Blogging Authors

Tuesday, December 21, 2021

📚 10 Things You Might Not Know About Nomophobia by JD Wise #Nomophobia #10things

JD Wise is a West Virginian-born author who believes that the world can be changed for the better, by one person, one time, doing the right thing.

“Just think what would happen if we all did that,” said Wise.

Wise is happily married to the love of his life. Together, they have four wonderful children, who are the true inspiration for the book.

Nomophobia is his latest children’s book.

Visit him on Instagram and Facebook.

10 Things You Might Not Know About Nomophobia

1. "Nomophobia" is a real condition.

2. 7 out of 10 children have a phone.

3. The average screen time for a child is 7 hours per day.

4. Children have become addicted to their phones.

5. Children become cranky when you take away their phone.

6. There is no way that you can see the beauty that is around you on a 3x5 screen.

7. The phone may help save your life one day - That doesn't mean that you need to be on it all day, every day.

8. Parents need to hear their children's voices. (not just a text spoken through emoji's)

9. This book was written to help encourage youngsters to set down their phones. Even if it's just for a little while.

10. Nomophobia is at a house near you. be on the lookout! Overused cell phones are mysteriously turning children into ogres.

Welcome to NOMOPHOBIA – A PLACE IN TIME WHERE OVERUSED CELLULAR DEVICES TURN CHILDREN INTO OGRES.

This is a somewhat true, mostly exaggerated story of modern-day children – children who have spent way too much time on their phones. One night the children are mysteriously turned into ogres. At first the children blame each other for their condition. When they finished blaming each other, they worked together to find a cure. They searched the house for a cure…but they could not find one. They tried to wash the ogre off…but it stayed on.

They had all but given up when sissy’s phone accidently falls into the fish tank. When the phone gets wet, a hidden message appears: YOU WERE TURNED INTO OGRES, BECAUSE ON THE PHONE YOU DID STAY! NOW, PUT IT AWAY AND GO OUT AND PLAY!

So the children rushed outside, where they returned to normal. That day the children learned a valuable lesson. OVERUSED CELL PHONES TURN CHILDREN INTO OGRES.

PRAISE

“I absolutely love this book!! This is the perfect book to inspire your kids (or grandkids) to set down their phones. There is so much more to life than just a screen. I am a cell phone addict myself, this book encourages me to stop and smell the roses.” – Amazing Supermom, Amazon

Pick up your copy of Nomophobia at Amazon.

# 10 THINGS

Monday, December 20, 2021

Book Video Teaser: THE MAN WHO TRANSFORMED AFRICA by Peter D. Cimini #bookvideo #bookteaser #PUYB

thewriterslife 9:00 PM 0 Comments

THE MAN WHO TRANSFORMED AFRICA

Peter D. Cimini
Fiction

The novel opens with Vatican intrigue between liberal and conservative cardinals, which leads to the unlikely selection of an Indonesian pope. Seizing the opportunity, the new pope uses his ex-cathedra (papal infallibility) to declare poverty to be an immoral human condition. The pope decides to lead by example, taking the provocative step of selling Vatican treasures to fund a long-term plan to build a strong middle-class society in Africa.

The novel follows the pope, an ex-president of the United States, and an African nationalist during the first two years of an estimated twelve-year project to build a strong African middle-class society.

After a year-and-a-half of steady progress, the ex-president and the African nationalist realize they have miscalculated the costs of irrigating the African tropical savannas, and the project stalls. A brilliant, young, autistic project employee, originally hired to oversee the use of Africa’s natural resources, solves the irrigation problem, allowing the plan to continue moving forward. The autistic project employee later comes to the rescue once again when he clears the name of the ex-president, who had been falsely accused of bribery.

The author believes the fictional narrative of this unique story will show the need to stabilize Africa’s social order, infrastructure, and land use, which would result in an economic rejuvenation of the continent, eventually turning Africa into an agricultural giant.

Amazon → The Man Who Transformed Africa: The Rebirth of a Continent: Cimini, Peter D.: 9781612448305: Amazon.com: Books

Author Peter Cimini was born in New York City, in the borough of the Bronx. He attended both a Catholic elementary and high school. Mr. Cimini holds bachelor and masters degrees from New York University. He was a teacher both in New York and Connecticut, and served students twenty years as a curriculum specialist, overseeing and writing curricula. He is also the author of The Secret Sin of Opi, on the topic of missing and exploited children. His favorite novel is Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett. Author Cimini admires the works of writers Kristin Hannah and Nicolas Sparks. He lives in Connecticut.

