Happy National Thesaurus Day

18 January 2024

If you’re a reader, you already love words. You may not have know that there is actually a day that celebrates words….well, optional words….okay, alternative words!

“National Thesaurus Day, on January 18th, honors Peter Mark Roget, the author of Roget’s Thesaurus, who was born on this day in 1779.”

How does one celebrate Thesaurus Day? Thesaurus.com has the following suggestions::

Thesaurus activities

Thesauruses aren’t all about the work and no play. National Thesaurus Day is an excellent day for using Thesaurus.com to play fun word games, teach kids of all ages how to use a thesaurus, and add a few new words to your vocabulary.

Rewrite a famous story, poem, or song

Are you a fan of Taylor Swift’s “All Too Efficiently”? What about Celine Dion’s “My Cardiac Organ Will Persevere”? If you’re thinking those song titles don’t sound quite like the ones you remember, that’s because they’ve taken a trip through Thesaurus.com. Try taking a favorite song, poem, or even short story and using the thesaurus to change the words. Then, share your hilarious results. This could be a good activity for team building at work or an excellent way to get middle and high school students excited about synonyms.

For more fun activities to celebrate this illustrious celebration of finding the right word, visit ThesaurusDay.com

HAROLD SCHECHTER AND ERIC POWELL RETURN TO TRUE CRIME STORYTELLING

Jocie McKade

17 January 2024

HAROLD SCHECHTER AND ERIC POWELL RETURN TO TRUE CRIME STORYTELLING WITH “DR. WERTHLESS: THE MAN WHO STUDIED MURDER (AND NEARLY KILLED THE COMICS INDUSTRY)”
From the team behind Did You Hear What Eddie Gein Done?

Acclaimed true crime author Harold Schechter, multiple- Eisner Award-winning cartoonist Eric Powell, and Dark Horse Books present a new true crime graphic novel, Dr. Werthless: The Man Who Studied Murder (And Nearly Killed the Comics Industry), arriving Summer 2024.

Dr. Werthless: The Man Who Studied Murder (And Nearly Killed the Comics Industry) examines one of the most polarizing figures in pop culture: Dr. Frederic Wertham. Reviled by comic book fans as a witch-hunting zealot who stirred up panic among the parents of America for his own self-promoting purposes, he was also a renowned psychiatrist who, among other accomplishments, opened a clinic in Harlem for disadvantaged African-American patients and played an important role in the desegregation of the nation’s schools. Believing that murder could be abolished through a proper understanding of the mental and social roots of criminal violence, he took a genuinely humane approach to some of the most notorious homicidal maniacs of his time. Among these was the monstrous Albert Fish, whose relationship with Wertham forms a key section of Schechter and Powell’s book, epitomizing the renowned psychiatrist’s deep contradictions: his enlightened efforts to shed light on the most depraved aspects of human behavior and his willingness to exploit his subjects’ lurid cases histories for his own commercial ends.

“When Harold and I were discussing possible topics for another collaboration to follow Did You Hear What Eddie Gein Done?, the minute Harold said, ‘What about Fredric Wertham?’,I knew we had something,” said Powell. “The history of comics, civil rights and some of the most shocking murder cases in America. And a polarizing, complex individual at the center of it all. I think this book will be fascinating to anyone who is a fan of true crime, American history, psychology or comics.”

Dr. Werthless: The Man Who Studied Murder (And Nearly Killed the Comics Industry), a 200-page 6×9 hardcover volume, will be released in bookstores on July 30, 2024 and in comic shops on July 31, 2024. It is now available to pre-order for $29.99 at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and your local comic shop and bookstoree.

Be sure to follow Dark Horse Comics on social media and check our website, www.darkhorse.com, for more news, announcements, and updates!

