Our twenty or so Rose of Sharon bushes are blooming and starting to look gorgeous. There are some that are fuller of blossoms than others but those will soon catch up and be glorious too.
The colors this year are white and lilac. Some years we have even seen some pink ones. Here are some photos that I snapped recently.
Here are some other flowers in our center island that are looking good too – roses, red and pink.
Here is our hydrangea which is only showcasing two flowers so far. One that is blue and the other hasn’t fully blossomed yet.
I hope my flowers added some beauty and joy to your day. They always do that for me.
Thank you so much for stopping by to read this post and for your continued support. Please come back again soon where something is always brewing at JEMSBOOKS.
Blessings & Hugs! Stay Safe, Stay Well and God Bless!
READING GIVES YOU WINGS TO FLY! SOAR WITH JEMSBOOKS ALL YEAR THROUGH! HAPPY READING!
I am happy to announce that my newest book, Tales of the Well: A Short Story Collection, is now available on Amazon as an ebook and soon to paperback.
These are four tales of the well that is situated on the land of a farmhouse that was inhabited by different families at different times. The realtors who sold the house to these families warned them that they were known to be haunted.
Each family experienced some strange happenings while living here. Some of the inhabitants are not around now to speak of anything that transpired. Some things are unexplainable.
Would you dare live here? What makes this well so unusual? Delve into these tales and find out.
I hope you will check out this collection soon if you dare!
Thank you so much for stopping by to read this post and for your continued support. Please come back soon where something is always happening at JEMSBOOKS.
Blessings & Hugs! Stay Safe, Stay Well and God Bless!
READING GIVES YOU WINGS TO FLY! SOAR WITH JEMSBOOKS ALL YEAR THROUGH! HAPPY READING!
Here it is already the end of another month. Where does the time go? I have been busy as usual reading some wonderful books for the month of July of 2026. Here are the 7 books I read and reviewed for July. I might have read even more if I didn’t have a few WIP. But I always seemed to have a WIP! That fact never stops me! I hope you enjoy reading these reviews.
I love sharing my eclectic reads in this Jemsbooks Segment, Books Read in the Month. I hope you will get a chance to look over these books soon. Thank you for your kind support of my work and that of my fellow authors.
If you are an avid reader, as I am, please review the books you love on Amazon or wherever you purchased them for others to enjoy your reviews. Reviews are one way for readers to know about an exceptional book. We indie authors love to receive reviews and appreciate the efforts of readers to do them. Once again, I thank you for your kind support of me and my books and for supporting my fellow authors too.
When I wrote these reviews I rated them on Amazon, Goodreads and sometimes Barnes & Noble. I did not include the ratings here though. It is best to share my thoughts with you about how I felt about the book without the rating. Ratings can be deceiving at times.
We all feel differently about books. Sometimes we love them, sometimes we like them and still other times we may dislike a book. Some other books are so memorable they take your breath away! While still others are sweet, sensitive, and enjoyable reads that we soon will forget. But all these books I have reviewed were lovely reads as you can see from my reviews. I hope you enjoy my reviews and that they will help you to decide what will be your next read.
An uplifting story!
Lift Me Up is an uplifting story about a woman who loses herself in a relationship. She doesn’t realize how lost she is until she has an unexpected connection with her boss.
I found this short story to be intriguing and enjoyable. It was a refreshing story about finding oneself and escaping from people who did not care about you.
The Mistress of Apples and Becasse is a creative premise involving food preparation, recipes, and the magical properties of a bird and tapestry. It is a tale of the main protagonist as she tries to find her way back to her life with the one she loved before she had her child. A creative story from an author who wore many hats as a chef and food stylist.
As Far As She Knew is a mystery involving one woman, her husband’s death, unexplained circumstances around it and how she delves into it. It is gripping and emotional for the family but it does take a long time to come to a conclusion.
Wind Chime Cafe is the first book in this sweet, charming and heartfelt read. The characters are well defined and entertaining with real problems such as PTSD.
The main characters, Annie Malone, her daughter, Taylor along with a whole host of different characters make this story a wholesome and down-to-earth tale of finding love and how to deal with horrendous situations in their lives too stressful to think about but that keep appearing in their dreams to haunt them.
I look forward to reading more books in this lovely series by an author I hadn’t read before. Sophie Moss will be added to my list of talented authors of family-based tales.
The Color of Time is a romantic time travel that keeps the reader guessing if each scene is real or not as scenes go back or ahead in time.
The main protagonists, Sylvia, Ethan and Chris, are the romantic characters with other minor characters who help propel the story forward making for an intriguing read.