The Man Who Transformed Africa is his latest novel.

Visit Peter’s blog at www.peterdcimini.wordpress.com or connect with him on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.

Wednesday, December 15, 2021

📚 10 Things You Might Not Know About Author John Neral @john_neral #YourMidCareerGPS #10things

thewriterslife 9:00 PM 0 Comments

John Neral, MA, CPC reawakens, energizes, galvanizes, and innovates the mind think of employees, corporations, associations, and systems. A celebrated executive/career and professional development coach and in-demand, mindset-shifting public speaker, John’s professional walk included a 25-year career in education and a longstanding corporate consultant for Fortune 500 giant, Casio America, Inc. He now leads John Neral Coaching, LLC, one of the most progressive, mindset-shifting professional and organizational coaching and public speaking firms in the U.S. He is the author of Your Mid-Career GPS – Four Steps to Figuring Out What’s Next and SHOW UP – Six Strategies to Lead a More Energetic and Impactful Career and the host of “The Mid-Career GPS Podcast.”
As a Master Practitioner in the Energy Leadership Index, John’s experience has made him an impactful and valuable coach to his one-on-one and group coaching clients and organizations. With Energy Leadership™, John identifies where people perform at their optimal levels and when they are under stress. Combining the Energy Leadership™ principles, a client’s workplace strengths, and their “unique professional value,” John helps his clients create their career GPS so they can take action toward achieving their professional and personal goals.
A former church organ prodigy, John is an avid traveler–having sojourned to 5 of the 7 continents, a professional bowler and the winner of a Professional Bowlers’ Association Regional Title (2010), and a game-show fan, having appeared on previous episodes of GSN’s Chain Reaction and Make My Day. John is happily married and lives with his spouse and their rescue cat, Amy Farrah Meowler (named after the Big Bang Theory character), in the heart of Washington DC’s Dulles Technology Corridor, Tysons Corner, VA.
You can visit his website at https://johnneral.com or follow him at Twitter, Facebook and Goodreads.

10 Things You Might Not Know About Author John Neral

1. John is a Professional Bowler and won a title on the Professional Bowlers Association Regional Tour.

2. John had a 25-year career in education before launching his coaching practice full-time. He taught middle school mathematics for 14 years. He then moved into various administrative and professional development roles that included working for a state superintendent and serving as a Training and Staffing Director for an educational non-profit.

3. One of John’s first jobs was as a church organist. At 13, John studied under Father Alphonse Stephenson, a renowned musician and Broadway conductor. It was an unusual job for a teenager, but John became an in-demand musician for various church functions. This also led to John playing piano for several local community theatre productions. He maintained a career in church music for over ten years.

4. John directed an a capella group at Loyola College in Maryland called “The Notables.” Their biggest performance was singing the National Anthem for the Baltimore Orioles. John vividly remembers conducting the group and seeing himself on the JumboTron.

5. John is an avid game-show enthusiast. He has fond memories of sitting with his grandmother watching game shows. In 2005, John appeared on GSN’s Chain Reaction and later appeared on a TV Land reality show called “Make My Day.” He hopes to appear on Wheel of Fortune or The Price is Right someday.

6. John always wanted to go skydiving until he accompanied his best friend on a flying lesson. They went up in a 4-seater, and there was a lot of turbulence that day. That ended John’s desire to jump out of a plane.

7. John has a fear of bugs – anything creepy or crawly freaks him out.

8. John’s biggest pet peeve is bad table manners. Close your mouth when you chew! LOL.

9. Growing up, John wanted a career in television as a meteorologist but was told by someone that he didn’t “have the right look for tv.” He let that squash his dreams, and it is one of his biggest regrets that he never pursued that dream. However, life is wonderful, and things do work out for the best.

10. One of John’s “worst” jobs was working for a party rental company, where he helped put up party tents for large events. He hated that job and lasted six days on a dare because his father didn’t believe he would last more than one week. John went into work on day six and quit. He was so bad at that job that his boss let him go immediately.

