Do you want to know how to get more traffic to your blog? Well, I am going to reveal the advantages of press releases to boost traffic to a website. Once you know this your business will explode!

Do you understand the power of backlinks? No, do you truly understand? Well I have a search engine optimization guide here for you that will show you how to get crazy traffic to your website. Make sure that read this entire article to learn all the dirty tricks!

This week’s deal is on a deck of cards that will make you a better designer! 

> The Design Deck: the fun way to learn design!

Flashcards are a proven way to learn new concepts fast, and poker is a proven way to have fun and MAYBE win some money. That’s win/win/win(?)! This high-quality deck of playing cards features 56 cards, each with a succinct summary of a different design concept, philosophy, or idea so that you can up your game while playing a game. 

For a limited time, you can save 20% on this beautiful collectable that will make the perfect gift for the designer/s in your life — .or for yourself! Order now in time for the holidays! 

> Check out the deal here.

I had made a packing design that was approved, but not yet fully paid for.

Client: We are really in a hurry, so please send fonts and colors you’ve used ASAP. And what software do you use to design things?  This is urgent!

Me: What do you mean? Do you need print files? Sure, but I need to be paid before I send you the finished files.

Client: Why do we have to pay you? This was our idea of design! I even sent you mock-up in Photoshop!

We’ve had a lot of good times. We really have. But lately, we’ve been feeling like… there’s more out there. And it’s not that we don’t love you, it’s just that we feel like we’ve been in a rut. Links haven’t been working, service has been out… things like that.

And there’s no easy way to say this, but we’re leaving you. We’ll still be around (at https://clientsfromhell.net) but we just won’t be with you, Tumblr. We’re sorry, but we really feel that this is for the best. 

We can stay friends. On Facebook. Or you can see what we’re up to on Twitter. And hey - if we run into each other on Instagram or some other platform someday, say hi! We’d love to hear from you, Tumblr. Really we would.

It’s okay to be sad, but let’s remember the good times. The likes, the reblogs. We’ve had a lot of fun, but not everything lasts forever and that’s okay. 

 Goodbye, Tumblr. We wish you all the best.

If you want to succeed as a freelancer, you can’t compete for scraps. That’s the message that Kaylee White of Kaylee Writes puts forth in her new book, How Not to Be Just Another Freelancer, but how do you find the GOOD clients that will push you and your business into the next level? 

Kaylee talks with Kyle about what it means to step away from the pack and run a successful business for yourself, and the very important steps you need to take to do so! 

Today’s links: 

• https://www.kayleewrites.com/
• Kaylee Writes Youtube channel
• How Not to Be Just Another Freelancer!
• Theme song by topmen.bandcamp.com!

–

Want to support the show?

This episode is brought to you by Easel.ly, an infographic design service that transforms raw data into clear, interesting images. You can see their work on Clients From Hell! 

Think you’d be a great fit for the show? Let me know at twitter.com/KCarCFH

Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or recommend us to a friend. It helps immensely.

Download here!

What’s keeping YOU from being creative? Discipline? Scheduling? Good old fashioned “writer’s block”?

Todd Brison has made a name for himself by tackling these problems head-on and discovering how to make the most of your muse. In his extremely popular posts on Medium and his two amazing books The Unstoppable Creative and The Creative’s Curse, he breaks down strategies for doing creative work whenever you need!

This episode is like one of the best creative coaching sessions you’ll ever get. Tune in!

Today’s links: 

• https://www.toddbrison.com/
• https://medium.com/@ToddBrison
• https://twitter.com/ToddBrison
• https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01GGPDLY4
• Theme song by topmen.bandcamp.com!

–

Want to support the show?

Order a custom infographic from Easel.ly! Use this link (https://www.easel.ly/infographicdesign/) for a great price! 

Think you’d be a great fit for the show? Let me know at twitter.com/KCarCFH

Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or recommend us to a friend. It helps immensely.

Download here!

Value-based pricing is the holy grail of freelancing. It’s how you make a lot of money by showing your clients that you can give them results. It’s also not easy to make the switch to this pricing structure!

Returning guest Ami Sanyal shares his DREAM framework for getting clients on board with paying you more! Ami walks you through:

• Discovery
• Repel
• Establish Packages
• Address Risk
• Money

Ami breaks down this approach, and how he was able to transform his agency with this approach! 

Want Ami’s script for this approach? Text EZGROW to 393939 for a step-by-step guide! 

Today’s links: 

• https://uncommonersclub.com/
• https://twitter.com/amisanyal
• https://easel.ly/infographicdesign
• Theme song by topmen.bandcamp.com!

–

Want to support the show?

Order a custom infographic from Easel.ly! Use this link (https://www.easel.ly/infographicdesign/) for a great price! 

Think you’d be a great fit for the show? Let me know at twitter.com/KCarCFH

Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or recommend us to a friend. It helps immensely.

Download here!

The key to success in freelancing is realizing how to find the right clients - the people who are not only great to work with, but actually have money to pay you. 

Alison Knott is a web consultant who mentors creatives, and she knows all the mistakes that freelancers make: targeting the wrong clients, the wrong platforms, the wrong rewards. In this episode, she shares the decisions you have to make right now to start making money! 

Today’s links: 

• https://eraserheader.com/
• https://twitter.com/Eraserheader
• https://e3chalifax.ca/
• https://easel.ly/infographicdesign
• Theme song by topmen.bandcamp.com!

Want to support the show?

Order a custom infographic from Easel.ly! Use this link (https://www.easel.ly/infographicdesign/) for a great price! 

