Today is my birthday so I am spotlighting all my books available from The Wild Rose Press. Enjoy!

A collection of stories centered around Christmas cookies. Murder over Macaroons by Kay Harris Snowdrop Dreams, Cherry Thumbprint Screams by Kimberly Baer The Gingerbread Lodge by Vicky Burkholder

The Wild Rose Press

This is the paperback collection. If you want the individual ebook, “The Gingebread Lodge“,

Gisele Reid returns to the Gingerbread Lodge to help her aunt, but without paying guests, she’s afraid the lodge will have to be sold. An event she vows to stop. When an old friend shows up, she is astonished to find Max has turned into a man who makes her knees and heart tremble. Max Oakley, a developer, has a client interested in buying land around the lodge. He has fond memories of the resort, as well as the girl who left him behind. When he runs into Gisele again, she’s even more beautiful than ever. A woman who could make him forget everything—even his job. Plumbing problems, electrical outages, and the return of Gisele’s family throw a wrench into Max’s plans to woo Gisele. But when the truth comes out, she believes he’s betrayed her trust, and it will take a Christmas miracle to make everything right again.

Cass Brennan makes her living scavenging artifacts and searching for her lost parents, while piloting her spacecraft. When she discovers an ancient ship, everyone rushes to steal her prize. Along with her godfather, and Zack Anderson, who she admires for his expertise with engines, gentle manner, and handsome features, Cass refuses to go down without a fight. Zack is on a search also-to find who’s responsible for destroying his family. He doesn’t want to believe the beautiful, brave, and talented woman he’s trying hard not to fall for is the one he seeks. The more he gets to know Cass, the idea of her being a murderer is ridiculous, and he is definitely ready to take the next step in their relationship. Zack and Cass are betrayed and then stranded on an unforgiving planet. While nature’s forces try to kill them, they fight to stay alive.

The Wild Rose Press

Amanda Ki’s humanitarian trip to Xy-Three is fraught with assassins and saboteurs who are popping up faster than she can deal with them. Caught up in a web of intrigue, kidnapping, and terror, Mandy joins forces with the captain of the Phoenix, Declan Chalmers. Declan is tall, dark, handsome, and probably the most arrogant, dictatorial man she has ever met. He’s also one of the few people she can trust. Declan doesn’t know what to expect from the VIP who heads up a million-dollar enterprise, when she boards his ship. The tiny, exotic, and packed full of grit woman is not only drop dead gorgeous and smart, she’s also deadly when it comes to martial arts. A skill he wants on his side when the space craft is sabotaged. Thrown together, the two form a tight bond, but if they aren’t careful, they could end up dead.

The Wild Rose Press

Aleksia Matthews is left for dead, after space pirates attack her ship and kill her brother. She swears to avenge his death, but knows she can’t do the job alone. After taking out an ad for a bounty hunter, she weeds out the bad from the good, and one man stands out. He could be the perfect partner-and that scares Ali more than the pirates do. Special agent Jason Cole is tracking the pirates who killed his family, but he’s always one step behind. There have never been any survivors-until now. He needs Ali to identify the attackers, but she proves to be stubborn. She plans to go with him on the hunt, and he’s determined to keep her safe. While Cole and Ali seek revenge, someone at headquarters would like to see them fail. Together they battle explosions, their emotions, and danger from one of their own.

The Wild Rose Press

What does a to-the-core, orphaned Marine have in common with an introverted electronics expert with too much family? A dog named Bentley. Her sister talks Lainy Morrison, self-proclaimed nerd, into caring for Captain Mitch Monahan’s dog while he’s deployed. The pair get to know one another through e-mails, family DVDs, and pictures. Can love overcome old fears and sustain a relationship formed an ocean apart?

About D.R. Grady: From D.R. Grady comes vivid tales of contemporary romance, romantic suspense, and paranormal and fantasy romance, all with a generous dollop of humor. D.R. Grady books are clean stories for avid readers who love witty dialogue between heartwarming, brainy characters, as well as extraordinary supernatural beings or powerful, capable warriors. No matter your preference, fall in love with these clever, empowered characters who recognize love and companionship when they find it. Choose your own adventure!

