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FEELING GREAT: IT’S ALL IN YOUR HEAD

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Saltwater TaffyFEELING GREAT: IT’S ALL IN YOUR HEAD

There is a secret to feeling great and that secret is this: it’s all in your head.  When you say nice things to yourself about yourself, you will feel the amazing energy of confidence, which is one of the main reasons I wrote the now award-winning adventure novel Saltwater Taffy.

Through the story of adventure, I am able to showcase how great life is when you have confidence about who you are.  The more we learn how to talk nice to ourselves ABOUT ourselves, the happier we will eventually become.

When we talk to ourself in a kind and loving manner, we are developing one of the strongest mental muscles… Read more

7 STEPS FOR CREATING YOUNG READERS

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Saltwater TaffyCREATING YOUNG READERS

As the author of Saltwater Taffy, I feel I have learned what it takes to create young readers.  Here are 7 Steps for Creating Young Readers:

1. START EARLY: Twenty-six percent of children between the ages of three and five, who were read to at least three or four times in the last week by a family member, recognized all letters of the alphabet.  This is compared to 14 percent of children who were read to less frequently.

2. LEAD BY EXAMPLE: If you want your child to read, pick up and book and show them how enjoyable reading can be.  If you don’t like to read, change your mind and think again.

3. FIELD TRIP: Grab the kids and spend a few hours at your local library.  Sign them up for their own library card.  Check into events for children and sign up! Read more

SELF DOUBT or BIG DREAMS

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Saltwater TaffySELF DOUBT or BIG DREAMS

You have to decide if self doubt or big dreams will lead your adventure when going after something you love.   The reason I wanted to talk about the self doubt or big dreams because it’s a choice and a battle I have been dealing with the evolution of my adventure novel, Saltwater Taffy.

When we think about going after our dreams, self-doubt has the uncanny “in-ability” of creeping in, looking for ways to defeat us before we even begin our adventure.  The more mental attention we give to the dream and not the Read more

GETTING BOYS TO READ: Writers, Parents and Teachers, Oh My!

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Saltwater TaffyGETTING BOYS TO READ

Sadly, getting boys to read has been a problem in the past, but now it is an epidemic in our country that we need to address.  In our rapidly changing, dancing with the stars, fast food nation of American culture, boys are falling behind in school for one reason and one reason only.  Getting Boys To Read is difficult.

The official GUYS READ website tells us that the United States Department of Education reading tests over the last 30 years shows us that boys are scoring lower than girls in every age group…every…single…year.  The study also showed that eighth grade boys were 50% more likely to be held back Read more

CHILDREN’S BOOK WRITING

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Children's Book WritingCHILDREN’S BOOK WRITING

Children’s Book Writing can be a difficult task, but from the minute we sit down to write something without an assignment from a teacher, we are officially writers.

The minute we have a desire to create something out of nothing, we are writers.  The minute we answer a story call from the deepest parts of our souls, we are writers and we are at our very best.

After 7 seasons of Law & Order, 2 seasons on The Big Easy for USA Networks, writing and directing a nightmare job for Lions Gate Films (Venice Underground), adapting a NY Times best seller for 2oth Century Fox Read more