tag:cloverleafchronicles.com,2005:/blogs/ghosts-or-my-imagination-you-be-the-judge?p=1Ghosts Or My Imagination? You Be The Judge.2020-05-01T16:06:38-05:00Cloverleaf Chroniclesfalsetag:cloverleafchronicles.com,2005:Post/63017352020-05-01T16:06:38-05:002020-05-01T16:06:39-05:00We're All In This Together! <p>Hi All, </p>
<p>Thanks so much for stopping in. Hope everyone is staying home and staying safe. As some of you may know, my full time job is a nurse. This week’s blog is dedicated to all the frontline workers who are working under circumstances none of us ever imagined we’d ever be faced with. I’ve been putting in a lot of extra hours, which is why I haven’t been blogging for the past month or so. It’s been both physically and mentally exhausting. It angers me to see people being so nonchalant about a disease that has no boundaries on age, race or geographical location. Since school has been out, I see kids in the neighborhood from different families all playing together. I don’t blame them for their ignorance because they’re kids. What I don’t understand is how the parents can be so irresponsible. This disease does affect children, teens, adults and the elderly. We’re in unchartered territory with this virus and no one is immune. </p>
<p>The pain and suffering of the patients and families has become almost too much to handle for some of the nurses I work with. On one of my most recent shifts, at the very beginning of my shift there were 3 codes (cardiac arrests) going on at the exact same time on 2 different units. Unfortunately, one patient died, with the other 2 in very critical states. I’ve experienced some of the strongest nurses break down and cry because of all the deaths caused by this disease. Nurses are staying long past their scheduled shifts due to the critical nature and acuity of the patients they cared for. They, along with the residents (doctors) we work with are struggling to maintain their composure, professionalism and mental well being. I feel honored to work within a profession where we work with people in some of their most vulnerable moments. Caring for another human being in their time of need as well as being a part of a family who’s lost a loved one and trying to ease their grief is a humbling experience. We truly are all in this together. Maybe something good that has come out of this is that we are realizing we all have more in common than we had thought. We can all be there for one another with just a phone call, text, face time or letter sent by snail mail. </p>
<p>Next week is nurses week and I ask that everyone send a note of thank you to your local hospitals for the work all those nurses are doing as we continue to fight this unseen enemy. </p>
<p>Til next time, please stay safe, stay home and be thankful for all you have. </p>
<p>E.V.</p>Cloverleaf Chroniclestag:cloverleafchronicles.com,2005:Post/62640842020-03-27T16:21:06-05:002022-02-20T06:45:22-06:00Spotlight on Up and Coming Artist-Ray Goren<p>HI All, </p>
<p>I hope you are all staying safe and being smart by keeping yourselves distant from others, washing your hands and enjoying some time off of school. Now is a good time to reconnect with family and try to remember the little things to be thankful for. Without the hustle and bustle of after school activities, studying and our daily life activities now in a lull, it would be a good time to read those books you never got around to and enjoy time with your families again! </p>
<p>With some extra time on your hands I thought you’d like to visit a new artist this week. His name is Ray Goren and we were lucky enough to have met him for the first time when my kids were on tour last summer with Boys Of Summer. Ray’s talent in singing is matched with his talent of song writing! The story telling in his music keeps you hanging on his every word. His music seems to be a combination of Hip Hop mixed with some blues and rock. It’s his unique delivery of his music that makes him stand out from other single artists I’ve met. And as talented as he is, he is equally as nice. All my kids truly enjoyed talking with him last Summer during the tour and love how he is so strongly rooted with strong family values. All you have to do is talk to him and you can’t help but want to listen to his music. I encourage all of you to visit his website at raygoren.com . You can also find his music on Spotify, SoundCloud, Apple Music and more. Please help support one of these young, up and coming artists whose inspirational music can be enjoyed by all. </p>
<p>Thanks so much for stopping by and remember to keep an eye on those who may need help during this very challenging time. </p>
<p>Til next time…. </p>
<p>E.V. Jones</p>Cloverleaf Chroniclestag:cloverleafchronicles.com,2005:Post/62567262020-03-20T17:24:33-05:002020-03-20T17:24:33-05:00Learning from Little Bird<p>Hi All, </p>
<p>So glad you all decided to join me this week. So much happening this past week with the outbreak of the Corona virus, and I’m sure everyone is being inundated with information. In my family, we’ve been staying busy with creating new music, stories, songs, etc. Also, taking time to take care of ourselves. Being a family of vegans, we feel we all eat pretty healthy, lots and lots of fruits and vegetables. And, taking time to exercise as well. </p>
<p>This week, I wanted to share a short story I wrote a few years ago and may submit as a picture book sometime soon. It has a positive, sweet message to all, but directed towards especially younger children, to believe in their dreams. </p>
<p>Little Bird </p>
<p>Very far into the sky </p>
<p>Grows a tall oak tree, </p>
<p>And at the top, swaying in the wind, </p>
<p>Holds a nest and family. </p>
<p>Mama bird nestles her egg, </p>
<p>Keeping it safe and warm and dry. </p>
<p>Then one day she hears a crack </p>
<p>Out pops a head with a little, “hi.” </p>
<p>“Little bird, baby of mine </p>
<p>Welcome to your life. </p>
<p>There’s oh so much for you to learn </p>
<p>But won’t come without some strife. </p>
<p>You’ll glide and soar </p>
<p>It’s a beautiful place </p>
<p>So much for you to see. </p>
<p>Come little bird, don’t be afraid, </p>
<p>Let’s fly off and be free!” </p>
<p>Little bird, with unsure thoughts </p>
<p>Slowly made his way, </p>
<p>Over to the edge of the nest </p>
<p>Looked down and became afraid. </p>
<p>He shook his head and said, “No, no, </p>
<p>“I do not want to go. </p>
<p>It looks too scary and much too big, </p>
<p>I’ll stay here in my home.” </p>
<p>Mama bird gave a smile </p>
<p>And gently pulled him near. </p>
<p>And with a loving pat on his head </p>
<p>Said, “Child, there’s nothing to fear. </p>
<p>Yes, this world is quite big, </p>
<p>So much for you to see. </p>
<p>Spread your wings, give it a try </p>
<p>Come and fly with me.” </p>
<p>Little bird thought for a moment </p>
<p>And considered what mom had said, </p>
<p>Then stepped away from the edge </p>
<p>And stubbornly shook his head. </p>
<p>Mama bird gave a sigh, </p>
<p>And carefully chose her words. </p>
<p>She once again pulled him close </p>
<p>To make him feel assured. </p>
<p>“Little bird, I understand, </p>
<p>The reasons why you fret. </p>
<p>But listen very carefully </p>
<p>And do not ever forget. </p>
<p>“The world is big with many unknowns, </p>
<p>There are things that will challenge you. </p>
<p>But it’s a beautiful place and much to learn, </p>
<p>Come fly in the sky so blue. </p>
<p>As a bird, flying high </p>
<p>You experience the suns last ray </p>
<p>You see the world, a more peaceful place </p>
<p>And no longer are afraid. </p>
<p>The ocean blue spreads so far </p>
<p>And the mountains, oh so high. </p>
