Why Books are Better for Your Brain

By Saralyn Richard

 

Since the beginning of television, debates have been held over the benefits of reading over TV watching or vice versa. Some of the tried-and-true arguments include:

·         Reading allows you to form pictures in your brain, which involves more creativity and imagination than having them spoon-fed.

·         Reading time is all quality time, with no time wasted on commercials.

·         Books are portable and less expensive to use.

·         Books delve into thought-provoking issues more thoroughly than TV shows.

·         Reading is a quieter, more peaceful activity.

·         You can read on your own schedule.

·         You don’t have to worry about whether you subscribe to the right channel.

All great points, but here are a few more that come from educational (and brain-based) research:

·         Reading, unlike watching or listening to media, allows the brain to stop, think, process, and imagine the narrative in front of you.

·         Reading creates connections in the brain that promote language, cognitive, social, and emotional development.

·         Reading rewires the brain and creates new white matter.

·         Reading puts the reader in the shoes of the character in the book, figuratively and biologically. It creates empathy.

·         Reading increases attention spans and encourages sequential thinking.

·         Reading increases vocabulary.

·         Reading rewires your brain, so that you can imagine alternative paths, remember details, picture detailed scenes, and think through complex problems.

In short, reading makes you more knowledgeable AND more functional. In other words, if television is a bag of potato chips and a soft drink, reading is a warm and tasty meal and a delicious smoothie.

My years in education have proven to me over and over again how important it is to be a good reader. Literacy is the basis for all learning (even mathematics and music, which are other forms of reading). The more you practice reading, the better able you will be to comprehend, analyze, compare and contrast, synthesize, and evaluate. No one I know of has ever made those same claims for watching television.

I’m not advocating the abolishment of TVs or television programming. But I do recommend making reading a priority when carving out your leisure time. Whatever you choose to read, you’ll have excellent entertainment, and your brain will thank you.

Saralyn Richard’s award-winning humor- and romance-tinged mysteries and children's book pull back the curtain on people in settings as diverse as elite country manor houses and disadvantaged urban high schools. Saralyn’s most recent release is Bad Blood Sisters. A member of International Thriller Writers and Mystery Writers of America, Saralyn teaches creative writing and literature at the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, and continues to write mysteries. Her favorite thing about being an author is interacting with readers like you. Visit Saralyn here, on her Amazon page here, or on Facebook here.

A DAY OF MAY RELEASES

 

Happy Monday, everyone!  Along with Stiletto Gang, which I'm pleased to belong to, I'm on a Facebook group with several romantic suspense, paranormal romantic suspense, and mainstream suspense authors. After pouring our hearts and souls into a novel, promotion is one of those pesky details we authors do, lest no one learns anything about our latest creations. Addressing this problem, Author Sharon Wray (one of my Golden Heart sisters) and I brainstormed a possible solution. What if we came up with a promotions galore strategy and focused on a DAY OF May Releases.

And that's what we did! If you're on Facebook YOU'RE INVITED to subscribe to the MIDNIGHT GARDEN READERS GROUP https://www.facebook.com/groups/midnightgarden/ to help us celebrate. (Who knows there might be giveaways) !!!  

Along with Sharon and Donnell, debut author Kathleen Donnelly who has a K-9 romantic suspense (CHASING JUSTICE release date May 24th) will be dropping by. Midnight Garden Authors, USA Today Bestselling Authors Christine Glover, Misty Evans, Award-winning, multi-published Zoe Dawson, are also touting their May releases. Need more incentive? Well, wait, there's more! The Midnight Garden Readers Group is home to many more authors; they just don't have books out this month. 

Since this is Sharon's brainstorm, I thought I'd tell you about this talented author's exciting May 17th release (available for preorder):

Is love worth risking everything for?

