Authors Appreciate Reviews.

 

My 1st novel, Behind Church Doors, was published in 2009. It received some good reviews. Imagine my surprise when I saw this positive review posted in 2025! Other touching reviews followed.

Authors are encouraged by positive reviews of their books. These reviews draw other readers to our books. Authors appreciate your support. These readers wrote reviews that made me smile!

Have you ever written a positive book review and submitted it to Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Goodreads, or another site that posts reviews? If not, please do so. Thanks!😍

Always Sylvia    www.sylviabrownroberts.com

You Can Do It.

Years ago, I had a tendency to overthink a goal to the point that I didn't accomplish it because I didn't try or didn't try hard enough. One day, I made up my mind to "go for it" when I wanted to try something positive and new. My strategy: Pray about it. Learn about it. Plan for it. Don't be afraid to fail. Believe you can do it. If you don't do it the first time, try again!

After I embraced this strategy, one of many goals I met was to write Behind Church Doors, my first novel in the Church Doors series of Faith Works Stories. I'm now writing novel six in the series. 

Don't be afraid to reach for a positive goal.

I'm Always Sylvia.    www.sylviabrownroberts.com

 

She's Reading My Novel.

 

She's reading Behind and Beyond Church Doors: Promises. It's the third novel in my Church Doors series. I want to ask her what chapter she's reading, but she's so involved that I don't want to interrupt her.  I want to ask her what main character NikkiMac is doing. I want to ask her if she agrees or disagrees with NikkiMac's behavior in the chapter. I enjoy it when readers want to discuss what they feel after they read a chapter in one of my five novels. 

Thank you, dear reader. You made this author smile today.

I'm Always Sylvia.    www.sylviabrownroberts.com

Welcome to my Table.

I get excited when I set up my vending table at an event. I know just where I want to place each of my five novels and their synopsis cards. I know where I want to place my business cards and my banner. My dear sister, Peggy, who has been by my side for many vending events always says, "I'm not going to help you set up because I know you want things just the way you want them." I smile and agree. She steps in when I need reminding about something. My sisterfriend Pamela has also been by my side at many of these events. She's better at handling transactions than I am, and she's pleasantly persuasive. My sisterfriend Joyce is excellent at engaging people in conversation about my Church Door series of novels. I'm blessed to have them at my table.  

I'm Always Sylvia.    www.sylviabrownroberts.com

Your Special Thought Today?

What's the special thought you had today that prompted you to help someone else? Did the thought pop into your head unexpectedly and you moved to act on it right away? Did you shake the thought off because you had other tasks to complete? This image represents a special thought I had today. A lady approached me and said she reads my novels by borrowing copies from a friend. I thanked her and asked, "Did you enjoy my 5th novel also?"

"No, because I haven't read it. I told you that I borrow copies to read, but my friend hasn't gotten novel 5 yet. On my budget, I can't afford to buy novels." My thought? Go to my car, get a novel, and gift it to this lady who likes to read my novels. That's what I did. She thanked me profusely. That was my special thought with action today.  What was your special thought with action today?

I'm Always Sylvia ~ www.sylviabrownroberts.com
 

I Enjoy What I Do.

Here I am with my novels at a local school's Black History Month event. The students gave outstanding presentations! I was there to talk about my stories and vend my novels, but I was more focused on their skills and their joy. I'm a retired teacher. I'm also a teacher for life. 

Vending novels has more than one bonus: You're thrilled that people purchase your books. If you communicate well with people who stop by your table, those people may not purchase your books that day, but many of them will share the news about your books to others. I enjoyed attending this event!

Author Life

This woman holds the 5th novel in my Church Doors series: MORE GRACE. She looks pensive, and a little sad. I wish I could chat with her about her reaction(s) to some chapters in this novel. As an author, I have intense reactions to some characters even as I create them. One that stands out in this novel is Juan, an elementary school student targeted by a teenager who tries to make him carry and pass off illegal drugs to other teen drug sellers. I felt Juan's stress as I wrote about him. Main character NikkiMac, Juan's teacher, made a bold move to rescue him. When I ended that chapter, I took a deep breath!

I'm always Sylvia.    www.sylviabrownroberts.com  

Pray. Read. Keep Calm.

 I'm usually mellow, but when I had to make two trips to the drug store to pick up medication for a loved one, my mellow was challenged. On the first trip, after a 15-minute wait, the drive-up window wasn't open on time. I went inside, and the medication wasn't yet prepared. I was asked to come back in an hour. When I returned an hour later, the drive-up window was open, but I was told there was a 15-minute wait. I decided to browse inside the store for those 15 minutes. I felt the urge to complain, so I prayed silently for the grace to conduct myself as a child of God.  Then, I noted that the small staff was working as quickly as they could and were respectful to the customers. Even the head pharmacist stepped in to help the staff with the customers. They were short of staff, but they tried to be effective.

