The Damsel’s Files

Awesome Nonfiction Books to Read this Holiday Season

Nonfiction has been bringing colors to every book shelf from all around the world since literature started to blossom and printing press were built. At this point in time, there has been thousands and thousands of nonfiction books that are invading the literary realm. They do not contain imaginative and extraordinary tales but only meaningful and enlightening stories.

Memoir, biography, manual, and travelogue are some of its best subgenres. Another aspect that makes the world of nonfiction more colorful is the community of authors. Among the remarkable authors are Stephen Hawking, Rachel Carson, Michelle Obama, Ta-Nehisi Coates, Oliver Wolf Sacks, and more. Nonfiction is truly a wonderful and rich genre. Apart from all that, there are also the best books that make every reader in the world learn from the substances embedded in the stories. So, listed below are the promising nonfiction books to read this holiday.

The Art of Cruelty: A Reckoning by Maggie Nelson

In August 13, 2012, W.W. Norton & Company published the 1^st edition of The Art of Cruelty: A Reckoning by Maggie Nelson. It talks about how the fields of vision of the public are being swarmed with cruel imagery by both the entertainment and real world. The widespread images of horror, agony, and war has almost killed the hope of the 20^th century that these images will shake everything up into a less marginalized society or help establish a fair social structure. Now, what should the people do, when should they watch, and when must they turn away? Ultimately, Nelson’s complex analysis of the creative landscape provides a paradigm of how strong ethical values can be matched with an exceptionally powerful enjoyment of work that explores the boundaries of taste, tradition, and acceptability. The author has truly risen among the leading cultural critics with this exceptional work about depictions of brutality and abuse in literature.

From Science to Spirituality: Finding Spirituality in Science by Neil C. Griffen

Neil C. Griffen challenges readers to wonder about the pre-existing ideas and values in the field of science and religious reasoning. From Science to Spirituality: Finding Spirituality in Science aims to enlighten science and religious faith and help people see how these two disciplines fit together. The author exceptionally includes well-researched and significant information that supports the advantages of utilizing scientific knowledge in evaluating spiritual concerns, including the commonly volatile argument about the presence of one God. According to one of the excerpts of the book, the scientific method is quite the latest development in human history. Both the truth and His wisdom typically originated from whichever god was famous in the past. There is a person who spreads the desires of that particular god. A great example is Ancient Egypt’s pharaohs, who are the self-proclaimed gods that lead using an iron hand.

A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson

This promising nonfiction book is published by Doubleday in the UK and Broadway Books in the US. It is written by Bill Bryson and has become one of the best books today. A Short History of Nearly Everything is a famous science book that elaborates particular fields of science with the use of a language that is easily comprehensible and speaks more to the masses than other writings on the topic. In fact, it is among United Kingdom’s bestselling famous science books of 2005 after selling more than 300,000 copies. Moreover, it differs from the author’s travel book genre because it is talking about the general sciences, like astronomy, chemistry, and more. A Short History of Nearly Everything also examines time through geology and evolution.

100 Essays I Don’t Have Time to Write by Sarah Ruhl

Farrar, Straus, and Giroux published the reprint edition of Sarah Ruhl’s 100 Essays I Don’t Have Time to Write in 2015. It is not just a literary piece that talks about the amazing world of theater but it is also a map of a really distinct artistic sensibility and a guide for those who opt to walk on the path of artistry. The essays contained clever forms of meditation about life in the arts and cheerful scribbles of reflections on the things in between. Admonition, celebration, interrogation, jokes, tasks, supplications, prayers, and suggestions are blended throughout the pieces: frank thoughts compiled from years of working in the theatre.

Religion and Spirituality: What You Need to Know

People often use the terms religion and spirituality. The question is do they really know the meaning behind these two terms? As of this generation and even from the past, the one is always confused by the other or vice versa. Perhaps most individuals think that they are synonymous; but, the truth is that both are different from one another. There are just factors that they both have in common, such as the goal of expanding the religion and spirituality by using multiple means and methods, but their definition and purpose are dissimilar. Hence, there is really a need for individuals to dig deeper into these important life aspects. Provided below are the things that you ought to know about spirituality and religion.

