Month: May 2020

Book reviews by D.G. Kaye

Sunday Book Review – New Reviews for D.G. Kaye Books – #Memoir – #Nonfiction

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Welcome to my Sunday Book Review(s). Every Sunday I share a review of a book I’ve recently read, but due to the full moon and Mercury Retrograde soon approaching, as usual, it’s interrupting my life. With that said, and in all fairness, I am also currently reading 3 books simultaneously, which I’m blaming for the cause of not finishing a book this week. In lieu of my missing review I’m sharing a few reviews I found for my own books that I’d like to share here today. I hope you enjoy.

reading books

 

 

Twenty Years: After “I Do”

Twenty Years by D.G. Kaye

 

My rating:
 5 of 5 stars ]
Twenty Years: After “I Do”
by

D.G. Kaye

7365405

James‘s review Feb 02, 2020

It was amazing.

Twenty Years: After “I Do” is an autobiographical non-fiction book about the author’s experience with marriage and relationships. I’ve previously read another of her autobiographies about her relationship with her mother, and it was such an emotionally charged and well-written book, I decided to keep reading more from her every few months until I caught up on all her works.

In this one, Debby tells us what happened almost twenty years ago when she debated whether to marry the man who is now her husband. Given he was twenty years older, she had a lot of decisions to consider when it came to how her life would change. At the core of this book, and her approach to life, is her commitment and honesty in all that she achieves. Debby knew… if she married him, she would have to accept all that came with it in the future. From there, she dives into key aspects of married life: emotions, sex life, personal time, separation of couple and individual, fighting, decision-making, and death. Lessons we all need to consider.

Debby’s writing style is simply fantastic. It’s easy to devour in a short sitting, but it always makes you feel like part of her life. She openly shares so much (the good, the bad, and the ugly) while holding back in all the appropriate areas to allow for proper balance, e.g. we learn about the impacts to her sex life when one partner is ill but she doesn’t go into the details. She tells us how she and her husband tackled the issues from a day-to-day perspective and moved on… because they loved one another (to the moon and back).

There is a refreshing honesty and truth in her words, and readers will quickly find themselves a path to compare their own lives to that of the author’s. What have I done well? What could I do better? What needs to change? Excellent questions to consider, but Debby doesn’t directly tell us to do this–her actions show us why this is at the core of a good marriage. I’m thrilled I had the chance to read this one today. Although I’ve only been with my partner for 8 years, it’s easy to track where things are and what we could do differently.

Debby bravely tells us her story, allowing us to interpret for ourselves what everything means, especially in this ever-changing world where people live longer and have access to more things but it’s harder to get them. I highly recommend this book to nearly anyone in a relationship, or those who want to know how to handle one when they are. Debby shares a few secrets, some hints, and a few suggestions to consider. It’s not just for newbies or long-term couples… there’s a bit of everything for how to co-exist and still be who you are. Great work!

 

Conflicted Hearts

Conflicted Hearts, D.G. Kaye

 

Customer Review

Miriam Hurdle
5.0 out of 5 stars Good Insight from a Painful ExperienceReviewed in the United States on March 5, 2020
Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

In her book Conflicted Hearts, Kaye recounted her vivid memories of painful experience growing up with a narcissist mother whose interest was partying, smoking, gambling and getting male’s attention to herself. Her mother threw out her father frequently and had male companions in the house with the children’s presence. Kaye’s father returned home long enough to make babies but had no guarantee to stay. She felt sad for her father. She couldn’t concentrate at school. Instead, she expected the disappearance of her father or anger from her mother. She did not receive the nurturing needed for a happy childhood. Instead of being a child, she felt responsible and be the parent to her father. Later, she found out that the paternal grandparents didn’t like her because her mother was pregnant with her and caused her parents’ marriage. She felt it was her fault, and that she was the reason for her father to marry her mother. She considered herself as the black sheep, the accident. If her father married someone else, he would have been happier. Her mother was never home and had babysitter watching the four children until Kaye was twelve and became a babysitter.

