On August 1, Faith Walker (otherwise known as Jill L. Ferguson and Eric Ferguson) released Whiskey Dog Mystery Series book #2, Poodles and Poison. As the back of the book copy says: "Discover the gripping mystery that unfolds during August in the heartwarming town of Cottageville, where canine stylist Sarah Carter and her loyal Australian cattle dog, Whiskey, stumble upon a series of puzzling events. It all begins innocently enough with a somber backyard farewell for Oodle the poodle. Soon after, Sarah finds herself thrust into a tangled web of intrigue when she saves a stranger's life in a local café, only to discover he has left town to avoid talking to the police. As questions swirl and suspicions grow, Sarah's keen instincts lead her deeper into learning more about that mysterious man. When Sarah and Whiskey join Gladys Rossmiller to choose a new poodle from a local rescue, they unwittingly stumble upon a scene of peril. The owners lie unconscious, their fates uncertain. As Sarah digs deeper into the circumstances surrounding the rescuers' sudden illness, she uncovers something sinister that threatens their serene community. In Poodles and Poison, Faith Walker weaves a tale of suspense and intrigue, where loyalty, love, and the unbreakable bond between humans and their canine companions overcome evil that invades their town. Prepare to be swept into this cozy mystery that will keep you guessing until the very end."

Unlike many cozy mysteries, this book has not just the usual one but two mysteries to be solved by Sarah and the gang and readers. 

This book is available at book sellers everywhere (including Amazon https://www.amazon.com/Poodles-Poison-Whiskey-Dog-Mystery/dp/1737973359/?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_w=G1ZZJ&content-id=amzn1.sym.2ada0ca8-c08f-4dd3-bf6e-06e1e651bb29%3Aamzn1.symc.ebdd2303-2907-45b9-b343-3896226c508a&pf_rd_p=2ada0ca8-c08f-4dd3-bf6e-06e1e651bb29&pf_rd_r=50CQ9MDKX1NHAJG9PEKC&pd_rd_wg=EgXWo&pd_rd_r=6aeca8f7-2bf6-4d97-830d-57335736735f&ref_=pd_hp_d_atf_ci_mcx_mr_ca_hp_atf_d) 

We had the honor of working with Steven A. Hitz on his book Igniting the Holy Flame, which Chris Folmsbee called "a thoughtful, candid, stirring, and hopeful book with the highest of aspirations: to help spiritual but not religious people consider what really matters, discovering oneself in the center of God's  love, and building authentic community." 

As the back of the book explains, "The role of organized religion in our society is undergoing monumental changes. Church attendance is decreasing at unprecedented rates. At the same time, there is an increase in the number of people who identify as “spiritual but not religious.” Clearly, the need for religion remains as strong as ever, yet more and more, people are seeking spirituality elsewhere. Why? What accounts for these trends? Can organized religion still play a valuable role in today’s world? Affirming that organized religion does indeed have the potential to be a uniquely powerful force for good, Igniting the Holy Flame argues that organized religions too often fall into a trap of their own making, inadvertently fixating on a punitive rule-keeping culture that alienates believers and encourages conformity over an honest pursuit of spirituality. The antidote is “authentic fellowship”—pursuing deep and meaningful connections with oneself, others, and the divine. Ultimately, this book argues that organized religion can bless lives and build a better world for all of us when religions focus on helping individuals understand their truest inner selves, learn to follow the gentle guidance of the spirit, and pursue a life driven by authenticity rather than blind obedience."

​Hitz hopes the book assists many people navigate a course of spirituality, religion, and faith. The book is available at Amazon and you can order it by clicking www.amazon.com/Igniting-Holy-Flame-Communities-Religious/dp/B0DFX95BCT/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3MR99YLZWYAS1&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.REh2SLWpzZOpLUAHyYczJtzbZVAqiAnLwMnZVyEJYurPpFoLE6pvU2AN-IbNxK4-7w_znqxjw2-hF9wsQa4GYUUet7Az67d9MCEJDpouQFSAYQrQs3zucXTdQq4mliFktglSoNOomCMpjNgiH4mJCPf8cTKnikz6Jt7aYy_EO81lGR-X8YBRYOAQYZqkBihq.wQhBDdJzuuxFfc20JE4FSXNPsPN4vSyLDYTi9xht6dE&dib_tag=se&keywords=steven+hitz&qid=1725473701&sprefix=%2Caps%2C240&sr=8-1