Think you’d be a great fit for the show? Let me know at twitter.com/KCarCFH

Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or recommend us to a friend. It helps immensely.

Download here!

When pitching your work, most creative freelancers sell their skills or their services. However, the key to landing big clients is to show that you’re an indispensable part of their team by selling strategy. 

Anabelle King realized this over years of working at agencies, and now she lands big clients with her boutique branding business I Like Storytelling. She shares her strats for creating a collaborative relationship with her clients in today’s episode! 

Today’s links: 

• https://www.ilikestorytelling.com/
• https://twitter.com/annabelletweet
• https://easel.ly/infographicdesign
• Theme song by topmen.bandcamp.com!

Want to support the show?

Order a custom infographic from Easel.ly! Use this link (https://www.easel.ly/infographicdesign/) for a great price! 

Think you’d be a great fit for the show? Let me know at twitter.com/KCarCFH

Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or recommend us to a friend. It helps immensely.

Download here!

BY WADNER PIERRE

Since the CEP published its tainted and most controversial results for the presidential, second round legislative and local elections early last November, thousands have been demonstrated in the streets of Haiti’s largest cities to reclaim a recount of their votes. Religious leaders and international human rights and advocacy groups have also urged the CEP to investigate irregularities and massive electoral frauds that are no longer mere allegations.

As protests widening, diplomatic talks failed and G8 candidates remaining steadfast in their position, to remedy the situation, Haiti’s PM Evans Paul in an one-page letter sent to the President Michel J. Martelly, proposed a formation of an electoral commission to ensure the credibility of the already festered electoral process.

The commission according to the Prime Minister’s letter will have three days to produce recommendations to the government and the Conseil Electoral Provisoire (Electoral Provisional Council), known as the CEP. The head of the government stated,“ …it is necessary to organize credible, transparent, participative and inclusive elections,” as well as “to do whatever it takes” to create a climate of trust for the actors involving in the process.

The CEP shows no sign that it will abide by the recommendations of the government-formed commission. One of its members Marie Carmelle Paul Austin told a radio in the Haiti’s capital that the electoral council members are ready to depart in bloc should the commission interfere in their work. “If this commission’s purpose is to redo or verify the work that the CEP has already done, the council members will resign,” implied council Austin.

read more

A collagen-based wound sealant, prepared as a thick liquid and poured or injected into a wound, where it polymerizes in situ. Suitable for human medical, veterinary, and dental practice applications, the sealant could improve the success rate of healing difficult wounds such as bedsores and diabetic ulcers. The sealant has been shown to speed the closure of wounds and increase the incidence of healing in preliminary tests with laboratory animals. The sealant could also potentially serve as a drug delivery system with broad applications for human medical, veterinary, and dental practice applications.

Each night before I go to sleep, I lay in bed torturing myself with the day’s news. I know we are not supposed to do that, but there are very few vices I can fully engage in when we have five people living in a 1000-square-foot apartment. Screen-time news right before bed is a vice […]

The post I was calm until I read about colleges staying closed until September 2022 appeared first on Penelope Trunk Careers.

I learned about bouncing back from the diet industry. This is not surprising. All the best research about personal development comes from the diet industry because there’s so much money to be made if you can figure out how to help people lose weight. One study that I have never forgotten is that if you […]

The post This is a great time to make a career change appeared first on Penelope Trunk Careers.

1. „Mit Totschlägern auf das Team los“ (zdf.de) Am vergangenen Freitag wurde ein Kamerateam der ZDF-Satiresendung „heute-show“ bei Dreharbeiten in Berlin-Mitte von Unbekannten angegriffen. Mehrere Teammitglieder, darunter auch drei Security-Mitarbeiter, mussten ins Krankenhaus, wurden jedoch nach der Behandlung am selben Abend wieder entlassen. Die Motive der Täter seien noch unklar, so die Berliner Polizeipräsidentin Barbara […]

A federal judge dealt a significant blow to the U.S. Women’s national team’s fight for equality on Friday. While the U.S. women’s team’s claim of unequal working conditions can go forward, a federal judge rejected the player’s claims of pay inequality. In March 2019, the USWNT filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Soccer Federation. The suit alleges the U.S. Soccer Federation’s has federally discriminatory payment practices, arguing that they pay women less than men “for substantially equal work and by denying them at least equal playing, training, and travel conditions; equal promotion of their games; equal support and development for their games; and other terms and conditions of employment equal to the MNT.” Judge R. Gary Klausner wrote in his decision that USWNT members did not prove wage discrimination under the Equal Pay Act because the women’s team played more games and made more money than the men’s team. Furthermore, the women’s team also rejected a collective bargaining agreement (CBA) where they would have an identical pay structure to the men’s team in favor of a different CBA. This CBA guarantees players are compensated regardless of whether they play, while the men’s CBA does not. “This approach — merely comparing […]

 A 57-year-old man from El Salvador who was being held at the Otay Mesa Detention Center in California died from Covid-19 on Wednesday. This is the first confirmed death from the coronavirus at an ICE detention center. Carlos Escobar-Mejia has been detained at the center since Jan. 10 after having lived in the U.S. for 40 years. While at the detention center, he was on a list of people who are medically vulnerable to the virus and are therefore eligible for immediate release but was hospitalized before the list was fully put together. According to ICE, 705 out of 1,460 detainees tested positive for Covid-19. At the Otay Mesa center alone, there are 140 cases of Covid-19 out of the 649 detainees there, making it the facility with the largest number of positive tests among detainees. The Otay Mesa center is owned by the private prison company CoreCivic, which has not commented on the situation there. ICE maintains that it is caring for its detainees in light of the pandemic, but detainees have said that they do not have enough space to socially distance, that they do not have enough clean masks, and that guards are not adhering to CDC […]

