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What a Year Can Make, or Not, From Books by Rose

February 5, 2021 / rosieadmin / 14 Comments

Oh that, 2020! Right?

Last February, a group of author friends and I got together and created some fun posts for last February since it was Leap Year. Little did we know what was ahead of us.

I chose to write about trends for the year 2020. Sounded fun at the time, but then the next month, the whole world shut down.

Here’s the article from that here: ► We’re Leaping and Hopping for Leap Year 2020

Let’s break it down.

Fashion and Home Decor Colors

The big color for 2020 was suppose to be classic blue.

Friends, how would we know if this color for decor came true? None of us visited anyone’s homes. Even if we did, we had other more important things on our mind, like whether or not the stores would have toilet paper. Hmm, do they still sell blue toilet paper? I remember it coming in different colors. Maybe that’s why we never saw it on the shelves. It all makes sense now. 😂

Bell Bottoms

Someone mentioned last year that Bell Bottoms were going to make a comeback from the 1970’s

Again, how would we know if that happened?

So many times I read that people were not even getting dressed on any given day. Many start working at home, so PJ’s were the biggest clothing trends. I wonder if the sales went up for that apparel? 💲

Personally, I dressed each day and did my daily ritual. I haven’t been as rushed to do so, since we seldom left the house. I have cut down on doing the whole hair and make-up to the extent I was, unless there was a ZOOM call, of course. 💻

Sports

I don’t think I have to tell you about this subject. So many sports were canceled. Little League Baseball continued, which was a saving grace for us. We got to see our family and friends and have face to face conversations with people. What a treat! 💕⚾️ 💕

Now, if you wanted to attend a big league baseball game, you could pay to have a cardboard cutout of yourself in the stands. We opted out, we were saving our money incase a toilet paper shortage were to happen again. 🧻

Food

Awe, food. Now here’s a big one!

Pop Up Restaurants were suppose to be all the rage.

Eating out in 2020 didn’t happened for several months. Sadly, some of the small hometown restaurants didn’t make it. The one good thing, is businesses upped their game and created wonderful curbside deliveries. I don’t know about you, but we found some great restaurants and made sure we gave them our support to keep them going strong. 💪

Personal Growth and Self Care

Many people were having trouble with this one, including me.

Not going bowling, not getting out going here and there made a big difference on just not moving enough. I’ve heard others say 2020 slowed them down and they were stress eating, or just plain eating more because they were home everyday.

I went through this some, so when I had my numbers checked at the end of the year, everything was “mildly elevated.” I did not like that, so I started moving more. I started watching what grams of fats and sugars I were taking in and it has really made a difference.

Audio Books

Audio books were projected to be on the rise.

With the libraries closed, with curbside services, I really missed going into the libraries browsing the shelves for those. Don’t worry, I kept them busy enough. I even told them they should keep a index card by the phone with the make of my car, because I would be there weekly. So, reading has not changed much at all for me this last year. 📚

Another hint: If you can’t find an Audio Book at your library, don’t forget to check Youtube. I have found some great ones on there. 😊

Art

Here’s another big one that has been going strong and thrived through 2020. I can’t believe all the awesome classes out there I’ve seen this past year.

If you follow my pages, you know art has been a huge outlet for me. When I don’t create something, from being too busy with other things, I truly miss it. It’s been a 100% lifesaver for me. 🎨

TV

Streaming TV shows has been highly popular these past years.

Watching TV has not changed for me. We watch our shows at night, but for me, it’s writing, reading and art during the day. Oh, that and conversing with family, friends and neighbors, which leaves me with…

Connections!!

I have visited with more people this last year than ever. Friends from long ago, neighbors that we barely saw, and family members to check in on. Even though, many of us can’t connect in person, it’s has been great catching up and staying in touch. 💞

Time Capsule

Last year at this time, our grandson and I buried this rock and a Time Capsule in our back yard with this list in it.

I really wanted you to see a video of us digging this up, but our ground is frozen and the cold snowy days have prevented us from doing this. We hope to soon.

Now For All The Good Things in 2020!

Outside of finally getting to visit and hug our kids and grandkids on Mother’s Day, Cat Michaels and I were busy, busy, finishing up and releasing our Middle Grade book, “Just Between Sam and Me.” It was released on December 02, 2020 and we couldn’t have been more pleased how everything turned out.

We were featured on many blogs, interviews and podcasts. In case you missed it, you can see them here.

“Reading with Your Kids”

Click on the image below to listen:

“The TufFish Show”

Click on the image below to listen;

“Adventures in Reading”

Here are some great authors featured here, but if you would like to listen to part of our chapter 17, from “Just Between Sam and Me,” I’m reading a few pages of our new book at, (17:32-21:42.)

Click on the image below to listen:

So, how have you all been holding up these past months. What big changes have you encountered? I hope you’ll leave us a note and tell us how you are doing and any new projects you have been working on.

Speaking of projects, I will have a new Picture Book for young readers coming out this year. All I can tell you is, I just finished page 13 out of 32 pages. I’m almost halfway finished and I’m having a blast with this one. 😊

As always, stay safe and stay well and…

Happy Reading! 💖

Rosie

If you would like to get a copy of our new book, or any copies of my books, click on the icons below.

PS. A fun “Valentine’s/Kindness/Pay it Forward” post is coming soon. Keep Watching! 💖

The Published Button Has Been Pushed!

December 2, 2020 / rosieadmin / 18 Comments

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.

Released December 02, 2020.

December 02, 2020 Launch Day — December 02, 2020

Cat Michaels and I couldn’t be happier!

We’ve had a world wind of activities happening these past weeks and months.

Here’s a few of our interviews with, author, ► Carol Baldwin and author, Julie Gorges at ► Baby Bloomers Bliss.

Authors, Carol Baldwin and Julie Gorges — **Carol Baldwin and Julie Gorges**

In Case You Missed It….

Join us on how our this book journey started.

Click here for more. ► Just Between Sam and Me.

Thanks to All Our Advance Readers!

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 Reviewer**

Review from author Tonja Drecker — **Review from author, Tonja Drecker**

Review from Gina Rae Mitchell — **Review from, blogger and reviewer, Gina Rae Mitchell**

Review from author Barbara Mojica — **Review 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.

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

Apple Books

Kobo

Goodreads

Enjoy everyone! We hope you will join us in celebrating, Just Between Sam and Me!

Oh, and Before I Go…

Don’t forget to check in on January 15, 2021 for a special interview podcast we did with, ► “Reading with Your Kids.” Details coming soon!

Reading with Your Kids Podcast — Reading with Your Kids

Off to celebrate.

Happy Reading!

~Rosie

Travel to the Town in “Just Between Sam and Me”

November 5, 2020 / rosieadmin / 16 Comments

Are you ready to travel to Spring Hope, MO?

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.

Yeah! You’re back!

Tap the picture below as we give you another taste of our story from Chapter 17.

Now for the Reading!

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.

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.

Thanks for stopping by today!

Happy Reading,

Rosie

Part III Interview With Carol Baldwin About Our New Book

October 15, 2020 / rosieadmin / 0 Comments

Part III Interview

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.

Click here to see ► Part I and ► Part II.

Carol’s blog explains more about our book here, as we dive into why “National Bullying Prevention Month” is so important to discuss.

Watch this important video. Click on the image below.

Excerpt: Just Between Sam and Me, by Cat Michaels and Rosie Russell — **“Just Between Sam and Me”**

Chance to Win a Free ARC

Read our ► Part III Interview 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.)

