The Damsel’s Files

The Importance of Fighting Against Terrorism

Terrorism refers to the intentional utilization of violence to form a bunch of cloud of fear in a community and to uplift a certain political or religious goal. It has been being executed by many political groups that contains both rightist and leftist goals, as well as by other important groups in the society — such as religious communities, nationalistic parties, armed forces, cops, and more. The term “terrorism” was coined by François-Noël Babeuf, a French philosopher, in the year 1794 when the French Revolution took place.

There are many types of terrorism and each differ on their methods of threat or violence used, the political systems, the states that they occur, and more. That said, the different kinds of terrorism include civil disorder, non-political terrorism, political terrorism, quasi-terrorism, state terrorism, etc. But regardless of what type of terrorism has occur or is taking place at any place in the world, it is really important to make fighting back against terrorism a priority. Do you want to know why countering terrorism is significant? Here’s why:

Maintains peace and order

There is already enough chaos in the world that an additional destruction is, indeed, unnecessary. When a group of people that aims to threaten the peace of a particular community or country appear, the general threat to the safety and tranquility of the certain location or population will also come into view. The shaking of a place’s peace and order can be prevented if people or the governing body will act immediately to counter the terrorism. It is advantageous for the people and the place to protect its tranquility before the threat becomes real because it will stop other disastrous events before it even happens.

Saves the lives of the innocent

Fighting back against terrorism helps saving the lives of the innocent people. The intentional threat or violence raised by terrorists can grow stronger as time goes by, and it cannot be avoided. What makes it scary for the public is the extremity of the possible mayhem that will take place. Those people who live peacefully and who are enjoying the comfort of their homes can become victims of attacks that they didn’t wish for. They can become the collateral damages to the chaos brought by terrorists. The thought that people may die without knowing where they went wrong and why they were killed is already heartbreaking, how much more if this thought becomes real? That is why counter terrorism is truly important so that everyone can sleep soundly and comfortably knowing that they can still look forward to a better and safer tomorrow.

Prevents violence and bloodshed

Violence may result to the shedding of blood. A terrorist attack is as scary as watching a war movie where people fight, strive, and die. When chaos strikes in a particular place, violence and bloodshed will follow. A lot of armed men will appear, not just those forces trained by the government to protect the country and its people but also those guys who aim to achieve their goals by attacking a community or a state. Streets will become a battlefield and houses — and even people, will become shields. Clouds of desperation to win will appear and when the desperation becomes heavier, it will rain some bullets and will flood the area will blood. There are only two options, to win or to lose. But the question is who will win? That is why terrorists must be fought and eliminated for the greater good of the people.

Erases fear of losing lives

Countering terrorism eradicates the immense fear of one’s safety and security. With people knowing that there is no threat to their lives, they will become more confident to continue what they have started and aspire for more. There is nothing more wonderful than living a life that is free from violence even you already experienced its ups and downs. It is because the fear of losing one’s life is one of the biggest fears a person has, in other words death. Without terrorist attacks or terrorism threats, people will not get crazy overthinking about how they can continue living their lives or how they can be safe from the incoming chaos in their community.

The terms “terrorism” and “terrorists” are two of the most feared words. The fear that arouses is not the same as fearing of the unknown but it is something like being scared of losing your, and your loved ones’, life. Images that are close to war and chaos will appear into people’s mind making them agitated on what’s about to come and that makes it worse for they can no longer find the calm before the storm. What’s left for them are wishful thinking and strong desire that the violent attacks will never happen and that there will be someone that can protect them, that’s why fighting against terrorism must be given enough attention.

The Importance of God’s Truth

Have you ever wondered what truth is? There are quite a lot of definitions of it that you can look up, but have the thought of what is the essence if truth ever crossed your mind? Is truth really necessary in living a good life?

Let’s start by defining truth. Truth is the term used pertaining to being in agreement with reality, being against falseness that recommends a rational, factual, and upright definition, and the devotion to authenticity.

But God’s truth is the thing that will keep you going no matter how big and strong the storm life bestow upon you. It is the words that will help you continue to believe in regardless of how the circumstances shake you up and push you to the edge.

Finding His truth can be a little too difficult for there will be a lot of questions that will randomly pop up in your mind. Also, there will be times that you will doubt yourself and the decisions that you’ve made. These uncertainties may eat you up and might stray you away from your path. But whatever it takes, you must get back up and follow the path that you’ve chosen for this His truth are the words that you chose to believe in and live by.

The significance of living with your God’s truth is as important as breathing fresh air. There will be no breathing difficulties or poisons that will infiltrate your life — if there are, you can definitely fight back for you have something to fight for and prove. Do not be deceived and get swayed by the words of others, instead stand by His words and ask His guidance. All you need to do is to remember that He is with you and will light your way all throughout.

When it seems like the world is conspiring against you and proving you wrong, do not be shaken up and have faith on what you believe in. Also, do not forget that God is with you every step of the way. Instill in your mind the word of the Lord, specifically John 14:6 that state “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” Live with His words and with that, nothing difficult that comes your way will ever destroy you for you are guided by Him.

