Rosebud's Blog

Monday, January 16, 2023

Happy New Year & Happy Clam!

Wishing everyone a happy new year! Sharing a few pics, from the soggy fireworks New Year’s Eve in Provincetown to the tree lighting in Concord, I hope everyone enjoyed the magic and miracles of the holiday season.

Sharing a song for the season as well: “Love’s Divine,” by Seal.

https://youtu.be/iczaDcixBj4

I am grateful to the wonderful hosts and reviewers who have taken the time to get to know my book over the past year, and invited me as a guest on their shows, ranging from New Orleans to New York City, Canada to Galway, Ireland. Thank you all!

***Here is a refreshed book cover for the new year too***

Photo courtesy of Matt Botsford, Unsplash

One of my favorites is the interview with Kacey at WHUD in Beacon, NY, broadcasting to the Hudson Valley.

Kacey Morabito at WHUD:

https://lnns.co/MEYPRkeBbrT

I also really appreciated the patience of Dr. Jeanette Gallagher (my first interview), Dr. Stephen Lycka, and Donna Seebo (my last). They really spent a lot of time getting to know the book.

Dr. Jeanette Gallagher:

https://drjeanettegallagher.com/take-off-your-sunglasses-jump-into-a-full-life-at-any-age-with-rosemary-schmidt/

Dr. Lycka: https://podcastaddict.com/episode/https%3A%2F%2Fapi.spreaker.com%2Fdownload%2Fepisode%2F52039692%2Fhow_to_live_a_fantastic_life_tue_11_29_22.mp3&podcastId=3856380

Donna Seebo:

http://107.182.234.197:2197/ondemand/donnaseeboshow/3198%20Dec%205%202022-Mon-Rosemary%20Schmidt-Donna%20Seebo%20Show-rec_(12_05_2022)_0.mp3

Not to be forgotten, I thoroughly enjoyed my conversations with Steve Richards with the Asheville Radio Group, Kathryn Zox live on the radio in New York City, and Shaun Proulx on Sirius XM 167 Canada Talks.

Steve Richards, Speaking of Writers, Asheville Radio Group, NC:

https://anchor.fm/steve-richards/episodes/Rosemary-Schmidt-THE-HAPPY-CLAM-e1sojlu/a-a93mrkt

Kathryn Zox:

https://www.thekathrynzoxshow.com/episodes/1509

A huge thank you to folks who published reviews and interviews on their websites, especially:

The Midwest Book Review:

https://www.midwestbookreview.com/sbw/nov_22.htm

“Critique: More than just another motivational self-help oriented memoir, "The Happy Clam" is particularly inspirational with real life illustrations, observations, and insights that reads with the storytelling style of a memorable novel.”

Christy Birmingham-Reyes, When Women Inspire:

https://whenwomeninspire.com/2022/12/01/rosemary-schmidt-the-happy-clam/

Danielle Holian:

https://danielleholian.wixsite.com/danielleholian/post/book-feature-rosemary-schmidt-the-happy-clam

“…there’s something raw and captivating that makes this book a page turner...”

“Sourcing credible mastery, with relevancy, there’s something special about this read. It’s a readable book to pick up whenever the reader wishes, always leaving the reader feeling inspired.”

Authority Magazine:

https://medium.com/authority-magazine/total-health-author-rosemary-schmidt-on-how-we-can-optimize-our-mental-physical-c797330364d7

I wasn’t sure I really qualified as an expert, or authority, enough to be featured on their website, and wondered where they got the idea that an author might be an authority on something… Oh, wait, now I get it.

Thanks to the many folks who also posted info about the book on their websites:

The Table Read in the UK

Bekah Jorgensen for sharing info about my book on her website, Motherhood Moment!

https://motherhood-moment.blogspot.com/2022/10/book-nook-happy-clam.html

Business News This Week in India:

https://businessnewsweek.in/education/the-happy-clam-treads-new-waters-in-search-of-harmonious-life/

https://smartbusinesnews.com/education/the-happy-clam-treads-new-waters-in-search-of-harmonious-life/

Lastly, check out this week’s edition of The National Examiner, where they are featuring The Happy Clam on their Health page, and offering free copies to ten lucky winners of their book giveaway!

I am also excited to announce that the Geodes & Journals Program has been funded again in 2023 by the Massachusetts Cultural Council/Watertown Cultural Council, and so I’ll be working together again with the Watertown Boys & Girls Club, introducing kids to geology and writing.

Finishing with a quote from Albert Camus: “In the midst of winter, I found there was, within me, an invincible summer. And that makes me happy. For it says that no matter how hard the world pushes against me, within me, there’s something stronger – something better, pushing right back.”

Be better.