<p>Beautiful things, both near and far </p>
<p>Please, just give it a try.” </p>
<p>Little bird, with trembling wings </p>
<p>Slowly made his way. </p>
<p>Stepped up onto the edge of the nest, </p>
<p>Whispering, “My journey begins today.” </p>
<p>And with a leap, he was air bound, </p>
<p>The wind beneath his wings, </p>
<p>Swooping and diving, twisting and turning, </p>
<p>Taking on whatever the wind brings. </p>
<p>And after he was done playing, </p>
<p>He allowed himself to just glide, </p>
<p>Realizing how much he would have missed, </p>
<p>Had he never tried.</p>Cloverleaf Chroniclestag:cloverleafchronicles.com,2005:Post/62484382020-03-13T16:51:02-05:002020-03-13T16:51:02-05:00Fun Writing Activity <p>With the recent concern of Covid-19 in the news, many schools are having to close or thoughts of providing on-line classes for students has become a reality for many Districts throughout the U.S. With that in mind, I thought it would be fun to give kids a creative writing activity to do. </p>
<p>So, let’s get started. First, you’ll need to take the quiz to see which clan you are a part of. Once you do that, develop a story surrounding your clan. Here’s what you need to do. </p>
<p>Describe your environment. What does it smell like? What are the colors? The temperature? What type of animals live around you? <br>What does your character look like? What do you wear? What are your strengths? Who are your enemies? </p>
<p>Now that you’ve got that down, here’s the story to build on: </p>
<p>You just found out an evil being is seeking the key to enter a maze that holds a sacred cup of life. Drinking from it will produce everlasting life and an all knowing power. But others are after this prize possession as well. Describe your adventure, the challenges you face and how you ultimately obtained this sacred cup. And now that you hold such powers, what will you do with them? </p>
<p>When you finish your stories, send them to me through my website contact page. I’d love to hear from you! Hoping to hear from you. </p>
<p>Remember, stay safe, wash those hands and take care of yourselves! </p>
<p>Til next time…. </p>
<p>E.V. Jones</p>Cloverleaf Chroniclestag:cloverleafchronicles.com,2005:Post/62401242020-03-06T17:35:26-06:002022-04-06T05:41:49-05:00This Or That?<p>This Or That </p>
<p>This week’s blog is going to focus on ‘getting to know me’. I thought it would be fun to answer, “This or That” questions. So lets get started. </p>
<p>Country or City? Answer: Country </p>
<p>Dog or Cat? Answer: Dog </p>
<p>Netflix or YouTube? Answer: Netflix </p>
<p>Cake or Pie? Answer: Cake </p>
<p>New Clothes or New Phone? Answer: New Clothes </p>
<p>Rich Friend or Loyal Friend? Answer: Loyal Friend </p>
<p>What’s worse, Laundry or Dishes? Answer: Dishes </p>
<p>Jogging or Hiking? Answer: Hiking </p>
<p>Passenger or Driver? Answer: Passenger </p>
<p>Car or Truck? Answer: Truck </p>
<p>Toilet paper-Over or Under? Answer: Over!!!!! </p>
<p>Coffee or Tea? Answer: Coffeeeee!!! </p>
<p>Iced coffee or Hot coffee? Answer:HOT </p>
<p>T.V or Book? Answer: Book </p>
<p>Summer or Winter? Answer: Summer (although this is just in past year. I used to love Winter, but not so much anymore) </p>
<p>Sweater or Hoodie? Answer: Hoodie </p>
<p>Ninjas or Pirates? Answer: Pirates </p>
<p>T.V. show or Movie? Answer: Oooh, this is a hard one, but I’d have to go with Movie! </p>
<p>Morning or Evening? Answer: Morning (actually I’m kind of both) </p>
<p>Library or Museum? Answer: Library </p>
<p>Chocolate or Vanilla? Answer: Chocolate </p>
<p>Comedy or Horror? Answer: Comedy </p>
<p>Hamburger or Hotdog? Answer: Being vegan, it’s hard to find a good hotdog, but there are GREAT vegan burgers, so I’d have to say…..Burgers! </p>
<p>Flowers or Trees? Answer: Trees </p>
<p>Witches or Wizards? Answer: Wizards </p>
<p>Fruits or Vegetables? Answer: Both (but if I HAD to choose….fruits) </p>
<p>Roses or Daisies? Answer: Daisies </p>
<p>Money or Fame? Answer: Money </p>
<p>Sandals or Sneakers? Answer: Sneakers </p>
<p>Bagels or Toast? Answer: Bagels </p>
<p>Weird or Crazy? Answer: Crazy </p>
<p>Sweet or Salty? Answer: Salty </p>
<p>Alaska or Hawaii? Answer: Hawaii </p>
<p>Shower or Bath? Answer: Shower </p>
<p>Breakfast or Dinner? Answer: Breakfast </p>
<p>Bananas or Apples? Answer: Bananas </p>
<p>Mountains or Beach? Answer: Mountains </p>
<p>Pasta or Pizza? Answer: Pasta </p>
<p>Pop Music or Rock Music? Answer: Rock – not real hard rock, more like old rock. </p>
<p>Doughnuts or muffins? Answer: Doughnuts</p>Cloverleaf Chroniclestag:cloverleafchronicles.com,2005:Post/62230652020-02-21T13:58:55-06:002020-02-21T13:58:55-06:00Becoming Vegan<p>So, what drives change in ones life? Major life events, accidents, loss? Doing the same things over and over again and expecting different results has said to be a sign of crazy, or is it just ignorance. When my husband and I decide to pull our 6 children out of school to homeschool ALL of them, it wasn’t necessarily done because of any one major life event. There were a few factors that contributed to our decision, but what came out of that decision was something I had never thought would happen. We became vegan! </p>
<p>During the time of us getting their curriculum together for their now new schooling, we told them to watch documentaries. It all started with a show that came on (I believe) Discovery Channel called, Race to Extinction. They followed that show with, Food Inc., Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead and ended with Forks Over Knives. The last one was what sealed the deal (so to speak) in becoming vegan. As we did research on being vegan, we realized just how mislead we were all those years on nutrition. Ignorance truly is bliss, because the road of becoming vegan was an eye opener. It forced us to read EVERY LABEL of what we ate. We had no idea how much dairy or dairy derived ingredients were in things we would have never expected. We learned how the dairy industry is LITERALLY destroying our environment. And most interestingly, we learned how animals aren’t not the only source in obtaining protein. Plants provide more than enough protein for humans, but we’ve always been told meat is the way to go Being vegan is a personal decision we all made as a family, knowing in order to be successful we had to all have buy in. Comments made when I tell others we are vegan are: “I can’t give up my burgers,” “I love my cheese,” or “what about calcium and protein for your kids?” Answering their questions brings about looks of disbelief and refusal to be open minded enough to even consider something so opposite of what they’ve always been taught. Something I tell everyone who is truly interested in trying a healthier lifestyle is to watch the documentary, Forks of Knives. It really is an eye opener regarding going vegan and historically, why we eat meat and use dairy. The audience learns the overall misleading information given to the public regarding nutrition. </p>
<p>So, if you can open your mind to trying something different that is both personally beneficial and helping the environment at the same time, I’d suggest to try a vegan meal a week and maybe gradually having one vegan meal a day. The health benefits are a no brainer! </p>
<p>Thanks so much for stopping by and hoping to see you again! </p>
<p>Til next time…. </p>
<p>E.V.</p>Cloverleaf Chroniclestag:cloverleafchronicles.com,2005:Post/62000962020-02-01T18:21:32-06:002023-12-10T12:57:02-06:00Support Of A Young Artist-Alli Haber<p>Keeping in stride with my support of young artists, I am lucky enough to actually know the young lady I’m recognizing this week. Her name is Alli Haber. </p>
