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CURRENTLY – Summer 2019 Blog Hop: Ready, Set, Jump into Summer!

June 17, 2019 / rosieadmin / 21 Comments

Sunscreen. Kids playing “Marco Polo” in the pool. Family road trips. Summer is in the air! My writerly pals and I are sharing our summer dreams and inspiration in the C*U*R*R*E*N*T*L*Y – Summer Blog Hop. For more summertime fun, click over to meet the awesome #Gr8Blogs bloggers listed at the end of this post.

Here are a few things I’m looking forward to this summer:

*Loving – The Warmer Weather!

I feel like a broken record when I say I can’t wait for the nice, sunny days of summer. No, not much of a fan of the heat, but after this winter, I will have to catch myself not to complain.

Our team started playing softball this year on March 17th. I don’t think we had one game above 50 degrees. We had so many rain outs, they had to end the season before finishing the playoffs. Hopefully we will be off to a better start next spring.

* Reading – Every MG Book I Can Find

As you all know by now, I’m co-authoring a MG (Middle Grade) novel with author Cat Michaels. I’ve written and illustrated eight children’s books, so for me, writing a MG book is much different. I’ve been reading as many of them as I can find. It’s helped me get a feel on what readers enjoy and how larger plots come together. Our book also, involves a horse in our tale. Since neither one of us grew up around horses, much research has taken place and it’s been lots of fun.

We are at a place in our story, where a very big problem happens and things are getting exciting. Keep watching for more details to come.

Pssst. Don’t forget to check on Cat Michaels’s site from time to time, so you don’t miss anything.

* Thinking About – Summer Cleaning and Decorating

We have a breakfast nook that we are redoing. We’re bringing our washer and dryer up from the basement. This is has been a huge undertaking for my husband, as he’s had to redo wiring, plumbing, and lots of construction.

I get to do the fun part. (Not really) Years ago, we had the big idea to turn our breakfast nook into a “collective room.” You know the style, like they have at Applebees. We thought, what a cute idea!! (Chuckling now.) Well, it looked really great at first, but, as our sons grew, everything special they ever did, which was a lot, ended up on those walls. Baseball Jerseys, baseball hats, the list goes on and on. The task of cleaning this room after awhile, became so overwhelming. Needless to say, much of it is going to be packed away. We will still have many fun items to display, just not nearly as much.

* Anticipating – Party of the Year with Friends and Birthday Day Parties.

Summer holds lots of birthdays in our family, so we have many fun gatherings and celebrations to look forward to.

Every June, the friends that my husband and I grew up with, has a annual party to celebrate each other, and those no longer with us. It was around ten years ago, we all kept seeing each other at funerals. After that, our friend decided to put on a gathering with friends, food, and music. This event have grown and has become very big in the past years. It’s much different than a class reunion, as these friends all grew up in the same neighborhood or surrounding areas. I encourage all groups to try to reunite and have a party with those you knew back in the day and celebrate your time together.

By the way, our party was a giant success! We had perfect weather. The food was outstanding, along with the band. “The Instamatics,” were a huge hit for all that attended. Their 60’s and 70’s music was a perfect fit for our crowd.

* Making Me Happy – Summer Dinners

With all the gatherings, it’s the best time to fire up the grill and cook some of your favorite summer meals.

After roasting our vegetables in the oven all winter, I’m looking forward to cooking them outside for that smoky flavor. We love just about all meats grilled out, but a few of our favorites are, BBQ Pork Steaks, and Pineapple Bratwursts. Our store here sells them already made, but if you go online, you will find how to make them yourself.

Another meat we really enjoy cooking out is, “Flat Iron Steaks.” Most people we’ve talked to, have never heard of these. Many stores don’t have them, but ask to check to see if they will carry them. They are always tender, cooked on the grill, or as a roast.

So, what are some fun things you are looking forward to this summer? Write us a note, we’d love to here from you!

Don’t forget to check out our author friends to see what they have in store for this summer. You never know, you may hear about a new adventure you never tried before.

Happy Summer, and as always, Happy Reading!

Rosie

Cat Michaels on Cat’s Corner

Rebecca Lyndsey

Julie Gorges at Baby Boomer Bliss

Sandra Bennett

James Milson “Writing & Things”

Carmela Dutra

Mackenzie Flohr

Auden Johnson

May Celebrations 2019

May 3, 2019 / rosieadmin / 6 Comments

Things you’ll find in this months post:

*Honoring Mom for Mother’s Day

*Sneak Peek to a New Release this Fall/Winter and Update on MG Tale

*Interview Feature

*Happy 5 years “Books By Rose!”

*Celebration Homemade Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream

*Fun and Easy Bookmark To Make

Honoring Mom for 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 feel forever grateful to be called their mom.

With my own mother, we honor her in many ways, remembering her in everything she was. It’s hard to believe if she were still living, she would turn 100 years old this year.

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. The ten years before becoming our mother, she was in a trio 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 also spells her name the same way, so I thought it was a perfect fit.

One of these days, I’d like to come up with a music theme for the triplets. Feel free to share any “magical” ideas you have. I would love to hear your thoughts.

