The Holy Bible, English Standard Version (with Cross-References)

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The English Standard Version (ESV) Bible is an essentially literal Bible translation that combines word-for-word precision and accuracy with literary excellence, beauty, and depth of meaning.

The ESV Bible is equipped with an enhanced navigation feature. Kindle's index feature can be used to navigate directly to any verse. This feature is not supported on the Kindle 1 or any Kindle applications.

This edition includes cross-references within the text.

How to Read Free Books on the Computer

If you're looking for a new way to read books, downloading e-books from the Internet is one possibility. Are you short on funds? Some websites offer free books that can be read on your computer. Although the process of downloading books to your desktop or laptop is simple, you must be careful when selecting a free book website to avoid illegally obtaining books.

Instructions

1

Find a website that offers free e-books. Project Gutenberg features more than 30,000 books that can be read on your computer, according to the organization's website. Barnes and Noble, a popular book seller, offers free eBooks via its website. You'll need a valid credit card number to download Barnes and Noble e-books; however, your card will not be charged.

2

Look for author promotions. If a writer is releasing a new book soon, she and her publisher may opt to release a prior book for a limited amount of time via the Internet for free. Follow your favorite author's blog or check his website often so you can take advantage of e-book promotions.

3

Download an e-book reader. Microsoft and Adobe offer free e-book readers via their websites. (See Resources.) If the website you obtain your book from calls for a specific e-book reader, follow the links provided and download the software onto your computer.

4

Download the e-book to your computer. Follow the instructions that the free book website gives. Save the file in a place where you can easily access it such as a folder designated for e-books.

5

Double-click the e-book file to open it. If the book does not open, right-click your mouse and select "Open With." Locate the e-book reader on the program list and click on it.

What Are the Advantages of Reading Books?

From the time a person learns how to read, he should keep on reading for the rest of his life. Reading books engages the brain, and the action itself keeps the mind sharp. But there is also information in books. The best way to transfer that information to yourself is by reading it.

Vocabulary

When you read books by great authors, it's very likely you'll come across words you've never seen before. This doesn't mean you should feel stupid but that you should take pleasure in this opportunity to deepen your vocabulary. Always have a dictionary nearby while you read. The more you read, the more you'll develop your own vocabulary.

Be sure you're changing your reading selections from time to time. If you read only sports books, you will miss out on a lot of vocabulary that you could be finding in historical biographies or classic literature.

Entertainment

A myth about reading books is that it's a boring activity. This is true only if you're either impatient or unwilling. For anyone willing to take the time to read, it can be one of the cheapest and most satisfying forms of entertainment. Almost everyone has seen the movie "Jurassic Park," but the book is just as exciting and fascinating in its own way. If you need a half-step between visual and written entertainment, pick up a good graphic novel. "The Watchmen" is one of the most popular, and since it tells such an engaging story it may be your gateway into a book-reading routine.

Education

Anybody can go on the Internet to look for information, but the sources are still not as reliable as a book. A trip to the library or bookstore is like a patient man's web-surf. Hours of information can be accessed from books, and since it requires more time for a reader to ingest it when it's coming from a book, it's more likely to stick in the memory.

History, science, philosophy, comedy and relationships are all topics that books cover in detail. If you want to learn about something specific or just anything at all, reading a book will continue your education in the school of life like nothing else.

How to Write Children's Short Stories

If you've ever told a story to your child, you may have wondered if you could go ahead and put it down on paper to save for him or her and for future generations. Perhaps you would like to write the story down and sell it to a publisher. Writing children's stories can be fun and profitable. For each genre of writing, there are specific rules you'll want to follow.

Instructions

Getting Started

1

Brainstorm for ideas that you might want to turn into a children's short story. The best ideas typically come from things that kids deal with every day. For example, younger kids might enjoy a story on potty training, pets or bugs. Older kids will enjoy things such as losing your tooth, a trip to the dentist or a story about a vacation.

2

Create a cluster to help narrow down your idea and main points. Start with a large circle that has your main ideas, such as the word vacation. Use lines to connect smaller circles to that bigger circle and just begin to brainstorm ideas that go with the main idea. You should write down the first thing that comes to mind, you will not use them all. So, you might have circles off of vacation that read "beach," "mountains" or "museum." Next, you will create smaller clusters off of each of the secondary clusters. For example, for museum, you might have circles that read "dinosaurs," "mummies" or "lost in the museum."

3

Look for the idea that interests you most. You may wind up with several story ideas from a single cluster exercise. Try not to cover too much material in one story. For example, if you plan to write about being lost in the museum, don't focus on the dinosaur exhibit for too long.

Characters and Conflict

4

Create characters that are likable and believable and your reader will love your stories. Probably one of the best ways to easily create interesting characters is by basing them upon people you know. Just don't make the description too recognizable or you may risk making a friend or family member angry.

5

Add conflict to your story to keep it interesting. Conflict is the problem your character faces and has to solve by the end of the story. Using the example above, the boy that is lost in a museum must figure out how to find his mother (or whomever he was with).

6

Use specific steps to reach the end of the story. There are specific steps a character must take to reach the end of a short story. These will include attempts to solve the problem (conflict), setbacks and triumphs. The character will meet helpers along the way that will help him find his way out of the museum. However, this task should not be too easy for the character.

Format

7

Format your manuscript correctly, if you are planning to send to an editor. Correct formatting includes one inch margins all the way around; a 12 point Times New Roman font; double spaced body; title on the first page; on the first page in the upper left, your name, address, telephone and email. Many editors also want an estimated word count on the upper right of the first page.

8

Include a header on every page after your first page. Programs, such as MS Word, offer the ability to create a header that will appear on every page but the first. Go to File/Page Setup. Under "Layout" check the box next to "Different First Page". Click the "OK" button. Next, open "View" then click on "Headers and Footers." On the second page of your manuscript, inside the header box, you should add the title of the story, your last name and the page number. You may want to use the Insert/Page Number feature so that Word will automate this process for you. Otherwise, you create a lot of additional work for yourself.

9

Check carefully for any typos, add a cover letter that briefly explains what the story is about and insert a Self Addressed Stamped Envelope (SASE), so the editor can reply to your submission.

How to Remove Mildew Smell From Books

If you are a lover of old books, you're probably very familiar with that musty, mildew smell that can accumulate on them from time to time. Mildew is a form of mold that grows in damp, warm places. Books, being made of organic materials, can absorb moisture from the air and harbor the mildew. If your books begin to reek, you don't need to throw them out. There are measures you can take to freshen them up without damaging them.

Instructions

1

Check your books for visible mold and mildew, which will appear to be a powdery substance on the pages or in the binding. If you want to get rid of the mildew smell, start by getting rid of the mildew. Take the book outdoors and use a dry toothbrush to brush away any mold or mildew particles. Wipe affected pages with a damp cloth and run it over the covers and spine of the book gently with the cloth.

2

Prevent the mold and mildew from growing back by drying out the book completely. If the book is noticeably wet or very damp, go through it page-by-page, sprinkling some corn starch onto the pages. Allow it to sit open for a few days, then brush the excess cornstarch away with a makeup brush or dry cloth.

3

Dry your book further, whether you have used the cornstarch method or not. Get a large plastic storage container. Line the bottom with a few inches of an absorbent material, such as charcoal briquettes (without lighter fluid) or clay-based kitty litter.

4

Get a smaller tray or container that is just big enough to hold your book while open. Lay your book open, with the pages up, on the tray. Fan out the pages. Cut small bits of cardboard and bend them into L-shapes, then place them every few pages to help keep the pages fanned out. This will create maximum air flow through your book.

5

Lay the trays on top of the layer of charcoal or kitty litter in the large container. Do not stack the trays of books on top of each other, but if you can fit in two or three trays side-by-side, that's fine.

6

Cover the large plastic container. If it is not air-tight, you can use duct tape around the cover or over any holes for ventilation, or simply slide the entire container into a large plastic garbage bag and tie it up.

7

Allow the books to sit in there for a minimum of three days, though to be safe they can stay in there a week or two. The charcoal or kitty litter will pull the moisture out of the book pages.

8

Take a whiff of your books. The smell should be gone. If the smell still lingers, even after the pages are thoroughly dry, you can place them in a plastic bag with a cotton ball dabbed with a couple of drops of lemon or eucalyptus essential oils. Seal the bag, and lay it so the cotton ball does not touch the book. Remove it a day or two later. Any stubborn remnants of the smell should be gone.

