Calling all Parents, Teachers & Anti-Bullying Groups!

Getting ready to run another Kindle Countdown Deal on my children's book, I Am Special -- The Power is in ME! from Saturday, November 1st - November 8th. Sale price will be 99¢ and it can be downloaded to your Kindle or computer. 

 Kids in the Flow

Please share this with friends and family! Thanks so much! 

Here's a description:

"Miss Jodi" Sykes was a former Early Childhood Educator who realized the importance of using guided meditation in her classroom - from a five minute filler to a way for the children to transition into a peaceful naptime, it was a valuable way for children learn how to connect to their inner selves and focus on relaxation. Jodi knows the importance of teaching these skills to children at a young age and she hopes that you will, too.

This book was one of her original meditations and there will be more to follow in the Empowering Children series.

My Wish for a New Cultural Norm.... ☺

Long Time, No See!

     I've been busy researching, investigating and making connections for my new book! 
     When I started this project back in July, it's as if everything has fallen into place. That's how I know when a story needs to be told. I'm a BIG believer in the Law of Attraction and know first-hand that our "thoughts become things." So thankful for this knowing, and for the desire to get this book done by January 1st. Just finished writing Chapter 13 -- wish me luck as I continue with seeing this project to completion!

A Shout out to my Paranormal Posse! BIG SALE!

I'm running a BIG Kindle Countdown Deal 

from 9/6-9/13!

The House on Pancake Hill

(Don't own a Kindle? No worries -- 

download to your  PC!)

LISA SCOTTOLINE On What Makes a Good Thriller

I want to introduce you to 

my favorite writer, Lisa Scottoline.  

Her books always have a moral dilemma and there are so many twists and turns, she'll keep you guessing until the very end. Another thing I love about her style of writing is, she writes short chapters. 
     
I write every day and the only time I read is when I'm snuggled in bed with my dog, Rose at night. When I start getting sleepy, I hate having to flip ahead to see how many more pages before the end of a chapter, but not with Lisa's work. And, because of her excellent writing skills, I find myself reading even more than I would otherwise. 

     Check out her website and 

read her books!

Lisa Scottoline

How to find and do work you love: Scott Dinsmore at TEDxGoldenGatePark

Follow your bliss! ☺

Dramatic Texting And Driving PSA

     My newest book project is centered around texting and driving. Yesterday morning while driving on a two lane road, the SUV in front of me kept ping-ponging over the center line and then back to the left side of the road, almost going up on the median. I backed off because the brake lights kept coming on sporadically and finally the driver switched lanes. 
     As I carefully passed the car, there sat a woman, approximately in her late 20's with her elbows pushed together in front of her GUIDING THE STEERING WHEEL while she texted away, staring down at her phone and occasionally looking at the road in front of her. My first instinct was to honk my horn at her and motion for her to put the phone down, but I was afraid she'd lose control of the car and either slam into a pedestrian on the sidewalk, or the car in front of her.
     I wish teens would be forced to watch public service announcements and then take a pledge. Maybe an app will be invented that once you start your car, the texting capabilities are shut down. Or maybe local law enforcement agencies could offer a hotline where drivers can report offenders. With the new school year coming up soon, it scares me. I pray that texting while driving will be outlawed some day.

     Please forward this PSA on and don't text and drive! 

Thank you....

Here’s To The Dreamers!

If you are a writer, you will find your thoughts and feelings within this video. . . . 

KEEP DREAMING!

I ♥ Synchronicity!

     One big lesson I've learned in my life is, that once we follow our bliss and live authentically, these actions get the proverbial ball rolling. Opportunities arise. Like-minded people "find" each other. Everything begins to fall into place.
     I recently received an email from Anthea Whitlock who has an awesome blog called, Kids in the Flow. She read about my children's book on another website and then asked if she could feature it on her blog -- of course I said, "YES!" 

Here's the blog post she wrote:

Children's Meditation Book

     Take some time to read through Anthea's site . . . . she's a woman, who's on a mission to empower children (and adults) 

and to help them to realize just how special they are! 

Thanks, Anthea for all that you do! ♥

The Dog Did What?

     I contributed a story I wrote, An Angel on Earth to the newest edition from the Chicken Soup for The Soul series entitled, The Dog Did What? It's a heart-warming story about my dog, Jack. (pictured here)

     Miranda Lambert wrote the forward for the book and all royalties will be donated to the American Humane Association.

You may pre-order your copy now by clicking on this link - 

The Dog Did What?

The Writer's Mind -- Any Other Writers Feel This Way?

      My ideas usually come not at my desk writing, 

but in the midst of living. 

~ Anais Nin

     My Writer's mind is always working. I carry a notebook with me every where I go, just in case I overhear some rich dialogue, observe the "perfect" setting or character descriptions for future projects! 

The Mindful Life Project

I've shared my love for the use of "mindfulness" and guided meditation in my Pre-K classroom before on this blog:

End-Bullying-Empower-Children-Early

I ♥ Positive Feedback!

I've received lots of emails and great feedback about my book, 
I Am Special -- The Power is in ME!  

     Parents, teachers, therapists and anti-bullying groups have used it to teach children the importance of looking within themselves to find the answers. To know that they are special. To empower them.

     I just found this video about 

The Mindful Life Project 

and I had to share it with you. 

Check out their website and spread the word!

My Interview With Paranormal I-Con!

Here's the interview that I did with Wes Forsythe, from Paranormal I-Con last November...had a great time chatting with him!

CLICK:

Paranormal I-Con

The Writer's Life

A great way to promote your business!

I Came Out of the Paranormal Closet for a Reason...

     My main goal with writing, The House on Pancake Hill was to help other psychic teens who may be experiencing what I went through as a child. The emails and feedback that I've received are proof that "coming out" of the paranormal closet was the best thing I have ever done. I hope that by telling my story, other children and teens (and adults) will know that they are NOT alone.

     I'd love to hear about other's stories and experiences. Feel free to email me at MyEnlightenedSpirit@gmail.com 

Thanks so much for the awesome reviews...the ♥ is there!

Jodi

     

A Change is Gonna Come....

I have to admit something. I've been known to be a bit of a control freak. Not in my personal life, but when it comes to my writing? I set goals. I make lists of future projects. I have timelines-in-my-head of how I want things to play out.
     For the most part, everything falls into place for me. However, the past several months seem to have tested my patience. I feel as if I am not where I need to be halfway through this year. A few of the "plans" that I assumed would unfold almost effortlessly, have not evolved at all. It's frustrating. When I saw this quote, it was a reminder to let things go that I cannot control and to deal with opportunities that do present themselves to me. To affirm that a change IS going to come -- in due time.

Good Morning, Followers!

Thanks so much for the continued support and kinship in helping to make this world a better place....one-Tweet-at-a-time! The ♥ is there!

Have a FANTABULOUS day!

XOXOXO

Jodi ♥

My Experience With Ed & Lorraine Warren...♥

The House on Pancake Hill was my introduction into the world of Spirit. I was lucky enough to have Ed & Lorraine Warren do an investigation on the happenings at the house in the 1970's.

 

I wrote about this wonderful experience in Chapter 23-

Who Ya Gonna Call?

Download your copy to your Kindle or computer for $2.99 today! 

CLICK:

The House on Pancake Hill

The Warrens were the pioneers in the field, and their son-in-law, Tony Spera is the Director of The New England Society for Psychic Research in Monroe, CT. They continue to educate and intrigue us with stories of their investigations and findings over the years. If you are interested in finding out more about N.E.S.P.R. and the Warrenology Tours, please click here:

http://www.warrens.net/

What a Bargain!

My books are marked down to $2.99! 

Check it out and take advantage of this great deal!

CLICK:

Author, Jodi Sykes Amazon Page

What are you reading right now?

My friend is lending me the latest book she read and she cannot wait for me to read it so that we can discuss it! Its, The Fault in our Stars, which has been made into a movie. Looking forward to start reading it tonight!

To Blog, or NOT to Blog...

     A few weeks ago, I wrote about the importance of building up your social media presence as a writer. Time to move on...

Today's topic?

Blog. Blog. Blogging!

Are you a writer? Journal-er? Avid scribe? If so, then you're already ahead of the game. Here's some ideas to get you started:

The most important word of advice is to 

Drum roll please...

WRITE WHAT YOU KNOW! 

     Do you have a hobby or skill that you'd like to share? A topic that interests you? Something that you can offer to others who may want to hear your friendly words of advice and inspiration? If so, then that's what you need to write about! Make sure its something that makes your heart soar. Otherwise you'll find yourself as bored as your readers, and you'll have a stagnant blog to boot.

     Before you decide to hit the keyboards, you must choose a domain name - prepare a list of possible names for your blog site. (If you're a dedicated writer, I'd suggest getting a domain of your own name. You can also secure other website names that may resonate with you and reflect your hobbies and interests.)

     Do a Google search on the domain names that you've picked to see if there are others out there in the vast internet galaxy. You'll want your blog to stand out, so if you find similar ones, you may wish to choose something else.    

     Once you've made your mind up, you'll need to do research on who will host your blog. Here are some of the top contenders, but also plan on doing additional searches to decide which one is best for you:

Blogger

Word Press

GoDaddy.com

Thoughts

     
     After you've paid for your domain name, it's time to start blogging! I've heard countless writers complain about the following things to me when it comes to starting a blog:

I don't have time to blog!

Who is going to want to read my blog?

It's too much work!

Blogging is B.S.!

There's no need to blog because 
my book will sell itself!


Blah, blah, freakin', blah!

     Yes, I've heard it all, and this is only the condensed list of complaints. My answer is always this -- you know for a fact that whenever you're trying to learn a new task or skill, there will be a few quirky bumps in the road to overcome. But, once you get the hang of it, you'll look back and wonder what all your bitchin' was about to begin with! PROMISE!

     Does it take a commitment to maintain your blog? YES it does! 

     You need to decide if you'll contribute daily writings or one or two times per week (or month.) 

     When I first started my blog, Living La Vida Lymphoma, I kept the momentum up on a daily basis. The feedback I received made me realize that there were others out there who needed the daily bits of inspiration that I was dosing out to them. Two months later, I found myself wondering if I could keep up the pace. Then, my darlings, I discovered that I could pre-write my blog posts and schedule them to be published on a set date and time! Voila! That removed the stress aspect from wanting to continue blogging but, also not wanting to let my followers down. 

     Now I blog when I feel like it -- first thing in the morning. If I'm sapped for energy, I may wait until I have a creative burst and pop out a whole month's worth of blogs within a few hours. Then, my entire month's worth of blog posts are ready to go! EASY BREEZY!

     So, should you blog? 

     If you're a published author, it is imperative that you have your own author blog with links to your books and information about projects that you're working on. Links to interviews you've done -- anything to keep your faithful readers wanting to get inside your head! They love you and you should be thankful they want to follow your every move.

     And if you're a budding writer and want to share your message with others, then just DO IT! It'll take hard work and dedication, but your words will become immortalized, and, who knows? You may just inspire others along the way!

Jodi Sykes - Author Video

A BIG thank you goes out to Sharon Buck for producing this video!

Sharon is a "girl-of-all-trades" who doesn't stop! You can find out more about her and all that she does by checking out her sites:

Off The Shelves Fast

AND

Sharon E. Buck

BIG BOOK SALE!!!

I'm running a Kindle Countdown Deal today through 5/22 

on two of my books! 

Marked down to 99¢...SUCH A DEAL!

My paranormal memoir, The House on Pancake Hill

Book Description:

In 1965, the author moved into a house on Pancake Hill. Jodi Sykes discovered her ability to communicate with the dearly departed at the age of three. Throughout her childhood, she was visited on an almost a nightly basis from the world of Spirit. 
The House on Pancake Hill chronicles her journey of shielding her abilities from her friends and family, to suppressing them completely over the course of twenty years. She finally came to terms with her gifts and has embraced them.

AND

My children's book, 

I am Special! The Power is in ME!

Book Description:

"Miss Jodi" Sykes was a former Early Childhood Educator who realized the importance of using guided meditation in her classroom - from a five minute filler to a way for the children to transition into a peaceful nap time, it was a valuable way for children learn how to connect to their inner selves and focus on relaxation. Jodi knows the importance of teaching these skills to children at a young age and she hopes that you will, too.

This book was one of her original meditations and there will be more to follow in the Empowering Children series.

Take advantage of this big price reduction 

and share the sale info with your friends!

 

Living La Vida (Lymphoma): WHOO-HOO! 50,000 HITS!!!

Living La Vida (Lymphoma): WHOO-HOO! 50,000 HITS!!!: 

Thanks soooo much for all of the love, support and feedback!  

 Please keep sharing  Living La Vida Lymphoma with others! 

Thanks ...

Social Media Explained . . . ☺

Short & Sweet!

50 of the Best Kids Books Published in the Last 25 Years..

As you may recall, back in "the olden days," I was a Pre-K teacher. (for over 25 years) I'm STILL a sucker for children's books and could probably add at least a hundred more to this list! (Oh, Geez! I just created yet another project to share with you! HAHAHA!)

Read through the list and see if you agree... 

Have a wonderful Sunday!

CLICK:

50 of the Best Kids Books Published in the Last 25 Years

Good Books...

25 Editing Tips For Tightening Your Copy

I found this handy-dandy chart on The Write Life and wanted to share it with you. Editing can make even the sanest writer O.C.D. but maybe this will help!

To Read, or Not to Read?!

This is sooooo me today! HAHAHA!

 

Happy Weekend!

Are you working on your writing project this weekend? I am! 

Writing is so good for the soul...even if you don't have a goal of writing a book, how about journaling? 

Putting pen to paper is therapeutic! 

Also, you can go to Writer's Digest magazine and look for some of their weekly writing prompts.

Just give it a try! 

Enjoy your day...

Jodi ♥

Tips for Writers on Boosting Your Presence in the World!

     I receive a lot of questions from other writers on how to market themselves and their work so I decided to share some pointers with you.
     A few years ago, I attended a writer's workshop that was facilitated by Author, Carol D. O'Dell. She urged us to start out by Googling ourselves to see how far back we had to go before our name appeared. The goal was to eventually build up our internet presence. When I went home, I tried it and I landed on page 25. What to do?

• Do a Google search.
• Sign up for all facets of social media...Facebook, Twitter, Tumblir, Pinterest, etc. If you are already published, you may wish to create other Facebook pages to suit your needs. (I have a personal page, an Author,Jodi Sykes page, and one devoted to my book - The House on Pancake Hill.) Try to keep the personal page strictly for family and friends. That gives you creative license on your other pages, if you so choose to go that route.

• By all means, B-L-O-G! (Oh, STOP IT! I can hear the groans already!) I was diagnosed with Lymphoma in 2009 and began blogging about my experiences. My followers started saying, "This needs to be turned into a book!" so, I shut down the blog and listened to them. My book, Living La Vida (Lymphoma) was published in 2013 and I restarted my daily blog which now has over 42,905+ hits. I know this may be too much for you to handle all at once, so I promise that I will dedicate another post on the "how-to's" of blogging for you...not to worry!
  
• Once you've joined the various social media venues, its time to start building up your network! Go to Twitter, Facebook  and Google -- do a search on anything that may pertain to your interests, goals, etc. For instance, I wrote another book, The House on Pancake Hill, which is my paranormal memoir. So, I used keywords such as "paranormal, ghosts, supernatural, ghost hunters" and started following and liking these Twitter and Facebook pages. Now they are following me. That's the beauty of social media marketing. Once you develop a friendship with like-minded people, they'll be willing to help you out, and you'll do the same for them with a re-tweet or to share their books or links on your pages. 
  
• If you have a skill or knack for public speaking, maybe someone will invite you to be interviewed online, in public, or on radio shows. All of the opportunities I've had as a guest blogger or interviewee have come through via my contacts. If no one asks you, then by all means, reach out to them! Don't be afraid! That's what marketing is all about, dear hearts...you MUST be your own advocate and toot your own horn because NO ONE, I repeat, NO ONE is going to do it for you. There's a misconception nowadays that, if you are published the traditional way, the publishing house will handle all of your P.R....that is a BIG misconception. With the advent of e-book and indie publications on the rise, many of these publishers are hurting and don't have the time to spend on writers. (unless they happen to make the New York Times Best Seller list.) So, go forth and find digital radio shows and ask them if they'd be interested in listening to your story...the worst that can happen is they say, "No!" Then keep moving forward until you find someone who WILL let you!

     The whole idea of boosting your presence on the internet may seem like a daunting task, but I promise you, there are tricks-to-the-trade that will make it easier for you in this quest. I'll share more tips in a future post.

Take the social media challenge...

YOU CAN DO IT!!!

     

I Need Your True Online Dating Stories!

I am working on another project and need stories about your online dating experiences! Maybe you have some friends who have told you about their funny dates-from-hell? 

Send them my way!

You can email them to me at 

jodisykes@yahoo.com

Follow me on TWITTER!

 @Jodi_Sykes

Want to keep up with the latest? Follow me and I'll follow YOU!

Re: My New Book Project...A Call for Submissions!

As you know, I am working on my first fictional book project which is still in the research stage.

I am making lots of connections and trying to gather as much information as possible. If you live in the Adirondacks in New York and have experienced a true ghostly encounter, or know of some of the local paranormal lore in the Plattsburgh, Willsboro or Essex region, then please contact me!
Send me a tweet and I will get back to you A.S.A.P.!

Thanking you in advance!

What Are You Reading?

I just finished reading, Reconstructing Amelia!

It's a MUST-READ! 

Kimberly McCreight will have you hooked from the first page...

so many twists and turns!

Check it out:

Reconstructing Amelia

HAPPY SPRING! Here's an excerpt from my book...

What a beautiful morning! The sun is shining, the birds are singing their morning song, and all is well! Have a great day, every one! Here is an excerpt from my book, Living La Vida (Lymphoma):

* * *

Saturday, March 3

A Rest Stop

Faith is the bird that feels the light when the dawn is still dark.

~Rabindranath Tagore

     Rose and I drove to our favorite place to walk, on the grounds of Our Lady of La Leche this morning. It was chilly. But, something was different. I was half-asleep due to my chronic insomnia. I pulled into the parking lot. All I wanted was to take Rose for her morning jaunt and get back to our warm and cozy cottage. 

     The first thing I noticed was the abundance of birds. The sky was swarming with them. The trees were filled with them. The ground was blanketed with them. I opened the car door and the sound of chirping was deafening. Rose and I were in bird-shock. I had never seen so many birds. Then, I remembered Kathleen telling me how, one day per year, robins return to St. Augustine before they migrate back home. I took a closer look. These were little robin red breasts en masse. It was 6:30 A.M. I called Kathleen on her cell phone knowing that she was on her way to work. I held the phone in the air to capture their rapture for her to enjoy. “What do you hear?” I shouted. 

     “Wow! Those birds are so loud!” Then she had her Aha moment. “Oh, my God! The robins are back!”  We got to share a precious moment. It was something that I will never forget. Robins twittered around Rose and me. The expression on her face was comical. Not only is she squirrel-obsessed, birds come a close second. Surprisingly, she sat there, frozen in place.

      We stayed for over an hour in awe of nature and her bounty. What a great way to start the day. And to think I had arrived at the park praying that fur-face would take care of business in a quick manner. Now I was thankful for just being there. Mother Nature had stepped in to give me a morale boost. I witnessed the robin’s migratory rest-stop, and I in turn savored my rest stop. I love when that happens.

Affirmation:  As new experiences unfold, I bask in their glory!

What are YOU reading???

To acquire the habit of reading
is to construct for yourself a refuge
from almost all the miseries of life.― W. Somerset Maugham 

I would love to construct something like this 

to laze the day away on a fine Spring afternoon!