Review of 3 Free Useful Services for the Self-Publishing Maniac

As many of you already know, I've been on a self-publishing journey for several years. 

I have to say that I understand what it means to truly love what you do! I find all I want to do is create activity books.

Self-publishing is an endless learning curve. I spend a ton of time listening to "Guru" training on YouTube and investigating products and services to make the process easier.

If you're a self-publisher, I thought I'd share some must-have tools. 

1. ISBN Barcode Generator

If you are using your own ISBN numbers (the number that goes on the back of your book, on the pricing barcode), you'll need to generate a barcode to put on the back of your book. 

My favorite free service is Bookow - here is the link to Bookow. 

The service is free, but they do offer an opportunity to make a donation if you so choose.

There are many other free barcode generator services online, but Bookow is my favorite.

2. KDP Cover Calculator:

If you're self-publishing books through KDP (Kindle Direct Publishing), Amazon's self-publishing service, you'll want to keep the KDP Cover Calculator page saved for easy access.

To ensure the cover's margins are correctly allocated, you'll want to create a template you can save and bring over to the design platform you're using to make your cover. 

You'll need to know how many pages your book is, so don't bother creating your cover until you do! 

KDP Cover Calculator is easy - simply fill in the blanks and download the cover template.

Here's the link to KDP Cover Calculator.

3. Canva for Professional Cover and Interior Designs:

Canva offers a free version; however, I've recently switched to the paid version. 

The free version works perfectly fine, and if you're just starting your self-publishing journey, go with the free version to start. That's what I did. 

There's a learning curve with Canva; however, it's worth it! In 2019 I published my first book and had no idea how to create my own cover from scratch. Eventually, I was able to use KDP's cover creator and import my own front page. 

For a while now, I've been able to fully design my own covers with my own ISBN numbers and barcodes. I was baffled and intimidated about all of this a few years ago! After much practice and reading, it is much less daunting today. 

Once you get the swing of it, you'll be able to create some gorgeous covers using Canva.

This lady on YouTube has an excellent beginner tutorial on Canva.

You can check out Canva.com here. 

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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Backyard Wildlife – A Toy Review

 

The most common animals you might find in your back yard are squirrels, rabbits, raccoons, perhaps a deer, or maybe a skunk. Some are found in nearly every yard (squirrels and rabbits); some you might find only if you live where your back yard is near a wooded area (deer, for instance). 

Because these animals are wild, it is practically impossible to get close to them.  That's where toy versions come into play.

Let's review a few of these animals one might find in a backyard in toy version made in crafty plush or wood. 

Squirrels

Nearly everyone with a back yard has squirrels, probably the most common wild animal seen there, flitting from tree to tree and across the yard. 

In Iowa, they have black squirrels. The intro photo above shows one that was seen on my son's backyard deck.

Red Squirrel Plush Animal

Squirrels come in many colors. This one by Aurora World is in a 'rusty' color and is super silky and soft for little hands. Recommended for ages 3 months and up, this sweet red squirrel from a trusted manufacturer will fill your child's imaginative play. 

Rabbit

Wooden Bunny Push Toy

This wooden push toy bunny is handmade in Iowa by Jesse & Stacey Bannor of BannorToys. Bunny push toy is 5.5 x 5 inches with wheels that are fully functional.  It features an interior cutout that makes an easy 'handle' for little fingers to grasp and helps babies & toddlers to develop motor skills and hand-eye coordination. 

Crafted from locally sourced Cherry wood, this darling push toy is finished with beeswax and flaxseed oil.

Raccoon Plush Toy

Raccoon Plush Toy Animal

This adorable soft and cuddly raccoon is handcrafted with care by Angela Gray and featured in her Etsy Shop GrayMomMakes.  It is created from soft plush 100% polyester yarn, stuffed with hypoallergenic 100% polyester fiberfill. Perfect gift for kids and adults alike. Can be used as a nursery décor or perfect companion for animal lovers and creative outdoorsy people.

Sweet Deer Toy

Velvety Plush Deer in Crochet

This adorable velvet plush deer is handmade by Viktoria in Turkey. Measuring approximately 11 inches tall (or 7 inches in a sitting position), this sweet little deer is cuddly and cute.  Deer can be found in Viktoria's Etsy shop Divohobby. 

Summary

Such cute, cuddly, sweet plush animals and educational wooden toys make a child's toybox a place for a fun collection of backyard wildlife. 

