%%USERNAME%%    %%ACCWORDS%% %%ONOFF%% |
 |  Life, Adventure, Family, Writing what else is there? Random thoughts. |
|
WELCOME TO: GEMINI RISING   UPDATED INTRO 28 MAY 2024: Just a little about me. I've been married for 32 years this past NOV and currently live in Southern California, but I grew up in New Hampshire. I've got 2 boys who are young adults. I work as a 911 dispatcher for LAPD. I enjoy my job a lot. Still. If you can believe that. I love to write. Thankfully both of my boys achieved Eagle Scout. My Scouting days are over and I'm back to focusing on my writing. I like to get out in nature, drink coffee and watch football. Here's a little bio about my zodiac. GEMINI: Gemini, the sign of the Twins, is dual-natured, elusive, complex and contradictory. On the one hand it produces the virtue of versatility, and on the other the vices of two-facedness and flightiness. The sign is linked with Mercury, the planet of childhood and youth, and its subjects tend to have the graces and faults of the young. When they are good, they are very attractive; when they are bad they are more the worse for being the charmers they are. Like children they are lively, and happy, if circumstances are right for them, or egocentric, imaginative and restless. Their good qualities are attractive and come easily to them. They are affectionate, courteous, kind, generous, and thoughtful towards the poor and suffering - provided none of the activities resulting from expressing these traits interferes too greatly with their own lives and comforts. Geminians can be successful in many walks of life though their general characteristics tend to make them unreliable. They are often skilled manipulators of language, in speech and writing, and may be: debaters, diplomats (though in politics they are more interested in theory than practice), orators, preachers (brilliant rather than profound), teachers, authors, poets, journalists, or lawyers. This is me. I am a Gemini. Pure, Raw, passionate. The NEW focus of this blog is to share my adventures, travels, random thoughts, book reviews, thoughts, opinions, and writing adventures from actual writing, writing/editing tips, marketing, research. I'll get there.  Find me at: WEBSITE: http://www.stephanieburkhart.com FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/StephanieBurkhartAuthor GOOD READS: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4031660.Stephanie_Burkhart YOU TUBE CHANNEL: http://www.youtube.com/user/botrina?feature=mhee Previous GRATITIOUS Warning, that I decided to keep in case I post about something that might offend.  WARNING I intend to be open, honest, and forthright. No topic is off limits from religion to you name it, I'm going there. If you think you might be offended...back up now - this blog isn't for you. For those who "dare"  check out the "Gemini Rising..." |
| Game of Thrones Musings #1 Just how many of those fire breathing Targaryens are there anyway? References: NOVEL: "The World of Ice and Fire; The Untold History of Westeros and The Games Thrones," by George RR Martin, Elio M. Garcia, Jr., and Linda Antonsson, Bantam Books, ISBN: 978-0-553-80544-4, Year published: 2014. INTERNET: http://gameofthrones.wikia.com/wiki/House_Targaryen INTRODUCTION My husband told me about Game of Thrones around the time it was announced the series had just started filming for HBO. He said I would love it. It was "soap opera-y," (and I enjoyed a good soap opera when I was a young girl) and no topic was off limits. There was incest, violence, and dragons. I said okay and waited for S1 to come out. Curious, I turned on TV watched the 1st ever episode when it came out and sure enough, I was hooked. Since, I have read the 1st 3 books in the series, Game of Thrones, Clash of Kings, and Storm of Swords. My favorite character in this series, without hesitation is Daenerys, and I knew right away we were on a journey with her. In Episode 1, we were seeing her at a point in her life when she was young and embarking on her destiny. What was going to come was to shape her life for better or worse. And I wanted a to have a horse in Daenerys' khalasar. ICE AND FIRE -- OBSERVATIONS Immediately what caught my attention was the "ice and fire" contrast. Like "black and white," "ice