Silent Crime: bad crime story

Silent Crime by WL Knightly is the first book in the Hangman series. WL Knightly is the writing team of friends, Lexy Timms and Ali Parker. Detective Jake Thomas of the Spokane Police Department is on his way out. He is tired of the corruption and evil that seems to fill the streets. He is given one last case in order to train his replacement, Officer Jo Calloway, and what he doesn’t realize is that this case will affect more personally than ever before. There is a serial killer known as the Hangman who likes to torture his victims with a deadly game of hangman before killing them. Can Jake train his replacement and catch the Hangman before he kills again?

When I picked this book, the title and cover page caught my eye and I love a good detective story. It was on my To Be Read list for months until recently when I slowly made my way to it. I eagerly opened the first page and was shocked. This was not the book I thought it was. The language was way too vulgar for me. I’ve read some gruesome crime stories, but this book had no real style to it. It had no suspense and even with the “cliffhanger” of an ending, there was no real hook to keep me onto the next book. It was only recently when I read other reviews, did I realize that you must read all six books in the series to get the complete story. So, you have to labor through six books to have any resolution? I don’t think so. The characters aren’t even likable enough for me to try to continue the series. Jake is too much of a misogynist and the first time the reader is introduced to Jo, she’s the dumb blonde popping her gum. Really?!?!? A cop that is going to take over homicide cases?!?! It isn’t even well written or researched. The police procedures are a joke. I do not recommend Silent Crime.

Silent Crime

is available in paperback and eBook

Celebrating International Day of Women and Girls in Science

Many people may think that women in the sciences is a modern phenomenon. While it is true that women have not been as prominent in the sciences as men, they have been active in research since the ancient world. According to United Nations data, less than 30% of scientific researchers worldwide are women (Kent, 2020) We often hear of studies revealing that women are discouraged from entering the fields of science, technology, engineering and math (known as the STEM fields) beginning at a young age. Although I don’t remember being discourage from these fields as student, I also feel I wasn’t actively encouraged either. According to the Pew Research Center, women are still underrepresented in engineering, computer science and physical science (Kent, 2020). As today is the UN’s International Day of Women and Girls in Science, I would like to feature three revolutionizing women whose discoveries have led to the advancement in their fields and our daily lives.

Alice Augusta Ball was born on July 24, 1892 in Seattle, Washington. Her family would move to Honolulu in hopes that the warmer weather would help her grandfather’s arthritis. They would move back to Seattle after one year. She would attend Seattle High School and graduated in 1940, receiving top grades in the sciences. Ball studied chemistry at the University of Washington, receiving bachelor’s in pharmaceutical chemistry and pharmacy. With her pharmacy professor, she published a 1o page article, “Benzoylations in Ether Solution,” in the prestigious Journal of American Chemical Society, a rare accomplishment, not just for an African American woman but any woman. Ball pursued her master’s degree at the University of Hawaii, where she developed a groundbreaking treatment for leprosy (Kent, 2020). Current treatments for leprosy was oil from the chaulmoogra tree, however; it was difficult to use orally or topically, and it was too thick to inject (Kent, 2020). Ball discovered the ester ethyl form of the oil which made it water soluble and dissolvable in the bloodstream and thus injectable. She died on December 31, 1916 before she could publish her findings. The president of the university at the time tried to claim the discovery as his own until Ball’s supervisor would speak publicly giving Ball the credit (Kent, 2020).

Grace Brewster (nee Murray) Hopper was born December 9, 1906 in New York City. She would earn her bachelor’s degrees from Vassar College in mathematics and physics in 1928. She would go on to Yale where she earned a master’s in mathematics (1930) and a PhD in mathematical physics (1934). After the bombing of Pearl Harbor, Hopper joined the war effort. Initially rejected because of her age (34) and her size (her weight to height ration was too low), she persisted and joined the US Naval Reserve (Women’s Reserve) in December 1943. She was assigned to the Bureau of Ships Computation Project at Harvard University (Yale News, 2017). While working on the Mark II, she dismantled a malfunction computer to find a moth, causing the problem. Although mechanical malfunctions have been referred to as bugs since the 19^th century, Hopper became the first person to call computer problems “bugs” (Kent, 2020) and speak of “debugging” a computer (Yale News, 2017). Her trailblazing career in both the US Navy and the private sector helped development the computer languages we know today. She would continue to work in her field until her death on January 1, 1992 at the age of 85. She was buried at Arlington National Cemetery with full military honors.

