If I looked into your fridge right now, what would I find?
Wine.
Oh,
and beer. Now that Dean is staying over more often than not, he stocks the
fridge with beer.
I think we had pizza a couple nights ago and Chinese takeout from that place just down the street last night. So, I’m sure there are a few containers of leftovers. I leave them for Dean. I don’t eat leftovers. Dean, he eats anything.
Yeah, that’s pretty much it; wine, beer, and leftovers. I don’t cook. It’s one of the first things I tell a guy when I start dating. I figure if they are expecting some June Cleaver type, then I might as well scare them away before I get to attached. You know?
Hi,
I’m Kim, just your modern-day woman. I get my breakfast down at the coffee shop
on the corner, lunch at the deli down the road, and dinner at one of the many restaurants
within walking distance from my apartment which just so happens to reside just
above my small boutique. I design a line of woman’s clothing, but I’m working
on a children’s line. I cater to those high society types. You know the ones.
The moms who like to dress younger than they are. The mother daughter combos
who walk around in matching summer dresses.
I
love what I do, it’s my passion, but sometimes my customers can drive me a
little crazy. That’s why my fridge is stocked with wine. Lots of wine!
Alright,
now it’s your turn. I’d love to see what today’s writing prompt inspires in
you. So, if you are willing, go to the comment section below and start typing.
Take 5 minutes and let’s see what you come up with!
If I looked into your fridge right now, what would I find?
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Would you like more sources for daily writing prompts? Click on the links below for great writing prompt journals I think you’ll really love!
This planner/journal hybrid helps new and experienced writers stay organized while still fostering creativity. It is the perfect complement to So You Want To Write A Book.
Today’s #MindfulnessMonday
Tip: Don’t take mindfulness to seriously… It
isn’t a competition of who can be more mindful. It is
about being present in the moment and enjoying life as it comes.
Check out today’s #MindfulnessMonday video to discover a secret about mindfulness. You can check out the video by clicking HERE!
Reading
is a huge part of our daily lives. So much so that we often take it for granted.
from text messages to emails to social media posts we are constantly staring at
our phones, tables, computers and other devises. Find some time during the day when
you can put down your electronic devises and focus on reading something
in print… a book, a magazine, a newspaper (yes, they still print those). Allow
yourself 5-10 minutes each day, when you can let go of all your other
responsibilities to just get lost in the written word. You just might find that
10 minutes turns into 20 and 20 turns in to 30. I will warn you, there are some
side effects to quiet reading which include…
Getting lost in a book and becoming attached
to the characters you meet,
Choose a poem you like and read through it very slowly. If you don’t have a favorite poem, do a google search for popular poetry or ask your Google Home, iPhone Siri, Alexa, or other smart device to tell you a poem about nature.
What do you like most about it? What images does
it conjure up for you? What do you think about the words the poet chose to use?
Mindfulness journaling can be very private. However, if you are willing to share your experiences with me and my readers, I would love to invite you to comment below and let me know what poem you selected and how it made you feel.
* * * * *
Check out
my #MindfulnessMonday YouTube Series and don’t forget to click subscribe so you
never miss an episode!
I’m certified in Holistic Stress Management and Mind/Body Fitness. I’ve been practicing Mindfulness for 10+ years and am passionate about helping others in their pursuit of a more mindful existence.
STORYLINE: Arthur Curry, half human/half from Atlantis, goes on a trip of a lifetime. Not only does this adventure compel him to come to terms with his real identity, but it also forces him to discover whether he is entirely worthy of fulfilling his own destiny: becoming a king. Written by Domingo Alvarez (IMDB)
MY 2 CENTS: I like superhero films… I do. I enjoy both the DC comic world as well as the Marvel comic world. I’m not picky when it comes to my action-packed superhero adventures. I tend not to judge them to harshly. However, with computer graphics having gotten as amazing as they have these days, there is no excuse for the poor-quality computer graphics in this film.
Don’t get me wrong, my eleven-year-old son loved the film. So, maybe the target audience was lower than I had expected. I however couldn’t see past the cheesy dialogue, terrible special effects, one-dimensional characters – with no growth or development, and the predictability of it all.
No, I don’t recommend this film. If you’ve seen it, please share your thoughts below. If you enjoyed it and think I’m missing something, please tell me what that was. I really did want to like this film. I just couldn’t find any truly redeemable qualities.
MY FAVORITE QUOTES: “She jumped! She didn’t have a parachute!” ~ Cargo Pilot “Redheads! You gotta love ‘em.” ~ Arthur Curry
“I’m no leader. I came because I have no choice. I came to save my home, and the people that I love.” ~ Arthur Curry
Check out my YouTube channel and the video review below… and make sure you hit subscribe so you never miss a video.
