EV show.

Solar Kitchen: Cook + Cool + Charge: Ron Swenson,Homeless Garden Project

Ron Swenson represents the Homeless Garden Project. Swenson, the landlord and a commercial solar developer, has donated the use of his land to this project for over twenty years. The project provides an incredible service to the community, bringing job training, food to the homeless and providing mid-day meals to their workers despite their kitchen facilities being very limited.

Solar Kitchen: Cook + Cool + Charge: Dave Law,Homes on Wheels Alliance, Inc. (HOWA)

Dave Law represents Homes on Wheels Alliance, Inc., a non profit organization that strives to help a significant portion of the American population who are being squeezed between the rapidly rising cost of shelter, stagnant wages or not enough retirement income through no fault of their own and at serious risk of losing their homes. Law and his team plan to use the Solar Kitchen in a recipient in need’s home vehicle.

Solar Kitchen: Cook + Cool + Charge: Cheryl Martin, donating toMedicine Horse Project

Cheryl Martin represents the Medicine Horse Project, an off-grid organization located in the high desert of Nevada that rescues abandoned, neglected or abused horses. These sentient beings provide healing to veterans coping with trauma, TBI, PTSD and re-entry to civilian life, as well as battered women and children. MHP will use the Solar Kitchen to bring warm water to clean horses eyes before medicine is applied, convert refrigeration from gas generators to solar, using solar to pump water to the horses, from the well and holding tanks, cook healthy dishes, make coffee in the morning and keep it hot all day and keep foods refrigerated.

[finishinglinepress]

Congratulations to Brian Ascalon Roley of Montgomery, Ohio for winning the Finishing Line Press Open Chapbook Competition 2019/2020 for his manuscript AMBUSCADE. Roley receives a prize of $1,000, publication, and standard royalty contract.

Brian Ascalon Roley is a professor and award-winning author of multiracial Filipino and American descent. In 2020 he became a National Endowment of the Arts Literature Fellow.

Brian's short works in several genres (fiction, poetry, cnf, and hybrid) have appeared in many journals and anthologies, including Mixed: An Anthology of Short Fiction on the Multiracial Experience (WW Norton), Charlie Chan is Dead 2: An Anthology of Contemporary Asian American Fiction (Penguin), and several best selling anthologies in the Philippines. His work has also been featured in a California Council for the Humanities Statewide Reading Campaign and has been widely taught nationally and abroad.

His books include the award-winning novel, AMERICAN SON (W.W. Norton; Christian Bourgeois Editeur), which was a Los Angeles Times Best Book, New York Times Notable Book, Kiriyama Pacific Rim Prize Finalist, Salon Magazine best of the month selection, and winner of the Association for Asian American Studies Prose Book Award of 2003, among other honors. Brian's work has also been featured in the California Council for the Humanities Statewide Reading Campaign of 2004, and has been widely taught nationally and abroad.

His collection, THE LAST MISTRESS OF JOSE RIZAL and Other Stories was released by Northwestern University Press in 2016. He has held fellowships, research appointments and residencies from Cornell University, the University of Cambridge, the National Endowment for the Arts, the Ohio Arts Council, the Djerassi Foundation, Ragdale, the VCCA, and others. He is currently Professor of English at Miami University of Ohio where he teaches on the MFA program and spends most of his time with his family in Cincinnati and California.

He received the Ohio Arts Council Individual Excellence Award in 2018 for his current book project.

Thank you to all who entered the competition. We had a total of 343 entries.

Final judge: Leah Maines

Finishing Line Press Open Chapbook Competition Results 2019/2020:

Winner: Brian Ascalon Roley of Montgomery, Ohio for AMBUSCADE

1ST HM: Allison Albino of New York, NY

2nd HM: John Struloeff of Malibu, CA

3rd HM: Mimi Herman of Durham, NC

4. Mark Svenvold of New York, NY

5. Max Stephan of Orchard Park, NY

6. Eric Burger of Longmont, CO

7. Michael Beebe of Lake Oswego, OR

8. Mary Moore Easter of Minneapolis, MN

9. Gregory Loselle of Southgate, MI

10. Chee Brossy of Santa Fe, NM

11. Pamela Yenser of Albuquerque, NM

12. Melissa Weaver of Harrisonburg, VA

[spaceorphan18]

