#bookshops in Oklahoma

[benjaminlclark]

Bookshop Memories – Archives Books, Edmond, Oklahoma

Another entry in my irregular series, Bookshop Memories. I hope you enjoy it.

Archives Books – Edmond, Oklahoma Archives Books in Edmond, Oklahoma in 2009. Photo by Benjamin L. Clark When I first visited Archives Books, it was very small, in the end unit of a nondescript commercial strip not far from the interstate in Oklahoma City’s northern suburb of Edmond. Apparently, the owner, Wayne, had a bookshop earlier and had a giant reset as things moved online. My first…

[bluebirdsongs16]

Crowley, at some point in human history, to any demons that showed up trying to mess with Aziraphale: Find your own angel to thwart—this one's mine.

The unimportant rank-and-file demons: *suddenly sus*🤨 ...Yours?

Crowley: As in, I've got it under control. Now shove off. Shoo! Go back to whatever rotting infested hole you climbed out of.

~Later, in the bookshop, after a few bottles of wine~

Aziraphale: 😏 So, you've got me under your control, have you?

Crowley: lskjgslf oh hell, don't tell me you heard that.

Aziraphale: You sounded quite confident. If I were to bring about cheer and good feeling by...oh, I don't know, causing a massive group of people suddenly break out into spontaneous song and dance in the middle of Piccadilly Circus, would you try and stop me?

Crowley: Nah.

Aziraphale: *confused* Well, why ever not?

Crowley: *thinks, 'Because I love it when you surprise me.'*

Crowley: Because you setting off a flash mob would be hilarious, and I'd want to watch. I'd figure out what to tell Hell later. So long as you didn't pick something terrible for the humans to sing. Like anything from Oklahoma! Then I might actually have to thwart you for real.

Aziraphale: *pouts, because what's there not like about 'Oklahoma!'?* Well, what would you have them sing?

Crowley: No, no, it's your miracle, angel. Surprise me.

[otherpplnation]

904. Tommy Orange

Tommy Orange is the author of the novel Wandering Stars, available from Knopf.

Orange is a graduate of the MFA program at the Institute of American Indian Arts. An enrolled member of the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes of Oklahoma, he was born and raised in Oakland, California. His debut novel, There There, was a finalist for the 2019 Pulitzer Prize and it received the 2019 American Book Award. He currently lives in Oakland, California.

***

Otherppl with Brad Listi is a weekly literary podcast featuring in-depth interviews with today's leading writers.

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[lettersfromleslie]

GIVING THANX / TAKING TO THE ROAD / SHIFTIN GEAR TO EVERGREEN

Long time no write! I'm reporting from the great Northwest, from Seattle WA, where Ariel and I have a fresh lease going on a big creaky 100-yr-old house high up on a hill with the Cascades loomin on clear days as well as old Mt Rainier, ol snowy Tahoma, off in the distance peekable from the bus I take into town for my daily yodeling. That's right… Not in New York anymore, for the time being. We're over in the other gutter of the great American pinball machine.

America, America… In the spirit of Thanksgiving -- thanky for being here, by the way -- let's write about America, or what's left of her, that great land my luv and I have been pinballing thru all year. Bout time I put in a personal note on the new shape of me life. It's been over a year since I last wrote - there's no need to fill in all blanks… My finger healed over the winter of '22-'23, which I survived thanx to a goofy gig selling Christmas trees in a freezing hut in Long Island City, and the springtime was a hectic whirl of almost daily park busking and running around.

The summer, though…! We had us a long, crazy summer this year driving a great big loop around the whole of the USA in search of, ya know, the land, the story, what goes on. The reason for it was really just a desire on both our parts for change & motion after over 10yrs stuck in the meat marathon of NYC. With the lifeclock ticking, our housing situation held together with bits of string, and a fairly empty calendar (a rare phenomenon in NYC, the always-something-coming vortex calendar being really a sneaky causer of inertia somehow), we figured the time was right to find out what the rest of the land was like, do the classic American road trip, and maybe post up somewhere new for a while at the end of it. So we gave it all up - left our tallboy Molson with friends, sold & gave away most of our belongings, and gave up our timewarp shithole of an apartment in Bed-Stuy, our old 1890s screaming rustpipe waterheater brick roach cigsmoke bar noise timewarp shithole - quintessential shithole - bye bye to 742 Myrtle Ave!

We dumped what was left of our belongings with Ariel's folks in Tupper Lake NY and from there we hit the road: Pennsylvania, West Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, Nevada, California, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Nebraska, greatly speeding up by this point for the last rip thru Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and old New York.

Picturesque description I gave ya there, eh? Alright, what can I say… We camped all the way in our wee tent, with occasional motel stops when weather, personal hygiene, or exhuastion demanded, and I tried my damnedest to yodel for as much gas money as possible along the way. I had all my busking kit on me… Picture Ariel dumping me in some downtown and me trying to figure out where I was most likely to encounter that rare beast, the Mainland American on Foot. Oh, I don't know - listen, I'm not gonna give you the Jack Kerouac routine right now, maybe someday - a few months ago I tried writing a big long rambling rant about the whole thing and what I thought of it and what it was all like and I couldn't do it. I think maybe that's because it was a personal sort of trip, really a trip between me and the lil lady and the world that we were trying to say hello to in the moment. And now we're somewhere new and really that's what I want to think about, not the hallucinatory effects of watching the land unscroll thru a windshield for 10.000 miles. There's all this other stuff to talk about!

The land is large - let's leave at that. Nature abounds yet, and room to spread out. We saw the moose, the bunny, the eagle, the whale. The very large tree. The tumbleweed, the roadrunner. The Mystery Hole, the Hole N' the Rock. We hung out with all kinds of different people in diners and parkinglots, redneck Trump bars and lefty bookshops, libertarian coffee wagons, Walmarts and farmers markets and sketchy casino pyramid hotels - etc etc - and found everyone a lot easier to get along with than you'd ever know if you receive your worldview from the internet.

I found that busking is a tricky art in most of the USA. Spots are limited and attitudes are ambivalent. Either it's great or it's terrible. Farmers markets are good. Tourist areas are hit and miss. Special shout to Asheville NC tho for the most receptive and generous crowds I've ever found anywhere. Wild Jul 4th weekend it was.

I'll save the details for my novel or whatever. After a good long rest in Tupper Lake NY at the end of the road - and a brief stint in NYC in September - we put our heads together to plan the next move. It can be a downright diabolical thing to be put in a position where you have no real ties - no apartment in Brooklyn anymore, our stuff pared down to the bare minimum, no fixed work - and are called on to make one choice out of millions. We could go back to New York and find a new apartment, of course, but we both had this idea that it was time to try something new. Weeks of fretting led us to reluctantly admit that the Northwest had an incredible pull. Reluctantly on account of the outrageous distance we'd have to drive yet again to get there , this time with whatever worldly possessions we could fit into our car - our trusty lil Atilla the Hyundai - as well as our poor cat, Molson, who would be subjected to five days of driving and cheap motels smelling of the ghosts of a million dogs. And it'd also put us pretty well out of touch with our circles, our friends, our family, our constellations of Guitar Boys (an all-gender and all-instrument category, by the way). But all can be done…

(By the way: I'll still be yodeling in New York! I left my busking rig with a buddy and I'm making plans to travel back and forth!)