AMAZON DESCRIPTION:
Following the events of Shadow of Okeaous, the Fallen have been scattered. Whispers of the Hordes searching for something, around many of the Havens on Earth, has reached the ears of the Guardians. Meanwhile, the students of the Kindred Academy have been striving to further their knowledge of the incredible power lying dormant within themselves. With the aid of their Clan Leaders and an odd, new instructor, the dubious young Guardians-in-training will learn to harness exciting and dangerous new abilities. The worlds of the Kindred, no longer separated by the Veil, are equally unaware of an ancient darkness which has been steadily rising to drown out the light of the living; both Guardian and Fallen, alike.
MY 2 CENTS / THE CRITICAL POINTS: WRITING (★★★★):Scourge of the Fallen is a self-published fantasy novel. I’ve said it before; fantasy isn’t my favorite genre and probably isn’t even in my top three favorite genres’. However, I read the first book in this series, Shadow of Okeaous and was pleasantly surprised by the fact that I really enjoyed it. That meant I was destined to read book two.
Martin has a very energetic writing style. His books are filled with action, adventure, and leave you almost longing for a few peaceful quiet moments. That isn’t to say I didn’t enjoy this book, I did. It is a page turner with a lot going on and a lot of character arcs to follow.
One thing I really like about Martin’s writing is that he isn’t afraid to kill off his characters. Yes, some of the main characters die. I won’t tell you who, I think you need to read the book to find out, but prepare yourself.
I’m not sure how this book is marketing, but after reading it I would say it is good for Middle Grade – Young Adult readers. However, there are a number of times when Martin uses words in very obscure ways. Once example would be the word ‘purchase’ in the example below:
“Maggie could not get her swards out in front of herself enough to slice or to stab the large and imposing Fallen, so she kicked at him as hard as she could, but like her sward strike, her attack failed to find purchase.”
There were a number of references like that that I think some of the younger readers may not understand. The meanings are evident in the context of the story, but not always clear just by the typical meaning of the words being used.
STORY (★★★★):Scourge of the Fallen is the second book in Martin’s series and follows pretty closely behind where the first book left off. In book one, our main characters were 1st year students in the academy. In book two, they are second year student. They have already gone through a lot and have many battles and trials to face throughout book 2.
Martin gives us battle after battle and just when the reader is given a little hope that something good might happen, he throws another wrench in the story line.
CHARACTERS (★★★★): The reader is given numerous characters to follow in Scourge of the Fallen, maybe too many. There are so many storylines to follow and different characters to keep up with that I found myself loosing track at times. Not to mention the fact that many of the character (and location) names are difficult to pronounce, which makes it a bit harder to relate to and remember. I have the same issue when reading large epics like lord of the rings and Game of Thrones.
I only had two character-related issues with this story. The first was with Henry (human) who is introduced in Chapter 9. There was a lack of character development and nothing that really allowed the reader to connect with him much less care for him. Thus, when he died, we were left with an uneasy feeling of not really caring. It didn’t seem, to me, that Henry served much of a purpose or propelled the story along in any way. I think he could have been edited out of the story without a negative impact on the final storyline.
The second was Martin’s need to weaken our lead character, Maggie. Instead of Maggie being the hero at the end, which is what the series seems to be guiding us toward, another character (one we love to hate and love all at the same time) steps up and ends up being the hero. I like Lucy, I do, but it didn’t feel natural that she would be in the position she was in at the end, instead of Maggie. Just my opinion – I’d love to know yours after you read it. So, make sure you click on that link above to get your copy and then come back and tell me what you thought after you read it.
APPEARANCE (★★★★): The cover is great. Very eye catchy and inviting. It was designed by Anca Gabriela at BROSEDESIGNZ who I believe did a beautiful job of creating a cover that would inspire fantasy lovers to pick up the book.
FAVORITE QUOTES:
“That’s it! We’re all going to die. I knew it, we’re going to die. Thank you, Kylie, for delivering me to my death. Would anyone else like to say thanks to Kylie before we die?” ~ Klause
AUTHOR BIO:
W. M. Martin is a writer of fantasy novels and a lover of his black lab, Willow. He’s also quite fond of his wife, Stephanie, and their four daughters. The stories he writes are inspired by his children. They are the first and last line of defense in regards to ensuring that his readers are certain to enjoy his works. He enjoys writing about female heroes, because his daughters are his.
Check out my YouTube channel and the video review below… and make sure you hit subscribe so you never miss a video.
ALSO BY W.M. Martin:
Shadow of Okeaous
hen a teenage runaway named Maggie Bennett is drawn to the small but odd town of Thieves, she is unaware of what adventure awaits her. Maggie must journey to a world beyond the one she knows to undertake the trials and train to became a Guardian, all while an ancient and malefic presence is secretly haunting her every step, and it desires, more than anything, that which it once held. Journey along with Maggie as she learns about the world of the Veil, her place within it, and the Fallen hordes who want to watch it burn.
