# The Distant Cousin Thread!



## BrassMan

Hundreds of Kindle Board members who enjoy a light, fun story series that's a little adventure, a little romance, a little thriller, and a little science fiction (at a budget price) have enjoyed the Distant Cousin series.

     




Here are some comments by members from various corners of the KindleBoards:

"I loved this book. I had read so many good things on Kindle Boards that I decided to try it even though I am not a science fiction fan. I loved some of your ideas. Thank you for writing. It is such a pleasure to read a book that provides entertainment and a sense of wonder. This is time well spent!"

"Once I finished the sample I immediately bought the book and have been reading for the last 3 hours. I was hooked after the first 8 to 10 pages. I wasn't sure I would like this when I read 'another planet.' It did not sound like a book I would choose to read. If I didn't have to get up at 5 am for work I would read all night. I definitely recommend this book, you won't be disappointed."

"You SUCK!!! Ever since I started Distant Cousin, my dishes haven't gotten done. I have an entire house to pack, which isn't getting done, and I was up till 2AM last night to finish it! I haven't spent more than ten minutes at a time online and we have been eating premade casseroles...It's all your fault! My husband thinks it's funny. I am not going to start the second one till the weekend so I can get some work done around here. Thank you for entertaining me.The characters, especially Darcy, become so real. I know I am reading a good story when I worry about the characters' well being and celebrate their successes!"

"Thanks, Al, for some wonderful books. It's always a pleasure to read a book where the character is so "fleshed out" that I feel I would know him/her if I met them on the street. Not only would I know them, I'd have to invited them to lunch so we could chat!"

"What I like about the series is the way it's written. It's a very smooth, calm style that keeps me interested. The characters are so likeable and Darcy just makes you want to hug her, she's so charming and cute."

'I'm another one of the ravers. These are 3 soon to be 4 books that I can't imagine anybody not liking. There is something for everybody in them."

"Just bought Repatriation. Loved the first one and got the wife to start it. She's giggling a lot, so she must like it." {later} "My wife is in absolute love with Distant Cousin. She told me she kept taking breaks yesterday to read it and stayed up waaay late reading it."

"I am so into Al Past's book that I have my Kindle in one hand and am typing with the other."

"I've been so totally absorbed in the Distant Cousin trilogy that I didn't even know the board was down. I logged in and all the posts said 'yesterday' on them and I couldn't figure out where everybody was."

"Okay...I'm finished with Distant Cousin and the first page of Repatriation is open on my Kindle. I'm annoyed to have to start dinner and get the laundry out of the dryer first.... It's funny, I seared my chicken legs and have them sauteeing...to make something easy tonight.... I only get emotional when I'm completely submersed in a story. I actually found myself having to hit the 'prev page' button over and over. I was so into the story, I was hitting the 'next page' buton with a couple words lef of the last line to read...LOL. The page would turn and the sentence would continue, but I wouldn't know what it meant...I was getting too anxious to see what was going to happen next."

"...some of the indie writers here are absolutely terrific, and I definitely try to strongly recommend their writings. If I am responsible for at least one other person reading Distant Cousin, Barracuda, In Her Name, Gone for a Soldier, etc., I am ecstatic."

"I'm enjoying Book 2 even more than Book1."

"Experiencing things through Ana that I don't give a second thought to is fun! I also like that cats who don't like anyone else are drawn to her...."

"I began reading Distant Cousin Friday night and I have had a Hell of a time putting it down.... It's really great, Al! So much fun to read!"

"{Distant Cousin: Reincarnation} crosses the line between various cultures in an educational (don't let that word scare you) manner.


Spoiler



It has intelligent (?) and nice (?) FBI agents actually working with the CIA. A Navy Seal shows his true colors and acts just like you expect a Navy Seal to act. Attorneys that are actually people and not scuzz bags.


 And let's not forget the romance! A good story, a good ending, a soft Sci-Fi genre."

"I rarely read science fiction (the exception is Distant Cousin, which I thoroughly enjoyed and promptly bought the rest of the trilogy)."

"Distant Cousin may need a genre of its own. As a rule I avoid all science fiction and so...I was slow in downloading Distant Cousin. After reading the first few pages however, I was glad that I'd broken my own rule. Whatever genre it is, Distant Cousin is a good read."

"The descriptions of the scenery and the people in West Texas were perfect. I had a movie running in my head the whole time I was reading."

"I am up to Book 3 of the Distant Cousin series and I really recommend these books for anyone wanting something fun and engaging. I have been reading them each night for almost a week and am becoming distressed the Book 3 is almost over. I have many books waiting on my Kindle to read, but I hate to leave Ana Darcy and her story."

"Distant Cousin.... I am hooked on our authors. Not my usual subject matter, yet a really good read. Looking forward to More, More, MORE."

"I just finished Distant Cousin and loved it. A great combination of adventure, human drama, and soft sci-fi. I'm now starting on the second book in the series and am just as entertained."

"I just finished book 3 and can hardly wait for the next to see what happens next. I have thoroughly enjoyed {them}....I loved Ana Darcy. She is a very believable heroine."

[NOTE: The Book Klub for volume 3, Distant Cousin: Reincarnation, starts July 1st. Everyone's invited!]


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## BrassMan

This just in!

An overview of all three (soon to be four) _Distant Cousin _ novels:

Many books have been written about how First Contact with an extraterrestrial will change the world. Very few books have been written about how such an event would affect the life of the being who makes that contact. In the _Distant Cousin _ series, Ana Darcy (Anneyn Darshiell) - the initial human envoy from a distant world populated by "cousins" to our species - is both the most famous person on Earth and also a private individual who wants what most women want: a family, a home, and a meaningful life. The _Distant Cousin _ series explores Darcy's arrival on Earth, her meteoric rise to fame, her impact on world politics and technology - and her growth as a person in the role of wife and mother after settling down on her new home world. Of interest also is the network of friends that Darcy cultivates through her actions on Earth; it seems that no one who meets this woman remains untouched by her. Although the _Distant Cousin _ novels include plenty of action and intrigue - deadly danger and sometimes worldwide threats - they cannot rightly be called action novels. Moving at a leisurely pace and focused more on characters than on thrills, the four-book series describes the evolution of a family - composed of one extraordinary woman, a kind and gentle man that most people would find rather average, and two children with an unusual heritage and a refreshingly unique view of the world. Although "light" on the science fiction aspect of the situation, the _Distant Cousin _ novels are gold for readers more interested in the human impact and implications of knowing we are not alone in the universe.

Dianne Salerni, author of _High Spirits (We Hear the Dead), A Pinpoint of Truth_, and _Threshold into Darkness_ (forthcoming)


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## stacydan

I just finished Distant Cousin and Loved it!  I can't wait to read the rest of the series.  Great storyline, loveable characters, I really liked seeing how the characters developed and their interactions with eachother.  I was pulled into the story and wanted to stay there. I hated having to stop reading for such mundane activities as work, but since they give me a paycheck, they think I must do something other than read my Kindle all day - go figure!


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## BrassMan

Here's chapter two of Kindle Boarder comments about the Distant Cousin books. Thanks to all!

"...I have absolutely no idea where [Distant Cousin: Repatriation] is going. You also get bonus points for making me laugh multiple times, the Lehrman bit was particularly funny."

"Ana Darcy is one of my favorite characters."

"What a fascinating concept you have developed."

"These are excellent books and are at a very good price. The first volume made my Top 10 list for 2009. I like the premise of the books and Al is quite good at descriptive passages. A good part of the books takes place in West Texas and it's easy to have a movie running in my head as I'm reading...."

"Darcy has been keeping me company. I am re-reading from the beginning before I start #4 just because...I forget bits and pieces. It's just as good the second time aorund if not better!"

"...the three [Distant Cousin] books that I mentioned have been the only books that I've read on the Kindle to this day that were able to fully sustain my interest from the beginning all the way to the end...I have to thank you for such a great book, just thinking about it makes me very happy."

"I really enjoy your books and love the characters.... I had a 3 hour break today between classes and was only going to read for an hour and then do some homework. Well that plan got shot to heck when Darcy [spoiler snip]. I had to keep reading. It worked out ok, the book ended just before my next class started. Good thing is wasn't longer, I would have missed my class!"

"Stumbled across Distant Cousin back around the 4th of July and decided to give it a try. Got seriously and quickly sucked in and then ran through the remaining three in the next week or two. Very good enjoyable reads!!!"

"Distant Cousin is one of the best series around...."

"As far as sci-fi's go, it's very light on the sci part. I mean, you really don't get bogged down in techy stuff at all & there's a great story in there."

"I just finished reading Distant Cousin. Although science fiction usually is not my favorite genre, I enjoyed the novel very much. It was not overly technical, and mixed romance in nicely with the story of the extra-terrestrial. Also the book was driven more by character than by plot, which is something that I like. I am looking forward to reading more about Darcy and Matt. Thank you for writing their story."

"I'm 80% through Reincarnation, I think this is my favorite so far, EXCELLENT read."

"I just finished Distant Cousin...in fact I was up half the night just to finish it! It was wonderful!"

"I have read yours twice already and am sure I will read them all again. They are nice and soft and don't give me nightmares, and leave me with a fuzzy feeling. So there!"

"I just finished Distant Cousin and loved it! I can't wait to read the rest of the series. Great storyline, loveable characters, I really liked seeing how the characters developed and their interactions with each other. I was pulled into the story and wanted to stay there. I hated having to stop reading for such mundane activities as work, but since they give me a paycheck...."

"...this is a great sci-fi series and has a little something for everyone, a little action, a little suspense, a little romance, and it also really shows how the characters develop and interact with each other and I really like that."

"...there are only a few books that I tend to think about or miss the characters after reading so that says a lot about your book!"

"...it is all your fault that I have dirty dishes and no laundry done. I am 79% thru with Distant Cousin, it's a really good read so far and I can't wait to see what happens next!"

"Loved these stories. I certainly intend to reread the three books that I have!"

"I would recommend the book to any of you who like science fiction with some romance and adventure thrown in. No little green men/women will be involved, but there will be characters about whom you will care a great deal." "The author does a great job of capturing the essence of New Mexico...I am really glad that I decided to give Al's book a try, and hope that others will do the same."

"I have been wondering when the 4th book would be out...but I've been so busy READING all the books I've downloaded this is the first I've even been on in a while. I loved the first three and am looking forward to the next one! Even though I promised myself I would not buy any more books until I've read most of the multitude I've downloaded, obviously Distant Cousin: Regeneration will be an exception!"

"...it is a great work, and can't be called sci-fi, but a great story. Move it to the top of your TBR list you (and) you will not regret it."

"...I just finished DC: Regeneration. Loved, Loved, Loved it!!! I feel that this book held up the story line that the first 3 started and even ramped up the drama."


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## BrassMan

There's a "new" piece of music on Ana Darcy's blog: she says if you could lift the hood of the universe and listen to the engine running, it would sound like this. Who better to know?

It's at http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2010/02/music-of-galaxy.html.


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## BrassMan

This totally blew me away. I still don't know what to think of it. You just never know, do you?

http://www.anadarcy.blogspot.com

Basically, a man who beat one fatal disease only to come down with an incurable fatal disease has found an insight into the meaning of his life in Distant Cousin: Repatriation.

(After the first week in March, at http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2010/02/distant-cousin-touches-another-soul.html.)


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## Andra

BrassMan said:


> This totally blew me away. I still don't know what to think of it. You just never know, do you?
> 
> http://www.anadarcy.blogspot.com
> 
> (After the first week in March, at http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2010/02/distant-cousin-touches-another-soul.html.)


It's great that something you wrote is comforting for this gentleman, Al. Thanks for sharing.


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## jpmorgan49

Having read all three of the trilogy and loving them, I'm anxiously waiting for #4!!!  
jp


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## BrassMan

jpmorgan49 said:


> Having read all three of the trilogy and loving them, I'm anxiously waiting for #4!!!
> jp


Oh, my dear jp! It's out! It's out!











I hope you enjoy it!


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## jpmorgan49

Silly me....  I've read all 4 already I should have said anxiously waiting for #5..  
jp


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## danfan

Hi Al!  haven't popped into kindle boards for a while .. was still in that reading funk. But I've been keeping up with Ana's blog!  

I plan to get back into my "fictional cooking" again (we finally finished off the meatloaves that were in the freezer LOL). So I'll be picking out some Distant Cousin recipes and picking your brains probably! It was so much fun trying to figure out that meatloaf. Did you ever get it perfect?


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## BrassMan

danfan said:


> Hi Al! haven't popped into kindle boards for a while .. was still in that reading funk. But I've been keeping up with Ana's blog!
> 
> I plan to get back into my "fictional cooking" again (we finally finished off the meatloaves that were in the freezer LOL). So I'll be picking out some Distant Cousin recipes and picking your brains probably! It was so much fun trying to figure out that meatloaf. Did you ever get it perfect?


