Were Thomas Jefferson to walk the grounds of Monticello today, he would no doubt feel fully at home in the 1,000-foot terraced vegetable garden where the very vegetables and herbs he favored are thriving. Extensively and painstakingly restored under Peter J. Hatch’s brilliant direction, Jefferson’s unique vegetable garden now boasts the same medley of plants he enthusiastically cultivated in the early nineteenth century. The garden is a living expression of Jefferson’s genius and his distinctly American attitudes. Its impact on the culinary, garden, and landscape history of the United States continues to the present day.

Graced with nearly 200 full-color illustrations, “A Rich Spot of Earth” is the first book devoted to all aspects of the Monticello vegetable garden. Hatch guides us from the asparagus and artichokes first planted in 1770 through the horticultural experiments of Jefferson’s retirement years (1809–1826). The author explores topics ranging from labor in the garden, garden pests of the time, and seed saving practices to contemporary African American gardens. He also discusses Jefferson’s favorite vegetables and the hundreds of varieties he grew, the half-Virginian half-French cuisine he developed, and the gardening traditions he adapted from many other countries.

About Peter J. Hatch

As Director of Gardens and Grounds at Monticello since 1977, Peter J. Hatch has been responsible for the maintenance, interpretation, and restoration of its 2,400-acre landscape. He has written several previous books on Jefferson’s gardens and is an advisor for First Lady Michelle Obama’s White House kitchen garden. He lives in Charlottesville, VA.

Click here to view the video on YouTube.

Thomas Jefferson’s Vegetable Garden: A Thing Of Beauty And Science

NPR Book Review – May 10, 2012 (Excerpt)

When you listen to All Things Considered host Melissa Block’s story about Thomas Jefferson’s garden, you’ll hear how he cared about putting peas on the table and sharing seeds with his friends. He also set loftier goals for his vegetable garden: Monticello’s south-facing expanse was a living laboratory for a lifelong tinkerer and almost obsessive record keeper. Jefferson was, in many ways, a crop scientist.

After Jefferson retired from public life to his beloved Virginia hilltop plantation, the garden “served as a sort of this experimental testing lab where he’d try new vegetables he sought out from around the globe,” says Peter Hatch, the estate’s head gardener. Hatch recently wrote a book about Jefferson’s garden and its history called A Rich Spot of Earth.

Somehow, the author of the Declaration of Independence and the nation’s third president found spare time to meticulously document his many trials and errors, growing over 300 varieties of more than 90 different plants. These included exotics like sesame, chickpeas, sea kale and salsify. They’re more commonly available now, but were rare for the region at the time. So were tomatoes and eggplant. [Read the full article...]

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QUEEN OF MISFORTUNE
A Lady Jane Grey Novel by Peter Carroll

A Love Story of Shakespearean Dimension!

Queen Of Misfortune is the fictional story of Lady Jane Grey as told by her beloved tutor, John Aylmer. At the time of her execution a stranger is recorded to have assisted her when, blind folded, she lost her way upon the scaffold. Was it the same strange who was also recorded to have visited her when she was imprisoned in the Tower? Little is known of this unfortunate girl who was beheaded for treason in the 16^th Century. She was only 16. She is omitted from the list of monarchs but was actually queen for nine days. Author Peter Carroll, in his novel, follows John Aylmer’s close relationship with Jane as her tutor and later, as she grows up, her lover. [More...]

Available at Amazon.Com, Amazon.co.uk, Barnes & Noble, and any other good bookstore.

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Christmas is a time for family and friends, for tradition and treats. But, let’s face it, when the pressure to feed and entertain builds up, the festive season can start to lose its sparkle . . .

That’s where Nigella comes in. With her no-nonsense approach, her inspirational ideas, and her empathy for the practical realities of the season–combined here with reliable, easy-to-follow recipes and reassuring advice about planning and cooking ahead–Nigella Christmas is guaranteed to bring comfort and joy and make sure the season of good will stays that way.

Here is everything you could wish for to make your life and your Christmas easy and enjoyable: from party canapés, cocktails, and manageable mass catering, to scrumptious Christmas cakes and puddings; from no-fuss brunches to quick-and-easy homemade presents (chutneys, preserves, and other delectable standbys) and edible tree decorations. There are mouth-watering recipes with a seasonal twist, and simple menus for feeding friends and family over the extended holiday season with minimum stress and maximum enjoyment.

And, of course, exciting and inspiring variations for the Main Event itself–from her traditional super-juicy turkey with all the trimmings, to festive ginger-glazed ham and the Ultimate Christmas Pudding; from goose, rib of beef, and stuffed rolled pork, all the way to a special vegetarian Christmas feast, a chocolate pudding, a French Yule Log, an Australian Christmas Pudding, and The Boozy British Trifle.