Here’s some recent news about the triplets. I feel it’s safe to let you know I’m starting on the illustration of page 19 in my next book about them. I hope to release it in the late fall or early winter.

Here’s a sneak peek of Maggie. If you have read this series, you will remember, she’s the happy go lucky one. She sure is giggling about something that’s going on here. I can’t wait to share this cute story with you. It’s filled with fun ideas for your readers to enjoy. Okay, I better move on, before I tell more. Keep watching!

Progress on MG tale with co-author Cat Michaels

Cat and I are working hard on our MG (Middle Grade) tale coming next year.

When researching on how to get our story started, we found making a visual map helped us put our story in action. Having an image to refer to where our characters lived, what their entertainment sites looked like, and an overall reference to the town where they reside, puts this all in perspective for us. Stay tune for more fun facts about our book.

Interview Feature

A few weeks ago, I had the wonderful opportunity to be interviewed by author and librarian, Lauri Fortino. I hope you will visit her page to meet new authors and learn of new children’s books she features on her “Frog On A (B)log” page. Click here to learn more on my thoughts when “Writing Children’s Books Young Readers Will Love.”

Happy 5 Years, “Books by Rose!”

Hard to believe it’s been 5 years for Books by Rose! What a learning curve this all has been and I’ve loved every minute of it. I’ve had to teach myself how to illustrate the images, which has been so much fun! Learning how to craft stories that readers will enjoy has been a huge task. The best part, is getting books in the hands of readers.

I could not have done this without all my fans, family, and friend’s support. Thank you all so much!
🌷❤️🌷❤️🌷 ❤️🌷❤️🌷❤️🌷

Click below to watch my celebration video.

Happy_5_Years “Books by Rose!”Download

Celebration Homemade Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream

Let’s celebrate by making this easy homemade ice cream. You want to know the best part? You don’t even have to have an ice cream maker, just a few ingredients and some patience for waiting.

I made this recently and it turned out soooo good and creamy. Have fun coming up with different flavors.

All you need is:

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. Using a mixer, choose your “whip” setting and mix until it becomes the consistency of store bought whipped cream. (It takes awhile, but 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. Otherwise, they will melt in the ice cream, even at room temperature. Also, 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.

Fun and Easy Bookmark To Make

Last, here is a fun, fast, easy step by step bookmark to make for yourself or give away for as a gift.

This triangle shape slides right onto the page you want to save.

I started with a 6 x 6 inch square, but you can experiment with different sizes.

How will you spend this month of May? Weddings? Graduations? We love to hear from you.

Here’s some more “May First Friday” posts from my author pals to follow:

Sandra Bennett – Where Do You Find Ideas For Stories?

Julie Gorges – 10 Super Foods for Baby Boomers

Rebecca Lyndsey – Great Sale!!

Auden Johnson – WHEN YOU’RE TOLD YOU CAN’T MAKE A LIVING AS AN AUTHOR?

Cat Michaels – 9 TIPS TO HELP YOU BUILD YOUR ONLINE COMMUNITY

James Milson – Happy Hummer Season! Welcoming, Helping, and Attracting Hummingbirds In Your Neighborhood

Thanks for stopping by!

Happy May and Happy Reading!

Rosie

April Showers Bring May Flowers…Please!

April 4, 2019 / rosieadmin / 10 Comments

In this blog for April, a few things you will see:

April – Welcome April 2019!

Paperback books with authors Melinda Kinsman and Julie Gorges.

Ribs, cooked to perfection!

I love you to pieces. (A spring or Easter puzzle card craft.)

Lake Elsinore’s Poppy Paradise with author Julie Gorges

Welcome April 2019!

What a cold and icy winter we had in the Midwest this year. The schools were closed more days than I could count. Poor kids will have to go well into June if we have any more. Snow in April? It’s happened before.

My winter was spent going to the library to stock up on books, then to the store to stock up on food. Stuck home again, until the next decent day to get out to repeat all over again.

So, lots of reading happened this winter. If you are an author or thinking about writing in the future, I have to tell you about one of the best books I came across in the years I’ve been writing. This book has step by step how to get started from beginning to end.

It’s called, “Writing Children’s Books” by Anthony Fredericks.

Here is my 5 star review:

“Writing Children’s Books” by Anthony Fredericks is a must have for all authors writing fiction and non-fiction books. This is one of the best books I’ve seen on the market for how to get started from the beginning to end. Believe me, I think I’ve read them all. Be prepare to do some work as this book walks you through on coming up with ideas, how to put them in place, and detailed pages on how to submit your work to agents and publishers.
Each chapter is filled with easy to follow and practical advice on how to apply techniques.
(I picked up this book at our local library in the new release section.)
Thank you Mr. Fredericks for writing and sharing your wonderful book.

Paperback books

Here in the Midwest, spring can bring beautiful weather, but it also can bring big thunderstorms, and sometimes, tornadoes.

Our author friend, Melinda Kinsman wrote this adorable book, along with an important message to those little ones that fear the storms.

