An Author Visit: A Slice of Life Post

 

Hello everyone. I hope all is well with you. I’m back today with another Slice of Life Post and I wanted to share with you my inspiration for writing. It’s the kids. Last week I had an Author visit at a local school. I presented to a fourth grade class, and they were so excited to learn about writing and what it takes to write a book.

I wasn’t there long before I was infected by their boundless enthusiasm. Their hands waved frantically as they squirmed, waiting for me to call on them.They had so many questions.

How many books had I written?

Which book was my first one?

Which one was my favorite?

Who was my favorite character?

 

On and on it went. I loved their enthusiasm. They were so sweet and they asked such good questions.

 

The kids are the reason I keep writing. I love hearing stories about how my books have turned a reluctant reader on to reading. It warms my heart and it’s incredible to be able to reach these kids in such a positive way. These kids also inspire me. Their enthusiasm and ability to believe that all things are possible is infectious.I needed a big dose of that last week.

Below is a pic with me and the kids. Look at those happy faces!

Me and all those awesome fourth graders!

 

Not only did I have an awesome day during my author visit, but the next day I received all of these Thank you cards (see the pic below). So, this one event had a positive effect on two whole days and that positive feeling extended throughout the week. It has become a wonderful memory for me. 🙂

 

Thanks for letting me share my author visit with all of you. This event was the highlight of my week and I enjoyed it immensely. If you’d like to read other Slice of Life Posts click here.

If you’d like to check out the books these smiling faces were so excited about, click here. (It was the Super Spies series we were talking about. 🙂 ).

What was your favorite day last week? What occurred that made you smile? Leave a comment! I’d love to hear from you!

 

 

Inspiring Kids to Read

 

Hello everyone, I hope all is well with you. I’m back today and I’m talking about inspiring kids to read.

One of the greatest life skills you can instill in your child is a love of reading. As kids progress through the school system, each grade becomes more challenging, and the need for reading comprehension becomes even more critical.

These kids need to read so they can understand test questions and be able to answer them correctly. When they get older, they’ll need to be able to fill out a job application and read the requirements for medication. Do you know one in seven adults can’t read above the fifth grade level? Isn’t that scary?

Photo credit: EvelynGiggles via Visualhunt.com / CC BY

 

So, how do we instill a love of reading to turn this statistic around? Well, I started when my boys were babies. I read to them and rocked them every night. This did backfire a bit because my oldest wanted to be rocked to sleep EVERY night. You might not want to do the rocking. Some nights it took him FOREVER to fall asleep! But on a positive note there was a lot of bonding! 😉

I continued to read to them as they grew and their grandparents read to them as well. So it became a part of their environment and they didn’t know any other way. It was just one of the things we did.

Photo credit: ThomasLife via VisualHunt.com / CC BY-ND

          Then when my boys started reading on their own, they’d read to us. My youngest who loves reading could sit and read for a couple of hours. I know all there is to know about Transformers, he’s read the book to me so many times. The thing is, we as parents have to be patient and let our littles choose what they want to read, and even if we’ve heard the story fifty million times we need to be enthusiastic and pretend it’s the most awesome story in the world. Because to your child it is.

Photo credit: John-Morgan via VisualHunt.com / CC BY

          We also keep a steady supply of books around the house and our kids read at least twenty minutes a night. My youngest has become a big reader. What books lit that fire? The Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordan. My little guy wants to get all the books in the series. So, I owe a huge thank you to Rick for writing such a compelling stories.

This is the book that started it all 🙂

My oldest who reads only because he has to is now interested in the series. My youngest has introduced him to these books. It does my heart good to hear them talking about books almost as much as they talk about Minecraft.

Another thing that helps is the fact that I write books. 🙂 ( You knew I was going to slip that in, didn’t you?) My oldest has read all three books in the Super Spies series and really enjoyed them. He’s also very proud of his mom.  My youngest read the first one, I believe just to please me, but he’s more interested in Greek Mythology right now and that’s okay, as long as he’s reading.

