A CHAT WITH AUTHOR NANCY A. HANSEN

This interview has been a long time in the making, but today THE FREE CHOICE E-ZINE is proud to welcome author Nancy A. Hansen to our humble chat room. Let's start by telling us a bit about your latest work.

Author Hansen

NANCY HANSEN: I've had two recent releases, a short story within a multi-author anthology and a novel. Both are from Pro Se Press (http://prose-press.com/).

The first was my story in MONSTER ACES VOLUME 2, “The Swarming”. The premise for the anthology is that a diverse team of specialists in the late 1930s-mid 1940s hunts down and eliminates dangerous beings and creatures that threaten humanity. My story takes the team up to rural New Hampshire to investigate a series of sightings and potential deaths that revolve around contact with strange children who have solid black eyes. What they find is a hive of something rather hideous that needs to be completely eradicated before these recently evolved creatures can spread into far more populated areas. If you are bug-phobic, this one is going to give you nightmares! The cover art is not for my story, but it's another awesome job by artist Jeff Hayes.

MONSTER ACES did have a Volume One. Jim Beard, a very talented guy, is listed as the creator, and he's naturally a contributing writer as well. It's a fun concept, with a great group of personalities. I worked with Jim before on the first volume of his MONSTER EARTH anthology series, so I was honored to be asked to be part of the second volume.

The other recent release was the third novel in the GREENWOOD CYCLE that began with FORTUNE'S PAWN and continued in PROPHECY'S GAMBIT. MASTER'S ENDGAME follows the continuing story of everyone's favorite red haired barmaid, Callie, as well as all the subplots that revolve around her. For those of you who know the series, yes you will find out all the details about Callie's child, and what happens to your other favorite characters too. Lots of stuff going on in this one. This book is part of my Pro Se Imprint, HANSEN'S WAY.

TFCE: Now, we like the fact that while you're concluding a trilogy with MASTER'S ENDGAME, each volume is also a complete story.

NANCY: That was intentional, because while there are story threads that run through all three books, each is a novel unto itself. That way the readers have a complete adventure, yet are left wanting more.

Now as far as MASTER'S ENDGAME, not only is it part of a series, but everything in HANSEN'S WAY is interrelated in that all the books and anthologies take place in the same epic/heroic high fantasy world. These series all have different times and settings, but you will find some crossover characters and team-ups as time goes on. I actually have 5 separate series planned, with 3 of them having debuted already. Besides the GREENWOOD CYCLE, I have previously published (all with Pro Se) the first installments of TALES OF THE VAGABOND BARDS, THE WINDRIDERS OF EVERICE, and THE HUNTRESS OF GREENWOOD. (The latter is technically part of the GREENWOOD CYCLE, though not tied into the current series until farther along in time). All of those are short stories collected into anthologies. Waiting in the wings for a publication date is the first novel of THE SUDARNIAN CHRONICLES—FORGED BY FLAME. And currently I'm putting together an anthology titled BY THE WAYSIDE TALES. This series will follow the travels of two fugitive characters from the last VAGABOND BARDS short story whom I just could not let go of.

TFCE: How did all of this come about?

NANCY: Many of the imprint stories were started back in the late 80s/early 90s, when my sons were very young and I was a stay-at-home-mom, taking correspondence courses in writing. Some of them date to the late 90s when I was a volunteer moderator for PRODIGY INTERNET'S BOOKS & WRITING BULLETIN BOARD, which I did for several years. I kept files going from PCs to laptops, and have moved them via the various file saving methods we've used over the years. All of them come out of my deep and abiding love for the stories that enthralled me as a kid and young adult. In fact, the seminal novel that got split into the GREENWOOD CYCLE's first three novels was an 850 page behemoth that I could not interest any publisher in. For Pro Se, I split it up and then rewrote each section to be complete in itself, ramping up the action and adventure while keeping the core story intact and all the myriad characters in place. I think it's a far better concept, and I'm proud of what it's become.

TFCE: Sounds like you've been quite busy. What else of yours has either been recently released or is pending release?

NANCY: Besides Pro Se having my first SUDARNIAN CHRONICLES novel that is supposed to be out sometime this year, I've also turned in a third THE KEENER EYE short story for Pro Se's SINGLE SHOT E-series. I had done two Keener Eye stories previously for the Pro Se Magazine, PRO SE PRESENTS, which is no longer being published. This was my first foray into the PI genre, on a prompt and a dare from Pro Se's E-I-C, Tommy Hancock. It's set here in my home state of Connecticut, in our modern age of cell phones and all sorts of electronic gadgetry. I've heard it opined that you can't write a PI series set in this technology-savvy age, but I took that as a challenge too. It's been interesting to write, and the feedback has been pretty positive. No idea when that one will be out.

