D. Thrush's Blog

Who doesn’t shamelessly promote their own stuff? Whether it’s candles, or T-shirts, or books… Did you say books? If you’re here, you like to read, as do I. And if you’re like me, you love finding books on sale, or better yet, free books! Ah, the joy of delving into a good story.

My very first published book doesn’t get enough love. It’s an epic spiritual adventure story about the pull between the dark and the light. If this type of story intrigues you, then you’re in luck! Because Guardian of the Light is free on Amazon through Tuesday, April 21. I hope you enjoy it, tell all your friends, and it becomes a surprise bestseller, an incredible movie, and readers debate the meaning of it all for decades.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00EC1NWKI

My mother loved thrift stores and I’d always make a beeline to the book section. When my kids were younger, we’d frequent the used bookstore. A few decades ago, I got into books about health and changed how I ate. Books have changed my life. I read a wide range of genres and keep a Wish List on Amazon, watching for books to go on sale.

I got my first Kindle when I published my first book in 2013. Now I prefer reading that way and support other indie authors by reading indie-published books. There are so many good ones! All these talented authors struggle to find readers. There are also some bad ones and ones I just couldn’t read. Support indie authors by reading and rating or reviewing their books. You might find some really great stories. I have!

My mother loved thrift stores and I’d always make a beeline to the book section. When my kids were younger, we’d frequent the used bookstore. A few decades ago, I got into books about health and changed how I ate. Books have changed my life. I read a wide range of genres and keep a Wish List on Amazon, watching for books to go on sale.

I got my first Kindle when I published my first book in 2013. Now I prefer reading that way and support other indie authors by reading indie-published books. There are so many good ones! All these talented authors struggle to find readers. There are also some bad ones and ones I just couldn’t read. Support indie authors by reading and rating or reviewing their books. You might find some really great stories. I have!

I used to work at a veterinary clinic. It was mostly fun and sometimes heartbreaking. Some of the names people chose for their pets were clever and amusing. There was Larry the cat and a black cat named Oprah. That’s when I rescued 5 black kittens about to be euthanized and brought them home to my no-pets-allowed apartment. The manager came to my door and said that someone had spotted a kitten in my window. I said I don’t have a kitten. I have 5. He was stunned for a moment and said you can’t have pets. I said that I’d taken my work home with me. Okay. Okay. I was going to find homes for them. He was very nice about it and said to keep them out of the windows in the meantime. Every time I sat down, I had a pile of kittens in my lap. Everywhere I went, they tried to climb up my legs, mewing. I so wanted to keep them but found them all homes.

Animals give us unconditional love. I miss all the ones our family has lost. The cats in our family are Matilda, Luna, and Nugget. The dogs are Ollie, Judy, Toph, Luna, Zero, May-May, and Flex. They’re all very loved and spoiled in multiple households.

When I was a teenager, I had a dream about a pet pig. Since then, I wanted to quit eating animals. I finally became vegan decades ago and feel good about not supporting factory farming.

What are your pet’s names?

It’s officially Spring and the clocks have sprung forward, so why not have a sale on all the books in my Christmas series? The prequel The Santa Secret is still free, and the rest of the 4 books in the Santina Series are only .99 each through Saturday, March 28. As one reader said, it doesn’t have to be Christmas to enjoy this series about the dysfunctional Claus family.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0753GW471?...

My diet has been plant-based (vegan) for several decades now. I’ve often been asked why I chose this way of eating and how I get my protein and calcium. Well, how do gorillas and elephants get protein? How do cows get calcium? Plants.

It began with my love of animals. I just didn’t want to eat them anymore. I began to read books on health. I highly recommend Dr. Michael Greger’s books, though I’ve read so many informative books through the years such as The China Study and The Blue Zones. The more I read, the more convinced I became. Not only is this diet more humane it’s better for the planet. Factory farming is so inhumane and breeds disease and pollution.

My diet evolved slowly over time. First, I stopped eating meat. I just thought about what it is. Then I realized that I couldn’t support the inhumane dairy and egg industries. So, what do I eat? Everything else! There are really great nut cheeses and veggie burgers available now. We eat beans, veggies, rice, pasta, soup, fruit. We make smoothies. I love discovering new foods and recipes such as sweet potato enchiladas and brown rice Krispie treats. I enjoy eating so much more than I ever did.

We try to eat organic and whole foods, but there are lots of quick veggie meals like burgers. Simply putting rice and lentils into a rice cooker is easy and delicious. Flavor with Bragg’s amino acids and olive oil and Bragg’s nutritional yeast. Maybe throw in a little peanut butter for a peanut sauce. I’m making myself hungry.

Quinoa is a quick-cooking and nutritious grain that you can flavor however you want. Try different foods. What we put into our bodies will determine the quality of our health and how we age. Let food be your medicine, as Hippocrates said.

The marshmallow test is a psychological test about delayed gratification. Do you have the patience to wait for a greater reward? Children were asked if they wanted one marshmallow now or two in 15 minutes or longer. The children who could wait showed better self-discipline and coping mechanisms. I tried this with my young granddaughter. Did she want one of her favorite crackers now or two in a half hour? She opted for two. It’s believed that those who can wait for rewards may be more successful in life.

However, it can also depend on your childhood circumstances and your personality. If money was tight when you grew up or you have a high-energy personality, you may choose to eat the marshmallow now. People who read would probably choose to wait. After all, we wait until the end of an entire book to find out what will happen.

After being free for only one day, All the Little Secrets is #1 in all 3 of its categories! Friendship, Contemporary, and Women's Romance Fiction. Not your typical predictable HEA romance. It's a standalone book but the follow up Little Secrets Revealed is only .99 and continues the story. Love, lust, friendship. What lasts?

In January 2007 I sent out an email asking my friends what is the meaning of life. I got some thoughtful responses and almost everyone wanted to know what everyone else said. Instead of composing a lengthy response, I wrote this poem:

The Meaning of Life

Some choose not to speculate or ponder
Why upon this planet we aimlessly wander
Some think we live and die and turn to dust
Some think there's no rhyme or reason for us

It's a good thing to live in the Now
If we could only let go and figure out how
Is it quite true all you need is love
Are the answers within and not above

There are so many choices daily we make
And lessons to learn from each mistake
We must live by our conscience and do our best
And then try to enjoy all of the rest

So there’s knowledge to get and love to give
Still I wonder for what reason do we live
There must exist some higher purpose
Or is life simply meant to curse us

Are our struggles and efforts only in vain
Is there no punishment for those who cause pain
Is it just meaningless and random and such
Or should our lives intertwine and touch

Is it simply an illusion on which we agree
Or are we truly united in shared energy
Do we have a pure common connection
And no one ever suffers in real rejection

Is it all a big experiment to see what we'll do
With the free will and potential we have to be true
Is it a test to see if we can remember lives past
And a hope that the sage lessons will last

The physical life offers much to distract us
From the higher self that strives to attract us
We forget that "things" really are immaterial
And we can find more substance in the ethereal

The wisdom to understand life’s meaning evades
So in our tiny corner of the universe we stay
But whatever you think, remember this
Be true to yourself and follow your bliss

We're more than halfway through this decade. Crazy, huh? I hope the New Year brings us Peace, Prosperity, Health, and Happiness!