 by author Arielle Haughee Mindset Tricks for Calming Chronic PainI threw out the top of my femur for no good reason. No joke. After three previous procedures on my hip, I finally had a hip replacement. At 37. This had to be the solution for my chronic pain, right? Wrong. I can’t seem to escape living with pain. As an editor who removes overused phrases, I won’t say “constant companion,” but I will say that pain is like a giant leech stuck on me at all times, seemingly sucking the life out of me. There are days when I am completely waylaid by pain, stuck in bed trying not to grit my teeth and pop another crown. Other days I appear normal—smiling, out-and-about—managing an inconvenience so it doesn’t turn into a three-headed beast. The key is to not let pain, that vile leech, control my life entirely. So here are some mindset tricks I’d like to share for anyone else who has to deal with chronic pain. Focus on What you CAN ControlOne of the most frustrating parts of living with chronic pain is how it takes over your life and can completely upend your plans, rendering you “useless” for the rest of the day (or days). It’s immensely infuriating. One thing I’ve learned to do so I don’t lose my mind completely is to focus on what I can control when things feel completely out of control. Make a list in your mind or even on paper of everything you have control over in that moment, even if you are stuck in bed. I always start by telling myself that I control my thoughts and my words. I can decide how to think about the pain and if I want to talk about it to someone. What else can you control in that moment? Even thinking of little things can help your mindset. Some examples include what you’re wearing, the lighting in the room, what you are watching, etc. List as many things as you can in your mind to remind yourself that you are in control of your life, even if it doesn’t feel like it. Use Mindset Mitigating Techniques for PainOne of the biggest blessings in my life has been the amazing therapists that have helped me develop an arsenal of strategies to use to help mitigate the pain. Sometimes little things can make a bigger difference than you might think. People who’ve experienced labor and delivery can attest to the importance of deep, measured breaths. This is usually the number one recommendation for pain, so I’ll skip it. One Object Focus: Pick out one object in the room and focus on it completely. Where did you get it? How do you think it was made? Who do you think made it? And so on...think everything you can about that one particular item. Calming Scents: Lavender is well known for its calming properties, so is bergamot. Try out different candles, essential oils, incense, or even dryer sheets to help provide aromatherapy. PMR: This stands for progressive muscle relaxation. You start at the bottom of your body, clenching your toes and releasing, then to your calves, clenching and releasing, then work all the way up your body to your face. There are some great scripts for this online. I recommend checking out this one. These are just a few strategies to mitigate pain. Try them and others out and see what works best for you.  The Link Between Depression and Chronic PainThe National Library of Medicine states that "up to 85% of patients with chronic pain are affected by severe depression." Mayo Clinic further explores the relationship between the two: "Sometimes pain and depression create a vicious cycle in which pain worsens symptoms of depression, and then the resulting depression worsens feelings of pain." So taking care of your mental health can also help in some way with the severity of your chronic pain. If your depression has gotten so bad you feel like you can't live another day in pain, please get help. Play Up Your PositivesOne good strategy to help with your mental health is to play up the positives in your life. What things are going well? What are you grateful for? Think about things that made you smile recently and things that you are proud of. Also think about something that you are looking forward to each day. This helps remind you that there is brightness in the future, even if the current moment seems dark. Set Realistic Goals for YourselfHaving goals for yourself can help keep you focused and working towards something positive. You also have to consider that you may be sidetracked by pain from time to time, so set goals you know you can realistically achieve. Are you looking to try a new hobby? See friends more? Volunteer at church or a community center? Determine what you are interested in achieving and break down your goal into manageable tasks to increase your chances of success. Chronic pain will always be an obnoxious leech, but it doesn’t have to control who you are or how you live your life. You can still be a wonderful, productive version of yourself. Using these strategies will hopefully make life a little easier for you and help with those really tough days. So, pour some salt on that leech and live your life!
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Guest post by B. Lynn Goodwin  What To Consider Before Submitting to Writing ContestsYou polish your writing, imagining your audience. You read it over. Out loud. Does it say exactly what you want it to say? You have a friend read it to you. Impressed, she says, “You should submit this to contests. Get some recognition for your work.” Maybe you leap at the idea. Maybe you hesitate. Contests make you feel vulnerable. Besides, there’s almost always a fee and nothing’s guaranteed. Perks of Entering a Contest Placing in a writing contest is a huge boost to your work, though. Acceptances matter. Here are some other perks you might get:
What Do Judges Look For? Without a rubric, judges look for writing that works, ideas that seem original, and something that touches their hearts. They look for carefully edited pieces free of mechanical glitches and work that either says something new or says something traditional in a new way. Instead of writing a traditional rubric as a contest administrator, I’ve sent the questions below for judges to consider. Put on your editor’s hat and answer them before you send your work.
Looking for a starting place? Take a look at the current contest on Writer Advice, www.writeradvice.com. Research other contests and opportunities by Googling contests + (your genre). Questions? It’s easy to reach me through the contact box at www.writeradvice.com.
 Post by Orange Blossom Publishing Orange Blossom Publishing |
 | Emily Llauro used elements from the jungle alongside the jaguar itself to draw your attention immediately to the book. It was an excellent entry. |
| Andrew Kinnick took a different approach and really focused on the strength he felt from the novel. Beautifully done as well. |  |
The cover that was chosen as the best representation, and the winner of the 2022 Orange Blossom Cover Design contest is Maryam Amirian.
Maryam's use of leaves, flowers, and color brought the book more in line with a female audience. The use of foliage to still give that jungle vibe, and the creative typeset that she used for the title, gave this design that little something extra.
