D.G. Kaye's Blog, page 73

#Karma – The Law of Cause and Effect – The Sisters of the Fey

As some of you may know, I contribute to Sisters of the Fey blog along with five others who make up our mystical and magical group. We all tend to have our own niche about topics we cover. My articles are mostly geared towards spiritual connections, intuition, angels and empaths. Last week I wrote about Karma and will share here with you all.   Karma – The Law of Cause and Effect From the Oxford dictionary:  noun. /ˈkɑrmə/ [uncountable] 1(in Buddhism and Hinduism) the sum of someone’s good and bad actions in one of their lives, believed to decide what will happen to them in the next life. good/bad karma (informal) the good/bad effect of doing a particular thing, being in a particular place, etc. Karma is a word used loosely by many, usually as a term for payback, as in: What you do will come back to you in some form at some time whether it be payback for wrongs or mean-spirited doings or reward for good deeds. But this is not exactly how karma works. Karma is spiritual and it’s something we carry forward with us from previous existences. If bad karma has not been resolved in a past life it accrues and will have effects in the next life. Every action we perform has a consequence. Karma can be material, moral or emotional. The intent of one’s actions generates karma. Since I was a young girl, I was aware of the word karma and relayed it to one of my favorite cliched sayings: – what goes ‘round come back! Karma is energy, and we are all made from energy created as an action, not necessarily a fate, but a result. We all have the opportunity to change our karma by changing our intentions. Karma is ethical consequences which determines what happens in the future of our lives. The punishment for allowing our egos to take over by wishing ill will towards an outcome or a person is really a psychological suffering as penance for bad actions. Many people aren’t aware that most of their actions and desires are manifested by karma – acting out of past lifetimes -what we reap is what we sow. We are our own karmic projection. We’ve all heard clichés like ‘be careful what you wish for because it will come back on you’.  Ill will and evil acts are paid back to us by suffering something in our own life, goodness gives us peace of mind. In essence, we perpetuate our own karma. It’s been said that the sum of a person’s karma upon their death will determine the form of existence they will take on in their next life. An example of how karma works is perhaps someone stole someone else’s camera, that same camera may very well be stolen again from them. Or maybe, that camera may get them in trouble by some other means. Did that camera have photos of something illegal that the thief got caught and blamed for? Karma is a strange phenomenon that works with the universe. On the same token, you may have donated something to a charity and later find you won a contest, you found twenty bucks surprisingly on the ground somewhere. You get the gist here – thoughts and actions always circle back around. Karma is never instantly repaid. It is also not an impending punishment. Like I mentioned earlier, we have the ability to change our karma. Spreading good karma is creating positive action through kind words and thoughts, good deeds and good intentions. The more good we do, the more good will come – a simple formula. To put it into metaphoric terms: If you plant beautiful flowering seeds you can expect beautiful flowers to grow. If you plant a bad seed, you can expect nothing from it. This is how karma works. If you are at peace with yourself, you will enjoy a peaceful life. If you find your life in a constant state of chaos, you are carrying chaos within yourself. What we put forth into the universe with our intentions will find its way back to us in various forms. We are responsible for our own karma. Our pasts, present and futures all connect from our behavior. This all falls under the old adage–history repeats itself, we either learn from it and change our direction in life or we’re destined to live on the same spinning hamster wheel with the same outcome. . . please visit our blog to continue reading and you will find a video I included there in case you want to dig deeper.   Source: #Karma – The Law of Cause and Effect – The Sisters of the Fey

#FlashFiction Challenge from CarrotRanch #Photoprompt

For this week’s Flash Fiction challenge at Charli Mills’ CarrotRanch – In 99 words write a story about this image:         January 23, 2019, prompt: In 99 words (no more, no less), write a story about a park bench. Use this gif to choose a timeframe and write the story behind that particular scene. Use the time as your title. Go where the prompt leads!     Secrets and Moments If I could tell you I would. It’s my job here to offer a place to rest your weary selves. All knowing, listening and watching as countless people land here to share a moment. Broken hearts rested here in refuge with their grief, new beginnings created as some knelt on bended knee declaring their love and proposing to another who has rested upon me. Shady characters too have used my inconspicuous location for an incognito drop-off. While others come just to relax and take in a beautiful day. These secrets traded between visitors remain ingrained within my wooden confessional.   Visit the ranch to read other entries. ©DGKaye

