Lorraine Reguly's Blog, page 6

Writing Rhymes (Limericks)

Today I want to entertain you with three limericks. Basically, this short post was written simply to make you smile. Of course, I’m going to challenge you to write a limerick of your own…

The following limericks follow the pattern A/A/B/B/A with the syllable count of 8/8/5/5/8.

Rules for Writing Limericks

A limerick is a humorous poem consisting of five lines. The first, second, and fifth lines must have seven to ten syllables while rhyming and having the same verbal rhythm. The third and fourth lines only have to have five to seven syllables, and have to rhyme with each other and have the same rhythm. ~source

Limericks are also supposed to poke fun at something.

The limerick packs laughs anatomical

Into space that is quite economical.

But the good ones I’ve seen

So seldom are clean

And the clean ones so seldom are comical. ~source

In the ones I wrote for you today, I poke fun at myself. I hope you get a kick out of them!

Three Limericks for You

Limerick #1

There once was an author from Spain

who went by the name of “Lorraine.”

She thought she wrote well,

but, as you can tell,

she only self-published in vain!

(I self-published Risky Issues mainly to learn the process of self-publishing. Now I help others edit and self-publish their books! Visit my services page on Wording Well for editing. Then take a look at how easy it is to self-publish a book by visiting my author assistant services page.)

Limerick #2

There once was a woman from Wales

who could tell very tall tales.

Though her stories sucked,

and she thought she was f**ked,

she ended up making a lot of sales.

(NOTE: I wish this were true! LOL)

Limerick #3

There was an editor who excelled.

“Hire me now!” from the rooftops she yelled.

But what she didn’t know

Was that she needed to grow –

Her words were always incorrectly spelled.

Limerick Challenge

See if you can write a limerick. Share it in the comment section!

Also, let me know if you want to self-publish a book. I’d love to know (whether you need my help with it or not!).

 

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After the Scars #bookreview

In October 2015, I had the pleasure of meeting Kerri Kijewski, a blind woman I interviewed in 2014.

Kerri is one of the contributors to After The Scars (A Second Chances Anthology). 

Kerri gave me an autographed copy of this book, too! (Read about how I met her… and another writer!)

Me holding Kerri’s book

Me showing Kerri’s autograph

About After the Scars

After the Scars is a book with a message that needs sharing.

In fact, at the beginning of the book, it specifically says: “This collection of stories and poetry deal with themes of emotional and physical domestic abuse, but most importantly these stories are about hope, strength, survival and moving on.”

The message is clear: sufferers of abuse can move on with their lives.

I concur, as this is the same message I convey with Risky Issues.

After the Scars book cover

My Book Review of After the Scars (also on Goodreads)

After the Scars, as a whole is a pretty good book.

I must say, however, that the printed version (which is the only version I have) contains a few formatting issues and is missing page numbers in its Table of Contents (TOC). Because I’m often referred to as “The Grammar Police” by my friends, I must also say that the whole book could benefit from another round of editing. I’m not sure who edited it, but the writers and publisher who assembled the book should’ve asked me to help!

That said, I’ll now focus on the content of After the Scars.

After the Scars is basically a collection of short stories interspersed with the occasional poem. The poetry, which I enjoyed reading, is quite good, and thought-provoking, as are many of the stories.

The stories, for the most part, captivated me from the get-go. I have to say that my favourite short story is When the Storm Breaks, which was written by Avery Hart. It was divided into chapters, and is about a woman who tragically lost her husband, and yet finds a way to move on with her life after grieving. It was emotion-packed, beautifully written, acurately depicted, and conveys the book’s message wonderfully.

Kerri Kijewski‘s story, One Last Kiss, depicts the story of Sarah, who once found love but was hurt deeply by the man she loved. Much of the story is about the inner workings of Sarah’s mind and thought processes, but contains descriptions and conversation, too. Without giving away too much, I have to say that I particularly loved the circular ending!

The Emergence of Julia Gray, writen by Katie M. John, a UK best-selling author famous for her Young Adult fairytale series called “The Knight Trilogy,” was a great story about rebirth, re-inventing yourself, and following your heart. It even included an air of mystery in it, which enhanced the overall plotline.

