#Web Series The Lockdown Tales

[a-modernmajorgeneral]

I was recently awoken in the night by lions, their eyes glaring in the dark from blunt rectangular faces as they stalked bison through an ancient, arid grassland. As I came to, however, I realised I was not about to be eaten alive. This was simply one of the perils of spending too much time looking at images of cave art on the web.

Cave artists could do it all. The faces of the animals they painted are exquisite portraits, while their bodies are rendered in perfect perspective. But wait – weren’t these supposed to be the great achievements of European art? After all, in his classic study The Story of Art, EH Gombrich tells how western art took off when the ancient Greeks learned how to show movement, that the perspective was discovered in 15th-century Europe, and that the communication of sensation rather than the seen was the gift of the impressionists. Gombrich had probably not seen much cave art. Lascaux, a series of caves in the French Dordogne, was a recent discovery when he published his book in 1950 – and Chauvet, also in France, wouldn’t be found until 1994.

“Since Lascaux,” Picasso is supposed to have said after he saw the famous ice age cave paintings in 1940, “we have invented nothing.” Sadly, the quote is hard to source. But he should have said it, because it fits the insight that pervades his work, with its appetite for influences from ancient Iberian statuettes to African masks. Namely, that art’s story is not a trajectory of ascent, but more of a looping spiral, constantly retracing its steps.

When the pandemic started, the Guardian switched its Masterclasses online and challenged me, one of its tutors, to come up with a theme. “OK,” I thought. “What about a virtual trip through the whole of art history?” But, like Picasso, I got stuck at the very beginning. And Picasso had a point: the more you look at images from the walls of Lascaux and Chauvet, the more you realise art really has invented nothing since those days at the end of the ice age.

It is hard to take in how comprehensively these ancient artists anticipated the future. It takes time to fully absorb this – say, a year in and occasionally out of lockdown. I’ve visited, in the flesh, some of the most spectacular caves: Cougnac, Pech Merle, Niaux. But, in the past 12 months, I have conducted an online odyssey into both the caves I’ve been to and those I’ll probably never see. (Chauvet and Lascaux are permanently closed while others can be reached only by experienced divers.) In that time, I have come to fully appreciate the stunning nature of this primordial creativity.

Cave art makes art history pretty much obsolete. That tale of upward ascent – of European masters gradually mastering reality, from the Parthenon frieze to the eyes of Rembrandt – is simply not true. It turns out that perspective, shading, movement and expressiveness are not, after all, hard-won western discoveries. Rather, they are part of the toolkit of the human mind.

How does ice age art reveal this? We – homo sapiens – evolved in Africa no more than 300,000 years ago. There is evidence of art, potentially even paintings, in South Africa up to 100,000 years ago. Then, 30,000 years ago, a stunningly accomplished artistic culture exploded on to the scene, at least according to what we have been able to find. This took place in the most recent of Earth’s ice ages, a time when Europe was anything but hospitable. Yet cave art shows why humans migrated there: to hunt mammoth, rhinoceros, hippopotamus and deer. The tradition of cave painting continued up to the end of that ice age, about 10,000 years ago.

To get this in perspective, the Great Pyramid at Giza dates from 4,600 years ago; the Parthenon sculptures from 2,650 years ago; the plaques from the Oba’s palace in Benin from up to 600 years ago; Hokusai’s Great Wave from two centuries ago. Cave art exists on a different time scale – so different that art historians tend to discount it, leaving its significance to evolutionary scientists. They’re wrong. For this art contains the key to a more human and complete story of art.

If ice age people who hunted and foraged and had no concept of literacy could draw and paint like Leonardo da Vinci, that leaves the narrative of art as an ascent towards noting but perfection. In fact, ice age artists had a lot in common with the Renaissance genius. For one thing, they shared an obsession with depicting animals. The joy of exploring cave art in lockdown, online and in books, was to see all these creatures closely: lions stalking bison, an engraving of an owl, a relief of a pike, a painting of a duck on a pole. One of my favourites is a charcoal drawing of a flatfish, about 1.5 metres long, in La Pileta cave in Andalusia. You can see its curious turned-over face, that touching evolutionary evidence that plaice and sole adapted from vertically swimming fish, flipping over their bodies to live on the seabed.

So here is a recently evolved homo sapiens depicting a strikingly evolved fellow animal. That’s what makes cave art so entrancing: it records the moment consciousness makes an entrance. Before 33,000 years ago, all our evidence of the natural world comes from fossils, which reveal the story of life from single-celled creatures to dinosaurs to mammals. Then suddenly humans appear – and they are doing portraits. As a consequence, the extinct animals of the ice age don’t only exist as fossils, or frozen remains from Siberia. They also live in art.

If depiction is not a slowly accumulated skill, built up by western artists over the centuries, but rather something that came naturally to the first humans, then art’s history cannot be a progress or ascent. Instead, it is story of choices. And a lot of those have to do with identity. Egyptian art, Aztec art and the sculptures of Easter Island all show strong powers of observation, but choose to embed that eye for reality within a formalised “style”.

Style exists to define – from the national to the religious, right down to the level of personal identity. We’re ancient Egyptians and we walk sideways with our faces turned – got a problem with that? Cave art has stylistic traits, too. Hand prints keep recurring, along with red dots and geometrical patterns. As well as pointing to all the ways later humans would use abstract symbols to define themselves, they look forward to modern art.

While my virtual cave art journey was fun, the real thing is unforgettable. A few years ago, my family and I visited Niaux, a painted cave in the Pyrenees. Niaux has a spectacular location, overlooking a mountain valley. The people who created the art it contains lived on the far side of the valley. They must have seen Niaux, across the divide, as a special place, akin to a temple or cathedral. Its imposing natural entrance, a soaring arch of overhanging stone, adds to its sacred aura.

To get to the art, you have to walk through long, sometimes narrow passages, lit only by your own helmet lamp. The artists of Niaux, we can deduce, did not intend the experience of seeing their art to be easy. After these passageways, you suddenly emerge into a grand, scary chamber, now called the Salon Noir. There on its walls are bison drawn in black charcoal – but with humanoid faces. They are mythic beasts, the ancestors of Picasso’s Minotaur.

When we emerged from the cave, our taxi hadn’t turned up. The site was closing and our phones weren’t working. But we weren’t worried. Maybe, echoing one theory about cave artists, we were high on oxygen deprivation. Or maybe this was one art pilgrimage that was worth getting stuck up a mountain for.

Across the planet, across the centuries, there are infinite varieties of art to look at and marvel over. But there is nothing better than this. That is why, with all the choice made possible online, I am continually drawn back to the cave.

[darksidestudio]

Title: Shadows on the Bayou (2.0)

Chapter 1: The Calm Before the Storm

The sun hung low in the sky, casting an eerie glow over the luxurious cruise ship, The Southern Belle. It was a floating paradise, filled with opulence and extravagance. But tonight, the ship was a prison, trapped in a quarantine lockdown off the coast of New Orleans, Louisiana.

Among the passengers was Harold Thompson, a retired janitor who had spent his life cleaning up after others. As he gazed out at the dark waters, he couldn't help but feel a sense of unease. The ship had become a breeding ground for fear and suspicion, as a series of gruesome murders had plagued the vessel.

Harold had always been a dreamer, and in his fantasies, he had imagined himself as a gumshoe detective, solving crimes and bringing justice to the world. Now, with the ship in chaos, he saw an opportunity to live out his secret desires.

Chapter 2: The First Victim

The first murder had occurred just two days into the quarantine. A young woman, her body found in a pool of blood in her cabin. The ship's crew had been quick to dismiss it as an isolated incident, blaming it on a lover's quarrel gone wrong. But Harold knew better.

Armed with a notepad and a magnifying glass, Harold began his investigation. He questioned the crew, listened to the whispers of the passengers, and scoured the crime scene for any clues. The more he dug, the more he realized that there was something sinister lurking beneath the surface.

Chapter 3: Secrets Unveiled

As Harold delved deeper into the case, he discovered a web of secrets and lies. Each passenger had something to hide, and it seemed that everyone had a motive for murder. The ship became a pressure cooker, with tensions rising and paranoia spreading like wildfire.

Harold's obsession with the case consumed him. He spent sleepless nights piecing together the puzzle, connecting the dots, and following leads that led him down dark corridors and hidden compartments. But the closer he got to the truth, the more dangerous his investigation became.

Chapter 4: The Final Showdown

With each passing day, the body count rose, and Harold's determination grew stronger. He knew that time was running out, and he had to catch the killer before they struck again. The ship had become a labyrinth of fear, and Harold found himself trapped in a deadly game of cat and mouse.

As the ship made its final approach to New Orleans, Harold confronted the killer in a dramatic showdown. The truth was revealed, shocking everyone on board. The murderer, driven by a twisted desire for power and control, had used the quarantine as a cover for their heinous crimes.

Chapter 5: Reflections

In the aftermath of the chaos, Harold found himself hailed as a hero. The passengers praised his bravery and dedication, but deep down, he knew that he had merely stumbled upon the truth. He had always been a janitor, a man who cleaned up messes, but for a brief moment, he had become the detective he had always fantasized about.

Shadows on the Bayou was a tale of suspense and deception, a psychological thriller that explored the depths of human nature. And as Harold walked away, he couldn't help but wonder if he had truly escaped the shadows, or if they would forever follow him wherever he went.

As the ship docked in New Orleans, Harold stepped onto solid ground, leaving behind the horrors that had unfolded on The Southern Belle. But the memories would forever haunt him, a reminder that even in the most luxurious of settings, darkness could lurk just beneath the surface.

[bhaskarhindinews]

Coronavirus: लॉकडाउन के बीच ताहिरा कश्यप लेकर आईं ऑनलाइन सीरीज 'The Lockdown Tales'

हाईलाइट

ताहिरा कश्यप ने शुक्रवार को नई ऑनलाइन सीरीज 'द लॉकडाउन टेल्स' की शुरूआत की

इस वीडियो सीरीज को ताहिरा के सोशल मीडिया हैंडल पर शेयर किया जाएगा

हाल ही में इसकी पहली कहानी पोस्ट की है, जिसका टाइटल रहा '6 फीट दूर'

राइटर औ�� फिल्ममेकर ताहिरा कश्यप ने शुक्रवार को अप��े एक नई ऑनलाइन सीरीज की शुरूआत की, जिसका टाइटल 'द लॉकडाउन टेल्स' है। कोरोनावायरस की कड़ी को तोड़ने के लिए देशभर में सरकार द्वारा लगाए गए 21 दिन के लॉकडाउन में लोगों के मूड को कुछ ठीक करना ही इस सीरीज का मकसद है।

[ninja-muse]

SUPPORT INDIE BOOKSTORES!!

Hi all! Your friendly neighbourhood book-slinger here! As you know, the Covid-19 pandemic is hitting the economy hard, small businesses especially. As you may not know, bookstores have one of the largest overheads and one of the smallest profit margins of any business ever. Many rely on foot traffic and neighbourhood support, which means if they haven’t already shut their doors due to public health measures, they’re still seeing a major drop in the number of customers and books sold—often while still needing to buy new stock and pay rent. It’s not completely dire, we’re not looking at a world without bookshops, but a lot of booksellers are genuinely worried all the same.

This is where you guys come in! If you need books right now (and I’m talking to Booklr here so there are decent odds you do), and you’ve got the money to spend, please consider hitting up an indie for them rather than a chain or exclusively online bookstore. A lot of them took online and phone orders before this year, and many are now offering curbside pick-up, lower shipping costs, and local delivery, and all of them could use your support right now. (They’re also, by and large, some of the most delightfully bookish people you’ll ever meet.)

Don’t know who your indies are? That’s what this post is for! It’s kind of skewed to my area right now because that’s what I know, but it will be updated as I get more recommendations. So please, rec your local indies to me! Add them to this post, slide into my asks, whatever’s most comfortable.

