Flirting with a demon.
In writing my Actual Magic series for Young Adults, Lilly Noble & Actual Magic, I’ve always found people to be amazingly interesting, and the interest they generate keeps me forever curious to see what they will do next. See if you can figure out exactly why I included this scene in Lilly Noble & Actual Magic.
Here's an excerpt:
As the boat neared the breakwater, Lilly sensed someone’s stare. She glanced up.
The handsome boy with the wavy black hair and ice blue eyes grinned at her and winked.
Oh great. First a snub, and now a smile? Did he think she was crazy, or better yet, desperate?
“Stop looking at me like that,” she whispered under her breath.
As if in response to her words, his eyes widened for a split second, and a nervous smile twitched the edges of his broad lips. He acted surprised, but she knew he was too far away to hear her whisper.
Was that even possible, or had she just imagined his reaction?
She felt silly, but she decided to see if she could get him to respond again. “Don’t stare at me,” she whispered harshly. Then, she leveled an even gaze at him and waited.
He pressed his lips together in a defiant line and studied her face for a long moment. Then, he looked away, as if confused and deliberating.
The boat’s hard rocking made Lilly’s stomach roll.
The boy turned back and dazzled her with a brilliant smile. His lips moved.
“You’re kind of cute, and very bossy,” a hoarse, deep whisper floated into her ear.
Lilly flinched. She heard his words clearly, as if he’d been standing right next to her. How was that possible? Then she remembered his words and instantly became annoyed with him. “Do you honestly think you have a shot with me?”
The boat’s lurching made her seasick. The strangeness of the conversation didn’t help.
“You were interested a few minutes ago,” came his retort.
“I was curious a few minutes ago. Now, I’ve changed my mind. I’m not curious anymore.”
“Okay, but kiss me anyway.”
“Get over yourself!”
“You turned out to be a lot cuter than I thought you’d be.” With his eyelids at half-mast, his seductive expression was unconvincing. In fact, he looked about to doze off.
She caught the meaning of his words, and instantly grew wary. Apparently, Zymura was not the only one on the island who knew she’d be here. “‘Than you’d thought I’d be’? How could you possibly know anything about me?”
He gaped at her and then clumsily covered his surprise with a grin. “Don’t you like me?”
The boat swayed.
Lilly clutched her stomach. “No, and I think I’m going to throw up.”
“Sure, you say that now, but I’ll get you to change your mind.” The smug grin on the boy’s face betrayed his belief that he’d successfully covered the tracks of his error.
“What are you doing?” Zymura interrupted, breaking the spell.
Posted by Deborah McTiernan
Author of Lilly Noble & Actual Magic
Dares readers to believe in themselves and discover the magic within!
photo credit: Neil. Moralee via photopin cc
Monday, May 5, 2014
Monday, April 14, 2014
Visit Raven's Landing, Maine
In writing my novel, Lilly Noble & Actual Magic, I remembered
as a kid, I found scary places both intriguing and terrifying. Again and
again, I felt drawn to the unknown like a moth to the flame.
Here's an excerpt from Lilly Noble & Actual Magic :
At
the front of the ship, a distant fog-blurred smudge of gray grew
massive and darkened. A tall, black chunk of rock jutted out of the
Atlantic Ocean’s choppy waves. At last, the island. As the ferry drew
closer, she made out the silhouette of impressive stone structures
crowning the cliffs. Bonaventure’s Academy, with its huge blue and gold
domes capping cobbled walls of mortar and stone, looked like a medieval
fairy tale castle.
She caught her breath and swallowed hard. “The school is beautiful. What’s it like on the inside?”
“I don’t want to spoil the surprise. Just wait, you’ll see. But, you’re going to love it.”
The
bluff dropped off into a sheltered cove with a rocky breakwater and a
generous swath of jade-colored sand. A sun-bleached wooden pier
stretched from a boardwalk of businesses at the dunes’ edge, out into
the deep water.
Thin strands of jellyfish, clam shells, driftwood, and seaweed cluttered the tide line. A tornado of big black birds cartwheeled and cawed in the swirling mist. Zymura gestured to the rapidly approaching chunk of land.
“Welcome to Bonaventure’s Academy of Magic.” Lilly nodded. “Those birds, are they vultures?”
“They’re ravens.”
“Oh, right. Raven’s Landing Island, I get it. What are they circling over?”
Shivering,
Lilly tugged her coat tight around her shoulders and yanked the zipper
up to her neck. “I have no idea, but now that I think about it, they
always seem to be in the same place.”
“They’re
kind of creepy.” Searching her pockets, she found her mittens and pulled
them on over her hands. “Yeah, well, they’re ravens. What can I say?”
Posted
by Deborah McTiernan, Author of Lilly Noble & Actual Magic ~ Dares
readers to believe in themselves and discover the magic within!
See Real Friendship in Action.
This scene was about establishing trust. Here's an excerpt:
Lilly decided to test her theory connecting the smell of sweaty feet to someone telling her a lie. “Zymura, do me a favor?”
“What?”
“I want you to lie to me.”
The girl hesitated. “Uh. Okay, why?”
“I
want to know if I have the power to detect a lie,” she said nervously,
almost giggling again. “The only way I can think to test myself is to
know that what you’re saying to me isn’t true before you tell me.”
“Oh, I get it. Good idea. Okay. Let me think,” she paused, gazing upward for a moment.
“I
really hate this school,” Zymura said, twisting her face in disgust for
dramatic effect. The air immediately saturated with the sickening
stench of stinky feet.
Lilly held her breath and controlled the urge to gag against the smell.
“Well? Anything?” Zymura asked, looking at her curiously.
“Yeah, you really stink.”
“Thanks,” the girl said with a grin. The salt sea air rushed in, replacing the stench.
Lilly
breathed a sigh of relief. She was satisfied that she’d proven her
theory correct. She did, indeed, possess the power to detect a lie.
Then as an urgent afterthought, she added, “We’ve got to keep this a secret though.”
Then as an urgent afterthought, she added, “We’ve got to keep this a secret though.”
Zymura quickly nodded her understanding. “Right! What good is the ability to detect a lie if everyone knows about it?”
Posted by Deborah McTiernan, Author of Lilly Noble & Actual Magic
Dares readers to believe in themselves and discover the magic within!
Guest Post : Catherine Carrigan / It’s Not Where You’ve Been, It’s Where You Are Going
Hi Everyone, this week I am sharing another blog post from the website one of my favorite authors, and someone I am proud to call my friend.Catherine Carrigan, author of What Is Healing? Awaken Your Intuitive Power for Health and Happiness, http://amzn.to/GRTW7z, a Health Intuitive, wrote this blog post.
You
can find out more about Catherine and her wonderful new book on her
blog, www.catherinecarrigan.com Catherine’s book is also available on
Amazon as an audio book. Catherine’s book, What Is Healing? Awaken Your
Intuitive Power for Health and Happiness, has been consistently trending
Number 1 as a Best Seller on Amazon in two categories – medicine and
psychology and alternative medicine reference books.
Here is Catherine’s blog:
It’s Not Where You’ve Been, It’s Where You Are Going
Posted on Feb 12, 2014 by Catherine Carrigan
Posted on Feb 12, 2014 by Catherine Carrigan
Too
often in life, our past consumes us, mentally, emotionally and
energetically. What other people did or did not do. What we did or did
not do. Things we appear to have missed out on. Prayers that seemingly
went unanswered. Resources we believe we might have needed but didn’t
have. “Accidents” that apparently happened. When we focus so much of our
energy in this way – on what happened in the past – we actually steal
energy from where we are going.
