[Blog Tour] 'The Brittle Sea' (The Brittle Saga Trilogy Book 1) By Tom Kane #HistoricalFiction

Blog Tour: 'The Brittle Sea (The Brittle Saga Trilogy Book 1)' By Tom Kane

The Book:

The Brittle Sea

(The Brittle Saga Trilogy Book 1) 
By Tom Kane 

• Publication Date: 19th June 2020 
• Publisher: TigerBites 
• Print Length: 295 pages 
• Genre: Historical Fiction 

The Blurb:

The Titanic disaster is the catalyst that sparks a bloody feud between two families in early 20th century America. 

Magda Asparov is travelling from her home in the Ukraine to be the chosen bride of American businessman Matthew Turner III. But the ill-fated voyage of the unsinkable ship has far reaching consequences for her and her savior. 

Magda has lost her memory and a new personality, Maggie, has taken hold. The Captain of her rescue ship, Richard Blackmore, has fallen for Maggie. 

A mental illness, betrayal, murder, and corruption destroy Blackmore's life until all that remains is for him to seek revenge. 

Buy Links: Amazon (Kindle) • Amazon (Paperback) 

'The Brittle Sea' - front cover

The Brittle Sea – Excerpt :

Copyright © Tom Kane 2020

Magda’s Journey – April 1912

She was born Magda and her name became synonymous with early 20th Century American history. But in ways that nobody understood, Magda will be lost, and Maggie will replace her. But, for now, in this brief fraction of time that is being played out before us, we will call her by her given name, Magda.

In the here and now of her young life, Magda, with almost a girlish inquisitiveness, stole a sneak view of the mighty ship, though in reality all she could see was the side of the immense black hull through the gap between a row of buildings. She stood, looking through the window of the White Star Line’s ticket office, dockside in Southampton. The view between the rows of buildings was small, as was the view of the ship’s funnels, showing just above the same buildings.

“I’m not sure I can do this, Miss, not without proper authority.”

The girl in Magda soon dissolved and her face turned a grim shade of distaste as a small sneer crept up onto her lip. She turned and gave the ticket clerk full vent of her fury.

“I don’t care about what you think,” she shouted, the words echoing about the large but empty office.

The ticket clerk was taken aback and literally stood back at the force of the beautiful young woman’s angry outburst.

Magda didn’t wait for an answer and opened her daytime bag, retrieved her purse, opened it, and pulled out a large five-pound note. Magda slapped the money on the desk between her and the clerk. “This will pay for the changes I want,” she said in a much lower and sweeter tone.

Her anger turned to sweetness so quickly the clerk was confused, but he quickly laid his trembling hand on the large white fiver and slipped the money across the desk and into his pocket. It took a few minutes to issue new tickets, but in the end Miss Magda Asparov became Mrs Magda Turner. In just two days’ time she would be boarding the magnificent new ship on her maiden voyage across the Atlantic to New York, and this name change signified a new start to Magda. No more would she be a common peasant girl in Ukraine. Now she was a woman of substance, a woman with a place in society and a first-class cabin on the most magnificent Ocean-going liner of the day.

As Magda left the office, she breathed in the crisp sea air, ignoring the smell of oil and other unknown smells. She would soon be boarding, and the day felt superb… indeed the day felt the same as the name of the ship, Titanic.

The great day had arrived, and Magda was agog at the sheer mass of people, horses, and carts massing on the quayside. Even automobiles, unheard of where she came from in the Ukraine, a form of transport that didn’t need a horse or ox to pull it. It was something she had only heard tell of and never seen up close, a miracle of the modern world she now found herself immersed in. It was overwhelming.

Many people were forming orderly queues, awaiting their turn to embark. They were in the same situation as Magda, wide eyed and awed by the sight of the mighty ship. At the other end of the scale, and literally at the other end of the great ship, were the rich, the famous and some from Britain’s landed gentry, who were boarding with their families. Their staff and other servants embarked with the riffraff further down the quayside.

When Magda boarded, she followed a steward down the corridors to her cabin, all the time admiring the elegance of the surroundings. Placing Magda’s luggage in the room, the steward stood back, close to the open door, and coughed, once, very discretely. “Will there be anything else, Miss?”

Magda turned and looked the steward in the eyes. “No. You may go.”

The steward looked surprised but said nothing and closed the heavy door behind him as he left.

Magda had no intention of tipping anyone, not because her funds were low, which they were, but because she saw no reason to help anyone along the way if they were doing a job they were paid for. It would be several hours before the great ship was due to set sail, so Magda took the chance to go up onto the promenade deck for a stroll. On the way up she was passed by multiple stewards carrying large cases and more trunks of clothing than Magda had ever seen. The stewards all smiled at her, not quite out of politeness, more out of lust, being young men with mostly hot Irish blood flowing through their veins.

“Can I help you, miss?”

The man’s voice was rich and had a lovely lilt to it. Magda turned to see a handsome young officer, looking concerned. “No, I’m fine, she said. Thank you.”

“I can tell by your accent you’re from the south,” he said with a beaming smile.

“South?” Magda’s brow furrowed.

“Cork, at a guess.”

Suddenly Magda realised he thought she was Irish. “No,” she said with a small laugh, “I’m from a small village in Ukraine.”

“But your accent…”

“It was my father’s wish that I should not sound like a peasant when I was taught English. This really is the first opportunity I have had to test my language skills out. I must say, I am disappointed. I thought my accent was neutral.”

The officer’s smile broadened. “I think it’s a lovely accent, Miss. Now how can I be of service?”

“Can you point me towards the promenade deck, I wish to look over this lovely liner of yours.”

