Available in Paperback and Ebook

Amazon Link: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1947381296/ref=ppx_od_dt_b_asin_title_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

 
Farmer Ben’s cows have everything they need.
 
They have a shade tree for sunny days, a barn for rainy days, and a fence to keep them safe.

They have all the tasty green grass they want to eat.

But one of the cows has been eating the vegetables in Farmer Ben’s garden.

How will he find out which one?

Annabelle knows someone needs to step up and be honest.



​ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Anita Stafford makes her home in northern Arkansas where she grew up on a dairy farm surrounded by a large, loving, and always entertaining extended family. She is a Licensed Professional Counselor and was an educator in public school for more than twenty years. Anita is also the author of The Legend of Sassafras House and Treasure in Catclaw Canyon.

Hi! Kristi here.  Recently, in response to our nation's headlines concerning racism, I asked all of our interns if any of them wanted to be featured on the blog.  Princess Berry responded and sent me her picture and a brief bio, that I am sharing with you below.

Here at Dreaming Big, we all work remotely and never meet face to face. All interns and authors are accepted based on their skill level and the work they do, which is how it should be! It would still be that way if we were meeting face to face, but working on the internet adds another layer of anonymity because unless they show a picture or mention anything about themselves, I have no idea what their skin color is, their sexual orientation, or even gender in most cases because names are not always enough to tell. 

I want Dreaming Big to be a safe place where people can embrace being themselves without fear of being mocked, bullied, or not accepted. Everyone has an equal playing field here, and nothing like gender, skin color, or sexual orientation is going to give one person an advantage or disadvantage compared to another. Tattoos, piercings, wild hair color or style - all are welcome!

From Princess Berry - Princess is a full-time nerd who earned her B.A in English this year after graduating from Centenary University. Along with being Black, Native American, and Portuguese, she also proudly identifies as panromantic. Her ultimate goal is to become an editor and an archivist. When she is not being productive, she enjoys playing video games, reading, writing, and getting tattoos.

​Tips & Tricks to Overcome a Reading Slump
By Elizabeth Dubos
 
A reading slump can be a bookworm’s worst nightmare. A reading slump is when you have the desire to read but cannot choose or enjoy a book. One of the biggest signs you’re in a reading slump is when your favorite or most anticipated books don’t excite you. There are numerous reasons to what can cause a book slump. This includes feeling overworked, stressed, distractions, and finishing a beloved book and nothing competes with it. Here are my tips and tricks to overcome a reading slump.
 
1. Don’t force it. If you force yourself to read, then you’re going to prolong your reading slump. Plus, it might ruin a book if you’re not fully invested. Instead, try to watch a movie, TV show, listening to music, gaming, or crafting.
 
2. Switch genres. Maybe you’ve outgrown a particular genre without noticing it. Maybe you’ve been reading too much of the same genre and you’re bored. Explore various genres and sees which ones pique your interest. Then, you can download e-book samples to see if you like it before purchasing it. As a reader, your taste in books is allowed to change and evolve.
 
3. DON’T REREAD AN ALL TIME FAVORITE! I know this an unpopular opinion, but hear me out. Rereading your favorite book or series can be damaging because nothing compares to its greatness afterwards. Plus, if you already know the ending, then there’s nothing stopping you from putting the book down.
 
4. Browse Goodreads. If you’re unsure about authors or genres, explore the browse tab on the Goodreads home screen. The browse tab offers recommendations, the Goodreads Choice Award Winners, new releases, and lists. If you’re looking for a general recommendation, I suggest checking out the ‘Most Popular Book Lists’ because it offers numerous genres, age groups, and authors to choose from. For example, Best Young Adult Books, Books That Everyone Should Read, or Best Books of the 20th Century.
 
5. Reorganize your bookshelves. Do you toss books onto your bookshelves and over time they’ve accumulated into looking messy? Try reorganizing your bookshelves by author, height, color, genre or series. You might discover books that you thought were gone or decide to read a book based on its cover design.
 
6. A reading routine. Does it feel like there’s never enough time in the world to read? Try to schedule a minimal time to read whether it’s in the morning, afternoon, or evening. You can set an alarm on your phone to ring to remind you, so you don’t forget. Plus, if you have an issue of people interrupting you during reading, they will notice you reading at particular times, therefore, they will not bother you.
 
7. Watch BookTube videos. BookTube is a special corner within YouTube that houses an online bookish community. They create all kinds of bookish themed content from book recommendations, challenges, read-a-thons, vlogs, and more! BookTubers discuss various genres and age groups, so everyone can join in on the fun. My favorite BookTubers are ArielBissett, jessethereader, PeruseProject, abookuptopia, BooksandLala, readbyzoe, and a ClockworkReader. Even if watching bookish content doesn’t inspire you to pick up a book, you can still be a part of the literary community. Maybe this might inspire you to start your own BookTube channel!
 
