Chiara Talluto

Author, Wife, Busy Mom, A Woman after God's Heart.

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Celebrating – Happy Mother’s Day!

May 6, 2021 /

This weekend is Mother’s Day. A Hallmark celebration of moms, grandmothers, aunts, and sisters. If you’re asking me, I’d say every day should be Mother’s Day! Lol.

Before I became a mom, I had no idea what would be involved and the worries I’d experience. Yes, there have been many joys and ARE many joys I share with my two daughters, but the saying is true when kids are younger, the troubles are smaller. The older the children, the more complex things become. Having a preteen and another right behind, it’s no wonder I color my hair every seven weeks.

But, I digress. Mother’s Day is a reminder on how lucky I’ve been to have had a mom who sacrificed a lot to give my sisters and I, clothes on our back, and food on our table. Both of my parents worked 2-3 jobs at various points of my upbringing. They may not have been there all the time, or knew how to deal with puberty and life questions, but I never went without.

My mother was not perfect in raising three daughters, either. In hindsight, her decisions on things weren’t the greatest, but she did what she knew how. I’m far from perfect myself. I make more mistakes than corrections; and still, I’m beyond thankful that God picked me to be a mom too.

One of my favorite mothers, besides my mom, is Mary the earthly mother of Jesus. She’s one of the bravest women I have ever read about. It amazes me that out of all the females that God could have selected, he chose Mary, a peasant girl to be Jesus’s mom.

It is said in the Bible that God found favor in Mary.

Luke 1:28 And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.

Luke 1:30 And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God.

And what does Mary say when she learns that through the Holy Spirit, she will become pregnant and then bear a son. The Son of Man—God’s only begotten son!

Luke 1:38 And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.

Even though, she might have been frightened and confused, Mary still trusted and believed. Now, if that isn’t faith, I don’t know what is.

Being a mom is a hard job. There is no punch clock—it’s a 24-hour responsibility. You have to multi-task, be quick-witted, and ready for anything, all the time.

But, the fruits of the labor, my labor, always supersede the curve balls that come my way.

On this Mother’s Day, thank your mom for bringing you into this world. I know I will. If God hadn’t chosen her, you wouldn’t be here.

Until next time…

HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY!

 

References:

New King James Bible

 

Don’t Miss These Book Marketing Tips for Authors

April 13, 2021 /

Today, I’d like to share a post for all authors desiring to share their work to the world. This includes those writers who are new, experienced, and hobbyists.

Brian Feinblum has over 30 years of book marketing experience, and having helped thousands of authors, one earns an appearance on the YouTube channel of The Toronto Business Journal!

Kick back and get 60 minutes of book marketing advice and strategies, book publicity tips, and insider insights into book publishing from someone who has helped several mega best-selling, celebrity authors –and many first-time, self-published, unknown authors.

Wait no further, click here for the informative interview.

For more info on Brian, his blogs, or how to get in touch with him, click here to go to the BookMarketingBuzzBlog page.

 

Celebrating St. Joseph

March 19, 2021 /

Today is St. Joseph’s Day. Italians celebrate feast of  St. Joseph in honor of our fathers.  But, we also celebrate Joseph, the earthly father and legal guardian of his son, Jesus.

Just who was Joseph, husband to the Virgin Mary?

There are no records of Joseph ever speaking in the Bible. He’s is never quoted as saying anything.  Now, not to say Joseph was not important, it was just that his exact words weren’t recorded. Why you ask? I’ll get to that in a minute.

I did some research. Joseph is mentioned briefly in the Gospels of Mathew, Luke, and very, very little in John.  Joseph was said to be a righteous man and obedient to God.  Just think when he found out Mary was pregnant, not by him, or any other man, he was instructed in a dream by God to  not to be afraid to take Mary as his spouse. Then, after the birth of Jesus, in another dream, instructed by God to leave for Egypt, and then years later, in another dream, to return from Egypt.

We also know in the Bible that Joseph was a carpenter. It is why we also know that he passed his carpentry trade to his son, Jesus, who was  also a carpenter.

But, let’s go back to question as to why nothing more is recorded on Joseph. Well, having read the Bible in its entirety, I learned that the Old Testament spoke of the coming Messiah and that our Lord is mentioned in many of those books.  And then, reading through all the books of the New Testament, which is about Jesus, I’m going to conclude that Joseph even though raised his son, he was one of many supporting figures to the fulfillment of Jesus Christ’s ministry. How cool is that. It’s like being in one of the best movies ever! One that is seen and heard by millions and millions of people around the globe. The best part is that it’s a true movie and that now we serve a Risen Lord as a result of his mother and father’s upbringing, his disciples, and all those who bravely and courageously took his teachings across the world.