Quiz Night, by Francesca Baker, was easy to read. I liked the main setting of the story, a pub. This is where the main character meets a guy for their third date, a guy with whom she feels comfortable, much like a best friend.  Because it was such a short short story, I found myself actually wanting more once I came to the end!

Beaten Heart, by Hazel Robinson (Twitter: @hfrobinsonbooks), is another story that is divided into chapters. Beaten Heart is an excellent read, and epitomizes the book’s message. I really enjoyed reading this story about a woman who had help leaving her abusive husband, to move to a place where he’d never find her. Once there, she ends up working at a new job, obtains a dog, and meets a man who eventually helps her move on. Without revealing the entire plot, I will have to say that it also contains a neat twist at the end, and that I am sure you will enjoy this uplifting story.

Rebirth, by Eden Night (a pseudonym), who mainly writes erotica, stepped out of his/her comfort zone when writing this story. About a woman who moves to a shack on the beach to begin a new life for herself, she becomes a heroine when saves a surfer from an unseemly demise, and later begins a unique friendship with his friend… while struggling with familial issues regarding her mother. This story also epitomizes the book’s message of hope and survival, and is the last story in the book, which ends with the words “The End and The Beginning.” In my opinion, this is the perfect way to end such a book!

I have to highly recommend this book to any person, man OR woman, who has grappled with abuse and/or neglect, and who has made changes (or who wants to make changes) to move forward with hope and dignity. This book, despite its few formatting and editing issues, contains many stories and poems that depict its message in an uplifting way. Definitely give it a read!

Check out these stories about hope, strength, survival and moving on. #books #women
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#amreading A great #bookreview about hope, strength, survival and moving on. #abuse
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How Writers Can Use Blogging to Increase Reading Audience

Authors nowadays are expected to maintain a blog, as there are many benefits associated with blogging, including promotional and marketing perks. Of course, there are others, too, and today a guest of mine is going to delve into them in-depth.

Please welcome Linda Craig to Laying It Out There, and seriously consider what she has to say about blogging when you are a writer. She makes some great points!!!

Please also check out her post on Wording Well: 8 Great Writing Tools to Keep You Motivated to Write.

Take it away, Linda!

How to Start a Blog: A Step-by-Step Guide for Writers is a great resource for those who are still non-bloggers. For MORE awesome resources, visit Blogging Resources + How To Start a Blog (if you don’t already have one)!

“Real” writers are not usually associated with blogging. They leave the marketing aspect to professionals, thinking that’s the best way to get their work promoted in front of a greater audience. They are wrong. Many novelists have realized that they can connect with their readers through blogging. A blog doesn’t limit them within the project they are currently working on. They get to write about every idea that crosses their mind.

There is no point in being a snob and thinking that blogging is for an inferior category of writers. As it turns out, novelists and short story authors have a great potential to make the blogosphere a better place. Neil Gaiman, Meg Cabot, Bruce Sterling, Seth Godin, and many other acclaimed authors maintain their own blogs. Of course, these are not the usual blogs you would encounter through a random online research. Writers should have a different strategy, aimed at building a stronger connection with their readers.

Tips for Writers: How Should You Blog?


Have a schedule

When you’re working on a novel, your editor expects you to complete the manuscript within a given period of time. Blogging is not much different in that aspect. Your regular readers want to get something on your blog in proper intervals. Most of them want to fit their favorite bloggers into a routine, so they expect you to respect their reading schedule.

Before you commit yourself to this project, think about it: how many articles can you write on weekly basis? If you can find the time for one great article, that will be perfectly fine. On the other hand, you can also write short daily posts. It all depends on the time and capacity you have. Once you find the perfect posting system, stick to it! Don’t leave your blog unattended for months, since your regular audience will forget it existed.

Consider your blog as a marketing tool

As most other authors, you are probably reserved when it comes to promoting your own work. You shouldn’t be. There is nothing shameful in talking about your work, sharing fragments of the latest novel, and asking your readers to tell you what they think about it. Your blog is the perfect space for sharing information about the progress you are making, as well as the launching dates and promotions. Invite your readers to get the book as soon as possible, so they can offer their feedback in the comments.

You can also post links to websites that sell your work, so everyone will be able to find the books as soon as they get interested in them.

