Well, my days are full right now. I am very busy putting the final touches on my book and getting ready for publication on November 15th! On November 1st, I will be doing a big cover reveal of both my book cover and my dear friend Jessica Greyson's cover! Would you like to be part of the cover reveal? You would get to see both covers before anyone else. You can email me at thedestinyofone(at)juno(dot)com if you are interested. Well I am off to get busy!
Today I want to thank my daring editor. The girl who has gone where many editor has feared to go. Yes, my manuscripts can be very scary. Thanks to this lady, people are actually be able to read and understand my books.
Rachelle Rea is the best editor I have ever had. She has helped me not only spot my mistakes, but also has helped improved my writing style.
If you need an editor, I highly recommend Rachelle Rea, Editor.
Here are what some other people are saying about Rachelle.
Rachelle Rea has a sharp eye and kind heart, which makes her an excellent proofreader. She was very easy to work with and met our tight deadline with no problems.
Next time we need proofreading, we'll definitely ask Rachelle!
When I approached Rachelle to work through my proposal with a fine tooth comb, along with a request for a super short turn around time, I had no idea how fast she would get the job done with such an attention to detail. Her editorial skills are superb. She is able to see those ornery little typos and spelling mistakes, along with picking up on consistency issues and addressing grammatical errors. In addition, she gracefully suggests phrasing changes and even puts in a note of encouragement here and there!
I will be hiring Rachelle again in the future and highly recommend her services!
Fast, yet thorough - Rachelle Rea was quick in proofreading my manuscript without skimping on her work effort. She has a wonderful sense of rhythm in syntax, along with a sharp eye to catch grammatical mistakes and other details that could hinder the flow or clarity of a story. Her comments are a helpful balance of guiding questions and encouragement. She's both talented in her work and kind in her communications, and I'd be happy to hire her again as a proofreader!
Rachelle Rea was invaluable in critiquing and editing my books. She was able to tell me, in terms I could understand, not just how to improve my book, but also my style.
I know my future books will be better because of Rachelle.
Next time we need proofreading, we'll definitely ask Rachelle!
- Stephanie Morrill and Jill Williamson,
authors of Go Teen Writers: How to Turn Your First Draft into a Published Book and bloggers at Go Teen WritersWhen I approached Rachelle to work through my proposal with a fine tooth comb, along with a request for a super short turn around time, I had no idea how fast she would get the job done with such an attention to detail. Her editorial skills are superb. She is able to see those ornery little typos and spelling mistakes, along with picking up on consistency issues and addressing grammatical errors. In addition, she gracefully suggests phrasing changes and even puts in a note of encouragement here and there!
I will be hiring Rachelle again in the future and highly recommend her services!
- Elisa Pulliam,
author of Impact My Life: Biblical Mentoring Simplified and Director of More to Be
Fast, yet thorough - Rachelle Rea was quick in proofreading my manuscript without skimping on her work effort. She has a wonderful sense of rhythm in syntax, along with a sharp eye to catch grammatical mistakes and other details that could hinder the flow or clarity of a story. Her comments are a helpful balance of guiding questions and encouragement. She's both talented in her work and kind in her communications, and I'd be happy to hire her again as a proofreader!
- Amber Stokes,
author of Bleeding Heart, blogger at Seasons of Humility, and fellow freelance editor
Rachelle Rea was invaluable in critiquing and editing my books. She was able to tell me, in terms I could understand, not just how to improve my book, but also my style.
I know my future books will be better because of Rachelle.
- Sarah Holman, author of the Destiny series and blogger at Destiny of One
Rachelle Rea is an encouraging person, always looking for the strong points in your writing, and she helps you strengthen the weak points. I would definitely recommend her editing services to anyone looking to polish their writing.
- Shannon Meiers, author of The Girl and Her Crutch
NaNoWriMo!
I am very busy researching right now, as you can see. However, I am not going to tell you anything about the book until November. Enjoy the suspense!
