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Eight Benefits of Reading a Book…and Book Giveaway!

Welcome to guest author Zhuang Ping, who will share the benefits of reading books.

Want to reap those benefits instantly? Enter author Justine Dell’s loaded Kindle Fire giveaway.

Take it away, Zhuang:

Eight Benefits of Reading a Book

Being able to read is one of the most wonderful feelings. In the 21st century, the ability to read is not only a privilege but a right. Literacy and intelligence go hand in hand.

There are countless benefits of reading; here are my top eight:

1. Improved Knowledge

The more you read,the more knowledge you gain. Want to know what life was like for a young Geisha in WWII Japan? Read the fantastic book Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden.

2. Improved writing and speaking skills

Do you know that the more you read, the better you write? And that big readers express themselves better? Therefore, it’s wise to encourage your child to read from an early age. Children who start to read earlier become more proficient at writing and speaking. 

3. Mental stimulation

Reading is exercise for your brain! Reading forces you to focus while challenging your brain to process information. Several parts of the brain activate when we read, stimulating brain cells and forming new neuronal connections.

Photo courtesy of Sheknows.com 

4. Improved Memory

Both your short term and long term memory improve with reading. Your brain processes the information you read and stores it for reference when you turn the page. You will remember people, places, scenes and events, forming a visual of what you’re reading. You later access this stored information. 

5. Improved Analytical skills

Do you ever wonder “What the heck just happened?” when reading? In addition to all the above benefits, reading forces you to analyze and comprehend material. People who read become adept at drumming up ideas, sifting through chaos, and solving problems. 

6. Improved focus

Most of us can’t focus for long. SQUIRREL! We may fail to complete a task because we get bored or restless. Reading helps both adult and children to focus for more than just a few minutes. The more we read, the more our ability to focus improves. We may become so disciplined that we can focus for hours at a time. 

7. Relaxation

Have you heard of blue light? It’s what TV emits. It also suppresses melatonin, a hormone our body produces to help us fall asleep. For this reason, experts recommend avoiding TV before bedtime. What should you do instead? READ. Many people can’t fall asleep without a book. Reading can relax you, from Mom or Dad reading bedtime stories when you were young, to devouring your favorite book before bed as an adult. 

Reading can also provide stress relief. When you read, the brain repairs itself from the day’s stresses. 

8. Entertainment

No one can argue that in addition to knowledge and all the other benefits, a good book brings us entertainment. We may read to study or catch up on current affairs, but most of all we read for entertainment, evidenced by the fact that fiction sells more than non-fiction. A good novel makes us laugh and/or cry with the characters.

My favorite places to buy books are Amazon.com, Bookbyte or Bookbaby. There are many more reputable stores to choose from which offer great deals on purchases and shipping. To find the best stores and deals, go to promocode4share.com.

Thank you, Zhuang! Because of all these benefits of reading, I feel sad for friends who don’t read much.

But for those of you who LOVE reading like I do, my pub sister Justine Dell is giving away a Kindle Fire loaded with books! I’ve read her debut novel, Recaptured Dreams (review HERE) and can’t wait to check out her additional books: All-American Girl and soon-to-be-released Until Next Time.

To enter the Kindle Fire giveaway, complete the Rafflecopter form:

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Out of the Darkness

Authors Justine Dell and Sarah Fine have hosted a week of giveaways and fundraisers in celebration of Suicide Prevention!

Click HERE

Today from 11-6 is the Out of the Darkness Auction HERE where you can bid on some amazing critiques and prize packs.

As a psychologist, I often check in with my clients about suicidal thoughts and urges. Obviously it’s frightening when a loved one contemplates suicide. Individuals suffering from clinical depression, addictions, or other mental disorders may get into a dark place and feel hopeless about ever escaping the pain. When they get so down, they fail to realize emotions are temporary and they WILL feel better.

If you have a loved one who is deeply depressed, it’s okay to ask if he or she is thinking about suicide. You can’t turn somebody suicidal by asking about it. Danger increases if your loved one has a suicidal plan and clear intent to carry out the plan. Better safe than sorry–CALL 911 if you fear for your loved one’s life.

In my young adult swimming romance Streamline, 17 year-old Leo Scott enters a hopeless place when considering his future, dominated by his abusive father.

Leo popped the cap off the bottle with his thumb and slowly
poured its contents into his palm, mesmerized by the cascading
shower of little white pills.

Oxycontin had been both his friend and his enemy. It soothed
him when he was troubled. It didn’t yell at him or hit him when he
screwed up. But it had also distanced him from others, forcing him
to keep secrets and leaving him out of control. And it made him feel
sick when he couldn’t get it.

Yes, both his friend and his enemy. And now it would end his life.

Trapped somewhere between numbness and despair, Leo barely
registered his own sobs. As he stared at the mountain of pills in his
sweaty palm, a tear fell from his eye and splashed onto one of his
fingers. Why does my father hate me so much?

Yikes. Leo needs some help! Perhaps the warm embrace of his girlfriend Audrey?

Head over to Justine and Sarah’s blog to bid on some great prizes!

Note: To all Insecure Writers Support Group participants, I apologize for completely blanking this month. I was in Hilton Head visiting family and my doggie nephew Auggie, so I’m all confused and out of sorts this week! I’ll be back for November.