Oh, lordy, lordy, as my mother in law used to say, I gave up on that meatloaf. It might have worked, mind you, but I'm no kitchen chemist. The kamut should probably have been cracked first. I couldn't figure out how to make everything stick together. A more clever cook (you, perhaps?) might be able to control and balance that particular dish.

I've been sticking to pizza. You've probably seen the pizza improvisations on Ana's blog. Unlikely as they seemed, they were excellent. All credit to daughter #2, who's a genius-level combiner of unlikely ingredients. "Herbs too she knew, and well of each could speak!"

I'm presently considering Asian modifications to fried chicken, the German/Czech/Polish/Mexican styles of barbecue in central Texas, and some tempting ideas using sweetened condensed milk. Like DC5, they are embryonic at present. Given time and trial, I pray that both come to pass.


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## danfan

LOL Did you break teeth on the kamut? I think I saw some flaked kamut on a trip to Pittsburgh a while back.... maybe when I next go I'll grab a cup of it and try again! Less thyme next time! The food on Ana's blog looks so good! Your daughter can come up here to give me lessons, eh? 

Oh yes, do keep nurturing the DC5 ideas!


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## BrassMan

Naw, I didn't break a tooth. The stuff was chewy, really chewy, kinda like rubber rice. You can get kamut from Amazon, in several different forms, including ground, cracked, flaked, I don't know what-all. They also have every other grain you can think of, as well as some you couldn't. It's not terribly expensive, either.

Both my daughters are ace cooks, and my one son in law is nearly a chef--he reads Gourmet and watches cooking shows. One's in Detroit and one's in PA. Depending on where you are and how badly you want to meet one or the other, it can be arranged! 

Most of those food pictures on Ana's blog are from daughter #2's visits. The coconut shrimp was my son in law's effort. Believe it or not, I actually have a picture of Ana Darcy making mozarella on the stove top--no kidding. How badly would you like to see that one? Daughter #2 rolled some out, sprinkled basil (or was it oregano?) on it, rolled it up, and cut it into bite-size disks. Hoo-eee!

I can't afford to cook or eat like that that often. But I do love to dream!


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## BrassMan

For those interested in the history of western languages (the Indo-European language family) as well as the history of Ana Darcy, there's now a brief examination of both on Ana's blog (http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2010/03/anas-native-language-luvit-examined.html).


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## BrassMan

There's a nifty piece of music based on a well-known tune posted on Ana Darcy's blog at the moment. Ana commissioned it! Like NPR's "Piano Puzzler," the idea is to name the tune. The target composer's style is provided as a hint, but any music lover is welcome to guess the name of the tune. It's played by Rebecca Pechefsky (above), who is one of Ana's very favorite harpsichordists.

For a challenge, or simply to hear a lovely, clever little composition, it can be found at http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2010/03/anas-musical-puzzler-challenge-to.html.


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## BrassMan

The answer to Ana Darcy's Music Puzzler is now posted at www.anadarcy.blogspot.com.

For those who might have missed it and don't want to see the answer first, here's the original puzzle plus an extra clue--the words to the original tune. (For those completely new to this, Ana Darcy is our Distant Cousin. She's taken a liking to our music, and especially to polyphony. She commissioned a composer to write variations on one of her favorite tunes. She likes the words to it also.)

http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2010/03/anas-musical-puzzler-challenge-to.html

'Tis the gift to be simple, 'tis the gift to be free,
'Tis the gift to come down where we ought to be;
And when we find ourselves in the place just right,
'Twill be in the valley of love and delight.
When true simplicity is gain'd,
To bow and to bend we shan't be asham'd
To turn, turn will be our delight, 
Till by turning, turning we come round right.


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## BrassMan

The rules only allow me to post on this thread once a week, so I must apologize to those who enjoy the puzzles but miss the answers. The best way to avoid that would be to check Ana's blog several days after a new puzzle is posted.

A new puzzle is up right now: a photo puzzle! It's easy--the solution probably won't need posting. It won't even make you dizzy! See http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2010/04/photo-puzzle.html.










But note: in a few days, another puzzle is coming, an educational puzzle, a puzzle that might test your foreign language skills. Hint: the language is NOT Luvit, Ana's native language.

For those who might have missed several posts in the last week, there are some pictures of newborn kittens, and some further reflections on Ana's musical tastes (which includes sheet music you may print and play and a link to someone playing it). See:

http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2009/12/were-in-luck-julie-of-juliesjungle-sent.html

http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2010/03/why-would-ana-or-anyone-love-polyphony.html

If anyone has a comment or question to post...then I can respond! The rules allow it!


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## BrassMan

Currently on *Ana Darcy Mendez's* blog:​







In order from the bottom of the page up...

...there's an *English/Spanish puzzle* posted on Ana's blog (http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2010/04/puzzle-from-mendez-family-time.html). The answers are linked there as well. ("The crosses" is Las Cruces; "the meadows" is Las Vegas, "the cottonwoods" is Los Alamos, for example.).

The earlier *"classic faces" puzzle* shouldn't need an answer! http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2010/04/photo-puzzle.html

Next, moving up the page, Ana finds *a poem about air travel* resonates with her. It ought to speak to anyone who flies commercial. http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2010/04/mendez-family-subscribes-to-number-of.html

Then, still moving up, there's *a cat puzzle*. It should be simple, but then how many cat puzzles do you see, anyway? http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2010/04/easy-cat-puzzle.html

Finally, at the top currently, there's another item for music lovers. Ana has found a video clip which illustrates one of J. S. Bach's most clever fugues in a delightfully visual way. It amazed her. It may amaze you!
http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2010/04/its-no-surprise-that-ana-is-competent.html


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## BrassMan

Warning from Stephen Hawkings!​
Do not talk to extraterrestrial aliens!​
Suggested exception from Ana Darcy's chronicler: it's perfectly safe to talk to one particular alien.*​







*More information at http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2010/04/dont-talk-to-aliens-says-stephen.html.​


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## BrassMan

A previous update mentioned the gentleman with a fatal disease who found something in *Distant Cousin: Repatriation* that helped him nail down the meaning of his life (http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2010/02/distant-cousin-touches-another-soul.html).

Now, a bit less earthshaking but also life-affirming, come the husband and wife who have had a moving experience in which the *Distant Cousin* series has improved both their lives: http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2010/05/people-who-really-enjoy-distant-cousin.html.

It's always fun to hear from readers. The experience of the husband and wife above may be partly explained by a recent review of *Distant Cousin* at Amazon:

"I prefer hard science fiction to space opera, but Past's scifi romance was recommended by a fellow Texan who especially enjoyed the multiple excursions through the Davis Mountains and other West Texas environs. So did I, but I also was entertained by the unusual, always-surprising plot and the good, page-turning writing. It's hard to write simply and inoffensively for a wide audience, but Past does it very well. There's humor and suspense, as well as romance, here and just enough science to keep it interesting. I especially liked the ending, which was a natural segue into the sequels to come."


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## BrassMan

There were two new posts to Ana Darcy Méndez's blog last week:

The case of a reader crying on the subway in NYC (It's actually a good thing.), and a poem her husband liked, about a wife in the garden, which reminded him of his own esposita in several touching ways.

The first is at http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2010/05/reader-crying-in-subway.html and the second at http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2010/05/ana-her-husband-and-garden.html.


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## BrassMan

Most recently in Ana's blog is a dessert idea (which I do not have the courage to attempt, but perhaps a more experienced kitchen artist might feel differently about), and a discursion on whether or not series novels should be read in order. This last features a comment from a Kindle Boarder and opens with a lovely photo from another Kindle Boarder. Thanks to you both!

They're at http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2010/05/dessert-idea.html and http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2010/05/can-anas-chronicles-be-read-out-of.html


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## BrassMan

The past week's posts have featured photographs, mainly some of the desert plants Ana found in _Distant Cousin _ and _Distant Cousin: Reincarnation_. There's also a photo of the house in Barbados that she lived in briefly in _Distant Cousin_.

They are at http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2010/05/more-photos-from-west-texas-dc1.html,

http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2010/05/pincushion-cacti.html, and

http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2010/05/photo-barbados-home-dc1.html.


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## SharonK

I love the KindleBoards.  There are so many good links to follow.  Alas, I think I may have to eventually limit myself.  If I read blogs all the time I won't have time for any books.  I was directed to this link today and I've enjoyed reading through it and have briefly checked out the Distant Cousin website.  I have a question that I'm sure I'd eventually find the answer to if I wasn't so impatient for a quick answer.   Hopefully someone will be willing to answer it.  

All this talk of food has made me a bit hungry.  When I saw the reference to Coconut Thai Shrimp I went out and checked the website.  Hum, was that the 4th or 5th article I'd read.  Anyway, I digress.  Am I missing a link or is there not suppose to be a recipe?  

I loved the talk about the couple who read in the car and the lady who was crying on the subway.  She must be one of us tender hearted people who cry when it's great and touches something within us.  Also wanted to say I love the pictures Ana has of the cactus from Texas, great photography, and the beautiful cats on her website.  

S.


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## BrassMan

> All this talk of food has made me a bit hungry. When I saw the reference to Coconut Thai Shrimp I went out and checked the website.... Am I missing a link or is there not suppose to be a recipe?


Kind words, Sharon. Thank you! There is no recipe, alas. Ana Darcy, the main character is renowned for her combinations of ethnic cuisines, but I doubt even she would have the recipe. In Distant Cousin: Regeneration (DC4), Ana said "I was thinking about coconut shrimp, but with a Thai variation. I had to run to town to get some green curry paste to mix with the coconut milk and whole leaves of fresh basil, like the Thais use...."

You can find a recipe for coconut shrimp easily enough (that's what was illustrated). Then you might research Thai cuisine a bit, or search for a recipe if one exists, or ask a cook/chef you trust, or just try your hand at it. Warning to experimenters: as Ana went on to say, green curry paste is HOT, as in PICANTE, so caution would be wise.

There are some tried and proven recipes connected with the series. There's a complete recipe for some wonderful salsa at http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2009/09/traditionally-this-recipe-was-more.html. The Méndez family recipe for frijoles, which really does come from an ancient cattle driving chuck wagon cook, as mentioned in DC4, may be found at http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2009/09/recipe-mendez-family-frijoles.html. Also in the table of contents to the right of the blog are more recipes and suggestions for a dessert, an appetizer, and a refreshing, mild tropical Mexican cocktail.

Several readers have been inspired to recreate some of Ana Darcy's creations. Earlier in this thread (replies 11, 12, & 13), you'll see Danielle and I both attempted Ana Darcy's meat loaf modifications, with mixed success--wrong form of the grain, in my case. A better cook should have had better results. Ana has also been creative with pizza combinations. Pictures of many of these are in her blog, and shouldn't be too hard to duplicate.


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## SharonK

Thanks for information on the recipes.  I've written them down and I'm sure I'll try the salsa.  I love it with all kinds of things.  As for the picante sauce, I'm well aware that's it's HOT.  One of my friends like hot things, the hotter the better.  I'll chat with her about this, and customize it for my tastes.  And one of these days when I recover from a broken foot I can cook again and I'll see about trying the other things.  Thanks for the info.  
S.


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## BrassMan

> I'm sure I'll try the salsa. I love it with all kinds of things.


I do too. I always have some in the freezer as backup, so I don't run out. One caution, however. The recipe calls for several cloves of garlic, chopped, or the minced garlic you get in a jar. The minced garlic is not as potent as fresh garlic. If you use fresh garlic, I'd say one large clove per 10 oz. can of tomatoes would be about right. I got a little too enthusiastic with the fresh garlic last time, and the salsa came out a tad too sensational.

Since you've enjoyed the cooking ideas, don't miss Ana's making fresh mozarella cheese. It takes less than an hour, and anyone can do it: http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2010/05/ana-makes-mozarella.html


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## SharonK

BrassMan said:


> One caution, however. The recipe calls for several cloves of garlic, chopped, or the minced garlic you get in a jar. The minced garlic is not as potent as fresh garlic. If you use fresh garlic, I'd say one large clove per 10 oz. can of tomatoes would be about right. I got a little too enthusiastic with the fresh garlic last time, and the salsa came out a tad too sensational.


I understand about being too enthusiastic with garlic. I'm a garlic lover and always have some, by way of a jar, stored in the refrigerator. And there have been several times when using fresh garlic where I thought a bit more won't hurt. The salsa starts to bite back. But in such a good way. Way to go Ana for making cheese! That's something I don't think I'd attempt.


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## BrassMan

SharonK said:


> I understand about being too enthusiastic with garlic. I'm a garlic lover and always have some, by way of a jar, stored in the refrigerator. And there have been several times when using fresh garlic where I thought a bit more won't hurt. The salsa starts to bite back.


It sure does. Too much for me! Whoo!



> Way to go Ana for making cheese! That's something I don't think I'd attempt.


