The 5 Best Poetry Books That You Should Be Reading Right Now!

“I love you without knowing how, or when, or from where. I love you simply, without problems or pride: I love you in this way because I do not know any other way of loving but this, in which there is no I or you, so intimate that your hand upon my chest is my hand, so intimate that when I fall asleep your eyes close.”

Poetry is an art form that is immaculate and pristine: it is appealing to the many creative and genius minds of readers who enjoy the spark of life that is found in poetry’s brevity. Poetry can make emotions come to life, whether it be the homesickness a college student experiences, the tight embrace from the spiral of thoughts and doubts the anxious people experience, or the comfort of the crying and sobbing of our pain. Poetry can speak volumes to the silent people in their ways and can describe the love and pain people wish to let go of. If you are starting on reading poetry for the first time, here are some recommendations to the five best poetry books that you should be reading right now:

  1. Plainwater by Anne Carson

Celebrated poet Anne Carson has taken on her gift of imagination and eloquence into a book that seeks to engulf the reader in its intimate and personal story. Carson reenacts interviews and monologues of famous poets such as Mimnermus and Stesichorus, constructs pictures and images of towns and cities, and delves into the elusive and slippery flow of water. This book is a fantastic introduction to the world of poetry due to its creative invention and witty knowledge presented to the readers.

2. Soft Science by Franny Choi

“Soft Science” by author Franny Choi is a poetry collection that mixes science fiction with the language of technology, femininity, sexuality, and identity. It aims to define the meaning of humanity and identity and questions how humans see themselves and the world around them and the many possible realities they can see in their minds. 

3. When My Brother Was An Aztec by Natalie Diaz

Natalie Diaz’s “When My Brother Was An Aztec” takes on the author’s experience of being a Native American woman and her brother’s experiences and journey through addiction in a book that is praised for its evocative imagery and its lyrical words. The poems infuse mythology and personal experiences and explore her brother’s adventure and the bonds of the family through their struggles. Diaz can bring emotional truth and light into reality and rouse imagery that inspires readers’ minds. This book is an excellent and perfect example of personal and emotional poetry that one should read at least once in their lifetime. 

4. Life on Mars by Tracy K. Smith

Winning the 2012 Pulitzer Prize in Poetry and titled in The New York Times’s list of the “100 Notable Books of 2011”, Tracy K. Smith creates a heartbreaking and raw poetry collection that is an elegy to Smith’s father, who worked on the Hubble Space Telescope as an engineer. The book deals with the significant losses and failure of humanity’s limitations and many people’s discoveries throughout the years. It talks about the depths and doubts of human knowledge and asks unanswerable questions, which is the beauty of “Life On Mars.” 

5. Jaime’s Inspirations: Poems from the Heart and Mind

Jaime P. Fidler writes from the heart as she explores the many intense emotions that one experiences through life’s joyful and painful times. The book aims to empathize and understand the reader’s feelings through the art of poetry and is an impressive read for new readers who are starting in the world of poetry. 

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.

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.

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.

Parenting Do’s and Don’ts during the Child’s Early Stages of Development

Parenting, also referred to as child-rearing, is the process of nurturing and raising kids from birth to adulthood. It is also the process when adults transitions to becoming parents. Before you embark on this new phase of your life, you probably have heard the phrases “good parenting” or “effective parenting.” Those terms often pertain to molding children into adults with great values, qualities, and mindsets as they venture into the world.

Moreover, many books will help you raise and understand children, such as Three Dimensions of Learning: A Blueprint for Learning from the Womb to the School by Dr. Carolyn Nooks Teague. Apart from reading materials, here are some parenting tips that both new and experienced parents should note, especially during the early development phases.

Do’s

Let your child be curious

Kids are known to be extremely curious and innocent. They ask a lot of questions about different things that catch their attention. When their curiosity grows stronger, please extend your patience and let them wonder. The best you can do is to explain to them simply and gradually how things work. Give them the context but allow them to figure things out so they can gain experience.

Allow them to do what they want with limitations

Freedom is essential to a child. When you allow them to enjoy everything surrounding them, they’ll feel more comfortable and eager to learn. In that way, kids start to develop their skills and coping mechanisms. They will start to become creative and resourceful, as well as make good decisions and solve problems. However, too much freedom can be dangerous. Don’t forget to remind them of the things and boundaries they shouldn’t do and cross, given their age for their safety.

Enforce reinforcement

Imposing reinforcements enable your child to slowly realize right from wrong. Thus, it is a way of encouraging kids to keep doing what’s right instead of focusing on associating themselves with the wrong ones. With positive reinforcement, you are also helping them boost their confidence, making them more motivated to do good and even better. But, you must set some standards and rules on how, what, and when you’ll reinforce them so it wouldn’t be abused and taken advantage of.

Encourage them to play and have fun

Children love to have fun and play. They have energies that seem to never run out. Since they’re still in the first few stages of development, it’s essential to allow them to play with educational toys. You can also have fun together with them to monitor them and keep them from getting hurt. Moreover, it will surely benefit your child because their imagination, creativity, and cognition will be put to work. It is also a great way for healthy brain development.