                       

I also read. My boys see me reading for pleasure, and I’m hoping they’ll model this behavior and become lifelong readers as well.

So, that’s how I’ve tried to instill a love of reading with my kids? Do you have any other tips? Please share! I’d love to hear from you!

20 for 20 Reading Challenge

 

Hello everyone. I hope all is well with you! Since I’ve been writing some pretty heavy blog posts lately, I thought I’d talk about something a little bit lighter today and that is the Scholastic 20 for 20 reading challenge.

Photo credit: Ed Yourdon via Visualhunt.com / CC BY-NC-SA

          That’s right. I’m going to read for twenty minutes a day right along with my kids. I just did a post a few weeks ago about how improving literacy starts at home. You can read the post by clicking here if you’re interested.  https://lisaorchard.wordpress.com/2016/02/21/improving-literacy-starts-at-home/

I’m going to use this time to bond with my kids. They’re growing up so fast! Sniff. I’m treasuring these moments with them, and I hope I’m creating good memories for them. My youngest is turning into quite a reader, too.

My son has gotten into the Percy Jackson series. Thank you Rick Riordan for creating that series. I know now my son is becoming a life-long reader. Now to get my oldest on board and I’ll have accomplished my goal. 🙂

Did you know reading for pleasure improves critical thinking? Critical thinking is on the decline in the US as a result of the increase in video game usage. According to this article,

http://library.poly.edu/news/2009/03/03/develop-your-critical-thinking-skills-read

Studies show that reading develops imagination, induction, reflection, and critical thinking as well as vocabulary.  So if you’d like to join me in the 20 for 20 reading challenge, please do. I’ve listed the books below that my sons’ are reading along with the book I’m reading. What are you reading? Do you have any books you’d recommend?

 

Here’s the book I’m reading right now. It was written by a friend of mine. 🙂

 

When Katherine Dennard is selected to become a “Creation Specialist” in Sector 4, the opportunity sounds like a dream come true. But Kate soon discovers the darker side of her profession – the disposal of fetal organs and destruction of human life. It makes sense, really. In a society where disease and malformations don’t exist, human perfection demands that no genetic “mutants” be allowed to live. For Sector 4, “survival of the fittest” is not just a theory – it’s The Institute’s main mission.

When Kate discovers that The Institute is using her DNA to create new life, her work gets personal. In order to save her unviable son, she’ll have to trust Micah and his band of underground Natural Born Rebels. The problem is, if The Institute discovers her betrayal, the next body being disposed of could be hers.

“This is a powerful story about the meaning and value of life–we don’t have enough of those.” ~ Terry Trueman, Printz Honor author, Stuck in Neutral

And now fiction becomes fact: BBC News: UK scientists are seeking permission to genetically modify human embryos …

 

Here’s what my oldest is reading. Isn’t this the sweetest?

 

This book opens in a small town in Michigan where Sarah Cole and her sister Lacey are now living with their Aunt and Uncle. Still reeling from the fact her parents have disappeared, Sarah starts the school year with her new friend Jackie Jenkins. When Sarah learns the school has been bombed, she’s filled with dread. Uncle Walt is a teacher, and he was in the school when the bomb exploded. Taking matters into her own hands, Sarah decides to search for him. The rest of the Super Spies are right behind her. When a fireman chases them away from the school, Sarah becomes suspicious. She decides to investigate. The FBI arrives on the scene. Sarah realizes this bombing could have even bigger implications. Searching for the bombers, Sarah is introduced to the world of terrorism. She fears that the bombing and her parents’ disappearance are connected and terrorists are involved. To make matters worse, the bombers are determined to finish the job. Can the Super Spies find the bombers before it’s too late?

 

Percy Jackson is a good kid, but he can’t seem to focus on his schoolwork or control his temper. And lately, being away at boarding school is only getting worse-Percy could have sworn his pre-algebra teacher turned into a monster and tried to kill him.

 

Weekend Update: A Slice of Life Post

 

 

Hello everyone, I hope all is well with you! I’m back today with another Slice of Life Post. I enjoy writing these posts and getting to know some of the other Slice of Lifers, too.