Don't rule it out for good. It really isn't that hard. Basically, you heat the milk, add the indredients, and stir. The cheese begins to congeal out of it. Gradually, you take out the lumps, squeeze the liquid out of them, microwave them a teeny bit, squeeze some more, and then presto: mozarella. I tell you, it's a miracle of biochemistry. The only bad part is how quickly it gets eaten! (OK, Ann?)


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## Andra

To continue the garlic discussion:
Have you every used green garlic?  We got some at the farmer's market a few weeks ago.  Basically they harvest the garlic before it starts to form the individual cloves.  It looks more like a green onion and you can just chop it up and use the whole thing.  It's yummy.


----------



## BrassMan

Andra said:


> To continue the garlic discussion:
> Have you every used green garlic? We got some at the farmer's market a few weeks ago. Basically they harvest the garlic before it starts to form the individual cloves. It looks more like a green onion and you can just chop it up and use the whole thing. It's yummy.


Never heard of that! You mean, it might be used in a salad? Or is it still pungent enough to require discretion? I'd love to try it....


----------



## Andra

Well, we really like garlic, so we used it in salads and everything else we cooked that week.
But it's still pretty pungent so experiment carefully.  Fortunately for us, we are both garlic lovers - I think I've only over-galicked once...


----------



## BrassMan

There've been three posts to Ana Darcy Méndez's blog the past week. Two have to do with pizza! First, the preparation of the ingredients, and most recently some new experiments in taste combinations.

Also, there's evidence of a bad cat in the household, a _very _ bad cat.

See http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2010/06/bad-cat-very-bad-cat.html.


----------



## SongbirdVB

Howdy Al!  I have been lax and didn't see that #4 was out.  I'm so ashamed.  Just bought it and will read it ASAP!  I'll have to start over with book 1, of course, to extend the pleasure.  

Vicki


----------



## bkworm8it

LOL, Al. Cat almost looks alien in that bag  Mine hunts down plastic like a heat seeking missile. I don't know how he does it but he always seems to find a piece somewhere no matter how careful I am. I think he has a 'P' deficiency... that is P for plastic <ggggg>

Summer break is finally here and book 4 is on my list of reads before I go back to school in the fall!!


----------



## BrassMan

> Howdy Al! I have been lax and didn't see that #4 was out. Just bought it and will read it ASAP! I'll have to start over with book 1, of course, to extend the pleasure.





> Summer break is finally here and book 4 is on my list of reads before I go back to school in the fall!!


Good for you, Vicki! I'll be interested to hear if there's any different feeling reading them right through like that.

Bkworm8it! I think you'll find DC4 is rather different, but it's still perfect for hard-earned summer recreation. Enjoy!

Best to you both!

As for the cat, it's not the plastic that she's after. It's the cover it may (or may not) give her to create an ambush!


----------



## bkworm8it

Thats too funny!!


----------



## BrassMan

Recent posts on Ana Darcy Méndez's blog:

Re the thread elsewhere on the Boards, would Distant Cousin make a good movie?

http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2010/06/would-distant-cousin-make-good-movie.html









Ana welcomes visitors from all around the world!

http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2010/06/ana-almost-never-comments-on-posts-made.html


----------



## BrassMan

I haven't posted any updates in a couple of weeks--I'd be a total failure as a pimp, no doubt. Still, there've been some interesting posts:

(1) A greeting by Ana Darcy to blog readers literally from all over the world, which really touched her (http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2010/06/ana-almost-never-comments-on-posts-made.html),

(2) A stunning HD video of Ana's favorite musician in performance (http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2010/07/meet-anas-favorite-musician.html),

(3) An update on the happy commuters reading all four books out loud as they drive to and from work (http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2010/07/its-been-while-since-weve-reported-on.html),

(4) A milder, delicious variation on the Mendez family's classic frijoles recipe (http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2010/07/small-variation-on-mendez-family.html), and

(5) Recent reader comments, which we reproduce here:

"I have started reading Distant Cousin and I am charmed. It's been a breath of fresh air."

"I finished your book! Thank you. I had lots of fun with it. Loved the very true to form tex-mex culture, loved the characters, had a great great time. I got hooked at about 30% through, then it all went flying by...But you know what I enjoyed most about it? I finished it and spent a while thinking, why I had felt it go by really quickly and why I had had such a pleasure reading it... what was it? The characters were nice sure, but that wasn't it, the story was intriguing and exciting, but why did it make me feel good? And then I knew... it's because [snipped! sorry! can't spoil it for anyone!].Thanks again! Not many books I've read like that...."

"I was just galloping through this excellent novel by Al Past on my iPod touch when BAM! I came to the end of the sample. "Oh no," I said to myself. "I thought I bought this book!" Well, I guess I hadn't, but I've fixed that oversight, and now I'm ready to race on toward the ending. Thank you, Al! Both for writing this book, and for enabling a generous sample."

"Some months ago, I swiped DC1 from [my husband's] night stand table (he hardly ever reads fiction; it's just a lost cause) and dropped it off at my mother's house. Apparently, she was recently looking for a book to distract her from the summer heat (102 today) and picked it up. She called me this afternoon to rave about it. She's really enjoying it and wanted to know all about you and find out if you had written any more books."

"I...was entertained by the unusual, always-surprising plot and the good, page-turning writing. It's hard to write simply and inoffensively for a wide audience, but Past does it very well. There's humor and suspense, as well as romance here, and just enough science to keep it interesting. I especially liked the ending, which was a natural segue into the sequels to come."

" "I like this series. It's original, and entertaining. This one, in particular, is one of the few American English novels you'll find where large portions are in idiomatic Spanish. The meaning is usually translated or otherwise obvious in context. I also enjoyed the West Texas settings. Past is a talented writer with a gift for plotting and characterization. Recommended."

"Al, I finished your book early yesterday morning and I am still suffering from separation syndrome. Nothing can take its place. It is a great book! You handled everything so well, especially when you switched to another set of characters and what they are doing and thinking. The transition was instantaneous and natural. You have gotten better, smoother--and I don't see how you could improve in style or plot, certainly not in plot, which pulls the reader in immediately and keeps him there. I think I will read something really dull, with the hope that it will put me to sleep. Maybe that will help me recover from the separation syndrome. Congratulations! It is a superb adventure, novel (I don't like to put it in a category), with new depth."

(http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2010/07/distant-cousin-separation-syndrome.html)


----------



## BrassMan

There are new items on Ana Darcy Méndez's blog!

Are you a long distance runner, maybe even a marathoner? There's a great, unfortunately little known, tip for long distance runners to help avoid injury. Ana used it, I used it, and now there's a first-rate book about running that recommends it. As a bonus, the book is available for Kindle!

http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2010/07/anas-running-tip-for-marathoners.html

There's a recipe idea, for a rather strange salad (tomatoes and watermelons?):

http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2010/07/rather-strange-salad.html










And there's a poem Ana liked about doing what needs to be done. She said it would be popular on her home planet as well:

http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2010/07/poem-doing-what-needs-to-be-done.html


----------



## BrassMan

Not to spoil anything, but readers of Distant Cousin may remember that Ana went on a run along a freeway.

Normally, the areas around freeways are trashy and unattractive, but not in this case. In El Paso, parts of IH 10 amount to a city park, an international park.

Pictures highlight the most recent posts on Ana's blog, www.anadarcy.blogspot.com. In later weeks they maybe be found at http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2010/08/pictures-el-paso-dc1.html 
and at http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2010/08/more-freeway-murals.html.

Here are some samples:


----------



## bkworm8it

Wow, those are nice murals. Took me a moment to realize it was painted on posts holding up a bridge.

Just finished DC4. Loved it, waiting ever so patiently for DC5....*taps foot* hint hint 

theresam


----------



## Betsy the Quilter

Cool photo, Al, love the blog!

Betsy


----------



## BrassMan

bkworm8it said:


> Wow, those are nice murals. Took me a moment to realize it was painted on posts holding up a bridge.
> 
> Just finished DC4. Loved it, waiting ever so patiently for DC5....*taps foot* hint hint
> 
> theresam


So glad you liked it, and thanks for saying so! DC5 is coming along nicely--your sister can relax a bit.

Thank you, too, Betsy. Tomorrow I'll post some more murals. That's one sure way to bring color to the desert!


----------



## BrassMan

This week Ana Darcy Méndez's blog features a sneak peek at Distant Cousin Volume Five! Ana's twins are enjoying summer programs away from home:

http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2010/09/distant-cousin-volume-5-sneak-peek.html

Also, there's a set of photos of beautiful, Diego Rivera-like murals near downtown El Paso, at

http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2010/08/diego-rivera-of-streets.html

and another set of El Paso's painted park under Interstate 10, at

http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2010/08/even-more-freeway-murals.html


----------



## MAGreen

(Im)patiently awaiting DC5! That teaser is just mean, I want the whole book! Needing my next Darcy-Menendez fix! Loving the twins adventures and excited to see how things play out!


----------



## MAGreen

And on another thought...you had a version of the picture from DC1 where Ana's face was more clear, any chance of making a DecalGirl skin from that picture? I love that picture!


----------



## BrassMan

MAGreen said:


> And on another thought...you had a version of the picture from DC1 where Ana's face was more clear, any chance of making a DecalGirl skin from that picture? I love that picture!


Can you do that? I didn't know you could do that! How does one do that?

Do you mean this picture?


----------



## SongbirdVB

Finally had time to read, and finished #4.  Fabulous, Al!  I'll go to Amazon and do a review some time this week.  Add me to the list of people toe-tapping for book 5!


----------



## PiedTyper

Hi, Al:

Regarding custom DecalGirl skins, use this link to start the process. You would probably want to supply your own artwork.

http://www.decalgirl.com/page.view/customwork.htm

Might be exciting to have a skin from your own bookcover!!

Regards, Typer


----------



## BrassMan

PiedTyper said:


> Hi, Al:
> 
> Regarding custom DecalGirl skins, use this link to start the process. You would probably want to supply your own artwork.
> 
> http://www.decalgirl.com/page.view/customwork.htm
> 
> Might be exciting to have a skin from your own bookcover!!
> 
> Regards, Typer


I'll do that, by golly. Thanks, Typer! And thanks to MAGreen for the suggestion!

By the way, here's something I might consult with Kindleboarders on: the cover. Even Kindlers, who don't get color covers, might know that all the covers in the Distant Cousin series have several things in common. One is the color scheme. The first volume's cover is black and white. The second is predominantly red. The third is blue and the fourth is green. (See the first post in this thread for the covers.)

So what color would you suggest for the fifth?


----------



## PiedTyper

The color most distinct from the rest is yellow. Orange is another possibility, but a little closer to the red shade. Sticking with basic rainbow colors, indigo and violet are very close to blue as well as to each other. So I think I'd pick a luscious sunny, lemony yellow as a good contrast. I like your covers. I hope you stick with the celestial scheme. Of course, the real challenge will come with the cover for #6! 

By the way, I'm also intrigued by _On Wings of Gentle Power_ by Barry D. Yelton with yourself as the photographer. I can understand why it's not offered in a kindle edition - photos don't do at all well in that format. I've added it to my shopping list - when I get to super-saver shipping level, I'll order it.


----------



## MAGreen

Hey Al,
Did you get that skin made? Would it be alright if I had one made? I would need for you to send me the file....
I am so excited for DC 5 to go live!!! Can't wait! Thanks!


----------



## BrassMan

Since I'm allowed only one post a week on this thread, let me first update everyone about what's on Ana's blog at the moment. Then I'll get to your question, Mary Ann, and to a comment for PiedTyper.

On the blog (the basic URL for which is in the signature line below), are:

a poem about the importance of the kitchen table (http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2010/09/world-begins-at-kitchen-table-poem.html),

several recipe ideas involving flower petals (http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2010/09/edible-roses.html),

and recent reader comments on the whole Distant Cousin series to date as well as on the most recent volume, Distant Cousin: Regeneration (http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2010/09/uh-oh-readers-write.html).

As for the custom skin, I started to pursue it but got diverted and didn't follow through. My bad. I'll get on it. Is the photo above, in post #50, the one you would like, or would you prefer another cover, or one of the graphics from Ana's blog, or even the cat, Raisin?

It'll be easiest if we pursue this via pm, I think. I'll be in touch. Anyone else with ideas or who would like such a skin may join in, of course. It would help to know approximately how many might be needed.

PiedTyper--



> By the way, I'm also intrigued by On Wings of Gentle Power by Barry D. Yelton with yourself as the photographer. I can understand why it's not offered in a kindle edition - photos don't do at all well in that format. I've added it to my shopping list - when I get to super-saver shipping level, I'll order it.


It's too bad that the Kindle does not yet handle photos gracefully. I did get two photos into Distant Cousin: Regeneration--did you notice? A couple of the ones in Barry's book have appeared on the Kindle Boards, but most of the 40 or so did not. I'm pleased with how they turned out. I'd be interested in your impressions as well. As with Distant Cousin, your satisfaction is guaranteed!


