The Path of the Writer

Long Tail Keywords and Tags on Blogs and Books

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Friday's Fun and Family-Friendly Guest Post Featuring The Top Reasons Drama Is Important For Your Child's Life by Deborah Baldwin

2017-07-14T02:00:00.000-04:00

The Top Reasons Drama Is Important for Your Child’s Life

Willy Wonka, Jr. Fine Arts Guild of the Rockies August 2012

When the Litpick staff and I discussed writing several articles concerning drama education, I was stymied. I have been a drama teacher and director since 1979.

Personally, theatre and the creativity that stems from it is very second nature to me. I forget that other people may not be aware of its strengths in the same manner.

Today’s the day for bolstering creativity in your child!

In a typical school day I taught theatre classes to approximately 100 students, ages eight to eighteen. Whew! This included classes in creative dramatics, introduction to musical theatre, film making, technical theatre and a production based musical theatre class. Most of what I taught, I created myself for the students.

Since I worked for an enrichment program for home school students, I taught a different group of students each day. Double whew! In another words, creating curriculum plus teaching plus directing productions for nearly forty years equals expert first-hand knowledge. Oh, I forgot that!

Your Creative Child

At the beginning of the school year, it was not uncommon for parents to stop me in the hallway and express delight that their child will be taking a drama class with me. Many parents say, “My daughter is very imaginative and expressive. She plays dress up all day if I let her, but other than dress up, I don’t know what to do with her imagination next.”

I think I know what the parent is trying to express to me. They need some assurance that A. this is a normal part of the child’s development; B. it should not be squelched but promoted and C. there are many strengths to being a creative human being. I smile and encourage the parent to allow the child to continue imagining. I take it from there and the magic begins.

I will admit I am very partial to theatre arts. Honestly, theatre saved my life when I was about ten years old, but that’s another story for some other time. All arts classes will nurture your child’s creativity and every art form brings different gifts to the table. Here are my top seven reasons for drama classes in your child’s life.

Stage Make up Assignment in Technical Theatre Class May 2016

Drama Classes:

Strengthen literacy—We know that through reading, our reading becomes more fluid and comprehensive. Not everyone recognizes that in a drama class we READ a lot--plays, scenes, poems and stories to dramatize. Of course, when we rehearse a piece we read the words over and over again—aha! Then we MEMORIZE them.

We practice a character’s lines using vocal inflection and variety. Suddenly, the words come to life for the reader. Voila! We sneak in reading skills without any of us being aware of it. It is that easy, but reading must be continued in order to have consistent success.

Build self-esteem and self-confidence—If a child has an opportunity to share his ideas through drama, he is immediately accepted. We applaud for the student and his attempt. We encourage positive comments towards the student’s effort. Over time, the child begins to see his worth within the classroom, within the school and consequently in the world as well. Self-actualization is realized. It is a known fact that many at-risk students attend school only because they can take an arts class. That’s pretty powerful.

Build a team spirit—I compare a cast in a play to a football team. The only difference is that no one sits on the bench—everyone plays. Everyone’s actions count to make the goal, the performance. If a student knows that he is expected to help other members of the cast and crew, he takes on the responsibility.

This level of responsibility carries over into social situations, because by becoming a part of a team, a student can see himself as part of the whole instead of merely one piece. A P.E. teacher once remarked to me that she could tell which of my drama students took her classes. When playing games, they were the ones who quickly pulled a group together, used their individual strengths and left out no one. How nice!

Encourage tolerance—Through a scene or play, when one experiences first-hand what is like to be the down trodden character, the misunderstood, the shunned, the innocent accused, one’s framework of understanding broadens.

For example, when we dramatize the story of Anne Frank or Helen Keller, we begin to see life differently and the value of everyone. Life’s issues become greyer in color to us and thereby we appreciate the many perspectives in a particular situation. This is a remarkable attribute.

Provide a safe place to express one’s emotions—Society’s pressures have encouraged us to keep our emotions to ourselves, especially negative ones. I was one of those people. In turn, some people are the opposite and show only negative emotions because they feel less vulnerable in so doing.

By creating a character and expressing the character’s emotions—happiness, sadness, fear, pride, curiosity, anger, joy, jealousy, etc. these feelings become an accepted part of one’s psyche. One’s acceptance of all one’s emotions, strengths and weaknesses is vital to our growth, no matter the age.

Contact me at dhcbalwin@gmail.com or check out my website at DeborahBaldwin.net

I'd love to hear from you!

Not Fond of Chocolate by Brenda Scruggs a Friday's Fun and Family Friendly Guest Post!

2017-07-07T02:00:00.000-04:00

Chocolate could be considered a child’s best friend, but for me, I wasn’t
that fond of chocolate while growing up. I remember me and my sister would
ride our horses to the store (no, I’m not that old) (laughing) we rode
horses all through our childhood. It was our time to enjoy the outdoors and
that tasty treat. Except for me, chocolate wasn’t my go-to snack, I would
rather grab a bag of chips. Crazy right?

A few years ago, I was at a dinner and someone asked, “Do you want a piece
of fudge?” I said, “I’m not that fond of chocolate.” The lady looked at me
a little weird. I thought then and there, that would make a good novel. So,
voila, The Chocolatier was written. But, since then, I have developed a
moderate taste for the confection.

When I researched the creamy substance, I found interesting segments on
the bean. Did you know that Christopher Columbus not only discovered
America but a boat load of chocolate? Columbus was the first European to
encounter cacao aka chocolate. August 1505, on his fourth voyage to the
America’s, he and his crew came across a large dugout canoe near an island
off the coast of what is now Honduras. The canoe was the largest native
vessel the Spaniards had seen. It was “as long as a galley,” and was filled
with local goods for trade – including cacao beans. Columbus had his crew
seize the vessel and its goods. Columbus claimed the concoction was a
“divine drink which builds up resistance and fights fatigue. “A cup of this
precious drink permits a man to walk for a whole day without food.”
Columbus, son Ferdinand wrote about the encounter. He was struck by how
much value the Natives placed on cacao beans, saying, “They seemed to hold
these almonds (the cacao beans) at a great price; for when they were
brought on board ship, I observed that when any of these almonds fell, they
all stooped to pick it up, as if an eye had fallen.”
They soon realized that the cacao bean was used as local currency.
So, the history of chocolate, says that it is a worthwhile confection that
is delicious and valuable.

Blurb:

Chocolate has a reputation of healing a broken heart. Swirl through the
pages of this sweet romance of two unlikely people, one a chocolate heir
and the other not fond of chocolate, to see if chocolate holds true to its
reputation.
Charles Riviera an heir to a chocolate empire was perfectly content as
Director of Marketing over Riviera Chocolate until he literally bumps into
Charlene Callaway. Would she melt his heart like heat melts chocolate?
Charlene Callaway finds herself far from home after finding her fiancé
with another woman on their wedding day. The move had its challenges
especially when she goes to work for a Chocolate Company and her new
handsome boss.
When Charlene is abducted, her only thoughts were of Charles, The
Chocolatier.
Contemporary/Romance/Suspense

Newly released is Brenda's Contemporary/Suspense Michaela’s Justice. This book is on kindle and in paperback.

Blurb:
Detective Michaela Kendall’s abduction at the age of fourteen left her with a burden of becoming a self-appointed protector. The brutalization of her capture left her without any memory of the horrible ordeal except for terrifying dreams of Atelic Horton, her captor. When he escapes from prison, she knows it’s her duty to capture him. Circumstances throw her together with Marshal Ray Steele, an encounter she wanted to forget but it seems he didn’t take too kindly to a gun being pointed in his face. His rough and tuff cowboy ways are known for upholding the law to any measure within the bounds of Justice.
When Michaela and Ray set out to find the prisoner they soon find out they need each other but the journey is full of twists and danger. Ray proves to be her protector on more than one occasion. Somewhere along the way, Michaela sees him in a different light, that not all men were the same.
But, lurking in the shadows, Atelic watches from a distance ready to make his move.

Bio
I studied journalism in school which stirred my imaginations into putting
words to paper. I live in Tennessee. I enjoy watching television with my
husband, eating Mexican food and scribbling my thoughts down on paper.

You can find Brenda here:

Brendascruggs.wordpress.com
Facebook: brenda Scruggs - author
Instagram: brendascruggs

Thank you for sharing your post with us, Brenda, you are welcome to share anytime. I would love to hear more about your horse rides.

2017-07-05T08:30:00.000-04:00

Delicious Amazon Reviews for Who’s That in the Cat Pajamas?