Today, I’m reflecting back on our weekend. Both boys had a friend spend the night Friday night, and it was interesting to see how they occupied themselves. Their most favorite thing they did was make You Tube videos.

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How fun is that? The creator of You Tube has made an amazing product. My boys get creative with their videos, and they’re actually quite funny. You have to remember both of my kids are in elementary school.

It’s great they can get online, share their videos, and talk about it with their friends using Skype. I love this App myself. I’ve used it a number of times. Technology certainly has made communicating with others much easier, but we have to be careful, too.

The Internet can be a dangerous place. Predators hang out there just like they do at bus stops and parks. They’re just looking for that one kid who’s lonely and unattended. The same thing applies to the Internet.

We make it a point to know all of our boys’ friends. So when they’re Skyping, we know who they’re talking to. We’re that involved. Some might call us helicopter parents, but I don’t care. My kids are safe and that’s the most important thing.

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We allow our boys to have their friends over quite a bit. It can be a lot of work, but we’re okay with that because we can keep an eye on them. We also get to know their friends, too. We listen to their conversations as they sit around the table and eat. It’s a great group of kids, and I feel blessed that my boys have such good friends.

It reminds me of my friends back in my elementary and junior high days. I had awesome friends, too. I don’t think we ever have friendships as close at any other point in our lives as we did back in those days. I don’t know how anyone else feels, but my friends and I were so tight back then.

We still meet occasionally, but we’re all so busy with our own families and commitments that it’s hard to get everyone together at the same time. It’s interesting to see how far all of us have journeyed on our path.

We didn’t have Skype back then, but we did have the telephone. Remember those old landlines? Wow. We’ve come a long way, haven’t we? Thanks for reading my post. How do you feel about your kids using the Internet? Do you feel the Internet has helped or hindered them as they grow into adulthood? Leave a comment, I’d love to hear from you!

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If you’d like to read other Slice of Life Posts, click the link below.

Slice of Life

 

 

Please Welcome L.R.W. Lee as she shares her New Release with Us!

 

JUST RELEASED!

Vision of the Griffin’s Heart, Andy Smithson, Book 5

Four years ago, Andy Smithson discovered he is the Chosen one to break a 500-yr-old curse plaguing the land of Oomaldee when he unexpectedly and mysteriously found himself there. To do so, he must collect ingredients for a magical potion. Thus far he has gathered the scale of a red dragon, venom from a giant serpent, a unicorn’s horn, and the tail feather of a phoenix. Now he must ask a griffin for one of its talons. There’s just one problem…humans have poached griffin treasure, causing these mythical creatures to attack on sight.

 

Complicating matters, the evil Abaddon, sovereign of Oomaldee’s northern neighbor, is turning more and more citizens into zolt in his ongoing campaign of terror as he sets in motion the final steps of his plan to conquer the land. Things really start to heat up in book five!

 

If you loved Harry Potter, you’ll love the Andy Smithson series chalk full of mythical creatures, newly invented animals like zolt, herewolves, and therewolves, a complex plot with evolving characters, and positive themes including responsibility, diligence, dignity, friendship and more.

 

Purchase Kindle and Paperback

 

 

THE BUZZ

5 Stars! – “A marvelous book in a great series!” – Erik Weibel (Age 14) This Kid Reviews Books Blog

“Readers of this series have come to anticipate a host of challenges, intense battles, and on an epic scale. In Vision of the Griffin’s Heart, you won’t be disappointed. For lovers of fantasy, I consider it a must read.” – Richard Weatherly, Author

“One of the admirable qualities I like about the entire series is seeing Andy’s growth from a self-absorbed kid to a more thoughtful teen as he learns how to deal with the various crises which face him, all the while knowing that the future may hold unpleasant consequences.  The watchword for Vision of the Griffin’s Heart is “courage.” – Wayne Walker, Home School Book Review

 

OTHER BOOKS IN THE ANDY SMITHSON SERIES:

 
 

Blast of the Dragon’s Fury (Andy Smithson, Book One) ebook is FREE. Download a copy at Amazon, Smashwords, Kobo, Google, B&N.

