This Time Reading - Finished July, 2024
I finished Jagger Jones sometime last July, but I don’t remember when. I first read this book back in 2019 when it was published. I was in a debut group with the author, Malayna Evans.

I was thrilled to meet a real Egyptologist. Of course, she wrote about her favorite subject, and the setting, two of her favorite places – Egypt and the south side of Chicago. And, her two kids inspired the main characters, Jagger and Aria Jones. Aren’t they cool facts to know?!

I know very little about Egypt, but historical fiction is a fun way to meet Pharoah’s royal family, to visit the pyramids. Add in the historical detail about what they wore and ate, and it’s a great way to learn history!

And the plot – imagine having a real Egyptian princess call and ask you for help. That’s the heart of the story. I reviewed Jagger back in 2019. Here’s the link to the review on My Reads. I also posted it on Amazon and Goodreads. Link: Rinda Beach - Beach Reads - Rinda Beach

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This Time Reading – Finished August, 2024
I finished Aria Jones sometime in August. The main characters from Book 1 are back – Jagger, Aria, and the princess. Book 2 begins with a field trip to a Chicago Museum. Waiting for Aria, two statues, who were once bodyguards to Egyptian royalty.

When one of the statues drops a bracelet into Aria’s hand, she recognizes the message. Within the hour Aria and Jagger are back in ancient Egypt. This time the stakes are higher. The princess is dying, and so is her family. Even worse the Gods have stopped talking, and no one knows why.

Get ready for an Egyptian adventure! Take a trip to the Pyramids of Giza. Meet a few mummies and puzzle out a riddle from the Sphinx. Here’s the link to my 2020 review on My Reads.
                                                    Link: Rinda Beach - Beach Reads - Rinda Beach
             
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I’ve watched and waited for this book since 2020, and I stumbled onto it this summer. How did I miss it? I didn’t see it on social media, and I follow Malayna on Facebook, Instagram, and X. It’s one of the reasons authors like me have newsletters for readers like you to subscribe to.

I reached out to Malayna, and here’s the scoop . . . The Joneses came out in 2021. Back then we were still dealing with Covid, and book sales plummeted. Mine, Malayna’s, and a lot of other authors I know.

Malayna’s publisher saw what was happening and offered to return her manuscript. She self-published it on Amazon. This really is Book 3, but Malayna couldn’t sell it that way . . .  The other two books were published by Month9Books, so she created Goddess Books, just for The Joneses.

I hope this post helps fans of Book 1 and 2 find them. Fingers crossed – it works! Would you believe I gave The Joneses their only review? If you’d like to read it on My Reads, click on the link below. One of the best things you can do for your favorite author – write a book review!      
              Link: https://www.rindabeach.com/my-reads/review-of-the-joneses-the-princesss-seneb

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Finished June 24, 2024
​Neferura is the plus one in this series. She’s not related to Jagger Jones, but they’re written by the same author . . . who happens to be an Egyptologist.

There aren’t many stories of ancient Egypt, and this one is fascinating. Travel back to a world 1400 to 1500 years before Christ when the pyramids were built. The author paints a picture of Neferura’s life. From the food she ate, to her clothing, to her job as priestess.

Add in political drama as Neferura battles the intrigues of her mother and half-brother. They’re fighting for wealth and power, and they don’t care who lives, or dies. The main characters are real. The author took the plot points from their lives and connected them into a novel.
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When I read historical fiction, I always wonder what’s true and what’s made up. This is a statue from the British Museum. The man is Senenmut, and he’s holding Princess Neferura. They’re both in this book, and they both lived in Ancient Egypt.

The real Neferura was the daughter of two pharaohs. Her mother, Hatshepsut. Her father, Thutmose II. She didn’t become pharaoh, but she had some great opportunities.
The back matter said Neferura was the wife of the god Amun. Her mother and grandmother were too. Her grandmother, Ahmose-Nefertari, is long dead, but her influence isn’t. It’s the spark that sets the plot in motion.

The story focuses on how and why Neferura might have married her half-brother, Thutmose III. There’s no record of it, but there’s research that points that way. It centers on the fight to be in charge. In other words, politics as usual.

Senenmut is also in the novel. His first job, ‘Steward of the God’s Wife.’ That’s Hatshepsut. She fights to become pharaoh in her own right. Senenmet’s next job, ‘Steward of the King’s Daughter. That’s Neferura. In the novel he’s her tutor and art patron, and he did have multiple statues made with a young Neferura.

                                                    Sources: Neferure - Wikipedia   &   Senenmut - Wikipedia

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​Meet Neferura’s mother, AKA Hatshepsut. She was an incredible woman in any age, but she ruled during her lifetime.

​She was the Great Royal Wife of Thutmose II, her half-brother. She went on to become regent when he died. Thutmose III was two years old, too young to rule. Eventually Hatshepsut made herself Pharoah. She wasn’t the first, but she was the most successful. When Thutmose came of age, they became equal pharaohs.  I bet that went over well. NOT!

The most unusual thing about Hatshepsut is that she’s a woman and a man in statues. That’s strange, but Neferura’s author said pharaohs are Horus the god, come to earth. No wonder she gave herself a beard. People will do almost anything to gain power, then to hold onto it.

After she died, her statues were destroyed. Her monuments vandalized, and her achievements given away to other pharoahs. That was 20 years after her death, and Thutmose III  was pharoah for most of that time. You’d think he would have done it sooner.
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Historians still wonder who did it and why. Was it Thutmose or his son Amenhotep II? Was it for ritual/religious reasons or hate? Either way, it didn’t work. Hatshepsut was the longest female ruler in Egypt, and, the most successful.  

                                                                             Source: Hatshepsut - Wikipedia

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Meet Thutmose III. Hapshepsut was his stepmother, and aunt at the same time. In this story he’s positively evil, but deservedly so. That’s because Hapshepsut sent him off to the army as soon as she could get rid of him, and if he died, so much the better. But it is true –Thutmose really was the commander of Hapshepsut’s army.
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It’s also true that Thutmose had a Royal Wife named Satiah. She’s in the story, and her son was Thutmose’s first son and heir, Amenemhat. He died young and never got to become pharaoh.
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                            Source: Thutmose III - Wikipedia

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And the last major character is Satiah. She didn’t get a statue, but she’s on a painting in Thutmose’s tomb. Her father may/may not have been Ahmose Pen-Hekhebet, who has a minor role in this novel. And her son was Amenemhat. Some sources say he was Neferura’s son.

This is that painting, from the tomb. On the top half, Thutmose III is in a boat with his mother, Iset.

In the bottom half, start on the right. You’ll see Thutmose as a child with his mother represented as a tree. Behind them Thutmose is leading a family procession. Next in line is the King’s Wife, Meritre-Hatshepsut. Her son became the next pharaoh. Satiah comes next as a King’s Wife because her son died before he could become pharaoh. The third queen is another King’s Wife, Nebtu, and last in line is the King’s Daughter, Nefertari.

                                                                                     Source: Satiah - Wikipedia
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Amazon’s Description:
There are many paths to power. They all come with a price.

Neferura, princess and high priestess of Kemet, knows her duty is to her people. When your mother is the great Pharaoh, it is hard to forget. But Neferura's unique position at court comes with high stakes for her country, especially when she's forced to serve her vile half-brother, a man determined to stop Neferura's potential rise.

Peace, it seems, never lasts for women who wield power in the open. Especially when they cross a vengeful man.
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When Neferura overhears Thutmose's plot to end her mother's rule, she knows he must be stopped, no matter the cost. The discovery of a mysterious tattooed wisewoman and her shadowy network of spies offers an uneasy alliance. But the wisewoman wields more power than Neferura knew possible -- power with the potential to rival her own. Neferura must decide where her loyalties lie and how much she's willing to sacrifice to protect the people she loves before everything crumbles at the hands of a tyrant.

​I found the Pomodoro Technique in an email from Better Report. They send me practical advice/suggestions. This one was all about time management, whether it’s a task you’ve been putting off, or one you’re struggling to complete. All you need – a task and a timer.

​Mine – 2 chapters worth of revisions, 22 pages of text, with comments added along the side – altogether 25 pages to get through. Talk about intimidating!
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So I pulled out the Pomodoro Technique and tried it. I figured I didn’t have anything to lose. It worked, revision by revision, page by page. 

​Part 1:   Here are the steps I used from Better Reports.

1. Choose a task.
2. Set a timer for 25 minutes and only work on that task.
3. When the timer goes off, take a five-minute break.
4. Repeat the previous steps four times.
5. At the end of the fifth interval, take a longer 15-to-30-minute break.
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Source: What Is the Pomodoro Technique and How Does It Increase Productivity? - Better Report
 

​Part 2: Here are a few rules that Better Report said to use.

1. If you start a pomodoro, let the timer ring.” Don’t stop early.
Use your time to review, reflect, or plan for the next one.

2. Stop when the timer goes off. Don’t go over time.
3. Set your timer for those 5-minute breaks after the first 4 Pomodoro's.

4. Do something different during those 5-minute breaks. If you’re on the computer, get up and get moving. If you’re cleaning, put your feet up and relax, but don’t get lost in your break.
Return to your task when the timer goes off.
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​Part 3: Here’s how I tailor those Pomodoros to fit me.