We are so
energetically and emotionally encumbered that we have little to no
energy to run the present, much less move forward courageously into our
future. We feel exhausted and depressed. If 50 percent of your chi is in
the past, how can you move forward full on? It’s not about where you
have been – what’s important now is where you are going. Why is this the
case? If you listen to the story about your past, more than likely you
will hear the story about your wounding.
The
truth is, your wounds can stop you in your tracks or they can even kill
you if you let them. Your wounds can either be the place where you allow
the light to get in or where you shut down totally and never grow out,
grow up or move on. How do you stay focused on where you are going?
1.
Recognize that you have gifts that you alone are here to give the rest
of the world. Ask yourself, “What would happen if I wasn’t here to make
my contribution?”
2. Focus on who you are
serving. Chances are there may be others on a similar path, but only you
can contribute your specific vibration. Even if 100 other people are
saying the same thing, maybe somebody needs to hear your message the
specific way you say it. Maybe someone needs to receive your energy in
the way that only you can deliver it. Recognize that your purpose is
bigger than you, it’s bigger than we and it’s all about US.
3.
Realize that it took inner strength to get you as far as you have
already come in your life. Call on this strength to move forward. If you
have overcome even one challenge in your life so far, you can use those
very same inner resources to move forward in every other area.
4.
Honor the truth that you are not your challenges, you are not your
illness, you are not your wounds. You are a soul with limitless
resources.
5. Know that there is no such thing
as a vacuum anywhere in the universe. That means that you already
possess everything you need to move forward in this moment. Even if it’s
just a phone number, you have what you need right now to move ahead in
this instant.
6. Instead of becoming overwhelmed by the enormity of any challenge, simply ask yourself, “What’s my next step today?”
7.
Motivate yourself with positive thoughts. When I was writing my second
book, What Is Healing? Awaken Your Intuitive Power for Health and
Happiness (Total Fitness: Atlanta, 2013), I knew that my first book was
the best-selling book of the original publisher and had been translated
into Chinese.
I knew that I had the ability to
write from my heart in a way that is transformative for other people. As
I was writing my book, I kept telling myself, “Knock it out of the
park.” In other words, I knew what I was capable of, and I went for it.
My
book went to No. 1 in two categories on Amazon in 2013 and so far has
20 five-star reviews. I dug deep inside, wounds and all. One of the best
ways to have a great attitude is to bless your past and move forward
anyway. It’s not where you’ve been, it’s where you are going.
Thank you, Catherine!
Posted
by Deborah McTiernan Author of Lilly Noble & Actual Magic
Paranormal books for teenagers Dares readers to believe in themselves
and discover the magic within!
Crafting a Scene from a Single Idea
Title: Discover the Magic within you to believe in yourself.
In
writing my Actual Magic series for Young Adults, I drew upon all my
favorite story characters I loved as a kid to create my own.
Here's an excerpt:
“You
will learn that the way you think holds the key to all things magic.
Have the courage to imagine only great things. By pushing your minds far
beyond what you already understand, you will discover what is yet to
be.”
Mondragon took his place next to her. “Good afternoon,
Bea,” he whispered hoarsely into her ear as if they were lovers. The
wide grin on his face told her he’d been up to something. Probably
something that, when she found out later what that was, she wouldn’t
like it. She ignored him for the moment. She was too deep in her speech
to bother with him now. At least this time he showed up.
“The
Bonaventure-Mondragon is awarded to the student or team of students who
push their minds far beyond our known supernatural reality and create a
thought or a way of thinking about our world that we’ve never before
considered.” “Like a frog with wings?” Morlock teased with a twinkle in
his dark brown eyes.“Not if you’re casting about for something else,”
she smiled at the students.Mondragon knew better than to interrupt her
during her orientation speech. What was going on with him? “What if that
is exactly what you want?” he persisted.
She
shrugged and studied him. Whatever Mondragon was up to, he’d better have
a good explanation for why he was acting like this. “Well, then, a
winged frog would definitely be a success.” Beatrice pointedly returned
her attention to the students. “Your grades will be decided by the
number of successful spells you cast, not by the size or the perfection
of your results.
And remember this: The
Bonaventure-Mondragon Award isn’t just a competition. It’s also about
cooperation, how fairly you play the game, and what you learn about
yourself along the way. While you attend school here, you will do no
harm to yourselves or to others as you study and learn. And if you’re
really lucky, you’ll make friends — real friends you’ll keep forever.
Boys and girls, attending the Bonaventure Academy of Magic is as much
about your character as it is about the magic. Keep that thought in mind
should you be tempted to cheat, or steal, or sabotage someone else’s
spells.”
Posted by Deborah McTiernan Author of
Lilly Noble & Actual Magic Dares readers to believe in themselves
and discover the magic within!
Crafting The Story
Lilly Noble & Actual Magic Excerpt
Crafting the first few paragraphs of a brand new story presents an amazing challenge to every writer. That handful of words must convey to the reader not only the story’s who, what, where, when, and why, but also, its mood, tone, and voice.A daunting task!
Before I began I knew a few things about Lilly. I knew what happened to her before her story began, what frightened her most, who was now missing from her life, and the emptiness she felt because of it. With the first draft, these opening paragraphs were initially a huge twenty-six pages long. I knew I had to pare it down! After much editing, here is the opening gambit.
Lilly Noble & Actual Magic Page 1
Lilly Noble shivered violently against the blustery chill, but underneath all the layers of clothing she wore, she also trembled with fear. Was she being sent away to the strange new school as punishment, or because her father couldn’t bear to look at her anymore? Since the accident, his abrupt mood swings and sudden naps whenever she walked into the room he occupied made her wonder if he blamed her for the car accident that took her mother’s life. About that particular day, Lilly could remember not a single detail. The lingering amnesia that the doctors had said was a side effect of the coma left her with an untrustworthy memory. If there was a good thing to come out of leaving home, it was that Lilly would be far away from Morgann, her new stepmother. The woman’s unblinking glare barely concealed a simmering hatred, and the rancid aroma of stinky feet seemed to cling to her like a nasty cloud. With a brilliant flash, lightning ignited the gloom overhead. Thunder rumbled and echoed across the sodden gray skies like eerie voodoo drums. The ferryboat chugged mightily forward, lurching across the heavy North Atlantic chop. A fog horn bellowed somewhere off in the distance. Its lighthouse remained a phantom, thanks to the drooping clouds obscuring everything, and bleeding all the light from the late summer afternoon.Something inside the fleur-de-lis locket at her throat slithered and hissed. Lilly closed her fist over the pendant to block out the sound. She wanted to toss the thing into the sea, but it had belonged to her mother, and her father said its luck would keep her safe while she was far away from home. Lilly decided she could use all the luck she could get, even if it came in the form of a creepy locket.
To all of you editors and would-be editors out there in Cyberland - did I answer all of those initial story questions?
Posted by Deborah McTiernan, Author of Lilly Noble & Actual Magic
Dares readers to believe in themselves and discover the magic within!
