As a writer, I totally understand how important it is to receive feedback about your work. Writing a novel is no easy task, and it is a little scary to reveal what you have created to the world. I wrote the book that I wanted to read but would anyone else feel the same way? That’s why it is so heartening to receive a great review. I can’t explain how much joy it gives me to know that someone else enjoyed my writing.
I know it seems like everyone wants a review nowadays, and it can get tiresome. And, of course, everyone wants the reviews to be good. But it is important to get honest feedback. It helps creators hone their craft and helps creators promote their work.
So, I was happily surprised when I saw someone gave my book another five-star review. It inspires me and makes me think about writing another book or expanding the story I already wrote into a series. My latest review is below along with the other three. Thank you to all of those who took the time to review my book. I appreciate you so much!
“Highly recommend this compelling story!! Excellent character development and description make the characters so vivid! Lisa describes the scenes beautifully with lots of color details, so the reader is immersed in the setting. Lots of real-life topics and hard decisions are interwoven throughout the story that are relatable to most. Exciting to the very end! You won’t want to put this book down!!”
“I really enjoyed this book. It was easy reading and held my attention. I would recommend it to anyone who likes to read dramas with romance mixed in.”
“Thoroughly enjoyed the story.”
“Lisa Smith’s fiction held my attention from page one to the very end! One of those reads you are sorry it ends. Read this in two nights! I loved the surprises and twists!”
The current state of affairs in the United States and the world have prompted me to pray in a more focused way. While I am no longer a regular church-goer, I have gone back to praying the Rosary. It is an excellent template to use for meditation. As I have done before, I have selected non-traditional mysteries to meditate upon when praying the Rosary. These mysteries are all biblically based. I realize there are more than five mysteries here. I interchange them with whatever mood I am in that day. In addition to that, I have become more familiar with some of the archangels, particularly Archangel Uriel, who is considered the Archangel of Wisdom and Justice. I am sharing this in case it helps anyone else.
Crush the oppressors.
“May he defend the afflicted among the people and save the children of the poor; may he crush the oppressors.”
Treat others the way you want to be treated. Psalm 72:4.
“Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers or sisters of mine, you did it for me.” Matthew 25:40
Be humble.
“Whoever exalts himself will be humbled; but whoever humbles himself will be exalted.” Matthew 23:12
The mission of Jesus (and us).
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring glad tidings to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord.” Luke 4:18-19
Have hope.
“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied.” Matthew 5:6
Do not hoard wealth through unjust means.
“Behold, the wages you withheld from the workers who harvested your fields are crying aloud, and the cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts.dYou have lived on earth in luxury and pleasure; you have fattened your hearts for the day of slaughter.eYou have condemned; you have murdered the righteous one;f he offers you no resistance. Be patient, therefore, brothers and sisters, until the coming of the Lord…” James 5:4-7
Do justice to the oppressed.
“Do justice and righteousness, and deliver from the hand of the oppressor him who has been robbed. And do no wrong or violence to the resident alien, the fatherless, and the widow, nor shed innocent blood in this place.” Jeremiah 22:3
In addition to this, I pray that the wicked, corrupt leaders will be removed and be replaced with servant leaders of courage, truth, integrity and justice. I pray that all the lies, tortures, cheats, steals, treasons, bribes, murders, rapes, extortions, sexual assaults, money launderings, child and/or sex traffickings, threats and every evil deed be exposed. Bring the corrupt leaders to justice and let us get our democracy back. I pray to and for all the souls lost in the fight for our democracy. Please come to our aid. Amen.
Top Archangel Uriel Prayers I found online:
General Prayer for Wisdom: “Archangel Uriel, bring your golden light into my heart and mind. Illuminate my thoughts, clear my confusion, and help me see with divine wisdom. Guide me gently to the truth and fill me with the peace that comes from clarity. Thank you for your calm presence and radiant insight. So Be It”.
For Decision-Making: “Archangel Uriel, Light of God, you who carry the flame of divine wisdom, we ask you to stand beside us now. Illuminate our minds and hearts so we may see, think, and understand as God intended us to”.
For Abundance and Work: “Blessed Archangel, I ask you, with the flame of your light and the fire of your truth, to show me a clear path to wisdom, prosperity and success”.
For Inner Peace/Inner Child: “Rest your transfiguring light upon me so that I may mold negative into positive, find light in the shadows of the past and know tranquility in my heart”.
Reflections in the Spirit of St. Julian 