Sunday, July 30, 2017

Is There a Number Fairy? #OurAuthorGang

The Number Fairy lives in children's imagination, but dream learning is real.
Dreaming about kittens helped me to learn numbers when I was a young child.


According to Dr. Freud, dreams are our brain's attempt to figure out how to achieve our desires or to understand and face our fears.

After I came across this interesting article on The New York Times blog about a research done at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, I thought about my struggle with learning the numbers when I was a young child.

In this research, a maze was shown to 99 volunteers. They were asked to find their way through the complicated, three-dimensional puzzle as fast as possible. After an hour, half of the volunteers were allowed to sleep and the other half relaxed staying awake.

Kutay Tanir/Getty Images

The result showed and I quote, "After the resting period, the participants were asked to again tackle the maze. Those who hadn’t napped showed no improvement or did even worse after the break. Nappers who were rested but didn’t report any maze-related dreams did better but showed only marginal improvement.

However, four nappers who reported dreaming about the maze showed a startling improvement, cutting their completion time in half. The difference in scores before and after sleeping was 10 times higher for the maze dreamers than those who hadn’t dreamed about the task."

This article triggered the memory of my struggle with numbers when I was very young. My parents tried to make me understand the numbers by making me count on my fingers, count toys, pebbles, and used every visual aid they could think of but I still couldn't understand the numbers until I had a dream.

I still remember my short dream clearly. In my dream, I kept moving the kittens in and out of their bed and I kept counting: two kittens are out of the bed, five kittens are in the bed. Then one kitten in the bed, six kittens are out of the bed.

From then on, I had no trouble counting anything. This article and remembering my dream inspired this children's book about Terry struggling to learn numbers and the Mary, the Number Fairy, helping her to understand.

When a child is struggling to comprehend the meaning of numbers, they might dream about it after a frustrating day of trying to understand and learn the numbers. 


Recommended for children 2-6

Terry was struggling to learn numbers. “I wish we knew the numbers so we could help,” Pansy, Terry’s dog, said to her best friend, Oliver, the hedgehog. The Number Fairy heard Pansy’s plea, and at night, she flew through the window. With a swish of her wand, the fairy conjured up a dream bubble and showed the numbers to Terry, and to the animals.
From the proceeds, the author donates paperback books to non-profit book charities for children.

Pages from the book









Read more in the book
Available in print and eBook on many sites:

And signed paperback in the author's bookstore:


COMMENTS

Erika M Szabo via Google+

1 year ago  -  Shared publicly
 
Is There a Number Fairy? #OurAuthorGang
The Number Fairy lives in children's imagination, but dream learning is real. Dreaming about kittens helped me to learn numbers when I was a young child. by Erika M Szabo Photo credit:  https://animalcenter.org/news/kitten-happy-hourAccording to Dr. Freud,...
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Grace Au

1 year ago  -  Shared publicly
 
Beautiful post, Erika!
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Thank you Grace :)

T.C. Rypel

1 year ago  -  Shared publicly
 
Charming and delightful reminiscence, Erika, that illustrates how our unconscious is forever at work, trying earnestly to problem-solve on our behalf.

And what a satisfying wonder it must be for you to have turned your epiphany about how to understand something puzzling into a picture book that might both entertain and edify kids who might be struggling with a similar problem! Kudos to you.

Our dream-lives are probably far more important than we think, working things through...providing uncredited inspirations...

I believe I dreamed the framework for my kids' book SCREAMING WILLIE. I woke up whispering the character's name, and then immediately knew the first story. But that's rare for me. At least the cognizance of the phenomenon is rare. That's why I wonder how often it's happened without my being conscious of having had those "shoemaker's elves" concoct the structure of a story I've later written.

