I am super excited to share this new children’s book from Miriam Hurdle on my blog today!
Hi Jan, I’m delighted to be on the beautiful blog of a fellow musician. Thank you so much for your generosity to host my Book Release Tour and allow me to share my process from pen to publication with your readers.
The Making of Tina Lost in a Crowd, Part 5
Finding an Illustrator
I’m a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI). On one blog post, it featured an illustrator and her work. I liked the style of her artworks, so I contacted her and got an idea of how much she would charge for the number of pages in my book and how long it would take to complete the job.
Some blogging friends recommended some websites with illustration services, and I checked them out. The illustrators charged by hours. They didn’t have a portfolio with sample artworks, so I couldn’t tell if I liked their style.
After much search and consideration, my decision was to search for an illustrator on fiverr.com. I could see the services they provide and their sample work. Some would provide limited, and some unlimited revisions.
I do watercolor painting and wish to illustrate my book, but I don’t do portrait painting. There are thousands of gigs out there, and it would take forever to scroll through all the pages to find one. I narrowed it down to watercolor, and children’s illustration, and got 660 services. It took me six months to find one I liked. I paid for one sample page and when I ordered the rest, it became part of my entire book.
After I accepted the sample page, I sent the story summary and the description of each page to her. She then sent me a few sketches at a time. I gave her my feedback and suggestions. She revised them and sent them to me. Sometimes I respected her creativity and approved them. But if they didn’t correspond with the story, I asked for further revisions until they were done to my satisfaction. It was a pleasant experience working with Victoria Skakandi.
ILLUSTRATION SKETCHES BY VICTORIA SKAKANDI
Blurb
Tina invited her friend Erica to attend a popular Tchaikovsky’s Spectacular concert on a summer evening with her parents. During the intermission, her dad left the seat to buy some snacks. Tina and Erica followed him wanting to use the restroom. The shoving crowd pushed them away, and they lost sight of him. It would be impossible to fight through the 18,000 people to find him or go back to Tina’s mom. What would the girls do?
This story tells about what happened to Tina and Erica after they got lost. Children can adapt to the learning from different situations they may observe or encounter. Adults could have discussions with the children about the situations to help them develop problem-solving skills.
This children’s story portrays a real-life situation and a lesson. It is a book that parents and children alike will enjoy reading and you never know, it could save a child’s life. Tina is making plans with her mother for summer activities, as school will soon be out. When her mother informs Tina they will be going to a concert at the Hollywood Bowl, she asks to bring her best friend along. Not long after arriving at the huge stadium, the girls need to go to the restroom. On the way, they get disoriented and can’t find the restrooms or their parents. What happens next is such a great lesson for parents and children. I won’t spoil the story by giving it away, but I will say that I highly recommend the book for anyone with young children, or for grandparents to share with children. The illustrations are outstanding and the book is well-written.
Miriam writes poetry, short stories, memoir, and children’s books. She earned a Doctor of Education from the University of La Verne in California. After two years of rehabilitation counseling, fifteen years of public-school teaching and ten years in school district administration, she retired and enjoys life with her husband in southern California, and the visits to her daughter, son-in-law, and granddaughters in Oregon. When not writing, she engages in blogging, gardening, photography, and traveling.
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Welcome to another segment of the study of The Elder Futhark Runes!
Today’s Runic Symbol is Nauthiz (Now-theez).
The keywords associated with this rune are: Need, necessity, scarcity, absence, restriction and have patience.
Nauthiz signifies hardship in the form of one’s needs not being met. This could indicate poverty, hunger, unemployment, lack of good health or lack of emotional support.
The rune stave represents the “need-fire” ritual fire lit from two large beams of wood that ancient Northern Europeans would light in times of extreme hardship or disaster, such as a famine or outbreak of fatal disease.
When this rune shows up in a reading, it can indicate that you may be experiencing a hardship that limits your ability to move forward or live comfortably, or a strong desire that appears impossible to fulfill. It could be that the possibilities are restricted due to your lack of resources and you are likely chafing at the constraints and/or becoming disheartened
The advice of this rune is to treat the situation as a period of learning. and an opportunity to strengthen your resilience. No one enjoys a hardship while it’s happening but when we look back on the experiences that made us who we are, generally at least a few of them were unpleasant.