The Northwest won out for its artistic history, the seafaring vibes - ( whales !!! giant octopus !!! ) - the poltics & prosperity, and above all the absolutely outrageous nature surrounding it ( mountains !!! ) - we'd spent a downright spiritual five days camping in the Hoh Rainforest on the Olympic Peninsula during our travels, were amazed again driving thru Twin-Peaks-land on our way back eastwards thru the Cascades passes, misty surly mysterious mountains and o so mossy. We didn't expect to be able to afford anything really in Seattle Seattle but figured we'd wind up somewhere in its orbit - maybe Tacoma, Everett, Olympia, Snohomish, Bainbridge Isle. We gave ourselves ten days to find a spot. We were lucky enough to have a trusting relative on deck to help co-sign, on account of our joblessness & general jankiness.

Ten frantic days zooming around town and back to our teeny AirBnB and by now fairly pissed-off cat. Against all odds, and in the nick of time, a sketchy, photo-less Craigslist ad turned out to be the real thing - a big old creaky wooden house right in the middle of the good part of Seattle at a price we could afford. The only catch was its condition - it'd been left vacant for three years and was in many ways crumblin.

Which I enjoy! Cleaning, painting, ripping up old carpets, fixing fridges, replacing faucets, clearing out brambles & blackberries … bringing a wheezy ol house back to life. Be even better if we actually owned the place, but whatever. Big joys in having tangible work to do. The kind where you do it and you can see that what you've done has improved things. Nothing like fixing a stovetop hood extractor fan to get you feelin like a bigboyman.

With the hectic part now more or less behind us, we've been starting on regular life again, for lack of a better phrase… Working at what we do. Ariel's been oscillating somewhat frantically between pottery and sewing and drawing, and I've been at large in old Seattle yodeling hither and thither and seeing what can be made of the music scene out here. That'll be the story next time… What It's Like. Won't be as long of a wait on that one.

In the meantime … in spite of this country's frequent insanity, inanity, and downright insidiousness, in full knowledge of her appalling past and in the pain and destruction she finances, endorses, and covers for in the present … her sheer toxic dickishness, if we're being honest … I find myself thankful for this bloody pinball wreckingball machine USA, and especially the people in it, who have hearts the size of monster trucks. Americans - for what you have, for what hasn't yet been taken away, give thanks, give thanks! Everyone - well, god help us!! Give thanks anyway!!

[linneatanner]

Book Review The Traitor Beside Her Mary Anna Evans #HistoricalFiction #HistoricalMystery #BlogTour #TheCoffeePotBookClub @maryannaevans @cathiedunn

FEATURED AUTHOR: MARY ANNA EVANS It is my pleasure to introduce Mary Anna Evans as the featured author in The Coffee Pot Book Club Blog Tour that is being held between August 2nd — October 4th, 2023. Mary Anna Evans is the author of the Historical Mystery novel, The Traitor Beside Her (The Justine Byrne Historical Mysteries), released by Sourcebooks on June 6, 2023 (346 pages). Below are highlights of The Traitor Beside Her,  Mary Anna Evans' author bio, and my review of her novel.  Tour Schedule Page: https://thecoffeepotbookclub.blogspot.com/2023/06/blog-tour-traitor-beside-her.html HIGHLIGHTS: THE TRAITOR BESIDE HER       The Traitor Beside Her (The Justine Byrne Historical Mysteries) By Mary Anna Evans Audiobook narrated by Kimberly M. Wetherell Blurb: "Evans's characters are vividly drawn, elevating this story and its revelations about women's little-celebrated contributions to the war effort."— Washington Post "An exciting read with historical tidbits, a hint of danger, and a touch of romance."— Kirkus Reviews The Traitor Beside Her is an intricately plotted WWII espionage novel weaving together mystery, action, friendship, and a hint of romance perfect for fans of The Rose Code and Code Name Helene. Justine Byrne can't trust the people working beside her. Arlington Hall, a former women's college in Virginia has been taken over by the United States Army where hundreds of men and women work to decode countless pieces of communication coming from the Axis powers. Justine works among them, handling the most sensitive secrets of World War II—but she isn't there to decipher German codes—she's there to find a traitor. Justine keeps her guard up and her ears open, confiding only in her best friend, Georgette, a fluent speaker of Choctaw who is training to work as a code talker. Justine tries to befriend each suspect, believing that the key to finding the spy lies not in cryptography but in understanding how code breakers tick. When young women begin to go missing at Arlington Hall, her deadline for unraveling the web of secrets becomes urgent and one thing remains clear: a single secret in enemy hands could end thousands of lives. "A fascinating and intelligent WWII home front story." —Rhys Bowen, New York Times bestselling author for The Physicists' Daughter Buy Links: Universal Link: https://books2read.com/u/4XwxG1 Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Traitor-Beside-Her-Novel/dp/1464215588 Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BGYPLMTH Amazon CA: https://www.amazon.ca/Traitor-Beside-Her-Novel/dp/1464215588 Amazon AU: https://www.amazon.com.au/Traitor-Beside-Her-Novel-ebook/dp/B0BGYPLMTH Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-traitor-beside-her-mary-anna-evans/1143344440 Waterstones: https://www.waterstones.com/book/the-traitor-beside-her/mary-anna-evans/9781464215582 Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/the-traitor-beside-her Bookshop: https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-traitor-beside-her-mary-anna-evans/18743820 Audio Buy Links: Audiobooks.com: https://www.audiobooks.com/audiobook/672506/ Audible: https://www.audible.com/pd/The-Traitor-Beside-Her-Audiobook/B0BVDLCL7J AUTHOR BIO: MARY ANNA EVANS Mary Anna Evans is an award-winning author, a writing professor, and she holds degrees in physics and engineering, a background that, as it turns out, is ideal for writing her Justine Byrne series, which began with The Physicists’ Daughter and continues with her new book, The Traitor Beside Her. She describes Justine as “a little bit Rosie-the-Riveter and a little bit Bletchley Park codebreaker.” Mary Anna’s crime fiction has earned recognition that includes two Oklahoma Book Awards, the Will Rogers Medallion Awards Gold Medal, and the Benjamin Franklin Award, and she co-edited the Edgar-nominated Bloomsbury Handbook to Agatha Christie. Social Media Links: Website: https://www.maryannaevans.comTwitter: https://twitter.com/maryannaevans Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MaryAnnaEvansAuthor/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mary-anna-evans-a7642810/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/maryannaevans/ Book Bub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/mary-anna-evans Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Mary-Anna-Evans/author/B001JP9ZY2 Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/12395.Mary_Anna_Evans BOOK REVIEW: THE TRAITOR BESIDE HER   The USA's secret program of cryptoanalysis in Virginia toward the end of WWII is explored in The Traitor Beside Her by Mary Anna Evans. A physicist's daughter, Justine Byrne plays a dangerous game of espionage. On the surface, she has been recruited to decode communication from various Axis powers as Allied forces advance on the front lines toward Germany.  However, her primary objective is to find the traitor among the brilliant decoders at Arlington Hall who are deciphering German codes that could steer the course of the war. She cannot trust anyone as she investigates who could be the potential spy. One woman on site has already been killed and others have gone missing. The suspense builds as she hones on potential suspects, risking her life. Mary Anna Evans has written a unique, smoothly-written novel with elements of suspense, romance, and friendship. The story offers the unique perspective of a young, somewhat naive woman thrust into the midst of espionage with minimal training. The story is told primarily from Justine's perspective, but other points of view are used to move the story forward. Justine can only confide in Georgette, her best friend and fluent speaker of Choctaw, who is suddenly brought into the mission. Nora is another intriguing, eccentric character who can see the colors of the music she composes and plays. One of the most fascinating aspects of the novel is to learn about the secret decoding processes that could impact the war as much as the military forces on the battlefield. Each suspect has an interesting backstory that could explain why he or she chooses to betray his/her country. However, the pacing sometimes slows down when the story delves into romance and everyday conversations of women living at Arlington Hall. Readers who enjoy learning more about covert operations that supported the behind-the-scenes war effort of Allies during WWII should enjoy reading The Traitor Beside Her, told from the perspective of a precocious, young woman thrown into the jaws of espionage.     Instagram Handle: @thecoffeepotbookclub Read the full article