It was a pleasure to receive submissions from the very talented students at F.I.R.S.T. Institute. Congratulations to the contest winner, and winner of the internship for graphic design Maryam Amirian. Welcome Aboard!
 | Hello, I’m Andrew Kinnick. A resourceful graphic designer from Wheeling, WV. I design logos, print and packaging materials, and develop brand identities. I have over 4 years of experience working as a graphic designer. Currently, I work as designer at the Times Leader, where my responsibilities include working with sales representatives to create ads for clients at 22 different newspapers. I’m deeply passionate about creating unique and effective designs that engage viewers and achieve the clients design goals. In my free time, I like to keep busy with actives such as recording a video game podcast, and participating in a book club. I also like meeting new people. Feel free to reach out at arkinnick@icloud.com |
| Hello, my name is Emily A. Llauro and I am a graphic designer and digital illustrator. I will be graduating from F.I.R.S.T. Institute with my diploma in Graphic Design and Web Development in July, 2022. After graduation, I hope to combine my illustration and graphic design skills to create book covers, posters, and various other things. When I was a child, I participated in traditional drawing classes which sparked my desire to pursue art; however, I am mostly self-taught. I have always had a passion for creating illustrations, and now I can use my love for art to serve others. |  |
 | My name is Maryam Amirian. My passion for art developed in my early childhood from my father drawing different cars with chalk on asphalt and reading poems to me. I’ve been learning and studying art since I was seven, starting with drawing, painting, and calligraphy. After that, I went to college for traditional art and studied a wide variety of art. After my master's degree, I started working in the jewelry design field for over a decade. Right now, I am in school for graphic and web design because I was missing the digital aspect of art. All of that made me creative and detail-oriented. |
Guest post by Stephania Thompson
The Write Timing
Timing, traffic, and a little luck
Last week in my blog post, The Write Inspiration, I discussed how writing had been a neglected passion of mine. How, oddly enough, my son’s broken arm became a catalyst of change that awoke long suppressed creative desires, ultimately resulting in the completion of my first full-length novel, Woven (June 28, 2022 Orange Blossom Publishing).
If you can relate, if your creativity has been stifled by the busyness of life, or if you’ve suppressed your own creative desires far too long, you might want to check out last week’s blog for a little inspiration and encouragement.
This week, I’m going to recount the details of how Woven came to be, and what specifically inspired the story.
Woven is not your traditional romantic suspense. It’s a complicated love story about three childhood friends, David, Josh, and Kate, who take on a Baltimore City row home renovation as a means of healing from a dark, shared past. Only, they quickly discover the past is closer than imagined, and relationships are not as they seem, and sometimes the line separating love and friendship gets blurred.
How then, you might ask, did my son’s broken arm and the sterile, albeit cozy, surroundings of Children’s Hospital in D.C. inspire such a tale?
Good question.
It had everything to do with timing. And traffic. And maybe, a little luck.
This week, I’m going to recount the details of how Woven came to be, and what specifically inspired the story.
Woven is not your traditional romantic suspense. It’s a complicated love story about three childhood friends, David, Josh, and Kate, who take on a Baltimore City row home renovation as a means of healing from a dark, shared past. Only, they quickly discover the past is closer than imagined, and relationships are not as they seem, and sometimes the line separating love and friendship gets blurred.
How then, you might ask, did my son’s broken arm and the sterile, albeit cozy, surroundings of Children’s Hospital in D.C. inspire such a tale?
Good question.
It had everything to do with timing. And traffic. And maybe, a little luck.
Children’s Hospital is a pretty significant distance from our home. My son and I passed through miles of city streets on a weekly, sometimes daily, basis to get there. Think row home upon row home. Most blended together, but there was one that really stuck out. Ancient and narrow with crumbly brick, yellow shutters and matching trim. It was well loved, but in need of repair, and it appeared to be going through a renovation.
We’d recently gone through our own rather painful home reno project, so I was instantly drawn to this particular home. I even looked forward to passing it. One unusually congested morning we found ourselves stuck in traffic right in front of the yellow house, as I’d come to call it (original, right?)
As we sat there, three people emerged, two guys and a girl. Young and attractive, early twenties, dressed for work—a paramedic, a nurse in scrubs, and a professional looking office type, best I could tell. After a moment’s discussion, the three kissed and hugged each other warmly, then the girl got into a car alone, and the guys climbed into a Jeep, and they drove off.
I was already curious about their house, and this only fueled my intrigue. Who were they? Friends, roommates…something more? What brought them together, and why that house? I pondered those questions as we drove, my mind conjuring all sorts of tales.
As luck would have it, our appointments seemed to align with their schedules because they were often out on the little porch, or working in the yard, cleaning a car, lugging in groceries. Mundane, everyday activities that inspired endless speculation on my part.
At one point during those voyeuristic drive-bys, I began to wonder if perhaps I wasn’t the only one watching. It was a busy street, after all, surely other people noticed. Worse yet, what if these three were actually being watched? Like, in real life, by someone with malice rather than curiosity. What if they shared a terrible secret, and someone knew? Maybe they were more than friends. What if they were lovers with a dark, complicated past? What if nothing about them was as it seemed?
These thoughts rattled around and festered until a story emerged and characters came to life. Instead of D.C., they lived in Baltimore. The girl, Kate, shed her nursing scrubs for a massage table, and David, the young professional, traded his briefcase for a chalkboard. I saw him as a teacher. And Josh? He was always a paramedic.
Only, I was still lacking their backstory. What led them to the little yellow house? What devastating event shaped their past? What might they be hiding? I started writing with these questions in mind, hoping perhaps the characters would fill me in. And if you’re a writer, you know what I’m talking about—sometimes they take on a life of their own.
And sometimes an idea just falls into your lap.
We’d recently gone through our own rather painful home reno project, so I was instantly drawn to this particular home. I even looked forward to passing it. One unusually congested morning we found ourselves stuck in traffic right in front of the yellow house, as I’d come to call it (original, right?)
