My New Year Resolutions :)

Hello everyone! I hope all is well with you and that you all had a wonderful Christmas. I’m back today to talk about the New Year. It seems like everyone sets New Year resolutions or goals and I’m no exception. This year I’m planning to get a lot done. I’m almost finished with my Coming of Age novel and I’m really excited about it. Of course, I’ll have to do some self-editing but the first draft is almost done.

When that’s done, I’m going to start two different books. I want to work on Super Spies number four and the sequel to my Coming of Age novel. I have got the sequel pretty much mapped out in my head and I have an idea for the Super Spies story, but it needs to be fleshed out.

I’m going to do all that and spend as much time with my kids as I can. They’re getting more and more independent every day and soon they’ll reach that stage where it’s not cool to hang out with Mom and Dad anymore. So, I’m going to get as much time with them as I can. Sigh.  They’re at such fun ages right now! 🙂

Another area that I’m going to work on is my health. I’m going to continue working out and running. I want to get back into shape and yes, that was on my list for this year, but I didn’t make it as big of a priority as I should have. J It was an easy thing to blow off, especially when I was so into my story. So this year, I’m making it more of a priority.

I’ve purchased a Pilates DVD and I figure if I rotate running with a Pilates workout I’ll be getting the best of both worlds. The cardio from running and the resistance training my muscles need from the DVD. I’m also hoping to lose about ten pounds.

So unfortunately, I’m changing my eating habits. Boo! Not something I’m looking forward to, but it’s a necessity as I get older and my metabolism slows down. Sigh. Growing old sure isn’t any fun. 🙂

Well there you have it, my New Year’s Resolutions for 2014. What are yours? Leave a comment; I’d love to read them. 🙂

Thanks for stopping by! 🙂

Dealing with Negative Emotions

Hello everyone, I hope all is well with you. I’m back today talking about negative emotions. These feelings are tough to deal with even as adults, so I thought it’d be a good topic for today, especially with the holidays coming up. It seems like gathering with families can bring these emotions to the surface rather quickly.

Part of the problem when dealing with these emotions is that they have a label of bad or negative, so not only are we dealing with the powerful negative emotion, we’re feeling bad because we have it.

In reality, these emotions aren’t negative, they’re telling us something. They’re a signal designed to alert us. Maybe a situation isn’t a good one and our fear is igniting our fight or flight response.

I did a little research on how to control our negative emotions. It just seems like those negative ones are so strong and they can take us right over, wouldn’t you agree?  Well, this is what I found at  http://www.self-improvement-mentor.com/controlling-emotions.html

First of all, let us identify some of those negative emotions.

Fear- That feeling that something bad is going to happen.

Hurt– That feeling you get when you suffer a loss. A loss is any unmet expectation.

Frustration– When you’re not getting the returns for your efforts that you want.

Disappointment– When you feel you’ve lost out on something forever.

Anger and Guilt- These emotions are the result of the violation of your own internal standards or guidelines.

First, let’s re-label these emotions from “bad” or “negative” to signals. That’s right; they’re signals that alert us to something. For example, when we’re feeling frustrated we need to look at our efforts and see if they need to be tweaked. Maybe talking to a mentor about our results will help us tweak our strategy so we can improve our results.

Our frustration is a signal that we needed. It told us that we needed to take action. In my opinion, that’s what these emotions do for us, they tell us to take action, to make a change. The only problem is that when we feel these emotions we don’t always know what action we need to take.

The first thing we need to do is take control of our emotion. So how do we do that?

I found these steps at  http://www.self-improvement-mentor.com/controlling-emotions.html

The first step is:

1)    Break your pattern immediately and disassociate. Do something crazy to break out of the emotion.

2)    Now get curious. Become a third party observer and ask questions. What’s going on here? Where did this emotion come from? Remember to do this as a third party. Don’t make it personal.

3)    Then identify the real issue of what you want.

4)    Then come up with an action that will get you what you want.

The key to this process is the disassociation. We need to become an observer so that we can identify what we want without being blinded by raw emotion.

These steps are clear and practical, but like everything else in life, it’ll take practice to master them. Don’t be disappointed if you don’t  master them right away.

In my opinion, these steps would be great to teach teens that are experiencing some of these emotions. They can be incredibly intense and many teens don’t have the tools they need to deal with them. By using the following steps above, they can start practicing now and master their emotions at a younger age. Just think how the quality of their lives will improve. 🙂

Thanks for reading my post today. I hope you found it helpful. If you have any tools that work for you on dealing with negative emotions please leave a comment, I’d love to read it!

