10 Must Have Writing Apps

1.  WerdSmith

Werdsmith allows writers to use their mobile devices to write while on the go. It helps writers to write stories on the go. No more waiting until you get to a notebook or computer to write down the story that comes at the most awkward time. Werdsmith can help writers to begin and finish stories away from home.

• WERDSMITH turns your iPhone or iPad into a writing studio.
• The app is free.
• Easy to use.
• Even helps writers to set and meet word count goals for each day.
• All work is backed up, so no work will be lost.
• Personalize and customize your writing studio with custom fonts and themes.

2.  Ulysses Mobile

Ulysses Mobile App 

Offers writers a distraction-free writing experience. Although this app does cost money, it is well worth the cost. It can help writers to complete projects in  no time. Here are a few more points that keep Ulysses at the top of the list for writing apps.

• ULYSSES helps writers stay focused.
• Is a text editor.
• Is a text library.
• Is a reliable icloud sync for mobile devices.
• Offers everything a writer needs in a writing app.
• Easily transform text into PDFs, web pages, ebooks, and word documents with the tap of a finger.
• Costs $24.99 but well worth the cost.

3.  WriteRight

WriteRight

Another writing app that has many synonyms, antonyms, and phraseology for writers to use on the iPhone or iPad.

• WRITERIGHT offers proofreading services.
• Helps writers persevere conjugation, gender, and number. Making sure that these are correct throughout the writing piece. 
• Changes expressions that are used too much and helps writers to change these to something fresh.
• Offers a full text editor.
• It helps to recognize conjugated words, either feminine or plural.
• Suggests synonyms and will replace with a better counterpart matching gender, number, person, and tense.
• Cost $3.99 

4. Write PDF for iPhone and iPad

• WRITER PDF is not only just a common annotation tool, it is also a powerful PDF modification tool for the iPhone and iPad.
• Great PDF editing tool.
• Allows users to add notes, circles, highlights, and drawings.
• Fill in PDF forms and sign.
• Move, rotate, or add/delete pages.
• Print to any printer.
• Easy transfer into icloud.
• Convert and transfer web pages.
• Cost only $4.99

5. Tex Writer

• TEX WRITER is a text editor and compiler on to use on the go.
• Users can work online with this app without an internet connection.
• Syntax highlighting.
• Line numbers  and error cross reference.
• Assistant keyboard.
• Customize appearance and keyboard,
• Automate text editing.
• Sync with Dropbox.
• Cost $9.99

6. Writing Prompts

• WRITING PROMPTS offers writers endless inspiration to keep on writing.
• An easy to use creative app.
• Never run out of ideas, just open the app and see many creative solutions to keep a writer engaged in writing.
• App generates scene elements.
• 600 writing prompts to keep writers motivated.
• Cost $1.99

7. MindNode

• MINDNODE makes mind mapping easy.
• Visually represents your thoughts and ideas with this easy to use app.
• No need to write your thoughts on napkins, Easily jot down ideas on MindNode.
• With iCloud Drive allows mind maps to be seen on all devices.
• Create new ideas with a tap of the finger.
• Add photos and stickers to add to mind maps.
• Cost $9.99

8. Story Tracker

• STORY TRACKER allows writers to keep track of writing projects.
• Know where all writing projects have been submitted.
• Be able to store details and guidelines for any market that allows writing submissions.
• View total income earned for each story submitted.
• Displays story status.
• Highlights approaching market deadlines so that writers meet deadlines.
• Cost $9.99

9. Agent Obvious

• AGENT OBVIOUS offers advice to authors, agents, and publishers in the writing industry.
• 500+ tips from literary agent Laurie Abkemeier.
• Quick access to the most popular publishing topics, queries, proposals, manuscripts, submissions, and rejections.
• Receive tips for contract negotiations.
• One touch sharing tips on Twitter.
• Cost is FREE

10. Scrivener

• SCRIVENER combines all writing tools into one place.
• Grow your manuscript by thoughts and ideas.
• Offers an interactive tutorial.
• Offers project templates for novels, essays, scripts, and more.
• Allows writers to write MS in sections.
• Has a script writing mode for screen plays, stage plays, comic scripts, and more.
• Automatic back-ups.
• Write in any order and organize later.
• Cost $19.99

Although there are many apps out there that can help writing professionals, this list is some of the top apps to use. Anyone used any of these apps? Love to know what your experience has been with the app.