1. Sometimes I stop early before the 25-minute timer goes off,
but only if there’s not enough time to start the next one. I’d rather start my break early and the next Pomodoro early too.

2. If the timer goes off and I need to finish a sentence or paragraph,
I do that too.

3. I skip the timer if I’m reviewing something like a whole chapter.
I don’t want to stop and start. I don’t worry about the time.
This is about me and how I can best use MY time.

4. With my 5-minute breaks, usually I get up and walk. It makes it easier for
me to reach my step goals. Sometimes I clean. I HATE cleaning,
but I can do it for 5 minutes.

5. Sometimes I take my long break early. If I’m hungry, I stop and eat, even if I need to cook.
​I take the time I need. Balance is important, and so is taking care of myself.

Source: What Is the Pomodoro Technique and How Does It Increase Productivity? - Better Report


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Part 4: Meet the Inventor of the Pomodoro Technique. His name, Francesco Grillo.

​Who has Francesco worked with?
- Managers
- Entrepreneurs
- Researchers
- Writers, designers, product developers, and other creative professionals
- And, Teams of people 

Why does he think you should try the Pomodoro Technique?
- Enhanced Focus and Concentration
- Improved Time Management
- Reduced Stress at Work
- Enhanced Team Communication and Flexibility
-Adaptable to You and Your Task Requirements

How can the Pomodoro Technique help you?
- “Learn to be gentle with yourself and develop a conscious relationship with time.”
- “Turn time into an ally and use it to improve individual and team productivity.”

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To learn more about Francesco: About Francesco Cirillo
To read more about the technique:
Pomodoro® Technique - Time Management Method (pomodorotechnique.com)

I found two ideas I wanted to share, but I ran out of time. The good news – you can find them in this book. The first is in Chapter 6. Ben Thompson broke the Declaration into three parts. Look for the real words in italics, and read what Ben said about each one.

Then skip to Pick Your Poison, it’s near the end of chapter 7. Did you know there were four different kinds of cannon balls? Solid shot, Grapeshot, Shells, and the red-hot kind you picked up with tongs. Check them out and learn more about ammunition.
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#1. Today if you say Sam Adams, people think beer. But he was actually terrible at it and lost all of his money in his family’s malthouse business
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The real Sam Adams was a much better patriot. He was red-hot about independence, from 1764 with the Stamp Act until tea was taxed in 1773. That’s when Sam Adams came up with a great idea. Perhaps you’ve heard of it . . .  the Boston Tea Party.




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#2. John Hancock was a Boston businessman before he got into the patriot business. In April 1775 the redcoats put a target on his back. Sam Adams too. Luckily, a few spies were watching and sent word to Hancock, Adams, and the minutemen in Lexington and Concord.

Most people know John was President of the Continental Congress, but they don’t know he was adopted by an aunt and uncle after his parents died. He inherited their business.
PS – Have you ever had your signature called a John Hancock? That’s because when John signed the Declaration, he wrote SUPERSIZE, so that King George could see it without his glasses. 


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​#3. Have you ever heard of William Prescott? I hadn’t. His claim to fame – he commanded the army at the Battle of Bunker Hill, the first big battle of the Revolution.
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It all started the night of June 16, 1775, when William sent his troops out to build a fort. The problem – they built it on Breed’s, not Bunker Hill. They did it so quietly that the British discovered it the next morning when they woke up. It took 3 tries for the Redcoats to win the hill. That’s because William kept his cool, his men too. They watched and waited until the British got close enough . . . THEN they fired, at the officers. The British won, but they lost 1,100 men, dead or wounded. Half the men they started with. 


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#4. Everyone knows George Washington. The general who beat King George and the British Empire. The first president who was wise enough to serve two terms, not three.

But did you know he’s the only president who led an army during his term? It started with another tax. Farmers in western Pennsylvania rebelled over a whiskey tax. They took up arms. Washington led an army across the state, but he was able to end the rebellion peacefully without firing a shot. 



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#5. Everyone knows John Adams too. Founding Father, member of the Continental Congress, the first Vice President, and second President. He only served one term thanks to his old buddy and Vice President, Thomas Jefferson. It’s funny how life works – Adams and Jefferson were good friends until Jefferson ran against him for the presidency. The former friends didn’t speak for years, but I’m glad they finally did.

Adams was always one of the loudest voices in the room, but no one listened to his suggestion that the president should be known as . . . “His Highness, the President of the United States, and Protector of the Rights of the Same.” I’m glad everyone disagreed with him.


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#6. Everyone knows Thomas Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence, but did you know he didn’t want to? Or that he thought John Adams should write it? I didn’t. According to the book, Adams said he was obnoxious, suspected, and unpopular. Jefferson was the opposite. He was also a Virginian AND a better writer. Thank goodness Adams got his way, and Jefferson did the writing!

You’ve probably heard of Jefferson and the Louisiana Purchase, but did you know it doubled the size of the country? That it became the states of Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Wyoming, Nebraska, Iowa, Missouri, Kansas, Colorado, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Louisiana? What a bargain!


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#7. I’d never heard of Lord Stirling until I read this book. Would you believe William Alexander found research showing he was the senior male descendant of the First Earl of Stirling in the late 1750s?  The House of Lords never recognized him, but American soldiers did.
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Lord Stirling is best known for the Battle of Brooklyn in 1776. He and his men held off the British until the remnants of the Continental Army could escape. There were already twelve hundred casualties, but it would have been so much worse without him. Stirling surrendered to the British later that day. He wouldn’t live to see the end of the war, but his friend George Washington walked his daughter down the aisle on her wedding day. 


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#8. Before James Monroe became our 5th president, he was a lieutenant in the Virginia Militia during the days of the American Revolution. Look for him in the painting of Washington crossing the Delaware. Monroe’s the one holding the American flag.

When he landed on the other side, he was wounded by cannon fire at Trenton, New Jersey the day after Christmas. Later he’d fight in the Battles of New York, Brandywine, and Monmouth.

#9. You’ve probably heard of the Marquis de Lafayette. Do you recognize his other seven names? Marie-Joseph Paul Yves Roche Gilbert du Motier.
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The American Revolution followed Lafayette home to France. He named his only son George Washington. And when he died, his coffin was covered with dirt from Bunker Hill. That’s where the first major battle of the Revolution was fought near Boston, Massachusetts.


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#10. Meet one of the toughest commanders of the American Revolution, Daniel Morgan. I’d never heard of him either.

Daniel commanded riflemen at the Battles of Quebec City, Saratoga, and Cowpens. He was taken prisoner at Quebec, but only after his men begged him to surrender. When he was released in 1777, he created Morgan’s Rangers, 500 men passed his test – hitting a life-size picture of a British officer from 100 yards. If you made the grade, you got a Pennsylvania long rifle. It was far more accurate than a British musket, but harder to load. Morgan and his Rangers made the victories at Saratoga and Cowpens possible.
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Fun Fact: Today’s Army Rangers can trace their roots back to him. 


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​#11. Meet Friedrich Wilhelm Ludolf Gerhard Augustin von Steuben – That’s a lot of names! He came from Prussia, in Germany. He claimed to be a baron, but he wasn’t. Ben Franklin misread his bio and thought he was a general. He wasn’t, and he didn’t speak English either.

So, Ben sent him to the Continental Congress, who sent him onto Valley Forge. During the worst winter of the war, Von Steuben whipped Washington’s army into shape with all the finesse of a drill sergeant. He was asked to, and he finally wrote down his drills, in French. Alexander Hamilton and Nathanael Green translated them. Would you believe the American army used his instruction manual until 1814?


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#12. Everyone knows Benjamin Franklin – author, inventor, printer, scientist, postmaster, and politician. He signed the Declaration, the Peace Treaty that ended the war, and the Constitution, but did you know his son was a loyalist? That William was the royal governor of New Jersey?

The father and son fought so violently over the war; they never spoke to each other again. Not after William was put into an American prison, nor after he emigrated to England after the war was over. War is a sad thing.


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​#13. This is the real Mary Ludwig Hays, also known as Molly Pitcher. Mary was an assistant on a cannon crew. Her job – to pass canteens to the men sweating and working over the cannons. Her husband John loaded them. Mary also poured buckets of water over the red-hot barrels to cool them down so it wouldn’t overheat and quit working.

Mary wouldn’t look this clean in battle. She’d be blackened by powder with bullets and cannon balls whizzing around. And if the men needed to rest, Mary loaded and fired the cannon herself. Would you believe she left the army in 1783 as a sergeant, with an army pension too?! She was a liberated woman before Women’s Liberation existed.


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​#14. Only one Revolutionary general was called mad. Not angry-mad, but crazy-mad. His name – Mad Anthony Wayne. If there was an impossible battle to fight like Stony Point, New York, Washington sent Wayne, but he gave him the best trained, best supplied soldiers in the Continental Army.

This battle was so impossible – Wayne asked a friend to take care of his wife and two children if he died. So impossible he asked for volunteers to run into the fort. The first one earned $500. The next four men, $100 each. And would you believe – Mad Anthony Wayne and his troops recaptured Stony Point?


