Breakthrough Blogs

2011-12-06T06:55:00.000-08:00

We've Moved!!!

Okay, so there are still many who have not found my new blog (this one has been infected by Dementors).

So I Have A New Blog at: Breakthrough Blogs. I would greatly appreciate it if you would click the above-mentioned link and mosey on over. If you are

unable to select this link here, please copy and paste http://stephentremp.blogspot.com or http://breakthroughblogs.blogspot.com .... thanks and see you over there!

I Have A New Blog

2011-08-26T20:29:00.000-07:00

A man has to know his limitations. I raise my hands in surrender. Try as I might, I just can't fix this Blogger problem.

Too many people are emailing me and sending Twitter messages they still see the gray shade on my Home Page and cannot leave comments. I wonder if Dementors are the cause of the problem.

So I Have A New Blog at: Breakthrough Blogs. I would greatly appreciate it if you would click the above-mentioned link and mosey on over. If you a

re unable to select this link here, please go any of my other TABS or PAGES for an accessible link.
Muy` Importante:
On Monday, I'm posting my first synopsis/blurb for my very-soon-to-be-released book Opening. So please stop by, say hello, join Tremp's Troops, and let me know you still care! See you over there. And that’s an order! See you over there.

Prelude To Opening Synopsis

2011-08-25T08:33:00.000-07:00

Great news! I have my first blurb / synopsis for Opening that my editor Marvin Wilson and I put together. I’ll have that posted Monday. In light of this, I’d like to pose something for you to consider. This is taken from a previous post a couple years ago:

Physicists like Dr. Albert Einstein and Dr. Stephen Hawking talked about reading the mind of God in the context of discovering a Theory of Everything, or a Grand Unified Theory. Sir Isaac Newton first proposed the idea. Three great minds. Yet they found the challenge to be, well, challenging.

But maybe they were onto something. Could it be that a Theory of Everything will need to not only reconcile the science of the very big (Einstein and general relativity) with the science of the very small (quantum mechanics), but also include the spiritual realm into this theory. The Bible seems to hint at 7 additional dimensions, or layers, by using seven different words for heaven. If you add our three spatial-dimensional world that adds up to ten dimensions. Toss in time and that’s eleven dimensions, the same number of dimensions in certain string theories. Hmmm……

According to CERN, "High-energy experiments could prise open the inconspicuous dimensions just enough to allow particles to move between the normal 3D world and other dimensions. This could be manifest in the sudden disappearance of a particle into a hidden dimension, or the unexpected appearance of a particle in an experiment. Who knows where such a discovery could lead!"

Let’s take a look at what the Bible has to say about possible wormholes and parallel dimensions. Jacob’s Ladder is a ladder where angels ascended and descended back and forth from heaven and earth (Genesis 28:11-19). Could this be a portal to a parallel universe or a higher spatial dimension? This could help explain how angels and demons can move in and out of our universe.

While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, "Peace be with you." (Luke 24:38). Jesus didn’t use the door or walk through the walls, he simply appeared inside the room. Could Jesus have used a Hyperspace dimension to accomplish this?

Elijah and Enoch in the Old Testament never died. They were both escorted to heaven, Elijah in dramatic fashion by horses of fire and a chariot of fire come down from the sky in a whirlwind. If they didn’t use a portal (wormhole) to reach their destination, they’d still be in transit today and would be for countless light years. The book of Revelation is filled with wild events that hint strongly of open portals from another dimensions, releasing plagues and woes on earth’s inhabitants.

Could these parallel universes be where angels and demons live, and they can simply and effortlessly move back and forth from their universe to ours? Something to think about as you drive around town running errands today.

Question Posed: Do you think a Grand Unified Theory of Everything would need to include spiritual things?

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Bits and Pieces

2011-08-23T19:04:00.000-07:00

I just got back Part I of Opening from my editor Marvin Wilson! Yep, I’m doing the happy dance. I’ll be going over this the next few days and making the final revisions (but really, when is it ever finished). I sent him Part II this morning. This represents 63 percent of the manuscript. Phew! Almost there. It’s been a lot of work but the end is in sight. I’m still shooting for late September for the release date.

I’m putting together a Blog Book Tour, albeit without the normal constraints that many people associate a BBT with. I’ll be visiting blogs in October and November whenever it’s convenient for someone to squeeze in their busy holiday schedule.

As with my BBT last year, I won’t be doing a lot of promoting of my books. I’ll focus on particular writing, blogging, and science topics that are practical to the reader, then conclude with a paragraph touting my blog and links to purchase or download Opening. I have some awesomely great topics lined up!

For an example of my blogs from last year’s BBT, you can scroll down a bit and check out the links to these very useful posts.

If you would like to consider hosting me, please email me at golionssss@yahoo.com I know, I know, I really need to get an email like breakthrough@yahoo.com or something like that. I’d be happy to forward you on a signed copy of Opening or a coupon for a download. We can also do a home-and-away where I also host you! Cool beans!

And I’ll be coming out with my first blurb for Opening sometime in the next week. A concept for the artwork for the dust cover has been so far elusive. But I’ll figure something out. Which begs the question: Does the artwork matter to you when deciding on purchasing or downloading a book? Me, I'm more concerned with the synopsis.

And some people are still emailing me they still see the grey-out and cannot leave comments. I'm still working to fix the problem. Aarrgghhhh!!!! Blogger can be so frustrating at times.

Star Trek As We Know It Blogfest

2011-08-21T09:55:00.001-07:00

I thought I would do something a bit different for Ellie Garrett's Star Trek As We Know It Blogfest and spotlight my favorite characters in roles apart from their Star Trek personas. Enjoy!

William Shatner (Captain Kirk) – Twilight Zone Episode “Nightmare at 20,000 Feet,” originally aired 1963.

A man, newly recovered from a nervous breakdown, becomes convinced that a monster only he sees is damaging the plane he's flying in.

Quote from Shatner: “There’s … something on the wing … some … thing.”

Leonard Nimoy (Mr. Spock) – Nimoy was the villain, and a very good one, in the Columbo episode “A Stitch In Time,” originally aired February 11, 1973.

Dr. Barry Mayfield is a highly successful and respected surgeon, but his methods leave a lot to be desired. A fellow nurse becomes suspicious about his procedures in sewing up internal organs after 'successful' operations. The good doctor kills her before she spills the beans, but Mayfield doesn't count on detective Columbo investigative skills which quickly uncovers a trail of murderous events

Patrick Stewart (Jean-Luc Picard) – The Simpsons episode Homer The Great, originally aired 1995

Homer becomes a member of a mysterious organization called the Stonecutters and is heralded as "the chosen one." Stewart did the voice for Number 1, the leader of the Stonecutters who

Quote from Stewart: “Welcome to the club, Number 493. You have become a member of the ancient and noble society of Stonecutters, who since ancient times have always endeavored to shatter the stone of ignorance, to bring forth the light of truth... now, let's all get drunk and play Ping-Pong!”

George Takei – (Hikaru Sulu)
In January 2007, Takei began appearing on Heroes, as a successful business man and also the father of one of the main characters Hiro Nakamura, who also happens to be an obsessive fan of Star Trek. In the first episode Takei is portrayed, the license plate of the limo he arrives in is NCC-1701, another reference to the Star Trek series. He has appeared in seasons one, two, three and four.

Zachary Quinto (Mr. Spock) – Star Trek (2009)
Another Star Trek / Heroes connection. Quinto played the role of Sylar, (which he adopted from the name on his watch) is a former timepiece restorer who always desired to be special instead of "ordinary". He was a villain’s villain who studied his victim's brains using his intuitive aptitude in order to gain their supernatural powers and continue to become more powerful and more evil.

And I'm working on my Blogger problem. Some can leave comments, others cannot. If you'd like to leave a comment but are unable to, please email it to me at golionssss@yahoo.com and I'll post it for you. Thanks!!!

Space Vacation: Orbiting Hotel Ready For Guests By 2016

2011-08-18T17:50:00.000-07:00

Start that bottle of Windex and start cleaning your space helmet visor. Space tourism is almost upon us … Got a cool million stashed around your house. If not, start saving that loose change in your seat cushions. By 2016, you can be the first one on your block to boast you took a five-day stay on board an orbiting hotel built by Russian company Orbital Technologies. Yes folks, space tourism is almost upon us. It was only a matter of time. About five years from now, that is.

You’ll get there via a Russian Soyuz rocket, taking you about a day to reach the Commercial Space Station 217 miles above the earth. Once you catch up to the orbiting abode, you’ll settle in with your comrades — up to six other space tourists (or researchers) — for an unparalleled adventure, residing in four cabins aboard the space station.

While you’re traveling at 17,500 miles per hour in low earth orbit, you’ll be pampered with all the spacely amenities you can imagine, such as plenty of gourmet foods, a specially designed sealed shower, your choice of a vertical or horizontal bed (does it really matter in the microgravity of space?), and you might even get to sip some Tang spiked with your favorite vodka (okay, we made that last one up — unfortunately, alcohol will not be available).

Perhaps the best feature of the Commercial Space Station will be its large portholes, which will probably occupy most of your time as you gaze out into the cosmos and down at the earth below.

By the way, there are at least nine other private sector companies planning their own spacecations (hey, I just made that up) in the near future.

And I'm working on my Blogger problem. Some can leave comments, others cannot. If you'd like to leave a comment but are unable to, please email it to me at golionssss@yahoo.com and I'll post it for you. Thanks!!!

Question: Would you take a Spacecation, even if you could afford it? Looks kinda cramped up there with six people.

Kibbles and Bits

2011-08-16T19:47:00.000-07:00

Opening
After having read throughs from a few people, Opening has officially hit the editing stage. I’m working with the marvelous Marvin Wilson and hopefully will get at least halfway through by the end of August. It’s all downhill from there. Well, except for the cover design. And the synopsis. And query letter. So much work yet to do.

September 2011 Blog Book Tour Class
If you are considering a Blog Book Tour, Dani Greer is planning her September 2011 Blog Book Tour Class. I took it and it helped me plan a very successful Virtual Blog Tour last November. I highly recommend it for anyone!

Worst Movies Ever Blogfest
Alex Cavanaugh is once again planning a Blogfest, this one called Worst Movies Ever Blogfest slated for September 19th. If you haven’t already signed up, here’s the link.

Watching Willow Watts
I’ve just downloaded the proof for Talli Roland WATCHING WILLOW WATTS. I’m looking forward to reading it starting this week and giving a review! Talli will be having a Willow Launch Party September 14th. And check out my review of The Hating Game earlier this year.

Borders Books and Music
It’s so sad to see them closing – I browsed the aisles this past weekend and picked up the final book to the Harry Potter series The Deathly Hallows. I can’t wait to finish it so I can begin watching the movies. I need to catch The Deathly Hallows Part II in 3D before it leaves the theatres.

Higgs Boson
Finally, I have a mini three-part series on the Higgs Boson coming up later this month. It’ll be a lot of fun as so much interesting material will be covered.

Finally, for some crazy reason, my sidebar stuff on my home page is at the bottom of the page, while on the rest of my tabs they are right where they should be. Weird, I know. Has anyone else had this problems? Any ideas on how to fix it? A link to Blogger Support?Thanks in advance for any help!

Science Again Explains The Unexplainable

2011-08-13T22:53:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone, A friend sent me this link the other day, and I thought of a blog from earlier this year when I asked, "Do you think scientists sometimes try to justify their paychecks by making up an explanation to something they find difficult to explain." Enjoy!

PASADENA, CA—Groundbreaking new findings announced Monday suggest the record-setting heat wave plaguing much of the United States may be due to radiation emitted from an enormous star located in the center of the solar system.

Scientists believe the star, which they have named G2V65, may in fact be the same bright yellow orb seen arcing over the sky day after day, and given its extreme heat and proximity to Earth, it is likely not only to have caused the heat wave, but to be responsible for every warm day in human history.

"Apparently it's gigantic simply because it's closer to us than any other star," Kivens said.

"Which would also account for why we feel this particular star's heat during the day but are not warmed by the tiny blinking stars we see at night." "It's interesting stuff," he added.

According to Kivens, the discovery has prompted researchers to explore the possibility that a variety of phenomena accompanying the heat wave could also be linked to the star, including taller grass, hot car seats, red skin burns, and sweating "even when one has just been standing there and hasn't been running around or anything."

When asked if anything could be done to prevent or counteract the star's heat production, Kivens expressed skepticism.

"No, for the foreseeable future, I think we're locked into orbit with this thing," he said. "Although the star seems to disappear every night, 24-hour reports from around the world seem to indicate the star never leaves Earth entirely."

Residents of heat- and drought-stricken regions welcomed the findings, thankful to finally have an explanation for the high temperatures, if no relief from them.

"That makes sense, because it's usually hotter when that [star] is up in the air," said Stillwater, OK resident Asher Arps, 31, speaking to reporters as temperature rose to 110 degrees over the weekend. "I knew it lit things up, of course, but I didn't realize it could make things hot."

"The big star heats the earth, and the moon cools it—I get it," he added.

Question: Do you think scientists sometimes try to justify their paychecks by making up an explanation to something they find difficult to explain?

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Blogcation

2011-08-08T09:12:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone, thanks for stopping by and hope you all had a great weekend! I'm taking a much needed Blogcation this week to tighten up the MS for Opening, do some miscellaneous research, and really hone the ending. And I need to do some work on Escalation, especially the beginning so there will be a smooth transition from one book to the next. Whew! That's a lotof work.

You know the procedure. While I'm gone, this Lava Lamp is in charge.

In the mean time, feel free to check out this parody of Professor Snape Getting His Sexy On. Yeah, its kinda stupid in a funny sort of way.

Weekend Follies

2011-08-06T16:35:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone, hope you all are having a great weekend! I'm busy working away at Opening and will skip the Weekend Follies. For a good chuckle, check out L. Diane Wolfe's Weekend Sillies, guaranteed to make you laugh. See you all on Monday bright and early!

Bits and Pieces

2011-08-04T18:05:00.001-07:00

I’ve officially ended all my scheduled guest bloggers for the summer. We had a theme of children’s writers and were able to spotlight many awesome writers dedicated to developing our youth of today into our leaders of tomorrow! You're all worthy of my Awesomous Maximus Award!

So thanks to a long list of guests (too many to note)! Your posts were very timely, giving me the opportunity to work on my MS for Opening. And thanks to Arlee Bird over at Tossing It Out and a few others who took the time to read my MS last month and give me very relevant feed back! It’s a lot more developed now and is in great shape!

Thanks to Bob Sanchez for sending me a signed copy of his latest book Getting Lucky. It’s now officially on my TBR List. Best wishes to you Bob for your success with Getting Lucky!

Here’s an image of Captain Alex Cavanaugh’s guitar. Why? Why not?

I’m thoroughly enjoying the Harry Potter series (at the expense of my MS Opening). I’m wrapping up book number five The Order of the Phoenix. Today, I went to Barnes and Nobles to pick up the sixth book in the series The Half Blood Prince. This way, I don’t have to wait to get right back into the series.

One aspect I appreciate in the series is how Rowling has developed a gigantic, runaway bureaucracy called the Ministry of Magic which is the government of the magical community. It so resembles our massive and over bloated governmental bureaucracy that is, of course, run by incompetent, myopic, corrupt, self-serving @$$h0!e$ who half the time have no clue as to what is really happening. The ministry as a whole is almost a character in itself ...... and I have to admit I enjoyed a couple references to Uranus jokes between Ron Weasly and Harry Potter.

Here’s a picture of Old Kitty’s cat Charlie. Why? Why not???

Bits And Pieces

2011-08-02T19:19:00.000-07:00

Latest and Greatest in Science and Astronomy

Drought Exposes Columbia Debris in Lake Nacogdoches
The state's worst drought since the 1950s has led to the recovery in East Texas of a large piece of debris from space shuttle Columbia, which disintegrated over there nearly a decade ago.

Columbia disintegrated over Texas and Louisiana in February 2003, after its heat shield failed during reentry into Earth's atmosphere. All seven astronauts on board were killed.

NASA engineers identified the four-foot piece of spherical debris — which was filled with mud — as one of 18 tanks that held chilled oxygen and hydrogen used by the shuttle's electricity generating fuel cells.

NASA Going Green with Solar-Powered Jupiter Probe
NASA's upcoming mission to Jupiter can't get much greener than this: a solar-powered, windmill-shaped spacecraft. The robotic explorer Juno is set to become the most distant probe ever powered by the sun.

Juno is equipped with three tractor-trailer-size solar panels for its 2 billion-mile journey into the outer solar system. It will be launched Friday morning aboard an unmanned Atlas V rocket -- barely two weeks after NASA's final space shuttle flight.

