2022 Annual Smashwords July Summer/Winter Sale!
2022 Annual Smashwords July Summer/Winter Sale!
July 1, 2022 – July 31, 2022
Why is it called “Summer/Winter”? Here in the Northern hemisphere, it’s mid-summer. Readers are loading their e-reading devices for summer beach reading and long-awaited vacations. South of the equator they are now in the middle of winter. They’re ready to curl up in front of the fireplace and enjoy a great read too!
Hello to all the readers and authors out there! All my eBooks will be on sale for 50% off, so take advantage and stock up on plenty of books to read over the summer/winter. It’s an opportunity to find exclusive discounts from your favorite indie authors and discover new future favorites. You will find every type of genre with books from terrific authors all over the world. So, check it out at SMASHWORDS.COM.
My new book called The Atrium will be in the editing process soon. You can read about it on my website. In the meantime, I am continuing to do Spring Cleaning on my digital content to make improvements and move forward into 2022. It’s difficult to believe that this year is half over already. Enjoy your Summer! See you soon!
Solitaire
Outlines, Writing Goals and Cacophony
Authoring a book is not an easy endeavor. Setting goals – daily, monthly, and yearly keeps you on track to a finished project and a successful career if that’s what you are after. If you are a short story writer, you might aim for one story per month. Writing a novel may be more difficult so finishing a certain number of pages a day or week could be your goal. Developing good habits, like writing at a certain time or number of hours per day, keeps you productive and gives you the right mind-set for finishing your project. Schedules always change and you need not feel guilty if something comes up and you have to adjust yours. It’s all part of a writer’s world.
Do authors need a detailed outline before starting a novel? It really depends on the author. Some authors may have an outline in their head and can just sit down and start writing or create as they go along, while others find it beneficial to create a story structure beforehand. It gives you the opportunity to break the story down into smaller parts, even chapters, helps to keep your timelines straight, and gives you a direction for your story line. In the end, you might do a little of both since you can change anything necessary to flesh out your story. However your creative process works will be the best roadmap for you.
Life continues to go on around you, which also determines how much work can be done at any one time. For instance, right now we’re having our yard landscaped and the amount of noise can get crazy. Most of that cacophony is provided by two medium-sized dogs who seem to think that their territory is being invaded and that it is their sworn duty to protect us from said invaders. The fact that we invited the crew onto our property makes no sense or difference to our canine protectors, so they continue to do their jobs relentlessly and with a good deal of commotion. It is endearing, but at the same time hard to concentrate on writing.
It’s always going to be something that infringes upon your work time. You just learn to go with the flow and carry on, believing that your goals will be achieved. Aim to make your goals attainable, not so high that it sets you up for failure. Manage your time wisely. Rather than a rigid schedule, be devoted to your writing passion.
Solitaire
Five Equally Valuable and Enlightening Sites for the Week
We Celebrate the Brave Men & Women Who Fought to Keep Us Free!
As we celebrate Memorial Day Monday, May 30th, 2022 across the nation, let us remember to take a moment to honor those who have given their lives in service to our country. No matter what we do this Memorial Day weekend and on Memorial Day itself, the holiday offers a chance for the solemn remembrance of those who served our country and are no longer here with us, but who are in our hearts forever. To the brave men and women who have fought valiantly to keep our country free:
Thank you! May God Bless You!
– John F. Kennedy
Solitaire
May is Mental Health Awareness Month!
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Since 1949, the month of May has been designated throughout the nation as mental health month. Each year millions of Americans face the reality of living with a mental illness. During May, NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Health) joins the national movement to raise awareness. Their site provides support for those who deal with this everyday, along with their families.
I found a blog on LULU Books called Mental Health for Writers that applies not only to writers like myself, but has some great links for mental health in general.
After the last two years of pandemic living, many people are realizing that stress, isolation, job loss, and uncertainty have taken a toll on their well-being. To help slow the spread of coronavirus, many schools and childcare centers across the U.S. closed and transitioned to virtual instruction for at least some time. With these closures, children and their parents were experiencing ongoing disruption and changes to their daily routines. Throughout the pandemic, anxiety, depression, sleep disruptions, and thoughts of suicide have increased for many young adults. It has hit just about everyone in some form or fashion.
Personality may also influence how we manage in difficult times. How we endure uncertainty and our ability to tolerate distress are related behaviors that appear to make a difference. Some people are less comfortable with struggle or the unknown than others. Feeling afraid, depressed, or anxiety ridden has seemed to hit an all time high in our world right now.
