The Happy Hammock

What You Need to Know about Latvia

If you are a travel junkie or a person who are fond maps, you probably have known Latvia by now. There are so much you extraordinarily beautiful aspects that the country holds, from its people to its cuisine. Hence, here are the basic things that you need to know about Latvia.

Quick Facts

Formally referred to as the Republic of Latvia, this country is located at Northern Europe’s Baltic Sea region. The neighboring borders are Lithuania to the south, Russia to the east, Estonia to the north, and Belarus to the southeast. In 1940, the country was inhabited and annexed by the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics; but, got its independency 13 months after.

Riga is its capital and biggest city. Due to its location, the country is rich in rivers that stream down to the Baltic Sea. Latvia also has a bunch of lakes, where a couple of these particular bodies of water stretches up to 30 square kilometers. It is also significantly an undulating plain that has equitably even lowlands varying with hills. However, one main issue when it comes to preserving structure of the hills with highly cultivated lands is erosion.

People

Latvia is not just rich in waters, lands, floras, and faunas. The nation is also filled with amazing citizens that belong to different ethnic groups. For how many years, it has a multiethnic population. However, there was a great change in the demographics caused by the World Wars and other significant events, such as the migration and elimination of the Baltic Germans, the occurrence of the Holocaust, and the inhabitation of the Soviet Union.

Now, 3/5 of the population are ethnic Latvians, approximately ¼ are Russians, and the rest are composed of a bunch of Poles, Belarusians, Lithuanians, Ukrainians, etc. As a result, many residents speak a different language. Most speak Russians, but there are also some who speak Romany, Yiddish, and more. When it comes to religion, 26.0% of Latvians are nonreligious followed by Roman Catholics at 19%, Russian Orthodox at 16%, Lutherans at 14%, and the rest are other Orthodox, atheist, etc.

Cuisine

The Latvian cuisine plays a great role in preserving and highlighting the country’s culture. That said, these magnificent and delectable dishes are being featured in the remarkable food fiction anthology titled Remembrance of Meals Past by Anita Legsdin. Latvian Christmas cookies were also mentioned in the hit series Brooklyn 99 by the adoptive son of Charles Boyle named Nikolaj in the episode 10 of the 4^th season. Thus, they make the readers and audiences more curious about Latvia and its dishes.

Latvian cuisine is basically comprised of agricultural goods, with meat as the star of almost all the dishes. Given the geographic location of the country, fish is among the common food eaten by Latvians apart from meat. The basic ingredients in cooking Latvian food are wheat, onions, potatoes, eggs, barley, pork, and cabbage. However, the availability of their dishes depends on their 4 seasons.

Their food is known to be fatty with only a bit of spices used. The common dishes that they serve are the Lido lunch comprised of cold beet soup, sauerkraut, cutlet, gherkin, kefir, and kvass. When it comes to dairy products, they have an abundant milk supply that made it possible to produce different types of cheese including cottage cheese which they referred as biezpiens and caraway cheese. They also have other products made of milk apart from cheese. Moreover, they also have wide arrays of soups, breads, pastries, and mushrooms that make their cuisine more interesting and flavorful.

Culture

Latvia has a rich cultural heritage. The different ethnic tribes inhabiting the country contributed to richness of the country’s culture. However, it is also because of the historic events that made the nation have a hard time restoring their own folktales, which gives them their identity.

Furthermore, Latvians conduct both religious and folkloric feasts. These spectacular events are filled with music and dance that are being executed by performers in vibrant costumes representing the different regions of Latvia. The most significant festival in the country is the Jāņi. It is a tradition conducted every midsummer that is inspired by the ancient pagan ceremonials that honor the summer solstice. There is even a belief that when the dawn breaks on the celebration of the said festival, people are not allowed to fall asleep or else they’ll attract bad luck.

10 Children’s Books About Small Animals To Read Today

Children love to read books that have animals – especially small animals – as the main characters. Here is a list of children’s books about small animals that every child and parent should read today:

The Ladybug And The Bully Frog by Caroleann Rice

The Ladybug and the Bully Frog by Caroleann Rice tells the story of animals that live near the pond and are facing a bully named Milton the Frog. The animals cannot play at the pond because of Milton, so they approach Solomon the Snail to seek his wisdom on how to deal with Milton’s bullying. They decide to send a tiny little ladybug named Dot, as she is the only one who can fly above water and brave enough to face him. Will a tiny ladybug succeed in persuading the bully frog to change his ways? Get a copy of The Ladybug and the Bully Frog today.