8. A reading nook. A reading nook is a special area in your home where you can sit and enjoy reading. You might put your favorite book quotes, candles, a comfy chair, or a stack of your favorite books. A reading nook can help motivate you to read because you’re surrounded by all your literary favorites. A reading nook can be a cubby in your closet, a corner in your living room, a wall in your home office.
 
9. Join a book club. Book clubs are great for reading slumps because you only have to read one book a month and then you get to be surrounded by other literary lovers. If you’re having trouble finding a book club, then I would highly recommend checking out the Barnes & Noble book club. Barnes & Noble has one for teens and adults. Plus, they offer virtual book club meetings! If you’re interested in learning more about the Barnes & Noble book clubs, I’ve attached a link below. https://www.barnesandnoble.com/h/book-club
 
10. Audiobooks. Yes, I’m part of the club that believes audiobooks count as reading. I think audiobooks are great because it allows bookworms to enjoy the content in a different format. What happens if your eyes are tired after working hard all day, but you still want to enjoy a book? You can easily listen to the book, so you can enjoy your literary hobby. Plus, depending on the narrators, they might improve the story because it allows you to further visualize the setting, characters, and plot. There are numerous ways to access audiobooks via subscriptions, online libraries, or purchasing it through a major retailer.
 
Edited by Emily Chance

​Summer 2020 Activities
By Elizabeth Dubos
 
Has COVID-19 botched your summer plans? Does summer seem dismal because your favorite summer activities have been canceled? I think everyone has at least one traditional summer activity that they will miss; traditional summer activities like outdoor concerts, firework displays, and vacations have been temporarily put on hold for everyone’s safety. It’s alright to grieve these losses because we enjoy looking forward to them every year. However, we don’t have to let COVID-19 overtake our entire summer. How about we make adjustments to our summer activities, so we’re not completely missing out on summer fun? Here is a list of indoor and outdoor activities, where you can practice pandemic safety techniques, while still having fun throughout the summer.
 
Indoor:
1. Make your own ice cream. You can experiment with different recipes, flavors, or mix-ins.
2. Have a summer movie marathon. The marathon can be filled with summer movies like JAWS (1975), Dirty Dancing (1987), The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (2005), I Know What You Did Last Summer (1997), Point Break (1991), or The Goonies (1985).
3. Read summer themed books.
4. Go on a virtual field trip to a zoo, aquarium, museum, planetarium, or a national park.
5. Master a new hobby like sewing, scrapbooking, painting, calligraphy, or yoga. 
6. Discover new crafts from Pinterest.
7. Catch up on crossword, word search, or sudoku puzzles.
8. Perform a science experiment.
9. Facetime your friends or family and have an indoor dance party.
10. Build a LEGO set. You can find numerous LEGO themed pieces such as architecture, Disney, Harry Potter, or Minecraft on their website https://www.lego.com/en-us
 
Outdoor:
1. Build a firepit and make s’mores.
2. Start a garden. You can grow your own fruits, vegetables, or flowers.
3. Create sidewalk or driveway chalk art.
4. Have a picnic in your backyard.
5. Set up the camping gear in your backyard and go stargazing.
6. Turn your backyard into a mini waterpark with sprinklers, water guns, and slip n’ slides.
7. Have a BBQ and grill your favorite recipes.
8. Sit outside and stargaze. Maybe you could learn about constellations.
 
 
Edited by: Emily Stewart

​I Am Not Colorblind
By Cortney J. Rowe
 
I am not colorblind,
For color is in the broadness of your nose
And the fullness of your lips.
It is in the width of your hips, the greatness of your height,
And the length between your large, deep-set eyes.
It is in your earth-brown skin
And the ebony locks of your rosebush hair.
 
I see color in the way you move
As you sway your body to a rhythm
That only you can hear,
Your body telling a story
Beyond any words we know.
 
I hear color in the resonance of your voice,
The richness of it powerful enough
To bring mountains to their knees.
A voice strong enough to foundation
Rock, Blues, Gospel, R&B, Hip Hop, and Rap.
In your voice are all of your struggles.
All of your successes.
 
I taste color in the food you cook.
The rich flavors particular to your culture.
With cuisine brought over
By slave ancestors to feed their slave masters.
A cuisine both celebrated and used to stereotype
You and yours.
 
I see color in your appearance.
The vibrancy in the colors of your clothing,
The beaded wraps of your hair,
Your braids that ripple
Like river water.
 
I see color through the eyes of others:
The teacher who punishes your children
More than their White peers,
The store clerk who follows you around
Due to their expectations of your criminality,
The employer who tells you
That “You’re just not right for the job,”
Entertainment that reduces you
To secondary loud and violent stereotypes,
Politicians who bargain for your votes
While maintaining the status quo,
Police that play judge, jury, and executioner with your lives
With protection from law that’s supposed to protect you.
 
I see color in the trials of your ancestors:
The BaKongo of Congo and the Mandé of Guinea,
The Akan of Ghana and the Wolof of Senegal,
The Igbo of Nigeria and the Mbundu of Angola,
And other African people who were stolen from their homes,
Stowed like animals,
And sold into bondage.
 
I see color in your great-grandfathers
Who bled and broke to enrich lands
That would never enrich them.
 
I see color in your great-grandmothers
Who were defiled by slave masters
And forced to watch as their children were ripped from their arms.
 
I see color in your grandfathers,
Beaten and lynched
To keep them from rising above their captors.
 
I see color in your grandmothers,
Forced into servitude
For White children at the expense of their own.
 
I see color in your fathers,
Frisked in front of you
To teach you who has the real power.
 
I see color in your mothers,
Working multiple minimum wage jobs
To provide for you as best as she can.
In color I see in you a people who have survived.
I see a people who have survived
Slavery,
Segregation,
Lynching,
Gentrification,
Gerrymandering,
Voter fraud,
Limited job opportunities,
Poverty,
Devalued education,
Mass incarceration,
Police brutality,
And much more.
 
In color I see in you a people who
Fought against their oppressors,
Told stories that uplifted others,
Created music that reached the world,
Rose to positions no one could have predicted they’d reach,
Pulled themselves up by their bootstraps in spite of not having boots,
Brought together dozens of divergent cultures, and
Crafted a uniquely Black identity that has survived for over 400 years.
 
For to be colorblind, I would be blind to
Your trials and your triumphs,
Your beatings and your beauty,
Your sacrifices and your survival,
Your fear and your flourish.
 
To not see color is to not see you.
I see color.
I see you.
 
Edited by Megan Lilly
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

​Princess Berry
June 11, 2020
First Time Tattoo Guide
 
Anytime you are preparing to get a new tattoo is exciting, but there is something special about your first tattoo. I got my first tattoo on my wrist when I was 19 and I couldn’t stop looking at it as I walked back to my campus. I am now 22, and I have five tattoos with a folder on my computer titled, “tattoo ideas,” for the ones I plan to get in the future. I know some people just get random tattoos with no deep meaning behind it, and that is okay as long as they are happy with it. For your first tattoo, though, I think it is important to take time to consider what you should get because it is your first step into the tattoo world, and you don’t want to ruin it by getting a random tramp stamp. I left some questions below that you can ask yourself when preparing to get your first tattoo.
 
 
1. What or who do I care about?
 
Choosing which tattoo to get can be difficult, especially when it's your first one. Since tattoos normally tell some sort of story by revealing something about the person, I find it helpful to think about what I value. Once I find something I value, whether it be a memory or a nostalgic TV show, I think about if my admiration will last forever. You don’t want to get something that you’ll end up losing interest in as you get older, which is probably why people don’t recommend getting couple tattoos unless you’ve been with that person for a long time. Tattoos are permanent, so think carefully about what story you choose to have your skin tell.
 
2. Do I know someone with really good tattoos?
  
Of course, once you get an idea for what you want, you need to find a tattoo shop. If you have any family or friends that have quality tattoos, I recommend asking them where they got it done and who their artist is. By asking someone you know, you can discover what shop is trustworthy and learn about the tattoo artist’s personality. You don’t have to go to the same artist the people you know go to but getting the name of a shop can lead you in the right direction. Some tattoo websites even have profiles for their tattoo artists with pictures of their work so you can learn whose style fits the tattoo you want. Even finding the social media pages of local artists is a good idea as well.  Just keep in mind that some artists are very popular so it may be difficult to book an appointment with them right away.
 
 
 
 
 
3. How much will it cost?
 
Tattoos are not cheap. Even if you plan on getting a small tattoo, it is most likely not going to be under $50. Plus, it is important to tip your tattoo artist. If you make the appointment ahead of time, you can always ask the artist about the estimated price so you come prepared. Now, some tattoo shops have sales on Friday the 13th where you chose a design from a book for a small tattoo that costs $13 (not including the tip). Those sales can be fun to participate in and you can even make a day out of it by going with friends. Just keep in mind that tattoo shops are very crowded when these sales are going on since there are people with appointments and people who are looking for a $13 tattoo. Also, be sure to only go to really reputable tattoo shops for these sales, because even though the tattoo is cheap, you don’t want to get an artist that is not going to put in the effort to make it look expensive.
 
