Good Deeds Challenge – Year 2 Week 15

Welcome to my second Year of Good Deeds, a challenge I set myself during April 2013. I decided to do at least one Good Deed a day for a whole year, now I an into my second year.

New Good DeedsDuring my week I’ll also being updating you on My Kindness Challenge which I’m also doing. I read about a new challenge to make the world a better place to live in. “Speak Kind Words, Receive Kind Echoes” see the inspiration on  The Kindness blog . During my learning process I’m donating money to charity for my slip-ups to make me work harder to achieve results. I earn no money from any of my book reviews, so having little to spare should focus my mind.

This week I’ve been doing the following;

July 27th – This morning I woke to several new inspiring moments. A new blogger joined us and while visiting the blog I found an excellent post. Women who think too much, check out this post now http://womenwhothinktoomuch.wordpress.com/2014/06/01/the-magic-bank-account/. Imagine a magic bank account which gives you £or $ 86 400 everyday  (or any currency you choose), how will you spend yours? Each night the account is cleared, no savings, no rolling over or transferring to another account, and the bank can withdraw the offer at any time they like. Go check it out and be amazed.

Also heard today how my book review challenge has been uniting more readers with authors they previously didn’t know, Brilliant! Just off to the last league cricket match of the boy’s season. Picked up litter at the match and found some money in the grass.

July 28th – We had a bit of fun on the blog today, I asked the question what book have you read multiple times and why? I’m going to feature reader’s books over the next few days. I thought it was a good way to allow the blog readers a chance to have a bit of a say about books. Here is a link to the post http://wp.me/p2Eu3u-5zp

I have been helping out Diane with lots of info about using WordPress and it’s good points.

July 29th – What book have you read multiple times has proved extremely popular, I’ve been chatting to readers on Twitter about their favourite books as well as blog followers and I’m setting up a series of blogs featuring books that you’ve all been telling me about. These are bringing back memories for others too. Today Charles E Yallowitz told us about why he has read Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card multiple times.

July 30th – Picked up litter at the supermarket this morning. Have got myself a little bit too busy and yesterday I forgot to post a guest post for Madi Preda, posted it today instead followed by a big apology. Sue Vincent told us about the book she has read  Moon Magic by Dione Fortune multiple times today and I was featured over at Joanne Guidoccio’s blog in a Seconds Act feature where I talked about what I have been doing in the last two years since I began blogging. Titled “What makes me a better person” http://wp.me/p2Eu3u-5BH

July 31st – Posted two more book reviews on Goodreads and Amazon and drafted up posts for later in August. Had to quickly climb in to my suit of virtual armour to face the wrath of an unhappy author for my 3* book review which I sent him. Rather a large tantrum followed with him asking me not to post my review as I believe he was frightened it would affect his glowing 5* reviews. Thank goodness that having not heard from him for a day, I posted my reviews before his e-mail popped in to my in-box. I will not bow down to behaviour like that, I was asked to read and review his book and I followed through. The review will appear on my blog on August 12th. A big thank-you to Terry Tyler for her support today.

Authors of the Romancing September tour are sending in their replies and both Stephanie and I are drafting up their posts as they come in. Today’s book on the “What book have you read multiple times?” featured Uncle Wiggily Longears by Howard R Garis and there were some great discussions which led on from the post.

August 1st – Wow! August 1st already, just where is the year going? Today’s book on our “What book have you read multiple times?” feature is “The Little Prince” by Antoine de Saint Exupery. Another book that has brought back some memories for readers and lots of good comments.

August 2nd – The boys cricket season has come to the end and was celebrated with an awards morning. Cricket has been played on the club green for approximately 250 years and the club do a really good job of encouraging the youngsters who will be tomorrows adult players. The team managers give all their time freely from the start of indoor training in January to organising matches from April to July. A huge effort goes into collating teams, training boys and girls and preparing pitches, so we all joined in thanking everyone involved. There were reports from all the team managers telling us how the season had gone and there were two awards per team One for The Spirit of Cricket given to a player who promotes good attitude, supports the team and tries their best. The other is for the best all round player per team. I’m really proud that we are part of such of really good supportive club.

Sent off a book review for Beneath The Surface by Mike Martin, a gentle murder mystery set in Newfoundland. My review will appear on the blog later in August. Have been drafting up more book reviews from the book review team and for the Romancing September tour.

Good Deeds June 16th – 22nd

Good deedsIt’s the start of another week of Good Deeds, if you are new to the post please check out my Good Deeds posts.  I’m https://rosieamber.wordpress.com/my-year-of-doing-good-deeds/ trying to do at least one Good Deed a day for a year after I was inspired by Judith O’Reilley’s book.

A Year of Doing Good: One Woman, One New Year's Resolution, 365 Good Deeds. by Judith O'Reilly

June 16th – Father’s day today so a family day at home. Did manage a book review.

June 17th – A help at school morning, so that ticks the Good Deeds easily today, 5 more weeks until the summer holidays! It’s also my wedding anniversary, 18 years! I share it with a friend, so I sent her a best wishes e-mail. Found some money on the floor at the supermarket and popped it in the charity pot rather than my pocket.