August 2011 Night Sky Viewing

Mars – August, 2011
In August 2011, you will find Mars in the eastern predawn sky. Mars appears in Earth’s sky as respectably bright ruddy star

Saturn - August 3 - 4, 2011
The planet Saturn is in good view above the Moon. It looks like a bright golden star. The star Spica stands well to Saturn's left.

Perseid Meteor Shower – August 13, 2011
Arguable the most well-known meteor shower of the year, due to its high zhr, and the warm summer temperatures make for good, comfortable, all-night viewing.

Sagittarius - At the beginning of the month Sagittarius will be low on the south-south eastern horizon at 9:30PM MDT. It will be directly south at 11:00PM, and again directly south at 9:30PM on August 18. If all fails on August 9Sagittarius will be directly below a gibbous Moon in the evening. Sagittarius is a favorite constellation of many amateur astronomers because it contains a lot of easy to find interesting objects.

And Finally" according to Physics.org, Time Travel: Light speed results cast fresh doubts - Physicists have confirmed the ultimate speed limit for the packets of light called photons - making time travel even less likely than thought.

New Pluto Moon Spied by Hubble - Astronomers using the Hubble Space Telescope have identified another moon around the dwarf planet Pluto.
It becomes the fourth object known to be circling the distant world after the long-recognised Charon and recently observed Nix and Hydra satellites.

Question: If Sagittarius, being a centaur (half human and half horse), was sick, would he see a doctor or a veterinarian?

Cryogenics: Can We Live Again In The Future?

2011-07-31T18:11:00.000-07:00

Robert Ettinger, founder of the cryogenics movement, has died (at least for now) at the age of 92. Cryogenics is the process of freezing your head or your entire body in hopes science will one day figure out a way to bring you back from the dead. Ettinger will join his two wives (what was he thinking???) and his mother in frozen limbo.

The facility is in Clinton Township, Michigan. Over 100 human corpses are floating in the gentle giant capsules filled with liquid nitrogen in hopes of one day living again. Nobody knows for sure whether we can ever restore consciousness frozen bodies, but cryopreservation is a phenomenon present in the animal kingdom and effective medical technology.

Many livestock have developed tricks to survive temperatures below zero degrees Celsius, accounting and after periods of paralysis caused by frost. And scientists have made important progress in freezing living tissue and even of whole organs for medical purposes.

The minimum price that the airline claims for his services is 28,000 dollars. Other organizations charge for customers and amounts up to $ 200,000 and offers the possibility of "neuroprezervării" instead of full body freeze, freezing heads may require only interested in the idea that personality and memories are stored in the brain and loaded into a computer or an artificial body in the future.

One obstacle to overcome is frozen ice crystals within the bloodstream are very sharp. They can actually cut tissue and blood vessels, causing sever damage that make it difficult preserving vital parts of the human body.

Question: Do you think this process of cryogenics is actually a possibility? Can we freeze our heads or bodies in hopes that one day technology will enable us to one day live again?

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Weekend Follies

2011-07-29T18:00:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone, hope you all had the most awesome of weeks! Time for the Weekend Follies. This time around, instead of funny cute little critters, I though a change of pace is in order. Today, Ww'll visit the often wacky world of sports.

You know the routine. Enjoy them, and if you feel so inspired, please leave a caption for one or more in the comments. Have a great weekend!

Spotlight On Heidi M. Thomas

2011-07-27T19:32:00.001-07:00

Hi everyone, today we invite Heidi M. Thomas who I have known since my first Blog Book Tour class a couple years ago. Heidi's one awesome lady with a knack for writing books with a Westen theme and dreaming big. Thanks Heidi for stopping by today!

When you’re writing a book, everyone tells you to “write something different” and “we’re looking for something unusual.” But as I found out, publishers and booksellers still want it to fit a “niche.” They want to know where to categorize it, what shelf to put it on in the store.

I’m one of those square pegs in a round hole kind of writer. My books, Cowgirl Dreams and Follow the Dream are labeled as Westerns and were published as adult novels. I didn’t set out saying “I’m going to write a Western,” I just wanted to tell my grandmother’s story. It was, I believed, a unique story: that of a woman who rode bucking steers in Montana rodeos during the 1920s and 30s.

Yes, it is a story of the West, it is a story of rodeo, but it is also a young woman’s story, that of courage to face a wild beast, of daring to buck social convention, to have a dream that was different from the norm for women. It is a coming of age story and a sweet romance that crosses the barriers of time and age. Having a dream and daring to pursue it—no matter what—rings true for girls and women today as well as in the early twentieth century.

That’s why my books are deemed suitable for Young Adult readers as well as adult. Writing about an age when men used polite language around women and defended them chivalrously made it easy for me to keep the language clean and the love story simple and sweet.

My books won’t appeal to everyone, yet there is a message in them for everyone: whatever your dream is, don’t give up. Dare to Dream!

Heidi M. Thomas grew up on a working ranch in eastern Montana. She had parents who taught her a love of books and a grandmother who rode bucking stock in rodeos. Describing herself as “born with ink in her veins,” Heidi followed her dream of writing with a journalism degree from the University of Montana and later turned to her first love, fiction, to write her grandmother’s story.

Heidi’s first novel, Cowgirl Dreams, has won an EPIC Award and the USA Book News Best Book Finalist award. Follow the Dream is the second book in the “Dare to Dream” series about strong, independent Montana Women.

Both books are available through the author’s website and from the publisher Treble Heart Books. The can also be downloaded at Kindle and Nook.

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Introducing The Little Pickle Press

2011-07-26T10:20:00.000-07:00

By Cameron Crane

This month, at Little Pickle Press we have been covering the topic of space, in an effort to get parents and children interested in space exploration and science. We have been fortunate to feature some amazing experts in the field, from Astronaut Janice Voss to aeronautical engineer Anthony Iorillo, as well as owners of planetariums and museums, and just this morning the one and only Stephen Tremp. It has been a wonderful collective effort to accomplish one of Little Pickle Press’ ultimate goals as a publisher of children’s books: to get today’s children interested in the meaningful topics of their generation.

Originally, we decided to focus on space and science in honor of the launch of the Atlantis, marking the end NASA’s Space Shuttle Launch program. It was our hope that by inspiring kids to gain an interest in these topics, the amazing spirit of the program would live on in future generations. We wanted our readers to know that even dreams that once seemed like science fiction- like landing on the moon- could be accomplished with hard work and perseverance.

However, throughout the month many of our experts also touched on a subject that we weren’t expecting: the idea that looking to science and space can actually give us a better understanding of our own planet and the world we live in, which can in turn make us better people. From the very beginning of the month, when Petaluma Museum president Joe Noriel shared with us a touching interview with Apollo 9 astronaut Rusty Schweickart , it became clear that studying out planet from the outside could give us amazing perspective. It is a wonderful message that seems to fit perfectly with one of our own books Sofia’s Dream, the story of a little girl who befriends the Moon and sees our planet from the Moon’s point of view. As a result, she is inspired to do whatever she can to protect the earth.

More importantly, this message reinforced something that we already knew- that building an interest in science for children is of utmost importance. The best part about this is that science is all around us, in local museums and bookstores, or even in your own backyard. Taking the time to recognize an everyday miracle can help teach your little ones about themselves and the world around them. Visit the Little Pickle Press today for a list of resources by Stephen Tremp that will help to get your children interested in science.

About Little Pickle Press

Little Pickle Press is a children’s book publishing company, dedicated to helping parents and educators cultivate conscious, responsible little people by stimulating explorations of the meaningful topics of their generation through a variety of media, technologies, and techniques. To learn more visit our Little Pickle Press.

Developing our Youth and Making Science Fun!

2011-07-24T22:05:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone, hope you all had a safe and enjoyable weekend, despite the heat wave most are experiencing. Today (Monday) I'm over at the Little Pickle Press Blog discussing Developing our Youth and Making Science Fun! Please take a moment to stop by and say hello!

Photo Credit

Bits and Pieces

2011-07-21T19:07:00.000-07:00

I'm sorry to hear the news of Borders Books and Music closing all stores and laying off over 10,000 employees. I had numerous book signings at Borders and will miss the great staff and terrific customers I met over the years there.

If you have not visited Hilary Melton-Butcher’s blog titled Positive Letters Positive Letters ….. inspirational stories ….. then please take a moment to do so. She has one of the most fascinating, well-researched topics. Hilary can make anything very interesting.

I just downloaded a copy of Laura Eno’s new release titled Prophecy Moon. It’s on my TBR List and I really look forward to reading it. But first I need to finish up the Harry Potter series first. I’m currently reading The Order of the Phoenix.

A couple note from the world of science:

Happy Birthday Neptune
Did you know the planet Neptune just had it’s first birthday On July 12th? Well, to clarify, Neptune was discovered September 24, 1846. It takes the planet 164.79 earth years to rotate around the sun. Have to admit, I’m glad it wasn’t Uranus’s birthday as I would have to say Happy Birthday to Uranus.

Fun facts about Neptune :

Named after Roman god of the sea, it's the Solar System's outermost planet.

Cannot be seen from Earth without a telescope or binoculars.

There are 13 known moons which orbit Neptune, the largest of which is Triton

Space Shuttle Program
We say good-bye to one of the most truly amazing endeavors of mankind: The Space Shuttle Program. I am saddened by its ending yet happy for all we have accomplished. I look forward to what government and privately funded space endeavors await us.

Finally, Breakthrough is now available through CreateSpace and Amazon at $12.95 (see icons to the left), which is a lot cheaper than iUniverse who priced it at $19.99.

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A Tribute To Mark Douglas Baker

2011-07-19T19:59:00.000-07:00

Today I’d like to take a moment and honor a lifelong friend, Mark Douglas Baker, who recently passed away June 29, 2011 in Grand Rapids, Michigan at he age of 49. I knew Mark going all the way back to junior high school. I remember sitting with him in art class and drawing action scenes of Spider Man and the Silver Surfer and such. We bought and traded music. Mark was a graduate of Grand Ledge High School, Class of 1980 (go Comets!). He loved all types of music including jazz and classic rock.

Mark loved his country and proudly served it well, joining the United States Air Force, was part of the Strategic Air Command, and served I Desert Storm. He studied Criminal Law at the University of Nebraska.

(Mark and his awesome and wonderful soul mate Annette Harrington)

According to Mark’s Facebook Page: I Love Jesus who is my Lord & Savior but I despise Dogma & Man-made Religion such as the Roman Catholic and most Denominational church bodies that deviate from the Holy Scriptures; No 'Flowing Robes, No Scepters, No Latin Mass, No 'Pope Hats,' No BULLSHIT, just Jesus Christ!

The ‘friends of Mark Baker’ are holding a Celebration/Wake/Memorial fundraiser on Sunday, July 24th at Myjas Gray Wolf Inn, in Grand Ledge. This will be the first of several held for this cause. There will be several money raising events throughout the day, including a Silent Auction. All funds will be used to help pay for the funeral costs, lawyers fees, and/or medical bills for Mark, that were incurred in the last couple weeks/months.

(I just had to get that high school pic of Mark in here)

Mark was a very outgoing person, who loved life and people. He will be greatly missed. Survivors include his three sons: Kyle C., James R., and Thomas Z. Baker all of Lansing; brother Hugh Scott (Barbara) Baker of Grand Ledge, aunt Sandy (Claude) Wight of Grand Ledge; nephews and many cousins; his soul mate, Annette L. Harrington of Grand Ledge, and many dear close friends.

Mark, I'll miss your words of encouragement. This world does so much to beat us down, and your gift of kind and timely words will surely be missed. I'll always remember your words of KEEP PRESSING ON. We'll meet up again someday and listen to some awesomely great music again. Maybe trade some records like back in the day.

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Spotlight on Shannon O'Donnell

2011-07-17T17:00:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone, thanks for stopping by and hope you all had an awesome and safe weekend. Today we welcome high school English teacher extraordinaire Shannon O’Donnell as we continue spotlighting writers and teachers whose target audience is our youth. Take it away Shannon .....

What is one of the most overlooked resources for adults and older readers? PICTURE BOOKS!

As a high school teacher, one of my favorite teaching tools is picture books. Why? Because they are short, non-intimidating, contain complete story arcs, and address virtually every issue out there: family, love, war, death, character education, bullying, art, math, P.E., music, special needs, biography, memoir, fantasy…EVERYTHING.

I use them for lessons, I do state and local presentations on their value for all subjects and all grade levels, and I believe WHOLEHEARTEDLY in their POWER to teach us what it means to be human.

For example:
The Three Questions by Jon J. Muth – I love this book as a way to introduce or reinforce the value of good character with my students. It is based on a Leo Tolstoy story and addresses three important issues. The answers come from the wise old turtle, of course.

The Questions:
1. Who is the most important one? (The one you are with)
2. When is the best time to do things? (Now)
3. What is the right thing to do? (To do good for the person by your side)

Shin’s Tricycle – This story opened my eyes to the dropping of the atomic bombs in Japan on a whole new level. NEVER in my education (college included & I have a minor in history) did I see it,or even consider it, from this perspective. It tells the TRUE story of a young boy and his tricycle, which is now in the Peace Museum in Japan. Be prepared to cry.

Faithful Elephants and Pink & Say are two more TRUE stories of history, WWII and the Civil War. VERY POWERFUL. Kids don’t feel connected to the past. Shortly after 911, I had students tell me they didn’t care that much because it didn’t affect them, that New York has nothing to do with Montana!! Feel free to throw up now. Books like Shin and Faithful Elephants and Pink & Say force them to see events through the eyes of real people—and animals. It gets them every time.

Charlie Anderson by Barbara Abercrombie is a wonderful way to study or teach the power of endings and hidden theme. It seriously feels like “the end” three different times, on three different pages. Then, the last page nails home a theme you didn’t see coming--the PERFECT theme.

The Water Tower by Gary Crew is not intended for young children, despite its picture book status. It is one freaky book—kind of the Twilight Zone of the PB world. *shivers* I love it! And so do my high school students. It’s also an interesting study in formatting, because it is laid out in a very unusual way.

The Eleventh Hour is a wonderful challenge. The story is a delightful treat in rhyme, easily enjoyed by anyone. BUT…it doesn’t answer the question of who stole the feast. In order to learn that information, readers must solve the mystery, and to do that requires serious critical thinking skills. What I love best, though, is this: it can be solved using either word/language skills OR by using number/logic skills.

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A Little Science Behind the Magic of Harry Potter

2011-07-14T18:55:00.000-07:00

As I've stated in recent posts, I'm reading through the Harry Potter series and enjoying them very much. Its the wormholes and parallel dimensions that attracted me to the books. At first, I thought these events were solely attributed to magic in the books. However, I can begin to see a little science behind the magic. For instance:

Wormholes
Wormholes, or portals or doors or windows, are in abundance in the Harry Potter series. These portals allow one to move through space from point A to point B that they would otherwise not be able to reach, or they would have to walk there. Wormholes, at least theoretically, are believed by many to exist naturally in nature, although on a sub-atomic scale. They just need to be enlarged and stabilized. Examples of wormholes in Harry Potter stories:

Platform 9 3/4 King's Cross Station in London is also accessed through a portal. Harry simply has to run into or lean against a certain section of the wall and presto, he passes through a portal to catch the Hogwarts Train to school.

Travel by Fireplace: The Weasely family taught Harry how to travel from one place to the next through fireplaces, the fireplaces being the portal doors to the wormholes that link this system of travel. And Hogwarts Castle is filled with portals that can take you many different places, some of them friendly and others very dangerous.

Diagon Alley is accessible by entering a tiny pub called The Leaky Cauldron in downtown London.y tapping a particular spot in a brick wall, a portal opens up to Diagon Alley. Which brings me to higher dimensions and/or parallel universes.

Parallel Universes
Speaking of Diagon Alley, this is a street located in London. It is accessible to the wizarding world, to which it is something of an economic hub, but hidden from Muggles (non-magical folk). However, Muggles are allowed access to it if they need to accompany their Muggle-born magical children. Diagon Alley must exist in a higher dimension. Where else could it be in London that has every square inch developed in concrete. I mean, it can't really exist within our three-dimensional spatial world on the other side of the wall.

E=MC2
Ever watch the previews to Deathly Hallows Part II and see these epic battles between the characters? You see Lord Voldemort making a giant serpent of fire or Dumbledore encasing Voltdemort in a prison of water. Is this possible?

Consider Einstein's famous equation E=MC2. Basically, energy and matter can be converted into each other. So its not like these things are being whipped u out of nothing. And imagine the atomic bombs of WWII. They only released about one percent of their potential power. That teeny tiny little core inside the bomb could level a city. So its not improbable when we see some of the special effects in action scenes.

Check out this Mass to Energy Calculator to show the amount of energy if that quantity of matter were completely converted to energy. For example, one pound of mass has the potential to release almost 10 megatons of TNT. 100 pounds = 974 megatons of TNT (a megaton is one million tons).

