Sunday’s Scraps – They called me Susan

Lynne Fellows calls these ‘Sunday Scraps’ but I see great story outlines! Check it out! 😉

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Week Four of Sunday’s Scraps originates from a prompt in a short story writing competition. The idea was to create a story that contained the elements of tragedy without any of the characters dying; past, present, or future. It was a foray into a world beset with sadness. Whether I pulled it off it is not for me to say, and certainly this snippet will not provide the answer either. This is merely an introduction to the path the story ended up taking. So, without further ado – any excuse to use that phrase! 😉 – here we go!

 

via Sunday’s Scraps – They called me Susan

“Broken: A Short Story” by Dana Pittman

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Broken: A Short Story (Loving Ranch Romance Series Book 0)

by Dana Pittman

Genre: Christian/African-American/Short Story

99¢ at time of posting!

Serafine LeClaire was lost in a world of poor choices. 

Now grieving the loss of the one person she believes she can’t live without, Serafine thought she had more time to right her wrongs. But once again she was wrong.

Journey with Serafine as she learns to let go and embrace a new life of wonder and endless possibilities.

Broken is an Inspirational Short Story and the prequel to the Loving Ranch series. Read as Serafine uses her faith, gifts and scares to change the lives of others…and herself.

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“Fall with Me: Rockstar Romance” by Jayne Frost

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Fall with Me: Rockstar Romance (Sixth Street Bands Book 2)

by Jayne Frost

Genre: NA & College/Women’s Fiction/Romance

99¢ at time of posting! (LIMITED TIME ONLY)

Love isn’t an emotion—it’s a chemical reaction.

Like gasoline meeting a flame.

Eventually, the fire burns out.

Luckily I’m in the right business. Women don’t expect more than I can give.

When I meet Melody, I’m on board for a little fun.

I admit, she’s under my skin. But since we share the same philosophy there’s no chance this will turn into anything more.

Is there?

 

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Fibromyalgia and Yoga

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Doing yoga for fibromyalgia is a surprisingly effective treatment. And if you’re struggling with the constant pain of fibromyalgia and nothing seems to ease your symptoms, yoga may be just what you’re looking for. The intense stretching can help strengthen the muscles and make them more flexible. And the meditative aspects of yoga are great for helping you learn how to avoid focusing on your pain.

In fact, people who do yoga with fibromyalgia consistently report significant improvement in their symptoms. And that makes it one of the most reliable treatments for fibromyalgia. But where do you start with doing yoga for fibromyalgia? Well, here are a few techniques and poses that are particularly effective for this disease.

Yoga For Fibromyalgia

When you’re trying yoga for fibromyalgia, it’s important that you focus on exercises that won’t be too intense. Not only can the exertion of the more complicated poses trigger fibro flare-ups, but starting with poses that are too advanced can strain your muscles and make the pain worse.

Focus on easy movements, like these:

Legs-up-the-wall pose

This pose is a gentle way to start as it doesn’t involve any serious stretching or difficult-to-hold poses. To do this once, simply lay on your back with your legs near a wall and lift them up in the air while laying them against the wall. Let the wall take all the effort out of holding your legs up and focus on your breathing.

This pose offers a gentle stretch to your hips and the muscles in your legs while letting blood flow. This can help reduce pain in your hips or upper legs if you’re having pain there. And it’s a great way to ease into a yoga session.

Standing Forward Bend

The Standing Forward Bend is a good way to stretch your legs and back while promoting blood flow through your muscles. And it’s extremely easy to do. Start with your legs shoulder-width apart and bend forward.

Try to push your upper body as far towards the ground as you can. If possible, touch your toes.This stretches the large muscles in your upper legs and lower back, which can be particularly painful sources of fibromyalgia pain. As you do each pose, focus on clearing your mind and maintaining steady breathing.

Bridge Pose

This pose is slightly more advanced but is great for the muscles of the back. Lie flat on your back and slowly lift your body up with your legs. Your shoulders should stay on the ground and soon you’ll feel your muscles stretching. Bring your feet up towards your shoulders if you can. This works out the pain in the lower back, upper back, and hips.

So it’s great if you want to restore some mobility in the face of fibromyalgia pain.

Cobra Pose

Cobra pose is great for really focusing on the muscles in your lower back. So if you find that your fibromyalgia pain is particularly bad in that area, this pose could be a good way to treat it. But this pose is also great for working out the pain in your shoulder blades. And it’s a very easy pose to do, so it’s a good choice for warming up.

Start on your stomach, laying on the ground. Now put your hands under your shoulders and push up. You want your back arched up like, well a cobra. You can make the pose more intense by arching your back further.

Downward Dog

Downward dog is a pose that works your entire body. It’s great for your arms, shoulders, back, and legs. And it’s one of the more strenuous poses, so if you’ve made it through all the others and want something more challenging, then look no further.

Start by placing your feet shoulder-width apart. Now slowly bend forward so that your hands are touching the ground. As you bend forward, lean forward from your feet so that you are forming a kind of bridge. Now hold this pose for a few seconds while focusing on your breathing.