[mysteriouslytransparentwombat]

Hey, Have you entered Jade lee's giveaway to win Love is a Journey - Win A Copy of THE ROAD TO NOWHERE and be a Part of the Journey from Charles Lemar Brown! yet? If you refer friends you get more chances to win :) https://wn.nr/FbwbJEM

[travelerpavilion]

13 things to do in Manchester

Manchester is my favourite city in the UK. It’s smaller and friendlier than London or Birmingham and has more of an indie, creative vibe. There are also so many things to do in Manchester thanks to the city’s rich industrial heritage, vibrant cultural scene, and world-famous football clubs.

Here are my favourite things to do in Manchester:

1. Explore Manchester’s Northern Quarter

This creative hub is filled with independent boutiques, vintage shops, record stores, and street art. Enjoy the vibrant atmosphere and grab a coffee in one of the trendy cafes. Make sure you check out the street art that adorns many of the buildings. Keep an eye out for the famous works of local and international artists like Akse, Qubek, and Nomad Clan. While you’re in Manchester’s Northern Quarter, you can’t miss a shopping trip to Afflecks, an iconic indie emporium. Spread over multiple floors, Afflecks is filled with independent retailers selling everything from vintage clothing and alternative fashion to artwork, records, and quirky gifts. The Northern Quarter is brimming with unique and independent shops. Discover vintage boutiques, record stores, art galleries, design shops, and bookshops. Some popular spots include Pop Boutique, Vinyl Exchange, Oklahoma, and Magma. The Northern Quarter is also home to lots of indie cafes, bars, and restaurants. Grab a coffee at one of the many independent coffee shops like Takk or Fig + Sparrow. Indulge in delicious street food at Mackie Mayor food hall or try innovative cocktails at bars like Science & Industry or Cottonopolis. Read More : BANFF ITINERARY: 4 DAYS IN THE CANADIAN ROCKIES If you’re visiting on the second Sunday of the month, the Northern Quarter Market is a great place to browse local crafts, vintage clothing, artisan food, and more. Enjoy live music and soak up the lively atmosphere. If you’re around for evening drinks then you won’t be disappointed in the Northern Quarter. Enjoy live music at venues like Band on the Wall or Night & Day Café. Explore the hidden speakeasies and cocktail bars like The Fitzgerald or The Whiskey Jar. Dance the night away at clubs like YES or Soup Kitchen. For cinema, comedy and theatre lovers, catch a film at the independent cinema, HOME, which showcases a mix of arthouse, classic, and mainstream movies. Enjoy live performances at the iconic Band on the Wall or the intimate, alternative theatre, The Eagle Inn. Check out venues like The Comedy Store or Frog and Bucket for a night of laughter and entertainment. Take a break from the bustling streets and unwind in Stevenson Square or the tranquil Cutting Room Square. These public spaces offer seating areas, greenery, and a place to relax and people-watch.

2. Catch a football match

Manchester and football go hand in hand so if you’re a football fan, watch a game at Old Trafford Stadium (home of Manchester United) or the Etihad Stadium (home of Manchester City). Even if you’re not a massive football fan, it’s worth going to witness the electric atmosphere. Tickets can sometimes be hard to come by so check out GO Sport Travel for some options. 

3. Visit the Manchester Museum

Explore a diverse range of exhibits, including ancient Egyptian artefacts, natural history specimens, and interactive displays.

4. Explore the Science and Industry Museum

Learn about Manchester’s industrial revolution and scientific achievements through hands-on exhibits, vintage machinery, and interactive workshops.

5. Take a stroll in Heaton Park

This expansive park offers beautiful landscapes, woodlands, a boating lake, and various sports facilities. You can also visit the historic mansion, Heaton Hall which was built in the late 18th century for the Egerton family, who were prominent landowners in the area. Designed by architect James Wyatt, the mansion is a stunning example of neoclassical architecture. You can take guided tours of Heaton Hall to learn about its history, architecture, and the Egerton family.  Look out for seasonal events and park activities while you’re there!

6. Discover the Manchester Art Gallery

Admire an extensive collection of artworks spanning centuries, including Pre-Raphaelite paintings, contemporary art, and decorative arts.

7. Visit the John Rylands Library

Marvel at the stunning Victorian Gothic architecture and explore the impressive collection of rare books and manuscripts. It feels like stepping into a Harry Potter film in here!

8. Explore Chinatown

Experience the vibrant atmosphere of Manchester’s Chinatown with its traditional Chinese arch, authentic restaurants, and Chinese supermarkets. The main entrance to Manchester’s Chinatown is marked by a beautiful traditional Chinese arch, known as the Chinese Imperial Arch. It’s a great spot to take photos and serves as a symbolic gateway into the neighbourhood. Chinatown is filled with a wide variety of Chinese restaurants and eateries. You can indulge in traditional dishes such as dim sum, Peking duck, Sichuan cuisine, and more.  It’s also fun to visit Chinatown’s supermarkets and shops. You can find a range of imported goods, Asian ingredients, spices, teas, snacks, and other products. It’s a great place to shop for Asian groceries and explore the unique offerings. If you’re in Manchester for the Lunar New Year then Chinatown is the place to be. Chinatown hosts vibrant celebrations during Chinese New Year. The streets come alive with dragon and lion dances, traditional music and performances, fireworks, and street food stalls. It’s a fantastic time to experience the festive atmosphere and cultural traditions.

