Cleffairy's Blog, page 217

Shamini Flint: The Woman Behind Inspector Singh Investigates

I've been given an opportunity to attend a book event in Kinokuniya, KLCC on 28th April 2011. It's an intimate meet and greet session where the author Shamini Mahadevan Flint (better known as Shamini Flint) talks about her latest 'Inspector Singh' installment, Inspector Singh Investigates: A Deadly Cambodian Crime Spree.

I'm sure most of you have heard about Ms. Flint. She's an established and a rather famous author in Malaysia, but if you're not an avid reader and haven't been keeping yourself informed about the book industry in Malaysia, worry not, I'll get to that.

Initially, I could not attend the event as it was on working day. The event would have fit my schedule better if it was weekend. But I can't help it. I begged my way out of work, and sped off to the event.  I did not want to miss it for the world. You see, I felt that owed Ms. Flint some support and at least a decent coverage, considering that she had personally provided me with a Advance Reader Copy of her book around one week before her book launch.

I was really excited when I received her ARC, you see. This is not the first time that I received an ARC, but it is the first time that I received something from local author/publisher. It is just sad. You see, UK and US publishers approached me all the time and had been giving me tonnes of ARC to read and review, but I'm afraid, local publishers/authors does not exactly give me the same treatment. I suppose it is not a practice for Malaysian publishers to encourage their authors for Blog Tours. So yes… I was really really ecstatic to receive the ARC from Ms. Flint.

I am truly glad that I wormed my way out of work for the Inspector Singh Meet and Greet session. The event was worth my troubles. Truthfully, the meet and greet session was not only fun but enlightening and inspiring as well. Ms. Flint has such witty humour and I daresay that I was not the only one who was charmed with her outstanding attribute.

Ms. Flint starts of the meet and greet session by introducing the Inspector Singh books one by one. She starts off with my favourite Inspector Singh book, 'Inspector Singh Investigates: The Most Peculiar Malaysian Murder'. I liked this book best not only because it's very close to home and I could relate to the sarcastic humour she slipped into the book in question, but also because of the issues that she brought up in the book.

Frankly speaking when I first read this book, I was highly amazed and amused by the fact that it's shelved in Malaysia. I would have thought that it would have been banned or something, considering that Ms. Flint has brought up some sensitive issue in 'Inspector Singh Investigates: The Most Peculiar Malaysian Murder'.

Ms. Flint then proceed to introduce 'Inspector Singh Investigates: A Bali Conspiracy Most Foul'  and 'Inspector Singh Investigates: The Singapore School of Villainy'. Her talks on these two books are brief. I suppose she does not want to spoil the readers with too much details. After all, it would not be a good mystery book if the author tells you whodunnit in her book during the meet and greet session. That would be a true killjoy, wouldn't it? Yes, indeed, it would be a major spoiler if she did.

Ms. Flint saved the best for last. The star attraction of the day was the latest installment of the series, 'Inspector Singh Investigates: A Deadly Cambodian Crime Spree'. She read the first chapter out loud to the audiences and proceeds to the Q&A session.

Various questions were asked by the audience, and Ms. Flint answered all of them with witty humour. I find this session highly entertaining and inspiring. I was really scandalized and had a good laugh when she admitted to the audience that when she had author's block, she would attend various social events like weddings and a funerals so that she could drag her Muse back from going MIA.

She then revealed to us that Inspector Singh will end in the next book, and the setting would be India. I was saddened then, because truthfully, I don't think 5 books would be enough. At least it is not enough for me for I have come to love the chubby and spunky Inspector Singh.

Being an aspiring author that I am, I could not helped but ask her how long did she take to finish each books. This is one thing one author always ask another. How long did it take to finish writing a book. We don't ask where the inspiration comes from and whatnot as each author have their own ways of getting inspired.

Ms. Flint secretly smiled and said it's not for the public knowledge. I couldn't help but grin, knowing that she must have been a very prolific and quite a speedy author to be able to say this. And my hunch was right, as after being pressured by the audience, she admitted that she would love to tell the readers that she slaved at her desk to write for Mr. Singh and couldn't honestly say so because that is not the truth. She mentioned that she's a speedy writer and she doesn't exactly wait for her Muse to come to her to write. She just write. She also mentioned that all aspiring authors should be discipline if they want to succeed. When it comes to writing and completing a book, you can't just wait for your Muse to come. You need to just write, get the story out of your head… and let the characters be alive.

