Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas to everyone! 

In the spirit of the holidays, please think of those across the globe that don't have enough. Something as small as chickens for $25 can make a big difference! 

Give two chickens. Chickens give children and families a lasting source of nutrition and income. Fresh eggs raise the levels of protein and other nutrients in a family’s diet, and the sale of extra eggs and chickens can pay for vital basics.

Your gift of chickens will also naturally multiply to impact generations of children. Each family that receives chickens can sell the offspring for extra income or share them with other families in need. Chicks require little money, space, or food to thrive and grow — making them an ideal business venture for a single mom or vulnerable family. 

Chickens have been a blessing for Placeda Mesias and her children in the Philippines. “I am happy because there will be food,” says the mother of six. “Like the eggs.” Three of Placeda’s children were suffering from malnutrition before receiving the chickens. Now they are back to a healthy weight thanks to the nutritious eggs. 

In another village down the road, Nelsa Cayapas is also grateful for her donated chickens. “Thank you because it’s a big help, especially in the needs of my children, their schooling and their health,” says the mother of four. Nelsa has been able to sell chickens and eggs to her neighbors, using the income to buy rice, milk, sugar, and school supplies. 

The World Vision full catalog of animal donations can be found HERE.

Movie Review: Grabbers

Grabbers
Release date: January 23, 2012 (initial release)
Director: Jon Wright
DVD release date: February 20, 2013
Running time: 94 minutes
Screenplay: Kevin Lehane

When an island off the coast of Ireland is invaded by bloodsucking aliens, the heroes discover that getting drunk is the only way to survive.

When I heard the premise of the new Movie Grabbers about a monster terrorizing an island off the west coast of Ireland, I nearly had a gromit. And I spent a blissful hour and a half on the island of Erin along with its residents as they battled a new life form that appears out of the sea.

Starring Richard Coyle (Human Traffic, Coupling), Ruth Bradley (Primeval, Doctor Who), Russell Tovey (Being Human, Doctor Who) and Bronagh Gallagher (The Commitments, Star Wars Phantom Menace), Grabbers is the first Irish monster movie and it doesn’t disappoint. What makes this movie so magical is the way it cleverly blends the Irish humour with monsters to create a sort of Father Ted meets Tremors movie. Usually Irish characters can come off as stereotypes and mockeries of the world but not so here.

Writer Kevin Lehane does a fantastic job of nailing the Irish humour with great characters that you fall in love with straight away. From Paddy (the star of the show for me), a fisherman who loves drink and finds the first monster and who holds the key to defeating them, to pub owners Brian (who has one of the best scenes in the movie involving a water pistol and a lot of drink and his wife Una (Gallagher) who thinks the monster assault is her surprise birthday party, Father Potts who doesn't fall quite as far as Father Jack on Craggy Island but you know he could, to Doctor Smith (Tovey) who strangely seems out of place here but portrays the actual only stereotype as an all-knowing, very posh English scientist trying to discover what this creature is and refusing to let Paddy name it since he found it. Coyle and Bradley are Garda officers O’Shea and Nolan respectively, trying to solve the mystery. They share some of the movie’s nicest human moments. O’Shea is a heavy drinker but has a good reason and it becomes key to his saving the island. Coyle could have easily let this slip into farce but you end up feeling for him and wanting him to get together with Nolan. Nolan is the good girl officer who doesn’t drink and ends up pie-faced. Even Dr Smith (a sly Doctor Who reference perhaps, given Tovey was rumoured to take over from David Tennant) gets in on the alcohol action with hilarious results. Ruth is completely different here to her characters of both Molly O’Sullivan, the first Irish companion in the Big Finish Doctor Who stories and Emily, the feisty Victorian lady in Primeval. She has a guarded innocence here, a lady that goes by the book until she has to get drunk to find out how much blood alcohol it takes to kill a Grabber. Problem is, she doesn't drink alcohol and the results are hilarious, especially in the church scene where they have to convince a skeptical crowd that they have to attend a lock in at the pub, something they are reluctant to do until they hear the drink is free.

