Kim Knight's Blog

The Victims of Russell Brand vs Male Identified Women

Yesterday when browsing social media, I came across a comment ( in support of Russell Brand) that really turned my stomach. It was from a woman ‘speaking on behalf of all women who can still think straight,’ her words not mine. This woman was  glorifying Russell Brand, his achievements, and totally dismissing the women who have identified themselves as victims of Brand’s sexual harassment and/or assault behaviour this last week as the news surfaced.

 My first response was, ‘look, girl, don’t talk for me,’ I started to write a response to her comment to that effect. Instead, I stepped back and took it for what it really was: Male identification as a woman, then asked myself how I can worn other women about this, and the dangers of being too male identified  in a more impactful way. Not everyone is going to agree with me, some women may even be offended and if so, well I’ve done my job and given you something to think about. There was a time where I too, was male identified about other things, until I realise it’s only to your detriment as a woman individually, and women collectively.

 This woman was so male identified, and so far removed from the possibility that there could be some truth in these women’s stories, and /or experiences with Russell Brand, that,  rather than side-eye Russell Brand after hearing the news, this woman’s response was to praise the very  man who had been accused of sexual harassment and involved in harming women and young girls.

What if there is some truth in what these women are saying? What about the victims? It’s comments like this male identified woman’s that would make it very hard for victims of abuse or mistreatment to come forward. The one demographic of people in society as a (woman of abuse), you would hope to have your back, dismisses you like you’re nothing in favour of groupie behaviour over a man who doesn’t even know the male identified woman exists.

So while my, ‘look girl, not today’ response probably would have been appropriate and supportive, for the hundreds if not thousands of women who may have been victims of abuse, likely to see this male identified woman’s comment, I was happy to see when I returned to the post the next day, other women had checked this male identified woman and told her Russell Brand would never see that comment, he’s too busy trying to gain a following on social media platforms that have not de-monetised him, but women who have been victims of abuse would be more likely to see her comment—so think before you type!

As a woman, a black woman  who has a femicide rate ( at the time of writing this ) across the ocean in the USA of: 

One (black) woman dying at the hands of a (black) man every 4.5 hours, on average.

  A statistic that no one seems to be taking seriously, it does piss me off when I see other women disrespecting victims of abuse, downplaying the seriousness of their experiences, and being so male identified they can’t even see who the real victims are. Women who act like it’s such an easy thing to disclose not only that you have been hurt, but you have been hurt by a ‘powerful’ man in this patriarchal society that we live in. I have never been sexually assaulted; I have never had to deal with speaking my truth vs who will believe me ( in this context), but as a black woman I deal with this every damn day!

So when I see things like this happening it’s very natural for me to speak up and worn other women. Look, don’t be that woman who so out of touch with sensitivity, woman’s experiences, victim experiences that you come across as male identified.

Your viewpoint is distorted via what you deem to be ‘truth’ from a man’s point of view. By this I mean when a woman says, ‘ Hey this is what happened to me and he did this,’ you don’t believe her.  Instead, you feel like she needs to prove what happened (to her in her reality) before you will believe her. You believe the man’s version of events automatically and straight away without questioning anything. Even if statistically, it’s more  likely that the was harmed than she was not harmed.Your viewpoint is that women are never the victims; they are the problem. By this I mean the woman is the one who is making ‘all this drama’ happen to her, (usually at the hands of a man) for whatever reason.  It’s straight forward in today’s context: in a male identified woman’s  view the woman must have done something, said something, worn something, been somewhere, or invited something towards her…, it was all her fault, right?  This is male identified thinking. I could go deep with this, my female ancestors were not  seen as women, they could not be raped, mistreated, sexually assaulted, abused, murdered, or handled with misjustice in anyway by anyone, why? Because they were black. Only white women could have been raped, mistreated, handled in unjust ways, or harmed by society, and only they were protected by rape and assault laws. There is no comma, apostrophe, or anything after that statement. You either get it or do you don’t, full stop.You’re happy as a woman to protest men’s issues and forget the women’s issues, or how women are impacted by the men’s issues you are protesting—think about it.