I will also have a short story in the upcoming Pro Se steampunk/superhero anthology, SINGULARITY: RISE OF THE POST-HUMANS. That was a concept created and pitched to a group of us by Mr. Jaime Ramos, and it's been enthusiastically put together, and now has a publisher backing it. Great bunch of folks involved, and we're all very honored to share space with the uber-talented comic writing legend, Mr. David Michelinie. Have no idea if we will see it this year or next, but it is pending.

Also due sometime this year is the third installment in COMPANION DRAGONS TALES, a children's series I do for Pro Se's YOUNG PULP imprint. Actually I share the series with two co-authors, Mr. Lee Houston Jr. (yeah, the guy who oversees this blog) and Roger Stegman. Joining Lazlo & Waxy Dragon in having their own origin stories told (A FAMILIAR NAME & FINDING WAXY), Copper Dragon debuts in COPPER'S CHOICE. Like Lazlo, Copper is 100% my creation, though we share a world created by the three authors involved in the series. These are fun stories; full of magic, zaniness, adventure, and all the bad puns you can groan at. We've tried to make the series something that children can share with the adults who love them. Some of the most ardent CDT fans are grownup kids.

Now, Pro Se isn't the only publisher I deal with. Last year I pitched an idea for a pirate series to Ron Fortier of Airship 27 (http://www.airship27.com/). I told Ron my plan was to make these buccaneer tales action fiction with a historical backdrop. The main character is a young, mixed-race woman who, disguised as a boy, signs herself aboard a pirate ship to follow the man she has fallen in love with. Ron, unbeknownst to me, is a huge pirate story fan, and he was very enthusiastic about the project from day one. The first novel in that series: JEZEBEL JOHNSTON—DEVIL'S HANDMAID, should be out sometime this summer, I am told.

Notice that this is a series. I have at least five books planned for it. This is an idea I'd been kicking around for a couple years, and it just became right place/right time to work on it last year. I was pretty well caught up with all my other writing deadlines, and had started sketching out the character and researching the material I'd needed when I made my proposal.

I also turned in a rather long short story for A27's SINBAD-THE NEW VOYAGES series, which features multi-author anthologies as well as at least one novel that I know of. It is a captivating series with an eclectic cast of characters and a great Ray Harryhausen feel to it. I loved those old stop-motion movies with all the mythological monsters and beings, so I was thrilled to be on the ground floor of it, with a short story in the first release. I have been champing at the bit to do another one. No idea when my new tale, SINBAD IN THE LAND OF FIRE AND ICE will be out, because there are already four volumes in print and more planned.

I should also mention that fellow author and Prodigy Internet refugee Lee Houston Jr. (yeah, him again) and I have co-written a TALES OF THE HANGING MONKEY story for A27 as well. Not sure when that one will be out, but it was a lot of fun working together, and we managed not to kill each other in the process, LOL! Lee put such an ironic Easter Egg twist at the end of that story, I didn't even see it coming. You're going to love it.

TFCE: How do you manage to keep track of, let alone find the time for everything?

NANCY: Even with my great love of reading and writing, it isn't easy. Life handed me a velvet monkey-wrench, in that my DDIL got a chance to get off third shift and onto a day shift, but would need a daytime babysitter for my five month old grandson. I can't say no to that little man, so I went from being an empty nester with a laid-back schedule, to part-time and eventually full time diaper changer and bottle washer. Writing had to get squeezed in when and where I could manage; before and after the little guy arrived for the day or escorted mommy home, or during naps and the occasional day off. I had also planned and planted this huge garden. So the juggling act can be difficult at times.

Taking on JEZEBEL JOHNSTON on top of my other projects, I now had a new book commitment, with a far bigger learning curve involved than I had ever anticipated, and barely any time to work on it.

I've always loved pirate stories and movies, but I had never tried writing one before. I based most of it in the Caribbean, in the beginning of the golden age of buccaneering. I wanted the setting to be authentic and the characters to ring true. As I began reading up on the background material I needed to know for the book, I realized how little I understood about pirates. In my research I began to understand the social/political climate behind the Caribbean colonies pirates preyed upon, and that there was an overwhelming amount of the sailing terms and ship details I knew nothing about. All through that research there was an abundance of ideas and concepts, terms and background history, bouncing around in my head. I felt I'd taken on far too much of a project most days, because I was often doing more reading than writing. But I kept picking away at it, and over the months, I found myself understanding increasingly more of what made that seafaring era so intense, as well as what some of those strange words I kept stumbling across actually meant. It was like learning an entire new language from a world I had never even visited. Most days I was lucky to get over 150 words on a page.

