Children's Book Recommendation~ Welcome to New Orleans!

 

Children's book recommendation of the week! 📚

"Patterns of New Orleans: A Lullaby in Wrought Iron" by Garrett County Press

A High-Contrast Black and White Baby Book: New Orleans Sights for Newborns  & Sensory Board Book for Visual Development (0-12 Months)

What’s it about?

A High-contrast black-and-white board book featuring New Orleans icons like streetcars, wrought iron balconies, and jazz instruments to support newborn visual development.

My Review: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

What a delightful board book for babies and toddlers! They will be introduced to the amazing sights and sounds of New Orleans in a simple and engaging way. The rhythmic text will grab their attention and introduce them to new words and expressive sounds. The black and white colored illustrations adds a creative touch and richness to the book's visual element and atmosphere. I especially like how the book highlights memorable parts of the city, celebrating it's unique history and culture. Families will have a wonderful time bonding over this beautiful book! It would make the perfect gift that's full of fond memories to cherish forever. 

📚Link to order on Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/Patterns-Orleans-Garrett-County-Press/dp/1939430291/

How I've Grown as a Writer

I've certainly learned a lot in the nine years since I published my first children's book. First things first, my grammar has improved, along with learning how to upload my books electronically, digitally edit my illustrations, market my books, get them into libraries and local bookstores and shops, and more. 

Aside from the technicalities, I've grown in my ability to express my ideas more effectively, meet other authors (such as through participating in local author events, which is something I never thought I'd be able to do), teach meaningful lessons in my children's books, help instill self-confidence in young readers, make my characters and their stories come to life, and more. My writing journey is so much more complex and fulfilling than I ever thought possible! 

All of the hard work and frustration of being an author, such as uploading (and re-uploading!) books, negative book reviews, and few book sales (can anyone else relate?!) is worth it when I can make a young reader smile (or their parents!) and want to keep reading. I hope that I can help them believe in themselves and continue to learn and grow.

There will always be room for improvement and more to learn… which is how a writer truly grows. 

How have you grown as a writer, and what have you learned along the way?

Happy writing! 😉

March Book Recommendation

                          

"Bridge from Saigon: A Viet-American Memoir of Family and Mind" by Hoangmai Pham

I just finished reading this memoir last night—what a fascinating story!

"Bridge from Saigon: A Viet-American Memoir of Family and Mind" by Hoangmai Pham is an inspiring and brave story that explores powerful themes of identity, memory, family, acceptance, and belonging. Fleeing Vietnam as a child, Hoangmai Pham describes the sudden change from life in Saigon to Philadelphia and the hidden psychological toll that accompanied her for many years. To survive her early trauma, she retreated into a comforting inner world where she developed Dissociative Identity Disorder. She didn't realize what it was until midlife, and then had to come to terms with it and learn how to embrace all aspects of herself. Despite all this, she was an amazing physician, policy expert, wife, and loving mother.

Blending intense therapy sessions with childhood memories, ancestral legends, and family stories, Pham crafts an inspiring, multifaceted narrative. Her memoir also honors the intricacies of embracing her Vietnamese, Scottish, American, and Jewish identities. Honest, poetic, and deeply moving, this memoir is a testament to the power of resilience, hope, and the lifelong journey toward discovering and loving one’s authentic self.

Interested in reading it yourself? Check out the link below! ⬇️ 

🛍Link to purchase book:

https://www.amazon.com/Life-Bridge-Viet-American-Memoir-Family/dp/147669849X/

The Best Parts About Reading and Writing...Especially During the Winter Months ❄️📚📝

 

This particularly harsh (and very early!) Upstate New York winter has caused me to be extra grateful for my love of reading and writing, which can be done from the comfort of my own home. Putting my focus on my work and hobbies I enjoy has been a nice distraction from not only the winter, but all of the chaos in the world today. Growing up, reading has always been my escape. How amazing it is to be able to travel to a different world, as seen through someone else's unique perspective, without ever needing to go anywhere! That's what I hope my children's books do for young readers: experience the magic of being transported to another world, needing nothing but their imagination. 

