‘When I first met concussion specialist Dr. Michael Collins, after three and a half years of suffering from post-concussive syndrome, he said, “If you remember only one thing from this meeting, remember this: run towards the danger.” In order for my brain to recover from traumatic injury, I had to retrain it to strength by charging towards the very activities that triggered my symptoms. This was a paradigm shift for me…’ Sarah Polley
I have been a fan of Sarah Polley ever since she starred in “Road to Avonlea”. Although I knew that being a child actor has its challenges, I was saddened to read about the trauma that Polley experienced being a child actor in “Road to Avonlea”, as well as “The Adventures of Baron Munchhausen”, and a theatre production of “Alice in Wonderland”.
Polley’s writing is raw and real as she writes a series of essays not only about her time as a child actor, but also about a high risk pregnancy, why she didn’t testify at Jian Ghomeshi’s trial—“Most of the lawyers I have spoken with insist that nothing should change in the way that sexual assault cases are tried…but that they would…never advise a woman they loved to come forward in a sexual assault case”—and her recovery from a concussion, which inspired the title.
Each essay is powerful on its own. Taken as a whole the collection, though dealing with some very difficult topics, is rewarding to read.
Sometimes I felt Polley was writing my own story, as someone who lost her mother young to cancer, or as someone who suffers from anxiety. For example, Polley writes, “I cannot, sitting here, in my forty-one-year-old body and brain, remember what it felt like to be certain that expressing a fear would make it worse, that the humiliation of people knowing that I had a fear could be worse than the agony of living with it alone and unexpressed.” (Although, I sometimes still have trouble with that today.)
Other times my own paradigm was shifted. Polley writes about her concussion treatment, “We are questioning some of the basic tenets of ‘wellness’ wisdom we have previously taken to heart, which implores us to take it easy and be gentle and accept our limits without specifying what limits are acceptable.” Hmmm…Acceptable limits?
I continue to follow Polley’s career and am glad that she keeps breaking ground. Most recently Polley won an Oscar for “Best Adapted Screenplay” for “Women Talking”. Admittedly I could not finish reading the book, written by Miriam Toews, but I hope to catch the movie despite its heart wrenching subject matter.
“Run Towards the Danger”—my sixth book for the 2023 Nonfiction Reader Challenge— is hard to categorize. It was published in 2022, so it doesn’t quite make the 2023 list, and is not meant to be a memoir. The book touches on the subjects of the arts, relationships, and health.
Shoe’s Seeds and Stories @Copyright 2023 Linda Schueler
In the fairy tale “Hope and Fortune” by Marissa Bãnez, Esperanza (Spanish for Hope) chases a beautiful butterfly into the Fabled Fairy Forest and gets lost. Golden Tree advises Esperanza to go deeper into the forest and ask the twelve fairies for advice. Esperanza visits each fairy, and they give the child some life advice in the form of rhyme. Although the story does have an arc—child gets lost, finds help, then finds her way—the book is more a collection of poems with advice to help guide a child through life. Having said that, these poems are presented in a gentle and nonthreatening way. There is much to love in this book. First of all, the fairies represent different genders, generations, and cultures. Second of all, the book is multilayered with lots of symbolism to unpack. For example, many of the fairies are accompanied by “spirit animals”, e.g., The Fortune Fairy of Confidence has a leopard. As well, the colours often are symbolic and some fairies have symbolic clothes. Finally, some Fairies give a nod to different cultural icons, such as Botticelli’s Birth of Venus. Bãnez hopes that the layers in the book will springboard into further discussions. The pictures are beautiful and a fantastic complement to the story. My favourite fairies are the Fortune Fairy of Strength and Courage, represented by an Asian warrior, the Fortune Fairy of Imagination, represented by a head scarf wearing Muslim, and The Fortune Fairy of Beauty, represented by a heart radiating energy. Bãnez hopes that the book will grow with a child, and I can see that happening, as each reading would allow the child—and adult—to discover a different aspect, whether in the text or pictures. This book is one that invites you to read it many times. Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Be sure to check out the other stops in this tour.
