An article I wrote for a client

 [The following is an article I wrote for a client while working as a Content/Technical Writer for Flint Analytics in 2020]

5 Simple Tricks to Using HubSpot Automation Tools

HubSpot automation technology can simplify tasks and help you deliver content to your leads and customers at the right time. If you want to automate your communication with leads and prospects using personalized, well-timed emails, HubSpot workflows automate actions and business processes for multiple contacts at once.

5 tricks to make using HubSpot automation tools simple

The HubSpot workflow tool is automation beyond email that helps you scale your growth and spend less time on repetitive tasks. But sometimes the process can be complicated.

1. Form Submission Kickback Emails

How frustrating would it be if your customer downloaded an eBook, and then forgot where they stored the link to the PDF? Kickback emails solve that problem.

These kickback emails are also referred to as thank-you emails. Whenever a prospect, lead, or customer submits a form on a landing page, a kickback email should automatically be triggered.

Make the CTA clear in these automatic emails. Keep in mind that the CTA should link to the direct offer, not to the form. In these emails, simply thank the reader for their form submission, and give them what they requested, whether it be a link to the PDF of an eBook, instructions on how to activate their free trial, or a coupon.

According to HubSpot, you should try not to overcomplicate the appearance of these emails. The reader isn't looking for additional information, but rather the offer or content they are redeeming.

2. Schedule Follow-up Emails

You can add actions to your Hubspot workflow. Actions are individual functions that execute as part of a workflow, such as sending an email, adding a delay between actions, or setting a contact property value.

When it comes to these types of actions, you can set delays, use branching logic, or set lead nurturing or administrative actions. For example, you might have a workflow that delays two days after a contact enrolls before sending them an email.

3. Create a Smart List to Build an MQL

Building HubSpot smart lists that enroll members based on their conversions is another good trick. For instance, if someone downloads your eBook, it will add them to the Inbound Awareness conversions list. Anyone who converts on an interest offer is considered an MQL.

Build smart lists to collect a master list of all MQLs across all of your core offer funnels. That way, regardless of which "track" of nurturing a contact is in, an MQL master list built on Lifecycle

stage will allow you to see how many MQL's you have converted in your marketing. This can be repeated for all lifecycle stages.

A simple workflow can be triggered whenever a contact is added to the Interest stage identifier list for the first time to have their Lifecycle stage automatically set to MQL.

Segmenting leads while building lists and workflows in HubSpot can get confusing and complex really fast. The trick is to build a funnel diagram you can make your lists and workflows match. It gives you a visual to help interpret the necessary logic inside of HubSpot.

4. Test Your Workflow

It is important to send test emails by enrolling yourself as a test contact. Testing could help you identify an issue with your delays, personalization, or possibly a type of email that you are sending.

5. Use if/then Branches in Workflows

You direct enrolled objects down one path or another based on set if/then conditions. One trick is to add a delay before your branch to ensure that your customers have time to engage with your content. This works well if your branch criteria are based on a contact or associated contact engaging with content in a previous action in the workflow (e.g., contacts opening a marketing email sent in a previous action).

It is important to note that in contact-based workflows, you can add up to 19 if/then branch levels. When you attempt to add more than 10 if/then branches, a warning message will appear, advising you to streamline your workflow by enrolling contacts into another workflow. Also, you may see degraded performance when you have more than 19 branch levels in company, deal, quote, and ticket-based workflows.

Meticulosity is a HubSpot Platinum Partner Agency

We can help you navigate HubSpot automation to meet your specific needs. As a HubSpot Partner, we have the expertise to help you grow your online business. Contact us today to learn more about our services and to schedule a free consultation.

An article I wrote for a client

  [The following is an article I wrote for a client while working as a Content/Technical Writer for Flint Analytics in 2021]

7 Classes of Forklifts In Indiana

Like most heavy machinery, forklifts are segmented into several different classes -- seven to be exact.  Knowing the differences between the seven classifications of forklifts in Indiana will help you make an informed decision when choosing a new forklift. It is also important to make sure your forklift operators are certified based on all the different classes of forklifts they will use. 

The 7 Forklift Classes

Forklift classes are based on usage, fuel type, location, terrain, and other features.