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​#15. Have you watched Turn? Or heard of the Culper Spy Ring? Then you might know Benjamin Tallmadge. General Washington needed to get reliable, accurate information out of New York City, the headquarters for the British. He picked Tallmadge in late 1778 to create a secret spy ring. It stayed active, successful, and hidden until 1783 when the Revolution ended.

After the war, Tallmadge settled down and became a Connecticut postmaster and Congressman.
 

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#16. George Rogers Clark – I knew his name, but not his BIG accomplishment. He captured the Northwest territory from the British, basically on his own. His victories and diplomatic skills doubled the size of the original 13 colonies. That land later became the states of Kentucky, Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, and Missouri. I was shocked to learn Clark died poor, after doubling the size of our country.

I bet you’ve heard of his brother and his friend, Lewis. They were the two men who traveled across the country with Sacajawea. She took them all the way to the Pacific Ocean.


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​#17. John Paul Jones started life as a poor Scottish sailor, and he wound up becoming the Father of the US Navy. If you’d like to visit his tomb, go to the Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland.
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If he had a brother from another mother, it would be Mad Anthony Wayne. They both fought impossible battles, and won. Wayne on land, and Jones at sea. 

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​#18. A woman, fought in the Revolution?! True! Deborah Sampson Gannett served as soldier Robert Shurtleff. She was wounded several times. She even dug out her own bullets to keep her identity secret. She’s one of the few women who earned a pension during the Revolutionary War.

​Her story is a tale of triumph. At age 5 her mother sent her off to live with friends. She bounced from house to house until she was 10. Then she was sold as an indentured servant. She spent the next 8 years working in the fields by day. At night she taught herself to read. Would you believe it was against the law for slaves and indentured servants to learn to read, and for someone to teach them? 

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​#19. Nathanael Green was one of George Washington’s most trusted generals. He commanded troops from Boston to the Carolinas, but he’s best known as the Commander of the Southern Campaign. Think of the battles in Georgia and the Carolinas. They led onto Yorktown and the end of the war.

TWICE, he was asked to serve as Secretary of War, but he refused both times. He preferred to live a quiet life in retirement. No wonder, after all those years on the battlefield.


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#20. Alexander Hamilton is famous for his duel with Aaron Burr. It started when Hamilton wrote a few mean pieces in the newspaper. The big problem, Hamilton fired into the air like he was supposed to, but Burr didn’t. He shot Hamilton in the gut, killing him.
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Hamilton was more than a man who died in a duel. He was General Washington’s aide, and he commanded troops at the Battles of Trenton and Yorktown. Later he played a key role in developing and writing the Constitution, and he was our first Secretary of the Treasury. Sad – he’s not known for any of those things.

This post isn’t about athletic events or the athletes who made the games special. It’s something that caught my eyes and ears when the games started, and it’s what I miss the most. The inspiration they gave me, and the insight only they could share.

So what was it? The Olympic commercials! Four of them were SO good! They’re worth dusting off and spotlighting again.

Why commercials? Because they boil a message down to 30 seconds, and you get it in sound, with images in living color. Commercials are an art form!
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                                          Now - the first one I'm highlighting. It was actually the last one I noticed.
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Commercial #1 – Head, Shoulders, Knees, & Toes: Do you remember the song from Preschool and Kindergarten? I do! It was fun to sing, and even more fun to keep up with the motions. The faster, the better!
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The folks at FIGS brought it back to honor the medical crew that kept Team USA in the games. If you’d like to see and hear it again, with a few more verses written just for our athletes and their doctors, just google! I tried ‘summer olympic ad with head shoulder knees and toes.’ Look down, and you’ll see a link in blue, “Medical apparel brand FIGS…” Just click on it.
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​                                                Did you find the link in blue? (Now it’s above this line.)

And if you clicked on it, you’ll find yourself on this page, with AdAge, then a blue rectangle and a hot pink one. You’re almost there! Scan down . . . 
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​Do you see what I see?!

Then click and enjoy! BTW, this version has extra images that will
make you appreciate that medical team.

If you find yourself saying OUCH, me too!
But if their work kept you in the game, then I’d say GOLD for them too!

                                        Next up - the commercial with the best use of athletic equipment . . .

Commercial #2 – The One With the Best Use of Athletic Equipment: Do you remember a commercial that featured a few well-known athletes swinging, hitting, or shooting to the beat? They were swinging to Hollywood Swingin.’ If you don’t know the song, that’s OK. I didn’t recognize it either, and Kool and the Gang is still one of my favorite groups. BTW – their songs were popular in the 1980’s when I was young.

Still not ringing a bell? The ad was for New Balance shoes so I googled/searched ‘new balance olympic ad.’ Look below, and you’ll see it in the search window. Now go down to New Balance TV Spot – it’s in blue, and it’s a link. Click and move down on this screen, yours too.

​When you clicked on New Balance, did you get this screen? Yay! You’re in the right place! Do you see the large gray box with the white triangle? That’s the video. Click on it, and enjoy! Then come back for one last question.

​OK, two questions! Do you like the commercial? I do! And did you notice that someone swings a racquet or shoots a basket on the beat? That’s when Kool and the Gang sing, “Hey, Hey, Hey?”

That’s what impressed me . . . This ad is SO clever! To think of how to showcase those athletes, and do it to the beat of the song. Impressive!

PS – I’m so old I didn’t recognize any of those athletes, but I bet you did. At least I’d heard of Coco Gauff, but I’ve never watched her play tennis.

                     Up next – a classic song with a message about sportsmanship and a little bit of love
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Commercial #3 – The One about Love and Sportsmanship: Sound familiar? It used a classic song from 1969. I was 10 back then.  As the music played, the video shows a kid watching an Olympic athlete take some kind of spill. Then the video flips to that child in a similar position. Guess what?! Both videos show great sportsmanship, and in today’s world, that’s an EXCELLENT thing!

If you’d like to check it out, google/search ‘olympic ad put a little love sportsmanship.’ When you look at my search window, find Comcast . . . 2024Summer Olympics – it’s in blue, like always, and it’s a link. Click and move down my screen. Yours too. 
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When you clicked, did you find yourself on this screen? Yay! Now click again, this time on the white triangle on top of that gray box of kids. Enjoy! I LOVE this commercial!

PS – Before you go, look back at my search box. At the very bottom  you’ll find one more link. It’s fantastic! It features sportsmanship . . .  from the 2022 winter games. Best of all it will warm you up for 2026 and the next Winter Olympics.

 
​                                              The last commercial, and it’s all about JOY

Commercial #4 – The Last One– Celebrate JOY: Do you remember it? The whole ad featured JOY, except for the first three seconds. They’re about hard work and practice, and then . . . Release the JOY! It’s in the music, the athletes, and the fans who imitate them.

So how can you find it? Google/search ‘olympic ad joy.’ Click, and you’ll see my search screen too. Then scan down for this link: Comcast . . .  Summer Olympics: A Little…

Click again, and you’ll see the next screen. 
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Ta-Da! THAT face is pure joy, and it’s just the beginning! It makes me want to get up and sing and dance with everyone on this commercial. It’s fantastic, and it’s the perfect way to end this post . . . with JOY!

 I’ve never done as much research as I’ve done for this middle grade novel on the founding fathers. Every chapter is an adventure . . . And I never know what I’m going to uncover. 
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Part 1 – How I Do The Research: I learned within the first 10 chapters that I need 3 different kinds of research for each one. First and most importantly, I look up the man who died. It’s your only chance to meet him.
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I need at least three sources of information about him. Then I cut and paste the sources together. If I find the same fact 3 times, I can use it. Less, I can’t. Even then I still need to decide which facts are important, and which ones to skip. 
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Next, I research the death year from the American Revolution. I copy and paste everything, until I know what’s important. Finally, I look up what my main character, Charles Carroll of Carrollton was doing. I save everything he did that year. The same rules still apply – I need to know which facts I can verify, and which ones fit in the chapter.

Note – I save all three kinds of research, after my first draft of the actual chapter. Then I paste the research in the order it fit in the chapter, with all the source links. The last and biggest part, that’s all the stuff that didn’t fit in, verified or not, with their source links too. It’s there, just in case.

The first draft of a chapter is 10 pages or less. The research I use is usually 5-8 pages, and the rest, it’s what didn’t fit. The whole document is usually 30-40 pages altogether.

​

Part 2 – Stuck on a Fire: The idea for this post came when I hit chapter 36. I was stuck for 2 days on the research, and I couldn’t move forward until I pieced it together.

When I looked up tobacco planting in the 1790s, I discovered they burned the seed beds before they planted them. I couldn’t imagine setting a fire on purpose – I grew up with Smokey the Bear. And today kids are still taught NOT to set fires, and I was writing about setting one. WHOA!

​                                                             
​                                                             The first thing I looked up – controlled burns.
                                             The link: Controlled Burns on the Farm | Beginning Farmers

I learned from Beginning Farmers that you wait for a calm day to start the burn. Go to the bottom of a hill with the wind blowing up the slope. Set your fire so the wind blows away from people and houses. Aim it towards things like creeks, dirt roads, or rock barriers. Those 4 ideas helped, but I still wasn’t ready to write.

