Phyllis Moore's Blog, page 11
September 28, 2020
One Park at a Time: A Ray of Hope in Trouble Times
Doesn’t seem like much, a parking lot filled with cars, but it might be the sign of the times.
I like parks of all sizes. They’re great places to explore.
I used to be one of the few who frequented parks. In thirty years, I’ve never had a problem finding a parking space. Summer of 2020 has been different.
Because of Covid, people have been working at home. They’ve been using their commute time to work to do something more productive, like going to the park with their family and/or walking their dogs.
Families come in all sizes, but there is a new kind of family on the trail these days, multigenerational families.
As in grandparents, parents, young children, and babies in their strollers, taking a leisurely walk together. I’ve mostly seen them in neighborhood parks. It’s a fun sight to see.
Sorry to say I do not have a multigenerational family photo. Most people are not interested in having a stranger take their picture and post it on a blog they’ve never heard of before.
So, you’ll have to take my word for it. 
Time outside in the park can give anyone a ray of of hope in trouble times.
Friendly Friday Challenge – Quiet Places has a post on taking “a step back and re-energize our tolerance to stress, pressures and worries.” She has photos from around the world. Scroll down to find other quiet places from around the world.
September 27, 2020
Sunday Trees: Welcome to the Neighborhood
Sunday Trees is hosted by Becca Givens and is all about appreciating the beauty of trees.
Here is a cluster of bushes and saplings with the daddy tree overlooking them. His leaves are almost gone for the season, but the little ones are still going strong.
September 25, 2020
Friendly Friday Challenge – Quiet Places
This week Friendly Friday Challenge is hosted by Forestwood and the topic is Quiet Places.
Here’s a quiet place to sit, think, have lunch, and watch the Mississippi River flow by.
September 24, 2020
Cee’s B&W Photo Challenge: Fountains and Sprinklers
This week Cee’s Black & White Photo Challenge topic is Fountains and Sprinklers.
I chose a close up of water shooting up and coming back down.
June 1, 2018
Amazon Presell
My Haunted Bed & Breakfast is finished and on Amazon as a presell.
Click on The Destiny Series to learn more about the series. Here is what the first book is about:
My Haunted Bed & Breakfast
Charlie died.
Eleanor Rune’s life came to a sudden end. She didn’t know how to start over.
Leaving everything behind, she drove the back roads through the forest until a random left turn onto an isolated dead-end road brought her to a sad, damaged house, the perfect place to hide and fade away.
She never expected to be rescued by a haunted house.
Here is the link:
https://www.amazon.com/Haunted-Bed-Br...
Click on The Destiny Series to learn more about the series. Here is what the first book is about:
My Haunted Bed & Breakfast
Charlie died.
Eleanor Rune’s life came to a sudden end. She didn’t know how to start over.
Leaving everything behind, she drove the back roads through the forest until a random left turn onto an isolated dead-end road brought her to a sad, damaged house, the perfect place to hide and fade away.
She never expected to be rescued by a haunted house.
Here is the link:
https://www.amazon.com/Haunted-Bed-Br...
December 1, 2017
Snow White is a Warrior
Nobody knows who, what, where, or how fairy tales got started, but they have been around seemingly since the beginning of time, and they have been told all around the world.
The plots and characters stay the same, but the details differ from once country to another. The telling of the story changes according to the author’s point of view of right and wrong, and the culture in which the story is told. In some cases characters like Snow White evolve.
The Grim brothers, Wilhelm and Jacob, were fascinated with local folklore. They collected some 200 stories in an effort to preserve them and published their first book of fairytales in 1812.
Originally fairytales were not happy stories written for children. They were written for adults and were often about abuse, as in Snow White's case.
Snow White’s Queen Mother was jealous of her relationship with her father. At one point, the mother tries to run her daughter down with her carriage.
The Grimm brothers’ point of view of what is right and wrong did not coincide with the idea of an evil mother. They rewrote the story so the mother was kind and loving. But she must die so the father can marry a beautiful, but cruel, cold hearted stepmother.
To intensify the story, the stepmother kills the king and takes control of the kingdom. She becomes jealous of Snow White's beauty and orders her huntsman to kill the girl. He is supposed to cut out her lungs and liver, so the Evil Queen can cook and eat them in the hopes of capturing Snow White’s beauty.
