Did you watch The Masters? It was the golf tournament on last weekend. Sunday’s round was full of moments with the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat, especially for Rory McIlroy. He was playing to win Golf’s Grand Slam. He almost lost—he bogeyed the last hole, lost his lead, and had to play a sudden-death playoff. Thank goodness he won!

Part 1 – The Commercial Hooks:  But that’s not why I’m writing about the Masters. It was all because of a commercial that hooked me three ways on Sunday. The first hook, the song, The Halls of Shambala. I remembered it from 1973. I was a freshman in junior high, middle school today.

The second hook, kids! Kids playing golf, putting the ball in the hole, or rolling it by. The third, the reason for the ad from Bank of America, they’re sponsoring a year of golf for kids across the country. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if someone who learns golf thanks to them, becomes the Master’s Champion in another ten to twenty years? This was the perfect commercial!
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​Sorry, I googled, but I couldn’t find a screenshot that lets you click on the commercial. Bank of America already pulled it down. But I can share this link: bank of america commercial for halls of shambala - Search Results | Facebook

It takes you to the screenshot above, and it plays Halls of Shambala by Three Dog Night. If you scroll down, the comments are more about the song than the tournament. I guess their fans were thrilled to hear it on national TV again. 
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As for this screenshot, I looked for young golfers who were as cute as the kids in the commercial. I went through like ten pages on Pixabay, and these were the best images I could find. Sorry ☹

  

                                                                                    Part 2 – A Song Is Born: ​​

​Halls of Shambala was written by musician, singer, and songwriter Daniel Moore. Two different artists recorded and released their own version of Moore’s song within a week of each other.
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The lyrics were written about Shambhala, a kingdom that existed only in myth, but it was written about in Indian and Tibetan Buddhism. The kingdom is supposed to be hidden somewhere near the Himalayas, either within its peaks or just beyond them.
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But Daniel Moore’s song version was about a mystic temple in Peru. Its name, the temple of the White Lodge. Daniel found it in Alice Bailey’s 1934 book, A Treatise on White Magic.
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                                                         Resource Link: Shambala (song) - Wikipedia
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Part 3 – First Out; Reached #31: B.W. Stevenson released his version first, probably at the end of May or beginning of June. It was a minute shorter and had a country pop rock sound to it. Stevenson’s version reached #66 on the US Pop Singles chart and #31 on the Adult Contemporary chart. Sorry, I couldn’t find a photo of B.W.

                                                         Resource Link: Shambala (song) - Wikipedia
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Part 4 – Last Out, But Hit #3: The version you heard from the golf commercial, that was Three Dog Night. They released Shambala early in June, and it stayed on the American top 40 chart from June until the end of August. AND, it hit #3 on both the Pop Singles and Adult Contemporary charts. Where does Second ever beat First?! In the Halls of Shambala.

Fun fact, this is the first song Three Dog Night released as a single. They added it later to their ninth album, Cyan. You’ll also find it on their anthology and compilation records.

Meet the boys in the band from 1972. Back row, from left to right: Joe Schermie, Floyd Sneed, Michael Allsup, and Jimmy Greenspan.

The front row, left to right are the founding members: Danny Hutton, Cory Wells, and Chuck Negron. Between 1969 and 1975, Three Dog Night scored 21 Billboard Top 30 hits. Three of them – #1s.

                Resource Links:  - Shambala (song) - Wikipedia    and - Three Dog Night - Wikipedia

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Part 5 – Welcome to Shambala:​ This was the only screenshot I could find. It’s from the story of Kalki’s birth place. Kalki is the final incarnation of the god  Vishnu. His arrival signals the beginning of a new Golden Age. If you’d like to check it out, click here: Shambhala - The Birth Place of Kalki

My link said Shambhala comes from a Sanskrit word. It means ‘place of peace or place of silence.’ Legends say only people with pure hearts live there. That it’s a place where love and wisdom reign. Where there’s no suffering, want, or old age. It sounds like Heaven to me.
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Some say Shambhala has a thousand names. Hindus call it Aryavartha, the Land of the Worthy Ones. The Chinese name is Hsi Tien, the Western Paradise of Hsi Wang Mu. Russian Old Believers call it Belovoyde, and across Asia it’s known by its Sanskrit name – Shambhala, Shamballa, or Shangri-la. Whatever its name, it’s where I want to go. 

I was born in 1959, and so many things I grew up with, that were made here in the USA are gone. The factories who made them, gone. Moved to another country. Employing other people to make them.  The link below has 18 things that left our shores. 
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#1. Rawlings Baseballs: They’re THE supplier for Major League Baseball. Born in 1887 in St. Louis, Missouri. Their founders, George and Alfred Rawlings.
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In 1969 Rawlings moved their factory from Missouri to Puerto Rico, then Haiti. Now they’re in Costa Rica. I guess baseballs are no longer as American as apple pie. 


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#2. Gerber Baby Food: Oh, my! I grew up eating Gerber. My kids did too.
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Gerber was born in 1927 in Michigan, that state up north. They merged with a Swiss pharmaceutical company, Novartis, in 1994. Nestle bought them out in 2007, but my link said Gerber is no longer made in the USA.

CORRECTION: Yes, it is. Bonus source #1 said Gerber’s still made in Ohio and Florida. In Canada and Europe too, but source #2 said you’ll find Gerber around the world. In Mexico too. 
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​#3. Etch A Sketch:. I had one growing up, and so did my husband. Etch A Sketch was born in Bryan, Ohio. The company, Ohio Art, moved its factory to Shelnzhen, China in 2000. It’s a pity . . . something created by Buckeyes is now made in China.