Oscar, the Mighty Crab by Penny Higgins

This fun, rhythmic children’s book tells the story of a young crab who gets a brief taste of life on the surface world. His adventure in the upper world is great, that he wants to stay. His best friend, Tom, advises him otherwise. Will Oscar stay behind on the surface or return under the sea to be with his family and friends.

Ralphie the Roach by Raymond Sobrino Jr.

Many are the children’s books written to help children boost their self-esteem but only a few were written about cockroaches, the ugliest of all insects. The author, drawing from his experience as a bullied schoolchild, created an uplifting, empowering story that teaches children how to develop or increase their self-esteem after experiencing bully and accept other children’s differences.

Charlie Finds a Home: A Homeless Guinea Hen’s Journey by Robin Vergato

This children’s book is based on a true story about a guinea fowl who gets separated from his flock during a furious storm, which had carried him away into the woods. Charlie tries to find his way back home, but he is unable to reunite with his flock. When he comes out of the woods, he finds a new home and family waiting for him. The book abounds with themes of home, family, and love for animals and contains information about guinea hens and guinea fouls.

Buffy the Butterfly by Ted Landkammer

Inspired by his granddaughters’ love for butterflies, the author has told Buffy’s story many times to five-year-old twins Sophia and Isabelle, both of whom would ‘ooh’ and ‘aww’ every time they see butterflies flying over their grandmother’s yard. They love the adventuresome, fun-loving Buffy so much that whenever they see any butterfly fly by, they would exclaim, “I wonder if that is Buffy!”

Secret Paws by Margaret Tomlinson

What happens when a small kitten strays beyond the fence of its home? When Shadow discovers a hole in the fence that leads to the outside world, she charges forward through the opening into the street. Follow Shadow as she gets into one misadventure after another in this charming children’s picture book.

JoJo’s Adventure by Joyce Nealy

Children would always love stories about parrots. In this storybook, a pet parrot longs to explore the world beyond his birdcage. JoJo always sees the family dog running in and out of the house – and he would like to experience that adventure too. One day, he picks the lock on his cage door, climbs down his cage, and walks out the open door. What would JoJo see in the outside world?

Where is Morris? by Joyce Nealy

Morris is a playful little kitten who loves to run all around the farm, play in the yard, and visit friends. He sometimes gets into trouble but his mom and his friends are always there to help him out. Then on one beautiful warm sunny summer day, Morris is nowhere to be found.

Mollie’s Surprise by Joyce Nealy

Mollie the raccoon spends most of her time playing and exploring in the woods. She also loves to go for a ride in PaPa’s little blue truck. But one sunny afternoon, Mollie is nowhere to be found. Where is she? When she is found, she brings a surprise for the family. What is this surprise?

Turtle Tales by Heidi Lynn Studer

This delightful historical book, written in a scrapbook format, shares the history of international turtle racing in Perham, Minnesota. Through rhyme and rhythm, readers will meet Squirtle the Turtle’s five audacious friends and learn what takes place on summer Wednesday mornings in downtown Perham. The characters, created by local teen artists, relay true and interesting facts about the turtles that take part in the races.

A Couple of Outstanding Women of Color You Should Know About

ML Boyd, a highly-talented author and currently a Senior Executive Assistant at an aircraft manufacturing company, penned the book Jasmine: A Woman Of Color. It was published on the 8th of October, 2020, by ReadersMagnet.

In her book, an executive assistant named Jasmine Moore reels with grief at the loss of her beloved husband, only to have those feelings replaced with anger and frustration when she discovers word of his past infidelity behind her back. She wasn’t having any of that – not one single bit. This woman of color finds herself in a position where she’s able to come to terms with reality and let go of her desire for revenge when she sees another special someone to fill in the gaping void that her deceased ex-husband left in her heart – Dr. Jason. He stepped into her life and changed it up for the better. Just when all seemed to be going fine and dandy – the exact opposite happens, of course.

Jasmine eventually finds out that someone with ill intentions is after her and wants to take her life. But who could it be, and for what reason might that possibly be? This woman of color finds herself in an extraordinary and peculiar situation filled with ups and downs as her life suddenly hangs in the balance of it all.