Education Secretary Betsy DeVos has issued the final version of a new rule governing how schools must handle allegations of sexual assault and harassment under Title IX, the federal law prohibiting sex discrimination in education. The new 2,033-page regulation increases privileges for students and faculty accused of assault and requires colleges to conduct live hearings to adjudicate allegations, a drastic change from the more survivor-friendly Obama-era policies. “This new regulation requires schools to act in meaningful ways to support survivors of sexual misconduct, without sacrificing important safeguards to ensure a fair and transparent process,” said DeVos in a statement. But women’s rights and survivor advocacy groups have condemned the rule changes since they were first proposed in 2018. They argue that the new rule unfairly favors those accused of assault, reduces schools’ responsibility for addressing harassment, and discourages survivors from coming forward. The regulation gives college students accused of assault the right to have representatives cross-examine their accusers in a live hearing, which advocacy organizations say will discourage survivors from coming forward. The regulation also reduces colleges’ responsibility to investigate allegations, only requiring investigations for complaints made to certain designated employees such as Title IX Coordinators, through a formal process. […]

Sumo deadlifts against increasing tension. It is Jan 2 and the gym is not yet full of new year’s resolutioneers. https://ift.tt/37wIcUa

I love them both about as much as they love each other. We were extraordinarily lucky with this generation of cat friends. https://ift.tt/3alml4y

Current status: no power at home, so an early dinner out with David instead of our planned cooking. https://ift.tt/2T0Cx3j

Warming up with some light deadlifts. Hashtag flex https://ift.tt/39qt7oR

The best way to get young people to invest their time in reading is being willing to invest time in it ourselves.

At the beginning of every year, I reevaluate my reading habits. I love to read but sometimes I find that reading gets put on the back burner more often while other activities take priority. Sometimes these activities, especially family-related and work-related, NEED to take priority, but I find there are still ways to find more time to read. How do YOU make more time to read? Answer my survey here. I'll post results in this blog.

This year, I've signed up for Goodreads 2020 Reading Challenge. I'm starting out with a goal of 100 books. This includes picture books, so I'm actually aiming for MORE than 100. In addition to being realistic, however, I also don't want to be tempted to speed-read. With picture books, for example, I want to start going through new and not-so-new picture books and read them more thoughtfully, both for enjoyment but also more analytically (how the text and illustrations interact, etc).

Anyway....I've updated my post below in case one or more tips might help others. You might also want to check out what parents suggested in my "Finding Time To Write (Even If You Have Kids)" survey.

1. I have multiple print books on the go, and keep them around the house. I usually have print books that I'm in the midst of reading in our bedroom, my office, living room, dining room, etc. Print books have the advantage over ebooks here in that just SEEING them reminds me to read them.

2. I read books on my iPhone. Yes, the screen is small but I enlarge the text to make reading comfortable. This is super-handy for reading when I may only have a few minutes, like when I'm in a line-up or waiting for someone. Or when I'm in a super-crowded subway train and am holding onto a support pole with one hand....but I can easily reach into my purse, pull out my iPhone and flip through pages with my other hand.

3. I read books on my iPad. I have an iPad Pro and find it a bit too heavy to hold for reading unless it's propped up somehow, but I find that using a pillow or my knees works fine. I prefer print books for the esthetic experience (turning print pages, feel of of a physical book etc.) but I do find that the backlit screen on my iPad enables me to read even in places with dim lighting. Some are ebooks I've bought, some are borrowed from the Toronto Public Library.

4. I read books on my Kindle. Because the Kindle is lightweight and loaded up with a lot of my ebooks, I can avoid angsting over what book to take on out-of-town trips ("I'm 3/4 of way through this book so if I finish it on the plane, what do I read next? Should I bring an extra just in case? But I'm trying to travel with just carry-on augh" etc.), I just take my Kindle and I have access to many books-on-the-go.

5. I listen to audiobooks. I remember avoiding audiobooks in the beginning because I never considered it REAL reading, plus I didn't think I could really enjoy a book by just listening to it. Then my husband played an audiobook (I can't remember the title...something about divers and scavenging in deep waters) on a long car trip and I was surprised to find it an immersive reading experience. The narration is important, though -- a bad narrator will totally turn me off a book, so I make it a habit of always listening to a sample first. I have an Audible subscription but I also borrow audiobooks from the Toronto Public Library. Whenever I'm at certain stages in book illustration, I listening to audiobooks as I draw.

SUMMARY:

As long as the story is good, I am willing to read it in any format. I do make a point of buying books from indie bookstores but I have found that my appetite for reading makes it impractical (from a budget standpoint) to buy all my reading material. The Toronto Public Library is a wonderful resource, with print and ebook and audiobooks available.

Also, I squeeze in reading whenever I can. While I'd love to save my reading stints for when I have an entire afternoon to curl up on the couch with a good book, reality is that if I always waited for The Perfect Reading Day, I wouldn't be reading nearly as many books as I do now. Before my recent eye surgery, I also found it a challenge to read a regular print book.

And as summer approaches, consider participating in Donalyn Miller's #BookADay Challenge!

SURVEY:

How do YOU make time to read? Answer my 3-question poll here.