Living in a world full of temptations and hardships can make you doubt everything that you do. There will be plenty of moments when you’ll just raise your eyebrows on the lemons that life throws at your or you will take a deep sigh for you no longer know what to do. There will also be a lot of deceptions and betrayals that will surprise you along the way; but, fear not because at the end of the day what matters are your resiliency, faith, and strength.

It is crucial that you hold on to it while you journey through life for it is what defines you. God’s voice, words, and truth are amongst the things that people need for survival, along with the light and path that He provides. Start and continue your voyage with the words that you put your faith and hopes on but do not forget that God is still the master of the ship. He will be the one to steer the wheel, all you have to do is trust His ways and absoluteness.

Moreover, there are a lot of means that will help you discover how important His truth is in this life full love, hope, and happiness but also full of temptations, evils, and sadness. Some great examples of it are books, specifically Christian books. What makes these books special is the words are not some pigment of the authors’ imaginations; instead they are well-written, meticulously crafted, and diverse. A couple of these books are product of the life experiences of the authors, which created a great impact on their way of living and the strength of their faith.

Betsy Fritcha’s book, for example, called the Apocalypse Here and Now! Are You Ready? It is a novel that centers on God who is the real Voice of Truth. It do not only showcases how God is love and truth but also about how people tend to focus on the voices surrounding them including their own which influences everything they do. This book aims to magnet everyone’s attention and leads them closer to God, who is known as the ONE VOICE of TRUTH.

God’s truth is your truth, so do not be influenced by the earthly things around you. According to the excerpt of Apocalypes Here and Now! Are You Ready? by Betsy Fritcha, “My own searching heart pursued TRUTH to find an answer. I hope that what I have discovered will assist you in making your own decision. The following pages in this book disclose what GOD made known to me. I based my own personal journey on The Bible where the true answers for life are found.”

Poetry in Motion: 4 Amazing and Inspiring Spoken Word Poets

Poetry is the art of expression that puts words together to create an aesthetic and meaningful whole. There are plenty of wonderful poems and poetry books that exist in different books stores worldwide, examples of the latter is The Princess Saves Herself in This One by Amanda Lovelace and Poetry in Motion Quattlebaum book or the first poetry novel of Raymond Quattlebaum. This craft can either be written or performed. The latter is called spoken word, which refers to the literary presentation based upon the crafted words. Additionally, it is a verbal art that centers on the beauty of word play, like the enunciation, diction, pronunciation, voice inflection, and more. It is not just about merely reading a well-constructed poem out loud but is also about giving life to the words written on the paper.

Spoken word caters all types of poems, metered, rhyming, free-verse, and more. It also embraces poetry readings, slam poetry, jazz poetry, and others. What sets spoken word apart from written poetry is the way it delivers the poem and the beauty of the sound that it utilizes. This kind of literary performance has been crafted by many outstanding poets that have been bringing a lot of pride and honor to this art of giving life to words. Listed below are the remarkable and extraordinary spoken word poets that you should get to know:

Sarah Kay

Nobody knew that the baby girl born on June 19, 1988 in New York City, New York will grow up to be a prominent and outstanding poet. She is the offspring of a Japanese American and Jewish American parents. Sarah Kay graduated from Brown University, where she earned her Masters of Arts in teaching. She also went to Grinnell College to acquire her honorary doctorate in humane letter, which she successfully achieved. She began her spoken word journey when she was 14 years old. Her first performance was a poetry slam in the East Village at the Bowery Poetry Club. Sarah’s spoken word journey streamed successfully. In such a young age, she already competed in the National Poetry Slam. In the year 20014, she founded and co-directed a program called Project Voice. Moreover, Sarah also performed in HBO’s Def Poetry Jam, Tribeca Film Festival, *spark!, TED conference, and more. She wrote multiple poems and has published plenty of poetry books, which she presented in different events.

Phil Kaye

Phil Kaye is the son of a Jewish-American father and a Japanese mother. He was born in America, specifically California, but has stayed true to his Japanese and Jewish roots. Before he exceeded the age of 5, he spoke nearly full Japanese. However, it was altered when he started attending kindergarten. He started to learn and master the art of spoken word when he was 17. He went to Brown University for college and took interest in the poetry club. Phil was chosen to compete for the National Poetry Slams and successfully made it to the finals. Moreover, college is one of the gate-opener for Kaye’s spoken word career for that is where she met Sarah Kay and they decided to collaborate and do performances together. He is also a co-director of Sarah Kay’s Project VOICE. Phil also has written many poems and published notable poetry books, such as Date & Time, Repetition, and more. Aside from being a poet, he is also a filmmaker and a former educator of poetry workshops in maximum security jails every week.

Olivia Gatwood

Born in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Olivia Gatwood is a 28-year-old American writer, poet, and advocate. She was born on February 23, 1992 from parents Jill and Byron Gatwood. She began falling in love with the art of poetry when she was 11 years old and was at the Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago. It was first an influence of a librarian but Gatwood developed a strong interest in this type of literature. She utilized poetry in order to let out her emotions and express her views about coming of age. In 2015, Olivia finished the fiction program from the Pratt Institute. Moreover, she is a strong advocate and teacher of significant topics, such as adolescence, adulthood, feminism, gender-based violence, and more. She always brings out the best in women through her ability to write and perform. She has already become a finalist in three of the most notable poetry competitions, such as the Women of the World, National Poetry Slam, and Brave New Voices. Gatwood also had the chance to perform in plenty of television platform, like HBO, MTV, BBC, and more. Her works has been also showcase in different review pages and journalism platforms.