And please note that even if a store is closed and in lockdown, that does not mean you can’t place an order for when the crisis is over.

Let’s share the bookstore love!

There is now also Bookshop.org and the Save Your Bookstore app, for anyone who is interested.

Last edit: May 15, 8:50 am PST.

AUSTRALIA

Abbey’s Bookstore - Sydney. Closing on March 30. Taking online, phone, and email orders, delivering.

Crow Books - Perth. Taking phone orders, shipping.

Q’s Books - Newcastle. Window display where you can request by pointing.

Secret Bookstuff - Newcastle. Closed, taking online orders and offering phone recommendations. 15% off until end of March.

White Dwarf Books - Perth. Open to the public, Paywave preferred, taking orders for shipping

Melbourne

Alice’s Bookshop - Closed. No info about orders or shipping.

Books For Cooks - Open to public. Free next day delivery for people in isolation in local area

City Basement Books - No information.

Coventry Bookstore - No information.

Hill of Content Bookshop - Open online. Free delivery to the CBD, and shipping.

Metropolis Books - Open to the public. Offering free freight via Australia Post for online orders over $50

North Melbourne Books - Open but limited to 3 customers, offering free home delivery to North and West Melbourne.

Paperback Books - Open but closing early, taking phone, email, and online orders and shipping.

Readings - No longer accepting cash payments. Free delivery on online orders $150 and over — anywhere in Australia. 

Robinson’s Bookshop - Some stores may close early, taking online orders.

Syber’s Books - No information.

AUSTRIA

Shakespeare and Company - Vienna. Taking email orders.

CANADA

A Google Map of all indies who deliver

Alberta

The Edmonton Bookstore - Edmonton. Closed. Taking phone, online, and email orders. Updating webstore daily. Accepts Paypal.

Fair's Fair - Calgary. Closed,  taking email orders and doing curbside pick-up, credit and debit only

The Next Page - Calgary. Closed, taking online orders and delivering for free within Calgary

Pages On Kensington - Calgary. Taking phone and online orders, doing deliveries and curbside pick-up

The Wee Book Inn - Edmonton. No information.                       

British Columbia

Lower Mainland

Black Bond Books/Book Warehouse - Services and openness vary depending on location, but currently offering $5 shipping within the Lower Mainland

The Book Man - Chilliwack and Abbotsford. Closed. 

Carson Books - Vancouver. No information.

Golden Age Collectables - Vancouver. Open.

Hager Books - Vancouver. Closed. Has a webstore.

Kidsbooks - Vancouver. Closed to browsing. Online and phone orders. Curbside pickup, shipping, delivery.

Lucky’s Comics - Vancouver. No information.

MacLeod’s Books - Vancouver. No web presence

Massy Books - Vancouver. Currently open online with free delivery within Metro Vancouver and discounted rates across Canada

The Paper Hound - Vancouver. Open to the public, taking phone and email orders, offering free bike delivery

Pulp Fiction Books - Vancouver. Open to the public, taking orders online, by phone, and by Twitter, shipping daily (more details)

Tanglewood Books - Vancouver. No information.

White Dwarf Books/Dead Write Books - Vancouver. Open to the public, offers some free delivery

Y’s Books - - Vancouver. No information.

Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands

Beacon Books - Sidney. Closed, taking orders via AbeBooks, ships.

Bolen Books - Victoria. Taking phone and online orders, small window for in-store pickups, $5 shipping within BC for orders for $40

The Children’s Bookshop - Sidney. No web presence.

Coho Books - Campbell River. Taking phone, email, and online orders. Will deliver locally once a week

Galiano Island Books - Galiano Island. Closed but taking online orders. Delivery on the island free, BC shipping $5.

Galleon Books & Antiques - Sidney. No web presence.

The Haunted Bookshop - Sidney. No web presence.

Laughing Oyster Books - Courtney. Taking phone and online orders and will deliver within the Comox Valley.

The Military and History Bookshop - Sidney. No web presence.

Munro’s Books - Victoria. Closed till end of March, taking phone and online orders, $5 shipping within BC

Russell Books - Victoria. Closed, has pick-up window, offers free North American shipping with $50+ purchase with some limitations

Tanner’s Books - Sidney. Closed, taking phone and online orders, storefront pickup, $5 shipping within Capital regional district, free delivery to locals in a senior’s residence or self-isolating.

Interior

Mosaic Books - Kelowna. Closed, taking phone, email, Facebook, and online orders, free local shipping over $75, curbside pickup.

Nuthatch Books - 100 Mile House. No information.

The Open Book - Williams Lake. Phone and online orders. In-store and curbside pickup, free local delivery.

Saskatchewan and Manitoba

Bison Books - Winnepeg. Taking phone, online, email, and DM orders. Free local delivery or curbside pickup, with delivery available at cost everywhere else in the world. Accepts Paypal and e-transfer.

McNally Robinson - Winnepeg and Saskatoon. Closed but open by appointment. Taking phone and online orders, offering curbside pickup, next day Winnipeg delivery as low as $5, shipping across Canada

Ontario

Attic Books - London. Closed to at least April 13. Taking phone, email, DM, and online orders. Processing phone payments. Curbside pickup.

Bakka-Phoenix Books - Toronto. Closed to public until April 5. Online orders.

Brown and Dickson - London. Closed. Taking online and social media orders, considering free delivery within London. Seels gift cards.

Quebec

Argo Bookshop - Montreal. Open. Phone and online orders, curbside pickup, shipping. Selling gift certificates. Events have moved online and are starting a discussion series. Partnered with Libro.fm.

Babar Books - Montreal. Closed, taking online orders. Free shipping for West Island. $7.00 flat rate for Greater Montreal.

Librairie Drawn & Quarterly - Montreal. Closed, taking online orders, shipping, curbside pickup. Partnered with Libro.fm. Has launched an online storytime, runs an online book club.

Northwest Territories

Yellowknife Books - Currently taking online and phone orders with curb-side drop-off, also ships

FRANCE

Shakespeare and Company - Paris. Closed. Taking online orders but shipping later. Sells vouches and subscriptions.

IRELAND

Gutter Bookshop - Dublin. Closed at least to March 31. Online and email orders, shipping worldwide. Free postage within Ireland over €30. Sells vouchers.

ISRAEL

Holzer Books - Jerusalem. Appears to have updates in Hebrew.

Danny Books - Jerusalem. No information.

THE NETHERLANDS

The American Book Center - Amsterdam and the Hague. Closed for browsing today. Still taking web orders, handling emails and answering the phone. Free shipping in Netherlands over €20.

THE UNITED KINGDOM

Blackwells - Chain, but a good one.

Book-Ish - Crickhowell, Wales. Closed. Taking online orders. Has an outside donation box for toiletries for NHS staff. Recommending books on Twitter.

Ryde Bookshop - Isle of Wight. No information.

Topping & Company - Closed. Taking online, email, and phone orders, and shipping.

England

Chicken and Frog - Brentwood, Essex. Closed. Email orders. Online events. Home deliveries.

Daunt Books - London. Closed. Not currently taking orders.

Five Leaves Bookshop - Nottingham. Closed. Onlne and email orders, free postage and direct delivery from suppliers. Building a webstore and planning online events. Accepts PayPal and National Book Tokens.

Foyles - London. Closed. Online orders. Free UK standard delivery. Has subscription packages. Events cancelled until the end of May.

Gay’s The Word - London. Closed. Not currently taking orders.

Mostly Books - Abingdon-on-Thames, Oxfordshire. Closed.Taking phone, email, online, and social media orders. £3 postage except for large orders. Accepts PayPal and BACS.

Mr B’s Emporium - Bath. “Non-contact open.” Email and phone orders. Has sections on their website for recommendations and suggestions. Has gift vouches and reading subscriptions. Until March 31, £2 postage for 1st class, £1.50 for 2nd class. After that, free shipping over £30. Launching a Youtube channel.

Persephone Books - London. Closed. Online orders, but cannot ship due to lockdown.

Sevenoaks Bookshop - Sevenoaks, Kent. Closed. Online and email orders. Very limited hand-delivery. Shipping from suppliers.

Tales on Moon Lane - London. Closed. Email orders. Delivering. Giving recommendations.

Warwick Books - Warwick. Closed. Phone, email, and social media orders. Shipping from warehouse. Accepts bank transfer and PayPal. Has gift subscriptions and vouchers.

Scotland

Edinburgh Bookshop - Edinburgh. Closed. Taking online, email, and phone orders. Deliveries paused, but still shipping.

Golden Hare Books- Edinburgh. Closed. Taking online, email, and phone orders. Free local delivery, UK shipping for £2.50.

Lighthouse Bookshop - Edinburgh. Closed. Taking online, email, and phone orders, shipping as low as £2. Starting an online newsletter for bookstore vibes. Setting up a system where people in danger from domestic violence can ‘order a book’ and they will then alert the relevant local services to provide help.

Transreal Fiction - Closed. Not currently taking orders.

THE UNITED STATES

California

Alley Cat Bookshop and Gallery - San Francisco. Closed. Taking orders on Bookshop.org for direct home shipping. Sells gift certificates. Has a Patreon and a GoFundMe.

Books Inc./Compass Books - Bay Area. Closed. Online orders, free shipping.

Booksmart - Morgan Hill. Open, taking orders, curbside pickup. Home delivery within 3 miles, shipping $3.99 or free over $25. Providing gloves to browsers.

Borderlands Books - San Francisco. Closed, filling mail orders.

City Lights - San Francisco. Closed. Unable to directly fill online orders but lists with Bookshop.org.

Dog Eared Books - San Francisco. Valencia location in store to take your calls between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. every weekday. Taking orders on Bookshop.org for direct home shipping, and online orders in store. Sells gift certificates. Has a GoFundMe.

Green Apple Books - San Francisco. Closed. Taking online orders. Free shipping on orders over $25. Partnered with Libro.fm. Is selling “Stay Home Read Books” shirts and gift cards.

The Last Bookstore - Los Angeles. Open by appointment, taking online and emails orders, offering curated gift bags, still accepting donations and buying used books

Leigh’s Favorite Books - Sunnyvale. Closed. Online reservations. Contactless local delivery. Accepting direct donations.

Omnivore Books - San Francisco. Closed. Phone and online orders. Limited pick-up hours. Shipping.

Recycle Bookstore - Campbell and San Jose. No information.

A Shop Called Quest - Phone orders, curbside pick up, shipping options. Also selling gift cards

Skylight Books - Los Angeles. Taking online orders and shipping with limitations.

Vroman's Bookstore - Pasadena. Online orders under $75 for shipping only. Partnered with Libro.fm, MyMustRead, and Corkcicle. Selling gift cards and taking financial donations.

Connecticut

That Book Store - Wethersfield. Open. Curbside pickup, free delivery available. Partnered with Libro.fm. Has a GoFundMe.

Florida

Vero Beach Book Center - Vero Beach. Open for curbside pickup. Still giving recommendations and retrieving in-store stock.

Georgia

Book Nook - Decatur. Open.

Eagle Eye Books - Decatur. Closed to browsing. Taking online and phone orders, curbside pickup.

Little Shop Of Stories - Decatur. Closed to customers until April 8, but allowing store pickup. Online and phone orders. Free home delivery in 30030 and neighboring zip codes. Partnered with Libro.fm.

Tall Tales - Decatur. Open.

Illinois

57th Street Books - Closed. Taking online orders.

Anderson’s Bookshop - Naperville, Downers Grove, and LaGrange. Online orders temporarily suspected due to volume. Downers Grove taking phone orders and has curbside pickup. Sells gift cards. Has a GoFundMe and is partnered with Libro.fm.

The Book Table - Oak Park. Closed. Direct shipping from distributor. Selling gift cards. Answering emails.

Bookie's New and Used Books - Chicago. Closed for in-store browsing. Taking online orders. Delivery within five-mile radius, curbside pickup. Also sells through Bookshop.org and is partnered with Libro.fm. Sells gift cards and ebooks.