Bullying in America: When will it Stop?

Jerri Aubry M.S., MFT

After a recent bullying event that happened at the school in my area, I decided that I should write a series of articles regarding bullying, and the effects of bullying on others.

Bullying hits many homes across America. Children scared to go to school, because of what is waiting for them each and every day. Many parents struggle with helping their children that are continuously bullied. It breaks the hearts of many, when a child’s self-esteem is lowered, because of the interaction children have with bullies at school.

According to the National Center for Educational Statistics, indicates that 1 in every 4 students are bullied. That 64% of children bullied do not report these to anyone. Only 36% of children actually report bullying to authorities such as a principal, school counselor, or the police. ⁴

Bullying happens both in school and outside of school. Cyber bullying has become a real problem with social media platforms, and now texting on cellphones, but that will be for an article later in this series.

Bullying can be defined as an act of aggression toward others that can include:

• ·      Taunting
• ·        Teasing
• ·        Talking about negatively
• ·        Spreading rumors
• ·        Leaving kids out of being included

·        Attacking someone either physically or yelling at them.

More than 77% of school aged children are being bullied verbally, mentally, and physically at school. An average of 160,000 kids miss school because of bullying or the fear of being bullied. ⁴

According to the article “11 Facts about Bullying,” only 1 in every 4 teachers see bullying as a problem, and only 4% intervene. My personal opinion says that this needs to change in order for bullying rates to begin to descend. ²

As a parent I think that the school needs to protect my children and to stop the bullying. As a behaviorist, you must change the environment in order to make changes in behavior. With that said, it is part of the faculty at a school to become an advocate to change the environment at school to lower bullying rates in the school.

Kids that are bullied are more likely to experience depression, anxiety, panic attacks, low self-esteem, changes in eating and sleeping, feelings or being isolated and alone, and suicide to escape. These issues can follow a child into adulthood.

Some children that are bullied might have a lower GPA and struggle with school. Other children might get sick from the anxiety and vomit both outside and in school to avoid going to or staying at school.

Teens that struggle with bullies might turn to alcohol and drugs to numb the pain they may feel. Some turn to suicide to escape their life. And some might retaliate with a serious form of aggression such as school violence like school shootings.

Does bullying lead to mass murders? Both at school and in the community? There is evidence to support that some people who have been bullied have committed a heinous act such as a school shooting. But that is for another article that I will be talking about later in this series. School shootings in the 1990’s indicate that 12 out of 15 school shootings were related to bullying. ⁵

I would like to share a little personal story of my own with you.

I don’t really know how old I was when the bullying started, but it did effect my self-esteem negatively. I remember a time when 5 years old, my mom left me with my grandmother on my dad’s side, and she took me to work with her (she cleaned house and was a nanny for a family of boys) one day. While she was cleaning the house, the boys came out to the tree swing, and knocked me off. I fell onto my butt, and one of the boys sat on my chest while the other two stuffed flowers in my mouth. I can remember not being able to breath, and then I was stung in the mouth by a bee.

I never told my mother about this, and yet have never really told anyone this story. I am sharing it today, because I know what it feels like to be bullied. I understand the depth of isolation one feels from being bullied. I continued to be bullied for years about my name. For a long time, I hated my name, and I hated myself.

Only 24% girls report being bullied compared to 20% boys that report being bullied. Statistics show that girls may be bullied more often than boys. Some may say that girls are more likely to tell someone about bullying than a boy. There are several reasons for this including boys wanting to be seen as being tough and don’t want to look like a wimp in front of peers. ᵌ

As I became an adult —now in my 40’s with two boys of my own— I thought I could protect my own children from bullying, but this was untrue. As I tried to intervene, it just made things worse for my boys. So, instead I tried to inflate their egos to make them feel better, but in reality I knew that there really wasn’t much I could do to protect them.

So, instead I chose to teach them about bullying, especially for children who become easy targets. I taught them to be able to come home, and tell me about these bully attempts, but I knew I was only hearing the jist of the story. I knew this, because I didn’t tell anyone when I was bullied. 

