on Smart Authors Lab: Your book is finally live on Amazon, congratulations! But now what? In this post I’m going to reveal the five things you must do once your book is live on Amazon. These will make sure it gets discovered and bought. Plus I have a bonus tip that you’re not going to want […]

5 Things to Do Once Your Book is on Amazon – by Belinda Griffin… — Chris The Story Reading Ape’s Blog

With the introduction of the Block editor, the WordPress.com Classic Editor was set for retirement at the beginning of June. We pushed that back a bit to make time for more changes that ease the transition to the Block editor — and now it’s time! With the new and improved Classic block, you have the […] […]

The Classic Editing Experience is Moving, Not Leaving — The WordPress.com Blog — AUACOLLAGE

Congratulations M. Schmidt & G. D. Donley!
“Sammy: Hero At Age Five”
is a 2020 Readers’ Favorite Honorable Mention in the Children – Social Issues genre!

Reviewed by Deborah Lloyd for Readers’ Favorite

Sammy, born the day before Easter in 1985, lived with his mother and brother Gene in a small town in Kansas. He lived the normal life of a little boy – riding his big wheels, playing with trucks, and running in the backyard. He loved the homegrown vegetables from his mother’s and Slim’s gardens. Slim was the man who lived next door and was like a member of the family. Then cancer arrived, changing their lives forever. Sammy shares the ups and downs of painful, scary treatments. He and his mother spent week after week in the children’s oncology unit at the hospital, several hours from home. Sammy was observant and knew when his mother had been praying or crying. He also became aware of Jesus’ presence and His help during difficult times. In the memoir, Sammy: Hero At Age 5, written by his mother and brother, M. Schmidt and G. D. Donley, the sad journey peppered with many joyful moments is shared.

One of the most intriguing aspects of this true-life story is that it is told from Sammy’s point of view. While written in the language of a five-year-old boy, the messages within his words are truly profound. The thoughts fit a little boy’s world – excitement in eating a popsicle; hoping his mother will marry again, and he will have a new father; a wish to go to Disney World. The writing is clear and concise, and the photographs add to the realistic nature of the story. M. Schmidt and G. D. Donley shared their story to help other children and families facing these kinds of diagnoses in this memoir. This is a touching and unforgettable book!

This is a RESHARE of a post I wrote last year. I’m including some new information, and the second part of the series follows below. Ask me questions if you are stuck and I’ll try to help. ❤ ~Colleen~ “Gutenberg” is the name of the new editor experience on WordPress. Their goal was to create […]

The Basics of Using the Gutenberg Editor – Part One — Word Craft ~ Prose & Poetry

One of the hardest things for me is writing detailed descriptions of houses. Part of it is that I’m impatient by nature and I tend to gloss over long descriptions when reading. But part of it is also that it can be hard to write a nice description of a house without knowledge of the […]

Parts Of A House With Names You Probably Didn’t Know — Nicholas C. Rossis

on Publishing… and Other Forms of Insanity: This October there are more than two dozen writing contests calling for every genre and form, from poetry, to creative nonfiction, to completed novels. Prizes range from $25,000 to publication. None charge entry fees. Some of these contests have age and geographical restrictions, so read the instructions carefully. […]

31 Writing Contests in October 2020 – No entry fees – by Erica Verrillo… — Chris The Story Reading Ape’s Blog

From Amazon: When little white kitty, Mulan, escapes under a fence, she begins her exciting adventure, but soon discovers that she is lost and misses her family. How will she get home? Enjoy this heartwarming true story and follow the Adventures of Simon & Mulan, two adorable Siamese shelter kitties as they explore their new home and world in Nina’s Cat Tales.

My Review: Mulan’s Big Adventure is a book that melted my heart. Wow, the story and the rhyming, the darling pictures, the poetry superb, perfect in teaching little ones, little kids, to dream but not wander away from home. Five stars all the way!

Will you let your child use social media? Do you know the impact of social media on students? 6 advantages and 8 disadvantages of social media on students

14 Advantages and Disadvantages of Social Media: What You Need to Know — Mostly Blogging

It’s been 15 months and 21 days since my husband passed away. Some of us like to think that after a year, the grieving is done. Well, I’m here to tell you that it isn’t. I’m better, no doubt. I’ve come a long way since those painful days right after he passed. I was in […]

Lifef After Death — Wanda Luthman’s Children’s Books

on Helping Writers become Authors: What are the steps to self-publish your book? The modern boom of independent publishing has put the power to publish in the hands of authors—if they choose to use it. But even once you’ve decided in favor of the indie route over the traditional path of soliciting agents and pitching […]

15 Steps to Self-Publish Your Book – by K.M. Weiland… — Chris The Story Reading Ape’s Blog