Robin Van Auken's Blog, page 7

A Poem Every Morning with Marjorie Maddox

I tried to imagine an early morning drive with poet Marjorie Maddox, whose creative suitcase is crammed with metaphors. I was enveloped in fog, which occluded my vision, on this particular day. My surroundings became the murky sea, and my auto a submarine. The tall, stark silver maples along the roadway became the kelp forests off the coast of California, and the 18-wheeler entering the road from the left became a large, gray whale, which I followed into a labyrinth of coral reefs (the city) teeming with colorful fish (cars) darting back and forth.

The entire morning after our chat was spent in a dreamy, soft-focused world of poetry, and it felt good. I felt like I had a special pair of glasses that transformed the world around me, and I couldn’t stop jotting down ideas.

Last night, I browsed the stacks at a bookstore in Virginia while visiting family, and immediately was drawn to the poetry section. I looked at names on spines and wondered, “Who are these people? How do I know if I’ll enjoy them?” I chickened out and picked up an anthology of the best 100 poems in the world, tucking it into my suitcase for later.

This is why I enjoy speaking with other writers, especially writers who are comfortable with their craft. Their love for their work inspires me to explore and stretch and be brave. I’ll most likely never do much with my foggy morning/under the sea poem, but it was such fun to look around as I drove the same lonely stretch of road into town and to see something different. Something I hadn’t seen in the hundreds of other drives.

Marjorie has published 11 poetry collections, and a book of literary fiction, and she’s edited a lovely book about Keystone poets for Penn State University Press. She’s a professor of English and Creative Writing at Lock Haven University, where she leads students into the world of literature, often “through the back door,” encouraging them to view their world with new eyes.

She’s gracious and funny and inspiring, and not just with her students, but with her readers. I curled up on my window seat, snow piling up outside, and read through her poetry collection, “Local News from Someplace Else,” and at times, I laughed aloud. Other times, I wiped a tear. I could relate to almost every poem she wrote, either as a parent, a teacher, a stranger in Pennsylvania, as a world citizen.

Next, I moved on to “True, False, None of the Above,” and was enchanted by the word play as her poems danced the tango with Robert Frost and others. I laughed again as the English teacher struggled with suicide notes, tossing one illegible farewell into the wastebasket after the other, only to get back to work grading papers. Who hasn’t felt the drudgery of work, and felt the task at hand was terminal?

I had a great time chatting with Marjorie, as I’m sure you’ll hear. So, accept my half-hearted apologies for interrupting the flow of this show with my giggles, because I’m not sorry I enjoyed myself. Like many people, I am a stranger in a strange land when it comes to poetry, but Marjorie opened the door and welcomed me. Her poetry is accessible, understandable, relatable, and sometimes downright fun to read.

She’s brave, also, tackling heart-breaking events, like the Amish school shooting, or the crash of TWA Flight 800. Author Ray Bradbury says, reading poetry is like flexing a muscle. Reading Marjorie’s poems are a workout, swinging the reader from laughter to tears with the turn of a page. All writers yearn for that power.

My wish is that Marjorie can inspire you to think creatively about the world around you, as she has inspired me. Start reading poetry. Find poets whom you enjoy and learn more about what inspires them. Hopefully, it will awaken a song in your heart.

If it does, capture the ideas as soon as you can, on a piece of paper, or as a voice recording on your mobile phone.  Let your poems gestate, like Marjorie does, then work on them, revise them, and then share them.

If you’re local, stop in at Otto’s Bookstore and pick up a book of Marjorie’s poems. If not, look for her books online at Amazon. Use the handy links below.

Note: Affiliate links on this website are provided for convenience. See the full disclosure for more info.

What She Was Saying
Local News from Someplace Else
True, False, None of the Above
A Crossing of Zebras
Weeknights at the Cathedral
Body Parts
Rules of the Game: Baseball Poems
When the Wood Clacks Out Your Name
The Battered Suitcase
Common Wealth: Contemporary Poets on Pennsylvania 
Perpendicular As I 
Transplant, Transport, Transubstantiation

Thank You for Listening!

Ways to share your thoughts:

Use Facebook to leave a comment below.
Send Robin an email.
Be social with the link on Facebook, Twitter  or Pinterest.

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Leave an honest review on Soundcloud and iTunes. Your ratings and reviews really help and I read each one.
Subscribe on iTunes or Soundcloud or Google Play.

Let’s talk books again next week!

Download the Audio File as an MP3

Want to listen on your own terms? Download the episode and take it with you.

Marjorie Maddox

Learn more about Marjorie Maddox and her work as a poet and professor.

WEBSITE


FACEBOOK


TWITTER


Poetry
Literature
Writing
Lock Haven University

Note: Affiliate links on this website are provided for convenience. See the full disclosure for more info.

What She Was Saying
Local News from Someplace Else
True, False, None of the Above
A Crossing of Zebras
Weeknights at the Cathedral
Body Parts
Rules of the Game: Baseball Poems
When the Wood Clacks Out Your Name
The Battered Suitcase
Common Wealth: Contemporary Poets on Pennsylvania 
Perpendicular As I 
Transplant, Transport, Transubstantiation


This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.




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One Page Per Day with Melody Johnson

Melody Johnson has completed yet another marathon, and her reward is the publication of her upcoming novel, “Day Reaper,” the exciting conclusion to her “Night Blood” paranormal romance series. The books feature heroine Cassidy DiRocco, a crime reporter living in New York who discovers vampires living beneath the city.

Writing a novel is not a sprint for this young author, but rather a long-distance event, writing on her books at least one page per day. It’s a lesson from her college creative writing mentor, and one she’s never forgotten.

She recalled how, prior to college she would try to write too much in one sitting. “I tried and failed several times to write full manuscripts,” she said. “I’d sit down and be inspired. I’d have all these great ideas and write  in one sitting — write 20 pages, 30 pages. Then a few weeks would go by and I would, and I would think about my book, not know where I wanted to go with it. Maybe sit down a month later, I’d sit down and another 20 or 30 pages, get all these words down. Then, maybe a month later, get bored with that book and start a new book. I would have like 50 pages of five books all started, none of them finished.”

That’s when her creative writing professor instilled in her the notion that writing isn’t a sprint.

“You can’t just sit down, write 30 pages in one day, sprint to the finish line, and try to do that every once in awhile. You’ll never actually finish a book. You’ll never actually get to the finish line. Writing is a long-distance event. You have to take your time, you have to do a little bit each day, and so I keep track of my pages every day. At a minimum, I have to write one page a day.”

The concept of writing one page a day, even if it’s a few lines written while in line at a grocery store, means that at the year’s end, you’ll have 365 pages written: a complete manuscript.

Another piece of advice that Melody shares is to keep moving forward. “No matter the stage of your writing career — whether you’re writing your first manuscript or your fifth, pitching to agents and editors, negotiating contracts or making revisions and resubmitting your work — just keep swimming toward your dreams with strong and steady strokes, and eventually, at the end of that journey, you’ll win the race,” she said. “Unlike swimming, however, the long-distance event of writing never ends. There will always be that next draft to revise, that next book to write, that next agent or editor to query, and the only way to lose is to stop trying.

Melody graduated magna cum laude from Lycoming College in 2011, with a bachelor’s degree in creative writing and psychology, and credits her time at Lyco with enhancing her writing skills, but also making her a well-rounded individual. She used her time wisely at college, playing the flute in the band, as an intramural swimmer, and as a writer. She focused on sharpening her skills, interning with an urban publisher as a copyeditor, then accepting a copyeditor job after school. It paid off, and about a  year after graduating, she signed a multi-book publishing contract with Kensington Publishing/Lyrical Press for her Night Blood series.

Her debut novel, “The City Beneath,” published in 2015; the second book in the series, “Sweet Last Drop,” published in 2016; the third book, “Eternal Reign,'” published in 2017; and her fourth and final book in that series, “Day Reaper,” will release in April 2018.