----------



## PiedTyper

BrassMan said:


> PiedTyper--
> 
> It's too bad that the Kindle does not yet handle photos gracefully. I did get two photos into Distant Cousin: Regeneration--did you notice? A couple of the ones in Barry's book have appeared on the Kindle Boards, but most of the 40 or so did not. I'm pleased with how they turned out. I'd be interested in your impressions as well. As with Distant Cousin, your satisfaction is guaranteed!


I've read only 71% of Distant Cousin, so it will be a while before I get to Regeneration and its photos. However, I'm enjoying DC Book 1 so much that I'm sure I'll get to it. Without giving too much away for those who haven't begun the series yet, I got a real chuckle out of a certain smelly character.  I rarely laugh out loud when reading, but I did at that one. Thanks for the guarantee!

Cheers, Typer.


----------



## BrassMan

MAGreen said:


> Hey Al,
> Did you get that skin made? I am so excited for DC 5 to go live!!! Can't wait! Thanks!


I am now in cahoots with Decal Girl, and they with me. The skin is in progress. I don't know how fast they work but I do know how fast I work. Don't expect it tomorrow, but it's coming along. I'll let you know!


----------



## jpmorgan49

Just wanted to say "Hi" Al.  I haven't posted much on the board lately but I'm trying to get back into the posting mode.  I've been spending a lot of time on my Weather Station Web Page, it's a good retirement project.   My wife bought a Kindle 3 so I'm going to let her read the "Distant Cousins" books.
jp


----------



## BrassMan

jpmorgan49 said:


> Just wanted to say "Hi" Al. I haven't posted much on the board lately but I'm trying to get back into the posting mode. I've been spending a lot of time on my Weather Station Web Page, it's a good retirement project.  My wife bought a Kindle 3 so I'm going to let her read the "Distant Cousins" books.
> jp


Welcome back, JP! If you're keeping track of the weather you must be one busy guy! At least fall is nearing. I bet you like that.

We're getting our daughters K3s for Christmas...but don't tell anyone. I'm afraid when I see one I won't be able to resist getting one for myself. They seem especially fine. I hope your wife enjoys the stories!

Post a few pictures, why don't you?


----------



## jpmorgan49

I love my wife's K3, the contrast is AMAZING!!! I'm reading a book on it now just to make sure it works.. 
jp


----------



## Andra

Al, I've been catching up.  Thanks for the teaser of DC5 - now I'm really impatient!!


----------



## BrassMan

Andra said:


> Al, I've been catching up. Thanks for the teaser of DC5 - now I'm really impatient!!


I am too! What can I say? Teenagers!


----------



## jackwestjr_author

Sounds interesting.  Its on my TBR.


----------



## BrassMan

jackwestjr_author said:


> Sounds interesting. Its on my TBR.


Thanks. I hope you enjoy it when you get to it.

To those interested in the DecalGirl skin, know that my beloved computer blew up a week ago, and I've been up on blocks ever since. I hope to get it back in a day or two. Another couple days should see everything reloaded, reinstalled, and back in business.

I'm still here! I'll be baaaack!


----------



## BrassMan

For some unknown reason, matters extraterrestrial have been in the news lately. Many of these relate to the case of _our_ extraterrestrial, Ana Darcy Méndez.

For example, there was this item about a new investigation into possible alien spacecraft doing weird things around our missile sites. Apparently, some of the Air Force personnel involved are now speaking out. We thought of Ana. (http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2010/09/did-aliens-mess-with-our-nuclear.html)

Then, there was talk that the United Nations was going to elect an "ambassador in waiting," in case aliens showed up on Earth some day. United Nations, hellooo!? Ana knows something about this. (http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2010/09/now-un-ambassador-for-alien-contact.html)

And finally, astronomers have discovered a "Goldilocks planet," a planet enough like Earth that it might support life, only 20 light years from our solar system. Once again, hellooo!? Ana's planet is 25 light years away and perfectly habitable. Readers of her books already know this! (http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2010/09/astronomers-discover-nearby-habitable.html)

On a less speculative, tastier note, Ana has discovered the joys of making authentic Czech kolaches, the legendary breakfast rolls. That traditional recipe is now available to all. (http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2010/10/kolache-recipe-from-czech-grandmother.html)

Last, Ana has found another poem where humans (or at least the poet) take into account our place in the universe. Two people go for a walk after dinner. (http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2010/10/sometimes-ana-and-matt-sit-outside.html)


----------



## BrassMan

Recent posts to Ana Darcy Méndez's blog include some lovely closeup photos of her visit to a wildlife preserve where experts were banding migrating hummingbirds. There's also a puzzle poem that has intrigued readers for decades, including several generations of college freshmen. This is one poem that Ana figured out immediately and was able to interpret for her husband. You can test your cleverness and perception against that of the Méndez family. See www.anadarcy.blogspot.com.


----------



## BrassMan

Finally! For those fans who've been asking, and for others looking for something new & different, there's now a Distant Cousin skin for the Kindle 2 & 3!

The photo shows the front skin. The back skin is taken from Distant Cousin, volume 1, and shows our Distant Cousin, subliminally, framed by the Sombrero Galaxy.

Ordering information is at http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2010/11/class-act-distant-cousin-skin-for.html. Thanks, Decal Girl!








Also on Ana's blog this week: more cute photos of her visit to a hummingbird banding session at the wildlife preserve. (The link is below, in the signature line.)


----------



## BrassMan

There's a lot of new stuff on Ana Darcy's blog in the several weeks since the last update. (Where has the time gone?)

It's a bit unusual for a character in a book to have her own Kindle skin (the post above), but surely it's even more unusual for that character to have a bottled vintage wine named for her: http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2010/11/what-happens-when-fan-of-anas-is.html

There's a brand new litter of cute, cute serval kitties, plus a mystery animal baby: http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2010/11/new-litter-of-serval-kitties.html

From her first day on Earth, Ana has been fascinated by our bewildering variety of languages. There's a fun example (a Chinese tongue twister) at http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2010/11/discourse-on-language-and-chinese.html

And introducing a new way for Ana and her stories to meet the public, there's a welcome to her new visitors at Amazon, where her Kindle editions are more popular than ever: http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2010/11/welcome-to-amazonians.html


----------



## BrassMan

Currently, Ana's blog has a peaceful post on the way calm and composed cats can help humans keep cool: presently at http://www.anadarcy.blogspot.com, later at http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2010/11/learning-peace-from-cat.html.

Also, have you ever wondered what an extraterrestrial might think of our Thanksgiving holiday? Of course you haven't. http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2010/11/extraterrestrials-thoughts-on.html

And for the uninformed, surely few of us Kindle Boarders, there's a reminder of the new, wonderfully easy method of gifting Kindle books! http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2010/11/christmas-shopping-and-gift-shopping-in.html

Alexander the Grate demonstrates just how easy it is:


----------



## BrassMan

As we close in on the Christmas/New Year holiday, Ana's blog asks the rhetorical question: What is Christmas without cats?
That's now at http://anadarcy.blogspot.com.










Later, it'll be at http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2010/12/whats-christmas-without-cats.html

Also, most recently:

What use might an extraterrestrial make of nursery rhymes? (http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2010/12/why-would-extraterrestrial-love-nursery.html)

and

What do authors have to say about _Distant Cousin_? (http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2010/12/when-writers-write-writers.html)


----------



## bkworm8it

The Serval kittens are soo cute and making me want to forgo my decision on no more cats. Of course my 13 year old cat is hopping I mean after he is gone! 

Cat's just can't resist boxes or Christmas trees


----------



## BrassMan

Serval kitties are not cheap, but they are wholesale fun!

Now on Ana's blog: a demonstration of the popularity of Kindles, and a big thank-you to readers (link below):


----------



## BrassMan

For the new year, Ana's blog opens with a RIDDLE for Kindlers. It's especially appropriate here, so we'll reproduce it below.

Also on the blog: links to over a half-dozen other puzzles, on shoes, cats, music, poetry, food, and more.










Question: What book is this young woman most probably reading?
See http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2011/01/riddle-for-kindlers.html


----------



## BrassMan

Now on Ana's blog: new kitty photos, including a sleepy serval (as above), a caracal sleeping sweetly with a standard-issue house cat, http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2011/01/kitties-servals-caracal-and-one-house.html and also--

New Year's pizza experiments and ideas, at http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2011/01/holiday-pizza-with-texas-caviar-and.html , and...

...an invitation to the series which clarifies the sci-fi/mainstream literature issue, at http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2011/01/is-distant-cousin-for-you.html

and...

...an answer to the riddle posted above: "What is this young woman most likely reading?" http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2011/01/answer-to-what-is-she-reading.html


----------



## BrassMan

A lot is new in Ana Darcy's blog since the last notice!

Currently there are some photos (with more coming soon) from Ana's visit to an art gallery exhibit of folk art from Ecuador: *arpilleras*, three-dimensional fabric "paintings" from a woman's cooperative. Each object in one is a separate creation. The people, for example, amount to tiny dolls, stitched onto the fabric background. The arpillera above is called "The Circle of Life." Note that the center, of course, is the home!
http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2011/02/ana-visits-art-gallery-arpilleras-from.html

There is also a disquisition on the matter of bakers vs. cooks http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2011/02/cooks-vs-bakers-theory.html...

...some charming Spanish nursery rhymes Ana learned from her grandmother-in-law http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2011/02/mexican-american-great-grandmother.html...

...and yet another reader who says the author of the _Distant Cousin_ series "sucks" http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2011/01/it-happened-again-you-suck.html.


----------



## BrassMan

Next week is "Read an E-Book Week!" Kindle Boarders don't particularly need to know this, but others might. To help things along, I have posted links to ten books I found to be excellent. They're indie books and mostly budget priced! They're currently at the top of Ana Darcy Méndez's blog (in the signature line below).








Also, there are some examples of art by an extraordinary painter whose works affected Ana deeply. Maybe they'll strike you too, as they have many others. http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2011/02/ana-attends-extraordinary-art-exhibit.html

There's also a discussion of Mexican soups, with some buying tips for the grocery store and a link to an outstanding, cook-friendly and authentic volume of Mexican recipes. http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2011/03/ana-whips-up-some-tortilla-soup.html

There are also more examples of arpilleras, the unusual and heartwarming Ecuadorian textile art form. http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2011/02/more-ecuadorean-arpilleras-from-anas.html


----------



## BrassMan

Big news for fans of Ana Darcy!​
​
As you know, Ana Darcy (née Anneyn Darshiell) was such a rebellious teenager that she was willing, if a bit daunted, to leave her own planet forever on her people's greatest-ever voyage of discovery, to planet Earth. (The story of what happened to her after that is told in Distant Cousin, volume 1.)

Now, sixteen years after she has made a home on her new planet--her people's ancestral planet--it's her turn: she has her own teenagers to contend with. Like their mother before them, and teenagers everywhere, they are growing fast and becoming adventurous, though perhaps not quite as in control of themselves as their parents might hope. When each gets in trouble, how will Ana and Matt be able to care for them if Ana herself has disappeared halfway around the globe?

There's lots more information--maps, photos, etc.--about Distant Cousin: Recirculation on Ana's blog, in my signature line below.


----------



## jpmorgan49

I just purchased book five and just finished my current read last night. It looks like I don't have to look far for my next read.   Looking forward to starting it.
jp


----------



## BrassMan

New on Ana Darcy's blog (http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2011/03/anas-brain-is-filled-with-frisks-and.html):​
A duet you can play with your duet buddy based on Bach's Little Fugue in g minor, BWV 578, arranged for two treble clef instruments by your humble servant, BrassMan. Yes, I know, it's a three-part fugue, but it makes a terrific and satisfying two part duet also. This is the first page of two. The second is on Ana's blog, large enough to print out and put on your music stand. A clever duet pal can play it with a bass clef instrument. I've played it with a trombonist and a cellist.








There's also a performance of the fugue on pipe organ by Ton Koopman. How one human can play all three parts with all four limbs is nearly unbelievable.

Also: a poem about gravity, along with some heavy thoughts on the subject, several by Ana herself.

And there's a close-up look at the lovely textile art from Ecuador and Peru that Ana loves so much (arpilleras) http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2011/03/another-look-at-those-arpilleras-from.html, and more cat pictures: a caracal, a lynx, and two servals, all tame and lovely house and yard pets http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2011/03/more-kitties-caracal-lynx-and-servals.html.


----------



## BrassMan

Readers of Distant Cousin (specifically DC2: Repatriation and DC3: Reincarnation) will probably remember that Matt and Ana spared no expense in educating their twins, especially with respect to languages.

Over the past week, Ana's blog has accumulated four posts on the topic of teaching toddlers to read, and especially teaching them to read two languages as a means of helping them become bilingual. This is NOT fiction. It works, and my wife and I, among others, have done it.

