![]() ![]() ![]() Diaz remained in touch with Hanson until his death in 1996. ![]() Another opportunity proved to be invaluable for Diaz when he worked several years as an apprentice for hyper-realistic sculptor Duane Hanson. His art blossomed as Diaz attained success in the contests. A supportive high school teacher pointed the way for students to become artists by guiding them to competitions. His art then became an important emotional resource. ![]() Childhood ended abruptly with his mother's untimely death when Diaz was 16. Although his parents recognized his talent, they had fears of his becoming a starving artist and suggested he set his sights on a less risky career. Because he did not know the term "illustrator," in a moment that he calls a mini-epiphany, Diaz realized he would become a "drawer."ĭiaz grew up in southern Florida after his family moved from New York, his birthplace. After that, he was inspired to use his thick red pencil to complete the picture of the face on the worksheet, and he has been drawing faces ever since. A line drawing of a nose was accompanied by "n_se," and young Diaz compliantly added the "o" to the word. He clearly recalls the day in first grade when he completed a vowel worksheet that was filled with pictures of objects with incomplete words written below. While few artists remember the precise moment when they decided to make art their career, David Diaz is an exception. ![]()
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![]() ![]() Our interactions have been fraught with significant difficulties that we have not experienced with other unions. Our relationship with the United Auto Workers-the union that represents our graduate student assistants and that has filed the current petition to represent the RAs-has been a notable and unfortunate exception. Our relationship has been characterized, more often than not, by mutual respect, collegiality, and cooperation. We have collaborated to enhance the work experience of our employees, to expand our fiscal resources, and to improve the physical condition of the campus. Generally speaking, unions have been a positive force on campus, and the relationship between them and the administration has been productive. ![]() Our faculty members and librarians are represented by a union, as are our police officers and the overwhelming majority of our staff. ![]() UMass Amherst is a heavily unionized campus. In fact, I find this unionization effort deeply troubling for several reasons. But as Chancellor of a major research university, I know I am expected to explain my views more fully. When colleagues ask why I am opposed to this move, my first thought is that it simply defies common sense. Undergraduate students who serve as resident assistants at the University of Massachusetts Amherst recently voted to become the first union of student resident assistants in the country. ![]() ![]() ![]() Val McDermid is probably best known for her gritty, gory novels featuring Detective Inspector Carol Jordan and psychiatrist Dr Tony Hill, televised as 'Wire in the Blood' (taking the name of the second novel in the series). And it's not obvious until quite late in the book who the murderer is going to be. The story is a bit silly, but it just-about works (taking into account a fair amount of self-parody), and tough-talking Brannigan and her cynical throwaway comments about the world she moves in are fun. And not just any old murder, but a murder in a mansion containing a finite number of suspects. And, without too much obvious grinding of the cogs of narrative inevitability, she finds herself face to face with her first corpse and investigating a murder. ![]() In this opener, she is persuaded against her better judgment to take time off from a counterfeit wristwatch investigation to undertake a missing-person enquiry for a rock-star client (yes, they still had those in Manchester in 1992 too.). She does the legwork whilst her business partner Bill Mortensen does the clever stuff with floppy disks and modems (yes, 1992 was a long time ago!). Dead Beat introduces Kate Brannigan, a partner in a Manchester security consultancy that does investigation work mostly in commercial and computer fraud cases. ![]() ![]() Antonia Ashton has worked hard to build a thriving career and a committed relationship, but she realizes her life has gone off track. In Little Black Dress, two sisters whose lives seemed forever intertwined are torn apart when a magical little black dress gives each one a glimpse of an unavoidable future. This special edition also includes a Little Black Dress book club kit from Little Black Dress Wines, including an at-home wine tasting kit, tasting cards, wine pairing recipes, and more information about how to have the perfect Little Black Dress Wines & book club gathering. ![]() Plus, receive an excerpt from McBride's new book The Truth About Love and Lightning, available February 12th. For a limited time, and at a special price, discover Susan McBride's Little Black Dress with Bonus Material. ![]() ![]() ![]() When California Morning Whipple's widowed mother uproots her family from their comfortable Massachusetts environs and moves them to a rough mining camp called Lucky Diggins in the Sierras, California Morning resents the upheaval. But Lucy California Morning Whipple may be in for a surprise - because home is a lot closer than she thinks. Worst of all, there's no lending library Dag diggety So Lucy vows to be plain miserable until she can hightail it back East where she belongs. Even the gold her mama claimed was just lying around in the fields isn't panning out. For Lucy, Lucky Diggins is hardly a town at all - just a bunch of ramshackle tents and tobacco-spitting miners. And now her brother, Butte, and sisters, Prairie and Sierra, seem to be Westerners at heart, too. ![]() But moving out West to Lucky Diggins, California, was her mama's dream-come-true. ![]() I know you will understand.California doesn't suit Lucy Whipple - not the name, not the place. I cannot hate California and be California. Dear Gram and Grampop, Please do not address yours truly as California anymore, California Morning Whipple being a foolish name for a duck much less a girl. ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Great information presented in a fun way." Insights include what to eat, how to eat it, tricks to find the best places and some insider stories of eating pleasures. Shaw: "The author demystifies Japanese, Chinese, Indian and other Asian restaurants for the general foodie. Asian Dining Rules (Morrow, $15.95), Steven A.Rich with tales from home, the family business, school, work and friends, the book will appeal to fans of memoirs by David Sedaris and Augusten Burroughs, although readers will find this tale Twisted Head: An Italian American Memoir (Broadway, $23.95), Carl Capotorto: " Twisted Head is a spirited memoir of growing up as the only son in a working-class Italian-American family during the '60s and '70s in New York.This is a great little stocking stuffer for the thriller reader on your Christmas list." The Spy Who Came for Christmas (Vanguard, $15.95), David Morrell: "Morrell has woven the Christmas story into an entertaining, modern-day spy novel. ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() This book contains dark themes and possible triggers, so please read at your own discretion. Empire of Ruin is a full length mafia/gang new adult romance featuring a slightly psycho heroine and four even more psychotic men. Books in the series: Kings of Chaos 3 stars Queen of Anarchy 3 stars Reign of Wrath 3. This series is currently available on Kindle Unlimited. I fell for the Kings of Chaos, and now I have something to fight for besides just vengeance. Knight but found you wanted more out of it (mainly plot and better development), the Dirty Broken Savages series by Eva Ashwood is for you. Because people like me don’t fall in love either. But I won’t do it by your rules, and I’ll do whatever it takes to win. The man who was responsible for the worst torment of my life has decided he wants me as a member of his secret society, a permanent player in his game of manipulation and power. Alec Beckham forced me to do the unthinkable, shredding my heart with the squeeze of a trigger. But I should’ve remembered the brutal truth that’s been beaten into me over and over again… People like me don’t get happily ever afters. When Julian Maduro and his wretched sister breathed their last, I thought that would be the end of it. You've been warned! *** I was a good girl once, but now I’ve got bloody hands and a broken heart. ![]() Note: The blurb below contains spoilers, so I'd highly recommend not reading it until you're caught up on the series, starting with book one, Kings of Chaos. Empire of Ruin is the heart-pounding final installment in the Dirty Broken Savages series. ![]() ![]() ![]() Her shapely, sandalled foot tapped impatiently upon the jewel-strewn walk that wound beneath the stately sorapus trees across the scarlet sward of the royal gardens of Thuvan Dihn, Jeddak of Ptarth, as a dark-haired, red-skinned warrior bent low toward her, whispering heated words close to her ear. Upon a massive bench of polished ersite beneath the gorgeous blooms of a giant pimalia a woman sat. Now Cathoris must follow in the footsteps of his father, John Carter, and overcome phantom armies, dangerous spies and savage beasts as he attempts to save his true love and reunite Mars. When she is mysteriously kidnapped, treachery threatens to throw Barsoom into bloody war. Not one, but two princes and a Jeddak are vying for the love of Thuvia of Ptarth. ![]() ![]() ![]() Lottie is thrust into the real world of royalty – a world filled with secrets, intrigue and betrayal. Due to a series of lies and coincidences, 14-year-old Lottie finds herself pretending to be the princess so that Ellie can live a more normal teenage life. ![]() When fairy tale obsessed Lottie Pumpkin starts at the infamous Rosewood Hall, she is not expecting to share a room with the Crown Princess of Maradova, Ellie Wolf. ![]() Today I really excited to say I am part of The Rosewood Chronicles blog tours for Whom I must thank for my places on the tours and my copies of book 1, Undercover Princess and book 5, Princess Ever After by Connie Glynn ![]() ![]() The small town setting in Newfoundland is perfect (as is the scene when Audrey is surprised that her pilot has heard of St.John’s). Details, descriptions, dialogue that capture the imagination. That said, there are some really beautiful plot moments. How can a grown woman not realize mice do not live twenty years? And really, really not realize? Her playful musings (and puns) do at times distract, and I found myself waiting through the first 3/4 of the novel for whatever cognitive ailment she has to be revealed. ![]() ![]() Much like The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime, Audrey’s narrative voice is at first engaging and certainly memorable, but soon comes to be irksome – far too many short sentences, far too many. In fact my only complaint about the novel is her narrative voice. The plot, for one, unfolds so sweetly, so sensitively and with such care for the first person narrator, Audrey. ![]() There is a lot to love about Come, Thou Tortoise. ![]() |