Join me and my author friends as we share some fun posts for this month. Check theirs out at the end.
Today, I’m going to share three of my favorite things for Valentine’s Day. One of my favorite holidays.
*Crafts
*Sweets
*Books
First Up, This Fun Card To Make
Growing up, our mom was always making crafts and Valentine’s Day was one of her favorites. Mine, too! If you follow me, you know I’m all about the hearts, year round. 💝
I also love trees! So, why not combine the two? You can add special sayings like:
“My Love Keeps Growing and Growing For You”
“Spread Your Love Like Leaves On A Tree”
Or, just write a personal message with your name on it.
Use any kind of paper or cardstock. Use, crayons, colored pencils, paints or your favorite art mediums. Follow these directions to make your special card.
Card to make for Valentine’s Day
Next Up…
Sweets!
The Best Peanut Butter and Chocolate Fudge Ever!
You’ll need…
3 cups chocolate chips. Use any chocolates you like. I prefer the milk chocolate.
1 can fat free sweetened condensed milk. (You can’t tell the difference since this fudge is loaded with sweetness.)
24 regular size unwrapped peanut butter cups
Instructions
Line 9×13 baking dish with foil and spray with nonstick cooking spray lightly. Line with 12 peanut butter cups If you need to fill the bottom of your pan, add more.
Use a large microwave-safe bowl, add chocolate chips and sweetened condensed milk. Stir together. Microwave 30 second. Stir. Keep melting until completely smooth. Pour over peanut butter cups to cover them all.
Cut up the remaining Reese’s and press into the top. Let it set to cool to room temperature {30 minutes to 1 hour} before refrigerating. Cover and refrigerate until completely solid. Overnight works great. Once it’s solid, remove from the pan using the foil and cut into small 1 inch by 1 inch squares.
These are very rich and soooo good!
Last, But, Not Least…..
Books!
Give the gift of reading!
Click on the poster below to read about these eleven titles. If you have any questions about them for your readers, let me know.
Don’t forget to click on the author names below for more February fun! Don’t forget to check out their books, too.
In this blog post, you’ll find come special quotes to consider as you leap into the new year. I’ll share some of my favorites first, then at the bottom of this post, you’ll find some other inspirational blog posts from our author friends who will share theirs, too.
Enjoy!
My Favorite Quotes From One Of My Favorite People…Zig Ziglar!
Before I start, let me tell you about Zig Ziglar.
Zig Ziglar was born on November 06, 1926, and sadly passed away, November 28, 2012. He was a salesman, a motivational speaker, and later became a wonderful author, sharing his wisdom to people around the world.
I first heard of Zig Ziglar when I was a high school graduate. Our mother had been a fan of him for many years. When my boyfriend, now husband, started in sales, she highly recommended he read his books and follow his advice.
Mr. Ziglar had some of the best quotes of anyone I’ve known. I’ll share some here with you today and give you my personal thoughts on each one. I hope you’ll take the time to look him up and watch some of his videos.
Please let me know if you would like to add your thoughts to the meaning of these quotes in the comment section below.
“You can have everything in life you want, if you will just help other people get what they want.” ~Zig Ziglar
This is the first quote of his I learned and it has stayed with me my whole life.
Helping other people get what they want is key here.
Credit for Image: Ave Calvar Martinez from Pexels
Say, you’re selling a product or providing a service. Of course, you want that customer to buy that product or sign up for that service. If truly in your heart you know they will benefit from this product or service, then you are helping that person get what they want or need. Even if they don’t buy, the excitement and passion you showed them, may want them to reconsider down the road. If not, it’s still a win. You helped them and that’s a wonderful feeling in itself. Doing good deeds shows great character, in personal relationships and in business.
Thought two on this.
The best way to bring yourself out of a bad mood or attitude, “stinkin thinking,” as Zig would say, do something for someone else. Helping others always makes us feel better, right?
“Repetition is the mother of learning, the father of action, which makes it the architect of accomplishment.” ~Zig Ziglar
Ooh, I love this one! I know in my heart of hearts that if I want to become better at writing or drawing, I’m going to have to practice it, and practice it a lot. Showing up each day with with consistent goals in mind and doing them, is a must to me. Repeating the hard work through putting those actions into motion will eventually take me to the accomplishment of my goal.
Image Credit: Ksenia Chernaya from Pexels
“You can start where you are with what you’ve got and go to wherever it is you want to go.” ~Zig Ziglar
Image Credit: Gerd Attmann from Pexels
Another one that hits home to me.
When I was a substitute teacher, my days were filled with walking into a blank slate of the unknown. I wouldn’t know which students excelled or didn’t. I would literally have to meet those students where they were at and help them the best I could. Comparing them to each other and what they knew, was something I would not do. I would meet them where they were at and we’d go from there. They in turn, would have to meet me where I was at, as well. I wish I could share all the wonderful stories of success I saw with those students. They liked that I saw them for who they were, not the expectations of what I thought they were suppose to be.
Another personal note, I was older when I became an author and illustrator. I had to start a road of learning with little background in this field. I had to start where I was at. Small steps were eventually built to bigger and bigger steps. Even after almost eight years, I’m still learning and growing everyday.
“If you can dream it, you can achieve it.” ~Zig Ziglar
I do believe we all have dreams we want to achieve in this life. Some want promotions, some want items, some just want to get through the day having a happy, healthy life with our family and friends.
Photo by Karyme Franca from Pexels
One thing I would like to add about dreams though, they don’t come true without some effort on our part. If you want that special dream home, a certain career, etc. it all takes planning, steps to make it happen and dedication to make it to the finish line. Sure, there are obstacles, but getting back to those plans at a later date is always a wonderful possibility, too.
Now join me as I introduce to you some amazing authors that have written on this subject to get you inspired for the new year. Click on their names below.
On October 21, 2019, I released a very special book close to my heart. The last of the “Maggie, Millie and Merrie” series. This book has brought much joy to many who have read it.
What’s “Maggie, Millie and Merrie’s Mystery Mail” about?
Maggie, Millie, and Merrie’s Mystery Mail
“The triplets are back, and my, have they grown. The Midwest winter strikes them with a vengeance of snow. Stuck in the house with too many snow days, they turn grumpy with nothing to do. That is, until a mysterious package is delivered. Will the trio be pulled from their boredom as mail arrives each day?”
There’s a super fun art activity in the back of this book with endless ideas on what to make. I even have provided a sheet below for you to gather your supplies to get started.
Don’t forget to check out the yummy recipe in the back of the book for you to serve over the holidays or anytime.
Click on the image below to order your paperback or ebook.
Supplies you’ll need for this art activity. Yummy Treat Recipe!
If you are looking for other books to give to your readers this holiday season, you’ve come to the right place. We have Early Readers all the way up to Middle Grade!
Click on the image below to get your copies today!
Books from Books by Rose
Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful holiday season, everyone!
Let us know what you all have planned for the holidays.
If you have any new up and coming projects, we’d love to hear about those, too!
Let’s take a look and learn more about this day and why it’s celebrated.
Art is an expression that is portrayed in many ways through many forms. Read more about this day here. ► “International Artist Day.”
Today, I’d like to take this time to share two artists and their works with you. You may remember me featuring them awhile back.
First, we are honoring a Kansas City artist, Marilyn C. McWilliams.
She is the mother of our friend whom our family grew up with, Paul McWilliams.
Sadly, his mother passed away in 2017. We wanted to show you her talented life as an artist.
Her Amazing Story
Marilyn C. McWilliams
Marilyn’s Love For Art Started At A Very Young Age.
Once she was ready to venture out on her own, she attended the Kansas City Art Institute here in Kansas City. When landing her first job, she started working at Hallmark Cards as an artist.
After Hallmark, Marilyn worked the rest of her professional life as a freelance artist for a variety of women’s clothing stores in Kansas City. She illustrated the entire catalog for local women’s wear manufacturer, Fashionbilt, for many years. Fashionbilt – a significant women’s wear manufacturer that was located in the KC garment district on 8th Street. For those that are not familiar with the history behind the Kansas City garment industry. Here is an interesting article written by ► MONROE DODD on September 11, 2015.
She became involved with the fashion art for the high-end women’s stores on the Plaza, as well.
Painted my Marilyn C. McWilliams
Art Classes
She frequently took classes in a variety of mediums including sculpting, oil, and acrylics. She and her grandson were kindred spirits who could communicate more without passing a word than could with conversation. Their styles were very different, but they saw things similarly. Artists tend to see emotion in what they draw and paint, and the good ones communicate that emotion in ways that allow us to feel it too. Stay tune for part two in this post, as her grandson’s art will be featured in a different post.
Marilyn painted this for her grandson, Jason
In addition to being known as one of the top fashion illustrators in KC, Marilyn loved to paint portraits and had an uncanny ability to reveal the personality of her subjects.