****For more information on dealing with negative emotions go to:

http://www.self-improvement-mentor.com/controlling-emotions.html

Back to School Blog hop!

And the Winners are!

BN 100

Paul R. Hewlett

Thanks so much for participating and you will be receiving an e-mail from me shortly! 🙂 Congrats BN 100 and Paul

Hello everyone, I hope all is well with you! Guess what?  I’m participating in another blog hop this week! That’s right! It’s the back to school blog hop! The members of the  We ♥ Middle grade Books Facebook Group are hosting it and we’re giving away some awesome prizes!  Books! That’s right! Books for your tweens and teens!

So please visit the other blogs and see what you can win!  Here at my blog I’m giving away one full set of the Super Spies series (e-book copies) to one winner! And a ten dollar Amazon Gift Card to another. How do you enter to win? Very good question! But before I answer that, here are the book covers of the three books that you can win!

You can enter a variety of ways. You can like my Facebook author page and leave a quick comment letting me know you’re from the blog hop. The link is below:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Lisa-Orchard/328536613877060?ref=hl

You can also tweet about my books and leave the tweet in the comment section below:  Here’s an example of a tweet you can use:

What would you do if you were 15 and accused of murder? http://www.amazon.com/Super-Spies-Lady-Killer-ebook/dp/B007JZH61K

Amazon bestseller and great #teen read! 4.5 stars!

You can also leave a comment telling me your favorite book you read during your middle school years.

And you can enter more than once! Good luck and don’t forget to check out the other blogs on the hop! They have prizes too!

Click the link below to check out the other participating blogs!

“http://www.inlinkz.com/wpview.php?id=296441“><img style=”border:0px” src=”http://www.inlinkz.com/wpImg.php?id=296441“></a>

Blog hop is open until midnight, September 15th! Winners will be announced on the 16th!  Good luck everyone!

Author Blog Hop for Children’s Authors, MG Authors and YA Authors

I was invited by my friend, Jodi Desautels, to participate in a “blog hop interview.” Jodi sent me some interview questions, which I answer here on my blog. Following my answers, I tag 3 other writers who will, in turn, answer questions on their blogs next week. It’s been fun checking out the Blog Hops to see what other children’s authors have posted!

Jodi posted her answers to the questions at her blog, What’s New With Jodi Desautels on July 22nd. If you like, you can leave a comment on her blog and tell her that you connected to her through my link here!

http://authorjodidesautels.weebly.com/1/post/2013/07/author-blog-hop-for-childrens-authors-mg-authors-and-ya-authors.html

Here are my answers to the questions that I chose from the list:

1. What are you working on right now?

I’m working on a Coming of Age Young Adult Novel and I’m hashing out an idea for the fourth Super Spies book.

2. How does it differ from other works in its genre?

It’s my hope that it’ll be not only entertaining but an inspirational story as well.

3. Why do you write what you do?

When I was a young girl, I wanted to be a detective just like Nancy Drew. Then I realized I would love to be a writer. This revelation occurred when I was in fifth grade and I started writing my own mysteries then. However, I didn’t seek publication until I was home with my kids. That’s when the Super Spies series was born.

Right now, I’m taking a break from the Super Spies and trying something a little different. I’m writing a Coming of Age novel and I’m really enjoying it. I love the characters and the bobbing and weaving that they do in their prickly relationship. I can’t say more than that. 😉 I don’t want to give too much away. I write to inspire young girls. I want them to follow their passion and dream big. 🙂 That’s why most of my main characters are strong girls.

4. How does your writing process work?

I’m a seat of my pants writer. Plotting ruins the creative process for me.  I usually know the beginning of the story and how it ends…and in the middle I let the characters take over. That’s how I get so many surprising twists and turns in my mysteries.

The one negative that I’ve found is that I have a lot of editing to do when the first draft is done. But I don’t really mind that either because I enjoy taking a scene and making it stronger and more emotional.

Below are the three authors that I tagged and their posts will be up August 5th.

Sara Stinson:  http://stinsonsara.wordpress.com/

Cordelia Dinsmore :  http://cordeliadinsmore.blogspot.com/

J. F. Jenkins:  http://adragonslove.blogspot.com/

Thanks for stopping by and reading my post today! 🙂

Kelly Martin’s Here and She’s Giving Away Some Books!