Suli Breaks

Suli Breaks or Darryll Suliaman Amoako was born on January 22, 1988 in Wood Green, London, England. He is the middle of the three offspring of Ghanaian parents. He described his family as a traditional African family where the primary focus is education. Suli Breaks briefly attended Enfield Grammar School because he received a basketball scholarship from Middlesbrough. He acquired his law degree from the University of Sheffield. His spoken word journey started in 2008 when he first got on stage to perform. He was recognized for his amazing spoken word performance in these videos: Why I Hate School but Love Education (2012) and I Will Not Let an Exam Result Decide My Fate (2013). Suli was featured in different programs in TV, such as The Voice, Aspire Talent, Corner Shop Show, and more. He also presented a talk on Tedx. He also owned a Youtube channel where he garnered more than 8 million views and 320 thousand subscribers.

The Bittersweet Journey: 4 Touching Coming-of-Age Stories

Coming-of-age is a popular genre in both film and literature. Both industries showcase the stories of teenagers that are on their quest to discover themselves and other things in between. Sometimes film and literature would fuse and would produce movies based on coming-of-age books. Examples of these book adaptation films are All the Bright Places (2020), Love, Simon (2018), The Spectacular Now (2013), Everything, Everything (2017), and more.

Furthermore, coming-of-age are stories that centers on the development of the main characters form their youths to adulthoods. These tales try to highlight either the dialogue or inner monologue than action. Most coming-of-age books take place in the past or present. In order for the latter to work, flashbacks are used that are usually told by the narrator or the protagonist. The common central messages that these tales depict are loss of innocence, gaining of wisdom, seeing the world clearly as it is, socialization, maturity, self-development, and more.

There are also other themes that this type of stories showcases; some of these themes are deep and dark, such as mental health issues, abuse, substances, suicide, and more. Literature is one of the best platforms that lay down exceptional and motivating tales about people that are transitioning from their youths to their adulthoods. That said, here are some outstanding fictional coming-of-age books that you should check out!

The Perks of Being a Wallflower

Published by Pocket Books in 1999, The Perks of Being a Wallflower is a young adult fiction book that tells about the coming of age story of 15-year-old boy named Charlie. The content is in a form of letters in which Charlie wrote to a recipient whom he called “Friend.” The story takes place in early 1990s and focuses on Charlie who is observant introvert and how he experienced his first year as a high school student. The book emphasizes the unusual method of thinking that the protagonist have as he steers in the middle of the worlds of adolescence and manhood. It also tackles things that are of heavy weight, such as substance usage, rape, sexuality, and mental health issue. Because of the wonder of this book, it was adapted into film with the same title starring Logan Lerman, Emma Watson, and Ezra Miller. It also became one of the bestselling books worldwide and garnered multiple responses, both positive and negative.

Strong Boy, Weak Man

This coming-of-age novel written by Earl Robert Key was republished by ReadersMagnet LLC last July 20, 2019. Strong Boy, Weak Man is a fictional story that follows Michael DeAngelo Nicholas and how he ventures through life from being a little boy to a full-grown man. It revolves around the childhood experiences of the protagonist and his journey to manhood. His tale also tries to uncover the poverty-driven civilization of the periods in the countryside of Mississippi and at the same time bustling to hold a better way of life in the alluring and dynamic Memphis, Tennessee. Nicholas also shares not just the wonderful things that happened in his life but also the ugly things that rocked their family, such as the difficulties and disappointments. However, the lemons that life has thrown to his family are one of the reasons why they started to achieve a happy ending. Thus, Strong Boy, Weak Man is a novel that will show you how motivation, thirst, and perseverance a man have during the darkest and hardest times in his life.

Looking for Alaska

Looking for Alaska is a young adult fiction and coming-of-age debut novel written by one of the most notable YA author, John Green. It was published in 2005 by the Dutton Juvenile and is available in both paperback and hardback. The cover of the book was illustrated by Nolan Gadient. The story follows a teenager named Miles Halter, who is also the narrator of the story, and how he managed being in a boarding school to look for the “Great Perhaps” — which is François Rabelais’ last words. Miles is fond of reading and memorizing the last words of famous people. Moreover, he started attending the boarding school and made friends with his roommate named Chip, also known as The Colonel. Miles was nicknamed Pudge by Chip and was introduced to Alaska Young, and Takumi Hikohito, which later on he befriended. The story progresses and Pudge is starting to fall in love with Alaska. One night, Alaska rushed to get out of the school and never came back. That is when Miles and his other friends begin their quest to put together the missing pieces pertaining to Alaska’s sudden death.

