S.R. Booth's Blog, page 12
October 6, 2014
Clean Fiction Sale - This Week
Clean Indie Reads is hosting a fall fiction sale. A requirement for being part of the group is material that's not overly graphic when it comes to things like gore and sex. A lot of talented authors are offering there books at a discount for the entire week. Some, like The Secret, are even free!
Click here to check out the available discounts.
Click here to check out the available discounts.
October 3, 2014
And the Journey Continues
I'm working on a new novel completely unrelated to The Scinegue Series, and it has been a lot of fun, until now. Seven chapters in and the story is fighting me. I had something in mind, and now it looks like things will be going a different direction. As long as it keeps flowing, I'm okay with that.
The first book I ever published, The Secret, was originally destined for a much more technical, sci-fy story. As I wrote, the words flowed in a different direction, and before I knew it, it had a fun, supernatural element that I was able to take and run with in the following two books.
I can't wait to see if this story stays on its present course or if it holds some more surprises for me. Guess I better get back to writing so I can find out!
Oh, and the current title for my WIP is Not My Friend. I say 'current' because that could of course change as well!
The first book I ever published, The Secret, was originally destined for a much more technical, sci-fy story. As I wrote, the words flowed in a different direction, and before I knew it, it had a fun, supernatural element that I was able to take and run with in the following two books.
I can't wait to see if this story stays on its present course or if it holds some more surprises for me. Guess I better get back to writing so I can find out!
Oh, and the current title for my WIP is Not My Friend. I say 'current' because that could of course change as well!
September 24, 2014
A Cover's Worth a Thousand Words ...
I was reading an ebook the other day and it was okay. Not bad, but it started to drag and I found my attention fading so I clicked out of it and went to my library to see what else I had. I saw a book with an amazing cover and thought "Ah, ha! This will be a good one!" It was the same book I had just been reading! :o I always thought I pretty much judged books by the sample, but the sample of this was pretty consistent with the rest of the book. It was the cover that drew me in. I would have bought the silly book a hundred times over based on the cover...
A Picture's Worth a Thousand Words ...
I was reading a book the other day and it was okay. Not bad, but it started to drag and I found my attention fading so I clicked out of it and went to my library to see what else I had. I saw a book with an amazing cover and thought "Ah, ha! This will be a good one!" It was the same book I was reading! :o I always thought I pretty much judged books by the sample, but the sample of this was pretty consistent with the rest of the book. It was the cover that drew me in. I would have bought the silly book a hundred times over based on the cover.
A New Name for the First Book in The Scinegue Series
For a book filled with oh, so many secrets, I decided The Secret would be a very fitting name! I received a lot of support and encouragement on this name change and I really appreciate it all!
Here is the updated cover. Grab a copy now, it's still free!
Here is the updated cover. Grab a copy now, it's still free!
September 22, 2014
September 9, 2014
Depression
There are many causes behind depression. Sometimes life throws more at us than we feel capable of handling. Sometimes death claims someone we love. Sometimes depression creeps in without a source that can be pin-pointed which can make it even worse because it can make us feel guilty on top of being depressed for feeling depressed when we know our lives really aren't all that bad.
Always turn your worries over to God first and foremost. Wait for His direction remembering He loves you and will care for you.
Also remember we are imperfect creatures living in an imperfect world. Sometimes the things that causes depression have nothing to do with our circumstances but with our health. Something as simple as low Vitamin D levels can cause depression (along with a whole long list of other problems). And amino acid imbalances can make a perfectly rational person feel absolutely insane.
I know someone who was suddenly hit by depression and felt like their life was crashing down on them and that they were a horrible person. A trip to the emergency room provided a prescription for anti-depressants which did help but came with a long list of side effects. A more permanent and safer alternative was found with L-Tryptophan, an amino acid. We learned about it from The Mood Cure by Julia Ross. (I do not get any compensation for recommending this book. It's just a great book crammed full of wonderful advice.)
There is also a FREE online questionnaire from the Mood Cure here. It has five sections and can help direct you to the section(s) you should read in the book:
Type 1. Under a Dark Cloud: Low in SEROTONIN
Type 2. Feeling the Blahs: Low in NOREPINEPHRIN or Thyroid
Type 3. Over Stressed: Low in GABA or Cortisol
Type 4. Too Sensitive for Life’s Pain: Low in ENDORPHIN
Type 5. Mood Swinger: Unstable BLOOD SUGAR
Take a look at the questionnaire. It's quick and easy and might just be very eye-opening!
This book of course doesn't hold the answer to every health condition but it does have some wonderful, eye-opening information. I think I'm going to go skim through my copy of the book again right now. Our bodies are constantly changing and what is true on one day might be different the next.
Have you read this book? Did it help you in any way? Please leave a comment, I would love to know.
***I have to add that this is not health advice and I am not a medical professional.
Always turn your worries over to God first and foremost. Wait for His direction remembering He loves you and will care for you.
Also remember we are imperfect creatures living in an imperfect world. Sometimes the things that causes depression have nothing to do with our circumstances but with our health. Something as simple as low Vitamin D levels can cause depression (along with a whole long list of other problems). And amino acid imbalances can make a perfectly rational person feel absolutely insane.
I know someone who was suddenly hit by depression and felt like their life was crashing down on them and that they were a horrible person. A trip to the emergency room provided a prescription for anti-depressants which did help but came with a long list of side effects. A more permanent and safer alternative was found with L-Tryptophan, an amino acid. We learned about it from The Mood Cure by Julia Ross. (I do not get any compensation for recommending this book. It's just a great book crammed full of wonderful advice.)
