The Mid-Year Freakout Tag - #AmReading

I've seen this one in several places, including on this YouTube channel, which is where I eventually grabbed it from.

 

As is usually the case, I'm not tagging anyone, but if you want to play along, feel free to do so.  If you do this on your own blog - or YouTube channel - make sure to let me know though, so I can be sure not to miss your post or video.

 

For now though, here are the questions, along with my answers:

 

1. Best book you read so far this year?

 

"Outlander" (Outlander, #1) by Diana Gabaldon.
 

2. best sequel you read this year?

 

"Dragonfly in Amber" (Outlander, #2) by Diana Gabaldon.
 

3. New release you haven't read but want to?

 

"Viper's Daughter" by Michelle Paver.  Amazon cancelled my order, because they couldn't get a copy, so I still don't have a copy of it.  I'll be trying again to get a copy soon.

 

4. most anticipated books of 2nd half of year?

 

"Peace Talks" (The Dresden Files, #16) by Jim Butcher, "Warriors" (Hell Divers, #7) by Nicholas Sansbury Smith, and "Immortal Angel" (Argeneau, #31) by Lynsay Sands.
 

5. Biggest disappointment?

 

"The Dancing Bear" by Michael Morpurgo.  The ending was a huge disappointment... His books are usually better.
 

6. Biggest surprise?

 

"City of Bones" (The Mortal Instruments, #1) by Cassandra Clare.  I enjoyed it much more than I thought I would, so am glad I picked it up after all.  I'm now working on the rest of the series.
 

7. Fave new fictional crush?

 

Jamie Fraser from Diana Gabaldon's "Outlander" series.

 

8. Fave new character?

 

Brianna from Diana Gavaldon's "Outlander" series.  I wasn't interested in her at first, because I wanted to just hear about Jamie, but she's really grown on me, and become one of my favourite characters.

 

9. Book that made you cry?

 

"Survive" (Atlantis Grail, #4) by Vera Nazarian.  So many emotional scenes...
 

10. Most beautiful book you recieved or bought?

 

This one's impossible to answer.  All good books are beautiful in one way or another.

 

11. What books do you need to read before the end of the year?

 

The main ones I really want to get to are Nyxia Uprising (The Nyxia Triad, #3) by Scott Reintgen,  the second half of the "Artemis Fowl" series by Eoin Colfer, the rest of Cassandra Clare's "Mortal Instruments" series, and Darlene Foster's "Amanda Travels" series.  But there are several others too... I have a very long to-read list.

#MondayMotivation - #Quotes + Words Of #Wisdom 29-06-20

The world is full of magic things, patiently waiting for our senses to grow sharper.
~W B Yeats

Set wide the window. Let me drink the day.
~Edith Wharton

I will not let anyone walk through my mind with their dirty feet.
~Mahatma Gandhi

I am out with lanterns, looking for myself.”
~?Emily Dickinson

I have sometimes been wildly, despairingly, acutely miserable...but through it all I still know quite certainly that just to be alive is a grand thing.
~Agatha Christie

Its good to leave each day behind, like flowing water, free of sadness.
~Rumi

Never bend your head. Always hold it high. Look the world straight in the eye.
~Helen Keller

The way we choose to see the world creates the world we see.
~Barry Neil Kaufman

Growth itself contains the germ of happiness.
~Pearl S. Buck

Look up at the stars and not down at your feet. Make sense of what you see and wonder about what makes the universe exist. Be curious. However difficult life may seem, there's always something you can do & succeed at. It matters that you don't just give up.
~Stephen Hawking

We are here to uplift not to outshine. The sky would be very dark with just one star.
~Unknown

May you grow still enough to hear the splintering of starlight in the winter sky and the roar at the earth's fiery core.
~Br. David Steindl-Rast

#Pet #Photos: A Beach Trip For Lilie The #Westie And Logan The #Cavapoo

Hi everyone.  This is Logan the Cavapoo.

Me and Lilie went to the beach a few weeks ago.  It was nice out there: not wet and windy, but not too hot either.  Well, we went other times too, but I wanted to tell you about this time, because it was slightly different.  Anyway, like I said, it was a few weeks ago.  Well, almost a month ago now.

Mummy and Daddy took us.  Although, Daddy left us there and went away for a long time.  That's what was different.  I don't know why he did that.  He usually doesn't leave Mummy by herself with us outside for long, but this time he did.  We were out there for ages and ages, and only Mummy was with us.  Mummy tried explaining, but it makes no sense to us.  Whatever the reason, Lilie was upset that Daddy went away - I wasn't too pleased myself, but Lilie made more fuss about it - but Mummy said it was OK that he did, which made us both a bit confused.  Mummy promised Daddy would come back, and we were really worried she was wrong, but he did come back for us, so it was all OK in the end after all.

We weren't upset the whole time though.  In fact, even Lilie mostly forgot to be upset after a short time, though she kept remembering and looking in the direction Daddy had gone and whining from time to time.  But nobody could stay upset when being called cute by other humans that were on the beach and wanted to say, "Hi," to us and even pet us.

That's right: people are talking to us again.

For ages and ages - much more time than Daddy left us on the beach with just Mummy; for so long that I found it strange and scary at first that people were doing differently - people wouldn't talk to us, and definitely wouldn't pet us.  Mummy and Daddy said it wasn't our fault but because of that Avirus thing they keep talking about.  But now they want to be friends again.  Mummy says to tell you they did so from as far from her as our leads would allow though, so it was fine.  I don't know why that matters, but she says it does, and you'll be glad to hear it.  I'll have to take her word for that.

Like I said, I wasn't sure what to think of it at first, and was kind of scared when people were suddenly wanting to come say, "Hi," and pet me.  OK.  Fine.  I was a lot scared.  But only at first.  Then I saw how happy Lilie was, and how much she was enjoying it, so decided I wanted to be a part of that.  I hate being left out, and I do love attention, it's just that I'm only a little over a year old, and most of my walkies months it's either been such bad weather everyone is in too much of a hurry to get out of the wet to be friends, or they've not wanted to because of Avirus, so this wanting to be friends with me thing was new, strange, and real scary.  I think I do like it though, and hope they'll want to keep doing it from now on... Especially if they're going to be giving Lilie attention, because I want to be included if she is.