Furthermore, it’s sad to admit that a whole lot of times, women and people of color usually don’t have it that easy compared to more privileged members of society. As of now, it doesn’t take a genius to see the recurring pattern of inequality repetitively reincarnating and perpetuating itself throughout human history. Combine those two, being a female and person of color, and indeed that’s an equation for extreme inequality in the context of today’s societal standards. For some, it definitely is, and that’s a harsh reality of life that’s stood true to itself for a tragically long time. For some, it meant a reason to shine bright and brave on through the hindrances and disadvantages that women of color experience in society. This is why, as the years continue to go by, we’ve come to celebrate those women of color whose names stood out for the way their actions shone so brightly towards the opposition and whose ideals inspired so many like themselves to do the same.

It’s not Black History month yet, but as February approaches and the time for celebrating African-American pride and heritage draws near, a little pre-game and some commemoration and appreciation for these outstanding women of color couldn’t hurt. In fact, the women on this list are some of the most revered and respected black women to have ever lived, no matter what month of the year it is. Show a soul-sista some love this coming February by remembering these brilliant African American symbols of inspiration and change pioneers.

Marian Anderson

She’s widely recognized as one of the 20th century’s most prolific singers and was well known for her three-octave vocal range as she toured Europe and the US beginning in the 1920’s. In 1936, by courtesy of President Franklin Roosevelt and First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, she was asked to appear at the White House for a special-request performance. Then, after the rejection of Anderson in Washington, DC by the Daughters of the American Revolution three years later, she was asked to perform at the meeting of the Roosevelts at the Lincoln Memorial.

Her professional singing career progressed into the 1960’s until she eventually became active in activism and civil rights issues. In 1963, Anderson was awarded the President’s Medal of Independence, and again in 1991 with the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.

Claudette Colvin

Almost a year before Rosa Parks (ten months to be exact), young Claudette Colvin made history at fifteen years old for being arrested for the segregation-ordinance violation on a bus in Montgomery, Alabama, in March of 1955. She got dragged and thrown off the bus but claims that it was worth it to live to see Barack Obama become President of the United States.

Wilma Rudolph

In the 1960’s she was known as the world’s fastest woman, and in the year 1960, she was the first American female to achieve three gold medals in track and field at the Olympics. She was a poster-woman for civil rights as well, as she declined to attend a segregated homecoming set in place to honor her victory. She went on to earn a degree from Tennessee State University and was added to the US Olympic Hall of Fame.

Excellent Books to Read for Those Who Desire God’s Presence

One of the goals of every Christian is to have a closer relationship with God. This is because only with God will we be truly contented with life. We will find fulfillment not in gaining things but with having Him. When we pursue the presence of God, we will feel safe even when things get dark. Whenever life’s problems arise, we will not feel forsaken for we will be confident that God is there with us. It is primarily in prayer and study of His Word that we experience God’s Presence.

Yet, there are additional ways for us to develop a stronger relationship with God. He loves His people so much that He provided various ways on how to bond with Him. One way is through the wisdom and experience of others. When we are open to learning from other people, we are open to growing personally. Christian authors have both life experiences and spiritual insights that can foster personal growth and fulfillment in our walk with the Lord. These authors share the wisdom needed to know God even better. Growing spiritually and developing our relationship with God take intentional effort. Yet, God has given us Christian authors who can help us on our journey of faith.

Below are some of the great books to read if you are ready to know the ways on how to bond with God:

Maximize The Season, Roslynn Bryant

This book will inspire and motivate readers to maximize life and everything that comes with it. King Solomon shares in Ecclesiastes 3, “To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven.” From times of separation and healing, breaking down and building up, triumph and tragedy, forgetting and remembering, gaining and losing, and all other seasons, this insightful work gives spiritual guidance on how to navigate the ups and downs of life. Roslynn Bryant also shares her own life experiences that echo what many of us face as well. Whenever you feel like your faith is being tested because of all the circumstances in life, this book will bring you back to focus on God. Once you read this book, you will wish that you had gotten it sooner.

Knowing God, J.I Packer

This book is just one of the author’s works that would help readers in so many ways with their faith. This specific one has gathered a handful of reviews saying that the book became very meaningful to them. J.I Packer talks directly to the readers, which creates a more connection between him and the reader. If you have a lifelong pursuit of knowing and getting close to God, which most people do, getting this book is a must. It encompasses the two faces of Christianity; knowing about God and knowing God through a close relationship with Jesus Christ. This thought-provoking blessing through a literary work will enrich your faith.

