Trista Herring Baughman's Blog, page 8

Piles of books!

I have a habit of reading several books at once. You will find them partially read on my nightstand, on the couch, on the coffee table–all over my house (much to my hubby’s dismay). Sometimes I get side-tracked and temporarily pause a few books here or there. Eventually, I get back to them. I’ve unintentionally passed this habit on to my kids.

Here’s an update of what my children and I are currently reading and why you might want to read these books.

What I’m Reading

1. The Organic Farming No-Till Revolution by Andrew Mefferd – If you’re looking to grow your own healthier food small scale, this might interest you. We have some background in farming but not no-till or organic farming. The more we read about it, the more we feel like this is for us. My husband and I are reading about farming methods, etc in preparation for our farm. He’s read so many books lately! This book is on his list, too.

2. Social Media Marketing for Dummies by Shiv Singh and Stephanie Diamond – If you’re a writer like me, especially a self-publishing writer, it will be very beneficial to read up on social media marketing. This isn’t only beneficial for writers, but anyone with a business.

3. Prepare Him Room by Marty Machowski – I want to add more Christ to our Christmas this year, so I grabbed this family Christmas Devotional. I found the accompanying music on Prime Music, so that’s a plus. Check your library or Hoopla, they might have a copy.

4. Build Your Own Website for Beginners By Laura Cowen – I want to design the website for our farm from scratch. Once I’ve learned I will teach this valuable skill to my kids. UBAM has some pretty neat books.

5. The Call of the Wild and Free by Ainsley Arment – We used Exploring Nature with Children curriculum and it drastically improved our homeschooling day. We need more nature in our life, so I checked this book out on Hoopla. They have the audiobook, which is nice for when I’m folding laundry.

6. The Night Gardener by Johnathan Auxier – I’m rereading this because it is my kind of book. I love a good ghost story! If you have Audible, I highly recommend using a credit for this one. You can check out my review here.

What My Kids are Reading

1. Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain – We have a goal of reading as many classics as we can. This is a great book for boys (and girls) that love adventure and glimpses into America’s past. My kids are reading an illustrated version. They will read the unabridged version later on.

2. Topper and Madam Pig by Dorothy K. L’Hommedieu – This is an oldie. I couldn’t find a link for it. It’s about a terrier pup that is trying to find his way home. We’ve just gotten to the part where he meets Madam Pig. This book is for younger kids (maybe 1st through 3rd) but will hold the attention of older kids and it’s an easy read.

3. Nancy Drew The Secret of Red Gate Farm by Carolyn Keene – My boys are into reading Hardy boys, but we ran out of them. I’m introducing them to my old Nancy Drew books. These books are great for kids or adults. Who doesn’t love a good mystery?

4. Night Books by J.A. White – We just finished this and it was great. If you took my advice the week before last and read The Night Gardener, this will be an excellent read to follow it. It’s sort of a Hansel and Gretel remake about a young boy who is captured by a witch and forced to read her scary stories. Can’t wait for the next one in this series!

What are you reading?

We are always looking for our next book to read! Drop what you’re reading in the comments.

*As usual, none of the links in this post are affiliate links.

Happiness being a dessert so sweet, may life give you more than you can ever eat. ~an Irish blessing

Happy Thanksgiving!

Sorry, I’ve used up all my creativeness on handprint turkeys and a blog post for WFTP. So, instead of my usual post this week, I want to wish everyone a happy turkey day.

Rest up; Enjoy the ones that you hold dear and all the simple, good things life has to offer. May God bless and keep you and yours today and always.

Book Review: The Night Gardener by Jonathan Auxier

I love books. My favorite, favorite books are usually scary ones. I grew up reading Goosebumps, The Scariest Stories You’ve Ever Heard, Fright Time, Shivers, anything by Edgar Allan Poe, etc. I haven’t done a book review on my blog yet (I don’t think), so here I go.

Book Summary: (from the back cover)

“The Night Gardener follows two abandoned Irish siblings who travel to work as servants at a creepy, crumbling English manor house. But the house and it’s inhabitants are not quite what they seem. Soon, the children are confronted by a mysterious stranger… and by an ancient curse that threatens their very lives.”