Here is my 5 star review for “Molly Mouse Moves House.”

“What an adorable story author and illustrator, Melinda Kinsman has made for young readers. The illustrations and rhyming text are engaging, bringing a sense of friendship and healing for those that have been through troubled times. Ms. Kinsman has also included further fun and learning on the back pages of this book.”

To find this book and more of Melinda Kinsman’s cute stories, click on the links below.

Ebook

UK Site

US English Print Edition

British English Print Edition

Ribs

With warmer weather, we always look forward to grilling out. As I was preparing this blog for you, it snowed, so we had to move to plan B.

In the oven these went. They were delicious.

4 lbs pork ribs, membrane removed (I used St. Louis Style Ribs)
1/2 to 3/4 cup brown sugar (I used the full amount.)
2 teaspoons of Liquid Smoke (Divided)
1 heaping tablespoon of Paprika
1 heaping tablespoon of Garlic Powder
2 cups of your favorite barbecue sauce
Garlic Salt and Pepper
Directions:
Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with foil, shiny side out. Spray with cooking spray.
Peel off tough membrane that covers the bony side of the ribs. (Good luck. I always have a hard time with this.)
Lightly season the ribs on both sides with garlic salt and pepper. Rub a teaspoon of liquid smoke on one side, turn and rub the other teaspoon.
In a medium bowl, combine the light brown sugar, paprika and garlic powder. Apply the rub to both sides of the ribs.
Lay the ribs on the foil, bone side down. Add a large piece of foil to the top of the ribs, leaving a tented space for the ribs to steam. Crimp edges together.
Bake in the oven for 2-2 1/2 hours or until meat is starting to shrink away from the ends of the bone. (Mine were done at 2 1/2 hours.)
When done, remove from oven and brush on sauce.
Broil for 1 or 2 minutes until sauce is cooked on and bubbly

I love you to pieces Spring or Easter card craft

This is such a simple card to make. You could use any shape you want, but I chose an oval shape to represent an egg for Easter.

If using markers, cut a heavy piece of card stock in the shape of an oval. A heart shape for a Valentine’s Day card? How cute would that be?
Write your message on the back side.
Cut in random pieces.
Stick in an envelope with a note to surprise your friend or loved one.

I think the note I’ll write will be something like this:

“Oh no, it looks like my card broke in the delivery. I hope it won’t be too “puzzling” to mend it back together to receive this special message.”

Have fun using your imagination.

And last, but not least:

Lake Elsinore’s Poppy Paradise

One day as I was scrolling through Facebook, I saw our author friend, Julie Gorges’s post and it took my breath away. Look at what Julie was lucky to see in her home state, Southern California!

Julie had more to say about her awesome experience:

Julie – “They say it never rains in Southern California – but this year it did in a big way with record-setting rainfall. The result? A “super bloom” with an eye-popping explosion of flowers on hillsides and even in the normally arid desert. These photos were taken in Walker Canyon in Lake Elsinore where a poppy paradise drew massive crowds. Tourists from around the world could be seen on the trails enjoying the spectacular sight.”

I’m so glad Julie had this beautiful experience! She has worked so hard these past many years. Her new book about her mother and the trials they went through has touched the hearts of many around the world.

Here is my review on Amazon for “I’m Your Daughter, Julie: Caring for a Parent with Dementia”

5 Stars: An important book for those taking care of patients with Lewy Body Dementia.

“I’m Your Daughter, Julie: Caring for a Parent with Dementia,” written by author Julie Gorges is a gripping story on what it’s like to be the caretaker of her mother that suffered from Lewy Body Dementia.
I highly recommend this book for those that have someone in your life dealing with this terrible disease. You’ll benefit by learning more about this story and will know you are not alone.
Thank you author Julie Gorges for writing this to help guide others through your personal account of what it was like to go this with your mother. Thank you also for offering resources throughout this book to explain this disease further.

To follow more of Julie and her stories, here are her links:

Website

Amazon

Goodreads

I hope your April is off to a great start! What plans do you have this spring? Write in the comment section below, I’d love to hear from you.

Here are some more “First Friday” #Gr8Blogs for April. I will add more awesome authors and links to their pages as they are posted.

So far we have:

Sandra Bennett

Julie Gorges

Rebecca Lyndsey

James Milson

Carmela Dutra

Cat Michaels

Auden Johnson

Oh, and before I go, don’t forget, books are a fun addition to those Easter baskets and spring reading. Here is the link to my books on Amazon.

As always,

Happy Reading!

Rosie

Welcome March 2019!

March 1, 2019 / rosieadmin / 12 Comments

What a busy time it’s been! This last month, I’ve been working on another children’s book for 2019.

I just finished an illustration on page 11. When I get closer to getting it completed, I’ll reveal more soon.

I also have some more very exciting news to share with you. I’ll get to that after we salute this month of March 2019.

Let’s get started by celebrating in threes for 03/01/2019.

In this blog, you’ll find:

*3 Fun Facts about St. Patrick’s Day and March

*3 Fun Activities to Make

*3 Yummy Recipes

Okay, first with the facts.

