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Come on and join author Melissa Bradley as she sets off on her latest adventure...

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If you are not 18, please exit stage left. While there is normally nothing naughty here, I do write and review erotica so there are links to spicy stuff and the occasional heated excerpt.

Sunday, December 4, 2011

Briefcase Encounters: A Review And Some Cool News For A Change

Yes, Imaginarians, I have had a time of it, but while things are still very dark, there is finally a little teeny tiny crack of light. Your continued support means the world to me. I just wanted to make to tell you that I'm not stopping blogging or anything, just have to drop out every now and again to ride the waves. It'll be like that for the foreseeable future, but I've got my head up and I should be okay.

Check this. Oh. My. God. I am Top at The Movie411 Awards for Sexiest Female Author. Nothing like being called sexiest when the world is off-kilter and careening out of control. You can vote here for moi, if you so choose, but most importantly just get your fine selves over there and vote for your fave cinegeeks, cinephiles and fellow wicked awesome bloggers. It's a hellagood party.

Now on to this review. I am very excited Imaginarians, because one of my favorite authors, Alexander Hammond, has just released a new collection of tales. Brief(case) Encounters is a witty, thought-provoking and self-effacing collection of travel stories that will have you howling with laughter and picking your jaw up off the floor all within the space a few paragraphs. Part erudite comedian, part no-holds-barred tour guide with a slice of philosopher and a dash of cultural anthropologist mixed in, Encounters offers a unique take on world travel.

Hammond has a way with language that just leaves me green with envy. His metaphors are true gems that paint an exact picture without ever straying into the realm of cliché or over use. For instance in Thai Tribulations, one of my favorites, he is on board a vomit comet of a boat in very rough seas, hiding up on deck to keep away from the seasick. He writes “Eventually my bladder asserted itself and I made my way to the conveniences, forgetting that I had to pass through the ‘sick room.’ I took one look. It was a Hogarth etching come to life, a vision Gustave Dore would have been proud to have created… People were lying around groaning on the floor beyond caring what they looked like. I regret to confess that natural compassion escaped me in that moment. I immediately forgot my own physical needs and returned to the deck, profoundly grateful I wasn’t one of them.” Oh God, what an image.

This book is chock full of these hilarious, nightmarish anecdotes that leave you with the dichotomy of wanting to never board a plane and yet, also having the unbearable desire to experience this stuff in person to see if it's real. In short, you have to read this book if you get the chance. For more info on Alex and to read about more of his travels, visit his blog. To purchase Brief(Case) Encounters please go here. You can also purchase his wildly brilliant, Tales From The Edge Of Forever here. Both are also available at Amazon in paperback and Kindle versions.

17 comments:

  1. Congrats on making the top 5, sweetheart. I hope you win! Already voted for you, of course ;)

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  2. I've already voted for you as well! And sent out several Twitter announcements. And featured it on my blog today. Hope you kick her butt! (And I mean that in a nice way...)

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  3. nice review, Melsy, you sexy beast, you :PPP
    I'm popping over to vote for you! I didn't want to take part this year, I wanted to leave the arena for others, but Dempsey made me do it, he has I'm a Meryl Streep of the blogosphere, crazy hunk he is :)

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  4. Sounds like a great read. I'll bookmark this. Can't wait to get my Kindle Fire for Christmas and start downloading some books!

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  5. Melissa, congrats! I'll check it out, as well as this book.

    Kathy

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  6. Congratulations and I'm off to vote for you! This book sounds like a great read, and I enjoyed reading your spirited review! Julie

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  7. Thank you for your kind words Melissa...you made me blush...and that's not east to do!

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  8. Whoops...that should have said 'easy' and not 'east'......cringe

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  9. Congratulations. I just voted. I think. It blew up on me. I'm headed back just to make sure. :)

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  10. For you, of course. :) (Forgot to say that)

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  11. You ALMOST convinced me to go and buy the book, but I'm seriously struggling to keep up with all my books. I'm drawing a line in the sand.

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  12. Great review!! Sounds like a great read. I'm glad you're not taking a big break, I enjoy coming by. I hope things start to look up sooner than later. I'm on my way to vote for you!! Congratulations for making it to the top!

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  13. Congratulations indeed, Mellita! Best of luck - you know you got MY vote!

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  14. That image reminds me of the movie North by Northwest.

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