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Easy Ways to Reconnect with the Natural World

Have you ever felt like everything is going faster, leaving you no choice but to also be in a rush? You tend to forget how to pause and look back during those times. In the heat of the moment — no matter how clouded your judgment and pressured your heart can be, you should always regain control. Remind yourself to take a break and work on your personal growth and connection to the natural world. Do not take everything for granted in the hopes of attaining success at earlier than others.

Thus, you should always control your pacing to not miss out on the wonderful things that the world offers. Strive for greatness without closing your eyes to witness the beauty of things, moments, and people so, if you are looking for the sign and the ways to rekindle your connection to the world. Then, this blog is for you. Listed below are the simple yet efficient methods to pause and reconnect.

Take advantage of what nature offers

The environment has lots of wonderful treasures waiting to be discovered. With all the hustling and bustling you did in the past few months, taking a break from the buzzing city and stressful workplace by going on nature-related trips might be what you need. According to Yale Environment 360, a great stress reliever is spending time with nature. It also brings a wide array of mental, emotional, spiritual, and physical benefits. In short, nature doesn’t only features beautiful sceneries that feed the heart and mind, but it also provides healing.

Reduce your screen time

They always say that “too much” is never good. Thus, it applies to too much use of gadgets and other forms of technology. You probably haven’t noticed how much time you’ve wasted by scrolling through online shops through your phone, watching your favorite show on the TV, playing video games, and the likes. The more you’re drawn to gadgets, the more you forget to live at present and appreciate the things around you.

So, start reducing your screen time. Appreciate and use the time without looking into your phone to be productive. Start decluttering your homes, learn a new skill, explore the neighborhood, meet with friends, and finish your pending activities. You can also read insightful yet exciting books like the travelogues of author Mike Honeycutt. You’ll never know how much you will appreciate the real world instead of the fake and limited world influenced by gadgets and the internet.

Surround yourself with greens

You probably have planned to take a nature-related trip but never got to pursue it due to various reasons. Now, this is your sign to make your plan happen. You see, nature is the best inanimate healer. You become more relaxed and calm when you surround yourself with greens, such as trees, plants, and other natural resources. A bunch of positive emotions will be stirred, which will fill you with a sense of happiness and tranquility that you cannot find elsewhere. With that being said, prioritize healing, reconnection, happiness, and peace of mind by having time in nature alone or with people that matter to you.

Conduct regular meditation sessions

Meditation done outdoors than in the four walls of your apartment gives more benefits. While you concentrate and meditate in nature, you become more perceptive because your senses are being activated. Conducting your practice in your favorite outdoor spot, such as by the seashore or uphill, your energy is boosted, and your emotional control is enhanced. You become more focused since you are away from the distractions and are closer to nature. The natural sunlight, fresh air, and wonderful scenery also make your meditation session more efficient.

Take one step at a time

As they say, a little goes a long way. So, take one step at a time until you fully reconnected with the world. You already know how toxic and difficult going fast-paced can become. Continue with your progress. It’s better to be slow but sure instead of trying grander possibilities but ends up losing. What you can do now is to gradually practice being with nature in the littlest way possible while you juggle your work and personal life. It’s a great way to vent our negativities and allow entrance for positivity.

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Thrilling Fiction Books You Shouldn’t Miss Reading

Sometimes, thrill and excitement can be found not in seeking grander things but in the simplest activities, like reading. Books have a lot of remarkable and fascinating stories from different genres of fiction to offer. They can extraordinarily bring you to wonderful places filled with amazing features. Apart from that, books can also evoke intense emotions and create great tension. How awesome is that?

Hence, if you are one of the thrill-seekers who want a new type of excitement, then books are here to the rescue. The following are the best thrilling fiction books that you should never miss reading.

The Reptilian Factor by Kerry Marzock

The Reptilian Factor is the newly released science fiction thriller book of the notable author Kerry Marzock. The brilliant Detective Amelia Stephenson moved to Tucson, Arizona, and has joined forces with Manual Corroda to investigate a peculiar and horrifying entity that’s ruthlessly killing people. But, they became fully aware that what they’re after is not of this world. The monstrous creature only wants vengeance after being captive and is now going after Detective Amelia. Will they capture the horrifying alien and survive?

Under the Dome by Stephen King

This critically-acclaimed novel is penned by the bestselling author Stephen King. It was published in 2009 by Scribner. It is set in a small fictional town in Maine filled with mystery and tension. Under the Dome tells a raveled, multi-character, and shifting perspective tale of how the citizens of a small town battled the adversity of being abruptly kept away from the world through an impenetrable and invisible dome-shaped barrier from the sky. Thus, the town became a domed city at exactly 11:44 A.M. on October 21, 2017.

The Old Man’s Request by Joab Stieglitz

In 2016, the first book of The Utgarda Trilogy titled The Old Man’s Request was published. It is a thrilling pulp adventure book following the story of how three people were asked to fulfill a favor from a dying man. Anna Rykov, Harry Lamb, and Father Sean O’Malley are set to acquire the knowledge and resources essential to execute a particular ritual. But, it isn’t as easy as they expected it to be. There are a bunch of hindrances that they have to conquer so they can perform the ritual and get rid of a certain entity.

Annihilation by Jeff VanderMeer

The award-winning novel written by Jeff VanderMeer titled Annihilation is the first of the three-book series called Southern Reach Trilogy. The book was adapted into a film with the same name, starred by Natalie Portman. Moreover, it tells the story of a group of women with different notable professions: biologist, anthropologist, psychologist, and surveyor. They started the 12th quest to an abandoned place called Area X. Would they succeed given that the former expeditions were failures and were filled with missing cases, suicides, traumas, and other mishaps?

The Luminous Dead by Caitlin Starling

The Luminous Dead by Caitlin Starling is a thrilling sci-fi horror book published by Harper Voyager. It revolves around the story of Gyre Price, a cave diver, and Em, her handler. The former is set on a mission to examine the partly underwater cave system. However, it’s not easy because it’s known to be a dangerous place where aliens called Tunnelers dwell. What made the task riskier is that Gyre isn’t well-versed in her job, for she falsified her career history just to make a living. She’s monitored by her handler, who also has her secrets to protect.

The Girl with All the Gifts by M.R. Carey

Orbit Books published M.R. Carey’s notable book titled The Girl with All the Gifts in 2014. It is primarily inspired by the excellent short story Iphigenia In Aulis. The book was adapted into a movie with the same name, which was released in 2016. Moreover, it is set in a dystopian future where many people die due to a health crisis, specifically a fungal infection. Significant individuals tried their best to study infected children, called hungries. The head scientist, Dr. Caroline Cladwell, taught, examined, and vivisected the kids. However, the psychologist Helen Jistineau disliked the third method. Would they find a cure and stop the infection? Read to find out.

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Self-help Books You Shouldn’t Miss Reading

One of the popular book genres of all time is the category under nonfiction, which is self-help. It is primarily defined as the classification of writings based on an individual’s attempt and resources to acquire success and hit targets independently. Thus, its basic intention is to guide readers in understanding and finding the answers to their problems and struggles.

The self-help genre continues to gain a wider reader base, and according to Kristen McLean, an NPD Book Analyst, it is projected that every subcategory of the self-help genre will grow in 2020 considering the improvement of interest in a different culture, lifestyle, trends, and the likes.  There is a broad array of topics that this genre tackles, which many readers can relate to.

Thus, if you are interested in reading self-help books for personal development, daily guide, inspiration boost, and other reasons. Then, here are the titles that you should look out for:

Overcoming Adversity: Resetting Goals by Nelson Fowlkes

Overcoming Adversity: Resetting Goals is a remarkable book penned by Nelson Fowlkes that encourages the readers to rise above each struggle, setback, and difficulty in their lives. The author evaluates the engaging dynamic and meaningful techniques made to accomplish goals and aspirations regardless of the hindrances. Fowlkes shares his personal account of his unfortunate childhood and experiencing poverty to his educational achievement and career success. Therefore, readers can reflect and realize their ability and opportunity to conquer unfavorable events and continue reaching their goals through this book.

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey

This classic self-help book was published in 1989 and has created great changes ever since its release. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey highlights a fresh method of becoming efficient in acquiring goals, which is through positioning oneself to the “true north” principles. Covey provides his personal definition of effectiveness and gives a thorough illustration or comparison to further elaborate the term. Moreover, this book has sold over 25 million copies across the globe after its first publication and is still a popular self-help book now.

Good Vibes, Good Life: How Self-Love Is the Key to Unlocking Your Greatness by Vex King

In 2018, the illustrated edition of Good Vibes, Good Life: How Self-Love Is the Key to Unlocking Your Greatness by Vex King was released. The Instagram guru author gives light to questions pertaining to self-love, positivity, and infinite happiness. Vex also shares his personal account to fully inspire people to nurture themselves, develop positive habits, live an optimistic life, transform beliefs, achieve goals, and more. Thus, Good Vibes, Good Life: How Self-Love Is the Key to Unlocking Your Greatness teaches the readers that the only way they can change the world is when they start to improve themselves.

Tiny Habits: Why Starting Small Makes Lasting Change Easy by BJ Fogg

The self-help book written by BJ Fogg titled Tiny Habits: Why Starting Small Makes Lasting Change Easy is an Amazon Editor’s pick for Best Nonfiction. It showcases how enhancing your life is not as complicated as you think. Regardless of the personal goals that you’ve set, the only key in achieving those is to start small. Thus, the author highlights the essence of taking one tiny step at a time based on his personal experiences of researching and coaching thousands of individuals. It encourages readers to work on the things that are easier to transform and concentrate on what they desire to do instead of the opposites. When they apply this concept, they will soon develop the happier and healthier lives that they deserve.

Edge: Turning Adversity into Advantage by Laura Huang

The award-winning educator of Harvard Business School, Laura Huang, illuminates how true success is all about having an advantage. This edge is defined as the subtle trait that grants you the upper hand and gains attention. Thus, Edge: Turning Adversity into Advantage is a book about how learning one’s identity is a weapon that can be used strategically to give you an edge in each situation. When you learn to discover your one-of-a-kind edge, make sure that you invest in knowing how to hone and use it wisely.

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Brilliant Writers Who Also Practice Painting

Writing and painting are two different forms of art. The uses words, experience, and imagination, while the former utilizes paints, brushes, and imagination. From the comparison, you can already identify their common ground: the mind’s ability to become creative and imaginative. Moreover, there are no rules in the art that restrict an individual from practicing one art form all at once. You can observe the many writers who also fancy drawing, illustrating, painting, theater, music, and the likes. Hence, here are some of the most talented writers that are also painters.

Charles Bukowski

Henry Charles Bukowski Jr., also known as Charles Bukowski, is the author of many great prose and poetry books. Most of his works centered on the wickedness of city life and oppressed America. He utilized his account, feelings, and creativity to depict heavy imagery. Before achieving his literary breakthrough, Bukowski faced multiple rejections and other unfortunate events.

But, few may probably already know that Charles was also a painter as he is a writer and a poet. He took some art courses at the Los Angeles City College when he was young, including literature and journalism. He painted over a thousand works using different mediums. Most of his paintings were received by the Black Sparrow Press and incorporated into his books.

ee cummings

Edward Estlin Cummings is the man behind the pseudonym ee cummings. He was born on October 1894 in Massachusetts and died on September 1962 in New Hampshire. Cummings is well-known for his remarkable poems, essays, novels, and plays. His unique style of poetry, which is often linked to modernist free-form poetry, made a mark on every reader. As a result, he was recognized as among the most significant American poets of the 20th century.

Moreover, cummings was into oil and watercolor painting. He is also fond of drawing, sketching, and other forms of visual art. He is known for his expertise in depicting abstract imagery. The subjects of his artworks are a mix of still-life, nudes, portraits, landscapes, and more. According to E.E. Cummings’ Art, a huge collection of ee cummings’ works were left on his property after he died.

Jack Kerouac

Another American writer who was well-known for his outstanding novels and his beautiful paintings is Jack Kerouac. In literature, he gained traction for his amazing writing style and spontaneous prose. Most of his works revolve around spirituality, traveling, living in the Empire State, jazz, and more. He also features some social issues, like drugs and poverty, in some of his writings. His debut novel was strongly influenced by Thomas Wolfe.

In terms of other art forms, Jack was known as a great painter. An example of his work is the abstract painting that conveys his brother named Gerard. Kerouac’s brother that was depicted in the artwork, unfortunately, died of rheumatic fever at a very young age. The event hugely impacted him. Moreover, his real name was written on the back of the canvas, while his surname was found on the front.

Bobbie J. McLaren

Bobbie J. McLaren was born in South Florida and grew up in North Palm Beach. She is the talented author of the heartwarming book The Sounds At River’s Edge: True stories of growing up on the Intracoastal Waterway. Her book captured the raw and nostalgic events of the past when the world was simpler and happier. She highlighted the wonder and value of children enjoying the outdoors. McLaren also successfully conveyed the love of a father in the said book.

Apart from being a brilliant writer, she also loves to sketch and paint. Paintings by Bobbie McLaren can be seen or are displayed on her website. Most of her artworks focus on animals, nature, and landscapes.

Jacqueline Bishop

Jacqueline Bishop is a Jamaica-born writer, photographer, and visual artist. She was raised by two strong women, her grandmother, and her mom. When her mother decided to migrate to America, Jacqueline was sent to live with her father. When she was about to enter college, she followed her mother to the U.S. and attended Lehman College. Bishop resides in the Empire State and is part of the NYU School of Liberal Studies faculty.

Furthermore, Jacqueline is a famous visual artist with works that were exhibited all across the globe. Among her popular artworks are the following: View from Afar and Watercolors, Daughters of Zion, By The Rivers of Babylon, and more.

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Tips in Writing a Poignant Story

Whether you are writing a fiction or nonfiction story, you’ll likely have to deliver something new for readers to become enticed in reading. There are many ways on how you can create a poignant story that can move and inspire your readers. With the variety of techniques and strategies, you need to know what works best with your story and what you shouldn’t infuse.

If you are looking for tips in writing a touching story, then here are the things that you might want to consider so you can achieve your writing goals.

Tap into your experiences

The human experience is a strong element that can bind the readers to the story. It is already a great reason why there is a need to read your story from top to bottom. Your personal account can also be the primary agent that urges you to write, express, and inspire. So, utilize your experiences and craft them into a relatable tale that encourages your readers to read and turn each page until they finish the story. The personal account also has a way of reaching into the readers’ emotions, keeping them more motivated in reading.

A great example is James Forker’s The End of The Rainbow, which is a true story of a husband and a dying wife.  He made use of his personal account to cherish the memories of his wife, inspire others to hold onto hope, express a father’s love, and show that there’s a rainbow after the rain. Thus, readers who have been through love and loss can relate to his story.

Focus on conveying your central message

Theme refers to the main point or meaning of the story that’s mostly associated with life. What’s amazing with this aspect is that it can be summed up into a single word, even if it’s conveyed in a full-blown novel. The common central messages found in most stories are love, hope, survival, unity, peace, courage, kindness, and more.

So, start by projecting a single theme because the supporting ones will emerge once you’ve built your foundation. Let your story revolve around one important message that can, later on, tap into other values, issues, or events. To do so, you can get the help of the protagonist by inflicting it on its main goal and displaying it on its characteristics. You can also use other factors, such as the point-of-view, plot, and more.

Maintain the genuineness of each scene

The rawness of your story makes it more poignant. Without the truth in every scene and conversation, your readers wouldn’t feel the connection and attachment that they somehow expected. But, how can it be done? It’s simple. You can convey it through the point of view. The way the event is narrated is crucial because it determines the understanding and involvement of the readers. By using the appropriate POV, you can thoroughly show each character’s emotions, thoughts, experiences, and motives. As a result, readers can see the truth, genuineness, and sincerity in each part of the plot.

Know how to blend different kinds of emotions

Touching people’s emotions can be difficult as it is tricky. It’s because everyone has different coping mechanisms, tolerance, and triggers. For your work to be more effective, make sure to know how to evoke and manage both normal and intense emotions. In that way, there is a balance. Pairing ordinary and extreme feelings can make your work melodramatic and help the latter stand out on parts that they need to shine. Moreover, mixing the two kinds of emotions can help you captivate the readers better, making them more interested in finding out the resolution after the tension.

Use a bunch of literary devices

There is nothing wrong with following the ordinary plot structure. However, if you want the story to become more captivating while still using the normal arrangement, then you can use literary devices. Some common but amazing devices to help you create an enthralling and poignant story are flashbacks, the figure of speech, foreshadowing, backstory, imagery, symbolism, and more. What’s more awesome is you have the freedom to inject them in different parts of the storyline and a variety of elements — such as the characters.

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Must-read Poetry Books of All Time

Have you ever wondered why poetry is gaining more readers as time goes by? Based on the data published in Statista in 2019 by Amy Watson, the number of individuals reading poetry extremely doubled in five years with a growth of 9.3% in 2017, totaling 17.5% from the 8.2 percentage last 2012. Indeed, poetry has come a long way. The way it became the shelter of intense emotions and personal experiences, as well as an avenue to express, communicate, and speak, are some of the handful of reasons why readers tend to find comfort and fun in reading poetry.

So, if you are looking for the best poetry books of all time, then here are the must-read titles to look out for.

Poetry in Motion by Raymond Quattlebaum

Poetry in Motion is a brilliant book that centers on the landscape of life by Quattlebaum. It is the first book of the author that was published in October 2019 by ReadersMagnet. This book is intended for the readers to be informed and reminded of life in the passage as everyone knows it and of the great miracle of living genuinely as they are with the presence of the Lord. While reading through each chapter of this heartwarming book, you can slowly see the world from another angle and find the ways and confidence of self-expression through life.

Call Us What We Carry by Amanda Gorman

Amanda Gorman’s bestselling collection of poems titled Call Us What We Carry was formerly known as The Hill We Climb. In this book, the presidential inaugural poet utilizes a significant time in history and transforms it into a lyric promoting hope and mending. This brilliant poetry anthology looks into a wide array of significant aspects in life, such as history, identity, and others. As the Gorman tackles the shared grief of a worldwide health crisis, each literary piece turns to a ray of hope in these tough times and shows that she has turned into a great messenger of the past and a voice for the days yet to come.

Don’t Call Us Dead: Poems by Danez Smith

This Goodreads Choice Award nominee, National Book Award for Poetry finalist, and Forward Prize for Best Collection winner that Danez Smith wrote was published in 2017 by Graywolf Press.  Don’t Call Us Dead shows with a touching series that pictures an afterlife for black men who experienced police brutality. It also opens a place without cruelty, skepticism, and grief; instead, security, love, and lastingness are present — which are the things that they should’ve deserved. Moreover, the author begins to tackle desire, death, and being diagnosed as positive for HIV.

Citizen: An American Lyric by Claudia Rankine

Citizen: An American Lyric by Claudia Rankine was published in 2014 and has gained multiple nominations in different book award categories. This book also gained many awards, such as the Winner of the National Book Critics Circle Award in Poetry, Winner of the PEN Open Book Award, Winner of the L.A. Time Book Prize, and Winner of the NAACP Image Award. Furthermore, this book talks about the increasing racial aggressions in this current century that are evident in media and real life. Most of the issues encountered are either intentional or unintentional comments or acts that can happen anywhere. Thus, this poetry book serves as a strong testament to the personal and societal impact of racial discrimination in the 21st century.

All Along You Were Blooming: Thoughts for Boundless Living by Morgan Harper Nichols

The illustrated edition of All Along You Were Blooming: Thoughts for Boundless Living by Morgan Harper Nichols was published in 2020 by Zondervan. This book aims to encourage the readers to develop a more positive mindset and enjoy the infinite blessings that were granted to them. Hence, it reminds everyone of the purpose in each season, lives in the moment, hope is present, and growth is within you. All Along You Were Blooming: Thoughts for Boundless Living is a brilliant book perfect for all ages, professions, holidays, and celebrations. It will surely make you appreciate every little thing in life and help you develop a more fulfilling life filled with growth, blessings, positivity, and everything in between.

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Things to Consider Before Writing a Children’s Book

Being an author is like riding a long roller coaster ride. There are highs and lows that you had or will experience, feel, and conquer. You have to know the specific type of roller coaster to ride so you can assess the length of the ride, prepare yourself, and enjoy the moment — even on the lowest point. So, if you have chosen to go for children’s literature, then you should know the basics of writing those kinds of stories. Although the genre differs from others, there are still many aspects that you need to examine, go through, and overcome, especially during the writing process. That said, listed below are the things that you should consider before writing the next bestselling children’s book.

Book concept

You probably have gotten your book idea from reading a wide array of children’s books. The inspiration might also have because of great characters, such as Matilda, Jo March, Harry Potter, Paddington Bear, Winnie-the-Pooh, Solomon Snail, and Mary Lennox, that proved themselves all throughout their stories. Regardless of where your concept came from, it is essential that you put more work into it. You have to think of ways to bring your idea to life in a clear and entertaining manner that your targets can both understand and enjoy. Thus, take some time to build and strengthen your concept.

Storyline

The plot is basically the foundation of your story. As a children’s book author, you must give more thought to crafting and delivering your work’s storyline in the simplest but most impactful way possible. Prior to your actual writing journey, you must plan ahead and create an outline of what events must take place in each part of the plot. You should guarantee that the succeeding scenes after the introduction progresses the story and can also impact the development of other story elements, such as characters. When you already have the outline, review it and see what parts need more improvement and what aspects are perfect.

Language

Since you write books for kids, you must be more specific in identifying the age range of your targets to create a more appropriate story. If you have determined the numbers, then it would be easier for you to choose and write in a suitable language. It is truly essential to write using a language that your readers can understand. Since the younger ones are still in their early stages of development, they are still developing their communication and comprehension skills. Therefore, their vocabulary is still simple and limited. You have to match their language so they can connect and understand your tale, as well as ignite emotions and ideas from your work.

Conflict

A story without tension will be less interesting than the others. Even in children’s literature, conflict still plays a vital role in every book that’s published and already read by many. Before anything else, you must think, craft, and develop a conflict that is simple, timely, and relevant. You must also put into consideration how your book becomes one of the learning materials that can help the little ones become better people as they grow older. Hence, look for a way to inflict a conflict relevant to the plot, language, and readers. Make sure that the tension can still move the narrative forward, evoke the necessary emotions, and communicate the central message. From this conflict, character development will also reveal, and the turn of events will be spiced up. Thus, it is vital to put this into consideration because it can affect the overall appeal and impact of the story.