Did you know?

The first St. Patrick’s Day Parade was not in Ireland.

The first St. Patrick’s Day parade “recorded” was not in Ireland but was held in New York City in 1762. In the mid19^th century, there was a massive increase of Irish immigrants to the United States. This is when the March 17^th celebration became widespread.

There’s No Corn in that Corned Beef.

Corned Beef and cabbage, is a traditional Saint Patrick’s Day staple. “Corned” Beef doesn’t have anything to do with the grain corn. Instead, it comes from “grains of salt” that are used to cure the meat. Corned Beef gets its name “corn” from an old English word for grain. Who knew?

March is National Craft Month.

If you have followed my blogs, you know I love all crafts! This month I’m looking forward to seeing fun projects to make for the spring and summer months.

Speaking of crafts, here are three crafts to make for St. Patrick’s Day.

Let’s start off by making this very easy card. Use card stock, paint, markers, or crayons to decorate.

I like tracing out two heart shapes and cutting to form a shamrock.

How about making a “Pot of Gold” filled with candy ?

Here are step by step instructions to make one. Adjust to the size of paper plates you use and to your liking.

Puppet Craft or Treat Bag

This was made from a brown paper bag. Cut green paper to fit for the shirt and hat. Add black strips for the hat and belt. Cut out two yellow squares. Fold, and cut out the middle of the squares. Add a strip of orange paper for the beard. Cut 1/2 inch strips, stopping at 1 inch of the top of your paper. (Before I glued it down, I curled the cut strips with a pencil.) Draw eyes, nose, and mouth. Cut two long thin strips and do accordion folds. Glue. Add hands.

I’m going to fill my Leprechaun Bag with cookies.

(See Cookie Recipe at the end of this post.)

Yummy Recipes for March

Corn beef and Corn beef Sandwiches are staple foods for St. Patrick’s Day.

Our favorite Corn beef sandwiches are made with Rye Bread. Some prefer theirs on Pumpernickel bread.

Everyone probably knows how to make these, but we found a little trick to ours.

Set it up like you are making a grilled cheese.

(Tip we learned: If you use mayonnaise, instead of butter on the outside of your bread, you will make a nice crusty sandwich. It’s the eggs and oil in the mayo that toasts it up to a golden brown.)

Add a layer Thousand Island dressing inside your bread.

Add Swiss cheese.

Add Sour Kraut, and Corned Beef. Grill your sandwich on med high until till toasty. Flip and brown the other side.

This next recipe isn’t necessarily a St. Patrick’s meal, but for some reason I always end up making this recipe in March. We have been known to be creatures of habit.

Ham Gravy and Biscuits.

(One could make this for breakfast, but we usually have it as a dinner meal served with a vegetable. ) It is soooo good!

Directions:

Make a batch of biscuits from a store bought biscuit mix. If you add a ½ cup of grated cheese to the mix, it makes for extra yummy cheesy biscuits.

For the gravy you’ll need:

¼ cup butter

3 T chopped green onion

6 T Flour

1-1/4 cups milk

1 Can of Cream of Celery Soup

2 cups chopped ham

1 T lemon juice

Directions:

Cover and melt ¼ cup butter in the microwave.

Add 3 T chopped green onion to the butter. Cover and cook in the microwave 3 minutes.

Stir in 6 T flour to the butter and stir to make a paste, removing lumps.

Slowly add 1-1/4 cups milk. Stir to mix.

Stir in 1 can of Cream of Celery Soup

Add 2 cups of chopped cooked ham

Add 1 T lemon Juice

Cover and cook 6- 8 minutes, stirring every 2 minutes until thickened.

Cut biscuits in half and serve gravy over biscuits.

For leftovers, I find it helpful to add a splash of milk to the gravy before reheating. It makes for an easier pour over the reheated biscuits.

Now for that Cookie Recipe.

I’m saving to make these to fill in my Leprechaun Bag for St. Patrick’s Day.

I found out the coolest thing last week when going through some old recipes.

Did you know, you can make ANY kind of cookies with a box of cake mix, 2 eggs, chopped nuts, (if you wish) and anywhere from a 1/2 cup of Crisco to 3/4 cups?The trick to remember is to use just enough Crisco to have the batter thick enough to roll into balls. (I’m going to start with a 1/2 of cup of Crisco and add as needed.)

Add all ingredients into a bowl, using enough Crisco to form a stiff dough. Mix by hand.

Form into little balls, place on a baking sheet 2 inches apart. Flatten the balls, and bake at 350°F for 8-10 minutes, till puffy, and just barely golden around the edges. (They do spread while baking).

As soon as they come out of the oven, add candy, such as M&Ms.

UPDATE: I made these on St. Patrick’s Day and they turned out awesome. I used a 1/2 cup Crisco and it was the perfect amount for this cake mix. Also, this recipe yielded 20 cookies.

I hope you enjoyed this March blog. Let us know what fun things you have planned for this month.

Okay, here is the very exciting news I wanted to share with you. Click on this link to read more from Cat Michaels here.

Happy Reading!

Rosie

In case you missed my February blog, click here.

