This time of year can find many folks searching for the perfect gift. Even those who don’t like to read often enjoy audiobooks.
I love listening to audiobooks! My Audible Premium Plus Annual membership is worth every penny. Through September, I’ve logged over 323 listening hours.
Lately, I’ve revisited some old favorites.
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Audible has plenty of affordable options for yourself or to give as a gift. Give a membership or a single audiobook.
”Authors should take note. The days of waiting for a publisher to promote your book are gone. Be bold, be inventive, and do something readers will remember.“
I thought this quote was too good not to share. This is the type of motivational phrase I might print out and pin to my bulletin board. It comes from today’s email from Self Publishing With Dale.
If you’re an author, are you constantly working to improve your craft and stay current in the industry? We all learn differently, but nearly all of us can use some help along the way. I’ve used writing conferences, webinars, podcasts, books on writing, writers’ groups, and more to become a better writer and to learn how to better market my writing.
Writing and publishing experts often send out a FREE version of their newsletter in email format. Two such newsletters I subscribe to are by Jane Friedmanand Dale L. Roberts. Of course, there are other great newsletters and experts in the writing world, but I don’t have time to follow all of them. Jane and Dale both summarize current, essential information about what’s happening in the writing and publishing realm.
I’ve followed Dale (and at times his wife Kelli) since 2020. Dale always has the latest news about platforms indie authors use. Jane is an expert on the business of writing, the influence of AI in writing, and what I like to think of as “the big picture” in publishing. Both Jane and Dale provide high-value content. All you have to do is sign up and take a few minutes to read their emails. If you are serious about writing and publishing, you’ll be glad you did.
Tom Paine’s War is a book aptly titled. It isn’t an in-depth examination of Paine’s political pamphlets, although it brings out their highlights. This is the story of Tom Paine and his writings in the context of the politics, culture, and fight for America’s independence from England. If you are looking for an accessible overview of the Revolutionary War, this is a good place to start.
Paine was curious, intelligent, and gregarious. He befriended Benjamin Franklin, who introduced Paine into the worlds of George Washington and Thomas Jefferson. Although he knew many great people of this era, Paine wasn’t an insider. His Common Sense pamphlet had grand ideas written in everyday language, making it appeal to both the intellectuals and the common man.
Paine’s political essays rallied the colonists and helped unify thoughts of a new government, independent of the King. This made Paine popular for a time, but people didn’t embrace all of his ideas. Written in his later years, The Age of Reason was a deist critique of the Bible, through which Paine lost much credibility.
FUN FACT: Tom Paine was possibly the first war newspaper correspondent.
Thank you @StMartinsPress and @NetGalley for the advance reader copy of Tom Paine’s War. Pre-order now at https://amzn.to/3IAxg0k for January 6, 2026 release.
Here’s a tip for accessing a digital or audio copy of the latest reads on the cheap.
I stepped into a chain bookstore to kill a little time between appointments. A prominent display of current popular books greeted me just inside the door.
I’d already read a couple of them, and some others looked interesting. I snapped a few pictures of the books I wanted to consider further.
These are bestsellers at full price. I rarely purchase books at full price unless I can justify it as a work expense. New bestsellers usually don’t go on sale for several months. Here’s how to read or listen to the book in weeks, days, or immediately, and for FREE.
Download the free Libby library app from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store. On a computer, visit libbyapp.com in your web browser.
Link your library card.
Search for the title you want to borrow or browse categories. Select the format, ebook or audio, if available.
Tap Borrow. You might have to wait if others requested the title before you. Loan periods can range 7 to 21 days, depending on your library’s rules. You may have several pending requests at once. Libby will notify you when it’s your turn. If you are too busy, you can ask to be skipped until you have more time to read.
Read or listen to your book.
Post a review of the book on Goodreads (optional, but appreciated by authors).
Return the book for the next reader. If you forget, the system automatically returns the book at the end of the loan period. No late fees.
I just finished Abraham Verghese’s generational saga set in India, The Covenant of Water. I didn’t have to wait as long as Libby originally predicted.
I checked out another book that had intrigued me at the bookstore, but after listening for two hours, I chose not to finish it. I’m so glad I didn’t purchase that book!
Enjoy more books without paying more! Happy reading!
What’s the best way to cool off when the summer heat bears down? A jump in your favorite swimming hole can help you survive the heat while having fun.
I’ve reviewed four popular electric water scooters for power, speed, safety, user friendliness, and price. See the end of the article for a comparison chart. First, let’s take a look at safety.