Reading Level:

The reading level is listed as grades 3-5, interest level grades 4-8. I don’t know how accurate this is. It probably depends on the individual kid. I don’t see many 3rd-graders reading 350-page books (I don’t doubt that some could), but they would enjoy it being read aloud to them. My 2nd grader and 6th grader both enjoyed it, as did I. I believe if a story is written well it will appeal to all ages and that’s exactly what The Night Gardener does. It could be a tad scary-ish for younger kids, but my kids are into scary stories.

My favorite line/quote:

Ooh, that’s tough. There are SO many good ones. One I really like comes at the beginning and starts at the end of the first paragraph:

“The girl was named Molly, and the boy, her brother, was Kip.

And they were riding to their deaths.”

It’s a great line and if you were uncertain about reading the book before that (unlikely), I think that line would hook you.

What I liked about this book:

1. I have Irish heritage, so I liked that the main characters were Irish. I’m also a storyteller by trade, so I enjoy reading books about writers or storytellers.

2. Third-person limited is probably my favorite point of view to read, or perhaps it’s a tie with third-person omniscient.

3. I love the beautiful imagery in this story. Mr. Auxier has done a wonderful job of world-building and mood-setting.

4. . I liked Kip’s crutch’s name: Courage. I think Molly uses her stories as her crutch and as her Courage.

5. Molly and Kip have a great sibling bond. Both are strong-willed and resilient.

6. The characters are interesting, as is the plot. I didn’t find any part of the story to be boring. There’s a nice pace and all the story threads are tied up nicely; no loose ends or cliff hangers.

7. This was a good, old-fashioned ghost story. It seems like it’s getting harder to find those nowadays.

*This list isn’t in any particular order; it isn’t a complete list of everything I liked about the book.

What I didn’t like about this book:

I don’t think there was a single thing that I didn’t like about this book. I’m about to re-read it, though, so if there is, I will be sure to update.

Oh wait, there is one thing, but it would be a spoiler to say it so, I won’t.

Would I recommend this book?

Absolutely! If you’re a fan of a spooky, page-turner, ghost-story mystery, you will love this book. I read this book last year. I liked it so much I got the audible version to listen to with my boys. I’ve also bought a couple of copies as gifts.

My Rating:

I give this book 5/5 stars. Mr. Auxier is a top-notch storyteller and I look forward to reading more of his work.

What do you think?

Have you read this book? Would you read it? What book should I review next? Let me know in the comments.

If you enjoyed The Night Gardener as much as I did, I have great news! It’s old news, but new to me. Disney has bought the rights to it! I hope they finish it soon. I can’t wait to watch it.

You can find out more about Jonathan Auxier and his books on his website.

‘Til next time. God bless.

Dance as if no one were watching,
Sing as if no one were listening,
And live every day as if it were your last.

The Best Things

It’s about to be the busy time of year–baking, crafting, shopping, partying, holiday family get-togethering. For some of us, this time of year means extra work hours. If you are a writer, it may also mean NaNoWriMo.

This can be fun and exciting but also a little overwhelming. It is easy to get caught up in our comings, goings, and doings. Occasionally we forget to take in the little things–the best things.

Or, maybe you’re not so busy. Maybe your kids are grown–or you haven’t got any–maybe your significant other has passed and you’re feeling sad. Keep looking up. Not all of this article will apply to you, but you can still find some of life’s best things to keep you going.

What are the best things? I’m glad you asked. Here is a list of some of them:

Making family recipes together in the kitchen and telling stories and chatting while you cook. We make traditional dishes for Thanksgiving. The smells and stories bring back such good memories. It is a great way to connect with family and friends and remember loved ones who have passed. If your family isn’t around anymore, share with friends. If you don’t have family memories or recipes, it’s time to make your own! Slowing down and letting the kids help make homemade gifts for Christmas or just because. Hand-crafted gifts are thoughtful, fun ways to show you care. This is true whether or not you have kids in your life. It gives you a feeling of accomplishment when you hand-make gifts.Teaching your kids (or nieces, nephews, grandkids, etc.) something new. Take time to teach the children in your life to shoot a bow and arrow, paint a picture, recite a poem, or crochet–whatever you teach them, you will be making precious memories. You will also be creating a positive influence on our future. You can let them teach you something, too. You are never too old to learn!Volunteering with family or friends. This can help put things into perspective. Serving others can bring so much joy. You could volunteer at a homeless shelter or gather coats for the local coat drive.Spending time with older family members, friends, and neighbors, to let them know you care. They have so many great stories to tell. You will make their day and likely learn a lot of cool things. While you’re with them, see if they need help with anything.Taking time to enjoy the great outdoors. Alone or with dear ones, connecting with nature is a great way to collect your thoughts and admire God’s creation. Go for a walk or bike ride. Sit on the porch and listen to (or play) some music.Making a care package for a military member or a neighbor or friend who isn’t feeling well. This is a great way to show you care and to show appreciation. It makes you feel good, too.Writing out things we’re thankful for and sharing them as a family. We did this last month. We wrote on small leaf-shaped paper and put those in a jar. Later we read them aloud. It was a good reminder that even though you may have a bad day, there’s always something to be thankful for.Eating meals together with family and friends. It’s important to put social media away and sit down to eat with one another. This gives you time to interact and form bonds.Doing something nice for your significant other or just taking pleasure in the comfort of their company and listening to what they have to say without distraction, like your phone. If you don’t have a significant other, pick a family member or friend and do something nice for them. Maybe surprise a neighbor with a homecooked meal, or give a call to a long-lost friend.Creating time for yourself. Have a hobby? Crocheting, knitting, playing piano, painting, woodworking, decorating, gardening, horseback riding, solving puzzles, collecting stamps–whatever your hobby is, taking time to do something just for you will help restore your inner peace. If you don’t have a hobby it’s a good time to get one and it’s a fantastic way to make friendships. There’s always someone out there who enjoys the same things you do. Snuggling up with a good book on your own or with the kids in your life. This is very important. If you’re a writer, reading is your fuel. If you are not a writer, it can still be a welcome escape from reality for a bit.

These are just a few of the big things disguised as little things. Making time to enjoy life’s blessings will contribute to your mood as the busy season sets in. This can be a huge help when you’re stuck in traffic or standing in long lines at the store. When you’re happier, you’re more likely to be patient and kind, as well. You will have more joy to give if you take the time to fill your own bucket with things that bring you joy.

May your pockets be heavy –
Your heart be light,
And may good luck pursue you
Each morning and night.

~An Irish Blessing~

November is National Picture Book Month!

In honor of National Picture Book Month, I’ve made a list of five picture books that my children and I enjoy (every single time we read them). They aren’t in any particular order. I think you’ll enjoy reading them with your favorite littles.

What Was I Scared Of? by Dr. Seuss – A delightfully spooky read in traditional Seuss rhyme. I think we got this book when my kids were around 3 and 6. I had to read it so many times that my kids and I have it memorized! We have a copy that glows in the dark, so we would turn out the lights and read by flashlight, then pause to turn the lights off and see the glowing pictures before moving on. My oldest is outgrowing picture books (does anyone really outgrow them, though?). He still reads them to his little brother from time to time. He’s such a good big brother!Sir Small and the Dragonfly by Jane O’ Connor – When a dragonfly plagues the town of Pee Wee and abducts Lady Teena, who can save her? A tiny knight riding his trusty ant, of course! I first read this with my oldest. It was gifted to us when he was one and became his favorite “nite-nite story” for years. Later, we used it when he and his brother were learning to read.Good Night, Good Knight by Shelley Moore Thomas – This is a story about three little dragons that can’t seem to get to sleep and a good Knight that helps them (because he is a good knight). I love the repetition and onomatopoeia. The pictures are cute, too. The Gruffalo by Julia Donaldson – A cunning mouse, a fox, an owl, a snake, and a–Gruffalo! Rhyming text and colorful illustrations bring this story to life. I love this one! (and all of Julia Donaldson’s books) This book was my youngest’s favorite and still is. He reads it to me now.Bringing the Rain to Kapiti Plain by Verna Aardema – I remember reading this one in first grade! You might remember this one from Reading Rainbow. It’s a retelling of a traditional tale from Kenya with great rhyme and rhythm. The pictures are great. 

How will you celebrate National Picture Book Month?

Don’t forget to keep an eye out for my upcoming picture book, Zombiesaurs! I’ll keep y’all updated.

Reading to the children in your life is so very important. It broadens their vocabulary and imaginations and provides so many benefits for both you and them. I hope you relish your reading time with your kids, grandkids, nieces, and nephews this month and always! They grow up entirely too soon.

What are some of your favorite picture books? Drop them in the comments so we can check them out. Until next time!

“May there always be work, for your hands to do, may your purse always hold a coin or two, may the sun always shine on your windowpane, may a rainbow be certain to follow each rain, may the hand of a friend always be near you, may God fill your heart with gladness, to cheer you.” ~ An Irish Blessing

*None of the links on this page are affiliate links.