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Now Chucks are made in Indonesia, but I wondered about Converse, so I googled. If you buy anything with a Converse label, they’re made in China, Vietnam, India, Indonesia, Thailand, Bangladesh, and Malaysia. Not in the USA.

Converse became part of Nike in 2003. They’re both American companies, in name only. Their headquarters are in the US, but their shoes are made somewhere else.

Bonus Sources: Where Are Converse Made? In The US? - The Men Hero
​Is Nike an American Company? - Shoe Effect


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 5. Steel Rebar: Have you heard of rebar? I hadn’t, so I googled it. Rebar is a special steel bar or mesh made from small steel wires. Its purpose—to strengthen and stabilize concrete and other materials. You’ll find it in platforms, walls, floors, and ceilings.

If you’re in construction, you use rebar. You can buy some kinds in the US, but you have to import the others. 

                                      Bonus Source: What Is Rebar and Why Is It Used? - Handyman's World
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​#6. Shirts: The major manufacturers have left the country. The last one, C.F. Hathaway shut down their factory in Maine in 2002 after 165 years of doing business. There are still small shirt makers in the US, but the big guys are all gone.



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#7. Mattel: It’s the largest toy company in the world, the stuff of my childhood. Mattel shuttered its last US factory in 2002. Now China makes about 65% of Mattel’s toys. That includes Hot Wheels, Fisher-Price, Polly Pocket, American Girl, and so many more.

Mattel’s headquarters are in California, and it has factories all over the world including China, Mexico, Indonesia, and Malaysia. Like everything else, production is cheaper overseas.

                                             Bonus Source: Where Are Mattel Toys Made? - AllAmerican.org


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​​ #8. Minivan Chassis: I know what a minivan is but had no idea about the chassis. It’s the bottom of a car, where the rubber meets the road. Think wheels and axles. I used Legos to teach my second graders about them, but I never used the word chassis. Car companies stopped making them here in 2003. 

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#9. Vending Machine Parts: The key parts of my favorite machine aren’t made in the USA anymore. Two of them – the bill and coin dispensers.

             Tomorrow: Four more products no longer made in the USA



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#10. Levi Jeans: If you’re American, you’ve probably worn Levis. They were an icon here for 150 years, until December of 2023. That’s when they moved their factories to Latin America and Asia.

What’s Latin America? I looked it up. It’s the parts of the Americas that once belonged to the Spanish, Portuguese, or French colonial empires. So, what’s that? Basically everything south of Mexico, including Central and South America. Plus, the islands of the Carribean.

Bonus Source: Latin America can also be defined as all those parts of the Americas that were once part of the Spanish, Portuguese or French colonial empires.
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​#11. Radio Flyer Wagons: Everyone I know, including my children grew up with a little red wagon. They were all made in the US until 2004. That’s when Radio Flyer closed its plant in Chicago and moved to China. 




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#12. Television: I grew up with TV. I went from black and white to color. From a small screen to the huge ones we have today. In the 60s TVs were made in the USA. Not anymore. The last American manufacturer, Five Rivers Electronic Innovations, closed in 2004. Now, TVs are made somewhere else.

So, who makes TVs? The AI list included South Korea, China, Vietnam, Poland, India, Mexico, Russia, and Indonesia. But I found A FEW made in the USA.

1. Silo Digital is in Chatsworth, California. It specializes in LED TVs, and it’s been the leading ‘manufacturing scene’ (whatever that means) in the USA for the last 10 years.

2. SunBrite TVs are based in Thousand Oaks California, but they have plants in North Carolina and Texas. Their specialty, TVs for outside places, but they have indoor ones too!

3. Element Electronics sounds like a hybrid to me. They have an assembly plant in South Carolina to make their Smart TVs, but their Android and Roku units are made in Asia.

4. Sharp Electronics Corporation, really? They started in Montvale, New Jersey in 1962, but they are a subsidiary of Sharp from Japan. My source said, ‘you really can’t get televisions that are more “Made in America” than Sharp!’ If that’s true, why didn’t my source list the plants in the US?

5. Toshiba is another Japanese subsidiary that has some assembly lines here in the states. They do carry the Made in the USA label, but they don’t name the states they’re in.

​6. Seura is an American brand found in Green Bay, Wisconsin.  

 Bonus Source: TVs Made In the USA: American Brands Complete List [2025]


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#13. Cell Phones: My original link said that in 2008, 1.2 billion cell phones were sold world-wide, and NOT ONE was made in the USA. So, where are they made? I googled, and here’s the Top Ten list:

1. China once made 80% of the world’s phones, but it dropped to 50% in 2023 when some companies left the country.

2. India is where business went. Phones are now their 5th largest export.

3. Vietnam was in 2nd place, until India passed them. Now it’s in 3rd place, and they make 10% of the world’s mobile phones.

4-10. These six countries make the remaining 20% of mobile phones. In order…the US, Japan, Germany, Italy, France, and the United Kingdom. How did the US get into 4th place? Maybe other countries make the parts, and Americans assemble them, but that’s a guess.

    Bonus Source: The Top 10 Mobile Manufacturing Countries (Updated 2025) (US) - MobilityArena

                                       

                                                          The photo below is a welding kit. It has 4 key parts.

Top Right – Crucible. It’s used for melting metallic elements before they can be cast. Crucibles have to have a higher melting point than whatever’s inside.

​Top Row Left – Sand Mold. There are 3 pieces for each rail type and 3 different kinds of rails.