Class 1:  Electric Rider Forklifts

Electric rider forklifts are used in various places in Indiana such as loading docks and storage spaces. Since they are electric, these trucks do not have an impact on the environment. 

Powered by industrial batteries, these forklifts can use either cushion or pneumatic tires. They also control travel and hoist functions with transistor motor controllers. 

Class 2:  Electric Narrow Aisle Forklifts

These trucks are designed to navigate around narrow aisles and tight corners. As the name suggests, narrow aisle forklifts are used in warehouses or other places that have racks with close corners. 

Class 3:  Electric Hand And Hand-Rider Forklifts

These battery-powered lifts can be pushed, pulled, or otherwise moved by hand. The truck operator uses the controls located on the steering tiller to operate the forklift.  Motorized pallet jacks or burden movers are examples of a hand-rider forklift.

Class 4: Cushion Tires Internal Combustion Engine Forklifts

Diesel and propane forklifts are also classified by the types of tires they use. These trucks are primarily used indoors on smooth floors where they have an easier time navigating around racks or equipment. They ride lower to the ground than their pneumatic-tire counterparts, making them useful for low-clearance situations.

Class 5:  Pneumatic Tires Internal Combustion Engine Forklifts 

Pneumatic-tire trucks are larger and can be used indoors or outdoors in any condition.  Many forklifts with pneumatic tires work on rugged terrain or in large-capacity applications. 

Class 6:  Electric and Internal Combustion Engine Tractors

Tow tractors allow efficient transport through your worksite.  They carry loads behind them through tight corners, up steep inclines, or over uneven surfaces.  Gas, propane, or diesel engines are generally used outdoors while electric-powered forklifts are usually reserved for indoor use.

Class 7:  Rough Terrain Forklift Trucks

Rough terrain forklifts are fitted with large pneumatic tires for outdoor use in uneven conditions like construction sites or gravel roads. They are most commonly used to lift and transport building materials around the job site.

Find the Forklift Model You Need at Tynan

From nimble narrow aisle forklifts to sturdy rough terrain trucks, our experts at Tynan can help you find the forklift class and model you need. Our service technicians can also quickly repair any class forklift to get your Indiana business up and running quickly.  Call us today!

An article I wrote for a client

 [The following is an article I wrote for a client while working as a Content/Technical Writer for Flint Analytics in 2021]

How Does Mental Health Affect Child Development?

As a child’s body develops, their brain is developing too. Just as the food your child eats lays the groundwork for their physical health, childhood experiences lay the foundation for mental health. During childhood, they learn how to relate to others and how to regulate their emotions. Any disruption in this developmental process can have consequences that may last a lifetime.

The construction of the human brain and mind begins at birth. Experiences are like bricks that form a structure in the mind. One by one these bricks form a sound foundation of mental health. Mental problems occur when an experience destabilizes that foundation. Many mental problems begin during childhood. 

How Emotional Experiences and Stressors Affect Child Development

Mental disorders can be categorized based on how a child responds to stress and trauma. A child’s first experiences happen with their family. Thus, any stress or trauma that occurs in the family can threaten a child’s mental health.

“Stress-inducing experiences early in life can lay an unstable foundation for mental health that endures well into the adult years. Toxic stress can damage brain architecture and increase the likelihood that significant mental health problems will emerge either quickly or years later.” (Harvard)

Toxic stress affects not only brain development and mental health but also other organ systems, school readiness, and academic achievement. 

The following toxic stressors threaten the psychological well-being of children: 

• The separation or divorce of parents.
• Persistent poverty or homelessness.
• The death of a close loved one or child friend.
• Physical or sexual abuse
• Chronic neglect
• Parent incarceration
• Domestic violence
• Parental mental disorders and/or substance abuse
• School bullying
• Experiencing racial, gender, sexuality, or religious discrimination.

Healthy family functioning, relationships, and interactions can reduce the risk of developing mental disorders. If reducing these stressors proves too difficult to overcome, this could be an indication that the family may require professional help.

Early Detection of Childhood Mental Disorders 

Children can suffer the same mental disorders as adults. Early detection is key because children can fully recover from mental health issues with appropriate intervention.

According to a Harvard study, these disorders can be difficult to detect because children process and react to stress and emotional experiences differently than adults. It is also difficult to distinguish between normal childhood behavior and symptoms of mental disturbance.

