Author Archives: Judy Probus

1. Life and writing are both fluid. They both occur within the realm of ever-changing circumstances. Therefore, on the writing road, one must persevere through a gauntlet of challenges that threaten to derail even the best-outlined plans and deadlines. Time I put aside for writing is often preempted by family obligations, needs, accidents, or illness. Sometimes, I find concentrating on the write a bit like carrying on a conversation while jumping up and down in a super-sized inflatable overflowing with kids. Quick keyboard fingers, an ironclad memory, and a general chapter outline are valued tools of the trade to weather …

Hey, so something incredible happened at 1:42 AM on Sunday morning. If you’re like most sane people, you were fast asleep at that time – and I hope you were! Meanwhile, over at Team ImagiNation, we were still sifting through emails and whipping up story lines. Clearly, we aren’t like most sane people. Ha! Anyway, at exactly 1:42 AM on Sunday morning, Matt received an email that contained a message that shot a blast of adrenaline through his veins as if he was hooked up to an IV of Red Bull! You see, Matt received an email from the fantastic folks over at NarniaFans.com to let …

Like marathon runners poised at the starting block, every writer starts at the same place as every other writer: the blank page. You ask “So what? Who cares about a blank page? Ah, but the value of the blank page isn’t in its appearance, the value lies in the opportunity that it offers. How can a blank page offer value? It’s blank. Worthless. Worthless you say? I disagree. In the world of expensive gadgets that do everything for you, I think the blank page is priceless. No batteries required. No cords. No power packs. No boundaries. The blank page offers …

We live in a mobile society. It is hard to imagine a time without trains, planes, and automobiles – the most used modes of transportation today. All three modes of transportation are an integral part of our modern existence. However, once, they were simply a dream in someone’s imagination. After having invented several ways to move around on Earth, man dared to dream bigger and he entered a race for space. NASA was born and in 1969, the United States made the seemingly impossible possible. Standing on the moon in his space suit, Neil Armstrong appeared like something straight out …

Before ebooks entered the arena, hardback and paperback books served as home to our favorite heroes and heroines of fantasy. Today, there seems to be a constant debate over which type of book offers the best reading experience. Ebook vs Book: Does it really matter which format of book we choose? Each book format has its advantages and disadvantages. For instance here are some… Advantages of ebooks Easy to buy. Once you have an e-reader like a Kindle, iPad, Nook, etc., downloading an ebook without making the trip to the bookstore is a plus in this fast-paced world. Light and easy to …

Today, the world’s resources are often a hot news topic, but the discussion usually revolves around coal, nuclear, oil, solar, wind and recyclables. We are always in search of a new renewable resource that will move the world forward. However, oftentimes, I think we overlook the importance of the one free renewable resource that spans the globe, is available 24/7, and has fueled the discoveries and innovations that have lifted the human existence to a higher plane. I believe the imagination is the world’s most important renewable resource. Do you know what Plato, Columbus, Einstein, Disney, and the Wright brothers have in …

These days, mothers are challenged with balancing their time between work and family more than ever before. Through it all, they remain the glue that holds families and societies together – and that is well worth celebrating. Mothers make the sacrifices and experience the joys of bringing forth life They protect, defend, and nourish without asking for anything in return. Moms change the diapers, tote the baby stuff, stay up during the night to quiet the colic and patiently stand by until the fever breaks. They feed, bathe, and rock the infant. They heal the toddler’s booboos with a kiss …

True Grit is a 1968 novel written by Charles Portis, published in 1968 that served as the basis for the movie of the same name starring John Wayne, the one-eyed Rooster Cogburn who accompanies a young girl in search of the man who killed her father. The latest version of the True Grit movie stars Jeff Bridges. True grit is also a quality my mother-in-law exhibits, especially in the aftermath of a recent ironic, life-altering tragedy. After returning safely from a ten day Caribbean cruise, which included a trip through the Panama Canal and numerous wheel chair excursions onto various …