Religion

Religion is defined as a social-cultural scheme of established systems and beliefs, values, ideologies, writings, holy locations, premonitions, principles, or institutions which connect humankind to the spiritual, profound, or religious beliefs. But, there is no scientific evidence as to what comprises a religion. Various religions may or may not entail disparate factors, varying from the transcendent, the holy, the belief, the metaphysical or the divine, or some kind of ultimacy and enlightenment which will provide rules and authority for the longest time possible.

They have holy pasts and tales which can be conserved in Holy Scripture, and signs and places of worship that are often meant to add value to life. They may also have symbolic tales, often claimed to be real by believers, which have the secondary function of justifying the nature of life, the world, and other matters.

There are many religious practices that are being initiated by different religious organizations. These traditions and activities include but are not limited to masses, rituals, feasts, marriages, funerals, vigils, prayers, worship sessions, and more.

Additionally, there are approximately 10,000 diverse religions from all across the planet. Almost 84 percent of the worldwide population is connected with Christianity, Buddhism, Islam, Hinduism, and more. The remaining 16% covers those individuals who don’t belong to any religious communities, such as the agnostics, atheists, etc.

Spirituality

Spiritually is the process of searching for peace and calmness in this chaotic life. It is often done together with the activities that promote meditation, such as yoga that basically concentrates on releasing stress and feelings. It is also utilized as a method of getting the appropriate views and knowing that the purpose in life has a bigger value than the mundane things that people do daily.

Additionally, it has the means to remove an individual from his relying on material things and give him a better purpose. There are many who also view spirituality as the process of getting along and conquering the changes and doubts that appear in life.

There are 5 common kinds of spirituality, which are the following:

Social spirituality – it is commonly done by individuals who have gone through a spiritual journey in the presence of others. Having a person that acts as your support system is one significant factor of spirituality.

Authoritarian spirituality – it pertains to the certain firm type of spirituality that is based on the necessity for meanings and regulations. It is often found in some religious activities.

Service spirituality – it is a typical kind of spirituality seen in several religious communities. This is primarily based on the act of serving people as a type of spiritual expression.

Mystical spirituality – it is predominantly built on the want to step on the world past the material realm, over the senses beyond the ego, and far beyond time. This form of spirituality is focused on intimate bonds and a sense of solidarity with everything.

Intellectual spirituality – it centers on creating and molding knowledge and comprehension of spirituality by spiritual theory and history analysis and examination. It is often seen in theology.

In conclusion, religion refers to the particular set of systematic beliefs and traditions, commonly celebrated and shared by a group while spirituality pertains to the personal practice of possessing a sense of reason and peace. There are really things that diversify the two. But regardless of their differences, religion and spirituality are still playing great roles in the lives of people all across the world and religions.

The Ultimate Guide to Writing a Faith-Based Book

As a Christian, one of your aims in life is to spread the word. Through writing a book, you can do this efficiently. A faith-based book will help you inspire other Christian to be better. If you are given the talent and skill to express your thoughts through writing, you should do it. It is a calling from the Almighty for you to do it. Plus, you are not only helping others with their faith, but you are also benefiting yourself. In the process of writing a faith-based book, you are going to strengthen your relationship with God.

Whether you are opting to write non-fiction or fiction Christian books, you can use these tips below to develop a book with substance.

Read the Bible

The Holy Bible provides people with a way to see God as a loving character, making it one of the most crucial authorities for Christians. All of the wisdom written by the authors are there because it serves its own purpose. Every Christian must follow what the Bible teaches. Before you start your writing journey, you need to make sure that you know the Word of God by heart. This way, you incorporate all the teachings of the Bible in your book, and no detail will be left behind.

Brainstorm Ideas

Brainstorming ideas will help you not to forget the important parts that you should include in your book. Sometimes, when you start writing, you get carried away with one subject matter that you fail to include some other concepts. If you want to tackle a wide variety of Christian topics in your book, make sure you outline them first. This will also help you focus on things that have greater significance.