Parents and teachers are the first lines of defense. Therefore, they must be aware of the signs of mental health conditions.

10 Warning Signs of Common Child Mental Health Conditions

Children may react to stressors, such as those previously described, in a maladaptive manner characterized by the following warning signs:

1. Mood changes

Look for feelings of sadness, withdrawal, or severe mood swings that are causing relationship problems at home or school. Mood disorders such as Depression and Bipolar Disorder can cause a child to experience persistent feelings of sadness or extreme mood swings.

2. Intense feelings

Feelings of overwhelming fear for no reason may include a racing heartbeat or fast breathing.

If worries or fears are intense enough to interfere with daily life, this may indicate Anxiety Disorders such as Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Social Phobia, or Generalized Anxiety Disorder.

However, worrying and anxiety are normal experiences of childhood as children change from one developmental stage to the next.

3. Behavior changes

These include drastic changes in behavior or personality, as well as dangerous or out-of-control behavior. Fighting frequently, using weapons, and expressing a desire to hurt others are warning signs of Conduct Disorder.

4. Difficulty concentrating

Signs of trouble focusing or sitting still associated with poor performance in school may be a sign of Attention-deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). This condition typically includes difficulty paying attention, hyperactivity, or impulsive behavior.

5. Unexplained drastic weight loss

A sudden loss of appetite, frequent vomiting, preoccupation with food and weight, or use of laxatives might indicate an eating disorder such as Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa, or Binge-Eating Disorder. These are serious, life-threatening conditions.

6. Physical symptoms

Unlike adults, children with a mental health condition might complain about headaches and stomachaches rather than specifically expressing sadness or anxiety.

7. Self-harm

A child who deliberately harms themselves by cutting or burning may be suffering from a mental health condition. In severe cases, children with this type of mental health condition may express suicidal thoughts or attempt suicide.

8. Substance use

Like adults, kids may use drugs or alcohol to cope with their feelings. This could easily turn into addiction in the absence of intervention.

9. Out of touch with reality

If it seems that your child is losing touch with reality, it may be a case of psychosis. Schizophrenia is a psychotic disorder that most often appears in the late teens and early 20s.

10. Autism spectrum disorder (ASD)

If you notice your baby’s ability to communicate and interact with others is unusual, it may be a sign of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). ASD is a serious developmental disorder that appears in early childhood (usually before age 3). The symptoms can vary.

Again, it is important to note that children may display some of these behaviors as part of normal development. The key is to observe the behavior over time. If the behavior persists or worsens beyond two months and interferes with normal daily functioning, then it may be cause for concern.

What If Your Child Displays Signs of Mental Illness? 

Children sometimes behave differently in varying situations and with different people. Before judging the behavior you have observed, ask your child's teacher, close friends, loved ones, or other caregivers if they have noticed any changes in your child's behavior.

Approximately, 1 in 10 children and young people are affected by mental illness. Alarmingly, 70% of children and young people with a mental health issue have not had professional intervention.

Consult your pediatrician if you suspect your child may be suffering from a mental illness. Share this information with your child's doctor. If your doctor is concerned, they can refer you to a specialist.

What to do to ensure the mental health of your child

Caring for a child’s mental health is just as important as their physical health. Children need caregivers and guardians to ensure their well-being so they can develop into healthy, well-rounded adults who can cope with life’s stresses.

• Provide a balanced diet.
• Exercise with them regularly and let them play outdoors in the sun. Sunlight is essential to child development.
• Help your child adjust to changes in family circumstances, such as divorce or changing schools.
• Make your child feel loved and secure by regularly interacting with them in healthy ways and by providing a structured routine.

If you believe your child is experiencing a mental health issue, reach out to us. At Simple Intervention, our goal is to provide coordinated, supportive, responsive, and effective mental health services.

An article I wrote for a client

[The following is an article I wrote for a client while working as a Content/Technical Writer for Inbound Back Office in 2019]

Magento 2: Is It Worth the Update?

In the realm of eCommerce, allowing your site to become outdated is not an option. Keeping up with ever-evolving plugins and security measures is a must. After all, users expect a smooth and seamless experience when they visit your site.

The question isn’t whether or not you should upgrade, but when. Should you take steps to upgrade now or wait until later?