OTHER RESOURCES ON HOW TO MAXIMIZE YOUR READING TIME:

11 Ways Busy People Make Time To Read - by Eva Lantsoght on Lifehack.org

The Best Way To Find More TIme To Read - on FS Farnam Street's blog

How To Read Even More In 2019 by Strand bookstore

5 Ways To Find More Time To Read - by Kristin Wong on Mentalfloss.com

25 Expert Tips To Reading WAY More Books This Year - by John Rampton on Inc.com

Happy launch day to DIANA: PRINCESS OF THE AMAZONS, the newest in the DC Zoom line of graphic novels for middle graders. Written by Shannon & Dean Hale and illustrated by Victoria Ying. Thanks to Michele Wells at DC Kids for sending me a copy!

For more of my book collages, feel free to browse my BookADay Padlet as well as my BookADay and Book Recommendation archives. I read a lot more books than I have time to post, especially now that I've joined the Goodreads 2020 Reading Challenge!

Advice for those who are trying to get published or who want a longterm career in the publishing industry: you need to develop a thick hide when it comes to criticism. 

No matter what stage you are in your career, if you are putting yourself and your work out there for people to see (whether it's agents or editors or art directors or reviewers or other readers), you WILL get criticism. It might be criticism in the form of critiques from a trusted group of writer or illustrator friends. It might be a form rejection letter or detailed rejection letter. Even after you get a contract, you will be getting feedback and change requests from your editor or art director. After your book comes out, some people will not like your book -- and some of those people may be reviewers.

If you are sensitive to harsh judgement, you need to find a way to cope with this early on if you want to stay in the game. Just don't do it in public!

For critiques of your work, never make changes right away. This is especially important for those who are insecure about their own skills! Let the feedback sit for at least a day or two (longer if you can wait), THEN come back to it with more objectivity. Do you agree with the feedback? Don't blindly make a change to your manuscript if you don't agree or understand why.

And never, ever respond to negative reviews in public.

Some useful resources:

Gail Carson Levine has great advice about how to take criticism, particularly from a critique.

11 Writers On How They Deal With Criticism - by Jason Diamond.

6 Top Tips For Dealing With Criticism Of Your Writing - from WritersEdit. This piece advises AGAINST reading all (if any) of your reviews in Goodreads and other places geared toward readers; I've heard this piece of advice from a prominent author in her workshop as well.

Deal With Criticism Like A Pro - by Bryan Collins on WritetoDone. This advice is mainly geared toward negative feedback from an editor; Bryan is a nonfiction freelance writer.

Happy launch day to Marcie Colleen, whose THE BEAR'S GARDEN with Alison Oliver launches from Imprint/Macmillan today!

Marcie Colleen is the award-winning picture book author of Penguinaut! (illustrated by Emma Yarlett) and Love, Triangle (illustrated by Bob Shea), as well as the Super Happy Party Bears chapter book series. She teaches Writing Children’s Picture Books for the University of California at San Diego both online and on campus, and runs her own Study Hall conducting a month-long online critique group dedicated to the crafting picture books. Find out more about how you can study with Marcie at thisismarciecolleen.com and on Twitter at @MarcieColleen1.

*UPDATE: Marcie has also launched her SUPER HAPPY Book Club on her YouTube channel, especially for families at home during school closures!

Launching March 24, 2020, THE BEAR'S GARDEN is written by Marcie Colleen and illustrated by Alison Oliver. You can read reviews of the book on Kirkus (starred review!) and Bookroo.

Author: Marcie Colleen
Illustrator: Alison Oliver
Publisher: Imprint/Macmillan Children’s

SYNOPSIS: Inspired by the true story of a community garden in Brooklyn, New York, picture book The Bear’s Garden is a testament to how imagination and dedication can transform communities and create beauty for everyone in unexpected places.

A little girl sees an empty lot in a city and imagines what it can be:

a place to grow,
a place to play,
and a place to love.

With the help of her stuffed bear, the girl brings her community together to create a beautiful garden.

Q. What inspired you to write this book?

The Bear’s Garden was inspired by the real-life Pacific Street Brooklyn Bear’s Community Garden in my former neighborhood in New York City. The name always puzzled me—I mean, we didn’t have bears wandering around Brooklyn last I checked!

Come to find out, the garden was named for a teddy bear that was found in the weeds when the workers began to create a garden in the abandoned lot. Of course, immediately I started thinking of that little bear. How did he get there? Did he belong to anyone? Was he placed there on purpose?

The Bear’s Garden is my imaginative story about how the teddy bear came to be in those weeds. It’s also a love letter to my former neighborhood and the power of community that I felt while living there. I am the girl who finds love and beauty in every inch of that urban paradise

Q. As an experienced author, how do you manage your time in terms of balancing your creative work time with the business side (promotion, admin, school visits etc), yet still have a life outside work?

While everything I do, such as teaching and creating Teacher’s Guides, falls under the umbrella of being a full-time children’s author, I have struggled in the past to find time for my own creative writing. It seems my days get quickly overrun.

However, about a year ago I paired up with a fellow author friend, Kirsten Larson, to prioritize our writing projects. We get up at 5:20 every morning to write for an hour. The alarm goes off, we text each other a quick “Good Morning” and share our project goals for that session, grab our coffee, and set to write until 6:30 without distraction. At 6:30 we check in again with our progress. It’s been a game-changer. I think I have written more in the last year because of it. And it’s a fantastic way to feel accomplished no matter what the rest of the day brings.

Q. What advice do you have for young writers?

I have always loved reading and writing stories.