We thank you and please let us know if you have any questions.

Happy Reading!

Rosie

Rosie Russell – www.booksbyrose.com

Past articles from Books by Rose:

First of a Four Part Series with Author Carol Baldwin

Co-Writing Roles, Bumps in the Road, and Self-Publishing

October 2020 Brings Us Closer To Sharing Our Book

“Just Between Sam and Me” Cover Reveal and More…

October 2020 Brings Us Closer To Sharing Our Book

October 2, 2020 / rosieadmin / 10 Comments

Happy October 2020, everyone!

Can you believe two months from today, Cat Michaels Writer and I will be releasing our Middle Grade book for tweens?

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?

Read more about what this is about here: 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 Intererview — **Be Kind – Link to Interview**

If you missed the first chapter of, Just Between Sam and Me, you can down load it here.

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.

Cat Michaels Writer also wrote an extensive piece on this, as well.

Click on the image below to see more…

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 Leaves — 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.

Rosie Russell – www.booksbyrose.com

Co-Writing Roles, Bumps in the Road, and Self-Publishing

September 17, 2020 / rosieadmin / 2 Comments

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.

Writing
Image Credit: Pixabay — 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.

Good luck!

As always, feel free to write us with any additional questions.

Cat Michaels Writer

Rosie Russell at Books by Rose

Stay tuned for Part III, as we have more to share with you in October, with Carol Baldwin.

Here’s a Sneak Peek…

Unfortunately, our main character in our story, Just Between Sam and Me, is socially bullied.

October is National Bullying Prevention Month
Image Credit: Pixabay — October is National Bullying Prevention Month

October is National Bullying Prevention Month and we have some helpful suggestions to share with you.

Thanks for stopping by today.

As always, Happy Reading!

Rosie

“Just Between Sam and Me” Cover Reveal and More…

September 3, 2020 / rosieadmin / 10 Comments

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!

► Cat Corner Blog Post.

Welcome Back

Oh good, you’re back in Missouri! The Midwest weather here today is delightful!

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.)

Apple Cider and Cookies — 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.

Sandra Bennett Children’s Author – How To Do A Cover with Impact

Julie Gorges – 7 Bizarre Lessons from The Brady Bunch

Auden Johnson – Design Idea: Make A Unique Animated Book Cover

Julie Schooler – Finding Time to Write – Podcast with Authors Who Lead

Happy Reading!

Rosie

First of a Four Part Series with Author Carol Baldwin

August 27, 2020 / rosieadmin / 0 Comments

Today we kick off our four part series with Author Carol Baldwin on questions and answers on how Cat Michaels and I have shared our writing journey these 17 months.

Part I: Getting Started With Co-Authoring with Cat Micheals.

Carol Baldwin Cat Michaels Rosie Russell

Visit Author, Carol Baldwin’s page to see more. ► I nterview and Video

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)

More prize giveaways to come, too!

See you in September!

Thanks for stopping by!

Happy Reading,

Rosie

Five Fun Facts and Quiz about Books for Book Lovers Day 2020

August 7, 2020 / rosieadmin / 12 Comments

If you are reading this blog, then it’s a fair guess you love to read and love books.

Happy Book Lovers Day 2020
Image: Pixabay — 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!

Fun facts poster — 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.)

I had fun learning these facts and I hope you will, too.

Let’s get started!

1) What is Bibliosmia?

(Scroll down for options.)

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.)

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.)

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.

Lol, Acronym, Laugh Out Loud, Laughing, Funny — 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.)

Book with glasses — 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 Writer and I have lots of big news to share about our Middle Grade novel in the coming months!

We can’t wait to share it with you all!

Carmela Dutra – Book Lovers Day: A Day for Bookworms

Sandra Bennett – Characters in a Book are like Friends

Julie Schooler – 3 Paradoxical Takeaways from Brené Brown’s Books

Cat Michaels – Lift Your Bibliophile Heart During Covid with a Rap, Really Awful Poem to Celebrate Book Lover’s Day

Auden Johnson – Best Horror Tropes in Books and Movies (Infographic)

Rebecca Lyndsey – Celebrating Shark Week with Books and So Much More!

Julie Gorges – 8 Life Lessons Learned From the Coronavirus

Books, Books, and More Books at, Books by Rose

July 2, 2020 / rosieadmin / 14 Comments

Welcome to First Friday’s #GR8Blog post!

How’s your summer going so far? It’s hard to believe we are halfway through this year.

fireworks-digital-paper-5216252_960_720[1]
Happy July 2020 — Image Credit: Pixabay

In July’s Blog, You Will Find:

5 Star Book Reviews

Video Title Release

Special Gift

When it comes to books, I can’t seem to get enough of them. I was so pleased after reading these 5 titles, I knew I’d have to share their reviews. Click on the titles to find the links so you can read them, too.

5 Star Book Reviews

Adult Book

Julie Schooler‘s book, “Rediscover Your Sparkle: Revive the Real You and Be Rebelliously Happy Every Day (Nourish Your Soul)”

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Julie’s book is a delightful read.
This book will walk readers through so many ways to rediscover their sparkle.
It shows how to look for the joy of sparkles we had as children. How to find your sparkle when you feel like the world is falling a part around you. How to savor each moment. The importance of play, yes, even as adults.
Seeking to find things to be grateful for. How to breathe, meditate, and sleep well. Creating your own, “Sparkle Day,” and so much more.
I also enjoyed Ms. Schooler’s wonderful challenges she included in the back of this book.
I highly recommend this book for those that are looking to find more sparkle in their everyday lives.

Teen Book

“Time To Cast Away” written by author, Julie A. Gorges.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

This story was well written and the characters were well developed.
It’s a story about the up and downs of friendships and set in a tone teens will understand.
When Meg reads Rachel’s diary, she comes to understand how helping friends is an important lesson.
The relationship of Meg and Danny will show readers what it’s like to fight with self-esteem issues and overcome them.

I highly recommend this book. It’s a must read for all teens.

Children’s Books

“Never Ask An Octopus: Funny Read Aloud Story Book for Toddlers, Preschoolers, Kids Ages 3-6 (NEVER ASK… Children’s Bedtime Story Picture Books 8.)”

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Author Melinda Kinsman brings us this story just in time for summer.

It’s best not to invite an Octopus along on a fishing trip in your boat. My, so many things can happen.
The illustrations are so bright and cheerful. Once again, Ms. Kinsman entertains readers further with fun activities in the back of the book.

I highly recommend this book for young readers.

“What Is Good and What Is Bad?”

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

This cute book written by author, Mrs. D and illustrated by Salma Riaz is a book to be enjoyed by young readers.
Gavin is faced with choices on what is good and what is bad and their consequences. A rhyming story with delightful illustrations will engage readers further.
I highly recommend this book.

“The Fox Family Adventures: A Day at the Beach”

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“The Fox Family Adventures: A Day at the Beach,” written by Johnni and Chris Gorges and illustrated by Christopher Cervantes, is a darling book readers will enjoy.
Ben, Emily, and their parents set out for a day of fun and relaxation. There’a a mishap with an unexpected event.
I highly recommend this story. It’s full of bright and cheerful illustrations that will engage young readers.
I’m looking forward to more of these stories.

Video Title Release

These past several weeks, Cat Michaels and I have been working hard on coming up with the title to our next book. Here’s the video to share again, in case you missed it. Enjoy!

