Upcoming Children's Books - For January 2016

Please note that there are affiliate links in this post, all opinions expressed are my own.

Every purchase made through this site goes to support this blog!

With December quickly passing us by, I have my eyes set towards 2016 - and the new books that will be released soon. Here's a preview of 5 exciting books to keep an eye out for.

"Star Wars: I Am A Droid"
A Little Golden Book illustrated by Chris Kennett

Release Date: January 6th, 2016
Formats: Kindle - $4.99   Hardcover - $3.80
For ages 2-5

From the Amazon product page: 
"Meet R2-D2, C-3PO, and all the loyal droids from the epic Star Wars space saga! Featuring stunning retro illustrations, this book is perfect for Star Wars-and Little Golden Book-fans of all ages."

With Star Wars Episode 7 hitting theaters December 18th, 2015, the merchandise and product offerings of this brand have exploded - in a big way. You can't go anywhere without seeing a reference, and the Kindle store is no exception. Offered by Little Golden Books, this Star Wars book is the perfect choice for your pint sized fan.

"I Am Martin Luther King Jr." (Ordinary People Change the World Series)Written By: Brad MeltzerIllustrated by: Christopher Eliopoulos

Release Date: January 5th, 2016
Formats: Kindle - $9.99  Hardcover $10.43
For ages 5-8

From the Amazon Product Page:
"Even as a child, Martin Luther King, Jr. was shocked by the terrible and unfair way African-American people were treated. When he grew up, he decided to do something about it—peacefully, with powerful words. He helped gather people together for nonviolent protests and marches, and he always spoke up about loving other human beings and doing what’s right. He spoke about the dream of a kinder future, and bravely led the way toward racial equality in America."

The value of this series of books cannot be understated. Kid friendly and approachable, this series presents historical characters in a way children can relate to - and want to learn about. Releasing in time for Martin Luther King Jr. day, this book will make a fabulous addition to your growing bookshelf.

"Wonder Woman To the Rescue!" (DC Super Friends) Written By: Courtney CarboneIllustrated By: Erik Doescher

Release Date: January 5th, 2016
Formats: Kindle - $4.99  Library Binding - $11.04  Paperback - $4.99
For ages 4 - 6


From the Amazon Product page:
"Wonder Woman and the DC Super Friends star in this all-new Step into Reading book. Girls and boys ages 4 to 6 will love learning about the most iconic heroine of all time in this Step 2 leveled reader!"

I am including this one on the list because I know I will be buying it for my eldest daughter. She loves all things Wonder Woman and it's refreshing to see the Publishers increasing the line offering this iconic heroine. 

"Heart Picked: Elizabeth's Adoption Tale"Written By: Sara CrutcherIllustrated by: Romney Vasquez

Release Date: January 5th, 2016 (released early, on sale now)
Formats: Hardcover - $12.27
For ages: 3 - 8


From the Amazon Product Page:
"Six-year-old Elizabeth is excited to have her dad visit school today but worries some of her classmates might notice they don't look alike. How will Elizabeth respond when her friend says, That's your dad? You don't look like him."

Books about real families and real situations are hitting the market with more frequency these days, which is a blessing and a boon for families of all creeds. This delightful little book presents the love and reality of adoption and race in a beautiful way, making it treasure both you and your child are sure to adore. 

"Silly Wonderful YOU"Written By: Sherri Dusky RinkerIllustrated By: Patrick McDonnell

Release Date: January 5th, 2016
Formats: Kindle - $9.99  Hardcover - $13.49
For ages 4 - 8

From the Amazon Product Page:

"Before YOU came along, so many things were different! But now . . .There's laughter, a house full of adventures and toys, a million little surprises. . . . And so much love."

From the Bestselling Author of "Goodnight, Goodnight Construction Site" comes a new tale of acceptance and uniqueness - this one highlighting the joy and love of early childhood. I have already pre-ordered and I can't wait to read this one to my girls! 

This is just a small sampling of the books coming out early next year, I will try to post more soon!

Update! - Review: "Twas the Night Before Christmas - Edited by Santa Clause for the Benefit of Children of the 21st Century."

Please be aware that this post contains affiliate links, all opinions expressed are my own.