Point-of-view

With the help of the point-of-view, readers can get a glimpse and a first-hand experience of your story. It guides your targets in exploring your work. That said, you must think it through and pick the most suitable point-of-view for your story that can guarantee a top-notch reading experience. With a relevant POV, your readers can recognize, process, and understand the emotions, thoughts, inspirations, and experiences of each of your characters. They get a better grasp as to why your characters possess those certain traits or are motivated to achieve a certain goal. In that way, your young readers will be more encouraged and aware of the things they are capable of just by reading your story.

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Tips in Writing a Captivating Memoir

Do you have a particular experience that you want to share with the world? Are you feeling the urge to share a part of your life to express, inspire, and motivate? Then, writing them in the form of a memoir might be the answer. This particular literary genre allows everyone to narrate their personal tales through their own perspectives. It is often written with honesty and genuineness with a selective timeline. The defining trait of this form of writing is that it allows the writer to personally explore a certain facet of his life, awakening their ideas and emotions that will soon conquer the narrative.

There are hundreds of memoirs that were already published and are impacting readers’ lives as of today. Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris, The Nine Lives of Curious Edith by Edith Vosefski, A Million Little Pieces by James Frey, One Caregiver’s Journey by Eleanor Gaccetta, and The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion are some of the best ones under the said genre.

So, if you are determined to write your memoir, then here are the points that you must consider during your writing journey.

Take a stroll down memory lane

Memoirs, similar to biographies, have memories as their foundations. Without the experience, the narrative can be considered fictional because it didn’t happen in real life, specifically in the author’s life. Hence, it is always essential to take a trip down memory lane so you can fully remember the event and reawake the emotions. Make sure to feel the nostalgia while doing this step so you can come up with better realizations and reflections that you can inflict in your work. On conditions that your memory fails you, please interview or ask people who were with you during that part of your life.

Create a mind map

Making a mind map is one of the best ways to create a strong and appealing story. It is a useful diagram that helps you in many ways, such as enhancing memory, learning new ideas, breaking down complicated concepts, improving creativity, and more. Thus, it is a helpful tool that can support you in toning and narrowing your ideas. This strategy can also allow you to develop a better organization when it comes to the order of the story and what part of your work you want to inject a particular experience and reflection.

Write from the heart

One of the many reasons why many are drawn to memoirs is because of human connection. Your honest narrative will pierce the hearts of your readers, making them more captivated and invested in knowing and finishing your story. So, write earnestly and passionately. Make sure that you can express your burden, unload the extra baggage, showcase your victories, face your fears, show your love, and heal from trauma. All these factors will be evident from your story and will be the bond that will bind you to your readers. Also, when you write from the heart, your words and emotions will flow freely, which can impact your work,

Draw intense emotions

Although your main purpose is to inspire and express, you should not forget the other aspects that make a memoir enticing and meaningful. Every story must have the ability to draw intense emotions from its readers because it enhances the book-reader connection. That said, you have to pay attention to your tone and word choice and how the characters are crafted and developed. But, you shouldn’t try so hard just to draw those emotions from your targets because it could compromise the quality of your work. You have to let everything fall into place and creativity piece them together so you can make an impactful whole.

Keep the rawness in your work

The purity and rawness of the emotions and experience should be retained in order to strengthen the impact of your story. It doesn’t mean that you have to write the verbatim conversations or advice that you’ve heard. What you should put in mind is to make your personal account clear and genuine. If you need to tap on the child or teenager you once were, please take your time. Ensure that there will be no fictional or imaginative blocks that will be infused into your work. Keep it honest and sincere.

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Top Science Fiction Books Set in Outer Space

Are you a fan of Andy Weir, Ernest Cline, Frank Herbert, and Margaret Atwood? Does your interest in books specifically revolve around exploring outer space, riding spaceships, discovering strange objects, and witnessing intergalactic battles? Then, you are certainly a sci-fi fan! Science fiction has always been the genre that many tend to patronize regardless of what form it appears — film or novel, for example. It is often characterized by a great and humankind-related storyline and other amazing elements.

Sci-fi readers, moreover, might already notice how the setting tends to become the key to the stories. Why? Without a clear, established, and extraordinary place where the story takes place, the book will not stand out. You can definitely observe that even when the tales are set on Earth, there are still features of it that aren’t found in the real world, which enhances the readers’ interests. Another common yet captivating setting in the sci-fi world is outer space.

So, if you love stories that take place in outer space, then here are some of the best science fiction books that you should take note of and read.

Moon Luck by Scott Harral

Scott Harral’s Moon Luck follows the story of astronauts living on the moon. For the longest run, the bunch of 30 astronauts, both scientists, and explorers has lived harmoniously on the said magnificent celestial body. On their stay on the moon, they were cultivating plants, seeking mineral ores, conducting experiments, and doing other activities that boosted their productivity and enhanced their good relationships with one another. But, as the great bond rises, bad blood also emerges. The animosities were intensifying after a senior member died due to an alleged accident. Hence, the story becomes more interesting as it raises the question: was there a murder on the moon?

The Martian Chronicles by Ray Bradbury

The Martian Chronicles by Ray Bradbury was published in 1950 by Doubleday. The book is a mixture of science fiction, post-apocalyptic, horror, and dystopian genres, making it more captivating. It centers on the mission of the Americans to explore and live on the Red Planet, which is where the aboriginal Martians reside. Why did they leave Earth? It’s because it has become a troubled planet that was later on nuked and destroyed. It primarily predicted how the technologically progressed future where people’s talents dilated to make and eliminate the post-World War II America has good and ugly consequences.

Red Rising by Pierce Brown

This bestselling book by Pierce Brown is the first book of the Red Rising Saga. It focuses on the protagonist named Darrow, part of the bottom caste — Red, in their color-coded futuristic society. He puts his best foot forward and exerts more effort as they, along with his fellow, believe that they are responsible for creating their planet’s surface habitable for the generations to come. Thus far, the protagonist snares willingly, trusting that his hard work will contribute to a better world for his offspring. But it turns out that the Reds were victims of betrayal and deception. What Darrow discovered and realized encourages him to fight for their rights, their caste, his life, and the future.

The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams

Originally published in 1979, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams has become the talk of the town even if years have passed after its first release. It was a normal Thursday morning when Arthur Dent but peculiar things started to happen. First, his house got demolished. Afterward, the planet followed to make room for a brand-new cyberspace express track. What’s more astounding is that his best friend told him that he is already considered an alien. Arthur must venture into the extremely harsh universe with only a towel, tiny yellow fish, and a book with the fast-paced changes. But, he is not alone for a bunch of untrustworthy alien tags along with him.

Defy the Stars by Claudia Gray

Considered as the best book written by Claudia Gray, Defy the Stars is a book that features an amazing and romantic adventure that will surely compel the readers to turn the page. The story is moved by Noemi Vidal, who would risk and do everything to safeguard her planet, and Abel, a machine left and neglected in space. The former is considered a rebel on the planet of humans, while the latter is branded as an abomination in the land of Genesis. As enemies, they are tasked to collaborate and set course through the stars. Then, thrilling things happened — including falling in love.

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Must-read Self-help Books about Survival and Reflection

In life, there are things that can lead you to your highest of highs and lowest of lows. Most of this stuff, good, bad, and ugly, are the result of your actions and decisions. Since an individual goes through different stages of growth and development, there will be moments that the mind is fixed on the things that you want without considering their impact on others and even on yourself. Thus, you cannot see the outcomes of your decisions, especially when you fall on circumstances that only survival is the last resort.

Everything may look like a roller-coaster journey, where you can smile in happiness and scream in frustration. But, in the end, you have survived that thrilling ride and reflected at each peak. If you want to know more about yourself, life, and the world, as well as how survival and reflection are important in your journey — then here are some of the best self-help books that you might want to check out.  

Let Me Tell You How I Got Saved by Charles Lewis Anthony

Let Me Tell You How I Got Saved by Charles Lewis Anthony is a journey of street life survival and second chances. It was published in 2018 by CLF PUBLISHING and centers on the story of the author. His personal account in the character of Ray Watkins will inspire every reader to strive harder and turn their lives around.

Being raised in an area where gangs and violence are present, Anthony has made choices, good and bad. An excerpt from the book by Charles Lewis Anthony goes, “Vooshia picked me up while I was smelling like a little bit of this and a little bit of that. I didn’t care at all! Jesus said to come as you are, so I did just that, with all of my problems.” But regardless of all the bad and ugly circumstances, he still led into an encounter with God and a better life.

Growing Beyond Survival: A Self-help Toolkit for Managing Traumatic Stress by Elizabeth G. Vermilyea

Elizabeth G. Vermilyea penned an interactive book that aims to help readers in dealing with traumatic stress titled Growing Beyond Survival: A Self-help Toolkit for Managing Traumatic Stress. Hence, it is a workbook where you can learn different abilities that push you to be in control even in the most stressful impact of trauma.

This self-help book serves as a toolkit, which can help trauma survivors in identifying, contextualizing, and comprehending detachment and posttraumatic symptoms from their roots to why they arise. Readers can also build a structure to develop and enhance their abilities in managing exasperating thoughts, emotions, and impulses connected to traumatic events.

Wherever You Go, There You Are: A Mindfulness Meditation in Everyday Life by Jon Kabat-Zinn

The 10th edition of Jon Kabat-Zinn’s Wherever You Go, There You Are: A Mindfulness Meditation in Everyday Life was published in 2005 by Hachette Books. It is a guidebook that can greatly lower your stress levels and look for moments for self-reflection. The author plots a simple pathway for readers to follow in order to grow mindfulness in their lives. Thus, it is the perfect book for those who want to try to meditate and those who have been meditating for quite a long time now,

The Highly Sensitive Person: How to Thrive When the World Overwhelms You by Elaine N. Aron

The Highly Sensitive Person: How to Thrive When the World Overwhelms You is a national bestselling book written by Elaine N. Aron. It is intended for those readers, specifically the highly sensitive ones, who want to find the best ways to achieve self-understanding and to live a better life with the aid of a clinical psychologist. The author, who possesses the same trait as her target readers, presents you with the methods of determining these characteristics and how to make the most out of them.

7 Mindsets to Master Self-Awareness by Elizabeth Diamond

In July 2010, Elizabeth Diamond’s brilliant book titled 7 Mindsets to Master Self-Awareness was published. This book aims to give rise to certain optimistic mindsets that can mold a strong underpinning for long-term conditions of inner happiness, love, calmness, and more. It also shows the readers the best ways to take so they can achieve the inner transformation that shows the emergence of positive, feel-good events that they’ve been longing for so long.

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Mystery Romance Book for Your To-be-read List

For readers, the TBRs are the most important lists. Why? It contains all the titles that they are on the lookout for or have already finished reading. Some may have already crossed out some great titles on their to-be-read lists, for they’re done with the story, while others might be adding more books to read, making it longer. Checking out some new books and updating TBRs can absolutely bring a sense of comfort and joy to bookworms.

Since there are millions of books in literature and are sorted out by genre, then looking for new reads wouldn’t be that much of a hassle. Mystery romance is among the many literary genres that many tend to enjoy and delve into. The way stories have possessed both mysterious and romantic elements is one of the reasons why many are drawn into this category.

Hence, if you are a bookworm that’s searching for the best mystery romance book for your TBR — then, here are the titles that you should check out.

The Secret of Jerry’s Pride by Jo A. Totty

This stirring mystery romance book by Jo A. Totty takes place in a small and harmonious Southern town. But, how what would you do when the once peaceful town where no significantly worrisome events take place turns into a place where people begin to feel fear and threat? Everything was normal until someone moved into town and mysterious things started to occur to a notable family. One peculiar event leads to another that can change everybody’s life eternally.  

Never Look Back by Mary Burton

Never Look Back is a thrilling and page-turning book penned by best-selling author Mary Burton. It follows the story of how Tennessee Bureau of Investigation’s Agent Melina Shepard went undercover to investigate the cases of missing women. She turned into a prostitute, but as she ventured on a dangerous mission, she needed a backup. Hence, FBI agent Jerrod Ramsey came to her aid. After few dead ends and a new scene, they finally got a lead on what type of culprit that they were facing, which are two serial killers with varying motives. Would they catch the killers on the loose, or would they catch her first?

The Summer House by Jenny Hale

Jenny Hale’s romance book titled The Summer House was published in 2017 by Bookouture. The story focuses on Callie and Olivia, who invested their money in a beach house that they’ve always loved since their childhood summer days. Moreover, Callie gets entangled with a local named Luke Sullivan, whose everything about him almost looks perfect. But, just when genuine joy feels attainable, the two best friends and new owner of the summer house discovered a diary containing flabbergasting secrets that can impact people’s lives. As Callie begins to uncover the mystery, would her relationship with Luke be torn apart, or would love make them stronger?

It Ends with Us by Colleen Hoover

Bestselling author Colleen Hoover’s It Ends with Us gives the readers a story of love and how it always comes with a price. The book was published by Atria in 2016, and it immediately became a bestseller, like other Hoover books. It revolves around the story of Lily and Ryle. The former is a business owner from Boston but originally from Maine, while the latter is a neurosurgeon that is arrogant but brilliant. But as they built a connection together, their love was threatened when Lily’s first love, who is also connected to a past that she’d run away from, named Atlas, appeared.

Northern Lights by Nora Roberts

Written by New York Times bestselling author, this book surely brings the readers into a world filled with investigations, thrill, love, and redemption. Hence, it focuses on the story of how Nate Burke deals with guilt as he witnesses his partner killed on the street. The Baltimore cop was lost due to the stream of strong emotions and trauma. Amidst it all, he accepted the offer to be a Chief of Police in a small town in Alaska in the hopes of resetting his life. The town gives a balm for his crushed spirit with an unanticipated affair with Meg Galloway. But apart from that, a killer from an unsolved case is still on the loose. Investigations start, and secrets are revealed. It turns out, the town is not as placid as it is.

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How to Write a Captivating Mystery Book for Kids

Children are the most honest and genuine readers. Why? They are still in the process of learning different things in this world. And, when they are introduced to books, they tend to ask several questions about the story, think out loud, and apply the lessons that they learned from the tales. These little readers may have fickle minds and short attention spans, but they can totally project their concentration and follow the stories with the right books.

The realm of children’s books is filled with thousands of vibrant, fun, and interesting tales. Mystery books are among the most entertaining stories that hook the young readers and ignite their drive to solve the puzzle. Is it Santa? is based on actual true events book by Nelibeth Plaza is a great example of a fascinating story that highlights a stirring mystery and features the significant symbol of the Christmas holiday.

If you are considering the idea of writing a mystery-filled children’s book, then listed below are the points that make a good mystery book that you should note.

Simple mysteries

Before anything else, you should know your target readers and research their interests. There should be an age bracket in order to incorporate an age-appropriate mystery. But if you cannot pinpoint the age range of your readers yet, then you must consider incorporating a simple set of mysteries that will, later on, lead to a major puzzle. Just make sure that when kids read your book, they can easily recognize the mystery and get the urge to solve it. For example, Nancy Drew 03: The Bungalow Mystery, which is a book with readers from 8 to 12 years old are the prospects, the mystery is about a peculiar bungalow and weird-acting “parents” of the girl named Laura Pendleton.

Moreover, don’t forget to develop every element of your storyline. Always remember that the puzzle might be the main attraction but how you build the other aspects will also matter, especially on the overall impact of your book.

Clues everywhere

A mystery book won’t make sense if there are no clues. Another important thing to consider is that kids love clues! Hence, do not forget to scatter the hints because they are the ingredients that spice up the story, arouse extreme emotions, and encourage readers to look for answers. Although you can use different literary devices to increase the quality of the plot, you should consider that your readers are kids. Hence, there should be no complicated aspects to guarantee comprehension and impact. If you wish to include some foreshadowing and other elements, make sure to do them in the simplest but wisest way possible — the way which readers can still follow the storyline.

Interactive point of view

Increasing interaction can strengthen the book-reader relationship. Without the connection between the story and the readers, stories will not be deemed successful. So, since your story falls under mystery, you must do your best to make the tale as interactive as it is, like The Boxcar Children Interactive Mysteries by Gertrude Chandler Warner.

Point of view is a significant element because it is the narrative voice by which the character or unreliable narrator tells the tale. Make sure to utilize the POV that gives the perks of increasing reader engagement, such as the second-person POV. With a great narrative and interactive elements, your prospects will surely enjoy and look forward to more of your works. You can also put some additional materials at the end or in between the story, such as quizzes, FAQs, puzzles, and more.

Uncomplicated plot

As an author, you write with your own voice and style. Sometimes you need to make alterations to fit the standards of your chosen genre and target audience. Again, given that children’s books are intended for the younger minds, an uncomplicated plot would be preferable. You are always given the freedom to add some spice to your story, such as using literary devices, making extraordinary characters, building amazing worlds, adding beautiful illustrations, and the likes. Thus, you should guarantee that these interesting elements can fit together and create a plot that readers can easily comprehend, interact with, and follow.

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Literature 101: Elements of Nonfiction

You probably know by now how nonfiction plays a significant role in literature. It aims to give readers factual and concrete information, which is definitely in contrast to the imaginative manner of fiction. This genre is more complex than it seems because it must, in any way, feature events, individuals, and accounts that happened or existed in real life. Thus, any fabrication of the tiniest information inflicted in the book is a sin and would make the writing fall from the nonfiction standards.

Works under this genre are written with the purpose to either express or inform. You can observe it as to the sub-genre and the way the text is written, such as Taking the History of Science Really Seriously by Scott A. Kleiner, The Liars’ Club by Mary Karr, Happiness in Quantum Leaps by Aura McClain, Generations of Good Food by Eleanor Gaccetta, and Into the Wild by Mike Honeycutt.

With all these remarkable descriptions, what could be the basic elements found in nonfiction books? If you are curious to know what these aspects are, then here they are.

Style and Tone

Given the nature of this genre, it is definitely essential for authors to look into and maintain a writing style and tone that can captivate the attention of the readers. It is a great way of keeping them engaged and preventing them from growing bored from reading the text. Hence, writing with a good style can be done by keeping precise, clear, and accurate information with an interesting narrative. Readers must also be provided with an objective view of the subject; thus, authors should do their best to keep their work non-biased. Moreover, the scope of data should be showcased based on the degree of complexity and significance so that they can gradually get a better grasp on the presented concepts, as well as connect with the narrative.

Descriptive Imagery

Books rely heavily on their ability to establish ideas and generate images in the minds of their readers. Nonfiction utilizes facts, history, places, and people along with great descriptive words or adjectives to form a work that can paint a good picture in their readers’ minds. You can observe this by getting into a nonfiction book and take note of how authors feature a particular happening by encouraging you to use all your sense, which are your sight, smell, taste, touch, and sound. Through imagery, readers become more engrossed and invested in the work because they can feel the book-reader bond.

Figurative Language

Many might have various misconceptions about the use of figurative language in nonfiction. However, it also plays the same crucial role as it does in poetry and any other genre. Figurative language is defined as the utilization of words that in a way that goes beyond the usual order and definition to depict a point or message. It is also used in order to strengthen the meaning and appeal of the text. There are various forms of figurative language, and each of them has different characteristics of presenting a concept and its meaning in an unconventional way.

Storyline or Information

There are categories under nonfiction that follow a certain story; thus, they are presented in a creative way but still adhere to the standards of the genre. Biographies and memoirs often follow a storyline to express the personal experience of the author or of a particular person either from their childhood to present or a particular part of their lives that they deemed remarkable. Therefore, the basic sequence of a story comes into view. Readers can surely identify the introduction, rising action, climax, falling action, and conclusion of the story even when they are presented in different manners to add spice to work. But for other subcategories, such as self-help, textbooks, journals, and the likes, the information is conveyed with accuracy and clarity to promote understanding and awareness.

Layout

The layout basically refers to the whole format of the work. Since nonfiction books are more thorough and formal, authors often utilize photographs, footnotes, citations, illustrations, and diagrams to help the readers get a better grasp and examine the reliability and authenticity of the text. For academic papers, researches, textbooks, and the likes, you can see the similarity of their formats by using the table of contents, glossary, and index or bibliographies. When it comes to creative nonfiction, such as memoirs, personal essays, travelogue, and more, they almost have the same format as fiction books, but they can attach more photos, insert captions, utilize footnotes, and use bullet points.

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Common Traits of an Antagonist

A character is always essential in a story. It is the element that helps the readers go through the tale from beginning to end, guiding them to get the gist and ponder on the central message. In most stories, there are a set of characters showcasing different traits and pursuing different objectives. The antagonist is one of the most popular next to the main character. By definition, an antagonist is a character that goes against and hinders the protagonist in solving the problem and achieving his goal. Thus, another term used to describe it is the villain.

There are a couple of popular antagonists in literature, and most of them belong to stories of different genres. Some great examples of these villains are Randall Flag on Stephen King’s The Stand, Sauron on Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings, Manuel Noriega on Shemella’s The Dictator’s Revenge book, and Agatha Trunchbull on Dahl’s Matilda.

If you want to know more about what an antagonist is, specifically its traits, then listed below is the information that you might want to know.

Goal-driven

Like normal characters, villains are also driven by a goal. This objective is expected to be something that will definitely bring complexities to the side of the main character. What is remarkable in this type of character is its detailed, evil, in most cases, plan to achieve a specific goal. Because of that, she becomes more determined to take action. For books that are character-driven, this trait can be introduced by an individual who’s attempting to prevent the main character from inflicting hurt to himself or who’s pushing the protagonist to do so. Moreover, antagonists that are aiming for something will always try to avoid a particular event or object that can put their plans at risk.

Highly motivated

Being highly motivated is almost identical to being goal-driven; however, the former shows more action than the latter. This is when the antagonist acts out the plan. The strong and logical motivations will push the villain to seek grander heights, resulting in the rise of intense human emotions. Furthermore, the more reasonable the motivation, the more interesting the antagonist becomes — which is more beneficial for the entire storyline. For example, a villain is trapped in a cell after being captured. Thus, he plots for a jailbreak, and he is highly committed to the execution along with the right timing.