Hello Everyone! I hope all is well with you! I’ve got Award Winning Author Kelly Martin here today and she’s giving away FIVE ARCS  of her soon to be released novel “The Deception of Devin Miller.” To enter all you have to do is go to her blog and enter the rafflecopter there. I apologize rafflecopter doesn’t work with my blog. Here’s the link:

http://www.kellymartinstories.com/

Now check out the story and more about Kelly Martin!

Back Cover Blurb:

One month ago, seventeen year old Devin Miller wrecked while intoxicated—or so she’s told by the very aggravated blue-eyed boy when she wakes up from a coma. The only thing Devin remembers is the darkness holding her down and the voices– some happy, some upset, and one very agitated. She can’t remember her name, her age, where she lives, or who in the world the blue-eyed boy is. But he knows who she is, and against her better judgment, she offers to pay him for his memories so she can trick the ones closest to her into thinking she’s fine. That is her first mistake.

When Devin gets home, things start to spin out of control. People she doesn’t know keep talking to her. Trey–the blue -eyed boy– doesn’t show up like he’s supposed too. And the police want to talk to her about her involvement in car accident. Plus she keeps seeing flashes of the crash, but none of them make sense. What would a red plastic cup have to do with anything? And why doesn’t she have any feelings for her ‘boyfriend’, Cooper?

Facing DUI charges for a wreck she can’t recall, Devin struggles to remember exactly what happened the night of the crash: something the real driver wants her to keep buried.

Author Bio:

Kelly Martin is a southern mama who writes… a lot. She has two books out through Astraea Press: SAINT SLOAN and Grace Award winning, CROSSING THE DEEP. Her fourth book, B.I.G. IS BEAUTIFUL will be out Sept. 3rd, 2013. By day, she is a special education preschool teacher. By night, you can find her with her hair in a bun and her fingers on a keyboard. She loves God, is addicted to chocolate, and would rather write than sleep. She loves a good mystery and believes in Sherlock Holmes.

My links:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/martieKay

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Kelly-Martin-Author/136506059763138

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6552501.Kelly_Martin

Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Kelly-Martin/e/B009O5CZL4/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1

School Sports, the Positive and the Negative

Hello everyone! I hope all is well with you! We finally have decent weather and I was able to get outside and enjoy the sunshine. As I watched my kids play in the yard, I thought about what sports they would participate in when they reached Jr. High and High school.

It made me think back to my own High school career and the sports that I participated in. I ran cross country and played softball.  I was the top runner for the girls on our cross country team. When I look back, I laugh because my biggest motivation was fear. That’s right, I was afraid of coming in last. So, I made sure I didn’t.  It never occurred to me that I would come in first, until it happened.

That’s when I felt the pressure to perform. Now, that I had achieved first place the fear of coming in last was replaced by the fear of someone else taking first place.

I wonder if all teens feel this way or it was just my particular makeup.  As I look back I remember the anxiety I felt and how I pushed myself. How I would only eat one piece of toast before an invitational so that I wouldn’t be weighed down with excess food.

I remember the second year I didn’t go out for the team. I kept asking myself; did I have fun? Was all the pressure worth it? I had answered no, until the cross country coach came knocking on my door. He wanted me to run. I wasn’t sure that I wanted to and I hadn’t trained with the team, but I was so flattered that he thought I was good enough that I joined the team again. My second year wasn’t quite as stellar as my first year to say the least. 🙂

I realize now, why it wasn’t. Aside from the fact that I missed the first two weeks of training, I wasn’t committed to it. I was doing it for the wrong reason. I didn’t want to disappoint the coach.

I should have been participating because I wanted to run. I should have been doing it just for the sheer joy of running. It shouldn’t have mattered where I placed. That’s the main reason any kid should get involved in a sport, just because they like it.

Being involved in sports does have a positive effect on kids. In fact, a Canadian Council for Social Development study showed that participating in structured recreation positively influenced young people’s physical and social development, as well as their civic behavior and skills.

A 2003 Sport Canada survey of 1005 Canadian youth, aged 12 to 21, found that their involvement in sports:

ƒ Improved their health (99 per cent);

ƒ Helped them make friends (87 per cent);

ƒ Improved their feelings about themselves (85 per cent);

ƒ Helped them succeed at school (58 per cent);

ƒ Helped them become more active with their family (54 per cent).

