It’s official…Flying is Pretty Cool is published!

 Within 1 month I will be able to say I have published my 1st book and I have gone on my 1st mission trip with Operation Christmas Child. #operationchristmaschild

Look for updates on my travels to South America later this week. You can find the book on Amazon published via KDP. Flying is Pretty Cool https://a.co/d/0aOInqGx

 2023 is the year to publish!

I've been working hard with a new friend that is helping me illustrate Flying is Pretty Cool.

A fun children's picture book about a blackbird that has a hard time finding his God given talents.  With the help of a few of his friends he finds his wings.

Be on the look out for it on Kindle ebook soon!

Great reads during the pandemic

Like many I have read so many books during this pandemic it's hard to keep track, but I wanted to highlight some of my very favorite page turners.  I will break them down by genre so you can skip to your favorite.

Historical Fiction (my favorite genre)

The Alice Network by Kate Quinn

Four Winds by Kristin Hannah

The Yellow Bird Sings by Jennifer Rosner

The Rent Collector by Camron Wright

The Book of Lost Friends by Lisa Wingate

Non-Fiction

1000 Miles to Freedom by Eusun Kim w/ Sebastien Falletti

Woman Who Risk by Tom & JoAnn Doyle

Fun Summer Reading

One Step too Far by Lisa Gardner

One-Hit Wonder by Lisa Jewell

The Panther by Nelson DeMille

 2022 Coloring Calendars

Are you the creative type that likes to doodle?   This calendar is for you! 

12 month desk calendar 11" x 17" with 4 different designs throughout the year.

Buy an additional one for the person or persons in your life that you know loves to color or doodle while they work.  I use mine while on the phone.  Coloring is stress reducing and calming.

Call me or e-mail me if you want some.  Print Resources has every kind of calendar you could want in addition to this desk calendar.  Custom imprinting with your company name keeps you in the forefront of your customers year-round.

 

To blog again....

I decided to dig my blog out of archive, dust it off and start using it again to spark my writing juices. As we know digital never truly goes away and I wanted to see if I could actually blog on a mobile device. Low-and-behold I can! The secondary reason to start blogging again is to use while I am in Paraguay with Operation Christmas Child. This will allow me to share my experience real time with my friends and family that helped me make this trip possible. I am hoping to witness a miracle that you so often hear about or at the least see what impact shoeboxes have on the lives of the children that receive them. I’m sure this upcoming trip will have a big impact in how I see these boxes in the future and I’m hoping my stories will have similar impact on my readers.

The other reason that sparked me to start writing again was a book or 3 that I actually picked up at a book store the other day. This prompted me to dig out an obsolete item called a book mark. I don’t collect much, but I admittedly I do have a good selection of these from years passed. Metal etched, laminated with pressed flowers or even a paper one from somewhere I once visited. I predict this will be an item the next generation will not recognize. Much like land line phones, phone booths or typewriters.
I digress, one of the hard backed books I picked up was a writing journal because like my initial hesitancy to start reading my books digitally, I still love to write, not type my musings. Some habits are harder to break than others. I rationalized the digital books downloaded on my phone or iPad for those times I have alone to read my books on the go. With digital books I could read my current book while grabbing a quick lunch by myself or sitting waiting for someone. I don’t always have my latest book, but I always have my phone. Now I have both!

Book Review....
The Nightingale
I have to shout from the rooftops about a new book I just finished. (Full disclosure it was via audible. I travel in the car a lot and "read" half my books this way.)
It is actually one of her newer books, published in 2015 by Kristin Hannah.  I would loosely categorize it as a historical fiction which is my favorite genre!

You get such a great point of view from every day folk that experienced the worst of WWII. Not on the battle field with soldiers but in their very own French towns and homes that got invaded by German troops.  It doesn't paint a pretty picture of these animals.  Some may have been kinder than others but for the most these men were monsters that you can't even fathom and treated everyone with pure contempt.

The story follows two sisters that have a colorful background already. You will laugh at these women's gutsy attitudes and cry with them during their trials because this author does such a great job of ensconcing them in your heart.  The bravery these woman show is more than admirable and I'm sure a small example of what people did to try to preserve good in a world that couldn't look any darker.

The story does a great job of wrapping up the story with the main character as an elderly woman.  I loved how it ended but won't give you any more detail.

