Stephen Burckhardt's Blog: My Blog Ramblings, page 51

Friday Extra: Being an Indie Author

Hello Posse,

Today's blog is just an extra release because I am feeling frustrated and thought this would be a great opportunity to share some insight into the life of an indie author. Most people who read my blogs already know I am actually Stephen Burckhardt. I have been working so hard trying to get part five done and ready to go before Halloween but it's not going to happen.

People often wonder why it takes me so long to write novellas. They think being a writer means all I do is write and there are other people to do everything else. That could not be further from the truth, especially for Indie Authors.

I not only write the books but format them, do first edits (I do pay a professional to do the final edits for me, to date he has made way more money off of my books than I have), design the covers, websites, and all promotional material. I write all the blogs, design and schedule all the ads, run two websites, two chat groups, 9 social media sites, not including ones I have for personal use. I have author pages on sites like Goodreads, All Author, Amazon and other author promotion sites. I belong to so many Facebook writing/book promotion groups I lost count long ago. Every ad, email, video, basically anything you see that is connected to my books, I have created, edited, designed, posted, and maintain. Actually sitting down to write my books takes the least amount of my time in the whole process.

Now, I am not complaining about any of that. In fact, I love doing it all. I am just pointing out what all goes on behind the scenes to produce, promote, and maintain even one novella as an indie author. If I had any kind of operational budget, I would happily hire a few people to take on a some of those responsibilities but that requires income that I do not have at the moment.

I had worked really hard at the beginning of October to work ahead on all of my social media posts so I could have a good week or so to just focus on writing part five of my serial. I had great plans today to get up and spend the entire day writing. It's about 5:30 PM here at the time of writing this blog and not a word has been written on my book and here is why.

Right now here in Germany, the Frankfurter Buchmesse, the world's largest book trade fair, is going on. Due to Covid19, they added a virtual component to this year's events for those of us who can't or did not want to go to a large, indoor, public gathering. Being immune compromised, I signed up for the virtual event and have a virtual "booth" at this year's fair. For some reason, the link to my webpage has not been working since my booth went live. I had re-entered the text a few times and it still did not work so eventually I contacted tech support.

A very helpful person spent the morning going back and forth with me in email. I was first told the problem was with my site however, I was able to find that the link code on their site was adding extra information in the link when you clicked on it. This extra text needed to be deleted on their side. I sent this to new information back to tech support and they were able to clean up the link. However, he informed me that my site was being flagged on their end as a potentially dangerous site and I should check my website's SSL certificate.

(Note: for those who don't know what an SSL certificate is, basically it lets web browsers that are accessing your site know that your site is safe and not going to crash the visitor's system)

So then, I went onto the site where I bought my domain and checked my SSL certificate. It wasn't showing one for my website . . . nothing . . . nada . . . it was just gone. What it did show was an ad stating I needed to purchase one for this domain. Without even thinking about, I bought the basic SSL certification, but it was still not showing one. By that point, I just wanted to give up trying to figure this all out on my own and contacted tech support on the domain host site. I spend the next several hours in tech support chat, going round and round with the tech support person about what happened to my SSL certification.

They were polite and professional but kept asking me the same questions over and over. Eventually, I had to call in my IT Architect husband to talk to the person because I was getting too frustrated with the whole thing. By 3 pm we still did not have an SSL certificate on my site and were told to just wait and see if it shows up tomorrow. My Mastercard shows a pending charge from my domain host site but for $0, so who knows if it is going to work or not. The Frankfurter Buchmesse ends this weekend. My first experience with this incredible event may be a total bust.

I hope I will still get some valuable information out of their online seminars and make some connections in the networking platform. Only time will tell. Here is hoping I have better luck tomorrow and actually get the first chapter of book five in my computer. Heck at this point even the first paragraph will still be progress. Cross your fingers for me.

Take care,

Dianne

Due to unforeseen technical issues this event will need to be rescheduled for a later date.

Friday Funnies: Once More With Feeling!

Hello Posse!

I thought I would go back to joke from kids for once last hurray this month. They have been so good I thought it was worth the hat trick. I promise to go on to another topic next week but for now let's hear it from the mouths of babes!

Enjoy!

Stephen

Q: Why was the strawberry crying?

A: Because she was in a jam.

Q: What do you call a duck that gets straight A’s?

