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Domestic Violence Disguised as Entertainment

domestic violence disguised as entertainmentDomestic Violence Disguised as Entertainment

We are so used to domestic violence disguised as entertainment, our moral responsibilities are being sold down the river.  Maybe Phil Collins had it right when he said, ‘I don’t care anymore…you hear me, I don’t care anymore.”

I left the comforts and steady pay of the cop world drama on LAW & ORDER because the stories of murder began to take it’s toll on my soul.  Every day we’d sit around and create more stories of murder.  This is how I was using my creativity?  The glorification of murder?  I decided it was time to tell other stories.  Having been involved with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Santa Monica, I finally found my way into the telling stories for children. You could say I am now very protective of ‘my kids’, which are mostly the middle school children across the country, so when a network decides to use domestic violence disguised as entertainment where kids are the center of all the violence, I have to say, enough is enough.

Having grown up watching the original Hawaii Five-O, not to mention a fan of Scott Caan’s, I decided to DVR the new Hawaii Five-O.  I know what I am going to get with a show like this, situational domestic violence, guns, murder, and all things network television cop drama.  What I didn’t account on getting was a storyline involving situational domestic violence in front of and around a child.

As the author of Saltwater Taffy, a children’s adventure novel that inspires as much as it entertains, I have a big issue with most of the network programming we have today.  Like most stories of situational domestic violence

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The Problem With Education: Coaching Salaries

Problem with EducationThe Problem With Education: Coaching Salaries

A big problem with education can be seen when Oregon Ducks Football Coach, Chip Kelly, signs a 6 year contract extension worth…get this…$20.5 million dollars.  Now, look…I have nothing against a guy making as much money as he possibly can, but this insanity has GOT TO STOP.  As our educational system continues to crumble, we need to give some of his paycheck to say, I don’t know, maybe some of our middle school teachers.  This discrepancy of funding is a big problem with education and our system as a whole.

We all know that collegiate sports and subsequent ticket sales bring a university money for their ever-shrinking budgets, but is one person worth that much money?  If the players aren’t paid, how can we justify paying…

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MIDDLE SCHOOL READING: I Want To Be Older Now

middle school readingMIDDLE SCHOOL READING: I Want To Be Older Now

A common trait in middle school reading and being a middle school student is the burning desire to be older, NOW.

This is why you guys read books with characters who are older than you are.  Sad to be the bearer of bad news, but there’s no getting around this one.  Every day is filled with 24 hours and every week is 7 days.

Trust me, I know what I’m talking about because I’m still a kid myself.  If you read Saltwater Taffy, you know that main character is me!  And when I was twelve years old, I wanted a later bedtime.  Who wouldn’t?  I mean, when you this age, you want to have more time doing what you want to do, not what your parents or teachers want you to do, right?  I hear ya, but the thing about your desire to be older is that it develops a bad habit in the future.   That bad habit is never really enjoying the moment you are in because…

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WRITING CHILDREN’S BOOKS

do_your_bestWRITING CHILDREN’S BOOKS

One of the biggest secrets to writing children’s books is to watch your own thoughts.   Be careful not to judge your abilities, just trust in the process and keep moving the story forward.  Remember, if a chapter or page doesn’t propel your story, then CUT IT.  Be bold.  Be ruthless with your story.  If you don’t, who will?  Certainly not your readers because they will lose interest.

The process of creating my Middle Grade Fiction novel, Saltwater Taffy has been a wild ride.  By saying it’s been a wild ride, I mean my thoughts were all over the place…thoughts of JUDGEMENT, right there alongside…. Read more

MIDDLE GRADE BOREDOM: Think Again

Middle Grade BoredomMiddle Grade Boredom: Think Again

Middle Grade Boredom is a myth.  How do I know this?  Well, are you really bored as a middle grade kid or are you just being lazy?  What does it mean to be bored or “bide one’s time?”  The Webster’s Dictionary, one of my favorite books of all time (ask me about the dictionary game!!!) says it means “TO WAIT FOR A GOOD OPPORTUNITY.”  Sounds safe enough, but within the hide of the bide, you’re missing out on the fabulous RIDE of being YOU.

The reason I say this is because most of the time middle school children are so busy watching the clock, waiting for the bell to ring, or waiting for school to get out, you miss out on what is happening right NOW.  Imagine if the kids in Saltwater Taffy were bored with being the kids they were and… Read more