Find a Good Purpose

What is your purpose for writing a Christian book? There should be some reason why you are deciding to write one. Most authors for this specific genre write books to spread a message across all Christians. Your theme or statement should be the main reason why you are writing your book. There is a handful of faith-based books available, but each has a different purpose. One great example would be Marilyn Taplin’s A Law from Eden: Solving the Mystery of Original Sin. The author’s goal for writing the book is to imply a crucial message across all Christians. Taplin’s book discusses one of society’s sensitive topics, Christianity and LGBTQ. Just like this book, your book should have the same amount of substance where readers can get learnings and teachings. Think of a subject that you feel strongly about. From there, you can get the concept for your book.

Trust Your Faith

Once you are done assessing the goals of your book, you can start writing. As you write, you have to rely on what you really feel. You don’t hold back on what you will write just because people might disagree with it. Always remember that you have the right to write whatever you want as long as you know that it is the right thing to do and that you base it on the Word of God.

Find Inspiration from Your Personal Experiences

Just like any other book in other literary genres, writing Christian Books will require you to draw on some of your experiences. Recall certain situations wherein you can connect further in your message or your story. This way, you can write from a realistic point of view.

Look for Books that Can Motivate You

Even though you are a published author or you are just starting out, you should still know the importance of learning from others. If you are about to write a book, you need to make sure that you can get good inspiration. Reading other people’s books will inspire you to be better at being a writer. Plus, it also gives you some tips on how you can improve your writing.

If you are someone who has a passion for bringing the people together with the word of the Lord, you don’t have to think twice about it. You just have to do it. You are given this unique talent and driving force for a reason. Hopefully, this article has given you insights on how you can motivate you to write a Christian book. Good luck!

Repentance and Redemption: What You Need to Know

The terms repentance and redemption are two of the common words you can find in the bible. There are just so much meaning and weight these terms hold that open the eyes of every Christian. Hence, let us get to know what they truly are and how significant they are in the Christian community.

Repentance

Repentance has two equivalent Hebrew terms in the Old Testament. The first one is the word namchan that pertains to the act of turning around or changing one’s mind. The second term is sub that is equivalent to the words “return,” “search,” “turn,” and “restore.” On the contrary, the New Testament contains the word metanoia which is a Greek term that has a literal meaning of “to change the mind.” Thus, repentance basically pertains to the changing of a person’s mind about a particular thing. It is always associated with the person’s method of thinking.

So, what does it really mean to repent? To repent means to walk away from sin and come back to the Lord. It happens the moment you accept and believe that Jesus is the son of Almighty Father, instead of rejecting Him. You will achieve spiritual awakening, which will change your life forever. Moreover, there are many verses in the Bible that mentions the term repentance or repent like the following:

“And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” – Acts 2:38

“Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent.” – Revelation 3:19

“Repent, therefore, of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord that, if possible, the intent of your heart may be forgiven you.” – Acts 8:22

Redemption

The meaning of redemption is “repurchase” or “a ransom.” It is an integral concept in different religions, especially in Christianity. Hence, it pertains to the freeing people from sin based on the Christian theology. Redemption is a metaphor for the thing accomplished via Atonement; thus, there is a metaphor that lies behind the death of the son of God. It is believed that Jesus died in order to free people from sin and death. The price of the ransom is the life of Jesus.

Adam and Eve’s original sin in the Genesis 3 is believed to be the very first transgression recorded in the Bible. There has been a lot of mischief that happens after they were banished from the Garden of Eden. But after Jesus died, everyone was saved from sin. When people are redeemed, they release and become better version of themselves. The moment God freed Israel from slavery; He granted them a brand-new land and made them a new nation. When people are redeemed, they are no longer imprisoned by sin and death and they will have a brand-new identity through Christ. They will become a part of the kingdom of the Lord.

