Blog Archives
Pages and Leaflets of North Oxfordshire
Pages and Leaflets of North Oxfordshire: My Lineage Pre 1700-1959 by Angela Fortnum is a book on family lineage and history. Fortnum was born in Banbury, Oxfordshire. Throughout her life, she has taken up several roles. After completing her schooling, she worked in a bank, took early retirement, and did a health and social care course. However, it wasn’t until her mother’s death that her interest in genealogy was rekindled that ultimately led her to write the book that explores her ancestry, going back to her seventh maternal great grandfather (GGF) and finally concludes with her mother and herself.
Fortnums exploration started off as a simple curiosity about her history; it was only when she started with her research that she realized that there was a story to tell and decided to publish the book as we see it today for the interest of the family historians. The book explores the gradual transition over eight generations from agricultural laborers to self-employed to smallholders and a change in religious beliefs, which stays an essential theme throughout the book. Fortnum’s ancestors have worked in various occupations, been affiliated with different churches, and passed on numerous possessions down the family line, the original account of which has been provided wherever possible in the text.
The text is supplemented by original and unabridged documents. It also provides photos of the churches and directions for those curious and who wish to dive deeper into the local history. I would have liked to have seen topics of general interest or more details about the historical events from the ancestors’ perspective and the impact on their general routine. This insightful book is a fascinating family account filled with photos and historical documents.
Pages and Leaflets of North Oxfordshire: My Lineage Pre 1700-1959 would benefit those doing an in-depth academic pursuit of genealogy. It provides readers with examples of how to put together a family genealogy history and examples of what documents to look for.
Pages: 53 | ASIN : B07HMTFL3M
Confidence In What You Are Doing
The Mountains We Climb is a deeply personal account of how you found your purpose in life and the missteps you hit along the way. Why was this an important book for you to write?
It was an important book for me to write because not only does it help me get started on being an author but, it also helps me provide inspiration as well as an idea to many readers out there.
What is one piece of advice you wish someone had given you when you were younger?
I would say to have confidence in what you are doing because you can’t expect for someone to believe in you if you don’t believe in yourself.
What do you hope is one thing readers take away from your story?
One thing to take away is that every mountain, every obstacle, and every trials and tribulations you go through in life will always teach you something.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
The next book I’m working on is called “Let Me Tell You A Story”, and it’s a book about how everyone and everything has a story to tell. I would say the plan is to have it finish and available by December of 2022 so stay tuned for more.
Author Links: Website | Instagram
Finding Balance and Success
Birth of a Unicorn shares the six steps to success that you learned throughout your life. Why was this an important book for you to write?
I wanted to show people that you don’t stop being yourself when you go to work — everything that you do at home affects the way we approach work, and the things we do at work affect our home life. By writing a book that seamlessly integrates the stories of my life, relationships, and work — including the failures and successes along the way — I hope that others are able to step into the adventure and see a bit of themselves — and then be able to apply more of these frameworks to themselves.
What is a common misconception you feel people have about entrepreneurship?
So many people look at Instagram images and youtube videos of entrepreneurs with fancy lifestyles and talking about the hustle culture and think it’s this glamorous thing. What they don’t realize is that it’s years of low or no pay, 80-100 hour work-weeks, and struggling just to make ends meet in the hopes that you might one day hit the lottery and be able to afford to have a normal life. It’s anything but comfortable, all for the illusion of freedom from “the man.”
What is one piece of advice you would give to someone who’s struggling to balance their career and personal lives?
I always recommend that people take stock of what they’re actually doing in their day — start by writing a journal of their week, and the amount of time they spend on each activity. They’ll quickly find that the things they want to can easily be swapped in for things that they are doing that are of low value to them but are being done out of habit, or that they’re wasting time doing a lot of things that they really don’t want or need to do.
Many people don’t have the luxury of being able to control how much they work, or even who they work for — but you do have the choice of what to do with the time you’re not spending at work.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
The next book I’m working on is a compilation I’ve contributed to on the future of work — it will be available this spring. Check my website for more information!
