Thursday, January 31, 2013

Writing Rituals

Writing Rituals
Writing block is a phenomenon that every writer/author experiences at some time or another. It is the inability to produce new and exciting documents, articles, blogs, ebooks or non-fiction books.
Writing Rituals will teach you how to clear your mind, focus and pull together new ideas and research. Learn how to visualize the outcome, so you know where you are heading with your book or article and don’t lose momentum or the storyline. The book also teaches you the importance of having all the information on hand before starting your writing task and how to get through procrastination.
The book is for every writer who wants to adopt professional writing skills to increase productivity and focus and create well-written copy.
For more information, go to writingrituals.com

Wednesday, January 23, 2013

The Secret Garden

The Secret Garden
"THe Secret Garden" was written in 1910 as a serial by Frances Hodgeson Burnett. The story revolves around an ill-tempered wealthy British girl born in India named Mary Lennox. Mary's self-absorbed parents really did not want her and would rather continue doing their own thing. Mary is raised by natives servants and rarely is allowed to see her parents, an army captain and his wife.

The servants find Mary difficult to look after finds herself alone after a cholera outbreak. Cholera claims the lives of her parents and she is sent to live with a reclusive,  Uncle, Mr. Craven, in Yorkshire. The uncle is in poor health and suffers from depression. Mary is told to stay in certain rooms and amuse herself. She hears about a garden from a servant named Martha and her curiosity gets the best of her. Mr.Craven locked the garden after his wife's death.  Ms.Craven, who was killed in an accident, spent a lot of time tending the garden. No one has set foot in the garen since her death and he buried the key.

Mary passes time wondering the garden and finds the key. She starts to hear crying sounds which leads her to a boy, her cousin Colin, living in a bedroom. Martha helps to soften her manner thorught th ebook as they set to revive the garden.

Thursday, January 17, 2013

Nancy Drew Series

Nancy Drew Book Series




This is among my favorite mystery stories for teenagers. Written under the pseudonym Carolyn Keene, the main character, is Nancy Drew an 18 yr old amateur detective. Her father, Carson Drew is a lawyer in upper middle class River Heights. Nancy's mother died when she was 6 and housekeeper Hanna Gruen helped raise her. Bess Marvin and George Fayne, two girl cousins, help Nancy solve cases. A friend named Helen appeared in the early books 1-5. She has a boyfriend in some of the books, Ned Nickerson, who is a star athlete.



The original series includes 25 books published between 1930 and 1956 each with 210-235 pages. The Nancy Drew character ha undergone various makeovers through the years. The early books portrayed as impulsive and flippant while the latter books portrayed her as calm but still adventurous. In fact, the creator of the series felt her character may not be well- received. In the 2004 series, she becomes impulsive once more and forgets simple tasks getting so involved with her mysteries. These books are written in first person. The latter books also removed racial stereotypes or eliminated minority characters altogether. Nancy Drew was a character well-ahead of her time. She seemed to have it all when much of the country was struggling during the Depression. Who wouldn’t want to be her in any decade? She doesn’t have a job and she is very privileged. The likeable thing about Nancy is she has a kind heart and doesn't her social class  go to her head.

Thursday, January 10, 2013

A Voice in the Night

Seventy-five pages of poetic intellection on daily living, including the author’s frustrations with shopping and solicitors, greet the readers of A Voice in the Night, by GeorgeAnne Smith. She also includes a affecting homage to the men and women who protect and help us all. An intriguing poem talks from the aspect of a individual who is aghast to discover someone was abused, when they had no idea it had occurred.

GoergeAnne’s perceptive life skills in Within You touched a chord in my psyche that pealed for days. I felt a kind of family relationship with the writer through Last Words of a Beauty Queen, a poem full of love for nature - something that is near to my heart. In The Flow evidences that poets are not reaching for wealth or acknowledgment, but are fired by the feeble desire that their words may relieve the journey for another soul  and split the chains of their desperation by causing them to  feel less lonely. With Eyes Open is a poem that touches on the purifying force that writing can have for the author. I thought thatSeeds of Content has an interesting feel to it, remindful of chanting.

Glances of an aged manner of writing words somewhat reversed, such as "searching we are, a golden life" and "on target, we all are" is something that I especially picked up on.

To leave you with a little taste of A Voice in the Night, I have selected this superbly written excerpt from the poem Awaken This Lifetime:
"Life may seem, but a merry chase,
Quite overwhelming, a dreary fate
Don’t get discouraged by a hurried pace,
Seek to awaken, for its never too late"
ISBN#: 1-4137-9489-0
Author: GeorgeAnne Smith
Publisher: Publish America
Published: Sept. 15, 2005

Saturday, January 5, 2013

A Year of Rag Quilts

A Year of Rag Quilts 
What if you could create rag quilts for a year? With this great project book, you can do just that. A Year of Rag Quilts is simple book with easy-to-do projects.  Featuring an authentic homespun look, these 12 quaint wall quilts boast seasonal patterns and wonderfully textured edges. Best of all, they're surprisingly easy to make, thanks to a effortless, unique technique and great step-by-step instructions.
Making quilts is a favorite pastime for many crafters and hobbyist, and if you are in this category then you will love A Year of Rag Quilts. The patterns are not only authentic but they are appealing to the eye. They will also make a good conversation piece.
You can take these quilts and create family memories from them. Get the entire family involved and share some quality time together. Or invite a few girlfriends over, make some hot apple cider, and have a great time creating a quilt that you can give-away to a pregnant friend or someone who may be sick and shut-in.
You can also give this book to a person who enjoys projects like making quilts and blankets. They will love A Year of Rag Quilts. And why not spice up the gift a bit with the material and tools needed to make one quilt. They will really love that. You can even make a basket and take it to a senior citizen’s home. There are a many women, even maybe even men, who would love to have a project book with the materials needed to make a year’s worth of quilts.
There is great possibility in what you can do with A Year of Rag Quilts in your craft basket.