Listen to the FREE podcast of Book 1 by L. R. W. Lee on Podiobooks.

Book one is also available in paperback.

   

Venom of the Serpent’s Cunning (Andy Smithson, Book Two) is available in Kindle and Paperback.

Download the professionally recorded audiobook at Amazon

It’s only $1.99 if you download the eBook first…Savings of $16!

 

Disgrace of the Unicorn’s Honor (Andy Smithson, Book Three) is available in Kindle and Paperback.
     

Resurrection of the Phoenix’s Grace (Andy Smithson, Book Four) is available in Kindle and Paperback.

 

     

Power of the Heir’s Passion (Andy Smithson, Prequel Novella) ebook is FREE. Pick up a copy at Amazon, Google, B&N, Smashwords. It’s also available in paperback.

Download the professionally recorded audiobook at Amazon

It’s only $1.99 if you download the eBook for $.99 first…Savings of $1!

 

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

 

1. R. W. Lee credits her love of fantasy with her introduction to C. S. Lewis’ Chronicles of Narnia. Later on, she enjoyed the complex world of Middle Earth brought to life by J. R. R. Tolkien in Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit. The multiple dimensions of the worlds mixed with a layer of meaning, captivated her and made her desire to invent Young Adult Fantasy and Epic Fantasy worlds others could get lost in, but also take meaning away from. More recently, L. R. W. Lee has found inspiration from J. K. Rowling and her Harry Potter series as well as Brandon Mull and his best selling Fablehaven, Beyonders and Five Kingdoms series.
2. R. W. Lee writes to teach her readers principles that can transform their lives – overcoming frustration, impatience, fear and more. She also shows why responsibility, diligence and dignity are the keys to true success in life. She lives in scenic Austin, TX with her husband. Their daughter is a Computer Engineer for Microsoft and their son serves in the Air Force.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Amazon | Email

 

 

 

L.R.W. LEE INTERVIEW

1. How did you come up with your main character, Andy Smithson? Did he just pop into your imagination or did you specifically develop him?

Andy is patterned after my son. After our first child who was what I would call compliant and seemed to need little to no correction, our son arrived on the scene. As with most 2^nd children, he was polar opposite and provided much fodder for an engaging main character.

2. How did your experience with building a business help with your writing?

It has been invaluable for I understand that writing is only 50% of the writer’s success equation. Unlike Field of Dreams, with so many good books available today, just launching it, even on a well trafficked platform like Amazon, does not get recognition. Because of my corporate background, from day one I began working to build a platform – Twitter and Facebook primarily and now also Book Nerd Paradise. As well, I understand the importance of the author community, for no author can succeed these days without the support of fellow authors. My background has also helped in understanding the need to optimize my books to rank well on the variety of sites they are listed on. There’s much more, but those are the biggest helps I would say.

3. Was there any particular book or author whom you feel had the most influence on your work?

I have to say JK Rowling. The imagination she revealed, the strength of her characters, the world building, the depth of plot over multiple books…she definitely shaped how I think about writing.

4. What do you love the most about writing for young people?

Young people are moldable. My passion for writing is to share with readers principles that from my experience can help them live more peaceful lives. A few of these principles include overcoming fear, frustration and impatience as well as understanding that true success in life is not from riches, fame or power, but rather responsibility, diligence and dignity. If they can finish any of my books closer to understanding these principles, I feel very fulfilled.

5. Which part of the creative process is your favorite? Least favorite?

Designing the story arc is my favorite part of the creative process for you can take a story anywhere your imagination can go. My least favorite part is editing/revising. Even though I know the narrative gets much stronger as a result, it’s still my least favorite part.

6. How long does it usually take you to write one of your stories from when you get the idea to when it’s finished?

Usually about 6 months.

7. I know that most authors love all their characters but which of your many “children” is your favorite (besides Andy) and why?

I have to say Mermin, the kindly old wizard who speaks with a lisp. I love him most after Andy because he’s so warm, humble and approachable. He’s fallible and he knows it, which is why he doesn’t apologize for his mistakes, rather he is comfortable in his own skin.

