Author: admin

Commencement Address- Open Book Blog Hop

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‘Do you like to read? Wouldn’t you like to know more about your favorite authors? Well you came to the right place! Join the MMB Open Book Blog Hop each Wednesday and they will tell all. Every week we’ll answer questions and after you’ve enjoyed the blog on this site we’ll direct you to another. So come back often for a thrilling ride! Tell your friends and feel free to ask us questions in the comment box.’


 If you came here by way of Stevie Turner’s blog, I’m glad you made it. Did you check out her books while you were there? You can also find them on her Amazon page at Stevie Turner


Now on to this week’s question. If you were asked to give a commencement address for college graduates, what would you say?


Before I begin, I have a confession to make. First, I hate speeches. Most of them, anyway.If you asked me what was said at any of the commencements I’ve attended, I couldn’t tell you. I’m sure there were words tossed around about the wonderful future and the brightest minds, but I’m not 100% sure about that. My selective hearing went into Charlie Brown mode—you know, wah,wah,wah.




My second confession is that I didn’t want to be a speaker at graduation. My older sister was valedictorian of her high school class, and I think she gave herself an ulcer preparing and revising her speech countless times. I was pleased that I didn’t have to do it when I graduated.


So I’m not going to give you a normal speech. In fact, you parents out there might want to cover your ears. I suspect that you aren’t going to like what I’m going to say.


Dear graduates, be ready for life to kick you where it hurts the most. I have no doubt that you’ve worked hard to be out there today, wearing those hot robes and silly hats, and you think you’re ready to face the world. Maybe some of you already have jobs lined up and if so, congratulations. If not, good luck on the search. But remember, whatever you go next, you’re on the bottom of the pile again. You’re starting from scratch. Unless, of course, you’re lucky enough that you’re going to work for your mommy or daddy.






But the majority of you are going to be trying to scratch your way to the top again—or at least to somewhere in the middle. And just when you’re getting somewhere, there’s a chance that life will steamroll you back to the bottom again. But it will be easier the second time around, because of what you’ve already learned.


Also, remember no matter how smart you are, there’s someone smarter than you. Don’t be jealous of them. You’re still smarter than at least 50% of the people around you.


Okay, you parents who are pretending not to listen—you can uncover your ears now.


So I’d like to give you one—no, two pieces of advice. The first one is to be kind. Remember, everyone around you is in the same boat. A little kindness goes a long way. And I’m a firm believer in karma- if you do good for someone else, eventually, that good will come back to you. And hopefully it will be when you need it the most.


And the second piece of advice is well-worn but still relevant.. Life is a journey. If all you’re looking for is the destination, you’ve already lost the game.Take time along the way to look around. You never know who you will find. If you’re lucky you’ll find yourself.

So graduates, go out and do great things. Oh, and put down those cell phones once in a while. Yes, you. You know who you are. And so does everyone else.


To find out what Kelly Williams would say, visit her blog at www.BlueHonor.com/blog/. You can find her books at Kelly’s books.

JU Ephraime- Book Spotlight

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Today I’m pleased to host Ju Ephraime and her new release

Ephraime has written a paranormal love story that will have you rooting for the villain while sympathizing with the heroine and hero.

Title: Black Magic Man
Genre: Adult Paranormal Romance
Release Date: 11/14/14
Series: Prequel to White Magic Woman
Publisher: ENVISION Business & Computer School Publishing
Jean Louis is a sorcerer, who practices the Black Arts in a unique way. He lives on the Island of St. Lucia where he is pretty much in retirement from the Arts. When he accidentally spotted a woman who awakens the hunter in him, he did not fight it, but welcome the feeling she evokes in him, she made him feel alive and in charge of his game, as he used to be. That the woman was appeared to be happily married matters one iota to him. He sets out to make her his own, but he was in for the fight of his life, literally, because Solange/Lange was having none of it. Matters came to a head when Jean Louis enters her home and left her body and her mind in total chaos. With the help of her husband, Lange set about to destroy him using her knowledge of the Black Arts and that of her ancestors to bring about his demise in a blaze of fire.
“The Black Magic Man has it all! Suspense, romance, lust and passion, in a beautiful locale. What more could you want?”

