Category Archives: Power of 10

10 Interesting Facts about Sgt. Winston Windflower

Posted on by Joanne Guidoccio

I’m happy to welcome best-selling author Mike Martin. Today, Mike shares interesting facts about the protagonist of the award-winning Sgt. Windflower Mystery series and his new release, All That Glitters.

1. He’s Cree from Pink Lake, Alberta

Windflower is a Cree from the fictional community of Pink Lake Alberta. People ask why did I make him Indigenous? I didn’t make him anything. That’s the way he came. Windflower came out of the fog one night in Grand Bank, Newfoundland and started talking to me. I just wrote down his story.

2. He likes to eat

This will come as no surprise to anyone who’s read any of the Sgt. Windflower books. His favourite foods are mostly meat and fish. And desserts, especially chocolate peanut butter cheesecake. Food is an important element in the Windflower books because they give a break in the police action, an opportunity to visit with friends, and sometimes a chance to reveal clues or additional details about crimes or criminals.

3. He likes to cook

Almost as much as he likes to eat, Windflower likes to cook. His specialities would be grilling or barbequing. Anything from steak to ribs to pork chops. He also loves to cook fish and makes a delicious fried cod with garlic mashed potatoes and maple Brussel Sprouts. And scrunchions. Small pieces of fried fatback pork that are sprinkled over the cod fish.

4. He likes to pick blueberries

He could spend hours picking any kind of berries, but blueberries would be his favourite. For him, he enjoys the quiet, meditative action of picking berries. Being outdoors in nice weather and being close to Mother Earth. And he loves all the baking that comes out of the berry crop. Sheila, his wife, makes a blueberry buckle that he could die for.

5. He likes Shakespeare quotes

Windflower and his friend Ron Quigley had an instructor at the RCMP training college who loved the Bard. He inspired these two young RCMP cadets to learn and practice quotes. They picked up the habit and carried it into their professional careers together. That’s why quotes are found all through the Windflower books. One that pops up a lot is ‘Hell is empty and all the devils are here’. Pretty apropos for police work.

6. He likes classical music

He didn’t always like classical music. More of a classic rock guy. But his friend, Herb Stoodley, turned him on to this type of music and he loves it now. Every so often Herb gives him a CD and he likes nothing better than to play it when he is travelling by himself on the lonely highways in Newfoundland.

7. He likes trout fishing

Another passion that he picked up from Herb Stoodley who is a master fisherman. Herb takes him all over the area to find the best fishing ponds and the biggest fish. They even go sea trout fishing in the rivers that run directly into the ocean. Those are some of the biggest and tastiest trout that Windflower has ever eaten. He grills them on the BBQ, by the way.

8. He likes walking and hiking

Windflower loves being outside. Even in the winter. Even in the rain, drizzle and fog that is often the weather in this part of the world. He especially likes walking on the many trails in the area and over the barrens and rocky hills overlooking Grand Bank. The view from the top is spectacular.

9. His pets Lady and Molly

Windflower and his collie Lady have a love affair ever since he rescued her after her original owner died in a car crash. They are constant companions on their daily, and nightly, walks around Grand Bank. He loves Molly the cat, too. But isn’t so sure that love is reciprocated. But he keeps working on that relationship and finds that morsels of salmon always help.

10. He loves Newfoundland

One characteristic of Windflower that would be apparent to anyone upon meeting him is that he has a great love of Newfoundland. He liked the community of Grand Bank right from the beginning, fell in love with Sheila at the same time and then grew to love the people, the food, even the weather. Well, not so much the weather, but the feeling of being so close to the ocean filled him up so much he can’t imagine ever leaving.

Blurb

Sergeant Winston Windflower is moving on to a new chapter of his life, no longer an RCMP officer but now a Community Safety Officer in his home of Grand Bank, Newfoundland.

But when a body is found in the bed and breakfast he co-owns, diamonds are found in the body’s digestive system, and then Windflower’s friend Dr. Sanjay, who was given the diamonds for safekeeping, is kidnapped, it’s clear that crime has returned once more to Grand Bank.