Foolproof Fudge Recipe
Best Recipe for Foolproof Chocolate Fudge Recipe yields
approximately 5 pounds Ingredients: 1 stick butter4-1/2 cups granulated
sugar1 can - (10-1/2 ounces) Regular evaporated milk1 - 10 ounce bag
mini marshmallows24 ounces of chocolate chips (milk chocolate or
semisweet)1 tsp vanilla Optional: 2 cups chopped nuts OR 2 cups Heath
Bits Line a 9 X 5 X 3 - inch loaf pan, a 9 X 13 - inch pan, OR a cookie
sheet with foil, extending the foil over the edges of the pan. Butter
the foil and set the pan aside.In a heavy sauce pan, combine butter,
sugar, and milk. Cook and stir over a medium-high heat until the mixture
starts to bubble.Reduce heat to medium. Continue cooking, stirring
constantly for 7-8 minutes, until the mixture turns a very light golden
color. Don’t let the color get too dark, or when the fudge cools, it
will become hard and crumbly.Remove pan from heat. Add marshmallows,
chocolate chips, vanilla, (and nuts or Heath Bits), and stir until the
marshmallows and chocolate melt and mixture is combined.Spread the fudge
evenly in the prepared pan, score into squares with a hot knife while
warm.Cover and chill in refrigerator for 2-3 hours or until firm.When
fudge is firm, use foiled to lift it out of the pan. Peel away the foil.
Cut fudge into squares on a cutting board. Make yourself a cup of
coffee, scrape out the sauce pan, and lick the spatula. Store tightly
covered in fridge for up to one month. Open tin, serve, and watch the
expression of joy one the faces of your friends. photo courtesy of:
www.WorthTheWhisk.comHappiest holidays to you and yours! Thank you for
visiting my blog! Posted by Deborah McTiernanAuthor of Lilly Noble &
Actual MagicAmazon Best-Selling AuthorParanormal Books for ages 9-12
and Young AdultsDares readers to believe in themselves and discover the
magic within.www.deborahmctiernan.com Follow your dreams or follow the
crowd.
The Joy of Fudge
The Joy of Fudge!! What is your favorite holiday gift to give? Year
after year, my favorite is fudge. Soft, creamy, sweet, chocolatey, and
sometimes with a crunch, fudge is a timeless and delicious holiday
favorite. There’s classic fudge, simple fudge, microwave fudge, peanut
butter-chocolate fudge, easy white fudge, easy chocolate fudge, and my
personal favorite, butterscotch fudge. Fudge makes the perfect gift to
bring to the hostess of any holiday party, the ideal treat to share at
potlucks and office get-togethers, and a great way to remember to the
neighbors. It’s always the right color, the right size, the right price,
and it fits every menu. The perfect container to store and present this
delicious confection is the cheerful holiday tin. This time of year,
holiday tins are abundant and inexpensive . They come in several
different sizes, a variety of holiday colors, and celebrate all
denominations of holidays. These cute little devils line at least one
store shelf at your local Target, Walmart, Kmart, grocery store, variety
store, and dollar store, and are even available on Amazon! (I love
Amazon!!) The Dollar Tree happens to be my favorite place to obtain
these colorful metal treasures. And, get this! I can buy my favorite
sizes at the reasonable price of two for a dollar! Why is the cost of
these tins important to me? Because I make and give away about fifty
pounds of fudge every year. Fifty pounds of fudge fills a lot of tins.
The very best thing about this creamy confection is that everyone
absolutely loves it, and none of it goes to waste. Seriously! How did I
arrive at this very bold conclusion? Easy! You can tell fudge is a
holiday favorite by how quickly it vanishes from a freshly opened tin.
Just like magic! With Thanksgiving lurking just around the corner, the
calendar is telling me it’s time to pull out my heavy sauce pan, line my
cookie sheets with buttered foil, and buy all of the ingredients. So,
how do I unwind after a busy weekend of creating candy? I park myself in
front of the fireplace with a hot cup of coffee and the fudge scrapings
from my sauce pan, of course! Happiest holidays to you and yours! Thank
you for visiting my blog! Posted by Deborah McTiernanAuthor of Lilly
Noble & Actual MagicAmazon Best-Selling AuthorParanormal Books for
ages 9-12 and Young AdultsDares readers to believe in themselves and
discover the magic within.www.deborahmctiernan.com Follow your dreams or
follow the crowd.
Keys to a Magical Life : Facebook Poll
Keys to a Magical Life Facebook PollOkay you guys,Here are the
results of another Facebook Poll. What do you believe are the keys to a
magical life? We all have a few rules we live by. Rules that define us
by our integrity and make us who we are. What are some of your
rules?Becky Levine Don't put "poison" out there, and read lots of books.
Carola Dunn Don't panic and hang on to your towel. David Ryman if your
breathings OK you have no problems - an old Yemeni saying that works in
the West too.Gloria McClintock-Allendorfer Anderson Tell the people you
love that you love them; always tell the truth; never take what isn't
yours. Author Simone Fairchild Walking in the will of God. Alianne
Donnelly Never give up on your dreams. Tammy Brandon Today. Just get
through the day without strangling someone… Phyllis Starner Treat others
the way you want to be treated! Be genuine. Posted by Deborah
McTiernanAuthor of Lilly Noble & Actual MagicParanormal books for
teenagersDares readers to believe in themselves and discover the magic
within!
Keys to a Magical Life
A Few Keys to a Magical Life FOCUS: What you focus on moves you in
the direction of whatever you desire. Pay attention only to the task at
hand, and never to the end result. Ignore emotional pressure. Emotional
pressure isn’t real, it clouds your thinking by making you anxious, and
interferes with your decision making process. For example: If you feel
you need to win, you will become fearful of losing. Decisions made based
on fear can become self-fulfilling prophecies because the choices you
make to avoid failure are emotional, not logical. When fear is absent
you enter the zone. Inside the zone, everything becomes pure action. You
care less about the outcome, become aware of only what you are doing,
and will take the next best action. YOUR IDEAL STATE OF MIND: Focus only
on your objective, and not on yourself. When you stop worrying about
the outcome, you become unconcerned with the opinion of others.
Automatically, your ego disappears and you stop second-guessing
yourself. CREATE YOUR PERFECT IMAGE IN YOUR MIND: Imagine how will you
feel. What will you look like? How will you dress? How will you sound?
Create a unique, complete, and precise picture of exactly how you want
the reality of your dreams to unfold. See yourself succeeding in every
aspect in your life. Think about how you will treat others. Keep
kindness uppermost in your mind, extend it to everyone, including those
who perhaps have not been so gracious to you. By changing the things you
say and do to others, you’ll shift their attitudes and actions toward
you. This is where the real magic begins. RESPECT EVERYONE: Stop trying
to convince others of how great you are, and instead show people how
wonderful and amazing they are. Do not try to get people to believe in
you; show them how to believe in themselves. Change how people see their
world, and change their lives. When you focus on the good in others,
positive people and positive experiences will flow into your life. It’s
that simple. Posted by Deborah McTiernanAuthor of Lilly Noble &
Actual MagicParanormal Books for TeenagersDares readers to believe in
themselves and discover the magic within.www.deborahmctiernan.com Follow
your dreams, or follow the crowd. You choose!