Anyway, Mummy played with the flashy thing while we were out there, so here are the photos of me and Lilie it made:

   

Lots of licks,

Logan

#AmReading + #AmWatching + #AmListening - Media Shares And #Reviews 25-06-20

Just the knowledge that a good book is awaiting one at the end of a long day makes that day happier.
~Kathleen Norris

 

Welcome to this week's weekly media shares and reviews post!

 
*Disclaimer: no matter what's being reviewed, all opinions in this post are entirely my own, and I reserve the right to have them, regardless of who may or may not share them. Feel free to express your own in the comments, but please respect my right - and the rights of other commenters - to have opinions that might differ from yours, and to express those opinions too.
 
Also, please remember that I read/watch/listen to things in a variety of genres, and for all ages, so you should make sure you check that the book/movie/show/song is suitable for the intended audience before reading/watching/listening to it, especially if children are involved. I take no responsibility for anything which may happen as a result of failing to do so.
 
If you want to know more about the book, or the author, click on whichever it is you want to learn more about, and it will take you to the appropriate page on Goodreads. Clicking on my rating should take you to my actual Goodreads review for the book in question. Please bear in mind that the format I've reviewed on Goodreads may not be the format I actually read.
 
Alternatively, if it's a movie or TV show you want to know more about, just click on the title to go to a page where you can find out more details about the movie or TV show in question; the title links will usually take you to a page on IMDB.
 
Unless otherwise stated, all music videos are via YouTube.

~

 

OK. Let's see what I've been reading, watching, and listening to, and which song I'm going to share this week, shall we? After all, that's the point of this post, and why you're here today, right?

 

~

 

• Reading:

This week I read two books, one of which was a short collection of poetry I was given in exchange for a review. So, here's what I read during the past week, along with my book reviews.

 

Light and Shade; serious (and not so serious) poems by K. Morris
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This is another enjoyable collection of poems by this author, where the poems are split in to a couple of different sections: one for more serious and thought-provoking poetry, and another for humerous poetry. As is generally the case with collections like this, while I liked all the poems, I did enjoy some of them more than others, with “The Point of Poetry” and “The Weather Was Chill” being my favourites from the first section of this collection, while “Vanity” and “When a Young Lady Named Leigh” were my favourites from section two.
*Note: I was given a free copy of this book by the author in exchange for an honest review. This fact has in no way influenced either my opinion of the book or the contents of this review.

 

City of Bones by Cassandra Clare
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I thought this was a great read, but not as amazing as many have made it out to be. I also saw some of the things revealed near the end coming early on, which is perhaps partially responsible for me not finding it as amazing as some people I know have. Still, I did really enjoy it, and look forward to finding out what happens in the next book.

 

~

 

• Watching:

This week I watched some new episodes of "Fuller House" I discovered were on Netflix - excellent series ending!

 

I also watched "Artemis Fowl" - a movie which was very recently released, and I'd been waiting to be able to watch.  For those who don't know, it's a movie based on a series of books.  Now, I did have the books all read to me when I was younger, but I don't remember much about them.  However, I've also read some of the books more recently.  Because of this, I noticed a few places where the facts of the book were ignored.  Things like - to use something that's not a spoiler - Butler's name, which wasn't supposed to be widely used (Artemis' knowledge of the name is something only revealed a couple of books in to the series, and he's rarely called anything but "Butler" in the books).  So, as a representation of the books, it was only "OK" - good, but not great.  On the other hand, as a movie in its own right, without giving consideration to how they've changed things from the books, it was excellent; action-packed, and thoroughly enjoyable, with some entertaining scenes.  Anyway, if I was rating it based on how it compared to the books, my rating wouldn't be all that high... Just three stars.  But, since I try not to base my reviews of movies based on books on how well they compare to the books, I'll be doing so this time again, so I give this movie four out of five stars.

 

~

 

• Listening:

This week I've been listening to quite a variety of music again, including "The World Goes On" by Jamie O'Neal, which is the song I'm going to share with you this week.

"Snowlilie's Brother" Is Now Available In #Paperback - #KidLit #AnimalStories #Pets #Westie #Cavapoo

Getting a little brother is a good thing... Right?

When Snowlilie the West Highland White Terrier first meets her new little brother – a Cavapoo puppy, who tells her the humans call him Rascal - and realizes having a little brother means having a new doggy friend to play with, she’s excited. That is, until she realizes it also means sharing everything with him – including her favourite ball, some of her food, and Mummy and Daddy’s attention.

Will Snowlilie be forced to tolerate a little brother she doesn’t like? Or can she learn to like Rascal, and accept the changes having a little brother means?

Having been released at the start of this month, but previously only made available as an eBook - links for which you can find in this post - "Snowlilie's Brother" is now also available in paperback.  If you'd like to get your hands on a copy, you can buy the paperback version from Amazon Canada, Amazon UK, Amazon US, and various other Amazons, as well as places my books get distributed to, like Barnes & Noble.

An audio version will become available as soon as one can be arranged.

Regardless of your prefered format, if you're on Goodreads and want to add the book to your shelves, it does have a Goodreads page where all formats currently available are listed.

The #Disney #Book Tag - #AmReading

I found this tag among those on The Sassy Geek, and with my love of Disney movies, I knew I had to do it. Well, that and I'm totally obsessed with these tags. Basically, with the theme and the fact it's one of these tag things, I just had to! I know you're not surprised. *wink*

Anyway, like I always say, I'm not tagging anyone, but if you want to play along, feel free to do so, either in the comments section, or on your own blog. Just make sure to let me know if you do the latter, and tell me where I can read your answers, because I'd love to know what you'd pick. For now though, here are the questions, along with my own answers:

1. The Little Mermaid – A character who is out of their element, a “fish out of water.”

I'm going to have to pick Harry Potter. Why? Because, quite frankly, though I'm a huge fan of the series, there's one thing I know for sure: Harry would not have survived if it wasn't for a combination of luck and his friends. He was completely out of his element, and had no idea what he was doing. Like I said, if it wasn't for a combination of luck and his friends, he wouldn't have even survived to see the end of the first book.

2. Cinderella – A character who goes through a major transformation.

There's a character who goes through a physical change in almost all of the books in Lynsay Sands’ "Argeneau Vampire" series, but it's a different character each time, because the whole point of it is that the vampires find their lifemates, which often results in them finding a mortal lifemate who then needs to be turned. There's a lot more to the series than that, and trust me when I say it's a lot more exciting than the first sentence in this paragraph made it sound. It's a series that's most definitely not for children though, so I don't want to be giving too much detail (especially not in a Disney themed tag). But if you enjoy vampire themed paranormal romances with some... Erm... Descriptive intimate scenes, you might want to check it out. Assuming you're old enough to be reading that kind of thing (thought I better add that part, in case there happens to be someone under age reading this).

3. Snow White – A book with an eclectic cast of characters.

"Fatemarked" by David Estes. In fact, all the books in David's "Fatemarked" series.

4. Sleeping Beauty – A book that put you to sleep.

There aren't any. Books don't put me to sleep. Some end up being less interesting than others, but a book has never been the cause of me falling asleep, even though I do usually fall asleep listening to an audio book. It's not the book in question though, since I can listen to the same book when feeling more alert and it won't do that.

5. The Lion King – A character who had something traumatic happen to them in childhood.

"The Bad Beginning" - the first book in Lemony Snicket's "A Series Of Unfortunate Events" series. In fact, the whole series deserves a mention here, since the point of it is about all the terrible things that happen in the lives of the three Beaudilaire children, starting with the deaths of their parents.

6. Beauty and The Beast – A beast of a book (a big book) that you were intimidated by, but found the story to be beautiful.

I've never been intimidated by the size of a book. I'll read anything from drabbles (I think that's what they call the flash fiction that's only like 100 words or something these days) to huge 1000 page novels, and anything in between. Got something longer? I'll read that too! As long as the book description makes it sound like something I might potentially enjoy reading, I'll read it eagerly, regardless of length.

7. Aladdin – A character who gets their wish granted, for better or for worse.

I'm going to go with "Be Careful What You Wish For..." (one of the books in the "Goosebumps" series) by R.L. Stine. It's definitely well titled, and is a perfect example of why you should be very careful what you wish for.

8. Mulan – A character who pretends to be something or someone they are not.

Besides Mulan herself - and I can't use her anyhow, because I've seen the animated movie, but not read any book version of her story - the first that comes to mind is Polly Perks from "Monstrous Regiment" (book 31 in Terry Pratchett's "Discworld" series) who pretends to be a boy so she can join the army to look for her brother.

9. Toy Story – A book with characters you wish would come to life.

Oh, WOW! Where do I start? There are so many! But, if I have to pick just one book/series, you know it has to be the characters from the "Harry Potter" series by J.K. Rowling. I need to be friends with Luna Lovegood and Hermione Granger, and go to Hogwarts, and... Well, you get the idea.

10. Disney Descendants – Your favorite villain or morally ambiguous character.

I'm going to be giving a shout-out to the "Harry Potter" books again, because my pick for this one is Bellatrix Lestrange. I didn't even need to give it much thought. She's evil and crazy, and such a great villainess!

#MondayMotivation - #Quotes + Words Of #Wisdom 22-06-20

We don't have to wait for some grand utopian future. The future is an infinite succession of presents, and to live now as we think human beings should live, in defiance of all that is bad around us, is itself a marvelous victory.
~Howard Zinn

Some things in life are out of your control. You can make it a party or a tragedy.
~Nora Roberts

Hope can be a powerful force. Maybe there's no actual magic in it, but when you know what you hope for most and hold it like a light within you, you can make things happen, almost like magic.
~Laini Taylor

We make realities out of our dreams, and dreams out of our realities. We are the dreamers of the dream
~Roald Dahl

All that we see or seem is but a dream within a dream.
~Edgar Allan Poe

No matter how your heart is grieving, if you keep on believing, the dreams that you wish will come true.
~Cinderella

Dream as if you'll live forever, live as if you'll die today.
~James Dean

For in dreams, we enter a world that is entirely our own.
~Albus Dumbledore

Go after your dream, no matter how unattainable others think it is.
~Linda Mastandrea

Participate in your dreams today. There are unlimited opportunities available with this new day. Take action on those wonderful dreams you've had in your mind for so long. Remember, success is something you experience when you act accordingly.
~Steve Maraboli

Success occurs when your dreams get bigger than your excuses.
~Unknown

Things are only impossible until they're not.
~Jean-Luc Picard

Lilie The #Westie On The Release Of "Snowlilie's Brother" - #NewRelease #KidLit #Pets

Hi everyone.  This is Lilie the Westie.

Just in case you didn't see when Mummy talked about it last week: I've got a new book out.

Well, OK, I suppose it's Logan's book too.  Either way, Mummy tells you all about it in this post from last Tuesday, which is when the book was officially released.  But I'm excited about being in another book, so I wanted to tell you about it as well, in case you missed seeing her post.  Well, also because it's exciting

It's called "Snowlilie's Brother" and is all about when I got my little brother, Logan, last year, even though I wasn't sure what his name was meant to be at first, or even how I felt about having a little brother.  I know how I feel about it now, but you'll have to read the book to find out for sure, unless you've figured it out from our posts.  Even if you have, you should read the book anyway, because we're cute, and because Mummy promised to buy us new toys with the money from book sales.  We love getting new toys, so would love for that to happen.  You would too, right? *cute sad puppy dog look*

So, here's a picture of the cover, and all the details of what the book is about, and where you can get a copy - just to save you having to go read Mummy's post.  Jacob Blackmon did the cover - he's someone Mummy and Daddy talk to on the computer - and Daddy's really impressed with how well he drew us.  He did do an awesome job, didn't he? Almost as cute as our actual photos...