Be sure to follow D.R. on BookBub for the best deals! https://www.bookbub.com/authors/d-r-g…

And check out her website. www.drgradybooks.com 

Goodreads

Note from SparkingBooks: I love this series! I so want to live where the Morrison’s live. To be part of their family. If you’re looking for sweet small-town romance that tugs at your heartstrings, definitely look at this series.

October 22

Birthdays: Ivan Bunin (1870), Doris Lessing (1919), Timothy Leary (1920), Ann rule (1935), Deepak Chopra (1946), Debbie Macomber (1948), Elizabeth Hay (1951), A.L. Kennedy (1965),

Ivan Bunin was the first from Russia to win the Nobel Prize in Literature. He won in 1933.

Doris Lessing won the 2007 Nobel Prize in Literature.

Quote: “I don’t know much about creative writing programs. But they’re not telling the truth if they don’t teach, one, that writing is hard work, and, two, that you have to give up a great deal of life, your personal life, to be a writer.” – Doris Lessing

“If you want to change the way people respond to you, change the way you respond to people.” – Timothy Leary

Tip: Does your book start in the right place with an interesting hook, good introduction of characters and the plot?

Jumpstart: This is the name I’ll never forget… (use: record, box, flower)

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October 23

Birthdays: Marjorie Flack (1897), Harvey Penick (1904), Michael Crichton (1942), Antjie Krog (1952), Laurie Halse Anderson (1961), Gordon Korman (1963), Augesten Burroughs (1965), Trudi Canavan (1969), Matthew Quick (1973), Aravind Adiga (1974), James Hendry (1976), Naomi Alderman (1976),

Marjorie Flack is best known for her children’s book “The Story about Ping”

Quote: “Be nice to your parents, because if you want to be a published author, you’ll probably wind up living with them after college. For a decade.” – Laurie Halse Anderson

“Do you know what we call opinion in the absence of evidence? We call it prejudice.” – Michael Crichton

Tip: Your characters need to be multidimensional, believable, and interesting.

Jumpstart: Each year when the roses bloom… (use: garden, trophy, retreat)

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October 24

Birthdays: Brenda Ueland (1891), Denise Levertov (1923), Barbara J. Robinson (1927), Stephen Covey (1932), Norman Rush (1933), David Weber (1941), Dale Maharidge (1956), Amor Towles (1964), Emma Donoghue (1969), Gabrielle Zevin (1977)

Barbara J. Robinson is best known for her children’s book “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever”

Dale Maharidge won the 1990 Pulitzer Prize for General Nonfiction for his book “And Their Children after Them”

Quote: “I like to believe, as a writer, that anybody who isn’t a reader yet has just not found the right book.” – Gabrielle Zevin

“Both art and faith are dependent on imagination; both are ventures into the unknown.” – Denise Levertov

Tip: You’re working on your story and suddenly get a brilliant idea for an entirely different story. What do you do? Write down as many notes about the new one as you can, enough to jog your brain at a future date, then get back to the original one.

Jumpstart: I lined up my lucky charms. There was the heart stone, the blue feather, the four leaf clover and all the rest. I would need them all for this.

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October 25

Birthdays: Thomas Babington Macaulay (1800), Carolyn Sherwin Bailey (1875), John Berryman (1914), Fred Marcellino (1939), Anne Tyler (1941), Stephen Leather (1956),  Elif Shafak (1971), Zadie Smith (1975),

Carolyn Bailey won the 1947 Newbery Medal for “Miss Hickory”

John Berryman won the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry and the National Book Award.

Anne Tyler won the 1989 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction for “Breathing Lessons”

Zadie Smith won the 2006 Orange Prize for Fiction

Quote: “I can never tell ahead of time which book will give me trouble – some baulk every step of the way, others seem to write themselves – but certainly the mechanics of writing, finding the time and the psychic space, are easier now that my children are grown.” – Anne Tyler

“History has shown that it doesn’t start with concentration camps or mass murder, or civil war or genocide. It always starts with words: stereotypes, clichés, tropes. The fight against dehumanisation, therefore, also needs to start with words. Stories.” – Elif Shafak

Tip: Secondary characters should be necessary and not just there as place holders. Really good secondaries should grow and change like the primaries. Maybe not as significantly, but there should be something.