<p>Last year when my six kids were on tour with their band SM6, they met a lot of amazing, young talented artists. One of them being Alli. I had the pleasure of meeting her parents and talking with them about Alli’s journey. I’ve always been a strong believer in everything happens for a reason and she is the epitome of this saying. Alli was discovered by an amazing manager who at one time, worked with Radio Disney. She heard Alli singing in a park at an outdoor event. This manager Peggy just happened to be walking through and stumbled upon this amazing young singer. After giving her information to Alli’s parents, they called some time later and so a relationship was started. We’ve had the pleasure of hearing this up and coming pop artist in Celebration Florida this past December during their holiday celebration. Her performance continues to blow us all away and we can’t wait to see how her future unfolds. Alli is now represented by Peggy’s management company who works with many artists, mainly up and coming, developing them for stardom. Alli’s music can be found on Spotify and you visit her website @allihabermusic.com </p>
<p>Until next week….. </p>
<p>E.V. Jones</p>Cloverleaf Chroniclestag:cloverleafchronicles.com,2005:Post/61718102020-01-24T18:29:36-06:002022-05-12T05:14:41-05:00Tomorrow's Never Promised<p>A new year can bring about so many feelings: nostalgia, excitement, anticipation, etc. The year past was quite a roller coaster for my family. My kids did their first nationwide tour with their band, SM6. I began a journey of turning The Wish into a screenplay that has been an “on again, off again” love-hate project. And, I learned my older brother was diagnosed with stage IV esophageal cancer. When he was diagnosed, he had approximately a 4% chance of surviving 1 year. So here we are, one year later and he’s still with us. I’ve had my share of family illnesses with a sister who passed away 6 years ago after a long history of medical issues surviving a rare childhood disease 40 years prior to her passing away. With the most recent news of my brother this year, you can’t help but think how fragile life truly is. My brother was a healthy man who doesn’t smoke or drink. He’s lived a healthy lifestyle and has always been in fairly good shape. His diagnosis came like a slap in the face and seeing him battle an illness that came out of left field helps keep your perspective on life straight. </p>
<p>I’ve had so people ask me where do I get my energy and positive attitude from. If everyone would just realize how lucky they are and be thankful for what they have, maybe their outlook would be a more positive one. I work in a profession where I see the homeless, people in ‘not so good’ situations/relationships, people who’ve made bad choices in their lives which brings them through our ER fighting for their lives. </p>
<p>At the beginning of this year, I am looking forward to continue spending as much time with my brother as possible. I am committing to finish what I started last year and turn The Wish into a screenplay and recommit to my health. Life is short, so I might a well do today what I should have done a year ago. Tomorrow is never promised to any of us, but if we can lay our heads down at night knowing we did a little bit of something that brings us closer to a dream or, in the very least reconnect with family, then our days are never wasted. </p>
<p>Til next week…. </p>
<p>E.V.</p>Cloverleaf Chroniclestag:cloverleafchronicles.com,2005:Post/61302672020-01-17T18:04:27-06:002020-01-17T18:19:21-06:00Why I Write<p>Hi and welcome back! I wanted to share with you this week my reason for writing and what inspires me to continue, even through writer’s blocks and frustrations. I developed The Wish from a 1 ½ page short story I wrote many years ago when my oldest son George was diagnosed with auditory processing disorder at age 7. It was suggested by one of his teachers that he writes stories and then read them out loud. We began having story time in the evening 2-3 times a week where he and I would write stories and read them to one another when finished. One of those stories I wrote called The Clover was written and tucked away in my files until years later it resurfaced in my brain and I felt a need to expand on the story. After just over a year of writing, The Wish became book one of four in the Cloverleaf Chronicles Series. And so began my journey of becoming a published author. I was lucky enough to find a small publishing company who believed in the indie author and in my story. It took us approximately one year of edits and revisions until the day finally came and it was released on, appropriately enough, St. Patrick’s Day. Since then, I’ve completed book number two and have begun book number three. Cloverleaf Chronicles Series revolves around a young boy whose destiny was determined by a single, selfless act his father performed in order to protect him from an ancient evil hunting him and the final gift. </p>
<p>My writing came to a slow halt in the past year with increased time being devoted to my kids band, more (and longer) work hours and overall life filling my free time, leaving very little, if any, time to write. The two things that brought me back to my computer to write were: my husband, who did a complete overhauling of my website and my two younger daughters reading book one. When they asked if they could read book number two, I was reignited with the “writing bug”. I once again opened up my computer to continue what I started and picked up where I left off on book number three. I’ve also been taking some time to do research on turning The Wish into a screenplay. I started this about a year ago and have decided to do it the right way with lots of reading and understanding the intricacies of writing a screenplay. Book One, The Wish, lays the foundation for books two through four and my hopes in doing this is the reader gets the feeling of “making new friends” by understanding the characters and where they come from. When the reader shares in the joys and losses, moments of sadness or feeling scared along with the characters, that’s what makes writing a story worth telling. It’s an escape, not only for me as the writer but for the reader as they are pulled into a world where magic exists and anything is possible. That is what inspires me to continue with my writing. </p>
<p>Finally, I always said I believe we are all connected on this earth and if we can extend a hand and help others with the gifts we have, then our lives mean something. With that in mind, I’ve committed 100% of all proceeds earned from books sold to be donated to St. Judes Children’s Hospital. I’m hoping you will become a part of my ‘pay it forward’ campaign by purchasing a copy of The Wish. </p>
<p>Thank you for being a part of my journey! </p>
<p>Til next time…. </p>
<p>E.V.</p>Cloverleaf Chroniclestag:cloverleafchronicles.com,2005:Post/60835452020-01-10T16:20:35-06:002021-10-16T05:43:45-05:00I'm back, see what I've been up to!<p>It’s hard to believe it’s been over a year since my last blog. So much was happening at the time I last posted: revamping of my website that ultimately fell through with my designer, the beginning of turning The Wish into a screenplay, writing of book number three of Cloverleaf Chronicles, to name just a few. So, let’s play catch up and talk about what you can look forward to in the coming year! </p>
