Teddy Rose Book Reviews Plus More


Middle-Aged Man and the SeaMiddle-Aged Man and the Sea by Christopher Meeks


If you have been reading my reviews for a long time, you may know that I am a big fan of author, Christopher Meeks.  I have had the opportunity to read and review most of his books.  However, I hadn’t read his book of short stories, ‘The Middle-Aged Man and the Sea’.  I bought the ebook a long time ago but didn’t have the opportunity to read it.  Then, a few weeks ago Christopher contacted me to let me know that he created a audiobook version on CD and on Audible and offered me a free download code to Audible. I couldn’t refuse!

My Thoughts on Middle-Aged Man and the Sea by Christopher Meeks


The Audible version is narrated by the author, Christopher Meeks, himself.  It includes 13  quintessential short stories about the human condition. With his trademark sense of humor and quirky, yet realistic characters, Meeks takes us on a journey through the lives of his characters and we even a glimpse into ourselves.

Many people who claim not to like short stories, usually say because they don’t feel complete.  I dare naysayers of Short stories to read this book.  Okay, so the endings aren’t wrapped up in nice neat bows but neither is real life.  “They all lived happily ever after” are the kind of stories we tell children to make them feel safe and secure. 

These stories have kernels of truth hidden within them. They cover, marriage, middle age, and old age.  The thread throughout is human relationships and how we dealt with them.  Of course, this wouldn’t be a Christopher Meeks book, if there weren’t some references to pop culture sprinkled with in.

Usually, I find short stories in a collection hit and miss however, ‘The Middle-aged Man and the Sea’, is quite an even collection.  I really loved them all.

As for the narration, it was good.  There were a few places that you could hear the wetness that can accumulate in ones mouth.  I haven’t detected this when I have listened to a more seasoned narrator.  However, with practice, I believe Christoper Meeks could go from good to great with his narration skills.  I hope he records more of his books.

5/5 Writing

4/5 Narration

I received a free download code for the Audible version for my honest review.

About Christopher MeeksChristopher Meeks


Christopher Meeks first published short fiction in a number of literary journals, and the stories are available in two collections, The Middle-Aged Man and the Sea and Months and Seasons. Recently, he’s focused on crime novels.  His first, Blood Drama had a graduate student writing a thesis on David Mamet in a struggle with a ruthless killer and bank robber. The new A Death in Vegas is a mystery based on the death of a young woman and the wrong man charged with it. Visit Christopher Meeks online at chrismeeks.com.

Buy Middle-Aged Man and the Sea by Christopher Meeks


Audible
Amazon
Barnes&Noble


Giveaway of Middle-Aged Man and the Sea by Christopher Meeks


You can enter to win my giveaway of a download code to get the Audible version of this great short story collection.  Enter here.

Review: SaltWonder Himalayan Salt Cave

Posted by Teddyrose@1 on February 28, 2016
Posted in Product Review  | Tagged With: , , | 12 Comments

SaltWonder Himalayan Salt Cave

SaltWonderOn Monday, February 22nd, I had the opportunity to try out SaltWonder, a man made Himalayan Salt Cave with YVR (Vancouver) Bloggers.  SaltWonder is in North Vancouver.

Salt caves are a very popular health  treatment in Europe and has just been starting up in North America a few years ago.  They are said to help with many ailments including “Chronic bronchitis, sinusitis,  breathlessness, chest tightness, cough (particularly at night or after exercise),  mucus plugs, wheezing, colds and respiratory allergies,  mucosal edema,  bronchitis, adenoids, rhinitis, tonsillitis, pharyngitis, pneumonia after acute stage,  bronchiectatic disease, respiratory infections, influenza, rhinosinusopathy, smoker’s cough (secondary smoke related symptoms), frequent acute disorders of respiratory tract,
multi chemical sensitivity syndrome,  allergies to industrial and household pollutants,  eczema, psoriasis, and neurodermatitis…”

I certainly can’t speak for all of these claims but I can speak about my experience.  There were 8 bloggers and we were escorted into the beautiful man made salt cave room by the owner, Nuca Stoica.  We all took a lounge chair and were instructed to just relax and not talk.  If you talk, you won’t breath in many of the salt particles in the air.

