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.

In writing my Actual Magic series for Young Adults,  In creating characters that really mattered to me, I also explored their friendships and bonds with one another, and what those relationships brought to the power of the story.

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.”

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

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

How I Craft a Scene from a Single Idea, and then Weave it into the Story

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

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