A first-generation immigrant to the U.S. from the Philippines, Marissa Bañez is a graduate of Princeton University and a lawyer licensed to practice in New York, California, and New Jersey. She has published legal articles for the prestigious New York Law Journal and the American Bar Association, but her true passion is in her children’s stories. She currently lives in New York City with her husband and daughter, whose childhood was filled with many original stories and puppet shows made up entirely by her mom. In her free time, Marissa likes to travel, design and make clothes, cook, binge-watch Star Trek shows and Korean dramas, and occasionally strum a guitar.
She is currently working on her second book, Hues and Harmony (How the Singing Rainbow Butterfly Got Her Colors), a story about mixed or multiracial children, self-discovery, and respect for others as told through the life and adventures of a caterpillar. It is scheduled for publication on July 20, 2023.
Those who have been following my blog know that I have been on a journey to improve my poetry. So I was delighted when I was offered the opportunity to review a book called “The 20 Little Poems for 20 Little Gnomes” by Raven Howell. The poems are delightful on the tongue, and though the subject matter is geared towards children, adults will find the poems appealing enough to keep them interested, and the poems will potentially prompt further discussion. My favourite poem is called “Between the Sun and Moon”, all about quiet moments, something many of us are in search of these days. “Here, Kitty, Kitty!” made me laugh. Book lovers like me will recognize themselves in “Let’s Go!” “Red Robin’s Gift” got me thinking about gifts in general. Illustrator Nazli Tarcan’s vibrant pictures are just as delightful on the eye as Howell’s poems are on the tongue. I highly recommend “The 20 Little Poems for 20 Little Gnomes”. Note: I received a free copy of the book in exchange for my honest review. Check out a related post from last week: author Raven Howell’s guest post about “Why do we love gnomes so much?” Don’t forget to also check out the other blog post stops on this WOW tour.
Book Summary
Discover the magic in simple moments when a child peers in the mirror to unintentionally come upon his smile, where kittens nap in boots, fairy hugs feel good, mice delight in reading books, and January snowflakes taste yummy.
Twenty whimsical poems warm the heart and inspire cheer; a collection enticing both the young and seasoned reader to explore the enchantment of the wonderful world of poetry.
About the Author
Raven Howell writes stories and poetry for children. Having published several award-winning picture books, she enjoys sharing her love of literature by visiting classrooms and libraries. Raven is Creative & Publishing Advisor for Red Clover Reader, served as Poetry Director for Monster Magnificent, and writes The Book Bug column for Story Monsters Ink magazine. Her poems are found in children’s magazines such as Ladybug, Spider, Highlights for Children, Humpty Dumpty, and Hello Magazine. She’s an editor, and collaborating author for Reading is Fundamental SoCal.
When not writing, Raven enjoys sunshine and the beach, spending time with her family, hiking, laughing, reading, goofing around with artwork, and inventing new recipes.
Hooray! Today author Raven Howell is stopping by my blog to share some thoughts on why we love gnomes so much. I requested Ms. Howell stop by, because I love gnomes, and I wanted to read what the author had to say about them.
One of our local village gnomes during this past holiday season.
Why do we love gnomes so much? Raven Howell
They’re baaaack! Our mischievous custodians of the earth, gnomes have long symbolized protection for farmers and in general, just plain good luck. My Latvian parents passed on beliefs about gnomes having helpful interactions with humans. Scandinavians associate gnomes most closely with the Christmas season. In any case, they are famously depicted as little garden guardians in the form of statues in yards all around the world.
Did you know that according to a new study from Atlas Ceramics (creators of the “Garden Trends” index) gnomes have been the biggest garden trend of 2022? It’s pretty funny how we’ve modernized this trend, too. In the past couple of years I’ve spotted gnomes who perform yoga, like to fish and even pose for selfies! So if you think a gnome helps your flowers grow, I say go for it, be it a gnome holding a spade, snoozing under a mushroom, or standing on its head, upside down.
To me, gnomes are impish, whimsical Tolkien spirits, and in the case of the title of my new children’s book (The 20 Little Poems for 20 Little Gnomes), obviously I also think some of them really enjoy reading. Maybe if gnomes have a penchant for reading time, a child will consider that for him or herself also. I hope so! Being a dedicated advocate for child literacy, nothing makes me smile brighter than seeing a child with a book in their hands.