Never allow bitterness, worry or despair to get the best of you, but rather use your gifts and talents to find ways to get your needs met. Remember that needs and limitations are necessary for growth, as we would never learn or accomplish anything significant if we always had everything we needed or wanted all the time.
Nauthiz may also be a warning not to get too greedy or obsessed with an unhealthy desire, which can lead to destructive behaviors and negative consequences. If you have been focusing too heavily on the material world, this is a sign to go within and tend to your spiritual development.
This rune can serve as a protection symbol. It can also help you maintain equanimity in difficult circumstances or activate magical workings focused on attraction or increase.
Again, this rune can be viewed in a positive light in that it can serve as a warning and offer protection.
The birthdates associated with this rune are November 13th to November 28th.
Welcome to another start to a new work week. It is my hope that you find some inspiration to lift you as you begin. I loved these words of wisdom from Sue Vincent. They struck a chord with me.
Our meditation this week is all about the practice of gratitude. Enjoy!
And now for our message from the Tarot cards for the upcoming week.
Tarot Card Reading by Jan Sikes 4-19-21
The King of Swords is a powerfully energetic card, as are the three cards which follow him. The suit of Swords represents the intellect. Being the highest card in the suit, the King is a symbol of intellectual power and authority and has the courage and acumen to achieve all that he desires. He indicates the opportunity for clarity and an objective point of view. He can also represent a person of authority that you might call on for expert advice.
The Wands are representative of our spirituality, intuition and creativity. The Ace is always some new beginning, new idea, new inspiration or new project. Just look at the force with which the hand is protruding through the cloud to bring an enlightened vision or idea. The Eight of Wands is all about movement. There is no standing still! It is a dynamic high-energy card pushing you forward with the idea the Ace brings. You can expect to be very busy. 🙂 Determine what you want to manifest and then align all of your resources and energy to focus on that singular goal. Remove all distractions and devote yourself to the task with total concentration, determination and will. This experience can be highly productive, allowing you to accomplish a lot in a short time.
There you go! Make this week productive, positive and filled with clarity!
Hello, authors! Do you ever find yourself writing a scene where your characters are having a steaming cup of coffee and suddenly have a craving for one yourself? Or, what if your characters are sharing a luscious ice cream sundae? Doesn’t that make you want one?
Why is that?
Because Words Have Power!
It is our job as writers to use those words in the best way possible not only to communicate an idea, but emotions and scenes.
The use of gestures and body language predates spoken language. Many researchers believe this form of communicating began at least four million years ago. When we speak today, we still use gestures and body language to supplement our communication. Often, we unconsciously use body language for at least 55% of all communication. I have always said, if you tied my hands, I wouldn’t be able to speak. 🙂
So what does all of that have to do with writing? Simple. By implementing the use of body language along with strong words in writing our stories (especially dialogue) we can tell our readers tons of information about the person speaking. For instance, if someone crosses their arms across their chest, it shows an act of defiance, or taking a defensive stance. Clenched fists, can portray anger. Picking at an imaginary thread on clothing shows restlessness or anxiety. You get the idea.
But I want to talk more about the words themselves. The language we use today still has words that were formulated sixty-five thousand years ago to describe the feelings and emotions that were emerging from the middle brain’s polarity thinking. If we consciously change our language, we can change the course of an entire story or life.
High-energy words accompany high-energy thoughts and vice-versa. So, in choosing words through which to tell our stories, we can set a tone from the get-go. If we are writing a scene where one of the characters is vile, we would want to use power words to get that point across. Maybe he has a permanent sneer on his face or a long scar running down one cheek. Words like deadly, poison, deceiving, death, dark or toxic might convey his demeanor. Of course, to show someone happy, and light-hearted would require opposite words.
And that leads me into the next transition. Words have power so why not choose power words when we are writing?