You may have noticed that drink has featured a lot in the past few sentences. Well, that’s the crux of the movie and a brilliant idea that sticks its two fingers up to the rest of the world’s view that all Irish people are drunkards. If a sea monster invaded the land then trust them to end up on Irish shores where alcohol can kill them. And who better to fight giant mutant squid monsters allergic to alcohol than a crowd of Irish people pissed as farts? Brilliant idea, brilliantly conceived and played out in deadly seriousness sprinkled with little moments of true Irish craic and humour.

That’s not to say there isn't dark horror here; there is. From the opening scene of an unseen monster murdering a boat full of fishermen to the unfortunate Tadhg and Irene Murphy who answer the door to more than they bargained for and the tense beach scene where the monster attacks O’Shea and Nolan, the script bounces beautifully between humour and horror. The monster dangles an unlucky islander at the front door of the Murphys and Irene asks what he wants. Tadhg replies, ‘A dance, I think.’

The titular Grabbers are very well done and the effects are second to none. Paddy’s run in with them is particularly well done as is the final siege at the pub.

All round this is a movie we should be proud of; it does for Ireland what Tremors did for underground worm monsters; puts us right out there. Great layered performances that make you feel like you actually know these people, a cool story that rattles along nicely and afterwards you’ll want a pint – just in case you meet a Grabber on the way home.

Highly recommended.

4 Sheep

Guest Review: Owen Quinn from Following The Nerd

Book Review: Star Trek Federation: The First 150 Years by David A. Goodman

Star Trek Federation: The First 150 Years by David A. Goodman
Hardcover: 164 pages
Publisher: 47North; Har/Toy edition (December 4, 2012)
ISBN-10: 1612184170
ISBN-13: 978-1612184173

Assembled as a Special Exhibit on Memory Alpha, Star Trek Federation: The First 150 Years celebrates the 150th anniversary of the founding of the United Federation of Planets.

This unprecedented illustrated volume chronicles the pivotal era leading up to Humankind's First Contact with Vulcan in 2063, the Romulan War in 2156, the creation of the Federation in 2161, and the first 150 years of the intergalactic democracy up until the year 2311. Meticulously researched, this account covers a multitude of alien species, decisive battles, and the technology that made the Age of Exploration possible. It includes field sketches, illustrations, and reproductions of historic pieces of art from across the Galaxy, along with over fifty excerpts from key Federation documents and correspondence, Starfleet records, and intergalactic intelligence.

Housed in a pedestal display complete with lights and an audio introduction by Admiral Hikaru Sulu, this edition also features five removable documents from the Federation Archives, including Zefram Cochrane's early sketch of the warp-drive engine, a handwritten letter from young Jim Kirk, and the first-known diagram of a Trill symbiont.

Product Features:
• Pedestal display featuring electronic lights and sound (13.5” x 13.5” x 4”)
• Audio introduction by Admiral Hikaru Sulu
• 176-page hardcover book with four-color illustration throughout
• Envelope containing 5 removable artifacts
• Over fifty excerpts from key Federation documents and correspondence, Starfleet records, and intergalactic intelligence

One of the first TV shows I can remember, certainly one of the shows I cherish most from my childhood, is the original Star Trek series. Then, in the late eighties, when I caught my first glimpse of Star Trek: The Next Generation, my love for the show was rekindled. Beyond that, however, my inner fanboy has faded. I never became a "trekker" or "trekkie" or whatever it is the most ardent fans call themselves. The idea of becoming a collector of all things Trek never appealed to me. That said, there have been times ... 

I dare say Federation: The First 150 Years was created to appeal to the completists out there, particularly the fans who have followed the franchise over the decades. The book essentially chronicles the early years of humanity's climb into the cosmos within the Star Trek universe, and it's inevitable seat at the head of the intergalactic table.