I get her point and wholeheartedly agree with her because I too use the same approach when it comes to writing. I call it the NaNoWriMo approach, where you set a certain realistic goal… say 1,666 words per day and never stop til you complete your story. And the trick to do this is to write first, and put the editing way later-when you finish your story, that is. You see, your inner editor is quite a monster and would kill your story before you manage to come to a good end.

So yes, if you want to write and complete your book, just write, and don't look back until you complete it. One may not realize it, but what makes a good author or a good book is not whether they are published or famous, but whether the author in question managed to complete the story or not. If an author enjoyed writing it, there's possibility that the readers would too. And it does not matter if the book is published or not.

Ms. Flint's work is a masterpiece, I must say. She blended humour, mystery and awkward legal predicaments very well in her book. One who appreciate a mystery that's close to reality would definitely appreciate her books. And if you're looking to understand certain countries culture, tradition as well as a little bit of law in a non-intimidating way, I would highly recommend Ms. Flint's Inspector Singh Investigates series.

I have read the ARC of her latest book: 'Inspector Singh Investigates: A Deadly Cambodian Crime Spree' and below is my review for it.

Title: Inspector Singh Investigates: A Deadly Cambodian Crime Spree

Author: Shamini Flint

Format: Paperback

Pages: 320 pages

Date of publication: 1 April 2011

Publisher: Piatkus Books

ISBN-10: 0749953470

ISBN-13: 978-0749953478

First of all, I have to say that I find it difficult to start this book, because the first chapter was very descriptive, horrifying and not to mention absolutely morbid. I could barely stop myself from retching when I read the first chapter of Inspector Singh Investigates: A Deadly Cambodian Crime Spree. Ms. Flint did a very good job with the opening salvo.

The opening salvo was too good, in fact that it almost scares me from reading further. But as I flip the pages, I found that it's not all morbid and the beloved Inspector Singh is as humourous as ever in his investigative endeavor.

I had a good laugh at some point of the book, and I could not guess who had done the killing, even when I was near the end of the book. Inspector Singh Investigates: A Deadly Cambodian Crime Spree is well written and definitely thought provoking. It brought up various issues, especially violence and human rights.

I highly recommend Inspector Singh Investigates: A Deadly Cambodian Crime Spree to all mystery lovers and I rate this book 4 out of 5 star. A must read, and definitely a keeper.

I received an ARC of this book from Shamini Flint/ Piatkus Books. I was not compensated in any ways and I was under no obligations to write a positive review for it.

Book description:

Inspector Singh is in Cambodia – wishing he wasn't. He's been sent as an observer to the international war crimes tribunal in Phnom Penh, the latest effort by his superiors to ensure that he is anywhere except in Singapore. But for the first time the fat Sikh inspector is on the verge of losing his appetite when a key member of the tribunal is murdered in cold blood. The authorities are determined to write off the incident as a random act of violence, but Singh thinks otherwise. It isn't long before he finds himself caught up in one of the most terrible murder investigations he's witnessed – the roots of which lie in the dark depths of the Cambodian killing fields…

Interested in getting her books after reading all the good stuff about her and her works? Well, her books are shelved in Malaysia. You can get it at your nearest major bookstores like Kinokuniya and MPH. But if you can't make it to the nearest bookstores, you can click on the book covers below and purchase it directly from the publisher. It is available in both paperback and ebook format.

About the author:

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Shamini Flint begins her law career in Malaysia and is currently residing in Singapore with her  husband and her two lovely children. She has also worked in an international law firm in Singapore before deciding that it would be much more adventurous to resign and write about various characters that's been dying to to make their stories known. Shamini Flint is a dedicated  stay at home mum, writer, part-time lecturer as well as environmental activist.

Shamini hopes to reach out and make a difference to the world through her writing and is well noted in the book industry with her 'Inspector Singh Investigates' series as well as various series of children books.

For more information on Shamini Flint and her works, please visit her website at : www.shaminiflint.com. And if you fancy in keeping touch with her, you can do so through her Facebook Fanpage.

Cleffairy: I'm gonna try to contact Ms. Flint and see if she'd like to do blog tour and if she'd give me an email interview as well. Support local authors, peeps, trust me, they rock!

Disclaimer: The write ups, review is all mine, but the picture is courtesy of Smallkucing and Mamarazzi as well as www.shaminiflint.com.

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Prince William Marries Catherine Middleton

His Royal Highness Prince William Arthur Philip Louis of Wales, heir to the British throne, married Catherine Elizabeth Middleton in a fairytale ceremony Friday, 29th April 2011.

