D.G. Kaye's Blog, page 54

Sunday Book Review – Brody Cody and the Haunted House, #Children’s by Toni Pike

My Sunday Book Review for Toni Pike’s – Brody Cody and the Haunted House. I read the first book in this series and when Toni generously offered me an ARC to read for this next clever and engaging #Children’s book in the series, I happily accepted.     Blurb: Brody Cody loves his new stepmother but is surprised to hear that she is expecting a baby. To celebrate, his parents take Brody and his friends away for a week to a very spooky house in the Blue Mountains, owned by the elderly and even spookier Mr Sludge. Very strange things start to happen, and the friends soon become convinced that the house is haunted. They love scary stories and know all about ghosts, but will they be able to solve the mystery? A hilarious adventure for children aged 6-9. Book 2 in The Brody Cody Series. It would be best to read the series in order. Book 1 is BRODY CODY AND THE STEPMOTHER FROM OUTER SPACE.   My 5 Star Review: This is the second book in the Brody series where in book 1, Brody gets a new stepmom, and now she’s pregnant and Brody isn’t sure how he feels about a baby in the house after he’s been an only child all his young life. To surprise Brody, his dad and stepmom, Pandora, decide to rent a holiday house for a family vacation and Brody is allowed to invite a few of his good friends to join in. When they arrive, the place looks nothing like it did in pictures, a rundown big old house that needs some TLC. But the family didn’t mind, they were there already so Pandora and the kids got cleaning up the place and the owner, old Mr. Sludge, gave them a tour of the property. The kids were eager to go for a walk through the bush and were warned if they got lost to stay where they are. They were sure they wouldn’t be lost because smart Kyle left tape marks every few meters so they can find their way back.  But somehow the tape mysteriously disappeared. The kids continue to be spooked by weird happenings. They find open kitchen drawers in the middle of the night when they go down to grab a late snack. Another night they hear the front door slam, and Mr. Sludge introduces them to an air raid shelter from the long ago past that the kids are invited to play inside, and warned not to close the door. Brody is convinced there’s a ghost – or ghosts in the house and has nightmares of ghosts. The children decide collectively to stay on guard the next night to try and capture the ‘ghost’. They decide to all wake at midnight to wait for the ghostly shadows to appear out in the backyard and listen for the rustling noise they’ve been hearing nightly in the kitchen. And their plan worked! They followed the noises leading down to the kitchen. And what they found? I cannot tell you this. You will have to read the book! This book was an entertaining read. Although the story centers around the ‘ghostly’ findings, it’s not a scary book for children, rather a mini mystery for kids, and quite enjoyable for adults too.   ©DGKaye2021  

