“Thanksgiving” – Being Grateful
Remembrance – Samuel F. Pugh
O God, when I have food, help me to remember the hungry. When I have work, help me to remember the jobless. When I have a home, help me to remember those who have no home at all. When I am without pain, help me to remember those who suffer. And remembering, help me to destroy my complacency, bestir my compassion, and be concerned enough to help, by word and deed, those who cry out for what we take for granted. Amen.
He Is Good – Psalm 100
Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands.
Serve the LORD with gladness:
come before his presence with singing.
Know ye that the LORD he is God:
it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves;
we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
Enter into his gates with thanksgiving,
and into his courts with praise:
be thankful unto him, and bless his name.
For the LORD is good;
his mercy is everlasting;
and his truth endureth to all generations.
“When it comes to life the critical thing is whether you take things for granted or take them with gratitude.” – Gilbert K. Chesterton
“When I started counting my blessings, my whole life turned around.” – Willie Nelson
Thanksgiving Observance – by Author Unknown
Count your blessings instead of your crosses;
Count your gains instead of your losses.
Count your joys instead of your woes;
Count your friends instead of your foes.
Count your smiles instead of your tears;
Count your courage instead of your fears.
Count your full years instead of your lean;
Count your kind deeds instead of your mean.
Count your health instead of your wealth;
Count on God instead of yourself.
Thanksgiving Day – by Lydia Maria Child
Over the river and through the wood,
To Grandfather’s house we go;
The horse knows the way
To carry the sleigh
Through the white and drifted snow.
Over the river and through the wood,
Oh, how the wind does blow!
It stings the toes,
And bites the nose,
As over the ground we go.
Over the river and through the wood,
Trot fast, my dapple gray!
Spring over the ground,
Like a hunting hound,
For this is Thanksgiving Day.
Over the river and through the wood,
And straight through the barnyard gate!
We seem to go
Extremely slow,
It is so hard to wait!
Over the river and through the wood;
Now Grandmother’s cap I spy!
Hurrah for the fun!
Is the pudding done?
Hurrah for the pumpkin pie!
HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO MY FAMILY, FRIENDS, AND READERS! 
Solitaire
Veterans Day 2019 – THANK YOU!
This holiday is a time to show appreciation for all those who served America, both living and dead. It’s celebrated each year on November 11, the day the Allied forces and Germany enacted an agreement in 1918 that ended World War I.
We honor all those who have served and are now serving in the armed forces fighting for our freedom.
Solitaire
Horror fans – Looking for a creepy tale to read this Halloween?
Are you one of those readers who love an eerily haunting story, one that you’re terrified to keep reading and yet you can’t put it down? With Halloween at our doorstep, it’s a great time for one of those novels. For those who love the horror genre, anytime is a good time. In my horror/thriller, Vengeance of the Wolf
you are drawn into the world of dreams. It’s the story of a shocking assassin who works through dreams using a technique that seems physically impossible, to end the lives of those deemed responsible for an untimely death. Detectives are completely baffled, and just as they appear to get closer to determining the person’s identity, they are completely thrown off and their efforts seem to take them nowhere. Extremely shaken at the horrific scenes to which they are led, the question remains – why is this happening and where is it leading? Only the assassin has the answers to their questions – answers that may be too unsettling to be revealed.
If you like a good scare – check it out at my website, where you can read the first chapter! You’ll find it is available multiple places in all formats.
HAPPY HALLOWEEN EVERYONE!!! 
Do you have a favorite creepy story? Leave a comment.
Solitaire
Cover Launch: DAUGHTER OF THE DARK LORD, Part Four, OUT OF THE ABYSS by Solitaire Parke
I’m excited to reveal the actual title and cover of the final volume of the Prequel series to the Dragomeir Series books. They began with Daughter of the Dark Lord, Part One, The Burning Sky, and now continue with Daughter of the Dark Lord, Part Four, OUT OF THE ABYSS.
I can’t wait for you to return to the adventures of Katherine Pendragon, Daughter of the Dark Lord of the Provinces. She navigates a whole new journey with unexpected difficult decisions, old and new friendships, and of course, dragons.
After traveling through time, Katherine finds herself in Iceland where she reunites with people from her past, although they don’t all remember her. Cystic is a trusted old friend, and Tanis is destined to be of great importance in her future, belonging to an organization called the Thaumaturgists. Cystic takes her to Mt. Scartaris, the home of dragons and their stewards, where she proves herself to be a worthy leader. Queen Mother/Katherine, brings change to their chaotic and undisciplined lives to protect them from future harm. But not long after, she learns of a greater threat. Cystic has known for some time that Mt. Scartaris is an active volcano which is currently displaying critical signs. To further complicate matters, there is the abyss. Now Katherine must engage the help of the Thaumaturgists, a clan of wizards, and find a new home for her family before the eminent disaster.