The ENIAC was the Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer. It was the first electronic general-purpose computer which was completed in 1945. The women known as the ENIAC Programmers are Kay McNulty (1921-2006), Betty Jennings (1924-2011), Betty Snyder (1917-2001), Marlyn Meltzer (1922-2008), Fran Bilas (1922-2012) and Ruth Lichterman (1924-1986). They were drawn from a group of about two hundred women employed as computers at the Moore School of Electrical Engineering at the University of Pennsylvania (Grier, 2007) at a time when there were very few technical jobs for women. The job title of "programmer" or “operator” were not considered suitable for women, however, the male labor shortage created by World War II helped enable their entry into the field (Light, 1999). McNulty, Jennings, Snyder, Meltzer, Bilas and Lichterman developed a method to input ENIAC programs and eventually developed an understanding of the machine’s inner workings. They were often able to narrow bugs down to a specific failed tube (Fritz, 1996). Betty Snyder helped write the first generative programming system (SORT/MERGE) and help design the first commercial electronic computers, the UNIVAC and the BINAC, alongside Betty Jennings (Beyer, 2012). Kay McNulty developed the use of subroutines in order to help increase ENIAC's computational capability (Isaacson, 2014). In 2010, PBS aired a documentary, “Top Secret Rosies: The “Computers” of WWII” which featured the contribution of these six women.

In conclusion, women in science have made important contributions to science and the advancement of our lives. Because of Alice Ball’s discovery, patients of leprosy were no longer required to be exiled to Kalaupapa, Molokai and could be treated at home. Known as irreverent, sharp-tongued and brilliant, Grace Hopper was able to help break down barriers for future scientists. She said, "The most important thing I've accomplished, other than building the compiler is training young people.” The ENIAC programmers may be a little less known than Grace Hopper, but their contributions are just as important as they were able to show that computers and programing isn’t just for men. A brilliant and innovative mind knows no gender, no race or nationality. They come from all walks of life and their determination and tenacity should be an inspiration for all young people, especially young girls, to pursue their fields regardless if they are told they cannot.

References

Beyer, Kurt (2012). Grace Hopper and the Invention of the Information Age. London, Cambridge: MIT Press. p. 198. ISBN 9780262517263. Retrieved February 4, 2020.

Fritz, W. Barkley (1996). "The Women of ENIAC" (PDF). IEEE Annals of the History of Computing. 18 (3): 13–28. doi:10.1109/85.511940. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-03-04. Retrieved February 4, 2020.

Grier, David (2007). When Computers Were Human. Princeton University Press. ISBN 9781400849369. Retrieved February 4, 2020.

Isaacson, Walter (September 18, 2014). "Walter Isaacson on the Women of ENIAC". Fortune. Archived from the original on 12 December 2018. Retrieved February 4, 2020.

Kent, Lauren. (January 27, 2020). The heroines STEM: Ten women in science you should know. https://www.cnn.com/2020/01/27/world/women-in-science-you-should-know-scn/index.html. Retrieved February 4, 2020.

The Story of Us: a bad, bad romance novel

The Story of Us by Molly O’Keefe is the story of Samantha Riggins, who runs a women’s shelter, Serenity House, out of her home in the small town of Northwoods, North Carolina. For ten years Samantha and J. D. Kronos, a private investigator she uses on occasion, have convinced themselves they have the perfect relationship. No strings, no commitment, just business and sex when they want. All that changes when the son Sam gave up for adoption walks into her shelter. The son J.D. did not know about. The presence of their child breaks all the rules they've chosen to live by. When a young, pregnant girl shows up at the shelter, running from something or someone, fears that J.D. has been sent to find her, Sam realizes that she knows next to nothing about him and everything Sam thought she knew about J.D. turns out to be wrong. How do they move forward especially now when the biggest secret is yet to be revealed?

The Story of Us was previously published as a Harlequin Romance book, The Son Between Them. And it reads like a bad romance novel. From the beginning, things were off about the characters and the situation. Sam has two residents living at the shelter and yet she and J.D. have sex while her residents are essentially sleeping down the hall!!!! The sex scenes were very unnecessarily explicit and just uncomfortable to read. The story of the young girl and why she’s running is essentially revealed super early and when I learned who she is running from, my response was “Well, that makes sense. I would run too.” There was no build up to an exciting reveal. And J.D.’s secret as to why he doesn’t want commitment is very disappointing as well. I do not recommend The Story of Us.