HOW IS MAGNETO 1 PERFORMING FOR YOU NOW?

The answer to this question depends on the state of your current version of Magento 1 as well as your budget. If Magento 1 has been problematic for you and your customers, then you might consider making the update sooner rather than later.

If your Magento 1 eCommerce store has been running smoothly, there’s no immediate rush to upgrade to Magento 2. You can do it within the next 12 to 15 months when your budget allows for the upgrade. Planning to start a new eCommerce business altogether? Then you should definitely make the jump to Magento 2.

Magento 2 has been significantly re-engineered, implementing support for more advanced and newer technologies, reworking programming patterns, improving usability, and optimizing the platform.

THE LATEST IMPROVEMENTS

1. Enhanced performance: Faster loading time. Web pages load in less than 1.5 seconds.
2. Faster streamlined checkout: Guests can check out without registering or opt to register after checking out. Registered customers are automatically identified based on their email.
3. Improved Ajax add-to-cart feature: Customers can add to their cart without delays caused by page reloading.
4. Simpler admin interface: This easier navigation ensures that store owners don’t need a Magento developer to manage the online store.
5. Split database: You can use three separate databases for product data, orders, and checkout, preventing database overload.
6. Support for advanced tech: Magento 2 supports advanced technologies such as CSS3, HTML5, and of course, MySQL. Also, Magento 2 uses jQuery instead of prototype.js.

WHAT ARE THE DOWNSIDES OF MIGRATION?

The downsides of migration from Magento 1 to 2:

• You will lose design and customized features. It will cost time and money to rebuild.
• Limited developer experience. Developers with experience in Magento 2 are few and far between. Therefore, their expertise will come at a higher price.

On the upside, products, attributes, and databases transfer with ease. The new Data Migration Tool makes migration seamless. You’ll be able to migrate product, customer, order data, and your most valued asset, the database, without significant disruption.

NOW WHAT?

If you are considering the update, the bottom line is that you need to evaluate your current Magento 1 version and your budget. You may need help to do so.

If you have a well-functioning eCommerce store running on one of the latest versions of Magento 1 and generating a regular income, you should consider upgrading to Magento 2 within the next twelve months. However, if your online store runs on an already outdated 1.x version, you should immediately prioritize the development of your Magento 2 site.

​Regardless of which stage you’re at, you'll need a team of experts to walk you through the process and complete the build. We may be biased, but we think that your team of experts should be us!  Contact us and let's discuss your needs.

One of the articles I wrote for Red Hat

[Note: The following is one of the articles I wrote for Red Hat Developer. If you follow the link, you will see that changes have been made since I published it when I was employed there. This is my edited version I wrote.]

A developer’s guide to Red Hat Developer Hub and Janus

The new Red Hat Developer Hub and Janus project address the challenges IT organizations face in the development process. A developer’s work can be fraught with disparate development systems and distributed teams; and organizations with multiple development teams often struggle with competing priorities, diverse tools and technologies, and establishing best practices. These challenges make it difficult to quickly start development and adhere to multiple security and compliance standards.

The Red Hat Developer Hub is a unified platform that consolidates these elements of the development process, fosters internal collaboration, and enables development teams to focus on rapidly enhancing code and functionality to efficiently build high-quality software.

Simplifying the inner loop for developers

Simplifying the inner and outer loop model is also an important part of improving the development process. The article, Standardizing application delivery with OpenShift, explains the concept and purpose of dividing the development process into two loops. In the inner loop, the developer works on the code. In the outer loop, developers push the code to version control for automation, testing, and deployment until it is ready for release. Developers need a simple inner loop to focus on finding software solutions, not configuring tools.

Developers need a single place, a hub, where they can find resources, utilize and generate shareable components, and follow Golden Path templates (templated paths to quick and easy software development). The new Red Hat Developer Hub and Janus project simplify the developer workflow.

Overview of Backstage and Project Janus

The Red Hat Developer Hub is our enterprise-grade, supported version of Backstage, an open source framework (provided by Spotify) for building developer portals. Engineering teams can use Red Hat Developer Hub to reduce friction and frustration and boost their productivity, giving their organization a competitive advantage.