Paintings by Marilyn C. McWilliams
Volunteer Work
Marilyn left the Kansas City area for Texas in 1975 and passing through Houston and Austin, settled with her husband in Tyler, TX. Marilyn loved people logged over 10,000 hours as a volunteer with The USO, American Red Cross, St. David’s Hospital, ETMC, TASCA, Meals on Wheels, Hospice of East Texas, The Great Get Away Cancer Camp, The Tyler Art League and the University Christian Church where she was also a member for nearly three decades. As a member of the Tyler Art League, Marilyn participated in the annual Pallet of the Roses where she won 8 Blue Ribbons.
Painting by Marilyn C. McWilliams
This is the photograph used to paint “The Rugged Face of Crete.” The photographer, John Fabac, who won an award for this photo.
“The Rugged Face of Crete”
Here is a public article written by “Explore Crete” The travel guide to real Crete. to tell you more of the pillage of Anogia and the story behind the destruction of Anogia. Read story ► here.
What Marilyn Loved Most
Marilyn loved doing charcoal sketches of patients attending Cancer Camp and even when arthritis made it uncomfortable, she persisted for nearly 20-years.
She had a gentle way of relaxing the patients and would sketch them as they looked before the side effects took their toll.
The vast majority of those sketches were taken by the patients or given to the surviving families of patients that didn’t make it, but a few are included in the photographs here.
The Great Get A Way Cancer Camp
Most of these sketches are of patients attending “The Great Get Away Cancer Camp” in Tyler, TX. Marilyn attended this weekend camp every year for nearly 20 years. She often sketched into the night even though her arthritis would stiffen her hand. When she ran out of time, she would take photographs, do the sketches at home and deliver them.
The Great Get A Way Cancer Camp
Remembering Marilyn C. McWilliams
Here is a beautiful article written about her by Augusta Robinson, Sept. 8, 2017.
Jason McWilliams was born in 1976. Unfortunately, he passed away half way through his college sophomore year, in 1996.
Jason McWilliams
Jason lived a life of many talents. Outside of being very artistic, he played and lettered in the marching band all four of his high school years at Blue Valley North.
He could play virtually any musical instrument. He learned to play them after practicing on them just a short time. In band, he played all the different saxophones.
Drawn by Jason McWilliams
How Jason Communicated With His Art
As an artist, he communicated emotions through his art. For example, many artists will paint a face using flesh tones, lighting, and reflections which actually sends many other colors to our eyes that our brain tune out. That’s where artists tune in. When Jason colored as a child, it was evident he tuned into these colors that brought life and emotions to his images. When he expressed concerned about this, his dad told him, “Bluebirds don’t have to be blue.” This resonated with Jason and he stayed true to that statement.
Painting Jason Made Of His Sister
His Former Years
When Jason was in grade school, around eight or nine years old, his parents enrolled him in evening art classes. These classes were taught by professional artists to mostly middle aged students. Jason felt a little intimidated around the older students and they were curious about him being there. Once they saw his talent, he was quickly accepted as their peers.
Sports Paintings
Jason And His Grandmother
Jason and his grandmother had kindred spirits and communicated on the same level. Even though his grandmother had come from a line of artists and was a professional in her own right, she was taken in by Jason’s talent. She and Jason had radically different styles. His grandmother stayed more towards the traditional bounds of art, whereas Jason was not afraid to go outside the boundaries. He enjoyed testing past them. They learned from each other and complimented each other in many ways.
Painted by Jason McWilliams
Jason’s High School Years
When Jason was in high school he was introduced the person in charge of the art department. She had never met a student like Jason. She asked for him to be quizzed out of his basic classes and she developed a curriculum for just him.
One challenge many artists face is finding live figures to draw. Most artists are intimidated to paint people they know. His junior year in high school, his art teacher and parents worked together, enrolling him into a course at Johnson Country community College.
Art by Jason McWilliams
Jason participated in the regional Scholastic Art where he won two Hallmark Awards, one his junior year and one his senior year in high school. He also won many gold, silver, and “Best of Show” awards. He set records in district competitions that probably still stand. Jason was widely recruited by art schools around the U.S. He accepted a scholarship to Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design. (MIAD) This program is well known for the best Fundamentals Curriculum. This is the baseline for freshmen students.
He then applied for a scholarship to the Kansas City Art Institute (KCAI) for his sophomore year. It has a wide respect for providing the best painting curriculum.
From there, Jason planned to apply to colleges in Europe as he pursed the best programs around the world. Unfortunately, these plans were cut short midway through his sophomore year in college.
A Personal Note On Jason’s Life
Jason grew up with his younger ten year old sister. They had a unique and close relationship. While most teenage boys would view their sister as a tag-along, Jason love taking his sister Jamie places with him.
Jason also had many friends from all walks of life, He had a special way, not only making one feel welcomed, but special in their own right. His friends all commonly agreed, Jason had “an old soul” and was wise beyond his years. He was as gentle as a teddy bear.
Jason and his sister
I want to thank the McWilliams family for allowing me to feature these special artists on my page. Like I have told them many times, “How I wish I could have met, Marilyn and Jason McWilliams.”
The McWilliams Family
If you would like to leave your thoughts, please click on the comment section below. We would love to hear from you.
Thanks for stopping by today and Happy International Artist Day!
I’ve just released my eleventh book! “Stella and the Four Seasons.” Woo hoo!
I hope you’ll enjoy celebrating this time with me and we’ll talk more about the “behind the scenes” of this book, too.
Oh, and don’t forget to check out my author friends posts about fall at the end of this post. You’ll enjoy reading what they have in store for this season.
Celebrating my 11th book!
The Contest I Had For My Title Reveal.
Thanks to all my fans for showing up on my Facebook page to guess the letters and words for my title reveal. Here it is!
Fans had a fun time guessing each day. I wasn’t sure how long it would take, so authors, if you decide to do this, take it one day at a time. One wonderful thing about this? Everyone will remember the title of your book. I love that part.
Title Reveal
Now For The Cover….
“Stella and the Four Seasons” is an Early Reader written in the form of acrostic poems, (we will get to more on that in a moment) for ages Preschool through 1st grade. Younger children will enjoy the bright, colorful images on the pages, too.
Stella and the Four Seasons
This 9×6, 32 page book is perfect for young readers to enjoy the four seasons. Stella tells what she loves the most about each one. Here’s something else that she offers! A search and find! How fun is that?
Acrostic Poems
As I stated earlier, each page on the left hand side will show an acrostic poem. On the right page, readers will search for the items or phrases listed.
What is an acrostic poem? Here’s how I explained it to readers on the first few pages.
What are acrostic poems?
Here’s an example of the first two pages.
The first two pages of “Stella and the Four Seasons
Why Was This Book Hard To Write?
This book has been something I’ve wanted to write for a long time. When I went to create these, acrostic poems, I had to find words that began with each letter. That was not always easy. We’ll, most words were easy for an adult, but not so much for a young reader to understand. So, this book turned into a learning book, as well.
Readers Will Learn About The Names Of New…
Apples, Pies and Trees
...and so much more!
In The Back Of The Book
If you and your family love to explore nature together, you will love the added activity in the back of the book.
Fun Facts and Activities
Where To Find This Book?
Right now, it’s listed for paperback and kindle on Amazon. It will take awhile for expanding distribution channels to pick it up and I’m hoping for that to happen very soon. Keep watching.
The paperback book is at a reduced price for $8.99 for a limited time only. The Kindle is only $2.99. We hope you pick up a copy for your young readers.
If you read this book, please let me know what you think. We’d love to hear from you and your reviews means the world to us. ❤️
Thanks for stopping by today, and as always,
Happy Reading!
Rosie
Now, check out these awesome blog posts!
Julie Gorges – A Fall Self-Care Bucket List to Make the Most Out of Autumn
Cat Michaels – What’s Not to Love? – Six Things to Make You Fall for Fall
James Milson – Happy Autumn, Pumpkin Spice, and Everything Nice about Fall!
Today we have a special guest here at Books by Rose.
Meet Toby A. Williams. She’s the author of the Brooke Lynn Series.
Let’s get started so you can learn more about her wonderful stories.
Toby A. Williams
Hi Toby, tell us about yourself.
I was born and raised in Nashua, New Hampshire, I currently reside in the San Diego area of Southern California with my best friend, who also happens to be my husband of many years. We enjoy travel, golf, helping in the community and of course, reading and writing. My appetite for writing was nurtured by my silly and vivid imagination as a child, along with my mother’s quirky fun storytelling. Most of my writings over the years have been for my personal enjoyment. My favorite place to write… at the dining room table, mostly on my laptop.
What inspired you to become an author?
