Pondering with a Purpose - Talk or Type

Welcome to Pondering with a Purpose

This is a weekly hop that I created for one very simple reason:  I am a writer - that is what I do.

Although I love blogging and hopping and following all the bloggers, I found that I had not actually been writing a blog so I decided to create a hop where I would give a prompt and write about the prompt. My hope is that other bloggers would also write to the prompt.

Here are the rules:

1.   Grab the Pondering with a Purpose Badge
2.   Look at the week's prompt
3.   Post something on your blog that relates to the prompt - it can be a story, a poem, a picture -- anything you want it to be.
4.   Come back here and add the URL from your post to the linky list below.
5.   Go check out the other bloggers who have added their links to the list.
6.   AND most of all....   Have fun!

Thanks for hopping!

This week's prompt is 
Talk or Type

We live in a fast paced, electronic, technical world where everyone has a phone cord plugged into their ear. Kids are far more advanced technologically than their parents and the world has cut down on the use of paper. Now, books are read on machines and the printing industry is going to becoming something of a relic. Heck, even newspapers are going out of business. But what my biggest pet peeve is has to do with text messages instead of phone calls. I want to HEAR someone talk to me, I don't want to read the message. And worse than that I don't want to type it out on my tiny little telephone...and please do not start spewing to me that I need to go get an iPhone, or a phone with a keypad on it so that it is easier. I have a phone! for goodness sake, what is the point of having a phone for texting? 

Now the next question seems to be almost as difficult....did instant chatting on line take the place of sitting down face to face and having a conversation? Or did it become the new 'bar scene' for singles? Because every other commercial on television is for some single on-line dating service - and excuse me, but isn't that on line pimping?

I would love to see some responses and posts on this prompt......add your post to the linky below and I am really pondering this question.

Squidoo Hop with Marsha - Last hop for June

It is Thursday and that means it is time to join my friend Marsha over at Marsha's Spot for Hop and Squidoo Lenses to View

. 

First....can someone tell me where the month of June went??

Okay....enough with that already....Last weeks post I dropped a bombshell on everyone with my post and made two statements:  First I said I was going to make a new lens every week  and second I said I had deleted my How I became Me lens....which prompted a really great discussion ...thank you all!

So true to my word....I did create a new lens this week....in fact... I created two! - actually that is no small feat while in the middle of writing a new book ....hmmmm that just gave me an idea. I wonder if anyone has ever written a lens with the chapters of a book being modules?  And then people could vote whether or not they like the way it is coming along..... What do you think?

But....I digress..... My new lenses --- I REcreated my How I Became Who I am - I like it a lot better and it does not have any pictures of my kids - which keeps me true to my word to them.  AND I actually completed a quest for a summer reading suggestion list. Last Friday's Book Blogger hop's question was when did you first realize your passion for reading and it got me thinking about how much I LOVE children's books...so completing this quest was so much fun for me! I wrote all about Eric Carle's delightful books! If you are not familiar with this man and his enchanting creatures - you really need to go to my lens: Great Childrens Books By Eric Carle.

I also spent some time updating a few of the review the author sites to include other authors, but these lenses are not getting any traffic. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to get traffic to these lenses?

We Squidoo....Do You?   If you dooooo......add your linky at Marsha's Spot!

WOW 100 Weekly Words - The Carpentier Diaries

Wednesday is time for me to join my friend Ruthi at Ruthi Reads for her WOW Weekly 100 Words.

 WOW Weekly 100 Words at Ruthi Reads

 WOW Weekly 100 words is a weekly hop hosted by abitosunshine. This is where we all get to share a bit of the book we are reading and talk all about it. Then we hop over to Ruthi's house and add our post to her linky list and then go visit the other bloggers and see what they're reading.  (So if you want to join along make sure you tell her Brenda sent you.  :)

I read a LOT of books because I am reading them to do reviews on them...and I have to admit that I'm not that into a LOT of them....I own a Reviewing website - Reviews4Reviews and I get asked a lot to do book swaps with the other authors and they will read one of my books and I will read one of theirs and we write reviews for each other. One of my favorite authors on the site is John Allen - he has written a lot of books! And he and I correspond about a lot of different subjects, so when he put his book The Carpentier Diaries on Amazon in a Kindle Version he asked me if I would read it and write a review for him and put it on Amazon - so I agreed. I don't own a Kindle so I am reading it a a PDF file.  Not my favorite way to read a book.....