     4. You forget that women even have a plight! We have equality, right? So, everything is cool now and women really need to stop complaining. We can work, we can earn money, we can own houses and bank accounts and there’s really nothing to worry about now.

5.  Women can suffer so that men can ‘win’. Or to put it another way, women must dumb themselves down, not be to focused on their goals, not have too high an expectation, women can and should ‘provide’ for men where there is a short fall, and be okay with this just so that a man can ‘shine’ and look like a man in today’s society.

 

If as a woman you ever catch yourself slipping in any of these five areas, have a word with yourself. You’re being male identified and forgetting about the woman at the centre of the issue, that woman may even be you!

And while I’m on the subject, the victims of Russell Brand ( or any other  woman impacted in a similar way) have said what they have said, and this is their truth.  Let’s hear them out before we start protesting a man’s innocence when statistically, they were more likely to be victims than not. a simple Google Search: Celebrities Accused of Sexual Assault will list twenty- three men who have been accused of sexual assault as of mid-September 2023 the list is endless.

‘A Cryptic Clue’ Giveaway! By Victoria Gilbert !

A retired librarian gets back to the books—and into a devilish murder case

A Cryptic Clue

A Hunter & Clewe Mystery Book 1

by Victoria Gilbert

Genre: Mystery

A retired librarian gets back to the books—and into a devilish murder case—in acclaimed author Victoria Gilbert’s new series, the perfect literary adventure for fans of Kate Carlisle and Jenn McKinlay.

Sixty-year-old Jane Hunter, forced into early retirement from her job as a university librarian, is seeking a new challenge to keep her spirits up and supplement her meager pension. But as she’s about to discover, a retiree’s life can bring new thrills—and new dangers.

Cameron “Cam” Clewe, an eccentric 33-year-old collector, is also seeking something—an archivist to inventory his ever-expanding compendium of rare books and artifacts. Jane’s thrilled to be hired on by Cam and to uncover the secrets of his latest acquisition, a trove of items related to the classic mystery and detective authors. But Jane’s delight is upended when a body is discovered in Cam’s library. The victim, heir to a pharmaceutical fortune, was the last in line of Cam’s failed romances—and now he’s suspect number one.

Cam vows to use his intelligence and deductive skills to clear his name—but with a slight case of agoraphobia, rampant anxiety, and limited social skills, he’ll need some help. It comes down to Jane to exonerate her new boss—but is he truly innocent?

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Raised in a historic small town at the foot of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Victoria Gilbert turned her early obsession with books into a dual career as an author and librarian. Now retired, she’s worked as a reference librarian, research librarian, and university library director.

Victoria writes the Blue Ridge Library Mystery series, the Booklover’s B&B Mystery series, and the Hunter and Clewe traditional mystery series for Crooked Lane Books. When not writing or reading, she likes to spend her time watching TV and films, gardening, or traveling. A member of Mystery Writers of America, Sisters in Crime, and International Thriller Writers, Victoria lives in North Carolina with her husband, son, and two very spoiled cats.

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“Gullible” Giveaway by Rosemary Kubli ( Suspense)

Gullible

by Rosemary Kubli

Genre: Suspense

Even the most cunning femme fatale has her weakness

Siena Ricci is shrewd, seductive, and an expert in the art of deception. Masking her identity behind the guise of Marie Lacroix, a specialist in antiques and objets d’art, she swindles her employer’s wealthy clients out of their valuable possessions. She hasn’t yet met the man she can’t manipulate, but then the con she’s playing on Jonathan Woodward has only just begun.

Jonathan proves to be an easy mark, but he’s also enticingly irresistible. As their relationship heats up, her plot to steal his multi-million-dollar antique trinkets begins to unravel. Noticing a subtle change in Jonathan’s demeanor, Marie questions whether she’s still in control of the con or if she’s blindly become the gullible victim of her own scheme.