Connect with the readers!

If you are a published author, you’ll get lots of comments under the posts you publish. When your readers are willing to explain their impressions on the books they read, don’t ignore them! Engage in a discussion, ask about their opinion and take it into consideration. Constructive criticism can only turn you into a better writer.

Of course, you don’t have to make everything about your work. Be flexible! For example, you can write a post on a current event that’s filling the news. Express your arguments and ask what your readers think. These activities won’t take much of your time, but they will enable you to connect with your target audience on a deeper level. Imagine how you always wanted to get noticed by someone you admired. Your fans would be thrilled to get your response on their comments!

Feature visual content!

You can attract a greater audience if you offer something more than text. Have you seen Paulo Coelho’s blog? He managed to understand what his readers are attracted to, so the site is full of images with short words of wisdom (so-called e-Cards). Don’t underestimate the power of this type content; it gets lots of shares on social media. More shares bring you more readers, and the cycle goes on.

Let’s talk about attention span: most blog readers aren’t particularly impressive in that aspect. If you want to attract a greater audience, you should offer relaxed content that would get tons of attention on Facebook and Twitter. That doesn’t mean you cannot feature lengthy articles that expose the way you understand life; just break them with lighter, visually-intriguing content.

Write funny, concise articles!

Your blog is not a place where you can allow your eloquence to explode. Most people will scan through the page to decide if your article is worth reading. If they get the impression that it would take a lot of time and effort to go through it, they will bounce off with the speed of light.

If you really need to cover a complex topic, the best solution would be to break it into few shorter posts. The reader will easily go through a relatively short and clearly written blog post, and he’ll be ready to come back for more. This is a double win: you don’t make a compromise regarding the topics you want to cover, and you intrigue your readers to see what else you have to say.

Show your personality

When someone reads your novel, he is trying to understand the characters and realize where their attitude is coming from. When a reader spends time on your blog, he wants to know as much as possible about you. No one says you need to share all your personal struggles and childhood traumas. That would be lame. You are a writer; think of a way to infuse that experience into posts that show your true colors without being too revealing.

When someone reads your blog, he forms an impression of your character. As a result, he is able to understand your books better. Everyone blogs nowadays. The question is: what makes you different? Show your uniqueness and your readers will be happy.

Promote the blog!

Blog promotion does take a lot of time, but it’s a crucial factor for success. If you just write the posts, they will just sit there with no effect. Blogging goes hand-in-hand with social media activity. Post links to your new posts and remind your fans to read previous publications. Connect with them and ask for their opinions. Be patient; the base of readers will increase as time goes by.

When you share a link to your post on your social media profiles, many friends, followers and fans will share it further, so you’ll achieve greater visibility with minimal effort. Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Instagram, and similar websites work to your advantage.

Try to attract publishers

We already talked about the contributions established authors make to the blogosphere. However, they are not the only ones with potential to develop successful blogs. If you are an aspiring author who is still waiting for a great chance, blogging is a perfect way to make yourself more attractive to publishers. Do your best to write engaging content on a regular basis. Stay persistent with your schedule and work on attracting more blog comments.

Your blog will work like a portfolio that you can show to potential editors. Who knows; maybe the opportunities will come to you when your wisdom is available online. When potential publishers see that there are people who like reading your work, they will be interested in publishing it.

Linda Craig has a master’s degree in literature and enjoys modern art. She is currently working at assignment writing service Assignmentmasters as a freelance blogger.  

 

 

If you need a hand with anything, you can hire Linda to help you out, or you can hire me! We both offer freelance writing services!

I also offer blogging services (including blog maintenance) through my business, Wording Well, and so can help you when you need to spend YOUR time writing instead of blogging!

For a complete list of services, visit this link!

 

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I’m Back!!!

Hey everyone, I’m back from my summer vacation!

I didn’t really go anywhere, but I did take a much-need break from my laptop.

I also found out I have a new health issue. Geez. What else is going to go wrong?

In fact, I have so much to tell you that I’m not going to repeat myself here. Instead, I want to direct you to a blog post I wrote for my other site. It reveals everything!

Please read it, and comment wherever you want…

Here is the post: Some Life Updates and Info about Freelancing from #freelancewriter Lorraine Reguly

Talk to you soon!