The Story of Us

is available in eBook and audiobook

Thoughts on my own parenting experience: truths and myths

To become a parent or not? That is the question everyone must answer in their life. Some answer the call with a resounding yes and become awesome parents. Some answer the call only to find out they really shouldn’t be parents at all. Others never really had to think about it and became parents before a real decision could be made. Some think they never want kids, have kids and become awesome parents. And sadly, some desperate want to be parents only to have struggles to have a family. There are many truths and myths about parenting that I have learned from my own experience. There are many factors to consider when deciding to have children or not and whether you decide to have children or not, you do not have the right to demean or mock those who made the opposite decision.

A few truths that I have learned from my own parenting experience:

1. Making a baby isn’t as easy as it sounds. And considering how often you hear that someone is pregnant…again, it makes sense why people believe that it is. Getting pregnant is all about timing and for some, it is a detailed tracking of hormones and menstrual cycles with no guarantees a baby will be conceived or even born. Some need medical intervention to get pregnant and even stay pregnant. Nine months is a long time and many things can go wrong. I have two daughters who are six years apart and that wasn’t by design. I have been pregnant a total of eight times with two live births, with five miscarriages and one premature birth which resulted in death of my daughter. Don’t tell someone who is trying to get pregnant to “relax and have fun” because it is very stressful to want something so much and its just not happening.

2. Being asked if you are having any more children is a deeply hurtful and personal question. This goes along with the lines of “when are you having children?” The answer is very personal and if no one else’s business. Some people want a houseful of kids. Others want one or two.  My husband and I are constantly asked if we plan to have any more children, specifically for a boy. I usually just smile and say “no, we’re done.” But inside I’m fuming. Our road to parenthood hasn’t been easy as I mentioned before and to try again knowing the odds were not in our favor, why would we put ourselves through that heartache again? And with no guarantee we would even have a son. The decision to have more children should be more than “you need a boy.” My husband and I are quite content with our daughters.

3. There is more than one right way to be a parent. There are plenty of “experts” who write hundreds of books or offer unsolicited advice on everything from sleep training to potty training to discipline. And I will say that you find what works for you and go with it. Sometimes it will be what the experts recommend and other times it will not. An article stated that American parents make an average of 221 mistakes a year with 65% percent of parents admitting that they allow their children too much screen time (Haaland, 2020). But who is to say what it too much? My oldest daughter has quite a bit of screen time every day, but her homework still gets done, her chores are done, and she does to bed at the same time every night. So, what if is not what the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends of no more than one hour a day for children 6 and older (2016)?

4. Babies do have a lot of expenses. From diapers for about three years to clothes and toys, the costs rack up. One mom stated in her article that babies don’t need a lot of clothes (Pinola, 2013). I totally disagree because babies and children are messy. Babies will have the occasional diaper blow out, children will spill food on their clothes and will be something to change into and we all can’t constantly be doing laundry for a few outfits. However, be smart. Don’t buy the expensive, although cute, clothes from the Baby Gap or other high-end stores. Stores like Target, Carter’s and even Walmart have equally cute, affordable and sturdy clothes to last while your child grows like a weed. Save the expensive outfits for special occasions. One thing I have learned is not to dismiss the store brands especially diapers. Some store brands are as good or even better than the name brands.

Now onto a few myths about parenting from my experience.

1. You'll spoil your baby if you pick him up whenever he cries. I don’t know why this myth keeps going. I suppose it’s the older mothers and grandmothers passing it along. YOU CANNOT SPOIL your baby by picking him up when he cries. Crying is a signal that something is wrong, and he is calling to you to fix it. It could be a dirty diaper or hunger, or he is too hot/too cold. Or he simply needs your comforting presence. As the baby gets older, you will understand the different cries and be able to respond within the appropriate time frame. Besides, sometimes the extra cuddles with your baby does you a lot of good too. I read online that “the days are long, but the years are short.” Learn to appreciate everything about your children as they grow up because you’ll blink, and it will be gone.