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Rosemary Kubli writes the type of books she loves to read – intrigue and suspense mixed with a pinch of romance and a clever plot twist or two. Her professional experiences run the gamut from Human Resources and training to accounting and banking, with publishing being her most recent endeavor. Aside from the seven years she lived in southern California, she has always called the northeast corner of Ohio her home. Rosemary and her husband of 45 years enjoy traveling – on land to visit family and friends and on sea to any destination a cruise ship will take them. When not working on her next novel, she can be found discussing the latest in literary fare with her book club, playing a rousing game of Bunco with some of her oldest and dearest friends, researching her ancestry, volunteering in her community, burying her nose in a book, or obsessing over the latest binge-worthy TV series.

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‘Rogues Ring’ Giveaway by Nancy Lee Badger ( Historical Romance)

The Rogue’s Ring

A Treasure Tale Novel #3

by Nancy Lee Badger

Genre: Historical Romance

Heading out on his horse, Ghost, into the snowy Highlands of Scotland in January 1817 was not sane, but Bryce Ketteridge would never let down his friends. If a duke, an earl, and a former spy felt finding the owners of nobleman’s rings was important, he would do his share. Coming across masked bandits, and shooting one, turned his life on end. What follows was not in his plans.

The last thing Cat Douglas wished to do was steal coins from the handsome stranger she meets at a tavern. When he later shoots her while she threatened a nobleman’s coach, she suspected he had no idea it was her. Kidnapped boys, pirate threats, and murder propel them to save a boy named Blake. He was, after all, special to them both.

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Nancy Lee Badger grew up in Huntington on New York’s Long Island. After attending Plymouth State, in New Hampshire, she earned a Bachelor of Science degree and met and married her college sweetheart. They raised two handsome sons in Rumney, New Hampshire while she dreamed of being a writer. When the children had left the nest, and shoveling snow became a chore, she retired from her satisfying job as a 911 Emergency Medical Dispatcher and moved to North Carolina, where she writes full-time. Nancy is a member of Romance Writers of America, Heart of Carolina Romance Writers, Fantasy-Futuristic & Paranormal Romance Writers, and the Triangle Association of Freelancers. She finds story ideas in the most unusual places.

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‘Salt Island’ Giveaway by Lisa Towles! ( Thriller)

Salt Island

E&A Investigations Thriller Series Book 2

by Lisa Towles

Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Suspense

At the request of an old college chum, former CIA operative and private investigator Mari Ellwyn investigates the blackmailing of a CEO amid a high-profile IPO deal and a motivated witness determined to expose him for corruption and fraud. Mari’s new partner, Derek Abernathy tries to help uncover the truth behind the accidental death of two farm workers in the Central Valley, only to discover that they weren’t accidental and they’re connected to a seamy underworld of illegal drug manufacturing and toxic chemical dumping. Lured by compassion and ties to their former lives, Ellwyn and Abernathy leverage their collective experience in the biggest challenge of their lives – bringing justice and staying alive in the process.

What readers are saying:

“ An intricate, gorgeously written, character-driven page-turner with some shocking twists”

– Prairies Book Reviews

 

“An Intoxicating read, hugely entertaining”

– The Book Commentary

“An exceptional thriller and a riveting work of espionage, wrongdoing, and discovery”

– Midwest Book Review

“Towles is a master when it comes to parallel storylines. Readers will love the quick pace and snappy dialogue of this thriller, and Mari is a character who jumps off the page and into your heart.”

– Literary Titan

“Likeable, interesting characters and a confident narrative keep the pages turning of this crime thriller, in a series that harkens Evanovich, Grafton, and Millhone.”

– RECOMMENDED, The US Review of Books

 

“Highly recommended for fans of intricately plotted mystery tales, high-stakes action, and dynamic detectives”

– Reader’s Favorite

 

“Powerful and entertaining, a harrowing journey into the heart of corporate greed”

– Book Viral Reviews

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**Don’t miss Book 1!**

Hot House

E&A Investigations Book 1

Who killed Sophie Michaud? Stay up all night reading this award-winning psychological thriller that has readers obsessed.