​                                   I also looked up this link: 13869 (ncpedia.org)
​
It’s from North Carolina’s encyclopedia. The title – Tobacco Farming the Old Way. I copied the pages I needed, but I didn’t use them. Why? I already had that information, but it confirmed the facts I knew. 

I also copied two pictures from that link. I had to remember what they looked like. If I can’t picture them, you won’t when you read the words.
​
I couldn’t share my pictures. I wasn’t sure if they were copyrighted so I took a screenshot from the search engine. The second and fifth pictures are the ones that helped me start a fire of words for you. 

But I still couldn’t write, so I found a YouTube video. I watched it a few times and wrote down these notes:

                      - fire burns slowly                  
                      - hearing crackling                 
                      - left behind black ash
​                      - edge of flame licked edge of field
​

Then I could write my controlled fire scene in chapter 36. Charley sets the fire, watches it burn, and keeps it under control. I was thrilled! My critique partners said they could picture the fire, all from my words. As a writer, that’s as good as it gets!

                             And the link: VN 000355 L65 CB283 16x9 3m30s 230620M (youtube.com)
                 

                                                                      Part 3 – False Family Connections: ​

​Edward Rutledge died in January 23, 1800. Thomas Heyward was still alive, so I kept looking.

Thomas married twice. His first wife, Elizabeth Matthews. The second, Elizabeth Savage. No Shubrick’s there, and Rutledge wasn’t mentioned, AT ALL. Here’s one of the sources I checked:
​
Thomas Heyward, Jr. | Facts, Early Years, Life, Death & Politics (revolutionary-war.net)

Part 4 – A Shocking Discovery: This is a painting of the Declaration of Independence, but it’s not the signing. The five men standing in the middle are the Committee of Five. They drafted the Declaration.
​
I always thought the Continental Congress signed it on the Fourth of July. Nope! Only two men did – President John Hancock and Secretary Charles Thomson. But that wasn’t my shocking discovery.
​

Meet Matthew Thornton! In that first draft of Chapter 1, I knew he signed late. His name was last on the Declaration, not with the other 2 men from New Hampshire. Something happened, but I didn’t know the what – so I took my best guess. Simplest is always best – Matthew signed later in the week.

Then I hit Chapter 38, this summer on June 25. I think I went into shock. My mind probably raced, trying to figure out what to do.
​
Here’s what I saw that night. It stopped me cold!

​
​Although Thornton was not present during the debates on independence or when 50 of the delegates signed the Declaration on August 2, he became one of six signers who did so in the following months…”

“…was elected to the Continental Congress just in time to sign the Declaration of Independence…” 
​
​​

​Within 30 minutes I texted and asked a critique partner if we could zoom the next day. She said yes. So I did some searching, and here’s what I learned . . . 
​

Link #1: The Declaration of Independence: A History | National Archives   This one had 5.
​

Among the later signers were Elbridge Gerry, Oliver Wolcott, Lewis Morris, Thomas McKean, and Matthew Thornton, who found that he had no room to sign with the other New Hampshire delegates.
​

1.  ​Matthew Thornton from New Hampshire
                     Granted permission to sign. Arrived 3 months later. 

2.  Oliver Wolcott from Connecticut
                     Signed after he returned to Congress in October.

​Link #3: The Signing of the Declaration of Independen8*ce - The American Founding     This one had 7

And here are the men who signed late:

1.  Matthew Thornton - Arrived in Congress November 4. Probably signed in November. 
New Hampshire

2.  Elbridge Gerry -  Away on July 4; Returned to Congress September 2, 1776.
Probably signed September 3. -  Massachusetts

3. Oliver Wolcott - Returned October 1. Probably signed in October. 
Connecticut

4.  Lewis Morris - Returned to Congress after August 2, before September 8. 
Likely signed in September - New York

5.  George Wythe Returned to Congress after August 2, before September 14.
Probably signed in September - Virginia

6.  Richard Henry Lee Returned to Congress August 27, 1776. 
Probably signed in September - Virginia
 
7.  Thomas McKean - Returned to Congress briefly in September,1776. Returned in January 1777. Signature is missing from Goddard Broadside, printed January. No one knows when he signed.   
Delaware       
​

I found this image in one of my Facebook groups. Its name is Maslow Before Bloom, and it’s led by Bryan Pearlman. I saved it for almost a year, but after last week I knew its time had come.

Former President Trump was shot on Saturday, July 13, and we still don’t have answers from the Secret Service about what happened. Its leader refuses to answer questions. I hope she’ll change her mind.

The Republican Convention started on Monday, July 15, and the Democratic one is in August. In November we’ll be asked to pick leaders at the national, state, and local levels. It’s important to pick ones that are just right, and that’s why I’m doing this post.

​#1. Why do they serve?

A traditional leader sees leadership as a rank to obtain.
VS
A servant leader sees as an opportunity to serve others.
​
When you’re voting, who would you choose? ​

Personally, I’d want someone who believes they’re serving their community at the local, state, or national level.

If that’s true, how do you know if a candidate’s there for the rank or to serve you? Talk is cheap. Actions are precious, and there you go! Look at what they’ve achieved in the jobs they’ve held. If you like/dislike their actions, then you know what to do with your vote.

Achievement isn’t a bad thing, especially if it’s tempered by service. Look at Olympic athletes and how they’re driven for gold. A fireman might strive for a promotion, but that doesn’t matter – as long as he does his job to the best of his ability.

​
​​

​ #2. How do they use power?
​
A traditional leader uses power and control to drive performance.
VS
A servant leader shares power and control to drive engagement.
​
When you’re voting, who would you choose?
Or, if you could pick a boss, who would you rather work for?
​

When I vote for someone, I want them to keep their promises, but I don’t want performance at all cost. Mine or anyone else’s. Sometimes on the way to a goal, things change. Sometimes we discover there’s an unexpected outcome that’s better than anything we imagined. I want a leader who can also drive engagement, but I don’t want performance to get lost in that engagement. It’s a pity when leaders forget about the target.

If I could pick my own boss, I’d pick someone who could do both. When the principals had us teachers engaged, we performed at a higher level, and our kids did too.

​
​​

​#3. How do they measure success?

A traditional leader measures success through output.
VS
A servant leader measures success through growth and development.

When you’re voting, who would you choose?
Or, if you could pick a boss, who would you rather work for?

​Whether I’m voting or picking a boss, I want output, growth, and development. A good leader can encourage all three. And if they manage that, they ARE serving their community.

Now that I’m my own boss, sometimes I focus TOO much on output. Then it comes at a price, and I must remember to pace myself. I need to look at my own growth and development. I need to nurture and build my own skills. If I do those things, I’LL reach my target, and perhaps, it will come out in a totally unexpected, and even better way!

​
​

​​#4. How do they communicate?

A traditional leader speaks.
VS
A servant leader listens.

When you vote, who gets it? If you’re picking the boss, who do you want to work for?
And if you are the boss, who do you want to be? 

​Frankly, I want a leader who can talk, and listen. It should be a conversation between people who can share ideas and find the best way to get things done. Communication is the key to success. When it breaks down, so does everything else.

It’s true in stories too. I listen to my characters. They tell me when I’m going wrong. How? I get stuck and can’t write the next line. I put myself in my character’s head. Then I think about how they’d answer or how they’d act, the story moves forward again. 

​
​​

​Finished 6/28/24
I focused on Mount Vernon and found myself in a middle grade spy novel that takes place today. OOPS! Lesson learned – read the description next time and look at the book cover 😊

The main characters in this novel are a trio of kids from Virginia who love spy-fare. They wind up putting a few of George Washington’s techniques to good use. They even bring down a spy ring. How? You’ll have to read for yourself!

My favorite part – the things I learned about the Capital, Mount Vernon, George Washington’s tombs, and how Stephen Smith came up with this novel idea. I love a good back story!
                           
​
                                                                                                                                That Back Story   

This is Book 7 in the Virginia Mysteries series. Three research trips to Mount Vernon helped Stephen find the bare bones for his plot. It’s also where he saw the real key from the Bastille, the infamous French prison. It was a gift from the Marquis de Lafayette. He traveled from France to help Washington fight, then beat the British.

Some of the inspiration came from movies and television. The first and biggest, TURN, the mini-series about Washington as general and spymaster. The second came from the second National Treasure movie and its scene from Mount Vernon’s backyard. The third came from the movie Patriot Games, and it inspired the climax, the boat chase scene in the book. And finally, The American President which features a teenage daughter. Stephen switched the character to a son.
 

                                                                       George Washington, Spymaster-in-Chief
​
This is the Battle of Long Island. Alonzo Chappel painted it in 1858, over 80 years later. The smoke is from the Maryland guns and cannon. They attacked the British so the rest of the Continental Army could escape.
​
The real battle was fought from August 27 – 29, 1776. It was the war’s first major battle and a huge loss for the Americans. General Washington didn’t return to New York until 1783, when the war was over.                                  For more information and photos – Battle of Long Island - Wikipedia  
​

After his loss, Washington realized he’d missed some key information. He set up his own spy ring, and he was Agent 711. If you want to learn more about the tools his spies used, read this novel. A trio of teens put a few of them to good use – like secret code names, dead drops, invisible ink, cyphers, and coded messages.