Acting on personal desires

If you try to think about it, all characters have their own purposes and goals. But, there is nothing more determined than the antagonist. You can observe that the villain will stop at nothing to satisfy his personal desire, such as to get revenge. Another defining thing about this characteristic is that it motivates the character to hinder the protagonist and succeed in any way he can. For the antagonist, failing weighs heavier than victory. It means that when a villain fails, it creates a more profound impact on them. He faces the consequences if the plan fails, and these punishments can be extreme.

Extremely manipulative

There are various negative traits that are possessed by antagonists, but the most common is their manipulative behavior. Showing passive-aggressive actions, imposing threats, displaying dishonesty, keeping information, gaslighting others, and causing verbal abuse are among the signs that a character is a manipulator.  Why do villains manipulate others? The answer lies in between being in control of the situation and achieves goals. In most stories, antagonists are willing to adapt to control and deceive others for the sake of success. Many authors also suppress this kind of characteristic by creating a thin layer of positive behaviors, so other characters can fall into the villains’ traps, resulting in heightened tension and conflict.

Keeps a secret

Secrets always increase the pressure of a story. It is also the element that makes the readers more engaged in the book and eager to turn the last page. Basically, antagonists are secretive given that they have plans that they are determined to accomplish. In every step they take, they are careful, so they could fulfill themselves and enjoy the satisfaction from their achievements. But like in every story, there will always be that moment when secrets are revealed, and conflicts are solved.

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Activities That Will Calm Your Mind, Body, and Soul

In this day and age, healing and aligning of the mind, body, and soul are considered a necessity. Why? It is because struggles and challenges are included in the package deal of growing up and they have the ability to either make or break your life. Those that haven’t strengthened up their guards may have had difficulties in facing each adversity while those that toughen up may have already reach success.

However, it is undeniable that people have varying vulnerabilities and rooms for improvements. These qualities become the essential ingredients that make stronger, more empowered, and more powerful individuals. Regardless of the hardships brought by life and the chaos that affect your mind, body, and soul, it is still significant to acknowledge, learn from, and mend those aspects. There are many activities that can help you calm your mind, body, and soul and help you grow into a happier and better you. That said, here are the activities that you might want to consider doing for your personal development.

Exercise

Surprisingly, exercising regularly can bring so many benefits to your well-being. It can be the most underrated activity that can help you achieve healing and growth. With frequent work out, you can reduce the chance of developing diseases, maintain a fit lifestyle, clear your head, think clearly, and other amazing things. What is more awesome with exercising is that it is cost-efficient, convenient, and beneficial to every individual. There are also different kinds of exercises, which you can choose from that will fit your lifestyle and needs. What are you waiting for? Exercise now and eliminate stress and live healthily.

Read

Literature houses millions of books that can help you learn, heal, and grow all at once, such as the book about happiness by McClain titled Happiness in Quantum Leaps. Moreover, reading is an activity that doesn’t require a lot of effort and resources. All you need is a great book and a comfortable place to read. Through reading, you can get both learning and entertainment. The stories and writings have their own little way of creating an impact within the readers and encourage everyone to slowly understand the different aspects of life and apply their realizations for the benefit of their minds, bodies, and souls. Thus, start looking for the best book that can help you in your current situation and see how it can help you improve and mend.

Write

Writing is the best confidence builder. It is also the activity that promotes self-expression and awareness. It cannot be denied that there is a great sense of comfort that arouse after turning your experiences and emotions into remarkable stories. Furthermore, the negativities in your mind that radiate to your body and soul can be calmed and eradicated through writing. The mere act of journaling or scribbling your thoughts down on paper can untangle the bothering thoughts, release the stress, and push you look forward for better days. Other benefits that this activity gives are the development of communication skills, improvement of empathy, and enhancement of holistic health.

Pray

The healing presence brought by praying is the best benefit that you can get. By saying your daily prayer, you are cultivating a better relationship with God and allowing Him to guide the course of your voyage. There is no mandated time to pray. Although there are established days where you are required to participate and give your respect as children of God, such as on Sundays and Sabbath day, you can still say your prayers at any time of the day. After praying, a variety of emotions can be felt. The said emotions include but are not limited to feelings of thankfulness, forgiveness, benevolence, hope, and healing.

Travel

Traveling might not be that cost-efficient but it can bring grander things to your well-being. Going on different places is a breath of fresh air. You can discover multiple things, including the things about yourself. It can also make you happier, more confident, more creative, and more inspired. The healing, comfort, and delight brought by seeing new places, disconnecting to your present world, and breaking free from the mess in your life can bring you peace.

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Why Every Story Matters

Have you ever had this drive to share your story with the world? There are definitely various tales inside of you that want to be let out and inspire others in their own little way. The mere act of storytelling can do great and amazing things you never thought you needed, such as empowerment, inspiration, expression, and healing. However, you are not limited to telling popular oral traditions or stories because simply sharing your experiences is also considered storytelling.

There are also different avenues that allow you to tell your tale and express your truth, such as literature. In the said platform, every individual is given the liberty to either tell or write their stories and express their ideas with creativity. Hence, there were millions of books and stories that were born from those remarkable stories. Most of these books are under different genres, such as fiction, nonfiction, prose, and poetry.

Moreover, does the thought of why stories matter ever crossed your mind? If it has, then here are the reasons that will enlighten your minds.

Represent a memory

Stories often represent memories while memories often become stories; and, the cycle goes on. How did this happen? As you already know, experiences turn into the best tales. Knowing that people experienced different events in life, such as childhood, adolescence, and adulthood, each of the stages of their life brings a great lesson that many can learn from. Thus, writing your fondest or most meaningful experiences can help preserve those memories and even help others who had it worse than you did or are facing the same struggles.

In literature, stories that are solely based on real events of a person’s life are categorized under memoir and biography. There are also works that take those experiences in order to inspire people to make a move for their betterment, which is called self-help. The mentioned genres house remarkable and heartwarming books, such as The Other Side of Fear: My Journey into Perfect Love by W. Veronica Lisare and The Journey Home by Lori-Ellen Pisani.

Connect emotionally

Emotional connection is the most unexpected outcome in storytelling. This factor is the main indicator if a tale has created an impact on its audience or readers. The moment that you decide to share your story in the most comfortable method, which is either through verbal or written form, the receiver on the other end of the line will start to process and respond.

Hence, the emotional connection that is formed between a book and reader often refers to the bunch of subjective emotions that emerge. Through this connection, the bond between the readers and the stories becomes stronger, wherein the former become attached and moved by the latter. The common emotions that arose during the reading or storytelling process that create the emotional bond are happiness, sadness, anger, love, sorrow, grief, and a thousand more.

Influence lifestyles and mindsets

As it has and always been, stories are inanimate teachers. Knowing that each individual has gone through different events and has conquered varying struggles, it is also good to consider that they also live different lives. You may not live the same way or may not have the same perspectives as others, but with the wide array of stories that you’ve read and heard of, you will soon develop a better lifestyle and mindset.

Through stories, you can learn more about the things that you are struggling with and rise above your adversities. In return, you can also share your passions, fears, and hardships with others, which they can also take and learn from as they go on their lives. Therefore, stories have their own unique way of influencing people and shaping their minds.

Teach about culture and history

Stories reflect both culture and history. The place that you have originated or the location where your story setting is based on has its own rich culture and history. Everyone has a tale to tell, which goes the same to culture and history. Hence, the stories that you personally experienced or that were shared with you somehow showcase a particular belief or tradition from the country of origin of the writer or storyteller. These oral tales and written stories are inspired or based on some parts of history that have made a great impact on the authors.

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Meaningful Books That Promote Mental Health Awareness

In this day and age, the term “mental health” or “mental health awareness” are frequently mentioned in differently platforms, such as the social media, schools, society, and social media. What is the definition of mental health and why do many organizations and influential people promote it? In the broadest sense, it is the part of a person’s holistic health that entails his emotional, psychological, and social fitness. It often helps identify the ways people manage stressful events, connect to others, and create decisions.

Hence, if you are looking for the best books that tackle and promote mental health, then here are the titles that you should look out for.

Bipolar Chronicles: From Crazed to Content by Diana Grippo

The first edition of the book Bipolar Chronicles: From Crazed to Content by Diana Grippo was recently published last June 20, 2021 by BookBaby. It narrates the personal accounts of the author as she battled hallucinations, depression, substance abuse, and delusions. Grippo begins to heal only to experience a relapse. The event went over and over for several years. Regardless of her unfortunate situation, she healed through a spiritual method that entails The Twelve Steps, music therapy, and Dialect Behavior Therapy. So from a street dweller, she became an educator, founder and executive director, and basically works with Apple.

What Happened to You?: Conversations on Trauma, Resilience, and Healing by Bruce D. Perry, M.D., Ph.d. and Oprah Winfrey

What Happened to You?: Conversations on Trauma, Resilience, and Healing by Bruce D. Perry, M.D., Ph.d. and Oprah Winfrey is a bestselling book that gives strong scientific and emotional knowledge to the patterns of actions that many are having a hard time to comprehend. Winfrey begins to share her personal experiences and gets a better grasp on the fragility that results after battling traumas and uncertainties in her youth. Moreover, both of the authors also concentrate on comprehending individuals, actions, and identities. It is a slow but deep change in your approach to trauma and enables you to be enlightened of your past to have a better future — which means opening the way to resilience and mending in a better method.

The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma by Bessel Van Der Kolk, M.D.

Bessel Van Der Kolk’s The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma was reprinted by Penguin Books last 2015. Thus, this bestselling books unravels the great ability of our connections to give us pain and help us mend. The renowned author also utilizes the recent scientific developments to showcase the ways trauma remolds an individual’s mind and body. As a result, it compromises people’s abilities for pleasure, interaction, self-control, and more. He also digs into a variety of treatments that provide fresher ways to betterment through activating the mind’s innate neuroplasticity.

Watch Over Me by Nina LaCour

Published in 2020 by Dutton Books for Young Readers, Watch Over Me is a remarkable book written by Printz award-winning author Nina LaCour. It follows the tale of a girl named Mia who enjoys solitude. Perhaps it is the reason why she agreed to the chance of residing in a remote location together with the flowers, fogs, and other natural features. However, she has no idea about the ghosts. The farm that she lives in is her safe haven but little did she know that it is haunted by the recent traumas of its young dwellers have come to run away fun. So, Mila’s memories begin to emerge to the place. What would she do?

We’ve Been Too Patient: Voices from Radical Mental Health by L.D. Green, Kelechi Ubozoh, and Robert Whitaker

We’ve Been Too Patient: Voices from Radical Mental Health is a collection of tales and essays from the front lines of the revolutionary health movement. It was edited by L.D. Green and Kelechi Ubozoh, and presents a foreword by Robert Whitaker. The book tackles the different aspects that result to extreme modified conditions and suicidal thoughts. Moreover, the said factors include but not limited to forced hospitalizations, overmedication, and traumas. This book also serves or gives voices to those who have gone through psychiatric mistreatments.

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Brilliant Books Every Amazing Parent Must Read

There is no easy way for parenting. It is one of the most difficult yet most rewarding journeys that many had the privilege to experience. Knowing that you are no longer a bachelor and you have to make the wisest decision so that you could raise a child in the best way possible is always a challenge. Therefore, there are many adjustments to be made and many judgments to be thought thoroughly.

Endless and efficient parenting mediums emerge to help new and existing parents grow along with their kids, and one of them is books. With the great number of tips, guides, and instructions conveyed in many parenting books, you can definitely learn from them and become a better parent. That said, listed below are the best reads every parent must read.

Talk, Play, and Read with Me Daddy by Jo Ann Gramlich

Talk, Play, and Read with Me Daddy by Gramlich is a Pinnacle Book Achievement awardee that was published in 2020 by AuthorHouse. Moreover, the book centers on the magic that happens after a parent-child interaction, especially on moments where you are motivating the kid to speak their first words. Beginning at birth, you can slowly talk, play, and read with your offspring and be actively hands-on in the kid’s first phases of communication. This book will not only give you guidance but also offer you and your child a variety of amazing activities and games that are development-focused and are created to help improve your kid’s communication skills.

How to Talk So Kids Will Listen and Listen So Kids Will Talk by Adele Faber

Adele Faber’s How to Talk, So Kids Will Listen and Listen So Kids Will is a bestselling classic book that promotes parent-child communication. This book also provides great insights and recommendations, as well as Faber’s proven ways to solve basic issues and create foundations for a strong bond. There are also other significant things that it tackles, such as the following: manage with your kid’s negative emotions; communicate your strong emotions without harshness; develop your kid’s willing cooperation; lay down firm boundaries and preserve goodwill; utilize other means of negative reinforcement to promote self-discipline; and a whole lot more.

The Whole-Brain Child: 12 Revolutionary Strategies to Nurture Your Child’s Developing Mind by Daniel J. Siegel and Tina Payne Bryson

The Whole-Brain Child: 12 Revolutionary Strategies to Nurture Your Child’s Developing Mind by Daniel J. Siegel and Tina Payne Bryson is recognized as New York Times and Amazon bestseller. The authors provide a comprehensive approach to raising a child with a dozen of strategies that nurture healthy brain development, resulting in a more relaxed and joyful kid. Hence, this book will help you find ways to create good emotional and intellectual development so your kids can cultivate meaningful and better lives.

Cribsheet: A Data-Driven Guide to Better, More Relaxed Parenting, from Birth to Preschool by Emily Oster

Emily Oster’s Cribsheet: A Data-Driven Guide to Better, More Relaxed Parenting, from Birth to Preschool is the second book of The ParentData series. The author discusses the significant challenge in the early stages of parenting, which is making decisions. As newbies in the parenting world, there is definitely a couple of frequently conflicting pieces of advice thrown at you from different people. During these moments, parents get the message that they should create particular choices when it comes to sleeping, eating, and scheduling or everything will go on to drain. However, the advantages of these choices can be exaggerated, and the compensation can be deeper. The question is, how do you create the best decision?

All Joy and No Fun: The Paradox of Modern Parenthood by Jennifer Senior

In this bestselling book, the author evaluates the different methods children remold their parents’ lives. She raises an argument that the modifications done in the past half-century have entirely changed the roles of present parents; thus, making their directives more complicated and less accurate. All Joy and No Fun, moreover, will definitely help everyone rethink some aspects of the culture, especially regarding parenthood, while putting the spotlight on the best methods that every kid can develop and contribute purpose to every parent’s life.

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Perks of Reading Stories to Children

If there is a word that best describes children, it would be “teachable.” Why? It is because kids are still going through the early stages of development. They are still young, innocent, and pure, meaning they haven’t had that much understanding of the world. That said, they need constant and thorough guidance on different circumstances and things that they encounter. There are different ways of nurturing, guiding, and teaching these adorable kids, and reading their stories is one of the best methods.

There are millions of remarkable stories in the world of literature, such as The Very Hungry Caterpillar, Where the Wild Things Are, The Song of Solomon the Snail, and Chika Chika Boom Boom. You can select from the wide array of books and read them to kids during leisure time, bonding moments, and bedtime. This activity can bring so many benefits to young minds. What could the perks be? Please see the list below.

Mold their cognitive skills

Cognitive skills pertain to the core abilities utilized by the brain to learn, think, recall, read, and more. Therefore, it is crucial for people to develop their cognitive skills because it plays a significant role in processing fresh information. By reading stories to kids, you are helping them mold their cognitive abilities. There are various stories that can hit and develop each area of cognition, leading to kids achieve full cognitive development. The more stories you read to them, the more chance that they can learn how to manage their attention, get a better grasp on the world slowly, and more.

Enhance their comprehension

Reading wonderful stories to children is one way to improve their comprehension. Knowing that they are still young with abilities and talents that are yet to be discovered slowly helping them comprehend the stories that you tell and the words that they read. There are millions of children’s books out there. Whether you are reading the kids with picture books, board books, fables, fairy tales, or alphabet books, it is essential that your storytelling tone and the pace are enough that the kids can catch up and understand the book. Children’s books come in a variety of vibrant colors and illustrations. You may also want to show the kids the illustrations to help them comprehend the tale better.

Strengthen relationships

The parent-child relationship is extremely important, as well as the teacher-learner bond. Even though both connections are different when it comes to the designation of the people involved, they are still similar in a way that both center around comfort, growth, guidance, and more. Reading a story with kids can help establish and strengthen the relationship that you’ve had and actually develop it into something closer. This activity, moreover, can make the child feel nurtured, loved, and attended. He will consider you as a safe and trustworthy person to confide in his struggles, emotions, and everything that will happen in his life as he grows up. This little activity can definitely make you more attached to one another.

Teach them moral values

Stories, specifically children’s books, showcase a variety of moral values that aim to instill in kids. By taking a bunch of time to read these tales to the kids, you are also teaching the children values that are essential in life more than just getting them entertained. The bunch of lessons that kids learn can help them establish their goals in life. There will also be a great chance that the values can help the younger ones in directing their plans, traits, and behaviors to be advantageous and rewarding activities. The moment they live their lives based on these morals, they can also create various relationships and mold a better mindset.

Develop their imagination

Children are imaginative. They have a great imagination, which makes them more adventurous and enthusiastic. Most stories in children’s literature are fun, vibrant, and creative. The said tales can push the children in developing different aspects of their lives and well-being; thus, pushing them to discover new things and explore greater heights. With imagination, kids can also picture out every scene in the story and make your reading or storytelling time more entertaining, interactive, fun, and exciting. All you need is to pick a relevant book, tell them to the kids, and let their imagination help them comprehend the events.

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Why Self-development Is Essential

In this fast-paced world, the quest to self-improvement is a difficult thing to finish. Why? The competition and pressure is directly proportional to the innovation and advancement that the world is experiencing. Knowing that there are already several individuals that you knew who have obtained success or on the brink of achieving their goals while you are still on step one of in the middle can absolutely stress you out. But, you should know that progress is not linear and self-development doesn’t have a schedule to follow.

Everyone goes through development at random points in their lives. What others are experiencing right now can be the event that will take place in your future. But what could be the reasons why many aspire to develop themselves? Here’s what you need to know.

Heal wounds

Healing is essential. There are many individuals who have gone through various disappointments, committed several mistakes, faced multiple failures, and dealt with a lot of discouragement. Perhaps you are also one of those who have fallen at their lowest points. But, all your wounds and pains will be healed once you take part in activities and focus on self-development.

There are many ways and means that you can utilize to attain self-improvement. You can read Aura McClain’s book about God, which can guide you to obtain different vital things that you often overlooked. You can allocate some time to reflect on yourself and actions. There are so many ways that you can do that can lead to growth and later on to healing.

Rebuild broken bridges

In this lifetime, there are several people that will surely enter your world and leave significant marks on it. There are many positive things that bonds and relationships offer, which you can enjoy and maximize. However, it cannot be avoided that you somehow grow apart from one another or scar your connection due to unfortunate circumstances. Both your personal life and mental health can be affected when those events happen, leading you to face struggles in moving on and going forward.

When bridges fall and crumble, the fault lies on the people involved. Hence, there could be something wrong or lacking between you and the other party. The time that you have reflected on your past actions and realized what you did wrong, that is the only moment that you will be driven to right the wrong and solve the problem. Your bravery and candor can propel your growth and help you rebuild the connection that was lost.

Improve skills

Developing oneself is essential because there are various things that can come out after it. Among the said outcomes is skill improvement. A person is capable of doing different things and achieving greater heights because of their abilities and motivation. Solving problems, being creative, finding ways, thinking critically, and communicating effectively are some of the essential skills that an individual utilizes and maximizes.

But, when you go through the process of development, you can unlock more abilities and talents that can bring you to better paths and greater heights. You can also find more amazing interest and hobbies in the middle of your quest for improvement. There are will definitely a lot of opportunities that will knock on your door once you arrive at this state.

Reshape mindset

Mindset is vital in molding a person’s character and boosting his confidence. With proper mindset, an individual can see the bigger picture of everything and can make sound judgment on different situations. In self-development, reshaping one’s mindset is one of its best perks. Why? People view things differently. Some may live their lives different from yours. Others may believe things contradicting to your principles.

There are various factors that can explain why people live the way they do and environment and influence are among them. But, everyone should know and normalize changing one’s mindset. Not everything that you have believed in and your perspectives. Thus, reshaping your mindset can help you grow into a better and happier person. From having a fixed to a growth mindset, you can definitely identify your toxic traits, know what areas to improve, push yourself to your limit, and look forward for better days ahead.

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Romantic Suspense Tropes You Should Take Note of

Romantic suspense is blend of two popular literary genres, which are romance and suspense. It basically features a love story with a notable plot twist, which is often a mystery or suspense. There are millions of books representing these two features, such as Jasmine: A Woman of Color by Monique Boyd, Verity by Colleen Hoover, The Witness by Nora Roberts, The Girl in Cabin 13 by A.J. Rivers, and Saving Meadow by Riley Edwards.

While romantic suspense continuously garners a wide array of readers, it cannot be denied that many fanatics have observed various tropes in the stories. Tropes are primarily defined as a particular theme or device utilized in tales or movies. People often referred to it as cliché. That said, here are the typical romantic suspense tropes you might have observed in reading tales of his unique genre.

Friends to Lovers

This is often observed in many books and even films. Without a doubt, this trope works because the girl and the boy already have knowledge about one another and have somehow developed an emotional bond that can strengthen the future romance. Like most tales, there are different devices that are mixed to also highlight the suspense feature. Thus, among the many stories that showcase this trope, such as Tears of Moon by Nora Roberts and Unbreak Me by Michelle Hazen.

Second Chance Romance

You probably have experienced this trope in some time in your fiction-like life. This is often called as reunion romances because a couple who already parted ways decided to give it another shot at love. There may be some expectations that were set by the patrons as to why the power couple initially broke up to see the developments on both characters and the way they can find a better love to one another. Mixed with a dash of suspense, getting a second chance on romance might be a little too difficult or eerie road to take.

Enemies to Lovers

Have you read Stay Sweet by Siobhan Vivian? What about When Dimple Met Rishi by Sandhya Menon? Then, you might have observed how the main character and its love interest are clashing with one another before becoming head over heels with each other. There are different kinds of things that the future couple is fighting or disagreeing, which can also be the reasons why they slowly fall in love with one another. This trope is the best one to use to heighten the thrill and attraction of the readers to the story. Although this is often utilized, especially in young adult romance books, this never fails to hook the readers up.

