A winged creature was photographed over the old West Virginia Ordnance Works in Mason County‚ WV adjacent to Point Pleasant. What is it?The following post has been making the rounds during the past few days:December 9‚ 2023 - Mothman Sighting at 3:55 PM‚ TNT Area.There was a sighting of Mothman in the TNT Area today‚ December 9‚ 2023."We saw it at 3:55‚ a large black figure‚ different from any local bird‚ but much bigger. It appeared jet black and soared through the sky. It did not fly like a crane or owl and it was maybe 7-10 feet tall. We were able to photograph it flying away. You can see its dark appearance‚ great size‚ and non-crane or owl-like figure." CHNOTE: It doesn't appear to be anything anomalous‚ most likely a large raptor or turkey buzzard. Nonetheless‚ people are still looking for the elusive Mothman. Ever since the infamous sightings in the Point Pleasant area in 1966-1967‚ and the subsequent Silver Bridge collapse‚ many sightings of winged humanoids or cryptids have been reported throughout Mason County. I have received several of these reports during that period. LonHaunted Rock &; Roll: Ghostly Tales Of Musical LegendsToward the Light: Rescuing Spirits‚ Trapped Souls‚ and Earthbound GhostsInto The Fringe: A True Story of Alien AbductionThe Candle and the Crossroads: A Book of Appalachian Conjure and Southern Root-WorkMonsters Among Us: An Exploration of Otherworldly Bigfoots‚ Wolfmen‚ Portals‚ Phantoms‚ and Odd PhenomenaA Menagerie of Mysterious Beasts: Encounters with Cryptid CreaturesALIEN DISCLOSURE: EXPERIENCERS EXPOSE REALITY - AudiobookRegister a SNAP EBT CardTHE MEME HUMANOIDS: MODERN MYTHS OR REAL MONSTERS - AudiobookTry Audible PlusPHANTOMS &; MONSTERS READING LISTFeel Free to Post PHANTOMS &; MONSTERS DIRECT LINKS ON YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA &; WEBSITE. Thanks For Your Support!Have you had a sighting or encounter?Contact me by email or call the hotline at 410-241-5974Thanks. LonAccess Phantoms &; Monsters Posts on Twitter 'X'-----YOUR SUPPORT IS APPRECIATED! THANKS-----CREEPY CHRISTMAS CHEER SHOW - Our Favorite Holiday Horrors! - LIVE - JOIN US! Lon Strickler (Host)Thanks for spending the Holidays with Phantoms &; Monsters Radio! We present our annual 'Creepy Christmas Cheer Show' with our Phantoms &; Monsters Fortean Research team guests. This year we welcome Sean Forker‚ Bernadette McDaniel‚ Thomas Carroll‚ Chad Redding‚ &; Kit Taylor. We are bringing together our favorite Creepy Christmas stories and reports for your listening pleasure. The chat will be open for LIVE discussion‚ comments‚ &; questions.-----ORDER THE AUDIOBOOK VERSIONORDER THE AUDIOBOOK VERSIONProject Threshold: Team Riker: Division A-----TODAY'S TOP LINKSSeti: how we’re searching for alien life at previously unexplored frequenciesElectrician discovers Ouija board stuffed inside wall of client's houseCHICAGO/LAKE MICHIGAN MOTHMAN UPDATE W/ TOBIAS WAYLAND - LIVE Chat - JOIN US! Lon Strickler (Host)LISTEN TO NARRATIONS OF PHANTOMS &; MONSTERS REPORTS &; CASES - PLEASE SUBSCRIBE‚ LIKE &; SHAREStore Clerk Dies After Savage Attack Leaves Him Impaled with Golf ClubTsunamis up to 90 feet high smash into New Zealand every 580 years‚ study findsPHANTOMS &; MONSTERS READING LISTCONSIDER ADVERTISING ON PHANTOMS &; MONSTERS RADIOLET'S DISCUSS YOUR OPTIONSClick the link for our Media KitCHICAGO MOTHMAN / O'HARE BATMAN YouTube PlaylistPHANTOMS &; MONSTERS RADIO Podcasts on Spotify**********Your financial support of Phantoms &; Monsters and our other pursuits is much appreciated. Please click the banner above. Thanks.Have you had a sighting or encounter?Contact us by email or call the hotline at 410-241-5974Thanks. LonAlso available with audiobooknarration by Terry Springs‚CBS-TV Las Vegas affiliate.The Dark Arts of MISTER SAM SHEARON - Original Prints &; MerchandiseThis blog and newsletter are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Work 3.0 United States License.Registered trademark PHANTOMS AND MONSTERS ® / PHANTOMS &; MONSTERS ® - USPTO #90902480 - Lon D. Strickler© 2005-2023 Phantoms &; Monsters - All Rights Reserved

The Fabulous Poodles were a British rock band‚ known for their quirky blend of rock‚ pop‚ and humor‚ formed in 1975. Hailing from London‚ the band was originally comprised of vocalist and guitarist Tony De Meur (also known as Ronnie Golden)‚ violinist and mandolin player Bobby Valentino‚ bassist Richie Robertson‚ and drummer Bryn Burrows. Their music was characterized by witty lyrics and a mix of rock with a variety of other genres‚ distinguishing them in the UK music scene during the late 1970s and early 1980s. The Fabulous Poodles released three studio albums: their self-titled debut “Fabulous Poodles” in 1977‚ The post Complete List Of The Fabulous Poodles Albums And Songs appeared first on ClassicRockHistory.com.

In a creative use of the justice system of English Common Law‚ a woman in Ohio was sentenced to two months’ work at a fast food restaurant after she was recorded throwing hot food in the face of a Chipotle worker. Reminiscent of the Seinfeld episode where Jerry and George come up with the pilot for a […] The post Woman Who Threw Bowl of Food at Chipotle Worker Sentenced to Work 2 Months in Fast Food Job appeared first on Good News Network.