Sunday Book Review – The Ultimate #Vegan Mug Cake – Zoe Hazan

The Sunday Book Review – something a little different – The Ultimate Vegan Mug Cake. I have toppling over my Kindle, so many books. Occasionally, when I’m still reading a longer book not yet finished or reviewed, I’ll dig out a shorter book to read in between so I can have a book to review. I picked up this little book when I saw it on free offer from one of the book sites I subscribe to. I’ve been collecting these instant ‘mug’ recipes along my travels for quick eats or a quick dessert so I was happy to find this little gem with a plethora of delicious, healthy and quick desserts.     Blurb: Grab A Mug And Try A Warm, Gooey & Irresistible Vegan Treat That You Can Enjoy In Just Minutes! Fancy something sweet, but don’t want to bake a whole cake or a batch of cookies? Tired of scouring Pinterest for something quick and easy to satisfy your sweet tooth? Here lies the beauty of mug cakes as you can have a mug of deliciousness in less than 5 minutes! This book is perfect for vegans, vegetarians and indeed everyone else who fancies a sweet treat. The ingredients are simple and easy to source, as a matter of fact, you probably already have the basic ingredients in your pantry. The difficulty will probably be to decide which recipe to prepare! ★New & Updated for 2020! All recipes are 100% vegan NO butter, eggs or milk – and NO compromising on taste, texture or flavour Fail proof recipes that take no longer than 5 minutes to make Simple recipes using simple ingredients – in fact you are likely to have what you need in your cupboards right now! All you need to get started is a mug, a microwave, a few basic ingredients and a few minutes…and VOILA! A delicious vegan mug cake is ready for you to devour! With so many exciting recipes to try you will be using this cookbook all year. Try Some Of These Outrageously Delicious Mug Cakes Today! Cookie Dough Chocolate Chip Espresso Red Velvet Pancakes in a Mug Gingerbread Cake with Cranberry Compote Sticky Date Pudding Gooey S’mores Cake Cinnamon Roll Chocolate Brownie And Many More Delicious Mug Cakes! Download Your Copy Now! Grab your favorite mug and try one of these easy and delicious cakes today!   My 5 Star Review: A wonderful little book filled with delicious and healthy quick ‘mug’ recipes. The book begins with an informative introduction to the process of baking these cakes complete with best types of mugs to use, the variety of dairy substitute milks that can be used, the various types of flours you can use, choices of natural sweeteners, how tos for measuring and the nutritional benefits of these main ingredients. So easy to make and delicious and nutritious. Convenient for the sweet craving you want to satisfy ‘now’ and not have to wait to bake a cake. A wide selection of cake recipes to tempt the palate and ready in 3 minutes! You can’t beat that!      

Colleen’s 2019 Weekly #Tanka Tuesday #Poetry Challenge No. 161 #PhotoPrompt – Word Craft ~ Prose and Poetry

Colleen Chesebro’s Weekly Poetry Challenge. Third week of the month is a photo prompt with our choice of poetry style. I’ve chosen to write a #Tanka – syllabic poetry – 5/7/5/7/7     It’s the third week of the month! Time for a #PhotoPrompt   What does this photo say to you? How does it make you feel… concentrate on emotions, or tell a syllabic poetry story.   This month’s photo prompt has been provided by Willow Willers.     Omen   All has been revealed. Unfolded hands exposing Finger tips unfurled, Documented prediction Etched in permanent blueprint. ©DGKaye2020   Source: Colleen’s 2019 Weekly #Tanka Tuesday #Poetry Challenge No. 161 #PhotoPrompt – Word Craft ~ Prose and Poetry

Writer’s Tips January Edition – Writer Beware, KDP, Twitter, Passive Income

Welcome back to the first edition of my compiled Writers Tips for 2020. This edition is chock-full of informative articles for bloggers and authors on what we can expect from the publishing industry for 2020 and avenues to explore to add side income with our writing skills into our writerly lives.   Schemes, scams and issues encountered by writers, where to avoid putting your cash into. Writer Beware is an excellent site for checking out the latest caveats in the business. Source: Writer Beware®: The Blog: Writer Beware: 2019 in Review   The Bookdesigner has a helpful article for authors to help with downloading manuscripts to KDP with their new format setup. Fun with Formats: mobi/Kindle   Sacha Black is rocking everything Indie now and sharing with us other avenues of passive income. Author Earnings – How Do You Write Full-Time?   Nicholas Rossis has some helpful tips from guest writers on his blog sharing how to make Twitter beneficial as a marketing tool for Twitter. Twitter For Authors: The Ultimate Guide   My friend – author, publisher, marketer, Doris Heilmann of 111 Publishing shares a fantastic list of success videos for self-employed Indies. Start-Ups and Self-Employed: Video for Success   Stevie Turner shares a post on how she finds Bookfunnel helping for pushing up her books on Amazon. A Successful Book Promotion Platform   Written Word Media with an informative rundown on the Top Ten Publishing Trends for 2020 The Top Ten Publishing Industry Trends Every Author Needs to Know in 2020   I hope you find these articles as helpful as I have.     