Title Reveal by Cat Michaels and Rosie Russell

Special Gift

Image Credit: Pixabay
Gold String — Image Credit: Pixabay

Now that you watched the video, Cat Michaels and I have a very special gift for you! A sneak peek to our first chapter. Click on the link below to download.

Sorry, but this download to our first chapter is no longer available. Please keep watching our upcoming interviews, as we will be offering it again for a chance to win.

Once you read it, come back and tell us what you think. If you know readers 8-12 years old, have them read it and come back and share their thoughts, too.

Don’t forget to subscribe to my Books by Rose page. Go to the upper right hand corner of the page or scroll to the bottom of this page to fill out the form. We have more fun news to share with you in the coming months.

Remember to look up the books I’ve mentioned here. Oh, and if you’ve read some titles you have enjoyed this summer, we loved to hear about those, as well.

Have a wonderful July!

As always,

Happy Reading!

Rosie

GR8Blogs Books Travel Family Nature Positivity 50-Plus & More — GR8Blogs

Tune Into June 2020 at Books by Rose

June 5, 2020 / rosieadmin / 14 Comments

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 Blog You 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.

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.

Create a Nature Search and Find

In July 2019, I wrote a more extensive blog about about this, which you can check out here: https://booksbyrose.com/summertime-nature-finds-with-books-by-rose/

Parents and kids, here are a few suggestions for exploring the great outdoors.

Nature Search and Finds in the Summertime — 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

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 our Little 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.

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.

Exciting News

As you all know by now, Cat Michaels and I have been working on our MG book.

Working on a Computer — 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.

Any plans for the summer?

I wish you a wonderful June 2020!

As always,

Happy Reading!

Rosie

Spring 2020 is Different, But We’re Still Going!

May 1, 2020 / rosieadmin / 14 Comments

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. — “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!

Our sons at Field of Dreams. — Me with our sons

Honoring Our Mom and Crafts to Make

With our own mother, we honor her in many ways, remembering her in everything she was.

Our mom's trio in the 1930's. — 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 — 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.

Project made from, "Maggie, Millie, and Merrie's Mystery Mail." — 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.

The living room in the Little Free Library. — 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:

Horse with book description. — 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!

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.*

Ideas on How to Cope in a Coronavirus World

March 21, 2020 / rosieadmin / 16 Comments

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 all can help and support them.

Pixabay Image Share — 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.

Active Listening — 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.)

Reach out to others. — 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

Enjoy the little things. — 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.”

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.

As always, I’m here if you need a listening ear.

Rosie

Cat Michaels – I Refuse to Waste Away in Coronaville

Julie Gorges – Ten Things Baby Boomers Can Do if Self-Quarantined

Chris Gorges – 7 Ways to Cope with Coronavirus Fatigue

James Milson – It’s Here — Coping With The Coronavirus Challenge Now

Rebecca Lyndsey – Coping in Coronaville

Sandra Bennett – Staying Grateful in a Coronavirus World

Auden Johnson – QUARANTINE LIFE: WAYS TO COPE IN A CORONAVIRUS WORLD

Carmela Dutra – How to Stay Positive in a Coronavirus World

We’re Leaping and Hopping for Leap Year 2020

February 23, 2020 / rosieadmin / 18 Comments

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.

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.

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. 🙂

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!

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.”

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.

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.

Personal Care and Personal Growth — 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.

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.

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. 🙂

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?

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. 🙂

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?

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!

James Milson – Happy Leap Year Day! What Will You Do With Your Extra Time?

Chris Gorges – A Rare Gift

Julie Gorges – How Baby Boomers Can Make Leap Day Count

Rebecca Lyndsey – Very Superstitious…

Cat Michaels – Five Easy Things You Can Do with Your Extra 24 Hours on Leap Day

Sandra Bennett – What Will You Do With an Extra Day?

Auden Johnson – How Will You Spend Your Extra Day?

Carmela Dutra – How to Take a Leap on Leap Year

Julie Schooler – 3 Easy Ways to Make February 29th Your Best Leap Day Ever

Give the Gift of Reading for Valentine’s Day 2020

February 7, 2020 / rosieadmin / 4 Comments

Valentine’s Day 2020 is coming! If you have young readers, here’s a list of my books for a special treat for Valentine’s Day. There are many to choose from for all ages.

Click on the titles to find out more. These title links will take you to Amazon. If you would like to purchase them at Barnes and Noble, or Rainy Day Books, they are available there, as well. If you live in the U.S.A and would like a signed copy, write me a note at: booksbyrose4u@gmail.com

Enjoy!

First up,

“Avi and Jackson Best Friends”

This is my first book, which is near and dear to my heart. It’s based on our sons growing up. They are best friends to this day.

Join Avi and Jackson to see all the fun things they like to do.
Can you find the special item that is their favorite thing to play with?

Available in paperback and kindle.

“Beasley’s Journey.”

If you haven’t met Beasley yet, you’re in for a real treat.

Everybody loves Beasley!

"Beasley's Journey." — “Beasley’s Journey”

Beasley goes on an unexpected journey. He meets many friends along the way. Will he make it to his destination? Come along to find out!! ( A portion of the profits sold goes to animals in need.)

This early reader is available in paperback and kindle.

“Beasley and Friends to the Rescue”

Readers will laugh as Lola Duck has big news she wants to share with Beasley. What will they find in Farmer Bill’s barn?

Beasley loves living in the country! He spends his days chasing butterflies, digging for treasures, and playing hide and seek with his bunny friend. Just as he settles in for his afternoon nap, his friend Lola Duck comes squawking from down the road. She says there’s a terrible racket going on over at Farmer Bill’s Barn. Beasley and Lola Duck gather their friends and off they go to solve the problem. What will Beasley, Lola Duck and their friends find when they get there? Come along and follow their adventurous day. This tale will leave readers with laughs, giggles, and will warm the hearts of young and old. (A portion of the profits book sold will go to animals in need.)

“A Search and Find of Every Kind with Jake and his dog named Cain”

Enjoy looking for over a hundred items in this search and find about Jake and his dog named Cain. Picture finds for those not yet reading, word finds for those that are. Continue the fun at home with extra search and find ideas that are included at the end of this book. (A portion of the profits sold will be donated to animals in need.)

This book is available in paperback and kindle.

“Sherman the Shopping Cart: A Search and Find”

Meet Sherman the Shopping Cart! Join him as he guides you on this journey of his life as a shopping cart. Have fun searching for over a hundred items. He has picture finds for non-readers and word finds for readers. Enjoy the fun activities in the back of this book. ( A portion of the profits book sold will go to children in need of art supplies.)

“What an absolutely delightful book. Loved the illustrations, the clever and imaginative idea of the life of a shopping cart, the humor, and all the learning activities that don’t feel like learning at all.” Author of “Just Call Me Goody-Two-Shoes” – Julie Gorges, Blogger, and Freelance Writer.

This book is available in paperback and kindle.

“Maggie, Millie and Merrie’s Magical Adventure”

These next three books you’ll see is a series about the triplets. They are for readers that are a little more advance but still enjoy pictures books. (Grades level 3rd-5th grade, depending on their reading level.) Available in paperback and kindle.

The triplets are more than excited to move in the very same home that their mother had grown up in, on Whimsical Avenue. Come along and join Maggie, Millie, and Merrie’s, Magical Adventure! Enjoy the fun art project included at the end of the book. (A portion of the profits sold will be donated to students in need of art supplies.)