It took me 5 days short of nine months to give birth to that novel. I started in February, and I turned it in right around Thanksgiving. That it was embraced so ardently was absolutely thrilling to me, because I had been ready to give up and chuck it aside a dozen times. I dreamed about it at night, and I saw pirates leering at me everywhere I went. But in the end, it got done, and done right. That's a pretty awesome feeling.

Oh, and while I was working on that book, DDIL found out she was pregnant with another grandbaby; a girl this time. The little lady was born right before Thanksgiving too. It was quite a productive year, and now I babysit both of them, but am still managing to write, including the Jezebel Johnston sequel novel.

TFCE: Why do you write what you do?

NANCY: That's an easy answer—I love what I'm doing. I try and write the kinds of stories I would enjoy reading. Whenever I get fan feedback, I know instantly what I'm doing right and wrong. I may never have a New York Times Bestseller, or see Peter Jackson direct a movie based on one of my novels, but I've accomplished something I set out to do 26 years ago. I've got multiple books in print, and people are reading them and finding them entertaining. That's the best reason of all.

TFCE: What inspires you to write?

NANCY: I have stories to tell, ideas to get across, things to say. In this day and age, when social media is everyone's bully pulpit, and we're all just a cellphone cam or drone pic between anonymity and world exposure, I prefer to go someplace where I can shut out the world and inhabit one I have some control over. I'm a creative person at heart. I cook, I sing, I garden, I craft things... but writing best helps me express those ideas and feelings that are so deep within. Nothing else can bring them out as well. I take things from the everyday world that move me, try and find a way to turn them upside down and inside out, and put them in a story. I can vicariously live lives I would never dare dream of and experience things I haven't got the guts to try. If I want to be evil and nasty, I write a good juicy villainous scene. If I'm lonesome and feeling ugly and unwanted, I can create a love scene to make you sigh. I get to do things in a story that in the real world I'd get arrested for and be locked up. Writing is a great place to make heroic characters out of people you admire, or take out your frustrations and kill all those annoying dolts who make the world miserable. And you get to do it in your pajamas, with pepperoni pizza breath, and uncombed hair. Sure beats the snot of most of the jobs I used to have!

TFCE: What has influenced your style and technique?

NANCY: I could list you a whole bunch of books and short stories, along with some movies, TV series, poems, and the occasional song, but that would only be part of the equation. I have authors I admire, and I work somewhat in the tradition of the old Pulp stories, which were plot driven and packed with action. Yet I have to admit, I straddle the line between mainstream fiction story telling and that fast-paced action adventure that made Pulp so popular. At the core, I still write the kinds of things I'd enjoy reading. I might borrow an idea here and there, but I'm doing it my way.

TFCE: What would be your dream project?

NANCY: The only thing that comes to mind is watching a book or series capture the heart and soul of a mainstream audience, and then having it made into either a movie or a premium cable series. I know there is some danger in that things will get changed so that it's not recognizable as your own work, but I'd find it fascinating to see who gets to play Callie, or Kendahl, Jezebel Johnston, or even Kate Keener, and how the story arcs would be carried out.

You notice I didn't mention working on someone else's concept or properties? I've certainly done that to some extent, and will continue to do so as long as I'm welcomed to; but I'm primarily a creative maverick who likes to work on her own stuff. There is no difference in the quality of what I write, whether it is working with someone else's character(s) in a pre-determined world, or all original material that falls out of my head onto the page. Whenever I sit down to write, I try and give you the best possible story I can. I just have the most fun making things up from scratch.

Oh yeah, and my big pipe dream includes having household staff to handle housework and cooking; a personal assistant to answer the phone, keep my schedule straight, and deal with all the self-promotion stuff I dread, and yard help to mow, pull weeds, and clean up after me when I'm puttering around my garden. Wouldn't that be lovely?

TFCE: Where do you foresee yourself within the next few years?

NANCY: Exactly what I am doing right now, with hopefully more time allocated to the creative endeavors, and less on the mundane stuff. I'd like enough freedom to do all the things I love, and spend quality time with family without feeling guilty about what I can't get to. Life is short, so you want to have as much fun as you can pack in, and still spend it with loved ones and doing things that matter. Hopefully at some point I will get to the stage where I'll be able to support myself writing, and actually contribute financially to the household budget.

