Sage Nestler's Blog, page 15
April 6, 2020
Book Review: Learn to Draw Disney/Pixar Onward by Walter Foster Jr. Creative Team
Your artistic destiny awaits! With Learn to Draw Disney•Pixar Onward, embark on a thrilling artistic journey to the once-magical world of Onward. Join teenage elf brothers Ian and Barley on a quest to discover the artistic magic in your world. This 64-page book includes drawing projects for your favorite characters from Disney and Pixar’s movie Onward (March 2020).
After an introduction to art materials and how to use this book, the real fun begins. Just follow the step-by-step projects to draw Ian, Barley, Blazey, and more!
The easy-to-follow instructions in this book guide you through the drawing process; each step builds upon the last until the character is complete. You just need to grab a pencil, a piece of paper, and your copy of Learn to Draw Disney•Pixar Onward; then flip to the character you want to draw. Draw the basic shapes shown in step one, and move on to step two, step three, and keep going! The new lines in each step are shown in blue, so you know exactly what to draw. After adding all the details in each step, darken the lines you want to keep and erase the rest. Finally, add color to your drawing with felt-tip markers, colored pencils, watercolors, or acrylic paints. You can draw the characters over and over, getting better with each try.
Plus, learn some fun facts about the characters from Disney and Pixar’s Onward as you learn to draw them. Brief character descriptions and art instruction from professional Disney animators round out this exciting artistic adventure.
Grab your drawing pencils and go on a grand and glorious artistic quest with Ian, Barley, and the other fairy-tale creatures from Disney and Pixar’s Onward.
Rating: 5/5
Format: E-Book (from Netgalley)
Quick Take
Learn to Draw Disney/Pixar Onward is an easy to follow, unique art experience that is perfect for beginner and advanced artists alike.
Tell Me More
I have long been a fan of Walter Foster Jr.’s Learn to Draw books, and I was ecstatic when an edition for how to draw the characters from Onward was released. Onward is the newest movie from Disney/Pixar, and it has been released early on digital video and Disney+ as a special gift during this time of self-isolation. If you haven’t seen the movie, I highly recommend it! It is unique and it made my heart melt.
Walter Foster has released a plethora of Disney Learn to Draw books under their Walter Foster Jr. line, but I find that these books are excellent for all ages, especially Onward. The drawing exercises in this edition were particularly challenging, even with step by step instructions, and it helped me to expand my artistic skills. But this book is so much more than just drawing exercises – it provides the reader with additional insight into the characters and story of Onward to allow the reader to dive deeper into the making of this beautiful movie. The baseline techniques this book teaches the reader also allows for additional creativity as the reader can begin to draw their own characters utilizing their newly learned skills. This book is perfect for providing hours of entertainment while you are stuck at home as well!
If you are a fan of Onward and drawing, then I highly recommend Learn to Draw Disney/Pixar Onward. This book brings with it additional insight into the movie as well as challenging drawing exercises with step-by-step instructions to make learning to draw easier. I thoroughly enjoyed this book as an advanced artist, and I am positive that artists of every level will enjoy and benefit from Learn to Draw Disney/Pixar Onward.
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April 3, 2020
Call for Submissions – Coronavirus Anthology
I hope you are all hanging in there and practicing self-care. Two days ago I was tested for COVID-19 so I am still waiting on those test results. I have to admit that I am scared, and each day seems to get scarier, but I am excited to share with you an anthology that my author friend, Francis H. Powell, is putting together.
Coronavirus Anthology
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This anthology is going to be a collection of poems and short stories that reflect each author’s feelings and experiences about this pandemic that we are living in. The anthology is going to be an E-Book and proceeds will be donated to a worthy cause (to be announced later).
If you have any questions, comments, or would like to submit a poem or short story, email Francis at powellfrancisvid@gmail.com with your submission.
Please share this post with any authors or bloggers that you know to spread the word around!
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April 2, 2020
3 Unique Subscriptions to Keep Your Kiddos Busy
I hope you are staying safe and doing well. Today I wanted to share with you three educational and SUPER FUN subscription boxes that are excellent to keep your kiddos busy in isolation. I am a big fan of subscription boxes (if you can’t already tell) because many of them are small businesses, and they provide excellent experiences not available anywhere else. I hope you enjoy my top three picks for your kiddos, and please let me know what your experience is if you try any of them out!
