Hi friends,

So Covid finally hit us, but thankfully only a mild version!

While I was in Utah, my teenage son had two friends over for his birthday, only to find out that one boy's father felt bad that evening and eventually both the father, the son and then one of my sons tested positive.

Thankfully, my 13-year-old only had a mild fever, cough, sore throat and a few sniffles. So, if we hadn't know it was covid, we'd have thought it was a mild cold.

And since I'm planning on going to this awesome author's conference: 20Books Vegas next week, I decided to cancel my flight home and go directly to Vegas on Monday.

I'm pretty bummed not to get a few days with my family, since this is the longest I've ever been away from them - 4 1/2 weeks by the time I get home, but I definitely wouldn't want to take a chance with covid before going to a large conference like that.

So, I'm at my brother's house for a couple of days instead, catching up on my sleep and missing my little granddaughter resting on my chest.

***

Herbal Tip #3

Lemon Balm heals Cold Sores!

Cold sores aren't a major illness, but for anyone who's had them, they can be a big annoyance - painful, unsightly and slow to heal.

The good news is that there is an effective herb that can speed that process up: lemon balm.

Lemon balm is in the mint family, which means it is super easy to grow, so much so that it will spread out into your yard and garden if you let it. But it gives off a fresh lemony scent when mowed down, so it's all good. :)

How to use it? Don't worry, it's super easy.

This is a fresh herb extract, since making lemon balm tincture from dried herb isn't as effective. (With the extra water being pulled out of the fresh herb, stronger alcohol is better)

1. Cut fresh lemon balm, rinse and let air dry before chopping coarsely - just enough to make it easy to put into a jar.
2. Pack it tightly to fill an 8 oz. or pint glass jar, depending on how much you have.
3. Buy the cheapest 100 proof Vodka (50% alcohol) or if you want stronger but pricier, Everclear is 190 proof (95% alcohol).
4. Pour alcohol over the fresh cut herb. Fill right up to the top and put on a lid, trying to leave as little air in the jar as possible.
5. Put in a dark cupboard and shake as often as you remember for the next six weeks - daily is awesome, but don't worry if you forget. (You can use it earlier if needed)
6. Dab a little on your cold sore throughout the day, starting as soon as you feel it emerging and it can heal in half the time.

That's it! Not much harder than making a cup of tea. :)

I like to keep some in a glass, brown dropper bottle in the bathroom or any container with some Q-tips will also work. Seeing it in the bathroom helps me remember to place a drop or two on my finger and then dab on the cold sore throughout the day. (fyi - it works for all types of herpes sores).

Here's the jar of tincture I just helped my sister-in-law make (it's missing a bit at the top, because we poured some off today):

I'd love to hear how it goes if you try making some. :)

***

I hope all of you and your families are safe and doing well!

— Misty :

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Some Fun Reads this Week!

Algorithm by Theophilus Monroe

$0.99 New Release Special

and FREE in Kindle Unlimited!

Nanovax was supposed to be our salvation.

Death and disease, now obsolete.

The Broken Seal by Luna Fox

$0.99 on Amazon and FREE with KU

You find a mysterious artifact. Do you keep it?

Joanna Stone enjoys a rather quiet life with her uncle Cromwell in the rural town of Winnow, Massachusetts. But on her eighteenth birthday, during a school trip to Winnow Hill, she finds an ancient box with a strange amulet in it.

Saving Schrödinger's Cat by Mark Jenkins

In the 25th century, deep under the Earth's shattered surface, the dying remnants of humankind live in a dwindling Colony devoid of Nature and only one can travel to the past to save humanity from its dark fate.

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Click on the ebook collections below!

Bargains in Sci-Fi and Fantasy!!

Another great collection of Post-Apoc and Dystopian deals!

Lots of 99c and FREE Fantasy eBooks!

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Misty's Writing Update:

I finally had to make some decisions on the game mechanics in my new litrpg book.

I've been running through the world-building in my mind for a while, but I finally got to a chapter where Pax is involved in a battle with a huge lava lizard that he helps kill.

Now what?

For those of you who like playing fantasy-based games, you know that killing monsters is a big part of advancing in levels, acquiring loot and increasing your skills and abilities.

I had to decide what kind of rewards Pax and the other characters in my new world would get from killing a monster.

I decided to go with a more natural game logic - the skills, spells and attributes like strength and intelligence increase when they are used, with increased gains from extra practice or using them in new and more difficult situations.

And my characters will get 'loot' from killing monsters, but more in the form of valuable parts that can be harvested/butchered from the monsters themselves, instead of a fancy new sword suddenly appearing above the corpse.

For example, skin from a lava monster can be crafted into fire-resistant leather armor, or feathers from an air-based monster can add a speed or decreased weight bonus to a crafted item. And the biggest form of loot is the monster's core containing elemental magic that can be used to power magical devices in the fantasy world.

It's definitely a fun exercise that is stretching both my creativity and logic - because it still has to make sense, right? :)

If you're an avid gamer, feel free to offer suggestions!

And enjoy your reading this week.

— Misty :)

p.s. For a web version of this newsletter and previous newsletters: https://sendfox.com/mistyzaugg/campaigns