Windflower finds himself back in the thick of it, helping his newly promoted friend, RCMP Corporal Eddie Tizzard, track down a ruthless diamond smuggler who will stop at nothing — kidnapping, even murder — to pull off his dirty business.

This is another finely spun Windflower mystery that contrasts suspense and tension with the joys of friendship, family, and gratitude.

All That Glitters is available in fine bookstores all over Canada and around the world on Amazon.

Amazon CA | Amazon US | Amazon UK | Amazon AU

Author Bio

Mike Martin was born in St. John’s, NL on the east coast of Canada and now lives and works in Ottawa, Ontario. He is a long-time freelance writer and his articles and essays have appeared in newspapers, magazines and online across Canada as well as in the United States and New Zealand.

He is the award-winning and best-selling author of the award-winning Sgt. Windflower Mystery series set in beautiful Grand Bank. There are now 13 books in this light mystery series with the publication of All That Glitters.

A Tangled Web was shortlisted in 2017 for the best light mystery of the year, and Darkest Before the Dawn won the 2019 Bony Blithe Light Mystery Award.

Some Sgt. Windflower Mysteries are now available as audiobooks and the latest A Tangled Web was released as an audiobook in 2023. All audiobooks are available from Audible in Canada and around the world.

Mike is Past Chair of the Board of Crime Writers of Canada, a national organization promoting Canadian crime and mystery writers and a member of the Newfoundland Writers’ Guild and Capital Crime Writers.

You can follow the Sgt. Windflower Mysteries on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/TheWalkerOnTheCapeReviewsAndMore/

Inspiration from My Favorite Authors

Posted on by Joanne Guidoccio

Collecting quotations has been one of my lifelong hobbies. In the pre-computer days, I would jot down quotations on slips of paper and toss them in a desk drawer. Once a month, I would type them up and place them in a special file folder. I’ve kept the folder but now use Pinterest and Goodreads to store my quotations.

These quotations resonate during this season of my life:

“If I waited for perfection, I would never write a word.” ~ Margaret Atwood

“Writing a novel is like driving a car at night. You can only see as far as your headlights, but you can make the whole trip that way.” ~ E. L. Doctorow

Continue reading on the Soul Mate Authors blog.

Spotlight on Unwillable by Jackie M. Stebbins

Posted on by Joanne Guidoccio

I’m happy to welcome author and motivational speaker Jackie M. Stebbins. Today, Jackie shares interesting facts about autoimmune encephalitis and her memoir, Unwillable.

Here’s Jackie!

In 2018, after a traumatizing onset and near-death experience at age thirty-four, I was diagnosed with a rare brain illness, autoimmune encephalitis (AE). I had never before heard of AE, but I’m not alone; eight out of ten people in the world haven’t heard of encephalitis (spoiler alert, that’s one of my ten facts, please keep reading).

I wrote my memoir, Unwillable, to help raise awareness about my rare brain illness. And I hope to add to the conversation with this list.

Here are ten (hopefully interesting) facts about encephalitis:

What: Encephalitis is inflammation of the brain. It is caused by an infection or through the immune system attacking the brain. (I have AE. My immune system sneakily attacked my brain.)

Who: Anyone can develop encephalitis regardless of age, gender, or ethnicity. (I’ve met women and men older than me with AE, and I’ve met a boy who was diagnosed when he was under five years old).

Outcomes: Encephalitis can have a high death rate and survivors might be left with an acquired brain injury and life-changing consequences. Early diagnosis and treatment can save lives and improve outcomes. In some cases, encephalitis can impact mental health, causing difficulty in dealing with emotions and behaviors, and can lead to thoughts of self-harm and even suicide.

Death: Encephalitis has a high death rate (up to 40% dependent on cause) and a relapse rate of between 12 and 35% (dependent on cause).

Awareness: In many countries, encephalitis is more common than ALS, multiple sclerosis, bacterial meningitis, and cerebral palsy, but eight out of ten people in the world have never heard of encephalitis. (But not you, because you’re reading this blog!)