Much love,
Ashley
1) BitsBox – The Ultimate Coding Subscription
Monthly Coding Projects for Kids 6-12
Voted #1 STEM box for kids: Bitsbox is a crazyfun subscription box that teaches kids how to code! Bitsbox delivers coding projects that teach kids to make video games, greeting cards, simulations, and more. Kids start by coding from examples and progress quickly to inventing their own apps! WARNING: Frequently leads to fits of giggles!
Perfect for curious kids ages 6 to 12 years old
No experience necessary—beginners welcome!
New projects arrive every month. Each box teaches a new computer science concept
Kids build apps on the Bitsbox website; the apps they build work on any mobile device!
Each subscription comes with unlimited email support for coders
2) Club Scikidz Labs – The Ultimate Science/Engineering Subscription
Club SciKidz: Great Science begins here!
Club Scikidz specializes in sending engaging and fun career-related science kits each month! Each lab kit is a comprehensive collection of STEM-based hands-on activities, experiments, and projects that will help young scientists and engineers explore the wonders of the world around them.
Challenging science and technology experiments
Topics include Veterinary Medicine, Robotics, Climate Science, Oceans, and more!
Every box includes an exclusive lab notebook containing micro-experiments, quotes, riddles, and scientists who inspire!
Creative engineering projects and enough supplies to build a home lab!
FREE 18 page activity guide included in each box!
3) Genius Box – The Ultimate STEM Adventure
Hands-on STEM adventures delivered right to you!
Ever make Mentos + Diet Coke explosions as a kid? So did we! Our goal: Empower the change-makers & problem-solvers of tomorrow, today. Explore a new STEM topic with 3+ hands-on activities delivered each month. All the materials are included to foster curiosity and a passion for science, technology, engineering, and math in a fun and engaging way.
3+ hands-on activities with everything included exploring new topic each month
Collectible button and comic to illustrate monthly theme
Welcome Kit for all new subscribers featuring pencil pouch, sticker sheet, and eraser
Geared towards 8-12 year old future change-makers & problem-solvers
Building curiosity for and exposure to STEM at a young age!
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March 31, 2020
Book Review: Feminist Stitches by Haley Pierson-Cox
Rating: 5/5
Format: Ebook
Quick Take
Feminist Stitches is the feminist cross-stitchery gem of my DREAMS! I plan on making every single one of these beauties and smashing the patriarchy while I’m at it.
Tell Me More
I have been an avid cross-stitcher and advocate for the craft for many years due to its healing power in regard to my Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. When I came across Feminist Stitches I couldn’t hide my enthusiasm! I am a feminist and I am always looking for groundbreaking and current cross-stitch patterns to make and gift to my friends. The beauty of Feminist Stitches is that it provides the crafter with an excellent selection of quick to make cross-stitch patterns along with ideas on how to use the product when it is completed – such as turning it into a patch and putting it on a jean jacket! Haley Pierson-Cox makes cross-stitch modern in a way that is fashionable and enticing, while also making the craft easy to learn.
From what I understand, this book is going to be part of a cross-stitch kit, which I couldn’t be more excited about. Feminist Stitches will make for an excellent gift for any young woman seeking to learn a new hobby, or purveyors of the craft to modernize their art in an impactful way.
I found Feminist Stitches to be an excellent addition to the cross-stitch world in that it appeals to younger generations and keeps this beautiful art alive in our modern world. This book (especially in the form of a kit) makes for an excellent gift, or a treat to buy for yourself. I cannot wait to create each and every one of these cross-stitch patterns and give them to my girlfriends. Thank you to the author for creating such a beautiful book!
*I received this ebook in exchange for an honest review.
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March 29, 2020
Book Review: Frankenstina Reborn by Jerrimiah Stonecastle
![Frankenstina Reborn by [Stonecastle, Jerrimiah]](https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/hostedimages/1585581024i/29197760.jpg)
Rating: 5/5
SYNOPSIS
What happens when you kill a hillbilly for a crime he didn’t commit?
His inbred kin folk start killing your town.
What happens when a secret government lab digs up a mass murderer and brings her back to life?
She starts killing your world.
Frankenstina returns and she’s pissed!