Aunty Sherry was the only adult to show her guidance, concern and attention. Sherry got married in her forties and didn’t have children.

Kaye moved to an apartment at age eighteen. She went to university part-time studying classical music and singing, but never made it. She then supported herself by working in the Casinos dealing cards. During those years, Kaye had relationships with married men. Eventually she married a loving, thoughtful husband. Eventually she got married to a love and caring husband.

As a mother and a grandmother, I couldn’t imagine such a person as Kaye’s self-centered mother. I felt horrified when Kaye’s baby brother wandered off a mile away while the mother was asleep late in the morning recovering from the late-night party. Children are the ones who suffer the most in a dysfunctional home. Kaye’s parents had problems with their marriage, yet four babies were brought into the world. I feel that Kaye’s mother had sex for pleasure and didn’t understand the consequence. Kaye should never feel responsible for causing the parents to get married. Regardless, Kaye became a sensitive person and led a happy life.

 

Conflicted Hearts, D.G. Kaye

 

Pete Springer
5.0 out of 5 stars A Compelling Read!

Reviewed in the United States on February 2, 2020

Format: Kindle Edition

P.S. I Forgive You

P.S. I Forgive You

 

Customer Review

E Tyler
5.0 out of 5 stars A rare glimpse into rawness and vulnerability…

Reviewed in the United States on February 6, 2020

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase
I see that other reviewers have talked about this book as a “story.” And that is true—there is certainly a story, a true one, woven through these pages. But this is not a novel, nor did I read it simply as a memoir. I think what I appreciated the most, in fact, is that the author is not trying to be literary. She is not trying to move in a chronological flow with a traditional arc. She isn’t even trying to teach or encourage people to do this or that based on what she herself has experienced. Like a personal journal, this book is not prettied-up for the sake of onlookers. Reflections wind their way between now, not long ago, childhood, then back to the present. Some thoughts resurface throughout the book, as the author struggles again with something she thought she’d already packed safely away. It’s a rare glimpse into rawness and vulnerability, with no other goal but honesty. So on one hand, yes, it is a story—one that will invoke empathy in any reader, just as a novel might, though its characters may be disparate from the reader. Yet for those who have, in fact, lived a similar experience, I believe this book will, without ever suggesting solutions, allow many to begin or continue their own process of acknowledgment, grieving—and ultimately letting go.
One person found this helpful.

It is my belief that every woman on the planet should read this non-fiction inspirational story that reveals the negative self-esteem experiences that many if not all women encounter during various incidents throughout their lives, and the consequences of those experiences often begin in early childhood.

D.G. Kaye writes with empathy, compassion, and a plethora of knowledge using her own experiences to help other women understand the importance of realizing their sense of self that is intimately associated with our self-worth. Self-worth is not a vanity and it not excessive pride. It is how we access our own sense of being, of who we are.

The author, D.G. Kaye, writes with a warmhearted conversational style that beautifully eliminates dogma and in effect the judging of us, by us, and others for what we may perceive as a failure to have fallen victim to ridicule, to embarrassment, and instead we begin to believe in our personalities and our value in the world.

Our society often appears to judge women by our appearance: a cultural sense of what beauty is, a person’s station in life, and least but not last – money. If as a child we experienced being bullied, laughed at, ignored, and ridiculed, our self-worth without a positive, loving alternative from your parents, grandparents, and siblings—is damaged and our chances of feeling unlovable, inadequate, and homely take root in our psyche. A psyche that is damaged presents difficulties in our self-expression, our personalities, and our ability to thrive in the world without a sense of inadequacy. This sense of inadequacy leaves us open to being further damaged by others.

D.G. Kaye, the author, encourages us, helps us to understand, and presents a rationale that can and does present a newer, healthier view of ourselves as well as to develop healthier relationships. Once we rid ourselves of negativity, jealousy, envy, and that awful feeling of inadequacy; our inner personalities, our joy of life, and a sense of inner happiness will begin to shine.

D.G. Kaye’s inspirational non-fiction for women is the best of its kind that I have ever read, and a must read for all women. I give this book a 5-star rating.

