What is JacketFlap

  • JacketFlap connects you to the work of more than 200,000 authors, illustrators, publishers and other creators of books for Children and Young Adults. The site is updated daily with information about every book, author, illustrator, and publisher in the children's / young adult book industry. Members include published authors and illustrators, librarians, agents, editors, publicists, booksellers, publishers and fans.
    Join now (it's free).

Sort Blog Posts

Sort Posts by:

  • in
    from   

Suggest a Blog

Enter a Blog's Feed URL below and click Submit:

Most Commented Posts

In the past 7 days

Recent Posts

(from Middling Industries)

Recent Comments

Recently Viewed

MyJacketFlap Blogs

  • Login or Register for free to create your own customized page of blog posts from your favorite blogs. You can also add blogs by clicking the "Add to MyJacketFlap" links next to the blog name in each post.

Blog Posts by Tag

In the past 30 days

Blog Posts by Date

Click days in this calendar to see posts by day or month
<<June 2024>>
SuMoTuWeThFrSa
      01
02030405060708
09101112131415
16171819202122
23242526272829
30      
new posts in all blogs
Viewing Blog: Middling Industries, Most Recent at Top
Results 1 - 25 of 31
Visit This Blog | Login to Add to MyJacketFlap
Middling Industries tell the stories, dreams and hopes of everyday working man. Many of us strive to have a perfect life, a perfect career, a perfect family and a perfect home. But as plain ordinary humans, we think it’s all right to make mistakes, be born differently or feel un-achieved at times. Just be honest and happy with ourselves. Carry on dreaming. Never stop searching.
Statistics for Middling Industries

Number of Readers that added this blog to their MyJacketFlap: 1
1. Hibernation this winter

Do you know #cats hibernate for an extra hour during winter? “Cats under the blue moon” is an illustration taken from book “Haee’s Quest for the Greater Prairie” by R.S. Vern. Products include mugs, adult and kids’ T-shirts, iPad/iPhone cases, … Continue reading

0 Comments on Hibernation this winter as of 11/25/2014 5:46:00 AM
Add a Comment
2. “Haee and the other middlings” book series – now available on Booktique!

Entertaining and insightful, this series of books is beautifully illustrated with thought provoking allegories suitable for older children and adults. R.S. Vern takes a simplistic view through her protagonist, cat Haee™, clearly showing you how aimless and lost we are … Continue reading

0 Comments on “Haee and the other middlings” book series – now available on Booktique! as of 4/29/2014 6:25:00 AM
Add a Comment
3. A 5 star book review rating for “Haee’s quest for the greater prairie” by R.S. Vern

Newly launched book “Haee’s Quest for the Greater Prairie” received another 5 star book review rating from Readers’ Favorite. Read and reviewed by readers, this 3rd book from trilogy series “Haee and the other middlings” is an endearing and poignant … Continue reading 

0 Comments on A 5 star book review rating for “Haee’s quest for the greater prairie” by R.S. Vern as of 12/19/2013 11:48:00 PM
Add a Comment
4. Not a classic in the canon of illustrated kid’s fiction

The art of children’s fiction lies in its emotional resonance and imaginative scope. Quite simply, a book without either of these factors is simply an illustrated waste of time. “The Unconventional Life of Haee” is the story of a cat … Continue reading 

0 Comments on Not a classic in the canon of illustrated kid’s fiction as of 11/25/2013 4:09:00 AM
Add a Comment
5. Official book trailer for “Haee’s quest for the greater prairie” by R.S. Vern

Middling Industries launches a sneak preview of ebook “Haee’s quest for the greater prairie”, the final book in trilogy series “Haee and the other middlings” by R.S. Vern. This award winning series takes us on a slow walk in urban middling city, painting some everyday encounters which are so ordinary yet uncomfortable to many. Through […]

0 Comments on Official book trailer for “Haee’s quest for the greater prairie” by R.S. Vern as of 10/28/2013 6:14:00 AM
Add a Comment
6. Middling ebooks are now available on Booktique ebookstore!

Middling ebooks are now available for immediate download on Singapore’s ebookstore, Booktique! Book 1: Haee The cat with a crooked tail Book 2: The unconventional life of Haee Book 3: Haee’s quest for the greater prairie (Available this Christmas!) Middling ebooks are also available on Amazon Kindle, Apple iBookstore, Barnes and Noble Nook and Kobo! […]

0 Comments on Middling ebooks are now available on Booktique ebookstore! as of 10/2/2013 5:44:00 AM
Add a Comment
7. How middling cat Haee spends his 24 hours in day

Middling Industries recently conducted an observation on what its famous cat does in a day. This was charted across a duration of 1 month, in the house of R.S. Vern (owner/ writer of Haee). At the end of it, we asked Haee if he feels happy and contented doing the things he does everyday. This […]

0 Comments on How middling cat Haee spends his 24 hours in day as of 8/20/2013 12:44:00 AM
Add a Comment
8. R.S. Vern wins the IndieReader Discovery Awards 2013!