The Difference Between Pain & Suffering
Catherine Corrigan, author of What Is Healing? Awaken Your
Intuitive Power for Health and Happiness, http://amzn.to/GRTW7z, a
Health Intuitive, wrote this blog post. You can find out more about
Catherine and her wonderful new book on her blog,
www.catherinecarrigan.comCatherine’s book, What Is Healing? Awaken Your
Intuitive Power for Health and Happiness, just reached Number 1 on
Amazon in two categories last week – medicine and psychology and
alternative medicine reference books.The Difference Between Pain and
SufferingThere’s a difference between pain and suffering.Pain is the
physical experience. It’s an ache in your muscles, the strain in your
joints, the fever and chills, the throbbing in your temples, the
congestion in your sinuses, the stabbing in your upper back, the
shooting sharpness down your leg.Suffering is your emotional experience.
Suffering may or may not be connected to physical pain. You can suffer
emotionally even on a sunny day when nothing apparently bad is happening
to you on the outside. Suffering is the negative story you are telling
yourself about what is happening now, what has happened in the past or
what could potentially happen in the future. As they say, pain is
inevitable, suffering is optional. As human beings, sooner or later we
experience the vicissitudes of life. The rain comes. We lose our job.
The value of our investments go down. We stub our toe, break our foot,
catch a cold, contract an infection, get a bad report from our
doctor.It’s easy when these things happen to take it all personally, as
if somehow nobody other than you is going through anything halfway
challenging. It is helpful from a spiritual perspective to understand
that pain is actually an aspect of our collective human experience. We
all experience birth and death, two of the most traumatic events that
will ever happen to any of us. If I am doing a healing with a client,
part of what I do is thresh out the difference between your physical
pain and your emotional suffering. It is my experience that if you try
to get rid of a physical pain without also clearing the emotions behind
the pain – the suffering – you will not actually be able to clear the
physical pain totally. It may morph into another direction, another
organ, another layer of your energy field, but your pain won’t totally
go away until you also let go of your emotional suffering at the same
time. This is why if I am doing a healing, I identify the goal – say to
get rid of the pain in your shoulder – and then find the emotion or
emotions plural – behind the pain. Once I identify all aspects of the
story of your suffering about the physical pain then I lock the
information into your subconscious mind and clear the whole thing – the
pain and suffering – at the same time. Many people are not able to get
rid of their pain completely because they have not actually confronted
themselves about their suffering. We can be so heavily invested in our
tales of sorrow and woe that we have no clue how much every time we
repeat that negative story the chemistry that story creates in our body
mind triggers the physical pain. Next time you are in physical pain,
pause to ask yourself, “What is the emotion I am suffering with this?”
Identify your emotions in as great a detail as you can. If possible, see
if the feelings began at an earlier age in your life. Many times our
negative story started early on – even at birth. Sometimes we know this
story because we have told it to ourselves so many times, possibly
through our entire life. The quicker you can let go of your emotional
suffering, the sooner you can be done with your physical pain. Posted by
Deborah McTiernanAuthor of Lilly Noble & Actual MagicParanormal
books for teenagersDares readers to believe in themselves and discover
the magic within!
Kindness Matters
CBS News Sunday Morning ran a short spot on October 6, 2013,
featuring an Oklahoma business owner by the name of Bill Bartmann. What
makes Mr. Bartmann worthy of notice by the esteemed CBS program? This
gentleman’s company helps people whose delinquent debts have been turned
over to his agency for collection.Bill Bartmann’s philosophy is simple.
If his agency can help people get out of debt, it means more money for
his company’s bottom line.His employees are not traditional collection
agents who browbeat, harass, and shame folks who find themselves without
jobs and deep in the red. He hires only customer service providers who
help people get back on their feet by showing them how to access
government resources, create resumes, and set up job interviews. Bill’s
people even call their clients with friendly reminders on the day of
those interviews.After being in the collection business for a year, Mr.
Bartmann reports his agency is doing two times better than his
competitors. So well thought of is Bill’s company and the services it
provides to his community, Rogers State University President, Dr. Larry
Rice has nominated Mr. Bartmann for the 2014 Nobel Peace Prize.Imagine
that! In these dark economic times, a collection agency is actually
helping people get out of debt by helping them navigate their way back
to financial health!Maya Angelou said it best. “I've learned that people
will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people
will never forget how you made them feel.”At the end of every show,
Ellen Degeneres thanks her guests and then says, "Be kind to one
another!"Believe me, I get that people only do what they know, and I
know a lot of folks didn’t experience much kindness growing up. But
since changing your mind can change your life, why not extend a little
kindness to someone who could use some.The moral of this blog is simple.
Kindness matters!Posted by Deborah McTiernanAuthor of Lilly Noble &
Actual MagicParanormal Books for TeenagersDares readers to believe in
themselves and discover the magic within.www.deborahmctiernan.com Follow
your dreams or follow the crowd!
Haunted Slumber Party
Haunted Slumber Party Facebook Poll Hi you guys,It's time for
another Facebook poll! What three things would you bring with you to a
slumber party in a haunted house? I'll start: a flashlight, bunny
slippers, and a blanket to hide under! Now you! TD Jones Camera,baseball
bat, and kindle.Valerie Doty Cell phone, sleeping bag and
chocolate.Sherry Dozier Ybarra Flash light , blanket , bodyguardValerie
Doty Might have to take scooby doo!Author Simone Fairchild Well, I would
bring the Word of God, the Name of Jesus Christ and invoke the Blood of
Jesus Christ to send the evil spirits out. LOLDeborah Tirney-Mctiernan
I'm thinking I should wear a garlic necklace, with matching earrings,
bracelet, and anklet!Brandy Jones A camera, sleeping bag and a
bible.Nicole Smith Butler Bottle of wine. A blanket and my bestie.Mac
McGovern The Ghost Busters, winged shoes, and ghost disguise.Liana LeFey
A Super-Soaker filled with holy water, enough salt for a wide circle,
and an Ambien.Cyndi Santolin Delia My bulldog some bacon and a book.
LOL!Judee LaDue Childs A crucifix, flashlight and a friend.Curtice Mang
@curticemang Cool Whip, naturally!Posted by Deborah McTiernanAuthor of
Lilly Noble & Actual MagicParanormal books for TeenagersDares
readers to believe in themselves and discover the magic within!
Zombie Makeup
When Halloween Zombie Makeup Goes Horribly Wrong!Little girls love
playing grown up by mimicking the things they see their moms do. That
includes the mysterious activity of applying makeup. I remember sitting
on the bench next to the bathtub watching my mother putting on her
makeup when she got herself ready to go out with my dad for the evening.