A: A wise quacker.

Q: What does a pirate pay to get his ears pierced?

A: A buck an ear.

Q: Why did the cookie go to the doctor?

A: Because he was feeling crummy.

Q: What building in New York has the most stories?
A: The library!

Q: How does the ocean say hello?
A: It waves!

Q: Why do scientist always have fresh breath?

A: They always use experi-mints!

Q: How are dentures like the stars

A: They both come out at night!

Q: What's a tornado’s favorite game?

A: Twister!

Q: What is worse than raining cats and dogs?
A: Hailing taxis!

Last but not least . . .

Q: How can you tell when a vampire has a cold?
A: It starts coffin.

Now enjoy kids telling jokes on Letterman in 1992

https://youtu.be/vFQKHXSZxqg

Whatever Wednesday: National Stop Bullying Day!

Hello Posse!

Today is a very important day, National Stop Bullying Day. I was pretty lucky as a kid. I was strong willed and I never worried about what other people said about me (still don't) and that was a great thing for many reasons. I have always been overweight, I grew really fast when I was young and was almost as tall as my teacher in kindergarten, and we moved around a lot so I was a perpetual new kid, or at least if felt like it. Not to mention, I have always been a huge nerd. I carried around a leather bound edition of the complete works of Shakespeare in junior high and not only read it but understood it and quoted it a lot. I was, and am, a proud dork. All of these things regularly put me in the sights of school bullies.

I was always able to laugh off their attempts to bully me, and being twice as big as most of them helped too, but so many children are not that lucky. Every year we lose more and more children to suicide because of bullying. The numbers are not only increasing but it is effecting a wider range of ages. Younger children are dealing with these issues on a daily basis. Access to social media has made is easier for bullies to anonymously harass others in front of a global audience. The strain on the children today is not only detrimental to their self-image but is also life-threatening.

Bullying doesn't just happen to children, even adults can be targets. The internet makes it very easy for bullies to find victims and relentlessly badger them on a global stage. It should be the focus of every social media user to call out bullies wherever you see them.

Here are some suggestions for children (and even adults) who are dealing with online bullies.

Disclaimer: By continuing to read this blog, y agree that you understand I am not a doctor, psychologist, or a licensed therapist. This in not medical advice. These are suggestions gathered from numerous sites throughout the internet. Should you or a family decide to follow any of these suggestions, by doing so you agree to take full personal responsibility for that decision including whatever outcome may result from your decision. By doing so, you agree to exempt me from any responsibility now or in the future, in perpetuity.

1. Block Them!

The quickest way to deal with an online bully is to block their access to you.

2. Send Them A Private Message

Ask them to tell you what their issue really is with you. Stay calm. Try to reason with them. This will not work with everyone, but surprisingly it has turned out a few times that the hostility was coming from a misunderstanding.

3. Tell Your Parents Or Close Friends

Even if there is nothing they can do to stop the bullying, it always helps to talk to others about what is going on and how it is making you feel. Don't deal with this alone.

4. Talk To The School Guidance Councillor

If the person or persons doing the bullying are from your school, talk to the guidance councillor. They can advise you on school policy and what the school maybe able to do to help you.

5. Always Remember: You Are Worthy!

It might seem like it matters what other people think of you, but it really doesn't. The most important thing will always be what you think of yourself. Know in your heart and soul that you are a great person who is worthy of being treated with love and respect and refuse to accept anything less. You Are Worthy!

6. Ask For Help!

If bullying is causing you to have low self-esteem or to have suicidal thoughts, please tell an adult right away and consider asking to speak with a therapist. If you do not feel comfortable doing that, call an anonymous helpline. Stop Bullying Now Hotline (USA) 1-800-273-8255.

I hope everyone is safe and loved and has a wonderful week. If you know someone who is being bullied, please reach out to them. Let them know you support them and are always there to listen. You just might make a new friend and save a life in the process.

Peace be with you all!

Dianne

Check out this great year-long ,Anti-Bullying project from the Agnes Stewart Middle School, designed and made by their 8th grade media team. Then go to Agnes Stewart's Wolf Pack Media's YouTube Channel and support the kids by subscribing!

https://youtu.be/05B0mp9Ojes

Monday Movie Madness: Halloween Double Feature!

Hello Posse!