The Secret Life of Bees

The Secret Life of Bees was published in November 08, 2001 and is authored by Sue Monk Kidd. It was set in fictional town in South Carolina in the year 1964. The book revolves around the life of a young white girl named Lily Melissa Owens. It is all about loss, deception, and betrayal. At a young age, Lily lived without a mother for her mom was killed one afternoon. That memory still haunts her although she now unclearly remembers the events. She lives together with his father, who is abusive, and their housemaid, who acts as her mother. The tale started when the 14-year-old protagonist found bees in her room. Furthermore, the book was a success and has garnered the 2004 Book Sense Book of the Year Award. It also made its way to The New York Time bestseller list and became a nominee for the Orange Broadband Prize for Fiction.

Four Inspiring Poetry Books from the Modern & Postmodern Periods of Literature

Poetry is an essential part of literature. It is one of the greatest corners of the literary realm that showcases both inspiring and heartbreaking works. This type of writing already existed from the prehistoric period until today. The use of figurative language, aesthetics, imagery, symbolism, rhyme, meter, and other literary devices are the agents that make people fall in love into this craft.

There is just so much meaning found in such small number of words. Thus, making this form of literature one of the most intricate yet beautiful. A lot of poems, anthologies, and poetry books have been topping the bestseller charts, making noise in the digital platform, and have been moving the lives of the readers ever since they have been released and set out for the public.

Since poetry is one of the major forms and most effective forms of literature, here are some inspiring books of poetry that have been the pride of their corresponding literary periods.

MODERN

You Get So Alone at Times That It Just Makes Sense by Charles Bukowski

Originally published in the year 1986, You Get So Alone at Times That It Just Makes Sense is part of Charles Bukowski’s wonderful poetry collection. This German-American poet and author is well-known for his great contribution to literature, as well as his interesting biography. Most of his written works have created a great impact on the society, culture, and economy of the city which he called home, Los Angeles. Moreover, You Get So Alone at Times That It Just Makes Sense evaluates cats and his experiences during his childhood — since he was known to be a socially withdrawn kid with an abusive father. This book has uncovered Bukowski’s soft and vulnerable side and how he search through his boyhood and examine its outcome.

Ariel by Sylvia Plath

Ariel is an anthology of poems authored by renowned author and poet Sylvia Plath. In fact, it is her second poetry book. It was first published two years after she took her own life — which is 1965. Aside from poems, the book also contains various illustrations. Ted Hughes played a big role in the production of this anthology because he modified the selection and arrangement of Sylvia Plath through releasing a dozen of her works then adding another dozen after a couple of months while changing the arrangements of the pieces. The original version contained a total of 43 poems in which were dropped by Hughes, as well as an additional 13 masterpieces from the dead author’s manuscript. Examples of the latter are Barren Woman, Magi, and Stopped Dead, while examples of the former are Medusa, Letter in November, and Nick and the Candlestick.

POSTMODERN

The Sun and Her Flowers by Rupi Kaur

The Sun and Her Flowers is the second poetry book of Rupi Kaur following Milk and Honey. It was published by Andrews McMeel Publishing last October 3, 2017. This anthology also contains illustrations aside from words. The title was derived from the author’s affection towards the method of how sunflowers adores with the sun, the way these flowers blossom with the biggest star in the cosmos, and how sunflowers tag along with the sun everywhere. Furthermore, The Sun and Her Flowers were split into 5 different parts. These parts represent a flower’s life cycle; thus, the chapters are respectively titled Wilting, Falling, Rooting, Rising, and Blooming. The book is all about love, life, and relationship. There are also a lot of imagery and symbolism. The title for example, the sunflowers symbolizes all the bonds and connections a person has created all through his or her life while the sun may symbolize a woman. Also, each chapter of the book showcases different types of issues, such as love and loss, abuse and trauma, mending, and the body and womanhood.

The Color of Love by Raymond Quattlebaum

Published last March 16, 2018 by the AuthorHouse, The Color of Love by Raymond Quattlebaum is a 50-paged heartwarming poetry book. Quattlebaum, an African-American author, has been in love with poetry since he was still at a young age. In fact, The Color of Love is his second poetry book preceded by Poetry In Motion. Moreover, this book represents an unending movement of an inexpressible wonder, the real meaning and nature of God, and the Lord’s testimony and gospel to life. It also talks about life where everyone must push themselves to be better for nobody knows how far a person can go by following the path that he or she takes. The Color of Love also showcases how movement becomes one of the cores of life. This book will definitely bring the readers to and from an adventuresome trip and will make them fully comprehend and see the beauty of poetry from another angle.

How to Become an Efficient Caregiver to Your Loved One

Some says that the most effective caregivers are those who are directly related to the one that needs nurturing. Somehow, it makes sense for a direct family member already knows all the things that the person likes and dislikes. Being a sole caregiver for a loved one can be a little bit easier for you will not need to put an extra effort on socializing in order to get to know that person that you need to take care. The knowledge of what the person that you will be giving care enjoys, needs, and wants is already an advantage.