I hope I’ve piqued your interest. To find the other books in the Daughter of the Dark Lord Series and the Dragomeir Series, as well as other works and fun extras, join me at www.solitaireparke.com. My books are available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, & various other locations listed on the website. You will also find me on Pinterest, Facebook and Goodreads.
Happy Reading!
Solitaire
Never give up – Never surrender!
It’s a line spoken by actor, Tim Allen, from a movie – “Galaxy Quest.” It’s one of the funniest sci-fi spoofs ever made. It’s just one of those feel-good movies that you watch again and again, and it has a great message. It’s so easy to get lost amidst the responsibilities and difficulties of life. We struggle to find the time to write or create, and sometimes it can be all too confusing and disheartening to keep up the drive. Many of us are working day jobs and trying to fit in our writing or whatever our passion is, around everything else. What we need is creative clarity about what we’re creating and why we’re doing it in the first place. Go back to the ”well” so to speak, and dig deep for your source of inspiration. Do you have a great story that needs to be expressed, whether it’s as an author or in a painting? Someone out there needs to hear or see what you have to say and it will profoundly connect with them in a meaningful way, and that is important. It means continuing to be an artist even when there are setbacks, and a lack of validation. That clarity will help you to prioritize amidst your busy life, and your amazing creation will materialize and give the world something to think about besides its everyday routine. To be elevated above the mundane into a place that is intriguing, magical, whimsical or exquisite is what teaches us how to thrive and experience truly being alive!
Never give up – Never Surrender!
Solitaire
Check out my website for upcoming books and fun features.
10 Quotes to Keep You Thinking, Encouraged, and Positive
- “Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot,
Nothing is going to get better. It’s not.”― Dr. Seuss, The Lorax
- To the world you may be one person; but to one person you may be the world.”
- “When you think things are bad,
when you feel sour and blue,
when you start to get mad…
you should do what I do!
Just tell yourself, Duckie,
you’re really quite lucky!
Some people are much more…
oh, ever so much more…
oh, muchly much-much more
unlucky than you!”
― Dr. Seuss, Did I Ever Tell You How Lucky You Are?
- Be yourself; everyone else is already taken.”
― Oscar Wilde
- “No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.”
― Eleanor Roosevelt, This is My Story
- I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”
― Maya Angelou
- “Nothing is impossible, the word itself says ‘I’m possible’!”
― Audrey Hepburn
- “Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving.”
― Albert Einstein
- “You’re going to come across people in your life who will say all the right words at all the right times. But in the end, it’s always their actions you should judge them by. It’s actions, not words that matter.
― Nicholas Sparks, The Rescue
If you have a favorite quote, please share or comment.
Solitaire
15 Quotes to Celebrate Father’s Day
The third Sunday in June every year is Father’s Day. A great day to let your Dad know that he is important and you care, with a card, a gift, or just a hug and a visit. Fatherhood is rarely a smooth ride, but one that’s full of ups and downs, with both joyful and sometimes tragic experiences. You learn to find joy in the everyday pleasures and count your blessings, because nothing in life is guaranteed. So, live simply, don’t take yourself too seriously, live your life intentionally and with a sense of humor. Cherish each one of life’s moments that you have.
Here are some quotes from a handful of Fathers:
“A Father carries pictures where his money used to be.” – Steve Martin
“One Father is more than a hundred schoolmasters.” – George Herbert
“No man stands taller than when he stoops to help a child.” – Abraham Lincoln
“What you teach your children, you also teach their children.” – The Talmud
“A two year old is kind of like having a blender, but you don’t have a top for it.” – Jerry Seinfeld
“There should be a children’s song: If you’re happy and you know it, keep it to yourself and let your dad sleep.” – Jim Gaffigan
“It’s on ongoing joy being a Dad. ” – Liam Neeson
“The older I get, the smarter my Father seems to get.” – Tim Russert
“When my Father didn’t have my hand, he had my back.” – Linda Poindexter
“A daughter needs a Dad to be the standard against which she will judge all men.” – Gregory E. Lang
“Having a kid is like falling in love for the first time when you’re 12, but every day.” – Mike Myers
“My Father used to say, ‘It’s never too late to do anything you wanted to do. You never know what you can accomplish until you try.’ ” – Michael Jordan
“A Father doesn’t just tell you he loves you; he shows you.” – Unknown
“My Father taught me not to overthink things, that nothing will be perfect, so just keep moving and do your best.” – Scott Eastwood
“Daddies don’t just love their children now and then. It’s a love without end.” – George Strait
Happy Father’s Day!