Smorgasbord Blog Magazine – D. G. Kaye Explores the Realms of Relationships | Smorgasbord Blog Magazine

As many of you know, I’ve been writing a monthly travel column at Sally Cronin’s Blog Magazine for the past two years. We’re changing things up this year in my column there and have moved into a new column – The Realms of Relationships, a topic on which I enjoy sharing my experiences in life and incorporating them into bite-sized lessons. I hope you’ll enjoy it! Today I’m reblogging the introduction post over at Sally’s Smorgasbord.   Happy New Year Readers! And welcome to my newest Blog Magazine Column at the Smorgasbord. This year I’m going to be writing here about relationships – The Realms of Relationships. When Sally suggested I might like to write on this topic I was elated as all my books are about things I experienced in life, and I’m delighted to share my insights here with you all. Now don’t worry, you won’t be finding any psycho-babble here, just plain English from a lifetime of experience. I’ve been a storyteller since I was a young child – never a fibber – not that kind of storytelling. Whenever I’d heard or ‘overheard’ something when I was young, knowing I wasn’t supposed to be privy to, of course I had to tell someone what I’d heard. I hadn’t yet learned that by not telling all, it was easier to earn trust. By the time I was 10 years old, I was solid. Anyone could tell me anything and my lips were and still are sealed. I pride myself on not being a tattler or a rat and learned to keep my observations to myself. I was an observer of people, and I didn’t have to look much further than my own family’s behavior to learn what makes people tick. What makes some people angry and some always singing? What kinds of things have I experienced to learn the warning signs of trouble? These are just some of the topics I’ll get into, sharing from my own experience, some of the emotions, and how we react to the different relationships we have with people. Then I’ll add an experience of my own on the topic to validate my findings. And of course, I look forward to discussion in comments.   So, let’s begin. Today’s topic we’ll start with communication. In order to make and maintain healthy relationships and keep them flourishing, not fizzling, respectful communication is essential. It isn’t just our words, but our body language we emote through our gestures, just as our silences do, the vibe we give off. . . please continue reading at the Smorgasbord   Source: Smorgasbord Blog Magazine – D. G. Kaye Explores the Realms of Relationships | Smorgasbord Blog Magazine    

January 16: Flash Fiction Challenge « Carrot Ranch – Protest

This week’s 99 Word Flash Fiction Prompt is ‘Protest’, at Charli Mills’ CarrotRanch.     January 16, 2019, prompt: In 99 words (no more, no less), write a protest story. It can be about a protest, or you can investigate the word and expand the idea. Who is protesting, where, and why? Go where the prompt leads!   In Protest of the Planet   What remains of the trees, struggle to stand tall, casting thin shadows across the water with reflection in their retaliation. Birds make swift exit when the weather turns ominous. Where do humans flee when there’s no longer a safe place to exist? What remains is nature’s leftovers from man’s thoughtless lashings. Angels band together, looking down from above in God’s sanctuary as God’s planet drowns and burns in salty tears. When will the natives wake? Action is needed now. Let us stand up in defense of the planet against the wrongs of man and start to repair with change.   Source: January 16: Flash Fiction Challenge « Carrot Ranch Literary Community    

