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Alice Walker at NYC’s 92nd St. Y: April 13 | April 5, 2010

Pulitzer Prize-winning writer and activist Alice Walker will grace the stage at the 92nd Street Y on Tuesday, April 13 at 8:00 p.m. for ”Alice Walker: On Activism.” Her latest book, Overcoming Speechlessness: A Poet Encounters the Horror in Rwanda, Eastern Congo and Palenstine/Israel, recounts her travels to Africa and Gaza and the rampant violence in those regions. Her blog offers a short essay on the subject.

Walker’s most famous work, The Color Purple, earned her the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. She continues to inspire and educate through her ongoing work on racism, misogyny, and violence.

Visit 92Y.org’s event page for details and to buy tickets.


 

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The Overnight Socialite | February 19, 2010

The Overnight Socialite
By Bridie Clark

“Didn’t we meet in Capri last May?” Lucy continued, saying each word cautiously.

“Yes!” Wyatt stopped in his tracks. “Yes!” It was the first time she hadn’t pronounced the name of the island like those unflattering three-quarter length pants. “Go on, go on!”

In this beguiling retelling of the classic Pygmalion, we meet Lucy Ellis, a Manhattan transplant who dreams of making it as a fashion designer but instead toils away on a Garment District assembly line. Road-blocked each time she tries to score a break, Lucy is beginning to think the unthinkable: maybe it’s time to pack it … Read More »


 

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8 Tips for Renewing Your Relationship This Valentine’s Day | February 8, 2010

By Marty Babits, LCSW, BCD, Author of The Power of Middle Ground: A Couple’s Guide to Renewing Your Relationship

How many ways do I love thee? Let me count the ways. Pick at least three qualities about your partner that you love. Gift each one of these with something special. For example, give her a CD by her favorite recording artist in celebration of whatever you consider to be her (or his) most appealing facial feature. Choose a clothing accessory that includes the color that you think best flatters your partner and celebrate the way they look in that … Read More »


 

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Denise Tong
 
 
 
 

Thriller Novel Giveaway at CurrentVine.com | February 5, 2010

CurrentVine.com is joining up with Minotaur Books to give away two copies of Susan Arnout Smith’s Out at Night (2009), the second novel starring crime tech Grace Descanso.

Below, check out Smith’s summation of the novel in her own words, then head over the Current Vine for Smith’s guest post on the issues at the center of the novel, as well as details on how to enter the random drawing.


 

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Bryna Jones
 
 
 
 

Book Review: The World Needs Your Kid | February 2, 2010

In the final analysis it is not what you do for your children, but what you have taught them to do for themselves that will make them successful human beings. ~ Ann Landers

Bringing up a child in global village can be a daunting task. It’s hard to hide the stark realities of poverty, natural disasters and disease in an increasingly connected world.

What do you say when your child asks about Haiti? How do you respond to the tough questions? How do you encourage them to “be the change,” as Gandhi said? Enter Craig and Marc Kielburger, co-founding brothers of Free … Read More »


 

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Book Giveaway: The Truth According to Sally Miller | January 14, 2010

The Truth According to Sally Miller: Collected Essays

Health & Wellness, Sexuality & Relationships

By Sally Miller

The 65 short essays in this unusual collection are as progressive and practical as they were when first published twenty years ago. Drawing from her experience as a sexual counselor and a natural healer, Sally Miller treats us to two separate collections. In “Health and Wellness” Ms. Miller reveals her struggle with depression and her healing from cancer surgery without conventional medical treatment. In “Sexuality & Relationships” she exposes herself in a way few women have (Betty Dodson and Carol … Read More »


 

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Book Giveaway: The SuperStress Solution | December 31, 2009

The SuperStress Solution
By Roberta Lee M.D.

We manage (or at least we think we do) with less sleep, less exercise, and more work, eating junk and processed foods on the run, fueling up with caffeine and sugar. Toss in 24/7 news and addictive devices that give us “screen sickness,” and is it any wonder that anxious is the new normal?

Our bodies have been hardwired to cope with stress since prehistoric times, but we are biologically ill-equipped to handle the kind of stress that accumulates in our lives today.

The brain, in all its majesty, can’t distinguish true physical emergencies from daily hassles, … Read More »


 

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Book Giveaway: Twists on Jane Austen Classics | December 17, 2009

Jane is my Co-Pilot: The Fine Art of Making Sense and Sensibility Totally Ridiculous
By Ben H. Winters,
Co-author of Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters

Since writing Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters, I’ve gotten a ton of feedback about how nice it is that I’ve made Jane Austen appealing to certain readers — meaning readers who previously suffered a persistent allergy to The Classics. I am complimented for taking the prim and decorous Jane Austen and making her, A) really violent, and B) really funny.