Bottom Left – Igniter. It has a wind resistant design, and it produces temperatures as high as 1500 Celsius. Water boils at 100. YIKES! You need 1 igniter for each weld. That’s where you melt 2 pieces of metal together.
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Bottom Right – Welding Portion. That’s the metals—aluminum and iron oxide powders, that are put into the crucible then melted together. 



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Put it altogether, and this is what rail thermite welding looks like. I hope welders use protective equipment to stay safe and keep their cool.

Bonus Sources:
Cast Manganese Steel Crossings: Applications and Benefits - MFG Shop
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Rail thermite welding | Railroad Thermite Welding | Welding Kit And Crucibles Available
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#15. Dell Computers: Dell’s last major plant in the US closed in 2010. Now they outsource their production to Asia. Why? To stay competitive, in other words to keep prices down. American workers in the 2000s made too much money. That made Dell computers expensive, so they sent their factories overseas where they could find cheaper workers.

#16. Canned Sardines: The little fish that are great on crackers, they aren’t canned in the US anymore. They’d been an American product from 1875 until April 2010. That’s when the last cannery, Stinson Seafood from Maine, shut down.

Where do canned sardines come from now? More than half are from Morocco, a country in Northern Africa. They produce more than 850,000 tons each year. That’s a lot of tuna!

                                  Bonus Source: Most of the world's canned sardines come from this country


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#17. Flatware: Oh, that’s silverware! My link said Sherrill Manufacturing, the last plant in the US, stopped production in 2010 because of economic troubles, and that they hoped to restart their business again.

Surprise! Flatware is still made here in the US, and I found four companies that do it. The first, Liberty Tabletop, and it’s made by Sherrill, in Sherrill, New York. Yes, they’re back in business again! Farmhouse Pottery is also in New York. Wallace Silversmiths are in Wallingford, Connecticut, and Knock Flatware is in Newton, Kansas. Three cheers for flatware made in the USA!
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                                  Bonus Source: The 4 Flatware Made in The USA 2024 (Complete List)


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#18. Incandescent Light Bulbs: Invented in the USA, but the last big factory closed in September 2010. Why? Congress passed a ban on them that began in 2014.

I googled if incandescents are made here, and it turns out it’s still a political thing. In 2023 the Biden administration put in a controversial regulation—They banned General Service Lamps too, AND incandescent light bulbs couldn’t be manufactured or sold here either. If a business refused to obey, they’d forfeit their stock. OUCH!

In January 2025 President Trump signed an executive order about energy efficiencey, AND the government is reevaluating light bulbs. So…the good old incandescents might be back, or not. But if they are, you might still need new lamps to use them.

BTW, this isn’t a complete list of products, but we’re in a period of change, so maybe, some will come home again.
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                                            Bonus Source: Are Incandescent Light Bulbs Coming Back?

​Did you ever reread a story and discover there’s more to it? I read this for Saturday Reads in March of 2023. But when I read it out loud for fourth graders at Cridersville Elementary, I knew I had to write about it. For you, for them, and for me too…I was curious.

The Water Princess in the story spends her morning walking to the well. She returns home in the afternoon. That’s about 4 miles a day, or a hike through 70 football fields lined up back-to-back. That’s a long way.

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Part 1 – Meet the Real Water Princess:  Her name, Georgie Badiel. The book said it was based on her childhood. The real Georgie didn’t walk to the well every day, only during summer vacations with her grandmother.

Georgie grew up, became a model, an author, and an activist. Today she lives in New York City, but she has never forgotten those childhood walks to collect water. Now she has a platform to help people back home. It’s dedicated to building and restoring wells in Burkina Faso.

This screenshot is from her board of directors. The link:  Team — Georgiebadielfoundation
 

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Part 2 – A Foundation for a Princess:  This Georgie Badiel’s Foundation’s home page.
The link: Georgiebadielfoundation

Georgie said, “I used to walk 3 hours to fetch water for my family.
My goal is to break that cycle.”​
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​Georgie's Mission = CLEAN WATER in Burkina.
Ensure the SUSTAINABILITY of the water system
through WOMEN ENGINEERING program.

When you can provide clean water to someone, it impacts every aspect of life.

If you’d like to watch this video, click on: Mission — Georgiebadielfoundation
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Part 3 – Where the Princess is Working:  Georgie Badiel’s Foundation works in Burkina Faso. The link: Where We Work — Georgiebadielfoundation

Burkina Faso is shown in red and green, with a star in the center. It looks small on the map, but it’s about the size of Montana.

Burkina Faso has way more people. Montana only has 1million, and Burkina Faso, 20.9. That’s like 21 times more!

Burkina Faso was once a French colony. Its official language is still French, but half the people speak Mossi. Its citizens are called Burkinabe, and its capital is Ougadougou.
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Its neighbors—Mali to the north, Niger to the east, Benin and Togo to the southeast, Ghana to the south, and the Ivory Coast to the southwest. BTW, Georgie was born in the Ivory Coast.

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Remember those 2 women? The foundation teaches them basic engineering, how to restore, and maintain those wells. Why women? They’re the ones who collect the water, so they need to keep it working.

Would you believe Burkina Faso has 9,775 broken wells? Georgie’s foundation wants to insure their new wells are maintained and cared for, so they manage them until the women are ready to take over.