Shot in the line of duty, ex CIA operative Mari Ellwyn is again chasing adrenaline, when she reinvents herself as a private investigator on a quest to find the killer of college student Sophie Michaud. Every door Mari opens proves to be more perilous than the last, but she’s hell bent on bringing the killer to justice—for Sophie, students, and all women.

Teaming up with seasoned investigator and former detective, Derek Abernathy, the crime-savvy pair discover Sophie’s journal, which is filled with names and controversial secrets—listed among them is Mari’s own father.

What secrets was Sophie hiding?

As they connect the dots leading to Sophie’s death, the blackmailing of a federal judge, and Mari’s own family, Sophie’s murderer is closing in for the next kill. Facing an adversary like none she’s ever experienced before, Mari must find her missing father and reconcile her broken past before she becomes the killer’s next victim.

A multiple award-winning novel, Hot House is a page-turning psychological thriller packed with tension, secrets, suspense, and surprises. If you like Blake Crouch, Harlan Coben, and Lisa Gardner, discover Lisa Towles’ E&A Series today.

First Place Winner of The Book Fest 2022 Literary Award, Mystery & Crime category

Literary Titan Gold Award for Fiction

Escape into this devious mind mystery by getting your copy of Hot House now, so you can solve the puzzle of who killed Sophie Michaud.

 

What readers are saying :

“A dark, edge-of-the-seat thriller. Highly recommended!”Chanticleer Reviews

“Memorable characters make for a winsome, absorbing detective tale.” – Kirkus Reviews

“Towles does a fantastic job of pacing the storyline so that the reader hangs on to every clue… I recommend this for fans of crime fiction writers Baldacci, Slaughter, and Gardner.” San Francisco Book Review

“Award-winning author Lisa Towles delivers again and again with her gripping thrillers…” Sarah Lovett, Bestselling author

“The plot is propelled forward by the clever use of suspense, measured action, and ingeniously written conflict. It is a moving and delightful read with cinematic scenes and characters that will stick with readers for a long after they turn the last page.” – The Book Commentary

“Hot House is an intricate maze of blackmail, surprise and suspense delivered by quirky characters, pithy dialog and LOL humor. Another hit by my favorite thriller writer, Lisa Towles.” – Ana Manwaring

“Fans of investigative thrillers and mysteries will be the audience for Hot House, but its ability to craft a sassy, fun series of dialogues and inspections… creates an exceptional read with a powerfully unexpected conclusion... This will attract audiences both within and beyond the thriller and mystery genres.” – Midwest Book Review

“Towles has produced a knockout novel with Hot House. Towles’s plot is as twisted and unpredictable… Nowhere will thriller fans find a more engaging keep-you-on-your-toes read.” – Literary Titan

“This meticulously constructed, remarkable mystery deftly explores people’s darkest flaws while revealing hard truths about the hidden workings of the world. A fast-paced and psychologically astute thriller.” Prairies Book Review

“Hot House is one of those books that pries your eyelids open and doesn’t relent until you’ve reached the end. Good luck getting Mari out of your head!” – Benjamin Bradley

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Lisa Towles is an award-winning, Amazon bestselling crime novelist and a passionate speaker on the topics of fiction writing, creativity, and Strategic Self Care. Lisa has nine crime novels in print with a new title, Salt Island, forthcoming in June of 2023. Her latest thriller, The Ridders, was an Amazon #2 Kindle Bestseller and won an American Fiction Award. Her psychological thriller, Hot House (June, 2022) was an Amazon #1 Bestseller (Kindle version) the first place Winner of the 2022 Book Fest Literary Award in Mystery & Crime. Her thriller Ninety-Five was released in November 2021 and won a Literary Titan Award for Fiction. Her 2019 thriller, The Unseen, was the Winner of the 2020 NYC Big Book Award in Crime Fiction, and a Finalist in the Thriller category of the Best Book Awards by American Book Fest. Her 2017 thriller, Choke, won a 2017 IPPY and a 2018 NYC Big Book Award for Thriller. Lisa is an active member and frequent panelist/speaker of Mystery Writers of America, Sisters in Crime, and International Thriller Writers. She has an MBA in IT Management and works full-time in the tech industry.