So, as I ponder upon St. Joseph’s Day, I’m encouraged that my life, my role in this world doesn’t have to be grand, but be someone who humbly continues to carry the torch of Jesus’s light to everyone I’m in contact with.

It’s all our story. What part to do you want to play?

Until next time…

Be well. Be safe. Be happy.

References:

Father’s Day in Italy – St. Joseph’s Day in Italy, Fathers Day Celebrations in Italy (loveyoufather.com)

Joseph: Father of Jesus on Earth (learnreligions.com)

Finding Jesus in Every Book of the Old Testament | Christ Revealed

 

Read An Ebook Week (March 7th – March 13th) Via Smashwords

March 8, 2021 /

 

Hello everyone,

I’m participating in the Smashwords Read An Ebook Week.  All four of my eBooks have been discounted at 50% or FREE based on the original pricing.

 

Please support Indie authors and take part in reading our Ebooks. Click here to directed to my page on Smashwords.

You can also browse plenty of other books that either have been discounted or are FREE.  Click here.

Thank you for your support!

 

Where’s Your Somewhere Over The Rainbow?

March 7, 2021 /

One of my favorite childhood movies was The Wizard of Oz. It premiered in 1939.

The Wizard of Oz is about a girl from Kansas named Dorothy Gale, who gets taken by a tornado to Oz, a magical land, and is trying to get back home. On the long journey to the Emerald City to find a “Wizard” who can help her return, Dorothy and her dog, Toto, meet three very interesting characters. A Scarecrow who wishes he had brains; a Tin Man who longs for a heart; and a Lion seeking courage. They face many trials along their route, The Yellow Brick Road, but they overcome them because of the Scarecrow’s good sense, the Tin Man’s kindness, and the bravery of the Lion.

The moral of The Wizard of Oz is to find your own way in life, but be prepared for challenges and obstacles along the way. It touches upon the importance of finding good and supportive friends because if you get in the wrong group, there are evil people that can get in your way.

While researching The Wizard of Oz movie, I was shocked to learn that behind the scenes, the producers of the MGM company were especially cruel to Judy Garland during the making of the movie and that she suffered grueling filming schedules, was forced to diet, given amphetamines, and according to biographer Gerald Clarke, was molested by MGM studio boss Louis B. Mayer.

The other day I found the movie, Judy, on Amazon Prime, starring Renée Zellweger who played Judy Garland.

The film is a dramatic story about the later years of the American singer and actress, specifically in 1969, as she arrived in London for a run of sell-out concerts at the “Talk of the Town” theater. The movie unfolds over a six week period in 1968 and 1969 about Judy’s final performances. It shows flashbacks to her early years on the set of Oz, revealing some of the abuse she endured, and then flashes forward to her London life, and how she continued to be dependent on the substances that she’d been taking for a better portion of her life.

What I learned about this beloved entertainer was eye-opening. Famous as she was in her career, she struggled with addiction, had several failed marriages, enormous debt, and so much instability in her life. All that culminating into a downward spiral based on insecurities and addictions amidst the beautiful love, support, and adoration of her fans.

The movie left me with such sadness on how addiction took over this talented and broken person and how the dependencies ultimately destroyed her. It also showed Ms. Garland’s vulnerability for fame and accolades.

It’s no different today. We are constantly searching for the next “high”. Whether it’s gaming, drinking, extreme sports, etc. We expect our internet to work at lightning speed, and fast food to be, well, made and boxed really, really fast.

It makes me wonder what can we do to change these cultural and societal expectations? Can we ever slow down? Stop the pressures? Smell the roses along the way? I don’t have the answers to that. Do you?

My latest Inspirational fiction, She Made It Matter, follows a mother of two who is plagued by traumatic childhood circumstances, and she also, falls into addiction. It’s a redemptive story on the importance of believing in your self-worth, forgiving your past, and starting anew.

I only wished Judy Garland could have used the brains, heart, and courage to fight her addictions and make peace with her past.

I watched the video of Ms. Garland singing “Over the Rainbow”. And then I read the lyrics—words almost foreshadowing a young girl’s cry for happiness.