The Links:
How We Work — Georgiebadielfoundation
Women Engineering — Georgiebadielfoundation
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                                                                    The Link: Georgie Badiel-Liberty - Home


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Part 4 – Another Water Hero: I thought I was done with the Water Princess, but I saw something on Fox News that made me keep going. One of the reporters did a charity event for Africa 6000 International. I listened, and I was hooked. It was a story I had to tell!

Africa 6000 was born in 2007. That didn’t catch my attention, but this did—6000 children died EVERY DAY in 2007 because of waterborne diseases. What a heartbreaking statistic.

The good news, that number has been cut in half…down to under 3000 kids. But that’s still too many, and it’s still heartbreaking.                  Their link: Our Mission - Africa 6000 International   
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​Africa 6000, their mission is the same as Georgie Badiel’s. To deliver clean water to the thirstiest people in Africa. Their charity builds long-term, solar-powered water wells that can be accessed and maintained successfully by the people who live beside them. Africa 6000 hires and trains teams to drill wells and drive support vehicles. 

Meet Jesse Waters. He’s the Fox reporter who introduced me to Africa 6000. He only had 30-60 seconds to tell his story, but it was compelling. He said the number of children dying was closer to 2000 now. Imagine building a program that saves the lives of 3-4000 children every single day. THAT’S an accomplishment!
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Imagine that clean water makes medical clinics and schools possible. Picture water flowing to your garden or farm. And dream that you and the people in your village are trained and empowered to keep those wells working. THAT’S powerful! Plus, women and children can go to school, can learn to read and write. And me, I’m proud to introduce you to this incredible program!

These 2 maps show the success Africa 6000 has had. Do you see those blue circles with white dots? Each one represents a well built by Africa 6000. They’ve done a lot of work in18 years!
Here’s an interesting fact I learned from Africa 6000—Did you know…A whole family in Africa exists on 5 gallons of water a day? Each American, every single one of us, uses 175 gallons EVERY DAY! Wow, Americans are blessed! ​

​In August of 2024, I decided to break my novel of 57 chapters into a series. The first book will go from chapters 1-10, from the Declaration of Independence to the end of the Revolution.

I went from writing a chapter a week to endless editing and revision. Would you believe chapters 1 and 2 have gone through over 20 revisions since June? I’m working to polish the first 3 chapters to send out on submission. Each chapter is about 13 pages, with 5-10 comments a page to work through. That’s a lot of revision!


​                                               I used to paste them in, then revise. Here’s my new shortcut . . . 
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Part 1 - A Simple Revision: This is my download from Google Docs. It’s in Microsoft Word. That’s where I do my work.
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The screenshot below came from Chapter 1. Ben Franklin and John Hancock are on their way to sign the Declaration of Independence. Heather’s comment is to the right. She asked about the tea thrown overboard.  BTW, the real Boston Tea Party happened on December 16, 1773. 
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Here’s what I did . . . I left the paragraph and the  comment where it was. Then I copied another set below the original one. (See? They both start with ‘Ben chortled.’)

Then I copied and pasted Heather’s comment between the two paragraphs. I bolded it for you. She suggested I replace good English tea with fresh English tea.

It seems like an easy switch, until you do the research. The East India Tea Company got their tea from China. Fresh tea leaves wouldn’t have made it to England, or the colonies. They were dried for the journey. 
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I could have replaced good with dried English tea, but I didn’t. This is a story about the founders, the men who signed the Declaration. Not tea, so I left it the way it was, for now. The current version is in the screenshot below, but it could still change. If Heather suggests something better, I’ll take a look.
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Part 2 - A Complicated Revision: This screenshot came from Chapter 2. It’s a conversation I imagined between Charley and John Dickinson. Both men served in the Continental Congress.

John was the chairman of the Committee for the Articles of Confederation. He represents most delegates. They wanted our first constitution to give more power to the states than the national government. Charley took the opposite side now, and in the distant future when the Articles fail, as he predicted. 

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Here’s how I edited the first paragraph. I only copied the comment from ‘pursed his lips.’ It’s bolded, and it’s 7 paragraphs long. Heather had 3 more comments in the rest of that original paragraph, plus  4 more comments in the next 2.

This was THE most complicated revision in all of chapter 2. That’s why I picked it to share with you. Would you believe this page took 2 days to revise. YIKES!

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​After 2 days of revision, this is what I sent to my critique group. Heather will see it next. The original lines started with pursed his lips. I added 6 new lines and the revision ended with supported his concerns.

Basically I stretched the conversation between Charley and John Dickinson. I showed their emotions through actions. Then I named that emotion in words. I also added the details Heather thought a reader would want to know. She reminded me that the reason I write/revise is for you, my reader. 

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Part 3 – Two Files That Get Me Unstuck: Look below and you’ll see three Word files that I keep on my desktop. Two of them have similar names; they both begin with Chapters 1 and 2.
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The bottom one from December is my working copy. I edit and revise on it. I used it to screenshot all the examples you found in this post.

Above it, my original copy from Google Docs. It has the original words from my last revision. It also has all of Heather’s comments. This is the first time I’ve ever put it on my desktop.

When all the revisions are done, I pull up my working copy, listen to it on narrator, and look for places that don’t work. Sometimes I change a word or two; sometimes more.

When I get stuck and can’t decide what to do, I pull up that original copy. I look at what was, Heather’s comment, and what’s on the new page. And, PRESTO!

OK, it’s usually not that fast, but I get an idea to try. Whatever I decide, I edit, listen, and repeat until the paragraph sounds just right…until Heather looks at it again. 

