Mollie Mathews's Blog, page 16
July 14, 2019
June 29, 2019
Upcoming July Releases
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Hi everyone, I hope you are well. There have been a few health challenges in my family, but I’m hoping (and praying) everyone will be recovered soon.
I’ve taken time out to care for those closest to me and now I plan to play catch up!
Watch this space for more information on my three new books from my Passion Down Under Sassy Short Stories collection.
Next week we’ll kick off with Love me As I Am
Kiri Love had no need for friendships. She had no time for distraction. She is in her final year of medical studies by the grace of God to do a job—and a darned good one.
Her mom had scrimped and saved every last dollar she earned and worked three jobs to pay for Kiri’s education and Kiri was determined to make her proud. She would be the first person in her family to receive a degree and achieve her ambition of being a doctor.
But when her mother is murdered she sacrifices her ambitions and travels back to the tiny Far North town which had created so much pain.
With three sisters under nine to feed, she’ll do whatever it takes to provide them with the security they need—even if it means groveling to Benotti Zegna, billionaire jeweler to the stars.
Benotti Zegna has a heart of gold but a failed marriage has left him cold. His hands are full running his global empire, plus being a millionaire-dad to his young and motherless daughter.
He can spot a diamond in the rough and while alarm-bells warn him to watch his heart, intuition tells him that Kiri Love will make the perfect nanny.
The role he offers is a far cry from her the life she’d hope to lead, but Kiri quickly discovers the power of family and sacrifice to heal the deepest of wounds.
Have you read the newest release in this series: Forever and Always?
Will Lily and Leonardo end up giving their hearts to the wrong person?
Still reeling following her malicious sacking, family therapist Lily Rose is feeling rejected and low in spirits. Even worse, she’s broke. The last thing she needs is more money woes. Which is exactly what happens when she collides with billionaire water magnate Leonardo Ermenegildo Bressolini’s mint-condition Lamborghini.
Having found a place to retreat from the madness and greed and malevolence of his ex-wife the last thing Leonardo wants is complications. But he is a man in need of a housekeeper. And Lily Rose owes him. Big time.
What they both don’t know is just what a massive impact the crash will have on their lives. Sparks heat into a collision of powerful forces that can’t be dampened.
Spontaneous love on the beach sends deep passions and emotional connection—more heartfelt than either has ever known—steaming to the surface.
When Leonardo’s past comes careering into his future—will both Lily and Lorenzo end up giving their hearts to the wrong person?
Forever and Always is a short story, clean romance, full of quirky humor and the promise of a happily ever after.
Set in The Bay of Islands, New Zealand—my home—one of the most beautiful, unspoiled, sensuous places in the world.
Forever and Always is part of my bestselling series, Passion Down Under Sassy Short Stories It can easily be read as a stand-alone story, but you’ll love reading the other books, too.
Reader Reviews
“Lily’s Day from Hell could not get worse after she loses her job and doesn’t know how she will pay her rent. She is forced to walk away from the children she was counseling as a therapist. But it does get worse when she runs into a Lamborghini driven by a billionaire. How can she possibly pay for the damages now? And yet sometimes your worst day turns into your best day when fate hands you a handsome Italian man and a new job.”
“The worst day of her life becomes even worse. Lily not only loses her job but ends up running into a Lamborghini and she has no hope for paying off the damage. Leonardo, on the other hand, has had his fill of selfish women, but being rear-ended by the therapist that had previously attracted his attention, makes him stop a moment and consider ways in which to bring her into his orbit. This sweet and short romance touches the heart and makes one smile.”
“I enjoyed Forever and Always—a story about two wounded people that come together in a crash. I very much enjoy Mollie Mathews writing. When she writes I feel like I’m right there because of the colorful descriptions that she paints.”
BONUS FREE EXTRAS!
Enjoy the first three chapters from my most popular books:
Married by Christmas—animosity and undeniable attraction, make the tension soar
Flight of Passion—a rapturous tale of love and obsession
And my upcoming July release Claimed by The Sheikh—discover the secret the world was never meant to know.
But wait—there’s more. Purchase Forever and Always and Receive the first book in the Passion Down Under Sassy Short Stories, Twist of Fate, Absolutely FREE!
“Twist of Fate is a short story full of quirky humor and the promise of romance. Jonathan has returned home feeling disillusioned and low in spirits. When a baggage mix up leads him to a potential cross-dresser, the story takes off in a hilarious direction. However, all is not as it seems and Jonathan finds that the future isn’t as dismal as he initially thought. This is a delightful, well-written short story that had me laughing out loud.”
~ Margaret
The inspiration behind Forever and Always!
Last year, my partner Lorenzo shouted me a glorious weekend at the exclusive resort Donkey Bay (you absolutely have to check it out!!! https://www.donkeybayinn.co.nz/location).
While we were there we were greeted by Amelia. She shared her inspiring story of escaping a rat-race existence and finding a dream job as a housekeeper.
My creative brain jumped with joy and my imagination soared. What if, I wondered, the dream job also came with a dream lover?!
When I experienced my own toxic work situtation it seemed like a perfect marriage to bring this fictional story into being.
As I write this post, Amelia just emailed me a beautiful photo….I’d love to include it in my cover. What do you think?
Curl up with romance and savor these delicious clean, sweet and tender love stories.
Book One: Twist of Fate
Book Two: Love Me Forever
Book Three: Forever and Always
Book Four: Love Me as I Am—coming soon!
You can grab the first two books as a boxset available from Amazon here—getbook.at/2SassyShortStories
Or grab the first book, Twist of Fate and other sweet romances for FREE in this summer giveaway, click here to grab all these treats.
DID YOU ENJOY THIS POST?
You may also like:
How extraordinary love can change our lives
Danielle Steele and the joy of working on many projects at the same time
Love Me Forever…a stunning new love story
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To purchase your copy on Amazon ➜click here
To purchase your copy on Apple, Barnes and Noble, Kobo and other online stores ➜click here
June 14, 2019
New Release—Forever and Always
Will Lily and Leonardo end up giving their hearts to the wrong person?
Still reeling following her malicious sacking, family therapist Lily Rose is feeling rejected and low in spirits. Even worse, she’s broke. The last thing she needs is more money woes. Which is exactly what happens when she collides with billionaire water magnate Leonardo Ermenegildo Bressolini’s mint-condition Lamborghini.
Having found a place to retreat from the madness and greed and malevolence of his ex-wife the last thing Leonardo wants is complications. But he is a man in need of a housekeeper. And Lily Rose owes him. Big time.
What they both don’t know is just what a massive impact the crash will have on their lives. Sparks heat into a collision of powerful forces that can’t be dampened.
Spontaneous love on the beach sends deep passions and emotional connection—more heartfelt than either has ever known—steaming to the surface.
When Leonardo’s past comes careering into his future—will both Lily and Lorenzo end up giving their hearts to the wrong person?
Forever and Always is a short story, clean romance, full of quirky humor and the promise of a happily ever after.
Set in The Bay of Islands, New Zealand—one of the most beautiful, unspoiled, sensuous places in the world.
Forever and Always is part of Mollie Mathew’s bestselling series, Passion Down Under Sassy Short Stories It can easily be read as a stand-alone story, but you’ll love reading the other books, too.
Advance Reader Reviews
“Did you ever dream that a car crash that wiped out your bank account could turn into one of the best days of your life? Meet Lily Rose, who only wants to help children through emotional trauma and ends up finding herself and her true love in the process. This charming and warm short story is just the start of great things to come.”
~ Elaine Zieroth.
“While a quick read, there’s plenty of meat to Forever and Always and a happily ever after in the offering!”
~ JoAnn Weiss
“I enjoyed Forever and Always—a story about two wounded people that come together in a crash. I very much enjoy Mollie Mathews writing. When she writes I feel like I’m right there because of the colorful descriptions that she paints.”