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A Life Update and a Summer Break

It’s official. Summer is here. Where I live, it only lasts about three months. The rest of the time, it’s pretty much cold and dreary.

So… I’m writing this today to let you all know that I’m taking a bit of a summer break from blogging but will be available if my services are needed (I have a hard time turning down work!).

I offer four services:

writing services
editing services
coaching/consulting services
author assistant services

I have been doing a lot of reading but have yet to write my reviews, so those posts are coming… in the fall!

My Health and My Phone

Since I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism, I’ve been on medication, and it’s starting to finally kick in. I have also started making some changes in my life, to both my diet and my physical activity level.

I recently got rid of my old pay-as-you-go cell phone and got a smartphone. Aside from getting addicted to playing some games, I’m finding it super-useful. Upon my son’s advice, I downloaded an app called My Fitness Pal and have been using it to help me make my lifestyle changes and improvements. Thank goodness I have a son who cares so much about me!

He even got me walking on a daily basis.

Sammi’s Health

The bad news, however, is that Sammi (my 3-year-old niece) has to have one of her eyes removed. That will be happening next month, in July 2015. Currently, she just finished her second of six rounds of chemotherapy, which is causing her to vomit, lose her hair, have fevers, and, in general, feel ill and achy.

The poor girl. Here is a picture of her before she began her chemo:

 

Here is a picture of her afterwards:

The change is so dramatic…

Sam Did the Relay for Life… AGAIN!

I’ve blogged about Sam on occasion on both of my sites, so it should not come as a surprise that I’m doing so again.

I can’t help it. I am just so darn proud of her.

Each year since she was born, Sammi participated in the Relay for Life fundraisers for cancer research. I have taken videos of her in the past when I attended, but I didn’t go this year. She did, though, because she’s a little trooper! Here she is in the 2015 Relay For Life (she’s the youngest one there!):

Here are a few more pics of Sammi (taken from my sister’s Facebook page):

My Writing Plans

I’m also planning on doing some writing of my own this summer. I’ve not been working on Letters to Julian (I’ve been too busy), but I wanted to release it in 2015, so if I’m going to meet this goal, I had better get moving on this.

I also had an idea for another book, one that will help those who are suicidal. Google sends many people my way each day for the post I Want to Kill Myself – What Should I do? and I figure that I can not only help others, but maybe make a few bucks off that book, too. Win-win!!!

So those are my plans for the next couple of months.

I’ll miss you, but I will be back before you know it…

Oh, and if you want to help Sammi reach her goal, you can donate to Sammi’s cancer fundraising page by clicking this link. (Click the Donate to Samantha link to be brought to the donation page.)

Enjoy your summer everyone!

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Brownies To Die For

A few weeks ago, my mom made the best brownies that I had ever tasted!

Who knew that the secret ingredient in one of the most delicious recipes for brownies that I have ever tried would be pumpkin? Certainly not I! But my mom did!

When I asked her about the recipe she used, she told me that she adapted it from a recipe that appeared in the July 1st, 2013, issue of Woman’s World magazine, Death-By-Chocolate Brownies. (She loves that magazine.)

I was thrilled to hear this, and so I created “my own” recipe.  The result of my efforts is this recipe, Brownies To Die For!

This brownie recipe is a simple recipe.

This brownie recipe is also one that you can share, since this version makes a total of four pans of delicious, delectable treats.

If you have a large family and/or great neighbours and want to show them that you care or appreciate them, make this recipe and give them a pan. They’ll love you and be forever grateful!

You can also bring a pan into the office, and share them with your co-workers, or present your boss with a pan to bring home to his/her family, or share it with his/her friends.

However, they are so good that you just might want to eat them all yourself! They are, after all, Brownies To Die For!

Pumpkin

To Make Brownies To Die For, all you need is:

3 boxes of devil’s food cake mix

2 cans (796 ml) pure pumpkin

1 cup of chocolate chips (you can use butterscotch chips if you want)

2 containers of chocolate frosting (450 grams each)

one individual chocolate pudding snack (optional)

2 tablespoons of chocolate or butterscotch syrup (optional)

What to do:

Preheat your oven to 400ºF.

