Titanic Book of the Kid Servants

Fasten your seatbelt and get ready.  We are time traveling back to 1912.  April 1912.  Yes, we are aboard the magnificent Titanic.  A ship of dreams that later became a ship of sorrow.

Here is the book overview - 

No one knew for sure what happened to the Kid Servants in uniform aboard the R.M.S. Titanic on that fateful April morning of 1912.

It wasn't until decades later when the two history buffs named Matt and Margret met and boarded an Emerald cruise tribute tour by chance. 

In this outing, they found out what happened to the missing boys. Margret's electromagnetic field detector sensed several paranormal activities inside the ship. 

When Matt doubted the existence of ghosts, Margret persuaded him that they exist and several were with them in the ship. 

But why were the bellboys after Matt and Margret? What was in a letter Matt was asked to deliver to someone named Archie?

Spine tingling and delightfully spooky - adults and kids will find this book is one they will be telling their friends about.

This book was a revised version of the original book, titled, ‘Dead Servants Letter – An Untold Story of the Bellboys from Titanic Past’

This is a Titanic Book novel for mystery romance thriller and fictional romance readers.  Recommended for age range teens and young adults - but if you're an older adult don't let this stop you from settling in for a read aboard the Titanic.  HIGHLY RECOMMEND

King of the Wind: The Story of the Godolphin Arabian

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/423156.King_of_the_Wind 

I vividly recall checking this book out of the library as a child - reading it late into the night and feeling like I was flying on Sham's back. Now grown up, I re-read it and the magic is still there.

Beautifully written as are all of Marguerite Henry's book, this one made history come to life.

Remember - she first published this book in the late 1940's. Timeless classic describes it well.

Highly recommend for children and adults.

Hiding in Plain Sight: My Life and Adventures Protecting Celebrities

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/57376314-hiding-in-plain-sight

When I first saw the cover of this book, I immediately thought of Kevin Costner in the movie, The Bodyguard, with Whitney Houston. I smiled when I came across the section in which our author was on site in South Africa as part of her advance security team. Great coincidence.

Well written, this read is filled with great stories and an insider look at the fun - and dangers - of his work.

I also liked the nice mix of pics included and info on the author himself.

Quality read - I didn't look yet to see if available as an audio book but if so, I think would be a good commuter audio.

Highly recommend this book. 5 stars all the way

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/57376314-hiding-in-plain-sight

Improbable Cause: : Deceit and Dissent in the investigation of America's Worst Military Air Disaster

 I decided to read this book because someone very dear to me died on the Gander flight. This year marks his 60th birthday and I decided to finally delve into the many theories surrounding what happened on that God forsaken morning in Dec 12, 1985.

Mr. Filotas crafted a book highly the opposite of what I expected. It is a matter of fact, dry read which made it easy for me to read quickly.

His countless comparisons to other crashes and malfunctions at first threw me a bit, after all, I was looking for Gander details.

However, within a few pages, I saw the crucial importance of his doing so.

He writes well and gives the reader solid, no frills information which allowed me to really grasp the inner workings of large planes such as the one our soldiers were coming home in.

I highly recommend this book. It is definitely not what I was expecting to read and I'm glad Mr. Filotas took the time to not only compile Gander crash info but also educate the reader.

 

From Letters to Leaders: 

Creating Impact on Your College Campus and Beyond

From Letters to Leaders offers practical strategies to address the problems that fraternity/sorority leaders and other students organizations will face on college campuses today. This includes current issues such as hazing, sexual assaults, alcohol/drug abuse, mental health, diversity/equity/inclusion, self-worth, healthy masculinity, healthy relationships, as well as building the confidence and courage needed to bring change to your college campus. Whether you are interested in joining a fraternity/sorority as a new member, you are a seasoned member of the organization in a leadership role, you are an alumnus looking to mentor students, or you are a student affairs professional that is currently advising student organizations, this book provides a fresh look at some of the problems and the solutions to ensure a stronger future for fraternities and sororities while also protecting our members and our guests. This was written by a collection of educators in practice who work directly with fraternity and sorority members, national organizations, professional speakers, and campus leaders. The book presents an extensive selection of effective prevention-based practices, as well as relevant and timely topics, that all stakeholders—both on and off campus—can use immediately. These lessons learned within student organizations today will be extremely beneficial to the students as they graduate and enter the workforce.