There is also a FREE online questionnaire from the Mood Cure here. It has five sections and can help direct you to the section(s) you should read in the book:
Type 1. Under a Dark Cloud: Low in SEROTONIN
Type 2. Feeling the Blahs: Low in NOREPINEPHRIN or Thyroid
Type 3. Over Stressed: Low in GABA or Cortisol
Type 4. Too Sensitive for Life’s Pain: Low in ENDORPHIN
Type 5. Mood Swinger: Unstable BLOOD SUGAR
Take a look at the questionnaire. It's quick and easy and might just be very eye-opening!
This book of course doesn't hold the answer to every health condition but it does have some wonderful, eye-opening information. I think I'm going to go skim through my copy of the book again right now. Our bodies are constantly changing and what is true on one day might be different the next.
Have you read this book? Did it help you in any way? Please leave a comment, I would love to know.
***I have to add that this is not health advice and I am not a medical professional.
September 8, 2014
Tooth Powder
If you've read Scinegue, you might remember that Billy and Sarah use tooth powder rather than tooth paste. I actually had a friend confess she thought that was a typo and had to look tooth powder up online to find out what I was talking about. Are you familiar with tooth powder? Do you and your family use it?
Several years ago now I started learning that some of the things added to regular tooth paste are not things I wanted my family to put into their bodies. I started researching fluoride-free toothpastes and even made our own from coconut oil, baking soda and a few other ingredients for awhile before I found Uncle Harry's tooth powder.
I loved it right away. It took my husband a little longer to come around. Now he can't stand it if he has to use regular 'foamy' toothpaste for some reason. The only hold-outs are our kiddos. They don't care for the tooth powder and they don't want to be the oddballs among their friends who pull out tooth powder at a sleepover.
My husband had issues with tarter build up for as long as I'd known him, requiring not so fun dental cleanings (and no, we don't have our teeth cleaned every six months anymore and still have awesome checkups when we do go in.). Since he's been using tooth powder, the few cleanings he had had haven't been bad at all.
I really want to find a way to wipe the stigma from tooth powder so I can get my kiddos to use it. (And yes I did just give them no other option for a couple of years, but I finally caved and let them start using toothpaste again.) I wish there was an easy way to make it cool and popular among the teen crowd and weird to use toothpaste, but I'm not sure how to go about that.
For now I make sure it's available to them if they do want to use it and I try to remind them of some of the toxic ingredients in some of the more mainstream toothpastes (No I'm not claiming all toothpastes are bad. I've just been happy replacing what we were using with tooth powder.). I hope that one day their eyes will be opened and they'll willingly start using it again.
Several years ago now I started learning that some of the things added to regular tooth paste are not things I wanted my family to put into their bodies. I started researching fluoride-free toothpastes and even made our own from coconut oil, baking soda and a few other ingredients for awhile before I found Uncle Harry's tooth powder.
I loved it right away. It took my husband a little longer to come around. Now he can't stand it if he has to use regular 'foamy' toothpaste for some reason. The only hold-outs are our kiddos. They don't care for the tooth powder and they don't want to be the oddballs among their friends who pull out tooth powder at a sleepover.
My husband had issues with tarter build up for as long as I'd known him, requiring not so fun dental cleanings (and no, we don't have our teeth cleaned every six months anymore and still have awesome checkups when we do go in.). Since he's been using tooth powder, the few cleanings he had had haven't been bad at all.
I really want to find a way to wipe the stigma from tooth powder so I can get my kiddos to use it. (And yes I did just give them no other option for a couple of years, but I finally caved and let them start using toothpaste again.) I wish there was an easy way to make it cool and popular among the teen crowd and weird to use toothpaste, but I'm not sure how to go about that.
For now I make sure it's available to them if they do want to use it and I try to remind them of some of the toxic ingredients in some of the more mainstream toothpastes (No I'm not claiming all toothpastes are bad. I've just been happy replacing what we were using with tooth powder.). I hope that one day their eyes will be opened and they'll willingly start using it again.
September 1, 2014
This is the way to start a morning ...
Ahhh... Sunrise in South Padre. Wish it was just a little closer. I wouldn't mind some beach time today. ; >(
August 31, 2014
The Pledge isn't showing up for sale on Amazon.com
***Edit. Whatever was wrong on Amazon has been fixed! Yay!
For some reason The Pledge isn't available for sale at Amazon.com. I've contacted customer service about this but haven't heard back yet. If you've read Scinegue and are eager to read the next books in the series you can still by the Trilogy. At $5.99 you get all three main books in The Scinegue Series for basically the price of 2. (It's a penny more because it is also listed on iTunes and they require prices to end in .99. Sorry! ; >)
Hopefully Amazon will fix whatever is wrong with The Pledge soon. Until then you can view the Trilogy here.
For some reason The Pledge isn't available for sale at Amazon.com. I've contacted customer service about this but haven't heard back yet. If you've read Scinegue and are eager to read the next books in the series you can still by the Trilogy. At $5.99 you get all three main books in The Scinegue Series for basically the price of 2. (It's a penny more because it is also listed on iTunes and they require prices to end in .99. Sorry! ; >)
Hopefully Amazon will fix whatever is wrong with The Pledge soon. Until then you can view the Trilogy here.