Symptoms: Autoimmune encephalitis symptoms may include: confusion, altered personality or behavior, psychosis, movement disorders, seizures, hallucinations, memory loss, or sleep disturbances. Infectious encephalitis usually begins with a ‘flu-like illness’ or headache, and more serious symptoms follows, such as loss of consciousness, coma, a high temperature, seizures, inability to speak or control movement, sensory changes, neck stiffness or uncharacteristic behavior.

Diagnosis: To diagnose encephalitis, doctors perform a variety of tests such as a spinal tap, CT or MRI brain scans, an electroencephalogram (EEG), various blood tests, and cognitive assessments.

Prognosis: Encephalitis can be complicated to diagnose and is often misdiagnosed. It can also be hard to treat the cause of encephalitis (infectious or autoimmune) and to treat the symptoms and complications arising from encephalitis.

Recovery: Encephalitis recovery can be a long and slow process, because the brain takes much longer to recover than other parts of the body.

#StebbinsStrong: I wrote Unwillable after Susannah Cahalan’s memoir Brain on Fire was a NYT #1 bestseller. I wanted to add to the knowledge base about my rare brain illness and I wanted to show people that even when life throws the worst at you, you can survive, recover, and rebuild your life in a meaningful way. There is life after autoimmune encephalitis!

Blurb

“Jackie Stebbins’ UNWILLABLE is an inspiring story of a brilliant woman’s battle with autoimmune encephalitis and the circle of support–from loving family members to dedicated physicians–who helped guide her through a hard-won recovery. Her story is as moving as it is important and is destined to help so many others facing this condition.”

Susannah Cahalan author of NYT #1 Bestseller Brain on Fire

Excerpt

While my complete stay isn’t embedded in my memory, because of what the illness was doing to my brain, my time there will never be forgotten because of its place in my life’s story. That experience definitively marks where I’m right at the edge between a well-educated, successful, driven, independent, and thriving woman and an incapacitated person, powerless and relegated to the care of those around her, on the brink of brain damage or death without the intervention of the correct diagnosis. And a small part of me now believes I then understood that I was teetering on a life-altering and explosive line. But that same small part of me can’t say whether, for the first time in my life, I believed my situation to be unwillable. Perhaps my own will would not be enough.

I will always remember crawling into bed the first night, ragged with emotion, and the racing thoughts my mind was still able to conjure up. The questions pulsed through my silent tears. What the hell happened to me? . . . I cannot possibly belong here. I haven’t led a life that would lead me to this dysfunction. I was doing so well. . . . I’m the senior partner at my law firm. I’ve never before had a problem with mental health. . . . Why am I at rock bottom? How the hell did I end up in a psychiatric ward?

Buy/Read Links

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

Author Bio and Links

Jackie M. Stebbins was living her dream as a nationally recognized family law, criminal defense, and civil litigator. But Stebbins’s career as a lawyer abruptly ended in May, 2018, when she was diagnosed with a rare brain illness, autoimmune encephalitis. Stebbins persevered to make a remarkable recovery and turned herself into an author and motivational speaker. Stebbins is the author of the JM Stebbins blog and host of the Brain Fever podcast. Stebbins’s side hustle includes raising three lovely children with her wonderful husband, Sean, in Bismarck, North Dakota, and in her leisure time she can be found reading, trying to be funny, and aqua jogging.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | LinkedIn | TikTok

Giveaway

Jackie M. Stebbins will be awarding a custom #StebbinsStrong t-shirt (US only) to a randomly drawn winner via Rafflecopter during the tour. Find out more here.

Follow Jackie on the rest of her Goddess Fish tour here.

More Rumi Wisdom

Posted on by Joanne Guidoccio

On Wednesdays, I share posts, fables, songs, poems, quotations, TEDx Talks, cartoons, and books that have inspired and motivated me on my writing journey. I hope these posts will give writers, artists, and other creatives a mid-week boost.

Rumi (born Jalāl ad-Dīn Muhammad Rūmī) was a 13-century Persian poet, Islamic scholar, and Sufi mystic. One of the most accomplished poets of all time, his musings on life, love, and the mysteries of the universe continue to resonate worldwide.