Jumpstart: I pulled the picture from the box. It was faded and wrinkled, but you could still make out…

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October 26

Birthdays: Beryl Markham (1902), John L’Heureux (1934), Andrew Niederman (1940), Steven Kellogg (1941), Pat Conroy (1945), Andrew Motion (1952), Adam Mars-Jones (1954), Stacy Schiff (1961), Jim Butcher (1971), Shan Sa (1972), Marisha Pessl (1977), Siphiwo Mahala (1970s?)

Quote: “Young writers often confuse dialogue with conversation, under the assumption that the closer you get to reality, the more convincing you sound. But dialogue is not conversation. Dialogue is a construct; it is artificial; it is much more efficient and believable than real conversation. Just as fiction itself distorts reality in order to achieve a larger truth, so dialogue eliminates all the false starts and irrelevant intrusions of real life in order to reveal character and move the encounter toward a dramatic conclusion.” – John L’Heureux

“Politicians are better liars than writers.” – Shan Sa

“For a few thousand years, women had no history. Marriage was our calling, and meekness our virtue. Over the last century, in stuttering succession, we have gained a voice, a vote, a room, a playing field of our own. Decorously or defiantly, we now approach what surely qualifies as the final frontier.” – Stacy Schiff

Tip: Try not to use non-descriptive terms such as “it” or “thing” when talking about a particular item. Make each word work.

Jumpstart: “You kept it. All these years. Why?” (What is it? Who’s talking?)

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October 27

Birthdays: Desiderius Erasmus (1466), Emily Post (1872), Dylan Thomas (1914), Sylvia Plath (1932), Neil Sheehan (1936), Maxine Hong Kingston (1940), J.A. Jance (1944), Steve Almond (1966), Jonathan Stroud (1970), Anthony Doerr (1973),

Sylvia Plath was the first poet to win a Pulitzer Prize posthumously.

Neil Sheehan won the National Book Award and Pulitzer Prize for Nonfiction for “A Bright Shining Lie”

Anthony Doerr won the 2015 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction for “All the Light We Cannot See”

Quote: “When I write something that would have made me laugh as a 10-year-old, or would have scared me or would have excited me, I know I’m onto something.” – Jonathan Stroud

“I can never read all the books I want; I can never be all the people I want and live all the lives I want. I can never train myself in all the skills I want. And why do I want? I want to live and feel all the shades, tones and variations of mental and physical experience possible in life.” – Sylvia Plath

Tip: As Stephen King says, “Love what you do.” Writing is difficult and sometimes not at all fun, but you should love what you do.

Jumpstart: I caught a glimpse of a tattoo on her back. That really surprised me. I’d never have thought it of her. What is it and why does it surprise this person?

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October 28

Birthdays: Evelyn Waugh (1903), George Dangerfield (1904), Ian Hamilton Finlay (1925), John Hollander (1929), Anne Perry (1938), Joe R. Lansdale (1951), Ayad Akhtar (1970)

Ayad Akhtar won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama for “Disgraced”

Quote: “A good poem satisfies the ear. It creates a story or picture that grabs you, informs you and entertains you.” – Ian Hamilton Hollander

“I should like to bury something precious in every place where I’ve been happy and then, when I’m old and ugly and miserable, I could come back and dig it up and remember.” – Evelyn Waugh

Tip: Some people say that all the good stories have been written. That’s not true. Your story hasn’t been told yet, so tell it, in your way, with your words.

Jumpstart: Five years after I left town, I returned. Nothing had changed. Nothing except me…

With the town’s supernatural community trying to shore up the magic wall around their borders, they’re getting overwhelmed. They need someone who moves fast and is awake all night. Caspian knows just the guy. When Stefan agreed to leave his beloved hometown of New Orleans to move to a tiny town in the middle of Ohio, Caspian could have warned him the place was full of sprites. Those tiny, magical creatures are Stefan’s favorite flavored juice box. The scent drives him wild. Luckily, there’s one spitfire of a sprite willing to keep his cravings satisfied. Now all he can do is hope he doesn’t end up getting precious Relic killed. Witchin Fangs is the fifth book in Charity Parkerson’s Witchin series. These fun, short paranormal romances are meant to be devoured on your lunch break. Read along as a tiny town in Ohio grows its supernatural community one resident at a time.

