Blog Archives
What is July 4th and why do we celebrate it?
HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY 2023!
What is the 4th of July, anyway? It is also known as Independence Day – an annual American holiday that is significant in our history. On July 4th, 1776, the Declaration of Independence was adopted and the United States became its own nation, separate from Great Britain. Before America was its own country, it was comprised of 13 Colonies established by the Brits: New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Delaware, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia.
Great Britain passed legislation that gave it more control within the Colonies, especially when it came to taxation, in order to boost revenue for The Crown. The Colonies did not have a say in the Crown’s policies. This became known as taxation without representation. All of these tensions led to the colonial militias battling the British troops and the American Revolutionary War began.
In June 1776 the Continental Congress met in Philadelphia and a committee was formed to draft an official independence document, which became known as the Declaration of Independence. On July 4, 1776, the Declaration of Independence was officially adopted, and America became a free nation. After declaring independence, America continued to fight in the Revolutionary War and officially defeated Great Britain in September 1783.
Although the 4th of July has been celebrated each year since 1776, it did not become a federal holiday until 1870 and it became a paid holiday for federal employees in 1941.
America’s early independence celebrations – People would attend bonfires, concerts, and parades to celebrate the new nation. The Declaration of Independence was often read aloud, and cannons were fired afterward. People celebrated proudly.
Today we celebrate with local fireworks displays, sparklers, barbecues, games and crafts, local 4th of July shopping sales, and planned trips during this holiday.
Americans remember this country’s fight for freedom, and we celebrate with friends, family, food and fun. Happy birthday, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA!
Solitaire
Insights from an Author’s Desk – The Writing Process
There is no particular time or place for writing – it happens when it suits you best and everyone has his or her individual approach. I drink a lot of coffee, the think drink. My favorite of late is a mocha blend. I have two dogs who can be pretty distracting, but only when someone comes to the front door. They’re couch potatoes the rest of the time.
Smashwords – Read an Ebook Week 2023 !
Welcome to the official Read an Ebook Week from March 5th through March 11th 2023!
Mark your calendars! Here’s an opportunity to find new authors with one of the biggest sales of the year! Support the many authors on Smashwords in this global celebration of Ebooks. You will find around 100,000 multi-format books regularly priced at free every day, and thousands more that are free or deep-discounted exclusively at Smashwords during Read an Ebook Week only. Browse the catalog by discount categories of FREE, 75%-off, 50%-off and 25% off.
This sale is a fantastic way to discover new authors and continue reading your favorite authors – so load up your e-readers and get started!
Solitaire
https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/solitaireparke
SMASHWORDS 2022 End of Year Sale!!!
Welcome to the 6th annual Smashwords end of year sale! From December 15th 2022 through January 1st 2023 – Join thousands of readers – find great book titles from your favorite authors and discover new authors in your preferred genres.
Books are discounted from 25% – 50% – 75% – and even FREE!
You can locate the Dragomeir Series (adventures with dragons), Vengeance of the Wolf (a horror/thriller), Tinker Smith and the Conspiracy of Oz (the children and wizard of Oz), Tapestry (book of poetry), and The Atrium (a psychological adventure in science fiction) at Smashwords.
Check out my website for other books – The Larger World Series and extras
I hope you’ll visit Smashwords 2022 end of year sale. Enjoy the holidays – MERRY CHRISTMAS to everyone!
Solitaire
10 Fun Trivia Facts about Thanksgiving
Gratitude changes our attitudes and our actions. It changes how we live. This is the power of living a life of thanks; of gratitude for our blessings, whether those blessings are great or small. This is the power of Thanksgiving.
Photo by Kiy Turk on Unsplash
Here are some fun Thanksgiving trivia facts from the Good Housekeeping Magazine.
Question: What town canceled Thanksgiving because they couldn’t make pumpkin pies?
Answer: Colchester, Connecticut
A frigid bout of cold weather in the middle of October led to the Connecticut River freezing, so settlers couldn’t get their usual liquid sugar shipped on time from across the pond. Thus, the townspeople decided to postpone the holiday for a week in 1705. It was so legendary, Rose Mill Powers actually wrote a poem about it in a July 1908 issue of Good Housekeeping.
Question: What professional football team has played almost every Thanksgiving since 1934?
Answer: The Detroit Lions
George A. Richards, a former owner, purchased the Portsmouth Ohio Spartans in 1934 and moved them to Detroit. Rebranded as the Detroit Lions, George decided to host a Thanksgiving Day game against the world-champion Chicago Bears in hopes of attracting fans. The team has always played on Thanksgiving except between 1939-1944 due to World War II. The Dallas Cowboys also joined in on the Turkey Day tradition in 1966 and have played every Thanksgiving except in 1975 and 1977.
Question: What city is home to the oldest Thanksgiving parade?
