Brummet's Conscious Blog

World of Writing - Children's Author Interview Today we are joined by children's author Maureen Young. She and I met almost a year ago, about the time that I had begun the task of reaching out to connect with writers within the Kootenay region of BC - Canada... (Remember the film "Roxanne" with Steve Martin? It was filmed in one of the small cities within the Kootenay region). As it happens, Maureen happens to live in the same city as us. Anyway I had started the Monday Writers Meet-up event (via Zoom) where we could all network, find mentors (or become one), ask questions etc. Maureen was one of the regular attendees for a while there. Recently, Dave and I found that we had to divert our attention elsewhere and I no longer run that group. However this led to me getting to know Maureen on a deeper level - to witness, and sometimes offer advice, her journey to publication. Today we get to honour that friendship by featuring our writing friend here today.  Here is a di...

World of Writing - Author Interview Deb Hockenberry has always wanted to write stories for children and she takes her career seriously. She has taken multiple courses from The Institute of Children’s Literature and the 5 Day Amazon Ad Challenge s.  She’s also a member of The CBI Clubhouse  to keep up with the ever-changing world of children’s writing.  She has also been published several times in various children’s online magazines. Her debut picture book Where Can We Have the Party?  has been very well received by the public.  Deb tells us that she is a ". ..Pittsburgh transplant who currently resides in Central Pennsylvania ". Between writing her next books, preparing for her upcoming newsletter and volunteering some of her internet skills for her church - Deb is one busy gal.Visit Deb on FaceBook , or drop by her blog HERE   Q: When you started your book, did you plan on writing it as a series, or did it just grow into one? I didn't plan on Where Can We...

*Note:  Brummet's Muse Newsletter goes out today!  -- World of Writing -- Today we have children's author Mariosa joining us to speak about her passions for the environment and specifically the Monarch Butterfly, spent many years as a Nature Guide in southern Wisconsin and also raised a son with no TV. They grew vegetables for farmer's markets and while gathering pumpkins discovered an injured Monarch butterfly. Through research and personal experience they learned how to care for her and just how special these butterflies are. Mariosa wrote and illustrated a book about this true life adventure with the Monarch they came to name ' Madame '. Madame became part of their community and effected many who came to know and love her. Mariosa is currently living in central Mexico very near the Monarch Butterfly Reserve and working to distribute her book for free to Mexican children who live around the reserve but do not go to school.These ...

-- Quote of the Day -- “… Our humane society is putting out information on getting homes for all the animals that people drop off or leave outside and don’t want to provide for anymore. …Rabbits that are kept indoors will live as long as 12 years, those that are outside would live only ½ that time. …The temperature outside may have an effect on how long they live. We have ours outside, in a 4-5 foot long cage, and the cage is inside of a penned in area where they can run around and get exercise. …They are born hairless and have teeth when they are born …and their eyes are closed, but they will wander around even with their eyes not open . ” ~ Patsy Henry Today's quote originates from a recent Conscious Discussions Talk Radio show, titled: For the Love Rabbits *Access the full interview via: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/consciousdiscussions/2011/12/13/for-the-love-of-rabbits Find Dave and Lillian Brummet, excerp...

 -- World of Writing Interview -- It is time for another World of Writing interview... this time we have children's author, Diane Robinson... a resident of Alberta, Canada. Her debut work is a children’s chapter book - Sir Princess Petra - being published by Tate Publishing in Oklahoma. Check it out at: tatepublishing.com Q: How would a good friend describe you? Diane: My friend would first say that I definitely think and live outside the box. That would explain my creative nature. Then she would say that I live happy and am a true friend.  That I care deeply about the world: the poor and starving people, the environment and the abuse of Mother Nature, and cruelty to animals. She would say the last part because I’m always hitting up my friends for a donation to my current cause. Q: What are your long-range and short-range goals and objectives? How do you plan to accomplish your goals? Diane: My short-range and long-range goals have bee...

