🏰 Author Interview Featuring Michael Dow, author of Nurse Florence, What Are Emotions?

 

I have a very talented gentleman here today to tell us all about his new book, Nurse Florence, What Are Emotions?  Michael Stephen Dow is married to Perla in Arizona and has 3 kids.  Michael was on a path to attend medical school and then the events of September 11, 2001 occurred.  Michael became angry at the terrorists and decided to join the US Air Force.  He went through Officer Training School and then graduated specialized Navigator training to become an Electronic Warfare Officer.  Michael deployed 6 times for the Global War on Terror between 2005 and 2009 with the EC-130H Compass Call mission.  Michael medically retired in 2010 and then became an US Army contractor serving Wounded Warriors and ensuring they received all of their entitled benefits for 8 years.  Michael always had a love for science and the human body so he then used his GI bill to go through nursing school and graduated in August 2020.  Michael now works as a Registered Nurse at an inpatient psychiatric hospital.  Michael’s education is as follows: B.A. in Psychology from Auburn University in 1999, B.S. in Biology from the University of Alabama at Birmingham in 2001, M.S. in Management from Troy University in 2010, Masters in Health Administration from the University of Phoenix in 2017, and M.S. from the University of Arizona in 2020 through its 15 month accelerated Masters Entry to the Profession of Nursing program.  Michael is the Founder and Manager of Dow Creative Enterprises, LLC.  His books have garnered the Silver Nautilus Book award in 2020 (Nurse Florence, Help I’m Bleeding) and an Award-Winning Finalist in the Religion category for the 2021 International Book Awards (A Prayer to Our Father in the Heavens: Possibly the Greatest Jewish Prayer of All Time).  Michael believes we will need the best of science and religion to successfully navigate ourselves, our civilization, through the future obstacles we will face.  More information can be found at www.DowCreativeEnterprises.com and www.NurseFlorence.org.  Nurse Florence® is a federally registered trademark by Dow Creative Enterprises.  The Nurse Florence® series seeks to promote science and health among children and to help increase the health literacy levels of our society.  With teamwork, inclusion, faith and perseverance, we can bravely face our problems and help each other reach our better selves as well as our best collective good.

Author Links  

Website | Facebook

 

🏰As a book bloggin’ and book luvin’ Princess, I’m always curious to find out how authors got the ideas for their books.  Can you tell us how you got the idea to write your book, Nurse Florence, What Are Emotions?

Every fourth book my illustrators do with the company is illustrator choice for the topic of the book.  Anastasia wanted to explore emotions.  I realized we could talk about the science of the brain to discuss the topic, so we were brave and decided to explore this subject.  We believed we could bring the information down to an elementary level with the help of Anastasia’s drawings and we succeeded.  This is a book that should be in every school and public library.

🏰Can you give us an excerpt?

“Can memories affect emotions?” asks Sonia.  “Memories of a person, place or thing that is associated with a strong emotion can cause those emotions to be felt when the memories are remembered.  You can also try to remember happy memories when you are feeling bad so that your mood can change for the better,” says Nurse Florence.

🏰If you could tell your younger writing self anything, what would that be?

Keep writing.  Write what you love.  Never give up.  Your writing may touch other people and improve the trajectory of their life.

🏰Do you hear from your readers?  What do they say?

We not only have many 5 star reviews from professional book review organizations, but have gotten a lot of positive feedback from GoodReads.com.  To see some, visit https://nurseflorence.org/reviews.  Here’s a couple of messages left for us:

In this educational story, your child will not only come away with a delightful story, but a complete understanding on how the ear and brain function together in the art of hearing. The terminology may seem advanced for a child, yet it’s the terminology which will be the foundation to future understanding of anatomy and biology. With this foundation set a child’s knowledge will surely excel in the area of biology. Thank you for the opportunity to review this book. It was clearly written and well developed. 

My 8 year old is very interested in learning about the human body. We received this book this week and she has already read it several times and says she loves it. She has shown me the illustrations of the inner ear and has been able to tell me all about how everything works.

Excellent book! Very easy to understand. I, as an adult, learned new facts and I think children of all ages could learn a lot from it. This book was a Goodreads Giveaway win!

🏰What has been your best accomplishment?

Going through an accelerated Master’s level nursing program at the University of Arizona to become a Registered Nurse at the age of 43.

🏰How many unpublished and half-finished books do you have?

At any one time, the company has over 40 books in production.  The 40+ illustrators draw at different speeds so it is a little unpredictable what the next book will be.  We plan to turn all of the general science books into special editions for beginning readers.

🏰Fun question – if you were princess or prince, what’s one thing you would do to make your kingdom a better place?

As a prince, I would teach everyone teamwork and serving a greater purpose than yourself since “Teamwork makes the dream work” (author unknown).