 

Books by D.G. Kaye

 

 

 

Thanks for reading, feel free to visit my Amazon Author Page to view all my books.

 

©DGKaye2020

 

 

Carrot Ranch finalist

Saddle Up Saloon; Blog Blusterin’ « Carrot Ranch Literary Community

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Charli Mills has an interesting invitation to join in her TUFF FlashFiction Challenge at the CarrotRanch. D. Avery has challenged us to introduce ourselves and our blogs, the catch – Write it in 99 words exactly – pare it down to 59 words – then pare it down to 9 words only. Good exercise for blurb writing!

 

Saddle Up Saloon

 

“Yep. Folks, try defining yer blog’s purpose in 99 words; focus that statement even more in 59 words; then hook us with 9 words. Ya might even post these versions at yer own site. Tell us who ya are or what yer about here in the comments, 9 words, no more no less.”

 

99 words

Empathetic fashionista and shopper extraordinaire who loves to laugh. My passions are: obsessed with shoes, colorful sunsets, sandy beaches and margaritas on the rocks (in no particular order). My blog, is an eclectic mix of randomness, where you’ll find anything from writing tips to tales from the past, an occasional rant about injustice, relationship talk, travel tips, book reviews, author interviews, and sometimes dabbles in political poetry. It’s almost impossible for me to dwindle it down to just one niche, because it never is. I’m an eclectic memoirist and conversationalist who writes to empower by sharing slices of life.

 

59 Words

An empathetic fashionista obsessed with shopping, shoes, sandy beaches, margaritas and always ready for a new travel adventure. My blog is an eclectic mix of randomness where you’ll find anything from writing and blogging tips, memoirs slices of life, injustice rants, book reviews, interviews, travel tips, relationship talk and occasional poetry. Impossible to drill it down to one niche.

 

9 Words

Eclectic memoirist who loves shopping, the beach and books.

 

Visit the CarrotRanch to view some fun entries and perhaps join in too!

Source: Saddle Up Saloon; Blog Blusterin’ « Carrot Ranch Literary Community

©DGKaye2020

 

We are the World Blogfest

#WATWB – Superheroes Are Welcoming New Roles to Help Others – Goodnet

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Welcome to this month’s edition of #WATWB – We are the World Blogfest, where we take a step away from the negativity going on in the world, and focus in on some of the good deeds people are doing as every day heroes to lift others.

 

Today I’m sharing just a few of the superheroes in our communities who are stepping up to plate in these uncertain times of Coronavirus. Some of these heroes who’ve lost their jobs or have been laid off in certain industries are finding alternative ways to help out – British Airways pilot, Peter Login is now delivery truck driver for Tescol, F1 Ferrari team boss, Maurizio Arrivabene, is now transporting sick Italians to the hospital as an ambulance driver, Canadian realtor, Jordan Zabloski is now baking hundreds of muffins for the homeless, a film maker in Georgia has turned to making PPE. Check out these heartening acts in more detail below.

 

Superheroes Are Welcoming New Roles to Help Others

 

Remarkable people around the world are stepping up, giving back and supporting each other.

 

Have you ever wondered what life would be like in a completely new profession or role? Would you consider trading your everyday routine for a different experience and even a new uniform? Although the world as we know it has virtually changed overnight, new opportunities (both paid and voluntary) have risen in light of the pandemic. Everyday heroes have emerged and embraced the ways in which they can use their skills and newfound time to help others.

One such hero who has made a career switch is Peter Login from Horsham, England. While we can usually find Peter in a plane, navigating the skies for the British Airways airline, he has assumed his new role as a Tesco supermarket delivery truck driver, bringing food to those who need it most. . . please continue reading at Goodnet.org

#WATWB runs monthly on the last Friday of each month. Hosts for this month are: Susan Scott, Lizbeth Hartz, Shilpa Garg, Mary Giese and Damyanti Biswas.

