​Two of the first books that I owned as a child were The Travels of Monarch X by Ross E. Hutchins and The Mouse and the Motorcycle by Beverly Cleary. Both were hardcover books and I loved them both. My parents gave me the books as a gift for my birthday. They were two of the best gifts I ever received. Each book was special in its own way. The Travels of Monarch X, a true story, taught me all about the majestic monarch butterfly, from their features to their amazing migration journey and the dangers they face along the way. I developed a deep love and respect for these beautiful creatures. The Mouse and the Motorcycle is a fun adventure story of a mouse named Ralph who meets a boy with a toy motorcycle that Ralph gets to ride.
My copy was a first edition hardcover. I loved this story so much I went on to read other books by this author. I kept these books into adulthood and passed them on to my own children.

I recently read Stephen King’s book, Pet Sematary, in anticipation of the new movie coming up in April. The new movie trailer looks interesting. I spent some time reading the comments posted on YouTube, regarding the new movie trailer. The more I read, the more I thought about the relationship between books and their movie counterparts. Making a movie based on a book presents a few challenges as well as some opportunities.
 
With a book, we visualize a scene based on the author’s description. Our imagination fills in the gaps as we correlate the words with our own experiences. My idea of what a character looks and sounds like can differ from someone else’s. In a movie, we all see and hear the same thing. A description in a book takes longer to visualize whereas visualizing something in a movie is instantaneous. A book can describe sound, a movie can produce sound. Most movies add music to enhance the experience.
 
I like to think of books and movies as separate versions of a core story, each offering something unique. This is not to say that it always works. Some stories lend themselves better to one form than the other. An episode of the Three Stooges comes to mind. I do, however, appreciate an effort to match the author’s vision. This requires that those making the movie understand or care about that vision. Movies are literary adaptations. They are taken out of their literary form and transformed into a dramatic work. The process of how this happens is best explained by Brad Fox, a film and television producer from Toronto Canada. He addresses the issue in an online post in Quora. He begins by explaining it this way:
 
The "typical" situation is that an author likely has little to no editorial input into how their work is adapted. Usually a producer (or studio) will “option” a book - ie: pay an author a smaller amount to have exclusive rights to try and prepare, finance, and create a feature film within a certain time period (usually several years).
 
He goes on to say:
 
Since most fiction/non-fiction authors are not screenwriters with track records, once an option is obtained, the producer/studio’s first job is usually to bring on a screenwriter to make an adaptation. Most quality screenwriters with track records (who would increase the odds of a film being financeable / filmable) won’t work on adaptation projects where the original author has significant control.
 
The reason for this, according to Brad, is “it just makes the process of trying to finance and create a movie too onerous for most to even attempt.”
 
In most cases, a book is written by one person. The vision is his/hers alone. With movies, Brad describes it this way, “film is a collaborative medium involving thousands of people (and millions of dollars) and each requiring many concessions to any individual ‘vision’ of the end result (including even the producers and director).”
 
The complete post by Brad Fox can be found on Quora.

Check out the new trailer for my book:

​At the heart of what makes up a book is the story within it. The delivery and enjoyment are a matter of preference. Books today come in a variety formats. Some are paper, some are digital, and some are audible. Some combine visual and audible styles through movie adaptations. Here are my thoughts on the three most common book versions.
 
Paperback and Hardcover Books
 
The positive: This is the oldest form besides oral storytelling. Print books are the standard in homes all over the world. Printed books occupy a warm spot in my heart. I grew up reading books in this format. With a printed book, I can flip through the pages. I know how far I am in the story. With non-fiction books, I can move around in the book to find the information I seek. I can display them on a bookshelf. I can get an autographed copy.
 
The downside: Printed books are bulky. They take up a lot of space. I am more likely to limit the number of books I take with me on a trip or overnight stay. The pages can tear and fade. Sometimes the binding comes unglued. The paper triggers my allergies.
 
