Padme's Library: 05/26/17

Friday, May 26, 2017

Friday's Film Adaptions: Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo by Ted W Lawson

Summary:
Ted W. Lawson’s classic Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo appears in an enhanced reprint edition on the sixtieth anniversary of the Doolittle Raid on Japan. “One of the worst feelings about that time,” Ted W. Lawson writes, “was that there was no tangible enemy. It was like being slugged with a single punch in a dark room, and having no way of knowing where to slug back.” He added, “And, too, there was a helpless, filled-up, want-to-do-something feeling that [the Japanese] weren’t coming—that we’d have to go all the way over there to punch back and get even.”

Lawson gives a vivid eyewitness account of the unorthodox assignment that eighty five intrepid volunteer airmen—the “Tokyo Raiders”—under the command of celebrated flier James H. Doolittle executed in April 1942. The plan called for sixteen B-25 twin-engine medium bombers of the Army Air Corps to take off from the aircraft carrier Hornet, bomb industrial targets in Japan, and land at airfields in China. While the raid came off flawlessly, completely surprising the enemy, a shortage of fuel caused by an early departure, bad weather, and darkness took a heavy toll of the raiders. For many, the escape from China proved a greater ordeal. Peter B. Mersky provides new information on the genesis of the raid, places it in the context of the early operations against Japan, and updates Ted Lawson’s biography.

Film
General Jimmy Doolittle trains American troops for the first airborne attacks on Japan.

Release Date: November 15, 1944
Release Time: 138 minutes

Cast:
Van Johnson as Lieutenant Ted W. Lawson
Robert Walker as Corporal David Thatcher
Tim Murdock as Lt. Dean Davenport
Don DeFore as Lt. Charles McClure
Herbert Gunn as Lt. Bob Clever (as Gordon McDonald)
Phyllis Thaxter as Ellen Lawson
Stephen McNally as Lt. Thomas "Doc" White (as Horace McNally)
Spencer Tracy as Lieutenant Colonel James Doolittle
John R. Reilly as Lt. Jacob "Shorty" Manch
Robert Mitchum as Lt. Bob Gray
Scott McKay as Captain David M. "Davey" Jones
Donald Curtis as Lt. Randall
Louis Jean Heydt as Navy Lieutenant Henry Miller
William "Bill" Phillips as Lt. Don Smith
Douglas Cowan as Lt. Everett "Brick" Holstrom
Paul Langton as Captain "Ski" York
Leon Ames as Lt. Jurika
Bill Williams as Bud Felton
Robert Bice as "Jig" White
Hsin Kung as Dr. Chung (as Dr. Hsin Kung)
Benson Fong as Young Dr. Chung
Ching Wah Lee as Guerilla Charlie
Alan Napier as Mr. Parker
Ann Shoemaker as Mrs. Parker
Dorothy Morris as Jane (as Dorothy Ruth Morris)
Jacqueline White as Emmy York
Selena Royle as Mrs. Reynolds
John Dehner as Lieutenant Commander (uncredited)
Blake Edwards as Lt. Smith's Crewman (uncredited)

Awards:
1944 Academy Awards
Robert Surtees, Harold Hal Rosson - Best Black and White Cinematography - Nominated
Arnold A. Gillespie, Donald Jahraus, Warren Newcombe, Douglas Shearer - Best Special Effects - Won

Author Bio:
Ted W. Lawson (1917-1992) was a native of California. He joined the Army Air Corps while working for the Douglas Aircraft Company in Santa Monica and received his wings in November 1940. After the attack on Pearl Harbor, he volunteered for a secret mission that evolved into the raid on Tokyo in April 1942. Random House published his account of the raid, Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo, in 1943. Lawson subsequently served as a technical adviser to MGM during the making of the popular wartime movie based on his book. After retiring from military service in 1945, he reentered private industry and worked on several projects that involved aircraft and space programs.

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Junk by Josephine Myles

Title: Junk

Author: Josephine Myles

Series: Bristol Collection #1

Genre: M/M Romance

Release Date: May 25, 2017

Cover Design: Harper By Design

Summary:
He loves a good book, but he could love a good man more…

When an avalanche of books cuts off access to his living room, university librarian Jasper Richardson has to face up to the truth. His ever-growing heaps of books, magazines and newspaper can’t be classified as a collection any longer. Jasper is a hoarder, and he needs professional help.

