A Never Ending Story

Dating and finding love is a merry-go-round. Lucky the ones who are in the saddle already, installed in a loving relationship or marriage! Unfortunately, people fall out of love and break up all the time.

As a former matchmaker and dating consultant I’ve often been asked “Why has it become so difficult to find the right person? Where are the good men? What can I do to find that elusive mate?” The list goes on and on. In spite of our ever increasing connections, networking, and socializing possibilities the problem seems to grow. And it's not just older, divorced people who say they lack opportunities but also the younger generation that wants to settle down-- what I call the first timers.

At the beginning of a new year, after a boring or lonely New Year’s Eve, many singles make a resolution that they want to find love now; the sooner the better. Definitely in time for Valentine’s Day that is looming on the horizon. Many websites catering to singles and their needs offer dating advice. I like Adventures in Delicious Dating for over 40s.

Sites that care about your personal well-being and happiness like Positively Positive, or Dr. Tranquility and her dating protocols are a quintessential step in getting help—if singles want it. Some of them advertize on my Facebook page Singles & Dating Advice. Check it out as well as my blog www.NextTimelucky.blogspot.com.

There's also a gazillion books on the topic, self-help books and novels. Take  a peek at the category of Best Relationship Non-Fiction on Good reads. 74 books are listed and my book Next Time Lucky: Lessons of a Matchmaker  is #1.  I'm doing a book giveaway there till 12 Jan. YOu can still put your name in the hat to win a copy!
The need is there; and the audience is there looking for answers.

That’s why I'm  relaunching my book Next Time Lucky: How to Find Your Mr. Right with an added  new chapter of practical dating tips. After all, I was a pro….I’ll be interviewed about my book again on Thursday between 6.30 – 7.00 P.M/EST by Dr. Tranquility’s on her blog talk radio show. Listeners and callers are welcome!

I’ll see you on the radio.

Siggy Buckley

The Solitary Journey

"Sleeps well with others" proclaims her black
Tee with the chlorine stain on the right side of the hem.
No, she doesn't, not really. She is bossy, opinionated,
wounded. Struggles to heal the injury by herself, the only one, (his kindess)
who truly understood in a visceral sense, the lavender shadows that lap
none too gently at her irritated skin, a scourge
of sorts that drives her onward, gone but for a photo  on her table.

She learns alone. In her own way. Many chances
lost, she understands while listening for the ultrasonic
song of her absent dog's grief, that nobody sees
a broken heart. It can't be sampled to study beneath
microscope, nor dissected. No, the only solution is reunion. Bring
the pack together again, and sure, enough the little family gathers around her
bare feet in their tiny
kitchen where she teaches herself to cook her husband's recipes
by herself. Complete. Cat, loafed on an ottoman, young dog gazes up,
the elder dog,  recently-abandoned, three days until he raised his eyes in trust to hers.
This shames her, but she accepts it.

It has taken her a lifetime to understand to leave
none  behind on the battlefield. That she, too, can leave
battles, strike out across the plains into the deeper woods
with her pack, her posse, until they sleep deeply camouflaged
by layers of warming leaves shed early, perhaps just
for this purpose. To protect the family as leaky
rowboats, creaky oars hung loose, beach waves of nightmare
behind her fluttering eyelids. A dog whimpers in a dream.
Cat extends her claws, sighs. They follow her, guard her
through  danger.

Rachael Z. Ikins


Http://www.rachaelikins.com
Artwork for sale at http://rachaelikins.com/artwork.htm
Publications, books for sale at http://rachaelikins.com/publications.htm
Ask The Girl Arts (@pet services) on FaceBook

Twitter: @justaskrache
Http://about.me/Rachaelz

"Dwell in possibility and you will find magic!"

How August became a good month for me

I thought your readers may want to read about how August became a good month for me, despite few sales.

In the first week I sold another copy of Pat Canella (the Dockland murders) and the first copy of The Word, my Sci-Fi book. Nothing happened after that until about a week ago when my friend Malika Gandhi got a copy of Chronicles of Mark Johnson, the book then shot to number 50 in the Amazon.co.uk top 100 of horror anthologies. 

Then today (August 26th) I have found out that the follow up story to Dockland murders- Ghosts of your past, has reached the top 3,000 in the Amazon.co.uk site. The amazing thing, neither Chronicles nor GOYP has sold more than a few copies. 

WHAT will happen next? 

Alan Place

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2W5bQUxYEdc

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Al-Place/e/B0076M5BNG/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_

http://www.amazon.com/Al-Place/e/B0076M5BNG/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0

http://www.linkedin.com/profile/edit?trk=tab_pro

https://www.facebook.com/awplace

Thank you for taking the time to read this