Welcome to “SONGS OF HEARTSTRINGS” Blog Tour! @MHurdle112

I am thrilled to be hosting Miriam Hurdle today on The Indie Spot. Miriam is the author of the book Songs of Heartstrings: Gratitude and Beatitude. 

Take it away, Miriam. . . 

Day 4

From the Author

This is Day 4 of “Songs of Heartstrings” Blog Tour. I want to thank 4WillsPublishing for setting up the tour and my host to have me here.

This poetry collection includes nine themes: Songs of Nature, Songs of Dissonance, Songs of Physical Healing, Songs of Marriage, Songs of Parenthood, Songs of Tribute, Songs of Reflections, Songs of Challenge, and Songs of Inspiration. Each of these themes covers various aspects of my life experience. Many poems are illustrated with my photos and watercolor paintings.

 

Songs of Heartstrings received a 5-Star review from Readers’ Favorite: https://readersfavorite.com/book-review/songs-of-heartstrings?fbclid=IwAR092vCKbtTdbUea6kW90qdVvrvxYHpUdkpCueW7XtcUzKNMzukisBgVBfs

Other book reviews are available on Amazon: http://wwAmazon.com/dp/B07K1S47W9 

Highlighted Poems from Songs of Marriage: Rowing a Boat and I Love You

The first fifteen years of my education career, I taught in the classroom. Even though I had a preliminary education administrative credential, I didn’t have the emotional strength to seek an administrative position because of the stress from the earlier relationship. After marrying my husband Lynton, with his support beyond my expectation, I went back to school. I received a permanent education administrative credential and a Doctorate of Education degree. During the three years of my study, he watched TV with headphone so that no sound would interrupt my study. The first year of school, I accepted the promotion of an administrative position and held that for ten years before my retirement.

 

Rowing a Boat

I love to go rowing a boat,
weather is not the matter,
the day may be sunny or cloudy,
windy or even stormy.
Having you in the same boat,
I can go anywhere, everywhere.
We had a rough day at the sea,
almost dangerous to manage.
Our hearts were in touch,
hands were in sync,
same spirit, and same strength.
Your encouraging words to me, mine to you,
all the way through.
We strove until the storm passed,
a day I will forever remember,
the storm brought us closer.
I love to go rowing a boat
when you are with me.

 

I Love You

Hugging in the morning,
kissing at night;
saying I love you before
saying good night.
Praying that was not
the last chance
being together
alive.

About the Author

Miriam Hurdle is a multi-genre writer. She writes poetry, flash fiction, and short stories and memoir. Her poems are included in Letters to Gaia, Whispers and Echoes Issue 2, Whispers and Echoes Issue 3, and Outcast and More Words.

She is passionate about poetry and her favorite poets are Robert Frost with his poems “The Road Not Taken,” and Linda Pastan with her poem “To a Daughter Leaving Home.”

 

She is a member of PoemHunter.com, and her poetry may be read on the websites.

Music has rooted in her life. Being a soloist as a teenager led her to taking voice lessons and to have ongoing singing engagements. She continues to sing soprano in choral groups. Lyrics have a major influence in the natural flow of her melodic writing. She writes memoir in the form of poetry.

Along with her brother, she took photos when the films were black and white. Photography is still her enjoyable hobby. Drawing and painting were fun activities as a child. Her favorite was to draw a Japanese girl with big eyes, long hair, small lips and chin. She resumed drawing and watercolor painting several years ago. In her poetry collection, photos and paintings are included to illustrate the poems.

She earned a Doctorate of Education from the University of La Verne in California. After two years of rehabilitation counseling, fifteen years of public-school teaching and ten years in school district administration, she retired and enjoys life with her husband in southern California.

 

 

Links to Purchase the Book:

Amazon Universal Link: http://smarturl.it/SongsofHeartstrings

Amazon UK Link: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07K1S47W9 

Amazon.com Link: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B07K1S47W9 

Contact the Author:

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Miriam-Hurdle/e/B07K2MCSVW?ref=dbs_p_ebk_r00_abau_000000

Website: https://theshowersofblessings.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/mhurdle112

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/miriam.hurdle.1

To follow along with the rest of the tour, please visit the author’s tour page on the

4WillsPublishing site.  If you’d like to book your own blog tour and have your book promoted

in similar grand fashion, please click HERE.