 

About Nurse Florence, What Are Emotions?

Sometimes it seems only a nurse can bring technical information down to an understanding that an ordinary person can grasp.  The Nurse Florence® book series provides high quality medical information that even a child can grasp.  By introducing young kids to correct terminology and science concepts at an early age, we can help increase our children’s health literacy level as well as help to prepare them for courses and jobs in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math.  We need more scientists so I hope that many children will enjoy this book series and consider a job involving science.

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LuLu

New Children's Book! SCRAPPER'S CHRISTMAS STORY by Maria J. Andrade

SCRAPPER'S CHRISTMAS STORY
Maria J. Andrade
Children's Fiction

An angel tells the heartwarming story of a small, homeless, dog who wanders through busy streets longing for a loving family. The enchanting Scrapper's  Christmas Story, is a children's book that is sure to captivate young hearts this holiday season.

Written in a captivating style reminiscent of classic children's books, Scrapper's Christmas Story, takes young readers on a magical journey filled with friendship, wonder, and the true spirit of Christmas. Follow the lovable Scrapper, alone, cold, and friendless, as he embarks on an unforgettable adventure, where he is befriended by the kindness of an immigrant man who also knows the need to belong. Both dog and man discover the magic of the holiday season and the joy of giving.

Scrapper's Christmas Story, is ideal for children of all ages, making it the perfect choice for parents, grandparents, and loved ones seeking a heartwarming story to share during the holiday season!

Amazon | Buy From the Author with Free Shipping

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 "I am an angel and I will tell you a story this Christmas Day. It is a story about a small dog. He was the smallest in a group of three street dogs who had no home. Small dog would often look for food where he could. Sometimes he found scraps of food near the garbage cans or he ate food which has been dropped on the street. He also got food from a kind man who fed him.

Often he would go to an alley with the other dogs because there they would be fed by Mr. Rosario, a good man who worked in a business nearby.

But small dog was the last to eat because the bigger dogs pushed him out. Mr. Rosario had tried to catch the dogs so they wouldn't be homeless, but they always ran away when he got close.

One day Mr. Rosario stood there looking at the smaller dog who was waiting behind the pack to eat. He said, "Small dog, I will call you "Scrapper, because you only get scraps of food and that is not enough even for a small dog like you."

 

Maria J. Andrade was born in Ecuador, South America, and raised in New York and California. She has a master’s degree in Counseling Psychology from the University of La  Verne, California and retired from private practice after thirty eight years.  For over twenty-five years, Maria’s books for children and adults have been found in a variety of genres and book stores.

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn | Goodreads

🏰 Author Interview Featuring Jamie Linn Saloff, author of Hatch: A Change Your Life Guide

 

I have a very talented lady here today to tell us all about her new book, Hatch: A Change Your Life Guide. Jamie Linn Saloff is passionate about aiding fiercely independent, misfit, square pegs trapped in an unfulfilling life. Author, teacher, story weaver, spiritual counselor, seer of visions, pathfinder, for over thirty years Jamie’s taught how to reignite your heart by listening to your body groan and your soul weep. She is the author of twelve books including Hatch: A Change Your Life Guide and her Marvelous Messages™ series.

Author Links  

Website | Facebook | Facebook Author Page | Twitter | Instagram | LinkedIn | Amazon Profile

 

 

I’d like to know more about you as a person first.  What do you do when you’re not writing?

 
Do you mean to make money or to have fun? (Which, sometimes, are one in the same!) Over twenty-years ago, I asked an author/mentor friend of mine if I could build him a website. I started doing that for others and quickly found out—I hated it! (I still build my own, though.) However, I also told him about this then-new thing called “print on demand” publishing and thought I knew how to do it. I had all the right software and knowledge. So, I convinced him to stop printing his books at the local copy shop and try it. From there, I formed a long-standing career where I helped authors self-publish by coaching them through the process, designing their books, and, in general, holding their hand as they made their book dream come true. I now tell everyone I am semi-retired from that, only taking on a few clients here and there, while I focus on my own books. Besides that, my husband retired last year and we are in the midst of selling our forty-four-year collection of 20^th Century antiques. (This is actually a full-time job in itself!) When I’m not doing those things, I love making jewelry from vintage and found objects, needlecrafts, reading, and working on a photo-genealogy of my family that goes back over one hundred years. 

As a published author, what would you say was the most pivotal point of your writing life?

That’s difficult because there are probably many, but I would say it is likely when I hired a writing mentor and began taking my writing seriously. Over the years, I’ve been very fortunate to know a lot of successful writers who helped me on my way. One of the best ways to meet some of these people is to work as a volunteer behind the scenes of a writer’s conference. I did that for many years and learned a tremendous amount, while also making some life-long friends. 