Remember,
#WritingWednesday is an EASY, STRESS-FREE, weekly writing challenge.
Read the
writing prompt below,
Spend 5
minutes writing (in your own voice or the voice of a character you’re writing) whatever
comes to mind,
DON’T
EDIT what you write! IT DOES NOT HAVE TO BE PERFECT!
The goal
is 5 minutes of creativity.
Today I am writing as if I were writing in the voice of
Molly, a character in a children’s book I’ve started.
Today’s writing prompt:
You are a children’s book writer. Write the first few lines of your new book.
Hi, I’m Molly. I’m eight,
so I know a lot about the world. My little brother, he’s only six, he doesn’t
know very much at all. That’s why I have to teach him. Mom says to be patient;
he will learn as he gets older. I try, I really REALLY do, but it’s hard. When we’re
in the woods and the Droplops come out, he doesn’t understand that he has to
run away. He thinks it’s funny when their drool and slobber lands on him and makes
him all wet and sticky. To be honest, I don’t even think he sees the Droplops.
If he did, he wouldn’t laugh. He’d probably run away, screaming and crying.
There was this one
time, I was up in my treehouse and Timmy came out and was climbing up the ladder
calling for me, “Molly,” he yelled. “Molly, open the hatch. I want to come in.”
I was trying to be
really quiet, so he would think I wasn’t there and he would go back inside. It
didn’t work. I think my mom told him I was up there. Finally, I had to just let
him in.
So, we were sitting
in the treehouse and I had the windows open. They aren’t real windows, like in
a house-house. They don’t have glass or anything, but my dad did put shutters
on them so I could open and close them. Anyway, the shutters were open and I
was staring out at the sky across the field and the clouds were getting really
dark. I told Timmy we needed to go back in the house because the Droplops were
coming.
He just laughed. He
actually laughed.
I wasn’t going to
stick around. I climbed down the ladder and told Timmy to come with me. I knew
he would because he wasn’t allowed to be up in my treehouse without me.
As I was running back
to the house, a huge glob of Droplop slobber landed on my forehead. I wiped it
off with the back of my hand and turned back to see where Timmy was, but he
wasn’t there. The only thing I could see was the tall, slime covered Droplop
standing next to my treehouse, reaching in through the window with his big
green arm. I could hear Timmy, still up in the treehouse, but I had no way to
get to him. The ladder was blocked and if I tried to climb the tree, the
Droplop would see me.
Alright,
now it’s your turn. I’d love to see what today’s writing prompt inspires in
you. So, if you are willing, go to the comment section below and start typing.
Take 5 minutes and let’s see what you come up with!
You are a children’s book writer. Write the first few lines of your new book.
* * * * *
Would you like more sources for daily writing prompts? Click on the links below for great writing prompt journals I think you’ll really love!
Instantly Ignite Your Imagination with Over 900 Unique Writing Prompts! Writers know that good writing is dependent on unique, interesting ideas. Kick your imagination into gear with this collection of… CLICK TO LEARN MORE!
Write More, Write Better – and Have Fun Doing It! The Love in Ink team is composed of two passionate authors with over a decade of writing experience. We know what good writing consists of – and… CLICK TO LEARN MORE!
Writer’s Block Getting in Your Way? Destroy It, One Amazing Prompt at a Time! As a writer, you know the woes of writer’s block. There is nothing worse than wanting to write, but lacking the right idea to get you going. We have the solution! CLICK TO LEARN MORE!
This collection of 642 outrageous and witty writing prompts will get the creative juices flowing in no time. From crafting your own obituary to penning an ode to an onion, each page of this playful journal invites inspiration and provides plenty of space to write. Brimming with entertaining exercises from the literary minds of the San Francisco Writers’ Grotto, this is the ultimate gift for scribes of every stripe. CLICK TO LEARN MORE!
Today’s #MindfulnessMonday Tip: Eat cake! Withholding dessert and other treats can lead to overeating and/or emotional eating.
Check out today’s #MindfulnessMonday video and find out why you should EAT CAKE! You can check out the video by clicking HERE!
Today’s Mindfulness Exercise Mindful Eating!
Mindful Eating is not a diet, it is eating with awareness. It uses a form of meditation called mindfulness, which helps you acknowledge and manage your emotions and physical sensations. Using this approach will help you reach a state of full awareness to your experiences, cravings, and physical cues when you’re eating.
Practice using all of your senses when eating and choose foods that are both satisfying and nourishing.