9

To keep your books fresh, prevent them from getting mildew again. Keep them in a dry place with low humidity. It is a good practice to keep a small container of charcoal or kitty litter on or near your book shelf, to attract any humidity in the room and avert it from seeping into the books. Change it every month or two, or when needed.

How Do I Become an Audiobook Narrator?

The world of audiobooks is an exciting and fast-growing segment of the literary industry. While "books on tape" have been around for years, digital technology and internet distribution have given the audiobook a new relevance and lease on life. So how do you get in on this? How might someone develop and market the vocal talent for reading audiobooks?

Training to Narrate Audiobooks

There are several different pools from which vocal talent for audiobooks is drawn. Professional audiobook readers are seasoned actors or vocal performers, so it's a good idea to seek training in these areas. Perform regular vocal exercises and take classes in acting or public speaking to develop an expressive, well-rounded voice. There are even coaches and training facilities that will work with you to develop your voice-over skills for use in audiobooks, commercials and vocal performances.

How Do I Meet Authors?

Audiobook narration is as competitive a field as acting or voice overs. There is a near limitless supply of potential vocal talent to choose from. And as with any other acting field, a big part of the work is getting noticed by the right people, in this case authors and audiobook publishers. If you have friends in the literary world who are looking to publish their work through audiobooks, don't be shy offering them a sample of your services. Go to literary trade events such as those held by library associations and book expos and cultivate contacts in the literary world. Don't restrict your networking to authors. You should be making yourself known to the publishers of the kinds of audiobooks you want to be working in. Beggars cannot be choosers, and you should be casting your net as wide as possible. There are limits: if your dream is to narrate romance audiobooks, cold-calling a horror publisher may not be the best use of your time.

Getting Your Work Heard

While the role of networking cannot be underemphasized, equally important is doing good work and making sure it is heard. Record samples of your vocal work in which you demonstrate your dramatic range and ability to pitch to different audiences (children/young adults, literary, science-fiction) If you are fluent in other languages or able to adopt different accents and dialects, make sure to demonstrate this skill. Work to get these samples heard by people at the publishers you wish to work for. There are also talent agencies that manage audiobook narrators. These can help you to develop a portfolio and be heard by the right people.

Making a Living

An audiobook narrator is a voice-over artist. Narration work for audiobooks is on par with other voice-over jobs in terms of compensation. The vocal talent agency Voices.com puts the standard rate for an audiobook narrator at $300 per session, and $100 per additional hour. There is fierce competition for good jobs. Realistically, an audiobook narrator should be putting her vocal or dramatic training and expertise to use across the discipline of voice-over jobs. Don't expect to be able to make a living for yourself solely as an audiobook narrator before putting in the time to develop your skills and build a profile.

How to Write an Outline to a Short Story

Translating a great story idea onto paper can be overwhelming and intimidating. An outline can provide a sense of control, helping a writer maintain structure while guiding a story along. The outline process, which involves making two crucial decisions before determining a story's plot, allows a writer to explore the best way for the story to unfold.

Instructions

1

Begin by freely exploring the characters and plot in your story, ignoring structure and constraints. Once you feel you have a direction, proceed to your outline.

2

Write down the steps in your outline. They should be as follows: Conflict; plot development one; plot development two; plot development three (epiphany); resolution; and conclusion. This outline is concerned mainly with plot--character development, motifs, and setting will all come later or emerge as you write your story.

3

Write your story's conflict at the top of your outline. To be able to move your characters along, you need to know what they're up against. Ask yourself which conflict category your story falls into: Man versus man? Man versus himself? Or man versus the environment? Once you get a specific idea, you'll be able to move forward.

4

Figure out the resolution. This step involves skipping to the end of your outline, but once you work out the story's resolution, it'll be easier to fill in the plot. Does your character make a decision? Accept his or her shortcomings? Or is it something more dramatic?

5

Write the plot. Now that you have the story's conflict and resolution mapped out, you must figure out how you'll introduce this conflict to the reader and how your character arrives at the resolution. Many short stories have two or three plot developments, followed by an epiphany, which is where insight is revealed to the reader or the main character, leading the story directly to the resolution.

6

Determine the story's conclusion. This is the last step on your outline, after the resolution. How does your resolution affect your character? What has changed? These questions will guide you to the story's conclusion.

Fifty Shades Freed: Book Three of the Fifty Shades Trilogy

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When unworldly student Anastasia Steele first encountered the driven and dazzling young entrepreneur Christian Grey it sparked a sensual affair that changed both of their lives irrevocably. Shocked, intrigued, and, ultimately, repelled by Christians singular erotic tastes, Ana demands a deeper commitment. Determined to keep her, Christian agrees.

Now, Ana and Christian have it alllove, passion, intimacy, wealth, and a world of possibilities for their future.But Ana knows that loving her Fifty Shades will not be easy, and that being together will pose challenges that neither of them would anticipate.Ana must somehow learn to share Christians opulent lifestyle without sacrificing her own identity. And Christian must overcome his compulsion to control as he wrestles with the demons of a tormented past.

Just when it seems that their strength together will eclipse any obstacle, misfortune, malice, and fate conspire to make Anas deepest fears turn to reality.

This book is intended for mature audiences.

What Is the DAR: Diagnostic Assessment of Reading?

The Diagnostic Assessment for Reading (DAR) is a standardized test used by teachers and schools to assess a child's reading level and plan for reading instruction. Often, schools administer these tests on a yearly basis to every student in a class, grade level or school. Tests like the DAR may also be used at other times to individually test a child or adult who struggles with reading.

Children that Struggle with Reading

If your child has difficulty reading, or if his teacher has expressed concerns with his reading abilities, it may be time to test his reading level. Several options exist for this, and you can work with your child's teacher to find one that will work best for your family. No matter what the result, a reading assessment can provide you and your child's teacher with important information about his reading level and provide suggestions for improving that level.

Purpose

The DAR is an individually administered diagnostic test of reading skills. This means that it determines a student's capacity for reading on an individual basis. Specifically, school districts and educators use the DAR to measure a student's strengths and weaknesses in separate key areas of reading skills. It may be given to all students in a particular class or grade, or it may be administered individually to students who appear to have difficulties with their reading skills.

Test Components

According to Riverside Publishing, the creators of the DAR, the test contains nine components: print awareness, phonological awareness, letters and sounds, word recognition, word analysis, oral reading accuracy and fluency, silent reading comprehension, spelling and word meaning.

Test Results

If a student takes the test and shows a weakness in one or more areas, then teachers can work with that student to improve those specific areas. The test allows teachers to administer and score the test simultaneously, so they can begin to use the results immediately upon its completion.

Uses of the Test

Teachers may use the results of this test to plan reading instruction for an individual student or an entire class. They can also use it to create reading groups and to plan lessons that target key areas of reading instruction for students with weaknesses in similar areas. Additionally, schools may use the test results to determine placement into a reading program such as Title I or Reading First. Though it is most often administered to children, adult literacy programs may make use of the DAR as well to assess and diagnose reading difficulties in adult learners.

How to Learn Lip Reading Free

Lip reading refers to interpreting the movement of lips to understand spoken words without hearing the words. The practice is often used by individuals who are deaf or hearing impaired. The best method of learning to read lips is to practice with a mature speaker. If you already know someone who will sit with you and speak without sound, lip reading can easily be learned for free. Televisions with subtitling are also a good place to learn for free, although not as effective if the actors do not face the camera.

Instructions

1

Start lessons by watching lip movement in everyday conversation. Note the way lips purse when "you," "no," "don't" and "won't" are spoken. Remember that many words require similar lip shapes --therefore, interpretation must be assessed in the context of what else is said.

2

Sit face-to-face with a friend or partner. Ask your partner to speak words without using her voice. Practice interpreting what the individual is saying. Expect giggles as misunderstandings occur. Note the way your partner's face lights up and darkens depending on what she is saying. Identify eyebrow movements and head tilts as well. These clues will help you associate lip movements with the context of what is being said.

3

Practice watching your own lips as you speak before a mirror. Understand that how you shape your lips when you speak affects the way you talk. Individuals have individual manners of speaking, which is influenced by the way they move their lips. If you move your lips tightly when you speak, lip readers will have a difficult time understanding you. Likewise, you will not be able to lip-read speakers who do not clearly enunciate their words.

