Category: Children Learn While They Play

L.I.T.S. LIFE IS TOO SHORT!

· 2 Comments ·

I’m back!  I have been in a poetic phase these past few weeks. I have several stories swimming around in my head and when I sit down to write, poetry flows forth. I am one of those who does not contend with the muse. Instead, I just let her guide me along. Poetry for me is  introspective; often times dealing with deep emotions . So for now, I will share some of the poetry I have been reading at The Poets Unite! Poetry Jam sponsored by The Henderson Poets.

Guess what? The other night I was asked to play the congas during  Black Bart‘s Open mic night  at The Coffee House! You see, I am rather shy when it comes to playing music in public. I am not sure if it has to do with my uncle making me play the clarinet in the 7th grade; I was so bad at it I could never play it without making it squeak. So during the often dreaded band concerts, I would just hold the instrument to my mouth and act like I was playing. That’s how I got through 🙂 Or maybe I had decided to just play in the privacy of my home because I’m not too sure if I can even play. Whatever the case, I stepped out of that fearful box and I did it. I had a blast too!

So now YOU go on and try that thing you have been so scared to do! Just do it once and see what goes! Whether you do it like a pro or not, who cares! Just do it to say you did. LITS= LIFE IS TOO SHORT 🙂

L.I.T.S. LIFE IS TOO SHORT!

There is no one here
Not one single soul
There is no one there
Who would really care

There is no one close by
To help carry your load
Te tell you it’s fine
When all you want to do is cry

Rush! Rush! Rush!
That’s what goes on
In this life all people do is
Push , push, push

There is no more balance
There is extreme
The pendulum always swinging
And no one cares to dance

No one stops to smell the flowers
Take in a sunset
Not even to hug a small child
And slow down for a while

STOP! LOOK! LISTEN!
You’ll die if you don’t
STOP! LOOK! LISTEN!
You’ll miss it all if you don’t

-EVA SANTIAGO copyright 2012

Contest!

· 9 Comments ·

Who wants to enter a contest? :)

To win all you need to do is be the first person to answer the question and you win a free copy of Salsa! The Taste of Life. To be qualified to enter, like this page in the link below and write your answer on the comments.

Who said this?”Show me a hero and I will write you a tragedy.”

Answer: F. Scott Fitzgerald

CONGRATULATIONS to this blogger: poemsandponderings Please email me for details! 🙂

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Eva-Santiago/142258690307

*Note: If you do not have a Facebook account. Just follow this blog

This contest ends this Friday, November 16 2012 at midnight! CONTEST CLOSED.

Poets Unite! Poetry Jam

· Leave a comment ·

Last night The Henderson poets met again at the Coffee House; Thanks Don Watkins for giving us a home and what a nice casa! I am sharing some of the poems I read at the poetry jam  with you today. Last night we heard from some new voices and that’s what makes hosting a poetry group so exciting. As the adage goes, you can’t judge a book by its cover, because if you do , you’ll never know what you can miss. Poetry opens us up to the souls and hearts of others. When people take the courage to share their own personal work in front of a group, I applaud them because they are putting  their lives out there on display; that is not easy to do. I look forward to more poetry jams and I want to tell you that I absolutely LOVE what I do 🙂

I think I may have jinxed the Detroit Tigers 🙂 I wrote this poem on the first day of the World Series, not having any idea that The Giants would take it.

Giants VS Tigers

How can a giant beat out a tiger? Or how can a tiger beat out a giant? That’s easy! They get together and play ball!
1st Inning: The giants fight off the tigers with their baseball bats.
2nd Inning: The tigers maul the umpires over a couple of bad calls.
3rd Inning: The Jolly Green Giant scores a home run on a pitch by Tigger who is busy jumping around as usual.
4th Inning: Tigger shuts out the Jolly Green Giant.
5th Inning: The Jolly Green Giant hit’s a grand slam. The frozen vegetables in the stands go wild!
6th Inning: Tigger holds back the Giants and shuts them down by not giving them any runs, just a single base hit.
7th Inning: The tigers and Giants are tied 4 a piece in this the last game of the world series.
8th Inning: The Jolly green Giant steals 3rd base all to the tiger’s great dismay. Jolly brings it home and now Giants lead Tigers 5-4!!
9th Inning: Tigger throws the last pitch to Jolly who strikes out. Game over the Giants send the streak of tigers streaking down left field! And that’s how the giants beat the tigers!!

-EVA SANTIAGO copyright 2012

 

 

 

To Self Publish or Not to Self Publish

· 3 Comments ·
To Self Publish or Not to Self Publish
by Eva Santiago

“What do these famous authors and their novels listed here have in common? Mark Twain– Huckleberry Finn, John Grisham– A Time to Kill, Walt Whitman-Leaves of Grass, Richard Paul Evans– The Christmas Box , Beatrix Potter- Creator of The Peter Rabbit series and Julia Child– the Joy of Cooking. These are among the many famous authors who self-published their works first then went on to become best sellers. These writers never gave up after receiving numerous rejection letters from publishing houses. So they took a stab at it an did it themselves. What followed for them was that once they self published, the publishers took note and picked up their self published work.

Before I had written one word of my first book, As Clear as Claire Gets, A Conversation with the Past, I did my home work. I was astonished to find that one of my favorite writers, Mark Twain had gone through the self publishing process. Would a major publisher take note of my work? But then I read a long list of other authors who had done the same thing and I thought, ‘ There’s obviously something to this! ‘ So heck yeah, I went for it! I self published my first book,which is my life story. As Clear as Claire Gets,is a legacy to my family. I didn’t promote it much and I did sell some copies. I also have it in a couple of libraries here in town. I was hoping to use it as a stepping stone and it did work that way. As Clear as Claire Gets, is long because I didn’t have the money to hire a professional editor. But alas, the writing business is a learning process like no other right?
A year and a half after my first book, I finished my second manuscript. Salsa! The Taste of Life, is a volume of mostly short stories with some poetry. I was thinking of self publishing again; I seriously had my doubts about sending it anyplace. One of my daughters kept telling me that she thought it was very good and that I ought to send it in to a publisher. I was terrified of those terrible rejection letters so I said no way. But I started looking around on line and I was overwhelmed with the whole process of having to have a literary agent in order to even pitch anything to most major publishers. So I kept looking and then I found Tate Publishing; one of the very few publishers left who still take manuscripts without all the hassle. So I sent them my manuscript and held my breath for several weeks. Six weeks later I received the news of my life: We want to publish Salsa! , the email read. They also informed me that out of hundreds of manuscripts they receive every year, they only publish 4% of those. I had made the cut, I was elated!So what have I learned from self publishing verses traditional publishing? Well for one, I had an editor assigned to help me polish my work and I thoroughly enjoyed it because it helped me see my writing in a new light. I also lost the fear of having my project scrutinized by the editor’s professional eye and realized she was there to help me take my writing to a whole new level. When I self published I had no idea what to do to market my book. Now, I am being trained by Tate Publishing so I can learn how to get my book out there. They invested in me so now they are going to do their best to make sure I do well because if Salsa! Succeeds it’s good news for them.

Self publishing gave me a tremendous confidence that I never had before and traditional publishing took that confidence I already had to a whole new level.- EVA SANTIAGO copyright 2012″

http://hendersonwritersgroup.blogspot.com/2012/10/october-15th-meeting-notes.html

Word Picture #8

· 5 Comments ·

I never go to political rallies of any kind, it just doesn’t interest me. Today, my youngest daughter Raquel talked me into going to hear Ann Romney speak. She even prompted me by asking if I could count our outing  as part of her history class and I agreed. 

I am so glad I went to this rally! When we arrived there it was crowded and hot in that building. Excitement was in the air and I was blessed to see that my almost 12-year-old was happy to be there. The rally didn’t last long and as the crowd thinned we went outside. After a few minutes of sitting in front of The Romney blue and white bus, Raquel told me she wanted to go back in to get Mrs. Romney’s autograph. So back in we went.

This time luck was on our side because she was still taking pictures with people. We made our way to the front and suddenly I grabbed my proof copy of Salsa! The Taste of Life, and I gave it to Raquel to have the future first lady sign it. We waited for a bit and she finally saw my girl waving and calling out, ” Mrs. Romney , please sign my mom’s book!” Mrs. Romney looked at her and smiled and then she took the book from her small hands. The security guard standing beside Mrs. Romney brusquely grabbed it and flipped quickly through the pages and then he handed my book back so she could sign it. That was the last thing Mrs. Romney signed, then  they whisked her away to meet other people.

As we walked home, Raquel beamed with pride saying this was the BEST history class she ever had. I am so proud of her at this moment for having talked me into it!

-EVA SANTIAGO copyright 2012

THE COFFEE HOUSE: A PLACE with a FLAIR

· 4 Comments ·

Last night was GREAT! I went to The Coffee House and read excerpts of my new book, SALSA! The Taste of Life,

 

at open mic night. What a great place to share my new book. Don Watkins, the owner is a people person who wants his clientele to enjoy themselves as much as possible.

I traveled all over Europe when I was in my teens and I remember sitting in those quaint European cafes just sipping on a soda and watching people. Don has brought that same European flavor to my little corner of the globe. The Coffee House is different because it’s not one of those major coffee house franchises that all tend to look and feel the same. The Coffee House has a unique ambiance of its own and I’m proud to say I will be launching my book from there.

Last night was Open Mic Night, an event that is held every Friday evening. People can come play music, read poetry and sing their hearts out and that’s just what I saw unfold before my very eyes. As a matter of fact, my son who plays guitar made his debut their last night too! He did great and the crowd enjoyed his talent.

So if you’re ever making plans for your Friday nights head on out to The Coffee House located on 117 S. Water Street, Henderson, NV.. Bring your talent or, come hear others, you will be surprised!

-Eva Santiago copyright 2012

WORD PICTURE #7

· 6 Comments ·

Once in a life time you meet heart someone who shows you a mirror reflection of yourself that you had not seen before: KEEP THAT FRIEND! He/ SHE is TRUE! -Eva Santiago

Friend- Someone to talk to.

“A friend should bear his friend’s infirmities” [William Shakespeare Julius Caesar]
“The belongings of friends are common” [Aristotle]
“My best friend is the man who in wishing me well wishes it for my sake” [Aristotle Nicomachean Ethics]
“Friends are born, not made” [Henry Adams The Education of Henry Adams]
“True happiness”
“Consists not in the multitude of friends,”
“But in the worth and choice” [Ben Jonson Cynthia’s Revels]
“Friends are God’s apology for relatives” [Hugh Kingsmill]
“Old friends are the best. King James used to call for his old shoes; for they were easiest for his feet” [John SeldonTable Talk]
“Old friends are the blessing of one’s later years – half a word conveys one’s meaning” [Horace Walpole]
“The only way to have a friend is to be one” [Ralph Waldo Emerson Essays: First Series]
“Of two close friends, one is always the slave of the other” [Mikhail Lermontov A Hero of Our Time]
Proverbs
“A friend in need is a friend indeed”

READER APPRECIATION DAY!

· 6 Comments ·

I want to send a big shout out to my 1500+ blog followers. You are the best audience ever 🙂 So I have to share the latest developments  on my new book, SALSA! The Taste of Life, with you. I just heard from my publisher, TATE PUBLISHING that the book is going into print SOON! That’s right , you heard it!  I will give you more details as I get them. Again, thank you for reading my blog and stay tuned because when Salsa! comes out I will be having contests of all sorts and if you want a free autographed copy then, you’ll just have to play along!

Have a fantastic week-end friends!!

Word Picture #6

· Leave a comment ·

WORDS: They come cheap for some people. Someone tells you they love you and you just met them, raise your brow and question it. I love you, Te Amo can be thrown around at a whim these days. Those words are power and can render an affection starved soul weak. Don’t say them if they mean nothing to you because truth is, they can devastate . Or if they don’t ruin, cheap I love you’s can make a soul numb. It’s very much like the songs played on the radio; when a new hit is overplayed, the newness of the tune wears out quickly and soon what you enjoyed, you grow to despise. Same thing happens with prematurely, overly spoken I love you’s .

Oh wait, you might think you can never say I love you too much. You can never have enough love right? Don’t say I love you to someone if you aren’t prepared to back it up with action. Love is sacred, let your I love you’s be that way too.

He says, “ I love you.” But then he slaps her.
El dice,” Te amo” y se lo dice a todas.
I love you, Te amo, Je ‘taime, Ich Liebe Sie,
Powerful words,
Use them wisely.
Say them when you know they are true.
Say them to warm a heart-
Without offering false hope in what can never be.

I love you, Te amo, Je ‘taime, Ich Liebe Sie,
Don’t withold them,
When they need to be said.
Don’t make your loved one a beggar.
Don’t wait ‘til tomorrow,
What needs to be said-
Have the guts to say it today

I love you, Te amo, Je t’aime, Ich Libe Sie,
Say it for all the right reasons.
Say it ‘cause you mean it;
Otherwise throw it all into the sea

EVA SANTIAGO COPYRIGHT 2012

WORD PICTURE #5

· Leave a comment ·

Pick yourself up because today is not yesterday. Today is to today so give it all due respect by leaving yesterday behind and stop looking back at yesterday as if it was an old lover; who left you for some one better. But then don’t get so far ahead of yourself that you disregard today because you’re more interested in tomorrow. Don’t cheat today because you’re so in love with tomorrow; a thing that was never promised to any of us. Don’t rob today of all of your time and energy by wasting it on an uncertain future. Today is today so give it all you have. Savor each moment as a person in a desert landscape drinks in the last of his water in his canteen. He doesn’t know if there’s more water coming just like you don’t know the number of your days!

-Eva Santiago copyright 2012