The huntsman is unable to kill the child and sets her free. Snow White moves in with seven dwarfs. They say if she cooks and cleans, she can stay with them as long as she wants.
When Disney produced the cartoon in 1937, Snow White no longer just cooks and cleans. Now she can also sing and dance.
In all fair tale versions, Snow White is naïve and innocent. The dwarfs tell her never to talk to strangers or let them in the house. But she is too kind and trusting. She lets the queen, disguised as an old hag, into her cottage and accepts the poisonous apple. The young princess falls into a deep sleep.
After she is awakened by true love’s kiss, Snow White and Prince Charming ride together, on his horse, into the sunset and live happily ever after.
For her whole life, Snow White always hadjm someone to provide for her. She was pampered while living in the castle. The dwarfs gave her a home and provided for her. Prince Charming takes her to his castle where she will again be pampered.
She has never been on her own and no one teaches her how to care for herself. She has no life experience.
Snow White reflects the culture in which her story is told and where it was thought that a woman was incapable of holding a serious thought in her head. She was incapable of taking care of herself. It was best to keep her at home for her protection.
A woman was expected to get married, have children, cook and clean. The man of the house provided for her. If she did have a job, she was a secretary, librarian, schoolteacher or nurse.
As we know, a good number of women did not comply and because of them, cultures changed.
Today, women are literally warriors. They’re in the military, police and fire department; they are mechanics and construction workers; they are in all levels of management and are CEO’s of multi billion dollar companies; they are in all levels of government and proudly run for president.
A-stay-at-home mom is a valid profession, as is being a secretary, librarian, schoolteacher, or nurse. But today a woman chooses her profession. She is no longer force to do what’s expected of her.
In 2012, Hollywood produced two movies, Mirror, Mirrow and Snow White and The Huntsman, and one TV show, Once Upon A Time. All three were about Snow White.
She no longer cooks and cleans; or sings and dances. She doesn’t immediately go to live with the dwarfs. She’s taught how to shoot a bow and arrow and how to live in the forest. She can kill, skin, gut, and cook her own food. Snow White is self-sufficient.
She’s taught how to fight with a sword and dagger. Snow White can defend herself.
She’s no longer a victim waiting for Prince Charming to rescue her. Snow White is a warrior. She mounds her own horse. She and the prince together lead an army to take back her castle from the Evil Queen.
It’s Show White who confronts the queen, not her prince. After which Snow White and Prince Charming live happily ever after.
No matter how fairy tales change over the years, or who the author is or which culture it reflects, one thing never changes, fairy tales always end in happily ever after.
The plots and characters stay the same, but the details differ from once country to another. The telling of the story changes according to the author’s point of view of right and wrong, and the culture in which the story is told. In some cases characters like Snow White evolve.
The Grim brothers, Wilhelm and Jacob, were fascinated with local folklore. They collected some 200 stories in an effort to preserve them and published their first book of fairytales in 1812.
Originally fairytales were not happy stories written for children. They were written for adults and were often about abuse, as in Snow White's case.
Snow White’s Queen Mother was jealous of her relationship with her father. At one point, the mother tries to run her daughter down with her carriage.
The Grimm brothers’ point of view of what is right and wrong did not coincide with the idea of an evil mother. They rewrote the story so the mother was kind and loving. But she must die so the father can marry a beautiful, but cruel, cold hearted stepmother.
To intensify the story, the stepmother kills the king and takes control of the kingdom. She becomes jealous of Snow White's beauty and orders her huntsman to kill the girl. He is supposed to cut out her lungs and liver, so the Evil Queen can cook and eat them in the hopes of capturing Snow White’s beauty.
The huntsman is unable to kill the child and sets her free. Snow White moves in with seven dwarfs. They say if she cooks and cleans, she can stay with them as long as she wants.
When Disney produced the cartoon in 1937, Snow White no longer just cooks and cleans. Now she can also sing and dance.
In all fair tale versions, Snow White is naïve and innocent. The dwarfs tell her never to talk to strangers or let them in the house. But she is too kind and trusting. She lets the queen, disguised as an old hag, into her cottage and accepts the poisonous apple. The young princess falls into a deep sleep.
After she is awakened by true love’s kiss, Snow White and Prince Charming ride together, on his horse, into the sunset and live happily ever after.