Myopic Bookstore - Chicago. Closed.

Quimby’s - Closed at least to end of March. March and April events cancelled. Taking online, email, and phone orders, shipping, curbside pickup. Offering recommendations on Zoom.

Powell’s Books - Chicago. No information but takes online orders.

Sandmeyer’s - Chicago. Closed. Taking phone and email orders.

The Scarlet Page - Oregon. Closed. Doing curbside delivery. Selling book bundles at flat prices. Has a GoFundMe.

Unabridged Bookstore - Chicago. Closed to the public. Taking online orders, shipping. Sells gift cards.

Women & Children First - Chicago. Closed until May 1. Taking online orders and shipping. Preorders available. Partnered with Libro.fm. Doing poetry events on Instagram and other virtual events elsewhere.    

Iowa

Prairie Lights - Iowa City. Closed to the public. Taking phone and online orders. Free local delivery, curbside pickup, shipping free over $50 within the continental US.

Kansas

Book-a-Holic Bookstore - Wichita. Open, offering curbside pickup.

Eighth Day Books - Wichita. Taking orders and shipping.

Rainy Day Books - Fairway. Open. Taking phone and online orders. $5 priority mail under $75, free shipping over $75. Offering phone recommendations.

Raven Book Store - Lawrence. Taking email and online orders. Free local delivery. $1 shipping across the US. Has book subscriptions.

Watermark Books and Cafe - Wichita. Open. Taking online orders, $3 shipping within continental US, curbside delivery of books and food. Sells eBooks and audiobooks.

Kentucky

Nanny Goat Books - Louisville. No information.

Maryland

The Book Escape - Baltimore. Closed. Taking orders, shipping daily, offering free delivery.

 The Book Thing of Baltimore - Baltimore. Closed. Soliciting ideas for safely giving away books during social distancing and looking for satellite bookshelves. Accepting financial donations.

The Ivy Bookshop - Towson. Closed. Taking phone and online orders, shipping, offering phone recommendations.

Massachusetts

Brookline Booksmith - Boston. Closed. Taking phone and online orders, shipping. Recommendations on social media.

Harvard Book Store - Boston. Closed until April 7. Online orders. Shipping. Offers print-on-demand services. Events cancelled.

More Than Words - Boston and Waltham. Stores and events currently closed. Still accepting book donations.

Trident Booksellers and Cafe - Boston. Store and cafe closed to public. Events cancelled. Shipping within US. Food delivery and pick-up. Sells gift cards and partnered with Libro.fm.

Wellesley Books - Wellesley. Taking online orders, direct shipping from distributor. Partnered with Libro.fm. Sells gift cards.

Michegan

Bookbug and This Is A Bookstore - Kalamazoo. Closed, taking orders, providing reading lists. Has launched a book subscription service and is accepting donations.

Kazoo Books - Kalamazoo. No information.

Literati Bookstore - Ann Arbor. Closed until April 13. Processing current orders and sending incoming orders through a distributor that ships. Has a GoFundMe.

Minnesota

Dreamhaven Books - Minneapolis. Open, taking phone and email orders, $10 care package within the US.

Excelsior Bay Books - Twin Cities. Closed for browsing. Taking online and phone orders, giving phone recommendations, curb-side pickup, shipping. Selling audiobooks and gift certificates.

Red Balloon Bookstore - Twin Cities. Closed. Giving recommendations by phone. Parking lot pick-up, free shipping, orders $20 free delivery in neighbourhood.

Wild Rumpus Bookstore - Twin Cities. Closed. Taking online orders, offering curbside pickup, free shipping or delivery on orders over $10.

Mississippi

Lemuria Books - Jackson. Taking online and phone orders, offering curbside pick-up and shipping. 

Montana

Vargo’s Jazz City and Books - Bozeman. No information.

Country Bookshelf - Bozeman. Closed to browsing. Open for pick-up orders, prefers curb delivery, local delivery, or shipping. $1 shipping nationwide. Taking online and phone orders, acting as personal shoppers.

Isle of Books AKA Used Book Emporium - Bozeman. Open. Taking phone and online orders. Curbside pickup and shipping. Doing short readings on Facebook.

New Jersey

Words Bookstore - Maplewood. Events postponed to April 25. No other information. Has webstore.

The Book House - Millburn. Online orders. Selling subscriptions, gift cards, and gift baskets. Offering email recommendations. Partnered with Libro.fm.

New York

Bluestockings - NYC. No information, has webstore.

The Book House of Stuyvestant Plaza/Market Block Books - Albany. Closed. Events to be rescheduled. Online orders, direct shipping from distributors. Partnered with Libro.fm.

Book Culture - NYC. Some locations closed, all closed to browsing. Taking online orders, shipping. Pickups uncertain. International shipping. Buyback suspecting but accepting book donations.

Books of Wonder - NYC. Offering digital storytime.

The Corner Bookstore - NYC. Events cancelled through April. Phone and email orders, free local delivery. Customizes gift baskets. Allows customers to open an account. Sells gift certificates.

Dashwood Books - NYC. No information

Greenlight Bookstore - Brooklyn. Closed to the public. Online orders shipping from supplier, free over $100.

Housing Works - NYC. Bookstore and cafe closed. Clinics still open. Taking financial donations for the organization as a whole. Sells gift cards.

Kitchen Arts and Letters - NYC. Closed. Filling phone and mail orders.

The Lit Bar - NYC. Online orders, shipping, curbside pickup by appointment. Partnered with Libro.fm.

Midtown Comics - NYC - Open, taking online orders, currently running a 20% off everything sale until March 31st

The Mysterious Bookshop - NYC. Closed. Shipping all orders when business ban lifted.

Revolution Books - NYC. Closed to public. Still providing information and analysis, and online programming.

Shakespeare & Co. - NYC. No information, but webstore and free shipping.

Spoonbill and Sugartown - NYC. Taking email orders and shipping.

The Strand - NYC. Closed, taking online orders.

Three Lives and Company - NYC. Closed and not currently processing orders.

North Carolina

The Book Lady - Munroe. No information.

Bookmarks - Winston-Salem. Taking phone and online orders including preorders, curbside pickup, free shipping over $25. Offers memberships, gift cards, and subscriptions. Partnered with Libro.fm, sells ebooks. Taking donations.

The Captain’s Bookshelf - Asheville. No information.

Epilogue Book Cafe - Chapel Hill. Closed. Online orders, $3 shipping. Partnered with Libro.fm

Firestorm Co-op - Asheville. Open. Taking online orders. Events cancelled till end of March. $1 shipping.

Flyleaf Books - Chapel Hill. Closed. Online and phone orders, curbside pickup and $1 shipping through April.

Island Books - Kitty Hawk. No specific information but does online orders.

Malaprops Bookstore/Cafe - Asheville. Online and phone orders. Events and book clubs suspended to May 15. Home delivery throughout Buncombe Country with two book minimum, free shipping over $50 and free delivery downtown, curbside pickup. Exploring subscription services and digital content. Directing donations to the Book Industry Charitable Foundation (BINC)

Quail Ridge Books - Raleigh. Closed to the public Weds and Thurs. Taking online orders. All March events cancelled. Free media mail shipping to continental US.

The Regulator - Durham. Closed to customers. Phone and online orders. Curbside pickup, reduced shipping nationwide. Sells gift certificates.

Ohio

The Book Loft - Columbus. Closed till April 6. Taking online orders, shipping for $4.99.  

Oregon

Black Sun Books - Eugene. No information but putting their stock online.   

The Book Bin - Corvallis and Albany. Open. Phone orders. Free home delivery and curbside pickup.

Browser’s Books - Corvallis and Albany. Closed to public, open by appointment. Taking phone, email, and messaging orders, and posting shelfies for online browsing. Free shipping in Oregon over $15. Curbside pick-up.

Dudley's Bookshop Cafe - Bend. Closed. Taking email and Facebook orders, doing deliveries. Partnered with Libro.fm.

Grass Roots Books - Corvallis. Faking phone and online orders. Free shipping, curbside pickup. Launching an “Irregular” newsletter.

J Micheal's Books - Eugene. Closed, curbside and local home delivery.

Powell’s Books - Portland. Closed through April. Free shipping for over $25

Smith Family Bookstore - Eugene. Closed. Taking phone and online orders, allows pickup, also shipping.

Tsunami Books - Eugene. Taking phone, email, website, online, and Facebook orders. Curbside pickup. Accepts checks and cash. Free shipping anywhere in the US.              

Pennsylvania

Towne Book Center & Wine Bar - Collegeville.  Closed. Online orders. Free standard shipping in the US. Sells gift cards. Partnered with Libro.fm and MyMustReads. Some book clubs meeting digitally.

Tennessee

Parnassus Books - Nashville. Closed to public. Taking and shipping orders. Events cancelled until April 10.

Vermont

Star Cat Books - Bradford. No information. Takes donations.

Washington

Brick and Mortar Books - Redmond. Closed. Taking online orders.

The Elliott Bay Book Company - Seattle. Closed until March 31, taking phone and online orders, taking curbside pickup, limited home delivery, free delivery for over $50, free shipping within US.

Imprint Books - Port Townsend. Closed to browsers until March 31. Taking phone and email orders. Direct-to-home shipping for $2, free over $30. Giving recommendations. Partnered with Libro.fm. April writing workshops now on Zoom.

Left Bank Books - Seattle. Closed to the public. Taking phone and online orders (including for store credit), shipping daily.

Lion Heart Books  - Seattle. No information.

Magus Books - Seattle. Closed as of March 26. Taking phone and email orders, shipping

Main Street Books - Monroe. Closed to browsing. Stock listed on spreadsheet, Amazon. and Bookshop.org. Free shipping. 20% off gift cards.

Mercer Street Books - Seattle. No information.

Ophelia's Books - Seattle. Closed to the public. Available for phone or email orders that can be shipped or picked up during limited hours.

Secret Garden Books - Seattle. Closed until at least April 7 and not processing orders until then.

Third Place Books - Seattle. Taking orders, free shipping to March 31.

Twice Sold Tales - Seattle. Open weekends, selling gift certificates, has a GoFundMe

Uppercase Bookshop - Snohomish. Closed to browsing. Taking online orders. Shipping and delivery. Sells gift cards. Partnered with Libro.fm and MyMustReads.

William James Bookseller  - Port Townsend. Closed.         

ONLINE-ONLY

Absinthe Books

[matildainmotion]

The People Apart: not a blog, a story.

The below is a flash fiction piece, from a longer series called “Other Peoples, Other Worlds,” but this one is lockdown-inspired. I am sharing it here as part of Mothers Who Make’s art exchange project, “Letters in Lockdown.”

Are you sitting comfortably? Do you have space around you? How near is the nearest person? Right beside you or an arm’s length away? In the next room, or maybe on the floor below? When you are at the right distance, the one with which you feel most comfortable, read on - I want to tell you the story of a people who spend their lives apart.

They live alone. Like herons they are to be seen standing by a river, or in a lane, or crouched in their gardens, on their own. Far back in their history it is said that they once touched. Once upon a time – and many believe it is no more than a fairy tale – there was an era when the people lived close to one another. Close enough to feel each other’s heat, for whispers to be heard, close enough to see the colour of each other’s eyes with ease. At this time touch was ordinary. People held hands, hugged, put chest to chest, arms slung over necks and shoulders, around waists, legs were stroked, backs rubbed. They touched faces. They put their mouths close to one another, sometimes so close no words came out. They said things to each other with their mouths closed but their lips touching.

           But this close time came to an end, for as the people who live apart know, touching leads to violence, sickness and to death. The close-up people shared, but they did not share everything with everyone. They could not agree on what was whose and how much each should have, or for how long they should have it. They made vows, promising to share everything with one another, but they broke them. Even though they were so near, they did not hear each other clearly. With their closed lips they touched each other and did not understand the messages that passed between them. They tried to share their very selves, their bodies, with each other, but in doing so they forgot whose body belonged to whom. And so their touching became violent. Not strokes but blows. They clawed, pounded, punched and tore. They killed each other with hands tight around each other’s throats, or using knives, dug into the skin that they had stroked.