Practicing Mindful Eating Involves:
Acknowledging that there is no right or wrong way to eat.
Accepting that there are different degrees of awareness surrounding your experience with food.
Accepting that everyone’s eating experiences are unique and personal to them.
Giving your full attention to eating in the moment in order to avoid over eating and emotional eating.
Recognizing how and why you make choices involving food.
Developing healthy habits in the selection of your food to improve your overall health and well-being.
Promoting a healthy balance.
For today’s exercise, select a healthy snack (fruit, raw vegetables, cheese and crackers, etc.) and spend a few minutes of total focus and concentration while eating. What does the food look like, smell like, feel like, taste like? How does it make you feel as you eat it? How do you feel about your food selection? Why did you choose that snack?
Mindfulness Journaling Prompt:
After you’ve completed the Mindful Eating exercise, take a couple of minutes of quiet time to write out your answers to the questions above. Then, make a list of healthy snack selections to use as substitutes the next time you’re feeling stressed, emotional, or just looking for a midnight snack.
Remember, there is no wrong way to eat but making healthy food choices can make a huge difference in your overall health both mentally and physically. That doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy a slice of cake, a cupcake, a bowl of pudding, or whatever your sweet-tooth desires. Just be mindful of your choices and make sure you reach for the healthy snacks more than the less than desirable choices. When we restrict ourselves to the point of denying things like cake and ice cream completely, we tend to binge eat those things due to stress, depression, and other emotional eating triggers.
Mindfulness journaling can be very private. However, if you are willing to share your thoughts with me and my readers, I would love to invite you to comment below and let me know what healthy snack choices you plan to make in the future.
* * * * *
Check out my #MindfulnessMonday YouTube Series and don’t forget to click subscribe so you never miss an episode!
An Invitation to the Practice of Mindfulness
We may long for wholeness, suggests Jon Kabat-Zinn, but the truth is that it is already here and already ours. The practice of mindfulness holds the possibility of not just a fleeting sense of contentment, but a true embracing of a deeper unity that envelops and permeates our lives. With Mindfulness for Beginners you are invited to learn how to transform your relationship to the way you think, feel, love, work, and play―and thereby awaken to and embody more completely who you really are.
Here, the teacher, scientist, and clinician who first demonstrated the benefits of mindfulness within mainstream Western medicine offers a book that you can use in three unique ways: as a collection of reflections and practices to be opened and explored at random; as an illuminating and engaging start-to-finish read; or as an unfolding “lesson-a-day” primer on mindfulness practice.
Beginning and long-time meditators alike will discover in these pages a valuable distillation of the key attitudes and essential practices that Jon Kabat-Zinn has found most useful with his students, including:
• Why heartfulness is synonymous with true mindfulness
• The value of coming back to our bodies and to our senses over and over again
• How our thoughts “self-liberate” when touched by awareness
• Moving beyond our “story” into direct experience
• Stabilizing our attention and presence amidst daily activities
• Three fundamental mental factors that cause suffering
• How mindfulness heals, even after the fact
•Reclaiming our wholeness, and more
The prescription for living a more mindful life seems simple enough: return your awareness again and again to whatever is going on. But if you’ve tried it, you know that here is where all the questions and challenges really begin. Mindfulness for Beginners provides welcome answers, insights, and instruction to help us make that shift, moment by moment, into a more spacious, clear, reliable, and loving connection with ourselves and the world.
Includes a complete CD with five guided mindfulness meditations by Jon Kabat-Zinn, selected from the audio program that inspired this book.
Amazon #1 Best Seller! Kick-start and sustain a fun mindfulness practice with kids and teens.
“This book makes it easy and is a must have for every parent and teacher!”
– Denise Besic, Mother and Teacher
Give kids lasting life skills to de-stress and calm down, navigate difficult emotions, control impulses, focus on what matters, and nurture empathy, kindness, and joy.
In Ultimate Mindfulness Activity Book you will find:
150+ playful mindfulness activities
Tools for calm, focus, joy, kindness, and emotional intelligence and regulation
A 21-step guide to kick-start and sustain your practice together
Inspirational examples of how mindfulness makes positive change
Easy to understand explanations on how to explain mindfulness to kids and youth
A FREE audio course for grown-ups and more
Establish a practice of mindful eating with actionable strategies and exercises from The Mindful Eating Workbook.
Eating mindlessly is easy―eating mindfully takes practice. The Mindful Eating Workbook offers actionable, mindfulness-based strategies and exercises to adopt a mindful eating practice and nurture a healthy relationship with food.
Vincci Tsui, a “non-diet” dietitian and certified Intuitive Eating counselor, offers step-by-step guidance to core concepts and philosophies of mindful eating. Applying theory to practice, this mindful eating workbook uses a combined approach of reflective exercises and strategies to reconnect you with your body and your needs.