E-Books
 
The positive: I can carry a lot of books with me in my pocket or purse. They remain dust free. I can brighten or dim the page. I can adjust the size of the print. Most reading apps offer a variety of features such as displaying a word's definition by pressing down on it.
 
The downside: The limitations of one’s personal electronics.
 
Audible Books
 
The positive: Can load onto one device. A person can listen while doing something else such as housecleaning. A reading group can listen together. Audible books offer an option for individuals with visual impairments or people that cannot read.
 
The downside: No control over the sound of the voice, pacing, or cadence.
 
Which reading method I choose depends on the situation and my mood. A cozy chair in front of a glowing fireplace screams printed book. Waiting at the doctor’s office lends itself well to an e-book on my cell phone. A reclined lounge chair at the pool or beach is perfect for audible books. In conclusion, I embrace and am thankful for all three options. 

When I was young a pencil was the only thing I needed to sharpen. In my older years, I understand my mind also needs sharpening. Like the rest of our bodies, our brains diminish. We can be proactive about slowing down the process and sometimes even reversing it. The old saying, use it or lose it applies. I am speaking of age-related decline and not environmental, genetic, or injury-related factors. Here are tips I picked up from various sources that stimulate positive brain function.
 
Eating Healthy Foods: Avoid processed foods and foods high in sugar, salt, and saturated fat. Limit red meat consumption. Choose baked, broiled or grilled chicken, turkey, and fish instead. Eat fresh fruits and vegetables. Avoid bread and pasta made from refined flour, go with whole grain instead. Raw nuts are an excellent snack choice.
 
Exercising: Exercising helps the entire body and is an excellent stress buster. Most gyms offer a variety of equipment and tools to help you keep toned but are not the only option. Any form of movement is exercise. Spend time every day walking, jogging, cleaning, gardening, moving furniture around, dancing, etc. Avoid sitting or lying down for long periods of time (unless you have a medical condition, in which case you should consult with your physician).
 
Reading: Reading taps brain activity. A good book or article stretches our imagination and stimulates critical thinking. Reading is also a good way to keep our vocabulary from shrinking and for staying current on new advances.
 
Joining a Discussion Group: Discussion groups are great places to challenge and expand our thinking. The group can focus on one topic or just be a general think tank. Either way, they are good places to get and give feedback. A discussion group can be a local one that meets in person or an online group. A great online group for book readers is onlinebookclub.org.
 
Learning Something New: Tackling a new project can help keep the gears in motion. Learn to paint, take a mechanics class, learn to code, learn a foreign language. Anything that requires concentration and focus is best.
 
Playing Games: Puzzles are a great activity in this category. Experts have long recommended puzzles to combat mental decline. Certain types of story video games incorporate puzzles into their gameplay. Games like Scrabble and Scattergories are also good brain teasers. In addition, experts suggest spending time with family and friends also promotes brain health.
 
The Alzheimer’s Association website is an excellent place to learn more about brain health. 