Post Script: Thanks to Francis Dunnery for the pep talk!

Too Much Saturn: https://youtu.be/fWw_AbF_8UM

Looking for Rosemary Schmidt, the Geologist, well, that’s me too. You can find me here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rosemary-schmidt-a19560184/

Rose Schmidt is the author of The Happy Clam (© 2020), and Go Forward, Support! The Rugby of Life (© 2003), both published by Gainline Press. The views expressed herein are solely those of the author, and do not reflect the views of any other agency or organization. Use of individual quotes with proper citation and attribution, within the limits of fair use, is permitted. If you would like to request permission to use or reprint any of the content on the site, please contact me. Twitter: Rosebud@GainlineRS

Sunday, August 7, 2022

The Watertown Arts Market Returns Saturday, Aug 13th! Plus Book Readings at the Lit Squad Booth!

The Watertown Arts Market (WAM) returns to Arsenal Park, located in the backyard to the burgeoning Arsenal Yards, from 12 to 5 on Saturday, August 13^th, 2022.

There is a full arsenal of arts and culture that will be on display, see map below.

Some local food stands/trucks will also be on site all day, including the super AWESOME folks from O’Some Café.

A variety of activities will be happening all day, including book/poetry readings at the Lit Squad booth (#84 on the map). There will be a bunch of offerings from local authors, including the 2022 Watertown Sampler, available for sale.

2:15 PM - I’ll be at the Lit Squad booth (#84), and reading a couple of excerpts from my books, The Happy Clam, and Go Forward, Support! The Rugby of Life. Books will be available for purchase at the table.

I’ll also have some FREE stuff to give away: pens, notebooks, postcards, everything to inspire the writer within all of you!

Photo Credits: Natalie Nigito

There will be a bunch of offerings from local authors, including the 2022 Watertown Sampler, available for sale.

https://www.amazon.com/Watertown-Squads-Poets-Writers-Sampler/dp/B0B5PSRMQ4?source=ps-sl-shoppingads-lpcontext&ref_=fplfs&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER

Swing by booth #17 at 4:00 to hear more about the Massachusetts Cultural Council and Watertown Cultural Council grant opportunities to fund local arts and culture activities.

Speaking of which – boxes of rocks, geodes, and journals have been arriving almost daily, as I prepare to give a program on Geodes & Journals to the Watertown Boys and Girls Club the week of August 15^th. Exciting stuff! Looking forward to meeting and working with the kids and program directors and counselors at the Club!

Read more about how this came to be in my post from Jan. 2022:

https://www.gainline.com/2022/01/

What the critics are saying about The Happy Clam:

If you read it and you like it, please leave a review on Amazon and GoodReads!

"This short, sweet book is like a long conversation with your really smart best friend."

"The personal insights shared, the failures and successes, the tips on how to find the positive and even the recipes all add to make this a very good workbook for living."

IBPA Benjamin Franklin Book Award Judges Panel

"During a time when the whole world is feeling quite down and lost, a book such as this is welcomed with open arms.

Prose: Schmidt has a way of meandering through her thoughts cohesively and eloquently. Although her ideas blend together to a degree, they do so in an intentional fashion, stitched together with facts, citations, quotes, poetry, and recipes.

Originality: The Happy Clam is a self-help book about finding one's inner happiness and contentment – a topic that has been well traveled. However, Schmidt has the ability to tread these waters with a unique perspective, and successfully manages to take a tired subject and breathe new life into it."

The BookLife Prize

"Throughout, she revealed herself as insightful and funny, charming and wise, qualities that, along with the rigor of her presentation of research, ensure The Happy Clam stands out from the pack of self-help books on happiness. She is realistic and positive in the same breath, illuminating how “elusive happiness” can seem attainable to readers.

Takeaway: A quick, thorough, inviting self-help book on ways to seek, find, and maintain happiness in adulthood."

BookLife Review

“The Happy Clam is a book that should be on the bookshelves of everyone in the current climate. Rosemary A. Schmidt has a way with words that invigorates your soul and makes you feel optimistic despite the countless problems facing society at large. The author relates the pain of losing her sister and her mother, but she manages to find a way to navigate through the grieving period. She also recounts her experiences of working as a supervisor. There is a surprising amount of humor sprinkled throughout the pages that makes Schmidt's writing all the more engaging, and I honestly found myself chuckling out loud once or twice. You also get some really cool recipes to soothe your stomach as well as your soul. Highly recommended.”

Pikasho Deka, for Readers’ Favorite (5 stars)

“I came away from reading “The Happy Clam,” feeling motivated and inspired to take more steps to ease up on the things that are currently dragging me down. I will focus on spending more time on taking care of my own wellbeing. In turn, in the long run, this will enable me to feel better physically, mentally and spiritually. This is highly recommended reading and would make a thoughtful gift for someone who is seeking a way back to a happier life.”

