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Review of Feeling Good: The New Mood Therapy by David D. Burns for
and
Purchasing from the above link helps WdC Again, I listened to this book while in a deep depression. I had hoped it would do more, but I think you have to actually do the things they tell you to do. lol There's supposed to be a lot of worksheets with the Audible, but I didn't download them. However, I will say it helped some. I'd upset some folks on here which really upset me. (It's not the full cause of the depression, but it certainly didn't help.) IDK why folks get offended by me. I don't purposely try to offend people, but still, instead of just brushing it off or, if they are too hurt, privately letting me know in a way that let's me know they know it wasn't on purpose, but also allows me to apologize... Anyway, I'm getting off track. I've been struggling with depression for weeks now and this book did help some by reminding me of what I already know. I'm not responsible for how other people feel and other people aren't responsible for how I feel. No one can "make" me get upset. And I can't offend anyone who refuses to be offended. I know this because when in Korea, at the border with North Korea, there were anti-American things posted. They were directed at "Yankees." As a Southerner, it didn't bother me. I was informed that I should be offended because it was directed at Americans, but I said I didn't care. It's the 1st time I realized you can't be offended if you refuse to be offended. Again, I'm off track. This was an excellent book, albeit a lengthy one. It's 706 pages / 13 hrs 20 min. The book is exceptionally thorough! It begins with discussing studies that show the use of this book actually helps reduce depression, guilt, low self-esteem, anxiety, and other issues in people who actively follow the steps and activities put forth. It goes through all the Cognitive Behavioral Therapy parts, giving actionable things to do to work on that portion. Then later in the book, it talks about medications in an exceedingly thorough set of chapters. This book is about using CBT to overcome negative thoughts, self-limiting beliefs, etc. I definitely recommend this book and have already given it to a friend in need. I plan to go back through it later when I've gotten the worksheets downloaded and printed. It's ranked #3, #4, and #5 in 3 different categories. | ||||||||||||
Review of Experiencing Spiritual Breakthroughs by Bruce Wilkinson reviewed for
and
Like I always do, I'm posting the link to the least expensive option, which is usually, as is this case, the Kindle version.
As always, purchasing from the link above helps WdC by giving them a small amount of money as a referral fee without costing you anything extra. Help support WdC by purchasing from this link, if you decide to purchase. Okay, first things first, I finished this book a couple of weeks ago, so I barely remember it. I was going through a very serious bout of depression and was barely up to clearing my emails and responding to folks, much less doing anything else on WdC. I wasn't up to the simple task of posting a review. I didn't even turn in one of my class assignments and turned in another 3 late during this and the following, less severe bout of depression. So, all that said, I'm writing what I remember with the help of reading other people's reviews. Additionally, I still have issues from Iraq, so I wasn't as able to fully partake in this spiritual breakthrough as I was hoping. Inconveniently, we often have to make decisions and changes in our lives to see God work in us. I still hold onto things I need to resolve that are holding me back from being the person God wants me to be. All that said, I do recommend this book. I want to go through the book again in the future when I've resolved more of my issues and am not so bound by my past. This is a wonderful book that can help those ready, willing, and able to really find a new level of their spiritual closeness with God. That simply wasn't me at the time. The book uses a metaphor of 3 chairs and asks you which of the 3 you sit in. They are basically a chair of someone who is all-in and fully on board with God and all His plans, someone who believes and is making an effort, but could try harder because they frequently settle, and someone who is completely in the world. The author gives examples, walks you through various parts of life to help you find what needs to be dealt with, and gives illustrations through characters and how they, virtually sitting in their respective chair, react to things. These vignettes show us ourselves in the characters to help us identify where we are and how to get to where we want to be. This book is rated 4.7 on Amazon and 4.8 on Audible. | ||||||||||||
In case you missed these Trinkets...
Be sure to check out the 1st page as well! |
Elycia Lee ☮  - It's posted at the top of pg 2, but here's the link.
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DOH! I tried to go for the 7-Day Reviewing MB and missed yesterday. I guess I'll have to start over. This is why I haven't earned that MB yet, well, this and the fact that I hate to review. lol |
| It was terribly aggravating when I got to day 50 of logging in, missed a day, and dropped to zero!! It made me feel like dropping to my knees and sobbing! I'd log in here every day, even if there weren't an MB for it. I'm just always curious to log in and see what's new. I only fail to visit WdC when life circumstances, like wild horses, drag me away. |
List of Books to Improve Your Writing https://www.hindustantimes.com/books/what-to-read-to-become-a-better-writer-1017... The article describes why you need each, including the dictionary and it's not just to look up words. 1. Politics and the English Language. By George Orwell. Available on the Orwell Foundation’s website 2. Style: Lessons in Clarity and Grace. By Joseph M. Williams and Joseph Bizup. Pearson Education; 246 pages 3. On Writing Well: The Classic Guide to Writing Nonfiction. By William Zinsser. HarperCollins; 321 pages 4. The Sense of Style: The Thinking Person’s Guide to Writing in the 21st Century. By Steven Pinker. Penguin; 368 pages 5. Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary of English Usage. Merriam-Webster; 989 pages 6. The Economist offers its own advice on writing in “Writing With Style”, our revised in-house style guide, published in 2023; in the Johnson column on language; and in Economist Education’s course on business writing. (Links in the original article link at the top.) |
This month, every contest in
allows previously written items. Naturally, you can write something new, too. The 1st 2 contests, especially, could use more entries. Neither has 5 (the minimum I try to get each contest).
