Smorgasbord Blog Magazine Weekly Round Up -August 30th – September 5th 2020 – #Jazz Geri Allen, Quince and Quesadillas, Life Changing Moments, books, reviews and funnies.

Welcome to the weekly round up with posts you might have missed on Smorgasbord.

Thanks for taking time to drop by and I hope you are having a good weekend. Things are much the same here so nothing new to report. I am however in full writing mode so spending a little less time on social media except for topping and tailing the day.

A warm welcome back to William Price King after his summer break and I am sure you will enjoy his first post in the new season.

Carol Taylor was also here with her A- Z  and this week she has some amazing foods, methods and recipes beginning with the letter ‘Q’.

The first guest in the new Author Spotlight last Sunday was Harmony Kent who shared her remarkable and challenging journey to being the person she is today.

Coming up tomorrow – D.G. Kaye shares how her ingenuity and perseverance landed her a fabulous job that was career and life changing.

I hope that you enjoy the posts from the week and as always thank you for your support that keeps me motivated.. Sally.

William Price King with #Jazz Pianist and Composer Geri Allen

Carol Taylor – A – Z of Food ‘Q’ for Quince, Quail, Quenelles and Quesadillas

Author Spotlight – Life Changing Moments – Do or Die by Harmony Kent

Milestones Along the Way – #Waterford 1940s – The Rural Electrification by Geoff Cronin

Chapter Five – Henry’s New Family

Letters from America 1985-1987 – September 1985 – Hawaii Bound – Inflight Entertainment and Mai Tais

#Mystery #Paranormal A Boy Named Rabbit (Wake-Robin Ridge Book 2) by Marcia Meara

#Historical #Mystery #Chicago – A Child Lost by Michelle Cox

Past Book Reviews – #Autobiography Wilbur Smith – #Prehistoric Jacqui Murray

#Poetschoice – #ButterflyCinquain – The Circle of Life by Sally Cronin

Nutrients that work better with others (Part Two) – Iron and Vitamin C and B2

Cholesterol plays a vital role in a number of key functions within the body yet it has been demonized and come under attack for the last twenty years. For the majority of the population, heart disease and coronary heart disease is lifestyle related and can be reversed by making changes to diet and lifestyle.

The Cholesterol Myth – Part One – Statins, Heart Disease, Statistics by Sally Cronin

Herbal Medicine – Hawthorn – Heart Health and Circulation

#Releases #Detectives Janice Spina,#Reviews #Cheetahs Patricia Furstenberg, #Seashore Jude Lennon, #Bees Paul Noel

New Releases, Offers, Reviews – #Mystery Amy M. Reade, #Romance Linda Bradley, #Thriller Iain Kelly

Angela’s Journey #Fundraiser#ServiceDog by Patty Fletcher

#Nostalgia – Shortnin’ Bread Meander by Elizabeth Gauffreau

Give Credit to the Tulips, the Woods, the Words by Erica/Erika

Pot Luck – Everything stops for #tea by Joy Lennick

Z-Day UK and COVID-19 by Pranav Lal

How #Facebook Changes Work Better for Managing #Groups by Marsha Ingrao

Smorgasbord Laughter Lines – September 2nd 2020 – Hosts Debby Gies and Sally Cronin If it seems to good to be true and last wish

Smorgasbord Laughter Lines –September 3rd 2020 – Hosts Debby Gies and Sally Cronin

Smorgasbord Laughter Lines Extra – Host Sally Cronin – A Gynecologist quits medicine and old age!

 

Thanks very much for dropping in today and I hope you have enjoyed catching up with the posts.. and that you will join me again next week.. thanks Sally.

Smorgasbord Blog Magazine – Weekly Round Up – 9th – 15th August 2020 – Intuition, Nat King Cole, Apple Roses, Children’s Books, Reviews, Health and Funnies

Welcome to the round up with post you might have missed on Smorgasbord this week.

I hope everybody is doing well.. I am sure that like me you are watching the headlines and keeping up do date with not just your own country’s progress with the pandemic but also on a worldwide basis. At this point all we can do is remain safe and avoid covidiots that seem to think social distancing and masks do not apply to them.