“Of course,” he said, turning. “Just follow me, Miss.”

Magda did as the officer bid and trailed in his footsteps, all the while marvelling at the magnificence of the Titanic. Once the officer had led her to the promenade deck he bowed slightly, raised his hat, and bid her a safe journey. As it turned out, Magda enjoyed her walk and in the coming days would spend as much time as possible on this deck, until in the early hours of one morning, fate took a hand in Magda’s life.

Tom Kane

Author Bio: 

As a child, Tom Kane's family always insisted he was born in the corner of the living room, behind the TV. That strange assertion, true or false, seems to have set the tone for the rest of his life. Kane's mother inspired him to write. Doctor Who and Isaac Asimov inspired his love of science fiction. Monty Python inspired him to be silly and he continues to blame Billy Connolly for his infrequent bursts of bad language In the corner or behind the TV, what is officially known about Tom Kane's birth is that it took place in England many moons ago.

• Connect with Tom: Website • Twitter • Facebook • Instagram 

'The Brittle Sea' - Blog Tour Schedule

An Anthem for Our Times: "Calm Down Karen" by Latin Country Artist Dianña

Karens whose bad behavior became TikTok-famous have their own song, “Calm Down Karen” by Latin Country Artist Dianña

Dianña has captured the social phenomenon that is the 'Karen' and put it into her new single "Calm Down Karen", now released to all major streaming platforms. 

Whether you have experienced a 'Karen' in real life, or seen any of the numerous 'Karen' videos on TikTok or YouTube, you will enjoy this catchy, tongue-in-cheek song about the 'Karen' experience.

"Calm Down Karen" is sprinkled with 'Karen-isms' like "Can I speak to a manager?" along with lyrical observations we can all relate to like "You're gonna lose your mind over really stupid stuff." It has a country flavor consistent with Dianña's position as the first true Latin Country artist.

Dianña · Calm Down Karen

"Calm Down Karen" follows only a few weeks after Dianña's latest Latin Country song release "Rubberneck Cumbia", which is a Cumbia style adaptation of her song "Rubberneck". Cumbia is a popular up-tempo genre throughout Latin America, and that energy was captured beautifully in a live video of its recording at the famous Sonic Studios in Texas, which can be seen on Dianña's YouTube channel.

Said Dianña, "I had seen many 'Karen' videos on TikTok before I witnessed a 'Karen' myself at a COSTCO store. I knew then I had to write a funny song about it.".

Country Storytelling with a Latin 'Cumbia' Flavor

• Check out "Calm Down Karen" on Spotify
• Check out "Calm Down Karen" on Soundcloud
• Check out "Rubberneck Cumbia" video
• Connect with Dianña on Instagram:
• Connect with Dianña on other social media

SOURCE:: Billeegee Productions

90% Efficacy for Pfizer's COVID-19 mRNA Vaccine is Striking. But We Need to Wait for The Full Data

 90% Efficacy for Pfizer's COVID-19 mRNA Vaccine is Striking. But We Need to Wait for The Full Data (University of Maryland School of Medicine/AP/AAP)

German biotech company BioNTech and US pharmaceutical Pfizer announced on Monday promising early results from their phase 3 clinical trial for a vaccine against SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.

These early results are what is known as an “interim analysis”. It’s an early look at the data before a study is complete, to understand if there is any indication of whether the vaccine might work.

Currently, this trial has enrolled 43,538 volunteers, giving half the volunteers two doses of the vaccine and the other half two doses of a placebo. These volunteers then continued their normal lives, but they were monitored for any symptoms that could be COVID-19, with testing to confirm.

Analysis of 94 volunteers with confirmed COVID-19 suggests the vaccine has an efficacy of over 90%.

This means that if you took ten people who were going to get sick from COVID-19 and vaccinated them, only one out of ten would now get sick.

Can we get excited yet?

There is more data to come. This is a press release and the data have not undergone “peer-review” through scientific publication, although it has been assessed by an independent monitoring board. The study also won’t be complete until 164 volunteers have confirmed COVID-19, and the estimate of efficacy may therefore change. Finally, the volunteers must be monitored for a defined period of time after vaccination for any side effects and this must be completed.

Important questions also remain. It’s unclear how long protection will last, as this study has only been underway for three months. It’s unclear if this vaccine protects against severe disease or if this vaccine will work equally well in everyone. For example, a phase 1 clinical trial with this vaccine showed that immune responses were lower in older people.

90% efficacy would be far higher than the FDA’s threshold of 50%, and greater than that of many flu vaccines, which tend to provide around 60%. (Virginia Mayo/AP/AAP)

But 90% efficacy is striking. To give some context, the US Food and Drug Administration indicated they would licence a SARS-CoV-2 vaccine with 50% efficacy. The flu vaccine often provides around 60% efficacy and the mumps vaccine, which is currently the fastest vaccine ever made at four years, provides around 88% efficacy.

The BioNTech/Pfizer vaccine could outstrip that, after just nine months of development. This level of efficacy means virus transmission could be very effectively controlled.

That has the research community excited. It bodes well for other vaccines currently being tested for SARS-CoV-2 and we could end up with multiple successful vaccines. This would be great because some might work better in certain populations, like older people.

Multiple vaccines could also be manufactured using a broad range of established infrastructure, which would accelerate vaccine distribution.

Producing mRNA on a commercial scale

The BioNTech/Pfizer vaccine is what’s called an mRNA vaccine.

As this article by Associate Professor Archa Fox, an expert on molecular cell biology from the University of Western Australia, explains:

mRNA vaccines are coated molecules of mRNA, similar to DNA, that carry the instructions for making a viral protein.