Want to visit some other First Friday March Blogs?

Check out these awesome authors:

Author Julie Gorges and her exciting news! She is having her book launch today on her Facebook Page. Read more about her new book here.

Author and Illustrator, Carmela Dutra has her fun post on her recent school visits for “Read Across America” here.

Great post by writer James Milson.

Happy Valentine’s Day 2019

February 14, 2019 / rosieadmin / 3 Comments

Happy Valentine’s day everyone! I hope you enjoy this day with family and friends celebrating with flowers, chocolates, dinners, special cards or letters.

A big thanks to those that approved their stories to add to my blog for my “Valentine’s Day Writing Contest.”

Up first is:

My Valentine’s Day Story

By Janiece E. Adam

I think I might be the shyist girl in school. I don’t want to talk to anyone, because I’m just too scared. I guess that’s because if I talk to anyone I think I might say something stupid.

Oh, you are probably wondering who “I” am. Well my name is Catherine Synthia, but my dad calls me Candy. That’s probably because I love candy, mostly chocolate though. Oh, and did I tell you that Valentine’s Day is coming up, AND my school is doing a party in honor of it? The only problem is since I’m so shy, and don’t know anyone, no one asked me to it.

Someone should show kindness in asking me. That would be sweet, but I guess not. The weird thing is when I got home from school I found these big red and pink roses mixed in with other flowers on my porch. I figured maybe a neighbor was being nice to my mom, but when I read who it was for it said, “To Candy.”

There was a card and everything. I went inside my house to read it. My heart was pounding as I opened it up. This is what it said:

Dear Candy,

I’m sorry I’ve never said anything to you, but I guess I was just nervous, so I wrote you this note. It would really be nice if we could go to the dance together. You’re probably wondering who I am. Well I’ll meet you at school tomorrow and wait by the entrance.

Sincerely,

Your Friend

I am REALLY excited now. I can NOT wait for school tomorrow. I know that’s hard to believe, but I just CAN’T WAIT!

When I got off the bus the next morning I looked around. Behind me a boy named Richard who seems shy, like me, was following me, it seemed. I turned around and said, “Why are you following me?” I am very surprised I said that since I am normally shy.

He replied, “Because I’m the one who sent the flowers.” I just stared at him then. “So do you want to go to the dance with me?” he asked shyly.

“Okay I guess,” I said a little nervously. So in the end I ended up going to the dance after all! I guess I’m not as shy as I thought. This is going to be so much fun!!

The Way of Valentine’s Day

By Janelle M. Adams

Hi, I am Maggie and I love Valentine’s Day, but last year was the best Valentine’s Day ever. Let me tell you about it.

Once upon a time there was a girl who hated everything about Valentine’s Day (and yes that was me, Maggie). I mainly hated the love and mushy cards and mushy chocolate (okay fine I LOVE CHOCOLATE). It is true, I used to hate this holiday. I just thought it was a waste of time and money. The love is gross but, worst of all is the Valentine’s Day dance at my school.

I walked into my classroom. I could smell that there was Valentine’s Day love. I hate it. I hate it.

“Wait up,” called someone behind me. It was my best friend Abby. She always makes me feel better.

We walked into the classroom and sat down. As I started to sit down there was a tap on my shoulder. It was Jack. He is in my classes and I don’t pay attention to him that much. I do notice that he stares at me in class (for some reason I think he likes me). This is why I hate this holiday. Love…… it’s just too much.

“Hi Maggie,” he started to say. “I was u..m I mean if you want to u..m go to the Valentine’s Day dance with me?” he asked in a shy way and hoping I would answer.

I was surprised that he noticed me at all. He never really talked to me. Then I remembered, I don’t like the love and flowers and sweet candy or the mushy hearts. I was letting this cute boy make me forget that I hate it.

“Do you mind if I think about it?” I said hoping he wouldn’t be sad. I mean what was I supposed to say? I just don’t want to have a broken heart or fall in love. Besides, I am only 13 and my parents don’t want me to have a boyfriend until I’m like sixteen.

I opened my eyes to a nice Saturday morning. I still remembered what happened yesterday with Jack. It kept repeating it in my mind. If I go I might get a broken heart. If I don’t go I will miss out on an opportunity. I walked downstairs and heard the doorbell ring and went to open it. I found flowers that were roses. I love roses. Ugh, I did it again. There was a red and pink note with a blue heart inside saying: Did you make up your mind yet? I will be waiting -Jack.

How could I not go? I mean it’s worth a shot. I went to the park to see if he was there and sure enough he was. I was still questioning why I am letting a boy into my life? I got scared when I was next to him. Come on get it together I thought. This is your only chance.

“Um, Jack,” I said hesitating, “I want to go to the dance with you.”

So in the end we went to the dance together and ever since my life has been filled with love, kindness, and flowers and what happened at the dance, well, that’s a story I’ll never tell.

Thank you both for submitting your cute stories and using the Valentine’s words in my contest. I randomly picked a winner and it’s…….Janelle. I will contact you soon for you to pick out a book. You both did an awesome job!!