8. Do you ever plan to branch out into other genres besides middle grade/young adult fantasy?

Funny you should ask. Yes, I’m actually noodling with a story arc of a YA Sci Fi story.

9. How do you feel your writing has evolved since your first novel?

I can see how much I’ve changed and improved in showing rather than telling my readers what’s happening. I want them to engage and to show – providing sight, sounds, touch, smell, and taste cues is a big part of that. I was particularly thrilled when my editor came back a full week sooner than expected with this current book because I had improved so much between book three and four. My pocketbook also appreciated that J

 

 

THE DEPTH OF THE ANDY SMITHSON SERIES

If you’re an adult looking for a clean series you can sink your teeth into, Andy Smithson is definitely it! In it I develop four layers simultaneously: 1) Andy Smithson in Lakehills, TX 2) Andy in Oomaldee 3) the Afterlife 4) a meaning layer. A few examples to demonstrate the depth…

Symbolism is used extensively (a couple examples):

• The fog of the curse symbolizes blindness and oppression.
• The magic key unlocks doors, brings stone statues to life, as well as revives. Put another way, it symbolizes bringing forth, opening up, and revealing (aka taking responsibility).
• Methuselah is not only a weapon and helper, but also represents justice as it divides good and evil. Consistent with life, justice requires diligence to uphold.

Names are also important in this series (a few examples):

• Andy means brave or courageous.
• Alden means helper.
• Hannah means favor or grace.
• Imogenia means blameless.

Alchemy used throughout the series (a few examples):

• Alchemy played a significant role in the development of modern science. Alchemists sought to transformbase metals into the gold or silver and/or develop an elixir of life which would confer youth and longevity and even immortality.
• In the series, the first instance of alchemy begins with the gold weavers, Max, Oscar, and Henry, spinning straw into gold to manufacture the wealth of the kingdom.
• The four elementals: air, earth, fire, and water are then seen on Methuselah’s hilt.

 

The titles of the books manifest yet another layer of meaning and reveal Imogenia’s evolution.

• Beginning with Blast of the Dragon’s Fury, Imogenia is furious at what has happened to her and she fuels her emotional hurt.
• In Venom of the Serpent’s Cunning, Imogenia turns venomous (or spiteful) and cunning in seeking ways to continually punish her brother.
• Disgrace of the Unicorn’s Honor has Imogenia act in a manner disgraceful to the honor of royalty.
• In Resurrection of the Phoenix’s Grace we see Imogenia’s grace reborn as she begins to reflect.
• In Vision of the Griffin’s Heart, Imogenia realizes she is gripped by hatred and distrust she has harbored for so long. Unlike griffins who choose to trust others, Imogenia cannot yet make that leap when it comes to her brother.

Did Someone Say More Cowbell?

 

Hello everyone, I hope all is well with you. I’m back today and I’ve got nothing. I can’t think of an interesting blog post to save my life. I’ve got the dreaded disease Blogger’s Block.

I don’t know if you’ve ever had it, but mine came on gradually. I’d start writing a post and it would start off good, but then it’d dwindle down until I found myself asking, what am I trying to say? Who is going to read this?

When no answers came to me, I trashed my words and started over. I did this three times. Now I’m confessing. I have Blogger’s Block and I need a cure.

Did someone say More Cowbell?

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More Cowbell is definitely the cure for this horrible illness. Don’t know what I’m talking about?

Check out this YouTube Video and you’ll understand:

More Cowbell

I know I’m dating myself here, but this was one of my favorite skits on the great Saturday Night Live show. This show started in 1975. I remember, I was a skinny teen then and it was a big deal to watch it.

I’d have my best friend spend the night. We’d stay up late eating popcorn and drinking fizzy coke, while we watched this amazing comedy show.  We’d laugh and laugh. Our fears and insecurities would become non-existent because we were having too much fun.

We’d get to school on Monday and the buzz through the halls was, “Hey did you see Saturday Night Live?”

