Dear Friends of the Treasure-Hunt Fish Book Series,

I have to thank you all once again for the wonderful support you have shown for each of my books that have been released annually since the first book, Freddie, Hector and Tish:  The Treasure-Hunt Fish, was published in 2008.  Many of you have purchased them as holiday gifts each year, building a set for the youngsters in your lives.  In fact, it was a conversation with one of my best – and regular - customers that prompted this email to you all.   You know who you are!  Thanks!

This past year has been a difficult one for most of us and my family has been no exception.  Beginning with the sudden illness and death of my beloved father last October and a number of health and other issues since then, I have not published the next book in the series this year.  I do plan to get on it in the near future, but not in time to help those who have established the habit of giving positive picture books at the holidays. 

Of course, for the children in your life who do not already have the Treasure-Hunt Fish books, all three are still available, signed and personalized as always, either by ordering through this website or in person at several vendor events that you can find listed here under the “appearances and events” tab. 

However, for those of you who have already given all three books to the young ones in your life but want to continue the reading tradition, I have decided to emulate Kris Kringle’s and Mr. Macy’s generous actions in “The Miracle on 34th Street.”

My friend, Orlando-based children’s author Denise Carey-Costa, has published and sells four children’s books that, like mine, teach valuable life lessons to children.  Her books are targeted to a slightly older age range - 7 to 11 – which should dovetail very nicely with your current collection.  Of course, her books are available online, but I wanted to offer you the chance to continue the tradition of getting special author-signed, personalized books for your youngsters. 

Since Denise does not have a personal website for sgined books, I am including a synopsis and pricing information for each of her books below. 

If you are interested in getting personalized copies of her books (or mine), please contact me through the website or by mail:  PO Box 270352, Tampa, FL   33688-0352 and I will make that happen for you!   

Here are Denise’s books:

“A Tale of Three Tails” ($10.99) - A trilogy of stories that chronicle the adventures of a dog named Bear from his puppy days to his further adventures as an adult dog. Each has an underlying theme featuring timeless lessons, and the importance of love, friendship and compassion.

“Angelina’s Angel” ($10.99) - Angelina is looking forward to the Christmas holidays and her Christmas wish list gets longer and longer. Imagine her disappointment when her mother tells her there is no money for gifts this year. It takes a special trip with a very special Uncle Marty and an unexpected gift to make this a magical, memorable Christmas.

”Edwin’s Flight” ($18.95) - A little bird named Edwin is born with a not so perfect wing making him unfit for the birds’ flying school and annual race. Edwin soon realizes that with a little determination and a lot of practice anything can be achieved. Edwin's spirit and motivation soon have him soaring above the all the other birds.

“Lucky” ($10.99) - A lonely street cat is looking for the welcoming love of a family. His rough, ugly appearance makes people afraid of him and they chase him away. Alex, an equally lonely boy is looking for a friend. These two outcasts find true friendship with each other but not without some consequences. Love and loyalty win out and everyone learns that beauty and friendship are found in the most unlikely places.

Shipping and handling is just $3 for each book.  Please allow three weeks for delivery and let me know no later than December 4 to be in time for Christmas!

Also – while I am busy “Kristina Kringle-ing,” if you are looking for great edible holiday treats, please consider another Tampa Bay business –
Nana’s Cookie Jar!

Everything Nana makes is excellent, and her pecan brittle (with Maple syrup) is TO DIE FOR!  Trust me when I tell you that a few ounces of that has fixed many a bad mood in my life! 

For more info, visit: www.facebook.com/nanascookiejar.   

Whatever you do this year – please support your local businesses and BUY AMERICAN!!!! 

Here’s wishing us all optimism, excellent health and unbridled energy to turn our lives and our economy around in the coming year!

Happy Holidays – a bit early!

With warmest regards,

Brenda Darnley Martin

I want to thank everyone who came out to support Bay Area Legal Services' 2011 Cup of Hope Garden Tea Party yesterday.  The event was lovely as always and raised lots of money to benefit victims of domestic violence. Even the Thunderbirds of MacDill Air Force Base stopped by!  See you all there next year - 11-3-2012!