Twas The Night Before Christmas: Edited by Santa Claus for the Benefit of Children of the 

21 Century

By: Clement C. Moore

Illustrated By: Elena Almazova & Vitaly Shvrov

Available:

Kindle: $0.99

Hardcover: $13.26

Paperback: $7.95

When I was a kid my mother read us the "Twas the Night Before Christmas" EVERY Christmas Eve. We had hot coca, snuggled in to our new pajamas and listened to a tale we could recite by heart. These moments forged lasting memories that I want to be able to help my children form as well - in much the same way.

During one of my frequent deal hunting expeditions on the Amazon Kindle page, I came across this book and noted the sub-title: "Edited By Santa Claus for the Benefit of the Children of the 21st Century." Picturing a new take on the old rhyme, I giggled and bought it, imagining mentions of iPads or computer screens. Alas, this is not the case - this book IS the classic tale, right down to the reindeer and new fallen snow.

UPDATE:
I made a mistake in my original post, one I noticed when I was reading this book to my girls tonight. While this is the classic tale, they have removed all mention of a pipe or smoke, hence the 'Edited' aspect of the title, and book. My apologies.

Pros:
This book will never get old, though some of the references in it will. It is a familiar tale and will entertain your kids as much as it entertained you. The update revolves around the illustrations - they are lively and very kid friendly with a colorful Santa that resembles everything a young child could hope for.

Cons:
Honestly, there aren't any - save for the fact I really hoped this was a new version and truly updated for a modern generation. That said, it is a classic for a reason and this Kindle version should definitely make it's way into your eBook library.

Final:
A buy. 5 stars.

Review: "On The Run From Santa"

Review: Children's Book "On The Run From Santa"

Please be aware that this post contains affiliate links, all opinions expressed are my own.

"On The Run From Santa" 

Written and Illustrated by: Melinda Kinsman

Self Published through Amazon Digital Services Inc. November 13th, 2015

In my quest to increase my holiday offerings to my daughters and my readers, I have been searching for themed eBooks that fit the bill. This book, by Melinda Kinsman, landed on the top page of my search query on Amazon, and at $0.99 on Kindle or $7.99 in paperback, it found its way into my cart.

While this is my first foray into this particular authors work, I will look at her other offerings (IF they are on Promo) in order to see what kind of 'lessons' they teach. First off, let me say that while the story itself is not that great, it does have an appeal that caught the kiddos attention, enough so that I am including it on the Blog.

Overview: 

The Wardrobe Gang is a team of cuddly toys that write rhyming books for kids, and Thingy is the newest addition to the group - this is his story. He arrived last year to a new family on Christmas Eve, but soon they discovered that this adorable stuffed toy was far from well behaved. Throughout the year he gets into trouble after trouble, causing mayhem and mischief wherever he goes. When Christmas time rolls around again, the big man has had enough - he realizes that Thingy is a defective toy, and he wants to recall him. So begins the actual 'Running From Santa' part of the tale, though it really involves traveling to the North Pole and pleading the toy's case. 

Pros: 

Like I mentioned above, there is a certain appeal to this book that grabbed the littles attention, and kept it throughout the tale. They enjoyed the idea that a toy could be 'bad' and even 'naughty' - and that there would be repercussions if Thingy didn't shape up and learn right form wrong. All's well that ends well, and this has a happy ending.

Kinsman has added a seek and find quality on every page and tops off the special features with several pages of matching games at the end. As for the illustrations, they are colorful and definitely kid friendly.

Cons: 

As a parent, there are two parts to this book that bother me. After a few months, the toys want to send Thingy away; they can't deal with him nor teach him how to behave. Even though they quickly learned that Thingy was part of the family and wanted him back, it bothered me. The toy, and a toy it truly is, is given human characteristics in order to be relatable to the readers - and the idea of just giving him up.... bugs me. Families don't do that, or they shouldn't. Fast forward and then it's Santa's turn to judge Thingy. Once again, it goes well - but are these messages we really what we want to be giving the kids? Behave or go away? Maybe I am reading too much into it, but I probably won't be reading this to my girls again.

I want to rate this higher since my daughters did enjoy it, but the overall message and under story gains this a 2 star. 

You may also like: "Review: Christmas Stories" 

Review: Christmas Stories for Kids by Uncle Amon

Review: Children's Book - "Christmas Stories" by Uncle Amon

Please be aware that this post contains Affiliate links, all opinions expressed are my own.

As any avid reader and parent knows, there are a myriad of free books available on Amazon at any given time - and this time of year, those free offerings start featuring Holiday staples, new favorites and fledgling Indie authors trying to get their Holiday themed works to the mass public. In that vein, now that Thanksgiving is over, I have decided to write reviews on some of the new Holiday books I am reading to the girls, both the ones that I find free and through their promotional deals.