****I got these statistics from this site. Click here for more information. http://www.letkidsplay.ca/docs/LKPPositiveImpactSports.pdf

However, I feel very strongly that it should be the child’s choice. They have to participate because they want to, or they won’t enjoy it. And they probably won’t excel in that sport. They may even feel resentful because they were pushed into it.

I’ve also found that when a coach has his/her own agenda they can pressure kids too much. An example of this is Laura Yochelson, who’s cross country coach’s obsession with empty calories led her down the road to Anorexia Nervosa. Click here to read her interview. https://lisaorchard.wordpress.com/2012/12/03/please-welcome-back-laura-yochelson-anorexia-nervosa-survivor/

So when our kids get involved with sports lets make sure it’s for the right reason. Let’s make sure it’s what they really want to do and we need to stay involved. We need to make sure the coach is coaching to benefit the kids and not pursuing his own agenda. Thanks so much for stopping by today! Leave a comment and share some of your experiences! I’d love to hear from you!

Sweet Saturday Sample of “The Super Spies and the Cat Lady Killer”

Hello Everyone! I hope all is well with you! Today I’m participating in Sweet Saturday Samples. I haven’t participated in a while because I’ve been busy with the kiddos. So, I thought I’d share the first book in the Super Spies series, “The Super Spies and the Cat Lady Killer”.  I’ve found that tweens and teens enjoy the story. It’s been well received by girls between the ages of 8 to 16. Enjoy the excerpt and thanks for stopping by!

The house sat hunkered down as if it were tensed to spring like a cat stalking a mouse. Sarah shuddered at the thought of going up on the porch and she chewed on her thumbnail.

Looking behind her, Sarah studied the church facing the Cat Lady’s home. It was a strong structure built of huge stones. She could tell it was as old as the town itself and its presence made her feel safe. Motioning for Jackie and Lacey to follow her, she moved from the sidewalk to the huge oak tree growing on the church’s lawn. The girls hid behind it, peeking out at the witch’s home.

“Are you still going to do it?” Jackie teased.

“Yep.”

“Do you think she’s inside?” Lacey asked wide-eyed.

Sarah smirked at her. “Where else would she be? I hear she never leaves her house.”

“Be nice.” Jackie smacked Sarah’s arm.

“What are you waiting for? Are you afraid of the witch?” Lacey asked as she stared at the house.

“She’s not a witch. She’s just a freak, that’s all.”

“Well, if she’s not …then what are you waiting for?” Jackie snickered.

“I just want to make sure the coast is clear.”

“Hey, you guys, look at all the cats,” Lacey whispered. She pointed at the clusters of felines lolling about on the porch and walking in the yard. “There has to be at least twenty of them.”

“Yeah, that’s why she’s called the Cat Lady.” Sarah rolled her eyes and then felt the sting from Jackie’s slap.

“Do you think she put a spell on those cats?” Lacey asked with a wide-eyed expression, twirling her hair with her finger.

“Could be,” Sarah snickered. “Or maybe she just…you know…gives them food.”

“Knock it off, Sarah,” Lacey glared at her sister.

Sarah stuck her tongue out at her. “Okay, I’m going for it. I’ll meet you back here.”

“Cool beans,” Jackie said.

“Cool beans? Is this town still in the nineties?” Sarah teased.

“Shut up.” Jackie smacked her arm again.

“This is physical abuse.” Sarah rubbed her arm, trying to appear injured.

Jackie laughed. “Be thankful I like hanging out with you.”

“All I have to do is ring her doorbell, right?” Sarah poked her head out from behind the tree. She noticed the tomato pulp still clinging to the siding and peered up and down the street for the notorious Wykowski boys.

“That’s right,” Jackie chuckled.

Sarah took a deep breath and sprinted across the street. She stopped at the porch stairs. A group of cats were sunning themselves on the steps—they meowed at her as if they were hungry. Jumping when one of them rubbed against her legs, she bent down and stroked its back, never taking her eyes off of the house.

Sarah petted the cat, while she worked up the courage to climb the stairs. She heard the loud purr of the contented feline and it eased her anxiety. All of a sudden, she felt a hand squeeze her arm. Her heart leapt in her chest and she let out a yelp.

Turning, she spied Jackie. “I almost peed my pants!”

Jackie giggled.

“What are you doing here?” Sarah muttered and gave Jackie the evil eye.

“I couldn’t stay behind the tree and miss all the action.”