The Mindful Eating Workbook includes:
Mindful eating 101 explores the lifelong benefits of eating mindfully, and outlines how you can bring this practice into your life.
Real strategies to practice mindfulness while cooking and eating, and using mindfulness to recognize your body’s signals.
Reflective exercises that include assessments, journal entries, and observation logs to keep track of your journey and progress.
Savoring flavors, intuitively nourishing your body, and appreciating food’s true purpose to provide energy―mindful eating isn’t a diet, it is a way of life. Start practicing mindful eating with The Mindful Eating Workbook.
AMAZON DESCRIPTION: Everyone loves a beautiful missing girl…
“Look For Her ratchets up the tension while also offering moments of sheer grace.”-Riley Sager, bestselling author of Final Girls
“Beautifully written with an expertly twisty, surprising story, this is a must-read!” — Chevy Stevens, New York Times bestselling author of Never Let You Go
Lilling might seem like an idyllic English village, but it’s home to a dark history. In 1976, a teenage girl named Annalise Wood disappeared, and though her body was later discovered, the culprit was never found. Decades later, Annalise maintains a perverse kind of celebrity, and is still the focus of grief, speculation, and for one young woman, a disturbing, escalating jealousy.
When DNA linked to the Annalise murder unexpectedly surfaces, cold case detective Morris Keene and his former partner, Chloe Frohmann, hope to finally bring closure to this traumatized community. But the new evidence instead undoes the case’s only certainty: the buried body that had long ago been confidently identified as Annalise may be someone else entirely, and instead of answers, the investigators face only new puzzles.
Whose body was unearthed all those years ago, and what happened to the real Annalise? Is someone interfering with the investigation? And is there a link to a present-day drowning with eerie connections? With piercing insight and shocking twists, Emily Winslow explores the dark side of sensationalized crime in this haunting psychological thriller.
MY 2 CENTS: WRITING (★★★★): I’m not going to lie, when I started this book the writing style threw me off. The first chapter starts with a therapy session transcript. It’s all dialogue, but instead of reading both sides of the conversation you only read one; Annalise Williams, the patients. It makes for a very strange, jarring read. It didn’t flow.
With that said, it does grow on you.
With each chapter, you meet new characters and hear (or rather read) the story through their perspective. When all is said and done, we get to learn about what is happening through the words of four different characters; Annalise Williams, Dr. Laurie Ambrose,Morris Keene, and Chloe Frohmann.
Once I got into the flow of Winslow’s writing style, this was a fast paced, exciting read. I loved the twist at the end, no I won’t give it away, but definitely worth the read to find out.
STORY (★★★★):Look for Her is the 4th book in the Keene and Frohmann series… which would have been nice to know when I started reading it, but I had no idea and I hadn’t read any of the Keene and Frohmann series before picking up Look For Her (Solely based on the cover) and reading it.
Honestly, the story stands on its own. I’m not sure what the first three books were about, but I think this one is easily enjoyable as a stand-alone book. That doesn’t mean I don’t intend to pick up the first three books in the series, because I most certainly do. If this one was this good, why should I expect the others to be any less entertaining?
Look For Her is a murder mystery/thriller… not horror, like the cover and title might make it sound. It takes the reader on a journey to solving a cold case when new DNA evidence is discovered. I love reading stories where the criminals think they’ve gotten away with something only to find that new evidence, years later, links them to the crime… I’m not going to say that’s what happened in this novel, but the idea of a cold case being reopened is very intriguing and Winslow delivered a great story.
CHARACTERS (★★★★): This story takes the reader on twists and turns, not only in plot but also in the character development and how Winslow weaves the characters lives together in unsuspecting ways.
Although I didn’t have the benefit of reading the first 3 books in the series, I didn’t feel like I was at a disadvantage when it came to understanding the characters. Winslow does a beautiful job of feeding the reader bits of backstory throughout the book without it sounding preachy or overdone.
I’m excited that there are more books in the Keene and Frohmann series so I can get to know the characters even more.
APPEARANCE (★★★★): The cover is beautiful, simple, and draws you in with an almost mysterious nature. You can make out woods and the reflection of a lake, but not much more. It doesn’t give away anything about the story, but does make you wonder where the “HER” in the title ‘Look For Her’ may have gone or where she may be.
AUTHOR: Emily Winslow is an American writer living in Cambridge, England. She’s the author of the novels The Whole World, The Start of Everything, and The Red House, and the memoir Jane Doe January (HarperCollins, May 2016).
FAVORITE QUOTES: “You can’t control what other people do, Morris. You can only control whether you deserve respect, not whether he gives it to you.” Chloe Frohmann to Morris Keene.