We have preloaded all the necessary Red Hat plug-ins, including a variety of technology and tools that reduce developer cognitive load and support self-service while maintaining context and underlying technologies continuously maintained and improved by platform teams.

Our new Project Janus initiative developed and enhanced the Golden Path templates, Backstage platform, and plug-ins.

6 Red Hat Plug-ins for Backstage

Red Hat Plug-ins for Backstage work in tandem with Red Hat Developer Hub and pre-existing customer installations of Backstage, extending functionality and improving the overall experience. 

The following 6 plug-ins are in the supported version of community plug-ins:

1. Authentication and Authorization with Keycloak: Load users and groups from Keycloak to Backstage enable the use of multiple authentication providers applied to Backstage entities.
2. Multicluster View with Open Cluster Manager (OCM): This plug-in provides a multicluster view from Open Cluster Manager’s MultiClusterHub and MultiCluster Engine in Backstage.
3. Container Image Registry for Quay: The container image registry for Quay improves the integration and speed of interactions with Quay registries by providing a view into the container image details. This includes Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVEs) associated with deployed images.
4. Application Topology for Kubernetes: Consistently visualize relationships and real-time status of applications and workloads deployed to any Kubernetes target, including Red Hat OpenShift.
5. Pipelines with Tekton: This plug-in provides details of all Tekton Pipelines and their status across all services.
6. GitOps with Argo CD: Track the health and status of Argo CD and monitor services inside Backstage.

Streamline onboarding with Golden Path templates

Red Hat Developer Hub provides Golden Path templates essential for fast-tracking development and ensuring organization and consistency. These templates are referred to as golden because they provide gold-standard best practices for developers to follow so your code will be coherent, scalable, and maintainable.

You can streamline application and developer onboarding with Golden Path templates. Golden Paths provide pre-architected and supported approaches to building and deploying a particular piece of software without having to learn all the details of the technology. Templates enable self-service for developers and provide the best pathway to fix bugs or implement features. This will enable developers to speed up the process, thereby making your organization more competitive.

The two sides of Red Hat Developer Hub

There are two sides of Red Hat Developer Hub, consumption and configuration; and two points of view, the developer and the DevOps administrator.

From a consumption perspective, Red Hat Developer Hub perfectly matches the functionality needed for the developer as part of the inner loop. For the first time, a developer can find everything in a single place, such as links, integrated development environments (IDEs), GitHub repos, and documentation and components catalogs added to applications.

How Red Hat Developer Hub benefits developers

Red Hat Developer Hub provides a single place for a developer to work. Finally, there’s a hub for all things a developer needs, such as resources, clusters, and templates. Red Hat Developer Hub provides complete coverage of the inner loop, IDE, direction interaction, and authentication to GitHub.

Developers must understand the complexity of various tools. Learning numerous toolsets as well as the ins and outs of the frameworks, technologies, and components of their organization can be time consuming. The primary goal of Red Hat Developer Hub is to ease the development process and provide an aggregated toolset that reduces the mental overhead of context switching and searching for core components.

Red Hat Developer Hub provides a wizard and template-driven experience for end developers. This makes it very easy to build complex systems from multiple components, including Git source-driven deployments to systems such as Kubernetes and OpenShift. In addition, provisioning these components simplifies the developer's learning process. With a couple of clicks and text entry points, developers can convert a template to a running application component without knowing the convoluted technology beneath it.

Thus, developers can spend less time configuring development environments and components. Not only is the developer presented with a rich set of components from which to choose, but system administrators can configure these components.

How Red Hat Developer Hub benefits administrators

Red Hat Developer Hub is built on the Janus open source project, which extends the Backstage open source project, providing a highly configurable and secure development portal and catalog to control which components can be built together. Red Hat Developer Hub extends the functionality through a set of predefined supported plug-ins providing extensions and components to ease the developer's path as they design and build composite applications.

Using code-as-config, administrators can control exactly what developers can interact with and at what level, providing a simple-to-use and simple-to-configure mechanism to provide developers with a single point for all development.

Red Hat Developer Hub also provides a highly configurable authentication model, allowing integration with providers such as GitHub and Keycloak. Administrators can configure authentication methods, templates (i.e., multi-component quick starts and API definitions), and base definitions. This is a sophisticated tool for building organizational developer portals.

