Sara Ellie MacKenzie's Blog, page 14

A Note About the CT Authors Partnership...

This is mainly a statement to other authors. Because of yesterday's event fiasco, I wanted to clarify what the CT Authors Partnership's mission statements are. I will take them from the page on this website. You can review this by going over to the Events tab and clicking the option "CT Authors Partnership".

Saving the arts - Books are becoming an activity of the past. Indie authors are a wonderful way of keeping them alive. We come up with unique ideas that traditional publishing companies do not market. A lot of us also relate to today's events and create characters and settings that are easy to identify with. The nonprofit also aims to help literacy in the state of CT and encourage careers in the arts. Connecting readers to writers - The main problem with indie authors is finding their audience. The nonprofit seeks to come up with a marketing plan for the author, based on their means. We might need to step in and let someone borrow a computer to build a website or help design business cards for events. We want the authors to be where they need to and sell books. Serving socioeconomic needs of writers - I learned this growing up poor and living without help. Some people do not have a way to do laundry, get clothes, or have the money to take a bus. Not everyone is as advantaged as the other. The nonprofit looks to close this gap by meeting those needs. We might not be the people helping you, but we will search for any solution.

As the nonprofit expands, it might add more to its mission statement. For the time being, though, the CT Authors Partnership has no money. Nobody has donated. Everything has come out of a refund or my husband's paychecks, money we are not going to recoup. Money was spent on advertising and marketing.

For a new nonprofit, I understand that trust is hard. Nobody knows me. I get that. But I have delivered. I hosted two events and nobody was turned away or fooled. I cannot guarantee a crowd. I cannot control people who promise me something and do not come through. I cannot the actions of others.

CT Authors Partnership is a commitment. It is going to be tough and we will fail often. If you did not know that about the literary industry, you are in the wrong place.

I work very hard to advertise. I plaster social media everyday with info about my books and events. Sometimes, it's as much as 6x/day, with different hashtags to attract more crowds. I have traveled downtown and even out of town to deliver flyers and ask people to pass the word. Social media event coverage! Contacted the news! Spent hours calling everyone I knew!

I am doing this on my own, with nobody else. Often, I have my son with me. I have no babysitter. Luckily, since COVID, everybody has been kind about Calvin coming with me.

Before you make judgements, why don't you listen? Have some empathy? Understand that people starting out need extra chances and help too?

Think before you speak.

Namaste!

#CTAuthors #DontCrossMe #Boundaries #WereNotRich #Empathy #Kindness

Second Event - We're Not Done Yet!

It's early morning. I cannot believe it. Second event in a month - and I am not done yet. I am very excited for today's event. As stated, I will be back with #TriviaTuesday and #BehindTheScenes in July (might rethink it to occasion because of how busy I've gotten, we'll see). Until then, keep checking in for more news and updates. The CT Authors Partnership is rolling. VFW #511, here we come!

In honor of my great uncle, Wilbur Ernst Beckmann, USAF, 1937-1983.

#RoundTwo #BookEvents #IndieAuthors #InRembranceOfYou #VFW #HereWeCome #ComeOnDown

First Event - Ready, Set, Go!

Todays' the day. This is the first event I have organized. See everyone at Trinity-on-Main!

I am going to take the rest of the month and June off for #BehindTheScenes and #TriviaTuesday. I'll be back for some time in July, after the event at the VFW. Keep your ears peeled! More news is coming. I am excited to share it with you!

#BookEvent #CTAuthors #NewBritain #TrinityOnMain #IndieAuthors #BreakTime #SeeYouLater

#BehindTheScenes 34 - Musical Inspiration II

Yes. I finally did it. I made another list and continued another post. In this #BehindTheScenes, you will learn more about my musical influences (not my favorite, of course). No judgments. What are your favorites? Comment below!