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From Zero To Hero

2011-07-13T18:13:00.000-07:00

I originally posted this a couple days ago, but forgot I had a guest blogger scheduled. So I'm reposting it for a day or so as I really like the topic of Zero to Hero and would like your take as well! And if you haven't already, please take a moment to check out the previous post from Karen Cioffi regarding Rewriting Folklore.

Okay, so I’m hooked on the Harry Potter series. What can I say? J.K. Rowling can pen one heck of a story. I started out reading the first installment The Sorcerer’s Stone last month simply because I wanted to see how Rowling handled wormholes and parallel dimensions.

Turns out the book was so well written, I gave it very high marks for plot, setting, conflict, characters, theme, and point of view. More importantly, it was fun to read. The story had everything in it, including a climatic ending with a twist in characters I did not see coming. So yeah, I’m hooked and am halfway through the fourth book The Goblet of Fire and will continue on until finished with the series. Then I’ll go back and rent all the movies.

I was unfamiliar with the characters and the actors / actresses who portrayed them in the movies. Then I saw a Yahoo! Article with pics of the actors who played supporting roles. One was missing: Neville Longbottom, the nerdy scared little boy that was one of Harry’s roommates. Over the weekend I read a blog where Neville turns out he’s kind of bad@$$. I saw an elaborate cardboard movie prop in the theatres with a character with a sword on HPs side I did not recognize. I think its good ol’ Neville. From nerd to hero? Who’da thunk it? Not me. Hey, I’m new to the HP series and am still learning.

Rowling has a cast of characters on the good side and the bad side. I can relate as I also have a cast of good guys and a cast of bad guys. Question is, how will the series end? How will the bad guys meet their fate? Who will be the ones to take them down and out? Will any of the villains escape to fight another day? Will there be a surprise, like Neville Longbottom going from zero to hero?

I’m reading through the HP series as fast as I can so I can watch the move Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (in 3D, of course). And I’m thinking to myself (who else would I be thinking to?) , hey, I also have a couple of zero to heroes characters who will ultimately help save the day (and the world) when its all said and done.

Question: Got any zero to hero characters you like. Do you like this kind of ending for a series? I know I do.

Rewriting a Folktale by Karen Cioffi

2011-07-11T07:58:00.000-07:00

When a writer’s muse seems to be on vacation, she may be at a loss for story ideas. While there are a number of sites and tools online to help get the creative juices flowing, one tool that writers might overlook is studying folktales.

Reading folktales is a great way to spin a new yarn, especially for children’s writing. I recently did a review of a children’s picture book published by Sylvan Dell that was based on an American Indian folktale. This shows they are publishable.

Folktales, also known as tall tales, and folklore, are stories specific to a country or region. They are usually short stories dealing with everyday life that come from oral tradition that is passed from generation to generation. Most often these tales involve animals, heavenly objects, and other non-human entities that possess human characteristics.

There is Mexican folklore, Irish folklore, Chinese folklore, as well as folklore from many other countries that have tales unique to their area. There is also American folklore that encompasses stories from each of the 50 states. There is a huge supply of stories to spin and weave.

In addition to reviewing a couple of published children’s books that were based on folktales, I wrote a children’s fantasy story based on an ancient Chinese tale.

Interestingly, prior to receiving an outline of the tale from a Chinese nonfiction writer I knew from one of my writing groups, I never thought of rewriting folktales. But, once given the outline, I loved the story and the message it presented. The outline itself was very rough and written with an adult as the main character (MC), which is often the case with very old folktales.

After reading the story I knew the MC would need to become a child. I think every children’s writer is aware that children want to read about children, not adults. And, the MC needs to be a couple of years older than the target audience the author is writing for.

Based on this, I decided to make my MC a 12-year-old boy. And, since I liked the ancient Chinese flavor of the story, I kept it and made the story take place in the 16th century China. After this was set, I needed to come up with a title and the MC’s name.

When choosing a title for your book, it’s important to keep it in line with the story and make it something that will be marketable to the age group you’re targeting. I chose Walking Through Walls.

As far as the character’s name, you will need to base it on the time period and geographic location of the story, unless the character is out of his element. Since my story was to take place in China, I used a Chinese name, Wang.

To keep the flavor of your story consistent, you will also need to give it a feeling of authenticity. This will involve some research. How did the people dress during the time of your story? What names were used? What did they eat? What type of work or schooling was available? What locations might you mention? What type of crops and vegetation would be present? What types of homes did they live in? There are many aspects of the story that you will want to make as authentic as possible. And, it does matter, even in fiction stories; it will add richness to your story.

The next time you’re in the library, ask the librarian to show you a few folktales. Then imagine how you might rewrite one or more of them for today’s children’s book market.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Karen Cioffi is an author and ghostwriter. Her new MG/YA fantasy book, Walking Through Walls, is based on an ancient Chinese tale.

Longing to be rich and powerful, twelve-year-old Wang studies the legend of the mystical Eternals. Certain they are real, he journeys to their temple and begins an apprenticeship with the Eternal Master. There he enters a world of magic where not everything is as it seems, and where he learns the magic formula to ‘walking through walls.’

Walking Through Walls should now be available through online retailers such as Amazon and Barnes & Noble, and book stores. If it’s not yet listed, it will be very soon!

You can also order the book today at 4RV Publishing

To learn more about Walking Through Walls, its touring schedule and contest, and purchasing information visit Her Blog site

To learn more about Karen and her books, visit her Web site

Please be sure to stop by Heidi Thomas’ site on July 11th for the next stop on the Walking Through Walls Tour.

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Kibbles and Bits

2011-07-08T20:09:00.000-07:00

*** In case you haven’t heard, my next installment in the Breakthrough trilogy, Opening, is in the ARC stage where I send off Advanced Review Copies before sending it off to my editor. It is due out this fall. I’m planning a Blog Tour and all kinds of really cool promotional stuff for the two books.

*** Also, the third book, Escalation, is almost finished too and will be out Spring,2012. And just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water, a fourth book emerged from Escalation and I am busy outlining that. It’s so cool when another story emerges from the one you are writing.

*** Most people are aware that Alex Cavanaugh’s sequel to Cassaster, titled CassaFire, is a go! Its awesome to hear of our blogging friends successes! Best wishes to Alex and the success of CassaFire!

*** Throughout July I’ll continue to spotlight children’s writers such as Karen Cioffi, Shannon O'Donnell, the Little Pickle Press, and Heidi M. Thomas. I’m always looking out for those awesome people developing our youth and our leaders of tomorrow!

And a couple of quick notes from the world of science:

*** Space shuttle Atlantis lifted off from Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 11:29 a.m. EDT, July 8, 2011 on the STS-135 mission and final flight of the Space Shuttle Program. Atlantis' final flight will cap off an amazing 30-year program of exploration, which launched great observatories, built an International Space Station, and taught us how humans can live, work and thrive in space.

*** And imagine being caught in a thunderstorm as wide as the Earth with discharges of lightning 10,000 times more powerful than normal, flashing 10 times per second at its peak. Now imagine that this storm is still unfolding, eight months later.
One of the most violent weather events in the Solar System began to erupt on Saturn last December and is still enthralling astronomers, the British journal Nature reported on Wednesday.

The show is so big that it can be visible by telescopes from distant Earth. Five have been observed in the last 130 years. The last occurred in 1990.

*** And don’t forget to stop by L. Diane Wolfe’s blog for the always hilarious Weekend Funnies. Have a great and safe weekend!

Where Does One Begin in Creating a Media Kit?

2011-07-08T06:47:00.000-07:00

Media Kit? Why would I need a media kit, I’m not even published yet? To be quite honest with you it’s never too soon to start. To begin now will make it much simpler to add to as you move forward in your writing career. The essential components in creating your media kit are:

About the Author or Writer (Bio): This one pager consists of your current bio, education, current work-in-progress, and contact information (email, blog and website addresses). After you become published update your bio to reflect each success.

Appearances: Appearances may include volunteer reader at your local library and/or school visits and later on as you become published you will be known as the local children’s author which then will open up doors to school visits.

Interviews (online and in-person): Before I became published - myself and fellow aspiring writers interviewed each other for our blogs to get our names out there. It’s fun and simple. Contact a fellow writer and exchange questions and there you have your first finished interview.

Awards and Publishing Credits: This may be blank for now, but create the page with this heading and you can fill in your information as you go along. Your publishing credits include no-pay, low-pay, and paying markets both online and print.

Media Releases: Even without publishing credits you can create a media release about upcoming interviews and book reviews on your blog and of course tying in with interviews make sure you write up a media release about your personal interviews. It’s important you send out your media release to your network and post on free media release sites. For a more detailed list of the services I utilize visit, please visit this link.

Book Reviews: Yes, even if you don’t have a book published yet do not forget this important part for when you do so you can place excerpts of book reviews for easy reference.

Some of your pages will be blank for now, but you will be surprised how quickly they will fill up. All of my pages started out blank and are now filling up. My book review page is still blank and I’m eagerly awaiting reviews to fill in below the title. The saying from the movie The Field of Dreams… “Build it and they will come” is true for your media kit too. The intention and creation of blank titled pages will bring it to fruition. Oh and yes, working at your writing craft is essential too.

If you have any questions I’d be happy to help. Feel free to email me privately at donna@donnamcdine.com. You may also view my Media Kit.

Donna McDine is an award-winning children's author, Honorable Mention in the 77th and two Honorable Mentions in the 78th Annual Writer’s Digest Writing Competitions and Preditors & Editors Readers Poll 2010 – Top Ten - Children’s Books category – The Golden Pathway.

Her stories, articles, and book reviews have been published in over 100 print and online publications. Her interest in American History resulted in writing and publishing The Golden Pathway. Donna has two more books under contract with Guardian Angel Publishing, The Hockey Agony and Powder Monkey. She writes, moms and is the Editor-in-Chief for Guardian Angel Kids, Publicist for the Children’s Writers’ Coaching Club and owner of Dynamic Media Release Services from her home in the historical hamlet Tappan, NY. McDine is a member of the SCBWI and Musing Our Children.

Interested in learning more about Donna visit:

Donna’s Web site
Write What Inspires You Blog
The Golden Pathway Blog
Write What Inspires You!
Write What Inspires You! FREE Newsletter and FREE e-book “Write What Inspires You Author Interviews”
Don't have time to write and post your media releases? Contact: Dynamic Media Release Services

Spotlight on Donna McDine – Dynamic Media Release Services

2011-07-06T21:29:00.000-07:00

Donna McDine is an award-winning children's author, Honorable Mention in the 77th and two Honorable Mentions in the 78th Annual Writer’s Digest Writing Competitions and Preditors & Editors Readers Poll 2010 – Top Ten - Children’s Books category – The Golden Pathway.

Her stories, articles, and book reviews have been published in over 100 print and online publications. Her interest in American History resulted in writing and publishing The Golden Pathway. Donna has two more books under contract with Guardian Angel Publishing, The Hockey Agony and Powder Monkey. She writes, moms and is the Editor-in-Chief for Guardian Angel Kids, Publicist for the Children’s Writers’ Coaching Club and owner of Dynamic Media Release Services from her home in the historical hamlet Tappan, NY. McDine is a member of the SCBWI and Musing Our Children.

Q: What made you set up Dynamic Media Release Services?
A: As I progressed in my writing career I started to learn the importance of marketing and what it entailed and one of the crucial components is writing an effective media release. As time went by one of the most voiced frustrations of authors was finding the time to market themselves and their books all the while still finding the time to write. A light bulb went off after spending a year at the Stories for Children Magazine as the marketing manager and realized this was the time to create this valuable service to others.

Q: Why is writing a good release important?
A: Like blogging, developing a noteworthy and catchy title is instrumental in grabbing your reader’s attention. We live in such a high paced society many people scan the headlines first before sinking into the meat of an article. Very much like hooking an editor or publisher with a terrific opening line to your manuscript. Getting to the point quickly and not putting too much fluff into a media release is essential so you don’t loss the attention of the reader from the onset.

Q: What can you offer that individuals will find difficult to do themselves?
A: Since I am an author myself I know how difficult it is to edit out my own words. However, creating and editing another writer’s promotional material works for me with a fresh pair of eyes. Not being married to someone else’s words like my own makes this process flow quite simply.

Q: Talk to me a bit about the process you go through for each person who uses your services.
A: Once initial contact is made I request the author to send me the following:
• Book Sell Sheet
• Synopsis
• Book Reviews
• Bio
While reviewing the documents I take notes to ask the client and depending on the client the next exchange of information is either conducted via email or telephone. Afterwards I write-up the draft media release and submit to the client for review. Upon approval I submit the media release to various online media release sites. I forward to the client for their verification of posting and links. I also encourage the client to utilize their new media release in their online and print media kits and to distribute to their networks.

Q: What is your ideal market?
A: I primarily work with children’s book authors at this time and I’m open to working with different types of clients.

Interested in learning more about Donna visit:

Donna’s Web site

What Inspires You To Blog

The Golden Pathway Blog

Write What Inspires You! FREE Newsletter receive FREE e-book “Write What Inspires You Author Interviews”

Don't have time to write and post your media releases? Contact: Dynamic Media Release Services

Tune in tomorrow as Donna discusses Where Does One Begin in Creating a Media Kit?

Coming Soon To A Dimension Near You: Opening!!!

2011-07-05T12:52:00.000-07:00

Hope everyone had a safe and most awesome Fourth of July. I'm taking this time to tie up loose ends on my next book Opening. I even added a new PAGE called COMING SOON: OPENING!!! to my blog that I'll be posting updates on the latest and greatest.

I'm so excited in that I'm able to introduce so much more to the reader than just wormholes. In fact, wormholes are merely the key that opens Pandora's Box which is knocked over and all kinds of crazy stuff is spilled all over the floor. No spoiler alerts here. I'm confident Rod Sterling would like to read Opening.

Right now I'm in the process of contacting people who want to read the manuscript and give feedback. I sent out a couple copies yesterday and will contact a couple more people today. Then I'll make a few final adjustments and get it off to my editor.

I'm still kicking around ideas for a dust cover for the book. I'll makes some more sketches then decide on one (I did not create the two images for this blog).

Its a bittersweet feeling as I enjoy so much researching and developing a story. I love the process and hate for it to end. But who am I kidding. It will be so sweet to send off that version to my editor and begin wrapping things up!

Happy Fourth of July

2011-07-02T06:32:00.001-07:00

Hi everyone, here's wishing you a safe and happy holiday weekend with family and friends! And thanks to all our men and women in uniform. Its because of you I can think, write, and say what I want.

We're staying close to home and avoiding the crowds this three-day weekend. Roller blading, making s'mores in our driveway and swimming is what's on tap for us. How about yourselves?

Spotlight On Dallas Woodburn

2011-06-29T18:58:00.000-07:00

“The best children’s book writers are not people who have kids, but people who write from the child within themselves.”
— Andrea Brown

Let's continue this mini-series on children's writers with the most awesome Dallas Woodburn:

In 2010, I founded the youth publishing company Write On! Books with the belief that young people need and deserve a vehicle to share their unique voices with each other, and with society as a whole. Our debut anthology, Dancing With The Pen, features stories, poems, and essays by more than sixty young writers in middle school and high school from across the United States and even abroad: Singapore, Canada, and New Zealand.

Write On! Books has a twofold goal: give young writers an outlet for expression, while also publishing exciting, creative work that gets kids excited about reading. Dancing with the Pen is a book for young writers, young readers, and the young at heart. I like to tell young people, “Even if you are not normally a big reader, this book is still for you. Maybe you'll recognize yourself in these pages.”

The idea to start Write On! Books was sparked within me more than a decade ago, when I released my first book, There’s a Huge Pimple On My Nose: a collection of stories and poems. I was in fifth grade, and the book – and my writing dreams – snowballed in magical ways I had not thought possible. Pimple was reviewed in national media outlets including CosmoGIRL!, Girls’ Life, and The Los Angeles Times. I was interviewed by newspapers and radio shows. I spoke at various writers conferences and book fairs, and the Santa Barbara Book Festival had a “Dallas Woodburn Day.” Perhaps most important of all was the thrill of seeing my own words in print. I felt proud and energized – the excitement of Christmas morning paled in comparison. My self-confidence blossomed. My love of writing intensified. I wanted to be a writer. I saw myself as a writer!

When I visit schools to speak about my own personal writing journey, I always ask the students if any of them are interested in writing. Usually a few tentative hands raise. In contrast, at the end of my talks when I ask the same question, nearly all the students excitedly thrust up their hands as if trying to touch the ceiling. Many young people tell me they didn’t know kids could be writers. Not only can kids be writers, they can be brilliant writers! They can write imaginative, touching, thought-provoking pieces, as Dancing With The Pen attests. And writing, especially for young people, can create many amazing opportunities.