It wasn’t until I wroteMy Lil’ Ladybug Friend that I truly felt re-energized to write again. It was created as a gift for my great-niece, Ava. With a bit (okay – a lot) of prodding by my dear friend, Sue Campion, in December 2018, it was published as my first rhyming picture book. The inspiration for The BROOKE LYNN Adventures series was based on Ava’s first experiences, i.e., seeing-touching-smelling the ocean, first day of school jitters, wanting a new pup and meeting scary Santa. All were new “Ava” adventures as told through the eyes of Brooke Lynn. The series highlights kindness, sharing, perseverance, being brave, responsible, and staying positive. With several book awards, along with local author spotlight recognition in the San Diego Central Public Library, I am grateful my books are helping early readers thrive.
Recently, you published a middle grade book called, “The Case of the HIDDEN SHOE,” (The BROOKE LYNN Mysteries Book 1.)
Tell us more about this book and what’s to come?
Click on this image to read more about, “The Case of the HIDDEN SHOE.”
Oh, what a blind hurdle… jumping from rhyming picture books to middle-grade fiction. But when a few friends and fans asked if there would be additional stories about the main character, Brooke Lynn (we all wanted more), I made the leap. I envisioned this fun-loving child blossoming into a spunky, curious pre-teen. Drawing from the previous books, her pup, Samantha Sue (aka Sam) and best friend, Mike accompany her on the middle grade adventures.
About the Book: The Case of the HIDDEN SHOE (The BROOKE LYNN Mysteries – Book 1)
Middle-grader Brooke Lynn is curious – a new housing development is being built in her sleepy town. Rumors spread about the new homeowners and sightings of celebrities. When the crime-busting duo, Brooke Lynn and Mike, stumble upon a red-stained shoe hidden in one of the vacant homes, a new mystery unfolds. Is the stain blood and more importantly, why is it there? But it’s not just the new homes making Brooke Lynn curious. Her best pals, Mike and Susie seem different and her parents are getting strict! Will she be able to get to the bottom of not only the hidden shoe, but also the changes in her life? This cozy, exciting mystery full of pre-teen angst will have you guessing until the end.
Credits: Cover Design – Corrina Holyoake (@corrinaholyoake); Editor – Lor Bingham, Calico Editing Service (@laurabingham)
Available in eBook, paperback & hardcover onAmazon.
You used the amazing illustrator, Corrina Holyoake with all your books. Tell us more about how you two met and how you managed your partnership in this publishing journey?
What a delight to work with Corrina Holyoake these past few years! We were introduced by my mentor and dear friend, Sue Campion. After researching several other illustrators, Corrina’s conceptual ideas were in sync with my vision and an agreement was reached with the first book, My Lil’ Ladybug Friend. Once the 2nd rhyming story was written, we agreed to extend our relationship for the entire series. She was thrilled to jump back in with the new MG series. Her cover concept for The Case of the HIDDEN SHOE was spot-on!
What was the process in finding an editor for your story?
I worked with a new editor, Lor Bingham of Calico Editing Services (@laurabingham)
Without her help, knowledge, polish and inspiration, this book would not have been possible. She has an uncanny way of knowing exactly where and when to assist during the entire process. Her warm yet professional style is what truly got me through this project and I am grateful to have her on my writing team.
What is one message you would like to send out to your readers?
Each story I have created carries a positive and kind resolve after experiencing new or uncomfortable situations; and if the reader stays immersed in the storyline itching to turn the page, then I’m a happy writer. #childliteracy #sharingkindness #gratefulheart
Toby, your new book is so great! I placed an order and have loved every bit of your story.
Here is my 5 star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ review:
“I was so excited when, “The Case of the HIDDEN SHOE (The BROOKE LYNN Mysteries Book 1)” by Toby A. Williams’s book arrived in our mail. Middle grade readers will enjoy this book. It has so many levels of great events to follow. Williams has painted a wonderful imagery with the characters and their feelings, along with the descriptive settings in this mystery tale. Brooke Lynn and her longtime friend, Mike, have been the detective duo in their neighborhood for years. Now, things are changing a bit as they grow older. When a new housing development is being built in their area, they are curious as they hear rumors of celebrities moving in. As they investigate, they find a red-stained shoe in one of the buildings, but that’s only half of it. How did it get there? Who does it belong to? Not only does Brooke Lynn have this mystery to worry about, she has to deal with Mike, who seems different nowadays, her best friend, Susie, who is changing, too. Her parents have become stricter by the day, not to mention how hard it is for her to concentrate on her school subjects. I highly recommend this book as readers will go on adventure, turning the pages to the end to see how this mystery is resolved.”
To find more about this book and Toby’s other books, visit the following places:
Enjoy learning these 4 random facts I found for the month of July.
4th of July
First of all, I hope all my USA friends and family had a fun and safe 4th of July.
Image Credit: Designecologist from Pexels
Do you know what the #1 food that is consumed over the 4th of July?
Hot Dogs!
In fact, “According to the National Sausage and Hot Dog Council, (NHDSC) Americans are expected to eat 150 million hot dogs over the July 4th holiday.”
Wow, now that’s a lot of hot dogs!
Image Credit – Pexels Photo by Cottonbro
July’s Birthstone
If you have a birthday in July, then you already know the birthstone for this month. Yes, it’s Ruby! It’s also called the “King of Gems.” I love these gems. They can be colored anywhere from deep blood red to paler rose red.
Pexels image: ArifKhanJuly’s
July’s Birth Flower
The birth flower for July is the delphinium, also known as Larkspurs. Some sites say July’s flowers are varieties of the Water Lilly.
We’re going to share these Larkspurs today.
These bright blue flowers will brighten up any summer flower garden.
Image Credit: Pixabay – James DeMers
Speaking of birthstones and birth flowers, here are just a few famous people that celebrate their birthdays in July.
July 1. Dan Aykroyd (Actor)
July 2. Larry David (Actor)
July 3. Tom Cruise (Actor)
July 4. Neil Simon (Singer)
July 5. Huey Lewis (Singer)
July 7. Ringo Starr (Singer and Drummer)
July 8. Kevin Bacon (Actor)
July 9. Tom Hanks (Actor)
July 10. Arlo Guthrie (Singer)
July 11. E. B. White (Author)
July 12. Cheryl Ladd (Actress)
July 13. Harrison Ford (Actor)
July 14. Gerald Ford (Former President)
July 15. Linda Ronstadt (Singer)
July 16. Barbara Stanwyck (Actress)
July 17. Donald Sutherland (Actor)
July 18. James Brolin (Actor)
July 19. Edgar Degas ( French Impressionist Artist)
July 20. Natalie Wood (Actress)
July 21. Ernest Hemingway (Journalist, Novelist, Writer)
July 22. Danny Glover (Actor)
July 23. Woody Harrelson (Actor)
July 24. Jennifer Lopez (Singer, Actress, Dancer)
July 25. Matt LeBlanc (Actor)
July 26. Sandra Bullock (Actress)
July 27. Norman Lear (Television Writer)
July 28. Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis (Former First Lady of the USA)
July 29. Martina McBride (Singer)
July 30. Arnold Schwarzenegger (Actor, Politician, Body Builder)
July31. J. K. Rowling (Author)
(Whew, that took a lot of research! I enjoyed it though. See why below on my update at the bottom of this post.)
The Dog Days of Summer
Image Credit: Pexels Rodnae Productions
Do you know why this is a popular phase in the summertime? I looked for ways to explain this better but decided to share this article since it’s full of interesting information.
As this blog is being sent out, I’m also sending out my new book to a list of my wonderful Beta Readers. Once they take a look at it this month, I’ll have more news to share in August. I can tell you this for now. I had to do a lot of research on this book for young readers. It truly was one of my favorite parts.
Drawing the images to go along with all my facts and information was so much fun, too! Okay, I better stop now before I give too much away. Can you tell I’m excited to share it with you! Keep watching!
Thank you so much for stopping by today!
Do you have any fun facts about July that you can share? We’d love to hear from you!
I’m so excited to feature this author on my page this month.
Please Meet, Jennifer Milius
Jennifer Milius
Jennifer wears many hats. She’s an author of children’s books and a co-author to a new released non-fiction book. Recently, she started a show called, “The TufFish Show.” Many of our authors friends have been featured on her show and we all had so much fun.
Here’s Jennifer
How did you get started as an author?
That’s a great question! Although I’ve enjoyed writing since I was a young child, I started writing children’s books based on our family’s real-life brother and sister tuxedo kitties, Einstein and Moo, during the summer of 2011. The first story I wrote was the third book I published, Einstein & Moo and the Quest for the Catnip. It went through several iterations while I also worked on the first two books of the series, Einstein and the Leaf and Moo and the Case of the Mistaken Identity. The series has six stories, and each one started out as a poem with minimal punctuation because that’s how I preferred to read them, unless there was dialogue or a specific inflection was needed, then appropriate punctuation was used.