Are you doing NaNo? Well then, we can be Buddies!
Today is a very big day for me. You see, I posted my 100th review on Amazon.
It is so fun to be able to share my opinons on books with the world. I have also been blessed because it seems some people feel the reviews are helpful
If you would like to take a peek at my reviews on Amazon, click Here!
That is my news for the day. Do you have any to share?
I am reading
I am editing
I am enjoying the cooler weather
I am also busy with the laundry
What are you up to today?
~This is so cool!~
~A Very good List~
~My Sister's New Blog~
Today I am working through emails
Reading an old book
Watching the rain outside
Editing Adventures and Adversities
What are you up to today?
Buy it Here
Age
Appropriate For: 18 and up
Best
for Ages: 18 and up
Description:
As Vesuvius
churns, a slave girl-turned-gladiator joins forces with an unlikely source to
seek justice. In the coastal town of Pompeii, a new gladiator prepares to
fight. But this gladiator hides a deadly secret: she’s a runaway Jewish slave
girl named Ariella, disguised as a young boy. A savvy fighter, Ariella
determines to triumph in the arena, knowing her life will be forfeit should
anyone uncover the truth. Cato, a wealthy politician, moved to Pompeii after
tiring of the corruption in Rome. But he soon learns that Pompeii is just as
corrupt, and if he doesn’t play the game, his family could pay the price.
Determined to bring about justice for the citizens of Pompeii, Cato searches
for allies. But what he discovers instead is a confounding group of Christians
. . . and a young female gladiator whose fame is growing daily. Political
unrest reaches a boiling point as Christians are jailed and executed, and the
mountain in the distance threatens to destroy the city with its river of fire.
Cato and Ariella must act quickly and courageously to save their loved ones
before all is lost.
So I
normally don’t like stories about women doing men’s work. So I’m not into
disaster books or movies. However, Tracy happens to be one of my favorite
authors, and I didn’t want to pass up a chance to review one of her books. I
jumped at the chance to review City of Fire, previously released under the
title Pompeii: City on Fire.
City of
Fire is set during the last days of the city of Pompeii. This city has
fascinated me and many other historians, because much of what we know of day-to-day Roman life comes for this city, buried under the ash and lava of a volcano.
As
usual, Tracy did her research and wove the historical details into the story
flawlessly. I really felt as if I was walking the streets of Pompeii and seeing
things as they were. The characters were also well developed and, like all of
Tracy’s books, they leapt off the page.
Although
there was much good about this book, I ended up not liking it as much as I
thought I would. The godless society was portrayed vividly. Unlike all the
other books I have read by Tracy, this one left me feeling dirty. The faith
element didn’t feel as strong as the depravity shown in the book. Prostitution,
affairs, gay relationships, and nudity are mentioned often throughout the book.
Historically correct? Yes. Was it worth it for the story? Not in my mind.
Although
the characters encounter wonderful Christian people who live out their faith,
it wasn’t enough for me to feel the book was redeemed. Unlike So Shines the
Night, which also dealt with very hard issues, this book didn’t leave me
feeling amazed at my faith. It left me feeling in great need of some wholesome,
clean books.
I still
highly recommend this author, but caution younger readers about this book.
Was this
helpful? Please vote it up on Amazon.
I received this book from Thomas Nelson via BookSneeze
in exchange for my honest review. I was under no obligation to write a
positive review. The opinions in this review are entirely my own.
I love growing things. There isn't much that makes me happier then planting seeds and nurturing plants. This year, I decided I wanted to start growing a lot of the herbs we use in our kitchen. I bought the plants to start with, and had fun selecting three pots that we already had to make this fun herb garden.
When one of the plants has enough I think it can spare it, I cut off the excess stems. I cut it several inches above the base of the plant so that it can easily regrow.
This is the mint I picked. Isn't it pretty? It smells amazing too!
Next, I rinse the leaves to get dirt and anything else off the leaves.
Taking a clean towel, I pat it dry. There might be a little water left, but not much.