Almost one month ago today, I released Who’s That in the Cat Pajamas? It was my first real children’s book and I had been working on this dream since my granddaughter, Raevyndaun asked me to write a book she could read.

This month has brought in 10 reviews for the book. Most verified and thrilled to say that. Most have been 5-star reviews. Even the 4 stars have been so amazingly beautiful to me. Thankfully, no one has had a negative word to say about Dolcey or my writing.

I can’t describe how wonderful that feels. It is like a month of birthday cake without the guilt and weight gain. That’s about the best I can describe it.

I am so thankful to everyone that has reviewed so far and I am going to call out your reviewer name in thanks.

I will start with the 2 Amazon reviewers.

Amazon Reviewer 1

Janet Balletta Blog post (check out the post! It is amazing!!!)

Chris

Sherrie Marshall Blog post! (Check out the post It was wonderful!!)

Cathy A. Christmas

Leigh Holland Blog Interview (This was so fun. Check out her blog!)

Amazon Reviewer 2

Bob Richley Blog post (Check this out, It is a great post!)

Aunt Bee

Sian Claven Blog Post (Check out the beautiful post from tbbmaniacs!)

Robbie Cheadle Blog Post (Check out her fantastic post!)

So this is a monthly recap. This is an exciting month in paperback sales as well. I have been mailing out several books a week to readers that want a signed copy for their children and grandchildren. I appreciate every request and make sure the turn around time is quick. If you want your child to meet Docley and have a signed book, just write me or comment below. I sell them for the paperback Price of $9.20 and $3.00 shipping.

Thanks to, Gloria, Martha, Cindy and Maci, Jacinthe, Laura, Beverly, Betty, Cindy E, Tensley and Willow, Wilson, Elliot, Brynlea and Lulee. I will not mention all the family’s books I have sent out. All I can say is when I walk into the post office, they call out, “MEDIA MAIL, right?”

So I am thrilled to be sharing this with you. I love to promote marketing ideas and Indie authors. I wanted you to see, I believe my marketing is paying off. I am following as many posts, newsletters, and live events as I can to learn more. Always willing to learn more tips if you have them.

Who’s That in the Cat Pajamas? is #118 in her genre right now. She has been as low as 75 so I still hope to see her dropping toward #1. Even the top 100 is fine with me.

The first live book signing event takes place on August 26 and 27, 2017. I have books available or bring your own. I will happily sign a copy. I am also writing a prequel to Dolcey’s story for a live reading during the event.

There will be a children’s reading corner and I am going to read this new story. Yikes, I volunteer for so many things I am just not prepared for. So I have to race and get prepared. Join us in August.

We’re STILL ACCEPTING authors who are seeking signing opportunities to participate in the Bluegrass Book Bash 2017 event. It’s taking place Aug 26-27 in Corbin, Kentucky and we still have several tables left to fill! Authors of all genres and locations are welcome, and there will activities for kids during the event. If you’re interested, please join this group to get the full info on table prices, payments, etc. We’d love to have you join us!

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1071527046287989 and on the web at Form of Interest

Share some feedback! I am curious as to how my little numbers are for a new indie author.

Friday's Fun and Family Friendly Guest Post How Theatre Saved My Life by Deborah Baldwin

2017-06-30T02:00:00.001-04:00

My imagination (and later, theatre specifically) saved my life. When I was a child, my mother was quite ill and consequently to show respect to her, I controlled my emotions. so I didn’t want compound her stress.

I was the youngest in my family. With ten years between me and my next closest sibling, I rarely had anyone to play with or talk to. I depended upon my imagination to comfort me and take me away from loneliness I felt but wouldn’t admit to anyone. I learned how to slap on a smile and pretend everything was good with me. I was quite a little actress.

When I saw movies, I would act them out and sing very dramatically while sequestering myself upstairs on the east porch of our house. It had no heat and I remember freezing to death for my “art”.

I thought I was crazy, though. I never told my friends about my make believe playing and when I would visit their houses, they never played make believe. So I decided I wasn’t like everyone else. I played make believe until I was twelve.

My father was a physician and my mother was raised in Japan when she was a child. Consequently, her wander lust was difficult to satiate and we traveled to many countries when I was quite young.

If it wasn’t hard enough being the youngest, my world view was very different from my fellow classmates. Just another thing to make me an oddity, at least in my mind.

My mother wasn’t at all supportive of my interest in theatre. She intimated I could end up like Elizabeth Taylor, “She’s been married seven times. Look at her…”Something was mentioned about me ending up on a “casting couch.” I didn’t know what that was, but by my mother’s attitude I knew it must be bad.

Trying to be the good daughter, I left behind my imagination and became a cheerleader in junior high school. It makes sense if you think about it. That worked for two years and I loved the performing aspect of it. I was a rotten jumper. No one taught me how to do a round off or cartwheel, so I taught myself. But I could yell loudly and lead the crowd in cheers. At least I could do that!

When I was in high school, I found exactly what I was seeking –the stage! I was cast in my first play as Madame Arcati in “Blithe Spirit”. Since I had no previous acting experience, but lots experience playing the piano, I notated my script as if I was playing the piano. I used fermatas for pauses and crescendo and decrescendo signs when I wanted to speak louder or softer.

To this day, I grow nostalgic whenever I step backstage. The scent of sawdust, newly painted flats and the warmth of the stage lights are a magical elixir to me. I brush the back of my hand across a velvet grand curtain and immediately I feel I’m home.

In college, I experienced an epiphany. It was the early 1970’s, and society impressed upon me to hide my negative feelings or only express those feelings most accepted by others. I realized by sharing myself hiding behind a character, I could express all my feelings and thoughts. I felt accepted universally.

That’s a heady experience which made me come back for more. Nearly forty years later, I’m happily stuck here.

I became a director for a community theatre production of The Miracle Worker because there was no one else willing to do the job. Ha! I have a leader type personality and directing fit into my life.
I was quite young to take on such a challenging production but I took to it right away. I saw the potential of affecting people through stories that I created in my own manner.

Now, I adore making a statement through words and actions.

As of this writing, I have directed over 250 plays and musicals with adults and children alike. I chose to direct and act at the community level for most of my career. It’s not that I don’t enjoy professional theatre. On the contrary. I’ve appreciated the professional positions in which I have been employed.

It’s just not where my life’s journey has taken me. I’m always open to work in whatever venue needs me.

I’ve portrayed many beloved roles–Maria in “The Sound of Music”, Marion Paroo in “Music Man”, Dot in “Cricket on the Hearth”, Penny in “You Can’t Take it With You” and many others. Above all, more than any particular role or any special production, I have learned about myself.

Theatre saved my life. It has given me great joy, creative challenges and great friendships (I even met my husband while acting in a show).

I don’t know where I would be without it.

Bio

Deborah is an award winning author, teacher and director. Recently retired, she taught drama to elementary through high school students for thirty-eight years. Among many other theatrical experiences, she has directed over 250 plays and musicals with adults and children alike. Recently, she and her husband of thirty-four years moved from the Colorado Rockies to Kansas to be grandparents to their first grandchild. When Deborah isn’t writing, reading or cooking she enjoys seeing movies and traveling. Lastly, she serves as hand maiden to her two quirky cats who really run the show.

Sunday Stroll in the Gallery Featuring Kyra Leary and her unique Photography

2017-06-25T02:00:00.000-04:00

My name is Kyra Leary and I live visually. I am not a professional photographer. I snap on impulse, capturing whatever pleases my eye or makes my heart skip a beat. In my world, a sunset is a sunset not a “colorful spectacle of light and hope”. It’s a photo and if it’s done right, it needs no description. All my nondescript photography can be viewed at www.kyraleary.com.

In addition to photography, I am the author of the Earth No. 105 series by Ame Terra. The series is a mix of science fiction, dystopian, paranormal romance. In short, a mutt. A lovable mix with something for everyone. Want to see the lovable mix for yourself? Everything Earth No. 105 can be found at https://kyraleary.com/www-whoisleader-com/.

In additional to photography and writing, I enjoy traveling, reading Indie novels, spoiling my son and dog and splurging on expensive wine. Read my "weird and witty" book reviews at https://kyraleary.com/book-reviews/.

Time to enter the Gallery:

All my photos are free to Indie authors to use as they wish - marketing, promotions, covers or simply for inspiration. A listing of some that might inspire can be found at https://kyraleary.com/photo-listato/ but Indies can request any photo I’ve posted anywhere by shooting me an email at ameterra@comcast.net.