Happy Valentine’s Day, and as always, happy reading and writing.

Rosie

Share with us how you will spend this day. We are looking forward to hearing from you.

UPDATE: Janelle’s name was randomly picked for a FREE book. She picked, “Avi Jackson Best Friends.” Read more about this story here.

Thank you again for entering my “Valentine’s Day Writing Contest!”

Writing Contest For Valentine’s Day

February 10, 2019 / rosieadmin / 0 Comments

Just a few more days to enter your stories or poems for a chance to win a free paperback book from Books by Rose. Those outside of the USA will receive a $10.00 gift card from Amazon.

Friendly Reminders:

*I have your full permission to add your story or poem. In other words, if I don’t have your approval in writing, I will not be able to add to them to my blog.

Write me: booksbyrose4u@gmail.com

*Remember, this is your time to shine. I will not be able to edit your work. Have your polished story or poem ready for the whole world to see.

*Family friendly stories and poems only.

Writing Contest Valentine’s Day 2019

February 1, 2019 / rosieadmin / 12 Comments

Happy February 2019 everyone!

Let’s have fun writing to kick off this wonderful month.

Are you ready?

Write a short story using the ten words below. Subscribe to my page for your story to appear on my “Kid Lit Blog by Rosie” page.

(Fill out the form at the top right side or the bottom of this page.)

With your permission, your stories will be posted on February 14, 2019.

If you prefer not to join the contest, but want to subscribe to my page for future updates, that’s awesome as well.

***Please have your story to me by February 12, 2019.***

**Which paperback book will the winner choose?**

Here are the instructions for this contest.

Your story does not have to be long, it can even be a paragraph. You can write a poem if you wish. The only requirement, is to remember to use the TEN words below in your story, and as always, your post is family friendly.

Each story entered, will be included in a drawing for a free paperback copy of your choice from Books by Rose. (Those outside of the USA will receive a $10.00 gift card from Amazon.)

If you use the bonus word, your name will be entered twice.

***Feel free to send an image along with your story.***

An example of a quick story I wrote:

When Jake’s teacher announced their writing assignment was a Valentine’s poem, he was not happy one bit. Blah, Valentine’s Day, Jake thought.

He ran home after school to play catch with his dog named Cain. He wished more than ever he could live the life as his pup right now.

“Dogs don’t have to go to school and write poems about flowers, roses, and words about love,” Jake grumbled.

Jake decided right then and there, he was going to write a poem about his best friend.

My Best Friend

Valentine’s Day is here again,

an assignment is due today.

Writing of things such as flowers and hearts,

is really just never my way.

Gooey dark chocolate, it’s great,

red, white and pink candy, the rage.

I’d rather spend time with my sweet friend and mate,

than be in this blazing red craze.

This story idea and poem was inspired by one of my books called:

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

The inspiration for this book came from our youngest son Jake and his dog.

By the way, he and his brother were always okay with Valentine’s Day and gave straight from their hearts every time.

Good luck on the contest and….

Happy Writing!

Rosie

In case you missed my last post, click below for my plans for 2019.

“What I Want to Accomplish in 2019 Even if I Don’t Win the Lottery.”

“What I Want to Accomplish in 2019 Even if I Don’t Win the Lottery.”

“What I Want to Accomplish in 2019 Even if I Don’t Win the Lottery.”

January 10, 2019 / rosieadmin / 16 Comments

The start of a new year is like a blank slate, and we don’t know what will be written upon it. Even if we don’t hold that winning lottery ticket, there are loads of things we can engrave upon it.

My writing pals and I are sharing our hopes on the writing road and in our family life – for 2019 in our #Gr8Blog hop: “What I Want to Accomplish in 2019 Even if I Don’t Win the Lottery.”

Please have a read, and then visit the other #Gr8Blogs linked at the end of this post for more smiles and inspiration.

Whew, what an exciting year 2018 was, huh? We were busy with family activities and the making of “Moonshadow Mae.” Not only is it in hardcover, but we were able to make it in paperback December 11^th.

Written and illustrated by Rosie Russell

So as 2019 begins, it’s time to set goals in action and plan for what is next. Reviewing a few things I’ve learned this past year has helped me paved the way to new beginnings.

I learned more on marketing and the technical side on how to put my books together.

As you know by now, I should be an expert on how to contact website providers and worked through the issues that arose this past year, but I can’t say that’s true. The learning curve will be forever there for me on that topic.

In April, I will approach five years as a writer and illustrator. What a wonderful learning experience it‘s been along the way.

I must remind myself:

*Not to rush and slow down to learn the steps before releasing a title. Patience is a word I say to myself often.

*Have many extra eyes read the content and evaluate my illustrations. Speaking of illustrations, studying a lot more on the technicalities on digital drawing, has helped. I can’t wait to see how much more to learn in the years to come.

*I learned to join a “street team” of friends to turn to for help, when needed. It’s a must in this writing journey. Bouncing ideas around and working through problems has been beneficial to us all.