Praise for Did You Hear What Eddie Gein Done?:
“Did You Hear What Eddie Gein Done? uses the facts of Ed Gein’s life to tell you a story so compelling, so expertly rendered, and compassionately told, it will confront your capacity for empathy and have you questioning what you consider your truth.”—Comics Bookcase

“Did You Hear What Eddie Gein Done? is a powerful meditation on the things that can make a person take the lives of others, and then go further. It’s a detailed and very smart take on True Crime that is interested in explaining the phenomenon that is Ed Gein.”—Comics Beat

“It is fantastic! Not only is Eric Powell’s art on point, but Harold Schechter introduces some new ideas about Ed Gein that have never been heard.”-The Last Podcast on the Left

“This is a new true crime comics essential.”-SyFy Wire

“The artistic decisions are what make this feel less like a textbook lesson on Gein and more of a fantastic visual voyage of what really happened, right up to his death.”-Cemetery Dance

“It’s a vibrant, moody miniature, encapsulating everything compelling and absurd about true crime in the stark overcast shadows of a frigid Wisconsin winter.”-The Comics Journal

“Meticulously researched and realised by writer Harold Schechter and artist Eric Powell, Did You Hear What Eddie Gein Did? is a gritty, engrossing graphic novel depicting the life and crimes of Ed Gein.”-Comicon

Dark Horse Comics

Sneak Peek: The Book of Elsewhere: A Novel By Keanu Reeves and China Miéville

Jocie McKade

17 January 2024

The Book of Elsewhere: A Novel By Keanu Reeves and China Miéville

A new novel that is set in the world of the BRZRKR comics. According to the publisher Del Rey: “The Book of Elsewhere, follows an immortal warrior on a millennias-long quest to discover the key to his immortality—and perhaps, a way to free himself from it.”

Keanu Reeves said in a press release: “It was extraordinary to have the opportunity to collaborate on The Book of Elsewhere with one of my favorite authors, China Miéville. China did exactly what I was hoping for—he came in with a clear architecture for the story and how he wanted to play with the world of BRZRKR, a world that I love so much. I was thrilled with his vision and feel honored to be a part of this collaborative process.”

The book will be released in July. It is available for pre-order.

What to Read If You Can’t Wait to Watch Percy Jackson

Jocie McKade

17 January 2024

Whether you loved reading the Percy Jackson series growing up or you’re just excited about the upcoming TV show adaptation, we have some book recs filled with adventure to check out while you wait to get lost in the world of Olympic gods.

The Scapegracers Trilogy by H. A. Clarke

There’s power in numbers and magic among friends.

Lonely Castle in the Mirror by Mizuki Tsujimura

When you need to band together to discover a magical truth.

The Nightland Express by J. M. Lee

A journey into a magical world right alongside our own.

Day Boy by Trent Jamieson

Your Dad might be a monster, but you still love him

The Stone Road by Trent Jamieson

You have a legacy of power, magic, and responsibility.

River Mumma by Zalika Reid-Benta

What do you mean a Jamaican river goddess needs MY help?

Reprinted with permission from Kensington Books.

New Release: Shattercone by Tristan Hughes

Jocie McKade

16 January 2024

Shattercone by Tristan Hughes

From the remote forests of northern Ontario to a Neolithic burial chamber on the coast of north Wales, from a frozen lake in the Canadian wilderness to a mysterious Welsh heath, Shattercone takes the reader on a strange, compelling, and sometimes heart-breaking journey through the blurry junctures that bind together landscapes and lovers. Including buried elephant bones, explorers gone astray, hidden histories, secret islands, and loves found and lost, these subtly linked stories explore the curious and delicate threads that weave together places and people.

A-List Cast Stars in Audible’s “1984“ Audio Thriller

Jocie McKade

16 January 2024

Audible today announced its new audio thriller based on George Orwell’s dystopian masterpiece 1984, featuring an all-star cast. Golden Globe winning and Oscar nominated actor Andrew Garfield (Tick, Tick…Boom!) leads the adaptation as Winston alongside Grammy, Emmy and Tony award winning and Oscar nominated actor Cynthia Erivo (Wicked, Harriet) as Julia. Alongside Garfield and Erivo, Tom Hardy (Inception, The Dark Knight Rises) voices Big Brother and Andrew Scott (All of Us Strangers, Fleabag) plays alluring, mysterious and dangerous O’Brien.