Q & A with D.G. Kaye – Featuring MJ Mallon and #NewRelease – Lockdown Innit

Welcome to my March edition of Q & A time where today I’m featuring another Fey Sister, friend and author, Marjorie Mallon.  I recently published a review for Marje’s lastest release – Lockdown Innit, and today Marje will share her journey to writing her latest book in prose and poetry here in her second book she felt compelled to write about how Lockdown has affected her personal world.     About Marje: My alter ego is MJ – Mary Jane from Spiderman. I love superheros! On the 17th of November I was born, in Lion City: Singapore, (a passionate Scorpio, with the Chinese Zodiac sign a lucky rabbit.) My early childhood was spent in Hong Kong. During my teen years, my parents returned to my father’s birthplace, Edinburgh, where I spent many happy years. As a teenager, I travelled to many far-flung destinations. It’s rumoured that I now live in the Venice of Cambridge, with my six-foot hunk of a Rock God husband. My two enchanted daughters have almost flown the nest, but often return with a cheery smile to greet me. During the day, I work in an international sixth form with students from around the world. I’m the meet and greet lady who welcomes them to their new college and issues them with late slips when they don’t get to their lessons on time! I write YA fantasy, paranormal, horror/supernatural short stories, flash fiction and short form poetry. More recently, I have produced and compiled an anthology/compilation set during the early stages of COVID-19 entitled This Is Lockdown. Following on from this, in February 2021 I will be releasing Lockdown Innit, poems about absurdity which will be available in kindle and shortly after release in paperback. I’ve been blogging for many moons at my blog home Kyrosmagica, which means Crystal Magic. From time to time I write articles celebrating the spiritual realm, inspiration and my love of nature, crystals and all things magical, mystical, and mysterious. My eclectic blog shares my three loves: reading, writing, and creativity. I adore reading and have written over 150 reviews on my blog: https://mjmallon.com/2015/09/28/a-z-o...     Blurb: Lockdown Innit is a poetry collection of eighteen poems about life’s absurdities and frustrations during lockdown. Wherever you live in this world, this is for you. Expect humour, a dollop of banter and ridiculous rants here and there. Amongst other delights, witness the strange antics of a swan posing by a bin and two statuesque horses appearing like arc deco pieces in a field. Check out the violin player on a tightrope, or the cheeky unmentionables wafting in the lockdown breeze!   Lovely to have you over today Marje. Let’s get down to some Q & A!       Where do your book ideas grow from? Normally, my book ideas grow from a massive surge of creative energy that I experience upon wakening. I grab my notepad by my bed and jot down ideas before they vanish! These notes become my initial story idea. From that point, I develop the concept and see how it develops and perhaps transforms. D.G. – Have to laugh Marje, I do the same – notebooks everywhere, because we never know when inspiration strikes – and forgotten shortly after, lol.   Do events in your daily life inspire your writing ideas? When I started writing daily life events didn’t inspire my writing as much as they do now. I’m more aware of current affairs, the world around me, how this pandemic has affected people. So, yes, events in my daily life have taken centre stage for the moment and pushed my fantasy writing aside for a while. I’ve written two books inspired by our struggles during this time, the first This Is Lockdown is a compilation of my personal diaries, poetry and flash fiction plus 28 contributions on the topic of ‘isolation’ from the perspective of authors, bloggers and creatives, including your good self, Debby. These contributed pieces include poetry and flash fiction pieces from different parts of the world. The anthology has an international feel, with thoughts not just from the UK, Ireland, Scotland, but from Italy, Australia, USA and Zimbabwe too. Working on the anthology was a wonderful way to connect with the writing community, to bring us together and lift our spirits in a shared goal at this time. D.G. – I loved that book too Marje, and thrilled to be part of what will undoubtedly become a piece of history in years to come.   What are your writing goals for this year? I expect that my latest release, a collection of poems about the absurd experiences I’ve encountered during the pandemic: Lockdown Innit, Poems About Absurdity, might be the last Covid19 related book that I release. The muse will decide! There are eighteen poems in the collection on all manner of subjects, some absurd serious, some light-hearted absurd. Themes such as: jogging, disregard for others safety, face masks carelessly thrown away, poems written to family members, genuine fears and some pure humorous like Lockdown Breeze, Swan’s Confusion, Horses Like Statues and This Face.Lockdown Innit Poems About Absurdity releases February 26th. For the poem: This Face, the image was kindly created by fellow poet and author Sarah Northwood who is starting to introduce graphic skills to her repertoire: https://www.sarahnorthwood-author.com/     This Face Here’s my face, I’m in the pink, A shade lighter here and there, Black glasses, hint of eyebrows, Smile of lipstick, small detail of nose, Black border for my chin and hair. Sweet perfection, not a hair out of place! Sweet perfection, without any disgrace! Could that really be me in there? I didn’t even brush my hair! Or wipe the gunk off my specs, Those eyebrows, freshly tweeked, My hair bobbed, cut to perfection. Which angel darling created this? © M J Mallon Sarah Northwood’s image also graces my paperback cover, (which I designed myself,) to be released shortly after the kindle.   My writing goals in 2021 are to complete my YA fantasy – The Curse of Time #2 Golden Healer, my poetry and photography collection Do What You Love, and to work on an autumn inspired book for release around Halloween, with my Spiritual Sisters: Debby, Colleen, Adele and Sally. I’m so excited about all my projects, 2021 is going to be some year! D.G. – I love your determination to plow through this pandemic and not lose your writing mojo like many of us writers have endured. And thrilled to be part of the upcoming ‘Sisters’ book too. ❤   What is the most intrinsic part of being a writer? That’s an interesting question, one I am pondering about… Perhaps, its akin to being reborn again. For me, my experience has been like that to a degree. My younger self was lacking confidence, unsure who I was supposed to be. Since becoming a writer, I triggered that imaginative spark in my creative brain, embraced fulfillment and became a little crazy – in a good way! Maybe, writers experience the world on a muchdeeper and more profound level and once we do we can’t return to the person we used to be. D.G. – Experiences do change us Marje. And no, we will not be going back to the world we knew. Let’s hope we’ll all make it a better world.   Do you watch TV? If so what is your favorite show and why? I tend to be fairly juvenile in my choice of TV! My eldest daughter and I have been watching episode after episode of the American comedy-drama television series, Gilmore Girls which I love. The mother daughter vibe is fabulous as is the wickedness of the grandmother. I’m always so jealous of Lorelei’s (the mum’s) lovely fashion sense. She is the coolest mum out there! She’s kind of wacky, (which I relate to,) speaks so fast (like she’s got an abundance of thoughts whizzing in her brain,) and loves her daughter Rory (I’m so close to my daughters and family too.) The characters are all so wonderfully relatable and the series is addictive. D.G. – I am so not surprised you connect with that show Marje. I’ve only ever watched a few episodes – long ago when it was on primetime. But no surprise coming from a YA writer. 🙂   Connect with Marje: Links and Social Media Authors Website::  https://mjmallon.com Visit my Author Amazon Page for all my books:  https://www.amazon.co.uk/M-J-Mallon/e...   Twitter: @Marjorie_Mallon #ABRSC – Authors Bloggers Rainbow Support Club on Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/groups/18291... Goodreads::  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... BookBub:  https://www.bookbub.com/profile/m-j-m...   Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mjmallonaut...   ©DGKaye2021    

