Five Star Treatment – Defined by Others by M.C.V. Egan
Great review of new book by M.C.V. Egan! ~ Bette A. Stevens
Archive for March, 2015
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685. Man is a knot into which relationships are tied. ~Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
Why MUST we tell our stories? ~ Bette A. Stevens http://www.4writersandreaders.com
Someone to tell it to
is one of the fundamental
needs of human beings.
~Miles Franklin
Have you ever pondered why we, any of us, blog? Or write books? Or pen poetry? Or compose music? Or draw? Or paint? I have and I think the quote above by Miles Franklin hits the proverbial nail squarely on the head. We, who pour out our lives or thoughts or passions or joys or hurts or whatever in some way, do in fact appear to have some compelling and fundamental need to do so. Emily Dickinson added another aspect to this idea when she described it, “as a shelter to speak” to some trusted other in her life. Like her, many of us, I believe, find not only great comfort but also a kind of self-soothing safety when we, individually or collectively, find ways to express ourselves to those we come to trust and…
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684. God writes the Gospel not in the Bible alone, but also on trees, and in the flowers and clouds and stars. ~Author unknown, commonly attributed to Martin Luther
Beauty abounds! ~ Bette A. Stevens
Morning is the best
of all times in the garden.
The sun is not yet hot.
Sweet vapors rise from the earth.
Night dew clings to the soil
and makes plants glisten.
Birds call to one another.
Bees are already at work.
~William Longgood
Hold on to what is good even if it is a handful of earth.
Hold on to what you believe even if it’s a tree which stands by itself.
Hold on to what you must do even if it is a long way from here.
Hold on to life even when it is easier letting go.
Hold on to my hand even when I have gone away from you.
~Pueblo Blessing
You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands. ~Isaiah 55:12…
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683. Whatever we are waiting for – springtime, peace of mind, contentment, grace, the inner awareness of simple abundance – it will surely come to us, but only when we are ready to receive it with an open and grateful heart. ~Edited line by Sarah Ban Breathnach
May the abundance and beauty of spring fill your hearts! ~ Bette A. Stevens http://www.4writersandreaders.com
If the sight of the blue skies fills you with joy,
if a blade of grass springing up in the fields
has power to move you, if the simple things
of nature have a message that you understand,
rejoice, for your soul is alive.
~Eleonora Duse
Spring is teeming. Even in areas where snow still covers the ground, much is happening in the hidden realms at this time of year; tight buds get looser, nutrients begin to nourish roots in the sunny corners of the earth, and the hibernating creatures among us start to awaken. ~Excerpted and edited lines from Gratefulness.org
Out of His (Jesus Christ’s) fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given. ~John 1:16 ✝
**Image of Pink Ranunculus via Pinterest
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Top Writing Tools of Famous Authors
For me it’s my laptop + assorted gel pens and highlighters. HOW ABOUT YOU? ~ Bette A. Stevens
My secret weapon is using a two screen layout for my PC. This allows me to work on the story on one monitor, while researching on the other. If you’re curious as to what writing tools great authors prefer, you may refer to the excellent infographic below, which was prepared by Robert Morris and the lovely people over at NinjaEssays.com. So, what is your favorite tool?
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679. All the great things are simple, and many can be expressed in a single word: freedom, justice, honor, duty, mercy, hope. ~Winston Churchill
Look for the good, for we will surely find it! ~ Bette A. Stevens
Although the world is full of suffering,
it is full also of the overcoming of it.
My optimism, then, does not rest
on the absence of evil, but on a glad
belief in the preponderance of good
and a willing effort always to cooperate
with the good, that it may prevail.
~Helen Keller
Each day, awakening, are we asked to paint the sky blue?
Need we coax the sun to rise or flowers to bloom?
Need we teach birds to sing, or children to laugh, or lovers to kiss?
No, though we think the world imperfect,
it surrounds us each day with its perfections.
We are asked only to appreciate them, and
to show appreciation by living in peaceful harmony amidst them.
The Creator does not ask that we create a perfect world;
He asks that we celebrate the world He has given us.
~Edited lines by Robert Brault
And the Lord said…
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Amazing Matilda
Latest review for AMAZING MATILDA, our inspiring monarch butterfly. THREE CHEERS for MATILDA! ~ Bette A. Stevens
By Bette A. Stevens
Matilda has just emerged from her egg, and already she wants to fly. The sparrow tells her she has to have patience and follow her instincts. The speckled toad says she needs wings. But Matilda doesn’t know what patience and follow her instincts means. Moreover, where can she get wings? Matilda eats leaves and starts growing, and the sparrow says she is using her instincts. Rabbit told her he practiced and practiced until he could hop onto the rock ledge, but Matilda did not want to hop, she wanted to fly.
This delightful story tells the life cycle of a monarch butterfly in an engaging way that will catch the attention of children. The award winning AMAZING MATILDA is a lighthearted story that will encourage children to follow their dreams and to have patience. The book is illustrated by author Bette Stevens with charming drawings that…
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My top 10 blogging tips on building an audience
Happy Blogging! ~ Bette A. Stevens
image source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/barnett/ licensed under creative commons
It’s been a week of milestones for my little blog. Firstly, I passed the 30,000 views mark. For a blog that’s been going less than two years, where I post on average once a week, I’m both thrilled and humbled by this achievement.
The second milestone is that this is my 200th post. It has been quite a ride since I first posted about a cat that defecates in my garden and I’ve learnt an awful lot along the way. My blog has changed from being a platform for me to play around with writing to a blog about writing, and specifically self-publishing. During my blogging time I’ve published two books, met many wonderful people, been introduced to the wonderfully supportive writing community, as well as discovered some fantastic books by new and exciting authors.
Thank you to all of you who read, comment and share…
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Guest Post by Charles E. Yallowitz: What I’ve Learned
Great advice, Charles. thanks. Also, thanks for all you do to help authors like me. Best to you, my friend. Sharing! ~ Bette A. Stevens
You probably remember author Charles E. Yallowitz, who’s become a regular visitor to this blog and fast friend. He graciously agreed to a guest post on the things he has learned since self-publishing his first book of his Legends of Windemere series. Take it, Charles!
Stuff I’ve learned since publishing my first book
Beginning of a Hero (CLICK FOR AMAZON SITE) Cover Art by Jason Pedersen
So, Nicholas and I were talking a while back and I said something that caught his attention. It was a simple comment about stuff I learned since I published my first book of Legends of Windemere back in February of 2013.
I’m gearing up for the 7th book of the series, Sleeper of the Wildwood Fugue, and Nicholas suggested I write about what I’ve learned over the last two years — that happen to feel like a decade.
Though I’ve learned a lot…
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Bette A. Stevens, Maine Author 
Written
on 03/31/2015