Rose Guthrie, a reluctant erotic dancer, hasn’t trusted anyone since her parents’ death. Yet, to make money for her brother’s heart transplant, she agrees to deliver a sealed box to a mysterious buyer. Until the box—and the seller—disappear. Not surprised by the betrayal, her situation becomes more dangerous when she learns that two brutal arms dealers also want the box and are willing to kill everyone she loves for it. With one clue left, she breaks into Doom—Savannah’s violent, illegal fight club. Unfortunately, Doom’s referee—the sexy, ex-Army Ranger, Kade Dolan—stands in her way. Although she harbors a secret attraction to Kade, she can’t let him stop her. If she doesn’t deliver the box on time, she’ll lose everything. Including her own life.

Rose doesn’t trust ex-Army Ranger, ex-con Kade Dolan, but that’s okay—he doesn’t trust

himself either. Why? Because he lies to everyone about everything, including his time in Leavenworth and his job as an illegal fight club referee. Then there are his two side gigs. The first as an informant for the Prince, the leader of a secret, two-thousand-year-old private army. The second, loving from afar the beautiful, secretive Rose Guthrie. After the Prince discovers Rose is the courier of a lost 18th century artifact, he orders Kade to help her find the box before their greatest enemy does. If they succeed, Kade must return it to the Prince. If they fail, Kade must kill her. 

Betrayal or death. When faced with an impossible choice, Kade can’t lie anymore, at least not when it comes to what he’s about to do the woman he loves. But when Rose uncovers Kade’s lies, they learn a terrible truth—the 18th century box holds a secret far deadlier than they imagined. A secret that could destroy them all.

 

BIO:

Sharon, a Jersey girl who landed in Virginia, is a chemical & patent librarian who once studied dress design in the couture houses of Paris… and worked as a Red Cross caseworker in South Korea. Because it took her forever to decide what she wanted to do when she grew up, she now writes romance and women’s fiction novels filled with suspense, adventure, and love. 

Her bestselling Deadly Force romantic suspense series is set in a world with scary assassins who bow before killing, sexy Green Berets seeking redemption, and smart, sassy heroines who save them all. It’s also a world where, since Sharon is slow and clumsy, her chances of making it out alive would be slim. 

She also writes small-town contemporary romances, gothic romantic mysteries set in the sultry south, and Christmas stories. Because nothing brings out the romantic feels more than stories set during the holidays.

Army wife, mother of twins, and caretaker of rescue dogs, she’s repped by Deidre Knight and Kristy Hunter of The Knight Agency.

 

 Follow her on Social Media to keep up with new releases, sales, and giveaways.

FACEBOOK

INSTAGRAM

BOOKBUB

PINTEREST

GOODREADS

AMAZON

BARNES & NOBLE

Midnight in the Garden FB Group

Isn’t it Romantic Book Club FB Group

 

So there you go. And while Sharon has romantic suspense covered, I'm targeting readers who  prefer mystery, suspense, and thrillers.  Releases 5/31, review now on NetGalley, and available for preorder:  

 This killer won't stop . . . until she’s dead

When Lt. Everett T. Pope is notified of an explosion in downtown Denver close to the judicial buildings, his first instinct is gas leak. No such luck. As Incident Command and Pope's own Major Crimes unit move in, he discovers he knows the intended victims—an Assistant U. S. Attorney—and Pope’s former partner, now a private investigator, has died shielding the injured AUSA with his body.

As ATF and the FBI take over investigating the bombing and unraveling motives behind the murder attempt, Pope is relegated to a peripheral role. But the injured AUSA's aunt is a United States senator used to getting results. She turns to the team that solved the Black Pearl Killer murders with a very big ask—find her answers and locate the bomber.

FBI Special Agent Brian DiPietro must recall his entire cold case team from their far-flung assignments knowing he's being asked to do the impossible. The senator, however, doesn’t know the meaning of the word. All too soon, DiPietro finds his team working alongside ATF on a red-hot mission.  One that uncovers a decades' old cold case.

To learn more about Donnell, check out her website at Author Donnell Ann Bell | Romantic Suspense & Crime Fiction | 

Hope you'll join us on May 31st, for a day of May releases!