4

Silence your television and turn on the subtitles. Attempt to read the speakers' lips for practice and verify your reading against the subtitles. Television newscasts are the best programs for practicing basic lip reading, however, programs where characters and participants move around frequently and do not face the camera regularly can allow you to advance your lip reading for similar situations in life.

How to Start Writing Your Book

Writing a novel can be a fun and rewarding experience, but it can also be overwhelming and exhausting. Writing a novel requires a lot of work, time, patience, persistence and re-writes. A good thing about starting a novel is that you need no license to start writing. Nor is a college degree needed. All you need to get started is a good imagination along with pen and paper or a computer.

Creating a Plot

An important part about starting a novel is creating a compelling plot. The plot conveys the main idea of your book through a series of events and situations. All fiction books are based on conflict and this conflict is presented as plot. Plot ideas can come any from myriad sources. Think about current events, historical events, growing up and even your dreams. Be open to new ideas.
The elements of a plot include foreshadowing, conflict, action, crisis, climax and resolution. Each element will come into play as you develop your plot. You will find it easier to create your first draft if you first spend time developing your plot. To do this, write down the important events in your story. Use notecards so you can shuffle them around as you massage your plot. Make sure your plot is logical, compelling and believable. There are many books with great characters but poor plots. However, remember that the plot can change as you write due to conflicts and character growth and development.

Know Your Characters

An important part of writing a novel is the ability to intimately know your characters. If you do not know your characters, how will your audience connect with them? Characters can be based on people you know or knew when you where younger. They can be a combination of your Uncle Rick and former President Dwight Eisenhower. They can also something from your imagination such as vampires, dragons, monsters or angels. The important thing is that characters need to come to life for the reader. Write down each character's name along with their physical traits, desires and personality. You should know them well enough that when you close your eyes you can see them. When you do this your reader will be able to identify with your main characters and feel their emotions as they struggle through the book.

Finding Your Voice

Voice is the personality or style of your books. Your voice could be conversational, snarky, funny or flirty. Your voice is the key to getting dedicated fans. It is important that you keep the narrator's voice consistent throughout the book. However, character voices can vary based on the situation. Be sure to check for consistency while writing and during all re-writes.

Point of View

Decide if your novel will be written in first or third person. A first-.person viewpoint means that you or a character you create is the main character and the narrator. These types of books use "I." For instance, you might write, "I ran to the top of the mountain..." or "I have a habit of..." A book written in first person has the advantage of creating intimacy with the reader. A third-person viewpoint also is common. It is when the writer functions as an observer, often an all-knowing observor. You might write, "Jake ran to the top of the mountain," or "Jake has a habit of ..." Third person is a technique that comes naturally to most writers.

Finding Time

The hardest part about writing a book is finding the time to fit it into your busy day. Set aside time each day for writing. Do you tend to write better during the early morning hours? If so, schedule an hour each morning to write. If you are a night-owl, schedule time late in the evening. Once you schedule time, stick with it. As with anything, once youve done this process over and over, it becomes easier.

Putting it All Together

Now it is time to actually sit down and write. Start during your scheduled time with no distractions and start on your first draft. Launch your plot with an opening that makes readers want to keep reading. This is the time to introduce characters and the storys problem or conflict. However, do not put the most dramatic episode at the beginning of the book. The middle section should keep readers engaged. You should spend time on character development, plot twists and moving from setting to setting. As you wind down your story, you come to the conclusion. The conclusion should reveal the solution to the storys problem, tie back to the storys beginning and wrap up any loose ends.

Revisions

Congratulations, you have finished your first draft! Now it is time for revisions. The general rule of thumb is to do three rounds of revisions. In Round One, dont pay attention to punctuation, grammar, spelling or nitty-gritty details. Look at the big picture. Look at the essence or the core of your story. Did you convey that essence effectively? Does it make sense? Did you overwrite some elements? Check for consistency with your characters. Rewrite passages that need to be cleaned up. In Round Two, you want to check the plot one more time. Check for any repetitions or plot stoppers. Look at every sentence, phrase and detail and ask yourself: How important is this to moving the plot forward? Also, check for consistency in tense, passive and active voice and point of view. Round Three requires you to take a close look at every detail of the book. Now is the time to print out the story and use a pen to examine every detail. Check for punctuation, grammar, spelling and consistency and other plot issues. Do not hurry through your revisions. Many times it takes longer to do the revisions than it did to write the first draft. All writers know that revisions take time and are hard work, but they also know that they are necessary to perfect their craft.

How to Upload Voice Memos From My iPhone

Upload your voice memos to your computer with an iTunes sync; iTunes will create a Voice Memos playlist in your library and then store your voice memos within it. After syncing, you will be able to listen to your voice memos on your computer even after you delete them from your iPhone. The process of uploading voice memos is easy and quick.

Instructions

1

Launch iTunes and then connect your iPhone to your computer.

2

Select your iPhone under the Devices list in the iTunes' sidebar on the left.

3

Click the "Music" tab above the main panel on the right. Check the "Sync Music" box. Check the "Include voice memos" box.

4

Click "Apply" on the lower right to begin the sync. Your voice memos will appear within Voice Memos listed under Playlists in the left sidebar.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (Book 1)

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In Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, Harry, an orphan, lives with the Dursleys, his horrible aunt and uncle, and their abominable son, Dudley.

One day just before his eleventh birthday, an owl tries to deliver a mysterious letter the first of a sequence of events that end in Harry meeting a giant man named Hagrid. Hagrid explains Harry's history to him: When he was a baby, the Dark wizard, Lord Voldemort, attacked and killed his parents in an attempt to kill Harry; but the only mark on Harry was a mysterious lightning-bolt scar on his forehead.

Now he has been invited to attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, where the headmaster is the great wizard Albus Dumbledore. Harry visits Diagon Alley to get his school supplies, especially his very own wand. To get to school, he takes the Hogwarts Express from platform nine and three-quarters at King's Cross Station. On the train, he meets two fellow students who will become his closest friends: Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger.

Harry is assigned to Gryffindor House at Hogwarts, and soon becomes the youngest-ever Seeker on the House Quidditch team. He also studies Potions with Professor Severus Snape, who displays a deep and abiding dislike for Harry, and Defense Against the Dark Arts with nervous Professor Quirrell; he and his friends defeat a mountain troll, help Hagrid raise a dragon, and explore the wonderful, fascinating world of Hogwarts.

But all events lead irrevocably toward a second encounter with Lord Voldemort, who seeks an object of legend known as the Sorcerer's Stone.

A Game of Thrones 4-Book Bundle: A Song of Ice and Fire Series: A Game of Thrones, A Clash of Kings, A Storm of Swords, and A Feast for Crows (Song of Ice & Fire)

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George R. R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire series has become, in many ways, the gold standard for modern epic fantasy. Martindubbed the "American Tolkien" by Time magazinehas created a world that is as rich and vital as any piece of historical fiction, set in an age of knights and chivalry and filled with a plethora of fascinating, multidimensional characters that you love, hate to love, or love to hate as they struggle for control of a divided kingdom. It is this very vitality that has led it to be adapted as the HBO miniseries Game of Thrones.

This bundle includes the following novels:
A GAME OF THRONES
A CLASH OF KINGS
A STORM OF SWORDS
A FEAST FOR CROWS

How to Copy CDs to iPhone

Having a portable music collection can mean the difference between a fun party and dull one. The iPhone allows you to carry music with you wherever you go. You can listen using headphones, or connect to external speakers to share the music with everyone. One way to enlarge your portable music collection is to add new files. If you have CDs, you can use iTunes to copy the tracks to your iPhone's music library.

Instructions

1

Launch iTunes.

2

Insert a music CD into your computer's CD drive. The iTunes program will ask if you want to import the songs from the CD.

3

Click "Yes." The program will begin importing tracks from the CD. A progress bar at the top of the iTunes window shows the progress of the import operation. Wait for iTunes to import all CD tracks. You will hear a chime sound when the operation completes.

4

Attach one end of your iPhone's data cable to the bottom of the iPhone. Attach the other end to a USB plug on your computer. The program will display an icon for the iPhone on the left side of the iTunes window.

5

Click the icon. Click the "Music" tab at the top of the window.

6

Select "Entire Music Library" and click "Sync." The iTunes program will synchronize the iPhone and copy the new CD tracks to the phone.

USB Flash Drive Tutorial

USB flash drives, also called jump drives, thumb drives, pin drives and USB drives, are some of the most useful portable storage devices to come down the pike in a long time. These handy little gadgets are capable of carrying relatively large amounts of data in a very small, fits-right-in-your-shirt-pocket package. And there are lots of ways to use them.

