Saturday, October 6, 2018

BOOK REVIEWS - Love Them or Hate Them

"Every human being is entitled to courtesy and consideration. 
Constructive criticism is not only to be expected but sought.” 
~ Mary Chase Smith


As much as we writers hate to admit it, we often read positive reviews of our work with smiles and enthusiastic enjoyment. On the other hand, when we receive a critical objective review, we too often get annoyed or depressed, instead of looking for value and constructive advice from it. That’s when it’s time for us to pause, consider the advice, sort out the positive, and hopefully apply the knowledge we’ve gained to our next creative works.

Let’s face it, we all want to hear how wonderful we are. But how does hearing only the good things help us to improve? Sure it builds our ego and makes us feel good. But what does it do to help us grow? How does it help us to face new challenges? To correct unknown mistakes? To set higher goals?

Sometimes we need to step back and ask some tough questions from our critics, friends, and associates. So how do you really feel about my work? What worked for you? What didn’t you like? Please be honest.

Only when we use criticism to learn something about ourselves, do we learn to make changes, grow, and better develop our work. 

FOOTNOTE:
Margaret Chase Smith served 32 years in Congress and was the first woman elected to both the House and Senate.  Although a champion for women’s issues, she was always clear about being seen as a U.S. Senator and not a woman Senator.  In 1964, she became the first credible female candidate for president.

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Friday, September 7, 2018

A Salute to Johnny Appleseed!


Sunday, September 23rd is the first day of autumn this year. When we think of autumn or fall, images of colorful maple leaves, cool crisp air, smoky fires, cornstalks, hay bales, chrysanthemums, and pumpkins come to mind. But it’s also harvest time for many varieties of apples that will be eaten as fresh fruit or made into cider, applesauce, strudel, dumplings, cakes, pies and more.

Every time I think of apples, my childhood memories invoke the tales of John Chapman, a barefoot man with a pot on his head who traveled the land sowing apple seeds along his travels and who became an American legend.

Better known as Johnny Appleseed, he was an American pioneer nurseryman who introduced apple trees to large parts of Pennsylvania, Ontario, Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois as well as the northern counties of present day West Virginia.

The second child of ten children, John Chapman was born on September 26th, 1774, to Nathanial Chapman and Lucy Cooley Chapman of Massachusetts.

The popular image is of Johnny Appleseed spreading apple seeds randomly everywhere he went. In fact, he planted nurseries rather than orchards, built fences around them to protect them from livestock and wild animals, left the nurseries in the care of a neighbor who sold trees on shares, and returned every year or two to tend the nursery. His first nursery was planted on the bank of Brokenstraw Creek, south of Warren Pennsylvania.

According to some accounts, 18-year-old John persuaded his 11-year-old brother, Nathaniel, to go west with him in 1792. They lived a nomadic life until their father brought his family west in 1805 and met up his sons in Ohio. Sometime later, when Nathaniel decided to stay and help his father on their farm, John began his apprenticeship as an orchardist under Mr. Crawford, an owner of apple orchards, inspiring Johnny Appleseed’s life’s journey of planting apple trees. 



John Chapman was also a missionary for the New Church (Swedenborgian), preached the gospel as he traveled, and converted Native Americans, whom he admired. In return for telling stories to children and spreading The New Church gospel to the adults, he was often given a floor to sleep on for the night and sometimes supper.

John Chapman died on March 18, 1845.


Supposedly, the only surviving tree planted by Johnny Appleseed is on the farm of Richard and Phyllis Algeo of Nova, Ohio, and is a variety that ironically ripens in September and is used for baking and making applesauce. 

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I'm thrilled to announce that FOUR WHITE ROSES was a finalist in the Georgia Romance Writers Maggie Awards with winners to be announced this fall: It was also a finalist in the Book Excellence Awards earlier this year. https://www.amazon.com/Four-White-Roses-Judy-Davis-ebook/dp/B06XPBKY7F/

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Judy-Ann-Davis/e/B006GXN502/ 
Twitter: https://twitter.com/JudyAnnDavis4 
Twitter ID:  JudyAnnDavis4 
Blog Link: “A Writer’s Revelations” ~  http://judyanndavis.blogspot.com/ 
Website: http://www.judyanndavis.com/ 
Goodreads Author Page: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4353662.Judy_Ann_Davis
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Monday, August 27, 2018

August 18, 1920 - Let's Not Forget!

