Pink Snowbunnies Publication and Giveaway

A sleep-deprived author mixes up her metaphors.

A graphic designer has too much time on his hands.

Twenty writers, fueled by copious amounts of chocolate, dream up quirky, funny, and occasionally creepy stories.

And the Pink Snowbunnies in Hell: A Flash-Fiction Anthology was born.

These are very short stories, under a thousand words each. Some have actual bunnies. Some take rather offbeat trips through the underworld. And some just have a character that shares the sleep-deprived author’s mixed metaphors.

All proceeds from this anthology are going to local animal shelters. Pink snowbunnies can take care of themselves, but thank you for helping us support those animals who do need a little assistance.

My flash fiction story, "Pink Snowbunnies are the New Pink Ribbon," is now available for your reading pleasure. The humor flash fiction anthology includes stories that are "a bit of strange, a bit of funny, and a bit of sweet," as a fellow Snowbunnies author so aptly said. Some take the location literally; I didn't, in a way to which my fellow Texans may best relate.

My story introduces the main character from my pending novel, Dormant. Meet Jackie Davenport on her first day as a reporter for the Chronicle. For those wondering, my story is at Kindle Location 357, and there is a click-able table of contents to make it easier to locate.


Contest and Giveaway
To celebrate publication, I am hosting an appropriately chocolate-fueled giveaway. The person who comments with the most creative chocolate recipe will win a free copy of Pink Snowbunnies in Hell: A Flash-Fiction Anthology, in the format of their choice (MOBI, EPUB, or PDF via email). Consider adding extra hilarity through puns or unusual ingredients, but don't get too crazy; I actually want to make and eat the recipe! Links to online recipes are allowed. This does not have to be your original recipe, but feel free to give it a new name.

The contest starts now and ends on Thursday, September 8, Sunday, September 11, 2011. The winner will be selected and announced here on Friday, September 9, Monday, September 12, so please check back and/or make sure you include an email address. (If you would rather not leave your email address, you can email me at jimiripleywrites @ gmail.com.) As a bonus, I will blog the story and photo of my attempt—successful or not—to create the chocolate decadence.
 
The anthology is available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Smashwords.

Can you learn about Korea through its cuisine?

I am on a quest to learn more about Korea. In a few short days, my parents will fly out to begin a new four-year mission: working in South Korea. Popular wisdom says that you can learn about a culture through its cuisine. I love trying new foods, with a few reservations, so I'm intrigued to try.

"The Kimchi Chronicles" recently caught my eye. Hosted by Marja Vongerichten, the PBS show revolves around her rediscovery of her Korean roots. Can someone married to a professional chef make food that is accessible to the average American, particularly Korean food that I can cook? Having been immersed in a confusing, new world on a few trips to Asian markets, I can imagine the challenge that my parents face.

Has anyone seen the show or read its companion book, The Kimchi Chronicles: Korean Cooking for an American Kitchen? I downloaded a sample of the Kindle version, but I would welcome personal feedback. I want to watch the show, but it airs at at 8am here, and I don't have any way to record for later viewing.

You can expect me to be scarce around here as I soak in some quality time with my parents before their departure. I will be back to blogging on my usual schedule by the beginning of September. Meanwhile, please comment to share interesting facts or links related to Korea.

Good news for toddlers getting their flu vaccine

Nasal spray vaccine
Nati Harnik/Associated Press

Good news for children under three years! Toddlers receive the same protective antibody response from the recommended two doses of licensed seasonal flu vaccines administered through any of these methods:

• Injected by needle
• Inhaled through nasal spray
• Provided through one dose of each, in any order

The goal of the study, funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), was to determine whether giving two types of vaccines works just as well.

Even better, the researchers found that the toddlers who received at least one dose of the nasal spray vaccine—a live, attenuated influenza virus vaccine (LAIV)—made a wide array of immune T cells. Stimulating broad T-cell responses may be important for protection against many diverse flu strains.

This is good news for parents as well. My son seems to bring home every bug that goes through his daycare, so it's good to know that we can help prevent at least one. Getting your little one vaccinated also protects their playmates, teachers, parents, and other caregivers. Please make sure that you talk to your doctor about immunizations. If in doubt, feel free to read some of my blogs on vaccines, particularly the one titled "Vaccines are a victim of their own success."