Installation

The lovely thing about the USB drive is that it requires no software installation. You can plug it directly into any relatively up-to-date computer with a USB port. Windows XP and Vista, Linux and Mac operating systems all automatically recognize the drive when you plug it in.

Finding the drive

Once you've plugged the USB drive in, watch for your operating system to let you know it's ready to go. In Windows, this will be a small flag in the lower right-hand side of your screen. You may then go to your browser, where you will find the drive listed among your hard drives, CD, DVD and other flash drives. Simply double click on the drive and a window will open, allowing you to see what is on the drive. The drives come preformatted for windows, so you usually don't have to tinker with the formatting.

Loading and Unloading

To move files to and from the USB flash drive, simply open a second window for the drive with which you want to exchange files. Then drag and drop the files from the computer's folder to the USB drive's folder, or from the USB folder to the computer. The files remain on the USB folder until you delete them. You can also save your files directly from software applications by choosing the drive directly from the "save" options within your software.

Other Uses for USB Flash Drives

You can use USB flash drives for anything for which you'd use any other drive. You can use it to boot a computer with a damaged hard drive. It can carry music, video and audiobooks. You can play movies, books and CDs directly from the USB flash drive. It can serve in an emergency to back up your critical, "can't lose" files quickly if your hard drive starts acting up. You can carry them on key chains, in a purse or shirt pocket for those times when when you're out and about and someone wants to give you a file to review. Name it--if another computer storage device can do it, odds are the USB flash drive can too.

Safely Removing the Flash Drive

People often simply pull a USB flash drive out of the port when they are ready to go. You can ensure no problems occur if you move your cursor down to the lower left side of the task bar and hover over the icon for the flash drive. A menu will pop up that says "Safely remove hardware," with a drive number beside it. If there is more than one choice, make sure you choose the correct drive number that has been assigned to your USB drive. Click on that choice and wait until it tells you "safe to remove hardware." USB drives will generally handle being pulled straight out, but using the procedure above ensures you don't damage it or pull it in the middle of a file download.

Classroom Assessment Tools for Elementary Students

Student assessments are an important part of any elementary class. These assessments provide teachers, parents and students with insight regarding a student's progress, understanding, ability and knowledge of a particular subject. There are many methods of assessing the elementary student, each method with its own benefits. Choose a method which is compatible with the student and the class environment.

Testing

A written assessment such as a test or a quiz is a traditional method of assessing a student's progress and understanding. Tests and quizzes not only inform a teacher of each individual student's ability, but also the class' ability as a whole. These assessments will highlight any areas needing improvement and showcase areas of high performance. Testing also provides student assessment equality.

Self-Assessment

Self-assessments are beneficial tools for teachers as they involve each student and allow the students to practice self-monitoring. This creates a feeling of responsibility for the students, and encourages them to reflect on what they have learned as well as the learning process. Self-assessments may be given in the form of a questionnaire or a one-on-one meeting with a teacher. These assessments may focus on a student's skills, habits, attitudes and feelings regarding the class or subject.

Portfolios

A student portfolio is an effective assessment tool for teachers. Portfolios are useful as they provide an overall look at a student's work and progress over a period of time, oftentimes spanning the length of the class. These tools also allow the student the ability to become a part of the assessment process. A portfolio need not be complicated; a simple binder with blank pages or a composition book will work. Throughout the class, assign the student specific portfolio projects to complete.

Observations

One assessment tool a teacher may utilize is their own ongoing observation of the students. Typical classroom interactions on a daily basis provide a beneficial amount of information on the student and their progress. Taking observational notes is a useful practice for documented proof and future review. To obtain useful notes, keep a clipboard nearby with a separate page for each student. List any student improvements, concerns or suggestions and compile the notes in the student's file for future reference.

Reading Comprehension Stories for Kids

Reading comprehension involves a number of critical thinking skills that are used alone, in combinations or simultaneously. The best way to practice and apply these skills is through real reading situations where students can discuss and share their thoughts and opinions as well as predict, infer, question, summarize and evaluate what they have read.

Selecting Stories

Teachers should select stories that they know the children and, as well as the teachers themselves, will enjoy. Include stories from several genres to show how reading strategies can be applied in a variety of texts. When teaching reading comprehension skills, it will be easier if a teacher has several books available that demonstrate each skill instead of trying to teach many skills from one story.

Read-Alouds

Read-alouds are essential, especially for students in grades K through 2. Teachers use the read-aloud procedure to model reading comprehension to their class. Stories that are descriptive and action-filled make great read aloud material. These type stories are also conducive to interaction, in which the teacher pauses reading to give students time to talk to each other about the plot, setting and characters.

Questioning

Questioning is a comprehension skill that is done before, during and after reading a story. Students can scan the story and look at pictures or read the information printed on the back of a book in order to make connections with any prior knowledge they may have. These activities generate interest in a story. While reading, students can jot down questions they may have about a word or character and discuss them later in class. After reading, students summarize and evaluate the story by retelling and checking predictions.

Story Titles for Predicting Practice

The Internet has a variety of resources to help parents and teachers choose stories that reinforce reading comprehension(see References and Resources). The following are stories for applying and reinforcing the skill of predicting for students in grades K through 4: "The Frog Prince" by Jon Scieszka, "Dog Breath" by Dav Pilkey and "Too Many Tamales" by Gary Soto.

Story Titles for Summarizing and Evaluating

Summarizing and evaluating are important skills because they help students be able to remember what they read and use what they have learned when reading other books. The following titles specifically help build these two skills in grades K through 4: "Owl Moon" by Jane Yolen, "Rosa" by Nikki Giovanni and "Pop's Bridge" by Eve Bunting.

What Is a DRB-III Scan Tool?

A DRB-III Scan Tool is an expensive device that, in conjunction with the electronics on a number of automobiles, may be able to diagnose a variety of problems that may be plaguing your vehicle.

Electronic Diagnostics

All cars produced after Jan. 1, 1996 have been required to utilize OBD-II (On-board Diagnostics) to electronically report vehicle problems upon being scanned. Different vehicle manufacturers require unique tools to be able to scan and diagnose error codes.

DRB-III

When associated with vehicles, DRB stands for Diagnostic Readout Box. The DRB-III Scan Tool is a device supported by Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge brand vehicles to interface with the car's electronics and interpret errors. As of January 2011, it is the newest incarnation of the device, with DRB and DRB-II preceding it.

Use

The DRB-III Scan Tool is able to read OBD-II error codes, including those for various engine parts and parts focused on emissions. Using a DRB-III Scan Tool when a "Check Engine" light is on may prevent your vehicle from enduring further damage. As of January 2011, DRB-III Scan Tools may cost approximately $6,000 to $7,000.

Shift Omnibus Edition (Shift 1-3) (Silo Saga)

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This is the sequel to the New York Times bestselling WOOL series. It combines the three Shift books (First Shift, Second Shift, and Third Shift) into a single e-book in order to save the reader a few bucks. The saga concludes with DUST, which will be available in late 2013.

Reading Order:
1. WOOL
2. SHIFT
3. DUST

____________________________________

In 2007, the Center for Automation in Nanobiotech (CAN) outlined the hardware and software platform that would one day allow robots smaller than human cells to make medical diagnoses, conduct repairs, and even self-propagate.

In the same year, the CBS network re-aired a program about the effects of propranolol on sufferers of extreme trauma. A simple pill, it had been discovered, could wipe out the memory of any traumatic event.

At almost the same moment in humanitys broad history, mankind had discovered the means for bringing about its utter downfall. And the ability to forget it ever happened.

How to Annotate a Reading Assignment

Reading comprehension requires you to connect with the reading assignment. Marking and annotating the text gets you to engage and interact with it in a physical way. Your pencil, pen and highlighter are terrific tools you can use to improve reading comprehension and remember the assigned text. Get the most out of a reading assignment by marking it up.

Instructions

1

Circle unknown and unfamiliar words as you read. You may need to come back and reread the sentences before and after the word to get at the meaning of the word. Write a brief definition in the margin when you grasp it.

2

Underline, highlight or circle sentences that provide you with definitions of key terms. Write "Def" in the margin so you can locate the definition quickly.

3

Mark an X or an asterisk next to a sentence that provides an important example or a main topic.

4

Draw a question mark beside a point that is confusing. You may need to research this further or ask your instructor about it.