Bach - Not only is this a funny MASH line and a memory when I was very young, but he was a unique composer. Bach thought that music was a gift and he shared his love and genius of it. I do not think I need to get into his life and achievements, but I do love how my father introduced his music through a 70's movie... The Corrs - I might get some hate for this, but I love the magic and mystique the siblings bring. Traditional Irish music and rock is a blend of their home culture and today's society, covering ethic, emotional and even relationship situations that are more than relatable. Taylor Swift - Another one I will get flak for, surely! Taylor Swift has spoken to a generation of people growing up awkward, needy and even with low self-esteem and her feelings about relationships, developing, careers, and more, and I cannot help but think about how, even in fame, she goes through the ordinary. Rammstein - Another strange one, but there is a reason why, despite the controversy they bring with their stage presence, lyrics and dress. This German metal band brings to the forefront the issues the world faces by dressing historically and socially and enacting the things we are scared of...just so we cannot be afraid of the dark anymore.

Can anyone name the movie I am referencing in point #1? I will give you a hint: the opening sequence uses Bach's Toccata in Fugue in D minor. I will post the answer next time.

Namaste!

#AhhBach #MASH #Music #Ireland #SiblingBand #DoAJig #Nashville #LoveStory #AllTooWell #GermanMetal #FaceYourFears #History

#FindOutFriday Answers 11

Hi, everyone! Happy Friday! Here are the #TriviaTuesday answers. Did you guess any of them? Leave a comment!

Marian burnings - I specifically used the 1550's Marian burnings in England for a reason. While best known with over 300 dead, it was the basis for the executions of the women in Through the Meadow, down to the how the victims perished. Grace O'Malley - An Irish pirate of the 16th century, she caused some trouble for the Tudors. She was also the model I used for the character of Annette Sasha, even though my character is not considered royalty amongst her brethren. Illegal abortions - In Through the Meadow, Julia forces Miranda to agree to an operation that will save her life, but kill her child. The tools and feelings mentioned are based on stories I've read throughout the years about various women's experiences. Joan of England - This is an obscure detail, but this is another one from history - the death of the minor character of Princess Mae of Cherls. It was mentioned that she died of an illness before her marriage to King Gerald, just as Joan of England did.

Until next week, everyone, namaste! Have a safe and happy weekend!

#TudorHistory #ProtestantsBurning #300Souls #IrishPirate #HighSeas #ElizabethI #MaryI #WomensRights #RoeVsWade #AcrossStateLines #EdwardIII #Plague #BeforeMarriage

Birthday Wishes

Yes, I am announcing it. Today is my birthday. But there is a reason why I tell people every year. I have one wish for this special day of mine...

Please, please, please, support a small business or indie artist/author/etc. It does not need to be expensive. Just consider the hard work they have placed into their livelihood. Their everything is set on their making money independently.

Share a post. Talk about them. Leave a review. Be honest!

See? It does not always involve money. It's your time and energy.

That is the only gift I need.

Thank you for your well wishes, everyone! Namaste!

#BirthdayGirl #BirthdayWishes #ItsNotForMe #IndieAuthor #SmallBusiness #SupportSupport #ShareReview #TimeAndEnergy #BallInYourCourt #ThankYou

Spring is in the Air...

Yes, it is. This week is also my birthday week. I am taking a break and enjoying the season. Today is May Day and Beltaine. Other than the traditional celebrations, what will you do to herald in spring?

Me? Well, spring is about new growth and beginnings. Everything is coming out of hibernation. I am going to be beginning what I feel is a new stage in my life - my mid-thirties. New things to think about, new adventures, and understanding some closure.

There is also the event coming up. May 20 cannot come fast enough. See you at Trinity-on-Main, everyone. Have a great day!

#BreakTime #Springtime #BreatheInAndOut #MayDay #Beltaine #DanceInTheRain

Welcome!

You know what?

I realized that I have not done a welcome post since starting this website. That was in late 2019, when it was a free site and nobody could find it. I will do this more often, for everybody new to the site and trying to figure out who I am. For those returning, welcome back!