Quick Take
A Delightfully Malicious Must-Read for fans of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre
Tell Me More
Frankenstina Reborn is a vicious tale of vengeance and old-school horror. Jerrimiah Stonecastle’s twisted story combines a variety of horror tropes (inbred kin, mass murderers, and individuals brought back from the dead) into a devilishly delightful feast for the mind.
Frankenstina Reborn is the sequel to Stonecastle’s first novel Frankenstina, a tale of a girl who is bullied and mentally abused to the point of becoming a “monster”. I hadn’t read Frankenstina before diving into Frankenstina Reborn, but I found the second novel to be an excellent standalone novel. Stonecastle provides enough background story as to make the adjustment effortless.
In this sequel, the reader is sent to a small town where the death of a hillbilly leads to an unbelievable wrath and a series of terror reminiscent to that of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre – with Frankenstina in the place of the Leatherface. But don’t be mistaken, while Stonecastle’s story has a tone and central character similar to that of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, it is a groundbreaking story on its own. Stonecastle’s unique voice captures the horror of an unusual small town, while emphasizing the reasoning behind Frankenstina’s wrath. While Frankenstina Reborn is a horror tale, it also highlights how one can only bear so much hate before cracking. Stonecastle’s work is as much a plea to bring an end to bullying as it is a wild and gory horror adventure.
I appreciated how Stonecastle took some common horror tropes and wrapped them up into an original story that also highlights the dark side of humanity. I couldn’t put this book down, and I connected with Frankenstina on a deep level by empathizing with her and understanding how she became a “monster”. If you are a fan of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre or small town horror with an important message, then you are going to adore Frankenstina Reborn. This is old-school horror at its finest.
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Creating a COVID-19 Crisis Kit and an Update
I hope that you are hanging in there and are staying healthy! I am now presumed positive for COVID-19 so I have been in isolation in my bedroom to hopefully prevent my family from catching it. In Colorado, we are officially in a state of disaster, and each day seems to get scarier. I am hanging in there, but I will admit that I am very scared about what is happening to our world.
That is why I wanted to share with you today something that has really helped me with my mental and physical health and that might help you during this time as well.
Creating a crisis kit is one of my favorite therapeutic techniques to help you protect your mental and physical health. My personal crisis kit has been a lifesaver on many occasions, and I still keep it out openly in my house so that I can use it whenever I feel like my mental or physical health is declining. Creating a crisis kit itself, however, can be anxiety-inducing, so please take care of yourself as you read through this article and contemplate creating or modifying your personal crisis kit.
With COVID-19 spreading throughout our world and changing our everyday lives, it is more important than ever that we are proactive about protecting our mental and physical health. Now is the optimal time to make yourself a crisis kit that will protect not only your mental state but your physical health if you should become sick. Below are my recommendations for items that should go in your COVID-19 Crisis Kit, but you are free to add anything that you think would comfort you or protect you in a time of crisis. I recommend that you put all of the items from your crisis kit in a bag, bin, or any container that you can keep in a communal area so that you know it is there when you need it.
1) Acetaminophen, Mucinex/Decongestant, Sore Throat Lozenges, Nasal Spray
The recommended treatment for mild coronavirus symptoms is similar to a cold or the flu. The essential over the counter remedies that have been recommended by doctors are acetaminophen (Tylenol) for pain and to reduce a fever, while Mucinex or other decongestants, sore throat lozenges, and nasal spray can help with respiratory symptoms.
Adding these to your crisis kit will help prepare you if you are to contract the virus, or anyone in your home begins to show symptoms.
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\2) 30 Day Supply of Prescription Medications
Many areas are seeing shortages of common prescription medications, and as someone who takes multiple psychiatric medications, I find this extremely daunting. If possible, request that your doctor and/or psychiatrist help you fill an additional 30-day supply of all of your medications so that you can be prepared if you have to stay at home for extended periods of time, or there is a shortage of your medication.
If your insurance tries to block these additional refills, you can call your insurance and explain how you are preparing for your extended care while in quarantine, and you can ask that your prescription refills be approved.
3) Crisis Hotline Numbers
Having crisis hotline numbers and resources in your crisis kit is SO important. I have provided a graphic below with some of the main crisis hotline numbers, but there is also a website listed for further resources.