As we sat there, three people emerged, two guys and a girl. Young and attractive, early twenties, dressed for work—a paramedic, a nurse in scrubs, and a professional looking office type, best I could tell. After a moment’s discussion, the three kissed and hugged each other warmly, then the girl got into a car alone, and the guys climbed into a Jeep, and they drove off.
I was already curious about their house, and this only fueled my intrigue. Who were they? Friends, roommates…something more? What brought them together, and why that house? I pondered those questions as we drove, my mind conjuring all sorts of tales.
As luck would have it, our appointments seemed to align with their schedules because they were often out on the little porch, or working in the yard, cleaning a car, lugging in groceries. Mundane, everyday activities that inspired endless speculation on my part.
At one point during those voyeuristic drive-bys, I began to wonder if perhaps I wasn’t the only one watching. It was a busy street, after all, surely other people noticed. Worse yet, what if these three were actually being watched? Like, in real life, by someone with malice rather than curiosity. What if they shared a terrible secret, and someone knew? Maybe they were more than friends. What if they were lovers with a dark, complicated past? What if nothing about them was as it seemed?
These thoughts rattled around and festered until a story emerged and characters came to life. Instead of D.C., they lived in Baltimore. The girl, Kate, shed her nursing scrubs for a massage table, and David, the young professional, traded his briefcase for a chalkboard. I saw him as a teacher. And Josh? He was always a paramedic.
Only, I was still lacking their backstory. What led them to the little yellow house? What devastating event shaped their past? What might they be hiding? I started writing with these questions in mind, hoping perhaps the characters would fill me in. And if you’re a writer, you know what I’m talking about—sometimes they take on a life of their own.
And sometimes an idea just falls into your lap.
One day, several weeks later, my son randomly mentioned he’d been watching a show about catching people who targeted children online. I’d seen the show in question and knew its premise. We watched an episode together, and as we watched; an idea began to form.
Later that night I did a little online searching and found not only episodes and highlight compilations from the show, but amateur videos shot vigilante style by wannabe cops and the like. Videos with no connection to the actual show, but of rogue citizens taking “justice” into their own hands.
It got me thinking, what if the host or producers of a show meant to expose predators took their knowledge to the street, extorting men for personal gain rather than bringing them to justice? What if their families, their children, got caught up in the lies? What might it lead them to do?
And quite unexpectedly, I had the missing piece in David, Josh, and Kate’s backstory. Now, obviously a lot more went into researching and writing Woven, but these two seemingly unrelated elements—the yellow house trio and a few vigilante videos on YouTube—provided the framework.
So, what’s the takeaway here?
Timing, traffic…luck…it doesn’t really matter how you arrive at the idea, so long as you grab hold when presented with it. Don’t wait for the fully formed story—take an idea and run with it. Write, write, and write some more.
When is the right time to write? Right now!
I hope you’ve enjoyed this little glimpse into my thought/writing process, and I hope you’re encouraged and motivated to pick up your pen or keyboard and record that idea rattling around in your own head. And if you're curious about David, Josh, and Kate’s story, I hope you’ll get yourself a copy of Woven.
Woven is available now for preorder and comes out on June 28, 2022.
Best wishes for all your creative efforts,
Stephania
Later that night I did a little online searching and found not only episodes and highlight compilations from the show, but amateur videos shot vigilante style by wannabe cops and the like. Videos with no connection to the actual show, but of rogue citizens taking “justice” into their own hands.
It got me thinking, what if the host or producers of a show meant to expose predators took their knowledge to the street, extorting men for personal gain rather than bringing them to justice? What if their families, their children, got caught up in the lies? What might it lead them to do?
And quite unexpectedly, I had the missing piece in David, Josh, and Kate’s backstory. Now, obviously a lot more went into researching and writing Woven, but these two seemingly unrelated elements—the yellow house trio and a few vigilante videos on YouTube—provided the framework.
So, what’s the takeaway here?
Timing, traffic…luck…it doesn’t really matter how you arrive at the idea, so long as you grab hold when presented with it. Don’t wait for the fully formed story—take an idea and run with it. Write, write, and write some more.
When is the right time to write? Right now!
I hope you’ve enjoyed this little glimpse into my thought/writing process, and I hope you’re encouraged and motivated to pick up your pen or keyboard and record that idea rattling around in your own head. And if you're curious about David, Josh, and Kate’s story, I hope you’ll get yourself a copy of Woven.
Woven is available now for preorder and comes out on June 28, 2022.
Best wishes for all your creative efforts,
Stephania
 | Stephania Thompson is the author of Woven (Orange Blossom Publishing 2022). As a poet and multi-genre author, her work has appeared in a variety of online publications as well as several print anthologies. Formerly a CPA in the corporate world, Stephania now writes from the comfort of a modern day crumbling castle alongside her very own knight in shining armor. Together they have four valiant offspring, a brave aussiedoodle, and one not-so-fire-breathing dragon. When not writing, working, or waiting in a carpool line, she can be found running local trails and escaping in a book at her favorite café, iced latte in hand. She is a sucker for quirky romance, is addicted to audiobooks, and finds herself hopelessly drawn to flawed characters, raw honesty, and life’s cringiest moments. Learn more at www.stephaniathompson.com and find her on Twitter @stephthmpsn and Instagram @stephtwrites |
Guest post by Stepania Thompson Author of Woven
(Orange Blossom Publishing 6/8/22)
(Orange Blossom Publishing 6/8/22)
'The thing about inspiration is, you might miss it if you're not looking'
It was a cool, late summer evening in September.
Dusk was settling around our suburban Maryland home, and I had just stepped out of the shower. Outside, two of my children were riding bikes. I could hear their laughter drifting in through an open window. Smiling, I reached for a towel, and that’s when it happened. A moment I will never forget.
The moment every mother dreads.