Let’s Have A Look – Our Medical System During Covid #Health and #Wellness

I thought it was time to write another episode of #LetsHaveALook because I need a good venting about the current status of our medical system and compassion – here in my city of Toronto, Ontario, and god only knows what’s going on in the rest of Canada. Based on the shenanigan Covid policies of our current hospital system, I must dance through hoops to get things done regarding my husband’s health. I’ve learned about some appalling policies put in place at the hospital, both while hubby was in hospital, and now in the follow up procedures. As I’ve mentioned in past posts about my husband’s illness and his recent two-week stay in hospital, I learned about all the strict policies in our hospitals currently in place right now. Since before Christmas our city has been in complete lockdown. Now lockdown has become a word of no significance to me anymore, because, Covid or no Covid, I am locked down at home now caring for my husband 24/7. I’ve promised to share the documented journey here on my blog in a series of posts. And until I get the complete diagnosis, I won’t be sharing that journey yet. But in the interm, I feel I need to share my thoughts on one incident in particular that sparks a flame under my ass, and that is a severe lack of compassion in a ‘certain’ department. That department would be Oncology. Yes, you read that right. The most scariest department one would have to contend with, and their policy. Before I get ahead of the cart with the horse here, allow me to elaborate on a few mountains I’ve had to climb thus far just to be able to visit my husband in hospital. I found out in a cruel way that visiting patients is limited to TWICE a week only, each for only two hours. That’s it! Well, anyone who knows me, knows that isn’t going to happen. And it didn’t. At first my hub was left in emergency for two days because of a bed shortage, and while in emerge (what we call it in Canada), there were NO visitors allowed. So for those two days I was blessed to have my team of Dr. B and his secretary Lisa to get me through the hurdles and keep me in updated communication. As soon as I signed out after my second visit, a nasty admin at the nurse’s station informed me that my second visit was my last one til next week. I emailed Lisa with my complaint that this cannot stand. I cannot leave a sick weak, scared man alone for days without me. I just can’t! Lisa and Dr. B took my cries for mercy to the higher echelons of policy-making, and gratefully and miraculously I was granted daily visitation rights for two hours daily. I took those two hours to bathe and change my husband’s clothes, because I saw how overwhelming the system had become and the nurses have zero time to give a little compassion, conversation or anything else but the basics – meds and bloodwork. Yes, the hospital that I’ve always touted as one of the best of care, the nurses have spread themselves much too thin at this point. I walked those corridors daily and saw so many seniors alone in their rooms, no visitors, no comforting attention, and it broke my heart because I know I couldn’t live that out with my husband who is reliant on me. Dr. B. promised he’d call me daily to update on the MANY tests my husband endured. I’d email Lisa nightly to let her know what time my visiting appointment was for the next day, and asked her to let Dr. B know when I’d be there so I wouldn’t miss his consults. When he was in surgery and couldn’t meet up with me, he’d call me at the end of the day. This is what compassion is about. My cell phone is and was on 24/7. Most nights hubby would call me in a tizzy or disorientation mode of confusion and wake me at any hours of the night because he was scared or needed assistance. I’d console him then hang up and call the nurse’s station and ask to please send in a nurse to help him. Then I’d lie wide awake staring at the ceiling, praying he’d be alright and not be scared. Now, the above was just a sampling of my world in those two weeks. After one test leading to another and my hub becoming a human pincushion, Dr. B called me mid-last week to report on what he could of the final biopsy results that had partially come in. It began with my husband’s ascites – fluid buildup daily, requiring weekly paracentesis, blaming his liver disease – cirrhosis of the liver for the build up and Dr. B circumventing hospital policy that states NO BOOKING IN PATIENTS FOR ANYTHING. He informed me I need to get hub into hospital and the only way to do so was to get him to emerge and when they learned how sick he is, he would be admitted. The hospital stay involved bloodwork taken from hubby’s battered and bruised arms three times daily to check his levels as his meds were evaluated and adjusted, and then an ultra-sound/liverscan to see what’s going on there. Well, ultra sound led to other Xrays, two CT scans, and finally, a biopsy. Each test produced questionable evidence leading to the next. The reason some of the tests weren’t exactly clear was because of the fluid in his belly – despite my poor hub having three drainings while in hospital before some of the procedures, hoping to enable clearer views. P.S., biopsy results showed a mass on his liver. There were a lot of technical words and more I can’t get into yet, and as Dr. B stated, he could only read what was found so far and apparently, ‘staining’ markers were not complete and he told me he had referred husband’s case now to ONCOLOGY. I do not need to elaborate on how that word and news has affected me. Dr. B assured me oncology doc would get in touch with me soon. Gratefully, but not really grateful, the secretary of the referred doctor called me the next day. This was when the next act of cruelty was presented to me. The secretary called to give my husband an appointment to meet and discuss findings – operative word – husband. I questioned her. Certainly, I was coming with him? Nope. I was told, “Unfortunately, during the strict lockdown, doctor will only have one person in his office” and that I COULD WAIT IN THE WAITING ROOM! I DON’T THINK SO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I tried to remain calm and use ‘honey’ instead of the actual venom I felt rising within. I told her that my husband is very ill, weak, scared and old. I am his voice and his caregiver and that he doesn’t absorb information easily. Again, I reiterated, that sending him on his own was NOT going to happen. She said she’d talk to the doc and call me back. She did, and nothing changed. So I sent off an email to Lisa to inform her about this policy and how cruel that is, and I will not do that. Lisa emailed me back that night and agreed with me on the sorrowful lack of compassion, and let me know she’d sent a new referral to a different oncologist. The next day I get a call from the different doc’s secretary. She noted that she’d seen a prior referral to another doctor, and the note Lisa attached to the the new referral, stating that patient’s wife must accompany. But then she apologized and told me, it doesn’t matter which doctor you have in oncology, the procedures are the same. I lost it. I told her I’ve spent two weeks visiting my husband and seen many nurses and doctors, one on one through that time, and asked her how on earth oncology can be so uncompassionate? I asked her why the doctor couldn’t take us into a ‘bigger’ room so he wouldn’t catch our cooties. I told her there was no way I am sending my husband into this stranger doctor to be given devastating news on his own. NO WAY! She went back to the original doctor to speak with him about my concerns and called me back. She informed me the doctor said I could wait in the waiting room and he would call my cellphone and let me listen in on speaker phone! JUST NO! In my tattered and tizzied state, I asked her where the compassion is for the scared people going through nightmares in these predicaments. I also asked her why every other doctor is giving us telehealth calls, phone calls, and some even doing Zoom calls, surely we deserve that option than to scare what’s left of a person’s dignity to death before they even know what they’re in for. Again, she said she’d call me back and speak with the doc. She called back a few minutes later, letting me know the doctor has agreed to speak with us both at home on speaker phone. Charming not, but I at least won the war. Now I ask, WHERE THE HELL IS THE COMPASSION? I went through hoops and ladders to get as much as I did. Who else has this fight in them when they are faced with these dreaded circumstances? How many can push like I did? How many succumb to living in fear and uncertainty? Not this girl, as long as I’m able to I will fight for compassionate rights of the elderly. I am truly astounded at the heartlessness of this policy! The Covid has not only turned all our lives and our personal worlds upside down, but despite the pandemic, people continue to get sick  and die in numbers much larger than from the Covid. My stomach turns at the amount of people with dire illness who don’t have a Dr. B or a  Lisa, or even an advocate who is tenacious and adamant to fight for rights against stringent policies. And I can’t help but wonder how many doctors themselves who have sick loved ones, wouldn’t fight tooth and nail themselves to ease the fear of their own loved ones in similar predicament. Humanity? Humility, dignity. I really do believe that hospitals need to be able to make exceptions without having to go to the end’s of earth and sanity to do so. And oncology needs to find their compassion again. Put on a Hazmat suit, get a bigger room to chat in, heck, use the danged food courts that have been shut down, but just stop the madness! The people that have to go to oncology, DON’T WANT TO BE THERE in the first place. So please, bring back compassion! The road is proving more difficult as the days pass. My time is no longer my own as I wade through this new role. I’ve been my husband’s caregiver for a few years now off and on while he’s been able to do most things on his own, but he can no longer get out of a chair by himself. With the help of our Ministry of Health system, he now has an occupational therapist, we’ll soon be getting in a physiotherapist, and this past week or so he’s been home, I’ve managed to have delivered all the seniorizing, safety items needed to assist him and around our home. We will have our call next week with the oncologist, and I’ve currently got some phone numbers to call to get some homecare to stay with hub a few hours once or twice a week so I can run errands and get basics – like food. When difficult times come, it’s been interesting to actually see who shows up...

