The Elected Autocrat: Why Rigged Elections Matter. This was a VERY interesting article online and hopefully NOT a harbinger for this November's elections!! www.csis.org/analysi... #booksky #writingcommunity

Happy birthday to legendary author Ernest Hemingway, born July 21, 1899! Did you know you can still visit his birthplace museum in Oak Park, Illinois today? Road Trip Anyone?? #booksky #writingcommunity

I saw the Spanish men's national football team won the World Cup yesterday and the orange one inserted himself in the ceremony. Narcissism is a trait characterized by an excessive preoccupation with oneself, a sense of entitlement, and a constant craving for admiration. #booksky #writingcommunity

Libraries are essential community sanctuaries, offering free, public spaces where EVERYONE is welcome and wanted. They should NOT be places where fanatics decide what should & shouldn't be on the shelves for reading. FREEDOM!! My two cents!! #booksky #writingcommunity

I am NOT an analyst BUT don't you think our "great" leaders should have thought long and hard before they began terrorizing the very folks picking the food that Americans eat?? So if we keep this up.. goodbye fruit & veggies! #booksky #writingcommunity

From boredpanda.com I learned that In 1870 the Governor of Hunan Province in China banned Alice in Wonderland believing that animals shouldn't be given the power to use the language of humans and to put animals and humans on the same level would be ”disastrous”!! Wow! #booksky #writingcommunity

I need to look into these books myself to support our LGBTQ+ authors!! Check out this great article guys!! lgbtqreads.com/2025/... #booksky #writingcommunity

The saying, "Fiddling while Rome burns", comes to mind when I think about our current administration. The meaning is to waste time on trivial activities during a major crisis. This reminds me of someone obsessed with grand architecture while larger issues languish. #booksky #writingcommunity

Happy Bastille Day my French friends!! The storming of the Bastille on July 14, 1789, ended the reign of King Louis XVI and helped start the French Revolution! Vive la France!!! Also, makes me want to reread a Tale of Two Cities! #booksky #writingcommunity

Just had an observation about the current World Cup, which began June 11, 2026. Isn't it amazing that all those Europeans can stay SO LONG in the U.S. supporting their national teams?? Makes one have "radical"(to the 1%) thoughts . #booksky #writingcommunity

As the late, great, Whitney Houston stated in her wonderful song, "Learning to love yourself is the greatest love of all". So on this Sunday, give yourself some self-love!! You deserve it!! #booksky #writingcommunity

I cannot let 7/11 go by without honoring the store 7-Eleven!! California, Texas, and Florida, have the most 7-Eleven stores in the country!! Random fact: my husband LOVES gas station convenience stores so this post is dedicated to him. #booksky #writingcommunity

I was thinking that one way to cure our toxic environment is through teaching the next generation empathy. Empathy is the psychological ability to understand, share, and experience the emotions and perspectives of another person. My 2 Cents! #booksky #writingcommunity

Why do some follow authoritarian leaders? Per an online article by Scientific American, a big factor is when individuals think that their world is unstable and unsafe. Those people will search for ways to regain control. So fear leads to suffering. Yoda was right!! #booksky #writingcommunity

As an author, I always find developing characters to be rewarding. Character arcs often follow the "four stages of knowing" from psychology. They guide a character from their original flawed status quo to the full mastery over their own personal growth. So cool!! #booksky #writingcommunity

How Narcissistic Leaders Destroy from Within. I found a fascinating online article from Stanford Business and it makes me think of our current administration. I think years from now, we will STILL be uncovering the damage done to the country. www.gsb.stanford.edu... #booksky #writingcommunity

On July 6, 1887, the world was first introduced to the great fictional detective Sherlock Holmes in "A Study in Scarlet". What an awesome day in literary history, Watson!! #booksky #writingcommunity

"Democracy involves navigating difficult decisions. In contrast, dictatorships make decisions easily, often based on the whim of a single individual for personal gain or expediency." — McCain Institute. Wow! Did they ever have it right!!! #booksky #writingcommunity

Happy 250th Independence Day guys!! Today, July 4, 2026, America will celebrate 250 years of glorious independence!! Let Freedom Ring now and forever!! God Bless those brave vets & soldiers who have made our freedom possible!! #booksky #writingcommunity

I wanted to celebrate we "Indie" or independent authors!!! We are authors who self-publish rather than work with the "BIG 5" traditional publishing houses. So, I would say that we "Indies" embody the American spirit of independence!! #booksky #writingcommunity

Author Esther Forbes wrote Johnny Tremain, about a young man in dangerous pre-Revolutionary War Boston. This is a great work of historical fiction I wanted to highlight for our 250th Independence Day!! #booksky #writingcommunity

Per the National Park Service, the First Rhode Island Regiment was famous as one of the few predominantly Black units of the Revolutionary war. This regiment was formed in 1778 with the promise of freedom for enslaved men who enlisted. All respect to these brave heroes!! #booksky #writingcommunity

Since we are celebrating the 250th anniversary of the USA, I wanted to highlight the concept of freedom. In the novel, The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood, women have to endure a dystopian theocratic society where they have no freedom. Women should be TOTALLY FREE. #booksky #writingcommunity

Got to go to the 2026 RAWR Romance Writers/Readers Convention in Columbus, GA this past Saturday & got to meet such amazing readers & authors!! Thanks for inviting me guys!! Oh, and a shout-out to Columbus, GA!! Beautiful city & state!! #booksky #writingcommunity

I am not sure why I am musing about vampires today but they are very cool literary figures. An internet search stated that they blend danger, allure, and sex appeal. I cannot disagree! Now where is my copy of Interview With The Vampire ?? #booksky #writingcommunity

The book Saturday, by author Ian McEwan, sounds like a VERY interesting read for a Saturday!! The book is about an ordinary man through a Saturday whose high promise gradually turns nightmarish. I will need to read this one (on a Saturday)! #booksky #writingcommunity

Lately, it seems a lot of untrained people have been serving as diplomats for the U.S. Normally, diplomatic training involves negotiation, statecraft, protocol, and cross-cultural communication skills. I didn't see any mention of real estate in this list. Just saying.. #booksky #writingcommunity

Still PRIDE MONTH guys!! If you hear someone making a homophobic or transphobic remark, joke, or spreading misinformation, then challenge that person! Let's all stand up for our LGBTQ+ friends and family members!! #booksky #writingcommunity

Coffee and books seem to go hand-in-hand. Check out the biography, The Monk of Mokha, by Dave Eggers. the true story of Mokhtar Alkhanshali, a Yemeni-American who dreams of reviving Yemen's coffee trade. Excellent read! #booksky #writingcommunity

A lot of people have been talking about pools lately and I thought of literature's great pools. Check out this article!! Just don't peel any paint from the DC pool! electricliterature.c... #booksky #writingcommunity