Workplace Romance

Often a workplace romance is conflicted with work ethics and the prying eyes of other colleagues. But, there are still successful workplace romances in romance genre alone, such as in Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella. When it comes to romantic suspense novels, the common scenario is that the one or the other has a dark secret that the character is trying its best to hide from his prospected significant other. This secret can either make or break the growing attachment between them.

The Lie

In most suspense novels, a particular lie heightens the tension of the story. The lie can center on toxic relationships, creepy cults, and other eerie or beyond the normal situations. It is commonly inflicted in psychological thriller books or films. A great film that showcase this trope is Secret Obsession, which is a 2019 movie starred by Brenda Song. The husband lied to the main character and have made her believed that he is her real husband and they are living a perfect life.

Missing Person

A missing person in every romantic suspense book always leads the story into a great amount of twists and turns. The main character, on its journey to find the missing person, stumbles upon many events that can either stray him on achieving his goal or push him to solve the mystery. The missing individual may be the protagonist’s love interest, which encourages him to find her or it could be an important person in his life that is the key to a significant event or secret.

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Great Reads Under Nonfiction

Literature is made up of several genres that house millions of books. These categories have their own traits like how people have their own characteristics. Nonfiction is among the major genres of the literary world with multiple sub-categories, making each reader entertained and educated in every book that they read. It is primarily defined as any piece of writing that presents accurate data, such as incidents, people, and information, using an objective or subjective point of view.

If you are looking for great reads under nonfiction to satisfy your cravings for knowledge, develop a growth mindset, and boost inspiration, then here are some of the must-read titles you shouldn’t miss.

Taking the History of Science Really Seriously by Scott A. Kleiner

Scott A. Kleiner’s book titled Taking the History of Science Really Seriously was published in 2020 by BookBaby. This book is written to provide a historical, theoretical, and systematic evaluation of particular iconic revolutions in the avenue of science, specifically the beliefs and practices. There are several significant dates mentioned as well as important people in the scientific field. Three different parts are highlighted in the book. The first section centers on the reevaluation of The Copernican Revolution in the view of philosophical thinking rega rding the history of science that came into view in the past 60 years after its publication. The second part features the Darwinian Revolution while the third section tackles different subjects including Mendel, Fisher, cytology, and Morgan’s mapping of the Drosophilia chromosomes.

The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America’s Great Migration by Isabel Wilkerson

The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America’s Great Migration by Isabel Wilkerson is a bestselling book that was published in 2011. It is also a National Book Critic’s Circle Award winner, Dayton Literary Peace Prize finalist, Mark Lynton History Prize winner, and Heartland Award winner. Moreover, the Pulitzer Prize-winning author recounts the untold tales of the history of America, which is the migration of residents that escaped the South for northern and western states to seek for better quality of living for years. Thus, this excellent and bold work of Wilkerson outstandingly narrates the story of an unknown immigration in the bounds of our own land.

Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI by David Grann

This New York Times and Amazon bestselling book was penned by David Grann and was published in 2017. It was named as the National Book Award Finalist, 2017 Shelf Awareness’s Best Book of 2017, Amazon Editor’s Pick for The Best Book of 2017, and best book of the year by multiple renowned platforms Wall Street Journal and more. The author narrates and evaluates the dreadful sequence of crimes where many individuals were killed in cold blood. Based on long time of thorough study and shocking new evidences, the book is considered a marvelous feat of narrative nonfiction as every move that the investigation makes uncovers a sequence of horrendous secrets.

Big Magic: How to Live a Creative Life, and Let Go of Your Fear by Elizabeth Gilbert

Written by bestselling author Elizabeth Gilbert, Big Magic: How to Live a Creative Life, and Let Go of Your Fear immediately becomes a New York Times bestseller and an Amazon editor’s pick for best nonfiction. The author delves deeper into her personal generative process to share her knowledge and one-of-a-kind view on creativity. With deep empathy and radiant generosity, Gilbert provides strong insights to the peculiar nature of inspiration and encouragement. Thus, she raises some questions for readers to welcome their curiosity and free themselves from unnecessary pain.

The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck: A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life by Mark Manson

The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck: A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life by Mark Manson is the first book of the series of the same name as the book title. It has sold more than 6 million copies all over the globe and has been known as an Amazon and New York Times bestseller. This book gives readers an invigorating reading experience for a generation to support them in achieving a happy and contented life.

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Meaningful Biographies to Read in This Lifetime

According to Philip Guesdalla, “Biography is a very definite region bounded on the north by history, on the south by fiction, on the east by obituary, and on the west by tedium.”

Biographies are remarkable pieces of literature. They do not only tell a bunch of heartwarming stories but also teach a couple of lessons that readers can apply as they journey through life. Also, they have the ability to bring life to their subjects through their effective way of storytelling. What makes this genre more meaningful is the fact that people live different lives. But, in that difference, readers can still get a bunch of learning that can help them understand how the world works and how failures can soon become a success.

If you are a bookworm whose looking for great biography reads; then here are the best titles that you must check out.

Sex, Womanizing and … by Fred Sights

Sex, Womanizing and … by Fred Sights is a promising book published by Page Publishing, Inc. in 2019. It is story about an individual, the author, who finds it difficult to conquer his inner conflicts and the embarrassment that came from particular traumatic incidents.  The lives of people surrounding the author become significantly impacted. Self-redemption and the lengthy journey to acceptance and healing is a tale that everyone must relate to.  There are a lot of people who experienced having suicidal thoughts, including the author. However, reaching the lowest point of his life pushed him to face himself. So, he is grateful to the Lord for playing an important role in his life because without His guidance he wouldn’t be here now.

All We Know: Three Lives by Lisa Cohen

The reprint edition of this book was published in 2013 by Farrar, Straus and Giroux. It was recognized as among the Top 10 Best Books of 2012 by Publishers Weekly. The author describes three remarkable women: the amazing New York braniac Esther Murphy, classic fan Mercedes de Acosta, and icon Madge Garland. Their smart choices, complex mistakes, and controversial private lives are being tackled with empathy and lyricism. It also discusses a concealed history of modernism and gives tribute to their captivating lives.

Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow

You probably have heard about Sir Alexander Hamilton or have seen the Broadway musical Hamilton! a couple of times. This book by Ron Chernow, a Pulitzer Prize-winning author, created a biography of the promising historical figure of America.  It discusses both the political and economic eminence of America as the product of Hamilton’s infinite sacrifices to win concepts that were frequently disputed back in his time. Thus, the author chronicles his life from the moment he was born as an illegitimate child to an orphan, and through his other experiences that led him to be the respectable Sir Alexander Hamilton today.

Untamed by Glennon Doyle

Untamed by Glennon Doyle is a bestselling book that has sold more than 2 million copies worldwide. It was also referred to as one of the best books of the year by many renowned platforms, such as Cosmopolitan, Marie Claire, The Oprah Magazine, and more. It narrates the author’s denial of her discontentment. Then, she gave a talk in a conference and sees a lady, which she immediately fell in love with. Her mind generated three words afterward, which are There She Is. She realizes that those words emerge from within her. That voice was the one she hid for years of numbing, addiction, and other process to suppress it. Thus, she soon decided to turn her life around by embracing her true self rather than running away from the expectations that the world has of her.

A Beautiful Mind by Sylvia Nasar

Sylvia Nasar’s A Beautiful Mind tells the personal account of John Forbes Nash, Jr. He was a mathematician and economist known for winning a Nobel Prize in Economics. The book covers different significant events in Nash’s life starting from his childhood. It also tells about his experiences studying at Princeton and MIT, which were followed by his career in RAND Corporation. Then, it also tackles his family life and his journey in battling schizophrenia.  Moreover, this book was awarded with the National Book Critics Circle Award for biography in 1998 and became a Pulitzer Prize for biography finalist.

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Meaningful Books You Shouldn’t Miss Reading

“Books are the quietest and most constant of friends; they are the most accessible and wisest of counselors, and the most patient of teachers.” – Charles W. Eliot

Many often underestimate the power of books. But, little did they know that every novel contains such lessons that they can apply in different phases of life. There are many benefits a book can offer, such as entertainment, learning, experience, and advice. Their ability to encourage and impact the lives of their readers goes beyond people’s expectations.

If you are part of the reader community, then you probably have known how books can become a good adviser, friend, and teacher. There are just so much amazing things a story can bring to a person’s life.  That said, here are some of the most meaningful books that you shouldn’t miss reading.

The Face of Hunger: Reflections on a Famine in Ethiopia by Byron Conner

This book is penned by Dr. Byron Conner and is based on his experiences as a missionary in Ethiopia. The Face of Hunger: Reflections on a Famine in Ethiopia shows an engrossing presentation of a horrific humanitarian crisis, which is famine, that risked the lives of many Ethiopians. There were around four to five hundred thousand that were fallen because of famine between the years 1983 and 1985.

It ignited a strong response worldwide. Hence, people from all around the world were united to help the people in Ethiopia. Many relief and humanitarian associations brought food, clothes, medicines, and other essentials. For the author and his wife, their missionary journey in the famine-stricken country was the start of a fresher method of community outreach and ministry.

Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens

Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens is a bestselling book that has sold over 10 million copies all around the globe. It was also recognized as a Reese’s Book Club Pick and a Business Insider Defining Book of the Decade. This story is set in the late 1969 in Barkley Cove in North Carolina.

A guy named Chase Andrews was found dead and the considered suspect was the Marsh Girl named Kya Clark. But, Kya seems to be opposite on how people viewed her. She possesses qualities that embody a smart and strong woman. This is the perfect book to read that showcases a heartwarming coming-of-age story mixed with mystery and thrill.

The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien

The 20th anniversary edition of this award-winning book was published by Mariner Books in 2010. It is an unconventional reflection on war, imagination, and other aspects in life. Moreover, it depicts the story of men named Jimmy Cross, Henry Dobbins, Rat Kiley, Mitchell Sanders, Norman Bowker, Kiowam and the character that has the same name as the author.

The story is told through the eyes of Tim O’Brien, who talks about the things every man in the Alpha Company brings with them. Most of these things are for physical use. However, the things they carry rely on different factors, such as their priorities, constitutions, beliefs, and more.

A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness

Patrick Ness’ young adult novel titled A Monster Calls was published in 2011 by Walker. It contains several illustrations by Jim Kay. However, the original concept for this book is by Siobhan Dowd, who have left the Earth and never got the chance to pen the story.

The story follows a boy who is having a hard time coping up with the effects of his mother’s medical condition. Every night, a peculiar creature visits him to tell him a story. The monster, however, told the boy that after he tells all his stories, it would be Conor’s turn to tell his. With the amazing story and illustration, the author and the illustrator was awarded with the Carnegie Medal and the Greenaway Medal after a year of the book’s publication.

Educated by Tara Westover

Educated is a promising memoir written by Tara Westover. It was published by Random House in 2018 and has won the Alex Award the year after. It narrates the story of how the author conquered her survivalist Mormon family so that she could attend college. She highlighted the significance of education in expanding her world.

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Heartwarming Books that Your Kids Must Read

Kids are complicated yet simple all at the same time. Because of the early development process that they are going through, it is often difficult for adults to understand them due to the constant changing of their minds and interests. But, they are simple in the thought that they don’t require so much to be happy and to feel loved. What is constant and defining about them is that they express their emotions without pretentiousness. If they feel happy, they are truly delighted. If they get touched, then they get touched.  

There are many mediums that can both help your kids grow and make them feel or recognize their emotions gradually. Books are among these means. That said, here are some of the best books that can touch the hearts of your kids and make them learn some essential things in life.

The Ladybug and the Bully Frog by Caroleann Rice

The Ladybug and the Bully Frog is a children’s book penned by Caroleann Rice that was published in 2018. The story centers on how a little Ladybug faces Milton the Frog to give him a piece of advice and the Mighty Wondrous Voice of Love. Before anything else, the little ones who were denied access to the pond came to Solomon the Snail for advice. With the wisdom of Solomon, they came up with Dot as the most ideal creature to stop Milton. The tiny Ladybug named Dot is all by herself in meeting the bully but there are a lot of people that support her, such as Clover the Rabbit and a community of friends that were deprived of the fun and beauty of the pond by Milton. Thus, this book by Caroleann Rice teaches kids to not tolerate bullying and to stand up for others and themselves.

Wonder by R.J. Palacio

Do you know Auggie Pullman? If you do, then you probably have seen the film adaptation or have read this book. Auggie is the main character of R.J. Palacio’s remarkable book titled Wonder. He has a medical condition called Treacher Collins syndrome, which resulted in the disfiguring of his facial features. Hence, he is not a normal kid. His parents protected him from the harsh world by homeschooling him until the 4th grade. When he became a 5th grader, he started to enter a real school. Everything was new to Auggie, especially the treatment that he got from the bullies. But, he conquered it all and taught people to always choose to be kind.

The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein

Shel Silverstein, also known as Uncle Shelby, wrote and illustrated the book titled The Giving Tree. Its first edition was published in 1964 by Harper & Row. This book is among his famous works that were translated into multiple languages. The story revolves around a little boy and an apple tree. The two created a bond, which you can identify as a give and take relationship. Even if the little boy went through the different stages of development since he’s human, the apple tree continued to refer to him as “Boy.” Moreover, this book has received multiple feedbacks from the critics. Some pointed out the selfless love of the tree to the Boy while others directed their attention to the toxic and abusive relationship that they have.

If You Give a Mouse a Cookie by Laura Numeroff

This children’s book was written by Laura Numeroff and is part of the If You Give series. The book also contains wonderful illustrations that are the work of Felicia Bond. If You Give a Mouse a Cookie is a circular story drawing a slippery slope. It is told using the second-person point of view, which is great because it promotes and boosts interaction from the readers. There was a boy who handed a mouse with a cookie. Afterward, the mouse requested for a glass of milk, straw, mirror, nail scissors, and other things. Readers can definitely tell how the mouse’s demands become greater as its wishes are granted. The last request of the mouse is a cookie to eat with his milk, which definitely shows why it is referred by many as a circular tale.

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Meaningful Books to Read this New Quarter of the Year

Do you still have enough titles on your reading pile? Are you still looking for new books that can educate and entertain you at the same time? Reading is definitely an enjoyable activity that can bring so many benefits. You can learn different things, enhance your vocabulary, improve your skills, and ignite your imagination just by reading different types of literary pieces.

Looking back on the events that happened last year and even today, everyone was mandated to stay in their homes. It resulted in people being more resourceful and creative to avoid boredom, and reading is one of the activities that everybody became fond of. There are just so much insight and knowledge that books offer. So, if you are looking for meaningful books to add to your to-be-read list in this new quarter of the year, then you should check out the titles listed below.

Patchwork: Conversations Between Generations by Carol Wilson-Mack

Carol Wilson-Mack penned a nonfiction book titled Patchwork: Conversations Between Generations. It features different tales of women who lived in Bamberg, South Carolina, from 1939 to 1959. Readers will surely learn more about the importance of a two-way conversation on Patchwork book. It’s because the author showcased how these remarkable females attempted to close the gap between their generations by sharing their personal stories while they are quilting together. The book also highlights how communication and respect should always be present regardless of age because everyone has different experiences that others can also learn from.

The Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom

The Five People You Meet in Heaven is a religious and philosophical fiction book penned by best-selling author Mitch Albom. It was published in 2003 by Hyperion and instantly became a best-seller. It stayed on the best-seller list of the New York Times for more than 90 weeks. The story centers on Eddie, a ride mechanic. Hence, it is a tale of both his life and death, but the story didn’t end when he took his last breath. Eddie died in an accident in a specific amusement park at the Ruby Pier during his 83rd birthday. After his demise, he was sent to heaven and met five individuals who had influenced his life. 

Life of Pi by Yann Martel

You probably have its movie adaptation or have heard about the story. So, if you haven’t read the book, this is your chance. Life of Pi was published in the early 2000s by Knopf Canada and was written by Yann Martel. This philosophical novel follows the story of an Indian Tamil protagonist named Piscine Molitor Patel, also known as Pi, who lives in Pondicherry. The boy is experiencing different issues, including spiritual and metaphysical ones, at such a young age. Moreover, he got stranded in the Pacific Ocean with a Bengal tiger for more than 200 days after a shipwreck. While thriving in the middle of the ocean on a lifeboat, the tiger asked a different question about reality, such as nature, diverse perceptions, and more. 

Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe

Things Fall Apart is a popular book in African literature. It was first published in 1958 by William Heinemann Ltd and was written by Chinua Achebe. This book, moreover, is viewed as an archetypal modern African book and is critically acclaimed worldwide. The story remarkably tackled how southeastern Nigeria was before it was colonized and its condition after the Europeans invaded the land during the late 19th century. Hence, it follows the story of Okonkwo, who is a wrestling champion in a particular clan in their country. The book’s first part describes his family, culture, environment, and everything about being an Igbo. The following sections focus on the impact of colonization, the influence of Christian missionaries, and more.

We Were Liars by E. Lockhart

This young-adult fiction book has received multiple awards and recognition, including the Goodreads Choice Award for Best Young Adult Fiction and 2015 ALA Top Ten Best Fiction for Young Adults. It follows the rich and almost perfect Sinclair family, who constantly spend their summer on their family’s private island. But, one summer, there was an incident that happened to Cadence, which was remembered by the four liars Cadence, Johnny, Gat, and Mirren.

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How to Write a Great Children’s Book

So, you have this amazing children’s book idea running around your mind for quite some time, now what?  Would you let that concept die down or would you take the risk on putting it into writing? Venturing the world of literature might not be easy, but seeing how huge of an impact your book has made stimulates an incomparable feeling of joy. However, you should have everything planned out from concept to execution so that you will have a seamless workflow.

To help you turn your ideas into words, here are some of the essential tips on how to write a great children’s book.

Read a wide array of books in the same genre

In today’s day and age, children’s book has become extremely popular that readers beyond its targets tend to delve into it. There are wide arrays of stories that highlight different integral things in life. What could be the essence of reading various books for kids before writing one? It would help you study what writing style is impactful on your chosen target audience, how stories are being told, why particular concepts are making a hit, and more. You could learn improving your style, study your competition, and know more about everything else. Among the best books you should check out are The Cat in the Hat, Oscar the Mighty Crab, Katie and Kenny Tour the Railroad, Sammie the Shark and the Return of the Lost Gift, and more.

Develop a distinctive voice

Voice pertains to the rhetorical blend of different writing elements, such as POV, tone, vocabulary, and more. A strong and distinctive voice creates a large impact on the emotion and flow of your book. It can affect the whole perspective and understanding of your prospects regarding the general message and idea of your book. Finding and developing your voice can make you stand out from other authors. Every writer has different voice. It is the main aspect that will make readers recognize you without even looking at the front cover of your work. So, start developing your authorial voice in order to write a story that can impact and live through generations.

Create remarkable characters

Characters are integral in every story. They are the elements that push the tale forward, from the introduction to the conclusion. Also, they are the factors that can be easily remembered by the readers. Harry Potter, The Lorax, Willy Wonka, Anne of Green Gables, Matilda, and Winnie the Pooh are some of the notable characters of stories in this genre. That said, give life to characters that reflect the characteristics and outlooks of kids. Their development must be transparent throughout your story reciprocating the progress of the plot. But, let them streamline the pacing and direct you toward the enhancement that your story needs freely instead of rushing things out.                   

Do not overcomplicate the plot

Kids are the simplest people in this world. They have no luxuries and demands aside from fun and enjoyment. Since they are still young, they don’t have any idea how complicated the world can become when they grow older. So, you have to help maintain their purity and support their growth by writing a simple yet substantial story. It is one way of entertaining and teaching the children on certain things in this life so they could not be caught off guard later on. So, start writing a story with a simple plot, which your prospective readers can easily understand and take by heart and mind. Make the story more relatable but not in the most obvious manner.

Instill life lessons

Learning is crucial. It is one of the things in this life that is essential and necessary. Without it, people wouldn’t turn into their best versions and wouldn’t attain growth. Since kids are still experiencing the early stages of development, it is important to be among the primary agents that help them propel and grow as a person. Hence, focus on your theme and ensure that it is wisely hidden within the story. This central message can be about a societal issue, personal development, life values, and more. It doesn’t matter how much weight the lesson holds, what is important is how you deliver it to affect people.

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Why You Should Focus on Your Child’s Development

Parenting has always been difficult yet fulfilling. You become different person all at once in order to cater the needs of your kid, from its early stages of development onwards. Everybody knows how fragile and sensitive children could become and how different aspects in the world can mold their perspectives and understanding. However, you should always be there to teach them the right and wrong since the world is filled with the good, bad, and ugly.

What could be child development and why it is important in raising a kid? It refers to the process wherein children gradually go through changes. Its scope ranges from the entire duration from conception to a person turning into a completely performing adult. Hence, it is the journey from full dependence to complete independence.

 There are no rules in parenting because every parent has different styles and strategies in raising and teaching their offspring. However, there are different mediums that can help you in your journey as a parent and teacher at the same time — such as books, particularly Three Dimensions of Learning by Dr. Carolyn Nooks Teague. So, if you are wondering why it is important to focus on your kid’s development, here’s what you should know.

Get to know them better

Being a hands-on parent is not only essential but also beneficial. From the time that the kid is conceived to the moment that he is born, you get to know what you should and shouldn’t do. Every person is different, which goes the same way in parenting and development. The way you were raised might be far from the methods that you are using to raise your own child.

When you take your time in gradually teaching them about the world, molding their perspectives, and helping them every step of the way, you tend to get to know them better. You can evaluate what aspects they need more guidance and what factors they can do well on their own. You can also assess the events that can give them risk, as well as the circumstances that can boost their confidence.

Learn to recalibrate your parenting strategies

There are times that, as a parent, you become too over protective. This trait is in between the good and bad strategy in the sense that you are putting the security of your kid first but you are not letting them slowly learn to be independent. As you observe your kid’s development, you tend to learn to modify and recalibrate your tactics to suit their brand-new preferences.

You should start to accept that over time, you child will develop a wide range of learning that can contribute to his growth and understanding of life, the world, and everything in between. Thus, you should be open in adapting to these changes and slowly learn to let go of their hand when the time comes — or as they become physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually prepared to venture the world.