           But worse perhaps even than the conscious killings of the close people, was when they killed each other by mistake. They did their lip-touching, skin-stroking, hand-shaking, breath-sharing, and they grew ill. They infected one another. They died, all because they could not bear to live apart, even by a short distance. They died until there were only a few people left, and these began a new way of life. Or so the story goes. Others believe none of this – they think people have always lived apart and these stories are just told to frighten them. For it is obvious that drawing close is dangerous and touch cannot be trusted. 

            Each person lives alone, in their own home. Their homes are simple, small dwellings, suited to solitude. Each home is surrounded by a moat of land, a garden that extends from the house on every side. In their gardens they grow food as well as flowers. Between each garden runs a path of generous width, so that it is possible for two people to stand at the outer edges of their land and still to be at a safe distance from each other.

           Whilst self-sufficiency and autonomy are prized above all else in their society, it is recognised that some exchange of goods and services is unavoidable. At one corner of each garden, outside the garden fence, is a wooden box, big enough to hold not only letters but other items that the owner of the box wishes to swap or share - paints, paper or ink, for example, for they are great writers and painters. Speech when it occurs is always public, conducted across the paths at the ends of their gardens. Anything more intimate takes place in writing. They have no actual currency, wishing to minimise the number of physical objects that pass between them, held by one hand, passed into another. However, they keep long and detailed records of their exchanges, which are kept on scrolls of paper, slid into a fabric pocket in the lid of every box.

           Of course they know that, like other lonely animals, like bears, black rhinos, leopards, there is a moment in their lives when they must come together if life is to continue, and future generations born. Whilst courtship can commence between gardens, with a glance across the pathways, it is continued in correspondence. They enter into arranged couplings, yet the arrangements are made by no one but themselves.

           Besides each box, in each garden, is a gate. Usually this is opened only for the purpose of collecting items from the box, or delivering an item to another box. But there are a few other moments in their lives when this gate opens. One of these is if a coupling has been arranged.

           The couplings take place at night. One person will meet the other at their gate and is allowed inside. Each meeting is preceded and then followed by a great act of cleansing. They come together, they touch, and then they wash away all touching. If a child is conceived after a coupling then the person bears and births her child alone. Often it is the one who has birthed the child who raises it, but not always. Once the child is born it can be agreed, by letter, which parent will take it into their home.

           Then comes another moment in their lives when the gate at the edges of their gardens open: if a person has raised a child, once the child is old enough to live alone, they leave. There is no set time for this, but it is often after about ten years – a much longer period of care than many species offer to their young. The young person then goes to find their own home, with their own garden, gate and box.

           One of the first things they will do when they take up their life alone is to begin to work in their garden, and specifically to dig, for in every garden, every person has a hollow and, beside it, a small hill. Let me explain.

           Despite the lengths to which the people go to protect themselves from the dangers of touch, they are not afraid of death. They are matter of fact about it because they know that when it comes it will arise only from themselves, not forced upon them by another, their death meeting them at their own time. Every day it is their practice then to work on their hollow and their hill. They prepare this place within their land for their life’s end. They die alone, lying in their hollows. This is not a tragedy. Their loneliness is not a sadness to them – it is a way of life.

They are watchful across their gardens. They are respectful, never prying, but acutely mindful nonetheless of the movements of their neighbours. They know when someone has died, when they no longer collect things from their box, work on their garden or stand beside their gate. When this happens one of the others will enter through the gate of the one who has passed away and complete the burial. The neighbour fills in the hollow with the hill. Afterwards the land is level again – no hollow, no hill. Then they go into the deceased’s home, and by the door there is a white flag. They hoist the flag to let others know that this home is now empty and a new person can take up residence. Near each hill and hollow, each person also builds a bonfire. Onto this bonfire the neighbour will gather possessions, ready for release - letters, clothes -items that it is hard to clean or that are intimate to the deceased. The bonfire is lit and the possessions of their life are burned away. The home is cleared, ready for the new person when they arrive.

           There is an occasion, once a year, when the people who live apart, come together. They leave their gardens, and like trained dancers file down the pathways, keeping the precise distance that they know so well within their bodies - the distance which will keep them safe. They know it by sight. They know it by sound. They can measure and adjust their pace by listening to the footfall of the people in front of and behind them. In this way they walk smoothly to the plains.

           At the plains they stand like carefully planted trees, beyond each other’s shadows, none encroaching on the other’s sunlight. There, at the edge of the plains, years ago their ancestors built a huge amphitheatre- a giant hollow in the earth, and beside it a huge hill. Onto this they file. It is vast enough to encompass the distances that they must maintain from one another. The hill has ridges built into its side around which the people arrange themselves to view the spectacle.

           By letter, beforehand, the performances have been arranged. Alone they have practiced and rehearsed, in their homes and gardens. Then, at their annual gathering, their pageant, they stand and sing. They play. They perform great speeches, penned alone and on this day shared aloud. The performances are passionate, profound, but never wistful. Never do they show any self-pity or longing for things to be other than they are. The taboo on touch is strong enough within them that it holds. They weep. They laugh. They cheer. They clap. They stay till dusk. And then, without regret, they turn and they return, as if in migration, each to their solitude.

           It is worth stating that they are not all the same. Whilst they observe the same distance there is great diversity across their gardens and their homes. A huge range of styles and designs. Their letters, their quiet outpourings and endless daily poems and paintings are likewise eclectic. Their presentations at the annual pageant are wide-ranging – comedic, epic, lyric, experimental. They have no such thing as the internet, no world wide web. Although a life online does not necessitate touch, it also does not arise from an imagination and a culture constructed around solitude. They see no need for phones or digital connection.

           Will they live happily ever after? Are they even happy now? Are bears happy, or other solitary animals that we know of in this world?  I suspect happiness may be an idea that comes from touch, or at least our idea of it is so informed by this that we cannot understand a happiness that is so different in meaning to the close, sweaty, heart-thumping, kissing kind we know and to which we are committed.

The truth is I do not know if they are happy, for I am one of those people in whom they don’t believe – one of those that need to touch, and to be touched.

[freedompratzz]

Lockdown And I was robbed by my own life, but it feels good here in lockdown World look deceptive in photos, and I enjoy them in quarantine Kitchen to balcony, balcony to bed that’s my walking lane, sometimes I play with my shadow in sunlight Dishes in sink chorus with birds chirping outside and I drank solo on Saturday and it is fine!!! . Random things I write on paper, write , erase and write not once or twice, may be millions of times It feels same inside or outside, but it feels okay here in lockdown!!! I was speechless and ceiling was making sounds Curtains were busy in sharing the tales of wind with walls, but my thoughts were hanging upside down And you said you felt alone with one roof and four walls I love that woman more these days, who is locked in mirror I won’t tell that if I missed those web series we watched together or our early dinners I am numb for moments, and I then I m talking to four walls and one roof Maybe I am falling for woman in mirror and you are calling me aloof Maybe I am obsessed with the silence Maybe I need colors for my bad paintings !!! Dancing in my underwear, i was fooled by my own time Will relish the silence of my own world in lockdown!!! #lockdown #lockdownfun #notapoetry #stayhome #stayathome #iwrite #writing https://www.instagram.com/p/B_A_XTzga5D/?igshid=5ide2kjo0rqz

[mrhotmaster]

16 Movies You Can Enjoy At Home During Lockdwown

16 Movies Or Series You Can Watch At Your Home During This COVID19 Lockdown

Whether videos of ping-pongs taken to the zoo or cats play games with their owners, the internet in these coronavirus holiday weeks can be an endless entertainment outlet as you ace social distancing.

Better Call Saul, Netflix 

This current one's a moderate burner made by Vince Gilligan and Peter Gould, and is a side project from the previous' massively effective Breaking Bad. 

A great part of the cast of Breaking Bad, spare the two lead characters, show up in this show. The hero of this wrongdoing dramatization is Jimmy McGill played by Bob Odenkirk. 

The show serves as an independent forerunner to Breaking Bad and outlines the moderate plummet of the adorable and road brilliant McGill into the universe of wrongdoing. 

McGill is an independent man who earned his law degree while working in the sorting room, who at that point turns into a seriously paid legal counselor who works out of the back of a nail salon. 

Despite the fringe criminal ways McGill completes things, the cards he has been managed nearly cause one to identify with his obscure character. 

Hunters, Amazon Prime Video 

Motivated by accounts of genuine 'Nazi trackers', the polarizing show follows a diverse gathering of individuals who have decided to unite as one to search out war crooks stowing away (generally) in America under new personalities. 

The show stars Al Pacino as Meyer Offerman, a Jewish altruist and Holocaust survivor who serves as the pioneer of the gathering secretively chasing Nazis in New York. 

While genuine trackers, similar to Simon Wiesenthal, took their discoveries to the police or the media, the show's characters volunteer to vindicate the Jews who endured because of Nazis. 

Also, it is this demeanor that makes their most youthful enlist, Jonah Heidelbaum (Logan Lerman) who assumes his late grandma's position in the gathering, questions everything that he has faith in. 

With components of a retaliation dream and sarcastic comic book-narrating, the show has issues yet there's some heavenly acting in here. 

Curb Your Enthusiasm, Disney Hotstar 

Changing the least complex stuff into heavenly workmanship takes an uncommon ability. What's more, Larry David, author, and co-maker of Seinfeld, who plays a fictionalized variant of himself in Curb Your Enthusiasm, is a past ace. 

To vent his wrath at flimsy tables and tepid espresso, he opens up a 'show disdain toward store', a café directly close to the café with the shaky tables and tepid espresso. 

Without either, obviously. The tenth and freshest period of this arrangement is as applicable to the occasions as could be expected under the circumstances, tossing in references to Harvey Weinstein and the #MeToo development. 

There's additionally a scene where David circumvents town wearing a MAGA (Make America Great Again) cap after finding that the adornment promoted by Donald Trump has exactly the intended effect in warding individuals off (social separating before coronavirus).

Afsos, Amazon Prime Video 

This miniseries follows Nakul, an essayist so ineffective that he endeavors to end it all sequentially. He stays safe, yet the equivalent can't be said for the individuals who spare him. 

On the off chance that this plot wasn't sufficiently strange to warrant a watch, Nakul chooses to enroll the assistance of 'changed' contract-executioners who presently 'help' individuals needing to kick the bucket. 

While Nakul, played by Gulshan Devaiah, holds the story together, Heeba Shah as the fatal professional killer Upadhyay is a treat to look for her vacant promise to what she calls 'craftsmanship'. 

Toss in a lot of researchers chasing for an everlasting status mixture, and a sadhu following Nakul because he has all the earmarks of being unfading, and you have a story ready with unexpected developments. 

Coordinated by Anubhuti Kashyap, Afsos has a lot of things amiss with it, yet its chilled demeanor to horrible subjects like mortality and casualty makes it watchable. 

Kidding, Disney Hotstar 

This Jim Carrey starrer is currently gushing on the web and it is suggested in any event, for the individuals who have recently been put off via Carrey's over the top acting in droll works, for example, Ace Ventura. 

Carrey is viewed as Jeff Pickles, a cherished TV moderator who is venerated by kids and grown-ups the same, on account of his long-running manikin appear. 

Mr. Pickles is a fantasy-like individual who shows kids important life exercises. In any case, when he loses one of his twins, his melancholy leaves him distressed and all he needs to do is recognize that misfortune on the show and show his watchers (basically kids) about death, something the producers of his manikin show emphatically restrict. 

The impactful arrangement is a story of how Pickles manages the passing of a youngster, at the same time attempting to secure the multimillion-dollar brand domain that is based on his 'glad' picture. 