If you’d like to join in with sharing something good going on in the world, please join us on Facebook

©DGKaye

 

D.G. Kaye on Relationships

Smorgasbord Blog Magazine – D. G. Kaye Explores the Realms of Relationships – Forming Healthy Relationships – What’s Inside the Box? | Smorgasbord Blog Magazine

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Today I’m sharing my recent article I wrote for my Realms of Relationships Column over at Sally Cronin’s Smorgasbord Blog Magazine. In this article I’m discussing how we often judge people by their appearances without looking in on the inside.

 

Smorgasbord Blog Magazine – D. G. Kaye Explores the Realms of Relationships – Forming Healthy Relationships – What’s Inside the Box?

 

Forming Healthy Relationships – What’s Inside the Box?

Welcome back to this month’s edition of Realms of Relationships. In this segment, I’m delving into how we judge and are judged by others – First impressions and Body language and discovering what’s underneath the wrapping.

 

friendships

 

As humans, we are often judged by our outward appearances first. But if we never gave someone a chance to approach us to potentially form a friendship or relationship just because we couldn’t see beyond appearance, our circles would be pretty limited.

People come wrapped in all assortments. Who and what we attract or gravitate to stems from the vibe we give off – this vibe consists of a combination of traits we emit with our words, body language, and our physical appearance. All these elements comprised will help to determine who chooses to approach us.

Our demeanors and physical appearance send signals to others leading them to form a perception of what we’re all about. But without learning what’s on the inside, and perhaps what’s perceived as a first impression, we may not always adequately represent who we really are. Depending on how we choose to present ourselves on a given day, we’ll undoubtedly be judged by our actions as first impressions, so it’s a good idea not to misrepresent ourselves. Sadly, society does label people based on appearance, and as much as appearances do play a part in determining who we approach and how we’re accepted, appearance alone is not a great indicator of what’s inside our box.

Now we all know the old saying – don’t judge a book by its cover, but sadly, it’s human nature that people are judged by their covers. Yes, it’s unfair, but there are shallow thinking people among us. And pity for those who judge because they may just be missing out on opportunity for a satisfying relationship or friendship because they couldn’t see beyond difference.

What do we want most from a relationship? Acceptance, love compassion, trust, understanding, communication and reciprocation. These are the most important qualities a relationship should offer, and the qualities that will sustain a solid relationship. These aren’t qualities you can necessarily decipher based on looking at an individual. Yes, it’s easy to make judgement, but until we learn about what’s behind the cover, we aren’t able to make a complete assessment.

We are hard-wired for judgement. We all have our own version of what’s acceptable to us and peeves we hold in our mental lists of what we seek out of a relationship. But maybe we need to look beyond those physical peeves and explore personality and values. . . Please continue reading at Sally’s Smorgasbord

 

©DGKaye2020

 

Source: Smorgasbord Blog Magazine – D. G. Kaye Explores the Realms of Relationships – Forming Healthy Relationships – What’s Inside the Box? | Smorgasbord Blog Magazine

 

 

Book reviews by D.G. Kaye

Sunday Book Review – Brody Cody and the Stepmother from Outer Space by Toni Pike – #Children’sbook

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My Sunday Book Review is for a book not in my usual genre of reading – Brody Cody and the Stepmother from Outer Space is a children’s book written by my friend and multi-genre author, Toni Pike. I’m more used to reading Toni’s thrillers but couldn’t resist checking out this book when she gifted me with a copy. Wonderfully relatable book for children with clever lessons entwined in the story.

 

 

 

Blurb:

Brody Cody is almost eight years old and definitely, absolutely, positively does NOT want a mother. His mother died when he was a baby but life with his dad is just perfect.

Brody is horrified when his father goes away to a publishing conference and returns with a wife, Pandora Smith, who is a children’s author. His life spirals out of control as he is forced to eat healthy food, do his homework and help with some chores.

Even worse, he and his friends suspect that his new stepmother might be an alien from outer space.

A hilarious adventure for children aged 6-9.

