Let’s Bring In The New Year With Awesome!
Looking back at news headlines, we’ve experienced some crazy events in the world this past year. Facebook went public, the London Olympics took the world by storm and the U.S. elected Obama for another 4 years. There are countless events (good and bad) that took place over the last 365 days, but like many of you, we’re excited about moving forward and are looking to embrace 2013 with open arms.
This year, BookRix celebrated its 4th birthday. We all worked very hard to improve our site and eliminate author costs. As of October, BookRix members can publish their work on our site and distribute to all the major online shops like Amazon, Kobo, and Barnes & Noble at no cost to them. Yup, 2012 has been a great year for us and we can’t wait bring in the New Year with our awesome BookRix readers and writers by our side.
May you all have a fun and safe New Years Eve and wonderful 1st day of the year!
-
The BookRix Team
Looking for something to feast your eyes on before the ball drops? BookRix is at your service! Check out this western adventure by Stanley McQueen. Blurb: Sheriff Luke Wallace wasn’t looking for trouble…it came looking for him. With Colorado on the brink of statehood, a band of renegade Indians threatens his town. And there’s more than meets the eye in the reason for them being there. Mix in a lovely lady, a silver strike and you’ve got a suspenseful western with plenty of action and grit.
Western, Adventure
Comics and Graphic novels: A lifelong obsession.
In honor of Stan Lee’s 90th birthday, let’s talk comics for a while, shall we?
In my family, while growing up, we weren’t allowed to watch too much television (aside from Saturday morning cartoons) or play video games, but we were encouraged to read and play outside to our heart’s content. For me, that meant hiding in the middle of my grandma’s bushes, where nobody could see me, and reading until I was too hungry to stay there anymore. I read anything that was put in front of me, regardless of plot or genre or length. One day, having read all the books I’d taken out from the library, I wandered into my younger brother’s room, hoping to find something in there. Sure, I’d never seen him with a book because he preferred playing in the dirt and sticking slugs to his arms, but hey, I was pretty sure he could read so I thought I’d take a look. Underneath his hockey sticks, his Tazmanian Devil plush toy and a jar of something that could only be described as “revolting”, I found something that would spark a lifelong obsession: A comic book.
Looking back, I can’t remember what it was even about. I know it was Superman because my brother went through a cape wearing phase that was the source of endless entertainment for me and my older sister, but I have no recollection of what the actual book was about. After reading it, I just knew that I’d discovered something great; a book with an incredibly interesting story (who doesn’t think superheroes are awesome?) and detailed graphics to go along with it. As a young readers AND artist, this was a brilliant revelation. I started asking my mom to bring me comic books, and although it mostly started out as Archie Comics from the shelves near the grocery store cashier, it has since grown into so much more. Nowadays, graphic novels are my “grown-up” comic books, but I still can’t get enough.
One of my first favorites was Tank Girl because she is totally chaotic and independent. I was forever searching for myself inside the comics and graphic novels, trying to figure out which superpower was my own. One of my favorite films is based on a graphic novel and I highly recommend that you watch it, Scott Pilgrim vs. The World. So many really spectacular graphic novels are filled with violence, like Sin City, 300, and Batman, but then there are the truly beautiful stories that remind you that each graphic novel is really a piece of art. Blankets is a great example of this; it’s an intricately woven story of a boy who is dealing with growing up, religion, spirituality, and his first love.
And then, of course, there are the comic book classics: Spiderman, X-Men, The Hulk, Iron Man, The Fantastic Four, Captain America, etc. – all of which were created with the help of Stan Lee and all of which were made internationally famous by major motion pictures. Comic books have gone from being the things traded by nerds in the back of the library at lunch time, to being the inspiration for some of the coolest action movies of this generation. Comic books are cool, and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.
Here are some BookRix books that I think would make great comic books and graphic novels (hover your mouse over the cover to find out more about each book):
Science-fiction
Historical Fiction
Fantasy and Romance
It’s Cut Out Snowflake Day!!!!!
Growing up in southern California, you don’t see a lot of snow. Neither of my parents were into outdoor sports, so that eliminated the occasional weekend ski or snowboard trips some of my friends went on. Snow was something I saw in movies or photos, not something I experienced. But I had always been fascinated with snowflakes. Most likely because in school I learned how unique and beautiful they were.
In 7th grade my parents let me go to science camp in Idlewild, California. It was on this trip that I remember my first encounter with snow. It wasn’t exactly what I had imagined, but I was transfixed. Not only was I witnessing something incredibly cool falling from the sky – a natural wonder if you will – but I could eat it, too! As an adult, I can appreciate the snow. But much like my parents, I prefer to observe it. And what better way to observe them than to cut them out of paper! We found some awesome ideas from Martha Stewart, the mother of all things crafty, and are excited to put some of these little gems up around our home and office to set the winter mood. Try it yourself here!
