Goddess Fish Blog Tour for Patroosh, the Hungry Pelican by Renee James

I am honoured to be part of the Goddess Fish Blog Tour for Renee James’s children’s book, Patroosh, the Hungry Pelican, which I read and am now reviewing.

(Please note: I received a free copy in exchange for my honest review.)

My Review:

Patroosh, The Hungry Pelican is a humorous children’s book about 2 bird friends. It offers children a fun book about sharing, picky appetites, friendship and perseverance.

The illustrations, by Bonnie Lemaire, engage the reader with their bright colours and funny scenes.

I am sure young children will enjoy the adventures of Patroosh and his seagull friend Seamus.

Guest Post – Meet My Two Main Characters

With my second book in the Patroosh series, Patroosh, the Hungry Pelican. I am thrilled to introduce you to the latest adventure of these two charming feathered friends.

Using my passion for storytelling and communication, I have brought these hilarious characters to life. Patroosh, the Pelican, and Seamus the Seagull were inspired by our family’s experiences at our local beach. Through their lively adventures, children can learn important values such as kindness, sharing, perseverance, and friendship.

Along with my love for creativity, I have a background in communications and commercial television. I am the founder of Mystery Lane Media, a video production company, and the creator of Patroosh, the Pelican, an online shop. When I’m not busy creating content, I love spending time with my family, which includes my adorable pups and bunnies. Travelling, enjoying the beach, and spending time during story-time are some of my favourite pastimes.

I love that you are a believer in “all things possible” and I feel much the same way which is I absolutely love writing children’s picture books. There’s something truly magical about the imaginative world that comes to life during story time. Hearing from families and classrooms who enjoy my books brings me pure joy and gratitude. It’s a dream come true to share my stories and bring happiness to others.

Without further ado, allow me to introduce you to Patroosh the Pelican and Seamus the Seagull as they embark on a lunchtime adventure. I hope you enjoy reading this book as much as I enjoyed writing it. If you know any fussy eaters, I hope this story sparks some fun conversations about their food preferences.

BLURB:

Pancakes, milkshakes, fish and chips galore… Patroosh the hungry pelican will enjoy all four. Especially if there’s ketchup he can pour.

With Seamus the seagull by his side, always there to help decide.

Will these two feathered friends find what they want for lunch?

They’re feeling peckish and do enjoy a good munch.

What could be in store for diners today at their favourite marina café?

Excerpt

Patroosh, the pelican, and Seamus, the seagull, are bobbing along, paddling their feet and singing their boisterous bird song. SQUAWK SQUAWK SQUAAAAAAAAWK.

Ah, this is the life,” bursts out Seamus with glee, then Patroosh does something funny, yelling,

“Look at me, look at me!

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Renée James comes from a background in communications and the commercial television industry. She has worked on a variety of creative projects both nationally and internationally.

She loves nothing more than spending time with family and friends, which includes their much-loved dog. She is passionate about travel, beach days, and, of course, story-time. Her children are the bee’s knees as they’re constant reminders to be present, and always make time to play.

CONNECT WITH Renée James

WEBSITE:                  https://reneejamesbooks.com/

FACEBOOK:              https://www.facebook.com/reneejamesbooks

INSTAGRAM:             https://www.instagram.com/reneejamesbooks/

GOODREADS:           https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21279212.Ren_e_James

PURCHASE LINKS TO Patroosh, the Hungry Pelican

AMAZON.COM – https://www.amazon.com/dp/0228882060

AMAZON.COM.AU – https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/0228882060

AMAZON KINDLE – https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BZ52C5Y5

Giveaway!