If you want to learn more about the Culper Spy ring and what I wrote about it, check out George Washington’s Secret Six. Click the link and scan down to the cover. 

                                                                   Link:  Rinda Beach - Blog - Rinda Beach

​

                                Three Tombs for George?

For real! I had no idea. This is the empty tomb – without a resurrection. It was supposed to be George’s, and you’ll find it two stories under the Capital Rotunda.

When George Washington died in 1799, the Capitol was still under construction. It was supposed to have a glass floor so the public could see the tomb. George said no thank you. He asked Martha to build him a new tomb at Mt. Vernon, and he put that wish into his will. But Martha didn’t get it done, AND she agreed to the plan for Washington, D.C.

But THAT didn’t happen either. There were problems with the cost of the project. In the meantime, George was buried in the old family tomb, #2, even though he asked for a new one. It wasn’t built until after 1830, after someone tried to steal George’s head. OOOH, Yuck!

That someone also vandalized the corpses of a few of George’s relatives too. That’s when John Washington, Mt. Vernon’s owner in 1830 finally built the new tomb, #3. If you’d like to see it, take a look at the cover again. It’s on the bottom left.

And the other question, why did George want a new tomb? The novel from Mt. Vernon said . . . “Apparently when it rained, the crypt often flooded, disturbing the tombs and graves inside.”
​
    For more information and photos – Link: Washington Tomb · George Washington's Mount Vernon
               
​                                    

​              A Subway System, Under the Capital?

I had no idea what was under the Capital until I read this middle grade novel! There are 3 of them; they’re called people mover systems. I think it’s a great name!

They connect the Capital to all the Senate office buildings, but only one goes to the House. They move our Senators and Representatives to work every day.

The first line was built in 1909. A monorail was installed in 1960, then again in 1965. After 1993 the trains ran automatically.
​
You can travel on it too, but only if you’re on a Capital Complex tour, AND you must be with a staff member who has the proper ID. 
​

​​This is the floor plan for the Capital basement. The House and Senate systems don’t begin/end in the same places, but they are connected by a labyrinth of tunnels.
​

​You’ll find the Senate subway terminal on the bottom right. They connect to the Russell, Dirksen, and Hart office buildings. If there’s a vote in the Senate, the Russell subway is restricted. Only Senators and their staff can ride. Since 9/11, there are also restrictions for visitors who want to ride the subway to either the Hart or Dirksen building.

The Rayburn subway terminal for the House is on the top left. You’ll find underground walkways to the rest of the House office buildings on the bottom left. If there’s a vote in the House, the subway is also restricted. Only Congressmen and their staff can use it.
​
               For more information and photos Link: United States Capitol subway system - Wikipedia
                                    
​​

Amazon’s Description:
Dead drops, cyphers, and invisible ink are all part of a mystery that even spymaster George Washington would love.
 
Sam, Derek, and Caitlin love solving mysteries, and when they visit Washington, DC, spies are lurking. What starts out as a fun game of pretend on the National Mall turns all too real when they follow a mysterious man to a meeting deep within the Capitol.

To keep government secrets from falling into the wrong hands, the kids must work with federal agents and travel to historic Mount Vernon for a state dinner with the president and his son. Dead drops, cyphers and spy chases are all part of what their most dangerous adventure might be ever—if it isn’t their last.

Spies at Mount Vernon is the seventh book in The Virginia Mysteries series, but it also makes a great standalone read. The story is the perfect complement to social studies units covering George Washington as well as field trips and family vacations to Washington, DC and Mount Vernon.

If you enjoy mystery and adventure like the Hardy Boys, Nancy Drew, Magic Tree House, or National Treasure, you’ll love author Steven K. Smith’s exciting middle-grade series. The stories are modern-day fictional mysteries with twists of real locations and events from Virginia history. These fast-paced books are popular with both boys and girls ages 7-12, appealing to even reluctant readers
 
​

Charles Carroll of Carrollton was a big reader. His library included a complete set of Ben Franklin’s books, including Poor Richard’s Almanac. Charley read it in my manuscript, so I read it too.

Ben wrote 670 sayings over the 32 years he published the almanac. They show his character. Mine and Charley’s too. I picked 10 themes that popped up across those 32 years. Then my favorite sayings for each theme. They’re listed in almanack order.
​
          

RICHES
Ben had 13 things to say about them, and I picked my Top 5.

24. A little house well fill'd, a little field well till'd, and a little wife well will'd, are great riches.

224.* He that is rich need not live sparingly, need not be rich.

512. The poor have little, beggars none, the rich too much, enough not one.

648. Who is rich? He that is content.
​
649. Who is rich? He that rejoices in his portion.



THE PHILOSOPHER'S STONE
I’d never heard of one until Harry Potter. Ben had, and he wrote about it, twice.
​Here are both of them. 

99. Content is the philosopher's stone, that turns all it touches into gold.

288.* I have never seen the philosopher's stone that turns lead into gold,
​but I have known the pursuit of it turn a man's gold into lead.

AGE
Ben wrote about age 6 times. Here are my 3 favorites.

​9. At 20 years of age the will reigns; at thirty the wit; at 40 the judgment.

149. For age and want save while you may; no morning sun lasts a whole day.

492. The golden age never was the present age.

​

FEAR
Ben only had 4 sayings about fear, and I get to share them all. 

82. Beware, beware! He'll cheat without scruple, who can without fear.

139. Fear God, and your enemies will fear you.

140. Fear not death; for the sooner we die, the longer shall we be immortal.

141. Fear to do ill, and you need fear nought else.

​

FOOLS
Ben had a lot to say about them – 25 to be precise, but I only picked 5.

148. Fools need advice most, but wise men only are the better for it.

200. He's a fool that cannot conceal his wisdom.

300.* It is ill-manners to silence a fool, and cruelty to let him go on.

495.* The heart of the fool is in his mouth, but the mouth of the wise man is in his heart.

518. There are no fools so troublesome as those that have wit.


SLOTH
Ben called it laziness, and I got to pick all of his sayings.

​28. All things are easy to industry, all things difficult to sloth.

113. Diligence overcomes difficulties, sloth makes them.

448. Sloth and silence are a fool's virtues.

449.* Sloth (like rust) consumes faster than labor wears. The used key is always bright.

​

​LOVE
Ben had a lot to say about love, 14 sayings to be exact. I picked 6.

126. Dost thou love life? Then do not squander time; for that's the stuff life is made of.

218. He that falls in love with himself, will have no rivals.

281. If you would be loved, love and be lovable.

338. Love your enemies, for they tell you your faults.

339. Love your neighbor; yet don't pull down your hedge.

638. Where there's marriage without love, there will be love without marriage.


​PRIDE
Ben had 11 things to say about pride. These are my 5 favorites.

61. As pride increases, fortune declines.

424. Pride breakfasted with plenty, dined with poverty, supped with infamy.

425. Pride dines upon vanity, sups on contempt.

426. Pride is as loud a beggar as want, and a great deal more saucy.

516. The proud hate pride in others.

​

79. Be slow in choosing a friend, slower in changing.

153. Friendship increases by visiting friends, but by visiting seldom.
​
188. Hear no ill of a friend, nor speak any of an enemy.

233. He that sells upon trust, loses many friends, and always wants money.

520. There are three faithful friends, an old wife, an old dog, and ready money.

574. 'Tis great confidence in a friend to tell him your faults, greater to tell him his.


​

ENEMIES
 Ben wrote about them 8 times.
​Here are my 6 favorites.

115.  Do good to thy friend to keep him,
to thy enemy to gain him.

116.Doing an injury puts you below your enemy;
revenging one makes you but even with him;
forgiving, it sets you above him.

139. Fear God, and your enemies will fear you.

188. Hear no ill of a friend,
nor speak any of an enemy.

284. If you would keep your secret from an enemy, tell it not to a friend.

                                                                                                             338. Love your enemies, for they tell you your faults .                                                                                               

​Amazon’s Description:
A historical reference for scholars interested in early-American thought and its repercussions later in history. Written under the pseudonym of "Poor Richard" or "Richard Saunders," Poor Richard's Almanack (sometimes Almanac) is a collection annual publications (between 1739-1758) of the famous and late Benjamin Franklin. The Almanack contains typical almanac features, such as: calendar, weather, poetry, figures of speech, astronomy, and astrology. Many of Franklin's writings in Poor Richard's Almanack also contain math exercises, and satirical proverbs written by Franklin himself. This version of the book contains the Almanack (1739-1758) with also four letters/conversations between Benjamin Franklin and George Washington (1789) and Benjamin Franklin addressing Robert Morris (1780). The purpose of providing letters two decades after the final piece of the Almanack was published is to provide readers with a historical framework of how entries of the Almanack reflect not only Benjamin Franklin's anonymity but also at that time, early-American consciousness' of attitudes which laid the blueprint for the shaping of early-America and later-America.

​

4/2/24
I knew I had to read this when the treaty with the Barbary pirates came up as one of the big events of 1794. Once I picked up the book, I realized it started earlier, in 1785, and it finished in 1809.