My books are free to anyone who follows my blog simply by emailing ameterra@comcast.net. Shop for my books at https://kyraleary.com/shop/. They are also available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iBooks and ebooks.

Here’s some other places I hang out:

Facebook Libro Illustrato by Kyra

Twitter @LearyKyra

Instagram beckettleary

Planning My First Book Signing Event

2017-06-18T20:16:00.000-04:00

Yesterday I received the details on the Bluegrass Book Bash. What is that? Well, I will happily tell you! It is a book signing event in Corbin Kentucky. Corbin Kentucky is the home of the original Kentucky Fried Chicken and Colonel Sanders. I have convinced one of my daughters to come with and hold my hand during the event. I hope I will not be shaking too much to sign legibly.

I have been asking for those that have attended a book signing event before to give suggestions to make it a success. The response has been great and I am finding my head swirling with ideas. I have a stack of Who's That in the Cat Pajamas? children's books to take with me, I have a few of the Path of the Child the YA book to set out. I also have a copy of the anthology 31 Days of October. I need to plump up those stacks before August. I am also going to be introducing my two tee-shirt designs for the event. Now to get some bookmarks, and flyers made. I want this to go smoothly and be a success. Since it is my first, I will probably do an overkill.

Let me tell you about my daughters and I planning a fairy party for one of the grandchildren. We decided that stations were needed. A face painting station complete with glitter paints, glitter makeup, and butterfly wing patterns. We created a photo booth with wings, crowns, wands, boas, and other items for the children to hold. There was a fairy dust booth where the children could make bags of fairy dust to take home. This was for a family of about 9 children. It was a great fun day and we laugh about the overkill, but we love the memories. One of the starter parties that we are now known for!

That is exactly how this could go if I am not careful. Everyone that knows me know that when the excitement kicks in, look out! Please share ideas and help me make it the most fun and least terrifying event ever.

Sunday Stroll in the Gallery Featuring Illustrations of Jane Fade Merrick

2017-06-18T02:00:00.000-04:00

Ashes of the Phoenix is a contemporary romance which tells about life, love, hate, troubles and music! Meet Fade, a girl who lives a life left on her own, struggling constantly to survive in a society that swallows everyone who doesn’t keep up with its pace; her only company is a kitchen knife and a scar embedded in her leg that reminds her every day of who she is and why she is there. Once, while she’s stealing in a supermarket, she meets Jag, a boy with a disturbing appearance who convinces her to join him in his weird plan: to become the main sponsor of one of the most successful bands of the moment, of which he’s a huge fan, and - apparently - he doesn’t lack the money to do so. She allows herself to be convinced to meet Nef, a typical playboy, who eventually will learn that the world isn’t all at his feet like he thought...

Ashes of the Phoenix contains several illustrations done by the author and other artists, which complete the imaginary world that it tells.

This romance have been published in Italian, currently is getting translate and it will be released in English at the beginning of the new year. Still, you can follow the FB page to know previews, curiosity, participate in surveys and giveaways. https://www.facebook.com/theashesofthephoenix/

Author's bio

Hello! This is Jane Fade Merrick, the author. I use a pen name to keep my identity secret because there's not much to tell about me. I am from Italy and I wanted to make my romance international (it's going to be translated by a professional staff, so don't mind my eventual English mistakes).

I believe in self-publishing. I consider it not a simple “escaping way” for all these people who didn't get a contract in a regular publishing house, but a real conscious way for a writer to make his story available to everyone. For this reason, I tried to write my book in the most perfect way I could. I hope that all the people who chose this way of publishing would do the same.

New concepts by Nancy Quinn as Friday's Fun and Family Friendly Guest Post

2017-06-16T05:00:00.001-04:00

We had experienced many new concepts since leaving city life behind and moving out west. Conversations now focused on matters that I never thought would cross my lips—horses, cows, horseshoes, supplements, small farm animals, and wild animals. Weather also was a big topic, as well as how to protect yourself and your homestead from it. We learned about growing fruits and vegetables and, of course, we experimented with various means of dealing with the dreaded varmints, especially the chipmunks and squirrels who regularly threatened them.

The wildlife that lived on my place loved me. Each time they saw a new plant in the yard or in a pot, they assumed the buffet line was open. Deer, chipmunks, squirrels, and rabbits relished every flower I set out. It was so frustrating. They should have been satisfied with the bird seed they raided out of the feeder every day, but no, they were glutinous to a fault.

One particular chipmunk, a rather industrious fellow, climbed inside the long plastic tube of the bird feeder, and ate so much seed, he became too fat to climb out again. I discovered his plight when I went to refill the feeder and saw one eye smashed against the plastic cylinder, blinking at me. I was so startled I nearly dropped the feeder on the ground. I shook it vigorously upside down, trying to get him out, but he barely budged. Kobi stood by, anxiously licking his chops in anticipation. I removed the top from the feeder and gave it one last huge fling. A furry torpedo flew past the dog and plopped to the ground, rolling. As soon as he stopped rolling, he righted himself and scurried to the shelter of a nearby tree. He was too fat to run very fast, and though Kobi pursued him, he managed to dodge safely about and made good his escape. I thought that was the end of it until a few days later I found him again stuck in the feeder. Apparently, he had to lose some weight before he was thin enough to climb back into the tube. Some chipmunks never learn.

Learn more about Nancy here:

www.quinnwildlifeart.com Art

https://nancy442.wixsite.com/quinn Book

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rmxcrrunEYg Book video Trailer

https://www.amazon.com/Go-West-Young-Woman-Military/dp/1555718299?ie=UTF8&ref_=asap_bc Amazon

https://hellgatepress.com/nancy-quinn/go-west-young-woman Publisher

Bedtime Chats: A summer ritual

2017-06-14T02:03:00.000-04:00

The end of the school year means the seven-year-old moves into Grandma's bedroom for a few months. With this summer cottage atmosphere, there are long talks into the night. Here is tonight's conversation between Sarah and Grandma.

G. Lets go to sleep. We have to get up early.

S. Wait! What's your favorite fruit?

G. Bananas.

S. I knew you were going to say that. Mine are grapes. What's your second favorite?

G. Grapes are my second favorite. What is your second favorite?

S. Bananas! What's your next favorite fruit? I hope it isn't that fruit that stinks!

G. What fruit stinks? I think my next favorite fruit is Watermelon.

S. Same.

G. What fruit stinks?

S. I can't think of its name. What is your least favorite fruit?

G. Limes, they are too sour for me.

S. Same. Well, actually my least favorite is grapes with ranch.

G. Laughing out loud, eww grapes with ranch? You've tried that?

S. Laughing louder, Yes! It was the worst. What's your next favorite Fruit?

G. Mango. I love mango.

S. Oh no, Grandma, that's the fruit that stinks.

G. No way! Mangos smell good! But I also love Kiwi.

S. Same. Wait, what do they look like?

G. Green with little black seeds.

S. Oh yes, I like them but I do not like avocados.

G. You don't like avocados?

S. Or guacomole, it is made from avocados.

G. I love apples, applesauce, and apple butter!

S. Applebutter? What is that?

G. It is a sweet thing your Aunt Casey knows how to make.

S. hmm

G.Goodnight Sarah! I love you!

S. Goodnight Grandma. You know I love you, right?

G. I know you do! You know I love you too, right? Sweet dreams!!

Nodding, Sarah grabs my hand and sleeps holding it until I got back up to write this.

Summers are good. Much better than grapes with ranch.

Sunday Stroll in the Gallery Featuring John Macdonald, Photographer Extroidinaire

2017-06-11T05:00:00.000-04:00

John Macdonald is a photographer which specializes in the natural beauty of the Upper Michigan area. From scenic buildings to majestic sunsets, he captures the vivid colors of Michigan in his photographs.
John has provided the link to read his 178 photo book for free at https://storycartel.com/books/a-michigan-photo-presentation-second-edition. The book presents waterfalls, sunsets, Great Lakes ships, Architecture and more all from the state of Michigan.

As you stroll through his photographs, remember that he has over 150 more for your viewing pleasure available.

Welcome to the Gallery:

Presque Isle sunset, Marquette, Michigan

Westland, Michigan tulips

Marquette county, Michigan

Beaumont Building Michigan State University

Mackinaw Bridge in December

Marquette Lighthouse

Friday's Fun and Family-Friendly Guest Post Presents Destiny Revealed by Cris Pasqueralle

2017-06-09T05:00:00.000-04:00

A fantasy series that's soon to be a feature film!!!!!