A Praying Life: Connecting with God in a Distracting, Paul E. Miller

This one’s unique. It will lead people to have different approaches when it comes to prayer. Prayer is one of the best ways for one to bond with God. Talking to Him deeply from the heart will help one know Him better. The author sets out a pattern for living in connection with God and provides helpful prayer habits and approaches that make readers return to a childlike faith. This book will get everyone praying once they read it.

The Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism, Timothy Keller

A very good defense of a Christian faith. This book answers objections to Christianity, and in doing so demonstrates the reasonableness of the Christian faith. Many have enjoyed this book by Keller for it has provided a lot of food for thoughts, specifically on people’s day to day choices of life for drawing themselves closer to God. This book is ideal for anyone who is open for hearing the common objections to Christianity. Once you have read this, you will realize a lot of things that will make you draw closer to God.

Books can have a lasting impact on a person’s life because of the wisdom from the authors who have experienced so much. Their words have the potential to touch and change lives. You will find that these above-mentioned books will prove to be such.

Inspiring Nonfiction Books You Should Never Miss Reading

Nonfiction is a grand literary genre. It features multiple amazing categories, such as self-help, memoir, travelogue, biography, and among others. Moreover, it features works that are factual and real that were product of the author’s hard work and impeccable writing skills. Although books are primarily written to pour one’s heart out, the common purpose of nonfiction works is to express or inform.

There are many notable nonfiction writers of all-time, such as Ta-Nehisi Coates, Michelle Obama, Rebecca Skloot, Rachel Carson, Jon Krakauer, Eric Larson, and more. These authors have already inspired a lot of readers from different parts of the world because of their brilliant works. Hence, if you want to get to know more about this genre — here are some of the best ones that you must never miss reading.

Going… Going…; The Abduction of A Mind by Jack Weaver

Published by WestBow Press in 2019, Going Gong: The Abduction of A Mind by Jack Weaver is a heartwarming memoir that will surely inspire and educate readers about Alzheimer’s disease and how to cope up with it. Furthermore, it documents the experiences and struggles of the couple Jack and Janey pertaining to Alzheimer’s. The author shares that personal experience that he shares with his wife, which he aims to let every reader learn from their tough battle. The 15 years of coping up with Alzheimer’s was full of rays of hope, marshes of distress, and summits of happiness. There are just a lot of learning and mixed emotions that this book brings.

The Sixth Extinction by Elizabeth Kolbert

This amazing book by Elizabeth Kolbert tackles topics like wildlife, biology, conservation science, archaeology, and a whole lot more. The Sixth Extinction claims that the planet Earth is in the middle of a man-made, contemporary, sixth annihilation. The author laid down the past massive extinctions and analogized these events to the fast and extensive extinctions in the present. The book also contains descriptions about particular species wiped out by the human race, and the ecologies circling the extinctions from the prehistoric era and the present times.

One Caregiver’s Journey by Eleanor Gaccetta

Eleanor Gaccetta wrote her personal experiences as a caregiver for almost a decade in her book One Caregiver’s Journey. Hence, this is a perfect read for those who have no background in caregiving but needs to take care of loved one who is aging or sick. Gaccetta poured out some great substances in this book including her apprehensions, advices, and experiences on the way caregiving changes as her mother is aging. Readers from will surely get some tips from this insightful memoir because the author also tackled the financial issues that most caregivers have gone through — as well as the personal issues faced by caregivers.

The Invention of Nature by Andrea Wulf

Written by Andrea Wulf in 2015, The Invention of Nature documents the life of the great Alexander von Humboldt, a geographer, Prussian naturalist, and explorer. Moreover, the book centers on the early boyhood of Humboldt, as well as his trips to Europe and Latin America and his return to Europe in his early adult stage. There are four chapters in the book, which are the Part 1. Departure: Emerging Ideas, Part 2. Arrival: Collecting Ideas, Part 3. Return: Sorting Ideas, and Part 4. New Worlds: Spreading Ideas. It has become a New York Times bestseller and a Royal Society Insight Investment Science Book Prize awardee.

In Cold Blood by Truman Capote

In February 1994, the popular true crime story written by Truman Capote titled In Cold Blood was published by Vintage. The story is set in the suburbs of Holcomb, Kansas on November 15, 1958. There were 4 people who were gruesomely killed by a shotgun. These individuals were part of the Clutter family. The only mystery left is that there was no clear motive for the murder, as well as no concrete clues left. Thus, the author reestablished the crime and the investigation that resulted in the captivity, trial, and punishment of the suspects. Capote also sparked both captivating suspense and shocking empathy through his brilliant writing. The book is truly a piece of literature that goes beyond its time and is showing deep insights into the nature of violence of Americans.