Red Hat Developer Hub increases productivity and more

Red Hat Developer Hub is designed to significantly improve engineering productivity for IT organizations, enabling development teams to focus on what really matters—writing high-quality code and accelerating application delivery to give organizations a competitive advantage.

Learn more by visiting the Red Hat Developer Hub.

15 Fun Screen-Free Activities For Kids

How To Keep Kids Busy Without Screens

by Y.L. Cantrell

Photo by Adina Voicu

School is out for winter break.

You should be hearing the pitter-patter of little feet, but… silence.

Where are the kids?  Just follow the annoying sound effects and high-pitched
cartoonish melodies of video games echoing through the house.  They’re either
stretched out on the couch glued to the TV playing video games or developing
hunchbacks from leaning over their cell phones and tablets cruising social media, right?

You ask yourself, how can I lure the little munchkins away from their screens?

Well, I’ve got you covered!

Prepare to ignore the whining objections like “Aw why do we have to do it now?” and
“But I’m on level 6!” and get busy making fun happen!

Here’s a tip:  Invite their friends with whom they play online games, so they don’t feel like
they’re missing anything.  Not to mention, their parents will adore you for giving them a
break. And be sure to ask them to return the favor with a play date at their house next time.

Here we go!

15 Fun Screen-Free Activities For Kids

1. Time to dust off those board games!  

Check out some top-rated games for families on
Amazon, including Say Anything and The Awkward Family Photos Movie Line Game.  
My niece and nephews forget all about their video games and social media when we
play their favorite games like Jumanji, Mousetrap, and Family Feud.

2. Go camping!  

Pitch a tent in the living room in front of the fireplace or (weather
permitting) outside in the backyard. Toast marshmallows to make s'mores, sing

campfire songs, and tell spooky ghost stories. You can find reasonably priced

indoor/outdoor tents on Amazon.

3. Go on a scavenger hunt!  

Make it holiday-themed by including items like a Christmas
stocking, tree ornaments, and a snow globe. Offer prizes along the way such as candy,
toys, free passes from chores, or a chance to open one Christmas gift.  Find free
printable colorful maps and lists of items online.

4. Recreate MasterChef Junior!  

Head to the kitchen and pass out the aprons!  
Demonstrate a simple dish and recipe for your tiny master chefs to create within
an hour.  Or have them decorate cupcakes. Then, judge which one is the best,
awarding 1st, 2nd, 3rd, etc. prizes for everyone.  Keep it simple with pre-made cookie
dough, brownie mix, sandwiches, mini pizzas, mac & cheese, or tacos.  (Worried
about too many sweets or junk food? Secretly add pureed spinach to brownie mix
and pureed cauliflower to mac & cheese.  Don’t worry, they won’t be able to taste it.
You could even award a bonus prize to the kid who can guess which veggie was
added to the recipe.  Hint: wait until after they eat it.)

5. Do people still make ice cream from snow?  

Well, they should! If snow is in the forecast, set out a clean bucket to collect fresh snow.  

All you need to add is vanilla and condensed milk!

6. Make holiday arts and crafts.  

The kids will love making their own wreaths to hang on their bedroom door.  

They can also make Christmas tree ornaments. These make lovely mementos to keep

throughout the years.  Bring out the markers and glitter to make holiday greeting cards too!

7. Strike a pose for a fun photoshoot!  

Use your imagination to come up with goofy costumes and props to create photos.  

Frame the best ones or stick them on greeting cards and tree ornaments.

8. Time to make memories!  

Break out the video camera and your director’s chair! Film a montage of the kids

acting out their favorite movie scenes from classics like Home Alone or A Christmas

Story, or create your own short play.  They could also make a music video singing holiday songs.

9. Science!  

Pick up a chemistry set or put together a homemade experiment.

10. Build a box fort!

Kids go wild for boxes!  Grab the biggest boxes you can find, and I promise you,

this will provide hours of fun for the little ones.  The older kids can play the invading

monsters or sword-wielding giants!

11. Get out of the house!  

Plan a trip to your local children’s museum or zoo. They’re sure to have special exhibits

and events for the holidays.  You could also give back by donating old toys to a toy drive

or by volunteering at your nearest family homeless shelter.

12. Zumba!  

Try to keep up with these kids!  Lay out those yoga mats and have fun exercising together!