Sunday Book Review – #Booklaunch, Lockdown Innit #Poetry and Observations by Marjorie Mallon

  Sunday book review, featuring Marjorie Mallon’s latest #Booklaunch, Lockdown Innit. This is Marje’s second book with a new accounting of circumstances and observations from her journey through the Covid pandemic.   Get this book on Amazon     Blurb: Lockdown Innit is a poetry collection of eighteen poems about life’s absurdities and frustrations during lockdown. Wherever you live in this world, this is for you. Expect humour, a dollop of banter and ridiculous rants here and there. Amongst other delights, witness the strange antics of a swan posing by a bin and two statuesque horses appearing like arc deco pieces in a field. Check out the violin player on a tightrope, or the cheeky unmentionables wafting in the lockdown breeze! What people are saying: Bestselling author Lizzie Chantree’s thoughts: ‘An intricate mix of observations from the author about how the pandemic has brought change. Some welcome, some not so much. A thought provoking read.’ Author and Poet Sarah Northwood: Lockdown Innit is a wonderful collection of predominantly free verse poetry on all kinds of themes experienced during the author’s third lockdown.   My 5 Star Review: This is Mallon’s second book where she shares her views, observations and incidents she’s endured dealing with the Covid lockdown. Mallon shares her thoughts and worries and experiences through poetic prose, and free verse writing in this book, documenting a range of emotions from fear to humor. The author gives us a glimpse of her views from taking in the mundane and everyday happenings in life, to a few scares of her own, expressed from her point of experience. She shares stories about her daughters and elaborates on some of the ideas they had to stay entertained, to an ode to her mum and the silly shenanigans that go on in supermarkets – “Shopping Bozos”, demonstrating some of the inconsiderate behaviors of some people during a pandemic. This an entertaining documented journey through the author’s eyes of  circumstances and life during the Covid lockdowns. Memorabilia for the future – lest we forget.   ©DGKaye2021    

