Excellent guest post from Marsha Ingrao about using a design tool called Canva via Collen Chesebro’s blog.
Special Guest Post: “Using Canva Like an Expert,” by Marsh Ingrao
Kindle Countdown Deal: The Curse of Time – Book 1 – Bloodstone
Today, I have some wonderful news for you, my kindle book is on promotional offer. The kindle countdown deal starts today. So hurry, get the best price reduction today!!!
Here’s a short editorial review from author Colleen Chesebro:
“This delightful book will appeal to teens and young adults who love stories filled with magical crystals, dark family curses, and mysteries waiting to be solved around every corner. Each chapter leads you on a journey of discovery where Amelina earns the right to use three wizard stones to reset the balance of time and finally break the curse that holds her family hostage. A captivating tale!” – Colleen M. Chesebro (Editor)
And my first 5 star review on Amazon!!!!
This special offer is to celebrate my wedding anniversary this week. Hubby and I were married on the 26th of September many moons ago!
Here are some old photos of us in our prime!
A bit blurry I know, but they were taken a long time ago. It was our first skiing holiday together in Verbier, Switzerland. My husband is a keen skiier and is always happiest if he is about to launch himself at full throttle down a ski slope. I’d rather pat a horse! I didn’t have much luck with skiiing, but I am determined, I persevered and went for years. I stopped skiing after I fell off the edge of a pathway and had to be rescued by my ski instructor. But my husband still goes every year and loves it.
I so admire those who ski and participate in adventurous pursuits. I love the majesty and beauty of the mountains and I must confess I find a man in ski gear mighty handsome !
To order your kindle copy of The Curse of Time click the links below to be directed to Amazon. Go on I dare you!!!!
Guest Post: BetterHelp #MentalHealth
What is This Feeling of Emptiness I am Feeling?
Sometimes it just feels like something is missing. Or like everything is missing and you just have no idea why you are here and what you should be doing. Everyone feels things differently so whatever you are feeling, it is important. Your body or mind may be trying to tell you something. Maybe there is something physical going on that is causing you to feel this way. Or it could be that you are depressed or anxious about something. This commonly happens to people after the loss of a job or the end of a relationship. It may just be that you are bored and need a new hobby or something.
What Is Wrong with Me?
You may be able to figure this out on your own just by thinking about what is going on in your life. Another way to determine why you have these feelings is to start a journal. Sometimes, the only way to figure it out is to talk to someone. A friend or family member may be able to help you figure out what is going on with you. However, many of us would rather not burden our loved ones with these kinds of things. Often, our friends and family members are biased and just tell us what they think we want to hear. Therefore, it is sometimes better to talk to a stranger than to talk to a loved one.
Journaling 101
Writing in a journal has been around for hundreds of years. People have been writing their feelings down for centuries so you know there must be a good reason. It is helpful to get your feelings down on paper, not just to express your emotions but to look back at your emotions over a period of time. For example, this feeling of emptiness may be able to be figured out by looking at what has been triggering the feeling in the past. When you find the triggers, you should be able to figure out how to avoid them. You can write down your:
- Concerns
- Ideas
- Feelings
- Thoughts
- Interactions with other people
- Disappointments
- Accomplishments
- Pictures
- Drawings
- Whatever you want
Online Therapy
Talking to a therapist or psychologist online is an excellent way to figure out what is making you feel empty. There are different options for online therapy such as Skype, Facetime, chatting, or instant messenger. Either way, you are able to record these conversations and play them back at a later time to see what may be going on with you. Of course, the therapists are experienced in these situations and many are licensed to treat your specific issues. They can help you determine what you can do to make this empty feeling go away. Many of these websites offer their availability 24 hours a day, 7 days a week so you can write down your thoughts and feelings as soon as you feel them. So, what are you waiting for? Take a chance and you can feel better today.
#Review #Education I Am Malala: The Story of the Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban
Goodreads Synopsis:
I come from a country that was created at midnight When I almost died it was just after midday. .When the Taliban took control of the Swat Valley in Pakistan. one girl spoke out. Malala Yousafzai refused to be silenced and fought for her right to an education.On Tuesday. October 9. 2012. when she was fifteen. she almost paid the ultimate price. She was shot in the head at point-blank range while riding the bus home from school. and few expected her to survive.Instead. Malalas miraculous recovery has taken her on an extraordinary journey from a remote valley in northern Pakistan to the halls of the United Nations in New York. At sixteen. she became a global symbol of peaceful protest and the youngest nominee ever for the Nobel…
I don’t tend to read memoirs so this is rare for me. Perhaps, I picked this up because of circumstance. I was with my daughter in Topping and Company bookshop in Ely when I chanced upon this book. My daughter Natasha had been looking for travel guides as she’d just accepted a graduate teaching job in South Korea teaching English As A Foreign Language. This got me thinking about the power of education. If she had no education, she couldn’t have hoped to get such a job. With little or no education, her chances of travel and a good job would be limited. How powerful education is in shaping our future and our response to other people. Education helps us reach our goals and broadens our outlook, experience and enjoyment of life. That is why I bought this book. Education should be at the forefront of all we do. Education is the bedrock. Education is liberating. Education rocks.
