Copy Editor and Proofreader for Non-fiction Book Writing Project

Sep. 21, 2018

Dear Cathy:

My name is Dana and I am currently working on completing my first non-fictional manuscript. I learned about you and your book, "How To Take Control of Your Own Life," through Ms. Tia Ross.

Your book has received very good reviews complimenting on how it was written and how strong of a woman you are. I wanted to ask you how it was working with Ms. Tia Ross? I am looking to work with her as my Copy Editor and Proofreader and wanted to know would you work with her again and recommend her?

Thank you so much for your time.

Dear Dana:

Dana I currently have 26 non-fiction books at http://www.AngelsPress.com and Tia edited at least 3 of my earlier books and her work was superb. So initially, she was definitely the reason all my writing projects received great reviews. 

Her work was the absolute best. I loved how both of us clicked and just got the writing projects completed. Her services are timely and professional so consider yourself lucky to have her on your writing team.

For more writing advice and to get all your writing questions answered in the future, buy my 'easy-to-read' writing book "How To Write A Book: The Complete Guide To Writing and Selling Your Own Paperback and E-book." The book is available as an e-book, paperback and audiobook.

Need Help Growing Foods in My Apartment

Sep. 13, 2018

Dear Cathy:

You are on my page for a reason. The one thing I know for sure is that I love plants and flowers. I have been trying for years to try to grow plants and flowers. I even talk to them and my thumb is black as they come. I live in an apartment on the 6th floor. The apartment gets plenty of sun all through my home. How can I plant and become successful in a concrete jungle. I need help. Feeling sorry for myself.

Dear Ramona:

Sistar don't feel sorry for yourself, instead know that you are about to acquire a new life learning skill, and that should excite you. I am here to help...as a "Gardening Coach." I have a chapter in my book on how to successfully grow foods on patios, balconies, rooftops, porches, in kitchens and other rooms with grow lights in pots and containers. 

First off all just buy the unglazed clay pots with a hole in it with a pan (or saucer) to catch the drippings. These pots are very popular at homedepot.com or lowes.com and other gardening centers. 

Don't worry about the size to start because once the plants reach a certain level, you will have to repot to a larger pot, so buy a small pot to start. However, once some of these foods start growing, you will be amazed at how quick they grow so you can start with a medium pot, but everything depends on what you are growing. 

Make sure you go on google.com and youtube.com, which are the two largest websites on the internet once you figure out what you will be growing so you can get ideas there. 

After the unglazed clay pot, then buy everything ORGANIC...seeds, potting soil/potting mix and fertilizer. The potting soil/mix will come in a big bag so look for the word organic on front or in the ingredients so you need to become a label reader. If you buy transplants, be sure to wash off the roots before planting, because they were originally planted in toxic soil. 

Everything must be organic, so you might have to order everything on Amazon.com or at a natural gardening store in your city. Always buy and USE ORGANIC SEEDS versus transplants (or seedings) because they carry DISEASES so again try to look for a natural gardening store in your city that carry reputable ORGANIC SEEDS. Go on google.com and put in the words "Organic Gardening Store" and the name of your city.

Fill the pot with potting soil all the way to the top. Leave 2 to 3 inches from the top and plant the seeds only 1 inch down. Fertilize the plant every two weeks with organic fertilizer. Just read the instructions. Most people use some type of organic fish emulsion for potted plants. 

If placed where it will receive a lot of sun, then there is a good chance you need to water more...maybe 4 times a week. You can tell if the plant need more water. If the leaves are perky, the plant is getting enough water. If they are droopy, they need more water and if they turn yellow and is falling off, you are overwatering your potted plants.

Remember, growing foods is TRIAL and ERROR so you really can't mess anything up. Next spring I will offer a low-cost class and hold new gardener's hands, especially women, for one or two months, however, by then you can be a PRO growing all types of foods, especially in your region, in your own home. 

Ask the people at the gardening stores or nurseries in your city, WHICH FOODS GROW GOOD in your region, but only grow foods you enjoy eating for their nutritional content, especially green foods, which have the highest nutritional value. 

Learn more by reading Chapter 6 of my book, which discusses growing foods in pots and containers. The book is available as an e-book and paperback book and is entitled "Green Thumb at 60: How I Started My Gardening Journey With Raised Beds and Pots and Containers." Good luck!

How Long Should It Take Before I Notice that My Trees and Roses Are Firm?

June 21, 2018

Dear Cathy:

I would like to know how long before I notice that my planting is solid and firm. I am planting trees and roses around my house and my parent's home?

Dear Anonymous:

While I am not an expert on trees and roses, since most of the foods I am planting in my backyard gardens are for eating, after 2 to 3 weeks is when most of my plants started to take shape. 

I also advise you to attend local gardening and flower classes in your area, especially since most trees and flowers are different in each region. Did you know that trees in Texas, where I currently live -- don't grow as big as the trees in my home state - Georgia?

You can ask about both at gardening centers (Lowes.com, HomeDepot.com, Walmart.com) but most, especially Walmart have bad customer service.

You can also find natural gardening centers by going to google.com and put in your city name and the words "Natural Gardeners". Many cities have gardening clubs for plants, herbs and flowers. You can also find flower classes in continued education classes at night.

You probably can get your answer also on YouTube.com, but again these growers, farmers and gardeners will be from different regions so you need to find out what's happening in your region. 