Perfect Books to Read this Christmas

Christmas is the most amazing time of the year. There are a lot of playful lights in every house and building, white snow covering the streets, popular stores are full of customers, and cute presents are already placed under the Christmas trees. When December came, it seemed like all the struggles and challenges that are happening in the world and replaced with hope, fun, and silver linings for the remaining days of 2020 and for the years to come.

Additionally, there are various platforms that celebrate this beautiful holiday — one of them is literature. In fact, there are a lot of books in different genres that centers and highlights the essence of Christmas. That said, listed below are the ideal books to read on, before, and even after Christmas.

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

The great Charles Dickens wrote A Christmas Carol at that moment when the British were discovering and re-assessing the past Christmas rituals, including carols, and current traditions like Christmas trees. It was originally published in 1843 in England by Chapman & Hall. The protagonist of the story is an old grumpy and workaholic man who doesn’t acknowledge Christmas named Ebenezer Scrooge. Because of his attitude towards the holiday, he was visited by spirits. The first visitor was his late business partner named Jacob Marley, who warned him about his actions and the other spirits. The next visitors were Spirit of Christmas Past, Spirit of Christmas Present, and Spirit of Christmas Yet to Come. After the visitation, Scrooge started to view Christmas from another angle and developed a positive attitude towards the holiday.

Is it Santa by Nelibeth Plaza

Published on November 26, 2020, Is it Santa by Nelibeth Plaza is a remarkable tale based on real events. The book follows the story of Mother Rebekkah who has been anticipating the arrival of Santa Claus by baking delectable Christmas cookies. She soon started to organize the cookies in a beautiful gift basket, which she wrapped with clear cellophane. After she came home from getting her kids, Charlie, Mya, and Jacob from school, she found out that her cookies were withdrawn from the baskets and transferred to the kitchen counters and the living room. Her kids assumed that it was the works of Santa. But Mother Rebekkah immediately elaborated that it wasn’t Santa due to several foul plays, such as the takedown of the red poinsettias by the window sill. Everyone is frustrated upon figuring out the person behind it and solving the mystery. Jacob started to investigate the scene by utilizing his investigative skills and the magnifying glass.

Let it Snow by John Green, Maureen Johnson, and Lauren Myracle

Let it Snow is a young adult fiction book co-authored by John Green, Maureen Johnson, and Lauren Myracle. The book was published by Speak: The Penguin Group in 2008 and is also available in e-book format. It contains three tales of different teenagers that were somehow connected together. The part written by Maureen Johnson was The Jubilee Express, John Green was A Cheertastic Christmas, and Lauren Myracle was The Patron Saint of Pigs. The tales center on three teenagers who went through a strong snow storm during Christmas in Gracetown. Because of how it depicted Christmas and the teenage life, it was adapted into film by Netflix and has received multiple recognitions.

Dash & Lily’s Book of Dares by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan

Ember published one of the books that were co-authored by David Levithan and Rachel Cohn titled The Twelve Days of Dash & Lily in 2011. It centered on the story of Lily and Dash, two teenagers that were brought together and connected by a red moleskin notebook on the holidays. Lily left her notebook somewhere on the shelves of NYC’s bookstore. She is just waiting for the person who is willing to do the dares, which turned out to be Dash — a teen who is not in a good mood on the season. He accepted Lily’s dares, and before they knew it; they have fallen in love with one another. Moreover, this book was adapted into a Netflix series that was released last November. It also has a sequel titled Twelve Days of Dash & Lily.

Faith and Courage

Roslynn Bryant, author of the books, The Seven Fs To A Fruitful Life and Maximize The Season shares on faith and courage.

Faith and courage are key in the life of a believer. They are needed to persevere in our walk with the Lord. What is faith? Hebrews 11:1 states, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for; the evidence of things not seen.” Faith is the confidence that the things we hope for will come to pass. Faith is the assurance that the things we cannot see are indeed real and will manifest. By faith, we believe that God is real though we cannot see Him. By faith, we believe that what God has promised will come to pass. This faith is rooted in and nurtured by the Word of God. It is not based on wishful thinking or a great imagination. But it comes in response to God’s Word. Romans 10:17 says, “So then faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God.” As we hear God’s Word, it gives us the opportunity to respond in faith. Hebrews 4:2 let us know that God’s Word will profit us when we mix it with faith.