Well let me tell you....this book is Fascinating and I believe it is a true story...I'm going to get that from him before I write the review.  Anyway here are my 100 words from this week and they are from page 90:

In this defining moment I make my vow. I am done forever

with the virginal purity of moderate constraint, with the childish

assumption that people are good until they are proved bad. I have

met evil face to face, seen what it is capable of, and I vow as I lay

here to fight Camille to the death for the right to live as a free

woman on my island.

Of legal issues I give not a fig, for I am beyond such mundane

concerns. At this woman’s instigation, my father was wrongfully

imprisoned years before, effectively ruining his name.

So....What are you reading?

Tuesday Spotlight - I am Reader not A writer

WELCOME TO TUESDAY'S SPOTLIGHT


Tuesday's Spotlight is all about getting to know a blogger that I have met while cruising around the highways and biways of the blogging world. I have found it interesting as we pass through each others' blogging lives that we really know very little about each other...only what we assume we know. When I came up with the idea of the Tuesday Spotlight I really don't know what I had in mind, but I will say that it has been so enjoyable for me to get to know every single one of my spotlighted guests ... and as I said, the assumptions I had made, in many cases, have turned out to be so infinitely incorrect.

Today's guest is Kathy from I am a Reader, Not A Writer. I actually met Kathy last year when Restored Hope came out and I had asked her if she would like to review it and then do a giveaway on line for me. I thought she was an established blogger and had done the review and give away many times before....little did I know that I was one of the very first authors to ask her to do such a thing. Since then I think I sent her an email asking her if she remembered me...see everyone has self doubt...I remember reading on one blog that reviewers were afraid to approach authors...(Authors are just as afraid to approach reviewers!)  So, without further ado....I would like to turn the spotlight on Kathy from I am a Reader, Not a Writer.....  When did you start blogging?

I've had a family blog since 2007 but it was just last year in June of 2010 that I started my book blog.

What made you decide to start a blog?

I was reading a lot - In 2009 I read 114 books. Posts about books were starting to take over my family blog.  I really wanted to start taking part in ARC tours so I could read the books I couldn't wait to get my hands on before they were released - but to do so you had to have a blog.  Due to privacy concerns I didn't want to use my family blog so I started a dedicated book blog.

How did you come up with the name for your blog?

One of the reasons I hesitated to set up a book blog was because I don't consider myself to be a great writer or reviewer.  In most cases my reviews are really simple and short.  I love to read but I don't love to write.  When I came across the saying I am a reader, not a writer - it fit me perfectly and I decided to take the plunge and start a book blog.

What do you find frustrating about blogging?

Simply that there are never enough hours in the day.  I am approached by so many people each day to do reviews and I hate having to turn them down. My to read list is out of control and it's not even humanly possible for me to read all the books I want to. I'm a big believer in family first - book blogging & reading are my hobbies and at times I am frustrated that I have so little time for them.

What draws you to other blogs?

Blogs that feature the kind of books I enjoy reading are the ones I spend time on.  As a parent and fairly conservative reader I also appreciate blogs that include content information.  I wish books came with ratings similar to movies - I hate having to put a book down due to strong language or graphic sex so I appreciate it when I am forewarned by other bloggers about what is in a book.

You had a character from a Mercer Meyer book on your header, what made you choose Max?

Honestly I didn't even know it was supposed to be Max. I was looking for an image to use for my profile picture and blog that had something to do with reading and fell in love with that image.  I just had my blog redesigned and will no longer be using that image.

Do you participate in any weekly hops?

I used to but haven't had the time to do so for a while.  When I first started blogging I hosted a Got Great Giveaway Linky each week and I participated in the Friday Hop & Follows on Parajunkee & Crazy-for-books.   I still try to post a weekly In My Mailbox post but I'm so far behind in my reviews I quit accepting new books for review until I start to get caught up so my mailbox is unusually empty right now.

What is your favorite part about blogging?

Finding fabulous new books to read and helping out authors and other bloggers. 

What is your least favorite part about blogging?

Nothing really - except when I get too busy and have commitments to keep that make blogging feel more like a job instead of a hobby. 

How much time a day do you spend blogging?

It really varies.  There are days I spend several hours blogging and other days where I never find the time to get online.  One of my children has been sick so he has been my priority and I've not had much time to blog during the last few months.  For me blogging is a hobby so there are times when that hobby has to take a back seat to other priorities. 