Guest Author Feature – #NewRelease by Adele Marie Park – Wolfe Manor

I’m thrilled to be featuring my Fey Sister, Adele Marie Park today who has just released her newest labor of love – Wolfe Manor. Adele is magical and writes in the fantasy/dark fantasy/horror genres. You will find her darker stories in several anthologies.     Meet the Author: Fantasy and horror writer, Adele Marie Park originally hails from the Orkney islands. Rousay is a small, but archaeological important island, dubbed “The Egypt of The North.” The oral tradition of passing down stories fired the young Adele’s imagination with tales of trolls, faeries, sea monsters, witches, ghosts, and seals who could change into humans. The landscape of the island fascinated her as moorland hills swept down through green fields to the shores of secluded beaches, where black volcanic rocks might be a troll or a sleeping giant. Reading the Hobbit at an early age inspired her and in her teens she turned to Stephen King, James Herbert, Anne Rice and Storm Constantine to appease a mind hungry to delve into the paranormal. Throughout her life she never gave up writing but it was an ongoing medical condition which forced her to give up work that began her passion to publish her writing for others to read. Genres may come and go, but Adele’s writing encompasses a solidity which does not change; the overcoming of obstacles in one’s life, love, death, grief and pain all infused with those supernatural elements that one sees out the corner of the eye or feels when one is alone in the house at night and a floorboard creaks.     Visit all Adele’s books on Amazon   Once she lived a normal life, a good, boring life, but a safe one…   Abandoned as a baby on the steps of Wolfe Manor, Fianna was raised with love, secure inside its walls. Now her bubble of safety is about to burst. Can she save the home and school which once cocooned her when old fears overwhelm? Facing students at the start of a new term is frightening enough without nightmares resurfacing which terrify Fianna.   She may have a degree in teaching but will this skill help her? The return of old friends sends Fianna spiralling down the rabbit hole of her past. Wolfe Manor may call her to be what she was born to be, but can she find out in time to save it from an evil only she can defeat? Or if she fails and Wolfe Manor falls, what happens when the evil faces humanity unchallenged?     Excerpt   Chapter One – Fianna Once she lived a normal life, a good boring life but a safe one … Suffocating blackness, slithered deep into every nerve in her body. The only sound was the beating of her heart, its rhythm mesmerised her as if she were a shaman in a trance, rendered her helpless against the fear which crawled over her skin leaving goose bumps in its wake. Sweat broke out in response to the song of terror. Pearls of moisture beaded on her forehead.. Paralysed, in the blackness of a nightmare, she waited. Once she lived a normal life, a good boring life but a safe one. Now that life receded faster every night. The pressure on her body grew. She faced death; his tattered yellow breath as ancient as the tombs of Egypt, brushed over her skin. Her mind wanted to give in, her body fought a battle for every breath. An edge of darkness obscured her vision. Her mind whispered, Float free, away from pain. No. She would live. A warrior rose inside her. Buried deep it tore through her blood and challenged the deathly force holding her. A moment held between them before the suffocating darkness receded, a growl echoed around the room. In its absence breath flooded in and left her panting as if she were a dog on a hot day. Movement came back to her limbs and her body jack-knifed upright. She paced the floor of her bedroom, turning on every light for protection from the darkness that was alive and wanted her dead. Passing by the full length mirror she stopped in shock as her reflection mimicked who she had once been. A corpse-white face, with soot smudged under her eyes. Hollow pockets under high cheekbones, her mouth was a pale pink line. She touched her face. Her fingers were skeletal, the skin hanging on them like needless dressing. She couldn’t survive without help. Someone would find her body, soulless and desiccated. The white cotton sheets, her shroud. “No, no,” she mumbled and fell to her knees. She rocked back and forth repeating the word like a war cry. As she pushed her hands through her wavy black hair, she raised her head. “I have to tell someone,” she said.   To connect with Adele, and learn more about her work visit these sites: www.firefly465@wordpress.com Amazon author page UK Amazon author page US https://twitter.com/Binky567   ©DGKaye2021  

Smorgasbord Posts from Your Archives -2020- Pot Luck – #WritingHabits by D.G. Kaye | Smorgasbord Blog Magazine