In a large bowl, using an electric mixer set to low, combine the pumpkin and the cake mix for one minute. Set the mixer to medium and continue mixing for another minute, or until no dry cake particles remain. (Use a spatula to scrape the mixture away from the sides of the bowl to check.)

Add the chocolate chips and stir them into your batter with a spoon.

Using a non-stick cooking spray, grease four 8-by-12-inch aluminum pans . (You can buy the pans in 2-packs from your local dollar store!)

Spread the mixture evenly throughout, and bake for 25 minutes. Note: Since oven temperatures vary, you should check them at the 20-minute mark, because you don’t want them to burn! Basically, you want to bake them until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out mostly clean!

While the brownies are baking, if you have chosen the option of using a pudding snack, mix the pudding snack with the frosting. If you want, you can add one or two tablespoons of either chocolate or butterscotch syrup to this mixture, too. Refrigerate it once it is mixed so that it can set a bit. When your brownies have cooled, use it to frost them.

For this recipe, I mixed chocolate frosting with cream cheese frosting. Then I topped one of the pans of brownies with strawberries. Mmm!

 

 

But don’t stop there! You can make your brownies even tastier!

Your other options:

If you like homemade brownies, you can use homemade brownie mix in place of the store-bought mix.

If you like white chocolate chips or butterscotch chips, you can use them in place of the dark chocolate chips.

You can also use vanilla, cream cheese, or another kind of frosting in place of the chocolate frosting. Or you can combine two different flavours!

This time, I used chocolate and cream cheese frosting, mixed with a banana pudding snack. YUM is all I can say! Don’t underestimate your creativity. Try different combinations each time you make this recipe. You’ll still get Brownies To Die For, since your basic brownie mixture will remain the same!

You can also use vanilla or butterscotch pudding in place of the chocolate pudding. If you want to be extra-daring, you can even use tapioca or banana pudding. Nowadays, many different types of pudding snacks are made, and often include a combination of two different flavours. Use whichever flavour you prefer!

Even more options:

You can also add some chopped walnuts (1 cup at the most) to your brownies – either in the batter or once the brownies have been frosted.

If you like coconut, you can sprinkle some on top of your brownies and/or add freshly sliced strawberries (or another fruit).

For an extra-sweet taste, you might want to add a dollop of whipping cream to your brownies.

You can also decorate your brownies with some mini M&Ms.

Another option is to serve your brownies with ice cream – using your favourite flavour, of course.

As you can see, the possibilities for customizing your brownies are endless!

Final thought:

As you can see, this recipe can be tailored to suit your personal preferences. I like versatility in a recipe, because we all have different tastes. However you choose to adapt it, you’ll still create brownies that are delectably delicious!

Some might even say that these brownies are to die for.

And they are the perfect treat to eat while reading a good book.

2 Podcasts With Rape Survivor and Author Provide Message: Speak Up!

It’s true. I’m opening myself up to the world. Sharing the nitty-gritty, dirty details of my life.

I’m voicing my experiences via podcasts. Telling the world I was raped, did drugs, got involved in prostitution, etc., and how I moved on by talking about my life with others.

Talking is therapeutic. Seriously, it is.

Podcasting Interviews

So far, I’ve done three. Two have been published. I don’t know what happened to the one I did with Gloria from Superwoman Success. I haven’t been able to get ahold of her. And she’s not contacted me again. Something must’ve happened to her. (I hope she’s okay!)

However, the one with David Ralph was published on Join Up Dots, and the one with Dr. Janelle was published on Authors Talk About It.

Please listen to at least one of them, and share this post, please.

The message I want to pass on is this:

Talk about what happened to you. Tell someone. It’s okay. You need to do this in order to heal. It’s important. 

Of course, I’d like people to buy my book, Risky Issues, or even hire me to perform one of the four services I offer on Wording Well.

But, more importantly, I want to help others heal.

Too many of us are in pain.

Don’t you agree?

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5 Winners to be Chosen to Win 1 Year of Access to Ninja Outreach #contest

 

Ninja Outreach has many uses for writers, freelancers, and bloggers.

It is a marketing tool that offers many features. It’s free to try for 14 days, but there are currently three contests running that offer ONE YEAR of access to Ninja Outreach.