“Maggie, Millie, and Merrie’s Magical Coins”

This is book two from “Maggie, Millie, and Merrie’s Magical Adventure.” The triplets enjoy a fun visit with Grandmother when she returns from Florida. As they are helping her go through the attic, they find a wooden box. Inside, there are three bright shiny coins. Grandmother tells them they are magical. What do the magical coins hold? Readers will enjoy many fun activities as this story unfolds. (A portion of the profits sold will go to children in need of art supplies.)

“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? (A portion of the profits sold will be donated to students in need of art supplies.)

“A beautifully-illustrated snowy day tale, with added instructions for kids to make a craft and recipe from the story. Fun boredom-busting entertainment.” – Melinda Kinsman, Children’s Book Author and Illustrator

This new release is available in paperback and kindle.

“Moonshadow Mae”

Mae is a happy girl and loves many things.

One thing she adores the most is the moon.

She is in awe of the glowing shine and the shadows left behind.

Come along and enjoy this rhyming tale as Mae explores the wonders of the atmosphere above.

Enclosed are fun facts, a special craft, and a yummy recipe in the back of this book.

This book is available in hardcover and paperback.

That’s it for now. Look for more books to come.

Author Cat Michaels and I are working hard to finish up an exciting chapter book for Middle Grade readers. Keep watching!

Happy reading everyone and I’ll see you back at the end of the month. My GR8Blog friends and I have some fun posts to share with you.

I Like the Sound of 2020!

January 10, 2020 / rosieadmin / 8 Comments

"Happy New Years 2020 poster from Pixabay.

It’s hard to believe its 2020, right? I like the sound and looks of it.

I’ve seen fun posts already relating to the title of this year.

“Welcome to the Roaring 20’s.”

“I’ve Got 20/20 Vision for the New Year.”

We’ll just have to remember to write down 2020. That will be the tricky part for a while.

Now, for a short post on what changes I’d like to see for myself for the upcoming year.

Before I move forward…

I wanted to give a big shout out to those that purchased my children’s books for their young readers over the holidays. Please let me know your thoughts. If you could kindly leave a review on Amazon, it would be greatly appreciated.

"Thank You" poster from Pixabay. — Image Credit: Pixabay

What’s Really Important?

Well, my last day of the year in 2019, ended me in the hospital with a surprise surgery. I didn’t need my appendix anyway, right? I was back home on New Year’s Eve, but needless to say, it was an uneventful celebration. That’s okay, we never go out on that night and rarely make it to midnight, so no loss there.

"Important" poster from Pixabay. — Image Credit: Pixabay

My whole experience last week, put things in a different perspective and reminded me how much I’ve taken my days of “feeling well” for granted. We get busy, going through life, working at things that we think are just so important to get this done and that done. When I felt well enough to get back to my, somewhat normal routine, I found the things I was so fixated on before, didn’t bring me the same significance of importance. Have you ever had that feeling?

Family, friends, and doing the things you love and enjoy is really all that matters in the end. Sure, I work hard on my job every day, which I love! However, I will be looking at it in a whole new way, picking out what’s the most important thing to focus on and spend my time doing that. Again, that talk to self is, not everything has to be done in one day. More on that in a minute.

What’s to Come for 2020?

"What's Next" poster from Pixabay. — Image Credit: Pixabay

I’m not a fan of making resolutions, but a fan of thinking of things I would like to see happen more for myself and improving situations around me.

I do have a lot of things I’m looking forward to in 2020.

As I’ve said in many of my other posts, I’m Co-Writing a MG book with Cat Michaels. We are halfway there. Even though we still see lots of changes in the story from our first ideas, I feel like we are making it better than originally planned. Cat is awesome to work with and we are having a great time.

Also, as you know, I have a Picture Book that I would like to finish after our MG book. I’m looking at the end of 2020 for that to be done. This book is written so all I have to do is the fun part. Illustrating it. Again, I want to accomplish this with joy and not rush it. It’s a darling story.

Personal Projects

Since I’ve always loved crafts, I plan to emerge myself more in making crafty items, for personal use, and for family and friends. What better way for me to get away from the computer and take a break, right? I hope you will try this as well. It’s refreshing and clears your mind better more than anything I have found so far. Not a crafty person? How about photography? Pick up an music instrument and play a song? Plant a flower garden? Refinish a piece of furniture? There are unlimited ideas out there. Pinterest and YouTube are great places to start.

I believe, giving yourself permission to do something you enjoy makes your mind more clear and more focused.

Other Personal Project. Walking!

Walking on Treadmill poster from Pixabay. — Image Credit: Pixabay

My husband gets on me all the time because I’ve slowed down with my walking habits. Again, it’s that thing about sitting at the computer thinking I have to get everything done in one day. I’ve clearly realized, that breaking tasks up into different parts of the day will be much healthier for me. This is especially hard for me when I’m illustrating a book. I literally can sit here all day, enthralled in all the tiny details. I love it so much, I never want to stop.

So, I hope to get back to our treadmill, even if it’s for short breaks every day. I’d rather walk outside, but I will have to wait for warmer days to come for that.

Do you have any special visions or plans for this New Year?

Vision Poster from Pixabay — Image Credit: Pixabay

What goals do you have set for yourself? Write a note in the comment section, I’d love to hear from you.

Have a safe and happy 2020 with many blessings and good health.

Thanks for stopping by.

As always…Happy Reading!

Rosie

Click here to check out my Picture Books for your young readers. There’s a little something here for everyone. Enjoy!

I’m a proud member of GR8Blogs. Watch for posts on Facebook and Twitter this next week as I share what my author friends from this group have been up to. See you then…

My Ups and Downs and In-Betweens on the 2019 Writing Road

December 8, 2019 / rosieadmin / 6 Comments

If you are a writer, what big project have you been working in 2019? Have you faced any challenges? What obstacles have you had to jump? Has your writing road in 2019 been a smooth one?

I’ve had an exciting year and I can’t wait to tell you all about it.

This past year, I worked on writing and illustrating my latest book, “Maggie, Millie, and Merrie’s Mystery Mail.” It was a fun book to make and I hope readers are enjoying the art project in this story.

In October, I released my ninth book! I had a book launch in November, giving away lots of fun prizes.

“Maggie, Millie, and Merrie’s Mystery Mail”

If you are thinking of gifting this book, you can read the Kindle Version for the low price of $1.99. (Limited Time Only.)

***The art project will keep your reader busy for hours and hours on those snowy days, or anytime.***

Setting Up and Co-Writing with Cat Michaels – Writer

The first few months of this year were spent setting up and writing a story with Cat Michaels for a MG chapter book released next year.

Of course, we wanted to get right to the story, but, we had to decide on some business issues first. We plugged right in, getting started and paved the way to how this was going to work out.

Writing with a Co-Writer

Here are just a few things we had to consider. We had to decide on the technical issues. How were we going to write a book together living so far away from each other? What responsibilities did each one carry? How often would we touch base to discuss updates?

Technical Issues Credit: Pixabay — Technical Issues

(Cat and I will hopefully explain this better for you down the road. For now, here are a few critical things we had to discuss before starting.)

Objective
Target Audience
Desired Results
Roles (How to divide the work.)
Budget
Royalties (How will they be managed and split?)

And so much more.