After injection into muscle, the mRNA is taken up by cells. Ribosomes, the cell’s protein factories, read the mRNA instructions and make the viral protein. These new proteins are exported from cells and the rest of the immunisation process is identical to other vaccines: our immune system mounts a response by recognising the proteins as foreign and developing antibodies against them.

A problem for Australia is that it can’t make mRNA vaccines onshore yet.

The Australian government has an agreement for ten million doses of the BioNTech/Pfizer vaccine. Since this vaccine requires two doses, this agreement is sufficient for five million Australians. It’s unclear how long it will take until any vaccine is widely available, but we may hear more about this in the coming weeks and months.

The vaccine requires storage at a temperature below -60℃. This will certainly be a challenge for shipping to Australia and local distribution, although not impossible. One solution to this problem is to form vaccination centres to roll out the vaccine once it becomes available. In a briefing by Pfizer, the company said it will use ultra-low temperature shipment strategies and the vaccine can then be distributed on “dry-ice”.

Currently, Australia has no capacity to produce mRNA on a commercial scale given the technology’s novelty. But we (the authors) and others have been working to coordinate and build the manufacturing capacity in Australia for future mRNA vaccine and therapeutics. With financial support aimed at private-public mRNA manufacturing collaboration, Australia can equip itself with this vital technological asset.

About Today's Contributors:

Harry Al-Wassiti, Bioengineer and Research Fellow, Monash University; Colin Pouton, Professor of Pharmaceutical Biology, Monash University, and Kylie Quinn, Vice-Chancellor's Research Fellow, School of Health and Biomedical Sciences, RMIT University

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. 

#WeWillHugAgain: Zalando Champions Positivity And Optimism With Their New Holiday Campaign [Video Included]

A selection of 'Hug Portraits' captured by photographer Sarah Blais in Berlin as part of the Zalando "We Will Hug Again" Holiday Campaign.

This holiday season, Zalando, Europe's leading online platform for fashion and lifestyle, is celebrating the ultimate expression of human connection and solidarity: the hug. Against the backdrop of a challenging year of uncertainty and separation, human connection has never felt more important and the new Holiday Campaign, "We Will Hug Again", seeks to convey the feeling of optimism and hope across Europe.

The campaign is brought to life through a series of Hug Portraits, intimate and emotive images captured by documentary and portrait photographer Sarah Blais. Complementing this is a heart-warming film, "100 Years of Hugs", overseen and directed by globally renowned visual storyteller, Vincent Haycock, and set to the track 'Godspeed' by legendary singer-songwriter, Frank Ocean.

The simplicity and emotional impact of the hug can be felt throughout the campaign. Whether it's friends walking arm in arm, a daughter hugging her elderly father, or couples of all ages, genders and orientations embracing – the protagonists throughout are real and relatable people, taking the focus away from staging, models and fashion and placing it on the message of hope for the future when we will be able to hug our loved ones again.

Sisters, Coleen and Bene for Zalando’s ‘Hug Portraits’ series, part of the brand’s “We Will Hug Again” Holiday Campaign, captured by photographer Sarah Blais in Berlin.

"The central idea of our holiday campaign, human connection, is echoed in the way we engage with our customers. Our strategy is to be social first, allowing us to connect and engage with consumers through relevant and relatable stories." Barbara Daliri, Zalando's Senior Vice President Sales & Marketing, comments, "It was important for us to address the exceptional circumstances and uncertainty of this holiday season and at the same time share with our community the feeling of hope for the time when we will be able to reconnect with our loved ones." 

The campaign launched on 1st November and takes place across two months. It kicked off with an initial tease phase designed to drive intrigue and conversation. This first phase featured the Hug Portraits appearing as huge unbranded murals in highly visible urban locations across Europe. They show two figures in an embrace, where the second person is missing and the question "Will We Hug Again?" is posed.

From 8th November, Zalando reveals ownership and releases the campaign's core optimistic message: "We Will Hug Again". This message of hope will be depicted across numerous formats: from the completion of the murals with the second figure through all advertising, digital and social channels, including the moving film "100 Years of Hugs" shot by Haycock, still photography by Blais, OOH, DOOH and owned social channels by the large and diverse cast of this campaign. The 360°campaign was created in collaboration with creative agency, Anomaly Berlin and will be rolled out across Europe, in all 17 of Zalando's markets.

Veit Moeller, Anomaly Berlin Executive Creative Director, adds: "This simple but powerful campaign is a promise for our future. The goal was to peel off all those outer layers associated with the Holiday season and identify the rawest and most iconic symbol of human connection: the hug. Shooting a campaign around the globe, totally remotely, during a global pandemic has been a beautiful challenge and we are excited to bring Zalando's message to the world."

The film was shot across Nigeria, Vietnam, Italy, Mexico, Sweden and Germany by four directors, beautifully curated by Haycock. Each film tells the story of one hug, united by a central look and feel, enabling all films to be cut individually or together. Further adding to its moving nature, Frank Ocean's 'Godspeed' is a track that epitomises the feeling of human connection and togetherness. 

The Video:

• :All images and video content have been shot in accordance with government guidelines on COVID-19, specific to each country at the time of capture. All safety measures were put in place on all shoot locations throughout the world to ensure every single person featured was respecting COVID safety measures. All models are real family members, couples or friends who live together and are permitted to hug and be in close proximity.