The posts are on Ana's blog in reverse order at the moment, or later, in sequence, here:

1. http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2011/04/bilingualism-and-ana-and-matts-children.html

2. http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2011/04/raising-bilingual-children.html

3. http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2011/04/bilingual-and-biliterate-toddlers-some.html

4. http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2011/04/early-reading-and-bilingualism-4.html


----------



## BrassMan

New at Ana Darcy's blog this week are some entertaining "while I'm reading" comments by Kindle Boarders (and others) http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2011/04/readers-and-writers-weigh-in.html, and this lovely video trailer:


----------



## BrassMan

This just in: it is announced that a certain leading terrorist has been killed in the wilds of Pakistan. This excellent news has been presaged by the publication of Distant Cousin: Recirculation only last month. We're not likely to know the precise details of this incident for a good while, but for now the fictional version, in which Ana Darcy has played an integral role, is given in the book. See 
http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2011/03/distant-cousin-recirculation-dc5-maps.html










For something completely different, on Ana's blog there is an account of a new recipe variation http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2011/05/another-delicious-variation-on-mexican.html, and a very old poem about a very famous cat http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2011/04/mysterious-cat-poem-about-jeoffry-from.html.


----------



## BrassMan

There's a wild variety of new items on Ana Darcy's blog right now:

Early comments from readers of Distant Cousin: Recirculation,*

Baby serval kittens and caracal kittens,*

And a sampling of Mexican-American dichos (proverbs).*































*In later days, these may be found at

http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2011/05/early-feedback-from-readers-of-distant.html,

http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2011/05/baby-kitties-serval-kitties.html

http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2011/05/sampling-of-mexican-american-dichos.html

http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2011/05/cats-time-for-some-caracals.html, and

http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2011/05/bonus-baby-fox-baby-fennec-fox.html.


----------



## BrassMan

There are two items of interest on Ana Darcy's blog at the moment. First, a note about math education (and her prodigal son), and then a poem she loves about one's hopes for one's daughters.

















Later on, these will be found here:

http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2011/06/math-education-and-ana-darcys-children.html

and here:

http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2011/06/poem-for-our-daughters-makes-ana-weep.html


----------



## BrassMan

Drawing for free Kindle edition of DC1-DC5 for the week ahead!

See http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2011/06/free-book-drawing-thanks-to-readers.html










Also, a poem Ana cannot forget about a cat she cannot forget http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2011/06/cat-poem-ana-cannot-forget.html,

and a yummy, bilingual poem about tomatoes. 'Tis the season! http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2011/06/ana-discovers-poem-about-tomatoes-by.html


----------



## BrassMan

http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2011/07/note-about-distant-cousin-theme-song.html

There are two new items of interest on Ana Darcy's blog at the moment:

º A note about the Distant Cousin theme song, performed for Ana on a theorbo (see picture above), but which she is happy to share with Kindle Boarders, and










º A poem about baking bread. Ana loves the science of baking, even though it's really magic.
http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2011/07/science-delight-or-both-ana-loves.html


----------



## BrassMan

Nora, the fairly famous feline who really, really loves the piano, is featured in a serious and touching solo performance with a chamber orchestra and specially composed music--a catcerto, here:
http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2011/07/ana-discovers-nora-piano-cat.html

The startling news that a spaceport is being constructed near Las Cruces, New Mexico, where you will soon be able to purchase a ticket for a flight to the edge of space, is doubly startling because Ana Darcy Mendez, the first extraterrestrial to come to Earth, lives within sight of it! The proof is here: 
http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2011/07/spaceport-city-las-cruces-new-mexico.html


----------



## BrassMan

Language has been the topic on Ana Darcy's blog lately, Spanish, specifically.










Mexican-American nursery rhymes (chapter 2): nonsense verse, poems, a game, a song,
at http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2011/08/more-mexican-american-nursery-rhymes.html,

(The tune to the hen and chicks song









and another installment of dichos (proverbs), some similar to English and some not:
http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2011/08/more-mexican-american-dichos-proverbs.html.


----------



## BrassMan

New on Ana Darcy's blog, a guest post by the vivacious Wheelchair Mommy! http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2011/08/guest-blog-wheelchair-mommy.html

(Missing from the photo: her two other boys and her handsome husband.)


----------



## BrassMan

Do you know what the Italians really use the frittata for?

Ana found out!

http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2011/08/ana-discovers-italians-best-use-of.html

Also this week, for the language lovers, Ana has provided us some revealing proverbs in Luvit (her native language)!

http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2011/08/ana-gives-us-some-luvit-proverbs-from.html


----------



## BrassMan

Food and astronomy recently, on Ana Darcy's blog. Is there anything better? baby fennec foxes growing up?

For a party, Ana puts together delicious, one-bite pizza appetizers. You can too!









http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2011/09/anas-italian-appetizer-inspiration.html

In astronomy, while Ana's home planet has two moons, Earth astronomers have discovered a planet with two suns. Weird!









http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2011/09/two-suns-beats-two-moons.html


----------



## BrassMan

*The crucial importance of public education has been on Ana's mind lately.*

Currently in Ana Darcy's blog there are ideas on...

...the vital importance of teachers. Have you thanked a teacher lately?









http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2011/09/ana-says-thanks-to-teachers.html

...and the alarming, continuing drop in SAT verbal scores. What can parents do about this? Ana has some ideas.









http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2011/09/anas-response-to-drop-in-sat-verbal.html


----------



## BrassMan

http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2011/10/language-games-in-mexican-american.html

¿Qué pasa, calabaza?

Every family surely has its own words, its own games with language. The extraterrestrial Ana Darcy's family, all fluent in English and Spanish (besides a few other odd languages) is no exception. What would you buy if you found "Shed and Holders" on your grocery shopping list? Sample the Méndez family's fun with words.









http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2011/10/refreshingly-different-and-reader.html

"Refreshingly different," says one reader new to the series. Also, a reader from South America comments in Spanish!


----------



## BrassMan

There are many new photos on Ana's blog, thanks to a recent research trip to west Texas and southern New Mexico. At the moment, all may be found at Ana Darcy's blog, but after a week or more, the links under the photos will lead directly to each set of photographs.

A special thanks to the reader who wrote: ""I finished DC 5! I thought it all came together really well at the end. One of the interesting things about the series and the Mendez clan is that the action scenes aren't necessarily the main event. With a plotline like DC 5, most authors would spend the whole time concentrating on the terrorist and how Ana escapes. But in your case, it's only one ingredient. Clio's adventures...are equally important, etc. I think that's one of the things that makes your series distinctive, but probably also one of the things that would have a literary agent lecturing you about changing things. And yet why should stories always follow a particular formula? Obviously I'm not the only one that feels this way, since you've acquired a cult Kindle following!"

First, the Davis Mountains, where Ana landed. Also included: photos of locations where her experiences as a prisoner at Fort Bliss Army base occurred.









http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2011/10/more-of-anas-first-sights-on-earth.html

Then, some photos of Ana's neighborhood: nearby villages and historic Mesilla.









http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2011/10/look-at-some-mesilla-valley.html

Next, her favorite restaurant in Mesilla, La Posta, a former stagecoach stop around 1850.









http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2011/10/anas-favorite-restaurant-la-posta-in.html

New Mexican food is not overlooked. Also included: the famous Hatch green chiles!









http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2011/10/new-mexican-food.html

And finally, since Halloween looms, a note on the humor in the Dia de Muertos celebration;









http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2011/10/humor-in-el-dia-de-los-muertos.html


----------



## BrassMan

*New on Ana's blog:*

Meet Ana Darcy!

"Ana Darcy is one of my favorite characters."









http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2011/04/distant-cousin-watch-trailer.html

"Thanks, Al, for some wonderful books. It's always a pleasure to read a book where the character is so "fleshed out" that I feel I would know him/her if I met them on the street. Not only would I know them, I'd have to invited them to lunch so we could chat!"

"I just finished book 3 and can hardly wait for the next to see what happens next. I have thoroughly enjoyed {them}....I loved Ana Darcy. She is a very believable heroine."

"Ana Darcy (Anneyn Darshiell) - the initial human envoy from a distant world populated by "cousins" to our species - is both the most famous person on Earth and also a private individual who wants what most women want: a family, a home, and a meaningful life. The Distant Cousin series explores Darcy's arrival on Earth, her meteoric rise to fame, her impact on world politics and technology...it seems that no one who meets this woman remains untouched by her...."

"What a fascinating concept you have developed."

"These are excellent books and are at a very good price. The first volume made my Top 10 list for 2009."

"...there are only a few books that I tend to think about or miss the characters after reading so that says a lot about your book!"

"I just finished reading Distant Cousin. Although science fiction usually is not my favorite genre, I enjoyed the novel very much. It was not overly technical, and mixed romance in nicely with the story of the extra-terrestrial. Also the book was driven more by character than by plot, which is something that I like. I am looking forward to reading more about Darcy and Matt. Thank you for writing their story."

Learn of Ana's discovery of the Spanish tortilla!









http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2011/11/spanish-food-tortilla.html

See a frequent venue from her stories: El Paso from Scenic Drive:









http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2011/11/el-paso-from-scenic-drive.html


----------



## BrassMan

For the first time ever, Distant Cousin is on sale for the holidays!










It's like a Kindle Daily Deal, only it's for all the holiday season, and only $2.99!
To get there, click the black & white Distant Cousin cover below, or (for other formats) the link under the photo.
Happy holidays, everyone!









http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2011/11/tis-season-great-inexpensive-gift-idea.html


----------



## BrassMan

*So you think you don't like science fiction?*

Readers, mostly Kindle Boarders, opine on the matter:









http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2011/12/so-you-dont-like-science-fiction.html

ALSO:

Readers of the books, and especially of Ana Darcy's blog, may be pardoned if they think Ana never suffers a disaster in the kitchen. That's fiction! She does!

The account of one such sore trial may be found at http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2011/12/ana-improvises-frantically-in-kitchen.html.


----------



## BrassMan

http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2012/01/recipe-poem-about-salad-ana-does-not.html

Ana Darcy's editor didn't post as often to Ana's blog over the holiday break, but two recipes and cute animals running wild are new.

One recipe is for one of Ana's first baking efforts. As a newcomer to Earth and not familiar with our cuisines and recipes, she was delighted to find a recipe used to teach children to cook: a "unit cake," or yogurt cake, where the measurements are all in just two units. In Ana's case these were a cup and a tablespoon. The cake was easy and delicious, and the recipe is included in the post:








http://www.anadarcy.blogspot.com/2012/01/ana-bakes-cake-from-french-childrens.html

The second recipe is actually a poem that Ana liked. She doesn't have the ear of a native speaker for English poetry, but she liked this poem because it rhymed. On the downside, it sounds like an awful salad. It is from the 1700s after all. Anyone is welcome to try it and get back to us on the result. The link is above, under the photo of the grazing cat.

Finally, while Ana's family has several dogs and cats, including one large cat that astonishes visitors, they still love animals. One of two videos shows the home of Julie, of Julie's Jungle.com, socializing an amazing variety of animals. We have to assume that this chaos was tolerated only for a brief period. No one, human or animal, could stand this for long. The other is this one, showing a fennec fox playing with a cat...or perhaps a cat playing with a fennec fox. Cute!





http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2011/12/fennec-fox-kits-playing-at-home.html

Finally, if you haven't already, why not meet Ana Darcy?


----------



## Jeff

Hello, Al. Hope you don't mind if a long-time fan of yours drops in to shoot the breeze. Anna and I share the same favorite restaurant in Mesilla, by the way. I wonder if they still have the parrot that greeted everyone with an ear-splitting "hello."

Your photo of the scenic view in El Paso reminds me of an often repeated family story:

When my children were very young, my wife and I took them with us to search for landscaping rocks. The road through the Franklin Mountains was very steep and narrow back then, so I parked our pickup truck off the shoulder near a big sign. To keep them safe, I told the kids to stay in the bed of the truck while I humped the biggest rocks I could carry. Finally, when I was exhausted, and the rear of the pickup was squatting low, my five-year-old pointed to the sign. "Howcum you're taking these rocks, Daddy - when that sign says not to?"


----------



## BrassMan

Happy New Year, Jeff! Great to hear from you!

Parrots live a long time, but I couldn't say if the loud one was there the day I was. The whole place was pretty quiet--it had just opened for lunch, so I got lots of good pictures of their various rooms without disturbing many customers. I guess you'll have seen those pics on Ana's blog, and maybe also some of the dishes they serve. They say you can't have your cake and eat it too, but if you have a camera you can have it and eat it too, sort of.

Here's the toucan, which I didn't post to Ana's blog. He or she didn't say anything either. Neither did the piranhas, though they looked about as happy as piranhas can.










