Mazel Tov to all these talented #womenauthors!

43 Writing Contests in January 2020 – No entry fees – by Erica Verrillo…

12/28/2019 by Sally Ember, EdD

https://wp.me/p3mGq7-vXp

Thanks, Erica!

#writingcontests

A Happy Thanksgiving Gratitude Poem

11/28/2019 by Sally Ember, EdD

Happy Thanksgiving!

Here is my gratitude poem. (If you share it, please give credit.)

I am grateful…

To all long-term plotters,
And last-minute shleppers,
To early risers,
And all-week preppers;

To those who travel,
And those who stay,
To those who grumble,
And those who play;

To solo celebrators,
And party mavens,
To those who mourn,
And provide safe havens;

To diners-out,
And those facing a squall,
To those who relax,
And workers, all;

To families by blood,
And those we choose,
To angst sometimes quelled
By drugs or booze;

To those who won’t say much,
And those who speak up,
To those who stay silent
While raising their cup;

To those without homes,
And those who share theirs,
To those who serve kindness
Along with their prayers;

To natives and newbies,
To all types, all ways,
May all beings benefit,
Today and all days.

2019
By Sally Ember, Ed.D. (Sally Sue Fleischmann Ember, sallyemberedd

) (http://www.sallyember.com)

Here are the finalists for this year’s $50,000 Kirkus Prize.

09/17/2019 by Sally Ember, EdD

Mazel Tov to these #authors!

https://lithub.com/here-are-the-finalists-for-this-years-50000-kirkus-prize/

15 Points about the #Effects of #Concussions on #Meditators’ #Brains

09/13/2019 by Sally Ember, EdD

Still true for many, but I am fine, now.

Sally Ember, Ed.D.

What are the #effects of #concussions on #meditators’ #brains? Many doctors and patients now agree that #meditation helps relieve pain and stress. Therefore, meditation is recommended post-concussion for many with injured brains.

However, I haven’t found anything for my problem: my concussion makes it impossible or difficult/painful for me to meditate.What happens to those who are already long-time meditators (such as I am; 42 years), post-concussion?

It’s fewer than four weeks since my injuries. I still have a lot of trouble and need to take much more time than usual to think clearly enough and to write well enough (neither up to former standards) to put this post together. Forgive its clumsiness, please.

Let me explain, first: the type of meditation I currently do is advanced. This means that the meditation techniques take years to learn. Practice is not just for twenty minutes a day or relegated to…

View original post 1,260 more words

#Ebooks #Smashwords 11th Annual Summer/Winter Sale for 10 More Days! #Free, 50 – 75% off! 7/1—7/31/19

07/21/2019 by Sally Ember, EdD

#Ebooks #Smashwords 11th Annual Summer/Winter Sale for 10 More Days!
#Free, 50 – 75% off! 7/1—7/31/19

The Spanners Series first three Volumes of utopian science-fiction/romance by Sally Ember, Ed.D. are on sale NOW! Proud member of Clean Indie Reads #CR4U and Fantasy and Science-Fiction Network #FSFnet

The Spanners Series‘ cover art and logo by WillowRaven: http://www.willowraven-illustration.blogspot.com/

Smashwords is having its 11th Annual Summer/Winter Sale and The Spanners Series‘ ebooks in every format (reader’s choice) are on sale!
—free (Volume I)
—only $2.00 (Volume II) COUPON CODE for Volume II, good on Smashwords, only, 7/1–7/31/19: TL98M
—only $1.00 (Volume III) COUPON CODE for Volume III, good on Smashwords, only, 7/1–7/31/19: DK23V

(usually $3.99 each for ebooks) for the the month of July, 2019! See below for links and more info.

And, go browse on Smashwords for other great discounts and sales for the month of July, 2019! https://www.smashwords.com/shelves/promos/1/any/any

Whether you’re sweating, freezing, rained or snowed on or anywhere in between, there is still time to READ!
Give ebooks for gifts for birthdays, graduations, holidays, anniversaries, vacations: any time!

The paperbacks of all three Volumes are in the Kindle Match/Kindle Matchbook program at Amazon!
See below for links, details and coupon codes (on Smashwords, only) for each of the Volumes.

This Changes Everything, Vol. I, The Spanners Series

Dr. Clara Ackerman Branon, 58, begins having secret visits from holographic representations of beings from the Many Worlds Collective, a consortium of planet and star systems in the multiverse. When Earth is invited to join the consortium, the secret visits are made public. Now Earthers must adjust their beliefs and ideas about life, religion, culture, identity and everything they think and are.

Clara is selected to be the liaison between Earth and the Many Worlds Collective and she chooses Esperanza Enlaces to be the Chief Media Contact. They team up to provide information to stave off riots and uncertainty. The Many Worlds Collective holos train Clara and the Psi-Warriors for the Psi Wars with the rebelling Psi-Defiers, communicate effectively with many species on Earth and off-planet, eliminate ordinary, elected governments and political boundaries, convene a new group of Global Leaders, and deal with family’s and friends’ reactions.

In what multiple timelines of the ever-expanding multiverse do Clara and her long-time love, Epifanio Dang, get to be together and which leave Clara alone and lonely as the leader of Earth?

This Changes Everything spans the 30-year story of Clara’s term as Earth’s first Chief Communicator, continuing in nine more Volumes of The Spanners Series.

Are YOU ready for the changes?

Volume I, This Changes Everything:
Ebooks are PERMAFREE on Smashwords:
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/376197
and Amazon: http://www.amzn.com/B00HFELTG8

These paperbacks are in the Kindle Match program on Amazon. This means that if you purchase both the ebook and its paperback counterpart (in this case, download Volume I for free), you get a discount for the total package. Vol I Amazon link: http://www.amzn.com/B00HFELTG8

This Changes My Family and My Life Forever, Vol. II, The Spanners Series

Intrigued by multiple timelines, aliens, psi skills, romance and planetary change? Clara and the alien “Band” are back in Volume II, This Changes My Family and My Life Forever.

Now as Chief Communicator, Clara leads the way for interspecies communication on- and off-planet. Fighting these changes are the Psi-Defiers, led by one of the oldest friends of the Chief of the Psi-Warriors, its reluctant leader, Rabbi Moran Ackerman. Stories from younger Spanners about the first five years of The Transition fill Volume II.

How would YOU do with the changes?

Volume II, This Changes My Family and My Life Forever:
EBOOKS now $2.00, 50% off the regular price of $3.99, using COUPON CODE TL98M on Smashwords, any ebook format (reader’s choice).

These paperbacks are in the Kindle Match/Kindle Matchbook program on Amazon. This means that if you purchase both the ebook and its paperback counterpart, you get a discount for the total package. Vol II Amazon link:: http://www.amzn.com/B00KU5Q7KC

This Is/Is Not the Way I Want Things to Change, Vol. III, The Spanners Series

Clara, Moran, Espe, Epifanio and the alien Band of holos are back in This Is/Is Not the Way I Want Things to Change, Volume III of The Spanners Series. Psi-Defiers launch increasingly violent protests during this five-year Transition, attempting to block Earth’s membership into the Many Worlds Collective. Earth’s nations and borders must dissolve and Psi-Warriors must strengthen in their battle against the rebels.

Clara, as Earth’s first Chief Communicator, also juggles family conflicts and danger while creating psi skills training Campuses to help Earth through the Psi Wars. Clara timults alternate versions of their futures as the leaders’ duties and consciences force them to make difficult choices across multiple timelines, continuing to train and fight.

Will the Psi-Warriors’ and other leaders’ increasing psi skills, interspecies collaborations and budding alien alliances be enough for Earth to make it through The Transition intact? If there is no clear path for Clara’s and Epifanio’s love, does she partner with Steve or go it alone?

What do YOU do with wanted/unwanted changes?

Volume III, This Is/Is Not the Way I Want Things to Change:
EBOOKS now $1.00, 75% off the regular price of $3.99, using COUPON CODE DK23V on Smashwords, any ebook format (reader’s choice).

The Spanners Series‘ three paperbacks.

Print editions and ebooks published under Timult Books

REVIEWERS: Ask for FREE Ebook coupon codes for Volumes II and III on Smashwords any time: sallyember AT yahoo DOT com

For more information about Sally Ember, Ed.D., her bio, books, blog, video talk show (CHANGES conversations between authors), guest blog posts and guidelines, links to author interviews, book trailers and more: http://www.sallyember.com

ICE Just Quietly Opened Three New Detention Centers, Flouting Congress’ Limits

07/09/2019 by Sally Ember, EdD

Congress: do your jobs!

#closethecamps

https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2019/07/ice-just-quietly-opened-three-new-detention-centers-flouting-congress-limits/

Mazel Tov to USA #Soccer team’s #Women: #WorldChampions!

07/07/2019 by Sally Ember, EdD

Great playing, attitudes, teamwork, coaching!

Now: #betterpay for these athletes!

https://deadline.com/2019/07/world-cup-soccer-us-women-win-repeat-champions-1202642704/

Arthur C. Clarke #Scifi #Authors Award Shortlist

07/05/2019 by Sally Ember, EdD

Mazel Tov!

https://wp.me/pa4Vww-8O

#Nebula #Awards WINNERS Announced for 2018

05/20/2019 by Sally Ember, EdD

#Nebula #Awards WINNERS Announced for 2018
Mazel Tov to them all!

The Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA, Inc.) is pleased to announce the WINNERS for the 54th Annual Nebula Awards!

The Nebula Awards were presented during the annual SFWA Nebula Conference, May 16th-19th.

The Nebula Awards, presented annually, recognize the best works of science fiction and fantasy published in the previous year. They are selected by members of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America. The first Nebula Awards were presented in 1966.

The Nebula Awards include four fiction awards, a game writing award, the Bradbury Award for Outstanding Dramatic Presentation, the Andre Norton Award for Outstanding Young Adult Science Fiction or Fantasy Book. SFWA also administers the Kate Wilhelm Solstice Awards, the Kevin O’Donnell, Jr. Service to SFWA Award, and the Damon Knight Memorial Grand Master Award.

I list all the WINNERS and the novel finalists, below.

The 2018 Nebula Award Winners

Best Novel winner:
The Calculating Stars by Mary Robinette Kowal, published by Tor

Best Novella winner:
The Tea Master and the Detective by Aliette de Bodard, published by Subterranean Press

Best Novelette winner:
“The Only Harmless Great Thing” by Brooke Bolander, published by Tor.com

Best Short Story winner:
“The Secret Lives of the Nine Negro Teeth of George Washington” by P. Djèlí Clark, published by Fireside Magazine

Ray Bradbury Award winner:
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse written by Phil Lord and Rodney Rothman

Andre Norton Award winner:
Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi, published by Henry Holt and Macmillan UK

Best Game Writing winner: Black Mirror: Bandersnatch by Charlie Brooker, published by House of Tomorrow and Netflix

Solstice Award:
Neil Clarke and Nisi Shawl

Kevin J. O’Donnell Jr. Service to SFWA Award:
Lee Martindale

Damon Knight Grand Master:
William Gibson

this list, the image credits for the banner, above, and logo, below, are from: https://nebulas.sfwa.org/the-2018-nebula-award-winners/

2018 Nebula Award Finalists

Novel

WINNER: The Calculating Stars: A Lady Astronaut Novel, Mary Robinette Kowal (Tor)

The Poppy War, R.F. Kuang (Harper Voyager US; Harper Voyager UK)

Blackfish City, Sam J. Miller (Ecco; Orbit UK)

Spinning Silver, Naomi Novik (Del Rey; Macmillan)

Witchmark, C.L. Polk (Tor.com Publishing)

Trail of Lightning, Rebecca Roanhorse (Saga)

BTW: the WINNER of the

The Andre Norton Award for Outstanding Young Adult Science Fiction or Fantasy Book

Children of Blood and Bone, by Tomi Adeyemi, had already been commissioned to be made into a feature-length film last February, prior to being nominated!

For indepth analysis, opinions, covers, all the winners in all categories and more, from the Science-Fiction and Fantasy Blog of Barnes & Noble:

THE MARTIAN

The Winners of the 2018 Nebula Awards Are Stellar

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/blog/sci-fi-fantasy/the-winners-of-the-2018-nebula-awards-are-stellar/

by Joel Cunningham, May 18, 2019

#nobras

04/04/2019 by Sally Ember, EdD

I wrote a post about the improvements for women that occur when wearing bras is reduced or eliminated.

Except for jumping exercises and a few menopause-era months, I haven’t worn bras regularly or at all since 1977.

Highly recommend giving up bras.

https://realfarmacy.com/bras-breast-cancer/

2019 “Gloria Awards: Salute to Women of Vision”: 5/8/19! Please attend, donate, sponsor, support!

03/26/2019 by Sally Ember, EdD

2019 “Gloria Awards: Salute to Women of Vision”: 5/8/19!
Please attend, donate, sponsor, support!

New York City, NY 6 – 11:30 PM

Join Gloria Steinem and Teresa C. Younger at the

Ms. Foundation for Women’s 31^st Annual Gloria Awards

A Salute to Women of Vision

Wednesday, May 8, 2019

6:00 PM ET Cocktails

7:00 PM ET Awards Presentation and Dinner

9:00 PM ET Gloria Awards After Party

At Capitale Bowery • 130 Bowery • New York City

The Gloria Awards is the Ms. Foundation for Women‘s largest annual event, celebrating activists, innovators, and philanthropists who ignite policy and culture change on behalf of women and their communities nationwide. Named after Ms. Foundation Co-Founder, Gloria Steinem, the event pays tribute to the remarkable achievements of feminists whose courage and leadership move us toward our shared vision of a just and inclusive democracy.

Across generations, across the nation, women and girls are standing together to demand change that is overdue. More than ever, women and girls are vocal and mobilized. Generations of women are empowered to create social, political, and economic equity for all genders.

The 2019 Gloria Awards theme—Looking Back on Our Future—honors intergenerational wisdom, courage, and success.

https://forwomen.org/gloria-awards/

Women of Vision Honorees, 2019

dream hampton is an award-winning filmmaker and writer from Detroit. Her most recent work, “Surviving R. Kelly”, Lifetime Television (2019), broke ratings records and had wide and far-reaching impact.

Grassroots activist and Latinx advocate Angeline Echeverría, Executive Director of El Pueblo, Inc., specializing in leadership development for Latinx youth and adults in the Raleigh, North Carolina community.

Human rights defender and advocate Deon Haywood, Executive Director of Women with a Vision in New Orleans, improving the lives of marginalized women, their families, and communities through advocacy, health education, supportive services, and community-based participatory research.

Marie C. Wilson Emerging Leader Honoree

Sana Amanat, Vice President of Content & Character Development, Marvel Entertainment. Her past editorial credits include Captain Marvel, Hawkeye, and Miles Morales. She is most known for co-creating a Muslim-American female super hero named Kamala Khan – the new Ms. Marvel – which gained worldwide media attention and sparked excitement and dialogue about identity and the Muslim-American narrative.

Peggy Charren/Free to Be You and Me Honorees

Layla Bagwell, Jessica Hernandez-Garcia and Charlotte Iradukunda--15 year-old members of the Idaho Coalition Against Sexual and Domestic Violence, who created a Facebook campaign to support Dr. Christine Blasey Ford during her Supreme Court testimony. In addition, their letter writing campaign garnered over 117,00 signatures, including hundreds of women who disclosed their own experience of sexual assault as teenagers.

Ms. Foundation for Women
https://forwomen.org/

Questions?

212-709-4444

events@ms.foundation.org
FMI:

https://e.givesmart.com/events/c8Z/

2019 Reading Room’s #Women’s #Prize for #Fiction’s #Longlist Nominees

03/07/2019 by Sally Ember, EdD

2019 Reading Room’s #Women’s #Prize for #Fiction’s #Longlist Nominees

Cut pieces of paper with text on SEO theme. Isolated on white.

Briefly, here are this year’s UK nominees:

The Silence of the Girls Pat Barker
Remembered Yvonne Battle-Felton
My Sister, the Serial Killer Oyinkan Braithwaite
The Pisces Melissa Broder
Milkman Anna Burns
Freshwater Akwaeke Emezi
Ordinary People Diana Evans
Swan Song Kelleigh Greenberg-Jephcott
An American Marriage Tayari Jones
Number One Chinese Restaurant Lillian Li
Bottled Goods Sophie van Llewyn
Lost Children Archive Valeria Luiselli
Praise Song for the Butterflies Bernice L. McFadden
Circe Madeline Miller
Ghost Wall Sarah Moss
Normal People by Sally Rooney

To chat about these on Twitter: https://twitter.com/womensprize

FMI and to read about the process: https://www.womensprizeforfiction.co.uk/reading-room/news/announcing-the-womens-prize-for-fiction-2019-longlist

Finalists announced for 2019 #Minnesota #Book #Awards

02/05/2019 by Sally Ember, EdD

Finalists announced for 2019 #Minnesota #Book #Awards

image and article from The Friends of the Minnesota Public Library http://thefriends.org

About the Minnesota Book Awards

The Minnesota Book Awards is a year-long program that fosters our statewide literary arts community and connects readers and writers throughout Minnesota.

The process begins in the fall with book submissions and continues through winter with two rounds of judging. Winners are announced at the annual Minnesota Book Awards Ceremony each spring. Woven throughout the season are various engagement activities and events that promote the authors and connect the world of Minnesota books – writers, artists, illustrators, publishers, editors, and more – to readers throughout the state.

Winners announced April 6, and tickets are available now (use link, here). https://thefriends.org/minnesota-book-awards/

Finalists’ info and book covers are linked to, HERE. https://thefriends.org/minnesota-book-awards/minnesota-book-awards-winners/

Mazel Tov to the 36 authors who made the final cut, listed separately in drop-down hot buttons on the live links, below, or the above page, for each of these categories, below.

I include the complete list (4 finalists) only for Genre Fiction, here:

Genre Fiction

Dreadful Young Ladies and Other Stories by Kelly Barnhill
When Mrs. Sorensen’s husband dies, she rekindles a long-dormant love with an unsuitable mate. A young man wrestles with grief and his sexuality in an exchange of letters with his faraway beloved. A witch is haunted by the deadly repercussions of a spell. The stories in Dreadful Young Ladies demonstrate the strength and power – known and unknown – of the imagination. Barnhill is the author of four novels, most recently The Girl Who Drank the Moon, winner of the 2017 John Newbery Medal. She lives in Minneapolis.

Leave No Trace by Mindy Mejia
A father and son disappear from a family camping trip, and search teams find their campsite ravaged. They are presumed dead until, a decade later, the son suddenly appears, largely uncommunicative and exhibiting violent tendencies. Therapist Maya Stark is tasked with making a connection with her patient and, as she’s drawn closer to this enigmatic young man, she’ll risk everything to reunite him with his father. Mejia received her MFA from Hamline University. She is the author of The Dragon Keeper and critically acclaimed Everything You Want Me to Be. She lives in Apple Valley.

The Shadows We Hide by Allen Eskens
Reporter Joe Talbert Jr. stumbles across a story describing the murder of a man named Joseph Talbert. Curious whether this man might be his father, Joe is shocked to find that no one has much to say about the dead man – other than his death was long overdue. Joe must put together the missing pieces of his family history before his investigation puts him in a grave of his own. Eskens is a Minnesota Book Award-winner and the USA Today bestselling author of The Life we Bury, which is being developed for a feature film, The Guise of Another, The Heavens May Fall, and The Deep Dark Descending. He lives in Cleveland.

The Voice Inside by Brian Freeman
Four years after serial killer Rudy Cutter was sent away for life, homicide inspector Frost Easton uncovers a terrible lie: his closest friend planted false evidence to put Cutter behind bars. When he’s forced to reveal the truth, his sister’s killer is back on the streets. Staying ahead of a killer who’s determined to strike again won’t be easy – not when the killer’s next move is unlike anything Frost expected. Freeman is a bestselling author of psychological thrillers, including the Jonathan Stride and Cab Bolton series. His works have been sold in 46 countries and translated into 22 languages. He lives in Woodbury.

Children’s Literature

General Nonfiction

Memoir & Creative Nonfiction

Middle Grade Literature

Minnesota Nonfiction

Novel & Short Story

Poetry

Young Adult Literature

The Friends of the Minnesota Public Library also sponsors annual awards for:
—a person who fosters literacy in major ways;
—a Minnesota nonfiction (scholarly) history author; and
—for the best Book Artist as well.
Use the link, HERE, https://thefriends.org/minnesota-book-awards/minnesota-book-awards-winners/ for this and previous years’ winners and more information.

#Women #Screenwriters #TVseries #writers: #Opportunity

01/28/2019 by Sally Ember, EdD

Kyra Sedgewick’s “SeriesFest is seeking new series and narratives from female creators. Scriptwriters have from January 28-July 26 to submit original work. The competition winner will receive a year-long development deal with Big Swing Productions and the opportunity for a live read of the script with professional actors.”

https://deadline.com/2019/01/kyra-sedgwicks-big-swing-productions-seriesfest-women-writing-competition-1202543714/

Buy $20 of #ebooks for AMAZON $5 credit! “The Spanners Series” has 3 Volumes; I is free; II & III are $3.99 each.

01/25/2019 by Sally Ember, EdD

https://ebookevangelist.com/2019/01/25/spend-20-on-ebooks-get-5-credit-on-amazon/

Do it!

The 2019 #TED Fellows and Senior Fellows Are Amazing!

01/23/2019 by Sally Ember, EdD

Unlike the “genius grants” recipients selected annually by the MacArthur Foundation, the #TED (Technology, Entertainment and Design) Fellows and Senior Follows are culled from many countries, not just the USA.

Fantastic and exciting group of many types of innovators, scientists, artists, creators of such talent and skill! Fabulous!

image from http://blog.TED.com

These grants and this program “support extraordinary, iconoclastic individuals at work on world-changing projects, providing them with access to the global TED platform and community, as well as new tools and resources to amplify their remarkable vision. The TED Fellows program now includes 472 Fellows who work across 96 countries, forming a powerful, far-reaching network of artists, scientists, doctors, activists, entrepreneurs, inventors, journalists and beyond, each dedicated to making our world better and more equitable.”

if you live nearby and/or want to go, there is a conference in which they will all appear: TED2019, April 15-19, in Vancouver, BC, Canada.

Check them out, here: https://blog.ted.com/meet-the-2019-ted-fellows-and-senior-fellows/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

2019 #Ignoble Prizes are In!

01/21/2019 by Sally Ember, EdD

So great! #Science + #Humor

http://www.thescinewsreporter.com/2018/11/physicist-wins-ig-noble-prize-for-study_25.html?m=1

and

https://www.improbable.com/ig/

More than 250,000 people may die each year due to #climate #change

01/21/2019 by Sally Ember, EdD

Horrifying.

https://wp.me/p9Bv9u-9Ke

Possible partial #Alzheimer’s Remedy!

01/19/2019 by Sally Ember, EdD

https://www.davidwolfe.com/new-alzheimers-treatment-fully-restores-memory-function/

This is amazing!

“Australian researchers have developed a non-invasive ultrasound technology that clears the brain of neurotoxic amyloid plaques. Neurotoxic amyloid plaques are one of the structures responsible for memory loss and a decline in cognitive function in Alzheimer’s patients. Their success rate in rat test subjects? 75%.“

I predicted this…

01/18/2019 by Sally Ember, EdD

https://www.rt.com/usa/449104-anti-aging-startup-harvests-blood/

Sad

Mazel Tov to these #scifi #authors, nominated for the Philip K. Dick #Award!

01/15/2019 by Sally Ember, EdD

I read Theory of Bastards, by Audrey Schulman, and it was uniquely intriguing!

Hope to read the rest.

https://www.philipkdickaward.org/2019/01/2019-philip-k-dick-award-nominees-announced.html

We Have 11-D Brains!

01/14/2019 by Sally Ember, EdD

We have 11-dimensional- capable #brains! #science https://futurism.com/scientists-discover-that-our-brains-can-process-the-world-in-11-dimensions?fbclid=IwAR35FB2snb5FBJmgWlE8jMZ9GDx6f_a9wO-qdZg1j6io7iFJ_TRaRLCPon0

Missy Elliott, John Prine, Yusuf/Cat Stevens Among 2019 #Songwriters Hall of Fame Inductees

01/12/2019 by Sally Ember, EdD

Mazel tov to all these #musicians!

https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/missy-elliott-john-prine-cat-stevens-songwriters-hall-of-fame-778309/

25-year-old Kenyan invents gloves that convert sign language into audio speech.

01/08/2019 by Sally Ember, EdD

https://wp.me/pW0bq-vlT

I wonder if this works for #ASL, or which #signlanguage (s)? Very cool, anyway!

Opportunity: AWP Annual Competition for Publication

01/06/2019 by Sally Ember, EdD

https://wp.me/pss2W-fGg

#writers #authors #contest

#publishers

#Happiness is overrated?

12/30/2018 by Sally Ember, EdD

https://zedie.wordpress.com/2018/12/30/a-nobel-prize-winning-psychologist-says-most-people-dont-really-want-to-be-happy/

#psychology

His Holiness the Dalai Lama is interviewed by Richard Quest of CNN

12/30/2018 by Sally Ember, EdD

https://wp.me/pFy3u-505

#Buddhism

#Ebooks #Smashwords 10th Annual 2nd Annual End-of-Year Sale FINAL Days! #Free, 50 – 75% off! Through 1/1/19

12/29/2018 by Sally Ember, EdD

#Ebooks #Smashwords 2nd Annual End-of-Year Sale FINAL Days!
#Free, 50 – 75% off! Through 1/1/19

The Spanners Series‘ cover art and logo by WillowRaven: http://www.willowraven-illustration.blogspot.com/

Smashwords is having its 2nd Annual End-of-Year Sale and The Spanners Series‘ ebooks in every format (reader’s choice) are on sale for 3 more days only!
—free (Volume I)
—only $2.99 (Volume II) COUPON CODE for Volume II, good on Smashwords, only, 12/25/18–1/1/19: SEY25
—only $2.00 (Volume III) COUPON CODE for Volume III, good on Smashwords, only, 12/25/18–1/1/19: SEY50

(usually $3.99 each for ebooks) for the the month of July, 2018! See below for links and more info.

And, go browse on Smashwords for other great discounts and sales for the month of July, 2018!

Whether you’re sweating, freezing, rained or snowed on or anywhere in between, there is still time to READ!
Give ebooks for gifts for birthdays, graduations, holidays, anniversaries, vacations: any time!

The paperbacks of all three Volumes are in the Kindle Match/Kindle Matchbook program at Amazon!
See below for links, details and coupon codes (on Smashwords, only) for each of the Volumes.

This Changes Everything, Vol. I, The Spanners Series

In what multiple timelines of the ever-expanding multiverse do Clara and her long-time love, Epifanio Dang, get to be together and which leave Clara alone and lonely as the leader of Earth?

This Changes Everything spans the 30-year story of Clara’s term as Earth’s first Chief Communicator, continuing in nine more Volumes of The Spanners Series.

Are YOU ready for the changes?

Volume I, This Changes Everything:
Ebooks are PERMAFREE on Smashwords:
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/376197
and Amazon: http://www.amzn.com/B00HFELTG8

This Changes My Family and My Life Forever, Vol. II, The Spanners Series

Intrigued by multiple timelines, aliens, psi skills, romance and planetary change? Clara and the alien “Band” are back in Volume II, This Changes My Family and My Life Forever.

How would YOU do with the changes?

Volume II, This Changes My Family and My Life Forever:
EBOOKS now $2.99, 25% off the regular price of $3.99, using COUPON CODE SEY25 on Smashwords, any ebook format (reader’s choice).

This Is/Is Not the Way I Want Things to Change, Vol. III, The Spanners Series

What do YOU do with wanted/unwanted changes?

Volume III, This Is/Is Not the Way I Want Things to Change:
EBOOKS now $2.00, 50% off the regular price of $3.99, using COUPON CODE SEY50 on Smashwords, any ebook format (reader’s choice).

The Spanners Series‘ three paperbacks.

Print editions and ebooks published under Timult Books

REVIEWERS: Ask for FREE Ebook coupon codes for Volumes II and III on Smashwords any time: sallyember AT yahoo DOT com

#Brain cells arising from #kidneys grown in St. Louis lab!?!

12/27/2018 by Sally Ember, EdD

And you thought the Midwest was boring?!?
https://futurism.com/mini-kidneys-brain-muscle-cells/amp/?__twitter_impression=true

Got balls? Or, know someone who does? READ AND SHARE! #medical #testicular #testicle #cancer #surgery

12/20/2018 by Sally Ember, EdD

Got balls? Or, know someone who does?

READ AND SHARE!

#medical #testicular #testicle #cancer #surgery

A youngish (aged 38), white, employed man—one with great health insurance in the USA—first noticed a pea-shaped/-sized nodule in one testicle while doing a manual self-exam over 10 years ago. At that time and for each subsequent year, he kept having that testicle checked by his doctor.

He noticed that that testicle had felt and looked different from the other one almost right away. During these 10 years, that testicle kept shrinking (and he never took steroids, which are known to cause shrinking balls), but otherwise, it didn’t change much.

from https://www.epainassist.com/pelvic-pain/testicles/testicular-atrophy

Every doctor he saw told him that this shrinking testicle problem was “nothing to be concerned about.” Some diagnosed it as something like a “varicose vein” problem (varicocele); others said it was a “dysfunctional” or “atrophied” testicle. No one seemed concerned.

NO ONE suggested, nor did this young man know to request, an ultrasound, which is what SHOULD have happened, right away.

The major change that occurred about 6 months ago (over 10 years later) was that this shrunken testicle began to grow, to swell and to hurt. He said it felt as if he had pulled a groin muscle. It also looked even more different from his other testicle, on the outside of the scrotum.

When he went in to his doctor, he was having trouble walking because he was in some pain, but he still thought he may have pulled a groin muscle. That internist again did not suggest an ultrasound and only gave him the most cursory manual exam.

The doctor told him: “If it hurts more or changes again, I’ll refer you to a specialist.”

Six months later, in early November, those types of changes happened: more pain, even more swelling. This time, the young man knew that this was not a pulled muscle.

When he called his doctor, he was referred to and then quickly scheduled an appointment to be seen by a urologist.

That doctor did a much more thorough manual and visual examination, asked a lot more questions, spent more time. This doctor concluded without hesitation that this testicle was a problem and ordered an ultrasound, to occur a few days later.

The ultrasound (which was painful and that pain lasted several days, BTW), confirmed that the testicle had “multiple masses” internally, something no man wants to hear.

NOT this man’s ultrasound, but similar; from http://www.ceessentials.net/article42.html

The urologist explained the possibilities (none great) and then immediately scheduled for that testicle’s contents to be removed one week later. This inguinal (through the lower abdomen) surgery was to be done in order to find out, by removing and sending the contents for pathological analysis, whether or not these masses were cancerous (probably were), and, if so, what kind.

The surgery took about one hour. Luckily, everything went fine.

Cross-Sectional Diagram of Inguinal Surgery Procedure to Remove Testicular Mass

from http://www.profnatali.it/eng/andrological-diseases/177/testicular-cancer.html

Post-surgery, the urologist seemed optimistic about the “containment” or “encapsulation” of these masses within the scrotum (best possible outcome). The urologist mentioned that, by his observations of the scrotal contents’ look, color and texture, the masses were likely to be seminomas (also known as pure seminomas or classical seminomas).

Seminoma is “a germ cell tumor of the testicle or, more rarely, the mediastinum or other extra-gonadal [outside the scrotum] locations. It is a malignant neoplasm and is one of the most treatable and curable cancers, with a survival rate above 95%, if discovered in early stages.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seminoma

Seminoma “is a slow-growing form of testicular cancer found in men in their 30s, 40s and 50s. The cancer is in the testes, but it can spread to the lymph nodes. Lymph node involvement is either treated with radiotherapy or chemotherapy. Seminomas are very sensitive to radiation therapy.” https://medlineplus.gov › Medical Encyclopedia

from https://www.slideserve.com/phuc/testicular-diseases

However, the man had to wait for pathology (to be available five – seven days later or sooner) to hear if he had to have any “next steps” (e.g., radiation or chemotherapy), or if he’s “clear” (presumed to be cancer-free).

If he’s presumed to be cancer-free at this first checkpoint, he and his doctor are on “watch and report frequently” duty, which means that, for about 10 years, the man is to:

1) continue doing monthly self-exams of the other testicle and the empty scrotum and

2) schedule visits for ultrasound or CAT scans every 3 – 6 months.

If, at any time, post-surgery, the cancer seems to have spread or MAY have spread, a treatment regime is proposed, agreed to and then started. This could include radiation, chemotherapy, and/or more surgery, depending upon what is detected.

For THIS man, his story has this “outcome” (for now):

This man’s blood tests were clear: no tumor cancer markers, but the surgeon said there was some “leakage” outside of the testis. There were no signs of any other masses.

The urologist ordered CT scans to determine if any of these masses had spread (metastasized. which everyone always hopes cancer does not do). he told this man that getting the scans was “not urgent,” but should be done “soon.”

The surgeon also referred him to an oncologist (cancer specialist), who would go over all these results with him and help him understand his options and decide how to proceed at that point. [I will update this saga after all that has occurred.]

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NOTES TO ALL HUMANS between the ages of 15 – 50 who have testicles, DO THESE THINGS:

—Self-exams (manual and visual) are crucial (which is the way this man first found the nodules);

the above graphic and the video, below, were posted by: Justin Birckbichler on Twitter:

How to do a Testicular Self-Exam: Video

posted by: A Ballsy Sense of Tumor

—Get better-informed internists, so that early detection via ultrasound is routine.

If you know a or you are a human under 50 with testicles (self-identified as “male” or not), spread the word!

ANY nodules, masses, pain, changes in size or texture of a testicle MUST be reported to a doctor AND that doctor should refer to a urologist and/or should request immediately to have an ultrasound, for diagnostic purposes.

Unless scans can prove a mass/nodule is only a fluid-filled cyst (epididymal cysts, which are quite common, painless and harmless), the affected testicle will probably be emptied out from within (an inguinal surgery, which this man, above, had), or the testicle itself is to be removed completely, ASAP.

This surgery generally works very well and urologists do it frequently, so they have the procedure down. This does involve having general anaesthesia and cutting, and, therefore, has associated risks, but most do fine with this procedure.

The surgery is usually done as an “outpatient” procedure, meaning, the person goes home that same day/night.

Depending on several factors—the general health of the person and the type of surgery done as well as the pathology results—full recovery may take 4 – 6 weeks or longer. During this time, the recovery may have restrictions (no heavy lifting or pulling, no airline travel, limited sitting, lots of rest vs. work or ordinary schedule) but walking and other non-strenuous exercises are encouraged right away.

Success and recovery rates for this type of cancer are quite high:

99% if the cancer has not spread;

96% if it has.

STILL: early detection is key.

Image from and link to wellness guide: https://www.allwellnessguide.com/the-importance-of-early-detection-in-cases-of-testicular-cancer/

FMI:

National Foundation for Cancer Research

What are the early warning signs of testicular cancer?

Signs and symptoms of testicular cancer include:

A lump or enlargement in either testicle.
A feeling of heaviness in the scrotum.
A dull ache in the abdomen or groin.
A sudden collection of fluid in the scrotum.
Pain or discomfort in a testicle or the scrotum.
Enlargement or tenderness of the breasts.
Back pain.

National Health Service, UK: How should testicles look and feel?

There are several causes of testicular lumps and swellings:

varicocele – caused by enlarged veins in the testicles (may look like a bag of worms)
hydrocele – a swelling caused by fluid around the testicle
epididymal cyst – a lump caused by a collection of fluid in the epididymis
testicular torsion – a sudden painful swelling that occurs when a testicle becomes twisted (this is a medical emergency and requires surgery as soon as possible)
epididymitis – a chlamydia infection in the epididymis can cause inflammation, swelling and tenderness inside the scrotum (ball sack); a few men will notice that the whole of the scrotum is red and tender (this is called epididymo-orchitis)
testicular cancer – an estimated 4 in 100 lumps are cancer, so this is an uncommon cause of lumps

Types of testicular cancer

The different types of testicular cancer are classified by the type of cells the cancer begins in.
The most common type of testicular cancer is “germ cell testicular cancer,” which accounts for around 95% of all cases. Germ cells are a type of cell that the body uses to create sperm.
There are two main subtypes of germ cell testicular cancer. They are:

seminomas – which have become more common in the past 20 years and now account for 50 to 55% of testicular cancers
non-seminomas – which account for most of the rest and include teratomas, embryonal carcinomas, choriocarcinomas and yolk sac tumors

Both types tend to respond well to chemotherapy.
Less common types of testicular cancer include:

Leydig cell tumors – which account for around 1 to 3% of cases
Sertoli cell tumors – which account for around 1% of cases
lymphoma – which accounts for around 4% of cases

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Think you or someone you know needs a monthly reminder to do a self-exam?

If you/they have a texting phone, show them this:

Text 81010 to @selfexam to receive a monthly text message reminder!

AND, use/share this free app: Checking Balls App, for both Androids and iPhones

Our Ball Checker mobile app provides a few facts every guy and girl should know about testicular cancer as well as how to do a testicular self exam. If you have testicles or know someone that does, then you should get this app.

With early detection testicular cancer is almost 100% survivable but lack of awareness leads to late diagnosis and unfortunate outcomes. The lack of awareness and education is one of the biggest challenges we have in the fight against testicular cancer.

Make sure you and the men in your life have the knowledge that could end up saving their life.

A Moment of Awkwardness Could Save A Lifetime. Talk About Testicular Cancer.

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Best of luck and good health to you all!

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Some other info and worst-case scenarios information:

“Dr Turnbull and her team uncovered new genetic mutations in testicular germ cell tumours, which make up the vast majority of testicular cancers. They found new chromosome duplications and other abnormalities that could contribute to the development of this cancer, as well as confirming a previous association with a gene called KIT.

“Their study also found defective copies of a DNA repair gene called XRCC2 in a patient who had become resistant to platinum-based chemotherapy. They were able to support the link between XRCC2 and platinum resistance by sequencing an additional platinum-resistant tumour.

“’Although generally testicular cancer responds well to treatment, resistance to platinum-based chemotherapy is associated with a poor long-term survival rate,’ explains Dr Turnbull. ‘The repercussions of these findings could be significant for men suffering with this disease. In the future, men who are destined to fail platinum treatment— currently around 3% of cases—could be identified before they endure courses of chemotherapy and be offered different treatments, more suited to their particular type of tumour.’”

from: https://www.icr.ac.uk/news-features/latest-features/understanding-why-some-men-still-die-from-testicular-cancer

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“If the cancer has spread, the patient may get treatments like radiation or chemotherapy. The cancer will come back in about 15% to 20% of patients, most often as spread to lymph nodes , but if it does, radiation or chemo can still usually cure the cancer.”

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Seminomas

Stage I

“These cancers can be cured in nearly all patients. You first have surgery to remove the testicle and spermatic cord (called a radical inguinal orchiectomy). After surgery, you have many treatment choices:

“Careful observation (surveillance): If the cancer has not spread beyond the testicle, the plan most experts prefer is that you be watched closely by your doctor for up to 10 years. This means getting physical exams and blood tests every 3 to 6 months for the first year, and less often after that. Imaging tests (CT scans and sometimes chest x-rays) are done every 3 months for 6 months, and then once or twice a year.

“If these tests do not find any signs that cancer has spread beyond the testicle, no other treatment is needed. If the cancer has spread, you may get treatments like radiation or chemo. The cancer will come back in about 15% to 20% of patients, most often as spread to lymph nodes , but if it does, radiation or chemo can still usually cure the cancer.

“Radiation therapy: Radiation aimed at para-aortic lymph nodes is another option. These nodes are in the back of your abdomen (belly), around the large blood vessel called the aorta. Because seminoma cells are very sensitive to radiation, low doses can be used and you’ll get about 10 to 15 treatments over 2 to 3 weeks.

“Chemotherapy: An option that works as well as radiation is 1 or 2 cycles of chemotherapy with the drug carboplatin after surgery. Many experts prefer chemo over radiation because it seems to be easier to tolerate.”

Survival by stage

“There are no UK-wide statistics available for testicular cancer survival.

“Survival statistics are available for the different stages of testicular cancer in one area of England. These figures are for men diagnosed between 2002 and 2006. They don’t provide information about the type of testicular cancer or tumour marker level.

“The [data] below are for 4 stages of testicular cancer. Your doctor may use a different system that only has 3 stages.

Stage 1

“Almost all men survive their cancer for five years or more after diagnosis.

“Stage 1 means the cancer is only in the testes.”

Stage 2

“Almost 95 out of 100 men (almost 95%) survive their cancer for 5 years or more after diagnosis.

“Stage 2 means the cancer has spread to nearby lymph nodes.”

Pure seminoma

“Pure seminoma means that there are no teratoma cells in the tumour. You will have normal Alpha fetoprotein (AFP) marker levels if you have pure seminoma.

“There are two categories of outlook for pure seminoma testicular cancer – good prognosis and intermediate prognosis. No one with pure seminoma is classified as having a poor prognosis.”

Good prognosis

“Almost 90 out of every 100 men (almost 90%) survive for 5 years or more after they are diagnosed.

“Most men have a good prognosis. Good prognosis means that the seminoma has spread only to the lymph nodes or the lungs. It has not spread anywhere else.”

Intermediate prognosis

“More than 70 out of every 100 men (more than 70%) survive for 5 years or more after diagnosis.

“Intermediate prognosis means that the seminoma has spread beyond the lung or lymph nodes to other parts of the body, such as the brain or liver.”

Survival for all stages of testicular cancer

“The outlook for testicular cancer is one of the best for all cancers. Nearly all men survive their disease.” [NOTE: in the 1970s, this statistic was almost the opposite: 90% DIED from it!]

“In England and Wales:

almost all men will survive their cancer for 1 year or more after they are diagnosed
almost all men (98%) will survive their cancer for 5 years or more after diagnosis

“Unlike some other cancers, it is rare for testicular cancer to come back more than 5 years later.”

from: https://www.cancer.org/cancer/testicular-cancer/treating/by-stage.html

and from:

https://www.premiermedicalhv.com/news/testicular-cancer-10-questions-every-man-needs-ask/

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“First Targeted Cancer Drug Approved Based on Mutation Rather than Tumor Type”

Please read and share this detailed, informative article about new ways to treat cancer, especially unusual types, particularly in those individuals with specific mutations.

from:

https://zedie.wordpress.com/2018/12/19/first-targeted-cancer-drug-approved-based-on-mutation-rather-than-tumor-type/