9. Enjoy live music

Manchester has a thriving music scene, known for its rich musical heritage. Catch a concert at iconic venues like the O2 Apollo, Manchester Arena, or Band on the Wall.

10. Go shopping

If you love shopping then Manchester will be a dream for you. Explore the high-end stores at the Trafford Centre or wander through the Arndale Centre, one of the largest shopping centres in the UK. If you prefer vintage stores and boutiques then stick to the shops I mentioned above in the Northern Quarter.

11. Explore the Manchester Cathedral

Admire the stunning architecture of this mediaeval cathedral and attend one of the regular choral performances or concerts.

12. Visit the Whitworth Art Gallery

Enjoy contemporary art exhibitions, sculpture displays, and beautiful gardens surrounding this gallery located in Whitworth Park.

13. Manchester’s nightlife

Last, but not least, is a mini guide to Manchester’s nightlife because you can’t visit Manchester without a big night out! Deansgate Locks is always a good place to start. Located near Deansgate train station, Deansgate Locks is a popular nightlife area with a variety of bars and clubs housed in converted railway arches. It offers a bustling atmosphere and is a favourite spot for locals and visitors alike. Manchester’s Gay Village, centred around Canal Street, is renowned for its vibrant LGBTQ+ nightlife. There are loads of bars and clubs with a welcoming and inclusive atmosphere. The Northern Quarter is not only a hub for independent shops and cafes but also boasts a thriving nightlife scene. It is known for its eclectic mix of bars, live music venues, and speakeasy-style cocktail bars. If live music is your thing then head to iconic venues like the O2 Apollo and Manchester Arena as well as smaller intimate spaces like Band on the Wall and Soup Kitchen. You can catch performances by local and international artists across various genres. If you want to dance until daylight then opular clubs include Warehouse Project, Gorilla, Hidden, and the famous Hacienda nightclub (reopened as a new venue). These clubs host regular DJ sets, themed nights, and special events. The Comedy Store, Frog and Bucket, and The Comedy Store Manchester are well-known venues that offer regular shows. These are just a few of the many things you can do in Manchester. The city offers something for everyone, whether you’re interested in history, culture, sports, or entertainment. Read the full article

[authorbrandondion]

Full Circle Bookstore is an independent bookstore located in Oklahoma City, OK.

[helloauthortracyj-blog]

#authorsofinstagram #writersofinstagram #writerscommunity #childrens #childrenswriter #bookshop #bookworm #creativewriter #publishedauthor #treysholiday #success #successfulwoman #successfulblackman #happychildren #2018 #newyork #virgina #california #oklahoma #texas #global #success

[benjaminlclark]

Bookshop Memories - 30 Penn Books, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

30 Penn Books – Oklahoma City, OK Photo by the author, ca. 2008 This was a nice used bookshop. Good books, a nice selection that was well organized. A little higher priced than some of the other used bookshops in town, but still good stuff. I specifically remember being on the lookout for good niche local, state, and regional history books here. This shop was close to a place I liked to get BBQ…

[allthingslinguistic]

10 years of All Things Linguistic

I've officially been blogging on All Things Linguistic for ten years! This boggles my mind so much that I decided to also write a whole decade in review post for tomorrow, but let's start with looking back at some of my favourite posts and other things that happened in the past year:

Projects

I started a new project to read one paper per language of the 103 languages reported in a recent paper by Evan Kidd and Rowena Garcia surveying the languages represented in the four main child language acquisition journals.

Peeking face, palm up, and palm down - the emoji I proposed with Lauren Gawne and Jennifer Daniel are now officially in Unicode 14.0 and will be coming to your devices in the next few years!

Now that Because Internet has been out for two years, I can attest that people have successfully used it as a way of opening up cross-generational conversations about changing texting norms.

I set up a survey for anyone who's been using Because Internet for teaching - put in what you've been doing and I'll compile and share it with other instructors!

Interviews and talks

How Linguistics Can Help You Learn a Language - talk for Duolingo's DuoCon

I'm quoted in a New York Times Wordplay piece about ending texts with a period

Keynote at the Unicode Conference in San Francisco on "Taking Playfulness Seriously - When character sets are used in unexpected ways" (slides here, video here for similar talk at Bay Area NLP)

Keynote at Sotheby's Level Up in Los Angeles (not online)

Virtual talk for some internal folks at YouTube (not online)

Back-to-school virtual talks: The Internet is Making English Better at Yale with Claire Bowern and about Internet Linguistics and Memes as Internet Folklore with a student at the University of Oklahoma

Guest interview about internet language on That Word Chat, an online talk show for editors and word nerds

In conversation with Rosemary Mosco about her book, A Pocket Guide to Pigeon Watching at Argo Bookshop

Contestant on Webster's War of the Words, a virtual quiz show fundraiser for the Noah Webster House

Conferences and events

LSA 2022, the annual meeting of the Linguistic Society of America (Washington DC but a last-minute pivot to virtual, judged the Five Minute Linguist competition again)

WorldCon in Washington DC

Dictionary Society of North America conference

the annual meeting of the Canadian Linguistics Association

LingComm

The organizing committee of LingComm21, the International Conference on Linguistics Communication which I co-organized last year, wrote a six-part series on how we designed the conference last year, for anyone else who's been trying to figure out how to do virtual events that are actually social:

Why virtual conferences are antisocial (but they don’t have to be)

Designing online conferences for building community

Scheduling online conferences for building community

Hosting online conferences for building community

Budgeting online conferences or events

Planning accessible online conferences

I'm also very pleased to report that a new organizing committee is making the LingComm Conference happen again, in February 2023.

The LingComm Grants returned for 2022, giving out five $500 Project Grants and twelve $100 LingComm Startup Grants. These small grants to help fledgling linguistics communication projects get off the ground were sponsored by Lingthusiasm and several other generous contributors, and you can see the full list of grantees here.

Lingthusiasm

Lingthusiasm hit its fifth anniversary! I've officially been making a podcast that's enthusiastic about linguistics with my cohost Lauren Gawne and our linguistically enthusiastic team for five years now!

In addition to releasing our usual 12 main episodes and 12 bonus episodes, some Lingthusiasm things that happened this year included: a redesigned Lingthusiasm website (I wrote an incredibly long meta post about the website design process), a Lingthusiasm crossover appearance on the NPR show Ask Me Another (featuring two fun quiz segments, one on accepted or rejected emoji and one on famous book titles), and a Lingthusiasm liveshow, a sweary liveshow about swearing, on the Lingthusiasm Discord. Also, Lingthusiasm now has a LinkedIn page, in case that's somehow a thing you need in your life.

