Will was so excited to fly his new kite last summer. It was special — a sturdy, large fabric kite that would soar high. He waited and waited for the wind to be just right. Then, one day it was so he took the kite to the beach for its first flight. Once he had it up in the air, he didn’t want it to come down. So he flew it for more than an hour … until he forgot he was holding it.

Then, he accidentally let go.

That special kite, so far up in the air, continued soaring — as it drifted away, just out of reach. That perfect wind he’d waited for swept the kite down the beach. He ran after it to no avail. It flew up and out of sight.

We looked for the kite. Up and down the beach. Up and down the street. But the kite was gone.

And Will, who had waited so patiently for the perfect time for his kite’s first flight, was devastated. His amazing kite had seemingly vanished — or so we thought.

While looking for it, we finally spotted it. The kite was tangled at the top of a very tall tree far down the street — far out of reach. It was almost worse — since we could see it but couldn’t retrieve it. We didn’t think we’d ever get it back. Will was so upset.

A few days later, it was gone.

The story doesn’t end there though. Turns out the homeowner had managed to cut the kite free and held onto it, thinking that someone might come back for it. One of our relatives did. Will was so excited to have it back.

Now the kite sits in the basement again, waiting for a new string and that perfect summer breeze to fly again.

The post The Tale of the Kite appeared first on Sarah by the Sea.

Before we jump into this review, I have a little confession. I didn’t love Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert. In fact, while I really enjoyed the Eat section, the Pray section wore me out and I never made it far into the Love section. I tried to read the book on several occasions — but it just wasn’t my cup of tea. When the movie came out, I had high hopes, but in the end it was the same thing — I just didn’t love it. Or even like it that much.

So when I read that The Paradise Guest House by Ellen Sussman was perfect for Eat, Pray, Love fans, I was a little skeptical. So skeptical that I almost didn’t read it. Thank goodness I did anyway — because this book is awesome.

Bali is a beautiful, peaceful place to travel where people can connect with their mind, body and spirit — or just have a little fun. But for Jamie, it’s also the site of horror and tragety.

The Paradise Guest House follows Jamie, an American adventure guide who survived a tragic nightclub bombing in Bali that claimed the life of her boyfriend, who returns to Bali in search of something — perhaps peace, perhaps closure, perhaps answers to unspoken questions. She is there to be part of the one-ear-anniversary  events, remembering those lost. After a year of recovery, the trip is an emotionally raw return to the horror, guilt and beauty she experienced.

Jamie must face the past, and also figure out the answer to the big question looming over her life: What’s next?

Sussman writes powerfully. The characters are nuanced, well-developed and believable. The book oozes with emotions, unraveling the complex and difficult truth of what happened before, during and after the bombing for Jamie. This is the perfect book for digging into this summer on the beach — even as it deals with such grief.

Read it. It’s a truly beautiful story.

Also, if you are interested in Bali, read 3 Reasons to Travel to Bali.

—

Disclosure: I was provided with a galley of this book for review purposes. All opinions are my own.

The post Review: The Paradise Guest House by Ellen Sussman appeared first on Sarah by the Sea.

This probably won’t come as a shock to anyone who has ever gone to the beach with me. Or the pool. Or seen my hair after a bit of rain touched it. But I have wavy-curly hair. However, if you have ever seen me beyond the confines of water-related places, maybe you don’t know. Lord knows, I don’t ever wear it curly. I’ve been straightening my hair for most of my life.

But the crazy-weird-unusual part is that I didn’t know I had wavy-curly hair until … well, let’s just say I didn’t know. My mom always dried my hair until I got a wild curly perm at age 16. Then my hair was curly for awhile. I chopped it off finally to take away the curls. But they didn’t leave. I thought the perm had done something weird to my head (what? logic? huh?). Fast forward 15 years and it finally dawned on me … my hair was already wavy-curly.

Go figure.

Still it wasn’t until recently that I stated to give the curls a chance. It freaks my kids out a bit, since they are so used to straight haired me. And my daughter, who was also born with wavy-curly hair, refuses to try curls on herself.

Eh, c’est la vie.

But the thing about being a 32-year-old with wavy-curly hair who never wore her hair as wavy-curly? I am decades behind on practicing how to style my hair. I have no idea what to do to gently encourage the curls, beyond not brushing it.

Probably should have figured this all out a decade or two ago, right?

