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Sunday, November 8, 2020

Basic Tips I Learned on My Self-Publishing Journey

Self-Publishing Tips for Newbies

Let me start by saying that I'm NOT a self-publishing guru. I'm just a work-from-home-self-taught woman who decided to jump in and tackle some of those dreams left dying on the table.

I've written quite a bit here on ReviewThisReviews about self-publishing books. You'll find a list of the links below.

To date, I've self-published eight books and am currently writing the ninth.

The topic of the books are Riddles, Poetry, and Sayings for Cards. Currently, I'm focussed on building a series of Riddle Books. There are five riddle books in the series and the sixth should be published in one to two months.

A General Overview of What to Do When You Self-Publish (According to my Personal Journey)

Note: To date, I've only published via Amazon's KDP self-publishing platform

Amazon Author Page: Once you've published your book, complete a detailed page about yourself on Amazon's Author Central Page. Here's Amazon's author central page for the USA. When publishing my books, I had to create author central pages for the UK and USA separately. Perhaps, Amazon will amalgamate things at some point, so we only have to do it once. Here's the UK author central page in case you need it.

Amazon Author Page Photo: Decide whether your Author Central page will feature a Logo or your personal photo. At first, I put up my logo but changed it to my personal photo. I prefer to emphasize that I'm just a regular person, not a 'big company.'

Build a Website that Relates to Your Books: If you've never built a website or can't, you can hire someone or just build a blog related to your books. I've built websites (I'm not a website building guru either!), so I was able to create a website to coincide with my Riddle Books. You can take a look at my StumpedRiddles.com website here. Think about how you want people to navigate your site before you build it; write it out, give it a lot of thought. The ease at which people can work their way through your website is important. The top navigation bar on my riddles website features these tabs: Home, Riddles, Answers, Riddle Books, About/Contact. Within those headings are subheadings. Don't forget to include all the legal jargon you need on the site.

Facebook Business Page: Build a business Facebook page that features a Shop with your books. It takes a little learning, and you need a certain amount of products before you can build a shop. I chose to link my books back to each of their product pages on my website; that way, when you publish your book on multiple platforms (not just Amazon), you don't have to worry about changing links - since each product/book will direct back to your own product page on your own site.

Social Media Main Photo & URL Names: Create social media pages for your business/books. Decide whether you want to use your logo or your personal photo. I decided to use my Riddles logo for my social media pages, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. However, I created a Promo-Video and included that video at or near the top of each social media site: It features my personal photo and personal story. You'll have to choose your social media URL based on what's available; I wasn't able to get "Riddles" - it was taken. However, I choose URL's that were close: Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.

Promo-Video: Create your promo video using your favorite video platform. I used Animoto. If your book/business dictates it, I would suggest being personal while describing your books' purpose. You can take a look at the promo video I created here.

Your Tag Line and Book Purpose: If you're able to establish a "purpose" for your books, create a consistent tag-line that describes your purpose and includes that tag line on your social media, website, and books. The tag-line I came up with is "Turn the World Off With a Smile." It's a twisted variation of a lyric line in the Mary Tyler Moore theme song. I know, I'm aging myself! That lyric was "she can turn the world on with her smile." Given the craziness of the world today, I decided my riddles are created for the distinct purpose of helping people to "turn the world OFF with a smile."

Here are some additional articles I've written relating to self-publishing - Again, I'm not a guru, just learning as I go!

As I learn more, I'll add more articles here on ReviewThisReviews. My next learning journey will be how to self-publish on platforms other than Amazon. That should be challenging.

Here's the first riddle book I created - I went through several cover designs before finally deciding on this one:

#Stumped - Riddle Book - First Volume

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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Saturday, November 7, 2020

Review of Progresso Panko Crispy Bread Crumbs

I was first introduced to Panko flakes over 6 years ago when I met my new daughter-in-law, whom I will introduce here as J. She is a delightful girl who is originally from South Korea. She's also a wonderful cook, naturally specializing in Asian dishes (which my son loves). One of the first dishes she made for me was Panko coated shrimp deep fried in a Wok. It was absolutely delicious.

I watched (and helped) J. make the Panko Shrimp that evening and, after tasting how good the Panko coating was, I have used it ever since. J. does a lot of food shopping at a local Asian Market, but I found a product similar to her Asian Panko Flakes in a product by Progresso. Not only is it good on shrimp, but it is equally delicious on fried chicken fingers and on pork chops.

Progresso Panko Crispy Bread Crumbs

Panko is drawn from Japanese crusine. It is a delicious flaky bread crumb which can be used in a variety of recipes. My favorite way is as a coating for fried meat and seafood. It adds a golden crispness to fried creations and makes the food crunchy and flavorful.