The prologue begins when Captain Richard O’Brien’s ship is captured in July of 1785, two years after the end of the Revolution. The pirates kept the ship, but they threw the crew into slavery. Most were freed 10 long years later. A few died as slaves.

Chapter 1 begins in March of 1786 when Thomas Jefferson and John Adams met to talk about piracy, and how they could free O’Brien’s crew. They’d already been held as slaves for 3 years. A treaty wouldn’t be signed into law until 1794. The US paid tribute to the Barbary states. In return they promised to leave American merchant ships alone, and to free the sailors who’d been forced into slavery.

Would you believe during that time American merchants had to buy insurance for their ships sailing the Mediterranean? Or that they paid 20 times the rate of European merchants? But there was no choice. Our new country was deep in debt from the Revolution, and it needed the trade from southern Europe. American merchants no longer had British protection. Even King George III paid tribute to the Barbary states.

This is a modern map of the Barbary states. Their boundaries may have changed, but their names haven't. Can you find, east to west, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, and Libya?

In May of 1800, William Bainbridge was given command of the USS George Washington, one of the first ships in the American navy. It was carrying a few of the things promised in the treaty, but the gold and silver was delayed. Bainbridge knew that meant trouble, but he had no idea.

When its ruler, the ‘Dey’ didn’t get it, he decided the ship should carry his ambassador and entourage across the Mediterranean to Constantinople, the capital of the Ottoman empire. (Now known as Istanbul, Turkey.) He wanted the Americans to deliver his own yearly tribute.

Bainbridge let an Algerian pilot take him to the dock, and he parked the USS George Washington right under the fortress guns. BIG Mistake! Bainbridge didn’t realize until he was ready to leave. He couldn’t – unless – he did what the ruler wanted – sail everyone to Constantinople – the ambassador, 100 attendants, 100 captive Africans (AKA slaves). Plus, gifts that included 4 horses, 25 cows, 150 sheep, 4 lions, 4 tigers, 4 antelopes, and 12 parrots.
​
But the final blow – the ‘Dey’ ordered the American flag taken down, and the Algerian one put up. The ship’s 7 guns had to fire a salute to the new flag. Bainbridge thought it was the worst thing ever. That it would never be forgotten. Turns out it was, and the worst was yet to come, ​, and it didn't stop.
​

​It was now July of 1803, and Bainbridge was commanding the USS Philadelphia. When he was chasing an Algerian cruiser, he struck some rocks, leaving his ship dead in the water. Bainbridge would surrender the ship and his crew.

Then it got WORSE.  A storm came up and swept the Philadelphia free. The Algerians controlled the ship and forced their slaves, the American crew to fix their own ship. To arm it with their own cannons. Later the Algerians planned to turn them on our navy.

But Bainbridge had the last laugh – he was still a hostage, but he managed to send intelligence to the American Navy in the Mediterranean. They found a way to destroy the Philadelphia. Yes, they lost a ship, but they kept the Algerians from using it against them.

The last chapters are about how the Americans almost toppled the Bashaw (the Dey’s boss). They couldn’t because an American diplomat negotiated a treaty in 1805 that undercut our fighting forces. It paid a tribute for the return of our sailors, but it ended the war. It made the seas free for merchant ships again, and captives would be treated like prisoners of war, not as slaves. President Jefferson was satisfied to see an end to the conflict.

But the piracy finally ended after the War of 1812. The Navy returned to Tripoli in 1815. American ships and their guns made it clear the days of piracy were over. A treaty was signed, and the US didn’t pay a dime of tribute. This time the Barbary States paid restitution to the Americans.
​
Don’t forget to check out the back matter. It’s all about each historical event and the men who shaped them.
​

Amazon’s Description:
This is the little-known story of how a newly indepen­dent nation was challenged by four Muslim powers and what happened when America’s third president decided to stand up to intimidation.
 
When Thomas Jefferson became president in 1801, America faced a crisis. The new nation was deeply in debt and needed its economy to grow quickly, but its merchant ships were under attack. Pirates from North Africa’s Barbary coast routinely captured American sailors and held them as slaves, demanding ransom and tribute payments far beyond what the new coun­try could afford.
 
Over the previous fifteen years, as a diplomat and then as secretary of state, Jefferson had tried to work with the Barbary states (Tripoli, Tunis, Algiers, and Morocco). Unfortunately, he found it impossible to negotiate with people who believed their religion jus­tified the plunder and enslavement of non-Muslims. These rogue states would show no mercy—at least not while easy money could be made by extorting the Western powers. So President Jefferson decided to move beyond diplomacy. He sent the U.S. Navy’s new warships and a detachment of Marines to blockade Tripoli—launching the Barbary Wars and beginning America’s journey toward future superpower status.
 
As they did in their previous bestseller, George Washington’s Secret Six, Kilmeade and Yaeger have transformed a nearly forgotten slice of history into a dramatic story that will keep you turning the pages to find out what happens next. Among the many sus­penseful episodes:
 
·Lieutenant Andrew Sterett’s ferocious cannon battle on the high seas against the treacherous pirate ship Tripoli.
 
·Lieutenant Stephen Decatur’s daring night raid of an enemy harbor, with the aim of destroying an American ship that had fallen into the pirates’ hands.

·General William Eaton’s unprecedented five-hundred-mile land march from Egypt to the port of Derne, where the Marines launched a surprise attack and an American flag was raised in victory on foreign soil for the first time.
 
Few today remember these men and other heroes who inspired the Marine Corps hymn: “From the Halls of Montezuma to the Shores of Tripoli, we fight our country’s battles in the air, on land and sea.” Thomas Jefferson and the Tripoli Pirates recaptures this forgot­ten war that changed American history with a real-life drama of intrigue, bravery, and battle on the high seas

This post was born when Jazmin Regist emailed and asked if I’d share a pair of links with you. I took one look and said absolutely! I also asked if I could let you peek at the site, and she said absolutely too!
​
                           Link: https://www.consumernotice.org/products/child-safety/babyproofing/
                                          Link: https://www.consumernotice.org/products/child-safety/


I focused on the first link with its 9 places to babyproof. You’ll have to check out the second link for more child safety tips, but Consumer Notice has so much great information that Jazmin sent the link to their home page to help you find it.  That link: consumernotice.org
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​#1. Sleep:  Did you know new babies sleep 16 hours a day? Or 14 the rest of that first year? Picking the right crib is HUGE for babyproofing your house. Take a look at these two cribs. Which is safer. Do you know why?

It’s the 2nd, with nothing inside the crib except a sheet. Forget the bumper pads and pillows and lovies.
Baby is better with just a sheet and a pacifier. BTW – Did you know sleeping with a pacifier reduces the risk of SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome)?

        Click on the link to learn how to pick the safest crib, and find 6 tips to reduce the risk of SIDS.
                          Link: https://www.consumernotice.org/products/child-safety/babyproofing/

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​#2. Furniture: Did you know every 30 minutes a TV or piece of furniture tips over and injures a child? Or that every 10 days a child dies from that injury? Take a look at this baby’s bedroom. Do you know which two pieces of furniture are the most dangerous? Think ‘tippable.’

​It’s the little table and the big chest of drawers. When kids see something interesting, they’ll try to get it. Consumer Notice.org said they’ll even pull out dresser drawers to make their own ladder. Kids ARE creative! The best solution – clear the clutter and save your child from temptation.

Another danger – unanchored TVs that fall off dressers. Would you believe they can hit with  10 times the force of two NFL lineman running into each other? YIKES! Don’t take a chance – when in doubt, anchor that TV or anything else that could tip over and land on your child.

Click on the link and scan past cribs to find 5 tip-over prevention ideas. If you keep going, you’ll see the next one, on falls.          Link: https://www.consumernotice.org/products/child-safety/babyproofing/
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​#3.Falls: Did you know falls are the leading cause of death for children and young adults? They’re at the top for injuries too. I was surprised that over 2.8 million children wind up in the emergency room every year after a fall. AND that falls cause more than half of the nonfatal injuries for babies who haven’t had a birthday yet. So what are the dangerous areas you should baby/childproof in your house?

​Stairs – I have them and a grandson who just learned to crawl. We need a gate to keep him safe.
But that’s not all – think changing tables, highchairs, beds, and couches. Basically, anyplace that’s high☹ The best safety tip – keep an eye on those toddlers! It’s amazing how fast they can get themselves into danger.

Don’t forget your favorite senior citizen! Did you know that falls are dangerous for them too? If your grandma or grandpa falls 3 times within 6-8 weeks, they’re in danger. The best tip for any age – secure rugs and wires, and keep clutter off the floor.

                      Here’s that link again. Just keep scanning until you find the 7 safety tips for falling.
                            Link: https://www.consumernotice.org/products/child-safety/babyproofing/
 
                                            

​#4. Windows: Did you know about 5200 children fall out the window every year, or that kids under 4 are more likely to have head injuries, be hospitalized, and die than their older siblings? So what can you do to make your windows safer?

Make sure your windows have either stops or guards. Stops keep the windows shut or let them open only a few inches. Guards let the windows open, but they won’t let your child fall out.