Time for our first double feature movie blog! These great horror classics will keep you on the edge of your seat this Halloween season. Today's movie blog is written by me, Dianne. There are behind the scenes things I want to share about these movies, as I actually have a personal connection to one of the actors, and it would not make a lot of sense coming from Stephen. I have been a long time fan of Hitchcock's films and today I am going to introduce you to two of my favorites, Psycho and The Birds.

Released in 1960, Psycho is a American psychological thriller that was produced and directed by Alfred Hitchcock. Joseph Stefano provided the screenplay that was based on a novel by Robert Bloch.

The horror classic stars Anthony Perkins, Janet Leigh, Vera Miles, John Gavin, and Martin Balsam. Psycho was thought of as a departure for Hitchcock from his earlier style. It was filmed on a low budget, in black-and-white, he used a television crew.

The movie was considered very controversial, but audiences flocked to see the psychological thriller. The film's box-office returns were credited with bringing about a reversal of many critical reviews.

Psycho received four Academy Award nominations, including Best Supporting Actress (Leigh) and Best Director (Hitchcock). Psycho has since been deemed one of Hitchcock's best films and praised as cinematic art by film scholars and critics. It is often listed among the greatest films of all time. Psycho is credited with setting new standards in American films for sexuality, violence, and deviant behavior. It is also widely considered to be the "father" of the slasher film genre.

Psycho follows Marion Crane (Leigh), a female embezzler on the run from the police. She stops for the night at a roadside motel and meets the shy owner, Norman Bates (Perkins). Norman invites Marion to join him for a bite to eat at his home, the gothic manor on the hill overlooking the motel. She agrees, but as she settles into her room she overhears Norman and his mother arguing about her.

Norman changes plans and brings the food to the parlor in the Motel office. The two eat while Norman tells her about his mother. He says she is mentally ill and forbids him to socialize with anyone but her. After hearing how lonely Norman is, Marion decides to return the stolen money in hopes she can reclaim her own life.

Unfortunately, Marion never leaves the motel. As she showers before bed, Marion is attacked by a shadowy figure and stabbed to death. Norman comes running into Marion's room in a panic. He finds her lifeless body and assumes it is his mother who killed her. He cleans up the crime scene and puts the corpse and her belongings (unknowingly, including the stolen money) in the trunk of her car. He then drives the car into the swamp near the motel.

Marion's sister, Lila, has been looking for her since she found out she was accused of embezzlement. She confronts Sam, the man Marion had been involved with, and asks where her sister is. Marion's employer hired private investigator, Milton Arbogast. The P.I. approaches Lila and Sam. He informs that that he had been hired to bring Marion in to face charges.

When Sam and Lila can't help him, Arbogast traces Marion's escape and ends up at the Bates Motel. After questioning Norman, Arbogast was more than a little suspicious of the inn keeper. When Norman refuses to allow the P.I. to speak to his mother, Arbogast checks in with Sam and Lila. He tells them he found a lead and promised to check in again soon.

Arbogast breaks into the Bates' home to speak to Norman's mother. He is caught at the top of the stairs by a shadowy figure who promptly stabs him to death. When Sam and Lila do not hear from Arbogast again, they decide to check things out for themselves. At the motel, Sam sees someone in the house he assumes must be Mrs. Bates. The pair decide to visit the local sheriff for help, and learn that Mrs. Bates died ten years previously in a murder-suicide.

The sheriff is convinced that Arbogast lied to Sam and Lila so he could go after Marion on his own and collect the reward for her capture. Sam and Lila are not convinced and believe that something has happened to Arbogast. As Sam and Lila drive to the motel, Norman hides his mother in the fruit cellar.

When they arrive at the motel, Sam distracts Norman while Lila sneaks inside the house. Norman becomes suspicious and attacks Sam. Lila decides to hide in the cellar and discovers the mummified corpse of Mrs. Bates. When Norman hears Lila's scream, he runs to the cellar wearing his mother's clothes and a wig, and wielding a large knife. Sam comes to the rescue just in time and manages to apprehend Norman.

Later, a psychiatrist explains what had happened to Norman. Ten years ago he murdered his mother and her lover in a jealous rage. Being unable to live with the guilt, he took her corpse and began to interact with it as if she were still alive. Eventually "Mother" becomes an alternate personality for Norman. As Norman sits in jail, Mother's voice can be heard placing all the blame for the murders on Norman while the police are towing Marion's car from the swamp.

