Suzanne Strong's Blog, page 5

Freedom Writing for free…

Chapter 1 – Where the Sun Rises…

A large mass of red, yellow and black, mixed with white sparks fired up into the sky, on a hill in the distance. Karin stopped, her limbs frozen, she glanced over at her brother, Mani. Another explosion slammed the earth right next to it. Tanks small but perceptible could be seen moving around like strange beetles on the hillside. Tiny figures were moving, and running here and there. Buildings were being blown up, apartment blocks were slammed with mortar fire. People could be seen fleeing from the chaos. Karin saw armed men chasing them. The black flag of Daesh could be seen flapping on the flag pole of one of the tanks. A little further off more massive explosions of white soil and concrete formed clouds on the horizon, flying high into the sky. Karin felt physically sick with a burning rage, that Daesh would come and seek to conquer them, as so many other peoples had done before.

CS Lewis – write to understand…

Hey guys,

I have always felt this, if I talk too much about a current idea I am writing, I lose the desire to write it. It’s like the energy has gone from it. This is why I don’t outline in detail and I change details as I discover them. I never knew CS Lewis said this, though I’ve read a lot of his work. I write to go on an adventure and to explore that which I am writing, and if I set it down too much before I start, it loses its magic. Often I start with an ending, but I don’t know what will happen in between.  I love the discovery of creating #novels#writing#cslewis

Go well and stay well

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My book for free for a few days…

Happy New Year -Bring on a better year!

Happy new year May it be better than last year.

As most people have had, I have had one of the hardest years of my life. After more than a year of travelling up and down to see my dying brother in NSW or Qld and taking him to hospital, when I could. My brother died in June, and shortly before this we had to find a house, I had just started a new job -there were family issues, health problems for me and then there was the Corona virus. Losing my brother was the hardest thing. So, I am really hoping and praying for a better year ahead. I hope we all have a year, that though it will present challenges – it will also have adventure, light, laughter and love. Love is the greatest of all things. We all need it for life. Be kind to yourself and others too.

Happy new year xx

Where the Sun Rises for free for two days…

For a limited time I am giving away my book. From Dec 4-Dec 5 my book will be available for free on amazon. Feel free to write a review – if you feel inclined it is always appreciated. Have a great day!

Stay well and Go well!

Suzanne

Click on the link above and download it now!

Henri Nouwen on writing…writing therapy! :)

Writing Reveals What is Alive in Us

“Writing is a process in which we discover what lives in us. The writing itself reveals to us what is alive in us. The deepest satisfaction of writing is precisely that it opens up new spaces within us of which we were not aware before we started to write. To write is to embark on a journey whose final destination we do not know. Thus, writing requires a real act of trust. We have to say to ourselves: “I do not yet know what I carry in my heart, but I trust that it will emerge as I write.” Writing is like giving away the few loaves and fishes one has, trusting that they will multiply in the giving. Once we dare to “give away” on paper the few thoughts that come to us, we start discovering how much is hidden underneath these thoughts and gradually come in touch with our own riches.”

Text excerpts taken from “You are the Beloved”
by Henri J.M. Nouwen

On holidays from work…

Hey guys, I took a week off work this week. It allowed me to breathe. I had been so busy and stressed with work and personal things for probably 18 months. Over the past 16 months my brother was dying and I was working ridiculous hours. There was a lot of family conflict which was quite unfair and my experience with my brother just before he died was not like our usual relationship. It had been tainted by things said from the family. My relationship with my brother was always good until then. It made my grief 150% worse. But I had to choose to remember my whole life of a good relationship with him. I had to choose to forget the last time I saw him which was horrible. I have to forgive and it is not easy. This will take time, God willing. I know my brother loved me but some people are jealous of things like this and have been like this my whole life. So, in this most vulernable time this came out and then I was punished for someone else’s jealousy. Anyway, what I wanted to say is that I drew this drawing yesterday- sitting in the sun and I felt completely free for the first time in 18 months.

To simply be able to do some fun things, and simply enjoy myself is not something I have been able to do. When I had time off I travelled to see my brother, sometimes interstate and sometimes closer, but always it was hard to watch him decline. At times I took him to hospital and always visited him in hospital, but even though I did these things people still complained. So, finally I am breathing. I feel for everyone who is in lockdown, and I just want to say to them, hang in there we will get out again.

Lots of love, Suz

A reason why I wrote Where the Sun Rises…

My novel Where the Sun Rises is fictional, but I wrote it to tell the stories of the real women who participated in these battles in Syria. My characters are fictional but their stories reflect real women who I discovered through research. The details of the characters I created however. In my mind and heart the whole way through writing this novel, sometimes with tears, was to tell the stories of these unrecognised women who gave their lives for their families, friends, people and land. Anyway, this is why this quote particularly resonates with me. Have a great day.

Latest review…

Lisa Ceh

4.0 out of 5 stars 

Eye-opening and eye-watering look into the life of Kurdish Women

Reviewed on Amazon.com.au on 27 August 2021

Once I started reading, I was drawn into the war torn world beyond our satisfied lifestyle. The Kurdish people have nerves and back bones of steel because they face difficulties as a collective group to fight unjust situations and life’s hardships. I couldn’t put this book down. I am seriously waiting for the sequel.