TFCE: As an author, how would you describe any contact you've had so far with readers/fans?

NANCY: Very positive! In fact, I would love to thank the people who have bought my books, enjoyed them, and have taken the time to tell me so. Or even if someone didn't like something, but politely and tactfully told me why. You have no idea how vital that kind of feedback is! My readers are the audience, and they're the reason I'm writing, so I want their voices to be heard. I've chatted with some of them online or in person, and nothing tickles me more than to have someone ask about a specific character as if it was a relative or friend of mine that I had mentioned a while back. I've had people tell me something I wrote moved them, or made them afraid of some inner dark place I took them to. That's how I know I've been effective, and that I must to keep doing what I am doing.

Please folks, if you really have strong feelings about something I've written, I want to know that. This is a lonely business and sometimes you wonder if you're wasting your time banging on the keyboard while laundry goes unwashed, meals don't get cooked, and you could be earning a lot more money as a door greeter at Walmart. I'm not in a financial or personal position right now where I can go out to conventions and meet you in person. I don't have big book signings and author meet & greet dates. You won't find my books on the shelves in your local brick & mortar store, or in your local library. Heck, even if Oprah still had her show, I doubt she'd have me on there to talk about what I'm writing and why, because I'm not trying to change the world as much as entertain it. The only way things like that can happen to me is for there to be a grass roots buzzing by fans recommending whatever of mine they've read to other potential fans. So every time you suggest someone reads one of my books or stories and they do, you put another little ripple with my name on it into the big ocean of Indie Authors. Eventually, that might become a tidal wave of support, and that's when I can justify the travel time and expenses.

You all do that for me, and I'll keep writing for you, and we'll all be a lot happier.

TFCE: Any other projects you would like to promote?

NANCY: I always have projects going, and stuff on the back burner, but I don't currently have anything exciting to report, other than I am working on several potential 2016 releases. I do write for my little rural town's monthly newsletter, mostly about being a country dweller and what we face out here in terms of rural small town life. That's a gift from me to the community I became part of back in May 2011, when we bought this old farm, with a house built in 1770. Feedback has been pretty good on that. I still do some editing, but I've had to cut way down on that because there just aren't enough hours in the day for me, and I have made writing my priority. I have at times spoken to children in school systems about the importance of writing, and I've worked with adult writers who just need a bit of guidance and reassurance. I love to talk about what I do, and to de-mystify just what makes a story work, because I'm very passionate about it. I do have a couple of writing blogs that I really should update far more often (http://nancyahansen.blogspot.com/ & http://magicdragonverse.blogspot.com/). I'm also on Facebook and G+ regularly. And yeah, I use my actual name.

In this time of entertainment delivered by electronic gizmos, it's so very important to be able to express yourself in a way that is both engaging and easy to understand, because you're competing with so much else that has people's attention. I spend a lot of time going over the things I write to make sure they are the very best I can make them. While I'm sure there must be story-planning apps out there, writing is one of the few craft areas where no matter how you make it happen, or how it gets presented, you have to actually sit down and put the thing together by hand. I can't digitally paint a story, or Photoshop it from images found online. There's no 3 minute microwave version, nor GPS to talk me through from start to finish. I doubt a book would be very interesting in text shorthand, and I have yet to see one composed in synthesized notes. The CGI-only version still needs a script to follow. You might be able to print my books on demand by pushing buttons on a machine, but I had to sit down and write them first. Doesn't matter if it's by pen on paper, or keystrokes showing up on a screen, because the contents came out of my head. We writers are kind of the last bastion of manual creators, and I like that idea. As I said, I'm a creative maverick.

TFCE: Well, thank you for your valuable time Nancy.

NANCY: You're welcome.

All releases are available through Amazon and other outlets.

All images provided by the author.

SUNDAY FUNNIES: SPRING SITINGS (celebrity quotes)

Hello Everybody. Autumn the Puppy here.

Despite what the weather is like in some parts of the world right now, it IS Spring.
That magical season when a young man's mind turns to thoughts of love, and baseball.
Why they won't let me out on the field when they're playing is beyond me. It may be a little wet and
chewy afterwards, but I do promise to give them the baseball back afterwards.


In any event, since I have yet to post any celebrity quotes for April, let's look at how other people feel about Spring.
As usual, my comments appear afterward.

Mahler, circa 1907

"Spring won't let me stay in this house any longer! I must get out and breathe the air deeply again."
Gustav Mahler—Famous composer (1860-1911)
I know what you mean Sir. I want to go out and about too, but I can't leave the house without somebody being at the other end of my leash.