However, this doesn’t mean that there will be no rocks on the road. People who are suffering from a disease or disorder, as well as those who are of old age or disabled can easily become irate or stubborn. There are instances that they will argue with you, which makes your tasks harder, but always implant in your mind that you need to provide them with care and not with talk backs and stubbornness. Caregiving is, indeed, one of the toughest jobs. It is not the same as providing an excellent customer service for your so called “customers” are more vulnerable and fragile.

Moreover, if you want to be a better caregiver to your loved one, you are on the right page! Listed below are some tips on how to become an effective caregiver everyone with the same responsibilities as you must know:

Let them feel nurtured and loved

Providing care to your immediate family member means that you have to devote your time and attention to that person in order for him or her to feel nurtured. You need to let them know that they are not suffering alone. Constantly being there, aside from assisting them, is one of the best things a caregiver can offer. As time goes by, you will gradually develop a feeling of affection — not romantically, to the person that you are caring and he or she will too. This will strengthen your bond together and will definitely make the job so much easier. It is because the person that you are attending will not feel lonely and alone anymore, resulting to them becoming more energetic and cheerful.

Show your sincerity

Sincerity is a necessity in caregiving. You need to show him or her your genuine care so that he or she will feel a little less unburdened and happier. There will be a lot of instances where you will start to feel uncertain about the path that you are taking and would definitely trade everything to get rid of the weight of the responsibilities in your hands. However, these hardships will slowly disappear if you begin to love your work and sincerely to your duties. Feeding, bathing, and assisting your family member that needs assistance can become enjoyable and not daunting if you start to work genuinely and stop measuring the amount of resources that you have given him or her.

Introduce new and fun things

Introducing your patient with something new can make both of your days brighter, more productive, and less boring. Since you have a daily routine to follow, such as assisting in taking medicines, feeding, bathing, helping them move, keeping their surroundings clean, and more, you need to look for insertions or ice breakers so that he or she will have something to look forward to every day. These can “new and fun things” can be activities that will boost both of your creativity and resourcefulness. Examples of the mentioned things are scrapbooking, painting, sketching, DIYs, stitching, embroidering, and more. However, it can also be chilling activities — such watching movies, listening to music, singing our favorite songs, drinking healthy but tasty drinks, and more. These things will help both of you overcome weariness and make every day the best day of your lives.

Take care of yourself too

There will be many things that you have to sacrifice if you enter the caregiving world. Caregiving may pertain to the need of putting your full effort and attention on taking care of someone who is going through some changes of their normal lives or are experiencing the signs of aging. It can also mean that you have to compromise some of your time for yourself in order to fulfill your duties as a caregiver. Since the person that you are taking care is your loved one, you have to make sure that you are giving the best service that you can to maintain their health and make them better. However, do not be so hard on yourself. Do not forget that you also need to be nurtured and loved; but, do not look for care and affection from others for the best person who can provide them for you is yourself.

The Passion for Writing Featuring Author Attilio Guardo

Just last year, author Attilio Guardo published two books under the self-publishing house ReadersMagnet: “The Other Side of Love” and “The Miracle of Wendy Whimple.” The former has been described as a “dramatic revenge fantasy” while the latter is a middle-grade storybook.

Attilio Guardo manifested his love for writing at an early age. When he was 9 years old, he wrote a 55-page novel titled “Three Ways”. Two years later, he wrote a play which was performed in his backyard. Graduating from the University of Hartford with a BS Degree in General Business Management, he then enlisted in the United States Army. Upon leaving the military and becoming employed in the accounting and management profession, he did a brave thing: he married a divorced woman who had six children. He was married for forty-one years before his wife passed away in 2016.

Hand, Writing, Pen, People, Author, Note, Study, Memo

“The Other Side of Love” tells of Conrad Arlington Hill, a self-centered man who seeks revenge upon Abigail McCloud, who dumped him due to his drinking and self-serving attitude. He convinces Ed McDowell, an old army buddy and aspiring actor, to date Abigail in jest and then dump her once she’s fallen in love. However, Ed falls in love with her, and this enrages Conrad who eventually turns on them both.

When Conrad Arlington Hill is suddenly dumped by his girlfriend, Abigail McCloud, he suffers irreparable hurt. So much that he conspires with his friend Ed to seek revenge on Abigail. His plan fails however, when Ed and Abigail manifest a love for each other. Conrad, whose body is now ravaged and consumed with hatred, goes on a mission of relentless revenge. He employs an underworld figure to force Ed to abandon Abigail and never see her again. Abigail is so distraught with Ed’s departure she needs a two-month stay in a mental institution to recover.

He becomes energized to take on his new victim, Erica Hollis, who is an old high school friend. However, before he gets too involved, Penney Hennessey causes some light damage to Conrad’s car. He immediately sees her as the perfect candidate to take out his revenge.

Penney is frail, homely and vulnerable. Conrad showers her with gifts, dinning out in class and literally placing her on a pedestal. When she is convinced he truly loves her, he tells her he cannot see her anymore. She is so heartbroken and being a tragic victim of betrayal, she takes her own life.

Conrad is now ready to continue his friendship with Erica Hollis. In so doing, he starts having feelings for her that quickly become all too real. After having a history of being involved with beauty pageantry, Erica’s trip back home from one consumes her life in a car accident.