Panko bread crumbs can be used in many ways.

It makes a delicious stuffing for chicken breasts or pork chops when combined with cheese, onions and herbs.
You can make quick croutons by browning in a skillet with melted butter and spices for a tasty salad topping.
I haven't tried this yet, but I can just imagine how tasty it would be to replace your usual amount of regular bread crumbs with these Panko bread crumbs in your favorite meatloaf recipe.
Mix these Panko bread crumbs with olive oil and your favorite seasonings and sprinkle on top of casserole in the last few minutes of baking.
Panko Crispy Bread Crumbs come in two varieties – 'Plain' and 'Italian Style'. I prefer the Italian Style because they are so deliciously seasoned that no additional seasonings are needed. The Plain version is good if there are specific seasonings you prefer to add to your bread crumbs.

A dinner of rice, applesauce and pork chops with Panko flakes

Panko Coated Pork Chop Dinner

My teenage grandson's favorite meal served by his G-MA (the grandmother name he calls me) is pork chops and white rice with butter, along with applesauce. Here is a sample of our Panko-coated pork chop dinner.

Panko Fried Shrimp Recipe

Panko Fried Shrimp

For your dining pleasure (and a tasty way to duplicate the delicious deep-fried shrimp meal my daughter-in-law J made me), here is a recipe for Panko Fried Shrimp from AllRecipes.

Recipe: Japanese-Style Deep-Fried Shrimp

Ingredients: shrimp, seasonings, flour, eggs, Panko flakes and oil for frying.

Directions:

Place the flour, eggs and panko crumbs into separate bowls.
Heat the oil in a deep-fryer or deep skillet.
Dip each shrimp into the flour mixture, then into the egg, and finally into the panko crumbs to coat. Fry a few at a time until golden brown.
Drain and serve. Yum!

Progresso

The Progresso brand has been around for more than 80 years. Begun by the merging of two prominent Italian importing companies in New Orleans in 1925, they specialized in canned Italian food products. They are most known for their soups, as well as canned tomato products, olive oil, spaghetti, ravioli and beans. Progresso was acquired by Pillsbury in 1988 and today it is in the General Mills family of products.

Where to Purchase:

Progresso Panko Crispy Bread Crumbs are available on Amazon, which is convenient as it is delivered right to your door. And, in addition, besides the single packages, it is also available in bulk (6 and 12 box units).

It is also available online and in-store at Target and Walmart.

Wherever you purchase your Panko Crispy Bread Crumbs, it is a very tasty product to have on hand for all the reasons I mentioned above.

For more Recipe Reviews, check out ReviewThisReviews: Recipes

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Friday, November 6, 2020

How to Lose Weight While Playing Video Games on the Kindle Fire

I have been shocked by how much weight I have lost while playing video games when exercising. Previously, I found exercising to be boring and I simply couldn't force myself to stick with it. That was before I discovered video games on my Kindle Fire!

How It All Began for Me ........

Several years ago, one of our fellow contributors, Susan Deppner, helped me select a new Kindle Fire. Susan had lots of experience with the various electronic readers and I trusted her to know exactly what I needed.

I loved my Kindle Paperwhite, but I wanted a Kindle with color pictures for cookbooks and children's books. We all know images are the first impression of either of those kinds of books and are often the determining factor in which ones we purchase. After all, I'm not likely to even try a recipe without seeing a photo that looks delicious.

I remember laughing when Susan said a Kindle Fire with 32 GB would be more than enough, unless I played a lot of video games. I laughed because, at the time, I didn't play video games. The only video games I had ever encountered required a specific console & controllers connected to the television.

Fast forward 4 years and you will find me playing video games on my Kindle Fire every day.

How Video Games Helped Me Lose Weight

It has been said many times that video game players pack on the pounds while playing video games. That is simply not true for me! I play my video games on my Kindle Fire while I exercise.

I've never liked exercising. Frankly, in the past, I considered it boring and most often a waste of time since I couldn't force myself to stick with something so mind-numbing. When my daughter shared how someone she knew had lost a lot of weight on an exercise bike, I thought that very impressive, but lamented that I could not exercise an hour per day.

Time and experience has proven me wrong on that opinion too.

Fast forward 32 weeks and I am happy to say that I have worked up to exercising an hour per day, 5 days a week, on my recumbent exercise bike. I don't find that exercise boring because I play my video games while pedaling. I have lost 30 lbs. in 32 weeks without giving up my favorite food!

Favorite Video Games I Play on My Kindle Fire

My first encounter with a video game on my Kindle Fire, was a hidden object game. I quickly advanced to Candy Crush. From there, I discovered lots of games I love to play! Perhaps an hour a day is not enough.