Emerson, 1857

"Do not go where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail."
Ralph Waldo Emerson—Famous writer (1803-1882)
I would love to travel Robert Frost's "The Road Not Taken". Unfortunately, he never left a map of the trail behind.

Williams, circa 2007

"Spring is nature's way of saying: Let's Party!"
Robin Williams—Entertainer (1951-2014)
That might be true. Unfortunately, Spring is late weather wise this year, and it always forgets to bring the dog treats!

Henry Van Dyke

"The first day of spring is one thing, and the first spring day is another. The difference between them is sometimes as great as a month!"
Henry Van Dyke—Author (1852-1933)
Can't it book an earlier flight? Or at least get here on time for once?

"Spring is when you feel like whistling, even with a shoe full of slush."
Doug Larson—Famous columnist (born in 1926)

Well, I obviously don't wear shoes, but I do hate getting mud between my toes and in my fur, especially when it isn't even the warm stuff they use at the spa.

Well folks, that's all the time we have for now. I hope everyone has a great week, the weather improves soon, and that you'll be back here again next weekend for more Sunday Funnies!—AtP.

THE WEEK IN REVIEW: APRIL 19-25, 2015

TODAY IS ANZAC DAY IN AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND.

IT IS ELBE DAY BETWEEN RUSSIA AND AMERICA.

TODAY IS LIBERATION DAY IN ITALY.

THE BLUE BELL AND JENI'S CREAMERIES HAVE RECALLED ALL THEIR PRODUCTS, DUE TO A LISTERIA MONOCYTOGENES OUTBREAK!
An investigation is underway, with focus on a common supplier between the two companies being suspected.
THE FORD MOTOR COMPANY IS RECALLING ALMOST 400,000 VEHICLES AFTER DISCOVERING A DEFECT THAT CAUSES THE DOORS TO OPEN WHILE DRIVING.
Check with your local dealership for more details.

AMONGST EVENTS AROUND THE WORLD THIS PAST WEEK...
*Sadly, over 900 people have lost their lives in Nepal's recent earthquake.
*Saudi Arabia has announced an end to its bombing campaign against Yemen.
*The LO maglev train has established a new land speed record, running over 600 km/h; aka 375 mph.

AMONGST THE 2015 PULITZER PRIZE WINNERS...
*The Post and Courier of South Carolina, USA for journalism.
*The Seattle (Washington, USA) Times for breaking news coverage.
*Eric Lipton of The New York Times for investigative reporting.
*The New York Times for International reporting.
*All The Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr for best fiction novel.
*Digest by Gregory Pardlo for poetry.

TERRIBLE TERRORIST ACTIVITIES...
*ISIS/ISIL forces and the Taliban have declared a jihad against each other! Authorities worry about the civilians that might get caught in the middle as these two groups clash.
*Three members of an United Nations peace keeping mission to the Democratic Republic of the Congo have been kidnapped!

PASSING PARADE...
*Mary Doyle Keefe, the model for the iconic World War 2 image of Rosie the Riveter, is no longer with us.
*Wally Lester of the singing do-wop group The Skyliners has passed away.
*Sawyer Sweeten (Everybody Loves Raymond) is no longer with us.

WITHIN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA...
POLITICALLY...

*The Senate has finally settled their differences over the abortion funding portion of the measure and unanimously passed a bill against human trafficking.
*In a related matter, Loretta Lynch has been finally approved as the new Attorney General.
*Currently under debate on the Republican controlled Congressional agenda are establishing payment caps on both a monthly and lifetime basis for Social Security, along with a bill that would potentially allow employers in the District of Columbia (the only area Congress has any actual autonomy over) the legal right to fire female employees if they take birth control pills!




ELSEWHERE...
*The Boston Marathon was held for the second year in a row without incident! Lelisa Desisa was the first man to cross the finish line while Caroline Rotich was the first woman to do so.
*The potential merger between cable television giants Comcast and Time-Warner has fallen through.
*Former Olympic gold medalist Bruce Jenner has officially declared himself as transgender, saying he's a woman within a man's body, and has started procedures to correct the problem.

For more news at any time, either scroll down to our IN OTHER NEWS feature at the bottom of your screen or visit any other reputable news source.

THE PUZZLE CORNER: APRIL 25, 2015

FUN FACT
Like human fingerprints, no two tongue prints are identical.

WHAT'S THAT SONG?
Can you name the tune, based upon the clue below?

According to this song, we all need "a blue sky holiday".