Sunday Book Review – Warning Signs – #Thriller – Carol Balawyder

The Sunday Book Review today is for Carol Balawyder’s new release – Warning Signs. A psychological thriller that kept me gripped all the way with intrigue, and happy to add – without gore. I recently had Carol over for interview HERE at my blog where she shared her expertise in a criminology background which spurred her to write this book.       Blurb: Eugene’s research into his criminal mind is not about the why, but how to prevent his horrific crimes. Angie, a young woman starving for passion sees Eugene as her saviour from a lonely life of caring for her heroin addicted mother. How far is she willing to go in order to save her relationship with Eugene and his promise for a future together? Detective Van Ray is out on a vindictive mission as he attempts to solve the murders of young girls in Youth Protection. Their lives collide in a mixture of mistrust, obsession and ignoring the warning signs. A psychological thriller about human frailty and loneliness.   My 5 Star Review I’m a fan of this author’s women’s fiction and because of her expertise in a background of criminology, I was eager to read her first psychological thriller, and it did not disappoint. Detective Darren Van Ray is upset that’s he’s been taken off the big necktie serial killer’s case for arresting the wrong man and allowing the killer to continue his spree. But thanks to his good friendship with lead detective, Alice Virioli, he keeps abreast of the case that he’s put so much time into and finds he can’t distance himself from the case. Angie suffers a low self-esteem and lives with her drug-addicted mother. Eugene is the serial killer who is murdering young girls newly released from a Youth Center Group, using the logic that those girl’s lives are pretty much ended for disaster with a life of debauchery, so he thinks he is sparing them a miserable life. At the same time, he is doing research about the psychology of killers to try and learn why he has these urges to kill. He gets closer to Detective Van Ray by offering him his take from research on serial killers, thinking if he befriends him he’ll take the scent of himself. But the detective smells a rat. And once again the detective finds he can’t steer away from this case. Insecure Angie meets Eugene (a.k.a. Niko – his real name) and they fall in love. Angie finally feeling worthy of herself and Niko wanting someone all for himself – until later in the book when Angie discovers who Eugene really is! As the case continues, we learn more about Eugene and where his killing instinct comes from. Things heat up when Detective Van Ray becomes curiously interested in Angie and her connection to Eugene after Eugene is mysteriously killed but a photo of Angie is found in his apartment. This book gives us an interesting look into a serial killer’s mind, expertly written through this author’s background studies in police and criminology studies. It was an interesting read, and happy to say that as one who doesn’t appreciate reading blood and gore, the book is focused on the psychological aspect of the hunt and the kill more than focusing on the gory remains. An excellent thriller!    

The 2019 Poet of the Week Compilation – Word Craft ~ Prose and Poetry

Colleen Chesebro has generously put together a PDF compilation of all the Poets of the Week winners for 2019. Besides being thrilled to be part of it with one of my winning entries, there is a wealth of some wonderful poetry in this FREE offer to download for anyone to take advantage of. Check it out!   Yay for teamwork! The 2019 Poet of the Week & Honorable Mention Poetry Compilation from last year’s challenges is ready for distribution. Please join me in thanking H. R. R. Gorman for his help in putting this publication together, including his many artistic skills. Not only did he reformat the PDF, but he also designed the cover art – all during the time he was graduating with his Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering. Thanks, Dr. G. I literally could not have done this without your help! I’m so proud of all of you… the poets, who worked so hard to perfect their writing craft to make this challenge what it is today. I’ve learned so much from you all. I can’t wait for the new challenges to begin!   Please Head Over to Collleen’s blog to download the poetry book directly!   Source: The 2019 Poet of the Week Compilation – Word Craft ~ Prose and Poetry