 

Lastly, Miriam is a member of the best book club ever – RAVE REVIEWS BOOK CLUB {#RRBC}! If

you’re looking for amazing support as an author, or if you simply love books, JOIN US! We’d

love to have you!

Thanks for supporting this author and her work!

Eclectic and Intriguing, Grace VanderWaal Returns with New Music!

Rating: ★★★★★

 ec·lec·tic   /əˈklektik/

adjective

1. deriving ideas, style, or taste from a broad and diverse range of sources.

▰▱▰▱▰▱▰▱▰▱▰▱▰▱

Eclectic. It’s a word that distills the very essence of singer/songwriter Grace VanderWaal into a single definition—if that’s even possible. To those who have followed this young lady since her rise from YouTube vid kid to international musical acclaim, she’s simply a breath of fresh air in a world of sound-alike pop pablum.

“Stray,” VanderWaal’s latest single and video, pairs Grace’s raspy vocal with a lush, jangly guitar riff that sends this new music in a direction much different from her previous work. And this is a good thing. It’s a sign of maturity and of a fresh approach—rather than an attempted re-capturing of what has already been accomplished.

Her words are poetic and cautionary, filled with real and raw emotion. An undertow of fear and urgency is detectable just below the surface of her mournful voice. The anxiety of growing into an adult and facing a world of uncertainty is a central theme the singer has discussed in recent interviews.

“’Stray’ is close to me,” she explained. “Not because it’s the re-start of my continuing path, but because it explains the exhilarating fear and freedom of growing up. Growing up feels like a storm you weren’t prepared for. But how do you prepare? By practicing and appreciating you.”

Her lyrics in “Stray” illustrate a fear of losing that one thing that has brought her this far: songwriting.

I gotta write a song

But I wanna feel my words

And I keep getting it all wrong

Think it out, write it out, rip it out

Throw it all to the wall

To be certain, this fear is unfounded. She hasn’t lost a step in the songwriting process. If anything, she’s unveiled a greater prowess in crafting melodies and moods and words within her music.

The video for “Stray” is a gorgeous visual steeped in creamy, earthy tones splashed across a canvas of loneliness, longing, and desperation. The desert setting finds Grace, garbed in a long flowing dress and barefoot, searching for something elusive and undefined—a yearning common to human beings since the beginning of time. Symbolism adds to the rich scenery, with VanderWaal riding a bike through desert scrub while blindfolded, adding to the narrative of, not only the song, but of its creator, and her incredible journey in just under three short years.

Director Blythe Thomas skillfully captures mood and vibe and real feeling with an artistry one would expect from a master filmmaker. Her partnership with Grace routinely produces stark and unforgettable results. If you aren’t familiar with the director’s work, I recommend you visit her website. CLICK HERE

The song itself is a haunting piece of guitar-driven beauty—which is something we don’t normally hear in Grace VanderWaal’s music. It is this driving guitar that adds an indie-rock element throughout the track. It stands in contrast to the “Clearly” single, released last March. And “Stray” would show out as markedly different among the tracks on her brilliant Just the Beginning album. This is what elevates her above the mechanical, formulaic pop singers inhabiting today’s musical landscape.

Grace’s music has soul. It has life. It sounds the way music is meant to sound—alive.

“SPOTLIGHT” Author Blog Tour featuring Bernard Foong!

Greetings, readers! Please join me in welcoming Rave Reviews Book Club’s SPOTLIGHT AUTHOR Bernard Foong to The Indie Spot!

Take it away, Bernard. . .

Why I wrote – The Truth Will Set You Free

This short story is a chapter from A Harem Boy’s Saga – II – Unbridled; a memoir by Young, the sequel to A Harem Boy’s Saga – I – Initiation. It is base on my personal experience during my Malaysian school years with a fellow female student, Dorothy from a different institution. Little did she know that I am gay. This story happened at Dorothy’s Valentine’s Day party where she pursued me relentlessly to be her beau. Without divuldging too much, our relationship ended poorly. Although my experience is not unique, I am sure it happens quite frequently to many gays and lesbians in the LGBTQ community.