Nigella’s cakes, as always, gladden the heart–and, like many of the recipes here, are at home all year round–but her At-a-Glance Christmas Lunch Countdown, together with make-ahead and freeze-ahead tips throughout, can help take the stress and strain out of the season.

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About Nigella Lawson

Nigella Lawson is the author of the bestselling books How to Eat, How to be a Domestic Goddess, Nigella Bites, Forever Summer, Feast, and Nigella Express. These, together with several successful TV series including Food Network’s Nigella Express, have made hers a household name around the world. She is a contributor to the New York Times, and lives in London with her family.

Editorial Review

U.K. celebrity chef Lawson (How to Eat, Nigella Bites, etc.) tackles Christmas in this warm, welcoming collection. Lawson’s roundup of updated classics should provide a solid foundation for constructing an elaborate dinner menu or a simple cocktail party; alternately, readers can use one of Nigella’s menus, centered around roast turkey, goose, pork or beef-as well as a vegetarian lineup featuring roasted pumpkin stuffed with a ginger and tomato sauce-that come complete with a Martha Stewart-worthy timeline and tips for handling leftovers. Daytime entertainers will appreciate Lawson’s ideas for brunch, including an Espresso Martini and Pumpkin Pancakes with Sticky Maple Pecans, as well as recommendations for mulled wine, hot chocolate spiked with peppermint schnapps, and her Poinsettia cocktail, a combination of sparkling wine, Cointreau and cranberry juice. Though bakers may be weary of committing to a fruitcake or the intimidating Buche De Noel cake, Sticky Gingerbread and Lawson’s chocolate cake-laced with cinnamon, cloves, and a Cointreau cream frosting-offer toothsome, worry-free alternatives. Gifts are also covered, including Vanilla Sugar, Dried Cherries in Cherry Brandy, infused vodkas and peanut brittle. Lawson’s fans and those who’ve been looking for a solid Christmas cookbook will find this a valuable addition to the bookshelf, but anyone with a reliable Christmastime canon may find it redundant. – Publishers Weekly

Nigella’s Tips For A Frugal Yet Festive Holiday

NPR Book Review – December 12, 2011 (Excerpt)

Just because you don’t want to spend a lot over the holidays doesn’t mean you don’t want to enjoy yourself. In her bookNigella Christmas, chef Nigella Lawson has plenty of tricks for making food festive yet frugal.

“At key times of the year like the holidays, what one really wants are the simpler, more traditional foods,” Lawson tells NPR’s Steve Inskeep. “I don’t know that I want anything giddyingly fancy.”

When you’re cooking for a family of all ages, it’s hard to please everyone. Lawson says that when you’re feeding both a 7-year-old and a 70-year-old, keep it simple and “multigenerational.”

For an appetizer, Lawson suggests “fully loaded” potato skins — with sour cream, grated cheese, scallions, Worcestershire sauce and bacon bits. “I think you need a lot of carbohydrates. [It] may be unfashionable, but it’s cold, and maybe you’re drinking a lot,” Lawson says.

For a main dish, Lawson offers the recipe for a crowd-pleasing pumpkin and goat cheese lasagna (recipe below). There’s no meat, which will please the vegetarians at your table, and will also cut back on costs. It’s inexpensive, but it still looks pretty on the table. [Read the full article...]

The Girl Without A Past

A Children’s Novel by Judith P. Vaughan

After being lured into a devious trap, eleven years old twins, Samantha and Alex Covington find themselves transported to a parallel world. They appear in the middle of the forest, a dangerous place were Minotaurs and Trolls roam freely. There they discover that they are not the only victims when they are rescued by Lilly, a girl whose life clock has stopped and all of her past memories erased. They are about to have a mystery on their hands, a mystery that is related to their kidnapping. The clock is ticking —Samantha and Alex must hurry and find a way to get back home before their kidnapper finds them first, if not they will suffer the same fate as their new friend, Lilly.

Kindle Edition: Amazon Kindle Store

All other eBook formats: Smashwords.Com

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In this exquisite and very personal book, Martha Stewart welcomes you into her world, where she entertains in the expressive and beautiful style that she has made so famous. Whether a simple blueberry breakfast on a Sunday morning in Maine or a more lavish holiday dinner at Bedford, each of the gatherings is equally memorable, for what Martha cherishes above all is spending time and sharing delicious food with her family and friends.