If you could go anywhere in the world to start writing your next book, where would that be and why?

I’ve been to almost every state in the US. I’ve been to Europe. I’ve been to tropical islands. A person can learn a lot by being in other cultures. Still, I love more than anything to have a quite space at home where I know nobody is going to bother me, if possible, for several days in a row. I live in a cottage on a lake where people are always walking, biking, fishing, or in a boat. It’s a lovely place to be (even though we get a lot of snow), and I am most happy when I am there. 

If you had 4 hours of extra time today, what would you do?

Write. Work on more books. I am driven at the moment to complete some writing projects, and I focus most of my time on those. I am horribly connected to my computer and someone should probably force me to stay off it. . . (No. . .  please don’t!) Otherwise, I might update my website. Play. Add to my journal. Read. Watch a tv show my husband would hate. (If I have extra free time, he’s not home!) Sometimes I like to work a good jigsaw puzzle or make jewelry from vintage and found objects. I always keep busy. There’s always something I want to do.

Why was writing Hatch: A Change Your Life Guide so important to you?

In my books, I write a lot about me. I use me as an example because I’m the best example I’ve known. But Hatch isn’t really about me. It’s about the reader who wants to make the most of their life, who wants to get unstuck from an unsatisfactory situation. It’s about living up to and beyond their potential, and most of all, about hearing their heart and living out the dreams their heart longs to live. I may talk about how and what I did (right and wrong) to achieve all I did in my life, but it’s so they can do it in theirs. That’s the bottom line for me because I feel like the more we help others to be their best, the happier people will be, and the happier people are, the better the world will be. 

What’s next for you?

I am working on a gift book called Hatch-ette (or in other words, the mini version of Hatch), which I intend to give away. It will be a quick jumpstart for those who want to “hatch a life worth loving.” When that is done, I am working on my Marvelous Messages series of books. The next one to be launched is Marvelous Messages from Your Ancestry. I have a deck of cards that goes with that one. After that, I want to create a video course, a community where I can interact with others, and an incubator program where I can privately mentor others. 

 

About Hatch: A Change Your Life Guide

If you could, how would you change your life?

While bravely facing the motherlode of difficult life challenges, you never dreamt the result would be a soul-sucking, heart-crushing existence.    

Although you try to ignore the emptiness, detachment, and feeling that you don’t belong, you rarely make changes. It just seems too impossible for so many reasons. Instead, you silenced your heart’s nagging with self-sacrifice, food stuffing, or by becoming a workaholic.  

Contemplating ending her life, Jamie Saloff chose instead to hatch a new one. She knows how self-doubt and unworthiness can cloud our ability to move forward after the darkness of illness, grief, trauma, or tragedy – because she’s faced it too.    

In Hatch – A Change Your Life Guide, Saloff walks readers through her step-by-step method to:  

• Awaken your soul’s purpose by listening to your heart’s voice   

• Find confidence in your next forward step by hearing your body speak

•See messages of guidance everywhere by learning where to look    

• Uncover your future in your past by examining your ancestral heritage      

• And much, much more…  

“It’s a simple question “Do you wish you could change your life for the better” while the answer is an easy one – do you have any idea of how to accomplish the task? “Hatch – A Change Your Life Guide” gives you a systematic process that will take you on a journey of physical, emotional, and spiritual healing…I highly recommend this wonderful and enlightening book” – Yolanda Renee

Buy Links:

Amazon  | B&N | Kobo | BooksAMillion

 

🏰 Author Interview Featuring John Andrew Fredrick, Author THE KING OF GOOD INTENTIONS III

 

We have a very talented author here today to tell us all about his new book, The King of Good Intentions III. John Andrew Fredrick is the author of five novels and one book on the early films of Wes Anderson. He is the principal songwriter/singer of an indie rock band called The Black Watch that has released twenty-two albums to considerable acclaim. As Popmatters.com has observed, he is an accomplished painter. His poems have appeared in The Los Angeles Press, Santa Barbara Magazine, and Artillery, among others. He lives in Los Angeles and London. Visit him on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/john.a.fredrick and Goodreads at https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/177676792-the-king-of-good-intentions-part-three.

As a book bloggin’ and book luvin’ Princess, I’m always curious to find out how authors get the ideas for their books.  How did you come up with the idea for your The King of Good Intentions series?

I moved from Santa Barbara to Los Angeles in 1988; I had started my band in 1987 but came to LA without them, looking for like-minded indie rock musicians.  The trilogy is quasi-autobiographical, the story of how manic and thrilling it was to be a jangle-pop band in a hair band era.  I thought it was time that time--and the characters, in both senses of the word--was satirized.  I called my narrator "John" in order to play a sort of game with the reader.  He's not at all "me," but he could be my shadow self!

Can you tell us a little about the main characters of your book?