When my husband and I were Chicago-based newlyweds back in the 1980’s, we were given the gift of staying at a friend’s Florida condominium on Siesta Key – right on the Gulf of Mexico.  This was a huge treat for us!  Even though we were both born and raised in the Detroit area, literally surrounded by the Great Lakes, we rarely took the time to go to the beach.

Needless to say, we had the time of our lives on Siesta Key enjoying the sun, sand, surf and PELICANS!  I LOVE pelicans – they are such amazing birds – and never tire of watching them as they literally “carry-out” (of the water) their dinners every evening.  I absolutely HATED leaving Sarasota to return to Chicago that November day, knowing I was returning to the gloominess of a northern winter and fighting the Seasonal Affective Disorder that goes along with it!

About two years later Mike and I had both had enough of winter and set about looking for the opportunity to move to a sunnier climate permanently.  Fortunately, we landed in Tampa, not too far from the beaches we had loved.  We were so excited about being able to once again enjoy the sun, sand, surf and pelicans! 

Guess what happened?  While we did build a lovely home in a beautiful area with lots of sunshine and natural beauty, due to our jobs, we built it at least 15 miles from the sand, surf and pelicans we craved.  And just as we had done in the Midwest, we rarely (never) got to the beach.

Fast forward TWENTY-FOUR years!!!!!  Last year Mike and I were privileged to6 celebrate our 29^th wedding anniversary at another generous friend’s gorgeous condo on the Gulf of Mexico - this time on Clearwater Beach.  We were supposed to go out there Friday and return home on Monday evening.  Due to my work - or possibly the skewing of my priorities - we did not even leave for the beach until 2:00 on Saturday, thereby eliminating one of the three days we had planned.  Once there, we TOTALLY relaxed, enjoyed the sun, sand, surf and PELICANS, and forgot about our jobs, computers, careers….  We went swimming in the Gulf for the first time in 24 years and it was WONDERFUL!  I almost cried at the sensation.  It is just not the same in my swimming pool…. 

The message here is simple – if we wait another 24 years to do what is so special to us, it is doubtful we will even be there to do it! 

It is SOOOO IMPORTANT to MAKE THE TIME you need to enjoy the things that mean so much to your soul!  Learn to do the little things that make you feel alive!  You don’t have to wait for a generous friend to come along and set an appointment with life!  Be your own generous friend! 

If you have good knees and a bicycle, ride your bike and experience that feeling again. 

 If you have a dog – and a crash helmet – take the dog along for a run while you are on the bike!  Crash helmets are essential if you have a willful dog! 

If you don’t have a crash helmet – take the dog to a dog park and watch them interact.  There’s a lot of joy in that!

Go to dinner at a waterfront restaurant.

Take a drive with your windows rolled down and your hair blowing wild in the breeze.

If you are truly adventurous – go sky or scuba diving – roller skating – whatever! 

Whatever it is that makes your spirit soar – pick at least one day a month to indulge in it – and go for it. Your mind, body and spirit will feel better for the experience!

I am thrilled to report that the Venue Ensemble Theatre in Pinellas Park, Florida (between Clearwater and St. Petersburg) has incorporated two of the Treasure-Hunt Fish book titles into the script for their latest show –SECRETS of a SOCCER MOM.  What an honor! 

Also, it is worth noting that the Venue always donates a percentage of its sales to a different local non-profit for each show.  This time they have chosen Pinellas County Special Olympics.  I am thrilled to also be donating a percentage of book sales at the theatre to that organization too (in addition to a percentage to the Venue Theatre Collective), as my next book deals with meeting an autistic fish, in honor of my nephew, Adam Fisch.

 If you are in the Tampa Bay area, please go see the show!  You won’t be disappointed!   Here is more info from the media release about the event: 

When SECRETS of a SOCCER MOM opens on March 31, they are not only offering a wonderfully produced heart-warming comedy to the Tampa Bay area, but they are featuring a cameo presentation of locally themed children’s picture books as well.   This generosity of spirit is a staple of the VET, which designates a local non-profit to receive a portion of the proceeds from every ticket sold as the benefit organization to for each production. 