Related Reviews:

• Articles on Wildlife on ReviewThisReviews
• Review of Woodland Forest Animals as Soft Toys

*Backyard Wildlife is written by Wednesday Elf

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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The Earl and His Lady (Book 4 in Branches of Love Series) Book Review

It is always a time to rejoice when two people you really like, find happiness together!

If reading the books of the Branches of Love series in order, long before the 4th book, readers have already met both Lady Virginia Macon, recently widowed, and Lucus Calvert, the Earl of Annesbury. They are both kind-hearted, thoughtful, yet long suffering individuals who truly loved their spouses. 

Because they feel like our old friends, you wish you could step into the pages of the book and help them, just as they help others. Fortunately, the series author, Sally Britton, felt the same way. 

For the first time in the series, Lucus meets Virginia in the book, "The Earl and His Lady". Even though she has heard stories about his eccentric ways, she had previously never been introduced to him.  She certainly never expected him to be the solution to her problems.

 

The Earl and His Lady Book Synopsis

Virginia Macon, Baroness Heatherton, is grieving the recent death of her beloved husband, Charles. Unlike many marriages in society, their marriage was based on love, not social standing, even though they were peers. 

Society required her to remain in a state of moaning for one year, but Virginia doubted a year would be long enough to emotionally recover.  Plus, her brother-in-law had filed a suit against her, to obtain guardianship of her two sons claiming she was unstable. She knew he only wanted access to her son's inheritance and that he was not truly concerned about the boys.  She took Phillip and Edward, left their home and went into hiding at her cousin, Christine's farm.

 The Earl and His Lady: A Regency Romance
(Branches of Love Book 4)Check Price

Lucus Calvert's wife had died 6 years before, but he had grieved her for several years. His pain was evident to everyone and his family tried to protect him as much as possible from the young ladies of society and their mothers who wanted a titled husband for their daughters. A widowed Earl without an heir makes a most desirable target, but Lucus was not interested in marriage. He knew he would eventually need to marry again in order to provide an heir to his title and estates, but he still wasn't ready.

Christine & Thomas Gilbert were neighbors to Lucus, as well as friends. Upon his return from London, he decided to pay them a visit and discovered Virginia and her sons in residence. Hearing of her dire situation, he believed he had a solution. He could marry her, help her raise her sons, prepare her eldest son to be a baron, and protect them all from predators. He knew all too well how someone newly widowed needed protection and it seemed Virginia and her sons needed it more than most.

In her desperation for safety, Virginia had to consider his unusual offer.  However, the best of intentions and solutions come with their own problems and pitfalls.

Throughout the book, through all the trials and challenges as they adjust to each other's expectations, a reader cannot help but hope this family will find happiness.

---

I highly recommend "The Earl and His Lady", as well as the entire Branches of Love series, to anyone who enjoys a sweet historical romance. The series offers a look inside social society and the challenges faced by those who do not wish to have their lives dictated by the British peerage.

"The Earl and His Lady" is currently being offered for free to Kindle Unlimited members or you can purchase the book below

 The Earl and His Lady: A Regency Romance (Branches of Love Book 4)Check Price

The Earl and His Lady (Book 4 in Branches of Love Series) Book Review by:

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Reviewing Hawks in my Backyard

Young Cooper's Hawk

I have always enjoyed watching the birds at the feeders in our backyard and have been told to watch out for Hawks because they can kill the birds.  Because of this, I had never really studied much about Hawks and just considered them a bird to avoid.  Recently I have photographed some Hawks in and around our backyard and now I have a new appreciation for the fascinating creatures that they are.  Up in the air they always looked menacing, but when seen up close in a photograph I realized what beautiful details they have.  In this post I will share with you some information on two of the Hawks I have photographed in our yard.  The first is the Cooper's Hawk and the second is the Red-Shouldered Hawk. 

Cooper's Hawk

I have seen Cooper's Hawks or at least what I think are Cooper's Hawks fairly often in our area.  The photo above was taken on our back fence.  It was identified by several people on bird sites online as a young Cooper's Hawk, so I feel fairly confident with that identification.  Sometimes I find hawks colorings are so similar, especially with the differences in adults and juveniles that I am not sure of my identification.  I wrote a review on one of my favorite bird books several months back.  It is the book I used to find the information on the Cooper's Hawk.  Here is a link to that review. What it's Like to be a Bird

Here is what it has to say about the bird.