and fire" in this story represent good and evil. And obviously, the Targaryens and their dragons represent "fire." Fire is light. Light is white. White is good. Mind you, not all Targaryens are good. They're human with human flaws, (and I would say due to their incest) but they do have traits, if mastered, would make them harbingers of "fire." So what do we know about the Targaryens? OF DRAGONS AND TARGARYENS: According to "The World of Fire and Ice, and Untold History of Westros and Game of Thrones," (full reference is listed above) The Targaryens were just one of many dragonlord families who lived in Valyria on the western half of Essos. The Valyrians established a westernmost outpost called "Dragonstone" 200 years before the "Doom." The Targaryens were of pure Valyrian blood and possessed an ancient lineage. 12 years before the Doom, Aenar Targaryen sold his holdings and moved his family to Dragonstone. Thus, the Targaryens were the ONLY dragonlords to escape the "Doom." Page: 33 : "It had long been the custom amongst the dragonlords of Valyria to wed brother to sister to keep the bloodline pure." Per Game of Thrones Wiki: Generations of inbreeding have preserved in the Targaryen bloodline, the classic Valyarian features of silver white hair and pale, white skin. This inbreeding retained the ability to successfully bond and ride with the dragons. Targaryens are tolerant of extreme heat and high temperatures. "Half the Targaryens went mad, didn't they? What's the saying? Every time a Targaryen is born, the gods flip a coin?" - Cersei Lannister. (Side note: And we've seen good and bad, the "mad" king Aerys, Viserys, the Begger King, Rhaegar, the noble older brother, and Daenerys.) Jorah Mormont , in service to Daenerys once told her she was more like her brother "Rhaegar" (good Targaryen) then her brother, Viserys. (bad Targaryen) THE "MAD" KING AERYS This Targaryen is Daenerys' father. According to "The Untold History," Aerys inherited the Throne when he was 18. His wife and sister, Rhaella, quickly had their first son, Rhaegar. Upon coming to the throne, Aerys named Tywin Lannister his "Hand." Aerys and Tywin had known each other since they were children and were good friends. As Aerys grew older and his reign longer, he grew increasingly "erratic." Tywin Lannister married his cousin, Joanna Lannister after being "Hand" for a year. She served as a lady-in-waiting to Queen Rhaella. Tywin and Joanna knew each other since they were children. He adored her. Page 225 of "The Untold History:" "Sadly, the the marriage between Aerys Targaryen and his sister, Rhaella, was not as happy, and she turned a blind eye to most of the king's infidelities, though the queen did not approve of his "turning my ladies into his whores" (Joanna Lannister was not the first lady to be dismissed abruptly from Her Grace's service, nor was she the last). Over the course of 13 years, the Queen miscarried or had stillborn children. Page 225 from "The Untold History:" "It has been reliably reported, however, that King Aerys took unwonted liberties with Lady Joanna's person during her bedding ceremony, to Tywin's displeasure. " Not long thereafter, she was dismissed from the Queen's service. Joanna Lannister gave birth to twins - a boy and girl. It is widely speculated that Tyrion is the product of an "affair" between Aerys and Joanna, as Aerys long lusted after Tywin's wife. Aerys, Tyrion and Joanna attended the Anniversary Tourney in 272 and Tyrion was born in 273. According to "The Untold History," eventually Aerys gives up his mistresses and vows to be true to his Queen. When he does this, Viserys and Daenerys are born to him and Rhaella. WHO'S YOUR BROTHER? OR NEPHEW? OR SISTER? Without a doubt Daenerys is a Targaryen. Jon Snow is Daenerys' nephew, the son of her older brother, Rhaegar, and Lyanna Stark, making him a Targaryen. (That's a whole other musing) Tyrion Lannister just might be a Targaryen, born out of an "affair" between Aerys and Joanna Lannister. In the books, his appearance is more "Targaryen" with almost white-blonde hair and mistmatched eyes So let's hear your musings: Is Tyrion a Targaryen? |