The day started off with Queen Elizabeth II bestowing the betrothed couple with new titles slightly after 8 a.m.

Prince William is now His Royal Highness the Duke of Cambridge, the Earl of Strathearn and Baron Carrickfergus while his wife Catherine Elizabeth Middleton is Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Cambridge, Countess of Strathearn and Baroness Carrickfergus.

The Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Reverend Rowan Williams, officiated at the approximately hour-long ceremony, which was led by the Dean of Westminster, John Robert Hall.

The Video of Prince William and Catherine Middleton exchanging wedding vows.

Cleffairy: Another Elizabeth in the royal family.

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Added Sugar in Growing Up Milk

As a mother with an ADHD (hyperactive) child, I can get really, really paranoid when it comes to my child's diet, cuz feeding the child with food that contains too much sugar can give him sugar rush, and he'll be pretty 'high' and very active. Active as in, couldn't stay still, couldn't sleep, couldn't concentrate, etc, and it can be a terrible problem when he translate the hyperactivity into climbing onto furnitures and refusing to come down. It's dangerous, and therefore… too much sugar in my boy's diet is a NO, NO!

Besides, who needs excessive sugar intake in children's diet that will lead only to loads of health issues? I, for one, do not need child obesity problem along with diabetes, dental cavities as well as high blood pressure that comes with taking excessive sugar intake. I have enough health issues with my son to deal with in the first place, anyway.

If you've been following my blog, I'm sure that some of you may have noticed that I've recently changed my son's growing up milk to the newly formulated Anmum Essential- the one with no added sugar in it as an initiative to reduce unnecessary added sugar in his diet.

Well, after more than two weeks of using Anmum Essential with no added sugar, I ran out of them and I had to re-stock. And so, I went to the supermarket and  while I was walking on the milk powder aisle in my regular supermarket, something caught my attention; an awareness poster that says that we could have been feeding our children up to 10-13 tsp of sugar with the regular growing up milk as well as a laptop with sugar calculator displayed on the screen, ready for the consumer to use to verify how much sugar there is in their children's formula milk.

Curiosity gets the better of me and therefore, I used the laptop and test out the sugar calculator provided and started to make comparison between the previous growing up milk that I've been using and the newly formulated Anmum Essential with no added sugar.

I was really shocked on how much added sugar there was in the previous growing up milk. Boy, am I glad that I've chosen non added sugar product for my boy now.

Okay, I'm sure most of you are confused right now. You may ask how is it possible for children's growing up milk to contain so much sugar when there's practically almost no sugar written on the label?

Well, mummies and daddies out there, we got to play a little bit of Sherlock Holmes when it comes to detecting sugar in our children's growing up milk, cuz the contents, as you might already notice after all these years, are written in their scientific or chemical terms. All sorts of added sugars in growing up milk were also written on the labels in their scientific terms.

As I mentioned in my previous entry regarding the danger of excessive sugar in our children's diet, there's two types of sugar. Naturally present sugar and added sugar. Both natural and added sugar exists in the form of carbohydrate.

Natural sugar can be found in fruits, veggies and many other class of food in the diet pyramids. Added sugar on the other hand are the type of sugar that's used as additives, preservatives or taste enhancers in various food products, including children's food.

So, mummies and daddies out there, if you see 'sucrose', 'fructose' or 'glucose' on the labels of the growing up milk packaging that you've bought, that means you bought growing up milk that contains added sugar. And, if you see 'corn syrup solid' or 'glucose syrup solid' on the milk packaging, that means those are added sugar too.

If you see the higher contents of carbohydrate is dictated in the growing up milk label, that means the higher the added sugar level is.

Mummies and daddies, beware and be more alert when you choose growing up milk for your children. I'm sure you'd be as horrified as I am if you're to count how much added sugar there was in the growing up milk that we've been feeding our children.

Wanna know how you can actually check how much added sugar you've been feeding your children with your current growing up milk? You can go click here: SEMAKGULA.

The 'SEMAKGULA' website provides a sugar calculator for us to use. The website can be viewed in 3 languages, Bahasa Malaysia, English as well as Mandarin and it's best viewed with IE6 as well as Firefox.

I'm sure you'll have no problems using the calculator, it's pretty simple and the instruction provided is pretty clear, really. Feel free to share the calculator on your Facebook or Twitter too… I'm sure alot of parents out there are concern about excessive sugar intake in their children's diet too.