This past summer, after a book signing at the boardwalk in New Jersey, my husband and I took to our favorite fudge shop for treats. I just finished a “gnome” story time and signed over a dozen gnome books, and as synchronicity would have it, the fudge shop is selling cute stuffed gnome toys. I’m not talking about several of them, but an entire wall of the store from front to back, just lined up with tons of gnomes. And they’re all different, too! A variety of colors, clothing, gestures, and silly expressions evoke laughter from most of us admiring the whimsical crew.
There is no way I could have predicted a strong trend in gnomes when I came up with my book title. In fact, in case you didn’t know, the journey of book production from its beginning idea to final physical product can take years. Therefore, with a touch of unpredicted surprise, I am overjoyed at the uptick in gnome popularity, and delighted to think it’s drawn book lovers to reading it.
In this crazy social climate, should you crave a little imagination and enchantment to escape into, I hope you find some “gnome-ishness” to provide a bit of magic in your heart.
Cool! I am always looking for “gnome-ishness”. How about you?
Next week, I will review “The 20 Little Poems for 20 Little Gnomes”, so be sure to stop by again. Don’t forget to check out the other stops on the tour.
Book Summary
Discover the magic in simple moments when a child peers in the mirror to unintentionally come upon his smile, where kittens nap in boots, fairy hugs feel good, mice delight in reading books, and January snowflakes taste yummy.
Twenty whimsical poems warm the heart and inspire cheer; a collection enticing both the young and seasoned reader to explore the enchantment of the wonderful world of poetry.
About the Author
Raven Howell writes stories and poetry for children. Having published several award-winning picture books, she enjoys sharing her love of literature by visiting classrooms and libraries. Raven is Creative & Publishing Advisor for Red Clover Reader, served as Poetry Director for Monster Magnificent, and writes The Book Bug column for Story Monsters Ink magazine. Her poems are found in children’s magazines such as Ladybug, Spider, Highlights for Children, Humpty Dumpty, and Hello Magazine. She’s an editor, and collaborating author for Reading is Fundamental SoCal.
When not writing, Raven enjoys sunshine and the beach, spending time with her family, hiking, laughing, reading, goofing around with artwork, and inventing new recipes.
I’ve read many writing craft books over the years. What I like about this writing craft book is that besides many helpful chapters on topics such as writing your biography and whether to simultaneously submit, there are also unique chapters on areas of my writing life that I would have never thought about. It’s like talking to your writing bestie who tells you the tiny details that other people forget or don’t think are important.
Three chapter examples to show you what I mean:
A little bit about personal space
Readers now expect you to share personal details about your life (and one should be juicy or quirky). This chapter helps you to prepare what feels safe to share. What don’t you mind becoming public property?
A Boomerang of Support
Support your friends’ art. Buy their books, go to their readings, give reviews. Your goodwill will pay itself forward and multiply. By nurturing others’ art, other people, although not necessarily the same person whose art you nurtured, will nurture yours.
Celebration Station
Set up rewards for every milestone of your writing life. Too many times we just focus on kaboom moments when we should also be focusing on accomplishments like writing a sloppy first draft. Focus as well on accomplishments like how far your writing skills have come.
Chapters have writing exercises at the end of them, so you can practice what you’ve read about.
Visit the WOW blog to learn more about Melanie Faith and to enter for a chance to win a copy of the book (enter by December 18).
I highly recommend “From Promising to Published” by Melanie Faith.
Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Don’t forget to make stops at the other blogs on the tour.
Shoe’s Seeds and Stories @Copyright 2022 Linda Schueler
When life is calling, often we need only the space and the support to remember our way. Sometimes we lean into our expansion, and sometimes we bolt from our greatness. The biggest shock is that big change happens in small choices. In Rebirth you will find real-life stories of people who made courageous leaps, inspiring you to make your own. It’s time to step out of line and back into the spiral of life—that’s where the alchemy is. This book fits right into the side pocket of your bag + your life to inspire you as you read others’ stories of how they listened and learned to make embodied changes in their own lives.