SOURCE: Zalando

UNICEF and WHO Call for Emergency Action to Avert Major Measles and Polio Epidemics

A baby is being weighted and vaccinated in the health center of Gonzagueville, a suburb of Abidjan, in the South of Côte d'Ivoire. (CNW Group/Canadian Unicef Committee)

UNICEF and the World Health Organization (WHO) have issued an urgent call to action to avert major measles and polio epidemics as COVID-19 continues to disrupt immunization services worldwide, leaving millions of vulnerable children at heightened risk of preventable childhood diseases.

• The two organizations estimate that US$655 million (US$400 million for polio and US$255 million for measles) are needed to address dangerous immunity gaps in non-Gavi eligible countries and target age groups.

"COVID-19 has had a devastating effect on health services and in particular immunization services, worldwide," commented Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. "But unlike with COVID, we have the tools and knowledge to stop diseases such as polio and measles. What we need are the resources and commitments to put these tools and knowledge into action. If we do that, children's lives will be saved."

"We cannot allow the fight against one deadly disease to cause us to lose ground in the fight against other diseases," said Henrietta Fore, UNICEF Executive Director. "Addressing the global COVID-19 pandemic is critical. However, other deadly diseases also threaten the lives of millions of children in some of the poorest areas of the world. That is why today we are urgently calling for global action from country leaders, donors and partners. We need additional financial resources to safely resume vaccination campaigns and prioritize immunization systems that are critical to protect children and avert other epidemics besides COVID-19."

A 3-year-old girl receives a vaccine shot at a community health centre in Beijing, China, on 26 March 2020. Provinces other than Hubei, the epicenter of the COVID-19 outbreak, gradually resumed full vaccination services that had been halted due to the outbreak. (© UNICEF/UNI315081/Yuwei)

In recent years, there has been a global resurgence of measles with ongoing outbreaks in all parts of the world. Vaccination coverage gaps have been further exacerbated in 2020 by COVID-19. In 2019, measles climbed to the highest number of new infections in more than two decades. Annual measles mortality data for 2019 to be released next week will show the continued negative toll that sustained outbreaks are having in many countries around the world.

At the same time, poliovirus transmission is expected to increase in Pakistan and Afghanistan and in many under-immunized areas of Africa. Failure to eradicate polio now would lead to global resurgence of the disease, resulting in as many as 200,000 new cases annually, within 10 years.

New tools, including a next-generation novel oral polio vaccine and the forthcoming Measles Outbreak Strategic Response Plan are expected to be deployed over the coming months to help tackle these growing threats in a more effective and sustainable manner, and ultimately save lives. The Plan is a worldwide strategy to quickly and effectively prevent, detect and respond to measles outbreaks.

UNICEF & WHO's Call for Emergency Action to Avert Major Measles and Polio Epidemics - front cover

Generous support from Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, has enabled previous access to funding for outbreak response, preventive campaigns and routine immunization strengthening, including additional support for catch-up vaccination for children who were missed due to COVID-19 disruptions in Gavi-eligible countries. However, significant financing gaps remain in middle-income countries which are not Gavi-eligible. This call for emergency action will go to support those middle-income countries that are not eligible for support from Gavi.

SOURCE: Canadian Unicef Committee

Improve Customer Experience Online in 3 Steps

Man with headphones facing computer monitor (Photo by Andrea Piacquadio)

The Coronavirus has led to significant changes for the entire world. For many businesses, the epidemic has created a climate of uncertainty and a battle for survival. During these tough times holding onto customers is even more of a challenge than ever before. Consumers are likely to be extra cautious in their spending, and their loyalty to particular brands will be over-ridden by their desire to save money. Operating a business in this climate requires increased sensitivity to the needs of customers. 

Limited face to face customer contact and your employees working from home, can make it particularly challenging to deliver a high standard of customer service. It is crucial to address this issue and to find a way to provide high-quality customer service remotely. Without a robust customer service offering, your business may struggle to compete in these testing times. 

So, how do you deliver high-quality customer service remotely? Here are some tips to help:

1. Introduce a Live Chat Function

While delivering customer service face to face may not be possible, technology has the next best solution. Implementing Live Video Chat into your customer service offering will enhance the customer experience and set your business apart from your competitors. Live video chat has many benefits, but one of the most significant is the ability to offer your customers a personalised online experience tailored to their needs. Live video chat is an excellent way to bridge the gap between customers and your support team and deliver the best customer experience possible.

Many live video chat services are available, so it is best to do some research to find the best live video chat software. Choosing the best chat software will minimize the chances of glitches, which could harm your customer’s experience when using the service.

2. Focus on Response Times

Have you ever tried to get in contact with a company via their contact form and then waited for days, weeks, and months with getting a reply? If so, you will know how frustrating it is for customers to reach out to a company only to be ignored. Not receiving a response to a message via a contact form can leave customers feeling under-valued and unfairly treated.
Dealing with customer queries is a task that should be carried out promptly to show that you are competent and that you value your customers.

Setting an agreed response time with your staff and making it part of the daily workflow to check for customer messages should mean that they never get overlooked.

3. Offer Seamless Customer Service

Customers that become frustrated with your service could quickly begin to look to your competitors to receive the level of customer service that they expect. To address many frustrations experienced by customers, it is necessary to find ways to make your customer service offering seamless. As well as incorporating the live chat function into your customer service offering, you may want to introduce a customer relationship management (CRM) system into your business for a fully joined-up approach.