That sickening sound of metal on metal followed by a blood curdling scream. The kind of scream that sends your stomach into freefall and has you dialing 911 before you even reach your child.
Sure enough, I found my youngest son in an absolute state of shock, his arm impossibly bent. A compound fracture and several other injuries that would require emergency surgery and a weeklong hospital stay.
Dusk was settling around our suburban Maryland home, and I had just stepped out of the shower. Outside, two of my children were riding bikes. I could hear their laughter drifting in through an open window. Smiling, I reached for a towel, and that’s when it happened. A moment I will never forget.
The moment every mother dreads.
That sickening sound of metal on metal followed by a blood curdling scream. The kind of scream that sends your stomach into freefall and has you dialing 911 before you even reach your child.
Sure enough, I found my youngest son in an absolute state of shock, his arm impossibly bent. A compound fracture and several other injuries that would require emergency surgery and a weeklong hospital stay.
| And that was just the beginning. His fracture would trigger a host of medical issues. We’d spend the next six months traveling back and forth to Children’s Hospital in D.C. A harrowing time, for sure. And a distant memory now, thankfully. So why am I sharing this, and what does it have to do with writing? That’s a good question… |  |
I’ve always been a writer, but I never made writing a priority. With good reason. I was busy working my way through college, studying for the CPA exam, building an accounting career, getting married, starting a family. You know, life stuff. I imagine many of you reading this are nodding your heads.
Women especially are often victims of the busy, neglecting their talents and desires in the name of productivity. I wrote when I had time or when inspiration hit me. But as the years carried on, it seemed there was less and less time, and little inspiration.
Then my son had his accident, and everything changed. I suddenly found myself facing endless days at the hospital, and countless hours in a car. Podcasts and eBooks only provided so much entertainment.
Eventually, I set down my phone and looked up.
Odd as it sounds, it was during this traumatic time, between the well-traveled road and those worn waiting room chairs, that something finally stirred inside me. Maybe it was fear of the unknown, or gratitude that my son was being cared for. Or maybe it was sheer boredom. Whatever it was, I started really noticing things around me for the first time in years.
All kinds of things.
Houses along the roads we traveled, trees, building shapes, elevator music, people’s expressions, the way they moved, even their clothing. Colors seemed brighter, conversations, louder, life, more vibrant. I felt so alive.
Women especially are often victims of the busy, neglecting their talents and desires in the name of productivity. I wrote when I had time or when inspiration hit me. But as the years carried on, it seemed there was less and less time, and little inspiration.
Then my son had his accident, and everything changed. I suddenly found myself facing endless days at the hospital, and countless hours in a car. Podcasts and eBooks only provided so much entertainment.
Eventually, I set down my phone and looked up.
Odd as it sounds, it was during this traumatic time, between the well-traveled road and those worn waiting room chairs, that something finally stirred inside me. Maybe it was fear of the unknown, or gratitude that my son was being cared for. Or maybe it was sheer boredom. Whatever it was, I started really noticing things around me for the first time in years.
All kinds of things.
Houses along the roads we traveled, trees, building shapes, elevator music, people’s expressions, the way they moved, even their clothing. Colors seemed brighter, conversations, louder, life, more vibrant. I felt so alive.
 | I began looking forward to our trips to the hospital. Each town along the route, a feast of the senses. Each new person, a mountain of discovery. For the first time in my life, I couldn’t write fast enough. Observations, random words, phrases, dialogue, short stories, poetry…anything. It didn’t matter, as long as I was writing. Many wonderful things came out of those turbulent months, not the least of which was my son’s recovery. He and I formed a tight bond which I will always cherish…and we ate a lot of bacon (side note, the bacon at Children’s Hospital cafeteria is divine). As are the doctors and staff. They were amazing, and I’m so grateful for their attentive care. |
But perhaps my biggest take away was on a personal level. All that reflective time awoke creative desires I’d been neglecting, and I discovered two seemingly insignificant truths that reshaped my approach to writing and life in general. They are by no means profound but had a profound effect on me, and thus, bear sharing.
Truth #1
Writers write.
That’s it. Plain and simple. Successful writers write, artists paint, or draw, or (fill in the blank with your creative outlet). They don’t just think about their craft, as I had attempted for years. They do it. All the time. They don’t let life get in the way. I realized if I really wanted to be a writer, I needed to write like the words were clawing to get out. And the more I wrote, the more I craved writing. I wrote until the act of writing became a habit.
Truth #2
Inspiration is everywhere if you slow down long enough to notice.
Also, a no-brainer. Only, in the hectic hustle and bustle of life, I’d forgotten how to slow down and simply observe. And when I finally learned to do this? It was life changing. Transformational. Suddenly, I saw everything with fresh eyes, heard every sound with newborn ears. Every moment felt inspired. This doesn't just apply to writing, by the way. Life is much richer when you slow down and savor it.
Perhaps you can relate?
Has your creativity been stifled by the busyness of life? Maybe you lack inspiration, or, like me, are just waiting for the right time to dive in. Whatever has been holding you back, I encourage you not to wait for your own awakening. Now is the right time to write, or draw, or paint or whatever it is your heart longs for.
Let my experience and these words be a catalyst of change in your own life. Who knows what might be the outcome? During those traumatic months with my son, I found the inspiration to write my first novel, Woven.
The first words of Woven (coming out on June 28, 2022) were pinned in a waiting room at Children’s Hospital in Washington D.C. And if you’re curious how a book about three twenty-somethings renovating a Baltimore City row home while running from a dark, shared past was inspired by such surroundings?
Be sure to come back next week for part two!
Perhaps you can relate?
Has your creativity been stifled by the busyness of life? Maybe you lack inspiration, or, like me, are just waiting for the right time to dive in. Whatever has been holding you back, I encourage you not to wait for your own awakening. Now is the right time to write, or draw, or paint or whatever it is your heart longs for.