I found this in my archives, not even sure I reblogged it? But It’s always interesting to look back on plans, then a year later, look where things went – south? Looking at plans, did they come to fruition? And then of course, the dreaded burnout. And then eagle-eye Sally Cronin found it in my archives and shared it at her Smorgasbord Blogs from the Archives Series.   Smorgasbord Posts from Your Archives -2020- Pot Luck – #WritingHabits by D.G. Kaye     Welcome to the current series of Posts from Your Archives… and I will be picking two posts from the blogs of those participating from the first six months of 2020. If you don’t mind me rifling through your archives… just let me know in the comments or you can find out the full scope: Posts from Your Archives – Pot Luck – 2020 This is the first post by D.G. Kaye, Debby Gies and she shares her observations about her writing habits and how the have changed over the course of her previous six books. I am sure something we can all relate to. This was first posted in January 2020 and just before Debby took a book break.   Change in Writing Habits, Book Break the New Book   Today I’m talking about how I notice some of my writing habits have changed through the years. When I wrote my first 6 books, I was disciplined differently. I did my writing first thing in the morning right after breakfast – or the day would surely distract me. But as the order of life sometimes changes, so has my writing. I could write a rough draft in 2-3 months of writing 5 days a week with anywhere from 100 to 2000 words in a session, depending on the inspiration – sometimes the well is empty. After writing time, I’d move to the computer. Writing all my drafts in longhand comes in handy when wanting to stay off the computer to avoid distraction. After checking out blog comments, posts and social media, and although writing for the day was done, I then spent time in between the daily grind of life, reading articles on learning the trade of self- publishing and homing in on the craft of writing. It’s now well over a year since I put out a new book. Oh sure, I was working on one, but somehow my enthusiasm wasn’t there, and I stopped enjoying the writing. Then life happened – a lot, then came winter vacation escape, and finally, I realized that I just needed a year off from the disciplined mandate of writing a book. In that time of not writing a book I was still writing. I write 2 monthly columns, blog articles, book reviews, run guest interviews and have been featured as a guest myself on many blogs, and have even ventured into writing poetry more seriously. There’s no shortage of writing in my life, I just wasn’t feeling inspired to write another book without a timeout from the burnout of publishing 6 books in 5 years. Each of those books took up a good 6-8 months of my life, and I realized how swiftly life is passing by, and decided I need to be living a bit more before committing to a new project. So, I learned to accept my welcomed book writing break and learned it was okay to not be writing a book for a while. The only pressure I had was self-imposed, so I finally admitted I don’t have to write a book every day for the rest of my life, and if I’ve lost the interest for a particular project, it’s okay to abandon it. Now that doesn’t mean that all the work I’d put in would go to the delete bin. All it meant that the started manuscript would live in rest in a folder until such time I may get inspired to go back to it. In that time away from book writing, without the rules of my self-imposed discipline hanging over me, instructing myself to write first thing in the morning, I didn’t always only write in the morning anymore. And I noticed I was developing new writing habits – writing spontaneously as compared to writing by schedule. In my old writing habits, if the morning had passed and I was into my daily activities, I was done writing till the next morning. If an idea sprouted to mind, I’d simply jot down a sentence with the idea in a notebook to keep for fodder for a future a topic to write about. But now, throughout this past year plus that I haven’t put out a new book, I have found that random ideas have taken up more of my immediate attention—going with the inspiration when it hits. Instead of just making a notation, which would have certainly had a different interpretation than the one I originally had in mind from the magic of the moment, instead of just jotting the thought down and left to meld into the many other fleeting ideas, I’ll immediately pick up a notebook and write what comes to mind about that topic, while it’s fresh in my mind, dropping whatever I’m doing in that moment to take advantage of the moment. Please head over to Sally’s to continue reading.   *Note, I think I originally wrote this post in early 2020. Intentions were good, but 2020 happened big time in my life, and still continues. The book was finished and self-edited then left aside again. As soon as I get some semblance of a publishing mojo, the book will be released. Stay tuned!   Source: Smorgasbord Posts from Your Archives -2020- Pot Luck – #WritingHabits by D.G. Kaye | Smorgasbord Blog Magazine   ©DGKaye2021    

Smorgasbord Blog Magazine – D. G. Kaye Explores the Realms of Relationships – February 2021 – Online Dating – Staying Safe | Smorgasbord Blog Magazine

Today I’m sharing my monthly article on Realms of Relationships, I write for Sally Cronin’s Smorgasbord Blog magazine. For February edition, I’m speaking about safety and vetting for online dating.   Welcome back to my Realms of Relationships Column at the Smorgasbord. In last month’s edition I talked about Online Communications regarding scam emails and how to beware of them. In this issue, I’m going to talk more about Online Romantic Relationships and what to look for when vetting potential mates.     Back in the day, meeting potential love interests entailed going out and meeting people and mingling. Now this could happen anywhere, but in my heydays, going dancing at clubs two-three times a week afforded me the chance to meet many potential dates, despite my policy ‘never to go out with anyone I met in a bar or club’, and I stuck to that. But I sure had my share of romantic relationships – often with the wrong types as I lived and learned, and many of those relationships began with people I met at the workplace. In those ancient times, like modern times, we dated and rated our suitors through the time we spent in those relationships. Sure, socially active people out in public still do meet their significant others, but with the advent of technology, many more are going to dating sites in search of someone to fill their emptiness, looking for love. And meeting a potential suitor on the internet comes with its own set of rules – because we are getting to know someone online – sight unseen, going on the information we receive from them. But what if they’re lying about who they are? How do we vet these unknown strangers we may become attracted to, to help verify if they are who they say they are?     Let’s dig in! We’ve come a long way from the days of getting all dressed and looking our best to go out on the town, hoping to make a connection when looking for love. Sure, it still happens, but not as much as internet dating sites and social media apps are common ground now for those searching for a mate. As a person who studies people for a hobby, I’ve learned to adjust my sails when trying to figure out the validity of online people. I can say with authority, that there are a lot of lurkers on social media who try to hit on women. I have no doubts, that there are just as many women who prey on men too. I’m speaking as a woman who gets stalked occasionally – especially on Facebook, as do quite a few of my colleagues. I’m going to attribute my vetting experience to being an avid watcher of police procedurals for many years – part of my fascination with studying people, curious to learn what spurs their criminal tendencies.   First up: What to beware of:   Fast Eddies – This is my name for suitors that haven’t spent enough chat time getting to know each other and who go gung-ho for setting up a live meet. Just no! There’s a lot more vetting to do before you should get to that part.   No photo – Anyone who won’t post a photo, in my books, doesn’t have good intentions, or has something to hide. And if they do post a photo, make sure you use an app like Tineye. This app allows you to plug in any photo, whether downloaded or using copy and paste, and checks the origins of the image. Please continue reading at Sally’s blog.   Source: Smorgasbord Blog Magazine – D. G. Kaye Explores the Realms of Relationships – February 2021 – Online Dating – Staying Safe | Smorgasbord Blog Magazine ©DGKaye2021  