First up:

"Christmas Stories: Fun Christmas Stories For Kids"

By: Uncle Amon

I discovered this book through a link on HundredZeros, a site that features a treasure trove of free and almost free Kindle ebooks. Updated often, this site is one of the best that I have found discovering new authors and ebooks to fill my ever growing eLibrary. Broken down in easy to understand categories, it gets you where you want to go with descriptions and links galore. Valuable and dangerous.

Joining a rash of new ebooks I picked up recently, this one is offered on Amazon Kindle for free, in paperback for $8.99 and on Audible for $3.46. 

A quick search reveals that Uncle Amon seems to be a small time King of free Kindle ebooks, with over 100 of his 164 listings offered on Free Promo or available through Amazon Unlimited. Many revolve around Holiday themes and are aimed for ages 8 and below.

Judging by the lack of an Illustrator Credit it appears that Uncle Amon illustrates his (or her?) own work, or at least employs some almost clever stock photography licensing. The pages are filled with 5 stories ranging from a cute one about Santa's beard to a humorous, kid friendly take on Boxing Day (or what a kid would think Boxing Day is). Uncle Amon has added jokes and even a coloring section to complete his or her book, making this collection of shorts into one a child could readily love. Marketed to children aged 4-8, I found the narrative in the stories to be for the older side of that scale. While the younger audience may enjoy some of it and the jokes, the older kids will get a kick out of the idea of a Canadian Aunt taking a turn in a Boxing Rink. 

Conclusion: For a free book, you can't beat it. The kids will like it and you won't pull your hair out trying to read it.
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You might also like "Review: The Day My Mommy Slept In!" 

Review:"The Day My Mommy Slept In"

Children's Book Review

Please be aware that this post contains affiliate links
All opinions expressed are my own

"The Day My Mommy Slept In!"

Written by Kally Mayer and Illustraed by Mindy Liang.

This cute little book is the third one I have read by this author, and another hit with my daughters, ages 4 and 2. The mom, a hard working woman who takes care of her family and works outside the home, doesn't hear the alarm one morning, staring off a day of mishaps, troubles and angst. Luckily for all involved, the day does turn around resulting in fond memories for the children and a valuable lesson for the readers.

Pros: It is nicely illustrated and the lesson is delivered in a way any child can understand, even a toddler as young as 2. The rhyming stanzas are easy to read and slip off the tongue with few stumbles.

Cons: Maybe it is just me, but my brain edited the text as I went along, inserting connecting words that made the narrative smoother. While I truly enjoyed this book and I believe it can be an asset to your growing children's ebook library, I would have left out a page or two and reworded some of the text - but again, maybe that is just me. 

Conclusion: My daughters find a book that they love and request it to be read every night till one or both lose interest. As of this writing, we are going on 5 nights of requests, I'd call that a win - and a buy. 

You might also like: "Review: Christmas Stories" 

Lost... found?

Right now there are so many.... correction... TOO many things on my plate. Between family emergencies and other life happenings, I have neglected my passions and my goals. I am frustrated and in need of encouragement. How do I get past myself and my own nerves to see the future - to see where blogging may lead me, or where the next big project could take me? I am not sure, but surly actually putting my fingers to the keys and penning this heartfelt angst is the first step. Isn't it? Please tell me it is..... *sigh* 2015 proved to be a heart happy but financially sad year for my family, maybe 2016 will bless us both ways? Truth be told, while lack of finances stresses me out, being happy makes my heart glad in ways cold hard cash never can.

Here's to actually keeping this blog up, seeing past the equations and getting back to myself!

Have advice for me? Please comment - I truly want to hear it.

Writing Prompt 8-31-15

Writing Prompt
08/31/15

New Book Out! The Ultimate Guide to Getting Started Making Money on Fiverr!

New Book out!

Available now on Amazon for, what else? A Fiverr! If you wait till September 1st, the price will drop to $0.99 for 2 days, then slowly increase till it's back to the starting price of $5.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0137Y84EY?*Version*=1&*entries*=0

So, Madeline and I wrote a book....

Madeline, my 4 year old, and I wrote a book.... ok, so I really wrote it, but she gave direction and picked the pictures, along with the names.

While I do not think it is my best effort, I have a small pint fan, so we (I) put out there. Take a look if you like - the automatic pricing set it to $1.99 due to the picture sizes, but if you have Kindle Unlimited, it is enrolled for free reading.