As I was tweaking and polishing Einstein and the Leaf and Moo and the Case of the Mistaken Identity, books one and two of the series,I started to shift my thinking about how to turn them into published books and proceeded to figure how to make it happen.
The Einstein & Moo Book Series
I believe that we’re all works in progress, but your first, next or current book doesn’t have to be. And when you have support from someone who has “been there” and understands what you’re going through, it makes all the difference in the world. My goal is to help writers get from “maybe I’ll do it” to “it’s happening!”
Tell us about your TufFish Show.
The TufFish Show makes my heart so happy! It features authors from different genres and businesses, but with one thing in common – they had a message or story they wanted to tell and courageously got out of their own way and made it happen. It’s one facet under the TufFish umbrella, which also includes book coaching and developmental editing.
Each time you get “unstuck” by brainstorming a story plot for fiction or teasing out how to teach a concept for nonfiction, you feel excited for what’s possible and your writing flows even more. When you have a trusted advisor, sounding board and encourager as you write your book, you take the limits off yourself and create something even better than you thought possible because you were receptive to a reader with an editor’s eye and desire for you to be successful.
And if you want to know how TufFish got its name, check out the trailer to the podcast. Click on the image below to listen.
The TufFish SHow
Tell us about your latest book and what can readers expect to learn?
You Know it’s a Verb, Right?is my first non-fiction and first co-authored book; it demonstrates how leadership must become a verb and positively develop individuals across the leadership spectrum who believe there’s more to leadership than meets the eye.
You Know it’s a Verb, Right?
We wanted it to feel like you had two mentors right there with you who cared about you being successful, so you could serve and encourage others. We created You Know it’s a Verb, Right? to be a roadmap with real-life examples that uses everyday language to help you bridge the gap between your technical skills and the leadership skills required to successfully guide individuals, teams, and organizations. Whether you’re at the start of your leadership journey or already in a leadership position, You Know it’s a Verb, Right? affirms you can become a better leader.
What was it like working with a co-author?
I really enjoyed co-authoring You Know it’s a Verb, Right? with Wayne. He’s a wonderful person and dear friend, and it was an honor to work on this book with him. This book was years in the making between brainstorming, writing, re-writing, editing (more re-writing and editing), and finally getting it published. We spent a lot of time using video to talk through ideas, rework chapters, and engage with our team to bring the book to life. One thing I treasure from this experience is that as I contributed to our book, I learned so much from Wayne that I could feel my own leadership practice deepen.
What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?
I love time with my family (including our kitties) and friends. I’m also a bit of a foodie, so I enjoy creating delicious food in the kitchen.
Thanks so much for being with us today, Jennifer.
If you would like to reach out to Jennifer to talk more to her about the topics we talked about, you can contact her at on her website by clicking here:
These next few months will be busy as I gather Beta Readers and a Street Team for my new book coming this fall. If you are reading this and would be interested in being a part of this adventure with me, please leave a note in the comment section below.
First, before I start, I wish everyone out there a very special May and spring season, 2021! Happy Mother’s Day to all the moms out there! 🌺
My Special Guest for the Month of May is…
Author Peggy M. McAloon!
Peggy M. McAloon
Peggy is an author and a talented artist.
She has a story of resilience, bravery and faith.
Her story, “Elle and the Reflective Portals” is a wonderful book that reflects just that.
Let’s Dive in and Meet Peggy
“Elle and the Reflective Portals”
Peggy, what inspired you to write your story?
I loved fantasy stories when I was young (and still do). As an abused child, the books were my escape from the real world and into something more beautiful and safe. When I wasn’t reading, I made up stories in my head to pass the time.
Mom was very religious and taught me all about the guardian angels who watch over us. I wanted to write something including those guardians that would not only touch the hearts of young girls, but provide an opportunity for discussion of today’s social injustices with their parents. Bringing fantasy and reality together was a major concern as I formulated the story in my head.
My next major concern was the diversity of our world and the young girls who are growing up afraid of the same threats I endured. It wouldn’t do to call the winged creatures angels because not every child believes in angels. So, I chose the name Fiori for the dimension rather than heaven. (Fiori is the Italian word for flowers and I’ve always imagined heaven is filled with flowers.
The main character, Elle Burton is ten-years-old as the story begins. At the age of ten, I was very mature and many times brought poorer kids to my house to trade their dirty and frayed outfits for one of my pretty tops or dresses. Therefore, because I have two sons, Elle had to be a kid like me because I have no other experience with little girls.
Fiori and the Fiorins were a joy to create. The winged creatures can be whatever the reader wants or needs them to be: angels, fairies, creatures from a dimension we’ve never heard of before, or aliens. Imagination is an incredible gift to children and I loved the freedom that knowledge gave me in creating Fiori and its inhabitants.
How many years did it take you to write it?
I spent about a year writing the book. It took another six months to do the editing and work with the publisher. The original book was roughly as long as a Harry Potter novel, but the publisher told me I had to end it in a cliff hanger because no one would purchase the entire story. The last 100 pages were removed and became the first 100 pages of the second book, “Missing.”
Tell us, Peggy, what type of research did you have to do to bring across your beautiful tale?
In order to bring inspiration to the readers, I chose to utilize many of the experiences I had and my children had growing up. As an example, when Elle chooses the class bully to help with a school project it was very loosely based on an experience my son had with the class bully.
The description of Fiori was actually quite simple. We travel to the Gulf Coast each winter to visit my brother. One of my favorite places to go during that visit is Bellingrath Gardens and Home outside of Mobile, Alabama. Even though we visit each year, it feels like heaven each time I enter the gates. https://bellingrath.org/
The rest of the story takes place here in Menomonie, WI. I spent many days driving around town with my camera figuring out which locations would be used in the book and which businesses would be featured. Once the book was published, each business featured received a signed copy of the book. I was taught at a young age that we are supposed to support our local businesses.
What do you expect Middle Grade readers to walk away with after reading your story?
My purpose in devoting so much time to this story is to convince kids in trouble to have the courage to tell someone, even if it’s another kid like Elle. For those who haven’t experienced the social injustices in this world, I want them to recognize the problems and step up to help whenever it’s safe to do so or to find an adult to help as Elle did with the girl she found hiding in the girl’s restroom at school after suffer a beating at the hands of her father.
I think Maya Angelou said it best: “If you find it in your heart to care for somebody else, you will have succeeded.” That’s who Elle Burton is – a kid who wants to help others, and now she has some magical creatures to help her.
Do you have hobbies outside of being an author?
More than anything, I love being outside. I particularly love being by the water which makes our winter trip to the Gulf Coast so enjoyable. My relaxation comes from painting in watercolor and acrylics. I also have the old Conn organ that I played in the Miss Iowa Pageant when I was a contestant back in the 60’s. I also love traveling the world with my wonderful husband and the hours of fun we’re having with our newest family member, Shelby (a Schweenie – cross between a Shih Tzu and a Dachshund). We are anxiously awaiting the summer months, when she will graduate from her “terrible-two’s.”
Art by Peggy M. McAloon
Thank you so much for sharing your story with us, Peggy.
You can find Peggy’s M. McAloon’s work on the following sites.
Guess what? The Early Reader I’ve been hinting about? It’s done!
I have so many things to do to get it ready for you all to see. The formatting, technical side, editing and so much more is in the works for the coming months.
Keep watching!
Have a wonderful spring and I’ll be back to catch up with more news in the month of June.
The first part of this blog is written in the form of an acrostic poem for April.
I have so much other fun news to share with you, too!
First off, let’s talk about what acrostic poems are. An acrostic poem is when a word is spelled vertically, with the first letter capitalized. Short sentences or a single word represent the word to some extent. It does not have to rhyme. I’ll tell you more about why I’m using this idea at the end. For example, let’s take the word April.
A ir that is fresh!
P astel colors!
R ainy days.
I irises
L awns full of green grass.
When you are finished reading this blog post, try this poem idea in the comment section below. Pick a spring word, or any word for that matter, and have fun making your own acrostic poem. I’m excited to see what you come up with.
Why Did I Choose This Subject?
I’ve been so excited to tell you about my next book! It will be an early reader and a simple search and find, written in an acrostic poems. I just finished illustrating page 23. I’m looking forward to sharing it with you in the months to come. For now, here’s an example of page 4 in my new book.
Coming soon!
Interviews Galore!
I had the honor to do an interview with an author from my hometown. Kathy J. Perry. She has written many wonderful books for readers. To learn more about, Kathy, take a look at this interesting visit she had with Jennifer Milius.
Click on the image below to listen.
Kathy J. Perry on the TufFish SHow
Jennifer Milius has a great podcast show and interviews many fabulous authors. I hope you sign up to her page so you can follow them, too. Here’s more about Jennifer ► here.
Jennifer Milius
Now, My Interview With Kathy J. Perry
Kathy J Perry
Click on the image below to hear our interview.