Here are ten of my favorite Rumi quotes:

You are not a drop in the ocean. You are the entire ocean, in a drop.

Stop acting so small. You are the universe in ecstatic motion.

Why do you stay in prison, when the door is so wide open?

Live life as if everything is rigged in your favor.

If the light is in your heart, you will find your way home.

There’s a field somewhere beyond all doubt and wrongdoing. I’ll meet you there.

Seek the wisdom that will untie your knot. Seek the path that demands your whole being.

Everyone has been made for some particular work, and the desire for that work has been put in every heart.

Anyone who genuinely and consistently with both hands looks for something will find it.

Be a lamp, or a lifeboat, or a ladder. Help someone’s soul heal. Walk out of your house like a shepherd.

Happy May!

Posted on by Joanne Guidoccio

Named for Maia, the Greek goddess of fertility, May is a month of flowers and celebrations.

Here are 10 interesting facts about May:

1. There are two birth flowers for May: the Hawthorn and the Lily-of-the-Valley. The hawthorn represents hope, while the lily-of-the-valley symbolizes sweetness or the return of happiness.

2. The month’s birthstone is the emerald, a stone that represents love and success.

3. People born between May 1 and May 20 fall under the sign of Taurus, and those born later in the month fall under Gemini. People born under Taurus are considered to be intelligent and dependable, while those born under Gemini are known to be whimsical and adaptable.

4. May 4 is celebrated as Star Wars Day, a play of words on the popular line, “May the Force be with you.”

5. Cinco de Mayo (or the fifth of May) is a holiday that celebrates the date of the Mexican army’s victory over France at the Battle of Puebla (May 5, 1862) during the Franco-Mexican War. In the United States, this date has evolved into a commemoration of Mexican culture and heritage.

6. Mother’s Day is celebrated on the second Sunday of the month in over 100 countries worldwide.

7. On May 20, 1932, Amelia Earhart flew across the Atlantic Ocean, marking the first solo flight by a woman.

8. Famous people born in May include Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson (May 2), Audrey Hepburn (May 4), Adele (May 5), George Clooney (May 6), Queen Victoria (May 24), and Bob Hope (May 29).

9. May has been designated Mental Health Awareness Month, Better Speech and Hearing Month, National Clean Air Month, Brain Cancer Awareness Month, Be Kind to Animals Month, National Salad Day, and No Mow May.

10. The global phenomenon Eurovision occurs during May. Held each year since 1956, this international song contest has launched the careers of several musical megastars, including Celine Dion and ABBA. Ukraine’s Kalush Orchestra won the Eurovision Song Contest 2022 in Turin, Italy.

Virtual Book Tour: Men of the 65th

Posted on by Joanne Guidoccio

I’m happy to welcome author Talia Aikens-Nuñez. Today, Talia shares interesting facts about the 65th Infantry Regiment and her new release, Men of the 65th.

Here are ten interesting facts about the 65th Infantry Regiment as detailed in
Men of the 65th:

1. The unit’s, 65th Infantry Regiment, history dates back to 1899.

2. Puerto Ricans are American citizens because of the Jones-Shafroth Act signed into law by President Woodrow Wilson in 1917. This law also allows for Puerto Ricans to be drafted.

3. The United States military used the small island off of Puerto Rico called Vieques for military exercises.

4. The battle name of the Men of the 65th was the ‘Borinqueneers’. It is a combination of the original name of the island (named by the Taino people), Boriquen and Spanish pirates of the 1600’s, Buccaneers.

5. When the men set sail in the summer of 1950 they did not know where they were going.

6. Soldiers that fought in the Korean War for the United Nations Forces, had to endure below freezing temperatures and summer heat as they moved up and down the Korean peninsula.

7. The 65th Infantry Regiment was an integral part of what is considered one of the greatest military evacuation movements by sea from Hungnam, Korea during the Korean War in December 1950.