The cast also features Romesh Ranganathan as Parsons, Natasia Demetriou as Mrs. Parsons, Chukwudi Iwuji as Charrington, Francesca Mills as Syme, Katie Leung as Ling, Alex Lawther as Ampleforth alongside a full ensemble.

George Orwell’s 1984, an Audible Original, will be released globally on April 4, 2024, exactly 40 years after the date of Winston’s first diary entry. The adaptation has been officially authorized and endorsed by the Orwell Estate with Richard Blair, George Orwell’s son, calling it “sensational” with a “brilliant cast.”

Transporting listeners into the dystopian world of 1984, Muse’s front-man, producer and songwriter, Matthew Bellamy and award-winning composer Ilan Eshkeri (BBC’s A Perfect World, Ghost of Tsushima) have created an original score performed by a 60-piece orchestra at Abbey Road studios, featuring reworkings of two of Muse’s most iconic tracks. The production is underpinned by a visceral, haunting soundscape, and mixed in Dolby Atmos.

Directed by BAFTA award winning Destiny Ekaragha (Ted Lasso, The End of the F****ing World), this Audible Original adaptation, penned by Olivier Award nominated writer Joe White (Blackout Songs, The Little Big Things) stays faithful to the original text, leaning into the horror of the dystopian setting, whilst going deeper into Winston and Julia’s love story. In a world where love and sex are forbidden, Winston and Julia are the last lovers on earth.
Destiny Ekaragha, Director of Audible’s 1984 said: “This is my first experience directing an audio drama, and what an honour it was to work so closely with a cast of this calibre. I can’t wait for everyone to hear what Andrew, Cynthia and Tom have done with these iconic characters.”

Aurelie de Troyer, Head of Regional Content, Europe at Audible said: “This is 1984 like you’ve never heard it before. We’ve assembled a top team of creatives across the board, and the combination of the principal cast and Matt and Ilan’s epic soundtrack is something quite extraordinary. Andrew Garfield was born to play Winston – just wait until you hear his performance.”

Available to pre-order now exclusively on audible at audible.com/1984

Parade of Streetlights by Itua Uduebo

Jocie McKade

16 January 2024

Parade of Streetlights by Itua Uduebo

Life is lived between the checklists

Parade of Streetlights is a captivating exploration of the millennial experience. Following a significant incident from his youth in Lagos, Kolawole Idowu always had a haunting desire to return to Nigeria and commit his time to making a difference. Within the course of a year, Kola explores his home of New York City and all aspects of his world with candor and humor. Kola is both self-conscious and observant as he encounters people on the streets of NYC and constantly struggles with the idea of what it means to be himself.

Parade of Streetlights is a deeply personal and introspective debut novel from author Itua Uduebo told in vignettes and featuring characters who are working through many personal absurdities.

This is a novel about the choices we make, the ways we restrict ourselves needlessly, and the freedom of embracing the authentic pursuit of happiness. Kola’s voice is a welcome addition to the literary canon and his story will stay with you long after the last page is finished.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Itua was born in Lagos, Nigeria, reside in New York, NY, and graduated from Georgetown University with a degree in International Politics. He is currently working in the financial technology industry. His writing journey began in

his college years and to date he has several essays, articles, freeform poems, and short stories published online and in print. His focuses are new adult fiction, urban literature, science fiction, thrillers, politics, racial justice, culture, and global affairs. Currently working on his second novel manuscript and always looking to take on new creative challenges.

There’s a Book for That: Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

Jocie McKade

15 January 2024

On Monday, January 15, we honor Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., who was born on January 15, 1929 in Atlanta, Georgia. As ever, MLK Day celebrates the life of a man who brought hope and healing to America. It’s a time to commemorate the timeless values Dr. King exemplified – courage, truth, justice, compassion, dignity, humility and service – as well as the forgiveness and nonviolence that empowered his leadership. It’s especially important for the young to learn about Dr. King’s character and contributions and the power of words. We recommend the books herein for education and inspiration for all ages.