• It is a medium-sized hawk at about 16 inches long.
• They often keep watch at feeders and then swoop in low hoping to surprise the flock.
• They target mid-sized birds that are slower flyers such as doves and starlings.  These birds are easier for them to grab with their talons.
• The juveniles have vertical brown streaks on their chests with brown back while the adults will have tight horizontal reddish barring on their chests with gray crowns and backs.  Both have barred tails that are rounded at the tips.

Here are a couple photos that I think fit these descriptions.

 Red-Shouldered Hawk

The photo above is a Red-Shouldered Hawk.  I captured it sitting on the satellite dish on the roof of the house behind ours.  I zoomed in and quickly took this shot before he flies away and then I carefully check my camera settings and tried to wait for him to turn his head, so I get him looking my way.  Before I could get another shot, he took off and I was able to capture him in flight.  I am particularly proud of this shot. It was the first time I had seen one of these hawks.

I looked him up in my guide to backyard birds and found the following information.

• It is a fairly common, medium to large hawk.
• The adult has reddish colored upperwing coverts and also densely barred reddish underparts. The wings and tail are dramatically barred in black and white.
• The juvenile has brown-streaked underparts and a dark tail with many pale bands.
• They make a loud screaming sound that sounds like (KEE-ahh) which is given in a series.
• They are widespread and found in well-watered woodlands and suburban areas with nearby wood lots. 
• They are a perch hunter and feed on frogs, snakes, lizards and small mammals.
• Their nests are located high in trees and are made of bulky sticks.

Here is a link to the book where I got my information.

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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Halloween Sweaters and Accessories ~ A Holiday Review

 I am in a Holiday kind of mind because for the last few years many of our holidays have been put on hold due to the world wide COVID precautions and restrictions.  Well, the good news is that those many restrictions have been lifted and we can all celebrate together again.  That for me, is a big deal and I'm not alone!  Everyone is ready to have some fun and just kick back and enjoy the season and the holidays that are contained in there! 

What I love the most about a website that I happen to promote, is that there are so many things available to make your Halloween complete.

It's not just about the costumes (although that's the part I enjoy the most).  It's about all the other little things that make this holiday so much fun.

I happen to love the accessories page of HalloweenCostumes.com,  You have everything there that you haven't found anywhere else!  Accessories can sometimes even be the inspiration for the rest of your costume.  Starting off with a set of horns may become the impetus for one heck of a spooky or devilishly wonderful costume.  Tridents and Wands or Swords and Spears could send your costume look in a totally different direction.  The best part is that if you start now, you can tweak your costume for the next month and come out with something really wonderful and unique to you!  TIME is of the utmost importance and NOW is a great time to get started.

If you are not really into dressing the part of a Halloween ghoul or character, you can get into the Halloween spirit with a great Halloween Sweater.   Here in the north, Halloween can be quite chilly, so a warmer Halloween Sweater is perfect, especially when you are standing at an open doorway or maybe just opening and closing the door constantly.  The last thing you want as a Halloween treat is the first cold of the season.  So keep yourself ready by having a nice (scary or ugly) Halloween Sweater to compliment the night!  Some of their styles are already "Sold Out" , you don't want to miss out, so getting this done early is the best thing you can do!

If you live in the south, you might check out some lighter Halloween shirts at this ReviewThisReviews page! 

My hope for you and for me, is that after such a long absence of fun, we will all go out of our way to make the first big Holiday a fun time for all!   Then we can follow Halloween up with the best for Thanksgiving and Christmas that follow so shortly afterward.

Have a great time checking out all the good things to make your Halloween a "Spooktacliarly Good Time"

You can find everything you need right here at HalloweenCostumes.com!

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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A Review of Emergency Preparedness - Is it Really Necessary?

 

Preparing for an emergencies, what some people call "prepping" has been laughed at for decades.  It brings to mind images of crazy people putting bunkers in their back yards and sitting on hundreds of boxes of army rations.  

However.....

What about preparing for real life emergencies that could really happen?  Floods, hurricanes, tornadoes and even terrorist attacks or rioting.  Any of them could really happen, but the most likely to happen is prolonged power outage.  The grid could go down for many reasons, and stay down for days or even weeks.  Would you be prepared if that happened?