It’s chilly today as I’m writing this post for Reading The Wheel of Time‚ but not nearly as cold as it is in chapter three of Winter’s Heart‚ as Faile‚ Morgase‚ and Alliandre—along with fellow captives Bain and Chiad‚ Lacile and Arrela—try to survive their first few hours as prisoners of the Shaido. Being naked in a snowstorm is nothing to sneeze at‚ even for a Saldaean. Walking and jogging naked through the falling snow with her captors‚ Faile mostly focuses on not freezing to death‚ and not falling down. She tries to notice everything‚ knowing that any detail might aid in her escape‚ but worries increasingly about frostbite‚ and over the way her feet are starting to bleed in the snow. She tries to work her fingers and toes as she goes‚ welcoming the pain because she knows that once she stops having feeling‚ that’s when she’s really in trouble. Eventually the Shaido come to a halt‚ and start examining the feet of their prisoners. Rolan‚ Faile’s captor‚ is even bigger than Perrin‚ and lifts her effortlessly to throw her over his shoulder. Lacile and Arrela‚ two members of Cha Faile‚ submit to being similarly carried‚ once they see Bain and Chiad do the same‚ but Alliandre and Maighdin begin fighting their captors. Maighdin even bites the hand of the Aiel trying to lift her. Both Maighdin and Alliandre receive a whipping for their trouble and Faile doesn’t feel bad for them—their efforts were obviously useless and in addition to being wasted effort‚ meant keeping everyone out in the cold longer. But being carried makes it harder to stay warm and aware‚ and although Faile does her best to keep flexing her muscles and using her mind‚ she slowly loses her battle against the cold‚ finally falling asleep to nightmares of being chased by an angry Perrin through icy landscapes. When she eventually wakes‚ she’s cold but not so deathly cold. A tall‚ green-eyed gai’shain serves her hot tea‚ warning her not to spill any. Faile is relieved to see that all her companions are there as well. Their captors have joined a large encampment of Shaido. She learns that their captors eventually wrapped them in blankets‚ fearing that they would freeze to death; the gai’shain says that it was a a dishonor‚ but Faile reminds him that she is not Aiel‚ and does not follow ji’e’toh. She points out that it is against custom to take wetlander prisoners‚ and wonders if the Shaido will let this man go once his time in white is up. But he doesn’t rise to her bait. Buy it Now Two Wise ones approach‚ along with a very strange gai’shain adorned in robes of white silk and a bejeweled gold belt and collar. One of the Wise Ones‚ Someryn‚ jokes that Sevanna will never rest until all the world is made gai’shain‚ while the other‚ Therava‚ remarks that they have too many gai’shain and that it is hampering their progress. All of Faile’s instincts tell her not to draw Therava’s attention‚ and she tries to hide her face in her cup of tea‚ to come off as meek and unimportant. Alliandre spoils this‚ however‚ by loudly announcing who she is and that their captors can get a large ransom for them. She even refers to Faile as her liege lady‚ and demands accommodations and apologies for their mistreatment. They are overheard by Sevanna‚ who has just arrived on horseback‚ wearing an enormous amount of jewelry and wetlander-style skirts. The gai’shain‚ who she names Galina‚ eagerly confirms that Alliandre is a wetlander queen‚ and that her liege-lady must be very powerful woman—Galina has never heard of a queen swearing fealty in such a way. For Faile‚ it is a bit like seeing Logain or Mazrim Taim‚ and she has a personal grudge against Sevanna since Perrin was at Dumai’s Wells. Sevanna orders Galina to Heal them‚ then leaves after a brief argument with Therava. Faile is shocked to see a Great Serpent ring on Galina as she reaches out to perform the Healing. More gai’shain‚ many of them wetlanders‚ bring food and clothes. Faile tries to refuse being given a belt and collar‚ but is told that she serves “the Lady Sevanna” now. She must do as she’s told or be punished until she sees the error of her ways. Maighdin and Alliandre are also given the belt and collar. The camp is soon on the move‚ and they soon lose track of Bain and Chiad‚ Lacile and Arrela. Maighdin and Alliandre refuse to take any chance of escape unless Faile can come with them‚ despite Faile’s orders. Then Therava joins them. Therava is briefly surprised when Faile knows the appropriate way to speak to a Wise One. She promises that they will not succeed in any escape attempts‚ and because they are wetlanders‚ they will not be released after a year and a day. She tells them all to watch and listen to everything Sevanna does and says‚ and to report it all back to Therava. If they please Therava‚ she will make sure they are left behind. Faile doesn’t want any part of this scheme‚ but she knows that they can’t refuse—she’s confident that Therava could and would have them killed. Carefully‚ she asks if Therava will protect them if they are caught‚ but Therava promises to cook them herself if they are. When Therava leaves‚ Alliandre tries to find an out‚ but Maighden is confident that every one of Sevanna’s servants has been given the same mission‚ and the same threat; if they don’t do as they are told‚ those other servants will report on them. Alliandre tells Maighdin off for the way she has been behaving and speaking to them as an equal. “Until we escape‚” Maighdin replied‚ “you are Sevanna’s servant. If you don’t think of yourself as a servant every minute‚ then you might as well climb onto that spit. And leave room for the rest of us‚ because you will put us on it‚ as well.” Faile intercedes‚ making Maighdin apologize but also ordering both of them to behave as good servants‚ keep their heads down‚ and report absolutely everything to Therava. They all have a good idea what Therava will do to them if they don’t. But soon they approached again‚ this time by Galina‚ who claims to be on an important mission for the White Tower. Galina tells them what will happen to them as Sevanna’s servants‚ that every one of those made gai’shain to her is either a noble‚ a rich merchant‚ or someone who knows how to serve nobility. Every day‚ Sevanna has five of her servants beaten‚ to encourage the rest. Galina describes the punishment for the first time they try to escape‚ and how much worse it is the second‚ and the third. Maighdin and Alliandre bristle at the tirade‚ with Maighdin going so far as to point out that Galina seems to be in the exact same position. Galina snaps‚ calling her a wilder‚ and Faile has to intervene again. Faile gives her name as “the Lady Faile t’Aybara.” But she regrets it immediately when Galina recognizes Perrin’s last name‚ and gloats over the fact that Sevanna has plans for Rand al’Thor and would love to know she has someone so closely connected to al’Thor. Galina tells them about an object Therava keeps in her tent‚ a smooth white rod kept in a red chest with brass binding. If they bring it to her‚ then she will take them with her when she leaves the Shaido. She becomes irate when Alliandre asks why Galina doesn’t just retrieve it herself‚ and tells them that if they don’t get it‚ she will leave them there until they are old‚ and tell Sevanna about Perrin Aybara. As she leaves‚ Faile feels a little desperate about all the traps surrounding them. But she is still determined to escape‚ and falls back into planning as they walk.   