Sarah glanced around her and pointed to some overgrown bushes in front of the porch. “You can hide over there.”

Out of the corner of her eye, Sarah spied her sister running toward them and stifled a groan.

“I didn’t want to stand by myself,” Lacey whimpered, slightly out of breath. She tugged nervously on the hem of her T-shirt as she eyed the house.

Sarah groaned and her shoulders slumped as if she carried a heavy burden. She sighed and pointed at the bushes again. “You hide over there with Jackie and be quiet.”

Sarah waited until the other girls were out of sight, and then climbed the stairs. Stopping when she reached the porch, Sarah took some deep breaths before stepping onto the sagging stoop. Stepping gingerly, she hoped the porch would support her.  Her stomach clenched when it groaned. She took another step and then another, the porch complaining with every footfall. Halfway across the stoop, she heard the girls behind the bushes.

“She’s almost to the door.” Lacey said in a low voice.

Sarah bit her lip, stifling the disapproving remark dancing on the tip of her tongue. Instead, she turned and glared at the bushes, willing its occupants to shut up. She made eye contact with Jackie, who quickly ducked behind the shrubs, pulling Lacey with her.

What in the world is she doing?” Lacey asked.

“Shhh,” Jackie responded.

Sarah shook her head and continued her journey. She felt Jackie and Lacey watching her as she crept toward the door. Reaching the entryway, she was surprised to find the storm door wide open. The only barrier between the Cat Lady and the rest of the world was a flimsy screen door hanging askew on its hinges.

Alarm bells rang in Sarah’s head—this has got to be out of character for someone who never leaves their home. She turned back and whispered to the other girls. “Hey!”

Jackie poked her head out. “What?”

“The storm door’s open.”

“So?”

“So…what do I do?”

“Duh…Ring the door bell.”

Sarah shrugged and pushed the doorbell. It let out an irritating buzz and she had the feeling it had been broken long ago and never fixed. She dashed down the stairs.  The cats scattered, alarmed by the sudden activity. Reaching the shrubs, Sarah hid with her sister and Jackie.

Gasping for breath, Sarah waited for a reaction from the old woman. Her heart pummeled her ribs and she pressed her hand to her chest to calm it.

After a few minutes, Sarah started to pace. “Well…nothing’s happened.” She peeked out from behind the shrub and saw the screen door hanging ajar. “I bet she’s not even home. I’m going to try again.”

Jackie shrugged. “Be careful, remember she’s a witch.”

Sarah shook her head, and then peered out from behind the shrubs. Once again, she climbed the stairs. She was braver this time and it didn’t take her as long to make it to the door.

She looked inside, her heart lurching in her chest. She tiptoed to the picture window and peered through it. Gasping, she ran back to the entryway. Pulling it open, she lunged inside.

Sarah stared, unable to tear herself away.  Shock ran through her body like an electrical current as she eyed the scene before her. The crumpled form of the Cat Lady lay on the living room floor, just inside the door. No life flickered in the old woman’s staring eyes. Her mouth gaped open in a silent scream and her hands were up around her head as if she were warding off blows. Turning away, Sarah gagged as the coppery scent of blood assaulted her. There was blood splattered everywhere, on the wall, on the carpet and under the Cat Lady’s body.

Suddenly, Sarah’s throat constricted and she gasped for breath. Fearing she would faint, she stumbled back out the door and collided with Jackie and Lacey on the porch.

Jackie grabbed Sarah’s arm and shook her. “What are you doing? Are you crazy? I never said to go inside!”

Sarah didn’t speak—she just stared blankly at the porch.

Jackie shook her again. “Are you under the Cat Lady’s spell?”

Lacey whimpered. “Hey, Sarah….can you hear me? Sarah?”

“She’s under the Cat Lady’s spell,” Jackie said waving her hand in front of Sarah’s eyes.

“Oh my—,” Sarah moaned and clutched Jackie’s arm.

“What is it?” Jackie shook her again. “Speak…say something!”

“Th-th-the C-C-Cat Lady, sh-sh-she’s,” Sarah stuttered.

“She’s what?” Jackie demanded.

“Sh-she’s dead.”

If you’d like to purchase this book for any of your teens the buy links are below and it’s also available as an audio book! 🙂

Amazon:  http://www.amazon.com/Super-Spies-Lady-Killer-ebook/dp/B007JZH61K

Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-super-spies-and-the-cat-lady-killer-lisa-orchard/1109518725?ean=2940014338202

Audible.com http://www.audible.com/pd/ref=sr_1_1?asin=B00BGBSLCG&qid=1365250810&sr=1-1

Thanks for stopping by and there’s more samples to check out here!

http://sweetsatsample.wordpress.com/

An Anniversary Thank You!