Amazon

Charity Parkerson is an award-winning and multi-published author with several companies. Born with no filter from her brain to her mouth, she decided to take this odd quirk and insert it in her characters

Link

Twelve years after a devastating flu that eliminated much of the world’s population, the human race is trying to survive while living a much simpler life. Gabriella is a midwife and a demon hunter. She helps bring new life into the world, while doing her best to prevent evil from growing. Only there seems to be much more evil lately, and far less new life. Something big is happening and she may be the only one who can stop it.

Jack is an angel in a human vessel sent to protect and assist Gabby in solving the puzzle of good and evil she faces. It should be a simple assignment, but he doesn’t count on the emotions he now must deal with, or the attraction he feels. He faces exile if he oversteps his moral boundaries, but when he realizes his love for Gabby, he wonders if falling from grace because of her is so bad.

Amazon

About Victoria Smith

Victoria Smith wrote her first romance at the age of nine and hid the story from her brothers to avoid being teased. Her mother recently found the folded notebook paper and, if you’re lucky, one day she’ll reveal the hero in that story. Now, she writes urban fantasy, paranormal romance, romantic suspense and women’s fiction – always with a happy, or at least satisfying, ending.

Link

THE PROFESSOR’S LADY (The Thomason’s of Locust Street #3) by Holly Bush.

Meet the Thompsons of Locust Street, an unconventional family taking Philadelphia high society by storm…

1870 Kirsty Thompson is determined to begin her own business bringing beloved Scottish fabrics and yarns to Philadelphia but first she must meet the men and women who weave the plaids and spin the wool. How will she ever escape her protective older siblings and sail to Scotland? Albert Watson is a medical doctor focusing on research, especially that of Joseph Lister and his sterilization techniques. He speaks at universities in America and in England while visiting his London relatives. As he prepares to sail for just such an engagement, Kirsty Thompson boards his ship to beg him to take her with him. What’s a gentleman to do? Albert cancels his trip across the ocean to escort Miss Thompson back to Philadelphia and finds there is danger afoot for her and her family. Soon he comes to realize there is also danger for his heart, even for a man who rarely pulls his nose from a medical journal.  He finds himself unable to put Miss Kirsty Thompson out of his thoughts, where they belonged, because certainly a beautiful, ambitious, and charming young woman could have no interest in him. Or could she?

Website

COLOR BLIND by Andrew Grey

Fiction, M/M, Romance, Contemporary, Novella, 127 pages

4****

Blurb: Setting out on your own is tough, but for Mason Fullerton, who was born blind, it’s even more of a challenge. Mase decides that the key to independence and a life of his own is getting a job. His mother, who has always been there for support, isn’t so sure, but Mase is determined. He manages to secure an interview, and one of the men conducting it has a voice that wraps around him like a blanket. Tyrone Phillips feels he’s a disappointment to his accomplished academic parents. They don’t understand that Ty would rather spend time with his computers and programs than people. Until he meets Mason at an interview and finds a kindred spirit. Too bad his parents aren’t going to see past the fact that Mason’s white. When Mason is hired, Ty is assigned to help him get oriented. The two of them dance around each other, but mutual attraction tugs at both of them. A work friendship builds to more, with Ty and Mase trying to find their way… and if they have courage and allow their hearts to guide them, they could be going the same direction.

Thoughts: I will admit that I didn’t care for this book as much as I did some of Andrew’s other ones, but, that being said, there are two strong topics touched upon in this book that need to be addressed in more books – and he does them very well.

The first is prejudices – racial, educational, social, and disabilities. The second is parental love and how it can become overpowering. In this book, Mason is a white man who was born blind. He struggles with independence constantly. His love interest, Ty, has no problems with Mase’s lack of sight. His parents though… Ty is black and his parents are highly educated university professors who don’t want him dating a white man who is also blind. Plus they want him to continue his education. Mase’s mother is overly protective and doesn’t want Mase out on his own.