My review
I Am Malala is a book that everyone should read regardless of their gender, age, or religion. It is informative, moving, and inspiring. Malala’s bravery shines through and there are wonderful examples of her selflessness. I cried in several places; I smiled too. I loved the special bond between Malala and her father, (especially touching and rare given some of the anecdotes that illustrate how women are treated as second class citizens with no voice, education or power.) I enjoyed reading about her family, her fights with her brothers and how her mother grew stronger and more confident too. More than anything I loved the message about education – how it should be available to all regardless of gender. I loved the bravery of this fifteen-year-old to stand up for what she believed in even if that meant risking such terrible danger.
Malala is an extraordinary young woman and an amazing role model, I am so glad I picked this biography up.
Goodreads Bio:
Malala Yousafzai is a Pakistani activist for female education and the youngest-ever Nobel Prize laureate. She is known for human rights advocacy, especially education of women in her native Swat Valley in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, northwest Pakistan, where the local Taliban had at times banned girls from attending school. Her advocacy has since grown into an international movement.
Link: https://www.malala.org/
DISCLAIMER: “As of 13th September 2017 we are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.”
My opinions are my own and any reviews on this site have not been swayed or altered in any way by monetary compensation, or by the offer of a free book in exchange for a review.
Buying Links:
Amazon Kindle UK Edition: http://amzn.to/2whb54Q
Amazon Kindle Paperback: http://amzn.to/2k0hxvt
Amazon Kindle Hardback: http://amzn.to/2htEimU
Have you read Malala’s memoir? If you have I’d love to hear your opinion.
Bye for now,
My social media links:
Authors/Bloggers Rainbow Support Club on Facebook
Twitter: @curseof_time
Fellow Administrators of our Authors Bloggers Rainbow Support Club #ABRSC on Facebook, myself, my good friends Colleen Chesebro and Debby Gies. Click on Colleen’s and Debby’s photos to be directed to their awesome blogs. These ladies rock!
Colleen’s Weekly #Poetry Challenge No. 51 #Haiku #Tanka #Haibun: GIFT & SONG
It’s my wedding anniversary on Tuesday and my hubby has a special surprise planned. I don’t know what it is and that makes it more exciting!
To celebrate I’m having a Kindle Countdown deal the weekend after my anniversary, so keep an eye out for that. It starts 29th of September with a price drop to 0.99 pence for a day! Then next day it goes up by one pound, and another pound the next day until it is back to where it started!
To join in Colleen’s challenge follow the link: https://colleenchesebro.com/2017/09/19/colleens-weekly-poetry-challenge-no-51-haiku-tanka-haibun-gift-song/
Bye for now,
My social media links:
Authors/Bloggers Rainbow Support Club on Facebook
Twitter: @curseof_time
Fellow Administrators of our Authors Bloggers Rainbow Support Club #ABRSC on Facebook, myself, my good friends Colleen Chesebro and Debby Gies. Click on Colleen’s and Debby’s photos to be directed to their awesome blogs. These ladies rock!
#SundayBlogShare Authors Bloggers Rainbow Support Club #ABRSC
The Authors Bloggers Rainbow Support Club #ABRSC has gone from strength to strength. I founded this Facebook group on 26th of February 2017 nearly six months ago, (goodness how time flies.)
This is the first post: https://mjmallon.com/2017/02/26/authorsbloggers-rainbow-support-club/
Just recently I was astonished to discover that we have over 150 members!!!
We have an amazing team of bloggers who add content everyday and I’d just like to thank them for being so active on the page.
Here are some of the wonderful, informative links that have been shared of late…
- Via Adele Marie writer of horror/fantasy/urban/worldbuilding – Who blogs at Firefly 465: – https://www.thebookdesigner.com/2016/08/how-to-legally-use-quotations-in-your-book/
- Via blog show radio host Annette Rochele Aben at The Magic Happens. Two wonderful shares: https://thestoryreadingapeblog.com/2017/09/07/do-it-yourself-a-10-step-guide-to-self-publishing-an-audiobook/ and the Book Publicist – Top Book Awards For Authors
- One from Annette and Christy Birmingham. Two minds think alike! Christy blogs at http://poeticparfait.com/ and http://whenwomeninspire.com/ and both these ladies posted about Sally Cronin’s media training for authors: https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/2017/09/15/media-training-for-authors-introduction-dont-be-shy/
Some informative information via Belinda Miller https://belindamiller.me/: I spend a lot of time on marketing my children’s books. One thing I do is produce videos. Since I have worked with some fabulous illustrators, I have blessed with an abundance of illustrations. Two of my favorite apps are: Animoto and Ripl. Check them out. There’s another app, Lumyer, that can be used to enhance, add elements to cover art. I use that, too. Hope this gives you some great ideas! PSA — very addictive.