Getting a little brother is a good thing... Right?

 

When Snowlilie the West Highland White Terrier first meets her new little brother – a Cavapoo puppy, who tells her the humans call him Rascal - and realizes having a little brother means having a new doggy friend to play with, she’s excited. That is, until she realizes it also means sharing everything with him – including her favourite ball, some of her food, and Mummy and Daddy’s attention.

 

Will Snowlilie be forced to tolerate a little brother she doesn’t like? Or can she learn to like Rascal, and accept the changes having a little brother means?

You can now buy “Snowlilie’s Brother” in a variety of eBook formats from multiple online retailers, including – but not limited to - Amazon Canada, Amazon UK, Amazon US, Smashwords, Barnes & Noble, iBooks, and Kobo.

The book is available in all formats those places offer,, so there should be a version that works for you from at least one of the places it's for sale, regardless of your chosen method of reading eBooks, whether that be via Kindle, Nook, some other tablet or eReader, smartphone, or even your computer.

However, if you're one of those people who isn't a fan of eBooks, don't worry, Mummy and I haven't forgotten about you.  Audio and paperback versions are to be arranged as soon as possible.  Hopefully very soon.

Regardless of your prefered format though, you may be interested to know that the book also has a Goodreads page.

If you buy a copy, I hope you enjoy it.  I know Logan and I will enjoy the toys Mummy will get us with the book sale money, that's for sure, so thank you if you buy a copy and help us get some new toys.

Lots of licks,

Lilie

#AmReading + #AmWatching + #AmListening - Media Shares And #Reviews 18-06-20

Reading one book is like eating one potato chip.
~Dia ne Duane

 
Welcome to this week's weekly media shares and reviews post!
 
*Disclaimer: no matter what's being reviewed, all opinions in this post are entirely my own, and I reserve the right to have them, regardless of who may or may not share them. Feel free to express your own in the comments, but please respect my right - and the rights of other commenters - to have opinions that might differ from yours, and to express those opinions too.
 
Also, please remember that I read/watch/listen to things in a variety of genres, and for all ages, so you should make sure you check that the book/movie/show/song is suitable for the intended audience before reading/watching/listening to it, especially if children are involved. I take no responsibility for anything which may happen as a result of failing to do so.
 
If you want to know more about the book, or the author, click on whichever it is you want to learn more about, and it will take you to the appropriate page on Goodreads. Clicking on my rating should take you to my actual Goodreads review for the book in question. Please bear in mind that the format I've reviewed on Goodreads may not be the format I actually read.
 
Alternatively, if it's a movie or TV show you want to know more about, just click on the title to go to a page where you can find out more details about the movie or TV show in question; the title links will usually take you to a page on IMDB.
 

Unless otherwise stated, all music videos are via YouTube.

 

~

 

OK. Let's see what I've been reading, watching, and listening to, and which song I'm going to share this week, shall we? After all, that's the point of this post, and why you're here today, right?

 

~

 

• Reading:

This week I read three books.  Well, finished one and read two others. Either way, here's what I read during the past week, along with my book reviews.
 
Written in My Own Heart's Blood by Diana Gabaldon
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
As much as I'm a fan of the series, I have to admit this one only just managed to scrape the four star rating I'm giving it. I mean, I really enjoyed this book for the most part, but didn't totally love it, and can think of several things I didn't enjoy about it. There were a few places in this book where I felt like the events or details were drawn out a bit more than they needed to be, a couple of times where the scene - while interesting - really didn't do anything to move the plot forward, and a couple of deaths of minor characters I wish hadn't happened. Also - while the ending isn't a cliffhanger, and I did think it was a lovely ending in many ways - I found it frustrating that things were left as they were as regards Roger and Brianna's part of the story. Other than that though, this was a nice addition to the series, and I look forward to the next book.

 

Immortal Born by Lynsay Sands
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This book is an excellent addition to this series; a sweet romance, and an action-packed paranormal tale, with plenty of entertaining scenes. If you enjoy those kinds of things, you should read this book, as well as the previous books in the series. No, it's not essential to have read the others before you read this one, since you won't be lost if you don't know who everyone is. I do suggest you try to though, since there are some things you'll only know about some of the characters if you've read their stories in previous books.
 

The Dancing Bear by Michael Morpurgo
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
My actual rating is 3.5 stars, but I rounded up. It would have been a five star read for me, but the ending felt kind of sudden and lacking in emotion. Up until that point I thought it was an excellent and beautiful read, but the ending was a disappointment, which took away a lot of my enjoyment of the rest of the story.

 

~

 

• Watching:

Actually, I've got nothing to say for this part, because this week I watched absolutely nothing.  I didn't even do a good job of keeping up with YouTube videos from channels I follow.

 

~

 

• Listening:

This week I've been listening to soothing music like panpipe music, when I've listened to anything at all.  So, here's some music like the kind I was listening to - in fact, one of the songs I listened to - for your listening pleasure... Enjoy!
 

#WriterWednesday: An Authorly Update And Some Writerly #Quotes And Links - #AmWriting 17-06-20

In case you didn't see it, but would like to go check out the post: "Snowlilie's Brother" - my latest release, featuring Lilie and Logan - was featured in the Smorgasbord Cafe and Bookstore this past Sunday (June 14th 2020) along with a review of "Witchlet" - one of my older titles.  My thanks to Sally for doing the post to start with, as well as to Robbie for reading and reviewing "Witchlet" a while ago.  Also, thanks to anyone who shared the post, or does so at any point in the future.

 

In other authorly news: I'm currently taking auditions for a narrator for the audio version of "Snowlilie's Brother" on ACX.  If you're a female narrator who wants to audition, you have until Friday (June 19th 2020) to submit your audition, since that's when I'm making my choice.  I just thought I'd let you know.