Your story about the rocks is great. Folks should know, the entire mountain is made of rocks, and at least half the buildings, walls, and fences in El Paso. It's against a city ordinance to build a structure out of wood. I went to Basset Junior High, a new school then, up against the mountain. There was a rock quarry further up the slope (it may still be there) and every week or two they would blast loose a new pile of rocks with dynamite. The booms would echo off our school, and vast clouds of dust would rise into the air. It was like a bombardment, but after several months of school, even junior high boys stopped paying attention.


----------



## BrassMan

*New on the blog of Ana Darcy, the only extraterrestrial to actually have a blog:*

*Readers comment about Distant Cousin: Recirculation*

"I love the Distant Cousin characters, they feel like family to me, I am interested in their lives, I worry about them, and I just adore them. I think I've said this about each book, but I think [Recirculation] is my favorite!

"Even though it was the fifth book the characters seemed fresh and alive. Al has always done a great job at character development and it continues in Recirculation. The book is about family values, but it doesn't stop there. There is plenty of adventure to keep you reading to the wee hours."

"The essence of Spielberg's Close Encounters or E.T. remains pervasive throughout. The characters and dialog tell the story. The whole thing is show, don't tell in a manner that any reader can appreciate. The storyline flows, the characters develop comfortably, and you feel as if you are so glad that you know these people!"










http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2012/01/readers-rate-dc5-recirculation-and.html

*Ana discovers Panamanian molas:*








http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2012/02/ana-discovers-mola-from-panama.html

*Rebecca Pechefsky plays a Bach Preambulum (from BWV 829)*





http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2012/01/more-frisks-for-ana-rebecca-pechefsky.html


----------



## BrassMan

There's a wild assortment of new items on the blog of Ana Darcy Méndez, the blogging extraterrestrial.








For one thing, Ana has continued her education on the topic of molas, the intricate, layered textiles made by Kuna women living on islands in the Gulf of Mexico, east of the Panamanian mainland. You can see some fantastic examples of this art, plus, for the crafty-minded, a look at the stitching on the back of several molas. Calling Betsy the Quilter (and friends)!







http://www.anadarcy.blogspot.com/2012/02/more-panamanian-molas-incredible.html








Also, a terrific card trick came to Ana's attention, made even more interesting because of the plea from the person performing it for someone to please explain to him how it works. Ana and her son figured it out together in less than an hour! The explanation is on her blog in her very own handwriting! Here's the trick, and a nifty trick it is: http://www.wimp.com/mathcard/.
The explanation is here: http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2012/02/ana-and-son-explain-great-card-trick.html.

Finally, for the cat lovers: those who've read *Distant Cousin: Regeneration* know that the Méndez family was lucky enough to acquire a caracal, the African cat half the size of a mountain lion. They can make wonderful pets:










Ana's daughter would love to have a serval as well, the African cat half the size of a cheetah:










On Ana's blog, we have found a video from a gent fortunate enough to have BOTH a caracal and a serval. Watch these two magnificent felines play in some lucky guy's bedroom! http://www.anadarcy.blogspot.com/2012/02/big-cats-in-bedroom-caracal-and-serval.html


----------



## Betsy the Quilter

Al,

thanks for letting me know about the molas...you know I love me some textile art!  These are wonderful!

Betsy


----------



## BrassMan

This week only (_Read an E-book Week_, March 4-10)
All five* Distant Cousin* volumes, already budget-priced, are half off at Smashwords!

For details see Ana Darcy's blog.


----------



## BrassMan

There are many gorgeous new items in the blog of Earth's first extraterrestrial visitor, Ana Darcy's blog!

First, a stunning collection of the wearable art Ana loves from Latin America: Ecuador, Guatemala, and Mexico-- 
Once again, calling Betsy the Quilter!



















http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2012/04/wearable-art-from-ecuador-guatemala-and.html

Next, a possible sighting of Ana Darcy's runabout, her escape pod (?). Area 51, Hellooo!?










http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2012/03/calling-area-51-anas-pod-sighted-or-not.html

Also, some spectacular aerial and ground level shots from the first country to make Ana a citizen, Barbados:



















http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2012/03/more-photos-of-anas-first-official-home.html

And coming soon: big news from Ana and her family....


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## BrassMan

There are odds and ends on Ana Darcy's blog lately:

Possible art from her Earthly ancestors roughly in the area of Kazakhstan from the millenium before Christ:









http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2012/04/art-from-kurgans-in-khazakhstan-anas.html

A wearable, washable (?) arpillera (textile sculpture):









http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2012/04/this-and-that-wearable-arpillera-serval.html

And more servals, kittens and otherwise. Way cute!


----------



## bkworm8it

I miss Ana, Matt, & the twins!! Do you have another book in the works or am I just going to have to live with my memories 

Hope your doing well! 

Theresa


----------



## BrassMan

bkworm8it said:


> I miss Ana, Matt, & the twins!! Do you have another book in the works or am I just going to have to live with my memories
> 
> Hope your doing well!
> 
> Theresa


Thanks! Believe it or not, the next one is beginning to come together. It'll be good. Just give it a little time, please!

All's well, and best to you too!


----------



## BrassMan

At Ana Darcy's blog now, much news, good news!

First, all the budget priced Distant Cousin books are on sale at 20%-40% off!

Also:

Recent reader comments:

"Enormous fun! The very fast-paced plot is based on some interesting premises, there are many well-sketched characters (and some good character development), and the book is loaded with local color of several flavors. I'd add that there's a touch of innocence about the worldview that reminds me slightly of golden-age SF. I'm systematically reading my way through the series, and I recommend it highly. "









http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2012/05/another-little-toot-of-horn.html

Ana and the transit of Venus (June 5, 2011) (with music by John Philip Sousa):









http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2012/05/observing-transit-of-venus-salute-to.html

And an anniversary poem from Matt in honor of his extraterrestrial wife!









http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2012/05/anniversary-poem-for-husband-of.html


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## BrassMan

If you haven't checked Ana Darcy's blog recently you've missed some interesting new additions!

First, we were reminded by the passing of the great Ray Bradbury that Ana Darcy's Distant Cousin stories have also predicted the future--at least eight times! Several have been mentioned in the pages above but the list of the eight examples which come to mind now is intriguing. Readers might know of others....









http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2012/06/distant-cousin-predicts-future-nine.html

Readers also know that Ana Darcy, born on another planet, has had a wonderful time playing with the new (to her) cuisines of Earth. Here's a description of her experiment with fusion of Chinese, TexMex, and Italian ideas into one delicious dish that nearly any cook could duplicate:









http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2012/06/ana-cooks-fusion-chinesetexmexitalian.html

The pithy, to-the-point proverbs (dichos) of Ana's husband's Mexican-American grandmother have proved so popular that there is now a third chapter of them on Ana's blog.* Más claro no canta el gallo.* (The rooster cannot crow any clearer.) *¡No como frijoles pero repito pollo! *(I'm not eating beans and talking chicken!)
http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2012/06/aun-mas-dichos-even-more-proverbs-from.html









http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2012/06/ana-darcy-discovers-st-franciss.html

It's only a little surprising at first to know that Ana enjoys poetry--not all of it, of course, and not only in English. Recently she discovered the "Canticle of the Sun," by Saint Francis of Assisi, which after all has been popular on Earth for nearly 1000 years. Here's an excerpt, one of the passages that caught extraterrestrial Ana's attention:

*Be praised, my Lord, through all your creatures,
especially through my lord Brother Sun,
who brings the day; and you give light through him.
And he is beautiful and radiant in all his splendor!
Of you, Most High, he bears the likeness.
Be praised, my Lord, through Sister Moon and the stars;
in the heavens you have made them bright, precious and beautiful.*


----------



## BrassMan

*Ana Darcy Méndez has been on an art kick lately, probably because she has met several people through a local friend (local to her residence in southern New Mexico) who collect Latin American art, especially Mexican art, and especially Mexican folk art. Folk art has practically disappeared in the U.S. but is still common in Mexico. Folk art shows the soul of a people, and Mexican folk art reveals an imagination and vision that both delight and inspire Ana. Ana is not alone!

Photos of this art make for some splashy posts on Ana Darcy's blog. We'd like to see any extraterrestrial do better!

There are Mexican dolls:*









http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2012/07/more-textile-sculpture-mexican-dolls.html

*More molas (Can you see the mermaid, and the lucky (?) guy she's caught?):*









http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2012/07/incredible-mexican-pottery-from-mata.html

*And even wilder art:*









http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2012/07/incredible-mexican-pottery-from-mata.html

*And for the animal lovers, finally an answer the burning question: what sound do you hear when you tickle a fennec fox?*









http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2012/07/tickle-fennec-fox-and-what-do-you-hear.html


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## BrassMan

A kind howdy to all my Kindleboard friends!

I'm sorry I've not been much of a presence on the boards of late, due to health problems and such, but I'm doing better now. I'm still cooking! I miss you all!

*To those new to the books, you're invited to take a sniff!*









"I have started reading Distant Cousin and I am charmed. It's been a breath of fresh air," says a reader

*New to Ana Darcy's blog:

Share Ana Darcy's fascination with dozens of Mexican folk masks.*









http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2012/08/time-for-some-mexican-folk-masks.html

*Ana, infalliby sentimental about families, finds two sweet poems about children.*









http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2012/08/two-poems-about-children-tug-anas.html

*And there's a reprise of Ana's beloved textiles, food, and more:*


















http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2012/08/the-variety-of-anas-blog.html


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## BrassMan

*Ana Darcy, the one extraterrestrial no one is afraid of (quite the reverse!) struck it rich with a recent art exhibit of folk toys of the world. Here are two samples of the toys which delighted Ana. There are many more on Ana Darcy's blog.*


















http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2012/10/anas-delight-folk-toys-from-around.html

*Also on Ana's blog: more examples of the the fantastic molas, textile paintings from the Kuna Indians of Panama, and more figurines from Mexico's Dia de los Muertos.

Below, a detail showing a tiny skeletal conjunto (band)!*









http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2012/10/still-more-dia-de-los-muertos-molas.html

*Ana's books are still on sale!

If you don't yet know Ana Darcy Méndez, meet her here! 
*


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## BrassMan

November second is *El Dia de los Muertos* in Mexico, "The Day of the Dead," or All Souls' Day. If you think that Earth's favorite extraterrestrial, Ana Darcy Méndez, might not understand that celebration, you would be wrong. She took to it instantly, and observes it every year. We all have ancestors! See why Ana loves the day, and how much fun it can be to celebrate.









http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2011/08/ana-learns-to-love-mexican-observance.html

Ana just could not stay away from that Folk Toys of the World exhibit!









http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2012/10/ana-cant-stay-away-from-folk-toys-of.html

Why would anyone read a novel, even a good, fun novel, on a cell phone? See what one KindleBoarder had to say:









http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2012/10/why-would-anyone-read-distant-cousin-on.html

Can you guess what celebrity is reading _Distant Cousin_??









http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2012/10/guess-whos-reading-distant-cousin.html


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## Cindy416

Hi, Al! Long time no see! Hope you're doing we'll now.


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## BrassMan

Doing fine, thanks. What about you? Still teaching part time?

The next Distant Cousin story is coming along nicely, if slowly. It's better that way. The one I wrote the quickest is my least favorite (though others like it anyway). In this new one the twins are 17. Several have told me they enjoy watching the family develop. I do too!

Great to hear from you! Best wishes!


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## Cindy416

BrassMan said:


> Doing fine, thanks. What about you? Still teaching part time?
> 
> The next Distant Cousin story is coming along nicely, if slowly. It's better that way. The one I wrote the quickest is my least favorite (though others like it anyway). In this new one the twins are 17. Several have told me they enjoy watching the family develop. I do too!
> 
> Great to hear from you! Best wishes!


Yes, still teaching four mornings a week. Seems as if I work harder now than when I had four jobs at school. Now, I have five classes in 3.5 hours instead of six in 6.75 hours. Something's wrong with this picture. The hoops that we are required to jump through get more numerous and larger every few weeks, so I think I may need to look into my options as a freelancer in one of my other areas of competence. 

I'm looking forward to your next Distant Cousin story. Keep us posted.

Take care!


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## BrassMan

Ana Darcy may be the only extraterrestrial to take an active interest in the folk art of Earth, but she's certainly not the only human to do so.

The molas (textile "paintings" from the Kuna Indians of Panama) and arpilleras (textile sculptures) of Peru, Ecuador, and other South American countries attract increasing interest on Ana Darcy's blog. There are many other posts about molas and arpilleras already, as well as artifacts from Mexico's Dia de los Muertos, folk toys, and paintings (see above).

Now Ana's blog features not only a new set of molas, but a way to shop for them and order online, as was done with these. They are amazingly affordable. Here is one example, front and back, for those curious as to the stitchery:









http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2012/12/would-you-believe-ana-found-mola-store.html










And there's an entirely new kind of arpillera, in the guise of a woman's purse!









http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2012/11/is-this-arpillera-or-not.html


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## BrassMan

Volume 6 of the further chronicles of our distant cousin Ana Darcy and her growing family is coming along nicely. It should be out in a matter of months. Watch this space!

