Being pulled into the world of a gripping novel can trigger actual, measurable changes in the brain that linger for at least five days after reading, scientists have said.

The new research, carried out at Emory University in the US, found that reading a good book may cause heightened connectivity in the brain and neurological changes that persist in a similar way to muscle memory.

The changes were registered in the left temporal cortex, an area of the brain associated with receptivity for language, as well as the the primary sensory motor region of the brain.

Neurons of this region have been associated with tricking the mind into thinking it is doing something it is not, a phenomenon known as grounded cognition – for example, just thinking about running, can activate the neurons associated with the physical act of running.

Read more at The Independent

SEE ALSO: Lost At E Minor, 100 best novels
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Essays on the Constitution of the United States
Purchase Essays on the Constitution of the United States with 15% off of the cover price of $15.95 with coupon code AUGUST305.

6×9 Paperback
8×10 Large Print Edition
Check out all of my titles!

Offer ends September 15, 2011.

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Disclaimer: Use coupon code AUGUST305 at checkout and receive 15% off Essays on the Constitution of the United States. Maximum savings with this promotion is $100. You can only use the code once per account, and you can’t use this coupon in combination with other coupon codes. This great offer ends on September 15, 2011 at 11:59 PM so try not to procrastinate! While very unlikely we do reserve the right to change or revoke this offer at anytime, and of course we cannot offer this coupon where it is against the law to do so. Finally, Lulu incurs the cost of this discount, so it does not impact the Author’s proceeds of the book.

Save 15%, up to $50, on any of my books.  Enter MAYSAVE305 as the coupon code at checkout.

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Enter coupon code MAYSAVE305 at checkout and receive 15% off your order. The maximum savings for this coupon is $50. Offer good towards print costs only – shipping and tax amounts are excluded. You can only use the code once per account, and you can’t use this coupon in combination with other coupon codes. This great offer ends on May 31, 2011 at 11:59 PM so try not to procrastinate! While very unlikely we do reserve the right to change or revoke this offer at anytime, and of course we cannot offer this coupon where it is against the law to do so. Transaction must be in US Dollars. The discount for this coupon is incurred by Lulu and does not impact an Author’s proceeds.

Jules Gabriel Verne (French pronunciation: [ʒyl vɛʁn]; February 8, 1828 – March 24, 1905) was a French author from Brittany who pioneered the science-fiction genre. He is best known for novels such as Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea (1870), A Journey to the Center of the Earth (1864), and Around the World in Eighty Days (1873). Verne wrote about space, air, and underwater travel before air travel and practical submarines were invented, and before practical means of space travel had been devised. Some of his books have been made into films. Verne, along with Hugo Gernsback and H. G. Wells, is often popularly referred to as the “Father of Science Fiction”.

The January sales contest is on at LULU.com. You can enter READ2011 at checkout to receive 10%* off of your order and help me win a contest.

One of my recommendations is the fictional thriller A Shroud of Evidence. One review states, “This book is intense. So like what it may be like someday. It has a lot of action, suspense and even love. A good read. I recommend it highly. My compliments to the author.” If you have an Amazon, Barnes and Nobles or other online book store account, you can purchase through those sites, but you cannot use the coupon code. 6×9 paperback.

Another pick is Concerning the Militia. This book started out as a research project during the Clinton administration and grew into a reference book. I would guess much of it you already knew or may have seen. Can be purchased in hardcover or paperback through LULU.com only.

The Patriotic Observances Handbook is a guide to the latest patriotic observances and legal Federal Holidays plus a perpetual calendar. This one came about as I searched for information on the LEGAL HOLIDAY National Prayer Day.

2011 Patriot Journal contains some of the information from the Patriotic Observance Handbook. Contains spaces for monthly appointments and journal pages.

My latest work, A Clause for Concern is an examination of the Interstate Commerce Clause of the Constitution by a non-lawyer. Just how far does this Constitutional Power of Congress extend? What of other Constitutional authorities that the Congress has delegated or ignored? I must admit that this one may contain some mistakes, but I reference source material for you to look up.

I also have some reprints of older books such as A View of the Constitution of the United States of America. American Documents Volume II contain the Federalist Papers and American Documents Volume III contain some of the Anti-Federalist Papers. You can see all of the books I have available at my online store.

Please remember, a portion of the proceeds from the sale of these books goes toward buying houses, cars, food, etc.

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* Disclaimer: Enter coupon code ‘ READ2011 ‘ during checkout and save 10% off the purchase price. Discount cannot be used to pay for, nor shall be applied to, applicable taxes or shipping and handling charges. Maximum amount that can be applied to discount is $10.00 per account. Promotional codes cannot be applied to any previous orders. No exchanges or substitutions allowed. Only one valid promotional code can be used per order. Offer expires January 31, 2011 at 11:59 PM EDT. Lulu.com reserves the right to change or revoke this offer at any time. Void where prohibited.

By Lorraine Brown Jones
Illustrated by Cosette Riggs
Published by Inspired Originals
Available at Create Space for $9.99 and Amazon.com for $13.33.
(Price at Amazon may come down.)
Web Site

In the The Night Before Christmas, nothing was stirring, not even a mouse. In the nineteen page child’s book, Peedie’s Christmas, Peedie—a mouse—is stirring and believes that he has ruined Christmas.

I am not a connoisseur of the child’s book as I have just finished puberty. And my kids are a little older. I do have a little expert next door whom has promised to read it and let me know her opinion. I’ll let you know the results.

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UPDATE: My little reader tells me that she liked the book. She was probably more fascinated with the illustrations since she is not at the reading stage. Her Dad, however, said it was very well done and a cute story.

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The illustrations are nice and the poem is smooth. The illustrator—also author of Peach Springs and The Clade Letters: The Beginning—explained that the poem was from her mother. Cosette decided to put the story to print with her own illustrations. You can see a sample of the illustrations at the Amazon link above. I am told that she did the illustrations in oil on typing paper and scanned them in. It seems to have worked well.

Priced under ten dollars, it is small enough to make a great stocking stuffer for this holiday season and might help inspire a little reader.

Every month, Lulu.com has a sales contest that benefits you and me. If you purchase any books through my Lulu storefront until April 30th, you can receive 10% off of your purchase by entering the code SHOWERS in the coupon section at checkout. This applies only to books purchased through my Lulu storefront and not to those purchased through other online retailers, though they may have discounts of their own.

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Disclaimer: Enter coupon code ‘ SHOWERS ‘ during checkout and save 10% off the purchase price. Discount cannot be used to pay for, nor shall be applied to, applicable taxes or shipping and handling charges. Maximum amount that may be applied to discount is $10.00 per account. Promotional codes cannot be applied to any previous orders. No exchanges or substitutions allowed. Only one valid promotional code may be used per order. Offer expires April 30, 2010 at 11:59 PM EDT. Lulu.com reserves the right to change or revoke this offer at any time. Void where prohibited.