So You Want to Write a Book

By Sparkle Abbey

Part 1: Where to Start

All of the wonderful authors in this group have written books. Some have written many books, but we all started somewhere. 

Is there a book in you? If you believe there is, you’re not alone. 

There’s a statistic floating around the internet from a USA Today survey that took place almost twenty years ago that says 81% of Americans feel they have a book in them. We can only assume that percentage is closer to 90% now with many people taking stock of their life goals. Maybe more than 90%.

The first question is: Just because you want to write a book, should you? And the answer is: Maybe.

Writing definitely stretches your creativity and enhances your life. It also can impact the lives of other people. Which is a great reason to write that book!

However, here’s the reality — while anyone can write a book, not everyone will. Why is that? Mostly it’s because writing is hard. And writing, well, is even harder. In the words of Dorothy Parker, “I hate writing, but I love having written.” 

But though it is hard to write well, the truth is that writing is like a muscle. The more you exercise, the stronger you become. The more you write, the more you learn and the stronger your writing becomes. For many, setting aside the time to do that work is the hardest part.

For all of you who have said you’d like to write a book, but don’t really know where to start, we want to help you get moving. No more just thinking about it, we want to help you take action. In the next few months, we’re going to talk about the steps you need to take to write a book. So, let’s get started! 

You’re ready to put in the work.  Where do you begin?

Well, first you need to have something to say. Are you passionate about a story idea that you’d love to read, but no one has written? Do you have a message or belief you’d like to share with others? What idea is constantly on your mind? What is your story worth telling?

Here’s your homework. Pull out a notebook and jot down ideas. Right now, all ideas are good ideas. Don’t overthink it. While you’re recording your thoughts also think about what type of

book you’re going to write. Fiction, non-fiction, self-help, memoir, cookbook. 

If you’d like, please feel free to share in the comments what you might want to write a book about. And if you have questions, feel free to ask. 

Next month we’ll talk about what happens once you’ve settled on your idea!

Sparkle Abbey's latest story (written in first person) is a short but fun one. If you've not yet
checked out PROJECT DOGWAY, this is a great time to do that. 

Sparkle Abbey is actually two people, Mary Lee Ashford and Anita Carter, who write the national best-selling Pampered Pets cozy mystery series. They are friends as well as neighbors so they often get together and plot ways to commit murder. (But don't tell the other neighbors.) 

They love to hear from readers and can be found on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest, their favorite social media sites. Also, if you want to make sure you get updates, sign up for their newsletter via the SparkleAbbey.com website

Clicking Our Heels - Favorite Form of Exercise

Clicking Our Heels – Favorite Form of Exercise

In the past, we’ve discussed what the Stiletto Gang members would be doing if we weren’t reading or writing, but the question came up as to what our favorite form of exercise is.

 

Debra H. Goldstein:  I’m a couch potato. During the pandemic, I thought I should do something so I ordered a Cubii exerciser. After a week, I shrouded it. Periodically, I look at it from the couch.

 

Lynn C. Willis: Hiking with Finn.

 

Barbara J. Eikmeier: Favorite doesn’t necessarily imply I do it with any regularity, right. I love swimming laps, but mostly I ride my stationary bike.

 

Donnell Bell:  Walking.

 

Gay Yellen: Dancing with my husband. He took me dancing on our first (blind) date, and that almost sealed the deal right there!

 

Lynn McPherson: I love walking.

 

Bethany Maines: Karate! I’ve been taking and teaching karate for over a decade. It’s a great place to keep fit and connect with my community.

 

Mary Lee Ashford: My favorite exercise is walking, outside if the weather permits. I also enjoy yoga though my knees are not enjoying it lately, and I love dance though I don’t often get the opportunity except around the house. In which case, I hope no one is watching!

 

Shari Randall: I love Zumba and country line dancing. They’re so much fun they don’t feel like exercise to me at all.

 

Linda Rodriguez: Dance (or gardening) used to be mine. But lately, it’s physical therapy.