Someday I’ll wish upon an star
And wake up where the clouds are far behind me
Where troubles melt like lemon drops
Away above the chimney tops
That’s where you’ll find me

When all the clouds are a hopeless jumble
And the raindrops tumble to the ground
Heaven opens a magic lane
When all the clouds darken up the skyway
There’s a rainbow highway to be found

Leading from your window pane
To a place beyond the sun
Just a step behind the rain

Somewhere over the rainbow way up high
There’s a land that I heard of once in a lullaby
Somewhere over the rainbow skies are blue
And the dreams that you dare to dream
Really do come true

Someday I’ll wish upon a star
And wake up where the clouds are far behind me
Behind me where troubles melt like lemon drops
Away above the chimney tops
That’s where you’ll find me

Somewhere over the rainbow
Bluebirds fly…
Birds fly over the rainbow
Why then, oh why can’t I?

Solo saxophone

Someday I’ll wish upon a star
And wake up where the clouds are far behind me
Where troubles melt like lemon drops
Away above the chimney tops
That’s where you’ll find me

Somewhere over the rainbow
Bluebirds fly…
Birds fly over the rainbow
Why then, oh why can’t I?

If happy little bluebirds fly
Beyond the rainbow
Why, oh why can’t I?

Well, you’re over the rainbow now, Ms. Judy Garland. I hope and pray you’ve found your rest.

If you or someone you know is suffering from alcohol and drug addiction, please contact AA, and GET HELP!!!!

YOU ARE WORTHY. YOU ARE HERE FOR A PURPOSE. YOU MEAN SOMETHING TO THOSE AROUND YOU.  YOU ARE MEANT FOR MORE. YOU ARE LOVED.

Has Celebrating Dr. Suess’s Birthday Become Controversial?

March 2, 2021 /

“Don’t cry because it’s over. Smile because it happened.”
“Today you are You, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is Youer than You.”
“A person’s a person, no matter how small.”
“From there to here, from here to there, funny things are everywhere!”
“Step with care and great tact, and remember that Life’s a Great Balancing Act.”
“I like nonsense; it wakes up the brain cells.”
“Maybe Christmas, the Grinch thought, doesn’t come from a store.”
“I meant what I said and I said what I meant. An elephant’s faithful one-hundred percent!”
“Why fit in when you were born to stand out?”

Today is Dr. Seuss’s birthday. His books played a huge part in my life in helping me become a better reader. Dr. Suess books have been part of the National Association for Read Across America Program for over two decades.

I read these books to my younger sister and to my two daughters who just adored and devoured his stories. His books are poetic, funny, tongue-twisting, and downright silly.

These days, his books are now being considered racist because in this one article, “researchers concluded that only 2 percent of all the characters in Dr. Seuss books are characters of color. What’s more, that the majority of the depictions of these characters were aligned with harmful racial stereotypes and tropes.”… Instead we need to become, “more culturally responsive and racially conscious.”

I get this. But really? What do children ages 2-7 know about race and color? Unless we make it a big deal about differences of skin color, it will always be the focus. I have to believe we are brighter than the color our skin. Integrity sees no color. Respect sees no color. Talent sees no color. Goodness sees no color.

The Bible even tells us we are made in God’s image and that we are fearfully and wonderfully made. Let’s focus on that instead!

Psalm 139:13-16 13For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. 14I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. 15My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. 16Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.

Unfortunately, we are living in #cancelculture where if it doesn’t agree with one group, we outright remove it.  This Virginia school district is no longer emphasizing  Dr. Suess books during #ReadAcrossAmerica. Look at what’s happened with #AuntJemima syrup and #MrPotatoHead, and countless other products.

How do writers become better writers if they are not reading different books? We can’t change history, but we can definitely learn from it.

“Only you can control your future.”

One writer had a good point from this article, “The point was, here’s what this book does well,” Saxena says. “Maybe they weren’t everybody’s favorite books, but they were good examples of … the craft of writing.”

“Sometimes the questions are complicated and the answers are simple.”

For as long as I’ve known, today is #DrSeuess birthday and today is #ReadAcrossAmerica.

 
Happy birthday, Dr. Seuss!!

References:

Is Dr. Seuss Racist? Is Dr. Seuss Canceled? Racist Undertones, Explained (distractify.com)

Dr. Seuss books: This Virginia school district says it isn’t banning his books. On the annual Read Across America Day, it’s just no longer emphasizing them – CNN

Six Dr. Seuss books won’t be published anymore due to racist imagery (msn.com)

Dr. Seuss Books Can Be Racist, But We Still Keep Reading Them : Code Switch : NPR

Dr. Seuss Books Deemed Racist in New Study | PEOPLE.com

Why is ‘is Dr Seuss racist’ trending? (the-sun.com)

The Most Important Book Review Given

February 11, 2021 /

I’ve never done a review of this magnitude, but I feel that it warrants the deserved praise and experience of having read it. If there was such thing as a 10-star for a book, I’d give it and then some.

