A writer inspired by nature and human nature

Posts tagged ‘Families’

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New Release from Toni Pike – BRODY CODY AND THE HAUNTED VACATION HOUSE – Book 2 in the Brody Cody Series for children aged 6-9


I’m delighted to have Toni Pike with us today. You’ll find out more about my talented author friend from Australia and get a peek into her latest children’s book. Check out this awesome teaser—Brody Cody’s second book is sure to be pleaser…

“Brody Cody loves his new stepmother but is surprised to hear that she is expecting a baby. To celebrate, his parents take Brody and his friends away for a week to a very spooky house in the Blue Mountains, owned by the elderly and even spookier Mr Sludge.” ~ Amazon blurb

Welcome back, Toni. ~Bette A. Stevens, Maine author 

Meet Toni Pike

Thank you so much, Bette, for inviting me to your wonderful blog to talk about my new release, the second book in the Brody Cody Series. It’s called BRODY CODY AND THE HAUNTED VACATION HOUSE, another funny adventure for children aged 6-9. I had so much fun writing the first book that I couldn’t wait to send Brody off on another escapade.

It’s a chapter book for children to read by themselves – or for reading aloud. In this second adventure, Brody is dismayed to learn that he’s going to have a little brother or sister. When his parents take his friends with them on a trip to the Blue Mountains, it turns out to be much less relaxing than they expected. When spooky things start to happen, the children suspect that their vacation house is haunted. The Blue Mountains, by the way, is a beautiful area of stunning scenery very close to Sydney, and it’s a wonderful place to visit.

I’m a multi-genre author with several fast-moving thrillers: DESOLATION BLUFF, DEAD DRY HEART and The Jotham Fletcher Mystery Thriller Series. I’ve also written two non-fiction books: THE ONE WAY DIET, a guide to losing weight, and HAPPY TRAVELS 101, a short book of travel tips.

I live in Canberra, the capital of Australia. With very tight border controls and restricted travel since the start of the pandemic, we’ve fared quite well here. Travelling is one of my main passions, but at the moment only limited travel within Australia is allowed. My main focus has been writing, and spending as much time as possible with family and friends.

About BRODY CODY AND THE HAUNTED VACATION HOUSE – Book 2 in The Brody Cody Series.

Brody Cody loves his new stepmother but is surprised to hear that she is expecting a baby. To celebrate, his parents take Brody and his friends away for a week to a very spooky house in the Blue Mountains, owned by the elderly and even spookier Mr Sludge.

Very strange things start to happen, and the friends soon become convinced that the house is haunted. They love scary stories and know all about ghosts, but will they be able to solve the mystery?

A hilarious adventure for children aged 6-9.

It would be best to read the series in order. In the first book, Brody’s life take a surprising turn when his father gets married.

About BRODY CODY AND THE STEPMOTHER FROM OUTER SPACE – Book 1 in The Brody Cody Series.

Brody Cody is almost eight years old and definitely, absolutely, positively does NOT want a mother. His mother died when he was a baby but life with his dad is just perfect.

Brody is horrified when his father goes away to a publishing conference and returns with a wife, Pandora Smith, who is a children’s author. His life spirals out of control as he is forced to eat healthy food, do his homework and help with some chores.

Even worse, he and his friends suspect that his new stepmother might be an alien from outer space.

Find out more about Toni Pike and her books

Thanks so much for stopping by to meet Toni Pike and learn more about her books. Toni and I would love to hear from you (comments below). Happy Reading! ~Bette A. Stevens

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Written

on 02/16/2021

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The Countdown’s On—DOG BONE SOUP by Bette A. Stevens ONLY 99¢ through November 28


“Stevens’ skill with dialect also makes this book unique. She doesn’t overdo it, but lets it flow like spring water or rain in the forest.“

Dog Bone Soup by Bette A. Stevens is available for only 99¢ beginning on Black Friday (November 25th) through Cyber Monday (November 28th).  This 1950s and 60s coming-of-age novel (ages 11-adult) has been likened to Mark Twain’s Huckleberry Finn by more than one reviewer. You’ll find one of those reviews below.

Grab a copy…or two…or more of Dog Bone Soup while the Countdown’s on at YOUR AMAZON http://bit.ly/1HGpCsZ. You’ll be glad you did!

dbs-a-remarkable-taleThe Finer Spirit

“This is a wonderfully engaging and thought-provoking story. Bette Stevens’ young boy growing up in poverty in 1960s America, reminds me of another child, adrift on a raft on a mighty river, and the issues illuminated by that author of social stigma, individual resilience, and integrity. Huckleberry Finn is also poor and an outsider, and yet becomes a symbol for the equality of all humanity, and the finer spirit in all of us, in Mark Twain’s hands. I felt a similar quality in Stevens’ distinctive book.