For her whole life, Snow White always hadjm someone to provide for her. She was pampered while living in the castle. The dwarfs gave her a home and provided for her. Prince Charming takes her to his castle where she will again be pampered.
She has never been on her own and no one teaches her how to care for herself. She has no life experience.
Snow White reflects the culture in which her story is told and where it was thought that a woman was incapable of holding a serious thought in her head. She was incapable of taking care of herself. It was best to keep her at home for her protection.
A woman was expected to get married, have children, cook and clean. The man of the house provided for her. If she did have a job, she was a secretary, librarian, schoolteacher or nurse.
As we know, a good number of women did not comply and because of them, cultures changed.
Today, women are literally warriors. They’re in the military, police and fire department; they are mechanics and construction workers; they are in all levels of management and are CEO’s of multi billion dollar companies; they are in all levels of government and proudly run for president.
A-stay-at-home mom is a valid profession, as is being a secretary, librarian, schoolteacher, or nurse. But today a woman chooses her profession. She is no longer force to do what’s expected of her.
In 2012, Hollywood produced two movies, Mirror, Mirrow and Snow White and The Huntsman, and one TV show, Once Upon A Time. All three were about Snow White.
She no longer cooks and cleans; or sings and dances. She doesn’t immediately go to live with the dwarfs. She’s taught how to shoot a bow and arrow and how to live in the forest. She can kill, skin, gut, and cook her own food. Snow White is self-sufficient.
She’s taught how to fight with a sword and dagger. Snow White can defend herself.
She’s no longer a victim waiting for Prince Charming to rescue her. Snow White is a warrior. She mounds her own horse. She and the prince together lead an army to take back her castle from the Evil Queen.
It’s Show White who confronts the queen, not her prince. After which Snow White and Prince Charming live happily ever after.
No matter how fairy tales change over the years, or who the author is or which culture it reflects, one thing never changes, fairy tales always end in happily ever after.
September 14, 2017
Just the right Character
I’m an author. I’m the god of my worlds. I create people. I put them in a plot. I give them life. You’d think they’d be grateful, not always. Sometimes characters are just not satisfied and refuse to cooperate.
I started People of Akiane Trilogy with the main character as a man, Shawn something. He didn’t want to be in the story. He would not cooperate.
A friend read a draft of Pegasus Colony, the first novel of the trilogy. She said she didn’t care what happened to Shawn, he was boring.
That was the best thing she could have told me. She helped me realize that Shawn was the wrong character. It would have been a waste of my time to try and make him work. I put the book aside and worked on something else.
It was a couple of years before I returned to it. When I did, I got rid of Shawn and created a whole new character with a whole new backstory, Lt. Jessica M. Hewitt.
Lt. Hewitt was ordered to the alien planet Akiane in the Pegasus Constellation to reunite two worlds that have been separated for over 300 years. But first, she needs to deal with her own insecurities and her belief in God.
Another wards, Jessica has issues to work out.
Friends who read a draft with Jessica liked her, but said she was too angry, so I eased up on her attitude. Those who read the next draft liked her a lot better.
Jessica is working beautifully.
Sometimes it takes awhile to get just the right character with just the right attitude, but when it happens, those characters do appreciate me.
I started People of Akiane Trilogy with the main character as a man, Shawn something. He didn’t want to be in the story. He would not cooperate.
A friend read a draft of Pegasus Colony, the first novel of the trilogy. She said she didn’t care what happened to Shawn, he was boring.
That was the best thing she could have told me. She helped me realize that Shawn was the wrong character. It would have been a waste of my time to try and make him work. I put the book aside and worked on something else.
It was a couple of years before I returned to it. When I did, I got rid of Shawn and created a whole new character with a whole new backstory, Lt. Jessica M. Hewitt.
Lt. Hewitt was ordered to the alien planet Akiane in the Pegasus Constellation to reunite two worlds that have been separated for over 300 years. But first, she needs to deal with her own insecurities and her belief in God.
Another wards, Jessica has issues to work out.
Friends who read a draft with Jessica liked her, but said she was too angry, so I eased up on her attitude. Those who read the next draft liked her a lot better.
Jessica is working beautifully.
Sometimes it takes awhile to get just the right character with just the right attitude, but when it happens, those characters do appreciate me.