13. Make jewelry!  

Bejeweled trinkets make great gifts for the kids to give to family and friends.

14. Sing!

Grab a mike and sing Karaoke style.

15. Nap time!  

Just kidding! Or am I?

I hope I have provided some inspiration to help you create a fun winter break for you and

the kids in your life.  Let us know how it’s going! Please feel free to share your ideas and

photos. I’d love to see you in action!

Reader's Favorite Gives The Love Makers 4-Stars

Reader's Favorite Review of The Love Makers

I'm loving this review! Thank you, Reader's Favorite!

The following is what the reviewer wrote:

"Love Makers is about Vivionne Wayne, founder of The Love Makers Agency, a strange kind of matchmaking agency that operates on par with the CIA. Along with her best friend Boris, Vivi used tactics that some would call questionable to bring her clients the love they desire. The scare tactics they use to bring couples together are borderline unethical, using dangerous scenarios to draw them closer. But when some unknown enemy flips the script, Vivi and Boris are forced to face their own feelings for one another after decades of friendship and living under the same roof. Y.L. Cantrell creates a fast paced story of love, danger and psychos that reads like an action movie.

Love Makers is, above all else, a fun read. The characters of Vivi and Boris are well written and it is a joy to watch them evolve throughout the story. Then there is Luther who is a misogynist, a jerk and too many other things to name. You have to wonder how he and Boris have been friends for so long, but I think that is a testament to the skill of Y.L. Cantrell as a writer. What makes this such a compelling story, aside from the brazen methods of LMA, is that on every page there is always something happening. Whether it is the heightened drama between the couples or underlying tension between LMA employees, the lives of these characters are never boring. The anticipation continues to build until those final chapters when you will laugh hysterically, swoon or cheer Vivi’s 'take no prisoners' attitude. No matter how you respond, you will not be disappointed."

The breakdown of the overall 4-star rating:

4-Appearance: The appearance of a book can make a significant impact on the experience of a reader, whose enjoyment is often enhanced by an enticing cover, an intriguing table of contents, interesting chapter headings, and when possible, eye-catching illustrations.

4-Plot: The characters of a book should be well defined with strengths and flaws, and while they do not have to be likable, the reader does have to be able to form a connection with them. The tone should be consistent, the theme should be clear, and the plot should be original or told from a unique perspective. For informative books -- those without plot and characters--this rating refers primarily to your concept and how well you presented it.

5-Development: Development refers to how effectively you told your story or discussed your topic. The dialogue should be realistic, the descriptions should be vivid, and the material should be concise and coherent. Organization is also a key factor, especially for informative books -- those without plot and characters. The order in which you tell your story or explain your topic and how smoothly it flows can have a huge impact on the reader's understanding and enjoyment of the material.

3-Formatting: Formatting is the single most overlooked area by authors. The way in which you describe scenes, display dialogue, and shift point of view can make or break your story. In addition, excessive grammatical errors and typos can give your book an amateurish feel and even put off readers completely.

4-Marketability: Marketability refers to how effectively you wrote your book for your target audience. Authors may include content that is above or below the understanding of their target reader, or include concepts, opinions or language that can accidentally confuse or alienate some readers. Although by its nature this rating is very subjective, a very low rating here and poor reviews may indicate an issue with your book in this area.

4-Overall Opinion: The overall starred rating takes into account all these elements and describes the overall reading experience of your reviewer.

Digital Journal - The Love Makers

HOT OFF THE PRESS

Greetings!

As I slowly awaken from a long slumber, I am getting back to promoting my books and screenplays as well as working on my next book.  I entered the Reader's Favorite Book Awards contest recently, and they gave The Love Makers a 4-star review.  This fabulous review is starting to hit the media.

Author’s new book “The Love Makers” receives a warm literary welcome...Read more:

Married At First Sight

Writers Beware! 

NDA's and Copyright will not protect you from these predatory networks and prodco's! There is no justice for people like me, hardworking talent fighting to make it. The laws favor and are created by powerful corporations who are out to steal your work.  They actually hire people whose only job is to troll the internet looking for shows to rip off.  Do not post your work on TV Writer's Vault! That's where my show was stolen!  That NDA is worthless!  Remove your work from TVWritersVault.com immediately before it gets ripped off!