Self Made, Netflix 

This restricted arrangement sees Octavia Spencer as the chronicled figure of Sarah Breedlove, generally archived as America's first African-American specialist who proceeded to turn into a tycoon in the mid-1900s. 

The independent business visionary and humanitarian made a realm out of making makeup and hair care items for dark ladies. 

Spencer, commended for her job in the Academy Award-winning film The Help, convincingly plays Breedlove, directly from her long stretches of being a single parent who began by being a washerwoman to help her girl to build a business called the Madam C J Walker Manufacturing Company. 

Coordinated by Kasi Lemmons, the story has been fictionalized somewhat to rethink the battles of a lady conceived on a cotton ranch to an in the past oppressed family, yet the vibe great arrangement is to a great extent dependent on evident occasions. 

Am Not Okay With This, Netflix 

This story about growing up figures out how to viably radiate a feeling of relaxed fear. 

The show begins by revealing to us that the hero, Sydney Novak (Sophia Lillis), is managing each adolescent issue ever young person has ever had. 

But, when she gets extremely furious, the object of her annoyance feels like they've been hit by a concealed scoop. 

Among the most inconspicuous of these anger instigated periods is the point at which Novak's closest companion's beau, whom the hero loathes, begins seeping from his nose out of nowhere. 

Things just deteriorate from that point and Novak has no clue why her wrath can "get things going". 

In light of a comic book by Charles Forman, Novak helps us a little to remember Carrie, the hero of Stephen King's eponymous novel, just as Eleven from Stranger Things since both these little youngsters additionally have supernatural forces, yet the likenesses end there. 

Pushpavalli, Amazon Prime Video 

Season two of this dramatization sees humorist Sumukhi Suresh return as Pushpavalli, a young lady whose exceptionally flawed endeavors at charming a suitor, Nikhil (played by Manish Anand), left watchers alarmed. 

A Tamilian from Bhopal who follows Nikhil to Bengaluru, the in any case clever Pushpavalli keeps on keeping crowds snared with her shamelessly tangled endeavors to snare the man she had always wanted. 

In the wake of hijacking his pooch, paying off a chaiwallah to do her offering and getting her leg broken, Pushpavalli proceeds to discover inventive methods for escaping predicament, so imagine a scenario in which that requires getting connected with to another person, or releasing a reptile among clueless kids. 

Extraordinary notice must be made of Bengaluru-based on-screen character Shraddha in this all-around scripted show as Vasu, the nightie-wearing, hockey stick-using proprietor who runs Pushpavalli's paying visitor settlement. Vasu's character alone merits a show to itself.

Guilty, Netflix 

Enlivened by how those blamed for lewd behavior have gradually advanced go into society, this Karan Johar creation means to revive discussions around the #MeToo development. 

Coordinated by Ruchi Narain, the film stars Kiara Advani as Nanki, whose sweetheart Vijay 'V J' Pratap Singh (Gurfateh Singh Pirzada) is blamed for assaulting his school batchmate. 

A government official's child and an artist, V J is the most dateable person nearby, while the lady who blames him, Tanu (Akansha Ranjan Kapoor), is somebody despised profoundly for being uproarious, consideration chasing and uncaring. 

The film gives the advantage of the uncertainty to the two gatherings, making crowds question if Tanu is imagining everything for exposure (something she is prepared to do), just as throwing questions on V J's Teflon notoriety. 

As the specialists examine, Nanki embarks to discover reality for herself, at the same time doing combating her very own evil presence. 

Mentalhood,  ALT Balaji and zee5 

Karisma Kapoor makes her Web debut as Meira, a mother of three, in this account of how defective guardians attempt to bring up their children as most ideal as. 

A previous Miss Kanpur, Meira has as of late moved to Mumbai to raise a 'cutting edge family' with Sanjay Suri who stars as her obsessive worker spouse. 

The arrangement likewise includes a reliable star cast that incorporates Sandhya Mridul, Tillotama Shome, Shilpa Shukla, Shruti Seth and Dino Morea. 

Made by Ekta Kapoor and coordinated by Karishma Kohli, the show diagrams Meira's development into a blogger who composes on everything from nourishment to sex jobs with expectations of making a child-rearing aide. 

The show seems to be being motivated by the Reese Witherspoon and Nicole Kidman-starred American dramatization Big Little Lies and, in contrast to the American arrangement, this sermonizing arrangement is probably going to be delighted in additional by watchers who have youngsters. 

Life of Speed, Netflix 

This new on-the-square narrative portrays the tale of Juan Manuel Fangio, an Argentinian race vehicle driver who pretty much overwhelmed the primary decade of Formula One by winning the World Drivers' Championship multiple times during the 1950s. 

This record stayed unbeaten till Michael Schumacher went along (as a major aspect of four distinctive hustling groups). 

Coordinated by Francisco Macri, this verifiable narrative plans to comprehend the brain of the hustling legend while looking at the lives of race vehicle drivers who routinely change their lives for the love of speed. 

The high-octane universe of hustling was maybe definitely more hazardous in Fangio's time than it is today considering there was no defensive rigging back then and wellbeing highlights were insignificant. 

Maska, Netflix 

This transitioning film sees Manisha Koirala as a Parsi mother doing combating to get her child associated with the privately-run company of running an Iranian bistro. 

'Nineteen years back when Rumi was conceived, his future had been chosen,' says Jaaved Jaaferi, Koirala's screen spouse. 

Rumi was to grow up and turn into 'a mask-waala' (one who applies spread) like his dad (Jaaferi) before him. 

In any case, he chooses to turn into a Bollywood entertainer. Prit Kamani plays Rumi, the befuddled youthful millennial who starts finding his Parsi legacy simply after separating himself from it. 

Maska is as much about Rumi's excursion as it is a festival of Mumbai's Irani bistros. 

With a reasonable sprinkling of youthful sentiment and family show, this is Dil Toh Baccha Hai Ji author Neeraj Udhwani's first endeavor at the course.

Next in Fashion, Netflix 

As Netflix's first endeavor into configuration wars, this unscripted TV drama highlights 18 creators from over the world. 

The candidates are generally experts who have dressed famous people before and have worked with significant design houses, yet none is an easily recognized name, something they all seek to be. 

The show takes one through the way toward making a structure, directly from texture choice and preparing it to the time it's fit to be demonstrated. 

The show is facilitated by Tanveer Wasim France (of Queer Eye popularity) and creator, model and TV moderator Alexa Chung. 

The victor gets prize cash of $250,000, and the opportunity to turn into the following large thing in design. 

There's additional space for motivation for watchers as challengers configuration outfits deserving of the runway, formals for work, just as stylish streetwear. 

Special Ops, Disney Hotstar 

Coordinated by Neeraj Pandey of A Wednesday! what's more, Special 26 popularity and Shivam Nair, this is the most recent Indian spine chiller to be discharged on the web. 

It highlights Kay Menon as Himmat Singh, a senior knowledge official. The story exemplifies how Singh has been pursuing a hypothesis that the real driving force of the 2001 Parliament assault was somebody whose presence nobody thinks about. 

Singh has his operators in remote urban areas and has been spending lavishly on tasks to pursue this man down, and now he needs to legitimize the cash spent. 

Between flashbacks, watchers are up to speed with how Singh's group is attempting to discover this secret miscreant. 

The show helps us a little to remember Manoj Bajpayee's The Family Man, which is a superior show. 

Activity scenes and awful writing in the moderate parts let down an in any case not too bad story, be that as it may, for the stuck-at-home and nothing-to-do, it's something one could thoughtlessly watch. 

Miss Americana, Netflix 

Coordinated by Lana Wilson, whose past movies concentrated on suicide and late-term fetus removal, this venture follows the life of American vocalist lyricist Taylor Swift. 

It opens with Swift being encompassed by journals, markers of individual stories. This is critical since Swift has gotten by out of diverting emotions into melodies that have become graph toppers. 

She's at that point told that her most recent collection, Reputation (2018), has gotten no major Grammy assignments. Quick continues, practically aloof in her methodology. 

Wilson proceeds to show Swift tending to her 'decent young lady' picture that has commanded the last's music profession, and how Swift arrangements with the thought that 'pleasant young ladies don't cause a ripple effect'. 

The story graphs her ascent to distinction just as her longing to please fans, all of which have driven Swift to some dull spots. 

The film shows the private side of Swift, the VIP who despite her whiz status drives a real existence shadowed by forlornness. 

Westworld, Disney Hotstar 

The third period of Westworld is presently spilling on the web, and keeping in mind that it is being praised for getting cutting edge tech references right, we are as yet astonished by the splendid execution of the show's story. 

The story starts in Westworld, an anecdotal, Wild West-themed event congregation where guests can do anything they need, with no results whatever, because the 'individuals' in Westworld are life-like androids. 

These androids are so authentic as people that guests continually come back to the recreation center to play out their most out of control dreams, activities that would be inadmissible in the 'genuine'/world. 

Inconvenience starts when the android has at the recreation center increase awareness about what they truly are. 

This new season sees them escape into this present reality, our reality, after a bloodbath. 

In light of Michael Crichton's 1973 film by a similar name, the arrangement stars Even Rachel Wood as Dolores Abernathy, an insightful android.

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[wdonnait]

Sugar Daddy, chi sono i “papà di zucchero” che stanno spopolando sui social:

Nuovo post pubblicato su https://wdonna.it/sugar-daddy-chi-sono-i-papa-di-zucchero-che-stanno-spopolando-sui-social/113758?utm_source=TR&utm_medium=Tumblr&utm_campaign=113758

Sugar Daddy, chi sono i “papà di zucchero” che stanno spopolando sui social:

Gli Sugar Daddy sono un fenomeno in continua espansione.

Detti in italiano papà di zucchero, sono uomini over 50 che cercano un po’ di compagnia da giovani donne (o addirittura ragazzine).

Tutto questo in cambio di soldi: non a caso si parla di Sugar Dating, ovvero degli incontri vantaggiosi da ambedue le parti: per i daddy c’è affetto e attenzione, mentre per le ragazze c’è un sostegno economico non indifferente.

Ed è proprio la parola sugar a far pensare il fatto che ci sia un dolce compenso. Proprio per tale motivo, ad oggi quando si vede una coppia dove lui potrebbe sembrare il padre, si ipotizza la presenza di uno sugar dating. Ma a questo punto ci si chiede: in che modo avvengono gli incontri?

Sugar Daddy come funziona

Come vi abbiamo detto poco fa, lo sugar daddy è un uomo di una certa età, alla ricerca di una ragazzina.

Le offre del denaro e in cambio chiede soltanto un po’ di compagnia e di attenzioni. Di solito, tutto comincia attraverso un approccio via social (ad esempio su Instagram, Tik Tok e Snapchat), dove egli scrive un messaggio tipo:

“Ciao bellissima, ti va di diventare la mia sugar baby? Sono pronto ad aiutarti e tu verrai pagata da me ogni settimana. Non sono interessato a secondi fini, vorrei solo che chattassi con me ogni giorno. Ti pagherò tutte le settimane… aspetto una tua risposta”.

Come si evince dal testo, lo sugar daddy in questione non richiede prestazioni sessuali. Non ha dunque secondi fini, se non quello di chattare o magari incontrarsi per avere un po’ di compagnia quotidiana. E come potete ben immaginare, molte ragazze decidono di accettare, visto il compenso economico.

Di conseguenza, la giovane in questione diventa una sugar baby.

Sugar daddy instagram

Su Instagram il fenomeno sugar daddy sta riscontrando un grande successo.

Ovviamente sorge spontanea una domanda: ma quanto pagano queste persone per un po’ di compagnia?

I prezzi possono variare, a seconda della disponibilità economica del soggetto. Spesso però, si leggono proposte che si aggirano sulle 7-10 mila euro settimanali. E per una ragazzina, tale offerta rappresenta senza ombra di dubbio una grande occasione.