TRIVIA TIME
What famous car has the license plate V-194 ?

We'll reveal all next weekend. But for now, let's open up THE ANSWERS BOX, and discover the results of the April 18th, 2015 Puzzle Corner.

FAMOUS FIRSTS
Who was the first actor to portray the noted British secret agent James Bond?

There were a ton of responses saying this was too easy, before naming Sean Connery in the very first James Bond movie: Doctor No.
HOWEVER, the very first actor was Barry Nelson in a TV adaptation of Casino Royale.
In the early days of television, showcases and dramatic adaptions of novels were a regular event.

REBUS
A familiar phrase is represented in the image below.
Do you know what it is?

Rock(s) Around the Clock
an early rock and roll hit by Bill Haley and His Comets.

HAPPY EARTH DAY 2015

TODAY IS THE 45th ANNIVERSARY OF EARTH DAY.

NOW, EVEN MORE THAN EVER, IT'S IMPORTANT TO HELP TAKE CARE OF AND PROTECT THE ONLY PLANET WE HAVE TO LIVE ON!

POLLUTION, THE GROWING THREAT OF CLIMATE CHANGE, FRACKING,
THE DWINDLING BEE POPULATION...

SO MUCH IN A DELICATE BALANCE THAT GETS EASILY UPSET BY CARELESSNESS AND GREED.

PLEASE DO WHAT YOU CAN TO HELP THIS WORLD, NOT ONLY FOR TODAY, BUT FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS AS WELL!

A public service message of The Free Choice E-zine.

SUNDAY FUNNIES: WAXY'S FAMILY ALBUMS (funny pictures)

Very photogenic

Hello Everybody! Waxy Dragon here!

I've been wracking my brains, trying to come up with something special for this week's installment of The Sunday Funnies, and all I got was a headache.

Seriously though, I thought I'd go through my photo albums and show you some funny pictures.
Ready?

Grandma Dragon is a fan of William Shakespeare. Some of us think she might be old enough to have actually met the Bard, but it be impolite to ask whether or not that's actually true.

Anyway, Grandma loves this one she took on a trip through Europe once, but I'm too young to actually get the joke.

On the left is a picture of Uncle Lazy in his cave.

His real name is Archibald, but nobody actually calls him that.

Yes, the lens cap was off the camera when I shot the image, but my Uncle lives up to his name and never bothers to light any candles.

Then again, considering how bad he is at cleaning, that's probably a good thing.

On the right is a picture of my cousins from the distant Hydra side of the family.

For some reason, most of my family doesn't talk about them much, but they're nice once you get to know them.

It's tough to do anything with them though. It takes them forever to come to an agreement on any decision for some reason.

This is my cousin Sally on the left.

She's always bragging about her fancy clothes, but I don't see what's so special about them myself.

Well, that's all the time and space I have for now.
Have a great week everybody and please be back here again next weekend for more Sunday Funnies!—wd.

All images via clip art sources and

are public domain to the best of our knowledge.

THE WEEK IN REVIEW: APRIL 12-18, 2015

TODAY IS ZIMBABWE'S INDEPENDENCE DAY.
APRIL 22 IS ADMINISTRATIVE'S ASSISTANTS DAY.

APRIL 22 IS EARTH DAY!
APRIL 24 IS ARBOR DAY!

AMONGST EVENTS AROUND THE WORLD THIS PAST WEEK...
*As both countries strive for improved diplomatic relations, United States President Barack Obama wants to remove Cuba from the States who Sponsor Terrorists list.
*Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu demands that any agreement with Iran over their nuclear program includes a clause where Iran officially recognizes and will not act against Israel's right to exist.
*The European Union has officially charged Internet giant Google with Anti-trust Breach allegations.
*Wikileaks has recently posted a lot of material originating from the cyber attack against Sony Pictures Studio.
*Space X has yet to successfully recycle their Falcon 9 rocket after a mission.

BETWEEN RUSSIA AND THE UKRAINE...
*Russian President Vladimir Putin has authorized the delivery of the S-300 missile air defense system to Iran, despite protests from Israel and the United States that Iran is a known terrorist sponsor.

TERRIBLE TERRORIST ACTIVITIES...
*For reason(s) unknown, terrorists attacked the South Korean embassy in Tripoli, killing 2 guards while wounding another. Security otherwise successfully repelled the attack. Then the Moroccan embassy in Tripoli was bombed later that same day. ISIS/ISIL forces have claimed responsibility for both events.
*It has been confirmed that Al-Qaeda forces have captured the Riyan Airport, along with the seaport and oil terminal in Al Mukalla, Yemen.
*Civilians are fleeing the city of Ramadi, Iraq; after ISIS/ISIL forces initiated an attack.