On a positive note...I have made a few tweaks to new book releases from August 26th  that I hope will increase exposure for the authors concerned. If you are already in the Cafe and Bookstore you new book announcement will be added to the Cafe Updates on Monday, Wednesday and Fridays. I hope that the fact that there are four authors in the post, it will generate more views for your new book. Over a period of a couple of weeks they usually generate an average of 150 views and multiple shares on Twitter and Facebook.

If you are a new author to the Cafe and Bookstore I will post the usual introductory promotion with bio etc.

This is the latest way to share your work and I now have some wonderful stories of defining moments in the lives of authors in the Cafe and Bookstore. It would be wonderful to share your stories too so perhaps you could read the post and read my story so you can see how it will look.  The series begins the last Sunday of August and I am now booking for the second week in October.. Look forward to hearing from you.

Author Spotlight – Life Changing Moments

If you missed them here are some posts from my contributors this week that you might like to head over and read.

Debby Gies interviews Adele Marie Park about her childhood on the island of
Rousay part of the Orkney Isles where she encountered tales Finn Folk,
Selkies and mermaids.. Adele has just released her latest book, Sea Dragon – Wisp II and shares what is coming next. As always Debby’s questions are tailored to her guest and the interview makes for interesting reading.D.G Kaye interviews Adele Marie Park

Carol Taylor with her Saturday Snippets with posts ranging from Bees and their importance to our environment, Lemon Meringue Pie, National Afternoon Tea Week, Music from Jimi Hendrix, Rooftop farms, removing hooks from shark’s mouths and respect for those who died during the holocaust.. As you can see a varied and interesting post.. please head over. Saturday Snippets with Carol Taylor

Time to catch up with the posts from the week here on Smorgasbord.. thank you for all your support and also to Debby Gies and Silvia Todesco for their wonderful contributions this week. William Price King is back with a brand new Music Column on September 1st.

August 2020 – #Intuition – Do you trust your gut instincts?

Headliners Nat King Cole and Billy Joel

#Italian Cookery with Silvia Todesco – #Dessert- Puff pastry and apples roses

Sam, A Shaggy Dog Story – Chapter Two – My New Home by Sally Cronin

#Ireland #History – The Colour of Life – #Angling The Haul Of Bass 1955 by Geoff Cronin

Before and After of our home in Wexford and a Haiku

Butterfly #Cinquain – Embraced by Sally Cronin

#Prehistoric – Against All Odds (Book 3 of the Crossroads Trilogy) by Jacqui Murray

Past book reviews – #Mystery John W. Howell, #DystopianSciFi Terry Tyler,

New Author on the Shelves – #Environment – That’s Our Home by Jude Lennon

7 – 10 years – The Adventures of Monkey and Toad: Two Remarkable Friends by Donald Lloyd Jr.

#Vampire #Thriller The Dead at Heart: Book Three of The Dead Game Series by Susanne Leist

#Prehistoric – Against All Odds (Book 3 of the Crossroads Trilogy) by Jacqui Murray

#Contemporary Ritu Bhathal, #Crime Jane Risdon, #Poetry Leon Stevens

#Anthology M.J. Mallon, #Thriller Carol Balawyder, #Mystery James J. Cudney

Darlene Foster Interviews Author Mary Smith

#WritingHabits by D.G. Kaye

Top Ten Things Not to Do at the First Sale of #Coca-Cola in 1886 by John W. Howell

Happy Birthday Maine! by Bette A. Stevens

The Humor of Life by Pete Springer

Supplements – Absorbing the nutrients, avoiding the additives

The Medicine Woman’s Treasure Chest – Herbal Medicine – Chamomile (Camomile)

Smorgasbord Laughter Lines –August 11th 2020 – Hosts Debby Gies and Sally Cronin

Smorgasbord Laughter Lines –August 13th 2020 – Hosts Debby Gies and Sally Cronin

August 14th 2020- Another Open Mic Night with author Daniel Kemp

Thanks so much for dropping by today and I hope to see you again next week.. thanks Sally.

Smorgasbord Poetry – Colleen Chesebro’s Weekly Tanka Challenge – Butterfly #Cinquain – Embraced by Sally Cronin

This week for Colleen Chesebro’s Weekly Tanka Challenge 190 Colleen has given us the prompts ‘Circled and Squared‘ and I have chosen the synonyms ‘Embraced and Balanced’ for my Butterfly Cinquain.