5

Number lists of ideas that the writer provides as support points to back up the main concept. Write a number in the margin next to each support point that clarifies the main idea.

6

Place a check or star next to important passages. This is a good practice when taking a test that requires you to read a passage, because the questions that follow the reading will most likely refer back to these main points.

7

Make notes to yourself in the margins. As you read, write any questions or comments that crop up in your mind in the margin next to the passage. Use these annotations in class discussions, essay writing or exams.

8

Keep it simple. Remember, you are trying to connect with the reading in some way. Mark no more than 15 percent of the text.

How to Write a Story About Myself

There's an old adage that there's a book in everyone. True, but not everyone is a natural writer. Writing a story about yourself isn't as easy as telling it, but with a few simple rules and pointers, you can do it. It takes organizing your thoughts, getting an idea of where the story is going and, finally, just writing it.

Instructions

1

Talk to a tape or digital recorder and tell your story there first. This allows you to start the process of thinking about the story as a story. It doesn't have to be perfect on the recording. The recording will give you a rough idea of what you want to say and the general flow of the narrative.

2

Listen to the recording and take notes. You will need an outline for the story before you write it. While some people do this in their heads, creating a written outline allows you to organize your thoughts, determine the story's flow and get started.

3

Start writing the story using your outline, but don't worry about the opening (the paragraph newspaper people call the lede). The lede is the hook into the story, the paragraph or two that gets the reader interested. Good writers leave the lede until the story is complete because at that point, it tends to write itself.

4

Simple is best. Don't use big words when they aren't necessary. In fact, don't use any words that aren't necessary. For example, "I said I would go" is better than "I said that I would go". Big words don't impress anyone, and they detract from the narrative flow.

5

Tell the story in a straight-forward way. Use description sparingly. "I walked into the tiny white kitchen aware something was wrong" is fine. "I walked sluggishly into the gleaming white but very small kitchen sensing something wrong on the wind" is way too much.

6

Be realistic. This is a story about yourself, not Clark Kent. Don't exaggerate. The real story will be far more interesting and believable if it is true without embellishments. Your story is interesting. Go with it.

7

Finish the story. Leave it for a month or so. Read it again and start revising. Rarely is a story perfect in the first draft. Don't be afraid to revise the story to make it cleaner, better, crisper. If possible, get a good editor. Friends and family aren't the best for this because they are biased. The best non-professional editor is someone who can write and can be impartial. Listen to this person's advice, but trust your instincts about your own story.

A Storm of Swords: A Song of Ice and Fire: Book Three

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Is George R.R. Martin for real? Can a fantasy epic actually get better with each new installment? Fans of the genre have glumly come to expect go-nowhere sequels from other authors, so we're entitled to pinch ourselves over Martin's tightly crafted Song of Ice and Fire series. The reports are all true: this series is the real deal, and Martin deserves his crown as the rightful king of the epic. A Game of Thrones got things off to a rock-solid start, A Clash of Kings only exceeded expectations, but it's the Storm of Swords hat trick that cements Martin's rep as the most praiseworthy fantasy author to come along since that other R.R.

Like the first two books, A Storm of Swords could coast on the fundamentals: deftly detailed characters, convincing voices and dialogue, a robust back-story, and a satisfyingly unpredictable plot. But it's Martin's consistently bold choices that set the series apart. Every character is fair game for the headman's axe (sometimes literally), and not only do the good guys regularly lose out to the bad guys, you're never exactly sure who you should be cheering for in the first place.

Storm is full of admirable intricacies. Events that you thought Martin was setting up solidly for the first two books are exposed as complex feints; the field quickly narrows after the Battle of the Blackwater and once again, anything goes. Robb tries desperately to hold the North together, Jon returns from the wildling lands with a torn heart, Bran continues his quest for the three-eyed crow beyond the Wall, Catelyn struggles to save her fragile family, Arya becomes ever more wolflike in her wanderings, Daenerys comes into her own, and Joffrey's cruel rule from King's Landing continues, making even his fellow Lannisters uneasy. Martin tests all the major characters in A Storm of Swords: some fail the trial, while others--like Martin himself--seem to only get stronger. --Paul Hughes

How to Create Rebus Stories in the Kindergarten Classroom

A rebus story is a picture book or poem that combines words, pictures or symbols to tell a predictable story. In the story, a pictorial representation is used repeatedly for a particular character or item. Rebus stories are great for beginning readers in a kindergarten classroom because even students who don't recognize any sight words can follow along and "read" using the pictures to tell the story.

Instructions

1

Introduce your students to the idea of rebus stories by reading them some examples. Colorfully illustrated books like Shirley Neitzel's "The Jacket I Wear in the Snow" and "We're Making Breakfast for Mother" are not only easy to follow, but also tell realistic stories to which kindergarten children can relate.

2

Have a class discussion about how this type of book is different from other books you've read together. Make a point to have all the students closely examine all of the pages: It's important that they realize that the picture representation of the missing word is exactly the same each time it's used.

3

Choose a well-known fairy tale. Ask one of the children to tell it to the class. After he's done, ask another child to retell the story. Help the children identify the common elements that appear over and over again in the story that could easily be replaced with a picture. For example, in "Goldilocks and the Three Bears," the bears, the chairs, the beds and Goldilocks could be represented by pictures.

4

Use chart paper to write out the story in simple words. As you come to one of the elements that can be replaced, ask a student to come up and use a sticker or stamp to put the picture in the correct place.

5

Provide each child with multiple pages stapled together (a book), a pencil and stickers or stamps. Write the simple starter sentence "I see" on the board and explain that they are to write a repeating story, showing them an example:

I see a (picture 1).

I see a (picture 1) and a (picture 2).

I see a (picture 1), a (picture 2) and a (picture 3).

6

Have the students trade books when they are finished and read one anothers' rebus stories.

The Kitchen House: A Novel

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When a white servant girl violates the order of plantation society, she unleashes a tragedy that exposes the worst and best in the people she has come to call her family.

Orphaned while onboard ship from Ireland, seven-year-old Lavinia arrives on the steps of a tobacco plantation where she is to live and work with the slaves of the kitchen house. Under the care of Belle, the master's illegitimate daughter, Lavinia becomes deeply bonded to her adopted family, though she is set apart from them by her white skin.

Eventually, Lavinia is accepted into the world of the big house, where the master is absent and the mistress battles opium addiction. Lavinia finds herself perilously straddling two very different worlds. When she is forced to make a choice, loyalties are brought into question, dangerous truths are laid bare, and lives are put at risk.

The Kitchen House is a tragic story of page-turning suspense, exploring the meaning of family, where love and loyalty prevail.

Explore the reading group guide for The Kitchen House.

A Conversation with Author Kathleen Grissom

Q: What information surprised you while doing research on white indentured servants?

A: When I first began my research I was astonished to discover the great numbers of Irish that were brought over as indentured servants. Then, when I saw advertisements for runaway Irish indentured servants, I realized that some of them, too, must have suffered under intolerable conditions.

Q: Why did you chose not to go into detail about some of the most dramatic plot points in the novel, for example, the death of Waters or the abuse of young Marshall?

A: For the most part, Lavinia and Belle dictated the story to me. From the beginning, it became quite clear that if I tried to embellish or change their story, their narration would stop. When I withdrew, the story would continue. Their voices were quite distinct. Belle, who always felt grounded to me, certainly did not hold back with description, particularly of the rape. Lavinia, on the other hand, felt less stable, less able to cope; and at times it felt as though she was scarcely able to relate her horror.

Q: It is interesting that your novel has two narrators--Lavinia and Belle. Do you have any plans to continue the story into the next generation--perhaps from the perspectives of Jaime and Elly?

A: In 1830, Jamie is a well-respected ornithologist in Philadelphia and Sukey is enslaved by the Cherokee Indians in North Carolina. Theirs are the two voices I hear. In time I will know if I am meant to tell their story. Presently I am writing Crow Mary, another work of historical fiction. A few years ago I was visiting Fort Walsh in the Cypress Hills of Saskatchewan. As I listened to an interpreter tell of Mary, who, in 1872, at the age of sixteen, was traded in marriage to a well-known fur trader, a familiar deep chill went thorough

How to Sell Old Books

Old books are sometimes very valuable. The Internet is a great resource for selling them. However, you really have to know about the book in order to sell it for the best price. Making mistakes in an on-line listing can lose you money.