Haee The cat with a crooked tail book cover wins

Book 1 of “Haee and the other middlings” series wins IndieReader Discovery Awards 2013 Kid’s category

Middling Industries proudly announces “Haee The cat with a crooked tail” as the winner of IndieReader Discovery Awards 2013 under kid’s category. First published in June 2012, this is the first book in its series “Haee and the other middlings”.

R.S. Vern, creator and author of this series, says she is deeply encouraged by this win. When she first started writing this series, her purpose was to deter children from wanting to grow up too fast and furious. Through the ingenious eyes of a cat, she pans out a story about the endless frustrations and dilemmas adults face in this middling world of the 21st century.

R.S. Vern calls herself one serious middling – urbanised, bored, most of the time, confused. She recounts a particular incident at a dinner party which left her a deep imprint that fueled her writing on middlings.

“I was at a dinner party surrounded by great friends, drinking myself silly when I suddenly looked around me and I felt very alone. I was listening and not listening at the same time when the hostess was giving her speech and I had all kinds of silly thoughts running through my mind. What if I was born differently? What if this was the 1940s? What if George Clooney truly asked me out for breakfast? Would I say yes? What if Lady Gaga was my girlfriend? Would I start wearing her underwear? But there wasn’t any what-ifs. There was only as-is. The present, the truth and you.” – R.S. Vern

Middlings, as R.S. Vern defines, almost always wish they can have a different life. Even when you drive a fast car, have a great career, a great bunch of friends to hang out with, you’ll still think of having another life. And you feel trapped when 99% of the time, you are almost never going to have that other life. You go on searching for new experiences, at times feeling lost and aimless. But Vern believes there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that.

So for you alone, bored and lost people out there, take on chance on this very peculiar indie read.

Books are available on Amazon Kindle, Barnes & Noble Nook, iBookstore and Kobo. You can also go to http://middlingindustries.com/middling_industries/Buy_e_book.html to purchase the books.

Look out for Book 3, “Haee’s quest for the greater prairie” coming out this Christmas 2013!

About IndieReader Discovery Award
The goal of the annual IndieReader Discovery Award (IRDA) is to find talented writers and great books and is open to all self-published books with a valid ISBN. Judging is based on the quality of writing and the originality of the story. The judging panel includes top agents, traditional publishers, PR people, bloggers, and book reviewers. More information at http://indiereader.com/2013/06/meet-your-2013-irda-winners-and-buy-their-books/


Filed under: About R.S. Vern, Book Awards, News from the Publisher

0 Comments on R.S. Vern wins the IndieReader Discovery Awards 2013! as of 6/3/2013 4:59:00 AM
Add a Comment
9. “One of those books you can turn to again and again and find different things, dependent upon your mood.” – KBR

Kindle Book Review

Book 1: Haee The cat with a crooked tail (Haee and the other middlings)

This is an interesting book, focusing on the ideas of need versus want, what is self-fulfillment and exploring our motivations.

It’s a short read, interspersed with beautiful images of Haee and the other characters.

I’m not sure that I really ‘got’ this book on the first read, and I suspect it is one of those books that you can turn to again and again and find different things, dependent upon your mood.

It is thought provoking as we see the human characters stuck in a life they think they should lead, rather than the one they want to lead. I suspect that a young adolescent would take the most from this book as they sit at a crossroad in life, making choices that will impact their future.

All in all an intriguing, well designed ebook. It is well edited and a well thought out and put together package.

Book 2: The Unconventional Life of Haee (Haee and the other middlings)

Another wonderfully illustrated book from R.S. Vern, again following the life of Haee, the middling cat….

This book again observes those that are not quite pursuing a ‘normal’ life but also looks at the consequences of everyone being a middling… it doesn’t quite work, everyone (and thing) has a place in the world, and they contribute, each in their own way, no matter how trivial that contribution may be!

The images in the book are again wonderful, and really capture the idea of Haee and his other friends.

Certainly a quick and easy read that will provoke different ideas each time you pause to read it.

Reviewed by Sarah Burns for The Kindle Book Review
To read more, please go to http://akindleandkittens.wordpress.com/2013/02/19/r-s-vern-two-ebook-reviews/.