Tuttavia, è importante ribadire che la questione sesso si basa sul consenso. Ciò significa che uno Sugar Daddy paga profumatamente, ma allo stesso tempo non deve assolutamente avere diritto a qualche favore erotico.

In Italia il sugar daddy dating si sta diffondendo sempre di più. Pensate che ci sono già diversi siti web che trattano questa tipologia di servizi.

Basti pensare al portale SugarDaddy.it, il quale è nato oltre un decennio fa (per esattezza nel 2010). A conferirgli un certo successo anche via social, è stata sicuramente la pandemia. Il fatto di esser stati costretti ad una serie di lockdown, ha generato molta solitudine. Infatti, esistono anche le sugar mommy, ovvero le donne over 50 che cercano semplice compagnia da parte dei ragazzini (offrendo del denaro in cambio).

Che ne pensate del fenomeno degli sugar daddy? Siete favorevoli o pensate che sia un qualcosa di illegale?

[reeldramaott]

Kids cartoon shows and grandma tales in Assamese from ReelDrama

Entertainment for children is now just a click of a remote button, made possible by the OTT platform like ReelDrama. ReelDrama brings in the culture of Assam in all its glory with the best grandma tales in Assamese. These grandma stories are educational as well as entertaining.

With children staying at home for extended periods and becoming acclimated to web content streaming platforms like ReelDrama, the worth of animation and kid content has begun to be recognized by broadcasting famous cartoons in Assamese.

Burhi Aair Xandu, better known as "Xandukothar Kuki," has created a unique video series that allows young audiences to receive a taste of Assamese folk tales in the form of simple storytelling. The kids’ cartoons in Assamese like Pari Kahini, Bichitra Kahini, and Raja Rani Kahini are bedtime stories for kids streaming on ReelDrama.

The animation segment in India is growing at 10%, spurred by lockdown due to COVID-19, the viewership went up significantly in 2020 over 2019. ReelDrama with its kid’s cartoons in Assamese shows, keeps the children engaged and provides them to learn value-driven customs and culture of Assam.

The kid cartoon shows to watch online in ReelDrama include Sipahir Loha, Rajkumari Ketaki, Dohta Saular Dana etc that are ensuring that the parents have a wide choice of stories control to make the right decision for their families. In India, the viewership of children's films grew by over 100% compared with 2019 in 2020.

With folk stories fading away from children’s lives in this age of technology and superfast life, ReelDrama, through its web series like Xadukothar Kuki presents the best collection of stories in a new form.

The animated cartoons for children in Assamese are presented clearly and understandably for the next generation of kids. The first iconic cartoon – “Steamboat Willie,” aired/released in 1928, is now part of popular culture, and has been referenced numerous times in animated and non-animated works. Likewise, ReelDrama is creating a history of sorts by showing top-rated animation kids cartoons in Assamese.

The shows can easily fill up the generation gap between the parents and children by introducing the kids to the shows that were once your favorite through best grandma tales in Assamese without losing their flavor and values, to help them understand the rich Assamese culture.

At ReelDrama, you can find a whole range of famous cartoons in Assamese. Some of the well-known and much-loved kid’s cartoons in Assamese include the animated stories, ‘Muchi r Senapoti’, ‘Bhagyo r buddhir juddho’, ‘jadu khiriki’ and many more. You can also find the best grandma takes in Assamese on this platform.

[davidfurlongtheatre]

David Furlong (actor and director): "Performing arts do not die from being put online"

Published in 'Le Mauricien' - 16th December 2020 / In Eng: May21 Interview by Dominique Bellier

Last June, we presented the play Great Experiment, presented by the British but above all multicultural troupes, Border Crossings and Exchange Theatre, of which our compatriot David Furlong who is the artistic director, and in which he also played a role. At the end of the year 2020, Exchange Theatre presented a children's show, The cat in reboots, an adaptation of Puss in Boots that brings Perrault's tale into the 21st century. The man of the theatre shares here how his company successfully weathered the impacts of the COVID-19 crisis in England.

How did you organize yourself with the lockdown and the COVID crisis to move from live performance to uploading? Was there a charge for viewing?

The announcement of the first lockdown was scary news in many ways: first we lost some freelance jobs (I was working on a show at Young Vic, which was suspended) and most importantly, we lost the use of our rehearsal studio, which we hier and where we also give our classes, our two main sources of income. So we immediately took a very diy approach to put our online theatre classes on Zoom. Our students followed us with confidence. They were very generous in their support of the company, so we offered to maintain their end-of-year performances anyway, but in the form of a web series broadcast on YouTube and Facebook. This approach offered us the perfect opportunity to try out these new formats for us, with amateur volunteers, without major financial risk except for a small multimedia production.

On the professional side, however, it quickly became clear that we could not produce an annual show in summer 2020. Fortunately, we had just shot Great Experiment on Mauritius and the Coolies, the creation produced by Border Crossings. We also had in store the live-recording of Sous La Varangue by Christophe Botti. As co-producers with both, it seemed obvious to us to perpetuate these collaborations and actively participate in their dissemination. It was a Mauritian diptych. Entirely free but limited in time, these screenings mobilized all our communication in the spring.

How many actors and technicians have you managed to support during this period?

We were able to get three artist actors and a technician to work. We also had a volunteer intern who did a lot for us.

Did you benefit from public or other assistance to cope?

At the time, we applied for an emergency grant to the Arts Council of England and got it, which allowed us to cover the rent and monthly salaries for the two directors, Fanny Dulin and myself. We were able to keep the studio and continue working without having to look for other jobs. This is also what allowed us to maintain real digital programming throughout the summer thereafter.

What were the health constraints of the resumption of indoor shows?

At the beginning of September, we were commissioned by the Institut français in the United Kingdom to participate in their annual Kids festival, indoors in mid-November, but in mid-October, while the show was being written, the second lockdown was announced. We therefore discovered the joys of theatrical rehearsals with masks, respecting physical distancing, as in other professions. Trying to overlook sanitary rules in the name of creation would have been meaningless when our work on the contrary wants to reflect on the present… Above all, we have completely rewritten the show for the online format. The scale of the acting, and therefore of the writing, has changed significantly.

How does online broadcasting change the game for theatrical creation? Isn't this contradictory with the very vocation of theatrical action and performing arts?

The shows filmed in public for broadcast online are simply "filmed theatre" with often very good recordings, though sometimes, it does not work: the level of performance, the staging or the vocal projection of the actors is unsuitable for the screen. But many companies and theatres have also been organizing the filming of plays specifically for replay for a long time.

What we did is closer to this exercise, with the added benefit that our show was conceived from the start for the camera, which involved a real collaboration with the director of the Institut français, Loic Lefrileux. For actors, this change of scale is no more complicated than going from stage to camera, which we already do in our profession. However, our shooting does not become cinema: we do not cut, we film in theatrical conditions, in one take, with several cameras.

In truth, the digital transition has only been accelerated by the circumstances. We knew that ultimately growing our audience and our impact would come online. And the Mauritian diptych made us realize how much! Sous La Varangue was seen by 1,400 spectators in one week (four times the number of spectators reached in six dates in 2015) and The Great Experiment, by 500 spectators in a weekend (as many as the 500 spectators received in a month English tour). It's a great way to reach more audiences. On the other hand, people who already go to the theatre will return once the venues open, and those who do not go yet, probably will not go either. Among the latter, there is a new audience that can become an "online theatre audience", just like Netflix viewers or “streaming on demand” customers.

Live performance does not die of being put online. The absence of an audience is a strange experience for actors, but it must be forgotten for the spectator. There are directors, and I believe I am, who work to recreate for the image this immediacy and this truth. Conversely, there are also frozen shows which feel already 'dead' in front of full houses. It is the process that keeps the shows alive, if it also keeps up with the times. And it's up to directors to keep the theatrical act intact. We think that's what we did with The cat in reboots.

How did you react to the tragedies which beset Mauritius this winter (the sinking of the Wakashio, oil spill, accident around the barge L’Ami Constant, etc.)? Did your colleagues also react?

I have been struck and suspended to the Mauritian news since these events, and personally I speak to my friends, my family very regularly, I read the press and I stay as close as possible. In the most recent headlines, I was interested to see how the public mobilization of Mauritians is in tune with global movements, which demand change, an end to injustices and systemic blockages.

As far as the company is concerned, we have made it our duty to relay information on our networks to alert our French and English audiences. The work we do has been political since the company's inception in 2006. We have taken clear positions on other subjects such as the refugee crisis (in 2015, one of our shows donated its profits to UNHCR) or on Black Lives Matter this year. In fact, The cat in reboots is a family show that addresses these themes very head-on and succeeds in talking about racism and systemic change to children.

How to follow you and help you from a distance?

Our Facebook, Exchange Theatre's page, and all of our social networks (Instagram, Twitter) and also by subscribing to our newsletter.

[hellowatcho]

Tune Into These 3 Compelling Shows on Watcho to Break the Shackles of Boredom

Think of the Watcho app and you’d realise that its popularity has grown by leaps and bounds because of its focus on the younger segments of the audience.  There are different shows that you can watch on the Watcho app over the weekend.  This app is the envy of many because it brings the best web shows for the viewers that can be watched on the smartphones itself.

There is a host of shows that you can treat your eyes and other senses to if you’re a fan of web series. Here is a list of some of the most compelling web shows that all of the viewers would enjoy watching.

Anaysa's StyleO

Anaysa StyleO is a recurrently watched web show on the Watcho app and is followed quite frequently by those who want to take fashion styling and lifestyle a bit seriously. Anaysa will answer all of your questions while giving you beauty and lifestyle tips that would really work. This web show has 10 episodes. Watch all of the episodes to know a lot more about fashion and styling.

Curly Tales

‘Curly Tales’ is a food and travel show that has developed a lot of fan following because of it being a travel show. There is a lot to look forward to in this show, and you can know more about some of the best travel destinations in the country. The show talks about some of the best foods that are available across various Indian states. Just tune into the show on the Watcho app to travel through some of the best travel destinations across the country.

Marathi Stand-Up Comedy Special

Marathi stand-up comedy is going to provide you with your daily dose of comedy and laughter so that you do not feel demotivated and depressed. This show is a must watch for you if you are in for some fresh jokes by budding comedy maestros in the country. Download the Watcho app to know more about the show.

The Watcho app is the goldmine of original content and can be used to have a good time at home. This app has been downloaded in large numbers by people during the lockdown because it contains some of the most popular shows that people across cultural backgrounds and economical sections. Download the app right now and enjoy the best of OTT entertainment.

[voringon]

Are You Making Effective Use Of Kimetsu Yaiba Zenitsu?