Embraced

Embraced
and protected
within their mother’s arms
babies view the world in safety
and calm.
Supported then by loving hands
balanced on two small feet
first steps are made
in life.

 

©Sally Cronin 2020

Images pixabay.com

If you would like to participate in this week’s challenge here is the link again: Colleen Chesebro’s Weekly Tanka Challenge 190 

You can find recent reviews for my latest release and other books: Sally’s books and reviews 2019/2020

Thanks for dropping by and I hope you have enjoyed.. thanks Sally.

Smorgasbord Blog Magazine – Weekly Round Up – 2nd – 8th August 2020 – Music, Octopus and Oysters, Dog Stories, Waterford, Book Reviews, Children’s books and funnies.

Welcome to the round up of posts that you might have missed this week on Smorgasbord.

It is finally a lovely sunny day and I intend to take full advantage and be out in the garden most of the day.

I have finally given myself a very good talking to and put into action a long overdue plan this week. It involves books and reviews and my unsuccessful efforts to whittle my TBR list down effectively. I was only reading at night and it was five pages and then lights out so to speak. Something needed to be done.

I now have a mandatory reading hour in the afternoon either in the garden or in our sitting room if the weather is not warm enough. I have finished two books this week instead of the usual one, and I feel far less guilty about the books sitting their so patiently waiting for my attention.

I am delighted that the new Children’s Cafe and Bookstore is going well with 5 new authors joining and you will meet them in promotions over the next week. One of the problems for children’s authors, especially with picture books for younger children, is getting reviews.  In part because many children’s books are given as gifts and parents may feel that there is no where for them to share a review if they have not bought from Amazon or other book sellers online.

This is why it is important to have a Goodreads author page as a Children’s author so that reviews can be posted worldwide and without having been bought.

Having said that, if the parents or grandparents don’t know that they can put a review on Goodreads, it is not as useful as it might be.

If you are an author of children’s books could I suggest that at the back of your books you put a short note asking for reviews and providing the link to https://www.goodreads.com/ and explaining that it is also a wonderful resource for other children’s books, often at special prices.

In the coming weeks I am going to be putting together some specific children’s book promotions to encourage reviews and it would be great if you help spread the word.  This includes a children’s review watering hole…where even if the books are not in the Children’s Cafe and Bookstore, reviews can be shared and I will add the blurb and the links to the books. The promotion post for this new series is scheduled for Tuesday at 18.00 UK time.

I cannot imagine my life without books and my love of reading began at age four. It is such an important skill to have in life and children’s authors deserve all the support we can give them.

And on the subject of reviews...I was delighted this afternoon to receive a wonderful 5* review from Marjorie Mallon for Life’s Rich Tapestry..If you have time I would be so pleased if you would head over and read in full..thanks Sally.

Marjorie Mallon Review Life’s Rich Tapestry

Here are the posts from the week and as always a huge thank you to the guest writers for their amazing contributions.. this week William Price King and Carol Taylor. And to you for dropping in, liking, commenting and sharing the posts, the support is very much appreciated.

William Price King – Josh Groban Part Four

– A – Z of Food – ‘O’ for Oats, Offal, Octopus, Oranges and Oysters.

Sam, A Shaggy Dog Story – Chapter One – In the Beginning

#Ireland #History – The Colour of Life – The Dance Scene 1950

Some photos and a haiku from Lanzarote

Letters from America 1985-1987 – August 1985 – Hawaiian Luau and Trash Can Punch

Children’s – A Beechworth Bakery Bears (The Beechworth Bakery Bears 1) by Frank Prem

Past book reviews Book Reviews – #FamilySaga Judith Barrow, #Historical Tony Riches

#HaikuSequence – Rain by Sally Cronin

Herbal Medicine – Stinging Nettle and Scorpion Stings

Drystan the Dragon and Friends: Delbert Finds Himself by Janice Spina

Author Reviews – #YAAdventure Darlene Foster, #Children’s #Kindness Dawn Doig – #Horses Deanie Humphrys-Dunne

#ShortStories – #Ireland – We All Die in the End: Scenes from a Small Town by Elizabeth Merry