Secondly, what is courage? Courage is a state of mind and heart that gives us the ability to rise above fear and anxiety and stand boldly and strong in seemingly unbearable situations and overwhelming circumstances. Courage causes us to get up when we have fallen. Courage causes us to press ahead when we have been pushed backwards. Courage causes us to strive for what seems to be out of our reach. Courage causes us to say yes when everyone else is saying no. Courage causes us to keep trying when others say it can’t be done. This courage comes from knowing that God is with us. In Joshua 1:9, God says “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.” When we know that God is with us, we can move forward with courage.

Psalm 27:13 – 14 states, “I would have lost heart, unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. Wait on the LORD, be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; wait, I say, on the LORD!” In this Psalm, David speaks of losing heart. Losing heart means that one has surrendered their faith and courage to their situation. It means that one has given up hope or expectation for a better day. As we move into a second wave of the pandemic whose spread seems out of control and normalcy of life is a thing of the past, it is easy to lose heart, to give up hope or expectation for a better day. But in spite of all that David has gone through in his life, he writes this great declaration of faith. He says that his situation was enough to cause him to lose heart but it did not because he had faith in God that he would see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. I believe that David went over God’s track record in his life. David remembered the time when he came against a bear and God empowered him to overcome it. He remembered the time when he came against a lion and God empowered him to overcome it. He remembered the time when he came against Goliath and God empowered him to overcome him. He remembered the time when King Saul tried to pin him to the wall with a javelin but God delivered him. And so, David concluded that the God who was faithful to him then will be faithful to him now. So he says, “I will not give up on God because He has always been there for me.”

And so, let us look back to see God’s track record in our own lives. When we did not know how we were going to make it, God sustained us. When we did not have what we needed, God provided for us. When we were in trouble, God rescued us. When we fell into sin, God forgave us. When we were sick, God healed us. When we turned away from Him, God restored us. So like David, we can say, “I cannot give up on God because He has always been there for me.”

David encourages us to, “Wait on the LORD and be of good courage and He will strengthen your heart, wait I say on the LORD.” David had strong faith and great courage because he understood that where he was now is not where he will always be and if he just waits patiently on the LORD, God will move in his life. David went from being a man on the run to becoming a great king in Israel. Therefore, we are to know that where we are now is not where we will always be. God will move in our lives as we wait patiently on Him. Yet how do we persevere in waiting on God? One, we are not to get weary in doing what is right. Two, we are to maintain a consistent fellowship with God. Three, we are to follow God’s leading as He guides us through the tough spots. So by doing these three things: one; keep doing right, two, maintain our fellowship with God, three, follow the leading of the Holy Spirit, we can wait on God until we experience His faithfulness.

Finally, we can have strong faith and great courage knowing that God who took care of our greatest need by sending His only Son the Lord Jesus to die for our sins and rise again so that our souls would be saved is the same God who will take care of everything else that concerns us. Romans 8:32 says, “He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?” God spared nothing to save us therefore we can be assured that He will take care of us.

Remarkable Author-Editors that You Should Know

Literature is full of color and surprises. It has a lot of books that belong to not only one but, sometimes, two genres. This only show how abundant and versatile is the literary realm. Additionally, the brilliant authors are not only authors in the profession; but, are also popular on different platforms. There are some that excel in the field of illustration while there are also others that shine in the area of editing. You probably have known a lot of author-illustrator by now; however, do you know any authors that are also editors? If you don’t, then here are the best author-editors that you should know.

Margaret Atwood

You may have heard about Margaret Atwood in your literature class or in an article posted online. She is one of the brightest writers with books that are bagging a lot of awards. Among her popular works is The Handmaid’s Tale. Margaret is working with her publishing company’s book editor; however, she has grown and developed a remarkable skill in editing. No matter how established you are in the world of literature and how top-notch the people that you work with, it is still significant to keep involved in editing your work. Hence, Atwood has, in fact, given some essential tips that authors really need to know. These tips are: reading your work out loud, taking some time to comprehend the right process, utilizing physical editing materials, and making use of computer shortcuts.

