Blog Archives
Doctorate 101 A Concise Guidebook For Your Doctoral Journey
In Doctorate 101 author Dawn McLucas shares her personal journey pursuing her doctorate degree. Along her journey she shares tips and things to consider when pursuing a doctorate degree. McLucas starts off by sharing what she had to overcome to obtain her doctorate. The author continues on to provide in-depth information on what is needed in order to earn a doctorate.
I found a lot of the information in the book to be very helpful and pragmatic, like the authors recommendation to list out your goals prior to pursuing your doctorate. This is similar to creating a vision board and will help readers keep themselves on track. I also appreciated the emphasis on motivation when times get tough. The biggest pieces of advice that the author provides is in the lessons learned section, as she shares with readers that this journey is not a cake walk and to expect some roadblocks.
Dawn McLucas provides the reader with insightful and encouraging information. I believe those who are pursuing their doctorate will benefit from reading this informative book as McLucas sets the reader up for success by creating clear expectations and then diving into how to overcome them along with handling moments of doubt.
The writing comes off as conversational and encouraging, which makes the reader feel like they are listening to a friend or a mentor. The book is setup in an easy-to-read format and flows smoothly between sharing the author’s experience in pursuing her doctorate and her lessons learned as well as tips to stay motivated and how pursuing your doctorate can be rewarding.
This step-by-step guide will mitigate any surprises prospective students may encounter when pursuing their doctorate. The author shares exactly what to expect from planning your classes, scheduling your time, research and presenting your data.
Doctorate 101 shows readers that even though this is a difficult task, it is not unattainable. With hard work and perseverance it is possible. Doctorate 101 is an important book to read when pursuing, or even considering pursuing, your doctorate. McLucas sets the reader up for success and provides the motivation needed when you begin to doubt yourself.
Pages: 33 | ASIN : B09VY96N1G
A Desire To Help Wine Drinkers
Press For Champagne: A Guide To Enjoying The World’s Greatest Sparkling Wine gives readers the knowledge they need to select and enjoy champagne. Why was this an important book for you to write?
I think wine drinkers could be drawing so much more joy from Champagne, and I wanted to show them how. I’ve had many friends ask me about Champagne over the years, and I dispense advice as best I can. At some point, I realized that it would be a lot easier if wine drinkers had a written guide to understanding and enjoying Champagne. I thought, “Why not put all of my thoughts, advice, and other things I have to say about Champagne into a book?” The book was born out of a desire to help wine drinkers like my friends.
What is a common misconception you feel people have about Champagne?
Many people think the only time to drink Champagne is when you are celebrating. The fact is that Champagne is a very versatile wine that pairs well with food and can be enjoyed any time wine is served.
What do you hope is one thing readers take away from your book?
A reader who finishes this book will have a greater ability to appreciate, enjoy, and explore Champagne.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
I am in the beginning stages of a book about drinking and serving wines and spirits at home. I wish I could tell you when it will be available, but the Champagne book took me about five years from the conception of it to completion. I hope this one doesn’t take that long!
Author Links: Amazon | Twitter
Yet few wine drinkers truly know Champagne well enough to seize the joy they could be drawing from it. Champagne marketing and labels often confuse more than they inform. And understanding the different styles, types, and producers of Champagne – and how they align with your own personal preferences – can seem like a daunting task.
Press for Champagne leads you through a personal discovery of Champagne that removes the barriers to maximizing the joy Champagne has to offer you. Entertaining, informative, organized, and clear, Press for Champagne takes you on a journey through the broad array of Champagnes available to today’s drinkers. It shows you, through examples, how and why Champagnes differ and how to understand them, giving you the tools to develop your own preferences and explore further. This is a drinker’s guide to Champagne. Press for Champagne accompanies you on an adventure that will enhance your appreciation of Champagne and the pleasure you receive from it.
Wilbur The Tractor Series
Wilbur’s New Home: A Surprise for Wilbur follows a tractor that is going to a new home where he can rest more, but finding the right owner is a challenge. What was the inspiration for your story?
We name all of our vehicles, even our lawn tractors so when we purchased an older Wheel Horse Tractor, we named him Wilbur. I thought he was so cute and children would love reading a story about a little red tractor named Wilbur. One of my favorite features about our tractor is his big square headlights that look like eyes. This is the second book in the Wilbur the Tractor series.
The art in this book is fantastic, showcasing the work of two talented illustrators. What was the art collaboration process like working with two illustrators?