Writing under the pseudonym Faith Walker, and co-authoring this new series with her brother, Jill L. Ferguson, founder of Creating the Freelance Career, has published Paws and Puzzles: Whiskey Dog Mystery #1. The series features dog groomer and owner of Carter's  Canine Coiffure Sarah Carter and her red heeler Australian cattle dog Whiskey, who live in Cottageville, U.S.A. In Paws and Puzzles, Sarah and Whiskey discover that their elderly neighbor Mrs. Jenkins has disappeared and that some people in their town are not who they seem. 

Sarah and her assistant Emily Colt, and the rest of the town, along with the police, piece together clues to determine what happened to Mrs. Janice Jenkins and why in this adorable cozy mystery.

Retired librarian Susan Shaver gave Paws and Puzzles five stars on Reedsy Discovery, writing, "This light, easy read captures the ins and outs of small-town living, the friendliness, the nosiness, and the concern for neighbors and residents experienced in a small, close-knit community. The characters, the relationships, the delicious food, the menagerie of pups, and the mystery of Mrs. Jenkins' absence intertwine at just the right pace to create a fun, entertaining, and enjoyable story."  

Check out Paws and Puzzles: Whiskey Dog Mystery #1 wherever you buy books. And stay tuned for the next book in the series Poodles and Poison, coming out later this year. 

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Terrestrial Architecture by Jack Oliva-Rendler has released this week in hardback, paperback, and e-book formats. And praise for the book has been flowing like Niagara Falls. Here is a sample of the comments, from people working and teaching within the architecture profession:

"Like a renaissance man, Jack Oliva-Rendler sets out to create an interdisciplinary unifying holistic theory, a possible future or opportunity for designing the planet. The book presents a new paradigm where infrastructure, formal geometries as dynamic formulations of space, data, and ecosystems are intertwined to design the planet in a harmonic way." —Benjamin Pollack

"Terrestrial Architecture is a brilliant journey through speculative infrastructures that harmonize ecological and human systems in visually striking and always unexpected ways. This book opens whole new terrains of algorithmic design for sustainability grounded in complex geospatial and metabolic contexts." —Dr. Stuart Cowan

"With beautiful prose and images, Jack Oliva-Rendler restores a spiritual dimension to architecture that has long been absent from most intellectual field. After reading this book, you will feel more connected to the earth, and to the human projects that both enhance and endanger it." —Graham Harman

Terrestrial Architecture is available everywhere books are sold, such as Amazon. 

Better Than I Should Be: Overcoming Sexual and Domestic Abuse Through Forgiveness and Personal Healing by Christina Warren Ivey is releasing on December 20 and we are ecstatic. We have worked with Tina on her book over the last few years and are grateful to see this book being birthed into the world by Trilogy Christian Publishing. 

Tina bravely shares her experiences and explains how she was able to forgive her father, who repeatedly raped her, and her mother who turned a blind eye and felt victimized when Tina told the truth as a young girl. 

As it says on the Amazon book description: 
"Some people will spend years, decades, a lifetime even, trying to seek peace and fulfillment and never achieve it. That is the sad reality of a fallen world. 
Most recently, the subject of child sexual abuse, more notably child sex trafficking, has come to light publicly in a big way. But what about those children who have not been taken and sold into sex slavery; children who suffer sexual abuse from someone they know? When it comes to domestic child sexual abuse, the topic is seen more as a taboo. Can one overcome the shame and forgive their abuser? Does true healing exist? Better Than I Should Be expresses how: 
• Childhood sexual abuse affects the psyche and relationships 
• Personal healing doesn't happen overnight; it is a journey 
• Forgiving your abuser is not easy, but is possible." 

Ultimately, Better Than I Should Be is a story of hope and redemption. 

Available for pre-order at bookstores everywhere, with a December 20 publication date. 

