Bonus Post

In keeping with the tradition I began last year, I have a Christmas in July surprise planned, but the 25th falls on a Wednesday this year. Soooo... I thought I'd give you a review of a great book I read recently. You know, just to tide you over.

I've been singing Jon F. Merz's praises ad nauseam for a while now. Get over it. There are just certain authors I believe deserve it. Bernard Schaffer's another one... And William Vitka... Tony Healey... Wait, where was I? Oh yeah, Merz.

Anyhow, if you've been reading my blog for any length of time, you know that Jon's one of my favorite authors because of his Lawson vampire series. Well, his latest is about zombies and it's awesome. What truly pushes it over the top for me is that it's got a badass female main character and it's aimed at the young adult market. It's like a trifecta of fiction goodness.

Oh, I almost forgot to mention, it's a serial, so you'll see more. But that's good. Because you'll want to. (I knew I shouldn't have had Mountain Dew with dinner.)

So after you take a look at the cover art, read my official Amazon review then get your butt over there and download it. Or go to Kobo... Or Barnes & Noble... Or Smashwords... You get the point.

I feel very lucky because I got to enjoy this first installment of Zombie Ryu before its publication. I was already a fan of Jon's writing and I'm very pleased to say that this piece stands up to the quality his fans have come to expect.

His existing fans will enjoy this book, most likely the entire series, just as much as they enjoy his Lawson adventures. However, with its strong female main character in a male-dominated world, Jon Merz's latest creation provides an excellent reason for young adults to read.

Immediately, the reader is immersed in the story and drawn from one minor adventure to the next in epic fashion reminiscent of Tolkein. But that is not what impressed me the most.

What really captivated me as I read is the beautiful style Merz brings to everything he writes with a shift in voice that suits each micro-genre individually. It's easy to recognize this as Jon's work, but this is by no means a Lawson adventure. At no point was I expecting my favorite Bostonian vampire to come bursting onto the scene and save the day.

Zombie Ryu deserves every one of its five stars.

Happy Reading!

Curvy Knits

The Barton Cardigan is not included as part of the course, but it is shown as an example

A few weeks ago I told you about a great online course available from Craftsy called Curvy Crochet by Marly Bird. This week I'd like to tell you about it's close cousin, Curvy Knits.

I still consider myself a beginner when it comes to knitting. However, I'm confident enough in my ability that I'm willing to try just about any stitch pattern. I picked out a sweater pattern and bought the yarn for it months ago, but I've been a bit gunshy about starting the project.  Thanks to watching Curvy Knits, I'm feeling much more confident about trying the pattern. NOW I have to find the time.

The best thing about this class is the energy. Marly and the music in the intro are both upbeat, but not obnoxiously so. And the outtakes shown at the end of each class add to the fun. Marly has a genuine honesty as an instructor. She's not afraid to discuss figure problems/issues that we, as full-figured women have.  And she does it in plain English. She doesn't sugar-coat anything in the interest of modesty; she tells it like it is.  She speaks to the camera/student as she might speak to a trusted friend. It's easy to trust her and to enjoy her company as you watch her videos.

How about the technical? Marly keeps the math as simple as possible, but if you miss anything, you can back it up and watch it again. You can also take notes, bookmark wherever you want, and ask questions. I talked about this when I reviewed Curvy Crochet but it's well worth mentioning again:  the Duck Tape dress form is BRILLIANT and worth the price of admission.  It most certainly beats paying a fortune for a professional form and you're making an exact copy of YOU! The course materials are clear and as simple as they can be and can be printed over and over again.

This series is so chock full of great information I couldn't possibly touch on all of it, but I can definitely recommend it in good conscience.

Here's the best part:  By following this link, you can get Curvy Knits at a discount! It normally sells for $49.99, but you can enroll for $29.99 and never have to pay to see it again. Yes, just like buying a DVD, you own it forever.

Happy knitting!