What advice would you give someone who is just starting a blog?

Assuming this is a book blog they are starting I would recommend you read a lot and post a lot of reviews.  Try to post something everyday.  For the first several months do nothing else.  Join blog hops and follow blogs that read and review books similar to the kind you like to read and start to make friends with other bloggers.  Once you've got your blog established you can start joining ARC Tours & Book Tours. 

Have you ever posted something and then regretted it?

Not really.  There are a couple times I've gone back in a "softened" a review so it didn't sound so harsh.  Even if I didn't love a book the last thing I want to do is hurt an authors feelings. 

Is there anything else you would like to add?

Just a thank you to you.  You were one of the very first authors that ever approached me about reviewing a book and doing a giveaway on my blog.   

Monday Musings - Last Monday in June

Welcome to the Last Monday in June Edition of Monday's Musings

This is my weekly recap of the weekend and anything else I feel like musing about. I have added a new image to the weekly post...it is supposed to be a dust cloud....

SO...first let me draw your attention to ME on the web....I am the featured author on my friend Scather's website. It is a great post....thanks Scather!  What I find rather interesting is that everytime I am asked to do a guest post I always manage to come up with something entirely different!

Saturday was good again...hit the streets with Ben and fed the hungry....I am still humbled each week as we see some of the old faces and meet new people each week.

Sunday spent the day at home, reading and writing....Calm quiet weekend...I needed it and enjoyed it.

How about you...how was your weekend?

Saturday Shop Hop - The 'Affiliates' Edition

Saturday Shop Hop is a weekly hop that Ruthi at Poetic Creations by abitosunshine started so that those of us with on line businesses can support each other and push each other along to keep our noses to the grind stone to make sure we are promoting business each week. Well, she didn't put it in those words - I did. These are her words:



I've created Shop Hop Saturday to unite business bloggers. This weekly hop is for those of us who do business online and blog about it. So, if you have a business blog, hop along! We'll encourage, support, and promote each other. Whatever your business, whatever your shop, whatever your wares -- let's share!

As a member of Shop Hop Saturday we'll post weekly about our online shop. This post can be to advertise a new product, a giveaway event, a post for business ideas, or just plain old sell yourself sort of shop talk. Basically just share what's going on in your business world; good, bad, or indifferent. In your weekly posts, you are more than welcome to highlight another member shop in the hop -- share something you've purchased from them or something that struck your fancy. Promoting others promotes ourselves; and, reciprocation is a key ingredient of self-promotion.

This hop will be a reciprocal exchange, meaning we need to support each other with comments, follows, button exchanges, and so forth. And remember when you need a gift or you're spending some of your hard-earned profits on yourself -- shop within the Shop Hop Saturday membership!



Each Saturday on my Shop Hop post I will provide a linky list for all members to add their post links. Please add the exact link URL for your hop post of the current week, not your main blog URL, otherwise it will be deleted from the list. You're not required to participate each week; however, it is hoped that we will all do so.

 This week I actually did something HUGE for Fiction with A Purpose --- Something I am STILL breaking my arm patting myself on the back for. (Yes Ruthi, you can get off of the floor now)... I created a brand new page on this very blog AND I am now an Amazon affiliate so that whenever a new person stumbles onto my blog they will see that I am also an author and perhaps purchase a book from me. Now, not only will I receive a royalty, but a commission... (Don't ask me why I didn't do this sooner.....)

Next...I need to figure out this Allposters affiliate thing.......

I am in the process of creating more lenses on Squidoo with back links; however I am beginning to think that name recognition might be my strongest asset at this point, and perhaps joining other hops and gaining more followers might be wiser....any opinions?

How was your week for business?

Spyder - A Book Review

Spyder – A Book Review  

“Meet Spyder -  a street-wise antihero of inner city society. Experience his strange wisdom and his twisted sense of humor.”

Spyder tells the story of life on the street as a drug addicted, alcohol driven man in his thirties discovers that life as he knows it must change. The main character: Spyder with a “Y” has a tattoo of a spider on his face, hence the name. He is well known on the street and the death of his girl friend from a drug overdose makes him take a long look at his life and he determines he must make some changes. But that decision is not enough to do anything about it.

Fingerman’s description of life on the street as a junkie, living from fix to fix; constantly searching for enough money to buy the next high is artistic. The reader can feel the pain of the need. When changes do begin happening and setbacks occur, Fingerman has managed to embroil the reader in so tightly that you are rooting for this loser to win!