The Bible contains many verses that refer to redemption. Thus, listed below are the verses in the Holy Scripture that talks about the subject:

“He sent redemption unto his people: he hath commanded his covenant for ever: holy and reverend [is] his name.” – Psalms 111:9

“Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.” – Titus 2:14

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” – John 3:16

“Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord” – Acts 3:19

“and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light. For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” – Colossians 1:12-14

“and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross. Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation—“ – Colossians 1:20-22

Pseudonyms of Exceptional Authors that You Should Know

In the wonderful world of literature, having a pseudonym is not a brand-new thing. Most authors use an alias in order to protect themselves and maintain their anonymities. Other terms used for pseudonym is pen name, which is really common in the literary world because there are several authors who used or are using fictitious names. The only downside of using a pseudonym is that it will become your trademark when your book hits its breakthrough. So, instead of people knowing your real name — most of them, especially those newbie bookworms, will recognize your pen name instead.

Authors from the past literary periods used pen names. Some of them used these fictitious names to gain power by projecting masculinity during their time, like Charlotte Bronte, while others make use of pen names to avoid oversaturating the market. Perhaps you want to know some remarkable pseudonyms of prolific authors. Hence, listed below are the pen names that you should know!

J.D. Robb

You probably have seen books that are authored by J.D. Robb in your favorite bookstore or somewhere online. Then, you must know that J.D. Robb is just one of the pen names by Eleanor Marie Robertson, who is also referred as Nora Roberts, Jill March, and Sarah Hardesty. This particular pen name came into view after her new publisher suggested for her to write under a new name so that they can keep up with her exceptional background, and be able to produce several of her books every year.

The initials J.D. mean Jason and Dan, who are her beloved sons. With her new pen name, she can start writing her long-desired romantic suspense novels. The first book was, in fact, published in 1995. Under this new name, she has written a series of futuristic scifi police crime drama novels that are included in the In Death series. The entire series is composed of 19 books, which the last book turned out to be her first bestselling book in 2004.

George Orwell

Animal Farm, Nineteen Eighty-Four, Homage to Catalonia, The Road to Wigan Pier, and more are some of the best classic novels. But, do you believe that there is no such author whose real name is George Orwell during that literary period? The brilliant mind behind these novels and who wrote under the name George Orwell is Eric Arthur Blair. He is an author, journalist, literary critic, and essayist. The common topics in his writings are democratic socialism, anti-fascism, and more while the usual genres of his works are satire, science fiction, and etc.

According to an article in The New York Times by Roger Jellinek titled How Eric Blair became George Orwell, Eric Blair felt the urge to use a pen name upon the publication of his book Down and Out in Paris and London in 1933. Blair was sure that his novel will become a complete failure, and he doesn’t want his real name to be stained by it. However, it turned out to be a great book that was being read by many. Blair kept the pen name and used it on his following books.

Richard Bachman

Have you seen the picture of the author Richard Bachman? That man in the photo wasn’t the real Richard Bachman, because it was the insurance agent of Stephen King’s literary agent. There is no Richard Bachman in literary world, only Stephen King. The great horror fiction author wrote under that name in order to publish more books in a span of one year but not losing the interest of the readers.

On the perspectives of the publishers, producing more than one book per year can cause the loss of enthusiasm and interest in an author’s reader base. Stephen King wrote in an introduction to The Bachman Books that writing under the Bachman pen name is also a trial in making sense of his literary journey and an attempt to answer the question if his accomplishments are because of his luck or talent.

B. Steve Ross

The nonfiction book titled Alternate Reality: The Mostly True Story of How I Become a Sociopath or a Comical Look at my Messed Up Life is authored by B. Steve Ross. However, Ross is not really the real name of the author, because it is just a pseudonym of Glenn Davis. The author wants readers to know that not all sociopaths are bad individuals. There are instances that they experienced in during some point in their lives, especially childhood, which traumatized them and made them who they are.