Visit The King Center’s site here for more information.

Why We Can't Wait by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. WHY WE CAN’T WAIT by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Afterword by Rev. Jesse Jackson, Sr.

Martin Luther King’s classic exploration of the events and forces behind the Civil Rights Movement-including his Letter from Birmingham Jail, April 16, 1963.

BROTHERS IN THE BELOVED COMMUNITY: THE FRIENDSHIP OF THICH NHAT HANH AND MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. by Marc Andrus

The never-before-told story of the friendship between Martin Luther King Jr. and Thich Nhat Hanh-icons who changed each other and the world.

MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.: THE LAST INTERVIEW AND OTHER CONVERSATIONS

This collection ranges from an early 1961 interview in which King describes his reasons for joining the ministry (after considering medicine), to a 1964 conversation with Robert Penn Warren, to his last interview, which was conducted on stage at the convention of the Rabbinical Assembly, just ten days before King’s assassination.

Strength to Love by Martin Luther King, Jr. STRENGTH TO LOVE: SERMONS FROM STRENGTH TO LOVE AND OTHER PREACHINGS by Martin Luther King, Jr., Coretta Scott King

The classic collection of Dr. King’s sermons that fuse his Christian teachings with his radical ideas of love and nonviolence as a means to combat hate and oppression.

“THOU, DEAR GOD” PRAYERS THAT OPEN HEARTS AND SPIRITS by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Lewis V. Baldwin, Reverend Dr. Julius R. Scruggs

“Thou, Dear God” is the first and only collection of sixty-eight prayers by Martin Luther King, Jr. Arranged thematically in six parts–with prayers for spiritual guidance, special occasions, times of adversity, times of trial, uncertain times, and social justice–Baptist minister and King scholar Lewis Baldwin introduces the book and each section with short essays.

Part of The King Legacy series which encompasses Dr. King’s most important writings, including sermons, orations, lectures, and prayers.

Martin Luther King, Jr. by Marshall Frady MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.: A LIFE by Marshall Frady

Marshall Frady, the reporter who became the unofficial chronicler of the civil rights movement, here re-creates the life and turbulent times of its inspirational leader. Deftly interweaving the story of King’s quest with a history of the African American struggle for equality, Frady offers fascinating insights into his subject’s magnetic character, with its mixture of piety and ambition. The result is a biography that conveys not just the facts of King’s life but the power of his legacy.

Redemption by Joseph Rosenbloom REDEMPTION: MARTIN LUTHER KING JR.’S LAST 31 HOURS by Joseph Rosenbloom

Redemption draws on dozens of interviews by the author with people who were immersed in the Memphis events, features recently released documents from Atlanta archives, and includes compelling photos. Also revealed is what his assassin, James Earl Ray, was doing in Memphis during the same time and how a series of extraordinary breaks enabled Ray to construct a sniper’s nest and shoot King.

FOR YOUNGER READERS

I Have a Dream by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. I HAVE A DREAM (Book & CD) by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.; Illustrated by Kadir Nelson

Experience history with this picture book of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s iconic speech, including an audio CD. This Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor Book will inspire young readers!

Dear Martin by Nic Stone DEAR MARTIN by Nic Stone

Justyce McAllister is a good kid, an honor student, and always there to help a friend-but none of that matters to the police officer who just put him in handcuffs. Despite leaving his rough neighborhood behind, he can’t escape the scorn of his former peers or the ridicule of his new classmates. Justyce looks to the teachings of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. for answers. But do they hold up anymore? He starts a journal to Dr. King to find out.

A Place to Land by Barry Wittenstein A PLACE TO LAND: MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR> AND THE SPEECH THAT INSPIRED A NATION by Barry Wittenstein; Illustrated by Jerry Pinkney

As a new generation of activists demands an end to racism, A Place to Land reflects on Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech and the movement that it galvanized.

MY DREAM OF MARTIN LUTHER KING by Faith Ringgold

Now in Dragonfly-from the acclaimed creator of the Caldecott Honor Book Tar Beach comes a personal and captivating portrait of the life of Martin Luther King, Jr.