I have read all the previous books in this series and look forward to reading more by this talented author.
One for the Blackbird, One for the Crow is an epic story of family, loss, forgiveness, acceptance and coming of age. There is so much emotion and wonder of all the things in life packed into this wonderful story that I hated for it to end.
A beautiful story of two families entwined through a loss and an unforgiveable interlude that causes the drift and hardship between them. The characters are strong and fully defined but at the same time weak and flawed in their own ways.
An unforgettable and emotional story that will stay with me for a long time. I highly recommend this book!
Wake-Up Calls was an enjoyable read. It was somewhat predictable at times but I was surprised by the outcome of the relationship between the two sisters who were estranged.
I was also surprised by some of the other reviews and agree about the title which doesn’t suit the story but did not agree about the story itself being boring. I loved the close relationship between sisters and children who took on the responsible of not letting their property go. It was fun to see them work together after all the shocks they received between their mother and aunt who hadn’t spoken in years.
The author did a good job describing Maine and all its beauty and made me long to be there to experience the joy of the changing season along the lake. It was refreshing to hear all the accolades from the visitors to the campground and how much one person would profoundly affect so many others’ lives.
I would recommend this book to all who enjoy reading about family relationships and their ups and downs.
Thank you so much for stopping by to read this post and for your continued support. Please come back again soon for more where something is always brewing at JEMSBOOKS!
Blessings & Hugs! Stay Safe, Stay Well and God Bless!
READING GIVES YOU WINGS TO FLY! SOAR WITH JEMSBOOKS ALL YEAR THROUGH! HAPPY READING!
This cover was created by John Spina with my input (whether it was welcome or not)! Haha!
Watch for this unusual collection coming in August 2026! Remember that this collection is the continuation of another short story which can be found in An Angel Among Us.
If you haven’t read An Angel Among Us, now is the time to grab a copy and read the first tale and then pick up the new book and co
I just may pick up some of the other short stories and continue them in this way for your reading enjoyment. I know one reader wanted more closure after reading some of the stories. I hope new book this makes this reader happy. Stay tuned for more!
Thank you so much for stopping by to read this post and for your continued support. Please come back again soon where there is always something brewing at JEMSBOOKS!
Blessings & Hugs! Stay Safe, Stay Well and God Bless!
READING GIVES YOU WINGS TO FLY! SOAR WITH JEMSBOOKS ALL YEAR THROUGH! HAPPY READING!
I love the summer when all the flowers are blooming and creating so much beauty for me to enjoy! Don’t you love the beauty around us?
Of course I take plenty of photos to share with you. The photos below are of flowers on our back deck, one in the kitchen window and some around the yard.
Mixture of plantsPetuniasPetuniasDahliasRose of Sharon are budding now!Hibiscus – no flowers yet!African Violet
The pond in our back yard has been cut back along the fence of all the Bittersweet vines which are a nuisance. I was happy to see the men working there. It looks a lot better.
Pond before clipping
Summer is so fleeting that I enjoy these flowers every day until they are gone. I can’t believe that it is almost August already. Time seems to be passing too quickly the older I get or is it just me that thinks this way. Sigh! Do you feel this way too?
The Rose of Sharon, all 20+ of them are beginning to bud, some more than others. I will definitely snap several photos of them when they are in full bloom and the most impressive. I don’t see them blooming unless I go outside and walk around the house to see them on one side or the other. Our neighbors enjoy them immensely, so they tell us. They get excited when they begin to bloom.
I hope you enjoyed my photos and that they lifted your spirits today.
Thank you so much for stopping by to read this post and for your continued support. Please come back again soon where there is something is always brewing at JEMSBOOKS!
Blessings & Hugs! Stay Safe, Stay Well and God Bless!
READING GIVES YOU WINGS TO FLY! SOAR WITH JEMSBOOKS ALL YEAR THROUGH! HAPPY READING!
This is an excellent question. How much do authors put of themselves into their work? If you ever asked many of them they would most likely have the same or similar answer that I am giving you today.
When I create a new story I put my whole heart and soul into it. I also incorporate many of my own characteristics into some of the characters. I do not make anyone as shy as I once was growing up, but instead, I make all my characters strong, resilient, and fearless, but also flawed in their own ways. No one is perfect, after all. Right? I know I am far from being perfect and not as strong as I make some of my characters. I guess it’s my way of making me stronger, braver, and fearless through them.