According to the author, “The end result of my upbringing was me becoming a sociopath.” Furthermore, he still achieves a lot in life despite the hardships that he’d been through. His severe dyslexia and impediment didn’t stop him from becoming a Master Electrician. He also became a Nuclear Power Electrician for 8 years in the US Navy. Moreover, Davis is married to the same woman that he vowed at the altar for more than 30 years now with two amazing kids. He also becomes one of the foundations of youth programs in their community.

Spiritual Awakening: What You Need to Know

Spiritual awakening is perhaps one of the most confusing yet rewarding journeys in life. In the broadest sense, it is the event that benchmarks an individual’s inauguration into the spiritual way. A person who hasn’t achieved the spiritual awakening yet cannot truly live a fulfilling life, instead he will live with the emptiness of finances, popularity, authority, and respect in the hopes of discovering happiness.

Going through a spiritual awakening is not something that you can plan or anticipate. It is kind of like the surprise present you may or may not receive on your birthday or the coin that you might or might not have found on in the streets. Hence, it is truly an unexpected gift that brings so many positive changes in your life. When you start to enter the initiation, there will be things that will be cut from your life that will bring you pain. All you need is to trust the process and wait for the better things that are about to come.

Even though it has been said that this particular spiritual experience happens in an unexpected time, it cannot be denied that there are events that triggers its occurrence. These events cannot be specified for it depends on their impact and significance on people; but, one sure thing is that they create a big and sudden change that leaves people on the brink of feeling an extreme emotion. Accidents, deaths of loved ones, tragedies, incurable diseases, broken relationships, existential crises, mental health conditions, and failures are among the many examples that can trigger the emergence of spiritual awakening.

There are times that you will start to question everything around you, even your existence and capabilities. It would seem like you are not doing anything right, and the choices you make will lead into failure. These negativities are part of the process of turning your life around. Because spiritual awakening is the event when you start to see what life truly is, then that’s when you will be able to perceive and evaluate all the things that surround you.

“What is my purpose?” “Is there life after death?” “Is life worth living?” “Do I deserve to be alive?” — These are some of the questions that will pop to your mind on the beginning of your journey. The reason behind this is that it will give rise to the meaningful and important thoughts and questions that are lying deep down your being, which you’ve been avoiding to answer all along. Looking for a Divine intervention of God in general is also one of the biggest desires that you will feel.

This occurrence happens as part of life. When you start to grow, your link towards your soul also develops. Hence, it surfaces as an innate output of your developing, enhancing, and maturing soul. The bigger and often the connection you have with your soul, the further you get into the process regardless if the act is intentional or not. Thus, the more you epitomize your soul, the bigger the chance that you will achieve genuine happiness, tranquility, love, freedom, and more.

The longer you experience the process, the more you can appreciate the pain and change. When you almost reach the end, you can somehow see the true meaning of your life. Everything will make sense and your past life principles, beliefs, and wants will be given their corresponding answers that disprove them. Apart from that, you can also discover what you truly want and what you are really capable of doing. It is due to the fact that self-discovery is one of the benefits that you can find in the experience.

To wrap it up, spiritual awakening is not something that brings joy to the table when served. It could be compared to the dish that you dislike but still, need to eat in order to complete your meal. The more you consume it, the more you appreciate the food. You also become proud of how you handled it and discovered the dish’s true wonders, just like how you’ve gone through your spiritual awakening journey.

Predictions about the Caregiving Industry

The denotation of caregiving is the activity or job that offers regular care to people who are sick, disabled, or old. It is one of the hardest professions because this will require mental strength, physical effort, critical-thinking skill, and other abilities needed to perform the work better. The common areas where caregivers are hired include but not limited to homes for the aged, nursing homes, and houses of their clients. You probably are wondering how caregivers contribute to the economy and how would this industry survive. Well, there are a lot of predictions about caregiving that were published years ago.

There are different kinds of caregivers, but the most common are the ones you can hire from an agency or those members of your family that are free and willing to become a caregiver. For the latter, he must be ready to stand up for the responsibility and make changes in his life. Eleanor Gaccetta, for instance, has her career going swiftly when her mother had an accident. She instantly became her mother’s family caregiver and it lasted up more than 9 years. Because of that experience, she wrote a book documenting her caregiving journey with a glimpse of Gaccetta’s prerequisite to becoming a caregiver, struggles of caregiver, and the likes.