Greg Van Arsdale

One of the best science fiction writers, Greg Van Arsdale, is also a promising editor. He is the author of The Genesis Project series that is consists of 4 amazing books. Arsdale started his writing journey in the early 1980s before he embarked on his editing career. He has over 3 decades of experience in the field of editing both fiction and nonfiction genres. Now, editing has become his full-time work. He focuses his entire attention on a manuscript, and make sure to adapt the writing style and voice instead of changing theirs. According to Greg Van on authors for self editing, an essential thing to not remember is that both publishers and agents look forward to a flawless manuscript instead of the opposite. Authors who self-edit have the tendency to overlook their errors because of familiarity, and those mistakes won’t be spotted until they hire a professional editor — like Van Arsdale.

Toni Morrison

One of the best authors of all time, Toni Morrison, is also a brilliant editor. She started to work as a professional editor in 1965 when she got divorced. She served as an editor under L.W. Singer, which is Random House Publisher’s textbook branch. Toni moved to Random House in NYC after two years and hailed as the fiction unit’s very first black woman senior editor. Furthermore, Morrison possessed a significant role in taking Black literature into the spotlight. The influential Contemporary African Literature (1972), a series which included the works of Nigerian authors such as, Wole Soyinka and Chinua Achebe, and the South African playwright Athol Fugard, was among the first works that Morrison worked on. She brought about a new era of Afro-American authors, namely poet and author Toni Cade Bambara, feminist activist Angela Davis, Black Panther Huey Newton, and author Gayl Jones, whose work was discovered by Toni.

David Levitahan

David Levithan is a popular young adult fiction author. His books have received multiple awards, like the 2003 Lambda Literary Award for Boy Meets Boy and the 2006 Literary Award for The Full Spectrum. Three of his books were adapted into a film, which are Every Day, Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist, and Naomi and Ely’s No Kiss List. The two of which were co-authored with Rachel Cohn. Apart from being an author, he is also an editor. He was an intern at Scholastic Corporation when he was 19 years old. That is when he started to work on the series titled The Baby-sitters Club. Now, he is still working in the same publishing company but not as an intern but as an editorial director. Moreover, he is the YA imprint of Scholastic Press’s PUSH founding editor. PUSH centers on brand-new authors and voices. PUSH produces edgier content and is the platform that gave Patricia McCormick her breakthrough after the 2002’s Cut.

Tips in Writing a Captivating Food Fiction Book

Writing a book is never easy, especially if it is food fiction. There are a lot of elements to take into account, as well as struggles to deal with. Shortcuts are nowhere to be found; hence, you must really start from the bottom with a blank paper on your desk and a pen on your hand.

Expect that there will be many hardships that will come along the way, these may make or break your author career; however, just continue writing and everything will make sense later. With that being said, listed below are the tips in writing an enticing book about food fiction that you should know.

Get to know more about your target reader base

Knowing your targets is necessary. They are the ones that play a great part in the success of your book. Without them, your story wouldn’t live for a lifetime. Like how there is a wide array of literary genre, there is also a broad variety of reader base present. The readers are commonly classified by their age. There are the young readers, ages 3-12 years old, young adult readers, ages 12-19 years old, and adult readers, ages 20 years old and up. Hence, research about the interest and likes of your target readers so that you can incorporate them in your writings. It is also essential for you to identify their age range beforehand so that you can use a tone and language that are appropriate on their age.

Create an outline of the plot

You have the freedom to choose whether you want your book to be a full-blown novel or an anthology-like. The former will just center on one story and one plot while the latter will feature multiple stories as well as different sequence of events. Afterward, make an outline of the plot. Take note that you have have the option to write using the conventional plot or not. You can start in the middle and have the introduction using flashbacks, do not end the story by using a cliffhanger, or follow the traditional sequence that has an introduction, conflict, rising action, climax, falling action, and conclusion. Moreover, you can put some phrases or keywords that will help you streamline the flow when you actually jumpstart on the writing process.

Craft the setting and characters

The place where the tale take place and the characters that move the story forward are two of the most important elements of a novel. Please create the setting of your story in the most descriptive way possible. This is to help your readers imagine what the place looks like, and a great way for you to practice the “show, don’t tell” rule. When it comes to the creation of characters, you should also describe the physical aspects. Make sure that their looks fit their personalities and traits. During this part, you may identify who would become the protagonist, antagonist, flat, round, dynamic, and etc. so that you will be guided when you begin using them to move your story from introduction to conclusion. Please do know that characters without development will lose the interest of the readers. Hence, ensure that you incorporate some changes in their overall characteristics before the story ends.