Other Surprising News About My Books
I made a comment on a blog post I follow by book reviewer and blogger, Gina Rae Mitchell.
Little did I know when I did this, I won a spot on her page to be featured with my books. Thank you again, Gina! Click here to check them out. ►My books.
Not all were listed yet on the Ingram Page she uses, so I’ve added them below for you to see those, too.
I hope you will follow,Gina’s page. Her blog is one of my go-to pages to find fun and interesting books, recipes and so much more.
Gina Rae Mitchell
That’s all I have for now. Stay tune as I’m going to feature a very special author in May. Her story and books will will warm your heart and bring you hope. Hmm, I wonder who that could be?
See you back in May!
As always, happy reading!
Rosie
PS. Don’t forget to leave me an acostic poem in the comment section below.
It’s hard to believe it’s March already, but we’ll take it. Our weather here in the Midwest was below zero a few weeks ago, but thankfully warming up and showing us a hint of Spring. We know March can be a little bit of everything around here, so we’ll keep ready for whatever is to come.
It’s also hard to believe, Easter is a month away. Easter to me is the birth of a new season. We’ve heard of many families celebrating the birth of new little ones, too.
So, what do Easter Baskets and Baby Showers have in common?
Books!
Books by Rose
If you have older readers, you may also be interested in the recent book, Cat Michaels and I wrote called, Just Between Sam and Me. (Ages 8-12.)
“Just Between Sam and Me”
Filling your gift baskets with books is a great surprise for readers.
Where to buy these books? Click on the retail sites at the bottom of this page.
If you live near me, write me a note and I will gladly meet up with you for signed copies.
In Other News..
Next Up
I have been busy working on yet another picture book these past few months. I can’t wait for you to see my Early Reader which is a simple search and find. It’s also packed with lots of learning, fun facts, and activities. I’m going to start illustrating on page 19 next week, so I’m getting closer.
Once I get this next book finished, the hardest part will be the editing and critiquing. In order to do that, I will be searching for Beta Readers. Cat Michaels and I found them invaluable when writing our last book.
What is a Beta Reader? Visit Cat Michaels Writer page here to find out.
I shared this recipe a few years ago and they were a big hit. I hope you make these wonderful, easy cookies. Perfect for St. Patrick’s Day, Easter and parties.
Chocolate Chip Mint Cookies
Mint Chocolate Cookies
Recipe
1 Devil Food Cake Mix
2/3 Cup Crisco
2 Eggs
Dark Chocolate Mint M&Ms
Cream cake mix with Crisco and eggs. Take dough and roll into 2 inch circle balls. Place on baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees for about 9 minutes. It’s best to undercook these.
While the cookies are hot, press four or five Mint M&M’s into the warm cookie. Cool and enjoy!
Here’s something fun I found out. You can make ANY kind of cookies with a box of cake mix, eggs, and anywhere from a ½ cup of Crisco to ¾ cups. The trick to remember is to use just enough Crisco to have the batter thick enough to roll into balls.
One Last Thing…
A big thanks to Jen Milius for having me on her TufFish Show! It was so fun visiting with you, Jen!
I hope you will visit her page and listen to some of the other authors she has recently interviewed, too.
We have winners! See note below image. You will be contacted via email.
Thanks to all that entered.
💖 Happy Valentine’s Day! 💖
Winners for Valentine’s Day Contest
Please Note:
***Entrants must*** * be 18 years or older * have a valid US mailing address for your book and bracelet * have an Amazon account and valid email for the eBook. * have 24 hours from the time you contact the winners to respond before another winner is selected
Welcome to this contest giveaway. This event ends Friday, February 12, 2021 at midnight. The winners will be announced on Valentine’s Day, Sunday February 14, 2021 at 9 am (CST) on this page, my Books by Rose Facebook and Twitter pages.
Image Credit: Pixabay
What a special treat we have in store for you.
First of all, let me introduce to you a site I have been following since I started “Books by Rose.” I met a lovely person named, Donna Furgal as she was starting a quest of her own. She wanted to find ways for girls to feel empowered with their gifts for living their dreams and creating a positive change in the world. Please check her site, “Gomee Girl” here:
Click here
Now for the fun giveaways.
If you have read the book thatCat Michaels and I have written, it’s a middle grade book called, “Just between Sam and Me.” As you know, our main character, a shy 11 year old 6th grader, struggles with self-esteem in her small town of Spring Hope, MO.
To make matters worse, a new girl moves to town and turns her world upside down. I’ll let you read more about that here. Click on the cover below.
“Just Between Sam and Me”
We also wanted to add this amazing gift for our giveaway.
Enter to win this beautiful bracelet. You will even get to customize how you want it made. We will put you directly in contact with Gomee Girl’s website for you to place your order.
Gomee Girl’s Bracelets
Another winner has a chance to win this prize! An eBook of our new story, “Just Between Sam and Me.”
eBook of “Just Between Sam and Me”
We’re not done yet.
Since we’d like to pay forward the gift of reading to you even more, one winner will get to pick a physical copy of any of my titles at “Books by Rose.” Click on the image below to read more about these books for young readers.
Books by Rose
How to enter for these prizes?
Easy peasy. Just do these two things.
💖 Leave a comment in this blog post below with ways people can pay their kindness forward for Valentine’s Day, or every day, for that matter.
💖 Share this post with your friends so they will be able to have a chance to win, as well.
And that’s it! *See rules that apply below*
Good luck and have a wonder Valentine’s Day and every day.
Happy Valentine’s Day
As always, happy reading! 💖
Rosie
***Entrants must*** * be 18 years or older * have a valid US mailing address for your book and bracelet * have an Amazon account and valid email for the eBook. * have 24 hours from the time you contact the winners to respond before another winner is selected
Everyone likes to know how books get started and where the ideas come from when questioning authors. Many of these questions have been answered from, Cat Michaels and I over the past several months. You can see more of those here. ► The Story Behind “Just Between Sam and Me”
Image Credit: Pixabay
Today, we’re here with an all new set of questions from readers about our book, “Just Between Sam and Me.” I’ll share my first four, then I leave a link for you to visit Cat’s page to read hers.
Okay, here we go!
Many readers have asked us:
Did either of you have a cat as a child and, if so, how did it inspire you to write about Sam?
Yes, I grew up with cats my whole life. We did have a cat named, Sam, but he was black and white like this one. So when, Cat Michaels mentioned our cat having the name, Sam, I was excited.
Image Credit: Pixabay
Robin from MO asked:
What childhood memories would you like to share about your cats?
This is super easy and one I can’t live this story down with my family to this day. When I was very young, I had to make sure the cat we had at the time was fully dressed everyday. Of course I had all the doll clothes, so why not, right?
One day my older brother, John asked me how I thought our cat, Katrina at the time, liked being dressed up.
I said, “Oh she loves it!”
Then he said to me, “It looks like she doesn’t have much a choice in the matter.” 😂
She was so cute running around our house in her little bonnet! To be honest, she didn’t really seem to mind. With that being said, I would not try this at home, not all cats will go along with that. Meow!
Imagine Credit: Pixabay
Others have asked if we are current cat owners?
Cat Michaels will tell you no, but I believe she has a relative and neighbor with a cat.
If you follow my pages, you know we have owned our three kittens the past 15 years. Yes, they will always be kittens in my heart. ❤️️
Sadly, our male cat, Frank passed away two years ago this month. We still have his sisters, Lola and Jeter. They are the sweetest and stay by my side most of the day as I sit here and work.
Frank, Jeter and Lola
Jane, from North Carolina wanted to know:
Is Sam a magical talking cat?
If you have read the story, at one point he does reveal his feelings, but that’s all I can tell you about that part.
Is he magical? No, but we considered it. The reason we decided against it, was then we’d have to add it to a “fantasy genre” and we didn’t want this story to be that. Our book is very true to life with real life situations.
Jill from MA wanted to know:
Did you have a childhood BFF like Isabella?
Very much so. If you have read any of my “Maggie, Millie, and Merrie” stories, I dedicated those books to my sister and our best friend growing up. (Even though the girls in my story are triplets.) Our friend, Cindy and I have known each other since I was in the 4th grade. My sister and I have always felt like she has been a sister to us, as she spent many, many years at our home.
What kind of things did you enjoy doing together?
We did a few of the same things you will read about in the book. Sleepovers and we played the card game, Solitaire a lot. We’d spend countless late nights enjoying that game.
Credit Image: Pixabay
We didn’t have horses, but we pretended we did one winter. We always acted out movies we had seen. I can’t remember the movie, but we’d gallop around in the snow and it very real to us. I sure hope kids use their imaginations these days. We have the best memories of that and so much more.
Imagine Credit: Pixabay
Sue from, Connecticut wanted to know:
What’s your favorite Middle Grade book you read as a child?
