Kathleen J. Shields's Blog, page 23

Pet Cemetery | The Inspiration behind the book

Last year while driving to a trade show in Utopia Texas I passed by an old sign that said something to the effect of “Hill Country’s Oldest Pet Cemetery”. As I continued to drive on this very long winding Texas road I started thinking to myself how Stephen King ruined it for everybody.

His book was good (or the movie) but I hated the idea of our pets coming back as evil. I wanted to be able to go to a pet cemetery and see my pet as a ghost; eager to see me, eager to give me love, and happily wagging his/her tail.

I started thinking about all the wonderful things that I could still do with my pet if I could see him as a ghost. Before I knew it a story had started to formulate in my mind. I started considering my character and asking to myself, What would he do with this gift? What sports would he play? What would his friends say? How would he use this gift to benefit his life? And how could he use it to help others?

This was the inspiration behind my latest book ghost dogs. One old sign on an back country road – Led to an entire book!

This is the Beauty of Writing!
That is the Magic of being an Author!!

Ghost Dogs Seeing is Believing by Kathleen J. Shields

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An Interview with Allison Catsworth – Ally Cat

Good morning folks, today we are sitting down with Allison Catsworth the main character in the book Ally Cat, A Tale of Survival and she is talking about her trans-formative story of reincarnation and feline DNA.

Welcome Allison.

Please, call me Ally.

Okay Ally, can you tell us how this all started?

Sure. My boyfriend and I were at a party at Miller’s Bluff. It’s a beautiful place that has a huge open field near a crystal clear lagoon and waterfall.

Sounds beautiful.

It was. So much so that my boyfriend, Jim, decided to take me to a secluded spot at the top of the hill by the waterfall to propose to me.

How romantic!

Oh it was! Until those drunk guys showed up and started causing trouble. That’s when Jim got in a fight and I was accidentally knocked over the cliff.

Oh my!

I’ll never forget that moment when I was falling – everything seemed to slow down. I looked up at Jim who was reaching over the side for me but was too late. The look on his face was full of so much fear. He was terrified, as was I.

What happened next Ally?

I turned in the air and next thing I know I was facing down towards the water, which was coming at me quick – or should I say I was falling towards it quick? I saw the rocks getting larger, I saw my reflection in the water, I saw my hands reaching out in front of me and I saw the fur and claws begin to appear.

This is where you began to turn into a cat?

Yes. I turned completely into a cat! I landed on those sharp rocks with paws and bounced to the water and it saved my life.

Cats always land on their paws…

I’ve never been one to test that theory but I can attest that it is true. When I passed out I transformed back into my human self and since it happened so quick almost no one who witnessed it really beleived what they saw, Jim didn’t even want to believe it! But someone had captured proof and from then on my life was turned completely upside down.

That is remarkable. Guess that’s why they call you Ally Cat. Well that’s all we have time for today. If you want to discover what happens next in Ally’s story please read the book.

Or listen to the narration – The audio book is top notch!

Thanks, Ally. Until next time have a thrilling day!

Ally Cat by author Kathleen J. Shields

An Interview with Hamilton Troll

Good morning everyone, today we have a real treat for you! We are sitting down with Hamilton Troll the star of the award-winning educational children’s book series.

Hamilton, what is the very first thing you want your readers to know about you?

I’m about six inches tall. I live in a hole next to a tree stump and I love making new friends, asking questions and learning new things and I really enjoy having fun.

That’s wonderful. Speaking of learning new things, can you tell me about some of the things you’ve learned so far?

I’ve learned how to transplant plants to make a roof. I learned that young skunks can’t control their scent gland when they’re afraid. I discovered that bees are color-blind they can’t see the color red.

That is a lot!

That’s just the first three books of the series. I helped a squirrel face his fears about falling. I learned how petrified wood is made and why woodpeckers drill holes in trees and then I learned about dinosaurs!

Dinosaurs? How did you learn about them?

I took a field trip to a dinosaur museum after finding a fossil. I watched a baby owl scare away a huge scary bear. I taught the children how to make friends with a bully. I met a raccoon who helped solve a mystery and taught a young puppy dog about not taking things that didn’t belong to her. Then I was truly surprised when I met another troll just like me and after I learned how to be a good sport when I lost a race.

You HAVE been busy. Have you done anything else?

My friends and I put together a cookbook of all of our favorite recipes that children can do themselves and we made a coloring and activity book to continue the fun plus a curriculum workbook so everyone could keep learning. Learning is fun don’t you think?

Yes it is. You’ve done quite a bit of work with the Hamilton Troll Adventures is there anything that really stands out?

We won two awards for the cookbook, an award for best educational series. The dinosaur book won first place picture book. We have products, paperback books, ebooks and even hardback books and audio books. This series has done so much for so many.

What would you like to see happen next Hamilton?

Next I’d like to hear what our readers think. I’d love to hear them tell their friends, their children’s teachers an the schools about how much they like these rhyming stories so even more children can receive the benefits of a fun-loving troll education.

That would be nice, wouldn’t it? Well thank you Hamilton Troll for being with us today. We look forward to your next grand adventure.

If you’d like to learn more about Hamilton Troll and his friends please visit: www.HamiltonTrollBooks.com or visit the children’s website at www.HamiltonTroll.com

Hamilton Troll award-winning educational children’s book series by author Kathleen J. Shields

An Interview with Gerald Oliver Delaney – The Painting

Good morning folks, today we are sitting down with the painter of an entire world! Gerald Oliver Delaney is the main character in the award winning religious fiction novel, “The Painting”.

Gerald, can you tell us a little about yourself?

I’m a little shy. I was picked on quite a bit because I was so quiet. Yet that is how I really saw things that others around me didn’t. It’s what I saw and the feelings I felt deep within my heart that brought my painting to life.

Let’s go back just a step. For those who haven’t read “ The Painting ” why don’t you explain how it came to life.

Okay. My father gave me a massive blank canvas in which to paint anything that I wanted. Over the course of many days I used my feelings to decide upon the colors, the brush strokes, and the subject matter I chose to paint. As it started to come together the canvas seemed to come to life. Well, I say seem – it actually DID come to life. I felt the wind blowing within this world I was painting. I heard the birds singing and the fish splashing. I smelled the sweet aroma of a million flowers and I felt the warmth of the painting’s sun.

That is outstanding Gerald. Can you tell the audience how you did it?

I wish I could. Some call it magic, others a miracle. I call it enchanting. I was captivated with the idea that I could paint a perfect world. A place where there was peace and love and so that is what I set out to paint. I put everything I had within my heart and soul into this work of art and as I did, each brush stroke I made simply brought that canvas to life.

Moving on, you were informed by many people that you left something out of this perfect world. Would you like to tell the readers what it was? And why?

Hesitantly I’ll admit I didn’t want to paint in any humans. The people around me, the bullying kids, the harsh teachers and the deceptive family members all made me feel so alone and isolated I couldn’t imagine how they would benefit my perfect world. I mean they would stomp on my flowers, kill my animals, trash up my land and cut down my trees. Why would I want that for my world?

But you changed your mind?

I did. I made a friend, someone who showed me one of the most important life lessons I could ever learn. It was a turning point in my life as well the landscape of my painting.

That is great but I’m afraid that is all we have time for today – but you’ll be back?

Either I will be or my son, Benjamin, will be. In book two of the trilogy he is born into this world and what he does to spread the message of love is inspirational to say the least.

Thank you Gerald. To our readers if you want to read an amazingly inspirational book that reflects a symbolic take on the Book of Genesis we highly encourage you to read “ The Painting ” by author Kathleen J Shields – or listen to the audio book for a heart-touching good time.

The Painting award winning book by author Kathleen J. Shields

The Labyrinth

Our church has a labyrinth, a place to find the loving spirit of the Lord.

This was my journey from a while back… I had a similar experience today, one where I was placed in a position where I got to enlighten someone else. I felt it was time to reflect.

Located at the top of a hill, there are steps you must take to get to the labyrinth. It’s like the steps taken to find God.  You have to open your heart to Him, invite Him in, and listen when He speaks. I always take time to read the message inscribed on the wood plaque before I begin.  It helps take away the items I need to release in order to fully hear what God has to say.

And then the miracle begins.

The very moment I step into the labyrinth the wind blows. Ever so slightly; just enough to feel like God is saying “Welcome”. We are, of course, at the top of the hill, you will feel wind… but I didn’t remember feeling any wind on my way up the steps or while reading…

As I make my way around the first turn I realize I need to look down, to stay focused on the lines, otherwise I may get lost.  You’ll fall astray. You don’t want to stray from your path. You don’t want to miss everything God has in store for you!

As I make my way around, turning, walking, enjoying, I see new growth from a nearby tree. A low tree limb is blocking the path, an obstacle. Not enough that I have to stray from the path, but enough to have to duck, to avoid the obstacles in the way, avoiding the obstacles between God and I. As I walk by (staying in the lines) it brushes against my shoulder and symbolically feels like Gods hand touching me.

Then I find the next turn takes me to the other side of the labyrinth, maybe the other side of life.  It is clearer. Each step I take gets me closer to the bench in the middle where I can rest. Where I can finally look back at the past, and recollect the good moments and smile. But alas, as I continue down the path it turns again and the next thing I know I’m walking away from the bench. Rest has not arrived!

As I continue; wondering when it will end, wondering where the path is leading; I see that low tree branch.  That obstacle in life coming back towards me. I thought I was past it. I thought it was behind me. Yet it seems life is repeating itself!  My heart quickens for just a moment, worried. Yet when I arrive, I duck below it and move on because I know I can do it. I’ve been there before. I’ve faced that challenge and learned from it!

And like every good miracle, it seems once you are past the obstacle, once you learned you are stronger, better from those challenges, your very next turn leads you to better times.

The path is long.  Much longer than you anticipated.   It didn’t seem long when I first looked at it.  But like life, it is full of twists and turns.  You have to persist. To work towards getting there. You have to find the will within yourself to not turn back or give up or take short cuts. Yes, it would be easy to step over the lines and cheat, but look at what you would have missed. The precious life lessons God wants us to learn – no matter how difficult or hard they seem to be. They make us better people, better Christians.

Then I got to rest.

As I sat on the bench enjoying the beautiful day. I realize what I’ve accomplished and I smile.  A butterfly lands on my lap, like God wanted to say, “Good for you. I am proud of you.”  I look out and appreciate what I have. What this life has given me. What the world has to offer. The simple things. And after I’ve cherished these moments, before I’m ready to leave, I look out at the labyrinth and realize –  I am only half way there.

Everything I did to get here, it’s only the mid-way point. Now that I have clarity, now that I’ve learned God’s lessons, now that I’m ready to return back to life and feel good about myself, I realize I have to go back through. There is no straight line out of here. There is no easy exit.

Yes, you could step over the lines, ignore them, cheat – but you already learned you shouldn’t. You already learned you would be missing out on something important.  But I went through it already. What could have changed in ten minutes? I start to talk myself out of it, to rationalize why I don’t need to do it, but the wind sweeps by again and it’s like God saying, “Come on, do it for me.”

So I take a deep breath… I get to my feet, turn on my heels towards the open path and take my first step.  It is the unwind. I realize as I walk back through that I had been leaning into the curves.  I bent my torso one way to get through it, and on my way out, I needed to bend the other way – to straighten back up. You couldn’t do it half way, because God wants ALL of you, a whole you – not just half.

It was an eye opening moment – that I wanted to share with you. To encourage you to find a labyrinth and experience this amazing insight for yourself. Maybe this was just my moment of clarity. Maybe you will experience something different, and that is fine – because God made us ALL different. And He gave us the ability to communicate, through words, song, actions… so we can share what He has to offer with others – who may not know yet.

An Interview with Jared Jarren – Constellation Crimes

Howdy folks, today we are going to interview the main character from the book “Constellation Crimes” because his story is as crazy as they come!

Jared we hear you have a new book out and it’s all about you. Would you like to tell us about it?

That’s right. It all started with an eerie red glow – actually it was a red meteor that was crash landing in the woods near my father’s hunting lodge.

A meteor? Was it big? Did it cause damage?

Well to be honest I never found it. We saw it land. We saw this huge red glow completely light up the woods for a moment but I never found actual proof its landing. The odd thing we found was the fact that the town’s new red-haired substitute teacher just seemed to appear on my father’s front porch and I don’t think anyone saw the car she claimed broke down.

That is odd. Can you tell us what happened next?

I’ll do better than that, I’ll show you!

Are those zits on your face?

They are! I never had acne before and these red dots just show up. Then my friends who have boogers for brains get this crazy idea to connect the dots on my face, and we discover that my zits make the shape of a constellation.

A constellation? The stars that make shapes in the sky that ancient travelers used to make up stories and myths about?

That’s right. And if that wasn’t cooky enough, after reading about the constellation myth, we started realizing the events were truly happening. A crab actually attacked us. A giant scorpion nearly killed Samuel and a run-away ATV nearly ran over Jake!

Holy cow! Was everyone alright?

Yeah, we were fine. But when the neighbors chickens started dying and that actor was nearly taken out, we started to realize that the substitute teacher had to have something to do with all of this.

Wow! That’s out of this world. Well Jared, I think we need to stop there. We don’t want to give away too much about this story of yours.

You’re right. So everyone reading – if you want to know what happened and how we found out the teacher was from Mars, you’ll have to read the book.

Mars?

Whoops – spoiler alert.

To read this action packed, boys-will-be-boys, adventure by author Kathleen J. Shields please visit her website at: www.KathleensBooks.com

Constellation Crimes by author Kathleen J. Shields

Local Texas Author Wins 2 Award for Children’s Cookbook

Press Release
Texas Author Wins Two Awards for Children’s Cookbook
Teaching Children to Make Fun Healthy Snacks with Easy Kid-Friendly Recipes

August 3, 2017 – Kathleen J. Shields a prolific writer and award-Winning Texas Author announces the “Hamilton Troll Cookbook” a top-notch, educational children’s cookbook that has already won 2 awards (First Place Cookbook from the Texas Association of Authors and First Place Food Related from the Purple Dragonfly awards). This book is creatively written for Children to learn fun ways to make delicious recipes that are surprisingly good for them.

Hamilton Troll Cookbook Wins 2 Awards Purple Dragonfly and Texas Association of Authors First Place

“They’re easy to make recipes that children can do themselves with crazy names like Troll Snot. Each recipe has a crazy name, a rhyming poem to go with each, an illustration, picture, ingredients and directions”. Kathleen J. Shields added “This is a stand-alone cookbook but pairs well with the “Hamilton Troll Adventures” an award-winning educational series, 15 story books with a coloring & activity book and a curriculum workbook. My stories are fully illustrated, rhyming and entertaining.”

Kathleen J. Shields is a vast and exquisite Author who has received a myriad of awards with 26 published books so far and plans for many more. She’s also a business owner and Christian. She offers educational tidbits about writing, publishing, graphics design and much more. She has ground breaking records in inspirational messages and food for thought, while throwing in some crazy topics every once in a while.

Kathleen J. Shields hosts Hamilton Troll’s website, which contains games for children to play, videos to watch “I call it Troll TV”, and there are printable coloring pages and activities. Shields has also developed a curriculum to go along with the series. Parents, teachers and homeschoolers can work language arts, math and science into their day of Hamilton Troll. The curriculum book available on Amazon contains over 100 pages and is also available in a printable PDF from her website.

For more information kindly visit: http://www.kathleensbooks.com/

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Click below:

Media Kit for author Kathleen J. Shields
Press Release Cookbook Wins Two Awards

Local Texas Author Wins 2 Awards for Children’s Cookbook

An Interview with Jamie Kanis – Ghost Dogs

Jamie Kanis is the main character in the new book “Ghost Dogs” and we are sitting down with him today to ask him all about this amazing gift he has: Seeing Ghost Dogs!

So tell our readers Jamie, what is it like seeing Ghost Dogs?

I see dead dogs. They’re not the scary pet cemetery movie kind – they look just like they did when they were everyone’s pets, just a bit more transparent.

When I was younger I didn’t realize they were ghost dogs. I just knew they were friendly and fun. Have you ever watched any of those funny dog video compilations?  If you have ever burst out laughing, you can understand where I’m coming from. Ghost dogs are wacky. The way they run around and try to pick things up and get frustrated when they can’t. Then they race around the room until they lose their ghost footing and slide right through a chair, a wall – or even me.

That is hilarious! What are some other things that used to happen to you?

I used to get knocked over a lot. My mom thought I couldn’t walk or had some sort of physical problem because whenever a dog came running up to me I’d feel this odd gust of wind, which would make me stumble and fall. There were even times when they would leap up to give me a lick on the face, and I’d fall to the ground giggling.

When I got a bit older I tried to explain what was happening, but the adults thought I had an active imagination. Later on I realized what was happening and was able to explain it better. It was like a magnetic opposite. I could feel an invisible pressure when they were near, so it was like I could feel them.

Amazing. So what was school like growing up seeing these Ghost Dogs everywhere?

School used to be hard. I was called a day dreamer and a fidgeter. The first couple of years were the hardest because I was surrounded by ghost dogs in class. I’d watch them play with each other, tussle and roll around. They’d try to chew on pencils, swat at swinging feet and howl when they were bored. That would make me laugh – not a good thing to do when the teacher was talking.

Of course, neither was watching the dogs play, that’s when they said I was daydreaming.  Even when I was sitting still with a dog head lying in my lap, they said I was fidgeting because I was petting his head or rubbing his ears. One time, a young puppy tried to pull me from my desk. When I fell out laughing, I was sent to the principal’s office. I had to learn at an early age how to ignore the ghost dogs while I was in school.

Before our interview started we were talking about trying out for sports and how it took you many attempts at finding something. Can you tell our readers about that?

Sure. I used to be really good at baseball. I was almost a star! I couldn’t hit the ball to save my life, I always got struck out, but I made the best out-fielder on the planet.  Ghost dogs love baseball.  Well, they love playing catch and with their sixth sense insight they always know where the ball is going to go. All I have to do is follow the ghost dogs and their wagging tails as they race out into the field. When they stop and turn to catch the ball, so do I. They can’t catch the ball. That would be neat to see (if I were normal) but they can’t. I can catch though, and everyone on my team thought I was amazing.

I stopped playing baseball the day a goofy dog arrived on the field. It’s a long story but that wacky dog with wild eyes ended my baseball career with a single leap. It’s okay, I was still really young and it led me to try other sports. You won’t believe how difficult it is to play a sport when there are ghost dogs involved!

Is there anything else you’d like to add before we sign off Jamie?

Actually yes. I think the most important lesson I learned about ghost dogs was the day I watched a friend’s dog die. It was so sudden, and yet, in that moment, it all became quite clear. My friend was on the ground crying. His heart had been broken and his dog, the ghost dog could feel that. He placed his head on my friend’s lap and just sat there with him. You could see his worry and understanding by the look in his eyes.

Oddly enough, the eyes are the only things that are not transparent on a ghost dog. They are as solid as you and me. Guess it’s because the eyes are the doorway to the soul…

Wow! Thank you so much Jamie.
That is all the time we have today. Readers, if you’d like to learn more about Jamie’s absolutely amazing life, please check out Ghost Dogs . This emotional book was written by author Kathleen J. Shields and is a true MUST READ!

Until next time folks…

Ghost Dogs Book by Author Kathleen J. Shields

 

My Origin Story

This weekend I took the AME a marketing event for authors designed to increase your ability to make book sales. It was wonderful learning about so many new techniques… some of which you’ll see utilized in the coming months.

That being said one of the classes discussed the importance of the origin story – the reason you write – as a way to start a meaningful conversation that could lead to long-term relationships.

I had always shied away from this idea even though I’ve been told many times how I should write my own biography or memoir. I thought to myself; who would want to read about me? Yet in this class I discovered how important it was – and how I could keep it short and sweet, so I wouldn’t have to bore you with a full-length memoir.

After writing my Origin Story, which could be fine-tuned indefinitely, I read it to a fellow author who claimed she got goose bumps. Maybe she was being nice, maybe it IS an important aspect in getting to know the author behind the stories. Needless to say, it made me want to share it with you so here goes:

I was an only child, isolated in bad neighborhoods as we moved from place to place. I never knew how to make friends, and didn’t have the opportunity to build companionship. So instead, I wrote my own friends. I filled my life with adventures which gave me strength and courage.

Writing my stories gave me a voice.

Publishing my books gave me confidence.

Selling my books makes me the out-going person I’ve become.

Knowing how much this process helped me, a shy child too afraid to stand alone in a crowd, my goal is to not only entertain and educate my young readers – but to inspire children to do the same – to encourage them – in hopes of saving them from their own isolation.

Whether that helps you to decide if you want to get to know me, the author, a little better, we’ll, I’ll leave that up to you. If it persuades you to want to buy a book, let me know, maybe I can help you decide which one. Author’s LOVE talking about their books and I have many to choose from!

To learn more about my books please visit: www.KathleensBooks.com/shop

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Kathleen J. Shields – Multi Award-Winning Author – 26 Published Books!

An interesting story – The Painting Book Review

It amazes me the people who are drawn to “The Painting” and how it affects them upon reading it. I’ve received some incredible email responses, inspirational stories, memories the book drew up – it’s nice to know the story is doing good for others. Below is a message I received from a lady who read my book.

“I just finished The Painting, and I have to tell you that the story is lovely. When everyone went into the painting and Gerald couldn’t stop them, it reminded me of an incident I had as a duty aide on a playground.
It was in Arizona, and there was a baby lizard that the kids kept following around. I yelled at them to leave it alone, but they wouldn’t listen, and they didn’t stop. It was a mob of 6 and 7 year olds. Finally, they chased it into a cranny of a building, but the cranny wasn’t big enough for it to fit all the way in. The lizard died, and the kids didn’t seem to understand that it was their fault. They didn’t mean to do it any harm.
They were children excited about God’s creation, but they were so excited that they destroyed it without understanding what they were doing.”

While her story is sad it is also great symbolism as to how Gerald felt when he couldn’t protect his painting from the people of his world. God can’t stop us from doing what we want even if it is going to hurt us or others. Yet, it’s when we see the results of our actions, that we learn a valuable lesson that seems to stick with us throughout our lives.

Life lessons through the eyes of a child.
Have you read “The Painting” yet ?
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Buy The Paperback Book on Amazon www.amazon.com/Painting-Kathleen-J-Sh...

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Listen to the Audiobook from Audible www.amazon.com/The-Painting/dp/B01GIO...

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