Start writing the story using your preferred point of view

Point of view is important. This aspect will help the readers comprehend the story better, as well as get some information about the thoughts, actions, and emotions of the characters. The most commonly used point of view is the first person and third person point of view. The former uses “I” or “me” pronouns because the reader is brought to the character’s inner being and making the reader see the story through the eyes of the particular character, such as the protagonist. The latter utilizes the pronouns “he” or “she” because the story is being narrated by a particular character or an unknown narrator who doesn’t partake in the story but knows the sequence of events. Hence, begin writing your book by using the point of view that you think will make the readers more interested and engaged in your story.

Put some twists and turns or defining element

A captivating story always has an element that will leave a mark on the lives of its readers. When it comes to food fiction, you should really try to highlight some factors that revolve around food. Take for example Anita Legsdin’s book of favorite recipes and experiences, Remembrance of Meals Past. Although it is a fictional book, it cannot be denied that most of the stories are based on the personal experiences of the author and are featuring delectable dishes that showcased her Latvian ancestry. Therefore, you should highlight something that will make be remembered by your readers and perhaps take inspiration in their battle through life.

Different Christian Perspectives on Homosexuality

With the modernization and change that the world undergoes, there has been emergence of different views of Christianity pertaining to LGBTQ and sexual orientation. Even in the bounds of the Church, groups and members tend to have diverse perspectives that may or may not have harmonized with their denomination’s views. Hence, Christianity and LGBTQ truly have different principles that people belonging to one or both groups may support or not.

Based on the past events, there has been a wide array of debate pertaining to Christianity and homosexuality. The early Christian denomination detested same-sex relationships. However, the 20-21^st century has open the doors for people of the same sexual orientation and gender preference to feel connected and comforted with one another. There is also the rise of other gender that go beyond the boy and girl, which are the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender. This event has created a lot of buzz in the side of Christianity.

Catholic Church

The Catholic Church sees any sexual act that has nothing to do with procreation of two people joined together by marriage is upright sinful. According to the church, homosexual disposition are fairly disorganized; however, doesn’t give thought to the tendency to be immoral and wrongful but rather an inclination or urge to commit sin. The Catholic Church regards homosexual activities to be mortal sin, intensely disordered, and impossible to be approved.

Orthodox Church

The Orthodox Church has a lengthy history of Church ideologies and canonical law with the Catholic Church. Hence, it has the same views towards homosexuality, which is traditional and conservative. The Orthodox Churches from different parts of the world, however, doesn’t have the same stance on the subject. The church in America begins to open their gates for people that are experiencing homosexual emotions, and is persuading or inspiring them to conquer the dangerous effects of homosexuality in their lives while disallowing the sacraments to individuals who desire to give justice to homosexual acts. The church in Greece sees homosexuality oppositely. Same sex marriage is still firmly rejected by the church even if 50% of the people in the religion don’t believe that being homosexual must be discouraged.

Evangelical Church

There is a wide array of perception in the Evangelical churches when it comes to homosexuality. They are those that are conservative about it, there are also those that are liberal about the subject, and those that have moderate opinion about the topic. Several people that belong to this religion consider homosexual activities as immoral; hence, it should not be welcomed by the society. They are likely to understand and elaborate the verses on the Bible that God only created a heterosexual family to be the foundation of civilization. Same sex relationships go against God’s will and his framework for marriage.

There are many anti-LGBTQ groups that have conservative views on homosexuality, and are using the media to exhibit their opinions towards the subject. A couple of Evangelical churches in Uganda are firmly against homosexuality and people that are classified as homosexuals. In fact, they have crusaded for regulations to criminalize LGBTQ people.

When it comes to the liberal views on the subject, many Evangelical churches from different parts of the globe — like the Affirming Pentecostal Church International and Alliance of Baptists, are LGBTQ-friendly. There are some churches in the United States that approve and commemorate gay marriage. The Baptist church New Heart Community Church of La Mirada was in fact dismissed from the Southern Baptist Convention after being involved in the modification of the customary position of their denominations in 2014.

Moderate views on homosexuality refer to those that do not actually approve of the activities of the subject but respect those who are part of the homosexual community. They also extend their sympathy to the people who consider themselves as homosexuals. Several pastors displayed their moderate perspectives on homosexuality on statements, speeches, and comments addressed to the public. According to Saddleback Church’s Baptist pastor Rick Warren, for example, in 2008 that he personally created good connections with many gay individuals; but, it didn’t compromised or changed his beliefs on what is indicated in the Bible about marriage, which is the union between man and woman.