Your local health system should also have a specific number you can call with any concerns or questions about COVID-19 and including this number or resource can be extremely beneficial.
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4) Phone Numbers/Emails/Contacts for Loved Ones/Support People
When we are facing a mental health or physical health crisis, it is vital to know that we have the support we need so that we don’t feel alone. I highly recommend adding a physical list of any contact information for people who you can reach out to for support, including loved ones and healthcare professionals (doctors, psychiatrists, therapists, etc.)
When I am in a crisis, I often do not have the mental capacity to figure out who I can reach out to without a visual aid, so adding a physical list of contact information for my support people has been so helpful.
5) A List of Your Favorite Books. Movies, TV Shows, Music, etc.
Books, movies and TV shows are some of the most comforting and important things to me in my everyday life, and certain books, movies and TV shows help me to soothe myself when I am in crisis.
If you feel the same way, consider adding physical copies of your favorite books, movies, TV shows, or music to your crisis kit, or a list of them and where you can find access to them (such as on streaming platforms). My list of comforting books, movies, and TV shows is so long that I did write it all down in a composition book that I added to my crisis kit, and I add to it when I find new media that soothes me.
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6) Heating Pad
Heating pads are so soothing, and they are helpful whether you are physically ill or dealing with a mental health crisis. If you already have a heating pad, consider adding it to your crisis kit. Or, you can make your own!
An effortless way to make a heating pad is to take a sock and fill it ¾ of the way with rice or oatmeal, and lavender essential oil if you prefer. Then, tie it closed and heat it up for 1 – 2 minutes. This type of heating pad is wonderful to put over your eyes to help you relax, and it is a savior with headaches and migraines.
7) Soothing Lotions, Candles, Bodywash, etc.
Scents that we find soothing can be so grounding while helping us to relax, which can be both mentally and physically helpful. I personally am soothed the most by lavender, chamomile and jasmine scents, so I have lotions, bath bombs, candles, and bodywash in these scents in my crisis kit. Think about what scents soothe you the most and consider adding items with these scents to your crisis kit.
8) Weighted Blanket/Comfy Blanket
Blankets are a wonderful way to feel secure mentally and physically, and weighted blankets are especially helpful in this way. If you have a weighted blanket you can include that to your crisis kit, but if not, you can choose a personal blanket that you find comforting to help you if you should fall ill and to soothe your mental state.
9) Comfort Items
Comfort items refer to anything that brings you happiness or comfort. These can be stuffed animals (in my case) or pictures of loved ones, favorite places, mementos from trips, collectibles, etc. Add a few of your personal comfort items to your crisis kit to bring you joy in times of crisis.
10) Fun Activities
Adding in some activities that you can do to keep yourself busy and soothed is an additional crucial step. In my crisis kit I have cross-stitch, crochet, and coloring books that I use only when I am in crisis so that they are a special treat. If you enjoy any small activities that you can include in your crisis kit, such as drawing, coloring, crocheting, knitting, painting, boardgames, puzzles, etc., then this will add some fun to your situation and provide you with a pleasant distraction.
Are there any items not listed that you would suggest for a crisis kit specific to COVID-19?
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March 28, 2020
The Body Positive Maven: An Interview with Artist Lindley Ashline
Recently I had the pleasure to meet and work with a wonderful lady named Lindley Ashline who is the body-positive icon of my dreams. She is the owner and creator of The Body Love Box (a body-positive, LGBTQA+ friendly, and racially diverse subscription box) as well as a photographer who helps women feel secure and beautiful in their bodies. Please enjoy my interview with her below, and be sure to stay up to date with her on social media!
About Lindley
Lindley Ashline (pronounced LIN-lee, she/her) creates artwork that celebrates the unique value of bodies that fall outside conventional “beauty” standards. Lindley is also the creator of Body Liberation Stock and the Body Love Box. She lives outside Seattle with her husband and two feline overlords.
1) I absolutely love the fact that you use photography as a liberating force to celebrate larger bodies. What made you decide to start a photography business with this mission?
I’d been involved in the fat acceptance movement (of which the body positivity movement is an offshoot) since around 2007, and a nature photographer since 2002. So when I started pursuing portrait photography seriously in 2015, I knew that I wanted to serve people in larger bodies.