The western tie in here is from Anthony Perkins. His filmography includes two Westerns in 1957, The Lonely Man with Jack Palance and The Tin Star with Henry Fonda. He would also later star with Jane Fonda in her first screen roll in the 1960 film Tall Story, though that was not a western.

The Birds is an American horror film produced and directed by Alfred Hitchcock. Released in 1963, the story is loosely based on a story by Daphne du Maurier. The story follows a series of unexplained bird attacks in Bodega Bay, California

The film stars Tippi Hedren in her screen debut, as well as well-known actors, Rod Taylor, Jessica Tandy, Suzanne Pleshette, and Veronica Cartwright in one of her early roles. In 2016, the United States Library of Congress selected The Birds for preservation in its National Film Registry, stating it was "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".

The story is set in the early 1960s. Socialite, Melanie Daniels (Hedren), is in a pet store in San Francisco where she meets lawyer, Mitch Brenner (Taylor). Brenner is looking to buy lovebirds as a birthday gift for his sister, Cathy (Cartwright). Recognizing Melanie from an unflattering newspaper article, Mitch pretends to mistake her for a shop employee.

When Mitch finally admits he knows who she is and that he doesn't approve of her behavior, the pair argue and Mitch leaves the shop without buying the birds. Melanie wants to make up for the argument, so she buys the lovebirds and delivers them to Mitch's apartment. Unfortunately, she learns he is not home. He has left town for his family's farm in Bodega Bay. Not wanting to leave the birds in the apartment hallway for days, Melanie drives to Bodega Bay to deliver them. One of the first people she meets is the local school teacher Anne Hayworth (Pleshette). Annie had previously dated Mitch, but called things off because of his overbearing mother.

In town, Melanie rents a boat and crosses the bay to discreetly leave the lovebirds at the Brenner farm. Mitch spots Melanie sitting in her boat in the bay as she heads back to the dock. Mitch jumps in his car and drives into town to meet her. As Melanie approaches the dock, she is a attacked by a seagull.

Over the next few days the bird attacks on people in town become more frequent and vicious until Mitch's family is forced to flee with Melanie in her car. As they slowly drive through swarms of birds gathering in the area, the car radio plays. The radio announcer reports bird attacks in other communities. They expect the military to be called in if things do not let up soon. Will humanity survive or will they fall prey to the birds?

Tippi Hedren is more than just a beautiful face and a great entertainer, she is also a long time, passionate, animal activist. Tippi created the Roar Foundation which supports The Shambala Preserve. (

Their mission statement: to provide sanctuary to exotic felines - who have suffered from gross mistreatment and neglect - so they can regain their physical and mental health and live out their lives in dignity; to advocate no buying, selling, breeding or trading of exotic felines; to educate the pubic about exotic felines; and to advocate for legislation to protect them. P.S. and elephants too!

I had to add in the information about Shambala because it is a cause close to my own heart. When I was in college, back in my 20s, I was the advertising manager for a few years for a small press newspaper in Kansas. It served the Wichita State University campus but was a business and not a lab paper like at many universities. Teachers did not run the paper, the students were completely responsible for all aspects of the paper's operations.

The sales staff I had assembled did such a great job bringing in advertising that we often didn't have enough editorial content to fill the pages. I began looking for nonprofits I believed in and started offering them free advertising campaigns to fill up our empty spaces. Shambala was one of the places I contacted.

You can imagine my surprise when I actually got to speak on the phone with Tippi Hedren. She was completely devoted to her preserve and oversaw all aspects of their advertising. I got to work with her as I designed an advertising campaign for Shambala. I was completely in awe of her as I was a life long fan of The Birds. It was such a thrill being able to work with her for her foundation. I promised myself, I would stay professional and not become all fan girl when speaking with her. I did a good job until our last conversation.

The last time we spoke, I broke down and told her I had promised myself to be professional with her but knowing this was our last conversation, I did really want to ask her about another actor. She laughed a little and said, you want to know about my son-in-law.

I felt awful, because for a moment, I had no idea who she was talking about. Then it finally dawned on me that her daughter, Melanie Griffith had recently married Antonio Banderas. Unfortunately I did not remember that fact before a confused, "Who?" came out of my mouth (sorry Antonio, I really do love your work too). I quickly recovered and added "oh no, he's great but I wanted to ask you about Rod Taylor."