“A meal of substantial finger foods with ingenious cocktails, a sit-down formal dinner, a buffet supper, or something more relaxed such as a backyard barbecue—each is a welcome and inviting way to entertain,” writes Martha. Featuring elegant and casual affairs held throughout the year and a diverse collection of enticing recipes, Martha’s Entertaining shows us—in the broadest and most lovely fashion—what it really means to entertain and host today. From an afternoon Easter egg hunt for children to a festive Halloween dinner held inside her horse stable; from a sophisticated cocktail party on a friend’s yacht in New York Harbor to a spring garden fête amid the most glorious beds of peonies, Martha’s parties offer a glimpse inside her beautiful homes. Each is unforgettable and endlessly inspiring.

All of the events feature menus and stories for dreaming and planning, as well as delicious yet approachable recipes: Tomato and Gruyère Toasts, Mini Crab Cakes with Tarragon Tartar Sauce, Tiny Tuna Burgers, Leek and Porcini Risotto, Wild-Mushroom Lasagna, Braised Short Ribs, Roast Turkey Breast with Sage Butter, Rhubarb Crumbles, Blueberry Jam Tartlets, and Chocolate Honey Ice Cream with Butterscotch Sauce, plus some of Martha’s favorite drinks, including Pomegranate Cosmopolitans and Honeydew Mojitos. Mix and match the recipes to create your own distinctive occasion.

Set among Martha’s dining rooms, kitchens, gardens, and patios, this is her most intimate book yet, a new classic for hosts and home cooks of every generation.

Click here to view the video on YouTube.

About Martha Stewart

MARTHA STEWART is the founder of Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, as well as the author of dozens of bestselling books on cooking, entertaining, gardening, weddings, and decorating. She is the host of The Martha Stewart Show, the Emmy-winning daily national program. MSLO publishes several magazines, including Martha Stewart Living; produces Martha Stewart Living Radio, channel 110 on Sirius satellite radio; produces merchandise for a broad group of retailers; and provides a wealth of ideas and information at marthastewart.com.

Party At Martha’s: Stewart’s Tips For ‘Entertaining’

NPR Book Review – December 5, 2011 (Excerpt)

Nearly 30 years ago — long before she had her own TV show or magazine or brand — Martha Stewart wrote her very first book, Entertaining.

“The first book really was kind of an entertaining textbook for the homemaker,” Stewart tells NPR’s Linda Wertheimer. “I couldn’t find a good book about entertaining in 1982 and neither could my friend, so I decided to write it.”

At the time, Stewart was working as a caterer, so her 1982 book is filled with photos of other people’s fabulous parties. Three decades later, Stewart has written a new book filled with photos of her own gatherings. Martha’s Entertaining: A Year of Celebrations shows off Stewart’s superstar hospitality at her home in Bedford, N.Y., her weekend place in East Hampton, N.Y., and her summer house in Maine.

“What I did in this book was try to capture sort of the essence of what we all like to do when we entertain … make wonderful food from really good recipes, set a pretty table or a beautiful buffet, make flower arrangements cut from our own gardens,” Stewart explains.

As always, Stewart sets the bar high. The book is overflowing with artfully arranged food on exquisite china, set beside gorgeous glasses and beautiful flatware. But Stewart insists even the unprofessional homemaker can follow along.

“It’s kind of a dreamscape, in a way,” she admits, “but there are many, many practical and interesting and inspiring kinds of moments throughout the book that I think will enable people to have a pretty Easter, have a wonderful Fourth of July, have an inspiring Christmas.” [Read the full article...]

VAMPIRE ASCENDING
by Lorelei Bell

Exciting Hunt For A Vampire Serial Killer in Chicago

Sabrina Strong is a Touch Clairvoyant who knows a secret. She knows her mother was turned into a vampire when Sabrina was ten. Now that she is grown up, a powerful magnate in the Chicago business world hires her to reveal the identity of who relentlessly murders vampires in his ultra-modern stronghold of a hotel. [Read More...]

Vampire Ascending is now available at Amazon.Com, Amazon.co.uk, Barnes & Noble, and any other good bookstore.

Click on image to buy from Amazon.Com

Unassisted Living documents the shift away from the senior housing that promoted disengagement toward architecture and design that promote active aging. The book is organized in six sections, corresponding to the concerns and special interests of Boomers—those who intend to remain in an urban setting, those concerned with sustainability, those with complex families and non-traditional households, and those who seek a community based on spirituality or shared interests.

Boomers are perhaps the largest generational cohort the United States has ever seen. Numbering some 78 million people born between 1946 and 1964, Boomers are not accepting traditional retirement or “senior housing” and are instead determined to remain active and engaged professionally and socially.

About Jeffrey P. Rosenfeld And Wid Chapman

Wid Chapman is the principal of Wid Chapman Architects, a firm specializing in hospitality, retail, and residential design. He is a senior faculty member at Parsons School of Design at the New School.