Author Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Facebook | Website
You’ll learn:
How to find the balance between your career and personal life.
Why emotional awareness and critical thinking are as important as specialized knowledge.
How to identify the real skills you need to build a “Unicorn” team.
Wild Colts Make the Best Horses
Wild Colts Make the Best Horses- The Intrepid Life of Abigail Adams by Mary Rae Watry is an epic biography of an accomplished woman of American history named Abigail Adams. The former First Lady lived in an era when women were considered second-class citizens. But she armored herself with so much grit and passion and defeated all odds with flying colors. First, as a counsel to her husband, President John Adams, and later as a guru to her son John Quincy Adams, Abigail established herself as a leading lady in American politics.
Author Watry puts together beautifully every little detail of Abigail’s life; every major event is presented in such a way that the reader never has a dull moment connecting the dots. Watry has done a thorough job of detailing Adams’s family history by providing actual conversations, letters, and photographs. As a reader, it is effortless to navigate through the writer’s words and get a sense of the early years of American independence. Watry does a great job compiling, writing, and presenting facts in a straightforward manner.
Wild Colts Make the Best Horses- The Intrepid Life of Abigail Adams is filled with extraordinary details of Abigail Adam’s life. The writer has done her justice by presenting the information in a way that feels honest and relatable. The author’s hard work is visible as you read and think about such a great historical figure. Readers will appreciate that this awe-inspiring biography keeps the chapters manageable. The chapters are short, making it more appealing to tackle in piecemeal reading sessions; as in a classroom setting. Don’t get fooled by the number of pages; you will be amazed at how fast they finish.
For readers who want to know more about the personality, character, and compassionate life of Abigail Adams in the era when women had no say to anything outside the kitchen and their family, this book will provide details often left out of the history books. Like they say, there is a woman behind every successful man, which is so true in Abigail Adams’s life.
Wild Colts Make the Best Horses- The Intrepid Life of Abigail Adams With will appeal to readers of women’s history, political history, and women’s biographies.
Pages: 698 | ASIN : B0932JXZNG
Learning to Dance in the Rain II
![Learning to Dance in the Rain Ii: Surviving Grief, Internet Dating and Romance Scams! by [Shelby Wagner]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51Of0eN7xTL.jpg)
Learning to Dance in the Rain II: Surviving Grief, Internet Dating and Romance Scams! tells the author’s personal story about her own life experiences, but it is also intended to be a self-help guide to assist others who are going through a similar experience avoid the mistakes that the author encountered. The book explores several different issues following the loss of a spouse, including grieving your loss, deciding whether to remain single or beginning to date again, with a focus on internet dating and how to avoid romance scams online.
The author offers some good tips to help readers who have suffered a loss find ways to cope and work through the grieving process. Although this book is geared toward older women who have lost their husband, many of the suggestions in the first part of the book can be helpful to readers of any age or gender who have lost a loved one. Several of the exercises in the book can be applied to anyone who needs guidance in finding themselves and their worth, and many of the strategies for dealing with rejection can be used not just in an individual’s personal life but in other aspects of their life, as well. I liked how the author was willing to open up and share the details of her own mistakes in order to help others avoid making the same mistakes that she did. And I liked the inclusion of the exercises, which help readers to apply the principles in the book to their own life and situation.
The author cites many expert sources throughout the book, but I would have appreciated it if the numbered footnote information appeared on the bottom of the appropriate page. With an abundance of exclamation points in the beginning of the book and some repetition throughout, though sometimes distracting, it shows the authors passion and brings attention to important points that need to be emphasized.
Learning to Dance in the Rain II, by Shelby Wagner, shares a fascinating life story that will inspire readers to continue through grief and loss. The thought-provoking lessons shared throughout Shelby Wagner’s uplifting story will motivate readers to come to terms with their loss, recover, and create a new life for themselves. This is a refreshing memoir that provides some critical coping and life skills that will stay with you long after you put the book down.