Remember: If you love a contest and want to fan it, double click the heart in the upper right corner of the contest page. Fanning from here fans the owner, not the contest. Naturally, fanning the owner (double clicking until the heart turns gold/yellow) is also encouraged. |
So, here's an article with a lot of new, quirky scientific discoveries, to include that many mammals can breathe through their anuses and that a coin tends to land on the side it started on. https://www.cnn.com/2024/09/13/science/ig-nobel-prize-ceremony-2024-intl-scli/in... |
Thanks, Bodhisattwa Parekh  . There's more interesting discoveries in there. I don't think anyone else read the article, but it had a lot of fun things in it. |
Schnujo's in Alabama  -you are very encouraging. You can read the following article:-
A tiny article. I hope, you will enjoy it. |
I think people most often forget #1. This also applies to fiction! 10 minute video on why books don't sell. Parts are a bit basic, but I still think it's worth a listen. |
buddhangela's brave & crazy  - Here's my thing: if my work is not good enough for a publisher, then it is certainly not good enough for the public. But you've read my blog; you know I understand there are some times when self-publishing is the only way to go: "20240821 Self-Publishing"  "20240824 Self-Publishing Addenda" And... I will be self-publishing my ghost stories book. Sort of. It's complicated. But it's not traditional. |
| In social psychology, we talk about whether a given test (such as a means of reviewing writing) is both reliable and valid. Reliability is for the test to be done over and get the same result. And even if multiple judges agree, does that measure have validity? Does it reflect reality? Evaluating the value of your writing is much the same as a psychological hypothesis. One can easily be premature. |
Here's an interesting article about the importance of never stopping launching your books. https://scribemedia.com/never-stop-launching-how-to-make-your-book-successful/ It doesn't talk about how to do it, just the importance of it. It shares that the famous best seller Atomic Habits by James Clear wasn't even ranked when it came out in 2018. But as he continued promoting it, it finally hit #1 in 2021. I had no idea! I assumed if your book wasn't a best seller the 1st year, that was it. Apparently, not. |
I follow Kindlepreneur. If you do, check out his latest article on pen names. It's got a lot of info I hadn't considered. https://kindlepreneur.com Here are some of the headings and subheadings from the article: - Authors are allowed to register copyrights for their created works under a pen name. - You may acquire a trademark for a pen name. - You can technically sign contracts using your pen name. - You shouldn’t use another author's pen name or real name. - Using a pen name doesn’t protect you from defamation lawsuits, taxes, or any other liabilities. - How to choose a pen name step-by-step - Step 1: Identify the Right Age For Your Pseudonym - Step 2: Choose Options That Fit Your Literary Genre & Keywords - Step 3: Check Your Pen Name’s URL and Social Media Handles - Step 4: Choose a Name That’s Easy to Spell, Pronounce, and Remember - Step 5: Make Sure Your Pen Name Isn’t Similar or Identical to Another Author’s - Step 6: Consider Including Relevant Keywords These aren't even all the headings and subheadings from this article. As you see, he provides a lot of great info in his newsletters! If you don't follow him or aren't subscribed to his newsletter (where this came from), I definitely recommend it! |
s  - Very generally speaking, copyright protection is international. In the U.S. of A. ownership of copyright is considered to exist from the moment an idea is set in a 'tangible' form. If you tell someone your idea, including character names, place names, specific plot ideas, and such no copyright is created by law. If you show or give someone a printed copy, it is created the moment you type or handwrite it. The trick is how to prove *when* you created it --- before or after Joe Schmoe printed and sold copies. That's where it becomes an excellent idea to register your works with (in the U.S.) the Library of Congress copyright office. I don't know details, but I do know that copyrights are very often recognized in multiple countries. For U.S. copyright information: https://www.copyright.gov/what-is-copyright/ There's a section of that site that explains registering a work anonymously, pseudononymously, etc. |
| So much ado of late about AI written stuff and felt this should clear up some concerns, the thing I just stumbled upon: "Currently, the U.S. Copyright Office maintains that copyright protection requires human authorship, thus excluding non-human or AI works. Legally, the content that AI produces is the culmination of human creations. https://surferseo.com/blog/ai-copyright/#:~:text=Currently%2C%20the%20U.S.%20Cop... AI is flawed and could use copyrighted information in responses. What does that mean?  Sourced, it should be annotated if used. Students are discouraged to use Wikipedia as source and it acts as authority instead of citing sources. Google search engine has AI answering questions. It helped me with a poem for the 48-hour challenge. Referenced info in my poem gathered from AI via Google. "~ Snail Trails and Smug Slugs ~" Just don't go too far asking questions about the Kennedy assassination. It will politely cut you off. |
This month, everything offered in
allows submission of previously written work, not that you can't write something new for the contests, of course. To boost your odds of winning, based on the number of entries you are competing against, don't enter the last contest. But if you want to know if you can run with the big dogs...