Review
I chose to review this book for this WOW blog tour, because I am currently in limbo—again—so I wanted to read something inspirational. Already the introduction this “mosaiced memoir” of Benton’s own rebirth caught my attention with the line “I have lived through the time of transition from ‘what is no longer’ to ‘what is becoming’ several times over.’ Oh, so I am not the only one who finds herself repeatedly in limbo. Although Benton also writes in the introduction that not every chapter—which has a “guest star” as an example—will appeal to everyone, I found that there was wisdom in all chapters. However, I will focus on a couple of my favourites: “Continuous Becoming” Kim Murriera, a “Midwife of the Creative” says in this chapter, “When you hear that someone’s overarching theme matches your own, it helps you to realize life is not all about me and my traumas…Life is cyclic, and that is what I like to illuminate. There is a breathing in and a breathing out. There is a waxing and waning. There is happiness and there is sadness.” As well, Murreira notes, “We may realize, It’s not just me and my life; it’s how life is. We can settle into breathing into it with more calm and vitality and acceptance.” Wisdom such as this underscored that I am just going through a temporary period of my life, and that “This too shall pass”, and I found this comforting. “Trust Your Place” In this chapter, David Newman, sacred mantra artist, singer-songwriter, and teacher says, “Consider how much noise is out there in the world on so many levels…Whatever aspect of mind that has been drilling or driving at a person, when that’s released…an opening takes place where healing happens. Now there are many ways that can happen, but mantra is a very powerful and ancient one.” Later Newman continues, “For me, mantra is the closest sound to silence.” This chapter reminded me of the importance of taking breaks, and of silence, and it also made me more interested in learning more about Sanskrit and mantras. You can listen to Newman’s mantras on Youtube. My third favourite chapter (“Doubt and Grace”) I mentioned in my previous post for Nonfiction November, and if you want to read it, I direct you to that post. That’s just a small taste of what’s available to you in the book. I hope that you take the time to slowly savour this book. I am sure that you will find something of comfort in “Rebirth”, and I am betting that it will be more than one thing. You can stop by WOW’s blog to read an interview with Brenton and also to enter to win a copy of the book (enter by December 4). Be sure that you stop by the other blogs to read what others have to say about “Rebirth”.
Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Shoe’s Seeds and Stories @Copyright 2022 Linda Schueler
I have always been a sporadic journaler, usually picking up my journaling pen when life becomes really tough. For a while I did “morning pages” a la Julia Cameron, and even though I found it to be beneficial, somewhere along the line I put away my journaling pen. At the end of my very tough 2021, I started to do morning pages again, and I found myself slowly starting to relax into life again. So when I had the opportunity to review “Mindset Medicine: A Journaling Power Self-Love Book” by Mari L. McCarthy, I knew I had to seize the opportunity. What a better way to expand my journaling practice. In chapter 4, the chapter about wanting things, a door cracked open and let a little light back into my life. Sad to say, somewhere in 2021 I had stopped believing that the things I wanted mattered. But, according to McCarthy, “WANTING great things for yourself doesn’t make you selfish. WANTING great things for YOU just means you love yourself.” and “In fact, one of the things you can want is the means to help more people.” Hmmm, I pondered those thoughts for a while, and then I decided to let myself want things again. After that easing of some of my heartache, I was committed to finishing the book and the journaling exercises. I love McCarthy’s different take on things. For example, one thing that I have always thought, and that McCarthy validates is that “affirmations can be difficult to repeat and keep in the forefront of your mind as you’re bobbing and weaving your way through the day”. Instead she asks you to “transform your life by asking the right questions”. Wow! I love this idea so much that I now have a top-10 question list that I can refer to again and again. This is a book that can be read over and over to remind yourself to love the journey, pivot to better feeling thoughts, and establish rock-solid boundaries. I highly recommend the book, and I am thankful that I was able to review it. Good news! You can enter the giveaway over at WOW by March 2, 2022 for a chance to win a copy of your own by clicking here. Don’t forget to visit some of the other blog stops too. Please note: I received a free copy in exchange for my honest review.
Shoe’s Seeds & Stories @Copyright 2022 Linda Schueler
About the Book
Want the Cure for Culture Chaos? Grab your pen and pad and prescribe yourself, Mindset Medicine: A Journaling Power Self-Love Book. The news, the fear, the media, the texts, the constant bombardment of electronic sludge. It can all tear you down and rip you away from being YOU! You can choose to give into this madness and be manipulated into submission. Or you can join the Journaling Power Revolution, reconnect with your higher self, and love yourself without conditions. In her third book, award-winning international bestseller author Mari L. McCarthy reveals a journaling power path that leads to an awareness of how vibrant your life will be when you… Understand why you absolutely have to love yourself first Tap into your hidden gifts and talents Declare why others must ALWAYS respect you Establish rock-solid unbreakable boundaries Promise to be YOUR own superhero! Most importantly, Mindset Medicine explains in rich detail why the most empowering and loving relationship you can ever have – is with YOU! Find out more about Mindset Medicine on Amazon.com.