Pages: 200 | ASIN: B08S3CGMD6
“Whatever you’re feeling is okay.”
Carry on Castle is a very personal story for you. How hard was it to put this story out in the world for people to read?
I discovered through my blog that I have the rare ability to talk about death and grief. I can handle it, I guess you could say. So many of my fellow widows have written to say, “This is exactly how I feel!” I had one thank me for sharing my story, because she didn’t feel brave enough to share hers.
I don’t think bravery has anything to do with it, but I am able to talk about death and grief. Not everyone can, but they can read my story and realize that they aren’t alone, that their feelings are normal. That is a strength that I didn’t realize I had in me.
I want to tell the truth. It’s not lollipops and rainbows. It’s death. I wasn’t going to tell people we were fine, because we were not fine. I wasn’t going to gloss over it. That would have been an injustice to Dan, to pretend I was okay with him being gone.
It was also important because I don’t want people to forget Dan. Please don’t forget Dan. Dan wanted to leave a legacy. He wrote,
“Our lives are but mist, or the equivalent of the blink of an eye in all of time. We will not be around very long and we will not be remembered. I want to leave a legacy; I want the time allotted to me to result in more than consumed resources and over-populating offspring. I want said offspring to know me, to know their history through me. I want lives and subsequent generations to be different because I was involved. I want to help people heal and be transformed…”
I want people to know what he did. How amazing he was. How much he loved the world. I am his story keeper now.
What is one piece of advice someone gave you that changed your life?
I was talking to my best friends about possibly dating again, and was ambivalent about it. I knew I would never find anyone like Dan so I didn’t see the point in trying. I wasn’t ready for marriage. I wasn’t sure I ever wanted to be married again. They told me, “You don’t have to try to find another husband. It’s okay just to find someone that you can go to a movie and have a conversation with.”
That changed my whole mindset about dating. I wouldn’t replace my husband, but I could go to a movie with someone. I signed up for online dating with that intention. I managed to get lucky, and found an incredible man who I am deeply in love with. My mother in law goes as far as to say that Dan picked him out for me. He is like Dan and wholly different from Dan at the same time.
What do you hope is one thing readers take away from your story?
“Whatever you’re feeling is okay.”
My best friends told me that a lot. When I messaged them in the middle of the night crying, it was okay. When I told them I wanted to punch Dan in the face, it was okay. When I laid on the floor because I couldn’t do life, it was okay. When I locked myself in my dad’s bathroom on Christmas because I couldn’t stop crying, it was okay. When I started taking antidepressants, that was okay too.
There is no right or wrong way to grieve. You feel what you feel, you do what you have to do to survive. Don’t let anyone tell you you should be acting differently, especially people who have never been through it.
Author Links: Facebook | GoodReads | Blog
Birth of a Unicorn: Six Basic Steps to Success
![Birth of a Unicorn: Six Basic Steps to Success by [Heather Wilde]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/412oFk-Z8sL.jpg)
Birth Of A Unicorn, Six Basic Steps To Success by Heather Wilde is an insightful business book littered with autobiographical elements that detail the author’s journey to success. Wilde exudes wisdom as she details six practical steps to finding success in her own life and career through Uncertainty, Significance, Love/Connection, Growth, Contribution, and Certainty. In this book, the reader is taken through each of the steps with examples learned through life experiences, mistakes, adventures, and achievements of Wilde, her husband, and cats. From the six steps, one unifying idea is that our identity is connected with our search for happiness.
An endearing read, Birth Of A Unicorn enchanted me with the success story of Heather & her husband. Ups and downs of their marriage and careers were exposed in the hopes that their experiences would be helpful to the reader. Their cats played a pivotal role in their travels and gave some comedic relief to the seriousness of some encounters. This book kept me rooting for the author and her husband, as they left meandered careers and eventually found work as partners together for Evernote.
