Pick A Cover

A little fun 😊:

Which of these covers did I choose for my 3rd novel in the CHURCH DOORS Series: 
Behind and Beyond Church Doors: Promises (2016)?

Which cover would you have chosen? Why?

Smiles,
Sylvia
www.sylviabrownroberts.com

Vending at the Convention 2018

This is my video taken in Authors' Area at the New Jersey Education Association Convention held November 8-9, 2018. Selected authors from New Jersey sold their books and discussed the writing and publishing process with convention attendees. I presented my 3 novels in the Church Doors series: Behind Church Doors, Beyond Church Doors, and Behind and Beyond Church Doors: Promises. I also had a gift booklet of  Discussion Questions for all 3 novels for my customers. My novels are also available online at Amazon.com and Barnes&Noble.com. Autographed copies are available from me: www.sylviabrownroberts.com

Daydream Thoughts

I saw this sign while on an island vacation: 

"I wish I could stay here forever."

Have you ever felt this way about a place?

Care to  share?

Smiles,

Sylvia
www.sylviabrownroberts.com

Mister Softee

Saw these in a shopping center parking lot. Two Mister Softee trucks in parking spaces. I didn't see anyone in the trucks. They were still and quiet.
Back in the day, the familiar music from a Mister Softee truck would have all the children who were playing outside (Yes, long ago, children used to play outside every day!) run after the truck and shout:
"Wait, Ice Cream Man!"
"Mom, Dad, can I have some money for ice cream?"
"Yay! Ice Cream Man!"
Some children knew they wouldn't get any ice cream money from their parents, but they'd chase after the Mister Softee truck anyway. If they were successful at making the driver stop, they might be rewarded with a cold treat provided by another parent on the block.
I used to enjoy chocolate and vanilla custard cones! Good memories!
Sylvia
www.sylviabrownroberts

Danger You Don't See

I marvel whenever I recognize that God has protected me from a danger that I didn't see or didn't see coming. Then, I praise God for looking out for me.
Kinda makes you think about guardian angels, huh?
Recently, I put on my house slippers, went downstairs, and walked around in the kitchen for a bit. I thought I felt a slight push into the ball of my left foot, but I poured my morning cup of coffee and went back upstairs. After a couple more steps with the push feeling in my foot, I declared, "What IS this?" I took off my slipper and ran my hand inside, searching for a pebble or something small. I felt something. I turned the shoe over and spotted a jagged piece of glass sticking out of the bottom. (For the purpose of the picture, I later took a tool and pulled the glass out a little so it could be seen better.) When I pulled the glass piece all the way out, I saw a very sharp point and realized it was on its way to fully break through the sole and into my skin with each step I took.
Wow. I examined the ball of my foot, hoping to see no blood. There was none, but there was a pink pressure mark. If I had walked longer, the narrow head of the glass piece would have entered my foot. God protected me from a danger I did not see.
You can probably recall a time that God protected you lately.
Giving thanks,
Sylvia
www.sylviabrownroberts.com

Fall. Don't Stay Down.

  Today is another anniversary of 9/11. Has it  actually been seventeen years since the towers at the World Trade Center were attacked by hijacked planes and destroyed?  Tragedy at the Pentagon and the site in PA. May God continue to bless and comfort the families, friends, and other loved ones of those who lost their lives. Also, the same prayer goes up for those who are still alive, but continue to suffer health effects from 9/11 to this day. May God bless this country in every way.
This slogan from a movie poster comes to mind. Our country was attacked that day, but not destroyed. Fall. Get Back Up. We can use this thought in all the challenges of our lives. When you fall, don't stay down. Get back up.
Best wishes,
Sylvia
www.sylviabrownroberts.com

Writing at the Library

On this day, I decide to write at the library.   It's a cool and quiet place, but not a silent environment. Silence makes me focus on listening for sounds. That takes me away from making a mind story.
Every now and then, I look up at the books on the shelves and experience a friendly feeling: an author surrounded by the books of other authors. Inspiration.
Success! I'm able to edit a chapter that's been a challenge: a newlywed couple is confronted by a woman from the husband's past...
Book 4 in the Church Doors series. I'll keep you posted!
Smiles,
Sylvia
www.sylviabrownroberts.com

Writing in Dunkin Donuts

I can't always get my writing done in my study. Sometimes, I need a different writing environment. On this day, pavers were working on our street. The loud sounds were jarring and I couldn't concentrate on my work. It was a hot day, so I had the windows open, which meant I could also hear the chatter of the workmen as they labored. At one point, I was more focused on their conversation than on the conversation of  the characters in my mind. 

I thought, "That's it. I'm not getting any writing done. There's a Dunkin Donuts not too far away." I grabbed my notes and left the house.

"Much better." I munched on a breakfast bagel, sipped an iced tea, and edited a chapter in my upcoming novel. The sounds here were background sounds that didn't distract me.