About the Author:
Mari L. McCarthy, Founder and CEO – Chief Empowerment Officer of CreateWriteNow.com, teaches curious health-conscious action-takers how to use Journaling For The Health Of It®️ to heal the emotional, creative, physical, and spiritual issues in their tissues. She also shows them how to use this powerful personal transformation tool to know, grow and share their True Self. Mari is the multi award-winning author of Journaling Power: How To Create The Happy, Healthy Life You Want To Live, Heal Your Self With Journaling Power and Mindset Medicine: A Journaling Power Self-Love Book. She’s also created 20+ Journaling For The Health Of It® Self-Management 101 Workbooks including Who Am I?, Take Control Of Your Health! and Start Journaling For The Health Of It® Write Now. Find out more about Mari by visiting her website CreateWriteNow.com, or follow her on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, or YouTube.
Bonus! Leave a comment on this blog post, and you can enter a giveaway for a $25 Amazon gift card. Just make sure that you click here to fill out this form (by July 15, 2021) to be eligible. And the more related blog posts (see calendar below) you leave a comment on, the more times you can enter.
“Only My Horses Know” by Cinda Jo Bauman
I chose this book to review, because not only have I always loved horses, but also because there are a few important people in my life who have a mental illness. Many families are touched by mental illness, but it’s still a topic that there is much stigma around. Books can help.
I found the topic was discussed sensitively. I don’t know anyone who has bipolar disorder, but I could relate to all the stigma surrounding having someone in the family with a mental illness. Questions included “Would people make fun of me if they found out?” and “Will I get the same thing?”
The most poignant line for me was “My thoughts wondered how somebody could be here and gone at the same time.” I wonder how many other teens feel this way. I hope that they find their way to books like this and find comfort in the fact that they are not alone.
The focus of the story is how Kye and her parents cope with her mom’s mental illness, but there are also the subplots of Kye’s friendship with her best friend Joey and her training for the rodeo on her horse Kiwi, which together make the book an enjoyable read.
The book ends on a hopeful note. I don’t want to put any spoilers here, but the possibility of a horse therapy farm is discussed, and I, a student of horticultural therapy, found this similar concept thrilling. After all, there is not just one approach to a challenge in life.
If you want to hear Bauman talk about her book, click here to access a video.
Please note: I received a free copy in exchange for my honest review.
“Read Aloud Stories with Fred” by Fred Olds
I admire the fact that this book was written by a 91 year old. I hope that I am doing the same when I am that age.
Like all anthologies, I found that there were some stories that stood out for me. When I pull out my Hans Christian Anderson collection of stories I immediately flip to my favourites. Similarly, the next time I pull out Olds’ book, I will flip to “The Hobbling Hermit”, which brought tears to my eyes. A close second is “The Cheerless Chairmaker”. But then I love fairy tales, especially ones that are retold with a new twist.
Other people might find that their favourites are about a cross-eyed crow (my third favourite) or one of the other stories. And don’t forget the first story, written by author and publisher Margo L. Dill, about Martin Luther King, Jr. and racism, which I also enjoyed.
Please note: I received a free copy in exchange for my honest review.
Book Summary of Only My Horses Know
Life on a Montana horse ranch has always been the best for twelve-year-old Kylie Hannigan. She bonds with the horses, rides them with her friend Joey, and helps her mom train them. Plus she barrel races her favorite horse, Kiwi, and with plenty of practice and grit, they will definitely beat her rival Olivia this year.
But then, something starts happening with Kylie’s mom. She sleeps all the time, and Kylie has to do the chores, the training, and all the care for the horses–and it’s too much! At least it’s summer, so she doesn’t have to worry about school, and she can spend time talking to her favorite animals. One day, a strange-behaving horse with an even stranger name shows up for
training but is only ignored by Kylie’s mom. Training a difficult horse used to be a fun challenge Kylie could share with her mom, but that’s not even happening now.