We also released new Lingthusiasm merch! You can now ask people which shape is kiki and which one is bouba from the comfort of your own scarf, tshirt, mug, and other items. And...did we do a whole episode on fricatives just so that we could release "what the fricative" merch? In the immortal sounds of another fricative: Shhhhhhh. Plus, we did a time-limited Lingthusiastic Sticker Pack special offer for people who support the podcast on Patreon.

Main episodes:

Making machines learn Fon and other African languages - Interview with Masakhane

A Fun-Filled Fricative Field Trip

Are you thinking what I’m thinking? Theory of Mind

That’s the kind of episode it’s – clitics

Corpus linguistics and consent - Interview with Kat Gupta

Cool things about scales and implicature

Where to get your English etymologies

Making speech visible with spectrograms

Knowledge is power, copulas are fun

Word order, we love

What it means for a language to be official

Tea and skyscrapers - When words get borrowed across languages

Bonus episodes:

Gotta test ‘em all – The linguistics of Pokemon names

Language under the influence

Sentient plants, proto-internet, and more lingfic about quirky communication

Q&A with Emily Gref from language museum Planet Word

Lingwiki and linguistics on Wikipedia

Linguistic 〰️✨ i l l u s i o n s ✨〰️

Linguistics puzzles for fun and olympiad glory

We interview each other! Seasons, word games, Unicode, and more

Emoji, Mongolian, and Multiocular O ꙮ - Dispatches from the Unicode Conference

Behind the scenes on how linguists come up with research topics

Approaching word games like a linguist – Interview with Nicole Holliday and Ben Zimmer of Spectacular Vernacular

What makes a swear word feel sweary? A &⩐#⦫& Liveshow

Selected blog posts

Communication:

It's Complicated/Because Internet on why teens socialize online

Conversation, cooperation, and dementia (from superlinguo)

"old people really need to learn how to text"

The origin of language and interspecies communication

Reduplication Bread Bread

Tumblr graffiti

Languages:

The fight to save Hawaii sign language from extinction

A McGill student and professor realized they both speak Mi'kmaq; it changed everything

Pitch, intonation, and the role of technology in language description

On standard dialects

A list of the languages mentioned on Crash Course Linguistics

Pronouncing words in English (by Chinese speakers)

When your accent is better than your vocabulary

Linguist humour:

The kiki to bouba pipeline

Dinosaur Comics on the "I dunno" hum

Kawaii Desu Innit Bruv

ancient translation to badger

xkcd: neoteny recapitulated phylogeny

Experts in a Sci-Fi Fantasy Setting

General linguistics:

I asked people for their favourite fun fact about linguistics and ended up with a delightful thread of replies

Fictional Gestures

Greenmeats

Peanut cheese

Finnish pronouns

Stomach is the truest Sundial

Eeyore Linguistic Facts

The art and science of beatboxing

Beatboxing in IPA

Linguistic jobs:

Technical writer

CEO of a SaaS company

Impact Lead

Social media lead (for NASA)

Senior Analyst, Strategic Insights & Analytics

Academic linguist

Online Linguistics Teacher

Customer Success Manager

Performing Artiste and Freelance Editor

I reposted a classic "how to twitter" (from a social perspective) post of mine from 2016, which people tell me they still refer to occasionally

How to write a successful pop linguistics book (an extremely long advice post)

Haven’t been with me this whole time? You can see my favourite posts of year one, year two, year three, year four, year five, year six, year seven, year eight, and year nine.

For shorter updates, follow me as a person on twitter or instagram, follow Lingthusiasm on twitter or instagram, or for a monthly email newsletter with highlights, subscribe on substack.

[holycatsandrabbits]

Part 7 of Giant Post of Completed Good Omens Human AU’s: September 2021

Happy September! <3 And thank you to all the creators who bring us so much joy!

Also! A searchable list of all of my Good Omens human AU recs.

You can use it to find fics where Aziraphale is a librarian, or fics with Ineffable Wives, etc.

More of my Completed Good Omens Human AU Recs on Tumblr

More Good Omens recs from me here: Dannye’s fic recs Dannye’s artist recs

And my Carrd

**************

Series: (not all of these series are complete)

Eden Stables Fics by @jamgrlsblog (Ao3 jamgrl) Rated T (Ineffable wives: teacher C & school librarian A in the American West)

Magpie Universe by @southdownsraphael (Ao3 southdownsraph) Rated G-E (Co-workers exotic dancer C & bartender A)

Moiety by @dietraumerei (Ao3 die_traumerei) Rated G-E (Ineffable wives: farmer C & sex worker A)

Opticians by Appleseeds Rated T-M (Fics 1 & 2 are Optician C and client A; Fics 3 & 4 are Optician A and client C)

photoshoot series by AgnesNutter22 Rated G-M (Photographer C encourages their partner A to model)

The Office Affair by aceziraphale Rated E (C & A are co-workers in an office)

Trials of the Serpent King by @mollymauk-teakwood (Ao3 NightValeian) Rated T (A is taken into the universe of his favorite book series)

We're Only Human (After All) by @artsyallouette (Ao3 CloseToSomethingReal) Rated T (C is a florist and A is Adam's guardian)

Single Fics:

All I Want For Christmas Is You by @caedmonfaith (Ao3 Caedmon) 11,274 words, Rated T (Elf photographer C and Mall Santa A)

An Unexpected Favor by@jamgrlsblog (Ao3 jamgrl) 500 words, Rated G (Archer Anathema & knight Newt)

A Peppermint Twist With A Mistletoe Kiss by Ranguvar82 4416 words, Rated M (Florist C and candy shop owner A)

arise, my soul, and sing by @bebrave-andbekind (Ao3 Mikaeru) 4906 words, Rated T (A provides support for trans friend C)

Burning for your Attention by @eurhyic 2637 words, Rated G (Arsonist C and firefighter A are friends)

Calling All Catchers by @quefish77 (Ao3 Quefish) 2460 words, Rated E (A answers C's dating app post)

Computer literacy by Joseph_Amadeus 10,206 words, Rated E (A takes computer literacy classes from C)

delivering myself to you by @eurhyic 7044 words, Rated G (Mailman C & bookshop owner A)

Equilibrium by mirawonderfulstar 10,884 words, Rated M (C & A meet via a wrong-number text)

Fake It Till You Mean It by @cozyteacups and @rogueholmes (Ao3 Tiny_Dragongirl) 11,050 words, Rated T (Plant nursery worker C asks customer A to pretend to be his boyfriend)

get up high by @crvwly (Ao3 gaytectives) 10,880 words, Rated M (A attempts to bust C for smoking)

He Loves Me by @eveningstarcatcher 27,392 words, Rated T (C & A are coworkers in an AU based on the musical "She Loves Me")