Power words are are persuasive, descriptive words that trigger a positive or negative emotional response. They can make us feel scared, encouraged, aroused, angry, greedy, safe, or curious. Make sense?
Here are a few examples:
Notice that all of these words are action verbs. Verbs determine when something happens, in the past, present or in the future. They set the tense of your story.
So, the next time you sit down at the keyboard, pay attention to the words you are typing. Are they weak words like felt, thought, saw, walked, etc? Or, are you using power words that pack a punch and get to the heart of the emotion?
I’d love to hear from you. What do you think about using power words in your writing?
Welcome to another segment of our journey through the Elder Futhark Script runes!
Today we take a detailed look into the rune, Hagalaz ((hah-gah-laz).
The runes are actually divided into three sections, with our symbol from last week completing the Freya Aett.
Our symbol this week begins the Hagal’s Aett and basically speaks to unavoidable experiences.
The keywords associated with this rune are: Destruction, chaos, interference, misfortune, or transformation.
While none of that sounds good, I can see a positive aspect from the perspectiive of transformation.
It is said that before change comes great chaos, and is that not true? So, while we don’t always like it, the end result is most always for the better. Think of the Butterfly. 🙂
This rune indicates that we cannot always control our circumstances. Even with all the technology we possess in modern times, Nature can step in at any moment with destructive forces that flatten cities and even countries.
The translation of this symbol is “Hail.” Hailstorms may be brief and localized compared to larger natural disasters, but the balls of ice that pelt the ground can often leave behind destruction, injuring people and animals and destroying entire crops. This certainly would have spelled disaster for any ancient community living off of the land.
Hagalaz signifies these forces of chaos that cannot be controlled. You simply cannot fix this interference. While this may be a frustrating time, know that your course is being corrected for reasons beyond your understanding. (Wow! How I love this. The most recent disaster we’ve all dealt with is COVID. So, we can hope that the course is being corrected and soon!)
If the reading surrounding this rune is generally positive, then the chaos may be on the lower of the spectrum – a temporary interruption. While if the runes close to Hagalaz are negative, then the trouble may be more severe or have longer lasting implications.
Please keep in mind this is NOT a reading. I will get into Rune readings once we finish examining each rune separately.
The birthdates associated with this rune are October 28th – November 13th.
Welcome to another Monday post to help get your week started off on a positive note. I took these words from the meditation I’m sharing with you today. They resonated deeply with me. We owe it to ourselves to live the best life possible, in this body, in this moment.
And now, Part Three of the Self-Love Series. This meditation is SO powerful. It is one I will return to often. Enjoy!
The Tarot Reading for this week is filled with more positive energy! I love all of these cards!
We have two Wands cards this week, and you may remember from our Tarot card series, that wands represent spirituality, inspiration, determination, creativity, ambition and expansion, original thought and the seeds through which life springs forth. I associate the Wands with Springtime. The Page of Wands symbolizes inspiration, discovery or a new idea. He indicates limitless potential. And I believe we ALL have limitless potential if we can learn to access it and trust the process. The King of Wands represents pure fire energy in its masculine form. It is a sign you are stepping into the role of a visionary leader, ready to direct your people towards a common goal (And this could be in a story you are writing). You have a clear vision of where you want to go, and now you are manifesting that vision with the support of those around you. Also, the King of Wands reminds you to lead your life with intent, vision and a long-term view (finish that book!). The final card in this week’s reading brings it all into a perfect balance. The Empress signifies a strong connection with our femininity, which translates in many ways – elegance, sensuality, fertility, creative expression, nurturing – and is necessary for creating balance in both men and women. The Empress calls on you to connect with your feminine energy. Create beauty in your life. Connect with your senses through taste, touch, sound, smell and sight. Draw on these senses to experience pleasure and deep fulfilment. Isn’t that exactly what we, as authors, attempt to do in our writing? A great week ahead with new inspirations, the masculine fire energy to manifest and the feminine energy to balance and soften.
Thank you for stopping by. I hope you have a wonderful week ahead and invite your comments!