Melody credits her membership in the Romance Writers Association, which she joined while in college, with much of her success. While in college in central Pennsylvania, she traveled to the New Jersey meetings to learn more about her chosen field, mingle with agents and publishers, and improve as a romance writer. She was a finalist in several Romance Writers of America contests, including the “Cleveland Rocks” and “Fool For Love” contests.

“They were a part of my whole writing journey,” Melody said. “We’d have monthly meetings, bring in other authors, agents, sometimes publishers. Also we’d bring in other professionals in their fields. We’d bring in retired police officers, retired FBI agents, to be able to hold craft workshops. All of that is really helpful for the creative process. Also, we’d have opportunities to pitch to the agents and the publishers.”

The Nigh Blood novels comprise a serial story. The same characters move through problems chronologically, to the story’s end. It’s taken Melody four novels to tell the complete story, which spans several months.  Now that her serial novels are completed, she’s excited to move on to her next project.

“By the time I got to my final book, I was so ready for them to have their epic conclusion,” Melody said. “I love that series. It was the first series I ever completed. The first complete story arc for a character over multiple novels. For my next series, I’m going to do an actual series, not a serial. Some of my favorite scenes to write are the first kiss, the first look.That building of tension and them resisting of coming together. So I’m really excited to be able to write some of those scenes again.”

So, pick up her “Night Blood” novels today, take your time reading them, and then check back in spring of 2019 when, according to Melody’s long-distance philosophy of writing every day, her new book will be finished and on sale.

From Melody Johnson’s Amazon page:

The City Beneath (The Night Blood Series): Book 1

As a journalist, Cassidy DiRocco thought she had seen every depraved thing New York City’s underbelly had to offer. But while covering what appears to be a vicious animal attack, she finds herself drawn into a world she never knew existed. Her exposé makes her the target of the handsome yet brutal Dominic Lysander, the Master Vampire of New York City, who has no problem silencing her to keep his coven’s secrets safe…

But Dominic offers Cassidy another option: ally. He reveals she is a night blood, a being with powers of her own, including the ability to become a vampire. As the body count escalates, Cassidy is caught in the middle of a vampire rebellion. Dominic insists she can help him stop the coming war, but wary of his intentions, Cassidy enlists the help of the charming Ian Walker, a fellow night blood. As the battle between vampires takes over the city, Cassidy will have to tap into her newfound powers and decide where to place her trust…

Sweet Last Drop (The Night Blood Series): Book 2

Cassidy DiRocco knows the dark side intimately–as a crime reporter in New York City, she sees it every day. But since she discovered that she’s a night blood, her power and potential has led the dark right to her doorway. With her brother missing and no one remembering he exists, she makes a deal with Dominic Lysander, the fascinating master vampire of New York, to find him.

Dominic needs the help of Bex, another master vampire, to keep peace in the city, so he sends Cassidy to a remote, woodsy town upstate to convince her–assuming she survives long enough. A series of vicious “animal attacks” after dark tells Cassidy there’s more to Bex and her coven than anyone’s saying. That goes double for fellow night blood Ian Walker, the tall, blond animal tracker who’s supposed to be her ally. Walker may be hot-blooded and hard-bodied, but he’s hiding something too. If Cassidy wants the truth, she’ll have to squeeze it out herself… every last drop.

Eternal Reign (The Night Blood Series): Book 3

Last week, Cassidy DiRocco had some influence over the vampires that stalk the streets of New York City. She was never completely safe, but with her newfound abilities as a night blood and her honed instincts as a crime reporter, at least she had the necessary skills to survive.

Now, thanks to the injuries she sustained while saving her brother from a fate worse than death, she’s lost her night blood status just as another crime spree hits Brooklyn. Dozens of people are being slaughtered, and each victim bears the Damned’s signature mark; a missing heart.

Cassidy will need the help of all her allies to survive the coming war, including the mysterious and charismatic Dominic Lysander, Master Vampire of New York City. But as his rival’s army threatens his coven and his own powers weaken with the approaching Leveling, even Dominic’s defenses might not be enough protection.

With nothing left to lose, Cassidy must find the power inside herself to save Dominic, his coven, their city, and survive.

Day Reaper (The Night Blood Series): Book 4

On the brink of death, Cassidy DiRocco demands that New York City’s master of the supernatural, Dominic Lysander, transform her—reporter, Night Blood, sister, human—into the very creature she’s feared and fought against for months: a vampire. The pain is brutal, she could lose the career she’s worked so hard to achieve, and her world will never be the same. But surviving is worth any risk, especially when it means gaining the strength to fight against Jillian Allister, the sister who betrayed Dominic, attacked Cassidy, and is leading a vampire uprising that will destroy all of New York City . . .

 

When she awakens, however, Cassidy realizes the cost of being transformed might be more than she was willing to sacrifice. But if Cassidy hopes to right the irrevocable wrongs that Jillian and her army of the Damned have wrought on New York City, she’ll need to not only accept her new senses, body, and cravings, but wield them in her favor. Irresistible and enigmatic as Dominic is, he no longer has command over the city or its vampires. Only Cassidy has the connections to convince the humans, Day Reapers, and the few vampires still loyal to Dominic to join forces. And maybe, if Dominic can accept her rising power over the coven he once commanded for the past several hundred years, the two of them together might forge a bond more potent than history has ever known. . .

Thank You for Listening!

Ways to share your thoughts:

Use Facebook to leave a comment below.
Send Robin an email.
Be social with the link on Facebook, Twitter  or Pinterest.

Ways to show your support:

Leave an honest review on Soundcloud and iTunes. Your ratings and reviews really help and I read each one.
Subscribe on iTunes or Soundcloud.

Let’s talk books again next week!

Download the Audio File as an MP3

Want to listen on your own terms? Download the episode and take it with you.

Melody Johnson

Learn more about Melody Johnson and her work as a paranormal romance author.

WEBSITE


TWITTER


FACEBOOK

Melody Johnson

Learn more about Melody Johnson and her work as an author and communications specialist.

WEBSITE


TWITTER


LINKEDIN


FACEBOOK


Romance Writers Association
Paranormal Romance
Writing Every Day
Lycoming College

Note: Affiliate links on this website are provided for convenience. See the full disclosure for more info.

City Beneath (The Night Blood Series): Book 1
Sweet Last Drop (The Night Blood Series): Book 2
Eternal Reign (The Night Blood Series): Book 3
Day Reaper (The Night Blood Series): Book 4


This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.




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Wholehearted Author is for you if you are …






Starting out as a writer and could use some guidance
Wanting to be inspired to create and publish your book
Looking for like-minded, happy people and helpful mentors
Hoping to turn your writing into a full-time, awesome career
New to the concept of “permission marketing” but willing to try

.fusion-button.button-1 .fusion-button-text, .fusion-button.button-1 i {color:#eaeaea;}.fusion-button.button-1 {border-width:0px;border-color:#eaeaea;}.fusion-button.button-1 .fusion-button-icon-divider{border-color:#eaeaea;}.fusion-button.button-1.button-3d{-webkit-box-shadow: inset 0px 1px 0px #fff,0px 5px 0px #b21717,1px 7px 7px 3px rgba(0,0,0,0.3);-moz-box-shadow: inset 0px 1px 0px #fff,0px 5px 0px #b21717,1px 7px 7px 3px rgba(0,0,0,0.3);box-shadow: inset 0px 1px 0px #fff,0px 5px 0px #b21717,1px 7px 7px 3px rgba(0,0,0,0.3);}.button-1.button-3d:active{-webkit-box-shadow: inset 0px 1px 0px #fff,0px 5px 0px #b21717,1px 7px 7px 3px rgba(0,0,0,0.3);-moz-box-shadow: inset 0px 1px 0px #fff,0px 5px 0px #b21717,1px 7px 7px 3px rgba(0,0,0,0.3);box-shadow: inset 0px 1px 0px #fff,0px 5px 0px #b21717,1px 7px 7px 3px rgba(0,0,0,0.3);}.fusion-button.button-1:hover .fusion-button-text, .fusion-button.button-1:hover i,.fusion-button.button-1:focus .fusion-button-text, .fusion-button.button-1:focus i,.fusion-button.button-1:active .fusion-button-text, .fusion-button.button-1:active{color:#eaeaea;}.fusion-button.button-1:hover, .fusion-button.button-1:focus, .fusion-button.button-1:active{border-width:0px;border-color:#eaeaea;}.fusion-button.button-1:hover .fusion-button-icon-divider, .fusion-button.button-1:hover .fusion-button-icon-divider, .fusion-button.button-1:active .fusion-button-icon-divider{border-color:#eaeaea;}.fusion-button.button-1{background: #b21717;}.fusion-button.button-1:hover,.button-1:focus,.fusion-button.button-1:active{background: #f44336;}.fusion-button.button-1{width:100%;}Send My Free Writing Resources









CATCH THE WEST WIND
Add WEST WIND to your library!
Because free writing resources from

Wholehearted Author are not enough!

