​Just in time for Halloween, here is a fun pattern for some spook-marks! Lol. These were my first attempt at color work on such a small and intricate scale, and I was very happy with the result. I used the intarsia technique on the pumpkins, and it worked really well. However, regular carrying of the yarn worked better for the cats.

I usually block my bookmarks in a 1/2 water, 1/2 starch solution. It seems to give them just the right amount of stiffness.

I hope you enjoy this pattern and all of the neat bookmarks you will be able to make from it. If you want to say thank you, please favorite our Etsy Page: www.etsy.com/shop/scenerychanges or like our Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/scenerychanges.

Thanks and God bless!
-Lisa N.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FREE PDF

Much like my Antler Mitts, this hat pattern was created for a custom order. Since there wasn't a pattern out there that I liked well enough, I decided to make my own. This hat is perfect for little ones who want to dress like their favorite Disney character and keep their head and ears warm at the same time. It is listed in a size for a 10-12 month old, but should be able to be increased fairly easily for adults or older children as well. 
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If you want to say thank you please favorite our Etsy Page: www.etsy.com/shop/scenerychanges or like our Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/scenerychanges. 

Enjoy!
-Lisa N.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FREE PDF

When I first aspired to become an author, I imagined my time would be spent filling a blank page with words to woo the masses… not taking into account the editing or marketing required, which is enough to drive a sane person to the brink of insanity. Write, edit, market, repeat. Over and over and over. See what I mean about the insane part?
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Depending on where you're at in your writing endeavors, this may be common knowledge. You may have listened to the multiple authors telling you the best practices to start. Unfortunately, I did not listen to them and learned the hard way.

A successful writing career comes down to 5% skill, 5% luck, and 90% who you know.

A crucial part of creating a profitable book is connecting with others. Marketing should come well before your book is even launched. It's easier to get your sale ranking up if you've gotten pre-orders at the ready and reviews already elevating the story.

Much easier than having the book be launched and having people give you a raised eyebrow, "Really? You actually wrote a book?" Even if your picture is on the back, it sometimes takes three forms of ID to convince a potential customer that you are, in fact, the author of the book in front of you. I sometimes wear a hat with the title WRITER on it to avoid confusion.

Why is skill so low? With enough money, you can pay someone to write your story. You could be a famous author and never type a word. I do want to point out that money should be spent on a good editor even if it is something like Grammarly pro.

Why is luck so low? Let's face it. Writing is hard. It takes getting your book in the hands of the right reader who will help promote your book. If those people grow exponentially, you have a fan base that will lift off the massive marketing load from you. But keep connecting with others.



I dabble in multiple genres.

The indie authors who can boast of their sales typically stick to one genre and write a series. I decided to experiment with my books and put together a collection of poetry to get my feet into the publishing pool. I tripped, fell face first, and discovered it was acid, not water. Okay, that may be an overstatement. A small press threw me a life preserver and helped me out of the deep end.

After publishing a non-fiction book, I released my first science fiction novel. At this point, it would have made sense to continue the series into space, which I plan to do. However, I then published my first book in a fantasy series. By now, any fans of my poetry are rightfully confused as I sprinkle in bits of verse in my novels. Don't worry. I'm working on a collection of short stories that will have some poems in it as well… it might be leaning more toward the horror genre, because, why not?



The marketing beast.

There's a healthy balance between too much and too little. It's easy for us to want to get all the swag for our story: bookmarks, pens, shirts, cups, tissue dispensers, etc. Unfortunately, it can lead to a surplus of supplies becoming more difficult to give away. If you have enough people you know, the merchandising can boost the profits for your book.

For me, I did radio interviews and became a feature in the newspaper for my home town. It might not be the smallest of towns, but rural Nebraska can be a hard sell for poetry books. If you're able to find an affordable marketing director, use that connection. If you are proficient in marketing, I like the outdoors, piña coladas, and getting caught in the rain.



Ignoring the fans is not a good idea.

Occasionally, I will have a reader comment on one of my characters or things they enjoyed about my book. It would likely happen more if I stuck with one genre and series. Listen to them. Find ways to work their ideas into subplots or suggestions. It's best to write for yourself in order to keep your passion for writing alive, but it's fun to entertain the idea that a character may be coming back in an upcoming story.