 

***

Book excerpt:

…After a series of invigorating dances with the party twins, I was ready to call it a night, but under Dorothy’s insistence, I stayed. Nobody at the party knew of my sexual inclinations except me. During a slow dance, Dorothy leaned her head against my chest. Although this intimate way of dancing was not new to me, I had no intention of leading my friend on. I tried to keep a polite distance. Dot, thought me shy and continued her aggressive approach. I had little choice but to go with the flow since she held me tight with no intention of letting me leave anytime soon. The moment arrived when her lips almost touched mine. She looked into my “eyes wide shut,” and expected romance to sparkle between us. I did not back away  even though I did not feel the same as Dot. Since it was Valentine’s Day, I did not wish to upset her. I play-acted, as much as I could. In my mind, it was the correct thing to do. After all, I will be back to London in a week and would not be seeing my Malaysian friends for another year. To me, this was merely a moment in time to make my female friend feel good about herself.

 

***

Author Bio:  Young alias Bernard Foong is, first and foremost, a sensitivist. He finds nuance in everything. To experience the world he inhabits is an adventure which is mystical, childlike and refreshing. He has a rare ability to create beauty in a unique fashion. His palettes have been material, paint, words and human experiences.

By Christine Maynard (screenwriter and novelist).

Foong just published A Harem Boy’s Saga – V – Metanoia; a memoir by Young  – the final volume of his autobiographic five book series of Mr. Foong’s young life:

A Harem Boy’s Saga: A Memoir by Young.

This provocative story spanning 4 decades and 3 continents is about a boy who was sent to a very exclusive English boarding school in the 1960s where he was initiated into a clandestine sexual society and then spirited away to serve in wealthy and elite Middle Eastern harems .”

Ranked Internationally Best-Selling Author on amazon.com

 

A Harem Boy’s Saga – Book I – Initiation (a memoir by Young)

A Harem Boy’s Saga – Book II – Unbridled (sequel)

A Harem Boy’s Saga – Book III – Debauchery (3rd volume in the series))

A Harem Boy’s Saga – Book IV – Turpitude (4th volume in the series)

 

A Harem Boy’s Saga series is published by Solstice Publishing and is available in print and E-books internationally.

A Harem Boy’s Saga (series) – Film Option Agreement signed with a U.K. Film Production Company.

Book I – Initiation is currently in film production.

 

Welcome to the SEASONS Blog Tour @ErnestineRose25

Today on The Indie Spot I am pleased to host Ernestine Rose, author of Seasons: My Journey through Grief. Please join me in welcoming her to my blog by leaving a comment.

Take it away, Ernestine. . .

Struggles of an Indie Writer

You have no idea how many people tell me that they want to write a book and they don’t know where to start. Some say they have a story to tell, but they are not confident about their writing skill; they were never good in English. Still others see themselves as authors, but really don’t have any idea how to organize and write a book. Neither of these is a challenge to me.

As a retired English teacher, my command of spelling, grammar and usage is immaculate. In college I’d spend weeks researching my topics, then stay up one night or two, actually writing the paper. Other than correcting a few typos, I did very little revising. I was just that good. And this was before word processors and computers. I had a manual type writer so corrections were hard and often messy. Still, I earned A’s in most of my English classes and carried this skill on to grad school.

The challenge in writing, for me, was never getting the paper started; it was bringing it to a close. I could ramble on for pages and often wound up cutting half my writing to meet the ten-page assignment I’d been given. I’m both fluid and fluent, so I thought becoming an author after I retired from teaching would be perfect for me.

Now that I’m working on my fifth book, I can tell any prospective writer that the real challenge isn’t writing the book; it’s selling it. With the technology we have now, almost anyone with a creative mind and ability to persuade can turn out a decent book. Your grammar and spelling challenges can be met with the latest correctional tools. The formatting issues can be simplified by Amazon or outsourced to someone who is better at it. In my case, I just went on to the next book when I hit a wall in formatting. When I finally got it right, I published three books within one week: 7 Tips for a Successful Marriage, Raising the Roses, and Tales from the Family Tree.