The mission of Write On! For Literacy, which I founded in 2001, is to encourage kids to discover joy, confidence, a means of self-expression and connection to others through writing and reading. Activities and projects include writing contests, fun creative writing workshops, and an annual Holiday Book Drive that has collected and distributed nearly 12,000 new books to disadvantaged kids. For every copy purchased of Dancing With The Pen, a new book will be donated to Write On’s Holiday Book Drive to benefit disadvantaged youth.

Copies of Dancing With The Pen are available on Amazon. Discounted bulk orders are also available through our website.

Bio: Dallas Woodburn is the author of two award-winning collections of short stories and editor of Dancing With The Pen: a collection of today’s best youth writing. She has written more than 80 articles and essays for national publications including Family Circle, Writer’s Digest, The Los Angeles Times, and the Chicken Soup for the Soul series. She graduated from the University of Southern California with a B.A. in Creative Writing and is currently pursuing her Master’s degree in Fiction Writing at Purdue University, where she also teaches undergraduate writing courses.

You can visit Dallas at her Web Site, her Blog, Facebook, and Twitter.

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Spotlight on Kathy Stemke

2011-06-27T18:00:00.000-07:00

Who’s Your Favorite Superhero?

In my new book, Sh Sh Sh Let the Baby Sleep, my main character, Zachary, becomes a superhero when he puts on his black glasses. This enables him to protect his new baby sister from all kinds of problems. In the process he learns how much he loves her.

This got me thinking about superheroes and how they got their start. With the advent of Superman in 1938, superheroes became a prevailing part of our pop culture, in movies, television and especially comic books.

To qualify as a superhero, or in the case of females, a super heroine, a character must possess some sort of superhuman power. Zachary can fly and has super strength when he wears his thick glasses. Superheroes have a mythical aura about themselves. Many have an alter ego like superman’s Clark Kent, who when necessary can don a costume or mask and dash out to protect the community.

A sub-genre of superheroes is quasi or non- superheroes that don’t actually hold super powers. These include people like Batman, whose powers were derived from both his personal fitness program and fine-tuned detective traits. Batman also had a utility belt full of gadgets to help him fight crime and an elaborate base of operations, his Bat Cave.

Wonder Woman was the first super heroine beginning in 1942. Her distinctive star-spangled red, white and blue costume with golden lasso was very appealing to young girls. Wonder Woman was the most successful super heroine, bar none.

High school student Peter Parker got bitten by a radioactive spider and became Spiderman, enabling him to climb walls and leap around with a web-shooting device. Spiderman was unique, complete with family and romance problems to set him apart from other superheroes.

The most popular super hero, the patriotic Captain America, was enormously popular during World War II fighting the axis powers.

Plastic Man, the first parody of super heroes, worked tongue in cheek, stretching and slithering after criminals. He was refreshingly different from the strictly serious crime fighters of the time.

While superheroes have been found in all media, their greatest niche has been comic books, where super heroes can cavort in bizarre costumes without looking ridiculous.

Superheroes are interesting characters, supplying the public with popular diversions who have amassed a bulk of mythology almost unequalled by any other culture.

The youngest superhero can be found in Kathy Stemke’s new book: “Sh Sh Sh Let the Baby Sleep” where Zachary protects his infant sister from dangerous bears, giant steel locomotive whistles and even treacherous winds. His costume when protecting Layla is thick black glasses, reminiscent of Clark Kent, who removes his to protect.

Who’s your favorite superhero?

SUPERHERO TRIVIA QUESTION: DAY 13
Who would you expect to find living in Smallville?

Come to The Old Path Blog on June 29th for the answer!

SUPERHERO TRIVIA ANSWER: DAY 12
Arthur Curry is said to have inherited his superhuman aquatic powers from his mother. Which mythical city did she come from?

ANSWER: Atlantis. His father was a lighthouse keeper, named Tom Curry, his mother was Atlanna of Atlantis, and he became known as Aquaman. He was the second version of Aquaman, dating from 1959, with a rather more detailed background than the earlier version, which had been introduced by Mort Weisinger and Paul Norris in 1941.

Remember; Every answer or comment you make during this book tour puts your name in the hat for a fantastic prize, which includes amazon gift certificates, books, superhero figurines, and much more.

There will be drawings at the end of the tour from those who comment or answer a superhero trivia question on this or any other site during the tour from June 13th-July 5th. Please include your email address in a safe format: dancekam1(at)yahoo(dot) com

Sh Sh Sh Let the Baby Sleep can be found at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Smashwords

Finishing Opening

2011-06-24T18:55:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone, thanks for stopping by. I’m spending this weekend wrapping up the draft for Opening, the second installment of the Breakthrough trilogy, so there will be no Weekend Follies. You can, however, check out the Weekend Sillies over at L. Diane Wolf’s blog on Saturday and Sunday for a few good laughs.
.
Then I’ll send out a few Advanced Review Copies (ARCs) to people for some final feedback before I send off the final version to my editor extradornaire Marvin Wilson.

As much as I loved writing Breakthrough, I have to say Opening is a much better book. It really rocks! But that’s just my opinion. I’ll have to wait for feedback from my ARC reviewers before I can say anything about it.

I’ll also be putting together the synopsis and sketching ideas for the dust cover. My nephew designed the Breakthrough cover and will have a hard time outdoing himself for Opening.

So while I’m away, this lava lamp is in charge. Obey or else!!!

Developing Characters and Creatures

2011-06-23T19:03:00.000-07:00

I recently blogged that I read my first Harry Potter book The Sorcerer’s Stone . I gave it a five star rating. I decided to buy the next installment of the series, The Chamber of Secrets, and am reading that now.

I am amazed at how well Rowlings has developed the setting, characters, and conflict. I’m even more amazed at the creatures she uses. She uses real animals such as owls and cats, fantasy creatures that already exist such as unicorns, and creatures that are loosely developed from ancient folklore such as Greek mythology.

There is even a term coined for the series called Magizoology, that is, the study of magical creatures in the Harry Potter series. There are division of creatures classified under the Beast Division, the Being Division, and the Spirit Division. Talk about being organized.

Rowlings stated, “"When I do use a creature that I know is a mythological entity, I like to find out as much as I can about it. I might not use it, but to make it as consistent as I feel is good for my plot.”

It’s worth taking a few minutes and at least scan the list of creatures and see just how imaginative Rowlings creatures are researched and developed.

Example: The dementors are really cool creatures. “The dementors are soulless creatures considered to be among the foulest beings on Earth. They are soul-sucking fiends who, as their name suggests, cause people who encounter them for too long to lose their minds … Besides feeding on positive emotions, dementors can perform the Dementor’s Kiss, where the dementor latches its mouth onto a victim's lips and sucks out the person's soul. After such a kiss from deadly creatures, the victim is left as an empty shell, incapable of thought and with no possibility of recovery. It is believed that existence after a Dementor's Kiss is worse than death.”

Wow! Pretty cool stuff. How's that for a villain. Worse than death!

Finally, check out this link regarding the Pottermore. Just one more step in the evolution of self publishing and what direction the industry is moving toward.

Question: What do you do to research characters, be they beings, spirits, or something in between? Do you research ancient folklore and mythology, or just wing it as you go along.

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Morals, Ethics, and Lessons Learned

2011-06-21T18:44:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone, and thanks for stopping by and commenting on what your favorite books are. That was fun.

Today I'm over at Heather Paye's blog discussing the use of morals, ethics, and social matters in stories that manifest in a lesson learned at the conclusion. Never a dull moment with this topic.

Its a great topic and the responses are as varied as one can imagine. Thanks and see you at Heather's blog. And be sure to click her FOLLOWERS button too as she is one fantastic lady!

Favorite Book Challenge - A Writer's Journey

2011-06-19T18:43:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone, and thanks for stopping by. Hope you all had an awesome weekend! Today I'm participating in the Favorite Book Challenge (there's still time to sign up) where we pick out five favorite books and between Jun 20 and 22, write one line of what each book is about and then write one line of why you liked it.

Okay, so here are mine:

The Ultimate Hitchhikers Guide to the Universe – Douglas Adams
Seconds before the Earth is demolished for a galactic freeway, Arthur Dent is saved by Ford Prefect, a researcher for the revised Guide and together they stick out their thumbs to the stars and begin a wild journey through time and space.

What I Liked
This has to be one of the most brilliantly conceived stories incorporating space, time, adventure, strange places and creatures, and a bit of dark humor.

To Kill a Mockingbird – Harper Lee
Small town Alabama in the 1930s is the setting for this fine novel of a child’s brutal introduction to racial prejudice and adult injustice.

What I Liked
The characters are jump off the page, their human thought process developing a particular level of respect that engages the reader like few other stories.

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer – Mark Twain
Tom Sawyer and his pal Huckleberyy Finn have great adventures on the Mississippi River pretending to be pirates, attending their funeral, and witnessing a murder.

What I liked
The story brings back fond memories of childhood, plotting adventures, and getting into trouble with friends.

Angels and Demons – Dan Brown
When world-renowned Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon is summoned to a Swiss research facility to analyze a mysterious symbol -- seared into the chest of a murdered physicist -- he discovers evidence of the unimaginable: the resurgence of an ancient secret brotherhood known as the Illuminati...the most powerful underground organization ever to walk the earth.

What I Liked:
Just when you think its over there's a twist in the plot and another hundred pages, and miraculously everything takes place within a 24-hour period.

Lord of the Rings – J. R. R. Tolkien
In a small village in the Shire a young Hobbit named Frodo has been entrusted with an ancient Ring and now he must embark on an Epic quest to the Cracks of Doom in order to destroy it.

What I Liked:
This is the best fantasy and one of the best fiction books as Tolkien develops worlds, characters, and conflicts better than anyone I can think of.

Honorable Mention

Relic - Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child
A researcher at Chicago's Natural History Museum returns from South America with some crates containing his findings, however, when the crates arrive without the owner there appears to be very little inside and police discover gruesome murders on the cargo ship that brought the crates to the US and then another murder in the museum itself.

What I liked
This was the book that started it all for me and from this point I wrote and self-published my first book Breakthrough: The Adventures of Chase Manhattan.

Finally, I have a book review for Breakthrough at Len Lambert's blog. Thanks Lem!!!

Question: What are some of your favorite books of all time?

Weekend Follies

2011-06-17T18:29:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone, hope you all had the most awesome of weeks! Time for the Weekend Follies. You know the routine. Enjoy them, and if you feel so inspired, please leave a caption for one or more in the comments. Have a great weekend!

And let's not forget to include a little Farside humor. This would explain a lot of things:

And finally, let's have some fun with those loveable hobos Laurel and Hardy as they dance to Santana:

And stop by L. Diane Wolfe’s blog Spunk On A Stick Tips for more laughs with The Weekend Sillies!

I Get By With A Little Help From My Friends

2011-06-16T19:04:00.000-07:00

I had a great day today! I recently left iUniverse for CreateSpace, something I should have done a long time ago. I had heck of a time formatting and uploading the cover and finally had to have my nephew, who designed the awesome image, call customer service and get it right. That took two weeks going back and forth.

Then I tried to upload the interior, the actual story. Not sure what I did wrong, but every proof copy CreateSpace sent me for approval, the font was too small to read. Aarrgghhh!!! Another two weeks wasted.

So I contacted one of my Yahoo! Writers Groups and asked for help. One of the members, who has helped scores of people with the same issues, asked me to send her the Word doc I used to write Breakthrough and the converted PDF file required by CreateSpace.

Wow! She must have been in a good mood. She sent back some incredible feedback. She also formatted the Word doc with only a few minor adjustments so that the 406 page count is now 368 pages, 36 pages shorter. This will allow me to offer the finished product for a lesser cost to the customer. Very cool! And some people may shy away from buying or downloading a 400 plus page count. I'll also use this version for Kindle, Smashwords, and iBooks if I can do so without having to use a new ISBN.

Well, there is much more that she did regarding formatting. She even noticed some discrepencies in the guns I used. Note to all writers: if you use handguns and rifles in your story, you’d better be sure you get it right. Readers are very particular and knowledgeable about this subject.

She normally has a fee for doing this but did it for free. I’ll send her something anyway for her efforts. I’m happy to do so. Her feedback will help make things so much easier as I’m nearing the end of completion for my next book Opening.

Question: Have you had someone reach out and help you in a big way, or helped someone overcome an obstacle lately?

Latest and Greatest in Physics and Astronomy!!!

2011-06-14T19:07:00.000-07:00

***Scientists announced they have discovered how to "trap" antimatter hydrogen atoms for fifteen minutes. This is astounding as these atoms used to disappear after only a fraction of a second before scientists have an opportunity to examine it.

Understanding antihydrogen will help nuclear scientists understand one of the biggest questions of physics. Theorists believe matter and antimatter were created in equal amounts during the Big Bang. Yet somehow antimatter has disappeared from the natural universe and matter exists in stars, planets galaxies, and people. It’s as if half of our universe has gone AWOL and we have no idea why.

*** Ever stay awake at night wondering just what the heck is at the end of our Solar System? Well, you can sleep tight tonight. According to NASA, the edge of our solar system is filled with a turbulent sea of magnetic bubbles. Yep, that’s right. A turbulent sea of magnetic bubbles. Scientists made the discovery by using a new computer model, which is based on data from NASA's twin Voyager probes. The unmanned Voyager 1 and Voyager 2, which launched in 1977, are plying the outer reaches of our solar system, a region known as the heliosheath.

*** And according to National Geographic, Sky-watchers across most of the Eastern Hemisphere will be able to watch the lunar disc turn stunning shades of orange and red as the moon becomes engulfed within the darkest part of Earth's shadow for almost two hours.

"The last eclipse that was as long as this one was in 2000, while the next won't be until 2018, so this makes it a somewhat rare event."

*** Finally, the VLT Survey Telescope (VST) is the latest addition to the European Southern Observatory's network of telescopes at Paranal in the Atacama Desert of northern Chile. The first image released from the VST shows the spectacular star-forming region Messier 17, also known as the Omega nebula or the Swan nebula, as it has never been seen before.

This nebula, full of gas, dust and hot young stars, lies in the heart of our Milky Way galaxy, in the constellation of Sagittarius (The Archer). The VST's field of view is so large that is able to observe the entire nebula, including its fainter outer parts.

And special thanks to Truette Cliver for sending me links to the latest and greatest in the world of physics and astronomy!!!

Question: This is just one step closer to getting a better grip on antimatter. Do you think we should be pursing this endeavour? Or are we just going to end up bl0wing ourselves up bigger, better, and faster?

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A Professional Appearance; Dress Your Book and Yourself for Success!

2011-06-12T18:04:00.000-07:00

In addition to my speaking and author career, I teach seminars on book publishing and promoting and offer several services for writers. A lack of knowledge can kill one’s writing career. There are so many wrong paths. I focus on helping writers gain knowledge and an understanding of a professional appearance. Even if you can’t attend a seminar or use my services, hopefully I can impart the importance of professionalism in a couple key areas today.

Knowledge of how the industry works is so important! Three main publishing paths are available - traditional, self, and subsidy. Which path a writer chooses depends on his or her goals, strength/marketability of work, experience, networking capabilities, knowledge, and level of commitment. Too often writers jump at the first opportunity without exploring all options. Writers should devote as much time as possible to researching the publishing industry before they begin their journey. Ignorance is unprofessional - get the facts!

I offer publishing & promoting seminars in North Carolina and private consultation for writers.

Interior book layout is important, as the quality need to be on par with print books published by the big presses. Traditional publishers take care of the book layout, but self-published authors don’t have that luxury. While subsidy presses and some digital/POD printers ask for Word documents or formatting, Word is a poor choice for most layout situations. It was not designed to format books and it doesn’t properly justify the font. Professionalism is key - traditional publishers use programs such as InDesign or Quark and employ staff trained in book formatting. Self-published authors should consider hiring a book formatting service if they want to compete with the big boys. I offer interior book design.

With the Internet, good cover art has become even more vital. It’s the first thing readers see. It must grab their attention! Traditional publishers have designers on staff or contract the work out to freelancers. Self-published authors must be willing to put the same value on their book’s exterior as the traditional presses. It is possible to DIY book layout if you know PhotoShop well, but hiring a professional guarantees it will be done right. Often self-published books look self-published because of poor cover art and design. Again, it’s all about appearance. A professional exterior book designer and artist will create a professional and marketable cover and layout. My husband does cover art and exterior book design and he’s also available to do book trailers.

Publishing is a business. A poorly crafted book won’t be able to compete in today’s market. A writer who doesn’t understand the industry only hurts his or her chances for success by jumping in without conducting the proper research. There are so many websites, books, and services out there designed to help writers. If writing is YOUR dream, then treat it with importance and professionalism!