~ Pat
To purchase on Amazon ➜click here
To purchase on Apple, Barnes and Noble, Kobo and other online stores ➜click here
BUY NOW AND WIN
Purchase the ebook today, send me your purchase confirmation link, and go in the draw to win one of three personally autographed paperbacks
BONUS FREE EXTRAS!
Enjoy the first three chapters from Mollie’s most popular books:
Married by Christmas—animosity and undeniable attraction, make the tension soar
Flight of Passion—a rapturous tale of love and obsession
And Mollie’s upcoming July release Claimed by The Sheikh—discover the secret the world was never meant to know.
But wait—there’s more. Receive the first book in the Passion Down Under Sassy Short Stories, Twist of Fate, Absolutely FREE!
“Twist of Fate is a short story full of quirky humor and the promise of romance. Jonathan has returned home feeling disillusioned and low in spirits. When a baggage mix up leads him to a potential cross-dresser, the story takes off in a hilarious direction. However, all is not as it seems and Jonathan finds that the future isn’t as dismal as he initially thought. This is a delightful, well-written short story that had me laughing out loud.” ~ Margaret
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To purchase on Amazon ➜click here
To purchase on Apple, Barnes and Noble, Kobo and other online stores ➜click here
Curl up with romance and savor these delicious clean, sweet and tender love stories. Grab your copy and enjoy today!
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June 9, 2019
Upcoming June release and sweet summer giveaways
Hello from Providenciales in Turks and Caicos (winner of best island in the world in 2017)
I absolutely adore it here, it is so much fun and it is so incredible and hypnotically beautiful. Honestly, if you haven’t been to Turks and Caicos put it on your wish list and pray that sometime soon the time is right to visit. It took Lorenzo and me over 22 hours to fly here and many of you live just hours away!
…and yes, the water REALLY is that color!
I’m waiting to hear back from Mills and Boon whether they want to work with me on publishing Claimed by The Sheikh. I thought it would be fun to collaborate with a giant publishing house, especially as I love so many of their authors. So, if like many of you who have written to me wondering when it’s going to come out, I’m hoping it’s really soon.
In the meantime, I’m finishing off the third book in the Passion Down Under Sassy Short Stories series.
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Will both Lily and Leonardo end up giving their hearts to the wrong person?
Still reeling following her malicious sacking, child therapist Lily Rose is feeling rejected and low in spirits. Even worse, she’s broke. The last thing she needs is more money woes. Which is exactly what happens when she collides with billionaire water magnate Leonardo Ermenegildo Bressolini’s mint-condition Lamborghini.
Having found at last a place to retreat from the madness and greed and malevolence of his ex-wife the last thing Leonardo wants is complications. But he is a man in need of a housekeeper. And Lily Rose owes him. Big time.
What both don’t know is just what a massive impact the crash will have on their lives. Sparks heat into a collision of powerful forces that cannot be restrained.
Love on the beach sends deep passions and emotional connection—more heartfelt than either has ever known—steaming to the surface.
When Leonardoo’s past comes careering into his future—will both Lily and Lorenzo end up giving their hearts to the wrong person?
Forever and Always is a short story, clean romance, full of quirky humor and the promise of a happily ever after.
Set in The Bay of Islands, New Zealand—one of the most beautiful, unspoiled places in the world.
Forever and Always is part of Mollie Mathew’s bestselling series, Passion Down Under Sassy Short Stories It can easily be read as a stand-alone story, but you’ll love reading the other books, too.
If you’d love to read an ARC in return for an honest review, let me know!
You can grab the first two books as a boxset available from Amazon here—getbook.at/2SassyShortStories
Or grab the first book, Twist of Fate and other sweet romances for FREE in this summer giveaway, click here to grab all these treats.
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Many of you may know that I write in multiple genres, under two names—Mollie Mathews and Cassandra Gaisford (self-empowerment stories, fiction, and non-fiction).
Writing in different genres is great for your writing chops, and it’s great fun too.
The first two books in The Transformational Super Kids series—I Have to Grow and The Little Princess, have both been a hit. If you’ve bought a copy or read it on Kindle Unlimited, then thank you. You helped them hit #1 and made them the bestselling books in multiple categories on Amazon.
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Readers have loved them too:
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Stock up for the summer now. If you haven’t grabbed your copy, you can pick them up at the links below.
The Little Princess
Amazon US ➜ click here
Amazon UK ➜ click here
Amazon AU ➜ click here
Other Amazon Stores ➜ click here
Print Amazon➜ click here
Audio and Hardback➜ Coming Summer 2019
To purchase on Apple, Barnes and Noble, Kobo and other online stores ➜ click here
I Have to Grow
Amazon US ➜ click here
Amazon UK ➜ click here
Amazon AU ➜ click here
Other Amazon Stores ➜ click here
Print Amazon➜ click here
Audio and Hardback➜ Coming Summer 2019
“I love everything Cassandra writes, the queen of uplifting inspiration! This is a little book, the story basically teaches you to have faith in your dreams, stand firm and don’t let others rain on your parade.” – Amazon UK Review
Enjoy the read!
All my love
Cassandra
PS. On the flight to the Caribbean, I drafted a third book in the Transformational Super Kids Series, “The Boy Who Cried.” Coming soon!
If you’ve read the books, have you left your review?
Reviews make such a huge difference—many people have no idea just how truly influential and far-reaching they are.
Leaving a review tells me you appreciate what I do and want to help me continue doing what I love fulltime.
“A Beautiful and Life Changing Message…
This book shares a powerful message for all women of any age, I wish I had this when I was growing up. Today more than ever, we have to stay true to ourselves, follow our Spirit and do the work we’re here to do – amidst disapproval and criticism. The simple steps in this book will guide your way, and help you to navigate through the confusion, uncertainty, and inner blocks, so you live your one precious life in a big way.”
~ Vesna Hrsto, Naturopath and Coach
Do you want additional help and inspiration?
Here are some of links to some of my most popular self-empowerment books which will help you summon courage, overcome obstacles and empower self-belief so you can give your wellbeing an uplift and find and follow your passion and purpose:
Anxiety Rescue: How to Overcome Anxiety, Panic, and Stress and Reclaim Joy
Bounce: Overcoming Adversity, Building Resilience, and Finding Joy
I’m following my passion—you can too!
May 16, 2019
May new releases and book bundle giveaways
Someone gave me the ultimate compliment the other day—they told me I was prolific. That might not mean anything to you, but as someone who was the ultimate procrastinator, it means a lot. I’ve mostly been prolific in writing my self-empowerment books (as Cassandra Gaisford). But now I’m dedicating myself to achieving the same quality and productivity in my love stories and romance novels. And I’m having fun writing short stories.
I’ve just released a box-set of two of my favorites (and as you’ll read later, a story called The Little Princess, written by Cassandra).
Passion Down Under Sassy Short Stories
Passion Down Under Sassy Short Stories contains the first two books in my romantic series set in the captivatingly beautiful landscape of New Zealand.
If you adore beautifully written stories and true heartwarming sweet romances which sparkle with humor you’ll love traveling along the road to love with these changing and evolving men and women as they open their heart’s again and find true love.
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The first two Sassy Short Story books included in this bundle are:
Love Me Forever and Twist of Fate
Love me Forever
What if the end was just the beginning?
Viticulturist Joey Harper’s organic vineyard is under siege from neighboring landowners with chemical sprays, wanting to turn a fast profit, and someone purchasing large tracts of land under incredible secrecy.
But Joey’s not someone who dwells on her own troubles. She has only one wish—following the still-birth of her sister’s first child, she prays her much loved younger sister may conceive again.