Filed under: Middling book reviews Tagged: black cat book, book reviews, book series, cat book, cat books, cat haee, cross overs, epub3, haee middling cat, kf8, kindle book review, kindle store, middling books, r.s.vern, timeless book

0 Comments on “One of those books you can turn to again and again and find different things, dependent upon your mood.” – KBR as of 2/20/2013 5:13:00 AM
Add a Comment
10. Verdict: HAEE is a beautifully illustrated and thought-provoking modern-day allegory suitable for older children and grown-ups alike.

A 5 star ratings from Indie Reader – “Haee and the other middlings” series

This is the simple but poignant story of Haee, a cat with a crooked tail who lives a comfortable and worry-free life with his loving family.

One day, curious Haee goes exploring in a black hole and gets lost. Haee is discovered by Tom and Jane. Tom and Jane take Haee home and give Haee everything he could possibly need or want. Though they appear to be a perfect couple living a perfect life filled with good jobs, exercise, organic food, sleep, a nice car and everything they need, Tom is secretly dissatisfied with the busy urban life and wishes for clean fresh air and Jane wishes she were a bird and could fly away and see the world.

Haee, in spite of his pampered life, treats and his part in making the house run smoothly, discovers that he, too, is missing something. So one day Haee decides to go play with the cats in the alley and make friends with Whie – the one cat that all the other cats ignore because of her big red nose.  Haee enjoys being with Whie so much that he does not return to Tom and Jane.

The first in a trilogy, this story centers on the themes of need versus want, self-fulfillment and motivation. Author R.S. Vern introduces the concept of “Middlings” to the reader in the introduction, explaining that Middlings are those who appear to have it all, are independent, respect non-conformists and the environment but feel “apart from it all”. They also often ask themselves: “Are we not as happy as those who are much better off in this world?”

Haee, Tom and Jane are all Middlings who appear to have everything they could possibly need and want to be comfortable. But, as the evocative and enticingly detailed pen-line illustrations show, there is an underlying sense of dissatisfaction that grows in spite of all “needs” being met. Realizing this, Haee acts on his desires leaves the comfort of home in search of more satisfying life.

The ending comes somewhat abruptly, leaving a sense that the story is incomplete, however Vern does effectively brings to light the question about whether or not having it all is really the paradigm for the middle class working Tom and Jane, and whether Haee, or any other Middling, is really living more if they are less “comfortable”.

Vern’s story is engaging on many levels and the mostly-black-and-white illustrations add a contemporary and stylish elegance to the clean, crisp layout of the ebook that also features pop up text boxes when narrative is double clicked.

HAEE is a beautifully illustrated and thought-provoking modern-day allegory suitable for older children and grown-ups alike.

Reviewed by Maya Fleischmann for IndieReader. To read more, please go to http://indiereader.com/2013/02/haee-the-cat-with-a-crooked-tail/.


Filed under: Middling book review Tagged: 5 star reviews, cat haee, city, ebooks, happiness, illustrated, indie reader, life, middling haee, middlings, poignant story, r.s.vern, recommended, reviews, young adults

0 Comments on Verdict: HAEE is a beautifully illustrated and thought-provoking modern-day allegory suitable for older children and grown-ups alike. as of 2/6/2013 4:12:00 AM
Add a Comment
11. Wit, subtle humor and even cynicism towards the absurdities found in the human world.

A 5 star book review by Readers Favourite for Book #2

A 5 star book review by Readers Favorite for Book #2

What would it feel like to see the world through the green eyes of a cat? No need to guess, just read “The Unconventional Life of Haee” by R.S. Vern. The story made me keep turning the pages till the very end, as the writing generates beauty through its simplicity. The protagonist is Haee, a cat who prefers the eventful life in the back alley to the monotony of the role of a domestic ‘pet’. Rejecting the safety of a routine life, Haee takes the hard path and encounters several other cat-characters who display a wide and a very interesting diversity of attitudes and behavior. The story is all about how Haee reconciles with this society.

The plot bears features of an allegory, as it contains several levels of understanding. “The Unconventional Life of Haee” can be read and enjoyed as a simple tale woven around an alley-cat, although it has a deeper layer of ideas inter-twined in it. The themes are not made lessons. They are presented just as parts of the world it describes. The cats who appear through the pages of the book epitomize certain stereo-typical characters in human society. They have deep-rooted norms or conventions. Some differ from the majority and live silently. Then there are trouble-makers, like Haee, who change, and who wish to change their immediate world as well. What happens when unconventional attitudes meet standard conventions? R.S. Vern tries to analyse it through her fiction. It being the second book of a series, the writing denotes wit, subtle humor and even cynicism towards the absurdities found in the human world. The story is strewn with illustrations which contribute considerably to the artistic value of this piece of writing. Read “The Unconventional Life of Haee” and enter into the bizarre world of Green Alley, where cats are vegetarians.