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The document on top, Pray first, I’ve had it on my desktop for a year or two. Would you believe I used it today? I’m working on Heather’s comments from the beginning of chapter 3. She asked me to describe the outside of Old St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Philadelphia. I don’t know if Charley ever attended St. Joseph’s, but he was Catholic…so it’s highly likely. 
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I worked three days on the first page of Chapter 3, and I was still stuck. Still unhappy. So I pulled up my file, this screenshot, and I read it once again. Turning to God and putting my faith in Him always puts things in perspective. It helps me decide what to try next.

Reading through Pray first made me finally realize I don’t know enough about what St. Joseph looks like. That information doesn’t exist online, so I emailed the librarian at St. Joseph’s University and asked for help. Then I put a plug in page 1. I can’t move on until she answers my questions.
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So tomorrow…I’ll try my luck on page 2.

Would you like to save a buck or two? Maybe more! Take a look at some ideas I found at Better Report. They had the cheapest days to find great deals in eight different categories. Saving money, it’s a great thing!
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                                          Their Link: The Cheapest Day to Go Out to Eat - Better Report      
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​Better Reports says that’s when seventeen states historically had their lowest average. If you can’t make it on Monday, try Tuesday. It came in second.

Why? Early in the week demand is lower, so that’s when gas stations drop their prices. They raise it later. The worst day to buy gas – Thursday.
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Me, I buy gas when my tank is low, but I’ll keep this in mind for the future! I hope you will too.


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    ​​ #2. The Best Day to Eat Out:   Monday again! 

Better Reports says it’s the slowest day all week. Restaurants offer discounts to bring in customers. Look for complimentary appetizers and discounts on drinks and entrees.

Plus, they might have unsold inventory.  Leftovers from the weekend might be discounted early in the week. If you don’t see any specials, ask. You might score a great deal, especially on appetizers and desserts.

If you can’t do Monday, try Tuesday or Wednesday, but avoid Friday and Saturday. They’re usually the busiest, and most expensive days of the week.

        My husband and I tend to do Sunday after church. Or whenever we just get tired of cooking.
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​                                                      #3. The Best Day to Buy a Car:   Monday, or Tuesday!

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​Think customers! Better Reports says Mondays and Tuesdays are the lightest days for foot traffic. Most people are working, and dealerships still have inventory to move. You’ll have less competition for salesmen and test drives, more time for negotiation. That should get you a better price. And the best time on either day – morning!

The worst day – Saturday, of course! Everyone is off so salesmen are super-busy. You could wind up with a higher price than your Monday special.

              I ’m lucky! My husband worked at Honda, so we go through their employee auction site.
                                                                                 The deals, fantastic!



                                                                      #4. The Best Day to See a Movie:   Tuesday!

This is a great deal if you’re free on Tuesdays. Better Reports says that Cinemark and AMC movie chains offer discounts as high as 50%. AND they also have deals on popcorn and drinks. Woohoo!


Better Reports also suggested downloading a free rewards program app. It could get you bigger discounts and more rewards. Woohoo! Woohoo!


                     I don’t go to the movies often, but the next time I’m tempted, I’ll think Tuesday!



​                                                           #5. The Best Day to Buy Groceries:    Wednesday!
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I thought it would be Monday, like restaurants, but Wednesdays are their slowest day. Better Reports says grocers start weekly specials on Wednesdays. New items, they’re in stock and on sale. If you wait, you might miss out. Want a deal on perishables? Grocers mark them down Wednesday night.


And the worst day – Saturdays of course! It’s busy, and some things are already gone from the shelves.
       Me, I shop Friday afternoons because it’s the end of my work week. Too bad it isn’t Wednesday!


 

#6. The Best Day to Shop the Mall:   Thursdays!
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If you still shop there, head over Thursday night. Most stores get ready for the weekend on Thursdays. That’s when they restock and mark down inventory. Thursday gets you the best deals, and you don’t even have to fight the weekend crowds.


Me, I haven’t been to a mall since I retired. I tend to shop online so I just googled . . . two sites said it’s Tuesday morning before noon. Here’s to Tuesdays!



                                                        #7. The Best Day to Book a Hotel: Fridays!

The airlines used to release their weekly deals on Tuesday, but today there’s no set day, and no price matching. Better Report says Sunday is usually the cheapest day. That’s when you can get 6% off domestic flights and 13% off international ones.

My husband and I don’t tend to fly, but the next time, I’ll check prices on Sunday. Here’s to cheap deals for you and me!

I love Mrs. Frizzle! Her outfits are so much fun! They focus attention on whatever she’s teaching, from her earrings down to her shoes.
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I can never match her style, but it’s fun to try! Take a look at how I dress for my weekend videos. Can you match them together? Good luck!
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Part 1; Matching People: Here are three screenshots from three videos. Two are about famous people. Match my outfit in screenshot 1, 2, and 3 to the people I was talking about.
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One is about how we can all follow our dreams, like Dr. King did. A second is about Vice President, J.D. Vance. And the third is about Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. himself. Can you match the people I talked about to my outfit? Look closely for clues! 
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Following dreams, that’s Photo #2. White clouds on a navy shirt made me think dreams, and clouds are in the video too.

​The Title: Following Your Dreams.                               
The Link: (1) Facebook    

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​Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is Photo #3. My black turtleneck, sweater vest, and cross necklace helped me read his most famous speech. 