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NaNo Inspiration, Anyone? Most folks have heard of "a murder of crows" as the official term for a flock of crows. But do you know these?  A watch of nightingales A charm of goldfinches An unkindness of ravens A building, clamor, or parliament of rooks I'm sure there are plenty more if you google. Sounds like an interesting series of books, if you ask me. Perhaps murder mysteries with bird watchers? What type of books do you think these would be about if you saw the titles? |
Here are some more news articles for your NaNo (or other) inspiration Looking for a different twist for your crime/heist novel? Research the growing problems with fake olive oil and/or olive theft. It's a thing that's causing huge problems for some. https://www.theguardian.com/world/article/2024/sep/03/thieves-try-steal-olives-h... What about a story of a Marine's son (could be any any service member and any person) who returns war mementos? Does it lead to healing decades later or open up long-healed wounds? https://www.stripes.com/theaters/asia_pacific/2024-09-03/battle-okinawa-photos-p... Archeological digs are passe. What about ancient artifacts found by archeological divers? It happened in the Nile. https://www.good.is/archaeologists-discover-stunning-find-hidden-below-nile-wate... Hey, fantasy writers, it's possible that Merlin might be more than a legend and they may have found his grave...possibly... https://www.ancient-origins.net/news-history-archaeology/merlins-grave-drumelzie... Self-healing metal isn't only in sci-fi! What about using it in your story set just a few decades from now? https://www.sciencealert.com/a-cracked-piece-of-metal-healed-itself-in-experimen... Okay, this alien head isn't actually from outer space. But what kind of story does it inspire? https://www.newsweek.com/couple-discovers-alien-head-statue-riverbed-1945725 Weed use can cause changes in your genes passed to future generations. More research is needed, but what kind of generational changes do your characters experience? https://www.sciencealert.com/cannabis-use-linked-to-epigenetic-changes-study-sho... Trapped on the International Space Station with weird sounds coming from your escape vehicle. This isn't a sci-fi story, but could inspire yours. https://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/us-news/stranded-astronauts-sunita-wil... Maybe you like the idea of bringing stuff back from extinction but aren't ready for Jurassic Park. What could go wrong with making more genetic diversity in plants/animals still alive? https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/local/wisconsin/2024/07/11/de-extinction-com... |
Looking for NaNo inspiration? Check the news! Here are some articles I've seen in the last few days... Extinct species scientists could bring back to life. Write from the perspective of a genius student intern working on a secret "pet" project or perhaps from the perspective of an animal that has been brought back. https://www.livescience.com/animals/extinct-species/extinct-species-that-scienti... An abandoned lifeboat on an abandoned island at the end of the world. Tons of options here -- write the story that led to this or what happened after they landed. Maybe someone know they were there and left them to die...or maybe they escaped. https://mikedashhistory.com/2011/02/13/an-abandoned-lifeboat-at-worlds-end/ Bank employee found dead at her desk 4 days after she last clocked in. Sure, the news says no foul play is suspected. But what if it's all a big cover-up? https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2024/08/29/wells-fargo-worker-dead/74... A man was found dead 50 years ago and was only now identified. There's an interesting story from the family's POV. Or what about the cop put on cold cases. Did he feel he was being punished or was he thrilled at the challenge? https://www.cnn.com/2024/09/01/us/pinnacle-man-identified-five-decades/index.htm... A possible Russian spy whale? And he was friendly? That's a way better story than Free Willie! https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/beloved-russian-celebrity-spy-whale-found-dea... A grandmother list in the Alps survives by drinking from puddles and talking to a fox. Castaway's Wilson was never this adorable! https://www.vice.com/en/article/grandmother-lost-italian-alps-survived-talking-f... This article discusses a lot of incidents, but definitely read more about it. Scientists say it's a "fad," such as sometimes develops among orcas, and they are simply playing, despite them having "attacked" hundreds of boats and sunk several. But orca fads can spread... https://www.outsideonline.com/adventure-travel/essays/orca-boat-attacks/ Yesterday I saw a map with all the cables around the world, but this link talks about threats to and impacts of internal outages from cut underwater cables. https://www.theguardian.com/environment/article/2024/aug/09/what-lies-beneath-th... |
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Luck and Best 
Wishes on your next attempt, 
Sorry I get blathering on sometimes...
*bighuhg*
Nice review! I'm glad it helped a little at least.
You were kind of featured in my Twitter feed today... I didn't name names, but your first name was on the art I shared. https://x.com/pwheelerwrites/status/1837171688909238539
It's enclosed in the card I mailed you today.
I didn't plan to post it... I had planned a photo of a pink rose. But what I had to say today had more to do with your bookmark than the rose.