 

My 5 Star Review:

This was a pleasant diversion in the children’s genre from this author whose books I’m used to reading in the mystery/thriller genre, but was delighted to read how the author crossed genres. Pike did a wonderful job with this story about a little boy growing up with his dad, just the two of them after Brody’s mom died in an accident when he was a baby, living like boys with no rules. That was until Brody’s dad falls in love with a new woman while out at a business conference and marries her, and Brody’s life of  lounging, junk-food eating and lack of household rules are forever changed.

When Brody proceeds to tell his best friend Kyle about his new stepmother, he also mentioned that Pandora had two different colored eyes. The boys were convinced she was an alien from outer space, especially since Kyle is convinced he saw a UFO while star-gazing. Between her two different colored eyes, her healthy cooking and creating new house chores, the two boys are convinced Pandora is from outer space.

I found this book a delightful read. Reading a children’s book through adult eyes, we can see how cleverly the author has woven in the good changes Pandora has brought to Brody’s life, despite the fact that some of these changes were so foreign to Brody, and how he eventually learns to happily adapt and realize how wonderful it really is to have a new mom.

 

©DGKaye2020

 

Colleen's Weekly Poetry Challenge

Colleen’s 2020 Weekly #Tanka Tuesday #Poetry Challenge #PhotoPrompt – Word Craft ~ Prose and Poetry

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This week’s Poetry Challenge at Colleen Chesebro’s Word Craft Challenge  is a #Photoprompt. I’ve written a double Tanka written in syllabic form of 5, 7, 5, 7, 7 for my interpretation of this image. I found my interpretation very different than what others saw. Do you see it?

 

 

Image Credit: Balaji Malliswamy

 

Colleen’s 2020 Weekly #Tanka Tuesday #Poetry Challenge No. 178 #PhotoPrompt

 

It’s the third week of the month! Time for a #PhotoPrompt

Vashti Q. Vega, from last month’s challenge, has provided the photo for this month’s challenge:

Remember, a photo can be a metaphor for your poetry. Think about the mood, the theme, and the color. Think outside of the box. We know there’s a crocodile, but what else is going on here? What do you smell? What do you hear? There’s more here than meets your eye. Surprise me!

On the Monday before the next challenge, I will select a poem from this week’s challenge and share it on my blog. Whoever I pick will choose the photo for next month’s challenge! Email your selection to me at tankatuesdaypoetry@gmail.com a week before. Thank you!

For Colleen’s Weekly Poetry Challenge, you can write your poem in the forms defined on the Poetry Challenge Cheatsheet (click the link below):

For the rules and optional poetry writing style forms and info, visit Colleen’s post

 

Source: Colleen’s 2020 Weekly #Tanka Tuesday #Poetry Challenge No. 178 #PhotoPrompt – Word Craft ~ Prose and Poetry

The Watcher

 

Watching in silence

Beneath nature’s greenery,

Camouflaged seer.

The eye focused on humans

Suspended and awaiting.

Positive action

Required to mend the world.

Last chance for healing.

Backwards – a dangerous path.

It’s our move – tread with caution.

 

©DGKaye2020

 

Tips for Writers

Writer’s Tips – #Blogging Tips, #Scam Alerts, #Editing, Show and Tell

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Welcome to this edition of Writer’s Tips where I collect and curate articles I come across in my reading travels, and share the good stuff for my readers here. This edition is jam-packed with goodies and has some great information on trending scam alerts, information for bloggers to help keep our blogs safe, tricks to help with Word doc snags, authors unite on editing and head-hopping sharing what they anticipate back from editors – from some of the best in the biz, and as always, more!

 

Author Melodie Campbell is guest featured at Anne R. Allen’s blog, helping us clear up the sticky bits in our books – looking at acts, scenes, and messy middles.

My Novel is a Mess! How to Survive the Chaos Point in your Novel

 

Also on the blog of Anne R. Allen, by Anne, –  Are we confusing readers by writing in too many characters? Learn how not to confuse readers.

Does Your Novel Confuse Readers with “Too Many” Characters? 8 Ways to Unconfuse Them.