Unlike a fan's guide to the show, however, the book is presented as if it exists within the Star Trek universe, almost like a historical textbook. It's with that approach that the book falls a little flat with me. Oh, there's a ton of information collected in this book's pages, and the attention to detail is remarkable. I'm just not the kind of guy who gravitates towards books and shows that chronicle a fictional universe as if they are part of that universe. Like, if there was a documentary about Ian Fleming's James Bond franchise, but it was produced as if it was actually investigating the British secret service, I would considerably less interested.
If, however, you don't have an aversion to this kind of immersion, then the book is bound to entertain. The Federation is captured and presented with a myriad of pictures, sketches, newspaper clippings, communiques, and other "official" documents to give a contextualized understanding of what the Federation of Planets actually was and what it's intentions were. Anyone who has seen the shows or watched the movies can probably recite the opening "These are the voyages ..." schtick, but the motivations behind it are put on full display in this book.

Casual fans hoping for a some Kirk and Spock biographies may walk away disappointed, as the focus really is on the Federation. In fact, because it's the first 150 years that the book focuses on, there's probably more references to the ill-fated show Enterprise than the original series. There is some new--at least new to me--back story regarding James T. Kirk and Spock in the latter half of the book, but the iconic characters are treating as facets of history, rather than the focus.

The package as a whole makes quite the collector's item, though I think you have to be a collector to actually warrant buying it. Fairweather fans and casual fans would likely settle on a Dummie's Guide, assuming there is one dedicated to the franchise. Still, dedicated fans are probably going to enjoy poring over this compendium. Personally, I'm interested to see how the next 150 years might be presented, as the franchise pretty much exploded with The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, and Voyager all happening basically within the same decade. Heck, that decade alone in the franchise's timeline would be a huge book to put together. For now, nostalgia has its hands full with this book.

3.5 Sheep

Guest Reviewer: 
Gef Fox- 
Wag the Fox- A Den of Dark Fiction

About the Author:
David A. Goodman has spent the last 24 years writing for television. His credits include The Golden Girls, Star Trek: Enterprise, Futurama (where he wrote the Nebula Award nominated Star Trek homage "Where No Fan Has Gone Before"), and Family Guy where he was head writer for six years. This is his first book. He lives in Pacific Palisades, CA with his family.

Sheep Book Review: Broken by A.E. Rought

Broken, by A.E. Rought, is the first book in her debut Young Adult series and unfortunately this series simply is not for me, in any way shape or form. Nice cover though! 

Plot:

A string of suspicious deaths near a small Michigan town ends with a fall that claims the life of Emma Gentry’s boyfriend, Daniel. Emma is broken, a hollow shell mechanically moving through her days. She and Daniel had been made for each other, complete only when they were together. Now she restlessly wanders the town in the late Fall gloom, haunting the cemetary and its white-marbled tombs, feeling Daniel everywhere, his spectre in the moonlight and the fog.

When she encounters newcomer Alex Franks, only son of a renowned widowed surgeon, she’s intrigued despite herself. He’s an enigma, melting into shadows, preferring to keep to himself. But he is as drawn to her as she is to him. He is strangely…familiar. From the way he knows how to open her locker when it sticks, to the nickname she shared only with Daniel, even his hazel eyes with brown flecks are just like Daniel’s. The closer they become, though, the more something inside her screams there’s something very wrong with Alex Franks.

And when Emma stumbles across a grotesque and terrifying menagerie of mangled but living animals within the walls of the Franks’ estate, creatures she surely knows must have died from their injuries, she knows.

If you're unaware, I am not a fan of YA as a whole. There have been titles that I've read and enjoyed like Othermoon by Nina Berry and Poison Princess by Kersley Cole, but as a whole the genre is usually not for me. Broken remains in the "not for me" category, so keep that in mind before reading further. 