Amazon: US / UK / AU / CA
His laughter could be heard on the night air as he found the woman’s house. He could not enter now, but no one could stop him from watching her, getting his fill of her. He would have her. She would be his exclusively, as it was meant to be… Patience, patience!
Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads ~ Amazon ~ Newsletter
Ju Ephraime began writing professionally at age 19; at that time, she wrote short stories for the local radio station in her hometown. She gave up writing to pursue her education and has since earned several degrees, including two Masters and a Doctorate in Higher Education Administration from Northeastern University in Boston. During the course of her schooling, she wrote and published a working curriculum for a career school, a business manual, and its answer key, as well as other literary work. In 2010, she revisited her first love, writing for fun and enjoyment. She writes high heat, steamy, romance novels. The first was State of Ecstasy in the LaCasse series, which was soon followed by, Temptation to Sin, Loving Therèse, #2 in the LaCasse series. Ju has gone on to write several more books, including, The Odor of Violet, on tour this month, Complete Surrender, #3 in the LaCasse series; as well as, a Christmas Novella, Footsteps in the Sand and her award-winning paranormal, White Magic Woman, Quarterfinalist in Amazon Breakthrough Novel Contest, 2013, out of over 10,000 entrants.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Celebrating the Summer Holidays-Open Book Blog Hop

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Do you like to read? Wouldn’t you like to know more about your favorite authors? Well you came to the right place! Join the MMB Open Book Blog Hop each Wednesday and they will tell all. Every week we’ll answer questions and after you’ve enjoyed the blog on this site we’ll direct you to another. So come back often for a thrilling ride! Tell your friends and feel free to ask us questions in the comment box.


This week’s question:
How do you celebrate your summer holidays? Who do you celebrate with? Share your rituals, foods, customs and fun.


If you’ve hopped over here from Traci Wooden-Carlisle’s blog, welcome and thanks for coming!  I hoped you took the time to check out here books while you were there. If not, here’s a link to her Amazon page. Traci on Amazon




Now for this week’s question:
How do you celebrate your summer holidays? Who do you celebrate with? Share your rituals, foods, customs and fun.


I had to really think about this question because we don’t have what most people consider a tradition for our summer holidays. For a long time, my husband had a job that required him to work while everyone else celebrated. So I’d spend my days cleaning house, gardening, or working on whatever craft project was my current obsession.




But that’s changed now. With the kids grown and my husband no longer in that job, we have a lot more freedom to do whatever we feel like when we wake up on a holiday morning. Since we like to avoid crowds, we can hop into the Jeep and take off down the road with little or no planning, and go exploring down some side ride on a whim, without even consulting a map. And frequently, that’s what we do.








We do take our maps with us, so that when we hit a fork in the road, we have some idea where we might end up. We don’t always take the road less traveled, because sometimes what we hope to find along the way of the more traveled one is what we’re looking for. It’s amazing the beauty that exists in out-of-the way places.


So here’s some pictures I hope you’ll enjoy of the wild places in the Unites States. Yes, they still exist if you’re willing to take a chance on a back road in hopes of stumbling across them.


By the way, I should mention that these pictures were taken by my husband. He’s got a great eye for capturing what we see on our trips.



So what’s our tradition? Find a new road to explore, a new place to spend time in, a new adventure and maybe make some new friends on the way.





Before I leave you with one last shot, don’t forget to head over to Stevie Turner’s blog and see what her traditions are. You can find her at Stevie Turner. Don’t forget to check out her books while you’re there.  