The first one is can be found on Wording Well. TWO winners will be chosen from this site. (Yes, this site is mine. I was given a complimentary year of access to Ninja Outreach for promoting it.)

The second one can be found on MadLemmings. TWO winners will also be chosen from this site! (This is Ashley Faulkes’ site. He was also given a a complimentary year of access to Ninja Outreach for promoting it.)

The third one can be found on Magnet4Blogging. ONE winner will be chosen from this site!

Good luck to all who enter!

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Teacher-prostitute tells all in a podcast interview!

 

It’s official. My podcast interview with David Ralph is live on Join Up Dots, and I cannot believe I opened up SO MUCH to him.

In the podcast interview, I mention:

that I quit school four times
that I was raped
why I thought it was my fault (19:01)
when I sought counselling (19:27)
that I turned to drugs and prostitution
how I was pushed out of a vehicle into the pavement by one of my “clients” (at 11:53)
that I got pregnant twice and had one abortion
that I brought my rapist to court (23:33)
that I gave my son to my friend to foster for a yearv (29:51)
why I got in trouble as a teacher for smoking a cigarette (28:01)
that I quit teaching to return to prostitution because the money was better (begins at 30:52, ends at 33:07)
why I’m a stronger person after taking so many “hits” (33:13)
how my gambling addiction hurt my son and me
how and why I lost contact with my son for three years (41:52)
how I nearly died
what my big turning point was (42:12 – 47:35)
that I re-connected with my son
how re-uniting with my son changed my life
why life is not always about money (52:50)
the biggest compliment my son ever gave me (52:01)
how I became an author and entrepreneur

… and so much more, including the powerful piece of poetry that I wrote, which I recite at 103:53.

 

Sermon on the Mike Gives Good Advice

The title of the podcast interview is called LORRAINE REGULY: FROM HELL & BACK FOUR TIMES and I’d love for you to listen to it, not only to get to know me better, but also to help pass along my message, which occurs near the end of the show, at 100:07, which marks the part of the podcast where the “Sermon on the Mike” occurs.

My message is not just for my younger self, but for anyone who has been raped.

Please check it out!

Leave David a Review?

Afterwards, if you can, please leave David a reveiw on iTunes.

Comment? Sure!

I’ll be responding to all comments left, too, whether here or on the podcast page.

Talk to you soon!

How I Pass On My Message

I use my book, Risky Issues, to help pass on my motivational message.

BUY Risky Issues from Amazon or CreateSpace.

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A Quick Read: One Minute A to Z Stories

It’s official. I’ve contributed to yet another anthology!

In fact, I contributed two stories to A Quick Read: One Minute Stories from all over the World. I’ve also included them in this post, so you can see the variety that this book offers.

About A Quick Read: One Minute Stories from all over the World

This book was just released on May 2, 2015.

It began as a fun experiment on LinkedIn. A challenge was given to authors to create a complete story in twenty-six sentences — A through Z. Each sentence had to begin with a letter of the alphabet.

Wonderful stories appeared, from all over the world. With each author’s permission, Candace Simonson compiled these stories into a small, quick, easy-to-read book. What has resulted is a book easy to carry with you anywhere so that you may enjoy a “quick read” anytime.

I originally had the idea to do this, but Candace was the woman who took action! I’m so grateful to her, too, as the stories in this book are AMAZING!

A Quick Read: One Minute Stories from all over the World is available in paperback, on Kindle, Nook, or iReader at Amazon or Barnes and Noble.

The Origins of the First Contribution

Back when I first started blogging, I had a free blog on WordPress.com called Lorraine Reguly’s Life. It was a small blog that grew and grew. It eventually ended up being Wording Well.

When the creative challenge of writing an A to Z story arised on LinkedIn, I decided to tell part of my story with this blog in one of the “quick read stories.”

Here is a sample of a quick read story that I contributed to this book:

At last, I’m getting a new website for my blog. Blogging is something I have grown to love during the past year. Carol, my mother, has no idea what blogging is, but she is slowly understanding the concept, as I get her to proofread some of my longer posts.

December marked the turning point for me. Edits were made to many of my professional profiles online. Family relations have suffered too, because I’ve spent more time online than usual.