Having creative license is a wonderful thing when you create a story, especially in fantasy where anything goes or can happen. It is a freeing feeling to create something from nothing but at the same time I put a lot of myself into each creation. Each book I have written is one of my babies that I brought to life. These books stay in my heart forever because of what they represent – a part of me. Sharing them is one of the most difficult things I have had to do. Once I publish a book I throw it out to the world to read and review, I feel vulnerable as if I a small part of me is dying because of the angst I get from worry whether each book will do well and how the public will perceive it. If reviews are positive I can take a breather but if they are not, then I sigh and try to keep my chin up and push forward knowing that not everyone will like my work or me. Sigh! I will never give up though no matter what.
Check out all my books and see if you can identify the traits of my characters that reflect who I am. I have nine novels and two (soon to be three) short story collections. I would love to hear your thoughts on any one of them.
My present WIP is a fantasy and allows me to create unusual characters, creatures and family characters that are fun to assign personality traits. I don’t think I have much of myself in these characters or maybe in the female dragon. She is kind, caring, motherly and worries a lot. That’s me!
I hope you will check out all my books soon for some entertaining reads and review them if you love them or not. Your reviews are welcomed and appreciated. Thank you!
Thank you for stopping by to read this post and for your continued support. Please come back again soon where something is always brewing at JEMSBOOKS!
Blessings & Hugs! Stay Safe, Stay Well and God Bless!
READING GIVES YOU WINGS TO FLY! SOAR WITH JEMSBOOKS ALL YEAR THROUGH! HAPPY READING!
I featured this post back in 2022 and thought it was important to share it again.
I have been asked on occasion what inspires me to write? Besides the fact that I love writing, it would be that I want to see not only children reading, but all ages. There are many benefits of reading as I have mentioned numerous times before.
While online I saw this article about the 10 benefits of reading and wanted to share it with you. I hope you read it and think about this.
When I was in first grade I became a lover of reading. My first grade teacher was the one who instilled in me this love. I was extremely shy and embarrassed easily. She knew this and worked toward helping me overcome my shyness. One day she asked me to come in front of the class and read a page or two of a story. I turned red and my eyes began to water. I didn’t think I could make my feet move to get up from my seat. But with her encouragement and the class who clapped along with the teacher to motivate me to the front of the room, I did get up.
Once I stood there, a child of six shaking in my little Mary Jane shoes, I began to read. The class disappeared and I only saw the words in front of me. I read and read and finally stopped when my teacher tapped me on the shoulder at the end of the story. Not a peep was heard from the class as I went back to my seat. Then a lot of clapping was heard in my head that brought me out of a stupor.
My teacher told me to stand up and take a bow for the wonderful job I had done reading to the class. It was as if someone or something had taken over my body when I read that I had lost my shyness. I became a lover of reading but still kept the shyness for many years to come.
Word art for children’s books
I am still shy today when I am in a group of people I do not know. It takes me a little while to get myself acclimated unless I need to talk about my books. Then I become animated and excited to share my work. Sometimes it is difficult to get me to shut up, or so my husband tells me. Maybe that is why my family never asks me what I am currently working on! Ha!
Did you have a teacher who inspired you? I would love to hear your stories. I can feature them here if you like.
Teachers are dedicated to helping children, well most of them are. I did have some teachers in high school that would take naps while the class had a good time talking and socializing until the bell rang. That was a sad time. Because of my shyness I would open a book and sit there and read until the class ended. I didn’t dare misbehave. I wasn’t brought up that way. I feel I lost a year of learning with that teacher. Unfortunately, she continued to teach or nap for many years afterward.
My daughter is a fifth grade teacher who is a dedicated, kind, caring and a wonderful teacher to her children. She encourages them to read and learn. I am proud of her. I hope that my example of being an avid reader and reading to her daily growing up led her in this direction.
This post is dedicated to my first grade teacher, rest her soul, and to all the wonderful teachers out there who do all they can to cultivate a love of learning and reading in their students. Thank you, teachers! You are our heroes! Also, a special blessing to all those teachers and children who have lost their lives in school tragedies in the past. May God bless their families!
Word Art Book
Please read to your children daily, if you can, to instill in them a love of reading. I know how difficult it is to do this sometimes. I worked in between and after I had my two children. Some days I worked late and was so exhausted that I almost wanted to go to bed at the same time as they did. I somehow managed to read a page or two to them and then would go to bed myself after a quick supper.
Life does get in the way of our best intentions. Taking that small moment to read to my children got me out of my tiredness and feeling better. All I had to do was see their smiles and happy faces when I read to them. It made the world a better place and my cares melted away. That is how I feel today when I read a book. I hope reading with perk up your spirits this way too. Take care and happy reading! Remember below – Reading Gives You Wings to Fly! Soar with Jemsbooks all year through!