To be honest, I was not a big reader of Middle Grade novels at that age. Of course I was always reading school books. I loved magazines and our mother bought many of them. Comics, Teen Magazines with famous stars, fashion and all the top music hits.
Since I can’t share the images of those here, you can see more about them on this link. ► Teen Magazines. (♪ I think many of you will remember these. ♪)
So, that’s all I have for now. Are you ready to hear some more questions Cat and I’ve been asked lately? Tap on the photo below to visit her page.
Cat’s Corner
Until next time,
Happy Reading!
~Rosie
✨If you still would like to get a copy of our new book or any of my other titles, visit the following pages. ✨ Don’t forget, “Just Between Sam and Me” is on sale until January 09, 2021 till midnight. ✨
PS. Don’t forget to check back in the first part of February. ❤️️ I have a few projects in the mix for 2021 and will hopefully by then have a few things to share with you about that.
If you’ve been following the journey of our new story, Just Between Sam and Me, we have great news! The Published Button Has Been Pushed and just in time for the holidays.
Cat and I have been submitting our book to many places and have passed it on to lots of readers for their honest opinions and reviews. We have been overwhelmed at the responses we have received. Here are just a few for now.
Click on the images below to read the full articles and reviews.
Midwest Book Review- Diane Donavan, Senior ReviewerReview from author, Peggy McAloonReview from author, Tonja DreckerReview from, blogger and reviewer, Gina Rae MitchellReview from author, Barbara Mojica
The reviews are still coming in so we’ll keep you posted.
Meanwhile…
Here are the links to where you can find our special priced kindle book for only $0.99. Grab your Kindle copy at this price until December 10, 2020.
Our paperback just went live! This low price of $7.99 will remain for a limited time, as well.
Yes, that’s the fictitious setting in our story, “Just Between Sam and Me.”
My co-writer, Cat Michaels and I have been having more fun thinking of ways for us to introduce the different aspects of our new book for you, the reader.
First, let’s take a visit to, Cat’s page so you can see more on how we came up with the setting for our story.
Behind the Scenes
Yeah! You’re back!
Tap the picture below as we give you another taste of our story from Chapter 17.
Now for the Reading!
Chapter 17 Winter Break
More Great News to Share!
Author Mari Barnes has a super fun event for reader in December.
Don’t forget to watch for, Flying Turtle Publishing Presents Adventures in Reading with Bessie Boxturtle as The Pilot. ” Coming December 05, 2020
We’re not done yet!
In case you missed it, click below to download the first chapter to, Just Between Sam and Me.
Chapter 1 “Just Between Sam and Me”
What setting do you wish to visit in a book you’ve read?
Leave a comment in the section below. We’d love to hear from you.
If you have been following along, Carol Baldwin has been interviewing, Cat Michaels and I the last few months for our new book coming out, December 02, 2020.
Watch this important video. Click on the image below.
“Just Between Sam and Me”
Chance to Win a Free ARC
Read our ►Part IIIInterview with Carol Baldwin. Leave a comment on her blog for a chance to win a ***FREE*** Advanced Reader Copy of, “Just Between Sam and Me.”
(The winner will be drawn on October 16.)
Just Between Sam and Me
We thank you and please let us know if you have any questions.
Can you believe two months from today, Cat Michaels Writer and I will be releasing our Middle Grade book for tweens?
Coming December 02, 2020
Now, we feel like we can start revealing more and more about our story. Not too much of course, but enough to let you know what a big part of our tale is about.
National Bullying Prevention Month
Did you know October is National Bullying Prevention Month?
Sadly, a large part about our story is about our protagonist, 11 year old Olivia, who is bullied by a new girl that moves to town. It doesn’t just stop there. She’s also being socially bullied by two of her friends she’s known since early elementary school.
To give you an idea of how this story came about, Author Tonja Drecker has written this wonderful interview with us to explain more.
Click on the image below to visit, author Tonja Drecker’s page.
Be Kind – Link to Interview
If you missed the first chapter of, Just Between Sam and Me, you can down load it here.
Just Between Sam and Me
Chapter 2 is when things really start to happen. Here’s an excerpt from our book when Olivia meets the new girl in town, Candace.
Just Between Sam and Me
Cat Michaels Writer also wrote an extensive piece on this, as well.
Click on the image below to see more…
Cat’s Corner
If you have any questions for Cat and I, leave us a note and we’d be glad to answer them.
What Plans Do You Have For October?
Image Credit: Pixabay
Do you have a new project you’re working on? Leave a note in the comment section to tell us all about it.
Stay safe, stay well, and spread kindness wherever you go. ❤️
Happy Reading!
Rosie
Don’t forget to subscribe to my page for more updates.
By now, you’ve seen our interview with Author, Carol Baldwin in August. We were featured on her page in Part I on how Cat and I met and how we got started as co-authors. In case you missed it, you can read more about it here.
Interview with Carol Baldwin
Click on the image below.
Carol Baldwin, Cat Michaels and Rosie Russell
Today we’re back to tell you on how we came about deciding many issues on who was going to write what for our story, Just Between Sam and Me.
Who was going to write the opening? The end? How did we develop our characters? How did we solve our issues when we disagreed on a particular scene?
Bumps in the Road
We discussed the hard facts on what bumps in the road we came across. Writing a 30,000 word plus book is not an easy task. For those out there considering this journey, we hope to give you a glimpse of what we faced as we worked together creating our story.
Part II: Writing Roles, Bumps in the Road, and Self-Publishing
Click on the image below.
Image Credit: Pixabay
Great to have you back. Did you see the part about leaving a comment on Carol Baldwin’s page?
If you leave one, you will be entered for a chance to win a ARC print copy of our book. If you are outside the USA, you will receive an digital copy.
Extra Bonus
Thinking about co-authoring? If you stop by Cat’s page, she has something for you to download.
Click on the image below.
Cat’s Corner
Good luck!
As always, feel free to write us with any additional questions.
Cat Michaels and I have been working on our story, Just Between Sam and Me, for the last year and an half and we are getting so close to getting it released!
By now, hopefully, you have visited Cat Michaels from North Carolina to see her page first, to see how this cover came about? Cat had to drive a long way on a hot humid day to meet up with the artist, Irene Jahns, for our cover to be finished.
If you haven’t been over to her page yet, check it out here or click on the image below!
Oh good, you’re back in Missouri! The Midwest weather here today is delightful!
Missouri
I don’t have Country Fried Steak to serve you like Cat suggested. (Hee, hee.)
You’ll have to come back on Monday, October 26, 2020 for that. We’ll have a fun post to share about that delicious meal, a recipe, and a sneak peek of a clip from our book.
However, I do have some yummy Apple Cider from the Martin’s Apple Orchard, though. (Yes, another little tidbit about from our tale.)
Image Credit: Pixabay
Kick back and relax. Enjoy this video of our cover release. Don’t forget to turn up your sound and watch it on the full screen. You will enjoy it much more that way.
Click on the image below.
Cover Reveal for “Just Between Sam and Me”
What did you think?
Did you see our release date, too? Yes! December 02, 2020!
Also, we have a bunch of fun interviews coming up these next few months to reveal more about us and our story. Stay tuned!
Cat Michaels and I are so excited to share our new book with you.
We’d appreciate if you would share our posts to help us get the word out.
Thanks for stopping by, today.
Make sure to click on the names below to read these other GR8Blogs.
Today we kick off our four part series with Author Carol Baldwin on questions and answers on howCat Michaels and I have shared our writing journey these 17 months.
Part I: Getting Started With Co-Authoring with Cat Micheals.
Don’t forget to read the important tips we left you in case you are thinking about co-authoring, too.
Remember, if you leave a comment on Carol’s page, you will receive a copy of our first chapter of, Just Between Sam and Me.
Come back in September and October to see more as we will talk about:
Part II: Writing Roles, Bumps in the Road, and Self-Publishing (September 16) Part III: Writing about Bullying (October 14) Part IV: Just Between Sam and Me Review (December 2)
If you are reading this blog, then it’s a fair guess you love to read and love books.
Image: Pixabay
In this featured post, we are here to celebrate “Book Lovers Day” on August 09, 2020. Let’s have fun with some quiz questions. Yes, you can use the internet, if you wish. I will reveal the answers on Monday morning, August 10, 2020, on my Facebook and Twitter pages. But wait, there’s more!
Image Credit: Pixabay
Answer one, or any of these questions, in the comment section for a random chance to win a free copy of any of my books at “Books by Rose.”
(USA only. Sorry, the shipping is too high to mail out of the United States.)
Books by Rose 2020
I had fun learning these facts and I hope you will, too.
Let’s get started!
1)What is Bibliosmia?
(Scroll down for options.)
Image Credit: Pixabay
A) A person that loves to read.
B) A person that loves the smell of books.
C) A person that is fascinated by the cover of a book.
We’ve all heard of the beloved stories of Winnie the Pooh written by author, A. A. Milne.