Read more about Lisa’s book on her publisher’s website.

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‘I’ll Love You Tomorrow’ Giveaway by Julie Navickas (Romance)

I’ll Love You Tomorrow

The Trading Heartbeats Trilogy Book 3

by Julie Navickas

Genre: Contemporary Romantic Suspense

Follow your heart, even if it takes you all the way to Las Vegas. 

For precisely $102 dollars, Mitch Benson and Lauren Templeton marry in a 15-minute ceremony inside a little Las Vegas chapel. Soulmates since elementary school, nothing makes more sense than eloping to Sin City for a secret wedding.

But seven years later, the brilliant glare from the city of lights has faded.

Scratch that. The bulbs are burnt out. 

In fact, the wiring may have been faulty all along.

Bitterly accepting that their marriage is coming to an end, Mitch and Lauren stray further and further from the love that once blossomed on the playground of their youth.

Lauren sells her soul to Pier Ninety-Two, her once-fabulous restaurant in downtown Los Angeles now a sad shadow in the Saturday night party scene. And Mitch falls into the arms—er, legs—of none other than childhood enemy, Tess Browning.

Devastated by the direction their love has spiraled, Mitch and Lauren make one last trip to the city of second chances, hoping to turn their pennies into the million-dollar love they once shared.

Will their last roll be a miracle—or a mirage—in the desert?

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I Love You Today

The Trading Heartbeats Trilogy Book 2

Because when you least expect it… and when you’re least ready for it… love happens. 

Casey McDaniels lacked direction, spending the better part of her youth boyfriend hopping, partying, and bartending – her dreams, career ambitions, and education put on the backburner in favor of a social life and steady paycheck… that is, until a new lawyer moves into town.

When sexy, smart, and brokenhearted Austin Templeton relocates from Los Angeles to Chicago, Casey can’t help but put her former lifestyle aside in favor of the sweet romance that erupts between them. Finding more than just her heart set ablaze, Austin’s own professional ambition ignites a fire beneath her – pushing her forward into uncharted territory.

But one thing’s for sure… his career will always come first. When an unexpected promotion threatens to take him back to California, Casey reels, forced to choose between the man who captured her heart and the newfound path to success he led her down.

With her heart torn down the middle, Casey leaves the choice in Austin’s hands. After all, what’s more important? A job… or love?

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I Loved You Yesterday

The Trading Heartbeats Trilogy Book 1

Secrets always have a way of coming out.

Mavis Benson made a huge mistake. Scratch that—colossal mistake. Twice. Sleeping with her high school sweetheart’s twin brother definitely wasn’t part of the plan… nor was falling in love with him.

But that wasn’t the only complication Mavis faced. When an unplanned pregnancy upends her life at seventeen, Mavis skips town to spare her boyfriend, Josh Templeton, from the fallout. With only a letter of apology, she disappears, but not before confiding her secret to Josh’s brother, Austin.

When Austin resurfaces in her life years later, he brings the past to Mavis’s doorstep. Josh wants her back, Austin isn’t willing to surrender, and the path to happiness isn’t clear. Caught between both men, Mavis must choose between the brother for whom she broke her own heart, and the brother who picked up the pieces.

I LOVED YOU YESTERDAY is a heart-pounding reveal of best kept secrets. The truth is never easy, and neither is putting down this page turner. Fans of Nora Roberts and K.G. Fletcher will want to get a copy of I LOVED YOU YESTERDAY.

~Winner of the ASSOCIATION FOR WOMEN IN COMMUNICATIONS CLARION AWARD.~

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Julie Navickas is an award-winning, nationally recognized contemporary romance novelist, known for her keen ability to tell heart-wrenching, second-chance love stories through relatable characters with humility, humor, and heroism. She is also an award-winning university instructor and serves as the executive director of The Writing Champions Project. Julie earned master’s degrees in both organizational communication and English studies with an emphasis in book history, as well as a bachelor’s degree in public relations, graduating cum laude from Illinois State University.

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‘Obedience’ Romantic Suspense Giveaway by Liza Snow!