Enhance your relationship with them

Parent-children relationship is among the most important relationships in the world. Even though there are many kids and parents who have scarred relationships due to unfortunate or unavoidable circumstances, the connection between them still lives even if pain was there. Focusing on the development of your children, from the moment they were conceived to the time that they slowly learn things, can definitely enhance your relationship.

You get to bond with one another, know the likes and dislikes, and feel safe and secured. The kids also become more open and vulnerable towards you, which is a great thing so that you would know what you should do and how you should help them. There is nothing better than a good bond between you and your child.

Development is associated with growth, and growth is among the best things that many work hard to acquire. Kids, innocent and pure as they are, don’t have any idea on how far they could go in this fast-paced world. Hence, as a parent, you should be there to guide them in different stages of your child’s development so they could be ready to face life with a head held high.

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Stirring Children’s Books that You Should Check Out

Children’s books offer a different kind of excitement that you cannot find in another genre. The mix of innocence and fun will always get to you, reminding you of what you once were and how life was simpler before everything went roller coaster.  What is more interesting in reading children’s literature is that their stories are able to touch the lives of those beyond the age range of their targets. They effectively tell the stories in a surprisingly simple way.

So, if you are looking for stirring children’s books that will give a brand-new sense of thrill and excitement, then you should check these books out.

Is It Santa? by Nelibeth Plaza

Do stories about mystery-solving excite you? If they do, then Is It Santa by Nelibeth Plaza is surely the best for you. This follows the story of how the freshly-baked cookies of Mother Rebekkah were strewed all around their home. Who could the culprit be? Everything was all right from the moment she baked and put the cookies in a gift basket until she left home to fetch her kids from school. When they got home and discovered the mysterious event, the kids started to expect that it was Santa because it was basically baked for him. But, the thought of an intruder is also there; so, they started investigating and looking for evidences to find out if is it really Santa or not.

The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin

The Westing Game is part of Puffin Modern Classics and is authored by Ellen Raskin. It was published October of last year by Puffin Books. This book won different awards, such as the Newbery Medal, Boston Globe/Horn Book Award, ALA Notable Book, and more. It centers on the story of sixteen individuals who were present in a gathering for Samuel W. Westing’s will reading. Hence, it is when an extremely imaginative mystery started because they are given the opportunity to be millionaires. But, they should play the game wisely in order to discover the answer and be the winner. The Westing game is not your ordinary game because it is tough and risky.

Three Times Lucky by Sheila Turnage

This 2013 Newbery Medal Honor Book award winner was written by Sheila Turnage. It tells the story of Miss Moses LoBeau, a sixth grader who resides in a little town of Tupelo Landing, NC. In her town, each person’s business is fair game and there is secrets are not untouchable. Mo was washed ashore in a storm more than a decade ago. She is constantly wishing to look for her mother. Hence, given her situation, she was taken in by Miss Lana and Colonel. Mo vowed to safeguard the people that she loves with all her heart and might. So the moment a lawman visited the town to interrogate about a murder, Mo and her best friend jump-started their way to seek for the truth and save her family.

The Name of This Book is Secret by Pseudonymous Bosch

The Name of This Book is Secret by Pseudonymous Bosch is the first book of The Secret Series. It falls under the genres mystery and adventure. The book was published in 2007 by Little Brown. The story revolves around the adventures of two kids named Cass and Max-Ernest. Their curiosity was awakened after a peculiar death of a local magician; so, they started to investigate the event. Moreover, the author admitted that he often reprimanded himself for writing the secret during the whole manuscript-writing process. There were moments that he bribed himself to continue writing and finishing the tale with chocolates.

Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan

The best-selling author Rick Riordan penned the second book of the Percy Jackson & the Olympians series titled Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters. It was published in 2006 by Miramax Books and Disney Hyperion. It follows the demigod Percy Jackson as he goes into another adventure to save Grover, his satyr friend, and the Camp Half-blood. The former is in danger due to Cyclops Polyphemus and the latter is at risk from the attack of a Titan taking the Golden Fleece to heal Thalia’s poisoned pine tree.

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Perks of Reading Romance Novels

The romance genre is not a something new served on the table. In fact, there are already wide array of romance novels giving readers different types of stories, heartbreaks, thrill, and emotions. It is a billion dollars industry that is always on top of the commercial sales list. There are various factors why this genre is a hit, and probably the familiarity of the readers to the feeling of being intimately in love is one of those reasons.

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, A Walk to Remember by Nicholas Sparks, It Ends With Us by Colleen Hoover, Me Before You by Jojo Moyes, and Dream, Sweet Dreams of You by Rick Vasquez are among the best romance books of all-time.

If you are already a fan of this genre or are still discover some great romance titles, then you should know the benefits of reading romance novels. What could they be? Here’s what you need to know.

Understand love better

Love plays an integral role in everybody’s life. But, that doesn’t mean that each individual experiences the same type of love. With romance novels, you can get to know more about love and all its complexities. Having a broader understanding of the subject can lead to building better relationships and developing self-love. Perhaps you have experienced the pain of not receiving or giving enough the people around you or probably you have gone through confusion as to why others don’t express the same way as you do. But, these books help you acquire a better grasp on love, the love languages, and everything in between, which is beneficial in refreshing your mindset, actions, and opinions.

Experience different kinds of love

Romance genre is all encompassing, which means that it doesn’t only focus on the romantic side of things but also tackles other kinds of relationships. Books of this category know how to bring it all together, offering readers great deals of things that can influence their way of life and perceiving things. Upon reading the heartfelt stories, you start to experience the different types of love through the eyes of the narrator, which could be the protagonist or an unknown narrator depending on the POV used. Romantic love, enduring love, familiar love, selfless love, self-love, and affectionate love are among the things that you can get to know after reading books in this genre.

Learn practical life lessons

Walking on your chosen path, pursuing your goals, living to the fullest, taking care of your health, manifesting kindness, and loving one another are some of the practical life lessons that you can learn from reading romance novels. Although literature, in general, brings so much learning to the readers, there are certain genres that offer specific lessons that can definitely influence the lives of the readers. Hence, romance novels will not only make you feel a roller coaster of emotions but will also help you learn more about life through the significant themes that they contain.

Develop a sense of hope

Hope is a precious item that many tend to possess in this lifetime. It cannot be helped that there are unfortunate situations that can break you. These circumstances can be related to love, such as death of a beloved, first heartbreak, unrequited relationship, and other instances. Romance novels become one of the mediums that can spark hope within those people who felt lost, lonely, uncertain, and troubled. Thus, with hope comes the blossoming of inspiration and motivation, helping readers like you be more positive in facing the lemons thrown by life each day.

Escape from the real world

Readers often read fiction books to escape the struggles and horrors of the real world; and, romance novels seem to become one of the safe havens of book worms. It is like becoming a different person and being in a new love story — these factors increase the desire and interest of readers in romance novels. Although these stories are fictional, the sense of familiarity with the emotions and events surely attach you to them, as well as the opportunity to help you run away from your real life chaos even just for a short while. Books, specifically romance novels, truly are magical and amazing.

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Awesome Books that Will Remind You of Your Childhood

Every memory that we’ve had when we were kids is precious. We were young and innocent with no proper knowledge about how life can get tough as we grow up. Hence, there is nothing that can top those amazing things that we’ve been through because a child’s innocence and purity cannot be restored once tainted. What we can do is to relive those experiences with the help of different mediums, such as books.

Books surely have the ability to remind us of the past that has shaped our present and possibly our future. There are so much learning and memories that mold us into what and who we are today. So, if you want to be reminded of your childhood, then here are some of the best books that you should check out.

Swimming in the Ocean by Kathryn Coltrin

ReadersMagnet published Swimming in the Ocean by Kathryn Coltrin last October 2020. This is the perfect read because summer is almost here.  This book centers on the wide array of childhood experiences, which everybody made the most of and have gone through when we were still young. Kids today have fun in spending time with their peers and family. They also gain great understanding by playing in different locations, such as by the shore, field, playground, and more. As every part of being a child is read aloud, the kids and the parents will definitely relish the several phases of childhood.

Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White

Charlotte’s Web is a classic children’s book authored by E.B. White with illustrations by Garth Williams. For those who were raised in the countryside and those who are fond of animals, this book is the best for you. The story revolves around Wilbur, a livestock pig, and Charlotte, a barn spider. The former is in the verge of becoming slaughtered so the latter composed a message to change the mind of the farmer by using her web. The friendship of the animals will absolutely melt your hearts. There are also other crucial aspects that the book tackles, such as death, change, and purity of mind.

Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney

Have you remembered your first day in middle school? If you do, then you can surely remember those memories through this book. Diary of a Wimpy Kid is a children’s book by Jeff Kinney, which is the first book of the series with the same name as the title. It follows the story of Greg Heffley and his goal of becoming famous in middle school. There were a lot of crazy events that happened on Greg’s life at school, including the Cheese Touch, being part of Safety Patrol, failing a geography test, trying to be one of the Class Favorite in the yearbook, and more. This book offers the fun and nostalgia of being a middle school student and all things in between.

Katie and Kenny Tour the Railroad by Keith Niles Corman

Trains are among the things that we were fond of when we were kids. Thus, there are many books that revolve around it including Keith Niles Corman’s Katie and Kenny Tour the Railroad. This children’s book raises awareness for kids and even adults that the railroad is not a playground; so, they should follow the safety protocols. The story centers on the tour that Katie, Kenny, and their father took in their local railroad yard headed by an engineer. While reading the story, you will not only be entertained but also be more knowledgeable about railroads and everything in between.

Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll

Are you familiar with Mad Hatter, White Queen, Red Queen, or Chester Cat? Then, you might have read Alice’s Adventures in the Wonderland already. The story centers on a girl named Alice who suddenly fell in a rabbit hole and found herself in an extraordinary world filled with amazing creatures. Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland fiddle with logic and other bright concepts that added to the book’s long-term popularity. It has become one of the most popular fiction books of all-time because of how impactful its narrative, characters, story, imagery, and other elements are to the pop culture and literature.

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Reasons to Love Fantasy Books for Kids

Does your heart flutter when you see a bunch of fantasy books, specifically fantasy children’s books? Imagine the whole new worlds that you can travel and experience upon reading those amazing works. Fantasy books for kids pertain to the tales intended for children that feature supernatural, magic, and other extraordinary aspects. But, it is already understood that children’s books have a wide array of readers beyond its intended ones. Hence, many try and are hooked to delve into these kinds of stories.

Connie Arnold’s promising fantasy tales and Patricia Gummeson’s illustrated fantasy books for children are among the best works in this genre. If you are a die hard for this category or want to get to know more about it, then here are some of the reasons to love fantasy books for kids.

They protect the reader’s innocence

You probably have heard about the word innocence a lot. It refers to the lack of knowledge or purity of mind. It is one of the qualities of a child that slowly dissolve overtime due to growth and life. Luckily, there are still aspects in the world that try to restore this purity in kids and remind adults of this trait, such as children’s literature. There are many fantasy stories that entertain the readers and at the same time safeguard their innocence. These books slowly teach them age appropriate and related things so that they can gradually get a better grasp about life.

Those who weren’t lucky enough to get educated or informed appropriately tend to develop a sense of regret for having to know a lot of things at once and not enjoy their childhood. With fantasy stories, readers are given the chance to make the most of being a kid, have fun on the magical worlds, and learn things little by little.

They showcase simple storylines

Imagine reading a complicated plot at such a young age. That would definitely among the most undesirable things when it comes to reading, isn’t it? Being a kid who haven’t fully developed you comprehension and reading skills yet, you would definitely want a simpler storyline; and, that’s what fantasy books for children offers.  

There are different amazing elements that spice up the plot, but the sequence of events can still be easily understood by the readers. With all the magic and extraordinary factors, authors have made it possible to craft uncomplicated plots in telling their story. As a result, readers will surely get the theme and gist of every story while having fun and amusement.

They offer remarkable lessons

A story without substance wouldn’t make sense. Even if how many beautiful things a tale contains, if it doesn’t have a lesson, readers wouldn’t learn. The theme is among the most integral elements of a book. And in fantasy children’s books, authors definitely did their best in injecting timely and notable learning that can be used and applied by readers.

The common lessons indicated in these kinds of books are those little things that are often taken for granted in life. Being kind to everyone, manifesting the attitude of gratitude, showing love in all forms, putting family first, achieving your goals, and taking care of nature are among the common lessons taught by fantasy books. Many might think that fantasy only brings and shows castles, dragons, witches, royalties, talking animals, and more; but, little did they know that there is important learning hidden behind those factors.

They inspire you to be better

Growth is essential. A person who doesn’t grow in different aspects wouldn’t achieve success.  Personal development is a constant process of understanding and awareness of an individual’s self so can they can unlock their full potential and live to the fullest. With the simple storylines and learning-filled tales, readers will surely come up with their own realizations and start bettering themselves.

You may think that fantasy books don’t have the ability to inspire people, but there are more to them than the fun and thrill. They offer a huge amount of learning that every reader can take inspiration of and encourage themselves to strive harder. There are also stories under this genre that reminds people to manifest different values that can make life better.

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Meaningful Nonfiction Reads to Satisfy the Bookish Needs

Are you currently looking for some great reads under nonfiction that will surely tame the bookworm in you? Being a book lover is undoubtedly something that is rewarding yet demanding; because you can get all the fun and knowledge just by sitting and reading, but you will also experience the extreme urge to get more books. But literature doesn’t disappoint, for it has thousands of exceptional pieces that can definitely give you the entertainment and learning you need.

So, here are some of the best and meaningful titles that you might want to check out and add to your to-be-read list.

On Freedom and Revolt: A Comparative Investigation by Carl E. Moyler

On Freedom And Revolt by Moyler is a thorough and substantial investigation pertaining to the lives of two Nobel Prize winners, namely Martin Luther King, Jr. and Albert Camus. The good differentiation of these two remarkable individuals has tackled huge issues about oppression, inequity, poverty, discrimination, manipulation, and war. The author revealed that the two are not open to the idea of facing these catastrophic events and make a move. Moreover, Moyler discovered a commonality between the two figures, specifically in introducing those social problems despite their dissimilarities in race and culture.

Homage to Catalonia by George Orwell

Brilliant classic author George Orwell isn’t only known for his sci-fi books but also for his nonfiction work. Homage to Catalonia is the book containing the author’s personal experiences and views during the battle for the POUM force of the Republican troops in the Spanish Civil War. The book primarily highlights the war and the author’s political perspectives and observations. The war is also among the essential aspects that pushed him to write this fantastic nonfiction book. The book was first published in 1938 by Secker and Warburg in the United Kingdom.

Make Your Bed by Admiral William H. McRaven

This New York Times bestselling book is written by Admiral William H. McRaven. The second edition of the book was published in 2017 by Grand Central Publishing. The content of the book was founded on the promising graduation speech of the author. In May 2014, the author gave a speech for the University of Texas’s graduating class. He started to talk about the ten principles that he mastered while training in the Navy Seal and that have inspired him to conquer struggles in different aspects of life. The speech, moreover, went viral due to its substance and lesson. Make Your Bed, and the title basically urges readers to begin taking a step towards making a difference in the world by making their beds.

Declutter Your Mind: How to Stop Worrying, Relieve Anxiety, and Eliminate Negative Thinking by S.J. Scott and Barrie Davenport

S.J. Scott and Barrie Davenport authored the inspiring book titled Declutter Your Mind: How to Stop Worrying, Relieve Anxiety, and Eliminate Negative Thinking. The paperback was published in 2016 by CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform. For those who feel submerged by their thoughts and who are having a hard time dealing with anxiety, this is the perfect book for those readers. This book aims to help readers in learning the habits, behaviors, and outlooks to free their minds from bothersome thoughts and start living a great life. There are different parts of the book that tackle great topics, such as roots of mental clutter, ways to enhance or get rid of bad relationships, a simple technique in discovering the things that are significant to you, and more.

The You Beyond You: The Knowledge of the Willing by Ramzi Najjar

The You Beyond You: The Knowledge of the Willing by Ramzi Najjar was independently published last year. This award-winning book is an excellent guide for readers who want to find ways to eliminate all that they have obtained that are considered bad habits, principles, and energies collected via personal experiences and general knowledge. It also uncovers a brand-new aspect of the natural world based on its authentic rules and more. After delving into this book, readers will indeed reflect on and realize the following: how various habits intoxicate the body, how to conquer ideas and concepts that bother our minds, and more.

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Essential Parenting Books That Every Parent Must Read

During this lifetime, you probably have heard of the term “parenting” multiple times next to “adulting.” In the broadest sense, parenting refers to the act of guiding and supporting your kid’s overall well-being and growth from being a baby to becoming an adult. It also pertains to the complexities and joy of raising a kid that doesn’t only applies biologically.

Every parent has different experiences in bringing up a child. Some may have already gone through the falls and struggles of keeping it together, such as juggling parenthood and career at the same time. Others, moreover, might still be savoring the joy of becoming a parent and having to see the child grow into a remarkable individual. Regardless of the diverse parenting styles and experiences, everyone still needs various mediums that can help them become a better guardian to their children — like books.

Literature truly showcases hundreds of books that aim to help each parent to raise their child in the most suitable and loving way possible. That said, listed below are some of the best books about parenting that you should know.

Three Dimensions of Learning: A Blueprint for Learning from the Womb to the School by Dr. Carolyn Nooks Teague

Dr. Carolyn Nooks Teague authored the comprehensive book Three Dimensions of Learning: A Blueprint for Learning from the Womb to the School that was published in 2017. This is a significant guidebook specifically written to provide support to both parents and teachers to be more mindful of the methods wherein they can smother or empower the kid’s future. The book also focuses on the whole growth of the kid, ranging from being formed at the womb of the mother until the child’s life at school. In every phase, the essence of handling and directing the mental, spiritual, emotional, and physical conditions of the kid are being highlighted.

Weird Parenting Wins: Bathtub Dining, Family Screams, and Other Hacks from the Parenting Trenches by Hillary Frank

A witty yet substantial book about parenting titled Weird Parenting Wins: Bathtub Dining, Family Screams, and Other Hacks from the Parenting Trenches by Hillary Frank is a must-read for every parent out there. The book provides remarkably untraditional parenting tips and strategies that can help both the kids and the parents. As the mothers and fathers discover the skills, behaviors, and abilities of their children, they can start to evaluate the things that can trigger their offspring. Through this book, you may discover other people’s unique parenting victories that greatly work for you or be motivated to attempt brand-new strategies to uplift your parenting game.

Diaper Dude: The Ultimate Dad’s Guide to Surviving the First Two Years by Chris Pegula with Frank Meyer

TarcherPrerigee published the humorous book about fatherhood and everything in between titled Diaper Dude: The Ultimate Dad’s Guide to Surviving the First Two Years by Chris Pegula with Frank Meyer. Pegula looks into the first 24 months of being a parent and elaborates his profound belief that you aren’t required to lose yourself the moment that you enter fatherhood. Using a manly tone filled with wit, the book definitely tackles what it is like to become a father. This is the most ideal book for first-time dads because it teaches them the dos and don’ts, as well as the best tips to follow in order to execute dad duties and maintain one’s sanity.

The Whole-Brain Child: 12 Revolutionary Strategies to Nurture Your Child’s Developing Mind by Daniel J. Siegel, M.D. and Tina Payne Bryson, Ph.D.

The Whole-Brain Child: 12 Revolutionary Strategies to Nurture Your Child’s Developing Mind by Daniel J. Siegel, M.D. and Tina Payne Bryson, Ph.D. is a New York Times and Amazon bestselling book published by Bantam. This practical book showcases a thorough approach to raising a child with a dozen of significant strategies that can mold a healthy development of the mind that can result to more joyful and calmer kids. The authors have provided comprehensive details on the brand-new science explaining the way a child’s brain is hyped up and the ways that it develops. You will surely understand how your child matures and get to know the best techniques to help your kid grow into a great individual.

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Best Books to Read on Achieving Self-healing

“Just like there’s always time for pain, there’s always time for healing.” – Jennifer Brown, Hate List.

Healing is essential. However, the process in achieving inner wholeness might become a little too difficult due to different factors. Every person in this world has been or is still on his journey to mend his own pain and turn them into his greatest strength. It is only in completeness that everyone can experience genuine emotions, clear mind, happy heart, and positive mindset; so, the moment that your wounds have been mended, that is only the time that you will feel whole again.

How could we strive and achieve this type of wholeness? There are many means that we can turn to, but books have proven themselves useful and practical. Hence, listed below are among the best titles to look out for that can greatly help you on your journey to self-healing.

Healing the Wounded Soul: Ways to Inner Wholeness Volume I by Arline Westmeier

Arline Westmeier authored the book Healing the Wounded Soul: Ways to Inner Wholeness, which is the first volume of the Healing the Wounded Soul book set. It was published in 2020 by ReadersMagnet. Moreover, the way that you totally recall your traumas linger within you like unsettled videos found in both your conscious and unconscious memories. These particular terrible experiences greatly affect your personal life and the people around you by throwing them to your experiences each day. Thus, the author helps you manage the impacts of different problems or traumas, including dysfunctional families, guilt after committing abortion, becoming an unwanted kid, and more, that you have encountered through this book.

The Untethered Soul: The Journey beyond Yourself by Michael A. Singer

The first edition of The Untethered Soul: The Journey beyond Yourself by Michael A. Singer was published by New Harbinger Publications/Noetic Books last 2007. This New York Times bestselling book helps you change your bond with yourself and with your surroundings. Therefore, you will soon uncover the methods of stopping frequent thoughts and feelings that restrains your consciousness. The author makes you witness the growth of consciousness that allows you to live in the present and set the hurtful memories and ideas free. As a result, you will achieve genuine happiness and self-reflection.

You Can Heal Your Life by Louise L. Hay

This international bestseller that has sold more than 50 million copies is authored by Louise L. Hay. You Can Heal Your Life is among the best books to read when it comes to searching for self-esteem and self-love. Many readers give credit to this particular literary work with deeply changing their consciousness of the effect that the mind creates on their fitness and well-being. This encouraging and motivating work provides an intense insight to the bond of the body and mind. Examining the methods that restraining concepts and thoughts restrict and impedes you, the author also gives a great point to comprehending the main reason of your physical illnesses and discomforts.