While I didn’t expect to make thousands with these first books, I had no idea how difficult it would be to sell them. At first, I followed the Kindle program that claimed I’d make a name for myself if I gave my first books away for free, and in the long run, I’d profit more from this huge shared campaign they had for their books on loan program. What I learned (the hard way), was that the people who’d buy my books were not part of the paid loan program, so I was just giving my books away for nothing. I made a few dollars every month, but most of the people I knew already had my books, so here was the question. After your friends and family buy your books, what’s next?

I read (a lot) about marketing and selling books. I bought DVD’s, watched webinars and took copious notes. I conducted sales on Kindle Direct Publishing campaigns as well as Book Goodies and joined an online book promotion group, Rave Reviews Book Club. I joined over two hundred Facebook groups, from African-American and urban fiction readers, to Christian non-fiction and romance. (My fourth book was Monday Morning Blues, because I always enjoyed a good love story.) I’d post to different groups, hoping to reach a different audience of readers. I carried my list of groups, updated daily, in my agenda, and recorded notes by each name of when and what I could post there. Some of them would actually get angry and maybe drop me if I promoted my book on the wrong day. I even invested in Mass Planner, one of many available auto-posters, so I could just schedule my posts ahead of time and choose the groups I wanted to target. When my computer wouldn’t cooperate, I learned to do this on my cell phone, and lo and behold, the groups were already there! It was just a matter of me selecting a group and going through four or five steps to post my ad, then repeating the process with another group. I had to remember which groups I’d posted to that day, because if I posted more than once, they’d really get mad. But eventually, whether using Mass Planner or my phone, I started getting temporary bans from Facebook because I was posting too much. That meant I couldn’t post any promos for four or five days, ruining my scheduled sale, then it was back to the grind again.

This time, as I’m preparing my fifth book, I want things to be different. I’ve revamped my website and I’m working on rebuilding my brand. I’m looking at the advantages and disadvantages of working with a publisher versus continuing to self-publish, or at least investing in some of the tasks, like formatting and book covers, that are not my strong suit. This time, I want to increase my distribution beyond Amazon, and reach a wider audience. I want to add audiobooks, and gain access to more creative marketing. I’d like to build my reputation as a speaker as well, about my books and about my journey. I want to help those people who lack the confidence or organizational skill to get started.

So for those of you that have wanted to write for a while, know that the journey is not easy. My last two book conferences confirmed the trend that high-dollar advances from the Big Five publishers are no longer happening unless you’re a celebrity or an author with a well-proven track record. Other publishers will do what you need for a wide range of fees. Still, if the desire is in you to write, by all means follow it. Follow your heart and your dreams, and be the writer that you know you can be.

 

Author Bio:  Ernestine Rose grew up on the west side of Chicago during the turbulent 50’s and 60’s. Adopted by an older couple, she spent a great deal of time as a child reading and participating in dance and drama club activities in school. Bradley University and the University of Dallas prepared her for a successful career as a teacher of English, speech and theater in Peoria and Fort Worth, where she earned numerous educator awards.

As a retired public school teacher and mother of four sons, she made her debut as an author with the publication of three books: 7 Tips for A Successful Marriage, Raising the Roses, and Tales from the Family Tree, all in 2012.  She later produced a romance novel, Monday Morning Blues. Her most recent work reflects her experience as a caretaker and widow, Seasons: My Journey through Grief. Inspired by Toni Morrison and Alice Walker, her focus in both writing and theater is on the power of language, love, and family. Follow her on Facebook, Twitter, and her website.

 

BONUS!!! The Author is also hosting a giveaway during each day of her blog tour. Simply comment on each stop to be entered. You can win a copy of one of her e-books or even a $10 Amazon Gift Card!! (There will be a total of 13 giveaways!!)

To follow along with the rest of the tour, please visit the author’s tour page on the 4WillsPublishing site.  If you’d like to book your own blog tour and have your book promoted in similar grand fashion, please click HERE.  Thanks for supporting this author and his work!

