Gwynn, my housekeeper, checks to see that all the floors are swept and every surface shines. My personal secretary, Eleanor, keeps track of my appointments. Pierre, our master pastry chef, is a whiz at whipping up delicious desserts.
But, if I don't do my job well, nothing runs smoothly! I've found that simple things, like telling everyone how much I appreciate their hard work, can make a world of difference.

        Yesterday, we were anxiously awaiting a visit from my neighbor, King Thaddius of Larchmore. Of course, I was planning a huge banquet in his honor. Everyone knows that the King is rather particular about how he takes his tea, how his pudding is cooked, how his bed is made, and the fire laid. There were lots of frowns around the castle as we prepared for his arrival.

But have you ever noticed how most smiles are started by another smile? I decided to experiment.

       On my way to the kitchen I saw Gwynn hurrying down the hall with a tall stack of linens. She was looking very serious. Since she didn't have a smile of her own, I gave her one of mine. I was amazed to see how that smile lit up her face!

       As I descended the stairs, I heard Edwin coming down the hall from the opposite direction. He said, "Good morning Gwynn. You look so nice today."

        "Thank you, sir," Gwynn replied with a giggle. The sound of that giggle made me giggle too, so that when I passed the dining hall and saw Bernard, carrying a heavy load of firewood and looking rather cross, it was easy to give him an encouraging smile. Like magic, as if his load became a little lighter, his frown turned upside down!

        Smiles are so contagious that I can't help but think that those two smiles I gave away started something, because, before you know it, the whole castle was in a good mood. Everyone was laughing and smiling. The party had already started before the guest arrived!

Your smile can light up a room! It tells the world that you're a happy, friendly person. But did you know that your eyes are a big part of the message? Every great smile includes a pair of smiling eyes.

        Here's something fun to experiment with. Learn to smile with just your eyes! Look at yourself in a mirror. First, try to look angry without moving your lips. See how your eyes narrow and the muscles around them tense? Next, smile without moving your lips. (Here's the trick: think happy thoughts and imagine those feelings filling up inside you until they spill out through your eyes.) Now you have smiling eyes!

        Next time someone tells you to smile for the camera, make sure your eyes are smiling too!

       Bye for now - and keep on smiling!

Introducing:
Cecile and The Spider Queen

Mystic Heroine Adventures: Book One

Winner of the iUniverse Editors Choice Award.

"We've been waiting a long time for a story with this kind of positive female role model. It's a joy to share this book with the children."
-Debi Konz, elementary school teacher

       In this tale about beauty and deception, Princess Cecile of Belamor is under a spell and must remember who she is in order to save her kingdom.

       Go to www.MysticHeroine.com to find out how to buy this book, purchase Mystic Heroine T-shirts, and to sign up for free gifts!