First, she’d lift a fluffy pink puff from a small round box of loose
powder and pat it all over her face and next. Next came the rouge. Blush
was called rouge back then, and it came in a tiny case with a twist off
lid. Mom would press a finger against the pat of rouge inside the case,
tap it in dots across her cheek bones, and then blend it in. To me,
that rough made my mom look like she’d spent a day in the sunshine. The
next container that appeared in my mother’s manicured fingertips was a
red rectangular box of Maybelline mascara. She’d push the case in on one
side causing a drawer containing a hard black cake of paste and a
really little toothbrush to pop out from the other side. This was before
mascara came in cylindrical tubes with the brushes hidden inside. Mom
would scrub the bristles of that little brush against that pat of black
paste and then comb her eyelashes. Like magic, my mom’s lashes would
lengthen and thicken right before my eyes. The mascara was followed by
an application of eyeshadow. Eyeshadow back then looked like whipped
cream and it came in a little round box with a twist off cap. Everyone,
including my mom wore blue. Eyeliner came packaged pretty much like the
mascara except it had a Barbie-sized paintbrush instead of the little
black toothbrush. Mom would wet the paintbrush with water from the tap
to make the cake of liner work. Using her pinkie finger, she’d stretch
out an eyelid and paint a slender black line on her skin next to her
lashes. And just like that, my mom looked like on of those ladies on
television. The finishing touch came in a brilliant red bullet of color
that rotated out of its short narrow tube with a twist. Lipstick. Candy
Apple red lipstick! Mom smoothed the lipstick over her lips, kissed a
Kleenex, and then replaced all of her mysterious containers inside the
medicine cabinet. When she was finished, my mom looked prettier than a
movie star!! One night after my mom and dad left for dinner and a movie,
and my Aunt Alice fell asleep on the sofa in front of the television,
guess what I did? Yup, you got it. I snuck into the bathroom, upended
the trashcan, climbed on top, and got my hands on Mom’s makeup. When I
finished applying the finishing touches to my face, I was shocked to
find I had not achieved the same movie star results as my mother. For
all my efforts, I ended up looking like a zombie from a horror movie. Do
you have any "horror" stories of you or your kids getting into your
makeup? Share them - I'd love to laugh right along with y ou! Posted by
Deborah McTiernanAuthor of Lilly Noble & Actual MagicParanormal
books for teenagersDeborah dares her readers to believe in themselves
and discover the magic within.www.deborahmctiernan.com
DIY Play Dough Recipe
DIY play dough recipe This past weekend, just for fun I decided to
make Play Dough. Yes, Play Dough! I found the recipe online a few weeks
ago and decided to give it a try. This recipe proved easy to make,
produced 2 cups of great Play Dough, and is virtually mistake proof!
Someone named Kaye is the recipe's original contributor. Thank you,
Kaye! Ingredients: 1/2 cup salt1 cup white flour2 tablespoons cream of
tartar1 cup water (I added the food coloring to the water to make sure I
got the color right)1 tablespoon corn oilGlitter (optional) Mix all of
the ingredients in a sauce pan, dry ingredients first. Adding the food
coloring to the cup of water before adding the water to the dry
ingredients produced a richer color to the dough. I then added then oil
and the water to the dry ingredients at the same time. Once you have
everything in the saucepan start stirring. Initially, the ingredients
create a sauce that is the consistency of a thick custard. Stir the
mixture constantly, and cook gently over a low heat until the dough is
pliable. When it is done the concoction will pull away from the sides of
the pan and create a ball. If the burner is too hot the mixture will
set up too fast. As it thickens it changes very quickly from a thick
custard sauce, to a dense, pliable dough. Roll your lump of dough out of
the saucepan and on to a countertop while it is still warm. The mixture
will keep cooking as long as it is hot, so it is best to take it out of
the saucepan while it is undercooked. The longer you let the dough
cook, the stiffer it becomes. If you find your concoction has lumps in
it after you've removed it from the saucepan, simply knead the dough on
your counter top until the lumps disappear. I made two batches. With the
first batch I had the heat on the burner a little too high and it set
up very fast. Though pliable, the dough turned out stiff. I also made
the mistake of adding the food coloring to the concoction while it was
cooking, and I didn't add enough coloring to the mixture to give the
dough a recognizable color. The first batch ended up being a muddy shade
of mauve. The glitter I added was too little, too late, and there
wasn't enough to tell there was really any glitter in it. By adding the
food coloring to the water before adding the water to the second batch, I
was able to create a play dough that was a deep shade of hot pink. To
make sure there was enough glitter in the second batch, I dumped in the
whole tube. This concoction will keep in the refrigerator for six months
or more. Posted by Deborah McTiernanAuthor of Lilly Noble & Actual
MagicYoung adult paranormal books for teenagers
Santa, Barbie, and Barcelona
Santa, Barbie, and Barcelona! What Toys Did You Love? Do you
remember the toys you loved playing with as a kid? One of my favorites
was Barbie. When Barbie was the brand new doll on the store shelves, I
wanted one. My friend, Honey was the first person I knew who had a
Barbie, and actually she owned two. (Yes, Honey was her real name. She
lived in a gigantic old house at the bottom of a hill in West Virginia,
and she had a pet billie goat named Trash.) Honey always let me play
with one of her Barbies. And then...I received my own! I remember the
Christmas I got Barbie. She was the very first present I opened. She had
bright blue eyes, and a short, bubble blonde hair-do. My Uncle Tommy
said she looked like Marilyn Monroe. That year, along with Barbie, Santa
also brought a bright pink Barbie case, lots of clothes, several pairs
of shoes, a couple of pocketbooks, and a big black, wide-brimmed hat. I
was five. When I was seven, Santa gave me a little Singer sewing
machine. It was cool! The machine made chain stitches in the fabric, so
when I made a mistake, I could pull them out and start over. That’s the
year I started making clothes for my Barbie. I salvaged fabric from the
big box of remnants my mom kept in her sewing room. The clothes I made
for my Barbie consisted of simple tubes. I’d stitch hems at the top and
bottom of a square of fabric, wrap it around the doll, and pin it in
place. Then I’d slip the outfit off Barbie, reposition my pin, sew up
the back seam, and turn my creation right side out. If I could slip the
tube on Barbie, and her curves held it in place, I had a dress. If the
outfit I’d made was too tight and I couldn’t get it on her, or the tube
fell off, I’d pull out the stitches and start over again. I made short
tubes, long tubes, flared tubes, tubes with ruffles, tubes with lace,
tubes with peek-a-boo cutouts, tubes with back slits, tubes with side
slits, tube tops, tube skirts, and tube bikinis. There was only one
problem. None of my designs had sleeves. I couldn’t hang them up on the
little hangers inside my Barbie case. My dad came to my rescue. He
solved Barbie’s wardrobe problem with an empty cigar box! I covered that
box with dark green contact paper, and glued handles on the sides that
I’d fashioned from a brown paper grocery bag (remember those?) That
cigar box was transformed into a steamer trunk, because my Barbie loved
to travel, and she adored Spain. I didn’t know much about Spain, but
from the pictures in the encyclopedia, it looked like a magical place.
And the way it jutted out into the Atlantic Ocean, I could easily find
it on the globe. Eventually I passed my Barbie and her bountiful
wardrobe on to my little sister, who I think loved that doll even more
than I did. I moved on to roller skates, a bicycle, books, and boys. I
don’t sew anymore, but Spain still weaves a magical spell that makes me
yearn to visit. You know what I’m thinking? Barcelona or bust! Thank you
for reading. Posted by Deborah McTiernanAuthor of Lilly Noble &
Actual MagicParanormal books for teenagersPrint and Kindle book versions
are available on Amazon
http://www.amazon.com/Lilly-Noble-Actual-Magic-Volume/dp/0989180700/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1367984399&sr=8-1&keywords=lilly+noble+%26+actual+magicEbook
version available for FREE UNTIL 09/30/2014 as a PDF file adaptable for
all electronic devices in the MAGIC SHOP at www.deborahmctiernan.comAll
Ebook versions are also available for $2.99 for a limited time on
Facebook at
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Lilly-Noble-Actual-Magic/316625361776891?ref=hl
and also, https://www.facebook.com/LillyNobleFanPage To find the MAGIC
SHOP on Facebook click on the Bunny-in-the-Hat logo under the like
button.