Reasons to Stay Alive by Matt Haig

Published in 2016 by Penguin Life, Reasons to Stay Alive by Matt Haig is a motivating and inspiring narrative of the way that he personally conquered the disease through reading, writing, and the unconditional affection of the most important people in his life. Hence, he gradually learned to be grateful and to value life better. Every individual’s life is impacted by mental illness, if you do not personally suffer from any of it, then someone who play a special role in your life or someone you know might be suffering from it. The honesty and openness of the author of what he has gone through is both motivating to the readers who feels tired brought by depression and enlightening those who are bewildered by it.

The Gifts of Imperfection by Brené Brown

Brené Brown’s The Gifts of Imperfection: Let Go of Who You Think You’re Supposed to be and Embrace Who You Are is an uplifting spiritual and self-help book that can surely increase the self-esteem of every reader. It was published last 2010 by Hazelden Publishing. Through this book, everyone will surely discover the bravery and courage to conquer the great amount of self-consciousness and fear. Instead, people will start to build up their relationship to the world, as well as support individuals to have faith that they deserve self-discovery, development, and love.

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Top Children’s Books that Promote Safety

Safety is something that seems so simple yet has the most important meaning. In this day and age, we should definitely stress out the significance of putting welfare first than anything else. Safety precautions allow us, especially children, to prevent the risks and hazards that can lead to serious injuries. With everything that is going on in the world today, the kids — innocent as they are, should be trained to know the importance of being protected and recognizing the threats around them.

Additionally, these young minds must have adequate resources that will remind them of how beneficial and essential keeping themselves safe and being aware of their surroundings. Books can be the most effective teacher and medium that promotes safety and welfare. That said, here are some of the best books that will help kids learn more about the vitality of living in a safe and comfortable environment.

Katie and Kenny Tour the Railroad by Keith Niles Corman

Katie and Kenny Tour the Railroad emphasizes the significance of railroad safety for children by Corman. This children’s book and was published by Dorrace Publishing in 2016. Furthermore, the story follows two amazing kids named Katie and Kenny who are being accompanied by their dad to embark on a tour at their area’s railroad yard led by an engineer. The main theme of the book is to help kids realize that the railroad is not a playground where they can wander and play. Even though there are different types of transportation that are improving today, trains and locomotors are being highlighted by the author because of how he grew up watching the trains and due to the fact that many children are find trains interesting.

Some Secrets Should Never Be Kept by Jayneen Sanders

This amazing book authored by Jayneed Sanders and illustrated by Craig Smith that is intended for the young readers was published in 2015. Some Secrets Should Never Be Kept centers on maintaining the safety and security of kids from improper touch — in other words, body safety. Hence, this book is a crucial tool for parents, teachers, and others to talk about the safe and unsafe touch in an unintimidating and kid-friendly manner. There are all-inclusive notes addressed to the readers and discussion questions at the end of the book that aim to help the prospects while tackling the story.

Not Everyone is Nice: Helping Children Learn Caution with Strangers by Frederick Alimonti

Frederick Alimonti’s Not Everyone is Nice: Helping Children Learn Caution with Strangers is a promising children’s book that helps remind the readers to not trust strangers easily. The story centers on a little girl named Kathy who was approached by an unfamiliar car while she was waiting for her mom outside of her school. The driver smiled and is trying to convince Kathy to let him drive her home. Before the innocent girl get into the car, her mom arrived and the stranger quickly drive off. Kathy got confused and offended after being left hanging by the stranger. Afterward, Kathy’s parents gently explained to her the situation and told her to never trust strangers easily.

I Can Be Safe: A First Look at Safety by Pat Thomas

I Can Be Safe: A First Look at Safety by Pat Thomas and illustrated by Lesley Harker is part of the 8-book series called A First Look At…series. The book recognizes the fears of the children and helps them to be more acquainted with the things that are essential to feel protected in various events. As a result, the readers will surely learn different types of safety measures and other important aspects that revolve around being protected. This book, moreover, is easy to read, which makes it perfect for its target readers. It also explores various topics, such as understanding emotional issues, answering questions about preschool student struggles, and more.

In conclusion, safety should be given more attention and priority by many. There isn’t more satisfying and comfortable feeling than knowing that your loved ones, especially the kids are well-oriented about the dangers in the society, are away from threats and risks. With everything that is going on in the world, being able to recognize hazards and knowing how to act while being at risk is essential.

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Different Elements that Enhance the Quality of Mystery Fiction Stories

Mystery fiction is a great literary genre that has inspired book lovers and aspiring writers from different parts of the world. Many books have been launched in the market and a lot of them have encouraged their mystery book fans to go beyond their limits and use their investigative skills in some parts of their journey through life. Another defining thing of this genre is its ability to produce amazing characters that serve as the idols and role models of readers because of their great characteristics and traits, such as Sherlock Holmes, Miss Marple, August Dupin, Nancy Drew, Superintendent Battle, Inspector Rebus, Dr. Kay Scarpetta, and more.

What could be the different elements that improve the quality of every mystery fiction story? Here are the common devices used in mystery fiction that makes the genre more interesting and exciting to dive into.  

Crime

A crime refers to the felony or offense committed by a character that improves the plot of mystery fiction. This aspect is commonly presented at the early stages of the story. It has the ability to mold the main conflict of the story that leads to an investigation and the journey of the protagonist to reveal the person behind it. Take for example in The Hound of the Baskervilles, the death of Charles Baskerville led to the investigation led by Sherlock Holmes until the case was solved.

The most common crime associated with mystery fiction is murder. So, because of this aspect, the murder mystery genre came into view. The murder mystery books by JB Clemmens are some of the best examples of the combined crime and mystery genre.

Foreshadowing

There are many stories that present hints of the situation that will take place in the future, which is typically known as foreshadowing. Many authors can tease the readers about a particular event by dropping clues somewhere in the story or in the dialogues. Authors are given the freedom to either directly state or thoroughly hide the foreshadowing in the story.

Epilogue

This pertains to the part of the story, usually found at the end of the novel, which serves as commentary on a particular factor of the story or shows the conclusion to the events in the book. Hence, it is the final act of the story. Using this device brings your work and the readers together. However, it is different from the storyline’s conclusion. If you think about it, this is the ending after the ending, meaning this is found after the plot is closed. The integral questions and loose ends that are found at the conclusion is being given light and answered by this device to give the readers a better grasp on the story.

Red herrings

Without red herrings, every mystery fiction story wouldn’t be interesting. Hence, they are one of the most crucial elements of mystery stories. Red herrings are the false hints used by authors to create tension in the stories. The main purpose of this aspect is to stray the readers away from the track for a short while. Many writers tend to create other villains, emphasize certain objects, and make twists that aren’t that significant. Thus, red herrings enhance the story by hooking the attention of the readers and bringing them to a false direction before they reach the resolution.

Sleuth

Sleuth pertains to the character that is filled with determination to solve the case. This character can be an amateur detective, private investigators, police detectives, and more. In simpler terms, a sleuth is the crime solver. The development of the sleuth is integral in every mystery fiction. That is why they require a great backstory that binds them to the crime or the suspect to show their character development and give them a stronger reason to solve the mystery.

Narrative momentum

The plot of mystery fiction story usually follows a continuous motion because of the cat-and-mouse flow of the narrative. The pace of the story becomes faster, resulting to reaching the highest point of the story and to the resolution of the conflict. This is the primary element, with the help of the characters, which brings the plot forward.

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How Children’s Books Create a Difference amid Digital Age

With the rise of the digital age, many may think that children are more into watching videos on Youtube and playing games online. But, the reality is that kids still read books because the entertainment and learning offered by these remarkable literary pieces cannot be compared to what they get from the internet.

On top of that, books didn’t stay on their comfort zone but go beyond it to get along with the competition in the market instead. There are already electronic books that aim to reach those who dislike physical books or for kids who are glued to their devices. So, the learning and enjoyment never stops because books continue to touch the lives and capture the attention of kids the same way that other modes of entertainment do.

After all the progress that happened in this century, there still any reasons to read children’s books. Then, how can children’s literature create a difference? Here are the answers to your question.

They encourage people to make a change

Children’s books contain stories that are simple yet meaningful. Readers of all ages tend to get inspired from the tales that teaches different lessons. The content of the stories aim to help kids and readers beyond the set age range to step up and make a change. Among the common aspects that children’s books teach people include stop bullying, radiate kindness, manifest optimism, have faith, be honest, and more. Thus, it doesn’t matter how big the difference that you have made in your home, relationship, or society. What is important is that readers realize how little progress and actions can result to big outcomes and changes.

They unleash readers’ skills and abilities

Kids are still young. They have a long way to go and a bright future ahead of them. That means that they still have a lot of undiscovered skills and abilities that need to be nurtured and unleashed. Moreover, people need skills to survive in this world. But, kids shouldn’t worry because books — as humble as they appear, can help uncover their full potential. Is it Santa?, based on actual true events book by Nelibeth Plaza, helps children and other readers develop their curiosity and investigative skills by simply reading the story and helping the characters find out who moved the cookies of Mother Rebekkah from the basket to different parts of the house.

They help readers understood themselves better

Self-understanding is important in life, especially in children’s lives. Without it, you may have difficulties in dealing with your own self and handling relationships with others. Upon reading children’s books, you will be surprised on how these simple tales can help you achieve self-understanding and awareness. They will make you realize that the complex and mature things is not always the key to understanding and improvement. The simpler the story and the lesson, the easier it is to develop oneself. If you reached this stage, you can start molding better relationships and restoring weaker bonds with people that have been part of your life.

They give individuals an avenue for growth

People need to grow. However, the process of development can become too harsh that many seem to give up without even trying their best. Personal growth should be something that individuals must strive to attain. In this fast-paced world, those who go through and survive the process are the lucky ones. Therefore, kids must be open for growth and should remember its essence as early as now. Fortunately, children’s books provide both kids and adults a good avenue for self-development. The words written on each page become powerful weapon that these remarkable people will put in mind and apply as they venture to their own paths in life.

Children’s books are amazing tools that can help many readers figure out the complexities of life and discover their full potential. Even if the world continue to progress and produce advanced modes of learning and enjoyment, books can still keep up with the trend and continue living their glory days. As long as there are kids and even adults who desire to pick and read a book, these literary pieces can withstand time and help create a difference.

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Science Fiction Tropes that You Should Know

If you have been an avid fan of books, then the term “trope” might already be familiar to you. A trope in the world of literature refers to the utilization of figurative language for artistic impact. However, it is also used to describe the typical rhetorical and literary devices and clichés that are recurring in books. These tropes can be narrowed down depending on the genre that the book belongs to, such as fantasy tropes, science fiction tropes, young adult fiction tropes, and more.

Since science fiction is one of the most popular genres, you can definitely observe the wide array of literary tropes featured in different scifi books. These aspects can either contribute to the success of the book or reduce the impact of the story. So, if you want to know more about tropes in science fiction. Then, here are the common sci-fi tropes that you should know.

Parallel Universe

It is also known as parallel world or alternate reality. This trope commonly entails the escape in one of the present alternate universe. Moreover, it is a more generic term that doesn’t entail a connection or insufficient relationship with the real world. The concept of parallel universe was primarily presented in comic books after The Flash #123 was published.

Alien Existence

The existence of aliens or extraterrestrial life forms is definitely common in science fiction. You can observe them in your favorite scifi series in both literature and big screen, such as Star Trek and Star Wars. Many sci-fi books tend to present these extraterrestrial creatures in different ways. In The Three-Boy Problem of Cixin Liu, there were killer aliens who desire to invade the planet while in Lilith’s Brood by Octavia E. Butler; there were friendly aliens who help save humans.

Advanced Technology

Many sci-fi books feature extraordinary machines that objects that contributed to the whole mood and atmosphere of the story. Some of these technological advancements are there to increase the mystery, enhance the setting, and generates emotions from the readers. Among the best examples are the electric indy cars of Madhouse Projects and the miles-length cylinder of Rendezvous with Rama.

Clones

If you are a sci-fi fan, then you may be already familiar about clones. This is one of the science fictions tropes that paved its way to reality. There are many books that show how humans, commonly the antagonists, are cloning themselves or put their minds to clones in order to live eternally. Moreover, many different types of inquiries regarding identity emerge. In Kiln People by David Brin, disposable clones were used to become substitute of the human who is feeling under the weather, e.g. not wanting to go to work.

Robots

Robots or artificial intelligence are widely used in sci-fi. They are typically used by characters for either a good or bad motive. This specific trope is already being invented in the real world to increase convenience and help people. Furthermore, they come in different forms, sizes, and abilities. Robots existing somewhere on the fictional earth don’t have the same intelligence, class, and tendency to become evil unlike their predecessors. The Fury in Two-Handed Engine by Henry Kuttner, The Iron Man in The Iron Man: A Children’s Story in Five Nights by Ted Hughes, Jenkins in City by Clifford Simak, and Otis in Indigara by Tanith Lee are some of the notable robots in science fiction.

Post-apocalypse

There are many post-apocalyptic novels in science fiction. Most of them are infused with dystopian elements making the novels more action-packed and exciting. Some tales conclude with the end of humankind while others open there. While various post-apocalyptic novels may frequently have the same feel, the literary trope serves a wide array of storytelling motive, such as to serve as awareness on our actions and to discover our human reactions in tight circumstances.

Time Travel

Travelling from one generation to another has been a defining trait of science fiction. The concept of time machine was made known by the novel of H.G. Wells titled The Time Machine. Thus, many stories opt to hand out the time travelling card in order to fix a problem, resolve an issue, gain enlightenment, and such.

Science fiction is definitely an interesting genre with various literary tropes that added to its richness. What are you waiting for? Stack your shelves with brand-new scifi books now!

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Insightful Nonfiction Books that Will Shift Your Perspectives

Knowledge is power — this is what you commonly hear in both your home and school. The more information that you learn the more you become wiser. It is truly essential that you aspire of acquiring more knowledge in this fast-paced world because time is bringing so much progress and changes in life. What could be the most basic thing that can give you the power from learning different academic and life lessons? Books are the answer!

The literary realm has so much knowledge to offer, all you need is the will and effort to look into it. Nonfiction, for example, contains different insightful books that offer nothing but development, learning, entertainment, and growth. Thus, here are some of the most insightful nonfiction books that will definitely shift your perspectives in life.

The Book of It by Richard Scott Rahn

Published by Page Publishing in 2019, The Book Of It by Richard Scott Rahn has remarkably narrated the multiple decade-length of investigation and research of different disciplines in the world, including sciences, histories, legends, and more. The book also looks into the different principles, progresses, and other aspects in the world. The stories of the investigation of these various factors were told in a sequence of linked yet singularly standing narrations and their tales. It is written with different twists and turns, inquiries, puzzles, metaphors, facts, and personal insights. Hence, Scott Rahn has penned a promising book of discovery that will satisfy those who have curious minds.

From Science to Spirituality by Neil C. Griffen

Neil C. Griffen has written a book that surprisingly showed a brand-new approach on science and religion. The two almost miscible aspects were featured by the author in the most impressive manner showing that they aren’t really at war with one another, which is contrary to the common belief that the public has about them. From Science to Spirituality challenges the readers to interrogate the predetermined principles and ideas when it comes to science and religion. This comprehensively written book shows well-researched data and supporting information that the two disciplines are not at odds. Instead, the book will make you wonder if there is a significant interaction between the mind and the spirit.

Beyond Mere Belief by Greg Van Arsdale

Renowned author-editor Greg Van Arsdale has written an outstanding Christian Theology that inspires and enlightens readers from all over the world. Beyond Mere Belief states that the Church is not mistaken when it comes to the answers to the different questions regarding the aspects of Christianity, such as salvation, sin, soul, God, heaven, and more. If the Christian Church is being pressured to provide answers, it will only tell you to continue having faith or that everyone is not meant to understand. Moreover, the book widens the knowledge and understanding of people regarding the two fronts, which are the physical characteristics of the real world and the duality of humankind.

The Face of Hunger: Reflections on a Famine in Ethiopia by Byron Conner

In this day and age, being able to know about the humanitarian crisis that has stricken the different parts of the world is essential. Thus, The Face of Hunger: Reflections on a Famine in Ethiopia by Dr. Byron Conner has narrated the personal experiences of the author during his missionary journey in Ethiopia. The author found out the there was a great famine on the land, which significantly threatened the existence of many Ethiopians. At around 1984 to 1987, Conner — along with his family, discovered how Ethiopia is suffering from this issue. Therefore, this book will educate you not just about the crisis in the land but also all about this culturally rich country.

Healing and Transformation: Moving from the Ordinary to the Extraordinary by Eric Alsterberg

This insightful and inspiring book by Dr. Eric Alsterberg has helped various readers to heal and transform their lives. Healing and Transformation: Moving from the Ordinary to the Extraordinary serves as a how-to manual that will guide you to see, acknowledge, and comprehend the voice of God that is speaking within you. The author, moreover, is teaching us a lesson on the ways of healing from the past emotional pain and trauma that we have experienced. This book will surely contribute well to our development and transformation.

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Healing: Concept and Benefits

Healing is the term that you typically hear in movies and read in books. It is usually used by people in order to turn a negative situation into a positive one. There are many things that revolve around healing; some of them can be seen by the naked eye while others are only felt. The wounds that you’ve got after stumbling or the pain that you’ve experienced after heartbreak are completely different. However, they all have the same solution, which is to heal.

As life gets tougher, the journey towards healing has also become harder. It somewhat has become a luxury for others and a reward to some. However, there are many things that can help you mend all your pain, both external and internal, like books. Healing the Wounded Soul books volume 1 to 4 by Dr. Westmeier is one of the best books to read when it comes to spiritual healing. Upon reading these remarkable books, you tend to slowly understand your pain and discover the way to heal.

However, one of the most important things before attaining healing is to understand it. What could be the concept behind being alleviated from the pain or discomfort that you have been experiencing for quite some time? Are there any benefits that healing can provide? All these questions will be answered by the details below.

Concept of Healing

According to Healing, a Concept Analysis posted on Global Advances in Health and Medicine, healing is theoretically defined as an optimistic, subjective, and arbitrary process that entails the transformation to a brand-new type of completeness, spiritual greatness, and redefinition of life. It is also operationally defined as the intimate experience of going beyond the suffering and metamorphosing to wholeness.

Brokenness and connection are two of the usual preceding aspects that motivate people to aspire for healing. These factors have key attributes. For the former, its defining characteristic is the comprehensive transformative method while for the latter; it is the natural and all-embracing process that entails restoration and mending of the mind, body, and soul. The results of these aspects are usually aiming for positive transformation, searching for meaning, and attaining personal wholeness.

Additionally, the healing process is life-changing because it transforms the person both in anticipated and unanticipated methods; thus, forming a brand-new identity. The particular person who goes through the changes has overcome suffering, agony, and affliction and has turned into a new individual. This person has gone through a metamorphosis.

Benefits of Healing

There are many ways of healing for there are also different aspects in your personal life that needs mending. Your mind, body, and soul are the most important parts of you that definitely need to healing and transformation. If you have already mended every part of you, then these are the common outcome:

  • Reduced stress
  • More relaxation
  • Better mood and emotional health
  • Improved sleeping habits
  • Lower blood pressure and reduced anxiety
  • Improved pain management
  • More positive life outlook
  • Faster recovery time
  • Boosted confidence and motivation
  • Better immune system
  • Becoming happier and more free
  • Seeing life in different angles
  • Discovering new parts of yourself
  • Achieving peace of mind

According to the results of the study of The Meaning of Healing: Transcending Suffering posted on Annals of Family Medicine, there are different themes discovered that were associated with healing. This process of restoring one’s well-being is extremely an intimate and subjective account that involves the reuniting of the meaning a person sets down to stressful activities with his views on wholeness as an individual.

The ability to heal from painful experiences or physical wounds is amazing. Knowing that you are capable to turn your life around with the act of mending all your sorrows gives power and confidence. There are many aspects in your life that have hit rock bottom and it may seem that you can’t stand on your feet again. It only takes courage and will to heal and transform your life. All you need is a more positive mindset to conquer everything that has been causing you great discomfort and agony. When you start to heal, you can definitely see changes in your mind, body, and soul, which can lead you to a better path in life.

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Essential Tips on Writing the Best Children’s Book

“The moment of discovery and awe when reading is why I write books for children.” – Laura Bullock

Children are the most honest and genuine people you can ever think of. In this fast-paced and harsh world, their innocence and purity fuel those who are drained and burnt out. Seeing smiles and hearing giggles from kids can definitely drive and warm the hearts of adults. So, in order to protect the genuineness of these children and help them grow into better people, literature molded the genre called children’s literature for the sake of not just kids but also adults from different generations and parts of the world.

Becoming one of the authors that aim to inspire and teach the little ones about life would be a challenge. There have already been a lot of books published and conquering the market; and, writing one means that you must survive the tight competition. According to Statista, there are more than 45.8 thousand individuals that are working as authors and writers from different parts of the US in the year 2019.  The numbers are really a lot. So, if you want to write a book for kids, then here are some of the essential tips that you should know.

Come up with brand-new concepts

Writing a book takes a lot of time. Marketing them also needs a lot of effort. In order for you books earn a wide array of readers, you should present a brand-new concept. It is important that you brainstorm and think outside the box to hit the interest of your targets. Crafting these brand-new ideas and presenting them through a wonderful story will help your book achieve success. These concepts are the integral keys of your author journey. No matter how long it takes to write your children’s book, it all goes down to the quality of your work. Fresher ideas mean better work. You are straying away from the clichés and doing your best to give readers the best story that they deserve.

Incorporate figures that spark the imagination of kids

There are different creatures that can help develop the imagination of children. Imagination is the primary aspect that nurtures both social and cognitive growth of kids. It is not just all about being cheerful and playful, because it is more one the skill and holistic development of these little ones. There are many different figures that can make them grow into better and creative individuals in the future; thus, these includes fairies, dragons, Santa Claus, elves, Pegasus, unicorns, and more. Although they are imaginary beings, they can help color the imagination of the kids that can lead into a better learning and reading experience.