Watch out for blinds for babies and young kids. They can get tangled up in the cords. Accidents, even death can happen if kids are left alone in a room to sleep, play or watch TV with cords nearby. Check out the link below. Scan down to find 3 tips on how to handle those cords. The next set of tips focus on electrical outlets.           Link: https://www.consumernotice.org/products/child-safety/babyproofing/

​#5. Electricity: Think outlets. I have a grandson who’s fascinated with them. Did you know about 2400 kids get severe shocks or burns from sticking things into them or from biting cords? Or that about 12 children a year die from electricity? It’s so sad when there’s a simple way to fix the problem.

The solution – head to the hardware store/department for outlet caps and covers, but keep your eye on your child. Would you believe kids can even pull out tamper-resistant ones? Check the link  for 3 more tips to protect your child from electricity.
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                              Link: https://www.consumernotice.org/products/child-safety/babyproofing/
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​#6. Choking: Have you ever noticed babies love to stick things in their mouths? Food, toys, anything that fits, but it’s risky – they could choke. 
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If you have a guest who’s not yet one, don’t let them have: hot dogs, chunks of meat, grapes, peanut butter, popcorn, hard candies, marshmallows and gummies. It’s a long list, but it’s not complete – some raw fruits and vegetables can cause problems too.

Did you know something as tiny as ground cinnamon can make babies choke? When they inhale the powder, they stop breathing. No wonder baby food is so plain.
Consumer Notice didn’t have any tips, but I recommend constant vigilance. I’m always watching my grandboy and what he’s putting in his mouth.

Babies aren’t the only ones who can choke. If you see someone with hands on their throat, they’re choking. (It’s the international symbol.) I hope someone nearby knows the Heimlich Maneuver. It could save a life. 

     Link for more Information: https://www.consumernotice.org/products/child-safety/babyproofing/

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​7. Batteries/Magnets: Did you ever think they could be dangerous to babies? I didn’t. Take a guess . . . What makes batteries and magnets super-dangerous for toddlers? Is it choking, or swallowing?

Swallowing! If batteries get stuck in the esophagus on the way down, they can burn through the tissue in 2 short hours. YIKES! If swallowed, babies may need surgery, hopefully without any complications. Would you believe just putting them in an ear or nose is dangerous?! Or that you should rush immediately to the emergency room?

Swallowing magnets can cause trouble too. Imagine them breaking apart inside baby’s body. They will still attract each other. That can rip or tear the intestines and bowels. Babies shouldn’t play with magnets until they’re old enough to use them safely.

As for batteries in hearing aids, remote controls, even greeting cards, tape their compartments closed with something strong like mailing tape. Even better,  buy ones that need a screwdriver to get inside, and never forget –  constant vigilance.

            That Link Again: https://www.consumernotice.org/products/child-safety/babyproofing/
                                                                 Next Up: Water. Poison, and Staying Safe

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#8. Poison: Did you know more than 300 children are treated every day for accidental poisoning? Or that two of them will die? Two is too many. So how do you protect your kids?

Consumer Notice suggests getting on your hands and knees to look through every room in your house. Anything a child can reach, move it up where they can’t get to it. And even better – lock them up.

Here are a few rooms and the things inside them that are poisonous.

- Kitchen: dishwasher soaps, pods, and powders                   - Living Room: houseplants
- Bathroom: medications                                                                      - Garage: car products

Don’t forget recreational drugs, e-cigarettes and their refill cartridges. Did you know liquid nicotine is so concentrated that a small amount swallowed or touching the skin can kill a child? Lock those up too!
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Click on the link and scan down to read about the poisons you can find at home, plus 4 prevention tips.                              Link: https://www.consumernotice.org/products/child-safety/babyproofing/

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#9. Bath Water: Don’t leave babies unattended in the tub, or let an older child watch them. Did you know in the time it takes you to cross the bathroom and grab a towel, they can slip underwater? Or that in the two minutes it takes to answer the phone or text someone back, your child can lose consciousness. Irreversible brain damage can happen in 4-6 minutes, so how do you protect your child in the tub?

Gather all your supplies together before you put baby in the tub. If you have to answer the phone or leave for a few seconds, take your baby with you. Constant vigilance!

Don’t forget the water temperature! Keep it under 120 degrees Fahrenheit to prevent burns. You can set your water heater, or put anti-scald devices on faucets and shower heads.

You can also use spout covers to protect baby’s head. Some even have built in thermometers that will keep that temperature just right.

                                   Click on the link and scan past poisons to find 5 more bath safety tips.               
                             Link: https://www.consumernotice.org/products/child-safety/babyproofing/

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#10. Pools: Did you know that more than 300 kids under age 5 drown in swimming pools every year, or that 2000 are treated for injuries that happen when they’re underwater? Drowning is the leading cause of accidental death for kids ages 1-4, and 57% of them happen in backyard pools.

​​So how do you protect your child? Fences or safety barriers! They should be at least 4 feet tall with gates that self-close and self- latch. Five feet is even better, and so are pool alarms.

Swimming lessons are great, but it doesn’t make babies and toddlers safe. Life jackets do. Swimming with an adult around will too. 

                                                                               The Link for more Information:
                                     https://www.consumernotice.org/products/child-safety/babyproofing/

  If you’d like to read more about safety barriers, click on this link Consumer Notice and CPSC shared.
                                                                                        Link: pool safety guidelines

​ Finished Memorial Day Weekend
This isn’t really part of the House of Oak series, but it could be. I met Belle Heartstone in Book 3. She was once engaged to Timothy, Viscount Linwood. Then Jasmine Fleury arrived and saved them from a match neither one wanted. Belle is also distantly related to Sebastion Carew from Book 2, so she really could be part of the series.

Belle’s story begins a year after her broken engagement. She’s determined to choose her own husband, and she picks Colin Radcliffe, the new Marquess of Blake, after much research. He turns her down, saying they both deserve to marry someone they know and respect. He even suggests the unbelievable – that she doesn’t need to marry.
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That sets the stage for an unusual relationship – they become business partners. Belle starts the partnership – anonymously. It’s the beginning of an unexpected friendship. You’ll have to read to find out how the adventure ends, and her identity is uncovered. 
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                                                                       Some of My Favorite Parts:

1. The Riddles – Belle and Colin conduct business through letters, from England to India, and back again. Each letter ends with a riddle. Don’t worry, if you don’t see the answer. You’ll find it in the Author’s Notes.

2. Occam’s Razor – Have you heard of it? Colin had. He knew the simplest solution to a problem was probably correct. It helped him figure out Belle’s identity.

3. Belle’s best line – “She really needed to reassess how much bad literature she consumed.” It cracked me up!

4. Colin’s best action – “Colin slashed another dandelion with his walking stick . . .” When you have to take a whack at a dandelion, you know you’re having a bad day.
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​Amazon’s Description:
Miss Belle Heartstone—heiress and savvy businesswoman—needs a husband. Immediately. As in, yesterday would not have been soon enough. Her mother’s attempts at matchmaking have been disastrous. So Belle decides to solve the problem her way—survey the market and purchase the best groom available.

Colin Radcliffe, Marquess of Blake—debt-ridden and penniless—needs a large infusion of cash. Desperately. Preferably cash that does not come with a wife attached. It is no surprise, then, when he receives Miss Heartstone’s brazen proposal—her cash, his title, their marriage—that he politely declines.

But before he leaves her, Blake suggests something truly radical: Maybe before finding a husband, Belle should find herself.
His simple words send them both on an unexpected journey, spanning continents and years, entwining their lives in ways neither could have foreseen. Can two lonely souls move past societal expectations and forge a unique life together?

Please note: The basic storyline of Seeing Miss Heartstone was originally published as a novella titled, An Invisible Heiress, in the Spring in Hyde Park anthology. This current novel is a greatly expanded version of that plot, adding over 200 pages of text and creating a more robust, well-developed story.

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Fossi tells the story, even though Daniel appeared in two earlier books. Her name is an Italian verb for something that no longer exists. This line got me – “Wouldst that I had been . . .” Imagine questioning your own being? No wonder Fossi loves math and numbers – They don’t lie, like people do.
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We get to know Daniel through Fossi as she watches his actions and tries to understand him. Daniel is a professional plasterer – he’s always trying to patch the walls in his world. He’s also not the only one who can see behind masks and walls. Fossi can, and she wonders if his defenses are shaped like a monolith or more like a maze. 
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Amazon’s Description:
Time is not a river. It is a vast cosmic sea, where each life exists as rippling circles on its surface. Usually, the eternal ocean oscillates in harmony, all lives breathing up and down as one. But something has broken this equilibrium, turning the cosmic ocean into turbulent waters . . .

In 1828, Daniel Ashton, Lord Whitmoor, faces a problem of epic proportion—an earthquake has caused the time portal in Duir Cottage to stop functioning, disrupting the cosmic ocean and threatening Time itself. He needs a computer to crunch numbers and provide a solution. But with the time portal on the fritz, a computer is two hundred years in the future. So Daniel sets out to find the next best thing—an anonymous mathematical genius of legendary renown.

