Sunday, August 17, 2014

No, It Is Not Too Early, by Contributing Astronomy Editor Dan Matlaga

Today is August 17th, 2014.


Exactly three years from today there will be a total solar eclipse whose path of totality cuts diagonally across the United States. A total solar eclipse occurs when the moon passes directly between you and the sun. It means you are standing in the shadow of the moon.

It is not too early to type into Google "Solar Eclipse August 17 2017."

A map of the United States pops up to illustrate the path of totality. A map to tell you where you have to be in order to experience the full effect of the moon passing directly between you and the sun.  The effects of the eclipse will be greatly diminished if you step a mile or two outside the designated path. 

As the date for the eclipse looms closer, there will be reports of where you should go to get the best view.  In one location the total phase will last longer, in another the least chance cloud cover will spoil  eclipse viewing. 

It is worth investing the time and effort to experience the spectacle of a total eclipse of the sun. Authors have incorporated solar eclipses as part of their story line. (Click on the links below to learn more about the books mentioned.)






Mark Twain used an eclipse in his A Connecticut Yankee In King Arthur'sCourt, for example.  








In Herman Melville's classic Moby-Dick, solar eclipses are used in three pivotal events in the novel.  

Captain Ahab's leg is severed by the jaws of a giant white whale while a partial solar eclipse occurs to the north of the incident.  

While Ahab is being rushed back home to Nantucket, he is fitted with a leg made from the bone of a sperm whale. At home he and his wife give birth to a child.  Early one evening Ahab is found on the ground, his whale bone leg splintered, one piece of which has pierced his groin and all but unmanned him. This accident occurs on the date when an annular eclipse of the sun was visible at sunset from Nantucket. It is this event which sparked the mind of Ahab for a head to head confrontation with the white whale.
How can Ahab accomplish this?

He once again commands the ship Pequod.  Months after leaving Nantucket Ahab gathers the crew together aboard ship.  He convinces the crew that his vengeance is theirs.  What they want to do in life is kill Moby Dick.  Ahab nails a Spanish gold once coin to the mast. The coin given to the first crewmember who spots Moby Dick.  There is dialogue between Ahab, the crew and first mate Starbuck. What underlines this great theater, the third pivotal moment in the story, is the appearance of a total solar eclipse directly above the Pequod.


It is worth investing the time and effort to experience the spectacle of a total eclipse of the sun and no, it is not too early to start now!   




Friday, August 8, 2014

Welcome Back To Our Good Friend Milly Taiden! Check out "Unexpectedy Mated" AND Enter Milly's Fabulous Contest!!!



Unexpectedly Mated


After years of lusting over Jake Wolfe, Nicole finally got a taste of the dirty-talking bad boy. During the scenting ceremony, he showed her how explosive things can be between them. But Nicole doesn’t do love. She doesn’t even know what love is. So how can she know if a relationship with Jake would be the right path to take?

Jake Wolfe wants Nic more than his next breath. She’s curvy, mouthy and so hot his blood boils just thinking of her. But Nic’s been keeping him at a distance. And Jake is tired of her games. One fateful trip to Sin City and all bets are off. 

After a fun night of drinking, Nic wakes up married to Jake and with a second shifter wanting her for himself. She'll have to finally face the feelings she has or shut them out forever. Their newly formed bond will either allow her to open her heart to love or leave Jake without a mate to call his own.




Excerpt:
Property of Latin Goddess Press
© Milly Taiden

Maybe Ellie was wrong. What if there were snakes there? A firefly zoomed around her. She watched the tiny bug light up the dark with its yellow glow, zipping and buzzing back and forth in front of her. Some bugs weren’t so scary. From far away. 
Her attention shot down to the blanket in the darkness. She’d swear it moved again. Her mind ran on overdrive and she knew the likelihood of her seeing shit that wasn’t even there was big. She took a deep breath and sighed. Her muscles ached from how tense she held herself. The night’s coolness did nothing to stop the heat from the earlier part of the day. Her tank top stuck to her back. She yanked on the front part and blew on her boobs. Thank goodness she was alone or she’d look so stupid doing that.
The others had gone silent. She wondered what they were up to. Where they as freaked out as her? Probably not. She’d bet Emma would live in the damn forest if she got a chance. Leaves crunched from a nearby bush. With an agility she knew she didn’t possess, she got on her knees on the blanket. The noise in the trees increased. Fear froze the blood in her veins. Her heartbeat thundered in her ears along with the sound of the harsh breaths that struggled in and out of her lungs. There was a wild animal near her.
Holy. Shit.
“Oh, hell no!” There was no way she would sit around to find out what the heck was in the bush. She struggled to her feet. Her leg had gone numb so she had to put her weight, which was not just a couple of pounds, on her other leg. Screw the video, she’d return in the morning and remove the camera.

She bent and yanked her bag from the blanket. Something poked at her ass. She turned on her heel to run. Her knees hit a big lump of...fur? Her body did a full flip over the big furry body and she landed on her back with a thud, half on and half off the blanket.


Author Bio:

 
Hi! I'm Milly Taiden (AKA April Angel). I love to write sexy stories. They're usually either paranormal or contemporary with a large dose of heat. My paranormal stories can be anything from wolf-shifters (my favorites) to witches, demons and anything in between. My contemporaries are usually anything from soldiers to corporate romances.
I was born the prettiest part of the Caribbean known as the Dominican Republic. Currently, I live in New York City with my hubby, the bossy kiddo and our little dog "Needy Speedy". Don't ask.
When I'm not working some really long hours at the day job, or hanging out in the awful life-sucking invention known as Facebook, messaging my bestie in the UK or shopping with my sis Julie, then I can be found watching scary movies. But when I'm not doing that, I'm usually writing because the voices won't shut up.
I am addicted to shoe shopping, chocolate (but who isn't, right?) and Dunkin' Donuts coffee.
Come on over and visit me! I love to meet new readers!


I hope you enjoyed this book. If you did, please consider writing a review.
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Email: millytaiden@gmail.com
Website: http://www.millytaiden.com
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