Using her inherited gift for magic, she enlists the aid of the ancient walnut tree which towers majestically over her organic vineyard. What she doesn’t realize is that her one wish, begets another, and her unselfish desire for her sister’s happiness send’s love to her—in the form of a most unsuitable and irresistible admirer.
Venetian winemaking tycoon Tomasso Rivetti has it all: a loving family, good looks, and a considerable fortune. When he ventures Down Under to New Zealand, underneath his apparently perfect world, cracks begin to appear…and no one is more surprised than Tomasso when the billionaire lifestyle he takes for granted is turned upside down by a chance encounter.
But despite Tomasso’s determined pursuit of Joey’s affection, her broken heart remains closed—to protect herself and her vineyard from a terrible threat.
Distance keeps her safe. But as a final battle draws close, Joey and Tomasso are drawn irresistibly together. And while they succumb to the heat between them, they both know there can be no tomorrow…
If you enjoy stories with a touch of magic and fantasy and with that so important happy ending, you’ll love this powerful new love story.
‘Tugs at the heartstrings’
‘I love Mollie Mathews’
‘Heart-warming and beautiful with passion’
‘Love Me Forever has a lovely mystical feel about it, with deep longings being experienced by the characters.’
This short story is a prequel to the first in a magical new series, The Seven Sisters, from bestselling author Mollie Mathews—seven spell-binding stories of heartbreak, family, destiny and unconditional love.
Twist of Fate
What if a twist of fate could change your life? What if a twist of fate could change your life?
Still reeling following his unexpected divorce, billionaire Tech guru Jonathan James has returned home feeling disillusioned and low in spirits. The last thing he needs when he flies home from London to New Zealand is complications.
When a baggage mix up leaves him with nothing but a suitcase full of stilettos, lush lashes, and Dolly Parton-like wigs, he goes in search of the owner. He quickly discovers that all is not as it seems as his life takes off in a hilarious and unexpected direction.
A Twist of Fate is a short story, clean romance, full of quirky humor and the promise of romance. A fun, quick read!
Set in Wellington, New Zealand—the coolest little capital in the world.
Available from Amazon here—getbook.at/2SassyShortStories
The Little Princess
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I’m super excited about the new release of The Little Princess.
It’s a timeless charm which tells the story of a young woman who leaves the safety of fitting in with everyone else, to follow her heart. Be inspired by this journey to transformation and self-acceptance, and self-belief as she learns to overcome the vagaries of adult behavior. Her personal odyssey culminates in a voyage of self-belief, passion, and purpose.
I’m so thrilled with this early review by a reader in the UK.
“I love everything Cassandra writes, the queen of uplifting inspiration!
This is a little book, the story basically teaches you to have faith in your dreams, stand firm and don’t let others rain on your parade.
We are all searching for purpose and passion, everybody hurts and sometimes we find ourselves on the receiving end of somebody else’s insecurities when they project their anger, jealousy etc onto us.
The old woman who puts the little princess down is really just jealous and stuck in her own life.
The story itself is very short, but there is then a lovey poem to ponder.
Then excerpts from the best bits of Cassandra’s book “Finding your purpose and passion”.. so you get two little books in one really. Very uplifting and inspiring. “
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To purchase The Little Princess on Amazon>>
To purchase on Apple, Barnes, and Noble, Kobo and other online stores>>
https://books2read.com/u/b5709p
How travel inspires my writing
Stay tuned for news about my inspiring trip to Tokyo and Kyoto in Japan! Follow me on Instagram or Facebook to see some piccies!
Join me on Facebook at www.facebook.com/molliemathewsnz
Be inspired by me on Instagram www.instagram.com/molliemathewsauthor
Check out my inspiration boards on Pinterest www. nz.pinterest.com/molliemathews/
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April 26, 2019
Writing through disruption
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Dear readers
Many people have a romantic vision of the writer’s life. They imagine us creating our stories and our art in beautiful writing rooms, or looking out to mesmerizing landscapes, secluded from the realities, and sometimes, harshness of life.
They don’t consider mundane things like how we cook, clean, run errands—or worse, deal with family crises or dramas.
Some successful authors don’t have children, they don’t have a partner, or husband or a wife. They devote themselves, seemingly, entirely to their craft. This was the case for many male artists, including Leonardo da Vinci. But also women, like Coco Chanel.
Other writers who have happy home lives often have a white knight or significant other who helps them focus on their writing, or artistic pursuits, by taking care of domestic chores or financial concerns, while their ‘writing other ‘ enjoys or earns money from their craft.
For women, in particular, trying to balance motherhood, domestic realities, and perhaps even the breakdown of dissolution of their relationships, it can be difficult to focus on the work at hand or to maintain belief in your dreams. This is especially the case if your white knight does a runner or becomes a warlord.
Whether, you are an artist, photographer, dancer, or work in some other creative career, these less traditional roles don’t always reward you with the steady income you need. For Indie and traditionally published authors in particular—with the advent of Amazon Kindle and other online publishing and other sales platforms—many books have become so cheap.
Some authors offer free books on Amazon, for example, as part of their sales ‘loss-leading’ strategy. Competition has become so fierce. As a result, many authors are working longer and longer hours. Which begs the question—how do we find time for love and life?
As artists, we are driven to express ourselves. We have to. As the psychologist, Dr. Jordan Peterson says, “the artist must create, or she dies.”
A friend of mine told me recently how after many years raising a daughter on her own, and living many more years without a loving relationship, she made the decision to pursue her dream of becoming a writer when her daughter left home. She decided that writing would become her great love.
She began studying the craft but gave up her dream when her fiancé (at the time) ghosted her. That experience had been devastating, but more so, when, some years later, trapped in a series of unfulfilling jobs and struggling to pay her bills, she realized that had she persevered, she could have already published many books and earning a living in a job she loved.
Rather than write through chaos, instead, she had found a job that would enable her to earn an immediate income, but offered no long-term security.
She decided to again pursue her dream and become a writer on the side and work towards making this her primary source of income. She was part way through making this new side-hustle career lucrative when she met another seemingly dashing hero. Everything was beautiful in the first flush of romance when they first started dating.
Last year, to her horror she realized she was about to make the same mistake. Her new partner resented the time she spent working on her writing projects and sulkily said, “you’re not spending enough time with me.” He began to resent the fact that her writing wasn’t earning much money.
“I was faced with a choice. Writing or love,” she told me.
She knew this time she couldn’t repeat the mistakes of the past. She knew this time she had to make a different choice.
“All I need,” she said, quoting much-loved author J.K. Rowling, “Is to be able to sit down in peace.”
She tried to tell her resentful partner that all his ranting and raging and arguing with her was really taking a toll on her writing.
And she wanted her partner to be her white knight and honor the commitment he had made to her that he would support her. “Men want all,” she lamented bitterly when he didn’t follow through on his promise, “they want a whore in the bedroom and a woman who wears the trousers when it comes to finances.”
She envied the woman who were financially protected by their men. But then she read stories that showed her that sometimes a man’s shelter was a gilded cage. Recently she read the autobiography of Queen Noor of Jordan. Born in America she had trained to become an architect and had done very well in her career before she met the King of Jordan.
King Hussein made it clear that there was no room for an architect wife in the regal role, and reluctantly she conceded. In her memoir, she recounts how she married for love, not any material or financial advantage. She shares how she struggled to give up her financial independence—but he was insistent.
Queen Noor tried to talk about her Western life and the things she missed, and he replied dismissively, “I really do not want to know.”
Frustrated, Queen Noor turned to other projects that would support her husband’s career. She chose ones that would give her some glimmer of purpose.