So, I decided to turn to an expert for some advice on nurturing the natural curl. Bryan Doyle of Sine Qua Non Salons offered these tips:

• Don’t rub your hair with a towel after you take a shower. Squeeze the water out. The wetter the better especially when it comes to frizzy curly. Once you’ve gotten it towel dried a leave in conditioner is great then add your curl product.
• The product depends on how you like your curls to feel. If you like a good hold that’s has high shine “a wet look” go for Bumble & bumbles Gel. It’s alcohol free so it won’t dry your hair out and be crunchy.
• For softer curls, Bumble and bumble’s Curl Conscious Defining Creme is a great light & soft hold.
• You can add Bumble & bumble’s Hair Dressers Oil or Defrizz after you add your product to seal your hair and keep humidity out. But be careful! Both are super concentrated and a little goes a long way

Are you a curly haired girl? Now that I have accepted my curls, I am wearing them a little more often … but I still really like my hair straight too. I guess it’s okay to do both, right?

The post How to Be a Curly Haired Girl appeared first on Sarah by the Sea.

But when it comes to my home … well, let’s just say organized is definitely not my middle name.

That’s not to say that I don’t try. I do, and when I tackle a project you can count on the organization lasting for awhile. The problem is that there inevitably is some slide … and before I know it, organizing needs to be tackled again.

The good news? Experts say that even if you aren’t organized now, you can be with a little effort. You just have to be willing to put in that effort.

“Organizing is a learnable skill. If you need help to figure out a plan, then enlist it, and learn what you need to learn from someone who has practiced organizing longer than you have — thatʼs really the only difference. Disorganization steals us of precious time and energy, and builds the bars between us and our goals and dreams,” says Virginia Barkley, bestselling author of ClutterBusting for Busy Women: How to Create a C.A.L.M. Life to Have More Time & Energy.

Right about now, my family is snickering that they don’t believe I’ll ever be organized. And who can blame them? My track record isn’t exactly stellar. Still, that doesn’t mean I can’t and won’t try. And Barkley says that the first step is to believe it. And I do — I truly believe that given the chance, I can be a pinnacle of organization. Or, at least organized enough.

“Embrace the idea that you are perfectly capable of being organized. All possibilities begin within us. Do something small and then celebrate,” says Barkley.

Baby steps. That really is the secret to many successes, isn’t it? Starting big can sound good — but that often backfires and leaves you feeling totally put off and demotivated. Yes, I can see the wisdom in taking baby steps.

“If there are several areas of a home that are cluttered, organize the area that you see first thing in the morning. Seeing calm breeds being calm. The bedroom is our nest and our place of refuge. Its energy affects the quality of our sleep and sets the tone for our day when we open our eyes,” says Barkley.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I am off to organize my dresser. (Hold me.)

————

NEWS!

On the topic of organization, I am thrilled to announce my next e-book, which will release in late May. Better Blog Organization: How to Organize Your Blog On-Screen and Off will tackle all the important organization topics from saying goodbye to mental clutter that holds you back to how to organize your blog assets off-line (like all those photos!), your finances and more. It’s packed with expert tips to help you get and stay organized.

The post Can You Learn To Be Organized? appeared first on Sarah by the Sea.

She feels like she’ll never make it. Have her efforts all been in vain? Maybe she should just quit now? But then do self-imposed deadlines really matter at all? Meanwhile, there’s the boy she left behind with the promise that she’d return if this didn’t work so they could start a family.

Someday, Someday Maybe is the debut novel of Lauren Graham (remember her from Gilmore Girls and Parenthood?). And you know what? She can write. But maybe that’s not that surprising. Graham, who went to the same college as me (yay, Barnard!), was an English major before pursuing acting. Kind of awesome.

This novel is filled with several richly developed characters who are imperfect and interesting. It makes the whole thing relatable — and touching. I really fell in love with Franny and wanted her to succeed. The writing was believable, filled with realistic ups and downs.

There’s no candy coating here. And better yet, the well-done dialogue moves things along beautifully.

Sure, this is a novel by an actress. And yes, those can sometimes be … less than stellar. But Lauren Graham? She’s written something great here. Read it. It will suck you in and leave you hoping that she writes a lot more. I may sound like a fan girl here, but this book is really worth reading.

It’s absolutely perfect for the beach.

Someday, Someday Maybe hits bookshelves today.

The post Review: Someday, Someday, Maybe by Lauren Graham appeared first on Sarah by the Sea.

So you’re writing this blog. It’s going well, and people respond to your cool projects, inspired photos and interesting stories. Search engine traffic is coming in (yay!) and your stats are on the rise. Still, for some reason you don’t see that many people sharing your stuff on social media.

Why not?

Could you be making it hard for others to share?

Eek!

As a blogger, there are so many things to think about: are your posts are well written and engaging? Are your readers interacting with your blog and you? Is your content inspiring people? At the same time, you want to grow so you pay attention to your blog stats, social media following and maybe even your pagerank. But when it comes to growth, a lot of it comes from those who are reading you sharing with others. They act as evangelists for you whenever they are inspired to share your work via their social networks.