#Fiction #Community Phyllis Staton Campbell

#Shortstories – A String of Stories: From the Heart to the Future by Ann Chiappetta

#Anthology M.J. Mallon, #Fantasy D. Wallace Peach, #Memoir #Teaching Pete Springer

#Crime Jacquie Biggar, #FlashFiction Sarah Brentyn, #Contemporary #Humour Lizzie Chantree

#Finance – Should You Take an Early-Out Package? by Sharon Marchisello

#Personal – Twelve Questions From A Guy Called Bloke by Stevie Turner…

#Birth – On the Eve of Beltane by Sue Vincent

National Bunion Day by Mary Smith

Guns of Perdition: Interview and Review by D. Wallace Peach

Smorgasbord Laughter Lines –August 4th 2020 – Hosts Debby Gies and Sally Cronin

Smorgasbord Laughter Lines –August 6th 2020 – Hosts Debby Gies and Sally Cronin

Smorgasbord Laughter Lines Extra – August 7th 2020 – Funnies and Bad Dad Jokes Host Sally Cronin

Thank you very much for dropping in today and all the support during the week.. it is much appreciated.. Sally.

Smorgasbord Coffee Time #Haiku #Wexford #Ireland -Rescued from the Deep by Sally Cronin

We live on the Wexford coast and our harbour has small boat and some larger fishing vessels.. There is always something going on, even in the winter when the seagulls use the boats wintering in the inner harbour as roosts… This requires some deep cleaning once the spring comes around again!  This anchor is in pride of place and prompts the question.. what happened to the boat it was attached to?

 

Thank you for dropping by today.. your feedback is always welcome. Sally

Smorgasbord Blog Magazine – Weekly Round Up – 31st May – June 6th 2020 – #Waterford, Elvis, Foxes, Lamaze Classes, poetry, books, reviews and Health

Time continues to pass rapidly despite the turmoil in the world, and suddenly it is Saturday again. Welcome to the posts that you might have missed on Smorgasbord during the week.

Something to think about

I am so tempted to switch off from the news headlines and retreat into my rural sanctuary here in Ireland and ignore the world and its desperation. But, I am part of the world, as we all are, and our words and actions have consequences, especially today with the immediacy of our online contributions. It feels like a powder keg with a lit fuse coiling around the globe, as people take to the streets and their knees, in response to actions that even 10 years ago would have gone unnoticed except for those swept up in the events.

In our modern age of mobile phones with cameras, social media and a growing frustration with what is seen as archaic methods of out of date policing and government, it is unwise for anyone in power to assume that their actions will be swept under the carpet, and that there will not be consequences. Having said that, it also applies to the minority who are taking advantage of the situation by looting and carrying out acts of violence on innocent bystanders and businesses.

Fear and lack of leadership has led to disproportionate reactions from the authorities which has just fueled the situation. Instead of talking and reaching a consensus on a way forward, this reaction is destined to be repeated, unless radical changes are made. It is however, heartwarming, to see that even under such stress, many of those behind the shields have taken to a knee and shared their solidarity with the peaceful protestors.

For those protesting peacefully, I am with you all the way. It is not just the approach to colour in the media, by the authorities, and in the community, it is about developing a whole new approach to education, health care, and employment that currently creates such a divide in our nations. This is not just in the USA but also in countries in Europe where inequality still thrives across the different cultures and sectors of society.

We seem to have forgotten that under our skin colour, beneath our beliefs and beyond our different languages, we all share the same physiology and as human beings, we all have inalienable rights.

One of the most basic rights should be that our fellow man will look out for us when we are being persecuted.

And now time for the posts from the week…and thank you for all the support that I am very grateful for. As I am for the contributors who add such flavour, knowledge and humour to the blog each week.

And to start off another new book marketing series ... a follow on from Share an Extract of a Previous Book... now it is the turn of your most recent book.  Full details in the post and an example of how it will look.

#Free #Bookmarketing – New series – Share an Extract from your latest book.

Tales from the Garden Chapter Four – Pearly Girl and the Dwarves Stone Band

The Colour of Life 1936 – #Waterford -The Station

May 1985 – Lamaze classes, Pink Cadillacs and Funeral Plots

Double Etheree – Silver Lining

Songs from the Movies – Jail House Rock – Elvis Presley.