Communicate with them regularly

Healthy communication can lead to strong relationships. You’ve seen many parent-child bonds that seem to outgrow once the kid starts to enter adulthood. To prevent that from happening, practice effective and constant communication with your child. From their early stages of development, even until they become independent adults, ensure to constantly converse with them. Make them feel heard and loved by allowing them to talk and teaching them to listen. Also, remind them that there are times that they can be wrong or mistaken, and educate them to handle those kinds of matters.

Don’ts

Make them see the world as a perfect place

The world is filled with good, bad, and ugly. And, you should avoid keeping your child from seeing the messy reality. If you try so hard to make your kids believe that everything is always perfect, then they’ll face a bunch of struggles as they grow up. Those challenges can be inter and intrapersonal.

Take away their voices

Most parents don’t see the impact of shutting their children up. Hence, don’t be that kind of parent who keeps your kid voicing their opinions, feelings, problems, suggestions, and thoughts. Instead, encourage them to use their voices and be their haven, shoulder to lean on, and adviser.

Force them to follow your aspirations and plans

Your child is neither your insurance nor your successor. Kids are products of love that must be treasured. They didn’t wish to be born just to continue their failed dreams and goals. Hence, don’t force them to continue what you started or pressure them to follow the same path as you did. Allow them to figure out what they want to become and how they want to shape their future. Be their support system and cheering team instead of dragging them down and guilt-tripping them.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Promising War Veteran Authors You Should Know

Stories often reflect and feature the personal accounts and experiences of the authors. Although there are original and developed concepts, there are still thousands of tales that came based on real events and situations, like war stories.

Many war veterans turned to literature to express their emotions, thoughts, and memories of the battle that they served. There are also those who shared their conditions after they served the military.  With these powerful stories, millions of readers have been inspired, touched, and impacted. Indeed, war veteran writers have greatly contributed to shaping the literary realm. Thus, here are some of the remarkable war vet authors you should take note of.

RC LeBeau

LeBeau was raised in Detroit, and as a kid, he had no idea that he’d join the Marines not until his dear father died when he was 15. Donut Hole is RC LeBeau’s book on 1st Force Logistical Command and his other experiences as part of the Marine Corps in the Vietnam War. Being a Cub Scout, Boy Scout, and a Civil Air Patrol Cadet greatly contributed to his Marine Logistics expert journey. Moreover, LeBeau underwent different pieces of training held in Camp Le June, NC, Camp Pendleton, Ca., and other significant locations. When LeBeau reached the age of 21, he was already on his 13-month tour in Vietnam, striving for nearly 85 days of battle. With a few weeks to go on his journey, Echo 4 suddenly emerged, which challenged his life again.

Tim O’Brien

William Timothy O’Brien, also known as Tim O’Brien, was born in 1946 in Austin, Minnesota. He served the Army after gaining his BA in political science from Macalester College in 1968. After being drafted, he was among the brave men that were sent to Vietnam. O’Brien was part of the 3rd Platoon, Company A, 5th Battalion, 46th Infantry Regiment, part of the 23rd Infantry Division. When he finished his service, he proceeded to get his MA at Harvard. Tim released his first memoir containing his war experiences titled. If I Die in a Combat Zone, Box me Up and Ship Me Home. His other notable works are The Things They Carried, In the Lake of the Woods, Northern Lights, and Going After Cacciato. As an author, O’Brien gained multiple honors and awards, including the Outstanding Book of 1973 by the New York Times.

Kurt Vonnegut

Have you read the science fiction blend anti-war book titled Slaughterhouse-Five? If you have, then Kurt Vonnegut might be familiar to you. Vonnegut is an Indiana-born and raised American writer. He entered Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, in 1940, with biochemistry as his major. But, in 1943, he joined the U.S. Army. He attended Carnegie Institute of Technology and the University of Tennessee and studied mechanical engineering as part of his training. Afterward, he was deployed to Europe to combat in WWII. However, at the Battle of Bulge, he was caught by the Germans. With everything that he’d been through, he survived and married Jane Marie Cox. Vonnegut’s experiences as part of the troops who fought in the Second World War were evident in the first chapter of his book Slaughterhouse-Five.  Thus, the book became the key to his author’s fame.

Joseph Heller

Joseph Heller was born on May 1, 1923, and died on December 12, 1999. He was the author of the popular classic satire novel titled Catch-22. While he was still a kid, he was already in love with the art of writing. Moreover, in 1941, he graduated high school and worked multiple jobs, including a messenger, filing clerk, and more. A year after that, he became a part of the Air Corps of the U.S. Army. After twenty-four months, he was deployed to the Italian Front, where he was a B-25 bombardier and embarked on 60 combat missions. Joseph was part of the 488th Bombardment Squadron, 340th Bomb Group, and 12th Air Force. His experiences as a bombardier were expressed in his notable work Catch-22.

Roald Dahl

The remarkable British writer named Roald Dahl was born on September 13, 1916, in Llandaff, Cardiff, Wales. He authored many amazing children’s books, including Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, James and the Giant Peach, The Witches, and more. Furthermore, Roald is also known as a wartime fighter pilot after serving in the Royal Air Force during World War II. Later on, he became an intelligence officer and was promoted to an acting wing commander.

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