Twins Jack and Maddie Austin have just turned 13 and have been given a mysterious gift of two necklaces by someone they have never met. The gift comes with a message in the form of a poem, but before any explanation can be given, the twins and their family are attacked by an evil wizard named Tardon.

Tardon kidnaps the twins' parents and, led by their Uncle Benny, the twins must travel to an unknown magical realm of wizards, gnomes, and hidden secrets to embark on a rescue mission to save their parents. Along the way, the twins are led on a path of self discovery that takes them on a quest to destiny.

On the surface, The Destiny trilogy may appear to be another fantasy adventure with teen heroes, and it is, but it is a bit different, our heroes are not alone. The family in this story is very much intact. Mom and Dad offer guidance and a loving hand, there is also a sibling love and rivalry that is explored, and the magical creatures are not your standard fantasy fare. Yes, there are dragons and fairies, but there are also Sasquatch, and Keeluts, and Gici Awas, and Thunderbirds, all taken from Native American folklore. So if you like your fantasy with a

twist, take a look at The Destiny Trilogy and ride the new wave in fantasy fiction. Available on amazon at https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01LXRLRBJ

I have been asked many times what has inspired me and why I choose to write fantasy. First, the inspiration comes from my daughters. it was their love of the Harry Potter books that made me a fantasy fan, and, when that series came to an end, my children clamored for a wizarding story. After much discussion with them, The Destiny Trilogy was born. I write fantasy fiction because I like the no boundaries approach to writing, and fantasy allows an author to build his own worlds and make up his own rules. Plus, its a lot of fun.

Author Cris Pasqueralle is a retired NYC Police Officer who lives on Long Island with his wife and two daughters. Cris enjoys writing for a younger audience because he believes that through reading and imagination, kids build a brighter future for themselves and all of us. Follow Cris on facebook at www.facebook.com./authorcrispasqueralle

Keep checking his author page on facebook for news about the up coming film versions of The Destiny Trilogy.

Book 1: Destiny Revealed

Book 2: Paths of Destiny

Book 3: Quest for Destiny

Parents looking for new books and Authors? New group on Facebook and on Goodreads has you covered!

2017-06-08T11:30:00.000-04:00

Today there is an active and ready for participation group on both Goodreads and Facebook. These groups share a common name, Parents, Find Children’s Books and Authors. This is an excellent time to join up and look for new authors, old classics, fun series, and child appealing characters.

Let’s start with a few links to show where you can join in the fun. On Goodreads, you may join the group here. Now before you think this is just another crazy idea bunny from Vicki, I can assure you we already have over 20 members. They might be quiet now, but you know I will get them talking sooner or later, I am hoping for sooner.

Facebook is newer and less formed, but it is there ready for occupancy. The paint is a little sticky and the grout is still drying, but we are open for business. So meander on into the Facebook group here.

So let’s talk about group plans on both sites. We see this as a group that can share great books and new soon to be great books with children and their parents. A chance to meet a few authors, order a signed copy of a book, ask questions of writers, readers, authors, publishers, and all genre specific.

This is not a spamming site where links will be posted on a daily basis running off readers with their sheer magnitude. There will be a book room where books can be listed, there will be an area for discounts, freebies, and giveaways. There will be an area for new releases. So come on over to one of the two sites (read join both!) Share your skills in the children’s literature, early reader, chapter books, and child-friendly series.

What we need most at this point is word of mouth and sharing of the links. We are talking full out sharing, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Google +, Reddit, Tumbler, and any other site you have seen parents, readers, and or authors lurking. Help us make this a fun and totally interactive place for parents, readers, authors, and children at heart. And by all means, if you are a reader, writer, child at heart, then join us! We can’t wait to meet you too!

Sunday Stroll In the Gallery with Nancy Quinn

2017-06-04T02:00:00.000-04:00

Welcome to Sunday Stroll in the Gallery. Our first artist is World known Wildlife Artist, Nancy Quinn. Take a stroll through the gallery and meet Nancy and enjoy a sampling of her amazing art pieces.

Bio

Nancy has always been interested in art and nature. She was born in Southfield, Michigan, and later moved to Florida, working her way through college in Jacksonville. After graduation, she worked in conservation law enforcement as a Duty Officer for the Florida Game and Freshwater Fish Commission. Her interests in painting and nature eventually led to a career in wildlife art. Lacking extensive formal training, she believes her artistic ability was an inborn gift from her father, the noted artist Boyd A. Zimmer II.

Early in her career, Nancy was presented with 2nd and 3rd place awards in the World Wildlife Art Championships. Her work is internationally known and found in galleries, state museums, and private collections.

Education efforts are important to Nancy. She created T-shirt and jewelry designs for the Florida Wildlife Federation.

She was commissioned by the State of New Jersey to create the limited edition art print Nature's Legacy. The print commemorates the centennial celebration of the State's Division of Fish, Game, and Wildlife. The funds raised from the sale of the prints act as tuition grants for college students interested in biology or conservation law enforcement.

Nancy strives for accuracy and realism in her work and continues to strengthen her commitment to furthering conservation awareness. After spending over six years in the capital region while her husband served at the Pentagon, Nancy and her family now joyfully reside in rural Montana where she continues to create new works.

Thoughts from my easel,

I believe art has a purpose other than decorating our walls. I think it can touch our minds and our hearts. When I sit down to create art, I think about how best to give an animal or bird a soul and how to foster an emotion on canvas, paper, or precious metal. If I can have a positive effect in someone's life, then my work has served an important purpose. I remember a particular story of a woman who lived alone. She told me of the forlornness she felt each day sitting by herself for every meal. After she framed and hung up my barn owl limited edition print in her dining room, she noticed how lifelike the image was and so gave it a name. As time passed she began to talk to it and soon she no longer dreaded mealtime because she felt as though she had some company. It is a true blessing for me when clients write and tell me how my art has made them or a loved one happy. Each of their personal stories is remarkable and unique, and their enjoyment keeps me motivated, making my work a pleasure.

Before I create an artwork, I first have to make some kind of a connection with the subject bird or animal. I prefer to physically handle and study the wildlife prior to painting, drawing, or sculpting it. I look for its individual personality, as well as what physical and behavioral characteristics are common to its species. Above all, I want to evoke a feeling and understanding of what is amazing about them in nature. It is challenging work. I have laughed and enjoyed animal antics and I have also escaped some potentially serious injuries. Working with wild animals is a risk and I handle them carefully with an educated and well thought out plan. Happily, I rarely suffer a boring day and I am always learning something new.

To experience the call of the natural world one must be silent, so I prefer solitude when I am at my easel. Through quiet introspection I contemplate the best way to portray the special qualities of each subject, be it the fierce strength, vulnerability, graceful beauty, determination, cunning, or loyalty common to its species. I hope each time you look into the eyes and study the body language of the animals in my artwork, you will see and feel these emotions. If so, then I have succeeded in helping you find your own connection to nature through art.

Enter the Gallery:

Add caption

Blue Bird

Tanger

Watchful Stallion

Wilson

Dance

Serenity

Nancy Quinn

Wildlife Artist and Author

www.quinnwildlifeart.com Art

https://nancy442.wixsite.com/quinn Book

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rmxcrrunEYg Book video Trailer

https://www.amazon.com/Go-West-Young-Woman-Military/dp/1555718299?ie=UTF8&ref_=asap_bc Amazon

https://hellgatepress.com/nancy-quinn/go-west-young-woman Publisher

http://awesternlife.blogspot.com/ Blog

2017-06-02T06:00:00.000-04:00

Today is the day!

Dolcey is excited, I am excited, Emily is excited and I hope the readers are excited. Today marks the launch of Who's That in the Cat Pajamas? This is book 1 in the Dolcey series and we get to see what makes Dolcey so extra special. As you might gather from the title, Dolcey isn't always a cat, find out more about her and who she really is in Who's That in the Cat Pajamas? available today!

Excerpt from Who's That in the Cat Pajamas?

Dolcey moved from one end of the porch to the other, tail held high, pointed black ears perked forward, and silvery whiskers pointing straight at the front door. Twitching her cat whiskers was always tricky, but Dolcey was getting better and better as she strutted around. Purring and meowing enough to stir some compassion from the parents seems to be the hardest part, thought Dolcey.

“Emily, go get the milk and let’s get this boy somewhere warm.” Emily sped into the kitchen but Dolcey was no longer listening. Her fur was bristling as she glowered at Emily’s dad.

“Obviously, I am a girl,” she meowed with such ferocity that she almost scared herself.

Where can you find this children's chapter book to read more?

Amazon in paperback and in Kindle: Find it here!
Barnes and Noble in paperback only: Find it here!