If you love a good mystery, a romantic whodunit that will surprise you, then WEST WIND is a great addition to your ebook library.

West Wind is my third novel as an author of Contemporary Fiction, Suspense, Thriller, and Romance.  It’s FREE too, when you join my exclusive Readers Group. Members of the Readers Group receive free novels, invitations to read advance copies, as well as illustrated character profiles and behind-the-scenes articles about Eaton and its quirky residents.

Join today and download your free book, and as a special thank you, you’ll receive a SECOND FREE BOOK tomorrow! The giving goes on and on when you become my fan.

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The post One Page Per Day with Melody Johnson appeared first on Robin Van Auken.

Mary Woods’ Change of Heart

Mary Woods is an artist, a poet, and the author of “The Heart of the Matter,” which guides the reader to becoming wholeheartedly happy.

I know Mary through her service work with Beloved Community Council and Heart of Williamsport. We’ve worked on the HoW project for three years, and it’s amazing to see the change of heart she’s experienced as the project assistant. HoW’s mission is to collect stories from our diverse community, identify what people value, and share this information to guide Williamsport’s future. Developed by the Orton Family Foundation, the Heart & Soul Community program empowers people to shape the future of their communities by improving local decision-making, creating a shared sense of belonging, and ultimately strengthening the social, cultural, and economic vibrancy of each place.

It’s a fuzzy concept, but after a few years of working together, we think we have it down pat. Mary does, at least. She’s been talking to hundreds of people, one-on-one, with interviews and then follow-up conversations to develop clarity on what the people of Williamsport value. I enjoy working with Mary on this local project because she’s an optimist and is always kind. She’s obviously taking her own advice.

The amazing thing is, the program mirrors her book, which she authored years before HoW took over her life.  She describes the book as, the result of a willingness to listen to and follow her heart.

And you know I can relate to that.

It is a spiritual message that transcends different beliefs and divisions, so that we can remember the love that unites us all.

Learn more about Mary’s book on Amazon:

[image error]“The Heart of the Matter” is an idea whose time has come. It is a simple, yet profound message that will hit a chord and resonate in your heart because it rings true. Like a children’s book for adults, it is a fast and easy read, reminding grown ups of the innate wisdom that their inner child never forgot. This is a book about the whole heart that guides the reader to an experience of being wholeheartedly happy. It is a spiritual message that transcends different beliefs and divisions, so we can remember the love that unites us all at heart. Highlighted with original poems, as well as quotes from A Course In Miracles to Swami Beyondananda, it is an inspirational and heartfelt look at life that takes us to the very heart of the matter.

There’s Something About Mary

Originally from Baltimore, Mary has had a diverse and unconventional career before settling in Williamsport in the year 2000.  She describes her life as her piece of art, like the collages that illustrate her book, a collaborative composition of all the individual pieces that come together to form a whole piece of art, the art of the heart.

Mary has lived and worked in many interesting locations.  In Florida, she was an art director for the Port St. Lucie Independent newspaper and a day care teacher at Indian River Community College.  She lived in Puerto Rico for ten years where she had a health food restaurant, Punta de Energia, and began her own holistic center, The Open Heart Retreat.  She worked as a staff member in two New York spiritual centers, Omega Institute and The Foundation for A Course In Miracles.

In Virginia Beach at Edgar Cayce’s Association for Research and Enlightenment, she worked as a correspondence coordinator, lecturer, and Egyptian tour guide.  When Mary moved to Williamsport to be near her family, she became a Wellness Coach at Freshlife, where she worked for seven years.  It was there that she met her husband, David DeFebo.

In the spring of 2007, Mary began writing and illustrating an inspirational book, “The Heart of the Matter”  She describes the book as, “the result of a willingness to listen to and follow my heart…like a personal thesis as a student of life, it is a reflection of my journey, a path with heart.”  The book is about the whole heart that guides the reader to an experience of being wholeheartedly happy.  It is a spiritual message that transcends different beliefs and divisions, so that we can remember the love that unites us all at heart.

Thank You for Listening!

Ways to share your thoughts:

Use Facebook to leave a comment below.
Send Robin an email.
Be social with the link on Facebook, Twitter  or Pinterest.

Ways to show your support:

Leave an honest review on Soundcloud and iTunes. Your ratings and reviews really help and I read each one.
Subscribe on iTunes or Soundcloud.

Let’s talk books again next week!

Download the Audio File as an MP3

Want to listen on your own terms? Download the episode and take it with you.

Mary Woods

Learn more about Mary Woods and her work as a Celebration Artist, Group Facilitator, Wellness Coach, Personal Organizer, Author, and Minister.

WEBSITE


FACEBOOK


GOOGLE+


Heart of the Matter
Heart of Williamsport
Heart and Soul Community

Note: Affiliate links on this website are provided for convenience. See the full disclosure for more info.

The Heart of the Matter


This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.




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Wholehearted Author is for you if you are …






Starting out as a writer and could use some guidance
Wanting to be inspired to create and publish your book
Looking for like-minded, happy people and helpful mentors
Hoping to turn your writing into a full-time, awesome career
New to the concept of “permission marketing” but willing to try

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CATCH THE WEST WIND
Add WEST WIND to your library!
Because free writing resources from

Wholehearted Author are not enough!

If you love a good mystery, a romantic whodunit that will surprise you, then WEST WIND is a great addition to your ebook library.

West Wind is my third novel as an author of Contemporary Fiction, Suspense, Thriller, and Romance.  It’s FREE too, when you join my exclusive Readers Group. Members of the Readers Group receive free novels, invitations to read advance copies, as well as illustrated character profiles and behind-the-scenes articles about Eaton and its quirky residents.

Join today and download your free book, and as a special thank you, you’ll receive a SECOND FREE BOOK tomorrow! The giving goes on and on when you become my fan.

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The post Mary Woods’ Change of Heart appeared first on Robin Van Auken.

Dave Bellomo’s Passion for Kettlebells

Dave Bellomo is a fitness expert, personal trainer, and author of two fitness manuals on Kettlebells.

I met Dave about 18 years ago, when he worked as a personal trainer. I met him at the local YMCA, then continued to work with Dave after he opened his own gym, Maximum Fitness, and his manufacturing company, Cardiobells Incorporated, which he  owned and operated for eight years. We became good friends and traded knowledge. He appreciated my communication and technology skills, and I benefited from his physical training expertise. We had a lot of fun brainstorming and creating fitness books and digital workout manuals and CDs, long before Amazon introduced eBooks and kicked off the digital book revolution.

Dave holds a graduate degree in Exercise Science, specializing in sports performance and injury prevention and an undergraduate degree in Health Science. He is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS), a Performance Enhancement Specialist (PES), and a Certified Speed Coach, Dave has over 20 years of experience in the fitness management field and continues to consult with groups and individuals.