“She only became the important ‘Annalise’ in the eyes of others, once she was gone. She became a kind of symbol, a kind of idol, to strangers, and to me, but she didn’t get to experience being that herself. I don’t think anyone ever gets to experience being that, even if they’re alive and award that it’s happening in other people’s minds. That’s something you can think about others, but you can’t ever be inside of it. When you’re inside yourself, you know better.” Anna Williams during her last therapy session.
Check out my YouTube channel and the video review below… and make sure you hit subscribe so you never miss a video.
Bonus Features at the end of the book:
About the Author
Meet Emily Winslow
Neighbours in Crime: A Conversation with Sophie Hannah
About the Book
Questions for Discussion
Read on…
Have You Read? (More from Emily Winslow)
OTHER BOOKS BY EMILY WINSLOW:
The Red House: A Keene and Frohmann Mystery Maxwell’s fiancée, Imogen, is obsessed with her idyllic childhood in Cambridge, England, which was cut short by her parents’ deaths at a young age, causing her and her siblings to be adopted by different families. With plans to move back there, the young couple travel to the city together, where Imogen’s excitement is offset by Max’s deeply unsettling déjà vu: despite having no history there, something about Cambridge is all too familiar. As the wedding planning begins and Imogen’s preoccupation with her lost younger brother intensifies, Maxwell is forced to consider that he may actually be Imogen’s missing brother. Worse, he fears that she may already know that he is, and be marrying him anyway.
Meanwhile, Detective Chief Inspector Morris Keene languishes at home, struggling with a debilitating injury and post-traumatic stress, and his former partner, Detective Inspector Chloe Frohmann, investigates a suicide case in which Morris’ daughter is suspected of having a hand. When buried skeletons are discovered next to an old barn, the suicide is linked back to Imogen’s childhood, revealing horrors of the past and triggering new dangers in the present.
The third book by talented author Emily Winslow and featuring Cambridgeshire detectives Morris Keene and Chloe Frohmann, The Red House is a suspenseful and skillfully written mystery, twisting and unraveling in deft and unusual ways as the simultaneous investigations raise the question: for how long can you call your findings pure coincidence?
The Whole World: A Keene and Frohmann Mystery Set in the richly evoked pathways and environs of Cambridge, England, The Whole World unearths the desperate secrets kept by its many complex characters—students, professors, detectives, husbands, and mothers—that lead to deadly consequences. Two Americans studying at Cambridge University, Polly and Liv, who are both strangers to their new home and both running away from painful memories, become quick friends. They find a common interest in Nick, a handsome, charming, seemingly guileless graduate student. For a time, the three engage in harmless flirtation, growing closer while doing research for Professor Gretchen Paul, the blind and devoted daughter of a semi-famous novelist. But a betrayal, followed by Nick’s inexplicable disappearance, brings long-buried histories to the surface.
The investigation, helmed by Detective Chief Inspector Morris Keene and his partner, Detective Sergeant Chloe Frohmann, raises countless questions—from the crime that scars Polly’s past to the searing truths concealed in family photographs which Gretchen cannot see. Soon the three young lovers will discover how little they know about one another, and how devastating the ripples of long-ago actions can be.
At once a sensual and irresistible mystery and a haunting work of penetrating insight and emotional depth, The Whole World marks the beginning of Emily Winslow’s series of psychological suspense.
The Start of Everything: A Keene and Frohmann Mystery Outside the city of Cambridge, England, the badly decomposed body of a young woman has washed up in the flooded fens. Detective Inspector Chloe Frohmann and her partner, Detective Chief Inspector Morris Keene, must identify the victim and uncover what malice hid her there.
Across the hallowed paths and storied squares of Cambridge University, the detectives follow scant clues toward the identity of the dead girl. Eventually, their search leads them to Deeping House, an imposing country manor where, over the course of one Christmas holiday, three families, two nannies, and one young writer were snowed in together. Chloe begins to unravel a tangled web of passions and secrets, of long-buried crimes and freshly committed horrors. But in order to reveal the truth—about mysterious letters, devastating liaisons, and murder—she may have to betray her partner.
In this stunning psychological thriller, Emily Winslow has crafted a literary prism. With uncommon perceptiveness, she tells her story through the eyes of many intricately drawn characters: a troubled young woman in the University’s dead-letter office, an astronomy professor full of regret, an anxious man willing to kill to keep his past hidden. As their beautifully rendered stories coalesce, a piercing and haunting truth emerges. Masterful and memorizing, The Start of Everything will captivate to the very last page.