“Stevens’ skill with dialect also makes this book unique. She doesn’t overdo it, but lets it flow like spring water or rain in the forest. Her descriptions take you into the scene and the characters’ minds. I felt I was in the family’s cabin, fishing by the river, riding a bike into town, being bullied and ostracized, and ashamed of a parent’s bad behavior. This book is a rare treat. I highly recommend it.” ~ Mary Clark, author

About the author

Inspired by nature and human nature, author Bette A. Stevens is a retired elementary and middle school teacher, a wife, mother of two and grandmother of five. Stevens lives in Central Maine with her husband on their 37-acre farmstead where she enjoys reading, writing, gardening, walking and reveling in the beauty of nature. She advocates for children and families, for childhood literacy and for the conservation of Monarch butterflies—an endangered species (and for milkweed, the only plant that monarch caterpillars will eat).

Stevens is the author of AMAZING MATILDA, an award-winning picture book; The Tangram Zoo and Word Puzzles Too!, a home/school resource  incorporating hands-on math and writing; and PURE TRASH, the short story prequel to her début novel, DOG BONE SOUP, a Boomer’s coming-of-age story set in 1950s and 60s New England.

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Written

on 11/25/2016

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5 Reasons Why You Should Read to Your Kids


Featured Image -- 6510It’s never too late to share the gift of reading. You’ll be glad you did! ~ Bette A. Stevens, Maine author/illustrator http://www.4writersandreaders.com

There's No Place Like Home

In this day and age of advanced technology, we are exposed to the written word everywhere we look- on our phones, tablets, laptops, iPads, TV, and so on and so on. In fact, chances are very good that your kids are just as exposed as you are. And while this could be an awesome thing, there is one major disadvantage: it is putting a wall between us and our children. 

Not only is it taking up too much of our time, it has stolen too many moments away from our families, as well. 

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Written

on 08/08/2016

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HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY! Mama I Miss You… (poem by Bette A. Stevens)


MAMA I Miss you POEMWishing everyone a “Happy Mother’s Day” and sharing a poem written in 2014 to celebrate my beautiful mother on her birthday. ~Bette A. Stevens, Maine author/illustrator

It will be nine years ago on August 8, 2007, when I called Mama to wish her a Happy Birthday and, as usual, we talked for hours. It was the last birthday we got to ‘celebrate’ together. Mama left us for her heavenly home the following April and there hasn’t been a day since that I haven’t thought about her and missed her. Mama’s strength of character, her poise, wit and unconditional love live on within all those whose lives she touched. The photograph (circa 1951) of Mama and me was taken in California.

Happy Mother’s Day, Mama. I miss you.

[Explore Bette’s Blog]

Written

on 05/05/2016

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#FREE eBook February 6–10. It’s “PURE TRASH” by Bette A. Stevens


“Beautifully Written” ~ Jo Robinson

“A Window into a Baby Boomer’s Saturday.”
~ Christina Steiner

“A child’s perspective in everyday cruelty captured beautifully…” ~ Maria Catalina Egan

PURE TRASH MustRead Prequel to DBS

PURE TRASH, a short story adventure (ages 11–adult) by Bette A. Stevens, Maine author

#FREE eBook (Limited Time) FEBRUARY 6th – 10th

In this short story adventure set in New England in the 1950s, two young boys set out on a Saturday adventure you won’t want to miss! Experience the joy of a carefree Saturday and the blistering pain of feeling not quite good enough as you hop on a bike and ride into town with two delightful young boys who find adventure at every turn. Shawn and Willie Daniels live in the woods with no indoor water or plumbing. Dad spends most of his hard-earned money on beer. Prejudice, class division, alcoholism, poverty, injustice, and bullying are cleverly woven into this 1950s adventure short. PURE TRASH is the short story prequel to DOG BONE SOUP, Stevens’s début novel DOG BONE SOUP.

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Written

on 02/06/2016

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And The Whippoorwill Sang by Micki Peluso (On Sale for a Limited Time Only)


I’ll be interviewing author Micki Peluso on my blog soon. AND THE WHIPPOORWILL SANG is an outstanding read that I know readers around the globe will enjoy. ~ Bette A. Stevens http://www.4writersandreaders.com

Book Reviews by Pat Garcia

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Micki Peluso, a writer and dear friend, out of the State of New York, wrote her first book after her daughter met her untimely death, which was caused by a drunken driver.  However, And The Whippoorwill Sang is more than a book detailing the loss surrounding the  suffering of her family and herself as a mother. It is a short chronicle of the golden age when women’s rights were still practically unacknowledged, and Gloria Steinem was slowly becoming a household word.  The book is witty and filled with wisdom; it is sad, and yet filled with joy.