Now I hang them up to dry. Hang them where they will stay dry for the next three or four weeks.
In a few weeks, You can pull the dry leaves off the stems and put them into jars for safe keeping a use.
Buy
it Here
Age
Appropriate For: 15 and up (romance and violence)
Best
for Ages: 15 and up
Description:
Abducted by
Mohawk Indians at fourteen and renamed Burning Sky, Willa Obenchain is driven
to return to her family’s New York frontier homestead after many years building
a life with the People. At the boundary of her father’s property, Willa
discovers a wounded Scotsman lying in her path. Feeling obliged to nurse his
injuries, the two quickly find much has changed during her twelve-year
absence—her childhood home is in disrepair, her missing parents are rumored to
be Tories, and the young Richard Waring she once admired is now grown into a
man twisted by the horrors of war and claiming ownership of the Obenchain land.
When her Mohawk brother arrives and questions her place in the white world, the
cultural divide blurs Willa’s vision. Can she follow Tames-His-Horse back to
the People now that she is no longer Burning Sky? And what about Neil
MacGregor, the kind and loyal botanist who does not fit into in her plan for a
solitary life, yet is now helping her revive her farm? In the aftermath of the
Revolutionary War, strong feelings against “savages” abound in the nearby
village of Shiloh, leaving Willa’s safety unsure. Willa is a woman caught
between two worlds. As tensions rise, challenging her shielded heart, the woman
called Burning Sky must find a new courage--the courage to again risk embracing
the blessings the Almighty wants to bestow. Is she brave enough to love again?
One of
the hardest things about being a book reviewer is you have to be honest. There
are some books you want to love and give high ratings, but for the sake of honesty
you can’t. This was one of those books.
Lori Benton got a lot right in this book. Historically, I don’t think it could have gotten much better. The details of not only life, but also the feelings in post-Revolutionary War America, were brilliantly woven into the story. There wasn’t any part that felt like an information dump; the story provided details as needed.
The
characters themselves were so well developed. Willa and Neil especially had
their faults and strengths. You both loved them and were frustrated by them in
the course of the story. The supporting characters were also well done. None of
them were flat or boring.
So why
didn’t I enjoy this story? To be honest, the romance really bothered me. Although
Willa and Neil are both people of strong character and deep faith, their
romance was nothing like what I would have hoped. Willa especially seems to think
of them ‘being together’ a few times without regret and never seems to think about
Neil’s character. It really bothered me and kept me from fully enjoying the
story.
The book
also felt long in places. Although I wanted to find out what happened, I
skimmed some parts. 400 plus pages seemed too long for the story the book
contained.
Although
this wasn’t my favorite book, it was far from the worst. I wouldn’t mind trying
another book by Lori Benton. I also think that there are many who will enjoy
this book.
I received this book from WaterBrook Press in exchange for my honest review. I was under no
obligation to write a positive review. The opinions in this review are entirely
my own.
As Christians, and as writers, we have been given a purpose. Sometimes, we can get discouraged when a book isn't going how we think it should, we get a harsh review, or no one seems to be interested in what we are writing. It is at these times we have to remember that we are not writing just for ourselves, we are writing for the glory of God. He will give us the strength we need.
About once a month, while my brother is at his college classes and my Dad is at work, us Holman girls pull out nail polish, shampoo, face-mask cream and much more. We set up our little salon, wash each others hair, nails and more.
We call these ours Esther days, in honor of Esther of the Bible who spent a year receiving beauty treatments. We have a lot of fun hanging out together and bonding as sisters.
Do have something you do for fun as a family?
For the first time in many months, we got heavy rains in Texas. Because it has been so long, there were quite a few downed limbs and trees in our area. On our own land, we lost a huge post oak tree.
This may not seem so odd, but it is strange when you realize that the tree was green and, not too far away, was a tree that is dead.
Can you see the dead tree behind through the branches? This tree has been dead for years. Yet, it stood through the storm, and not the tree with all the pretty green leaves.