Remorseful and regretful for all the grief and pain he caused people, he calls Debbie Hollis, Erica’s sister. They decide to start a friendship, making Conrad decide one thing for certain – he wants to return from the other side of love and the emotional roller coaster he was on and find love again.

Schingler of Foreword Reviews takes note on the development of Guardo’s characters in The Other Side of Love, labeling Conrad “a melodramatic lead, prone to tempestuous fits of feeling,” Abigail as “silly and pliable,” and Ed as “an affable dupe.” Her book review of the novel also revolves around Conrad’s behavior around women, which she finds “off-putting,” and the romantic subplots.

BlueInk Review’s analysis of the book focuses more on the plot, noting that “the mix of characters and action keep readers engaged.”

“The Miracle of Wendy Whimple” tells the tale of Wendy, a 9-year-old girl with a physical disability, plus the power to heal sickly animals and even bring them back to life. Wendy was born with a twisted, shorter left leg. Unloved by her mother, she is taken in by her aunt and uncle.

Wendy receives the gift of healing after encountering a mysterious ball of light that calls itself the Guardian of affliction. She tries to hide her gift but the Pullo brothers, who delight in shooting and killing songbirds, find out about it. When one of the brothers loses the sight in one eye during a hunting accident, he begs Wendy to heal him, only to find out that she can’t heal humans. Enraged, he plans to exact revenge on her.

Kirkus Reviews finds the character of Wendy to be “immensely likable” and “generally upbeat throughout” and the prose “simple and concise.” The book review publication also notices a symptom of mental illness in Wendy’s mother and somewhat highlights what one’s flawed concept of perfection can do to people like Wendy.

Despite a few imperfections, Kirkus Reviews finds the book to be “a winsome story” and the ending “pleasant.”

A few of Attilio Guardo’s grandchildren inspired him to write children books. They loved his short stories. Engulfed in earning a living, he completed two rough manuscripts. They sat in his file cabinet for some years until he decided it was time to submit one for publication. It was in 2004 that he finally published his first novel, A Special Time in Clear Creek. A year later, he published a sequel to his first book Halloween at Clear Creek. He eventually focused on a children’s book which title, The Bald Eagle Who Wanted to Fly the American Flag, came to him one morning out of the air while he was taking a shower. Though he considers it to be a children’s book, several adults love it and have enjoyed it immensely.

If he had the chance to start his life over, he would pursue vigorously a career in the field of writing. He would also spend a great deal of his time in the world of art, painting with oil and watercolor.

Four Inspiring Authors of Novels with Animal Protagonists

Literature is a widely complex world. There are many genres that exist, which contains the finest literary works. Sometimes these categories become a little too similar to each other. It is because some stories have the same aspects as the other, as well as plenty of books fall into two or more classification. Fable and fiction for example, the most notable trait of fable are its usage of animals, inanimate objects, and nonliving characters; but, fiction also utilizes these beings or things in its text. Both genres are also pigment of the writer’s imagination that is why one can be confused for the other.

There have been many literary pieces that showcases courageous and amazing animals as protagonists. Examples of well-known animal characters in the literary word are Babe, Marley, Stuart Little, Baloo, and more. At some point in the lives of reader’s they have become their superheroes or role models for they represent and live up to different life values. They also bring something new to the table because most literary works showcase strong male and female human characters; thus, making literature more engaging avenue for learning and entertainment. Moreover, listed below are the promising authors of fiction novels with amazing animal main characters that you might not miss checking out.

Lynda Hamblen

Lynda Hamblen is the author of the novel called William and Tibby Forever. Her book is all about two cats named William and Tibby. These cats lived together and always got each other’s back. They were partners in everything; however, their peaceful living was shook after William unfortunately died. William continued his quests in heaven while Tibby was left grieving but had no choice other than continue his life without William by his side. Hamblen wrote this heartwarming novel after realizing that she has been living a happy life along with cats. She took inspiration from these canines and began writing a book pertaining a cat’s perception about life, heaven, and forever. Moreover, Lynda is currently residing in a small gray house found on top of a hill that is in a farm just outside Union City, Tennessee. She lives there along with her husband and her cat named Elvira. Aside from being a novelist, she is also an excellent poet and essayist.

Yann Martel

Yann Martel is a successful Spanish-born Canadian novelist. He was born in Salamanca, Spain on June 25, 1963 with parents Nicole Perron and Émile Martel. He is the promising author of many books including The Life of Pi, Beatrice and Virgil, and The High Mountains of Portugal. He attended Trent University and is currently residing in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. The Life of Pi is one of Martel’s successful books. It has sold 12 million and more copies all over the world and has conquered The New York Times, The Globe and Mail, and other bestselling lists for more than one year. The Life of Pi continued its success for it has been the recipient of the Man Booker Prize award and was even adapted into film with the same title. The film that was based on Martel’s book was directed by Ang Lee and has swept four Oscars awards and won the Best Original Score of the Golden Globe Award.