I’m not sure I understand what Therava’s deal is. I mean‚ obviously she’s a horrible‚ sadistic person‚ and part of her conflict with Sevanna is over the fact they are both selfish‚ cruel‚ and power-hungry. But Sevanna has done a terrible job at leading the Shaido every step of the way for as long as she’s been in power‚ and she hasn’t even been able to cover it up effectively. It’s pretty obvious that her choices have been a disaster from the start‚ even if the majority of the Shaido still agree that Rand is not the car’a’carn and they do not want to follow him. Of course‚ Sevanna does have the whole “you all murdered Desaine on my orders” thing she’s holding over some of the Wise Ones’ heads‚ Therava included. At the time‚ Sevanna believed that this would bind the Wise Ones to her‚ not only because it served as blackmail but also because they had all made the decision to commit murder against one of their own‚ and use it as a lie to convince the rest of the Shaido to do what they wanted. Committing such an act together still created a bond that perhaps isn’t easy to ignore‚ even though it’s between people who hate each other. Still‚ at this point it’s kind of hard for me to understand why Therava isn’t just taking Sevanna out already. It really seems like the rest of the Wise Ones are more on Therava’s side than Sevanna’s‚ and Wise Ones really have the most power and authority in Aiel culture‚ even if their strict customs dictate when and how that authority is exercised. After all‚ the Shaido have largely abandoned Aiel tradition and dictates‚ and no one more fully than Sevanna has. So it’s hard to imagine that Therava is either personally attached to Aiel customs or worried that the Shaido would rebel at having a Wise One acting as clan chief. I mean‚ Sevanna is already kind of doing that‚ even though she’s never been an apprentice or traveled to Rhuidean. I really don’t like Therava but I do want to understand her motivations‚ and she would almost definitely be better for the Shaido than Sevanna is‚ and even better for the wetlander “gai’shain” prisoners—I think she might be even more sadistic than Sevanna‚ but she doesn’t want as many gai’shain and servants‚ so‚ on balance‚ more people would be better off. Maybe Faile will discover some of the answers to these questions while she and Alliandre and Morgase are caught between Therava and Sevanna. Faile’s a perfect character to have in this position‚ narratively speaking‚ because she’s very smart and already understands something of Aiel custom. She’ll be able to understand more of what she sees and learns than your average wetlander‚ but she’s still an outsider to their culture‚ which means that everything she encounters will be filtered through that perspective‚ a perspective the reader‚ also an outsider to the Aiel world‚ shares. I was so grateful to have the POV from Maeric‚ back in Chapter 40 of A Crown of Swords‚ because it actually showed us a Shaido Aiel who felt like a real‚ ordinary person. Before then‚ we really only had Sevanna‚ Couladin‚ and Therava—not to mention a bunch of Wise Ones who were willing to murder one of their own in order to influence the loyalty of the Shaido following them. Very early on we were told by a member of one of the other Aiel clans (I can’t remember which character‚ exactly) that the Shaido are tricky and lack the honor that is so important to Aiel culture. So far‚ most of what we have seen fits that description‚ but even if the culture of this sept dominates much of their upbringing and perspective‚ no people is a monolith‚ and it’s not like the Shaido are all Darkfrie​​nds or Evil-capital-E. There are mothers and children and ordinary craftsmen who are not algai’d’siswai‚ who are following their leaders and living their lives as best they can. As with all the Aiel‚ the Shaido’s entire worldview was recently shattered‚ and when they looked for guidance they got Couladin and Sevanna. And for that‚ they have my sympathy. Not to be reading ahead or anything‚ but there’s a poignant little moment in Chapter Five in which Perrin looks at an Aiel doll found lost in the snow and wonders if somewhere a little Shaido child is crying for her missing toy. So yeah‚ I’m hoping we’ll learn more about why the Shaido‚ and especially the Shaido Wise Ones‚ are still following Sevanna. Perhaps Faile and the others spying for Therava will give the narrative an opportunity to explain this for us. Of course‚ in a series that is so expansive‚ with so very many cultures and characters‚ we’re not necessarily going to be able to get into the nuances of every culture. The Seanchan have the same problem—so far‚ Egeanin is the only Seanchan character who has really been humanized for us. Still‚ I’m always hoping for more. Robert Jordan’s descriptive skills are on display again this week‚ as they have been in every chapter of Winter’s Heart. I’ve never been in high-key danger of frostbite or death the way Faile and her companions are in chapter three‚ but I have done enough outdoor hiking and skiing to have a little taste of what it’s like to reach that point where you’ve gotten too cold and not going to warm up again without help. I really enjoyed how smart and educated Faile was about the dangers of frostbite and hypothermia. As per usual‚ I could have done without some of the gratuitous descriptions of bare hips and bottoms and spanking‚ but the rest of the descriptions were so powerful that I actually felt cold myself while I was reading. I had a moment where I thought it was unrealistic that the Aiel‚ who come from a land that is always hot‚ were able to endure the weather so much better than someone like Faile‚ who comes from a cold climate. But between the