From Amazon: In her twenties, single and with the Covid-19 pandemic almost behind her, Abigail should be living her best life. Which she is, as long as it’s within the confines of her own home. The problem is, Abi can’t bring herself to leave the house. Suffering from agoraphobia, her life now revolves around her work as a freelance web designer, her art hobby business, and her infrequent chats with her attractive delivery driver, Sean. When things progress towards a relationship, Abi’s happy to welcome him into her home, but what will happen when Sean wants to take her out? A story of courage and limitations, of anxiety and baby steps, interwoven with sweet romance and more than a sprinkling of hope. There are no miracle cures or quick fixes in this standalone novella, just support, understanding, and a whole lot of love!

My Review: This was an interesting short story. Phobias can be completely overwhelming and sink an individual into complete despair. I liked that this story brought to light some of what a person feels when struck with a phobia that wouldn’t let the protagonist leave her home. Hope is a beautiful thing, and anyone with a phobia needs reinforcement to overcome their fear.

In Unicorn Dreams, children learn how to pretend play. It’s important for children to learn the concept of, and how to pretend play (make-believe or imaginative play), as this fosters a child’s creativity and sparks discussions with your child, which in turn helps your child’s thinking skills when working out a new situation during play. Imaginative play contributes to the development of all children. Oftentimes, children may pretend to cook with toy dishes, or engage in tea parties with a friend, and some might pretend play when alone with a parent at home. A parent can provide a safe environment for a child to act out things that they cannot do in real life, such as having two dolls get married. The opportunity to interact with your child/children in this positive environment helps children with language and learning social skills with other children and adults.  Pretend play also allows for play in which not all children will receive what they want (not all can be a king or queen), and parents help their child learn positive behaviors. Unicorn Dreams teaches children to pretend play and gives children positive thoughts before naptime or bedtime.  

Originally posted on Plaisted Publishing: Dear Publisher,  Amidst significant uncertainty in the global supply chain, IngramSpark is committed to supporting the book industry with the best possible service through the busy holiday season and into 2022. Over the past several months, the publishing industry has seen several cost increases for consumables, such as paper and…

Price Increases from Ingram Spark — Chris The Story Reading Ape’s Blog

From Amazon: Pumpkin brothers Paddy and Pete are waiting to chosen to fulfil their Halloween destiny. The brothers would like to be chosen together but one day they are separated. Will they find a way to be together for Halloween?

My Review: The drawings are adorable and the rhyming of the narrative makes for a happy book for children. Two pumpkins wonder if they will be chosen for Halloween as kids come and go choosing pumpkins. As one pumpkin searches for pumpkin food, the other one is taken by a girl. No worries as the chosen pumpkin rolls back to his brother and the child ends up taking both home with her.

From Amazon: You’re everything my mind didn’t realise my heart was praying for’ When tragedy strikes an already vulnerable Kate Winters, she retreats into herself, broken and beaten. Existing rather than living, she makes a journey North to try to find herself, or maybe just looking for some sort of closure. Cameron McAllister has known his own share of grief and love lost. His son, Josh, is now his only priority. In his forties and running a small coffee shop in a tiny Scottish fishing village, Cal knows he is unlikely to find love again. When the two meet and sparks fly, can they overcome their past losses and move on towards a shared future, or are the memories which haunt them still too real? A story of hope and longing, of despair and doubt, can Kate and Cal find their happily ever after? The first in the ‘Found in Fife’ series, this story can be read as a standalone novel.

My Review: This is a wonderful romance story. What makes this romance unique is that the heroine lost her first love in a tragic accident, yet she found her true soul mate the second time romance called out to her, wrapped with the confines of poor mental health, and addiction to pain killers that almost killed her. This story will resonate with others who have loved and lost. Five stars.

on Anne R. Allen: Author Agreements: Know the Legal Terms For authors who are given a book contract and may not have an agent or attorney, here are a few tips that may help you in negotiating against the publisher. Continue reading HERE

5 Tips for Authors When Negotiating their Author Agreements – by Joseph Perry… — Chris The Story Reading Ape’s Blog

If we humans aren’t giving away our personal information (as we do on FB, Tiktok, Instagram, Twitter and every other social media outlet), we’re having it stolen without our permission and sold to those who mean us harm. This is a bigger deal for writers than most because: 1. we have copyrighted files that provide […]

6 Ways Writers Protect Their Online Privacy – Virtual Book Blast For Laws of Nature & Guest Post by Jacqui Murray… — Chris The Story Reading Ape’s Blog

Found on Amazon:

Love the 80s? Mall Hair Maladies is a laugh out loud, coming-of-age comedy with a heartwarming conclusion you won’t see coming! Hold on for the ride as these bodacious, bubblegum-pop princesses skate you back through the days of bad perms, bathroom bullies, bogus curfews, boy crushes, and burping contests!

The story Pittsburgh, 1985 . . .

It’s not easy being the new girl, but it doesn’t take long for Randi Gattano to snag a new best friend as totally rad as she is. Randi and Tanya have everything in common-big hair, big dreams, big imaginations, and an even bigger obsession with scoring tickets to see their favorite pop queen live. How far will they go in their determination to let nothing stand in the way of the greatest night of their 13-year-old lives? And what will they ultimately learn about friendship, family, and fate?

“Looking for that perfect “tween” book. This is it. And you might just want to share it with your mom.”

“The author brings it all back…the music, smoke-filled bathrooms, the frustrating inconvenience of having to look things up in the dictionary and wait out never-ending busy signals…original, well written…”

“A marvelous blend of 80’s nostalgia, determination, self discovery, friendship, and love.”

“…It reminds us that every generation has to struggle with coming of age and find ways to fit in while being true to one’s self.” JGusky

“I am in love with this book!”

My Review: I truly felt like I was reliving the 80s in this book. The POV comes from a 13 year old child, and much of what the kids got up to, wasn’t part of my 80s as I was having my own children. I found this story hilarious. Five stars.

Thanks for looking and you can always see other art pieces here or go this this link: https://www.deviantart.com/mschmidtartwork/gallery

From Amazon: Jim Duncan knew the value of fathers. Fathers are valuable. Fathers are good. Fathers always do what they know they should. Fathers know the best road to take. They know what is right. They won’t make a mistake. That’s why when a problem came up Jim Duncan called on his father to help clean things up. “I live in a house with five noisy small kids and a wife who can’t find the pots and their lids. The place is a mess, a disaster,” said Jim said. “I can’t even find a chair or a bed. We’re crammed and jammed. It’s all quite a ruckus. Can you help me out of this ruckus that’s among us?” This is the beginning of a tale that Jim’s father takes him on to lead him to a very important discovery. It’s fun, full of whimsy, and certainly a story any child will adore. It is also amusingly illustrated with 25 happy and colorful images by Sally Huss. Those who love the rhyming delights of Dr. Seuss and the books of Sandra Boynton, the Berenstains, Felicia Bond, Laura Numeroff and P.D. Eastman will love A WISE AND THOUGHTFUL FATHER.

My Review: All in one’s attitude. Great story for kids. Using animals to teach kids and adults with kids, learning that one’s attitude can make a huge difference. Five stars.