Fat folks were (and are) drastically underserved in the photography market and face the same levels of prejudice and stigma when looking for a photographer as we do in all other aspects of life. Most photographers have no idea how to work with or pose larger bodies, and don’t provide a safe and comfortable environment for fat people. I’ve even heard of wedding photographers turning down clients due to their body size.
While I was training in preparation to open my own photography business, a very fat friend had an experience in which she agreed to model and be photographed in a very vulnerable way by a photographer who then didn’t even publish any of her photographs or include them in his portfolio, leaving her feeling used and neglected.
Hearing my friend talk about that experience really solidified my desire to provide a completely safe, judgement-free, celebratory space for people in all kinds of marginalized bodies to get in front of a camera. It also illustrated why the overall experience is so important in making people who don’t often see images of people with bodies like theirs feel supported, so I built my sessions based on that.
Depending on where each person is on their body acceptance journeys, seeing themselves in images can range from a challenging to a jubilant experience, and I’m so happy and proud to be the photographer who gets to facilitate that journey for so many people.
2) You are also the creator of The Body Love Box, a subscription that I think is so important for the body love and fat positive movement. Did your work as a photographer influence your passion about supporting other fat positive artists through your box?
It did. As a small business owner in a body that experiences a lot of stigma, I know what it’s like to struggle with both the universal travails of running a small business and the weight of marginalization on top.
It’s been such a fun opportunity to support a whole bunch of artists, crafters and small business owners who are fat, people of color, and members of the LGBT+ community. It can be a really, really big deal for an artist to get an order for 50 or 100 of their items! And because I don’t haggle or ask small businesses for items for free or at cut rates (unlike most subscription boxes, which run on free or heavily-discounted items), but pay a reasonable wholesale rate, each artist gets a real living wage for their work.
3) What inspired you to create The Body Love Box?
For years, I’d been collecting body-positive items (like little art prints, buttons and stickers) to give my photography clients. When subscription boxes became really popular, I did some research and realized that no one was offering a fat-positive subscription.
And though I’m no longer offering monthly subscriptions, the original idea evolved into what’s now the Body Love Shop, which is fast becoming a central shopping location for body-positive, fat-positive and HAES products and artwork, both as individual items and as part of Body Love Boxes.
4) Do you ever feature your photography in The Body Love Box?
I do! Two of my fine art photographic prints, “Unicorn Summer” and “The Wind on My Skin,” have been included in Body Love Boxes. They’re now available for purchase individually in the shop.
5) What are your thoughts about The Health at Every Size Approach?
I’m not exaggerating when I say that Health at Every Size, or HAES, changed my life. Those of us who live in fat bodies are told constantly, explicitly and implicitly, in a thousand different ways every day that our bodies are aberrations. They’re inherently unhealthy. They’re gross. They’re non-compliant. They’re a visible symbol of our sinful, gluttonous and lazy natures.
Spending a few years in the fat acceptance community gave me the confidence to reject many of these messages and beliefs, but medical shame was so hard to shake. From the university health center doctor who told me (without asking about my eating habits or family history) that I would have diabetes within ten years unless I lost half my body weight, to the doctor who later prescribed me a medication off-label to try to make me lose weight (and lied to me about it), I’d been told by too many authority figures that my body was bad.
When I first encountered the HAES framework, I was pretty skeptical. Sure, my body is inherently worthy, but it’s also fat, and that just can’t be healthy, right? But I’m a person who likes numbers and evidence, and HAES immediately challenged me: If weight loss is the only way to be healthy, why doesn’t it work? Why do 95-percent-plus of weight loss attempts fail? Why doesn’t a single method of losing weight work in the long term?
Like most of us, my beliefs about health and body size had been gleaned from a lifetime of news articles, advertisements, salespeople, and just-so stories. Turns out? None of those sources was actually based on science. We just don’t have a way to make fat people thin in the long term, and in fact, weight cycling — losing and gaining as we go from one diet to another — may actually be worse for us health-wise than just staying the same size.
So if I couldn’t make myself thin, how could I possibly be healthy? That’s where HAES really stepped up. The HAES approach says that no matter what kind of body we live in, we can pursue healthy behaviors without pursuing weight loss that’s doomed to fail.