As writers, we often create heroines who are strong, vibrant, sincere women with the ability to think and reason on their own and who are single or married, working women or stay-a-home mothers and wives.

In history, August was a busy month for five mothers who bore sons who later became United States Presidents: Barack Obama, 44th U.S. President, on August 4, 1964; Herbert Hoover, 31st U.S. President, on August 10, 1874 (died 1964);  Bill Clinton, 42nd U.S. President, on August 19, 1946; Benjamin Harrison on August 20, 1833 (died 1901); and Lyndon Baines Johnson on August 22, 1908 (died 1973)

Lucy Stone
But while we salute these mothers from Kansas, Iowa, Arkansas, Ohio, and Texas who raised extraordinary sons, let us not forget a most important date in August, 98 years ago, that touched the lives of all women across America.

Thanks to the early efforts of women’s rights pioneers like Lucy Stone and Susan B. Anthony and many decades of a long, sometimes frightening fight, we would never have arrived at the momentous date of August 18, 1920 when the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was ratified, granting women the right to vote and granting them the responsibilities of citizenship.

Susan b. Anthony
   And this is not a right to be taken 
   lightly. Despite our party affiliation, despite our personal political
   issues, despite our like or dislike of our present legislators or
   President, we need to salute these brave, candid women who,
   when speaking out publicly for the emancipation of women
   and women's voting rights, were often heckled, spit on, 
   peppered with rotten vegetables, sprayed with water or jailed
  
    These women and other female activists and reformers paved
    the way for us under very violent and disrespectful circumstances. 
   They resisted those who disagreed, persisted, and won us 
   our rights as equal citizens of the United States.

As women writers, homemakers, technicians, clerical assistants, teachers, bankers, businesswomen, doctors, lawyers and the list goes on and on, we now owe it to these honest, forthright souls to carry on the tradition and utilize the rights they fought for. Please vote this year.  

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I'm thrilled to announce that FOUR WHITE ROSES was a finalist in the Georgia Romance Writers Maggie Awards with winners to be announced this fall: It was also a finalist in the Book Excellence Awards earlier this year. https://www.amazon.com/Four-White-Roses-Judy-Davis-ebook/dp/B06XPBKY7F/

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Judy-Ann-Davis/e/B006GXN502/ 
Twitter: https://twitter.com/JudyAnnDavis4 
Twitter ID:  JudyAnnDavis4 
Blog Link: “A Writer’s Revelations” ~  http://judyanndavis.blogspot.com/ 
Website: http://www.judyanndavis.com/ 
Goodreads Author Page: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4353662.Judy_Ann_Davis
Yahoo Groups:
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Tuesday, August 7, 2018

BON APPETITE! Cheesy Stuffed Pepper Casserole

It's that time of year when our gardens are starting to provide an abundance of vegetables. Green peppers are one of them. For many, it's a love or hate relationship with this vegetable! I love peppers of all colors--green, red, and yellow--in salads. Here's a recipe that makes green peppers taste perfect. Sometimes I prefer to leave out the the corn.


Cheesy Stuffed Pepper Casserole
 
2 cups cooked rice
1 lb ground beef
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 large green peppers, diced
1/2 cup finely diced onion
29 oz can diced tomatoes, drained
3 (14 oz) cans tomato sauce
2 (14 oz) cans corn, drained
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Brown ground beef in a large stock pot, drain, remove from pan and set aside. Heat oil in stock pot on medium high heat and add green peppers and onion. Saute 5-10 minutes or until softened, stirring occasionally. To stock pot, add tomatoes, sauce, corn, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer five (5) minutes. Stir in rice and ground beef. Pour into a 9x13 baking dish. Top with shredded cheese.

Bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes or until cheese is melted. Serves 10 - 12 people

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Judy-Ann-Davis/e/B006GXN502/ 
Twitter: https://twitter.com/JudyAnnDavis4 
Twitter ID:  JudyAnnDavis4 
Blog Link: “A Writer’s Revelations” ~  http://judyanndavis.blogspot.com/ 
Website: http://www.judyanndavis.com/ 
Goodreads Author Page: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4353662.Judy_Ann_Davis
Yahoo Groups:
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