Hired Heart (illustrated by many artists) by @scrapheapchallenge​ (Ao3 GayDemonicDisaster (scrapheapchallenge)) 112,220 words, Rated E (Sex worker C & client A)

House Style by @soft-october-night (Ao3 soft_october) 24,274 words, Rated M (Consultant C & editor A in an AU based on the movie "Desk Set")

If the fates allow by @stillseekwill (Ao3 Seekwill) 5303 words, Rated E (Former co-workers C & A meet at a Christmas party)

In Mutual Obliviousness by @freyjawriter24 7583 words, Rated T (Ineffable wives: friends C & A go to ComicCon)

Making Home by @kreauxlighe (Ao3 ChubbyHornedEquine) 2067 words, Rated G (Florist C & book store owner A)

Manuscripts Don't Burn by @saretton 24,113 words, Rated M (An AU based on the book "The Master and Margarita")

New Canvas by @naromoreau 4531 words, Rated T (Hairdresser C works across the street from tattoo artist A)

Nothing Ever Happens on the Night Shift by @ack-emma (Ao3 ack_emma) 1727 words, Rated E (Security guard C and office worker A)

Oklahomens! by Ranguvar82 17,203 words, Rated T (an AU based on the musical "Oklahoma!")

One and the Same Fall by ElliottRook 75,834 words, Rated E (C & A are Catholic school students)

One Wild and Precious Life by @meowdejavu (Ao3 syrupfactory) 58,508 words, Rated E (Dr. A cares for frequent patient C on a space station)

(please) like (me) and subscribe! by @miss-minnelli (Ao3 miss_minnelli) 7884 words, Rated T (Ineffable wives: C & A are Youtubers)

Pretty by Joseph_Amadeus 15,215 words, Rated E (Businessman C & sex worker A)

Second Chance at a First Try by @saunteringfromgrace (Ao3 Fallinfromgrace) 58,897 words, Rated E (Flower shop owner C & bookshop owner A)

"So Fetch" Omens by @siliconealien (Ao3 IneffableAlien) 24,909 words, Rated T (Ineffable wives: C & A in an AU based on the movie "Mean Girls")

South Downs by @summerofspock 76,285 words, Rated E (C & A are actors)

Sweet as Honey: An angel's guide to seducing your sugar daddy by @angelsnuffbox (Ao3 MrsCaulfield) 15,719 words, Rated E (C plays sugar daddy to college student A)

The Bluest Christmas by @christocentricqueer 7337 words, Rated T (Pastor A is dealing with quarantine)

The Bull and Whistle by tuddles 4235 words, Rated E (Ineffable wives: bar maid C & customer A)

The False and the Fair by Princip1914 173,064 words, Rated E (Childhood friends C & A reunite)

The Number Nineteen Bus to Soho by @caedmonfaith (Ao3 Caedmon) and @bobleblubb (Ao3 ringading) 1213 words, Rated G (A & C meet on the bus)

The Value of Wild Hearts by @lurlur 15,624 words, Rated E (C has a crush on "Antiques Roadshow" book expert A)

Topical Pain Relievers and Other Seductions by mozbee 2615 words, Rated M (C comes to the aid of neighbor A)

Two Spheres Of Separation by @meinposhbastard 24,741 words, Rated M (Ineffable wives: C & A are office co-workers in a magical universe)

Under Pressure by AppleSeeds 6000 words, Rated T (Nurse C and patient A)

Under the Christmas Lights by @getwrexed (Ao3 Get_Wrexed) 3737 words, Rated E (Spouses Beelzebub and Gabriel decorate for Christmas)

Vacant Property by @cockadoodlebumtits (Ao3 HopeCoppice) 21,137 words, Rated M (C is caretaker of a property haunted by A's ghost)

What Will Destroy You by @eveningstarcatcher 23,749 words, Rated E (Reporter C & Police Inspector A investigate the Jack the Ripper case)

Your Lighthouse Keeper by @hope-inthedark (Ao3 hope_in_the_dark) 5,128 words, Rated T (Fisherman C & lighthouse keeper A in an AU based on the song "The Lighthouse Keeper")

Yours for the taking by Mraowface 16,022 words, Rated M (C tries to steal a book from bookshop owner A)

[blackchildrensbooksandauthors]

✨NEW October YA Book✨  

📖Black Birds in the Sky: The Story and Legacy of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre

Brandy Colbert

Balzer + Bray

A searing new work of nonfiction from award-winning author Brandy Colbert about the history and legacy of one of the most deadly and destructive acts of racial violence in American history: the Tulsa Race Massacre.

In the early morning of June 1, 1921, a white mob marched across the train tracks in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and into its predominantly Black Greenwood District—a thriving, affluent neighborhood known as America's Black Wall Street. They brought with them firearms, gasoline, and explosives.

In a few short hours, they'd razed thirty-five square blocks to the ground, leaving hundreds dead. The Tulsa Race Massacre is one of the most devastating acts of racial violence in US history. But how did it come to pass? What exactly happened? And why are the events unknown to so many of us today?

Available Now👉🏿 Amazon | Bookshop | IndieBound

Go HERE for more October new releases by Black authors.

Follow💻Subscribe: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Newsletter

If you believe BCBA provides a valuable service, please take a few minutes to donate here or via Cash App ($BCBooksA) and support our mission to promote awareness of children’s and young adult literature by Black authors. Thanks for your support!

[christinesficrecs]

I needed a distraction from yet another hateful week so here we are!! With this Beach AU reclist that is obviously no longer that! 🤦🏻‍♀️  

Also, there are some 4th of July fics here if you’re feeling picnics and bbqs. And summer camp fics here if that’s more your thing. 

A (Sort of) Fairytale by briecheesie, daunt | 25.8K | Mature

The summer after senior year starts normally enough, with the gang spending their final months before college together at the Martin family's lake house. Then Jackson stumbles onto the burial ground of a witch's ex-husband, Stiles is magically turned into a fox, and things somehow manage to get worse from there. The gratuitous Princess Bride references are only of moderate help.

Kissing the Shoreline by theroguesgambit | 12K

Stiles doesn’t want just any summer fling. He wants Derek. And Lydia is determined to help Stiles get him.

The Newlywed Game by Captain_Loki | 19.5K | Mature

Stiles is (still) single when the pack's getaway to the Caribbean comes by (oh misplaced optimism); lucky for him Derek is committed to being uncommitted and even after all these years is still powerless against Stiles' unique forms of persuasion.

Cue a romantic getaway for two: sun, sand, and sarcasm abound...and the two roped into competing in the Resort's version of the Newlywed game. Only it's completely obvious it's going to end in disaster. Probably homicide.

Most probably homicide.

Plot twist: It doesn't.

Livin' La Vida Loca by jadore_hale, stomachaches | 16.3K

The one where Stiles answers a newspaper ad to be the Hale family's new pool boy and has a hell of a summer.