Tippi laughed and indulged me for a moment as we talked about Rod, then she told me she was actually going to be with him the following week for a special screening of The Birds for an anniversary celebration. I told her to feel free to tell him that a 23 year old college girl in Kansas is still madly infatuated with him and his movies. She laughed and said, he will love that. I still hope to one day be able to visit Shambala and take one of their tours.

And as to how this movie has a western tie in, in case you didn't know, Rod Taylor is an Australian actor who appeared in more than 50 movies including The Glass Bottom Boat (with Doris Day), The Time Machine, and Chuka, an American western released in 1967 that not only starred Rod Taylor, but he also worked on the screenplay and was a producer. I think that is a pretty good western tie in.

For today's movie snack, I thought I would combine the two movies and share a recipe from The Spice House for their Insane Hot Wings! (

You can adjust the spices to fit your own level of hot, or be daring and risk the insanity by just following the recipe as is. Be sure to check out some of Hitchcock's other movies. I highly recommend reading up on The Rope and then watching it. This film was unique in so many ways but I do not have time to go into it here.

Now, it's time to get your snacks and settle in for a great Hitchcock double feature!

Enjoy!

Dianne

Psycho Trailerhttps://youtu.be/Wz719b9QUqYThe Birds Trailerhttps://youtu.be/0fJh2gIBOtoShambalahttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bFlx78cexiY

#MondayMood #MondayMorning #Hitchcock #blogger #blog #HorrorMovies #writers #HALLOWEEN #animals #Shambala

Friday Funnies: More From Kids!

Hello Posse!

With October being so centered on children and fun, I thought I would continue with a few jokes from kids. I have to admit, the jokes I have been finding from kids are are often better than the Dad jokes I find. Who knew?!

So I hope these jokes help you kick off a great weekend!

Enjoy!

Stephen

Q: Two pickles fell on the floor. What did the first one say to the other when it started to cry?
A: Dill with it.

Q: How do you make a lemon drop?

A: Push it off the edge.

Q: What did the limestone say to the geologist?

A: Please, don’t take me for granite!

Q: Why did the children cross the playground?

A: To get to the other slide.

Q: How do you stop an astronaut’s baby from crying?

A: You rocket!

Q: What is a witch’s favorite subject in school?

A: Spelling!

Q: What kind of tree can fit in your hand?

A: A palm tree!

Q: What did the Dalmatian say after dinner?

A: Well, that hit the spot!

Q: How does a ghoul begin all his letters?
A: Tomb it may concern . . .

And last but not least . . .

Q: When does a joke become a “dad” joke?

A: When the punchline is a parent.

Now check out some of the kids from Little Big Shots as they share their best jokes. https://youtu.be/IPjTy4Nqu1w

Whatever Wednesday: Halloween Happiness!!

Hello Posse!

It is October and the Halloween season has begun! This makes me so happy and sad at the same time. I LOVE Halloween and I was always that crazy neighbor who had the entire yard full of decorations including animated creatures and motion detecting sound effects. I looked forward to this holiday all read round.

The sad part comes because since moving to Germany, things are not the same here. Halloween is not celebrated in many other countries the way it is in the US though it is starting to catch on more and more.

We moved to Germany about five years ago and it has only been the last two years that we have had any trick-or-treaters and even then we have only ever had two brothers show up. Walking in the neighborhood, you do not see caved pumpkins, or houses decorated for the holiday. I am seeing more and more decorations showing up in stores so I have high hopes that in the next few years, they will succumb to the fun that is Halloween! People here plan for Carnival all year round so I doubt it will be difficult to convince them to enjoy another costume driven celebration.

In the mean time, while I wait for the neighbors to catch up with me on this holiday. I still enjoy watching scary movies, baking autumn treats, and seeing all the photos from friends and family back in the US as they celebrate. One of my favorite movies is Halloween, starring Jamie Lee Curtis. It is a moral imperative for me to watch that movie every year!

So, if you celebrate this holiday, be sure to share the love and drop some photos of how you and yours celebrate the holiday.

I hope you all have a very safe and fun-filled Halloween!

Take care,

Dianne
Jamie Lee Curtis and John Carpenter talk about Halloweenhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bp_PPhy2-Jc

Monday Movie Madness: The Halloween Editions!