The worlds of Jag Peters and Rena Jett collide when he nearly crashes into her motorcycle in Ghostly Interference by Jan Sikes. When Jag tracks down Rena’s candy apple red Harley at a corner pub so he can apologize to her, he is instantly attracted to the spitfire, dark-hair beauty. They are nothing alike. A computer programmer, Jag avoids risks while Rena is a brash waitress who appears fearless. Nonetheless, it is as though “the Universe had strange ways of bringing two souls together.” After meeting Rena, Jag strangely glimpses a ghostly figure in camouflage military attire at various times. As his relationship develops with Rena, he discovers that beneath her hard facade is a lonely girl with a troubled past and that her brother, Sam, had recently died in combat in Afghanistan. Jag wonders if the ghost is…
It has been a very long time since I devoured an entire series from start to finish, but The Astral Conspiracy Series by D.L. Cross captured me and wouldn’t let go!
While I love reading all different genres, this is my first full-fledged sci-fi and I loved it!
I have to say, I can only begin to imagine the amount of time this author must have spent on research. Either that, or else she has extensive knowledge not only of world geography, but minerals, advanced technology and the ancient alien theory. While this series is a work of fiction, it has a touch of realism and I found myself thinking the “what ifs.”
I also want to add that my little short reviews don’t even begin to do each book justice, especially Book 5, where SO much happened – a flood, recolonization, memory wiped out – just to name a few of the events in that book. I thoroughly enjoyed the series and have a deep appreciation for the amount of work it took to create these five books. My hat is off to you, Ms. Cross (Troilo).
He lost his job. Lost his girl. Now it’s all he can do not to lose his life.
Landon Thorne is a disgraced archaeologist, a laughing stock in his field because of his unconventional beliefs — he’s an ancient astronaut theorist. No one takes him seriously.
Until an alien armada targets Earth.
Now he’s in high demand by the U.S. government. And someone far more sinister.
Mysterious mercenaries, government agents, and Landon vie for the lead in a race across two continents to the Gate of the Gods, the one place on the planet that might give humans an advantage over the Astrals. But no one is prepared for what they’ll find.
MY REVIEW: This is book one of the Astral Conspiracy series and with the riveting ending, I cannot wait to get into book 2! In this book, the protagonist, Landon Thorne, finds himself out of work and out of luck. That is until the Astral App alerts the impending arrival of aliens. Then, it seems everyone needs and wants this professor who has studied and believes in the ancient alien theory. The journey he finds himself on is relentless and filled with danger, as it takes him all the way to South America. If not for the need of his knowledge, his life would be worth nothing. What he discovers when he accesses the Akashic Records will change everything. This story is very fast-paced with plenty of heart-stopping action. The characters are believable, including the motivations for their actions. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is fascinated by the existence of aliens. It is well-written and even though the author gets into several of the character’s POV, she does it with ease and it never feels jarring.
He’s running from Astrals. Running with Black Ops. And running toward the end of the world.
Landon Thorne belongs to an elite group — he’s one of the few people who have ever accessed the Akashic Record. There, he discovers a weapon that could defend the Earth.
The Astrals want to stop him. The government wants to control him. Even his allies are hiding something.
Through it all, he has one purpose. One compulsion. He’s drawn to the Georgia Guidestones.
His journey is fraught with danger — bandits, cannibals, and ancient booby traps — but when Landon finally reaches the Stones, even he is surprised by what he finds. If he can decipher the code, he can save the world.
If he can’t? His discovery may destroy him — along with the rest of the human race.
MY REVIEW:
With the impending arrival of aliens in book one of this series, this is the book where they arrive. There are so many different aspects to this book, including a group of people who have moved underground beneath the university campus in Georgia and who go out daily to try and rescue more people and bring them to the tunnels. The connection is the leader, who is Landon Thorne’s best friend, Gunnar. We met Landon and Gunnar in book one when Gunnar fired Landon. We discover in this book there is an alien who has been held captive since its arrival in Roswell in 1947. This alien has a connection with Landon Thorne and when a breakthrough occurs and they discover they can communicate with the alien through sign language, he asks for Thorne. In the meantime, Thorne is running for his life. In fact, it seems everyone is running for their lives and trying desperately to protect the firestone artifacts stolen from a museum in Peru. In this book we see a devious agent go totally rogue. Nadia is out for one person and that is herself. I won’t leave a spoiler, but there parts of this book that were heartbreaking. Death and destruction are everywhere and Landon Thorne must reach The Stones. What he finds there changes him and everyone around him forever. I can’t wait to dive into Book 3!! I definitely recommend that these books be read in order to get the full effect.