In her memoir, she wrote, “He was so sure about our future life together that his confidence was infectious. His unfailing conviction was beginning to win me once more. I had an incomplete picture of what the future might be, but I knew that no matter what happened, that I would always have my work and the contribution I could make to the country to see me through. The King had let me know in so many words that he was offering me a partnership. That realization too, help me make up my mind. I had a job to do for a country I already loved, and an extraordinary man as a partner together we could make a difference.”
My friend, sighed, “My partner used to jokingly call me his queen. He too offered an incomplete picture about what our life might look like when we co-joined our finances and moved away from my family to the other side of the country. He turned out to be a tyrant,” she said, sadly.
What if, I wondered—it wasn’t peace
she needed after all?
What if
As my friend was telling me her story, I began wondering how instead of being distracted by all this emotional drama which was preventing her from writing she could actually use the experience constructively—writing, a story within the story as the drama unfolded.
What if, I wondered—it wasn’t peace she needed after all? What if everything that happened, the environment in which she found herself, was exactly what she needed?
What if a different sort of writing emerged from that? Another genre, perhaps. Something darker with an angry female protagonist. Recently The Guardian ran an article called, Mad women: how angry sisterhood is taking over the small screen.
What if, I wondered, instead of the light, bouncy, ‘everything is beautiful’ love stories she was struggling to write, she worked with what was showing up in her life.
“What if you turned yourself to something deeper with more angst,” I encouraged. “It might just be the career rescue you need, and you’ll heal yourself with writing in the process.”
I told her about something similar I had been through many years ago and a story I had written called The Lighthouse. My male friend at the time (we’re going back quite some years) read it and loved it. Remember he thought he was reading about a lighthouse not him!
Here’s a wee excerpt: (Subscribe to this blog and my newsletter if you’d like to know when The Lighthouse is released).
The woman wandering the cliff tops grew weary from her restlessness and sat, weeping, at the base of the lighthouse. She wore the cloak of a betrayed lover, looking lost and forlorn, wondering whether one day love would come to stay. Through teary eyes she looked to the heavens, beseeching: “why hath thou forsaken me?” The lighthouse, unaware of her presence, stood tall and solid, gazing sadly out to sea. Grieving he searched vainly for his lover. Waiting. Waiting for the lover never meant to be.
Two souls lonely in their loss, united by the yearning for love that would stay, remained unaware of each other and saw not that which lay within the distance of touch. The heavens sought to intervene – orchestrating the elements to throw them further together.
Violet-gray clouds swirled angrily – gaining momentum. Faster and faster. The woman stumbled to her feet as the wind rose. Finally noticing the presence of the lighthouse, she ran to its door and tried to open it. The handle, stiff from lack of use, refused to succumb to her touch.
She persisted – pounding on the cold, steel door, determined in her knowledge and belief that, despite the cold exterior, inside it would be warm. The lighthouse stood firm, unyielding. And yet his curiosity was aroused. Secretly he bent to see her, looking with soft, kindly eyes – wanting to let her in, yet fearful of the returning feelings. Fearful of the stirring in his heart. Fearful of her. What if she came in, settled, filled the house with her scent, her song – filling the void which for so long he had denied existed.
“You have a gift, especially when emotion is involved,” my male friend told me.
I wrote his feedback down in the little ‘writing feedback’ journal that I still update to this day. It always encourages me to read the kind things my readers have said about my writing. Especially if I am having a bad day. I still go to this little notebook sometimes when I think I can’t write or I don’t believe that I have any talent, or I feel like an imposter. It’s a great comfort to me.
Mine your emotions
Artists have mined their negative emotions and feelings for years—often to lucrative effect.
“I’ve been feeling this sorrow all my life,” wrote UK rock band Genesis. They shapeshifted through different genres throughout their career. The band moved from folk music to progressive rock in the 1970s, before moving towards pop at the end of the decade.
“In the desert, you can remember your name because there ‘ain’t no one to give you no pain,” wrote America in their song entitled, Horse with No Name.
Many writing experts encourage us to amp up the emotion. In my writing shed, I have a quote written in chalk from one of my favorite romance writers Emma Darcy (actually this is a pen name for a husband and wife couple. She/they wrote ‘a how to’ guide to writing romance in which they advised, “Put as much emotion onto the page that you think you’ll need– and then double it.”
At the time of writing, the UK songstress, Adele has announced her divorce, and her fans are delighted!? Something feels ghoulish about this to me. I’m sure it is a deeply upsetting time for her and her son.
“Divorce will inspire Adele’s fourth album which producers are keen to see,” news media reports quickly proclaimed. Whether you agree or disagree with the lack of empathy for her plight, there’s no doubt that heartbreak has inspired all her award-winning hits.
Back in 2011, the superstar said of her creative process: “When I’m happy, I ain’t writing songs – I’m out having a laugh.“If I ever get married, it’ll be, ‘Darling, I need a divorce. It’s been three years – I’ve got a record to write’.”
Insiders say Adele is throwing herself back into work to get over the break-up. Work can be a positive addiction that heals. Something touched on in the books, Mind Your Drink, The Joy of Sobriety and also in Control Alcohol, Discover Freedom, Find Happiness and Change Your Life—it’s a poignant reminder of alternative sources of healing for those frustrated creatives or people who may be tempted to hit the bottle.
Because an artist must feel. And a great artist mines those feelings, like a diamond hunter mines mud until they find the alchemy that sparkles.
The choice, dear readers, is to choose love. The love that sustains you. If love between a man and a woman fails you, the love of your metier will always sustain you. Perhaps not financially, perhaps not immediately, but love of your work will save you. And the right partner for you will know that. They won’t resent your work, they will love that you are inspired and deeply happy.
And if the relationship doesn’t survive—you’ll have plenty of material to write about.
Oh, and you know my friend that I wrote about, the one with the warlord. Her man transformed into the White Knight. He went from being stressed out and resentful to being totally encouraging.
She started a feedback journal like the one I keep and the first sentences in it were those he had said to her, “My job is to protect you so you can tell your story like no one else ever will.”
Yay, she got her happy ending after all.
Live an exciting passionate life, dear friends. Remember that we are surrounded by an invisible world—one that is sometimes polluted, toxic and harmful (with suspended particles, lightgases, heavy metals, sun radiation, and peoples moods)….and one that is beautiful, healing, and healthy (infused with magic, alchemy, and spiritual guides).
Fight for your dreams! Give into your passions regularly—giving yourself permission is the biggest gift.
As my masseuse reminded me today, “Don’t let life get in the way.”
Perhaps this inspirational quote I have on the wall of my writing shed will speak to you as much as it does me, “Always picture succeeding. Never let it fade. Always picture success, no matter how badly things are going in the moment.” ~ Jessie Burton, author of The Muse
Much love
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p.s.
Don’t forget to subscribe to my blog and newsletter to receive notifications about more inspiring love-filled content and to learn when The Lighthouse and other stories are being released.
If you’re going through a tough time, you may enjoy my wee poem. It’s inspired by an old oak tree in my garden. I also wrote about an inspirational magical tree in my love story called Love Me Forever—download a free sample or purchase here
The Oak Tree
The oak tree grows toward the light
the gnarly cypress towers above
pushing against the oak, stunting its might
the oak stands its ground and grows proudly,
its roots arch and spread and burrow
down, down, down it grows
down, down, it goes
down, down, down it reaches
seeking water
seeking nourishment
seeking Mother Earth
up, up, up it reaches
up, up, up it goes
up, up, up it grows
its branches arch and spread and borrows
borrows from the energy of the earth and sky
borrows from the whispers of the wind
the song of the birds
the comforting touch of those just like her
and she grows where she can
and she stands her ground
and she flourishes and thrives
and lets go of the parts of her that die
And she knows
yes she knows
she really knows
that what she releases is past
and there will be a time to weep
a time to cry
a time to say goodbye
and she will rest
she will sleep
and then one day,
again, she shall meet
the little seeds of hope so sweet
and the tiny buds of dormant growth
which, in a whisper unfurl
and the growth will be new
and the growth will be vital
and the growth will delight
This is nature
This is natural
This is how magic happens
And who knows what tomorrow will bring
Every day is another opportunity
To start again
And to be better.
