Real Life Books and Media
A place to chat, share what’s happening in our lives, updates on works in progress.
For the holidays, I like to share homemade items with friends and family. This year I finally took the plunge and made some body butter. Hop over to my cooking blog, Rebekah Lyn’s Kitchen to see how it turned out! My mom is plagued with dry skin and she is loving it.
My mom, Onisha wanted me to include this photo. She is loving it. She found it on Unsplash.
Source: A whole lot of butter
I often feel that Microsoft Word is the enemy so I am excited to share this website find with our readers!
Reblogged
This morning I hit publish on my last titles for 2017, Word for Beginners and Intermediate Word. That makes 441,312 words written (give or take) and 409,252 words published for the year. Phew. A little more than half of that was non-fiction since that seems to have become my focus for the second half of the year, but I did have two novels in there, too.
Anyway.
While I was writing the Word guides I kept finding myself saying “never do this” based on things I had actually encountered in my professional career. Finally, I started writing them down so I could share them.
So here they are. Things you should never do in Word (because there’s a better way to do it). With suggestions of how to better handle it using Word 2013 as my source.
Click below to get great tips. You may already know these things, but I am not ashamed to admit I did not- Onisha
Even though summer is still seven months away but we can still celebrate it. And today, with a chilly winter storm approaching the midwest and the the south, Amy Schliser is on the blog telling us all about her new book, Summer’s Squall. But first, since I always enjoy knowing about the person behind the story, let’s learn a little about Amy.
Award-winning author, Amy MacWilliams Schisler, grew up in Maryland, not far from Washington, DC. She graduated from Salisbury University with a Bachelor’s Degree in History and Political Science and from the University of Maryland with a Masters of Library and Information Science. Amy began writing as a child and spent fifteen years working as a librarian, a job she dearly loved, before becoming a full-time author. Her debut book was the beloved children’s book, Crabbing With Granddad, an autobiographical book about spending the day with her grandfather that us used throughout the state of Maryland as part of its Maryland history unit. Amy’s first novel, A Place to Call Home, was published in 2014 by Sarah Book Publishing. Her books, Picture Me and Whispering Vines, received 2016 and 2017 Illumination Book Awards, which recognize the best Christian themed books published both in the traditional book form as well as the ebook industry. Whispering Vines received a 2017 LYRA Award for the best romance of 2016. She followed up her success with the acclaimed, Island of Miracles in 2017. Amy’s weekly blog currently has over 1000 subscribers, and topics vary from current events to her home life with her husband, Ken, and their three daughters, Rebecca, Katie, and Morgan as well as their two dogs, Rosie and Misty.
Schisler delights in speaking to groups, and more information may be found at her website: http://www.amyschislerauthor.com.
Summer’s Squall, begins in Baltimore where Baltimore City Police Detective, Abe (Lank) Lankton, assumes he’ll be helping his cousin solve a minor problem when she calls and asks him to fly west. When he learns that he’s been called out there to aid in capturing an elusive stalker, his first instinct is go straight back to Maryland. However, when he meets the alluring victim, Summer Cooper, all bets are off. With his future, and his own life, in jeopardy, Lank must choose between going back to the life he knows in America’s Charm City or staying out west to help Summer. But Lank’s not sure that Summer is all that she claims to be or that the stalker even exists. One thing he knows for sure, Summer is guilty… of stealing his heart. Summer’s Squall is published by Chesapeake Sunrise Publishing and will be available in local book stores. It may be ordered through Amazon, Barnes and Noble, iBooks, and most other online sellers.
This is my favorite excerpt from Summer’s Squall. Let me know if you enjoyed it.
Lank stood at the back door and watched the lightning. The mountains were invisible, shrouded in black from the ground to the heavens. Each bolt of lightning illuminated the sky with an iridescent glow that gave clear understanding of the term, electric blue.
“This is spectacular,” Lank said.
“It is pretty incredible,” Summer agreed. It was the first time they had been seen each other in forty-eight hours, and Lank couldn’t help but see the irony of them being together during a lightning storm. Every time he thought about her lately, he felt like he’d been hit by a bolt out of the blue.
Another strike hit a distant mountain with offshoots of light emanating from the bolt like the long, spindly branches of a tall, pine tree.
“The lightning is seriously intense,” Lank said, feeling like a kid mesmerized by his first storm.