PASSING PARADE...
*Author Günther Grass (The Tin Drum, Dog Years) is no longer with us.
*Singer Percy Sledge ("When A Man Loves A Woman") has left the stage.
*Herb Trimpe, famed comic book artist and co-creator or Wolverine, has passed.
*Former diplomat and historian Elizabeth Brown Pryor is no longer with us.
*Actor and anime voice artist Kinya Aikawa has taken his last bow on life's stage.

WITHIN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA...
POLITICALLY...

*Hillary Clinton has formally announced her campaign to win the Democratic Presidential nomination in 2016. Political analysts are already applauding her stragety of not only linking herself to America, because then any attack ads against her would also appear to be attacking the country itself; but also actually announcing an agenda (helping working families succeed, climate change, clean energy, and building small businesses) for her first term, should she be elected President in 2016.
*Florida Senator Marco Rubio has announced his hope of becoming the Republican nominee for President in 2016.
*While Jeb Bush is still "exploring the possibility" of running for the Republican Presidential nomination in 2016, there is evidence to suggest that as Governor of Florida, he directed almost $2 billion dollars in pension funds to companies that supported his brother George W.'s 2000 and 2004 bids for the Presidency.
*Congress is fast tracking the United States joining the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement, despite protests that much of the details have yet to be made public.
*As both countries strive for improved diplomatic relations, President Barack Obama wants to remove Cuba from the States who Sponsor Terrorists list.
ELSEWHERE...
*Wal-mart has suddenly closed 5 stores between Texas, California, Oklahoma, and Florida without any advanced warning. These 5 locations recently experienced "plumbing problems". While the company has announced plans to eventually repair and reopen the stores, no building or construction permits have yet to be applied for at post time, and it has been noted that most of the locations were sites where employees have demonstrated for better wages.
*George Lucas now plans to build a low income housing project on property he owns in Marin County, California; despite protests from local residents of the exclusive neighborhood, who previously rejected Lucas' proposal to build a movie studio on the land.
*Former professional football player Aaron Hernandez has been convicted of first degree murder.
*Jordan Spieth won the 2015 Masters Professional Golf Tournament.

For more news at any time, either scroll down to our IN OTHER NEWS feature at the bottom of your screen or visit any other reputable news source.

THE PUZZLE CORNER: APRIL 18, 2015

FUN FACT
Because of its unique orbit, technically Neptune will be the farthest planet (including Pluto!) from our sun, between 2227 and 2257.

Another weekend is upon us, and puzzle lovers know what that means!

FAMOUS FIRSTS
Who was the first actor to portray the noted British secret agent James Bond?


REBUS
Something familiar is represented by the image below.
Do you know what it is?

We'll reveal all next weekend. But for now, let's open up THE ANSWERS BOX and discover the results from the April 11, 2015 Puzzle Corner.

COMMON BONDS
The items in each subset have something in common. Do you know what it is?

01. {I Don't Want To Miss A Thing by Aerosmith, Pilot of the Airwaves by Charlie Dore}
Both songs start out discussing not wanting to go to sleep.
While not many people recognized the tune, Pilot of the Airwaves was Charlie Dore's only "hit" in the United States, about a woman who preferred to stay up late and listen to her favorite disc jockey on the radio.

02. {Daydream Believer by The Monkees, Manic Monday by The Bangles}
Both songs start off discussing the difficulties of getting up in the morning.

THE 50/50 CHANCE
This is just like a regular Trivia Time question, only there are just 2 possible answers, hence the even odds of getting it right. Ready?

TRUE OR FALSE: Every field position is mentioned in the classic (Bud) Abbott and (Lou) Costello routine Who's On First?

Answer: FALSE! While Who's on First, What's on Second, and I Don't Know on Third were the most talked about, every other baseball field position is mentioned at least once except the right fielder.

All videos courtesy of YouTube.

Pilot of the Airwaves (c) Charlie Dore.

Who's on First? (c) the Bud Abbot and Lou Costello estates.

SUNDAY FUNNIES: A LAZY DAY (random jokes)

Hello everybody! Autumn the Puppy here.
It's actually a nice day for a change in my yard.
Bearable, until that chill wind hits you, so I'm trying to clean out and spruce up my doghouse in anticipation of the warmer days to come.
Provided Spring ever shows up.
So while I've been cleaning, my mind's be wandering and wondering.
And before you ask, yes it is old enough to be left unattended. Anyway...