 

Anita Carter: I love kickboxing!

 

T.K. Thorne: Before Covid, I did Akayama Ryu martial arts twice a week. This year I learned a Tai Chi series and that has really kept me sane. I like to walk outside where there are trees and space to breathe.

 

Debra Sennefelder: I love exercise. It keeps me in shape and it keeps me sane. I love weight workouts, walking/treadmill workouts, Pilates and Yoga. I aim for five to six workouts a week, so I like a lot of variety.

 

Kathryn Lane: Walking in a beautiful setting, especially in the mountains, brings me great joy and peace of mind.

 

Dru Ann Love: Definitely a couch potato. Give me a sci-fi movie and I’m in heaven.

 

Kathleen Kaska: I love running. I just completed my twenty-fourth marathon.

 

Saralyn Richard: Long walks (working out plot points while walking).

 

Robin Hillyer-Miles: Yoga.

 

Lois Winston: Walking.

Editing, Updating, and Completing a Manuscript

 

By Kathryn Lane

Technology innovations are accelerating at warp speed. At least that’s what it seems like in my writing world.

A year-and-a-half ago, I started research about a child math prodigy interested in rockets and space travel. The story takes place in the present day. The plot revolves around a family-secret type mystery and a subplot involving the girl’s dream of space exploration.

Then my commitment to write another novel in my Nikki Garcia mystery series shelved the girl-genius project.

Recently I took up the prodigy manuscript again and realized that maybe I should re-do my research since space travel has changed – several ordinary citizens have flown to or near the Kármán line – an imaginary but practical boundary separating mere air travel from space travel. Blue Origin flew 62 miles above the earth’s surface and kissed the Kármán line while Virgin Galactic flew a bit over 50 miles, the altitude where the Federal Aviation Administration awards astronaut wings to crew members.

The real clencher is SpaceX’s flight to the International Space Station. The crew were civilians. These three events impact important details in my young girl’s story.

All of those events were anticipated in the manuscript. Yet now they’ve actually occurred and it’s possibly a game changer for me. I'm wondering if I should make several substantial edits. Not that those space companies will be mentioned specifically, but the accomplishments do impact the story.

I can leave the novel as it was originally conceived and not re-do my research or I can spend time rethinking and rewriting it. You, as writers, might tell me it’s irrelevant to update it since I’d never complete it if I keep revising for the latest space and scientific discoveries. That’s true, but these events have been groundbreaking. To ignore them would be the easy way out. Plus the developments of the past year should make a positive difference in the young girl’s story.

Regardless of whether I update or not, the novel is about three-fourths done. If I’m going to make changes, now is the time.

Has anyone else faced this issue? If you have any advice, please share it!

Kathryn's latest Nikki Garcia Mystery Thriller: Missing in Miami (available on Amazon)

About Kathryn

Kathryn Lane started out painting in oils and quickly became a starving artist. To earn a living, she became a certified public accountant and embarked on a career in international finance with a major multinational corporation. After two decades, she left the corporate world to plunge into writing mystery and suspense thrillers. In her stories, Kathryn draws deeply from her Mexican background as well as her travels in over ninety countries.

Visit my website at https://www.Kathryn-Lane.com

Photo credits:

All photographs are used in an editorial and/or educational manner

Earth Math by NASA 

Rocket Launch - Twitter

SpaceX's Dragon Capsule Docking with the International Space Station by NASA 

 Five Tips for Meal Planning

It's no secret, I'm a hardcore plotter when it comes to my writing. I'm also a serious planner girl who reaches for her Erin Condren planner constantly throughout the day. So it's no surprise that I've embraced meal planning. And today I'm going to share with you why I have and give you a few of my tips.

 

This month I’m sharing a tool that I’ve been using since the beginning of 2021 to help keep me on schedule with my writing and feed my family. It’s meal planning. I’ve dabbled in it over the years, but it never really stuck, even though I love to plan. Guess it was all about the timing. Ready to learn why I’ve embraced meal planning and learn a few tips I have to enjoy it as much as I do?