Let my experience and these words be a catalyst of change in your own life. Who knows what might be the outcome? During those traumatic months with my son, I found the inspiration to write my first novel, Woven.
The first words of Woven (coming out on June 28, 2022) were pinned in a waiting room at Children’s Hospital in Washington D.C. And if you’re curious how a book about three twenty-somethings renovating a Baltimore City row home while running from a dark, shared past was inspired by such surroundings?
Be sure to come back next week for part two!
| | Stephania Thompson is the author of Woven (Orange Blossom Publishing 2022). As a poet and multi-genre author, her work has appeared in a variety of online publications as well as several print anthologies. Formerly a CPA in the corporate world, Stephania now writes from the comfort of a modern day crumbling castle alongside her very own knight in shining armor. Together they have four valiant offspring, a brave aussiedoodle, and one not-so-fire-breathing dragon. When not writing, working, or waiting in a carpool line, she can be found running local trails and escaping in a book at her favorite café, iced latte in hand. She is a sucker for quirky romance, is addicted to audiobooks, and finds herself hopelessly drawn to flawed characters, raw honesty, and life’s cringiest moments. Learn more at www.stephaniathompson.com and find her on Twitter @stephthmpsn and Instagram @stephtwrites |
Guest post by Bay Collyns
Reading Nook
(A Time to be Innovative)
At age five, my most memorable reading nook was a quiet space in the public library; while my mom was busy with her college studies, my brother and I found our reading nook among the children's books. Today my reading nook continues to be a special place that I have created for my family. We have a large window in our home and plenty of natural light comes through the window throughout the day. We have a bench seat underneath the window and our reading nook also have bookshelves filled with a variety of books.
It has been said so many times, reading plays an important part in building your child’s vocabulary and comprehension development. A reading nook big or small, wide or narrow, is such a wonderful learning place to explore how reading will be a part of your child's day.
Does your child love to read mystery stories or love camping? Erect a tent, indoors or the backyard, add one or two flashlights, place a few pillows, slide in some plastic bins to hold books and everyone's favorite treats. Once completed opt to spend time reading together or solo.
It has been said so many times, reading plays an important part in building your child’s vocabulary and comprehension development. A reading nook big or small, wide or narrow, is such a wonderful learning place to explore how reading will be a part of your child's day.
Does your child love to read mystery stories or love camping? Erect a tent, indoors or the backyard, add one or two flashlights, place a few pillows, slide in some plastic bins to hold books and everyone's favorite treats. Once completed opt to spend time reading together or solo.
Look around, there are places that are quite convenient for you and your family to read a book in the kitchen offers a welcoming space either the breakfast counter or kitchen table. Perhaps sitting underneath a shaded tree in the park, the beach or the nearby community center. And yes, take a book along with you on your next airplane flight or on that long car or train ride as you travel to your destination.
Do you have an empty closet or a unique architectural area in your home? Is it time to make the space interesting? Build or purchase a square or corner bookshelf with a color that matches your style, add some unique knickknacks and 'abracadabra', you have transformed that area into a reading nook in which to spend time sharing classic stories.
Are you in an apartment and want to create an area where you can see your young child while they are enjoying their favorite story? A few bean bags, complemented with blanket throws and several cloth lined containers, you have created an instant nook.
Do you have an empty closet or a unique architectural area in your home? Is it time to make the space interesting? Build or purchase a square or corner bookshelf with a color that matches your style, add some unique knickknacks and 'abracadabra', you have transformed that area into a reading nook in which to spend time sharing classic stories.
Are you in an apartment and want to create an area where you can see your young child while they are enjoying their favorite story? A few bean bags, complemented with blanket throws and several cloth lined containers, you have created an instant nook.
Today, many parents are working from home. Your dual role may comprise of work-related projects and keeping an eye on your child activities. Consider an ergonomic chair and desk for your child, a place to study and read. And at the end your long day, when we all would like some quite time, pull in a comfortable chair next to the window and share some thoughts.
Here's a Keepsake Thought: Our first reading nook started in our parents' arms...a place where the joy of each word was heard with clarity, and you smiled or chuckled as the books were read over and over again. In the passage of time and you were older, you knew the exact spot where to find all your favorite books. Yes, the books were kept in a special place on the bookshelf in the reading nook. And based on my childhood memories, it will indeed remain in your child’s memories too.
Here's a Keepsake Thought: Our first reading nook started in our parents' arms...a place where the joy of each word was heard with clarity, and you smiled or chuckled as the books were read over and over again. In the passage of time and you were older, you knew the exact spot where to find all your favorite books. Yes, the books were kept in a special place on the bookshelf in the reading nook. And based on my childhood memories, it will indeed remain in your child’s memories too.
 | I have been published in Kappan Magazine (April, 2021), Equestrians of Color (July, 2021) Plaid Horse Magazine (Dec./Jan. 2021) and Language Magazine (January, 2022). Additionally, I am a guest blogger for Orange Blossom Publishing (November, 2021), Black Girl Spoken (December, 2021), Kids World (January, 2022), Young Money Finance (February, 2022) and MommiNation (March, 2022). My husband and I live in Orlando, Florida. I relish my years of teaching children, now I teach adults and parenting our two daughters. My leisure times allows me to help children with disabilities improve the quality of their lives by riding horses in addition to riding myself. Remember: “Words are to the mind and soul as food is to the body.” Bay Collyns |
Guest post by Robert Detman
The Art of Self-Editing
Before I became a published writer, editing had seemed like brain surgery.
Nothing I learned about editing in the early years of my writing made much sense to me. I might have edited, but I did not have the vision to know how to properly edit. It’s easy to overlook the major work that occurs in editing, because it goes unseen once the work is published. Looking back, I can honestly say learning how to edit my work has made the most impact on my writing’s success.