I hope you will pick up a copy and share with your family the adventure with Dolcey and Emily.

If you enjoy this children's book and want to read more from Sojourner McConnell the ebook of The Path of the Child is on sale in celebration of the new release for $.99 on Amazon.

Mystery Thriller Week 2017 – A fan / reviewer’s thoughts by Kim Hunter

2017-06-02T00:00:00.000-04:00

The 11th to 22nd February 2017 I disappeared! I only left my computer chair to take care of necessities, one of which was NOT sleep!

I heard about the event in November 2016 after joining a book review blog. Not realising what I was getting myself into, I agreed to read and review as many books as I could so that these reviews could be posted during the event in February 2017. I ended up reading / listening to 12 books by the end of January and had the reviews scheduled for posting during the week of the event. This part was hardly a sacrifice as the authors very generously gave audio or electronic copies to the readers wanted to review them. What I did not realise was how interactive the event was to be!

There were many live events during the extended week – this gave those interested an opportunity to learn more about the art of writing, to question authors and other players in the industry. However, most started from about 10pm my time, so I spent many sleepless nights chatting, not sleeping. Oh, the sacrifices we make…….! I’m sure that some of the authors felt as I did as they were participating from all over the world too. However, it was an opportunity not to be missed and I was there as often as possible. There were many give-away’s and I have a TBR pile of note!

From my point of view, the event was about exposing readers to new authors and authors to new readers. It certainly achieved this for me. I discovered the existence of ‘cozy mysteries’ and have now decided that I am not a great fan of gruesome thrillers or horror stories! I met the author Barbara Venkataramen during this event – a writer of cozy mysteries. I love the conciseness of her writing – the whole plot is developed and solved in about four hours of reading. This means that you can take a Sunday afternoon and feel like you have read a 400 page novel (I am not a speed reader BTW!) with all the characters coming to life in an environment you can envision and a mystery solved in a short space of time. Spectacular! This is a new genre for me and I will be looking for more cozy mysteries to read.

Another of my favourite authors, Susan May, also participated. I always find her amusing and informative. CJ Petterson and Sarah Key were two other authors who willingly gave of their time – each trying to make the event interesting in different ways for the participants. I can honestly say that they succeeded. For the many other authors and book people who participated (simply too many for me to list), I, as a reader, need to give you my thanks. Your participation made the event fun, interesting and worthwhile. The orgainsers added a few competitions along the way so that bloggers could be discovered and followed, and authors read via the prizes they donated.

Will I participate next year? ABSOLUTELY. I’ll stock up on caffeine drinks and exercise my fingers in advance, for getting to chat with people who have the courage and perseverance to write and publish the stories we are privileged to be able to read, is priceless.

Kim Hunter

Tangowithtext.com

Thank you to Kim Hunter for participating in Friday's Fun and Family-Friendly Guest Posts. Kim, you are welcome to participate any time.

Guest Post by Dolcey from Who’s That in the Cat Pajamas?

2017-05-31T06:00:00.000-04:00

Thanks to Sneaky for posting my guest post over on Wordpress. https://sneakylibrarycat.wordpress.com/2017/05/29/guest-post-by-dolcey-from-whos-that-in-the-cat-pajamas-by-sojourner-mcconnell/

Good morning, Sneaky! I appreciate you allowing me to visit with you today. I am Dolcey and Sojourner asked me to come introduce myself to you. As you might have noticed, today I am in my cat pajamas. You might say I am cloaked in a bit of a mystery.

You see, I have a job to do in this life, and it is to help children. I am not always a cat. I have many sets of pajamas that I use in my adventures. I have another life away from the children’s houses you will read about in my latest book.

Sojourner McConnell is bringing you the story of how my career began. It is a lovely story featuring Emily. We call it Who’s That in the Cat Pajamas?

You will meet Emily, and she has the most beautiful green eyes. They shine like emeralds. Anyway, Emily has a problem. I am not going to tell you about it now. Sojourner is the story teller. I will leave that up to her.

In Who’s That in the Cat Pajamas? you will find out exactly who I am and what I do when not dressed for work. You will also find out about my special job and why I do, what I do.

I know there are so many secrets, but you will find out a lot of them in the first book. I hope you will join me for the release which happens very soon. It is already on Amazon as a Preorder.

In fact, I hope you will follow along with the Dolcey Series. Book 1 comes to Amazon and books stores on June 2, 2017. I hope you will pick up a copy and share it with the children in your life.

Then stay tuned because, in about four months, I will be traveling to another land and helping another special child that you will not want to miss meeting.

Miss Ellie Barrett is already working on the illustrations for that special story with Sojourner now. It is going to be a blast. You can find Ellie on Instagram.

Thanks so much for the guest post, Dolcey, and best whiskers on your new book.

Interview which was hosted by Robbie Cheadle

2017-05-30T22:16:00.000-04:00

https://robbiesinspiration.wordpress.com/2017/05/28/whos-that-in-the-cat-pajamas-by-sojourner-mcconnell/

This is the post with Sojourner's interview. My thanks to Robbie Cheadle for her interesting questions. She sure made me think!

Who’s That In The Cat Pajamas? by Sojourner McConnell

Sojourner McConnell is releasing a new book on 2 June 2017 and its for children. How exciting! I am delighted to host Sojourner on robbiesinspiration and to learn and share more about Who’s That In the Cat Pajamas?

The blurb

When the wind brings the cries of children to her ears, Dolcey is spurred into action. Comforting and aiding children in need is her main focus. Welcome to Dolcey’s world. Welcome to a world of magic and endless possibilities. When Emily has a big problem, her family tries to help, but some problems need something special to make things right. In Emily’s case, the special treatment is a visitor named Dolcey.

Author interview

Robbie: Welcome to Robbiesinspiration, Sojourner, it is lovely to have you over for a visit and learn more about you and your new book.

Sojourner: Thank you, Robbie, for this opportunity to share more about myself and my exciting news of the release of Who’s That In The Cat Pajamas?. I am so very excited, I hope you and other readers will join me for the release on June 2, 2017. I love your children’s books. I found an illustrator, she uses standard methods, our illustrations are not quite as tasty as yours.

Robbie: Thank you, Sojourner. I think your cover illustration is delightful. Why did you decide to write a book for children?

Sojourner: I was visiting my family that lives in Michigan for the month of December and my granddaughter, who is in the second grade, asked to read my book. I told her it was a hard book for little girls to read. She replied, “Then will you write me a book that I can read?” I promised her I would and before I made it home in January, I had the concept filling my brain and ready to be written. I was working on Mystery Thriller Week at the time, so I did not actually begin writing until March.

Robbie: What inspired you to write this particular story?

Sojourner: Who’s That In The Cat Pajamas? is the story of my daughter’s relocation far away from her home. I based the story on how a little cat could help. As the cat is not an actual cat, there is some magic and adventures to spice up the story.

Robbie: How have you adapted your marketing strategy for a children’s book rather than a book for adults?

Sojourner: That has been hard, I am looking for a parent’s group. I find author groups for children’s books, but I am not having much success finding the parents of the little readers. I am still searching for that group of parents and children in order to get the book seen by future readers. I hope that word of mouth by readers will promote the book. I also have a blog that shares back stories and features about upcoming characters. Promoting a book is not easy and simple. It is almost a full-time job.

[I think that all authors will agree with you in that regard, Sojourner.]

Robbie: Are you planning on writing a series about Dolcey?

Sojourner: I am writing a series featuring Dolcey. There will be quite a few differences in each story. I hope that the children and parents will respond positively to Dolcey and Emily. The name of the next book is shared at the end of Who’s That in the Cat Pajamas? and I hope they are as excited about the prospect of book 2 as I am.

Robbie: What age group are you targeting with this book?

Sojourner: I believe this book would be well received by children as young as four and I had a beta reader that was twelve and she said she enjoyed the book and can’t wait to read the next one. She had already read, The Path of the Child, and enjoyed that so her reading genres are as varied as mine. I have placed those as the prime ages for the book. The language is a little above grade one but the message is one even a younger child can appreciate.

Robbie: Thank you, Sojourner, for taking the time to answer my questions and tell me a bit about yourself and your book, Who’s That In The Cat Pajamas?