You’ll learn about Dave’s passion for Kettlebells, a unique, simple, yet highly effective piece of exercise equipment. Dave is an expert  and has authored two books on the topic. He’s worked with high-level athletes such as martial artists, strongman competitors, and law enforcement professionals, and elite military including members of Homeland Security and U.S. Special Operations.

My own son, a former Green Beret, still uses one of Dave’s kettlebells, and considers it one of the best tools to use for tactical training.

Dave continues to design and implement programs that will foster healthy lifestyles and positive fitness experiences for everyone that he encounters.  His personal and professional interests are generally one and the same. Other than time spent with family, he is almost always exploring new, and old, exercise techniques including kettlebell, macebell, Indian clubs, and bodyweight training. He is a former powerlifting champion so pretty much anything strength related excites him. 

He is extremely interested in combining strength and fitness with joint mobility training that will help his clients maintain command over their environments and allow them to reach their fullest potential. His latest project is Bellomo Online Training, which is a comprehensive online fitness and wellness program. It is engineered for anyone who truly wants to become the best version of themselves. This is not simply an online weight-loss program, though exercise and proper nutrition are certainly a large part of this. 

I’m happy to reconnect with Dave not only because he’s got a lot of wisdom to share, but because I need a jolt of his optimism and encouragement. I’ve been injured for the past year, suffering from a torn achilles tendon, and I need to get healthy.

Dave can help me do that. He can help you do that, too, through his company, Bellomo Online Training, which can be found on Facebook.

From Dave Bellomo’s Amazon page:

Kettlebell Training: For Strength and Power 

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Kettlebell training for Strength and Power is a detailed guide for kettlebell enthusiasts, strength athletes, and coaches that focuses specifically on the kettlebell as the primary training implement for developing whole body strength and power. Veteran strength coach Dave Bellomo offers a wealth of information, detailed exercise descriptions complete with photos, and numerous instructive and entertaining strength-training antidotes. Whether you are a kettlebell veteran or a beginner looking for a way in, Kettlebell Training for Strength and Power is a must-have book!

Kettlebell Training for Athletes: Develop Explosive Power and Strength for Martial Arts, Football, Basketball, and Other Sports [image error]

Improve performance in any sport with Russia‘s most guarded training secret For elite sports training, nothing compares to the impact that kettlebells have on the entire body, and author and trainer Dave Bellomo now brings the power and benefit of these Russian-inspired weights to any athlete. Working the entire body at different angles, this popular training program provides you with rapid gains in strength, speed, and endurance—all requirements for proficiency in any sport. This powerhouse program also gives you customization tools for setting personal goals and tailored eight-week workouts to answer the needs of your specific sport.  Kettlebell Power Training for Athletes:  Presents more than eighty illustrated exercises for quicker learning on how to train with the weights Helps you gradually build a training foundation for a healthier lifestyle Includes sport- and goal-specific programs so you can go directly to that section of the book for your needs Features photographs from award-winning photographer Bruce Curtis Whether you are training for the gridiron, the Octagon, or the Pentagon, these simple tools will help you produce the most extraordinary results you have ever seen.

Thank You for Listening!

Ways to share your thoughts:

Use Facebook to leave a comment below.
Send Robin an email.
Be social with the link on Facebook, Twitter  or Pinterest.

Ways to show your support:

Leave an honest review on Soundcloud and iTunes. Your ratings and reviews really help and I read each one.
Subscribe on iTunes or Soundcloud.

Let’s talk books again next week!

Download the Audio File as an MP3

Want to listen on your own terms? Download the episode and take it with you.

Dave Bellomo

Learn more about Dave Bellomo and his work as a writer and personal trainer.

FACEBOOK


Kettlebells
Strength and Power
Personal Training
Online Training
Exercise
Fitness
Cardiobells

Note: Affiliate links on this website are provided for convenience. See the full disclosure for more info.

Kettlebell Training: For Strength and Power
Kettlebell Training for Athletes


This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.




Love to Write? Accept My Challenge!

Have even more fun when you accept the 21-Day Writing Sprint Challenge. This process is one I use every semester with my college students, so I know it can kickstart your creativity and introduce structure to your writing schedule.  Join today to access all of the free resources at Wholehearted Author.

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Wholehearted Author is for you if you are …






Starting out as a writer and could use some guidance
Wanting to be inspired to create and publish your book
Looking for like-minded, happy people and helpful mentors
Hoping to turn your writing into a full-time, awesome career
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CATCH THE WEST WIND
Add WEST WIND to your library!
Because free writing resources from

Wholehearted Author are not enough!

If you love a good mystery, a romantic whodunit that will surprise you, then WEST WIND is a great addition to your ebook library.

West Wind is my third novel as an author of Contemporary Fiction, Suspense, Thriller, and Romance.  It’s FREE too, when you join my exclusive Readers Group. Members of the Readers Group receive free novels, invitations to read advance copies, as well as illustrated character profiles and behind-the-scenes articles about Eaton and its quirky residents.

Join today and download your free book, and as a special thank you, you’ll receive a SECOND FREE BOOK tomorrow! The giving goes on and on when you become my fan.

.fusion-button.button-4 .fusion-button-text, .fusion-button.button-4 i {color:#eaeaea;}.fusion-button.button-4 {border-width:0px;border-color:#eaeaea;}.fusion-button.button-4 .fusion-button-icon-divider{border-color:#eaeaea;}.fusion-button.button-4.button-3d{-webkit-box-shadow: inset 0px 1px 0px #fff,0px 5px 0px #0d6db8,1px 7px 7px 3px rgba(0,0,0,0.3);-moz-box-shadow: inset 0px 1px 0px #fff,0px 5px 0px #0d6db8,1px 7px 7px 3px rgba(0,0,0,0.3);box-shadow: inset 0px 1px 0px #fff,0px 5px 0px #0d6db8,1px 7px 7px 3px rgba(0,0,0,0.3);}.button-4.button-3d:active{-webkit-box-shadow: inset 0px 1px 0px #fff,0px 5px 0px #0d6db8,1px 7px 7px 3px rgba(0,0,0,0.3);-moz-box-shadow: inset 0px 1px 0px #fff,0px 5px 0px #0d6db8,1px 7px 7px 3px rgba(0,0,0,0.3);box-shadow: inset 0px 1px 0px #fff,0px 5px 0px #0d6db8,1px 7px 7px 3px rgba(0,0,0,0.3);}.fusion-button.button-4:hover .fusion-button-text, .fusion-button.button-4:hover i,.fusion-button.button-4:focus .fusion-button-text, .fusion-button.button-4:focus i,.fusion-button.button-4:active .fusion-button-text, .fusion-button.button-4:active{color:#eaeaea;}.fusion-button.button-4:hover, .fusion-button.button-4:focus, .fusion-button.button-4:active{border-width:0px;border-color:#eaeaea;}.fusion-button.button-4:hover .fusion-button-icon-divider, .fusion-button.button-4:hover .fusion-button-icon-divider, .fusion-button.button-4:active .fusion-button-icon-divider{border-color:#eaeaea;}.fusion-button.button-4{background: #0d6db8;}.fusion-button.button-4:hover,.button-4:focus,.fusion-button.button-4:active{background: #0d6db8;}.fusion-button.button-4{width:100%;}DOWNLOAD WEST WIND

The post Dave Bellomo’s Passion for Kettlebells appeared first on Robin Van Auken.

Nancy Panko’s Guiding Missal

Nancy Panko has achieved amazing success with her book, “Guiding Missal,” an unusual story about a prayer book that is carried in the pocket of three generations of men as they navigate war.

As she held the Military Missal in her hands, Nancy thought, “If only this little book could talk.” Her novel gives the prayer book a voice.