Hello Posse!

It is the Halloween season and I am getting ready to enjoy a full month of spooky movie goodness. Halloween is my favorite holiday. I love everything about it, the costumes and decorations, the scary movies, the trick-or-treaters, and of course the candy!

I want to start out this month of Halloween movies with one of my all-time classic favorite monster movies, The Thing from Another World. This classic sc-fi, horror film will be an easy start to tie into westerns as it stars well-known western actor James Arness (Marshal Dillon, Gunsmoke) as "The Thing".

This movie is often just referred to as The Thing but should not be confused with the 1982 remake, The Thing. In our house, it was always a joke when talking about the movie The Thing, we would clarify if we meant "the old The Thing" or "the new The Thing".

I, personally, am not a fan of "the new The Thing" and I am obviously not alone in that. The 1982 version was released to extremely bad reviews and was even called "a wretched excess" and "instant junk". Since its release, it has found favor as a cult classic, though I have never really found it to my liking . . . and I like some weird movies. Yet another The Thing remake was announced this year, but I serious doubt they will ever improve on the original.

"The old The Thing" is fantastic! It has great suspense mixed with humor and even a wonderful love story. They use lighting so well in this movie to help create suspense and fear. Always, keeping "The Thing" in the shadows adds to the mystery and anticipation. The love interests in the movie banter with each other in a fashion that makes me think of William Powell and Myrna Loy in the Thin Man movies. If you haven't seen those movies . . . you must! It is a moral imperative!

The original film was release in 1951 as a black-and-white science fiction, horror film. It was directed by Christian Nyby and produced by Edward Lasker for Howard Hawks' Winchester Pictures Corporation. The Thing was released by RKO Pictures and stars Margaret Sheridan, Kenneth Tobey, Robert Cornthwaite, and Douglas Spencer with James Arness as "The Thing".

This movie is based on a 1938 novella titled, Who Goes There? by John W. Campbell who was writing as Don A. Stuart at the time. The story follows a crew of U.S. Air Force airman, a team of scientists, and one very impatient reporter at a remote research outpost in the Arctic. A crew is sent out to check out some strange readings and find a downed UFO embedded in the ice. The men try to extract it, however, the materials they use to melt the ice, also destroy the ship.

Not far from the saucer, the men find a humanoid body also frozen in the ice. They take great care to cut a block of ice with the body in it and take the entire block and body back to the research station to examine.

As the airmen take turns watching over "The Thing" in the ice, many of them become unease as they swear it is still alive and watching them too. One airman makes the mistake of covering the block with an electric blanket, melting the ice enough for "The Thing" to escape. Now, the the humans at the research station must band together and battle The Thing from Another World to stay alive and save the future of humanity.

Since the creature is found to have the characteristics of a plant, why not make a plant based movie snack? You can munch on tasty, The Thing Fingers as you watch this film. Check out King Arthur Baking's website for a great recipe for Baked Zucchini Sticks and Sweet Onion Dip (

So Posse, it's time to get your snacks and settle in, it's time for another great movie!

Enjoy,

Stephen
The Thing from Another World, Trailerhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XjuLZwlDxh8&list=PLXftJrfB4EamiSluo9WK5w5Hgfc4tcmryThe Thing from Another World, Full Movie
(Not Available in Some Countries)https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GWaWBbZvydc&list=PLXftJrfB4EamiSluo9WK5w5Hgfc4tcmry&index=5

#Halloween #HorrorMovies #sciencefiction #MondayVibes #MondayMood #blog #writers

Friday Funnies: Kid Jokes!

Hello Posse!

I have been working on so many things lately I am totally getting turned around and really have no idea what I'm doing at the moment. I have so many things half finished and I really need to work on getting a few of them wrapped up here soon so I can focus entirely on writing part five.

I am determined to give it a real go to try and get parts five and six finished by Christmas. I know I do not have a good track record for writing that fast, but I'm determined to give it the ol' college try. In the mean time I have a few videos to put together and I want to do a cover reveal here soon so I can start running ads for part five as I finish writing it.

I have been thinking about a contest leading up to the revel could be a prediction quiz. It would have three multiple choice questions about your predictions for what you think will happen in part 5. The people with the correct answers would be put in a drawing to win a prize. I was thinking about maybe getting a T-shirt with the book cover on it for the winner. Let me know what you think about my contest idea.