June 18th – A really good blogging friend has just set up a publishing company! Offered to do a promotional post for her. Posted a book review.

June 19th – Passed on some of my rice and pasta that I won in a competition. Posted my piece on Horseshoe Publishing, the new company that my WordPress friend has set up.

June 20th – Picked up litter today with only a slight hesitation, this is still a hardship to me, I get embarrassed about doing it when I shouldn’t. Sent my daughter out with cookies when she went to her friend’s house.

June 21st – Today we have been organising some pick up times for Monday when I’m dropping off my daughter and a couple of others for a taster day at college. Took a little drive and got the best route sorted out for Monday morning. Went shopping with my daughter and had a spending splurge! Not really a good deed but it made us both Happy!

June 22nd – Well I’ve made it to the end of another week of Good Deeds. Today I visited my parents, gave a lady directions and put money in to the charity box at the hairdressers. I’m really behind with my book reading, the trouble is I often have several books on the go at once and I read them depending on my mood. I’ve got a educational book from a friend, I picked up a Reiki book at the book shop on Thursday, I’m reading a book for a September promotion and a few weeks ago I had a mad downloading session of free books all on self-help and motivation which I like to pick up when I need a boost in life.

A Post for Horseshoe Publishing

I’m dedicating this post to  my very good WordPress friend Stephanie Hurt. I have featured several books written by Stephanie here on my blog and now I’m extremely pleased to tell you that she is turning her hand to publishing. Horseshoe publishing is going to start out by helping authors prepare their book covers and final drafts moving on to getting their work out there.

Check out the first steps of Horseshoe publishing and give Stephanie your support;

http://horseshoepublishing.wordpress.com/

 

 

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May 19th- 25th Week of Good Deeds

Good deedsContinuing my attempts to follow in greater footsteps, by completing one Good Deed a day for a year;

May 19th – Have spent most of my day at a sporting event with my oldest child. Managed to find and keep a parking space for a friend in a very full car park, and it was under a tree for some extra shade. Added money to my jam jar. Found myself a nice little space to sit and do some reading while the athletes all warmed up. Had to do a double check on my location when people descended on my position like sunbathers on a Spanish beach. Someone actually sat on the corner of my coat with me! Talk about invading my personal space.

May 20th – My morning volunteering at school, a shorter one today as a couple of the children were off school today. Bit of a scary moment when the teacher told me she’d had a dream about me having a third baby. I’m going to take that as symbolic because in the words of Mr Olivander the wand maker in Harry Potter a third baby would be “No, no definitely Not!” I love the two I’ve been blessed with and that’s plenty for me. Helped promote a new book launch with a post, tweet etc.

May 21st – Picked up litter on my way to the post box. Considering taking a bag with me when I go out next time because there was so much litter left lying around. Found some competitions and book giveaways for writers, readers and authors and spread the word.

May 22nd – In between providing a free taxi for my kids today I managed to fit in a trip to the opticians, spied some charity boxes in reception and made a donation to the Royal Air Force Benevolent fund. Sneaked in one more good deed, was able to give a friend a lift home. Looking forward to writing a post to promote a new community WordPress blog that a set of friends have launched today.

May 23rd – With the 2nd May Bank Holiday approaching I agreed to change the day I do next weeks work to fit in with the computer access and the wages run. Popped over to see the parents and made sure they were behaving themselves. Did I tell you that I won a whole years worth of rice and pasta the other day? It’s that Karma thingy working for all the cakes I’ve been baking and taking to friends. 64 packs of rice and pasta! I feel a pasta party coming on.

May 24th – Desperately searching for a Good Deed opportunity, did finish reading a book today and sent off the book review to the author. Found the review to be one of my biggest challenges yet, not sure if the author will think it worthy of a Good Deed! Popped in a teeny tiny piece of honest advice which I may get slated for, not everyone is happy to receive improvement suggestions. It’s the end of a gruelling week, it’s freezing cold and chucking it down with rain, I’m just not going to step outside and go in search of another deed today. I’ll strike a deal, I’ll double the amount of money that I add to my jam jar today, deal? Ok that’s 4 whole pence then! I’m so sad, perhaps it’s time for a glass of wine.

May 25th – All sorts today, finished reading a book ready to write a review, downloaded The Unicorn Girl by Melissa LeGette (who featured as my guest author yesterday) which is free this weekend. Provided afternoon tea for relatives and helped them take another step forward in the family quest for the 999 year lease documents (Taken out in 1783 by relatives), by composing and sending an e-mail on their behalf.

2012_0622 rose for rosie  wordpress

 

With a little help….

I’ve had a crazy weekend updating my WordPress pages (an enjoyable steep learning curve), keeping up with all those Amazon reviews for all the books I’ve read (I try to do my part, I know reviews are precious), following lots of new people on Twitter (My follow Friday was more like a follow Saturday, but Hey, who’s counting?) and more.

Thanks to all my new blog and twitter followers you are real Gems!

Finally a huge Thank-you to everyone who has taken advantage of my book sale and got themselves a copy of Talk of the Playground. The sequel is coming soon and my third book is a work in progress.

So Happy Monday!

Rosie