Excellent read – highly recommend.

David Fingerman left his job in 2006 of over twenty years in the Hennepin County Court system to do what he loves  to do—write. He has previously published other books, Edging Past Reality and Silent Kill.

Spyder

L&L Dreamspell

2011

231 pages

Friday Book Blogger Hop - Reading as a Passion

http://crazy-for-books.comFriday being Friday means I get to join Jen at Crazy for Books on her Friday Book Blogger Hop. She gets a LOT of followers and it is a great way to meet new bloggers!

Book Blogger Hop is a place just for book bloggers and readers to connect and share our love of the written word! This weekly BOOK PARTY is an awesome opportunity for book bloggers to connect with other book lovers, make new friends, support each other, and generally just share our love of books! It will also give blog readers a chance to find other book blogs to read! So, grab the logo, post about the Hop on your blog, and start HOPPING through the list of blogs that are posted in the Linky list below!!

The Hop lasts Friday-Monday every week, so if you don't have time to Hop today, come back later and join the fun! This is a weekly event! And stop back throughout the weekend to see all the new blogs that are added! She gets over 200 links every week!!

This week's question is:  

“When did you realize reading was your passion and a truly important part of your life?”

I am really not sure when this started because I have been reading for as long as I can remember. And I mean all the way back to when I started to read. I used to go the library and check out books when I was a kid - like 8 years old and I don't think that stopped. I know when I first had children the books I read changed because I was reading to them and I NEVER had time to read for myself and then I never had time to read at all. 

Reading was an escape from life for me. It always has been. Now that I write books my goal is to make my books that escape for everyone who picks up one of my novels. 

 

Follow Friday Four Fill-in Fun Blog Hop - June 24

Four Fill In Fun Blog Hop

This Hop is so MUCH fun! This is the deal: Feeling Beachie is the host of this Hop.

Each week, she plans on listing four statements with a blank for us to fill in on our own blogs. If you want to join the fun and come up with four fill in’s of your own check out her site. If she uses them, she will add you as co-host to the hop! This week’s co-host is Kipp from Kipp's Version

To join the Fun:

Please add the Follow Friday button to your post, or your blog.

Please follow Beachie. If there is a co-host, please follow them as well. Leave a comment!

Please link your Follow Friday Four Fill-In Fun post to the linky on Beachie's site. Feel free to grab the linky and post on your blog…


This week’s statements:

1. If you would have ever told me years ago that I now would _____ I would never have believed you

2. ______is my beverage of choice

3. The last time I got a ______ was_____

4. ____ is one of the items on my bucket list

MY ANSWERS:


1. If you would have ever told me years ago that I now would _be writing and publishing novels and actually be enjoying it, as well as writing a blog! I would never have believed you

2. _Cold beer on a hot day, or V8 and vodka_____is my beverage of choice

3. The last time I got a _present_____ was_a long time ago!___

4. Traveling through Europe and seeing all of the historic sites I've studied____ is one of the items on my bucket list

Pondering with a Purpose - Sunshine

Welcome to Pondering with a Purpose

This is a weekly hop that I created for one very simple reason:  I am a writer - that is what I do.

Although I love blogging and hopping and following all the bloggers I found that I had not actually been writing a blog so I decided to create a hop where I would give a prompt and write about the prompt. My hope is that other bloggers would also write to the prompt.

Here are the rules:

1.   Grab the Pondering with a Purpose Badge
2.   Look at the week's prompt
3.   Post something on your blog that relates to the prompt - it can be a story, a poem, a picture -- anything you want it to be.
4.   Come back here and add the URL from your post to the linky list below.
5.   Go check out the other bloggers who have added their links to the list.
6.   AND most of all....   Have fun!

Thanks for hopping!

This week's prompt is

Sunshine

I chose sunshine this week because I have a very good friend who shines sunshine on everything she does. Her past has been filled with violence, abuse and darkness and rather than dwell in that she has chosen to rise above it and spread sunshine on all that she does. It takes a brave and honorable person to do that. Walking outside of a comfortable circle, one that you are raised in and repeat, is a difficult road. I respect and admire her greatly.