Broken starts out with some interesting promise, a young high school gal named Emma has lost her high school boyfriend in a tragic accident. Devastated beyond belief, yet trying to maintain some kind of normalcy in her life,  Emma's having a hard time letting go. When something like this happens, especially with your first love, I can totally sympathize, but that's where my love for her stops. One second she's manic and sassy and the next she's shy and coy. I get it, high school is a rough time for anyone with all those hormones cracking at full throttle, but it's over the top in the angst department and insanely dull to read, to the point of boredom. 

Aside from a very predictable plot, there's a storyline that is supposed to be intriguing and mysterious, and maybe for a teen reader it will be, but if by the second chapter I've got the entire story figured out, then it's too predictable. Mystery should not be solvable this early into a story, or it's just no fun. 

Alex steps into the scene as the new hot guy at school with some scars on his face playing into the whole beauty and the beast element. He's meant to be dangerous and sexy but he's got the whole I'm-emo-should-have-been-a-poet-sirca-1990 written all over his teenage forehead. Not into it. Save me from emo men with puberty crisis! Alex has also got daddy issues of the worst kind and how no one has busted his koo-koo for Coco Puffs father by now is beyond me. 

Overall there's just so much talk by the lockers, who's wearing what and dating who, does she like me, do I care if she does, sneaking out to go party at a club, what I ate for breakfast, how crazy my Mom is, the coffee shop, girl's gym class...gah, you get the point. 

For me, High School was fun and wild but I've been there and done that. I don't care who's sitting next to who in Mr. Whatever his name is class. I just don't. I need more meat to my plot and less corny campy phony characters and their teenage drama. 

If this story was meant to be dramatic and mysterious with a paranormal twist it fell flat for me. I would highly suggest checking around at what other reviews are saying. 

Getting 2 'who invited the zombie deer again?' Sheep 

KD 

Kim Harrison's Mystery City Contest

In January, Kim releases her newest title Ever After! (happy dance) She is doing a book tour (schedule here), but couldn't visit every city that wanted her. So she teamed up with HaperCollins to try a fan-sourced approach to her book tour.

Kim hosted a survey on her blog to give readers a chance to get her to come to their city. The biggest responses came from Atlanta and Minneapolis.

Working with Togather, Kim has set up a contest to see which city/bookstore she will visit. Readers vote for the city they want by pre-ordering her book from the participating book store:

Uncle Hugo's book store in Minneapolis

Bring my EVER AFTER tour to Minneapolis, MN!

or

Eagle Eye Books in Decatur

Bring my EVER AFTER tour to Atlanta, GA!

The first store to reach 150 pre-orders will win!

The competition is on! Check out Kim's blog post for current rankings and more details on how readers can participate. 

*The cover cost of the book also includes tax and shipping costs so you will have it right on release day. (Note: If your store/city wins, you’ll get a signed copy of my book that can be personalized at the event! See the event page for your city for further details on pick-up and shipping options).

*If a store does not ‘win’ an event (less than 150 pre-orders), your credit card will not be charged. Orders are only placed if the bookstore in your hometown wins the Mystery City contest. If not, then no money is exchanged.

About Togather and a new way to connect authors and readers

This new book tour model empowers online fans and helps authors and small bookstores collect pre-sales before a book’s launch date. By partnering with Kim on this initiative, HarperCollins continues to embrace new ways to connect with readers both on- and offline, further cementing their status as an innovator in the world of publishing. 

If you are ever interested in planning your own event with Kim or any author, you can propose an event through Togather, which is a new site that makes it easier to host author events. 

What does the Flock think?

Sharon: I can see the logic behind this type of promotion. The author will be visiting packed singing events, which means more sales for the local stores and the author. But I kind of enjoy going to small events because it is a more personal experience. Using Togather can help readers bring authors that might not otherwise visit their city.

What do you think about this type of promotion? Do you like the idea of reader's pre-orders determining an author's tour dates? Do you think this benefits the author more than the readers?