 Thought I'd share a book review with you from a book I recent read. Enjoy! I'm a big Rick Riordan fan and I love reading his creative stories. Book Review for: The Sword of Summer (Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard) Written by: Rick Riordan Published by: Disney/Hyperion ISNB: 978-148476035-2 4.5 Stars I read: the hardback An incredible escape to another world! Riordan pens an enthralling new adventure involving the Gods of Asgard with “The Sword of Summer.” Our hero is Magnus Chase. After retrieving the sword of Summer from the Charles River, he’s promptly killed by Surt, the fire god. Thankfully, a Valkyrie named Sam, saves him and takes him to Valhalla where he becomes one of Odin’s soldiers known as the Einherjar. Trouble is not far behind. Sam is expelled from the Valkyrie, and Magnus must re-find the Sword of Summer. Complicating matters is Fenris Wolf who is rumored to bring about Ragnarok in 9 days. Can Magnus and his friends, Sam, Blitz, and Hearth find the sword and save the 9 worlds from Ragnarok? Riordan’s writing style is easy to read and engages the reader. His characters are likable and endearing. Magnus is brave in the face of danger, and loyal to his friends. There are plenty of villains who bring out the humanity of Magnus and his friends. The plot is fast paced, keeping young readers turning the pages. The best character of the book is Sumarbrander – the Sword of Summer – who has a personality all his own. Overall, “The Sword of Summer,” is a story with great characters, great action, and great appeal. The ending is satisfying and leaves the reader wanting to find out more about Magnus and his friends. I recommend this book for 10 years and older. A breathtaking read that will resonate long after the reader has finished. |
| Today I thought I'd share some adventures with you from my vacation at Jedidiah Smith State Park. This state park is home to Redwoods trees. It's about 3 miles outside of Crescent City, CA. Crescent City is on the border between CA and Oregon. It's also on the coast of California. The climate is moderate, not to hot, not too cool. The majority of days start off with a marine layer that burns off as day go. The climate is perfect for the growth of Redwood Forests. We went ahead and pitched out tent. We use cots to sleep on. Personally, I find cots better to sleep on than using an air mattress. They may be a bit more bulkier to transport, but for me it's worth it. We went in mid June this year, and it was a bit on the cooler side. Temps were in the 50's and 60's, so we always wearing a sweatjacket and pants. My son Joe earned his Redwoods his Jr. Ranger. They gave him a pin that he wore everywhere he went! We took a hike to "Boy Scout Tree." Boy Scout Tree is a Huge Redwood. Actually it's 2 redwoods who fused together. It's a 3 mile hike out to the tree and 3 miles back. It's called Boy Scout tree because it was the boy scouts who discovered the tree in the 1940's when they were doing trail maintenance. Our campsite was nice. A huge redwood log that fell down is on the left. What I really liked about this campground is that you were surrounded by redwoods. It gave you a sense of privacy that we didn't have in other camps. The bathrooms were flush tiolets and they had coin showers. The part itself was well kept up. Crescent City has a lighthouse. It's called Battery Point. You can only access it during low tide. When high tide comes in, it fills up the middle and cuts off the island from the main land. It's a good 12 hour drive so it takes us 2 days to get there. Crescent City has a walmart, a movie theatre and plenty of places to eat if you need something. We took several hikes when we visited, the best hike being out to Boy Scout Tree. There is a river nearby, but since it was so cold, we didn't go in. If you'd like to see pictures please visit my blog, Romance Under the Moonlight at: http://sgcardin.blogspot.com Enjoy this 99 cent sweet summer read: Arrow Through The Heart: Buy it now before it leaves at the end of August. BLURB: Summer vacation and the Fourth of July brings Ella to New Hampshire while participating in a tennis competition. Logan is an innkeeper's son who bumps into Ella and invites her for an ice cream. Attraction flares and they enjoy spending time together, but each has their own plans for their life. Then disaster strikes Ella. Can a summer attraction truly become a lasting relationship? AMAZON BUY LINK: https://www.amazon.com/Arrow-Through-Heart-Stephanie-Burkhart-ebook/dp/B00TJH0UT... |