8. The unit was involved in the largest court-martial of the Korean War.

9. By 1954, all of the accused soldiers received clemency or full pardons.

10. The unit received the Congressional Gold Medal, one of the highest awards given, in 2016.

Blurb

Honor and Fidelity. That is the motto of the 65th Infantry Regiment, also known as the Borinqueneers, the only Puerto Rican unit in the United States Army.

Since the regiment’s creation in 1899, the men of the 65th have proudly served the US through multiple wars, despite facing racial discrimination. Their courage, loyalty, and patriotism earned them hundreds of accolades, including the Congressional Gold Medal in 2014.

But the honor and fidelity of the men of the 65th came into question in 1952, in the midst of the Korean War, when ninety-one Borinqueneers were arrested and tried for desertion and disobeying orders. How could this happen in one of the most distinguished and decorated units of the Army?

In this telling of one of the forgotten stories of the Korean War, author Talia Aikens-Nuñez guides us through the history of the Borinqueneers and the challenges they faced leading up to what was the largest court martial in the entire war. Rediscover the bravery of the men of the 65th through Aikens-Nuñez’s thorough writing and the soldiers’ firsthand accounts of the Korean War.

Excerpt

The US public was shocked to discover that during the war, 162 soldiers of the 65th Infantry Regiment had been court-martialed and ninety-one of those soldiers found guilty of disobeying orders and desertion.

The US military kept the courts-martial quiet. But the soldiers of the 65th sent letters to their families describing what was happening, which led to public outcry and confusion from the press. How could one of the most distinguished regiments of the Korean War, whose soldiers had only months before been praised by General Douglas MacArthur for their “brilliant record of heroism,” become involved in the largest mass court-martial of the Korean War?

Did the Borinqueneers lose their bravery and heroism in such a short time? Or were they victims of discrimination in a prejudiced and segregated system? Were they betrayed by the country they risked their lives for?

This is the story of one of the bravest and most decorated regiments in the history of the US military. It is a forgotten story in a forgotten war. But it is a story of patriotism, loyalty, and bravery in the face of danger and discrimination, and it is one that deserves to be told.

Author Bio and Links

Talia Aikens-Nuñez is passionate about sharing with young readers the little-known stories, accomplishments, and contributions of people of color from all throughout history. Aikens-Nuñez is the author of Small Nap, Little Dream, a bilingual Spanish/English picture book. She and her husband live in Connecticut with their two children.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Lerner Books | Amazon

Giveaway

Talia Aikens-Nuñez will be awarding a $25 Amazon/Barnes & Noble gift card to a randomly drawn winner via Rafflecopter during the tour. Find out more here.

Follow Talia on the rest of her Goddess Fish tour here.

Sharing Rumi Wisdom

Posted on by Joanne Guidoccio

On Wednesdays, I share posts, fables, songs, poems, quotations, TEDx Talks, cartoons, and books that have inspired and motivated me on my writing journey. I hope these posts will give writers, artists, and other creatives a mid-week boost.

Rumi (born Jalāl ad-Dīn Muhammad Rūmī) was a 13-century Persian poet, Islamic scholar, and Sufi mystic. One of the most accomplished poets of all time, his musings on life, love, and the mysteries of the universe continue to resonate worldwide.

Here are ten of my favorite Rumi quotes:

Raise your words, not voice. It is rain that grows flowers, not thunder.

The garden of the world has no limit except in your mind.

The universe is not outside of you. Look inside yourself; everything that you want, you already are.

Let yourself be silently drawn by the strange pull of what you love. It will not lead you astray.

It’s your road, and yours alone, others may walk it with you, but no one can walk it for you.

As you start to walk on the way, the way appears.

You are not meant for crawling, so don’t. You have wings. Learn to use them and fly.

Start a huge, foolish project, like Noah…it makes absolutely no difference what people think of you.

Work. Keep digging your well. Water is there somewhere.

Whether one moves slowly or with speed, the one who is a seeker will be a finder.

Virtual Book Tour: My Best Friend Athena

Posted on by Joanne Guidoccio

I’m happy to welcome award-winning novelist, screenwriter and playwright Dana Hammer. Today, Dana shares ten cool mythological figures and her new release, My Best Friend Athena.