This was a good plan for this writer on this day.

Sylvia

www.sylviabrownroberts.com

The book is almost here!

I am so excited to be one of the authors in this book!

Our Candid Conversations anthology goes on sale on August 13, 2018! 

Please look for it and get your copy.

Please click the link for more information!

Thank you.

http://www.candidlychristian.com/book

Where Am I Sitting?

Let's have a bit of fun!
You probably recognize this place. You might even enjoy this place. During my childhood, I hated to visit this place, but my mother made me go. Lots of squirming, tears, and scolding happened when I'd sit in this type of chair. I thought my old childhood doctor was mean. He had little patience for children like me, who dreaded the very sight of needles, drills, and suction hoses. Fast forward many years and I thank God for my current this-kind-of-doctor. He's gentle, friendly, and professional. I hope he stays around for a long time more.  
Where am I sitting in this pic?
Smiles,
Sylvia
www.sylviabrownroberts

My Robe from 2013

Here are pictures of a robe from five years ago today, June 4, 2013.  I think I was near the end of my radiation treatments for fighting breast cancer. I received the robe at the first of my 33 treatments. I kept it in my car, and put it on in the oncology/radiation dressing room before each one of the treatments. It felt comforting and looked pretty, which really helped during this time.  I had God's promise that He was with me, a  supportive hospital staff, a loving family and friends, and a cool robe! One day, to amuse myself while waiting to be treated, I placed postcards from my two novels on the robe and took pictures. Behind Church Doors and Beyond Church Doors were published then. My third novel came later. My main point here is:  I AM STILL HERE in 2018.  I am still thankful! I don't wear the robe anymore, though. I put the robe in a memory box...
www.sylviabrownroberts.com

#CandidlyChristian

I am excited to be one of the contributing authors in an anthology that will be available in August 2018.
It's called Candid Conversations.  #CandidlyChristian
The creator of this anthology project is Heather Hart of  CandidlyChristian.com
I will share more about the Candid Conversations anthology soon!
Sylvia
www.sylviabrownroberts.com

Revenge Body

I was in a room when I  heard a new term used by people younger than I am: Revenge Body. The conversation went a little something like this:
"Girl, did you see Samantha at the party last night? She looked hot!"
"Yeah, I saw her body and it is tight like that!"
"I know, right? She's got that Revenge Body now. I know Bobby wishes now that he had stayed with Samantha instead of  leaving her for  Margie."
"How did Samantha get her body in such fantastic shape?"
"Samantha hit the gym with a vengeance. She went on an extreme diet plan, and it paid off. She looks like one of those fitness celebrities."
I walked over to the young ladies and asked, "What exactly is Revenge Body?"
"You get a Revenge Body when a person breaks up with you, and in your frustration, you throw yourself into your physical fitness. You transform. Looking good is your revenge at him for breaking up with you."
I thank them for the information, but Revenge Body is not for this Baby Boomer. This might have been a thought for me when I was in my late teens or early 20's.  At this stage of my life, if  I'm going to put myself through an extreme and rigorous fitness routine, my motivation isn't going to be revenge. My motivation would be that my doctor told me the fitness routine would lower my blood pressure, or beat back diabetes, or decrease the likelihood of a heart attack. My motivation wouldn't be that my man broke up with me.
The things we learn as we mature.
Smiles,
Sylvia
www.sylviabrownroberts.com

I've Got To Go Now.

I'm usually pretty good about starting and ending conversations, but I was a little off my game recently. You know how it is when you're chatting with a group of familiar people or just one person you know. When you're ready to move on, it's easy to say something like, "Okay. I'll talk to you later." or "Nice talking with you. I've got to get to the store." Then you move away. It goes smoothly and everything is cool.
Then this happened: on my way out of a room, I got into a conversation with a new person. Well, it wasn't a true conversation, because she did most of the talking. It started because I greeted her when she came into the room. She let me know she'd just returned from a trip out of the country. I replied, "I'll bet you took lots of pictures." That was my mistake. She pulled out her cell phone, walked over to me and proceeded to show me what seemed like one hundred pictures. She commented on each picture, and she kept talking when I made a response. My eyes started to cross from all the scrolling images. I wanted to be polite because she seemed to need attention and no one else in the room would talk to her. She was also a "close talker": when I moved back from her, she moved closer to me.  Finally, I could take it no more.  I said, "Thanks. Gotta go now." I got my things from the coat rack, waved goodbye to the others in the room, and and started to leave. I noticed that some of the others  smiled at me with understanding in their eyes as I walked out. Lesson learned.
How would you have handled the situation?
Smiles,
Sylvia
www.sylviabrownroberts.com

Walking on the Mountaintop

When we humans get too "big for our britches" as my late father used to say, all we have to do is look at God's magnificent creations. This one is Table Mountain in South Africa. On a recent trip there, I and my fellow travelers were carried from the ground in a cable car up to the mountaintop. As we walked around and observed some of the wildlife and rock formations, I was impressed that I'd entered another piece of this vast creation called Earth. The air was different, more pure. It was tranquil, even with all the tourists. The sky and the mist that hovered over the top of the mountain was breathtaking.