“Wasn’t that the best?”

We’d go into great detail about what skit we thought was the funniest. Then we’d discuss SNL shows of the past, ones that were truly iconic.

Saturday Night Live has been around since 1975. This show has been making people laugh for forty-one years. It is the longest running sketch comedy show on American television.

Many young comedians have gotten their start on Saturday Night Live. Dan Aakroyd, Bill Murray, and Will Farrell, just to name a few. These stars have gone on to have major success on the big screen.

Laughter truly is the best medicine. I’m sure you’re aware that laughing secretes endorphins in your brain. Endorphins are hormones that activate our opiate receptors. They make us feel good. 🙂

Laughing also exercises your abdominal muscles and the muscles in your face. Which means it also burns calories. I bet you can see where I’m going with this one, can’t you?

But the best time to watch SNL skits is when you’re going through chemo. Because you’ll laugh, and you’ll feel better even if it’s just for a little while.

So whether you’re dealing with Blogger’s Block, or something much more serious like chemo. Just remember, the cure is More Cowbell. 🙂

Thanks for stopping by and reading my post today. I’ve got some other SNL favorites for you to check out. The links are below.

Steve Martin’s Skits

Top Ten Picks of SNL Skits

Weekend Update

Funniest Cats

Church Chat

Another Top Ten List of SNL Skits

What are your favorites? List them in the comments. I’d love to check them out!

Failure is a Stepping Stone to Success

Hello everyone, I hope all is well with you. I’m back today with another Slice of Life Post. Today, I’m talking about dealing with failure. In my opinion, failure is just a stepping stone to success, but not everyone feels this way.

The event that brought this subject to light is the Battle of the Books at my son’s school. This is an event, where students read a number of books approved by their librarian. When the students have read ten books from this approved list, they’re eligible to participate in The Battle of the Books. This is where they answer questions on the content they’ve read. I watched it poised with anticipation. I couldn’t wait to see those young eager minds answer questions from the books they’d read.

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I watched as these kids nervously picked at their fingernails or bit their lips. I’d forgotten how scary it can be to answer questions in front of a panel of adults and your peers. Not to mention the humiliation they must’ve felt when they didn’t answer correctly. I remembered how intense those emotions can be.

It was a crushing event for one young man and my heart went out to him and that’s when I realized young people need to learn they can survive failing. It’s not the end all drama that they imagine it to be. It’s a painful lesson and we as parents need to remember that as we guide our littles through life.

After all, it took Thomas Edison one thousand attempts before he got the light bulb right. Then there’s J.K. Rowling, the author of the Harry Potter series, who was rejected by twelve different publishers before Bloomsbury Publishing accepted it. This series went on to earn over four hundred million dollars and made Rowling the first female billionaire author.

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We’re very fortunate Thomas Edison and J.K. Rowling didn’t give up, they persevered and our world is better for it. We need to teach this to our kids, this belief in their dreams. We need to teach them everyone fails before they get it right.  If we don’t, what will the future be like?

Thanks for stopping by and reading my post. If you’re looking for other Slice of Life Posts, click the link below.

Slice of Life

 

 

My One Little Word for 2016

 

 

Hello everyone, I hope all is well with you. I’m back today and I’m sharing my one little word for this year. This is my first time participating in the One Little Word event, so I’ve put a lot of thought into my word. I came up with a very simple one, but it does illustrate what I want to achieve this year.

That word is:

LISTEN

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I know. A little anti-climactic, after all I was thinking about words like Intuition, Commitment, and Inspiration.

However, as I thought about my one little word. I realized that I needed an action word. Something that would guide me in my everyday life.

That’s why I chose Listen.

I want to turn down the volume and Listen to my Intuition. My inner voice will guide me and help me to make the choices I need to make, but I’ve got to get in the habit of really Listening to it.

I also need to listen to my kids and hubby. And when I say listen I mean, listen to understand and not listen to reply. As a society we tend to think about how we’re going to respond to someone as opposed to trying to understand what they’re saying. So I’m going to work on this one.
I want to listen to my friends more so they feel more understood and I’ll get to know them on a deeper level.