Book Title– I Have a Dream.
​The Link: (1) Facebook​
 
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​Part 2; Matching Holidays: Here are two screenshots from two holiday read-aloud videos. One is the scary holiday children love to celebrate. The second is all about hearts and love. It’s another childhood favorite. Can you match the holiday to my outfit? Look closely, and you’ll find a few clues! 
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The first holiday photo, Halloween. That’s when children dress up in costumes. Some, are scary! Usually I wear orange and black, but this sweater features a few webs and spiders too. SCARY!
                        The Book Title- Dino-Halloween.                                    The Link: Facebook 

And the second, Valentine’s Day. Did you notice my heart necklace and the rose-colored sweater?
                        The Book Title- Valensteins.                                               The Link: Facebook   

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​These two screenshots are from the same holiday. Christmas, of course! But the read-alouds are different. One’s about Santa. The other’s about Baby Jesus. Which outfit matches their read-aloud?

The first screenshot, Baby Jesus. Did you see the star and the wise man? This is my Christmas Day read-aloud.                 The Book Title- The Christmas Story.                                                           The Link: Facebook 

And the second, Santa! Did you see him in his sleigh with the reindeer? It’s my Christmas Eve read-aloud.                             The Book Title- A World of Cookies for Santa.                                        The Link: Facebook  


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Part 3: Matching Places: Here are three screenshots from three places I wrote about . . . the royals of ancient Egypt, estuaries in New Zealand, and tales from Wapakoneta. Can you match my outfit to the place I wrote about? Check the color and jewelry in each screenshot for clues!
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Estuaries in New Zealand, that’s Photo #1. I picked the tan color in my sweater with hints of brown and black because it reminded me of the estuary photos.
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The Title: Take a Trip to New Zealand.
The Link: Facebook

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And Wapakoneta, that’s Photo #3. Wapak was home to the first man on the moon, Neil Armstrong. I picked a blue/black paislley print. It reminds me of space. The necklace, it’s made of medallions with Neil’s footprint, the one he left on the moon in 1969. Over fifty years later, it’s still there, just the way Neil left it.

The Title: Tales from Wapakoneta.
The Link: Facebook      

​In 2023, I stopped on Day 3, and I let my writing guide me. This year I finished Day 11 and a new Word Power poster.

This is the title I’ve used since 2018. Come along with me, and I’ll show you where I was in 2023 and where I’m heading now that it’s 2025. 
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​Part 1 – Things to Keep​: Up first, the things I'm keeping, the programs and tools that work for me. Look down below to see three things that powered me through 2022-2023.

Underneath, my new set. Did you notice I kept two things for 2025? The first, 12 x 12. It’s a community of writers, and I can take three video classes a month from the comfort of my living room in Wapakoneta, Ohio or Lafollette, Tennessee.

The second, my website. I love putting up posts and book reviews for you! I’m planning on updating it this year and giving it a tweak. I haven’t done that since it debuted in 2016. Now that it’s 2025, the time feels right!
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​Did you notice the last box changed? Writing Magic ended sometime in 2022 or 2023. I replaced it with the Courage to Create Community. I miss Writing Magic, but I found a new home at Courage to Create.

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​Part 2 – Two More Things I’m Keeping: If you look at the first row below, those are the things I kept from the 12 Days of Christmas in 2022-2023. The second row, those are the things I kept from Christmas 2024. 
 
If you look at both rows, the pictures on the left are the same. They’re about marketing; about searching for new ideas to promote my three published books. That’s something I’ll do forever, for every single book I publish. I hope there are a few more in my future!
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​One is about Neil Armstrong and his Wind Tunnel Dream. The other two are about my favorite place, the lake. Lake Fun is a picture book, and Zoe is a chapter book. Both of them have stories about the things my kids did on lake vacations. They both have journals that let readers draw and write about their own lake experiences.

The paragraph I just wrote, and this one too, that’s marketing! It’s about getting your product or service in front of people. Then convincing them they HAVE to buy it. If you’re interested in checking out my books, just take a look at my book link on rindabeach.com. It has a drop-down menu with all three titles.
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The pictures on the right are about my search for an agent. In 2022-2024, I was querying agents with my zoo book. The main character, that blue poison dart frog. Would you believe he was playing hide and seek at the zoo?

I stopped querying in 2024 because I’ve been super- focused on writing a middle grade novel about the founding fathers, the men who signed the Declaration of Independence. This is the third year I’ve been revising and editing it, but it’s still not done. It’s getting closer, and I hope to send it out to agents sometime this year. Here’s to hope . . . I hear it springs eternal 😊

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​Part 3 – The New Things I’m Writing: Look below, and you’ll see my new story ideas from Christmas 2022. Back then I had six ideas. Three new; three old. I fleshed out community helpers, but I got stuck; I planned to get back to it, but . . . the Founding Fathers took over. 

​I spent the first three weeks trying to find my way into Chapter 1. I needed a ribbon, a thread that would weave its way through all 57 chapters. After three tries, I found it – in the last man standing, the last one to die.

That man – Charles Carroll of Carrollton; Charley to me, has become a friend. By June of 2023, I’d written 38 chapters, and that’s when I hit another snag . . . I thought one founder signed the Declaration of Independence late – it turned out to be seven. Yikes!

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​That’s when I changed my goal from writing all 57 chapters in one novel, to breaking it into a middle grade series. It will make it easier for kids to read, to wrap their minds around. The first ten chapters, the first book. The timeline – from the Declaration of Independence to Yorktown. The 12 Days of Christmas 2024 helped me put it on paper.