Flexibility – An Apple a Day – Music Therapy

How much do you get for your 1500 calories and Music Therapy –

Olive Oil…keeps your body moving

Meet the Authors – #Thrillers John W. Howell, #FamilySaga Judith Barrow, #ContemporaryIrish Mary Crowley

#Mystery James J. Cudney, #Poetry Natalie Ducey, #Mystery Stevie Turner

#DystopianSciFi Terry Tyler, #Thriller Yigal Zur, #WorldWarII Marina Osipova

Sharon Marchisello, #Memoir Cynthia S. Reyes, #Poetry Annette Rochelle Aben

#Paranormal Don Massenzio, #Crime Jane Risdon, #Fantasy Jan Sikes

#Childrens – Hair Peace by Dawn Doig

#Children’s – Franky the Friendly Flamingo: An Anti-Bullying Book (The Franky the Flamingo Series) Wanda Luthman

#Poetry – Lines by Leon: Poems, Prose, and Pictures by Leon Stevens

#Childrens Toni Pike, #Dystopian Teri Polen, #Mystery Judy Penz Sheluk

#Fantasy A.J. Alexander, #YARomance Angie Dokos, #Mystery Diana J. Febry

#Romance Jacquie Biggar, #Romance Linda Bradley, #History #Childrens Barbara Ann Mojica

Bubba Tails: From the Puppy Nursery at the Seeing Eye (Tales from King Campbell Book 1) by Patty Fletcher

June 2nd 2020 – Hosts Debby Gies and Guest Balroop Singh

June 4th 2020 – Hosts Debby Gies and Sally Cronin

Another Open Mic Night with author Daniel Kemp

Thank you very much for dropping by and I hope you will have a great week, and will join me again.. stay safe.. thanks Sally.

Smorgasbord Poetry -Colleen Chesebro’s #Tanka Tuesday #Poetry Challenge – Double #Etheree – Sunflower Seeds

This week for  Colleen Chesebro Tanka Tuesday Poetry No 173 – Synonyms Only we are offered the prompt words ‘Idea and Fancy‘ and I have chosen the synonyms ‘Notion and Fondness’ for my double Etheree…

Double Etheree – Sunflower Seeds

The
raven
on the fence
remained quite still
back lit by the moon
as it slid from the sky.
Briefly before the sun rose
his dark feathers would offer him
the gift of invisibility,
and chance to enact his clever notion.
This black bird had developed a fondness
for delectable sunflower seeds.
The source was very close at hand
newly scattered on the ground,
thrown by the evil witch
for favoured sparrows,
but not for him
who she chased
with her
broom.

©Sally Cronin 2020

If you would like to participate in this week’s challenge here is the link again:  Colleen Chesebro Tanka Tuesday Poetry No 173 – Synonyms Only

You can find recent reviews for my latest release and other books: Sally’s books and reviews 2019/2020

Amazon £3.50 :Amazon UK

Amazon US $4.53: Amazon US

Thank you for dropping by and as always your feedback is most welcome.. thanks Sally.

 

 

 

Smorgasbord Blog Magazine – Weekly Round Up – March 29th – April 4th 2020 – Musique Mechanaique, Finger Limes, Letters from America and all that Jazz

Welcome to the weekly round up with posts that you might have missed during the week here on Smorgasbord.

I doubt that there are many of you who are not in some form of self-isolation at the moment and I hope that you have everything you need to keep your spirits up. It is saving our lives and I must admit that even going out once a week for my fresh vegetables and fruit does have me spooked as I try to avoid the invisible serial killer roaming the aisles. Thankfully, the majority of people here are very good about self-distancing and being respectful. Some are wearing masks or scarves as I do, and latex gloves.

The supermarkets are taped for distancing and the checkout staff are behind perspex. Everyone is doing their bit and again, they and the healthcare sector are heroes for turning up each day.

I thought you might like to share a special moment. For the last couple of years, my lucky black ceramic cat has sat next to the front door looking out on the world. One morning just after I placed it there, a black cat came to visit. He still does from time to time, but as you can see he is observing social distancing. I have no idea why he keeps coming back as he gets no response from our cat, but I guess he might be determined to do so one day.