Young woman browsing laptop in living room (Photo by Ketut Subiyanto)

[Blog Tour] Guest Post by Anas Hamshari & Caroline Snodgress Authors of 'Anke: The Beginning' #HistoricalFiction

[Blog Tour] 'Anke: The Beginning' by Anas Hamshari & Caroline Snodgress

Guest Post

By Anas Hamshari and Caroline Snodgress

The seventeenth century was an interesting time for Northern and Western Europe. It is known to some historians as the “General Crisis”—a name that emphasizes the widespread turmoil, conflict, and instability of the period. Even if one considers this name to be an exaggeration, or perhaps an oversimplification, it is impossible to dispute the fact that the century was marked with violence, and contained events which would have a huge impact on the years to come.

Perhaps the most notable aspect of the century is that of its situation in a post-Reformation world. Before Luther’s Ninety-five Theses in 1517, there were no Protestant nations in Europe. In fact, there was essentially no Protestantism in existence for the people to follow. However, with Luther’s ideas of justification by faith alone, free will, and the condemnation of papal indulgences, the movement quickly began to spread. In 1525, the Duchy of Prussia was the first to formally adopt this Evangelical or Lutheran faith. Within a few decades, the Catholics were retaliating with the Counter-Reformation, and the religious conflicts of Central Europe were in full swing.

Almost exactly one hundred years after Luther supposedly nailed his Theses to the door of the Wittenberg Castle Church, the Bohemian Revolt broke out. Though religious conflict between Catholics and Protestants had technically been settled before the end of the sixteenth century, tensions were still high. Eventually, the Protestant Bohemian estates became dissatisfied with the rule of the Catholic Habsburgs, and in 1618 they revolted against Ferdinand II, offering the crown to the Calvinist Frederick of the Palatinate instead. Though Frederick’s rule would not last for very long, this revolt served as a spark for the Thirty Years’ War. And, perhaps equally important, it also got countries in Western Europe involved in the conflict, namely: the Dutch Republic, and Habsburg Spain.

The Dutch Republic had its roots in the Reformation and growing anti-Habsburg sentiment of the mid-sixteenth century as well. The Dutch Revolt, essentially the first part of the Eighty Years’ War or War for Dutch Independence, began when Philip II of Spain came to the throne. He was a much more strict ruler than his father had been, and, before long, some of the nobility began to oppose him. This rebellion, combined with the clashes between Dutch Calvinists and Habsburg Catholics, hunger, and economic troubles, soon led to a full-fledged revolt. The Seventeen Provinces began to fight for their independence from the Holy Roman Empire’s House of Habsburg.

Though the revolt began in 1566, it was not until the Union of Utrecht in 1579 that the northern provinces of the Netherlands were unified—essentially serving as the foundation for the seven United Provinces, or Dutch Republic, which would arise at the end of the century, and be formally recognized by Spain at the beginning of the next. At first, Antwerp, the largest city in the Low Countries, served as the provinces’ capital, but in 1585, it fell once more to the Spanish. The population plummeted—a result of violence, and of Protestants fleeing to the north. The Netherlands was split into the independent north and the Spanish south.

The feud between the Netherlands and Spain, between Protestants and Catholics, and between the people and their Habsburg rulers, however, was not concluded by the end of the sixteenth century. All of this tension erupted within the seventeenth. The Bohemian Revolt in the century’s early years gave way to the Thirty Years’ War, which also incorporated the Eighty Years’ War in the Netherlands, the ongoing Habsburg-Bourbon conflict, and a handful of other interconnected wars across Europe. The entire continent was engulfed in violence, and, at the war’s end in 1648, it was a markedly different land. Within the Habsburg Monarchy, Protestantism was mostly eradicated, but Habsburg power as a whole had declined. The religious wars in Europe had essentially come to an end. Meanwhile, Dutch independence, in the north at least, was officially recognized, and Spain ceded all control to the land.

Seven years after the end of the Thirty Years’ War, we find Anke living in Mechelin, a city just south of the once-powerful Antwerp, in the Spanish Netherlands. While Anke herself is fictional, the dynamics which shape her life are not. Like the real people of the Spanish Netherlands at this time, she lives in a land still ruled by the power of the Habsburgs—or, as they are more likely known to her, the House of Austria—and by the Catholic Church. She was born into the war, fifty-one years after the Fall of Antwerp, and has seen the provinces to the north gain independence while her own lands remain a part of the empire. With the river Scheldt closed to navigation by the Dutch in the north, the population of Antwerp decimated, and the prosperity of the Netherlands gone to Amsterdam, Anke lives a life of relative poverty, and without many possibilities.

However, she is not without hope.

While religious tension was growing in Central Europe, around the world the Age of Discovery was flourishing. From about the beginning of the fifteenth century, to Anke’s lifetime in the mid-seventeenth century, European nations such as Portugal began to venture out across the water and set foot in lands previously unknown to them. The conquest and colonization that followed brought great profit and great prestige to many European nations, while simultaneously bringing destruction to the indigenous populations of places such as the Americas, so-called Ceylon, and Siberia. Opinions on the legacy of colonization still vary to this day, but even disregarding the question of morality, one can see that this Age of Discovery was a period which, for better or worse, changed the world as we know it. Religious conflicts gave way to battles over territory, as colonies changed hands, and new cities sprung up in lands across the Atlantic. When Anke lands in New Amsterdam in the autumn of 1655, there is less than a decade left before it will be taken over by the British. Before long, America will begin thinking about a revolution of its own—perhaps taking some of its inspiration from the Netherlands.

The seventeenth century was, without a doubt, a turbulent and bloody time. But it was also a time of change, of people fighting for their beliefs and making a difference in the world around them. It was a time of exploration, of new nations, and, in Anke’s case, of new beginnings.