Building Timelines and Character Boards

Timeline and Character Boads — Timeline and Character Boards

For the writing part, we built a timeline and character boards. These were not made all in one day. After our characters evolved over time and more ideas kept popping up, we changed things many times. It was interesting when a situation took a whole new route and one we weren’t expecting. Writing is funny that way.

Research

Many times in our story, we run across things that need to be researched. This takes time away from our writing, but it’s been worth its weight in gold.

Horses

There has been so much that we didn’t know about horses. Luckily, we have found some great people and resources on where to get our answers. Thanks to all that contributed to this. Cat even took this research to the next level on her travels.

Check out one of her trips here.

Food

Another research item you may all remember, was a dinner meal the characters eat in the story. Our story is set in the Midwest and this well-known food is popular in this area. It’s Country Fried Steak. Or, is it Chicken Fried Steak? Since Cat was not familiar with this food, we thought we’d run a survey to our followers. Country Fried Steak won! That post made us all hungry.

Psssst. There will be a recipe at the back of this book for you all to try out. Yum!

Life Happens

Cat and I both have many things we do in our personal lives. She went on a few trips. I had a few times where family situations came up and had to put writing on the back burner. Knowing these busy times were going to happen, I planned accordingly and wrote as much as I could. I was lucky for the most part. When I’d sit down to write a chapter or two, the ideas flowed like magic most days. A few times though, I’d find myself stuck and have to take a break.

***Taking breaks is highly recommended, by the way.***

Now to the Story

The story we started is very different than the one we originally wrote.

Here’s the image that started it all back in a story prompt Cat posted on February 27, 2015. Wow, that was almost 5 years ago!

Cat's post from 2015 — Cat’s Post from 2015

Our older version did involve a horse, but the situation was much different. Also, a mysterious older lady befriended our main character. I won’t tell you too much, because someday, I think the story can actually work in another genre. After looking it over and discussing it, the topic in the main plot was not one a MG reader would enjoy or find interesting. That would not work, right? We have to entertain the reader.

We did keep the setting, the family, and the horse. That was about it.

A best friend was developed for our main character. (I happen to love this character and I can’t wait for you all to meet her.)

Another character we added, is a “mean girl.” It’s probably been the hardest part of the story for me to write.

How We Pulled this All Together

We decided, I would write the chapters and Cat would go in and do her magic. If you have not seen Cat’s work yet, you will see what I mean. She can take a boring ole’ sentence and make it fly off the page.

Cat has a wonderful critique group in her hometown to look it over and add their awesome advice. So far, this system has worked well for us. (Thank you N.C. Critique Group!)

My Dream for December and the New Year

Finishing our story and getting it out into the world to all of you! We still have a long way to go, but I feel we are on track to where we want to be.

I’m also going to work on gathering image ideas for a new Picture Book for Early Readers. That will hopefully come out late next year.

Share your Dreams for December and this Next Year?

Are you a writer in the middle of a story that you can’t wait to finish?

What big projects are you excited about?

Please share in the comment section. Oh, and before you go, find more smiles and inspirational recollections at these #Gr8blogs below.

Happy Reading!

Rosie

Cat Michaels
My Ups, Downs and In Betweens on the 2019 Writing Road

Rebecca Lyndsey

Holiday Traditions that Ring in the Season

Julie Gorges

Baby Boomer Writer’s Ups, Downs & In-Betweens in 2019

James Milson

Christmas Peanuts & Linus’s Inspirational Message For Us All

Julie Schooler

3 Writing Wins and Lessons in 2019

Sandra Bennett

December Dreaming – 5 Ways Looking Back Can Help You Look Forward

Who Inspired the Title, “Maggie, Millie, and Merrie” Series?

December 2, 2019 / rosieadmin / 4 Comments

As most of you’ve seen, I’ve had the first two books to my, “Maggie, Millie, and Merrie” series, FREE for the past few days. Just one more day to snag a *FREE* copy of Book 1 and 2.

Here’s a little background about how these books came about.

Singers from the 1930's — “Margaret, Irene, and Mary”

These lovely ladies are, Margaret, Irene, and Mary. They were singers in the Kansas City, MO area in the 1930’s. They sang on stage at the Brush Creek Follies, and even had a chance to sing with Roy Rogers.

Why is this so special to me? The lady you see at the end is our mother. Her name is Mary. When I thought of names for the triplets, I thought of our mother’s singing group.

Margaret was changed to Maggie. Irene was changed to Millie. We have a niece named after our mom, her name is Merrie. I thought how special it would be to use her name.

The triplets were also inspired from our sister, Robin and a childhood friend, Cindy. My, did we have fun growing up! We did many things together as you see in the books. I’m forever thankful I’ve had them both in my life to grow and learn from over the years.

When we were young, we used our imaginations everyday, creating fun things to make and do. That is also why you see so many fun projects in all the books.

Maggie, Millie, and Merrie Series Book 1 and 2 — Book 1 and 2
“Maggie, Millie, and Merrie’s” Series

If you want to read more about them and the adventures they go on, click on the titles. ***FREE** today, December 02, 2019, until midnight.

“Maggie, Millie, and Merrie’s Magical Adventure”

“Maggie, Millie and Merrie’s Magical Coins”

My New Book

This Kindle Version is $1.99 For A Limited Time Only

“Maggie, Millie, and Merrie’s Mystery Mail”

Enjoy and Happy Reading!

Rosie

PS. Don’t forget to subscribe to my page for more updates. We’d love to have you along on our fun journey.

Free Books from Books by Rose

November 29, 2019 / rosieadmin / 2 Comments

Happy day after Thanksgiving! I hope you all enjoyed your holiday.

I know many are out shopping today, as it’s the biggest day of the year to get great deals. Some are staying home and shopping online.

As most of you know, I just released my new book, “Maggie, Millie, and Merrie’s Mystery Mail.” My book launch was a great success and the items have been shipped off to the winners. Thank you all for showing up and supporting my new story.

The reviews for this book are building everyday. Here are a few of them for now…

Snow Day Fun

Snow days can be so much fun! Especially when a mysterious package is delivered. Join Maggie, Millie and Merrie on their snow day, which turns into days and boredom kicks in. That is until a mysterious package arrives that has special instructions for each girl. Boredom is no longer an issue.
Beautifully written and illustrated. Great addition to this wonderful series.
Also includes instructions for your own craft and recipes from the story.

Who Doesn’t Love Snow Days, Mystery Surprise Packages, and Fun Project

Rosie Russell captures the excitement of snow days and receiving surprise packages in this delightful children’s story. She adds a bit of whimsy and mystery along with a fun craft project perfect for snowy – or rainy – days. Children will learn all about creating “widget boxes” which can be turned into a school project, a card for a loved one, or even a dollhouse. As someone who spent hours making miniature houses and cardboard furniture out of shoe boxes, I loved this idea. And if all that creating makes kids hungry, Russell even adds a yummy recipe. Beautifully illustrated, this third installment of a series revolving around triplets Maggie, Millie and Merrie is sure to please.

Interview with Cat Michaels – Writer

In a recent interview with, Cat Michaels – Writer, she asked this question about my new story.

Cat: Can children read your book as a standalone, or do they need to read the other two books in this series first?
Rosie: This book can be read as a standalone. I made sure to include instructions and ideas from the other two stories. I think readers will enjoy it even more once they read the first two books.

So, those first two books in my Maggie, Millie, and Merrie Series?