Via fellow Administrator of the club, Colleen Chesebro who suggested some design service alternatives which are similiar to Canva: https://crello.com/home/
Via fellow Administrator – Debby Gies – D G Kaye Writer
Via Richard Ankers – Articles and tips for writers – http://www.liternauts.com/articles-for-writers/
Also, I have linked our group to three other Facebook groups which I’d recommend joining too:
- The Bloggers Bash founded by Sacha Black. The Bloggers Bash is an annual event bringing together authors and bloggers. This event is held in London and grows in popularity every year. I’ve been three years in a row and highly recommend it.
- The Author Helper: https://www.facebook.com/groups/the.author.helper/
To give you an indication of the benefits of joining The Author Helper. Here is one example. Recently, I enquired about international sales and setting up international author pages. I had help from:
Ben Zackheim who suggested – Fiberead which translates and distributes internationally. https://fiberead.com/auth/login
Debby Gies suggested this useful link: Setting up your international author pages by William Cook
Drue Hoffman said that – France, Japan & Germany also have Author Central pages and put up a graphic which suggested that the UK and the UK are the biggies in the e-book market.
- Big Up Your Blog is run by the lovely Suzie Speaks and Em Inkles who blogs at Em Linthorpe. Together they host Wednesday Work, Throwback Thursday, Social Saturday, #SundayBlogShare, etc, – Big UP Your Blog
Please support the following upcoming activities mentioned on #ABRSC if you can:
Charli Mills at her welcoming Carrot ranch are having a right all blogging knees up in October – Carrot Ranch New Barns Raised At The Ranch
Colleen Chesebro is having an October Spectacular with Author Guest Posts. This sounds such fun, I love halloween! So keep an eye out for that. Colleen shared this link too: https://buildbookbuzz.com/quirky-october-holidays-offer-book-promotion-possibilities/
Some of my recent finds:
https://book-publicist.com/2017/03/10/35-top-book-awards-for-authors-in-2016/
http://digitalbooktoday.com/join-our-team/maximize-your-kdp-select-free-days/
Recently, I had the good fortune to be a guest on the #LisaBurtonShow. My interview: Lisa Interviews My Character Esme
I was curious about the poster art that Craig used. Here’s a link to the fabulous artist on Deviant Art: https://artbrosean.deviantart.com/art/Lisa-Walks-like-an-Egyptian-705536763
And I can’t remember whether I found this via rainbow or not but it might come in useful to someone…. if you want to enter at some point… https://www.tckpublishing.com/2017-readers-choice-awards/
Also there was a recent discussion kicked off by Colleen Chesebro about collaborations, which I am a big fan of. This became an on-line brainstorming session!!! Many #ABRSC got involved in this particular topic and we hope to have a Xmas collaborative event with this in mind. So stay tuned!
Before I go I’d love to share this lovely human interest story from Ritu, which is bound to put a smile on your face: https://butismileanyway.com/2017/09/14/i-love-our-oldies/
There are so many lovely bloggers and authors who participate in #ABRSC. Sadly, I haven’t mentioned them all due to time constraints but please take this as a huge thank you to each and every one of you for helping make #ABRSC such a fun, engaging place to share ideas, and help each other.
If you’d like to join the #ABRSC please do. Comment below. Let me know if you have any questions about the club, add your links to posts of interest, chat, come say hello.
Bye for now,
My social media links:
Authors/Bloggers Rainbow Support Club on Facebook
Twitter: @curseof_time
Fellow Administrators of our Authors Bloggers Rainbow Support Club #ABRSC on Facebook, myself, my good friends Colleen Chesebro and Debby Gies. Click on Colleen’s and Debby’s photos to be directed to their awesome blogs. These ladies rock!
A SERIOUS IN BETWEEN POST
FGM is shocking and must be stopped and condemned. No young woman should ever have to suffer such barbarity and mutilation. Please share this serious post via Lucinda Clarke to raise awareness.
Source: A SERIOUS IN BETWEEN POST
Carrot Ranch Flash Fiction Challenge: Harvest of Hope
Here’s my story for Charli’s Flash Fiction Challenge at Carrot Ranch.com.
September 21, 2017 prompt: In 99 words (no more, no less) write a ostory about what it is to gather a harvest. You can use the phrase or show what it means without using the words. Go where the prompt leads.
Respond by September 26, 2017, to be included in the compilation (published September 27). Rules are here. All writers are welcome!
Harvest of Hope
Mimi knelt on the soil, her bare knees were muddy, her eyes wet with tears. Before her was one tiny shoot. Nothing moved no creature, no human, alone she remained. The earthquake had done its worst. Her hands encircled the milk bottle of water, half full. She placed healing stones around the shoot in a circle. Her precious crystals, calming rose quartz, cradle of humankind to heal mother earth, flint to stabilise, amethyst for hopelessness and red jasper for isolation. She cried, her tears mingling with the water, the shoot twitched, and the promise of a new harvest began.
© M J Mallon 2017
I found the resource below very helpful regarding the choice of crystals:
