BOOK THOUGHTS: BREAK FREE WITH BOOKKEEPING

 

My thoughts regarding: BREAK FREE WITH BOOKKEEPING LIFE ON YOUR TERMS

I have been preparing taxes since 1999, 26 years; I am un-credentialed Tax Expert, I am not a CTA, CPA OR EA; I am experienced without the big billable hours pay. I started my practice working for a corporation and eventually started my own private practice. At 66 I am still preparing tax returns both with my now very small private practice and working for a corporation.  I am exploring what it takes to be a Bookkeeper. 

BREAK FREE WITH BOOKKEEPING LIFE ON YOUR TERMS by Tiffani Higgins, Bill Rogers and Deanna , is a book worth reading because it explains what I classify as “the behind the scenes” of becoming a bookkeeper or any other business you might want to start.  The chapter titles are self explanatory:

INTRODUCTION:  Break Free, Live on Your Terms on Your Terms 

CHAPTER 1: Breaking Free from the Grind

CHAPTER 2: Why Bookkeeping is the Hidden Gem

CHAPTER 3: Laying the Foundation

CHAPTER 4: Branding with Confidence

CHAPTER 5: Leveraging AI for Growth and Simplicity

CHAPTER 6: Building Client Relationships That Last

CHAPTER 7: Scaling Beyond Yourself

CHAPTER 8: Maintaining Work-Life Harmony

  CHAPTER 9:  The Shortcut: Leveraging the Stay at Home Bookkeeper Academy 

  CHAPTER 10: Your Freedom Blueprint

The reason why I am recommending this book to anyone who wants to be a bookkeeper is because I saw a truth about how much money a person can make. I have seen advertisements to help individuals become a bookkeeper and earn $75 an hour; I did not believe it. The book explains how, once you get the clients this is possible but it takes marketing.

  In chapter 9:  The Shortcut: Leveraging the Stay at Home Bookkeeper Academy, the authors explain how they can help you obtain your clients and earn that much money. They charge for the privilege. 

I have a plan, I have successfully taken the Intuit Bookkeeping course and will be taking the Quickbook class. I have discovered quite a few businesses use QuickBooks and not every entry level job, working for someone, requires that you take the class. If you are going to work for yourself, I recommend taking a class. 

If I do decide to add bookkeeping to my resume I will be  working for a corporation because I am 66 years old and do not need to make thousands of dollars. 

As I told the Bookkeeping Academy representative, I just want to earn enough money to cover the cost of my sewing habit, which can be very pricey and my grandchildren which as they get older they need less. I do not need to pay to be part of the networking team.

Finally,  if you want to be a bookkeeper and want to be self employed this book is your blueprint for establishing a successful business. AND if you want to own your own business but not a bookkeeper, I still recommend this book because it has excellent foundational concepts related to starting your own business, clients just don’t run to you.

Written by Marsha L Floyd

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

BOOK THOUGHTS: THE WINDING WAYS QUILT An Elm Creek Quilts novel

 

This is the first time in my history of reading that I committed myself to reading this many books by the same fiction author, particularly a series. THE WINDING WAYS QUILT-An Elm Creek Quilts Novel by Jennifer Chiaverini is book  the 13th out of 24 of the Elm Street Quilt series. I was attracted to the quilting theme of the first book before I knew: THE QUILTERS APPRENTICE,  published 1999,  which I read in August 2025. Yes, I recommend this book.

My thoughts: 

I was reading this book, which reveals more about the characters we all know sharing more of their personal stories. It helps those of us who have been reading these novels develop a better perspective of why each individual is the way she is and what drew them to quilting. Each chapter is dedicated to one of the characters we know, though not all and as I read her chapter I discovered I really am not fond of her. I wasn’t fond of her when I was first introduced to her and so when I got to the chapter dedicated to her I struggled, it took me days to get through that one chapter! I really had to force myself to read it. Yes, I was happy for her. (No! I am not going to write why.) I was able to understand why she is, prayerfully in time she will make an attitude adjustment. I know it is not going to be in book 14 to because I am almost through with that one! 