Welcome to “THE SLEEPING ONE” Blog Tour! @KarlJMorgan

I am thrilled to host RRBC member Karl Morgan today on The Indie Spot. Karl is the author of several science fiction and fantasy novels. He has a brand new release entitled Carl Prescott and The Sleeping One available now!

Take it away, Karl. . .

Character Interview- Carl Sandberg Prescott

KM: Thank you for joining me today, Carl.

CP: My pleasure. Since you created me, I thought this is the least I could do.

KM: Tell our audience a little about yourself.

CP: I suppose that I’m your typical fourteen year-old kid. My school put me into the advanced group, so I guess that means I’m pretty smart. My dad works for the government and my mom is a housewife. They met when they both worked in the same government agency. That’s about it.

KM: Why did you want to go to the Thorndike Institution?

CP: In the beginning, I didn’t want to go. I was very happy at home and school. Grace was my only friend, but I was okay with that. Then Burt and his mom moved into the area and suddenly I had two friends. That incident with the skunks really changed things. That’s when I learned that Grace and Burt had these amazing talents. I also found out that their families were afraid of their own children due to those talents and would likely send them to Thorndike. That meant that my only friends would be gone. If that wasn’t bad enough, my mom decided she’d like to rejoin the government. Then I’d be truly alone.

KM: Do you think your mother would abandon you like that?

CP: No, but she would be sad not being able to pursue her passion, and I would still have no friends. When Director Winston tried to arrest the three of us, we had no other choice.

KM: Carl, you talked about your friends’ talents. What can you say about your own?

CP: Until the skunk incident, I didn’t think I had any talents. Headmaster Dorchester and Professor Donnelly both told me I have very strong abilities. I guess we’ll know what’s true by the end of the book.

KM: That is certainly true. The book title include the phrase “The Sleeping One.” What does that mean?

CP: I first heard about that from Aida, although the professors say it’s a myth. Frankly, I’m not sure. Supposedly, a person’s soul can be removed from their body and hidden away. The person is alive, although they seem dead. It sounds grotesque. I mean, how could a person do that to another? It’s too horrible to believe. I’d say more but I think the story explains it in a lot more detail.

KM: That is certainly true. Tell the readers a little about the women in your life.

CP: You know I’m only fourteen, right? I suppose you mean not including my mom and other relatives.

KM: Yes, please exclude family. I only ask as it forms a strong thread in the plot.

CP: Well, I’ve known Grace Mulligan most of my life. She lives just across the street from my house. She kisses me for the first time in Chapter One. When we got to Thorndike, Aida Whitehall was made our guardian, which means she helps us get oriented into school routines. She is always super nice and very cute too, but you know she’s a couple of years older than me. There’s another girl I meet named Barbie. She’s older as well, but seems very interested in me. I never understood why. Anyway, with the three of them, I definitely have my hands full trying not to hurt anyone’s feelings.

KM: If you had to pick your top three moments in the book, what would they be? Try not to give too much away.

CP: Wow! That’s a big order. It was such a wild ride. The most amazing part has to be meeting Manny. I never thought that could happen to me. I wasn’t even sure he existed until he walked into the room. Second would be when Aida came to me when I was passed out in the woods. Third, riding the deer. There were so many happy moments and quite a few unpleasant ones as well.

KM: Are you ready to see what happens in Carl Prescott and the Demon Queen?

CP: Absolutely, although the idea of a demon queen is pretty horrifying.

KM: Just wait until you discover the Rope Bridge. Thanks for sharing your story with us today.

CP: You are quite welcome, and thank you for writing about me.

 

Karl Morgan Bio

With a long career in finance and as author of almost twenty books, I like to say that words and numbers are my life.

I have had a lifelong fascination with stories in the science fiction and fantasy genres, whether it was the Tom Swift novels by Victor Appleton I read as a young boy, or television like Lost in Space and Star Trek. More recently, I have devoured film series like Star Wars, Harry Potter, and Lord of the Rings. That fascination is combined with a keen interest in cosmology, astrophysics, quantum physics, and spirituality.

That quirky combination along with the fantasy genre allows me to craft stories that reinforce the importance of family, friendship, and love. The protagonists must overcome incredible danger and challenges to survive their journeys, but eventually end up on top. It goes without saying that as a finance guy, my life has been less action-packed than my characters (thank goodness).