nakedness and the lack of movement once they are being carried‚ that would definitely make a huge difference. The narration didn’t make it clear to me whether or not Bain and Chiad were also in danger of dying‚ though‚ and if they also had their honor “offended” the way Faile did. The Aiel are a strong‚ hardy people‚ but faced with something so different from their natural environment‚ one wonders how far such hardiness would translate‚ especially when they weren’t able to do any of the things you’re supposed to do to keep themselves warm and alert. In any case‚ it’s interesting to see where the Shaido have adapted and where they struggle to change their thinking. Of course there are some practical changes‚ like adding green to the cadin’sor‚ but I’m most interested in the cultural changes. The Shaido don’t appear to have much of an objection to taking wetlander prisoners. Nor have we really heard anyone object to the way Sevanna adorns her personal gai’shain in gold‚ or chooses to wear wetlander-style jewelry and clothing‚ or to ride a horse. I mean‚ she’s even named herself a Wise One‚ despite already speaking as clan chief and never having apprenticed or gone to Rhuidean. Sure‚ there’s been some grumbling and derision from the Wise Ones‚ but on the whole‚ Rand—who is the car’a’carn and wasn’t even raised as an Aiel—has gotten more flack for not behaving according to the dictates of ji’e’toh than Sevanna appears to have. Perhaps that’s just because Sevanna has a good sense of which tenets of jie’e’toh will be considered the most inviolate by her people—I doubt she’d ever pick up a sword‚ for example. Or‚ maybe the Shaido are breaking under the same weight that the rest of the world seems to feel‚ the sense that the Dragon Reborn is breaking all bonds. They don’t have a prophecy that says such a thing will happen‚ but that doesn’t mean that there aren’t real ta’veren effects working on them. When Galina was captured‚ I couldn’t help but think about the similarities between her situation and that of the damane. Bound by the One Power to obey Therava and Sevanna‚ beaten down physically and spiritually until she is becoming very obsequious and fawning—Faile even mentally compares her behavior to that of an obedient dog. It’s difficult to read‚ even knowing that Galina is a darkfriend‚ just as it is difficult to read about the interactions between sul’dam and damane. And Galina is not the only Aes Sedai bound to obedience by an Oath Rod‚ either—there are also the Salidar spies‚ uncovered and bound by Seaine and the rest. I imagine they won’t be treated like animals‚ but no one involved seemed to have much of an objection to enslaving the women in such a way‚ either. And I know that this sort of thing was common in the epic fantasy of the time‚ but for me‚ these really intense subjects aren’t really being given their thematic due in most of the Wheel of Time books. I wouldn’t go so far as to say that Robert Jordan is only including them for shock value. Rather‚ I think he does have some really interesting ideas about violence‚ including sexual violence‚ war‚ and trauma that he is trying to bring into his work‚ sometimes very effectively‚ but other times less so. The slavery thing‚ and a lot of the torture as well‚ isn’t thematically explored very often‚ not with any depth. Even Rand’s post-kidnapping PTSD‚ which receives more attention from the narration‚ feels like a really interesting thought‚ left unfinished. (Though it may be that the plotline with Cadsuane will address if further. And often when I’m reading‚ I get the sense that Jordan is poking at something deeper‚ something more profound than violence for violence’s sake‚ or as an excuse to describe a woman being naked again‚ but that he either can’t get the thought onto the page effectively or maybe didn’t even have a clear sense of it in his own mind. As a result‚ much of the more graphic aspects of torture and exploitation‚ including sexual exploitation‚ often come off as though they are mostly intended to be titillating. And I do think that is sometimes true—the way grown women are always experiencing spanking and corporeal punishment on their derrieres‚ for example. But other times‚ I think Jordan is just missing whatever thematic exploration he is aiming at. And this has me thinking about his own history and experience of war‚ and what he might have been carrying with him as he wrote. I really enjoyed Faile’s confusion over Maighdin’s attitude‚ and how similar it is to Alliandre’s. More than once the narration makes the point that Alliandre is a smart woman‚ but that she has a queen’s attitude and temperament. It is hard for her to adapt‚ even briefly‚ to the situation she finds herself in as a gai’shain captive of the Aiel. Faile‚ though a lady‚ is much more flexible‚ but for Alliandre‚ and for Morgase‚ it is difficult to change how a Queen thinks of herself‚ and the behavior she learned in order to be successful in her role as the leader of a country. Morgase is better at it than Alliandre‚ perhaps because she’s had more practice‚ but also because she is just that good‚ and that smart. I love the character‚ and I wish (again‚ so difficult with such an expansive story) that we could have more time in her POV‚ that she could become a slightly more significant part of our reading. I just feel like she has so much potential‚ and that it’s underused as long as her main function in this part of the story is to be a piece of dramatic irony—as much as I love dramatic irony. Still‚ I’m fascinated to see where the story goes with Faile‚ Alliandre‚ and Morgase navigating the political intrigue of Sevanna vs Therava‚ with a side of Galina wanting them to steal the other Oath Rod for her. It would be really cool if they succeeded‚ and although Galina is fully capable of lying‚ since she’s Black Ajah‚ she still might end up taking them with her. On the other hand‚ there are lots of opportunities for Therava and Sevanna to be played against each other‚ a bit like how Egwene and Siuan manipulated Lelaine and Romanda. The dangers are even greater for Faile and co. than they were for Egwene and Siuan‚ but the need for success is even more important‚ at least from a personal standpoint. And while I’m rooting for Faile‚ Morgase‚ and Alliandre to effect their own escape‚ there’s always a chance that the wolf will find his falcon after all. We’ll be checking back in with Perrin‚ who is not handling his wife’s kidnapping very well‚ next week. It’s Sylas K Barrett’s birthday this week. Despite these chapters‚ he would kind of like a little bit of snow.