Check out this delightful little story called The Living Tree (recommended by Drew Barrymore) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XFQZfeHq9wo
April 22, 2019
Pink giraffes and Easter bunnies
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Hi every one
I hope you are all well. As I’ve been finalizing my WIP (Claimed by the Sheikh), I’ve been inspired by the symbolism of animals and the way they can comfort and empower us all.
Giraffes are gentle creatures with gracefully long necks that are said to stretch out onto the heavens. This gives them the ability to reach opportunities that are not available to others. It is also said that they can see the cosmic plans of the gods and inherently the possible future.
I have long been inspired by giraffes. In fact, the publishing company for my self-empowerment books is called Blue Giraffe Publishing. My beautiful (then) six-year-old niece Freya and four-year-old nephew Finlay drew my logo.
My muse, who ‘coincidentally is also my heroine’s muse in Claimed by the Sheikh, Coco Chanel, once said, ““If you were born without wings, do nothing to prevent them from growing.”
So we gave my logo of the giraffe wings—and spots to remind us to stay playful in the face of any obstacles.
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Inspired by a combination of these sources, as the time of writing this post, I am sitting in a cafe writing a first draft for a new scene where my hero, a handsome sheikh and also the formidable ruler of the kingdom of N’avana goes to the room where the boy he believes is his brother’s son, lies in a coma.
Here’s a wee (draft) excerpt from Claimed by the Sheikh….
Tariq lifted Salim’s tiny hand and lay the soft, pink, giraffe beneath the three-year-old’s arm. Pink, he affirmed Not blue – or brown or anything even moderately manly or remotely true to the animal’s true colors.
Melanie had been right. Tariq was so shut down, so closed, so hard-hearted he was incapable of showing emotion. His own upbringing had been so frozen of femininity, so malnourished in favor of warrior-like masculinity, so deliberate in the demarcation and devaluing of the female gender. As a result, he went about his life with no more emotion than a terracotta warrior.
A tide of anger surged through his gut and churned with the pain of his lost childhood. He clenched his fists. He wanted none of that for his brother’s son, he realized with punching clarity.
He leaned over and stroked the child’s hair. Tariq’s heart kicked as Salim’s eyes fluttered. Was it possible that, against all medical wisdom, the boy was aware of his presence?
Impossible. He was lost to everyone, deep in a coma from which the doctors said he may never wake. The irony, the injustice, the torture, Tariq thought, tightening his grip on the metal frame of the pediatric bed. He was powerless.
What did the child dream of, he wondered, as he watched the boy lying lost in his unconscious mind? Tariq envied the peacefulness that enveloped him. He was thankful the child knew nothing of the car crash that had killed his parents. At least he had been spared that unspeakable trauma.
Tariq’s gaze drifted to the pink giraffe. It was the perfect totem to accompany Salim on his sleepy journey. Wide-eyed, the giraffe appeared to agree. Tariq remembered the words of the African shaman he had met on one of his many rescue missions to liberate the endangered animals.
The gentle creatures, with their gracefully long necks, were believed to stretch into heaven. It was a spirit animal who wants you to hold your head high and rise above trivial earthly desires, she had said.
‘They have the ability to reach opportunities that are not available to others,’ she told him. ‘They can see the cosmic plans of the gods and inherently the possible future. As a spirit guide, the giraffe provides you the confidence to get through the toughest situations. Their luck will rub off on you as you come across great opportunities. You have to realize that these opportunities don’t come around often so you have to grab them while you can.’
Longing flooded his body as he gazed at the child. More than anything he wanted to clutch the boy to his heart and kiss him awake. It wasn’t trivial to want the boy to rouse; it wasn’t trivial to want the boy to gain consciousness. it wasn’t trivial to want the boy to live.
Teach your children love.
His grandfather’s words floated through the air. The very words Hamza had spoken to his own son, only to find the wisdom fall on deaf ears. Wasn’t this why there was so much hate in the world?
Tariq’s mind drifted to a news article he had read recently. A 10-year-old child whose family had escaped persecution for their beliefs, hoping to find a safe haven from Islamic State terrorists in New Zealand, had been taunted and bullied at school. Feeling so much pain he had tried to commit suicide. The hate-riddled children, the article said, had held a knife to his throat as they yelled, Isis lover.
Rage ripped through his chest. Melanie was right. The child needed love. All children needed love.
Tariq clutched his heart, feeling the pain, the emotions, the trauma he had suppressed for so long, flood to the surface. No, he vowed, clenching his fists, Salim would never know hatred, brutality, nor quiet contempt.
Tariq had vowed never to become his father and yet as Melanie had so bluntly reminded him, he had become a tyrant. He had spent a childhood marinated in trauma. He would dedicate his life to ensuring the boy swum in a buoyant sea of love.
He reached over and gently, tenderly, softly pressed his lips to the child’s cheek. A tear, shaped like a diamond, plopped upon Salim’s lips, but his sleeping beauty did not wake.
Tariq stood mesmerized as a finger of light from the setting sun anointed the tear in a prism of light. He leaned closer, perplexed as, like a crystal ball, a vision of his future appeared.
Thank you for reading this excerpt from Claimed by the Sheikh. I hope you loved it. If you did…
Signup for my new releases email for sneak peeks and free giveaways and to find out about the book as soon as I release it, sign up here http://eepurl.com/cigEsH
Easter bunnies?
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I’m celebrating the unity that unites us—the quest for peace. It is Palm Sunday as I write this post. It’s a timely reminder that for many peoples of different faiths it is not a war that unites, but the deepest desire to create Heaven on Earth.
I am immersing myself in my Arabian inspired love story, Claimed by the Sheikh. I feel beautiful beneath my silk veil. It’s not hard to see why so many women love wearing their veil. The floaty fragile silk protects, drapes and flutters in the breeze, it cocoons me in a spirit of peace.
I have always, always worn long dresses and believed showing less skin was more attractive… and (perhaps) more beguiling. Not for me thigh-high skirts and billowing cleavage that attracts unwanted attention. I see now why many Islamic women feel that the way they dress is a spiritual act of true empowerment. Perhaps I was an Arab woman in a former life. A queen, like the, now exiled Queen of Iran, Farah Pahlavi, who, a Libran like me, honors love, peace, freedom, education, and dignity for all.
How a woman dresses, including the colors we choose, should be an act of freedom born of free choice. One of the first acts of barbaric terrorism that the self-proclaimed, non-democratic Islamic State maniacal monsters did was to ban color and plunge the beauty of Islam into darkness. People were ordered to wear black on the threat of death.
Lets us rise this Easter. Let us rise to the light. Rise reborn. The world has changed, the veil is lighter, multi-dimensional energy abounds.
“Iran wants freedom, democracy, and a government to be friendly with the rest of the world. Light will overtake darkness and Iran will rise from the ashes.” ~ Farah Pahlavi
Wishing you much love and peace
All my love
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March 27, 2019
How extraordinary love can change our lives
In my new book Claimed by the Sheikh, I am integrating new material advocating ONE LOVE re peoples of different faiths following the brutal slaying of Moslem men, women, and children in the Christchurch Mosque attack.
Interestingly, before I shared this my readers one of my BETA readers urged me to take care with Islamic-centered themes.
“I think women love to read about Sheikhs. They are strong, sexy, exotic, spicy and unpredictable to us. Rudolph Valentino was huge. But right now, there is a lot of anti-Islamic sentiment in the world so tread lightly there.”