No matter what I did, I could not save them from being bullied. I remember when my oldest son —whom has ADHD (which led to bullying until he was in 10^th grade)— was a freshman in High School, he would be taunted by this older kid behind him in the lunch line. My son took this torture for a year. The kid always knocked his food and drink out of his hand, and my son would not get anything to eat or drink, because he had already spent his money on lunch, that was now all over the floor.

When my son started his sophomore year —the same kid at lunch stood behind him— taunted my son once again. That day, I received a call from the principal about the situation. I never knew he was having problems until this phone call.

As the principal explained the situation, he told me that this kid knocked my son’s lunch onto the floor. I guess this had been happening every day of school. Until one day –this day– the principal calls me and tells me that my son is not in trouble for what happened. 

I was frantically thinking about what the heck did he do. So, when this kid knocked his food and drink out of his hands, it splattered the floor, my son then turned around and punched this kid in the mouth.

Now, those of you who know me, know that I do not promote aggression. But this was the last time this kid bothered my son, and it ended the decade of bullying that my son had been enduring. My son finally stood up for himself, and stopped the bullying himself.

Thirty percent of teens in High School are bullied either through being bullied themselves, bullying others, or bystanders. Seventy-seven percent of bullying of school aged children are from verbal bullying. ¹

Types of verbal bullying include:

• ·        Yelling
• ·        Calling names
• ·        Teasing
• ·        Spreading rumors

Why am I sharing this with you all? Well, because bullying is a part of most American. It has become a real problem leading kids to seeing themselves as the problem. My son found the strength to change this on his own, but he endured years of abuse—that I could not stop— and the school’s did nothing about it.

I have worked many children in therapy that have endured bullying at some level. Although I cannot change this for them at school, I can help increase their self-esteem, and teach them how to cope with bullying.

Children can be bullied as soon as they begin any type of school program even pre-school. My youngest son was bullied within a few months of starting preschool. I mean really? preschool; he was only two years old. He has not only withstood some dangerous bullying, but witnessed it happen to kids with autism, ADHD, and mental retardation.

According to stopbullying.gov, children with ADHD are more likely to bullied than other children and kids diagnosed with autism are at a higher risk to be bullied and left out of activities. In general, 60 percent of children with disabilities report being bullied as compared to the 25% of kids without disabilities. ⁴

My son has shared most of his experiences with me. He chose to help others as they were being bullied. He stood up to the other kids, and then helped these kids tell the authorities what happened. This made me very proud, as a mother, and as a person whom has worked with the developmentally disabled population for more than 20 years.

In my work, I have seen how bad the anxiety can be for these children and how this keeps them out of the school and isolated. Many times this anxiety is so bad on Sunday nights —the day before returning to school— these children make themselves so sick that they just can’t go to school. The panic is real and it can take its toll on the child and their family.

Is your child being bullied? Were you bullied as a child? Find help for your child, there are many programs to help children being bullied. I will be following up with the effects on bullying later in this series.

If you are being bullied call 1-800-273-talk(8255) 

Did you know that there is no federal law against bullying? Do you think there should be one? Please share your thoughts

References

1.   http://www.bullyingstatistics.org/content/school-bullying-statistics.html

2.   https://www.dosomething.org/us/facts/11-facts-about-bullying

3.   http://nypost.com/2015/05/15/fewer-say-they-are-being-bullied-at-school/

4.   http://www.pacer.org/bullying/resources/info-facts.asp

5.   http://www.stopbullying.gov/at-risk/effects/

To Prologue or Not to Prologue?

To Prologue or Not to Prologue?

Are These Really Necessary to Move a Story Forward?

Are you an author who struggles with whether to include a prologue, or to leave it out of your story? Here is some key information that may help you in deciding when to use a prologue.

Many books have a prologue at the beginning of the book. But are these really necessary to move the story forward, or to fill in details not included in the story?

As a reader, I skip the prologue of every book I read unless it’s a memoir, or a nonfiction book. For fiction novels, I find the prologue is not necessary and therefore, I skip the reading of these. I haven’t found a story yet that I found a prologue was necessary.

As a writer, I struggle with whether I should include these in my books. At this moment, I tend to leave them out, as I would rather fill in all the important information within the story.

So, what is a prologue?