Wow, so I’ve been tagged by @slayediest, @black-john-lennon, and @ckerouac

1. Who are you named after? No one.  My parents wanted to pick a Greek name (because I’m Greek) and they liked Pamela.  It was that or Philana Kineta.  2. Last time you cried? The election.  3. Do you like your handwriting? Yes, it’s nice and neat.  4. What is your favorite lunch meat? roast beef but needs to have chees, too! 5. Do you have kids? No, I have nieces, and they are lovely, and that’s enough. 6. Do you use sarcasm? This is a dumb question - who doesn’t use sarcasm.  My not sarcastic mother sometimes uses sarcasm.   7. Do you still have your tonsils? Yes! I do not, however, have wisdom teeth. 8. Would you bungee jump? Yeah, no, not ever going to happen.  I don’t like the sensation of falling.  9. What is your favorite kind of cereal? I don’t eat cereal. It’s a weird texture thing - I won’t eat things that have been floating in liquids.  10. Do you untie your shoes when you take them off? I don’t wear shoes with laces.  11. Do you think you’re strong? Yes, always, I’m the strongest person ever - I can lift the Empire State Building.  12. What is your favorite ice cream? French Vanilla with raspberries and chocolate drizzle.  13. What is the first thing you notice about someone? If they’re nice or not.  14. Football or baseball?  hockey, c’mon.  15. Your favorite sorting metrics? Um, yeah, what /does/ this question mean? 16. What color pants are you wearing? None ;)  17. Favorite smell? The ocean! New books. Roses. Foam.  18. Who was the last person you talked to on the phone? My brother.  19. Favorite sport to watch on tv? Hockey! But I don’t really follow sports all that much.  20. Hair color? Light brown.  21. Eye color? Green-ish blue.  22. Favorite food to eat? Geez, this changes all the time. But I do have a strong affenity for Mexican.  23. Scary or funny movies? Funny, cause I love comedy, and I don’t really like being scared, and most ‘scary’ movies are not good.  24. Last movie you watched? My god, Captain America Civil War? Has it been that long?  25. What color shirt are you wearing? Aqua - and it has kitties on it.  26. Favorite holiday? My birthday. Oh, that isn’t a holiday? Fourth of July, which is in July, with my birthday.  27. Wine or beer? Apparently, those fruity drinks nineteen years olds drink when they go to Toronto and get drunk with older men in a hot tub. True story! But not my true story ;) 

Oh geez, who hasn’t done this yet, I”m sorry if I’m forgetting people: @multsicorn, @misqueue, @damnpene, @mimeflower-blog, @snarkyhag, @nikkisrandomthingsfan, @annecholloway, @nadiacreek, @klaineandbiscuits, and all the rest of you, come play!

[amouryou]

"I just need to get this focus right." Happy Birthday Pamela Chee Ching Ching! Hope you have a good one! On the sidenote: its also my Grandma's birthday but yknow instagram crops the photo if you post multiple so yeah. So Happy birthday to Patti as well heh . . . . . #moodyports #moodygram #white #birthdaypost #throwback #vsco #vscocam #lightroom (at Salt x Paper)

[christenclifford]

Leslie Jamison and Heidi Julavits are reading at Experiments and Disorders on Tuesday at Dixon Place at 7:30 pm and it's FREE. My students love Jamison's Grand Unified Theory of Female Pain which I teach in Contemporary Feminisms. And I loved the Empathy Exams, the one about the things coming out of your skin! And the one about the crazy marathon! And the one about being a medical actor! (I know someone who directs those scenes and I've always wanted to do it. Maybe I will, now that I have more experience, a hem!) I read Julavits' The Folded Clock last summer and was lost in its exploration of time and place. And my essay was included in Women in Clothes which Heidi co-edited. So please come join us on Tuesday night at 7:30 at 161 Chrystie Street NYC to hear two amazing writers. Previous writers in this series include Candace Williams, Celine Song, Eileen Myles, Lynn Tillman, Stacey Karen Robinson, Phillip Lopate, Alexander Chee, Pamela Sneed, Margo Jefferson, Laurie Stone, Andrea Klein and more. This is something I love doing- curating and sharing others people's work. I'm an enthusiast. #dixonplace #writing #experimentsanddisorders #lesliejamison #heidijulavits

[bluemarblebooks]

Dave’s Newbery Round-Up

There’s quite a list of excellent books this year. While I have my favorites, I don’t believe I’d be too upset if one of these is chosen over the others. My guess is, I’ll be disappointed their list was too short. That said, here are some thoughts on the books I think are Newbery award contenders:

Booked by Kwame Alexander [HMH Books for Young Readers, $16.99 hc] - Follow up to THE CROSSOVER. Pro: Soccer this time, with the same tight, poetic style. Con: THE CROSSOVER was groundbreaking in form and style, and as with most novels, a certain degree of freshness is lost in subsequent novels.