Guilty Pleasures - Facebook Poll
Guilty Pleasures Facebook Poll! Okay you guys! It's the weekend and
time for another Facebook Poll. Today, I'd like to hear about
everyone's guilty pleasures. Those things you do when you're home from
work sick, or you're sad and all you want to do is lay on the couch and
stare at the wall. Mine are chocolate chip ice cream with extra chips
I've added from the bag I keep in the cupboard for emergencies, and the
movie, "Mama Mia"! What are yours? Maria Edwards When I am sad and want
to curl up in a corner and die, I get up and actually go out and find a
way to help someone less fortunate than myself. Works every time. My day
ends with a heart full of gratefulness for all that I do have.Tom
Williams Breyer's mint chocolate chip ice cream. Yum!Roger Dean Kiser
Hershey's Dark Chocolate THE BIG BARSAuthor Simone Fairchild That would
be a Pay Day candy bar.Leigh Polson Iced coffee, fast food or some other
kind of junk food.Wilma Roark Mets · Going to Goodwill and buying
something for a kid thats there with their mother that has very little
money and the kid is crying for an item.. gives me a chance to talk to
the mother and tell her I have to do it for me not him. and how good God
has been to me. God is so good and is so good to me.. That works for
me..Belladonna Bordeaux I curl up on the couch and watch total runs of
series.Valerie Doty Make popcorn. Watch a movie. Banana ice cream for
dessert. When I'm sick I make tapioca pudding.David Ryman well I'm a
bloke so its riding motorbikes very fast.Allison Harris Mine is vanilla
frozen yogurt, melted in the microwave until it's like a malt with
chocolate syrup!Mospearet Toobay I turn on my Wii and play some
righteous tennis while cursing out the computer players on the other
side when they ace me. Gets my blood to pumping and my spirits up. As I
always have a book handy I chill reading after my work out. MoKelly
Saderholm Fashion mags.Merle Burbaugh Jr Write a book or story, drink a
pot or two of coffee and play World of Tanks.Tammy Brandon Hide in the
bath tub with a great book and a cold Dr. pepper...!!!!! don’t forget
the bubbles too...Ann Roth Listen to podcasts (I like NPR stuff like
Snap Judgment and This American Life) while I play solitaire
online.Nancy Cohen A Hallmark movie on TV. I like the sappy
endings.Susan Sutherland any good chick flick and CheetosRebecca J.
Clark I watch Criminal Minds reruns. Strangely, it makes me feel
better!Randall Reed Chips and Godzilla... Posted by Deborah
McTiernanAuthor of Lilly Noble & Actual MagicParanormal Books for
Teenagerswww.deborahmctiernan.com
Absence Excuse to my Son's Teacher
Absence Excuse to My Son's Third Grade TeacherDear Mrs. Smith, I’m
sorry David missed school all last week, but I have a really good excuse
for him not being there. David was kidnapped by aliens! Okay, I know
that last sentence is a real shocker, especially if you don’t believe in
aliens and all that Star Trekkie stuff they say about outer space, but
it’s true. Do you realize what this means for all of us living here on
Earth? We are not alone in the universe! David said the aliens came here
from Mars. I guess that makes them Martians. What surprised me is David
said they weren’t green, and they weren’t little. I guess that blows
the whole little green man theory out the window. If you don’t believe
David was kidnapped by aliens, take a good look at him. He still has a
couple of spots on him. Okay, I have to admit, those bumps do look a lot
like old chicken pox, but it turns out they’re a space rash! Let me
explain how I came to that conclusion. After David got home from his
visit with the aliens, he came down with a really high fever. The next
day the bumps appeared and then they spread all over his body. David’s
bumps were making him pretty sick so I took him to see the pediatrician.
Dr. Steinmetz said David had probably been exposed to an alien bug
while he was inside the spaceship. He said to let the rash run its
course and he sent us home with a cream and some antihistamines for
David’s rash. He also told David not to accept anymore rides from aliens
because you can never tell by looking at it, where a spaceship’s been.
Okay, part of that last paragraph wasn’t really true. The pediatrician
prescribed a lotion, not a cream. David has it with him in his backpack.
Would you please make sure he applies some of it to his space rash
after lunch? Oh, and don’t worry about David being contagious. Dr.
Steinmetz said since David’s rash has finally stopped spreading, it’s
probably safe for him to return to school. Do you think there’s anyone
else in our solar system we don’t know about? Warmest Regards,David’s
mom P.S. If a spaceship lands on the playground, would you mind asking
those guys what happened to David’s shoes? Thank you!! (Names have been
changed to protect the innocent) Posted by Deborah McTiernanAuthor of
Lilly Noble & Actual MagicParanormal books for teenagers
Scariest Movies Ever
Deb’s Facebook Poll of the Scariest Movies Ever
What
are the scariest movies you've ever seen? I'm not talking about just
any old scary movie. I'm talking about the ones you sit through with
your eyes squeezed shut and your fingers in your ears. You know, the
ones that send you into the lobby trembling and screaming with your
mouth shut so people don't think you're being murdered! For me, it's
"The Omen". What's yours?Here are the amazing responses I received!The
ExorcistStraightjacketHaunting of Hell HouseHellraiserThe Woman in
BlackTexas Chainsaw MassacreNomadsNightmare on Elm StreetLife ForceNaked
PreyRosemary’s Baby (and yes, Sue, I do remember watching this at Uncle
Tommy’s house! I had my eyes closed and my fingers in my ears.)The
ConjuringBoris Karloff’s The MummyFriday the 13thDon’t be Afraid of the
DarkAlienChildren of the CornThe ShiningWait Until DarkSignsHitchcock’s
PsychSilence of the LambsStephen King's It (the one about the clown in
the sewer - I didn't sleep for weeks and could leap into bed from 12
feet away!!!) Posted by Deborah McTiernanAuthor of Lilly Noble &
Actual MagicParanormal Books for Teenagers
The Art of the Blog
The Art of the Blog I would rather have all my fingernails and
toenails pulled out than make myself sit down and write a blog.
Seriously! To me, being told I have to blog is the same as my mom making
me write thank you notes when I was a kid. I anticipate performing both
tasks with the same sense of impending doom. After Christmases and
birthdays at our house, my mother would dutifully set her giant box of
thank you notes on the gray Formica play table in the basement, and tell
my sister and me to get to work. My little sister would grunt and drag
the gymnastics mat into the center of the basement and stand on her
head. Beth was great at standing on her head, and could do it for what
seemed like hours. In my mind, she put herself in an upside down
position so she could brainstorm all the wonderful words of appreciation
she would be putting into her thank you notes. I, on the other hand,
stared at the box on the table and worried my thank you notes would be
boring, and my East Coast relatives would think I was ungrateful. So, as
I sit here in my office these many years later and count up all the
words I’ve just written here, (222 to be exact -- keep writing!) --
(I’ve been told a good blog post runs between 250-400 words), I think
about my sister standing on her head and my mother’s bottomless box of
crisp white thank you notes waiting patiently to be written in. If you
have a subject you’d like to see me to blog about, please feel free to
submit it here. Any and all suggestions are welcome. And because I’m
trying really hard to be digitally popular so I can go viral, please do
me a huge favor and like me on Facebook and follow me on Twitter! Join
me next week when I blog about an absence excuse I wrote to my son’s
third grade teacher. He’d had the chicken pox. I told her he’d been
kidnapped by aliens. Thank you for listening.Posted by Deborah
McTiernanAuthor of Lilly Noble & Actual MagicParanormal Books for
Teenagers(P.S. 375 words!)