September 4, 2017
Meet Lt. Jessica M. Hewitt
The year is 2447
My name is Lt. Jessica M. Hewitt. I never planned to set foot on an alien planet in the Pegasus Constellation. I volunteered for a commission as a Communication’s Expert on the WSC Britannia to get away from my troubles on Earth. I hoped when I returned to Earth, I’d start my life over and this time I’d get it right.
Unfortunately, nothing ever goes as planned.
Somehow I became ambassador to 328-year-old Earth rouge colony on the planet Akiane in the Pegasus Constellation.
I had 72 hours to convince the colonists they were still a World Space Coalition colony.
They of course were not interested.
If I couldn’t convince them, I’d have to stay on the planet for the next two years while I figured out a way to convince them.
The first book Pegasus Colony of People of Akiane Trilogy is the beginning of my story of how my life changed once I set foot on the planet.
Please help me get the word out by sharing this post with your friends.
My name is Lt. Jessica M. Hewitt. I never planned to set foot on an alien planet in the Pegasus Constellation. I volunteered for a commission as a Communication’s Expert on the WSC Britannia to get away from my troubles on Earth. I hoped when I returned to Earth, I’d start my life over and this time I’d get it right.
Unfortunately, nothing ever goes as planned.
Somehow I became ambassador to 328-year-old Earth rouge colony on the planet Akiane in the Pegasus Constellation.
I had 72 hours to convince the colonists they were still a World Space Coalition colony.
They of course were not interested.
If I couldn’t convince them, I’d have to stay on the planet for the next two years while I figured out a way to convince them.
The first book Pegasus Colony of People of Akiane Trilogy is the beginning of my story of how my life changed once I set foot on the planet.
Please help me get the word out by sharing this post with your friends.
September 2, 2017
My name is Qorow Low
My name is Qorow Low. I am a minor character in Phyllis Moore’s first book Pegasus Colony. If it had been up to her, I would have continued as a minor character throughout her entire trilogy.
Minor characters rarely have an influence on a plot. We are there to fill up pages with proof that the major characters are not the only ones who live in a story.
I wanted more.
I’m not usually so bold. I actually timid, but I wanted Phyllis to tell my story. I knew the only way to get her attention was to do something bold.
One day she was writing a scene where I was speaking to a major character. I took a deep breath and opened the front of my winter jacket so Phyllis could see my newborn baby strapped to my chest.
She had no idea that I had a baby. She was so surprised she stopped writing.
I couldn’t see her. I’m only words on a page after all. But I could feel her staring at the computer screen. To my relief, she liked the idea. My baby and I became major characters in her second book.
Even though my child, my precious little baby girl was sick and dying, Phyllis made her life matter. My daughter became a heroine in the story and changed the course of my people’s destiny.
Thanks to Phyllis, I do not mourn my daughter’s death. Despite her short-lived life, I am proud of her.
You can read her story and mine in Phyllis Moore Storm’s Coming, the second novel in her People of Akiane Trilogy.
On September 7, 2017 Goodread will have a Giveaway for Storm’s Coming. Don’t miss out. Sign up now.
Available at Amazon.
Minor characters rarely have an influence on a plot. We are there to fill up pages with proof that the major characters are not the only ones who live in a story.
I wanted more.
I’m not usually so bold. I actually timid, but I wanted Phyllis to tell my story. I knew the only way to get her attention was to do something bold.
One day she was writing a scene where I was speaking to a major character. I took a deep breath and opened the front of my winter jacket so Phyllis could see my newborn baby strapped to my chest.
She had no idea that I had a baby. She was so surprised she stopped writing.
I couldn’t see her. I’m only words on a page after all. But I could feel her staring at the computer screen. To my relief, she liked the idea. My baby and I became major characters in her second book.
Even though my child, my precious little baby girl was sick and dying, Phyllis made her life matter. My daughter became a heroine in the story and changed the course of my people’s destiny.
Thanks to Phyllis, I do not mourn my daughter’s death. Despite her short-lived life, I am proud of her.
You can read her story and mine in Phyllis Moore Storm’s Coming, the second novel in her People of Akiane Trilogy.
On September 7, 2017 Goodread will have a Giveaway for Storm’s Coming. Don’t miss out. Sign up now.
Available at Amazon.