Include some twists and turns

Stories with no zigzags will never interest the readers, especially kids. You already know by now how kids are fickle and enthusiastic. One wrong move and they will surely lose interest in your story. Thus, to keep them coming back to your imaginary world and read your wonderful story, you should include some twists and turns. Take for example the Santa’s unbelievable scene on Nelibeth’s book titled Is it Santa? where the freshly baked cookies of Mother Rebekkah that were neatly placed a basket were mysteriously scattered all over the place. The readers will become curious and enthusiastic to find out who’s responsible for the scattering of the cookies. That’s how you can tell that your story is impactful because it is drawing the attention of the readers and making them turn every page until they reach the ending.

Keep it short and simple

The key to a great children’s book is KISS or in other words, keep it short and simple. Your target prospects are kids, which mean that they really won’t exert that much effort in reading your story word by word. The important factors to remember would be because they do are still improving their comprehension, developing their reading skill, and increasing their vocabulary. Writing short but substantial paragraphs is the best way to form an engaging story. The count of words is not the most important part here, what is vital is that the kids are getting a better grasp and are learning from you book.

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Keys in Becoming a Promising Children’s Book Author

Being a children’s book author is not easy. Imagine having to compete with the other established authors of the same genre that have already been there for the longest time? It’s insane and intense. What makes the journey more challenging is the fact that your target readers have fickle minds. They easily focus their attention from one thing to another. Hence, you should really do a good job on the writing process to be able to get along with the competition in the publishing world and gain more prospects.

There are different types of children’s books, such as storybooks, picture books, and such. All you need is to choose a category that fits the concept that you have in mind. Moreover, if you want to become a promising children’s book author like J.K. Rowling, Roald Dahl, Nelibeth Plaza, and Gabriella Eva Nagy, then you should know these keys to achieve success.

Know where the kids’ interests lie

Take note that the age gap between you and your targets is absolutely wide. As a result, you may have different kinds of interests. That is why it is necessary to know the likes and favorites of your prospects. Kids have different preferences depending on their age range. Toddlers age 3-5 years old are commonly into books with colorful covers and illustrations while kids age 6-9 years old still likes vibrant-covered books but they can already comprehend the story with lesser pictures. Make sure to know the things that your patrons love in order to create a relevant and enticing book.

Keep your language simple

Children are still exploring the world. They are also still on the process of learning the basics of life and themselves. Using simple language might be beneficial for both parties. Since you are already in the right age, you might want to use a simpler language where children can easily understand. Writing stories using more advanced terms has the tendency to be left unread, because your target readers will have trouble understanding your story. So, this is where appropriateness comes into the picture — ensures that your terminologies and language fit the age bracket of your readers.

Avoid lengthy paragraphs and sentences

Attention is one of the essential things that you need to catch and fight for as a children’s books author. Therefore, writing long paragraphs and complex sentences will definitely not do you good. As much as you want to convey your ideas through a bunch of words and connect it to the first paragraphs, you should avoid it. Kids, especially toddlers, may easily lose interest in your work even if they have someone reading the book for them. The more words you write, the more your idea becomes complex. Hence, make sure to KISS — keep it short and simple, your work.

Instill valuable lessons

Because your readers are still pure and innocent, protect them at all cost. Books are inanimate teachers; and, as the author of a remarkable book, you should aim to help these kids grow into better individuals. Although there is no mandatory rule for your work to instill values, please take the initiative to use your talent and platform to make a difference. Thus, gradually infuse and highlight a particular value that you or lesson that you want your readers to learn. These lessons can either be used in the academe or life. Regardless of that, what is important is that you have contributed to molding these kids into great people in the future.

Add relevant illustrations

Illustrations help a lot. They contributed greatly when it comes to increasing reader engagement. Your story is wonderful as it already is, but you can make it more beautiful if you include images in it. However, the illustrations that you will blend into your story must be relevant. They should help in telling the particular part of the tale. Readers, especially those who are still learning to read, will definitely appreciate the pictures because they can help them comprehend the story better. Moreover, you are also free to infuse different art styles in your story. In the end, it all goes down to how the illustrations and the stories complement one another.

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How Books Create a Difference in the Society

Life is full of ups and downs, and each situation has the ability to greatly affect the course of every person. As life goes on, there are many things in the society that haven’t been eradicated yet while there are also aspects that have changed. With everything that is happening in the world from the past to the present, the society has been divided whether to keep the same principles or not. Perhaps it could be because the upbringing of people that influences the way they look at life.

Everything that happened in the society, both the good and the ugly, impact its people. Somewhere in your community, there is a person sitting by his windowsill and afraid to go out there and be criticized. It is probably the fear of speaking up and beginning to create a difference that is the problem. If most individuals are hesitant to use their voice, then books aren’t.

Many works have been spitting out truth and educating readers about the great and horrible things that are taking place in the society from the longest of time now. Books, especially nonfiction, show many aspects of the society that needs to be modified for the betterment of everyone. Take for example the way the book shows the justice, the freedom, and the calling On Freedom and Revolt by Carl Moyler through a thorough comparative study. So, if you want to know more about the ability of books in creating a difference in the society, here are the things that you need to know.

They allow you to recognize the cracks and faults

There is no such thing as perfect in this material world. Everything is flawed, but there is completely nothing wrong with it. Books, moreover, helps you see the faults in our society. Living in a community where people and other aspects of it have different principles and belief, chaos and mess would be the outcome. However, this doesn’t happen all the time. The point is that real society issues are present and it is essential for you to know them. The common societal factors that are being tackled by books are racism, poverty, abuse, violence, bullying, gender discrimination, mental health issues, and more.

They develop your empathy

Putting yourself in other else’s shoes is vital. It makes you understand how others are getting by and how they are fighting their own battles. In reading books of different genre, you will start to become more empathetic upon reading how the characters struggle and fought their way through life. Without you knowing it, you are starting to develop empathy and applying it in real life. As a result, you become more understanding and connected to others. This ability to comprehend and recognize people’s emotions is truly crucial in life.

They help you create better decisions

Decision-making is perhaps one of the most complex ability that is bestowed to humans. Making good decisions definitely helps the society to become a better place. In everything you plan to do, allocate some time to think and weigh things. In that way, you can evaluate and analyze the pros and cons of your future actions before it is too late. Reading fiction books with wise characters and nonfiction self-help books makes you a better decision-maker. Hence, your development of this particular skill that you possess can mold you into a better citizen that can reflect to your society.

They urge you to start taking actions

Plans without actions don’t make sense. You may have already witnessed some anomalies in the system and issues in society. The plan to create changes, no matter how big or small is already in your mind. However, you haven’t really had the guts to make them happen. If you start reading books, you will be inspired by the value of courage and freedom of expression that they convey. Thus, the desire to use your bravery and voice will ignite within you pushing you to take a step forward and make an action to create a change for the betterment of society. All you have to do is choose the best book, plan your acts, and manifest your goals.

The Many Challenges of Mental Health Institutions Today

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The challenges of mental health institutions are quite plenty, and sadly, not all of them can be easily fixed or handled.

Patricia Lubeck, author of Asylum Scandals, has identified in her book the many flaws of mental health institutions. However, they weren’t always bad, at least at the start of things. With corrupt higher-ups, overcrowding, and overworked but underpaid staff, the story of abuse, torture, corruption, and murder started manifesting behind these institutions’ walls.

We invite you to join us to talk about some of the challenges that mental health care (including mental health institutions) face in our modern era.

1. The Lack of Accessibility Many People Feel

For various people, not having access to mental health services can imply different things. 

Patients who are elderly or less mobile patients might not have friends or family members who can look after them and drive them to clinics. There may be an extreme lack of mental health professionals and services in low-income and rural regions.

Other elements limiting access are as follows:

  • Absence of transportation
  • Social disgrace
  • Not enough information
  • Inadequate internet speed and internal

2. Financial Barriers Also Hinder People From Seeking Help

Among the most significant obstacles to mental health treatments that prevent people from getting the help they need is money. When refusing treatment, people frequently give as their excuses the expense of their medical bills or the absence of health insurance.

According to the National Comorbidity Study, 47% of participants who reported having a mood, anxiety, or drug use illness said they required mental health treatment but were unable to pay for it.

By removing obstacles to mental health care, virtual care can lower the cost of mental health therapy by:

  • Locating daycare for parents
  • Taking a break from work
  • Lowering costs of transportation

A US program discovered that using videoconferencing instead of nurse home visits significantly increased the caseload capability. 43,560 driving minutes were conserved over a period of 14 months.

Telehealth sessions instead of in-person visits reduced the Northern Health agency in British Columbia C$65,520 ($49,584.14) in yearly travel expenses.

3. Extremely Long Wait Times

Believe it or not, among the biggest challenges of mental health institutions is their extremely long wait times. Patients’ physical and mental health deteriorates, and their desire to seek therapy decreases with the length of stay. These ridiculous wait times will eventually breed an overall story of abuse, torture, corruption, and murder at the hands of corrupt individuals working in the field, as Patricia Lubeck’s book exposes.

According to recent research by Children’s Mental Health Ontario (CMHO), children may have to wait up to 2.5 years in some locations before receiving mental health treatment. That’s a long wait time, which would open up challenges and opportunities in global mental health.

Psychiatrists see people according to urgency or importance. Despite this, patients might have to wait for as long as two weeks to be evaluated for psychoses, serious mood disorders, or manic episodes.

The Value of Successfully Overcoming the Hurdles to Mental Health Care

Enhancing lives and communities requires removing obstacles to mental health care. An estimated 800,000 individuals attempt suicide annually, or a single individual every 40 seconds on average. When mental health disorders are properly treated, we can lessen the following:

  • Family conflict
  • Substance abuse
  • Employment issues
  • Physical health problems
  • Suicide rates
  • Legal issues

However, to enhance the framework for mental health care, we must first comprehend the obstacles that prevent people from accessing mental health services.

Removing Barriers Present in Mental Health Care

But before we can improve the structure of mental health treatment, we need to understand the barriers that keep certain people from getting the services they need. So, how do doctors encourage people to contact them online for mental health services? When it comes to virtual doctor appointments, there are numerous advantages for patients over in-person sessions, such as:

  • The ability to consult with the doctor in private from home
  • Little to nonexistent waitlists or wait times
  • Less interference with personal and professional schedules
  • Therapy is available at any time and from any location
  • Communication with the doctor in real-time
  • Not having to make travel plans or find a ride

Fixing the Challenges of Mental Health Institutions Together

Fixing the many challenges of mental health institutions and care isn’t going to be easy. But if we work on them together, we can stop the story of abuse, torture, corruption, and murder that happened before. Reading Patricia Lubeck’s book, Asylum Scandals, also helps enlighten us about what we shouldn’t do.

Click here to grab a copy of Patricia’s book today and enjoy a jarring yet truthful read from a meaningful book promoting mental health awareness!

Intention Before Action: Know The Whys Of Relationships

Photo by Chermiti Mohamed on Unsplash

Unless people set a clear purpose behind their choices, actions and behaviors become unpredictable. While this is the easiest option, this may lead to more harm than gain.

Intentions fuel actions. These serve as the first force and push that molds people’s thoughts and decisions, setting the rhythm of their steps and energy and guiding them to pursue their goals. However, when it comes to relationships, the one situation requiring the most intentional actions, people often overlook its importance.

Love is an emotion.

Being in love is one of people’s most emotive instead of analytic experiences. It’s straightforward and intuitive, commonly governed by following one’s heart and not one’s mind.

People act in terms of what their heart whispers without entirely and intellectually considering the possible consequences of their actions. This means people in love are likely to be emotionally driven. They’re expected to act based on what their heart yearns for and rarely what their mind deems smart.

They express what their heart wants without setting a clear purpose for their actions. But what happens when people in love express affection without setting clear intentions?

It’s not an unusual scene to see people “get played” or feel injustice in the connection they have – like they aren’t getting what they deserve to have. It’s the typical setup for the nastiest and most painful heartache. Someone comes into the other’s life and gives them all the attention and affection their heart could provide, only to leave with no proper explanation or closure.

The reason? It’s typically written in clichés like, “It’s not you. It’s me.”

Yet when these words are uttered, the receiver subconsciously believes it’s them. They think they’re lacking or, worst, unworthy of love and deserving of heartache. However, the truth is weaved underneath these words, and the other is the reason. It’s them all along and the misalignment of their actions and behaviors. They enter someone’s life with their fondness for that person and the love they wish to express. But their intentions are uncertain, and their minds are yet to decide what they truly want from the connection.

Author and psychologist Maureen E. Hosier writes a book about a new relationship perspective that captures the importance of intention. Her book highlights how crucial it is for people to learn about themselves and their motivations for love before entering a relationship.

This means they must first be sure of their objective. Before entering someone’s life and showing affection in any shape or way, they must first be clear of their end goal. Do they wish to pursue the other for a relationship, or is the situation only something of temporary value?

Setting one’s intention is a foolproof way to avoid heartbreak and establish a long-term healthy relationship. Couples or the ones to first confess and express a certain fondness must already comprehend what they want from the connection and their confession. They should already have a clarified why for the relationship to fuel the decisions they’ll make in the future.

The earlier they’ve set their intentions and the more precise these are, the better and smoother their relationship will be. Setting a purpose, whether it’s for the long term or not, allows people to focus their energy on attaining it. In relationships, this makes them work harder to maintain or achieve the goal they have in mind. For the other person involved, this serves as reassurance that the person’s feelings are genuine, proof they aren’t being strung along.

A connection will only be fruitful if both persons involved are aligned with their intentions.

They’re striving to achieve a similar goal and are working on fulfilling similar goals about it.

In establishing a clear intention, maintaining passion and affection throughout their relationship will become easier with both parties putting in a similar effort. It takes two to tango. But unless both are instructed to dance to a similar beat and have the same concept in mind, the performance won’t be polished and completed.

If a man wants to be a woman, he will do anything to make it happen.

While this highly patriarchal sentiment may rub people the wrong way, it does deliver some hard, cold truths. Once men, or people in general, intend to pursue another, they would do so boldly, bravely, and confidently. With strength in their steps and determination in their effort, they wouldn’t hesitate or second guess their behaviors and no mixed signals would be received by the other person. This advice can paint an imbalance in relationship dynamics by portraying one as more assertive while the other as a passive receiver. But it also highlights that with a set intention, evident determination to pursue will be present.

Intention in relationships is like paving a clear road to a specific goal. It allows couples to see and overcome obstacles to enjoy an environment that fosters growth and joy. Intentions set the tone for how couples should behave and what they can expect within the connection, a roadmap they’d share for the relationship to flourish and thrive.

Mercy and Love: The Life of Being a Soldier for Christ

Photo by Daniel Xavier

The Bible is the scripture of the Word of God, and it presents us with a vision and a goal: to become a soldier for Christ with mercy and love as our weapons.

In conventional warfare, the soldier is rippling with muscles, and his heart is full of courage and conviction. He is a man who will face danger, fighting and sacrificing himself for a greater cause. Soldiers are men of arms, wielding physical weapons and rushing against their enemies. 

Yet, there is a war going on that most people don’t even know. A war that is not waged on a physical battlefield. This is a war whose soldiers are soldiers for Christ. 

If you are a Christian, you are called by the Bible. The Bible is the scripture of the Word of God, and it beckons all believers to participate in this spiritual warfare against evil. This battle is fought not with guns and bombs but with the weapons of love, faith, and righteousness. And the frontline? It’s everywhere—in our homes, workplaces, schools, and even in the quiet moments of our own hearts.

8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:

9 Whom resist steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.

– 1 Peter 5:8-9

So, how do we take up arms in this everyday battle? How do we live as Christ’s soldiers on the seemingly mundane fronts of our daily lives?

The Life of Being a Soldier for Christ

A soldier for Christ is different from a conventional soldier. We do not require guns or swords, nor do we need plate armor or Kevlar vests. What we have is the armor of God. This armor, as described in Ephesians, is not anything physical. It is the unseen spiritual armor that comes from being faithful to the Lord. When we wear the armor of God, our hearts are protected from sin and temptation. The truth of His word grounds us, and the guarantee of peace allows us to walk along the path of Christ. When we are full of faith, what the enemy throws at us is extinguished. Through the promise of salvation, our minds are guarded from doubt and despair. 

As soldiers for Christ, our armaments are his mercy and his love, a potent weapon against the darkness that encroaches ever closer. As a soldier for Christ, it is our duty to:

  • Find a community that supports and encourages its members through the journey.
  • Pray daily and study the Bible so that our relationship with God is furthered.
  • Go beyond our familiar places and spread the faith with others.

In our battle against the darkness, the smallest acts of love are the most powerful. Perhaps it’s a smile, a willingness to listen, a prayer for someone, or maybe it’s remembering the little things—all these are ways to change the world and fight back. So, take up arms in the everyday battle and fight for the love, joy, and peace that Christ promises.

You are not alone in this fight. We are all part of Christ’s army, and together, we can make a difference in the world.

Mercy and Love

Here are a few more ways you can be a soldier for Christ in the little things you do:

  • Speak with kindness and love. Our words have the power to build up or tear down. Choose to use your words to encourage, uplift, and share God’s love with others.
  • Show compassion and generosity. When we see someone in need, whether it’s a friend, family member, or even a stranger, let’s step up and help. Offer a listening ear, a helping hand, or a generous gift.
  • Stand up for what is right. Even when it’s difficult, don’t be afraid to speak out against injustice and defend the truth. It is silence that helps breed evil.
  • Forgive those who have hurt you. Holding onto anger and bitterness only hurts ourselves. Choose to forgive others as Christ forgave you.
  • Pray for your enemies. This might seem counterintuitive, but praying for those who hurt us is a powerful way to show God’s love and break the chains of hatred.
  • Share your faith. Don’t be afraid to talk about your beliefs with others. You never know who might be searching for hope and truth.

Every act of kindness, every word of encouragement, every moment of standing up for what is right is a victory in the spiritual battle.

Creating a Serene Home: Tips for a Stress-Free Living Space

Photo by Nathan Dumlao on Unsplash

Your home should be a sanctuary where you can retreat from the outside world and find peace and tranquility.

Creating a serene home environment is essential for reducing stress. Clutter can contribute to feelings of overwhelm and make it challenging to relax. Start by removing unnecessary items, organizing belongings, and creating designated storage spaces. Embrace minimalism and let go of things that no longer serve a purpose or bring you joy. A tidy and organized space can promote a sense of calm and make it easier to navigate your home.

Designate cozy spaces within your home where you can unwind and relax. Consider creating a reading nook with a comfortable chair and soft lighting or a meditation corner with cushions and candles. These dedicated spaces remind you to slow down, take a break, and engage in activities that bring you joy and relaxation.

Self-care is the best way to lower stress levels because external factors can only help somewhat. That’s why Cynthia D. Chase wrote the book From Stressed to Blessed, which has 5 Simple Steps to Learn Meditation. Readers can have a potentially stress-free life through the book because it provides everything a stressed person needs.

Personalizing Your Space

Make your home yours by adding personal touches that bring you joy and comfort. Display cherished photographs, artwork, or sentimental objects that evoke positive emotions. Surrounding yourself with meaningful items can create a sense of connection, warmth, and happiness within your living space. You can try the following:

Choose Soothing Colors

One of the things that homeowners need to know is that color psychology has a significant impact on our moods and emotions. When creating a serene home environment, opt for soothing colors. Soft neutrals, pastels, and earth tones can create a peaceful atmosphere. Blues and greens are mainly known for their relaxing qualities. Infuse these colors in your décor, paint choices, and textiles to promote a sense of tranquility and serenity.

Colors like white, cream, beige, and light gray create a sense of openness and serenity. They provide a clean and fresh backdrop to help calm the mind and create a peaceful atmosphere. Meanwhile, Light shades of blue, such as sky blue or powder blue, are often associated with calmness and serenity. Blue has a soothing effect on the mind and can help reduce stress. It’s an excellent choice for bedrooms or living spaces where relaxation is a priority.

Pastel colors, like soft pink, light yellow, or pale peach, can infuse a room with a gentle and calming energy. They create a sense of lightness and can help to create a stress-free environment. Furthermore, these delicate shades of purple can evoke a sense of tranquility and relaxation. Lavender and lilac hues are often associated with spirituality and mindfulness. They work well in bedrooms or meditation spaces, helping to create a serene atmosphere.

Incorporate Natural Elements

Bringing nature indoors can have a calming effect on your home environment. Integrate natural elements like houseplants, flowers, or a small indoor water fountain. These elements add beauty to your space and help connect you with the soothing qualities of nature. Surrounding yourself with greenery and natural elements can reduce stress and improve overall well-being.

Aromatherapy can play a significant role in creating a serene home environment. Incorporating relaxing scents throughout your space using essential oils, scented candles, or naturally fragrant flowers is an easy way to reconnect with the natural world. Lavender, chamomile, and jasmine are known for their calming properties. Experiment with different scents to find what resonates with you and promotes a sense of tranquility.

Maximize the natural light in your home, as it positively affects mood and well-being. Open curtains and blinds during the day to let sunlight flood your space. Additionally, fresh air can invigorate and uplift your spirits. Open windows regularly to improve air circulation, and consider incorporating indoor plants to enhance air quality and aesthetics.

Minimize Digital Distractions

Creating boundaries and minimizing digital distractions within your home is essential in today’s digital age. Designate tech-free zones, such as the bedroom or dining area, where you can disconnect from screens and focus on relaxation or quality time with loved ones. Consider implementing a “no phones at the dinner table” policy to encourage more meaningful connections during meals.

Creating a serene home environment is essential for reducing stress and promoting well-being. By implementing these tips, you can transform your living space into a stress-free sanctuary that nurtures your mind, body, and soul. Declutter and simplify, choose soothing colors, maximize natural light and fresh air, create cozy spaces, incorporate natural elements, minimize digital distractions, incorporate relaxing scents, and personalize your space. Embrace creating a serene home and enjoy the benefits of a calming and rejuvenating living environment.

What If Noir and Urban Fantasy Were in the Real World?

Photo by cottonbro studio

Black Shadow Detective Agency: Demon For Hire got me thinking about what if noir and urban fantasy were our present reality. Wouldn’t that be awesome?