In the second book of Gregoy Maguire’s Another Day trilogy‚ young (and somewhat amnesiac) Rain says‚ “I’m learning there’s never a way home‚ only a way forward. So let’s take it.” The green granddaughter of Elphaba Thropp‚ Rain spends the first two books of her story far from home. In the wake of a very upsetting event‚ she departed for distant shores‚ taking Elphie’s broom and her powerful book‚ the Grimmerie‚ which Rain dropped in the sea.  But—as even twentysomething witches eventually learn—you can’t leave your past behind. (It’s also quite hard to get rid of a magical tome that would prefer not to be drowned‚ thank you.) Having made unexpected new friends‚ traveled across a strange land‚ and accidentally uncovered a family secret‚ Rain now has her own future ahead of her (and a good deal of her memory back). She is—almost—on her way back to Oz. The Brides of Maracoor was an arrival; The Oracle of Maracoor a journey; and The Witch of Maracoor a destination. A destination is not always just a place; it can also be a person‚ and one in particular has been haunting Rain this whole time. In the final book of Maguire’s previous Oz series‚ a young man named Tip was revealed to be none other than Ozma Tippetarius‚ the long-missing ruler of Oz. But to Rain‚ Tip was her beloved‚ and this revelation brought with it more than your average amount of shock. Rain has always been making her way back to Tip‚ to Ozma—she just had to go the really‚ really long way ‘round. That way involved mysterious brides‚ and harpies‚ and a blue wolf whose presence I rather miss; it involved the aged Wizard of Oz and a powerful artifact and the living bits of stories that appeared and vanished around the land of Maracoor Abiding. If the second book felt like Rain and her companions journeying further into myth‚ this one feels like she’s coming back out again—appropriately changed. There’s the matter of a seashell full of pollen that must be delivered to a specific place. There’s the fact that she remembers a lot more about her life now.  And there’s the matter of her changing relationships: with her Goose companion‚ Iskinaary‚ who finds a purpose of his own; with the Minor Adjutant Lucikles‚ who has accompanied Rain on the last non-broom-traveling leg of her journey; with her father‚ Liir‚ when she does go home; and with Tip-turned-Ozma‚ restored (or is she?) to her place in the Emerald City.  The first book of Another Day was about a lot of things‚ including the way stories can be used to control‚ and the things we find when we don’t know what we’re looking for. The second was a beautifully balanced story that encompassed myth‚ power‚ responsibility‚ family secrets‚ road trips‚ harpies‚ and climate-concerned tree folk—and still held an incredible amount of empathy for one heartbroken and powerful girl who maybe messed up the world when she tried to run away from her heartbreak.  In The Witch of Maracoor‚ Rain finds herself. She finds her own voice—one‚ notably‚ in which questions do not come with question marks—she finds herself in a bit of an affair‚ which is powerful and awkward and strange and playful. She finds her father‚ and his life has changed; she finds her grandmother’s old Nanny‚ troubled flying monkeys‚ and a girl who used to be a boy. She finds Oz‚ messy and familiar and strange‚ and she finds herself in it: her inheritance‚ her ancestry‚ her love.  Rain’s meandering journey is dreamy‚ odd‚ sometimes retrospective‚ but Maguire’s tone‚ and Rain’s voice‚ can be sharp‚ wise‚ practical. Unsentimental‚ for all that we’re going back to Oz‚ and going back to familiar territory. But he knows how to let her heart show (give this girl an animal companion and she will show you her whole heart)‚ and he knows exactly‚ beautifully‚ how to draw his intimate yet world-spanning story to a close. Rain gets a lot of advice in this book‚ my favorite piece of which comes from a source both questionable and welcome‚ an apparition (maybe?) who tells her‚ “What you say matters. What you do matters. Love whom you will‚ cherish them while you have the time‚ don’t give an inch when the bullies kick at your stilts. Kick back‚ and then give them a poultice if you’ve hurt them.” Buy it Now It’s heartfelt‚ and it’s also practical. (A poultice!) This book‚ this series‚ is a coming of age tale about growing up and growing into your own power—recognizing that power whether you want to or not. Taking responsibility where you can‚ and making apologies where you need to. And it is about permission—the kind you can only give to yourself.  Maguire moves smoothly from a world of women controlled by men‚ to a world that breathes mythology‚ to some not entirely subtle not nevertheless gorgeous ideas about rain (lowercase) and fertility and love and finding the power to put yourself in the world on your own terms. Rain’s journey changes the world‚ but Rain has to change her inner landscape before she can go home and face the great changes in the person she loves. (Who‚ it must be said‚ has been processing her own changes under less than ideal circumstances‚ and who is so immediately endearing that I think‚ perhaps‚ we need a Tippa series next.) You could say that Maguire rewrites the hero’s journey in this trilogy. You could also say that he finds another way for a green girl to be a revolutionary force—a way that lets her live‚ and live for herself‚ no less. The Another Day books are not‚ like the Wicked Years‚ a direct response to Oz‚ but something wilder and looser‚ set free of the constraints of one Wicked Witch’s tragic fate. Rain’s story is mythic‚ strange‚ wry‚ and down-to-earth‚ and it feels to me like something you absorb slowly‚ like water into damp soil. Some books you understand; some books you accept. This is the latter. It feels like a reminder‚ like a guidebook through rough times‚ and at the same time it reads like a dream. “I am altered for having read from it once or twice. I can’t help it. No reader throws off a book’s influence by mere intention‚” Rain thinks of the Grimmerie. I know what she means; I am most certainly altered for having read these books. The Witch of Maracoor is available from William Morrow. Molly Templeton lives and writes in Oregon‚ and spends as much time as possible in the woods. Sometimes she talks about books on Twitter.

Once again‚ it’s time to look back at some of our favorite non-fiction articles from the past year! Below‚ we’ve rounded up many of our favorite essays about books‚ reading‚ writing‚ and storytelling—there will be a separate list of articles discussing TV‚ movies‚ and other media coming soon. While our end-of-year lists are focused on standalone essays and articles‚ we’re also incredibly proud of our lineup of regular columns (including two new series‚ Dissecting The Dark Descent and our Elantris Reread)‚ along with the amazing array of fiction recommendations and discussion provided by our many wonderful contributors. This was a banner year for Tor.com—we started things off with Space Opera Week‚ celebrated our 15th Anniversary all summer long‚ and at one point‚ experienced a full-on Tingle Takeover (and yes‚ it was life-changing). There’s so much more to come in 2024—for now we hope that you enjoy the selections below‚ and since these are just some of our favorite book-centric essays from the last twelve months or so—we couldn’t possibly include everything we love—please feel free to tell us about the articles‚ columns‚ and discussions that have stuck with you this year!   