Sunday Book Reviews: New Reviews for D.G. Kaye Books – Words We Carry

Sunday Book Review today, I’m thrilled to be sharing some new reviews I’ve come across for my own books I’d like to share. As much as every new review is uplifting, I’m pretty bad at checking for them and was delighted to find a few. It’s always interesting to me to see how other’s see my stories and my writing, so I hope you enjoy these reviews too.   Available on Amazon .. . Customer Review Luv2read 5.0 out of 5 stars A gem of a book Reviewed in the United States on January 3, 2021 Verified Purchase What starts with the author’s explanation of why she wrote the book: namely to share negative experiences and obstacles in which self-esteem issues and insecurities when faced and dealt with blossom to learning self-love; this is a remarkable revolutionary read. One I wish I would have read in my earlier teen years when I struggled with my own self-esteem issues. Self-perception baggage from wounded egos, what weighs us down, fester and damage the soul the author writes. So true. This is so well written that it’s not just an enlightening educational tool but a wonderful read from a woman not afraid to show her underbelly, huge heart, and she does it with much authenticity and talent. I resonated with so much of what she wrote in these enlightening pages, but what stands out the most is how I slid down the rabbit’s hole due to my desire to want to belong, to socially fit. I suppose all of us who relate to this unfolding have a personal story of our own. Mine was rooted in a family dynamic that made it difficult for me to have friends to my home and consequently I missed out on social bonding that helps develop a strong sense of self. It wasn’t until later in life, in high school and university, that I encountered warm satisfying friendships. By then the damage was done. I just wish I had this book in my earlier years to have helped my younger, more formative self. Thankfully, it’s never too late to unwind wounds and deepen self-love, which is another thing I found from this beautifully powerful read. In summation, let me say I am grateful I had this recommended to me by a friend, someone whose words I respect. This gem of a book did not disappoint. Highly recommend. .. Jane Sturgeon 5.0 out of 5 stars A lovingly written and insightful book for the words we carry about ourselves…. Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 12 January 2021 Verified Purchase ‘Words We Carry’ is a gem. Kaye writes with a depth of wisdom and understanding and the whole book is relatable because of her insights. She paints a roadmap to show how early memories, others’ opinions and the events throughout our lives create the words about ourselves we carry around. She clearly demonstrates how these shape our thoughts, words and actions and how self-awareness can help us to change the words that do not serve us. ‘Thank you’ dear Kaye, for writing this book. <3 .. .. D. W. Peach 5.0 out of 5 stars Part memoir – Part self-help Reviewed in the United States on November 6, 2020 D. G. Kaye shares the true story of her growth from a child with poor self-esteem into a confident woman who changed her thinking, took responsibility for her relationships, and discovered happiness. Though she shares her personal experiences, many of her observations are common to other women, and there are lessons to be gleaned from her advice. The book is divided into two sections: Appearance and Relationships. The focus of the appearance section is on boosting self-esteem by paying attention to physical appearance. It isn’t about being beautiful, but about feeling beautiful and investing energy into clothes, shoes, hair, and makeup that enhance a woman’s strengths and make her feel attractive. Chronic lazy dressers like me may not relate to Kaye’s love of shoes and big hair, but there’s a lot of humor in this section that kept me smiling. Section Two, Relationships, was the most meaningful to me as it opened a discussion of the deeper issues that contribute to low self-esteem, as well as the vicious cycles that can lead to isolation, depression, and abuse. The author maintains that healthy self-esteem is essential to healthy relationships of all kinds. She provides strategies for evaluating relationships honestly, changing patterns, and taking control of choices. Words We Carry is part memoir/part self-help. Recommended for women who are struggling with feelings of low self-esteem and want to make a positive change in their relationships and lives.     Available on Amazon     I came across this lovely review for my first book, Conflicted Hearts, on author D.L. Finn’s blog where she reviewed three books, and was elated to find one for my book. You can visit the post HERE. D.L. Finn 5.0 out of 5 stars I found this an inspiring journey Reviewed in the United States on January 25, 2021 Verified Purchase “Conflicted Hearts” is a wonderful insight of a girl growing up with an unavailable mother and father lost in that world. I could easily relate to the role of caretaker being thrust on a young girl and the guilt she carried. The blame her paternal grandparents had toward her because her father had to marry her mother was heavy, as was her parents’ on and off living arrangements and mother’s self-absorption toward her children. The guilt followed Ms. Kaye into adulthood, as she always tried to do the right thing. I appreciated how mistakes made had given her the lessons needed. One situation that made me cringe was during a trip to Greece and a broken foot. But people came into her life just when they were needed. I found that very heartening. It was hard to read about the abusive relationship she ended up in, and I was relieved when they parted ways. I loved watching the author make her way to her happily ever after. I found this an inspiring journey of how Ms. Kaye navigated her home life and then left it behind to find herself and love. I highly recommend this memoir. Available on Amazon .. .. My Fey Sister, Marjorie Mallon, wrote a recent review for my book, Have Bags, Will Travel, which was a lovely surprise! What a treat to find on Marje’s blog – Kyrosmagica .. My review: I read this as part of #ireadcanadian., @ireadcanadian #nowmorethanever. This is such a hoot, what a laugh! Have Bags Will Travel is such an entertaining read which gives you an insight into D G Kaye’s character, her shopping obsession, packing troubles, germaphobia, and brushes with airport security. Enjoy her recollections on the glamour and glitz, her love to travel and a nostalgic aspect to it all. Her friend Zan shares her shopaholic tendencies too. The two of them together… can you imagine? A red head, blonde explosion of zaniness! I love the part when they end up at Buckingham Palace and chat to a Beefeater, the royal guard and after which… it gets funnier by the moment. Have Bags Will Travel gives a historical account of how much easier it used to be to take overstuffed baggage through airports in the good old days. Now, it seems that D G Kaye will resort to anything to get her shopping home. Zan and D G Kaye also travel to Paris and end up shopping for shoes! There are manmade toboggan rides in Muskoka, Canada. Trips to Venezuela: Margarita Island and Caracas with cousin Eileen. Las Vegas, Then and Now – gambling/casinos, fond memories of the author’s love of the desert.   Have Bags Will Travel is just what we need right now, a good giggle! There is also a section at the back of the book with Helpful Travel tips. A short, entertaining read. Highly recommended, especially for the shopoholics and travel enthusiasts in your life! My rating: 5 stars ..   ©DGKaye2021    