Now in 2026 I still find myself not wanting to get into large gatherings if I don’t know anyone. I guess I am still a little shy but I do find myself being more outspoken at times which surprises my husband who cringes. It must be getting older and braver or my filter is not as strong as it once was. Haha!
I hope you enjoyed this post and will respond by sharing how you feel about reading and share who were your inspiration to become an avid reader as I am. Watch each month for my Monthly Reads and Reviews where I share all the books in I read in each month.
Thank you so much for stopping by to read this post. Feel free to come back any time. You are always welcome.
Watch for new book coming in August! A new short story collection that is unique in its format and intriguing and unexpected! Are you ready for something new and unusual?
It is now completed but I won’t publish until August. The cover reveal will be coming out next week! Did you purchase my other short story collection – AN ANGEL AMONG US yet? If you want to read this story you much read the first one in this other book. Once you see this book you will know which short story was its inspiration from An Angel Among Us. Also, please check out my other short story collection – WISHES.
I am always looking for new ways to create stories for readers, something that you would find entertaining and fun to read. I will be working on more once this book and my fantasy book are published. Keep stopping by to see what is coming next! Like I always say, THERE IS ALWAYS SOMETHING BREWING AT JEMSBOOKS!
I’ve enjoyed creating the short stories both for children and adults so much that I will most likely write some more. I would love to hear from readers if they have enjoyed my short stories.
Short stories are fun and quick reads providing entertaining reading for a short amount of your precious time. They can fill some short moments in your life when you need a little pick me up and surprises. Have fun and enjoy reading these books! Thank you for your kind support!
Here are what other readers are saying about my short stories so far.
Wishes AA 6Wishes AA 5Wishes AA 4Wishes AA 3An Angel Among Us
Thank you so much for stopping by to read this post and for your continued support. Please come back again soon. Remember that reviews are welcomed and appreciated!
Blessings & Hugs! Stay Safe, Stay Well and God Bless!
READING GIVES YOU WINGS TO FLY! SOAR WITH JEMSBOOKS ALL YEAR THROUGH! HAPPY READING!
I have been working on a book trailer for The Powers of Gateskin: Gateskin Chronicles Book 5! It is now here. I hope you enjoy it and that it puts you into the world of Gateskin and will pique your interest in this series.
If you haven’t read this series yet, please begin with Book 1 to LET THE ADVENTURES BEGIN! This is a multi-award-winning fantasy that will grip you from the first page and make you want to read all of the books to find out what happens!
There is always something brewing at JEMSBOOKS with all my books! Happy Reading!
Here are what other readers are saying about this series:
Gateskin Book 1Gateskin Book 1Gateskin Chronicles 2Gateskin Book 2Gateskin Book 3Gateskin Book 3Gateskin Book 4Gateskin Book 5
This series is an epic fantasy for YA and adults too. You will find magic, wizards, fairies, Sprites, unusual creatures that roam the land and threaten to harm all those who venture too close. It is the constant struggle of good again evil where the strongest will prevail. Are you ready to take your first step into King Gateskin’s world? Once you enter you will be unable to leave because you will be hooked! Enter carefully and keep your eyes open for there could be a creature behind you right now!
This series was epic to write, and it isn’t finished yet. There is one more book coming in 2027 which will complete the series. It is always sad to say goodbye to characters that are as real as you and I are. These characters have been in my mind for so long that I feel as if I am saying goodbye to family dear to me.
Of course, as soon as I begin another story or series, I will become engrossed once again in new characters, but I don’t mean to be fickle. The new characters will push their way into my brain and take over. Sorry, Gateskin and family. I will always love you!
If you want to add some fun and adventures to your reading, please pick up Gateskin Chronicles today for yourself and your YA and even middle-graders will love it!
Thank you so much for stopping by to read this post and for your continued support. Please come back again soon because there is always something brewing at JEMSBOOKS!
Blessings & Hugs! Stay Safe, Stay Well and God Bless!
READING GIVES YOU WINGS TO FLY! SOAR WITH JEMSBOOKS ALL YEAR THROUGH! HAPPY READING!
I was thrilled to receive this new review of my short story collection: An Angel Among Us. It is always exciting to see reviews like this one. Thank you, Jim, for this wonderful review!
Thank you so much for stopping by to read this post and for your continued support. Please come back again soon where something is always brewing at JEMSBOOKS!
Blessings & Hugs! Stay Safe, Stay Well and God Bless!
READING GIVES YOU WINGS TO FLY! SOAR WITH JEMSBOOKS ALL YEAR THROUGH! HAPPY READING!
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