Based on actual events, Nancy’s award winning novel is partially narrated by the small Catholic prayer book that George Panko received as he prepared to deploy to the European theater during World War II. A baker turned infantry man/forward scout, Panko left behind his wife, Gladys, and small son, Butch, for several years as he navigated France and Germany, helping the United States and its Allies win significant skirmishes, including the Battle of the Bulge.

Throughout his enlistment, George carried the small book in his pocket and read from it, memorizing passages and whispering prayers. Once safely home, George packed the military missal into a trunk and together he and his wife rear their family.

Fifteen years later, his son Butch is ready to graduate from high school and wants to enter the Air Force. George hands him the military missal with a request that he bring it back home, safe and sound.

Butch’s experiences while stationed in Germany aren’t always as harrowing as George’s, thanks to George’s efforts as a U.S. Soldier. Still, Butch does live through the Cold War and high-alert situations where ballistic missile launches were potentially moments away, from the Berlin Crisis of 1961 to the Cuban Missile Crisis. Along the way, Butch travels to Italy and gains an audience with St John XXIII, who lifts the prayer book out of Butch’s hand and blesses it.

At the end of his enlistment, Butch comes home and returns the missal to George. Back into the trunk the book goes. Butch marries Nancy, the love of his life, and they have two children. The couple move to Clinton County, where George enjoys a long career with Woolrich.

Nancy began taking general education classes at Lock Haven University, transferring to Lycoming College to begin her nursing education at Williamsport Hospital. She graduated and began her career at Jersey Shore Hospital as a pediatric nurse for one year before working for Geisinger Medical Group in Lock Haven also in pediatrics. She was employed at Glennon Health Services of Lock Haven University for thirteen years before her retirement.

Two decades pass and their daughter, Margie, meets and marries T.O., a U.S. Soldier deploying to Africa to combat Al Qaeda in Mogadishu, Somalia.

Once again, the military missal’s amazing powers of protection are required. Butch searches for the missal in his late father’s belongings and loans it to his new son-in-law, T.O., with the same request his own father had: Come home safe and return the book.

T.O. returns the book, convinced of its power after a U.S. Blackhawk helicopter goes down in 1993, and the resultant battle between forces of the United States and Somali militia fighters.

“Guiding Missal” is a heartfelt, homespun tale that has moved people to leave more than two dozen five-star reviews on Amazon.  Nancy’s simple, sweet story has touched so many people it’s become a successful book in both print and digital platforms.

Published by Torchflame Books, a hybrid publisher, “Guiding Missal” received the 2017 Silver Award-Medal for Historical Fiction from the Military Writers’ Society of America.

Nancy is a ten-time contributor to “Chicken Soup for the Soul” and “Guideposts” magazines. She is a member of the Cary Senior Writing Circle, The Light of Carolina Christian Writers’ Group, and The Military Writers’ Society of America.

She and her husband moved from Lock Haven, Pennsylvania to North Carolina in 2009. They have two children and four grandchildren. They love being in, on, or near the water with their family.

From Nancy’s page on Amazon:

Guiding Missal: Fifty Years. Three Generations of Military Men. One Spirited Prayer Book

In 1944, a U.S. Army baker volunteers as a forward observer to carry out covert operations behind German lines in World War II.

In the early 1960s, a focused nineteen-year-old Airman is responsible for decoding critical top secret messages during the height of the Berlin Crisis.

In 1993, an army sniper overcomes a debilitating condition only to fight for survival in the streets of war-torn Mogadishu, Somalia, when a Blackhawk helicopter is shot down.

When each of these men face a crisis, this very special prayer book, My Military Missal, provides the comfort and encouragement of divine power. Based on actual events, Guiding Missal’s timeless journey of faith, patriotism and miracles will touch your heart as the missal and the men call out to God for guidance, protection, and a safe return home.

Thank You for Listening!

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Nancy Panko

Learn more about Nancy Panko and her work as a writer, published authorpreneur

WEBSITE


TWITTER


FACEBOOK


World War II
Battle of the Bulge
US Army Infantry
The Cold War
Blackhawk Down
Mogadishu
Somalia
Military Missal
Catholicism
Christianity
Prayer
Nancy Emmick Panko

Note: Affiliate links on this website are provided for convenience. See the full disclosure for more info.

Guiding Missal: Fifty Years. Three Generations of Military Men. One Spirited Prayer Book


This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.




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Wholehearted Author is for you if you are …






Starting out as a writer and could use some guidance
Wanting to be inspired to create and publish your book
Looking for like-minded, happy people and helpful mentors
Hoping to turn your writing into a full-time, awesome career
New to the concept of “permission marketing” but willing to try

.fusion-button.button-5 .fusion-button-text, .fusion-button.button-5 i {color:#eaeaea;}.fusion-button.button-5 {border-width:0px;border-color:#eaeaea;}.fusion-button.button-5 .fusion-button-icon-divider{border-color:#eaeaea;}.fusion-button.button-5.button-3d{-webkit-box-shadow: inset 0px 1px 0px #fff,0px 5px 0px #b21717,1px 7px 7px 3px rgba(0,0,0,0.3);-moz-box-shadow: inset 0px 1px 0px #fff,0px 5px 0px #b21717,1px 7px 7px 3px rgba(0,0,0,0.3);box-shadow: inset 0px 1px 0px #fff,0px 5px 0px #b21717,1px 7px 7px 3px rgba(0,0,0,0.3);}.button-5.button-3d:active{-webkit-box-shadow: inset 0px 1px 0px #fff,0px 5px 0px #b21717,1px 7px 7px 3px rgba(0,0,0,0.3);-moz-box-shadow: inset 0px 1px 0px #fff,0px 5px 0px #b21717,1px 7px 7px 3px rgba(0,0,0,0.3);box-shadow: inset 0px 1px 0px #fff,0px 5px 0px #b21717,1px 7px 7px 3px rgba(0,0,0,0.3);}.fusion-button.button-5:hover .fusion-button-text, .fusion-button.button-5:hover i,.fusion-button.button-5:focus .fusion-button-text, .fusion-button.button-5:focus i,.fusion-button.button-5:active .fusion-button-text, .fusion-button.button-5:active{color:#eaeaea;}.fusion-button.button-5:hover, .fusion-button.button-5:focus, .fusion-button.button-5:active{border-width:0px;border-color:#eaeaea;}.fusion-button.button-5:hover .fusion-button-icon-divider, .fusion-button.button-5:hover .fusion-button-icon-divider, .fusion-button.button-5:active .fusion-button-icon-divider{border-color:#eaeaea;}.fusion-button.button-5{background: #b21717;}.fusion-button.button-5:hover,.button-5:focus,.fusion-button.button-5:active{background: #f44336;}.fusion-button.button-5{width:100%;}Send My Free Writing Resources









CATCH THE WEST WIND
Add WEST WIND to your library!
Because free writing resources from

Wholehearted Author are not enough!

If you love a good mystery, a romantic whodunit that will surprise you, then WEST WIND is a great addition to your ebook library.

West Wind is my third novel as an author of Contemporary Fiction, Suspense, Thriller, and Romance.  It’s FREE too, when you join my exclusive Readers Group. Members of the Readers Group receive free novels, invitations to read advance copies, as well as illustrated character profiles and behind-the-scenes articles about Eaton and its quirky residents.

Join today and download your free book, and as a special thank you, you’ll receive a SECOND FREE BOOK tomorrow! The giving goes on and on when you become my fan.

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The post Nancy Panko’s Guiding Missal appeared first on Robin Van Auken.

Lou Hunsinger’s Legacy of Local History

Louis E. Hunsinger, Jr. labors for posterity. He does this as a historian, preserving Lycoming County’s heritage as a writer for newspapers, magazines, programs, and books, working as the co-author of eight books on local history.

His publishing career began with his good friend,  Dr. James P. Quigel, and in 1999, the duo published the paperback, “Williamsport’s Baseball Heritage,” a photographic narrative about professional baseball, through Arcadia.