For more information on these and related titles visit MLKJR

PenguinRandomHouse

Jeffrey B. Simon’s New Book Last Rights Makes National Headlines and Ignites a Movement for Justice

Jocie McKade

15 January 2024

Best-Selling Author, law professor, prominent media analyst on outlets such as The Guardian, Reuters, New York Times, BBC, and serving as a legal analyst on Dan Abrams Law & Crime Network, Jeffrey B. Simon, thrusts readers into the heart of a corporate hostile takeover of the American civil justice system, Last Rights: The Fight to Save the 7th Amendment. Through courtroom drama and poignant vignettes, Simon takes readers on an astonishing journey, sounding the alarm on a corporate repeal of consumer, worker, and patient rights that sabotages public safety and personal freedoms in the pursuit of plunder and profit. Written with tremendous power, logic, and moral force, Last Rights calls upon readers to join in the mission to restore our civil justice system and every American’s right to trial by jury before we forfeit those freedoms to corporate Goliaths forever.

The 7th Amendment, which guarantees every American the right to trial by jury, is inscribed in the Bill of Rights, but now teeters on the brink of extinction. Simon’s impeccably researched narrative unveils the clandestine maneuvers of corporate juggernauts, delivering a jarring wake-up call of our need for reckoning and change.

Jeffrey B. Simon challenges readers to confront an uncomfortable reality: the 7th Amendment is buckling under constant corporate assault, an erosion that undermines essential consumer protections and civil justice. “Nobody denies the existence of the 7th Amendment, and yet no one can empirically dispute that Americans have been stripped of this existential promise piece by piece, year by year for the past two decades,” declares Simon.

Matthew Dowd, Senior Political Analyst for MSNBC News, heralds the book as an essential read in these tumultuous times: “At a pivotal moment in American history when we face an assault on our constitutional democracy, my friend Jeffrey B. Simon’s book is an essential read.”

Last Rights extends a compelling invitation, not only to legal professionals but to all conscientious Americans, urging them to stand shoulder to shoulder in the fight to restore the civil justice system.

Last Rights: The Fight to Save the 7th Amendment is available for $18.00 (audiobook $17.00, eBook $13.00) ISBN is 979-8-88925-426-3, published by Dorrance Publishing Co., Inc. Now available in paperback, ebook and audiobook through Amazon, Audible, Barnes & Noble, Dorrance Publishing, Apple Books, GooglePlay, and Walmart. For a press review copy, visit HERE.

Behind The Words With Sara Brunsvold

Jocie McKade

15 January 2024

Today, we welcome author Sara Brunsvold to the blog. Sara will be talking about her latest release THE DIVINE PROVERB OF STREUSEL.

First, give our readers a look inside The Divine Proverb of Steusel.

The Divine Proverb of Streusel follows Nikki Werner as she escapes to her uncle’s small Missouri farm amid an unfolding family crisis, hoping to find a way to piece her life back together. She finds solace in cooking her way through her great-grandmother’s German recipes. What starts as a reprieve, however, turns into an avenue for her to discover a family history she never knew, helped along by Uncle Wes and his tight-knit community. The more she learns about her heritage and her family’s past, the more the path forward comes into view—including with her estranged father. This book is a deeply personal one, as it draws from my own family story.

What do you hope readers will gain from reading The Divine Proverb of Streusel?

I hope readers will come away from their time in Eddner, Missouri, with an inspiration to discover their own roots and, above all, a renewed hope in the power of forgiveness.

What inspired the idea of a handwritten cookbook infused with proverbs?

The notebook Nikki finds was the author’s attempt to preserve their shared heritage, which included both food and faith. This idea of using the written form to pass down what matters to the next generation was apparently popular among German immigrants in the early 1900s. During my research, I came across a family biography by a local reporter who wrote about his grandmother’s self-described “common book,” which was a simple notebook in which she captured life lessons for her children. Then, as I was going through my own family artifacts, I found an antique Webster’s composition notebook filled with periodical clippings that featured inspirational poems, wise sayings, and hymn lyrics. Some clippings were in English and some in German. I don’t know who in the family line compiled the notebook, but I treasure it and used it as a physical model for the one Nikki discovers.