Article written by Leah Bailey

​Working as a freelancer is one way to earn extra cash. Have you ever dreamt of having extra income to save for an exciting trip, replace a dodgy old appliance, or to simply enjoy some pocket money and treat yourself? If your answer is a resounding yes, you’ve arrived at the perfect article. In this short five minute read, we will quickly andefficiently explain six of the most effective methods for you to start making money as a freelancer. These remote jobs come without the burden of any boss or time constraints, and you may even find yourself having fun on your journey to financial freedom.

1. Taking Commissions or Payments Online (As Any Kind of Artist or Creative) 
If you have any type of creative skill, this first freelancer job recommendation is for you. There are plenty of waysto get yourself out there and start advertising, but one place to begin is Fiverr if you are completely new to selling your work. It is completely free to start on fiverr, and the website only takes a 20% fee of your earnings, leavingyou with 80% of all transactions. Fiverr is home to thousands of hobbyists and professionals alike, and it isn’t just for the illustrative types; there are tons of more niche sections on the website, such as music and audio, data handling, programming, translation assistance, and more. Similar platforms include Upwork, Freelancer, Toptal, Jooble, Guru, and more.

2. Dropshipping 
One of the most popular ways to start making money as a freelancer is with dropshipping. You may have heard the term thrown around online before but may not be exactly sure what it is. While exact definitions may vary, insimple terms, dropshipping is a business model in which the person or company does not actually handle any of the products that they sell; instead, the product goes straight from the producer to the consumer. While the dropshipper is still responsible for the stock they choose to work with, they never physically have to handle it, which makes dropshipping a great choice for those without extra room in their house or for those who do not want to deal with any physical labor. For the dropshipping approach, we recommend Shopify, where you can both learn more about the process and start your own website with the help of its user-friendly setup. Currently, Shopify is offering a beginner trial period for $1 a month on select plans. Another valuable resource where you can learn about dropshipping is ZenDrop.
 
 3. Blogging
As long as the internet has been around, blogging has been one of the most interesting and sought after parts of it for entertainment and information alike. One of the best things about starting a freelancer blog is that it can truly be about anything your heart desires, from cooking to animals to hardware. We guarantee that no matter what your blog is centered around, there will be an audience with whom to build a community. Wix is an excellenttool to try your hand at starting a blog, and it is completely free to sign up and build a custom site. Moreover,there is a 14-day free trial for any premium plan that you may wish to try out, and after that, prices stay reasonable but vary on the subscription you select. If you have been wanting to write about something for whichyou feel a lot of passion and to contribute your voice on the subject matter, Wix is a perfect first step.
 
 4. Streaming
A misconception exists that streaming is just for those who play videogames, but there are over one-hundred categories on Twitch to try, including sections such as “Just Chatting”, “Food & Drink”, and “Fitness & Health”.There are many ways to make money as a freelancer on Twitch, but your main two streams of income will be AdSense (When individuals watching you are shown advertisements, Twitch gives you a small payout.) andsubscribers / donations from your viewers. You don’t need a special skill to stream, but you will need amicrophone and possibly a webcam. Thankfully, these expenses are one-time purchases and Twitch does not require any type of payment to stream on their website. If you think that you are an entertaining person who is able to interact with an audience, streaming may be for you.
 
 5. Becoming a Virtual Assistant
This approach is a bit different from the others listed previously, but it is still lucrative and scalable depending on exactly what you want and how much time you have. Millions of virtual assistants right now work both part-time and full-time, and the market is growing every year as more things become internet-focused and remote. That said, it is a fairly competitive occupation for freelancers, so we recommend Flexjobs to have the best chance of snagging a great new opportunity to work from home. FlexJobs specializes in hunting down real remote jobs (No scams like you may see on other employment search sites!) and starts at just $2.95 for a 14-day trial, which gives you temporary access to every perk that regular subscribers have access to, including a personalized portfolio and expert job search tips. Anyone can become a virtual assistant with a great resume and application, and FlexJobs can aid with that.
 