Jeff Rosenfeld is an environmental gerontologist and professor of gerontology at Hofstra University. With Wid Chapman, he is the author of Home Design in an Aging World and a frequent contributor toLiveWire and InformeDesign. 

Reader Review

I had an opportunity to preview this book earlier this fall in preparation for my radio program, The Business of Aging. Jeffrey Rosenfeld has been a regular contributor to our magazine as an expert in retirement living. This book is a visual feast and reflects the breadth of the baby boomer generation, their thought process as they age, and how they wish to live – outside of the constructs of today’s offering in the retirement living space. Many of the homes are very personal and reflect those generational values. Others are far reaching – reflecting concepts that we are just beginning to embrace in the aging space – can the way we live affect the quality of our aging? Some of the examples provoke thought and should create conversation. And there are reflections of our society and this recession. Multigenerational housing or compounds as a plan, not a necessity, rises to the top of these trends. Jeffrey and Wid have created an amazing book that gives anyone over the age of 50 something to think about. – Lori Bitter, Amazon.Com Customer Review

On Aging Baby Boomers, and the Question of Where to Live

The New York Times Book Review _ November 23, 2011 (Excerpt)

The 72 million American baby boomers, born between 1946 and 1964, are turning 65 at the rate of roughly 10,000 a day, and many are considering not just how to age (with or without annuities? soy sauce? crow’s feet?), but also where. Wid Chapman, an architect, and Jeffrey P. Rosenfeld, a gerontologist who specializes in the relationship between aging and the built environment, collected 33 examples of residences that have been recently designed to bridge the distance between one’s vital and declining years.

Their book “Unassisted Living: Ageless Homes for Later Life” (the Monacelli Press; $45) was published last week; it includes projects like a remote mountain house and a multigenerational community. One chapter is called “Affordable but Never Boring.” The authors, who live in the New York area, were interviewed on a three-way phone call. [Read the full article...]

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QUEEN OF MISFORTUNE
A Lady Jane Grey Novel by Peter Carroll

A Love Story of Almost Shakespearean Dimension!

Queen Of Misfortune is the fictional story of Lady Jane Grey as told by her beloved tutor, John Aylmer. At the time of her execution a stranger is recorded to have assisted her when, blind folded, she lost her way upon the scaffold. Was it the same ‘stranger’ who was also recorded to have visited her when she was imprisoned in the Tower? Little is known of this unfortunate girl who was beheaded for treason in the 16^th Century. She was only 16. She is omitted from the list of monarchs but was actually queen for nine days. Author Peter Carroll, in his novel, follows John Aylmer’s close relationship with Jane as her tutor and later, as she grows up, her lover. [More...]

Available at Amazon.Com, Amazon.co.uk, Barnes & Noble, and any other good bookstore.

Click on image to buy from Amazon.Com

Celebrity model Inès de la Fressange shares the well-kept secrets of how Parisian women maintain effortless glamour and a timeless allure. Inès de la Fressange—France’s icon of chic—shares her personal tips for living with style and charm, gleaned from decades in the fashion industry. She offers specific pointers on how to dress like a Parisian, including how to mix affordable basics with high-fashion touches, and how to accessorize.

Her step-by-step do’s and don’ts are accompanied by fashion photography, and the book is personalized with her charming drawings. Inès also shares how to bring Parisian chic into your home, and how to insert your signature style into any space—even the office. The ultrachic volume is wrapped with a three-quarter-height removable jacket and features offset aquarelle paper and a ribbon page marker. Complete with her favorite addresses for finding the ultimate fashion and decorating items, this is a must-have for any woman who wants to add a touch of Paris to her own style.

About the Authors

Inès de la Fressange started as a runway model, became the face of Chanel, and launched a clothing line; she is the essence of Parisian style and elegance. Her drawings have regularly appeared in Elle. She is creative consultant for Roger Vivier shoes and is designing the interior of a new Parisian hotel.

Sophie Gachet is a fashion journalist for Elle in Paris.

Review

The book is dedicated “to my new best friend” and then there’s a dotted line for you to fill in.

Cringe-worthy?

Yes, if the author of a book intended to get you up to speed on Parisian style was just any old supermodel.

But Inès Marie Lætitia Églantine Isabelle de Seignard de La Fressange — let’s call her Inès — is not like the others. Despite her impeccable breeding (she’s a distant heiress to the Lazard banking billions) and her privileged upbringing, she’s astonishingly down-to-earth, smart and friendly, with a goofy good cheer that suggests a refusal to take herself very seriously. Proof: at 53, she walked the runway for Lagerfeld, never having had plastic surgery or even Botox.