What is  Emergency Preparedness?

Emergency Preparedness is planning for an unexpected, serious occurrence that could pose a threat to the health and wellbeing of you and your family.  It can be something as dangerous as a gas explosion, to something less dangerous, but still devastating, like a flood or a serious problem with your electrical supply.

How Can Planning Help?

Emergency planning helps to reduce the amount damage an emergency does to your life, the lives of your family and your property.   If the incident is catastrophic, planning can actually save your life.  In an emergency, people are scared, confused and in a panic about what to do and how to take care of themselves and their loved ones.  If you are prepared, it will significantly reduce your fear because you know you have a plan and the items you need to make sure you are safe and cared for during a bad situation.

How Can I Know What Kind of Emergency to Prepare For?

The simple answer is:  you can't.  You have no way of knowing what will happen, so the best thing to do is to take care of the basics that you need in any emergency situation.   

1. Food -  Have some food that you can eat without having to cook it, even better if it does not have to be refrigerated.  Peanut butter, crackers, beef jerky, protein or granola bars, honey, cookies and things like this are easy to store and will keep you going if you are in a situation where you have no electricity and can't cook.  It is always safer to have your own food available when a bad incident occurs so you don't have to go out, which in an emergency can be dangerous.  Keep your emergency food in totes in a cool dry place and don't forget to switch it out for fresh a few times a year so it does not go out of date.  
2. Water - Water is something most people take for granted as always being available, and therefore it is not necessary to store it.  This is not true.  Your water supply may become contaminated or your local water treatment facility could break down and stop supplying water.  The best way to be prepared for this situation is to store some water.  You can buy cases of bottled water, or 5 gallon plastic jugs that are available in most big box stores.  Having clean water to drink and wash yourself with is one of the most important things in an emegency.  Never take water for granted, it can be the difference between life and death.
3. Shelter - The other part of having shelter is having a way to keep warm, should something happen in the winter.  Your house is normally excellent shelter, but if you lose the ability to heat it, it can be nothing but a giant refrigerator.  If this happens, find one room that is small and can be closed off and get a propane heater like Mr. Heater  that is safe to use inside the house. Bring in blankets and warm clothes and stay in that room to keep warm.  If you have a situation where you are forced to leave your house, such as a fire, flood or earthquake, you need to have a tent or tents to stay in outside, along with clothing, food and water to take with you. 

Is There Anything Else I Should Stock Up On?

There are so many things that are good to have but here are some of the most important:

• Flashlights and batteries
• First Aid Kit
• Candles and the means to light them
• Power Bank Charger to charge your cell phone
• Knife
• Aspirin
• Garbage Bags
• Sleeping Bags or Blankets
• Heavy Socks and Hats for all family members
• Firewood (if you are able to build a fire outside where you live)
• Some type of weapon to defend yourself

Last Thoughts on Emergency Preparedness

These ideas are just the very basics you will need for a short term emergency, for longer term situations the list of what you would need would be much longer.  The above mentioned items are minimum of what every household should have in case of an emergency.  Having these items on hand will make you feel calmer, safer and better prepared should the worst happen.  Pick up a few items a week until you have what you need and as they say about being prepared for anything:

It is better to have it and not need it, than need it and not have it!

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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Reviewing The Snake Grabber Tool

Today, I am reviewing the 60" Snake Grabber. This is not a glamorous review. Nor is it a fun tool to write about (not for me anyway). But wow, am I glad I had made that purchase and it worked better than I had expected. Snakes are not a fun thing to discuss for many of us. And that is all the more reason I need to share how well this Snake Grabber worked for me. This is one tool that you should consider owning if there is any chance at all that you'll deal with snakes. 

There are so many tools in our lives that we hope never to use. It seems a waste of money to purchase something we may never use. Frankly, to purchase something we hope to never have to use. For example, a lug wrench for changing car tires. Most folks call roadside assistance for flat tires. Easy peasy. But, if you get stranded with a flat tire, in an area with no cell service and no way to reach someone to come to the rescue, you are super glad that you have that lug wrench. Or, if your electricity goes out in some hurricane or ice storm for days. Investing in those expensive items such as generators may have felt frivolous at the time but they ended up being super important tools to have.

That's how I feel about the 60" Snake Grabber. It was not something I looked forward to using. In fact, I hadn't taken it out of it's box after it was delivered. But I used it last night and it probably saved lives (Quail lives). It made snake removal many times easier and quicker than my first experience.