I just finished reading the NKJ Bible in chronological order of events. I started in Jan of 2019 and finished Feb of 2021. I have to tell you it was not an easy read. I enjoy inspirational/Christian fiction because that’s what I write. I’ve dabbled in historical fiction; I like some crime/government conspiracy fiction as well. What this incredible book of over 900 pages offered me, no other book ever can. There was mystery, elements of miracles/mysticism, inspiration, gore and death and tragedy which I can’t always stomach, but there was something else. The Bible offered the remarkable accounts of God’s purpose for our existence, his detailed construction of our humanity, his undeniable love for each and every one of us. HIS jealous rage for when we move away from HIM. HIS fatherly wrath for when we disobey. HIS continuous call for us to return to HIM, and all the heroic messengers/prophets/apostles who helped spread the WORD all over the world.

There were bravery and stupidity among the kings and rulers. The fighting for territory and power. There was graphic mass genocide and destruction of nations as well. But then there was hope in God’s begotten son Jesus! The parables, the stories, the miracles, and then a senseless death of man who was crucified for telling the TRUTH.  Until a miracle…How one man overcame the world through HIS death and resurrection.

There are so many emotions that I experienced. But none more amazing than reading the book of Revelation where everything is coming to pass and being revealed right before our eyes. There are still so many things I can’t understand, but one thing for sure is our salvation is in Jesus Christ. We need to get right this moment.

This incredible book has been translated in over 700 languages while some portions have been translated in over 3000 languages.

With almost 4 billion copies sold, I highly recommend this book. It is life-changing and heart-changing. You will want to read it again and again.

References:

Bible translations – Wikipedia

How Many Copies of the Bible Have Been Sold? (reference.com)

Chronological Bible Reading Plan for 2021 – Daily Bible in a Year (biblestudytools.com)

The Bible Project – Bing video

The Writer’s Burnout Effect

January 20, 2021 /

The worst thing that can happen to a writer is becoming “blocked” in their writings.  If you do a search on “overcoming writer’s block” on the internet, you’ll find almost five million results.

What about writer’s burnout? I did a search and found over thirty-nine million results. That’s extraordinary. In my author circles, being blocked seems to supersede burnout. It looks like I may be wrong according to the web or maybe nobody wants to talk about “burnout” because that would mean you’ve failed or are a quitter.

Thinking of the difference between blocked and burnout has led me to do additional research.

  • Writer’s Block Versus Writer’s Burnout. Burnout is something that happens when someone is stressed and overworked for too long.
  • Writer’s burnout lasts longer than your typical writer’s block and is a lot harder to overcome.
  • Writer’s block is looking at a page, unable or unsure how to put what is in your head on the page.

I bring this subject up only because I needed to find the distinction between “blocked” and “burnout”. I’ve written about writer’s block, see:

I’m in Limbo

Writer Depression

The Non-Intentional Detour

This however is different. I’m coming off my 4th book release, “She Made It Matter”. I did blogs, podcasts, interviews, and then the holidays hit, and now here we are almost at the end of January, and I’m utterly exhausted. I’m at a loss and desire to reinvent myself with other writing projects, and I’m struggling in finding other means of promoting my book.

My home life has been a bit chaotic too; my kids are doing both eLearning and hybrid (in-person learning), and there has been many stressors affecting my creativity. So, I thought I had writer’s block, as I’ve been having difficulty writing anything. But now, I realize it might be burnout.

“Burnout can be defined as a loss of enthusiasm, energy, idealism, perspective, and purpose; it has been described as trying to run a marathon at full speed.”― Kathleen Kendall-Tackett Ph.D.

So, I made a list of my issues plaguing my creative juices:

  1. Lack of time to devote to my craft,
  2. Too many outside stressors requiring my attention,
  3. Wanting everything to be perfect in shorter amount of time,
  4. Not having enough patience. Wanting things done right away,
  5. Accepting too many other projects and not focusing on my own writings.

I found that that the biggest factors were #1 and #5.

I was having trouble saying “no” and accepting things when my plate was overflowing, and therefore wasn’t doing what I really wanted to do, and even take care of myself. Too many distractions and noise was crowding my life.