The Purple Fairy

"Have You Filled a Bucket Today?" - Review

Written by Carol McCloud with illustrations by David Messing, "Have You Filled a Bucket Today?" is now my four year old's favorite book.

We found this charming piece at the local library (yes - libraries are still a thing) where it joined the pile of turtle books, truck stories and the standard Dr. Seuss.

It was the first book chosen at story time, and the second - and the third, and though we haven't had reading moments yet today, I am sure it will be on the docket a few times. Unlike some Princess stories that shall not be named, I don't mind.

The entire message of this book is one of empathy and feelings, told in a way that really hits home with children. We all carry an invisible bucket that hold our good thoughts and feelings about ourselves, a bucket that can be filled with good deeds to ourselves and others, or emptied - 'dipped' - when we are mean or unkind. We can also have our buckets 'dipped' by others, who are 'bucket dippers', bullies, those saying cross words, etc.

I love the way McCloud portrays acts of kindness in an engaging and fun way that really showcases how small acts matter. My daughter, already a deep thinker at only 4, asked if she had a bucket when we were done with the story. If so, where is it? Inside?

The conversation was on point and the message came across loud and clear, something that is sometimes hard to do in a children's book.

For a child, this book is entertaining, colorful and friendly. For a parent, this book is meaningful and no small amount powerful. I am buying it.

You may also enjoy: "Review: The Day My Mommy Slept In!"

Parts by Tedd Arnold - narrated by Gilbertcreations

Narration for "Parts" written my Tedd Arnold. 

Please be aware that this post has affiliate links, narration and opinion are my own.

"Parts" 

You may also enjoy: "Review: Christmas Stories" 

Want a book read? Leave me a comment - I will do my best!!

Writing Prompt #8

Writing Prompt # 8
June 19th, 2015

Writing Prompt #7

Writing Prompt - June, 17th 2015

Writing Prompt

Writing Prompt #6

What does this inspire for you? It's a bit I am working on right now - share what inspires you - I want to know!

Leave a comment.

Writing Prompt #5

Writing Prompt #5

Writing Post - #4

Writing Prompt - #4
June 5th, 2015

Exciting new Children's Picture books for June 2015

June 2015 is shaping up to be an exciting month for Children's books with over 50 titles scheduled to hit the market in the Picture Book category. Here are just 6 of the many offerings soon to be gracing your shelves or ereaders.

"Your Baby's First Word Will Be DaDa"
By Jimmy Fallon with Illustrations by Miguel Ordonez

Jimmy Fallon - yes, THAT Jimmy Fallon, already a veteran Children's author with his 2014 release, "Snowball Fight!" brings us a new offering, this one aimed at helping win that ever constant battle between parents: What will our baby say first? Many vote MaMa, but Fallon has a different view, one he shows us with simple prose and welcoming illustrations in this June 9th, 2015 release by publisher Feiwel & Friends.

"Lulu Loves Colours"
By Camila Reid with Illustrations by Ailie Busby

Lulu is a well loved Children's character, featured in at least 10 other picture books. Little hands will love the lift-able flaps on every page as Lulu learns through painting her favorite colours. Bloomsbury Publishing. Due out June 23rd, 2015.

"Little Friends: Big Adventure" 
By Roger Priddy

Parents the world over know Roger Priddy and his extensive, educational line of books for young learners. Coming June 23rd, 2015, this board book features 10 exciting sounds to enjoy as the Little Puppy goes about his day, traveling through the country side on his way to see his Grandfather. Noisy and fun, this is sure to be a winner with every toddler. Published by Priddy Books.

"How is Daniel Feeling?"
By Maggie Testa with Illustrations by Jason Fruchter

Who doesn't like Daniel Tiger? An adaptation of Mr Roger's Neighborhood, parents will recognize this friendly tiger and how quickly he appeals to little hearts. In this fluffy book, Daniel explores his feelings from happy to sad, silly to mad - and he learns how to handle them. Due out June 9th, 2015 by Simon Spotlight. 

"Welcome Little One: A Love Letter to You"
By Sandra Magsamen

This is a love letter to your baby - composed with colorful pictures and heartfelt verse, it is both a fun read, and a keepsake. Published June 2nd, 2015 by Sourcebooks Jabberwocky.