I have read the book,  and I have re-read certain chapters several times because Micki has a way of putting words on paper that make you laugh even though you may want to cry.

And The Whippoorwill Sang is being offered at a reduced price this week. If you haven’t read it, it…

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Written

on 04/06/2015

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October is “National Domestic Violence Awareness Month”


Meet the Author: Erin Ireland and find out why she wrote A Voice in the Night

www.erinirelandwrites.com

A VOICE IN THE NIGHT - HIGH RES

The assaulting truth about abuse!  Erin Ireland lays it out for you… In a book titled: A Voice in the Night: Silent Abuse, The Early Warning Signs That Could Save Your Life.  

Welcome, Erin Ireland. It’s great to have you at 4writersandreders today. Can you give us a short bio, so our readers can find out why you wrote “A Voice in the Night”?  I’ve read it and highly recommend it to those who are living with abuse and those who want to find out  how they can help in the struggle against domestic violence. 

Erin Ireland writes for those who feel they have no voice. She is a woman who has spent many years observing the abuse of others.  Her experiences have been many in the direction of others who suffer in silence with isolation, controlled obsessions, verbal abuse, Superior attitudes, deceit, jealousy, physical, and sexual assaults, and many more indignities suffered everyday by beautiful people.

Erin Ireland has suffered a great deal of abuse in her own life, and writes from her heart when explaining what she feels is an inappropriate act against another.

Her passion for the subject of abuse runs deep, and reflects in her sometimes overpowering expressions of what she would like to change in life for you. She wishes for all to come to her website, feel welcome, and hopes that all will find some refuge and enlightenment here.

Erin Ireland is a nom de plume, in order to protect the innocent. She will always speak her mind and the truth for the betterment of all those who seek answers and comfort. 

Erin Ireland has written a book Titled, A Voice in the Night: Silent Abuse, The Early Warning Signs That Could Save Your Life. This is a book to help others bypass the long-suffering that can be eliminated if they can learn to view the traits of an abuser early on.

She is writing for others to see the light. Erin hopes for them be a lamp unto themselves. She wishes for them to find their safe ground to stand on, before they have spent their entire lives wondering: what it is that they have done to deserve such demeaning treatment? Abuse is a conditioning that can be unlearned. Every human being is entitled to an abuse free life.

Synopsis of A Voice in the Night:

This book is a Lamp to find your peace and to know your rights as a human being.This truly is “A Voice in the Night” for all who wish to be happier in their relationships or simply happier without their abusive relationship. Are you not sure whether your mate is actually abusive?  Erin Ireland has laid it out for you. When you finish reading this book you will know the ingredients for a solid relationship and the specifics of when your mate has crossed the abusive line.

A Book for young people to find a safe ground to stand on. It is a message for all ages to take notice of the treatment they allow from others. So many never realize how much abuse they do submit to, thinking they are merely sucking it up for the betterment of the relationship.  

What prompted you to write a book about domestic abuse and violence, Erin?

Writing this book has been an ongoing project for the last two years. After my stretch of homelessness, I wanted to express my thoughts and my experiences with others. I felt that all I had left in this life was my voice. I had experiences that could be shared to help others.

In my desperation to start my life over, I realized that I had become an expert in what not to accept in a relationship. What to look for to remove yourself from danger. I realized in writing a self-help book to free others, that I would be providing a service to those who need help, for those who don’t realize they are abused, and for those who don’t think they deserve better.

Writing this book means I can give to the world a gift of safety. It means I can move on from my nightmare while helping others move on from theirs. I wrote this book because I want to leave the world a message that lives on long after I am gone. Finding safe ground is my hope for all who live in a world of submission, control, emotional distress, physical abuse and all other forms of abuse.

Do you have a favorite line from the book?

Excerpt from Chapter 12

“Realize that you have made the right decision. Allow yourself to cry. You have the right to cry and mourn what you have lost, but also remember what you have gained.”

What was the hardest part about writing A Voice in the Night?

The most difficult parts of writing this book were the times I had to revisit the abusive experiences in order to relate to others what I had been through and what they may have to go through if they refuse to leave the unsafe situation. Also the trials I had to endure while trying to publish my book were monumental.