Interesting story there. In the `80s, Inès was the first model to have an exclusive contract — with Lagerfeld. A few years later, she was asked to be the image of Marianne, the native beauty who is the symbol of the French Republic. Lagerfeld ended their relationship, saying, “I do not dress up historic monuments.” Inès went on to start her own company and consult for Roger Vivier. But it wasn’t until she was named the chicest woman in France by the readers of Le Figaro and became the French face of L’Oreal that Lagerfeld had to have her back.

“Parisian Chic: A Style Guide” is like a visit with a friendly, clear-eyed woman you trust immediately. It’s the best kind of guide book — you not only get information, you get it in context. That is, you learn quite a lot about the author and how she came to her opinions:”In the magazines we see the latest fashion, on gorgeous girls, but in my book I just wanted to help the busy woman — a woman who is not thin, and not that fat, but in a hurry, in a hurry, in a hurry! Because we are all a lot like this — too much tummy, not enough time.”

At 230 pages, published in nicely bound soft cover, with whimsical illustrations and terrific photographs, her book is the best guide to personal style — and to Paris — I’ve ever seen. If I were a woman and had any relationship to Paris, I’d memorize it.

Shall we take the tour?

Part I is “How to Dress Like a Parisian.” She serves up one absolute after another. No complete outfits. Don’t look “rich.” Wear two scarves. Make sure you own the following: a man’s blazer, a trench coat, a navy sweater, a tank top, a little black dress, jeans and a leather jacket. And Converse sneakers. And flats:”Some people think that shoes are ladders. No man is going to say, ‘I would love you so much more if you were 10cm taller.’ Women are suffering, you know. Elegance is about feeling nice, how can you feel nice when you have shoes that are like a prosthesis?”

What to buy, what to wear, when to wear it: this is the first third of the book. (The most important thing goes unsaid — you don’t follow fashion slavishly. You’re better than that. You have the confidence to believe you’re attractive to men, and dress to please yourself. But you know all that, right?) Then it’s on to shopping. (“I love buying new things because I like to be a stranger to them.”) Inès offers an excellent guide to not-obvious Paris shops — and their online stores. She shares her beauty regime. (“Wear makeup every day, even on weekends. Your family wants to see you at your best, too!”)

And then Inès pulls the curtain wide open and devotes half the book to her own life: “Chez Moi.” Keep it simple. Display art by children. And then another section on shopping, this time for the home. A short list of museums, bookstores — and a public restroom you’d never find on your own. Manicurists. Just a dozen restaurants. Gourmet-to-go shops. Six hotels.

Overall, “Parisian Chic” is like those memos you get from well-traveled friends. Everything you need to know. And not one thing extra.

I’ll be pushing this book on Paris-bound friends — and women in danger of dressing too young, or too trendy, or just too too — for years. – Jesse Kornbluth, Amazon.Com Customer Review

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Vampire Ascending

by Lorelei Bell

Sabrina Strong is a Touch Clairvoyant who knows a secret. She knows her mother was turned into a vampire when Sabrina was ten. Now that she is grown up, a powerful magnate in the Chicago business world hires her to reveal the identity of who relentlessly murders vampires in his ultra-modern stronghold of a hotel.

Vampire Ascending is now available at Amazon.Com, Barnes & Noble, the publisher’s website, and any other good bookstore.

For more information on Lorelei Bell see her section on this website.

America’s most delightfully unconventional hostess and the bestselling author of I Like You delivers a new book that will forever change the world of crafting. According to Amy Sedaris, it’s often been said that ugly people craft and attractive people have sex. In her new book, SIMPLE TIMES, she sets the record straight. Demonstrating that crafting is one of life’s more pleasurable and constructive leisure activities, Sedaris shows that anyone with a couple of hours to kill and access to pipe cleaners can join the elite society of crafters.

You will discover how to make popular crafts, such as: crab-claw roach clips, tinfoil balls, and crepe-paper moccasins, and learn how to: get inspired (Spend time at a Renaissance Fair; Buy fruit, let it get old, and see what shapes it turns into); remember which kind of glue to use with which material (Tacky with Furry, Gummy with Gritty, Paste with Prickly, and always Gloppy with Sandy); create your own craft room and avoid the most common crafting accidents (sawdust fires, feather asphyxia, pine cone lodged in throat); and cook your own edible crafts, from a Crafty Candle Salad to Sugar Skulls, and many more recipes.

PLUS whole chapters full of more crafting ideas (Pompom Ringworms! Seashell Toilet Seat Covers!) that will inspire you to create your own hastily constructed obscure d’arts; and much, much more!