More good news: Distant Cousin can now be borrowed for free by Amazon Prime members!

As one reader wrote: "Things have been extremely difficult around here....The adventures of the Mendez family provided a wonderful distraction. And the ending filled me with hope, for some inexplicable reason. I love the warmth and togetherness of the family."

In the meantime, there is more of interest about Ana Darcy and family on her blog, including a link to an establishment at which you can actually purchase real Panamanian molas, reasonably priced! Here's an example which will be made into a nifty decorative pillow:









http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2012/12/would-you-believe-ana-found-mola-store.html

There's also a poem Ana found that she loved, about a peaceful, secret moment between a husband and wife out shopping. She's bought the book it was in, but you may read it here:









http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2013/01/ana-loves-poem-about-wifes-secret-quiet.html


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## BrassMan

I haven't been around KBoards much lately, but I'm still around to be sure, devoting my precious, limited time to getting out the next adventure of Ana Darcy Méndez's family. It's no surprise: she and her family are growing and finding new ways of getting into scrapes.

Here are a couple recent items from the blog of the first extraterrestrial to come (back) to Earth.

Ana's son Julio participated in The Texas Mile, a speed contest in which he had entered a vehicle (http://www.texasmile.net/). (That story will be part of the next Distant Cousin volume.) While he was in south Texas, he and his dad found an art exhibit that nearly knocked him over: art cars by Mark "Scrapdaddy" Bradford, of Houston, which he saw at an art museum in Beeville, Texas. These cars are all driveable on city streets (but only during parades), and are made of spoons, among other things. See them in action at























http://www.anadarcy.blogspot.ru/2013/01/art-cars-that-ana-did-not-see-but-that.html

Second, we all no doubt remember the meteorite that blew up over Chelyabinsk, Russia, February 13, 2013. Most people were fascinated and horrified, and wondered if and when another "city-killing" meteorite might hit Earth. Not Ana Darcy. She had a different take on the matter, perhaps because she traveled 25 light years through the universe just to get here.









http://www.anadarcy.blogspot.ru/2013/03/anas-extraterrestrial-take-on-russian.html

Those new to the KBoards missed the three book clubs featuring Ana Darcy's adventures. A quick overview is available on p. 1 of this topic, at
http://www.kboards.com/index.php/topic,10102.0.html!


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## BrassMan

When you grow up on another planet and travel 25 light years to start a family (in southern New Mexico), you just might have your own opinion about a poem on light and perspective and decay vs. beauty.







http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2013/06/ana-finds-poem-about-perspective.html​
Also note: the lastest chronicle of the family of the first extraterrestrial woman to return to Earth should be out later this summer. Watch this space!

From a KindleBoarder "These are excellent books and are at a very good price. The first volume made my Top 10 list for 2009."

From a reader: "Things have been extremely difficult around here....The adventures of the Mendez family provided a wonderful distraction. And the ending filled me with hope, for some inexplicable reason. I love the warmth and togetherness of the family."

http://www.kboards.com/index.php/topic,10102.0.html​


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## Cindy416

Keep us posted when the next book is about to come out!

By the way, Al, my blog is finally up and running. It's a work in progress, but that's ok. I have a hard time deciding what I want to feature, so my tendency to procrastinate takes over. Once I post something, I have to force myself to not do several in rapid succession. Check it out at www.myeclecticrange.com . (I told you that I'd let you know once it was actually up and running.)


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## BrassMan

Cindy416 said:


> Keep us posted when the next book is about to come out!
> 
> By the way, Al, my blog is finally up and running. Check it out at www.myeclecticrange.com . (I told you that I'd let you know once it was actually up and running.)


Excellent, Cindy--it's beautiful! It made me hungry, and I just finished breakfast. Sensational recipes there!

By the way, today's Google Doodle featured the Roswell alien. They missed our favorite alien, Ana Darcy. But that's OK. We even things up at http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2013/07/google-salutes-roswell-alien-but-misses.html.








Ana's next adventure, featuring her increasingly extraordinary half-extraterrestrial daughter, is coming along nicely. We'll let you know when it's ready!


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## BrassMan

Gosh, I feel like Rip Van Winkle--been way out of pocket for a long time! 

Despite a few reverses, though, the next Distant Cousin story is almost ready.

I hope my buds from the good old days are still around. When I get some free time I'll try to check, or you can contact me, too, of course. Who remembers the Distant Cousin book clubs? That was fun.

Best to everybody! I'll be in touch....


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## Cindy416

Hi, Al! Good to see you around here again. Let me know when your next book is available.


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## BrassMan

_*Distant Cousin: Two Worlds Daughter*_ is finally published!

Somehow, a friend of my wife's found out: 
"AWESOME!!!!!!! I will download it on my iPAD this weekend. DH and I are heading to New York city for some work and for some fun with B____ and family. AND I need my Distant Cousin nearby on the airplane 
THANKS THANKS THANKS"

An ER surgeon friend emailed at 4 a.m.:
"d*mn! The first chapter got me hooked (again). Hopefully I'll have the fortitude to wait till tomorrow to continue. I still have some work to do."

That's the whole idea-->

_"I think that having fun is a social function.... I think about the reader who has to put up with these pages. He needs to have fun, he needs gratification; this is my moral. Someone bought the book, paid money, invests time: he has to have fun." _ 
--Italo Calvino








Most likely, only veteran Kindle Boarders will remember the Distant Cousin stories. A quick intro:

"The most distinguishing trademark of Al Past's Distant Cousin books is their obvious similarity to some of Steven Spielberg's best movies. Ana Darcy is much like E.T. without the Disney cuteness or childhood orientation. She is an E.T.-type character for an adult audience. The sense of wonder we all had the first time we watched Close Encounters of the Third Kind is magically reincarnated. Reading all the Distant Cousin books is like playing a movie in your head. This is the way we want life to be. This is the way we want Americans to respond to aliens if they ever arrive on Earth. Life should always be like this." (Floyd M. Orr, PODBRAM)"

In the sixth tale of Earth's first extraterrestrial and her family, Ana Darcy Mendez finds herself on the other side of the world with her husband and children out of town, when both her extraordinary children suddenly face major life decisions--even deadly danger. We have all heard of teenagers who did things they barely survived, that shaped their characters--and that their parents never knew of. What sort of decisions will Ana's children make? And will their parents ever find out?

For more information:

*The covers make the Distant Cousin books look like science fiction, but the author disagrees...mostly:*
http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2011/12/so-you-dont-like-science-fiction.html

*Why would Kindle Board members tell the author "You suck?"*
http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2009/10/cue-horn-toot-toot.html (the first time)
http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2011/01/it-happened-again-you-suck.html (the second)

*What do authors and writers say about the books?*
http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2010/12/when-writers-write-writers.html

*What's the deal with the series' main character, anyway?*
http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2011/04/distant-cousin-watch-trailer.html

*You can "Look Within" for a few pages if you like, or you can read the whole first chapter, which sets the main story nicely:*
http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/p/sneak-peek-chapter-1-of-distant-cousin.html

*How much is it, anyway? ($2.99)*
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_0_9?url=search-alias%3Ddigital-text&field-keywords=distant%20cousin&sprefix=distant+c%2Cdigital-text%2C648&rh=i%3Adigital-text%2Ck%3Adistant%20cousin

To the many veteran Kindle Boarders who have enjoyed the books, and to those who discover them and enjoy them, please pay it forward and tell others. I'm a terrible messenger and anyway, I have more stories to write. Thank you so much!


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## Cindy416

Thanks for the update, Al! I'll buy it soon. 

Good to hear from you. Now, get started writing. 

Cindy


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## BrassMan

*This just in!

Announcing the purchase of the movie and television rights to the Distant Cousin stories by an agent in Hollywood!*​







The many readers who said they saw a movie playing in their heads while they were reading may some day get the chance to compare visions. The agent, whose wife loves the books too, says there's plenty material there to make a whole television season, or more.

For more, see http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2014/07/distant-cousin-movie-it-could-happen.html​
Also new: columnist tours West Texas to see what Ana Darcy saw:
http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2014/07/what-do-ten-year-old-and-journalist.html


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## Betsy the Quilter

Woohoo, Al!!

That is great news indeed!

Off to re-read some Distant Cousin. 

Betsy


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## BrassMan

Indeed, and thanks!

BTW, every time I see a gorgeous, unique quilt design I think of you. I hope you're still quilting and going to Houston.

Enjoy your reading!


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## BrassMan

_Two Worlds Daughter_ has received some lovely reviews, about half by Kindle Boarders (I think). Two excerpts:

"I think this may be my new favorite of the series! I have read the Distant Cousin series from the beginning and have loved each one; I really feel that the Mendez family is my family too!"

and

"This is an excellent continuation of the Distant Cousin Series. We've watched Ana come to Earth, cause some trouble, get into some trouble, settle down, get married, get into more trouble, have two wonderful kids, etc., etc. I've really enjoyed watching the characters grow and become part of my family."

And this reminder, from another: "It stands alone as an easy, captivating read even if the other books in the series have not been read."

Thanks so much, folks!


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## BrassMan

Here are more reviews of the recently published _Two Worlds Daughter_!

* Unbelievable! Just when I think the series has come to an end, wow!! another book that I can't put down but don't want the story to end! I just love the progression and growth of all the people involved in this book.

* Well worth the wait, this sixth book of the Distant Cousin series is great reading for a rainy Saturday afternoon, a snow day or just any day you want to escape into a cleverly created, thoughtful new world. Combining current headline news, cutting-edge science, tantalizing possibilities of future space travel and emerging technologies, along with the refreshing inside look at a warm Hispanic-Thoman family in New Mexico, the reader must ask, "Why aren't there more current books that give us such satisfying reading experiences?"

* The main character, who is from another planet, and her children have a spiritual nature that makes you want to hold them close, the way a child hugs her doll. The action is swift and intense. I was on the edge of my (dining) chair the whole time until the last gulp that left me immensely satisfied!

And a personal favorite, from a friend and fellow writer and musician:

* I'm really enjoying DC 6. In fact, one of the highest compliments I can pay to an author is the admission that I nearly missed my subway stop on the way to church yesterday morning! Of course I like all the characters and situations, etc. but the main thing is just that you know how to spin a story. That's really the bottom line for me.

And later, she added this:

I'm pretty far along. Just finished the scene where Clio visits the old dying rich guy. I don't mind telling you my eyes misted up a little. Maybe even better test of a book than almost missing your stop is getting teary-eyed on the subway! Anyway, I'm thoroughly enjoying it. I'll be sorry when I finish it. I do like the way you have all these different situations going on, and yet I know somehow they're all going to dovetail in the end.

Thanks to all who have enjoyed the books, and doubly so to the Kindle Boarders who have said so!


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## BrassMan

*Why did Ana Darcy say, "Hmmm....?"*

In today's news:

*'The truth is still out there': Outgoing top Obama aide John Podesta reveals his biggest regret from 2014 was his failure to disclose UFO files"*
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2953240/The-truth-Outgoing-Obama-aide-John-Podesta-reveals-biggest-regret-2014-failure-disclose-UFO-files.html

Ana would just as soon he continue to regret it, and that no such files ever be disclosed.


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## BrassMan

Coming soon! *A new adventure for Ana Darcy and the Méndez family!*

Sorry to have been so scarce recently, but the soon-to-be-published story will tell the tale, quite literally.

A semi-hint: like many authors I like to begin my books with a quote. Here's the one for the forthcoming volume, which I heartily endorse:

_"Publishers, readers, booksellers, even critics, acclaim the novel that one can deliciously sink into, forget oneself in, the novel that returns us to the innocence of childhood or the dream of the cartoon, the novel of a thousand confections and no unwanted significance."_ (James Wood)

Please watch this space!


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## BrassMan

Sneaky good news for the friends and friends-to-be of the extraterrestrial *Ana Darcy* and her New Mexican family! There's a new account of their most recent adventures out for Kindle, and at a budget price! Amazon has not yet fully linked the e-edition to the dead tree edition (that'll be next week) but KindleBoarders can enjoy it now! Here's the info:








Publisher's blurb:
I highly recommend that any intellectually curious reader begin with the first book in the series. You will not be able to put it down. I also recommend a perusal of the Ana Darcy Blog to see the complete three-dimensional story that Al has created. Note that the story has been contracted to a movie agent, a fate it most certainly deserves. As All-American entertaining fiction, the Distant Cousin Series is hot stuff! Reading all the Distant Cousin books is like playing a movie in your head. This is the way we want life to be. This is the way we want Americans to respond to aliens if they ever arrive on Earth. Life should always be like this. (Floyd M. Orr, POD Book Reviews & More)

All families experience stress, but the Méndez family of Mesilla, New Mexico is a special case. Ana Méndez is the first alien to have reached Earth from another planet. She and her New Mexican husband and their eerily gifted young adult twins live peaceful secret lives in their home on the Rio Grande River--except for their increasing identity problems. What could be better stress relief than a family vacation to their husband's ancestral home in Chihuahua, Mexico, with good company, new sights, fancy food, and adventure? But after the local "Saint of Death" enters the scene, the delightful vacation suddenly takes a dangerous turn....

