Because you were promised one extra stop later in the evening, I just had to get one done.  And, this is a very special stop, with several very important messages.

# of winners for this stop:  3

GIVEAWAYS:  

(1) $10 Amazon gift card

(1) 1-Day Multi-Blog Book Blast (courtesy of 4WillsPub)

(1) 6-book bundle (winner’s choice) from the Kathryn C. Treat Treasure Chest (if Marlena approves)

***

The RAVE REVIEWS BOOK CLUB was founded in 2013 and it was founded on the premise of strong support of others.  You give it, you’ll get it back, ten-fold.  Then, respect of others, especially in our forum, was the 2nd premise on which we were founded.  Negativity of any kind would not be allowed to breathe within the realm of RRBC.  So, it is with those two things in mind, that I bring you this very important message, which will cover…

Welcome Rave Review Book Club (RRBC) members, ASMSG members, unaffiliated sundry onlookers, and surfer stumble-bys!

You might know me as Stephen Geez, but right now you’re meeting (revisiting?) my GeezWriter brand for enhancing writing and publishing skills. I’ve volunteer-taught story-writing classes to youths and adults around the USA over many decades while developing a plethora of hand-outs and how-to’s. I’ve packaged a dozen or so how-to books and outlined many more, the first five of which are now available on Amazon. The GeezWriter website where this blog is embedded offers pointers and services (book trailers, editing, cover design—you can find the list) from Geez and my talented crew as well as from other experts such as the esteemed Harmony Kent, Lizzie Chantree, Marcha Fox, and Beem Weeks. Other experts have accepted my invitation to join, so watch for this to keep expanding.

Viewpoint?

Here is an excerpt from my Point of View

Spring is here!!!! Isn’t it? Currently there is a winter weather watch just to the west of us…..and tomorrow is May 1st. Crazy!

I’m the weird mom who is secretly hoping for a snow day tomorrow. You think I am crazy, right? Because we have already had a lot of snow days this year, and our school year has already been extended by one day due to the weather. Okay, I will explain my reasoning.

My husband won a national teaching award, which I am very proud of. He has to go to the ceremony and conference at the end of May in Texas to receive his award. Being the wonderful wife that I am, I will be accompanying him on this trip. 😉 Our kids will be staying here with my mother-in-law while we are gone. I was excited when I learned that we were coming home on Tuesday…

I had cleaned the kitchen; I was ready to take out the trash and figured I had maybe ten more minutes left in the nighttime routine when I saw the state of the kids’ rooms. Beds on the floor, dress up clothes discarded, books, toys, water bottles half full and laundry baskets overflowing with towels. Ugh.

What I should have done then was paused and taken a few deep breaths, marveling at the fact that the kids are still little, played creatively all weekend and spent the two days they had off together. What I did was dive deep into sorting, doling out assignments, vacuuming, organizing and assisting with reading words, finding that other shoe and disposing of cheese stick wrappers.

I had already declared that I had a handle on things inside so when my husband peeked his head in to give out goodnight kisses, he has slightly alarmed…

​You are the one who loves the oceans..

Your rivers never change their directions..

You see​ so many sea shells on the shore…

As you step over them you feel you want more…

And as you pass by in silence..

You search for the meaning of your existence…

You are just a vestige in a stage of this nature…

You don’t take away anything in this adventure…

You take the oar and sail across the ocean

There comes a storm in your way

Don’t forget you have to survive

If you fight you can come back to life…

And as you pass by in silence..

You search for the meaning of your existence…

You are just a vestige in a stage of this nature…

You don’t take away anything in this adventure…

I have always wondered where every human being in my generation has formed an opinion about something; for every single person has a reason for why they think the way they do. I have seen it within arguments over the simplest topics such as the gender wage gap or climate change. It is frustrating to have a conversation with someone who does not share the same opinion as yours.

I wonder if people care enough to dig deeper into important issues that could have a massive impact in our country, or the world for that matter. I find myself questioning the world I live in and daydreaming about having control of the entire world, just so I can fix all of the world’s problems.

Growing up in a world of imperfections and having no power or control over these issues heard on a daily basis can be discouraging and irritating…

Half of life is lost in charming others,

the other half is lost in going

through anxieties caused by others.

Leave this play, you’ve played enough!
~ Rumi

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Feeling down about yourself is one of the many characteristics of low self-esteem. Learning about its causes, and taking practical steps to build your self-esteem, can help to overcome your negative thoughts. But if you feel like nothing’s working, there is also professional support available.

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It’s totally normal for people to feel down about themselves from time to time, but when these feelings start to hang around all the time it’s usually an indication of low self-esteem. If you have low self-esteem it…

I never realize that the things I say can actually affect other people. One of my struggles is prudence, the realization that what I say can actually affect people. But, it does. The words that I say actually affect other people. I generally don’t realize it until it’s too late. I seem to think I have a pretty good read on people, and this comes into play when I realize what I just said actually affected the person negatively. As in my previous post, I struggle with pride: so I’m not gonna change. In fact, why should I change it’s the other person who needs to change! Yeah, right….. That doesn’t work. Sometimes you are the problem. Sometimes you are called to change yourself, actually scratch that, you are always called to change yourself. (pride and imprudence, not a good combination to have)

The reason I write this specific…