·         It is an opening to a story that establishes the setting and gives background details.

·         Used to fill in pertinent details of the story or plot that if used in the plot would bog down the story and not help it to move forward.

·          For those novels that want to include flashbacks used to help the reader understand the character.

·         It can be used to hook the reader. Although the first chapter of any book should hook the reader. What if the reader does not read the prologue? I don’t read the prologue, and rely on the first chapter to hook me. If the first chapter does not reel me in, then I am not likely to continue to read the book.

·         Prologues can also be used to introduce the book’s characters. Although, a seasoned writer will introduce characters within the story. Again what if the reader skips the prologue, and the writer has used it to introduce characters? The story would be missing important elements that make the story.

Is the Prologue necessary?

·         As a reader, I have yet to find that a prologue was necessary to any story.

·         There are a few things to think about when writing a prologue:

o   If placed as the first chapter in the story, would the plot’s integrity be damaged?

o   If left out of the book completely would it be missed?

If you answer “yes” to both questions, then a prologue is necessary for the book. If no, then skip it.

When to use a prologue?

·         When detailed information needs to be revealed to the reader before beginning the story.

·         If the information would bog down, and interrupt the flow of the story.

·         If used to snag the reader at the bookstore. Many readers when choosing a book to buy will read the prologue to see if they should purchase the book. Of course some would say that they back of the book should do this by itself.

When not to use a prologue?

·         Do not use a prologue to dump additional unnecessary information.

·         Do not use it if it is not needed.

·         Do not use it to repeat what is already in the story.

·         If it does not contribute to the story, it is not necessary.

Many times new writers will write prologues for their book, but not really know when and how to use a prologue. As I mentioned before, as a reader, I detest these and skip them altogether. I have read thousands of books over the years, and yes every one of them had a prologue that I did not read. To me it is a waste of my time. I have never read a story that I felt that needed a prologue. A well written book will contain all the key information throughout the story.

What do you think? Do you find that a prologue is necessary? Leave a comment with your thoughts on this matter.

I recently purchased some amazing essential oils from “Blue World Naturals.” This is a fairly new company offering essential oils for a reasonable price. I purchased two oils, “clove and orange,” to use as holiday scents in my home. I really loved the scents of these oils. The orange smells as if I peeled an orange and my home smells of scents of clove and orange as you enter. I am glad I purchased the clove oil, because I ended up with a toothache, and I was able to use clove to calm the pain. Since I was happy with my purchase, I thought I would share with my audience information about the company since I am a satisfied customer.

Clove oil
is used for a variety of therapeutic reasons. It can be used as an antiseptic and to reduce pain. It can be used to reduce facial skin issues such as acne. It can also be used to reduce headaches. By using 3-5 drops in my essential oil diffuser I have been able to reduce my migraine type headaches by 50%. I also take a drop on my finger and apply to my temples to also help alleviate headaches.

 

Orange oil can also be used for a variety of reasons. I use it because I love smell of fresh peeled oranges but I can’t eat them do to irritation of acidic properties caused from fresh oranges. This oil is strong, I only need to use a few drops placed into my diffuser and immediately fills the house with the smell of the holidays. I also add drops of both the clove and orange into a spray bottle of water and spray windowsills and around based boards and behind furniture to keep spiders at bay. This works like a dream and is healthier for you than to use chemical products that are very unhealthy for humans and animals to breath or ingest.

Blue World Naturals has a variety of essential oils that come from small distillers, farms, and co-ops. All of BWN’s oils go through a rigorous quality testing by an outside company and the reports for these tests are displayed on each of the essential oils listings. 

 “All of our oils are therapeutic grade and contain no contaminants or pesticides,” stated Galen Walter, CEO and Founder of Blue World Naturals. “We want our customers to always be safe, happy, and healthy. This is one of the reason I wanted to undertake and start this company.”

All the oils offered through Blue World Naturals come labeled for “external use only,” due to regulation and liability. Galen shared information with me about how some oils can be dangerous if ingested because of the strength of the oils. Such as Cinnamon is considered a “hot oil” and can easily cause burns if ingested. I found the information that I received from Mr. Walter to be of great use to make me feel at ease with using essential oils that I have never tried before.