L. Diane Wolfe
Professional Speaker & Author
http://www.blogger.com/www.spunkonastick.net

http://www.blogger.com/www.thecircleoffriends.net

http://www.circleoffriendsbooks.blogspot.com/

Known as “Spunk On A Stick,” Wolfe is a member of the National Speakers Association. “Overcoming Obstacles With SPUNK! The Keys to Leadership & Goal-Setting”, ties all of her goal-setting and leadership seminar’s information together into one complete, enthusiastic package. She also conducts seminars on book publishing and promoting, and assists writers through her author services.

Her YA series, The Circle of Friends, features morally grounded, positive stories that appeal to both teens and concerned parents. Ten years associating with a motivation training system and experience as a foster parent gave her the in-depth knowledge of relationships, personality traits and success principles. Wolfe travels extensively for media interviews and speaking engagements, maintains a dozen websites & blogs, and contributes to several other sites and newsletters.

It's Time for Book Reviews!

2011-06-09T19:37:00.001-07:00

The Hating Game by Talli Roland

Today we begin with author extraordinaire Talli Roland and her debut novel The Hating Game, which is also the first Chic Lit book I’ve ever read. Coming into this, I did not know what to expect. Honestly, I was hooked from the beginning. There was never a dull moment. This was a character driven comedy that could easily be made into a two-hour movie.

The characters were about as diverse as one could imagine. They reached out of the pages and engaged the reader. I enjoyed the path of character arc for the main character Mattie. Without giving any spoiler alerts, she deserved to win in the end. The supporting cast ranges from loyal to sordid and everything in between. Using a television network with sleazy corporate executives that would stop at nothing to make money at the contestants expense only added to the conflict.

What I liked was with the high number of characters, I did not at all feel there was character clutter, and Roland did an excellent job of staying within her POV without excessive head hopping. The story unfolded into an ending that was as exciting as most adventure novels I've read lately. Nicely done. I couldn’t find anything wrong with The Hating Game. I give the book five stars.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J. K. Rowling

This is my first Harry Potter book ever. I picked it up from Borders Books mainly because I wanted to see how author J.K. Rowlings depicted wormholes and parallel universes in her stories. Wow! As an added bonus, I read a very good story. Although I would never wait in line all night and dress up in a costume just to buy one of the books, I can see why so many people love the series.

I gave it very high marks for plot, setting, conflict, characters, theme, and point of view. More importantly, it was fun to read. The story had everything in it, including a climatic ending with a twist in characters I did not see coming. I give this book five stars. Wow, two five stars in one day. A new record for the usually stingy me.

Gideon’s Sword by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child

As a huge Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child fan, it pains me to write this review. Probably because it was painful to read this book. Gideon’s Sword is an attempt to introduce a new protagonist and keep things fresh amongst their fan base.

Unfortunately, Gideon Crew is no Special Agent Aloysius Pendergast. Not even close. He has no special talents, no special abilities, and no real side kick that can transfer into the next book. The character had to resort to acting out temper tantrums and other lame acts in order to gain highly classified information. This is a cookie cutter story with nothing special. Uhg!!! Two Stars, and I’m being generous.

Question: Have you read Talli Roland’s The Hating Game? Have you stood in line at midnight dressed in a funny costume to buy a Harry Potter book? Do you get extremely mad when you pay good money for a book, only to find it’s a real dud?

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Kibbles and Bits

2011-06-07T19:17:00.000-07:00

* I’ll begin by saying thanks to Alex Cavanaugh for yest another great Blogfest, and thanks to everyone for stopping by!

* Breakthrough is now available in iBooks. I am not able to preview it because I do not have an iPad or an iPhone so I am unable to download the app. But I did go into the Apple store and viewed it on one of their iPads. The formatting (which was my major concern) is excellent. It looks great! And a big thanks to Alex Cavanaugh for sending me an image of Breakthrough from his iPad bookshelf!

* I won a book! And I rarely win anything. This is a copy of Lisa Maliga’s recent release of her short story collection, SOUTH OF SUNSET! You can check out Lisa’s books at Amazon. I look forward to reading it!

* Speaking of books, Laura Eno, who is an awesome writer (love her Friday flash fiction) has just released Tempest Child:

“As future Queen and Guardian of the Elements, Princess Skylather'cha'eab thought her worst nightmare was the impending find-a-husband party until events take an ominous turn. Now she must put her life at risk to save her Kingdom.

Armed with only a staff, a bow, and her wits, Skyla's world is turned upside-down when she enters the Crossroads and encounters the beast she's destined to kill. Does she have the courage to sort truth from lie, or will she die not knowing who betrayed her?”

You can view Laura’s books at her blog.

* I’m thinking of putting together a trailer for Breakthrough and Opening. I do not want the equivalent of a PPT presentation with words and music like most trailers. So I’m thinking, how about acting it out using Lego toys like so many other stories, like Star Wars? What do you think?

* And finally, let’s take a moment to honor our editors, because without them we would wonder aimlessly. So here’s the first ever I WUV MY EDITOR AWARD to my editor Marvin Wilson.

Feel free to forward this on to your editor or to any editor that you know. They deserve it!

Its All Fun and Games Blogfest

2011-06-05T18:02:00.000-07:00

I had three siblings growing up. We were all born within a six year span, so we played a lot of games together. For Christmas, we always received board games. So I’m biased toward a particular board games simply because of the family memories.

Monopoly – Monopoly is a board game published by Parker Brothers, a subsidiary of Hasbro. The game is named after the economic concept of monopoly, the domination of a market by a single entity. MONOPOLY is the best-selling board game in the world, sold in 103 countries and produced in 37 languages.

(During WWII, spinners replaced dice because of a shortage of materials.)

Fun Facts: According to Monopoly’s Web site:

• More than 275 million games have been sold worldwide and it’s available in 111 countries, in 43 languages.
• The most expensive version of the game was produced by celebrated San Francisco jeweler Sidney Mobell. Valued at $2 million, the set features a 23-carat gold board and diamond-studded dice.
• Many specialized editions of the classic game have been produced featuring your favorite sports teams, brands, television shows, cartoons and more.
• Escape maps, compasses and files were inserted into MONOPOLY game boards smuggled into POW camps inside Germany during World War II. Real money for escapees was slipped into the packs of MONOPOLY money.
• Since 1935, more than one billion people have played the game.
• In 1978, the Neiman Marcus Christmas catalog offered a chocolate version of the game priced at $600.

• MONOPOLY’s most recent extensions: Apple iPhone - February 2010
• Did You Know: Parker Brothers rejected the MONOPOLY® game when it was first presented to them in 1933, citing 52 fundamental playing flaws.

Darts - My second favorite game is not a board game, although its played on a board. A dart board, that is. What better way to enjoy an evening at the local Irish pub with a group of friends than to down a few icy cold ones and throw darts all night long?

Texas Hold 'Em Poker - Speaking of friends, beer, and fun, who doesn’t like a good game of Texas Hold ‘Em Poker?

And if you haven't already, go on and sign up over at Alex J. Cavanaugh. Be sure to visit the other participants! Thanks Alex for hosting another great blogfest!

Well, that’s it. Hope you enjoyed my post and I’ll be out and about visiting your blogs today. As always, thanks for stopping by!

Spotlight on Elysabeth Eldering

2011-06-04T20:19:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone, today we welcome guest blogger Elysabeth Eldering who has a most amazing way of teaching the youth of today. I invite you to take a couple minutes and read about this very talented and creative writer:

How does one take a social studies based series and turn it into a cross-curriculum series? With study guides, which allow an author to take a seemingly innocent one-subject series and turn it into something else.

The series I'm writing, the Junior Geography Detective Squad (JGDS), 50-state, mystery, trivia series, is social studies/history/geography based in that all the clues are facts or trivia about the states, thus providing the readers (students) with some fun and interesting information about the state while using national geography or social studies standards to educate the them.

When I originally created my study guides to supplement the series, I didn't really think about going cross curriculum, but that's exactly what happened. The discussion questions/research projects allow more in-depth looks at some of the facts presented and require research and writing and/or speaking skills. This pulls a lot of the English Language Arts (ELA) skills necessary for a student's schooling.

Some study guides include science experiments, based on clues in the book and following national science standards, or map/math skills or more social studies activities. Some may include an actual craft or other fun activity. All will include a secret message puzzle, allowing for deductive reasoning and higher thinking skills. And a trivia game which is designed as a state outline map to make sure the child or children have read the book; i.e., not all questions are based on the facts and trivia in the books but will be phrased in such a way that one would know the answer if they actually read the book from cover to cover.

Study guides don't have to be lengthy to cover most or all subjects in a classroom curriculum. It is our jobs as authors to present the material in fun and interesting ways for the kids to learn without being preached to. I encourage any author who writes children's books or even young adult books to think about adding study guides as a supplement to your book and make sure it is something that meets national standards and covers many aspects of a common curriculum.

ELYSABETH ELDERING'S BIO:
Elysabeth Eldering is a traveler from birth. She has traveled with her family due to her father being in the military. She has lived in several states and overseas during her childhood. Ms. Eldering calls South Carolina home these days with a mindset of "Southern by choice, not by birth."

She entered her first writing contest at the age of 41 and took second place for a children's mystery story, which has inspired her to take that story and write a series for children, the premise being that each state would be the mystery. Her series has a Jeopardy!® like style to it but for guessing the state in the form of a question. Each book concentrates on one state and there are supplemental study guides available, which take the series cross curriculum. For more information on the series, please visit the JGDS website or the JGDS blog. Elysabeth may be reached at eeldering@gmail.com with any questions or to place an order.

Weekend Follies

2011-06-03T16:56:00.000-07:00

And here is a Farside bonus titled: How Dinosaurs Became Extinct:

Finally, if you haven't already, hop over to Alex Cavanaugh's blog and sign up for Monday's Its All Fun & Games Blogfest!

And speaking of Captain Ninja Alex, he just sent me an email telling me my book Breakthriough is now available for download in Apple iBooks! Thanks Alex for the update!

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Spotlight on Bob Sanchez

2011-06-01T19:00:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone. Today we have Bob Sanchez, author of When Pigs Fly, Getting Lucky, and the recently released Little Mountain as our guest blogger. Take it away Bob ...

Stephen, congratulations on 400 blog posts! It’s an honor to be part of your next 400.

How many of your followers are writers? Raise your hands, please. Ah, quite a few. Readers? Looks like everybody. When I started planning this tour I started sketching out vanilla topics like setting, dialogue, and so on. Important stuff, but you’ve probably read those things already.

So let me ask readers: What drives you crazy in a novel? Right now I’m reviewing an ARC for a thriller that inserts a footnote every time it mentions a famous painting. In the back of the book is a list of the paintings and the URL where you can go to see them all. It’s an interesting concept, but ...

... A thriller with footnotes? Doesn’t that do something to the pace? Back in the early 70s I read a novel in which every time a product was mentioned for the first time, the copyright or trademark symbol appeared. I kept reading because of the sex scenes, but the ©s and the ®s were insane. In the roughly forty-year interim between reading the two books, I haven’t come across such foolishness.

So what drives you nuts—other than typos—when you’re reading a novel? Does anything ever stop you cold, as in, “I can’t take one more page of this cussed book”?
My own three novels are certifiably footnote-free, with all the copyright notices relegated to the copyright page. A few other words about them, if I may:

When Pigs Fly is meant to be ridiculous and funny. One reader wrote me to say that after her Mom died, she read When Pigs Fly aloud to console her Dad, and they found the laughter to be good medicine. On the other hand, the Friends of the Library in Alamogordo noticed that it has dirty words, and they found it disgusting.

Getting Lucky is a noir detective novel with some humor, but is more serious than not. One reviewer called it “seamy and steamy.” But in a nice way.

Little Mountain is a murder mystery set in Massachusetts and centering on survivors of the genocide in Cambodia. It’s completely serious.

All of these are available as ebooks and paperbacks, and you can find out more about them at my blog and at Amazon. Be sure to leave a comment for a chance to win an e-copy of your choice of these books, or to win the grand prize of all three signed paperbacks.

Thanks Bob for stopping by! And if you haven't already, stop by my 400th Blog Party, grab some leftovers and something to drink. There's still a lot of food left. Last one out has to do the dishes.

My 400th Blog!!!

2011-05-29T16:03:00.001-07:00

Hi everyone, as always, thanks for stopping by. I hope you’re all having an awesome and safe holiday weekend with family and friends!!!

Today I’m celebrating my 400th blog. That’s right. 400! I have to admit I’m amazed at reaching this milestone. And I have all of you to thank for being such great blogging buddies and supporting my posts. I hope it’s been as fun for you as it has been for me.

So grab some wine and cheese, or beer and weenie tots, or Coke and chips and dip. Grab a burger or BBQ chicken and a plate of side dishes. We’ll celebrate for a few days and have a great time.

Great news: I’m almost to the point where I can print off some ARCs (Advanced Review Copies) of the next book in the Breakthrough trilogy: Opening. I’ll use CreateSpace through Amazon. I have a number of people who said they will read it, and provide feed back; the good, the bad, and the ugly. Then I’ll send it off to my most awesome editor Marvin Wilson and we’ll hammer out the final version!

I’m putting together a synopsis and other related tidbits to use for promotional tools. I have to admit, as good as Breakthrough is, I really believe Opening will be far better. But I’ll leave that up to the people reviewing it to get a better idea of the quality of Opening. Oh, and the third installment Escalation is almost finished too!

Well, that’s it for now. Thanks again for being my blogging friends. You guys and girls are the best!

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How I Learned to Live in the Present

2011-05-27T18:43:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone. I hope you are all having a fun and safe holiday weekend! Today w welcome Susan Avitzour, Author of And Twice the Marrow of Her Bones. This is one remarkable lady with an even more remarkabl story of love and courage. Thank you Susan for visiting us:

We usually think of a personal breakthrough as a realization, or a new idea, that all at once changes the way we see things. I’d like to tell you about a more gradual kind of breakthrough – a personal process that slowly but dramatically changed the way I experience my life.

Like so many others in the modern world, I spent most of my adult life preparing for the future. But the future I anticipated never really came, because by the time my plans actually worked out I was so busy planning the next stage of my life that I barely had time or energy to appreciate the fruits of my labors.

Then, just after my daughter Timora turned twelve, she was diagnosed with leukemia. Suddenly, there was no way we could predict what would happen the next day, let alone the coming weeks, months, or even years, and so planning became nearly impossible. Daily tasks like cooking and shopping gave way to scheduled and unscheduled visits to the doctor. Weekly schedules became subject to the possibility of sudden hospitalizations. And longer term? Well, with almost no notice I could lose my daughter. How could I possibly prepare for that?

I coped by developing a new skill – I learned to live in the present. I cultivated what I now recognize as mindfulness – attentiveness to whatever was happening in the present moment. I didn’t stop all planning, of course, but I directed most of my thoughts to the here and now. Most of the time I left the future to God, knowing it rested in his hands anyway.

This new (for me) way of being turned out to be a true blessing. Paradoxically, as I let go of the idea that I actually had the power to determine the course of my future, I also let go of a great deal of anxiety – and found myself better able to experience my life more fully as it unfolded. Also, realizing the extent to which nothing in this world is truly permanent made me stop taking the many good things in my world for granted, and appreciate them more deeply.

Especially people. Although I’d always been happiest spending time with those I love, I began to cherish more than ever my moments with them. I also found myself able to give them more of myself than I had before I understood just how fragile our lives really are.

Having learned to live in the present stood me in good stead when the worst finally happened, and Timora died after a six-year struggle. Losing her brought into the sharpest possible focus just how important my surviving loved ones are to me.
I’ve written a memoir called And Twice the Marrow of Her Bones, which recalls – among other things – my personal, philosophical, and spiritual journey over almost sixteen years, beginning when Timora’s first symptoms appeared. One of the themes I explore there is the one I’m discussing here:

“When I can say, ‘I’ve done whatever I can for now,’ and at the same time manage to acknowledge the limits of my own power and give my fears and anxieties up to God, I come closer to becoming both whole within myself, and wholly with the other people in my life.”

Our family survived the tsunami of Timora’s illness and death not only intact, but closer than ever. And while I will always carry with me the grief of a bereaved mother, I know that my newfound mindfulness significantly contributed to my resilience – and, ultimately, to that of the rest of my family.

To learn more about Susan Avitzour, author of And Twice the Marrow of Her Bones, we invite you to visit her site and the full virtual tour.

And be sure to stop by Monday and Tuesday and celebrate my 400th blog!!!

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Biosphere 2

2011-05-26T18:53:00.000-07:00

Biosphere: The regions of the surface and atmosphere of the earth or other planet occupied by living organisms.

Bioshpere 2 is a 3.14-acre structure designed to be an artificial, materially-closed ecological system in Oracle, Arizona. It was constructed between 1987 and 1991. The name was inspired from Earth's biosphere, called Biosphere 1. Currently, Earth's life system is the only biosphere currently known. The project cost $200 million from 1985 to 2007, which included land, support research greenhouses, housing, a test module, and staff facilities.

