Ellwyn’s Blog

Robin Woods’ Picture This

Available on Amazon

Empower your creativity and banish writer’s block.

This creative writing book contains:

  • 52 Original Photo Prompts in Full Color
  • 92 Written Prompts with 422 Combinations
  • 30 Animal Facts
  • 14 Master Lists
  •  Plus Tips and Tricks

Dive in and explore a variety of different prompt styles designed to inspire you and spark your inner muse.

This workbook is great for:

  • writers who need to banish writer’s block
  • teachers who need bell activities
  • someone who wants daily writing prompts
  • homeschool parents who want fun curriculum
  • screenwriters who want inspiration for scripts
  • people who need a gift for a writer or English teacher
  • anyone who wants to ignite creativity and improve writing

About the Author:

Robin Woods is a former high school and university instructor with two and a half decades of experience teaching English, literature, and writing. She earned a BA in English and an MA in education.

In addition to teaching, she has published six highly rated novels and has multiple projects in the works.

When Ms. Woods isn’t chasing her two school kids around, she’s spending time with her ever-patient husband.

Save The Children Lebanon Children’s Relief Fund

Another world tragedy, 2020 is just full of them. This year is definitely teaching us that we must work together to solve our problems. We are all connected.

My heart goes out to the people of Beirut.

Save the Children is raising money to help with the relief effort.

To donate please visit: https://support.savethechildren.org/site/Donation2?df_id=4455&mfc_pref=T&4455.donation=form1&smtrctid=AAZI3q&cid=Email::Emer_Beirut:Donors_0_12_Month:080520

Interview With Children’s Author Yuno Imai

By way of introduction, here is Yuno Imai’s bio.

Yuno Imai is a Los Angeles based children’s book author and food & travel writer. She specializes in writing heartwarming stories that help readers cope with death or develop a healthy understanding of difficult subjects.

She is originally from Japan and came to the United States alone at 17, speaking very little English. Yuno is passionate about inspiring people through her stories and also bridging Japan and other countries, especially America, where she calls her second home.

Hello, Yun0, welcome to Angel Kiss Publications. Thank you for agreeing to do this interview.

Thank you for having me.

Is writing your full-time profession?

Yes. I’m a writer/journalist for Japanese media. I mainly write about food & travel trends and entertainment news.

How long have you been writing?

Professionally, for 7 years.

How many published books have you written?

Two children’s books – Trevor and Me and The Last Meal in English and the same titles in Japanese.

Which genre do you write?

I specialize in writing heartwarming children’s books that help readers cope with death or develop a healthy understanding of difficult subjects. Death and food are common topics in my stories.

What are you working on now?

I’m currently working on the third children’s book. It’s about a picky eater and funeral of a particular vegetable.

Where do you find inspiration for your characters?

Trevor and Me is based on my real life friendship with my elderly friend Trevor.

For The Last Meal, I intentionally chose birds because I did not want to attach certain facial features or race to death row inmates. I also chose the birds, because of “birds in the cage”.

What has been your most rewarding experience since publishing your work?

What’s most rewarding for me is connecting with readers who found my books helpful or could get value from them.

I really appreciate it when readers share their stories or feedback with me – A reader who has terminal cancer wanted to leave my book for his daughter, another reader had recently lost her daughter and is helping her granddaughter with the transition, a grief therapist who lost her father at a young age thinks resources like my books could be beneficial to children.

Those are the readers I write for, in hopes of helping them cope with difficult times.

What advice would you give to authors just starting out?

I’m a new author myself, but I believe perseverance is a key. I think of this journey as a marathon and try to keep myself motivated as I take a step towards my goals every day.

Is there anything else you’d like your readers to know about you?

I love being inspired and to inspire others. I hope my stories will inspire or entertain you or help you heal.

What message are you sharing in your books?

My stories introduce topics (some are difficult subjects), such as death, reincarnation, and death row inmates, in a compassionate manner.

What are your favorite books?

The Red Shoes, The Rainbow Fish, The Gashlycrumb Tinies.

When you’re not writing where can we find you?