Wild and Reckless Breeze by GotTheSilver | 15.7K | Mature 

In which Stiles is killing time working at a bookshop, Derek buys a lot of Chuck Palahniuk and they start hanging out, much to the confusion of Scott and the Sheriff.

hey asshole by everchanginginks | 15.6K | Mature

The Hales moved in next door more than a year ago and while Cora and Stiles became fast friends, Stiles has yet to meet his best friend's big brother, Derek, who’s been attending college in New York. When Derek comes home for the summer he makes less than a stellar impression. And vice versa.

To Navigate Your Seas by alisvolatpropiis | 26K | Explicit

Derek is a beach bum/surfer; Stiles is his new neighbor. Feels ensue.

The Lawn Ranger by Snowjob | 47.8K | Mature 

In which Derek is an adolescent werewolf with a penchant for chocolate bunnies, and instead of the dream summer of lazing around the house playing video games and nibbling on his hoarded supply of easter candy his mother makes him get a job.

In which Stiles is a showoff jock with a broken arm and an embarrassing crush who can no longer push the lawn mower around the yard.

Bed Sharing For Dummies by werewolvesandarrows (nerdy_farm_girl) | 7.5K | Explicit

Scott and Kira decide they should all go on vacation. Stiles has to share a bed with Derek. He's handling it like a mature adult.

Beach Trip AU  |  Steady Like The Tide  |  tumblr ficlets

We'll Still Have The Summer by allyasavedtheday | 32.3K

He’s too busy waxing poetic in his own head about the surly – dreamy – dude holding the sign for the hotel to notice Scott already making his way over. He pauses halfway when he realises Stiles isn’t following him, turning around and eyeing Stiles curiously, “Dude, come on, the guy’s waiting.”

Stiles snaps himself into action and pushes his cart carrying his suitcases over to where Scott’s introducing himself to Stiles’ future husband.

“-And this is Stiles,” Scott is saying just as Stiles arrives next to him.

“I’m Derek,” the guy replies gruffly, folding the sign up and tucking it under his arm. “I’ll be taking you back to the hotel.”

Cutback by WonderWolf | 19.3K

Scott and Stiles are pro surfers in need of a place to stay for their upcoming competition. Out of all the things Derek expected this summer, being asked to house his brother and ex-boyfriend for one week wasn’t on the list.

i have always been the storm by stilinskisparkles | 25.2K | Explicit

"You’re all headed out to Oklahoma in a week.”

Derek snaps his head up, stares at him in horror, “No, boss.”

“Yes,” Finstock insists in a steely voice. “The NSSL have been on at us for a year about some decent exposure, and I think you’re just the team to do it.”

“I haven’t done weather since college,” Derek protests.

Boyd snorts again, presumably because he’s thinking back to the time when Derek and the weather last collided and he…. well, did the guy into the weather for a brief, wonderful, terribly foolish time. But, Boyd needs to shut up before Derek punches him on the nose.

We’ve Got Chemistry by dr_girlfriend | 17.8K 

So…” The man was at the door to a shed now. “The previous owners left everything, so I think there should be everything you need. But let me know if you need me to pick up anything, or if you prefer, you can buy it and I’ll reimburse you…”

“Everything I need?” Stiles repeated. He had obviously missed something.

“You know.” The man smiled again, a little more cautiously. He was looking at Stiles as if he were a bit mentally-challenged. “To clean the pool.”

“To clean the pool,” Stiles repeated. He looked around. Then he looked down at himself, taking in his stained shirt, cargo shorts, and raggedy Converse.

“Oh!” he said. “Because I’m the pool guy.” And that’s not what he meant to say at all. He meant to say, “You think I’m the pool guy.”

Go For The Gold (And A Few Other Things) by SpiritsFlame | 14.7K | Mature

Stiles came to the Olympics with one goal- get a gold medal. By Opening Ceremonies, he has two goals. Win a gold medal, and sleep with Derek Hale. Unfortunately for him, those two goals are equally difficult.

Show Me How We Can Escape by secondstar | 9.8K | Explicit

Stiles needed a vacation. He deserved it, after working nonstop. Australia felt like a world away from the limelight; just what he needed. He didn't expect to meet Derek, though.

I Ran (So Far) by thepsychicclam | 33.7K | Explicit

In which Stiles' summer starts off so badly he starts running, gets pelted by paint balls, and decides he is, in fact, going crazy if he willingly wants to hang out with Derek Hale.

We’ll put on a show (Scotty has to know) by dearericbittle (dutchmoxie) | 7.7K

Stiles is a stubborn asshole, determined to have fun in Europe even though Scott stays behind in Belgium because of a girl. So asking a stranger to make out with him for the ‘Gram? Totally the best decision he’s ever made, and not just because that’ll totally show Jackson (and Scott!). Shame he won’t see the guy again, though.

Mermaider by nothing_left_sacred | 15.5K | Mature

“So what you’re saying is; you’re a mermaid princess.” Erica concluded.

“Yes, clearly. That is what I am saying. Thank you for putting it so concisely.” Stiles sassed, frowning at her. He wasn’t fucking Ariel; this was so far from being a Disney movie it wasn't even funny.

Or the one where a perfectly normal Beach Vacation escalates way too quickly, because this is Stiles' life.

Slow Burn by Boy_On_Strings | 69.7K | Explicit

Derek takes the pack on a vacation to a beach. Derek and Stiles are forced to share a room after Allison and Scott claim one room and Lydia claims another for her and Jackson. This leads the two towards bonding and more.

Burn It Out by Omni | 6.3K

Everything that he was got burned out of him, turned to ash and shadow just like everyone he loved. He was hollowed out and empty, and it hurt like claws across exposed nerves.

Then, it was done.

Move A Mountain by ZainClaw | 69K | Explicit

Stiles goes camping with his friends in New Mexico after graduation where they befriend a biker gang led by Derek: a guy whom Stiles can’t decide if he will be either relieved or devastated to never see again once their week is up.

Past The Breakers by thepsychicclam | 40.7K | Explicit

Stiles and Scott get summer jobs at the exclusive Seawolf Beach Resort, and the last thing Stiles expects is to start taking surf lessons from the hot lifeguard.