Thank you @authorKristinHannah

Traveling via the Commercial Airports
Call me crazy but it seems that airports especially mine (PHX) has filled every possible space with retail and restaurants and expects us to stand while eating or waiting by out gate for the recommended 2 hour window.
Perhaps this is their newest ploy to charge us for something other than the luggage we need to have for our trips. Say $35 for a seat in the lounge or a premium seat by your gate.  The only other option is to sit in a overpriced restaurant and there may be a wait to get that seat.....
I'm pretty sure they know how many people will be sitting on said planes so why have they taken out all but 30 seats by the gates?

Patterson gets recoginition

One of our favorite authors that has given back plenty to small book stores and many authors gets some recognition to be proud of.... www.nationalbook.org
James Patterson will receive Lifetime Achievement Award by National Book Foundation.
See more of what Patterson is all about on his website www.readkiddoread.com

Thank you Mr. Patterson for all that you do for literacy and getting children excited about reading!

 I spent some time in my favorite local book store @changinghands today and picked out a few of my favorites.

This little gem is a delightful story about wanting to be something else and missing the greatness of what we are and what gifts we have as a person or frog.

Baby Bear Counts One is beautifully illustrated and a fun story to read out loud. It gives you the chance to count up to 10 with your little one and has lots of intriguing animal sounds you would hear in the wild.  This story allow the reader to expand on all the creatures and their habits as winter nears.

There is something special about an artist that can draw their own story.  These 2 selections star an author/artist that possesses this gift.

Reviewing a few of my recent favorites:
Goldfinch by Donna Tartt  @donnaTartt is a spectacular mystery that grabs you from the start and has you page turning until the very end. The list of words to describe this book are far too long to list.

The story takes us through Theo's life that is full of sadness, love, neglect, mystery and has the reader anxious for the loving characters through this entire book!  The story is full of everything from sex, drugs, murder, art, culture, love and desperation.

Ms. Tartt writes beautifully with a great care to detail which could be why it's over 700 pages or in my case 32+ hours of windshield time.  I should also mention the fabulous job the narrator David Pittu did with his many accents and inflections.  Most importantly though is the intricate story that Ms. Tartt weaves the most wonderful characters into.

Big Little Lies by Laine Moriarty  @LaineMoriarty is another mystery with fun and devastating family drama weaved throughout.  Ms. Moriarty explores everything from childhood bullying to domestic abuse in her book.  I found it a very fun read relating to almost all the parents she brings to life on the pages.

I will admit I was dead wrong on which parent had been killed on Parent Trivia Night at Pirriwee Public School.

I really enjoyed the integration of several controversial and scary social topics (human rights for young girls) she has mentioned in the book. Ms. Laine writes with wit and has great detail to plot and characters which isn't the case in every published book with a comedic tone.

It is quite clear why this is a must read!

SCBWI Bulletin @scbwi
This is a small magazine that holds a big punch for children book authors and illustrators.  Each issue prompts me to write, read and research something new.  It's put together by a handful of staff that do a fabulous job to inspire each of us that are lucky enough to subscribe.  This is a must read for any aspiring or published author.  Due to the audience of illustrators it always has joyful drawings throughout that I share with my Grandson.

Thank you Society of Children's Book Writers & Illustrators! @scbwi

America's Royal Family

I've heard several people proclaim who should be our royal family (that is if America were to have one.)  Everyone from the Obama's, Clinton's, the Trumps and even Kanye stating he and his wife one of Kardashians should be the ideal couple to represent our country.  Most of these options make me ill for reasons I won't bother with but if I were to nominate the perfect couple it would be Bill and Melinda Gates.

This wonder-couple has been married for 21 years, produced 3 children and more importantly devoted their lives to philanthropy serving millions of people all over our world. Thirty billion dollars of their very own and many more billions raised by them through the Giving Pledge is directed to education, vaccines, computer access in our libraries and woman's health worldwide. #gatesfoundation

Melinda attended Duke before going to work at Microsoft for Bill who started at Harvard but didn't finish with a degree before he co-founded the largest software company. Both of these amazing individuals seem driven and focused on inequality and health issues on a grand scale that is making a difference across the world. #endpolio, #philanthropy

Friends are like water

We all need water and water comes in varying forms. Rushing rivers, meandering streams, the ocean waves, and calm lying lakes.  I liken my different friends with this analogy. 

I've been fortunate enough in the last few weeks to celebrate my birthday with a number of friends and family.  What I have noticed is the difference in each of my relationships.

Some friends are inspirational......I hope to be that kind of friend one day.

Some are just for fun and that is as important as any other.