 

The paperback version of "Snowlilie's Brother" is also in production; I'm just waiting for the physical proof of the paperback to arrive.  Assuming there are no issues with the physical proof, and nobody from KDP finds any issues during the final approval stage, the paperback version of "Snowlilie's Brother" will become available in a couple of weeks.

 

In the meantime, let's take a look at what I've gathered to share with you this week.

 

The writing process, and writing life in general:

10 reminders for writers who don't feel like their words can make a difference

You're never 'ready' to write a story

One writer.  A million new ideas

 

“I write to give myself strength. I write to be the characters that I am not. I write to explore all the things I’m afraid of.”

~Joss Whedon

 

Writers' block, and idea generation:

6 non-writing hobbies that can still inspire your writing

A big, bold list of creative writing activities

Creative eavesdropping

 

“You write to communicate to the hearts and minds of others what’s burning inside you, and we edit to let the fire show through the smoke.”

~Arthur Plotnik

 

Characters:

Things to consider when making your characters suffer

 

“The first draft is black and white. Editing gives the story color.”

~Emma Hill

 

Editing:

Do you have to be a good writer to be a good editor?

Grammar rules: who vs. whom

 

Publishing:

How to publish with KDP: Part 10, how to upload your eBook file

 

“No author dislikes to be edited as much as he dislikes not to be published.”

~J.Russell Lynes

 

Marketing:

Churn rate and transmedia storytelling

Online marketing doesn't mean lying, cheating, or conning customers

Author's notes: another terrific oppertunity

 

“So the writer who breeds more words than he needs, is making a chore for the reader who reads.”

~Dr Seuss

 

Book reviews:

Noobs' guide to self-publishing - reviews on KDP/Amazon

10 #Inspirational #Quotes

Wisdom says we are nothing. Love says we are everything. Between these two our life flows.
~Jack Kornfield

Your actions are your only true belongings.
~Allan Lokos

Let us keep courage and try to be patient and gentle.
~Vincent Van Gogh

Put yourself at the top of your to-do list every single day, and the rest will fall into place.
~Unknown

Tranquillity & peace are contagious. One only thinks of the contagiousness of illness, but there's the contagion of serenity and joy.
~Anais Nin

That’s life: starting over, one breath at a time.
~Sharon Salzberg

I think when we don’t know what to do it’s wise to do nothing. Sit down quietly; quiet our hearts and minds and breathe deeply.
~Maya Angelou

Look closely at the present you are constructing; it should look like the future you are dreaming.
~Alice Walker

Though the world is now dark, better days are at hand.
~Celeborn

No good sittin' worryin' abou' it. What's comin' will come, an' we'll meet it when it does.
~Hagrid

#MondayMotivation - #Quotes + Words Of #Wisdom 15-06-20

Normality is a paved road: It’s comfortable to walk, but no flowers grow on it.
~Vincent Van Gogh

We need the security of our certainties but we need too the stimulus and the challenge provided by uncertainty. If we climb the hill to explore the valley on the other side it is not just in search of food; it is in search of adventure.
~C.R. Milne

Raindrops are my only reminder that clouds have a heartbeat. That I have one, too.
~T Mafi

If we're growing, we're always going to be out of our comfort zone.
~John Maxwell

The gem cannot be polished without friction, nor man perfected without trials.
~Chinese Proverb

One can never consent to creep, when one feels an impulse to soar.
~Helen Keller

The way you start your day determines how well you live your day.
~Robin Sharma

Raise your words, not your voice. It is rain that grows flowers, not thunder.
~Rumi

Whatever we plant in our subconscious mind and nourish with repetition and emotion will one day become a reality.
~Earl Nightingale

Don't let one cloud obliterate the whole sky.
~Anais Nin

It is foolish to tear one’s hair in grief, as though sorrow would be made less by baldness.
~Marcus Tullius Cicero

The darkest night is often the bridge to the brightest tomorrow.
~Jonathan Lockwood Huie

#Pets Are For Life, Not Just For Lockdown - #Covid19 #Coronavirus

Hi everyone.  This is Lilie the Westie.

We heard about lots of people during the locking down while Avirus was happening who got new family members with fur, feathers, or scales.  Especially people who got dogs or cats to join their families.

Now, Avirus isn't actually over, but lots of places aren't locked down any more, or not locked down as much.  This means lots of people who were at home now have to go to something called, "Work," - or so Mummy says.

So, this post is just to remind those people who got new family members while they were locked down not to abandon them now.  After all, they were there for you when you needed them for company.  Now that they maybe might need you more than you need them, remember to be there for them, since they'll still be there for you when you let them.

Maybe you have to go to the work thing now, and can't take them with you, which is fine.  Even if we don't like when our humans go away, we learn to accept it.  But let them wait for you at home, where they'll be glad to spend what time they can with you when you can be at home too.

There are lots of reasons why maybe someone can't keep a pet after all.  It's sad, but I understand that.  Not being locked down any more shouldn't be one of those reasons though, and I hope you thought about that before bringing them home. But, if you really can't keep the pet now you're not locked down any more for some reason, at least make sure you take the pet to a place where it can be looked after properly.  Only if you have to though.  After all, a pet should be for life, not just for lockdown, and there are already an awful lot of pets in shelters looking for homes.

A shelter is better than being abandoned on the street.  A real forever home is better still.

Lots of licks,

Lilie

#AmReading + #AmWatching + #AmListening - Media Shares And #Reviews 11-06-20

With freedom, books, flowers, and the moon, who could not be happy?
~Oscar Wilde

 
Welcome to this week's weekly media shares and reviews post!
 
*Disclaimer: no matter what's being reviewed, all opinions in this post are entirely my own, and I reserve the right to have them, regardless of who may or may not share them. Feel free to express your own in the comments, but please respect my right - and the rights of other commenters - to have opinions that might differ from yours, and to express those opinions too.