The goal was to explore the complex web of interactions within life systems in a structure that included interactions between humans, farming and technology with the rest of nature.

In the 1990s, Jane Poynter and seven biospherians agreed to spend two years sealed inside a 3-acre terrarium. Their Goal: To explore if humans could to create self-sustaining colonies in space, such as Mars or the moon. They conducted research and system engineering improvements.

A second closed mission took place in 1994, but was cut short after six months regarding a management dispute.

The property was sold June 4, 2007, to CDO Ranching and its development partners. The enclosure now serves as a tool to support research already underway by University of Arizona scientists. 1,500 houses and a resort hotel are planned, but the main structure is still to be available for research and educational use.

Current ecosystems:
* Ocean with coral reef
* Mangrove wetlands
* Tropical rainforest
* Savannah grassland
* Fog desert

People can take guided tours of the facility . Here is a link to an aerial view with interactive links

Question: Do you think we are well on our way to setting up human colonies beyond Earth?

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The Fermi Paradox

2011-05-24T19:00:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone, and thanks for stopping by! Today we host Rusty Webb as he discusses a most fascinatins subject: The Fermi Paradox. Thanks Rusty for stopping by, and take it away ...

To understand the context a bit better we need to think back to when European explorers started exploring the Pacific Ocean in earnest, a most curious thing met them at almost every stop they made: People.

Where did they come from?

People spilled out of Southeast Asia thousands of years ago. They spread across the great ocean on little more than rafts, hopping from island to island, most likely facing starvation and death from exposure as they drifted off into the great unknown to see what was out there. Within a relatively short period of time they’d covered the Pacific Ocean from New Zealand to Easter Island to Hawaii. Hundreds of islands, all full of people.

If we look at into the night sky and think of each star as an island in the pacific the question arises, if we go and explore, will we once again discover that someone has been there before us? Hopping from planet to planet like the Polynesians did here on earth so long ago?

We should. Well, we should if life is out there. In fact, they shouldn’t just be out there – they should be here.

And if we, people that is, decided to head for the stars now, or even if we waited a century to two to get the engineering issues that make space travel difficult sorted out – we could cover every habitable nook and cranny of our galaxy – a hundred billion stars – in as little as a few million years. A blink of an eye when compared to the age of the galaxy itself. It doesn’t require made up technologies and lightspeed vessels. We know how to do this.

So then, if there are aliens out there, anywhere in our hundred billion stars in the night sky – or have been at any time in the past 10 billion years – and even one race, one species of aliens, burst out from their home and into the starry night, then everywhere we look in the heavens should be the home of an interstellar civilization. If more than one civilization arose and did the same, then space would be very crowded.

So where is everyone?

Enrico Fermi thought the very same thing, and most stories say he blurted out the question while having lunch with colleagues. They should be out there, they should be here.

But they’re not, at least not in a way we can recognize.

There’s no shortage of possible answers. Many books have graced the shelves of our local libraries and bookstores on the topic. But no one knows.

So I ask you. Where is everyone?

You can visit Rusty at his blog The Blutonian Death Egg.

Bits and Pieces

2011-05-22T18:31:00.000-07:00

Recently we have seen some very interesting news coming out of physics and scientific community. Here are a few of the latest and greatest:

The Hydrogen Bomb
Last Friday marked the 55th anniversary of the United States dropping the first airborne hydrogen bomb on the Bikini atoll in the Pacific Ocean. The test was a success and symbolized a huge leap in the nuclear arms race.

Rogue Planets with no Orbit
This is very cool!!! According to a new study, astronomers have discovered a whole new class of alien planets: a vast population of Jupiter-mass worlds that float through space without any discernible host star.

While some of these planets could have orbits a ridiculously far distance from a sun, most likely do not. They do not follow any orbit at all. They are merely traveling through space at high speeds. Scary thought. The study also states these rogue planets may outnumber “normal “ planets orbiting a star.

Astronomers have long predicted the existence of free-flying "rogue alien planets." But their apparent huge numbers may surprise many researchers, and could force some to rethink how the planets came to be.

Oldest Galaxy Ever Seen
Astronomers say they may have found the oldest galaxy ever seen by human eyes. The galaxy, little more than a smudge detected by the Hubble Space Telescope, is about 13.2 billion light-years away from Earth and dates back to when the universe was in its infancy, according to the New York Times.

This galaxy could offer clues into the infant years of our cosmos when there were far less stars and galaxies around. This is a remarkable find since the universe is expanding faster and faster, and galaxies are moving away from us at incredible speeds!

Space Shuttle Launch
In a bitter-sweet note, we are fast closing in on the end of an era. The last flight of space for the space shuttle Endeavour (named and spelled in the British fashion for Capt. James Cook's ship) launched from the Kennedy Space Center Monday, and docked at the International Space Station Wednesday morning.

NASA is targeting the final space shuttle launch, STS-135 space shuttle Atlantis, for July 8 at 11:40 a.m. ET. Some predictions expect one million people to turn out for the launch.

Question: Do you follow any of this stuff? If not, just tune in to this blog for some of the latest and greatest!

Weekend Follies

2011-05-20T19:03:00.000-07:00

Its been a loooooooong week, so let's do oursleves a favor and bring back the Weekend Follies! Feel free to make up your own caption for one or more of the following images in the COMMENTS. Have a great weekend! Now go forth and have fun!!!

Kibbles and Bits

2011-05-18T18:39:00.000-07:00

I'm very happy people are enjoying the Women of Science Series. I have a couple more on tap for next week.

Speaking of what's on tap, I have guest bloggers galore in the next few weeks, including newly published author Ann Best and her book A Memoir of Shattered Secrets , Rusty Webb from the Blutonian Death Egg (such a cool name for a blog) discussing the most fascinating topic of the Fermi Paradox, and L. Diane Wolfe. You will definitely want to tune in for these posts.

And I'll have a children's writers series in June spot lighting authors and their works. What happens to dying stars and the latest and greatest coming out of CERN are also something to chug-a-lug.

We bought a canary yesterday. Wifey has wanted one for a long time. She loves they way they sing. We named him Sunshine, or Sunny for short. He's already starting to sing.

I'm having a heck of a time with CreateSpace and Smashwords Premium. The former keeps rejecting my dust cover image because the words of the title and my name fall off the edge. My nephew, who designed the artwork, shrunk the fonts so there is plenty of room for the image to fit. Yet still it continues to be rejected. Frustrating! The good news is I can off copies for $12.95 rather than $19.99 through iUniverse (who I recently left) and still make more than twice the profits. Once its accepted, of course.

And although Breakthrough is available through Smashwords and Kindle for $2.99, its the Smashwords Premium upload I need to get Breakthrough into Apple's iStore. I uploaded what I believe to be the properly formatted version and am waiting for Smashwords to approve it. Like Tom Petty sang, "The Waiting Is The Hardest Part."

Finally, I'm guest blogging over at Jennifer Wylie’s Blog discussing Character Arc. Please take a moment to stop by and say hello!

Question: What's on tap with you?

Leading Women of Science: Lise Meitner

2011-05-16T18:45:00.000-07:00

Lise Meitner was born in November, 1878 in Austria. She was a physicist who worked on nuclear physics and radioactivity. In 1905 she became the second woman to obtain a doctoral degree in physics at the University of Vienna. Her father encouraged her to move to Berlin where she attended Max Planck’s lectures, an unusual gesture by Planck, who until then had rejected any women wanting to attend his lectures. After one year, Meitner became Planck's assistant. It was during these years she met Otto Hahn.

Meitner worked with Hahn on the team that discovered nuclear fission. Although Meitner gave the first theoretical explanation of the fission process, it was her colleague Otto Hahn who was given the Nobel Prize for the accomplishment while Meitner was overlooked.

Meitner is regarded as one of the most egregious examples of a female scientific achievement that was overlooked by the Nobel committee. However, Meitner was vindicated in a 1997 Physics Today study that concluded Meitner's omission was "a rare instance in which personal negative opinions apparently led to the exclusion of a deserving scientist" from the Nobel. To her credit, Element 109, Meitnerium, was named in her honor.

After the war, Meitner, while acknowledging her own moral failing in staying in Germany from 1933 to 1938, was bitterly critical of Hahn and other German scientists who had collaborated with the Nazis and done nothing to protest against the crimes of Hitler's regime. Referring to the leading German scientist Werner Heisenberg, she said: "Heisenberg and many millions with him should be forced to see these camps and the martyred people.

In 1938 she left Nazi Germany and found a post at the Nobel Physical Institute in Stockholm, Sweden. Working with her nephew , they split the uranium nucleus. However, during World War II, Meitner refused to work on the atomic bomb.

In 1946, she received the honor of the "Woman of the Year" by the National Press Club dinner with President Harry Truman.

In 1947 she worked on an experimental nuclear reactor through the Swedish Atomic Energy Commission.

Meitner became a Swedish citizen in 1949. She moved to Britain in 1960 and died in Cambridge in 1968, shortly before her 90th birthday. She was praised by Albert Einstein as the "German Marie Curie.

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Spotlight on Sandy Sims

2011-05-15T17:46:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone, thanks for stopping by. Today we take a quick break Women of Science and welcome author Sandy Sims. Sims was raised and educated in the South. After serving as Naval Officer and finishing graduate business school, he followed a dream to live in Honolulu where he built one of Hawaii's most successful advertising agencies.

The Crisis: personal health and business setbacks opened the way to larger spiritual dimensions. His book, ”How Frank Lloyd Wright Got Into My Head, Under My Skin And Changed The Way I Think About Thinking, A Creative Thinking Blue Print For the 21st Century,” is a memoir of his journey culminating in a 20 year project with the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation.

He has collaborated with Psychiatrist, Kerry Monick MD, and authored Creative Thinking For The 21st Century, An Experiential Guidebook. Accepting the science that our intention does indeed affect the material world, it addresses what to be thinking about, how to shape these thoughts, and what might be the best way to avoid unintended consequences.

The Mindful Breakthrough
One of the greatest challenges in our daily decision making is to not be overwhelmed by the vast array of diversions in our unstructured time. I remember reading years ago that one edition of the Wall Street Journal contained more information than the average person living in the 16th century was exposed to in a life time. Now information is pouring in at a blinding pace not only from monitors and television sets but from hand held devices. The challenge is that the diversions often are so compelling that it is easy to lose our bearings with no conscious internal guidelines.

I feel that the keys are to:

1) Set the intention in yourself that you be guided,

2) Use your intuition to guide what you give your attention to in your unstructured time, and

3) witness consciously where this takes you. Did you find something useful to take you to a next step? Was there a useful comment, quote, visual, etc? Was there a synchronicity that developed? Did you act on it?

For more information about Sandy Sims and How Frank Lloyd Wright Got Into My Head, Under My Skin And Changed The Way I Think About Thinking, A Creative Thinking Blue Print For the 21st Century, visit The Creative Thinking Book. To purchase a copy Click Here.

Finally, check out these video clips of Creative Thinking Blueprint.

Leading Women of Science: Lisa Randall

2011-05-13T10:48:00.000-07:00

Professor Lisa Randall is an American theoretical physicist and leading expert on particle physics and cosmology at Harvard University. Randall works on many of the competing models of string theory in the quest to explain the fabric of the universe. She developed models to address these matters, including extra dimensions of space. Randall also explores supersymmetry, baryogenesis, cosmological inflation, and dark matter. Wow!

One of Randal’s models, which she developed with physicist Raman Sundrum of Johns Hopkins, states gravity here on earth seems to be weak compared with the other fundamental forces because our universe is warped by a hidden fifth dimension; the gravity we receive might be leftovers from the imperceptible dimension next door.

The Large Hadron Collider will be looking for gravitons, the elusive theoretical particles of gravity. When protons are slammed together inside the giant particle accelerator and a graviton appears and then instantaneously disappears, this will be a strong indication that Randall is correct. Stay tuned for more exciting news coming out of CERN!

According to Randall’s Harvard Profile, her studies have made her among the most cited and influential theoretical physicists. She has also had a public presence through her writing, lectures, and radio and TV appearances. Her book Warped Passages: Unraveling the Mysteries of the Universe's Hidden Dimensions was included in the New York Times' 100 notable books of 2005.

She was included in the list of Time Magazine's "100 Most Influential People" of 2007 and was one of 40 people featured in The Rolling Stone 40th Anniversary issue that year. Prof. Randall was featured in Newsweek's "Who's Next in 2006" as "one of the most promising theoretical physicists of her generation" and in Seed Magazine's "2005 Year in Science Icons". In 2008, Prof. Randall was among Esquire Magazine's “75 Most Influential People.

Randall earned her PhD from Harvard University and held professorships at MIT and Princeton University before returning to Harvard in 2001. Genius runs in the family as her sister, Dana Randall, is a professor of computer science at Georgia Tech.

Fascinating Factoid: Randall was in the same high school class as fellow string theorist Brian Greene, author of The Elegant Universe. It begs the question: Who taught that high school physics class?

You can catch clips of Prof. Randall on YouTube.

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Famous Women of Science: Marie Curie

2011-05-10T20:15:00.000-07:00

Over the millenia, women have had to break countless barriers to be accepted as equals to men. Science is no exception, including physics and astronomy. Yet despite the obstacles, many women have left their mark on the world in ways that make life better for all of us.

One such amazing individual was Marie Curie. She discovered the mysterious element radium. This discovery caused deep changes in the way scientists perceived matter and energy. Curie also opened the door for a new era in medical knowledge and how diseases were treated.

Marie Curie was born Maria Sklodowska on November 7, 1867 in Warsaw, Poland. Her parents were teachers and understood a modern education would help their children out of the poverty they lived in.

In 1891 she left her beloved family and traveled to Paris and enrolled in the famous Sorbonne university. In 1894 she met Pierre Curie, who was a professor in the School of Physics. They were married one year later. Curie gained her doctorate in 1903. In 1906, Pierre died tragically in a street car accident in Paris. She took his place as Professor of General Physics in the Faculty of Sciences, the first time a woman had held this position. She was also appointed Director of the Curie Laboratory in the Radium Institute of the University of Paris, founded in 1914.

In 1929 President Hoover of the United States presented her with a gift of $ 50,000, donated by American friends of science, to purchase radium for use in the laboratory in Warsaw.

Mme. Curie, quiet, dignified and unassuming, was held in high esteem and admiration by scientists throughout the world. She was a member of the Conseil du Physique Solvay from 1911 until her death and since 1922 she had been a member of the Committee of Intellectual Co-operation of the League of Nations. Her work is recorded in numerous papers in scientific journals and she is the author of Recherches sur les Substances Radioactives (1904), L'Isotopie et les Éléments Isotopes and the classic Traité' de Radioactivité (1910).

Sadly, she died July 4, 1934 at the age of 66 in Passy, France due to her extensive work with radiation. Even today, the names Marie Curie and the Marie Curie Institute are still associated with cancer research and cancer care.

We'll also be spotlighing Émilie du Châtelet, Lise Meitner, Henrietta Swan Leavitt, and Lisa Randall among others. If you have any women of science you would like spotlighted, just let me know and we'll do it!

Reference: NobelPrize.org

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Bits And Pieces

2011-05-08T17:39:00.001-07:00

It’s a new month and I have lots to blog about after a challenging, demanding, and rewarding A to Z Challenge. During the month of April I kept a Blog List with lots of exciting stuff that I wanted to do:

Famous Women of Science Series
I had a blast blogging about Dr. Sally Ride last month, so why not do a series about women of science. SO many have made their mark and their discoveries benefit us every day. I’m looking forward to putting this together.

Teachers and Children’s Writers Series
There are so many teachers / authors in Blogdom that do so much for our youth that I want to spotlight some of them. I already have a few lined up.

Miscellaneous Guest Bloggers
I’m happy to host a number of guest bloggers and writers this month.

Series on Dying Stars
I only touched on what happens when stars die last month. Dying stars give birth to new stars, planets, and other stuff in our universe. We’ll also discuss the fate of our sun and of our earth.

Book Reviews
I’m reading The Hating Game (my first chick lit book ever) by Talli Roland and will give my review. And it’s International Chick Lit Month. Great timing!

Miscellaneous
Where to begin? I have so much material that I was not able to include in the A to Z Challenge. I could stay busy through the summer and well into the fall.

Breakthrough: The Adventures of Chase Manhattan
I have left iUniverse and am almost finished uploading everything to CreateSpace. I’ll be able to offer copies of Breakthrough for 25-30 percent less on Amazon. I’m looking forward to wrapping everything up hopefully by Monday.

In the meantime, Breakthrough is available for download through Kindle and Smashwords for $2.99. Speaking of downloads, I should have Breakthrough in the Apple ibooks this week. I’m using Smashwords to publish to iBooks. There are a few formatting modifications I need to fix and upload and it takes a lot of time to submit updated versions of the manuscript to as there are usually about 6,000 books in the Smashwords queue at any given time.