So there you have it. My one little word for 2016. Thanks for stopping by and reading my post. I’d love to hear what you think of my word, leave a comment. Do you have one little word you’d like to share?

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My Thoughts on the Movie Spotlight

Hello everyone, I hope all is well with you. I’ve just sent my WIP off to my beta reader and I’m crossing my fingers that she likes it. 🙂

Anyway, a few weeks ago, I went to see the movie Spotlight with my mother. I wanted to see how the Catholic Church had been exposed for the abuse they had allowed to happen.

The movie was well done. I liked the characters and the way they instilled humor while discussing a very dark issue. The plot development seemed realistic and I feel that it was as close to the real life events as we’re going to get.
The truth of the movie sickened me. It enraged me to think about the priests who perpetrated the crimes and all the church did was move them to another parish, or put them into some kind of rehabilitation program. When they moved, they continued their abuse and the church did nothing for the victims.

 

This is the part that upsets me the most. How could they ignore the victims? I mean here they are supposedly teaching us about morality and they not only allow this type of abuse, they cover it up.

 

This tells me that we must be our children’s guardian at all times. If this type of abuse can happen in a church, it can happen anywhere.

 

Here are the warning signs of abuse:

• Acting out in an inappropriate sexual way with toys or objects
• Nightmares, sleeping problems
• Becoming withdrawn or very clingy
• Becoming unusually secretive
• Sudden unexplained personality changes, mood swings and seeming insecure
• Regressing to younger behaviors, e.g. bedwetting
• Unaccountable fear of particular places or people. Outburst of anger.
• Changes in eating habits
• New adult words for body parts and no obvious source

• Talk of a new, older friend and unexplained money or gifts. Self-harm (cutting, burning or other harmful activities)
• Physical signs, such as, unexplained soreness or bruises around genitals or mouth, sexually transmitted diseases, pregnancy. Running away
• Not wanting to be alone with a particular child or young person

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I found this list on this site, and for more information click here:

http://www.parentsprotect.co.uk/warning_signs.htm

This movie opened my eyes to how vulnerable our children are. These abusers seek out professions that put them in contact with kids. They’re not just priests, they’re Teachers, Child Psychologists, and Childcare Directors. Thankfully we do have some checks in place. I know my local school conducts background checks on all their employees, most schools do, but that doesn’t mean we should be lax about picking up the warning signs.

Thanks for stopping by and reading my post. I’d love to read your thoughts! Please leave a comment!

 

Do Blondes have more fun? A Slice of Life Post

Hello everyone, I hope all is well with you. I’m back today with another Slice of Life Post. Today, I’m discussing the question, do blondes have more fun?

Now, I can do a survey and ask a random sample of blonde women whether they agree with that age-old theory or I can tell you about my experience as a blonde versus my experience as a brunette.

I bet you’re wondering how I can do this objectively. Well I’ll tell you. You see before I went through chemo. I was blonde. I had some chemical help too, but that’s beside the point. 🙂

Anyway, then I started chemo and I lost my hair. It all fell out. I was bald. This was quite a shock for me, but my family took it in stride. So I bought a wig and I was fortunate enough to find one that matched my former blonde locks to a reasonable degree.

I finished chemo and to tell you the truth when I was going through it, it seemed like it would never end. Now that I’m done, and I’ve been done for about a year, it seems like it happened a lifetime ago. Isn’t the human mind a wonderful thing? It can take some horrific event and make it seem faraway and small.

Well, when I finished chemo, I started to recover and my hair started growing back, but it came back very dark, almost black.  It’s still in the process of growing in, but it’s long enough so that I can style it a little now.

Because of this experience I feel that I’m qualified to answer the question: Do blondes have more fun?  After all, I’ve been a blonde and I’ve been a brunette.

And the answer is: It doesn’t matter if you’re blonde or brunette. The people who have the most fun are the healthy ones. Take care of your health and you’ll truly have wealth.

This image courtesy of all thefreestock.com 

http://allthefreestock.com/

 

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