During the time I had finished the last edit and the time I was to be published, I was struck with yet more disaster. Last November, less than a year ago, new neighbors moved into an apartment over mine and started cooking some kind of a chemical. It smelled like cherries and made me sick.

It seeped down into my apartment and caused my blood pressure to rise to 220/110. The authorities refused to do anything. I went to the hospital by ambulance and stayed for three days, came home and had another heart event three times in eight days. It was back to the hospital again. Finally I found myself homeless once again, and this time much like the last time, everything I owned was destroyed.

The disgusting smell on everything shot my blood pressure up as soon as I was near it. All had to be thrown out. I slept in my car, I rented a room, I stayed in a hotel. In the end I moved into a new apartment with almost nothing, and started my life over again.

I had no computer, my files had been destroyed and I lost the final edit of my book to be published. I went nine months without being online or able to write. Finally my son bought me a new computer. My friends and editor had a copy of my book in the final edit. I immediately got busy and made sure all was in proper form. We prepared for the book launch. My daughter helped me, and at last, A Voice in the Night was born!

How can our readers get a copy of your book?

These are the links below to view the book: A Voice in the Night: Silent Abuse, The Early Warning Signs That Could Save Your Life

The reviews so far have been excellent

To Purchase this Book

Erin Ireland LOGOWhat’s next for Erin Ireland?

I have stated in A Voice in the Night that I am writing another book to follow this one. The next book will be a memoir titled: Silent Screams. This book will be about what a tormented woman went through and how the system did not help her. It will tell the stories of living locked in one room, how she survived gassings and poisonings, living above the ridicule of relatives who didn’t believe her, the people who died around her during this time, and how each day it took its toll for a woman who just lived to stay alive one more day, for three very long excruciating years.

Erin, it’s been a privilege and a pleasure to have you with us today. Readers: find out more about Erin Ireland and her story of overcoming domestic abuse below. She’s also given us links to crucial self-help sites to visit and share with loved ones. I highly recommend A Voice. Erin and I would love to hear from you in the comment section below.

Here is my review on Amazon: “ABUSE often goes undetected by outsiders and can even be ignored by the abused who often lay the blame on themselves rather than the abuser… FIND OUT MORE about how to help stop abuse from an author who’s been there and not only survived, but has thrived. First, you’ll learn to recognize abuse. That’s what Erin Ireland did. Readers will also learn how to help stop abuse and how to get out of an abusive situation.” ~ Bette A. Stevens

Interviews:

How to help a friend who is being abused:

Emotional Abuse Recognized in Seconds (EARS)

Forced Marriage

 

 

 

Written

on 10/14/2014

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Share THE GIFT OF READING…


Valentines-Day-Book-BucksMelissa’s got a brilliant way to share the gift of reading this Valentine’s Day!

This year, Melissa Taylor is giving her kids Valentines’ Day Book Bucks instead of stuffed animals or candy.

Melissa has made free printable book bucks you can easily download and print for your kids, too! http://imaginationsoup.net/2014/02/valentines-day-book-bucks/

Gift of Book Bucks

Post by Melissa Taylor

Like most kids, my kids love to choose their own books to read. They enjoy browsing the bookstore almost as much as me. (Which is one of my favorite things EVER.)

I think book bucks are win-win: kids get to pick out their own books, and we all get a fun outing to the bookstore.

Valentines-Day-Book-Bucks-Certificate-sm save as

– See more at: http://imaginationsoup.net/2014/02/valentines-day-book-bucks/#sthash.0AvxKsKk.dpuf

HAPPY READING & GIVING! ~ Bette A. Stevens at http://www.4writersandreaders.com

Written

on 02/10/2014

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Priceless!


Picture and note from a reader—priceless!

Thank you, Vida! ~ Author/Illustrator Bette A. Stevens

Thank you, Vida and Bianca! ~ Author/Illustrator Bette A. Stevens

“Hi Bette,

I thought you’d like to see this picture… My younger granddaughter Bianca and I enjoyed Amazing Matilda very much. Even though she was tired, after whole day at her daycare she still wanted to hear the whole story. Then, next day, she brought the book to me and wanted to hear it again. Thank you for such an AMAZING book.” ~ Vida Sreta Zuljevic

Written

on 02/06/2014

Remembering Grandma


My Grandma (Elizabeth Babcock) is one of the woman who had a positive and long-lasting influence on my life. She left us many years ago, but her memory lives on in all of us whose lives she touched. My tribute to a great woman and a wonderful grandmother:

Photograph of Grandma Babcock and me circa 1954.

Photograph of Grandma Babcock and me circa 1954.

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Maine Author, My Poetry, Poetry

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