Title: YOUR MID-CAREER GPS: FOUR STEPS TO FIGURING OUT WHAT’S NEXT
Author: John Neral
Publisher: LLH Publishing
Pages: 281
Genre: Job Hunting/Business Mentoring and Coaching

BOOK BLURB:

Are you considering a career change but doubt yourself or get easily overwhelmed by the entire process?

Are you a mid-career professional ready to level-up, but unsure of what steps to take?

What if there was an easy and supportive way to plan your next career destination?

Your Mid-Career GPS will guide you to create your own professional roadmap so you can find the job you love or love the job have. John Neral, Certified Professional Coach, will help you strategically position yourself in the marketplace while teaching you how to leverage your unique skills from a place of value and service for any organization.

Learn how to prepare, position, and promote yourself as you create a tactical and strategic plan by building Your Mid-Career GPS. Let this book be your guide to answer many of the current questions you have about creating your next advancement opportunity.

PRAISE

“This book is for those of you who feel like you know everything and nothing about what’s next, you can’t fathom writing yet another cover letter, and you wonder “why bother” when it comes to updating your résumé. If you are feeling alone on this journey, bring this book, and all of the insight and tools it contains, along with you. You will have John’s company along the path and you will be one step closer to finding your way!”–Natalie Siston, Best-selling author of Let Her Out: Reclaim Who You Have Always Been and Founder, Small Town Leadership

“John expertly guides readers through the trials, tribulations, and common pitfalls of mid-career professionals and managers. He also provides information on the effective career strategies and mindset needed to be successful. This book is a must read if you are looking for professional support and could use a career GPS! — Porschia Parker Griffin
Founder and CEO of Fly-High Coaching Millennial Coaching Institute

“LinkedIn is the most powerful tool to help you network, build professional relationships, learn, search for jobs, and much more. I always say if you are not on LinkedIn you might be left out. Your Mid-Career GPS provides valuable tips and guidance to help you navigate LinkedIn and start growing your network and create your next advancement opportunity.”— Rhonda L. Sher, LinkedIn Specialist, Author, Speaker

“I picked up this latest book after enjoying John Neral’s previous book, SHOW UP – Six Strategies to Lead a More Energetic and Impactful Career. In Your Mid-Career GPS, John Neral provides clear, actionable steps to put his six strategies into play quickly and effectively. I really enjoyed his conversational writing style as well. As a mid-career professional, I love that my cohort is the focus of his attention and expertise. He demonstrates throughout the book that he knows the benefits mid-career professionals bring to an organization and his thoughtful observations and exercises will help anyone define their professional value and market not only their skills but themselves. Reading and employing the strategies in this book can position you to be a more valuable resource to your current employer or challenge you to spread your wings and find your next, great career opportunity. The underlying message is one of empowerment and encouragement and that’s a message everyone can benefit from.”–Victoria A. Bourgeois

Pick up your copy of Your Mid-Career GPS at Amazon.

# 10 THINGS

Sunday, December 12, 2021

📚 10 Things You Might Not Know About Women's Fiction Author Maria J. Andrade @andradeauthor #DefianceAndRedemption #10things

thewriterslife 9:00 PM 0 Comments

Maria J. Andrade was born in Ecuador, South America, and raised in New York and California. She has a bachelor of arts degree in English literature and a master’s degree in Counseling Psychology. As a licensed therapist and writer, Maria has been diving into other people’s minds and her own, through dreams, poetry, and books for over three decades. She traveled with the Four Winds Society where she studied and was initiated into Andean shamanism in 1990.

Before Maria retired as a therapist, she specialized in women’s issues and founded the Wise Women’s Circle a ritualistic and transpersonal study group that continues today. The women support each other through life’s challenges and in the growth of mind, body, and spirit.

Maria Andrade’s books for children and adults is found in a variety of genres. This is an unforgettable first novel that reflects her imagination and creative storytelling.

Defiance and Redemption is her latest release.

Visit her website at www.booksasfriends.com or connect with her on Facebook, Twitter and Goodreads.

10 Things You Might Not Know About Maria J. Andrade

1.Maria is a bilingual writer. Some of her books have been translated by her into Spanish. To do this for her first self-help book on love, Heart Magic, Keeping Love Alive and Well, she had to hire five editors from specific areas of the Latinx world. They were from, Spain, Columbia, South America, Puerto Rico, Mexico, and Argentina. The latter she had to forgo because the dialects were too different from the rest of the Hispanic world. She did get good results as far as having any person from various Latinx countries clearly understand the language of her book.

