C.R. Richards's Blog, page 11

Happy Thanksgiving

From Me and Mine to You and Yours!
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Five Ideas for Learning on the Cheap

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Are you a curious person who likes to learn? Maybe you’re looking for a career change. Or maybe you’ve recently retired and just want to do something different. Taking classes or workshops can be the answer. Here are five ideas for learning on the cheap.

Five Learning Resource Ideas for Adult Learners

SCORE.org(United States Small Business Administration) – Did you know the Small Business Administration wants your business to be successful too? They started the SCORE program in order to foster growth in the small business community. SCORE provides classes and coaching professionals to help. Highly recommended
LinkedIn.com– For a minimal monthly fee, you can take online workshops presented by industry professionals
Udemy.com– Online resource for just about any course subject you can imagine
Local Colleges – You’ll find adult learning programs at many community colleges. They offer a wide variety of classes at reasonably priced fees
Local Museums, Botanic Gardens and other venues – Stuck for ideas on your new learning adventure? Try your local museum or botanic garden. They frequently offer specialty classes/ workshops for interesting subjects. Don’t forget local organizations! These groups focus on writing, art or hobby interests

Honorable mention – YouTube.com:I’m a big fan of this online resource. I’ve lost count of how many times I access YouTube in order to figure out how to do a DIY project or a quick home repair.

Being a lifelong learner doesn’t have to break the bank. Technology has provided us with opportunities to learn at a lower cost. So, enjoy those classes and keep your brain active!

Be Positive. Be Happy. Be Well.

The Benefits of an Active Shelf Life

I’m a reader. Not just a reader. I’m a “must read the list of suggested books from my local library or online resource” type reader. Don’t try to limit me to only one genre. I’m interested in everything from books about local history to ghost stories to modern thrillers to classic tales. I will, on occasion, explore the works of foreign authors from diverse backgrounds. Why do I read everything I can get my little mittens on? I’m a reader, because I’m a learner.

The Benefits of Being a Reader:

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Reading is exercise for the mind – Your brain needs fresh knowledge to grow. Don’t stop learning just because you become an “adult.” Growth is essential for everyone regardless of age.
A well-read brain is a healthy brain, especially as we age – Staying active is important for a healthy body. Your brain ages too. Learning new things can help keep your mind sharp.
Reading promotes imagination – Movies, TV and video games are entertaining, but someone else is doing the imagining for you. Reading a book offers plots and descriptions of the author’s story scenes, but it’s your imagination building the world as you see it. You take away inspiration, encouragement and knowledge gleaned from what you’ve seen in your mind’s eye.

Read Often. Learn as Much as Possible. Share Your Knowledge.

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Be Positive. Be Happy. Be Well

Trick or Treat!

Trick or Treat! How About a Special Book Cover Reveal Instead?

Coming Spring 2019!

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Book Cover Design by ebooklaunch.com

Protect the Innocent. Punish the Guilty.

Seth the Ice Lion, now an Apprentice in the Jalora Legion, reluctantly travels aboard ship with his new battalion. Western Beta’s mission seems a dull assignment. Guarding miles of bogs and old ruins should be a simple task, but Seth soon learns nothing is easy for the Bearer of the Lion Ring. The Jalora is the embodiment of Good and the source of Seth’s power. It commands he search North Marsh for a relic capable of saving his homeland from the ravenous appetite of the Jackal invaders. Surrounded by deadly bogs and savage beasts, he must find the relic before the Lion Spirit inside of him takes control of their shared body.

Invaders from across the sea hold a firm grip on Valdeon, but their thirst for blood remains unsated. They lust for the riches of Andara. Using fear and greed as weapons, the Jackal enlist aid from the continent’s unscrupulous mercenaries to prepare for a larger invasion. They build a stronghold – Stone Fang Fortress – in the Blood Mountains of the north. It is here they prepare to conquer the free world.

Will Seth find this powerful relic before the Jackal swarm invades Andara? Or will his people be enslaved under the iron fist of the Jackal Lord? Seth’s answers hide in the deadly bogs of North Marsh…

Catch up on the Heart of the Warrior series

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Amazon

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Be Positive. Be Happy. Be Well.

 

Embrace the Creepy – Five Must Do October Activities

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October is all about the Spooky Season. Relishing in the creepiness, we seek out ways to scare ourselves. Horror movies and scary books are a great start. Why not take it to the next level? All Hallows Eve only comes once a year after all.

Here are my top Five Spooky Season Activities:

#5 – Fall Festivals – Think pumpkin patches, cider and hayrides

#4 – Horror Classics on the Big Screen – Grab a bucket of popcorn and attend a special showing of your favorite classic horror flick at the local movie theatre

#3 – Zombie Crawl – Plaster your best Walking Dead make up on and join the rest of the mob as they search for brains in your city

#2 – Haunted Houses (or Amusement Parks) – Enter at your own risk for a ghoulish good time! While these are super scary, I have to say, “Ghoul Please!” I was at a REALhaunted house this weekend. Which brings me to my #1 October Activity.

#1 – Ghost Tours – I’ve been on ghost tours and hunts all over the United States and some places in other countries as well. These tours are always an eye opener, especially when you discover the chilling history of your home town.