Then her mom changes again, and she’s up doing everything—including cooking and cleaning in the middle of the night. Kylie still gets no rest because Mom thinks Kylie should be able to do it all, too. So when school starts and Mom’s behavior goes back and forth and back and forth, and then embarrasses Kylie in front of Joey more times than she can count, Kylie decides the only thing she can do is hide everything from everyone—accept her horses.
Kylie’s life spins out of control along with her mom’s. She can’t train for the barrel races with Kiwi or keep up with homework or talk to her best friend. What will it take to get her life back to the way it used to be? Or is that even possible?
Cinda Jo Bauman lives in Central Illinois with her husband and dogs. During her high school years, she took every art class offered along with every child development class. After a class where she spent part of the day at a daycare, child development won out over art. Years of story time led to a love of children’s picture-books, which made her wish she had stuck with art.
Flash forward to today, and she still loves children’s books! After researching and much study; learning about writing and illustrating children’s books, she joined the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) and found her passion. Besides writing children’s picture books and middle-grade novels, Cinda also creates with cut paper sculptures and paints in oil and acrylic. She loves iris flowers and the color purple.
Only My Horses Know is her debut middle-grade novel.
Book Summary of Read Aloud Stories with Fred Collection
In this full collection of Read-Aloud Stories with Fred, we have included all six stories from volumes 1 and 2, a bonus story “Looking Inside” by Margo L. Dill (only available in this collection), and a foreword by Margo also. Each story has an illustration to start the story along with a question for children to consider while the story is being read aloud to them (or older children can read to themselves). These stories are perfect for parents and grandparents to read to the children in their lives.
The stories are:
“Looking Inside” Join a kindergarten class as they learn about Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and how he believed all people were the same on the inside.
“Ben and the Terrible Red Card” Ben is always getting in trouble at school, but he feels his teacher just misunderstands him. He’s trying!
“The Hobbling Hermit” The hermit’s feet hurt, and he takes out his grumpiness on his new housemate, a small, smart mouse.
“Sammy and the Cross-eyed Crow” Sammy lives in the jungle and talks to animals! What happens when he meets a crow who can’t fly straight?
“Ben and the Bully, Billy Bob” Here’s another Ben story, and this time, Ben’s in front of the principal’s office for a run-in with Billy Bob the Bully!
“The Cheerless Chairmaker” Fred Olds has written a new fairy tale with a poor, sweet chairmaker and a smart, savvy princess!
“Sammy and the Royal Rabbit” Sammy is back in the jungle with Jonathan the crow, and this time, he is visited by a rabbit who thinks he’s a king!
This is a very special collection of short stories by two experienced children’s authors. Don’t miss out on getting this collection today!
Fred Olds has crafted dozens of stories over the years and has been involved with various writing and critique groups. At the age of 92, he is a devoted husband and proud father and grandfather living in Central Illinois. After retirement from the Postal Service as an electronic technician, he finally has time to concentrate on writing. A true storyteller at heart, his first love is writing children’s books with an occasional murder mystery thrown in for a change of pace. Check out his kids’ short story books, Read-Aloud Stories with Fred, Vol. 1 and then Vol. 2, and his first book for adults, The Hobo Who Wasn’t, an exciting detective story. He’s also the author of The Dog and the Flea: A Tale of Two Opposites and The Cat, the Mouse, and the Neighbors’ Dog, two books of the Perky Pet Problems picture book series.
About the Author & Publisher, Margo L. Dill
Margo L. Dill is the CEO and owner of Editor-911 Books in St. Louis, MO. She is also the author of the American Civil War Adventure Series with two books, Anna and the Baking Championship and Finding My Place: One Girl’s Strength at Vicksburg, for middle-grade readers. Her other books are That’s the Way It Always Happened and Maggie Mae, Detective Extraordinaire: The Case of the Missing Cookies, which are illustrated picture books, and she has a short story about kids learning about Martin Luther King Jr.’s teachings in Fred Olds’s collection of short stories, Read-Aloud Stories with Fred Vols. 1 and 2. Her next book is for teachers and parents and is out in June 2021, It’s Not Just Academics: A Guide To Teach Kids’ Health, Communication, and Social Emotional Skills. She lives in St. Louis with her tween daughter and lively rescue dog, Sudsi.