This book was soon followed up by, “Gateway to the Majors: Williamsport and Minor League Baseball,” published by Penn State University Press.

For the past 15 years, Lou has been a reporter with Webb Weekly, a free tabloid delivered to more than 58,000 households in Lycoming County. He’s earned quite a reputation while with the publication, writing feature articles about people and events. He also has a series, “Through the Years,” that reprints historic news from papers of record.

Locals also know Lou for his popular “History Shapers” series that ran in the Williamsport Sun-Gazette, nearly 18 years ago. It’s not often someone can remain popular for an activity nearly two decades in the past, but Lou’s writings have remained prominent in the community, regardless of where he works.

Lou also is a staple of local baseball fields, from the venerable Bowman Field, where he attends nearly every home game of the Crosscutters minor league team, or at the Little League Baseball World Series field, where he announces in the press box.

Lou’s amazing recall of historic facts, dates, and statistics has prompted his friends to rely upon him for answering general questions, setting disputes, bets and queries, resulting in the nickname “Loogle,” a play on the famous search engine, Google. His friends now say, “Let’s Loogle It” when they have a question instead of reaching for their mobile phones.

What makes Lou’s work even more noteworthy is that he accomplishes this despite a visual disability. A failed cornea transplant left him blind in his right eye, and with failing vision in his left. This left him unable to drive, yet the indomitable historian continues to make his rounds around town, catching a city bus to the local library, or to meet with a source for an upcoming article.

A widower, Lou’s staunchest fan was his wife, Mary, who not only supported his work as a writer, but also served as his proofreader and driver when he needed a lift to visit a interviewee.  Their marriage was too short, only five years, but they are the most important five years of Lou’s life, and he misses his companion every day.

He also praises the technology that makes his work possible, as a sight-impaired person. Without the use of a special computer and screen, he may not have been able to continue to labor for posterity.

Williamsport’s Baseball Heritage, Arcadia,
Gateway to the Majors, Penn State Press,
Williamsport: Boomtown on the Susquehanna, Arcadia
Williamsport: Grit Photograph Collection, Arcadia
Lycoming County’s Industrial Heritage, Arcadia
Williamsport Sun-Gazette: A Pictorial History, Vol. 1-3

Thank You for Listening!

Ways to share your thoughts:

Use Facebook to leave a comment below.
Send Robin an email.
Be social with the link on Facebook, Twitter  or Pinterest.

Ways to show your support:

Leave an honest review on Soundcloud and iTunes. Your ratings and reviews really help and I read each one.
Subscribe on iTunes or Soundcloud.

Let’s talk books again next week!

Download the Audio File as an MP3

Want to listen on your own terms? Download the episode and take it with you.

Louis E. Hunsinger, Jr.

Learn more about Lou Hunsinger and his work as a writer and historian.

WEB PAGE
FACEBOOK
EMAIL


Local History
Williamsport, PA
Webb Weekly
James Quigel
Williamsport Sun-Gazette
Minor League Baseball
Williamsport Crosscutters

Note: Affiliate links on this website are provided for convenience. See the full disclosure for more info.

Williamsport’s Baseball Heritage, Arcadia,
Gateway to the Majors, Penn State Press,
Williamsport: Boomtown on the Susquehanna, Arcadia
Williamsport: Grit Photograph Collection, Arcadia
Lycoming County’s Industrial Heritage, Arcadia
Williamsport Sun-Gazette: A Pictorial History, Vol. 1-3


This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.




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Add WEST WIND to your library!
Because free writing resources from

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If you love a good mystery, a romantic whodunit that will surprise you, then WEST WIND is a great addition to your ebook library.

West Wind is my third novel as an author of Contemporary Fiction, Suspense, Thriller, and Romance.  It’s FREE too, when you join my exclusive Readers Group. Members of the Readers Group receive free novels, invitations to read advance copies, as well as illustrated character profiles and behind-the-scenes articles about Eaton and its quirky residents.

Join today and download your free book, and as a special thank you, you’ll receive a SECOND FREE BOOK tomorrow! The giving goes on and on when you become my fan.

.fusion-button.button-8 .fusion-button-text, .fusion-button.button-8 i {color:#eaeaea;}.fusion-button.button-8 {border-width:0px;border-color:#eaeaea;}.fusion-button.button-8 .fusion-button-icon-divider{border-color:#eaeaea;}.fusion-button.button-8.button-3d{-webkit-box-shadow: inset 0px 1px 0px #fff,0px 5px 0px #0d6db8,1px 7px 7px 3px rgba(0,0,0,0.3);-moz-box-shadow: inset 0px 1px 0px #fff,0px 5px 0px #0d6db8,1px 7px 7px 3px rgba(0,0,0,0.3);box-shadow: inset 0px 1px 0px #fff,0px 5px 0px #0d6db8,1px 7px 7px 3px rgba(0,0,0,0.3);}.button-8.button-3d:active{-webkit-box-shadow: inset 0px 1px 0px #fff,0px 5px 0px #0d6db8,1px 7px 7px 3px rgba(0,0,0,0.3);-moz-box-shadow: inset 0px 1px 0px #fff,0px 5px 0px #0d6db8,1px 7px 7px 3px rgba(0,0,0,0.3);box-shadow: inset 0px 1px 0px #fff,0px 5px 0px #0d6db8,1px 7px 7px 3px rgba(0,0,0,0.3);}.fusion-button.button-8:hover .fusion-button-text, .fusion-button.button-8:hover i,.fusion-button.button-8:focus .fusion-button-text, .fusion-button.button-8:focus i,.fusion-button.button-8:active .fusion-button-text, .fusion-button.button-8:active{color:#eaeaea;}.fusion-button.button-8:hover, .fusion-button.button-8:focus, .fusion-button.button-8:active{border-width:0px;border-color:#eaeaea;}.fusion-button.button-8:hover .fusion-button-icon-divider, .fusion-button.button-8:hover .fusion-button-icon-divider, .fusion-button.button-8:active .fusion-button-icon-divider{border-color:#eaeaea;}.fusion-button.button-8{background: #0d6db8;}.fusion-button.button-8:hover,.button-8:focus,.fusion-button.button-8:active{background: #0d6db8;}.fusion-button.button-8{width:100%;}DOWNLOAD WEST WIND

The post Lou Hunsinger’s Legacy of Local History appeared first on Robin Van Auken.

Joseph Smith’s Cure for Hipocrisy

Joseph W. Smith is a teacher, speaker, film critic, journalist and author living in Northcentral Pennsylvania, with his wife.

The son of a professional journalist, Joe wrote his first book when he was 12, “… an ambitious and profusely illustrated sci-fi opus called Project Jupiter.” He jokes it, “… took me another 37 years to hit publishing pay-dirt with my study of Hitchcock, The Psycho File.”​

His first published book, The Psycho File, is a comprehensive guide to Alfred Hitchcock’s 1960 horror film, “Psycho,” starring  Anthony Perkins and Janet Leigh.

His second book explores topics many Christians avoiding talking about: Sex and Violence in the Bible. Joe champions a frank and forthright approach in the book.

He’s shopping his new book, Transparency: A Cure for Hypocrisy in the Modern Church, searching for a new publisher, and he’s finding that process to be a bit daunting. The publishing landscape has changed in the decade since he sold his first book.

We talk about the changes in the publishing industry, and how difficult it is to place books with publishers today. We also discuss living in a small town, and the the importance of hometown newspaper, and its role in nurturing writers. We even chat about the writing legacy, passed down from father to son, and how his own son has inherited the “writing gene.”

You can learn more about Joe’s Books on Amazon:

The Psycho File: A Comprehensive Guide to Hitchcock’s Classic Shocker

[image error]An examination of the groundbreaking 1960 film directed by Alfred Hitchcock, including the story’s origins in real-life graverobber Ed Gein. The book presents material from the script and how it was adapted from Robert Bloch’s novel; details of the film’s production, particularly the shower scene and other technical difficulties; actors and the challenges of their roles; extended literary analysis of the film covering such devices as irony, symbol, theme, motif and foil; and the film’s effect on audiences. Features 16 photographs, notes, bibliography and index.