#WATWB – This 8-year-old Girl’s Mission is to Give Away 2 Million Books

Welcome to February’s #WATWB, We are the World Blogest, where a group of writers join together to post a good deed going on in the world to deflect from negative news.   For this month, I’ve chosen to share this wonderful story about eight year old, Selah Thompson’s mission to give away two million books. She was inspired to do this since she was five years old and already noticed that some kids her age didn’t know their ABCs. In 2018, Selah’s parents helped her create a non-profit reading program, Empower Readers Literacy Project. Selah’s goal is to be able to give away “20 hundred thousand books”. So far she’s surpassed 8,000 books, well on her way!   This 8-year-old Girl’s Mission is to Give Away 2 Million Books Selah Thompson shares her love of reading and even creates her own series.   Books have the power to transport you to another place and make you feel like you are part of the story. A love of reading should be developed at a young age so children can see books as something magical. That’s the gift that 8-year-old  Sela Thompson from Atlanta, Georgia, received from her parents and wants to pass on to other children. When Selah was five-years-old  she came home from her first day of kindergarten and told her parents that many of her classmates didn’t know how to read, according to CNN.  Her father, Khalil Thompson, told CNN, “She said that a lot of her new friends at school didn’t know their ABCs.” This really bothered Selah and she wanted to do something about it. She then asked her parents to give away “20 hundred thousand books,” Selah’s mom Nicole Thompson told the Atlanta Journal Constitution; “this equals two million books!” Please continue reading about this amazing little girl HERE.     Source: This 8-year-old Girl’s Mission is to Give Away 2 Million Books – Goodnet   If you’d like to join the WATWB last Friday of each month posting on random acts of kindness, please feel free to add the link to our Facebook group page or directly by adding your URL link to LINKY.   Hosts for this month are: Lahti, Roshan Radhakrishnan, Shilpa Garg, Susan Scott and Sylvia McGrath. ©DGKaye2021    

#Blogshare Special Feature – I Read Canadian Darlene Foster, D G Kaye, & Christy Birmingham #nowmorethanever #ireadcanadian @ireadcanadian – M J Mallon

Welcome to my regular Tuesday post. As my husband’s health condition is still ongoing and today marks his 10th day in hospital having a battery of tests, scans, and his upcoming biopsy, needless to say blogging has become a double-edged sword for me. I run to blogland for some semblance of sanity, but often I can’t concentrate as the final results will come later in the week. Many days my mind is so full of my worrisome future that I can’t even talk. Don’t want to talk. But I’ve been documenting the 10-day journey nightly. And once I get my husband home and put everything into my own digested perspective, I plan on sharing the journey here with you all – mostly likely in two or three parts, as it’s been a very long road, extra difficult in Covid times, as I’ve fought my way into being allowed to visit my husband. I’ll be sharing the journey next week. But today as I get ready to dash out to hospital, I’m happy to share this wonderful article Marjorie Mallon posted on February 17th for #ireadcanadian day where Marje has featured a tribute to three Canadian authors, and I was elated to be one of  them.     Special Feature – I Read Canadian Darlene Foster, D G Kaye, & Christy Birmingham #nowmorethanever #ireadcanadian @ireadcanadian   Today, I am featuring three wonderful ladies from Canada, Debby Gies (D G Kaye,) Darlene Foster and Christy Birmingham. You might remember that in 2019 I travelled to Canada with my two daughters, Natasha and Georgina for a special girls’ trip! We visited Montreal and I absolutely loved it. Would love to go back one day. So, I’ve chosen to go with a travel theme for the first two books I’m reading for #ireadcanadian Debby, Darlene and Christy are all wonderfully inspiring, fantastic supporters of the writing and blogging community. As they say in Scotland, lovely lassies too!   Please visit Marje’s original post to read the lovely tribute she put together for myself, Darlene Foster, and Christy Birmingham. Canadian writers rock!   Source: Special Feature – I Read Canadian Darlene Foster, D G Kaye, & Christy Birmingham #nowmorethanever #ireadcanadian @ireadcanadian – M J Mallon YA Author and Poet   ©DGKaye2021