But Mary Kay Cyrus, who is directing SECRETS of a SOCCER MOM, saw the opportunity to personalize the production to the local area even further, by making a small name change in the script to include local author/actress Brenda Darnley Martin’s books about the Treasure-Hunt Fish of Old Tampa Bay.  Martin, who met Cyrus when they were cast-mates in a play several years ago, was thrilled.  “I was so honored when Mary Kay and Corinne Broskette (Executive Director of VET) wanted to include my books in the script.  It is a very special moment for me.” Martin said.  Martin’s books will also be offered for sale at the theatre, with 10% of the proceeds going to the Venue Theatre Collective, Inc. and another 10% going to the VET’s designated benefit organization for this production, Special Olympics (Pinellas County). 

SECRETS of a SOCCER MOM is a heart-warming comedy about life both on and off the soccer field.  Local actresses Johanna Griese, Katie Mulford, and Samantha Parisi take to the field in a mother and son soccer match.

Performances are March 31 – April 17, 2011; Friday and Saturday performances are at 8 pm, Sunday matinees at 3 pm.  Tickets are $15.  Group Discounts available for parties of 10 or more.  Seating is limited.  The special Thursday Preview Performance on March 31^st is “pay what you can.”

Reservations can be made on-line at http://www.venueactorstudio.org/ CTRL + Click to follow link">www.VenueActorStudio.org  or by calling 727-822-6194.

Venue Theatre and Actors Studio is located in the Hudson Furniture Plaza at 9125 US 19 N (intersection of Mainlands and US 19), Pinellas Park, FL 33782. 

Venue Theatre Collective, Inc is a Not-For-Profit 501(c)(3) Corporation

I must congratulate the folks at H.E.A.R.T. Literacy in Hernando County on the great success of their 2011 Festival of Reading.  The event was well attended by lots of families with young kids, just out for a wonderful day!  It is worth the drive to do it next year!  And as a presenter, I really apprecaited the great audience!  Do check it out if you love spending quality time with your kids and love reading!

I recently had the pleasure of going to lunch with my good friend, Mary,* whom I had not seen in a while.  Like many of us these days (or at least someone close to us), the economy has been tough for her, but despite that, she was remarkably upbeat and positive.  In fact, Mary told me that she and another friend, tired of seeing their businesses dwindle, had just decided to start another business together. 

One good thing about this recession-depression-expression of economic/career frustration or whatever you want to call it has been the wide-scale rebirth of the entrepreneurial spirit.

Not that it is easy to keep a positive thought 24/7!  It is human nature for all of us to visit “Woe-ville” at one time or another - regardless of the economic climate – but it is especially tempting to take that trip during tough times.  Besides, Woe-ville is the perfect place to have that “Personal Pity Party” we all like to have at one time or another, though it is often hard to get friends to meet you there! 

If you need permission to go, I will give it to you with one big condition:  when you get to Woe-ville, CHOOSE “Short-term Parking” – DO NOT choose to park in the long term lot, requiring you to wait for the shuttle to come along to take you back! 

The truth is – you do not choose all of the circumstances in your life, but you do CHOOSE your attitude in reacting to those circumstances. 

One big component in keeping your attitude positive is to associate yourself and your mind to positive people and information.  Do your level best to remove negative people and thoughts from your life.  Take some time to write a “resume” listing all of your talents and strengths and use it to apply for the job of being your own best friend!  Once you have listed out your talents and interests, use that information to find networking groups of like-minded positive people who will encourage you to seek bigger and bigger goals, including entrepreneurial opportunities within the areas of your interests.  Thanks to the Internet and groups like Meetup.com you can find hundreds of networking groups in almost every region for every interest under the sun.

I have always found it amazing that when we are young, our elders constantly bombard us with the importance of not putting “all of our eggs in one basket,” while at the same time asking us who we want to work for when we grow up.  Talk about the ultimate “all your eggs in one basket!” 

This is the perfect time and the perfect economy to set up a table full of baskets and see which ones contain the majority of your interests.  And don’t be self-less – keep at least two baskets going at all times!!!!

*name has been changed

I am honored to be a presenter at the 2011 Hernando County Reading Festival Tomorrow, March 5, 2011. 

Click below for more info - join me if you can!

http://www2.hernandotoday.com/content/2011/mar/04/hometown-happenings-0304/

Several months ago I wrote an article which was posted on www.mindbeautyspirit.com - now www.michellephillips.com.  It was very well received there and I want to share it here as well!  It is NOT about fish, but it is about having a positive approach to life - which is really the message of all of the Treasure-Hunt Fish books!

So here goes - enjoy!

Sing!  Sing Your Song!  Make it Simple to Keep Your Spirit Strong!

Way back in 1973 when I was too young to do much of anything legally, Joni Mitchell released one of her biggest hits:  Big Yellow Taxi.  My friends and I loved singing that song, which was really a piece about dealing with seemingly unnecessary ecological losses, and very little about a yellow taxi.  The chorus that everyone loved to sing went like this:

“Don't it always seem to go that you don't know what you've got ‘til it's gone

They paved paradise and put up a parking lot.”

In fact, until today when I Googled the song in the course of writing this commentary, I thought the name of that song was You Don’t Know What You’ve Got ‘Til It’s Gone.

 Many times over the years when I experienced a personal loss, I have found myself singing those lyrics.  Singing has always been a source of comfort to me, especially when going through troubled times.  And as I have aged, I have found myself utilizing song even more.  There is something about the sound of a familiar and friendly voice (even your own) that soothes my soul, and I am sure I am not alone in this experience. 

 But songs are not just for difficult times.  Disney’s 1937 classic film:  Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs featured the very popular song:  Whistle While You Work, and in 1964, Disney again brought the positive impact of a song to light when Mary Poppins introduced the following lyrics to the world in “A Spoonful of Sugar: 

 “A robin feathering his nest
Has very little time to rest
While gathering his bits of twine and twig
Though quite intent in his pursuit
He has a merry tune to toot
He knows a song will move the job along - for

A Spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down
The medicine go down-wown
The medicine go down
Just a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down
In a most delightful way”

 The power of song to make an ordinary day seem special has never been more significant than in these difficult times.  There is so much uncertainty in the world today – virtually the ENTIRE world, not just our own personal piece of it – and it is very easy to get caught up in the day to day frets and worries that bombard us from every direction.  It is more important than ever to find the melody in your heart and sing yourself daily lullabies so that you do not lose your own “joie de vivre.”  Music helps you define your purpose, and gives you the ability to positively pursue your dreams, even in the face of pervasive fear. 

 We each have our special musical memories – songs that literally take us back to certain times, places and events in our lives.  We remember our high school class song (mine was We’ve Only Just Begun by the Carpenters); the song we associate with our first sweetheart or later, with our ultimate life partner; or sadly, a song that was playing on the radio when a loved one died.  They all come together to serve as the soundtrack for our lives. 

 I challenge you all to think about your own personal theme song.  What song in your past do you think sums up your life – past, present and FUTURE?  Are you happy with the song you have been dancing to or would you like to make a change?  If you don’t like what you have been doing, I heartily recommend you listen to and adopt Patti Labelle’s New Attitude:

“I'm feelin' good from my head to my shoes
Know where I'm goin' and I know what to do
I tidied up my point of view
I got a new attitude
Runnin' hot, runnin' cold
I was runnin' into overload
It was extreme, ex-ex-ex-ex-ex-extreme
It took it so high, so low
So low, there was nowhere to go
Like a dream
Somehow the wires uncrossed, the tables were turned
Never knew I had such a lesson to learn
I'm feelin' good from my head to my shoes
Know where I'm goin' and I know what to do
I tidied up my point of view
I got a new attitude.”

 Until next time, I will sign off with the title of the personal theme song of an old Hollywood couple, Roy Rogers and Dale Evans:  Happy Trails to You!!!

Check out the really cool and LONG OVERDUE new Treasure-Hunt Fish website: www.treasurehuntfish.com! It is ALMOST finished. The order page is not working, but will be soon. I hope you like it! In the meantime, if you are desperate to order, please email me through that site and we will work it out! :) Now to learn to administer it...