Ten Ancient Greek Things I Might Incorporate in Sequels

My upcoming middle grade novel, My Best Friend Athena is about an eleven year old girl named Fanny who discovers that her best friend is the reincarnation of the Greek goddess, Athena. Fanny, Athena, and their other friend Gemma are all called to help when Athena accidentally transforms the school bully into a cockroach.

I’m not an expert on Greek Mythology by any stretch of the imagination, but in writing this book, I’ve learned a lot, and it’s been quite inspirational. Here are ten cool mythological figures I’d like to incorporate into sequels.

Polyphymnia

Polyphymnia (who will go by Polly in her modern incorporation), is one of the muses, specifically, she is the muse responsible for sacred song. My main character, Fanny, wants to be a singer when she grows up, and is extraordinarily talented. Polly will be a gospel singer who comes to town, and inspires Fanny to write her own music. There’s only one problem — Fanny isn’t religious, and her “sacred” songs aren’t at all sacred. Can Fanny be true to herself and her beliefs, while finding a way to make sacred music? Of course she can!

Narcissus

We all know about Narcissus, and the psychological disorder named after him, narcissism. Fanny and Athena are president and Vice President of their school’s math club — until an interloper named Narcissus joins and tries to take over and make the club all about him. The book will delve into how to deal with narcissists, in a kid-friendly way.

Eros (Cupid)

Eros will run amock in town, making people fall in love with all the wrong partners. But is it really love, if it was forced upon them by a reckless god? This book will explore the nature of consent, again, in a kid-friendly I way.

Ares

Ares is the son of Zeus and Hera, making him Athena’s brother. He is also the god of war. In this book, Ares runs military academy for troubled children, and after an accidental catastrophe, the girls will all be forced to enlist, despite their usually good behavior. Shenanigans ensue.

Hera

Hera was Zeus’ wife — an angry woman who was always being cheated on by Zeus. In modern times, she works for a non-profit that sets up battered women’s shelters. When she shows up on Zeus’ doorstep, needing a place to stay while she sets up a new shelter, sparks fly between Hera and Athena. Athena has never gotten along with her stepmother, and Hera likewise has issues of jealousy for Athena. This will be a twist on the “evil stepmother” trope. Hera isn’t evil, and Athena isn’t an oppressed Cinderella. Can the two work out their differences? Of course they can, with Fanny’s help!

Cerberus

It’s a three-headed dog!

Fauns

At the end of the second book, which I have written but has not been published yet, Fanny’s mother is pregnant — and Dionysius (Zeus’ son) has jumped into the fetus’ body. Because of this, Zeus is going to take a weirdly intense interest in the baby’s upbringing. To provide magical nourishment for his son, Zeus will deliver a special milk to the baby — faun milk. The milk will have healing and growth powers. This is great for Fanny’s little brother, but soon, word gets out about this magical baby formula, and all the moms in town want some. Zeus is never one to turn down an opportunity, and soon, he’s running a faun milk business.

The money is rolling in…but what about the fauns? Are they ok? Do they even WANT to sell their milk? This book will explore exploitation of animals and natural resources, without being too graphic or scary.

Lotis

Lotis is a Naiad, a nymph, and a water spirit. When she joins the swim team, she wins every competition. Is it fair for her to compete, when she has an obvious advantage? What will the girls decide to do about it?

The Lotus Eaters

The Lotus Eaters come to town, where they set up an “intentional community of likeminded people”. Soon, teachers, parents, and trusted adults all over the city are joining up, forgetting about their families, their jobs, and all of their responsibilities. Is the new community too good to be true? Of course it is, and Fanny and her friends are going to get to the bottom of it.

Minotaur

The story of the Minotaur is a deeply sad one. Born with a bull’s head and the body of a man, he was locked up in a labyrinth, where every nine years he was fed fourteen people, until he was killed by Theseus.

When a baby is born with a bull’s head and a human’s body, all the gods and goddesses know what they have to do — they have to kill the baby before he turns into a people-eating monster.