Paige Lovitt, for Reader Views (5 stars)

2021 Eric Hoffer Category Finalist

Good Reads

Read more about the book here on Good Reads and see who else is reading it now:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/54740921-the-happy-clam

Author’s web page:

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/254930.Rosemary_A_Schmidt

Soundtrack:

Don’t forget to go back to the July 2020 blog for the book’s soundtrack!

http://www.gainline.com/2020/07/the-happy-clam.html

A song for the season:

Catch and Release, by Matt Simons

https://youtu.be/1LXsm9y-z3I

The Promise, by When In Rome:

https://youtu.be/5HI_xFQWiYU

https://youtu.be/vyLtOeT-5vY

Every month is suicide prevention month.

July saw the launch of the new 3-digit Suicide Prevention Line: 988.

Monday, February 21, 2022

Watertown Cultural Council Announces New Grants for 2022

NEWS in Watertown:

For more info about the Book Launch, Talk and Giveaway March 20th, scroll down, or go back to the Feb 2022 post:

https://www.gainline.com/2022/02/book-launch-talk-giveaway.html

February News Release - Watertown Cultural Council:

The Watertown Cultural Council is pleased to announce its grant recipients for the fiscal year 2022. The Council awarded 20 grants totally over $14,000 an increase of over $2,000 from last year. The grants will support arts, humanities and public science and technology projects throughout Watertown. The funding for these grants is provided by the Massachusetts Cultural Council. And, for the first time, the Watertown Cultural Council will support a Council project, Yard Art. The programs serve Watertown adult audiences as well as families, older adults, preschoolers and K-12 students.

Grantees for 2022 Include the Following:

Arts Access Programming at the Mosesian Center for the Arts

Art Saint Hope Art Exhibit

Belmont World Film’s 19th Annual Family Film Festival

Dancing Feet’s Free Children’s Dancing Classes

Dinosaur Annex’s Performance of Hub of the Musiverse: Sonic Migrations

Geode Program at the Watertown Boys and Girls Club

Gore Place’s Neighborhood Nature Walks

Hosmer School’s International Week

Hip Hop Dance for Seniors

Irish Music Performance, Patrick J. Touhey Memorial Concert

Local Armenian Community Map

Mount Auburn Cemetery’s Program on “The Art of Living Together”

Pigsgusset Initiative’s Performance of “Listen to Sipu”

Recovery City Production

Revels and Perkins School for the Blind’s Performance of “Celebration of Spring”

Watertown Arts Market

Watertown Saltonstall Park Concerts 2022

Woman in the Mirror Production

Women in World Jazz, Watertown Public School

Yard Art

The Watertown Cultural Council (WCC) is one of 355 Local Cultural Council Programs statewide, funded in large part by the state through the Massachusetts Cultural Council (MCC), and part of the largest grassroots cultural funding network in the nation, annually supporting thousands of community-based projects in the arts, humanities, and sciences. The mission of the Massachusetts Cultural Council (MCC) is “to promote excellence, access, education and diversity in the arts, humanities and interpretive sciences in order to improve the quality of life for all Massachusetts residents and to contribute to the economic vitality of our communities.” The Watertown Cultural Council is comprised of volunteer residents with a strong interest in the arts, humanities, and sciences.

To learn more about the application process or how to join the Council, please visit the Watertown Cultural Council website at watertownculturalcouncil.org.

###

A lot of great arts & culture things coming this year in Watertown!

Thanks to both the Watertown Cultural Council and Massachusetts Cultural Council.

For more information about the Geode Program, check out my December 2021 blog, Some of My Favorite Things, about how the idea of the geode program came to me after last August’s Arts Market.

https://www.gainline.com/2022/01/

Book Launch, Talk & Giveaway

Also, mark your calendars, Book Launch, Talk, and Giveaway coming up on Sunday, March 20^th at 3:00 PM, to coincide w/ International World Happiness Day and the first day of spring.

The talk will be held virtually via EventBrite/Zoom, and so anyone can attend from anywhere, free for all, but do register here:

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-happy-clam-book-launch-talk-giveaway-tickets-252533403207

For more info, visit the Feb 2022 blog:

https://www.gainline.com/2022/02/book-launch-talk-giveaway.html

Books will be available at the following locations for free, compliments of Gainline Press:

Mosesian Center for the Arts, 321 Arsenal Street, Watertown, MA

Craft Beer Cellar, 87 Leonard Street, Belmont, MA

O'Some Cafe, 100 Main Street, Watertown, MA

If you’re a local business and want to get in on the giveaway, please feel free to reach out through the contact form in the blog.