Click here to get From Letters to Leaders on Amazon / Kindle

Rebecca Hart

 Rebecca Hart is an elusively beautiful, intelligent girl in her 20s and the daughter of a tycoon businessman who is the last standing member of the Hart legacy. With friends who want nothing more than to see her smile, by driving her crazy, and who are always there for her, it would seem like just by looking at her, Rebecca is happy.

But is she?

The truth is, however, Rebecca Hart is a disturbed young girl, with a haunted, and traumatic past. Her memories leave her constantly at unrest. Despite always having loved ones around her, she still feels that there is something missing.

She has no idea that her pursuit for happiness lays in finding a new muse … a new kind of love.

Her blackout episodes have been giving her insight to various realities and parallel universes where she sees the possibility to be happy again, but also lead her to be forced to relive her most sinister nightmares. The question is about the peculiar beings that she interacts within these unworldly, realms, are they proof of the existence of an unseen world? Or is this evidence of a mental break in Rebecca's mind?

Her inner strength will eventually blossom… but at what cost?

Click here to get Rebecca Hart on Amazon / Kindle

Follow the author here as well

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/defalgo/?hl=en

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Defalgo

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/52690707-rebecca-hart

About the Author:

https://www.amazon.com/M.-Noah/e/B07WPCZ1Y7?ref_=dbs_p_ebk_r00_abau_000000

Changes in our Pandemic World

 Well, to say 2020 caught us off guard is a huge understatement.

From having a normal Christmas in 2019 to the beginning warning signs in early 2020, never in my wildest dreams did I foresee the changes we have all experienced in 2020 and now as we begin 2021.

I am now slowly re-adjusting to a mindset of not thinking soon it will be over and no more pandemic to a mindset of learning how to adapt to our drastically changed world.

I miss, greatly, going out to lunch or dinner with family and friends.  I miss going to the cinema and enjoying the coziness of popcorn, a diet coke and seating, all crammed in close, in a dark movie theatre.

The changes have now been adapted in to my usual routine - carry out and mail order shopping.  Whole Foods delivery and Amazon bring my packages right to my door.

I kind of think I am eating better overall.  While I manage to squeeze in an occasional Starbucks, my Jamaica Blue morning coffee is just as delightful made at home while I watch the sun rise - as I moved my coffee maker to the family room as well, why not?

I also found a new coffee based on the recommendation of someone dear to me - a delightful double caffeine, cannoli flavored one that I love adding heavy whipping cream to.

Life has changed and will continue changing as we progress in 2021, but we can also savor the moments of less rushing and more reflection.

Being real - life in our social media world

 I've watched a steady flood of doctored photos last year - all made hazy, showing the selfie taker looking, well in many cases, drastically different than a real life pic.

I guess for me, it is a mystery as to why a woman (I'm sure there are some men out these using the filters too) feels the need to post pics of herself - only using altering filters.

For me, I choose to live my life filter free - yes, when you see me in person, I look the same as I do in my pics on social media.

Welcoming in 2021

 2021 is here and I sure hope it brings us all much more joy then 2020.

Overall, despite the worries of the pandemic - 2020 was a pretty good year for me as it was a time of pondering and reflection - on many topics.

Smashing Writers Block - Find Joy in the Simple Things

 Find Joy in the Simple Things

Let’s get back to basics and find the joys in everyday life. 

One way to welcome joy into your life is to unplug completely from your phone, computer, tablet, etc. so you’re more present in each moment and so you can actually recognize joy when it appears. 

Do you eat dinner every night with your family? 

Do you know what your kids are doing in school or in their activities? 

When was the last time you allowed yourself time to play board games or read bedtime stories? 

When was the last time you really connected with your spouse or partner? 

Even if you live alone, think about the last time you allowed yourself fun time away from the computer?

Think about the hobbies you used to enjoy prior to marriage/kids/business. 

Now is the time to add at least one of those things back into your life. Join a gym. Join a walking or running club. Volunteer at your favorite charity. Read a book. Learn how to meditate. Learn how to play a new sport. Discover new hiking trails. Write in a journal.

