A Visit to the Law Enforcement Academy

I grew up on the west end of Plainfield. It’s still weird for me to turn out of my parents’ driveway and see a stoplight in the distance and pass several subdivisions on US 40. When I was in school, kids used to ask me where the heck I lived, because they had never been past Dairy Queen before.

What I remember most about growing up out there is the soft orange glow of the lights during snowy nights from the Plainfield Correctional Facilities, and the sound of gunshots and squealing tires.

Wait, what?

Yep, that’s correct. I remember listening to the sounds of the Law Enforcement Academy. My overactive imagination didn’t allow me to think about the men and women who train there on a daily basis--keeping our streets safe by learning how to fire a gun, drive in an emergency, train and handle a K9 partner, among others.

I thought that they were learning how to bust a donut for fun in the police wagon on a hot summer day, as to squeal the tires so loud you can hear them two miles away.

I figured James Bond trained there, and ordered martinis at The Coachman afterward.

I hoped that no missiles would be fired into our living room. That would not be cool. Mom would not have been amused. Dad probably would have though, now that I think about it...

I assumed that with all the gunfire, that they were Civil War re-enactors practicing their firing techniques. Not sure why they would do that at a police academy, but remember: overactive imagination.

If you have ever wondered what goes on behind closed gates, here is your chance to find out! On Saturday, August 18th, PGTPL is having a field-trip to the Academy. Take a tour, and maybe even see some demonstrations of driving, physical tactics, or firearm use. Registration for each person is required, so sign up soon!

Just don’t tell me what really happens there. I’m sure it’s even more fantastic than I think it is.

Indiana Law Enforcement Academy, 1972. Courtesy of the Plainfield-Guilford Twp. Public Library Archives

~~Michelle

Steampunk

Recently, I’ve discovered an exciting sub-genre. (Who, other than a librarian, would write that sentence?!) Combining elements of science fiction, historical fiction and a healthy amount of antiquated technology, Steampunk is a genre full of adventure, exotic locales and airships.

You might like Steampunk if you enjoy the original science fiction (by authors like Jules Verne, H.G. Wells and Mary Shelley), have a thing for the Victorian and Edwardian eras, or enjoy technology driven adventures.







Here are some titles to get you started. 

20,000 Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne: A classic of the science fiction genre and surprisingly still forceful at 142 years old (it was published in 1870!), re-reading this book is a great way to kick-off a steampunk marathon.

Boneshaker by Cherie Priest: This fast-paced story is set within an alternate history of the American Civil War. A young boy ventures into a walled-off desolate city seeking to redeem his father’s name.

Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld This alternate history of the First World War centers on a fictional son of Archduke Franz Ferdinand and girl from Scotland who dreams of entering the Royal Air Force.

The Glass Books of the Dream Eaters and The Dark Volume by Gordon Dahlquist: Originally published as a serial, this exciting series follows the converging stories of an assassin, a socialite and doctor as they team up against a powerful cabal bent on world domination.

The Peshawar Lancers by S.M. Stirling: After a meteorite strikes northern Europe during the reign of Queen Victoria, most of the northern hemisphere becomes uninhabitable. European nobility and power relocate to their more southern colonies with India becoming the new center of the British Empire.

The Arcanum by Thomas Wheeler: When a serial killer with habit of ripping the spines out of his victims terrorizes New York City, H.P. Lovecraft, Arthur Conan Doyle and Harry Houdini team up to save the city.


Matthew

NEW Library Wish List

Do you ever want to donate to a good cause but don’t know how to go about it? Using DearReader’s WishList program the library has set up an easy way for the public to donate towards items on the library’s wish list.

The process is straightforward: just go to www.plainfieldlibrary.net and click on the Library WishList Support button on the right side of the webpage. Then click Wishes and then just scroll down through the items on the list and find one that you like. Click Donate Online to make a donation towards that item.

What’s nice about the wish list is that you can donate in whatever increment you prefer be it $1, $5, $10 or more. It’s just that simple.

The items on the wish list go towards all sorts of library events and activities from programming materials, to toys for the Children’s Room, to helpful items for our patrons and much more. 

The library appreciates your support!

Writing to an Author

Do you ever read such an awesome book you feel you just have to tell the author how much you loved their work? Yeah? Then go ahead and do it! Believe it or not, authors love to hear from you.

