Dear Kids and All Other Halloween Revelers, Some people do or do not celebrate Halloween for religious reasons. Regardless, many people love Halloween, and I am no exception. Did you know that there are important scientific reasons to celebrate Halloween? Embracing and celebrating scary things in life could compel us to make some beneficial changes…
Hi, All Readers, and Happy October! This month, culminating in Halloween, seems perfect for discussing creepy feelings! One, in particular . . . Have you ever experienced deja vu? That’s French for “already seen”–a perhaps paranormal sensation that you’ve experienced the same exact situation before, even though that’s impossible? If you have, you’re in good company.…
Dear Kids and All Readers, Do you love graham crackers? I do! I have a fond childhood memory of the tasty snack beyond S’mores. Every Easter, my mom would make a yellow cake and slather on thick layers of homemade chocolate frosting. Any leftover frosting was sandwiched between two graham cracker halves for my sisters’…
Dear KIds, Authors, and All Readers, Today, I’d like to share a tidbit from my upcoming Book 4, Saffron Street: Island Danger. It releases this fall. We authors often borrow from our own real-life experiences to bolster our storytelling. I am no exception. Here is the backstory behind the story: First, the story: In Book 4, Botanic Hill…
Dear Kids and All Readers, Did you know that Friday, May 13, 2022, was the only Friday the 13th this year? Years that have 365 days and begin on a Saturday will have only one Friday the 13th. 2022 meets those criteria. Our next Friday the 13th won’t happen until January 2023. What’s the big…
Dear Kids, English Teachers, Librarians, Playgoers, and All Readers, Sometime between April 23 and 26, the “Bard of Avon,” William Shakespeare, was born in 1564, in Stratford-upon-Avon, England. The exact day of his birth is not known, but his baptism was recorded in the Parish Register of Holy Trinity Church in Stratford on Wednesday, April…
Dear Kids, Educators, Families, and All Readers, Do you remember John Hancock? He was a wealthy Massachusetts businessman and one of the earliest and most outspoken American patriots calling for independence from Britain in the 1770s. He was public enemy number one to General Thomas Gage, commander of British forces in the colonies, so his life…
Hello, All Readers, and Happy New Year! Since January marks the end of one year and the beginning of the next in our current western calendar, it’s little wonder that its name derived from Janus, the ancient Roman god of gates and doors. It was believed that Janus held the key that could unlock the…
Hello, All Readers, and Happy New Year’s Eve! For all reading’s purposes we could recount, reading should never devolve into drudgery, in my opinion. If we’re lucky, reading will mostly be for pleasure. distraction, comfort, and escape. I must admit that those are the primary purposes or qualities I seek as a reader, but also…
Hello, Kids and All Readers, Continuing last week’s blog about Viktor Frankl and his practice of “Self-Transcendence,” (moving from the Self to the Other), I’d like to share this fun and potentially meaningful game with you. It’s a Gratitude Scavenger Hunt! For me, one way to shut down the pity party and focus on my…