**They are FREE today!**

Not only today, this promotion will run until, Monday at midnight.

Click on these titles to receive your free Kindle Editions:

“Maggie, Millie, and Merrie’s Magical Adventure”

“Maggie, Millie, and Merrie’s Magical Coins”

Once you’ve read them, please leave a review and let me know what you think. I hope you enjoy the fun adventures the triplets go on.

If you would like to give the gift of reading to your young readers this holiday season, here’s the link to my Amazon Author page.

For non-readers, check out my “Search and Finds.” They include hundreds of word finds and picture finds.

For new updates to come, subscribe to my page. Just fill out the links at the top right or bottom of this page.

Happy Reading!

Rosie

Celebrating “Wintertime Bliss” at Books by Rose with Blog Hop Author Friends

November 1, 2019 / rosieadmin / 7 Comments

Enjoy my blog and my #GR8BlogHop author friends posts, as we celebrate how we find our “Wintertime Bliss.”

Each of us will give you our take on what “Wintertime Bliss” brings to each of us. I hope you will click on their links at the bottom of this page to join in. Don’t forget to share with us what wintertime means to you and yours.

Book Launch!

First up in November, is my book launch for Maggie, Millie, and Merrie’s Mystery Mail.” I hope you will stop by on my “Books by Rose” Facebook page on November 07, 2019 at 9 am CST.

Thanksgiving

Next up, is Thanksgiving!

I wish everyone the best from A-Z for a wonderful November and Thanksgiving Day.

If you live outside of North America, you may celebrate a different holiday. Write us a note and tell us all about it.

Now on to the Rest of My Wintertime Bliss

December!

We celebrate Christmas at our home. We have so much fun exchanging gifts and eating a traditional Christmas Eve dinner each year. Our special meal is called, “Velveeta Chicken.” I usually make it along with a Sweet Potato Casserole, our favorite veggies, and rolls. Morning is spent opening presents and visiting with family and friends late into the evening.

Share with us on how you celebrate this holiday or your special holiday.

New Years!

It’s been pretty quiet around our house these past years on New Years Eve. When our sons were home, we’d eat snacks, watch the ball drop on T.V. and play board games.

How do you celebrate the upcoming New Year at your house?

Winter Reading

I plan to make sure I have a stack of books on hold from our library for those snowy days. There’s nothing better than relaxing and reading. It’s fun to get a mixture of fiction and non-fiction books. I usually have many going on at the same time. It depends on my mood that day.

Are you a “one book at a time reader” or do you read like I do? Oh, and if you have any great books to suggest, please leave the titles in the comments below.

Winter Shows

Outside of all the holiday movies to get through, my husband and I have been binge watching a bunch of shows. We are currently watching “Heartland.” Have you seen it? It’s a show based out of Canada and it’s really good. I’m learning lots of facts about horses which leads me to my next subject…Winter Writing

Winter Writing

Now that my Picture Book, “Maggie, Millie, and Merrie’s Mystery Mail” is finished and out into the world, I’m giving my full attention to the MG story I’m co-writing with Cat Michaels Writer.

We are having so much fun with this book. Here’s a snippet of our story to come.

Our protagonist, Olivia, and her friend, Isabella,
introduce new girl Candace to Olivia’s horse, Lucky.

“There now, boy,” Olivia crooned, moving to Lucky and stroking him gently alongside his neck.  “Candace is just trying to be friendly.”

“Your horse doesn’t like me,” Candace blurted. “He’s mean.”

“He’s just not used to you.  It’ll take time for him to know you, that’s all,” Olivia said.

“Yeah, right.”

“Try a friendly horse handshake like this, Candace.” Olivia suggested. She stuck out her hand with fingers held down and slightly bent.  “Hold your hand like this near Lucky’s nose. That way, he can smell your hand and get to know you.”

Unconvinced, Candace kept her distance, hands clasped securely behind her back.

“I was explaining the best way to pet a horse,” Isabella said, “but before I could finish, Candace reached over and petted Lucky in that small blind spot in front of his face. It startled him, so he bucked sideways.”
Check out Cat’s photos here, as she visited a farm for our research. Sounds exciting, huh? Keep watching!

Anticipating

I’m looking forward to what 2020 brings. I will start another Picture book later next year. It has been written for some time now but has been put on the back burner to work on my past projects. I’m excited to get started with it. This story will melt your heart. It’s already melting mine.

Illustrating

Not only will I have the cover to finish for the book I’m writing with Cat Michaels, I’m excited to use some new techniques I found for my new Picture Book. I draw with a Wacom Drawing Pad to create digital art. What do you use?

If any of you want to begin illustrating or want to create art, please visit YouTube. It’s amazing the free lessons you’ll find. Don’t forget to follow your favorite artists. They will welcome you and love to have you on board to follow them in their journey.

What’s your Wintertime Bliss?

Please leave us a note in the comment section below. Don’t forget to subscribe to my page at the top right corner or the bottom of this page for more updates on what’s to come.

Click on the links below for more Winter Time Bliss.

Thanks for stopping by and Happy Winter!

And, always, Happy Reading!

Rosie

Author and Illustrator Carmela Dutra – Click on Part 1 and Part 2.

Part 1 .

Part 2

Author Sandra Bennett

October 2019 Brings New Title Reveal at Books by Rose

October 4, 2019 / rosieadmin / 6 Comments

Welcome October 2019!

The weather is cool, crisp, and beautiful. Our fall days in the Midwest can run a gamut of temperatures. Our autumn days are mostly filled with warm and sunny days, along with cool evenings.

My Favorite Reason for October!

October will forever remind me of one of the most important things in my life, my husband. We started dating in October 1972 and married 6 years later to the day. The joy he has brought me with our two sons cannot be put into words. It’s been an amazing ride and I’m looking forward to more to come.

My New Book Cover Reveal and Title

Remember last month, I said I’d reveal more about my new book coming in November? If you watched my video on October 1st, then you already saw a sneak peek of it’s announcement.

“Maggie, Millie, and Merrie’s Mystery Mail”

What’s This Book About?

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?

Thanks for all my Beta Readers for looking it over with your wonderful insights.

This new book can be read as a standalone, although, I think readers will it enjoy it more if they have read the first two books. It’s not require. I made sure to include some back story for those that have not.

If you have not read their first two books, you can check them out here.

Maggie, Millie, and Merrie’s Magical Adventure

Maggie, Millie, and Merrie’s Magical Coins

What’s Coming in November?

My book launch! You won’t want to miss this one. We will have a day of fun with my online “Mystery Fun Game.”

Clean out your computer or laptop cookies so you can search the internet for answers to my nine questions throughout the day.

There will be nine prizes to win! (Are you noticing that pattern with the number nine?) The answer to that will be revealed at my book launch on Thursday, November 07, 2019. My launch will be at Books by Rose on Facebook at 9 am and will run until 6 pm. (CST.) Come join the fun.

Before I Go…

I’d like to thank Readers’ Favorite for this lovely review and seal for, “Moonshadow Mae.” We are over the moon happy with these kind words from Emily-Jane Hills Orford.

Click here to read more. ► Readers’ Favorite

Readers' Favorite Review and Seal — Readers’ Favorite Review

What are your plans for October? Do you have any fun events planned for this month? How about a new project in the works? Leave a comment in the section below. We’d love to hear from you!

As always,

Happy Reading!