Also, please remember that I read/watch/listen to things in a variety of genres, and for all ages, so you should make sure you check that the book/movie/show/song is suitable for the intended audience before reading/watching/listening to it, especially if children are involved. I take no responsibility for anything which may happen as a result of failing to do so.

If you want to know more about the book, or the author, click on whichever it is you want to learn more about, and it will take you to the appropriate page on Goodreads. Clicking on my rating should take you to my actual Goodreads review for the book in question. Please bear in mind that the format I've reviewed on Goodreads may not be the format I actually read.

Alternatively, if it's a movie or TV show you want to know more about, just click on the title to go to a page where you can find out more details about the movie or TV show in question; the title links will usually take you to a page on IMDB.

Unless otherwise stated, all music videos are via YouTube.
  
OK. Let's see what I've been reading, watching, and listening to, and which song I'm going to share this week, shall we? After all, that's the point of this post, and why you're here today, right? Not that I have much to say this week, but there you go.  Let's get to it anyhow.
 

• Reading:

I'm reading "Written In My Heart's Own Blood" - the eighth book in the "Outlander" series - but haven't finished it yet.  I think I'm a little over half way through it now, so will hopefully finish it in time to be reviewing it next week, unless something happens to prevent my getting my usual reading time in during the coming week.

 

• Watching:

Despite my tentatively made plans of doing otherwise, this week I didn't actually watch anything, unless you count various YouTube videos uploaded by people I'm following on there, and I didn't really even watch very many of those to be honest.  So much for my plan - or hope - of finishing season 6 of "Game Of Thrones" on the weekend.  Well, maybe I'll have better luck this coming weekend? *looks hopeful*
  

• Listening:

This week I've been listening to very little music, and not really paying all that much attention to the bit I did listen to, if I'm honest.  So I wasn't sure what to share with you this week.  With that being the case, I'm sharing the song whose title keeps popping in to my head lately, since at least I know I definitely did listen to this one during the past week (in the hopes of making it go away, which didn't work).  So, here's "Living On A Prayer" by Bon Jovi.  Enjoy!

 

#WriterWednesday - My #Pet Themed #KidLit #NewRelease + Colouring Books + #WritersLife + Writerly #Quotes And Links - #AmWriting 10-06-2020

In case you missed yesterday's post: "Snowlilie's Brother" is now available.  As mentioned in the post I just linked to, you can buy it in a variety of eBook formats from multiple online retailers - purchase links can be found in that post, but here are the links for the Smashwords version and the Kindle edition - and will be able to get it in audio and paperback as soon as I can arrange for those to be available.  If you buy a copy - either now, or when the other formats become available - I hope you enjoy it.  If you do buy and read it, please consider leaving a review, either where you purchase the book, on your blog, or on Goodreads, because reviews help authors, so are very much appreciated.

 

Also, if you want to tell your friends and followers about the book - like Kevin has done in this post - that would be very much appreciated too.  Thank you in advance if you do so, and thanks to Kevin - and anyone who shares his post - as well, since spreading the word is another thing that helps authors a lot.

 

In other bookish news: if you - or anyone you know, be they children or adults - happen to be a fan of colouring books, especially animal themed ones, you might be interested to know that my Hermann's Tortoise, Artemis, is featured in two versions of the "Magnificent Pets" colouring book from Praise My Pet, after I was approached by someone I follow on Twitter and asked if I would submit a tortoise photo or two for the project.  you can find Artemis in both the Colouring Book For Children and the Mandala Coloring Book For Adults, which are due for release on June 27th 2020, and are currently available to pre-order at a discounted price.  If you grab either version, I hope you enjoy colouring Artemis' photo, as well as the photos of all the other pets in the collection.

 

"There is no perfect time to write. There's only now."
~Barbara Kingsolver
 

OK.  Let's see what I have to share with you today.

 

Blogging:

Why every blogger should have an 'About me' page on their blog

 

“Whatever you describe to another person is also a revelation of who you are and who you think you are. You cannot describe anything without betraying your point of view, your aspirations, your fears, your hopes. Everything.”

~James Baldwin

 

The writing process, and writing life in general:

9 writing challenges for novelists, poets, and more

A writers' guide to patience, practice, and persistance

How to stay motivated when working from home

Make all the writing plans you want

How to feel like writing again

10 gentle reminders for writing when everything's on fire

Writing through your feelings helps more than just you

How you know you've found your calling

The revision stage is supposed to be hard

Writing: there is no one size fits all

 

"Talent is extremely common. What is rare is the willingness to endure the life of the writer."

~Kurt Vonnegut
 

Writing romance:

5 things about writing kisses

 

Random writing tips:

The building blocks of story: sequels

4 mistakes to avoid in your prose

When to tell and not show

 

"You own everything that happened to you. Tell your stories. If people wanted you to write warmly about them, they should have behaved better."
~Anne Lamott

 

Editing:

12 reasons self-editing is the best writing coach

How to properly capitalize your titles

 

"Fill your paper with the breathings of your heart."
~William Wordsworth

"Snowlilie's Brother" by @VictoriaZigler - Out Now! #NewRelease #KidLit #AnimalStories #Pets #Dogs

Getting a little brother is a good thing... Right?

 

When Snowlilie the West Highland White Terrier first meets her new little brother – a Cavapoo puppy, who tells her the humans call him Rascal - and realizes having a little brother means having a new doggy friend to play with, she’s excited. That is, until she realizes it also means sharing everything with him – including her favourite ball, some of her food, and Mummy and Daddy’s attention.

 

Will Snowlilie be forced to tolerate a little brother she doesn’t like? Or can she learn to like Rascal, and accept the changes having a little brother means?

The above are the cover and description for my new book, which tells the story of Lilie's adjusting to having Logan join the family, and is officially released today, in honour of it being a year ago today that he came home.

You can now buy “Snowlilie’s Brother” in a variety of eBook formats from multiple online retailers, including – but not limited to - Amazon Canada, Amazon UK, Amazon US, Smashwords, Barnes & Noble, iBooks, and Kobo.