'Anke: The Beginning' - eBook front cover

The Book:

Anke: The Beginning

By Anas Hamshari and Caroline Snodgress

• Publication Date: September 16th 2020
• Publisher: Exotic Reads
• Page Length: 111 eBook / 170 paperback
• Genre: Historical Fiction

The Blurb:

Living in the city of Mechelen, just south of once-prosperous Antwerp, in the aftermath of the Thirty Years’ War, Anke Verhaegen, an ambitious nineteen-year-old, is determined to make the most of her life.

When her brother Johan suggests crossing the Atlantic to New Netherland, Anke knows this is her destiny. Together, the two set about attempting to secure passage across the sea. Before long, their plans are in motion, and hopes are high. Yet, with vengeful enemies, secrecy, and danger on the high sea waiting to be faced, will Anke really be able to secure a better life for herself?

Buy Links:

• Amazon + other places

Authors Bio:

Anas Hamshari

Anas Hamshari

Anas Hamshari is an established businessman residing in the State of Kuwait, and an author of one personal growth book and two historical fiction novels. Anas has been a lifelong writer and first began creating medieval fiction tales and short stories when he was seven years old. In June 2020, Anas formed Exotic Reads, a historical fiction self-publishing division in one of his main businesses, Exotic Flavor. Exotic Reads will be self-publishing a variety of historical fiction novels in the weeks, months, and years to come.

• Twitter

Caroline Snodgress

Caroline Snodgress

Caroline Snodgress is a first-time author but a long-time writer and ghostwriter. As an Echols Scholar at the University of Virginia, she is planning to double major in English and History, and is thoroughly enjoying taking as many fiction writing classes as she can fit into her schedule. When not in Charlottesville, she lives with her family just outside of Richmond, reading eighteenth- and nineteenth-century literature and watching plenty of period dramas in her spare time.

• Website • Twitter • Instagram • Facebook •

Blog Tour Schedule:

Blog Tour Schedule for Anke: The Beginning'

US: No Labels Launches "Respect the Vote" Campaign with National Ad Featuring Joe Manchin & Larry Hogan [Video Included]

No Labels: Respect the Vote

America may not know the identity of the next US president for some time to come. Amid this uncertainty, No Labels has released an unprecedented national ad—featuring Democratic Senator Joe Manchin and Republican Governor Larry Hogan—focused on the importance of Americans staying calm and respecting the votes in the post-election period.

The ad kicks off No Labels' "Respect the Vote" campaign, which aims to rouse Americans and remind them that there is more at stake in 2020 than whether their preferred presidential candidate wins or loses this election.

Throughout its history— through wars, depressions, and previous pandemics—America has always had elections and respected the results.

As Manchin says in the ad "If we lose that, we lose everything." 

The No Labels Ad:

For almost a decade, No Labels has been working to combat the dangerous tribalism consuming U.S. politics and to build a bipartisan coalition capable of solving the country's toughest problems. Senators Manchin and Governor Hogan have been helping to lead and expand this coalition and felt compelled to participate in this unusual—but urgent—ad that will be seen by millions of American nationwide.

"The world is watching. What happens in the coming days and weeks will define America for decades to come," said Hogan. "I know emotions are running high but we need to keep faith in the voters and our Democracy. America knows how to elect and inaugurate a president. Let the election officials in every state do their jobs. Let the votes be counted. Let the process work, just like it has every four years for over 200 years."

"This unprecedented campaign has challenged our nation to its core," Manchin said, "Now that the campaign has ended, we must come together as Americans to show that the strength and greatness of our democracy is in the power of the American people to unite and respect the laws that make the United States the hope of the World. Throughout our nation's 240 year history we have persevered through many hardships, and we will continue to do so now as our country begins to unify around solving the problems facing our families and communities."

Governor Larry Hogan

About Larry Hogan:

(Via Wilipedia)

Lawrence Joseph Hogan Jr. (born May 25, 1956) is an American politician. A member of the Republican Party, he has served as the 62nd Governor of Maryland since 2015.

Hogan ran unsuccessful campaigns for Maryland's 5th congressional district in 1981 and 1992, the latter of which was incumbent Steny Hoyer's closest race. He was the Secretary of Appointments under Governor Bob Ehrlich from 2003 to 2007. Hogan founded the Change Maryland organization in 2011, which he used to promote his own 2014 gubernatorial campaign. Hogan has enjoyed high approval ratings during his time as governor, and he has been rated as one of the most popular governors in the United States. [...]

Media outlets have described Hogan as a moderate Republican and a "pragmatist", and in 2018 he polled well among Maryland Democrats, according to The Baltimore Sun.The Washington Post's editorial board wrote in 2015 that he was "true to his promise to govern from the center in the first legislative session of his term." On the Issues, a non-profit and non-partisan organization which tracks politicians' positions, considers Hogan to be a centrist.

Hogan served as vice chairman of the National Governors Association (NGA) from July 2018 to July 2019 and as chairman of the NGA from July 2019 to July 2020.

In 2019, Hogan raised the possibility of running for president in 2020, emphasizing bipartisan collaboration, but eventually decided not to run. In June, he addressed the Maryland Free Enterprise Foundation, a business advocacy group, in a combative speech, "skewering Democrats who control the state legislature and vowing to spend the remainder of his term in 'battle' with them." Hogan promised to work against tax increases. [...]

Read more here

Senator Joe Manchin (screengrab)

About Joe Manchin:

(Via Wilipedia)

Joseph Manchin (born August 24, 1947) is an American politician serving as the senior United States Senator from West Virginia, a seat he has held since 2010. A member of the Democratic Party, he was the 34th governor of West Virginia from 2005 to 2010 and the 27th secretary of state of West Virginia from 2001 to 2005.

