What Did the Authors of "After Six o'Clock Nightfall" Show to the Readers?

Heads up! This is an UPCOMING BOOK! 

The four authors of the "After Six o'Clock Nightfall" Horror Short Stories showed the readers the following elements in their tetralogy: 

1. They set the core action of their individual story in motion. The sense of "forward" movement was present... Frightening though as expected in a horror story but this book is intended for FAMILY reading. Isn't this enthralling and thrilling?

2. Indeed, in this genre, they gave the family readers a taste of excitement, suspense, mystery and emotional power.

3. Important to look for- They conveyed values to learn and to apply in life. In other words, they taught traits and lessons to live by. 

4. They delivered enticing openings and great endings. 

5. They created unforgettable characters who, with flaws and conflicts, seemed to be alive, and they crafted engaging dialogues, putting you in the center of the scene and on the edge of your seats.

6. They enriched their setting with surprising details.  

The four stories included in this book:

"Mirror, Mirror on the Wall" by Elena Carter from Bulgaria;

"The Immunity" by Daniel Enriquez from the Philippines;

"The Room" by Theresa Jacobs from Toronto, Canada;

and

"Timelessness" by Lucy Lombos from BC, Canada

"After Six o'Clock Nightfall" is worth believing. 

Get your copy soon! 

Why Do I Promote Family Literacy?

As a Language and Literacy educator, I have reasons why I promote Family Literacy (READING, WRITING and NUMERACY).

First of all, parents should enjoy their parenting roles while their children are still young.

Notably, parents who practice READING at home and anywhere they go, whatever their occupations are, improve themselves in terms of their parenting roles and skills.

Giving time to READING, as one of the family priorities, means providing young children with quality early childhood education. Remember always that the great education of their children starts at home, within the family… and READING is a big and important part of their children’s education.

The parents’ attitude, decisions in life and how they give value to LEARNING-to-READ and READING-to-LEARN have an enormous impact on their little ones’ academic achievement.

Clearly, FAMILY LITERACY refers to the way parents and everyone at home- grandparents, uncles, aunts, guardians, nannies or extended families use literacy and how they engage members in READING. It also means SHARED READING that only takes place during the habitual, daily READING.

FAMILY LITERACY supports children’s education. It means that parents place much attention and concern on education and formation or character building of their children. Parents themselves develop their literacy skills that their children could see and imitate. Hence and foremost, they learn from their parents.

More great EFFECTS of FAMILY LITERACY on Children:

1. With confidence, children do better academically and socially.

2.  Children have a better bonding moment and awesome relationship with their parents who find READING a routine during bedtime or any available time.

3. Children’s language development is enhanced.

4. Children who read well also write well.

5. They score high in READING Tests.

6. They can read with comprehension in other content areas (Mathematics, Science, Social Studies or Civics, Religion, Music, Arts, P.E., etc.).

7. Their communication skills are enriched.

8. They are not afraid to express their opinions and emotions both in oral and written communication.

9. Children who know how to read are happy.

10. With stored knowledge, they can interact well with other people.

- By Lucy Lombos

Directress of Lombosco Academy & 

Writer (Children's Books, Biographies, Fables & YA Novel)

"Children. Creativity. Connections. And a Cup of Coffee." 

Source:

https://www.decoda.ca/wp-content/uploads/Family_Literacy_Week_Fact_Sheet.pdf

  

Reading Recommendation:

 http://www.wordsalive.org/blog/2018/3/5/the-importance-of-family-literacy

         

A Taste of Heaven

Everybody knows that we’ve just lived a quarantine life. At these difficult and scary times, I’m sure you already did a lot of reflections. 

This year, I personally would like to say that I felt the renewal, the healing of the world, and the cleansing for all of us and our habitat. Being a Catholic, it looked like a “purgatory” to me. Did you ever think of that as well?

For some, with the strict ECQ implementation, the extreme heat they experienced and the hunger they felt, or death in the family- it could be somewhat a “hell”. 

However, this pandemic certainly gave us a little “heaven” because we spent time with the family; we were able to sort out things and disposed of our old stuff; we discovered our talents and many more. 

On June 20, 2020 at 10:00 am is our First Online Graduation at Lombosco Academy with the theme- 

You and Lombosco Academy: We March Towards the New Normal. 

