Tag: Maria Popova

Writing, Writing Resources, writing tips

Merry Christmas and Happy Writing with Helpful Links

Mona Alvarado Frazier
Joy Noel

 

It’s almost tamale making time so I’ll be deep into making various traditional and vegan tamales with the family. But before that happens, I wanted to wish you all a Merry Christmas. I hope you are enjoying your time with your loved ones and continuing or making new traditions.

The time between Christmas Day and New Years Day is a perfect time to read a new book, journal, or decide your writing goals for the new year.

I’ve collected a few posts on writing that I hope you find helpful:

  1. Maria Popova of Brain Pickings: The Collected Wisdom of Great Writers. 
  2. Anne R. Allen’s Blog: Author’s Alphabet of Useful Resources.
  3. Poets and Writers Magazine: 484 Small Presses Seeking Manuscripts.
  4. Brian Hutchinson of Positive Writer: You Are Good Enough.
  5. Debbie Ridpath Ohi of Inky Writer, Guide for Kidlit/YA Writers also shares comics on writing:
A Writers Christmas Wish. Debbie Ridpath Ohi comics

6. Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi of Writers Helping Writers. Great thesauruses of settings and emotions.

7. K.M. Weiland of Helping Writers Become Authors offers advice on writing craft.

I’ll leave you with her “Writers Manifesto.”

A Writers Manifesto

Happy times with your family and friends. Be well.

#WeNeedDIverseBooks, Art, Books, Illustrators, poetry

Reading is the Best Way to Relax

Mona Alvarado Frazier

pabloneruda_poetofthepeople      

      “A book is proof that humans are capable of working magic,” Carl Sagan 

The week has flown by, riddled with the everyday happenings, participating in the writing challenge of NaNoWriMo, and revising an old manuscript.

Like many of you (I’m assuming) I love to read: poetry, YA, Adult, and Children’s Books. I read during my down time, which is literally when I’m in bed, for an hour or two before I drift off to sleep.

I’ve read some extraordinary books lately: Jean Rhys “The Wide Sargasso Sea,” and Helena Viramontes’ novel, “Their Dogs Came With Them.”  Both five star books, IMHO. These highly emotive, descriptive books had an intensity to them that I loved, but that also exhausted me—in a good way.

Reading doesn’t just keep the mind sharp, possibly stave off Alzheimer’s, and help you sleep better (not if you read horror), but research says reading is the tops in relaxation. Really—they did studies. Here’s the conclusion from the UK-University of Sussex: 

Reading worked best, reducing stress levels by 68 per cent, said cognitive neuropsychologist Dr David Lewis.

Subjects only needed to read, silently, for six minutes to slow down the heart rate and ease tension in the muscles…it got subjects to stress levels lower than before they started.

Listening to music reduced the levels by 61%, have a cup of tea of coffee lowered them by 54% , taking a walk by 42%, and video games, 21%. 

So today I was delighted to come across a children’s book I think I will enjoy. Maria Popova said this about the book she featured for the week:

I was instantly smitten with Pablo Neruda: Poet of the People by Monica Brown, with absolutely stunning illustrations and hand-lettering by artist Julie Paschkis 

Go have a look at the gorgeously illustrated pages that Popova has on her website: Brain Pickings. The colors delight the eyes, the illustrations and words relax the body.

An instant chill pill.

I’ve added this book to my public library list, which has grown now to 10 books on hold.

So relax everyone. Take time out to enjoy your favorite activity to help you gather yourself together and take on the coming week.