Blog Bloggity Blog Blog

Nice title, huh? I came up with it all by myself at 5:37 AM after having slept not a wink.

I might have mentioned in my last two posts (because I forget things sometimes and repeat myself…) that I adopted the motto: “Challenge Accepted!” when it comes to most writing challenges. I’ve entered contests and pursued writing endeavors that I have never before pursued. While they admittedly did not all turn out well, some of them did. That’s motivated me to keep at it. So, when I came across Susana Leonard Hill, Children’s Author’s Annual Halloweensie Contest, of course, I had to accept the challenge.

Here are the contest rules as listed on the website:

“THE CONTEST: write a 100 word Halloween story appropriate for children (children here defined as 12 and under) (title not included in word count) using the words glow-in-the-dark, goosebumps, and goodies.

Your story can be poetry or prose, scary, funny, sweet, or anything in between, but it will only count for the contest if it includes those 3 words and is 100 words. Get it? Halloweensie – because it’s not very long and it’s for little people You can go under the word count but not over!Title is not included in the word count.Also, being super clear for this year, glow-in-the-dark counts as 1 word (even though it looks like 4 )You may use the words in any form i.e. glowed-in-the-dark, goosebumpley, goody (“Oh, goody!”, goody-two-shoes etc.), whathaveyou You are welcome to enter more than one entry – just remember you’ll be competing against yourself No illustration notes please!“

The contest is open for submissions on October 29, 2021 (that’s today!). So, what are you waiting for? Start writing!

Here’s my entry:

The Halloween Witch

by Trista Herring Baughman

It was Halloween night
and a witch went zoom
as she flew through the air
on her twisted old broom

She zigged, and she zagged
as she soared through the night
then she cackled out loudly
and gave me a fright.

Covered in goosebumps
I zipped up my hoodie
and I jumped as she threw me a bag full of goodies.

There was trick-or-treat candy,
glow-in-the-dark bugs,
a jack-o’-lantern necklace,
and a Halloween mug!

I heard her exclaim
as she rode out of sight
“Happy Halloween, all!
Have a spooky good night!”

Best of luck! I can’t wait to read all of the entries.

“May you always have walls for the winds,
a roof for the rain, tea beside the fire,
laughter to cheer you, those you love near you,
and all your heart might desire.

May joy and peace surround you,
Contentment latch your door,
And happiness be with you now,
And bless you evermore.

Bless you and yours
As well as the cottage you live in.
May the roof overhead be well thatched
And those inside be well matched.

May your neighbors respect you,
Trouble neglect you,
The angels protect you,
And heaven accept you.”

~ an Irish blessing

What have I been doing?

In short, I’ve been doing a lot. Keep reading for the long version.

I’m not sure if I mentioned it, but I homeschool my children. I LOVE every (well, maybe not EVERY, but almost every) minute. Being able to provide a personalized, challenging, well-rounded education to my sons is a blessing. It is hard some days, but it is always so worth it. Childhood is fleeting. I get to spend more time with my young’ns and see their faces light up when they have those Aha! moments or when they are learning about things that they are interested in. My homeschool style is eclectic, so while some of our curricula are boxed sets, others are pieced together or made by me. I plan it all out (in pencil) in my teacher planner. There’s the occasional printing and copying and lots of grading to be done. Field trips and extracurricular activities, let’s not forget about those…

There are also the day-to-day tasks and errands: cooking meals, cleaning/decluttering/organizing, tending to the garden and critters, cleaning and canning or cooking the harvest (we’ve been blessed this year and had plenty to share with our neighbors as well), budgeting, paying bills, grocery shopping, keeping appointments–you know, all the adulting things that make the world go round. Then there’s making time to keep in touch with family and friends and spending quality time with our little family, too. These are things everyone does and I’m sure there are people out there that do more and do it better (especially in the time-management area).

Besides all of the aforementioned, my kids are helping me illustrate my picture book, Zombiesaurs. I just signed up for Craftsy and took a great class, The Art of the Picture Book with Shadra Strickland. It was a great class that gave me tons of useful information and inspiration and I highly recommend it. I signed up for a free course through Reedsy, Developing Characters That Your Readers Will Love. And I’m working to complete the online course, Write Storybooks for Children, which I started many moons ago.