Reviewed by Gayani Hathurusingha for Readers Favorite
Buy book at Amazon Kindle, Barnes and Noble Nook, iBookstore, Kobo and ilovebooks.


Filed under: Middling book review Tagged: 5 star book review, black cat, cat, cat book, coming of age book series, ebook. trilogy, haee, middling, middling society, middling world, r.s.vern, readers favorite, tweens, vegetarian, young adult book series

0 Comments on Wit, subtle humor and even cynicism towards the absurdities found in the human world. as of 1/2/2013 12:59:00 AM
Add a Comment
12. A five stars book review by Readers Favorite

5_star_hr
Haee The cat with a crooked tail, “Haee and the other middlings”, #1, received a five – stars book review by Readers Favorite. Jessica Porter, book reviewer at Readers Favorite says:

“Are we not as happy as those who are much better off in this world?” After this statement I was hooked! Then seeing that first cat just blew me away! I love all the artwork! Haee gets restless with his life and decides to go looking for adventure and through his adventure he gets lost in a black hole but he meets a new family. He stays with the new family for years observing what they do and how they live their lives. He then again gets restless and decides to go on a new adventure with a street cat. This is where book two starts.

This book was very cute. I loved the wonderful drawings. The only drawing I had an issue with was the one on smoking. The drawings are really what make this book so cute. I can’t wait to get a hold of the rest of them and I think I am a middling as well!”

To continue reading the entire review, please go to http://readersfavorite.com/review/7689 .


Filed under: Middling book review Tagged: 5 stars, book review, cat haee, coming of age, five stars book review, haee the cat, illustrated, middling cat, readers favorite, young adults

0 Comments on A five stars book review by Readers Favorite as of 12/18/2012 4:48:00 AM
Add a Comment
13. Middling Industries launches enhanced animated ebook “The Unconventional Life of Haee”, (Haee and the other middlings, #2) by R.S. Vern

Image

The Unconventional Life of Haee (EPUB3 version)

Middling enhanced ebooks are animated with a high level of multi-touch interactivity. Created with the latest publishing technology standard, EPUB3, this ebook challenges the conventional story telling to engage readers in a delightful and thoughtful way. Listen to our protagonist’s dark and pensive thoughts in this version and get to know the characters better.

Set in today’s congested, middling urban city, this bittersweet and seemingly plain story is about Haee, a middling cat who has a huge thirst to break out of the ordinary to seek an extraordinary life. Told with plain, simple text and grim illustrations, this series of books shake us out of our daily routine and forces us to re-examine why we are living as we are today.

Both children and adults will find delight in this wonderful series.

Watch book trailer at www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cvh5_4Fwr8c

Buy enhanced animated book (USD5.99) on iBookstore at https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/unconventional-life-haee/id577954667?mt=11


Filed under: Middling book launch, Uncategorized, Where to buy a middling book Tagged: animated, audio, cathaee, ebook, enhanced book, epub3, graphic, grim, haee, ibookstore, illustrated, interactive, ipad, middling, multi-touch, r.s.vern, young adults

0 Comments on Middling Industries launches enhanced animated ebook “The Unconventional Life of Haee”, (Haee and the other middlings, #2) by R.S. Vern as of 12/5/2012 3:29:00 AM
Add a Comment
14. “Haee’s excursions will not only capture the imagination of children, but will also get a laugh out of adults.”

“Like all cats, Haee is a curious cat. One day, he decides to venture out of his comfortable home.”

When Haee, the cat with the crooked tail, comes across the black hole, he is overcome by curiosity. As he conjures the infinite roads the black hole can lead to, he decides to enter. After hours of exploring, one turn after another, Haee’s hunger sparks a desire to return home. There’s just one problem: He’s lost and terribly frightened by the darkness. Vern appears to use Haee’s adventures to show his audience, mainly children, the consequences of curiosity.

The second part of Haee’s adventures begin when Tom and Jane free him from the black hole and provide him with a worry-free, comfortable life. Rather than playing with other cats, Haee spends the majority of his time sun bathing. After several years of living in Tom and Jane’s home, he notices that his human friends engage in the same activities at nearly the same time everyday. Though both are happy, each has his or her own insecurities, aspirations, and desire for freedom from the routine activities of everyday life. Surprisingly, Haee is required to follow a daily plan like Tom and Jane, and is rewarded when he is successful.

Perhaps this second part of the book resonates strongly with adults. As children, they are allowed to roam free and explore the world. As grown-ups, they must abide to stringent schedules and deadlines, while constantly running the risk of feeling mechanical. When Haee’s restlessness grows, he leaves Tom and Jane’s home, and builds a new world with a bullied, red-nosed cat named Whie.