Others make you feel loved more than anything, while others need your love more than anything.

I have friends that are like sisters: older and younger sisters.  There is certainly a difference between the two and friends that are mother figures in my life. Others that I liken to a lawyers scale of justice.....one day they lift me up and another I lift them. In the end we balance each other well.

As I compile my next interview for a 2nd inspirational essay I just wanted to share that all of them are special, intriguing and important in their own special way. My friends feed my soul and fill me with joy.

Love's Philosophy by:  Percy Bysshe Shelley

The fountains mingle with the river

And the rivers with the ocean,

The winds of heaven mix for ever 

With a sweet emotion:

Nothing in the world is single:

All things by a law divine

In one spirit meet and mingle......

Amazing Friend #1

Have you ever noticed who you surround yourself with?  This is suppose to be an important key as to the person you are.  I guess that means you can exclude family because your stuck with them one way or another. I notice that the friends I choose or that choose me.......not sure how that works....all come from very interesting backgrounds. This makes me wonder if I have an innate affection for peoples background stories.  Knowing how people have grown up and what their lives were like before they became the person they are now probably has something to do with the fact that I love a good story.

Here's just a sample of what I mean:
One of my oldest friends that happens to be 84 years old grew up in Wisconsin during the depression and like most young woman she married at 21 and had 3 children.  During her marriage she was mainly a homemaker but upon request of the school principal she did some teaching during a severe shortage of teachers.  Her marriage ended in divorce......so what did she do?  She went back to college to become a psychologist at the ripe age of  50. Her internship took her to Tucson Arizona where she says,  "That  year was one of the best I have ever had, from the standpoint of learning, exploring a new area of the country, and fun."

When we met she was already in her early 60's and she told my daughter and I of a trip she was planning to take biking through Holland during tulip season.  As you can imagine we were amazed.  Not only was she the first person we knew to do this.  She was the first 63 year old we knew that was training herself to bike 15-30 miles a day on vacation!

From there she amazed us with continuing with her education on her many vacations she took through Backroads and Road Scholar, formerly Elderhostel that specializes in vacations abroad that include classes in everything from cooking to history and of course biking thru far away countries.

Her career as a clinical psychologist spanned from 1986-1999. Once she retired she found herself bored (decorating her garage one day) and decided to push herself out of her comfort zone and do something new.  She became a certified Pilates Instructor at age of 72 and still teaches several classes a week.
After mastering that, she started taking ballroom dancing classes at age 75, which she now competes in regularly.

Joan is currently publishing a book she wrote titled, Keep on Dancing and other Attitudes, Platitudes, and Latitudes from the Ballroom Floor....to be released this fall.

I know your all dropping your jaw and maybe like me want to be just like Joan.  I'm wondering how I'm going to top this story and feel sorry for the person that has to follow her.  It's like a comedian you don't want to follow the best one of the night.
But, I have someone in mind.......

Oscar Time

Oh no! Here's a draft of last years Oscar nominees that never got posted)
Last years list is quite different from this years. Here's my take on the two (in case your that far behind)The list is long and some of the choices are very obscure like Life of Pi....Beast of The Southern Beast and Silver Lining Playbook but like years past this should not be a surprise.  The rest portray pivotal times in the history of the USA.

2013....I have see the following:
Zero Dark Thirty was a great movie of a big point in our own history.  The director puts you right in the movie where you feel a part of the action.  I enjoyed the movies point of view very much.  The intelligence community is as big a part of this movie as the brave Navy Seals and for a non-military person to be able to see what our armed forces risk for our sake was powerful.  Jessica Chastain performed a very convincing character.  I would give her an Oscar for this role.
Lincoln was another great history movie that obviously took place well before any of us watching it could have known the details this movie showed us.  As laden with history and politics as this was, it doesn't lose your interest.  Daniel Day-Lewis deserves an Oscar for this portrayal in my opinion.
Argo  was interesting enough to watch and amazing that the Americans pulled-off such a feat and didn't get to take credit for it!  It certainly reminds us of the recent attack in Benghazi, Libya which did not end well for our people. Again showing the great bravery of American people serving the USA in foreign countries.

2014 nominees:
Americans Hustle
Captain Phillips
Dallas Buyers Club
Gravity
Her
Nebraska
Philomena
12Years a Slave
The Wolf of Wall Street

My winner: #Philomena  By far of all the movies had the best acting and content. 12 Years a Slave was equally as compelling but certainly darker than even the Nuns that stole and sold babies in Ireland.