To quote Flora Cash, “what does it take to be happy, what does it take to be satisfied…”

https://youtu.be/PAP2sv8O-OM

Aside from a good book, a good friend, and a good cup of coffee.

Spring and snow squalls, brighter days must lie ahead.

Rose Schmidt is the author of The Happy Clam (Gainline Press, 2020), and Go Forward, Support! The Rugby of Life (Gainline Press, 2004). The views expressed herein are solely those of the author, and do not reflect the views of any other agency or organization. Use of individual quotes with proper citation and attribution, within the limits of fair use, is permitted. If you would like to request permission to use or reprint any of the content on the site, please contact me. Twitter: Rosebud@GainlineRS

Sunday, February 6, 2022

Book Launch, Talk, & Giveaway

Announcing: Book Talk on March 20^th, at 3:00 PM, in celebration of International World Happiness Day & the first day of Spring, and to re-launch my book, The Happy Clam.

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-happy-clam-book-launch-talk-giveaway-tickets-252533403207

Since it’s virtual, anyone can attend from anywhere,

Never before heard backstories of how the book came to be, released in the midst of the pandemic, its messages of hope & happiness needed now more so than ever before.

Technically, The Happy Clam was released in 2020, but, well, there was that pandemic thing going on, and so this is a re-launch.

Book Giveaway

Books will be available at the following locations for free between March 12th and March 20th, compliments of Gainline Press:

Mosesian Center for the Arts, 321 Arsenal Street, Watertown, MA

Craft Beer Cellar, 87 Leonard Street, Belmont, MA

O'Some Cafe, 100 Main Street, Watertown, MA

If you’re a local business and want to get in on the giveaway, please feel free to reach out through the contact form in the blog.

The Kindle version will be priced FREE $0.00 on March 19th & 20th.

https://www.amazon.com/Happy-Clam-Rosemary-Schmidt-ebook/dp/B08DM6CCRX

UPDATES: The book is now listed on NetGalley, available to download for free to all reviewers. https://www.netgalley.com/catalog/book/248648

#TheHappyClam

#NetGalley

Reviews

New reviews just in from BookTrib:

https://booktrib.com/2022/03/08/fake-it-till-you-make-it-a-beacon-of-hope-in-dark-times/

https://booktrib.com/2022/03/01/much-more-than-a-rough-and-tumble-sport-rugby-teaches-valuable-life-lessons/

Reader Views is also hosting a book give-away (only 2 copies left!):

https://www.readerviews.com/book-giveaway/

For the full review:

https://readerviewsarchives.wordpress.com/2022/01/29/reviewschmidtthehappyclam/

Readers’ Favorite also hosts a full review and offers opportunities to request free copies:

https://readersfavorite.com/book-review/the-happy-clam

What the critics are saying:

"This short, sweet book is like a long conversation with your really smart best friend."

"The personal insights shared, the failures and successes, the tips on how to find the positive and even the recipes all add to make this a very good workbook for living."

IBPA Benjamin Franklin Book Award Judges Panel

"During a time when the whole world is feeling quite down and lost, a book such as this is welcomed with open arms.

The BookLife Prize

Takeaway: A quick, thorough, inviting self-help book on ways to seek, find, and maintain happiness in adulthood."

BookLife Review

Pikasho Deka, for Readers’ Favorite (5 stars)

Paige Lovitt, for Reader Views (5 stars)

2021 Eric Hoffer Category Finalist

If you read it and you like it, please leave a review on Amazon and GoodReads!

Mark Your Calendars:

March 19 & 20, 2022 – Book Re-Launch for The Happy Clam.

Good Reads

Read more about the book here on Good Reads and see who else is reading it now:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/54740921-the-happy-clam

Author’s web page:

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/254930.Rosemary_A_Schmidt

Soundtrack:

Don’t forget to go back to the July 2020 blog for the book’s soundtrack!

http://www.gainline.com/2020/07/the-happy-clam.html

A couple of songs for no reason and every season

Get Some Scars, by Lux Lisbon

https://youtu.be/D13lu3aajjo

The Promise, by When In Rome:

https://youtu.be/5HI_xFQWiYU

https://youtu.be/vyLtOeT-5vY

Every month is suicide prevention month.

Rose Schmidt is the author of The Happy Clam (Gainline Press, 2020), and Go Forward, Support! The Rugby of Life (Gainline Press, 2004). The views expressed herein are solely those of the author, and do not reflect the views of any other agency or organization. Use of individual quotes with proper citation and attribution, within the limits of fair use, is permitted. If you would like to request permission to use or reprint any of the content on the site, please contact me. Twitter: Rosebud@GainlineRS