And she is so right. There is a lot of anti-Islamic sentiment—or rather there was a lot of malevolent feelings toward Muslim people. Especially prior to the Mosque slayings in Christchurch, New Zealand. I’m a New Zealander, and like many people globally I have witnessed the huge outpouring of love following this murderous act.
Since then sentiments have changed considerably. I’m proud to say that unlike other countries, rather than place the media spotlight of the villain, we are placing our attention of the people and their families he victimized. We are placing our focus on the innocents – of which there are many. Including some as young as two and three-years-old.
The youngest victim of the Christchurch terror attack was recently released from the hospital.
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Two-year-old Averroes was saved from serious injury in the Linwood mosque attack because his father, Zulfirman Syah, shielded him from the bullets with his own body.
Syah is still in the hospital with multiple gunshot wounds. Interestingly All-Black legend, Jerry Collins also shielded his 3-year-old daughter during the fatal car crash that claimed his own life and his Canadian wife Alana Madill.
Again, because of his heroic actions, he saved his young daughter’s life. It was this scene that inspired my current WIP Claimed by The Sheikh.
And it is these recent hate-crimes in New Zealand that have inspired me to integrate more about the beauty of Muslim into my story and the values that unite us all.
Many of the Muslim killed in Christchurch people are new immigrants to our country. They have been fleeing the tyranny of distorted truths and power-hungry men of darkness. And no, it hasn’t escaped me that this hateful crime took place in “Christ …Church.”
Some men who claim to be Muslim’s have distorted the teachings of Islam—as tyrants have always done across many other faith-based teachings. Take Catholicism for example—one moment the Roman Emperor Constantine was murdering those who believed in Christ’s teachings—the next he was converting and turning his murderous degrees on those he once led and now branded as pagans.
Constantine established himself as the head of the church around 313 A.D., which made this new “Christianity” the official religion of the Roman Empire—look out if you didn’t willingly convert!
Instead of preaching and supporting universal God principals of love, compassion, unity, men of darkness only speak the language of feed fear, torture, oppression, and murder. They insist their way is the only way. Throughout history, this intolerance of others rights to believe what they like and to live in peace has fueled war after war after war.
There is no place in religion or spiritual beliefs for war. This is against all teachings. Those who encourage wars are flawed, wounded humans, not divinely inspired beings. Remember that.
Rid yourself of ignorance. Seek first to understand the unity that binds Buddhism, Islam, Catholicism, and other man-created segregation. Love. Love is the cure. Love is the road to redemption,
Give peace a chance. Do not fight back against acts of aggression with more aggression.
The ideal society according to the Qur’an is Dar as-Salam, literally, “the house of peace” of which it intones: And Allah invites to the ‘abode of peace’ and guides whom He pleases into the right path.
According to Ibn Hajar al-Haythami, there will be an era in which justice, plenty, abundance, well-being, security, peace, and brotherhood will prevail among humanity and one in which people will experience love, self-sacrifice, tolerance, compassion, mercy, and loyalty.
Help save the world from chaos, injustice, and moral collapse.
I hope from this tragedy in New Zealand that finally some good will come. My heart weeps with those who have been impacted by this cruelty. My heart prays for peace.
One of my favorite poets is the spiritual teacher is Rumi. Jalaluddin Rumi (better known simply as Rumi). He was perhaps the finest Persian poet of all time and a great influence on Muslim writing and culture. His poetry is still well known throughout the modern world, and he is one of the best-selling poets in America.
Mother Theresa once wrote, “We are all pens in the hands of a writing God, sending love letters to the word” Many of Rumi’s beautiful words hold much healing during this difficult time:
“The wound is the place where the light enters you” Rumi
“Your task is not to seek for love, But merely to seek and find all the barriers within yourself that you have built against it!”
“ Sorrows are the rags of old clothes and jackets that serve to cover, then are taken off. That undressing and the naked body underneath is the sweetness that comes after grief.”
“This being human is a guest house. Every morning a new arrival. A joy, a depression, a meanness, some momentary awareness comes as an unexpected visitor. Welcome and entertain them all. Even if they are a crowd of sorrows, who violently sweep your house empty of its furniture, still, treat each guest honorably. He may be clearing you out for some new delight. The dark thought, the shame, the malice, meet them at the door laughing and invite them in. Be grateful for whoever comes, because each has been sent as a guide from beyond.”
“The dark thought, the shame, the malice, meet them at the door laughing and invite them in. Be grateful for whoever comes, because each has been sent as a guide from beyond.”
“Ignore those that make you fearful and sad, that degrade you back towards disease and death.”
I share more of Rumi’s beautiful teachings in my photo book Flower Power (see details at the end of this post).
big love – developing the spirituality, or more precisely the inner character
So, while there is darkness in some peoples hearts towards Islamic teaching, in millions of other hearts there is tremendous love. Like many of the Muslim people who have had to flee Somalia, Indonesia, Iraq, and other countries, Rumi too had to flee his country.
Increasing Mongol incursions (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Invasions_of_Afghanistan) when he was around the age of eleven forced his family to leave Afghanistan, who traveled to Baghdad, Mecca, Damascus and finally settled in Konya in Turkey. Rumi lived here for most of his life.
Rumi was the son of a renowned Sufi scholar, and it is more than likely that he was introduced to Sufism from a young age.
Sufism is a branch of Islam primarily concerned with developing the spirituality, or more precisely the inner character, of a Muslim.
This is not what Muslim extremists and fundamentalists teach. This is not the world of ISIS. In fact, the Truth of Isis is that she is a goddess. A goddess of magic, healing, and the giver of life. She was one of the most powerful of the Egyptian gods and goddesses, using her great powers to the benefit of people. In her capacity of the Divine Feminine, she still does.
You can read more about this beautiful Egyptian goddess of rebirth on Sharon Turnbull’s inspiring and informative site— http://www.goddessgift.com/goddess-myths/egyptian_goddess_isis.htm
[image error]As Sharon shared with me when I was researching my historical novel (still in progress) Mona Lisa’s Secret or Lisa and Leonardo (I’m not sure what to entitle my renaissance novel because someone used the former title in another work),
“There are numerous references on the web to the depictions of ‘Isis and Horus’ being the template for so many of the famous ‘Mary and Jesus’ paintings and, indeed, most Mother and Child art.”
The goddess Isis also inspired Leonardo’s da Vinci’s portrait of Lisa Giocondo – more famously known as the Mona Lisa. My friend Thierry Gallier writes more about this in his extraordinarily fabulous and intriguing book, Mona Lisa Revealed— http://www.mona-lisa-revealed.com/
experience life yourself, rather than blindly following the scholars of the day
Back to the timeless wisdom of 13th-century Persian poet, and mystic, Rumi. Both he and his father were firm believers in the revelations of the Qur’an but criticized the mere outwardly legal and ritual practice that was being promoted at the time. In fact, much of his work is dedicated to waking people up and encouraging them to experience life themselves, rather blindly following the scholars of the day.
This is so important and speaks to why organized religions (or controlling religions) with dangerous men at the helm with their own malignant agendas can be so poisonous—and yes they are men—men who exclude women from leadership positions. These organized religions, including Catholicism, distort the true teachings and specifically incite the hatred, blame, persecution, and subjugation of women. As a recovering Catholic, and a woman, I speak with authority.
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Another woman who speaks with authority is Queen Rania of Jordan. She is a beautiful example of a powerful Islamic woman and world leader. She has also been particularly vocal about the importance of cross-cultural and interfaith dialogue to foster greater understanding, tolerance, and acceptance across the world.