Just go on www.YouTube.com and put in the search button "Planting Trees" and "Planting Roses" and there will be a ton of information to show you how to do it. Watch at least 10 videos apiece on each topic. This should get you more comfortable with any planting ideas for the future.

Cathy Harris, Founder, VirtualOrganicGardenClubs.com and CathyHarrisGardenClub.com.

Don't Trust Long Distance Lover

Sep. 25, 2017

Dear Cathy:

My boyfriend has a job where he has to travel for work. I don't see him as often as I would like and I just feel like he is being unfatihful to me. I would like to walk away from the relationship, but he won't let me. What can I do to reassure myself, that he is not involved with another women? Anonymous, Houston, TX

Dear Anonymous:

It's very important to have total trust in a relationship. If you have trust, but you still feel that your boyfriend might be unfaithful to you, then you should walk away from the relationship because that is not trust.

All relationships, especially if you are living together or married, should have these 4 things -- Love, Communication, Respect, and Trust. 

If he is away for long periods of time and doesn't reach out to you to stay in touch with you by email, phone/skype, or invite you to join him on trips, then there might be a good chance that he is up to no good. 

Relationships takes nurturing and if anyone in the relationship is not willing to do this, then it might be time to go your own way. 

As far as not letting you go, no one can keep you in a relationship, if you are unhappy and especially if you don't trust them. 

The fact that he is not always there, should give you time to walk away and get involved in other things, that will truly bring you the happiness that you deserve.

New Work Sniff Policy

May 29, 2017

Dear Cathy:

I miss wearing my perfume at work. We now have a Sniff Policy at work, where we can’t wear any loud perfumes, soaps or shampoos. Is this policy fair? Work Sniff Policy, Alabama

Dear Work Sniff Policy:

Even though I think jobs and the government have gone too far these days, I do agree with many of these policies. Have you ever went to a movie that was packed and the last seat that you were trying to save because you did not want others sitting all around you, but you had to give it up to someone with loud perfume on?

Whether you know it or not these jobs is doing you a great service by helping you stay away from toxic perfumes and other smells, which does nothing but render your liver dysfunctional.

Most people's livers today, because of GMOs, are only operating at 30%. The liver is in charge of energy, obesity and emotions. So if you want to lose weight or have tons of energy, you need to cut down on the smells that you come in contact with or in other words you need to GO NATURAL - from head to toe.

The liver is the organ that has to clean up what you eat, touch and smell, and it can’t do that when you wear loud perfume and other smells from your soaps and shampoos. Many people don’t even like going out today, especially to clubs, not just because of the smoke, but also loud perfume.

Look at it like this, the more natural you are, the more energy and the healthier you will be, so your job is actually doing you a favor, whether you realize this or not.

Amazon.com E-book Dilemma

May 24, 2017

Dear Cathy:

Amazon.com told me that I needed to include a Table of Contents link for my line of erotica books on Amazon.com, but I am not familiar with this process. Where can I find out how to do this? Book on Amazon.com, Phoenix

Dear Book on Amazon.com:

Amazon.com has certain guidelines and like every book publishing company, when you write an e-book or paperback, they need to be followed. Amazon is the largest book publishing company in the U.S. and most authors know to put their books there so every book in America is on Amazon.com.

There should be instructions at https://kdp.amazon.com 
on how to place the Table of Contents (TOC) in your e-book for Amazon.com. But they also have services that can help you with this so just pay extra for their services if you can’t figure this out.

You can also read Chapter 5 of my writing book “How To Write A Book: The Complete Guide To Writing and Publishing Your Own Paperback and E-book," which is available as an e-book, paperback and audiobook. This section of my writing book will walk any author through the complete process of placing an e-book on Amazon.com. Remember if you don't have a lot of money when you write a book, just publish an e-book first.

How Do I Get Started With Starting A Business?

May 22, 2017

Dear Cathy:

I am in my early 20s. I really want to start my own business, but don’t know if I have what it takes. How do I get started? Future Business Owner, Florida

Dear Future Business Owner:

You might not have what it takes at this particular time to start a business, but it certainly doesn’t make sense not to find out if you do. You could very well have everything that you need, including a business mindset, within the next 6 months to a year down the line. 

First of all you need to understand that it will take dedication and commitment. Starting a business is like starting a project. It can be a short project or a long project, but once you are all set up in business, it will be a rewarding experience.

My first advice to you is to get around others who have businesses and watch how they operate their business. Do this before you even figure out what type of business to start because being around business owners will help you realize, what type of business you need to start.

You only want to start a business that you are truly passionate about. If you are not passionate about the business you start then chances are you will not want to do it. So go all the way back to school and start thinking about some of the things you have really been passionate about over the years. They might be hobbies or some topics that you seriously thought about majoring in. 

Your passion will lead you to your purpose so once you figure out your passion, everything else will fall into place. Then decide if you can set up a business on your own or if you need to work with coaches, consultants and other mentors that can guide you along the way, especially keep you from making too many mistakes. 

So form business alliances, strategic partnership and co-ops with others in business groups, who should offer some type of mentoring program for new entrepreneurs. Or start your own research yourself by going to libraries or buy business books online. 

I have two business books “How To Take Control of Your Own Life: A Self-HelpGuide to Starting Your Own Business (Series 2)” and “The New CEO: 185 Easy-To-Step Up Businesses for Youth and Adult Entrepreneurs.” If you already know what type of business to set up then you only need to read the first book that list every step you need to take to be build and grow a successful business. Both books are available as e-books and paperback books.