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COMING SOON! When Maddie Feels Jealous
I’m pleased to announce another children’s book author, Laura McJannet-Brogan! I’ve known Laura for many years–we worked together in educational publishing–but I didn’t know until recently that she’s a writer. Laura has used her experiences with her own children as her inspiration for her first book, When Maddie Feels Jealous!
Dear Body:
Where do I start? I haven’t always been good to you and for that, I’m sorry. I have even taken you for granted at times. I have put crap in you and still expected you to function. I have pushed you beyond your limits and cursed you when you fail me. I have neglected the…
COMING SOON! Frank the Fish Finds a Friend
Meet Phoebe! In this second book about a plucky betta fish, Frank meets Phoebe, a shy but curious mystery snail. Frank and Phoebe take the time to learn about each other and, in the process, discover the importance of acceptance and the true meaning of friendship.
Love is all you need.
I have been struggling with anger for some time now. I get frustrated easily and sometimes overreact to small-ish things. I thought part of it was post-concussion syndrome, and perhaps that is still a factor. I also have anxiety and sometimes my anxiety comes out as anger. I have been trying to figure this out,…
Thank You to Paramedics Everywhere
One of my favourite scenes in the summer is the hay fields, with their bails (round or square, it doesn’t matter) all spread out in neat rows. It’s picturesque and beautiful and reminds me of my country upbringing. I have had seasonal allergies, or “hay fever”, since I was young and have taken some form…
COMING SOON! A Brush With Reality
I am pleased to announce a second fiction title for Twin Horseshoes, A Brush With Reality by Roger Sheehy! Roger is a self-proclaimed Renaissance man and I can attest to this claim. He brews his own beer, does woodworking, writes, travels, cooks, barbeques, and is in the process of learning Portuguese. Roger has a vivid…
What’s the Difference?
One of the things that I always tell the authors I work with is that print on demand has changed the self-publishing landscape. Previously, self-published authors had to source a printer, negotiate a contract, purchase hundreds (if not thousands) of books, and store and ship the books themselves. Instead, print on demand is when book…
COMING SOON! The Ember Stone
I have known Shari Marshall since grade six. We both loved reading and writing from a young age. For that reason, this announcement is a special one. I am honoured to help Shari publish and launch her first novel, hopefully one of many! What I will say about this book, first and foremost, is that…
Mom’s the Word
Mother’s Day is a day to celebrate our own mothers and all they do for us. I am close with my mom and she deserves to be celebrated every day. I always say that she sets the bar high, as a person and as a mother. But it’s also a day to celebrate the other…
Literally Climbing the Walls
I used to do a fair amount of indoor rock climbing when I was in university. In fact, that was one of the reasons I chose Guelph–they had an indoor rock climbing facility on campus. When I attended, they had converted two squash courts in the basement of the athletic centre into climbing space. Even…
COMING SOON! The New Sales Professional’s Playbook
This is the second book from Vince Burruano. While the first book focused on next-level wisdom and refinement techniques for experienced professionals and leaders, this book starts at the beginning with the new sales rep. Start your sales career with this book and then, as you learn the ropes, you can move on to read…
COMING SOON! Selling Smarter
I have published several books on the art and science of sales now. Having held a sales role previously, I like to think I have an appreciation for good material in this discipline. However, this is a book that I wish I had when I was a salesperson. I put a great deal of time…
COMING SOON! B.U.D. Better, Unique, & Desirable
Over the past few months, I have had the pleasure of working with Thomas Ellis. Thomas is considered by many to be a subject matter expert (SME) in coaching and developing business-to-business sales professionals. Thomas is highly regarded as the Expert “Sales 101” Trainer. His book, B.U.D. Better, Unique, & Desirable: The Sales Process That…
COMING SOON! Frank the Fish Finds His Forever Home
Twin Horseshoes is publishing its first children’s book! Coming soon, Frank the Fish Finds His Forever Home is a story about a betta fish named Frank. Frank is more person than fish. He loves his people, he likes his routine, and he knows what he wants. Unlike most fish, he’s very expressive and is more…
Brain “Cavity”
I have always taken great pride in my teeth. My dad used to “motivate” us when we were kids by paying us every time we came home from the dentist with no cavities. It worked very well. Until about a month ago, I had never had a cavity. I enjoyed going to the dentist because…
Start to Finish
I’ve been thinking recently about why people write and why they publish. In my experience, it’s typically because they need to express something: thoughts, feelings, or experiences. The writing of these thoughts, feelings, and experiences is therapeutic for many. But why people publish is very different from why they write. Writers publish because they feel…
COMING SOON! A Daily Dose of Sales Wisdom
I am pleased to announce A Daily Dose of Sales Wisdom: Practical Advice for Sales Professionals and Leaders to Excel by Vincent D. Burruano! A Daily Dose of Sales Wisdom includes 365 lessons learned, reflective questions, and quotations to share practical advice for sales professionals and leaders to excel. In between, you will find success…
Flashback
I had a bizarre experience the other day. I was watching a television show, which admittedly was pretty intense. In the show, a girl was hit by a car. Badly. The way they filmed it made you feel like you were the girl–the camera was right behind her shoulder and moved with her, while she…
Throwback Thursday: Fur Babies
I have had two dogs in my life, Hungarian Vizslas. They saw our family through many changes: miscarriages, fertility, pregnancy, babies, and several moves. They were my fur babies. Hunter and Maggie were both sweet, affectionate, and excitable. Maggie loved to play fetch and Hunter liked to sniff his way around the dog park; she…
COMING SOON! Roughing it in Africa
I have the immense pleasure of announcing a new publication coming later this month from Twin Horseshoes. Roughing it in Africa: Roots, Roads, and Revelations by Katherine Krige is a travel memoir documenting a 10-month, 10-country journey across Africa. In its pages, she meets family members for the first time, experiences wildlife up close, makes…
The reviews are in!