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[entertainmentnewsblogworld]

Zenofar Fathima Will Chill Down Your Spine In Phycho Horror Thriller SPECTER Web Series By Zen Film ProductionsUnder the Quija series Zen Film Productions SPECTER  delves  into horror, mystery, and the supernatural. After the local success of social awareness short films like The Power, A Dark Tale, The Peril and more, Specter is set to take psychological terror to new heights. The ten-minute film sees filmmaker and CEO of Zen Film Productions Zenofar Fathima, struggling to overcome her inner demons, as she sets out to explore an unprecedented presence. The series is currently being filmed during the Coronavirus outbreak with all safety precautions being adhered to, which is a rare feat for most filmmakers at this time. The series’ first episode has premiered exclusively on Zee Cinemas Middle East. After the much awaited release, multiple film critics in the UAE have weighed in to give their verdict on the first episode that is set catapult the saga into action. Zenofar’s performance especially fascinated audiences and film critics, who cited Zenofar as a convincing performer “who effectively brings out the character’s contrasting persona of power and vulnerability”. Others have also cited the film as one that “consistently mystifies” and as an “in quarantine shot thriller that pulls you to the edge”. Along with these reviews, audiences young and old alike had enjoyed the thrills and jump scares throughout the film. Additionally, Sheikha Hend Al Qassemi, an Emirati princess of the Al Qasimi family of Sharjah, businesswoman, and dear friend of Zenofar had praised Zenofar for her work, and wished her all the success for Specter. On the night of the premiere, multiple bloggers, vloggers and local reporters from the UAE had also caught up with Zen to speak about the film and a little about what inspired the idea to create this series. “I think I’ve given my best to this film, it’s something new and I have taken on a new role like never seen before in my past films,” says Zenofar Fathima. Zenofar also delved into what it was like to be one of the first production houses in the UAE to initiate production during the Coronavirus. “I think we did whatever we could whilst maintaining the precautions as mandated by the government, and it is truly one of my greatest achievements- to produce a whole short film during the pandemic”. With that being said, many are also curious to understand how Zen Film Productions took certain precautions as per government rulings without compromising any aspect of Specter’s plot. “We all stay in the same place so that was not an issue- we had a limited amount of people to work with as we were cautious due to the virus being contagious. Not only that but we had done it when the lockdown had just started and everyone had stopped work. We were all under loads of mental stress, just imagining how everything could go wrong when it was all so uncertain”, Zenofar explains. “At times like this it is important to be innovative, creative and careful in your approach- and that is exactly how we were able to follow COVID19 precautions whilst also being able to film an engaging yet enigmatic movie. You have to make do with what you have and that, according to me is the biggest challenge for a filmmaker- but also a reflection of your talent. And now that we are moving onto the next episode, we still have to be mindful of the danger that is the Coronavirus and stay careful, whilst ensuring we can film the footage we need and create another showstopping film” says producer and director Zenofar’s Fathima. Now that the first episode of the series has released, many are intrigued to watch how this psychological thriller is set to unfold as the first episode had ended on a cryptic cliffhanger.  There will be four additional installments of the series that will each amount to 15 minutes. The next installment in the series is currently being filmed and is called Specter: Genesis, a mystifying title that is open to audience interpretation.  “I don’t want to reveal too much about what is it come, but all I can say is get ready to witness a lot of twists and turns, and a bone chilling narrative and will start a few fresh faces as well as some renowned personalities,” says Zenofar. Specter: Genesis also promises a new lineup  of new characters with interesting backstories and backgrounds, and the second installment like the first, will be released on a to be announced exclusive platform. Along with the continuation of the Specter Saga, Zenofar also plans to add on to her collection of public service announcements with “Tomorrow Never Came”. The story of Tomorrow Never Came revolves around a tale of a doctor who finds herself in a dilemma when the Coronavirus pandemic changes her life. The PSA comes shortly after Zenofar released the Hope PSA that focused on depression and suicidal tendencies of many during the Coronavirus. The PSA had resonated with many who had just lost their jobs or couldn’t be with their families, resulting in negative thoughts and a worsening mental well-being.    However, Zenofar changes these negative thoughts and helped to channel them in a method that breeds positivity, advising audiences to find that one reason to live. With Tomorrow Never Came, Zenofar hopes create a narrative that resonates with people- however, this time it’s  the healthcare heroes who have saved millions of lives daily. “I’ve seen so many films and PSAs in the past few months, but I haven’t seen anyone acknowledging doctors, who put their lives and their family’s lives on the line just so they can make sure we are safe and healthy. This PSA is dedicates to all the doctors who have shown us what it truly means to be a hero”, says Zenofar. The PSA has been shot and is set to be released soon.

[biandlesbianliterature]

[image description: a collage of the books listed below with the text “Lesbian & Bi Books New In April!”]

Get It Together, Delilah! by Erin Gough (YA)

Seventeen-year-old Delilah Green wouldn't have chosen to do her last year of school this way, but she figures it's working fine. While her dad goes on a trip to fix his broken heart after her mom left him for another man, Del manages the family cafe. Easy, she thinks. But what about homework? Or the nasty posse of mean girls making her life hell? Or her best friend who won't stop guilt-tripping her? Or her other best friend who might go to jail for love if Del doesn't do something? But really, who cares about any of that when all Del can think about is beautiful Rosa who dances every night across the street. . . . Until one day Rosa comes in the cafe door. And if Rosa starts thinking about Del, too, then how in the name of caramel milkshakes will Del get the rest of it together?

Meg & Linus by Hanna Nowinski (YA)

Meg and Linus are best friends bound by a shared love of school, a coffee obsession, and being queer. It’s not always easy to be the nerdy lesbian or gay kid in a suburban town. But they have each other. And a few Star Trek boxed sets. They're pretty happy.

But then Sophia, Meg’s longtime girlfriend, breaks up with Meg. Linus starts tutoring the totally dreamy new kid, Danny―and Meg thinks setting them up is the perfect project to distract herself from her own heartbreak. But Linus isn’t so sure Danny even likes guys, and maybe Sophia isn't quite as out of the picture as Meg thought she was. . . .

Chosen by readers like you for Macmillan's young adult imprint Swoon Reads, Meg & Linus by Hanna Nowinski is a fun friendship story about two quirky teens who must learn to get out of their comfort zones and take risks―even if that means joining the drama club, making new friends, and learning how to stand on your own.

The Edge of the Abyss (Sequel to The Abyss Surrounds Us) by Emily Skrutskie (YA Fantasy)  

Three weeks have passed since Cassandra Leung pledged her allegiance to ruthless pirate-queen Santa Elena and set free Bao, the sea monster Reckoner she'd been forced to train. The days as a pirate trainee are long and grueling, but it's not the physical pain that Cas dreads most. It's being forced to work with Swift, the pirate girl who broke her heart. But Cas has even bigger problems when she discovers Boa is not the only a monster swimming free. Other Reckoners illegally sold to pirates have escaped their captors and are taking the NeoPacific by storm, attacking ships at random and ruining the ocean ecosystem. As a Reckoner trainer, Cas might be the only one who can stop them. But how can she take up arms against the creatures she used to care for and protect? Will Cas embrace the murky morals that life as a pirate brings or perish in the dark waters of the NeoPacific? The exciting sequel to The Abyss Surrounds Us.

Lumberjanes Vol. 6: Sink or Swim by Shannon Watters, Kate Leyh, and Carey Pietsch (Comics)

A crazy storm is coming and the Lumberjanes have to help their counselor Seafarin’ Karen get her boat back from some renegade selkies. Knot On Your Life! Camp is about more than just crafts and acquiring badges when you’re a Lumberjane. When April, Jo, Mal, Molly, and Ripley all decide to learn more about the mysterious Seafarin’ Karen, things take a turn for the strange. Shapeshifters, strange portals, and friendship to the max make for one summer camp that never gets boring! This New York Times bestseller and multiple Eisner Award-winning series is a story of friendship, hardcore lady-types and kicking a lot of butt. Don’t miss out on these brand-new adventures written by Shannon Watters and Kat Leyh (Super Cakes) and illustrated by Carey Pietsch (Adventure Time: Marceline Gone Adrift). 

Queer Women Books Out This Month!

See more: New Releases @ Women in Words.

If you like what we do here at Fuck Yeah Lesbian Literature and the Lesbrary, support us on Patreon for $2 or more a month and be entered into monthly book giveaways! Or buy us a coffee on ko-fi as a one-time donation!

More blurbs below!

Huntsmen (Sequel to The Better to Kiss You With) by Michell Osgood (Paranormal)

Months after saving Jamie and Deanna from crywolf, Kiara and her brother Cole have moved into the city. While clubbing one night, Kiara is stunned to see her ex, Taryn, on stage. But before she can react, Jamie notices a distinctive tattoo in the crowd: an axe rumored to be the mark of the Huntsmen, a group of werewolf-tracking humans. The girls need to leave immediately and since Taryn is also a werewolf, they need to take her with them.

The Huntsmen are more than a myth, and they're scouring the city for lone wolves just like Taryn. Until the General North American Assembly of Werewolves lends a plan of action, Kiara's small pack is on lockdown in a friend's apartment, where she and Taryn must face the differences that drove them apart. Furthermore, the longer the group waits, the more it seems the Huntsmen haven't been acting entirely on their own.

The Book of Joan by Lidia Yuknavitch (Dystopian)

The bestselling author of The Small Backs of Children offers a vision of our near-extinction and a heroine—a reimagined Joan of Arc—poised to save a world ravaged by war, violence, and greed, and forever change history, in this provocative new novel.

In the near future, world wars have transformed the earth into a battleground. Fleeing the unending violence and the planet’s now-radioactive surface, humans have regrouped to a mysterious platform known as CIEL, hovering over their erstwhile home. The changed world has turned evolution on its head: the surviving humans have become sexless, hairless, pale-white creatures floating in isolation, inscribing stories upon their skin.

Out of the ranks of the endless wars rises Jean de Men, a charismatic and bloodthirsty cult leader who turns CIEL into a quasi-corporate police state. A group of rebels unite to dismantle his iron rule—galvanized by the heroic song of Joan, a child-warrior who possesses a mysterious force that lives within her and communes with the earth. When de Men and his armies turn Joan into a martyr, the consequences are astonishing. And no one—not the rebels, Jean de Men, or even Joan herself—can foresee the way her story and unique gift will forge the destiny of an entire world for generations.

A riveting tale of destruction and love found in the direst of places—even at the extreme end of post-human experience—Lidia Yuknavitch’s The Book of Joan raises questions about what it means to be human, the fluidity of sex and gender, and the role of art as a means for survival.

On a Larp by Stefani Deoul (YA)

On a LARP introduces readers to teen coder, Sid Rubin, a smartass—and super-smart—high school kid with a strong conscience and a knack for solving problems. This high concept, frenetic ride dives into the fascinating world of interactive role-playing when Sid recognizes the photo of a murder victim during an AP field trip to a police station. What starts out as an Aha! moment soon finds Sid and her unlikely posse of friends chasing a dark web killer through the middle of a live action role playing game. Sid and the gang work to unravel a deeply encrypted mystery while simultaneously enduring pop quizzes, endless Ted Talks, teenage heartbreak, suspicious parents, cosplay, and the irresistible lure of the NYC Public Library.

Breaking Norms by Mita Balani (Fiction)

What if you fall in love and your family thinks you are crazy? Sonia too gets in a similar situation. Sonia, a submissive and people-pleasing girl falls in love with the chirpy girl Esha. Their common passion for painting brings them closer. Sonia realizes that no one in her family will accept her relationship with Esha. But her heart and emotional state are beyond the control of her own mind. At first, they keep their relationship on the hush. Unfortunately, their secret comes out in an ugly way and havoc breaks loose. Will Sonia stand up for herself and withstand the pressure of not following the cultural norms? Are they destined to meet? Can Sonia and Esha live happily ever after? Breaking Norms is a captivating and engrossing tale of love, agony and tolerance.

Sympathy by Olivia Sudjic (Fiction)

An electrifying debut novel of obsessive love, family secrets, and the dangers of living our lives online At twenty-three, Alice Hare leaves England for New York. She becomes fixated on Mizuko Himura, a Japanese writer living in New York, whose life story has strange parallels to her own and who she believes is her “Internet twin.” What seems to Mizuko like a chance encounter with Alice is anything but—after all, in the age of connectivity, nothing is coincidence. Their subsequent relationship is doomed from the outset, exposing a tangle of lies and sexual encounters as three families across the globe collide, and the most ancient of questions—where do we come from?—is answered just by searching online.   In its heady evocation of everything from Haruki Murakami to Patricia Highsmith to Edith Wharton, Sympathy is utterly original—a thrilling tale of obsession, doubling, blood ties, and our tormented efforts to connect in the digital age.