He can’t trust his allies, won’t trust his enemies. Now he fears he shouldn’t even trust himself.
Landon Thorne is convinced the key to defeating the Astrals is in the vault — a repository of ancient artifacts, origins unknown, covered with as-yet undeciphered glyphs. He’s also convinced he’s the one person on the planet destined to translate the markings.
But strange, frightening things happen every time he gets close to the relics.
His allies decide it’s not safe to let him near the vault, so they force him to take a new mission in Astral-controlled territory. They narrowly escape only to be captured by the Nine — the nefarious organization he’s been running from.
Their leader makes him an offer he can’t refuse — study the Dropa Stones for the answers they seek. Or else. To do that, he needs a cipher. And there’s only one place he can get it.
Getting in will be difficult enough. Getting out may prove impossible.
MY REVIEW:
Book 3 of the Astral Conspiracy series builds from book 2 with the characters finding themselves in even more complicated and deadly situations. One thing that strikes me as I read this series is the hundreds of hours this author must have spent doing research on everything from the Rainbow Mountains in Iceland to Arizona, to how a mind would integrate into becoming nothing more than data in a computer bank. Another aspect of this book that intrigued me is the idea of connective minds, as the professor and others experienced in the presence of the vault they dug up in book 2. The author takes the reader from character to character and scene to scene throughout the book, at break-neck speed. From Air Force Major Bristol to the bumbling, but lovable professor, Landon Thorne, each is entangled and embroiled in a fight for their lives and the life of planet Earth. The aliens arrived in book two. In book three, we see more insight into their arrival, their purpose, and their motivation. The revelation of the true meaning of The Nine was not what I expected and I loved the twist. From horrendous bugs that destroy everything and everyone in their paths to alien clones, the author shows every aspect in full living color. Add the three-dimensional characters and you have a riveting Sci-Fi read!
They took the world’s best hope. Took the father of her children. Now she’ll take revenge.
Landon Thorne was abducted by the Astrals. If there were still newspapers, that definitely would have been a front-page headline. But Reverie Sterling doesn’t have time to dwell on his absence. She has twins to raise in this dystopian world.
Twins with psychic powers.
She was trained to rise to any challenge, so that’s what she does. Vowing revenge against the Astrals, she partners with an unlikely ally — the Nine, the mysterious organization that’s been thwarting the Resistance since Astral Day.
The tenuous alliance converges on Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. Or rather, what’s left of it. There they wage a war against local zealots and Astral warriors. For some, it’s the last stand.
Reverie thinks she’s protecting her children. Too late, she realizes the twins have more power than anyone — and she’s the one who needs protecting.
MY REVIEW: Book 4 in the Astral Conspiracy Series takes place seven years after the third book. It’s obvious the Astrals are not leaving Earth anytime soon. The Titans and Reptars still roam the countryside killing anyone in their path. The group that fled to the underground tunnels at a University in Ohio when the aliens arrived, now have children among them. Reverie has twins. The father is Professor Landon Thorne, who has been missing for seven years, reportedly captured by a spaceship. Bristol has a daughter. But the twins are the focus of this book. They are not ordinary children by any stretch of the imagination. The way this book unfolds is heart-stopping at times. The author did such a great job of showing the different personalities of the twins, Asha and Vonn. What happens after Landon finally returns is non-stop action from start to finish. I give this segment of the series a solid four stars. I do highly recommend reading this series in order. A well-written science fiction story with a touch of realism.
Time is running out for the planet, and Reverie Sterling — one of the leaders of the Resistance — feels each tick of the clock. Her twins insist on traveling to Illinois to find Jovian, their paternal grandfather, who’s been communicating with them telepathically. He swears he has all the answers they’ve been searching for.