 

Kate Johnston is breaking it down – the difference between show and tell when book-writing.

https://katejohnstonauthor.com/four-ways-to-decide-if-you-should-show-or-tell/#comment-6941

 

Roz Morris has a great author feature where specialized writers share their experiences on receiving back the manuscript after the editor has been through it. What to expect.

https://nailyournovel.wordpress.com/2020/05/10/ready-for-the-red-pen-how-to-prepare-for-comments-on-your-book-manuscript/#comment-50175

 

Jacqui Murray shares a great list of suggested books for a writer’s arsenal in this edition of her ToolTips

https://worddreams.wordpress.com/2020/05/18/authortoolboxbloghop-may/ 

 

Blogging guru, Hugh Roberts is back with some new information on keeping our blogs safe.

https://hughsviewsandnews.com/2020/05/11/is-your-blog-under-attack/comment-page-1/?unapproved=93961&moderation-hash=a0994a74177a21578c3cab9a8869e235#comment-93961

 

Kathy Steinemann has a Microsoft Word trick for those encountering long waits when saving a document.

https://kathysteinemann.com/Musings/save-word-file/#comment-5982

 

Natalie Ducey has another helpful post for authors, – How to get ebooks in various formats onto WordPress. 

https://natalieducey.com/2020/05/14/a-how-to-guide-for-uploading-ebooks-in-epub-and-mobi-file-formats-in-wordpress/

 

And last but never least, Stevie Turner found and shared a great article on finding out if our emails have been hacked.

https://steviet3.wordpress.com/2020/05/15/have-you-been-hacked/comment-page-1/#comment-24145

 

©DGKaye

Reblog Share - Smorgasbord Health - Deydration

Smorgasbord Health Column – Project 101 – Resilience – An opportunity to get fighting fit – Sally Cronin | Smorgasbord Blog Magazine

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Sally Cronin has begun a new health series at her blog – Smorgasbord Invitation. This new series, Project 101 – Resilience, is to both educate and inspire us all to get and keep fit. In this series, Sally will be talking about the sum of our parts and how to keep each of them running optimally, in this online sequel to her book Size Matters.

 

 

Smorgasbord Health Column – Project 101 – Resilience – An opportunity to get fighting fit – Sally Cronin

 

Welcome to the new series – Project 101 – Resilience.

As with most of you, I have spent the last 10 weeks in lock down with only a visit to the supermarket for fresh produce once a week. Thankfully, and touch wood, none of our family or close friends have been infected and slowly we are all coming out of hibernation and preparing to face the world again.

I am sure I am not alone in feeling somewhat nervous about this and will continue with my early shopping to avoid the crowds, wear gloves and a mask when shopping and decontaminate when I get home again.

I have been making good use of the time by continuing to work on keeping myself fit plus resurrecting some writing projects. I have also been planning the direction I would like the blog to take in the next year. For example, I wanted to make use of all the health posts that I have in the archives which number in their 100s, and re-purpose them in a way that readers would find useful.

Project 101 – Resilience.

Let me say upfront, that I cannot promise that what you will read over the next few weeks will prevent you catching a viral or bacterial infection, but what I would like to do is to encourage as many people as possible to take themselves out of the identified high risk categories by making some small changes to their lifestyle and diet.

One of the highest risks is to those over 70, particularly those who have underlying health problems. However, those health problems are predominantly lifestyle related and do not have to be for life. For example, Obesity, Type II Diabetes, Inflammatory diseases, nutritional deficiencies such as Vitamin D and High Blood Pressure.

I see a window of opportunity for all of us to review our health, diet and lifestyle and see where we can make improvements to boost our immune systems, reduce our risk factors and feel more confident about going back out into the world again. A chance to get our bodies fighting fit.

Over the last 20 years or so of working with 100s of clients as a nutritional therapist, I have discovered that making sweeping changes does not work. There are three elements that require attention, physical, mental and emotional, and making small but key changes in these areas is much more effective. . . .

Please head over to Sally’s and check out what we can expect to learn in this series.

 

Source: Smorgasbord Health Column – Project 101 – Resilience – An opportunity to get fighting fit – Sally Cronin | Smorgasbord Blog Magazine