Q and A with D.G. Kaye – Featuring Author Jane Sturgeon – Writing on Water

I’m delighted to be featuring here the Lovely Jane Sturgeon and her new book – Writing on Water, today at Q and A with D.G. Kaye. In this nonfiction book, Jane writes about self-awareness, reflection, and getting in tune with our inner selves. Jane is a pure delight to be around. Her goodness and content heart shine through in all her writing. I’m thrilled to have Jane over here today spreading her inspiration.       About Jane: Jane has been a systems analyst, trainer, technical author, painter, psychic medium, furniture restorer, de-clutterer, therapist and creative. She has lived in Africa and The States, looked after many farms, loved through two marriages, is Mum to an extraordinary young woman and loves making things. She lives next to the Mersey River where it meets the Irish Sea and shares her life with loved ones and an impressive collection of yarn. Self-awareness is the first book in her Writing on Water series.     Blurb: Each one of us holds stories about ourselves and these drive our lives. Thoughts are attached to emotions and actions spring from how we feel. Old stories can be re-written, new stories can be crafted and discoveries are made along the way. It is the tapestry of life and yes, you can weave with whatever threads you choose. Loving support, fresh perspectives and new life tools can make all the difference.   First and Lovely 5 star review for Jane’s book:   L. Carmichael 5.0 out of 5 stars Learning from a coach, Understanding how to move forward, all good advice December 25, 2019 Format: Kindle Edition Life is a journey. When you amass knowledge and experience, it’s a generous and caring gift to offer that information to others. Jane Sturgeon has done so with her book, Writing on Water: Self-awareness. I became acquainted with this author through her blog, where she shares advice, thoughts, and feedback with others. Based on what she’s accomplished and undertaken in her life thus far, the words and wisdom will benefit many readers. The book is on the shorter side, perhaps an intro for more to come from this author. Her advice in this edition focuses on tenderness, knowing when enough is enough, sea glass impressions, instincts, things we love, getting all twisted up, being hijacked (emotionally), and staying small. Within each of these sections, Jane shares a life experience, not always a positive one, that led to her awakening or spiritual conflict. Considering what to do when in a difficult relationship? Frustrated by people who try to take over your life? Uncertain how to relax and just let time tell you what you need to do? All these questions and many more come to the surface. The book is not religious; if anything, I’d say it’s spiritual, forming a connection with the natural world and the silence around us. In a moment of need, Jane was thoroughly nervous and angry about a situation she had to handle. All the negativity almost ensured her situation would conclude far worse than she hoped, but something intervened, and in the end, Jane was given a gift. What a wonderful way to see your life turn around, even in smaller increments, when you need it to. I was most impressed by Jane’s life experience between 18 and 21 in South Africa. She had tons of courage and conviction, something I don’t think I could’ve found in my youth. So… if you’d like to read about a wonderfully kind and open-minded woman’s opinions, learn from a life coach, and determine what might need some change in your life, this would be a good intro book, as it’s filled with tangible evidence of how altering her mindset helped Jane move forward. I’m glad to have the opportunity to read the book and share a review with you. The last line is the best… and I won’t share it all… but I will say “held us back from flowing with authenticity” is an eye-opening section.   Time to get to know more about Jane:   Do events in your daily life inspire your writing ideas? Yes, every day. I can catch a glimpse of the seagulls flying in formation, a pattern in the waves, the joy of a dog running across the beach or overhear a snippet of conversation in the local shop and the words will start to stream in. It is always linked to how something makes me feel. D.G. – I know this about you Jane. You certainly know how to appreciate all the beauty the world as to offer.   Is there something you wish you were better at with the self publishing process? Marketing and promoting. Goodness me, I have been caught unawares by how much you need to do this as an indie author. I am learning more about it every day and it’s a ‘work in progress’. I have discovered that it helps to be unafraid to try different things, to listen and observe others and what they do and to laugh when I trip up. It is a steep learning curve yet rewarding as you start to realise the different things you are capable of and feel the wonderful support from fellow indies. D.G. – Lol Jane, it is a rude awakening isn’t it? There is so much to becoming a published writer that it sometimes feels the writing is the smallest part of what we do. Thank goodness for our wonderful community to help us along.   Do you believe in ‘writer’s block’? If so, how do you deal with it? I believe that everything in life is an energy and our creativity comes from our inner energy source. If we’re tired, stressed, upset, hungry or strung out, then our creative energy is depleted. Our balance is out of whack. We sit down to write and as our bucket dips into the creative well, the energy source is low or not there at all. I have found that pushing is fruitless, so I switch tack into self-care. Walking helps, as does rest, making things with my hands, or seeing friends. Chocolate does find its way into the mix sometimes and I try not to have any in the house, as the nearest shop is up a very steep hill (which is a blessing). D.G. – You’ve said a mouthful Jane. I do concur though, no point banging our heads on keyboards when the energy isn’t there. Best to find something else to work on and eventually inspiration finds us again.   Jane is sharing an Excerpt from her book with us:   Enough I recall a well-known agony aunt in the United Kingdom, the lovely Denise Robertson, saying that most of the letters she received were rooted in lack of self- worth. The inner tape of not being good enough can drive us in so many little ways, most of which we are unaware of. We can decide to gift ourselves time to exercise, start a new project, try to create different meals, see friends more often, begin a night class; all manner of new things and then we prioritise other things in their place. In our technology-led lives, we are constantly bombarded with messages on how to improve ourselves. There’s irony there, because the underlying message can be perceived as us not being good enough as we are, which adds to the inner tape playing. It’s no wonder we stall and struggle to introduce new things into our daily round. In the few hours I had gifted myself to write this morning as soon as I was comfortable with a fresh coffee by my side, my internal chatter started. ‘Did you put cream on your legs after your bath this morning?’ ‘Have you put a load of laundry in the washing machine?’ ‘Your plants need de-heading before it gets too hot.’ The inner chat is constant and is the root of much internal distraction and self- sabotage. If we listen, we get in the way of ourselves and stay safe in the familiar, whilst messing up anything new we try to start. Stalling on hopes, dreams and wishes is not a reflection on us not being good enough, because we certainly are. It’s about us living; exploring, trying different things, taking a risk, experimenting on what brings us joy and peeling back the gossamer layers to find out who we really are. It is about us discovering our truth. ***   I wish to say a heartfelt ‘Thank you’ to Debby for her generosity, support and kindness in creating a post for me on her fabulous blog. From her huge heart she lifts and inspires many of us and her friendship is a gift.       Jane, I am so humbled. It was a pleasure having you and your beautiful book over here today. Thank you too for the beautiful image. You are such a delight. ♥   Visit Jane on all her Social Platforms:   Web site: https://www.janesturgeon.com Blog: https://www.janesturgeon.wordpress.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/janesturgeon... Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jane.sturge... Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/JaneSturgeon3 Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/JaneStur...