Editorial Review

In her follow-up to the best-selling I Like You (2006), Sedaris once again invites us all to remember the “good old days” with her off-the-wall crafting and entertaining suggestions. “Did you know that inside your featureless well-worn husk is a creative you?” she asks. No doubt drawing on and making light of the current economic atmosphere, she notes, “Being poor is a wonderful motivation to be creative”; and most crafts are made with found or salvaged materials. More a vehicle for Sedaris’ knack for farce and costume than a real how-to guide (unless the formula for a “wizard duck costume” marks the realization of your wildest dreams), it nevertheless contains a few useful facts, ideas, and recipes. The true joy of this book lies in its hilarious and amazingly well-styled photo spreads, many featuring Sedaris in one of her uncanny disguises, including a teenager, an elderly shut-in, and Jesus. She devotes equal time to instruction on making homemade sausage, gift-giving, crafting safety, and lovemaking (aka “fornicrafting”). Those looking to make conventional crafts, obviously, should look elsewhere. Everyone else should sit down, have a laugh, and make your very own bean-and-leaf James Brown mosaic. The author and her brother have a considerable following among hip readers of humor, and the appeal of this book will certainly transcend the world of crafters. –Annie Bostrom

Review

I’m almost never compelled to write online reviews, but I feel like I need to write one for Simple Times because it’s an absolute gem! If you enjoyed Amy’s first foray into the world of how-to, I Like You: Hospitality Under the Influence, you will love Simple Times. Everything that made I Like You such an immensely entertaining romp is back with a vengeance! It’s comprised of the same kind of humor and the exact same kitschy, homemade style that makes I Like You such a blast. Take the brief crafts chapter at the end of I Like You, and imagine if it had continued. That is exactly what Simple Times is: A sequel to–a continuation of–Amy’s first book. There are a couple differences, however. I Like You is a very real hospitality guide (in addition to being my go-to cookbook) and contains a lot of genuine information and useful tips in between the jokes. The informational/text portions of Simple Times, on the other hand, are mostly jokes. You will garner some real information from it (particularly the chapters on rabbit care and making sausage, if you’re into those things), but by and large, the text is humor. I read it cover-to-cover and was constantly busting up laughing. As far as the crafts go, think of crafts you made in scouts or Bible school as a kid. This is mostly what you’ll find in Simple Times. Some are jokes (i.e. using a plastic sandwich bag as a condom), but many are very real, and if nothing else, will act as a springboard for inspiration and ideas… which leads me to the instructions. When flipping through the book, make sure you don’t skip reading the craft instructions. Many of them are uproariously funny! Some of the instructions are vague, but that’s kind of the point of Simple Times–not necessarily to teach the reader step-by-step, but rather to inspire ideas and imagination. Visually, Simple Times is identical to I Like You. Colorful photos jump off of every page, and Amy portrays an array of characters, from Jesus, to a hormonal teenager, to [my personal favorite] a crotchety old candyman, all with incredible costumes and special effects make-up.

If you’re buying Simple Times with the expectation of a serious, Martha Stewart-esque tome that will teach you how to create extravagant centerpieces for your perfectionist sister’s wedding, you will be completely foiled. But that would just be your own fault, because if that’s the type of book you’re looking for, then what on earth are you doing with an Amy Sedaris book in the first place????? Notice how this book is listed not only in the crafts & hobbies section, but also under PARODIES. Sure, Simple Times is a crafts book, but mostly it’s a rollicking good time. If you are unfamiliar with Amy Sedaris, do yourself a favor and look her up before buying this book–or at least take a careful look through the preview here on Amazon. She is first and foremost known as a comedienne, and her brand of humor is not for everyone.

The only other thing I want to mention is about the audiobook. The audiobook is FANTASTIC. Amy Sedaris and Paul Dinello read on it together, and it is crazy entertaining. That said, if you’re looking at purchasing the audiobook, make sure you get the hardcover to go with it. Simple Times is all about the visuals. – Katie Richardson, Amazon Review

Strangers get crafty

The Boston Globe Book Review – December 9, 2010 (Excerpt)

Having recently published a book of craft projects aimed at helping folks through these difficult economic times, actress, author, and entrepreneur Amy Sedaris should be the perfect individual to query about kitschy Christmas crafts to whip up for friends.

But keep in mind that this is the same Amy Sedaris who played the sartorially challenged 46-year-old high school freshman Jerri Blank, a former prostitute and convict, in the Comedy Central series “Strangers With Candy.’’ She also revisited the much beloved boozer, user, and loser character in the 2006 film based on the series. In other words, Sedaris is not exactly trying to position herself as the next Martha Stewart with her new book, “Simple Times: Crafts for Poor People.’’

“People are crafting at Christmas to try to save money. Whatever you do, don’t craft to save money,’’ Sedaris says over a recent lunch at a book tour stop in Boston. “That’s not fair to the person you’re giving the gift to. No one wants that garbage in their house.’’ [Read the full article...]

Let me just say upfront:

In my personal opinion, the “Womens Dream Team” is a scam designed to lure you into losing your money for nothing!