Smash Writer's Block -Why Your Brain Needs a Break

 Why Your Brain Needs a Break

In today’s technological world with constant news cycles and instant access to electronics, it’s all too easy to wear ourselves out with too much news and other stimuli. 

Do you often lose steam mid-afternoon, especially if you’re working hard to meet a deadline? 

Your body and your brain physically can only handle so much before they go into shut down mode. 

Experts believe that “employees spend more than half their workdays receiving and managing information than using it to do their jobs”.

Maybe you’ve noticed that you’re not working as efficiently later in the day or it’s harder to concentrate on business tasks. 

Even if you’re s writing, do you find yourself getting distracted? Your brain is telling you it needs a break, similar to rebooting your computer.

Smashing Writer's Block -Become Inspired by Your Hobbies

 Become Inspired by Your Hobbies

Even though it seems counterintuitive to think about spending time enjoying your hobbies while building a business, you’ll discover that allowing your brain to relax and enjoy something other than business will spur your creativity. 

Have you ever had an incident where you can’t remember the title of a book or who starred in a particular movie but then you had an a-ha moment as soon as you stopped thinking about it? 

Have you heard stories of people who are inspired while in the shower and then are scrambling to write down their brilliant idea while they’re soaking wet? 

Jerry Seinfeld added a scene to his famous television show about writing the funniest joke ever while dreaming, wrote it down in the middle of the night, but couldn’t read his handwriting in the morning.

The Martian by Andy Weir

The Martian by Andy Weir
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I prefer to read the book before seeing the movie - and as typical did so with this book.
Absolutely loved both book and movie. Edge of your seat read in many places and of course, left me wondering what I would do if ever in this situation.
Definitely on my recommend list.



View all my reviews

Weasel and Rag: wasting time with watercolor

Weasel and Rag: wasting time with watercolor by Richard Schwindt
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Fun read (even though purple is my favorite color) and I loved the cover!

With an unsolicited, preemptive strike, Richard Schwindt, author of Social Work for Fun and Profit has turned his attention to everything watercolor. In a torrent of cheap shots, mean spirited digs, unfair characterizations, and the occasional helpful tip, he has fashioned a devil’s dictionary of the “watercolor-industrial complex” you never knew existed.
Adopting the persona of an embittered, potty-mouthed retiree and amateur painter, Schwindt launches a mad rant in full attack mode, starting with Albrecht Dürer:
“An early proponent of making ordinary people feel stupid…”
He recklessly moves forward, addressing everything from brushes:
“Like political prisoners and unidentified cadavers, most are assigned numbers.”
To the color wheel:
“…green … it’s leering across the wheel, like a stalker released from detention, desperate to penetrate the red. It just knows they belong together.”
And the colour purple:
“Approaching a purple painting at an art exhibition, I am unconsciously patting pockets for Prozac.”
Eccentric, irreverent and always hilarious, Weasel and Rag is written for every hobbyist who has ever managed frustration with laughter.

View all my reviews">

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): 2 Manuscripts - Introducing Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Made Simple - Examples and techniques ... Intelligence and Soft Skills Book 13)

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy by Daniel Anderson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I bought this book as I was looking into life coaching courses and one covered this topic.
I found this book to be well written and informative. Definitely recommend.

Are you interested in knowing how to come out of the suffering and struggle of mental health challenges and become more successful in your life using Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)?
Two great books that shine bright light on the subject of CBT are weaved through this book. Here's a comprehensive 2-in-1 guide written to show you how you can use evidence-based CBT techniques to treat an expansive range of disorders such as depression, anxieties, addictions, all sorts of psycho social problems, and overcome real-world challenges.

Exploring the whole concept of CBT and its benefits, this book shares how you can apply the principles of CBT to reprogram your inner thoughts to create lasting change in your life without constant struggles and become a more rational individual.

This book is perfect for everybody including college students, athletes, busy moms, aging seniors and everyone that wants to know how to manage common treatment challenges with CBT.