Stay safe and as I have previously offered, if you are struggling and would like to chat online then please email me at sally.cronin@moyhill.com.

And in the spirit of getting together and having a little fun, despite the circumstances, there is a party going on over Easter weekend 11th and 12th April. There are still some spots available and I hope you will participate…

This Easter most of us will be in isolation from family and friends and I know how tough that can be. However, as planned the Easter Parade will go ahead and I hope that you will join me over the two days.

Apart from an opportunity to share your blog and books, it is also a chance to meet others who will be featured or who drop in.

There will be food provided as always and something to drink as well as a bit of music. Since the theme is ‘Flashback’ – the music will be from the 1960s – 1980s.  All I need from you is a photograph taken any time in that time period along with a favourite song of the era.

Smorgasbord Blog Magazine – Easter Parade Blog Party April 11th/12th 2020 – #Flashback Photos, food and music

William Price King -Carla Bley – American jazz composer, pianist, organist and bandleader

Carol Taylor – A – Z of Food – ‘F’ for Figs, Finger limes, Flambe, Fenugreek, Fruit Pectin,Fugu

The two final stories of this collection.

Yves – Be careful what you wish for

Zoe – Looking into the future

FamilySaga – Under a Dark Cloud by Mary Crowley

I wrote this piece about the dreaded driving test that we had to take to enable us to buy a car and get insured. We both had full licences from the UK but had to give this up and obtain a Texas licence…

Letters from America 1985-1987 – Adventures in the USA – The Driving Test Texas Style

Tanka Tuesday #Poetry Challenge – #ButterflyCinquain -The Air

Smorgasbord Health Column – Food Therapy – The Banana – Pre-Wrapped nutrient boost on the go

Smorgasbord Cafe and Bookstore Special -Pre-order for May 5th – Anthology – The Road to Liberation – Trials and Triumphs of World War II

Shortstory Jonah: The hardest demons to face are internal by Jan Sikes

Mystery James J. Cudney, Family Mary Crowley, Cyberpunk C.S. Boyack

Poetry M.J. Mallon, #Mystery Sharon Marchisello, #Paranormal Marcia Meara

#Dystopian Teri Polen, #Poetry Frank Prem, #Horror Vashti Quiroz Vega

#Travel – Numedal Valley in #Norway – Amanda McLaughlin of Forestwood Folk Art

SoCS 2019.09.20 – Two Unwrapped Gifts by Miriam Hurdle

Melancholy – Confusion by Apple Gidley

Life 16 Things We Can Do in Our 50’s that We Couldn’t in Our 20’s by Cheryl Oreglia

Bookreview by Kevin Cooper – Fallout by Harmony Kent

More funnies from D. G. Kaye and some new material from Sally

More funnies from D. G. Kaye and some new material from Sally

More seclusion humour from the senior team

 

Thank you for taking the time to visit today and during the week. It means a great deal…stay safe and I hope you will join me again next week for more fun and games…Sally.

Smorgasbord Blog Magazine Weekly Round Up – 9th to 15th February 2020 – Food, Music, Guest, New book releases, Book Reviews and Laughter.

Welcome to the round up with some posts you might have missed here on Smorgasbord during the week.

I hope that those of you who celebrated Valentine’s Day had a wonderful time… we always enjoy even after 40 years, but this year we managed to both buy the same card for each other which we had a good laugh about… luckily there were a few others that were anonymous to make up for it!!

It was my 67th birthday on Thursday and rather than go out for a meal we decided to indulge in pizzas and ice cream. We don’t give birthday gifts anymore since I have more clothes, handbags and shoes than a department store, don’t have occasion to wear bling very much, and don’t need something else to dust. The most precious gift to me is that we are still going strong and able to eat pizza and laugh.  But I did have a few friends over for tea… virtually.

A wild and windy couple of weeks with the odd day of sunshine as one storm front drives through after another. We are not as badly off as many, especially those who live on the wild Atlantic coastline in the west of Ireland. Nor do we get the snowfalls that those in Britain can expect. And there are a number of storms brewing of a different kind around the world from more floods in Australia to the increasing momentum of the coronavirus.

Whilst naturally are very concerned about catching the virus there is already a fallout that is impacting millions. The travel industry is going to be badly affected as will the tourist industries of many countries around the world as airlines stop services in and out of China and people decide not to fly unless absolutely necessary.