Before the pandemic, I used to spend a lot of time visiting restaurants and traveling (partially for my work as a food & travel writer), taking hot yoga and pole dance classes, attending my partner’s events, going to shows and cooking regularly.

Now, I spend my free time playing with my kitten, doing yoga, walking while listening to podcasts by the Lake Hollywood and still cooking regularly, haha.   

A movie producer wants to turn your book into a movie and you get to make a cameo. What would you do in the movie?

For Trevor and Me, I’d have to play “Me” since the story is based on my real life.

In general, I’d love to play a pole dancer or a firefighter in a movie!

Do you have a website/Facebook page, etc?

Website – IKnowYouKnowYuno.com/Books

Instagram – instagram.com/yunobook

Instagram – instagram.com/iknowyouknowyuno

Facebook – facebook.com/yunobook

Where can we find your books?

Amazon USA – amazon.com/author/yunoimai 

Thank you, Yuno, for spending time with us and sharing your story. We wish you continued success and lots of luck!

Secrets Of Skydiving You Didn’t Know

Louie Skydiving

Originally appeared on CHW on January 15, 2018.

The sun shines brightly. There is not a cloud in the sky. It is a perfect day to be up in the sky. The flyer stands on a ledge gazing at the miniature trees and buildings on the ground below. He jumps headfirst from the safety of the platform, free-falling at rocket speed toward the earth. He shouts with excitement enjoying the chilly air rushing past him. For 60-seconds he rides the air currents–flipping, twisting, flying!

Former skydiver, Christopher Muss said, “The first time I jumped I was really scared. But, I had a great view of the landscape. I could see for miles around. Once you jump from an airplane, you never look at the world the same again. In fact, the first airplane I ever went on I jumped out of!”

A Little History

Skydiving is a popular modern-day sport. The idea of using a parachute to jump from lofty heights was developed hundreds of years ago by the ancient Chinese. While performing at the palace, acrobats, during the Han dynasty, would achieve falls from great elevations. To pull off this heart-stopping feat, they used something that resembled a parachute. Another notable contribution comes from the famous artist and inventor, Leonardo de Vinci, who sketched the first parachute design in 1485.

The first parachute ever made was a lot different from those we see skydivers using today. Some of the earliest had frames made of linen and wood. In 1797, French aeronaut, Andre-Jacques Garnerin, was the first to make a parachute without the typical rigid frame.

Using suspension lines, he attached a basket to a canopy, that was tied beneath a hydrogen balloon. A century later an American named, Tom Baldwin, made the first jump with a limp parachute, which used a trapeze bar instead of a basket.

Twenty-two years later, in 1919, another American named, Leslie Irvin, completed the jump that would change the sport forever. He used his hand-operated parachute during a free-fall jump. Irvin’s design helped skydiving become the sport it is today.

Initially, the military exclusively performed skydiving to save airmen during emergencies, and to transport soldiers to battle on the ground. After WWII it became much more mainstream when many returning soldiers kept at it and began holding contests.

It was finally declared a national sport in 1952. It received its official name a few years later, when a man named, Raymond Young, began using the term, “skydiver.”

Skydiving is not for everyone. Some people only jump once; others continue experiencing the thrill of fear, only falling through the sky can achieve. Christopher Muss said, “Once I landed I had an adrenalin rush that lasted for days. I couldn’t wait to get back up in a plane. So, I could jump again.”

How It’s Done

Before you jump, you must attend a 15-minute training class where you are shown how to cross your arms over your chest when jumping from an airplane. You are taught how an altimeter works. An altimeter is an instrument skydivers’ wear on their wrists, like a watch, it measures their altitude.

On your very first jump, you board a small airplane. You are attached to a professional skydiver who controls the opening of the parachute, as well as the landing; this is called tandem jumping.

Another important factor learned in skydiving is the weather. A first-time tandem jumper needs a sunny day with an average of ten miles an hour winds.

After this, you are harnessed to a professional tandem instructor and climb aboard the airplane. When the airplane reaches an altitude of 13, 500 feet, it’s time to jump. The instructor will say, “Ready, set, go.” After that, all that left to say is, “LOOK OUT BELOW!”