Jane Doe January On the morning of September 12, 2013, a fugitive task force arrested Arthur Fryar at his apartment in Brooklyn. His DNA, entered in the FBI’s criminal database after a drug conviction, had been matched to evidence from a rape in Pennsylvania years earlier. Over the next year, Fryar and his lawyer fought his extradition and prosecution for the rape—and another like it—which occurred in 1992. The victims—one from January of that year, the other from November—were kept anonymous in the media. This is the story of Jane Doe January.
Emily Winslow was a young drama student at Carnegie Mellon University’s elite conservatory in Pittsburgh when a man brutally attacked and raped her in January 1992. While the police’s search for her rapist proved futile, Emily reclaimed her life. Over the course of the next two decades, she fell in love, married, had two children, and began writing mystery novels set in her new hometown of Cambridge, England. Then, in fall 2013, she received shocking news—the police had found her rapist.
This is her intimate memoir—the story of a woman’s traumatic past catching up with her, in a country far from home, surrounded by people who have no idea what she’s endured. Caught between past and present, and between two very different cultures, the inquisitive and restless crime novelist searches for clarity. Beginning her own investigation, she delves into Fryar’s family and past, reconnects with the detectives of her case, and works with prosecutors in the months leading to trial.
As she recounts her long-term quest for closure, Winslow offers a heartbreakingly honest look at a vicious crime—and offers invaluable insights into the mind and heart of a victim.
Remember, #WritingWednesday is an EASY, STRESS-FREE, weekly writing challenge.
• Read the writing prompt below, • Spend 5 minutes writing (in your own voice or the voice of a character you’re writing) whatever comes to mind, • DON’T EDIT what you write! IT DOES NOT HAVE TO BE PERFECT!
The goal is 5 minutes of creativity.
Today I am writing in my own voice. I want you to know me… understand where I’m coming from as an author. In order to do that, I have to be able to open up and share insights into my own life. Windows into my soul. I hope you’ll do the same with me.
Today’s writing prompt:
List a few phobias you have. When and how did you discover you had these fears?
Everyone has phobias, right? I’m not alone here I’m sure.
I wouldn’t say any of my phobias are really that unique nor are they extreme.
I’m afraid of heights, acrophobia, but only when it means tumbling down something. It’s hard for me to stand at the top of a football stadium or concert arena without the fear of tumbling down the steps. On the flip side, I have stood on the edge of a tall building and rappelled down. I’ve even jumped out of a plane (5 times) without much fear. The rappelling and the parachuting were both an adrenaline rush that my younger self lived for.
I’m, embarrassingly, afraid of spiders. I suffer from a mild case of arachnophobia… I really don’t think I need to explain this one… they are gross and creepy and I just don’t like them.
“Snakes, why did it have to be snakes?” Like Indian Jones, I have Ophidiophobia, a fear of snakes I’m not sure when or why this started. I remember as a kid running around catching garden snakes. I think, as I’ve gotten older, I just realize there are more harmful things in the world that I did as a kid. One of those are the numerous poisonous snakes. I don’t like them.
Needled. Enough said, right? I’m sure I’m not alone in this one. I have aichmophobia, a fear of needles. Honestly, this is the only reason I don’t like going to the doctors or hospitals in general. This is probably my worst phobia and has plagued me since I was a young child. I don’t know when it started but I can’t remember a time when I wasn’t afraid of needles.
Much like the needle fear… I am afraid of all stinging insects, but mostly bees and wasps. That is where my spheksophobia, fear of wasps comes in. I think I look at wasps and other stinging insects as flying needles with a mind of their own. At least with a needle, I know I only have to face my fear when I go to the doctors. With spheksophobia, I have to face my fear every time I go outside in the Spring and Summer months.
Alright, now it’s your turn. I’d love to see what today’s writing prompt inspires in you. So, if you are willing, go to the comment section below and start typing. Take 5 minutes and let’s see what you come up with!
List a few phobias you have. When and how did you discover you had these fears?
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Would you like more sources for daily writing prompts? Click on the links below for great writing prompt journals I think you’ll really love!
This collection of 642 outrageous and witty writing prompts will get the creative juices flowing in no time. From crafting your own obituary to penning an ode to an onion, each page of this playful journal invites inspiration and provides plenty of space to write. Brimming with entertaining exercises from the literary minds of the San Francisco Writers’ Grotto, this is the ultimate gift for scribes of every stripe.
Today’s #MindfulnessMonday Tip: Everyday stresses have a tendency to pile up, if we aren’t keeping them in check. Don’t let yourself get bogged down by stress, there are ways to avoid or reduce stress. Find out what works for you and stay consistent.
Check out today’s #MindfulnessMonday video for 5 Easy Tips for Reducing Stress in your Daily Life. You can check out the video by clicking HERE!
With that little piece of advice, I give you today’s Mindfulness Exercise:
Mindfulness Meditation – Stress Reduction!