Instructions

Clean it Up

1

Clean the book thoroughly with a clean, dry cloth. Don't attempt to use a liquid cleaner unless the book clearly has a very glossy cover or dust jacket. Apply the liquid cleaner to the cloth, not the book, prior to cleaning. Don't permit the cleaning fluid to get on any other part of the book.

2

Research the book carefully on-line. Check eBay, Abebooks, Alibris, and other book selling websites. Cross-reference to make sure that different sellers are saying the same things about the book. Compare your book to the one listed on-line to make sure it is the same book. Make a note of the details of the book, and the potential sales price.

3

Make any necessary repairs to the book. If the book has serious damage, take it to a professional. Some minor damage, such as torn pages or a torn dust jacket, you can repair yourself. Be sure to obtain the proper materials, such as Brodart acid free glue and repair tape.

4

Determine the edition of the book. Many modern first editions will have "First Edition" printed on the title page. Others will have a number line reading "0987654321" or similar. Other books will have specific "blurbs" on the back of the dust jacket, or other identifying features. Often first edition books have a different color cover than the later editions. On-line listings of the book will help you find this information.

5

Set a neutral background behind your book. If photographing indoors, use the three-point lighting system, setting a key light, a fill light and a back light on the book. If photographing outdoors, take your pictures in bright daylight using a sheet or diffuser to soften the daylight. Use a reflector to bounce a fill light back on the dark side of the object. Turn the flash off on your camera. Take several pictures without the flash. Then turn the flash back on and take several pictures with the flash. Be sure to take pictures of the book from many different angles. You may also wish to scan the book, since scanning typically produces pictures which are dramatically clearer, brighter and more detailed than photographs.

6

Load your pictures in your favorite image editing software. Determine which pictures look best. Fix the brightness and contrast of your pictures and do any necessary color balance correction. Rotate your image if it seems crooked. Crop the image, leaving a sufficient border around it. Re-size the image so that it is no longer than 600 pixels on the longest side. Save your image with a new file name in jpeg format.

7

Create the on-line listing for your book. Low-cost and free websites include eBay and Craigslist. Be sure to take great care creating your listing so that it is accurate and correct. If you choose eBay, and you are not a Power Seller, you should de-select the international shipping options. Upload your images to the server.

8

Check your email daily and promptly answer questions about your item. If you ship your old book to the customer, and it is very valuable, ship it by registered mail with insurance.

How to Become a Better Reader

Reading is an effective way to gather information and an enjoyable means of passing time. However, those who are not strong readers may find their ability to read with a purpose or their enjoyment of reading for pleasure hindered. If you struggle with reading, you dont simply have to accept your deficiency. Instead, you can actively engage in activities designed to build your reading skills and, in doing so, allow yourself to reap the maximum reward from your reading efforts.

Read with Regularity

Just as an athlete who hopes to become the best in his selected sport must dedicate time to developing his athletic abilities, those who hope to read well must put time into the task. The more you read, the better you will become at reading. Select reading material you are interested in, enhancing your natural motivation to read, and set aside a regular block of time to read.

Preview

When you pick up a book or sit down to read a newspaper or magazine article, dont dive right in. Instead, flip through the book or skim the article. Make note of the title, any table of contents that may be available and the section headings. In doing so, you can prepare yourself mentally to absorb what you will read, giving yourself some preconceived notions as to the information the written work will contain and creating a context through which to understand it more adeptly.

Question

As you read, pause periodically and ask yourself questions about what you have just read. For example, if you are reading about a girl who is going on a trip, stop after several sentences and ask yourself questions such as, why is she going on this trip? By mentally posing and answering these questions, you can ensure that you are absorbing the content you are reading and identify any areas of confusion more rapidly, allowing you to revisit the text and gather the information you require for full understanding of the content.

Paraphrase

Sometimes its not what the author is saying, but the way in which he is saying it that creates a problem. Stopping and paraphrasing what you have just read can help you better understand the text as a whole, particularly if you are working your way through jargon-filled text. After you finish each paragraph, re-state the contents in your own words either in your head or orally. This re-wording accomplishes two important tasks. First, it ensures that you really understand what you have read. Secondly, it provides you with a quick reminder of what the paragraph said, likely improving your retention.

Discuss

If your efforts at improving your reading arent going as smashingly as you had hoped, seek the help of a reading partner. Ask a friend who is also working to build her reading skill, or a trusted companion who is already a good reader, to read the same text you are exploring. After you have both read the text, discuss the facts and ideas it contains. By working with this co-reader, you can benefit from the addition of anothers perspective on the piece you are reading, likely enhancing your overall understanding.

Timeless

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A deliciously romantic Young Adult novel with a supernatural twist.

Seventeen-year-old California cheerleader Jessica is beautiful, wealthy, and popular. She has everything she could ever want, except happiness. But her world changes forever when Tommy, a dark, sexy, mysterious stranger arrives at school on a motorcycle the first day of senior year. Sweeping her off her feet, she loses her heart to him. But will time tear them apart forever?

Approximately 31,000 words.

War Brides

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The National Bestseller

With war threatening to spread from Europe to England, the sleepy village of Crowmarsh Priors settles into a new sort of normal: Evacuees from London are billeted in local homes. Nightly air raids become grimly mundane. The tightening vice of rationing curtails every comfort. Men leave to fight and die. And five women forge an unlikely bond of friendship that will change their lives forever.

Alice Osbourne, the stolid daughter of the late vicar, is reeling from the news that Richard Fairfax broke their engagement to marry Evangeline Fontaine, an American girl from the Deep South. Evangelines arrival causes a stir in the villagebut not the chaos that would ensue if they knew her motives for being there. Scrappy Elsie Pigeon is among the poor of London who see the evacuations as a chance to escape a life of destitution. Another new arrival is Tanni Zayman, a young Jewish girl who fled the horrors of Europe and now waits with her newborn son, certain that the rest of her family is safe and bound to show up any day. And then theres Frances Falconleigh, a madcap, fearless debutante whose father is determined to keep her in the countryside and out of the papers.

As the war and its relentless hardships intensify around them, the same struggles that threaten to rip apart their lives also bring the five closer together. They draw strength from one another to defeat formidable enemieshunger, falling bombs, the looming threat of a Nazi invasion, and a traitor in their midstand find remarkable strength within themselves to help their friends. Theirs is a war-forged loyalty that will outlast the fiercest battle and endure years and distance.

When four of the women return to Crowmarsh Priors for a VE Day celebration fifty years later, television cameras focus on the heartwarming story of these old women as war brides of a bygone age, but miss the more newsworthy angle. The womens mission is not to commemorate or remembertheyve returned to settle a score and avenge one of their own.

Jane Eyre

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As a young governess, Jane Eyre falls for Mr. Rochester, the master of Thornfield Hall. While their affections grow, a horrible secret threatens to tear the lovers apart.

How to Read Steamy Love Stories for Free Online

Fans of romance are loyal to the genre and enjoy the settings and characters that allow them to escape to other worlds through romantic fiction. Today, the Internet opens up a world as well, which includes many websites that offer steamy romantic tales free of charge. In addition to romance giants such as Harlequin, there are small press websites that offer romantic stories that can be downloaded or read directly in your browser. If you enjoy steamy romance, you can find your fill online without spending a penny.

Instructions

1

Visit Harlequin for full-length romantic novels you can download directly to your computer. The website offers a selection of bestselling titles in several romance sub-genres at no charge. Browse cover images to select a book, then click the cover. You'll get a detailed synopsis of the book. Download the book by clicking "Download as PDF." You can either save this book to your desktop or click to open and read it online.

2

Read a collection of steamy romance online at PublicBookshelf, including paranormal romance, romance with mystery and suspense, contemporary romance and historical romance. Visit the website and click on a book cover. To read a novel, click the "Begin Reading" button beneath the cover. When the first page of the book displays, use the text size button located at the top of the book to increase or decrease text size for comfort.

3

Read free romance novels, free sample chapters of upcoming romance books, and free romantic short stories in the e-zine "Romance at Heart." This free romance e-zine is easy to use. Click a title to open a free romantic book to read in your browser, then select the chapter you want to read from the chapter menu to navigate through the book.

4

Visit Excessica to read erotic steamy romance aimed at adults only. Click on "Free Reads" from the menu on the right of the website. Excessica offers many free erotic romance stories at no charge. Click the cover of a title to read or download it in PDF. You do need a Yahoo account and a membership in Excessica's newsgroup to read these stories. Clicking a title presents you with the opportunity to log in or create an account.