Renée James will award a $15 Amazon or BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

Be sure to check all the stops along the blog tour:

June 5: Vickie’s Kitchen and Garden – review only
June 5: Sybrina’s Book Blog
June 6: Travel the ages
June 7: Gina Rae Mitchell – review
June 8: Beverley A Baird – review
June 9: Westveil Publishing
June 12: Fabulous and Brunette
June 13: Our Town Book Reviews – review only
June 13: fundinmental
June 14: Lisa Haselton’s Reviews and Interviews
June 15: Literary Gold
June 16: Long and Short Reviews
June 16: Sandra’s Book Club – review only

20 Books of Summer

I missed the kickoff of “20 Books of Summer” last week at 746 Books (it has been a stressful week, after a stressful few months), but I have participated several years and wanted to be sure to join in.

My Spring TBR list went unchecked – I read none of the books on the list. Yikes! So I am rolling all these books onto this summer list. They are all books I want to read – just needed other books the past few months to ease my soul.

Here is the list from the spring list (check the above link for photos!). :

Fiction:

The Vanished Days by Susanna Kearsley

The Firekeeper’s Daughter by Angeline Boulley

Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Ownes

Letters From Across the Sea by Genevieve Graham

The Theory of Crows by David A. Robertson

Kingdom of the Blind by Louise Penny

Heart Bones by Colleen Hoover

Non-Fiction:

Run Towards the Danger by Sarah Polley

Keep it Moving by Twyla Tharp

Keep Going by Austin Kleon

These are the additional 10 books I plan to read over the summer:

Fiction:

Two Steps Forward by Sharon Garlough Brown

Someone Else’s Shoes by Jo Jo Moyes . First book read for this list!

Under the Whispering Door by TJ Klune

People we Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry

The Forest of Vanishing Stars by Kristin Harmel

Non-Fiction

Notes on Grief by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

House Lessons by Erica Bauermeister

Born a Crime by Trevor Noah

The Light We Carry by Michelle Obama

In Pieces by Sally Field

Goddess Fish Blog Tour for “Healing Kiss” by Amanda Uhl

I am honoured to be part of the Goddess Fish Blog Tour for Healing Kiss , a paranormal romance by Amanda Uhl, which I read and am now reviewing.

Be sure to check at the end for the giveaway info!

(Please note: I received a free copy in exchange for my honest review.)

My Review:

I was eager to read this novel as I really enjoy Paranormal romances. It exceeded my expectations. The novel was well written, had amazing characters with great chemistry and an intriguing storyline. The whole idea of healers was fascinating, especially with Lillian’s attraction to Tristan, who was a burner.

The novel kept me captivated from beginning to end. Lillian’s talent, her fears for the safety of her family and of Tristan, the secrets, all added intrigue and mystery.

I highly recommend Healing Kiss and plan to read other books by this author.

BOOK BLURB:

To save her dying sister…

Lillian Milano channels energy from the healthy to heal the sick, which makes her an incredible nurse. But her gift puts Lillian and those she loves in danger from an organization that will stop at nothing to exploit her talent. When her sister becomes gravely ill, wealthy computer genius Tristan King is the one man with enough vitality to save her sister’s life. But being near him threatens to expose her secrets and destroy the walls she’s built around her heart.

She bargains with a billionaire.

Tristan doesn’t believe in the supernatural and is wary of emotional entanglements. But his beloved mother is dying, and his lying ex-fiancée won’t leave him alone, so he strikes a deal: In exchange for his help, Lillian must pose as his date for a hospital fundraiser. As the pair work together to save their loved ones, they confront a spiraling web of secrets that threatens their growing feelings for each other. The choices they make will either destroy their lives or heal their hearts.

Excerpt:

“Oh.” She gasped and stumbled out of the stranger’s reach.

“After you.” The stranger paused, gesturing for her to go in front of him, his deep voice causing her heartbeat to accelerate even more.

She hesitated, but he made no move to grab her, so she slipped by him. His height made it easy for her to bend her head and avoid meeting his gaze. Still, she caught a glimpse of a firm jawline, dark hair, and a black computer bag strung over one shoulder as she passed.