Time to share some Christmas in July love. Check out my 1.99 ebook novella : The Faberge Secret  BLURB: Elise Goodwin finds herself faced with danger when she learns the Faberge egg she's bought belongs to a Russian mogul, Dimitri Romanov, but is Dimitri playing a game with Elise's heart to get his heirloom back? Elise Goodwin runs a heritage museum in Brattleboro, Vermont. She travels to Boston to buy some items for her museum at Sotheby's auction. What she acquires is a delicious surprise that would excite any curator – a Faberge egg. Enter Russian businessman Dimitri Romanov. He goes to the auction with the intent of buying the egg only to discover that Elise is in possession of it. His dilemma? He's attracted to the petite brunette with doe-like eyes and a trusting disposition. REVIEWS: 5 STARS, Celia Yeary, Author You will thoroughly enjoy this fast-paced tale of danger, a mystery, and a satisfying conclusion.Elise and Dimitri make sparks fly! Sue Perkins, Author The Faberge Secret exceeded my expectations. Definitely worth reading more than once. It is such a good book. 5 Hearts, Sizzling Hot Book Reviews As the love story thicken, the suspense heightens and it won't let your eyes leave the page. I recommend The Faberge Secret to all of the romance readers. Even if you have never read romance, The Faberge Secret would be a great place to start. 4 Stars, Manic Readers "A satisifying read." 4 Stars, Night Owl Book Reviews The Faberge Secret is a fast paced, delightful adventure with plenty of love and adventure sprinkled in for spice. 3.5 Stars, Long & Short Reviews "All this suspense had me flying through the pages so quickly I was able to read the book in one sitting." BOOK TRAILER: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nf5ujOoDRXs ENJOY THIS EXCERPT: Brattleboro, VT, setting for the Faberge Secret She bit her lower lip. If she didn't take a chance now, would her life be filled with what- ifs and regrets? Yes, John had hurt her, but she was still alive. Dare she believe in romance again? Dimitri paused next to her room, beside the door. "If you have the time..." she began, knowing it was now or never. "And if you don't have to go back to Russia right away, I'd be honored to have you share Christmas with my family." "I'd be happy to." His gaze was as soft as a caress. He reached out and tucked a stray tendril of hair behind her ear. Then slowly, he curved his hand around the nape of her neck and moved closer so there was no space between them. Their lips skirted each other's, teasing, tempting... until Dimitri's mouth finally captured hers in a drugging kiss. His lips were firm and persuasive. He smelled of soap and sandalwood. Something intense flared within her, and she fisted her hands around the lapels of his coat. Her body betrayed her desire. His erection pressed against her thigh. All of a sudden, an all-crushing fear consumed her. He was hard for her. It was too soon, too fast. She broke the kiss and pushed him away. "Elise--" Dimitri began. "Umph!" Elise's heart jumped. She swung around and looked at the door. It stood ajar. "Lucy!" Elise forgot all about Dimitri's kiss and rushed inside with him right behind her. Concern spiked within her the second she saw Lucy. Her friend's hands and feet were tied to a chair, and a gag was in her mouth. The room had been trashed. Their suitcases had been turned over; their clothes and books tossed haphazardly about. Fear knotted inside Elise. She rushed to the chair and took off Lucy's gag. Dimitri untied the knots at Lucy's feet, concern for her friend evident in his eyes. Elise was thrilled that Dimitri had helped her with no hesitation or reservations. "What happened?" Elise asked. "Who did this?" "They were looking for the egg," Lucy said. She glanced at Dimitri, but instead of her earlier resistance to him, gratefulness filled her gaze. Dimitri froze and glanced up, his stare drilling into Elise. "Egg? A Faberge egg?" Elise loosened one of the ropes around Lucy's hand and looked at Dimitri, perplexed. "What do you know about Faberge eggs?" He muttered something in