Fossi Lovejoy knows she is too odd, too intelligent, too old and too poor to ever marry. So she busies herself in her father’s ministry and her mathematical equations, choosing to focus on what she has, not what she lacks. But then Lord Whitmoor publishes one of her private theorems, taunting her to respond. Fossi is compelled to action—when you have so little in life, you defend the few things that are yours with ferocious tenacity. Even if it means matching wits with the infamous Lord Whitmoor.

Can two people past their youth find unexpected love? This final installment in the Amazon bestselling House of Oak series can easily be read as a stand-alone book. Check out the other books in the series:
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Finished 3/11/24
In Book 4, two characters finally take the lead. Timothy, Viscount Linwood was an unlikeable character in the first 3 books. Stiff, with no sense of humor. Now we learn why – he followed 313 rules. I’d be stiff too!

Jasmine Fleury was likeable, but barely mentioned in the other 3 books. I knew she was a free spirit, an artist. That she believed souls could find each other across time and space. Sounds like fantasy to me, and this story was a good one!

When Timothy comes forward to 2015, it’s Jasmine who discovers his back story. She helps him find himself. And it’s Timothy who helps Jasmine piece the past back together again. They’re a match made only in fantasies.

My favorite line – trust the process. I do as a writer, and in my own life. And it’s what Jasmine and Timothy do as they find themselves, and each other. Another favorite – you can advise others, but never yourself. So true!

I love back matter, where you find the ideas that shaped the story. Nichole Van researched King Arthur, Druids, foundlings, and English oak trees for this one. Did you know they could live for 1300 years? And that one small fact changed the course of this story!               
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​Amazon’s Description:  Each life is tethered to others, tendrils wrapping through time itself . . . drawing people to each other . . .

In 1815, Timothy, Viscount Linwood--handsome, arrogant, privileged--never veers from the refined rules of his world. Cheerfulness and other unsavory emotions are for lesser persons. Anything that smacks of trade is to be shunned. Honor and pride above all else. Consequently, when he discovers his estates are bankrupt, he decides to woo and marry an heiress post-haste. After all, love is for lesser-mortals. But Fate intervenes and draws him to a vibrant woman who makes him want things he can never have. Can a pompous lord change enough to find redemption?

In 2015, Jasmine Fleury just wants her happily-ever-after. If only she could stop losing people instead--her grandmother, boyfriends . . . and now her entire family. Worse, she finds herself babysitting a haughty nineteenth century lord who can't even shave himself. What grown man can't shave himself? She has no interest in playing damsel-in-shining-armor to his knight-in-distress. But Fate has other plans . . . .

This fourth installment in the Amazon bestselling House of Oak series can easily be read as a stand-alone book. Check out the other books in the series.

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Finished 1/23/24
Meet Book 3 from the House of Oak series. This time the main character is Mark, Emry’s brother. He’s barely mentioned in the other books. My guess – the author saved him for this one.

You’ll also meet James’ brother, Arthur and his wife, Marianne. They only play supporting roles in the story, sort of like furniture, but Marianne’s brother, Timothy, Viscount Linwood is much more interesting. He’s more than a member of the aristocracy. Read for yourself to find out how.

The best part of Nichole’s writing is her character development. She introduces two new ones in Book 3. Kit is the female lead, and both she and Mark time travel back to Duir Cottage. The portal has a reason for bringing them together. BTW, Kit is there to find her missing brother Daniel. He has the biggest reason for traveling back to 1814.

I’m usually a big fan of back matter. Nichole had some interesting tidbits, but I really wanted to know more about the spies, the War of 1812, and what was going on with Napoleon in 1814. I did run across a bit in another book because I’m researching the founding fathers, the ones who signed the Declaration, but unfortunately, I’m writing a chapter about someone who died in 1793. Shucks!
But would I recommend this book? Absolutely! I love a good historical romance, and this one adds in time travel too. I love two-fers!
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Amazon’s Description:
Fate will draw two people together, moving them through centuries if necessary. But even predestined lovers have the choice to walk away . . .

In 2014, Marc Wilde—martial artist and actor—finds his life a mess. His latest film, Croc-nami, is being trashed on social media, sending his acting career into a tailspin. His love life isn’t doing much better. And then there is the tiny matter of blackmail. Someone knows about the time portal in the cellar of Duir Cottage and is threatening to tell the world unless Marc pays up. So yeah . . . his life is not going so well.

In 1814, Kit Ashton has problems of her own. Her brother has disappeared (again), leaving Kit penniless and forcing her to take up employment as a lady’s companion (sigh). Worse, there are French spies in the area, and Kit finds herself pulled into the conspiracy. Add in the sudden appearance of a handsome, silver-tongued rogue who makes Kit want to flirt, flirt, flirt . . . it’s the perfect recipe for disaster. Kit is determined to find her brother, return home, and (most importantly) keep her secrets, well, secret.

This hilarious, quick-paced installment in the Amazon bestselling House of Oak series can easily be read as a stand-alone book.
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Finished 12/26/23
This is Book 2 from the House of Oak series. The best part of a series is meeting the characters you already loved. Emry and James were the lead characters in Book 1, and Georgiana had a supporting role. Her starring moment came when Emry had to take her back through the portal to save her life.

In Book 2, Georgie takes the starring role. She’s cured, but she’s struggling to find her place in the 21st century. THEN the impossible happens . . . she receives a love letter from the past, and she wrote it! As a lover of mysteries, there’s only one thing she can do – time travel back to discover the love of her life, but there’s a twist . . . gooseberries!

Watch whenever they’re mentioned – they’re the key to the plot. In 2013 Georgie’s boyfriend belongs to GLIB – Gooseberry Lovers International Brotherhood. Back in 1813 they figured into the plot too. Sebastian Carew enters the story when he becomes the Earl of Stratton. There’s only one small problem – if he isn’t married by his birthday, he will forfeit 60,000 pounds, and the money will go to 3 gooseberry societies.
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I’d never heard of gooseberries until I read this book and its back matter. If you’re curious what gooseberries look like, take a look under this paragraph. Gooseberry societies and competitions were a fad in the early 1800’s. If you were a gooseberry back then, you were a lax chaperone who wasn’t keeping an eye on your charge. Gooseberries are still popular in Britain, but now it means you’re the third wheel in a group.
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​Amazon’s Description:
Georgiana Knight--born in the nineteenth century, but now living in 2013--has certain standards when it comes to mysteries: they must involve blood curdling threats, late-night rendezvous and the terror of Imminent Danger. So far, her current mystery has been a terrible disappointment. No ghosts, no dastardly villains, not even an actual murder weapon. Just a suspicious symbol, a drawing of a bloody dagger, and an old love letter. Though the centuries-old love letter is written in her own handwriting, so that's something, right? And there is a time portal in her cellar. Should she risk giving up hot showers and return to the past to discover the mysterious stranger who inspired (will inspire?) her passionate letter?

In 1813, Sebastian Carew has his own mystery to solve. As a teenager, he fell madly in love with his childhood friend, Georgiana. Ten years later, he returns from fighting abroad as an eligible man of fortune who must marry. And soon. He is determined to fend off fortune-hunting women, find Georgiana, and win her affections. However, she has utterly vanished. Can he divine the truth of her disappearance and convince her to marry him before time runs out?

Finished 11/12/23
This was Nichole’s debut book from February of 2014. I found it in June, and I’ve been reading her work ever since. Intertwine is a time travel novel with Emry coming from 2012, and James from England, 200 years later. It’s a parallel story with the plot moving back and forth between the two characters. I love how she weaves them together.

Nichole was an award-winning photographer before she started writing. I think it gave her an edge in picturing her characters and their story. She also uses Pinterest to store photos and notes to use later. I’d never heard of that before.

I finished Nichole’s newest book before I started her first one again. I never noticed her growth as a writer until now. I loved her stories before, but her writing feels richer and deeper. I think it comes from the way she shows her characters’ emotions through their actions. She also uses historical details like furniture and clothing to help you picture the setting.

                                                                                      Amazon’s Description:
                                               Outlander meets Bridgerton in a love story for the ages!

Time is not a river. It is a vast cosmic sea. Where each life exists as rippling circles on its surface, past and future being eternally present. And occasionally, one expanding ring intertwines with that of another, weaving the lives of two people together. . . .

In 2012, Emme Wilde can’t find the right guy. She wants to feel that swept-off-your-feet dizziness of true love. But so far, her dating life has come up short. Star Trek geek? Nice but too serious. Hippy artist? Cute but too vulnerable. Instead, Emme obsesses over the portrait of an unknown man in an old locket. Granted, a seriously dreamy guy with delicious, wind-swept hair she just itches to run her fingers through. But still. Dead men may be great listeners, but they are not exactly boyfriend material. Emme travels to England, determined to uncover his history and conquer the strong connection she feels.

In 1812, James Knight has given up finding the right woman. All he wants is someone to share his love of adventure. Instead, his life has become a Shakespearean drama. His brother languishes in a tragic star-crossed romance. His beloved sister clings to life, slowly dying of consumption. But then he finds a beautiful mystery woman, dripping wet and half-dead, beneath a tree on his estate. Now if he can uncover her history, perhaps adventure—and romance—will find him at last.