My name is Sara Ellie MacKenzie. I am a self-published author through Amazon (currently) and the founder of owner of the nonprofit, CT Authors Partnership. My goal is to not only write and relate, but it also lend a hand to other indie authors in Connecticut. Any other information can be found on my website in the menu above, or you can read through the blog. I give out little pieces here and there.

Keep an eye out on this website. There will be updates mainly here, or on my social media pages. I often publish spoilers from my books, talk about myself and sometimes reveal my inspiration for my stories. With everything so new, this is going to be a learning process. And patience was never my strongest virtue...

Namaste, everyone! Have a great day!

#IndieAuthor #MomAndWife #WelcomeEveryone #HereIAm #LookOut

#BehindTheScenes 33 - Entertainment

This Thursday, I am reminded about the little girl in the picture. My hair used to be that color and that long. I had bangs and wore gold earrings, supposedly because I was allergic to silver. For this #BehindTheScenes Thursday. I am going to discuss that...and what I do for fun.

People initially look at me and see a plus sized woman. No joke, I am wide. Tales From a Kitchen Witch, a Facebook page I follow, calls it F A T. While I relate, I have to also add that I cannot help my shape. Many people cannot. Don't take that into account for anything.

I love moving around. I am a HUGE walker and love nothing more than to take a stroll around my neighborhood. I am alone and on my headphones or with my family. Since I was a child, I also hiked. The woods anywhere are the best places to be. Feeling nature around you, no matter the season, is refreshing and resets me.

Indoor activities away from the house are anything local. Sometimes, we travel and visit family and new places. Growing up, I was bought to museums, theaters, and more, and it was not just my parents who took me out. I went to Catholic school. Often, we had field trips.

Family took me out, when they could. It was not often, usually for birthdays and holidays. Sometimes, we went to the bookstore to spend our gift cards. Malls were a big thing too! I remember nail saloons and milkshakes at Shady Glen's. Those are the happiest of memories.

There are too many people to thank for bringing me joy and compassion when I had none at home. It shaped me in other ways that I did not understand until I became a parent myself. It also made me more away of what is going on in my community, the cost of keeping a city safe, and the simple happiness in seeing my son having a great time. I am simple amazed.

Life is full of adventures. It does not have to be extraordinary. You can pick someplace local and find out its secrets - history and hidden facts. Walking downtown New Britain always gives me that feel. There is always something new to discover. Take another bus and you can discover the next town...

Home might be boring. It might have your family. I will never argue running away from abuse. I will argue with you about your little town being boring. Even the worst small rural towns have the most interesting facts behind them. Trust me, I lived in a few.

The world is wide. There is so much to learn. That, in and of itself, is fun enough.

Namaste!

#BackHere #SpringtimeActivities #Outdoors #WalkingHiking #Indoors #Educational #WildWorld #GoLocal #NeverDisappointed

#FindOutFriday Answers 10

Hey, everyone! It's Friday again. I have the answers to this week's #TriviaTuesday. How many did you guess? Let me know!

Steven D. Farmer - Oddly enough, he was the author of an oracle deck I own, called "Earth Magic". One of the cards he had was a meadow, with a description about vulnerability and openness - the inspiration for the title and poem behind Through the Meadow. Sea Rests - In the 19th century, many Victorians went to the shoreline to get well and be away from the city fumes. This served as a basis for a vacation, referenced many times throughout the series, mostly in Through the Meadow. Spanish Inquisition - In Through the Meadow, Miranda mentions how how the law is unfair to women, mostly how they are captured. The references of torture, interrogation, etc., are pulled straight from the Spanish Inquisition of the 15th and 16th centuries, where religion did have a huge factor in picking people up. Dual Spanish Monarchy - The 15th century dual Spanish monarchy of Isabella and Ferdinand was almost unheard of at the time. This partnership was the basis of Nora and Char's, although the Queen did not rule over Lopet.

The answer to the last Find Out Friday was...Rollerball!

That's it! Namaste, everyone. Have a great weekend!

#OracleCards #TheVictorians #DualMonarchy #ReligiousProsecution #ThroughTheMeadow