<p>The past year has been a whirlwind of changes and plans for the Cloverleaf Chronicles Series. I last left with my website being completely revamped by a designer who’s family member worked with my kids and their musician bio’s. He began the long process of working on my website, but unfortunately after months of delays d/t other obligations, we needed to part ways and once again, my website was at a standstill for improvements. I was having difficulty with signing onto my website to post blogs and eventually time got away from me where weeks turned into months. During the past year, my writing also fell at the wayside due to the crazy hours I’ve been putting in at work as well as my own kids busy gigging schedule. But in the past month, I’ve had a renewed sense of excitement in writing, probably because two of my children read The Wish and I’ve allowed them to read the ARC of book two, which I’ve been calling, The Giftkeeper’s Son. Having book talks with them as they read made me realize just how much I love the story and world I’ve created. So with that in mind, I’ve taken pen to paper and picked up where I left off with book three. Starting a new decade has given me a spark of excitement in finishing what I started and take on a new challenge in turning The Wish into a screenplay. I’m not one to make New Year’s Resolutions, but I do like to make plans. With that being said, I figured the best way to hold myself accountable to my plans would be to put it out there for others like yourself to see. I’m asking that as the year progresses, you check up on my progress. This, if nothing else, will encourage me to stay on task so that I am being true to those of you who’ve read The Wish and are asking when book two is being released. I don’t want the delay of releasing the second book to be caused by my not trying. I also have plans on having more author visits, more book give aways and a St. Patrick’s Day surprise for one lucky subscriber. </p>
<p>One goal of revamping my website has obviously already occurred. My wonderful husband, with his many talents, is the one who completely re-designed my website as a Christmas gift. I’m hoping you like what you see as you peruse through, and as a thank-you for your visit, I’ve posted a sneak peak of book two! </p>
<p>Please don’t forget to follow me on Instagram, Twitter, Tumbler and stop by next week Friday for another blog as I share with you my journey into the new decade! </p>
<p>Thanks so much for stopping by and hope to see you next week! </p>
<p>E.V.</p>Cloverleaf Chroniclestag:cloverleafchronicles.com,2005:Post/60386402018-10-25T14:04:27-05:002020-11-30T07:16:02-06:00Ghosts Or My Imagination? You Be The Judge.<p>There’s only one week left for me to have some more fun with spooky tales! I thought it would be cool to share some personal, odd, (possibly supernatural) stories I’ve experienced myself. Keep in mind, I’m not sure if these are true ghost stories, but they definitely don’t have a concrete explanation for what happened. You make your own conclusion, but remember, everything is not always what it seems in life.</p>
<p>When one of my sons was about 3-4 years old, he told me that the few times he woke up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom over the course of a few months, he would see someone standing at the bottom of the stairs of our house. He said it was a skinny man with a hat on his head. At first, I checked the doors to make sure everything was locked, but when I saw there was no sign of anyone being able to get into the house, I told my son he was probably just dreaming.</p>
<p><br>Months that followed, he said he would occasionally see him there, but he wasn’t afraid because he knew the man was there making sure he wouldn’t fall down the stairs. When I asked again what did the man look like, he pointed to a picture of my father, who had passed away almost 25 years prior. As the years passed, he doesn’t remember seeing the man, but I have a feeling my father was watching over him from the beyond!</p>
<p><strong>2nd story:</strong><br>My older sister had battled a rare disease for years before she finally lost her battle and passed away about 5 years ago. After her death, I would have done anything to talk to her and know she was ok. About one month after her death, I awoke one night to a shadow of someone leaning up against the wall, next to my bedside. I had thought it was my oldest daughter Isabel. I told her if she had a bad dream, it was only a dream and to go back to bed. I then closed my eyes, but felt like she was still in the room. When I opened my eyes, I saw the shadow still standing there, hands behind her back leaning up against the wall with her head tilted down towards me. I told her again to go back to bed then closed my eyes. It was at this very moment that I had a vision of my sister who had died and thought of her saying, “I’m fine”. When I opened my eyes, the shadow was gone and I felt like it was my sister saying good-bye and letting me know she was in a better place.</p>
<p>Til next week….remember, everything may not be what they seem!<br>E.V. Jones</p>Cloverleaf Chroniclestag:cloverleafchronicles.com,2005:Post/60386412018-10-10T09:51:41-05:002022-05-13T01:29:05-05:00Octobooooo Story.<p>Hi and thanks for stopping by. I LOVE October AND Halloween! I also love scary stories. Here’s a (cheesy) story I wrote a few years ago when my kids and I were writing Halloween stories one night. Enjoy!</p>
<p>The Curse<br>There are those that think I’m crazy. The day after it happened, it was all over town that he committed suicide. Only two people, three if you count Danny, really know what happened. I promised his dad I would never tell a living soul. Being of Cherokee descent, he is very superstitious and believes that telling others what truly happened is an invitation to the evil that occurred. And no parent wants what happened to Danny, happen to them or their children. But I think his name should be cleared.</p>
<p><br>He wasn’t crazy or even depressed after the accident. That was the story you may hear, and the reason they say he took his own life. But I’m telling you right now, it’s not the truth! If you would like to know what really happened that cold Autumn night, then listen very carefully. But know this, if it is true what Danny’s dad says, and we are just opening the door to an evil awaiting the invite, you must know, It’s not Danny who is coming, but an evil he had no control over. Danny would never hurt a living soul; especially himself.</p>
<p><br>Danny and I have been friends since Kindergarten. He stopped me from stomping on a spider on the playground. He pointed out that her eggs were carefully nestled in the farthest corner of her web and if I killed her, the babies would die for sure. He said ever since his dad read him Charlotte’s Web, he couldn’t even think of killing any living creature.</p>
<p><br>“What if their mom is just out looking for food for her kids?”</p>
<p><br>Danny’s mom died when he was just a baby, so I think he empathized with anyone or anything who didn’t have a mom.</p>
<p><br>Anyway, like I said, we’ve been friends since Kindergarten. Neither one of us has sisters or brothers, so we were kind of like brothers. His dad and he did a lot of camping and invited me to go one Summer. After loading up the truck, we were on our way. The trip took us almost eight hours, but when we got there, it was like we entered a different world. The quiet was deafening. You know, the kind of quiet that is so quiet you hear things you’re not used to hearing; birds walking over sticks, fish coming to the surface of the pond, or the ringing in your ears that is usually drowned out by all the other noises around you.</p>