She continued moving toward the infectious disease wing where Hannah was staying, the beat of her heart matching the tap-tap-tap of her shoes against the floor. The man followed behind. No one else was nearby, so she could hear the soft tread of his shoes. She quickened her pace, her breath coming faster now. Her stomach did a flip, and her throat tightened, preparing her to flee or scream if the situation demanded it.

She reached Hannah’s room. Bile rose in her throat when she realized the man’s footsteps stopped when she stopped.

She grabbed the doorknob and glanced to the side. The man was no longer there. She let her breath out in a rush and leaned her forehead against the door to recover her equilibrium. Get a hold of yourself, Lillian. Not every strange guy was one of Kinetica’s men, looking to grab her. She’d been so panicked, she hadn’t even taken the time to check the man’s vitality.

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Award-winning author Amanda Uhl has always had a fascination with the mystical. Having drawn her first breath in a century home rumored to be haunted, you might say she was “born” into it. After a brief stint in college as a paid psychic, Amanda graduated with a bachelor of fine arts in theatre and a master’s degree in marketing. Over the past twenty years, she has worked as an admissions representative and graphic designer, owned her own freelance writing company, and managed communications for several Fortune 500 companies, most recently specializing in cyber security and data. Amanda is an avid reader and writes fast-paced, paranormal romantic suspense and humorous contemporary romance from her home in Cleveland, Ohio. When she’s not reading or writing, you can find Amanda with her husband and three children, gathering beach glass on the Lake Erie shoreline or biking in Cuyahoga Valley National Park.

Website: http://www.amandauhl.com

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

Twitter: http://twitter.com/AuAuthor

Instagram: https://instagram.com/amandauhlauthor

Pinterest: https://instagram.com/amandauhlauthor

BUY LINKS:

Amazon — https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BZK7KGDF 

Apple — https://books.apple.com/us/book/healing-kiss/id6446814223

Barnes & Noble — https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/healing-kiss-amanda-uhl/1143265131?ean=2940167112902

GooglePlay — https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=bqu1EAAAQBAJ

Kobo — https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/healing-kiss-2

Giveaway Info:

Amanda Uhl will be awarding a $25 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

Be sure to visit all the stops along the blog tour:

May 29: The Avid Reader
June 5: Beverley A Baird
June 5: Archaeolibrarian – I Dig Good Books!
June 12: Sandra’s Book Club
June 12: Novels Alive
June 19: Maggie Blackbird
June 19: Gina Rae Mitchell

It’s Monday! What are You Reading?

It’s time once again for Kathryn’s weekly meme, “It’s Monday! What are You Reading?” hosted at Book Date, where we share what we’re reading and have read over the past week.

II t is hard to tell, but my older brother passed away on Thursday. Altho it was expected, he had gotten worse the past week, Parkinson’s is a terrible disease.

I read 5 books plus a PB – 2 paranormal romances, 2 women’s fiction and a YA. Books continue to be a great solace.

Someone Else’s Shoes by JoJo Moyes. I almost put this away as a DNF as I hated the MC, but I kept reading and this turned out to be a wonderful read.

Catch Us When We Fall by Juliette Fay. Loved this woman’s fiction, by a new author to me. Have already started another by her.

Not His Dragon by Annie Nicholas. A pasranormal romance that was an okay read – used it for a challenge.

The Lost and Found by Katrina Leno. So enjoyed this YA novel, with a hint of magical realism.

Healing Kiss by Amanda Uhl. Another new author whose paranormal romance I so enjoyed. Read it for a Goddess Fish review. Check it out tomorrow!

Dancing Trees and Waving Leaves by S. M. Jackson . A cute pix book, read for a review for GF.

What I am Reading Now

The Half of It by Juliette Fay

What I am Reading Next

Letters Across the Sea by Genevieve Graham

May ’23 One Word Update

Each month, Lisa of Lisa Notes, gives us a challenge to explore our OLW.

This month the focus of Lisa Notes’ One Word 2023 is “Photographs – Be a Photo Sleuth”

I was in our yard last week and when I saw the jockey that stands at the front of our house, the outstretched arm caught my eye. A perfect shot for “stretch”, my One Word this year. As if he is stretching his arm out to invite you in.