Kate DiCamillo

Katrnina Elizabeth DiCamillo, also known as Kate DiCamillo, is an accomplished novelist born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on March 25, 1964. Her books are commonly under children’s fiction but are intended for all reading levels. She was awarded with two Newberry Medals for her books The Tale of Despereaux and Flora & Ulysses. DiCamillo’s success in the literary world has become greater for she was given more recognition for writing heartwarming books. Some of the awards given to DiCamillo are the 2000 Jossette Frank Award for her book Because of Winn-Dixie, 1998 McKnight Artist Fellowship for Writers, 2019 Regina Medal, and more. Moreover, the Library of Congress appointed her to be the U.S National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature. Her term began in 2014 and ended in 2015.

Fred Gipson

Frederick Benjamin Gipson, popularly known as Fred Gipson, is an established author. He was born on February 7, 1908 on a farm close to Mason in the Texas Hill Country. His parents are Beck Gipson and Emma Deishler. Having born in a farm, Gipson has done a lot of jobs that revolve around farming and ranching. In the year 1933, he decided to enroll himself in the University of Texas. That was the time he began writing his pieces called Daily Texan and The Ranger; however, he was unable to graduate for he left the university to be a news journalist. One of his well-known book is the Old Yeller, which was awarded with the Newberry honor. The book was also adapted in film by Walt Disney Studios in the year 1957. The novel was set in Texas Hill Country during the 1860s right after American Civil War happened. The story follows a 14-year-old Travis Coates and a stray dog Old Yeller.

4 Movies that Will Inspire You to Build a Stronger Bond with God

The film industry is broad and complex. There are many aspects that completes to it that are hard to comprehend, especially for those who are not film enthusiasts. One of the factors that contributes to the wonderful whole of this industry are the genre. This is where the classification of each movie is found, which makes it more convenient for the audience to locate a movie that they desire to watch. Comedy, tragedy, horror, suspense, and thriller are some of the common movie genres.

Moreover, the movie industry has also touched the Christian realm like how literature transcended into their world forming Christian literature. There have also been many Christian films that were successfully produced, as well as various Christian books that were published. Examples of the latter are In the Shadow of God’s Love by Leelia Cornell and Apostasy Can Lead a Nation to Self-destruct: Will America Mend Its Ways and Return to God? by Philip Wittig. For the former, on the other hand, we have listed the finest films that are depicting Christian faith and values for you to check out; so, please see the list below:

God’s Not Dead (2014)

God’s Not Dead is a 2014 film that stars Kevin Sorbo, Shane Harper, David A. R. White, and Dean Cain. It was directed by Harold Cronk based on the book of Rice Broocks that has the same title as the film. It was under the production companies Greg Jenkins Productions, Pure Fix Entertainment, nad Red Entertainment Group while it was distributed by Freestyle Releasing and Pre Fix Entertainment. The movie centers on a Christian woman who is currently in college and how her faith has been constantly disputed by her philosophy professor who is an atheist and stated that God is a pre-scientific work of imagination. It displays the evangelistic narrative of presumed oppression of Christians in the US. Although this movie received a lot of bad reviews, it still earned more than $60 million with a budget of $2 million.

Breakthrough (2019)

Breakthrough is a Christian drama movie released on March 20, 2019 in St. Louis, Missouri and on April 17, 2019 in the United States. This is the film adaptation of Joyce Smith and Ginger Kolbaba’s book called The Impossible. Directed by Roxann Dawson and distributed by 20^th Century Fox, this film has grossed $50.5 million on a budget of $14 million. It starred Chrissy Metz, Josh Lucas, Topher Grace, Mike Colter, Marcel Ruiz, Sam Trammell, and Dennis Haysbert. The movie follows a teenager that lives in St. Louis who had gotten into an accident. In January of 2015, the teenager suddenly has fallen into an icy lake and was revived not until 15 minutes underwater. Even though he was being saved, he had still gotten comatose. That is why his family had no other choice but to strengthen their faith.

Heaven is for Real (2014)

Heaven is for Real is a film directed by Randall Wallace and was distributed by Sony Pictures Entertainment and Affirm Films. It was based on the novel Heaven Is for Real by Todd Burpo and Lynn Vincent. This movie was released last April 16, 2014 and it starred Greg Kinnear, Kelly Reilly, Connor Corum, Margo Martindale, and Thomas Haden Church. It centers on a four-year-old boy named Colton Burpo who is a son of a pastor. His dad serves in the Crossroads Wesleyan Church in Nebraska. The little boy had an emergency surgery and that is when he said that he had gone through heaven during the operation. He told his experiences to his family in a detailed manner, like watching the doctor doing his surgery, his mother encouraging others to pray, his father shouting at the Lord to save him, and other circumstances that he witnessed during his life and death situation. Because of the beauty of the film, it has earned a total of $101.3 million from a budget of $12 million. It was also nominated in the Teen Choice Awards as the Choice Movie: Drama and People’s Choice Awards as the Favorite Dramatic Movie.