<p><br>We were miles away from everyone and everything. The nearest main road was almost ten miles away. It amazed me his dad even knew where to go to find this little log cabin nestled in the middle of what felt like a magical forest. The road that led to the cabin was an unpaved, dirt road that wasn’t really a road at all, but more like a path that was naturally beaten down by the occasional car that would come through.</p>
<p><br>After we arrived, Danny’s dad told us to gather some wood. I gathered the kindling, while Danny gathered the logs. Once we made our piles, Danny’s dad pointed out a huge stump with an axe stuck right in the middle of it, handle in the air. Danny instinctively knew what to do. He scooped up as many of the bigger logs as he could and carried them over to the stump, throwing them down. He then pulled the axe out of the stump with less effort than I had thought it would take. Standing a log up on the big stump, he lifted the axe over his head, and came down hard, splitting the log in half. With every log, he did the same thing until he got to the last one.</p>
<p><br>The last log was the largest, making one think that with such a large diameter, it would remain the steadiest of them all. But three times Danny raised his axe, and all three times at the last moment, the log fell over. I could tell he was becoming somewhat frustrated. With a last effort to split the log, Danny held onto it with his left hand. Raising his right hand, he came down fast and hard. I waited for him to pull his hand away, thinking at the last minute he would. But just as the axe came down, I saw a look of surprise and horror come across his face. He completely missed the log and separated his hand from his arm with just one swing. With his hand still holding onto the log, the log fell over onto the ground. Danny collapsed next to the log, but not before he let out a scream that penetrated the log cabin his dad was in.<br>His dad came running out and saw Danny on the ground, with me holding his arm in the air and blood squirting everywhere. Without having to ask what happened, he wrapped a bandanna handkerchief around the stump, scooped up Danny’s lifeless body, and piled him into the front of his truck between the two of us.</p>
<p><br>The drive to the hospital seemed to take an eternity, but once there the doctors worked feverishly to stop the bleeding. I overheard the doctor telling Danny’s dad that if he were to bring his hand back packed in ice, he could possibly reattach it. Here’s where the story gets weird. When we went back to the campsite, the log Danny had attempted to split was still laying there covered in blood, but the hand was nowhere to be found. After searching tirelessly for it, we resolved to the fact that it must have been carried off by some critters.</p>
<p><br>Well, Danny survived, but was now dealing the loss of a hand. He seemed more freaked out by the fact that he cut his own hand off than he did with having to now live without it. He said he didn’t remember it hurting all that much, just that he remembered the feeling of the axe chopping through his wrist bone.</p>
<p><br>Several months had passed, and as he was recovering from the injury, I would find reasons to stay overnight at his house. He wouldn’t ever admit to it, but I know it helped him to talk about the accident. We would often stay up for hours at night just talking about what happened. The night he died, I was sleeping over.</p>
<p><br>It was about three o’clock in the morning and I woke up to Danny calling my name.<br>“Do you hear that?” He asked.</p>
<p><br>I listened, and all I heard was scratching, like a critter going through garbage.<br>Danny stood up and walked over to his window. As he drew back the curtain, he strained to look outside to see what was making the noise. Then, as if someone had pushed him back, he fell into a desk opposite the window. He was staring at the window with disbelief, slowly making his way back towards it.</p>
<p><br>“Danny? What was it?” I asked, still not wanting to get out of bed to look for myself.<br>Without answering, he approached the window then slowly opened it. He was blocking my view, but at the last minute I saw a hand with its index finger pointing at Danny then rolling up into a beckoning motion.</p>
<p><br>“It came back. I can be normal again.” He said as he opened the window.<br>In an unearthly speed, Danny’s hand lunged at him, wrapping its long white fingers around his neck. Danny gasped for air, yelling, “Why! Get off, get off!”</p>
<p><br>Just as Danny took his last breath, his dad entered the room, grabbed the hand from Danny’s neck and pried the fingers from his throat. He threw the hand out the window and cradled Danny’s lifeless body in his arms. That night, he made me promise to never tell a living soul what happened. He told the police his son hanged himself. That was the story the papers told. And that was the story everyone within an ears shot of the story was told.</p>
<p><br>But, now you know the truth. Chances are, if what Danny’s dad says is true, and by me telling this story, I’ve invited an evil to come looking for me, well I guess only time will tell. If I’m still alive, you can look me up. But, if the evil did truly find me, my name will only be found in the obituaries, and it will be up to you whether anyone else knows the truth of what really happened to Danny that night. But the question is, will you be brave enough to tell the story too?</p>
<p>If you have any scary stories you’ve written, send them over and I’d be happy to post them on my site! Please be sure to send stories that are kid appropriate.<br>Til Next week….find something that scares you then write about it!</p>
<p><br>E.V. Jones</p>Cloverleaf Chroniclestag:cloverleafchronicles.com,2005:Post/60386422018-10-04T12:22:22-05:002019-12-21T19:58:35-06:00Special October Boo’s<p>Being that it’s October and my favorite Holiday (tied with Christmas) is this month, I thought it would be a perfect time to talk about a few odd things and debunk a few myths, all in the name of the spookiness, keeping the spirit of all Hallow’s Eve in mind!</p>
<p>This all came about yesterday when I was in line at the grocery store and the science teacher I did my student teaching was in front of me. We began to talk and she asked how my kids were doing. When I told her of their happenings and how I pulled them out of the public school system about 3 years ago, she asked what made me do that. I told her their wanting to have time for their music was at the base of that decision, but the one thing that was the catalyst to our decision was when I learned they were being taught that blood is blue. She in response said to me, “blood is blue, just look”, and she pointed to her arm where you can see her veins that were clearly blue. I smiled and corrected her, but realized this science teacher most likely had taught her own students this “fallacy”. So, let me debunk a few ideas and beliefs in society today. And if you still have trouble with believing what I’m debunking, please research yourself and you’ll soon realize these “realities were actually fairy tales you were told to believe. So let’s get started…..</p>
<p><strong>Myth: Blood is Blue</strong><br>Truth: No! No! No! Blood IS NOT BLUE! How this whole idea came about is mind-boggling to me! There is only one creature on earth that has blue blood and that is a frog that can be found in some rainforest. Our blood CAN NOT be blue for the main fact that we have iron in our blood, which gives it its red coloring. Blood DOES NOT turn red just when oxygen hits it. And if you don’t believe me, try this. Get a clear glass and fill it with a clear cooking oil. stick your finger in the oil and then prick your finger with a needle while immersed in the oil. Being that there is no oxygen in the oil, you’ll notice the blood still flows out red. The veins in your arm look blue because that is the color that is picked up when light hits it. NOT because blood is blue!</p>
