Book excerpt: The Velvet Machine is a unique blend of thought-provoking essays, humorous anecdotes and real-life adventures as told by two of today's most bold and candid authors. In Part One, D.J. Blue (The Good Life Chronicles) features sociological food for thought in his Velvet Communique series. He tackles a variety of issues, including the root of all sociological evil, a hypothetical explanation of the sleep mechanism from a mathematical perspective, the meaning of dreams, as well as opinions on education, marriage, baseball, and glazed doughnut selection. In Part Two, newcomer S.K. Black paints a colorful, honest and sometimes amusing portrait of Midwestern culture. He also pushes the boundaries of decency with some eyebrow-raising poetry. But the cornerstone of Black's piece is his droll yet insightful narrative of a trip through America's heartland, where everything from Kansas cowgirls to Texas State Troopers is experienced and discussed. The Velvet Machine is a cerebral, boldly provocative, and sometimes amusing book which will make an impression on the reader and will not soon be forgotten.