Yes, if you look at these two trees you just can't understand why the green one fell. It looks so healthy, full of lush green leaves. While the dead one hasn't sprouted new leaves for many springs, and its limbs have fallen to the ground. So what caused the mighty oak to fall?
The roots were rotted, and bug infested. The tree didn't seem to have a strong connection with its root system. So, when the storm came in, and the soil grew soft with rain, the tree could no longer hold its weight.
Although we cannot see the root system of the dead tree, I can only imagine how deep and strong it must be. It has made it through many storms and held fast, even though it looks dead, because it is connected to a deep, and vast root system.
There are so many lessons we can learn here, but here is my thought for the day: It is easy to look at those people who are doing all sorts of things for God and think they are better than us. They do so many good works, everyone thinks they are the strongest and best. Some look dull and plain, and people ask why they don't do more for God. Yet that dull person is putting down roots, and quietly building into God and the lives around them, without bragging about it. When the hard times in life come, the one with the deep roots stands.
What lesson do you see from these two trees?
Father, out of Your honorable and glorious riches, strengthen Your people. Fill their souls with the power of Your Spirit so that through faith the Anointed One will reside in their hearts. May love be the rich soil where their lives take root. May it be the bedrock where their lives are founded so that together with all of Your people they will have the power to understand that the love of the Anointed is infinitely long, wide, high, and deep, surpassing everything anyone previously experienced. God, may Your fullness flood through their entire beings. Ephesians 3:16-19 The Voice
Today I am taking part of a blog tour for a wonderful book Purple Moon by Tessa Hall (you can read my review here). I have followed Tessa for a long time and was so excited to see her book finally published. She is on my blog today talk about how she dealt with anxiety
(Standing on the beach where I almost passed days before)
(Later that day. As you can see, I felt much better =)
Dealing with
Anxiety: The Spiritual IV
It was the summer of when I was fifteen, and my
family was staying with another family at their beach house in Florida. We decided
to start the first day of our vacation off by running along the shore. After a
while of running, I started feeling weak, and I just couldn’t seem to keep up
with everyone. The morning Florida sun was beating down, which only made it
difficult to keep going. And as I started realizing that everyone was getting
further and further ahead of me, I started to panic and hyperventilate.
Somehow, I was able to get my mom’s attention. She
and her friend immediately came to me and tried to calm me down—but it was too
late. My face was pale, and my lips were already turning blue.
There weren’t many people along the beach this early
June morning, so I was very fortunate that a couple sat underneath an umbrella right
next to us. Since we didn’t seem to have a choice, we asked the couple if they
had anything for me to eat or drink. I’d never been so grateful to see a bottle
of Gatorade in my entire life.
I sat underneath the umbrella and sipped on the
Gatorade, trying to focus on breathing in through my nose and out through my
mouth as my mom placed a cool, damp paper towel on the back of my neck.
Meanwhile—after we called for beach patrol, a guy apparently witnessed this
scene. He quickly ran to a nearby gas station and soon came back with a candy
bar for me.
The snacks definitely prevented me from passing out.
However, I still couldn’t seem to stop hyperventilating. After the beach patrol
came, they took my blood pressure and realized that I needed to go to the
hospital.
It was very difficult to keep from panicking,
especially since I was already short of breath—but somehow, as I sat in the
back of the Beach Patrol truck on the way to an ambulance, the rush of the wind
seemed to relax me as I closed my eyes and prayed.
As soon as I was transferred into the ambulance, I
remember the nurse telling me that she was going to stick an IV in me.
“Will it…help me breathe?” I asked in between
breaths.
“Yes,” she replied, “but it might hurt a little.”
At that point, I didn’t care how much pain it might
cause. I just wanted to breathe clearly again.
Later that day, I found out that I had dehydrated. I
was also told that I had vagal response syndrome, which is when your body
overreacts to certain triggers, and is common in small-framed teenagers.