Throughout the story, Haee’s display of curiosity and courage are remarkable. When he wants to break free from routine, he simply does. Haee’s excursions will not only capture the imagination of children, but will also get a laugh out of adults as they anticipate the release of the next book in the Haee series.

- The US Review of Books


Filed under: Middling book review Tagged: amazon, animated, audio files, barnes & Noble Nook, black cat, book review, cat, cat haee, ebook reviews, enhanced, epub3, graphic, ibookstore, illustrated, kobo, trilogy

0 Comments on “Haee’s excursions will not only capture the imagination of children, but will also get a laugh out of adults.” as of 1/1/1900
Add a Comment
15. “Is that it? Is that what life is all about? Being perfect? Doing all the politically correct things and having it all?”

 

I like author R.S. Vern’s take on life through the eyes of a cat. It makes it easier for readers to accept the messages she is attempting to get across. What are these messages? You have to read it to find out and I can guarantee that you will be changed, though in a big or small way, it’s up to you.

The author provokes us into thinking outside the box. She wants us to ask: “Is that it? Is that what life is all about? Being perfect? Doing all the politically correct things and having it all?” Sure looks good on the surface … but the illustrations show otherwise.

I like how she combines illustrations and words. I would say the illustrations tell an equally, if not more, compelling story of the ironic messages she is trying to convey. A picture means more than a thousand words, people say. How clever of her!

I would recommend this book to everyone: young adults who are about to embark on their journey of life and adults who outwardly think they have got it all but are unhappy inside. The presentation and approach in this remarkable book is simple and clear enough for children and teens to benefit from it, too! Even better, this is the first book of a trilogy, so if you like this book, you can get the other two when they come out!

There is so much truth in so few words and drawings. The author states: “Looking can make you want. Wanting can get you thinking. If you want them to stop thinking, just give them what they want.” This makes me think, “Will I stop thinking about it once I get what I want; will I start to want something else again and start the process all over, just like Haee The Cat?”

I love this book because it makes me want to question and think. That is not a bad thing at all, I think.
- Cecilia Lee, Reviewer Allbooks Review International


Filed under: Middling book review Tagged: book review, cat haee review, ebook reviews, haee review, middling book review, r.s.vern

0 Comments on “Is that it? Is that what life is all about? Being perfect? Doing all the politically correct things and having it all?” as of 1/1/1900
Add a Comment
16. Official book trailer for “The Unconventional Life of Haee” by R.S. Vern

Just how unconventional is Haee’s life? Watch this dark and funny book trailer and get mystified by cat Haee’s life.

Following Book 1, as Haee gets restless with the material comforts at home, he ventures out and meets a middling cat, Whie, in the back alley. He finds his new friend so fascinating; he decides to stay in the alley.

Fascinated by Whie’s way of life and driven by a need to establish some form of discipline, Haee creates a new set of rules for all the middling cats living in the alley. The alley becomes known as “Green Alley”.

At Green Alley, every cat abides by the new rules. Over time, some begin to break the rules. While “playing police”, Haee starts to question the soundness of his rules and the need for these rules. With the beginnings of monotony and banality setting in, Haee leaves Green Alley without an answer.

Middling ebooks are available in 2 versions: a basic version which reads like a pdf book and an enhanced animated version which comes with interactivity and additional content. We highly recommend the enhanced animated version where you get to listen to Haee’s and Whie’s inner thoughts.

Great for children, highly recommended for young adults and adults. Free Middling app (iPhone, iPad, Android) also available for download on Google Play and itunes.

Book will be launched in the international bookstores this December 2012!


Filed under: About Haee, Middling book launch, Middling book videos, News from the Publisher Tagged: animated, book trailer, cat haee, cat's life, comic, dark city, dark humour, download, ebook, enhanced, epub, epub3, graphic, haee, haee the cat, illustrated, kf8, middlings, mobi, novels, r.s.vern, series, trilogy, unconventional life

0 Comments on Official book trailer for “The Unconventional Life of Haee” by R.S. Vern as of 1/1/1900
Add a Comment
17. An interview with Haee by R.S. Vern

17 October 2012

This is an interview with Haee by R.S. Vern. Haee is a middling cat from book series “Haee and the other middlings” created by R.S. Vern. Silent and pensive most of the time, this is the first time he has granted an interview with a human being. After the interview, R.S. Vern revealed she thought she knew Haee, but actually, she does not now. The interview ended abruptly with Haee walking away.

Minuted by Middling Industries

R.S. Vern: So how do you feel now that people are reading about you?
Haee: *blink *blink *purr….  Life goes on. I still eat, sleep, poo, daydream, wait for death.

R.S. Vern: What’s your favourite drink?
Haee: Root – beer. Preferably with a scoop of vanilla ice-cream.