Russian, finished untying the knot around Lucy's other ankle, and stood, straightening his shoulders. "That's what I lost. What I've been looking for -- my Faberge egg." BUY LINKS: AMAZON KINDLE: http://www.amazon.com/The-Faberge-Secret-ebook/dp/B006LTE2ZS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&... B&N NOOK: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-faberge-secret-stephanie-burkhart/1105070465... PUBLISHER'S LINK: http://stores.desertbreezepublishing.com/-strse-236/The-Faberge-Secret-Stephanie... FIND ME ON THE WEB AT: WEBSITE: http://www.stephanieburkhart.com TWITTER: http://twitter.com/StephBurkhart FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/StephanieBurkhartAuthor GOOD READS: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4031660.Stephanie_Burkhart YOU TUBE CHANNEL: http://www.youtube.com/user/botrina?feature=mhee PINTEREST: http://pinterest.com/sgburkhart/    |
| Book Review for: Killing the Rising Sun Written by: Bill O’Reilly and Martin Dugard Published by: Henry Holt ISBN: 978-1627790635 I read: the ebook 4 Stars Recommended for: 12 years and older, history lovers Engrossing! O’Reilly and Dugard pen an engaging novel about the end of World War II in the Pacific with “Killing the Rising Sun.” The Japanese are resilient, courageous, and willing to fight to their last breath to win World War II. However, in the early months of 1945, it becomes apparent that the Japanese cannot win the war. Determined, they will defend every bit of land they possess. Under orders from FDR, the Americans strive to build the atomic bomb. Known as “The Manhattan Project,” this devastating weapon might be the only leverage to get Japan to agree to unconditional surrender. O’Reilly and Dugard’s writing style is easy to read. They relate the personal stories of not only the major players including FDR, Truman, and Douglas McArthur, but also the soldiers who fought for freedom. Historical facts, long forgotten, will surprise the reader. The title, “Killing the Rising Sun,” is symbolic in that Japan as a country, known as the ‘rising sun’ had to be defeated in order to be reborn again as the nation it is today. O’Reilly and Dugard deliver another fascinating read in their “killing” series. The facts will keep readers turning the pages. Engaging, engrossing, and suspenseful, this one “killing” that will resonate long after it’s finished. PERSONAL COMMENT : While I am NOT a fan of Bill O'Reilly's, I have enjoyed his "killing" series. What's been your favorite "killing" book to date? |
| Popping in for a bit to share some adventures from the Strawberry Festival. It was held back in May, I want to say 20-21, but it's always the 3rd weekend of May. It's been a while, but I love to go every year. It's held in Oxnard, CA and every year the event keeps getting bigger. I remember the first year I went, (I want to say around 2004? 2005?) the arts and crafts were held on the grass at Oxnard College but now they shut down the adjacent street and hold the arts and crafts there. My, how things have changed! This weekend the weather was great. It wasn't too hot, but then we went after work. We got there around 430 pm and closed the place down at 6. Tip: Go later on in the day. It wasn't as crowded during this time as it usually is, (as we've gone earlier in the past) and it was a lot cooler. There are a ton of food booths. Of course, I'm a sucker for the garlic fries, but we got calamari and I split a Philly cheese steak with Andrew. Joe is picky so I'm sure we got him chicken nuggets. They also sell Strawberry nachos, Strawberry beer, and Strawberry tacos. One of the first things we do when we get to the festival is buy Smoothies. Then we walked through the arts and craft area. Andrew and I picked up some fufu olive oils. After that we went to get something to eat. Joe went and jumped on the jumpers while Andrew and I ate. One of the last things we do is buy chocolate strawberries, a poster, and a box of Strawberries. Every year the strawberries are always fresh and tasty. You never get a bad strawberry at the festival. They have shortcake making contests, too but never manage to find the time to go. Unfortunately, due to time, I missed visiting "Strawberry Shortcake" this year. Sorry I'm late sharing my Strawberry adventures. If you'd up for a little Christmas in July check out my Christmas story, Mr. Christmas Elf. (I have a short here on WDC that inspired this 99 cent published short.) It will be going away at the end of August. Now is the time to get it!  