Safety Features
Each of these scooters has a dual “dead man’s switch”. They will not operate unless you press the power trigger on both the left and right handles. As soon as you let go, the motor automatically stops. The stop is instant with the scooters, and within two seconds for the kickboard.
The Geneinno and the Sublue have child safety locks. These are toggle slides which don’t instill a great deal of confidence against the curious fingers of a toddler. Only the ASIWO MAKO imposes an age limit of 12 years and older, although promotional videos on the product page depict users who look younger.
The scooters all have a wrist tether of some sort, except for the kickboard, because it floats. The Geneinno tether uses Velcro, while the Sublue and LEFEET have quick-release buckles. These scooters weigh between 5.7 and 7.72 pounds, so if you let go of them without them being strapped to you, they will sink like a stone. Likewise, if you let go of the power button in deep water, you would be wise to wear a personal floatation device.
The manufactures designed the position of the prop far enough inside and the grill openings to be too small for a little finger to reach it. But that’s no guarantee an inquisitive youngster won’t to find a way to poke something in there. The instruction booklets clearly say not to allow sticks, ropes, and other debris in the intake. Even more importantly, the scooters should always be used forward-facing, so the outflow is toward the rider. Take extreme care to prevent long hair or loose clothing from being sucked into the motor.
The Geneinno S2 Underwater Scooter was the first device of this type I tried, and it showed me what a fun water toy it is! I’ve always wanted to explore underwater, but my cove of the lake has darker water. I wore a full facemask with snorkel while using the scooter. My face stayed dry, and although visibility wasn’t great, I could see under the water. I look forward to using it in areas of the lake where the water is clear.
I’m not a skilled swimmer, so I used a Personal Flotation Device. This gave me more confidence in deeper water, where I never would have ventured without the scooter.
This scooter requires an app to start it, and with the later version it appears the app can control speed and other features.
The Geneinno has two speeds and plenty of power. The scooter is easy to operate, with a double click of the power button to change speeds. The ride is smooth. After a short while, I felt a strain in my shoulders. I also had discomfort in my back, as my upper body and feet were higher than my lower back while holding the scooter in front of me. This could be a complaint peculiar to a 60+ aged user.
The battery is not removable, so the whole device has to be charged. It yields up to 60 minutes of runtime. The battery indicator is on top and easy to read.
The wrist tether is Velcro, but does not have a quick-release buckle.
The Sublue comes with a floater attachment (also referred to as a buoyancy chamber) for use at 16 feet and above. The floater secures to the accessory mount on the front.
This attachment gives the device the profile of a futuristic spacecraft. I found using the floater gave me better stability and control. This scooter only has one accessory mount, but the floater has a second mount for an additional accessory, such as a camera. This allows you to use both at the same time.
The battery indicator is on the top and is easy to read.
The biggest drawback of the Sublue is its single speed. For me, part of the enjoyment of using a water scooter is changing speeds, like driving a racy stick-shift on a mountain road. With the Sublue, you press the power buttons and it goes. You let go and it stops.
Despite having only one speed, a promotional video shows the Sublue pulling a chain of people, with the head person operating the scooter and the rest of the people holding the feet of the person in front of them. I didn’t have enough people to test the scooter’s power in this way, but it has the greatest thrust of the scooters tested, at 22.04 pounds.
The Sublue has a slide child safety lock. The tether has a quick-release buckle.
LEFEET Seagull C1 Waterscooter
The best thing about the LEFEET Seagull C1 is the second battery which is included!
I’ve used several underwater scooters, and I’ve found the LEFEET Seagull C1 to be the least user friendly. This scooter has two speeds (up to 3.6 mph), but you cannot change the speed “on the fly”, or while you are in motion. You must keep triggers on both the right and left handle depressed to make the scooter go. The On/Slow/Fast/Off knob is in the center of the unit, and you cannot adjust it without letting go of at least one trigger.
The product page boasts the ability to remove the handle and attach the motor to a kickboard with its slide rail. I thought I could attach it to my stand-up paddleboard (SUP), but no such luck. You must purchase the specific compatible attachments, sold separately, by the LEFEET company.
This is one of the higher priced water scooters of this design. In my opinion, you can get a better value with another product.
The ASIWO MAKO Electric Kickboard is a different breed from the underwater scooters. If you want to go deeper than 16 feet, this isn’t the device for you. This kickboard floats, but you can angle it downward to go below the surface. You can make the kickboard pull you by holding on with your arms outstretched in front of you, or you can ride it with your chest resting on the board.