Following the HAES and intuitive eating philosophies have both helped me work toward body acceptance and improved my health in many different ways.
6) Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is a condition that is often connected to larger women, and those affected by PCOS are often stigmatized (myself included). How do you think we can increase awareness about PCOS and end stigmatization?
It’s incredibly important that we as a culture acknowledge that, like type 2 diabetes, PCOS isn’t a punishment for your body size or your food intake. Both smaller- and larger-bodied people have PCOS, diabetes, heart conditions, and every other illness humans experience. There are no diseases that only affect fat people.
Today, PCOS awareness seems to suffer from both a lack of awareness and too much awareness. People in relatively small bodies often have trouble accessing diagnosis and treatment, since PCOS has been labeled a fat woman’s issue. And as a fat woman, let me tell you that now every doctor who’s heard of PCOS wants to diagnose me with it, purely due to my body size, despite my complete lack of PCOS symptoms.
Ending the stigma associated with PCOS is going to require that we dismantle diet culture, because as long as we believe that we can reliably make larger bodies smaller (we can’t) and that body size is an indicator of health (it isn’t), we’ll continue to see weight stigma deprive both large and small people of proper PCOS care.
There’s a fabulous article at Wear Your Voice Mag that goes deeper into the issues caused by adding diet culture to discussions of and beliefs around PCOS.
7) What is your advice for larger women who are looking to increase their self-confidence?
There are many different ways you can increase your confidence, but for me, one of the most important was to change my “media diet:” the images and messages we take in over time.
Take a few days and just observe what media sources you take in, and how you feel about your body and other bodies after being exposed to each one.
– How does Instagram make you feel after scrolling for a while?
– How about Facebook?
– How about the magazines at the checkout stand?
– How about the magazines that arrive at your home?
– How about the ads on the bus or subway?
– How about TV shows? TV advertisements?
– How about the radio?
.
You’re allowed to consume whatever you want, in any amounts you want! I am definitely not saying you need to cut yourself off from the world. Just be aware for a few days of what you’re taking in, how it makes you feel about your own body, and how it makes you feel about other bodies — positive or negative.
Then, start adding in some sources that talk about bodies positively, and sources that feature bodies that look like yours. Just seeing bodies that look like ours can make a tremendous difference in what we see as normal and good.
8) Our country is heavily focused on diet culture and the “battle of the bulge” (a term that I find highly insulting). How do you think that we can fight the stigma surrounding individuals in larger bodies in a culture that is so focused on dieting and body weight?
This is such a complicated topic! How do we change an entire culture? How do we stop oppression? It can seem really overwhelming.
But the good news is that this kind of sea change is really made up of a million small choices, and we can make some of those choices — and changes — ourselves.
Changing the way that you personally see bodies, your own and others’, makes a big difference. I’m also talking on Instagram every Monday about concrete actions you can take to change culture and end weight stigma.
9) How do you see the fat positive movement growing in 2020?
This is an interesting question, because in many ways the body positive movement, which was built on (and occasionally takes unfair advantage of the work done by) the fat acceptance movement, claims most of the media and social media attention these days.
One of the ways I see real fat acceptance growing is in the revitalization of NAAFA, the National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance, which has existed for over 50 years and was one of the original forces working to end weight stigma and promote rights for fat folks. I’m seeing some really exciting internal work at NAAFA to involve younger members, redo the website, make the work that’s already been done more accessible and available to use, and get new projects rolling.
NAAFA’s long history, media contacts and ability to advocate with governments for fat rights are incredibly valuable. Membership is open, so check out their site to get involved.
10) What are some wise words that you can give women who are struggling with their self-image?
Wherever you’re at today, that’s okay! If you can’t stand to look in a mirror, that’s okay. If you can’t imagine what body love or acceptance look like, that’s okay too. Body positivity can seem like just another impossible goal that’s put in front of us, but you know what? If you can look towards feeling neutral about your body, that’s a great place to be, too, and it’s way more achievable for many people.