"My Rules For being a Pretty Princess"
By Heath McKenzie

As the mother of 2 young girls, I saw this title and shuddered a little inside - then I took a closer look. When one small girl gains the wish of a lifetime and becomes a Princess - she soon discovers that the 'rules' surrounding it are no fun. In a Cinderella twist, she creates her own rules - and this makes for a delightful book and a charming tale sure to inspire your own budding Royalty.  Out June 2nd, 2015, published by Sourcebooks Jabberwocky.


Great titles for an exciting month - and the rest of the Summer looks even better!

Writing Prompt #3

Writing Prompt #3 - June 2nd.

Writing Prompt #2

Writing Prompt: June 1st

Writing Prompt 1

May 31st, 2015

5 Great Writing Prompt Boards on Pinterst

The last post relied on an inforgraphic to express how Writers can use Pinterest.  Made by www.mandywallace.com, this handy dandy graphic is chock full of useful and important information for anyone looking to make a career out of their words (like me.) 

To further this quest - knowing which boards to follow on Pinterest can be a boon to your creativity, especially if you are seeking Writing Prompts.  Among the many valuable boards out there, these are a five that have caught my eye or have been featured on other lists.  

It is far from exhaustible and only a small sampling of gold - please let me know your favorite boards, or share your own!

2,906 followers look to Daily Writing Prompts, authored by http://www.sarahselecky.com for their inspiration and daily writing exercises.  With over 800 pins featuring such tidbits like “Write a scene about a greeting card and a paper clip” this board offers more vague instructions, rather than the specific prompts found elsewhere – though there are plenty of those as well, listed in a different color. 

According to his Pinterest profile, Created by MrHughes is a father of six, full time administrator and ½ day 6^th grade teacher.  He also happens to pin the Writing Prompts board, an active spot that 5,321 current followers seek out for inspiration.  These pins are culled from other sources, making it a well-rounded and helpful board with something for everyone.  

Another gem is a board by Writer's Relief, aptly called Writing Prompts.  With 683 pins (as of right now) and almost 7,000 followers, this is a bouncing page sure to delight.  Prompts can take the form of a lead in, the familiar story idea or even a picture, including popular or trending memes. 

New to my favorites list, Story Starters comes from the mind of 19 year old Amy / Writing Maverick. Full of angsty and deep prompts, this is a teenagers dream, a YA authors inspiration or the basis for a creepy Steampunk adventure.  

Inspire me With is a fabulous board that showcases prompts from every genre and taste.  Dialogue prompts, picture inspiration, story ideas, mood prompts - it's all here wrapped in quality and humor galore.

Please let me know which boards you follow for inspiration - or share your own! 

Guide to Using Pinterest for Writers - infographic created by www.mandywallce.com

I found the following inforgraphic while pursuing Pinterest.  Created and offered by mandywallace.com, this is an impressive - and easy to understand - piece of work that can really help a writer, experienced or not.  If you haven't checked out her site, you should.  There is a wealth of information to be had, including an ebook, interviews, sound advice and writing prompts.

Again, any and all credit goes to www.mandywallace.com 

First days on Elance - last days??

The blogosphere has words aplenty to say about Freelancing – some of it good, much of it not.  I decided to throw my hat in the ring and try the top tiered gig sites….. something I was certain I could do with aplomb and somehow turn out a decent blog about all the glorious things I had learned.  Yeah…… what was I thinking????

 Alas, it appears that my blog is really going to begin (though hopefully not end) as a somewhat sad chronicle of my first adventures and foibles just getting started in this vast field.  Looking back just a few weeks, I have to confess to a large amount of arrogance and even hubris….. I actually thought this journey was going to be easy!  

I am not sure if I originally meant this blog to be more of a record, profile, journey or advice blog…. Whatever the main intention, it has veered sharply.  Now – this is a chronicle of an adventure that is looking more complicated by the second.

For any writer just breaking into the field or looking to expand your repertoire, Freelancing has probably hit your radar.  This self-contracted world is a smorgasbord of opportunity and wealth – for the right player at the right price.  Currently there are several lead websites that connect Freelancers with those looking for their services.  Convenient, right?  On the surface, yes.  Sites like Elance, Odesk, Freelancer.com, Guru.com, Fiverr and others entice both payers and buyers, the workers and the employers.  Both are looking for the right fit and these modern platforms are the digital solution to outdated job boards.