2) What is the name of the illustrator that drew the images for his first books?
(Scroll down for options.)
Name that Illustrator
A) E. H. Shepard
B) John Tenniel
C) Beatrix Potter
3) Why did Charles Dickens have a novelty bookcase filled with fake Books?
(Scroll down for options.)
Image Credit: Pixabay
A) He liked the look of a filled book case.
B) They were given to him as gifts.
C) The book case was not a bookcase and functioned as a secret door.
Speaking of Charles Dickens’s fake books, those books also had humorous titles.
Image Credit: Pixabay
4) Which one of these three titles was one of them?
(I’m making this one super easy. See how tricky I got here?)
A) The Art of Cutting Teeth
B) Tale of Three Cities
C) Oliver Twist Goes West
Okay last one…
5) People that engage in reading throughout their lives, have a better chance of preventing Alzheimer’s and Dementia later in their life.
(Scroll down for options.)
Image Credit: Pixabay
True
False
I hope you enjoyed these little tidbits about reading and books.
Do you have any fun facts to share? We loved for you to throw some our way in the comment section below.
Thanks for stopping by today and good luck winning a book!
Happy Book Lovers Day. We have some other GR8Bloggers that are jumping on board to celebrate this day. Don’t forget to check out their blogs at the bottom of this page, too.
Happy Reading!
Rosie
PS. Don’t forget to subscribe to my page for more updates.
Cat Michaels Writerand I have lots of big news to share about our Middle Grade novel in the coming months!
Time is zipping by us faster and faster. It’s hard to believe it’s June already.
I hope you are able to enjoy some beautiful weather where you live. We are warming up here, right on schedule.
In This BlogYou Will Find:
*Fun Warm Weather Activities
*Summer Treats
*Art Therapy
*Exciting News
Fun Warm Weather Activities
Here in the Midwest, the temperatures are warming, the flowers are blooming, and summer is in full gear. What a great time to get out doors and enjoy the sunshine for that extra boost of Vitamin D.
Memorial Day Weekend is the time most the pools were suppose to open.
From what I’m hearing, many of them are still closed due to the social distancing rules.
Image Pixabay: Pool Closed
I hope this won’t stop you for some cool water splashing in your own backyard.
When growing up, we had a neighborhood pool to walk to on those hot days.
Most of the time though, we’d pull out the hose and sprayed our way to hours of fun.
Don’t forget the Water Balloons, too! Now, they make them so easy to fill up in half the time.
Parents and kids, here are a few suggestions for exploring the great outdoors.
Nature Search and Find
Here’s a few supplies before getting started.
Take along a pencil, notebook, or clipboard to record what nature treasure finds you come across.
Grab a paper bag and magnify glass to take on your journey.
After collecting your items and investigate your findings on the internet.
Have fun:
*Observing different insects.
*Looking for different plants and flowers.
*Watch for animal tracks.
*Explore ponds and lakes.
Summer Treats
Don’t forget to treat yourself to some popsicles or some homemade ice cream.
Since this recipe from last year was a big hit, I wanted to share it again.
Homemade Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream
Homemade Chocolate Chip Ice Cream
What you’ll need:
2 cups heavy whipping cream
Chilled, 1 (14 ounce) can of sweetened condensed milk,
Chilled, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon or more of Mint extract, or other flavors that you like. Taste as you mix.
Chilled, 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips or soft candies of your choice. You can add more, it’s up to you.
Directions and Tips:
Place two cups whipping cream in a metal bowl.
With your mixer, choose your “whip” setting.
Mix until it becomes the consistency of store bought whipped cream.
(It takes awhile, keep mixing. The first time I tried this recipe, I didn’t whip it enough and the ice cream came out too hard.)
Add chilled sweetened condensed milk and extracts. Mix to combine.
Place in the freezer for three hours.
After three hours, remove and give it a stir. Add your chilled candies.
(Important note: Your candies should be chilled. They will melt in the ice cream, even at room temperature.) For safety reasons, stick to small, soft chewy candies. Hard, round candies can be a choking hazard.)
Add your ice cream to the container you want your ice cream stored in, with a air tight lid, and place back in the freezer for three more hours. Your ice cream takes a total of six hours or more to set.
Please let me know if you have any questions.
Art Therapy
I’ve had many convey to me, writing and reading has been difficult to concentrate on these past few months.
Some days, it’s better to turn off the internet and news to switch up to something different.
I personally have found, staying busy is the key for me. Finding different art mediums has been my saving grace.
Here are just a few things I’ve done to keep my mind off things.
If you’ve followed my past posts, you’ve seen how I’ve kept busy with hands on crafting for ourLittle Free Library.
Another way I’ve been keeping busy, I took a workshop to learn more about portrait drawing.
They have you find a reference photo to start with and teach coloring and shading.
I’d have to say, learning to draw eyes has been one of my favorite things to learn.
Art by Rosie Russell
After researching even more drawing techniques, I found another one called, “Whimsical or Whimsy Art.”
Below is the drawing I came up with, which was a fun start.
Art by Rosie Russell
Exciting News
As you all know by now, Cat Michaels and I have been working on our MG book.
Image Credit: Pixabay
The manuscript, Cat Michaels and I have been working on, is done!!
We have a lot of work ahead of us these next several months. As it goes through it’s final edits and we proof the physical copy of our book, you will start to see bits and pieces of what our story is a little more on what it’s about.
Of course, we won’t give away too much. We don’t want to spoil it for you.
We are so please with the awesome feedback we have received so far.
For more coming news, don’t forget to subscribe to my page.
Leave us a note in the comment section below to tell us how you are doing.
What a different start to spring we’ve had, right? I hope you all are well and enjoying the great out doors.
“Bleeding Hearts” from Pixabay
Topics you will see in this First Friday GR8Blog post:
*Happy 6 Years to Books by Rose
*Mother’s Day
*Honoring Our Mother and Crafts to Make
*Fun Crafting Things for Our Little Free Library
*Update on Book With Cat Michaels
Happy 6 Years to Books by Rose
It’s hard to believe 6 years ago I started Books by Rose.
I have learned so much along the way. I’m so thankful to all those that have supported my journey. With nine titles published, I’m looking forward to more to come.
Mother’s Day
A salute to all the mother’s out there. Mother’s Day can mean a lot of different things to different people. On this day, you may celebrate with your own children, your mother, your mother-in-law, aunts, grandmothers, or the mother figures in your life.
Our sons make me forever grateful to be called their mom. I hope this Mother’s Day I will be able to spend time with them and our Littles. We miss them so much!
Me with our sons
Honoring Our Momand Crafts to Make
With our own mother, we honor her in many ways, remembering her in everything she was.
Margaret, Irene, and Mary
One way I keep her memory alive, I include her in some of my stories. For those that have followed along, you know the story about how she was a singer in her younger days. Her trio was called, “Margret, Irene, and Mary.” Sound a tiny bit familiar? Yes, my triplet books and the“name of their titles” were fashioned as close to the name of her group as I could get. “Merrie” in the story is after our mom. Our niece spells her name the same way. I thought it was a perfect fit.
Last fall, I release the triplet’s final book of my, “Maggie, Millie, and Merrie” series. The art project in the story has been a huge hit. Our mom would have loved this one, as she was big into crafts of every kind.
Maggie, Millie, and Merrie’s Mystery Mail
I recently made the art project for our neighbor for Easter. Here’s a sneak peek of part of it. It was fun to make. The possibilities for this project are endless.
Card made from, “Maggie, Millie, and Merrie’s Mystery Mail.”
If you are interested in a copy of this story, check it out on Amazon.
Fun Crafting Things for Our Little Free Library
Two years ago, my husband surprised me with the plans to make a “Little Free Library.” He’d work on it in the garage as weather permitted. He finished it a month ago around the time the world shut down. We plan to put it out soon, but want to do a weather proof run before adding books. We’ll have to wait to see how things go in the news so everyone is safe.
I had the pleasure of decorating the top part. Since I love dollhouses, this was a perfect time for me to play! Solar Lights were added to the little living room so it will be lit at night. (Fingers crossed.)
I spent very little money on the items for the room and used recycled materials. See photo below.
We are so excited to put it out and share books with our community.
Living Room for our Little Free Library
This past few months have been trying for many. Keeping busy has saved me. I made sure to take part in a few free classes offered online. I hope you all found some great things to enjoy, as well.
Update on Book With Cat Michaels
I’m also looking forward to finishing up the book Cat Michaels and I have written. It’s finished! We are going through the revision process. (Thank you, Cat for all you’re doing with that!) We are so excited to share our story with all of you this coming year.
In case you missed it, our story is about:
Image Credit: Pixabay
How are you doing? How have you occupied your time these past few months? We’d love to hear from you in the comment section below.
Keep watching this coming week, as I will share my other author friend’s, “First Friday GR8Blog” posts. Have a great week, everyone!