About Sojourner McConnell

Born and raised in Birmingham, Alabama. Sojourner McConnell lives in Winchester, Kentucky with one of her daughters and three of her thirteen grandchildren. She has six grandchildren in Alabama and four that live in Michigan. Sojourner’s new book is a children’s chapter book, Who’s That in the Cat Pajamas which will release June 2, 2017. Her next book, Blip, is a sci-fi book with humor and intrigue and is due out by December 2017. The Path of the Child, The Power of Forgiveness, and 31 Days of October are all available in paperback and in eBook format on Amazon and other retailers. Sojourner brings a taste of strong personalities with a healthy dose of southern charm to her characters. As co-founder and part of the organizing team of Mystery Thriller Week, she has become fascinated with writing a mystery of her own. In fact, there might be a little mystery woven into one of the two books she is writing at present. When not writing, she is busy entertaining her Australian Shepherd, Beau. Unfortunately, Beau tends to get jealous when she spends too much time working on the computer.

Purchase Sojourner McConnell’s books

You can pre-order Who’s That in the Cat Pajamas? on Amazon

For older readers, The Path of the Child is available on Amazon at a special price in celebration of the release of Who’s That in the Cat Pajamas?

Follow Sojourner McConnell

To learn more about Sojourner you can like her on Facebook

Follow on Twitter

Follow and friend her on Goodreads

Visit her blog for up close and personal posts about new books and more information about the characters in all her books. The Path of the Writer has a newsletter sign up too. Another way to keep up with everything about books is to follow her book reviews on The Page Turner.

Robbie and Michael Cheadle are the co-authors of the Sir Chocolate Book series

Purchase Sir Chocolate at:

https://www.amazon.com/author/robbiecheadle

http://tinyurl.com/zdokqjr (currently available at a discounted price)

Follow Robbie Cheadle at:

Blog: robbiesinspiration.wordpress.com

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15584446.Robbie_Cheadle

Facebook: @SirChocolateBooks

Plus.google: https://plus.google.com/105609586198905397891

My main Nemesis, On Computer, KIndle Fire, and especially my iPhone:

2017-05-27T18:44:00.000-04:00

Writing is my favorite, task, past time, hobby, and job. Yet, there is a dark force that works against me as often as possible. You may have dealt with the Dark One yourself. It lurks everywhere and it is as relentless as it is ruthless.

AUTO_CORRECT

That unrelenting helper that keeps me sounding on a text as if I have had a minor stroke or am suffering from Dementia. Or both!

This seemingly benign application that changes my intentional "u" to an "i" and makes me sound awkward to people when I say "I have all my ducks in a row for the upcoming release." My children send me those odd emoji faces and I have to go back and explain I meant DUCKS. My daughter writes back, "Say what now? I m intrigued but not interested, Mom."

When I send a garbled message to my daughter about an important temper tantrum of the seven-year-old autocorrect turns it into "She laid in the gloir and screaming with the bud out front." I was simply trying to say the bus was out front while she laid on the floor. I get the response, "Are you going to the doctor today?"

It is not funny when you call your child Hiney instead of Honey. Lucky for me, my daughters are considerate and loving and only ask about my health.

One daughter asked if I was taking too much medicine. All in all, Auto-Correct has made me appear as a weak woman with speech issues.

My auto-correct needs autocorrect.

Me and Mister Bo by Dan Nimak is Free this Weekend only.

2017-05-26T23:36:00.001-04:00

Me and Mister Bo by Dan Nimak

Paperback: 242 pages
Publisher: Rainbug Books (May 17, 2017)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1945015179
ISBN-13: 978-1945015175

Review:

This book hits all the marks for an excellent read. The characters are people you want to meet and spend time with in your life. They have seen pain, happiness, and are looking for their next destination. I loved the heart of Taya and her decisions were mature and allowed her to find people and places she never thought possible.

Mister Bo was such a wonderful man, with his broken heart, yet an optimistic view of life. This is a book for anyone that thinks they have reached their destination and are a bit bored. It allows for a magical walk with some magical walkers. The side characters were just as powerfully written as the main and I have a different outlook now than I did when I first opened the book. When you meet all the side characters

The story unfolds in such a way that you are with them every step. I highly recommend this book for all ages. With a strong female main character, this story is full of powerful moments and hard decisions. It is listed as action and adventure, and it is that but it is also tender, imaginative and exciting.

I first read Has Anyone Seen my Brain by Dan Nimak and I really enjoyed his style of writing. This is his first non-middle school book and it is a great beginning in a new genre. I have read other books by Dan Nimak, but this book took my heart, to a whole new level.

Me and Mister Bo is available on Amazon in paperback and Kindle edition.

Special Announcement!

This weekend only, the Kindle version is free to celebrate the launch of Me and Mister Bo.

This is the perfect time to grab a free copy. Remember to leave a review, I always say that is the best payment for an Indie author’s time and energy. Enjoy your special deal from Dan Nimak.

Meet Dan:

I was confirmed at birth as a total left-brainer – math degree and all (though the degree came several years later). Mysteriously, my memory didn’t kick in until the sixth grade, when I fell in love with books. I even tried “writing” one then. Thankfully, no copy of that masterpiece exists. I do remember someone died at the end, so it must’ve been YA instead of MG. Fast forward to three years ago: In an illogical attempt to verify right-brain vital signs, I decided to write a book. I’m not sure what happened, but I now have three completed novels, the most recent of which is “Me and Mister Bo.”

Ground Owls by Bryan Pentelow Presents a Friday's Fun and Family-Friendly Guest Post

2017-05-26T02:00:00.000-04:00

Ava paused at the mouth of the cave to take in the panoramic view of Dragon World spread out before her. Cupcake, her bull terrier sat beside her and looked around as well, she also sniffed the slight breeze which tickled her nose. Scents of vegetables being roasted and spicy sauces cooking wafted up from the meeting camp below making Cupcake lick her lips in anticipation of tasty snacks and titbits to come. She yapped and wagged her tail vigorously, though Ava was quite aware of the dog’s wish for her to stop wasting time and get down to the kitchen as quickly as possible. Ava looked around for the small Scrap dragon who always accompanied her on trips to Dragon world and found him licking at an orange streak of iron oxide in a large pebble by the cave mouth.
“Come on Sprocket, Cupcake’s hungry for snacks and you can find plenty of tasty minerals when we get down to the bottom.”
They hurried down the path and while Cupcake followed her nose to the kitchen area to become best friends with the dragon in charge of the cooking, Sprocket scampered over to a promising pile of boulders. Ava walked over to the large red dragon standing at a writing desk carefully sorting and signing a stack of scrolls with a large flamboyant quill pen. “Good morning Llewellyn. You seem to be very busy with papers to sign. Do you have time for a chat?”
“With you Ava, I always have time to chat.” The huge dragon dropped a bundle of scrolls into a sack hanging from the side of the desk and placed a glass paperweight containing the image of a dragon breathing out a sheet of blue-white fire on the remaining stack of papers to prevent the breeze from scattering them far and wide.
Ava climbed onto a high stool and Llewellyn sat back on his haunches folding his arms across the top of his white scaled belly and resting his elbows on his knees. The girl felt totally at ease being close to the towering beast despite his sharp talons, mouth full of far too many sharp fangs and the spirals of smoke and steam rising from his nostrils. When she had first come through the portal from her world with her cousins and her parents she had been petrified of the fire-breathing monsters that had swooped down from the sky to greet them but the kindness and calmness of their telepathic greetings which had tickled her mind and made her laugh had completely overcome her fears. Now she felt confident and comfortable with dragons of all shapes and sizes and visiting their world was as natural as going to the shops with her mum.
“I’m glad you came today, I’ve something new to show you,” said Llewellyn, rubbing his hands together and causing his claws to click like castanets. “A group of Ground Owls has moved into the edge of the wood down by the river where the milk palms grow and the dinosaurs sent a message to say the young ones have just started leaving the nests. I thought you might like to see them.”
“Yes, please. What are Ground Owls? Can’t they fly?
“They can fly but usually hunt their prey by running along the ground though they do nest in holes in trees like other owls. Their wings are quite small and only good for gliding not for flying and they climb up to their nests using the sharp talons on their feet and a claw on their wing joints.”
“How big are they and what do they eat?”
The Adults are about thirty centimetres tall but over a third of that is leg length so they are no bigger than sixteen centimetres when perched. The babies are no larger than a tennis ball when they first leave the nest. They hunt and eat beetles and their particular favourites are the Rino beetles, the large grey ones with the two horns on their heads.” “But they are nearly as big as my dad’s hand; surely the baby owls can’t catch them?”