These are some of my favorite free game apps that I have downloaded to my Kindle Fire. If you are already an experienced gamer, I recommend starting at the bottom of the list to discover new games you might enjoy.

Simply talking to my husband or son, you would find out quickly that everyone has a different taste or preference in game choice. That is totally okay! There is something for everyone in the Amazon Game Apps that can be downloaded to the Kindle Fire.

For me, I have always chosen the free game apps. They all have options to purchase specialty items, tokens, gems or whatever the game requires to continue playing or advance faster. That is not necessary. Most of the time, I simply switch to a different game and play until my "lives" are restored on my current favored game.

Start Your Exercise With Video Games Routine Today!

ProForm 235 CSX Recumbent BikeCheck Price Fire HD 10 Tablet (10.1Check Price Mystery Manor: hidden objectsCheck Price Cooking Diary®: Best Tasty Restaurant & Cafe GameCheck Price

Disclaimer: I am not a doctor. You should consult your physician before starting this or any exercise program to determine what is best for your needs.

Thursday, November 5, 2020

Hiking Naked - Book Review

Kindle Unlimited Link

Are you taking a leave of absence? She whispered her question as if I were planning a prison escape.

No. What Iris had in mind did involve absence, but truly, it was more about arriving back at presence. In Hiking Naked, Iris Graville takes us along on her journey of stripping life down to what is most essential. This is a book about reclaiming your joys.

If ever there was a time to plan a prison escape, surely it would be now. Just as Iris felt imprisoned by the burnout of years in the public health field, who among us is not wishing for an escape from the weariness of daily crisis... from the pandemic stress in which we are engulfed?

For me, being immersed in the author's sojourn to a place far removed from constant bombardment was not only a much-needed respite, but also a knowing, as Graville put it, of "the riches of attending to what's truly important."

Anyone who has ever fantasized about moving to a remote haven far from the madding crowd will relish this account of Graville's time spent in Stehekin (a Native word meaning a way through), Washington. As Iris ferries us via her writing to this uplake North Cascades paradise, we discover ourselves in a place any lover of Northern Exposure would find intriguing and refreshing.

Imagine living without TV, phones, freeways, or frenzy. Think what it would be like to mail-order your groceries (and have a stranger named Alice select your food items for you).

Envision a time of reading, writing, hiking, and just being. Wrap your mind around days filled with art, bread-baking, letter-writing, laundry-hanging, and journaling about the desires of your heart.

In the process of becoming "Stehekinized," Graville found her own way through the tumult of both internal and external fires and floods. As she sought balance, and let Stehekin live within her, Iris found the path to what was next.

I highly recommend this book to anyone searching for clarity, for renewal, for a clear sense of calling, for a return to the essence of life. Here's to finding your own Stehekin. May the way through be a journey to joy.

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Wednesday, November 4, 2020

Lawn Leaf Blowers

Lawn Leaf Blowers Reviewed
Photo from Getty Free Images

We Live in a small quiet village in Western New York, surrounded by so many big trees. We have a small yard so it's not that difficult to take care of. When the fall season arrives, and the leaves turn those beautiful colors it's a breathtaking sight and so beautiful.

It's not long before the leaves fall to the ground, cover the lawn and clog the gutters. Last year my electric leaf blower burned up, I wasn't too disappointed when this happened as I've had it for many years.

Lawn Leaf Blowers Reviewed

It was time to find a new leaf blower so I began my search. I had to decide between electric, gas-powered, or Cordless. My first thought was, instead of dragging a couple of extension cords around the yard how about a new gas-powered leaf blower.

As luck would have it a friend of mine let me use his gas-powered leaf blower for a couple of days. As far as blowing leaves it worked very well. But, for me, I found it too heavy and hard to start. This was my opinion I'm sure many people love their gas-powered leaf blowers.

There are many cordless leaf blowers on the market. I wasn't thrilled with the reviews that I read on cordless. I think the cordless is great for blowing off sidewalks, patios, and decks. I just wasn't convinced that cordless would be good enough for the big job of the leaves.

I decided on a new electric Weed Eater Leaf Blower. Since my old one was the same brand and it served me well. It's lightweight, with an ergonomic handle for ease of handling, has an airspeed of 130 MPH, with low noise.

I couldn't be happier with my new leaf blower. I use it throughout the year to clean off my deck and to blow the leaves out of my rain gutters. I made my own extension attachment from some leftover downspout and an elbow. Since we live in a one-story home it's easy to clean the gutter from the ground.

I would recommend this leaf blower to anybody. There are other popular brands on the market. I find this one to be inexpensive with a five-star review.

Greenworks 7 Amp 160 MPH/150 CFM Single Speed Electric Blower, 24012