Here’s where your social sharing buttons really matter.

Social follow buttons (buttons that lead to your social media accounts so that people can follow you) are great — but they belong in your header or in the sidebar or somewhere equally visible but out of the way. On your posts? Stick to the social sharing buttons so that readers can click to like, tweet, pin, etc. You want to make it as easy as you can for others to share, share, share.

This isn’t a place where you can really have both — it becomes confusing when you get to the end of a post and are assaulted with both social follow buttons and social share buttons. Don’t make your readers work for it. Encourage them.

Sharing means more page views. It means more readers. It means spreading the word of your good work further faster. All good things. So make it easy for your readers. You won’t be sorry.

The post Blogging 101: Are You Making It Hard to Share? appeared first on Sarah by the Sea.

I discovered the library one summer when I was a little girl. My voracious appetite for reading had grown so much that buying books just didn’t make sense. I read them too quickly and then craved more instantly (a good problem to have, as Cate says). So, my grandmother began taking me to the library every week so I could pick out books to borrow. That summer, I read through pretty much every Baby-Sitters Club book they had, along with a fair share of Caroline Clooney, R.L Stein and Christopher Pike books. And I discovered the fun side of non-fiction (Free Stuff for Kids!) too. It was blissful to browse the titles and choose books for the week.

Over the years though, I got out of the library habit. But as my children’s appetite for reading has increased, I have remembered the wisdom in borrowing books. So, about a year ago, the kids and I went to our local library and got library cards. They keep theirs in wallets (that I hold onto) and check out their own selections each week at the self-serve terminal. Some weeks, the kids leave with overflowing bags of books. Other times, they manage to read all their selections before we even get home.

Clearly they love to read too.

But lately, I have realized how much more libraries can offer too. Libraries are a community fixture — and at our library here, there are so many opportunities for free or inexpensive fun and learning. If you aren’t taking advantage of it at your community library, I highly encourage you to.

For instance, the kid’s section at our library has a wall of puppets and a puppet theater just waiting to be used. Chairs are set up and stuffed animals await a show — along with whatever kids want to watch too. Given the chance, Will and Paige are thrilled to put on puppet shows for each other.

There’s also Story Time — a reading time for kids (there are sessions for babies, toddlers and preschoolers). The kids sit in a semi-circle on the carpet and are read books. Then they all do a themed craft. Sometimes, beyond Story Time, authors visit and read to the kids as well. And recently, a local children’s museum did a special activity with kids too.

There’s so much to do at the local library. I only regret waiting this long to really check it out and enjoy all that our local library has to offer.

How often do you go to your local library? What awesome things are happening there?

The post Fun at the Library appeared first on Sarah by the Sea.

Introducing …

(This makes me so excited. I am literally giddy with excitement.)

My new e-book: Better Blog Writing: How to Improve Your Writing to Keep Readers Coming Back for More

Available exclusively for the Kindle (and Kindle apps), Better Blog Writing is a short guide to improving your writing, finding inspiration for your blog posts and ensuring that your words always shine. It’s filled with tips, advice and reader perspectives, as well as a whole section on writing prompts to get those creative juices flowing.

We all know that writing good content for our blogs is important to attracting and keeping readers, and this will help you do that. Get your copy (err … digital download?) today!

Want to know more? Check out what’s inside:

Table of Contents

• Introduction
• Chapter One: Why Are You Blogging Anyway?
• Chapter Two: Visualizing Your Blog Goals With A Vision Board
• Reader Perspective: What Makes You Love Certain Blogs?
• Chapter Three: Where Do I Start?
• Chapter Four: Sharing “You”
• Reader Perspective: What Draws You Into A Blog?
• Chapter Five: The Nuts And Bolts Of Good Writing
• Chapter Six: Quality Control And Self-Editing
• Reader Perspective: Inspiring With Your Work
• Chapter Seven: The Importance Of SEO (Search Engine Optimization)
• Chapter Eight: Writing Prompts
• Chapter Nine: Refreshing Your Writing
• Chapter Ten: Be Consistent
• About The Author

Better Blog Writing: How to Improve Your Writing to Keep Readers Coming Back for More is available on Amazon for the bargain price of $2.99 (better yet — if you are a member of Amazon Prime, it’s free to borrow through the Kindle Lending Library).

Note: This post does NOT contain affiliate links.

Linking to … Clever Chicks Blog Hop

The post Introducing … Better Blog Writing: How to Improve Your Writing to Keep Readers Coming Back for More appeared first on Sarah by the Sea.