                             Tomorrow – a new idea to try, and a few old ones I want to save, just in case.
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Part 4 – The New Things I’m Trying: Look below, and you’ll see a combination of something new, and three ideas I want to save. Leveling my blogs, a Teacher Pay Teacher account, and a private Facebook group are things I don’t want to lose track of. The time to implement them hasn’t come yet. So I’ll keep them on the back burner for another year.
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My newest idea – to read aloud on Fridays. I found a 4th grade teacher who’s willing to welcome me into her room, and I’m excited about the opportunity. Once a month I hope I find books that resonate with her, her curriculum, and her kids.

I hope I can show them things about reading and writing that I’ve learned. I try my best on every sentence and paragraph I write, and so do teachers and kids. If opportunities arise, I’d love to expand this idea. But I’m going to take my time and let it develop. I’ll let this idea take me where it wants me to go.
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​Thank you for the sixth time to Julie Hedlund. Each year her program helps me to see growth, especially when I feel like I’m spinning my wheels. But I also appreciate looking at why I’ve fallen short, and what I could do differently in the new year.

Meet The Imagination Library – You’ve probably heard of Dolly Parton and her Imagination Library. Did you know she gives books away to kids from zero to age five? Each child gets twelve specially selected books a year, without ever paying a dime, thanks to Dolly and her local partners.
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Dolly’s photo was taken in 1983. Did you know the imagination library started in 1995? Her inspiration came from her father. He couldn’t read or write so Dolly started with preschoolers from her home in Sevier County, Tennessee. Did you know Dolly sends books to kids in five countries today, including the US, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, and Republic of Ireland?

Did you know Dolly gives over two million books away each month? When she was growing up, she believed in dreams. Kids are still dreaming, and books have the seeds to help them grow.

Did you know according to their website Dolly registered 3,197,250 kids and counting? Or that she has given away 260,942,488 books so far? Impressive, and Dolly’s not done. Not yet!
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                   To learn more, check out: Dolly Parton's Imagination Library | USA, UK, IE, CA, AU
  
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How This Post Came to Be – A year ago I saw a post online from the Imagination Library with reading tips for families. I saved it because those tips, they were great.

They’re not just about literacy. They’re also about building oral language and vocabulary skills for preschoolers. If you’re curious about the kind of books Dolly and the Imagination Library picked, click on this link: United States Book List - Dolly Parton's Imagination Library. And now the link has been updated . . .  for babies arriving in 2025!   

​                                                                                           And now, those tips . . .

​Pointing, naming, talking, playing games – they’re so natural. I’m glad Dolly highlighted them.
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They’re what my kids did, what my grandkids do now.
They’re also great tips to use beyond the book, in everyday life around the house. 

And now, two book picks . . .​
Note – These titles stayed the same in 2025.

I picked Good Morning because it had a + sign beside it. That means it has bilingual text
or Hispanic content. So does another book from Richard Scarry. I hope I found the
right covers for you; I only had the titles to go on.

I picked Madeline’s 1 2 3 because it had a dot, like an asterisk. That means it’s a new book.
Madeline has been around forever, but 1 2 3 is a new title. There are two other new ones on the list. Writers like me hope that someday . . . Dolly will pick one of our stories too.

The titles include shapes, homes, family, animals, body parts, and nursery rhymes.
You and your child will have lots of pages to turn, things to name, and questions to answer.
​Enjoy! Time flies!

Ask questions. Talk about words and pictures. Pick books. Set goals and rewards.

Your preschooler is growing into a reader! Just look at the skills they’re learning
​and the kinds of books they get from the Imagination Library.

And now, those book picks . . . 
Note – These titles stayed the same in 2025.

K is for Kindness, is about being nice. That’s a social skill. It’s also
 an ABC book; a literary skill, and littles need both.

Where Do Diggers Sleep at Night is more than a truck book. It’s also a bedtime story
with rhyming text and great illustrations. Plus, it’s a series of stories . . . with steam trains,
jet planes, and speed boats who need sleep too.

Animal stories are still in the library, along with a variety of others. Here’s the link if
​you’d like to check them out . . . United States Book List - Dolly Parton's Imagination Library
​And now the link has been updated . . .  for babies arriving in 2025!

Tomorrow – Reading tips for toddlers ages 3-4 and 4-5

Point to letters and numbers. Find a story in the illustrations.
Talk about plot and characters. THESE are the skills that prepare kids to read!
 
And now, two more book picks . . .
Note – Both titles are gone in 2025.

Corduroy is a book my kids loved, at home and at school.
It’s the story of a teddy bear who only wants a home.

I got The Snowy Day in second grade. I was excited to see both books
on Dolly’s 2024 list. And so disappointed to see them leave.

But don’t worry! There are still twelve great titles to help your
child learn about the world around them.

Tell the story. Write and draw responses. Talk about words and story meaning.
It’s almost time for Kindergarten!

And now, two more book picks . . .

Note – These titles stayed the same in 2025.

Danbi’s Favorite Day comes from her home in Korea – Children’s Day. Kids
the world over will love how she finds a way to celebrate.

Look Out Kindergarten, Here I Come! This is the custom book every child
gets when they turn five. Its job – to make them feel confident and excited about starting school.

And the other ten, they include titles about books, folk tales, and school.
One even started as a song, Dolly’s Coat of Many Colors.

No more tips. This used to be the last set of books for kids born in 2019. Now it’s for kids born in 2020.
And the last two books . . .
Note – These titles stayed the same in 2025.​

​Can you ever have too much snow? The animals in Rabbit’s Snow Dance
think so. . . especially in the summertime!

Are you ever as busy as a bee? Find out what they really do in You Are a Honey Bee.
It’s the first in a STEM nonfiction picture book series for young readers.

And the other titles, they’re as diverse as these two!