It is truly an instance of not knowing what I didn’t know. The process didn’t become apparent to me until after completing grad school, when I decided to write book reviews as a way to break into publishing. I knew I had to step up my game and become extremely judicious as I tightened my work for publication. It also helped that one of my advisors suggested that I had to learn how to become a good editor of my work—editing should not be left to chance. That there was an internal logic to writing became apparent through repeated re-reading and editing of the work. I call this level of editing “the treatment,” and since it also coincided with getting my work published, I felt like I had discovered the wisdom of revision.
Nothing I learned about editing in the early years of my writing made much sense to me. I might have edited, but I did not have the vision to know how to properly edit. It’s easy to overlook the major work that occurs in editing, because it goes unseen once the work is published. Looking back, I can honestly say learning how to edit my work has made the most impact on my writing’s success.
It is truly an instance of not knowing what I didn’t know. The process didn’t become apparent to me until after completing grad school, when I decided to write book reviews as a way to break into publishing. I knew I had to step up my game and become extremely judicious as I tightened my work for publication. It also helped that one of my advisors suggested that I had to learn how to become a good editor of my work—editing should not be left to chance. That there was an internal logic to writing became apparent through repeated re-reading and editing of the work. I call this level of editing “the treatment,” and since it also coincided with getting my work published, I felt like I had discovered the wisdom of revision.
Some editors don’t recognize when you’ve worked over your writing because there is an unspoken rule that work can always be improved. It usually can, but there is no excuse for an editor trying to perform triage on a healthy piece. Mostly, I’ve had the good fortune to have editors who use a light touch, who kindly ask before they administer their surgical tools.
My goal is always to try to get the piece to where it resonates. This is typically after multiple drafts. I am sure there are writers of profound genius who write like the second coming of Joan Didion, but if this is the case, I’d suspect years of experience in editing their own work has gone before that.
My goal is always to try to get the piece to where it resonates. This is typically after multiple drafts. I am sure there are writers of profound genius who write like the second coming of Joan Didion, but if this is the case, I’d suspect years of experience in editing their own work has gone before that.
Reading good writing buttresses the strengths of your own writing.
Reading good writing buttresses the strengths of your own writing. This seems apparent to me when I read writers who have made clarity and precision a key to their method, for example, George Saunders, Margaret Atwood, the aforementioned late, great Ms. Didion. It is intuitive that these writers’ work is perfect, that it cannot be revised, condensed, or modified (or rather, should not or does not need to be). If you doubt it, read a sentence or a paragraph from any book by these writers, and try to improve upon it.
I would suspect merciless self-editing is how their writing comes together. I can surmise that the quality in their work comes from reading and knowing a piece so well, until the logic and rightness of the words locks it into its formidable essence, becoming one part of the comprehensive whole. A writer needs to be that attentive and focused on their writing and know it that well. As you gain an intimacy with the material, you correct it, and tweak and modify it as necessary. Your thinking on it will naturally become clearer and sharper in repeated readings. This assiduous process of rewriting, adding, revising, removing and moving blocks of text around eventually leads to an energy in the piece. There’s a point when the writing becomes inextricable, when what you’ve put into order on the page indicates that the piece has arrived.
I would suspect merciless self-editing is how their writing comes together. I can surmise that the quality in their work comes from reading and knowing a piece so well, until the logic and rightness of the words locks it into its formidable essence, becoming one part of the comprehensive whole. A writer needs to be that attentive and focused on their writing and know it that well. As you gain an intimacy with the material, you correct it, and tweak and modify it as necessary. Your thinking on it will naturally become clearer and sharper in repeated readings. This assiduous process of rewriting, adding, revising, removing and moving blocks of text around eventually leads to an energy in the piece. There’s a point when the writing becomes inextricable, when what you’ve put into order on the page indicates that the piece has arrived.
It might go without saying that even the most turgid prose can’t be saved by editing, although perhaps it can. The best writing, I believe, comes out of rewriting.
Dipping occasionally into a few good reference books can help, such as Virginia Tufte’s Artful Sentences: Syntax as Style and William Zinsser’s On Writing Well. The bottom line is that if one does not edit their own work rigorously, it will be apparent; as well, they won’t find any publishers.
In the knowledge of how I write, I have learned the habit of a practice. Writing is a direct thinking into words process that will go a long way toward making a piece of writing whole sooner. The initial draft of the writing, what I call “thinking on the page,” tends for me to bear out E.M. Forester’s axiom, “How can I know what I think until I see what I say?”
Dipping occasionally into a few good reference books can help, such as Virginia Tufte’s Artful Sentences: Syntax as Style and William Zinsser’s On Writing Well. The bottom line is that if one does not edit their own work rigorously, it will be apparent; as well, they won’t find any publishers.
In the knowledge of how I write, I have learned the habit of a practice. Writing is a direct thinking into words process that will go a long way toward making a piece of writing whole sooner. The initial draft of the writing, what I call “thinking on the page,” tends for me to bear out E.M. Forester’s axiom, “How can I know what I think until I see what I say?”
From a good rough draft to initial draft, leads to the long process of editing.
From a good rough draft to initial draft, leads to the long process of editing. This can often feel like a Sisyphean task, and yet the only way to complete a piece is to put in the series of necessary edits. And yet, this whole practice is a mystery, tuned toward the specifics of a piece. When I’m editing well, this is an average of seven drafts. In reality the number may be double that. And only after getting the piece to the level where it begins to take shape, does the editing actually become fully engaging; partly because the end is in sight and I can sense—or I should by then—if the piece is going to be any good.
As much as I enjoy editing—which I do when I can see progress toward completing what I set out to write—I also put it off sometimes longer than necessary, because I realize that I’m still several edits away from completion. But even the habit of procrastination can be useful because it allows me to return to the piece with fresh eyes.
The need to deliberate over writing with intense focus never goes away. Knowing that you can get from draft to final edit might just be the process that compels you to take on writing in the first place.
As much as I enjoy editing—which I do when I can see progress toward completing what I set out to write—I also put it off sometimes longer than necessary, because I realize that I’m still several edits away from completion. But even the habit of procrastination can be useful because it allows me to return to the piece with fresh eyes.
The need to deliberate over writing with intense focus never goes away. Knowing that you can get from draft to final edit might just be the process that compels you to take on writing in the first place.
 | Robert Detman has published fiction, poetry, and essays in over fifty publications, including Antioch Review, Causeway Lit, New Orleans Review, The Smart Set, The Southampton Review, Tusculum Review and elsewhere. His stories have been finalists for the New Letters Literary Awards and nominated for the Best of the Net, and a story collection was a semifinalist for the Hudson Prize from Black Lawrence Press. rdetman@gmail.com www.robertmdetman.com |
Guest post by Paula Borba
Happiness or Ease?
It seems that people are in a race to be happy. Maybe, to be “the happiest”. For the opportunity of all the facilities that life has offered, people seek their accomplishments at all costs. Have you noticed that there is always a seemingly easier solution to achieving a goal?
To lose weight, take medication.
For sexual performance, take pills.
To get stronger, the anabolic.
To make it more beautiful, plastic surgery.
To earn more money, illegal behavior.
To socialize easily, drugs.
To have a higher school score, the intelligence pill.
For sexual performance, take pills.
To get stronger, the anabolic.
To make it more beautiful, plastic surgery.
To earn more money, illegal behavior.
To socialize easily, drugs.
To have a higher school score, the intelligence pill.
People, happiness is not a goal! Happiness is not eased but is your daily state of mind to see the simplest things. And happiness is not being happy every day either! But to be able to notice happy moments throughout the day, on the other hand with not-so-happy things. However, your state of inner happiness will allow you to overcome sad moments.
 | Happiness is walking on the beach without worrying about the perfect body. It's enjoying an ice cream without guilt. It's taking off the shoes that are bothering you without worrying about elegance. It's a laugh without being restrained. |
Happiness is being you, without worrying all the time about the standards you must follow.
It's refusing an invitation and staying at home with no weight on your conscience. It's sleeping with no time to wake up.
It's staying in your pajamas until lunchtime.
It's refusing an invitation and staying at home with no weight on your conscience. It's sleeping with no time to wake up.
It's staying in your pajamas until lunchtime.
What is sought with these facilities is a recipe for happiness. But if, even in a recipe, each one gives their “tip” ... how do you want to label happiness? Then, reflect if the recipes of happiness from others and society are suitable for you. You can be happy with yourself or rather, in their own company and a good cup of coffee. This is called self-knowledge. Awareness of who you are, your values, your concepts. You are the one who knows what makes you happy. True happiness resides within your soul. Let yourself be understood.
True Happiness Resides Within Your Soul
Realize the path you take every day, the trees and flowers you can see, the people on the street, and discover that you can have happiness everywhere.
Of course, we can take advantage of what the evolution of life has offered us: new pleasures, conquests, and comforts. However, don't just rely on that to be happy, which can be transitory and biased. It is not the events that will guarantee happiness. Happiness can be hidden, calm, and collected in your intimate, but it is solid and firm.
Finally, we can celebrate that more and more the life expectancy grows, and apparently, there will be time to satisfy one's dreams and desires.
These things are the ones that will bring you happiness, naturally.
 | Psychiatrist doctor PhD in Psychiatry Professor at University Potiguar, Brazil Writer @pborbarodrigues https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100009490189206 |
By Orange Blossom Publishing
Publisher Rocket: A Tool for Every Author
What is Publisher Rocket?
Publisher Rocket was created by Dave Chesson to help authors free up valuable writing time by taking the hours of research and guesswork out of creating your keywords lists. Publisher Rocket has four main features: keywords, competitors, categories, and AMS Keywords for ads.
Keywords
When uploading your book to Amazon, you have the option to add seven keywords. You don’t want to add random words that may or may not direct sales of your book. That would be a waste of time and resources. Publisher Rocket helps narrow down your keywords to those that are drawing in buyers, are relevant to your work, and that will help you sell your book! Isn’t that what we all want to do? Drive sales? You want keywords that are being searched for, but that are also not flooded with competition!
Competitors
With this feature, you can look at the first 10 books that rank with a certain phrase or keyword. This allows you to see how books that are comparable to yours are doing. Why is this important? Seeing what is working, and well, allows you to make sure you are giving your book the best start it can have. You want your Title, Blurb, Cover, Keywords etc all working toward one goal, getting your book into the hands of your target reader. By having access to what is working and being able to make changes to be sure your book is to market, you are already setting yourself up for success.
Categories
This feature allows you to narrow down the categories that would be the best fit for your work. By just entering keywords/phrases, you can have a whole list of potential categories at your fingertips. Not only will you know which categories best fit your book, but you will be able to see how many books you would need to sell to hit bestseller or fall into the top 10 list.
AMS Keywords
By starting with just a few keywords you think might drive people to your book, you can easily collect a list of 2-300 keywords to target with your Amazon Ads. You not only get a list of keywords, but authors, titles, and ISBNs that relate to your keyword search. You can export this list into an excel spreadsheet and upload it directly into Publisher Rocket saving yourself valuable time.
Takeaways
What I found very helpful were all the tutorials that you can access free through the Publisher Rocket program. These tutorials will walk you through each feature step by step, and they don’t disappear.
The ONE-TIME fee of $97 allows you to have lifetime access to the program and any updates.