Recently, one of the employees here wrote to an author she'd been thoroughly enjoying, and well, it paid off! Check it out below.

------------------------------------

From: Theresa
Date: Thursday, June 21, 2012 8:51 AM
To: Kristan Higgins
Subject: Thank you...

I haven’t finished the book “All I ever wanted”, yet, because I stop and laugh uproariously at the characters.  But just wanted to say I am thoroughly enjoying my first book.  I will definitely be reading the rest of your books.  Thank you for a breath of fresh air in the Contemporary romance genre. Please don't ever write those awful vampire books.  Just kidding, I would read one by you it would be fantastic.

Sincerely,

Theresa
"Be who you are and say what you feel,because those who mind don't matter, and those who matter don't mind."
— Dr. Seuss

------------------------------------


From: Kristan Higgins
To: Theresa
Sent: Sat, June 23, 2012 6:45:54 AM
Subject: Re: Thank you...
Thanks, Theresa! So far, no vampires…I really can't imagine writing one of those. No sparkling here. No scintillating arms (the phrase at which I stopped reading Twilight).

You quote my favorite author of all time! He's got a shout-out in my upcoming book…

Hope you like all the other books, and thank you so much for writing!

Kristan

New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author
www.kristanhiggins.com
www.Facebook.com/KristanHigginsBooks

A Game of Thrones

What’s a fan of George R.R. Martin to do? Season Two of HBO’s acclaimed miniseries A Game of Thrones has just finished up and only God knows when Book Six (tentatively titled The Winds of Winter) in A Song of Ice and Fire saga will be published. May I suggest that fans of George R.R. Martin’s medieval fantasy try out A Feast of Ice and Fire: The Official Companion Cookbook newly available at the library.

The cookbook is the product of the immense Internet fandom inspired by Martin’s works. Chelsea Monroe-Cassel and Sariann Lehrer’s curiosity led the duo to a start a blog documenting their attempts at cooking up some of the dishes mentioned in the stories. They still maintain that blog - innatthecrossroads.com  - which includes additonal recipes and commentary not featured in the book.

But what if you haven’t read the Fire and Ice books or seen the miniseries? The Library has those too! There is little I can add to the lauds already heaped on Martin and his Locus Award winning series. It’s a riveting story well told. And don’t let the “fantasy” label scare you away. There are some fantasy elements to be sure -  dragons, a bit of magic, etc. But these stories are primarily focused on complex characters who struggle with competing loyalties, ambitions for power, greed, lust, and honor. Martin’s eye for detail brings to life everything from the byzantine machinations of the Seven Kingdoms politics to the sumptuous heraldry and feasting of the noble families. A Song of Ice and Fire is a highly entertaining, suspenseful series. 

Whether you’re looking to cook up some Honey-Spiced Locusts to poison a queen, recreate King Joffrey’s 77 course wedding feast, or simply whip up a delicious meal to enjoy while you re-watch A Game of Thrones, A Feast of Ice and Fire will delight fans and risk-taking cooks alike.

-Matthew

The Mayans and the End of the World: By Tony Perona

**Today's blog is by a special guest... local mystery author Tony Perona!! Visit his website at www.tonyperona.com.**

Whenever someone finds out my latest book, the thriller THE FINAL MAYAN PROPHECY, is about December 21, 2012 and the end of the Mayan calendar on that date, they ask if it really means the end of the world.

I don’t want to talk too much about the book and give away the end because I hope you’ll read it :) –so let me answer it in a completely different way. Let’s take a look at some of the more popular ways people are predicting the earth will be destroyed in 2012, some in conjunction with this Mayan end date:

1. Asteroid hits earth: According to recent reports from NASA, the odds of a really big asteroid hitting the earth in the next 28 years are 1:625. That’s .0016 or .16%, or way less than a 1% chance, and that’s within 28 years.
2. Nuclear war: The Doomsday Clock sits right now at 5 minutes to midnight. The closer the clock is to midnight, the closer the world is estimated to be to global nuclear disaster. (All of this is according to Wikipedia, not always reliable but as best as I can tell, is accurate in this case.) The latest adjustment, made on January 10, advanced the clock one minute to its present position. To me, that means nuclear war is a little more possible (1.67% more; one minute more out of 60) than it was last year, when we successfully escaped global disaster, so, rounding up, I’d go with maybe 2% as the odds for global nuclear destruction. Keep in mind, I’m no statistician.
3. Solar flare sends us back to the Stone Age: According to a report in last month’s Christian Science Monitor, which gets this information from NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory, “When aimed at Earth, strong solar flares and CMEs [Coronal Mass Ejections] …  can pose a danger to astronauts and satellites in space, as well as power grids, navigation and communications systems on Earth.” Reporter Amina Khan, writing in the Los Angeles Times, quoted space weather scientist Mike Hapgood at the Rutherford  Appleton Observatory near Oxford, England about the odds of this happening,. “A recent paper (published in February in the journal Space Weather) tried to estimate the chance … and came up with a value of a 12 percent chance of it happening in the next 10 years.” It’s probably not technically correct for me to average this over ten years, but if I did, it’d be a 1.2% chance each year.