But Fanny is horrified by this. It’s not the baby’s fault that he has a bull’s head. And who says he’ll eat people when he grows up? Just don’t lock him in a labyrinth and feed him humans! Fanny decides that she will defy the gods — including her best friend — to save the Minotaur. This will be a book about acceptance of people who are different, and having the courage to defy traditions and ideas that no longer serve us.

These are just a few of the ideas I have for upcoming novels. So stay tuned! And I hope you enjoy My Best Friend Athena.

Blurb

Fanny Fitzpatrick has the coolest best friend ever. Athena is smart, and pretty, and brave, and kind. Fanny loves her friend, but sometimes, she feels a little jealous of how perfect Athena is.

But even “perfect” girls make mistakes, and Athena makes a big one when she accidentally turns the school bully into a cockroach. He was picking on their friend Gemma and Athena lost her temper and her magic powers just slipped out right in front of Fanny.

Now Fanny knows that Athena isn’t an ordinary girl – she’s the reincarnation of a Greek goddess, powers and all – and now she needs Fanny and Gemma’s help to hunt down the bully-turned-cockroach and turn him back into a human boy.

Fanny doesn’t want to spend all her time looking for a cockroach. She’s got the Junior Miss Super Pretty Pageant to prepare for, if she can get over her stage fright. Besides, Athena’s Dad, Zeus, has forbidden the girls from meddling with any more cockroaches or magic, and Zeus is a god you don’t want to mess with.

Fanny has to make a choice. Should she pursue her pageant dreams, or risk Zeus’ wrath to find the cockroach-boy? What’s the right thing to do? And how do you hunt down a cockroach anyway?

Excerpt

Normally, when I arrive at school, I’m tired and cold and grumpy, but not today! Because today I’ve got the World’s Coolest Necklace, and everyone’s gonna notice it and give me compliments. It’s a “statement” necklace, and I got it at an old lady’s estate sale yesterday. I was shopping with my best friend, Athena, when I saw it. It was sitting on a dresser, with a bunch of other jewellery, but this necklace was the only one that caught my eye. It’s a large octopus, with jewel-covered tentacles, and two pearls for eyes. I tried it on, and it looked like the tentacles were reaching around my neck, trying to choke me. I’d never seen anything so cool in my life. It was $20, which was more than I had, but luckily Athena was there, and she bought it for me. Athena always has lots of money, because she’s a rich kid, but that’s NOT why I’m friends with her.

Anyway, she saw how sad I was that I couldn’t afford the necklace and she just bought it for me, probably because she has excellent taste and could see what a great investment it would be. She said it was “quirky” and “an interesting piece,” which I happen to know is code for “high fashion”.

My mom said it was “tacky garbage” but she doesn’t know about fashion. She mostly wears gym clothes, even when she’s not at the gym, and she never wears jewelry, except her wedding ring.

Author Bio and Links

Dana Hammer is a novelist, screenwriter and playwright. She has won over forty awards and honors for her writing, few of which generated income, all of which were deeply appreciated. She is not a cannibal, but she is the author of A Cannibals Guide to Fasting. Dana is also the author of middle grade fantasy My Best Friend Athena which was inspired by a desire to write something her 9 year old daughter could read.

Facebook | Goodreads | Website | Amazon Buy Link

Giveaway

Dana Hammer will be awarding a $10 Amazon or Barnes and Noble gift card to a randomly drawn winner via Rafflecopter during the tour. Find out more here.

Follow Dana on the rest of her Goddess Fish tour here.

Fear of the Number 13

Posted on by Joanne Guidoccio

For centuries, the number 13 has been associated with bad luck, especially if it falls on a Friday. Here are ten interesting facts about the origins and events related to this sinister prime:

1. Fear of the number 13 even has a name. It’s called triskaidekaphobia. Specific fear of Friday the 13th is referred to as friggatriskaidekaphobia. People suffering from these irrational fears can get treatment at the Friggatriskaidekaphobia Treatment Center in Pocopson, Pennsylvania. Treatment includes clever games, costumed hosts, anti-superstition music, and free educational literature.