​A Mini Tale of Everyday Life
 
Daisy woke to the smell of homemade biscuits coming out of the oven. She dashed out of bed, pulling clothes from her dresser without bothering to make sure they matched. The first day of summer fun awaited her. She ran to the kitchen. “Hi mom,” she said, placing a biscuit on her plate before sitting down.
     “You’re up early. Do you want some scrambled eggs?”
     “Yes, please. Is Trudy up? We’re going exploring today.”
     “There she is now. Have a seat, Trudy. I’ll fix you some eggs.”
     “Thanks, mom. I need a lot of energy for our adventure.” She smiled at Daisy, grabbing a biscuit from the stack.
     "Energy booster coming up. What route is this epic adventure encompassing?"
     Trudy bolted upright in her chair. “We plan on following the path out back that winds around the fields.”
     “Well, you two be careful. Don’t go too far.”
     “We won’t, go too far I mean,” Daisy said giggling. The girls finished their breakfast, running to their rooms after to grab their adventure gear. Today’s adventure called for a candy bar, a magnifying glass, a small specimen jar and a stick. With all the items tucked away in their fanny packs, they rushed out the back door.
     Once on the path, the girls busied themselves examining the different life forms along the way. Daisy picked wildflowers while Trudy looked for interesting bugs for the specimen jar. At mid-morning, they sat under a tree whose trunk widened out onto part of the path. Daisy pulled out the candy bar, splitting it in half. She handed one-half to Trudy. “How many bugs did you get?”
     Trudy looked at the jar. “Only two,” she said, wrinkling her nose. She placed the jar on the ground next to her, taking a bite of her share of the candy bar. “Yum, this candy is the best.” She leaned back against the tree. The girls finished eating the rest of the candy in silence, staring out into the distance.
     After resting for twenty minutes, the girls stood up, getting ready to continue their journey. “Daisy, can we investigate that dry section?” Trudy pointed to a patchy field up the road.
     Daisy stared in the direction Trudy pointed, shifting her weight. “Well, I don’t know. We’re not supposed to wander around in someone else’s field.”
     “Please.” Trudy bounced up on her toes, looking up at Daisy. “Just a quick look. I think I see something.”
     “Okay, we’ll go see what’s there but stay next to me.”
     “Don’t worry, I will.” Trudy adjusted her fanny pack, positioning herself alongside her sister.
     Daisy giggled, taking a step forward. “Let’s go.” The field, fifty feet away, was full of tall dry weeds. Daisy scanned the area as they walked, looking for the best spot to enter. A narrow trail of downtrodden grass provided the best option. The girls turned into it, taking light steps as they walked. The trail wound around for three-quarters of a mile, the object ahead of them drawing ever closer.
     “What is it?” Trudy whispered.
     “Shush, I don’t know. We’re almost there. Stay close.”
     The girls crept closer until they stood a foot away. The white object lay on the ground in a bundle, covered with hair. Daisy raised her stick to poke it when the object sprung up. The girls screamed. The creature screamed. Both parties bolted in opposite directions in one swift motion. The girls kept running the entire distance home, not daring to look back. They burst through the back door, panting, faces pale. Their mother turned from the counter where she was preparing lunch. “Oh my, aren’t you two a frightful sight? What happened? Did you run into old Edmond’s billy goat? I keep telling him not to let that old thing run free.”
     “Billy goat?” The girls said in unison. They turned, staring at each other, recalling the odd scene from the viewpoint of an observer. Their mouths twitched then burst out into roaring laughter.
     “We’re okay mom. We’ll go wash up for lunch.” They hurried out of the kitchen. This adventure was going into their diaries.

My book is now available on Amazon in Kindle and Paperback versions.

​Some of my favorite childhood memories are of my mother telling me stories about her life. She was a master of the oral tradition of storytelling. Her stories fascinated me. They gave me a better sense of where I came from and helped shape my identity. My mother passed away in 2006 but her stories remain a big part of my life.
 
Many people wonder about their own identity, their roots, later in life after they lose older family members, their anchors. Knowing about past generations helps ground our existence, connecting us to the world. My mother’s stories had a big impact on my life.
 
Imagine knowing the stories of all our ancestors. Ancestry programs and searches provide answers but often lead to more questions. Maybe those stories disappear forever but we still have the present. We can sit down with our children, grandchildren, nieces, and nephews and share our stories. We can write those stories so they can share them with future posterity. What if we had personal family libraries, a genealogy of family stories, expanded on and passed down from one generation to the next.

My new book Evte is now available. The story grew out of a dream I had one night. I recorded the dream in my journal and set it aside thinking one day I might turn it into a story. One busy day after another turned into several years before I revisited the journal entry. With more time on my hands, I sat down and drafted the story. I thought up new ideas the further along I got, giving new meaning and depth to the story. After many Frappuccinos and numerous revisions, the original dream transformed into its current form. I enjoyed taking this journal and am excited to share the outcome with others.