BLURB: Jules' Christmas list is looking pretty pathetic. She needs a new muffler for her car and a hundred dollars for her root canal. Her niece is asking for an iPad, but all Jules can afford is a Barbie doll. The peppermint on the top? Her boyfriend dumps her in a text message. Jules could use a little Christmas magic, so when Elvis pops up claiming that he was sent by Santa to fill her Christmas list, all she has to do is believe – in the magic the season has to offer. AMAZON BUY LINK: http://a.co/3usLDDt  If you'd like to see this post with pictures you can visit my Romance Under the Moonlight Blog at: http://sgcardin.blogspot.com |
| While I enjoy blogging, it's been incredibly frustrating these past couple of months/years to find the time to blog. I'm a very busy girl in real life. I work as a 911 dispatcher for LAPD, and I'm big into Scouting. I have 2 boys, 15 and 10, and I'm the Cubmaster of their old cub pack. When I'm not doing either of those things, I'm doing housework or sleeping. It's been really hard for me to find time to write and I have 2 short stories I'm working on. As a side note, Victory Tales Press, the publisher for my 99 cent stories is going out of business. All stories are coming down as of 1 SEP. The stories have been well received and I need to FIND THE TIME to work the publisher to get my rights and self publish. Another challenge. GRATUITOUS PLUG: If you like short story romance, sweet and some mainstream, now is the time to buy!! You can find my stories on Amazon, B&N, Smashwords and Kobo from now until 31 AUG: NIGHT OF MAGIC JOURNEY OF THE HEART ARROW THROUGH THE HEART MR CHRISTMAS ELF FEAST OF CANDLES CHRISTMAS IN BAYEUX. BUY NOW!!   ********** So I co-host the
  who is absolutely the BEST in the world and we just judged the Bard's Hall Contest. I have always loved judging the Blog contest, but it is a bit more time involved than regular entries because you have to go through the blogs and spend some time with them. You have to show them some love if you're a judge. Visiting these blogs reminded me how much I've always loved blogging and I said, "Steph, I gotta back to that."******* So I visited my blog and decided to show it some love. I think I need to start with updating my INTRODUCTION. It's an introduction, it's got a graphic, and I'd like to think it sets tone/mood/theme, but I've changed over the years and I need to switch up my Introduction. I'll be working on that in the upcoming days. The title won't change, because I'm still a Gemini and us Gemini are busy multi-tasking bee's but, I'll working on softening things up a little. ****** Also, I just got back from VACAY for 4 weeks and I was CAMPING. I've been to the Redwoods, Tahoe, Sequoias, and Boy Scout camp. I also caught up on my reading, which I was happy to do. MY CAMPING READING LIST: The Sword of Summer by Rick Riordan When you give a Duke a Diamond by Shana Galen Smokin 17 by Janet Evanovich Explosive 18 by Janet Evanovich. It felt good to a read a ROMANCE again! ********* Okay, so I hope to update my blog in the next couple of days and share my camping adventures with you, my son's scouting adventures, heck even my scouting adventures, and hopefully, if I get a chance to write something, that too. to all!Steph B |
| Okay, it's been a while since I wrote. I admit it, I've been wicked busy!! I'm trying to catch up with things and thankfully I have a few minutes. I'll try to tackle the fun stuff, but I promise the order won't make any sense. BIRTHDAY I celebrated another birthday on 6 JUN. And I'm not afraid to admit it: I'm 49. Even though I worked, my co-workers showered me with birthday love. I celebrated with a trip to Kabuki and last night I saw Wonder Woman - AWESOME MOVIE and then dinner at Buca diBeppo. VACATION So, I work as a 911 dispatcher for LAPD. It's an okay job. I don't dislike it, but dealing with the callers can be mentally draining. All I can say is please only call 911 if you have a real emergency. Everything else you can call the non emergency line in your area. Anyhoo...looking forward to vacation. It starts on 11 JUN. My husband has planned for us to go camping all over California. 