2. Maria has been married two times. She married the first time at age eighteen. Her first husband died, and she remarried. She has been happily married for over thirty years. Her self-help book was written understanding that personally and professionally society does not prepare us to succeed in marriage.

3. She received a BA and graduated with honors in English from the California State University in Los Angeles. By that time, she had fallen in love with psychology, so she decided to study that field. She received a master’s degree in Counseling Psychology from the University of La Verne, CA.

4. She and her second husband had a private practice in California as Marriage and Family Therapists. She retired in 2017.

5. Maria and her husband Sy were interested in Transpersonal psychology, eastern & western religions, alternative healing, and shamanism. She traveled with the Four Winds Society to study the shamanism of the Americas. She was initiated into shamanism in 1990. In 2005 she and her husband traveled to China to study some of the philosophy and healing techniques of that country. Today she leads a prayer group for the healing of those who in her community who request prayers at the United Church of Christ.

6. As a psychotherapist Maria specialized in children and women’s issue. She was interested in dreams and had a dream group. She used poetry in therapy. She founded the Wise Women’s Circle, a ritualistic and transpersonal study group that continues today where women support one another in healing and in growth of mind body and spirit.

7. Although she was working in the field of psychology, over two decades ago, Maria began writing books for couples and children to give them the skills to face life challenges and improve their personal relationships.

8. Even though she no longer works in the field of psychology, she believes writing is another powerful way to inspire and uplift people’s lives by sharing moving stories they will not soon forget.

9. Maria was born in Ecuador, South America but came to the United States at age four. She did not return to her country of birth until she was in her twenties. It was then that she became curious about the native practices of the indigenous people of. Her country. She found value in how they view spirit, God, and the world around them.

10. In 2004 she had a website called Magic Union.com which focused on her writing. Today her website is www.booksasfriends.com where you can discover and purchase dedicated books signed by the author.

Title: DEFIANCE AND REDEMPTION: A LIFETIME OF UNBROKEN BONDS
Author: Maria J. Andrade
Publisher: Clara Publishing
Pages: 250
Genre: Women’s Fiction/Historical Fiction/Magical Realism

BOOK BLURB:

Based on a true story, Defiance and Redemption, A Lifetime of Unbroken Bonds, brings to life the joys, dramas, and triumphs of two sisters, Eva and Victoria Alisio and their loyal friend Marta. The sisters are raised by their atheist Grandfather Marcus and religious Grandmother Maria Luisa. Eva, a proud and strong-willed young woman defies her family, society, and culture, faces scandal and disgrace, for her forbidden love affair. Victoria finds herself in the center of a multigenerational conflict as her benefactor bestows a great inheritance on her excluding the rightful heirs. Marta, loyal to the childhood bond with the Alisio sisters, brings humor and support to their twists and turns of fortune. The young women’s bond of love, and perseverance, carries them through ordinary and extraordinary losses, triumphs, and ultimately to their destiny in the United States.

An important novel about 20th Century women, Defiance and Redemption, is an absorbing epic that moves through decades and destinies. It blends personal and historical events into a collective tale of self-determination, love, and sisterhood.

PRAISE

“This book is an engrossing page turner which will pull you in and keep you cheering for your favorite actors until the very end! Defiance and Redemption is a unique book that tells a story that is both particular to a given time in Ecuador, but also universal in its themes of love, betrayal and survival.” – Nancy Mintie, Founder of Uncommon Good

“Reading Defiance and Redemption reminded me of a distant time when I read Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel Garcia Marquez and Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel. Like these writers, Maria Andrade took me through a captivating journey of love and deep passion. Being gripped by the strong emotions that the characters possess and what they did in the end moved me profoundly.” – Maria Donovan, Retired Verizon Executive

“In Defiance and Redemption, Maria Andrade weaves together history, biography, and fiction into a romantic love and a story of three women that defy the ability of patriarchal culture to define them. We see the young women grow up to rise above the shame that tries to silence and limit them. They learn to find their voices and make sacrifices to be true to themselves as women. They leave behind all that they knew to make a better life for themselves and their daughters. This is a book to remind women of all ages where we came from, and what it took to break out and thrive nearly a century ago. Women like these paved the way for all who came after and have the rights we have today.” – Nancy Poitou, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist

Pick up your copy of Defiance and Redemption at Amazon.

# 10 THINGS