Taking Inspiration from Beloved Fantasy Series… “The Long Defeat”: Reading Tolkien in the Time of Climate Change by Alyssa Hull Climate change was already occurring during the years when Tolkien lived and wrote. Though he may not have been aware of a growing knowledge of global warming‚ I think his work is directly applicable to all of us who face the current onslaught of frightening headlines about climate disasters and think‚ like Frodo‚ “I wish it need not have happened in my time.” What Makes A Knight: The Continuing Influence of Alanna of Trebond by Esme Symes-Smith I was genderqueer but I didn’t have the words to explain myself yet (and wouldn’t for almost twenty more years)‚ but I did have a role-model: Alanna of Trebond‚ Tamora Pierce’s first Lady Knight. The Song of the Lioness Quartet follows Alanna from an aspiring page to a fully qualified knight‚ as well as her journey from a girl pretending to be a boy called Alan‚ to being confidently and exactly Alanna. Sazed Is a Reminder That Everything You Create Matters by Ratika Deshpande We can never have enough new perspectives‚ enough art‚ enough stories. Sazed and the Keepers were always searching; they knew that they didn’t know everything. And they didn’t just preserve what had already happened in the past‚ but also what was going on around them […] In a way‚ the Keeper’s work will never be done‚ because as long as there are people living‚ there will be stories to preserve.   Exploring Issues of Family and Identity Mother and the Wolf: Maternal Power in Fairy Tales by Julie Phillips To venture into the forest is a hero’s deed. To take up one’s feelings of maternal depression and weave them into a story‚ as Le Guin did‚ is a hero’s deed. I believe that there is more than one matrix into which mothers must descend. One is for the artist‚ who follows her muse into the core‚ where the language is hot and the images smolder. Another is for the mother who must reckon with her volcanic emotions: anger‚ resentment‚ despair‚ too much love. Entwined‚ they become a hero’s tale about the most basic work of being human‚ nurturing one’s soul. Mirror‚ Mirror in the Ward by Ava Reid There are no mirrors in a psych ward. Broken glass can too easily be fashioned into a weapon—as the fairy tales will warn you. Despite this‚ I still saw myself reflected back. […] A book is a portal‚ much like Alice’s mirror. But unlike a mirror‚ which reflects only physical reality‚ a book builds its own symbolic world around you. It can be the shelter of a grand castle. It can be the promise of adventure at the prow of a ship. It can be the mystery of a gloom-cloaked forest. As Ursula K. Le Guin said‚ a book is not ephemeral. It lasts. It is reliable. There has always been a castle‚ a ship‚ a forest. So I began to trust this world within the pages—slowly‚ shakily‚ but irrevocably. Parenting an Idea in Saga by Natalie Zutter That’s what makes Saga endure so well: Like Hazel‚ it grows into something new with every break and return‚ and its place within our comics universe—and its readers’ own personal universes—shifts. Having celebrated its ten-year anniversary a year ago‚ it hasn’t abandoned its opening line (This is how an idea becomes real)‚ but rather has embraced how it’s not as simple as releasing an idea into the ether; you have to nurture it‚ even when you feel that you can’t possibly do so‚ to ensure its survival. And‚ most crucially‚ you have to let go of your expectations for what ideas your idea wants to create. Food‚ Family‚ and Colonialism in Trang Thanh Tran’s She Is a Haunting by Wen-yi Lee Meals have been a stage for Asian families in books across genres‚ from the plentiful dinners in Fonda Lee’s Green Bone saga to the likes of Crying in H Mart and The Vegetarian. There’s that stereotype about Asian parents: emotionally unavailable‚ communicating only through bowls of cut fruit and your favourite snacks magically stocked in the fridge‚ et cetera‚ et cetera. Even as the secrets threaten to crack the family apart‚ there’s a father in the kitchen‚ peeling prawns for dinner‚ obsessing over the flavours‚ the ingredients. The things he can navigate so much more easily than a daughter. Even when the supernatural warns you against it‚ food is family and homeland‚ and the hunger for that can overpower all else. In this house‚ you eat connection   Literary Criticism and Textual Analysis Tracing the Affinities Between Susanna Clarke’s Piranesi and C.S Lewis’ The Magician’s Nephew by Iona Glen Clarke also professes an “old longing” to find Lewis’ Wardrobe‚ the portal that first leads the Pevensie children into Narnia. Yet it is The Magician’s Nephew‚ Narnia’s origin story‚ that has perhaps the most profound influence upon Piranesi. The affinities between the two books illuminate the major themes of both‚ particularly their interest in the ethics of scholarship and different ways of knowing. Piranesi’s reworking of Lewis reveals just how profoundly our childhood reading can shape us‚ providing us with our first Other Worlds to explore. Reading Naomi Novik’s Scholomance Series as a Response to Ursula K. Le Guin by Elyse Martin This is at the heart of Novik’s imaginative future; this is her response to Le Guin’s call to action. We live in a world like that of the Scholomance series‚ where certain societies are safe because they have built their success on the sacrifice of others: the vulnerable‚ the colonized‚ the weak. But this is a very shaky foundation. The greed upon which society grows will ultimately consume it‚ particularly if‚ as in The Golden Enclaves‚ the powerful only agree to find a new way forward when it becomes “a matter of immediate self-preservation”. Speaking Truth Into Being: Trans Identity in Ann Leckie’s The Raven Tower by Logan Dreher Against this backdrop‚ Eolo asserts his certainty‚ his wholeness. He is not broken or less than. He already is who he is. Eolo is powerful because of his trans identity‚ not in spite of it. He is able to intervene in the plot of the novel because his trans experience has taught him how to interface with gods. In The Raven Tower‚ trans people are not confused or broken‚ and their trans identities are not an absence or a lack‚ but a presence‚ a power. Are We the Baddies? Magic and Normativity in The Locked Tomb Series by Kristen Patterson  Muir has created a universe in which we root for necromancers—and their cavaliers!—as naturally as we’d root for any other protagonist. Now in book three‚ she’s complicated that dynamic‚ pushing the world of necromancy away to the distance where it starts to look less familiar. At that point‚ we’re forced to reevaluate and ask‚ “Why necromancers? Why the kind of magic that bleeds and oozes?” It’s an invitation to think more deeply about the overall themes of the Locked Tomb books—about bodies‚ death‚ grief‚ and the boundaries we draw and then sometimes erase between ourselves and others.   Wrestling With the Current Cultural Moment The Problem With Small Town Witch Romances by Jenny Hamilton While some of the books under discussion here do include BIPOC characters (and even BIPOC love interests)‚ the idyllic quaintness they’re reaching for depends on the erasure of America’s centuries-long persecution of Black and brown communities. It’s a conundrum you can see authors struggling with: The towns must be old if they are to be picturesque; but they can’t be old without having also been implicated in this country’s violent history; but the violent histories can’t be talked about because they bring down the vibe. The compromise (white) authors tend to strike is simply to pretend that American history didn’t happen‚ or at least didn’t happen in this place to these people. Why Do We Still Love Robots in Fiction When They’re Taking Our Jobs IRL? by Samit Basu For writers and artists‚ the threat of the industries we work in being thrown into (deeper) chaos because some corporate person decides to cost-cut/IP-hoard/Replace Annoying Humans is already very real. Which is why it was interesting for me‚ over the last few years‚ to on the one hand become increasingly irritated by the advance of the AI takeover‚ turn down various projects where tech people wanted me to help train AI to replace human authors—and on the other hand‚ keep working on a novel where two of the three main characters were robots‚ and also people whose feelings‚ rights and welfare I cared deeply about because I loved them. Which brought me to the question—why do we still love robots/AI in fiction when we increasingly don’t in real life? Mid-Apocalyptic Fiction: Writing Against a Climate Catharsis by Theodore McCombs The mid-apocalyptic climate stories also enforce on an emotional level what the science tells us: that we are intimately accountable to the world that comes after us. Apocalypses let us off the hook: What’s the point of trying if the Earth is doomed? How can this clean bus program or that wetland conservation project—not to mention one ordinary person’s decisions—matter at all‚ against those stakes? But climate change will not erase the slate; any future world will remember‚ in a ruthlessly embodied and practical way‚ in its scars‚ decisions we make and don’t make over the next few decades.   