Hello Everyone! I hope all is well with you! This month marks the one year anniversary of my first book “The Super Spies and the Cat Lady Killer”.  It hit Amazon on the 13^th of March last year and I’ve learned a lot this first year of publication.

The main thing I’ve learned is that there is a lot of support from other authors in the publication arena.  And I’d like to take a moment and thank some of them for their support. They have been there for me when I’ve had questions or concerns. They’ve shared their knowledge with me, whether it was an editorial opinion or some marketing knowledge, I’ve grown as a result of their feedback.   I’d like to take a moment and send them a huge “THANK YOU” and if you get a chance check out their books, you might find something you’ll really like. 🙂 I know I have. 🙂

Rachel VanDyken:

Jaded rock star, Demetri Daniels, is in Hell — also known as Seaside, Oregon. Sent to rehab after nearly getting himself killed last year, his record company wants nothing more than for him to lay low, away from the limelight.

Irritated and more alone than he’s ever been in his life, Demetri tries desperately to rebuild his shattered reputation as a drug addict and player, which proves to be difficult when he meets Alyssa.

Alyssa is everything he should stay away from. She’s beautiful, smart, but above all else, she’s damaged. And one thing Demetri has learned is two broken hearts don’t equal a whole.
In the end, he has to decide if he can rise above the life he’s created in learning from his past mistakes, or fall into the darkness of his choices.

**This is a New Adult Novel..minor language, drug usage, and sexual situations. Not appropriate for younger readers**

Barnes and Noble:  http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/pull-rachel-van-dyken/1114720164?ean=2940016376530

Kay Springsteen Tate:

Love is family…The McGee family is devastated when their beloved patriarch, Justin, suffers a heart attack. Having lost their mother too soon, Ryan and Sean can only pray for their father’s recovery.Love is endless…Justin knows how much his children love and need him, but he’s tired and they have families of their own now. Watching his sons with their wives is bittersweet for him, because it makes him miss his beloved Beth all the more. Not a day goes by when he doesn’t think about her… want to be with her.Love is timeless…And suddenly, she’s there. With him, beside him in some strange way he doesn’t understand. But speaking and reminiscing with her about the day they met and how they fell in love seems more real than the heartbroken family holding vigil at his bedside.Love is abiding…Justin’s love for Beth has only strengthened over their years apart and he’s longed for the time when he’d see her again. Finally, that time is here. Who has the greater claim on him, his family… his grandchildren… or the love of his life?

Amazon:  http://www.amazon.com/Abiding-Echoes-Orsons-Folly-ebook/dp/B008MRR876

Barnes and Noble:  http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/abiding-echoes-kay-springsteen/1112162718?ean=2940014969529

Lori Lapekes:

Melody Moon has returned to her roots with fame and riches in hopes of finding Gideon, the young man with the strange birthmark on his face. Thoughts of him have haunted her for twenty years, yet no one knows what happened to him. After purchasing Catalpa Hall, their childhood sanctuary, Melody makes an unusual discovery: carved in the wood below the old stage in the hall is her name, Gideon’s name, and the current year.Melody and Gideon were once known as the “Double Uglies,” dubbed as such by Melody’s reprehensible older brother, Dean. The cruel nickname later earned Melody fame as an author of children’s books, but only Gideon knows the nickname had actually precipitated dreadfully more—her brother’s drowning long ago. It’s a loss that’s turned Gideon into the recluse he’s
become.What exactly did happen at the secluded pond behind Catalpa Hall when Melody and Gideon were so young and just trying to get by in the backwoods culture…and who else may have witnessed it? Someone with sinister motives is involved, and is desperately attempting to tear Gideon and Melody apart. Gideon’s love for the enchanting young woman he’d been forced to abandon two decades ago may force him to leave her again, for he feels certain Melody could never understand the truth. At least–his perception of the truth.

