John Connolly is best known for his Charlie Parker novels. This trio of Young Adult fantasies is nothing like Connolly’s mysteries. In The Gates (2009) we’re introduced to a precocious 12=year-old named Samuel Johnson. And, of course, Samuel Johnson has a dog named Boswell. Samuel and Boswell witness the beginning of an invasion of our world by the demons of Hell. But, when Samuel tries to tell his Mother about the danger looming, she thinks he’s just kidding around. In The Infernals (2011) an angry demon seeks revenge on Samuel Johnson and Boswell for the events in The Gates. And in The Creeps (2013) Samuel Johnson and Boswell actually go to Hell as the Multi-verse hangs in the balance.

To write effective Young Adult novels, the characters need to be compelling, the action needs to be sensational, and the plot needs to be ingenious. While John Connolly’s The Gates, The Infernals, and The Creeps provide mild entertainment, these books are not going to attract a large, devoted audience. GRADE: B-

“It’s not where you go to school, it’s what you DO when you get there.” That’s the message I give my students who are concerned about getting accepted by the four-year College or University they dream about. Of course, a lot of those dreams are created by the marketing departments of those Colleges and Universities. Higher Education is a business. Today, students are lured to expensive colleges where they end up taking out student loans and end up heavily in debt. Frank Bruni identifies rational search methods to match students with schools that provide good educations and that are affordable. Yes, attending an Ivy League school offers a different experience than attending the local community college. Your roommate is likely to have a multi-millionaire parent. But, beyond the networking aspects, the actual education might be roughly equivalent.

Class sizes at my College are capped at 32 students. At SUNY at Buffalo, the “elite” school in our area, many courses have 300 students in them. Vastly different learning experience! I learn all of my students’s names within a week or two. If you’re in an auditorium with 300 students, the professor will not be trying to learn anybody’s name. I urge all of my students who plan to attend a four-year College after getting their Associate’s Degree, to visit the College they’re interested in attending. Actually sit in on a class. Talk to other students and ask them what they think of that College. Students sometimes supply surprising answers. But the obsession for some students and their parents to be accepted by a “name” school is fueled by the emails, videos, and Internet marketing that seems to have run amok. No wonder most college graduates find themselves drowning in debt. Where You Go is Not Who You’ll Be is a good antidote to this Admissions mania. GRADE: A
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
INTRODUCTION
1. The Unsung Alma Maters
2. Throwing Darts
3. Obsessives at the Gate
4. Rankings and Wrongs
5. Beyond the Comfort Zone
6. From Tempe to Waterloo
7. An Elite Edge?
8. Strangled with Ivy
9. Humbled, Hungry, and Flourishing
10. Fire Over Formula
11. Beyond the B-Plus
AFTERWARD
Suggested Readings and Resources
Acknowledgements
About the Author
INDEX

I saw the first Cloverfield movie back in 2008. It was filmed with a shaky, hand-held camera (ala The Blair Witch Project) and purported to be chronicling the disaster of a giant, alien monster (think Godzilla on a Bad Day) rampaging through New York City leaving destruction and death in its wake. It was okay.

Now, this second movie in what appears to be a franchise has shown up with the creepiness factor dialed way up. Mary Elizabeth Winstead is held by John Goodman in a fallout bunker. Goodman’s character insists the country is under attack and the outside air is dangerous to breathe. Mary Elizabeth Winstead is skeptical but soon learns something Bad is happening above the bunker. John Gallagher, Jr. plays Emmett, a handyman who helped Goodman build the bunker. When disaster strikes, he forced his way into the bunker, but discovers he’s in a difficult position. There’s psychological tension, but it’s stretched out too long for my taste. I liked the last 15 minutes best. GRADE: C+