Manchin is a moderate Democrat, which has allowed him to continue to win elections in West Virginia even as it has shifted from one of the most Democratic states in the country to one of the most Republican. He won the 2004 gubernatorial election by a large margin and was reelected by an even larger margin in 2008; in both years, Republican presidential candidates won West Virginia. Manchin won the special election with 54% of the vote in 2010 to fill the Senate seat vacated by incumbent Democrat Robert Byrd when he died in office. Manchin was elected to a full-term in 2012 with 61% of the vote and reelected with just under 50% of the vote in 2018. He became the state's senior U.S. Senator when fellow Democrat Jay Rockefeller retired in 2015. 

[...]

Read more here

About No Labels:

No Labels is a groundbreaking movement led by Americans who embrace the new politics of problem solving and are collaborating to find common-sense non-partisan solutions to our toughest challenge. It is working to build a new bipartisan governing coalition with members of the 50 members House Problem Solvers Caucus and several allies in the U.S. Senate.

SOURCE: No Labels

The Johnny Depp Libel Trial Explained

Reputational damage: actor Johnny Depp. (Yui Mok/PA Wire/PA Images)

On November 2 2020, London’s High Court handed down its hotly anticipated judgment in the high-profile libel case brought by Hollywood actor Johnny Depp over a newspaper article which labelled him a “wife-beater”. In his 585-paragraph ruling the presiding judge, Mr Justice Nicol, dismissed the actor’s claim, holding in essence that the words used in The Sun’s report were legally acceptable.

Depp brought a libel action against The Sun’s publisher (and the newspaper’s executive editor Dan Wootton) in respect of an 2018 article which was first published online under the headline: “GONE POTTY: How can JK Rowling be ‘genuinely happy’ casting wife beater Johnny Depp in the new Fantastic Beasts film?” The story asserted that Depp was violent towards his ex-wife Amber Heard during their relationship.

Depp’s case was that the article made seriously defamatory allegations which bore the meaning that he was guilty of serious domestic violence against his former wife. The defence maintained that the evidence showed the claimant “was violent towards Ms Heard on multiple occasions” during their relationship, and thus the “wife-beater” claim was justified. They relied on 14 alleged incidents of serious physical assault against Heard which had occurred between 2013 and 2016. However, Depp consistently denied the “reputation-destroying and career-ending” allegations.

The case was heard over the course of 16 days at London’s Royal Courts of Justice in July 2020. Importantly, neither Depp nor Heard was on trial. And this wasn’t a criminal trial either. In this libel dispute, there were two central issues: the meaning of the articles complained of; and whether the imputation conveyed by them (that the Hollywood actor engaged in unprovoked attacks and violent conduct against his ex-wife) was true in substance and fact. Mr Justice Nicol held that the meaning of the words complained of was as contended for by The Sun, namely that Depp was violent to Heard, “causing her to suffer significant injury and on occasion leading to her fearing for her life”.

The judge also expressly acknowledged that Depp proved the necessary elements of his cause of action, that his reputation had been damaged. But, under UK defamation law, if a defendant proves that the published words are “substantially true”, they will have a complete defence: they cannot be successfully sued regardless of the gravity of the allegations. In this case, the judge found that the great majority of alleged incidents of violent physical assault against his ex-wife were proved to be substantially true and dismissed Depp’s claim.

Was it all worth it?

Anyone following the case may have reasonably queried whether Depp’s action was ill-advised. Traumatic, intensely intimate and unflattering details of a tumultuous relationship apparently punctuated with blazing rows, a drug and alcohol-fuelled lifestyle and allegations of domestic abuse – strenuously denied – were uncovered in court and made front-page news worldwide.

A parade of witnesses, including A-list actors, strode into London’s High Court to support each side’s versions of events. The court heard details of a costly trail of destroyed property, a severed finger apparently caused by a thrown vodka bottle, profoundly acrimonious texts and “a large pile of faeces” left in a bed.

He said, she said: actress Amber Heard, centre, outside the High Court in London on the final day of hearings. (Victoria Jones/PA Wire/PA Images)

In addition to the revelation of unattractive details of his personal affairs, Depp had to shoulder a taxing evidential burden as a result of a recent Supreme Court ruling. The court’s decision in a 2019 defamation case involving two UK newspaper publishers established that the threshold test for “serious harm” in defamation actions has been significantly raised under the 2013 Defamation Act. This has made it more difficult for claimants to succeed in their actions.

Nevertheless, Depp must have considered that the trial was the lesser of two evils compared to unanswered reputational attacks of this magnitude. The conduct alleged was essentially criminal and highly defamatory, especially in the post-#MeToo landscape. The judge’s ruling suggests that the actor correctly assessed the potential reputational damage that the words “wife-beater” would cause to his future.

The heavy focus on Depp’s alleged criminal wrongdoing in The Sun’s article, the extent of its publication, the long-term effect of online libel and the undesired prospect of the actor’s removal from his role in a major film franchise provided a strong impetus for the claimant.

NGN took an equally bold, yet somewhat risky, decision. By relying on the defence of truth, the publisher was required to establish the essential truth of the “sting” of the libel. This means that it was not necessary for NGN to prove that every single aspect of the statement complained of was absolutely true, so long as, taken as a whole, it was accurate.

The standard of proof needed for a truth defence is that used in civil cases generally – the material must be proved true “on the balance of probabilities”. This is a lower bar to achieve than the usual criminal standard of being sure “beyond a reasonable doubt”.