 
4. How visible can my tattoos be?
 
Though you shouldn’t let your career discourage you from getting a tattoo, you still need to think about where the tattoo should go and how big it should be. If you’re trying to be a lawyer, you definitely should not get a large neck tattoo, unless you plan on wearing turtlenecks every day. Getting tattoos on your arm can be a safe choice for most jobs because you can always wear long sleeves. Face tattoos, in my opinion, are never the way to go, even if you’re a rapper. But definitely don’t get a face tattoo as your first one, especially if you’re still trying to figure out what you want to do for a living.
 
5. How much pain can I handle?
 
            Tattoos are not a painless process. For some people, getting the tattoo shaded in is more painful than getting the lines put on and vice versa. My friend describes the process as getting stung by a bee. Based on my experience, I find that the process is more annoying than painful, particularly the shading because it feels like someone is drawing on your skin with a hot pencil. I love spending time with my artist, but I am also very relieved once it’s over. It’s a feeling you can get used to over time, and good artists will ask you if you're okay to see if you need a break. If you’re worried about the pain, getting a small tattoo that may require a little bit of shading is the way to go. A small tattoo will give you an idea of what the pain feels like in a short amount of time. Also, keep in mind that the area you get the tattoo on will be sore for a couple of days as it is healing. The soreness does not last forever as long as you are gentle while cleaning it, but you can always ask your artist if there is any other way to reduce it.
 
 
Tattoo shops in New Jersey are reopening on June 22nd according to NJ.com. Good luck to anyone getting your first tattoo and stay safe!
 
 

​A Hurricane Season Prep List
By Elizabeth Dubos
 
Disclaimer: I am not an expert on hurricanes, however, I have lived through and endured numerous hurricanes, so I wanted to utilize my experiences to help others get better prepared.
 
Hurricane season starts on June 1st and ends on November 30th. Hurricanes are a type of storm called a tropical cyclone. Hurricanes are designated by category; The Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Model determines how great the hurricane will be based on its maximum sustained winds. The category rating is 1 to 5; therefore, the higher the category rating, the more dangerous the hurricane could be. Hurricanes are a destructive force of nature because a hurricane’s high winds and flooding can incur severe property damage. Life can throw a lot of hurdles, so it’s easy to forget to plan for hurricanes. You might have eaten all your non-perishables, forgot to buy more flashlight batteries, or forgot to call-in to the pharmacy extra medication to ensure you don’t run out. Here is a list of items to purchase before a hurricane strikes your location. Remember, it’s always better to be prepared.
 
If you would like to receive factual and recent hurricane information, please visit the National Hurricane Center’s website. https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/
 
1. Flashlight or lantern with extra batteries.
2. Nonperishable Food. Canned meats, canned vegetables, peanut butter & jelly, soup, juice boxes, cereal, granola bars, applesauce, or energy bars.
3. Paper plates, reusable utensils, napkins, plastic cups, non-electric can opener, and paper towels.
4. Water jugs. Try to purchase at least four – five jugs one-gallon jugs.
5. Pet supplies. Extra pet food, kennels/cages, medical records/microchip, leash, tags, or medications.
6. A radio with extra batteries.
7. Garbage and Ziplock bags.
8. Toilet paper, wipes, and diapers.
9. Fill up your vehicle’s gas tank or charge your electric car.
10. Extra propane tank or charcoal if you have a grill, so you can grill food.
12. A tub plug to hold water if you have a bathtub.
13. Blankets, pillows, sheets, and towels.
14. Ice cooler or waterproof container.
15. Tools. A wrench or pliers to turn off utilities.
16. Tarps, sandbags, and rope.
17. A generator.
18. Hiking shirts, pants, and shoes.
19. Whistle.
20. Toys, books, and games.
21. A portable cell phone power bank to charge the necessities.
22. A signal flare to call for help in case of emergencies.
23. A compass. A compass can be purchased from Target, Walmart, Dick’s Sporting Goods, or Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/Orienteering-Compass-Backpacking-Navigation-Professional/dp/B087WXMQG6?ref_=s9_apbd_obs_hd_bw_bEqi1r&pf_rd_r=PHH9F9XW29ZC285WHSV2&pf_rd_p=e91a7979-3b53-58b3-8f85-9f361270f51f&pf_rd_s=merchandised-search-10&pf_rd_t=BROWSE&pf_rd_i=219431011
24. Extra feminine products.
25. Pre-safety plan. I.e. where to go in your home in case of tornado.
26. An emergency backup plan in case you get separated from loved ones.
27. Print maps of the area. This comes in handy when if your phone or tablet’s batteries dies.
28. Extra cash.
29. Copies of personal documents (proof of address, passports, birth certificate, medical insurance cards, lease to home, or medication list.)
30. A first aid kit filled with antibiotic spray/cream, Band-Aids, latex free gloves, tweezers, gauze, medical tape, aspirin, and scissors. Or you can purchase a ready-to-go first aid kit on Amazon.
 
Edited by Princess Berry