Black Rabbit Ink

Books vs. Kindle

How does the traditional book compare to the nifty spiffy Kindle?

The folks at The Green Apple Core blog  are here to answer that question, smackdown style! They've put together a hilarious short series of Books vs. Kindle videos that show the pros and cons of each format. There will be ten rounds total, with each pitting the the book against the Kindle in various challenges like reselling a book (um, yeah, Kindle not so great at this one).

If you've been wanting a Kindle, have a Kindle, hate the Kindle, or just need a good literary-ish laugh, be sure and check these videos out. The battles look like they are only going to get better!

Quote of the Week

"A book must be an ice-axe to break the seas frozen inside our soul."

Franz Kafka

Bookshelf Review: Fear the Worst

Title: Fear the Worst: A Novel

Author: Linwood Barclay

When his daughter, Syd, doesn’t come home from work, Tim Blake starts to worry. When he goes to the hotel she works at to try and find her, worry turns to panic. No one - front desk clerks, managers, anyone on the staff - has ever heard of Sydney Blake.  Weeks pass as Tim struggles to find his daughter, following any lead he can. But with each secret he uncovers, with each step closer to the truth, he begins to question everything he thought he knew about Syd. And fear the worst. 

One of the great things about Fear the Worst is that it is high on tension but low on gore, perfect for anyone who loves to read thrillers but hates the graphic descriptions of blood and bodies that fill the pages of other books.The plot is extremely suspenseful and unpredictable with many, many, many twists and turns. Some of the situations that occur are a bit over the top but, though they might seem slightly implausible, they are definitely not boring.

The story moves swiftly forward with a lot of action and several little mysteries that intertwine the characters' stories tightly together. Characters are unique, each with his or her own voice and agenda. But don't assume anything; just when you think you have figured everything out, Barclay takes a hard 180 degree turn and everything you thought you knew turns out to be wrong. 

This book is difficult to put down. It is packed with action, complex characters, and an intriguing plot. If you have a few hours to kill and are looking for a fun, fast paced read, this is it.

Fear the Worst will be in bookstores August 11, 2009.

Quote of the Week

"An exclamation point is like laughing at your own joke."

F. Scott Fitzgerald

Birthdays, Change, and a Jump to the Moon

It’s official. The Princess is a teenager. Today, she turned - deep breath - 13.

She's been growing up so quickly over the last few years. Barrettes and glittery hair bobbles? Not since she was 8. Bright dresses with tights and black-bowed Mary Janes? Now it's black t-shirts, skinny jeans, and shoes with skulls on them. Posters of cute animals and licensed cartoon characters? Um, yeah, Jonas Brothers. Chats about Barbie dolls and Spongebob? Not since she discovered makeup and boys. And, this year, instead of a pizza party at Chuck E. Cheese, she hosted her first slumber party.

Yes, she's growing up. Changing. Becoming more like a little adult each day.

Today, I was thinking about this, about how my little girl is not so little anymore, and remembered something that made me smile.

It was a hot summer evening and we were outside looking for fireflies. She was almost three, wearing a white cotton dress with blue/green swirly patterns and a pair of pink jelly sandals. Her face was scrunched into a mischievous grin and her hair was brushed back, tied into two little pigtails that stuck out like exploding firecrackers. She was running across the yard, her chubby hands clapping together trying to catch the teeny lights blinking all around us.

Suddenly, she looked up. Stars, she said.

Stars, I repeated.

That the moon, she said, her eyes widening.

Yep, I said.

For a moment, she stood quietly, staring at the stars and moon. Then, her tiny legs began to extend, bend, extend, bend. The soles of her sandals thudded on the concrete of the sidewalk, over and over again. Up and down, up and down, up and down...

What are you doing? I asked.

She pointed up to the sky, her eyes shining.

I jump to moon, she said. 

One of these days, her bedroom will be replaced by a dorm room, her roller skates with a car, her allowance with a paycheck. Yes, she’s not a baby anymore, and you know what? That's fine.

I want her to keep barreling forward, pushing her boundaries and following her dreams. I want her to grow and change so that each year she can look back and be proud of how far she has come.

I want her to never stop trying to jump to the moon.

Happy birthday, Princess.

Quote of the Week

"My efforts to cut out 50,000 words may sometimes result in my adding 75,000. "

Thomas Wolfe