For those of you who want to know what the book is about I suggest you read the comments whereever you buy your books or read the reviews. All of the books in the series are about quilting a friendship.  THE WINDING WAYS QUILT looks deeper into the complexities of personalities as individuals.  The book is about real friendship, loving someone despite their shortcomings; it is about patience and kindness and respect.  And so, even though I am not fond of that one person, I am happy for her. 

Reading this book has convinced me that you should read it only after you have read the other 12. You can read it out of order but it takes away from the growth revealed in each of the individuals. By book 13 they will have become your friends. It has taken me 13 books to reach a point of understanding of a character whom I met 12 books ago and knew there was something about her that indicated that she could not be my best friend. There were other characters that I want to read the next book because I am concerned, I can’t call her so I have to read the next book. If you read the book in chronological order the characters become your friends, especially if you are a quilter. I am a quilter and I will be meeting with them in the next book THE QUILTERS KITCHEN.

WRITTEN by Marsha L Floyd

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

BOOK THOUGHTS: A RAINBOW OF STITCHES

 I am sure I have not written reviews for “alllll” the books on stitches I have.Last year I purchased one of those embroidery books with a billion stitches to create and 999,999,999 of the stitches I cannot find a demonstration on how they are to be sewn. I have subscribed to quite a few embroidery channels on YouTube and downloaded a book from National Archives on embroidery, I was on Thriftbooks.com and saw: A RAINBOW OF STITCHES  by Agn
es Delage-Calvet, Anne Sohier-Fournel, Muriel Brunet, Francoise Ritz, Photographed by Frederic Lucano- Embroidery and Cross Stitch Basics, Plus More Than 1,000Motifs and 80 Projects, list price $24.99, copyright 2009 purchase price $9.39; with FREE shipping. 

MY THOUGHTS:

• If you are a cross stitcher, and I have done a few, you will love it. 
• As an embroiderer: there are lots of ideas and patterns to trace and create.
• Looking for gift ideas, there are 80 wonderful suggestions.
• Did I learn how to do a new embroidery stitch NO!

But the book is well worth the investment and I do not regret buying it. I like creating my own designs thus I classify it as inspirational, motivational and helpful.

Written by MarshaL Floyd
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Another YouTube Review

Ian

M subscribed to HEATH AND SADDLE, I "Like" every video I watch and occasionally comment. WHY?

The charade everyday people, which makes them relatable. The women are not size three, perfect hair and nails, designer clothes wearing divas. The other channel I  listen to is dedicated to obese women.  "MY MAIL-ORDER BRIDE NEVER SHOWED UP -The Kitchen Girl Sat Dow and Said: Can I Tell You Something" is all you need to know about this 51 minute 36 second audio story.

Sigh! Yes! It is an Ai generated story. I think the author authors are busy writing stories with profanity, naked women and violence; there is none of that here.

I started listening to this story while washing dishes (no dishwasher for me) and finished while hand embroidering. I  am cueing-up a Nero Wolf story to fall asleep on. 

https://youtu.be/UbPTlk9oW8Y?is=RqU8-0AsxFuv4OcM

YOUTUBE CHANNEL REVIEW: MYSTERY LANE

 YOTUTBE REVIEW:  MYSTERY LANE

MYSTERY LANE is not my favorite channel that shares Nero Wolfe stories but I do enjoy them and have subscribed to the channel.  In reading the comments I find they are no different than any other channel, regardless of the topic, some like it others found fault. 

I was playing games, Rummy and backgammon, while listening to an episode of Nero Wolf via YouTube;  NERO WOLFE AND THE MURDER IN CRAMER’S OFFICE,  I am not an Ai specialist thus though I know that it is Ai influenced I cannot tell you the extent to which it is. I can tell you I have listened to “Nero Wolfe, inspired stories as well as other stories that are not worth my commenting on. 