 6. Tutoring
 Online tutoring, teaching, and general assisting with subjects is becoming the go-to way for parents and students alike to get help with assignments or writing papers, and it is incredibly easy for freelancers to take up. Many websites offer these types of jobs, and you may even consider marketing yourself by creating your own tutoringbusiness with the aforementioned Wix website tool, but Superprof is one of the leading companies in the virtual industry and has millions of tutors. You may earn up to eighty dollars an hour on the high scale of things and twenty on the lower, but either way it is an amazing opportunity to start a new career and make some extra cash. Superprof allows you to register for free and the site will start allocating students as early as the same week.
 
With the help of at least one of these six freelancer ideas within our article, you will almost certainly be able to start making some extra income for yourself. The best part about these remote opportunities lies in the prospectof freedom—financially, mentally, and emotionally. As a freelancer, you will be able to explore countless business avenues and discover what truly works best for you. The most difficult part of buckling down and starting research is a hurdle you’ve already jumped, so start your freelancer path today and unlock a life you never thought was possible!

Crafting Characters. It's part of what we are learning about in the Be a Better Writer course that we are facilitating this month. So let's talk about this subject a bit more in-depth. 

One of the most vital aspects of any compelling novel is the characters that inhabit its pages. They are the heart and soul of the story, the driving force behind the plot, and the key to engaging readers on a deep and emotional level. Creating great characters requires a combination of creativity, insight, and attention to detail. In this guide, we will explore the essential elements and techniques that go into crafting unforgettable characters in a novel.

1. Understanding the Role of Characters
Characters serve as the conduits through which readers experience the world of your novel. They provide the emotional connection that makes readers care about the events unfolding in the story. Whether it's a protagonist, antagonist, or a supporting character, each role plays a crucial part in driving the narrative forward.
Protagonist:
The protagonist is the central character around whom the story revolves. They are the ones facing challenges, making choices, and undergoing personal growth throughout the narrative. To create a memorable protagonist, consider the following:

• Motivation and Goals: What does your protagonist want? Their motivations and goals should be clear and relatable to the readers. This gives them a reason to invest in the character's journey.
• Flaws and Vulnerabilities: Perfect characters can be uninteresting. Introduce flaws and vulnerabilities that make your protagonist relatable and multidimensional.
• Internal Conflict: Inner struggles and conflicting emotions add depth to a protagonist's character arc. A character who grapples with their own fears, doubts, or ethical dilemmas will resonate with readers.

Antagonist:
The antagonist opposes the protagonist and creates conflict. A well-developed antagonist adds complexity and tension to the story:

• Motivation: Similar to the protagonist, the antagonist should have clear motivations. Understanding their reasons, even if they're misguided, can make them more believable and intriguing.
• Backstory: What events led the antagonist to their current state? A well-crafted backstory can humanize even the most villainous characters.
• Depth: Avoid making the antagonist one-dimensional. Give them qualities that challenge the reader's perceptions and force them to question the line between good and evil.

Supporting Characters:
Supporting characters enrich the story by offering diverse perspectives, relationships, and subplots. Even though they may have less screen time, they should still be thoughtfully developed:

• Distinct Personalities: Ensure that supporting characters have their own distinct personalities, quirks, and voices. Avoid using them solely as plot devices.
• Roles and Relationships: Each supporting character should serve a purpose in the narrative. Whether they're a mentor, friend, or love interest, their interactions with the protagonist should contribute to their development.
• Arcs of Their Own: While not all supporting characters need extensive arcs, consider giving some of them their own moments of growth or change. This can add depth to the overall story.

2. Building Character Backstories
A character's past greatly influences their present actions and decisions. Developing detailed backstories for your characters helps you understand their motivations and shape their behavior:

• Early Life: Explore their childhood, family dynamics, and early experiences. These can shape their worldview and personality traits.
• Defining Moments: What pivotal events have impacted the character's life? A traumatic experience, a significant achievement, or a major decision can all contribute to their development.
• Relationships: How do they interact with family, friends, and enemies? The dynamics they share with others can reveal a lot about their personality and motivations.
• Secrets: Characters often have hidden aspects of their past that can create inner conflict. Revealing these secrets at strategic points can add depth and tension to the story.