R.S. Vern: What’s your favourite food?
Haee: Chicken chopped liver is my all time favourite. Occasionally, I like nibbling on prickly plants… just to tickle my throat.

R.S. Vern: Favourite song?
Haee: Currently, it’s “As long as you love me” by Justin Bieber.

R.S. Vern: What’s your favourite TV channel?
Haee: MTV.

R.S. Vern: Do you have an all time favourite book?
Haee: “The Outsider” by Albert Camus. I am intrigued by the character of Meursault. I respect anyone who would die for truth, even if the truth is hard to bear or accept.
When Meursault was sentenced to death at the end, he told the chaplain he had naturally wished for another life sometime. But it meant nothing more than wishing he was rich or could swim faster. It was the same thing and he said finally, “One which would remind me of this life.”
That’s an intriguing statement.

R.S. Vern: Any literary hero?
Haee: Quasimodo, the tragic hero from Notre Dame de Paris by Victor Hugo. He’s romantically humane beneath that totally deformed outer body.

R.S. Vern: Is there a particular book you enjoy reading during rainy days?
Haee: “One day in the life of Ivan Denisovich” by Alexander Solzhenitsyn. Reading it always reminds me the importance of simple things like a piece of bread, a book, a match, a string and most importantly, what freedom means.

R.S. Vern: What do you plan to read next?
Haee: I was just picking up “Down and out in Paris and London” by George Orwell.

R.S. Vern: Ok. Getting back to favourites. Do you have a favourite colour?
Haee: Are you trying to be funny? I’m colour blind.

R.S. Vern: Em… ok. Sorry… (Embarrassed)
Haee: Don’t be sorry. There’s nothing to be sorry about. I’m still alive.

R.S. Vern: Oh… ok. Yes. So you have any favourite food?
Haee: You asked me that earlier.

R.S. Vern: Oh… sorry…
Haee: Stop saying sorry.

R.S. Vern: (Clears throat) If there’s one thing you can change about the world, what would it be?
Haee: To have better and cleaner air in the city.

R.S. Vern: Have you ever wished you could be something else other than a cat?
Haee: I don’t mind being a cat. But sometimes I wish I could walk on 2 legs and not 4. Like you.

R.S. Vern: Why is that?
Haee: Then I can be a bit more normal and perhaps taller.

R.S. Vern: Huh?
Haee: (Rolls eyes)

The interview ended abruptly here as Haee walked away.


Filed under: About Haee, Author's interview, News from the Publisher Tagged: cat book, cat haee, city life, city living, dark humour, ebook, graphic, haee the cat, ibookstore, ilovebooks, irony, kindle, kobo, literary, middling industries, middlingindustries.com, night, nook, r.s.vern, unconventional, urban life, urbanites, young adults

0 Comments on An interview with Haee by R.S. Vern as of 1/1/1900
Add a Comment
18. Sneak launch of Book 2 from trilogy series “Haee and the other middlings”

Image
Middling Industries proudly launches the 2nd book from its trilogy series “Haee and the other middlings” by R.S. Vern. This ebook is the sequel to the 1st book title “Haee The cat with a crooked tail”. Currently, it is available only on ilovebooks.com. The ebook will be rolled out internationally to Apple iBookstore, Kobo, Barnes and Noble Nook and Amazon Kindle this November.

Similar to Book 1, this Middling ebook comes with 2 versions: 1 basic version and 1 enhanced animated version. The enhanced animated version will only be available on iBookstore, readable on iPad and iPhone.


Filed under: About Haee, Middling book launch, News from the Publisher, Where to buy a middling book Tagged: black, cat haee, comic, dark humour, ebook, epub, ePub 3, family, friends, haee, ilovebooks, irony, love, middle class, middle grade, middling, mobi, multiple reads, relationship, satire, young adults

0 Comments on Sneak launch of Book 2 from trilogy series “Haee and the other middlings” as of 10/2/2012 4:48:00 AM
Add a Comment
19. A book review on The Unconventional Life of Haee, 2nd Book from trilogy series “Haee and the other middlings”

How does one leave a middling – that is, average – life behind? And what does an unconventional existence look like?

In the second installment of a three-part series, local author R.S. Vern explores these questions and continues the story of Haee, a cat which is pretty average in every way, save for his exceptionally long tail. The first book in this illustrated series, Haee: The Cat with a Crooked Tail, saw the titular feline leaving behind a comfortable and routine life with his owners, Tom and Jane, to experience life on the streets.

Like the first book, The Unconventional Life of Haee features appealing illustrations which are whimsical but tempered with a dash of quirky, Edward Gorey-style grimness. As the story opens, Haee’s explorations have taken him to the back alley behind the neighbourhood. Here, he befriends a motley crew of cats, including Whie, who is ostracised by the others because of her “unusually big red nose”.