Rebecca Traister explores the strange new world of single women in the 21st Century. In previous centuries, women married in their early 20s. Today, less than 30% of women marry in their 20s. Marriage, which was formerly a goal for most women, is now an option. Traister shows how society changed, how economics made it possible for women to survive and thrive without a husband. I heard Rebecca Traister interviewed on National Public Radio and immediately ordered All the Single Ladies. Diane and I married at age 29 (which was considered “late” back then) but both our son and daughter are older than that and enjoy their singleness. Is marriage obsolete?
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
A Note on Interviews and Attibution
Introduction
CHAPTER ONE: Watch Out for that Women: The Poltical and Social Power of an Unmarried Nation
CHAPTER TWO: Single Women Hae Often Made History: Unmarried in America
CHAPTER THREE: The Sex of Cities: Urban Life and Female Independence
CHAPTER FOUR: Dangerous as Lucifer Matches: The Friendships of Women
CHAPTER FIVE: My Solitude, My Self: Sing Women on Their Own
CHAPTER SIX: For Richer: Work, Money, and Independence
CHAPTER SEVEN: For Poorer: Single Women and Sexism, Racism, and Poverty
CHAPTER EIGHT: Sex and the Single Girls: Virginity to Promiscuity and Beyond
CHAPTER NINE: Horse and Carriage: Maryying–And Not Marrying–In the Time of Singlehood
CHAPTER TEN: Then Comes What? And When?: Independence and Parenthood
Conduction
Appendix
Where Are They Now?
Acknowledgements
Selected Bibliography
Notes

Today Diane and I and Diane’s sister Carol are going to Shea’s Performing Arts Center to see Beautiful a musical based on the life and music of Carole King. Diane and I have been huge Carole King fans since the 1960s when she and her husband, Gerry Goffin, wrote hit after hit. Take a look at the songs in this musical to get a sense of some of the hits this dynamic team wrote. Later, King and Goffin broke up and Carole King launched a solo career with her iconic album, Tapasty. Katie saw Beautiful on Broadway and loved it. The reviews of this touring version have been very positive. What’s your favorite Carole King song?
Musical numbers:
All songs written by Goffin and King except as noted
Act 1
“Overture” – Orchestra
“So Far Away” – Carole King
“Oh! Carol” – Neil Sedaka
(music and lyrics by Neil Sedaka and Howard Greenfield)†
“1650 Broadway Medley” – Ensemble
(arranged by Douglas McGrath, music and lyrics by various artists)

“It Might as Well Rain Until September” – Carole
“Be-Bop-A-Lula” (music and lyrics by Tex Davis and Gene Vincent) – Ensemble†
“Some Kind of Wonderful” – Carole, Gerry Goffin and The Drifters
“Happy Days Are Here Again” – Cynthia Weil
(music by Milton Ager; lyrics by Jack Yellen)

“Take Good Care of My Baby” – Gerry and Carole
“Who Put the Bomp (in the Bomp, Bomp, Bomp)” – Barry Mann
(music and lyrics by Mann and Goffin)†

“Will You Love Me Tomorrow” – Carole
“He’s Sure the Boy I Love” – Cynthia and Barry
(music and lyrics by Mann and Weil)

“Will You Love Me Tomorrow” (Reprise) – The Shirelles
“Up on the Roof” – Gerry and The Drifters
“On Broadway” – The Drifters
(music and lyrics by Mann, Weil, Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller)

“The Locomotion” – Little Eva and Ensemble
“You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feeling” – The Righteous Brothers
(music and lyrics by Mann, Weil and Phil Spector)

“One Fine Day” – Janelle, Carole, and Ensemble

Act 2

“Chains” – Carole and Ensemble
“Walking in the Rain” – Barry and Cynthia
(music and lyrics by Mann, Weil and Spector)

“Pleasant Valley Sunday” – Marilyn Wald, Gerry, Carole and Ensemble
“We Gotta Get Out of This Place” – Barry
(music and lyrics by Mann and Weil)

“Will You Love Me Tomorrow” (Reprise) – Carole†
“Uptown” (music and lyrics by Mann and Weil) – Ensemble
“It’s Too Late” (music by King; lyrics by Toni Stern) – Carole
“You’ve Got a Friend” – Carole, Barry, Cynthia and Don
(music and lyrics by King)

“(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman” – Carole and Ensemble
(music and lyrics by Goffin, King and Gerald Wexler)

“Beautiful” (music and lyrics by King) – Carole
“I Feel the Earth Move” – Carole King and Ensemble
(music and lyrics by King)