Is it worth it? Absolutely, if you are anything like me, you don’t want to waste time reinventing the wheel. Why spend hours researching keywords, competitors, categories, and AMS target keywords when you can use a program that does the hard part for you?
Take a look using Orange Blossom Publishing's affiliate link and discover Publisher Rocket for yourself.
The ONE-TIME fee of $97 allows you to have lifetime access to the program and any updates.
Is it worth it? Absolutely, if you are anything like me, you don’t want to waste time reinventing the wheel. Why spend hours researching keywords, competitors, categories, and AMS target keywords when you can use a program that does the hard part for you?
Take a look using Orange Blossom Publishing's affiliate link and discover Publisher Rocket for yourself.
*images taken from Publisher Rocket website
Guest post by Michelle Fewer
Imposter Syndrome Can Suck It (eventually)
“For the first time since jumping into the editing and proofreading waters, I’m sitting down to edit a book for an author and there is not a doubt in my mind that I know what I’m doing.”
Wow, I am really looking forward to the day I can say that and have it stick. I thought that time was going to be when I saw my first official editing credit in a book. Instead, it was freaking terrifying. What if someone finds an error? Or more than one? Or they don’t like the book? How would that reflect on me? But even more importantly, how would that reflect on my author?
Imposter Syndrome (let’s just call it IS for now) is a beast! And it’s so freaking real. You know you’re good at something. People compliment you all the time on your ability to do something really well. But you don’t ever quite believe it. You’re afraid to own it. You feel like an imposter, just waiting for someone to tear back the curtain and reveal you for the hack your self-conscious conscious keeps whispering about in the back of your brain.
Imposter Syndrome (let’s just call it IS for now) is a beast! And it’s so freaking real. You know you’re good at something. People compliment you all the time on your ability to do something really well. But you don’t ever quite believe it. You’re afraid to own it. You feel like an imposter, just waiting for someone to tear back the curtain and reveal you for the hack your self-conscious conscious keeps whispering about in the back of your brain.
What if the people singing your praises are just doing that to be nice?
What if they’re wrong about your abilities?
But, hey, what if they’re right?
Is getting over IS just a matter of mindset?
I’m not sure about any of those answers. Yet.
It’s interesting, once I put myself out there as an editor and proofreader I had a few bookish friends reach out to me about their fear of publishing a book they’ve been writing. Seems they’re also struggling with the dreaded IS. Their concerns mirror mine: What if I’m not a good writer? What if nobody likes my book? What if I get bad reviews? And to be honest, I love taking the time to walk and talk them through their fears. And I love it even more when they tell me I’ve given them the courage and encouragement they need to take the author plunge.
But, man, it’s way harder to hear those words of encouragement and confidence when it’s yourself you’re trying to convince. We are our own worst critics. We really are.
What if they’re wrong about your abilities?
But, hey, what if they’re right?
Is getting over IS just a matter of mindset?
I’m not sure about any of those answers. Yet.
It’s interesting, once I put myself out there as an editor and proofreader I had a few bookish friends reach out to me about their fear of publishing a book they’ve been writing. Seems they’re also struggling with the dreaded IS. Their concerns mirror mine: What if I’m not a good writer? What if nobody likes my book? What if I get bad reviews? And to be honest, I love taking the time to walk and talk them through their fears. And I love it even more when they tell me I’ve given them the courage and encouragement they need to take the author plunge.
But, man, it’s way harder to hear those words of encouragement and confidence when it’s yourself you’re trying to convince. We are our own worst critics. We really are.
Lately I’ve been focusing on positive mantras my friend Rhon has been posting on social media. They’re all intended to help people move forward toward their best lives with self-affirmation techniques and language. She claims she creates the posts for herself, but I love being along for the ride. Having language that is positive and encouraging right there to read is pretty powerful. And I have a harder time disowning and disregarding it because it’s someone else’s words. Again, something I need to work on, I know. But it’s a step forward.
So now the question becomes, how does someone move forward to leave IS behind and really OWN their talents, abilities, and successes? I’m not even asking for a friend. Because I need to know this. Is it even possible to completely eliminate IS from our lives? Or is a little IS actually a good thing? A way to stay humble? A way to accept that there’s no such thing as perfection? I’m not sure about that. But I do know I am really looking forward to the day when I feel completely comfortable in all of my endeavors. Maybe turning 50 this week will take me a step closer to that. I’ll let you know.
So, tell me, do you struggle with Imposter Syndrome? And if you do, what do you need to really move past it? Have you overcome your Imposter Syndrome? How did you do that? Share please! Let’s help each other on this journey.
So now the question becomes, how does someone move forward to leave IS behind and really OWN their talents, abilities, and successes? I’m not even asking for a friend. Because I need to know this. Is it even possible to completely eliminate IS from our lives? Or is a little IS actually a good thing? A way to stay humble? A way to accept that there’s no such thing as perfection? I’m not sure about that. But I do know I am really looking forward to the day when I feel completely comfortable in all of my endeavors. Maybe turning 50 this week will take me a step closer to that. I’ll let you know.
So, tell me, do you struggle with Imposter Syndrome? And if you do, what do you need to really move past it? Have you overcome your Imposter Syndrome? How did you do that? Share please! Let’s help each other on this journey.
 |  |  |
 | Michelle Fewer, aka Brayzen Bookwyrm, is a reader, reviewer, blogger, and editor who focuses mainly on books, authors, and topics in Romancelandia. A former high school English teacher, Michelle is a current director for an educational non-profit organization, a martial arts instructor, and most importantly in her life: a wife and mom. She lives in Granite, Maryland with her college sweetheart HEA husband, two teen spawns, and one very large German Shepherd mix who thinks she’s a lapdog. https://direct.me/brayzenbookwyrmblog |
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Arielle Haughee is the owner and founder of Orange Blossom Publishing.
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