Zombies, the 4th of July, grilling season, and other reasons to set things on fire. A mid-summer celebration of zombies, politicians, birthdays, geeks, mint, bbq, and your veggie garden. Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: The Deluxe Heirloom Edition – Now with 30% More Zombies! This fancy hardcover edition features much more zombie action, 13 full-color oil painting illustrations and bonus materials from author Seth Grahame-Smith. Available for pre-order now! And the Next Quirk Classic Is... Are you waiting with bated breath to find out the next title in the Quirk Classic series? Are racing thoughts or restless leg syndrome keeping you up at night? We’ve got just the thing for you! We’ve been keeping the next Quirk Classics title super top secret. It’s been painful for some, but we’d like to think of that pain as character growth. If you haven't already heard, fans of the Quirk Classics Facebook page will be receiving a special message revealing the title of our next literary mash-up! If you’re a fan, you’ll get the info sent directly to your Facebook inbox at midnight on the 15th. You know you’re going to be up anyway. While you’re waiting, take a few minutes out of your Internet stalking time to take the official Pride and Prejudice and Zombies Facebook quiz. Find out which one of the 10 beloved (and 1 not-so-beloved) characters best matches your personality. Questions revolve around your zombie-fighting skills, your penchant for pastry, and your spinsterhood.  LOLZombies Contest Winner Congratulations to Lori Bauerlein who submitted this bit of LOLZombie childhood nostalgia: Even Zombies Need Playtime! We agree wholeheartedly. See this and our other favorite LOLZombies on the Quirk Classics Facebook page. 5 Things You May Not Know About the Signers of the Declaration of Independence Even if you paid attention in history class, you probably never heard these stories: Samuel Huntington: Declaration Signer Who Became the First U.S. President – Sort Of On March 1, 1781, the Articles of Confederation went into effect, making Huntington the nation's first “real” president on a technicality when his title changed from “President of the Continental Congress” to “President of the United States in Congress Assembled.” Oliver Wolcott: Declaration Signer Who Melted King George’s Heart (and Then Some) In an act of resourceful protest, Wolcott and his family melted the remains of a King George III statue into 42,088 bullets. He and his militia defeated Burgoyne with “His Melted Majesty.” John Hart: Declaration Signer Who Slept in Caves When the British drew near his home in 1776, Honest John sent his children to live with friends while he slept in caves, dog houses, and fields for a year while his land and home was plundered. Robert Morris: Declaration Signer Who Financed the War – and  Ended Up in Debtor’s Prison He financed the Revolution with his copious amounts of money, shrewdness and generosity. A bad real estate investment later in life ruined him financially, and he spent time behind bars. Samuel Chase: Declaration Signer Better Remembered As “Old Bacon Face” Fiery and imposing, he earned his moniker “Old Bacon Face” with his confrontational attitude, his abrasive personality, and his reddish-brown complexion. Find out the full stories behind all 56 brave, defiant signers in Signing Their Lives Away. COLORSTROLOGY For all the July babies out there, below is your color personality profile overview. We apologize in advance if you hate this color, but that’s just how it is. CORAL BLUSH: SOOTHING, RECEPTIVE, NURTURING The color for the month of July is Coral Blush. Gentle and soothing, Coral Blush inspires love and receptivity. The Moon rules the skies during the month of July, and just as the Moon goes through its phases and cycles, so do we. The silver in this color signifies the value of change, reflection, and receptivity, and the pink represents love and tenderness. Together, we have a color that can be used in times of change or transition and as an aid for emotional healing. Read Colorstrology for your exact birthday's Pantone profile.   GEEKY DREAMBOATS It’s officially the busy season down at the Geekboat factory! If you’re a guy born around this time of the year, you are probably a good candidate for Geeky Dreamboat-dom. There a ton of birthday shout-outs for this month, so it was VERY difficult to choose just one. Instead, we compiled them into one list to honor them simultaneously, like an awkward office mixer. Enjoy! June 26, 1980: Jason Schwartzman June 27, 1975: Tobey Maguire June 28, 1966: John Cusack July 8, 1970: Beck July 12, 1978: Topher Grace July 23, 1989: Daniel Radcliffe July 30, 1982: Martin Starr   MINT! A TRIBUTE The classic flavor of mint adds a refreshing bite to so many summertime cocktails, smoothies, sweet treats, and did we mention cocktails? It’s guaranteed to cool your body temperature by 10 degrees. Or maybe it just tastes really good. Either way, here’s a salute to the herb that cools, refreshes, and just won’t stop growing along your driveway.   