For many reasons the public library is one of my favorite places to visit. (Blerdy = black + nerdy!) It's quiet, except during children's story time, but hearing all those high-pitched voices oohing and aahing as the tale unfolds is the cheerful sound of future readers. Plus, they're young kids. Their behavior gets viewed with some leniency due to their youth. Lately, whiny adults have been harshing my usual library buzz with their complaints about how loudly other patrons are tapping the keys on their keyboards. (Earbuds exist for a reason.) Another so-called adult loudly and repeatedly complained that she shouldn't need to wait in the queue for the next available computer because some people were only playing games and should get bumped from their seats in favor of people who need to do work. (Um, the library's been open for hours; you should have come earlier.) With silent (It's the library!) cheers from the nearby patrons, the librarian scolded this narcis...

Grown-Ups Getaway Giveaway Hello, Reading has been a brain escape for me since my dad used silly voices at bedtime to enact each character from my collection of Dr. Seuss books. The launch of Dodging Eros, Through Past, Present and Pleasure by Private Moments Publishing (an imprint of 5 Prince Publishing) seems like the perfect opportunity to offer reviewers and readers a chance to win a mini-retreat from the demands of being a grown-up and to focus on the pleasures of being a consenting adult. Giveaway Details: A mid-week, 3-day/2-night getaway for two adults (both at least 18 years old) Entry period will run from 12:01 a.m. ET Monday, January 4, 2016  until at least 10 reviews of Dodging Eros are posted to Goodreads and Amazon.(1) Winner will be chosen by random drawing, and announced on the Blerdy Binge Reader blog (BlerdyBingeReader.blogspot.com) and posted to the Cardyn Brooks Facebook page by 30 days after the ...

Amazing  Real  Raw       Try finding a mainstream contemporary romance novel without one or all of these three adjectives sprinkled throughout the dialogue and narration. Regardless of the characters' stated chronological ages, so many of them talk, think and act like hormonal teenagers.       Must the explosive growth of the teen, young adult and new adult publishing markets thrive at the expense of the variety and volume and caliber of fun fiction content for grown-up readers? Established bestselling adult fiction authors have been converted (drafted/coerced/brainwashed?) into becoming YA writers. The results have been mixed, often yielding characters and stories that in no way reflect an author's previously established storytelling greatness.       Isn't it possible and profitable to meet the demands of the rapidly growing markets for younger readers while also continuing to meet the needs of grown-...

http://www.cbsnews.com/videos/cicely-tyson-reflects-on-her-life-and-career/ My personal belief is that every person is of equal intrinsic value to the enrichment of civilization regardless of gender, skin color, ethnicity, sexual orientation, age, social class or religion. Unfortunately, present-day society uses a more convoluted formula to assign value to people. (Originally created in 2012 at the beginning of my own learning curve regarding the complexity of gender identity, listing Trans and Intersexed under sexual orientation was not done with malicious intent.)

More details are coming soon on the Dodging Eros: Grown-Ups Getaway Giveaway Facebook page.

New fun fiction for grown-ups to ring out the old year and start the new one is coming soon. ARCs, promo and giveaway details TBA.

Obliviousness of Privilege Syndrome Parade of Stars September 2015 Edition Matt Damon: His original statement to Effie T. Brown didn't shock or surprise me. It was his "merit over diversity" remark during his apology that disappointed me because diversity does not mutually exclude merit or excellence.  http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-diversity-makes-us-smarter/   Nancy Lee Grahn: Her response to Viola Davis's Emmy acceptance speech unintentionally reinforced many points about fighting to be included and the blindspot those who are routinely included often have about the challenges faced by people who are regularly excluded.  Martin Shkreli: Projecting a smug, condescending manner of patronizing ennui, plus a glaring failure to admit the obvious truth about the company's primary pricing motives made his CBS This Morning interview with Don Dahler seem like a Jimmy Fallon spoof of a CEO who is out of touch...