1st stop is Jedadiah Smith State Park near Crescent City to see the Redwoods. We'll be there for a week and then we're off to Tahoe for a week and then the Sierra's for a week. I think we'll be home around the 1st of July. 6-9 JUL I'll be a boy scout camp with my young son. My older son is going to Camp Emerald Bay on Catalina Island to be a counselor in training. It will be a great experience for him and I'll definitely miss him. My older son is my mini-me. We went to Jedadiah Smith park last year. They have a ton of redwoods there. It's a nice place to visit. READING Just finished "The Handmaid's Tale." -- Good characterization, a bit skimpy on the world building, but disturbing to consider. Currently working on Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard book 1. I have a ton of book reviews to drop. I managed to post reviews for The Lost Oracle which is by Rick Riodrian, but I have 3 more to do. SCOUTING I'm the Cubmaster of Pack 40 here in Santa Clarita. We just finished our "year." All my scouts advanced and we're starting our summertime program. We have about 55 scouts in the pack. Today we're off to Sky High Sports for some jumping and tomorrow is a hike. My 2 boys are in boy scouts though. It's a long story. This past spring we've done a ton of camping and working on merit badges. My youngest boy has ADHD and can be quite a handful, but he did earn 4 merit badges- quite an accomplishment for him. TV Heck, I don't have time to watch TV. I usually History. I like American Pickers and Pawn Stars. I like the show Timeless and was glad to see it was renewed. WRITING I haven't written anything since "A Princess is Always Right" which came out in SEP 2015, I believe. I am working on 2 stories: One is a sweet paranormal romance involving a ghost called "Legend of the Lighthouse." it's about 1/2 done so I'm hoping to finish it on Vacation. The other is a more mainstream romance that takes place at Christmas time called "Water Lillies in Winter" and that's about 1/3 done so I hope to do some work on it while I'm on vacation. The rights to publish "The Green Rose" came back to me, so I was hoping to re-read and expand upon the world -- my goal is to dive deeper into the world building and the characters of the Green Rose. I'd like to tackle some of that while I'm vacation, too. We'll see how far I get. Since I got so involved with cub scouts, it's been hard to find the time to write. I do write a poem or a 2K short on occasion to keep the skills up, but it's frustrating when I want to finish the stories I've already started. BARD'S HALL I cannot believe the Bard's Hall Contest
for helping run the Bard's Hall. Without Gigie, the Hall would not have run this long and I really appreciate all she's done for keeping it and ME afloat. If you have a chance, swing on by and enter your blog in the annual blogging contest.  To finish: Here's a list of 5 Vacation spots I'd love to go that I haven't been and 5 spots I've gone to and want to go back: 5 VACATION SPOTS I'D LOVE TO VISIT AND HAVEN'T: 1. London, England 2. Anywhere in Canada 3. Any Great Lake 4. St. Petersburg, Russia 5. Washington, DC 5 VACATION SPOTS I"D LOVE TO GO BACK TO: 1. Catalina Island, Avalon on the 4th of July 2. Sturbridge Village, MA -- cos I want my kids to see it 3. Boston, MA - cos I want my kids to see it 4. Paris, France 5. Anywhere in Germany, Berlin, Bavaria, Berchesgarten, Garmish, anywhere |
| THE BLURB: The Giving Meadow is about a caterpillar who hatches from his egg in the middle of a meadow. As he travels through the meadow, he meets new friends who learn the value of sharing. Today, I thought I'd share a little bit about the inspiration behind the story. I go to Blessed Kateri Catholic Church (in Santa Clarita, CA) and from 2005-2012 I was involved in our "Little Church." Every year I helped to write the Easter play for the children. In 2009, "The Giving Meadow" was our Easter play. I wrote it, I showed Vivian at 4RV. She's also a moderator at Writing.com and I wanted her feedback on the story. She offered it a contract! I was tickled pink. It was a