2. The "twos" are terrible. Specially the time frame between 18 months and 30 months are only “terrible” if you are not prepared. This is the time frame when children start to learn their independence. When they really don’t want mom or dad’s help, at least right away. As a new mom with my oldest daughter, I learned quickly when she wanted to be independent and try for herself and when she needed my help. Even now, as my youngest daughter approaches this age range, I take a step back and allow her to learn to be who she is. It may seem too young, but the point of parenting is to raise them to essentially no longer need you for everything even before they leave the house as adults. Give them choices and allow them to make decisions on their own and teach them to accept the decision made even when the results aren’t what they hoped for.

3. Good parents put their kids’ needs first. Many parents, especially mothers, believe that a good parent puts their kids’ needs first. For some things I would agree with this statement; however, as a rule, no. When do I put my kids needs first? Usually when it’s something they cannot do themselves yet. For instance, new clothes and shoes. Since they are growing, they need clothes and shoes faster than I do. When don’t I put my kid’s needs first? At dinner time. I usually make my husband’s plate and drink first and then dish out my daughters’ plates and get their drinks. If my husband isn’t ready for dinner yet, i.e. he’s in the middle of an important phone call, I’ll do ahead and dish out my daughter’s plates so they can eat. Other times, depending on what the need is, I will do what I need to do, especially if I’m in the middle of a task, before getting to what my daughters’ need. I have seen some mothers wear their self-sacrifice like a badge of honor and use it to shame the mothers who may not be as self-sacrificing. And that is disgraceful.

4. Don’t let your children sleep in your bed. While there is a growing trend of co-sleeping when a baby is young, there is a lot of advice against it.  Melanie Pinola stated in her article “A word to the wise: Don’t start a sleep or nighttime habit (like letting your kid into your bed in the middle of the night) you don’t want to continue until your child is in college” (2013). Please! No child who was allowed in his or her parents’ bed as a baby or a child is still sleeping there when they leave for college! I’m sure the author meant to be sarcastic or facetious but there are people believe it. My daughters start every night in their beds and if sometimes during the night, they need to come to our bed, we let them. My youngest daughter is still breastfeeding so co-sleeping happens more often. My oldest daughter coming to our bed is rare. I can only think of once in the last few months.

Here I would like to take a moment to talk to the women who decide not to have kids and then proceed to put down the women who did. Recently, a Facebook friend posted the meme below and a friend of hers posted the comment, “They are smart,” insinuating that women who have kids are stupid to have children. I respect everyone’s decision about whether they have children or not, how many children they have, etc. However, it is not your right to demean or shame other women regardless of their decision. I hate that we have become this “us versus them society.” That we put others down to make ourselves feel better. You don’t want kids, that’s fine, that’s your right. I’m sorry that you’ve been harassed by others for not wanting kids. Or you hate the fact that you do have kids and life didn’t turn out the way you thought it would. Life is hard enough without others putting us down.

Bottom line, parenting is hard and being a parent is different for everyone. Every child is different, even with the same parents. And not everyone is ready or will ever be ready to have children. If you decide to not have kids, that is perfectly within your right. If you do decide to have kids, remember this: You do the best you can with what you have in the moment. Sometimes you will mess up and sometimes you will get it right. Admit when you are wrong, and your children will learn that it’s okay to admit our mistakes. When being a parent the main thing to remember that it is all a phase, this too shall pass, and it won’t be like this for long. My favorite saying is still “the days are long, but the years are short.” Before you know it the house full of kids will be an empty nest.

References

American Academy of Pediatrics. (October 21, 2016) American Academy of Pediatrics Announces New Recommendations for Children’s Media Use. App.org. https://www.aap.org/en-us/about-the-aap/aap-press-room/Pages/American-Academy-of-Pediatrics-Announces-New-Recommendations-for-Childrens-Media-Use.aspx. Retrieved January 16, 2020.

Haaland, Marie (January 12, 2020). American parents make 221 mistakes a year while raising kids, report claims. Fox News. https://www.foxnews.com/lifestyle/american-parents-mistakes-raising-kids-report. Retrieved January 13, 2020.

Pinola, Melanie (March 8, 2013). 10 Things I wish I had known before becoming a parent. Lifehacker.com. https://lifehacker.com/10-things-i-wish-i-had-known-before-becoming-a-parent-5989419. Retrieved January 8, 2020.