Crocheted Bunny Slippers
After looking everywhere for crochet bunny slippers, I found this
great basic slipper pattern and simply added eyes, ears, foot pads, and a
loop stitched tail. I absolutely love bunny slippers and believe anyone
who wears them is just plain cool! Here's a fast, easy way to make them
for yourself and for your friends and family. (Christmas is just around
the corner).I owe a big thank you to designer Darla Sims. The basic
slipper is Darla's Toe-up slipper pattern. I found it at
www.redheart.com.At the upper leg opening of Darla's slipper I omitted
the cuff and reverse sc around the top.Directions for small size 3-6.
Changes for medium size 6-9 and large 8-12 are in parentheses.Needed: 1
medium ball Red Heart 4-ply worsted weight yarn in color A, a couple of
ounces of color B worsted weight yarn. I used orange and black because
Halloween will be here before we know it.Crochet hook: 5.5mm (US I-9)
Stitch markers, yarn needle.GAUGE: 14 sts=4”; 14 rows=4” in sc. Check
your gauge. Note: Pieces are worked in continuous rounds.Slipper: Foot
With orange, chain 8.Round 1: Work 3 sc in 2nd ch from hook, place
marker in 2nd sc of group just made, sc in next 5 ch, 3 sc in last ch,
place marker in 2nd sc of group just made, turn to work along opposite
side of foundation ch, work sc in next 5 ch, sc in first sc to join –
16sc.Round 2: Work 2 sc in marked sc – increase made, place marker
between last 2 sc, sc in next 7 sc, 2 sc in next marked sc – increase
made, place marker between last 2 sc made, sc in each sc to
marker.Rounds 3-5 (7, 9) Work 2 sc in marked st, place marker between
last 2 sc, sc in each sc to next marker, 2 sc in next marked st, sc in
each sc to marker – 24 (28, 32) sc. Keeping markers in place, sc in each
sc around until piece measures 7 (8, 9)” from beginning or 2” less than
desired length, end at first marker.Ankle: Round 1: Ch 12 (14, 16),
skip next 12 (14, 16) sts for Heel opening, sc in next 12 (14, 16) sts,
sc in each of 12 (14, 16) ch – 24 (28, 32) sc.Rounds 2-5: sc in each st
around. Slip st to first st to join. Fasten offHeel: Round 1: With right
side facing, and beginning in first st before ch, sc2tog working along
opposite side of ch, sc in next 10 (12, 14) ch sc2tog, sc in skipped 10
(12, 14) sc – 22 (26, 30) sc.Continue to work in sc, working sc2tog at
each side edge, until 12 (14, 16) sc remain.Fasten off, leaving a long
tail. Fold opening flat so side of heel are lined up with foot side.
Using long tail, sew sts of Heel closed.Upper Leg: Reverse sc around top
cuff of slipper. Weave in yarn ends.With Black: Foot Pads on bottom of
slipper & Eyes: Ch 2, work 6 sc in second chain from hook. Working
in rounds, work 2sc in each sc until Foot Pads & Eyes reach desired
sizes.Tail: Ch 2, work 6 sc in second chain from hook. Working in loop
st, work 2 loop sts in each sc around until Tail circle is 24 loop st
around.Sew Foot Pads, Eyes and Tail in place as shown.For Ears use
orange: With 2 strands of yard held together, join yarn with sl st in
any sc in round 8 on top of Slipper.First Ear: Ch 6 (7, 8) working in
back bumps of ch, (dc, hdc) in 3rd ch from hook, hdc in next 3 (4, 5)
ch; join to Slipper with sl st around sc of same st in Rnd 8 on Slipper
as joining, hdc around next sc on round 8 of slipper. Fasten off.Second
Ear: Repeat First Ear by joining in sc three sts to the left of First
Ear.Weave in yarn ends.If you're inspired to create a pair of bunny
slippers, or something of your own you'd like to share, send me a photo
along with directions of how you did it. You just may find your crafty
idea right here on my blog!Posted by Deborah McTiernanAuthor of Lilly
Noble & Actual MagicParanormal books for teenagers
Best Cult Classics
Best Cult Classics Ever!
I took a poll on FaceBook and here is the list of what you think are the best cult classic movies ever!
The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai
Across the 8th Dimension
The Fly
Transylvania 6-5000 (I’ve had a serious crush on Jeff Goldblum for a very long time)
Attack of the Killer Tomatoes
Rocky Horror Picture Show
Anaconda
Barbarella
THX 1138
Carrie
The Thing
The Last Starfighter
Forbidden Zone
Godzilla
Night of the Comet
Wizards
Mars Attacks
Dune
Silent Running
Time Bandits
Bladerunner
The Blob
Red Dawn
Harold and Maude
Big Trouble in Little China
Sixteen Candles
The Breakfast Club
Caveman
Airplane
My Stepmother is an Alien
Princess Bride
Monty Python and the Holy Grail
My Neighbor TotoroMothra
Do you have some favorites that are not on this list? I'd love to hear from you.
Posted by Deborah McTiernan
Author of Lilly Noble & Actual Magic
Paranormal books for teenagers
Best and Worst Halloween Candy
Top Ten Best & Worst Halloween Candy Ever!
I took a poll on Facebook, and this is what you guys said!
10 Best Halloween Candies
Skittles
Butterfingers
Snickers
Sweetarts
Jaw Breakers
Jolly Ranchers
Hershey’s
chocolate anything!
Gummi everything!
Reese’s peanut buttercups
Twizzlers
Top 10 Worst things to find in your Trick or Treat bag or pillowcase
Peanut butter taffy thingies wrapped in black or orange wax paper.
Bit O’ Honey Candy
Hard Tootsie Rolls
Stale jelly beans
Syrup in those little wax bottles
Candy cigarettes
Rock hard Double Bubble bubblegum
Old, bruised up fruit
Anything dead with a long tail
Popcorn ball
Did your choices make the list?
Posted by Deborah McTiernan
Author of Lilly Noble & Actual Magic
Paranormal books for teenagers
Homemade Bath Bombs
Who doesn’t enjoy a hot bath after a hectic day, or just because
it’s cold outside? After discovering this recipe on the Internet, I
decided to turn my kitchen into Dr. Frankenstein’s laboratory and give
it a try.
Credit for the original bath bomb recipe belongs to Traci Joy,
an eHow Contributor.
Thank you Traci, your instructions were clear and
easy to follow.
Before starting this recipe, I have to admit, I was a
little concerned about the volatility of the ingredients. I mean, after
all, they’re called bath bombs, right? Images of sixth grade volcano
science projects gone horribly wrong flashed through my head.Luckily,
that didn’t happen.
Preparation time: 45 minutes
Clean up: 15 minutes
Makes
enough to fill a plastic ice cube tray holding 16 cubes
Ingredients:½
cup citric acid1½ cups baking soda1 tbsp sweet almond oil5 drops food
coloring (optional)10-15 drops essential oil for fragrance (optional)½
tbsp water – in a spray bottle set to mist
Will also need:Sifter Glass
bowl Whisk or spoon
Apply a light coat of almond oil to the wells of a
plastic ice tray with your fingertips before you begin. Sift the baking
soda to break up the lumps.