So, after looking at these scenarios, I think the odds are small that December 21, 2012 will be the end of time.

Did the Mayans think that way? My personal philosophy is always one of great hope, that even out of the worst situations, good emerges. To find out if and how I carry this through the plot of THE FINAL MAYAN PROPHECY, you’ll need to read it. I thank you if you do.






**If you read this blog and would like to read one of Tony’s books, he will give you for free the e-book version of his first novel, SECOND ADVENT, which was published by Five Star in 2002. Write him through the Plainfield Public Library at communitycentral@plainfieldlibrary.net to obtain it with "Tony Perona" in the subject line or body.

THE FINAL MAYAN PROPHECY, written by Tony and television producer Paul Skorich, is available in all e-book formats through his publisher at www.smashwords.com ($3.99 US, and at other popular e-book sites like www.barnesandnoble.com and www.amazon.com. You can also obtain a paperback version ($9.99 plus taxes and shipping) through amazon.**

Eat Your Veggies!

People that follow me on Facebook or Twitter know that I am a hardcore vegetable advocate. I don’t eat a 100% vegetarian diet, but I would rather eat roasted Brussels sprouts any day than a hamburger. Here are some of my favorite vegetarian/vegan cookbooks that you can check out if you want to include more delicious veggies in your diet…and you do…trust me!

Veganomicon by Isa Chandra Moskowitz: *THE* end-all-be-all vegan sourcebook for simple, everyday foods. Veganomicon has been cited as one of the best vegan cookbooks by Goodreads readers, and I agree. There are many simple recipes in here that don’t require crazy ingredients. If you want to round out your cookbook shelf, this book would be my top recommendation.

The PDQ Vegetarian Cookbook by Donna Klein: Want to run to the pantry and whip up a great veggie meal? With PDQ, you can definitely do it! Klein makes it easy to make simple meals with ingredients that are already in your kitchen. The format is easy to follow, and the food is really good.

How To Cook Everything Vegetarian by Mark Bittman: This book is HUGE but full of anything vegetarian that you could ever dream of. The chapters are very in-depth with many variations-on-a-theme type recipes. I learned how to make roasted Brussels sprouts from Mr. Bittman…he is one of my heroes!

Appetite For Reduction by Isa Chandra Moskowitz: Most vegetarians or veggie enthusiasts are leaner than our Standard American Dieter counterparts. Moskowitz helps everyone out by compiling some skinny vegan dishes for us in one of her latest cookbooks. Along with Moskowitz’s humor, the book is a fun read and the recipes are delish.

The Vegetable Dishes I Can’t Live Without by Molly Katzen: This lovely book, illustrated by Katzen, is a delightful book to read. Her recipes are simple, and the vegetables’ characteristics aren’t lost in any of the dishes. If you have read any of the Moosewood cookbooks, and were put off by difficult recipes, this is much more pared down.

Peas and Thank You by Sarah Matheny: One of my new favorites! Matheny has two adorable kids and showcases family-friendly vegan meals in this fun cookbook. Try the roasted rosemary-lemon chickpeas…you will not be sorry, but you may eat the whole batch. (Not that I did that or anything…)

Simple Food for the Good Life by Helen Nearing: Next to Thoreau, Scott and Helen Nearing were “extreme” examples for the back-to-the-land movement. If you dislike cooking, and want super easy “recipes” to fill your belly, this is a quirky book for you. Try “horse chow” for breakfast: toss together oats and whatever else you have, then eat! Nearing also includes quotations from early cookbooks, complete with medieval spelling, to show how far we’ve come in the culinary world.



Check out some of these books, and eat your vegetables!


~~Michelle