Staring Into the Void… The Land Beyond Spacetime: Dinosaurs and Cosmic Horror by Fletcher Wortmann The second thing that children learn about dinosaurs is that now‚ in the present day‚ all the dinosaurs are gone. I wonder: prior to the dinosaur boom in popular culture in the 1980s and ’90s‚ how many children under the age of five knew the definition of the word “extinction?” And we aren’t talking about the extinction of a single species‚ not just the sad likelihood that someday soon there might not be any more snow leopards or sea turtles: we’re talking about planetary extinction‚ an event that obliterated every living animal bigger than a guinea pig‚ not because of hunting or pollution but preordained by the random trajectories of chunks of rock tumbling through a vast‚ indifferent cosmos. Every Space Story Is a Horror Story by Emily Hughes The thing about the void is‚ that void doesn’t hate you. The void doesn’t know or care that you exist‚ nor would it know or care if you stopped existing. The void just kind of goes on voiding‚ infinitely. This is‚ when you get right down to it‚ the basic premise of cosmic horror: space is unknown‚ unknowable‚ indifferent‚ and exists on a scale that’s incomprehensible to humans. Its mere existence is enough to instill spontaneous ego death. And every story that takes place there is inextricably linked to that enormous absence. Art in Defiance of the Endless Cosmic Nothing by Chuck Tingle People often ask me—in a variety of different ways—how they too can become a successful writer. The truth is‚ I have no idea what journey will work for you. What I can speak on‚ however‚ is the journey that works for me. With this in mind‚ I’ll offer up the simplest distillation of my own creative process: love is the most powerful artistic fuel there is‚ and I’m not afraid to use it. Allow Me To Make a Gentle Plea For More Space Horror by Kali Wallace Horror can serve a lot of purposes in storytelling‚ aside from the obvious one of scaring our pants off for fun. It’s also a way to explore fears and anxieties‚ critique traditions and societies‚ and examine prejudices and assumptions. But one thing that makes horror especially powerful in space-based science fiction is this: it is one of the best ways we have to make personal‚ intimate‚ and immediate things which might otherwise feel too big‚ too strange‚ or too remote for intense emotional impact.   New Ways of Looking at the Classics John Milton the Space Poet: Early Traces of Science Fiction in Paradise Lost by A.J. Rocca At times‚ Paradise Lost even seems to border on something like space opera: the angel Raphael hints at the existence of other worlds and extraterrestrial life‚ and Satan’s journey through the void to reach Earth is nothing less than an interstellar space flight. Milton was sometimes able to anticipate science fiction because of his engagement with the astronomy of his day‚ especially the new Copernican astronomy which laid the foundation for so much of SF’s interstellar fabulations. While I won’t go so far as to say that Milton himself was an SF writer‚ I do think we should at least acknowledge him as some kind of literary precursor: a space poet. Little Worms: Mary Shelley and the Noodle that Created Science Fiction by GennaRose Nethercott When ancient Etruscans served up the world’s very first bowl of pasta‚ they had no idea that humans would still be dining on the dish nearly twenty-three hundred years later. Nor could they have known that their simple meal would one day lead to the birth of one of history’s most feared and beloved monsters. In fact‚ a single humble noodle would go on to change the course of all of English literature.   Mark as Read Molly Templeton’s Mark as Read column‚ now in its third year‚ gives readers a place to talk about the things that connect us (and occasionally frustrate us) as lovers of books. Over the last twelve months‚ the column has ruminated on the concept of reading dealbreakers and other ways reading can be weird or hard or personal‚ pushed back against the idea that readers are “consumers of books‚” and found a new way to think about the books we’re not reading… yet. All that‚ and Molly still has time to ask the tough questions‚ like “Where Are the Lady Gandalfs?” and “What Does a Dragon Look Like?” You can find the full list of columns (and the conversations they’ve inspired) at the series page‚ here. ***   That’s all for now‚ but keep an eye out for the second half of our 2023 highlights coming up in the new year‚ where we’ll be talking all about old and new movies‚ TV series‚ and other pop culture favorites. In the meantime‚ if you’re feeling nostalgic‚ you can always check out our “Some of the Best…” article round-ups from previous years: 2022’s Fiction Articles list and Film‚ TV &; Pop Culture list; 2021; 2020; 2019; 2018; and 2017. Happy reading!

FIRST ON THE DAILY SIGNAL: A Florida high school has been fined and placed on administrative probation for violating the state’s bylaws by allowing a biologically male student to participate on a female sports team‚ The Daily Signal has learned. The move appears to be the first time that a public school has been punished for violating state laws protecting fairness in women’s sports. “Thanks to the leadership of Governor Ron DeSantis‚ Florida passed legislation to protect girls’ sports and we will not tolerate any school that violates this law‚” Education Commissioner Manny Diaz Jr. said in statement to The Daily Signal. “We applaud the swift action taken by the Florida High School Athletic Association to ensure there are serious consequences for this illegal behavior.” In a letter sent Tuesday morning‚ the Florida High School Athletic Association informed Monarch High School and its principal‚ Dr. Moira Sweeting-Miller‚ that the high school “permitted a biological male to participate on the girls volleyball team during the 2022-2023 and 2023-24 Girls Volleyball seasons‚” thereby violating FHSA Bylaw 8.6.2 and Florida Statute 1006.205(3)(c). Self-Report_-_Monarch_-_VolleyballDownload Florida’s bylaw 8.62 states that “biological males may not participate on a female team in any sport‚” the letter reminds Monarch High School. Policy 16.11.6 states that the “use of an ineligible student when self-reported‚ may subject the school to a monetary penalty of a minimum of $100 per contest and/or other sanctions.” F.S. 1006.205(3)(c) states that “athletic teams or sports designated for females‚ women‚ or girls may not be open to students of the male sex.” That male student played in over 30 games‚ according to the letter‚ and the athletic association has not “received any corrective actions from Monarch High School.” As punishment‚ the association officially reprimands Monarch High School with a letter that becomes “a permanent part of the school’s membership record.” The association also places the school on “Administrative Probation” through November 20‚ 2024. In this one letter‚ the school has been reprimanded‚ fined‚ and served notice that it is in a “period of warning for a minimum calendar year.” The letter additionally states that Monarch High School owes a monetary penalty of $16‚500 ($500 per contest‚ in accordance with Policy 16.11.6)‚ and Monarch High School representatives will be required to attend one of the association’s Compliance Seminars in both 2024 and 2025. The high school will also be required to host association staff for an “eligibility and Compliance Workshop” no later than June 30‚ 2024. Have an opinion about this article? To sound off‚ please email letters@DailySignal.com‚ and we’ll consider publishing your edited remarks in our regular “We Hear You” feature. Remember to include the URL or headline of the article plus your name and town and/or state.  The post EXCLUSIVE: Florida School Punished for Allowing Boy in Girls’ Sports appeared first on The Daily Signal.