The Light After the War: a story in the war's aftermath

The Light After the War by Anita Abriel is the story of Vera Frankel, a Hungarian Jewish refugee living in Naples, Italy. It has been 11 months since the end of the war and believing her entire family was killed in the concentration camps, Vera fled with her best friend, Edith. As the two rebuild their lives in a new country, Vera finds a job at the American embassy in Naples and falls in love with her boss, Captain Anton Wight. A series of events will leave her heartbroken and wondering what to do next. Edith has an idea to get sponsored for citizenship in America and when that falls through, they end up in Caracas, Venezuela. There she meets the handsome Ricardo Albee, and everything seems to be back on track. With flashbacks of events which occurred during the war, Vera must learn to adapt and survive. Will Vera have the happy ending she’s been dreaming of? Will she ever find out what truly happened to her family?

This story was inspired by Ms. Abriel’s mother’s story of survival during WWII and from the opening page to the closing chapter, you are drawn into Vera’s story of survival which takes her across oceans. I enjoyed The Light After the War as it shows a part of history that many historical books do not feature: the migration of many refugees to other countries. Yes, some came to America, but many people do not realize that many refugees made their way to South America and beyond. I recommend The Light After the War. A story of friendship, love, survivor's guilt, loss and survival.

The Light After the War

is available in hardcover, eBook and audiobook

From Sky to Sky: a new book in the Christian science fiction series

From Sky to Sky by Amanda G. Stevens is the second book on the No Less Days series. It is the story of Zac Wilson, a man who cannot die. He and others like him, known as longevites, received a mysterious serum to heal from serious illnesses and injuries and the result was the inability to age and eventually die. Zac soon meets another pair of longevities who are looking for their missing friends, fearing that something has happened to them. Zac helps them search and discovers that someone is killing longevites. Zac is confronted with his anxiety stemming from his longevity and his indifference to God. Will Zac finally listen to the whispers of God? Who is this person killing longevites? How does he find them? Can Zac and his friends find the person responsible before they hurt anyone else?

Marketed as Christian science fiction, I was intrigued when I saw this book, although I wasn’t aware it was the second book in a series. However, if there were references to the first book or knowledge I needed before reading this one, I couldn’t tell. It would still be an advantage to read them in order. Overall, I enjoyed the story. I was intrigued how Ms. Stevens was able to weave God and Scripture into a story that would normally not have any reference to God or religion. The story was slow build and when the individual is revealed to be behind the killings, it was a bit of a letdown. There was no real excitement. Nothing to really pull me in to keep me glued to the page. Maybe if I had read the first book it would be different. If you are a fan of the first book, you will probably enjoy the continuation of the series. If you are interested in the premise, I would recommend reading the first book, No Less Days, and then From Sky to Sky.

From Sky to Sky

is available in paperback and eBook

Let Me Fall: the drama of high school can have a lasting effect

Let Me Fall by Lily Foster is the fifth book in the Let Me series. Each book stands alone and Let Me Fall is the story of Carolyn and Jeremy, secret admirers of each other since grade school and are reunited in their junior year of high school. Carolyn is the smart, nerdy girl who helps the struggling Jeremy pass his classes so he can play football. As the two draw closer, the drama and rumor mill runs wild around the school. Until one day, tragedy strikes, and Carolyn and Jeremy are torn apart and set on different plans they ever planned. Three years after high school, Carolyn and Jeremy start seeing each other around town and the old feelings are still there. Will they be able to move forward? Will the events of high school come back to haunt them?  Can the past be forgiven?

Let Me Fall is a young adult book and it is definitely geared toward that audience. The high school drama, the sexual exploits and the cattiness between the female characters feels like a teen drama show. It was a hard read. The action was slowly building with a lot of hints and rising excitement, only to be let down as the suspense is dragged on further. The sex scenes and the language were hard to get through; however, I feel it is probably accurate to the real interaction of teenagers. It was not my personal experience, but I do know it was the story of others. I loved Jeremy’s character. I sympathized with his struggles and his self-doubt as he viewed himself lower than his classmates. Carolyn was hit and miss for me. I cheered as she recovers from her ordeals than she does and says something that is so immature like geez, have you learned anything? Overall, I enjoyed the book. However, it is not a series I will be continuing. I do recommend Let Me Fall for teen and young adult audiences.

Let Me Fall

is available in paperback and eBook