*I learned to stay true to my heart. Just because a particular topic is hot on the market for children’s books doesn’t mean that subject is one I should write. If I were to make something out of a book not from my heart, it wouldn’t work, and definitely would not be not fair to the readers.

What’s coming for this next year?

This last fall, ideas came for new stories. I won’t go into it right now so I don’t reveal too much, but it’s something that will please readers with these next ones.

I can tell you, one will be very interactive with readers. I can add, this picture book will be for older readers. The reading level will be easy for 3^rd graders, but the project is for those that can follow written directions. Not to say younger ones will not enjoy this story. With the help of an adult, it‘s a fun activity for both to enjoy Let’s say, I tried this out with a few children younger than 3^rd grade and we had a blast.

The next idea for a book will melt the heart of readers. You know how I love including family and friends into my stories so I will look for characters soon. Watch for a shout out when the time comes.

I plan to reach out for more interviews and author visits. I’m waiting back to hear from an event coming in May. I’ll keep you posted.

What are your plans for this next year? As you think about your goals, read these inspiring posts below from my author friends. They have many aspirations and theirs may even spark a few new ideas for you.

Thanks for stopping by! What do you want to kick off your bucket list this year? Please share in the comment section.

If you blog and want to join us on this hop, just add the family-friendly link to your blog post in the comment section. We’ll visit and give you some blog love.

Best wishes for a wonderful 2019!

Happy Reading,

Rosie

Have fun visiting these author’s sites and goals for 2019:

The Ups, Downs and In Between Times on our 2018 Writing Road.

December 4, 2018 / rosieadmin / 10 Comments

Was 2018 a crazy roller coaster ride for you? Smooth sailing? Milestone events?

My author pals and I are remembering the happy moments as well as lessons we learned from challenges this past year in our blog hop: The Ups, Downs and In Between Times on our 2018 Writing Road.” Check out our personal reveals, then visit the other #Gr8Blogs linked at the end of this post for more shared recollections and lessons learned along the way. We hope you’ll be inspired to dive into your own special memories of 2018!

January 2018 through the summer months were busy times here at “Books by Rose.” In August, I released my 8^th children’s book, “Moonshadow Mae.” Leading up to that, I had to work on setting up an all new website. Whew! It took me five weeks to figure it out, but with the help of all my tech savvy friends, I made it! This is my third time transiting websites. The first and second time, I painstakingly replaced everything. This time, I started fresh and new. Did it bother me that I lost all my content? Yes it did! The only thing that got me through was looking back and realizing all my posts would of required updates on those I interviewed and posts I created that had changed. So, as sparse as it may look at the moment, I hope to fill it fast with all new content in the coming months.

Getting back to “Moonshadow Mae.” This is my first hardcover and our goals are to see this sweet story in bookstores and libraries across the USA and then some. It’s full of wonder as Mae loves the moon and the glowing shine it leaves behind. Fun facts, a recipe, and a really cool craft is in the back of her book. I hope you will share it with your friends in your hometown. Click on this link to see her 5 star reviews: Amazon

Rosie Russell

Summer was filled with birthday parties, BBQ’s, reunions with friends and, of course, BASEBALL. If you have followed me by now, you know we are a huge baseball family and love supporting our home team and our little league teams.

In November, I was ready for a fair I signed up for. Lots and lots of work went into making crafts to go along with my books. I would also like to add, the work involved turned out to be a good thing, as it got me away from the computer with hands on activities. I didn’t realize it at the time, but it was the healthiest thing I could have done for myself. I really have a hard time not working on writing and illustrating more books. Since the crafts all pertain to my stories, it was the perfect time for me to give myself permission to take a break. I really recommend this for all you writers and illustrators to take breaks from time to time. It’s so good for the soul. In the long run, it will make you more productive.

If you would like to see some of the crafts I made, check out my November blog post here.

Now friends, are you ready to see what our other author friends have been up to in 2018? I hope you will click on their links below to read their stories. You may find some new authors you have not heard of or known before. You are in for a treat when you see all their wonderful books and blogs.

Don’t forget to leave a comment letting us all know how 2018 went for you. We would love to hear from you!

If for some reason a reply form does not show up on your side, please go to the top of this page and click on comment under the title of this post. Thank you for your patience as I’m still learning this new website. 🙂

Happy Holidays!

Rosie

Cat Michaels Writer

Sandra Bennett

Julie Gorges

Rebecca Lyndsey

Auden Johnson

Carmela Dutra

Corrina Holyoake

Shana Gorian

Happy October 2018!

October 4, 2018 / rosieadmin / 16 Comments

Happy October 2018!

Fall is here! Our temperatures have not been reflecting the cooler weather quite yet, but we know what’s on the way, so we’ll take it.

As the days turn cooler and get shorter, we’ll be spending more time indoors.

Everyone loves warm soups on those chilly evenings. If you are a football fan, you will want to look over this recipe to see it will fit into your next gathering. This recipe makes a lot!

My brother-in-law, who is a retired Captain from his fire department, made this for his crew and it was a big hit!