For now, lets get on with the Jokes! I thought kid jokes would be good for today, I hope you like these jokes from children.

Enjoy,

Stephen

Q: What do you get when you cross a vampire and a snowman?
A: Frost bite!

Q: What do you call a sleeping dinosaur?

A: A dino-snore!

Q: What did one plate say to the other plate?

A: Dinner's on me!

Q: Why did the Raggedy Ann say no to dessert?
A: Because she was already stuffed.

Q: What is fast and crunchy?

A: A rocket chip!

Q: What did the left eye say to the right eye?

A: Between you and me . . . something smells!

Q: Why did the student eat his book report?

A: Because the teacher told him it would be a piece of cake!

Q: What has ears but cannot hear?
A: A cornstalk.

Q: What do you call a droid that goes the long way around?

A: R2 De-tour.

And now for my favorite kid joke . . .

Q: Why was six afraid of seven?

A: Because seven, eight, nine!

If you want to revel in some serious cuteness, check out these kids telling their own jokes.

https://youtu.be/NMIjkqZFN9o

Wednesday Whatever: Children's Books

Hello Posse!

I thought today would be a great day to talk about children's books. Recently, I was asked for some recommendations for children's storybooks. I can remember some of my favorites as a kid were The Boxcar Kids, the Encyclopaedia Brown series, and my Disney Storybook Collection to which my parents had bought me a subscription. While the books in the Disney program have changed drastically since I was a kid, they are still an amazing way to foster the love of reading. You can check out the Disney Book Club here (

If you need something a little less expensive, why not try a free book program like the one created by entertainment legend, Dolly Parton.

DOLLY PARTON’S IMAGINATION LIBRARY

Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library is a book gifting program that gifts free books to children from birth to age five in participating communities in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and Republic of Ireland.

Parton was inspired by her father’s inability to read and write. She started her Imagination Library in 1995 for the children living in her home county. Today, her program spans five countries and gifts more than one million free books each month to children around the world.

“When I was growing up in the hills of East Tennessee, I knew my dreams would come true. I know there are children in your community with their own dreams. They dream of becoming a doctor or an inventor or a minister. Who knows, maybe there is a little girl whose dream is to be a writer and singer.

The seeds of these dreams are often found in books and the seeds you help plant in your community can grow across the world.”

Visit ImaginationLibrary.com (

Want to get some new books but don't know about a lot of the current titles available? Just ask Mrs. Pilcher!

MRS. PILCHER'S BOOKSHELF

Mrs. Dawn Pilcher and her husband, Alan, created a YouTube channel called Mrs. Pilcher's Bookshelf. After schools shut down due to Covid19, Mrs. Pilcher started the YouTube channel to reconnect with her students. She is a librarian at a private elementary school in my hometown in Kansas. She uses her platform to introduce and review popular children's books. Below you will find the first episode of Mrs. Pilcher's Bookshelf, It's Raining Meatballs!

In this initial episode, Dawn introduces herself and the goals of her YouTube channel. She does a great job creating some interaction with her online audience. She introduces the next book to be reviewed by superimposing herself on the cover and allowing her audience to send in their guesses as to the book's correct title. Be sure to check out all the current episodes and click that subscribe button so you can keep up as new ones come out.

You can also find her on ,,Facebook ,@mrspilchersbookshelf (,,MrsPilchersBookshelf.com.

,,Mrs. Pilcher's Bookshelf

(^ click to go to her YouTube Channel ^)

https://youtu.be/w16c5pfKhh0

Don't forget that the Into the West Saga Serial books are clean reads and have been approved by several mother's as suitable for their children from 10 years and up. These books are historical fiction and Stephen goes to great lengths to make sure they are historically accurate for the period. Much of the story ideas come directly from real events in the lives of Stephen's family members and friends. So check out all the great children's book programs listed here and then be sure to check out my Into the West Saga Serial collection.

You can never go wrong with a great book! Share your favorite children's books with us. We would love to hear from you!

Enjoy!

Dianne

Monday Movie Madness: Postponed Due to Migraine

Hey Posse,

Check back tomorrow for my movie blog featuring another Tom Selleck and Sam Elliott made for TV movie.

Have a great night.

Stephen