[linneatanner]

Book Review The Traitor Beside Her Mary Anna Evans #HistoricalFiction #HistoricalMystery #BlogTour #TheCoffeePotBookClub @maryannaevans @cathiedunn

FEATURED AUTHOR: MARY ANNA EVANS It is my pleasure to introduce Mary Anna Evans as the featured author in The Coffee Pot Book Club Blog Tour that is being held between August 2nd — October 4th, 2023. Mary Anna Evans is the author of the Historical Mystery novel, The Traitor Beside Her (The Justine Byrne Historical Mysteries), released by Sourcebooks on June 6, 2023 (346 pages). Below are highlights of The Traitor Beside Her,  Mary Anna Evans' author bio, and my review of her novel.  Tour Schedule Page: https://thecoffeepotbookclub.blogspot.com/2023/06/blog-tour-traitor-beside-her.html HIGHLIGHTS: THE TRAITOR BESIDE HER       The Traitor Beside Her (The Justine Byrne Historical Mysteries) By Mary Anna Evans Audiobook narrated by Kimberly M. Wetherell Blurb: "Evans's characters are vividly drawn, elevating this story and its revelations about women's little-celebrated contributions to the war effort."— Washington Post "An exciting read with historical tidbits, a hint of danger, and a touch of romance."— Kirkus Reviews The Traitor Beside Her is an intricately plotted WWII espionage novel weaving together mystery, action, friendship, and a hint of romance perfect for fans of The Rose Code and Code Name Helene. Justine Byrne can't trust the people working beside her. Arlington Hall, a former women's college in Virginia has been taken over by the United States Army where hundreds of men and women work to decode countless pieces of communication coming from the Axis powers. Justine works among them, handling the most sensitive secrets of World War II—but she isn't there to decipher German codes—she's there to find a traitor. Justine keeps her guard up and her ears open, confiding only in her best friend, Georgette, a fluent speaker of Choctaw who is training to work as a code talker. Justine tries to befriend each suspect, believing that the key to finding the spy lies not in cryptography but in understanding how code breakers tick. When young women begin to go missing at Arlington Hall, her deadline for unraveling the web of secrets becomes urgent and one thing remains clear: a single secret in enemy hands could end thousands of lives. "A fascinating and intelligent WWII home front story." —Rhys Bowen, New York Times bestselling author for The Physicists' Daughter Buy Links: Universal Link: https://books2read.com/u/4XwxG1 Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Traitor-Beside-Her-Novel/dp/1464215588 Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BGYPLMTH Amazon CA: https://www.amazon.ca/Traitor-Beside-Her-Novel/dp/1464215588 Amazon AU: https://www.amazon.com.au/Traitor-Beside-Her-Novel-ebook/dp/B0BGYPLMTH Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-traitor-beside-her-mary-anna-evans/1143344440 Waterstones: https://www.waterstones.com/book/the-traitor-beside-her/mary-anna-evans/9781464215582 Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/the-traitor-beside-her Bookshop: https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-traitor-beside-her-mary-anna-evans/18743820 Audio Buy Links: Audiobooks.com: https://www.audiobooks.com/audiobook/672506/ Audible: https://www.audible.com/pd/The-Traitor-Beside-Her-Audiobook/B0BVDLCL7J AUTHOR BIO: MARY ANNA EVANS Mary Anna Evans is an award-winning author, a writing professor, and she holds degrees in physics and engineering, a background that, as it turns out, is ideal for writing her Justine Byrne series, which began with The Physicists’ Daughter and continues with her new book, The Traitor Beside Her. She describes Justine as “a little bit Rosie-the-Riveter and a little bit Bletchley Park codebreaker.” Mary Anna’s crime fiction has earned recognition that includes two Oklahoma Book Awards, the Will Rogers Medallion Awards Gold Medal, and the Benjamin Franklin Award, and she co-edited the Edgar-nominated Bloomsbury Handbook to Agatha Christie. Social Media Links: Website: https://www.maryannaevans.comTwitter: https://twitter.com/maryannaevans Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MaryAnnaEvansAuthor/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mary-anna-evans-a7642810/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/maryannaevans/ Book Bub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/mary-anna-evans Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Mary-Anna-Evans/author/B001JP9ZY2 Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/12395.Mary_Anna_Evans BOOK REVIEW: THE TRAITOR BESIDE HER   The USA's secret program of cryptoanalysis in Virginia toward the end of WWII is explored in The Traitor Beside Her by Mary Anna Evans. A physicist's daughter, Justine Byrne plays a dangerous game of espionage. On the surface, she has been recruited to decode communication from various Axis powers as Allied forces advance on the front lines toward Germany.  However, her primary objective is to find the traitor among the brilliant decoders at Arlington Hall who are deciphering German codes that could steer the course of the war. She cannot trust anyone as she investigates who could be the potential spy. One woman on site has already been killed and others have gone missing. The suspense builds as she hones on potential suspects, risking her life. Mary Anna Evans has written a unique, smoothly-written novel with elements of suspense, romance, and friendship. The story offers the unique perspective of a young, somewhat naive woman thrust into the midst of espionage with minimal training. The story is told primarily from Justine's perspective, but other points of view are used to move the story forward. Justine can only confide in Georgette, her best friend and fluent speaker of Choctaw, who is suddenly brought into the mission. Nora is another intriguing, eccentric character who can see the colors of the music she composes and plays. One of the most fascinating aspects of the novel is to learn about the secret decoding processes that could impact the war as much as the military forces on the battlefield. Each suspect has an interesting backstory that could explain why he or she chooses to betray his/her country. However, the pacing sometimes slows down when the story delves into romance and everyday conversations of women living at Arlington Hall. Readers who enjoy learning more about covert operations that supported the behind-the-scenes war effort of Allies during WWII should enjoy reading The Traitor Beside Her, told from the perspective of a precocious, young woman thrown into the jaws of espionage.     Instagram Handle: @thecoffeepotbookclub Read the full article

[2021ya]

BLACK BIRDS IN THE SKY

THE STORY AND LEGACY OF THE 1921 TULSA RACE MASSACRE

by Brandy Colbert

(Balzer + Bray, 10/5/21)

9780063056664

Add to Goodreads

Purchase from Bookshop

A searing new work of nonfiction from award-winning author Brandy Colbert about the history and legacy of one of the most deadly and destructive acts of racial violence in American history: the Tulsa Race Massacre. In the early morning of June 1, 1921, a white mob marched across the train tracks in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and into its predominantly Black Greenwood District—a thriving, affluent neighborhood known as America's Black Wall Street. They brought with them firearms, gasoline, and explosives. In a few short hours, they'd razed thirty-five square blocks to the ground, leaving hundreds dead. The Tulsa Race Massacre is one of the most devastating acts of racial violence in US history. But how did it come to pass? What exactly happened? And why are the events unknown to so many of us today? These are the questions that award-winning author Brandy Colbert seeks to answer in this unflinching nonfiction account of the Tulsa Race Massacre. In examining the tension that was brought to a boil by many factors—white resentment of Black economic and political advancement, the resurgence of white supremacist groups, the tone and perspective of the media, and more—a portrait is drawn of an event singular in its devastation, but not in its kind. It is part of a legacy of white violence that can be traced from our country's earliest days through Reconstruction, the Civil Rights movement in the mid–twentieth century, and the fight for justice and accountability Black Americans still face today. The Tulsa Race Massacre has long failed to fit into the story Americans like to tell themselves about the history of their country. This book, ambitious and intimate in turn, explores the ways in which the story of the Tulsa Race Massacre is the story of America—and by showing us who we are, points to a way forward.