How to Make a Book Jacket

Perhaps making a book jacket brings back memories of middle school, brown paper bags, passing notes, stonewashed denim (or bellbottoms), and adolescent angst. Well, let me tell you, if that is the case, it is official, you are no longer hip. (Don't worry, neither am I!)

As it turns out, in this age of text messaging and cell phones covered in beads and doodads, it just won't do for a school book to go *gasp* naked in a brown paper bag. Luckily, there is an easy solution for this problem. Not to worry, if you are an adult who just wants to cover a book for functionality, feel free to use a brown paper bag, or the New York Times Financial section, or whatever flips your switch.

Nowadays you can purchase pre-made book covers made of fabric, or sticky plastic, but there are still options for those of us who can't bear to spend money on something we could easily make ourselves. Luckily, you have probably received a present at one time or another wrapped in a gift bag. And maybe you saved that gift bag. If you did, that is where you want to start. If not, head to the dollar store and pick up some great, colorful bags for...you guessed it, a dollar!

Instructions

1

First let me say that you need not use a gift bag of course. Any thick paper you like will do. But let's assume you are going to recycle a bag you already own for the sake of this article.

Cut the bag open along the seams so that it lays flat. Lay the book in the center of the bag and fold the top over the book, making a crease to mark where the book lies. Do the same with the bottom.

2




Remove the book and fold the paper bag along the crease marks you just made. You should now have a piece of paper that is long from left to right and is the same height as the book.

3

Place the book back onto the paper and fold the paper over, matching up the ends. In this step you will be measuring the length of the ends to see if they will need to be trimmed. The long ends of the folded paper should extend beyond the book cover about half the width of the book. For example, if the book measures 10" from left to right (closed, not open) then the paper should extend 5" over the edge of the book both on the front and the back. Trim the paper until this is the case.

*If your paper is naturally a little shorter than this, it will still work, so don't worry.

4




Now you need to insert the book into the cover. First open the book, then insert the front cover into the flap of extra paper. Repeat this process with the back cover and center the book. If you wish, mark the cover with a crease, remove the book and fold the two flaps to create a sharp line. This will give you a look that is not quite as loose.

Once the book is inserted and you are happy with the fit of the cover, you can tape the flaps so the book does not slip out.

That's it, now you can use your imagination to personalize your book cover.

Just One Night, Part 3: Binding Agreement

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Part 3 of the Just One Night series. One wild night in a Vegas hotel changed everything for Kasie. Sleeping with a powerful, sexy stranger made her rethink her impending marriage, and a whole lot more.

As her affair threatens her job and the sexy billionaire Robert Dade becomes more controlling, Kasie has to figure out if her passion is leading her down a path she really wants. Shes seduced by his gifts of power, success, and adventure, shes overwhelmed by what he can make her feel with a single touch, the way he can make her ache for him with just a look. But is the cost of absolute power and pleasure a price Kasie can afford? And does she truly know this man who says he can give her everythingor is he still a stranger after all?

The Paris Wife (Random House Reader's Circle Deluxe Reading Group Edition): A Novel

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Author Paula McLain on The Paris Wife


Most of us know or think we know who Ernest Hemingway was -- a brilliant writer full of macho swagger, driven to take on huge feats of bravery and a pitcher or two of martinis -- before lunch. But beneath this man or myth, or some combination of the two, is another Hemingway, one weve never seen before. Hadley Richardson, Hemingways first wife, is the perfect person to reveal him to us -- and also to immerse us in the incredibly exciting and volatile world of Jazz-age Paris.

The idea to write in Hadleys voice came to me as I was reading Hemingways memoir, A Moveable Feast, about his early years in Paris. In the final pages, he writes of Hadley, I wished I had died before I ever loved anyone but her. That line, and his portrayal of their marriage -- so tender and poignant and steeped in regret -- inspired me to search out biographies of Hadley, and then to research their brief and intense courtship and letters -- they wrote hundreds and hundreds of pages of delicious pages to another!

I couldnt help but fall in love with Hadley, and through her eyes, with the young Ernest Hemingway. He was just twenty when they met, handsome and magnetic, passionate and sensitive and full of dreams. I was surprised at how much I liked and admired him -- and before I knew it, I was entirely swept away by their gripping love story.

I hope you will be as captivated by this remarkable couple as I am -- and by the fascinating world of Paris in the 20s, the fast-living, ardent and tremendously driven Lost Generation.

A Look Inside The Paris Wife



Ernest and Hadley Hemingway, Chamby, Switzerland, winter 1922


Ernest and Hadley Hemingway on their wedding day, 1921


Ernest, Hadley, and Bumby, Schruns, Austria, 1925



The Hemingways and friends at a cafe in Pamplona, Spain
Guest Reviewer: Helen Simonson on The Paris Wife

Helen Simonson is the New York Times bestselling author of Major Pettigrews Last Stand. She was born in England and spent her teenage years in a small village in East Sussex. A graduate of the London School of Economics and former travel advertising executive, she has lived in America for the past two decades. After many years in Brooklyn, she now lives with her husband and two sons in the Washington, D.C., area.

Paula McLain has taken on the task of writing a story most of us probably think we already know--that of a doomed starter wife. To make life more difficult, McLain proposes to tell us about Ernest Hemingways first wife, Hadley Richardson, who is a twenty-eight-year-old Midwestern spinster when she marries the twenty-one-year-old unpublished, (but already cocksure) writer

The Perks of Being a Wallflower

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Amazon.com Review
What is most notable about this funny, touching, memorable first novel from Stephen Chbosky is the resounding accuracy with which the author captures the voice of a boy teetering on the brink of adulthood. Charlie is a freshman. And while's he's not the biggest geek in the school, he is by no means popular. He's a wallflower--shy and introspective, and intelligent beyond his years, if not very savvy in the social arts. We learn about Charlie through the letters he writes to someone of undisclosed name, age, and gender, a stylistic technique that adds to the heart-wrenching earnestness saturating this teen's story. Charlie encounters the same struggles that many kids face in high school--how to make friends, the intensity of a crush, family tensions, a first relationship, exploring sexuality, experimenting with drugs--but he must also deal with his best friend's recent suicide. Charlie's letters take on the intimate feel of a journal as he shares his day-to-day thoughts and feelings:

I walk around the school hallways and look at the people. I look at the teachers and wonder why they're here. If they like their jobs. Or us. And I wonder how smart they were when they were fifteen. Not in a mean way. In a curious way. It's like looking at all the students and wondering who's had their heart broken that day, and how they are able to cope with having three quizzes and a book report due on top of that. Or wondering who did the heart breaking. And wondering why. With the help of a teacher who recognizes his wisdom and intuition, and his two friends, seniors Samantha and Patrick, Charlie mostly manages to avoid the depression he feels creeping up like kudzu. When it all becomes too much, after a shocking realization about his beloved late Aunt Helen, Charlie retreats from reality for awhile. But he makes it back in due time, ready to face his sophomore year and all that it may bring. Charlie, sincerely searching for that feeling of "being infinite," is a kindred spirit to the generation that's been slapped with the label X. --Brangien Davis

How to Download an Audio Book to a Flash Drive

If you have an audiobook on your computer, you can copy it onto a flash drive so you can listen to it on another computer, or so you can have a back-up copy in case the audiobook is accidentally deleted from your hard drive or the hard drive crashes. For example, you might be listening to an audiobook about business while you're at your job, and you want to resume listening to it that night on your home computer. You can easily download an audiobook to a flash drive.

Instructions

1

Plug the USB connector of the flash drive into a USB port on your computer. The flash drive mounts on the computer's desktop, where it's represented as an icon.

2

Open the folder on your computer that contains the audiobook.

3

Drag the audiobook file if it's a single audio file onto the icon of the flash drive to copy it over. Drag the audiobook folder if it contains multiple files for chapters or sections of the book to copy the folder and its audio files to the flash drive.

4

Right-click the icon of the flash drive, and then click "Eject." Unplug the flash drive from your computer.

Reading Comprehension Exercises for Kids

Reading comprehension is the purpose of reading. It's the ability to understand, remember and communicate what was read. Building a good vocabulary and learning to decode the words are the keys to being a good reader. Another key is expanding your knowledge in a variety of topics. Someone who reads something that she's familiar with will comprehend more on the subject.

Strategies

Good readers use active comprehension strategies that work together. Good comprehensive skills start with the ability of predicting what's coming next in the reading. Another important skill is internally analyzing the story and asking informed questions. Visualizing as a reader reads helps to construct an image of the occurrences in the story. Finally, the skill to summarize and retain the information gathered by the story is important.