nice, unexpected surprise. I can't thank Vivian (Gilbert Zabel, publisher, 4RV Publishing) for believing in the story and wanting to bring it to life. "The Giving Meadow" is wonderfully illustrated by Stephen Macquignon. Stephen primarily works in the medium of pen and ink and color digitally. He has had the privilege to work with Director Michael Sporn of Michael Sporn Animation Inc. He is also a monthly contributor for Stories for Children's magazine. Stephen's children's books with 4RV Publishing include Angeline Jellybean by Crystalee Calderwood and Colors by Dana Warren. REVIEWS: 5 Stars, Midwest Book Review: "Colorful illustrations add just the right touch to this gentle heartwarming story about the transformative power of sharing." 5 Stars, N.A. Sharpe, Amazon Reviewer: "This heartwarming tale teaches life lessons of friendship, selflessness and sharing, caring, and kindness. Ms. Burkhart's charming tale is one little ones will want to hear over and over again and they will be enchanted by the adorable illustrations from the talented illustrator, Stephen Macquignon." 5 Stars, Connie Arnold, Amazon Reviewer: "This is a good book for helping young children learn about how caterpillars change as well as a gentle lesson about sharing and caring." BUY LINKS: AMAZON:https://amzn.com/B00J3FBY9Y BARNES AND NOBLE:http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-giving-meadow-stephanie-burkhart/1022481362?ean=9780982588697 4RV PUBLISHING:http://www.4rvpublishingcatalog.com/burkhart.php STEPHANIE ON THE WEB: BLOG: http://sgcardin.blogspot.com WEBSITE: http://sgcardin.tripod.com FACEBOOK: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1357922219 TWITTER: http://twitter.com/StephBurkhart STEPHANIE ON AMAZON: http://www.amazon.com/Stephanie-Burkhart/e/B003R00R5I/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_1 STEPHEN ON THE WEB: BLOG: http://stephen-sketch2color.blogspot.com/ WEBSITE http://www.jacketflap.com/StephenM STEPHEN ON AMAZON: http://www.amazon.com/Stephen-Macquignon/e/B003K7NUVG/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0 |
| Book Review for: The Fate of the Tearling Written by: Erika Johansen Harper Collins Publishers ISBN: 978-0-06-229042-7 I read: the hardback 5 Stars Epic!! Johansen pens a stunning conclusion to the Tearling series with “The Fate of the Tearling.” Set in a dystopian future, the Tearling is being attacked from all sides. Mortmesne threatens invasion, the Arvath has hired mercenaries, and the Orphan sets his vampiric children on an unsuspecting populace. Kelsea Glynn, The Queen of the Tearling, finds herself in a Mortmesne dungeon unable to protect her people from danger. The Mace, her regent, is torn between saving her and protecting the Tearling. A surprise alley, Evenly Raleigh, seeks out Kelsea to bring peace to the Tearling and Mortmesne as the Orphan grows in power. As in “Invasion of the Tearling,” Kelsea continues to have fugues due to the influence of her sapphires. This time she discovers Katie Rice’s story and learns how Katie’s past has helped to shape Kelsea’s Tearling. Secret after secret unravels leaving Kelsea to reconcile past, present, and future. Can Kelsea save the Tearling, or will her future crumble between her fingers? Johansen pens a thrilling end to the Tearling series. Her writing style is easy to read. Plot, pacing, and characterization are well balanced. Johansen’s ability to make the Queen of Mortmesne a sympathetic character, and the Orphan deliciously evil, deliver an excellent read. The ending was hopeful, despite Kelsea’s personal losses, and I thought the story came full circle as Carlin, who was such an influential and haunting presence in Kelsea’s life, reached out to Kelsea in the end. I simply couldn’t put this book down. “The Fate of the Tearling” will leave the reader breathless with every chapter that is devoured. |
View Portfolio
Visit Notebook
Awards
Badges
Send Email
Community Newsfeed
General Discussion
Sponsored Items
Book of Trinkets
Static Items
Books
Groups
Interactive Stories
Audio
Campfire Creatives
Community Notes
Crossword Puzzles
Documents
Folders
Images
In & Outs
Madlibs
Photo Albums
Polls
Product Reviews
Quizzes
Survey Forms
Web Pages
Word Searches
. Wait until I get to the stalking tidbit!!