All the credit goes to my sister-in-law Karen, for making this soup at an event years ago. As we talked about this recipe last week, we decided to call it, “It’s Not A Diet Soup!” Once you see the ingredients, you’ll know why. Also, this isn’t one of those regular type of recipes you normally find. It’s little bit of this and a little bit of that.

Potato Soup Pexels CCO License

Potato Soup

10 potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks

Cover the potatoes with water and add 1-2 Chicken Bouillon cubes for flavoring or season as desired.

Cook until tender.

Drain the water off of the potatoes.

Add a stick of butter. (Salted or unsalted.)

Once the butter is melted, add enough milk to almost cover the potatoes.

Add 1 Tablespoon of regular mustard and stir.

As the soup heats up, add up to 2 squares of Cream Cheese, if desired. Stir until melted.

Add more milk if desired. It depends on what consistency you like. If it becomes thinner than you expected, add a couple teaspoons of cornstarch to a small warm glass of water. Stir to dissolve and add to soup.

Here’s what we have added to this soup to make it even more delicious Slivered Deli Ham. Sometimes we’ve added cooked crumbled bacon. Many times we’ve topped it off with shredded cheese.

Want to really send this soup over the top? My sister-in-law has even added a few tablespoons of Sour Cream, oh and yes her favorite, Ranch Dressing. She also suggested shredded carrots for a little color. You can add those when boiling your potatoes.

Once you make this soup, you may have some other ideas. Let us know and we’d love to hear from you.

P.S. This soup goes great with any sandwiches, especially BLT’s.

Last week, I made a post on Facebook about a big fad going on right now, and that’s rock painting. If you go online or on Pinterest, type in “Rock Painting” you will find a ton of ideas on how to do this. Basically, you need acrylic paints, acrylic markers, and something to seal your rocks with. (Waterbase products will not work for outdoors.) Why worry about the outdoors? The painting groups I have found and joined online, paint their rocks and hide them for others to find. It’s a nice way to give someone out there in the world, a smile for their day, as they find your treasure. They can keep the rock or pay it forward by hiding it for others to find.

Here are a few I’ve made so far.

Find a group near you to join if you and your family are interested in this activity. Many of these groups have hashtags and the name of their groups. Each group will have their own rules, but almost always, they have these rules.

1. Safety first and always. Online safety, but also, make sure you don’t hide your rock that could put someone in danger by retrieving it.

2. Never hide your rock outside or in a business. Parks are a perfect place.

3. Never hide your rock where someone could possibility mow over it. Hide it in plain site or somewhat easy to find.

4. Finally, use rocks from natural resources or purchase your own rocks. Never take rocks from businesses or homes where people have used for landscaping. Remember, they bought those rocks.

If you have little ones and it’s too cold or wet to go outside, have a hide and seek game for the rocks in your home. Talk about the kids having fun! They love this game!

One last thing, here’s an indoor activity to make. Cards!

If you have followed my page for a while now, you know I love making cards or anything out of paper.

Here is one Pop-Up card I made awhile back. I actually found many sites online on how to put these together. Let me know and I’ll send you the links.

Here’s another one I did using Stickers. A lot less cutting for this one.

This next card is one I’m REALLY excited to tell you about! I won’t be able to reveal what’s inside quite yet though. I have a fair coming up in November. I’ll have this card at my booth to show those visiting, how I made this. I’ll give you a hint. It has something to do with two of my books, “Maggie, Merrie, and Millie’s Magical Adventure” and “Maggie, Millie, and Merrie’s Magical Coins.”

I hope you have enjoyed these ideas.

Happy October everyone!

Rosie

PS. Don’t forget to take a look at my “Shop Here” page. For full descriptions on all my books, visit my author page on Amazon.

As always, Happy Reading!

My Last Five Weeks Building A New Website

September 24, 2018 / rosieadmin / 3 Comments

Have you ever had to switch to a new software and build a new website?

There were lots of technical issues for this one.

With this one being my third time changing, I’ve learned a lot about how websites work. I’m still learning more every day.

The second time I had to rebuild, I painstakingly tried to replace all my posts from my first website. Talk about a lot of work.

When looking back, many of those posts were outdated so I’ve decided to start fresh and new.

First you’ll see the landing page, Welcome to Books by Rose.

Next is a Kidlit Blogs by Rosie page. This is where things might look a little different. I will have blogs for news and will also include interviews with authors, artists, and more. (Before I had a separate page for that.)

Last, I’ll still have my Shop Here page. I plan to add more in time.

Before I go any further, I’d like to thank James Milson – Writer for helping me figure out how WordPress works and talking me through the “Hemingway” theme.

If you haven’t met James by now, he too is a Missouri author and has a favorite book of mine out there called, “The Adventures of Little Red Bear: The First Holler.” Talk about a fun, family friendly book for a read-a-loud in the classrooms and at home.

Here is my five star review for James’s book:

I’m excited to have my website back to bring you more fun posts that I hope you will enjoy.

Always feel free to contact me at booksbyrose4u@gmail.com or leave a comment. Scroll back to the top of this post and click on comment.

Now, off to learn more about this website.

As always, “Happy Reading!”

Rosie