Sex and Violence in the Bible: A Survey of Explicit Content in the Holy Book

[image error]Christians needn’t be any more squeamish than the Bible itself is—and it contains many things that most Christians shy away from! In this carefully organized catalog of sexual, violent, and other blunt biblical passages, Joseph Smith develops a “Christian aesthetic” to help us process our culture’s daily deluge of such material.

Thank You for Listening!

Ways to share your thoughts:

Use Facebook to leave a comment below.
Send Robin an email.
Be social with the link on Facebook, Twitter  or Pinterest.

Ways to show your support:

Leave an honest review on Soundcloud and iTunes. Your ratings and reviews really help and I read each one.
Subscribe on iTunes or Soundcloud.

Let’s talk books again next week!

Download the Audio File as an MP3

Want to listen on your own terms? Download the episode and take it with you.

Joseph W. Smith III

Learn more about Joseph W. Smith and his work as a writer, high school teacher, and film reviewer.

WEBSITE


TWITTER


INSTAGRAM


FACEBOOK


Journalism
Alfred Hitchcock
Psycho (the film)
Williamsport, PA
Williamsport Sun-Gazette
Publishing
Sex & Violence in the Bible
Open Hearts
Hands on Heritage

Note: Affiliate links on this website are provided for convenience. See the full disclosure for more info.

The Psycho File: A Comprehensive Guide to Hitchcock’s Classic Shocker
Sex and Violence in the Bible: A Survey of Explicit Content in the Holy Book


This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.




Love to Write? Accept My Challenge!

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Wholehearted Author is for you if you are …






Starting out as a writer and could use some guidance
Wanting to be inspired to create and publish your book
Looking for like-minded, happy people and helpful mentors
Hoping to turn your writing into a full-time, awesome career
New to the concept of “permission marketing” but willing to try

.fusion-button.button-9 .fusion-button-text, .fusion-button.button-9 i {color:#eaeaea;}.fusion-button.button-9 {border-width:0px;border-color:#eaeaea;}.fusion-button.button-9 .fusion-button-icon-divider{border-color:#eaeaea;}.fusion-button.button-9.button-3d{-webkit-box-shadow: inset 0px 1px 0px #fff,0px 5px 0px #b21717,1px 7px 7px 3px rgba(0,0,0,0.3);-moz-box-shadow: inset 0px 1px 0px #fff,0px 5px 0px #b21717,1px 7px 7px 3px rgba(0,0,0,0.3);box-shadow: inset 0px 1px 0px #fff,0px 5px 0px #b21717,1px 7px 7px 3px rgba(0,0,0,0.3);}.button-9.button-3d:active{-webkit-box-shadow: inset 0px 1px 0px #fff,0px 5px 0px #b21717,1px 7px 7px 3px rgba(0,0,0,0.3);-moz-box-shadow: inset 0px 1px 0px #fff,0px 5px 0px #b21717,1px 7px 7px 3px rgba(0,0,0,0.3);box-shadow: inset 0px 1px 0px #fff,0px 5px 0px #b21717,1px 7px 7px 3px rgba(0,0,0,0.3);}.fusion-button.button-9:hover .fusion-button-text, .fusion-button.button-9:hover i,.fusion-button.button-9:focus .fusion-button-text, .fusion-button.button-9:focus i,.fusion-button.button-9:active .fusion-button-text, .fusion-button.button-9:active{color:#eaeaea;}.fusion-button.button-9:hover, .fusion-button.button-9:focus, .fusion-button.button-9:active{border-width:0px;border-color:#eaeaea;}.fusion-button.button-9:hover .fusion-button-icon-divider, .fusion-button.button-9:hover .fusion-button-icon-divider, .fusion-button.button-9:active .fusion-button-icon-divider{border-color:#eaeaea;}.fusion-button.button-9{background: #b21717;}.fusion-button.button-9:hover,.button-9:focus,.fusion-button.button-9:active{background: #f44336;}.fusion-button.button-9{width:100%;}Send My Free Writing Resources









CATCH THE WEST WIND
Add WEST WIND to your library!
Because free writing resources from

Wholehearted Author are not enough!

If you love a good mystery, a romantic whodunit that will surprise you, then WEST WIND is a great addition to your ebook library.

West Wind is my third novel as an author of Contemporary Fiction, Suspense, Thriller, and Romance.  It’s FREE too, when you join my exclusive Readers Group. Members of the Readers Group receive free novels, invitations to read advance copies, as well as illustrated character profiles and behind-the-scenes articles about Eaton and its quirky residents.

Join today and download your free book, and as a special thank you, you’ll receive a SECOND FREE BOOK tomorrow! The giving goes on and on when you become my fan.

.fusion-button.button-10 .fusion-button-text, .fusion-button.button-10 i {color:#eaeaea;}.fusion-button.button-10 {border-width:0px;border-color:#eaeaea;}.fusion-button.button-10 .fusion-button-icon-divider{border-color:#eaeaea;}.fusion-button.button-10.button-3d{-webkit-box-shadow: inset 0px 1px 0px #fff,0px 5px 0px #0d6db8,1px 7px 7px 3px rgba(0,0,0,0.3);-moz-box-shadow: inset 0px 1px 0px #fff,0px 5px 0px #0d6db8,1px 7px 7px 3px rgba(0,0,0,0.3);box-shadow: inset 0px 1px 0px #fff,0px 5px 0px #0d6db8,1px 7px 7px 3px rgba(0,0,0,0.3);}.button-10.button-3d:active{-webkit-box-shadow: inset 0px 1px 0px #fff,0px 5px 0px #0d6db8,1px 7px 7px 3px rgba(0,0,0,0.3);-moz-box-shadow: inset 0px 1px 0px #fff,0px 5px 0px #0d6db8,1px 7px 7px 3px rgba(0,0,0,0.3);box-shadow: inset 0px 1px 0px #fff,0px 5px 0px #0d6db8,1px 7px 7px 3px rgba(0,0,0,0.3);}.fusion-button.button-10:hover .fusion-button-text, .fusion-button.button-10:hover i,.fusion-button.button-10:focus .fusion-button-text, .fusion-button.button-10:focus i,.fusion-button.button-10:active .fusion-button-text, .fusion-button.button-10:active{color:#eaeaea;}.fusion-button.button-10:hover, .fusion-button.button-10:focus, .fusion-button.button-10:active{border-width:0px;border-color:#eaeaea;}.fusion-button.button-10:hover .fusion-button-icon-divider, .fusion-button.button-10:hover .fusion-button-icon-divider, .fusion-button.button-10:active .fusion-button-icon-divider{border-color:#eaeaea;}.fusion-button.button-10{background: #0d6db8;}.fusion-button.button-10:hover,.button-10:focus,.fusion-button.button-10:active{background: #0d6db8;}.fusion-button.button-10{width:100%;}DOWNLOAD WEST WIND

The post Joseph Smith’s Cure for Hipocrisy appeared first on Robin Van Auken.

Lost Coal with Lorena Beniquez

Lorena Beniquez, a writer, photographer and a filmmaker, and the author of a new book, Lost Coal Country of Northeastern Pennsylvania.

Published by Arcadia, the book is part of the Images of Modern America series, so it’s part history, part photographic art, and part travel guide. Lorena visits many places in her book, including the site of the last coal breaker in America, scheduled for demolition soon. She also visits the spooky village of Centralia, abandoned 50 years ago when the the coal beneath caught fire. The fire continues and will burn for hundreds of years. Lorena writes about John Stella, an unsung hero who saved dozens of miners during the Knox Mine Disaster.

Through shared stories , interviews and research, Lorena captures history of the anthracite region. She’s the great granddaughter of a coal miner, she’s discovered her own family’s story. Perhaps it will inspire you to learn your own family’s story and how it IS America’s history.