Who Would I Write a Book About – Open Book Blog

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‘Do you like to read? Wouldn’t you like to know more about your favorite authors? Well you came to the right place! Join the MMB Open Book Blog Hop each Wednesday and they will tell all. Every week we’ll answer questions and after you’ve enjoyed the blog on this site we’ll direct you to another. So come back often for a thrilling ride! Tell your friends and feel free to ask us questions in the comment box.’
If you headed over here from P.J. Fiala’s blog, welcome. Did you check out her books while you were there? If not, you should. Just head over to  PJ’s books and then came back here! 
And now for this week’s question: If you had access to all the research in the world you would need, who is the person you would want to write a book about and why?
I really had to think about this one, because I didn’t want to go the obvious and easy route. I wanted to pick someone less obvious, less known, and yet still worthy of recognition.I thought back to people I’ve known and admire.

I had the good luck to have a number of exceptional teachers in high school. One of those, Sister Joan Chittister, went on to become the prioress of the order of nuns that taught at the school. I always knew she was special and unique, but until I started writing this piece, I didn’t realize how well-known she’s become.

When I was in high school, nuns were transition from their traditional garb to wearing either a more modern version or street clothes. I don’t remember her ever wearing the full version as in the picture above, I mostly remember her in street clothes.The next picture could have been taken straight from my yearbook.

She’s gone on become a voice for justice, especially for women and children. She’s published over 50 books. She’s been published in numerous publications, everything from the National Catholic Reporter to the Huffington Post. She’s won numerous awards and has her own website Sister Joan Chittister. I never expected that!

So although she’s already had books written about her, I’d like to write another one. In fact, since she’s still alive, I’d love to interview her. Her philosophies are not what you’d expect from a stereotypical nun. I feel honored to have known her.



To find out who Stephany Tullis would write about, head over to her blog at Stephanytullis.com/blog. And don’t forget to check out her books while you’re there.Stephany’s books.

What would you do if you were immortal?

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If you came from Patti Fiala’s blog, hello!  Did you check out her books while you were there? If not, don’t forget to check them out at Patti’s books.



Do you like to read? Wouldn’t you like to know more about your favorite authors? Well you came to the right place! Join the MMB Open Book Blog Hop each Wednesday and they will tell all. Every week we’ll answer questions and after you’ve enjoyed the blog on this site we’ll direct you to another. So come back often for a thrilling ride! Tell your friends and feel free to ask us questions in the comment box.
Question:
If you could be immortal for one day, what would you be and why?

On the face of it, this is a contradiction in terms.But that’s okay, because I don’t want to be immortal, Yes, I’ve actually thought about it. I decided a long time I wanted to age gracefully, But at the same time, when my time is up, I want to go quickly and not linger. Not asking for much, am I?


But what would I do if for one day, no matter what I happened, I knew I’d survive?


I’d start with bridge jumping. Yes, my mother asked me if everyone else jumped off a bridge, would I? For once I’d get to answer yes.In fact, I’d do it even if no one else did,


And then I’d move along to sky diving, because why not? I’ve always wanted to try it. I grew up near a hobbyist’s airport and we used to see people parachuting on weekends. In fact, if we got lucky, we’d find the streamers they dropped to check wind direction when we went for walks.




If I still had time in my day, I’d  find a fast car and a long stretch of flat, straight road and see how fast I could go. Or maybe I’d use a motorcycle instead. Or maybe both, just to test myself. Because sometimes it’s fun to break the rules.



To find out what Kelly Williams would do, check out her blog at Kelly Willams. You can find her books at K Williams on Amazon.

If you have questions you want the authors to answer, please leave them in the comments.