Although one might think that NGN had a relatively easier task to achieve, it should not be forgotten that, when the truth defence is used, the burden rests on the publisher to prove that the allegations were true, rather than on the claimant (in this case, Depp) to show that they were false. This can give rise to further complications, as the success of a claim will regularly turn on the evidence in each individual case.

And when opposing accounts of what happened in private cannot be entirely ruled out, lawyers will struggle to persuade the court which version is more likely to be true. This is apparent in the position taken by Depp’s lawyers that “the claimant was not violent towards Ms Heard; it was she who was violent to him”.

Hence, media organisations may often be reluctant to defend libel actions and may opt for an out-of-court settlement to avoid the risk of high legal costs or damages. This was not the case with NGN, which nevertheless sought to prove true a very serious allegation. It succeeded, despite the challenges associated with this defence.

The case continues

The outcome was bitterly unfavourable to Depp, who arguably suffered a crushing defeat, with all that this might entail for his career. Moreover, his case has reportedly led to an estimated £5m in legal costs, and on top of that, he is likely to be made to cover a significant percentage of the winner’s legal costs.

The Sun, meanwhile, emerged victorious from a tense legal battle. The outcome may stiffen the resolve of the English press to report on matters of domestic violence, but it does not necessarily follow that the approach taken by the High Court in Depp’s trial is a uniform one in all cases.

The High Court’s decision doesn’t seem to spell the end of the legal battle. Depp’s representatives said they found the decision “as perverse as it is bewildering” and announced their intention to appeal. It will also be interesting to see whether the outcome in London can carry some weight and indirectly affect the libel rematch next May in the US against Heard herself over an opinion piece she wrote for Washington Post.

About Today's Contributor:

Alexandros Antoniou, Lecturer in Media Law, University of Essex

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. 

'Starsky and Hutch' Actor David Soul Releases New Short Film/Documentary 'America' [Video Included]

'Starsky and Hutch' Actor David Soul Releases New Short Film/Documentary 'America' (screengrab)

Actor/director and musician David Soul, co-star of the iconic 1970s television series, Starsky and Hutch, has created and directed a short film/documentary called America, based on a song of the same name.

• The song, written by Jack Murphy and recorded by David Soul 40 years ago, was never released - until now.

David's not-for-profit film, produced by Me and Thee Productions and available free across all social media, reveals America's story as illustrated in the song's lyrics; from her slave-trading beginnings in 1619, through the years of the Civil Rights struggles, to the inspirational, global, and long-overdue Black Lives Matter movement.

'Starsky and Hutch' Actor David Soul Releases New Short Film/Documentary 'America' (screengrab)

America, the film, is a reminder that our uniqueness as a country (often concealed in superficial patriotic bravado and self-congratulation) actually lies in our immeasurable compassion and love, as well as in our undaunting willingness to learn from our past and rise above our differences.

• The film, at moments graphic and challenging, is not always easy to watch, but in fact, it serves to embrace the collective heart and soul of our nation's diversity.

We are reminded by David Soul's America that we must unite together on "the Yellow Brick Road" in our continuing journey to form "a more perfect union;" in essence, to ensure that the promises of equality and justice for all Americans, enshrined within the United States Constitution, are finally realized.

'America' By David Soul - The Video:

• To learn more about 'America', visit StickTogether.us.

SOURCE: Me and Thee Productions

A Step-by-Step Guide to Direct Car Insurance Provider

White and black car scale model (Photo by fotografierende)

Direct Car Insurance Providers come in all shapes and sizes, and their fees match accordingly. Finding the right provider can save you time and money.

On the downside, if you are struggling to find a suitable car insurance provider due to past misdemeanours relating to car convictions, you may then have your work cut out to find an insurer who will even give you the time of day.

However, don’t give up; there are many direct car insurance provider services available and affordable.

Searching the internet can be a minefield of potential dead ends, but once you’ve found the right place to grab the opportunity to get yourself some freedom.

Car insurance is essential, and finding a quote is the best place to start your journey ahead.

Saving Money

You can save money, but you may need to shop around to find the best deal to meet your needs. Try not to fall into auto-renewal; don’t limit your options to find cheaper car insurance.

Take the time to compare quotes, and it may take time. Consider increasing your excess; this can reduce the cost of your car insurance cover.

The Impact of COVID19

You do not need to contact your car insurance provider about any changes in your driving habits. There is currently a temporary system in place by the ABI until 31st December; if you need to make changes with your car insurance provider, you should be able to after this date. For example, a reduction in using your vehicle due to changes in your circumstances, Lockdown and restrictions can be easily addressed.

If you need to self-isolate, but want someone else to drive your vehicle, please do not despair; as long as your helper has their own fully comprehensive car insurance that includes driving other cars, you should be covered. You may not be covered if your vehicle is involved in an accident.

You may also reduce the cost of your car insurance premiums by switching to paying by a monthly direct debit.

During COVID19, you could use a telematics insurer via a downloadable app to track your driving via GPS. This type of insurance requires you to have a black box installed that monitors your driving. Currently, there is a backlog due to COVID19 restrictions.

Comics and Cars

Even comic book heroes have to invest in car insurance. Kia And Comic Book Giant Join Forces To Make Superhero Cars. But your rich rewards may come at a price if you don’t have the right insurance or creative resources, don’t give up hope.

Thinking outside the box may also help you find the right solutions, and keep you heading in the right direction towards success and financial freedom.

Driving forward, you can find the opportunities to stay safe, move ahead, and keep motoring. Although the world is now starting to grind to a halt once again, you need to keep a positive mindset - rise above your fears, and set yourself on the path to readily embrace success.

Yellow die cast car on rack (Photo by fotografierende)