A calmness arrived, so I went to my favorite area of the store and viewed the magazines and books. I saw books by some of my favorite authors. I daydreamed about my novels being on this rack in the store one day. Before 15 minutes went by, my name was called by the head pharmacist, and he handed me the medicine. He said to me, "Thank you for your patience, Miss."

"You're welcome," I replied. I meant it, but I do plan to set up the pharmacy delivery service for my loved one. 😉

I'm Always Sylvia    www.sylviabrownroberts.com

Take a ME Break.

Sometimes, I make myself stop multitasking and say out loud, "Sylvia, stop!" A nice, hot cup of coffee, a couple of sweet cookies or tea biscuits, and a good read call me. My body finds her way into a comfortable chair and dedicates at least thirty minutes to me. Although I've written five novels in my Church Doors series, I enjoy rereading them. I laugh at many of the remarks the characters make. I hope readers enjoy my novels as much as I enjoy writing them. I also hope readers post reviews about what they like. 

I'm Always Sylvia.                     www.sylviabrownroberts.com

Ironing Out The Wrinkles

 Our feisty 92 year-old Mom tries to do as much as she can, and we remind her to pace herself. Today, I was pleased when she asked me to iron the cloth bag she ties to her walker. She washed it and was about to iron it herself, but she decided to rest a bit after a morning of cleaning the bathroom and some other small chores. As I set up the iron and the ironing board, I thought of the way she taught me how to iron when I was a girl. She's still precise about doing things well, and she taught all her children the same. "Don't give it just a lick and a promise," she'd say.  In my adult life, I avoid ironing. I buy clothing that doesn't require ironing. I'm thankful for the easy-care fabrics that we didn't have long ago. Today, I ironed her cloth bag very carefully, making all the moves she taught me and my siblings.  I'm proud to report that Mom said I did a great job. 

I'm Always Sylvia.  www.sylviabrownroberts.com

It's Email Newsletter Time!

 Here I am with a copy of one of my email newsletter pages. I'm holding a picture of me with MORE GRACE, the newest novel in my Church Doors series of Faith Works Stories.  I like to make one copy of each of my email newsletters and place it  in a notebook. That might seem odd to some people, but it works for me. I'm an author who often builds story scenes from the experiences I have as I go through the day. I find people interesting to observe. It can be a unique sound of laughter, the way they walk, the style of dress, the way they interact with others, the joy they spread, the way they speak, and more. 

I invite you to subscribe to my email newsletter: Church Doors, The Newsletter. The September 2024 issue is scheduled to publish on September 23, 2024. Email me at info@sylviabrownroberts.com  and let me know to email the newsletter to you. We have a Giveaway in this issue! I look forward to hearing from you this week.

I'm Always Sylvia.  www.sylviabrownroberts.com

I'm Thankful.

I get a rush when I see a reader with one of my novels! This young lady holds the newest novel in my Church Doors series of Faith Works Stories: MORE GRACE: Church Doors Book Five.

I think she likes this novel. Her eyes look sort of pleased. That's a good sign.

The author in me wants to whisper softly to her, "Dear, would you mind moving your fingers off the title and the author's name so people can see them clearly?" I wouldn't do that though, because in a room full of books, she chose to spotlight one of my novels. 

www.sylviabrownroberts.com

I'm always Sylvia
 

Slow Down Sometimes

 

Today I got a message to SLOW DOWN.

I arrived at Mom's. My sister and I were to take her to a medical appointment.  When I got there, my very punctual sister wasn't there. 

Mom was surprised to see me, so she checked her calendar. Then, I checked my calendar. I was a day ahead of myself. The appointment is for tomorrow! We laughed about it. 

I left Mom's and I slowed down enough to play. I got my favorite breakfast sandwich, bought a cute top at Marshall's, and I strolled the aisles of  Dollar Tree. 

When I got home, I chuckled at myself. I put aside a writing assignment and did some sewing instead.  I got rid of some thoughts from my crowded brain. I chilled out, and it was a good move.

Remember to slow down when needed. 

I'm Always Sylvia.

www.sylviabrownroberts.com

Write On, Author.

I've been an author for 14 years. My 5th novel in the Church Doors series of Faith Works Stories was published in May 2024. One thing I know for sure is that I never get tired of seeing one of my novels in a reader's hands. Over the years, some people have approached me with positive verbal reviews. I thank them and let them know they can go online and post that wonderful review on Amazon, or Barnes & Noble, or Goodreads. That way more people can read their opinions of my novels. Feedback from readers is important to authors. 

By grace, I plan to write several more novels. They may not all be part of the Church Doors series, but I aim for them to be full of thought-provoking characters and how they handle challenges of  faith. 

I like the pensive expression on this reader's face. 