Keep Up with Lindley
Body Liberation Photos:
http://www.bodyliberationphotos.com
Instagram: @bodyliberationwithlindley
Facebook: Body Liberation with Lindley Ashline
Body Love Box & Shop:
http://www.thebodyloveshop.com
Instagram: @thebodylovebox
Facebook: The Body Love Box
March 24, 2020
Book Review: Wild Rose Pass by Karen Hulene Bartell
![Wild Rose Pass (Trans-Pecos) by [Hulene Bartell, Karen]](https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/hostedimages/1585219383i/29172792.jpg)
Rating: 5/5
Cadence McShane, free-spirited nonconformist, yearns to escape the rigid code, clothes, and sidesaddles of 1880s military society in Fort Davis, Texas. She finds the daring new lieutenant exhilarating, but as the daughter of the commanding officer, she is expected to keep with family tradition and marry West Point graduate James West.
Orphaned, Comanche-raised, and always the outsider looking in, Ben Williams yearns to belong. Cadence embodies everything he craves, but as a battlefield-commissioned officer with the Buffalo Soldiers instead of a West Point graduate, he is neither accepted into military society nor considered marriageable.
Can two people of different worlds, drawn together by conflicting needs, flout society and forge a life together on the frontier?
Quick Take
Wild Rose Pass is a rip-roaring Western that brings with it exhilarating romance and high-stakes adventure. It is one of the best Western novels I have read in a long time!
Tell Me More
Western novels – particularly Western romances – are my guilty pleasure, and I couldn’t resist picking up Wild Rose Pass due to its frontier appeal. But this novel was so much more than I expected it to be. Karen Hulene Bartell pours her heart and soul into her writing, and I could feel the story surrounding me as I read.
Cadence McShane, the novel’s female protagonist, is a brave, independent woman who is conflicted between becoming the person her family expects of her, or following her heart and creating a life on the frontier. Ben Williams – the novel’s male protagonist – is a man deemed “unmarriageable” due to his experience with the Buffalo Soldiers instead of West Point, but he immediately catches Cadence’s eye. Ben and Cadence form an intense attraction that leads them to choose between becoming what is expected of them, or defying society and leading a life together on the frontier.
The beauty of Wild Rose Pass is that it is a high-stakes adventure as much as it is a steamy romance. The author created such beautiful imagery throughout the novel that I felt as though I were part of the story, and it was clear that she had done extensive research to ensure that her novel was historically accurate. Wild Rose Pass is one of the best Western novels I have read in a long time due to its enticing story and historical accuracy. Cadence and Ben are characters who will be in my head for a long time, and I am so happy that I go to know them.
If you are a fan of Western novels, may they be historical, adventure, or romance, then you are going to adore Wild Rose Pass! This is a great novel that transports you into the story as you read, and it is a perfect choice if you are in need of an escape. There are even recipes included in the back of the novel to help you bring the frontier to life. Wild Rose Pass is a gorgeous adventure that will stay with me for days to come!
The Horror Genre: An Antidote for Anxiety
I hope you are doing okay and staying healthy (both mentally and physically). I am still dealing with my symptoms related to COVID-19, as well as maintaining my self-isolation, so I wanted to share with you one of my favorite techniques for managing anxiety.
I struggle with Major Depressive Disorder, Discouraged Borderline Personality Disorder, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, and Complex PTSD. Mental health management is a huge passion of mine, and I am constantly sharing the benefits of alternative forms of therapy, such as bibliotherapy and art therapy.
But there is one technique in particular that has helped me the most with managing my OCD and PTSD related anxiety: the horror genre.
I have long been a fan of horror in all formats (books, TV, movies, music, comics, etc), and recently I have been exploring the positive effects of horror on anxiety. I find that I am constantly struggling with managing my anxiety, but the one time that it seems to fade is when I am watching a horror movie/TV show, or reading a scary book. The horror genre tends to use more of your brain’s thinking capacity, and by instilling feelings of dread and anxiety through its stories, it provides an outlet for you to express your anxiety and release bodily tension. Many times I feel worn out after watching a horror movie because I spend the entire time exerting my anxious emotions, but I also feel relieved at the end – like how crying often feels.
If you are currently struggling with stress or anxiety, why not try to watch some of my suggestions below with your full attention and see how you feel! I am listing my top favorite horror films since these are easily accessible to watch on many streaming platforms, and can provide a good distraction during these unsettling times.