Around the corner of the house is our “wild” garden and so many branches seemed to be stretching out, as is the huge tree, stretching up, up, up.

Free Verse Friday: Solstice

Free Verse Friday is our year long poetry practice. On the first Friday of each month, Linda and I (and anyone else who joins in) will be writing a poem based on the theme of the month along with the photo taken relating to that theme or that inspired the poem.  I am choosing to write 30 word poems.

This month the theme is: “Solstice“

The summer solstice doesn’t really begin until June 21, but we here in Southern Ontario have certainly been experiencing hot summer weather. Today it was 35 C.

When I looked up the definition, I was inspired to write this poem.

SOLSTICE

Sun at the highest

(or lowest if south)

Yet ancient astronomers

had it right:

Sun appeared to stand still.

Yesterday,

The sun stood still.

My brother is gone.

RIP Doug.

Be sure to check out Linda’s poem here.

Be sure to check out poets who have joined in the creative fun!

Check Cheriee Weichel’s here.

We’d love for you to participate as well. Add a link (or your poem) in the comments.

Our next poems will appear Friday July 7th. The theme is: HOT.

Here are the topics for the next three months:
July-hot
August-vacation
September-autumn

Goddess Fish Book Blast for “The Warlord’s Stormy Skye” by Gail Kroger

I am honoured to be part of the Book Blast (and giveaway) from Goddess Fish for the SciFi romantic comedy The Warlord’s Stormy Skye by Gail Koger.

BLURB:

My name is Skye McAllister, I’m a psychic witch and a healer. My life is a rollercoaster ride of craziness. My unique electrical powers have a bunch of alien males eyeing me like I’m prime rib at an all-you-can-eat banquet.     

If that wasn’t bad enough, a crazy old witch transformed herself into a half-human Kotsor spider and is trying to kill me with hexes, magical bombs, and her zillion hatchlings.  Have you ever tried to disarm an enchanted bomb with space Neanderthals trying to claim you as their mate?  It’s a good way to die.

To keep me alive, Zarek, the Coletti Overlord, assigned me a partner.  Vorian is a badass War Commander who is used to people obeying him immediately.  Like that’s going to happen.  I will admit he’s sex on two legs, and so damn pretty. But if I let my hormones dictate my actions, we’d be bound for life. Not happening.

Once we rid the galaxy of Mallox and the evil spider lady, I’m ditching his fine ass.

Excerpt

I winced. I had let my temper get the best of me and now my energy levels were dangerously low. Which meant I’d have to drink Vorian’s blood to disarm Marion’s nasty little traps. Ugh. Plus, if I didn’t find a way to stop them, my rabid suitors were going to get me killed. Talk about a rock and a hard place. If the price of saving Earth was becoming Coletti until I could conjure up a cure, so be it. I took a deep breath and gestured at the onyx ownership band Vorian held in his left hand. “How do you put that thing on?”

The War Commander stared at me in surprise. “You are prepared to become my mate?”

The thought of having sex with any male made me sick to my stomach. “I thought human females disgusted you. This will be a platonic partnership, nothing more.” I held out my hand. “Deal?” 

Vorian’s eyes narrowed speculatively, then he took my hand. “Deal.”

I looked at Zarek and raised an inquiring eyebrow.

A faint smile on his face, Zarek nodded. “I have no objections.”

“The copper etchings state you belong to me,” Vorian said as he fastened the band around my throat. “Oh yay! What I’ve always wanted. My very own dog collar.” It adjusted to fit my neck perfectly.

Vorian expelled a long breath. “Most females consider it an honor to be chosen.”

“I’m not most females.”