In a world where noir and urban fantasy were real, what would happen? Imagine Robert Mitchum having to play a hardboiled wizard detective or Jane Greer wading into the seedy criminal underworld with a wand? Imagine a world where the city streets are not only filled with paper boys, salarymen, and blue-collar workers but also with burly orcs, majestic elves, horned demons, and more. What would Great Depression-Era New York be like if dragons roosted atop the Empire State Building? What if mobsters like Capone had access to necromancy? What if the Prohibition Era was about ancient grimoires and magical tomes instead of alcohol?

What a world that would be, eh? Where whispers of ancient magic wove itself with the sound of rain and the roars of industry. Where private dicks cracked cases that involved stolen foci, and the prettiest dames knew how to summon a demon or two.

Welcome to the electrifying, impossible realm where noir and urban fantasy collide. Buckle up because this world would be a blast.

What If Noir and Urban Fantasy Were A Reality?

First, picture the setting: the neon-drenched cityscape pulsating with a new kind of energy (imagine the worlds of the Dresden Files or the Black Shadow Detective Agency: Demon For Hire). Gargoyles perched on Art Deco skyscrapers, their stone eyes watching the endless crowds shuffling beneath it. Arcane symbols glow faintly on cobblestone alleys, hinting at forgotten rituals. Imagine smoky jazz clubs where succubi crooned, and sorcerers conjured illusions over the bar. Every corner would hold a hidden portal, a secret society, or a whispered prophecy waiting to be fulfilled.

And the characters? They would be a wonderfully colorful cast indeed! The hardboiled private detective with a silver tongue and a hex bag in any of the numerous pockets on his trenchcoat. The femme fatale who can disarm you with a smile and curse you with a glance. The cynical ogre bartender with a heart of gold and a supply of enchanted grog. The streetwise goblin informant who knows the city’s underbelly like the back of her hand. Every encounter would be a clash of wit, magic, and danger.

The cases themselves wouldn’t be your average missing persons or stolen diamonds. We’re talking about stolen souls trapped in infernal photographs, vengeful spirits haunting speakeasy basements, and magical relics with the power to reshape cities. Each investigation would be a dive into the city’s underworld, a labyrinth of hidden magic and forgotten lore. One wrong step could lead you to a fae nightclub where time bends, and reality unravels or to a forgotten grimoire that unleashes an ancient curse.

But it wouldn’t be all dark and dreary. There would be moments of pure, exhilarating joy. Imagine riding a gryphon over the city skyline, the wind whipping through your hair as you chase a rogue djinn. Picture a Wall Street duel where spells crackle like bullets and fedora hats fly as magic meets mayhem. Or a clandestine auction where you can bargain for a monster’s egg or a potion that grants you any number of magical effects.

This world would be a playground for the adventurous, the quick-witted, and those who crave a little magic in their lives.

Of course, it wouldn’t be all fun and games. There would be danger, real danger. Powerful sorcerers vying for control of the city, ancient evils lurking in the shadows, and moral quandaries that would test even the toughest gumshoe. But that’s just the spice that makes life, or unlife, in this world so thrilling. Every choice would have weight; every decision could unleash chaos or set the world on a new course.

Would a Noir/Urban Fantasy World Kick Ass?

So, would a world where noir and urban fantasy intertwined be a blast? Heck yeah! It would be a world where every alleyway held a mystery, every street corner a potential adventure, and every shadow a whispered promise of magic. It would be a world where the lines between reality and fantasy blur, where the ordinary becomes extraordinary, and where the only rule is to keep your wits about you and your spells charged.

Sign me up; fedora optional and wand essential. Let’s chase shadows and crack cases in the city where magic meets mystery, where the only thing more dangerous than a femme fatale is a double-cross with a hex.

How to Achieve Personal Growth: Helpful Tips You Can Follow

Photo by Razvan Chisu

Figuring out how to achieve personal growth is very important, especially if you aim to live a happy and fulfilling life.

If you’re looking for someone to help you with your self-development, Fritznel D. Octave is the one you need. The tips regarding business and personal growth by Octave benefit anyone looking to better themselves. Fritznel also wrote a book titled Haiti Between Pestilence and Hope, which focuses on Haiti’s resilience and will to overcome many challenges.

Today, we want to share with everybody some tips that they can utilize for their personal growth. We hope that you, along with others, can find these tips helpful, and we hope to see you grow into a better version of yourself!

Tip #1: Prioritize Your Health Above All

Personal development calls for discipline and dedication. It entails putting your health and well-being ahead of ease. Taking good care of and respecting your body is crucial to your growth.

Being in shape is very helpful for personal development because it’s an active process that calls for strength and endurance. Eating a balanced diet and regular exercise are essential to ensuring you’re healthy. Doing things like taking your vitamins and getting adequate sleep are habits that help improve one’s health.

One of the advantages of a healthy lifestyle is that it will undoubtedly improve your view of yourself.

Tip #2: Manage Your Time as Best as You Can

It’s really simple to waste time, and most people do it unknowingly for hours on end each day. Though you may not have enough time, this isn’t actually the case. You just need to change how you spend the time you have available. Making personal development a priority will drastically alter your leisure activities.

The following are some typical time-wasters and how you might reorganize them to further your personal growth:

• Cut down on the time you waste idly perusing the internet. If you want to keep track of the amount of time that has gone, think about setting a timer.

• Get some buddies and transform a pointless hangout into something more productive and/or constructive. Some ideas include participating in a sport, taking a nature hike, kayaking excursion, enrolling in a class, or volunteering.

• Reduce the amount of television you watch, and when you do, concentrate on viewing content you genuinely enjoy rather than binge-watching something you’re not interested in.

• Reevaluate your commute and consider using the bus rather than your car. Then, you may take advantage of the opportunity to read, practice meditation, or learn new knowledge or skills by listening to podcasts.

You can also hire Fritznel and listen to his talk about business and personal growth by Octave and learn how to achieve personal growth. Fritznel has some excellent advice for personal growth people can learn from.

Tip #3: Don’t Stop Learning and Walk the Path of a Student of Life

Possessing the aptitude and motivation to learn are strong attributes that can benefit you in many facets of your existence, including your career. Learning can occur by listening in a deeper interpersonal context or through more conventional means like reading or studying. In any case, it’s an essential component of personal growth.

There have always been economic implications for education. Learning can seem like a luxury to a lot of people. On the other hand, those who want to learn more have access to more resources than before. There are numerous learning options, whether you use the library or free online programs.

Listening is a crucial component of learning. One of the most effective learning tools you can use to improve your relationships and interpersonal abilities is listening. You can broaden your understanding of the globe and how you fit in it by listening to the perspectives and experiences of others.

Discovering How to Achieve Personal Growth Is a Journey We Should Face

Personal growth is something that we all strive for. Never stop aiming to become a better version of yourself for as long as you live. Never stop improving and living your life to the fullest.

Hire Fritznel D. Octave today and learn some business and personal growth by Octave. Visit Fritznel’s website at https://www.fritzneldoctave.com/, where you can also buy his book Haiti Between Pestilence and Hope.

Read our article about why self-development is essential and discover the importance of developing yourself into a better person!

Shrink Your FOMO: Missing Out Can Lead To Better Outcomes

Photo by Matt Heaton on Unsplash

In a fast-paced society, the fear of missing out can lead to burnout and the depletion of one’s social battery. Hence, embracing a slower lifestyle might be the answer.

People want to belong. It’s human nature to want to be with a crowd they can relate to and feel connected. However, in finding similarities, people may also fall victim to comparisons. After all, to find sameness, they would have to skim through what separates them from the rest and acknowledge the things they don’t share that put them apart.

Although this might put people in a unique predisposition, it can also mean they can highlight what others have done or are experiencing that they aren’t a part of.

This is what’s recently been termed as FOMO, or the fear of missing out. It’s one of those terminologies and experiences coined and popularized by the younger generations. But regardless of how or when it’s been established, it resonates with most of the population. FOMO is jealousy in more straightforward definitions. Yet, it can also be more profound and significant than the emotion.

It isn’t simply scrolling through social media, feeling envious of others going on vacations, and wanting to do the same. The fear of missing out doesn’t simply desire what others have that spotlights what people lack in theirs. Instead, it’s looking at what others are abundant with and questioning one’s worth. It’s looking at their vacation photos and thinking about the value of their decisions and inadequacy. This happens because humans crave to be significant and genuinely connect with others.

People fear missing out because they believe that by having similar experiences as others, they will enhance the quality of their lives and establish more profound connections with others.

FOMO isn’t inherently wrong. It also doesn’t signify intense jealousy over others’ lives. Instead, it’s the mind’s call for help to patch its self-esteem and avoid seeking validation from others. People foster this fear of missing out because they likewise fear being excluded and isolated. When they feel like they aren’t living like others, they feel uneasy that they aren’t part of the crowd.

However, while there’s nothing inherently wrong with this fear, this doesn’t mean it should be encouraged. FOMO may be a trending terminology that most can relate to. But this doesn’t mean it should continue to be promoted. In a world where most people’s lives are accessible through the internet, and people can’t help but compare theirs with others, there is immense joy in slowing down and focusing on what the self has accomplished.

Life shouldn’t be constantly compared and contrasted. Instead, people should learn to focus on themselves and thrive separately from the rest.

Seeking genuine connection is significant. It makes life happier, healthier, and more tolerable.

This pushes people to make meaningful decisions and seize opportunities they would have turned down. But this process is only ever beneficial if it’s motivated by authenticity to one’s desires and joy, not fear or intense jealousy and isolation.

In Choose To Be Happy by Knapick, the author doesn’t specify consciously avoiding negativities in life. He doesn’t say unrealistic expectations, negative self-esteem, or life pressure should be filtered out for people to live happier lives. Instead, he posits that finding the perfect balance of good and evil is vital to a better life. People can’t expect an utterly positive life but can learn to cope with its reality. Happiness can be obtained when people introspect and find qualities within themselves to improve, not by looking at another’s life and desiring what they have.

The book critically describes what people need to achieve happier lives.

It emphasizes not the quantity of experiences people encounter but rather the quality. People become happier not because they share similar experiences but because they’ve grown similarly to others. They shouldn’t fear missing out and jumping in on any opportunities that would give them the illusion of connecting with others.

Nobody should fear missing out. Instead, they must learn to embrace the spaces and blankness in their lives. They shouldn’t feel jealous about what others are experiencing but find joy in knowing they may not share these, but they’re okay. People must learn to unplug from their social media, which encourages them to compare their lives with others and relearn to connect with life’s simple and mundane pleasures.

They must rediscover what actually sparks happiness in them and not simply envy. These things are what they should pursue, for these lead to more satisfactory lives and genuine delight.

With how frantic life has become and amidst all the activities and pleasures society has provided, pauses are highly beneficial to one’s mind. This allows one to slowly take things in and learn to prioritize what truly matters, pulling them away from experiences that may overwhelm them. The world’s pleasures may look tempting but distract people from what truly matters. By plugging out and slowing down, they learn to pursue valuable things.

Among Us: Aliens According to Conspiracy Theorists

Photo by Miriam Espacio

Bob Ticer introduces us to colorful alien races in The Alien Stranger, but did you know that conspiracy theorists swear that there are already aliens among us?

At night, the stars spread out in endless numbers over us. Filled with awe and an appreciation for the vastness of the universe, we gaze at the star-studded night sky, longing to reach out and touch it. Yet, while we yearn to find our place amongst the stars, we are also curious about our condition, an answer to the question: “Are we alone?”

The cosmos is vast, and it seems existentially depressing to be the only ones here in this infinite void we call reality. 

This curiosity about the wider universe has been the source of many legends, thrilling stories, and, of course, conspiracy theories. While little green men remain a popular trope, especially in stories that harken back to pulp fiction, alien conspiracies are quite imaginative with their aliens.

A List of Aliens Among Us

The world of alien conspiracy theories is a fascinating tapestry woven from fear, wonder, and a deep-seated human desire to understand our place in the universe. While these theories may not be scientifically proven (or have even a grain of credibility), they offer a glimpse into the power of our imagination and our endless curiosity about the unknown. Who knows? Perhaps the truth about extraterrestrial life is even stranger and more wondrous than anything we can conceive.

The Greys

Perhaps the most iconic alien in conspiracy lore, the Greys are slender, hairless beings with large eyes and elongated skulls. They are said to be the cause of the Roswell incident and the focus of Whitley Strieber’s “Communion,” these beings are often depicted abducting humans for nefarious purposes and conducting genetic experiments.

The Nordics

In contrast to the Greys’ sinister reputation, Nordics are often characterized as benevolent, even godlike figures. Tall, white-skinned, and blonde with piercing blue eyes, they are said to be the progenitors of humanity (sometimes specifically only Caucasian peoples), offering guidance and wisdom throughout history. Some believe they reside on Venus or other planets in our solar system, while others associate them with ancient astronauts who visited Earth in flying chariots. 

The Reptilians

A particularly unsettling conspiracy theory proposes that our world is secretly controlled by reptilian beings who can shapeshift into humans. Often associated with powerful figures in politics and finance, these reptilians are said to manipulate world events for their own gain.

The Swarm

Taking inspiration from classic sci-fi films like “Alien” and “Starship Troopers,” some conspiracy theorists believe that insectoid aliens exist and pose a significant threat to Earth. These hive-minded beings are depicted as ruthless conquerors, driven by a primal instinct to consume and reproduce. While the idea of bug-like aliens might seem outlandish, it taps into a deep-seated human fear of the unknown, the overwhelming, and the creepy crawlies.

The Energy Beings

Not all alien conspiracies involve tangible beings. Some believe that we are surrounded by energy beings or entities from higher dimensions who can manipulate our reality without our knowledge. These beings might be benevolent spirits guiding our evolution or mischievous tricksters playing cosmic games. 

Ancient Aliens: Revisiting Our Past

A popular theme in conspiracy circles is the idea that aliens have visited Earth throughout history, leaving behind their mark on ancient civilizations. This theory often points to megalithic structures like the pyramids of Egypt or the Nazca Lines in Peru as evidence of extraterrestrial intervention. Proponents argue that these structures are too complex and advanced for human hands alone, suggesting the involvement of superior beings (although we all know this isn’t true).

Government Cover-Ups

A central theme in many alien conspiracy theories is the belief that governments around the world are actively covering up evidence of extraterrestrial life. This could involve hiding crashed UFOs, suppressing scientific data, or even collaborating with alien forces for their own agendas. The belief in government conspiracies stems from a distrust of authority and a desire to know the truth, even if it is unsettling or controversial.

Remember: It’s important to approach conspiracy theories with a critical eye. While they can be entertaining and thought-provoking, it’s crucial to evaluate the evidence carefully and avoid jumping to conclusions. Let’s keep our minds open to the possibilities without sacrificing our critical thinking skills.

As we continue to search for answers in the vast cosmos, one thing is certain: the human imagination knows no bounds.

In The Alien Stranger, Bob Ticer introduces us to colorful alien races. Do you believe any of them might exist?

The Antics of Dogs That Will Surely Make You Smile

Photo by Matt Nelson on Unsplash

From their hilarious escapades to their heartwarming quirks, dogs have a way of capturing our hearts and creating memories that last a lifetime.  

Dogs have a remarkable ability to bring joy and laughter into our lives. Their playful nature and mischievous antics often lead to unforgettable moments that leave us smiling and cherishing their unique personalities.

You can even catch more of those silly moments in the book Dogs With Attitude by Yvonne Bronstorph. In the book, readers see five dogs and their antics as their best selves. Moreover, our furry companions have a different kind of consciousness. How they perceive us affects our long-term relationship with them. Here are some hilarious antics dogs do that make us smile.

The Great Toy Heists

One of the most entertaining antics of dogs involves their unwavering determination to acquire their favorite toys. From stealthy operations to outright raids, dogs showcase their cunning and creative ways of retrieving their beloved items. Whether hiding toys in secret spots or engaging in a playful tug-of-war battle, their antics never fail to elicit laughter and admiration.

Counter Surfing

Many dog owners can relate to the mischievous thrill that dogs experience when they spot something enticing on the kitchen counter. From stealing a slice of pizza to swiping a sandwich, dogs demonstrate agility and audacity in their pursuit of delicious treats. While it may be exasperating in the moment, these incidents often become precious memories retold with laughter and fondness.

Zoomies and Unleashing Pure Joy

Witnessing a dog’s burst of energy and unbridled enthusiasm, commonly known as the “Zoomies,” is a sight that can instantly lift spirits. Whether tearing through the house at lightning speed, sprinting in endless circles, or performing acrobatic jumps, dogs remind us of the sheer joy and carefree nature in the simplest moments.

Conversations in Barks

Dogs have an uncanny ability to communicate their thoughts and emotions, even through a series of barks, howls, or whimpers. Their vocal antics often lead to amusing conversations, with dogs responding to their owners’ commands or engaging in animated “conversations” with other dogs. These exchanges, filled with expressive gestures and vocalizations, create memorable and humorous interactions that showcase the unique bond between dogs and their human companions.

Unusual Sleeping Positions

If you’ve ever caught your dog sleeping in peculiar positions, you know how comical and adorable they can be. Whether sprawling out with all four legs in the air, curling up in impossibly small spaces, or snuggling up with their favorite stuffed animal, dogs can find the most amusing and endearing sleeping positions. These moments capture the essence of their carefree nature and provide endless opportunities for laughter and photo-worthy memories.

Other Funny Antics That Dogs Do

Tail Chasing – Dogs chasing their tails can be an endless source of amusement. Their determination to catch something that seems just out of reach, combined with their spinning and leaping, creates a comical spectacle that never fails to bring a smile to our faces.

Sock Stealing– Dogs have a peculiar fascination with socks. Whether stealing them from laundry baskets or plucking them off our feet, their enthusiasm for this everyday item can turn an ordinary moment into laughter.

Sock Stealing– Dogs have a peculiar fascination with socks. Whether stealing them from laundry baskets or plucking them off our feet, their enthusiasm for this everyday item can turn an ordinary moment into laughter.

Sticking Their Heads Out of Car Windows– Dogs’ joy and excitement when sticking their heads out of car windows is contagious. Their floppy ears flapping in the wind, and their wide-eyed expressions capture the essence of pure bliss, often leaving onlookers smiling.

Fetch Fails– While playing fetch is a beloved activity for many dogs, some have unique interpretations of the game. Dogs that struggle to grasp the concept of returning the toy can lead to hilarious moments of confusion, resulting in them running off in the opposite direction or refusing to let go of the toy.

From their playful antics to lovable quirks, dogs have an extraordinary ability to bring joy and laughter into our lives. Their mischievous habits and precious moments remind us of dogs’ unconditional love. So, the next time your furry friend feels like getting into an amusing escapade, treasure them and appreciate the incredible gift of love and snuggles.

Love Is Best Expressed With Poetry and Here’s the Reason Why

Photo by Mrika Selimi

You may have noticed the connection between love and poetry, which is why it’s not so hard to believe that love is best expressed with poetry.

Raymond Quattlebaum, author of the poetry book “The Color of Love,” knows this universal truth. Love truly is best expressed with the riveting and emotional liens that poems can deliver. His book showcases the landscape of life by Quattlebaum, which celebrates love and adores poetry.

But why is love best expressed with the eloquent words, melodic rhyme schemes, and jam-packed emotions that poetry can do? Why do love and poetry go so well together?

Love and Poetry Are Both Timeless Expressions

The first poetry ever composed is about love for a reason. The Love Song of Shu-Shin was performed as a religious ceremony and a love poem around 2000 BCE in ancient Mesopotamia.

Love poems flourished over the ages, evolving into creative expressions of how the idea of love changed across time and cultural boundaries.

It is something we owe the poets who came before us. We were able to participate in love in all of its manifestations and purposes thanks to their efforts. We learned to understand the infinite beauty and profundity of love, as well as how its expression in poetry is always evolving.

We can all agree that, in the era of social media and the Internet, creating the ideal Instagram caption to mark a significant relationship milestone or coming up with the ideal words to propose to a loved one has turned into a separate art form. We resort to poems, old or new, when words fail us.

The love sonnets of William Shakespeare and Elizabeth Barrett Browning might serve as our source of inspiration. To express the depths of our emotions, we can turn to the romantic poetry of Yeats, the sensuous and passionate rhymes of Pablo Neruda, the confessional prose poetry of Lang Leav, or the works of numerous other writers.

The Marriage of Love and Poetry Birthed a Genre: Love Poetry

If you need more proof that love is best expressed with poetry, then just take a look at love poetry. Love poetry is one of the most expressive forms of writing. It can concisely express a range of profound and significant feelings that can occasionally be challenging to express through other channels of communication.

Being an avid reader of the landscape of life by Quattlebaum, it’s easy to see how much care he puts into every line of his love poetry. Poetry expresses love best because it makes the feelings and experiences special. It gives it a new kind of life that we often don’t read about in other forms of literature.

Love poetry has endured with us throughout the ages, changing along with our ideas of love, all the while endearing itself to us with its eternal beauty.

The Powerful Expression Love Poetry Possesses

Have you ever attempted to put into words the kaleidoscope of feelings that love arouses in us? This work isn’t simple, is it? However, that’s precisely the point at which love poetry’s enchantment and potency manifest.

In its most basic form, love poetry is a stunning fusion of language and feeling. It’s like having a key that opens our hearts and lets us speak things in everyday conversation that we frequently find difficult to convey.

Love poetry turns our raw, powerful sentiments into something real that others can relate to and understand through its flow, rhyme, and eloquence. That has such incredible power, doesn’t it?

Delving Deeper Into the Power of Love Poetry

Let’s explore this expressive potential of love poetry in more detail now. Take love poets’ use of similes and metaphors, for example, to create striking images of their feelings. Do you recall Shakespeare equating the day of summer to his beloved?

Or Pablo Neruda comparing his love to something mysterious and dark? Poets can convey complicated feelings in an approachable and compelling approach by using these poetic strategies.

Love Is Best Expressed With Poetry, and We Should Keep Doing It

There are many different and expansive poems in love poetry that are just waiting to be found and enjoyed. Why not set out on your own adventure, then? Enjoy the words of love poetry, give it some thought, and allow it to speak to your heart.

Read one now. It may communicate to you through means you never would have thought possible. Grab a copy of Raymond Quattlebaum’s “The Color of Love,” and enjoy the landscape of life by Quattlebaum in his beautiful poems about love!

Check out our other blog posts and discover why love is a highly popular subject in poetry!

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