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Secrets-of-Catalpa-Hall-ebook/dp/B007WYPIGS

Barnes and Noble:  http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/secrets-of-catalpa-hall-lori-lapekes/1110362265?ean=2940014565875

Sharon Ledwith:

When Amanda Sault and her four classmates are caught in a major food fight at school, they are given the choice of suspension or yard duty. It was a no-brainer. A two-week crash course in landscaping leads the kids to discover a weathered stone arch buried in an overgrown backyard. Instead of a forgotten lawn ornament, it turns out to be an ancient time portal from the lost continent of Atlantis. Chosen by an Atlantean Magus to be Timekeepers—legendary time travelers sworn to keep history safe from an evil force—the five children, along with two offbeat adults, are sent on the adventure of their lives to save the Earth from an uncertain future. The Timekeepers’ first mission lands them in England in 1214, where they must find an adolescent Robin Hood and his band of merry teens before history is turned upside-down.

Amazon:  http://www.amazon.com/Last-Timekeepers-Arch-Atlantis-ebook/dp/B0084AKSP0

Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-last-timekeepers-and-the-arch-of-atlantis-x2019-sharon-ledwith/1111074347?ean=2940014363952

Lindsay Downs:

A missing soldier. A break in. A former, now soldier, model tells of an aborted assault. A passageway hiding more than years of dust and cobwebs. Rooms where there are none. The reappearance of the mysterious’brown-haired man’. What, if anything, ties these random facts together.
With precision and dedication Emily and Dakota start to unravel some of the questions. Only when an FBI agent steps up do the facts start to merge into what appears to be a terrorist conspiracy.
A body found halfway across the country is the final clue in answering all of the question, but one.
Will Emily be able to save a life before it’s to late?

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Body-Attic-Emily-Dahill-ebook/dp/B007DOSU3U

Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/body-in-the-attic-lindsay-downs/1108890141?ean=2940013998872

Thanks to these wonderful authors! I appreciate your help and guidance you’ve shown me in my first year of publication! 🙂

And if you haven’t picked up your copy of  “The Super Spies and the Cat Lady Killer” you still can! Here are the covers, blurbs, and buy links!

This book opens in a small town in Michigan where fifteen-year-old Sarah Cole is stuck spending the summer at her Aunt and Uncle’s with her sister, Lacey. She’s not happy with the situation until she befriends a girl named Jackie. The three girls stumble upon the ruthless murder of a reclusive neighborhood woman. One of the officers investigating the crime believes the girls are responsible for her death. Fearing that this officer will frame them for the murder, the girls organize their own detective squad. They become the Super Spies and start their own fact-finding mission.  The Super Spies can’t understand why anyone would want to murder the “Cat Lady” until they start digging into her past and discover a horrible crime that happened thirty years ago. They uncover a connection between the two crimes and attempt to bring this information to the police, only to be reprimanded for meddling in the inquest. Not only are the girls upset by the admonition, but they also struggle with the fact that their exuberant investigating could provide a legal loophole allowing the killer to go free. To make matters worse, the police don’t even believe them. Frustrated by this turn of events, the Super Spies realize it’s up to them to snare the Cat Lady killer, or die trying…

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Super-Spies-Lady-Killer-ebook/dp/B007JZH61K

Barnes and Noble:  http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-super-spies-and-the-cat-lady-killer-lisa-orchard/1109518725?ean=2940014338202

Here’s the second book in the Super Spies series!

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?

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Super-Spies-School-Bomber-ebook/dp/B008P8O7OY

Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-super-spies-and-the-high-school-bomber-lisa-orchard/1112263058?ean=2940014992244

Thanks for stopping by!

Why Don’t Schools have Relationship Classes?

Hello Everyone! I hope all is well with you today! I’m back after being extremely ill for the last week.  Boo! My whole family had this cold/flu bug that’s been going around, but we’re on the mend this week. Well…enough about that. Today I wanted to talk about teen relationships.

During the teen years there are a lot of firsts. First feelings…first dances…first kisses…etc.  Since this is a period of a lot of first times, there are many new emotions that teens haven’t felt before and therefore are inexperienced in handling.

Because of that inexperience some teens may use controlling or manipulative behavior to try and avoid the painful feelings of rejection.  This is unfortunate but true. This kind of behavior can take teens down a destructive path both for the controller and the teen that’s the object of control.

Now, keep in mind the person who’s attempting to control the situation is not trying to be manipulative in any way…they are trying to avoid the pain of rejection. However, his/her controlling behavior does have a detrimental effect. If the teen who doesn’t want to be in the relationship can’t break out of that controller’s grip, he/she’s in a relationship that is no longer working for them. This is where, in my humble opinion, the relationship becomes unhealthy and could even become abusive.