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

I was a 9-1-1 dispatcher for the Glendale Police Department and to keep from going totally bonkers – I mean people have no idea what a real emergency is. Take this for example: I answered, “9-1-1 emergency, what’s your emergency?” And this hysterical woman yelled, “My bird is in a tree.” Sometimes I really couldn’t help myself, so I said, “Birds have a tendency to do that, ma’am.” The woman screeched, “No! You don’t understand. My pet parakeet is in the tree. I’ve just got to get him down.” Like I said, not a clue. “I’m sorry ma’am but we don’t get birds out of trees.” The woman then cried, “But… What about my husband? He’s up there, too.” See what I had to deal with? To keep from hitting myself repeatedly in the head with my phone I took up writing.

Author links: http://www.gailkoger.com

https://www.facebook.com/Colettiwarlordbooks/

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1598719.Gail_Koger

https://www.instagram.com/gkoger58/

https://www.bookbub.com/authors/gail-koger

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GIVEAWAY INFORMATION and RAFFLECOPTER CODE

Gail Koger will be awarding a $20 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

Be sure to visit all stops along the blog tour!

May 22: Kenyan Poet

May 22: Long and Short Reviews
May 23: Literary Gold
May 24: Read Your Writes Book Reviews

May 24: Westveil Publishing
May 25: Words of Wisdom from The Scarf Princess
May 26: Momma Says: To Read or Not to Read

May 26: Books to Light Your Fire
May 29: Sandra’s Book Club
May 30: Fabulous and Brunette
May 31: The Avid Reader
June 1: Beverley A Baird 
June 2: Kit ‘n Kabookle

WOW Blog Tour for “Write Out Loud” -Guest Post by Naomi D. Nakashima

I am honoured to be part of the WOW! Women of Writing Blog Tour for  Naomi D. Nakashima’s non-fiction book Write Out Loud

Today, Ms. Nakashima is visiting my blog to share advice on staying on track with our writing..

Welcome Naomi! !

The Forgetful Writer’s Guide to Staying on Track with their Book

Have you ever sat down to write your book, only to find yourself staring at a blank page because you can’t remember what you were going to write about?

If so, you’re not alone. This happens to me an embarrassingly high number of times.

In today’s fast-paced society, it’s easy for our brains to get overloaded with all the notifications and information being thrown at us constantly. Between work, family responsibilities, and daily tasks, is it any wonder some of us will lose track of some of our thoughts every once in a while?

When you add writing a book into the mix, it can be overwhelming.

And if you’re anything like me, ADHD and poor memory causes even more frustration.

Here are some of the tips and strategies that I’ve been able to put together over time that have really helped me get my memory under control so I can write.

The Struggle is Real

I was diagnosed late, at 45, with ADHD and that diagnosis has absolutely changed my life. But you don’t need a diagnosis to struggle with memory: stress, lack of sleep or proper nutrition can all contribute a poor memory. Regardless of the cause, poor memory makes it challenging for writers who need to keep track of all those details like character names and traits and certain plot points as they’re writing.

But we’ve all read a book where the author lost track of what they were writing. We’ve all seen characters that just disappeared or characters suddenly transforming into different people. It’s one of our biggest fears and yet it’s so easy to make this tiny mistake. This is why writers whose brains aren’t always the best at remembering all the things need effective strategiestothat help them stay organized and on track.

Strategies for Staying on Track

Use a planner or calendar to schedule writing time and deadlines

I want to get this one out of the way first because it’s always the first tip that people give: just track everything in a planner. Yes, this works very well for some people. You can use a planner or calendar to schedule writing times and deadlines. Just set aside dedicated blocks of time each week for writing, and stick to those times as much as possible.

Here is my advice if you have ADHD and try this: embrace the pivot!

So many neurodivergent writers struggle with planners and calendars because they have this sort of planner-guilt from all the times they’ve tried these systems only to use them for about a month and then fall off the wagon and buy another one a year later. It’s okay if you only use it for a month.

Even a week.

Think about it: if you spend the time organizing your stories and notes to put it into some new planner or calendar, then at least for that week or that month you get to see what you have. If you have to move to a new system a little while later then move, guilt-free.