Writing alone.

Trying to write on your own is one of the quickest ways to lose your mind. Remember the scene from the Shining? It is easy to lose your motivation to write if you don't have people around to encourage your work. Writing is important. Your words are needed.

Finding a small critique group and having honest beta readers has been an invaluable blessing in my writing career. It is hard to take a book from draft to published. Even if the critiques and reviews are painful in this phase, you will be thankful for it once the book is in the hands of strangers.



A final note on publishing.

Being the first author for a small press, we learned a lot about publishing together. Countless businesses would be happy to print your book for you. Most of these require you to buy in bulk, and we had way too much bulk in poetry. If you're starting out, doing print-on-demand through KDP or Ingramspark becomes more affordable and economical.

I won't go into depth on either publishing company as there plenty of great articles on the topic. And we're talking about what I did wrong, like hardcover books. I've only had one book that was hardcover, and that was my poetry collection, which we bought in bulk. Needless to say, it did not sell as well as the softcover.



Hopefully, you have the opportunity to learn from other authors as you pursue a writing career. Although I became serious about my writing six years ago, I am at the beginning. The one question you should ask yourself is what you would define as success. Once you have a goal in mind, go out and tell others about your pursuit. Their support will save your sanity.

Do you have a book you've just published or are aspiring to get released? Let me know in the comments. I'd love to be one of your connections.

PILLAR 2: EXERCISE

Staying active can be an exciting challenge, and a way for you to get creative during your journeys. Here are some ideas I have on how to stay active.

NATIONAL GYM CHAINS
These are a great way to stay active, if you sign up for a membership at one location, your membership goes national and you can use any gym you come across. Some examples are: Anytime Fitness, Lifetime Fitness, and 24-Hour Fitness.

LOCAL GYMS/YMCAS
If you are going to be in one spot for a few weeks, ask around, stop in the chamber of commerce, there may be a local YMCA or health park you could use on a short-term basis.

DROP-IN CLASSES
Lots of yoga and exercise studios offer one time drop-in classes. This means if you are in town for the weekend you can take one or two classes and pay as you go, you don’t have to be a long-term member to participate.

GO FOR A WALK/RUN OUTSIDE
If you are camping, chances are you have great access to paths and trails to explore. Otherwise, you could walk around the downtown area, or walk from your hotel to a nearby destination. (Always keep safety in mind, and if in doubt about the safety of your particular area choose a different option).

DO YOGA INSIDE
There are hundreds of free yoga videos on YouTube. Just pack your mat with you, or leave it in the car like I do, that way it’s always on-hand. Yoga or stretching videos are great to do in the hotel and could help you relax and unwind before bed.

HOTEL AMMENITIES
If your hotel has a pool or exercise room, use it!  

GET CREATIVE
Find new ways to stay active. Walk around a historic landmark or museum. Turn up the music and dance around in your tiny home. If homesteading at friend’s house in the country, offer to walk or jog to the highway to get their mail. Do push-ups or sit-ups during the commercial breaks as you watch your nightly shows. Park at the very last spot in the parking lot. Take the stairs instead of the elevator at the hotel.

There are lots of small “better” choices we can make every day while we travel and live on the road. I hope you find these tips helpful. If you have any questions or feedback to give let us know by commenting below.

Happy trails!

-Lisa “Story”

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​Henry's endeavors to collect exotic artwork seemed all but lost to his aging memory. His life and the fate of his art collection take a dramatic turn when the eccentric artist Paulo arrives with a portrait painted with a deadly toxin. On the eve of the exhibit's grand debut, Henry is attacked and the painting is stolen. Although an increasing occurrence of his collection, the venomous portrait vexes his curiosity. Due to Paulo's incoherent behavior and the local police's lack of empathy, Henry finds himself solving the mystery of the stolen paintings alone.
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Yet he discovers something unearthly while he investigates further into the enigma of Paulo's painting. The poison is not what it seems. Will this art lover remain safe on the other side of the velvet ropes, or is his wildest adventure about to begin? Find out in this story you will find difficult putting down. If a picture is worth a thousand words then there are a thousand reasons to discover the truth.