Wouldn't it be nice if whenever we messed up our life we could simply press 'Ctr Alt Delete' and start all over?

Just remember, if the world didn't have gravity, we all would of been spun off it ages ago!

Garden Rule: When weeding, the best way to make sure you are removing a weed and not a valuable plant is to pull on it. If it comes out of the ground easily, it is a valuable plant.

The easiest way to find something lost around the house is to buy a replacement.

Who was the first person to look at a cow and say, 'I think I'll squeeze these dangly things under her and drink whatever comes out?'

Who was the first person to say, 'See that chicken there? I'm gonna eat the next thing that comes outta its butt.'

If Jimmy cracks corn and no one cares, why is there a song about him?

Why doesn't glue stick to the inside of the bottle?

Doctor WHO?

If someone was going to make a generic soft drink to get people away from
buying the real thing, shouldn't they at least come up with a better name for the product?

And why am I out here cleaning out my dog house when I can be nice and warm with my people back inside their house?

On that note, have a great week everybody and we'll be back next weekend with more Sunday Funnies!—AtP.

THE WEEK IN REVIEW: APRIL 5-11, 2015

AMERICAN INCOME TAXES ARE DUE WEDNESDAY, APRIL 15th.

THE APOLLO 13 MISSION LAUNCHED ON THIS DATE 45 YEARS AGO,

BUT SOON THOSE DREADED WORDS "HOUSTON, WE HAVE A PROBLEM" WOULD BE HEARD.

APRIL 15th MARKS THE 60th ANNIVERSARY OF THE McDONALDS FAST FOOD COMPANY.

AMONGST EVENTS AROUND THE WORLD THIS PAST WEEK...

*A cyber attack on TV5Monde has resulted in increase security of all media outlets in France.
*The United Nations warns that the situation in Yemen is seriously deteriorating. The World Health Organization suspects the civil war has resulted in over 500 dead, 1700 wounded, and over 100,000 fleeing the country. Most of all these statistics are civilians.
*Cuban President Raul Castro and United States President Barack Obama met during the Summit of the Americas in Panama. It is the first time the leaders of those two countries have formally met face to face since the Cuban Revolution.

BETWEEN RUSSIA AND THE UKRAINE...
*Sweden has announced they are joining a number of European countries that will not be attending the memorial ceremony commerating the end of World War 2 in Russia this May, in protest over Russia's actions in the Ukraine situation.




TERRIBLE TERRORIST ACTIVITIES...
*An unsuccessful attempt on the life of Afghanistan's Attorney General happened in the Balkh Province.
*ISIS/ISIL forces are bragging they killed 52 people along the Syria border this past week.

PASSING PARADE...
*Stage Actress Julie Wilson (Kismet, The Pajama Game) is no longer with us.
*Actor Richard Dysart (L.A. Law, Wall Street) has taken his last bow on life's stage.
*Actor James Best (The Dukes of Hazard, Sounder) has passed away.
*Actor Geoffrey Lewis (High Plains Drifter, Bronco Billy) is no longer with us.
*Comedian Stan Freberg has given us our last laugh.
*Actress/director Judith Malina (Dog Day Afternoon, The Sopranos) has passed away.

WITHIN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA...

POLITICALLY...
*After it failed to be accepted the first time, Congress has resubmitted its budget proposal that includes eliminating the Affordable Care Act, cutting social programs, and adding more tax benefits for upper income earners.
*Kentucky Senator Rand Paul has announced his bid for the Republican Presidential nomination. His first order of business? Telling the media they cannot use/quote any statement given by or accredited to him before the announcement.
*Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is expected to announce her bid for the Democratic Presidential nomination Sunday, April 12.
*United States President Barack Obama and Cuban President Raul Castro met during the Summit of the Americas in Panama. It is the first time the leaders of those two countries have formally met face to face since the Cuban Revolution.
*The Tea Party in held a protest in Miami to complain about land that might be given back to the Florida Everglades conservation program. However, it's been proven that their protesters were PAID ACTORS!
ELSEWHERE...

*A suspect from the Boston Marathon Bombings of 2013 has been found guilty on ALL 30 charges.
*The Duke Blue Devils defeated the Wisconsin Badgers to win the 2015 NCAA College Basketball Men's Tournament.
*The Connecticut Lady Huskies defeated the Notre Dame Fighting Irish Ladies to win the 2015 NCAA College Basketball Women's Tournament.

For more news at any time, either scroll down to our IN OTHER NEWS feature at the bottom of your screen or visit any other reputable news source.