UPDATE: Thank you everyone! Between the comments here, Facebook, and emails from some of you, over 350 shared your choice. Stay tuned as I’ll announce which book cover chosen soon! Thank you again!!
It’s an exciting time having finally finished the editing portion of my new book and now onto putting it all together!
I’ve been working with Caryn of Lantern Glow Design and have narrowed a book cover down to the two choices above. You will note there isn’t much difference – the only difference being the backgrounds – either floral or sky. While I realize the ultimate choice is mine, I’d sure love your input!
Please let me know by leaving a comment below which you like better- the one on the top, #1 or the one on the bottom, #2. Thank you!
Thank you for sharing and subscribing to my blog updates.
Today I’m taking part in a blog tour for author Erica Tucci who has written many books. Her most recent venture has been the Sarah’s Gift series, chapter books for 7-12 year olds – about a young girl with psychic abilities, which speak to the children with special gifts, helping them deal with different life situations.
What especially piqued my interest is that her books each have an animal friend that helps guide Sarah through challenges and accepting her gift. You can read my review of her first book, pictured above, on Amazon.
Second book in Sarah’s Gift series
Spirit Animal Messages by Erica Tucci
Since I was invited by Barbara to write a guest post for her wonderful blog Joyful Paws, I found it very appropriate to talk about the inspiration behind my children’s book series Sarah’s GIft, which is about a young girl with psychic abilities and how she uses them harmlessly to deal with different life situations. My inspiration was Dr. Steven Farmer’s Children’s Spirit Animal Cards, which is a set of 24 oracle cards, each one of an animal and its special message for children.
In each of my books in the series, a spirit animal comes to Sarah as a guide to help her with whatever predicament she is in. For example, my second book that was just released July 18th is Believing In the Magic, which is the message that Crow conveys to Sarah when she meets another young girl who has telekinetic powers. Crow teaches the girls that their thoughts are powerful and that they should believe in the magic of their thoughts.
In the back of each book, I include activities to reinforce the story and its associated messages. One of the activities is a full description of the spirit animal messages in the story. I am also developing a guide/journal for each book that takes the spirit animal messages and fleshes them out to provide further guidance on how a child might use them in his/her life in appropriate ways.
Animals are a part of nature, and their symbolism and messages can have a very profound effect on our lives. They can bring meaning into our lives. A butterfly crossed my path recently, which was a very rare sight where I live. Butterflies to me mean freedom and transformation. I took the presence of the butterfly to indicate that I would be breaking out the chrysalis I have been confined to for a very long time, and spreading my wings. You see, I had a stroke five years ago that changed my life completely, as you might imagine. And in the past few months, the metamorphosis that I have been going through has been propelling me back into the world at a very fast pace. I have made some major breakthroughs, just like breaking through the chrysalis and becoming a butterfly.
It’s important to connect with animals in some way and pay attention to the messages they may be giving you. If an animal appears to you, either in reality, during meditation, in a dream or a vision, ask yourself what the messages might be that it is trying to give to you. If you aren’t sure, look up the symbolism of the animal for insights. You may be surprised at the synchronicity of its appearance with what may be happening in your life, and how its message may guide you through the circumstance, just as the animals in Sarah’s Gift guide Sarah.
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To learn more about Erica and Sarah’s Gift book series:
Today marks the 4 year anniversary of my dear dachshund Frankie’s passing. While I never thought my heart would heal from the loss of her, time has, for me, replaced sadness with so many beautiful memories that often bring a smile to my face and a flood of joy to my heart.
And I just have to tell you how amazed I am at how Frankie’s spirit continues to dance around me. It especially seems so this time of year.
It’s as if she is barking from the other side reminding me that we are still connected. And she’s been sending messengers in the form of people reaching out to me talking about her, recalling stories of her, or a time when they met her.
One such case that really moved me deeply was an email I received from Danielle last week. She emailed me once before sharing with me how much my children’s book Frankie the Walk ‘N Roll Doghelped her children to deal with, and understand, their own dachshund Dixie’s paralysis.
Dixie has seen passed away and this time Danielle wrote:
I wanted to contact you, this time to share with you how much my kids (my 5-year-old twins) have been enjoying your “Frankie the Walk ‘N Roll Dog Coloring and Activity” book. They love the paper-dog Frankie! For them, it was especially important that Frankie was in her cart, so we had to get the cart cut out right away. 🙂 Since they each had a book, they each pretended to be a “Frankie” and talk to the other “Frankie”. 🙂
My daughter loved putting as much on Frankie as she could possibly fit! My son loved having Frankie more plain so he could still recognize her. They could not get enough of cutting, trying on, and role playing!
The whole activity also helped them reconnect with Dixie’s spirit and life and remember her in a fun way since her passing.
Danielle’s five year old twins dressing Frankie paper dog cut out
I can’t even begin to find the right words to tell you how much this means to me! But there I was, sitting at my computer, tears of joy rolling down my face. And a few tears wishing I could hold Frankie… just. one. more. time.
But it was just another reminder that as my mom said to me last weekend that “love never dies.” And she is right. It just takes a different form, but it is always there. Always. Thank you for sharing and subscribing to my blog updates.
Since I was invited by Barbara to write a guest post for her wonderful blog Joyful Paws, I found it very appropriate to talk about the inspiration behind my children’s book series Sarah’s GIft, which is about a young girl with psychic abilities and how she uses them harmlessly to deal with different life situations. My inspiration was Dr. Steven Farmer’s Children’s Spirit Animal Cards, which is a set of 24 oracle cards, each one of an animal and its special message for children.
