Writing, and Getting Published

Writing is a very sacred art, held high by those who perform it. To some, a book is simply tens of thousands of words that look imposing to have to read; for bibliophiles, it is a very detailed and alien world that is just waiting for you to dive in and explore its secrets.

While a perfectly crafted story, tale, or yarn  has the possibility to bring your dreams to life, getting that story into a publishers hands, printed, and into the public can be a nightmarish ordeal. With the great amount of digital publishing solutions available on the web today, traditional publishers or companies offering publishing services are becoming much more selective when it comes to what they accept, publish, and market. What does this mean for you and your story? Well, it means that unless there is an obvious way to make millions and millions of dollars off of your book, the traditional publishers and publishing houses will not be interested in paying you for your story -- even if it is well-written and interesting.

The large publishers have set themselves into their own self-made rut, in-which the company loses money on most of its clients, and brings themselves into the black with only a handful of titles that are widely marketable (i.e. Harry Potter and the billion dollar movies, Twilight and their die-hard fan base, and 50 shades of grey and the hormones it inspires).

If your book doesn't have a clear way to make its own millions, you better get ready for dozens of rejection letters until one editor finally gives you a chance. If you are looking to get your book published a little sooner that this, one option is to self publish the book. Now, this means that you will have to front the bill for publishing and marketing costs, but your book will be printed.

There are many publishing services that offer this type of service, often called vanity publishing, and they can get you set up with the best plans and budgets for your goals and current strategy. SPi Global is one such company that offers e-book conversion and other publishing services.

To learn more about how to self publish a book, visit SPi Global online at:

 http://www.spi-global.com/

Holiday Habits

 By

Anonymous

We are now on the cusp of Christmas. Only a few days away is the jolliest day of the year; a time when we spend memorable moments with family and friends, exchange beloved gifts, and indulge in bountiful feasts. For me this is the best of times, and the worst of times... I am a former addict.

Drugs were never anything I wanted any part of. Friends of mine would use drugs for recreation around me all of the time, but I never touched them... I never even wanted to. For me, alcohol was my only vice. I drank socially at first, but looking back, I can see that it was always at a slow and steady increase from the first drink. At my worst of times, I was easily drinking a half gallon of rum per day.

This will be only the second Christmas I have celebrated since I left drug rehab in California a few years back. Christmas is the toughest time for me, because I see so many friends and family that I haven't seen in a long time. Every one of those friends and family members drinks, and they especially like to drink during the holidays -- this poses many threats for me.

12 step recovery programs have taught me essential lessons for fighting temptations such as those I am about to face, but the holiday temptations can put even the strongest of wills to the test. What I truly have to do is put myself into a healthy and calm state of mind, and do my best to get through the holidays the best I can. Though I am confident in myself, and I know I will exercise every reserve I have, I still do get worried that the temptations will be too great, and I will end up back in 12 step addiction recovery.

So, as I prepare to travel across the country and brave my way through the holidays, I am placing my fate in God's hands, and asking for the strength to get through this, and continue with my sobriety.

Live Life in a Great Neighborhood

Living life to its fullest is much more easily done with the peace of mind that you are living in a safe and comfortable neighborhood. Gilbert, AZ has long been touted as one of the best areas to live in; even winning numerous awards for "Best Neighborhood" and Safest Community."

If you are searching for real estate in Gilbert, AZ, go to the source, AZ Home Info Source. AZ Home Info Source, and the Jason Hall Real Estate Team live and work in Gilbert, Arizona, and their expertise on the area, and the home-purchasing process are unmatched. Visit them online at:

http://www.azhomeinfosource.com

Painkillers: Beyond Epidemic

Newly released analyses from the Associated Press show that the epidemic of prescription drug abuse in the United States is now off the charts. From 2000 to 2010, the rates of prescription drug use and abuse have increased as high as sixteen-fold. While sales of prescription drugs rose only moderately in California, drug rehab facilities and drug rehab programs have seen a surprising trend of heroin, cocaine, and meth addicts switching over to prescription drugs because of their availability. Other states have seen dramatic increases in sales, with sales in New Mexico rising 500%; about the average gain seen in most states.