Join us as we celebrate the launch of this incredible blog tour. Find out more about the authors, their touching books, and enter to win books for yourself. Become an active participant in the tour, and you can win a gift card.
“Olive is searching for her missing dog Ginger, but the dog has fallen into a hole and is trapped. Along comes Zen, a homeless dog who helps free Ginger. Together, they make their way back to Olive.”
There are several things I like about this book. I like the weaving-in of suggestions to improve your health naturally, such as through nature therapy, consuming superfoods, and using natural remedies. I like that Olive is a science geek. I also like the themes including teamwork and trust. In fact, my favourite line in the whole book is “To Open Your Heart You Must Trust.”
So how does the book end? Well, you’ll have to buy the book to find out. And if you do, you’ll be helping the authors buy books for children living in low income neighbourhoods, as they use 10% of proceeds to do that.
For a sample of what’s in the book, click here to access the book trailer.
Please note: I received a free copy in exchange for my honest review.
Be sure to check out some of the other blog stops.
Shoe’s Seeds & Stories
@Copyright 2021 Linda Schueler
– Blog Tour Dates
May 10th @ The Muffin
What goes better in the morning than a muffin? Join us on the WOW blog today and celebrate the launch of M.T. Becker’s book Zinger in The Woods. You can read an interview with the authors and enter to win a copy of the book too.
Zinger In The Woods was retold by, husband and wife authors, Mark and Tiesha Becker. The former elementary school teachers decided to write a book after fostering three malnourished puppies. Zinger In the Woods reflects the lessons they learned from being parents, doggie parents, and teachers for over thirty years.
Paying attention to what you like leads to a life of joy. Little by little, notice the things you like—the shiny, silver fish painting on the wall, the smell of honeysuckle on a summer’s day, lightning bugs at dusk, baking cinnamon rolls.
The world is full of delights that are here to please you. When you choose to notice them, your life automatically becomes happier. Easy-peasy joy.”
The is one of my favourite passages from “The Little Book of Big Knowing” by Michelle Sammons. It encapsulates what I have been trying to do lately in my life, and I find myself becoming happier as I follow this philosophy.
The book is like a bar of chocolate; it’s meant to be savoured in small nibbles or perhaps, on tougher days, to be devoured in big bites. Some insights were reminders of concepts I have already discovered—like the passage above—and others introduced me to powerful new ways of thinking, like the next passage:
“What if there isn’t one right choice of how to live your life? What if there is not a giant door with a sign on it that reads The Right Choice—this way?What if finding your purpose, career, or mate is more about making little decisions every day that feel good and naturally shift you into a place of Soul-alignment?”
So I find myself now making more little decisions to move myself to where I want to go instead of fretting over the sometimes overwhelming big picture.
“…You have my permission to take what resonates and chuck the rest…” writes Sammons, which is a refreshing philosophy. You are sure to find something that soothes your soul in the book, and maybe like me will want to read the book again and again, whether in little chunks or big. I really hope that Sammons writes a follow up or two to “The Little Book of Big Knowing”.
Please note: I received a free copy in exchange for my honest review.
Be sure to check out some of the other blog stops including this guest post on mindfulness, which contains a thought provoking definition of mindfulness that really resonated with me.
About the Book
The Little Book of Big Knowing is filled with tiny bursts of insight to nourish your heart, warm your Soul, and help you to remember your true self.
If you find yourself asking big, deep life questions like, “What’s my purpose?” and “Why am I here?” then you’ll want to curl up with The Little Book of Big Knowing.
Three reasons why you’ll love this book:
• It includes gentle reminders of why you are here, who you are at your core, and why your dreams matter to more than just you.
• This book will help you to look at life in a light-hearted, joyful way. Consider it spirituality with a playful twist!
• And the best part is, the book is written in short bursts you can read in any order. So you can pick it up, read a little bit, put it down, and come back to it when you’re ready for more!
This book is perfect someone who wants a little dose of playful spirituality every day to remind them of the bigger picture.
About the Author
Michele makes her home in Memphis, Tennessee, with husband Scott and chocolate Labrador, Dewey. The Little Book of Big Knowing is Michele’s first book, but probably not her last. You can discover more about Michele’s work on her website:
Shoe's Seeds & Stories 