Now, sunshine for me......actually.....I prefer the sunset. It is a calming and peaceful time of day for me. I believe that it always has been. I, like my friend, have a past I'd rather not dwell in either, and perhaps the sunset represents the end of the day and the beginning of a calming period. When I left home for college I chose a school on the Pacific Ocean. I used to walk to the beach and watch the sunset over the water every night. Perhaps I knew that a new day would dawn as the old day ended.



Please add the link to your post to the linky below and allow us all to share in your Sunshine.

Squidoo Hop with Marsha - June 22 - new and old

 

It is Thursday and that means it is time to join my friend Marsha over at Marsha's Spot for Hop and Squidoo Lenses to View

I have decided that I am going to try and make a brand new lens every week - and that is no small feat! And update an old one as well. This week I did create a brand new one - it was a suggestion from Ruthi (thanks!) and it took me a LONG time to create this one! (Let me know what you think) It is a lens about my blog hop - Pondering with a Purpose.

The other thing I did this week - was delete a lens. I know..that is not really the point of this hop....but I took off the lens of Brenda Youngerman how I became me. I don't know how many of you google search yourself, but I do it about twice a week. Well today that lens came up on the front page of my search, which is a really good thing....except that I had made a conscious decision when I first became an author, and then a blogger, that my children were not up for public display...and that lens put them right out there. Do you ever feel like you might cross the line between a private side and a public side? I think today was the first time for me and it was really a strange feeling.

Do you squidoo? We do!

WOW 100 Weekly Words - Spyder part 4

Wednesday is time for me to join my friend Ruthi at Ruthi Reads for her WOW Weekly 100 Words.

 WOW Weekly 100 Words at Ruthi Reads

 WOW Weekly 100 words is a weekly hop hosted by abitosunshine. This is where we all get to share a bit of the book we are reading and talk all about it. Then we hop over to Ruthi's house and add our post to her linky list and then go visit the other bloggers and see what they're reading.  (So if you want to join along make sure you tell her Brenda sent you.  :)

I am continuing on my quest to complete Spyder by David Fingerman.
Spyder is a street thug who just can't seem to get it all together.  
Here is an excerpt from page 102:

“Take it easy, cowboy. You have a long way to go. In a few days, if you’re healing okay, maybe we can start you on some physical therapy.”

Letting the anger bubble inside, I stared at the ceiling. “I’m in pain, doc.”

He studied me for a second. “I’ll have the nurse give you some Tylenol-3. It has codeine.”

“I hear morphine works better.”

The caterpillar above Carter’s lip twitched as he glared. “Don’t be a smart-ass. You’ve been through a lot this past week, and that shit is out of your system. You’re goddamned lucky to be alive.”

I should be able to finish this by next week and post a review :)

What are you reading???

Tuesday Spotligh - Alison Can Read

WELCOME TO TUESDAY'S SPOTLIGHT

 This is a section where I turn the spotlight on a blogger I have run across while either hopping along or I might have just happened into their blog by accident or by way of a review. In this week's case, I ran across Alison on my first week of the Book Blogger Hop that happens on Fridays. I was immediately struck by her blog - it was so creative and well thought out, and then I noticed how many followers she had. It was the first time I had seen a blogger with more than 1,000 followers. But what was the most amazing thing to me about Alison was that she had - I think the first time I saw her - over 60 comments on her post. I politely commented that I was hopping through and left something ridiculous like, "I can't believe you have so many comments!" And do you know that she actually came over to my blog and commented me back! Since then we seem to hop over to each others blogs once a week. She reviews YA novels so I've never really asked to review one of mine (even though they fit that category) -- her TBR list is immense and I am absolutely delighted to turn my spotlight on my friend Alison from Alison Can Read:

 

How long have you been blogging?

 

1 year on June 4

How did you get started blogging?

I had a personal blog as well as a cooking/fitness blog for awhile. I had fun with those, but just didn't have all that much to say - or at least nothing that I felt was more interesting than the million other blogs out there.. I discovered the book blogging community by accident in Spring 2010 (It drives me crazy that I can't remember exactly how or which blog I first found. I wish I had the memory of one of the Twilight vampires). I followed several blogs for a few months and decided it would be fun to create my own blog. And the rest is history...

What do you normally blog about?

I mostly blog about young adult books. I do a few middle grade titles and have a weekly manga feature. I also love doing discussion posts and try to post one at least twice a month. 

How much time a day do you spend on your blog?

