Pretty much the world as we know it today began in the 1920's:  Highways, electricity, indoor plumbing, sewage systems, automobiles, and let's not forget women's right to vote all came into action in the 1920's.  With that came hair dryers, washing machines, and many other inventions that made life easier.  Cars were fast, the terrors of World War I were starting to fade, and jazz was sounding off a new decade. In this unprecedented time have you ever wondered what the men and women of the 1920's wore to the beach?  What about the Indianapolis 500?  And can you believe back in the 1920's - just like now - people were encouraged to get outdoors and exercise?  They didn't have the comfy clothing that we know today, but it was much more relaxed than only a decade before.  This is the time when the basketball shoe, that we know and love today, was invented.   If you or your children would like to have a little fun while lea......

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May is the month we celebrate mothers.  If you are a mother, chances are, you could use a little "inspiration and education."  First some inspiration:  Did you know that the word mom spelled upside down = WOW?  That's because moms are W-onderful, O-verwhelmed, W-omen.  They are also S-plendid, T-alented, A-mazing and R-remarkable S-upports.  Which, by the way, spells S-T-A-R-S.  Now for some inspiring education:  Stephanie Precourt tells us that, "There will be so many times you feel like you failed, but in the eyes, heart, and mind of your child you are supermom."   But sometimes even supermoms feel anxious and exhausted.  If you or someone you know fall into this category have them contact me for a heart to heart talk.  If you really want to relax and learn and be fed (parmesan chicken, cheesy potatoes, tossed salad, and homemade, deep, dish apple pie + get to tour the beautiful......

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#4 Have a positive attitude and be realistic             While having tea in a bookstore the other day, a man at the next table struck up a conversation with me. No, the point of this story isn’t that I was actually able to find a bookstore where I could sit and read, peruse the shelves and speak randomly to other book lovers—although that certainly is worthy of a blog post—it’s what he said when he learned I was a published author.             “My book is going to be more popular than Harry Potter and Fifty Shades combined.”             I did some quick math. That meant he believed his novel was going to sell in excess of 550 million copies.             “Great.” I considered asking if he was writing about a domineeri......

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#3 Celebrate Your Successes, Face Your Failures Learn as much from your successes as you do from your failures             I wrote my first novel when I was 24 years old and while a prosecutor working sex crimes and child abuse. I didn’t have an agent. A small press that has since gone out of business published the novel. While I did not sell many books, I was invited to speak on panels and did book signings. I got an agent. I was on my way. I was going to be a writing success story.             Then my agent unexpectedly passed away. Opportunities continued to arise, at least for a short time. Another small press wanted to publish a book of mine, however the novel was never released.             At this time, I’m 29 years old and feeling like my writing career would never go anywhere. I was a writing failu......

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Dear Friends, I decided to have my novels made into audiobooks. I used a website called ACX.com, which is owned by Amazon. They have a great system. You post a script from your book (about 2 pages long) and invite narrators to audition. Once you find someone that seems suitable to complete your auditory vision, you negotiate a deal with them. It could be an agreed upon hourly fee based on the actual running time of the audiobook (not how long it took them to record it, which is much longer) or you can share in the proceeds from the sales of the audiobook. The narrator is also the producer so it is their job to handle all aspects of the production, including uploading to ACX. As the author, you do a quality check after the first 15 minutes of recorded material and at the end. You sign off on the final product, and then ACX does a check to make sure everything is in order.  I am proud to have my books as audiobooks. The narrators I have chosen are incredible. ACX must be proud too......

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It started this morning around 11:00 am.  I'll called my nephew Charlie and asked if he wanted to go sledding.  His reply, "I was just getting ready to call you to see if you wanted to go."  I told him I'd pick him up in ten minutes.   My 18-year-old daughter, Kristin, her boyfriend, Cody and his sister, Jessica joined us.  We found the perfect  spot.  It was in the cow pasture and had a few brier bushes and sink holes, but if you were raised on a farm - this kind of stuff is expected and accepted when sledding.  The cows were very curious and watched us with their big round eyes.  Two of them actually started to follow us, and looked at us with questioning faces, as if to ask, "May we have a turn."  There are just some things that happen in the country that seem natural to me but very strange to most of the world.  I bet we went up and down the hills at least twenty times. This was one of those......

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Definitions for "essence" are as follows:  The most important ingredient, the basic nature of a thing,  the entity that makes a substance what it is.  Did you know that even though it is January 3, it is only the ninth day of Christmas?  That's right, if we celebrate the twelve days of Christmas we have three more days to enjoy the essence of this beautiful holiday season.  After forty-four Christmas seasons I just found out that the twelve days of Christmas starts on December 25.  But even better I discovered the essence of the Twelve Days of Christmas.  It goes as follows:   Christians made up this song sometime during the 16th century as a secret code to teach their children valuable lessons of their Catholic faith.  (The king of England banned all Catholic teachings because of divorce issue.  Anyone caught with a writing of Catholic teaching was severely punished or killed.  Hence, The Twelve Days of ......

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Isn't it the tradition of the holidays that makes them special?  Grandma makes the pumpkin pie, mom makes the turkey, Aunt Lou makes some delicious cookies.  Everyone gathers together spreading love and cheer.  The smell food and home welcomes you - tugging at something down deep within your heart.  Touching your very soul.  If you have ever experienced this environment or feeling you do indeed have something to be thankful for during the holidays.  Family and home is everything in this wonderful thing we call life. In order to keep some tradition I combined my grandmothers' pumpkin pie recipes together to make, what I consider and so does my father and brother the perfect traditional pumpkin pie.  Let me share my secret recipe with you: 1.  Start by picking out a large pumpkin or squash.  They come in many different shapes and sizes.  Stay away from the ones that you would carve for Halloween. ......

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When I was asked to write something as the featured author on LoveStories.com, I was honored. But what would I write to captivate my fellow Love Stories members, to help them see a unique side of who I am, to aid me in learning about their lives and to invite conversation? And then it hit me. Of course, I would write about LOVE. HERE ARE MY LOVE STORIES             As a small child, I was in love with my parents. They protected me, nurtured me and guided me. Dad made up bedtime stories that carried into the daytime hours until we would have entire discussions with him playing the role of Dr. Rajah, the heroic explorer, while I would mimic the voices of Ellie the Elephant and the silly monkeys.  Mom would make me try things. New food, new activities, new friends. Always telling me I could achieve anything.             I wrote my first book when I was eight years ol......

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Distance Differences Between a 5K and a Marathon: 5K                                           Marathon 5 Kilometers                           42.2 Kilometers      5000 Meters                           42,200 meters 3.1 Miles                                26.2 Miles 16,368 Feet       &nb......

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