What is meal planning:

Meal planning is the simple act of planning what you’ll be eating over the following X number of days. It can feel unattainable or overwhelming because it involves planning which recipes to make, what groceries to buy, and a week’s worth of dinners to make. It’s a lot, but I’m finding success in meal planning, and now I’m dipping my toes into meal prepping (that's for another day).

I started off simple. I grabbed a journal from my stash, and I’ve been using it since then. It is a place where I can plan next week’s meals. I can also look back and see what I’ve made in the past when I need a little inspiration or when I need to get out of a rut.

Meal planning doesn’t have to be a big, fat binder filled with a month’s worth of detailed menus or a freezer full of prepped food waiting to be tossed into a slow cooker or pressure cooker. Meal planning can be as simple or as complicated as you want it to be. What it is, for me, is a tool that has helped me be more productive, save money and enjoy cooking again.

Why have I embraced this?

Until 2021, I hadn’t created official meal plans. I always had an idea of what meals I’d cook during the week, but I never had a “plan". Then again, before 2020, I really didn’t cook many dinners. My husband works nights, and he was often out of the house at lunchtime, so I only cooked dinners for us twice a week. Then 2020 rolled around, and we know what happened that year, and my routine went out the window. Suddenly I was preparing three meals a day. Hence, meal planning has become a real thing in my life. Which now, I’m grateful for. Because for me, 2021 was the sequel to 2020, and 2022 is looking like it’s going to be another heck of a year.

Last year, I had to continue making dinners because my husband returned to work, and because restaurants weren’t staying open late, he needed to take meals with him. Then as the restaurants started to extend their hours, their prices began to increase. These two things made it imperative that he take meals to work.

The other reason why I’ve come to love meal planning is that it makes grocery shopping so much easier and quicker. We divide our shopping between Costco and our local grocery store. Meal planning also takes the constant stress question of “what’s for dinner” off me. I know what’s for dinner; it’s in my planner. This, hands down has been the most significant benefit of meal planning. It's one less thing to have to worry about. Besides the major shift in my routine, I've also been dealing with elderly parents and crushing deadlines for books. So not having to think about what I'll cook when I close up my office at the end of the day is a relief.

Ready for five tips that have helped me succeed in meal planning? Great! I've also included a bonus tip.

Five steps to meal planning:

Make a list – Once you have your meals planned, it’s the perfect time to write up your shopping list. Review your meals and write up a list of ingredients. Shop your pantry first, and then add what you don’t have to your shopping list.

Stock your kitchen – Having a well-stocked pantry is one of the keys to success in meal planning and meal prepping. We buy in bulk as much as possible to fill our freezers and pantry shelves.

Keep it simple – The meals in your plan don’t need to be complicated or fancy. And you don’t need to do hours of prep work, either. The whole point of meal planning is to take some of your stress away.

Have a theme night – It’ll be fun and saves you time after a hectic day. How about Slow Cooker Sundays? Or pizza Fridays? Get your family involved in the meal planning process.

Create a planning routine – I like to settle in my kitchen with my journal to plan out the following week’s meals. Then, I make a cup of tea, grab my steno pad (I use it for my grocery list), and start planning.

Bonus tip – Even though you have a plan, you can still be flexible because life loves to throw curveballs. Of course, not every day is going to go as planned. But it’s so much easier to get back on track when you have a plan.

 

This is how I’m keeping my sanity these days. Meal planning has become a regular part of my week. So, I’m curious, do you meal plan? If so, what does it look like for you?

 

 

Debra Sennefelder is the author of the Food Blogger Mystery series, the Resale Boutique Mystery series and the upcoming Cookie Shop Mystery series. She lives and writes in Connecticut. When she’s not writing, she enjoys baking, exercising and taking long walks with her Shih-Tzu, Connie. You can keep in touch with Debra through her website, on Facebook and Instagram.