Obedience

Ties That Bind Book 1

by Liza Snow

Genre: Romantic Suspense

Cassandra

Growing up, I was mesmerized by a man soaring the skies.

The greatest silk aerialist in the world, Chandler Moreau.

The day before my parents died, they took me to see his circus, and it was then I knew my fate was sealed.

I would do everything in my power to perform with them one day.

To perform with him.

Little did I realize, he would be far more than I’d ever imagined him being.

Far more than just a mentor.

He was a man I didn’t want to live without.

And someone I wanted to keep safe from a past that seemed to keep following me.

Chandler

My entire career, I’d been waiting for the right student to take under my wing.

A protégé with whom I could share my lifelong journey in the circus.

Little did I know it would be Cassandra Blackstone.

A woman who’d grown up admiring me from afar.

I never intended to fall in love with the student I was supposed to protect—from myself and the demons that lurked in my shadows.

But sometimes fate has other plans.

My grandfather’s taunting words still linger.

Mieux vaut plier que rompre.

Adapt and survive.

They weren’t just his adage but also unmistakably true.

A reminder that Cassandra and my shared history seemed to intertwine us more than the silks we’d spent our lives mastering ever could…

More to Love:
In addition to the paperback, Obedience is also available in a full-cast narrated audiobook, starring Daniel Zbel and Rapunzaroo, along with a cast of additional voiceover actresses. Brought to life in the way the story is meant to be told, and it will be the best audiobook you listen to this year—possibly for a very long time. You’ll love listening to the two voices of these iconic characters. And don’t forget to read along with them and enjoy a fantastic, immersive experience. You’ll need the paperback copy to fan yourself off from some of the narration!

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A bestselling independent author from Florida, Liza has been putting romance books into her readers hands for over a half decade, and has loved every minute of it.

Liza lives with her husband, her two dogs and her cat, ten minutes from the beach. When she isn’t writing, you can often find her walking and enjoying outside, with a coffee and a book in hand.

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Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!Swag Pack with t-shirt, mug, magnet, ribbon bookmark ,

$20 Amazon giftcard

– 1 winner each!

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New Release By Author Khatari

This is a captivating tale of desire, lust, magic, and deceit. Enter the world of fallen god as he searches for his long-lost love and fights to regain his throne.

As this remarkable story unfolds, lines will be drawn, and sides will be chosen, as the gods prepare for battle.

Who will be victorious and reign? Is one god’s love greater than another god’s greed? Let’s find out as secret knowledge and hidden truths are uncovered.

  Amazon Link : https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C211WCJ1?ref_=cm_sw_r_em_mwn_dp_7E390BDQHRQ25EBH6AGS

Random Word Play: ‘Postmark’

Well, in my quest to continue writing about words, and researching the origins of them, today as I opened my dictionary the random word I stopped at was ‘postmark.‘ When I think of this word I think of mail and letters. Letters are very important to me and have been for maybe more than ten years now. That’s because I have international pen pals … yes! Pen pals? Like who does that these days? *Raises hand.*

I have enjoyed the art of handwritten letters sent far and wide around the world, for more than a decade. Some people I have and still do exchange letters with, I have never even met! We have seen a picture of each other, and in some cases I have two pen pals that I have never seen. All we know is each other’s gender, race, age, location in the world and that is all. The rest we have learned about each other via letter exchanges.

I started by just joining a community of people who love stationery and letter writing,  then I was matched with actual pen pals. I used Geek Girls Pen Pals this is a service where you sign up with your email and interests,  by the middle of the following month you are matched with another pen pal who could be anywhere in the world! Really great service. So, back to today’s word ‘postmark’.

How I Have Used This Word?

When I wrote my first mystery novel The Note   I used letters and notes as a way to drive the story forward. The letters also did not show a distinct ‘postmark’ which made it hard for both of my detectives to trace where they have come from. Other than this as a fiction writer the word ‘postmark’ has not been a major factor in my work, but letters, letter sending, or writing them via my character have always been! I seem to have a ‘thing’ with driving my plots forward with notes, diary entries, or actual letters. Be it from decades ago and relevant to the characters in the present day, or vice-versa.