The company offers safety information on all products so customers can feel at ease when purchasing essential oils from Blue World Naturals. For each product readers can read about the current testing done from each product, you can find this information on BWN’s website, www.blueworldnaturals.com.

“My hope is that you too can take advantage of the high quality essential oils our family and friends already do! Please feel free to contact me with any questions,” Galen Walter.

I spoke with Mr. Walter on several occasions and he was very responsive to my questions regarding the company and the products offered by Blue World Natural.

If you are interested in the company or their products feel free to contact them. Also I want to mention that there are several offers happening on the essential oils right now.

If you buy 5 bottles you get one free. There is also free shipping for orders over $29, and if you sign up for the newsletter you can 10% off your order.

Here’s all the contact information for the company.

Galen Walter-Owner

Blue World Naturals

galen@blueworldnaturals.com

Office: 561.570.6254

www.blueworldnaturals.com

Apple Dump Cake

Apple Dump Cake




This is an easy cake to make for any apple pie or cake lover. The cake takes just a few minutes to put together and is cooked in about an hour in the oven or 2-3 hours in a slow cooker. Okay, here is the recipe.

2 cans of apple pie filling
1 box spice cake
2 sticks of butter

Preheat oven to 350. In a 9x13 pan spray with pam. Pour both cans of apple pie filling and spread around the pan. Dump dry cake mix over apples. Melt the butter and pour over the top. Place in oven and bake for 50 minutes. Stir the top of the mix so there is no dry cake mix. Cook for 10-15 minutes. Cake will be soft but will harden as it cools.

If cooking in crockpot. Spray crockpot and dump ingrediants like it says for the oven recipe. Then cook on high for 2.5-3 hours.

Enjoy!

How to Increase Your Amazon Kindle Book Sales by 600% in a Week | Location 180 | Build a Business, Live Anywhere, Achieve Freedom

How to Increase Your Amazon Kindle Book Sales by 600% in a Week | Location 180 | Build a Business, Live Anywhere, Achieve Freedom

Shark Encounters with Kayakers

“Is it safe to go kayaking in the ocean?”

After seeing an episode on shark week where a shark has been hunting or stalking a kayaker off Cape Cod, I thought why not blog about sharks this week. I tend to be obsessed with the Great White shark, ever since the 1975 release of "Jaws." I was only five years old when this movie was released in the theater, and I can remember my mom talking about this movie after she and my dad went to see it. I was eight by the time I watched "Jaws" and have been obsessed with these sharks ever since I saw the movie. The movie caused not only fear in me toward water but also an obsession with water, if this makes any sense.

Once when I was twelve, I went swimming for the first time in the ocean, and I just got into the water and took off swimming. When I turned around to see where I was, I realized I had swum quite a distance from shore, and there was no one else around me. All of a sudden I had a sickening feeling in my stomach and the water from below rushed me. The only thought that came into my head was, "Swim as fast as you can for the shore and never mind what is behind you." Scared and exhilarated more than any other time in my life, I swam so fast I felt like I was floating on top of the water.

That was the last time I swam in the ocean. I realized that I needed to respect the ocean as there are bigger things than me in there and that day when I swam in the ocean scared me to the point of not really wanting to swim way out into the ocean again. I now just stick to rivers and lakes and just dip my toes in at the edge of the ocean. Living in California for 20 years has allowed me to see the beautiful Pacific Ocean and to wade or dip into many different beaches, but I never swim in the ocean because I don't want to take any chances. Besides California is full of the Great White Shark the mother of all sharks and these sharks can eat you whole.

Loving sharks like I do, I am always reading the shark siting's and laugh at how many people in kayaks seems to be attracting a shark's attention, especially, that of the Great White. Over the years, Kayaking has become a very popular activity used for enjoying a stroll over the ocean or to fish. According to the "Outdoor Foundation,” Kayaking as a recreational activity has grown up 32% in that last few years.

Kayaks being smaller than other boats allows users to venture into areas that bigger boats wouldn't allow. Attacks on Kayakers seem to be slim, but it is important to be prepared at all times.

