It’s Sunday Funday!!!

What do you have planned? It’s still hot here in the Southwest so I’m going to be staying inside–maybe a movie, maybe a book, maybe the gym. But I know I’ll certainly be spending part of the day writing! I have a lot of fun creating my stories and I can’t wait to start the next episode of the adventures of Guinness the Therapy Dog!

Right now, he’s shedding up a storm in preparation for the cooler weather. I expect it to sweep over us by the end of next month. Next month, you say! Yup, because here in the desert the hot temps stay way too long. Like a bad smell or that person who won’t leave you alone. You know what I mean– Let’s not go there.

Because it’s Sunday Funday!!!!! Go have some fun! Enjoy youself!

Have a great Funday! Sonja

A Question For You

Tomorrow is Sunday Funday! What do you have planned?

I’m going to spend time with family, including my two furry friends. Here’s a photo of our goofball, Guinness, who is going to star in his own series of picture books.

Have a fun weekend, Sonja

Favorite Things

Being out in nature is one of my favorite things–which is something I have in common with the characters in my books. There’s something about the green of the trees, the whispers of the wind, and the sound of my hiking boots on the dirt trail. Do you feel the same way?

Here in the desert, we don’t have a lot of water, but when we do it seems that everyone gets out to celebrate the greening up of Mother Nature’s gown. The water just left this creekbed, but the trees and shrubs are still reaping the rewards of the damp soil.

Now that we are at the end of the summer, things are dry and dusty. Our monsoon season was a bust; hopefully, we’ll have a wet fall and winter. I haven’t been able to hike into the hills because of the intense heat (safety first!), so I’m looking forward to the cooler days. I’ve been asked why I don’t simply drive into the Santa Catalina Mountains to go for a hike. It’s so temperate there, even in the desert furnace. I haven’t been able to go hiking up there since I ran into the bear (that’s a subject for another post). It really scared me, so I am reluctant to meet another one. I probably wouldn’t see one, but I would be so worried that I wouldn’t enjoy the hike. It’s a quandry!!!

Don’t forget to friend me on Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100017117478890

and follow my book-specific Pinterest boards!

https://www.pinterest.com/sonjadanielson/

Have a wonderful day, Sonja

It’s Patriot Day

Never Forget…

“Where Were You (When The World Stopped Turning)”

This song was written by the American singer-songwriter Alan Jackson. It was the lead single from his tenth studio album, Drive (2002), released on Arista Nashville. I am including the lyrics below, copied from https://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/alanjackson/wherewereyouwhentheworldstoppedturning.html because, to me, they describe how it felt to wake up and live through that day (9/11/01).

Where were you when the world stopped turning on that September day?
Were you in the yard with your wife and children
Or working on some stage in L.A.?

Did you stand there in shock
At the sight of that black smoke
Risin’ against that blue sky?
Did you shout out in anger
In fear for your neighbor
Or did you just sit down and cry?

Did you weep for the children who lost their dear loved ones
Pray for the ones who don’t know?
Did you rejoice for the people who walked from the rubble
And sob for the ones left below?

Did you burst out with pride
For the red, white and blue
And the heroes who died
Just doin’ what they do?

Did you look up to heaven for some kind of answer
And look at yourself and what really matters?

I’m just a singer of simple songs
I’m not a real political man
I watch CNN
But I’m not sure I can tell you
The difference in Iraq and Iran
But I know Jesus and I talk to God
And I remember this from when I was young
Faith, hope and love are some good things He gave us
And the greatest is love

Where were you when the world stopped turning on that September day?
Teaching a class full of innocent children
Or driving down some cold interstate?

Did you feel guilty
‘Cause you’re a survivor
In a crowded room did you feel alone?
Did you call up your mother
And tell her you loved her?
Did you dust off that Bible at home?

Did you open your eyes, hope it never happened
Close your eyes and not go to sleep?
Did you notice the sunset the first time in ages
Or speak to some stranger on the street?

Did you lay down at night and think of tomorrow
Go out and buy you a gun?
Did you turn off that violent old movie you’re watchin’
And turn on “I Love Lucy” reruns?

Did you go to a church and hold hands with some strangers
Stand in line and give your own blood?
Did you just stay home and cling tight to your family
Thank God you had somebody to love?

I’m just a singer of simple songs
I’m not a real political man
I watch CNN
But I’m not sure I can tell you
The difference in Iraq and Iran
But I know Jesus and I talk to God
And I remember this from when I was young
Faith, hope and love are some good things He gave us
And the greatest is love

I’m just a singer of simple songs
I’m not a real political man
I watch CNN
But I’m not sure I can tell you
The difference in Iraq and Iran
But I know Jesus and I talk to God
And I remember this from when I was young
Faith, hope and love are some good things He gave us
And the greatest is love

And the greatest is love
And the greatest is love

Where were you when the world stopped turning on that September day?

Have a memorable day, Sonja

Countdown Deal for The Gilding!

Starting today (September 10) I am having a Countdown Deal on Amazon for The Fairies of Carlow: The Gilding! The price today for the eBook is $0.99!!! Tomorrow (September 11) the price will be $1.99. By Friday, September 13 the eBook will be back to its regular selling price of $2.99. It’s a spectacular deal and one I hope you won’t miss!

Stay tuned for more Countdown Deals on Amazon in the future. New deals–new books!!!

Have a great week, Sonja

Grandparents Day

Today is Grandparents Day!!! Do you live near your grandparents? I didn’t for most of my life but luckily was able to travel to see my maternal grandparents. They lived in Germany, Bavaria to be more precise, and I loved going to their house. Every hour my sister and I would run halfway down the stairs to watch the Cuckoo clock chime and for the tiny bird to come out and give its call. It was so much fun!

My Oma used featherbeds and my sister and I would leap high onto the mattress and sink into the thick and soft featherbed. The ticking would engulf us and we would laugh and laugh and laugh.

My sister and I shared a bedroom on the ground floor with our twin beds lining the wall around the corner like an ‘L’. It made for an easy time talking until late into the night–much to the chagrin of our Mom. We would always scratch each other’s backs and it was a strategic campaign to be the last one to have a back scratch since we usually fell asleep. The last one was able to stay asleep while the ‘scratcher’ had to stay awake and then crawl into her own bed. My sister usually won and was the first scratcher.

The house also had an amazing attic that my Oma used as a sewing room. During rainstorms, we would open the dormer windows and watch the rain fall over the valley below us. We would also listen to the clanging church bells that echoed through the valley and traveled up to where we were on the mountainside. My sister would also sing-along to the ‘Sound of Music’ soundtrack and act out the songs (we had the entire movie memorized!). I spent many hours playing Captain VonTrapp.

I would love to hear your memories of time with your grandparents (or grandparent stand-ins)!

Have a wonderful week, Sonja

2020 Tucson Festival of Books

I’m excited to announce that I will be appearing at the Tucson Festival of Books on March 14, 2020.

I’ll be in the children’s section from 10:00 a.m. until 12:00 p.m.

I will have copies of:

The Fairies of Carlow: The Gilding (Book 1)

The Fairies of Carlow: The Outsider (Book 2)

The Fairies of Carlow: The Commoner (Book 3)

I will have also my new historical picture book

The Wing Family of America:

From England to the American Colonies

available!

AND, copies from my new series of picture books:

Guinness the Therapy Dog

As a special treat, I’m working to have Guinness available at the Festival!!!!! Won’t that be fun?

I hope to see you at the Tucson Festival of Books!