<p><br><strong>Myth: Nails and hair continue to grow when someone dies.</strong><br>Truth: Hair and nails won’t continue to grow, even after someone dies. Due to dehydration of the body, cells shrink and makes it appear that nails and hair continue to grow.</p>
<p><strong>Myth: When someone dies with their eyes open, it’s easy to just close them.</strong><br>Truth: Not always true. Usually, it is very difficult to keep the eyes completely closed. They do and will slightly open, even after you close their lids.<br>So go forward and PLEASE help spread the word on these myths, especially the regarding those that believe blood is blue. I am actually surprised that so many adults were taught this and still believe it today!</p>
<p><br>Til next week….don’t always believe what you’re told, even if it’s from an adult!<br>E.V. Jones</p>Cloverleaf Chroniclestag:cloverleafchronicles.com,2005:Post/60386432018-09-19T12:42:16-05:002019-12-21T20:07:15-06:00National Pediatric Cancer Awareness Month<p>Hi Everyone and thanks so much for joining me this week. This week, I wanted to touch on a not so pleasant topic, pediatric cancer. I am a former pediatric oncology nurse, so I hold this patient population very near and dear to my heart. Being that September is National Pediatric Cancer Awareness Month, I wanted to share some very real facts about this disease.</p>
<p>According to St. Baldrick’s Foundation:</p>
<p>1. Childhood cancer is the number one disease killer of children in the U.S.<br>It’s the second leading cause of death (following accidents) in children ages 5-14.</p>
<p>2. Every two minutes a child is diagnosed with cancer.<br>That’s 300,000 kids around the world every year.</p>
<p>3. The average age of a child diagnosed with cancer is 6.<br>But you don’t have to be a child to be diagnosed with childhood cancer. Childhood cancer is diagnosed in all ages, from newborn infants to children and young adults.</p>
<p>4. 80% of children diagnosed with cancer are in developing countries.<br>Childhood cancer is a global problem, and one institution can’t solve it alone. That’s why we fund the very best research, no matter where it takes place.</p>
<p>5. The most common childhood cancer is acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL).<br>In the 1950s, almost every kid with ALL died. But today, thanks to childhood cancer research, about 90% of children with ALL will survive.</p>
<p>6. In 80% of kids with cancer, the cancer has already spread to other areas of the body by the time it is diagnosed.<br>That’s why so many children with cancer need to begin treatment right away. Many adult cancers can be diagnosed early.</p>
<p>7. Much of what we know about treating adult cancers has been learned from childhood cancer research.<br>Some aspects of cancer treatment today, such as combination chemotherapy, can be traced to pediatric cancer research.</p>
<p>8. There are over a dozen types of childhood cancer and hundred of different subtypes.<br>The more rare types, when added together, account for about 30% of cancers in children and adolescents. But because so few children are diagnosed with each type, it’s very difficult to do research on these cancers.</p>
<p>9. One in five children diagnosed with cancer in the U.S. will not survive.<br>For the ones who do, the battle is never over.</p>
<p>10. Because of the treatments they had as kids, more than 99% of childhood cancer survivors will have a chronic health problem and 96% will have severe or life-threatening conditions.<br>By the time they’re 50 years old, survivors of childhood cancer experience about 5 severe or life-threatening chronic health conditions on average.</p>
<p>These statistics are jaw dropping. Finding a cure can be a reality for our children. I am just one person trying to do my part in helping, by donating 100% of proceeds I earn in 2018 from both book and e-book sales of The Wish to St. Jude Children’s Hospital. My intention of getting published has always been to use it as a means to “pay it forward” and help others. I figured, I enjoy writing and if others enjoy reading what I write, maybe we can do something together to help others. So this is one of the few times a year I reach out to you, my followers, visitors and supporters, to spread the word about my ‘pay it forward’ campaign and let others know that by just purchasing a copy of The Wish, they are doing more than buying a book. They are becoming the piece of a bigger picture in helping others!</p>
<p>til next week….keep the hope for a cure in your thoughts.<br>E.V. Jones</p>Cloverleaf Chroniclestag:cloverleafchronicles.com,2005:Post/60386442018-09-13T18:12:39-05:002019-12-21T20:13:05-06:00Sneak Peek at Book Two of Cloverleaf Chronicles<p>As promised, here’s a sneak peek of book 2 of Cloverleaf Chronicles Series. I’ve had ALOT of readers ask me when is book two coming out? I’m working hard on getting book two on the shelves, and will keep you updated as I progress. Also, I’m supposed to be getting a look at the new set up of my website. From what I can gather, there is just a few more “tweaking” things to take care of, and we should be transitioning over (hopefully) fairly soon! Can’t wait! So now, without any further delay, here’s a peek at Chapter One of Cloverleaf Chronicles Series, Book Two. (keep in mind this has not been professionally edited or revised-still some work to do) Enjoy!</p>
<p>Alastrine and Jack stood outside Kellen’s door for several minutes, waiting for him to answer.<br>“It’s not like him Jack. He left in the middle of dinner last night and promised to come back to my room to let me know what O’Maoilriain wanted.”</p>
<p><br>“Maybe he got back too late and didn’t want to bother ya.” Replied Jack, hoping to put Alastrine’s mind at ease.</p>
<p><br>Alastrine shook her head and squinted her eyes to the ground as if she was searching for an answer on the cold, hard slab. “No Jack. First, when Kellen says he is going to do something, he does it. So, when he said he’d be back to talk to me and never showed, something had to stop him from coming. Second, even if he didn’t want to bother me last night, he missed breakfast. That just doesn’t happen. For as long as I’ve known Kellen, he never, and I mean never has missed breakfast. Something is wrong, I can feel it.”</p>
<p><br>Jack watched Alastrine as she turned away from the door, appearing to glide towards a wall, and leaned up against it with her head down. He could tell she was distraught over Kellen and something inside him, maybe Cuchulain, felt something wasn’t right either. Jack turned back to Kellen’s door and knocked. After a few seconds, with no response, he banged his fist on the door.</p>
<p><br>“Kellen, come on, wake up! ya missed breakfast and we need to talk. Kellen!”</p>
<p>With no response, Jack walked over to Alastrine.</p>
<p>“I can’t lose him too Jack. He’s the best friend I’ve ever had. If anything has happened to him-” Just then, the door opened and Kellen stood there with both a bewildered and tired look in his eyes.</p>
<p>“What’s all the banging for Jack? I’m up, now what do ya want?” Asked Kellen, unaware that it was almost noon.</p>
<p>Alastrine ran to Kellen and threw her arms around him, pushing him back into his room. Jack followed and closed the door behind him.</p>
<p>“Kellen, why didn’t ya come back last night? Where were ya? What did O’Maoilriain want?” Alastrine asked without taking a breath.</p>
<p>A look of confusion covered Kellen’s face as his eyebrows drew together and his eyes darted from side to side in search of an answer.</p>