The book is available in all formats those places offer,, so there should be a version that works for you from at least one of the places it's for sale, regardless of your chosen method of reading eBooks, whether that be via Kindle, Nook, some other tablet or eReader, smartphone, or even your computer.

However, if you're one of those people who isn't a fan of eBooks, don't worry, I haven't forgotten about you.  Audio and paperback versions are to be arranged as soon as possible.  Hopefully very soon.

Regardless of your prefered format though, you may be interested to know that the book also has a Goodreads page.

#MondayMotivation - #Quotes + Words Of #Wisdom 08-06-20

Music in the soul can be heard by the universe.
~Lao Tzu

Don't let someone dim your light simply because it's shining in their eyes.
~Unknown

There are two ways of spreading light: to be the candle or the mirror that reflects it.
~Edith Wharton

The soul becomes dyed by the color of its thoughts.
~Marcus Aurelius

The truth is a beautiful and terrible thing, and should therefore be treated with great caution.
~Albus Dumbledore

Everyone is breakable, but not everyone is aware that it’s a choice to stay broken.
~Stanley Behrman

When you get to the end of your rope, tie a knot & hang on.
~Franklin D. Roosevelt

Whatever our individual troubles and challenges may be, its important to pause every now and then to appreciate all that we have on every level.
~Shakti Gawain

If your happiness depends on what somebody else does, I guess you do have a problem.
~Richard Bach

Look at everything as though you were seeing it either for the first or last time.
~Betty Smith

Minds are like parachutes - they only function when open.
~Thomas Dewar

We cannot become what we need to be by remaining what we are.
~Max De Pree

Mollie The #Chinchilla Reminds You To Keep Your #Pets Safe And Cool This Summer

Hi everyone.  This is Mollie the chinchilla.

Where we live it's started getting hot (not every day has been hot, but many have) and the human caretakers have had to put my fan on lots.  Noticing - and appreciating - this, I thought it was time for the reminder we give you every year about keeping your pets safe and cool in the hot weather.

 

It doesn't matter what the situation with that Avirus thing is where you are, or whether you've been locked down - whatever that means.  Hot weather is still something that's going to happen, and keeping your pets safe and cool during it is still something you need to do.  It's especially important for animals like me, since chinchillas struggle to deal with heat because of our thick fur coats.  But even animals who need and appreciate heat, like Artemis the tortoise, have limits as to the amount of heat they can comfortably and safely deal with.

So, no matter the kind of animal who shares your home, you need to make sure they don't suffer in the heat.  For all animals, you need to make sure they have plenty of cool water to keep hydrated, a shady place to rest out of the heat, and plenty of ventalation so they don't suffocate.  There will be other considerations too, depending on the species and their needs, especially if it gets extremely hot where you are.  For example:

• Chinchillas can't deal with hot weather at all, so make sure they're either in an air conditioned room, or have some other kind of cooling system, like a fan.  Something cool to rest on in a shady spot in their cage - such as a cooling slab - would help them too.  You can also offer something to nibble on to help keep them cool, such as a couple of frozen peas, a frozen carrot stick, etc.
• Dogs need shady and cool places to rest, whether they're indoor dogs or outdoor dogs, and you should be careful not to play with them for long stretches of time in the heat, since it could cause them to overheat - something that's very dangerous, and potentially life threatening.  Filling a Kong ball - or similar treat ball - with something and freezing it (peanut butter works well for this) is a good way to give them a cooling treat, as well as occupy them in a way where they won't be getting too hot from the exercise.
• Tortoises can deal with much hotter temperatures than some animals, but are at risk of becoming dehydrated if they get too hot, so consider bathing your tortoise more often than usual in the hot weather.

Those are just some examples of things you might do for your pets to keep them safe and cool during the hot weather, using the kinds of animals living in my home.  There are other things you can do though, of course.  In fact, if you want to share some things you do for your own animal family members in the comments section of this post, that would be great, since it might help give someone else ideas.

Remember though: Mummy and I aren't vets, so this is just advice based on our own experiences, and what Mummy's been told, or learned to do over the years, for us.  If you're unsure what to do for your own pet, or have any reason to be concerned about them - during this hot weather, or at any other time - call your vet.  If your vet can't help you for any reason, find one who can.

Squeak soon,

Mollie

#AmReading + #AmWatching + #AmListening - Media Shares And #Reviews 04-06-20

Some books should be tasted, some devoured, but only a few should be chewed and digested thoroughly.
~Francis Bacon

Welcome to this week's weekly media shares and reviews post!

*Disclaimer: no matter what's being reviewed, all opinions in this post are entirely my own, and I reserve the right to have them, regardless of who may or may not share them. Feel free to express your own in the comments, but please respect my right - and the rights of other commenters - to have opinions that might differ from yours, and to express those opinions too.

Also, please remember that I read/watch/listen to things in a variety of genres, and for all ages, so you should make sure you check that the book/movie/show/song is suitable for the intended audience before reading/watching/listening to it, especially if children are involved. I take no responsibility for anything which may happen as a result of failing to do so.

If you want to know more about the book, or the author, click on whichever it is you want to learn more about, and it will take you to the appropriate page on Goodreads. Clicking on my rating should take you to my actual Goodreads review for the book in question. Please bear in mind that the format I've reviewed on Goodreads may not be the format I actually read.

Alternatively, if it's a movie or TV show you want to know more about, just click on the title to go to a page where you can find out more details about the movie or TV show in question; the title links will usually take you to a page on IMDB.

Unless otherwise stated, all music videos are via YouTube.

OK. Let's see what I've been reading, watching, and listening to, and which song I'm going to share this week, shall we? After all, that's the point of this post, and why you're here today, right?

• Reading:

This week I read - well, technically finished reading, since I started it last week - one book: the seventh "Outlander" book. So, here's my book review.