And while you’re at it, check out Puck by G.D. Steel!
Fairy, Winter, Snow
What’s In a Note?
A little 'Thank You' goes a long way
It’s hard to believe that Christmas is over. All that prep work, the shopping, the exciting countdown and today – it’s all said and done. Now it’s time to put your gifts away (or put them to good use) and start prepping for New Years, right? Well, not so fast. What about ‘Thank You’ notes? We’re sure you thanked your gift givers the moment you opened your gifts. But sometimes a verbal “thank you” can get lost in the chaos of Christmas. Why not use National Note Day as an excuse to send out some from-the-heart thank you notes?
We live in a digital age, and sending emails or eCards are fast, easy and simple. But really – is sending a card really that hard? Exactly. So get out a pencil or pen and let your words of thanks flow! You can buy cards or get creative and make your own. After all, how much holiday wrapping paper do you have left over? No matter how you choose to display your thanks, one thing is certain: nothing beats a personalized card in your mailbox. So get crackin’.
And when its time to give your hand a rest from all that writing, settle down with some BookRix short stories! We took the liberty of choosing two of our personal favorites for you. Let us know what you think!
It’s Christmas 2012!
Our BookRix office dog, Remus. And our awesome tree!
Well, it’s finally here. The countdown for Christmas essentially starts the day after Thanksgiving (at least that’s how it works for many of us). Since then we’ve made countless lists, ventured into various shopping malls and stores, thanked God for Amazon, wrapped, wrapped and then wrapped some more. And today, THIS day, its here. Christmas has finally arrived, and not a moment too soon!
On behalf of BookRix, we’d like to wish each and every one of you a happy holiday. At the end of the day, it’s not about the gifts – although you wouldn’t think that considering how crazy we all get in order to get the gifts, etc. But today is about so much more than presents sitting under a tree and stockings hanging on the fireplace mantle. Today is about showing our loved ones that we care. Spreading joy and coming together with family and friends and truly being thankful for what we have.
Merry Christmas!
May your holidays be happy days,
filled with love and laughter.
And may each day bring joy your way,
in the year that follows after
If you’re looking for a great Christmas ebook to snuggle up to this evening, we suggest Christmas Night, by Stanley McQueen. It’s a comedic short story that stems from good ol’ Muddy Fork.
Love, Christmas, Short Story
It’s Christmas night, and the folk of Muddy Fork want to celebrate at the Little Goose Chapel Church. Unfortunately, the road is filled with snow and it’s a hard journey to get there. What kind of miracle will they find, once they arrive?
A Muddy Fork story
Don’t forget about me! The plea of a forgotten day.
Birthdays, holidays and special days that fall anywhere between Thanksgiving and New Years are often forgotten or just plain disregarded. Just ask Stephanie Meyer, author of the Twilight series, whose birthday is today. However, we’re not here today to celebrate Bella and Edward, we’re here to celebrate an even greater event this December 24th: National Eggnog Day!
Okay, so the word “nog” isn’t really that appealing, and drinking raw eggs might not be your favorite thing – have no fear – VEGAN to the rescue! And don’t be scared off by the term “vegan” because my raw vegan chocolate cake is one of the most delicious things in the entire world, so I know what I’m talking about.
Enjoy this yumtastic recipe, and have a very merry Eggnog Day!
HOMEMADE VEGAN EGGNOG RECIPE
Makes 2 servings
Ingredients:
- 3 CUPS Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk (or sweetened if you’re feelin’ crazy)
- 4 TBsp Agave (You can substitute it for Maple syrup but might have to add more to make it sweet enough, or Honey, but add about half as much or it will be too sweet.)
- 2 TBsp Vanilla (this is key#1 to deliciousness)
- Dash of Salt (seasalt is prefered)
- 1 TBsp Rum Extract (or Almond Extract if you’re going to add actual Rum…)
- 1/2 Tsp Nutmeg (this is key#2 to deliciousness)
- 1/2 Tsp Cinnamon
- Rum or Brandy (Optional)
Directions:
- In a medium sauce pan (medium/low heat) place all ingredients and stir until completely warm.
- Pour it into a festive glass, and then add the rum or brandy if desired.
- Drink it and love it.
- Rinse your glass and repeat
And a little tribute to vampires, just so Stephanie Meyer doesn’t feel left out:
Anna has always known she is different, whether it was the way that her parents treated her or the way she simply didn’t seem to blend in with the people around her, she simply knew! However on the night of her 17th birthday, two men will enter into her world and completely change her life. Unbeknownst to Anna, a countdown has started on her life and the lives of her friends. Will she have enough time to save them all or will they all fall into chaos?