When you query an agent or publisher, you pitch your manuscript to them. Comp titles are part of that letter. Comps are books published in the last three years. They’re similar to your manuscript, and they give the agent/publisher an idea where your story could fit into the marketplace.

Part 1 - Why This Title? My middle grade novel is about the men who signed the Declaration of Independence. The first ten chapters follow them to the end of the American Revolution. One Dead Spy is a graphic novel about Nathan Hale. It starts when he joins the Continental Army, and it ends with his death, September 22, 1776.
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My manuscript and this spy novel are both works of middle grade historical fiction. They’re both set during the Revolution. Charles Carroll of Carrollton is my main character, and you’ll meet the first nine dead signers through his eyes. Nathan Hale, the spy, tells his story to a British officer, and the hangman.
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Part 2 - The Real Nathan Hale: No, not the author/illustrator of this book. I’m talking the REAL dead spy. The one who died almost two months after the founders signed the Declaration on August 2, 1776. And no, only John Hancock and Congress’s secretary signed on the Fourth of July.

I couldn’t find a painting of the real Nathan Hale, but I found his statue from City Hall Park in New York City. I also found a sketch from the day the British hung him. That’s where my comp title begins, with the hanging. Now, the facts from a link attributed to the CIA . . .
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Nathan came from a prominent Connecticut family. He attended and graduated with honors from Yale in 1773. He got a job right away teaching in New London, Connecticut. When the War began in 1775, pre-Declaration, he immediately joined the militia. Within five months he was promoted to First Lieutenant. That’s how far Nathan goes to tell his real back story. It goes into his bad luck, which I didn’t find, but remember, my source was a CIA file. Maybe it’s still top secret, LOL!
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Part 3: Who Was Henry Knox? I’ve heard of Fort Knox in Kentucky and Knoxville in Tennessee, but lately I’ve wondered how they got their names. Then I read One Dead Spy, and they were named after Henry Knox.

So who was he? One Dead Spy said he owned a bookstore, and that he was in charge of artillery during the American Revolution. Bookstore and artillery, they just don’t match, so I looked him up. His story is fascinating!

Henry’s dad died when he was nine, so he worked as a clerk in a bookstore to support the family. The owner inspired his love of books and learning. Between shifts, Henry taught himself French, philosophy, and math. Would you believe he even studied the wars of ancient Greece and Rome? 
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Knox didn’t just read about war. He joined a Boston street gang and learned to fight. Then a local artillery company. He turned his knowledge and experience against the British.

By 1771 Knox owned his own shop. Its titles included books about military history and strategy. He loved chatting with the soldiers who stopped by. A year later he started the Boston Grenadier Corps and joined the local Sons of Liberty. He was on guard duty for the Boston Tea Party and joined the militia in time for the Battle of Bunker Hill. He set up the fortifications and directed his cannons at the British.

The battle turned into a siege. That’s when Knox got a brilliant, but crazy idea. He’d make the 300-mile trek to Fort Ticonderoga, New York, then return with the cannons and supplies the Americans captured. The crazy part – Knox reached the Fort on December 5 and returned with 60 tons of cannon, plus other munitions. For bonus points, he hauled them through the icy Berkshire Mountains and across a frozen lake. Knox delivered them on January 27, 1776. After his cannons started firing, the British army and navy decided to retreat to Halifax, Nova Scotia. 

Knox continued on as the artillery chief for the New York and New Jersey campaigns. By the winter of 1778-79, he had a new job, head of the first artillery and officer training school. He drilled over 1000 soldiers during that horrible winter. His school inspired the military academy at West Point.

In 1780 he served on the military tribunal that sentenced John Andre to death by hanging. Andre was the spy who got Benedict Arnold to turn traitor. A year later Knox and his French counterpart helped end the war. They positioned the cannons at Yorktown. BTW, this is a portrait of Henry painted in 1806, long after the American Revolution ended.

​                                                     Source: National Museum of the United States Army
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                              PS – Nathan Hale, the real dead spy, made the trip to Fort Ticonderoga
                                                  and back with 60 tons of artillery, in the dead of winter 
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Part 4: Meet The Ohio Digital Library: It’s where I find the books for Saturday Reads. But I picked it for One Dead Spy because I can read it online, on my computer screen. That means I can make the page bigger. Much, Much BIGGER than my kindle screen. And that’s an amazing tool when you’re trying to read the cartoons in a graphic novel!
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​                                                                           The Ohio Library’s Description:

​Experience the New York Times bestselling graphic novel—now as a deluxe, oversized edition featuring 15 brand-new pages of mini-comics

The Bigger & Badder editions of Nathan Hale's Hazardous Tales continues! Nathan Hale (the author's namesake) was America's first spy, a Revolutionary War hero who famously said "I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country" before being hanged by the British. In Nathan Hale's Hazardous Tales, author Hale channels his historical döppelganger to present history's roughest, toughest, strangest stories. This book tackles the story of Nathan Hale himself, who was an officer for the American rebels in the Revolutionary War and was eventually hanged for spying. This special edition of One Dead Spy features a larger trim size, a deluxe package, and 16 pages of bonus material, including research photos, sketches, and mini-comics from the author.

Nathan Hale's Hazardous Tales are graphic novels that tell the thrilling, shocking, gruesome, and TRUE stories of American history. Read them all—if you dare!

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
             
​                                            

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

                                  To read about the real royals who make up this story, click on this link:  
                                                                            Rinda Beach - Blog - Rinda Beach
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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.
​

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.
​
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.