Solitaire
The Prequel – Tips on Writing a Great One!
Hello Readers!
My newest prequel book to the Dragomeir Series is now in the editing process and will be out later this year. It will be the 4th book in the prequel series – Daughter of the Dark Lord – which can all be found on my website –www.solitaireparke.com.
When you finish reading the last book in a series – one that you just couldn’t put down – it would often be amazing to find out the stories behind the story. What were the circumstances in the past that contributed to, or carved out the personalities of the characters we either fell in love with, hated, or never even knew existed? Generally, a prequel provides the reader with new or expanded information on a story line that was important to the original series but perhaps only touched upon.
Yes, I know that over and over again, prequels have messed things up – especially when you’re talking about movies. Prequels can be difficult to write since they have to line-up with already established story lines. But they can be enormously popular as well. You just have to adhere to some guidelines in order to keep your stories straight.
First of all, be sure that your prequel story has a strong enough scope to merit telling. It should be able to stand on its own without relying too heavily on the original story, otherwise it will feel like “more of the same.”
Can you expound on the history of a particular place or answer more in-depth questions about your characters or their families, all without compromising the original story line? There might be an extensive untold backstory that could be important to the original series, that was only previously touched upon. Focus on telling your audience something unknown. In the prequel, you might find pieces of the story or past events that never got a complete or proper explanation, leaving you with questions.
Since the reader knows the outcome of the story, it can be tricky, and you must be careful not to contradict anything said in the original series. After writing thousands of pages, and spending countless hours editing and revising, an author can easily lose track of their own story. The prequel’s job is to fill in gaps and flesh out story lines, answer the unanswered questions, and give some important characters background on their motives for later actions, so a reader going back to the prequel can have that “aha” moment. At the same time, the author has to be careful to keep the essential secrets of the original series.
I would suggest that if you decide to write a prequel, do yourself a favor and scan through the original series before starting and as you go along, to refresh your mind on the world and characters you have created. It might even be wise to compile a database of information from which you can garner information when needed.
Telling a good prequel story is not easy. But if you decide to take on the challenge, these tips might help you stay on track and craft a story that your readers will love!
Solitaire
What are your ideas about prequels?
Fantasy Writing Tips From “Game of Thrones” Author, George R.R. Martin!
“Game of Thrones” is back for the final season. Who hasn’t watched or at least heard of the TV show, “Game of Thrones?” The author, George R. R. Martin, has been writing Fantasy books for years before this series came out. I have been a fan of his for a long time. Since I write Science Fiction/ Urban Fantasy myself, I was curious what his thoughts were on the subject. This article on the site, Lifehacker.com, peaked my curiosity. Here are his top 10 writing tips for Fantasy:
- Don’t limit your imagination
- Choose your point-of-view characters to broaden the narrative’s scope
- It’s okay to borrow from history
- Talk to real people for a believable point of view
- Grief is a powerful tool but don’t overdo it
- Violence should have consequences _ so spare nothing
- Avoid fantasy clichés
- The world is full of “grey” characters to draw from
- Juggling lots of characters takes skill and luck
- All men must die, but we don’t have to give way to despair
To get the details of each of these tips, click on the link below and enjoy!
“The best fantasy is written in the language of dreams. It is alive as dreams are alive, more real than real … for a moment at least … that long magic moment before we wake.”
George R.R. Martin
If you have any tips that have been helpful to you, I’d love to hear about them! Have a great day!
Solitaire
Check out my Dragomeir Series and Prequel books at my website –
READ IT NOW – Daughter of the Dark Lord – Part Three – INTO FUTURES PAST
I am excited to tell you that the third prequel to the Daughter of the Dark Lord – INTO FUTURES PAST has been released!
It is available on my website www.solitaireparke.com under Books. Check out the first two prequels and the other books there as well as some fun extras.
Daughter of the Dark Lord, Katherine, is determined to protect the downtrodden. She’s in a race against time and space to fulfill the prophecy and become a leader unlike any other before her. Follow her failures, triumphs, and unending journeys to claim her destiny as the Queen of the Dragons in this exciting, action-filled fantasy adventure as she struggles with self-acceptance and the acceptance of the dragons and people in her world.
In Book number three, Katherine travels through time to find herself transformed into the body of a woman named Elizabeth. She struggles to make sense of this unfamiliar new reality while being pursued by forces of good and evil. Using her special abilities, will she be able to claim her calling and as Queen of the Dragons, save them all? This is her story, one of thrilling adventure and at times heart-wrenching sorrow as she seeks to fulfill her destiny.
I hope you all enjoy the journey of Katherine Pendragon as she travels – INTO FUTURES PAST!
Solitaire