Guest Author: Sharleen Scott

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I’m pleased to welcome Sharleen Scott and her new release Tangles to my blog today. (Release date May 14th)
Blurb:
Can tragedy mend a
wounded family? While faced with the challenge of his mother’s escalating
Alzheimer’s disease, Logan McKinnon discovers secret journals that leave him
questioning everything he knows about his family. With no one to ask, Logan
must find a man mentioned in the journals to discover a truth he may not want
to know.
Excerpt:
Logan exhausted the file
cabinets by 9:00 p.m. and still hadn’t located the insurance policies. Thinking
there could be more files in the closets, he poked around until he found a
locked box marked Personal in the top of the guest room closet. It was heavy
and locked. He didn’t find a key, but rather than give up, he jimmied it open
with a screwdriver. Hoping to find file folders, he was disappointed when the
contents were books and notebooks, all numbered and dated.
He sat on the floor and selected
a white book marked Number One. He opened it to the first page and was stunned
by what he found. The first entry, with its childish scrawl and misspelled
words, made him smile.
April 1936
Dear Jurnal, My name is Lois and I am six.
Mama says girls like to rite stuff so she gave you to me. I hope we can be
frends and I can tell you my secrets. Love, Lois
July 1936
Dear Jurnal, Larry called me a bad name
today. I dumped mud on his head. Daddy spanked me. It hurt. Big brothers are
icky, and I hate him. Don’t tell anyone. Love, Lois
Logan doubled over with laughter
as he read his mother’s diary. He knew it was wrong, but he couldn’t stop. The
entries were short but telling of Lois’ early life, and he found himself
engrossed. Hours passed as he read the entries detailing her fights with her
older brother, Larry, stories of her cat named Puffpuff, a dog named Hunter
though he was gun shy to the point of terror, and he sniffled when he read
about the day she stopped hating Larry.
April 1939
Dear friend, my grandpa died today and
I’m sad. When Mama told me, I ran to the barn and cried until my stomach hurt.
Puffpuff tried to make me feel better but it didn’t help. Larry found me and I
yelled at him to leave me alone. He said he was sad, too, and wanted to cry
with me where no one would see him. Boys aren’t supposed to cry. He held my
hand and we cried together. I promised I wouldn’t tell anyone he cried. I think
Larry is an okay brother after all, but don’t tell anyone I said that. Love,
Lois
Logan placed the journal in the
box and closed the lid. He stared at it, debating if he should return it to the
closet where it belonged and leave it alone. His curiosity won, and he shoved
the box in a corner and covered it with a blanket. The late hour caught up with
him, and he stripped off his clothes and climbed into bed. Blissful sleep came
quickly.
Buy links:
Amazon Kindle and Paperback:Amazon
Nook: http://tinyurl.com/kvoc797
Apple: Apple
Kobo: Kobo

Bio: Romantic-suspense author Sharleen Scott is taking a brief detour from her CAUGHT series with the release of Tangles, a novel dedicated to her mother-in-law who succumbed to Alzheimer

’s disease. Sharleen lives in the foothills of the Cascade Mountains in the beautiful Pacific Northwest with her husband, Brett, two college kids, and two spoiled cats.

www.sharleenscott.com

Helping Fellow Authors- Weekly Blog Hop

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Do you like to read? Wouldn’t you like to know more about your favorite authors? Well you came to the right place! Join the MMB Open Book Blog Hop each Wednesday and they will tell all. Every week we’ll answer questions and after you’ve enjoyed the blog on this site we’ll direct you to another. So come back often for a thrilling ride! Tell your friends and feel free to ask us questions in the comment box.

If you’re coming here from Christine Ardigo’s blog, welcome! Have you checked out her books yet? Her Amazon page is here.


This week we’re giving back with advice for fellow authors. I’m talking about my experience with a website for book advertising, RobinReads.


I’ve not had much luck with paid advertising, and as a result. I’m always shy about doing it. My last book launch, I hired a company to arrange a blog tour for me. They warned me up front they wouldn’t guarantee sales, I should look at it as a way to get my name out there. It was good they made the statement, because I didn’t see a jump in sales on any day I was featured on a blog stop.


But I’ve been hearing good things about RobinReads in various groups I’m a part of, and decided to give it a try. The cost was withing my budget, and I wanted to see if it would increase sales.


First off, it was incredibly easy to sign up. Their criteria for accepting a book is posted and easy to understand. Here’s what the sign-up page says is their criteria for a listing:



All the information they need is included in their short and simple sign up form. I got an email accepting my submission within a couple of days. Once I’d paid for my ad via PayPal, there was nothing else for me to do except to wait for the day it ran. (Saturday, May 3rd)

When I checked the web page early in the morning, I was disappointed to see my book was listed at the bottom of the page.I worried that the readers wouldn’t see it. I was wrong.