“Oh, they can catch them but are not strong enough to kill and eat them so have to start with smaller beetles.” “I would love to see them. Will you take me over there?”
“I’m afraid I have too much work to do today. But the wind is in the right direction so you could get your Tri-ley and sail over. One of the young dinos will tow you back when you’ve had enough.”
“Good thinking. Thanks for the idea. See you later.” With that Ava jumped down from her stool and whistling for Cupcake and Sprocket hurried off to get her Tri-ley from the shelter.
Within minutes she had unfolded the three-wheeled vehicle, rigged the mast and sail and with Cupcake sitting at the front like a ship’s figure-head was bowling across the lilac coloured grassland following the dinosaur trail to the milk palms by the river. Sprocket was ahead and above riding on the twin jet flames from his tail ducts. He performed loops and spirals enjoying the lower gravity of this world and leaving a pink vapour trail to mark his passage. She was careful to give the woods a wide birth as she approached the area where the dinosaurs lived and sent a thought to Cupcake not to bark and frighten the gentle creatures. Ava applied the brakes and furled the sail then walked slowly over to where one of the long-necked herbivores was stirring a huge vat of palm milk with a long wooden paddle.
“Hello, have you come to see the owlets or to try our latest batch of cheese?” The dinosaur lowered its head to look Ava in the eye as it laid the paddle on a long smooth wooden table.
Ava smiled and reaching out rubbed the top of the creature’s head which she knew they liked, while Cupcake rubbed her head against one of its thick, scaly legs.
“I’ve come to see the owls but if there is cheese to try I would love some after I’ve seen them. I will be hungry by then as I had breakfast rather early.”
Sprocket had gone looking for his friends among the young dinosaurs and returned at that point with one who knew where the owls were roosting.
“Follow my son and your dragon and they will lead you to the owls.” said the large dinosaur and the four friends set off. They moved slowly and quietly through the trees of the wood till they came to an open glade with three old rotten logs laying in the middle. Sprocket signalled for them to lay down and inch forward right to the edge of the clearing. For some minutes nothing happened and there was no movement in the clearing, then a fluttering blur dropped from one of the trees and there was an adult Ground Owl perched on one of the rotten logs.

The bird stretched as tall as it could, its head turning right round till it faced backwards then back the other way full circle to check for danger. Satisfied that all was safe it gave a high pitched screech then began running on the spot on top of the log.
The wood was obviously hollow as the bird’s efforts produced a low drumming sound and soon three other owls fluttered down and joined in the strange running dance and increasing the drumming sound.
To say that these birds flew down would be stretching a point, what they did was more of a slow and controlled fall. Their stubby wings flapping so fast they were like a blur on each side of their bodies but did not enable them to gain or even retain height.
More screeching and chirping could be heard from overhead and suddenly a small fluffy ball dropped from the tree which overhung their hiding place, hit the grass, bounced twice and rolled to within half a metre of where they lay. Two large black eyes appeared in the fuzzy ball and blinked twice then two legs with clawed toes spread sprouted from the top of the ball and with a quick flip an angry owlet stood before them. It ruffled its feathers, spread its short wings and hissed loudly. The bright yellow, hooked beak was clearly visible as were the sharp climbing claws on the wing joints. Having declared its dissatisfaction with its landing and, the world in general, the chick turned and ran off towards the logs and other owls.
Ava found it almost impossible not to laugh out loud at the sight of the tiny owlet running. Its wing stubs spread for balance, its short tail wagging from side to side head thrust forward. The long stick thin legs high stepping rapidly as it covered the ground at an amazing speed.
Other fuzzy balls were dropping from trees around the glade till eventually a dozen of the comical fluff balls were darting and zig-zagging across the clearing. Finally, four adult females joined their chicks and began to herd them towards the fallen logs.

Ava slowly rolled to the left so she could get her small digital camera from her pocket them rolled back and raised the viewfinder to her eye. Adjusting the zoom and focus she was about to take a picture when a tiny flashing icon caught her attention. She quickly lowered the camera and pressed the button to engage silent mode then raised it again and proceeded to record the chick’s antics.
Through the powerful zoom lens, she could see the effect that the adults drumming feet were having on the rotten log. Out of one end of the fallen tree was pouring a stream of worms, grubs and beetles which had been disturbed by the bird’s actions. The chicks and female owls fell upon this feast, stabbing with beaks and talons and running after the faster insects. One chick pounced on a large Rhino beetle and began pecking at its armoured shell. The beetle reared up on its hind legs and the chick losing its balance and grip rolled off in a flurry of legs and feathers. Before the small owl could regain its feet the beetle turned, charged its foe and began to toss the fuzzy bundle about with its two horns. The chick was squeaking pitifully till its mother dashed up, flipped the belligerent beetle onto its back and plunged a lethal talon into its soft under parts. As her chick righted itself she tore off the beetle’s under-casing and shared the feast with her young one.

They watched the chase and feeding for another quarter of an hour then carefully backed away from the clearing and returned to the milk palm plantation.
The long table was covered with wooden plates and dishes containing a wonderful selection of cheeses, dips and piles of crisp dried leaf crackers.
“Find yourself a place and tuck in. There is a bowl or double baked hard biscuits for your dog and some tasty mineral rich rocks for Sprocket. So help yourselves. They had a long slow lunch followed by paddling in the shallows of the river to collect fresh muscles for the dragons who particularly liked the shells to crunch. As the red sun began to sink toward the horizon Ava tied two ropes to the front post of the Tri-ley and a pair of young dinosaurs harnessed to the vehicle and Sprocket and Cupcake aboard she set off back to the camp by the cliff.

On arrival at the camp, she released and thanked the young dinosaurs who nuzzled her with their scaly noses then galloped off home. Cupcake helped her pull the Tri-ley back under cover then she spent half an hour showing Llewellyn the pictures and movies she had recorded of the Ground Owls and laughing at their strange ways.
It began to get dark as the sun set and Lanterns were being put up all around the camp by small dragons, so Ava wished the large red dragon goodbye and accompanied by dog and dragon climbed the path and returned through the portal in the cave.

When she came out of the lift door into the pithead yard it was still early afternoon. Sprocket flew off to Pudding founders Lane while Ava and Cupcake headed for the museum.

She found Dave in his workshop/office at the back of the building and asked him if he would print some large copies of some of her shots and copy the movies onto a flash drive so she could watch them on her TV at home. This he did while Ava made tea and passed some broken ginger biscuits to Cupcake. That sat sipping tea and munching biscuits while the printer wired away producing the colour images which Dave laminated for her to protect them from damage. Clutching a cardboard tube containing the prints under her arm the girl and her dog made their way back home and arrived just before her dad and in time for tea.
What an adventure and the prints would look great on her bedroom wall.
Do you want to know more about Bryan Pentelow and his Sprocket Sagas collection? Then reach out to him at his favorite haunts.

https://www.facebook.com/bryan.pentelow.author

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/13623813.Bryan_Pentelow

https://niume.com/profile/97066#!/posts

amazon.co.uk/Bryan Pentelow

penworkspublishing@gmail.com

Thank you to Bryan Pentelow for participating in Friday's Fun and Family-Friendly Guest Posts. Bryan, you are welcome to participate any time.

Free review copy on Amazon -Well they are free for everyone, but aren't reviews a great present for the author?

2017-05-24T16:15:00.001-04:00

Shannyn Leah has a time travel book out and it is spicy and just a wonderful read. It is called Winters Rising and it is free tomorrow (May 25th) only! I reviewed it and just loved it. I personally love this author's work. I have read every book she has written and I enjoyed each one.

Pick up your free copy here, and don't forget to share a review. Having a free copy allows the review to be verified and it jumps to the top of the list. That is the best way we can pay indie authors back for sharing their incredible work. Reviews can be a simple line or two sharing what made you love or hate, a book. It helps readers find excellent writers like Shannyn. So step out on a new adventure, leave a review on the next book you read.

The book blurb:

*** SIZZLING SPICY EDITION ***

Brea was born a Second, a lowly class of people in the Lexcon society. But she also bore the birthmark that destined her to marry a Gatekeeper, the “superheroes” of their world. Some called her destiny a great privilege. She called it doomed to a cage with no key.Gatekeepers were born and raised to ensure time remained untainted and unchanged, but Brea saw them as overlords who looked down on her kind… on Seconds.

Forced to marry Gatekeeper Jax Winters, Brea vows not to complete the ritual bonding with him until she can talk with council about how Seconds are treated. She plans to use her newfound status to help the plight of those born like her.But she never dreams of the twist her life will take, moving her into a higher position than she’d ever dreamed.

Will she and Jax always be at odds, or will their hearts bond together as their souls already have? Will Brea change the future of Lexcon, or will she be forever doomed to live life in the dark?

