{"version":"1.0","provider_name":"The News Journal","provider_url":"https:\/\/qa.thenewsjournal.net","title":"My one, fateful book review &ndash; The News Journal","type":"rich","width":600,"height":338,"html":"<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"Bo8pSBZOYD\"><a href=\"https:\/\/qa.thenewsjournal.net\/my-one-fateful-book-review\/\">My one, fateful book review<\/a><\/blockquote><iframe sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" src=\"https:\/\/qa.thenewsjournal.net\/my-one-fateful-book-review\/embed\/#?secret=Bo8pSBZOYD\" width=\"600\" height=\"338\" title=\"&#8220;My one, fateful book review&#8221; &#8212; The News Journal\" data-secret=\"Bo8pSBZOYD\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" class=\"wp-embedded-content\"><\/iframe><script type=\"text\/javascript\">\n\/* <![CDATA[ *\/\n\/*! This file is auto-generated *\/\n!function(d,l){\"use strict\";l.querySelector&&d.addEventListener&&\"undefined\"!=typeof URL&&(d.wp=d.wp||{},d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage||(d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage=function(e){var t=e.data;if((t||t.secret||t.message||t.value)&&!\/[^a-zA-Z0-9]\/.test(t.secret)){for(var s,r,n,a=l.querySelectorAll('iframe[data-secret=\"'+t.secret+'\"]'),o=l.querySelectorAll('blockquote[data-secret=\"'+t.secret+'\"]'),c=new RegExp(\"^https?:$\",\"i\"),i=0;i<o.length;i++)o[i].style.display=\"none\";for(i=0;i<a.length;i++)s=a[i],e.source===s.contentWindow&&(s.removeAttribute(\"style\"),\"height\"===t.message?(1e3<(r=parseInt(t.value,10))?r=1e3:~~r<200&&(r=200),s.height=r):\"link\"===t.message&&(r=new URL(s.getAttribute(\"src\")),n=new URL(t.value),c.test(n.protocol))&&n.host===r.host&&l.activeElement===s&&(d.top.location.href=t.value))}},d.addEventListener(\"message\",d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage,!1),l.addEventListener(\"DOMContentLoaded\",function(){for(var e,t,s=l.querySelectorAll(\"iframe.wp-embedded-content\"),r=0;r<s.length;r++)(t=(e=s[r]).getAttribute(\"data-secret\"))||(t=Math.random().toString(36).substring(2,12),e.src+=\"#?secret=\"+t,e.setAttribute(\"data-secret\",t)),e.contentWindow.postMessage({message:\"ready\",secret:t},\"*\")},!1)))}(window,document);\n\/* ]]> *\/\n<\/script>\n","thumbnail_url":"https:\/\/qa.thenewsjournal.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Trent-mug-teaser.jpg","thumbnail_width":160,"thumbnail_height":151,"description":"My one and only book review for this newspaper may have gotten me blacklisted. Let me explain. A couple of years ago, I thought it would be a cool idea to add book reviews as a semi-regular part of what we offer in the News Journal. I didn\u2019t just want them to be reviews of the latest mass market stuff. Instead, I figured it would be a good idea to focus on more regional writing \u2014 books by Kentucky authors, or ones that focused on the state, it\u2019s people and culture. The University Press of Kentucky \u2014 the publishing arm of the University of Kentucky \u2014 seemed the perfect partner in this. Twice a year, they send out lists of books they will soon have in print. Prospective reviewers can check off ones they are interested in reading and reviewing in publications like ours. They send you the books (often in uncorrected proofs, or final versions not yet in wide circulation), you read them and publish the review, and send them proof that you did so. My first, and as fate would have it ONLY, foray into this was a book called The Man Who Loved Birds, by Nelson County native Fenton Johnson. Johnson is a somewhat well regarded author with numerous books in print. I was intrigued by the premise of this book. The Man Who Loved Birds drew its inspiration from the very real kidnapping and murder, by Kentucky State Police, of colorful marijuana farmer, and storyteller, Charlie Stiles, from neighboring Marion County in 1971. The book was OK. It had sort of a cool setting, and the story was decent, but the dialogue between characters seemed a little contrived in places. And the ending &#8230; One thing I noted in my review was that, rather suddenly and out of nowhere, two of the main characters, both men, were involved in a lewd sexual encounter with each other. No real setup or hint that it was going to happen. Just BAM! Right to the bawdy stuff. The author portrayed this with authentic zeal. I can imagine him collapsing into a sweaty, panting heap when he was finished writing it. It was all very strident and energetic. I\u2019m not judgmental or puritanical about this sort of thing. And I made no moral judgments in my review. However, I did feel like anyone reading the review should be alerted to this content since it came completely out of left field within the context of the story. I was diplomatic and mild. I am proud of the review. I look back at it today, and feel like it was a solid piece of writing. But I often wonder if my critique of Johnson\u2019s book \u2014 which I thought was very fair \u2014 got be banned from the reviewer list. I still regularly receive a \u201creviewer\u2019s checklist\u201d from the University Press of Kentucky soliciting reviews, and asking me which books pique my interest. I send in the checklist with my choices, but I haven\u2019t received anything since that one fateful review. Nothing! I\u2019m looking at the list now. This book on \u201cMoonshiners and Prohibitionists\u201d sounds intriguing. Another about \u201cthoroughbred racing\u2019s most famous cold case\u201d looks good too. I\u2019d like to tell you about them. I\u2019ve filled out my form. The books have been requested. My fingers are crossed. Maybe \u2026 just maybe."}