My clearest recollection of a dream-based LEARNING situation from youth, such as you describe, involved not numbers but words. I remember being brought to tears, during grade school, over an evening I spent unsuccessfully trying to rote-memorize Lincoln's Gettysburg Address for a class presentation. My dad sagely advised me to give it up for the night, just sleep on it---my hard prep work will cause the speech to assemble itself during the night. Just watch, he urged. And sure enough, he was right. I woke up with a grasp of the piece that astonished me. I never forgot that incident. But I hadn't thought of it for years until now, when your kitty-numbers reminded me.

I hope this book brings you back the wealth of satisfactions it deserves.
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Thank you Ted :) Our mind is still uncharted territory. We know a lot about how it works but most is just educated guess. I think we could compare our knowledge about the function of the brain to how much we know about ocean life. We know a lot about what's going on in the top layer but almost nothing about the deep waters.
It is also amazing how we try to grasp our dreams when we're just about waking up. We remember bits and pieces and then we rationalize the fleeting thoughts and feelings by filling the gaps to create a story.
Dreaming is definitely important, there are a lot of studies that prove it. Without dreams our brain can't sort events, memories and feelings and store them in the right memory cells to be recalled easily and make the connection between memories.
The human brain is truly amazing!
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Joe Bonadonna

1 year ago  -  Shared publicly
 
Wow, Erika! I love how you used your wonderful illustrations and their accompanying text as an excerpt from Terry and the Number Fairy. This is a cool article. When I'm struggling with a story, I try to go to bed each night thinking about the story, hoping to dream about it and find some answers. When I was a kid, I struggled with fractions and percentages. My Dad taught me in one evening by using pennies, nickels, dimes, quarters, and half-dollars. I passed my arithmetic text the next day without any problem. I guess he was my Number Fairy!
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I guess Fairies come in all shapes and genders :)
 
Indeed they do, just like Angels.

Rick Haynes

1 year ago  -  Shared publicly
 
Lovely post Erika. Pictures do help, no matter your age. I wish that I was taught my numbers, with fairies.
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Mary Anne Yarde

1 year ago  -  Shared publicly
 
Great post!
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Mackenzie Flohr shared this via Google+

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Mackenzie Flohr

1 year ago  -  Shared publicly
 
That's really fascinating about dreams, and I definitely believe it's true. Love the sample you provided above of your book.
 
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Joe Bonadonna via Google+

1 year ago  -  Shared publicly
 
Today on A Small Gang of Authors, Erika M Szabo tells us how dreaming about kittens when she was a kid helped her learn her "numbers." She also gives us some of her excellent illustrations and their accompanying text as an excerpt for her wonderful children's book, "Terry and the Number Fairy."
https://asmallgangofauthors.blogspot.com/2017/07/is-there-number-fairy-ourauthorgang.html

Saturday, July 29, 2017

Guest Author Stephanie Churchill #OurAuthorGang

Our Guest today is Stephanie Churchill 



About the Author
Stephanie Churchill grew up in the American Midwest, and after school moved to Washington, D.C. to work as a paralegal, moving to the Minneapolis metro area when she married.  She says, 'One day while on my lunch break from work, I visited a nearby bookstore and happened upon a book by author Sharon Kay Penman.  I’d never heard of her before, but the book looked interesting, so I bought it.  Immediately I become a rabid fan of her work. I discovered that Ms. Penman had fan club and that she happened to interact there frequently.  As a result of a casual comment she made about how writers generally don’t get detailed feedback from readers, I wrote her an embarrassingly long review of her latest book, Lionheart.  As a result of that review, she asked me what would become the most life-changing question: “Have you ever thought about writing?”  And The Scribe’s Daughter was born.

Find out more at Stephanie's website www.stephaniechurchillauthor.com and find her on Facebook and Twitter @WriterChurchill.  Her books can be found on Amazon and other online retailers.

"What inspired you to start writing this particular book? What is the genre of this book?"

Becoming an author wasn’t anything I’d ever imagined doing throughout most of my life.  In fact, the very idea of it, when it came, found me like a deer caught in the headlights.  The more common tale for the authors I know is that they had dreamed of writing books ever since they were children.  That wasn’t the case for me.  If the idea had been suggested any earlier in my life, I would have found the notion utterly laughable.  It wasn’t until a New York Times best-selling author nudged me that I caught on.  The resulting experiment led to the inspiration for my first book.  Let me explain.