Originally, the increase in prescription drug abuse centered around the national borders and in and around the Appalachians.  Since 2010, the problem as grown outward from these two centers and have engulfed nearly the entire country. In Fact, 12 step treatment centers have seen such a large increase in those checking in for oxycodone and hydrocodone, that they are having to devote more resources to these specific types of addictions rather than traditional illicit drug addictions.

Do you, or someone you know, have a a problem with prescription drugs and/or painkillers? Above It All Treatment offers 12 step addiction recovery programs that effectively treat the chemical dependency of painkillers such as Oxycontin. Visit us online today, to find out more about treatment options.

www.aboveitalltreatment.com/

Cutting Down on Unnecessary C-Sections

 For the past three decades, pregnant mothers -- especially first-time moms -- have been opting for C-Section birth rather than natural birth. Experts attribute the large rise to mothers making the personal choice to give birth via Cesarian for a number of personal reasons. The reasons mothers may give for their choice often times can be for vanity reasons, but the majority of optional cesarians are performed due to the mothers apprehension for the birthing process.


Anxiety cause by the though of giving birth naturally can leave some new mothers completely paralyzed with fear. In these instances, doctors often plan for a C-section early on in the pregnancy, in order to ease the mother's fears, allowing her to complete gestation without stress and anxiety negatively affecting the fetus.

Though the choice of a doctor to approve C-Sections based on this fear seems a very caring decision, some doctors take advantage of this opportunity and perform unnecessary cesarians simply because it is a significant increase to the final bill. Not all doctors opt for cesarians strictly for financial gain, but it does happen, and C-Sections are the most performed operation in the United States.

Today, there is a movement gaining steam, a movement of women aiming for a return to a greater number of natural births. Therapy groups are popping up all around the country in hospitals, community centers, and health clinics; these therapy groups look to ease the fear that women have, not by the promise of a cesarian, but with care and support in a group environment or 1 on 1.

With the rise of these new support groups, health officials are lobbying for a stricter criteria on approving this operation, and offering young mothers more viable options for delivery, if they have worries about the process.

Kickboxing for Health

There are many physical activities that one can participate in for a strengthening of muscles, toning of the body, and sharpening of mental health. Karate, and other martial arts teach life lessons and mental techniques that can be used outside of the realm of self defense, and work in other aspects of life as well.

Elite Defense Systems, offering their Rockford Kickboxing classes, tout the benefits of kickboxing for men and women alike. Mental and physical stability is a core focus in the program, and mental focus and control go hand-in-hand with eachother as physical and mental benefits.

To learn more about kickboxing classes, contact Elite Defense Systems at 1-877-337-1877, or online at:
http://www.freeself-defense.com/

The First Few Hours of Rehab

Drug counseling programs and drug rehabs are programs designed to help individuals with chemical dependencies to detox from drugs and/or alcohol, and then to teach them skills and ways to keep from using these substance anymore. It sounds like a simple enough task, but there are many complexities to detox and sobriety.

First off, when an individuals stops using these substances, withdrawal symptoms can start as early as within a few hours. Depending on the type of substance involved with the addiction, these symptoms can range anywhere from mild to severe enough to cause cardiac arrest and death. Heroin rehabs deal with some of the most severe withdrawal symptoms, and usually have a full medical staff observing over the initial detox to ensure that the detox procedure is performed safely. Alcohol rehabs also staff a medical team to observe patients in the initial detox, as alcohol withdrawal can be just as severe.

While other drugs may not cause the extreme side effects of withdrawal that heroin and alcohol often produce, the best drug rehabs will still have medical staff on stand-by at all times, as cessation from any type of drug can cause a variety of physical and mental side effects. Also within the first hours of entering rehab, patients will begin participating in drug counseling programs to help fight any cravings or symptoms they might be having.

Social gathering, communications, and activities are commonplace in inpatient rehabs, as fellow program participants will all be living together in a residential treatment environment. This is opposed to outpatient drug rehab programs, where attendees are allowed to leave the facility and return at will.

All of these things make up the first few hours, and much of the time spent in a rehab; but when separating from a drug addiction, nothing is set in stone, and incidents can come up that may not have been expected.