Find a place that is comfortable, sitting or lying down and take a moment to connect with your breath. Breath in through your nose and out through your mouth. Once you feel grounded and comfortable, I want you to think about what weighs you down. What causes the most stress in your life? Is it work? Money? Health issues? Or, maybe it’s a big change in your life, moving, graduating, marriage. Whatever the stressor is, it can be managed through consistent focus and balance.
Now, that you recognize your primary stressors, I want you to focus on just one as you take a few deep breaths in through your nose and exhale through your mouth. As you breathe in, repeat the words; I accept all that is good and right with the world. As you breathe out, repeat the words; I let go of what I can not control.
Repeat this process until you feel your body relax. Then, when you’re ready open your eyes and move on to today’s Mindfulness Journaling Prompt.
Mindfulness Journaling Prompt:After you’ve completed the Stress Reduction Meditation, take five minutes of quiet time to write out your stress reduction plan. This is the first step in deciding today how your tomorrow will look. Jot down three things you are going to commit to do in order to reduce your stress and the first step you’ll take for each idea. Some suggestions can be found in today’s #MindfulnessMonday video below.
Mindfulness journaling can be very private. However, if you are willing to share your thoughts with me and my readers, I would love to invite you to comment below and let me know how today’s exercise made you feel.
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Check out my #MindfulnessMonday YouTube Series and don’t forget to click subscribe so you never miss an episode!
EPISODE 19 ~ 5 Easy Tips for Reducing Stress in your Daily Life!
I’m certified in Holistic Stress Management and Mind/Body Fitness. I’ve been practicing Mindfulness for 10+ years and am passionate about helping others in their pursuit of a more mindful existence.
BLURB: Six Californians start a club to discuss the works of Jane Austen, only to find their relationships – both old and new – begin to resemble 21st century version of her novels.
STORYLINE: The Jane Austen Book Club explores Austen’s adage that general incivility is at love’s essence. Sylvia’s husband dumps her for another woman, so Bernadette and Jocelyn organize a book club to distract her. They recruit Sylvia’s daughter Allegra; Prudie, a young teacher whose marriage may be on the rocks; and Grigg, a sci-fi fan who joins solely out of his attraction to Jocelyn. The six book club members read and discuss one Austen novel per month. While Jocelyn attempts to peak Grigg’s interest in Sylvia, she fails to see her own interest in him rising. Allegra falls in love with a woman she meets skydiving. Then, after unexpected heartache she is able to mend her heart through a new relationship. Prudie contemplates an affair with one of her students and may take things a little to far. Sylvia’s ex-husband keeps popping back into her life and eventually tells her he still loves her. By the end of the movie, the truth about each of our characters is revealed.
MY 2 CENTS: I’m not going to lie, this is a chick-flick. I love a good romantic comedy chick-flick every now and then, but they are not my typical go-to movie. With that said, as an author and an avid reader, I LOVED THIS FILM!
The cast is amazing… In fact, I really can’t image a better cast. With Emily Blunt, Maria Bello, Amy Brenneman, and Kathy Baker taking the lead, this movie was destined to be a success. And a story line that manages to infuse the characters’ lives with pieces of Jane Austen’s fictional world is just plain fun.
Like most chick-flicks, this film isn’t about wowing the viewers with amazing cinematography and extraordinary special effects. This film relies solely on the dialogue and the actors’ abilities to communicate their emotions to the audience. The character development within each relationship as well as individually gives the viewer so much to watch, explore, and relate to. Of course, not everyone will be able to relate to every character… but that is the beauty, there is a character for everyone.
I believe that if Austin were alive today, she would be proud of the way this film utilized her themes and wove them into the lives of the characters beautifully.
Watching the film, you get a sense that Karen Joy Fowler, author of the book ‘The Jane Austin Book Club, truly has a passion for and understands Austin’s books. Although I have not yet read ‘The Jane Austin Book Club’ I do intent to add it to my ‘To Read’ list. I think that anyone who admires Austin’s books will enjoy this film.
If you have watched this movie (or read the book) please comment below and let me know what you thought of it. If you haven’t seen the movie, but are intrigued enough to watch it, then I challenge you to watching and then come back and let me know what you thought.
MY FAVORITE QUOTES: “Let us never underestimate the power of a well-written letter.” ~ Bernadette
Check out my YouTube channel and the video review below… and make sure you hit subscribe so you never miss a video.
Title: 
W. M. Martin is a writer of fantasy novels and a lover of his black lab, Willow. He’s also quite fond of his wife, Stephanie, and their four daughters. The stories he writes are inspired by his children. They are the first and last line of defense in regards to ensuring that his readers are certain to enjoy his works. He enjoys writing about female heroes, because his daughters are his.
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Nina Soden 