Strawberry Summer by Melissa Brayden (Romance)

Just because you’re through with your past, doesn’t mean it’s through with you. Margaret Beringer didn’t have an easy adolescence. She hated her name, was less than popular in school, and was always cast aside as a “farm kid.” However, with the arrival of Courtney Carrington, Margaret’s youth sparked into color. Courtney was smart, beautiful, and put together—everything Margaret wasn’t. Who would have imagined that they’d fit together so perfectly? But first loves can scar. Margaret hasn’t seen Courtney in years and that’s for the best. But when Courtney loses her father and returns to Tanner Peak to take control of the family store, Margaret comes face-to-face with her past and the woman she’s tried desperately to forget. The fact that Courtney has grown up more beautiful than ever certainly doesn’t help matters.

The World Unseen by Shamim Sarif (Re-release) (Historical Fiction)

In 1950's South Africa, a free-spirited café owner falls for a young wife and mother. Their unexpected attraction pushes them to question the cruel rules of a world that divides white from black and women from men, but a world that might just allow an unexpected love to survive.

Ordinary Cruelty by Amber Flame (Poetry)

In her debut poetry collection, Ordinary Cruelty, Amber Flame spells out rituals in everyday decisions to hold on or let go. While questioning the role of elder, mentor, mother in the face of losing those figures, Flame details the unrelenting nature of parenthood through the cycles of grief. Her poems exuberantly rejoice in the brown skin of the female body, while soberly acknowledging the societal dangers of claiming such skin as home. Flame takes the reader through a visceral examination of the body's processes of both dying and continuing to live and the joy to be found while we do.

I Love the Computer Because My Friends Live In It: Stories From an Online Life by Jess Kimball Leslie (Nonfiction)

I Love My Computer Because My Friends Live in It is tech analyst Jess Kimball Leslie's hilarious, frank homage to the technology that contributed so significantly to the person she is today. From accounts of the lawless chat rooms of early AOL to the perpetual high school reunions that are modern-day Facebook and Instagram, her essays paint a clear picture: That all of us have a much more twisted, meaningful, emotional relationship with the online world than we realize or let on. Coming of age in suburban Connecticut in the late '80s and early '90s, Jess looked to the nascent Internet to find the tribes she couldn't find IRL: fellow Bette Midler fans; women who seemed impossibly sure of their sexuality; people who worked with computers every day as part of their actual jobs without being ridiculed as nerds. It's in large part because of her embrace of an online life that Jess is where she is now, happily married, with a wife, son, and dog, and making a living of analyzing Internet trends and forecasting the future of tech. She bets most people would credit technology for many of their successes, too, if they could only shed the notion that it's as a mind-numbing drug on which we're all overdosing.

Reckoning by Magda Szubanski (Memoirs)

In this extraordinary memoir, Magda describes her journey of self-discovery from a suburban childhood, haunted by the demons of her father's espionage activities in wartime Poland and by her secret awareness of her sexuality, to the complex dramas of adulthood and her need to find out the truth about herself and her family. With courage and compassion she addresses her own frailties and fears, and asks the big questions about life, about the shadows we inherit and the gifts we pass on.

Honest, poignant, utterly captivating, Reckoning announces the arrival of a fearless writer and natural storyteller. It will touch the lives of its readers.

Making My Pitch: A Women's Baseball Odyssey by Ila Jane Borders, Jean Hastings Ardell, and Mike Veeck (Sports)

Making My Pitch tells the story of Ila Jane Borders, who despite formidable obstacles became a Little League prodigy, MVP of her otherwise all-male middle school and high school teams, the first woman awarded a baseball scholarship, and the first to pitch and win a complete men’s collegiate game. After Mike Veeck signed Borders in May 1997 to pitch for his St. Paul Saints of the independent Northern League, she accomplished what no woman had done since the Negro Leagues era: play men’s professional baseball. Borders played four professional seasons and in 1998 became the first woman in the modern era to win a professional ball game. Borders had to find ways to fit in with her teammates, reassure their wives and girlfriends, work with the media, and fend off groupies. But these weren’t the toughest challenges. She had a troubled family life, a difficult adolescence as she struggled with her sexual orientation, and an emotionally fraught college experience as a closeted gay athlete at a Christian university. Making My Pitch shows what it’s like to be the only woman on the team bus, in the clubhouse, and on the field. Raw, open, and funny at times, her story encompasses the loneliness of a groundbreaking pioneer who experienced grave personal loss. Borders ultimately relates how she achieved self-acceptance and created a life as a firefighter and paramedic and as a coach and goodwill ambassador for the game of baseball.

Killing Off the Lesbians: A Symbolic Annihilation on Film and Television by Liz Millward (Media Studies)

So, the lesbian character dies. It seems to happen frequently in films and television shows. But does it really? And if so, is it something new? Surveying the fates of numerous characters over decades, this wide-ranging study shows that killing off the lesbian is not a new trend. It is a form of symbolic annihilation and it has had an impact in real life: lesbian actors are more likely to come out and serve as role models. When more women are working behind the scenes, what appears on-screen also becomes more diverse--yet unhappily the story lines don't necessarily change. Thus from the Xenaverse to GLAAD to the Lexa Pledge, fans have demanded better from the entertainment industry. As fan fiction migrates from the computer screen to the printed page, authors reanimate the dead and insist on happy endings.

Queer Women Books Out This Month!

See more: New Releases @ Women in Words.

If you like what we do here at Fuck Yeah Lesbian Literature and the Lesbrary, support us on Patreon for $2 or more a month and be entered into monthly book giveaways! Or buy us a coffee on ko-fi as a one-time donation!

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Edinburgh’s Royal Botanic Garden celebrates 350th anniversary

Image copyright Getty Photography

Image caption The Royal Botanic Backyard in Edinburgh is celebrating 350 years of science and conservation work

It started off on a allotment of land in regards to the scale of a tennis court docket, 350 years ago. But now the Royal Botanic Backyard Edinburgh occupies about 70 acres within the metropolis, with other sites in Scotland and in one other nation, and is a number one analysis centre for plant science and conservation.

As RBGE celebrates its 350th anniversary, it is maintaining various events to scrutinize inspire at its origins, and forward to 21st Century challenges.

How the backyard grew

It started inspire in 1670, when two Edinburgh doctors – Robert Sibbald and Andrew Balfour – web page up a physic backyard, to explore the links between vegetation and pills, for the worthy thing about society.

This day’s Regius Keeper – the overseer of the backyard who’s appointed by the reigning monarch – Simon Milne says that ethos has persevered and expanded.

“From the scale of a tennis court docket we absorb four gardens in Scotland and are working in 35 worldwide locations across the area, and our schooling programmes exit to 50 worldwide locations,” he says.

“We now absorb come a long design and we owe an dreadful lot to our founding fathers.”

Image copyright RBGE

Image caption The Sabal Palm got here to Edinburgh in 1822

The herbarium on the gardens in Edinburgh contains extra than three million preserved specimens, gathered from spherical across the area three and a half of centuries.

There are hundreds of species growing on the Edinburgh sigh and the opposite gardens in Dawyck within the Borders, Logan shut to Stranraer and Benmore in Argyll.

The oldest dwelling plant within the series is believed to be the Sabal Palm, which got here to Edinburgh in 1822.

Cultivating science

Image copyright RBGE

Image caption Scientists on the Botanic Backyard rep distinguished analysis and conservation work

The keeper of collections, David Knott, says these are big locations to refer to, but there is moreover distinguished science occurring.

“We’re cultivating a large sort of vegetation from across the area and these forms of are grown within the analysis glass homes and presumably continue to exist in their native habitats and nowhere else,” he says.

“We’re moreover cultivating a range of vegetation which are extinct in their native habitats.”

Events had been deliberate to absorb an splendid time the 350th anniversary, but many had to be cancelled on legend of the coronavirus pandemic.

Then again, a revised programme will hotfoot ahead this autumn, including an on-line worldwide panel discussion covering considerations much like plant extinction, conservation and worldwide biodiversity.

Flower demonstrate

Image copyright RBGE

Image caption The RBGE had been due to reward on the Chelsea Flower Trace but it indubitably was once cancelled due to Covid-19

A part of the 350th celebrations integrated the RBGE’s first ever time out to the Chelsea Flower Trace, which moreover had to be cancelled.

But Susie Huggins, who’s the co-ordinating the anniversary events, says they’re going to rep one other chance to illustrate in London.

“The Royal Horticultural Society absorb invited us inspire next 12 months. We’ll hotfoot with the same gorgeous reward we’d been planning,” she says.

“We’ll focal point on our analysis and conservation work, having a study what we discontinue to effect the area’s vegetation, what we discontinue on this planet that makes a trace.”

Image copyright RBGE

Image caption Restricted numbers of of us can now refer to the gardens which absorb reopened following lockdown

Company are every other time allowed to refer to the gardens, though in little numbers for the time being.

Lockdown has intended a loss of earnings, but Simon Milne is already planning long into the long flee.

“We’re launching the Edinburgh Biomes mission that can also simply leer the rebuild of quite a pair of our mission excessive facilities,” he says.

“The palm home have to be renovated and restored. There will be fresh sustainable constructions, fresh academic facilities that can have interaction us throughout the next 25, 50,100 years so we are capable of reside on the forefront of plant science and conservation.

“We’ll be building a fanciful fresh glass home that can also simply make an splendid better customer appeal.”

Customer memories

Image copyright Getty Photography

Image caption THE RBGE needs visitors to fragment their tales in regards to the gardens

As section of the celebrations, the Royal Botanic Backyard Edinburgh must hear from contributors of the public about their experiences of the backyard.

“We would prefer to know every person’s memories,” says Susie Higgins.

“Did you come here as a child, carry your have formative years, rep married here? Is there a fave web page where you get solace? We would prefer to sigh it be no longer simply our RBGE, it be your RBGE.”

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[doctorwhonews]

Big Finish Offers Free Doctor Who

Latest from the news site: Following the wildly successful series of free downloadable audio dramas made available during lockdown, Big Finish today begins a new series of weekly freebies and discounts. Since the coronavirus pandemic shut down a huge part of the British entertainment industry, Big Finish has continued to produce and release brand new full-cast audio dramas on a weekly basis. Using remote recording techniques and employing actors with (often self-made) home studios, plus a dedicated team of engineers, sound designers and musicians, the company’s output during the crisis is unparalleled. In addition, Big Finish has given away over 100,000 free downloads of stories from its various ranges, including Doctor Who, Blake’s 7, Sherlock Holmes, and Dorian Gray. Now, a new selection of giveaways, entitled Weekly Freebies, will be made available to download exclusively from the Big Finish web site’s Weekly Deals page. These stories can be unlocked by anyone who has registered for a Big Finish account (which is free to create) and played on the Big Finish listening app (which is free to install). Each download will be available for one week only and comes accompanied by a special discount offer on related titles, available as either downloads or collector’s edition CDs or box sets. This week’s Weekly Freebie is: Jago & Litefoot: Mind Games, written by Justin Richards. This complete, full-cast audio adventure is the first story in The Worlds of Doctor Who audio anthology, originally released in 2014. It stars Christopher Benjamin and the late Trevor Baxter recreating the “infernal investigators” double act they first established in the TV Doctor Who story, The Talons of Weng-Chiang. In this exciting tale, they are joined by Lisa Bowerman as the popular character of Ellie Higson, a London barmaid with a dark secret... In Victorian England, Henry Gordon Jago and Professor Litefoot investigate worrying events on the streets of London – which seem to be linked to the New Regency Theatre's resident act, the mesmerist Mr Rees. Big Finish listeners can also get up to 55% OFF Doctor Who: The Worlds of Doctor Who (Limited Edition), available as a 5-disc CD deluxe slipcover book, or as a digital download, while stocks last, at the Weekly Deals page. All offers end at 23:59 (UK time) on 02 August 2020. Please note that Big Finish has now re-opened its warehouse and commenced the shipping of backorders. The mailout of collector’s edition CDs will still be delayed, but all purchases of these CD titles unlock a digital copy that can be downloaded or played on the Big Finish app immediately. http://www.doctorwhonews.net/2020/07/free-doctor-who-from-big-finish.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=tumblr