We can’t always self-improve our way out of pain and difficulty. Facing it is the only answer, and there are ways that we can get help and help ourselves. This is one of those times when life really is harder by a little bit or a lot, depending on your situation. We need to work to feel better, stay connected, and help others however we can.
Solitaire
Have You Watched These 10 Movies About Time Travel?
Image by Solitaire on Emporeum
Time travel is described as the concept in which people are able to move backwards into the past or forwards into the future. This subject is one of my favorites, and I have written a few science fiction/fantasy books which focus on time travel in my Dragomeir Series. You can check them out at my website – www.solitaireparke.com
What is it about time travel that keeps us coming back for more? First of all, is it even possible? Yes, and you’re doing it right now – moving forward into the future at the rate of one second per second. But this isn’t the kind of time travel that has made science fiction writers so prolific, or movie makers so fascinated that Wikipedia lists over 400 titles in the category “Movies about Time Travel.” Traveling by way of a time machine or by using some other means into the past or future is what is really intriguing. If you are one of the many who find time travel to be incredible, you might want to check out the following ten movies.
- The Adam Project – “After accidentally crash-landing in 2022, time-traveling fighter pilot Adam Reed teams up with his 12-year-old self for a mission to save the future.
- The Tomorrow War – A family man is drafted to fight in a future war where the fate of humanity relies on his ability to confront the past.
- Tenet – Armed with only one word, Tenet, and fighting for the survival of the entire world, a protagonist journeys through a twilight world of international espionage on a mission that will unfold in something beyond real time.
- Palm Springs – Stuck in a time loop, two wedding guests develop a budding romance while living the same day over and over again.
- Boss Level – Trapped in a time loop that constantly repeats the day of his murder, a former special forces agent must unlock the mystery behind his untimely demise.
- 12 Monkeys – In a future world devastated by disease, a convict is sent back in time to gather information about the man-made virus that wiped out most of the human population on the planet.
- Looper – In 2074, when the mob wants to get rid of someone, the target is sent into the past, where a hired gun awaits – someone like Joe – who one day learns the mob wants to ‘close the loop’ by sending back Joe’s future self for assassination.
- Avengers: Endgame – After the devastating events of Avengers: Infinity War (2018), the universe is in ruins. With the help of remaining allies, the Avengers assemble once more in order to reverse Thanos’ actions and restore balance to the universe.
- Time Machine – Hoping to alter the events of the past, a 19th century inventor instead travels 800,000 years into the future, where he finds humankind divided into two warring races.
- Donnie Darko – After narrowly escaping a bizarre accident, a troubled teenager is plagued by visions of a man in a large rabbit suit who manipulates him to commit a series of crimes.
To all the Travelers out there – Be Safe!
Solitaire
Annual Smashwords Read an Ebook Week Sale!
March 6 – March 12, 2022
Hello Readers! This is the 13th annual Smashwords read an Ebook week sale and you are invited to check it out on the Smashwords Ebook site at this location –
Thousands of Smashwords authors and publishers will offer readers exclusive discounts on their ebooks. It’s a great opportunity to fill your cart with the books from favorite authors and future favorites. Ebooks will be offered at 25% off, 50% off, 75% off, or for FREE.
If you love stories about dragons, otherworldly creatures, lots of adventure, and other sci-fi/fantasy topics then check out my site at Smashwords here –
You can also learn more about me and my books at my website –
If you love to read, here is your chance to stock up for the Spring and Summer with ebooks of every genre. You won’t want to miss it!
Solitaire
Life & Death – Pivotal Moments
Writing a book is hard work and writing on a regular basis is occasionally a struggle. It may not happen with every book you write, but depending on the subject matter, your story can get somewhat complicated and leave you in a quandary as to where to proceed next – and did I mention the unending distractions that intrude on your concentration whenever you sit down at the keyboard? Well, life happens, and you just have to find a work-around. Sometimes your best ideas come when you’re not in front of the computer. Talk to a friend or go outside and take a walk. A change of scenery might be what puts an end to the brain fog or confusion or sparks that next idea.
I’m in the process of writing a book called “The Atrium” which I am striving to finish in the next few months. It hasn’t been a straightforward narrative and somewhat complicated, as it deals with the struggle between life and death. It is a candid exploration of how one man deals with not knowing if he will live or die and how he reacts to past events. If he dies, can he make peace with his life? Will he have a future, and if he does, how will it change his life going forward?
