Karl Alexander

I love books about time travel so I wanted to read these two by Karl Alexander about H G Wells, his time machine, and Jack the Ripper.

I much preferred the sequel to the original.  I think Alexander's story telling has improved in the 30 years since the original was written.  Either that, or the sequel is much better edited.

I really enjoyed the story line of "Time After Time" and I especially liked the experiences of Wells in 1979 and what he observed about the technological changes.  Then in 2010 in "Jaclyn the Ripper" he gets to compare another 30 years of changes, i.e. computers and cell phones.

The area that Alexander improved in the sequel was expressing the thoughts and feelings of his female characters, especially Jaclyn, as "he" finds himself in a female body.

In the original, when Alexander tried to explain what Amy (Well's companion from 1979) is feeling, it's very flat.

I'd like to see the movie that was made from "Time After Time". I'm curious to see how it was adapted and what parts of the story line and dialogue were kept for the movie.


If you click the book covers, they will take you to Amazon. These are affiliate links and if you purchase the books, I'd earn a small commission from Amazon

Tasha Alexander

I just finished "And Only to Deceive" by Tasha Alexander, and I'm ready to read more of the series.

It's set in Victorian England and Lady Emily is a widow so that gives her more freedom(s) than married women have. Her husband died after they'd been married for six months so she hardly knew him.

In this "case", she's discovering more about him and his friends.  He collected art antiquities but there are some mysteries about his motives and intents that she's trying to uncover.

My sister gave me this book to read (bless her!!) and I didn't know it was a series until I searched the author at my library.  At this time, there are 7 total in the series, so I'll see how far I get.

HTML Rotate

The free banner rotator service that I use for my websites  has stopped displaying ads and has notified me that they will probably discontinue the service. Bummer.

So I was on a scramble to find new software that would provide the same kind of functionality at a reasonable price (or free, preferably).

I found the free HTML Rotate script offered by FocalMedia.net, and decided to try it.  It's exceptionally easy to install and use.  It gives me all the flexibility I need for my banners by allowing me to create groups and any size that I want.

My web host is Linux, so I have SSI, but you could also use the HTML Rotate script in place of SSI (if your web host doesn't have it).

The Pro version (paid) will allow you to track stats for your banners (ads), but for now, the free version meets my needs.

(I'm not an affiliate for FocalMedia although they do offer an affiliate program that I may join in the future.)

Jennifer Lee Carrell

"Haunt Me Still" is the second in the series by Jennifer Lee Carrell featuring Kate Stanley who is a Shakespearian scholar who finds herself in a race to discover a lost Shakespeare play.

One of the things I enjoy about books, especially meticulously researched books, is reading the Author's Notes at the end of the book. They will usually give historical references and explain which elements and people in the book are real and which were fantasized for the plot.

This book has lengthy notes which was very impressive. Especially since all the elements combined so well to make the book thrilling, exciting, and kinda creepy. But when you're dealing with witches and MacBeth, it would tend to be that way.

University of Chicago - Celiac Disease Center

I got the most amazing care package full of gluten free products, samples, and information last week from the University of Chicago - Celiac Disease Center

They have a program where  you can request a care package if you've been diagnosed with celiac disease via an intestinal biopsy.

It made me feel hopeful to see how many varieties of foods are available, especially those that taste good.  Being gluten-free for medical reasons can make me feel isolated, excluded, and frustrated, so  getting a wonderful package like this was a real delight.