The fact that Sylvia walked around the top of a mountain with no fear was amazing. I think I got so caught up with God's majestic creation that I forgot to be afraid.

Smiles,

Sylvia

www.sylviabrownroberts.com

A Real Live Magazine

The arrival of Spring inspired me to clear out many old magazines.  As a reader and writer, I have a hard time getting rid of print material, especially books and magazines. I must read each one thoroughly before I recycle it. Since my early career days, I've often had a subscription to Essence magazine. It was so rewarding back then to see women who looked like me on the cover of the monthly issues. (Shout out to Ebony and Jet, too.) A couple of years ago, however, I had such a backlog of magazines I needed to read that I stopped the subscriptions. Being an author now takes up a lot of my leisure reading time. Yet, I saved these 3 old issues to read. I enjoyed them so much that last week, I renewed my Essence for a year. Hope I can keep up with the reading. If not, I guess I'll have to read them on my tablet, but it's not the same experience for me as turning those real paper pages.

Smiles.

Sylvia

www.sylviabrownroberts.com

A Situation in the Soup Aisle

While at the market, I saw something that bothered me. I heard a man's angry voice when I turned down an aisle. It was a soft voice, but it was angry. I looked up from my shopping list when I heard the tone. I saw a senior man and a senior woman standing at a shopping cart in the soup aisle. The woman had a purse and a wallet in her hands.
"You do this every time! Look through everything in your purse. You always do this, Clara, every time we come out for groceries. What a dizzy wife you are! Next time, give me the credit card before we leave the friggin' house! You'd better find that credit card!"
I watched the senior woman search frantically in her purse. She was silent, her fingers moved all over her wallet. When he scolded her, she looked up at him while the words came out of his mouth, like she was trying to show she was paying attention to him. When he stopped fussing, she looked back down at her task.
I became angry, because it seemed to me the woman was being bullied.  I was about to step in, but thought, "Wait, did you assess this situation correctly, Sylvia?" I walked over to another aisle so I could settle down, and then address them with the right tone and spirit.  In less than a couple of minutes, I returned to the soup aisle. They were gone. I spent the rest of the afternoon wondering if I should have done more. 
Your thoughts?
Sylvia
www.sylviabrownroberts.com

Bone Broth

I tried bone broth at a new restaurant. I think it's trending now, and I'm told that it's healthy. Isn't it interesting how some trendy practices and foods remind you of practices and foods from the elders in your family?

 The eatery specializes in ramen. Many of us know about ramen noodles from the days when we were poor college students, but this ramen is different, upscale and well presented. It's not the 4-pack that costs a dollar and has a powdered flavor pack. I ordered fresh noodles served with scallions, a slice of pork, and another veggie. There was chili paste on the side. The main thing, though, was the aromatic, dark bone marrow broth I mixed with the noodles and veggies. It had a good, earthy taste. It felt like it was good for my belly. It reminded me of the  the chicken bones used in the home made soups of my elders, who said the flavor in the bones made the soup good for you.
Getting hungry!
Sylvia
www.sylviabrownroberts.com

Memories and Blogs

Pictures from one of  my early book signing tables. Not sure why the camera date stamp is 2008 since the novel was published in 2010. My first novel (Behind Church Doors)  and my first blog                                              http://www.nikolisthoughts.blogspot.com are on display on the vendor table at the event.
Although the nikolisthoughts blog has been inactive, it still has some thoughts that may catch you!  I created the sistersylvia blog to more clearly make a blog to author to novels connection.

I've since written two more novels and my second blog is live at
http://www.sistersylvia.blogspot.com

Please check out my blogs. It would be wonderful if you'd click to follow http://www.sistersylvia.blogspot.com

My blogs aren't long, but they are filling! Lol!
Thanks,
Sylvia
www.sylviabrownroberts.com

Save Bookstores and Libraries

Classics Bookstore is another place where I got a chance to introduce and promote my first novel!  I think these pictures were taken June 12, 2010.  It was an exciting experience. I'm thankful for the opportunity and I still have contact with the bookstore. Eric at Classics Bookstore definitely supports local authors and the community.
Eric at Classics Books<book_cellar@mindspring.com
Today, I heard from a radio host how we need to give strong support to the libraries in our communities and to encourage children to visit them. I agree.  Many cities don't have as many libraries as they used to have. The same is true for bookstores. If you have one or more in your area, please support them and encourage children to do so. It's a good thing.
Happy reading!
Sylvia
www.sylviabrownroberts.com