It was fun working with two different illustrators and it was a new experience for us because my sister, Holly Humphrys-Bajaj, had illustrated all of our books until we were planning the story about Wilbur getting a new home. As it happened, Holly was very busy with various projects and wasn’t able to draw all of the illustrations. These amazing artists are so creative. They helped to make Wilbur’s second story shine. We’ve received many compliments on their work and how the illustrations drew readers into the book. It was the first book illustrated by Wanda L. Urabazo and she enjoyed creating some of the illustrations for our second Wilbur the Tractor tale.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
Wilbur’s new Home shows children that changes are part of life, and positive things may happen as a result. Many children fear disruptions in their lives like moving away from their friends, or attending a new school because they are uncertain of what may happen. Children may also be shy about making new friends, like Wilbur is in the book. Wilbur’s new Home also highlights the importance of friendship because Jim, Wilbur’s owner, has promised to find him a home where the little tractor is treasured and appreciated. I believe that children will relate to Wilbur’s story and I hope it helps them cope with their situation.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
Holly and I are working on a new book about twin ponies named Cocoa and Cream. They have similar personalities and they share some characteristics. For example, both have wild manes and big, hooves called platter feet. The ponies discuss how fortunate they are to have those sizeable feet because it’s unlikely their feet will feel uncomfortable. This will be a chapter book and my estimate is that it will be published in about a year.
Author Links: Amazon | GoodReads | Website
“A sweet story about Wilbur the cutest tractor, who faces an unknown future with patience and hope. This story features Wilbur’s adorable friend Hattie, who supports him along the journey into his new home.”~Hollie Anne Marsh, children’s author
In this second book in the Wilbur the Tractor series, Wilbur learns the value of friendship and patience. He hopes you enjoy his new adventure.
Our Wild Family Adventures
The Adventures of Super Obi: Nothing to Fear follows a little boy afraid of the dark and monsters and how he overcomes this fear. What was the inspiration for your story?
Super Obi is modeled after my first-born son, Obinna Okonkwo. I am Haitian-American, and Obi’s father is Nigerian. I also have two other children with loads of personalities. My son and all our wild family adventures are the inspiration for this book. Obinna carried his yellow blankie with him as a young child for comfort and courage. When tied around his neck as a cape, Obi’s blankie gives him the strength and courage to conquer his fears and anxieties. He also had a hard time going to bed some nights when he was younger. I have written this book for all types of families, like mine, looking for stories that are not only entertaining but portray multicultural families and focus on morals based on biblical teaching.
The art in this book is fantastic. What was the art collaboration process like with illustrator Mariana Hnatenko?
Thank you so much! It was important to me that the book illustrations be as expressive and entertaining as possible, given the book’s theme. When sending over my manuscript to Mariana, I paginated my manuscript so that she understood exactly how my characters were feeling and what I wanted to be portrayed on each page of the book. I wanted the illustrations to show the story as much as the text does equally. Once I approved each page or spread, Mariana would move on to the next. She would often get the illustrations right with very little additional feedback from me. It was a joy working with her!
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
As a mom of 3, I know what stories my children love best. They like to be in suspense, use their imagination, and be inspired. These are all concepts I included in this first book of the series, “The Adventures of Super Obi.” The book theme, “Nothing to Fear,” is meant to assure children that sometimes their imagination may get the best of them, and life can get scary. But no matter the circumstance, they can be brave and overcome their fears by tapping into their superpower. I believe that ALL children are super in their way; we need to remind them of this.
What is the next book you are working on, and when will it be available?
I am working on introducing books number 2 and 3 in this Super Obi series. The Activity & Coloring book accompanying “Nothing to Fear” is about 80% done, and book #3 is already written and edited. Both books are pending the safety and availability of my illustrator, who currently resides in Ukraine. Because of Russia’s invasion, my illustrator and her team have been busy dealing with their personal lives. Although I would like to have the series complete this year, I have no timelines as I wait and pray for this war to be over and that lives and families as spared.
Author Links: GoodReads | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | Website
This beautifully illustrated book is the first of my novel picture book series, The Adventures of Super Obi, which was written to take the fear out of bedtime and other life situations.
Book #1, Nothing to Fear, focuses on the following themes:Family relationships
Love for one another
Courage
Bravery
Faith
Trust in God
Biblical Teaching
… and so much more!
Snuggle up with your child and make bedtime a cherished opportunity to learn about God’s truth and love. God bless you and sleep tight!
Parents and Teachers: visit www.superobibooks.com for free printable activities.
The Legend of the Summer Snowflake
Sky Watch has disbanded and Cloudia is missing her friends. Mother Sky is sad because pollution is getting bad on earth and there is nothing that she can do. That is, until a single snowflake falls in the middle of summer, bringing the Sky Watch team back together. Now Cloudia and friends have the power to fight pollution and save a baby dolphin from a plastic garbage patch.
The Legend of the Summer Snowflake is a colorful children’s book that features a diverse cast of young characters that band together to save a baby dolphin, but more importantly they bring awareness to a major problem that is collecting in our ocean; garbage patches.
This wonderful picture books clearly illustrates a complex issue in a way that young children will be able to easily understand. Along with that, the Sky Watch team has an array of fantastic abilities they can use to cleanup pollution. Children will be excited to see all the different characters show up, as they will get to point out their different abilities and see them in action. I really enjoyed seeing how those abilities were brought to life by illustrator Len Peralta.