The manufacturer suggests it is an aid for learning to swim. Perhaps, but to me, it is more like a toy—a really fun toy. The kickboard is my favorite of the four devices because it has the most speed settings, three. Changing speeds on the fly is easy with a double-squeeze on the power button. Use the right side to increase speed and the left side to decrease speed. These options give you more control over the speed and a sense of driving the scooter.
Each increase in speed gives you a noticeable burst of power. The kickboard features one large prop and dual water outlets. Compared to the twin prop motors, it is no less powerful. Speeds levels are 1.34, 2.24, and 3.4 miles per hour. Even the slowest speed, 1.34 mph, will propel you smoothly across the pool or lake. The faster you go, the quicker you drain the battery. Expected runtimes correlate with the above speeds at 18, 30, and 60 minutes.
The battery indicator is on the underside of the kickboard, so it may be more difficult to keep track of how much power you have left.
I had no problems with the kickboard battery, despite some reports to the contrary made by other users. I used it for several minutes on a full charge, and four days later I still have three out of four lights on the battery indicator. You must remove the battery from the kickboard to charge it. It usually charges within 3-4 hours.
Since the kickboard floats even when not powered, it will not sink if you let go of it. You can lay on top of it or just hold on. It will support up to 265 pounds. The manufacturer suggests using the kickboard as a personal floatation device. I do not recommend this. It is safer to wear a US Coast Guard approved life vest.
You must have positive pressure on the power button on both sides to run the kickboard. Unlike the electric water scooters tested, the shutoff isn’t as immediate on the kickboard. It may run for an additional one to two seconds. Even so, you will have plenty of time to slow down and not come in too hot to the dock or poolside.
Tips
Safety
Never swim alone. Always have someone nearby to help if you get into trouble.
Do not allow children to use these devices unsupervised. Follow the manufacturer’s age guidelines.
Wear a PDF in deep water or if you are a poor or non-swimmer.
Always be aware of your surroundings.
Check the battery level often to make sure you have enough power to return to shore.
Device
If the scooter includes a wrist tether, use it! These devices will sink easily. Retrieving it in deep or murky water can be difficult.
Do not leave the scooter in the water when not in use.
Remove the battery from the device when not using it for several days.
Replace the battery in a dry environment.
Fully charge the battery before each outing, and before storing the device.
Never put anything into the propeller shaft. Keep long hair, loose clothing, ropes, sticks, algae, and other debris away from the propeller shaft.
Always operate the scooter in a forward-facing direction.
Do not block the device’s water inlet or outlet.
Do not run the device outside of the water for more than 30 seconds.
Use only the original charger.
Fun
Wear a mask and snorkel to see below the surface in clear water.
An accessory mount which will accommodate a GoPro camera is a feature of all the scooters except the kickboard. Record your underwater adventures!
Scooter Comparison Chart
To see a larger image of the Comparison Chart, right click and open in a new tab.
Did you know hundreds of young men accompanied livestock on ships from America to Europe after World War II? In a joint program with the United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration (UNRRA) and the Brethren Service Committee (BSC), UNRRA provided the ships and The Heifer Project (now Heifer International), a part of BSC, provided the livestock, and BSC provided most of the men to care for the animals.
The war was devastating for farm animals. Soldiers confiscated horses as work animals and took other livestock as food. With the winter of 1946 approaching, the liberated countries of Europe were in rubble, facing freezing temperatures and starvation. Children and hospitals desperately needed milk.
My uncle was a Seagoing Cowboy in September 1946, helping to care for 774 horses on the SS Pierre Victory ship from Newport News, Virginia, to Poland. Want to know more? Watch for my next book, tentatively titled, As Far As It Depends on You.
Popular Christian author and television personality Joyce Meyer’s latest book releases May 6. Meyer says this is her 150th book, and if you’ve read her previous books, you will find The Courage to Change comfortably familiar.
Like her previous books, Meyer references her points with Biblical scripture. Meyer acknowledges change can be difficult, but it isn’t necessarily bad. Some change is God-ordained, and will help you move forward on your path in life and in your walk with God. Sometimes you have to initiate the change.
The tone of this book is a little different from previous books. Meyer speaks from a perspective of having gone through many changes in her life and is now on the other side. She describes changes in her ministry, her finances, her marriage, and her relationship with her children. These changes often filled Meyer with worry and stress, emotions which she hopes to minimize in her readers.
The takeaway message I got from this book is, trust God and it will all work out according to his plan.
If you feel stymied or are in a difficult situation and need change, you may benefit from reading Meyer’s latest offering.
Thanks to @NetGalley and @FaithWords, and imprint of Hachette Book Group, for the advance reader copy of this book.