Here are some early reviews for Letters to My Hypothetical Children, available Friday April 23, 2021 on Amazon!
Book Launch: April 23
It’s official…April 23rd is the day that my book will publish! If you’re available, drop in for a coffee between 10am and 3pm on launch day (link is below). I hope to be celebrating this accomplishment, chatting with friends and family, answering questions, or discussing new projects…basically anything goes! I may have to switch to…
Introducing Twin Horseshoes…
What’s your story…and why haven’t you published it yet? Let me know!
Foreword by…Daisy-Mae Hamelinck
I thought for some time about who I would ask to write the foreword in my upcoming book. I kept coming back to the same person: Daisy-Mae Hamelinck, M.A., B.Ed., B.A. (Hons), SSWD. Daisy and I had a fateful conversation in October 2015. I was looking for some part-time or freelance work after being on…
Take care of your body; it’s the only one you get
Here is an excerpt from Chapter 6 of my upcoming publication, Letters to My Hypothetical Children. This book is organized in two different ways. The first is that the chapters roughly align with the eight dimensions of wellness: environmental (Chapter 1), intellectual (Chapter 2), occupational (Chapter 3), financial (Chapter 4), spiritual (Chapter 5), physical (Chapter…
A Book in a Year
I might have mentioned that I’ve been writing again, but I haven’t said much about what I’m writing. I challenged myself to write a book in a year and while I officially started this project May 5, 2020, the idea has been simmering for much longer. This book started when I was trying to get…
Throwback Thursday: The Quick and Dirty
I recently had lunch with a friend whose little guy is 10 weeks old. First, let me say that I must have blocked out this age because I don’t remember the girls being that small. I also had absolutely no desire to hold him which I guess answers the lingering question of having more children.…
One sticky note at a time.
This is the last day of January. For those of you that made New Year’s resolutions, how are they going? If you’re still going, then good for you! If you’re not, well maybe it was the wrong resolution. Don’t be hard on yourself. I didn’t make a resolution specifically, but I did think to myself,…
Cheers to 2021…
This has been a tough and unusual year, to say the least. I’m home alone, my Christmas tree is lit, and I’m finishing up my preparations for the big day. Christmas Eve for my family was always a relaxing evening in front of a fire, watching Christmas shows, and having a drink. It was the…
It’s a Wonderful Life
“It’s a Wonderful Life” has been my favourite holiday movie for quite some time now. I honestly don’t remember the first time I watched it but I cried at the end and still do…every time. I prefer the black and white version but will occasionally throw in the colour version to mix it up. I…
Maggie
Maggie was 8 weeks old when she became part of our family. She always behaved like a puppy: energetic, bouncy, and loving. She was feisty and didn’t take no for an answer. Her nickname was “Red Rocket” because she loved fetch and ran so fast she was almost a blur. Her other nicknames were “Maggie…
October is Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month
One year ago, “Silent Grief, Healing, and Hope: 15 Inspirational Stories of Infertility, Miscarriage, and Child Loss” was launched to the world. Inside its covers, 15 women share their stories and mine is one of them. It’s a story I’ve told in bits and pieces for 10 years. Because it was literally 10 years ago…
I am thankful for…
This is a very different Thanksgiving. After a brief glimmer of “normal” over the summer, my girls and I are left wanting more: patios, shopping instead of ordering online, and playgrounds to name a few. Now that the school year has begun and cold and flu season is on the horizon, that brief glimmer is…
Rowan’s Law Day
Four years ago, I fell hard. Literally. I fell backwards and down into a recessed patio and hit head first. I’m 5’5″ and the patio had four steps, so my head fell well over 6′ before cracking on the brick. It was June and the air conditioning was on, but my mom heard the noise…
Where have all the hugs gone?
I am a hugger. When I see friends, I hug them and then I hug them again when I leave. I don’t like fake hugs…you know the kind. Where you barely put your arms around the person and kind of pat them on the shoulders. When I hug, I go all in: arms wrapped around…
Who has time for self care?!
As if self care wasn’t hard enough before, the pandemic has made it nearly impossible. Flight attendants advise parents to put on their own “oxygen mask” first, otherwise they may be unable to help children or dependents. I believe this to be true, but when you are working, parenting, and homeschooling…there are just not enough…
Confessions of a Twin Mom
Confessions of a Twin Mom started out as a column for the Durham Parents of Multiples newsletter. I joined DPOM when I found out I was having twins and found a wonderful group of people. Since I love writing, I began to write some articles for the newsletter and then eventually became the newsletter editor.
Marcia Allyn Luke 