It is an absolute lie that women should not be educated knowledge is power. Malevolent men who seek to control others know this. I love the way Rania and her husband both rule Jordan as lovers, as leaders and as equals – king and queen united to rule with light together
lovers of God
Rumi spent his early years, like many Muslims of the time, learning and studying Arabic, law, ahadith (the body of sayings of the Prophet Muhammad), history, the Qur’an, theology, philosophy, mathematics, and astronomy.
By the time of his father’s death, he had become an outstanding scholar in his own right. He took over his father’s position as one of the highest scholars in the country at the young age of 24.
He spent his time teaching and giving lectures to the public, and until the age of about 35, lived a fairly non-descript life.
Then in 1244 Rumi met a traveling Sufi, called Shams (or Shamsi Tabrizi) and the whole course of his life changed.
Shams became fast friends with Rumi, in whom he recognized a kindred spirit. The two developed a very close friendship and it was at this point that Rumi became more and more secluded, shunning the society of those he previously would discuss and debate matters with.
His relationship with Shams caused great jealousy in his family and other students, and after a few years, Shams disappeared. Many believe he was murdered, but Rumi himself did not think so.
He traveled for years looking for his friend, and it was this loss that led to the outpouring of his soul through his poetry.
He wrote numerous lines of love poetry, called ghazals, but though they outwardly seem to be about Shams, it is not difficult to see that they are in fact poems describing his overpowering love of God.
Shams’ effect on Rumi was decisive. Whereas Rumi had before preached Islam soberly, he became, through Shams’ influence, filled with the love of God. What was inside his soul finally came out.
love of God is what unites all faiths
I love this. Love of God is what unites all faiths. Where things stray dangerously is the various names people called GOD. A number of traditions have lists of many names of God, Some Quakers refer to God as The Light.
Another term used is King of Kings or Lord of Lords and Lord of the Hosts. Other names used by Christians include Ancient of Days, Father/Abba which is Hebrew, “Most High” and the Hebrew names Elohim, El-Shaddai, Yahweh, Jehovah, and Adonai. Jehovah’s Witnesses call God Jehovah. Allah—meaning “the God” in Arabic—is the name of God in Islam.
There are multiple names for God’s Various Forms worshiped as Deities (Devata and Devi) in Hinduism.
“The one God”, used to signify a monotheistic or ultimate Supreme Being from which all other divine attributes derive, has been a subject of ecumenical discourse between Eastern and Western scholars for over two centuries.
What is needed, as it has always been needed—is the development of closer relationships and better understandings. What is needed is more tolerance and acceptance of people’s right to believe what they like in the name of peace, love, and healing.
love wins
I am a New Zealand author. I stand for love. I write about love. I tell stories about forgiveness, healing, and compassion.
The terrorist attack in Christchurch against people who are also standing for love, praying in their sacred place, is shocking and distressing to me.
War, prejudice, and hatred have no place in our hearts.
Say no to hatred, bigotry, violence, and retribution.
Affirm yes, yes, yes to love.
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Say no to glamorizing, and publicizing and making famous through over-indulgence in the media the stories of those who perpetrate acts of terrorism and unconscionable crimes against humanity. Yes, yes to sharing real and heartfelt stories of the lives of those impacted through everyday senseless crimes. Bring into our consciousness, our hearts, and our deepest compassion the innocent lives who suffer needlessly.
proud to be a New Zealander
I am proud to be a Kiwi – especially when I see the tremendous outpouring of love following the attack. I am especially proud of our Prime Minister (who also inspired scenes and dialogue in my romance novel Claimed by the Sheikh).
She has embodied the divine feminine qualities of love, compassion, and strength. She ruled quickly to outlaw weapons of mass destruction – semi-automatic rifles that make it easy for cowards to slay innocents.
She ruled that we shall not allow him to bask in publicity. We shall deny him his murderous misclaim to fame.
Inform, educate, break down barriers… see what unites
Here’s a wee draft excerpt from Claimed by The Sheikh:
“For an educated woman you are very misinformed,” Tariq said, his tone laced with sardonic derision.
He stood in front of her—a tall man, broad-shouldered and formidable, the starkly moulded framework of his face highlighted by the spurt of flame from the torches.
He exuded authority and a compelling magnetism that still keep her pulse soaring. But Melanie’s face heated under the sting of his criticism. She silenced her retort and looked steadily at him, imploring Tariq to enlighten her.
“There is more that unites us then divides us. Islam is not about oppression. It is not about murder. It is not about suppressing all that is beautiful. Beauty is God. God is love. Evil, malevolent men have taken the teachings of Mohammed, God’s messenger on earth, and twisted them. We believe as Christians believe, as many people believe, in the language of love. God commands us to be of service to mankind. Service to humanity. Service to ensuring peace and kindness and generosity. Above all we rever beauty. We honor and celebrate and dedicate ourselves to the beauty that Allah, the creator, God, call him what you, has enabled us to create. This is the true path. It’s what distinguishes us from animals.”
“Are you saying that rather than seek to dominate the world that Islam encourages unity and equality among all individuals, regardless of age, color, gender or social status? Don’t you don’t support the creation of a totalitarian state?”
“Isis,” Tariq said simply.
“Exactly,” Melanie said, more confused than enlightened.
“Isis is not an organization,” he said, the force of his anger flaring in his eyes. “Isis was a woman. A goddess. An agent of healing. Those who taken her name have taken this Truth and twisted her and made her an object of evil just like they did with the swastika in Indonesia. Just as they distorted Mary Magdalene, the Virgin Mary, and other powerful women. Sinister, flawed humans take strong powerful women and then turn the divine feminine into something malevolent. The world is in danger of being overcome by fear and tyranny. I for one stand against this. What does ISIS stand for?
Melanie shrugged, “Islamic State?”
“I and S. Where is I and S and I and S. They don’t make sense. Rational, right minds know this. They should be called ‘WAS’…. they are nothing,” Rage ignited his words. “No, not nothing,” he corrected. “They are evil. They seek to repress all that is beautiful. This is how you see their true face. They are the face of darkness. They make everyone wear black. They force everyone to abandon the beauty of color. We must recreate beauty. We must be the face of light. We must be the lamp of love.” As he spoke the torchlight arched toward him, illuminating his amber eyes, sparking with intense emotion.
“The group’s use of Islamic scripture is illegitimate and perverse. The practices employed by the Islamic State, who incidentally have no sovereign authority to speak on behave of Islam are explicitly forbidden by Islam—torture, slavery, forced conversions, the denial of rights for women and children, and the killing of innocents. It is abhorrent.”
Melanie felt her respect and admirable for Tariq soar in the wake of the passionate conviction with which he spoke. She had misjudged him. She had been ignorant. And worse, she had been manipulated into believing all Islamic people supported the Islamic State.
“I will continue to lead my people to rise up against evil, to expose their distorted truths, to shed light on their lies, to fight against all that stands in the way of peace—their reign of terror will die. In the end, love wins. We know love wins.” He looked at her deeply and intensely allowing the word to linger in the space that separated them.
“I’d like to believe that,” she said. “Sometimes it just seems so—” she shrugged. “I don’t know. It just seems like there is so much evil in the world. I just feel so powerless. But I’d like to do what I can. I’d like to help you create something beautiful here in N’avana. Something to show the world that we care.”
A smile danced across his lips. “You really are the most beautiful woman.”
For a moment she was thrown with this unexpected compliment.
“You are beautiful not just on the outside but on the inside. Kindness, compassion, beauty shines from your eyes,” he said drawing closer to her. “There is more that unites us then divides us, my love.”
She could hear her chest rise and fall as he stood in front of her, not taking his gaze from her face. She studied her toes, kicking the hot desert sand with her left foot.
Tariq lifted her chin with his long, tapered fingers so that her eyes met his. “Love wins” he said and then he pressed his sensuous lips to hers and kissed her.