I was looking at the images of the normally very busy Chinatown in the heart of London where we have spent many a lovely evening sampling crispy duck and dim sum. Completely deserted with businesses seriously threatened and the jobs of thousands at risk. Unfortunately it is not just businesses that are threatened but also individuals who are being targeted for the ethnicity.

We have little option but to wait it out and hope that the measures being put in place will turn the tide. Personally I will not be flying in the next few months, especially into major airports. I normally avoid crowded events and places anyway with shopping done early in the morning.

For the elderly, the young and those with a compromised immune system the dangers are very real and it is important to make sure that they are isolated as much as possible from infection. Tough to do but frequent hand washing does help and when my mother was alive she was disappointed that hugging and kissing were banned!

Even though I am a strong advocate for natural therapies, there is no magic potion that can protect you completely. I do use tea tree lotion with a touch of silver on my hands and I am making sure I am getting plenty of vitamin C and D in my diet. Getting out in the fresh air on a daily basis is also a good idea as our centrally heated homes are very attractive to both bacteria and virus opportunists.

I hope by the time I share next week’s round up there will be better news…

Now time for the posts from the week and as always my thanks to contributors and guests for their amazing posts.

The Letter C – Calabash, Cajun, Curry, Cloud Eggs, Chilli and Calamari

Editor Sarah Calfee with a step by step guide to creating the perfect romance plot

Guest Writer Editor Sarah Calfee – The Romance Plot Sequence

The Wind Beneath My Wings from Beaches

Another two stories from the collection

Jane – The Surprise

Kenneth – A Love of Life

This week on  Colleen Chesebro Tanka Tuesday Poetry No 164 the prompts were very appropriate,’Love and Harmony’….. I have selected the synonyms ‘Passion and Rapport’

Etheree – Two Hearts

Shopping List by Nutrient – Part Six – Essential Fatty Acids

Trouble at Clenchers Mill by Diana J. Febry

Trillium by Margaret Lindsay Holton

Scifi Richard Dee, Romance Ritu Bhathal, Thriller Stevie Turner

Short Stories Karen Ingalls, Thriller Terry Tyler, Fantasy C.S. Boyack, Memoir D.G. Kaye

Afghanistan Patricia Furstenberg, Fantasy Kevin Cooper, Midlife Romance Sally Cronin

Reality informs Fiction – Trails in the Sand by P.C. Zick

FDR Barbara Ann Mojica meets Author Bret Baier

Haiku Dogs Released by Denis Young

Mystery Wish You Were Here by Janet Gogerty

Poetry – Who’s Worse by Stevie Turner

Interview Jill Weatherholt and John Howell, Delta Pearl Teagan Genviene, Roti Kool Kosher Kitchen

Valentine’s Day Amanda Cade, Valentine’s Dinner Carol Taylor, Mistaken Identity Anne R. Allen

Reading Robbie Cheadle, Books Teri Polen, Children’s books Jennie Fitzkee

Afghanistan Mary Smith, New Book Teagan Geneviene, Author Promotion Susan M. Toy

D. G. Kaye and her Guest Ann Patras

D.G. Kaye and her guest Ann Patras

Thank you for dropping in during the week and your support is very much appreciated.. thanks Sally.

Smorgasbord Poetry – Colleen Chesebro’s Tanka Tuesday Poetry Challenge -#ButterflyCinquain – Wisdom by Sally Cronin

This week for Colleen Chesebro Tanka Tuesday Poetry No 163 – Poet’s Choice we can decide our own format and theme. I have written a Butterfly Cinquain…

Look deep
and intently
into a baby’s eyes
as they open to view the world
we share.
You might catch a privileged glimpse
of an old soul reborn
gifting the child
wisdom.

©Sally Cronin

If you would like to participate in this week’s challenge here is the link again:Colleen Chesebro Tanka Tuesday Poetry No 163 – Poet’s Choice

You can find recent reviews for my latest release and other books: Sally’s books and reviews 2019/2020

Amazon £3.50 :Amazon UK

Amazon US $4.53: Amazon US

Thanks for dropping by and your feedback is always very welcome.. thanks Sally.