Should Letter Writing Be A Regular Thing? Or is Technology Better?

If you ask me, yes! Letter writing is so therapeutic it can really help you to express what you feel, in that moment, or historically based on the past in a clear way. This could be relevant to diary writing. But in terms of writing a hand written letter to a friend, family member, or a pen pal you have never met I would still say, yes. I think that letter writing helps to keep literacy levels high! Obviously, and it also encourages deeper communication with a person. This is because you are actually thinking about what you are writing in more detail, than when you write a text, email, or social media post. This is my experience with it anyway.  Letter writing can also help you to form some wonderful long-lasting friendships, with people you would not have met otherwise. I also have found over the years that letter writing builds a slower form of friendship, because you are not having a real time conversation, you need to wait for your response. The result of this has been for me some deep and meaningful connections with others.

I also really love the thrill of going to my mailbox and seeing a letter with an international stamp on, knowing it has travelled miles to get to me, and the sender as taken some of their own precious time to sit and communicate with me.

Is it better than technology?… mmm, no I would not say it is. This could be because I have grown up in the era when social media and the Internet was birthed. I have seen how helpful, quick, and useful it is. Especially for things like research, or even just trying to find your way to a location you have never been before, using Google Maps rather than a traditional map. That said, I do feel that traditional letter writing and communication that comes with a traceable postmark and technology to communicate both serve different purposes. I would not say that one is better than the other, as they are (for me) used for different reasons and at different times.

Where Does the Word ‘Postmark’ Come From?

Well, according to  the Online Etymology Dictionary  this word means:

“Mark or stamp of a post office placed on a letter, etc., giving the place and date of sending.”

According to the Oxford English Dictionary:

Noun: “an official mark stamped on letter or parcel, giving the date of posting and cancelling the postage stamp.”

Verb: ” To stamp a letter or parcel with a post mark.”

It became an official word in around 1670, and is taken from the words post and mark.

Post:

[mail system] c. 1500, “riders and horses posted at intervals,” it was used to refer to messages being sent back and forth, using what we now refer to as a mail system. Clearly around 1500 this was all done by horse using people as the messengers. Riders would ‘post’ on their route, meaning to drop off the messages. The word postmark was also probably fashioned on the French word poste, around the 1500’s which literally does translate to ‘post’ in English.

The meaning “system for the conveyance of letters” is from 1660s. From the 1590s this related to the use of a vehicle to send messages back and forth. From the 1670s is was referred to as “a dispatch of letters from or to a place.” From the 1680’s this is when the word related to newspapers.

Mark

“Trace, impression,” from Old English mearc (West Saxon), merc (Mercian). A “boundary, limit; sign, landmark,” it came from Proto-Germanic *markō (source also of Old Norse merki “boundary, sign,” mörk “forest,” which often marked a frontier; Old Frisian merke, Gothic marka “boundary, frontier,” Dutch merk “mark, brand,” German Mark “boundary, boundary land”).

Post Mark:

This word which came together from two other words is one that can be used in so many ways, from writing fiction based on the postmark of a letter or note, it can be used to identify the location of something or someone, and it can be a source of joy to see when a letter arrives in the mail. Much more so than when you see a letter that has a local postmark and you know it is a bill for something that needs to be paid! Whenever I get bunch of mail and mixed in with all the bills to pay is a letter with a postmark for a location hundreds or even thousands of miles, away it does brighten up my day.

What was the postmark of the last letter you received? Where did it come from?

What was the last letter you received was it a bill, or something personal and nice?

Do you write letters, have pen pals? Have you ever considered it?

Do you send traditional post cards, or birthday cards still?

‘Fixer Series’ Giveaway by Jill Amy Rosenblatt ( Crime Fiction)

The Naked Man

The Fixer – Katerina Mills Book 1

by Jill Amy Rosenblatt

Genre: Crime Suspense Fiction

Silver Medal Winner – Suspense Fiction – 2017 Global Ebook Awards

“…fun and fast-paced…Packed with thrills and fun characters…” Ashton, Beauty, Books & Babble

 

“Katerina—I need some help. Be a good girl and come over here and I’ll make it worth your while.”