Their website is very cleverly designed, and they aggressively promote it through Google and other ads. I have reported about various scam schemes in the past, and if the “Womens Dream Team” is not a scam than I haven’t seen one in my entire life. See also my section Making Money from Home.

The “Womens Dream Team” website bears all the signs of a scammer’s site, especially the non-descriptive content filled with meaningless slogans. And then there are the success stories by Marsha Martone and other women, which are, in my personal opinion, blown out of proportion if true at all. There is no solid information on how you would earn your money, and they claim you don’t need any business experience.

If it sounds too good to be true, then it most certainly isn’t!

Just a fair warning: The Internet-Work-From-Home-And-Getting-Rich System does not work! You won’t even create enough income to pay for your monthly grocery bill, not mentioning your mortgage. The “Womens Dream Team” will most probably ask you for a small payment of a few Dollars, and then they might charge you a higher fee after a week or so plus a monthly fee somewhere between $50 and $150.

Just a few guidelines if you are planning to sign up with them or already have:

• Read the terms and conditions carefully. They might indicate hidden fees, or even comments that their claims of success have been manufactured for promotional purposes.
• Do NOT sign up with the “Womens Dream Team” if they ask you for an upfront payment! … Actually, I just found out they do. Minimum $50. They call it an “investment into the future.” Help yourself and get one of the “… for dummies” books on creating income through the Internet (no insult meant; I use them, too.)
• In case you have already signed up with the “Womens Dream Team” and provided them your credit card information there is only one solution: CANCEL YOUR CREDIT CARD! It’s most probably the only way to prevent further charges.
• Contact marsha@womensdreamteam.com and demand more details on how the Internet-based home business is supposed to work, especially the means of income they claim to provide.

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Have You Ever Thought About Working From Home… Online?

Jessica Holcomb of Greenfield, MA never thought that she would, until curiosity got the best of her and she filled out a simple online form and put out just a little money to try a program she came across. Before she knew it, she discovered her secret to beating the recession, and being able to provide for her family while at home with her three children.

I read Jessica’s blog last month and decided to feature her story in our weekly consumer report. In our phone interview she told me her amazing story. “I actually make $6,000-$7,000 a month online which is enough to comfortably replace my old jobs income, especially considering I only work about 10-13 hours a week from home.

Online work has been a financial windfall for Jessica, who struggled for months to find a decent job but kept hitting dead ends. “I lost my job shortly after the recession hit, I needed reliable income, I was not interested in the “get rich quick” scams you see all over the internet. Those are all pyramid scams or stuff where you have to sell to your friends and family. I just needed a legitimate way to earn a living for me and my family. The best part of working online is that I am always home with the kids, I save a lot of money.”

You may have found this Online ad on abcnews.com, msnbc.com, washingtonpost.com, or somewhere else, but don’t be fooled! ABC News, MSNBC, and others are not responsible for the ads they display, and they don’t add any value to the actual advertisement.

Just a fair warning: The so-called “News 1 Report” is a scam!

If you found this Online ad, do yourself a favor and be extremely cautious. DO NOT, by any means, submit your credit card information, and if you already did it, CANCEL YOUR CREDIT CARD! These guys will suck you dry!

A few hints:

• The so-called reporters are definitely a fake. The photo of the young woman shown above appears on many known scam websites.
• Jacqueline Douglas and Ralph Stevens used to be Jennifer Theuriau and James Field, top news anchors of CNNews. See my post CNNews Supports “Online Work at Home Program” Scam.
• The so-called “News 1″ logo is a fake.
• The website structure is identical to many known scam websites.
• The hyperlinks on the “News 1″ website don’t work.

Still not convinced? Read my post on http://www.frogenyozurt.com/my-articles/making-money-from-home/.

Read the comments from readers of my website on the bottom of this page: The Scam: Work At Home Mom Makes $6,397/Month Part-Time.

Remember: If it sounds too good to be true, it most probably is!

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As I wrote, the only way to create sufficient income, may it be as a full-time business or only as an additional income, is through selling a product. That product could be, for instance, something you create yourself, maybe a certain craft you are good at. Such products could be handmade jewelry, art, pottery, dolls, woodwork, sewing, and much more. And you don’t even need to maintain your own website to sell your product.

etsy.com, for example, enables people to make a living making things and connect makers with buyers. As member you have your own online store to showcase your items. It is free to become a member, but there is a fee of $0.20 for each listed item. When the item sells Etsy takes a 3.5% commission. There is no limit to how much you can charge and what you can earn.

Another resource for selling your product online is JewelryWonder.com. Sellers must have at least thirty items to open a free account. There is no charge such as setup fee, monthly or transaction fees, or listing and hosting fees.