Answer: Philadelphia
The Philadelphia Gimbel Brothers Department Store parade in 1920 had only 50 people, 15 cars and a fireman dressed as Santa Claus. The parade ended with Santa on his sleigh, signifying the arrival of the holiday season. Today, it’s much bigger and called the 6abc Dunkin’ Donuts Thanksgiving Day Parade instead. It was the inspiration behind the Macy’s Day Thanksgiving Day Parade which started in 1924.
Question: What did President Calvin Coolidge famously receive as a Thanksgiving gift?
Answer: A live raccoon
In November 1926, Vinnie Joyce of Nitta Yuma, Mississippi, sent the 30th President of the United States a live raccoon to be served as Thanksgiving dinner. However, the President became so smitten with the furry animal that he pardoned it and adopted it as a pet. He named it Rebecca.
Question: What wasn’t part of the first Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade?
Answer: Balloons
If you can’t imagine the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade without giant floats featuring your favorite characters, you’d barely recognize the first parade in the early 1920s. It did have puppets riding the iconic floats, as well as singers and celebrities and of course, Santa Claus. That said, when the Thanksgiving parade made its big debut in 1924, it did have something that might be even crazier than balloons: animals from the Central Park Zoo.
Question: What happens to the turkeys that are pardoned by the president each year?
Answer: The turkeys pardoned by the president go on to live fulfilled lives.
President George H.W. Bush pardoned the first turkey in 1989 after he noticed the 50-pound bird at his official Thanksgiving proclamation looked a little nervous. Every president has upheld the tradition, ever since. But what happens to that lucky bird that lives to squawk another day? In 2005 and 2009, the turkeys went to Disneyland and Walt Disney World parks to serve as grand marshals in their annual Thanksgiving parades.
Question: According to Americans, what’s the best part of Thanksgiving?
Answer: The leftovers
Fans of the beloved turkey, stuffing and mashed potato leftover sandwich: You’re in the majority. Most Americans prefer Thanksgiving leftovers to the actual meal. Almost eight in 10 Americans agree that the second helpings of stuffing, mashed potatoes and of course pie beat out the big dinner itself.
Question: Do other countries celebrate the holiday?
Answer: Yes! Canada also celebrates Thanksgiving — but on a different day.
Our neighbors to the north also celebrate Thanksgiving, but they do so on a different day and for an unrelated reason. While American Thanksgiving pays homage to a feast between the pilgrims and the Native Americans, the Canadian celebration commemorates a feast between English explorer Martin Frobisher and his crew after their successful sail from England to the Canadian territory in 1578. Canadian Thanksgiving takes place on the second Monday of October every year.
That doesn’t mean there are zero similarities between the two holidays. Both American and Canadian Thanksgiving menus often revolve around turkey, and revelers in both countries frequently spend the day watching football marathons and festive parades. In Canada, the biggest one is the Kitchener-Waterloo Oktoberfest Thanksgiving Day Parade.
Question: How many people go shopping on Black Friday?
Answer: Over 32 million people
Even though many consumers think stores shouldn’t be open on Thanksgiving, a good chunk of us still shop on the holiday, according to the National Retail Federation. But not everyone heads to the mall before their meal settles. Black Friday still draws the biggest crowd of the entire holiday weekend, with 115 million people. A total of 69 percent of Americans chase those deals like a retail-driven Olympic sport.
Question: How much pumpkin pie do Americans eat every Thanksgiving?
Answer: An estimated 50 million pumpkin pies are devoured every November.
Some of us consider pumpkin pie a vehicle for whipped topping and could take it or leave it. If you’d also rather leave your pumpkins for Halloween and dig into another Thanksgiving dessert, you’re not alone. According to The American Pie Council, more Americans prefer apple pie overall – pumpkin pie only comes in second place.
HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO EVERYONE
Solitaire
Fall has Arrived!
We in Arizona have made it through another hot summer. We have had more rain this year though, which is a good thing when so many have endured drought. Now we can enjoy the cool Fall days and spend some quality time outdoors with friends and family. Hike or take a bike ride on the trails and take in all the beauty in this great cool weather. There are numerous Fall Festivals that are held every year that can be found in almost every city or town.
Grab a good book and go sit out in the cool air and enjoy this time of year. If you’re looking for something to read, check out my website. For something chilling try– Vengeance of the Wolf, for an adventure with dragons and time travel – The Dragomeir Series, or my new book The Atrium, which reveals the inner reflections of a man examining his life, not knowing if he will live or die. You’ll find other books and extras that might interest you as well.
Whatever you do to experience the Fall weather, fill up your days and weekends with the things that make you feel refreshed and balanced. It’s always a great time to count your blessings and be grateful for everything and everyone around you.
Solitaire
Shop the EMPOREUM – Great Gift Ideas
Shop the EMPOREUM for Unique Books,
T-Shirts, Gifts for Home & Office, & Digital Artwork!
If you love to shop, you will find an assortment of gifts for everyone from home and office decor, clothing, drink-ware, digital artwork and Books –
There’s something for everyone. Come check us out!
Solitaire
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
Solitaire Parke - Sci-Fi/Fantasy Books 