And I'm rocking and rolling on my next two books Opening and Escalation. I have over 300 pages written for Opening and am now writing those chapters that fill in the gaps. Then its off to my trusty editor extraordinaire In the meantime, Breakthrough is available for download through Marvin Wilson.

Question: So what do you have on tap for May?

Reflections of the 2011 April A to Z Challenge

2011-05-01T18:09:00.000-07:00

Well, I survived the 2011 April A to Z Challenge as did many of you. I think survive is very good word. I met some awesome people and got reacquainted with many others.

Thanks again to Arlee Bird, Alex Cavanaugh, Talli Roland, Jennifer Daiker, Jeffrey Beesler, Karen Gowan, and Candace Ganger for putting together such an awesome blogging event and inviting me to take part as a co-host.

I had personal challenges such as an IRS audit for 2008 (why so close to the filing date) and lingering medical emergencies in my immediate family. This prevented me from visiting many blogs the second half of April. So I thank you all for stopping by my blog and saying hi. I hope you enjoyed the science-based posts as much as I did.

I learned much about myself during this past month. Life is precious and should be treated more valuable than gold. No doubt many of you had your own personal obstacles to overcome too. So, if you haven’t already done so, stop by Jennifer Daiker’s blog and Elizabeth Mueller’s blog for two well-deserved awards.

I’m going to take a few days off from blogging. Possibly a week. But that’s all. I have so much to write about that I have material to take me all the way through summer and well into the fall.

Now it’s time to rest and celebrate. Go and do something crazy. Just don’t get caught. That’s an order!

Question: What are some of your reflections from this past month?

Zenith

2011-04-29T20:57:00.001-07:00

Zenith … as in culmination. It’s hard to believe the April 2011 A to Z Challenge is over. I can’t remember having this much fun blogging. I have to say this Challenge has been my blogging zenith, a point vertically above everything else. It has been my blogging apex. So far, at least.

It is with great joy I say thank you to Arlee Bird, Alex Cavanaugh, Talli Roland, Jennifer Daiker, Jeffrey Beesler, Karen Gowan, and Candace Ganger for putting together such an awesome blogging event and inviting me to take part as a co-host. Going from about a hundred participants last year to almost 1,300 exceeded everyone’s expectations. What will next year bring?

And thank you everyone who stopped by my blog during this past month. I met some new people, got reacquainted with others, and had a great time visiting your blogs too!

On Monday I’ll have a wrap up of the highs and lows of the A to Z Challenge, then I’ll take a few days off to rest and catch up on some things, mainly filling out my next two manuscripts Opening and Escalation.

Question: Did you have a blast during this past thirty days? Meet some new people? Gain any new perspectives on blogging and writing?

Yttrium

2011-04-28T19:12:00.000-07:00

I have to admit. Y was a challenge. The only word that matched my theme is Yttrium. It's not a terribly sexy word, but I'll try to make it interesting. Put some mmmpphhh!!! into it. Make it sizzle! Okay, hold on because here we go!

Yttrium is a silvery metallic element that is common in rare-earth minerals; used in magnesium and aluminum alloys. Yttrium is a chemical element with symbol Y and atomic number 39. Yttrium oxide is used as a common starting material for both materials science as well as inorganic compounds. Oh baby!

Uses: A radioactive form of yttrium is used in radiation therapy and some types of immunotherapy.Its is also used use in the manufacturing of electronic products such as camera lenses, computer monitors, fireproof bricks, lasers, microwaves, radar, superconductors, and televisions screens. It is also used as, are you ready for this, procedures such as synovectomy and the silicone salt of radioisotope 90. Ooh la la!

Wow! Now that's sexy!!! Hey, I tried. Okay, ladies and gentlemen, let's give it up for yttrium.

And please take a moment to check out a review of Breakthrough at Donna Hole’s Blog . Thanks you Donna for reading BREAKTHROUGH and posting your review!

Currently, Breakthrough is available only for download at Amazon and Smashwords. Breakthrough will be available in print through CreateSpace next week. Thanks again everyone for stopping by.

Image Credit: Sakuzo

Image Credit: Images of Elements

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Xeus

2011-04-27T19:22:00.000-07:00

XEUS is the X-ray Evolving Universe Spectroscopy space observatory that is being developed by the European Space Agency as a successor to the successful XMM-Newton X-ray satellite telescope.

XEUS will be able to measure the X-ray spectrum and thereby the composition, temperature and velocities of hot matter in the early universe.

It will address diverse questions like the origin and nature of black holes, their relation with star formation, the evolution of baryons and the formation of the heavy elements in the Universe. The technology required for XEUS is currently under development. XEUS is one of the candidates for the Cosmic Vision program of the European Space Agency.

And please take a moment to check out a review of Breakthrough at Donna Hole’s Blog . Thanks you Donna for reading BREAKTHROUGH and posting your review!

Currently, Breakthrough is available only for download at Amazon and Smashwords. Breakthrough will be available in print through CreateSpace next week. Thanks again everyone for stopping by.

Question: Should the U.S. compete against Europe and the rest of the world in space exploration, or should we partner with them, share the costs, and share the rewards?

Friday: Yttrium (believe it or not, yttrium can be sexy)

Saturday: Zenith (when we wrap it all up, but to be continued)

Reference: Wikpedia

Image Credit: Coool Sites

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Wormholes

2011-04-26T19:16:00.000-07:00

Wormhole: A beam of light traversing a path between two points in curved space-time can take longer to complete the journey than a hypothetical spaceship taking advantage of a wormhole’s shortcut connection between the two distinct regions of space-time. Although they may seem more the stuff of science fiction than science fact, physicists first dreamed up the idea of wormholes.

In 1935, Albert Einstein and Nathan Rosen realized that general relativity allows the existence of “bridges,” originally called Einstein-Rosen bridges but now known as wormholes. These space-time tubes act as shortcuts connecting distant regions of space-time. By journeying through a wormhole, you could travel between the two regions faster than a beam of light would be able to if it moved through normal space-time. As with any mode of faster-than-light travel, wormholes offer the possibility of time travel. Although they may seem more the stuff of science fiction than science fact, physicists first dreamed up the idea of wormholes.

Until recently, theorists believed that wormholes could exist for only an instant of time, and anyone trying to pass through would run into a singularity. But more recent calculations show that a truly advanced civilization might be able to make wormholes work.

By using something physicists call “exotic matter,” which has a negative energy, the civilization could prevent a wormhole from collapsing on itself. The stuff of science fiction, to be sure. But perhaps some day in the far future, it could also turn into science fact.

Question: An amazing amount of money and brain power is being thrown at projects around the world today in hopes of making a breakthrough in wormholes and other means of moving matter through shortcuts in space and time. Wormholes aren't the only means. Do you engage these efforts in hopes that we actually do make a breakthrough? Remember, we were never supposed to take flight, go to the moon, or develop arifical organs and yet here we are.

Thursday: Xeus Mission (betcha haven’t heard of this one)

Friday: Yttrium (believe it or not, yttrium can be sexy)

Saturday: Zenith (when we wrap it all up, but to be continued)

Reference: Stephen Hawking’s Universe

Image Credit: Wormhole Teleporter from movie Contact

Image Credit: Image Credit: Colonial

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Voyager I and II

2011-04-25T19:09:00.000-07:00

Launch: Voyager 2 launched on August 20, 1977, from Cape Canaveral, Florida aboard a Titan-Centaur rocket. On September 5, Voyager 1 launched, also from Cape Canaveral aboard a Titan-Centaur rocket.

Planetary Tour: Between them, Voyager 1 and 2 explored all the giant planets of our outer solar system, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune; 48 of their moons; and the unique system of rings and magnetic fields those planets possess.

Most Distant Spacecraft: The Voyager spacecraft will be the third and fourth human spacecraft to fly beyond all the planets in our solar system. Pioneers 10 and 11 preceded Voyager in outstripping the gravitational attraction of the Sun but on February 17, 1998, Voyager 1 passed Pioneer 10 to become the most distant human-made object in space.

The Golden Record: Both Voyager spacecrafts carry a greeting to any form of life, should that be encountered. The message is carried by a phonograph record - -a 12-inch gold-plated copper disk containing sounds and images selected to portray the diversity of life and culture on Earth. The contents of the record were selected for NASA by a committee chaired by Carl Sagan of Cornell University. Dr. Sagan and his associates assembled 115 images and a variety of natural sounds. To this they added musical selections from different cultures and eras, and spoken greetings from Earth-people in fifty-five languages.

Question: We've talked about Dr. Carl Sagan, Prof. Michio Kaku, Dr. Sally Ride, Dr. Albert Eisntein, and other famous and interesting scientists. Who are some of your favorites? There are scores in the limelight today as well as in our history books.

Reference and Image Credits: NASA

Wednesday: Wormholes (Finally!!!)
Thursday: Xeus Mission (betcha haven’t heard of this one)
Friday: Yttrium (believe it or not, yttrium can be sexy)
Saturday: Zenith (when we wrap it all up, but to be continued)

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Uranus

2011-04-24T19:00:00.000-07:00

Fun Facts about Uranus, the seventh planet from the sun and third largest (by diameter):

* Uranus is named after the ancient Greek deity of the sky Uranus the father of Kronos (Saturn) and grandfather of Zeus (Jupiter).

* Uranus was discovered by William Herschel in 1781.

* It has at least 22 moons, the largest being Titania and Oberon.

* Composed mostly of hydrogen.

* Takes 84 years to orbit sun.

* Uranus’ atmosphere is composed mainly of hydrogen. Methane in the upper atmosphere absorbs red light, giving Uranus its blue-green color.

* Uranus is unique in that it is tipped on its side, probably as a result of a collision with a planet-sized body early in the solar system's history.

* Rings around Uranus were discovered in 1977. Voyager I ands II photographed and measured these rings. Uranus' rings are uniquely different from the rings of Jupiter and Saturn. The outermost ring contains mainly ice boulders several feet across.

* Fine dust also seems to be spread throughout the ring system.

Question: I hope you've enjoyed exploring our most amazing Solar System as much as I have. Okay, its been a long month. Time for a little humor. Got any good Uranus jokes? If not, feel free to comment on anything.

Tuesday: Voyager I and II Spacecrafts (very cool)
Wednesday: Wormholes (Finally!!!)
Thursday: Xeus Mission (betcha haven’t heard of this one)
Friday: Yttrium (believe it or not, yttrium can be sexy)
Saturday: Zenith (when we wrap it all up, but to be continued)

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Type I and Type II Supernovae

2011-04-21T22:14:00.000-07:00

A Supernova is an explosion of a massive supergiant star. It shines with the brightness of up to ten billion suns and is one of the most energetic explosions in the universe. Scientists believe supernovae happen in our universe about once a century. Supernovae are classified as a Type I Supernova or Type II supernova depending on the shape of their light curves and the nature of their spectra.

Why Do Stars Blow Up?
According to NASA, gravity gives the supernova its energy. For Type II supernovae, mass flows into the core by the continued formation of iron from nuclear fusion. Once the core has gained so much mass that it cannot withstand its own weight, the core implodes. This implosion can usually be brought to a halt by neutrons, the only things in nature that can stop such a gravitational collapse. Even neutrons sometimes fail depending on the mass of the star's core. When the collapse is abruptly stopped by the neutrons, matter bounces off the hard iron core, thus turning the implosion into an explosion.

For a Type I supernova, the energy comes from a white dwarf star, that is, a dying star that has completed fusion in its core. It has run out of fuel to burn and is slowly cooling off. These supernovae will brighten and then dim with such predictably that scientists can measure the universe's expansion (our universe is not only expanding, it is accelerating).

Supernovae explosions are not merely the death of a star. These massive explosions seed the universe with heavy elements (muy importante) that help to make up new stars, planets, and everything on earth, including you and me.

I think what we’ve seen so far this month that the Bible and science can be reconciled. I believe in the Gap Theory, that is, there was a period of time between Genesis 1:1 and Genesis 1:2 that would allow for these events to take place. This would help explain dinosaurs and cave men.

Question: Do you think it is possible to reconcile the Creation of the Bible with scientific theories of how the universe formed?

Reference and Image Credit: NASA and Hyperphysics

Next Week:

Monday: Uranus (I’ll abstain from jokes)
Tuesday: Voyager I and II Spacecrafts (very cool)
Wednesday: Wormholes (Finally!!!)
Thursday: Xeus Mission (betcha haven’t heard of this one)
Friday: Yttrium (believe it or not, yttrium can be sexy)
Saturday: Zenith (when we wrap it all up, but to be continued)

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Sedna

2011-04-21T19:50:00.000-07:00

What's bigger than an asteroid, smaller than a planet, red all over and far, far away? The answer -- a mysterious planet-like body orbiting our Sun. The object is three times farther away from Earth than Pluto, making it the most distant known in the solar system. Why, it's Sedna, of course.

This is likely the first detection of the long-hypothesized "Oort cloud," a faraway repository of small icy bodies that supplies the comets that streak by Earth.

Other notable features of Sedna include its size and reddish color; it is the second reddest object in the solar system, after Mars. At an estimated size of three-fourths the size of Pluto, it is likely the largest object found in the solar system since Pluto was discovered in 1930.

There is indirect evidence that "Sedna" may have a moon. The researchers hope to check this possibility with NASA's Hubble Space Telescope.

Sedna will become closer and brighter over the next 72 years before it begins its 10,500-year trip to the far reaches of the solar system and back again. "The last time "Sedna" was this close to the Sun, Earth was just coming out of the last ice age; the next time it comes back, the world might again be a completely different place.

And if you haven't checked out yesterday's post about Dr. Sally Ride, please take a moment to do so. She is one amazing individual!

Question: We just keep discovering stuff right in our own cosmic backyard as well as things at the edge of our solar system that represent the beginning of our own personal spacetime continuum and the Big Bang. With this in mind, what do you think the world will be like 100 years from now?

Reference: NASA

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Dr. Sally Ride

2011-04-20T19:39:00.000-07:00

Dr. Sally Ride was the first female astronaut in space. She’s not the first woman in space. She was preceded by two Soviet women, Valentina Tereshkova in 1963 and Svetlana Savitskaya in 1982.

Dr. Ride was born May 26, 1951, in Los Angeles, California and has a master of science and a doctorate degree in Physics from Stanford University. She was selected as an astronaut candidate by NASA in January 1978.

On June 18, 1983, Dr. Ride became the first American woman in space as a crew member on Space Shuttle Challenger as Mission Specialist 2. This was the seventh space shuttle mission, and was the second mission for the Space Shuttle Challenger. The mission deployed two communication satellites and conducted various experiments.

Dr. Ride is an advocate for improving science education for our youth. She has written five science books for children: To Space and Back; Voyager; The Third Planet; The Mystery of Mars; and Exploring Our Solar System. She also started numerous education projects designed to fuel middle school students’ fascination with science.

But wait. That’s not all. Dr. Ride has received numerous honors and awards. And she has been a member of the President's Committee of Advisors on Science and Technology and the National Research Council's Space Studies Board. She has served on numerous boards. Dr. Ride is a Fellow of the American Physical Society and a member of the Pacific Council on International Policy. She is the only person to have served on the Commissions investigating both the Space Shuttle Challenger and Columbia accidents.

Question: Is there any question that women cannot do the same work as men?

Friday: Sedna
Saturday: Type I and Type II Supernovas

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Quasars

2011-04-19T19:39:00.000-07:00

Many astronomers believe that quasars are the most distant objects yet detected in the universe. Quasars give off enormous amounts of energy - they can be a trillion times brighter than the Sun! Quasars are believed to produce their energy from massive black holes in the center of the galaxies in which the quasars are located. Because quasars are so bright, they drown out the light from all the other stars in the same galaxy.

Despite their brightness, due to their great distance from Earth, no quasars can be seen with an unaided eye. Energy from quasars takes billions of years to reach the Earth's atmosphere. For this reason, the study of quasars can provide astronomers with information about the early stages of the universe.

The word quasar is short for "quasi-stellar radio source". This name, which means star-like emitters of radio waves, was given in the 1960s when quasars were first detected. The name is retained today, even though astronomers now know most quasars are faint radio emitters. In addition to radio waves and visible light, quasars also emit ultraviolet rays, infrared waves, X-rays, and gamma-rays. Most quasars are larger than our solar system. A quasar is approximately 1 kiloparsec in width.

Question: Let's build upon yesterday's question. Have you ever had an experience of any kind regarding a higher life form? Been touched by the Holy Spirt or had a personal visitation from Jesus or an angel? Have you been abducted by aliens or seen a UFO? Anyone with visions or out of body experiences that took them to the origins of our universe?

