Hope Toler Dougherty's Blog, page 10
October 17, 2020
Multi-Author Giveaway!
Fall is officially here! The leaves are turning, the weather is cooling, and it is time to curl up with a book!
We want you to have a chance to win 40 of books or a $350 Amazon card to buy a ton of books yourself in the Celebrate Lit Bring on the Fall Multi-Author Giveaway!
Click here to enter.
Hurry to enter! October the 18th is the last day!
Yes, Forever Music is part of the giveaway!
The post Multi-Author Giveaway! appeared first on Hope Toler Dougherty.
September 22, 2020
Does Anyone Learn to Play the Piano Anymore?
All four siblings in Forever Music play the piano. All four of our children play also as well as several other musical instruments and are the inspiration behind the Daniels’ family musical talents. Music plays an important part in the story, especially piano music.
In one of the early scenes, readers discover that Ches also plays and plays well. He doesn’t really like to play, however.
When he sees a familiar piano book at Josie’s piano, he sits down and plays The Spinning Song by Albert Ellme...
September 17, 2020
Twenty Years With Bible Study Fellowship
This week as I begin another year with Bible Study Fellowship (BSF), I recall my first year way back in 2000. Lots of changes have taken place since then. My children were in elementary school. We lived in another state. I called myself a professional volunteer (instead of a stay-at-home mom).
The picture shows one of my book shelves full of Bible study notebooks. If you count, you’ll find 15. The other five are on a second shelf.
BSF, A New Look
During the past twenty years, the format of the q...
August 28, 2020
What’s Up With KanJam?
See the opening underneath the name?
Have you ever heard of the outdoor game called KanJam? Camp counselors at Deer Valley YMCA Family Camp in Pennsylvania first introduced me to this game a few years ago. I loved it immediately. Josie’s brothers and their guests play it after their Easter lunch in Forever Music.
Sometimes we play it on the beach. Other times, we read. (I was too busy playing the game to snap a picture of our game, unfortunately.)
To play the game, teams of two playe...
August 15, 2020
How do You Like Piano Music?
A running theme for Forever Music is, of course, music, specifically piano music. Josie plays, although she admits not as well as her brothers do, and Ches plays beautifully. All four of our children and I play., and we derive a lot of pleasure from producing music from a keyboard.
Today I’m offering a Youtube video of Ella Ann Holding, a local resident here in Johnston County. Mrs. Holding often shares her talent as do other musicians during a program called The Music for Lunch Bunch, sponsor...
August 7, 2020
National Bowling Day
In honor of National Bowling Day, the second Saturday of August, I’ll share some back story to one of the scenes from Forever Music.
On New Year’s Eve, Josie and her brothers go bowling. After she rolls three strikes in a row, the brothers dare her to try again. If she makes another strike, they’ll give her $100.
That story is straight out of our history, except I was the bowler and my husband was the one trying to rattle me. Years ago, we took the children bowling, and for some strange reason—b...
August 4, 2020
Help Celebrate My Birthday!
August is my birthday month, and I want you to help me celebrate! Keep your money, however. Write book reviews instead, please!
How do I write book reviews?
Don’t know how? A good friend of mine created a short video to show exactly how to write one. Click here to learn how.
Don’t like to write? Don’t think English class essay. A review can be just a short sentence or two. Just write what you liked about it–the characters, the setting, the fun dialog?
Already written one for Forever Music? You ...
August 1, 2020
How do You Like Your Frozen Yogurt?
Confession time. I have loyalty cards for five different frozen yogurt shops. Two are for the same business but different locations.
I love frozen yogurt. I do try to make the treat healthy by sprinkling fruit and almonds on top and add only a few chocolate chips and waffle cone crumbs. This post is about frozen yogurt, but I love ice cream and gelato, too. Here are some pictures of the Italian delicacy from our 2018 trip to one of my favorite countries.
The flavor on top is pistachio.
My husba...
July 17, 2020
Sour Dough Baking and COVID Project
Victory! Finally, a beautiful example of sour dough!
Have you been working on COVID projects at your house? I’ve cleaned out closets and drawers. We’ve purged some unnecessary items from our house. I’ve also tried a lot of new recipes.
One of the new recipes is sour dough bread. I’m a pretty good cook. I like what I cook, but others have complemented me on main dishes, side dishes, desserts, and appetizers. I don’t think of myself in one discipline.
Yes, I really can bake!
I’ve baked bread...
July 9, 2020
Do You Write Bread and Butter Notes?
Do you write bread and butter notes?
Maybe I should ask have you ever heard of bread and butter notes?
If you think these are thank you notes, you’re basically correct; however, they’re a specific type of thank you note. These particular correspondences are for someone who provided a meal, a nice evening, or an overnight or extended stay.
Some people say the letter needs to be written within one week of the event. Others say two weeks is acceptable. I say, just write one, please!
Think about it....