If you want to make it more intense, you can also walk your hands back towards your feet, which will increase the stretching in your legs.

Half Moon Pose

The half moon pose is another versatile and challenging option when it comes to yoga for fibromyalgia. It works out some of the core muscles in your back and abdomen, as well as your legs and shoulders.

Start by standing up and lowering one hand down so that it touches the ground. Your leg on the opposite side should naturally lift up at the same time. Now hold this position for a few seconds while you breathe. It’s a great pose for building up strength in muscles that might be weakened by fibromyalgia.

No matter which set of poses you decide to do, yoga is a great way to get some much-needed exercise for fibromyalgia. And it comes with the unique benefit of improving your mental state as well as your physical one. So why not give it a try?

 

The preceding article is from FibromyalgiaTreating.com and posted here for sharing purposes only. No copyright infringement intended. For additional information, please visit their website or consult your physician.

 

#CoverReveal “The Picture (When Greed Turns Deadly)” by Roger Bray

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A warehouse in Japan used as an emergency shelter in the aftermath of the 2011 Tsunami. A distraught, young Japanese woman in disheveled clothes sits on a box, holding her infant daughter. Ben, a US rescue volunteer, kneels in front of her offering comfort. They hug, the baby between them. The moment turns into an hour as the woman sobs into his shoulder; mourning the loss of her husband, her home, the life she knew. A picture is taken, capturing the moment. It becomes a symbol; of help freely given and of the hope of the survivors. The faces in the picture cannot be recognised, and that is how Ben likes it. No celebrity, thanks not required.

But others believe that being identified as the person in the picture is their path to fame and fortune. Ben stands, unknowingly, in their way, but nothing a contract killing cannot fix.

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Roger Bray1Author Bio –  I have always loved writing; putting words onto a page and bringing characters to life. I can almost feel myself becoming immersed into their lives, living with their fears and triumphs. Thus, my writing process becomes an endless series of questions. What would she or he do, how would they react, is this in keeping with their character? Strange as it sounds, I don’t like leaving characters in cliffhanging situations without giving them an ending, whichever way it develops.
My life to date is what compels me to seek a just outcome, the good will overcome and the bad will be punished. More though, I tend to see my characters as everyday people in extraordinary circumstances, but in which we may all find our selves if the planets align wrongly or for whatever reason you might consider.

Of course, most novels are autobiographical in some way. You must draw on your own experiences of life and from events you have experienced to get the inspiration. My life has been an endless adventure. Serving in the Navy, fighting in wars, serving as a Police officer and the experiences each one of those have brought have all drawn me to this point, but it was a downside to my police service that was the catalyst for my writing.

Medically retired after being seriously injured while protecting a woman in a domestic violence situation IRoger Bray2 then experienced the other side of life. Depression and rejection. Giving truth to the oft said saying that when one door closes another opens I pulled myself up and enrolled in college gaining bachelor and master degrees, for my own development rather than any professional need. The process of learning, of getting words down onto the page again relit my passion for writing in a way that I hadn’t felt since high school.

So here we are, two books published and another on track.

Where it will take me I have no idea but I am going to enjoy getting there and if my writing can bring some small pleasure into people’s lives along the way, then I consider that I will have succeeded in life.

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“Murder, Curlers, and Cream: A Valentine Beaumont Mystery” by Arlene McFarlane

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Murder, Curlers, and Cream: A Valentine Beaumont Mystery (The Murder, Curlers Series Book 1)

by Arlene McFarlane

Genre: Cozy/Mystery/Women Sleuths

FREE at time of posting!

Valentine Beaumont is a beautician with a problem. Not only has she got a meddling mother, a wacky staff, and a dying business, but now she’s got a dead client who was strangled while awaiting her facial.

With business the way it is, combing through this mystery may be the only way to save her salon. Until a second murder, an explosion, a kidnapping, death threats, and the hard-nosed Detective Romero complicate things. But Valentine will do anything to untangle the crime. That’s if she can keep her tools of the trade in her bag, keep herself alive, and avoid falling for the tough detective.

In the end, how hard can that be?

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“The Super-Secret Science Club: Case of the Disappearing Glass” by S.C. Davis

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The Super-Secret Science Club: Case of the Disappearing Glass

by S.C. Davis

Genre: Middle Grades/Mysteries & Detectives/Spies

FREE at time of posting!

I’ll never forget my science teacher’s words the day he recruited us as spies:

“I’m a member of a secret organization called the Rosalind Group, whose original mission was to find and prevent cases of stolen scientific research. But one day, everything changed, and I didn’t understand why. Eventually, I figured it out…we weren’t the good guys anymore…the Rosalind Group is no longer protecting scientists from having their research stolen. We’re now the ones who are stealing it.”

Apparently research wasn’t all they were stealing; they were stealing the scientists themselves! I suppose “kidnapping” is the proper word.
And that’s where we came in. Six science-savvy seventh graders. One missing scientist. And the need for some serious out-smarting.
But there’s just one more mystery involved: how was I supposed to do this without lying to everyone I know? I was sworn to secrecy…but I ended up breaking my promise.

