On 3.25.09 I was to be part of a book tour for a wonderful eBook, “Family Folktales, Write Your Own Family Stories“, and didn’t have an internet connection for most of the day because they are doing work on Cable along our street, which then turned into not really being related to the work being done on the street at all. We had more issues, and had the cable service come out and fix things for us, so everything is working great…now as promised, let me tell you a bit about this wonderful book.

This book was particularly captivating to me, because I would like to write about some of the things that my grandfather shared with us about his life…he loved to tell stories from his life, in fact he spent hours when he was in his early 90’s sharing on video story after story…I treasure these tapes.

It has been hard for me to know where to begin, and reading Karen’s book has helped me sort through some of my concerns…including how historically accurate I want to make the book, Karen suggests that it doesn’t need to read like history, it can be from my perspective, the way that I remember the story being told. I felt “freed” by these words, and the thoughts began to flow!  You’ll find this happens often as you read the book.

Here are a few of chapter titles from this writing instructor’s new book:

• What Is a Folktale?
• What Do You Do with Folktales?
• Folktales Are for Everyone
• Let’s Get Started - People; Places and Events; Things; The Process
• Warming Up Your Writing Muscles

and there’s more!

Below you’ll find order and other info, and since this is a tour, please stop by and visit the following for more reviews: On 3.24.09 Carolyn Howard-Johnson provided an ebook review, then on 3.26.09 the blog tour continued with Julie McLaws.

Title: Family Folktales: What Are Yours
Author: Karen Pierce Gonzalez
Website: This, and other books available at http://www.folkheartpress
Price: Under $8.00

Following is a a review about a book written by a very talented young man, Christopher Shiveley Welch. Christopher’s mother, Debra, is also an accomplished author…please look for her name in the “Anything Book Blogroll” to the right. Christopher’s book has been reviewed by John Helman of allbookreviews.com and his review was passed along by Debra, so I thought I’d share it with you here:

“He is adopted and very proud of it,” reads the blurb on the back cover of this interesting little paperback. “Just Chris” begins just as one would expect – at the beginning of Chris. We learn some of the difficulties encountered in finding willing adoptive families for those babies, which on the outside lack the appearance of perfection. We grow along with Chris as he grows. We learn as he learns. We go through the painful surgeries with him, as he relies upon medical science and the love and support of his parents to become and to obtain what so many of us take for granted.

Chris just lives and grows and takes us along with him for the ride. We share with him some very rich and rewarding events along the way. What these are can only be discovered, by becoming a traveler alongside Chris in his young life.

This is a well-written little tome. It makes for very enjoyable reading due to its flowing style. The reader goes from place to place and event to event with grace. The author is sentimental without being maudlin and preachy. Chris lets the reader know just what he thinks, but doesn’t tell the reader what to think. That is one thing that makes this book refreshing. The reader is trusted just to go along on the journey.

Young Mr. Welch’s first book is called “Christopher the Bullfrog Catcher.” This book, as is available through any bookseller

To find a complete list of all of Debra and Christopher’s books, please visit Debra’s website.

I know my Yorkie, Aspen, would like me to post this on her blog, but I got the lead first, so I win and I’m posting it here:-)

We may talk about books a lot of the time on this blog, but they are entertainment, and so is this adorable movie. Did you see “The Beverly Hills Chihuahua”? I visited the official site today, and watched the irresistible video, and couldn’t get over all the cute Dog Costumes. As a matter of fact, the costumes featured in the movie are from fivestarfido.com, so very cute for anyone who wants to dress up their dog and sit down with some popcorn (our dog loves popcorn) and watch this movie, which is now available on DVD and fun for the whole family…even the family dog!

I have two book reviews/blog tours coming up within the next week, and am in the process of reading these books, so thought I’d take a moment to re-introduce myself.

I am a resident of New Jersey, and spend a lot of time blogging…a couple of my NJ related sites include New Jersey Baby Boomer and my Squidoo, Weird New Jersey.

I’m also happily married, and a mother to two grown children.  My daughter is married, and my son is single, and had a wonderful job that seems to have come to an end due to the economy…it was a start-up company, starting up at a very difficult time in our history.  So, he is looking for New Jersey Jobs right now as he waits and hopes that the company he was working for gets back on their feet. We live in a very rural area of the state, in a small lake community surrounded by a State Forest on one side, and open space (preserved land) on the other. New Jersey is really quite a beautiful state, one of the reasons it is called “The Garden State”. At the same time, there are a lot of good job opportunities and industries in the State, but these days it takes work to find a job, they don’t come to you, and sites like realmatch.com are helpful.

I have always loved books and reading, and if I’m not reading online, I’m reading a book or magazine. This is probably why doing a blog about books was appealing to me. We also own a precious little Yorkshire Terrier, Aspen. Finally, but important to me (especially today when I see a headline in the news stating that studies show that less people in the country are religious) I enjoy a relationship with God through Jesus Christ, I am a Christian, and don’t know how I’d survive without that relationship.

So there’s a bit about me, about my family, and where we live. Thank you for taking time to visit my blog, please do come back for the reviews and blog tours that will be coming up in the next week to two weeks, and other helpful information for authors and writers that will be added until then.

One way to promote your publication or book is to wear it!  How do you do that?  It’s really not hard.  All you need is the title.  That alone may be eye-catching enough, but some of you may want a picture as well.  If your publication has a logo already, that will be suitable.  If your book or publication has a particular theme, you may want to use an illustration or outline-drawing of something that emphasizes the theme.

Now, once you have all of that, you are ready to go to a website, and design your own item…right at the website.  A design that can be be embroidered in order to make custom sweatshirts, T-Shirts, hats, bags and accessories, baby items, and so much more. This is done by embroidery, so is higher quality than other services available.

You actually do the designing through a 3-step process once you know what you want on your item at www.ThreadSmith.com, then wherever you go, you are “advertising” for yourself without even saying a word! If you don’t have any ideas of your own, the website will provide some to inspire your imagination.  How catchy your title or picture is will determine whether people will want to know more.