It's “a taste of heaven” to our students, parents, teachers, Incorporators and friends. 

So, everyone let’s get ready... I'm going to do the presentation of the graduates. See you there and CONGRATULATIONS to all!

Ooops, by the way, enrolment is now on-going at the school. Thank you!

 

GREEN

The "Spring-time-come-alive" in me wished for pretty flowers and a lovely cake. Above all, I wished that my sweethopes, my family and friends would be around me on March 26, 2020. The date was supposedly super special awesome because it was my birthday. On the contrary, the party did not occur. 

My birthday this year marked the "bluest" celebration ever in my entire life. You know the reason: The pandemic! It was the killjoy and the most shocking limit to my and your movements. Group celebration was forbidden. Whoa! I even canceled my flight bound for the Philippines last March 23. No Graduation. No more book launching. I called off my storytelling session with the indigenous people, the Mangyans of Puerto Galera in Or. Mindoro. I also skipped the feeding program for the Aetas in Mt. Arayat, Pampanga. I told everyone to stay physically distanced from me to be safe as a great help to stop the spread of the virus.

My birthday brought me to silence. I paused and reflected. It also taught me once again the meaning of humility.

During my quiet moment, I thought of something yellowish to add to my bluish feeling. Yellow and Blue produced GREEN! That would be my puff piece. Yeah, to feel good, I wore a GREEN dress. Not my favorite color, though. Nevertheless, it gave me a little bright sign of hope. 

Straight from my heart, the idea of wearing GREEN was my desire to create a spirit of optimism and faith. One day, everything will return to normalcy and freely celebrate milestones. 

Profoundly significant, GREEN deepened my knowledge of our Creator through His Words that would never, ever fade. 

Ting! The leaf in Genesis 8:10-11... That freshly plucked olive leaf came into my mind. It was brought by the dove in the story of Noah's Ark to signify a promise of a new beginning. It was the sign that the great deluge was miraculously over. Fertility, vegetation and fruitfulness began anew. That GREEN leaf symbolized flourishing and growth.

One scriptural quote that I also thought was Psalm 23:2- "He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters."

I noted enlightenments from this particular Psalm:

1) I, myself as a believer, supplicate and wish for something GREEN that provides a peaceful environment. Here, I am made to "lie down". It denotes my safety and fullness.

2) In "green pastures"… There is feeding, satisfying, and replenishing. 

3) In "quiet waters"… the still and gentle waters, noiseless, motionless… I am not frightened. I am given to drink the pure, the Living Water.

GREEN is the color of life- I meditated on that earnestly. It reminded me of breath and zing.

I elevated this matter to the highest level, and I intended to say, "God is LIFE". He is in control of everything. So, I worry not! The Spirit of the Lord will lead and protect me.

Blessed… I revved-up my mind that my "cup runneth over". And that my birthday was an extramundane celebration, the deepest so far and beyond the material world. 

All said, March 26, 2020 became the most meaningful birthday ever in my entire life.

Hey! The telephone rang. Then, the door creaked a bit while I heard the keys jingled.

Oh my! My sweetheart approached me and kissed me. With smiles on his lips, he carried bags of food. How and where on Earth did he get those? He chuckled. It was also our 32nd Wedding Anniversary. Well, I married him on March 26, 1988, that was my birthday. J

Much later in the afternoon, my sweethopes, all observing social distancing, one-by-one delivered food at the lobby of our condo. Amazingly, my mom and family called me up; had fun on the phone; and showered me surprises and unique presents to express their love to me even in this critical time. With these kinds of unusual greetings and expressions, my day unexpectedly turned out super special awesome.

In one breath, yesterday and today, I and members of the family keep on greening, learning, managing our time, and uplifting one another's spirit. I hope you, too.

Lucy Lombos

"Springtime-Come-Alive"

https://www.amazon.com/Lucy-Lombos/s?k=Lucy+Lombos

Website: www.lucylombos.com

"Bono", Its Dedication

This early chapter book is dedicated with love

to the following women in my writing career-

Ely Enriquez,

my mom who forever believes in me;

she’s my sunshine even in winter.