I'm always Sylvia.

 www.sylviabrownroberts.com

Vengeance is not Mine

 

Recently, a repair person charged me more than I should have been charged, but I couldn't prove it. It's a challenge when something breaks that you don't know much about fixing. This picture of the dark cloud represents my anger once I figured out I'd been overcharged. But then, I had a thought! The repair person may have charged me too much, but I won't explode. The Lord will take care of the shady repair person. The Lord doesn't want me to avenge. People who take advantage of others will eventually get handled. I won't use the company's services anymore. I'll tell them why if they ask me. No anger for me. Instead, I'll keep trusting in the Lord. (Romans 12:17-19)

I'm Always Sylvia.  

www.sylviabrownroberts.com

Thanks For Choosing My Novel!

She's reading MORE GRACE,  the 5th novel in my Church Doors series of Faith Works Stories. It was published in May 2024 and already some people let me know that they completed reading it. Some of them said, "Okay, Sylvia, what happens next to NikkiMac, Jacee, and Anna Maria? When is book 6 in the series coming out?"

I smile because they don't know what a challenge it was for me to get book 5 to the publisher due to other responsibilities that arose while writing it. I smile because HIS grace made it possible for me to complete book 5 while meeting the responsibilities with love. 

Hmm, I wonder if the woman in this picture got to the part where NikkiMac and Adam address a marital issue? I put lots of care into writing about that.

Always Sylvia

www.sylviabrownroberts.com

 

Always with Me

I live in an old house that has an antique stove. When people see it, they often marvel and say, "Wow! They don't make these anymore!" or "Why don't you sell it? You could get lots of cash for this piece of history." I haven't sold it because it serves my purpose. It has 2 standing pilots, so I can still use the stovetop and oven even when there's a power outage in our area. It's due for a polish of the metal and surface. That chore is on my list for this week. Seems we never run out of chores, right?

One recent morning, I sensed something, so I went to the basement and checked. No problem there. Then, I checked the stove. Turns out one of the pilot lights had gone out. Our sensor on the kitchen wall was alerting me. I opened the windows and doors before relighting the pilot. Our heavenly Father watched over me, and for that I'm thankful. You likely remember a recent time when the heavenly Father watched out for your well-being, don't you?

I'm Always Sylvia. I'm always thankful. 

sylviabrownroberts.com

 

GOODBYE SASHAY...

I don't cry often, only when I need to. However, I shed a few tears the other day when I watered my ponytail palm, which I've had for more than twenty years. When the water hit the soil, I saw lots of movement. Tiny ants came out of the soil and traveled down the sides of the pot to get out of the water. Some crawled up on the leaves and the sides of the plant. I took her outside, put her on a table, and watered her some more. More ants! I looked up remedies and tried a few. Things seemed still, so I brought her back inside overnight. The next day, I watered her again, and more ants surfaced, even though I used a natural deterrent. You can see in the picture on the left that many were caught on glue pads, so I figured the colony was gone and I could revive Sashay. I was wrong. The leaves began to fall off. I was bewildered, because a week before this, there were no ants at all. I couldn't watch Sashay continue to decline, and every source I researched indicated I had to let Sashay go. The ant colony had slipped in to make their trails and prepare the pot as home for them and their babies. 

After that realization, I searched for and found Sister, a young ponytail palm. 

I miss Sashay, but Sister appeals to me a little more each day. That makes me smile.

I'm always Sylvia, and I'm sending good thoughts your way.😊

Website:     www.sylviabrownroberts.com

Email:        info@sylviabrownroberts.com

  

Confessions of a Third Grade Teacher

This is me many years ago, teaching a spelling lesson to my 3rd graders. Former students, there are three things I do now that I asked you not to do when you were in my class.

I used to say, "Please sit still. Why are you tapping your fingers on your desk? Please stop twirling your ruler." Confession: These days, your former teacher often changes position in her recliner. I move my fingers and tap them when I try to remember something.

I used to say, "How did you lose your pencil/ paper/ book when you haven't been out of your seat? It has to be there. Did you look inside your desk? It didn't vanish into thin air." Confession:  These days, I do the same thing. I sit at my writing desk and can't find the pen I just had in my hand. 

I used to say, "Stop daydreaming and get back to work. Confession: These days, my daydreams fuel my writing, and I welcome them.

It was a blessing to teach so many students! Best wishes to you all.   sylviabrownroberts.com 
 

 CHURCH DOORS, The Newsletter (Post 1)

What's free, quarterly, informative, relevant, positive, and revealing? My email newsletter! This is near the end of my 2nd newsletter year (2023). This pic is a section of the May 2023 issue number 8 cover, with the theme: Forgiveness. The issue features a conversation about forgiveness with my friend and colleague Joyce, my confession about a character I created in my Church Doors series. I don't like him, but the story needs him.  There's a Trivia feature and a piece about The Gift of Forgiveness, along with a scripture reference, and more!

Issue 9 just published in August 2023. It's theme: Compassion, Collaboration, Connection. It received good reviews. One more issue is coming in 2023. Don't miss out! Go to info@sylviabrownroberts.com  and let me know you want me to email it to you in December 2023.

Always Sylvia

www.sylviabrownroberts.com