Full of Beans by Jennifer L. Holm [Random House Books for Young Readers, $16.99] - Prequel to TURTLE IN PARADISE. In this one we follow Beans and Kermit all the way up the moment Turtle arrives. Pro: Same funny, easy-going style. Characters are just as quirky. Con: Might be a little too reliant on reader knowing the characters from the previous novel.

Gertie's Leap to Greatness by Kate Beasley and illustrated by Jillian Tamaki [Farrar, Straus and Giroux, $16.99 hc] - A young girl sets out to be the best fifth grader in school in order to prove to her estranged mother she can make it on her own. Pro: If there’s a Newbery “style,” the writing fits this. Independent, spunky main character. Lots of interesting supporting characters. Even what I would call a Newbery cover. Con; Gets a little heavy-handed on environmental issues, and ending may disappoint some readers who are rooting for Gertie.

The Reader by Traci Chee [G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers, $19.99 hc] - Book one of a high fantasy. A young girl lives in a world where reading can aid you in magical powers. She’s in possession of a book that is, itself, extremely powerful and sought after. Pro: Chee is able to combine good story-telling without sacrificing a masterful fantasy voice and writing style. Con: Sits on the border between Newbery and Printz. The committees might think the other going to honor it.

When the Sea Turned to Silver by Grace Lin [Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, $18.99 hc] - The third book in this trilogy that weaves ancient stories with the adventures of the characters. Plot twist in this one that is only evident in hindsight. Pro: I believe this is her best yet. Exquisite prose. Compelling stories. Con: There isn’t one, really, except that sequels have a more difficult time getting the award.

Ghost by Jason Reynolds [Atheneum, Caitlyn Dlouhy Books, $16.99 hc] - First book featuring these characters. There will be more. A teenager who has not been stellar in school is befriended by a track coach who fields his own team. This is a big-brother/tough love story. Pro: Reynolds has a writing style that is extremely easy to read. The main character is flawed, and remains so… though he’s working on it. Con: Readers may be a bit concerned by the actions (and lack of reaction) of one specific incident (but give it time), and some may not be happy at all that that it ends before one of the major conflicts is resolved.

Samurai Rising: The Epic Life of Minamoto Yoshitsune by Pamela S. Turner and illustrated by Gareth Hinds [Charlesbridge Publishing, $16.95 hc] - Non-fiction. An amazing biography of the life of one of the most famous Samurai warriors of all time. Pro: Tight, narrative-nonfiction style, along with lots of blood and guts makes it kid-friendly. It pulls no punches, and portrays 12th century Japan as it was. Con: It is brutal. Many have questioned whether it is “right” to award a book that “glorifies” violence in such a manner.

Presenting Buffalo Bill: The Man Who Invented the Wild West by Candace Fleming [Roaring Brook Press, $19.99 hc] - The life of Wild West legend Buffalo Bill. Fleming gets kudos for writing a biography of man whose life (as we believe we know it) was more or less fictional. Pro: She’s a master at non-fiction, balancing what is real and what is not (and supporting it with documentation). The structure of the book is unique as well, using his Wild West Show as the framework for how the book progresses. Con: In the end, there isn’t much substance to the man, and he’s become a minor character in our history. I’m not sure kids will want to stick with him to the end.

The Scourge by Jennifer A. Nielsen [Scholastic Press, $16.99 hc] - A young girl and her friend are sent to an island to die from a horrific disease they’ve been diagnosed with. But upon arrival, she begins to discover, not everyone dies. And all is not as it seems to be. A dark horse for sure, as it’s science fantasy (not a favorite of the Newbery committees). Pro: Compelling story with brave but vulnerable characters. Excellent writing (what has she written that hasn’t had both of these?). A page-turner. Con: Science fantasy.

American Ace by Marilyn Nelson [Dial Books, $17.99 hc] - Marilyn Nelson takes on the topic of racism with a twist: a boy finds out that his father is the son of a Tuskegee airman. The twist? They’re not American. They’re Italian. Pro: Beautiful, insightful free verse. Con: Might be a bit too sparse for some readers.

Click Here to Start by Denis Markell [Delacorte Books for Young Readers, $16.99 hc] - Another dark horse. The story of boy who inherits all of his eccentric great-uncle’s junk in his apartment. There’s just one small glitch: His uncle is very, very wealthy, and before he dies, he tells the young man that the box is not the end of it. Pro: Kid-friendly. Includes gaming and thought-provoking puzzles. Con: The final quested object may be a bit obscure for young readers.