According to Family Caregiver Alliance National Center on Caregiving, caregiving is a vital portion of the daily life of millions of families all around the US. As the ages of the population are adding up, several families are taking care of an elder at their houses, and a growing figure of individuals will require a lot of caring in the future. This industry has a great effect on the increasing number of people needing care and also on their direct families and places of work.

Based on the past researches, there are a 60 percent of caregivers that joined the workforce last year where more than 50% of them are employed full-time. 49 years old is the average age of most care providers. The aforementioned age is considered as the highest point for incomes and career successes for most caregivers. Moreover, females are considered as the people who are more responsible in providing care than males.

However, based on The Aging of the Baby Boom and the Growing Care Gap: A Look at Future Declines in the Availability of Family Caregivers by Redfoot, Feinberg, and Houser, 20 years after 1990 is the period where boomers enters the caregiving stages resulting for the increase demand for caregivers. 2010 to 2030, moreover, will serve as a time for transition as the baby boomers become adults and the ratio of the caregivers falls. Lastly, the time from 2030 until 2050 contains the aged boomers probably ages from 80 and above. It will be the years that they become physically week and vulnerable to diseases. The need for caregivers is still expected to constantly decline on that period.

The prediction posted in World Economic Forum is in contrast to what is stated above. It shows how the fertility rate in the population is declining while the death toll among elders is rising. Hence, the need for caregivers for elderly suddenly burst out. Due to America’s good healthcare system, people who are 60 years old and up in this generation are doing better than those of the past. However, the estimate conducted by the American Association of Retired Persons states that almost 50% of the 65 year old individuals will be requiring some sort of a prolonged care. The mentioned long-term care might be provided by a stay-in caregiver, nursing home, or such.

There is also a predicted huge shortage of caregivers when the time comes. It cannot be denied that the salary will affect the workforce in this field and will contribute to the shortage. The average annual pay of caregivers is at $13,000; hence, making caregiving an unappealing and impractical job. Ten years from now, the shortage of over a hundred thousand of care providers for the adults and seniors will take place. In 2050, it is estimated that one in 5 seniors will be 60 years old and up; and, 80% of them will start to reside in nations that are low to middle income.

In conclusion, the future is really not something that we can see. These thorough predictions may come to life or not, all you have to do is to wait and see.

Things to Do to Make Your Camping Trip Worthwhile

Nature person or not, every person always has a heart to wander. Camping is one of the activities that spark excitement in the heart of each adventurer. Who wouldn’t want to take a breather and feel the essence of nature even for a short while? Moreover, camping is also considered as an activity that promotes recreation. It is done by going into an outdoor location, like mountains or lakes, and spending the night on a tent alone or with friends and friends.

With all these mess going on in the world, you really do deserve a quick escape. It cannot be denied that everything has become suffocating and hard, especially the adjustments to the new normal. Since the things and the system are gradually changing, you should give your life a pause even for just one day.

If camping has ever crossed your mind or if you want to cross camping out from your bucket list, then now is the time! But before everything else, provided below are the activities that you should consider doing to make the most out of your camping break.

Go sightseeing

In every camping trip, it is not only the heart and the mind that are being relaxed and satisfied. Your eyes also need to break free from stress and be filled with beautiful sceneries. Since most of the camping trips take place on locations that are surrounded by nature, make the most out of it and go sightseeing. You can bring your camera with you and take awesome pictures of the spots and document your recreation journey. This activity will surely make you reflect on yourself and see things in better perspectives afterward. Even in this advanced world, sightseeing is one of the things that are chosen by travel junkies and those people who want to relax. What are you waiting for? Do not let this opportunity go!