I tried to make the principal ones "round" (as E.M. Forster defines them), and the peripheral ones "rounded"--to, admittedly, variable degrees of success.  They're all young and ambitious and pretentious and endearing--as only artistes in their late twenties can be.

If you could tell your younger writing self anything, what would that be?

Know that no matter how hard it is to write a novel, getting it published is far more difficult.  I wrote 500 pages of a novel longhand before I realized it had no plot other than starring two recent Californian college grads who summered in England.  I threw it out.  I think I did the right thing.  That's advice I'd give to anybody who writes fiction:  just because you throw out a lot of material it isn't a failure but a prompt, as it were, for you to do something better.  Perhaps. 

As a published author, what has been your greatest moment? 

There have been many of them but the best ones have to do with readers telling me how many times they laughed out loud at my stuff.  That's my sole goal, really.  Other than making something beautiful and memorable and whimsically poetic.

Do you hear from your readers? What do they say?

See above.  It's very flattering at times.  Sometimes they object to the main character's garrulous nature, and to his morals or moral quandaries.  But satire, for me, is THE most moral genre.  The bad in my books always get their minor comeuppance. 

Is there anything you'd like to say to your readers and fans? Upcoming plans for more books?

I have a Hitchcockian thriller that I would LOVE to find a publisher for. We shall see. I am not fundamentally a very prideful person--I am too much aware of the greats who've gone before me to get to be too chuffed with myself--but I am super best pleased that strangers have found my novels and told me they didn't want the story to end.

About The King of Good Intentions III

As The Weird Sisters return from their first What-Could-Go-Wrong (spoiler alert – everything) National Tour, bandmates/lovers John and Jenny face their iffy futures together (or apart) as the brilliant and mysterious Katie upends the romantic/artistic balance that’s been precarious-at-best. The unmitigated vanity, the mythopoeic beauty, the megalomania and heartbreak, the exquisite talent and ludicrous hubris – it’s all here in Fredrick’s wonderful, tart-sweet, final installment.   

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🏰 Author Interview Featuring Negrita Smart, Author GRACE AND THE GOLDEN RULE

 

I have a very talented lady here today to tell us all about her new book, Grace and The Golden Rule. Negrita Smart is a small-town girl from Dadeville, Alabama. She is a wife, sister, believer, and teacher at heart.

The first of her family to graduate from college, Negrita holds a Masters in Business Administration and the insurance designation of Chartered Property & Casualty Underwriters and holds insurance licenses in Property and Casualty and Life and Health. She credits and shares her accomplishments with her supportive family.     

Negrita loves spending time with her family and has happily taken on the official role of Event Planner bringing family members together through fun and love. 

In her professional life, Negrita utilizes her talent for sharing knowledge and information as a new-hire trainer creating user-friendly webinars, courses, tests, and gauge learning within business areas such as auto, property, and agriculture.    

As an author, Negrita is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators always looking to connect, share and grow with fellow writers.    

An active supporter of her local church ministry, Negrita is driven to share life lessons with children through story-telling and relatable characters.  

Follow her on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/negritasmart/.

 

Welcome to Book Bloggin’ Princess, Negrita. I’d like to know more about you as a person first. When did you start writing? What was your first published piece? 

I began writing in 2020 at the beginning of the pandemic. Grace And The Golden Rule is my first published piece. 

As a published author, what has been the most pivotal point of your career?

The most pivotal point has been becoming an Amazon Best Selling Author. When I reflect on this accomplishment, I become emotional especially because it happened so quickly. 

If you could go anywhere to write your next book, where would that be and why? 

I would love to sail on an Alaskan cruise and write another book. I have always wanted to visit Alaska. This would be combining what I love to do and a place I would love to visit. 

If you had 4 extra hours of extra time today, what would you do?  

I would read more books, of course! I like to read inspirational books. Right now, I am reading Created To Dream by Rick Warren. I would also shop at Hobby Lobby. I could spend hours walking up and down every aisle in the store. The music is so calming. It's a great shopping experience. 

Why was writing Grace And The Golden Rule so important to you?

I wanted to write a book that would teach children how to treat others, how to be kind, how to share, and how to love. 

Any final words? 

I am working on book #2 in the series. It should be available at the beginning of 2024. Please follow Grace to find out what she does next.

 

About Grace And The Golden Rule

 

Grace loves the Winter season. It is her favorite of all seasons because she loves to play in the snow with her friends. Winter is also Grace’s favorite season because she can wear her favorite purple scarf. Grace wears it every day until she meets Ruth. After meeting Ruth as school, Grace feels differently about playing in the snow and wearing her favorite purple scarf. This is because Grace learns a valuable lesson about how to treat other people.

Purchase at Amazon: https://tinyurl.com/3zh4de8f