<p>Jack figured these were too many questions to ask anyone in the half stupor state Kellen was in. “Alastrine, let him wake up before ya get started in.”</p>
<p>“Come back? When?” Kellen chimed in with the gravel in his voice subsiding.</p>
<p>“Last night Kellen. After ya were summoned to meet with O’Maoilriain. They came with a summons during dinner. Don’t ya remember?”</p>
<p>Kellen turned away from Alastrine with his hands drawn up to his throbbing temples. “Well, I can’t remember much after leaving the dinner hall. But, based on the state my head is in, we must have had a good talk over a very good bottle of Irish whisky.”</p>
<p>Alastrine glanced Kellen over and shook her head. “Are ya sure? ya don’t remember anything? Why would he summons ya? And ya never came back last night to tell me what he wanted.”<br>Kellen’s thoughts were interrupted by a knock on the door. Both Alastrine and Jack jumped, which made Kellen throw them both an impatient look.</p>
<p>“What is the matter with the both of ya? Ya’re acting like we’re blackguards.” Kellen parted them as he walked over to answer the door. An apprentice Druid stood on the other side of the threshold.</p>
<p>“Good afternoon. Sir, O’Maoilriain requests yar presence as well as the presence of yar companions in the Great Hall. If ya would, please.” The apprentice made a slight bow and stepped aside with his right arm extended, requesting their company.</p>
<p>Kellen looked back at both Alastrine and Jack who stood their ground. He took a deep breath and walked over to the table to retrieve his shillelagh. He picked it up and exited the room, passing Jack and Alastrine without a word between them.</p>
<p>Kellen turned around, “Well, are ya coming?” he asked, eyebrows raised and an annoyed tone to his voice.</p>
<p>Jack and Alastrine followed with the apprentice trailing behind. It was a quiet walk to the meet O’Maoilriain, but Jack felt the tension in the air as they entered the Great Hall. It was lined with Druids along either side of the entrance with O’Maoilriain standing at the far end, arms drawn together under the sleeves of his robe.</p>
<p>“Good Afternoon Kellen. Restful nights sleep?” O’Maoilriain’s voice echoed off of the hollow room as he greeted them.</p>
<p>Kellen responded with an annoyed undertone. “Actually, yes. Although my head begs to differ. That must have been some strong Irish drink.” Replied Kellen as he rubbed his head, stopping just short of where O’Maoilriain stood.</p>
<p>With a slight nod of his head, O’Maoilriain gave a chuckle in agreement, “My brothers tend to over do it when preparing our drink. But, it is the finest ya will ever have. Now, I’d like to get down to business. Have ya discussed with Jack what we need?”</p>
<p>Kellen’s eyes searched O’Maoiliriain’s for information from their meeting the night before. Kellen’s long pause caused an awkward silence that weighed heavy in the air.</p>
<p>O’Maoilriain broke the silence to review their conversation from the night before. “Kellen, as we discussed, we are in need of an article. ya had agreed that ya could retrieve it. But, like I said, it could be dangerous so I understand if ya’ve had a change of heart.”</p>
<p>“Why would I not want to go? Of course I will.” Replied Kellen.</p>
<p>O’Maoilriain nodded and placed his hand on Kellen’s shoulder. In an instant, Kellen’s brain erupted with a flash of memories of what happened the night before. Everything in regards to Jack needing to fulfill the clovers quest was there, except for one piece. O’Maoilriain made sure to keep out the part of him sacrificing Jack and Cuchulain if the separation process had completed before the clovers quests were fulfilled. Kellen took a step back with a glazed-over look in his eyes.</p>
<p>“Kellen, are ya ok?” Alastrine studied Kellen then looked at O’Maoilriain with questioning eyes.<br>Kellen blinked back to the present and steadied himself with his shillelagh. “Fine, fine Alastrine.”</p>
<p>Kellen’s stare fell heavy on O’Maoilriain. Feeling the power of the Druids magic was like being hit by a giant’s club. It came fast, hard and left ya temporarily dazed.</p>
<p>“When should I leave?” Asked Kellen, as he straightened himself up and secured his stance.<br>“Well, like I said, being that ya have to travel so far, and it will be a dangerous road ya travel my friend, I would say . . . immediately.” Replied O’Maoilriain.</p>
<p>Til next week….hope you find magic in your every day lives, it’s all around!<br>E.V. Jones</p>Cloverleaf Chroniclestag:cloverleafchronicles.com,2005:Post/60386452018-09-05T18:31:23-05:002019-12-21T20:15:59-06:00Feature Artist- Dan Dillett<p>Hi and thanks for joining me this week. I’d like to introduce you to a phenomenal artist we were lucky enough to actually meet through my kids music producer, Patrick. A couple of weeks ago while my kids were in studio working on their first album, Dan stopped by early (before his recording session with Patrick)to meet with us and get a listen to our kids music. Dan was named as one of the top R&B artists by ReverbNation, so of course we were humbled for him to take time out of his day to stop by early to meet OUR kids! His support of our kids music and their vision of becoming professional musicians was refreshing, as it always is when we meet someone who shares our kids vision. And after listening to his music, I’m actually amazed that he hasn’t made it to the big stage and signed on with a major record company. He’s just another example of how there is such wonderful talent out there that someone hasn’t snatched up yet. I invite you to visit his website at http://dandillett.com or you can find his music on apple music. Please show your support to this amazing artist by downloading his music, become a fan on his website and share his music with friends and family.</p>
<p>I’m still waiting to hear back from my web designer to see how close we are to getting my new website launched. Book number three of Cloverleaf Chronicles is coming along slow but steady. My goal is to have it completed by the end of the year. Please be sure to stop by next week as I’m going to give you all a sneak peek of book number two.</p>
<p>Thanks so much or stopping by.<br>Til next next….support an indie artist!<br>E.V. Jones</p>Cloverleaf Chroniclestag:cloverleafchronicles.com,2005:Post/60386462018-08-29T10:33:21-05:002019-12-21T20:19:52-06:00Seeing Past the “Start Line”<p>Welcome! With the Fall season upon and many projects underway in the Jones Household, I came to a realization just this morning. Nothing comes quickly and without a lot of planning and hard work. Let me explain.</p>
<p><br>Having 6 kids in a band, both parents working full-time, me working on my book series as well as attempting to write a screenplay for The Wish, I want things NOW! I want book #2 to get published, I want to really understand and be able to get into the groove of writing a screenplay, I want my kids music to be released, I want projects finished around the house AND with all this, I want more free time. Juggling a career, family, extracurricular interests, my own kids musical career, etc. has taken a great deal of planning of our schedules, financial commitments and focus. But nothing in life is easy that’s worth getting. The ride in attaining our goals and dreams has a way of molding us into human beings who develop strong work ethic, fine tune our focus and keep us wanting more to achieve the prize we have set in our minds. And, while I’m referring to myself and my family and our goals, these thoughts are not just within the confines of OUR dreams. Anyone who hopes for more or has dreams of their future that only they can see will not come without some patients, perseverance and hard work. And even now as I look back, I see the obstacles, the hills and valleys we’ve encountered on our journey of achieving our dreams. Were it not for those experiences, I’m not so sure our “wins” would have been so sweet. Looking back, I’m able to see just how far we’ve come from the “start” line, although the journey up to this point seemed to drag while we were (and are) in the moment.</p>