Try fishing and/or hunting

Fishing basically means the activity of catching fish while hunting pertains to the activity of catching wild animals for food. These two look simple, but there is really more to them than what is expected. When you are camping at lakeside, you should really try fishing. This will not only give you time to release the thoughts in your mind but will also help you increase your focus, patience, and perseverance; however, if you are camping on a site that on the mountains or forests then you can try hunting. It will help understand how the predator-prey relationship works, and will also make you see how abundant wildlife is. Moreover, these two activities are featured in Mike Honeycutt’s world travel book called World of Hunting and Fishing.

Light a bonfire

Who in the world goes camping without lighting up a bonfire? You see, making a bonfire is like the highlight of your camping experience! When the sun is still up, you can go and look for firewood but make sure to be vigilant on your surroundings. The moment that twilight comes; you can start creating fire and light up the site. Start unloading your camping bag and make dinner. You can cook those you have caught while hunting or fishing, but those that you’ve packed are good too! Make sure that you brought marshmallows so you can make smores. However, the fire is not only for cooking but also gives you the chance to not get cold, dry those clothes that got wet, and sing your favorite country or chilling songs.

Savor the wonderful view of the sky

When all everything is done, then the last and best activity to do before sleeping is stargazing! Get your picnic mat and position it where you can get a clear view of the night sky. It will surely relax you and will make you appreciate how truly wonderful the world is. The million twinkling stars that have formed into awesome constellations will bring out the real and unguarded you, without you knowing it. Apart from the stars, there is also another beautiful heavenly body present at night — which is the moon. You can definitely savor this moment and take advantage of this to think clearly and appreciate everything around you.

Promising Authors of Eye-Opening Books

Books are instrument of change. Although they are not the primary reason why readers pick them up and read, they still contain themes and elements that open the eyes of people to the truth. They were written for the primary purpose of expressing both beautiful and ugly experiences that the world needs to know and be aware. Hence, they do not just unload the burden and baggage but also tell the world stories filled with honesty and rawness.

However, these brilliant books wouldn’t exist if there were no talented people behind them. Authors are as important as novels, because they are the ones who have the guts to fill the world with meaningful fiction and nonfiction tales. They are also the people who are brave enough to speak up and create changes in the society by making everyone see the truth that is embracing the current world. That said, listed below are some of the promising authors of wonderful books that you should know.

Caroleann Rice

Bullying is an issue that has infiltrated the society ever since. There are just people who take delight in discriminating others because of their appearances, behaviors, disorders, races, and more. Many victims of bullying unfortunately developed serious mental issues.

Author Caroleann Rice tackled bullying in a new approach. With her children’s book The Ladybug and the Bully Frog, she is teaching her readers how it is important to stand up for themselves and stop bullying. Moreover, Rice finds joy in writing stories and bringing life to magnificent characters that send meaningful messages to readers, such as conquering struggles in life. Her wonderful journey through life has strengthened her, and this is one of the things that she also wants to inflict in her tales.

Byron Conner

Empty growling stomachs without food to satisfy the hunger is always one of the biggest problems in the world. It seems like the issue about famine or hunger has been repressed and replaced by another type of societal problem because there was no solution presented for it. Somewhere in the corners of the world, there are people who are sleeping with empty stomachs trying so hard not to feel the pain of not having something to eat.

Dr. Byron Conner is the author of the book The Face of Hunger: Reflections on a Famine in Ethiopia. He has documented in his book the things that he discovered during his missionary journey to Ethiopia along with his family. According to Dr. Conner in an excerpt in his book, “Our help was in fact needed in Ethiopia. There was hunger in the country, along with illness and a shortage of physicians.” He truly captured the issue that needs to be given attention.

Barbara Lyons Slade

There is nothing wrong with consuming food, but eating without discipline can become an issue. It has been said in the Bible the gluttony, which is defined as the act of overconsumption of food, is a sin. Hence, every person must break free from food addiction and self-indulgence not just to maintain their well-being but also to avoid committing a cardinal sin.