It varies. With reviewing, blogging, and commenting, I'd say I spend 15-20 hours per week blogging. When I first started blogging, I was really worried that I would burn out like I had on previous blogs. I told myself that I would not allow it to take over my life. Fast forward a year later, and it has taken over my life. It consumes almost all my free time. But I am having such a good time, that I don't mind at all. If blogging becomes a chore, the amount of time I dedicate to it will definitely decrease. 

What is your favorite part of blogging?

The community. I'm not a particularly social person (that's putting it mildly). I love having a built in group of friends with whom I can chat about topics I'm interested in and never have to leave home. 

What is your least favorite part of blogging?

Sometimes it's hard to force myself to write book reviews. It's sort of like exercising. It feels like a real drag to get started, but once I'm going, I'm having fun and when I finish, I'm glad I did it. 

What draws you to another person's blog?

The types of books they review, the look of their blog, and especially the quality of writing. Are their reviews mostly grammatically correct and with correct spelling? Is it more than a summary plus a two sentence review? Does it make me think, laugh, cry, smile, etc? Do I learn somthing?

Have you learned anything about yourself from blogging?

Hmm...I've learned that I write really long book reviews. I've also realized just how important books are to me. I've always enjoyed reading, but now that reading and blogging are my main hobbies, books, authors, and the blogging community are what I'm most passionate about.

Have you ever posted a blog and then regretted it?

Not really. Some of my reviews are definitely better than others, but I don't think I've posted anything really bad.

What advice would you give a new blogger?

Well...I have posts out there about this!

Blogger Advice: How to Gain Followers

Blogger Advice Part 2

How to Write a Review

Meme's 

If you could change your blog, what would you do?

Nothing in particular. I'd like to make it easier to respond to comments, so I might switch my commenting system. I'd love to have drop down menus on my header, but I think that gets really complicated. 

Do you find blogging relaxing or frustrating?

Invigorating.   Like any other hobby or job, blogging can become monotonous or feel like an obligation occasionally, but mostly it is the highlight of my day.

Anything else you like to add?

Thank you so much for hosting me Brenda!!!!

You can check out Alison at Alison Can Read.  Tell her Brenda sent you....she'll even comment back ! :)

Monday's Musings - where is June going?

Happy Monday all - - Here in California we have what is called June Gloom - it looks something like this:

We have clouds until the late morning and then the sun breaks through. It might get up into the 80's by 2 or 3...but did you know that the hottest time of the day is actually 4:00? Strange isn't it....

But I stray from the musings...My weekend actually started on Friday this week as my oldest son came down for a visit with his fiance .... oh yes there will be another wedding in my family in not too long a future......

Saturday morning went without a hitch and Brother Ben and I again hit the streets of Downtown Los Angeles...I am sorry to report that there appears to be more and more people that we meet. I for one would really like to see those numbers decrease . . . at least that would mean (hopefully) that they were finding a roof to lay their heads down under.

Sunday I actually spent most of the day writing - - which I have not had the opportunity to do in quite a while. I am trying to stay close to home and Michelle, as she is leaving within the next three weeks...I am so excited for her new adventure!

Shop Hop Saturday - Middle of June

Happy Saturday everyone! Not only do I get to hop with my friend Ruthi! I actually just hung up the phone from talking to her!

Shop Hop Saturday is a weekly hop that Ruthi from Poetic Creations by abitosunshine. started for those of us who do business online and blog about it.  So, if you have a business blog, hop along! We'll encourage, support,  and promote each other. Whatever your business, whatever your shop,  whatever your wares -- let's share!

This has been a pretty busy week for me! I'm really trying to build up the blog and my followers! I now have a new hop that I am following - - check  out the Fun Four Fill in.It is great fun and I am meeting new people!

As far as the books....I have a blog tour scheduled for July 17th 

AND I have a book signing scheduled for July 7th at Williams Book Store in San Pedro..

AND I have a book signing scheduled for July 17th at Marthas Book Store in Newport Beach

I have been diligently working on updating and creating lenses on Squidoo - - - before you realize it all lenses created are outdated! They are like children...they grow up and need new clothes! I managed to update the Hidden Truths lens, and my main lens about all of my novels. I even created a new lens about Disrupted Lives! But there is SO much more to do!

As far as Reviews4Reviews goes....there is some activity - a brand new review was written by John Allen. He and I swapped books and he wrote a great review about Sorrowed Souls!

I hope you all had a great week for business as well! And enjoy your shop hopping!