“Case of the Disappearing Glass” is the first book in the Super-Secret Science Club series. Follow Jenna and her classmates as they unravel mysteries and tackle critical missions, all while trying to survive middle school!

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Song Lyric Sunday | “Stayin’ Alive” – by the Bee Gees

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Song Lyric Sunday was created by Helen Vahdati from This Thing Called Life One Word at a Time. For complete rules or to join in the fun, click here.

The theme for Song Lyric Sunday this week is “stay.”

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Of course, I couldn’t resist this one! 😀 😀

ANOTHER disco smash hit!

Landing at #189 on Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Songs of All Time list, the Bee Gees Stayin’ Alive was supposed to carry the same name as the hit movie it opened… Saturday Night Fever. But the Brothers Gibb felt there were already too many songs with ‘Saturday’ in the title, and a song from the album already included the word fever… Night Fever.

The hit-making brothers won the song naming battle (vs. the record company) and Stayin’ Alive was released December 13, 1977. By the first week of February in 1978, the song was #1 on Billboard’s Hot 100 and stayed there for four weeks. The song also ranked #9 on the American Film Institute’s 100 Years… 100 Songs survey of top tunes in American cinema.

The single was the second in six consecutive number-one songs for the Bee Gees, tying the Beatles’ record—a record later broken by Whitney Houston who achieved seven consecutive number-one songs.

FUN FACT – The song’s disco beat of 120 beats per minute coincides the heartbeat of your heart when you’re excited. This was a key thing which underlined the whole tune, and when the vocals came in, the vocals were so designed that they pushed that beat further.

FUN FACT #2 – Sole surviving Gibb brother, Barry, will be SEVENTY-TWO in September 2018.

The video featuring Saturday Night Fever clips is the popular video but I prefer the one featuring the Bee Gees in all their pre-1980s glory, so I posted both!

 

Enjoy!

Check out my Song Lyric Sunday selection on FeliciaDenise.com.

Disclaimer: I have no copyrights to the song and/or video and/or hyperlinks to songs and/or videos and/or gifs above. No copyright infringement intended.

Stayin’ Alive

by the Bee Gees

Written by The Bee Gees

 

Well, you can tell by the way I use my walk
I’m a woman’s man: no time to talk
Music loud and women warm, I’ve been kicked around
Since I was born
And now it’s all right, it’s okay
And you may look the other way
We can try to understand
The New York Times’ effect on man
Whether you’re a brother or whether you’re a mother
You’re stayin’ alive, stayin’ alive
Feel the city breakin’ and everybody shakin’
And we’re stayin’ alive, stayin’ alive
Ah, ha, ha, ha, stayin’ alive, stayin’ alive
Ah, ha, ha, ha, stayin’ alive
Well now, I get low and I get high
And if I can’t get either, I really try
Got the wings of heaven on my shoes
I’m a dancin’ man and I just can’t lose
You know it’s all right, it’s okay
I’ll live to see another day
We can try to understand
The New York Times’ effect on man
Whether you’re a brother or whether you’re a mother
You’re stayin’ alive, stayin’ alive
Feel the city breakin’ and everybody shakin’
And we’re stayin’ alive, stayin’ alive
Ah, ha, ha, ha, stayin’ alive, stayin’ alive
Ah, ha, ha, ha, stayin’ alive
Life goin’ nowhere, somebody help me
Somebody help me, yeah
Life goin’ nowhere, somebody help me
Somebody help me, yeah, I’m stayin’ alive
Well, you can tell by the way I use my walk
I’m a woman’s man: no time to talk
Music loud and women warm
I’ve been kicked around since I was born
And now it’s all right, it’s okay
And you may look the other way
We can try to understand
The New York Times’ effect on man
Whether you’re a brother or whether you’re a mother
You’re stayin’ alive, stayin’ alive
Feel the city breakin’ and everybody shakin’
And we’re stayin’ alive, stayin’ alive
Ah, ha, ha, ha, stayin’ alive, stayin’ alive
Ah, ha, ha, ha, stayin’ alive
Life goin’ nowhere, somebody help me
Somebody help me, yeah
Life goin’ nowhere, somebody help me, yeah
I’m stayin’ alive
Life goin’ nowhere, somebody help me
Somebody help me, yeah
Life goin’ nowhere, somebody help me, yeah
I’m stayin’ alive
Life goin’ nowhere, somebody help me
Somebody help me, yeah
Life goin’ nowhere, somebody help me, yeah
I’m stayin’ alive
Life goin’ nowhere, somebody help me
Somebody help me, yeah
Life goin’ nowhere, somebody help me, yeah
I’m stayin’ alive
Songwriters: Maurice Ernest Gibb / Robin Hugh Gibb / Barry Alan Gibb
Stayin’ Alive lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc, Universal Music Publishing Group

 

 

Compiled from Genius Lyrics, Google and Youtube.