A quick search will reveal many opportunities listed on any of these sites, along with countless hits of ‘experts’ aiming to teach you how to ‘hack’ these Freelance Marketplaces.  I read a few of them, and then read some more.  The advice out there isn't bad, in fact – much of it is gold.  Create a decent profile, take skill tests, get ID verified, set up financial accounts, apply, apply, apply…  It’s all part and parcel of any job forum, and I was comfortable immersing myself into these realms. 

I got my feet wet with Elance just about 3 weeks ago.  I took time to set up my profile well, to add a resume, a picture, get ID verified, take skill tests – the works.  I scored high enough in Microsoft Word to be invited to their group, while many of the other skill tests I took landed me at the top 30%; a feat I thought was great, though after further research proved to rather mundane.   After all the ground work was done, I started searching and bid on a few jobs. I got hits back very quickly and was accepted on 3 out of the 10 project I bid on.

So far so good!  I wrote a short creative story of 1500 words that handed me a tidy $110, then a forum earned me 2 gigs at $25 apiece.  It was fast, slightly lucrative and exciting to think about – there were so many other jobs out there and many of them were fairly high paying. Maybe the appeal was intoxicating – and maybe that should have been my first clue that I was hedging into waters I didn't fully understand.  In my job search I found a simple enough listing asking for someone to research only about an hour per day.  It was regarding Paleo and the popular Wheat Belly diet, something I was already familiar with, so I bid low and landed the gig.

It started well enough, though I did notice the client was 10 shades to the side of demanding.  Ok…. No biggie, when you are paying for a service, you want what you pay for, right?  I can understand that.    After a few trials and errors, we hit on a method that seemed to work…. For a day or two.  We had switched the job from an hourly rate to a fixed price, something that I probably should not have agreed to.  The specifics of the research ended up being more particular and finicky that I originally anticipated – nothing I couldn't handle, but something that took more than an hour.  Soon enough I learned the hard lesson that Freelancing on a schedule is much harder than Freelancing on your own.  An obvious observation, but one that never really dawned on me – until I had research due and my youngest daughter required an ER visit. 

The mom in me panicked and the Professional in me shuddered and gave way to The Mom – there really was no other choice.  Unfortunately, this resulted in poor research and an unhappy client.  After a short correspondence, I was told to stop researching – something that while disappointing was not totally unexpected.   The resulting marks, however, WERE totally unexpected.

I received my ‘rating’ from my unsatisfied client, 2’s across the board with the exception of cost – that earned me a 4 star.  Suffice it to say, I was devastated.  My little one had been in the hospital and now I was out of the running on a brand new venture.  For anyone who has ever dabbled in these massive Freelancer economies, you know that your Star rating means almost everything – one negative can drop your score horrendously, damaging the positive ones with unfair weight.

Now, let me just say that I don’t really blame the guy – it was and is my fault.  I did not deliver what was promised, how it was promised and when it was promised.  Maybe he could have shown a bit of compassion and given me a day?  Well, maybe he would have, if I had told him.  I opted for silence in regards to personal issues in our communications - I felt that it was none of his business that my daughter was ill, and offering it up struck me as a sob story and begging.  Not my style – though if it a case like this ever comes up again, it WILL be my new style.  He gave no option to rectify or make amends, and once feedback is left, that’s it.  On Elance, you can’t change it. 

This was just a few days ago, so the full import of this event has yet to realize itself.  I have noticed a marked decline in invitations for job though – marked as in zero… none, zip, nadda…  I went from turning down offers to bid due to work load to receiving no invites at all, and in just a few days!

  

Time and hard work will overcome this set back, but I do feel that I have learned an incredibly valuable lesson.  First rule of Freelancing?  Screen your clients as strongly as they screen you – this gentleman had left negatives more often than positives, a sign I should have noticed – if I had looked.  I know I am going to have limited options right now and that I may need to low ball myself long enough to recover, but I’ll do it.  I earned a decent sum on Elance in a very short period of time, I am not willing to give up on it, not yet at least. 

Next blog – oDesk.

Sisyphus pushing his stone uphill
Bernard Picart [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

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 [H1]

Well this is new...

I have provided private content for blogs over the last several years, researching and composing posts over a vast swatch of interests and topics.  One thing I have NOT done though, is have my own blog. - at least not one where I feature my own writing beyond mere musings.

With the creation of my own domain name, I have created this blog.  At the moment, I am not sure what I am going to post here - I may eventually use it as a platform for new freelancers looking to increase their portfolios - or I may use it as my own advertisement.  If you have any suggestions, please let me know.

Picture by Aaron Pruzaniec / WikiMedia Commons