Growth on my blog has prompted me to consider moving it to a self-hosted site. Hosts have been contacted and questioned. In my attempts to select a good host, I had an affair with Google, and learned a lot! Joomla was a name I had only heard of once before, but didn’t know what it was until recently.

Knowing WordPress is kind of my thing. Lorraine Reguly’s Life is the name of my current blog, but I’m going to be re-naming it when I make the move.

Moving is scary. Never had I imagined I would move! Of course, I didn’t expect to write such popular posts, or attain a PageRank of 2 on my free little blog. People now land on my site each day, by the hundreds. Really! Statistics prove it!

Too bad I didn’t make this decision sooner; I regret it. Usually I have the foresight to make good decisions faster than this!

Victory will be mine soon, though. What is weird is how one particular post has hit the number one slot in Google and has stayed there, providing me with excellent exposure.

X-ray vision is not something I have, otherwise I would have moved to my own site long ago, utilizing the opportunity to grow my PageRank faster. Yesterday I checked my Alexa rank and was pleased to see over 400 sites linking into my blog.

Zero is probably where my PageRank will start at when I move, but that’s okay with me, as my posts will remain in the number one slot in the search engines, and people will continue to link to my site wherever it’s located, enabling me to grow my PageRank again.

Check out these QUICK READ stories!
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A Second Contribution of a Quick Read Story

I also contributed another story, too, called Child’s Play, which serves to show the variety of the stories in A Quick Read: One Minute Stories from all over the World:

Always the entertainer, I had to laugh at my nephew, Bobby. Bobby was hilarious. Crouched on a chair, he was babbling to his sister, Tammy, in a language all their own.

Down below, Tammy hid beneath the tablecloth. Everyone knew she was there. Fooling no one, Tammy giggled in response to Bobby. Granted, she was cute no matter what, but she was being particularly cute today. Having had celebrated her second birthday yesterday, she was still wearing her hat.

Instead of trying to speak, Tammy simply babbled back. Jumping up, she revealed her whereabouts by yelling, “Boo!”

Kangaroo-like, she started to hop around the dining room. Laughing, Gran sat and watched the children’s antics. Maybe Tammy looked more like a frog than a kangaroo, it’s hard to say. Naturally, Tammy didn’t care what she looked like; she was having fun. Often she acted silly— that’s what two-year-olds do!

Party hat tilted sideways atop her blond curls, Tammy nearly knocked Gran over, misjudging the distance of her last jump.

Quickly, Gran righted herself, chuckling at the tot’s behavior.

“Ribbit! Ribbit!” Bobby said, jumping and joining his sister on the floor.

Starting to hop across the room with Tammy, Bobby suddenly cocked his head.

“Try to get me, Tammy,” he shouted, continuing to hop around and Tammy gave chase to her five-year-old brother. Under the table they went.

Vying for attention, Tammy mimicked him with a “Ribbit!” of her own until Bobby spotted a toy and asked Gran to remind him of its name.

“What’s this called, Gran?” he queried.

“Xylophone,” she said, enunciating each syllable.

“Yes!” Bobby repeated. “Zy-lo-phone!” he shouted, pride lacing his voice.

Again, A Quick Read: One Minute Stories from all over the World is available in paperback, on Kindle, Nook, or iReader at Amazon or Barnes and Noble.

Check out these QUICK READ stories!
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Get Recognition for Commenting

I recently installed a new plugin on this site. It’s called My Comment Authors, and it’s FREE.

It was developed by Enstine Muki, a talented blogger I know. What it does is reward all the people who leave comments for me. It generates a list of commenters, counts how many comments each commenter has made, and then allows me to publish a post that thanks my commenters. The best thing is that it also will link to your site, earning you those much-needed backlinks that are so hard to get!

I’m excited to test this plugin for myself; I know many people who use it already.

In fact, here is one blog post that a blogger named Nanda wrote. I left two comments in the last month, and was rewarded with a link to my business site, Wording Well, in it.

I’ve been mentioned in many other posts, too, such as this one on Aha!NOW, as well as this one, where I am mentioned FIRST.

Of course, I left 58 comments (yeah, count ’em, 58!) on Harleena’s blog when I guest posted on her blog in September of 2014.