Bonus Activity – Regional Events. Your home state/province is unique. Clever organizers use that special something to plan themed events. Here in Colorado, one of our special somethings is our mountains. A few of the foothill and mountain towns offer haunted trail walks through the creepy woods at night.

So many October activities. So little time! Let that inner little kid dressed in the super hero costume out. Go have some fun!

Be Positive. Be Happy. Be Well.Be Spooky. Be Gruesome. Be Goofy.

A special Halloween treat on DTJ next week! Stop by for a book cover reveal for Creed of the Guardian(Book Three of the Heart of the Warrior series)!

No Sweetie. Vampires Aren’t Sparkly

5 Reasons Why Bram Stoker’s Dracula is the Best Version of Himself

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Sparkly, but sullen teenage vampire hunks. Cutesy fanged monster toddlers. Friendly blood suckers who own hotels and throw parties. The entertainment industry has taken a classic horror icon and defanged him.

I’m a Dracula purist. Nothing evoked more fear in my childhood than the mere mention of the legendary vampire. Bram Stoker’s book haunted my imagination and inspired me to write tales of dark fantasy and horror.

Here are 5 reasons why Bram Stoker’s Dracula is the best version of himself:

 

He is “The Count.” While Polidori penned “The Vampyre” decades before, Bram Stoker made  Dracula  an unforgettable classic character.
His story is weaved with mysteries that keep the reader enthralled.
Stoker’s book contains the common elements of Horror with a terrifying villain, elicits feelings of fear and dread, immerses the readers in a macabre world.
His intelligence and power over his victims add a psychological terror element many of the other horror classics lack.
Dracula is iconic. Put on a cape and fangs for Halloween. Everybody will immediately recognize your costume.

Dracula is my favorite monster of all time. If you’re looking for a horror classic to read during the Spooky Season, give it a try.

Be Positive. Be Happy. Be Well.Be Spooky. Be Gruesome. Be Goofy.

 

Are You Ready for The Zombie Apocalypse?

They’re coming, and they want your brains!

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Be warned, Dear Reader. A pestilence is chewing its way toward your home town. The chilly fingers of October herald their coming. Summer gardens wither under their rotting feet. Look for them in the darkened skies of All Hallows’ Eve.

You can’t run. Their lumbering bodies will infest the streets, making it impossible to navigate toward the safety of open country. You’ve been warned. Be prepared to ward these Zombies off with brightly illuminated Jack O’ Lanterns and the “Good” chocolate.

What to do if you’re away from your fortress and surrounded? Prepare in advance. Learn from Master Zombie Hunters. Here is a list of essential Zombie Fighting Guides:

Shaun of The Dead
Zombieland
The Walking Dead
Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Jane Austen and Seth Grahame-Smith

Be Positive. Be Happy. Be Well.Be Spooky. Be Gruesome. Be Goofy.

What Tales of Terror Are on Your Book Shelf?

The Spooky Season is upon us! It’s time for warm cider, pumpkin cookies and scary stories. Whether you indulge your ravenous appetite for ghosts and ghouls on the screen or in hard copy print, nothing is better than being captured in the pages of a book.

Looking for some “scare the pants right off you” ideas? Here are a few great places to check for suggested reading:

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Goodreads Lists– Here you can find a list of reader favorites for every genre. Try Horror and Paranormal in October for perfect Spooky Season suggestions.

Horror Writers Association– Why not look to the experts at Horror.org? As a member of HWA, I’ve had the opportunity to meet several of these gifted authors. You may recognize some of the Bram Stoker Award Winners on their website.

Grab a book or better yet, let a book grab you!

Be Positive. Be Happy. Be Well.

Are You Prepared for The Dreary Times?

Being a Northern Dweller, I have my “To Do” list of cold weather preparations I tackle each Fall. Clean the gutters. Have the furnace serviced. Pick out my inside projects, so I’m not bored out of my mind during the dreary weather. Winter can be cozy and fun looking outside through the window of a warm house. Don’t prepare correctly and Jack Frost can make things down right bleak.

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Our lives can be reminiscent of the changing seasons. Grief or misfortune can bring about the Winter within our souls. Every life experiences the chill and barren ice fields. Nothing can prevent our dreary times. If we prepare during our Summers and Springs, however, the internal Winters will be bearable.

Preparations for the Dreary Times:

Cultivate Good Friends
Allow Yourself to be Loved
Jealously Guard Your Time. Don’t Waste it on Negative Things
Diligently Pursue the Positive in Your life

Be Positive. Be Happy. Be Well.

Are You at A Fork in The Road?

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Choices. They can be overwhelmingly difficult sometimes. Do you take that job in another city or stay in your home town? Should you buy a house or continue to rent? Crème brûlée or Mud Pie? Hint: Crème brûlée. Always.

We live in an exciting time. So many options to choose from! How can you pick the best one for you?

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List out the pros and cons for each option

Carefully evaluate your lists

Do the cons outweigh the pros?

Take your list to a trusted friend or mentor

Still Stuck?

Meditate on the options for a time. Your subconscious knows the right path.

Be Positive. Be Happy. Be Well.