He does, but they come at a cost. A steep cost.
Now Reverie and the Resistance must make their last stand. The Astrals have judged humanity and found it lacking. Annihilation is imminent unless Jovian can deliver on his promise.
Earth’s best chance is deep in his laboratory under Monks Mound.
And the old man has one last surprise that no one is expecting.
MY REVIEW:
This is the final book in the Astral Conspiracy series and the way the author wrapped up the story was satisfying. In this book, the children we met in book 4 are instrumental in helping save the others. Their ability to communicate through thoughts is a valuable tool. Professor Landon Thorne gets to meet his father at long last. But it is no happy family reunion. The man is a monster. How the book plays out and ends is sad at times, with so much death, but also keeps the entire theme of the series front and center. One of my favorite characters is a Separated, Nixon Beck, and he plays a big part in this book. I highly recommend this entire series to anyone who loves a good story filled with action, memorable characters, and believable science fiction!
I gave this entire series a solid Four Stars.
I’ve attached purchase links to each book title and to the box set.
About the Author:
I grew up in Western Pennsylvania writing stories and poetry in my free time, so no one was surprised when I became a writing major in college. After receiving creative and professional writing degrees from Carnegie Mellon University, I went on to get my Master’s Degree in Professional Writing, and I worked in corporate communications until I had my children. Now I’m a freelance writer and editor and spend many of my days happily immersed in fictional worlds.
Bonus! Ten (Little Known?) Facts About Me
In addition to being an award-winning author, I’m an award-winning recipe developer. I think I got that skill from my grandmother. We both love cooking and baking, especially for family.
When I had my wisdom teeth removed, the surgeon insisted I’d feel like my cheeks were sewn to my gums but assured me they wouldn’t be and the feeling would pass. My parents grew increasingly frustrated with me over the week I was recovering because I couldn’t open my mouth. They thought I was “being overly dramatic” and I should just deal with the pain and use my mouth. Guess what… my cheeks were in fact sewn to my gums. It’s unheard of, but if it could happen to anyone, it would happen to me.
Speaking of teeth…I’ve never had a cavity. Ever. Baby teeth or permanent teeth.
I adore my pets. I know; most pet owners do. But it might interest you to know I never had a pet until we got first Casey, then Max, and finally Lucky. I had a pet-free childhood. Not even a goldfish.
I can still do a split. Enough said.
I play the clarinet, although I’m pretty rusty right now. (Use it or lose it, and I haven’t been using it lately.)
I taught myself how to type. You can’t really be a writer hunting-and-pecking the keys.
While most of my work is inspired by my Italian heritage, I’m also part Irish, Scottish, German, and Swedish. (All from Dad’s side. Mom is full-blooded Italian.) I’m working on integrating more of my dad’s side into my work. (My serial Laci and Del series focuses on the Irish heritage, but I haven’t explored those roots too much yet.)
I could spell “Valentine” by the time I was three.
The first time I earned four-figures from freelancing, it was actually a ghost-writing job, so my name isn’t even on the project.
If I had to pick a favorite rune, I think this would be it. It is the rune I chose to use in my White Rune Series and is introduced in “Ghostly Interference.”
The keywords associated with this rune are: Joy, Pleasure, Happiness, Happy Relationships, Well-being, Success, and a Happily-Ever-After.
This is a very positive rune, indicating all manner of happiness and well-being. When this rune shows up in a reading, it indicates situations that have been difficult are resolved and optimism is renewed. It may be that a surprise development comes into your life which changes everything for the better. That certainly was the case in “Ghostly Interference.”
It can indicate that the Wheel of Karma has turned in your favor and you are about to come into yourself in some way. In one’s work, especially of an artistic or creative nature, it can represent the joy you get from your work.
As the rune of joy, Wunjo is associated with happy relationships. You are truly able to enjoy the company of others.
Overall, it is a super positive rune depicting joy, happiness and success.
See why I can say it’s my favorite?
The birthdates associated with this rune are October 13 – October 28.