-- Quote of the Day --   “Face your worry and see it as an illusion. It cannot exist unless you give it power and give it life.”  ~ Robert Anthony -- Authors Read Radio -- It is an honor to feature author/illustrator Jeremy McGuire and his intrepid leprechaun today on Authors Read , While his first critically acclaimed book, A Boy and His Leprechaun , focused on seven-year-old Bobby Mahoney's adventures with O'Shaughnessey, the second book is for an older audience and involves the adult Bobby's daughter, twelve-year-old Margaret McNeill Mahoney. Bobby, however, has lost the ability to see leprechauns and is only faintly aware of ever having had it. Join us while we hear Jeremy introduce us to O’Shaughnessey – The Faerie Circle . Find Dave and Lillian Brummet, excerpts from their books, information about their radio shows and free resources and more at: www.brummet.ca

-- Quote of the Day -- Re: Care-giving, hospice and volunteer work: “ You know, I never was attracted to the medical field - I was the president of a school in a low-income housing project in Detroit. Of course I had plenty to do… and at that time I had more homeless students than the state of Michigan… and I only say that because a lot of people will often say that they don’t have the time to volunteer – but I was running a school and had many things to do, yet there are many needs out there that have to be met. Hospice is a philosophy of quality, end of life care. …over 90% of people receive hospice care at home, but you can find hospice support in prisons, hospitals… Some volunteers actually do pet therapy, and certify their pets for hospice care. …If a person wants to be a volunteer but not have direct contact with patients there are lots of things they can do from office duties to fundraising. …One thing that is almost like a secret in America is children as caregivers – 1.5 mill...

-- Quote of the Day -- "As long as the Earth can make a spring every year, I can. As long as the Earth can flower and produce nurturing fruit, I can, because I'm the Earth. I won't give up until the Earth gives up." ~ Alice Walker -- Eco-Events -- * Register by April 8th for The TENTH Annual San Diego Regional School Garden and Nutrition Conference, "Gardening with Class" ,will take place on Saturday, April 18, 2009 at the Del Mar Fairgrounds. The conference is geared toward teachers and administrators who have or would like to start a school garden program. Workshops will cover a wide variety of topics, all with strong connections to educational teaching standards. Teachers will also have the option to tour a nearby school garden as one of their workshop options. Attendees receive a continental breakfast, lunch, educational resources, door prizes, ...MORE INFO: http://www.rcdsandi ego.org/programs /schoolgardens. html *April 5-8: 36th National Demolition...

-- Quote of the Day -- "In today's world, some 774 million adults lack minimum literacy skills; one in five adults is still not literate and two-thirds of them are women; 721 million children are out of school and many more attend irregularly or drop out; and literate environments with access to reading material and suitable publications are lacking, with the result that neo-literates cannot sustain their skills." ~ Kochiro Matsuura, Director-Generalof UNESCO (Sept, 2007) -- Authors Read -- Doris Fisher is a popular children's author & has several books available ( One Odd Day, My Even Day, My Half Day, Happy Birthday to Whoo, Play with Your Food , & the Grammar Allstars series ). Regular listeners may remember Doris reading My Half Day on Sept 29, 2008 - she returned back on Dec 1st, 2008 to read from another book in that series: One Odd Day .– Today we will hear Doris read her book: My Even Day . To access today's broadcast simply click on the hyper-lin...

-- Quote of the Day -- “…You can write for a vast audience, or a smaller audience – but you can also write for yourself. You can write to process things. I’m into journaling because I know that journaling works. And it is an interesting thing about journaling because you start off by processing your life, your experiences, what is going on today because it is stewing in your mind, what went on yesterday… and pretty soon you start to discover themes and you discover material for essays, a memoir or a novel. …I was a caregiver for my mother – like many caregivers my world closed down. I stopped working; I stopped seeing people… I was there every day and always available by phone. And journaling was where I processed this. …Your immune system is strengthened if you write for 15-20 minutes a day about things that are deeply upsetting to you. And caregivers experience things that are deeply upsetting as they discover how powerless they are. So it is very valid just for that alone. It also a...