===========

Several who know me well have already taken advantage:

1. A classical musician, NYC: "Well I did something I don't do that often and that was skip to the end of the novel I was reading to sort of see how it turned out. The style of it was just getting me down. Life is too short for books that you don't look forward to reading! I used to be really diligent and read all the way through, even if I didn't like the book. But no more!
So now I've started another book and already in the first chapter it's humming along and is something I look forward to reading. What might that be?
I love the way every one of your books starts off differently and is obviously going to be different from the last. No formula writing here! So I think I'll get back to it!

2. An ER surgeon, TX: "post call up for 30 hours trying to go to sleep started reading your book realized if I didn't put it down after chapter 1 I would be up all night. Now continued today so far so good loving it"

3. An environmental scientist, CO: "I am waiting until next week to start when I finish one of my projects since reading your books is like putting a giant bag of chips in front of me &#8230; can't stop until it is all done "

And for those who have so far missed the fun, the earlier stories are all in the signature line below, each at less than half the cost of an order of fries. And fries are bad for you. *Distant Cousin* is good for you!


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## BrassMan

It's happened again! The Distant Cousin stories have scooped the news again, twice!

This makes at least ten times, in medicine, athletics, politics, and more. The above unfortunate gent, El Chapo, is real, but another such, one El Checo (I swear) ran into the extraterrestrial Ana Darcy and her daughter in northern Mexico only five months ago. His case turned out differently, but I'll say no more about that!

The other nine scoops are listed at http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2016/01/el-chapo-or-el-checo-distant-cousin.html.

Let's hear it for Kindle editions!


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## BrassMan

Ana Darcy loves NPR, and seldom misses the weekly puzzle with Will Shortz, crossword puzzle editor for the New York Times. Not long ago Mr. Shortz offered a puzzle from one of his favorite puzzle masters. It's simple to set up but not so easy to solve:

Using only standard mathematical symbols (x, =, /, etc.) make three nines (9, 9, and 9) equal 20.

Ana's son Julio figured it out before Ana did, but then Julio, after playing with it a bit, realized something else interesting about it. If you try this one but have difficulty solving it, see the answer, and Julio's clever explication, at http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2016/01/ana-and-son-explain-another-cool-math.html.


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## BrassMan

The Mesilla Valley, along the Rio Grande between El Paso, Texas, and Las Cruces, New Mexico, is a surprisingly fertile and historic part of the Chihuahuan desert. From an airplane, the land that has supplied farm crops for over 300 years stands out from the harsh desert and mountains on either side.










The darkest green areas are vast pecan orchards which produce millions of pounds of pecans every year. My fictional Méndez family, with the extraterrestrial wife, live along Highway 28, the original road along the river between the two cities. The pecan orchards are featured in many of the Distant Cousin books, not least because Ana Méndez keeps her space pod hidden in a garage in one of them when it isn't being used in her adventures. Most recently, in Distant Cousin: Santa Muerte, her daughter Clio drives her cousin Doro down the highway to look at a horse. Doro finds the ride through all those trees "almost hypnotic." You can get a brief idea of the experience yourself in this YouTube video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IbRCG3VnBkQ&feature=youtu.be


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## BrassMan

Amazon has Distant Cousin (icon below) at $.99 at the moment. I have no idea how long it will stay that way, but man, for the moment, it's a steal!


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## BrassMan

Guess who's eReader1's featured author this month?










No, sorry, not her! This guy:










http://www.ereader1.net/2016/05/may-author-of-month-al-past.html


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## BrassMan

*Just out!*

To mark the beginning of the development of the Distant Cousin stories for a television miniseries, this collector's edition of the arrival of Ana Darcy features photographs, new details of Ana's acculturation, new typography, a linked table of contents, links to the online treasury, and a forward by Floyd M. Orr. The Kindle edition is bargain priced!

What if our first contact from another planet was a human? What if the first real alien to visit Earth from another solar system was a woman on a mission to find the distantly related cousins of her own people? What if she brought with her a warning of an impending disaster of apocalyptic proportions? And what if nobody believed her?

Al Past's novel Distant Cousin is a most unusual science fiction story with a most unusual heroine. Ana Darcy has jeopardized her mission and cut herself off from her own people to bring a desperate warning to Earth authorities. Astronomers at a Texas observatory don't believe her, but the US military is willing to interrogate her, under custody of course. Her astonishing escape from Army detainment is our first hint that she may be more than she first appears and capable of more than we imagine. While the military scrambles to locate and recapture the woman they call "Gidget from Outer Space," Darcy realizes that her journey to Earth has placed her in the path of the oncoming destruction and she will suffer Earth's fate if the calamity is not avoided. Befriended by ordinary people as varied as the family of a Texas dude ranch foreman, a mild-mannered reporter, and an Olympic contender from the Caribbean, Darcy conceives a daring plan to evade government capture while hiding in plain sight, and to deliver her warning in a manner which cannot possibly be ignored. Afterward, she might just fall in love, if she can trust her own feelings, and if she can trust her boyfriend with the truth about her origins.

This is a science fiction novel which might better be described as a love story with scientific speculation. The premise of humans on another world is startling, and the author reels out details about Darcy's home world so sparingly that our curiosity is cleverly aroused. It is only when unexpected arrivals provoke a sudden crisis of diplomacy that we learn exactly what Darcy gave up in accepting her mission to Earth, and what she might be running from.

Click the cover below for the Kindle edition!


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## BrassMan

Once again, something in today's headlines was foreseen in the world of Ana Darcy's Distant Cousin chronicles. Ana admitted, in her 2005 debut in Distant Cousin Arrival, that she had had her genes slightly modified before she was born, and she went on to explain the main two differences that set her apart from most of her fellows on Earth. Today, in a story on NPR's Morning Edition (Swedish Scientist Seeks To Edit DNA Of Healthy Human Embryos*) we learn that our own scientists, for better or worse (hopefully for better) are beginning to investigate that very possibility now.

The Distant Cousin stories have anticipated developments in science and the news many times before--more than a dozen so far (examples**). Readers disagree, however, as to whether the stories are "science fiction" or not. There is no time travel, no hopping blithely from galaxy to galaxy, no worm holes to other dimensions, and the like. Ana's world is our world, pretty much, our world today.

But one shouldn't read the Distant Cousin stories merely to wonder about future advancements in science and technology. What's fun are the great characters, in colorful places and unexpected situations, situations that intrigue and stir your imagination.*** That is the reason Distant Cousin is being turned into a miniseries****. It may take years to appear, but you don't have to wait. The pleasure is available right now!

------------------
*Swedish Scientist: http://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2016/09/22/494591738/breaking-taboo-swedish-scientist-seeks-to-edit-dna-of-healthy-human-embryos

**Examples: http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2012/06/distant-cousin-predicts-future-nine.html

***KindleBoarders say "You suck!" http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2009/10/cue-horn-toot-toot.html

****Screenwriter/producer working on miniseries pilot: http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2014/07/distant-cousin-movie-it-could-happen.html


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## BrassMan

Several KBorders have asked me how the screenwriter is coming on the script for the miniseries pilot for Distant Cousin. I thought I might hear something last month, but no luck. So I asked my agent who asked the screenwriter. Here's his answer:

"I'm in New York for the premier of the show I did last fall for TNT- and look what's with me! I'm working on DC between 'gunfire' as I've been dodging bullets on this new show daily!"

And he included this photo:








Bottom line 1: He's busy at his business (that's good), but he's still excited enough about the Distant Cousin series that he's also working on it nights! 
Bottom line 2: It'll still be awhile getting to the screen, but KBoarders don't have to wait, and it's budget priced!


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## BrassMan

*Distant Cousin Arrival*,​
*subject of three KBoards book clubs, will be available free Tuesday through Thursday, December 13, 14, & 15!*​
There's enough action in this one book for a whole season of a miniseries, but I cannot yet say how much the screenwriter will include. I do know that he knows his business, having worked on two prize-winning miniseries, The Wire and Treme. It could be a while before we get to this stage:








But I know he's working on it even while getting another show finished. He sent me this (of the first edition), from his NYC hotel room:








But you need not wait--you are welcome to join the previous KindleBoarders who have enjoyed it, and this time it's free! (The link is at the left, below.)

Happy Holidays and best wishes!


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## BrassMan

*And we're off!*


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## BrassMan

We're rolling! Mr. Van Wilson's pumped about the series, which he says is perfect for broadcast television: it's not too "strong," i.e., bloody/violent/sexy, but has something for everyone, and the entire series has plenty material for five full seasons!

But a reminder more to the immediate point: you needn't wait. The whole "five seasons" (seven novels) are available for Kindle now for the price of a movie ticket and some popcorn!


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## BrassMan

L'Affaire Hollywood is still ongoing. I cannot follow all the dealings with producers, directors, screenwriters, and such, but I await several meetings in August for further developments.

In the meantime, there is news of my first book, published quite a while ago. It's now out in a digital edition! I have no idea how many of we Kindleboarders may be musicians, particularly of other-than-keyboard instruments, but my Baroque Duets book is still one of the best sets of arrangements for two instruments of works by Bach, Handel, Vivaldi, and others.

There's more about it at http://anadarcy.blogspot.com/2011/03/anas-brain-is-filled-with-frisks-and.html,
including a printable duet and a link to the same duet being performed to a "T" by two professional trumpet players. Cheers!


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## BrassMan

'Tis the season!

Instead of a Christmas card, how 'bout a West Texas/New Mexico/chicano/action/suspense/romance w. a bit of sci fi story, huh? It's fun and it's *free*, Wed-Fri, Dec.6-8.

Merry Christmas, everyone!

(Click Distant Cousin Regeneration, the green one, below.)


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## BrassMan

Lots of us are sick and desperately tired of all the upsetting news lately. I certainly am. For many of us, at least, well-chosen recreational reading can provide a welcome break. In fact, I have recently heard from several readers who have gone back to the Distant Cousin stories they've enjoyed previously.

One reader, an ER surgeon I know mainly from email, belatedly reviewed Distant Cousin Arrival at Amazon in 2014: "After reading the most recent (6th) book, I've gone back to start the series over. Love it the 2nd time as much as the first." Recently he emailed that he had just read the series for the THIRD time, adding "When rereading book 7 I was surprised that I had forgotten some parts of the story, but then I realized I had only read book 7 once before, not twice."

Another is a retired English teacher of my acquaintance who earlier this year reread all seven Distant Cousin books because she liked them so much the first time. She has chosen the fifth one (Distant Cousin Recirculation) for her book club.

Another friend, a serious writer (her first book was favorably reviewed at The New York Times) emailed this: "I finished Distant Cousin: Recirculation [#4] last week. It took longer than I expected mostly because life and work kept getting between me and a good story. I hate that. Things have been extremely difficult around here. The adventures of the Mendez family provided a wonderful distraction. And the ending filled me with hope, for some inexplicable reason. I love the warmth and togetherness of the family. Anyway, thanks so much for the book Al. It preserved the tiny bit of sanity I possess, or at least that I think I possess. Some illusions die hard."

Finally, one from a hardworking commercial gardener and military veteran: "I wanted to tell you that between the time you gave me Distant Cousin [Santa Muerte] and we left for vacation, I read 89% of the book. When we got home, nearly the first thing I did after unloading the car was to pick the book back up, and I am just about to finish it. I love this book. I have not read anything non-work related in a while, and this book is so completely refreshing, the characters are excellent, there is a great pace, and this book is a lot of fun."

The earliest Kindle Board members might remember the three book clubs that featured Distant Cousin stories. More recent members will find all the Kindle editions bargain priced. If whichever one you try helps you feel better, that's what I want, and my best wishes to you!


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## BrassMan

*Four of the Distant Cousin books are currently free on Amazon's Kindle Unlimited!*

This seems a particularly good time for a series about which one reader wrote "What a nice surprise 'Distant Cousin' was--quite unique. It has humor, moves along at a pleasant pace, and the main characters have realistic flaws and faults that I could identify with...I found myself smiling the entire time I was reading it. There is a subtle wisdom and numerous life philosophies throughout this book. To sum it up: good story - thoughtful, comfortable, and fun!"

Take a look! https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_6_8?url=search-alias%3Ddigital-text&field-keywords=distant%20cousin&sprefix=distant+%2Cdigital-text%2C468&rh=i%3Adigital-text%2Ck%3Adistant%20cousin


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