What about your own background influenced Nikki’s story?

German immigrant ancestors and a farming community are part of my background too. Most notably, though, I also was a young adult when my parents’ marriage dissolved. No matter how old the children are, divorce is traumatic. I struggled with resentment toward my dad in the aftermath. I also wrestled with faith in general during this time. God used a number of means—family members, older women, sermons, songs on the radio—to surround me with the truth of what resentment does to a person. Like Nikki, I had to make a choice: vindication or the chance to have lasting peace. From the start, I wanted this book

to be my praise song to my gracious heavenly Father for what he did in, around, and through me (and my family) during that pivotal time.

Do you have a favorite character in The Divine Proverb of Streusel?

Nikki’s uncle, Wes, captured my imagination the most as I was writing, and he still does. Part of the story is told from his perspective, and goodness, if he isn’t the epitome of the German-descent farmers I grew up around. Stoic and humble, duty and honor bound. A man of few words. That’s what I commonly saw of the men both in my family and in our Missouri farm community. Hidden inside, though, Wes has all these layers of reactions and emotions. He is a man who questions if he is all he is meant to be, a man who misses his late mother’s affectionate smiles, a man whose protective instincts are strong though sometimes misplaced. He’s the kind of character who reminds me of men I have known and makes me wish everyone could have someone just like him in their lives.

What is your favorite recipe that appears in The Divine Proverb of Streusel?

Frikadellen, a German version of hamburgers, quickly became a family favorite, as did the German-style scalloped potatoes. But I’m most thrilled to offer up to readers a recipe for scalloped cabbage, straight from my great-grandma Lehenbauer’s collection. While not traditional fare, it incorporates German sensibilities for butter and cabbage. It was hands down my favorite dish growing up.

What is your favorite proverb from The Divine Proverb of Streusel, and what does it mean to you?

I have to go with the proverb for streuselkuchen, from which the book title is derived. “Streusel” comes from the German verb “streuen,” which means “to scatter.” That’s what you do with streusel—you scatter the buttery crumbles across the top of the kuchen (cake) dough. The biblical concept of sowing seeds comes into play in the proverb for the recipe. The streusel crumbles represent the seeds in the sower’s palm. The proverb creates a beautiful image in my mind based on this concept. That’s all I can say without giving too much away.

What draws you to writing about interpersonal relationships?

Nothing stretches us more, draws us to places we never thought we’d have the courage to go, or demands all of our being like learning to love others well. It is the single greatest adventure to which we all have equal access and the same calling.

How can readers connect with you?

I hope they do connect with me! On my website, SaraBrunsvold.com, I offer the recipe for streuselkuchen used in the book. I’m also on Instagram @Sara_Brunsvold and Facebook @SaraBrunsvoldAuthor.

Where can readers purchase a copy of The Divine Proverb of Streusel?

The Divine Proverb of Streusel is available wherever books and ebooks are sold.

Sara, thank you so much for joining us today. Dear readers, The Divine Proverb of Streusel releases tomorrow. Here’s a quick look:::::

Shaken by her parents’ divorce and discouraged by the growing chasm between herself and her serious boyfriend, Nikki Werner seeks solace at her uncle’s farm in a small Missouri hamlet. She’ll spend the summer there, picking up the pieces of her shattered present so she can plan a better future. But what awaits her at the ancestral farm is a past she barely knows.

Among her late grandmother’s belongings, Nikki finds an old notebook filled with handwritten German recipes and wise sayings pulled from the book of Proverbs. With each recipe she makes, she invites locals to the family table to hear their stories about the town’s history, her ancestors–and her estranged father.

What started as a cathartic way to connect to her heritage soon becomes the means through which she learns how the women before her endured–with the help of their cooking prowess. Nikki realizes how delicious streusel with a healthy dollop of faith can serve as a guide to heal wounds of the past.

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