Eleven and Holding by Mary Penney [Harper, $16.99 hc] - A young girl, whose father is on a secret mission for the military 100 miles away from her home, spends her days looking for a neighbor's lost dog. The only problem is, the more she looks into it, the more mysterious it becomes. She soon discovers the dog isn't missing and her father is not on a secret mission. Pro: Good mystery, complete eccentric characters and strange twists. Lots of red herrings and good humor as well. Con: It does deal with some very complex issues, so younger readers may find it more difficult to get through. 

All Rise for the Honorable Perry T. Cook by Leslie Connor [Katherine Tegen Books, $16.99 hc] - This has been talked about all year, and continues to be one of the hands-down favorites. A young boy grows up in a minimum security prison where the warden is his foster parent, and his mother is serving time, for an unknown crime, until a well-meaning warden steps in. Pro: Great writing. Equally great voice. Sentimental with a  powerful message. And, while they’re not supposed to do it, the committee could choose this to apologize for overlooking Waiting for Normal several years back. Con: Some might find the prison setting unsettling.

Raymie Nightingale by Kate DiCamillo [Candlewick Press, $16.99 hc] - Four young girls meet at a baton twirling class in preparation for an upcoming beauty pageant. Readers soon find out each is entering for their own reason. Pro: Reminiscent of DiCamillo’s older books in writing style. Very southern, very quirky characters. Con: Story is not as substantive as her older work.

The Wild Robot by Peter Brown [Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, $16.99 hc] - Futuristic time when a robot is washed ashore on an island after a shipwreck, and accidentally turned on. This is a story about friendship, and the sacrifices a parent makes. Pro: Simple compelling prose. Characters that evoke empathy. Has an environmental message as well. Con: Some plot complications, that are explained later in the book, may confuse the science savvy kid.

Pax by Sara Pennypacker and illustrated by Jon Klassen [Balzer & Bray/HarperTeen, $16.99 hc] - A young boy must abandon his hand-raised fox because his father must go off to war, and he must leave to live with his grandfather. Story is told from the fox’s point of view on learning the ways of the wild, and the boy’s as he travels the 300 miles to find him. Pro: It’s Pennypacker. She doesn’t write bad books. And there’s always the apology vote for Clementine. Con: Clearly an anti-war novel. Some may question the way one of the story conflicts is resolved.

Some Kind of Courage by Dan Gemeinhart [Scholastic Press, $16.99 hc] - Another much-talked about book. Set in the 1890’s, a young man goes after an unscrupulous horse trader when his trusted stead is sold without his permission. Along the way he meets an abandoned Chinese immigrant boy who is looking for his family. Navigating the language barrier, the terrain, and those who could or could not be enemies becomes the focus of their journey. Pro: Stellar writing. Compelling. Heart-wrenching. Con: It’s almost a “dog” story.

Wolf Hollow by Lauren Wolk [Dutton Books for Young Readers, $16.99 hc] - Set post WWI, a young girl’s life is turned upside down when a mean-spirited girl moves to town and begins to bully her and those around her. Pro: Writing is excellent in both style and pace. Story has elements of To Kill a Mockingbird, and addresses issues that many younger kids would believe are new. Con: There are elements of violence that may be shocking to younger readers.

Ms. Bixby’s Last Day by John David Anderson [Walden Pond Press, $16.99 hc] - I think this is the sentimental favorite for the award. A heart-wrenching, heart-warming story of three boys who set out to give their dying teacher the “perfect day.” Pro: You will laugh and cry all the way through this novel, so be prepared for the emotional rollercoaster. Cons (two): the first is that one event in the story (that can’t be revealed because it would be a major spoiler), may upset some of the more sensitive parents, though it’s handled well. And the second, it’s the sentimental favorite (and for some reason Newbery committees shy away from those as well … think Wonder or Counting by 7’s).

The Inquisitor's Tale: Or, the Three Magical Children and Their Holy Dog by Adam Gidwitz and illustrated by Aly Hatem [Dutton Books for Young Readers, $17.99 hc] - A tongue-in cheek, irreverent tale of three kids and a dog (all of whom are believe to be miracle workers and possible saints… the dog rises from the dead) are running from the many factions that are pursuing them, including the Inquisition. Told in the style of Canterbury Tales with many twists and turns on who is and who is not the “bad guy.” Pro: Masterfully told with enough red herrings to make the journey both exciting and confounding. Con: There is a bit of bawdiness, and a particularly hilarious scene where a lost donkey needs to be found that some adults may find unsettling (but the kids will laugh at to no end).