The subject of this book is not a simple one, but it will hopefully make you stop and reevaluate your life, if only to perceive a new understanding of experiences and people. The connections made and compassion that we show can bring about a new clarity to our lives and those around us that can make a difference. Writing this book has been an eye-opener for me and it is my wish that it will do the same for those who read it.
Solitaire
Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!
All the hustle and bustle of Christmas is well underway and a lot of us are still out there getting our last minute gifts for family and friends. I’m very close to being ready for the big day. The next few days will be very busy ones for most of us. I’m still occupying my time writing while all the festivities are going on around me and hope to finish my current book in the Spring of 2022. It’s called The Atrium, and you can find a a short summary of it’s contents on my website at www.solitaireparke.com.
In the meantime, listen to all the beautiful Christmas music, watch all the great Christmas movies and check out all the books to read as well. Here’s wishing all of you a very Merry Christmas and hoping that in spite of everything crazy that’s happening in the world right now, that you and your family have a wonderful and blessed holiday time together!
Holiday Cheer to everyone!
Solitaire
Change your life – Have an Attitude of Gratitude
“There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.” — Albert Einstein
Gratitude means thankfulness, counting your blessings, noticing simple pleasures, and acknowledging everything that you receive. It means learning to live your life as if everything were a miracle, and being aware on a continuous basis of how much you’ve been given. Gratitude shifts your focus from what your life lacks, to the abundance that is already present. In addition, behavioral and psychological research has shown the surprising life improvements that can stem from the practice of gratitude. Giving thanks makes people happier and more resilient, it strengthens relationships, it improves health, and it reduces stress.
It Heightens Your Quality of Life
A practice of gratitude raises your “happiness set-point” so you can remain at a higher level of happiness regardless of outside circumstances. Research shows that those who practice gratitude tend to be more creative, bounce back more quickly from adversity, have a stronger immune system, and have stronger social relationships than those who don’t practice gratitude. To say we feel grateful is not to say that everything in our lives is necessarily great. It just means we are aware of our blessings.
Notice and Appreciate Each Day’s Gifts
We tend to take for granted the good things in our lives. Imagine losing some of the things that you take for granted, such as your home, your ability to see or hear, your ability to walk, or anything that currently gives you comfort. Then imagine getting each of these things back, one by one, and consider how grateful you would be for each and every one. Start finding joy in the small things instead of the bigger things, like getting the promotion, having a comfortable savings, getting married, or having children, and so on – before allowing yourself to feel gratitude and joy. In the face of hard times ask yourself: “What’s good about this?”, “What can I learn from this?”, and “How can I benefit from this?”
Incorporate Gratitude into your life every day
If we increase our conscious awareness of gratitude it may require that we train ourselves to think differently. This can be done by incorporating some simple exercises into our lives. For example, you might begin to keep a gratitude journal. Gratitude journals can take many forms, but one way of doing this is to simply write down one thing that you are grateful for each day.It can be something that happened that day, something you felt, or someone in your life who has made a positive impact on you.
You can also speak your expressions of gratitude. You can engage someone in a daily discussion about what you are grateful for. This might take the form of questions like, “What was the best part of your day today?”, or “What is one thing that made you feel really happy today?” This kind of discussion not only helps to increase your own awareness of all that you have to be grateful for, but can also promote positive connection and experiences in your relationship with whomever you choose to have these exchanges. Focus on the positive things, which in turn help the stressors feel less significant, and help you feel happier. Basically, gratitude promotes gratitude.
You can train yourself to notice things that you are thankful for. They can be small things: maybe you notice that your bed is very comfortable, that your lunch is tasty, that a good friend said something nice to you, etc. It is easy to take these kinds of experiences for granted and not direct our conscious awareness to them. But training yourself to notice these kinds of things and really feel grateful for them can help increase your own experience of happiness.
Be Thankful –
Be thankful that you don’t already have everything you desire,
If you did, what would there be to look forward to?
Be thankful when you don’t know something
For it gives you the opportunity to learn.
Be thankful for the difficult times.
During those times you grow.
Be thankful for your limitations
Because they give you opportunities for improvement.
Be thankful for each new challenge
Because it will build your strength and character.
Be thankful for your mistakes
They will teach you valuable lessons.
Be thankful when you’re tired and weary
Because it means you’ve made a difference.
It is easy to be thankful for the good things.
A life of rich fulfillment comes to those who are
also thankful for the setbacks.
GRATITUDE can turn a negative into a positive.
Find a way to be thankful for your troubles
and they can become your blessings.
HAPPY THANKSGIVING!
Solitaire
Solitaire Parke - Sci-Fi/Fantasy Books 