Borders Bookstore

My first novel, Behind Church Doors, was published in 2010. It was an exciting time for me because I'd finally realized the dream of writing a novel. I'd been writing notes for many years, but it wasn't until I retired from teaching that I gathered my notes, my thoughts, and the discipline to create a  lead character named Nikolis McQuaige (NikkiMac). She came alive to tell the story of her life before she became added to the church and after being in the church. The characters in the novel are described as "warm, spirited, and often humorous"- and other adjectives! Borders was one of the first local bookstores to grant me a book signing. I went on to write two more novels and am currently writing a fourth one.  Borders isn't here anymore, but I'll always be grateful they gave this (then) new author a chance.
Sylvia
www.sylviabrownroberts.com

The Chemo Suite

About a month ago, I visited what I call the Chemo Suite for my 2nd injection of Prolia (to protect my bones). When one of the nurses gets to me, my procedure is real quick, in and out.
I admire the positive attitude of the staff and the quiet, calm, and determined manner of the chemo patients who nap, read, knit, tap on their cell phone screens, and chat softly with their family member(s) for hours while they get treatment. Even though the reason for being there is serious, the room is cozy.
Today's impressions: 
"If I remember, your port's on the right." "Yes it is, you remembered right."
"Shoot me up. $5.00 Regular. One more treatment after this. Then I'll be cured."
The sound of wheels rolling each time a patient pushes the pole that carries his/her chemo bag as they walk to the lavatory or around the room for something.
These are brave souls.
I pray for their complete recovery.
Sylvia
www.sylviabrownroberts.com

Stay on your mission.

This turtle came down from the canal bank, which is pretty unusual in the yard. The turtle caught my attention for a bit, but I figured she'd gotten confused and would soon backtrack to the canal bank. Imagine my surprise when I walked by later and saw the turtle's back legs and feet moving. She was digging a hole in the ground!  Later, many eggs came from her body and dropped into the hole one at a time. Finally, the turtle covered the hole. It took her a long time to complete her mission, but she slowly and methodically got the job done. She didn't turn her head from side to side in distraction. If she noticed my quiet watching from a distance, she didn't let on. She had total focus on her mission. Sometimes I have to remind myself of that total focus to my mission. Sometimes I multitask and temporarily lose some of the focus needed to complete my primary task well.
This is a lesson from a turtle.
Smiles,
Sylvia
www.sylviabrownroberts.com

Writing Time Flies

I ran across this article from a book signing event in 2010. This was the year my first novel,
  Behind Church Doors, was published. That was almost eight years ago. I remember how exciting it was to see my work in print. I got a rush when I was with a group of people who had read my novel and wanted to discuss it with me and others. I still have that excitement and feel that rush in 2018! Little did I know in 2010 that the first novel would be followed by two more and become a series I named the CHURCH DOORS series. Now, I'm working hard on the fourth novel in the series, because the plan is for it to be released this year. Today, I just about completed the wedding chapter for NikkiMac and minister Adam Greene. The reception is awesome! You're going to enjoy being a guest at this event!
If you don't know about the CHURCH DOORS series, go to www.sylviabrownroberts.com and enjoy the journey!
Sylvia

A Man Came To My Table

I had an almost-moment and a blessing at the November 2017 New Jersey Education Association Convention. Along with other authors, I was there to promote/sell my novels in Authors' Alley. On the first day, I met some of my readers and they stopped by my table to purchase my 4th novel in the CHURCH DOORS series. I had to tell them that it's still in the works. There was good conversation, but no book sales the first day.
It was much the same the second day, and I confess I was about to become a bit  disappointed. Not much foot traffic. No book sales. Quite unusual!  I prayed that God would keep me  positive, because it's not all about the sales. It's also about  an attitude of thankfulness for the gift of writing and the goal of glorifying Him through my work. After that brief, silent prayer, my perspective changed. I kept giving thanks. A man suddenly appeared at my table. "Something told me I should stop at your table. Tell me about your books."  He had the most upbeat spirit, along with a sense of humor. He took a seat at my table and loudly greeted everyone who passed by. Some were startled, others were amused, but they all returned his greetings. He stayed for about fifteen minutes. "Well, Sylvia, I have to attend a workshop session now. It was great to meet you. God bless!" He purchased a novel, got up, and wandered into the crowd. After that, I had several book sales! I didn't try to figure it out. I simply whispered, "Thank you, Lord."
Sylvia
www.sylviabrownroberts.com

Awesome!

There's something about moving through the sky that causes me to dwell on God's majesty. Perhaps it's because my human state prevents me from moving through the sky unless I'm in a machine made by man, under the power of God. The blue of the sky,  the marvel of the clouds, and how they appear so close -what an awesome God!

"The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands." Psalm 19:1 NIV
Sylvia
www.sylviabrownroberts.com