“NERO WOLFE AND THE MURDER IN CRAMER’S OFFICE” explores why there is a dead man in Cramer’s office. As with most of the NERO WOLFE STORIES there are characters that most followers of the orchid loving detective expect to prese=you need to know: Nero Wolfe, Archie, Fritz, and Cramer, any channel worth viewing must have these individuals as part of the plot, Mystery Lane  checks the boxes.

The plot captured me within the first minute and kept my attention throughout the one hour 20 minutes and 32 seconds. I am drawn to, and have SUBSCRIBED, the channel because the conversations are not dumbed down, meaning: if you do not have an extensive vocabulary get a dictionary. I had to look up two terms spoken in this episode:  Invective and Prevericate, I assumed the meaning by how it was used in a sentence, I looked the words up to be sure. 

The generated Ai images don’t seem to match the dialogue, something I have noticed with most of the short stories found on YouTube. M y imagination is better.

When listening to the audio story REMEMBER: This is a spin-off of the original Nero Wolfe chronicle of which I have watched. The original was written by Rex Stout  and published in the 1930’s.

DEFINITIONS:  
Invective is harsh, abusive, or highly insulting language used to blame, censure, or violently attack someone. It often combines intense anger with sharp rhetorical skill or bitter sarcasm

 prevaricate means to avoid telling the truth. It is a formal verb used when someone dodges a direct question, beats around the bush, or gives a misleading answer without outright telling a flat-out lie 

Check it out. Please Like and Subscribe the channel if you watch it as well as SUBSCRIBE AND COMMENT on this blog.

Written by Marsha L Floyd

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

LISTENING TO A YOUTUBE AUDIOBOOK produced by THE WILD WEST VAULT

My print books are taking second place to audiobooks because I cannot embroider or sew and read a book.  It seems that there are quite a few audiobooks available to choose from  many with similar themes which is why narration is very important. 
What is important to note is the increase number of Ai generated stories. Ai is not the best content creator or graphic facilitator. 

The following video is the 3rd video I have listened to produced by THE WILD WEST VAULT.  It is historical fiction with faith, inspirational. The theme is in the title: "The Sheriff Only Wanted a Housekeeper for Winter—The Polish Girl Changed His Entire Life" .  You could listen to the story while you are driving on errands or to work or, like I do, wile sewing; it is 56 minutes and 45 seconds long.

I have discovered these "historical fiction like, mail order bride" tales are relaxing, they are non-violent,  "G" rated plots worth listening to. I find these stories inspirational and motivational as well as entertaining.  I have decided to share other audiobook channels that I enjoy. 

 by Marsha L Floyd

BOOK THOUGHTS: A SINGLE THREAD BY MARIE BOSTWICK

 

As I mentioned in a previous review, I chose this book because it was about sewing and it had the same title as another book; I wanted to read both books and compare. Unfortunately, I stopped reading the other book with the same title because of the introduction of sexual behavior, I don’t read romance novels. After the disappointment from the first book entitled A SINGLE THREAD, I am happy to report that this book is one I can appreciate.

A SINGLE THREAD by Marie Bostwick is a book that talks about life in a way that will pull on your emotions; have you wanting to hug a character, yell at another character; cry, laugh and sigh with relief, while planning your next quilt. 

The underlying theme of the book: “The need for friendship is the single thread that we all have running through us.” (page 322) This is the lesson I have learned in my 66 years of living and the one young people need to learn. 

The book published in 2008, is 344 pages, centers around 2 main characters and deals with  issues that most women will encounter, directly or indirectly. One of the trials the main character faces was addressed in a very poignant way. (No, I will not tell you what it is!)  There is emotional pain in this book that is dealt with in a manner that makes sense and, there is healing.  

A SINGLE THREAD is not a thriller but it is, at least it was for me, an emotional roller coaster in which in the end you walk away with a smile. Yes, I recommend you read this book then go make a quilt!

               “Quilts are made of broken lines, just like life.” (page 327)

Written by Marsha L Floyd
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED