Paperclips Magazine Jan 2018 (#44) Breaking Through

SELF -PUBLISHING INDUSTRY 2017: How it did and what to expect on

2018

A Truly Bizarre Way to Celebrate New Year’s Day

SIMPLY EXCEPTIONAL John Maxwell Toni Morrison Paulo Coelho

BREAKING THROUGH FREE READING

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Paulo Coelho

John Maxwell

Toni Morrison

The Alchemist Born: 24 August 1947 (age 70) Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

The Management Expert Born: 20 February 1947 (age 70) Garden City, Michigan, United States

Beloved Born: 18 February 1931 (age 86) Lorain, Ohio, United States

Brazilian lyricist and novelist and the recipient of numerous international awards. He is best known for his widely translated novel The Alchemist.

American leadership expert, speaker, pastor, and author. He is a New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and Business Week best-selling author and he was one of 25 authors named to Amazon. com’s 10th Anniversary Hall of Fame.

African- American novelist, essayist, editor, teacher and professor emeritus at Princeton University. She won the Pulitzer Prize and the American Book Award in 1988 for Beloved.

Image: (Paulo Coelho) Xavier+Gonzale /(Toni Morrison) Timothy Greenfield-Sanders

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Editor’s Note

A Change for the Better “No matter how far you have gone on a wrong road, turn around.” We don’t really know who said that, but whoever that person is, we want him to know we’re truly grateful. Now that 2017 has come to a close, we would like to begin our journey by turning around. That is not to say that we have gone on a wrong road. Paperclips has come this far because we have deemed to be on the right track. It’s just that there are things— pressing matters— that need to be resolved before we even start anything new. The issue of plagiarism is one. Last August 16, 2017, Writer’s Beware, an online blog posted an article about our magazine of which we are sincerely grateful for bringing the problem to our attention. We take accusations like these seriously and have investigated the case.

Plagiarism, by all means, is a breach of our responsibility to provide you with reliable information. We want the magazine to be entertaining and informative at the same time, but above all useful especially to our aspiring authors who have put their confidence in our ability to serve them.

The particular issue should never have been published. We sincerely apologize that it was. We also know that we should have done this right after

finding out the incident. We looked into the problem right away, but it required further details. The writers involved were like a family to us but, we were left with no other choice but to let them go after thoroughly reviewing their works.

Paperclips started not too long ago.

Because we were not doing journalism, our writers didn’t have journalistic backgrounds back then. But times have changed, and so, have we. We started changing as we see the magazine progressed.

Today, with its fast-growing number of readers, Paperclips Magazine, we believe, has raised its standards and has continued getting better because we know that you deserve more from us. Months ago, a particular software program— that is more efficient in checking plagiarism than what we had back then— had finally been installed in our peer review system, where all submitted papers are scanned and analyzed. Articles with high potential of plagiarism detected by the program are sent to the editorial board for review. There were in fact, already a few submissions that have been rejected.

We hope that, through this, we will be able to acquire submissions that are reliable and are intellectually honest, a magazine that every reader could trust.

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Since Paperclips now goes print as well, we added a new section in this issue, “Bookworm’s corner,” for the next generation of storytelling stars. Our Creative Director, Larry Blanc, and his team also did a fantastic job of redesigning the magazine’s overall look, from its illustrations, photography and fonts to provide a great experience of reading to our readers with its beautiful design. At the same time, our IT Director, Nico Mac has also brilliantly created a new digital format for these pieces to be artfully presented online— in greater volume and in greater speed.

These modifications are made possible also because of the members of the Editorial Board, Design Team and some members of Legaia Books who undoubtedly have important contributions in implementing the changes made. With its new section, new graphics, new layout and renewed dedication to giving you what you deserve, Paperclips is now more than ready to face whatever this year has to offer.

Please be free to let us know if vere are any topics you’d like to see covered in the future. We’d be more than happy to hear from you.

Happy New Year!

Rachelle Browne Editor in Chief

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Rachelle Browne Editor in Chief

Neil Schmidt Senior Editor

Bruce Anderson Miller John Michaels Production Managers

Marjory Lee Featured Stories

Mary Sinclair David Whitaker Researchers

Nico Mac Larry Blanc IT & Creative Director

Joseph Adams Keith McCain Zoey Taylor Alvin Wright Stephan Vacalares Kohler Staff Writer

Sky Buckley Bradley Perkins Marketing Advisors

Frank Parker Geof Gilbert Jim Belfort Marcus Duncan Michael Luke Alex Pattterson Greg Murphy Advertising Agents Liability while every care was taken during the production of this magazine, the publishers cannot be held responsible for the accuracy of the information or any consequence arising from it. PaperClips magazine takes no responsibility for the companies/individuals advertising in this magazine. All Photographs are either provided to us by creator or courtesy of shutterstock.

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What’s Inside

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SIMPLY EXCEPTIONAL

P10 PAULO COELHO The Alchemy of Life

BY JOSEPH ADAMS

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What’s Inside

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SIMPLY EXCEPTIONAL

P74 JOHN MAXWELL An Unconventional Perspective on Growth, Leadership and Success

BY STEPHAN VACALARES KOHLER

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Bookworm’s Corner

FEATURE

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As the New Year Comes

BY ZOEY TAYLOR

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Undeniable truths about bibliophiles

BY ALVIN WRIGHT

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QUOTE ANALYSIS The Saddest Thing “To live is the rarest thing in the world, most people just exist.”

(Oscar Wilde, Irish poet and playwright)

BY MISS AMETHYST

P66 MIRACLES FROM PRAYER

BY ZOEY TAYLOR

P112 AUTHOR GALLERY paperclipsmagazine.com

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SIMPLY EXCEPTIONAL

P42 TONI MORRISON America’sFirst Lady of Literature

BY ALVIN WRIGHT

What’s Up

P34 SELFPUBLISHING INDUSTRY How It Did and What to Expect

BY ZOEY TAYLOR

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P94 FASHION IN FRANKNESS AND SIMPLICITY

Paulo Coelho’s Writing Style

BY JOSEPH ADAMS

What’s Up

P28

A Truly Bizarre Way to Celebrate New Year’s Day

BY STEPHAN

P38

Too Tragic to be Forgotten: Commemoration in Honor of the Victims of Holocaust

VACALARES KOHLER

Your Literary Essentials

P92

To write or Not to write? To write!

BY KEITH MCCAIN

BY PAUL AUSTIN

Food, Fitness and Fun

P100

Other People’s Bookshelves.

How to Make Them Yours.

BY KEITH MCCAIN

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15 Funny Brain Teasers

BY NANCY PRICE

SELF -PUBLISHING INDUSTRY 2017: How it did and what to expect on

2018

A Truly Bizarre Way to Celebrate New Year’s Day

SIMPLY EXCEPTIONAL John Maxwell Toni Morrison Paulo Coelho

BREAKING THROUGH FREE READING

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SIMPLY EXCEPTIONAL

PAULO COELHO

Photo | Wiki/Creative Common

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KENT HANDY THE DARK

SECRETS of WOODRUFF COUNTY The Dark Secrets of Woodruff County is the story of a black family that was living in poverty in the Deep South. Despite their circumstances their home was filled with love, unity, and respect. But the culture of racism has robbed them of their peace.

It is the story about how some race haters and the alleged Ku Klux Klan including Police Officers, Pathologist, the Fire Marshall, and the County Coroner conspired to cover up the murder of five innocent children. This is the voice that the brother of the murdered children, after spending 30 years of his life searching for justice and closure. As a result of his lifetime search, in 2014 he was able to persuade some of the white residents of Woodruff County to meet with the FBI. Through his persistence and perseverance some of the white residents came forward with testimonies naming those involved.

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S. L. FERREIRA

AFTERMATH It has been two years since the earth was invaded by the aliens that humans refer to as frogfaces. The majority of the human race has either been killed or abducted, and those who remain wandering with little direction or hope, forming nomadic groups who stay on the run to keep themselves out of the hands of the invaders. But what are they really after—and what is it that the frogfaces ultimately want from earth?

Only time will tell whether there is any hope left for humankind. In this science ďŹ ction novel, survivors from an alien invasion of earth must work together in an attempt to save the human race from extinction.

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SIMPLY EXCEPTIONAL

PAULO COELHO

Photo | Wiki/Creative Common

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Life has a way of testing a person’s will, either by having nothing happen at all or by having everything happen at once.

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LINDA DARLENE MARIE SHARPE

the

journey

of

two souls We are all on a journey. At this time, many of us baby boomers are on a journey of caring for our aging parents.

Any life journey has its ups and downs. Many children never see this in their future.

The are lots of feelings: There frustration, hopelessness, anger, and inability to cope.

This book is about my mother and our journey, with her becoming the person cared for and I, the caregiver. It is honoring my mother and her struggle. It is a book of care, love, support, and hope.

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J. R. Gonzalez Combining the power of music from his favorite musician, Jimi Hendrix, and the art of poetry from Edgar Allan Poe‌ Jon R. Gonzalez has written three books that instill terrifying nightmares to the readers and grab their breaths page by page. Tales of violence, injustices, tragic love, and nightmares will surely keep readers trembling by every chapter.

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SIMPLY EXCEPTIONAL

Photo | Wiki/Creative Common

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PAULO COELHO paperclipsmagazine.com

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JAMES LOWTHER,

THE DANNY CARTER S In trying to address the intriguingly debatable issues and vast scope between religion and science, James Lowther has made a compelling trilogy, The Danny Carter Series that is both entertaining and informative. As we follow Danny's encounter with different types of people, we learn valuable insights depicted in their arguments about philosophical and scientiďŹ c views. Since the author has been personally on both sides of this issue he is able to adequately and accurately depict the positions represented by the naturalist and the creationist. The titles in this trilogy are The Group, The Debate, and The Verdict.

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, PHD

SERIES

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SIMPLY EXCEPTIONAL | PAULO COELHO

The Alchemy of Life How Coelho’s Journey Inspires Passion Versus Practicality

BY JOSEPH ADAMS

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Photo | Wiki/Creative Common

aulo Coelho de Souza, a Brazilian lyricist and novelist, was born in Brazil on August 24, 1947. Since his teenage life, he fell in love with writing and wanted to become a writer. But his parents are opposed to this dream, thinking that he would have a better life if he pursues a more

practical profession like his father, an engineer. His mother even questioned him, “Do you actually know what it means to be writer?”

Coelho admitted to be an introvert.

He recounted not going out too often to some social gatherings when he

Paulo Coelho childhood pictures

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He escaped from the mental institution three times before being released at the age of 20. Upon his release, Coelho went back to school. Just as his parents wished, he abandoned his dream of becoming a writer and enrolled in a law school instead. But being a lawyer doesn’t really interest him much, so he dropped out a year later and become a hipster, travelling through South America, North Africa, Mexico and Europe.

was young. He spends most of his time alone, writing or reading books.

His parents are Catholics and were very strict about their religion and faith. When Coelho was 17, his parents admitted him to a mental institution because he was opposed to following a traditional path. Anyone could have imagined how hard it was to him to be sent out to some place he wasn’t supposed to be in. Much depressingly, to think that it was only because he didn’t follow some religious traditions.

Despite that, Coelho didn’t show hatred to his parents, nor did he detest Christianity. He even defended his parents, and later remarked, “It wasn’t that they wanted to hurt me, but they didn’t know what to do... They did not do that to destroy me, they did that to save me.”

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It wasn’t that they wanted to hurt me, but they didn’t know what to do... They did not do that to destroy me, they did that to save me.

Coelho didn’t explain much what made him decide to become a hipster, but many critics guessed that it was because his parents might bring him back to the mental institution for dropping out of school.

Being a hipster has brought Coelho to new faces and cultures he has never hoped to learn about. On the negative side, it has led Coelho into using drugs in 1960’s. It would seem that at that time, his life was a waste, with no certain direction. But as he traveled across the

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SIMPLY EXCEPTIONAL | PAULO COELHO In 1986, Coelho walked the 500-plus mile Road of Santiago de Compostela in northwestern Spain, where he had a spiritual awakening. It was a turning point in his life. In an interview, Coelho admitted to have felt something was lacking in him— his long-lost dream.

Paulo Coelho having a speach

Photo | Wiki/Creative Common

countries and wasted out, he kept learning about different traditions, cultures, and various human behavior which would later on make most of his own philosophies.

When he finally got back to his sense of purpose, Coelho worked as a songwriter upon returning to Brazil, composing lyrics for Brazilian icons.

Although he faced a lot of setbacks and issues, like being associated with magic and occultism due to content of some songs, being a songwriter, however, was his first successful career. He was arrested for subversive activities in 1974 by the ruling military government who viewed his lyrics as left-wing and dangerous. But that didn’t really make a stop on his career.

Even though Coelho was a college dropout, he had landed on a different line of job that were all fine and pay him good. He experienced working as an actor, journalist, and theatre director.

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All the while, he was running away from his parents’ inconsiderate control.

Although he was happy in the things he was doing, but he later realized he ended up following the principles his parents kept instilling in him: to do things that would generate money, sufficient enough to give himself and his family the basics they need. In short, practicality. Coelho remarked, “I was working, I had a person whom I loved, I had money, but I was not fulfilling my dream. My dream was, and still is, to be a writer.”

Having realized this, Coelho then left his lucrative career as a songwriter and pursue writing full-time.

Even if it means an observable amount

I was working, I had a person whom I loved, I had money, but I was not fulfilling my dream. My dream was, and still is, to be a writer.

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Floriminda Edar Reid Moonless Night series for Young Adult (or older) is a story about a young girl who become tangled with two different immortal worlds where hatred and empathy; love and empat deceit, illusion and reincarnation are bound to shape the life of each main character of the story.

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of decrease from his income, even if it means to sacrifice a little bit of his family’s unnecessary spending, Coelho was ready to live the life he has always wanted to be. He went back to take the road that he was misled from. He pursued his dream!

Coelho’s writing career didn’t take off that easily. His first book, Hell Archives and his contribution to the Practical Manual of Vampirism had failed. It was after recounting about his spiritual journey to the Road of Santiago de Compostela in his book, The Pilgrimage, published in 1987, that his writing career took off. The following year, he wrote The Alchemist and published it through a small Brazilian publishing house, who only made a print run of about 900 copies and decided not to reprint.

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SIMPLY EXCEPTIONAL | PAULO COELHO Upon the publication of his next book, Brida, through a bigger publishing house, The Alchemist suddenly took off. When HarperCollins, the biggest publishing house in the United States, decided to publish the book in 1994, it became a worldwide phenomenon, which sold more than 83 million copies, becoming one of the bestselling books in history. The Alchemist won the Guinness World Record as most translated book by a living author for being translated into 81 different languages.

written essays, newspaper columns and selected teachings, which were compiled in his books, Maktub, The Manual of the Warrior of Light, and Like the Flowing River.

Since The Alchemist, Coelho has written one novel every two years, starting from Brida up to The Spy.

He may not have been certain of what was ahead of the road, when he decided to pursue his writing career, but he was sure of one thing, that all of us should learn: Life is not all about practicality…

Success and happiness are defined by fulfilling one’s dreams!

Photo | Wiki/Creative Common

Three of his novels, The Pilgrimage, The Valkyries, and Aleph, are autobiographical, while the rest are partly-biographical fictions. He has also

Coelho has become one of the world’s most celebrated authors. Going back to what his mother had said to him— “Do you actually know what it means to be a writer?”— now, readers had shared the same answer and sentiments Coelho had learned from having the right decision of pursuing his dream.

Other books of Paulo Coelho

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WHO SAID GOD CAN’T SPEAK THROUGH AN A.S.S. After all the Bible studies and their living a religious life, why is it that so many of today's professing, Evangelical Christians haven't had, or don't consider having, any supernatural, spiritual experiences, like the New Testament authors wrote about, during their entire Christian walk of faith? To address this deplorable spiritual condition that makes the Gospel message of Christ, and the American nation, being full of professing believers in Christ appear weak, and powerless, to the lost who are dying without hope or a strong message of salvation in today's modern world; Anthony S. Solimine Jr., has chosen to labor, extensively, in order to share his own supernatural, spiritual experiences that he's had, for at least, the last four and a half decades, now. This transformation from small faith to large faith took place, after walking and talking, and sometimes arguing, with God, consistently, from the day this dramatic conversion experience took place, (while he was innocently trying to attend a large rock concert in Virginia); which he never did attend, thank God. Through the consistent leading of the Holy spirit, during thousands of Bible studies, Anthony has gained incredible spiritual insights into the nature and will and power of God, the devil, and man, especially himself. In this unique, one of a kind book, Anthony S. Solimine Jr. has chosen, to share, only a portion of the supernatural spiritual experiences God has bestowed upon him, according to his perfect will, and many times, His great grace; which had been revealed repeatedly through the two-covenant books of promise, that comprised the Bible's entire text.

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ANTHONY S. SOLIMINE JR. paperclipsmagazine.com

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WHAT’S UP | A TRULY BIZARRE WAY TO CELEBRATE NEW YEAR’S DAY

A Truly Bizarre Way to Celebrate New Year’s Day

Photo | Wiki/Creative Common

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BY ST E PH A N VACA L A R E S KO H L E R

ew Year’s Day celebrations are often associated with great vigor and enthusiasm. Well, this may be true to all people around the world, but it doesn’t mean they celebrate New Year in the same

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way. From smashing old dishes to other people’s door, cleaning the streets to throwing furniture and appliances in the window, other countries sure have a truly bizarre way to celebrate New Year’s Day.

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Korea Chile

England

Weird it may seem, but Brits believe that the first guest who arrives at the house will be the one bringing good luck to the household for the entire coming year. As part of this tradition called ‘First Footing’, people pray for young, healthy, handsome, and a dark-haired male to be their first guest because a woman, a blonde, or a red colored person, are considered to bring bad luck. Hence, they are not welcome for the day.

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Eating a spoonful of lentils at midnight and putting money at the bottom of your shoe are not bad especially if they are supposed to make you prosperous for the entire year. But spending the night at a graveyard and welcome the new year with your deceased loved ones is already a bit odd.

Denmark

People save old plates and glasses to smash them on each other’s front door in the name of friendship! Therefore, he who has more broken dishes in his front door is the one who has the most friends.

Photo | Wiki/Creative Common

Surprisingly, Koreans celebrate New Year twice. For thousands of years, they celebrate New Year’s Day at the start of the year on the lunar calendar called Soellal. Today, however, many of them join the celebration at the beginning of the solar calendar as Westerners do.

Great. They just double the fun.

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WHAT’S UP | A TRULY BIZARRE WAY TO CELEBRATE NEW YEAR’S DAY Japan

Wear all-white clothes on New Year’s Eve— this is not to invite good luck, however, but to ward off evil spirits.

Jumping over seven ocean waves, one for each day of the week, and throwing flowers into the sea are also part of the tradition.

Photo | Wiki/Creative Common

Oshogatsu is what they call it. They clean their entire house and decorate it with pine branches, plum blossoms, and bamboo which are quite significant in preparing for the upcoming year. Most importantly, they resolve conflicts from the past year to start the new year with a clean slate.

Brazil

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Ecuador

To get rid of the negative energy of the past year, Ecuadorians burn effigies of politicians or the people they don’t like at midnight. What a way to begin the New Year!

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China

For Chinese, red is a symbol of good fortune and happiness. So, at this time of the year, red is found everywhere— red packets, red rackets, red lanterns, red envelopes, and red doors. No kidding Chinese paint their front doors red. Some even incorporate the color into their outfit which is, of course, not an easy feat because fiery shade doesn’t go with everything. You can try it though.

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Philippines

For Filipinos, round objects are the craze including fruits like oranges and grapes because they signify prosperity. They also put coins in their pockets and wear clothes with lots of polka dots. Children who want to become taller are made to jump up and down at the stroke of midnight on New Year’s Eve— as high as they can.

Year’s Eve. This sounds easy but not when you have to eat one each time the clock chimes.

Switzerland

Puerto Rico On the contrary, Swiss don’t eat their New Year’s treat. They drop whipped cream on the floor and leave it there instead. Better do it, if you don’t want to miss out the blessing of the New Year.

Photo | Wiki/Creative Common

South Africa

Puerto Ricans not only clean their house as the Japanese do, but they also clean everything including the garden, garage, and the streets. Throwing buckets of water out of the window to get rid of the bad juju of last year is also another practice they can’t seem to get away with. Watch out, pedestrians!

Spain Spanish celebrate it with their speedeating challenge which requires people to eat 12 grapes at midnight on New

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In Johannesburg, it’s common to throw old furniture and appliances, like TVs and radios, out the window. Apparently, that means prosperity in the coming year, right?

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armanis ar-feinial

THE COVENANT Kinasa is a place in Alkathos, the home of the elves, worshippers of the God of Creation, and now their God, Unverdus, is putting them to the test.

In this forest is the Elite Ranger’s Guild that have gone into the darkness and have kept it at bay, but what they failed to realize is that the poison of the dark has seeped into the Heart of the kingdom, and seeped into the world. Kac, a Captain, is charged with his friends to go find and appease Unverdus, but can he find and appease Him in time? Will he make the Lord Unverdus see that the elves love him? Or will Unverdus give him the case, that the elves have forsaken The Way within the constructs of their own hearts, and therefore punishment shall fall upon them?

Will Unverdus condemn his followers to death or let them face this darkness alone?

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WHAT’S UP | SELF-PUBLISHING INDUSTRY

Self-Publishing Industry How It Did and What to Expect B Y Z O E Y T AY L O R

The Industry, the Technology, and the Unity of Innovation Self-publishing Industry (SPI), in general, is continuously growing as it tries to balance author-centric and consumercentric principles, as compared to traditional publishing. The latter focuses on being consumer-centric, or more appropriately market-centric principles; while the former, started on authorcentricity.

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With being author-centric alone, self-publishers finally grasped why traditional publishers need to be very strict and very choosy about what books they are going to publish. It’s more than just their reputation, but rather on the risk of losing millions with regards to the marketability of a particular book, especially with the ever-increasing competition in the global market. With no offense to some authors, as SPI started out, their reports show that only 3 out of 50 self-published books are marketable.

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Despite that fact, self-publishers didn’t discard the author-centric principles.

In fact, the industry becomes even more author-centric. With the help of the technological advancements, selfpublishers were able to reach out to more indie authors and taught them the right and more effective techniques on how to market their books. The industry taught the essence of building up the author-reader relationship.

That’s thanks to the Internet!

Any improvements in the SelfPublishing Industry is highly dependent on, though not limited to, the development of modern, internetbased technologies such as Narrow Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Techniques.

How Self-Publishing Industry Did in 2017?

In 2014-2015 data analysis, the drop in revenue for e-book content was apparent, which made the indie authors shift their focus from digital to print in 2016. But focusing on printed books was even much tricky to handle especially when it comes to DIY marketing. In 2017, self-publishers went on to improving audio segment technique and offered this to authors in-line with e-books to help them in marketing. Although there were only a few who engaged on this particular publishing format, the result turned out to be a relevant improvement in comparison with the previous years.

The number of audiobooks in the market are continuously increasing.

The growth of Artificial Intelligence has redefined the hope in self-publishing industry. It brought convenience to both authors and potential consumers especially with One-Click, one of the most successful AI development in the online marketing.

Photo | Wiki/Creative Common

Although there is no 2017 official data analysis available yet for self-publishing to show us the graphical and mathematical presentations, s e v e r a l publishers a n d critiques already

voiced out a draft of their assessment report. The most common among these reports from different self-publishers tackle about: Audio Segment, Artificial Intelligence Technology, Machine Learning Techniques, and Movie Potentiality.

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WHAT’S UP | SELF-PUBLISHING INDUSTRY

Along with One-Click, the most talked-about and most important AI development is the Machine Learning, a technique that uses algorithms to generate algorithms. Algorithms are a sequence of instructions used to solve a problem. But instead of having programmers input the instructions from time to time, in Machine Learning, computers are given instructions by non-programmers that will allow it to learn from data. One of the notable applications of Machine Learning is the “language translation” and “picture-toword conversion”.

With the right marketing and advertising approach, many titles of books have been generated throughout the global market, and have reached the interest of several filmmakers. Wattpad studio has been the leading opportunity for indie authors to get their stories into the movie screens which has opened another hope in the self-publishing industry.

What to Expect in 2018?

It’s hard to predict specific events.

But based on the recent progress, there are three general factors to expect in self-publishing industry for 2018. Improvement on the Successful Technological Applications, Author’s Assessment and Flexibility in Marketing and Advertising Approaches, and Consumer Shift.

While AI developments, like One-Click

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and Machine Learning, have been the leading factor in the shift of revenue to the positive peak in the graph, there are still issues experts are trying to resolve.

These issues include transparency and accountability, and security.

Transparency and Accountability. Social media has become a bridge of a much effective global communication.

Although it brought a great impact on the socio-economic growth, the transparency is ironically biased; putting possible risks to users but blindly tolerates elicit trading and other crimes. AI may discriminate some individuals or make errors due to biased training data, but since it simply follows input from millions of users worldwide, it cannot distinguish the actors much accurately, making it more difficult to ensure accountability.

Security. With the issue of transparency and accountability, the high numbers of potential malicious actors become a depressing thought. It poses increasing risks to user privacy.

Google, among others, may have tightened its security but creates inconvenience for users.

AI development surely needs to improve, and it’s one of the priorities of programming corporations. It is predicted that in 2018, a more flexible and sustainable performance of technological advancements will rise

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Evadne O. Richards which will boost the reliability and performance of self-publishing industry.

Also, with the help of articles prepared by the professionals and marketing consultants, it is predicted that indie authors will become literate in the DIY marketing and will be able to achieve more progress in their sales and book launches. Self-publishers have introduced interactive tools to authors to build a robust writer-reader relationship which may most specifically include author’s website and social media interactions.

Advertising is seen to double its hit in 2018, due to the appearance of several advertising companies, like Wattpad and book-themed magazines. There’s also a notable increase in numbers for press releases and book reviews.

Zion, the Place of Birthing There is no doubt that we, who have answered the call to surrender our lives to God, owe a huge debt of gratitude to church leaders— leaders who, through the ages, obeyed the call to sacrifice their lives, sharing the message of the gospel, sometimes facing grave danger and even some losing their lives in the process. so Nevertheless, God did not reveal every aspect of his plan in times past but gradually pulled back the curtain so that, in these last days, we may be fed the strong meat required for maturity as sons of God.

Finally, with 2017’s progress regarding e-books, consumer shift is one of the most relevant predictions selfpublishing industry is aiming to achieve in 2018. With more people shifting to e-book and audiobook formats, selfpublishers will have more room to convince indie authors to boost their flexibility in marketing, as it should be the first step, before having their books in the brick-and-mortar bookstores.

Whether the source is reliable or not, predictions remain to be a debatable subject from error-potential data analysis. What could bring these predictions to fruition are hard-work and flexibility in learning. Development is continuous because learning is.

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WHAT’S UP | TOO TRAGIC TO BE FORGOTTEN

Too Tragic to be Forgotten: Commemoration in Honor of the Victims of Holocaust B Y PA U L A U S T I N

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ne of the events that is to be expected as the curtains unfurl to meet the start of a new year is the International Day of Commemoration in Honor of the Victims of Holocaust. The event was officially declared by the United Nations to be celebrated on January 27 of each year. It remembers the horrifying Holocaust.

The Holocaust was one method used by the Nazi to persecute and murder millions of Jews. However, the commemoration is brought widely to remembering the entire history of German political movement that terrorized, tortured, and executed millions, including non-Jewish targets who were unfortunately subjected to the movement’s pseudo-scientific racism.

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The commemoration was originally “… in Memory of…”, but few people would prefer to use “…In Honor of…”— one reason is to avoid redundancy between the words “commemoration” and “memory”; and the other is to emphasize that there are other victims who survived the terror. The latter reason is greatly notable because we appreciate and honor not just the strong will of the victims to survive but also their courage to fight back trauma so they may be able to recount the tragic event in every detail for the whole world to know.

Recounting traumatic events in one’s life is already much of a burden. It’s not easy. Even the phrase “not easy” is quite an understatement to describe the toll its taking on the victims. Every memory… every flashback… every word…

A survivor has to muster lots and lots of courage to articulate even the simplest

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word to describe the event. A bucket of courage is not enough, one needs a whole pool of it. Now, that might seem to be an exaggeration, but there’s actually no metaphor that could describe exactly how trauma works in the aftermath of extreme terror. Sometimes, trauma mirrors exactly the same level of agony as when they were still in the actual experience.

How People Celebrate It? Perhaps, the word “celebrate” seems inappropriate considering the horror of the memory, but to make things clearer, January 27 was actually the day when the Soviet troops liberated the Nazi concentration and death camp Auschwitz-Birkenau in Poland in 1945.

So, the commemoration was actually a day to celebrate the victory achieved.

Europe during the World War II and why present generations are called upon in preventing any methods of genocide in the near future, especially that which is committed in a larger scale like in the past.

Other than speeches, the United Nations also organizes and supports art exhibitions, film screening, concerts and book signings among others, which are themed or influenced by the Holocaust. Many Jewish groups use this day to mourn for the Holocaust victims and express their resentment over the ruthless movement.

Although The International Day of Commemoration in Honor of the Victims of Holocaust was a global observance, it is not a public holiday.

Quick Facts

In some countries, survivors and various leaders speak publicly about the Holocaust and/or their experiences in the event and how the pain still lives in them up to this day. Most speeches instill in the public the importance of learning about what happened in

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The International Day of Commemoration in Honor of the Victims of Holocaust was declared by the United Nations on November 1, 2005, and officially started on January 27, 2006.

On the next issue, the second part of this article will discuss about the importance of the commemoration, featuring few of the many memoir books authored by the Holocaust survivors.

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But the intensity of anger is obviously manifested by how Holocaust survivors partake on the commemoration. The bitter indignation— at being horribly victimized by extreme racisms and foolish ideologies— envelopes the atmosphere.

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ANN MALIK OMAN A re yo u l o o k i n g fo r a b o o k t h a t of fe r s yo u h o p e? A b o o k t h a t w i l l re i n fo rce yo u r d e s i re to p ray m o re d evo te d l y? D o yo u of te n fe e l l ef t o u t w h e n yo u p ray o r a t te n d p raye r se r v i ce s o r m a ss? T h i s b o o k , M i ra c l e s f ro m P raye r s : C o nve r s a t i o n s w i t h G o d w i l l c h a n g e h ow yo u p e rce i ve m i ra c l e s , p raye r s , d evo t i o n , h e a l t h i ss u e s , m e d i c a l c r i s i s a n d eve n t h e d o c to r s yo u a re se e i n g o n a re g u l a r b a s i s .

B u t m i ra c l e s d o n ’ t h a p p e n i n a n i n s t a nt . I n f a c t , i t i s so m e t i m e s v a g u e a n d u n p re d i c t a b l e. B u t o n e t h i n g i s ce r t a i n : “ m i ra c l e s h a p p e n i n a h e ave n l y t i m i n g . ” W h e n we v a l u e p raye r s a n d p ra c t i ce t h e m eve r y s i n g l e d ay, m i ra c l e s a re j u s t a t o u r d o o r s te p ! We j u s t h ave to b e l i eve.

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miracles from

PRAYERS

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SIMPLY EXCEPTIONAL

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TONI MORRISON

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RUDY BLANCO e Odyssey of a School Dropout 19 AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL SHORT STORIES

Dropping out from school to work in the onion fields up north which was the best I could do to help support my family, was probably one of things I regretted a lot.

Worse, after the difficulties I went through, like riding in the back of an old bouncing old truck in the company of nine strange adult men traveling north to the center of the United States, I found out I was fooled. I didn’t receive any for my labor. All I had was “Feo”, the ugly dog who saved me from a drunk who tried to rob me. Since then, we had been inseparable. Together, we faced many formidable challenges and trekked through a wild fearful forest and lonely highways. Eventually, I learned to love “Feo”.

And he did too. One time, I had to swim across a river and experienced a sudden cramp on my left leg. Terrible fear had gotten hold of me. I was scared I’ll get drowned and die away from my loving family. I had no one to help me. Or so I thought. Feo was there. The rest of the story will devastate you. I will let you be the judge.

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michael ebifegha the

darwinian delusion The postulate of molecules-to-human evolution by natural selection (evolutionism), like creationism, cannot be demonstrated empirically.

Therefore, the creationism-evolutionism controversy oers a choice between intelligent design by God and unintelligent design by evolutionary selection. Michael Ebifegha's previous book The Death of Evolution provides the historical details of God's ancient claim for creating the universe before an audience. Ebifegha argues that both the scientiďŹ c and philosophical analysis point to God as the Creator and hence the delusion brought by Dawkins and Darwin is not about God, but about the Darwinian paradigm of materialism.

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If there is a book you want to read, but it hasn’t been written yet, then you must write it.

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TONI MORRISON SIMPLY EXCEPTIONAL paperclipsmagazine.com

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sunnie day

sharecroppers

daughter This book is a story about growing up on a farm very poor and sometimes going to bed hungry. It is also about how to work hard and try to make something of yourself without resorting to a life of crime. I believe you will find it entertaining and yet a serious account of what to do and what not to do. You will find incidents throughout that may help you understand that growing up poor can make you a stronger person and give you an understanding of what life was like fifty years ago. It gives a view of where we were and where we are now. It entertains and inspires at the same time.

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GAYE O’ BRIEN

NLP ESSENTIALS FOR TEACHERS The Art of Encouraging Excellence in Your Students

NLP Essentials for Teachers: The Art of Encouraging Excellence in Your Students, was written to help leaders, teachers, trainers, managers and parents create a learning environment that reinforces success principles, communication skills that build rapport, resolves conflict, fosters resiliency and empowers learners.

This book will help you add more ‘grit’ to your leadership. It will help you enhance your resilience and highlights some very helpful insights to help you unlock untapped potential in those you nurture.

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SIMPLY

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EXCEPTIONAL

TONI MORRISON

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Once in a while, an old sailor, like David Calvin, who served his country for many years has a chance to write tall tales. And that is exactly what he did. However, before he began writing, he asked himself about the duties of a writer. To inform, to scare, and to make readers laugh, are the answers he got. These are a few of the things that authors do to gain readers’ attention, and subscribes to these mantras of the ages. His books include The Love of a Vertalak, Mars Star Walker, A Life Time of Night Time, The River of Lost Souls, The Bitter Vetch, The Golden Thread, and Killing for Love.

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D.L. CALVIN BOOK Collections

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SIMPLY EXCEPTIONAL | TONI MORRISON

America’s First Lady of Literature

I24 WAS SPITEFUL. Full of a baby’s venom. The women in the house knew it and so did the children. For years each put up with the spite in his own way, but by 1873 Sethe and her daughter Denver were its only victims… (Beloved, page 1) B Y A LV I N W R I G H T

Margaret Garner, a runaway slave, killed her two-year-old daughter in 1856 to spare her a life of slavery. She slashed her infant daughter’s throat rather than see her child in chains. Before she could do the same to the rest of her children and herself, slave catchers pried the knife from her fingers.

Based on this grisly true story of the horrors of slavery, Beloved, published in 1987, won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction and was later made into a film starring Oprah Winfrey, Thandie Newton and Danny Glover.

The success of the novel took its owner’s popularity to greater heights—Toni Morrison. Noted for her detailed inspection of the terrible experience, particularly the women within the black community, this African American received the Nobel Prize

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for Literature in 1993. She was in fact, the first African American woman to win such award making her the first lady of literature.

Toni Morrison was born as Chloe Anthony Wofford in Lorain, Ohio, on February 18, 1931, and was the second of four children born to Ramah and George Wofford. She grew up during the Great Depression in the 1930s, a time of severe economic hardship in a family who has an intense appreciation of the black culture despite being brought up in an American community. Her family was part of the great wave of migration in the early 1900s. Her grandparents had lost their land like many other black people in that part of the history. They were sharecroppers, that meant they paid the rent for their land with some of the

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Photo | Wiki/Creative Common Toni Morrison and her sons.

crops they produce, and they were never able to get out of debt even then. Growing up during the Great Depression, Morrison witnessed not just the struggle of her own family for survival but also that of her own people. Her father supported the family by working three jobs for seventeen years.

However, despite their dire situation her family didn’t stop to provide her education.

Morrison was, in fact, the first woman in her family to attend college who got a degree at Howard University and then on to Cornell, where she completed a Masters in Literature. With this self-assurance, she split with her husband. Pregnant with her second child, she worked as an editor at Random House to earn a living.

career. She was appointed to the Robert F. Goheen Professor at Princeton University spring 1989— a post she held until 2006, was the Albert Schweitzer Chair in the Humanities at the State University of New York at Albany in 1984 as appointed by The New York State Board of Regents, the Obert C. Tanner Lecturer at the University of

What becomes known as history, is not all there is to know.

Aside from being one of the most cherished names in the publishing house, Morrison was also most recognized in her teaching

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SIMPLY EXCEPTIONAL | TONI MORRISON acclaim. It received a National Books Critic Award in 1978, was chosen for Oprah Winfrey’s popular book club, and was cited by the Swedish Academy in awarding Morrison the 1993 Nobel Prize in Literature.

Toni Morrison and Barrack Obama

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Michigan, Ann Arbor; and the Jeannette K. Watson Distinguished Professor at Syracuse University in 1988. She delivered the Clark Lectures at Trinity College, Cambridge, and the Massey Lectures at Harvard University in 1990 and was held the International Cordorcet Chair at the Ecole Normale Superieure and College de France in 1994. She has also held teaching posts in prestigious universities like Yale, Bard College, and Rutgers.

Morrison began writing books she wanted to read but didn’t exist, particularly the ones concerning history and politics.

“What becomes known as history, is not all there is to know,” she said. Though her writings are not autobiographical, she alludes to her past. Her debut novel of 1970, The Bluest Eye addressed the pernicious phenomenon of racial selfloathing through the lives of the members of a poor black family in 1940s Ohio. Song of Solomon, her 1977 novel, like many of her other works, received extensive critical

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In addition to The Bluest Eye, Beloved and Song of Solomon, Morrison wrote 7 other novels including; Sula (1974), Tar Baby (1981), Jazz (1992), Paradise (1998), Love (2003), A Mercy (2008), and God Help the Child (2015). All these works noticeably explore both the need for and the impossibility of real community and the bonds that both unite and divide AfricanAmerican women.

Unlike other writers who abhor terms like “black writer,” Morrison has always welcomed labels. She’s writing for the black people. So, there is nothing wrong to be called one. In fact, she only writes for them which is not something she should apologize for.

About the issue of feminism, surprisingly, Morrison does not identify her works as feminist despite being typically concentrated on black women. In a 1998 interview, “Why distance oneself from feminism?” she replied: “In order to be as free as I possibly can, in my own imagination, I can’t take

Womanists is what black feminists used to call themselves

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Maribel Camacho

In Which Way Do I Grow? … A Path of Uncertainty is a collection of poems and verses inspired and written during the past ten years or more during a spiritual quest that truly began in 1999. These writings stemmed from journaling which, thereafter, grew into poetic st stories.

The book deals with a myriad of issues and or problems such as relationships, homelessness, hope, pain, spirituality, and love.

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positions that are closed. Everything I’ve ever done, in the writing world, has been to expand articulation, rather than to close it, to open doors, sometimes, not even closing the book— leaving the endings open for reinterpretation, revisitation, a little ambiguity.”( Jaffrey, Zia, “The Salon Interview with Toni Morrison.” February 2, 1998) She went on to say, “I don’t subscribe to patriarchy, and I don’t think it should be substituted with matriarchy. I think it’s a question of equitable access, and opening doors to all sorts of things.”

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SIMPLY EXCEPTIONAL | TONI MORRISON

In 2012, she responded to a question about the difference between black and white feminists in the 1970s.

Home, a documentary film in 2016 about Morrison’s intellectual and artistic vision which begun in 2014.

“Womanists is what black feminists used to call themselves,” she explained. “They were not the same thing. And also the relationship with men. Historically, black women have always sheltered their men because they were out there, and they were the ones that were most likely to be killed.” (Bollen, Christopher “Toni Morrison”.

Interview. May 7, 2012).

Morrison has been championed in popular spheres such as Oprah’s Book Club, while at the same time attracting a vast following of scholars, who are drawn to the pertinence of her political engagement. On May 29, 2012, President Barack Obama presented Morrison with the Presidential Medal of Freedom. In 2016, she received the PEN/Saul Bellow Award for Achievement in American Fiction. Turning 86 this February, Toni Morrison perhaps is the most celebrated contemporary American woman novelist we have so far.

Photo | Wiki/Creative Common

In addition to her film, Imagine – Toni Morrison Remembers, directed by Jill Nicholls and shown on BBC1 television on July 15, 2015, was the The Foreigner’s

Toni Morrison holding her masterpiece.

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carol bell MOTIVATED BY WICKED INTENTION This book contains the author's detailed accounts of how she was deceived by an undercover demon impersonating her deceased grandson. Through a series of false illusions, malevolent spirits were assigned to eradicate her existence and torment her from beyond the grave. Carol Bell oers her readers critical information that every Christian should know about black magic, which churches do not usually reveal, and informs her readers how to combat it.

Through her abundant Christian faith, the author has achieved victory over the forces oppressing her but not without a struggle.

These life-changing experiences she encountered were being used to build, mold, and shape her, although she didn't perceive it that way in the beginning. Through triumphant faith, determination, strength, and prayer, justice ďŹ nally has been served, proving her innocence.

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BOOKWORM’S CORNER | SPECIAL FEATURE

As the New Year Comes Different feelings and expectations as the year 2017 comes nearer to its end.

B Y ZOEY TAYLOR

As the curtains of 2017 slowly roll down, another year is threatening to come. Oh, the word threatening is quite inappropriate to use. Of course, even if new challenges are sure to come, new opportunities would flow along with double the figure. So, we should think positively and strive hard to achieve

what the new rooms for individual and communal growth could offer. But knowing that the year is already at its end, we can’t help but be beset with several questions.

Here are few of the common questions and what other authors have to say:

1) If you could have a New Year’s wish, what would that be?

law of unintended consequences of their decisions.”

- Yuri Feynberg, author of Child of Gulag

“My New Year’s wish is, I wish God would send down his angels to fight the demons that are infested in bodies that want to destroy our country.”

- Judy A. King, author of Yellow Star “My New Year’s wish would be that my book, The Saints of Bogby Baptist Church could be successful.”

- Jerry Stafford, author of The Saints of Bogby Baptist Church: An Allegorical Study of Living “If I knew that my wish was to become reality, it would have been tantamount to ruling the World and I would wish that in 2018 the people of the World started electing leaders who have the wisdom to master the

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“In 2018, I would begin retirement from psychology practice so my wish is that I will be productive in sharing with my family and learning. Also, I want to do some consulting works in my writing. Also, to recognize how blessed I am to be this healthy at 80 years old. Mainly, next year, that I will be very alert and try to live my faith and take care of my family especially my wife who has health problems. Continue the opportunities right now to continue in consulting work and that I may be able to do some workshops regarding Blending Families and at the same time, never stop to learn anything new.”

- Max Price, author of Blending Families: The Honeymoon Comes Later

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“My one wish would be for every animal to live in a home and/or with a family that will cherish them for the precious gifts they are. #adoptdontshop #rescuedog” - Amanda Hopkins, author of Daisy DogBook Series “My wish would be for everyone to have unconditional love for animals and each another.”

- Barbara Poole, author of The Diaries of Liberty the Pug “May each day be an opportunity for love to gift all I influence.”

- Nancy Williams, author of A Return From Grief 2) If you could celebrate the new year, anywhere in the world, where would you go and why?

“I would return to the large parks in Africa to see once more the elephants, wildebeests, lions, zebras and other animals there. I would do so because this experience of survival in the wild demonstrates my passion: attachment and evolution. Thanks again.”

- Dr. Mark Beischel, author of Calming the Brain Through Mindfulness “Hiking on the Golan Height, with walking staff firmly in hand, cogitating my thoughts as I look both ways and thinking about the history of the region.”

- David Paul Anderson, author of The Book of Talyara “If I could celebrate the New Year anywhere I would celebrate it in Italy either on the Amalfi coast or Siena. Italy is beautiful and rich in culture and history and the food is fantastic. I have been there twice and would

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BOOKWORM’S CORNER | SPECIAL FEATURE like to take my wife there and celebrate the New Year there I think it would be a funfilled night. Since both grandparents came from Italy it would be fun to celebrate it with my cousins that I never met.”

- Joe Marino, author of Autumn of Life: a guide to aging and dying “At first, I thought, I’d love to celebrate in Hawaii, since I’ve never been there; or maybe fly back to some places we’ve been like Flagstaff and Sedona in Arizona. But finally, after giving it much consideration, and some serious meditation; I realized that there IS a very special place ~ Only one of its kind actually ~ where I’d truly love to celebrate this and every year forthcoming.

And that place is; The Johnson Park/Lake House, which is extremely special to me.

It’s a glorious, wonderful property where I wake up every day to a serene lake-view, enhanced by a glorious, Golden sunrise and the beautiful, peaceful sounds of nature in the backdrop— various birds singing, water gently rippling, and soft breezes whispering through the majestic oak trees that have been artistically positioned upon the property. All of which I enjoy from the balcony attached to the master bedroom suite. And, I end each day with an equally majestic Amber/Russet sunset view over that same serene lake! Breath-taking doesn’t even come close to how to describe it… so, All I’ll say about it is… WOW!!!”

- Dr. Truth, author of Now I Know!

3) Are you sad to see the old year pass?

“Like the previous years, 2017 was a good year. My granddaughter phoned me in February, telling me that I was to be a great

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grandpa. (In truth I thought I was already a great gran pap.) In the spring I got my house painted and all the rotten soffits removed, and replaced. Now I was really feeling that I was on a roll. Many more events followed through— from bad news like death of few friends and being admitted to the hospital due to a contagious disease; to good news like getting a strange email from Legaia Books, wanting to publish my book Mars Star-Walker. Things began to turn around for me. Now three of my books have just been published and currently reside at Amazon Books as well as Kindle Books.”

- D.L. Calvin, author of Killing for Love “No. it’s been a rich year and I’ve enjoyed it.

I’ve accomplished a few things during this year. I’m never sad to see a year goes and I’m always glad to see a new year come because there are new promises next year.”

- Laurence W. Thomas, author of Nostalgia Is in the Future: and other exaggerations “So, am I sorry to see the old year pass? I have never really pondered that question, but I guess my answer is ‘No’. Not because it wasn’t a good year, in fact, it was great, but more for looking forward to next year.

You could answer this question in so many different ways; for me, I will just choose one approach. I think one of the many ways to measure a year is by ‘Getting’ and ‘Giving’.

Speaking for myself, and I don’t think I am alone, my early years were mainly about ‘Getting’. Things like a new car, a pay raise, a big year-end bonus, a promotion, a bigger house and any number of other ‘Things’.

The problem with this is that these ‘Things’ lose their luster rather quickly. Then you are on to the next ‘Thing’. As I have grown older,

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and maybe even a little more mature, I find that ‘Giving’ makes me happier and the luster lasts longer, especially as I lay my head on the pillow each night. These memories have become priceless. So, since finally coming to this realization, I “Give” as much as I can. Not only to make someone happy, but to also make myself happy in the process.”

- Walter Conley Barthell, author of PEP Talk- A Primer For The New (Or Not So New) Manager Or Coach “My answer is shocking, even to myself, but true to what I know to be the facts that have been revealed to me by the Word and Holy Spirit of God, especially recently, because, I see (things getting progressively worse and worse), making this year’s weather disasters actually appear tamer, in comparison to what we will face in the coming months and sevenyear time period. The truth is that, many of God’s children weren’t even listening or looking for the signs Jesus told us to expect, and what seems to be a biblical Tribulation time period is clearly signaling the arrival of the Anti-Christ, himself, who we are now facing currently as a powerful political personality, leading the United States as genuine American believers in Christ. That situation alone should wake us up and cause us to draw closer to God, seeing the implication are astounding, to say the least.”

- Anthony Solimine Jr., author of Who Said God Can’t Speak Through an Ass

Jeff O’Neil Dr. Christine Anderson had the perfect life, but her nightmares began when her husband was murdered. She was found guilty and was sentenced to life imprisonment. It got even worse when her baby was stolen from her. Six years later, while prison officers were prisone sending Christine and other prisoners to another location, the plane crashed.

With the help of her friend Vanessa, Christine was determined to find her husband's killers and to find her child.

“No. I’m excited about my life as is presently in December. I’m looking forward for January and the entire year after.”

- Allan Walter Trent, author of John and Olga

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Dr. Truth Now I Know! ...WHO I AM...

Now I Know! …Who I AM… is the first book written by Dr. Truth of a forthcoming series. It is written to educate and enlighten our children with the (absolute) truth of the Word about themselves in a way that is easy to understand and easy to apply to their lives— even now! It is meant to give enjoyable reading for everyone (children of all ages) yet offer a wealth of wisdom that is crucial to living the abundant, enjoyable life, which has your name on it, ready for you to receive now!

Get your copy today, and you will Be Blessed! Get an extra copy to Be a Blessing to someone else.

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BOOKWORM’S CORNER | SPECIAL FEATURE

Miracles from Prayers B Y Z O E Y T AY L O R

Life is full of surprises. You will never really know when a plot twist is headed your way.

And you can’t prevent it from happening because it’s meant to happen. Ann Malik Oman in South Carolina was diagnosed in October 2004 with Plasmacytoma, a bone cancer. She was only 50 years old then.

However, it came as no surprise to Ann. Her sister had died of Leukemia at age three, so cancer was in her family.

“I knew right away when they did the MRI and injected me with a radioactive isotope that something was definitely going on.

When I picked up the films to take them to my orthopedist I looked at the last two and knew immediately that I had a serious cancer. I had a fractured R-humerus and that upper ball joint was completely rat eaten, seriously holey and that told me I was in big trouble. We were on our way to the Orthopedist and I turned to my husband and I said to him Jon, I had a bone cancer. So, I said to Jon, “I know this is bad, but we are going to have to accept it and as God to stay close for my battle.”

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The story did not end there. December, on the same year, she was told she had smoldering Multiple Myeloma—a blood cancer that depletes the patient of white blood cells. It was one bad thing after another.

Both were terminal. She was given 18 months to live.

She first went through radiation treatments, 25 of them. She had gone through Chemo treatments which lasted for approximately six months and had two bone marrow transplants. She lost over 10 years of her life going from cancer to shingles to cornea scar tissue to strep throat to breaking bones in her feet and allergic reactions to medication.

“I prayed and prayed and asked everyone I knew religion aside to pray for me. I was only 50 years old, with an unmarried daughter, whom I wanted to see married, and grand childless. I wanted to see these things in my future. I personally prayed to God for strength to carry on from day to day and to help me to personally strengthen my prayer life.” paperclipsmagazine.com

And between God and the Holy Spirit her prayers were answered. Then, miracles happened.

She started going to mass again. Every Sunday morning, their new acquaintance, Porter, who also was sitting in the handicapped pew would pat her hand and say, “Ann you are going to get through this and be just fine.” Others at church also prayed for her. The knowledge that she was being showered by prayers by so many people, over and beyond her family, made her feel uplifted to get out of bed in the morning and do something. Quilting was one. She made an Honorable Mentioned appliqued quilt called flowers in her garden, a labor of love that meant a great deal to Ann in her state of affairs. Her husband, Jon, was her constant encouragement. She begged him not to cry in front of her and he never did.

“I needed him to be my ROCK. And I can say after forty-four years of marriage in January 2018 he has been the best caregiver anyone could ask for,” says Ann. On night while she was sleeping God spoke to her in her dream saying, “Ann, I want you to write a book about prayer and the changes in one’s life that can come about with prayer.” Deciding to start writing her story was not a tough decision. She loved God more than anything else. So, she started journaling her experiences and went from there documenting her medical experiences for ten years. She started meeting people who were going through far worse than herself.

“Being able to share my story has been very gratifying. I still wonder almost daily why am I here and so many others have perished to cancer?”

Today, Ann can now travel though she must be very careful with her feet and wear the appropriate shoes for the day’s events. With

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Jon, she has gone on a Mediterranean Cruise and a Baltic Cruise in the last four years which has been incredible and beyond all expectations.

She goes to church almost every day to pray for others who are suffering through medical issues or complications and is involved with their churches food pantry where she does not only help cook meals for the hungry in downtown Charleston, S.C., but has also donated pantry foods that include meat.

Recently, she made a chiffon I dream of Jeannie costume using also flowers, felt, little imitation flower fairy’s and decorating grape vine wreaths for housewarming gifts. Using spray paint, she refurbished her outdoor decorations. She is also involved in hand sewing appliqued pillows with felted wool, and other useful household objects. On top of all these, she has written a book, The Miracles from Prayers: Conversations with God, and plans to write another one again soon.

“Life has become much more fun and exciting for me because I don’t feel so trapped in my body always doing what my body will permit me to do. Life is much more of a joy and of course with my husband and two male pet cats along for the trip life couldn’t be better,” says Ann. “I am able to enjoy all these because of all the prayers and my heightened faith.”

Miracles happen when we approach God with faith-filled prayers.

God never sleeps, He never slumbers.

He never tires of hearing our prayers.

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BOOKWORM’S CORNER | UNDENIABLE TRUTHS ABOUT BIBLIOPHILES

Undeniable truths about bibliophiles

S

B Y A LV I N W R I G H T

o, you’re a bibliophile? You love books, eh? Wonderful thing. We understand books are great that is why you love them, but loving them too much comes with its fair share of struggles that probably, only the real bibliophiles can understand— as we do. We, also, are familiar with undeniable truths such as these:

1.

Dying a little bit inside every time you see somebody who borrowed your book bends the cover horribly while reading.

5.

Falling in love with a character you know so well won’t exist.

6.

The unreasonable disappointment of discovering that your ultimate quirky character crush is everyone’s secret quirky character crush as well.

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2.

Books that you found so scary you have to lock them in the closet or under a stack of bibles at least for the night.

3.

Books that are quite sexy you worry reading them in public could damage your reputation.

4.

Books so funny you found yourself laughing alone at a restaurant.

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7.

When you’re only two pages to go, and your mother calls you to wash the dishes.

16. Huge disappointment after favorite book gets adapted for films.

8.

Naming your favorite things like your guitar, laptop, pillow after your favorite fictional characters, and be called abnormal by your non-reading real human loved ones.

17.

Feeling like you have to “forgive” your loved ones for not appreciating your favorite book the way you do.

9.

Crying silently every single time you remember the unfair destiny of the Old Man in the Old Man and the Sea or the heartwrenching death of Dobby in Harry Potter.

10.

You want to read again the book you found terrific when you were a kid, but unfortunately, all you can remember is that it had a dog in it, or maybe a horse. Nope, it probably was a unicorn or something.

11. Cracked spines. Both.

spines.

And

uncracked

12.

Books that won’t stay open when you’re trying to read and eat at the same time.

13.

Mispronouncing words because you only have read them in books and haven’t heard them out loud.

14.

Worrying about your favorite author because of that thing where authors have lives, but you have needs.

15.

Missing pages. The book is almost useless. Agree?

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your

18.

Wishing you could send your nephew, whenever he misbehaves, to Miss Trunchbull or Miss Minchin.

19.

Using your phone as a bookmark, forgetting you’ve done so, not finding it till hours later.

20. Using unpaid electricity bill as a bookmark is an even worse idea.

21.

Not sleeping at all just to finish a book before anyone else you know, and having no one to talk to about it after.

22.

Finding scary stuff or stains in the pages of borrowed books. Yikes.

23.

Others start talking in a British accent after a trip to London while you begin to sound like Hagrid after reading just a few pages of Harry Potter— no sweat.

From now on, view yourself from a place of acceptance based on the undeniable truth that nothing is wrong with you and it’s okay to be exactly the way you are right now.

There are many bibliophiles out there, and they are familiar with that life.

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BOOKWORM’S CORNER | QUOTE ANALYSIS

The Saddest Thing

“To live is the rarest thing in the world, most people just exist.”

(Oscar Wilde, Irish poet and playwright)

BY MISS AMETHYST

W

hat does Wilde mean by it?

It’s just natural for people to desire to know their purpose in life, to understand what they are truly designed for because surely, no one would want to think he only exists for the reason of filling the earth when God said to Adam and Eve to “go and multiply.”

“As Fyodor said, “The mystery of human existence lies not in just staying alive, but in finding something to live for.” Sounds easy yet it’s actually harder than finding a hidden treasure. And that’s what makes it frustrating.

That is why most people stopped looking for the answer; they settle on things that are already “there”, whatever they are.

Afraid to get outside their comfort zones, they end up stuck to the life other people

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have drawn for them and dream dreams that are not even theirs. There are also some who have not embraced the prospect of failure wisely or are just tired of trying again so, they stopped dreaming.

And it is the saddest thing.

My grandmother, now 85 years old, once said. “Just let me go home, I want to die to the place where I stayed most of my years living for other people.” I could never forget the time she said that because at that very moment, I wasn’t just sad for her, but fear had also crept into my heart and settled there. I feared that one day, when I look back, I would find my years spent pleasing other people like she did. And have regrets like she had. She has now forgotten how to smell the flowers right outside her window until they all dried up, to feel the warmth of

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the sun in her skin, or dance in the rhythm of the rain— things she should have enjoyed when she was still able to. Truth is, she has already forgotten how to truly live a long time ago when she thought breathing is already enough. Little did she know, she merely exists.

Did you ever experience being physically present in class but mentally absent? That is what we are when we are merely existing but not living at all. We’re like empty shells abandoned in the seaside or a bird that is so afraid to spread its wings and fly. Still, there is no definite reason for the question ‘how do we live our life’, because if so, then we might as well have the same work, the same dream, a perfect law for us to follow, or books that would tell us exactly the answer we long to hear. But no, life is not that easy and there, we’ll discover its beauty.

Waking up each day is a chance for us to change and do the things we fail to do yesterday. We can never change what has been done but we can always strive to do better or be a better version of ourselves.

And of course, stop acting like a machine because you are not. Feel the pain until you can no longer feel it; smile often, it is the most expensive thing one could ever wear; laugh harder and love more, let no one stop you.

One more thing, remember to find joy in the ordinary and appreciate little things that make life so beautiful. Do not just exist, start living!

BARB A POOLE

“To live is the rarest thing in the world, most people just exist.” Wilde here, is reminding us to pause for a while, breathe, and examine our lives if we simply live to exist or we exist to live. He is telling us to stop getting so afraid of life because life is friendly to the brave and the wise.

Children’s Book Series Pets R Family

I never really understood life completely, I only see an intricate design that no one will be able to understand unless one would spend time noticing minute details like “what do I really want to do?” or “what would really make me happy?” True are the words of the Little Prince that it is only with the heart that one can see what is invisible to the eye.

Getting stuck in the wheel of existence is a sad thing, but dying without knowing the purpose of existence is the saddest of all.

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HOLLIS ARBAN

STRUGGLES OF THE

SOUL

Combining his own experiences with the biblical lessons, Mr. Arban shares a story that encompasses the value of love and family, and the struggles in teenage life. In his novel, Struggles of the Soul, Mr. Arban tells a fictitious story of a young family that meets a stranger in the park on a beautiful Autumn afternoon and this meeting changes all their lives. If you like a story in which you can’t tell fiction from reality and appreciate characters with guts and integrity, you will enjoy this rainy afternoon read.

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SIMPLY EXCEPTIONAL

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JOHN MAXWELL

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Elmer Abear, M. D. Cesar Abear

THE SECOND SPRING The book, Second Spring, is a collection of true to life stories and probably with self-provoking articles and poems to wake us up about the reality of life after death, not the author’s words but Christ’s words as quoted in every article and poem.

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J. Tyson Tatham

Heart Lessons Heart Lessons tells the story of girl named Megan, who returns to her childhood home after her mother passed away. She meets Faith, the psychotherapist who helped her moved on from the past unforgivable transgression of her father. She slowly begins to appreciate the Mystery we all live in and to notice the synchronicity in daily events, especially when she opens her heart to a possibility of new love with the attractive and intelligent Dr. Henry Bancroft. But just when every aspect of her life is working harmony, hardships and inevitable dilemmas come across her path to happiness. Will she be able to move on to life? It’s an uphill battle for her, but she discovers something about the real gift and the Mystery that no longer needs to be understood. paperclipsmagazine.com

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JOHN MAXWELL SIMPLY EXCEPTIONAL

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A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way.

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BUSINESSMAN FIRST

Maurice Dorsey More than his ad “More Parks Sausages Mom! Please!”, Henry G. Parks, Jr. was a man before his time. Pioneering in the American free enterprise system, he embarked on a journey leading to a multi-million-dollar industry. Henry, Jr.’s idea for a pork sausage manufacturing plant became a reality in 1951. Henry opened the H.G. Parks, Inc. trading as Parks Sausage. With strong, aggressive leadership, brilliant marketing and advertising, Henry Jr. built a business that never had a losing year. Henry’s success caught the attention of some of the leading corporate boards in this country along with national organizations, city, state, and federal leaders.

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Walter Conley Barthell

PEP TALK In helping new managers to avoid the many mistakes he made along the way to becoming a better manager, Walter Barthell wrote the book PEP Talk. This book presents a “management model”, which will aid the new manager in focusing on the correct areas, in order to be successful and to build a successful team. This model was developed over time, as Barthell understand things better when he can have some sort of framework and visualize it on paper. What Barthell’s proposing is a very basic and commonsense approach to management. However, the difficulty is in the application. Any golfer knows that in order to lower your handicap, you must play to achieve par or better; easier said than done. paperclipsmagazine.com

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SIMPLY EXCEPTIONAL

JOHN MAXWELL paperclipsmagazine.com

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SAMAN Drawing from her personal experiences of overcoming trauma, Samantha writes about hope and encourages her readers to take another step towards freedom. In this modern time when women are called to stand up and raise their voice against sexual abuses, A Winter Storm is a perfect book for all of us— men and women alike, who share the same principles in fairness and justice, in hope and encourage, in bravery and self-worth.

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NTHA MEANS

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SIMPLY EXCEPTIONAL | JOHN MAXWELL

An Unconventional Perspective on Growth, Leadership and Success When it comes to leadership, there is no other household name known to everyone in the modern western world but John Maxwell.

BY ST E PH A N VACA L A R E S KO H L E R

M

Leadership, Developing the Leader Within You, and The 21 Indispensable Qualities of a Leader, have sold over a million copies each.

And in May of 2014, Maxwell was named the No. 1 leadership and management expert in the world by Inc. Magazine.

While we can certainly spend the next few lines listing down all the achievements he had in his life, we would be better off asking

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axwell is a leadership expert, speaker, pastor, and author. He speaks annually to Fortune 500 companies, government leaders, and international organizations. Maxwell is a New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and Business Week best-selling author and he was one of 25 authors named to Amazon. com’s 10th Anniversary Hall of Fame. Three of his books, The 21 Irrefutable Laws of

John Maxwell’s family

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need to embrace every discomfort and every struggle. He features the importance and necessity of pain in the growth process.

But take heed, Maxwell also emphasizes that not all discomfort and pain will bring about growth, it is only when we know how to respond to a bad situation that we learn to grow. The takeaway? See every struggle as an opportunity to respond right and a great opportunity to grow.

a more important question: “What makes him and his leadership style different?”

There are hundreds, if not thousands, of inspirational speakers and authors that talk about personal development and leadership skills. So, let’s take a closer look on the unique and unconventional perspectives John Maxwell has in the areas of growth, success, and leadership. And though he talks about a lot of things in each topic, we’ll be highlighting only a few of them.

Growth What does Maxwell have to say about growth? Lots. While others see growth as some kind of seed in a germination process, where all the necessary and favorable conditions are required to grow, Maxwell isn’t so bought with this concept. He says that a person will grow under a “conducive” environment. But does conducive always mean comfortable? In his ‘15 Invaluable Laws of Growth’ he will tell you that you

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Leaders must be close enough to relate to others, but far enough ahead to motivate them.

Success According to several surveys across the U.S. and even around the globe, people define success as “being happy” and “achieving their personal goals.” Is this wrong? Of course not. But Maxwell embraces a different view of success. It has little to do with personal happiness and achieving personal goals. He defines success as knowing your purpose in life, reaching your maximum potential, and using the two to grow seeds that benefit others. Will you be happy when you know your purpose, reach your full potential, or benefit others?

Of course, you can. But Maxwell points out that success is not feeling-based, and ultimate success is far more than achieving material goals. Happiness and satisfaction is a present emotion, but contentment is a general state of your heart. Being content

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SIMPLY EXCEPTIONAL | JOHN MAXWELL heavily constitutes success. You can be happy for a time and achieve a goal you’ve set last year, but if you don’t learn how to be content with what you have, you can never be successful.

Maxwell is keen to say that knowing your purpose is the first step in being successful.

It’s the difference between a goal and a mission. Personal goals are things that won’t really matter at the end of your life, while your mission will dictate what you were born here on Earth for. Maxwell suggests that to do this, you need to first have a personal relationship with God, and then you will find out what your mission and purpose in life is.

Bonus: Communication Aside from his own leadership skills, Maxwell rises above from the rest because of how he communicates and shares his talent of leadership. John Maxwell has this

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Achieving your full potential sounds more like the top of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, not Maxwell’s. But both are basically just the same. Self-actualization comes after all the physiological and psychological needs, and to do that requires more than

just wealth, fame, and power (although these do help), but if you’re running a race with no direction, you’ll never reach your full potential. You need to focus and be consistent in improving yourself and keep yourself reminded of your purpose.

What happens when you know your purpose and you’re already doing your best in it? Maxwell says that those two will never be considered as “success” unless you use it to benefit others. As they say, it gets lonely at the top. So, grow other people, help them achieve what you have achieved, and then only when you have other people who know their purpose and reaching their full potential can you finally say you are successful.

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䨀伀䠀一 刀䄀夀䴀伀一䐀 䜀唀一匀伀一 䘀爀漀洀 䌀愀渀漀攀 琀漀 䌀漀洀瀀甀琀攀爀 椀猀 愀 戀漀漀欀 琀栀愀琀 栀攀氀瀀猀 瀀攀漀瀀氀攀 漀昀 搀椀瘀攀爀猀攀 戀愀挀欀最爀漀甀渀搀猀 琀漀 愀瀀瀀爀攀挀椀愀琀攀 琀栀攀 欀渀漀眀氀攀搀最攀Ⰰ 搀攀搀椀挀愀琀椀漀渀Ⰰ 愀渀搀 栀愀爀搀 眀漀爀欀 琀栀愀琀 椀猀 椀渀瘀漀氀瘀攀搀 椀渀 昀椀爀猀琀 氀攀愀爀渀椀渀最 琀漀 甀渀搀攀爀猀琀愀渀搀 琀栀攀 挀漀洀瀀氀攀砀 爀攀氀愀琀椀漀渀猀栀椀瀀猀 戀攀琀眀攀攀渀 愀渀椀洀愀氀猀Ⰰ 瀀氀愀渀琀猀Ⰰ 挀氀椀洀愀琀攀 愀渀搀 瀀攀漀瀀氀攀Ⰰ 愀渀搀 愀猀 眀攀氀氀 愀猀 琀栀攀 洀漀搀攀爀渀 甀猀攀 漀昀 琀攀挀栀渀椀挀愀氀 愀渀搀 猀挀椀攀渀琀椀昀椀挀 瀀爀漀挀攀搀甀爀攀猀 椀渀 眀椀氀搀氀椀昀攀 爀攀猀攀愀爀挀栀 愀渀搀 洀愀渀愀最攀洀攀渀琀Ⰰ 愀渀搀 琀栀攀 洀甀氀琀椀昀愀挀攀琀攀搀 愀猀瀀攀挀琀猀 漀昀 琀栀攀 甀猀攀 愀渀搀 愀瀀瀀爀攀挀椀愀琀椀漀渀 漀昀 眀椀氀搀 愀渀椀洀愀氀猀 戀礀 搀椀瘀攀爀猀攀 栀甀洀愀渀 爀攀猀椀搀攀渀琀猀 愀渀搀 琀栀攀椀爀 猀漀挀椀愀氀 最爀漀甀瀀猀⸀ 䄀 最漀漀搀 爀攀愀搀 琀漀 甀渀搀攀爀猀琀愀渀搀 琀栀攀 椀洀瀀漀爀琀愀渀挀攀 漀昀 爀攀挀爀攀愀琀椀漀渀愀氀 愀渀搀 猀甀戀猀椀猀琀攀渀挀攀 栀甀渀琀椀渀最 愀渀搀 琀爀愀瀀瀀椀渀最 琀漀 渀漀爀琀栀攀爀渀 瀀攀漀瀀氀攀猀 愀渀搀 琀漀 琀栀攀 挀漀渀琀椀渀甀愀琀椀漀渀 漀昀 愀戀甀渀搀愀渀琀 愀渀搀 栀攀愀氀琀栀礀 眀椀氀搀 瀀漀瀀甀氀愀琀椀漀渀猀⸀

amazing gift of observing the universal truths there are on leadership via his personal experience and translating them well for even the most ordinary people to understand. This is what makes him better, not that he is more of a leader than other leaders, but he speaks the language that everyone easily understands.

Leadership This is his bread and butter. He has spent several years of his life talking and teaching about leadership. But the best thing he has ever imparted to us and the thing that is already tried and tested through the years is ‘Servant Leadership’.

How is a servant a leader? How is a leader a servant? For a lot of people, this is a new concept. When you’re used to bosses in your office being jerks, making your

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SIMPLY EXCEPTIONAL | JOHN MAXWELL

their potential, just because they fear being replaced. Servant leaders are not insecure of their position. They make it a main goal to develop good leaders instead of developing ‘yes-men’ in their organization.

Growth, success, and leadership are abstract things that most people think about daily. Some have developed them on their own, and some have learned from the experts, like John Maxwell. Overall, John Maxwell has a lot more to say about leadership, success, and growth than what we have featured here and ultimately, it’s not how many books about leadership or success you have read, it’s how you apply these principles in your daily life that really matters.

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life a living hell, and making you a slave in your company, Maxwell says that real leaders are those who serve. This implies a lot of things. First, a servant leader will always see every member of his team as his equal. This prevents one from thinking he is more important than others. His role in the organization is important, but every person is equal in dignity. Second, a leader shows his team how to do it. He acts and lets his members follow him rather than commanding his team to do what he says.

A good leader is a good follower. A servant leader walks the talk, in fact, minimizes the ‘talk’ if possible by just doing it. Third, a great leader will create other leaders.

Some leaders are afraid to mentor and develop other people, despite knowing

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Darell Dyal The

Oracles of God Instructions for understanding, believing, obeying, walking and delighting in, the spirit and power of god

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YOUR LITERARY ESSENTIALS | TO WRITE OR NOT TO WRITE? TO WRITE!

To write or Not to write? To write!

BY KEITH MACCAIN

T

oday, you’re so passionate about writing that you can’t just get your hands off the keyboard. Words seem to just appear quickly. Or magically, perhaps.

Then, you skip a day or two. And then a week. Time goes by, and you haven’t written anything at all. You know you should, but you just can’t muster the willpower to actually write.

help you on days like this, we’ve created a set of reminders just for you. Maybe they’ll help you get back on track. ` #1 Embrace discipline

If you only write for the joy of it, then, it’s no big deal. If writing is just a hobby, then it’s supposed to be fun. Just stop and come back anytime.

Discipline is painful. We don’t need to tell you that. But self-discipline is also a common trait among successful people. We don’t need to tell you that either. John Maxwell made it clear that discipline is even more important than motivation. He says, “Motivation may get you started, but it takes discipline to keep you going.” And it ought to be as applicable to a writer as it is to a businessman or an athlete. In fact, discipline should be developed in many aspects of life whether regarding your diet, studies or career, and relationships.

Among the many essential qualities that can contribute to success, only self-discipline begets sustainable and long-term achievements.

However, if you write for a living, then, you’re in big trouble. You’re on a different page. To write is better than not to write. Always. And you know why.

So, how do you get things done?

“Sit down and write,” is easier said than done. It’s not even psychologically satisfying. To

For a writer like you, discipline is a musthave literary essential. If you want to write, discipline yourself to write. The days when it’s hard to write are the days when it’s most important to write.

You are a writer. Writing is what you’re meant to do. The words you write when you’re not in the zone of writing can be fixed later anyway.

So, you end up being frustrated.

Sounds familiar, isn’t it?

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Don’t let yourself off the hook. Write, even if you don’t feel writing at the moment so that you don’t lose the momentum. #2 Know your worth Take this bit of wisdom from George Gordon Byron, “A drop of ink may make a million think.” This may be short, but it has so much meaning and power, it can spark inspiration to your writing career. Writers create a world for readers, if you don’t write now, you are actually depriving millions of readers to enjoy the world you would have created.

The world comes to an end because a cat decided not to write a story. (thecoffeelicious)

DONNA SHIRLEY Nature is a beautiful thing. But what happens when all the animals and plants get taken over by smog and gunk? Someone needs to step in and help! Join author Donna Shirley as she takes you on a journey through the tale of Old Man, and find out what can happen if we don't take care of the world around us.

Does anyone want that on their conscience? #3 Revisit your purpose It’s not easy to write. We understand that especially if the words never come out the way they sounded in your head. But as long as you are living your purpose, you are doing everything right— even when it feels weird or wrong. So, revisit your purpose.

Why do you write in the first place? Keeping in mind the reason why you’re writing is a motivation in itself to do well—may it be to please people, or earn a living.

“To write or not to write,” needn’t be a question. As the immortal philosopher, Yoda (Star Wars) says, “Do. Or do not. There is no try.” We know his grammar often slips but we know just what he means—and it makes sense.

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Grab your stuff, write and be great!!

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YOUR LITERARY ESSENTIALS | FASHION IN FRANKNESS AND SIMPLICITY

Fashion in Frankness and Simplicity

Photo | Wiki/Creative Common

Paulo Coelho’s Writing Style

BY JOSEPH ADAMS

F

or people who haven’t read any of Paulo Coelho’s books, they would think that for him to be listed as one of the most sought-after bestselling author with millions of fans, he might be using sophistication both in sentence structures and/or in plots.

But Coelho’s fans and avid readers knew better. Despite the variations on how the stories are narrated, his books were nonetheless, of the same style— straightforwardness.

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Simplicity as a style would seem very unusual in a creative literature like fiction, since most writers hook readers by using sophisticated lines and sentence structure.

It has also been common to readers to get impressed by fashionable delivery even if they sometimes have to endure the burden of having a dictionary beside them. So how did simplicity and briefness ever become an effective technique especially considering the tight competition in the market?

Let’s learn how Paulo Coelho defines fashion using the slightly opposite meaning of the word itself.

Simple and Straightforward Coelho’s literary works are succinct; very simple and precise. Unlike any other novelists, his works are not abundant to flowery words and puzzling twists and details. He’s not fond of using much vocabulary, although not really devoid of it.

Even the way he introduces his characters and their actions are not overly descriptive.

He brings his writings straight right through the door than have them run through the mazes. Oh, that’s figurative. Well, he also uses figures of speech sometimes, but that which are understandable even to youngsters.

There were twists in his stories, but he doesn’t take much of an effort of laying out his plots in a very complicated and mindboggling sequencing like J.R.R Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings or J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter.

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While people are trying to work so much on the style, Coelho insists that what matters most in a good story is not the fashionable words used but the person. Coelho observed that the use of complex line structures and flowery words has become a tradition which started with a single worry about readers getting bored on what they are reading. In the same manner, people has become used to putting too much details to describe an event, worrying the readers may not get what is being said about. But Coelho advices potential writers to trust on the readers’ judgement and imagination.

In his interview with Tim Ferris, Coelho admitted to have done planning on all of his books, but added that the plot eventually changes along the process. Organic writing— writing spontaneously along the flow— mostly works best. He delivers the story in a way like someone is retelling a story around a camp fire, where most of it wasn’t really thought of beforehand. He just had the backstory, then the rest would slide right through the flow.

His straightforwardness is conspicuous in the entirety of his writing techniques, from character build up and simplicity of

What counts in a good story is the person inside keep it simple.

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YOUR LITERARY ESSENTIALS | FASHION IN FRANKNESS AND SIMPLICITY

Trust your reader Don’t try to describe things. Give a hint and they will fulfill this hint with their own imagination. sentence structure to honest observation.

Yes, even relaying observations are frankly delivered. No courtesy of artfully encyclopedic detailing. Just pulling the trigger, with the gun barrel at point blank.

Contrary to what others might think that such blunt technique is harsh and is devoid of emotions, it quite works surprisingly with Coelho, as it rather adds up to the intensity of the message he tries to convey.

Don’t get the wrong notion here. For Coelho, simplicity is something that does not take unnecessary complexities in the twists and details, but that does not also compromise the quality of delivery.

Therefore, Coelho shows that simplicity also comes with quality— that every paragraph can still be well-written, considering that the readers will always be brought directly to the point the author is trying to make. And

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that despite his frankness, his writings do not lack fascinating style. In fact, all his books are considered poetic and are never boring.

Although his being poetic has been influenced by his first career as a lyricist, Coelho rather defines poetic as something that touches the inner soul.

Oh, remember, no flowery words. Even simple words, with the right tempo and rhythm, can have the sufficient power to attract an idle soul.

Most writers grown their writing style based on the inspiration they get.

Coelho, in most of his books, even those which are not autobiographical, is taking his own experience as an inspiration. Being poetic due to his job as a lyricist is one example of it.

Although Coelho didn’t shun or degrade researching, since he’s also doing some and believes it is important, but he summarizes them to make sure that scientific or historical explanation won’t make a mess to the entirety of his story. In fact, he also has something for fiction writers, which he didn’t explained much. Well, he never likes explaining too much. He advices, “If you overload your book with a lot of research, you are going to be very boring to yourself and to your reader. Books are not there to show how intelligent you are. Books are there to show your soul.”

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HOWARD T. JOE, M.S., PH.D. As a summary, Coelho’s writing style is an application of the following principles, as written by himself in his blog (the original article is lengthy. It was based on Coelho’s interview with Tim Ferris. But the rest were about other matters of his own literary point of view, so the three written below were picked up for they fit to Coelho’s writing style):

Proven by Endocrinologist and American Diabetes Association, Essential Guide to Treat Diabetes and to Lower Cholesterol treats pre-diabetes and lower cholesterol with drug-free common natural food and, diabetes with medication and common natural food. With several highly positive re reviews and certifications, the author is confident readers will benefit much from the book as it has to him.

On Simplicity. “What counts in a good story is the person inside. Keep it simple.”

On Trust. “Trust your reader. Don’t try to describe things. Give a hint and they will fulfill this hint with their own imagination.

Photo | Wiki/Creative Common

On Expertise. “You cannot take something out of nothing. When you write a book, you use your experience.”

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Josep

In an expressive collec Kent allows others an e lyrically reflects on the

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ph Kent

ction of contemporary poems, Joseph enlightening glimpse into his mind as he e ever-changing world around him.

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FOOD, FITNESS AND FUN | OTHER PEOPLE’S BOOKSHELVES

Photo | Wiki/Creative Common

Other People’s Bookshelves.

How to Make Them Yours.

N

BY KEITH MACCAIN

ew Year, new stuff! But, “new stuff” doesn’t mean you have to buy new ones.

Surely, we all have stuff that no longer serves any purpose around our house, yet we still have trouble giving them up. This time of the year, turn them into something useful— into a bookshelf!

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FE ATU R E

T

he bookshelf is one of the basic furniture in any room, and probably one the most important.

For booklovers, we couldn’t agree more. So, take a look at what some of the others have done not just to look their bookshelves unique and awesome but to also make use of old stuff that can be taken advantage of by almost anyone. If you yearn for a fancy shelf, today is your day.

The Ladder of Success All it takes are two ladders and some wood planks to create a great look for that empty corner in your room. You may leave the wood unpainted with its natural aged look, or you can have it painted to match the color of the room or adjust in order to fit in your living spaces. Suit yourself.

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FOOD, FITNESS AND FUN | OTHER PEOPLE’S BOOKSHELVES

Tunes and Tales Though this could take a lot of effort and manipulations, a discarded piano can turn into a gorgeous piece of art, furnishing a touch of class to your living spaces. It’s a great way to give your room some classy angles.

No Strings Attached Photo | Wiki/Creative Common

It is maybe one of the most famous instruments, but once a guitar gets broken, we usually just throw it away. So, why not repurpose it instead? Remove its face and add shelves on it, turn it into a book shelf that looks neat and packed.

Hanging it on the wall with stylish shelves can be a truly beautiful expression of recycling.

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CAROL WELTY ROPER

forty days with RUTH Ruth is an adventurous young Texan, who, to the dismay of her family, runs away with a carefree man, Riley Welty, who’s now her husband. They live and dream together in the Oklahoma Territory.

Ruth relies on the wisdom gathered from scripture and God-inspired family and friends to endure long days when her husband set out on a lengthy hunting trip.

Forty Days with Ruth shares the coming-of-age tale of a young woman's experiences after she elopes with a dreamer in search of a better life in Oklahoma during the nineteenth century.

A Stack in the Fridge Give your non-working old fridge a new life by turning it into a shelving unit. Don’t let this valuable storage space go to waste, instead, make it your books’ official home.

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FOOD, FITNESS AND FUN | OTHER PEOPLE’S BOOKSHELVES

Tales in the Closet

Photo | Wiki/Creative Common

Want to space out your shelves?

Use your closet. It can make an outstanding place for your books.

You can even turn it into a cushy library nook where you can sneak in anytime to spend with your books.

How cool is that?

DR. MARK BEISCHEL

best Selling bookS

Learn How to Calm Down the Brains of Angry Children and Parents

Reduce stress and anxiety without medication.

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If you are not into books, you can make these shelves for other things especially collections such as toy figures. Challenging one’s creativity gives more life to something we thought is already useless.

And most of all, we could save much of the raw materials where these things are made from. Don’t think creativity is for the sake of arts alone— true artists are those who redefine things that has lost its function and use. Everyone can be an artist. And that includes YOU.

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ULF JENSEN

Escape KOSZALIN A love story set in war-torn Europe amidst the most dramatic and highly secretive escape of thousands of Polish Jews from extermination by Nazi poison gas, Escape from Koszalin, it took the joint effort of Danish and Polish resistance fighters and fishermen to carry out such daring escape.

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FOOD, FITNESS AND FUN | 15 FUNNY BRAIN TEASERS

15 Funny Brain Teasers

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BY NANCY PRICE

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L

ike muscles, our brains need a little exercise. Let’s face it; they can be rusty sometimes. If you’re looking for a way to get a little smarter or have some fun, try challenging your brain with riddles. Riddles are beneficial to the brain activity. They strengthen our logic and aptitude and help release stress. If these are what you need right now, then, you are in the right place.

a. What has a spine but no bones?

b. If there are six apples and you take four away, how many do you have? c. He who builds me doesn’t want me, he who buys me doesn’t use me, he that uses me doesn’t know he’s got me.

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FOOD, FITNESS AND FUN | 15 FUNNY BRAIN TEASERS

d. What is as big as an elephant but weighs nothing?

e. How can a man go eight days without sleep? f. What is yours to own, yet others use it more?

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g. Look closely, what does this say?

10AC

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h. A man was outside taking a walk when it started to rain. The man didn’t have an umbrella, and he wasn’t wearing a hat. His clothes got soaked, yet not a single hair on his head got wet. How could this happen?

STELLA HENSON GRIGS BATSON The stories in this book are true. They will give you a glimpse into the lives of little children who are now grown men and women. These small children would have had so little chance to grow up into strong men and women who could go out into the world and compete with the best of men had it not been for people who cared— Thompson Orphanage in Charlotte, North Carolina, the Episcopal Church, and Cha others that gave willingly toward the support of the orphanage.

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Charles Dickens’ books paperclipsmagazine.com

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FOOD, FITNESS AND FUN | 15 FUNNY BRAIN TEASERS

i. What is a 9-letter English word which is still a word each time you take away a letter?

j. Some months have 31 days; others have 30 days. How many have 28 days?

k. What runs around a soccer field but never moves? l. A truck driver is going down a one-way street the wrong way, and passes at least ten cops. Why is he not caught?

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Charles Dickens’ books

a.

Book b. the 4 you have c. a coffin d.

Elephant's shadow e. he sleeps at night f. your name g. the man was bald h.

Tennesse i. startling, starting, staring, string, sting, sing, sin, in j. all of the months k. a fence l. he walks at the sidewalk m. stairs n. towel o. the two are married

o. There was an airplane crash, every single person on board died, but yet two people survived.

How is this possible?

n. What gets wetter and wetter the more it dries?

m. What goes up and down, but remains in the same place?

AUTHOR GALLERY

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peter J. Lagomarsino

The fire

ESCAPE The second edition of the book, The Fire Escape, A Visual Survey, shows the physical beauty of fire escapes from twenty five cities across America that renders complex shadows of light in overlapping orders.

Here we see the beauty of a dying and uniquely American architecture. Very few building forms exhibit this much soliloquy of repetition and rhythm.

Function followed form here as expected, yet they speak ironically of the human condition waiting for each of us to descend to our eventual end. paperclipsmagazine.com

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JOHN MARRS, AUTHOR OF “THE ONE”... IN PAPERCLIPS MAGAZINE THIS FEBRUARY.

“I set The One in an alternative present: ten years after a DNA test had been discovered and been developed into a matchmaking business…

More than a billion people have registered to ind their match. And to make things more interesting, I made it so that a match could be of any age, location, sexuality, appearance or religion. I focus on ive characters and foll follow their journeys – none of which are smooth sailing.”

-John Marrs

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