Everett Lester and his band, DeathStroke, ride the crest of a wave to superstardom. But the deeper they become immersed in fame, wealth, and power, the more likely they are to be swallowed alive by the drugs, alcohol, and discontentment that have become their only friends. Everett is headed down a perilous road of no apparent return when he’s charged with the murder of his personal psychic. The only hope he can cling to comes from Topeka, Kansas, and the letters written by a prayerful young lady who lives there. Consistent and persistent, the notes cut straight to Everett ’s empty heart, offering a fulfillment he’s never grasped before. But what if he’s found guilty of murder? Will he recognize the spiritual battle that’s raging for his soul?

About the Author
Talented storyteller Creston Mapes graduated from Bowling Green State University in 1983 with a BA in magazine journalism. Since then, he has written for major corporations, colleges, and ministries. He has written for Coca-Cola, TNT Sports, Focus on the Family, Walk Thru the Bible Ministries, and The Urban Alternative. His stories have been featured in magazines including Private Colleges and Universities, In Touch, Leaders for Today, and The Hockey News. Creston makes his home in Georgia.

Visit the Author’s Website

Technorati Tags: Author, Bowling Green State University, creston mapes, Deathstroke, Entertainment/Culture, Everett Lester, fame, idol, Mark Oliver Everett, rock star

About the Book: Catherine: Inside the Heart and Mind of a Great Monarch…

“You look astonishingly pretty,” admits Johanna when Sophia steps out of her bedroom dressed in Ulrika’s magnificent gown. Sophia is stunned, halting in mid-step. This is rare praise from her cold mother, so she must, indeed, look very good. At Frederick’s side during the elaborate court dinner, Sophia shines and sparkles with youth and wit. The monarch is very pleased with his choice. Indeed, he is so enamored with the girl that he opens his purse to outfit mother and daughter, both woefully deficient in material matters appropriate for court life.

So begins the transformation of Princess Sophia of Anhalt-Zerbst into Catherine the Great of Russia. The personal and professional triumphs and tribulations of this remarkable woman are retold by Sigrid Weidenweber, whose research into the life of Catherine reveals a new perspective on Catherine, from the inside out. Sigrid portrays with heartfeld understanding what it was like to have been such a major European political and military, social and cultural figure during the eighteenth century.

About Sigrid Weidenweber: Born in Germany in 1941, Sigrid Weidenwber remembers the horrific aftermath of fascism. At the end of the war, she found herself living under communism. After the Berlin Wall was built, she managed to escape the repressive environment with the help of friends and a French passport. To this day she does not speak French.

She holds degrees in medical technology, psychology and an Honorary Doctor of Letters from Concordia University of Portland, Oregon for her trilogy “The Volga Flows Forever.” In her trilogy she brings to life Catherine the Great in her multiple roles as monarch, woman, lover, mother, grandmother and head of the general staff of the army, in Volume one. The following two historical volumes deal with the Volga Germans brought to Russia by Catherine’s edict.

Three years ago she moved to Santa Rosa Valley, California from Portland Oregon. She has passionately embraced California together with her family that also resides here.

Technorati Tags: Berlin, Catherine, Catherine the Great, Germany, House of Ascania, House of Holstein-Gottorp-Romanov, Russia, Sigrid Weidenwber, Sigrid Weidenweber, Volga Germans

Paper bags are a lot like other paper goods like newspapers that are broken down and recycled on a daily basis. Paper is much more versatile and takes less man power to break down and make into products. Plastic has to go through a melting process that takes more time to reduce into different plastic products. There are several ups and downs to choosing the different types of carrying bags but you, as the buyer, must decide which your favorite to use is.

There is another type of recycling that most Americans take advantage of after they leave the grocery store. Instead of giving the recyclable bags to someone, they use them for other purpose. For example plastic bags can be used for picking up animal droppings, carrying wet clothing, a temporary lunch box, carrying shoes or anything for that matter, or anything else that you can come up with. Some stores even ask you to return all of your bags back for their very own recycling program. Paper carrying bags can be used for multiple things. They can be used for drawing on, book covers, or even as temporary trash bags for waste or for foodsscraps in the kitchen that can go towards compost.