Barbara Lyons Slade is the author of the Prophetic Affirmations series, where Bread from Heaven is the latest addition to the series. Slade acquired her bachelor’s degree in theological studies from Van Nuys, California’s King’s College & Seminary. Her wonderful abilities paved the way for her to provide help to those in need. Moreover, Barbara also provides guidance to those people who are taking their spiritual path and helps them achieve and deliver their purposes.

Marianna Albritton

The spiritual health is one of the most important parts of a person’s well-being. However, it is often taken for granted. This is what Come Climb Toward God centers on. The book also raises proposition, such as the following: Are you hungry to develop a relationship with God?; Are you hungry to hear God speak to you?; Are you hungry to know God’s callings?; and Are you hungry to respond to God’s callings?

Author Marianna Albritton went to the Southeastern Junior College in Laurel, Mississippi. The school offered a Bible Study program that is worth 2 years and will be added to the standard 2-year college programs. Marianna’s experience in attending the Bible Study program provided her with a strong foundation for advanced bible study.

Independently Published Science Fiction Books to Add to Your Shelf

The literary world holds so much wonder than what is expected. It doesn’t only cater authors who are under the wing of big and small publishing companies, because it also creates a safe avenue for self-published authors. Although the publishing company can truly make an impact on the numbers, there are still many independently published books that have achieved success in their own little way. These self-published books belong to different literary genres, science fiction for example.

There have been thousands of sci-fi books sitting on the shelves of libraries, bookstores, and readers’ rooms. Most of them have succeed in different ways, such as topping bestselling lists, getting film adaptations, garnering book awards, and more. The success in this field is not just applicable for books published by remarkable publishing companies, but also for those self-published ones too. Hence, provided below are the amazing science fiction novels that are independently published by their brilliant authors.

The Martian by Andy Weir

Before it was taken under the wing of publishing companies, The Martian started as a bunch of exceptional story chapters which the author published in his blog. The wonders of this work of imagination were noticed by the public after Andy Weir tried to sell the book on Amazon at a very low price. Without him knowing it, his book The Martian has become the cream of the crop of science fiction after releasing it to the market. Later on, it was reprinted by Broadway Books in 2014 and was even adapted into film. It centers on Mark Watney who is among the first individuals to set foot on Mars. Watney, along with his crew, is about to experience the destruction of a dust storm. It almost took his life; but, another unfortunate thing happened to him. His crew evacuated Mars and left him because they thought that he died of the storm. Thus, he is left alone in a strange planet which is miles away from home. Would Mark Watney make it out Mars alive?

Wool by Hugh Howey

Hugh Howey is an indie author who opted to break free from small press contracts and decided to publish his works on his own. His works are commonly in the form of electronic books while there are also some printed ones, which he writes and publishes on his free time. Wool is a sci-fi work by Howey, where the first few chapters were released to the public via Kindle in 2011 for as low as $0.99. It is all about a group of humans who are residing underground in giant silos. Without Hugh Howey knowing it, the initial parts of Wool that were published skyrocketed and sold a thousand copies at the end of October that year. The following e-book portions of the story conquered the Amazon bestseller lists in different categories. Because of that, it was awarded with the Best Indie Book Award in the sci-fi/fantasy category by the Kindle Book Review in 2012. Wool was also contracted by Simon & Schuster and was reprinted in 2013.

The Final Day by Greg Van Arsdale

You probably have heard about The Genesis Project, which is a science fiction series that is composed of four books. The Final Day by Greg Van Arsdale is the fourth and last book that completes the series that was published independently on October 2019. The storytime jumped for 10 years in the future after the third book, End Game. It centers on the way the world ends from the views on the real and virtual realms. It has been told that the soul of Jack Lokitus was handed over to Logan’s spirit in the virtual realm. The situation in the real world opens when the sister of one of the antagonists named Lucia attempts to release his brother from being captured and trapped in the virtual realm. Hence, she must take down Mike LeGuerre to get her hands on John Neumann and retrieve the soul of her brother. The event in the virtual world, on the other hand, Jack Logan was already freed from prison. His desire to kill David has become an obsession, which led to the creation of a disaster.