It is not a reflection of you if that planner didn’t work. It just means it wasn’t the type of planner that works for your brain. Be glad you got to glimpse at all your thoughts and stories for a week and move on. But don’t rob yourself of trying out another system later and reorganizing your thoughts later because you feel guilty that you have to. Some people can keep track of all their things in a single planner day after day.

Then there are people like me who enter their information into a planner one time for about a week, and only update their information when doing so into another planner 6-9 months later.

Take notes during both research and writing sessions

I think most of us know to take notes while we’re researching topics, but we don’t always think to take notes while we’re actually writing.

While writing, jot down specific ideas for scenes, character development, dialogue, or anything else that comes to mind as it comes to mind. I also like to write out a quick summary of things at the end of my writing session so that I can find my spot again quickly without having to dig through my writing.

Surround Yourself with Reminders

As I said before, I was diagnosed with ADHD pretty late in life, right before my 45th birthday. But that diagnosis forced me to go back over a lot of things to see just how the ADHD had been affecting me throughout my life. And one of the things I ended up uncovering was my approach to writing my own books versus my approach to writing for clients. I was always pretty fast to help my clients with writing their books, but I struggled to finish writing my own. And you could say it was because I was getting paid to write my clients’ books, but it was more than that.

First of all, with my clients we often sat down and outlined their books together, whereas I tried to pants my way through writing my own books.

Oh yes, I was a hardcore pantser. Now I’m a plantser, in fact I don’t even think “pantsers” and “planners” are a real thing, I think it’s all a bit of a spectrum and we all just tend to lean one way or another depending on just how much we like to plan out before we start writing. But with my clients’ books, we did a lot more planning, which often helped me jump around and write in a way that kept me motivated. I never had to try to figure out what to write next or what to include because it was all right there.

Another major difference was in the way I handled similar books to what I was writing. When I was working on my book involving vampires, I stayed away from everything related to vampires: books, movies, television shows, episodes of Supernatural—all of them. I worried that by consuming that content, I might accidentally let some of that inspiration seep into my book in a way that lifted too much right out of the story.

The very last thing I wanted was for someone to read my book and then say “UGH she just copied this right out of Buffy.”

Yet with my clients’ books, if I was writing a book on Facebook marketing, that was all I read and watched: blogs on Facebook, YouTube videos on Facebook, podcasts on Facebook, courses on Facebook, newsletters on Facebook, the Facebook newsroom. I lived, breathed, listened to, and consumed Facebook for weeks. I even got a little enamel pin that looks like the Facebook like button to sit on my desk.

And you know what? Not a single thing was lifted or plagiarized, even accidentally.

But surrounding myself with so many reminders kept me inspired and going. I would be watching a video on Facebook marketing, and 4 minutes in I would say “that reminds me, I have to get to this chapter for my client” and I would go.

And this works for fiction too. If I am working on a book about werewolves, I can guarantee I will live, breathe, listen to, and consume werewolves for all those weeks or months until the book is done. And instead of accidentally plagiarizing, something amazing happens: I start watching a movie and about 20 minutes in I am brimming with motivation and inspiration to get back to working on my own book.

Hard to plagiarize if you can’t even finish the whole movie because you’re so motivated to write your own. And also, this means I won’t accidentally get inspired by something completely different because I decided to watch something else trying to avoid werewolves.

Remembering to Write

Writing a book can be incredibly challenging, and if you’re struggling with poor memory it can make it even worse. More than anything, you want to make sure you put together a system that works best for you and allows you to keep track of what you need without overwhelming you with all the bells and whistles.

Be kind to yourself when you struggle with memory lapses—everyone forgets sometimes—but don’t let that hold you back from achieving your dreams. Sometimes, if you find yourself staring at your screen trying to remember what it was you were about to type up, give yourself some grace. Start retracing your steps or just start writing whatever comes to mind until your thought returns.