A few years back I found a book I had written in elementary school. It’s called Rainbow Hunt. And in the back of the book I found an Author’s Note I had written. It said,

“Marcie Goldstein lives in Liverpool, NY and loves to write books. Someday she hopes to be a successful author.”

So, my advice to young writers everywhere would be, know that your dreams can come true. Even if people say it’s a long-shot. I’m living proof. So keep reading, keep writing, and never stop dreaming.

Q. Anything else you'd like to mention? What are you excited about these days?

Despite the recent global health crisis that has left us all indoors, I am excited to see how we will learn to build more community within our lives—even virtually. The creativity and innovation that has developed in the last few weeks has been extraordinarily inspiring. Like flowers between the pavement cracks, we will find ways. And a lot of beauty is going to grow from this.

 --

For more interviews, see my Inkygirl Interview Archive. Also see Advice For Young Writers and Illustrators, a compilation of tips generously offered by children's book creators I've interviewed over the years.

GIVEAWAY (U.S. only): Karla is giving away a copy of Marie Curie And The Power Of Persistence, written by Karla Valenti and illustrated by Annalisa Beghelli! *** ENTER HERE ***

Karla Arenas Valenti was born and raised in Mexico. Since then she has put down roots in a number of countries she now calls home: Japan, France, Germany, and the U.S. where she lives in the Chicagoland area with her husband and three kids. She writes picture books and middle grade novels. You can find out more about Karla at www.karlavalenti.com or connect with her on Facebook or Twitter @KV_writes.

I asked Karla to describe her book, and here's what she replied:

My Super Science Heroes is a picture book series for children ages 4-8. The series focuses on key scientists, but rather than defining those scientists by what they did (their achievements), we are choosing to highlight who they were (the traits that made those achievements possible).

This distinction is important as it allows readers (young and old) to re-frame what it means to “succeed” - in other words, you do not need to be a genius or Nobel-prize winner in order to be a hero in your own life. Arguably, what makes someone a hero is how they make use of their own “super powers” in pursuit of their dreams.

And what are these super powers?

The first one we chose to highlight is persistence.

Throughout her personal and professional life, Marie Curie encountered many societal and institutional limitations that threatened to block her progress. Rather than telling our young readers about these challenges, however, we chose to show them. Enter Mr. Opposition, a character designed to embody these counterforces and give Marie a chance to prove her persistence to all her fans and readers.

In this way, Marie’s ultimate success and notable achievements are not presented as the inevitable result of a gifted mind. Rather, we are honoring the tremendous effort she exhibited in never giving up on her dreams, a super power indeed.

Our next book focuses on the power of curiosity, exemplified by Alan Turing and his minion, Miss Enigma (due out Jan 2021).

My Super Science Heroes is unlike any other children’s book series focusing on historical figures, and we hope it will inspire countless of young scientists (and non-scientists) as they develop their own super powers.

Q: How did MARIE CURIE AND THE POWER OF PERSISTENCE get published?

This is a story about the unexpected surprises that come our way when we are open to any (and sometimes unconventional) opportunities.

I was living in Europe at the time, and a friend forwarded an open call for story submissions run by a non-profit science association. The Marie Curie Alumni Association (MCAA) was looking for a creative way to raise funds to support their science initiatives, so they launched a contest for picture book submissions. The topic was a story about Marie Curie, but told in a way that would excite young readers about science

As a fiction writer, I was hesitant at first to submit a story on a non-fiction topic. However, I also viewed this as an opportunity to flex my creative wings, so I took the challenge and wrote a story about Marie Curie... the super hero.

As I researched her life, it became clear that, while she certainly accomplished a great deal as a scientist, her most notable achievement was her unwavering persistence in facing a number of challenges throughout her life. Persistence! A skill highly valued in the scientific community (and one present in all of us).

What if the book was about Marie Curie using her power of persistence to achieve great things in the scientific world?

What if she had an evil nemesis who lived in a craggy cave deep underground, and whose sole purpose was preventing the spread of knowledge?

What if he sent his minion, Mr. Opposition, to stop Marie in her heroic journey?

Thus was born the My Super Science Heroes series.

It was an unconventional premise, but I decided to submit the story. To my tremendous surprise, I won!

Working with Micaela Crespo Quesada (a super scientist herself) and the MCAA association, we identified the perfect illustrator for the project, Annalisa Beghelli. Her artwork brilliantly captured the super hero themes we wanted to explore. In a true collaboration, the three of us worked to bring this project to life.

Initially, the project was going to be funded exclusively through a global crowdsourcing campaign. Not only did we exceed our goal by 20%, but a couple weeks into the campaign, we received an offer by Kelly Barrales-Saylor at Sourcebooks for world rights.

Fast forward to today as we celebrate the world publication on April 7th of Marie Curie and the Power of Persistence.

Q. What advice do you have for young writers?

In a perhaps not-so-ironic twist, the most valuable piece of advice I can offer is to believe in the power of persistence. And I hesitate to say this is only relevant to young writers (since I myself only learned this as a writer after many years).

The journey I have taken to get to this point has not been a short (or always-joyful) one. Indeed, it has been more agonizing than not, more heart-breaking than uplifting, and certainly taken a lot longer than I expected.

There have been plenty of opportunities for me to give up and walk away (and if I'm honest, there have been moments in my life where I've had to do that). However, I am fiercely proud of this story because it feels like a real badge of honor; a testament to the courage it takes to pick up your "pen" and keep putting words to paper, despite everything standing in your way.