The two men have to figure out their own issues with their parents, where to live, and working together. Mr. Grey handles these problems with a deft hand, but the book seemed rushed. It ended on a “happy-for-now” ending that was okay, but I believe a little more development would have benefited the book.

Recommendation: If you are an Andrew Grey fan, pick this one up. It’s a short, quick read with two good main characters who face multiple problems with each other. There’s a HFN ending that let’s you know there more in the future for these two.

Disclaimer: I received a final and/or advanced reader copy of this book with the hope that I will leave my unbiased opinion. I was not required to leave a review, positive or otherwise, and my opinions are just that… My Opinions. I am posting this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising” 

Fiction, Paranormal Cozy Mystery, Novella

5*****

Blurb: There’s something afoot at the faire…Running a Renaissance Faire that employs and houses a bunch of misfit paranormals means Verla Faeth is well-acquainted with mischief and mayhem. So when her ex, Finn Taragon, shows up unannounced with a puppy in tow as a token of peace, she’s prepared for almost anything. Except tripping over a dead body, finding out the dog is a Cerberus, and apparently, she’s moved from wanna-be seer to crosser-of-the-dead.Finding the murderer will be hard enough, but having Finn move in next door to her might just be her undoing. 

Thoughts: this is the perfect time of year to pick up this series of paranormal cozy mysteries. This one is the first in the series. They are all novella length and available individually as ebooks, or collectively (three to a book) as paperbacks.

In this one, we are introduced to Verla who manages a Renaissance Faire that has more going on behind the scenes than in front. The “workers” are almost all paranormals, as is she. Her ex-husband, Finn shows up with an adorable puppy, determined to win her back and she can’t kick him out because he’s related to the owner, her boss. Things go from frustrating to weird as Verla trips over a dead body, discovers what her powers are, and that the cute puppy is definitely more than he seems. The characters are fun and realistic, and the world building is excellent.

Recommendation: This definitely should be on your “buy” list. The entire series should be. You won’t go wrong with this cute paranormal cozy.

October 15

Birthdays: Virgil (70 BC), P.G. Wodehouse (1881), Friedrich Nietzsche (1844), George Turner (1916), Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr. (1917), Mario Puzo (1920), Italo Calvino (1923), Ed McBain (1926) (aka Evan Hunter), Laurie McBain (1949), Walter Jon Williams (1953), Stephen Clarke (1958), Roxane Gay (1974)

Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr. was a two-time Pulitzer Prize winner for History and Biography.

Mario Puzo is best known for his books on the Mafia like the “Godfather” series

Quote: “I love writing fiction because I can totally lose myself and I get to make up the rules of the world that I’m writing.” – Roxanne Gay

“I don’t trust society to protect us, I have no intention of placing my fate in the hands of men whose only qualification is that they managed to con a block of people to vote for them.” – Mario Puzo

Tip: Any reputable agent should be willing to provide you with a list of sales and clients. Verify that these books and authors exist. Check references. If they claim to be a member of AAR, check them out on the web site.

Jumpstart: You live alone. While you were gone for a weekend, someone ransacked your home. Who would do that? Why?

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October 16

Birthdays: Noah Webster (1758), Oscar Wilde (1854), Claude H. Van Tyne (1869), Eugene O’Neill (1888), Olivia Coolidge (1908), Kathleen Winsor (1919), Gunter Grass (1927), Paul Monette (1945), Suzanne Somers (1946), Elinor Lipman (1950), Lorenzo Carcaterra (1954), Meg Rosoff (1956), Alafair Burke (1969),

Noah Webster is best known for his work on dictionaries.

Claude H. Van Tyne won the 1930 Pulitzer Prize for History for “The War of Independence”

Eugene O’Neill won the Pulitzer for Drama and the Nobel Prize for Literature.

Gunter Grass won the 1999 Nobel Prize for Literature.

Quote: “I strive to make my books appear effortless.  For readers to lose themselves in a book, they should be able to believe that story, characters, and settings exist in a parallel world.” – Alafair Burke

“Not everything you want to know is explained properly on Google.” – Meg Rosoff

Tip: Having a poor agent is worse than having none at all. If you can’t find a reputable agent to submit your work, submit it yourself to those places that take unagented material.