One of my favorite quotes is this:

“I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived.” ― Henry David Thoreau

I’m feeling I need to go into the woods right now and do a little living deliberately. I often tell people that my two biggest addictions are reading and writing. I explain it this way…

“I have two addictions: reading and writing. I feel restless and empty when I can’t read fiction, write my deepest thoughts in my journal, or even write down story ideas. Writing calms me, centers me, and provides a healthy outlet for my communication with imaginary friends.”

So, what can I do to re-energize myself?

  1. Take care of my mental and physical being first and foremost with food, drink, and exercise.
  2. Take the time to read books and write at leisure instead of on a time schedule.

I also need to give myself grace to slow down and not always be doing things to please others. And maybe, just maybe, I can get into writing again.

I ran across something interesting: “give my busy mind a vacation.”

That sounds really good right now. A mind vacation. I think that’s what I need. Hmm…no need to reflect on it further.

Have you felt burnout in writing? What did you do? I’d love to hear your best practices.

Until next time…

Be well. Be safe. Be happy.

 

Resources

How to Overcome Writer’s Burnout (thewritepractice.com)

4 Effective Ways to Beat Writer’s Burnout | Positive Writer

Burnout for Writers | Psychology Today

Burnout Quotes (102 quotes) (goodreads.com)

Writer’s Burnout: Causes, Conditions, and Cures | Two Drops of Ink: A Literary Blog

Writer’s Burnout—it’s really real – BennettInk.com

18 Tips to Overcome Writer’s Burnout | WTD (writetodone.com)

Resetting the Restart

December 29, 2020 /

My word for the 2020 year was RESTART. Like a computer reboot, restart doesn’t change things on your computer, rather it restarts again from its original state.

Each time throughout the year that I had a setback of sorts, I’d whisper to myself to RESTART right from where I was. It’s like the saying that I thought was Biblical… “Come as you are,” when referring folks to go to church. What I found was it’s not  because that phrase is not directly mentioned anywhere in the Bible. 

Regardless, I like to believe that for anyone wanting to go to church but are afraid, to try it anyway and show up. The church is supposed to be a haven, right? The first place where one can find refuge and feel no judgment or pressure to be anybody else except themselves, and to get the help needed to change. Change is the keyword.

I recently heard this line from Christian artist, Mathew West.  A song titled: “Truth Be Told”. It goes like this… “There’s a sign on the door that says ‘come as you’, but I doubt it, cause if we lived like that was true, every Sunday morning pew would be crowded.” That solidified my thoughts. With most churches closed during the COVID-19 pandemic, where does one go to be their true selves and get assistance to change? Hmm, that’s a heavy question for another post. Until then, watch the video.

So, being human and staying in my comfort zone, I continued to ponder the definition of RESTART.

Dictionary.com had this to say about…

Restart:

verb (riːˈstɑːt)

to start again

noun (ˈriːˌstɑːt)

  1. the act or an instance of starting again – the restart of the lap
  2. (as modifier)a restart device

That’s when the light bulb when off in my head. I realized I don’t just want to start again from where I’m at—the original state.  Rather, I want to restart with the intention of a different outcome. And so, I decided my new word for 2021 is going to be RESET.

Dictionary.com had this to say about…

Reset:

verb (used with object), re·set, re·set·ting.

To set again: to reset an alarm clock; to reset a broken bone.

To set, adjust, or fix in a new or different way: to reset priorities; to reset prices.

SEE MORE

verb (used without object), re·set, re·set·ting.

To become set again: The alarm bell resets automatically.

noun

An act or instance of setting again.

An act or instance of setting, adjusting, or fixing something in a new or different way: A reset of relations between the two countries may be impossible. Company executives recognized the need for a reset in their business. Something that is set again.

Back to the phrase: “Come as you are”. I also recognized for myself that I don’t want to be a “come as you are” person; instead, I want to be a “come as you hope to become” individual. It’s a personal affirmation to transform oneself however you choose to do so. I’d rather reset than restart because sometimes things can’t go back to their original state. If we think of it in computer terms, here is something else I found that puts it all together:

“…Restart/reboot vs reset, reset is different from reboot/restart. Reboot/restart doesn’t change things on your computer, while reset will change things in your computer. Resetting means erasing and restoring…”

If I learned anything from 2020, is that I want to grow at every given setback or challenge that comes swerving in my life. Cheers to a healthy and prosperous 2021, and your personal RESET journey.

Until next time…

Be well. Be safe. Be happy.

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