I have always enjoyed reading.  And while I enjoy many different genres, historical fiction is what I return to over and over again more often than not.  It was mid-2011 when I heard that my favorite author of the time, Sharon Kay Penman, was about to release a new book.  I had long been a member of her Facebook fan club, but it had been a while since I’d last visited.  News of her new book sent me to the group more frequently, and to my great surprise and delight, I discovered that Ms. Penman frequented the group, interacting often with her fans.  It was in one such interaction that Ms. Penman commented that authors rarely receive detailed feedback from readers about why they love the books they do.  Immediately I decided that I would do something about that.

In a way that only rabid fans, groupies, and a small number of book nerds can do, I began work on what turned into an embarrassingly long review of her book, Lionheart.  That a fan would do something so fanatical understandably caught her attention, and we struck up an email friendship, the result of which led her to ask me, “Have you ever thought about writing?”  Had she been anyone but a career author, and one with several titles to hit New York Times best-seller status, I would not have paid any attention.  But she was who she was, and the authority behind that assurance gave me the confidence I needed to take up the proverbial pen and write, with none other than my favorite author as mentor.

Four years after the nudge, I published my first book, The Scribe’s Daughter, but it was really an accident.  I had every intention of publishing a different manuscript, but when the voice of my prose just didn’t seem right, I set it aside.  Just for fun, I wondered what it would be like to write in first person, so remembering a certain market chase scene from the 1992 Disney film Aladdin, I replaced the character of Aladdin with my own street urchin, a girl named Kassia.  As Kassia took shape on the page, I found her to be quick-witted and sarcastic, and incredibly fun to write.  I fell in love with her character and couldn’t stop until I had a book, The Scribe’s Daughter.

At the beginning of the novel, we meet Kassia, a seventeen year-old orphan who is faced with a tough decision in her daily quest for survival.  She is a younger sister but finds herself in the position of providing for both herself and her older sister, Irisa.  The sisters cannot afford to pay rent, and when their landlord gives them an ultimatum -- pay up or become whores -- Kassia must make a difficult decision.  Events become complicated when very soon after, a stranger shows up at her doorstep to hire her for a job that is ridiculously outside her skill set.  Not seeing any other choice, she takes him on.  Before long, Kassia finds herself swept away on a sometimes treacherous journey where she must use her resourcefulness and every measure of witty bravado to survive.  Along the way, mysteries of her family history, a history she never knew existed, are realized and revealed.  By the end of the book, Kassia is transformed from naive and reckless girl, to confident, strong young woman.

The book reads like historical fiction, yet there is no doubt that it is fantasy, even if not traditional fantasy.  There is no magic, no dragons or other fantastical beasts.  Everything is based in reality.  Readers of historical fiction should feel right at home while reading it however, because I tried to inject my love of history and historical fiction into the feel of the prose.  I often tell people that my books echo historical fiction even if they don’t contain any history.  More than that though, if you love deep characters, evocative settings, and a good plot, it doesn’t matter what genre you read.  You’ll enjoy the book!



The Scribe’s Daughter
Kassia is a thief and a soon-to-be oath breaker. Armed with only a reckless wit and sheer bravado, seventeen-year-old Kassia barely scrapes out a life with her older sister in a back-alley of the market district of the Imperial city of Corium. When a stranger shows up at her market stall, offering her work for which she is utterly unqualified, Kassia cautiously takes him on. Very soon however, she finds herself embroiled in a mystery involving a usurped foreign throne and a vengeful nobleman. Most intriguing of all, she discovers clues to the disappearance of her father three years prior.

When Kassia is forced to flee her home, suffering extreme hardship, danger and personal trauma along the way, she feels powerless to control what happens around her. Rewarding revelations concerning the mysteries of her family’s past are tempered by the reality of a future she doesn’t want. In the end, Kassia discovers an unyielding inner strength, and that contrary to her prior beliefs, she is not defined by external things -- she discovers that she is worthy to be loved.