I picked a chair by the relaxing sound of a water feature.  After laying back, it did not take me long to get into a deep relaxation.  In fact, I think I dosed off to sleep for a short time.  Once the 45 minute treatment was over we all gathered around, still in the salt cave for a photo shoot and to talk about the experience.  I was sitting on the floor, piled with salt and a woman sitting next to me asked if she could use my leg as a pillow.  LOL!  That is how relaxed she was.

After the photo shoot and conversation, we were given a tour of the facility.  We got to sit in

SaltWonder

Salt Nebulization Room

the salt nebulization room for a few minutes.  It is a room much smaller than the one we were in before and had a fine mist going in it.  It was quite pleasant.  We also saw a small room with a pile of salt called the Crystal Salt Bed.  In there, you lie directly on the salt for maximum exposure.

I was just getting over a cold when I went to SaltWonder and I do believe it aided me in getting rid of the stuffy nose I still had.  That night, I slept and breathed better than I had in days! I also met some wonderful bloggers.

I would like to thank Ricky of YVR Bloggers for setting this experience up for us and Nuca for inviting us.  I would definitely love to experience the power of salt again.

Be sure to check out the SaltWonder Website: https://www.saltwonder.ca/ to learn more and to book an appointment.  If you don’t live in the Vancouver area, be sure to Google “Salt Therapy” to see if there is a facility near you.

(c) All Photos courtesy of Alan Katowitz Photography

 

First Second Books are celebrating their 10th Anniversary! 


They have  published 157 books, including New York Times Best-Sellers and award-winners across the book and comics industry. In celebration of their 10th Anniversary and thanks to Gina Gagliano of First Second Books, I am giving away 3 of their books to 3 different winners.  See the books as follows:

Fable Comics Description of Fable Comics by Various Authors Chris Duffy


From classics like “The Tortoise and the Hare” and “The Grasshopper and the Ants” to obscure gems like “The Frogs Who Desired a King,” Fable Comics has something to offer every reader. Twenty-eight fables from different cultures and traditions are wonderfully adapted and illustrated in comics format by twenty-six different cartoonists. Edited by New York Times bestselling Fairy Tale Comics’ Chris Duffy, this jacketed hardcover is a beautiful gift and an instant classic.



Description of Sweaterweather by Sara VaronSweaterweather


Back before Odd Duck, before Robot Dreams, Sara Varon created Sweaterweather. This endearing, quirky volume is a captivating look into Varon’s creative process. It combines short comics stories, essays, and journal entries, and invites the reader into the world of Sara Varon: where adorable, awkward anthropomorphic animals walk the streets of Brooklyn and a surprising, sideways revelation is waiting around every corner.

First Second is proud to introduce Sweaterweather to a new generation of readers in this gorgeous jacketed hardcover, with a new cover and plenty of new content.



SculptorDescription of The Sculptor by Scott McCloud


A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

David Smith is giving his life for his art—literally. Thanks to a deal with Death, the young sculptor gets his childhood wish: to sculpt anything he can imagine with his bare hands. But now that he only has 200 days to live, deciding what to create is harder than he thought, and discovering the love of his life at the 11th hour isn’t making it any easier!

This is a story of desire taken to the edge of reason and beyond; of the frantic, clumsy dance steps of young love; and a gorgeous, street-level portrait of the world’s greatest city. It’s about the small, warm, human moments of everyday life…and the great surging forces that lie just under the surface. Scott McCloud wrote the book on how comics work; now he vaults into great fiction with a breathtaking, funny, and unforgettable new work.



Giveaway of Fable Comics, Sweaterweather, and The Sculptor


This giveaway is for print copies and is open to the U.S. only and ends on March 11, 2016 12 am pacific time.  Entries are accepted accepted via Rafflecopter only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway