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#TIP #COVID19 #INFO

Apr15

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#TIP #COVID19 #INFO

1. This virus has shown how it affects the human body.

2. It has NOT shown everyone how it acts on an INDIVIDUAL in different ways.

3. I know how it affects even healthy people. It HITS HARD, wipes you out, you get better, then it HITS HARD AGAIN in SOME people. It comes in WAVES in SOME people and one in particular who I LOVE dearly. I know of three people who have/had it hit them in waves. One in their 30’s and two a little older.

#BeSafe #ThisIsReal #LoveYouAll #WeCanFightThisVirus

This entry was posted on April 15, 2020. 4 Comments

10 Commandments of Writing — ARHtistic License

Apr11

For most writers, the path to publication is full of obstacles, detours, and potholes. Tenacity and resilience are required to reach your destination. Observe these commandments: Write every day. The quickest way to become a published writer is to exercise your writing muscles. The more you write, the better you get. Write for the joy […]

via 10 Commandments of Writing — ARHtistic License

Don’t Feed the Elephant @513sherrye

Apr11

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Don’t Feed the Elephant by Sherry Ellis

From the author:

“Alphabetical fun with food!

Get ready for some seriously messy fun with food in this entertaining picture book…
…Best story line from A to Z and with wonderful and delightful illustrations to match.
…as entertaining as it is educational.

This charming new children’s story by award-winning author Sherry Ellis won’t just entertain kids with its hilarious descriptions and zany main character. It will also educate them about the alphabet and help them learn the order of letters. As the elephant works his way through foodstuffs, each new dish features a new letter of the alphabet. From animal crackers to zebra cakes, the elephant is enthusiastic to gobble everything up, even when it lands him in hot water!

The narrator starts off by warning the readers that you should never, ever feed the elephant, even if he says, “Pretty please with sugar on top!” Everything the elephant eats just ends up turning into a huge mess. He’ll give you gooey chocolate kisses after eating brownies, fire animal crackers out of his trunk, and juggle eggs and French fries at the same time. The elephant is more interested in throwing hamburgers like Frisbees and using noodles as jump ropes than having a proper meal. You can’t stay mad at him for too long, however. His adorable antics will entertain both you and all the little elephants you share them with!”

My review:

I absolutely loved this book by Sherry Ellis “Don’t Feed the Elephant.” Learning the alphabet using a elephant eating various food items with awesome consequences had me laughing the entire time. All ages will love this beautifully illustrated book for kids. Honestly, all parents, children, and teachers should have this book in their arsenal of books in their library. Five stars all the way! 

How the Virus Stole Easter #COVID19

Apr10

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How the Virus Stole Easter
By Kristi Bothur

With a nod to Dr. Seuss 

Twas late in ‘19 when the virus began

Bringing chaos and fear to all people, each land.

People were sick, hospitals full,
Doctors overwhelmed, no one in school.

As winter gave way to the promise of spring,
The virus raged on, touching peasant and king.

People hid in their homes from the enemy unseen.
They YouTubed and Zoomed, social-distanced, and cleaned.

April approached and churches were closed.
“There won’t be an Easter,” the world supposed.

“There won’t be church services, and egg hunts are out.
No reason for new dresses when we can’t go about.”

Holy Week started, as bleak as the rest.
The world was focused on masks and on tests.

“Easter can’t happen this year,” it proclaimed.
“Online and at home, it just won’t be the same.”

Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, the days came and went.
The virus pressed on; it just would not relent.

The world woke Sunday and nothing had changed.
The virus still menaced, the people, estranged.

“Pooh pooh to the saints,” the world was grumbling.
“They’re finding out now that no Easter is coming.

“They’re just waking up! We know just what they’ll do!
Their mouths will hang open a minute or two,
And then all the saints will all cry boo-hoo.

“That noise,” said the world, “will be something to hear.”
So it paused and the world put a hand to its ear.

And it did hear a sound coming through all the skies.
It started down low, then it started to rise.

But the sound wasn’t depressed.
Why, this sound was triumphant!

It couldn’t be so!
But it grew with abundance!

The world stared around, popping its eyes.
Then it shook! What it saw was a shocking surprise!