I hope you enjoyed that wee excerpt. It’s just a draft at this stage. One that, together with my blog post, may give you, what I hope, is an interesting insight into my writing process.
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MENTIONED IN THIS POST
Flower Power: How Extraordinary Beauty Can Change Your Life
Who doesn’t love flowers?
Beautiful photography blends with the timeless wisdom of 13th-century Persian poet, and mystic, Rumi, to inspire, delight, and heal.
Aesthetically, we know that flowers enrich our lives and symbolize our emotions, yet they also have the power to restore and replenish us on a mental, physical, and spiritual level.
Whether you’d love a gorgeous book to grace your coffee table or waiting room, a place to retreat to when you need a lift, or you’d love to purchase this book as a gift for someone you love, “Flower Power” will provide lasting benefits and a greater sense of appreciation for one of nature’s most stunning and diverse wonders.
In “Flower Power: How Extraordinary Beauty Can Change Your Life”, Amazon #1 bestselling author, of “Stress Less. Love Life More: How to Stop Worrying, Reduce Anxiety, Eliminate Negative Thinking and Find Happiness” and “Bounce: Overcoming Adversity, Building Resilience, and Finding Joy”, Cassandra Gaisford (BCA, Dip Psych) shares one of the simplest and most profound ways to boost happiness and joy.
Drawing upon her love of flowers and favorite inspirational words, personal photographs and professional success as an award-winning artist, and holistic therapist, discover how extraordinary beauty can change your life.
“Simply Stunning.”
“Exquisite.”
Available in hardcover here—http://www.blurb.com/b/9038272-flower-power
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Credit. Thank you to Haydar Hatemi for his informative blog post on Rum
Rudolph Valentino (May 6, 1895 – August 23, 1926), was an Italian actor who starred in several well-known silent films including The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, The Sheik, Blood and Sand, The Eagle, and The Son of the Sheik. An early pop icon, a sex symbol of the 1920s. His death, which occurred at age 31, caused mass hysteria among his female fans and further propelling him into icon.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swastika
https://study.com/academy/lesson/totalitarianism-definition-characteristics-examples.html
February 18, 2019
The Gemstone Billionaires Boxed Set
“You’re the one” – tender love in exotic locations grab these sophisticated & sensual escapist reads today. Lose yourself in these beautiful stories of broken hearts and second chances.
The Gemstone Billionaires Boxed Set contains the first three books of AMAZON BEST-SELLING author Mollie Mathew’s romantic series set in the captivatingly beautiful and exotic landscapes of New Zealand, Fiji, and Mexico.
If you adore beautifully written stories and true heartwarming sensual romances which sparkle with humor you’ll love traveling along the road to love with these changing and evolving men and women as they open their heart’s again and find true love.
The first three Gemstone Billionaires books (over 650 pages) included in this bundle are:
The Italian Billionaire’s Christmas Bride
What if the person who is so, so, so wrong for you is really so, so, so right, but you’re too afraid to give love a chance?
Last Christmas, art therapist Issy Riley was jilted by her fiancé. This Christmas she’s running away. A week with a client on his private Fijian island promises to save her from cheating men and the London festive season. But when the client turns out to be a gorgeous and magnetic Italian billionaire, he threatens her resolve to never again trust her heart to the wrong man.
As the tropical heat soars, they discover that in this battle between work and play, resistance only fuels attraction—and sometimes two wrongs make a very passionate right.
The Italian Billionaire’s Scandalous Marriage
Three women. Three lives. And the lies that bind them. Why is everyone afraid of the truth?
When a lonely young American woman inherits a painting she discovers her whole life was a lie. Desperate for the truth, she goes in search of her true identity.
The painting is her only clue. But everyone is determined to keep its secret past repressed, including Vitaliano Rossi, the Italian gold tycoon, unnaturally suspicious of her motives, who wants the painting vanquished. How can she discover who she really is and convince him that his love means more to her than gold?
Flight of Passion
Past love and passionate obsessions. What will you do when love flies back into your life?
Billionaire investor Oliver Hart is used to getting what he wants. Single, thirty-five and a committed bachelor, he plays by his own rules. On a personal quest to discover a rare, elusive and very valuable butterfly, he’s unwittingly distracted by a former flame, Ruby Diaz—a woman who callously abandoned him eight years earlier. Deciding he wants to reclaim the beauty as his own, in his mind, it’s as good as done.
But Ruby is not his for the taking. Risking everything to help the woman he loves to gain her freedom, Oliver entangles himself in an emotional net that alters his life forever.
These standalone sensual & sophisticated romance novels guarantee a HEA, and tales of romance that will capture your heart.
Reader reviews:
“Fast paced, heart-wrenching, completely unexpected twists, excellent storylines, and a hell of a good read.”
~ Rae Waterhouse
“This book contains carefully crafted, truly original love stories. Mollie’s wonderfully descriptive narrative paints a picture in which it is easy to lose oneself. A touching and heart-warming book, well worth a read.”
~ Cathy Rioran
“Mollie Mathews has written a beautifully scripted story of two people wildly attracted to each other but too constrained by family expectations to allow themselves to commit. When they meet again after eight years can they move beyond old patterns of behavior or are they doomed to always want, but never have?”
~ Jane Whitmeyer
“Mollie is just such a good writer with enormous appeal in her story – an excellent read on a rainy day.”
“An enthralling read. Keeps me captivated from start to finish and leaves me wanting more.”
The Gemstone Billionaires Box Set is a fun read with healthy doses of escapism.
If you love reading contemporary women’s fiction, clean romance, and true love stories you’ll love escaping into these sensual and sexy romances with this beautiful three-book box set.
Pick up your copy today by clicking the BUY NOW button
Here’s a wee peak at some of the settings—all photos by moi!:
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February 13, 2019
Romance books set in New Zealand
Coming soon…large print! Now you won’t have to reach for your glasses to fall in love:) I hope to have the large print ready for Valentines Day…The Kindle version is available for immediate enjoyment by clicking the following link. Normal print is also avail…
getBook.at/BrideofGold
This was such fun to write—and set in an extraordinarily beautiful part of New Zealand.
fun, suspenseful and full of romantic longings
“A great read for anyone, like me, with a passion for art and a love of mysteries embedded in a painting. Bride of Gold is light, fun, suspenseful and full of romantic longings – everything I love in a book. I also enjoyed the New Zealand setting and learning more about this beautiful country. I do love a good Mollie Mathews book!”
~ Lauri
an engaging and passionate read
An engaging and passionate read. Once again Mollie Matthews delivers a story full of passion and makes me keep turning the pages. Mollie’s writing is engaging and I didn’t want the story to end! I’m looking forward to the next one!”
~ Alli
an awesome read
“An awesome read. Just love Mollie Mathews style. There’s a good story as well as the romance, the passion and the pain that goes with deep love. Just had to keep reading – abandoned the chores until I had reached the end. More please Mollie.”
~ Rae
so much passion
“What a wonderful book Bride of Gold was. I just couldn’t put it down, but glad to read it in the nights. How wonderful you have written this love story with so much passion and fighting for love and acknowledgment one can give. Thanks once again to have been able to download it and enjoy it with so much eagerness to just keep on reading. Keep up your good work in writing. Such wonderful loved filled clean romantic books. Full of passion, love and tenderness. Words can’t describe the real way I found this book. Fantastic.” ~Istella
had me laughing, crying and gasping
“I loved, loved, loved this book. It had me laughing, crying and gasping following the back and forth between Alexandra and Vitali!! I now want to go to New Zealand even more than I did before.”
~ Glenda
Escape the chores—throw yourself into a great New Zealand-based romance today!
The Kindle version is available for immediate enjoyment by clicking the following link. Normal print is also avail…
getBook.at/BrideofGold
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