I’d thought about tracking sales hour by hour, but that didn’t work out. So here’s the statistics I have. All times listed are Mountain Time.

           9:00 AM      3 books sold (All in the UK. The rest of the days sales were from the US)
        12:00  PM     19 total books sold
           2:00 PM     31 books
           5:00 PM     36 books
           6:00 PM     39 books
           7:00 PM     46 books
           8:00 PM     47 books
            9:00 PM    51 books

And that was the last sale I saw while I was up. One more copy was sold overnight, bringing the total to 52 books. The one thing I didn’t do was track my Amazon sales rank from the beginning. The highest my book ranked 5755 in the overall paid books. 

So I made the cost of the ad back with some to spare. As the book I listed is the first in a series, I’m hoping that selling it cheaply will result in sales of the second book. So far, I haven’t seen that happen, but I still have my fingers crossed.

So now to the important question—would I use RobinReads again? And the answer is yes, absolutely. It may not have propelled me into any top 100 lists, but it certainly introduced me to some new readers.

To find out what Stephany Tullis has to say, head on over to her blog.  http://www.stephanytullis.com/blog.  And don’t forget to check out her books too! Stephany Tullis

Guest Author- J.M. Maurer

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Today I’m pleased to Welcome J.M. Maurer and her books

 Title: Seeking Love (Emerging From Darkness Book 1)
By: J.M. Maurer
Publish Date: April 2, 2015
Categories: Contemporary Romance, Humor, Woman’s Fiction

Giveaway:

J.M. Maurer is giving away 3 signed paperback copies of Seeking Love.
To enter, simply visit her website and sign up for her newsletter. Be
sure to drop her a quick hello. 
Blurb:

Every day, Jessica
Winters does what she does best—bury herself in patient care within
the walls of the neuro intensive care unit, keeping herself busy to
escape the dark sadness that controls her life. But the day she sees
Matthew Moi, the intriguing man seated at her new patient’s
bedside, her shattered heart begins to frantically beat once again. 

As Matthew pins his
mesmerizing gaze upon her, trying to distract her with his humorous
and playful banter, she does her best to ignore him. Somehow he
already knows a great deal about her, breaking down Jessica’s
barriers and awakening her soul, drawing her out of the darkness and
into his arms. 

When
her painful past resurfaces, revealing truths that threaten her
future, Jessica struggles through her issues and fights to stay on a
healing path . . . seeking
love.

Buy
Links:

Amazon
US: bit.ly/SeekingLove

Amazon
UK: bit.ly/SeekingLoveUK

Amazon
CA: bit.ly/SeekingLoveCA

iBooks:
bit.ly/SeekingLoveiBks

Barnes
& Noble: bit.ly/SeekingLoveBN

Kobo:
bit.ly/SLKobo

Smashwords:
bit.ly/SeekingLoveSW

All
Romance: bit.ly/SeekingLoveARe

 Title: Seeking Redemption (Emerging From Darkness Book 2)
By: J.M. Maurer
Publish Date: May 2, 2015

Blurb:

After
surviving a bitter divorce and emerging from a darkness that became
all too familiar, Jessica finds herself on top of the world, her
soulful awakening allowing her to feel again, trust again, and even
love again. Her painful past, however, is relentless, both physically
and emotionally, bombarding her daily and not allowing her to
overcome the lingering demons that ultimately control her life.

As
Matthew lovingly guides her toward a healthy future, his own secrets
become known, threatening to destroy the trusting relationship that
had quickly grown between them. But despite what life throws her way,
Jessica pledges to put the past in the past, accepting that events
are often out of her control. She fights for a future with the man
who drew her out of the darkness, steering her onto a healing path
. . . seeking redemption.