Reference: NASA

Thursdays: Sally Ride: First female astronaut in space

Friday: Sedna

Saturday: Type I and Type II Supernovas

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Pulsars

2011-04-18T20:07:00.000-07:00

Simply put, pulsars are rotating neutron stars. And pulsars appear to pulse because they rotate! Pulsars were discovered in late 1967 by graduate student Jocelyn Bell Burnell as radio sources that blink on and off at a constant frequency.

Now we observe the brightest ones at almost every wavelength of light. Pulsars are spinning neutron stars that have jets of particles moving almost at the speed of light streaming out above their magnetic poles. These jets produce very powerful beams of light.

For a similar reason that "true north" and "magnetic north" are different on Earth, the magnetic and rotational axes of a pulsar are also misaligned. Therefore, the beams of light from the jets sweep around as the pulsar rotates, just as the spotlight in a lighthouse does. Like a ship in the ocean that sees only regular flashes of light, we see pulsars "turn on and off" as the beam sweeps over the Earth.

Neutron stars for which we see such pulses are called "pulsars", or sometimes "spin-powered pulsars," indicating that the source of energy is the rotation of the neutron star.

Question: Now is as good of time as any to ask, do you believe in a divine design to our universe? Are we here by chance? Did an extraterrestial civilization seed our planet and are watching as if we are a lab experiment? What are your thoughts on how the heck we are here?

Wednesdays: Quasars

Thursdays: Sally Ride: First female astronaut in space

Friday: Sedna Saturday: Type I and Type II Supernovas

Reference: NASA

Image Credit: Renee’s Home Page

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The Oort Cloud

2011-04-17T19:55:00.000-07:00

Update: I have left iUniverse and will be publishing BREAKTHROUGH with CreateSpace in about two weeks For those who have inquired about purchasing a physical copy, please wait until BREAKTHROUGH is available the first of May. Of course, downloads are still available through Kindle and Smashwords for $2.99 Thanks everyone for your support!

The Oort cloud is an immense spherical cloud surrounding the planetary system and extending approximately 3 light years, about 30 trillion kilometers from the Sun. This vast distance is considered the edge of the Sun's orb of physical, gravitational, or dynamical influence.

Within the cloud, comets are typically tens of millions of kilometers apart. They are weakly bound to the sun, and passing stars and other forces can readily change their orbits, sending them into the inner solar system or out to interstellar space. This is especially true of comets on the outer edges of the Oort cloud.

Unfortunately, there is no chance of scientists examining the Oort Cloud up close and proving its existence anytime soon. Only recently was a spacecraft launched to examine the Kuiper Belt – NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft – so it’ll most likely be decades before any craft can be sent to the Oort Cloud.

Question: Do you found our little journey through our celestial backyard fascinating? We have only scratched the surface. The month is only half over and I have material to that I haven't used for future posts scheduled this summer.

Reference: Universe Today
Reference: Solar View
Image Credit: Universe Today

Tuesday: Pulsars

Wednesdays: Quasars

Thursdays: Sally Ride: First female astronaut in space

Friday: Sedna

Saturday: Type I and Type II Supernovas

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Neutron Stars

2011-04-15T22:43:00.000-07:00

Neutron Stars are one of the possible ends for a star. They result from massive stars which have mass greater than 4 to 8 times that of our Sun. After these stars have finished burning their nuclear fuel, they undergo a supernova explosion. This explosion blows off the outer layers of a star into a beautiful supernova remnant. The central region of the star collapses under gravity. It collapses so much that protons and electrons combine to form neutrons. Hence the name "neutron star".

Neutron stars may appear in supernova remnants, as isolated objects, or in binary systems. Four known neutron stars are thought to have planets. There are thought to be millions of neutron stars in the Milky Way galaxy. Astronomers believe they may have found the Earth’s closest neutron star ever known, located in the constellation Ursa Minor just 250 light years from Earth. It has been nicknamed Calvera, after the villain in the movie "The Magnificent Seven."

The star is the exotic remnant of a supernova that was too small to form a black hole. Instead, the leftover gas and dust compacted into a glowing, incredibly dense body only a few miles wide and consisting almost entirely of neutrons. It is so incredibly dense that just a single teaspoon of its material would weigh 100 million metric tons.

Question: No question here. Feel free to comment on the awesomeness of our universe. Things like neutron stars have to inspire and stretch your imagination in a most positive way.

Monday: The Oort Cloud: The very outer edge of our solar system

Tuesday: Pulsars

Wednesdays: Quasars

Thursdays: Sally Ride: First female astronaut in space

Friday: Sedna

Saturday: To Be Determined

Reference: NASA

Reference: The Daily Galaxy

Image Credit: The Daily Galaxy

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Dr. Michio Kaku, Dr. Brian May, Mystery Science Theatre 3000

2011-04-14T21:21:00.000-07:00

Dr. Michio Kaku: Kaku is a theoretical physicist, best-selling author, and popularizer of science. He’s the co-founder of string field theory (a branch of string theory), and continues Einstein’s search to unite the four fundamental forces of nature into one unified theory. I encourage you to navigate his Web Site and buy a book or two. I personally recommend and have read them all.

Dr. Brian May: Did you know legendary rock guitarist Brian May has been awarded an honorary doctorate in Science by the University of Hertfordshire in recognition of his life-long contribution to music.

He studied physics and math at Imperial College, London, gaining a Bsc Honours degree in both subjects. As part of his continuing Phd studies May designed and built a zodiacal light observation hut on the site of what is now the huge Observatory del Tiede in Tenerife, a facility now internationally shared amongst astronomers. From there May pursued his investigations into the motions of interplanetary dust. He remains in touch with various astronomers in The Observatory.

Mystery Science Theatre 3000: MST 3000 is an American cult television classic. In the not too distant future, a man and his robots are trapped on the Satellite of love, where evil scientists force them to sit through the worst movies ever made. Hey, it’s the end of tax season so take a moment to laugh, Reward yourself. Rent Mystery Science Theatre 3000. You'll laugh those tax time blues away.

Saturday: Neutron Stars

Question: Happy tax season is over? What are you doing to unwind? Me, I rented MST 3000.

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Large Hadron Collider

2011-04-13T20:19:00.000-07:00

Who or what is CERN: CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research, is the biggest particle physics laboratory in the world. CERN is run by 20 European Member States, but many non-European countries are also involved in different ways. Scientists come from around the world to use CERN’s facilities in Geneva, Switzerland.

What is the Large Hadron Collider? The Large Hadron Collider (LHC) is a gigantic scientific instrument near Geneva, where it spans the border between Switzerland and France about 100 m underground. It is a particle accelerator used by physicists to study the smallest known particles – the fundamental building blocks of all things. It will revolutionize our understanding, from the minuscule world deep within atoms to the vastness of the Universe.

What the Scientists are Looking For: LHC experiments will address questions such as what gives matter its mass, what the invisible 96% of the Universe is made of, why nature prefers matter to antimatter and how matter evolved from the first instants of the Universe’s existence.

Two beams of subatomic particles called 'hadrons' – either protons or lead ions – will travel in opposite directions inside the circular accelerator, gaining energy with every lap. Physicists will use the LHC to recreate the conditions just after the Big Bang, by colliding the two beams head-on at very high energy.

Here is a link to a guided tour of the LHC from particle physicist Dr. Brian Cox , a professor at University of Manchester and Royal Society research fellow a Large Hadron Collider

Question Posed: Will you be following the events at CERN? Do you think its possible we will exponentially deepen our understanding of our universe in our lifetime?

Reference: CERN

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The Kuiper Belt

2011-04-12T19:35:00.000-07:00

The Kuiper Belt, sometimes referred to as the Edgeworth-Kuiper Belt, is the region of our Solar System beyond our planets and beginning at the orbit of Neptune. It is far larger and much more massive than the asteroid belt that exists between Jupiter and Mars. This area was hypothesized to exist beginning in the 1930s soon after the discovery of Pluto. But it wasn't until 1992 objects other than Pluto were first identified.

Although the precise origin and complex structure are not known, it is believed this region consists of planetesimals, remnants from the formation of our Solar System. These fragments failed to coalesce into smaller planets and formed into smaller bodies. It is home to dwarf planets like Pluto and largely frozen volatiles like ammonia, methane, and water. More than 70,000 objects measuring over 100 km (62 miles) are believed to exist here in a cloud of small icy and rocky objects all orbiting out sun.

It is believed comets do not originate from this region, rather, they come from farther out in what is called the Scattered Disc.

In 2006, the spacecraft New Horizons was launched to explore the Kuiper Belt. It will explore Pluto in 2015, then explore other yet to be determined objects in the region. Finally, scientists believe they have identified Kuiper-like discs around other suns in our Milky Way Galaxy.

Question: We’re now leaving our solar system, although we still have to pass through the Oort Cloud (a blog for next week). We talked about life in our solar system like microbes and algae. But do you think there is intelligent life outside of our solar system?

Thursday: Large Hadron Collider

Friday: Dr. Michio Kaku, Dr. Brian May (yes, that Brian May), and Mystery Science Theatre 3000

Saturday: Neutron Stars

Image Credit: PPPST.com

Image Credit: UC Irvine

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Jupiter

2011-04-11T19:37:00.000-07:00

Fun Facts about the Jovian planet, the largest in our Solar System: Jupiter has been visited by seven spacecrafts from earth: Jupiter was first visited by NASA’s Pioneer 10 spacecraft in December 1973, and then Pioneer 11 in December 1974. Then Voyager 1 and 2 in 1979. This was followed by a long break until Ulysses arrived in February 1992. Then Cassini made a flyby in 2000, on its way to Saturn. And finally, NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft made its flyby in 2007.

The Great Red Spot on Jupiter has been around for almost 350 years. It was first identified by Giovanni Cassini, who mentioned it back in 1665.

Jupiter is the fastest spinning planet in our Solar System. For all its size and mass, Jupiter sure moves quickly. In fact, the planet only takes about 10 hours to complete a full rotation on its axis.

Jupiter takes nearly 12 earth years to revolve around the sun.

The rings around Jupiter were the third set of rings discovered in the Solar System, after Saturn (of course) and Uranus. They probably come from material ejected by its moons when they’re struck by meteorite impacts.

Jupiter's magnetic field is 14 times that of Earth's. Astronomers think the magnetic field is generated by the movements of metallic hydrogen deep inside Jupiter.

Jupiter has 63 moons. One of its moons, Ganymede, is the largest satellite in the Solar System. You can see some of the moons with binoculars.

Unlike Earth, Mars, Venus and Mercury, Jupiter is not a terrestrial planet.

Jupiter is a gaseous planet, which is held together by a massive gravity field and primarily consists of hydrogen, nitrogen, helium and water.

According to scientific studies, it is discovered that Jupiter’s core is very thick, just like a super hot soup.

Question: Did you know you can see Jupiter at night with the naked eye if you know when and where to look? With binoculars or a hand held telescope you can view its four largest moons. Next viewing of Jupiter is in the dawn in May.

Tomorrow: The Kuiper Belt

Reference: Universe Today

Image Credit: Windows2Universe

Image Credit: Utah Skies

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IO

2011-04-10T18:29:00.000-07:00

Io (pronounced eye-oh) is the innermost of the four Galilean moons of Jupiter and is the fourth largest moon in our solar system. Some interesting facts about IO according to various Web sites:

* Io was discovered in 1610 by Galileo Galilei.

* Io is named after the Greek mythological nymph Io, a priestess of Hera, and a lover of Zeus.

* Io has over 400 active volcanoes and is the most geologically active object in our Solar System.

* Io played an important role in scientists determining the speed of light.

Image Credit: NASA (Aurora Surrounding Io)

* Was observed by space probes Pioneer I and Pioneer II in 1973 and 1974, Voyager I and II in 1979, and Galileo in 1995.

* Io records the hottest temperatures outside the sun. Hot spots discovered by the Galileo spacecraft showed temperatures of up to 1,610C (2,910F).

* Io has the tallest mountains in the solar system topping out at 55,000 feet, almost twice the size as Mt. Everest.

* Io Planetary tides of 100 meters (330 feet). Those are tides pushing and pulling the rocky surface (for comparison's sake, Earth's ocean tides vary by no more than 18 meters or 60 feet).

Question: There are around well over 150 known moons in our solar system. Some have icy surfaces and possibly liquid water underneath the ice sheets from heat generated from the core. Do you think some moons may have the potential to support life such as algae or microbes?

Tuesday: Jupiter

Wednesday: The Kuiper Belt

Thursday: Large Hadron Collider

Friday: Dr. Michio Kaku, Dr. Brian May (yes, that Brian May), and Mystery Science Theatre 3000

Saturday: Neutron Stars

Reference: Bright Hub

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Hubble Space Telescope

2011-04-08T20:50:00.000-07:00

Ever wonder how in the world the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) takes those awesomely fascinating photos of galaxies, stars, planets, nubulaes, and supernova remnants more that are a gazillion light years away from us? Here is the process: Scientists point the HST to a particular region of space. The HST exposes an image for a long time to collect more light rather than zooming in on them. It collects as many photons as possible on optical sensors which relays the data to computers here on earth which recombines the data into pictures.

The HST takes pictures using the full spectrum of light from infrared to ultraviolet that the human eye cannot see. It even uses X-rays. It uses lenses that either captures or filters different wavelengths. It sees or filters out different colors such as red, blue, and green . This tells us what we are looking at, such as hydrogen atoms, oxygen atoms, and nitrogen ions. Example: Hydrogen emits red light. If the HST did not do filter out the color red, most pictures would be kind of reddish as hydrogen is by far the most abundant element in the universe. Hence, astronomers can tell by color just what the heck they are looking at. By combining these images scientists can create full-color pictures.

And the images are enhanced too. There is nothing wrong with doing this.

Okay, enough of this blah blah blah. Just sit back and enjoy images (Image Credits via NASA) made possible by the Hubble Space Telescope taken in the backyard that is our universe! Saturn Red Super Giant Star V838 Monocerotis Mosiac of the Crab Nebula

Most Distant Galazies Candidates

The Majestic Sombrero Galaxy M104

Spiral Galazy M74

Interacting Galaxy PairArp87

Question: Do you thing the gazillions of dollars spent on the Hubble Space Telescope is worth it? I mean, there is a lot of other pressing needs humanity couls spend the hard-earned tax payer dollars on.

Monday: IO, a most fascinating moon of Jupiter.

Tuesday: Jupiter

Wednesday: The Kuiper Belt

Thursday: Large Hadron Collider

Friday: Dr. Michio Kaku, Dr. Brian May(yes, that Brian May), and Mystery Science Theatre 3000

Saturday: Neutron Stars

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Gamma Ray Bursts

2011-04-07T20:55:00.000-07:00

(Photo Image: NASA)

Gamma Ray Bursts are blasts of gamma rays that originate from extremely energetic explosions. These bursts are the most luminous electromagnetic events observed in our universe and can release as much energy in a few seconds as our sun will in 10 billions years. They are second only to the Big Bang in terms of powerful explosions.

That's a whole lotta energy! They are believed to be a very intense beam of radiation born when a large dying massive star collapses into a supernova to form either a neutron star or a black hole. Many physicists believe they are the birth cries of new balck holes.

Fortunately, Gamma Ray Burst are very rare occurances. So far, all instances we have observed have occured outside of our Milky Way galaxy. This is good news for us, as a Gamma Ray Burst inside the Milky Way could cause a mass extinction here on earth. In fact, some scientists believe Gamma Ray Bursts may have caused some of Earth's past mass extinctions.

Question: Do you find things like gamma ray bursts, black holes, anitmatter and such fascinating? You have to admit, this is really cool! Hopefully we'll all see our universe with awe and amazement.

Saturday: The Hubble Space Telescope

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The Four Fundamental Forces

2011-04-06T20:18:00.000-07:00

According to our present understanding, there are four fundamental forces, or interactions, in our universe. An interaction is fundamental when it cannot be described in terms of other interactions. Okay, here they are:

Electromagnetism: the force that causes the interaction between electrically charged particles; the areas in which this happens are called electromagnetic fields. Electricity and magnetism are two aspects of a single physical phenomenon.

Weak Nuclear Force: Responsible for radioactive decay. This process also allows our sun to shine.

Strong Nuclear Force: The strongest of the four forces, it exists only inside an atomic nucleus and binds the protons and neutrons crammed inside, as well as binding the particles together that make up protons and neutrons.

Gravity: The weakest of the four forces. Take a moment to jump. See how easily you just overcame earth's gravitational force? Fun Fact: Of the four forces, gravity is the only one to act on all particles that have mass. Gravity cannot be absorbed, transformed, or shielded against.

Question: Do you remember the material of these blogs so far from high school or college? Hopefully that spark is being re-ignited in many people. If not, check out a few of the previous blogs such as Black Holes and Antimatter. These ought to get the sparks a' flowing once again.

Tomorrow: Gamma Rays Bursts (very cool stuff!!!)

Image Credit: Grant Chronicles

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