Within the pages of this book, you’ll discover:

Up-to-the-minute methods to improve your mental health with CBT How to overcome negative thinking patterns using CBT How to completely stay in control of your inner thoughts and direct your life positively A wide range of exercises designed to help you overcome anxiety and other mental health challenges How to define a specific goal to work towards over the course of 6 weeks And much more!
If you want to know how to address dysfunctional emotions and make big changes in your life starting now, then this book is for you.

View all my reviews">

Go, Go, Trucks!

Go, Go, Trucks! by Jennifer Liberts
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Bought as a gift - instant hit. Highly recommend

A brother and sister discover all kinds of trucks as they travel through their own neighborhood, drive on a highway, and visit a county fair! Young vehicle-enthusiasts will take pride in cruising through the simple, rhyming text. Bright, bouncy art will help them along the reading journey.

Step 1 Readers feature big type and easy words for children who know the alphabet and are eager to begin reading. Rhyme and rhythmic text paired picture clues help children decode the story.

View all my reviews">

S.t.e.a.m.c.a.p.p.: The Rising of the Moon (The Adirondack Affair Book 1)

S.t.e.a.m.c.a.p.p.: The Rising of the Moon by J.T. Murphy
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

If you know me - you know I love anything steampunk.
Quality read - I definitely recommend it.
August 1901: When Anarchist Terrorists massacre the workers of Archeology dig site 403B in the Adirondacks and abduct fifteen year old Gladys Gwynn, her wealthy Industrialist brother hires the Strategic Tactics and Extraordinary Management Consultation And Protection Partnership, team to rescue her.



But before STEAMCAPP can even board the train that will take them to the Adirondack wilderness retreat of their client, two of their members, the dashing and deadly Kierian McKenna(code named Piper), and his dare-deviless partner Emma Dareheart(code named Banshee), both former Resistance Cell operatives during the British-American War of 1893-1897, are ambushed by operatives hired by the British Secret Service Bureau and thrust into a bloody shoot-out.



At Great Camp Sagamore, Kierian and Emma are joined by their business partners, the mysterious, irascible, genius inventor, Dr. Balthazar Waatt, and the debonair Rescue Automaton Model 7. Along with three wilderness guides from the Adirondack League and Professor's of Archeology, Veronica Stonechat and SJ Boaltt, the team embarks on an action packed adventure to rescue Gladys from the brutal Anarchist terrorist and their deadly Gryphon Battle Mech.



But as STEAMCAPP's mission nears its exciting climax, a new threat more perilous than any of them could have imagined, emerges along with new questions. Who is the mysterious power behind the Anarchist? What is buried in the lost Algonquin Temple Of The Bear? And can STEAMCAPP stop Operation Atlas before it topples the United States of America into utter chaos and ruin?



Set in an Alternate Steampunk reality amongst the backdrop of a British-American Cold war, STEAMCAPP : Rising Of The Moon promises to be a thrilling action packed, rollicking adventure, peppered with humor and romance and set in the wild beauty of the Adirondack forest. (less)

View all my reviews">

Writer's Market 2020: The Most Trusted Guide to Getting Published

Code Girls: The Untold Story of the American Women Code Breakers of World War II

Code Girls: The Untold Story of the American Women Code Breakers of World War II by Liza Mundy
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Wonderful read. Definitely recommend.

View all my reviews">Code Girls: The Untold Story of the American Women Code Breakers of World War II by Liza Mundy
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Wonderful read. Definitely recommend.

The award-winning national bestseller about the American women who secretly served as codebreakers during World War II--a "prodigiously researched and engrossing" (New York Times) book that "shines a light on a hidden chapter of American history" (Denver Post).

Recruited by the U.S. Army and Navy from small towns and elite colleges, more than ten thousand women served as codebreakers during World War II. While their brothers and boyfriends took up arms, these women moved to Washington and learned the meticulous work of code-breaking. Their efforts shortened the war, saved countless lives, and gave them access to careers previously denied to them. A strict vow of secrecy nearly erased their efforts from history; now, through dazzling research and interviews with surviving code girls, bestselling author Liza Mundy brings to life this riveting and vital story of American courage, service, and scientific accomplishment.

View all my reviews">

Mac and Cheese

Mac and Cheese by Sarah Weeks
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Absolutely delightful children's read. I bought as a gift and was pleased to see how much the story was enjoyed. Super cute illustrations.

View all my reviews">