3. Creating Compelling Character Traits
Character traits are the building blocks of personality. Crafting traits that resonate with readers helps them connect with the characters on a personal level:

• Positive Traits: These traits make characters likable and relatable. Compassion, humor, courage, and loyalty are just a few examples.
• Negative Traits: Characters should also have flaws that make them realistic. Pride, jealousy, impulsiveness, and self-doubt can create internal conflict and growth opportunities.
• Contradictions: Human beings are complex, and characters should be no different. A character with a mix of traits, even if they seem contradictory, can be more authentic and interesting.
• Change Over Time: As the story progresses, characters should evolve. Their experiences and challenges should lead to shifts in their traits and behaviors.

4. Dialogue and Voice
A character's dialogue is a powerful tool for revealing their personality, relationships, and motivations:

• Distinctive Voices: Each character should have a unique way of speaking, influenced by factors like their background, education, and personality.
• Subtext: Dialogue is an excellent way to convey hidden emotions and motives. Characters might say one thing while meaning another, creating depth and intrigue.
• Show, Don't Tell: Instead of explicitly stating a character's traits, allow their speech patterns, tone, and word choices to demonstrate who they are.

5. Using Character Arcs for Growth
A character arc is the transformation a character undergoes over the course of the story. It's a fundamental aspect of character development:

• Starting Point: Introduce the character's flaws, fears, or limitations early on. This gives them room to grow and change.
• Obstacles: Challenges and conflicts force characters to confront their flaws and make difficult choices. These experiences drive the character arc.
• Growth: As the character faces obstacles, they should evolve and develop new insights. This growth should be earned and believable.
• Resolution: The character's arc should culminate in a resolution that reflects their growth. This can be a change in behavior, mindset, or values.

6. Emotionally Engaging Readers
For characters to resonate with readers, they need to evoke emotions. Emotional connections make the story memorable and impactful:

• Empathy: Create characters with relatable struggles and emotions. When readers empathize with their experiences, they become invested in their journey.
• Vulnerability: Characters who show vulnerability are more human and endearing. Their fears and insecurities make them relatable and evoke empathy.
• Conflict and Decision-Making: Characters facing tough choices and internal conflicts tug at readers' heartstrings. The struggle between what a character wants and what they need can be emotionally compelling.

7. Showcasing Diversity and Inclusion
The real world is diverse, and novels should reflect this diversity:

• Representation: Include characters from various backgrounds, cultures, genders, and experiences. Avoid stereotypes and strive for authentic portrayals.
• Avoid Tokenism: Diverse characters should be fully developed and integral to the story, rather than added for the sake of appearance.
• Sensitivity and Research: If writing about experiences different from your own, do thorough research and consider seeking input from individuals with those experiences.
• 8. Finding Inspiration
  Drawing inspiration for characters can come from various sources:
• Observation: Observe people around you—their behavior, conversations, and idiosyncrasies can provide insights into creating realistic characters.
• Research: Dive into books, articles, documentaries, and interviews related to your characters' backgrounds or professions.
• Personal Experience: Your own experiences and emotions can fuel authentic character development, even if the story is fictional.

9. Iterative Process and Feedback
Creating great characters is an iterative process:

• Feedback: Share your character sketches and ideas with beta readers, writing groups, or mentors. Fresh perspectives can help identify areas for improvement.
• Revision: Be open to revising and refining your characters based on feedback. Characters often evolve as the story takes shape.

​
10. Consistency and Growth
Consistency is key when developing characters:

• Character Bibles: Create a reference document detailing each character's traits, backstory, relationships, and arc to maintain consistency throughout the story.
• Evolution: Characters should evolve as the story progresses. Their growth should be organic, reflecting the challenges and experiences they face.

​Creating great characters is an art that requires a blend of creativity, empathy, and attention to detail. When readers connect with characters on an emotional level, they become invested in the story's twists and turns. By understanding their motivations, crafting compelling backstories, and guiding them through meaningful arcs, writers can craft characters that resonate long after the last page is turned. So, embark on the journey of character creation with passion and dedication, and watch as your characters come to life within the pages of your novel.