With Carl Prescott and The Sleeping One, I ventured back to comfortable territory. Many of my stories reinforce our direct connection to the Divine. While that is an element of this story, the sequels feature that relationship to a much greater extent. That element in my stories is an homage to what I believe really matters in this life.

I am the son of an Air Force pilot and as such, I have lived in many places, never for more than four years at a time. Thankfully, as an adult, I have lived in Chula Vista, CA for the past thirty-seven years. I met and married Aida, the love of my life, thirty years ago. Our grown children have made us grandparents four times over. It is a blessing to be around such wonderful parents and children.

My new goal is life is my stories. I hope you can follow me on this new adventure.

Karl Morgan Social Media and Contact Links:

Book on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07L7HHNB3

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/karlmorganauthor

Amazon author page: https://www.amazon.com/Karl-Morgan/e/B00A57RWPO

Website/Blog: http://www.karljmorgan.com

Twitter handle: @karljmorgan

To follow along with the rest of the tour, please visit the author’s tour page on

the 4WillsPublishing site.  If you’d like to book your own blog tour and have your book

promoted in similar grand fashion, please click HERE.

  

Lastly, Karl is a member of the best book club ever – RAVE REVIEWS BOOK CLUB #RRBC! If

you’re looking for amazing support as an author, or if you simply love books, JOIN US!

We’d love to have you!

 

Thanks for supporting this author and his work!

 

 

 

Welcome to the “HELP FOR GRANDPARENTS RAISING GRANDKIDS” Blog Tour! @Healthmn1

Today, I am excited to host Harriet Hodgson here on The Indie Spot. The author of The Family Caregiver series, Harriet is a member of Rave Reviews Book Club and RWISA.

Take it away, Harriet. . . 

How to Keep a Caregiving Happiness Jar

By Harriet Hodgson

1. Get a large glass or plastic jar with a lid.
2. Get a small pad of paper and a pen.
3. At the end of the day, write your happiest caregiving moment on paper and put it in the jar.
4. You may put notes in the jar daily or regularly, whichever fits your schedule best.
5. At the end of the year, dump out all the notes and read them. Think about the happy times you shared with your loved one.
6. Store past notes in a box and write the date on the top.
7. On the first day of the New Year, start another Caregiving Happiness Jar.

Note: The original idea for a Happiness Jar comes from author Elizabeth Gilbert and I adapted this idea to caregiving and grandparenting.

Harriet Hodgson, Health and Wellness Author

Rochester, Minnesota resident Harriet Hodgson has been a freelance writer for 38 years, is the author of thousands of articles, and 36 books. She has a BS from Wheelock College in Boston, an MA from the University of Minnesota, and additional graduate training.

Hodgson is a member of the Association of Health Care Journalists and the Alliance of Independent Authors (ALLi). She is a contributing writer for the Open to Hope Foundation, The Grief Toolbox, and The Caregiver Space websites. Visit www.thecaregiverspace.org/authors/hhodgson to read her articles.

Hodgson has appeared on more than 185 talk radio shows, including CBS Radio, dozens of television stations, including CNN, and dozens of blog talk radio programs. A popular guest, she has given presentations at public health, Alzheimer’s, bereavement, and caregiving conferences.

Her recent work is based on Hodgson’s 21 years as a family caregiver. She was her mother’s family caregiver for nine years, her twin grandchildren’s guardian and caregiver for seven years, and is in her fifth year as her disabled husband’s caregiver. Visit www.harriethodgson.com for more information about this busy wife, grandmother, caregiver, and author.

www.writelife.com    harriethodgson@charter.net

 

To follow along with the rest of the tour, please visit the author’s tour page on

the 4WillsPublishing site.  If you’d like to book your own blog tour and have your book

promoted in similar grand fashion, please click HERE.

  

Lastly, Harriet is a member of the best book club ever – RAVE REVIEWS BOOK CLUB

#RRBC! If you’re looking for amazing support as an author, or if you simply love

books, JOIN US! We’d love to have you!

 

Thanks for supporting this author and her work!