Stand Alone

Have you met Shannyn? This is your chance, she is a young author that knows how to bring characters to life and make you want to hang out with them. She is a fun woman and a talented writer. Get to know her through this special opportunity.

Shannyn Leah's Bio:

Contemporary romance author Shannyn Leah loves olives, lip gloss and reading (and writing) romance novels. Her love of words started at an early age and soon grew until, during her teenage years, she’d started writing her own novels. When her mom pushed to finally publish some of the stories, she quickly amassed two complete romance series (By The Lake and Caliendo Resort series) and, in 2016, released her first Fantasy Romance entitled The Gatekeepers (Part One of the Winters Rising series).
When she's not writing contemporary romance books into the early hours of the morning, Shannyn can be found antiquing with her two favorite people, her momma, and sister, in their picturesque London, Ontario hometown.

Shannyn would love to get to know her readers as you get to know her (just don’t send her any carrots!)

ign up for Shannyn's Newsletter and get a FREE NOVELLA.
http://www.shannynleah.com/newsletter-and-secret-access-club.php

Contemporary romance author Shannyn Leah loves olives, lip gloss and reading (and writing) romance novels. Her love of words started at an early age and soon grew until, during her teenage years, she’d started writing her own novels. When her mom pushed to finally publish some of the stories, she quickly amassed two complete romance series (By The Lake and Caliendo Resort series) and, in 2016, released her first Fantasy Romance entitled The Gatekeepers (Part One of the Winters Rising series).
When she's not writing contemporary romance books into the early hours of the morning, Shannyn can be found antiquing with her two favorite people, her momma and sister, in their picturesque London, Ontario hometown.

Shannyn would love to get to know her readers as you get to know her (just don’t send her any carrots!)

To be notified when new books, exclusive excerpts, and contests are released, join her mailing list here: http://www.shannynleah.com/contact.php

For extras, check out Shannyn’s webpage here: www.shannynleah.com

If you enjoy Shannyn’s books, please join her Facebook page here to share the love: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Shannyn-Leah/418700801622719

And if you would like to contact Shannyn directly, email her at Shannynleah@gmail.com

Dragon Bones by Sojourner McConnell

2017-05-24T08:12:00.001-04:00

Dragon bones? Are you sure you heard that right?”

I wasn’t falling for some silly Internet prank if I could help it. I wasn’t born yesterday so I wanted to have all the facts laid out in front of me before I believed this news and started passing it along as I was prone to do. Not that I blab everything I hear, I probably don’t do that. Ok, so sometimes I do pass along interesting tidbits.

Katie nodded solemnly, “I am positive, I saw the bones on YouTube and they were real. It is just a skull but it has all the ingredients of a dragon. Pointed nose, pointed horns on its head. It was a dragon.”

“Hmm… I am going to look for myself and make sure.” I reached for the laptop and pulled it into my lap. Clicking the icons and waiting for the screen to load I asked Katie a few more questions, just for my own peace of mind.

“Was it anywhere else other than YouTube? You know people play pranks on YouTube with homemade videos, don’t you? I continued to type in the words dragon bones into the search bar and waited.

“Yes, Amelia, I know that people play pranks on there, but this is true. I even saw the cover of National Geographic with a picture of the dragon. It doesn’t get any more real than that.” Katie formed quotation marks with her fingers as she spoke the last few words.

I did feel more confident once she produced the name National Geographic. Although I was a bit annoyed at her use of the quotation marks. They always made me feel like I was being made fun of when she used them.

“Ahh, here we go, hmm… I don’t see anything that would be like what you said. There is nothing about dragon bones being found.”

“Did you put in Dracorex Hogwartia? I think that is how you say it.” Katie leaned over and watched the screen as I typed in a rough spelling of what she had said. The screen flickered for a moment then a revised response came up featuring the results for Dracorex Hogwartsia complete with images and links.

“There! See!” Katie was practically jumping up and down on the cushion next to me on the sofa.

“I see it; hold on let me click the link. Be still you are going to break the sofa. Then where will Sasha sleep?”

Sasha raised her head from her paws and gave an annoyed look, then she yawned and wagged her tail in a jerking motion. I wasn’t sure if she was more annoyed with the bouncing or my saying her name. She just looked completely annoyed as only a cat can.

I looked back down at the video that had finished loading and had started playing. The first thing I heard was that they had found a skull in North Dakota and it was an almost complete skull and several vertebrae intact. The skull had the thin narrow face of a dragon and had prominent horns and spikes. Plus there were bony deposits that formed scales. This thing had all the facial features of a freaking dragon!

My breath caught and I squealed into Katie’s face. “Oh my goodness, it is real!”

Katie pointed back to the screen. “Look, see, I told you, National Geographic!”

I looked over and there it was a man sitting in front of the dragon skull holding a copy of National Geographic that happened to have that same skull on the cover. A smile crossed my face as I watched them discussing the eating habits and the fact that this dragon, dinosaur lived on what at their time was seashore. The scientist even explained that at this period in history the ocean went straight through the United States because the oceans were higher since there were no ice packs at that time.

Both of us were utterly quiet as we listened to the dinosaur expert explaining about this dinosaur that looked so much like a dragon.

“I owe you an apology” I acknowledged after the Director of the Dinosaur museum finished talking. I shook my head in disbelief. “If I had not seen it for myself, I never would have believed it. You were right.” I told her then I muttered, “for once.”

Katie rolled her eyes and blurted out, “I am always right. You just always have to try to prove me wrong. This time, you failed!” She pointed both thumbs back at her chest. “Winner!”

Sasha stood up arched her back and hopped off the couch, even she had had enough. Katie and I both rolled our eyes at her.

Weekly Wrap Up for The Path of the Writer

2017-05-21T04:35:00.002-04:00

This week has been a wonderful thought provoking week. I have had to make many decisions about my blogs and my books. With launch only 12 days away, the focus has turned to final inspections, adding illustrations and promoting.

It is a hard line in promoting. when do you become a broken annoying record? For me, it is when you only share about your book release. I try to share other bits of knowledge, fun, and interest along the way. I hope I have succeeded.

I have another blog that is my review and personal fun posts. Sometimes the two mix, but in my sincerest promise, I try to keep them separate. There is just so much to share, it becomes hard.

Friday's fun and Family Friendly Guest Post
We had a lovely post by Robbie Cheadle. She is an amazing fondant artist that creates her illustrations for her children's books seriously, out of fondant. They are delightful. This is a set of characters she created for a valentines story during Mystery Thriller Week.

The Gallery

This week also provided the announcement of the newest feature on the Path of the Writer. There have already been some artists sign up for Sunday Stroll in the Gallery. We will begin sharing the first showcase on June 4th. I believe you will enjoy the variety and the beauty of the work of these artists. If you have artwork you want to share, contact me at vickitgoodwin@gmail.com. I would love to feature you.

My week in books

I have had some excellent reading this week. Between blogs and releases, I managed to fit in a brand new book by Dan Nimak. Me and Mister Bo is a book that is filled with color and adventure, love and decisions. The characters were so well written and to be honest, this was some of the best dialogs I have ever seen in a book. This book touched me so much. I will be featuring it on The Page Turner next week.

I also read The Inkblots by Damion Searls which is the story of Hermann Rorschach. This book told about how Hermann was a dedicated psychiatrist who felt compelled to truly help those locked away in asylums. Until that point, they had simply been stored away in secret and mistreated. It is a beautiful book. Rorschach was a beautiful man in my opinion. His heart had been broken throughout life, and he wanted to do great things with his intelligence.

Finally, I read Deadly Spirits by E. Michael Helms which was a great mystery that had lots of paranormal excitement and skepticism included in the storyline. I enjoyed this so much. I am now reading another Mac McClellan novel since this one was so good.

Interaction and Promotion

As a blogger and writer, I participated in two events on Facebook. One was a Q&A that was a lot of fun. I was able to share my love of blogging along with my love of novel writing. I was invited by The Books and Everything group to answer questions for an hour and I had such a fun time. It was nice to be able to share how I feel about being asked to provide a review, my relationship with authors that ask and my system of rating books. It was a fun time. If you want to see the transcript, it is here.

Today I met two new fans of the Halloween Anthology, Katlie came to my yard sale and talked about how much she loves books. so I shared a signed book with her. About an hour later, she brought another reader. Mollie wanted a copy too, so I gave her one. They were so sweet, they told people all up and down the crowded community about the writer on the end of the block. So I snapped a picture and shared it on Instagram.

So there you have my week. I hope yours was great too. Let me know in the comments. I am always interested.