(Of course, this may not be appropriate for you if you are extremely sensitive to violence, which can worsen your anxiety – so please do proceed with caution)
My Top 5 Horror Films
1) The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2003)
In this remake of the horror classic, a group of young travelers — including Erin (Jessica Biel), Andy (Mike Vogel) and Morgan (Jonathan Tucker) — comes across an isolated rural home while driving through Texas. Unfortunately for them, the decrepit house is the residence of a family of deranged backwoods killers, most notably a hulking masked brute known as Leatherface (Andrew Bryniarski), who begins to hunt the stranded youths down. Will any of the friends survive the nightmarish ordeal?
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My #1 favorite horror movie is The Texas Chainsaw Massacre remake from 2003. I am choosing the remake because it is scarier (in my opinion) and all-consuming. However, you can try the original film if you would like. It is a bit different, but still offers an intense feeling of dread.
(GORE AND VIOLENCE WARNING – Proceed with caution)
2) The Exorcist
One of the most profitable horror movies ever made, this tale of an exorcism is based loosely on actual events. When young Regan (Linda Blair) starts acting odd — levitating, speaking in tongues — her worried mother (Ellen Burstyn) seeks medical help, only to hit a dead end. A local priest (Jason Miller), however, thinks the girl may be seized by the devil. The priest makes a request to perform an exorcism, and the church sends in an expert (Max von Sydow) to help with the difficult job.
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The Exorcist is still one of the scariest horror movies I have ever seen, and it is sure to bring out the chills in you. I am particularly sensitive to horror that involves satanic possession, so if this is a sensitive area for you as well, please proceed with caution!
3) Terrifier
A maniacal clown terrorizes three young women and anyone else in his way on Halloween night.
*.*.*
This movie is an excellent mix of demonic clowns and gore that doesn’t hold back! I found myself cringing throughout this entire film, while amazed at how far it went. If you are afraid of clowns and sensitive to gore, then this pick may just be the most intense one for you.
(HUGE Violence/Gore Warning)
4) Misery
After a serious car crash, novelist Paul Sheldon (James Caan) is rescued by former nurse Annie Wilkes (Kathy Bates), who claims to be his biggest fan. Annie brings him to her remote cabin to recover, where her obsession takes a dark turn when she discovers Sheldon is killing off her favorite character from his novels. As Sheldon devises plans for escape, Annie grows increasingly controlling, even violent, as she forces the author to shape his writing to suit her twisted fantasies.
*.*.*
Misery is the first Stephen King book that I ever read, and its movie is still one of my favorites. It is definitely an isolating, psychological horror that will make you feel more than uncomfortable, but it is also appropriate for the times we are living in now. Also, if you get the chance, read the book! It is quite different from the film and provides a completely different experience.
5) Hereditary
When the matriarch of the Graham family passes away, her daughter and grandchildren begin to unravel cryptic and increasingly terrifying secrets about their ancestry, trying to outrun the sinister fate they have inherited.
*.*.*
Hereditary is a highly original horror that requires your full attention. There are so many sinister little details throughout it that add to the overall dread of the film. It does have some gore in it, but it is mostly psychological. When you have your full attention on this movie, you will experience how the dread builds up within you and explodes by the end.
Bonus Gift
Shudder is a streaming service that exclusively features horror and thriller movies, shorts, and TV shows (many of which are created specifically for the channel!)
Due to the current circumstances in the world, Shudder is offering a FREE 30 day trial with the code “SHUTIN”
Be sure to take advantage of this offer to explore well-known horror as well as unknown gems. This is a great way to explore horror on your own to find out what you like! I will make another post tomorrow highlighting some of my favorite gems from Shudder.
(I am not an affiliate for Shudder, I’m just a huge fan of what they do)
Much love,
Ashley
March 23, 2020
Update – I am Symptomatic for Covid-19
I really hope that all of you are doing okay and are staying healthy.
Over the weekend, I became symptomatic for covid-19, and I have been in isolation to try and protect others. This has become an even scarier time for me, and I know how hard it must be on all of you as well. Please know that I am here for you if any of you need someone to talk to. 
I just wanted to check in with everyone and see how you all are doing, and to start up a conversation about what you are currently reading. Reading continues to be my safe haven, and I hope that you are utilizing its healing powers as well!
So, let’s keep each other company in isolation!
What are you currently reading/listening to, and how you are holding up? Share with me in the comments!
Much love,
Ashley