A guest post by Jennifer Matlack of Daisy Chestnut on Etsy

Even though I grew up in Ohio where Lake Erie was the closest body of water, as a child I was obsessed with the ocean. I remember watching The Man from Atlantis, Love Boat, and Fantasy Island and dreaming about one day swimming in a calm blue sea. For summer vacation, when we could afford one, my family would often go to Seaside and Point Pleasant, New Jersey for a week. I’d jump waves with my brother and collect clam shells, which seemed so exotic at the time.

I loved it all, but it wasn’t the beach I’d dreamed about–that beach never had crowds; it was just me, walking, daydreaming, looking for seashells, maybe catching a glimpse of a mermaid in the surf. It was a quiet beach surrounded by dunes and grass, not towering hotels and cheesy motels, restaurants, and stretches of paved parking lots.

At 29, I finally found that beach on Nantucket. My mother-in-law lives there, and on my first visit, my then-boyfriend-turned-husband and I walked to the beach behind her house. Eel Point. It was the beach I always dreamed of — and more. I fell in love with it for different reasons.

The first is that I can walk to it since my mom-in-law’s house is right next to it (lucky, I know) so there’s no driving, no parking lots. There’s no disconnect from the landscape. I simply walk out the door of the house, and I’m on the quiet path that leads to the water. On either side of the path it’s untouched, wild. Grassy dunes rise up. The wind lashes the pale green blades; it is all so soothing, and so incredibly beautiful. Right before you get to the beach, there’s a small hill. Only when you’re at the top of it do you see what’s waiting for you just feet away: the deep blue Atlantic. The sight of it always surprises and excites me. I feel like a kid again, full of wonder.

Eel Point is rarely busy, too; there have been days when only I’ve been there, walking, collecting shells. I’m 43 now, and feel so grateful that my seven-year-old daughter, Mae, gets to experience this quiet beauty. During our summer vacation on Nantucket we spend hours walking, playing, swimming there. That’s the other thing I love about Eel Point: The water is calm and shallow. I don’t worry about mighty waves, big fish, or dark depths. I can swim peacefully without worry.

For the last two years when we’ve visited, I’ve brought snorkel masks for me and Mae. Together we float by the shore, turning over rocks and shells, looking for crabs and other treasures. We are explorers! We shriek and splash and laugh and laugh. It’s a dream.

The post Favorite Beach: Eel Point, Nantucket appeared first on Sarah by the Sea.

Two weeks ago, the kids and I had our first beach picnic of the year. It felt great to dig my toes into the sand and listen to the whoosh of the waves. And tomorrow? We’re supposed to get our first 70+ degree day of the year. Do you know what all this adds up to?

It’s almost beach season. And with beach season comes beach reading season. I can hardly wait.

In the meantime, I am reading double time to find the best and most enjoyable books for reading on the beach this year. Expect a bunch of book reviews to come in the next few weeks.

First up? The Best of Us by Sarah Pekkanen, which releases tomorrow (April 9, 2013).

This book is told from varying perspectives. Four college friends, and their significant others, head off on a dream vacation to celebrate a 35th birthday. They are staying at a private villa in Jamaica where meals are prepared for them and activities are planned — courtesy of the birthday boy’s new wife, Pauline. It’s a much-needed getaway for the friends who are stressed and in need of a break. For Tina, the mother of four young kids, it’s a breather from her busy life. For Allie, it’s a diversion from bad news about an illness that may run in her family. For Savannah, it’s both an escape and a chance to finally reveal her husband’s infidelity that has led the couple to separate.

At first, the vacation is every bit the dream they thought it would be. But after a few days, as a hurricane approaches the island, the friends are forced to really face what’s happening in their lives — and what they want to change. That’s where the book really gets interesting — because the journeys are twisty and sometimes dark.

The Best of Us is a story of friendship, love, marriage, those burning questions and forgiveness. But it’s not exactly a feel-good read. In fact, when I finished the book, I was a little sad because things didn’t wrap up in a neat, pretty bow. But then again, maybe it’s better that way.

In terms of readability, the storyline is interesting and kept me coming back evening after evening. As the back story of the friends unfolded, the characters became fully dimensional — a great thing.

But what I wasn’t fond of? While the story wrapped up, I would have liked some closure — perhaps a look at the friends a few months down the line. Seeing them fit back into their lives (and if the changes really took) would have improved the ending for me. Also, the character of Gio rubbed me the wrong way. I felt like there was more intrigue to him than the author let on, and there was one part involving him that just seemed to ring completely false.

So would I recommend this? Maybe. I love Sarah Pekkanen’s writing style, and the storyline kept me hanging on throughout. But it’s not the feel-good beach read I prefer.

The post The Best of Us by Sarah Pekkanen Review appeared first on Sarah by the Sea.