Ruby Galvez, RL

When I was a kid, the word “library” meant one thing: boredom. It conjured up images of stuffy silence, stern librarians, and endless shelves of dusty books that seemed more interested in gathering cobwebs than capturing my imagination. Yet, I’ve since learned that this perception couldn’t be more wrong. The library is not a place where fun goes to die; it’s a playground for the mind. So why do we, as adults, so often pass it off as a dreary destination for last-minute study sessions or research marathons? I can’t help but think we’ve done our children a disservice by failing to frame it as what it really is: a place of adventure, discovery, and, yes, play. Imagine for a moment if the library wasn’t treated like a "last resort" when you've exhausted all other options for entertainment. What if, instead, it was seen as a treasure chest waiting to be opened? Each shelf a new map to a far-off land, every book a ticket to a new world where anything is possible? This shift in ...

I have designed a Story Seeds Journal on Amazon, and you can see it via this link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DJD1NCC1 What is this journal for? It can serve as a personal idea repository . It serves as a personal vault of story seeds, allowing writers to store and revisit ideas, which can be developed later into full projects. It increases story output . By encouraging the regular recording of new ideas, it can lead to a larger collection of potential stories to work from in the future. It builds writing confidence . Structured guidance helps writers see their ideas grow, building confidence in their ability to generate and develop stories.

Lisbeth Salander from  The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo   can be seen as a heroine, but she’s not a traditional coming-of-age character. Instead, she embodies elements of personal evolution and self-discovery, though in a much darker and unconventional context.  Here’s why she fits, and why she doesn’t, into the coming-of-age mold.        Why She Fits: 1.     Self-Discovery and Growth    : Like a coming-of-age protagonist, Lisbeth grapples with understanding her own identity and place in the world. Her journey involves reclaiming control over her life and confronting the traumas of her past, similar to how coming-of-age stories often depict a young person learning about themselves. 2.     Emotional Evolution    : Lisbeth starts off as a loner, distrustful of nearly everyone, but over time, we see her form complex relationships, particularly with Mikael Blomkvist. Though not sentimental or soft, she gradu...