The truth is, we all have our own version of Mr. Opposition, and we all must do battle with the nemesis that intends to bring us down. But word by word, line by line, we can persist. That is no small thing.

--

For more interviews, see my Inkygirl Interview Archive. Also see Advice For Young Writers and Illustrators, a compilation of tips generously offered by children's book creators I've interviewed over the years.

I'll be teaching a workshop Nov. 13 at the Queer Influx conference in Columbus!
Check it out at http://queerinflux.wordpress.com/convergence-schedule/

I'll be in Chicago for the Chicago zine fest - reading on Fri 25, doing a writing workshop Sat at 11 am, and tabeling. Come visit!

Upcoming Reading Tour:
August 11: Asheville NC, Malaprops Bookstore
September 23: Baltimore MD, Anarchist book fair; 6:00
September 24: Philadelpia PA, Wooden Shoe Bookstore; 7:00
September 25: NYC, Bluestockings Bookstore
September 26: Brooklyn, Bookthug Nation
September 27: North Hampton, MA, Food For Thought
September 28: may be somewhere in Vermont
September 29-30: Montreal
October 1-2:
October 3: Toronto
October 4: Pittsburgh

My book is coming out next week!
Upcoming Reading Tours:
August 11: Asheville NC, Malaprops Bookstore 7:00
September 23: Baltimore MD, Anarchist book fair; 6:00
September 24: Philadelpia PA, Wooden Shoe Bookstore; 7:00
September 25: NYC, Bluestockings Bookstore
September 26: Brooklyn, Bookthug Nation
September 27: North Hampton, MA, Food For Thought
September 28: may be somewhere in Vermont
September 29-30: Montreal
October 1-2:
October 3: Toronto
October 4: Pittsburgh

I switched my theme to fix Google Search Console errors. It complained that I had pages and posts with breadcrumb issues, and switching the theme was the easiest way to fix it. You can understand the importance of Breadcrumbs in this article.  If you don’t fix these errors, then your site is less likely to […]

No one is a stranger to financial challenges and problems. They tend to happen with people in different degrees and at separate points in time for that matter. We can unanimously agree that we need money to achieve many of our goals but also for financial independence at the same time.  When we refer to...

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The pandemic, when so many of us are getting self-taught crash courses in video production… Here’s a quick clip of me reading from THE GHOSTS OF SHERWOOD! This is due out in early June, and will be available in paperback, e-book, and audio! In other news… The weather is FINALLY warming up. Spring seems to […]

THE CURE

40 LIVE – CURÆTION-25 + ANNIVERSARY

DELUXE BOX, HARDBOOK DVD, HARDBOOK BLU-RAY, AND DIGITAL FORMATS

AVAILABLE FROM OCTOBER 18th

 VIEW TRAILER <HERE>

PRE-ORDER NOW <HERE>

LONDON, August 8th — Less than a year before their induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, The Cure celebrated their 40thanniversary. On October 18th 2019, Eagle Vision will present two special performances in which they commemorated this milestone, when 40 LIVE – CURÆTION-25 + ANNIVERSARY is released in a Limited Edition Deluxe Box (2Blu-ray+4CD, or 2DVD+4CD, each with 40-page book), on Limited Edition Hardbook 2Blu-ray or 2DVD (each with 16 page book), and standalone digital formats.

The first film — CURÆTION-25: From There To Here | From Here To There– was captured on the tenth and final night of the 25thMeltdown Festival (curated by lead singer Robert Smith) at London’s Royal Festival Hall in June 2018. Presented in HD with 5.1 surround sound, Smith, Simon Gallup, Jason Cooper, Roger O’Donnell, and Reeves Gabrels performed a song from each of their 13 studio albums in chronological order, displaying the evolution of The Cure’s music live on stage. At the core of the set, they broke the cycle with some new, unreleased songs – offering a glimpse into the band’s future – before retracing their steps with another song from each album, ending with “Boys Don’t Cry.”

Released in theatres globally only last week, ANNIVERSARY: 1978-2018 Live In Hyde Park London features the band’s acclaimed 29-song, 135-minute anniversary concert. Filmed in one of London’s Royal Parks to a crowd of 65,000 fans, The Cure presented a four-decade deep set on July 7, 2018, including “Just Like Heaven,” “Lovesong,” “High,” and “The End Of The World.” Adding to the experience, the band is back-dropped by giant screens displaying footage that complements the unique moods and emotive song writing that established The Cure as pioneers of alternative rock. The result is a concert that Rolling Stoneexpressed shows the “unique power in The Cure’s live performance.”

Directed by Tim Pope – the long-time collaborator behind many of The Cure’s music videos and their award-winning 1986 film In Orange– Anniversary is chronicled in 4K with a 5.1 surround sound mix by Robert Smith and Paul Corkett. Pope states “I went to rehearsals in a very cramped studio just the day before the show… I knew as the set list unfolded that the only way to show people The Real Cure was to capture not only the grand, epic dimension of their stage show, but also the close, intimate side of this band simply making music together.”

“This really was the perfect way to celebrate 40 years of the band,” Smith exclaimed. “It was a fabulous day none of us will ever forget!”