An Echo in the Bone by Diana Gabaldon
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This book follows more than just the stories of the two couples I've grown to care about, and I have to admit to wishing it would just move on to the parts with my favourite characters in them at first, because I just wanted to know what was happening with them. By the time I was about a third of the way through the book though, I was a lot more interested in the fates of the other characters, and really starting to enjoy their chapters and scenes too. I feel like a lot was left unresolved at the end of this book as well though, so wasn't overly happy about that. Those things combined are the only reason I don't give this book the full five stars, since the slower pace while we learn about all the medical stuff, etc - which seems to be an issue for a lot of people - didn't bother me, because I find those kinds of details interesting enough not to get bored. Spending so little time with either Jamie and Claire or Roger and Briana, however, did bother me at first, and having so much unresolved at the end certainly did - and still does.

• Watching:

This week I watched the old animated "Beauty And The Beast" movie - just because it happened to be on Sky Cinema Disney when I needed to do something in the living room, and it's a good movie - and also watched some more episodes of "Game Of Thrones" (I'm currently on season 6, if you're interested).

• Listening:

This week I've been listening to a variety of music again, including some videos recently uploaded by artists I subscribe to on YouTube.  One of those was the song I'm sharing today, which is "When Life Is Good Again" by Dolly Parton.

        

13 #Writing #Quotes

There are “secrets” to making a story work — but they apply only to that particular writer and that particular story. You find out how to make the thing work by working at it — coming back to it, testing it, seeing where it sticks or wobbles or cheats, and figuring out how to make it go where it has to go.
~Ursula K. Le Guin

I love writing. I love the swirl and swing of words as they tangle with human emotions.
~James Michener

Close the door. Write with no one looking over your shoulder. Don't try to figure out what other people want to hear from you; figure out what you have to say. It's the one and only thing you have to offer.
    ~Barbara Kingsolver

The first person you should think of pleasing, in writing a book, is yourself.
~Patricia Highsmith

Very few writers know what they are doing until they've done it.
~Anne Lamott

The only writer to whom you should compare yourself is the writer you were yesterday
~T Pynchon

Write for yourself and yourself alone. Don’t try to please anyone else, and don’t be afraid of anyone.
~Sallie TISDALE

Better to write for yourself and have no public, than to write for the public and have no self.
~Cyril Connolly

We write by the light of every story we have ever read.
~Richard Peck

The scariest moment is always just before you start. After that, things can only get better.
~Stephen King

There is something delicious about writing the first words of a story. You never quite know where they'll take you.'
~Beatrix Potter

Start writing, no matter what. The water does not flow until the faucet is turned on.
~Louis L'Amour

Writing a book is like having an empty pool in the yard and every day going out and throwing in a cup of water to fill it.
~Bethany Ball

20 #SelfCare And Self #Love #Quotes

The only person who can pull me down is myself, and I’m not going to let myself pull me down anymore.
~C. JoyBell

Those who think they have not time for bodily exercise will sooner or later have to find time for illness.
~Edward Stanley

Everybody is different, and every body is different.
~Beverly Diehl

Self-compassion is simply giving the same kindness to ourselves that we would give to others.
~Christopher Germer

Learning to love yourself is like learning to walk—essential, life-changing, and the only way to stand tall.
~Vironika Tugaleva

When you are compassionate with yourself, you trust in your soul, which you let guide your life. Your soul knows the geography of your destiny better than you do.
~John O’Donohue

If your compassion does not include yourself, it is incomplete.
~Jack Kornfield

People who love themselves come across as very loving, generous, and kind; they express their self-confidence through humility, forgiveness, and inclusiveness.
~Sanaya Roman

You owe yourself the love you so freely give to others
~Unknown

Love yourself enough to set boundaries. Your time and energy are precious. You get to choose how you use it. You teach people how to treat you by deciding what you will and won’t accept.
~Anna Taylor

Accept yourself. Love yourself as you are. Your finest work, your best movements, your joy, peace, and healing come when you love yourself. You give a great gift to the world when you do that. You give others permission to do the same: to love themselves. Revel in self-love. Roll in it. Bask in it as you would sunshine.
~Melodie Beattie

There is something wonderfully bold and liberating about saying yes to our entire imperfect and messy life.
~Tara Brach

Acknowledge, accept, and honor that you deserve your own deepest compassion and love.
~Nanette Mathews

Learning to treat ourselves lovingly may at first feel like a dangerous experiment.
~Sharon Salzberg

When we give ourselves compassion, we are opening our hearts in a way that can transform our lives.
~Kristin Neff

You are a VIP, a very important person so take care with self-care. If not you, who? If not now, when?
~Toni Hawkins

How we care for ourselves gives our brain messages that shape our self-worth so we must care for ourselves in every way, every day.
~Sam Owen

Caring for your body, mind, and spirit is your greatest and grandest responsibility. It's about listening to the needs of your soul and then honoring them.
~Kristi Ling

You are the sky. Everything else is just the weather.
~Pema Chödrön

There are days I drop words of comfort on myself like falling leaves and remember that it is enough to be taken care of by myself.
~Brian Andreas

#MondayMotivation - #Quotes + Words Of #Wisdom 01-06-20

The universe buries strange jewels deep within us all, and then stands back to see if we can find them.
~Elizabeth Gilbert

We could never learn to be brave & patient, if there were only joys in the world.
~Helen Keller

Do not listen with the intent to reply, but with the intent to understand.
~Unknown

Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known.
~Carl Sagan

Being yourself is all it takes. If you want to impress someone don’t be someone else just be yourself.
~Selena Gomez

You can't base your life on other people's expectations.
~Stevie Wonder

Great spirits have always faced violent opposition from mediocre minds.
~Einstein

If we did all the things we are capable of, we would literally astound ourselves.
~Thomas Edison

Success means we go to sleep at night knowing that our talents and abilities were used in a way that served others.
~Marianne Williamson

Failure is simply the opportunity to begin again, this time more intelligently.
~Henry Ford

The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing.
~Walt Disney

Better three hours too soon than a minute too late.
~William Shakespeare