Jumpstart: On Oct. 16, 1955, the first Ann Landers column was published by the Chicago Sun Times. You’ve just become the new Ann Landers. What is your first letter about and what is your advice?

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October 17

Birthdays: Nathanael West (1903), Ester Wier (1910), Arthur Miller (1915), Jimmy Breslin (1930), Robert Jordan (1948), Wally Lamb (1950), David Means (1961), Patrick Ness (1971), Ariel Levy (1974),

Ester Wier won the 1964 Newbery Honor for “The Loner”

Robert Jordan is best known for his “The Wheel of Time” series

Quote: “You have to have talent to some extent – I certainly hope I have talent – but you have to have luck as well. Once you get that first shot, that will get you noticed for the rest of your books and that will give the rest of your books a better chance.” – Robert Jordan

Tip: If you have several projects you want to work on but can’t decide which one to do first, take fifteen minutes and write on each project. Just write, as quickly as you can for fifteen minutes, then take a short break and go on to the next project. The project to work on is the one where you forget to stop after fifteen minutes and keep going or the one which, when you read it, it really grabs you.

Jumpstart: This is what I knew about love before he came along. Now, I know better…

“If you want your prayers answered, get up off your knees and do something about them.”

― Wally Lamb, She’s Come Undone

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October 18

Birthdays: Henri Bergson (1859), Logan Pearsall Smith (1865), James Truslow Adams (1878), H.L. Davis (1894), Esther Hautzig (1930), James Robert Baker (1946), Terry McMillan (1951), Rick Moody (1961), Charles Stross (1964), Amish Tripathi (1974),

Henri Bergson won the 1927 Nobel Prize in Literature

James Truslow Adams won the 1921 Pulitzer Prize for History for “The Founding of ew England”

H.L. Davis won the 1936 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction for “Honey in the Horn”

Quote: “If you’re going to write for a living, you should find something fun to write.” – Charles Stross

“I don’t believe in symbolic gods.I believe that god exists all around us.In the flow of the river,in the rustle of the trees,in the whisper of the winds. He speaks to us all the time.all we need to do is listen.” ― Amish Tripathi, The Immortals of Meluha

Tip: In the story, motivation is the past (why they want something), goal is the future (what they want), and conflict is the present (why they can’t have it).

Jumpstart: He had never come this way before. And now he knew why… (use bullet hole, fender, fence)

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October 19

Birthdays: Miguel Angel Asturias (1899), Ed Emberley (1931), John le Carre (1931), Sylvia Browne (1936), Renata Adler (1937), Andrew Vachss (1942), L.E. Modesitt (1943), Philip Pullman (1946), Dan Gutman (1955), Susan Straight (1960), Mark Behr (1963), John Edward (1969),

Miguel Angel Asturias won the 1967 Nobel Prize in Literature

Susan Straight was a finalist for the 2001 National Book Award for “Highwire Moon”

Quote: “I think the first thing you’ve got to do is grab the reader by the ear, and make him sit down and listen. Make him laugh, make him feel. We all want to be entertained at a very high level.” – John le Carre

“Cats are the lap-dancers of the animal world. Soon as you stop shelling out, they move on, find another lap. They’re furry little sociopaths. Pretty and slick — in love with themselves. When’s the last time you saw a seeing-eye cat?” ― Andrew Vachss, Safe House

Tip: Writing retreats are amazing. Even if it’s just you by yourself, it can help you fill your well, rest, read, and, most of all…write.

Jumpstart: We walked through the woods, enjoying the sunshine, then we found…

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October 20

Birthdays: Arthur Rimbaud (1854), Samuel Flagg Bemis (1891), Frederic Dannay (1905), Art Buchwald (1925), Michael McClure (1932), Robert Pinsky (1940), Lewis Grizzard (1946), Elfriede Jelinek (1946), Nikki Grimes (1950), David Profumo (1955), Gennifer Choldenko (1957), Lynn Flewelling (1958), Kate Mosse (1961),

Samuel Flagg Bemis won two Pulitzer Prizes – one in History, one in Biography

Frederic Dannay wrote as the fictional Ellery Queen (along with his cousin Manford Lepofsky).