GR8Blogs
Stay safe and stay well.
As always, Happy Reading!
~Rosie
*If you want to see more updates, sign up to subscribe to my page. We’d love to have you on board.*
Our GR8Blog
author friends have decided to get together and create some ideas and
suggestions on how to cope for the coming days and weeks ahead.
With
everything feeling unsure in the world right now, it’s important to encourage
each other and be there for one another more than ever before.
The other day, my thoughts were on how lucky I am to have such a supportive group of family and friends. Being isolated is not bothering me as it may bother others. Well, I should say, not yet. With our cold, snowy winters, I’m used to being homebound in the winter. The positive side is, it’s now spring and we can all get outside. Although, not getting together with our sons and their family will take its toll on me if this does go on too long, though. I’m so thankful for facetime!
Many will have disappointments for canceled events. Some events may be delayed down the road. I’ve mentioned this before, “things are what we make them.” We’ve had to change the dates for holidays and birthdays. When that has happened, they have been just as much fun.
Ways You Can Help Others.
The people out there that will suffer huge losses with their businesses are the ones that concerns me. This is where we allcan help and support them.
Image Credit: Pixabay
If you know of a business in your area or your favorite place that is during curbside service, share the link to their business to your family and friends. Even if they get a few more customers a day, it will help them out a lot.
Reach Out to Those that Need that Extra Support.
Image Credit: Pixabay
Pick up the phone or write an email to those having a hard time dealing with this. Have a listening ear without discounting their feelings. I know it’s hard not to add our opinions, but sometimes people just need to vent and get it all out. Isn’t that how we all feel? We want to be heard as we process our way through this.Enlighten each other with pleasant news and other events.
Make it Your Purpose to Help Others
I’m currently reading a book called, “The Miracle Morning,” written by Hal Elrod. This book was recently suggested to me by our GR8Blog friend, Chris Gorges. (Thanks Chris.)
Image Credit: Pixabay
The first part of this book talks about having a purpose to get up every morning. Having a purpose is the key element in forging ahead and being successful in one’s life. Reach out to others. You may be working from home now, but what a better time to take part in helping others cope as they get through this day by day. It will also help you and it will leave you with a good feeling to know when you go to bed at night, you made someone’s day a little brighter.
Stay Positive
Image Credit: Pixabay
Last, but not least, stay positive and stay busy with things you enjoy. Let this be a time you and your family can look back on with good memories. You and your family can watch movies, have a read aloud time, do puzzles, or work on projects together. This is the perfect time to do so. Not only will it be fun, but it will relieve stress for everyone.
My Favorite Quote I Heard this Week
I heard a quote the other
day that was passed on by author and illustrator, A. J. Cosmo. (Just for the
record, some think Maya Angelou quoted this, but after doing some research she
said she wished she had wrote it. It’s
actually a song written and sung by Gary Allan.
Here’s the quote:
“Every storm runs out of rain.”
Image Credit: Pixabay
Isn’t that the truth? We all will have to find our “new normal” in the days ahead. It will get better and it will be okay. Take care and be safe.
Please take a look and click on the links at the bottom of this post to find more ideas and inspirations from my #Gr8Blogs partners.
Don’t forget to write a note to let us know how you are coping and add any helpful suggestions you may have.
Welcome to our Leap Year 2020 #Gr8BlogHop. My author friends and I are writing about how we will celebrate this day. Some will share how they will spend their extra day. Others, will have more interesting adventures. I’m picking…
Leaping Forward and Backwards for Leap Year 2020
Let’s talk about what trends we might see in 2020. Read to the end to see what I will do with these ideas and how we will find out if they hold true for Leap Year, 2024.
Trends for 2020
I posted this image on my Facebook and Twitter pages and ask what trends everyone thought would be popular for 2020. Thanks to all of those that gave me the best answers ever.
Fashion and Home Decor Colors
Mustard color was mentioned for home decor and fashion. Another popular one is classic Blue.
Image Credit: Pixabay
Check out “Pantone’s” Facebook page to follow more color trends coming this year. Click here to find more. ► Pantone
We had one person tell us that they think Bell Bottoms were going to make a comeback, only this time they would be called, “Wide Leg Cut.” I looked this up and found it to be true. Sounds fun and reminds me of the 70’s. 🙂
Image Credit: Pixabay
Sports
A Twitter viewer posted the popularity in women’s sports is growing. I have to agree. I hear girls wrestling is popular in the middle and high schools age groups now.
This viewer was also glad to hear WNBA and CT Sun women’s basketball teams were getting more respected and more visibility. I hope so, too!
Image Credit: Basketball
Food
Pop Up Dinners and Restaurants. Honesty, I had to look this up. I have not heard of these but found them interesting. According to Wikipedia, a “Pop Up Dinner” is, “A restaurant that is a temporary restaurant. These restaurants often operate from a private home, former factory, or similar space, and during festivals. There are rules to these that should be followed like all restaurants.”
“One must:
Create a business plan.
Choose a location.
Apply for insurance, permits, and licenses.
Set up a mobile kitchen.
Set up a temporary dining room.
Write & price a pop-up menu.
Get the right technology.
Follow a marketing and PR plan.”
Image Credit: Pixabay
Another big trend is, “Dinner Meal Kits Delivery.” We did this for a month or so and it was nice having all the ingredients in one box. Ours came with meat, vegetables, spices, and the full recipe to make the meal. They were really good. I also found new recipes to try and new ways to prepare our meals I hadn’t thought about before.
I found this page and it pretty much tells you all you need to know from“To 5 Meal Delivery Services”from their Facebook page.
Image Credit: Pixabay
Personal Growth and Self Care
This has been on the rise and will continue being a trend for many years. Being more present with yourself and others is so important. I’ve always felt if we take time to take care of ourselves, we are better equipped to take care of others.
Personal growth can come in many ways.
Surround yourself with kind people and rid yourself of negative people.
Don’t compare yourself with other people, especially on social media.
Meet new, interesting people that you share the same interests.
Find ways to laugh and be happy.
De-clutter your home or anything that overwhelms you.
Image Credit: Pixabay
Audio Books
I’ve heard there will be a growth in audio books for 2020. They are great for so many reasons. They used to be mainly for the visually impaired, which they still are. More and more people are listening to them in exercise programs and running. How about just relaxing with an audio book, too? They are very good for those learning to read and struggling readers, as well.
Image Credit: Pixabay
Sign Language
Sign language courses are on the rise, according to The New York Times. Let’s hope for more of these interpreters to be present in our schools and workforce.
Image Credit: Pixabay
An author friend and teacher of this GR8BlogHop group, would be glad to share more of this with you. Feel free to write, Chris Gorges, for more questions.
Art
Art has always, always, been a fun trend over the years. Painted Rocks are a big one right now. The idea is to paint a rock to hide or give a way to brightens one day. Just painting them and keeping them is fun, too!
Remember, “Pet Rocks,” in 1975? Now, that was a big fad. 🙂
Image Credit: Pixabay
Who has heard of Painting Classes or Paint Parties? I’ve yet to go to one but plan to someday. Look for one to go to in your town.
If you run a painting class or party, write me a note and I’d be happy to feature you on my page.
The fun painting instructions I had growing up were the “Paint by Number” landscapes. They were so much fun. Who remembers those?
Image Credit: Pixabay
TV
Renting DVD’s will always be popular but streaming TV shows are hugely popular these days. If you have Cable, you have access to millions of shows. I’m not a big TV person, but I have to admit, it’s fun to be able to find anything to watch at any given time.
It’s much different when I was growing up. We only had three channels. You had to adjust the antennas, (we called them rabbit ears,) just right or the reception was not good. Oh my. 🙂
Image Credit: Pixabay
That’s all I could find for now and looking forward to how these trends fan out. Do you hear of any fun trends you would like to share? Please leave a comment the section below.
Oh, and how will we know if these trends stay strong or not? I thought it would be fun to write them all down and save them in a container. I’m burying them in our backyard to save to open in 2024. Do I have to do it this way? No, but it’s a fun way to do a “Time Capsule,” which I’ve never done before. I’ll report the results back to you in four years.
Included in this photo are the things I hand wrote in this blog plus a rock I painted. What other tangible items could I include to this before I bury it on the 29th of February?
Trends in 2020
It’s fun to see the unique ways people enjoy spending time. What will YOU do with your extra day? Please share in the comment section. But before you go… click over to more #Gr8Blogs for smiles and inspiration for your gift of time.
At the bottom of this post, you’ll find more inspiration and smiles from my favorite #Gr8Blogs about how they’ll celebrate a year with an extra day on 29 February.
Thanks for stopping by!
As always, Happy Reading!
Rosie
#Gr8BlogHop
Now, click on these great stories for more Leap Year fun!
This low price of $7.99 will remain for a limited time, as well. 