(Standing on the beach where I almost passed days before)
Unfortunately, this would be the first of a few more
similar episodes (only one of which I had to go back to the hospital). For a
long time afterwards, I was terrified of having another episode. I couldn’t
even go to the movies to see an action-packed movie without feeling claustrophobic
and short of breath.
Of course, the fear of having an episode only made
it worse—especially when I was on the verge of hyperventilating and would start
to, simply because I was so afraid. I got to the point where I wouldn’t work
out much since it caused me to be short of breath.
Not too long ago, I found out that I am also hypoglycemic
(which is caused by low blood sugar). To put it short, I start shaking and
feeling very weak only a few hours after I eat.
I haven’t had an episode in a few years, which I am
very grateful for. However, I was very close to having one on Labor Day of this
year.
I was visiting my sister who lives at the beach, and
we were planning on spending the day riding bikes on an island. I’d had cereal
that morning—but a few hours later, after we ordered our rental bikes, I
noticed that I was shaking…a lot. And it didn’t help that the humidity was
extremely high, either.
We had to go on a ten minute bike ride just to find
a place that sold food. Although I was pedaling way slower than I usually do,
the rush of the wind helped cool me off and calm me down enough until we
reached a place that sold Luna Bars.
It wasn’t until we got off the bikes and went inside
did the panic really hit me. I was shaking even more than before, and it was
all I could do to prevent myself from hyperventilating.
I sat down with my two Luna Bars and a Gatorade
(seriously, those drinks are a life saver) and tried my best to calm down. Now,
I’m sure the breathing part was just due to anxiety, because it wasn’t until I
started thinking about how badly I did not want to go to the hospital did I start
to experience the most trouble.
And if I
hadn’t learn how to focus on God and His peace, I’m almost positive that I
would’ve had to go to the hospital again.
(Later that day. As you can see, I felt much better =)
Every time I come close to panicking, I force myself
to recall when the hospital put an IV on my arm—or in other words, “the machine
that calmed me down and helped me breathe”. I believe that hooking myself up to a “spiritual IV” is the very thing
that can help calm me down when I start to feel anxious.
I’m sure we’ve all struggled with anxiety at one
point or another in our lives. And not to give away any spoilers—but in Purple Moon, Selena frequently suffers
from anxiety attacks. Honestly, I’m not even sure when I decided to incorporate
that into the story, but it was definitely God’s doing. Because of Purple Moon—not
only was I able to relate with those who suffer with anxiety, but I was also
able to write from experience and find healing in the process.
“Do not
be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition,
with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all
understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
~ Philippians 4:6-7
~ Philippians 4:6-7
In
the midst of anxiety, hook yourself up to a spiritual IV by calling upon God.
As mentioned in the above scripture, His peace will immediately come and still
your anxious heart. Set your mind on Him
only, and nothing else. That is the secret that I have learned, and I
believe that this is what prevented me from hyperventilating during my last
episode.
You
have control over your mind, body, and emotions. Don’t let anxiety hold you
back from experiencing your life. Instead, overcome
anxiety by showing it that it is not going to have any power over you.
Besides, why would you pay for a trip to the
hospital when a free spiritual IV is available to you 24/7?
Fact
or Fiction?:
Guess this fact or fiction, and be sure to stop by the
next blog tour stop to see if you guessed correctly! (You’ll also receive one
extra entry for the “Purple Moon” Prize Pack if you send me your guess.)
"Purple Moon” Prize Pack!
Purple Moon” Blog
Tour Stops:
Don’t forget to stop by the blog tour’s next stop to increase your
chances of winning the PURPLE MOON Prize Pack!
Wednesday,
September 18th: Purple Moon Blog Tour Launch: The Story Behind the Story: Christ is Write
Tuesday, September
24th: Release Day! Selena’s Diary Entry + Creative Photo Contest: Writing for Young Adults
Thursday, October 24th: How Much of My Personal
Life Did I Put Into “Purple Moon”?: Read For Your Future