Unlike the others, Haee is attracted to Whie, who he finds “really special and interesting”, and not just because of her oversize schnoz. For starters, the latter is vegetarian – her way of “saving the world and making it a better and more harmonious place to live in”.

Whie’s “queer eating habit” befuddles all the other cats, except Haee. (It’s easy to see the parallel to the human world here: As a once-vegetarian, I can honestly say that few things perplex omnivores more than someone who won’t eat anything which once had a pulse.) Fascinated, Haee learns to eat leftover pizza discarded in the alley instead of the usual roaches and rats. He even goes so far as to implement a set of rules forbidding the alley cats from eating any living creature.

As with many noble New Year’s resolutions and good intentions, things go according to plan for a while. However, it doesn’t take too long before the cats tire of their new lifestyles and revert to their old, roach-hunting ways. Disillusioned, Haee decides to move on without Whie, who is perfectly “comfortable with her life” in the alley.

Ending on an inconclusive note, this book sets the stage for book three, where we’ll (hopefully) find out the answers to questions such as: Will Haee return to a safe and comfortable life with Tom and Jane? Will he see Whie again? And will he ever find the different life he is looking for? Then again, as the author notes, perhaps life is not about achieving that perfect ending, but “having that extraordinary journey”, where dreaming and searching never stops.

The Unconventional Life of Haee, Tuesday, September 18, 2012
By Lynette Koh, Senior Writer, ilovebooks.com

To buy the book or download a sample chapter, please go to http://www.ilovebooks.com/ebooks/home/D1ABC7BD-D378-4CD7-AE59-57015B118FAF/The_unconventional_life_of_Haee .


Filed under: About Haee, Middling book launch, Middling book review, Where to buy a middling book Tagged: download, ebook, Edward Gorey, graphic novel, haee, haee the cat, illustrated, life, middling, middling book series, middling ebook, series, trilogy, unconventional

0 Comments on A book review on The Unconventional Life of Haee, 2nd Book from trilogy series “Haee and the other middlings” as of 9/25/2012 11:47:00 PM
Add a Comment
20. Take part in the middling contest and stand a chance to win Middling ebooks!

Image


Filed under: About Haee, Middling book launch, News from the Publisher, Where to buy a middling book Tagged: black cat, contest, Edward Gorey, fiction, free ebooks, haee, haee the cat, illustrated graphic novels, middling cat, middlingebooks, r.s.vern, series, Tim Burton, trilogy, win

0 Comments on Take part in the middling contest and stand a chance to win Middling ebooks! as of 9/25/2012 7:01:00 AM
Add a Comment
21. Middling Industries launches iOS and Android apps

Middling app

Is freedom of speech more important to you compared to freedom from hunger and poverty? Do you feel you have neither progressed nor fallen backwards over the last 5 years? Compared to 5 years ago, do you feel it is becoming more difficult maintaining your lifestyle? If your answers are yes, you are probably one serious middling.

Middlings live among us but essentially feel apart from it all. We often ask ourselves this: “Are we not as happy as those who are much better off in this world?”

Middling Industries launches a free app which allows users to rate just how middling one is. Download this simple and functional app and take part in the middling quiz. Find out if you are one serious middling and share your result with your friends. Get to know more about Haee and the other middlings, watch book trailers and buy books on this app. Available for download for iPad, iPhone and Android users.


Filed under: Middling book launch, News from the Publisher, Where to buy a middling book Tagged: amazon appstore, Android apps, appstore, definition of middlings, galaxy tab, google play, haee the cat app, iOS apps, ipad, iphone, itunes, middling app, middling quiz, quiz

0 Comments on Middling Industries launches iOS and Android apps as of 1/1/1900
Add a Comment
22. A bittersweet book review on “Haee The cat with a crooked tail”

Book review from ilovebooks.com

What does it mean to be “middling”? The Merriam-Webster dictionary describes it as being of “middle, medium, or moderate size, degree, or quality”. In other words, average. In this charming illustrated book for children and adults, local author R.S. Vern explores the middling life through the eyes of Haee, a cat which is pretty ordinary save for its unusually long and crooked tail.

The first installment in a planned trilogy, the story sees Haee leaving his comfy home to explore the world. After losing his way, he is adopted by Tom Stuck and Jane Fruss, a very ordinary sort of couple. Haee gets used to leading a routine life with his new owners, but eventually gets bored and heads for the streets, where he befriends the alley cats, including Whie, a cat with an unnaturally big nose.

Bittersweet and seemingly simple, this story embodies the ambivalence the author feels about an average, middle-class existence – possibly mundane, yes, but reassuring in its certainties and not without its own joys.