You have what it takes to write a great book; now all that’s left is putting pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard) and getting started!

Thanks so much Naomi for such great insights on writing through forgetfulness.

Be sure to visit all stops on the blog tour!

Goddess Fish Blog Tour for “Dancing With Trees and Waving With Leaves” by S. M. Jackson

I am honoured to be part of the Goddess Fish Blog Tour for S.M. Jackson’s children’s book, Dancing With Trees and Waving With Leaves  , which I read and am now reviewing.

(Please note: I received a free copy in exchange for my honest review.)

My Review:

Dancing With Trees and Waving With Leaves by S. M. Jackson, is an enjoyable children’s book that captures the moments a child first fears, then enjoys in the movement of trees in the story.

The story reads like a poem and delights the reader with the words, images created by the descriptions and the lovely illustrations.

My only concern was that the child was out in a storm alone. If somehow, it could be seen as an imaginative adventure, it might stress the need to be safe.

It was a charming book overall and I’d recommend this book.

Book Blurb:

Loud, scary, and unknowing sounds woke up the young child in the morning, and she wondered what or who could be causing the spooky noises. She hurried to her window, pulled open her curtains and looked outside. That’s when she noticed it was the wind blowing objects around. Filled with curiosity, she then ran outside and immediately the gusty wind blew hard. It was so strong it started blowing her away. What will she do to enjoy this beautiful windy day with trees and the leaves?

Excerpt:

The trees were dancing! They were dancing in the wind! The leaves were waving–they were waving at me! All the leaves on all the trees were waving at me.

I waved hello to the trees. “Good morning, trees!”

I greeted the leaves. “Good morning, leaves!”

I ran outside to join the trees. The wind was so strong it started blowing me away.

I immediately wrapped my arms around the rough, crumbly trunk of the nearest tree, and the wind swiftly lifted my legs into the air.

It blew my slippers right off my feet and carried them into the street!

The wind blew harder so I held on tight, bear-hugging the trees as it rocked me from left to right.

Now I, too, was dancing with the trees and waving with the leaves.

Skipping from tree to tree, I danced. I moved and grooved like the trees, and twisted and turned like the leaves.

The powerful wind whisked me backwards and forwards; I wiggled and jiggled. I swayed and shifted like the trees, and I shook and quivered like the leaves.

The gusty wind blew. I whirled and twirled. Waving up, down, and all around made me laugh and laugh and laugh.

I could dance with the trees and wave with the leaves all day long!

Links:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/smjacksonauthor/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/22763403.S_M_Jackson

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Dancing-Trees-Waving-Leaves-Jackson/dp/0228879485/

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/dancing-with-trees-and-waving-with-leaves-s-m-jackson/1143032544

Book Depository: https://www.bookdepository.com/Dancing-With-Trees-and-Waving-With-Leaves-S-M-Jackson/9780228879480

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GIVEAWAY INFORMATION and RAFFLECOPTER CODE

S.M. Jackson will be awarding a $5 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

It’s Monday! What are You Reading?

It’s time once again for Kathryn’s weekly meme, “It’s Monday! What are You Reading?” hosted at Book Date, where we share what we’re reading and have read over the past week.

Another lovely weekend, more work on the yard and gardens.

I read 5 books  – an historical fiction, a romance, a fantasy reread, a woman’s fiction and a non-fiction.

The Huntress by Kate Quinn. What an incredible read. First one I’ve read by this author – loved it and now seeking more.

Reminders of Him by Colleen Hoover. Another fabulous Hoover novel.

Bad Influence by Erin Nichols. So enjoyed this romance ebook. Will be reading b\more by this new author to me.

Marked in Flesh by Anne Bishop. Once again another wonderful reread.

101 Exercises for the Soul by Dr. Bernie s. Siegel. I used for my daily meditation read and really found it inspirational.

What I am Reading Now

The Lost and Found by Katrina Leno

What I am Reading Next

Letters Across the Sea by Genevieve Graham