Summarizing Data

Have the student read a story. As he reads, he needs to pull out phrases that point to the most important facts. This includes participants in the action, events, locations and time. This is useful for following plot or the events of a news article. Once the facts are pulled out, have the student write these facts into complete sentences. Have him order them in a logical order. This can be chronological, in order of importance, or in order of presentation in the story.

Communication

Have the student read a short story. It can be a non-fiction or a fictional story. As the student reads, have her take notes about the events in the story. Once finished, she can pretend she's a newspaper reporter and is writing a news article on the short story. Have her write a journalism article answering the questions of who, what, when, where and why. She must present the most important facts or actions in the first paragraph. The other paragraphs must back up the first, as well as explain the "how."

Visualizing

The student must read a book and watch a movie based on the book. Once this is done, he can compare and contrast the book with the movie. He'll introduce the story in terms of character and plot. Then he can discuss how the book and movie were the same. Afterward, he can discuss major differences between the two. At the end of the exercise, have the student tell how the movie differed from how he visualized the book as he reads the story.

How to transfer CDs to the iPad

Apple's iPad is an all-in-one solution for consuming media. As in Apple's line of iPods, music plays a central part in the iPad experience. With multi-gigabyte hard drives and iTunes software installed on the iPad, your iPad can store a significant part of your music collection, if not the entirety of it.

Instructions

1

Install iTunes software on your computer. It is available as a download from Apple's Web site and will take less than 10 minutes to download on most high-speed Internet connections.

2

Insert your album into the CD drive. iTunes will automatically detect the disc once it is inserted.

3

Wait for iTunes to give track information. If you're connected to the Internet, iTunes queries a database that automatically pulls in the album's name, track listing and cover art, saving you the need to enter it manually.

4

Uncheck any songs you don't want copied.

5

Click "Import CD." This will make a digital copy of your album and automatically transfer it to your computer's hard drive.

6

Go to your music library. Once the transfer is complete, iTunes will add the album tracks to your music library.

7

Connect your iPad. It will show up in the devices panel on the left-hand side of the software.

8

In your music library, highlight the album or songs you wish to transfer to the iPad. Click "Sync" to sync your iPad with your music library.

Children's Books Writing Ideas

Publishers of children's books are always on the look out for new and unique topics. The editors get too many "ho hum" books with the same old and stale ideas coming across their desk. If you want to be published, you need to come up with one of these "wow" subjects. This is especially true with the amount of competition for each book submitted.

Instructions

1

Remember what it is to be a child. If you cannot think like a child, how will you know what book is best for young readers? When you next spend time with a three or four year old, for example, get down on the ground at his or her level. See how this child sees the world. Experience what he experiences. Find out what makes him happy or angry. What do those cookies in the oven smell like? What does that big tub of water look like? What about the feeling of the clothes from the drier? Take a notebook with you and jot down any ideas that come to you during this time.

2

Listen to children talking to one another. By the time they are four years old, they will have some interesting conversations. What is their perception of the world from their vantage point? What questions do they have? What scares them? What gives them pleasure? Watch kids in different environments: in the playground, at school, in the yard playing with worms, at home helping daddy in the garage or in the kitchen.

3

Sit down and watch Saturday cartoons, play video games, go the library and watch which books children pull from the shelf. When you see what interests children most, you can look for offshoots of ideas. Maybe there are too many books about scary dogs, but what about scary cats or even parrots? What about mom going to work and having a stay at home dad?

4

Think about your own childhood. In some cases, children are the same today as they have been for generations. Do you remember your first day of school? What was it like to follow in the footsteps of your older brother or sister? Do you remember that Thanksgiving when everyone fell asleep after dinner until the dog started whining for his food? Also think about the days you shared with your own children. What made them special? What unique things happened while they were growing up?

5

Go into a book store or a library where there are many children's books, games and toys, and let your mind run free for a good 15 minutes or more. Write down anything that comes to mind. Do not think, but just free associate. What is the first thing that comes to mind when you see that silly looking frog? What about that globe? Look at the robot walking down the aisle or the stacks and stacks of board games. What would it be like eating that whole 12-inch lollipop? Let the colors, sounds, shapes and designs bombard you.

Emma

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Of all Jane Austen's heroines, Emma Woodhouse is the most flawed, the most infuriating, and, in the end, the most endearing. Pride and Prejudice's Lizzie Bennet has more wit and sparkle; Catherine Morland in Northanger Abbey more imagination; and Sense and Sensibility's Elinor Dashwood certainly more sense--but Emma is lovable precisely because she is so imperfect. Austen only completed six novels in her lifetime, of which five feature young women whose chances for making a good marriage depend greatly on financial issues, and whose prospects if they fail are rather grim. Emma is the exception: "Emma Woodhouse, handsome, clever, and rich, with a comfortable home and happy disposition seemed to unite some of the best blessings of existence; and had lived nearly twenty-one years in the world with very little to distress or vex her." One may be tempted to wonder what Austen could possibly find to say about so fortunate a character. The answer is, quite a lot.

For Emma, raised to think well of herself, has such a high opinion of her own worth that it blinds her to the opinions of others. The story revolves around a comedy of errors: Emma befriends Harriet Smith, a young woman of unknown parentage, and attempts to remake her in her own image. Ignoring the gaping difference in their respective fortunes and stations in life, Emma convinces herself and her friend that Harriet should look as high as Emma herself might for a husband--and she zeroes in on an ambitious vicar as the perfect match. At the same time, she reads too much into a flirtation with Frank Churchill, the newly arrived son of family friends, and thoughtlessly starts a rumor about poor but beautiful Jane Fairfax, the beloved niece of two genteelly impoverished elderly ladies in the village. As Emma's fantastically misguided schemes threaten to surge out of control, the voice of reason is provided by Mr. Knightly, the Woodhouse's longtime friend and neighbor. Though Austen herself described Emma as "a heroine whom no one but myself will much like," she endowed her creation with enough charm to see her through her most egregious behavior, and the saving grace of being able to learn from her mistakes. By the end of the novel Harriet, Frank, and Jane are all properly accounted for, Emma is wiser (though certainly not sadder), and the reader has had the satisfaction of enjoying Jane Austen at the height of her powers. --Alix Wilber

How to Write a Myth Story

Merriam-Webster dictionary defines a myth as "a usually traditional story of ostensibly historical events that serves to unfold part of the world view of a people or explain a practice, belief, or natural phenomenon." This is the accepted definition of the traditional myth story. Myth is also defined by Merriam-Webster as "a person or thing having only an imaginary or unverifiable existence." This definition is closer to the meaning that we are looking for when we approach writing our own myth story. You would be surprised at how many popular stories and movies follow the myth outline.

Instructions

1

Create a setting. The setting of a myth story is typically a made-up one; think of "Star Wars" or "Lord of the Rings." Will your story be set on another universe or on Earth in the distant future? Another option is to set your story in the past, using knights and dragons and wizards.

2

Imagine a character. The main character can be male or female, but this character will be the hero of the myth story. Every myth story has a hero; Luke Skywalker, Oedipus and Bilbo Baggins are some examples. A hero is almost always an orphan being raised by a kindly relative or wizard. The hero is, of course, handsome/beautiful and young. They are poised on the edge of life between being a child and becoming an adult. The journey you set them on in your story will determine which way they fall (but they won't fall because they are the hero!).

3

Set your hero on a quest. All myth stories revolve around a journey. The hero will leave his home world and travel to another time or world or dimension in order to save the world. The hero does not usually know he is going to the save the world in the beginning. He simply is called to find something or find someone, or his world is destroyed and he must journey to find a new place to live. In the end of the story, the hero will return to his home world (if it is still there) to the adoration of all the townspeople.

4

Give your hero a talisman. A talisman is simply some sort of token that the hero carries with him. Sometimes he already has this talisman, or he may find it while on his journey. He has no idea of its power until much later. Think of the gold ring in "Lord of the Rings or "the force" in "Star Wars."

5

Surround your hero with lots of conflict. The driving force of any story is conflict, and the myth story especially is dependent on you moving the story forward one problem after another. Your characters will encounter difficulties at every turn. They will experience external conflict by battling dragons or aliens and being exposed to deadly weather conditions. Throw in internal conflict by having the hero fall in love with someone who doesn't even like him (again, think of Luke and Leah in "Star Wars").