ArtFire.com is an artisan marketplace home to artists from around the globe. The community celebrates and supports art and creativity in all forms. Sellers can choose either a free basic account or a professional account for $15.95 a month. They also provide you the means to sell items directly through your own website.

Every website, promising easy income through running a website with Google ads, is a scam!

Go with the old saying, “If it sounds too good to be true, it probably isn’t.”

The harsh reality is, the time when you could make good money through Google ads is over! Still, there are a myriad of websites with slogans like “Work At Home Mom Makes $6,397/Month Part-Time.” If it was true at all, why isn’t everybody doing it? Because it’s a scam! The only ones to create a tremendous income are the scammers!

Well, to show just one example, here is an excerpt/copy of the “Massachusetts Job Report” by “Online 6 News” (Note: The Massachusetts Job Report as well as Online 6 News are a fake.) It’s the “Massachusetts” report, because that’s where I live. The scammers run programs that can determine from where you log in (They look at your IP address) and change the content accordingly.

Work At Home Mom Makes $6,397/Month Part-Time

Online News 6 Investigates Google Work at Home Programs…

Have You Ever Thought About Working Online?

Kelly Richards of Conway, MA never thought she would have a job working at home until one day she filled out a simple form online. Before she knew it, she discovered her secret to beating the recession, and being able to provide for her family while at home with her two children.

I read Kelly’s blog last month and decided to feature her story in our local job report. In our phone interview she she told me her amazing story. “I actually make about $5,000-$7,000 a month using Google. It is enough to comfortably replace my old jobs income, especially considering I only work about 10-15 hours a week from home.

Working with Google has been a financial windfall for Kelly, who struggled for months to find a decent job during the struggling economy. “I lost my job shortly after the recession hit, I needed reliable income, I was not interested in the “get rich quick” scams you see all over the internet. Those are all pyramid scams or stuff where you have to sell to your friends and family. I just needed a legitimate way to earn a living for me and my family. The best part of working online is that I am always home with the kids, I save a lot of money.”

I asked her about how she started her remarkable journey. “It was pretty easy, I filled out a short form and applied for a work at home kit. There is a small shipping and handling fee, its not really free but it was under $5. I got the Kit and within four weeks I was making over $5,000 a month. It’s really simple, I am not a computer whiz, but I can use the internet. I post links that are given to me, I don’t even have to sell anything and nobody has to buy anything. They are constantly recruiting people to post links, you should try it.”

Online giant Google, worth over 100 billion dollars is the most used search engine and internet market place. Google is the #1 internet site in the world, over 50 percent of all internet traffic flows through them everyday. It’s a great company and they have been helping people work at home for over 10 years. Why not get in with the internets best and biggest company? there are plenty of scams on the internet claiming you can make $50,000 a month, but that is exactly what they are scams. From my conversation with Kelly, “I am making a good salary from home, which is amazing, under a year ago I was jobless in a horrible economy. I thank god every day that I filled out that form.”

Quickly, Kelly Richards was able to use the simple Google Profit Library kit with the Google Home Income kit to make it out of the recession.

Kelly had never shared her story before, and with her permission, we are putting it public.

Note: The grammatical errors/flaws are not mine. This was a simple copy and paste. Needless to say that a professional Online report would not be as flawed as this one. Also, to my knowledge, Google does not hire people to put hyperlinks on their blogs.

While these types of fraudulent jobs don’t really exist, there are plenty of jobs arising from online medical billing and coding courses.

How Can I Report Mass-Marketing Fraud?

If you have a complaint about any type of Internet crime, you can file an online complaint with the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3). The IC3 is a joint project of the FBI and the National White Collar Crime Center (NW3C). The IC3′s key functions for federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies will be (1) receiving online complaints, (2) analyzing them to identify particular schemes and general crime trends in Internet fraud, and (3) compiling and referring potential Internet fraud schemes to law enforcement. In addition to FBI and NW3C personnel, the IC3 will include agents and analysts detailed from other law enforcement agencies.

If you have a complaint about any type of consumer fraud, including any type of mass-marketing fraud, you can file a complaint through a toll-free Consumer Help Line, 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357) or online with the Federal Trade Commission

Source: U.S. Department of Justice - http://www.justice.gov/criminal/fraud/internet/

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Vanity publishers have a significant edge over traditional publishers in regards to brutality, business sense, and profitability. They ruthlessly pursue the infinite supply of aspiring writers who, in turn, are rejected by traditional publishers or literary agents. Ironically, in the world of traditional publishing, authors are rejected not necessarily due to lack of talent. Vanity publishers accept everybody and everything. No questions asked. Just pay your bill, but don’t come crying to them when you can’t sell a copy of your book.

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