Buy
Links:

Amazon
US: bit.ly/amznSkR

Amazon
UK: bit.ly/SkRamznUK

Amazon
CA: bit.ly/SkRamznCA
Barnes
& Noble: bit.ly/SkReBN

iBooks:
bit.ly/SkRiBks

Kobo:
bit.ly/SkRKobo

Smashwords:
bit.ly/SkRSW

Excerpt:

   Grandma O
flipped the light switch to what she called my office and
stood just inside the door, her soft features and gentle smile
inviting me in. I shivered, poised one step away, with a strange yet
familiar emotion rushing through me—an awareness that the instant I
entered, my life would be forever changed. Again.
   Was this Matthew’s plan all along? They all seemed in on it, the
thought making me feel railroaded and agitated, yet oddly aroused and
enchanted too. Unsure how to deal with such conflicting emotions, I
moved forward, looking to Grandma O for answers as I walked through.
   The office was spacious, slightly smaller than Matthew’s, with a
mahogany desk in the far corner and in front of an expansive bank of
floor-to-ceiling windows. I ran my fingertips along the colorful wall
of psychology books and periodicals as I walked along, passing a
leather couch on my way to the desk, my desk, and paused in
front of an empty nook within the bookcase.
   It struck me as odd, the cold wooden surface needing something to
spruce it up, make it mine. I had to think about that, my anxiety
making it difficult to ponder the issue, my restlessness preventing
me from staying in one place.
   I moved to the windows and stared out the tiny cracks between the
blinds, the world outside just as complicated as the one I had chosen
to live in.
   “We all read your master’s thesis,” Grandma O said, her voice
pulling me out of my thoughts. “It’s obvious you have a natural
gift for research and writing.”
   I turned and looked at her, questioning how they’d gotten their
hands on a copy.

   Sedation in the ICU: Patient Accounts of Their Dreams, Their Pain,
Their Fears; I hadn’t published it. As it was, after countless
hours revisiting old charts and conducting hundreds of interviews,
I’d never been more nervous or scared the instant it was pulled
from my tight grip to be placed into the hands of someone who would
actually read it. There was no way I’d ever publish it, opening
myself up to a world filled with critics.

   “If you’re wondering, Dr. Moi is a personal friend of Professor
Marienetti. The sexual fantasies accounted for and described within
your research were fascinating, probably more so than Dr. Marienetti
could digest. We’re baffled as to why you chose not to publish. The
results, Jess, are far reaching, from ICUs to dentists’ offices.
You have a special gift; embrace it.”
   She walked toward me and leaned her back against the wall, her gaze
drinking in the room.
  “This office has been vacant, just waiting for you. You could do
great things here.” She patted my arm, her grandmotherly smile
telling me it would all be okay. “I’m next door if you need
anything.”
   Embrace it, I thought, watching as she walked out the door. I’d
heard that advice before—from Matthew. I sighed and looked down
upon the desk, the one I knew would take me a while to start calling
my own.
   My desk, my office, my couch, it all sounded quite foreign. I wasn’t
sure if I liked it or not.

About
the Author:

J.M. Maurer lives
with her family in Chicago. She makes it a point to never work on a
full moon and cringes when a coworker uses the “Q” word—never,
ever say, “It’s a quiet day today,” at her day job.

Known
for being overly superstitious, she can usually be found scraping at
the remnants of a Nutella container, screaming at a hockey game, or
putting pen to paper, allowing the “real” crazy voices in her
head to come alive. And after all this, it’s no wonder she’s an
incurable romantic and loves escaping the rat race of life to immerse
herself inside the world of a really good romance book . . .
because, after all, what’s better than a happily-ever-after?

Find
J.M. Maurer Here:

Website:
http://jmmaurer.com

Blog:
http://jmmaurer.com/blog.html

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/JMMaurerAuthor

Twitter:
https://twitter.com/JMMaurer1

Goodreads:
bit.ly/GoodreadsJMMaurer

tsu:
http://www.tsu.co/JMicheleMaurer

Amazon
Author Page: bit.ly/AmznJMMaurer


Seeking Hope (Emerging From
Darkness Book 3 ~ Fall/winter 2015)

The
conclusion
to the captivating romantic trilogy where love came easy, forgiveness
came with time, but healing from devastating loss proved daunting.
Together, Jessica and Matthew pursue an extraordinary future . . .
seeking
hope. 