The ever generous Beth Fedyn sent me a copy of Shadow Show and I dropped everything and started reading it. The writers who contributed to this anthology in praise of Ray Bradbury were asked to submit stories that were Ray Bradbury-like or Ray Bradbury-inspired. Beth mentioned her favorite story in Shadow Show is Audrey Niffenegger;s “Backwards In Seville.” I really like Robert McCammon’s “Children of the Bedtime Machine” and Dan Chaon’s “Little America.” As you might suspect, there’s quite a range of stories in this anthology. And Weller and Castle asked the contributors to write a short essay included at the end of each story about their feelings about Ray Bradbury and his work. Fascinating stuff! What’s your favorite Ray Bradbury story?
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
Sam Weller and Mort Castle – Introduction
Ray Bradbury – Second Homecoming
*Neil Gaiman – The Man Who Forgot Ray Bradbury
*Margaret Atwood – Headlife
Jay Bonansinga – Heavy
*Sam Weller – The Girl In The Funeral Parlor
David Morrell – The Companions
Thomas F. Monteleone – The Exchange
Lee Martin – Cat on a Bad Couch
*Joe Hill – By The Silver Water Of Lake Champlain
*Dan Chaon – Little America
John McNally – The Phone Call
Joe Meno – Young Pilgrims
Robert McCammon – Children Of The Bedtime Machine
*Ramsey Campbell – The Page
Mort Castle – Light
Alice Hoffman – Conjure
John Maclay – Max
Jacqueline Mitchard – Two Of A Kind
Gary Braunbeck – Fat Man And Little Boy
*Bonnie Jo Campbell – The Tattoo
Audrey Niffenegger – Backwards In Seville
* Charles Yu – Earth: (A Gift Shop)
Julia Keller – Hayleigh’s Dad
Dave Eggers – Who Knocks?
Bayo Ojikutu – Reservation 2020
Kelly Link – Two Houses
Harlan Ellison – Weariness
CONTRIBUTORS
CREDITS

Algernon Blackwood is best known for his supernatural fiction and his ghost stories. Richard Gavin, in his Introduction to The Human Chord (1910) and The Centaur (1911), notes that “strong Cabalistic and Egyptian interests are woven through the fabric of The Human Chord.” The Human Chord features a scholarly clergyman who aspires to reach the higher realms of spirituality through finding the sound that will unlock access to those previously unattainable dimensions. The Centaur explores a similar theme by contrasting the world-view of men who dream and men who are skeptical. In all the works of Algernon Blackwood that I’ve read, there’s a quest to unravel the mysteries of Life. If you’re in the mood for some classic supernatural fiction, this Stark House double volume delivers.

Other Algernon Blackwood books published by STARK HOUSE are:
The Empty House & Other Stories/The Listener & Other Stories
Ten Minute Stories/Day and Night Stories
Jimbo/The Education of Uncle Paul
Pans Garden/Incredible Adventures
The Lost Valley/The Wolves of God
Juilus LeVallon/The Bright Messenger
The Face of Eearth

It’s rare that I win any contest I enter, but when the science fiction and fantasy web site BLACK GATE had a contest for a new copy of Michael Moorcock’s first Jerry Cornelious novel, I had to give it a try. John O’Neill, the Grand PooBa of BLACK GATE, was running the contest. You had to send him one line describing your favorite character of Michael Moorcock’s Eternal Champion series. So I sent: “Who doesn’t love Corum, the man with the Hand of Kwll and the Eye of Rhynn, who summons the undead from the underworld?” I was one of the three lucky winners. John O’Neill sent me a copy of the new Titan Books edition of The Final Proramme a week later. Titan Books is also publishing the other three books in the Jerry Cornelius series: A Cure for Cancer, The English Assassin, and The Condition of Muzak. Follow the adventures of a scientist-rock star-assassin in the mod world of surreal England.

Bill Crider recommended Hap & Leonard (based on Joe Landsdale’s characters) on the Sundance cable channel so I watched the three episodes available. Hap and Leonard are working at a rose farm (who knew such things existed) when their boss tells them to pack up. The Mexicans are coming and they’ll work cheaper. After losing their jobs, Hap and Leonard are approached by Hap’s former wife, Tracy, who is played to perfection by Christina Hendricks. Christina’s second husband was part of a bank robbery. The get-away car full of money sank in a river during the police chase. Christina’s husband goes to prison with the secret of where the money car is. Hap and Leonard are recruited to help find the car full of money. But, of course, nothing is that simple. Complications of the violent kind change the trajectory of the story. If you’re looking for a series with an Elmore Leonard flavor, I recommend Hap & Leonard.