It’s an offer NYC college student Katerina Mills should refuse. But how can she?

A desperate situation….

After ditching her cheating lover (and boss), she’s stuck in dead end temp jobs. Her dad just ditched her mom and his promise to pay Kat’s college tuition bill. She has two weeks to come up with $14,000 or she’s out of her apartment, out of school, and out of luck.

A dangerous world….

Katerina falls into a job as a “fixer” for New York City’s wealthy and privileged men. They have problems they need “fixed,” quick and on the QT, and they’re willing to pay. The rules are simple: collect the money, use your contacts, fix the problem.

Kat’s first job is easy: tail a shopaholic socialite wife. But who’s tailing Kat? Kat’s second job is not so easy: steal a VHS tape hidden in an antique chest. She can’t do it alone. To be a thief, she needs a thief: handsome, reclusive Alexander Winter to be exact.

Kat soon learns the real rules for a fixer: there are no rules, there are no refunds. Get in. Get results. Get gone. As every step brings her closer to her goal and closer to danger, there’s one rule left for Katerina Mills to learn: once you’re in, there’s no getting out.

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The Killing Kind

The Fixer – Katerina Mills Book 2

Silver Medal Winner – Thriller Fiction – 2017 Global Ebook Awards

“The Fixer: The Killing Kind (The Fixer – Katerina Mills Book 2) by Jill Amy Rosenblatt is every bit as good, if not better, than the first book in the series. Even more action is packed into this edge-of-your-seat tale as Kat leads us on another thrilling journey.”
Readers’ Favorite Book Reviews

Kat’s back and in over her head with cops, criminals… and killers.

Christmas is around the corner but professional “fixer” Katerina Mills isn’t feeling the holiday spirit, juggling college classes, a lovesick cop, and demanding clients.

Obnoxious hedge fund manager Simon Marcus wants Kat to get his prized Porsche back from his vengeful wife—but Simon isn’t the only one after the car.

Rock star writer Paul Patel needs something “special” to finish his next bestseller—something that will send Katerina straight to prison if she gets caught.

And what about mysterious Thomas Gallagher? His jobs are simple and easy. Is he just a bored billionaire, or is he watching Kat’s every move, making his own plans for her?

Katerina needs help. Enter handsome, elusive thief Alexander Winter. He’s back, tutoring Kat in all things criminal. But is that all he’s going to teach her?

Katerina Mills is still haunted by her first assignment…and her first assignment is about to come back to haunt her…a deadly enemy who’s closer than she thinks…

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The Last Romanov

The Fixer – Katerina Mills Book 3

Kat’s back for the third installment in the suspense thriller series that’s been called “a rollercoaster ride of an adventure.” (Jennie Reads)

“My name is Katerina Mills. Make sure I disappear.”

Katerina Mills is getting out . . .

Desperate to escape a psychotic former client, a vengeful mobster, and a dirty DEA agent, professional “fixer” Kat Mills is ready to drop out and disappear.

She doesn’t trust her employer, the shadowy MJM Consulting, but Katerina can’t say no to one last job for the biggest score yet, enough money to get lost for good . . . until the client asks the impossible . . .

Dmitry Zilinsky claims he is a direct descendant of Russia’s last Tsar, Nicholas II, and he demands Katerina steal the item that will prove it.

Kat must get the job done or she can’t make her escape. But when professional thief Alexander Winter reappears in her life, Katerina Mills faces a new choice: go it alone or risk everything to be with the one person she doesn’t want to live without?

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Jill Amy Rosenblatt is the author of Project Jennifer and For Better or Worse, published by Kensington Press.

She received her master’s degree in Literature and Creative Writing from Burlington College.

The Fixer crime/suspense series is Jill’s first adventure in self-publishing. The Naked Man, The Killing Kind, and The Last Romanov are available wherever eBooks and paperbacks are sold.

She is currently editing the fourth book in the series, The Good Criminal.

She lives on Long Island.

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