<p><br>And as we travel along the road in pursuing our dreams, I think it’s also important to “pay it forward” and help others along the way. Helping others will hopefully encourage and inspire them to do the same when they come across someone in need of their help. I love keeping this notion in mind because it shows we are all connected in some way, shape or form.</p>
<p>I’m reminded of a quote that goes something like, “the only difference between those of us that succeed and those that didn’t is, they gave up.”</p>
<p><br>til next week….pursue your dreams and be one of those who, didn’t give up!<br>E.V. Jones</p>Cloverleaf Chroniclestag:cloverleafchronicles.com,2005:Post/60386472018-08-16T18:50:44-05:002019-12-21T20:26:09-06:00David Gilbert-This Week’s Showcase Artist<p>Hi All! Thanks so much for stopping by. Last week I took a break from my blog to have some family time before we get started back into our daily “back to school” schedule. I have a feeling this year will be as crazy for us as the year before. I invite you to continue to check in on my weekly blogs because in our house, things seem to change from one day to the next! For this week, I wanted to continue with my showcasing of artists. So, without any further delay, I’d like to introduce you to….</p>
<p><br>David Gilbert. He is an extremely talented artist who seems to find beauty in everything around us every day. His eye’s see things differently than the lay person, like myself, which he then captures in his photos. This is truly a gift that he obviously has perfected. Please join me in supporting this talented artist and visit his sight at davidgilbert.imagekind.com You can drop him a note telling him how much you enjoyed viewing his art or purchase one of his pieces. And don’t forget to share his information with others in you social media circles.</p>
<p>Don’t forget to continue to share my “pay it forward” campaign information with your friends and followers as well! 100% of all proceeds I earn in book sales for 2018 is being donated to St. Jude Children’s Hospital. The Wish is available at Amazon, at Barnes and Noble or anywhere books are sold.</p>
<p><br>Til next week….continue to support artists who help us see the beauty in the world around us!<br>E.V. Jones</p>Cloverleaf Chroniclestag:cloverleafchronicles.com,2005:Post/60386482018-08-02T20:46:12-05:002019-12-21T20:28:49-06:00What Else Is On The Burners?<p>Hi! I’m so glad you decided to stop by for this week’s blog. This week I’m going to fill you in on what else I’ve had in the works besides writing book number 3. A few months back, I mentioned that I was exploring the possibility of turning book number 1 into a screenplay. Before I decided to undertake this endeavor, I thought it would be a piece of cake! After all, the story is written, all I’d have to do is adapt it into a screenplay. I can tell you after jumping in feet first, it’s really not as easy as it sounded. Like I said in my previous blogs, writing a novel is SO different from writing a screenplay. A novel can be very “internal”, meaning the writer can show how the character is feeling, acting, etc. But, in a screenplay, everything has to be shown through dialogue. After many, many attempts in writing the screenplay for The Wish, I decided to take a break and focus on writing book number 3. The research and energy I was putting into the screenplay was taking away from the Cloverleaf Chronicles series. So, as it is now, I’m continuing to write book number three, and just researching screenplay writing when I can.</p>
<p>And now, with the new school year upon us, I’ve been really hitting it hard with the emails being sent out to schools for author visits. My goal of having a decent impact on donations to St. Jude Research Hospital is what’s driving my desire to do author visits and book signings. My hope is that schools will join me in my “paying it forward” campaign and schedule author visits. 100% of all proceeds I earn in book sales for 2018 is being donated to St. Jude Children’s Hospital, and what better way to get The Wish into the hands of my readers than visit their schools?</p>
<p>Finally, I’ve been tossing around other story ideas in my head and started a very rough outline of a story I’d like to write once done with the Cloverleaf Chronicles Series. I’ve never really written an outline of a story, but felt that because I won’t be starting this story for a while, I wanted to make sure it is clear where I wanted to go with it. I can tell you that it is going to be a paranormal mystery and I already have a couple of the main characters clearly defined in my head.</p>
<p>Keeping busy with so many things, I find it can get hard to stay focused and keep the belief in my ultimate dream, and that is to see The Wish on the big screen. But with so many supporters who have read the book and stating this would be perfect for the next fantasy series in theaters, I can only hope someone with the ability to do just that, finds The Wish.</p>
<p>Until next week….don’t be so busy that you lose focus on your dreams. When the time is right, it will happen!<br>E.V. Jones</p>Cloverleaf Chroniclestag:cloverleafchronicles.com,2005:Post/60386492018-07-27T13:22:14-05:002022-02-17T04:32:06-06:00Your Inner Dreamer<p>Hi and thanks so much for stopping by. With the recent wave of cooler weather, I find myself getting into the Fall mood! Fall has always been one of my favorite seasons. It almost feels like the start of the year for me because we’ve had a Summer of “rest” before my husband heads back to work. Because he’s a teacher, most of our kids gigs are booked in the Summer, which keeps us quite busy! Besides the feeling of new beginnings in the Fall, I’m reminded of how fast the years are flying by. Having kids truly reminds me just how fast life passes us by. That is why I am so happy that we are teaching our kids to follow their dreams and that I took a chance in getting my book published. It can be hard, putting yourself out there, knowing there are those that live to scrutinize, criticize and use any chance they can to make you feel less than you are. But, as a family, the support we have for one another in following our dreams is the buffer between us and the “nay sayers”</p>
<p><br>How many of you have had a dream but were afraid to pursue it with fear of the critical eye upon you? It can be hard to ignore those looks or comments by others. But think of how upset or empty you’d feel if you don’t do what’s in YOUR heart. Life is short, too short! If you don’t have the courage to take a chance and pursue what you love, my advice is that you read other’s stories. Those who took a chance on their dreams or how they started out and how their success today was grounded in not listening to the critics, but keeping their “eye on the prize”.<br>No matter your age or your talent or your dream, never let ANYONE stand in the way of you doing what you love! Even if you don’t hit it “big”, at least you will never say, “I wish I would have….”</p>
<p>Til next week….Become deaf to the critics and listen to you inner dreamer!<br>E.V. Jones</p>Cloverleaf Chronicles