So, on one hand, you have Tom and Jane, a middling couple who always “wake up early for work, go for evening jogs and sleep early at night”. They do have secret dreams: Organic food-loving Tom fantasises about moving away from the city, while Jane wishes she could fly away and see the world. However, they continue going about their routine lives, never acting on these inner desires.

On the other hand, there are also moments in the book where the author hints at the possibility that the things which prevent us from making major life changes may actually be much less frightening than we think.

Early in the story, for example, Haee gets lost after he enters a black hole he comes upon after leaving home. “Alone and terribly frightened”, he regrets his earlier curiosity and swears never to “act so foolishly and recklessly again”.  At this moment, he is petrified when he sees “a pair of huge claws coming at him” in the darkness, but the claws turn out to be the (skinny) hands of Tom Stuck, who rescues Haee from the black hole.

By making it apparent to the reader that the things which frightened Haee so greatly are actually pretty harmless, Vern slips in an important point: Perhaps it isn’t that scary or difficult to create a life less ordinary.

Haee: The Cat with a Crooked Tail, Wednesday, August 08, 2012
By Lynette Koh, Senior Writer, Mediacorp Pte Ltd www.ilovebooks.com

To buy this book or download a sample preview, please go to http://www.ilovebooks.com/ebooks/home/804A59D9-983C-451F-874A-4946D1676296/Haee_The_cat_with_a_crooked_tail .


Filed under: Middling book launch, Middling book review Tagged: bittersweet, book review, digital book, ebook, haee the cat with a crooked tail, ilovebooks, mediacorp, review, rs vern

0 Comments on A bittersweet book review on “Haee The cat with a crooked tail” as of 1/1/1900
Add a Comment
23. Do a book review.

Please feel free to review ebook “Haee The cat with a crooked tail (Haee and the other middlings)” on askDavid.com


Filed under: Middling book review Tagged: book review, epub, ePub 3, kindle, nook

0 Comments on Do a book review. as of 1/1/1990
Add a Comment
24. [Scrib.b.b.bles by Haee]. Now available on Wattpad!

Middling Industries launches Scrib.b.b.bles by Haee on Wattpad…. with monthly notes updates!

Haee loves to scribble when he is bored. Although he is just a cat, Haee is remarkably in touch with his inner self-conscious. He spends most of his time alone, daydreaming and sunbathing. That gives him plenty of time to contemplate on life. Haee has a street education with a major in Humanities. His favourite color is white and his favourite book is The Outsider by Albert Camus. Haee spends a lot of time wondering about what happens when he is alone and dying.

Scrib.b.b.bles
is a collection of short writings written by Haee. We encourage you to read only when you are alone.

To start reading Scrib.b.b.bles by Haee, simply login to www.wattpad.com or download the Wattpad app on your mobile device.
Locate Scrib.b.b.bles by Haee at http://www.wattpad.com/story/1655450-scrib-b-b-bles-by-haee or  use code 5659737 .

About Wattpad
Wattpad is the world’s largest community for discovering and sharing stories on the web and across every mobile device. It’s a new form of collaborative entertainment that connects readers and writers through storytelling and creative fiction! Wattpad is the only place offering a mobile, social, eReading experience.


Filed under: About Haee, News from the Publisher, Where to buy a middling book Tagged: cat, diary, ebook, entries, epub, epub3, fiction, free reading, haee, journal, middle class, middling, middling industries, monthly, publication, short writings, society, wattpad 0 Comments on [Scrib.b.b.bles by Haee]. Now available on Wattpad! as of 1/1/1990
Add a Comment
25. 1st middling ebook [Haee The cat with a crooked tail] makes it to Editor’s Pick!

Image

We are pleased to announce the first middling ebook [Haee The cat with a crooked tail] by R.S. Vern has made it to the Editor’s Pick on Mediacorp ilovebooks ebookstore. Simply download the ilovebooks app and read it on your favourite iOS or Android devices!

Read about Haee’s interview with R.S. Vern under the review section and find out why R.S. Vern wrote this book about her cat. Watch book trailer under videos section.

Are you a middling? Middling Industries welcome all reviews and feedback. Please direct your emails to [email protected] .

 


Filed under: Middling book launch, Middling book review, News from the Publisher, Where to buy a middling book Tagged: black cat, cat, cat haee, crooked tail, ebook, editor's choice, editor's pick, epub, ePub 3, favourite book, haee, iloveb, ilovebooks, middling cat, multiple reads, r.s.vern, recommend, recommended book, top book of the month, top book of the week, top ebook 0 Comments on 1st middling ebook [Haee The cat with a crooked tail] makes it to Editor’s Pick! as of 1/1/1990
Add a Comment

View Next 5 Posts