This short story was originally birthed during a random idea of an artist painting with poison. The work was then part of a collaborative work of short stories by other authors. Due to timing and other projects, I pulled the story from the collection to focus on other endeavors.
Meanwhile, my skills in writing improved. With the success of XR-404 and feedback from my incredible critique group, I had to enter this into the contest at Constellation NE. While there, I spoke to the incredible artist guest of honor, ​Arden Ellen Nixon, who went beyond my imagination for the spectacular cover art.
This work was inspired by my love of the classic Twilight Zone and Outer Limits shows. I hope you enjoy Paint Me a Picture of Poison and write a review of it on Amazon.
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I recently purchased a mandolin and have been able to pluck out a few songs. Some of the two-finger C, D, and G chords I can play with some skill. And though I am learning and having fun with it, there is one song that both my wife and I have enjoyed learning (you can only play "Constant Sorrow" for so long).

This is an ongoing work. I have pieced together some of the basic tabs for the melody. I will eventually get more of a completed tune as my skill progresses. You may even be able to hear me play it in the future... soon.
Here is my mandolin tablature that sounds a bit like the "Concerning Hobbits" song combined with a little of the "Misty Mountains" song from The Hobbit:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~|~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~0~~~~~~~|~~~0~2~5~4~0~~~~~
~0~2~4~~~4~2~0~|~4~~~~~~~~~~~4~2~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~|~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~|~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~0~~~~~~~|~~~~~0~2~2~2~0~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~0~2~4~~~4~2~0~|~0~4~~~~~~~~~~~4~4~2~0~2~0~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~|~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~0~2~2~2~5~0~0~~|~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~5~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~|~0~2~4~4~0~~~0~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~|~~~~~~~~~~~4~~~4~2~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~|~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~|~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~0~~~~~~~|~~~~~0~2~2~0~~~~~~~~~
~0~2~4~~~4~2~0~|~0~4~~~~~~~~~4~4~2~0~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~|~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~0~2~5~2~0~~~|~2~5~7~10~9~5~2~3~2~0~~~
~5~~~~~~~~~~~5~|~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~5~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~|~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~|~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~0~3~5~7~5~3~2~0~|~~~0~2~2~3~5~3~2~0~
~2~5~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~|~2~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~|~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~|~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~0~0~3~5~3~2~0~~~0~|~~~0~2~2~2~3~5~3~2~~~0~2~
~2~2~5~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~5~~~|~2~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~5~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~|~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~|~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~|~~~~~2~3~3~2~~~0~
~~~0~~~2~~~0~~~~~|~2~5~~~~~~~~~5~~~
~5~~~4~~~5~~~2~4~|~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~|~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~0~2~5~2~0~~~|~2~5~7~10~9~5~2~3~2~0~~~
~5~~~~~~~~~~~5~|~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~5~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~|~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~|~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~|~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~0~~~~~~~|~~~~~~~0~~~~~~~
~0~2~4~~~0~2~4~|~0~2~4~~~0~2~4~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~|~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~|~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~|~~~2~3~2~0~~~0~
~0~0~0~~~~~~~0~|~5~~~~~~~~~5~~~
~~~~~~~5~5~5~~~|~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~|~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~|~~~0~2~0~2~3~
~5~4~2~2~2~0~0~0~2~|~5~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~|~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~0~2~5~2~0~~~|~2~5~7~7~5~2~2~3~2~0~~2~
~5~~~~~~~~~~~5~|~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~5~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~|~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~0~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~|~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This is a very basic song to pick out. It is for all of us who are learning. More little tunes from the movies may be added. Let me know what songs from the movies should be added to this.

(p.s. I will hopefully have a YouTube video of this soon...)

​During my time at Grace University, poetry became one of my passions. Many of the poems found in Musings of the Northern Poet came from my experience there. As such, one poem that I performed during a talent show became one of my favorite parody pieces. And so I give you my rendition of The "Grace" Raven, a parody of Edgar Allen Poe's classic.