Paranormal Experiences- Meet the Author

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If you headed this way from Traci Wooden-Carlisle’s Blog, thanks for clicking the link! Did you check out her books? You can see them at Traci’s Amazon Page.
Do you like to read? Wouldn’t you like to know more about your favorite authors? Well you came to the right place! Join the MMB Open Book Blog Hop each Wednesday and they will tell all. Every week we’ll answer questions and after you’ve enjoyed the blog on this site we’ll direct you to another. So come back often for a thrilling ride! Tell your friends and feel free to ask us questions in the comment box.
Question:
Have any of us had paranormal experiences? Maybe a brief description of one each of us may have had?


I’ve had a couple. I’ll tell you about one.


In high school, we were encouraged to pick intercultural topics for study and create a project based on our studies. Those projects were shared with our classmates and the rest of the school, and one night the public was invited to view our work. It wasn’t a competition, but it was a major portion of our grade for the semester.


One year, I chose to study Gypsies. I walked into the project with a fairly romanticized vision of Gypsy life, and most of the material I found back then reinforced that vision to a great extent. I also delved into the traditions of tarot cards and palm reading as a part of the project.


My presentation was based on that aspect of the culture I borrowed a set of tarot cards from a friend, and had a little area where people could come to have their fortunes told.



I never thought anyone would take it seriously. Certainly, I didn’t take myself seriously. 


But about two months later, I was approached by a girl I didn’t recognize in the public library. She remembered me. She definitely remembered her fortune. I’d read her fortune using tarot cards. One of the cards that came up for her was the mother card. Another was the death card.

She hadn’t known it the night I read her fortune, but she had been pregnant. She lost her baby shortly after I read her cards. All I could do was hug her and tell her how sorry I was. I didn’t cry until later.

I gave the tarot cards back to their owner as soon as I could, and I’ve never told anyone’s fortune since then. Not even for fun.

To find out what Stevie Turner has to say, head on over to her blog at Stevie Turner. And don’t forget to check out her books at Amazon Author Page- Stevie Turner


Do you have any questions you want the authors to answer? Leave a comment and let us know.


Do Photo-Shopped Images Make You feel Bad- Meet the Author

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Thanks to Stephanie Tullis for sending you my way. Have you checked out her book? You can find it at The Master’s Plan.

Now on to this week’s question. Do photo-shopped images make you feel bad about yourself? Do you worry about the affect it has on teens?

I grew up before photoshop. (Yes, I’m that old.) I wasn’t bombarded with artificial images of pretend women. That was back in the day when the style was to be natural. Anybody remember Mama Cass Elliot? What a voice! And she wasn’t afraid of her size. That’s just the way she was.For many years I didn’t own a scale, and I never measured myself. Of course, I never had a “girlish figure.” I was athletic way back then, and I frequently bought men’s shirts because they fit me better. It never bothered me.I didn’t worry at all about modeling myself after anyone else’s ideal image.


But do I worry about the effect it has on teenagers? Absolutely. Both male and female. Males, because they are presented with unrealistic portrayals of what a woman should look like.If they think they’re going to find one of those overly processed pretend girls in real life, they are going to be disappointed.

And the girls? It starts long before they are teenagers. Take a look at the Disney princesses. You think those are realistic images to present to little girls?

And it only get worse as they get older. I remember hearing two young girls in the grocery store—they were maybe 12 or 12—worrying about being overweight. They were both at a perfectly appropriate weights for their age and height. And I stopped and told them so. I wasn’t sure they believed me, but maybe they will remember it down the line somewhere. So yes, I’m sure they were being influenced by the distorted images in magazines and movies and on television.

Truth is, the whole photoshop thing is one of my pet peeves. I’m much more a proponent of the idea that it’s what inside that makes a girl beautiful—what she thinks and feels, and how she treats herself and other people. Maybe that’s outdated thinking, or maybe it’s an idea coming back into popularity.

To find out what author Patti Fiala  has to say, head over to her blog at PJ Fiala. And don’t forget to check out her books.