Every saint in every nation, the tall and the small,
Was celebrating Jesus in spite of it all!

It hadn’t stopped Easter from coming! It came!
Somehow or other, it came just the same!

And the world with its life quite stuck in quarantine
Stood puzzling and puzzling.
“Just how can it be?”

“It came without bonnets, it came without bunnies,
It came without egg hunts, cantatas, or money.”

Then the world thought of something it hadn’t before.
“Maybe Easter,” it thought, “doesn’t come from a store.
Maybe Easter, perhaps, means a little bit more.”

And what happened then?
Well….the story’s not done.
What will YOU do?
Will you share with that one
Or two or more people needing hope in this night?
Will you share the source of your life in this fight?

The churches are empty – but so is the tomb,
And Jesus is victor over death, doom, and gloom.

So this year at Easter, let this be our prayer,
As the virus still rages all around, everywhere.

May the world see hope when it looks at God’s people.
May the world see the church is not a building or steeple.

May the world find Faith in Jesus’ death and resurrection,
May the world find Joy in a time of dejection.

May 2020 be known as the year of survival,
But not only that –
Let it start a revival.

This entry was posted on April 10, 2020. 7 Comments

Formatting the Final Manuscript #amwriting — Life in the Realm of Fantasy

Apr7

I’m in the process of formatting a manuscript for publication, both for the paper version and the book version. While there are significant differences between the layout of the two types of documents, some fundamental things remain the same. I create three manuscripts. Before I embark on making mobi files for Kindle or designing the […]

via Formatting the Final Manuscript #amwriting — Life in the Realm of Fantasy

This entry was posted on April 7, 2020. 2 Comments

5 Dramatic Techniques to Transform Your Writing — Nicholas C. Rossis

Apr3

ALLi, the Alliance of Independent Authors, recently published a post on dramatic techniques by Jules Horne, author of Dramatic Techniques for Creative Writers. With a background in scriptwriting, Jules is perfect for explaining how the dramatic techniques used in theaters and movies can power up your writing and make your storytelling bolder, more engaging, and […]

via 5 Dramatic Techniques to Transform Your Writing — Nicholas C. Rossis

This entry was posted on April 3, 2020. 2 Comments

Loving Guidance

Mar31

Capture

From the author:

“Bree and Micah are eternal soul mates and have been lovers through many lives together. However, in this lifetime, Bree is in physical form here on Earth while Micah is in the spirit world as her guide.

They desperately yearn for each other, and Bree convinces Micah to come to Earth so that they can be together. Micah goes against advice and protocol, and he agrees to appear in physical form to be with Bree. However, when he does, it changes everything and becomes more than either of them were prepared for.”

My review:

This wasn’t what I had thought I would be reading. Even for a short story, I had expected more depth, more divinity, more something, less repetition in written sentences. Two characters carry the story entirely. Additional paranormal elements would have made this love story better. Mice read. 

Murder on Tyneside

Mar31

SmartSelect_20200324-183559_Amazon Kindle

Book blurb found on Amazon:

“Recently widowed Agnes Lockwood is spending a few days on Tyneside in Northeast England, catching up with her past. When expensive jewelry is stolen at the hotel, Chief Inspector Alan Johnson gets on the case.

After Alan recognizes Agnes as a friend from schooldays, they rekindle their friendship and Agnes bombards him with questions about the case. But after dinner one evening, they find a body lying on the roadside.

Fearing for her safety, Alan warns Agnes to stay away from the case. But being an inquisitive woman, Agnes cannot resist getting involved… too involved.”

My review: 

This is the second book I’ve read by this author. Having always loved Nancy Drew books as a child, I was anxious to get this book started. I wasn’t disappointed, and yet I was disappointed. The errors didn’t take away from the story and I found the interwoven mystery complex and interesting. I found Agnes interesting, but nosy and always trying to be where the action was at the moment and that was dangerous. The chief inspector was even worse as he let Agnes get to him which hindered his job and her safety. I would dislike seeing innocent people without police training, such as Agnes, get involved with more than one murder and the main inspector allowing his attentions to leave the job at hand just to think about Agnes. Murder/mystery persons will like this book.