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Peggy Williams

Peggy Williams

About

Peggy Williams, M.Ed., LPC, is a retired licensed counselor. She received her Master's degree at the University of Alabama in Birmingham. She spent twenty plus years working with children and their parents. She understands that both need positive activities that help build self-esteem and positive relationships. She feels bird watching can be one of those activities that can build into more than just a hobby. It can become a lifestyle. Many vacations are planned around birding! Her advice is: "Enjoy!"

The Sons of Godwine: Part Two of The Last Great Saxon Earls

The Sons of Godwine: Part Two of The Last Great Saxon Earls

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Description

<p>Emerging from the long shadow cast by his formidable father, Harold Godwineson showed himself to be a worthy successor to the Earldom of Wessex. In the following twelve years, he became the King's most trusted advisor, practically taking the reins of government into his own hands. And on Edward the Confessor's death, Harold Godwineson mounted the throne—the first king of England not of royal blood. Yet Harold was only a man, and his rise in fortune was not blameless. Like any person aspiring to power, he made choices he wasn't particularly proud of. Unfortunately, those closest to him sometimes paid the price of his fame.<br /><br />This is a story of Godwine's family as told from the viewpoint of Harold and his younger brothers. Queen Editha, known for her Vita Ædwardi Regis, originally commissioned a work to memorialize the deeds of her family, but after the Conquest historians tell us she abandoned this project and concentrated on her husband, the less dangerous subject. In THE SONS OF GODWINE and FATAL RIVALRY, I am telling the story as it might have survived had she collected and passed on the memoirs of her tragic brothers.<br /><br />This book is part two of The Last Great Saxon Earls series. Book one, GODWINE KINGMAKER, depicted the rise and fall of the first Earl of Wessex who came to power under Canute and rose to preeminence at the beginning of Edward the Confessor's reign. Unfortunately, Godwine's misguided efforts to champion his eldest son Swegn recoiled on the whole family, contributing to their outlawry and Queen Editha's disgrace. Their exile only lasted one year and they returned victorious to London, though it was obvious that Harold's career was just beginning as his father's journey was coming to an end.<br /><br />Harold's siblings were all overshadowed by their famous brother; in their memoirs we see remarks tinged sometimes with admiration, sometimes with skepticism, and in Tostig's case, with jealousy. We see a Harold who is ambitious, self-assured, sometimes egocentric, imperfect, yet heroic. His own story is all about Harold, but his brothers see things a little differently. Throughout, their observations are purely subjective, and witnessing events through their eyes gives us an insider’s perspective.<br /><br />Harold was his mother's favorite, confident enough to rise above petty sibling rivalry but Tostig, next in line, was not so lucky. Harold would have been surprised by Tostig's vindictiveness, if he had ever given his brother a second thought. And that was the problem. Tostig's love/hate relationship with Harold would eventually destroy everything they worked for, leaving the country open to foreign conquest. This subplot comes to a crisis in book three of the series, FATAL RIVALRY.</p>

Story Behind The Book

My life's work has always centered on helping others. As a licensed therapist and the wife of a Methodist minister, I found myself every day around children either at work, home or church. Many children in today’s fast world are hurting for quality time and closer relationships with positive adults. The best way I’ve found that parents can provide this for their children is to plan and take the time to be with their children and enjoy activities together. This provides time not only for hobbies or whatever activity but also for the much needed conversations to take place between parent and child that helps to form closer, trusting relationships. This goes a long way in getting through the teen years for both of them. As we both are nearing retirement age, we hope to continue helping through writing in one form or another. I decided to use the children’s book genre to share with the children while encouraging parent participation as well.

Media Links

Press Release July 16, 2009

🔗 http://www.i-newswire.com/pr307283.html

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Press Release Sept.15, 2009

🔗 http://www.i-newswire.com/author-returns-to-the-classroom/3596

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Jacketflap.com

🔗 http://www.jacketflap.com/pwill1020

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Reviews

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:center;" align="center"><strong><span style="font-size:14pt;">Friends in the Meadow</span></strong></p><p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:center;" align="center"><strong><span style="font-size:14pt;"></span></strong></p><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:center;" align="center"><strong><span style="font-size:14pt;">Birds</span></strong></p><p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;"><strong><span style="font-size:14pt;"></span></strong></p><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;"></p><br /><p class="MsoNormal">Award winning and best-selling authors have shared these reviews on Amazon.com. Visit there to read the full reviews.</p><p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"></p><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><strong>Review Excerpts:</strong></p><p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"></p><br /><p class="MsoNormal"></p>“Peggy Williams has written a delightful, fun, and educational introduction to bird watching for children. The book is wonderfully written with younger children in mind perhaps pre-school through elementary school. I think this book would make an excellent addition to elementary school science curriculums, Girl Scout and Boy Scout troop activities, 4-H and Cloverbud group activities, or for that special child who loves nature.”<br /><br /><br />By K. Bird<br /> <br /><br /><br />“The book is written in a narrative nonfiction format that makes it quite readable.”<br /><br /><br />By Novelist, Author of <strong>Writing Children’s Books for Dummies</strong><br /><br /><br /> <br />“At the stories heart is a message of acceptance. By accepting each other the way we are, not in spite of our differences but with them, the world can be a more peaceful place. Who wouldn’t want to impact both the knowledge of Nature as well as these heartfelt sentiments to the next generation?”<br /><br /><br />By G. Reba<br /><br /><br /> <br />“I would recommend it to bird watchers anywhere who hope to influence their children to get a feel for birding.”<br /><br /><br />By P.A. Whittington, Author of <strong>What a Hullabaloo!</strong><br /> <br /><br /><br />“What a great book for any child! “<strong>Friends in the Meadow-Birds</strong>” has beautiful photos of birds. This book is bound to start any child to a life-long hobby of birding.”<br /><br /><br />By Barbara J. Smith, Author of A <strong>Surprise for Grandmother Rabbit<br /></strong><br /><br /> <br />“I recommend this book to parents, teachers or leaders of organizations interested in exposing kids of any age to the wonderful hobby of birding. Thank you Peggy, for putting together such a sweet and educational book for kids.”<br /><br /><br />By Lisa Maddock, Author of A <strong>Tale of Two Guinea Pigs and The Bridezilla Who Stole Christmas-A Teddy &amp; Pip Story</strong>.<br /><br /><br /><p></p>