And…I’m not finished. You’re not a writer if you don’t write. I already have a lot going on, and if I don’t make time to write, no one is going to do it for me. So, I challenged myself to accept (nearly) every writing challenge I came across over the next couple of months: story contests, poetry contests, anthology submissions, etc. And you know what? It’s paid off. A ghost story I wrote was chosen for a walking ghost tour. (That totally made my day, btw!) I am now a contributing blog writer for Pikes Peak Writer’s Writing from the Peak (yay! Check out my first blog here.) Why in the world am I doing all this at once?

I’m probably crazy. But I needed something to get me in gear. I’ll probably slow down on the challenges for a bit over the holidays, but I do have some deadlines and goals to meet before the end of the year. I’m still working on a chapter book and the next two books in The Magic Telescope Series. I’m also learning to make websites so I can build my own at some point in the future.

To be honest, this isn’t even all I’ve been doing. There’s a ton more, but I’ll save that for another post. Maybe in the meantime, I can work a little more on time management and keeping this blog up while making it a tad more grammatically correct.

God bless!

“May love and laughter light your days, and warm your heart and home. May good and faithful friends be yours, wherever you may roam. May peace and plenty bless your world with joy that long endures. May all life’s passing seasons bring the best to you and yours!”

*None of the links in this post are affiliate links.

What’s New?

Seven years of stuff. I’ve traveled some, read lots of books, said some hard goodbyes to places and dear loved ones, and poured my heart and soul into homeschooling my children. I’ve also been working on a few projects. I guess that’s the short version. Here’s a list of those projects that I mentioned, the ones that relate to writing anyway:

I started a writing group with a few authors from the old Authonomy days. I’ve been happily swapping edits of their books (which are pretty fantastic) for edits of my stories and poems. I’ve re-published The Magic Telescope with Barnes & Noble Press. There’s a new cover design and typo corrections. I’m working on The Magic Telescope series, writing books two and three. My kids are working on illustrations for Zombiesaurs. It will be in print soon. (Knock on wood!)I’m working on a poetry book for children.

Today I updated several of my author pages and websites. I hope to be more active in the online community over the next seven years. Fingers crossed!

Wishing you all the best. Bye ’til next time!

“May love and laughter light your days,
and warm your heart and home.
May good and faithful friends be yours,
wherever you may roam.
May peace and plenty bless your world
with joy that long endures.
May all life’s passing seasons
bring the best to you and yours!”

~an Irish Blessing

The Magic Telescope Official Release Date!

EEEEK! I finally have the official release date for my book, The Magic Telescope: December 23, 2014!  The official release date is when it will be available at bookstores such as Barnes & Nobles and Amazon.com. You can get your copy NOW at https://www.tatepublishing.com/bookst...! Allow about 4 weeks for delivery.  I’m really excited (in case you couldn’t tell) and I can’t wait to set up my first book signing. :D I’m going to spend some much needed munckin free time with the hubby, but I’ll write more soon.

Know any princesses?

I had intended on posting once a week, but I’ve found something that I want to share with you today. Most little girls have dreams of becoming princesses, but I never did. Ballrooms and dancing were never my idea of fun.  Sword fighting pirates and finding dinosaurs is what I dreamed of each night. And Ninja Turtles. However, I’ve always loved reading stories about princesses having adventures and finding their one true love. I’ve also always been a big fan of fables. I have to admit, I was completely against the idea of having a Twitter account. When all of my friends would say, “Oh you should get a twitter account,” I was much like the princess in the story I’m about to share with you and would most likely say, “Not today. Perhaps tomorrow,” or something similar to that.  I knew they’d grow tired of asking or forget. I am glad I gave in and finally got one (thank you, Writing Children’s Books for Dummies) because I have made some new friends and found some interesting, useful information, as well as some really good books. My favorite find so far and the reason for this post is a book called The Princess Fables. It is a book full of charming, relatable stories for little girls. There is a really sweet story behind the book. The author, Marc Clark, wrote the stories in the book for his daughter and you can read all about it here. I read about the book on twitter, checked it out on Amazon, and decided it would be a perfect gift for my nieces (my favorite little princesses). It’s in my cart as we speak. This was before I had read the free story, The Princess Who Always Said, “Not Today” and fell in love with it.  Now I can’t wait to check out on Amazon and I’ll probably add an extra copy for myself. :) If you have a little princess or if you are a little princess, this book is worth checking out. Read the free story here. Y’all have a great day!