Writing has always been therapeutic for me, long before I began writing books. It allows me to express myself, get my feelings out, and stay organized. Even writing to-do lists can be calming for me! With writing, there's something about visually getting my thoughts out on paper (or my computer) that feels releasing.

What are your favorite parts about reading and writing? Let me know in the comments below!

Happy reading...and stay warm! ❄️📚

What I Love About Valentine's Day 💕❤️💕❤️

Why do you love Valentine's Day? I love the brightly colored pink and red decorations (especially during the winter!), flowers, special treats, and tokens of affection. Another thing I love is the "blind date with a book" idea, which many of my local libraries now offer. It's a mystery book wrapped in Valentine's Day paper with the genre listed on top that you can take home to keep. Isn't that a great idea? It's always something I look forward to. 

I also think it's great how Valentine's Day isn't just limited to mostly couple's anymore (ever heard of the new term "Galentine's Day"?) or kids giving out Valentine's Day cards. It's for everyone! 

I'm really excited about my Valentine's Day children's book coming out next year. As most of you know, holiday books are one of my favorites. I hope that children get just as excited to read mine as I got excited to read holiday books when I was a kid. There's nothing like that magical, festive feeling! Who else here loves holiday books? What were your favorites as a kid? Let me know in the comments below!

Happy Valentine's Day (and happy reading)! 💕❤️📚 

The Year Ahead of Me

                                                          Happy February!

This past year has been filled with plenty of writing (including a new children's book!), author events, craft shows, new homes for my books, and more. Some goals I have for the year ahead of me are to finish up my new Valentine's Day book (no, I wasn't able to get it out in time for this year!), to be consistent with blogging, and to venture into new writing territory (particularly article writing that's literature-based or perhaps mental health related). I also plan on publishing some journals that are Upstate New York based (stay tuned for more information!). 

Aside from writing goals, I also want to work on my mental health in relation to being a published author. Like most of us, there are times when we don't sell anything for long periods of time, or we receive negative book reviews here and there. It's hard not to let that discourage me and affect my confidence as a writer; it's still something I'm working on. Unfortunately, it's all part of the job. It's easy to lose touch with why I began writing books in the first place, which is to spread the love of reading to children, to inspire people, honor my family and cherished memories, and to express myself. 

Let's make a promise today to celebrate writing for the sheer joy of it; not for the sales or the good book reviews or awards. What's your motivation as a writer? What are your writing goals for this year? Let me know in the comments below! Also, be sure to subscribe to my blog!

Happy writing!

New Book Recommendation! 📚✝️🙏

 

 

Check out this beautiful new Christian devotional! 📚🙏✝️

"UNEXPECTED ALTARS: MEETING GOD IN EVERYDAY MOMENTS" by Oakland Community Church

Everyday moments become sacred altars where God meets you. God talks to all of us. God can speak to us through that soft voice inside your head; or the perfect words for your circumstance uttered on Sunday morning; or He can come to you in a powerful revelation.

UNEXPECTED ALTARS is a collection of stories of faith from real people, just like you, who have experienced God’s grace and presence in their lives. This heartfelt Christian devotional brings together authentic testimonies from everyday people who have encountered God’s presence in unexpected places.

My review: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

"Unexpected Altars" beautifully captures how ordinary moments can become sacred spaces where God is always present and surrounding us with His love. Many of us wonder if God truly speaks to us, or if our struggles are too small or insignificant to matter to Him. This inspiring devotional answers "yes" to those questions, offering over 100 heartwarming stories that show how God reaches out in personal, surprising, and deeply meaningful ways.

The book highlights spiritual encounters from everyday people, just like us. Each story reveals that God’s voice can come as a gentle whisper, an unexpected word from a sermon, or a powerful, life-altering revelation. What makes "Unexpected Altars" so special is its reminder that divine moments are woven into our everyday lives, not just in major spiritual events or revelations. These testimonies encourage readers to view their circumstances through a different perspective that's guided by faith, transforming worries into opportunities for a true connection with God.

If you are seeking a deeper connection with God and a feeling of His presence in your life, I highly recommend you read this heartwarming and inspirational devotional.

📚Link to purchase book on Amazon: 

https://amzn.to/3WRsCi0