Annie Datu-Enriquez,

Jeneth Caguete-Enriquez, 

my sisters-in-law who fan the inner “writing” sparks in me;

And

Theresa Jacobs,

a Canadian Author who recognizes me as her writing kindred spirit.

*** "Bono" is live and available for sale on amazon.com.

- Authoress Lucy Lombos

What These Two, Beautiful Women Say About "Bono"

What People Say About "Bono"

Written by Lucy Lombos

Illustrated by Miguel Salaveria

~The Lavenders are magically one of the beautiful flowers in the story.~

          Reading “Bono” is an exhilarating experience.  I felt I am part of his adventure.  The fast-paced and interesting twists and turns of the story will make any reader anticipate how the story will end.  It’s a story for pleasurable reading as well as a good teacher’s resource material and a springboard in teaching the elements of a story, and how to go about writing a story.

          Lucy Lombos succeeded in keeping her reader glued to the story from beginning to end.  Congratulations! 

- MARY JULIE AGUSTIN-TRUS, PhD.

Officer In-charge, Office of the Assistant Schools Division Superintendent

Department of Education, Schools Division Office of Quirino, Region 02 Philippines

***

***

          A truly wonderful, delightful book to read! I was ushered into an amazing experience as if I was young again. I have not read an early chapter book for the longest time! Reading the manuscript of “Bono” transported me through a child’s predicament in school and his journey of finding out the solution through the very people he meets along the way.

          I am totally in awe of how the author, Lucy Lombos, puts everything together with her creative imagination bringing about a lot of learning and lessons in this book and enriching the imagination of the readers! Lucy teaches children to be resourceful, creative and innovative while increasing their vocabularies. I enjoyed my childlike moment in this book. Thanks to Lucy, a very gifted author! She has the heart of a child with a beautiful, blessed mind. Keep on writing! Keep on inspiring the youth! 

                                                                             - JIGS ABIERA

Airline Inflight Service Manager

Performance Executive ​

*** I am immensely grateful to you, Dr. Mary Julie and Ms. Jigs Abiera. Thank you also to Mr. Miguel Salaveria for illustrating "Bono". 

- Authoress Lucy Lombos

Like the Black Rice

Like the Black Rice

Date written: October 9, 2019... 
Free Verse

Included in "Bono", an Early Chapter Book

By: Lucy Lombos

“Fire! Fire!”

Rattled by this buzz, native folks reacted in the smoky fuzz,

“There’s a fire at the warehouse!”

Shout of the past decried, not bamboos that bent with the wind.

“Help! Help!”

Panicky cries hearkened; the church bells tolled,

The cello and the violin played the language of the heart,

The dolorous sound alarmed Puerto Galera.

Hundreds of rice sacks burned,

Grains turned black and speckled the white sand,

Folklore or a myth? A phenomenon… “The Black Rice”, 

Passed down while water tumbled in the banks of Muelle Pier.

Voices heard; tears shed.

Escaped, saved lives but not the rice,

Part of culture, like a body of water, streamed down

To the pier… a harbour to many sorts of identified fires.

Likewise, that fire consumed the outsiders’ passion

To travel, to barter food, clothes and stuff alike…

Burning flame vanished, the Galleons sailed, the flag hoisted.

Like birds, stories and poems flew; new ones now chirp through. 

“Fire! Fire!”

An attention of vanity, just before the plane mirror,

There was the Richmond star… shining, smiling,

Behold! Flawed but not creation’s error.

In the blink of the eye,

Specular reflection no more, a flash of lightning,

Struck and bolted out, lost powerful light,

… Everything turned black.

“Help! Help!” A scream on top of the voice,

Death’s appearance, Oh so unimaginable!

The seat of wisdom hit the stonework,

… Black coloured the world.

The cello and the violin played once more,

Collection of memories… Connection… Like the black rice.

In the absence of white and light: Is there still an essence?

A star, creation’s bearer, shines brightest in total darkness.

Like the black rice, a glimpse at the mirror’s rear view

Grains of hope bespoken to extinguish the fire,

To halt the dance of death but move on to life’s rhythms, and

To the star at Westminster, radiance is here in the heart, set afire.

Photo creds to Ex-councilor Daniel Enriquez and Tourism Council President Noe Lineses... Thank you!