“And dangerous. One strike to a dry, dead tree can start a fire that would spread for miles and lay waste to everything in its path.”
Lank marveled once again with his new appreciation for nature. “I guess that’s something I’ve never given a thought to. Forest fires are pretty non-existent on the east coast.”
“And pretty common out here. We had one about seven or eight years ago that spread all the way up to the base of the San Juan’s. You could see the haze and smell the smoke even with the doors and windows closed.”
Lank was speechless. He’d never seen such a beautiful storm, and it was hard to reconcile that with the destruction that he knew a forest fire could create. He turned to Summer.
“Why do you stay up here? So far from civilization? With bears and mountain lions and lightning that could burn down your house? Why, with everything you’ve gone through over the past couple months, do you stay in this house, on this mountain, alone?”
Summer looked at Lank and then turned back to the light show. She fiddled with the cross dangling below her throat as she watched the light flash across the sky. When she finally spoke, her voice was low, and her gaze was fixed on the black horizon with its intermittent blue light.
“Once, when I was younger, my parents took us to Disney World. It was a dream come true for me. Even Johnny, who acted like it was a stupid trip for his baby sister, had the time of his life. We went to all the parks, rode all the rides, watched the shows, and had our pictures taken with every Disney character imaginable.”
Lank watched her as she spoke. Her red hair hung loose around her shoulders, and the occasional flash of light made her eyes even greener than usual. She was the most beautiful sight he had seen since he’d arrived in Colorado. He watched her lips curve into a smile as she remembered her family trip.
“One night, we went to see Fantasmic, the light and water show. Have you seen it?” She turned and looked at Lank who shook his head, too awestruck by her to speak.
“It was this amazing show of lights and lasers and water spouts. But as I watched it, all I could think about was that it was made up. It was a technological wonder of grand proportions, but it was a show.” She turned back to Mother Nature’s show outside the window. “This,” she said as she gestured to the sky, “this is the real deal. This is a light show of epic proportions that Walt Disney could only dream of portraying with his fancy lights and music.”
Summer turned to Lank and smiled. “I wake up every morning with a heavenly masterpiece painted across the sky outside my window. I drive to work amid the majesty of the most beautiful mountains in the world. I see God’s version of a magical light show every time we have a storm. If I’m lucky, Black and I can spot a bobcat or a mother bear and cubs on one of our rides. I walked through Cinderella’s castle, rode the Matterhorn, watched Fantasmic, and met creatures of all kinds in their costumes and wigs, but I never once saw anything that compares to what I have on top of this mountain.”
Great excerpt, right?
Amy is generously giving one lucky person two signed paperbacks. One copy is for you and the other for your friend. You can enter here: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/9912248026/
After you enter the giveaway, be sure to visit the other stops on the blog tour and enter again for a chance to win!
Tour Schedule
December 4
Bookish Orchestrations – Intro Post
December 5
Lisa Swinton – Queen of Random – Book Spotlight
Amy Schisler, Author – Book Spotlight
Letters from Annie Douglass Lima – Book Spotlight
Rachel Rossano’s Words – Book Spotlight
December 6
Rebekah Lyn Books – Book Spotlight
December 7
Among the Reads – Book Spotlight
December 8
Adventures in Publishing – Book Spotlight
December 9
Bookish Orchestrations – Giveaway winner
I almost forgot!
You may follow Amy online at the following places:
http://amyschisler.wordpress.com
http://facebook.com/amyschislerauthor
https://www.goodreads.com/amyschisler
https://www.bookbub.com/authors/amy-schisler
Twitter @AmySchislerAuth
Description
Many of us get caught up in the commercialization of Christmas. One way to prevent that is to focus on the reason for the season. Taking a few minutes each day with this different kind of devotional book will help your family think of others. Each day focuses on one word and includes a story from Daniel and Holly’s family, a Scripture reading with the devotional, the YouTube link to a Christmas Carol, and an activity that the entire family can be involved in.
Reviews
“We love it! You posted it just the right time. God’s providence!”
“My kids love it! Especially the song and the activity.”
“The kids like to read the verses during the devotional part. It has been a good way to get the whole family involved.”