Robert Pinsky was the US Poet Laureate from 1997-2000.

Elfriede Jelinek won the 2004 Nobel Prize in Literature

Gennifer Choldenko won a 2005 Newbery Honor for her book “Al Capone Does my Shirts”

Quote: Five minutes of writing a day is better than no minutes. Too many new writers think that unless they have plenty of time, it’s not worth booting up the computer or sharpening that pencil. But think of it, instead, like practising scales on the piano before tackling that Beethoven Concerto or like warming-up in the gym – the more you prepare for writing, the better shape you’ll be in once you have time to really concentrate.” Kate Mosse

“History is written by the victors, the strongest, the most determined. Truth is found most often in the silence, in the quiet places.” ― Kate Mosse, Labyrinth

Tip: Turn off your inner critic. Don’t compare, analyze, criticize. Just write.

Jumpstart: It was an old song that took me back to that day. The day when my life changed forever.

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October 21

Birthdays: Samuel T. Coleridge (1772), Edogawa Rampo (1894), Martin Gardner (1914), Ursula K. LeGuin (1929), Frances FitzGerald (1940), Ai (1947), Mayr Pipher (1947), Ellen Wittlinger (1948), Patti Davis (1952), Carrie Fisher (1956),

Edogawa Rampo is known for helping develop Japanese mystery fiction.

Martin Gardner wrote math games columns for “Scientific American” for years.

Ursula LeGuin is best known for her science fiction and fantasy stories. She was a multiple winner of both the Hugo and Nebula awards.

Ai won the 1999 National Book award for Poetry

Quote: “Read everything you can get your hands on, all sorts of different things—fiction, nonfiction, plays, poetry, newspapers, the toothpaste tube. And then, write.” – Ellen Wittlinger

“What sane person could live in this world and not be crazy?” ― Ursula K. LeGuin

Tip: Be sure to keep various versions of your story, including cut scenes (you might be able to use them somewhere else), but keep the names logical for instance, use the title and what version it is: writingjournal_v3.

Jumpstart: I stared at him as he stood there. “Wear this for protection,” he said as he handed me a vest. What was I going to do?

ASTROLOGY FOR THE COSMIC SOUL by The Pulp Girls

Nonfiction, Occult, Astrology, 192 pages

5*****

Blurb: Explore your zodiac sign with the modern wit and style of The Pulp Girls, a dynamic duo dedicated to creating inclusive pulp art memes centering female empowerment. Astrology can provide a sense of recognition, a way of examining relationships, or even just a distraction from the uncertainty of real life. Filled withfun, pulp art–style illustrations,Astrology for the Cosmic Soul shows you how to find your own birth chart and the different celestial placements in it. After a review of astrology basics, The Pulp Girls break down each of the twelve sun signs of the zodiac with practical uses and just-for-fun facts like: Self-care tips, Lucky charms, Best crystals for the signs, Affirmations for the signs, The signs and their late-night thoughts, Two truths and a lie about the signs, The signs as types of witches. Everything you need to become more in tune and take control of your life lies within yourself, and Astrology for the Cosmic Soul will help you discover it.

Thoughts: This was a fun, informative book about astrology. I’ve read several books on the subject, but this was the first one that was actually enjoyable. Filled with bright, colorful drawings that enhanced the pages and a ton of information. The book will guide you through figuring out your birth chart with sun, moon, and rising symbols. 

The first part is all about astrology 101- the basics. Other chapters include positive and negative aspects for each sign, how to use astrology with tarot, amulets, and grounding, and then some fun stuff like the best Halloween costumes for each sign, mixology, and what kind of vampire or mermaid you’d be best as. 

Recommendation: Definitely recommended for the uninitiated – or if you’re just looking for a fun way to learn about the basics of astrology. I received this as an ebook, but I strongly recommend the physical one. I know I’ve already put it on my “purchase” list. 

Disclaimer: thanks to Netgalley and Rock Point Publishing for providing this ARC.  I received a final and/or advanced reader copy of this book with the hope that I will leave my unbiased opinion. I was not required to leave a review, positive or otherwise, and my opinions are just that… My Opinions. I am posting this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”