Professional clutter clearer and counsellor Lewis Miller thinks he’s seen it all, but even he has to admit he’s shocked. Not so much from the state of Jasper’s house but from the attraction he still feels for the sexy bookworm he went to school with.

However, Lewis's ethical code forbids relationships with clients, and besides, he's determined to get over his habit of falling for unsuitable men he hopes to "fix". But as Jasper continues to make steady progress the magnetic attraction between them is so strong even Lewis has problems convincing himself it’s merely a temporary emotional attachment arising from the therapeutic process.

Jasper is determined to prove to Lewis that this is the real deal. But first he'll have to explore the root of his hoarding problem—and reveal the dark secret hidden behind his walls of books.

Warning: Contains a level-headed counsellor with a secret addiction, a bespectacled geek with a sweet tooth, a killer “to-be-read” pile, embarrassing parents, a van called Alice, and deliciously British slang.

Author Bio:
English through and through, Josephine Myles is addicted to tea and busy cultivating a reputation for eccentricity. She writes gay erotica and romance, but finds the erotica keeps cuddling up to the romance, and the romance keeps corrupting the erotica. Jo blames her rebellious muse but he never listens to her anyway, no matter how much she threatens him with a big stick. She’s beginning to suspect he enjoys it.

Jo’s novel Stuff won the 2014 Rainbow Award for Best Bisexual Romance, and her novella Merry Gentlemen won the 2014 Rainbow Award for Best Gay Romantic Comedy. She loves to be busy, and is currently having fun trying to work out how she is going to fit in her love of writing, dressmaking and attending cabaret shows in fabulous clothing around the demands of a preteen with special needs and an incessantly curious toddler.

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Aiding the Dragon by Jessie Donovan

Title: Aiding the Dragon

Author: Jessie Donovan

Series: Stonefire Dragons #9

Genre: Paranormal, Adult Fantasy

Release Date: May 25, 2017

Summary:
Teagan O’Shea is a rare female dragon-shifter leader. While her Irish clan has a tradition of female leaders, they have always had to hide behind a male face publicly to prevent the other clans from viewing them as weaker and then attacking. When the truth leaks, Teagan is faced with a choice—hand over the leadership to a male or invite the challengers to a leadership trial and earn her place. Out to prove having a penis isn’t required to be a leader, she picks the latter.

Aaron Caruso is sent to Ireland under the guise of repairing relations between two clans on the isle of Ireland. However, upon arrival he learns the truth. Determined to secure Teagan’s place so he can escape her alluring eyes and addicting personality, he busies himself with helping her any way he can. A female used him once and he’s not about to go through that again, no matter how much the Irish female tempts him.

As the pair work together on preparations for the leadership trial, both Aaron and Teagan start to see each other in a new light. Both have their own self-imposed loneliness and yearn for something they can’t have. Can Aaron and Teagan not only change tradition but also open their hearts? Or will they each be doomed to live alone to fight their inner battles?

Teagan’s heart thumped inside her chest. Not because of all the eyes on her. She was used to that.
No, it was because of the devilish look in Aaron’s eyes. She had a feeling he’d make her forget about everything but keeping up with him.

Her dragon spoke up. That’s a good thing. Once he knows our touch, he’ll be begging to kiss us in a dark corner somewhere.

Before she could state again that she wasn’t going to kiss Aaron that evening, the music began. She and Aaron bowed to one another before circling each other left and then right.

His dark brown eyes were intense, but it was foolish to think he was focusing on her. The male was competitive and out to win. He was probably looking for any fault to take advantage of.

Too bad Teagan was determined to outshine him first. Just because she could take down a male who weighed several stone more than her didn’t mean she couldn’t be dainty and graceful in order to outdo a male on the dance floor, too.

She put out her right hand and Aaron his left. The instant their palms touched, a shot of electricity raced through her body. But she didn’t have time to study Aaron and see if he felt the same pull of attraction as she.

True mate or not, she would admit he was a handsome male. And with his eyes and smiles, he’d probably danced with many females. Teagan wouldn’t read into anything.

They twirled with their hands clasped and released at the right moment to spin around and face each other once more. Aaron reached out and placed a hand on her waist to pull her close. She sucked in a breath at the heat of his skin through the thin material of her dress.