The first compliment I will gladly accept. Over the decades since Sense and Sensibility first … Read More »


 

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Book Giveaway: Clover Twig and the Magical Cottage | December 3, 2009

Young girls ages 9-12 will find a friend in Clover Twig, the titular character in Clover Twig and the Magical Cottage, a children’s book that got excellent reviews when it was published this summer. The story follow responsible Clover as she winds up working for a witch whose cottage holds a wealth of secrets.

Written by English author Kaye Umansky and illstrated by Johanna Wright, the book received praise from outlets including the School Library Journal, which wrote, “Fans of Roald Dahl or Eva Ibbotson may enjoy discovering the secret of the magical cottage along with Clover.”

The book is available from … Read More »


 

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Book Giveaway: Divorce Sucks | December 3, 2009

Dating with Children
by Mary Jo Eustace, edited by Joanne Kimes,
Author of Divorce Sucks: What to do when irreconcilable differences, lawyer fees, and your ex’s Hollywood wife make you miserable

Internet dating, hookups, blind dates, and the odd booty call — how does this cornucopia of dating delights mesh with your role as a mom and caregiver to your kids? It all comes down to this: You can have the time of your life right now. After all, you are a consenting adult and chances are you have been through hell, but your kids don’t need to know anything about … Read More »


 

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The Most Effective Endorphin Rush: Sex | December 2, 2009

The Most Effective Endorphin Rush: Sex
by Mary Jo Eustace, edited by Joanne Kimes,
Author of Divorce Sucks: What to do when irreconcilable differences, lawyer fees, and your ex’s Hollywood wife make you miserable

No pun intended here, but let’s not beat around the bush. Obviously some great, mind blowing, endorphin-releasing sex would be an awesome way to jump back in the game. For some of us, it might not be happening at this very moment. And that’s okay. Our neurotransmitters can make us feel good in other ways. I know a chocolate bar and a good joke don’t quite replace … Read More »


 

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To Dish or Not to Dish? That is the Question | November 30, 2009

To Dish or not to Dish? That is the Question
By Mary Jo Eustace,
Author of Divorce Sucks: What to do when irreconcilable differences, lawyer fees, and your ex’s Hollywood wife make you miserable

Should a nice Canadian gal sell her soul “just a little” to rake up a few thousand more book sales or should she take the high road and hope her message won’t get lost in the din of the circus that surrounds her?

Now trust me — I am not suggesting I am the Mother Theresa of the book world — on the contrary. From what I recall … Read More »


 

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Author Weaves Tale of Ambition, Greed and Resolution | November 30, 2009

THE GATES OF HELL By Caroline Addenbrooke

From the court of King John of Spain and Isabella of Portugal to the legendary lost civilization of Afar on the west coast of Africa, a cast of characters as diverse and fascinating as the two countries, embark on a dazzling and fearsome journey.

Catalina, to reveal the truth of her ancestry, find her brother, and return the Caliph to Portugal; her husband, Rui, to break with the past and seek the gold of Afar; Mbemba, unlawful King of the Kongo, and friend to Rui, driven to murder his father and siblings to … Read More »


 

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Seven Ways To Manage Your Diabetic Waistline During the Holidays | November 20, 2009

Seven Ways To Manage Your Diabetic Waistline During the Holidays
By Frederic J. Vagnini, M.D., FACS, and Lawrence D. Chilnick,
Authors of The Weight Loss Plan for Beating Diabetes: The 5-Step Program That Removes Metabolic Roadblocks, Sheds Pounds Safely, and Reverses Prediabetes and Diabetes

During the holiday season many dedicated dieters or those who follow special diets for diabetes, heart disease or other conditions not only “fall off the wagon” but also leap into the deep end of the pool. Don’t feel guilty. This is a normal reaction to attending large family dinners where everyone makes food loaded with seductive carbohydrates. We … Read More »


 

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10 Ways to Become a Girl on Top | November 19, 2009

10 Ways to Become a Girl on Top

By Nicole Williams,
Author of Girl on Top: Your Guide to Turning Dating Rules into Career Success

She knows how to work a room, she’s always impeccably dressed, and no matter how hard you might try you just can’t seem to break her confidence. Hate her or love her, everyone wants to be her. Here are 10 tactics to achieving your own Girl on Top status:

Know what you want and have the guts to ask for it. There’s nothing worse than being completely tongue-tied when you finally get face time with your boss.
Never offer … Read More »