Unfortunately, I see this in many young adult relationships and as a result there’s decreased self-esteem for both parties involved. So what is the answer? I have one…but you knew that didn’t you? 🙂

I think all teens should have to take “Relationship Classes” or “Relationship Workshops.” That’s right; in my opinion these classes should be a requirement of the school curriculum…just like sex education. 🙂

In these classes we can teach teens what an unhealthy relationship is. We can show them what negative behaviors should not be tolerated.  I feel this is important for our kids. These classes will help them maintain healthy self-esteem; and what better place to learn about relationships than in school next to their peers. 🙂 The same peers they are having relationships with.

We can give them tools to cope with unhealthy situations. One that comes to mind is what can a young girl do when she wants to end a relationship with a young man and he threatens suicide? Or the other way around? These situations have spun out of control and are too much for any teen to handle. An adult has to be involved…but how many teens talk to their parents at this stage of the game? Very few.  I say let’s give them the tools they need, so  they can recognize these unhealthy situations. We could even take it a step further and teach them healthy communication skills. They will be better adults in the long run.

Thanks for stopping by and reading my post. As always, I’m sharing my personal opinion and would love to hear some of your ideas! Please leave a comment; I’d love to hear from you!

Let’s raise Internally Oriented Kids! Another tool to help beat Peer Pressure

Hello Everyone, I hope all is well with you. I’m back today talking about teen issues. The issue I’d like to talk about is “External Orientation”. Now, you’re probably wondering what the heck is “External Orientation.”

Well…what I mean by this is when someone looks outside themselves for validation. They are “Externally Oriented”. Why is this a problem? I mean we all need a pat on the back once in a while, right?

I agree a pat on the back is awesome and everyone needs one. However, the problem arises when a teen becomes dependent on others for validation. And I see this more and more in our youth today.

They look to their peers for approval instead of looking inside themselves and asking does this behavior agree with my own belief system? It’s my humble opinion that when a teen acts in a way that is at odds with their belief system the result is lowered self-esteem. And we all know that low self-esteem is at the root of many of the problems in our society today.

We as parents need to teach our children to be more internally oriented. Teens need to work in conjunction with their own belief system and stand up for their own beliefs when they’re challenged by their peers.

So, how do we do this as parents? That is a good question and I have some answers. 🙂 Again, parental involvement is a major factor and it starts years before children reach their teens.

First of all, parents need to help their child develop a realistic belief system and this starts from day one all the way up to adulthood.  I’m talking about moral development not religious beliefs.

I know what you’re saying…yeah…we know that…but how do we do this?

We do this by helping them develop good habits in their childhood. For example, I don’t want my children to abuse alcohol and drugs when they’re older. So, I teach them healthy habits for their body now. I tell them … they shouldn’t do things that are bad for their body, like smoking and drinking. I tell them the negative effects of these vices. I know what you’re thinking…they’re too young…but they’re not. Now is when they’re listening to their parents and if parents can embed this into their sponge-like brains…they will develop the belief that drinking is bad for our bodies therefore, I’m not going to drink.

Is it really this simple? The answer is yes and no. 🙂 It is this simple if parents act in conjunction with what they’re teaching their children.  But problems arise when parents instruct their children one way and then behave in the opposite manner. This confuses the child and when they become teens…if they don’t have a strong belief system in place they’re more likely to look to others for validation. The more they look to others for validation the more likely they will fall prey to outside influences.

Children need to get validation from their parents. If they don’t get it from their parents they will look for it outside the home. It’s that simple. So please give your child praise when they do something right.

Whenever, I catch my kids eating something that’s good for their body. I give them lots of hugs and make a big deal about it. They’ll remember this and when a friend offers them that beer when they’re underage…they’re more likely to turn it down.  Because I’ve taught them that it’s not good for your body.

Being “internally oriented” is a great way to combat the many self-esteem issues that plague our young people today. Of course, this is just my opinion. 🙂 I’d love to hear yours, please leave a comment and share your thoughts.

On a side note, I’d just like to let you know that my books are now available as Audiobooks! So, if you’re interested in listening to them here are the links! 🙂

http://www.audible.com/pd/ref=sr_1_1?asin=B00BGBSLCG&qid=1362406805&sr=1-1

http://www.audible.com/pd/ref=sr_1_2?asin=B00BIRIEDO&qid=1362406906&sr=1-2

Thanks for stopping by! 🙂