Buy Links
The Scribe’s Daughter  myBook.to/thescribesdaughter
The King’s Daughter  myBook.to/TheKingsDaughter


Friday, July 28, 2017

What's Romance Got to do with It? #OurAuthorGang

 
What's Romance Got to do With It?
by Grace Augustine
www.graceaugustine.weebly.com

    There is a Tina Turner song...What's Love Got to do With It?  I'm turning that around today...What's Romance Got to do With It?  I'm a hopeless romantic and as such, I usually see things through rose colored glasses.


      As children, we have dreams of being fairy princesses, firefighters, policemen, queen of our own domain.  There is always a happy ever after as we line up our dolls, stuffed animals, or army men and enact how our lives will be "when we grow up."
     Being a romance writer is a phenomenal experience. I write stories where friends decide they have deep feelings for each other. Stories of life issues and hardships that are gone through together, side by side, hand in hand.  Romance.
     For me, romance is the icing on the cake...the sprinkles on the ice cream. It's those little extras--the smile, a crook of an eyebrow, the twinkle in his eye. It's the thoughtful gestures of breakfast in bed, tossing a load of laundry in the washer, taking the dog for a walk. Or maybe, it is a rose petal path to lit candles that surround a bubble bath and a glass of wine.

 
     Whenever I can take a character I've created and place that person (they are always real in my head) into a situation where a soft, romantic scene can playout...I've done my job.
      Here is an excerpt from my Golden Quill Awards Reader's Choice Finalist,
Moonlight & Music.  http://a.co/bml4Nhv

 
     "The hot water ran over Blake’s tanned, toned body. He stood with his back arched so the majority hit his hips. He stretched down, touching his toes. An audible groan escaped him.
          If only I could stay here. If only Renee Manelli...
          The shampoo bottle hit the floor of the shower. Blake groaned as he bent to pick up the bottle before the liquid found its way down the drain. The groan more for his rampant thoughts than the pain from bending down.
          Renee Manelli could be the new object of his obsession without a problem. He thought of how silky her skin would feel lathered up…
          As quickly as those thoughts came to him, Blake pushed them to the farthest corners and buried them. He didn’t need to be focusing on a woman now." 

Thursday, July 27, 2017

The Principality of Monaco #OurAuthorGang



By Cristina Grau


Monaco

Just one-hour drive away I find myself in one of the most beautiful and smallest countries in the world.

Vatican City is the smallest country in the world, and the Principality of Monaco is the second one, and here I am.

Contrary to popular belief, Monaco does not belong to France. It is enclosed by France and on the south/west borders the Mediterranean Sea. 

Monte Carlo is not the capital, it is one of the districts. Actually, Monaco doesn’t have a capital.

And what can I say about the playground of the rich and famous…

Over the years, I have been here many times, and every time I come, I like the place even more, if that is possible.


The Casino

There are a few must see in Monaco. Starting with the casino which is gorgeous, however, as a tourist, you are only allowed in one section of it. The other parts are for the big rollers.
Before you can enter, you need to go through security and leave your passport. Then you can admire the grandeur of the place. You are not allowed to take pictures, so I cannot show you its beauty, but trust me it is gorgeous.
I don’t have money to waste, so I did not gamble. However, a few years back, when I was here with my daughter, she lost some of her money at the roulette table. 

One of the harbor

Next, you must walk the promenade and look at all the luxurious yachts at the harbor. And while you’re walking look at all the cars parked on the streets. I don’t know what they are, but all the men were looking at them and taking pictures of them.

The Royal Palace

Then a nice stroll to see the Royal Palace. From the outside it doesn’t look like much, but the inside is grand. And if you manage to be there at 11:55 AM, you can see the changing of the guards. It is supposed to be very nice, but as you know, I am not a morning person, so I have not seen it yet. 
There used to be a very nice Napoleon museum next to the palace, but it has been closed for a few years now. It seems that Prince Albert needed money, so he sold all its contents in 2014 for €1.9 million = U$D 2.3 million.