Well in retrospect 12 Years a Slave ran away with the awards and deservedly so.  I do wish #JudiDench had gotten more pub on this movie and urge you to rent this movie!

Indie Author Publishing Conference & #Pitchapalooza

This all day conference offered a completely different point-of-view than what you will hear at any number of publishing conferences due to the single idea of SELF PUBLISHING.  A big no-no in most authors eyes.  But in this day in age of e-books, social media & digital devices running amuck……it's time to talk about this option and know: what, how and why.

The information was well presented and the guest speakers were all very informative and passionate for  blazing your own trail.  With the conundrum of not being able to get a publisher if your not already published or have an agent makes this do-it-yourself option look very appealing for some genre more than others.  As a picture book author I know that the e-book market is very small. This is not to say that traditional publishing on my own is out of the question.  I know that it can and is done with success.  The trade off is spending your own time (lots of time) and money to get this done well.  I've seen self published books that were done well and some done terribly.  Thus, this type of conference is the place for a helping hand and bit of advice.

I enjoyed it very much and am now making the move to get a larger following or audience in the event that I publish or get published!

adaptation
-noun
1. the act of adapting
2. the state of being adapted; adjustment.
3. something produced by adapting: an adaptation of a play for television.

My blog as with everything is evolving to something new and exciting.  Please be patient as I start some serious research for it's new direction.

The premise is to show that there is news out there that we crave to read....it's not all about politics and shocking behavior of our kind. The stories will inspire you and show the goodness in people.

Best movies of 2013....so far.

Safe Haven was a pleasant surprise, not to be confused with Safe House.  I expected some predictable romance with it's share of ups and downs and got much more. There are twists and turns that will have you shaking your head!  I highly recommend this one and send my thanks out to Nicholas Sparks for a great tale.  It is out on DVD now so make sure you set up a date night.
5 out of 5 stars.

42
This was a great movie that gave homage to a strong young man Jackie Robinson and the team manager that put him on his team.  It also showed the darkest, ugliest side of our country and it's people.  I hope everyone will go see it and take their teenage boys and girls to show them exactly how we do or don't want to act.  There were great examples of people taking the high road (in most peoples mind back then) and I hope that our young people learn from them.  There will still be bullys among us but we do not have to follow their lead!
I give this movie 5 out of 5 stars for the acting, story telling and history.

New TV season 2012-2013.....
Private Practice, Mob Doctor, The Good Wife, Parenthood, Major Crimes, Revenge just to name a few favs are back and back with vigor.  So far each one has had a great season premiere that keeps us coming back.

The new shows:  Nashville, Mob Doctor, Vegas, Go On, all look intriguing.

I love Mob Doctor!  These TV shows that showcase strong woman as the main character are a great turn from the old school showing men as the main character and a woman just supporting them.

Trouble with the Curve

This baseball movie has more to the story than just a few scouting agents!  There is quite a dynamic to Amy Adams character and her relationships to her bosses, boyfriend and father played by Clint Eastwood.  Sprinkle in a little Justin Timberlake and John Goodman and you have quite the movie.

You have to love the character that Clint Eastwood portrays quite well as a grumpy, lovable and quite comical baseball scout that prefers to work by the "old school" methods.  Computer stats be damned!

The trailer gives away plenty about the romantic spark between Amy & Justin, also lets you know about the troubles Clint has with relationships, but there are a few surprises and the movie is worth seeing!

Savages

What an intense movie about drug dealing, their lifestyle as drug dealers and crooked cops; add a little sex, kidnapping, backstabbing and war veterans...... you've about summed it all up. Oh, not to mention the complex web of turf war that is quite ugly in this industry.
Loved the cast and the acting put forth by everyone.  Kudos to the casting crew. Oliver Stone doesn't disappoint on this one as with most of his movies it had depth of characters and story line which we also have to give credit to the writer Don Winslow.

The movie starts very racy with a sex scene between 2 of the main characters and narration from Blake Lively as her character "O" gives you some background to the story and people involved.  It seems a little hard to believe that a couple of young good looking men could run a "civilized" marijuana  business, but that's what the story is based on.
There is a little background given on everyones past and present which helps you relate to the characters very personally.

I enjoyed the movie very much and would recommend it with the caveat that its racy in some parts and graphic violence in others, but it is about the Mexican cartel and drug dealing....

5 stars for the great acting and writing an in depth story line of each character.