If you're tired of censorship and dystopian threats against civil liberties‚ subscribe to Reclaim The Net. The video hosting platform Rumble‚ known for advocating free speech‚ just experienced a severe cyber attack. This incident occurred not long after the platform began hosting new security camera footage from the events of January 6th 2021‚ and Rumble’s CEO makes a direct correlation between the two events. As we reported last week‚ the Republican-led Subcommittee on Oversight of the Committee on House Administration last week unveiled their new Rumble channel. This channel was dedicated to publishing hours of footage from the Capitol Police. Soon after the footage was uploaded‚ Rumble suffered a significant‚ coordinated cyber attack. This disruption made it impossible for users to upload or view any content on the platform. Rumble’s CEO‚ Chris Pavlovski‚ addressed the situation on X‚ stating‚ “I can confirm that this attack has been unprecedented and has been happening since this weekend.” Pavlovski also expressed his suspicion that the attack was politically motivated‚ likely perpetrated by activists or organizations opposed to the J6 videos on Rumble. The attack was remedied on Monday evening. In a statement‚ the company expressed its gratitude‚ saying‚ “A major thank you to our cyber security partners and our entire team. This was a massive learning experience that will only make us stronger.” They also extended their appreciation to all users and creators for their patience during the disruption. The post Rumble Fights Off Unprecedented Cyberattack‚ Likely An Attempt To Censor Creators‚ CEO Says appeared first on Reclaim The Net.

It’s probably fair to say that most of us spend a lot more time thinking about the folks leaping from landing craft than we do about the landing craft themselves‚ yet back in August this year‚ at the extraordinary D-Day Ohio event at Conneaut‚ Ohio‚ on the shores of Lake Erie‚ I finally got to ride in a Higgins boat. Perched next to the coxswain‚ I looked down and watched the wires moving back and forth as they pulled the rudder this way and that and was struck by how incredibly rudimentary it all was. Such a simple design and really with just one purpose: to deliver a small vehicle or assault platoon directly onto a beach. It was 36 feet long‚ 11 wide‚ and could do about 12 knots on a calm sea. Incredibly‚ the Allies had no landing craft at all when the war broke out in September 1939‚ and although Andrew Higgins in New Orleans delivered a “landing craft‚ personnel (large)”—LCP—to the British at the back end of 1940‚ it wasn’t until May 1941 that the first Higgins boat received its trials. By this time‚ it was clear that Britain would have to launch any future assault on Europe from the sea‚ and that if the United States entered the war it would be in the same position. As things turned out‚ landing craft became one of the most vital items in the Allied arsenal‚ essential for operations in the Pacific as well as in the Mediterranean and‚ of course‚ Normandy. Nor were the Higgins boats the only landing craft. Rather‚ a huge array was developed and produced‚ not least the incredible LST—landing ship‚ tank—which was 382 feet long‚ had a draft under the ship’s forward bow of just four feet‚ and could deliver 18 Sherman tanks or more than 200 troops directly onto a beach. This meant the Allies no longer needed a port and quaysides for an amphibious attack; as both the November 1942 Torch landings in Northwest Africa and then the July 1943 assault on Sicily showed‚ the LSTs and slightly smaller LCTs (landing craft‚ tank) were game changers for the Allies. Much of the Sicilian campaign‚ for example‚ was supplied by these landing craft‚ even as some ports became available. The U.S. Navy had‚ in fact‚ woken up a little late to the urgent need to build huge numbers of landing craft‚ but between April 1942 and May 1943 shipyards across the States produced a staggering 8‚719 of all types‚ including the truly revolutionary DUKW—pronounced “duck”—a remarkable wheeled‚ amphibious craft that could drive straight off the beaches. These were still not enough‚ however‚ as the U.S. accelerated its efforts in the Pacific and put Overlord‚ the invasion of Normandy‚ as its priority for the war against Germany. It meant that after Sicily‚ when General Mark Clark’s Fifth Army landed at Salerno‚ south of Naples‚ on September 9‚ 1943‚ he had nothing like enough assault craft. For Sicily‚ the Allies had 1‚743‚ but for Avalanche‚ the codename for the Salerno landings‚ just 359. Clark could land only a meager three divisions and a handful of special forces in the initial attack. So‚ despite vast forces in the Mediterranean‚ the Allies’ assault was far smaller than ideal. Avalanche was an incredibly high-risk enterprise as a result‚ albeit one that fortunately prevailed. Nor were there enough landing craft for D-Day. Although 4‚127 were involved‚ General Bernard Law Montgomery‚ the land force commander‚ wanted more; a sixth beach‚ Band‚ had to be abandoned because of the shortage. Outflanking operations in Italy and Burma were discarded for lack of assault craft‚ while the landings at Anzio in Italy‚ in January 1944‚ also lacked sufficient strength for want of these vital vessels. As the Higgins craft rumbled across the water on Lake Erie‚ I was struck by how incredibly simple this box-like craft was‚ but also how valuable. Assault craft were key to the entire western Allies’ way of war and yet had there been even more of them‚ what a difference that would have made. Perhaps the war really would have been over earlier. this article first appeared in world war II magazine See more stories SubscriBE NOW!  

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