The Legend of the Summer Snowflake is a wonderfully educational kids book that educates as well as it entertains. What I like most about this book is that it not only points out the pollution trouble, it also explains what humans are doing to resolve the garbage patch problem, giving readers an actionable path to take the lessons learned from the book into the real world.
Pages: 34 | ASIN: B09W1HQ9TW
Scent-Sational Searches
In her book Scent-Sational Searches, author Deborah Worley takes readers through the perfume world, aiding them in exploring different fragrances and scents. Worley’s writing is captivating. She uses words to describe scents that will make you fall in love with fragrances. She calls herself a “fragranista”, a name that complements her knowledge of the fragrance world.
Worley helps readers get to know the fragrances that best suit them. Selecting a fragrance should not be a random affair. You need to be aware of your blood type and personality type that parallel fragrance families. The discussion on blood types was fascinating. Learning about the popular blood types in the world and how they may influence one’s personality was eye-opening.
Reading about the author’s love of fragrances is heart-warming. I enjoyed the stories about the relationship her mother and grandmother had with fragrances. Her exposure to fragrances at an early age influenced her passion for scents. Learning about the author’s career with fragrances was interesting as well. Readers will experience pieces of her life through the personal stories she shares. These experiences are moving, and her love of fragrances is infectious.
Readers will understand why perfumes are crucial in grooming after reading this educational book. From this book I discovered tips on how to wear my perfume, the most alluring scents for my personality, and styling do’s and don’ts. The author also includes the history of perfumes. The book also includes biographies of some world-famous creators of perfume icons like Coco Chanel, Estée Lauder, Michael Edwards, and Thierry Mugler. Seeing how they made a mark in the world of fragrance was fascinating.
Scent-Sational Searches: Find Your Fragrances By Blood And Personality Parallels is the ideal book for fragrance and perfume aficionados. This well-researched book will help readers understand the nuances of scent and help them discover the perfect one to complement their individuality.
Pages: 136 | ASIN : B09JKB8PX4
I Hope Readers Will Be Inspired
A Calf Named Brian Higgins is based on your real-life experiences of traveling to Africa. Why was this an important book for you to write?
It was important for me to write this book because of how much I loved spending time with the wonderful people in Sauri, Kenya. Part of the reason I had gone to rural Kenya was to be helpful to a community suffering from poverty and I quickly learned that while they are lacking in many basic resources, the people there know more about taking care of each other than any community I have ever known.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
The people in Sauri, Kenya worked together and established a rule: leave what you can, take only what you need. Since abiding by this simple principle, no one in their community has died of hunger. When I speak at schools, I ask the kids to think about that: leave what you can, take only what you need. That can be tough to live by under any circumstances, and certainly when you’re lacking food and medicine. When they took only what they needed, there was enough for everyone.
What is one thing that you hope readers take away from A Calf Named Brian Higgins?
I hope readers will be inspired by the love and solidarity of the people in Sauri and will help end global poverty.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
I am working on a book about the love we have for our dogs/pets. The manuscript should be completed this summer.
Author Links: GoodReads | Website
Nature Is Imploring Us
Ursamer: A Treasury of Feel-Good Stories Book 2 follows a young Inuit girl who tries to find someone that will understand her message about global warming. What was the inspiration for your stories?
Ursamer – the name came into my head. Sound is very important to me as a musician, but also as a writer. Translated, Ursa and Mer mean Bear and Sea. So, I thought I would write about polar bears and what is happening to them. I also wanted to write about climate change from a different slant. Everyone talks about the physical changes to the ice caps, but not so much how this is affecting those who live there.
Ursamer encounters very different people each time she arrives in a different place, how did you decide on where she would appear?
I tried to imagine what it would be like from her perspective and the difficulties she would have in conversing with the people she met. They would be so culturally removed from her. I wanted to show how different people are affected in different ways, but that we’re all in the world together and things are not looking rosy. Someone old and homeless in New York City (Ursamer can’t see why an elder is not treated with respect), famine-stricken refugees in Africa (they are desperate to the point of lost humanity), and me-dominated rich shoppers in a giant mall – the on-demand types. (It’s all about them, and they are totally clueless about what’s going on in the real world, which is, in essence, their world too.)
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
That nature is imploring us to turn ourselves around. The main thing for me is that humanity STILL doesn’t get it. The global pandemic is something that has never happened before. (Yes, others have, but they go away, at least for a while. I have a PhD in disease ecology, so I know what I’m talking about here). This virus is different – it’s not going away.
But, we have not learned from it. This is nature shouting a HUGE wake-up call. We’re a small step ahead with vaccines, but then we just keep going with our self-centred agenda – over-populating, over-consuming, polluting, degrading, destroying…
The ”On Demand” species. Uggh.
Listening is also a central theme of this story. The vast majority of people do not listen. Poor communication is a huge problem.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
Well, a few. A comedy/social justice novel – it should be out by the end of the year.
Author Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Facebook | Website
Where has she come from? What is her story? She has something very important to say, but no one is listening!
A sweet, poignant tale about climate change, Ursamer is ideal for children ages 8 and older.
LITERARY TITAN 