From Lorena’s AMAZON page:

Lost Coal Country of Northeastern Pennsylvania by Lorena Beniquez

[image error]Lost Coal Country of Northeastern Pennsylvania documents the region’s disappearing anthracite history, which shaped the legacy of the United States of America and the industrial revolution. The coal mines, breakers, coal miners’ homes, and railroads have all steadily disappeared. With only one coal breaker left in the entire state, it was time to record what would soon be lost. Unfortunately, one piece of history that persists is underground fires that ravage communities like Centralia. Blazing for over 50 years, the flames of Centralia will not be doused anytime soon. Images featured in the book include the St. Nicholas coal breaker, Huber coal breaker, Steamtown National Historic Site, Lackawanna Coal Mine Tour, Eckley Miners’ Village, Centralia, and the Knox Mine disaster. A hybrid history book and travel guide, Lost Coal Country of Northeastern Pennsylvania is one final recounting of what is gone and what still remains.

Author and photographer Lorena Beniquez captures the oral and physical history of the anthracite region. Although the great-granddaughter of a coal miner, Beniquez knew little of her family’s story, so she set out on a journey to recover not only her own history but that of countless other families as well.

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Lorena Beniquez

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FACEBOOK:
Lorena Beniquez


AMAZON:
Lost Coal Country of Northeastern Pennsylvania


Industrial Revolution
Anthracite Coal
Coal Breakers
Railroad
Centralia
Steamtown National Historic Site
Eckley Miner’s Village
Knox Mine Disaster
Lackawanna Coal Mine

Note: Affiliate links on this website are provided for convenience. See the full disclosure for more info.

Lost Coal Country of Northeastern Pennsylvania


This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.




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West Wind is my third novel as an author of Contemporary Fiction, Suspense, Thriller, and Romance.  It’s FREE too, when you join my exclusive Readers Group. Members of the Readers Group receive free novels, invitations to read advance copies, as well as illustrated character profiles and behind-the-scenes articles about Eaton and its quirky residents.

Join today and download your free book, and as a special thank you, you’ll receive a SECOND FREE BOOK tomorrow! The giving goes on and on when you become my fan.

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Writing for Sanity with Mike Reuther

Mike Reuther is a journalist by profession, but he never stops writing. Most mornings, before he heads to work at the daily newspaper, where he reports on government, politics, health care, crime, sports and general news, Mike works on his novels and self-help books. A non-nonsense and prolific writer, he has 18 books he’s self-published since 2011.

His fictional characters are complex characters who find themselves in difficult situations, often with the odds stacked against them. One of his most memorable characters is Homer Newbody, in the novel “Nothing Down: The Short Baseball Life of Homer Newbody.” A young man with amazing talent, Homer loves baseball. He tells a sportswriter he’d play for nothing, an off-hand comment that polarizes the people in his life. His fan base loves him for his honesty and down-home values; his teammates resent him for casting a negative light on their own salaries and motivations for playing. Toss in romance, a near-career-ending injury and a plot climax that finds Homer facing his own mortality, and you’ll soon learn why this novel became an Amazon bestseller.

Mike’s book is “Pitching for Sanity” a book about (you guessed it) man who seeks redemption through his love for baseball. Bill Barrister, who retired from a stressful career in the military, is riddled with anxiety, which prevents him from living a normal, happy life. He harkens to the zen of his teenage days as a baseball pitcher, and finds that it brings him peace. A free-spirited boyhood friend lures Bill on a cross-country road trip, and Bill embarks on a reluctant journey of self-discovery, and his past, pitching baseballs along the way.

[image error][image error]Mike new book, “Fishing for Sanity,” finds another character who is experiencing a mid-life crisis, but this time he’s finding solace in fishing. Jack McAllister feels he has close to the perfect life in the mountains of Pennsylvania. This unconventional existence he’s carved out for himself amounts to fishing his beloved trout streams near his home with longtime pal Soothsayer, the wizened sage of the Green Spring Valley, and guiding angling clients. But his life is soon to change with the sudden appearance of a mayfly hatch and the unwanted change it brings. Soon, the Shad River and the whole remote Green Valley become a destination spot for too many fly-fishers and commercial interests. By the time, an intrepid reporter, a slick and fast-talking attorney, and a lovely magazine editor enter Jack’s life, things have become more than complicated.

You’ll also learn about Mike’s passion for writing, which stems from his love of books. He’s got a no-nonsense approach to writing and tries to fit writing into his daily routine. He counsels other writers to do the same in his fiction books, “Write the Darn Book,” How to Write a Book Without Going Crazy,” Writing Resumes, Making Money” “Fast Writing, Self-Publishing” “Freelance Writing for Beginners” and many more.

See Mike Reuther’s books on Amazon here >>>.

Thank You for Listening!

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Use Facebook to leave a comment below.
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Mike Reuther

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Writing Schedules
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Note: some of the resources on this page may be affiliate links, meaning I get paid a commission (at no extra cost to you) if you use that link to make a purchase.

Fishing for Sanity[image error]


This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.




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CATCH THE WEST WIND
Add WEST WIND to your library!
Because free writing resources from

Wholehearted Author are not enough!

If you love a good mystery, a romantic whodunit that will surprise you, then WEST WIND is a great addition to your ebook library.

West Wind is my third novel as an author of Contemporary Fiction, Suspense, Thriller, and Romance.  It’s FREE too, when you join my exclusive Readers Group. Members of the Readers Group receive free novels, invitations to read advance copies, as well as illustrated character profiles and behind-the-scenes articles about Eaton and its quirky residents.

Join today and download your free book, and as a special thank you, you’ll receive a SECOND FREE BOOK tomorrow! The giving goes on and on when you become my fan.

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Beyond the Wall with Alivia Tagliaferri

Alivia Tagliaferri is an author, publisher, producer and documentary filmmaker. In this interview on Let’s Talk Books with Robin Van Auken, she discusses her book, Beyond the Wall: The Journey Home[image error].

Listen to Alivia discuss her work with Ironcutter Creative, as a writer, author and filmmaker. Learn about her struggle to complete her novel, in the wake of her beloved father’s death. She spent countless hours researching the Vietnam and Iraq wars, interviewing veterans, reading books, studying government files, and browsing blogs for inspiration and authentic voices.

Beyond the Wall: The Journey Home[image error] is a gift for anyone who has been impacted by war, in particular veterans with post traumatic stress. As a daughter, sister and parent of veterans, this book is close to my heart.

From Alivia’s AMAZON page:

[image error] [image error] For Dennis Michaels, a Vietnam combat veteran waging an invisible forty-year battle with survivor’s guilt and PTSD, life changes when he mentors an Iraq War veteran undergoing rehabilitation at Walter Reed Medical Center. Seeking to transform pain into healing, this warrior of old and warrior of today share glimpses into a world seldom discussed as they navigate their journey home and honor their Marine code of conduct: Never leave anyone behind.

Alivia Tagliaferri operates Ironcutter Creative, a multimedia company that creates story-centric videos that are compelling, engaging and visually outstanding. Ironcutter specializes in high-quality docu-style videos for television and theater broadcast, social media and more. It also provides advertising and marketing services, as well as storytelling skills.

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Alivia Tagliaferri

Listen to Alivia Tagliaferri discuss her work with Ironcutter Creative, as a writer, author and filmmaker.

WEBSITE: 
Ironcutter Creative

 

FACEBOOK:
Ironcutter Creative

 

AMAZON:
Beyond the Wall: The Journey Home[image error]


Screenwriting
Mentoring
Authorship
Vietnam War
Iraq War
Walter Reed Hospital
Filmmaking

Note: some of the resources on this page may be affiliate links, meaning I get paid a commission (at no extra cost to you) if you use that link to make a purchase.

Beyond the Wall: The Journey Home[image error]


This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.




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