Awhile back, I had a snake trying to get at my quail in their hutch on the deck. It was late in the evening and there I was trying to find things to poke at the snake to convince it to leave. Things that were strong enough (broom) were too large to fit where the snake was. Things that were thin enough (wall trim) were too flimsy to move that large snake. And most things were far too short. NO WAY was I going to get within inches of that thing. Luckily, I was able to harass that first snake for long enough that it chose to crawl out of the quail hutch pan, across my deck, and out of sight.  

Within days I ordered the Snake Grabber. 

 60" Snake Tongs Foldable Reptile Grabber Catcher Wide Jaw Handling Tool with Auto Lock and Non-Slip Grip HandleCheck Price

 

And then I let it sit in the unopened box. Until last night.

Well after dark the quail were making a huge commotion. I instantly knew that a predator was out there. The first snake experience taught me that even if the snake doesn't enter the cage, it can cause serious/fatal injuries to quail by grabbing their toes from the underside of the hutch. I had to work quickly.

I wish I had practiced with the snake grabber. It took me a minute to unfold it and secure it. Then another few minutes to figure out how to open the "jaws" after I had squeezed them shut. But once I sorted through those two things, I was outside and grabbing the snake.

This snake grabber fit PERFECTLY in that 2" space. I placed the jaws around the snake and squeezed the handle. The grabber was secure around the snake. I had a difficult time pulling the snake from the opening but that was because the snake was so large and powerful. The Grabber was solid and I never once felt that it was going to collapse or let go of the snake. I moved the snake to a bucket and was able to relocate the snake.

This was NOT an easy task for me. But it was possible because I had the right tool. 

More About the Extra Heavy Duty Snake Grabber

Just a few quick details about this Snake Grabber:

• this 60" long snake grabber keeps you a more comfortable distance away from the snake
• the tubes are heavy duty stainless steel
• the grabber can be folded in the middle for storage or transportation purposes
• the tongs or jaws close easily when the handle is squeezed
• an automatic locking mechanism keeps the jaws shut until you release it 

The only possible drawback that I read about in reviews and I experienced first hand is that the locking mechanism automatically falls into place after you squeeze the handle required both hands to release it.  Which felt clumsy. But in hindsight, I was happy to know that it was not going to accidently release the snake before I was ready. So I'm not entirely convinced that is a drawback after all.

Related Link:

If you would like to see me actually using the 60" Snake Grabber, you can watch me here:

 

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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A Portable Air Purifier For Single Room Use - 5 Star Review

We needed an air purification system for our bedroom that was non-intrusive and effective.

Fortunately for us, our son already had this particular model in his room for several years.

Since we knew the product had been tested, we decided to go ahead and get one for our bedroom.

The RENPHO Hepa Air Purifier Filter Replacement

Before purchasing this item, I asked my son about filter replacement. 

There are two dogs in his room, so it's safe to say that this filter gets a run for its money.

Although you can't wet this filter, he extends the use by cleaning the external dust off of it with a small portable mini-vacuum. 

He doesn't replace the filter very often; he said a few times per year is all. However, he pointed out that his filter gets a good workout because of his dogs. Since the dogs aren't in our bedroom, I expect that replacing the filter will only be once a year for our room - maybe twice.

What I Like About the RENPHO Hepa Air Purifier

• It's lightweight. It only weighs about 6.5 pounds.
• It's not very large and sits comfortably on a tabletop surface. 
• It measures 11 by 5.7 by 11.4 inches.
• No assembly is required, just remove all the plastic and plug it in.
• No batteries are required.
• It has rapid purification refreshing the air 5 times an hour in a room of 103 ft² / 9.6 ㎡, and is made for a room of approximately 206 square feet. Our room is about 300 square feet, and it cleans the air nicely.
• It has a three-in-one Hepa filtration system capturing 99.97% of airborne contaminants as small as .3 microns (such as pet hair and dander).
• Has 4 fan speeds.
• A quiet feature also reduces the fan noise and turns off the light at night.
• Easy to use. Plug-in set your fan speed, and that's it.

Here's a photo of the filter on our dresser:

We purchased our Hepa Air Filter from Amazon. There's additional detailed information at that link on the Amazon page. 

If you need a compact air filter, personally, I give this product five stars.

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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