The Secret Horses of Briar Hill by Megan Shepherd [Delacorte Books for Young Readers, $16.99 hc] - A girl in a countryside TB ward during WWI sees winged horses in the mirrors, and one day finds and injured one in the garden that is being pursued by an evil horse. She is commissioned by the horse king to save it. Pro: The writing is almost poetic, and very reminiscent of stories like The Secret Garden in style. Con: It’s not all good news in the book, and the ending might be a little too convenient for some readers.

Hour of the Bees by Lindsay Eagar [Candlewick Press, $16.99 hc] - A young girl goes with her family to live with her grandfather for the summer on his drought-stricken ranch. They are there to pack up the house and move her grandfather to home because he’s suffering from dementia. Pro: Beautiful story of love and commitment. A bit Holes, a bit Tuck Everlasting. Con: Magical realism might come into play a bit late to make the story work for some readers (not this one).

The Best Man by Richard Peck [Dial Books, $16.99 hc] - Richard Peck is back at it. This time, it’s a young man whose story is framed by the two weddings he’s in. The first as a very young boy where he meets his best friend. The second is his uncle’s pending wedding to his fifth grade student teacher. The twist? His student teacher (who is also a man) mistakenly becomes an internet sensation that sends the whole school into chaos. Pro: Pure Peck. He handles the new, yet timely topic matter-of-factly and with style and class. And one can’t help but root for everyone involved. Con: It’s still a touchy subject in areas.

Ghosts by Raina Telgemeier [Graphix, $24.99 hc] - Graphic novel about a girl whose family moves in order to help her younger sister with a serious ailment. They both soon discover the town’s deep dedication to the The Day of the Dead, and they come to understand the meaning behind it. Pro: Telgemeier is a very good storyteller. She is able to give not just the what, but the emotional “why” of this tradition. Con: There is some controversy that the story takes place in an old Spanish mission.

Snow White by Matt Phelan [Candlewick, $19.99 hc] - Snow White told during the Depression. A bit Snow White, a bit Annie. A bit Newsies. Drawings are very much in the style of that time and beautifully done. Pro: Cleverly thought out. Art is masterful. Con: Not much prose to judge the writing.

Some Kind of Happiness by Claire Legrand [Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, $16.99 hc] - A complex story of family secrets. A young girl is sent to live with her estranged grandparents over the summer, while her parents work out their relationship. To deal with already stressful situation of her life, she writes a fictional story of Everwood that is constantly in danger of dark forces. She soon discovers there are woods near her grandparents’ home which hold an equally dark secret, along with several other secrets the family is keeping. Pro: This has complexity on its side. Readers keep going just to find out how it all turns out. The two stories are written in very different styles, yet both hold their own artistically.

The Secret Life of Lincoln Jones by Wendelin Van Draanen [Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers, $16.99 hc] - A young boy spends his days after school at his mother’s work, a nursing home, and the two of them live in a dilapidated building next to an old woman who is a hoarded. Not a very uplifting? No. But Lincoln Jones’ take on the residents and his neighbor, along with all those who are part of his life make it both poignant and funny. Think Walter Mitty. Pro: Hilarious and heartbreaking. Van Draanen is a master at kid-friendly books, and her take on one of the patients out-living all her roommates is laugh-out-loud funny. Con: The opening of the book may put a few parents off because one of the residents sings show tunes in her birthday suit. And there are some serious issues of domestic violence, hoarding, and homelessness that younger readers may find disturbing.

[finishinglinepress]

Finishing Line Press Open Chapbook Competition Results 2019/2020:

Winner: Brian Ascalon Roley of Montgomery, Ohio for AMBUSCADE

1ST HM: Allison Albino of New York, NY

2nd HM: John Struloeff of Malibu, CA

3rd HM: Mimi Herman of Durham, NC

4. Mark Svenvold of New York, NY

5. Max Stephan of Orchard Park, NY

6. Eric Burger of Longmont, CO

7. Michael Beebe of Lake Oswego, OR

8. Mary Moore Easter of Minneapolis, MN

9. Gregory Loselle of Southgate, MI

10. Chee Brossy of Santa Fe, NM

11. Pamela Yenser of Albuquerque, NM

12. Melissa Weaver of Harrisonburg, VA

Thank you to all who entered the competition. We had a total of 343 entries.

Final judge: Leah Maines