Monaco is an easy country to walk, and that it’s the best way to see its beauty. There are many hills, however, there are many elevators and escalators on the streets that you can take instead of walking up the hills.

Monaco becomes even more famous when American actress Grace Kelly married Rainier III, Prince of Monaco in 1956.  Their wedding was the first televised Royal wedding. There is a museum and many posters and reminders all over the place about their beloved Princess Grace.

And of course, the Monaco Grand Prix, which is one of the most famous races in the world.

FYI

Monaco it’s very expensive. So, I always stay in Nice and take a 1€ = U$D 1.16 bus to Monaco. It is only an hour ride, and the views along the coast are gorgeous. But now I don’t have to, as I am staying only one hour away.

Dress nicely. Here everything is high couture, and as my daughter says, she can’t even afford to window shop. So, dress the part.


Tuesday, July 25, 2017

Drobble, Drabble and Drickel #OurAuthorGang

Drobble, Drabble and Drickel
by Rick Haynes


Photo provided by the author

Hi everyone. I’ve been thinking about something a little different, something to tax the brain in the art of word - pruning. I don’t know if my idea has been done before, but here goes.

I wrote a story of 200 words, then challenged myself to condense into Drabble format, and again to reduce it to Drickel size (note the rick in Drickel – I can hear the groans from here – LOL). So I have a Drobble of exactly 200 words, A Drabble of exactly 100 words and, you guessed it, A Drickel of exactly 25 words. Please note that Drobbles and Drickels are figments of my imagination after one or two glasses of Southern comfort, although I guess they could be real now.

It was a much harder exercise than I thought but well worth the effort. Have a go and see how you get on; go on I dare you.

The title is Conclusion Jump
CONCLUSION JUMP - 200 WORDS DROBBLE

The last rays of the sun were slowly dipping away leaving a rose coloured tint to the sky in their wake. The birds had vanished, the trees silent. Occupants had left their homes unlocked, the doors wide open in their haste to depart. Even the gentle breeze had died away as the village on the hill lay empty, bereft of all life.

The remaining villagers had departed two days ago as fear overcame resolve, for the plague had spread from village to village, and bodies lay strewn over the cobbled streets. Even the priest refused to bury them, much to the angst of his followers.

Several farms had taken in relatives and friends, but wandering families had found little food elsewhere. The piecing screams of children could be heard all around, yet nothing could be done to assuage their hunger or cure their malady.

“I can’t read any more of this utter drivel. What has this to do with modern day farming? Who wrote this?” The man in black directed his anger at the author silently waiting in the far corner.
“I did,” the author said softly.

“It’s rubbish,” the actor retorted.

“Not surprising really. You’re reading the wrong script.”

CONCLUSION JUMP - 100 WOODS DRABBLE 

The last rays of the sun were slowly dipping away leaving behind a rose coloured tint in the sky. The birds had vanished, the trees silent. Even the gentle breeze had disappeared as the village lay empty, bereft of all life.

The plague had spread far, and many bodies lay strewn on the cobbled streets.

 “What has this to do with modern day farming? Who wrote this utter drivel?” The reader directed his anger at the author in the far corner.

“I did,” the author said softly.

“It’s rubbish,” the actor retorted.

“Not surprising really. You’re reading the wrong script.”

CONCLUSION JUMP - 25 WORDS DRICKEL

The village was empty, bereft of life.

The plague had spread, bodies lay everywhere.

“What rubbish,” the actor said.

“Unsurprising. You’re reading the wrong script.”

2 pictures to follow. Thanks for everything and have a good party tonight.




http://www.rickhaynesauthor.com/
https://www.amazon.com/Rick-Haynes/e/B00CK8IXFO/
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Rick-Haynes/e/B00CK8IXFO/

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