A judge ruled to dismiss my case today because the law as it is written now does not protect writers of reality shows. It is ridiculous to say that copyright law does not protect reality shows because it is just an idea and ideas are public domain. I wrote a five-page treatment detailing every episode for an entire season, and they copied it, even the title!  They even used some of the same verbiage in promoting the show.  But, a treatment is not considered intellectual property.  They say a reality show is unscripted, but we all know that is not entirely true.  The way the law is written, this network could have admitted to acquiring my show and signing the NDA, but because they tweaked it and made a few minor changes, it is legal.

This just isn't right.  It is beyond unfair and unjust!  I have been robbed before, but it didn't hurt like this because I could count on the law to make it right.  Even though I was unable to recover what was stolen, the thieves were held accountable and punished, and I felt some vindication.  I don't like losing.  I hate losing my work, and I hate losing this case before it even began.  This was not a fair fight.  I will never get over this!

I am beyond devastated.  Don't know if I will ever recover. Meanwhile, they're making millions off my hard work while I struggle to survive.  I am literally on the verge of becoming homeless.  I just feel like giving up. You have no idea how hard I worked to come up with something original and good! And they just ripped it from me!

If I could find my inner warrior, I'd go to the Supreme Court and try to change this law.  It needs to be expanded to cover reality shows.  This is a new genre, so the law needs to be updated.  Just as in the case of the Internet as it relates to music, tv shows, and movies, the laws had to be expanded to protect these media from being illegally downloaded and sold.

Who's with me?  If there are any writers out there who have experienced something similar, holla at me.  Share your experience in the comments below.  I know there are many writers out there who, like me, didn't even get the chance to fight for their rights in court, getting cut off at the knees by gutless judges who sided with these shady networks by granting their motions to dismiss!  Or unable to even file a lawsuit because they could not afford an attorney.  Just like anything else, nothing changes until people stand together and fight injustice!  I  can't do this alone.

Read the TMZ article that picked up my story when I filed the lawsuit several months ago...

 http://www.tmz.com/2014/12/18/married-at-first-sight-lawsuit-stole-idea/

Is there a support group for victims of copyright infringement?  Sign me up!

7 Lucys Excerpt

Here's a short excerpt from my new short story

"7 Lucys"

FREE on Amazon!

     Mondays were the worst.  I hated Mondays.  The job had always been boring, so mind-numbingly boring.  That is, until she showed up.  

     I was drawn to her for some reason.  Rolled over the maid’s foot tryin’ to get to the window.  I couldn’t take my eyes off her.  I wondered where she’d come from and what misfortune had brought her to motel hell.  She definitely didn’t fit in with all the low-lifes who frequented this place or the lost families who wandered in.  She was bright and clean and beautiful.   

     There she was unpacking her shiny car.  Corey must’ve checked her in when he was covering the front desk while I was fixing a toilet in one of the rooms.  I searched the sign-in book for her name….  

     Lucy.  She just signed it Lucy.  She wrote it in a funny way:  all in fancy cursive caps.

     That happens a lot around here.  People reluctant to give their real names, I mean.  Signing only their first name or using a fake name.  Corey’s policy is to look the other way.  “Beggars can’t be choosey!” as he would say.  In my mind, it isn’t always clear who the beggars are, us or them?  We get desperate for customers sometimes.  There are times when the motel is deserted, and we’re not sure if we can even keep the lights on.

     I wondered if Lucy was her real name.  Her yellow skirt fluttered around her shapely brown legs as she walked in and out of Room 27.  She was like a fresh summer breeze.  I didn’t usually go for brown chicks.  I say brown ‘cause from a distance, I couldn’t really tell what race she was.  She could have been Hispanic or African-American, wasn’t for sure then, and I’m still not for sure.  I’m not racist or anything.  I just can’t tell you if she was black or Hispanic or both.  It didn’t matter to me.  Pretty is pretty… and she was pretty.  I guess the truth of the matter is that I’ve always been too chicken shit to ask a girl out if she wasn’t white.  They seemed out of my league somehow.  That sounds stupid now that I’m putting it out there.  But, I suppose we all have stupid voices in our heads that talk us out of going for what we want, and this wheelchair doesn’t make it any easier for me....

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