A word of warning: Be careful when sifting
the baking soda. This stuff is so fine it plumes up like an atomic
cloud, and then settles on everything.
Pour citric acid and baking soda
together in the bowl and whisk or stir until the ingredients are mixed
well.Drizzle the almond oil into the mixture. With your hands, knead and
squeeze the wet ingredients into the dry ones. Using the spray bottle,
gradually mist ½ tbsp of water over the mixture.Add 5 drops of food
coloring. Take your time adding this water-based product. It will make
your concoction fizz. Just keep kneading and squeezing. In honor of St.
Patrick’s Day, I chose green. Don’t worry about using you hands after
adding the color. I didn’t get leprechaun hands.Add 10-15 drops of
fragrant oils. If you want your bombs unscented, use more almond oil
instead. The oil adds moisture content. If your mixture is too dry and
refuses to stick together, add more almond oil. By the time I was
finished, I discovered I’d added nearly ¼ cup of almond oil.Squeeze the
mixture with your hands until it starts to stick together, and you can
get it to form a ball. Pack the bomb mixture tightly into the wells of
the ice cube tray or molds of your choice. Gelatin molds, candy molds,
and plastic Easter eggs work well, too.Drizzle almond oil over the tops
of the bath bombs to seal them.Allow the bath bombs to dry in the tray
for 10-15 minutes.Turn your ice cube tray over and gently pop the bombs
out on a sheet of wax paper.Allow the bombs to dry completely. This can
take up to 3 days depending where you live. Wrap the dried bombs in
plastic wrap, Ziploc baggies, or an air tight container. If not stored
properly, they won’t fizz when you drop them in the tub.Tips: Olive oil
and sesame oil can also be used.
Posted by Deborah McTiernanAuthor of
Lilly Noble & Actual MagicParanormal books for teenagers
March Winners
A big thank you to everyone who is handing out bookmarks & helping
me go viral!Catherine CarriganDeb DobbsRemy FragoLinda ManningSandi
MurrayKathy ThompsonDana Williams
Posted by Deborah McTiernanAuthor of Lilly Noble & Actual MagicParanormal books for teenagers
Posted by Deborah McTiernanAuthor of Lilly Noble & Actual MagicParanormal books for teenagers
February Blog Post Winners
Truth Mirror Winners!
These winners are helping me go viral by
handing out bookmarks.
Rhonda Bombard, Phoenix, AZRennetta Brown,
Fountain Hills, AZPeggy Chapman, Louisburg, KSDebbie Dahl, Orion, ILDeb
DeCrane, Abingdon, ILBarb Forney, Phoenix, AZNancy Gallagher, Phoenix,
AZJennifer Lee, Thomas, OKCarolyn Mullins, Chandler, AZCindy Russ,
Glendale, AZA.J. Steeves, Phoenix, AZSusan Sutherland, Elk Grove, CAA
great big thank you to all of my winners!
If you’d like to win a free
Truth Mirror by handing out bookmarks,Please send your mailing address
to my Face Book email at Deborah Tirney-McTiernan,or
deb@deborahmctiernan.com
Posted by Deborah McTiernanAuthor of Lilly Noble
& Actual MagicParanormal books for teenagers
FRIENDS: Who is real? Who isn’t?
Do your friends like you for you? Or, do they try to change you to suit their needs?
Do they stick up for you when the going gets tough? Or, do they keep silent, or worse, side with someone else?
Do they say encouraging things to boost you up when you’re feeling down? Or, do they put you down and try to keep you down?
Are they fun to be around? Do they make you feel comfortable?
Do they say things to embarrass you and humiliate you? Do your friends make you laugh, or do they laugh at you?
Do
they keep your secrets? Or, are they into gossip? Do they include
you, or do they make sure you know they are leaving you out?
Will
they talk to you when something is wrong? Or, do they talk about you
behind your back? Do they spread rumors? Do they say negative things
about people they don’t even know?
How do you know if your friendships are real? Pay attention to how your friends make you feel.
If
someone is judgmental, mean, untrustworthy, deliberately doing and
saying things to make you feel bad, that person is not your friend. No
matter how lonely you think you are, you’ve got to let this person go.
It’s the only way to make enough room in your life for a true friend to
come in.
A real friend will accept you the way you are, encourage you to feel good about yourself, and keep your secrets.
And remember, in order to have and keep good friends you’ve got to be one to others.
Posted by Deborah McTiernan
Author of Lilly Noble & Actual Magic
Paranormal Books for Teenagers
You Really Are Good Enough
Deep down inside, do you think there is something wrong with you?
Do you believe you’re not good enough?
Every single second of every single day, you are creating what happens in your life by the thoughts you think.
Your mind thinks a thought and your body reacts to what you are thinking.
You get signs from your body of how a thought is affecting you.
Negative thoughts act like poison. They weaken you.
You turn red from embarrassment, and tense every muscle in your body when you get scared.
Positive thoughts are powerful magic. The second you have them, they make you stronger.
You smile and laugh when you are happy. When you are having fun, you relax and everything gets easy.
Thoughts
also have a funny way of coming true. If you believe nothing good ever
happens to you, your mind will look for ways to make you fail. If you
believe everything is possible, and good will come from every situation
no matter what is happening around you, your mind will plot and scheme
to help you succeed.
You can change your whole life simply by changing your mind to think about things differently.
Start by changing the way you think about yourself.
How do you do that?
Pay closer attention to how you are feeling, and then tune into your thoughts.
If you’re feeling good, you’re on the right path.
If you’re feeling bad, change your mind and start thinking about something that helps you feel better.
When you start believing you are good enough, that’s exactly what you become.
Posted by Deborah McTiernan
Author of Lilly Noble & Actual Magic
Paranormal books for teenagers
It's Ok To Believe In Yourself
Do you walk around with your head held high and a smile on your
face? Or, do you slouch and frown, or worse, look angry or scared?
Are
you surrounded by people who put themselves and others down, and see
only the bad in everything? Or, do your friends look at the bright
side, do they believe in you and make you feel good about yourself?
Do
you find yourself letting others tell you what you can and can’t do?
Or, do you listen to your heart when it says, “Just do it!”
Do you think other people are better than you? Or, do you focus on what you like about yourself?
Finding
the courage to believe in yourself is easy when you change the way you
think about a few things, and you change the way you think about
yourself.
Try surrounding yourself with people
you think are great, and who make you feel like you can be great too.
Friends like this may be a little hard to find, especially at first, but
they are worth the effort.
When you are having
a bad day, stand up straight, pull your shoulders back, and smile.
Look people in the eye and say “hi”, even to the ones you don’t know.
Faking confidence and pretending to be in a good mood work like magic.
They trick your brain into helping you feel better. And who knows, you
might discover a couple of those people who make you feel like you can
be great.
Stop comparing yourself to others and think about the things that make you awesome.
Start
to trust that happy feeling deep down inside of you when something
feels right. Stay true to yourself by doing the things you believe in
and watch your confidence grow.
The good news is, there’s probably nothing really wrong with you that changing your mind about a few things won’t fix.
Posted by Deborah McTiernan
Author of Lilly Noble & Actual Magic
Paranormal books for teenagers
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