2. Our fear of the number can be traced back to a biblical claim that if thirteen people share a meal at the same table, one of the diners will die within the year. Famous example: Jesus shared a meal with twelve of his disciples at the Last Supper.

3. Many people have an aversion to the number 13, including famous horror writer Stephen King. In 1984, King admitted to stepping over the 13th stair, feeling uncomfortable watching channel 13, and refusing to pause on page 13 while reading books. He included pages with digits that added up to 13, like page 85. He admitted, “It’s neurotic, sure. But it’s also safer.”

4. Several serial killers have 13-letter names, including Charles Manson, Jeffrey Dahmer, Theodore Bundy, Jack the Ripper, and Albert DeSalvo. So does Adolfus Hitler, which was Adolf Hitler’s baptismal name.

5. In some Spanish-speaking countries, Tuesday the 13th is considered bad luck. Tuesday is feared because it is the day of the week associated with Mars, the Roman god of war. The movie Friday the 13th was translated into Martes Tres (Tuesday the 13th) for its global release.

6. Taylor Swift considers 13 to be her lucky number. She was born on the 13th and turned 13 on Friday the 13th. Her first album went gold in 13 weeks, and her first #1 song had a 13-second introduction. Each time Taylor has won an award, she has sat in either the 13th row, 13th seat, 13th section, or row M, which is the thirteenth letter.

7. The following celebrities were born on Friday the 13th: Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Christopher Plummer, Kate Walsh, Frances Conroy, Steve Buscemi, Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen. Born on an unlucky day hasn’t hampered their careers.

8. In 1882, Captain William Fowler founded the 13 Club of New York, a secret supper club that continued its meetings throughout the late 1800s and early 1900s. Its first meeting included 13 courses, was lit by 13 candles, and was attended by 13 people. Members performed unlucky feats such as passing under a ladder and tipping over salt containers on the table. Honorary members included Presidents Chester A Arthur, Grover Cleveland, Benjamin Harrison, and Theodore Roosevelt.

9. An alleged occurrence…Mark Twain was once invited as the 13th guest at a dinner party. He went, despite a friend’s warning. Later, Twain reported, “It was bad luck. They only had food for 12.”

10. Motorcyclists gather each Friday the 13th in Port Dover, Ontario (Canada) for rallies that draw thousands of participants. Described as “the biggest single-day motorcycle event in the world,” its summer attendance exceeds 100,000 bikers. This tradition dates back to 1981.

Honoring Barbara Walters

Posted on by Joanne Guidoccio

An Emmy-winning journalist and celebrity interviewer, Barbara Walters was one of the most recognizable news anchors in the world. In a career that spanned over six decades, Ms. Walters appeared on numerous television programs including Today, ABC Evening News, 20/20, and The View. She scored many interview coups, among them Margaret Thatcher, the Shah of Iran, Fidel Castro, Anwar Sadat and Menachem Begin, Katharine Hepburn, and Indira Gandhi.

Barbara Walters died yesterday (December 30, 2022) at the age of 93.

My favorite quotations from Barbara Walters:

Life sometimes brings enormous difficulties and challenges that seem just too hard to bear. But bear them you can, and bear them you will, and your life can have a purpose.

To excel is to reach your own highest dream. But you must also help others, where and when you can, to reach theirs. Personal gain is empty if you do not feel you have positively touched another’s life.

To feel valued, to know, even if only once in a while that you can do a job well is an absolutely marvelous feeling.

Success can make you go one of two ways. It can make you a prima donna—or it can smooth the edges, take away the insecurities, let the nice things come out.

Don’t worry about finding your bliss right now. Not even our President knew what his bliss was, nor did I. One of these days to your own surprise, your bliss will find you. But no matter what you do, participate, be there, full force, full heart, full steam ahead.

A good laugh makes any interview, or any conversation, so much better.

Don’t confuse being stimulating with being blunt.

The hardest thing you will ever do is trust yourself.

You’ll have some failure. And you’ll be able to go on, add a new chapter, and have a more interesting time.

Work harder than everybody. You’re not going to get it by whining, and you’re not going to get it by shouting, and you’re not going to get it by quitting.