In 2012, a California Kayaker was attacked by a Great White. Joey Nocchi, 30, of Paso Robles, California was attacked by a shark while he was kayaking just south of San Simeon State Park. Nocchi stated that the shark came from underneath the kayak hitting the bottom of the object lifting it out of the water. According to witnesses of the attack, the shark came out just like "Jaws" with eye rolled into its head and jaws wide open ready to engulf anything that slid into the mouth. The shark was about 15 feet long. Nocchi was dumped into the water when the shark hit his kayak. He was then able to swim back to shore and get out the water safely.

In 2013 a Hawaii  kayaker was killed while out on his kayak. The attack took place half a mile off a point near "Little Beach" in Makena State Recreation Area on the island of Maui. The man was not kayaking alone and was with a friend, and the two were fishing for baitfish when the shark bit one of the victim's feet that was dangling in the water. Losing much blood led to the death of this victim. This reminds us of the importance to keep all body parts inside the kayak while fishing, how's the shark to know it's not bait?

March of 2014, a man whom was fishing in Florida waters had an encounter with a bull shark as it came up to grab the fisherman's grouper. In this case it seems the shark is most interested in the food that was in the water. When you fish you are more likely to attract a shark that may attack to get to the food you are fishing for and you could end up on the menu. The fisherman was fine although the grouper was eaten by the shark.

September of 2014, two kayakers had an encounter with a shark. Here's a video of an that encounter. The news media states that great whites don't normally attack people. Well that's for another story that I will blog about later in the upcoming weeks.

Watch out for sharks while fishing from your kayak, check out this video.

Not always are the attacks made by Great Whites, check out this attack by a Hammerhead.

According to the Shark Research Committee in California of the 108 shark attacks along the Pacific coast only 5% of these attacks are on Kayakers. Although this is only in one specific area and we are looking at only shark attacks on Kayaks this is a very small percentage. This does not mean for kayakers to feel safe when going into the ocean, but to be prepared in case a shark does decide to dump you off your kayak and eat you.

In California the Great White tends to dominate as far as attacks are considered and you can see many videos on YouTube showing the sharks watching people both in kayaks and on paddleboards. I have even read once where this guy was videoing a shark that was watching the surfers 10- feet away and a wave hit the paddleboard knocking the guy off the board and straight onto the shark's back. Wow what an intense moment that must have been.

There are definitely more encounters between shark and kayakers, but not many will end in an attack. I read once about a man who was kayaking in southern California and all of a sudden his kayak lifted up like there was something on the back of it. When the kayaker looked over his shoulder he saw the head of a great white resting on the back of the kayak staring at him. As the kayaker began to panic he tried to paddle, but was getting nowhere at all. Finally, the shark got off the kayak and slid back under the water giving the kayaker time to paddle to shore.

We probably all remember seeing the episode about shark attacks where a woman was thrown from her kayak and then chased by a great white. She survived the episode but it does remind us that we too might be a tasty treat. We may not be the shark’s favorite food, but we are food none the less.

As people continue to enter the water shark encounters will continue to grow and this will include kayakers. Even though the percentage is low for kayakers getting attacked it does happen and you want to be well prepared in case it happens to you.

Here are some steps to follow to stay safe when Kayaking in oceanic waters:

1.       If you fish from a Kayak you are more likely to attract sharks to you and increase your risk of being attacked. If you are going to fish from a kayak  make sure that the fish you catch are not hanging off the edge of you boat and in the water.

2.       Don't dangle your feet off the edge of the kayak while fishing you could end up like the guy in Hawaii that lost his foot and then bled out and died before making it to help.

3.       Stay calm do not PANIC if you see a shark. Just let your friends now in a calm voice and head somewhere safe away from the shark. Make sure you paddle nice smooth strokes if you panic the shark will know and get excited and you are more likely to invite an attack.

4.       Stay out of shark infested waters, don't kayak where the seals are the sharks are always around ready to eat.

5.       Kayak in groups just in case you might need help.

6.       Don't wear anything sparkly or glittery as this looks like bait to most fish.

7.       If you are bleeding stay out of the water or if you cut yourself while out its time to pack up and go in as sharks can smell a drop of blood from many miles away and then show up to surprise you.

8.       If you get knocked off and out of your kayak grab your paddle and hang onto it you may need to use it to scare the shark off. Most sharks do not want to engage in something that might hurt them.

9.       STAY CALM no matter what happens and stay in control

Anyone have any shark stories? please share! SO SHARKY!!