Aaron’s pupils flashed to slits and back before he took her hand and led her in the pattern of the dance. As their bodies moved in time to the music, she was content to allow him to lead.

Her dragon chuckled. It’s the first step to my grand plan. I look forward to him leading in other ways, such as when we’re naked.

Teagan concentrated on the steps of the dance before replying, You’re not helping. I don’t want to stumble.

Aaron increased his movements as the tempo picked up. She murmured, “You’re better at this than I thought.”

He tilted his head. “So are you ready to wax on about my dancing skills?”

She rolled her eyes. “One dance proves nothing. All I have to do is request an Irish one, and you’d be on the sidelines within seconds, nursing a twisted ankle or worse.”

“Then it’s a good thing I don’t own a pair of the special shoes you need to make the tapping sounds. I can sit out from the beginning and merely watch your legs as they flail about.”

As Aaron spun her, he pulled her tighter against his body. Only because the dance was ingrained into her being did she not miss a step. Aaron radiated an unimaginable amount of heat. A faint sheen of sweat probably covered her face from both dancing and being in Aaron’s proximity.

Her beast spoke up. We’d never be cold in bed again.

Focusing on the male, she kept up with him. “We have plenty of those types of shoes to share. I’m sure one of my Protectors would lend you theirs.”

“I might twist my ankle, and then I wouldn’t be able to face you in the morning. Which would you rather have—me stumbling to prove you’re a better dancer or having me available to brush up your skills to prepare for the upcoming challenge?” he asked.

“You’re right. I think I’d rather pin you to the ground and have you cede to me. That’ll be more satisfying.”

Aaron put extra energy into his turn as he murmured, “I was just thinking the same thing.”

Author Bio:
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Jessie Donovan wrote her first story at age five, and after discovering the Dragonriders of Pern series by Anne McCaffrey in junior high, realized that people actually wanted to read stories like those floating around inside her head. From there on out, she was determined to tap into her over-active imagination and write a book someday.

After living abroad for five years and earning degrees in Japanese, Anthropology, and Secondary Education, she buckled down and finally wrote her first full-length book. While that story will never see the light of day, it laid the world-building groundwork of what would become her debut paranormal romance, Blaze of Secrets. In late 2014, she became a New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author.

Jessie loves to interact with readers. When not reading a book or traipsing around some foreign country on a shoestring, can often be found on Facebook.

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Pre-Order Blitz: Dark Illusions by DD Miers

Title: Dark Illusions

Author: DD Miers

Series: The Relic Keeper #2

Genre: Adult, Urban Fantasy

Expected Release Date: June 20, 2017

Summary:
They say a war is brewing in the unseen world—and I’m the only one who can stop it.

Eight weeks ago, a woman sacrificed herself for me. She believed with such certainty I would save this world, she used the last of her powers to protect me. But not everyone shares her conviction. The Council has turned to less than savory methods to force out my magic, and as nightmarish visions fill my head, I’m no longer sure I can trust myself.

Attacks from the Necros grow bolder every day. To keep me hidden, the fiercely irresistible sorcerer at my side will take me to his underworld; a place no sane person would dare to follow. But the whispers stalk me everywhere…hunting me, wanting me. And the more I run, the more I realize that safety may be just another dark illusion.

Book 2 in the captivating urban fantasy series filled with twists and gripped by a complicated, butterfly-inducing romance. Fans of Shannon Mayer, Ella Summers, Dannika Dark and Rebecca Hamilton will love this series!

Praise for Book One – Dark Summoner
“Mesmerizing. . .had me completely under its spell.”
“Danger, excitement, passion, and turmoil.”
“An exceptional story full of rich characters.”
“This story has one biting her nails and sitting on the edge of her seat while eagerly turning every single page.”

*** FIRST PLACE WINNER *** 2015 International Digital Awards – Paranormal Romance
***Nerdy Girl Book Reviews*** HOT READS FEATURE, RomCon Magazine August 2015 Edition

Author Bio:
D.D. Miers is an ardent book lover, coffee enthusiast, and die-hard romance fan. When she's not writing, she can be found snuggling on the couch with a good book in hand, planning a Harry Potter themed party, or dancing very badly to music. She currently resides in beautiful Southern California with her wonderful husband, a crazy toddler, and the many different characters in her head.