In Birth Of A Unicorn, we see the loss of jobs, pursuit of education, relocating for new jobs, the chase of dreams, and travel to foreign countries. Adventurous and thrilling, this book had me captivated from the beginning. Overall, I was left with a sense of achievement as I rooted for Wilde and her search for identity and happiness. She had seemingly found what we would classify as success, and in finding that success, continued looking ahead to the future.
The author does a great job keeping readers captivated in her story, while also leaving room for readers to reflect upon their own path to success. I would highly recommend this book to anyone looking for an uplifting memoir that takes you through entrepreneurship and family life and leaves you feeling like anything is possible.
Pages: 184 | ASIN: B08Q7DTVH1
When Facing Life’s Challenges
Tarnished Crowns a Memoir details your personal struggles and your transformative journey towards God. Why was this an important book for you to write?
What God did and showed me in my life was not just for my growth but also for sharing with others.
God’s ways are not our ways, and many get lost in their faith journey when God changes the road map. I want to help others understand how to better cooperate with the process of salvation. If we learn to look inside ourselves and ask God, “What do you want to teach me?” We will often realize how he uses situations/challenges to build character and faith. Sometimes we get so fixated on the problem we can’t see past it to the higher ways of God.
That’s why I wrote this memoir to show what growth and Transformation look like in real-time. It’s not always pretty as we face our fears, doubts, and insecurities, but we have an advocate in those times we can turn to, and he will strengthen our trust and faith in him.
I hope it helps others learn how to stay the course, see beyond the moment, and become more connected to God when facing life’s challenges.
I appreciated the candid nature with which you told your story. What was the hardest thing for you to write about?
To understand some of the difficulties I faced in trusting God as a born-again believer, I felt I had to let readers know about my life amid the glamour and self-indulgence of my past life. I experienced what the world had to offer and how it seduced me into the “desert of spiritual poverty.” Without a purpose beyond “wealth, success, power, and self-gratification,” there is a void inside.
It was difficult recounting those days where I was lost, abused, and confused. I had no idea how to overcome the damage I had done to myself. I didn’t think God could help because “my issues were emotional, not spiritual” – until I met Jesus.
What is one piece of advice someone gave you that changed your life?
The most significant life-changing moment was wrestling with becoming the director of a crisis house in Hollywood. It meant leaving my security and comfort to move into a house serving at-risk youth, prostitutes, and other hurting humanity. I went to my pastor for advice, and he lovingly looked at me and said, “Pick up your cross and follow Jesus.” Not what I wanted to hear, BUT that started my journey to follow Jesus, and it has been the most incredible adventure of my life.
What do you hope is one-thing readers take away from your story?
I hope it will help them question God’s purpose for their lives. I want them to hunger for a more intimate relationship with him.
The church is the starting place, but the adventure with Jesus begins with following him wherever he leads. “Come follow me,” Jesus said. I hope the reader will realize that God is not afraid of our emotions – he understands what we are going through. As we risk being honest with God, we find he is reasonable, merciful, and full of compassion. That’s where we discover our purpose and the freedom to be authentic—in the context of his unconditional love for us. The more honest and open with God, the deeper our love for him becomes.
I hope readers will be encouraged by my story and risk asking God to show them where their adventure begins.
Author Links: Website | Amazon
Tarnished Crowns doesn’t offer platitudes and clichés but the story of a nineteen-year-old girl from the Midwest who travels to Hollywood and receives an inside peek behind those glamorous doors. Her compromised life and broken relationships devastate her, leaving her depressed, confused, and searching for answers. In her desperation, she makes a deal with God. She gives him six months to prove he is who he says he is. Nothing could prepare her for what happened next. God unfolds an unexpected adventure filled with twists and turns and begins to reveal himself in powerful ways.
Learning to trust an unseen God is not easy, and Pam wrestles with him along the way only to find that every conflict brings his reality closer. Her honest transparency receives understanding and God’s compassion. She discovers how to go from brokenness to wholeness–fear to faith–and resistance to surrender. Tarnished Crowns is her pilgrimage to the heart of God, where she found restoration, purpose, and destiny.
LITERARY TITAN 