I Still Believe (2020)

I Still Believe was recently distributed by Lionsgate and was released last March 7 in ArcLight Hollywood and in March 13 in the US. It is a Christian musical romantic drama movie that starred KJ Apa, Britt Robertson, Melissa Roxburgh, Nathan Parsons, Shania Twain, and Gary Sinise. This was based on the novel by Jeremy Camp with the same title as the film. The story revolves around a college boy named Jeremy who is headed to Calvary Chapel College in California. As he arrived in his new school, he immediately went to a concert of the Kry, a Canadian Christian band. That is where he met two important characters in his life, the lead singer Jean-Luc LaJoie and a fellow student Melissa Henning. As the story moved forward, the protagonist and Melissa began dating; however, their relationship didn’t last for Melissa ended things with Jeremy. A couple of days after Christmas, Jean-Luc called Jeremy informing him that Melissa is sick and requested him to go back to Cali. That is when he discovered that Melissa has a Stage 3C liver cancer.

4 Worship Songs that Will Strengthen Your Faith in Him

Christian music is the type of music that is created for the intent of expressing the belief of a person or a community towards life and faith as a Christian. It has many genres, such as contemporary Christian music, Christmas music, church music, gospel music, and liturgical music. Each mentioned categories vary on their purposes and the events that they are played. Moreover, the usual underlying messages most Christian songs are praise, glorify, repentance, and lament.

This kind of music is an integral portion of the series on Christian culture. The other part of the said culture includes music, art, science, history, and literature. That is why there are various works of art and products of faith that are existing all around the world and in different industry. Take literature for instance, it has produced plenty of literary pieces about faith and God that have been patronized by Christians. Examples of inspiring outputs of Christian literature are the Holy Bible, The Purpose Driven Life authored by Rick Warren, Mere Christianity written by C.S. Lewis, Come Climb Toward God: Are you Hungry for God? by Marianna Albritton, and In the Shadow of God’s Love a book by Leelia Cornell.

Furthermore, Christian music has been a crucial part in the lives of Christians for it is not only written and performed for the purpose of entertainment but also for worshipping and aesthetic enjoyment. Christian songs have been widely listened to by people who wants to calm their minds, get reassurance, be closer to God, and desire to build a stronger faith. That is why this type of music has always been present in different music streaming applications and in various online platforms. So, if you want to constantly remind yourself that the Lord is with you at all times and you desire to praise Him, you’re your headphones or speakers and check out the worship songs listed below!

Jesus Take the Wheel by Carrie Underwood

Jesus Take the Wheel is a 2005 song released on October 03, 2005. It was the first single by Carrie Underwood in her album called Some Hearts. This piece was written by Brett James, Hillary Lindsey, and Gordie Sampson and had fallen into two genres, which is the country and Christian country. It talks about a lady who is in an emergency and is asking Jesus for aid by putting everything in Him and letting Him to be in control. This song had made to the Hot Country Songs chart of Billboard and remained at the top of for six weeks. It also conquered the Hot Christian Songs chart of Billboard by ranking 4^th and made it to Billboard’s Adult Contemporary and Hot 100 charts. It also won the Best Female Country vocal Performance and Best Country Song awards in the Grammy Awards while it was the recipient of the Single of the Year award of the 2005 Academy of Country Music Awards.

Broken Vessels (Amazing Grace) by Hillsong United

Broken Vessels (Amazing Grace) is the third track of the standard version of Hillsong Worship’s album called No Other Name. It was released last June 27, 2014 along with the 10 tracks in Australia in New Zealand and all across the globe on July 1 of the same year. The song was written by Joel Houston and Jonas Myrin and has fallen into the CWM or contemporary worship music. Broken Vessels (Amazing Grace) is a song that glorifies Jesus. It sends a message to people that there is no other person goes beyond Him. In this song, Jesus is showcased to be everything, such as hope, liberty, success, and more. It praises all the sacrifices and beautiful things that Jesus has bestowed the world, as well as thanking Him.

Who Am I by Casting Crown

Who Am I is a single from the album of Casting Crowns called Casting Crowns. It was released last February 22, 2004 and are in both Adult contemporary and pop rock genres. This song was written by Mark Hall and was produced by Mark A. Miller together with Steven Curtis Chapman. What makes it a part of the Christian music is the song’s lyrics where it revolves around worshipping the Almighty Father. Because of the song’s greatness, it has received numerous awards and nominations. An example of the former is the Song of the Year award from the 36^th GMA Dove Awards while an example for the latter is the Worship Song of the Year Award nomination from the same awards show. Who Am I also conquered multiple song charts, such as the Hot Christian Songs chart of Billboard, Christian AC of Radio & Records, and more.

10,000 Reasons by Matt Redman

10,000 Reasons (Bless the Lord) is a single of Matt Redman from his album 10,000 Reasons. It was written by him and Jonas Myrin and was launched on Kingsway Music in the year 2011. It is in both worship and contemporary Christian music genres. This song has made a big impact on the listeners. As a result, it was covered by many artists in the industry and has received the Best Contemporary Christian Music Song and Best Gospel/Contemporary Christian Music Performance awards in the Grammy Awards. This masterpiece centers on praising Jesus and enumerating many aspects of God’s love to the humankind. Thus, because of the song’s overflowing success, the singer/songwriter published a book, which was titled 10,000 Reasons: Stories of Faith, Hope, and Thankfulness Inspired by the Worship Anthem.