Rosie

September Word Game, Coming News, and Fall Recipe

September 6, 2019 / rosieadmin / 12 Comments

September 2019 First Friday

Join me on this first Friday of September. Come sit and let’s visit.

Bench at a park in the fall — Welcome!
(Image: Pixabay)

These months are flying by faster and faster.

School has begun, for most. Wishing you all a wonderful and successful school year.

September Fun

When my sister and I were growing up, we loved playing word games. One of them, we called, “How Many Words Can You Find?” After putting on a timer for 5 minutes, we’d start and write as many as we could. We’d tally up our words and the one that came up with the most, won the game. It was fun to find long words to use. The longer the better.

If you play this game, adjust your time, according to ages.

What words can you find in “September?”

Here are a few I found.

pet

best

Let’s play this game together. Write a few words you see in the comment section below.

Exciting News

Remember last month, I wrote about my third “Maggie, Millie, and Merrie” story coming soon? If you missed it, you can read more here.

It’s finished!

It’s currently going through my Beta Readers. For those that may not know, Beta Readers are those that have agreed to read this story to help mark errors and suggest improvements. I call these wonderful people, my Street Team. Their advise and time is valuable and appreciated.

So, don’t forget to come back the first part of October to see the…

Cover reveal of new release coming in October — Cover Reveal
(Image: Pixabay)

When Will This Book Be Released?

I’m looking at the first part of November. Keep watching for my Book Launch with lots of prizes.

Don’t forget, to subscribe to my blog at the top right or at the bottom of this page for further updates.

Want to catch up on the triplets first two books? They are available in Kindle and paperback here.

In other news…

If you follow me on Facebook, at Books by Rose, then you saw this poster I made of a book I’m co-writing with Cat Michaels – Writer.

We asked our viewers if they were working on a WIP, and to share five words about their upcoming story. We had a great response and we are looking forward to all the wonderful books coming the rest of this year and in 2020.

Here’s five words on what Cat and I are writing about. It’s a MG tale and it’s coming together nicely. We are looking to release it in 2020.

Many people ask us how we write a book together when we live 725 miles away from each other?

We do this by working in Google Docs, emails, and many conference calls. I like to call them my “Chat with Cat” calls. Sometimes, our calls can go from one hour to close to three. We are getting better about keeping these calls shorter by organizing what we will discuss ahead of time. When this is all said and done, we may even write a piece on this for those out there working with a co-writer.

Do you have a WIP (Work in process) coming this year or 2020? Please let us know all about it or leave five words in the comment section below.

Before I leave, I want to share this recipe that I’ve had tucked away in my recipe box for years. I made this many times over the summer months. It was a big hit. With the fall months ahead, this dessert would be great for entertaining or after dinner dessert.

Apple Crisp Dessert

You can use any canned or fresh pie ingredients.

1 can of any pie filling

¾ cup instant Oatmeal

¾ cup flour

¾ cup brown sugar

¼ teaspoon soda

¼ teaspoon baking powder

½ cup of melted butter (1 stick)

Mix all of the ingredients above, except the pie filling, until crumbly.

Put half of the mixture in a greased 8 x 8 inch pan. You can use a regular size pie pan, as well.

Add your pie filling.

Sprinkle the other half of the mixture over the top.

Bake in the oven at 350 degrees for 20 – 30 minutes, until golden brown.

Don’t forget to try different pie fillings, like cherry, blueberry, or strawberry. It’s great hot or cold. Some like it plain, and some like it with and dollop of whip cream or ice cream.

What are you looking forward to in September?

Please write us a note and tell us about your plans.

Don’t forget to play the “September” word game and leave a word in the comment section below.

I wish you all a fantastic September.

Happy Reading!

Rosie

Find out what my GR8Blog author friends have in store for this First Friday.

More GR8Blogs posts coming soon!

Book Lovers’ Day

August 4, 2019 / rosieadmin / 16 Comments

Book with rose and heart shaped pages. — Image: Pixabay

In honor of Book Lovers’ Day on August 09, 2019, my writerly pals and I are sharing all the ways we adore reading with the #BookLuvHop

We all chose different ways to celebrate this day. Don’t forget to visit the awesome bloggers listed at the end of this post. I hope you’ll find find more ways to share your bookish passions.

Book Art

For this day, I’m choosing Book Art. Being a lover of reading and art, why not combine the two?

Looking online for sources of book art, I came across many ideas. Painted book pages. Decoupage book pages. As an result, deciding which one to pick, was hard.

blue bird painted on a book page — Image: Pixabay

After taking a break from the thought, I found one right under my nose. It’s an art activity that was created by me in my first Maggie, Millie, and Merrie series.

These books have been close to my heart lately. See more below.

If you have read “Maggie, Millie, and Merrie’s Magical Adventure,” you know what the special art activity is in this book. Widget Boxes! I’ve read this story and shared this activity in classrooms many times and children loved making them. Adults have told me it’s one of their favorite projects to make, too.

Now For The Fun Part

Here’s some boxes I made from the pages of their book. The triplets story comes with instructions in the back of the book. You can make boxes with or without lids. If you make ones without lids, add a pipe cleaner or a stiff ribbon for handles. What a perfect gift to leave a little surprise for someone. They make great table decorations, too.

As in the story, the funny little gnome explains, “you can make them as small as a coin or big enough to sit in them.”

Widget boxes from "Maggie, Millie, and Merrie's Magical Adventure." — Widget Boxes

Would I recommend for readers to use any old book they see? No, we better not do that. I made these from books that were proofs. Proofs are books authors order to see their work in print. It’s a must, by the way, if you are starting out as an author. There’s something about seeing the words on actual pages. It’s a great way to catch errors or if you want to make changes. Authors revise their books many times. Proofs cannot be sold and throwing them away is hard to do.

Other Books

If you see any books out there that are ARC (Advance Reader Copies) or proofs, try and think of a way to recycle them. Sometimes, books have been damaged and are no longer readable. These would be perfect to use. See what fun “Book Art” you can find on Youtube, Pinterest, and the Web. You will be glad you did and our Mother Earth will thank you, too.

FYI

You can use any kind of paper, cardboard, or card stock. I’ve even used cereal boxes. Practice making them first with thinner paper. It’s much easier.

What to put in your boxes? Treats and other small items is an idea. Make them larger for all sorts of gifts and treasures.

Why Has Maggie, Millie, Merrie’s Books Been on My Heart Lately?

I’ve been working hard to release their third book in late fall. I’ll hold off telling you the title for now.

I can tell you this much.

The triplets have grown up a bit.

Something magical happens to them.

Readers will be introduced to a new fun art activity. A yummy recipe will be included, too.

If you would like to get caught up on their past two books, and want to learn how to make Widget Boxes, check out their first book, here.

Available in paperback and kindle.

"Maggie, Millie, and Merrie's Magical Adventure" book. — “Maggie, Millie, and Merrie’s Magical Adventure”

Amazon Barnes and Noble Rainy Day Books

Book 2, “Maggie, Millie, and Merrie’s Magical Coins.

This book includes another exciting magical story with activities that will keep readers busy for hours.

"Maggie, Millie, and Merrie's Magical Coins" book. — “Maggie, Millie, and Merrie’s Magical Coins”

Amazon Barnes and Noble Rainy Day Books

*If you are already a subscriber to Books by Rose, write me a note to receive instructions on how to make, “Widget Boxes.”

*Subscribe to Books by Rose in the top right hand corner to receive free instructions. We are excited to have you on board for future updates, new books, with more fun activities.