THE CURE: 40 LIVE – CURÆTION-25 + ANNIVERSARY limited edition Deluxe Box includes gatefold 2x Blu-ray/DVD and 4x CDs, covering both concerts with nearly 9 hours of content, plus a 40 page hardback book. The limited edition Hardbook includes 2x Blu-rays/DVDs and 16 page booklet. CURÆTION-25 and ANNIVERSARY are available as standalone concerts on Digital

CURÆTION-25:

From There To Here | From Here To There

1.     Three Imaginary Boys
2.     At Night
3.     Other Voices
4.     A Strange Day
5.     Bananafishbones
6.     A Night Like This
7.     Like Cockatoos
8.     Pictures Of You
9.     High
10.   Jupiter Crash
11.   39
12.   Us Or Them
13.   It’s Over
14.   It Can Never Be The Same
15.   Step Into The Light
16.   The Hungry Ghost
17.   alt.end
18.   The Last Day Of Summer
19.   Want
20.   From The Edge Of The Deep Green Sea
21.   Disintegration
22.   If Only Tonight We Could Sleep
23.   Sinking
24.   Shake Dog Shake
25.   One Hundred Years
26.   Primary
27.   A Forest
28.   Boys Don’t Cry


ANNIVERSARY:

1978-2018 Live In Hyde Park London

1.     Plainsong
2.     Pictures Of You
3.     High
4.     A Night Like This
5.     The Walk
6.     The End Of The World
7.     Lovesong
8.     Push
9.     Inbetween Days
10.   Just Like Heaven
11.   If Only Tonight
12.   Play For Today
13.   A Forest
14.   Shake Dog Shake
15.   Burn
16.   Fascination Street
17.   Never Enough
18.   From The Edge Of The Deep Green Sea
19.   Disintegration
20.   Lullaby
21.   Caterpillar
22.   Friday I’m In Love
23.   Close To Me
24.   Why Can’t I Be You
25.   Boys Don’t Cry
26.   Jumping Someone Else’s Train
27.   Grinding Halt
28.   10:15 Saturday Night
29.   Killing an Arab

https://t.co/BoAi0VA5gR

Robert Smith of The Cure's 'Schecter Signature UltraCure' Guitar, Played at Pasadena Daydream Festival on August 31st

Your bid supports: Free Arts For Abused Children, Mr. Holland's Opus Foundation, Little Kids Rock, Inner-City Arts, The Painted Turtle pic.twitter.com/skBiHZslmy

— The Cure (@thecure) August 29, 2019

Robert Smith is donating the guitar he will be playing this weekend at Pasadena Daydream Festival to be auctioned off to benefit @FreeArtsLA, @InnerCityArts, @littlekidsrock, @HollandsOpusFdn and @PaintedTurtleCA! ????

bid here????https://t.co/eZ9QdO3lgt

— goldenvoice (@goldenvoice) August 27, 2019

August 31st, 2019
Daydream Festival in Pasadena, CA
Cure are scheduled to start at 8:40 pm pacific

That's a start time of 9:40 pm mountain, 10:40 pm central, 11:40 pm eastern.

Setlist: Plainsong, Pictures of You, High, A Night Like This, Just One Kiss, Lovesong, Last Dance, Burn, Fascination Street, Never Enough, Push, In Between Days, Just Like Heaven, From the Edge of the Deep Green Sea, Play For Today, A Forest, Primary, Shake Dog Shake, 39, Disintegration

Encore: Lullaby, The Caterpillar, The Walk, Friday I'm in Love, Close to Me, Why Can't I Be You?, Boys Don't Cry.

A dream that will soon become reality ????
Set times & maps are here for Pasadena Daydream this weekend! ▶️ pic.twitter.com/OlwpjpZ3EL

— goldenvoice (@goldenvoice) August 26, 2019

Who is ready for a day at Brookside at the Rose Bowl with @thecure, @PIXIES, @deftones + more? See you there ???????? pic.twitter.com/b9NKSbAJiu

— goldenvoice (@goldenvoice) August 31, 2019

Good morning Pasadena pic.twitter.com/OdNTjM8cJc

— PIXIES (@PIXIES) August 31, 2019

Newly designed merch for Pasadena Daydream Festival available NOW from https://t.co/98Kn7sVtpk and at the show on Saturday. #PasadenaDaydream #merch pic.twitter.com/Vn9RAjDYIW

— The Cure (@thecure) August 29, 2019

The post How to Create a Pep Ventosa Inspired Still Life appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Charlie Moss.

Pep Ventosa is a Catalan artist who creates incredible images that explore the boundaries of photography. Made from multiple layers of similar photographs, they create an abstract and often surreal effect with a painterly feel. Ventosa usually creates pictures outside, but you can borrow his ideas to create a Pep Ventosa inspired still life. This […]

The post How to Create a Pep Ventosa Inspired Still Life appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Charlie Moss.

The post How to Setup For Doing Live Streaming and YouTube Videos at Home appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Caz Nowaczyk.

Since many of us are spending most of our time at home at the moment, I thought I’d share this great video from the dPS founder, Darren Rowse, on how to do live streaming and YouTube videos from your own home as a way to reach your audience and promote your photography. He shares his […]

The post How to Setup For Doing Live Streaming and YouTube Videos at Home appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Caz Nowaczyk.

いつも応援ありがとうございます。

いよいよ3月4日5日に10周年を飾る最後のＬＩＶＥ！10th Anniversary LIVE"GIG"2017-THE FINAL-が開催されます。
このライブは加藤和樹作詞・加藤和樹作詞作曲のみで構成された10周年集大成の2日間です。

両日ともチケット完売になっているため急遽、3月5日にはニコニコ動画にて初のＬＩＶＥ生配信をいたします。

まだ加藤和樹のＬＩＶＥを見たことがない方、今回のライブに残念ながら来れなかった方、観てコメントして楽しんでください。

【ニコニコ動画生配信】

3月5日16時より配信開始

http://live.nicovideo.jp/watch/lv290796700

さらに加藤和樹がＭＣをつとめる「ＫＫチャンネル」ではチャンネル会員向けにLIVE本編中「KAZUKIだけカメラ」が発動！

LIVE中、ずっと加藤和樹さんだけを追い続けるカメラを視聴いただくことができます。PCの方は、2窓（2つプラウザを開いて）でお楽しみください。

【ニコ動ＫＫチャンネル・KAZUKIだけカメラ】

http://live.nicovideo.jp/watch/lv291062812

お楽しみください！

◇■◇■ＴＨＥ　ＦＩＮＡＬのＱ＆Ａ情報◇■◇■

Q:物販はいつから始まりますか？
A:物販の時間は下記になります。

＜物販開始時間＞
◇3月4日（土）14：30～16：30
◇3月5日（日）13：30～15：30

※公演当日分在庫商品が無くなり次第物販は終了いたします。

※ＦＣに入会されると次回からのライブグッズは会員先行にてライブ当日までに自宅配送され、ライブ当日に並ばず欲しい商品が必ず手に入る特典がございますのでご利用ください。

Q.販売される商品は
A.グッズは下記になります。

＜ＴＨＥ　ＦＩＮＡＬグッズ＞
◇Tシャツ（カラー：黒×水色（蓄光つき）/サイズ：S.M.L)　3200円

※蓄光がついたＴシャツ。暗闇で光ります

◇Tシャツ（カラー：ネイビー×ピンク/サイズ：S.M.L)　3200円

◇タオルマフラー　2100円（ジャガード織・今治産）

◇ステンレスボトル　2300円

冷たい飲み物も温かい飲み物も持ち歩けるボトル（容量280ml)

＜Team Kグッズ＞
◇折りたたみ傘　3500円

ついに登場！待望の傘は晴雨兼用・傘袋は濡れたままバックインできる仕様です。

◇シューズから着替えまで入れられるマルチケース　男性用　1300円　女性用　1200円

旅先や学校行事などではシューズケースとして、さらにはたっぷりマチ付なので着替えなどの整理ケースとしても使える便利グッズ。

◇日めくりカレンダー「ＥＶＥＲＹＤＡＹ　ＫＡＺＵＫＩ」　2100円

加藤和樹歌詞を日めくりで楽しむカレンダー

＜旧商品＞

◇ブランケット（夏のクーラーのひざ掛けに！）　2000円
◇ライブバック（ライブから普段の買い物まで使えます！カラー：黒/赤）　3500円

＜その他＞
◇周年ライブ限定「ＫＡＺＵ★ＫＵＪＩ」　1口　400円　※1回５口まで引くことができます。
※この1年の分も追加し、約540種のPHOTO＋チェキなどがランダムに引け、同じ絵柄はなかなか出てこない“ＫＡＺＵ★ＫＵＪＩ”。
中には加藤和樹＆THE DRASTICS直筆サインパネル、
ライブ終演後本人との面会出来ちゃう券などのレア景品も入っています！

◇チャリティーステッカー
「Pray for KUMAMOTO」と書かれたステッカーを募金していただいた方にはお配りしています。

Q:ライブ時間はどのくらいですか？
A:ライブの時間は140分前後になります。

Q:注意事項はありますか？
A:
・光るもの、鳴り物は禁止しております。また、録音録画も禁止です。
・荷物の多い方は、予めコインロッカーなどにお預けください。
・前の人を押し出しする行為をしないようお願いいたします。

Q:物販は開場中、終演後でも購入できますか？
A:基本、購入できるようにしておりますが、数量が無くなり次第終了いたします。

Q:チケットAの引換はどこになりますか？
A:【ＶＯＩＣＥ受付】にて引換をいたします。入場前に必ず受け取ってから入場列に並んでください。

Q:当日券はありますか？
A:当日券の発売はございません。

Q:お花などを送りたいのですが。。。
A:今回はお花は会場の都合上お断りいたしております。

Q:プレゼントを渡したいのですが。。。
A:会場ロビーにプレゼント箱を用意しております。但し、本人に渡すまでに日数がかかりますので食べ物系などはお断りさせていただきます。　

2日間に渡る10周年finalのday2終わりました！

遅くなりました。

This device is FDA-cleared for US sales, US patented and patent pending in other countries, and medically certified in Europe. It treats oncologic and neuropathic pain through a biophysical rather than biochemical approach. The non-invasive device is designed to create self-like neurons by applying surface electrodes to the skin to simultaneously treat multiple pain areas.

The best way I know to cook beans, and the one I always return to. A version of the much-loved Tuscan bean recipe - fagioli al fiasco. Traditionally, beans were baked overnight in a Chianti bottle placed near the embers of that night's fire. While not exactly authentic (no fire here), I do a riff on the general idea, using a low-temperature oven and enamel-lined pot.

Continue reading How to Cook Beans that are Tender, Creamy, and Nearly Perfect on 101 Cookbooks

If you've only ever had refried beans from a can, this should be the next recipe you cook. Homemade refried beans are a game-changer. Use just the right amount of olive oil to cook well-minced onions along with the beans and plenty of their broth. Smoked paprika adds a hint of smoky depth you can't quite put a finger on, my secret ingredient is a finishing splash of freshly squeezed lemon juice. I think it's the element that helps keep the beans from seeming too heavy, and the acidity counters the starchiness of the beans.

Continue reading Homemade Refried Beans on 101 Cookbooks