Not everyone is interested in doing their part to recycle in their community but you can make a big difference just by including yourself in recycling activities. Recycling is a wonderful thing to involve your kids in as well. They can learn the benefit of reusing things at a young age and learning that recycling helps the earth function. It is hard to teach kids at a young age, but even most adults do not know that our planet needs assistance and that if we continue to deplete our resources, Earth will not last forever.

Recycling is very crucial and through our homes, schools, and grocery stores, we can all make a big difference and change the way we think about things before we reuse them or throw them away. Our landfills are getting full and our pockets are getting tighter. It is time to learn to reduce, reuse, and recycle to make our world a much more beneficial place to live. By learning from a little age and continuing what has been learned we can all make a large difference.

Minimal handmade baskets out of very easy to do even children can make them, and usually enjoy doing so. You can use these handmade baskets for giving away a little fruits from your orchard, or some simple gifts. Many are tired of the department store kind of gift wrapping that some handcrafted wrappers should be very welcome, for it comes with the affection and care of the gift source. Creating a simple container you can earn many points with the recipient.

The essential steps in making the easiest usable basket are outlined below:

5. Take out four paper grocery bags. Roll down the open mouth of one by folding the top outwards, until the rolled edge is about three inches from the bottom.

6. Place the second bag inside the first bag. Roll down the edge of the second just until it touches the edge of the first bag. Perform the same with the third bag inside the second bag. You now would have a three-layered basket strong enough to contain most light dry materials. Even out the rolled sides by creasing them down.

7. Remove the bottom of the fourth bag. Roll it the same manner until you have shaped a ring. Insert the layered basket inside the ring and put the ring in the center to make the handle. Sew, glue or paste it in the location and you have a paper basket.

8. Embellish it with glued cut-outs, color it with pens or inscribe some messages on the rolled-down edges just for fun. The intention is to personalize the basket to turn the simple gift it holds more meaningful and special.

You can make other kinds of containers with paper, like interlacing rolled and flattened bag paper into a little basket or vase for covering a table floral centerpiece, as example. Rolling them firmly will stiffen the tube sufficiently for the produced basket to stand; rolling the tubes loosely will make them very flexible for weaving. Paper printed with colorful illustrations makes lively trays or urns or something similar; plain-colored paper grants certain elegance when made to suit the theme of the room.

Whatever you may wish to make a paper basket for, and it is limited only by your imagination, you can make the production of the baskets an enjoyable family activity by engaging the kids. They will love to do the baskets and you will adore them creating the baskets.

The owners of 20 Brix, not only built a new building that is a cornerstone in the downtown development, they also have created a destination restaurant that has a great menu and superior wine. The menu is an eclectic mix of items that have been chosen carefully and paired with featured wines. They host a variety of tastings and can accommodate most size parties. There is also outside seating for enjoying the weather and people watching. In addition to their restaurant, they also have a retail portion of their space that offers distinctive wine accessories, glasses and other entertaining supplies.

A second new business that is drawing a lot of attention is Padrino. The same owners of 20 Brix created this small family oriented restaurant that features Italian food. They serve a variety of pizzas, pastas and appetizers. Many nights they have live music, beer tastings and other themed events. They also have a few tables outside for sidewalk dining at its best. While the style of some of the stores in downtown Milford remains slightly old-fashioned, Padrino does a great job of bringing an element of urban, modern dining to this area.

The most recent addition to the business district of Milford is a small cupcakery named Sugar. They are capitalizing on the nationwide trend of cupcakes being a popular dessert. The building where this store is located was transformed structurally to maintain the original look while being completely modernized. The facade is painted a fresh shade of dark purple with cream coloring on the trim. It appearsfresh and inviting. The cupcakes come in a variety of flavors and are beautifully decorated. Each piece looks like something that could be photographed for a magazine. Whether people buy these cupcakes for the dessert for a big party or just purchase one for an afternoon treat, Sugar provides wonderful choices that everyone is sure to enjoy.

The fourth company to have a great, new existence in downtown Milford is The Bridge Cafe. This is an establishment that operates for breakfast and lunch. It is run and operated by Sonrise church and it’s volunteer members. It features a full coffee bar, homemade cookies, desserts and cozy places to visit with friends. The food is fresh, light and very good. The money from this business goes directly to the church. While it may seem like they would be promoting their religious beliefs, they do a wonderful job at making this a great restaurant where anyone is welcome, regardless of their spirituality.