Field Guide to Cookies: Chocolate-Chip Ice-Cream Sandwiches Chocolate-chip cookies are perfect for making your own ice cream sandwiches. Flavors that go well with chocolate-chip include vanilla, coffee, or butter pecan*. Let the ice-cream sit out at room temperature for a few minutes to soften. Turn half of the cookies upside down, and spread a thick layer of ice cream on each of them. Press the other cookies on top and press down lightly to form sandwiches. Serve immediately or cover in plastic wrap and freeze for up to 3 days. Decorate ice-cream sandwiches by pressing sprinkles, chocolate chips, or nuts into the ice-cream. *Quirk would like to add Mint Chocolate Chip to the list!   A unique mocktail for moms to be: Margarita Mama: Pineapple Mojito This sophisticated pop has the time-honored flavor combination of mint, honey, and lemon: Pops! Mint Tea Pops Want to channel Blanche Devereaux and sip a southern cocktail on the lanai?  Me too. Field Guide to Cocktails: Mint Julep 5 Tips for the Grill from Stuff Every Man Should Know: Guys and grills go together like love and marriage. And once you’re married, this is one of the few places in the world where your wife will leave you alone. Make the most of your grilling with these simple tips: • Chicken: Let chicken marinate overnight to allow the flavor to sink in. Also, white meat cooks faster than dark meat, so plan your timing accordingly. • Steak: When steak is finished cooking, remove it from the grill and let it sit for a few minutes to allow the juices to redistribute through the steak. • Burgers: Flip your burgers only once. This will give them great char marks and keep the juices sealed inside. • Fish: Use a fish basket to keep the fish from sticking to the grill. It will also prevent the top layer from flaking off and releasing some of the flavor. • Ribs: Reduce your grill time by boiling ribs in water ahead of time. Beer Can Chicken Explosion Worst Case Scenario Survival Handbook: LIFE How to handle and prevent this tragic scenario. * Remove chicken from the grill with long barbecue tongs and place on a platter. Once the can has detonated, the chicken poses no further explosive danger. * Once the chicken has cooled, discard, as aluminum shrapnel from the can may have embedded itself in the chicken. * Always open the beer can and take several big gulps before putting inside chicken. Pre-grease the can for easy removal. Image from www.barbecueamerica.com Veggie Garden Maintenance: Tips from the Kitchen Garden Box It is already July, and planting season is, for the most part, over. (Gardening has never been a truly successful endeavor for procrastinators.) Those of you who didn’t miss your window may already be collecting the first rounds of your hard-earned veggies. Congrats! Here are tips from Mike McGrath, host of the perennially popular You Bet Your Garden series on Public Radio, on how to (politely) keep critters out of your garden: All medium to large creatures, like deer, groundhogs, dogs, cats, and squirrels, are easily controlled over a small to medium garden area with a motion-activated sprinkler. You attach it to your hose, point it toward your precious veggies, and it will do nothing until something activates the sensor. Then it shoots cold water at it. Highly effective. It’s adjustable, you don’t have to pay attention to it or reapply anything, animals simply do not get used to it, and it does them no harm. Otherwise, deer protection requires an 8-foot fence or an electric fence (relatively inexpensive solar-powered models are widely available) around the garden. You can also try cyclone fencing or sheet metal laid flat on the ground; deer are reluctant to walk on such barriers. Rabbits, groundhogs, dogs, cats, and skunks can be kept out with 6-foot fencing. Two feet need to be buried in the soil to prevent underground access, and the top foot needs to be bent outward and unsupported to act as a “baffle” to thwart groundhogs, who are excellent climbers. IMPORTANT NOTE: WHAT NOT TO USE Mothballs are ineffective, extremely toxic to you, and potentially deadly to cats. Read the back of the box; it warns you not to use them as an animal repellant. If you see an article urging their use in the garden, complain. It is a violation of federal law to make such a recommendation. Mothballs are highly volatile little cancer bombs designed and licensed to kill only clothes moths in closets indoors. And I urge you to use pheromone traps for that purpose instead. Can’t get enough Quirk? Impatient? Download our Fall 09 Catalog  for all your autumnal Irreference needs. See our upcoming titles and start updating your wish list now. .