An Extra Surprise

I received a nice surprise. My author friend, Rebecca Lyndsey, sent me her book art project.

Check out Author Rebecca Lyndsey’s wonderful Book Art project.

Author Rebecca Lyndsey's Book Art. — Author Rebecca Lyndsey’s Book Art

Rebecca said this wasn’t hard to make and it took her about 45 minutes. She found the template online. There are many out there. Youtube has a ton of different ones to make. She said it was easy, just a bit time consuming. The book she used here, took 40 pages and 80 folds.

Rebecca’s latest release is called, “Into the Ocean.” It’s full of facts, humor, and lots of fun. You can find more about Rebecca Lyndsey and her books ► here.

More Fun With Book Art with

“What’s In My Wonderland“

Georgia is a passionate writer, photographer and aspiring author, she writes for her blog whatsinmywonderland, which was created in Jan 2018. Her blog covers many topics ranging from her lifestyle, to her mental health journey as well as anything and everything book related. Georgia enjoys to be creative and aims to inspire others to chase their dreams. She also sells handmade vegan scented candles on her website.

Check out Georgia’s cute Book Art project.

► Hedgehog Book Art

You can find more about Georgia here:

Website Facebook Pinterest Twitter Instagram Youtube

How will you celebrate “Book Lovers’ Day?” We hope to hear from you in the comment section below. Don’t forget, if you blog, add your feedback and share your family-friendly blog link in our comment section, and we’ll spread blog love your way!

Thanks for visiting.

Tap on the names below for more ways to enjoy, “Book Lovers’ Day.”

As always,

Happy Reading!

Rosie

Cat Michaels – Book Lovers’ Day and Bibliophiles Everywhere with My R*A*P, Really Awful Poem, to Bookishness

Rebecca Lyndsey has a list of great books to share for Book Lovers’ Day.

James Milson – Happy Book Lovers’ Day – Why Lifetime Reading is Important

Sandra Bennett – 5 Reasons to Support Independent Bookstores

Auden Johnson – #BOOKLOVERS’ DAY HOP: BEST FANTASY BOOK TROPES (IN MY HUMBLE OPINION)

Summertime, Nature Finds, with Books by Rose

July 5, 2019 / rosieadmin / 6 Comments

Here are some fun activities you and your family can do together. Have fun getting out while the weather is warm. Don’t forget to take along a pencil, notebook, or clipboard to record your findings. Take a paper bag on your journey. You never know what nature treasures you will find. Include a magnify glass on your search for the following suggestions.

Magnifying glass for search and finds. — Search and Find

Write it Down

Create a list of things you expect to find or make a list of things you come across.

Write it Down

Now, let’s get started…

Feel the Great Outdoors

Touch the different leaves and plants. Are they smooth? Rough? Brittle?

This is also a great time to talk to your kids about plants in your area that are not safe or risky to touch such as, poison ivy.

If you see a plant like this with three clusters of leaves…

Smell the Great Outdoors

Do the morning hours smell different than the evening hours?

Stop and sniff different flowers and plants. Record your findings.

(Remember, be careful to make sure those plants are safe.)

Listen to the Great Outdoors

In the morning, do you hear different sounds than in the evening? How are they the same? How are they different?

Do you hear more birds in the morning than in the evening?

Look for All Shapes of Leaves

Summer and fall are great times to explore the leaves and their many shapes and colors.

Look for Leaves — Look for Different Leaves

Collect different leaves and trace them on a piece of paper to color later.

Do the old fun trick of rubbing a crayon on a piece of paper with the leaf underneath.

Cut them out to make a fun display or decoration.

Look for Critter Tracks

Look for animal tracks in your backyard, the woods, or a nearby park.

Can you guess which animal left them?

Look for Insects

Snap a photo of them if you can, so you can do more research on them later. For those that love to draw, make a sketch of them.

Explore Ponds and Lakes

Can you find different types of fish? How about looking for toads or frogs? Do the ponds or lakes attract different kinds of insects?

What activities would you suggest for exploring nature in the summertime? Write us a note to tell us of your discoveries. We’d love to hear from you.

If you like search and find books, don’t forget to check out my two titles. There’s over a hundred items to find in each book, along with a fun story and extra activities.

Click on the photos below to find out more on these stories.

Magnifying glass with book "Search and Find with Jake and his dog named Cain" — A Search and Find of Every Kind with Jake and his Dog Named Cain

magnifying glass with book, "Sherman the Shopping Cart: A Search and Find" — **“Sherman the Shopping Cart: A Search and Find”**

Happy Searching and Reading!

Rosie

Fashion and Home Decor Colors

Bell Bottoms

Sports

Food

Personal Growth and Self Care

Audio Books

Art

TV

Connections!!

Time Capsule

Now For All The Good Things in 2020!

Did either of you have a cat as a child and, if so, how did it inspire you to write about Sam?

Robin from MO asked:

What childhood memories would you like to share about your cats?

Others have asked if we are current cat owners?

Is Sam a magical talking cat?

Did you have a childhood BFF like Isabella?

What kind of things did you enjoy doing together?

What’s your favorite Middle Grade book you read as a child?

In Case You Missed It….

Thanks to All Our Advance Readers!

Meanwhile…

Oh, and Before I Go…

Are you ready to travel to Spring Hope, MO?

Now for the Reading!

More Great News to Share!

We’re not done yet!

What setting do you wish to visit in a book you’ve read?

Part III Interview

Chance to Win a Free ARC

National Bullying Prevention Month

What Plans Do You Have For October?

Interview with Carol Baldwin

Bumps in the Road

Part II: Writing Roles, Bumps in the Road, and Self-Publishing

Extra Bonus

Here’s a Sneak Peek…

Welcome Back

Click on the image below.

What did you think?

Part I: Getting Started With Co-Authoring with Cat Micheals.

Visit Author, Carol Baldwin’s page to see more. ► Interview and Video

Come back in September and October to see more as we will talk about:

1) What is Bibliosmia?

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?

3) Why did Charles Dickens have a novelty bookcase filled with fake Books?

Speaking of Charles Dickens’s fake books, those books also had humorous titles.

4) Which one of these three titles was one of them?

5) People that engage in reading throughout their lives, have a better chance of preventing Alzheimer’s and Dementia later in their life.

PS. Don’t forget to subscribe to my page for more updates.

Cat Michaels Writer and I have lots of big news to share about our Middle Grade novel in the coming months!

In July’s Blog, You Will Find:

5 Star Book Reviews

Video Title Release

Special Gift

5 Star Book Reviews

Adult Book

Teen Book

Children’s Books

Video Title Release

Special Gift

In This Blog You Will Find:

Fun Warm Weather Activities

Create a Nature Search and Find

Summer Treats

Art Therapy

Exciting News

Topics you will see in this First Friday GR8Blog post:

Happy 6 Years to Books by Rose

Mother’s Day

Honoring Our Mom and Crafts to Make

Fun Crafting Things for Our Little Free Library

Update on Book With Cat Michaels

Ways You Can Help Others.

Reach Out to Those that Need that Extra Support.

Make it Your Purpose to Help Others

Stay Positive

My Favorite Quote I Heard this Week

Leaping Forward and Backwards for Leap Year 2020

Visit Author, Carol Baldwin’s page to see more. ► I nterview and Video

**Make it Your Purpose to Help Others**

This Kindle Version is $1.99 For A Limited Time Only

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