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Showing posts from 2020

On Writing Chase Scenes

By Carolyn Howard-Johnson Author of  The Frugal Editor,  the winning-est  in her award-winning HowToDoItFrugally Series of books for writers This article is excerpted from some editing I did for a writer of experimental fiction when I was on a Greater Los Angeles Writers Society panel writer of any genre can apply these suggestions to the chase, getaway, or high action scene in your script or manuscript before you send it to an agent or publisher or, better still, while you are writing the first draft.  Sometimes even the most fascinating, interesting and irresistible  detail can slow down the forward movement of your story. So as much as writers are told that detail is important, purge as much as you can from your action scenes and put it somewhere else or dribble it into narrative in other places in your manuscript. In the process, ask yourself if your reader really needs to know the color of the protagonist’s eyes. As important as detail is, some is better left to t

Times are tough! Use The 1 Minute Motivator to keep you going strong

Read more.   From Dr. Eric Kaplan, one of the most endorsed authors of all time, comes The 1 Minute Motivator . No better time than now to take a breath and find daily inspiration in this powerful book.   What makes the powerful powerful? There is NOTHING beyond your reach when you know how to influence those above , around and beneath you. "360 Degree Influence" is the #1 secret of the powerful, from presidents to prophets. Sure, you may accomplish private goals, like losing weight. But that's only one compartment of your life. How are life and success really defined? By the people around you, and how you interact.   1 Minute Motivator

The Superhuman Experience - a live facebook event!

Join Bobby Reyes for a Superhuman Experience in a live Facebook event  Saturday May 23 at noon EDT Click Here for ReyWorkshops on Facebook Guys, we are now living in a strange new world. There is no playbook for this. These are unprecedented times. And the uncertainty of it is making us question everything… The Superhuman Experience with Bobby Reyes We are rethinking our lives, our future, our jobs and and wondering what that's gonna look like when this is all in the rear view mirror? Is it gonna be

She found the courage

Read more. "The most important investment we can make is in our children; therefore, I'm thrilled my messages are presented to children in The Surprise Circus." –Les Brown, motivational speaker.from the Foreword   When the circus doesn't come to her town, six-year-old Aria is disappointed. She calls the ringmaster of the circus and asks him to send the circus, but he doesn't. Instead, the craziest things start to happen! Every week, the ringmaster sends Aria a package—each containing an amazing circus character. But Aria has to put the circus characters in the backyard because each one does something very silly that upsets her mommy and daddy: the magician hides her baby sister, the strongman lifts all the furniture, and the juggler throws everything, even her

Camino Mysteries by Elena Skvirski

Read more.   Discover the magic of the Camino and be inspired and encouraged to seek higher guidance for your own personal transformation.     You'll dance under the stars, explore an ancient castle with the Knights Templar and immerse yourself in the majesty of the Santiago de Compostela Cathedral and its ancient traditions.Join Stella, a precocious seven-year old girl whose family owns an inn along the Camino de Santiago in Spain.   Hiding on the rooftop above the courtyard, she listens with rapt attention and delight to the pilgrims telling exciting tales of their personal journeys.   Desperate to experience the Camino herself, she departs with her brothers on a spiritual adventure where mysterious messages guide them onward to the convergence of the earth

Riddle: How Are Freedom of the Press, Wordiness and Christmas Connected? by Carolyn Howard-Johnson

This article was written in 2017 not for the recent Coronavirus. I love to share writing tips, marketing secrets and editing aids,but I’m adding something new to my fave list. Something more serious. It’s freedom of the press. So, what inspired me?  Well, a couple of months ago the White House issued a list of words that the Center for Disease Control and Prevention shouldn’t use. It bothered me then and it bothers me even more now that we just experienced a near epidemic of flu in this country! (My husband and I are both part of that epidemic. Neither of us has had the flu or a cold for over 40 years and this one has been a doozy!) The  LA Times (Tuesday, Jan 16, page B2) used this as a lead for the story: “’ It’s a beautiful thing, the destruction of words.’ George Orwell writes in the fifth chapter of his dystopian novel,  1985.” I love the novel the  Times  chose to quote, but I have always been too optimistic to give its dystopian theme much credence. And

Repeat after me

Read more. Discovering Authentically Abundant Joyfulness Every Day!      EMPOWERED INDIVIDUALISM: WHAT DO YOU WANT? Discovering Authentically Abundant Joyfulness, Every Day! A Stewardship-Orientated, Self-Mastery and Virtuous Personal-Improvement, in-depth LEADERSHIP HANDBOOK for Entrepreneurial - Evangelical - Evangelism Discipleship. GENUINE LEADERSHIP consists of wisdom-based mental maturity combined with clarity-focused self-mastery; its comprehensive nature enables the full expression of our confident inner personhood, which releases our spirit, to freely pursue Authentically Abundant Joyfulness! AUTHENTIC LIFE™ LEADERSHIP: This Handbook provides the intellectual guidance needed by each participant to transform their rudimentary communication skills into th

Why does God have to make life so difficult?

Read more.   "This is  a great christian book that exposes how the strong faith of others helps those with little faith that go through different test and trials in life.  There is a quote that is very true that fits the characters of this book as we witness in the world today to try and help lead others to the peace and joy that God has for us all." People will not care how much you know until they know how much you care."  - Rick     A life without God. For Barnabas Mitchell, life had always been a struggle. From his father's abandonment to his mother's untimely death, Barnabas had lost his faith in God and in people. Determined to fulfill his potential, Barnabas continued on out of respect for his deceased mother, grinding through his days feeling u

This is the winner of the 2019 American Eagle Book Awards 99CENTS

Read more.   This is a must read! You'll love it! Imagine you are granted  three wishes --and your second wish is captured by a television news crew and broadcast across the globe. Now the whole world knows you can wish for absolutely anything, and it will come true. Now imagine you're fourteen years old.     Jake Parker is about to finish the freshman year of what's shaping up to be a mediocre high school career. He's a late bloomer. His family is living hand-to-mouth. And worst of all, he's a nobody--until he discovers an ancient ship's lantern. With everyone on the planet watching to see what Jake's final wish will be, he becomes an instant media darling, and his social status at school skyrockets. That's the good news. The bad news is pres