Dear readers and supporters, friends,

The day nears! In about a month’s time The Life Engineered is going to launch. While I thank you with every breath I take these days there is no time for lengthy speeches about gratitude. Indeed, the time is for action! My friends, in the next weeks I need to drum up as much interest in The Life Engineered as I possibly can and I’m kicking it off with a bang.

On February 4th, 5th and 6th I will begin San Fransisco. My mission? I want to personally sign each and every copy of The Life Engineered going to supporters. All of them. Like a maniac or some kind of machine.

While I’m on the West Coast however, I might as well try to hang out with a few of you that are in the area. So on Saturday February 6th I will be hanging out at Borderlands Books. I don’t know if that’s going to be an official event or just me sitting at a table drinking all their coffee. I’m still working out the details. All I can tell you is that starting at 3pm, maybe earlier, I’ll be at Borderlands Books in San Fransisco. I’ll probably have prints or at least papers and I’ll answer questions about The Life Engineered, Inkshares, why I think robots are awesome, I’ll tell the story of my car accident and why the top of my feet tickle all the time (the secret is nerve damage).

As I get more details I’ll send out more updates but I’ll also be Tweeting about it and posting to my writer’s Facebook page, so why don’t you follow me on these platforms?

Guys, gals, sentient machines masquerading as humans… there is some cool stuff down the pipes and I really want you to be involved.

 Cheers, JF

Dear readers and supporters, friends,

The day nears! In about a month’s time The Life Engineered is going to launch. While I thank you with every breath I take these days there is no time for lengthy speeches about gratitude. Indeed, the time is for action! My friends, in the next weeks I need to drum up as much interest in The Life Engineered as I possibly can and I’m kicking it off with a bang.

On February 4th, 5th and 6th I will begin San Fransisco. My mission? I want to personally sign each and every copy of The Life Engineered going to supporters. All of them. Like a maniac or some kind of machine.

While I’m on the West Coast however, I might as well try to hang out with a few of you that are in the area. So on Saturday February 6th I will be hanging out at Borderlands Books. I don’t know if that’s going to be an official event or just me sitting at a table drinking all their coffee. I’m still working out the details. All I can tell you is that starting at 3pm, maybe earlier, I’ll be at Borderlands Books in San Fransisco. I’ll probably have prints or at least papers and I’ll answer questions about The Life Engineered, Inkshares, why I think robots are awesome, I’ll tell the story of my car accident and why the top of my feet tickle all the time (the secret is nerve damage).

As I get more details I’ll send out more updates but I’ll also be Tweeting about it and posting to my writer’s Facebook page, so why don’t you follow me on these platforms?

Guys, gals, sentient machines masquerading as humans… there is some cool stuff down the pipes and I really want you to be involved.

 Cheers, JF

Throwback Thursday you say? I say that's a good time for a recipe!  Especially if it's another excellent old-school recipe, this time for New England Clam Chowder.  (Pretty sure, by the way, I'm going to throw recipes into the back of the book, so it's a good gift for anybody who likes to cook, huh?)

In "Women Like Us", Susan's introduction to the culinary world comes when she lands a job in an old Clam shack on Martha's Vineyard, which is where she meets Henry's father Andrew, who's the son of Edith Vale. She's starts as a waitress but when the old cook drops dead, she's put in charge of the small kitchen, where one of the most important jobs is making the Clam Chowder.  This recipe, which I've always loved, is another one adapted from Julia Child's "The Way To Cook". Again, it's a Julia recipe that harkens back to her New England roots and is not in any way French.  Anyway, here ya go:

New England Clam Chowder

(Recipe adapted from Julia Child's "The Way To Cook")

1 1/2 pounds littleneck clams

1 1/2 cups water

1/4 cup good smoked bacon, cut into thin slices

1 tbsp. butter

1 1/2 cups onions, sliced

1 Bay leaf

1/2 cup crushed oyster crackers

2 cups liquid (clam steaming juices and some water)

2 small or 1 large russet potato, diced (about 2 cups)

salt and fresh ground pepper

1 cup whole milk

More Oyster crackers for serving

Chopped chives or parsley for serving

1)  Wash the clams well and place in a large kettle with a tight fitting lid.  Add the water and bring to a boil. Cover the kettle, and let clams steam a couple of minutes, just until most of them start to open. Remove open clams and steam the rest 2 minutes longer, then discard any unopened clams.  Remove the meats to a bowl.  Pour the liquid through a sieve lined with paper towel into a 2 cup liquid measure. Add water to make two cups if you need.  Set aside.

2)  In a large soup pot, melt butter and toss in sliced bacon. Cook bacon over medium heat until it just starts to crisp, and then toss in onions. Add bay leaf. Cover, lower heat and cook slowly about 10 minutes, until onions are soft and translucent.  Toss in crushed oyster crackers. Mix in well, then add in the 2 cups clam steaming liquid. Add potatoes. Liquid should just cover potatoes, so add a little water if you need. Bring to the boil and then simmer, loosely covered, for 20 minutes, or until potatoes are tender.  Blend in milk, bring to simmer again and taste for seasoning.

3) Roughly chop the clams.  Fold them into the chowder and remove from heat. Sprinkle with chopped chives or parsley and serve with more oyster crackers on the side.

Serves 3-4

Here's the final product!