Bio
Ruth O’Neil has been a freelance writer for 20-plus years. She sees everything as a writing opportunity in disguise, whether it is an interesting character, setting, or situation. You can find her book series “What a Difference a Year Makes” on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or her website (http://ruthoneil.weebly.com/). You can also visit her on her blog at http://ruths-real-life.blogspot.com/. When she’s not writing or homeschooling her kids, Ruth spends her time quilting, reading, scrapbooking, camping and hiking with her family.
Links
Email – oneilruth@gmail.com
Website – http://ruthoneil.weebly.com/
Blog – http://www.ruths-real-life.blogspot.com/
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/RuthONeilAutho
Amazon – https://www.amazon.com/Ruth-ONeil/e/B00AJ5S3YQ
Excerpt
Advent
Story
“I have a surprise for you kids,” Mom said as soon as Daniel and Holly walked in the door after school.
“What?” They both wanted to know.
“Follow me,” Mom requested as she walked toward the family room.
Two-year-old Evie followed along behind, clapping her hands and giggling.
“She must know what the secret is,” Daniel commented to Holly.
Holly laughed when Evie shouted, “Sec-et! Sec-et!”
Mom smiled as well. “That’s her new word for the day.”
Then Mom held up a box that had a bunch of what looked like little doors. Twenty-five of them to be exact. They each had a number.
“What’s that?” Daniel asked.
“It’s an Advent calendar. Each day we’ll open one. Behind each door is a treat for each of you and a word we can talk about to help us prepare for Christmas.”
“Can we open one now?” Holly wanted to know.
“You may.” Mom pointed to the first door.
“Advent,” Holy read after she took out three small candies and handed one to Daniel and Evie.
“Advent is all about the days leading up to Christmas. We can talk about what Christmas really means and prepare our hearts to worship Christ.”
“Why did Jesus have to come to earth as a baby? Why couldn’t He come as a grown-up?” Daniel wondered as he picked up the baby Jesus from the Nativity set.
“Well, Jesus needed time to prepare, too. He needed to experience all the things we experience. He experienced what it was like to grow up, have a family and friends, and be tempted by sin just like the rest of us. No matter what problems we face in life, Jesus truly understands.”
“But I thought Jesus was perfect and never sinned?” Holly questioned.
Mom nodded her head. “He was perfect. He didn’t ever sin, but He still went through a lot of the same things we do. Because He lived a perfect and sinless life, that’s what made Him a suitable sacrifice for our sins. Only a perfect Man could pay the price for us.”
Daniel and Holly didn’t say anything. For a few moments, the only sound heard was Evie slurping her candy and quietly repeating, “Sec-et.”
Mom continued. “God had to prepare the world for Salvation to come in the form of His Son, Jesus. It wouldn’t happen overnight. It would take Jesus’ entire life time here on earth.”
Daniel, always the one who wanted to learn more, said, “I think this will be interesting.”
“I think this will be fun,” Holly gave her opinion.
“I think it will help prepare us all and help us to understand Christmas just a little bit better.”
Devotion
Read Matthew 25:1-13
This man was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. Luke 2:25b-26
Advent is a time of preparation. The Christmas Advent begins four Sundays before Christmas. Many families, especially those with young children, have Advent calendars. Each day the children get to open a door, receive a little gift, or remove an object in the countdown for and in anticipation of Christmas.
Children, for the most part, look forward to Christmas because of the gifts they will receive. That’s not a bad thing, but we as adults, should have a much deeper anticipation of Christmas. We take the time to buy and wrap gifts, prepare food, clean the house for guests, buy new outfits, attend parties, etc. But how much time do we put into meditating on the actual birth of Christ and worshipping Him?
Many years, at least in our household, we spend time putting up the tree and decorating it, only to ignore it. We more often than not, sit in the room with the TV. Unfortunately, that’s often the way we are with God as well. We accept Him as Savior. We attend church on Sundays. Other than that, we pretty much ignore Him, too.
This Christmas, in anticipation of the celebration of His birth, let’s focus on Him a little more throughout the month. Let’s prepare our hearts by reflecting on why He came to earth.
Christmas will be that much more special when we focus on the true Reason for the Season.
Activity
This activity will take some extra planning. Get together as a family; you can even invite your extended family members to take part in this one as well. Choose a family that is in need; try to find a specific need if possible. Gather together money to give to that family for the specific need that they have. If possible, try not to let them know where their Christmas gift is coming from. That makes it all the more exciting for both them and you.
Song – The Twelve Days of Christmas (How I Want to Sing)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zZmyxUHWQm0