And oh… before I forget…if you're interested in changing your children's growing up milk to a growing up milk that contains no added sugar after using the calculator, you might want to consider growing up milk like Anmum Essential with no added sugar. It is the only growing up milk in the market so far that has no added sugar in it's formula.

If you have any qualms about changing the growing up milk for your child to the new Anmum Essential, you can go to Anmum Club Facebook page or call ANMUM CARELINE  at 1800-88-3122. They've both been very helpful resource when I was having doubts on changing growing up milk for my child.

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Fiery red? Docile grey?

Fiery Red?

Or docile grey?

Right now, I'd say fiery red, cuz I'm fuming. What do you think? Which one would be better for my book cover? Red or grey?

Cleffairy: I'll sleep over it.

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Spellbound

Title: Spellbound

Publisher: Harlequin

Imprint: Harlequin TEEN

Pub Date:28 June 2011

ISBN: 9780373210305

Author:Cara Lynn Shultz

Spellbound by Cara Lynn Shultz hurled me into a world where I thought I'd never be able to go again; my teenage years. Spellbound is not only magical, darkly romantic, but it's also close to reality in an alarmingly queer way.

Spellbound is highly imaginative, wonderfully written and very rich with fantasy element. Kudos to the author for writing such a wonderful masterpiece. I find it hard to put down and it's something I'd recommend to those who love a good read on a boring Sunday afternoon.

I rate this book 4 out of 5 stars. I received a digital ARC of this book from Harlequin via Netgalley. I was not compensated in any ways for writing this book.

For more information on this title, please click here

Book description:

Life hasn't been easy on sixteen-year-old Emma Conner, so a new start in New York may be just the change she needs. But the posh Upper East Side prep school she has to attend? Not so much. Friendly faces are few and far between, except for one that she's irresistibly drawn to—Brendan Salinger, the guy with the rock-star good looks and the richest kid in school, who might just be her very own white knight.

But even when Brendan inexplicably turns cold, Emma can't stop staring. Ever since she laid eyes on him, strange things have been happening. Streetlamps go out wherever she walks, and Emma's been having the oddest dreams. Visions of herself in past lives—visions that warn her to stay away from Brendan. Or else.

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To add or not to add?

I received sms from one my uncles a couple of days ago, which is rather unusual, because he never keep in touch with me for God knows since when despite the fact that he is my father's younger brother.

We used to be closed… he used to bring me for walks and play with me and whatnot when I was a little girl, but our relationship somehow grew apart when I went to college.

Our relationship grew further apart when my grandmother passed away and got even worst when his children, my cousins…annoyed me to death by being freeloaders. They like to take the easy way out and when they get into all sort of trouble, they will look up my father, who… out of pity, will bail them out countlessly til one day, got sick of them.

I… I don't like my cousins. It is not that I do not appreciate the fact that we're of same blood, but… you know, sometimes…it's really sickening to hear from my parents about them.  Of course it doesn't  help it too that they used to play all sort of pranks and get me and my sister into trouble when we were children too. Yes. They're the sort of disaster that my sister and I would like to avoid at all cost.

Only last month, my cousin asked my father for RM5,000. She said it was for starting business. My father was wary of all this nonsense as this is not the first time she asked money from him. Each and every single time, she concoct all sort of excuses to ask money from my father. Same goes with her younger brother. They're both just the same.

This time, my father told her off politely, saying that if she really wants to start a business, then she should go to the bank, get her proposal approved and get some loans and whatnot as that is the correct way to do business. Each and every time she'd ask to borrow money from him…but God knows how much she owed my father by now!

Is it called borrowing if you never intend to return it? This is nothing but bullshit, and I'm glad my father finally told her off. Don't get me wrong. My family and I do not mind helping if they are really in need, but each and every time… we do not know where the money goes to, and what's more, they are living in luxury. New cars, new handphones and gadgets all the time, fashionable clothes, etc. In my humble opinion, these people do not know how to live within their means.

I do not understand why such people exists, and I can't believe how thick-faced they are. I always have financial issue. God knows how many times I cried because of financial problems before I sleep. And God knows how many sleepless days and night I have to go through thinking about money. I complained to no one. (Okay, maybe I did complain to close friends to let the steam off, but I never once ask to borrow anything from them)

My husband and I work our ass off to make ends meet, and the car that we're using right now is even a second hand car that's more than 10 years old. We barely survive with what we have in our savings account every goddamn month, but we never, ever asked help from anyone… not even our parents. We rather work our butts off than beg around for money from our relatives. We rather use a bloody car that gives us trouble most of the time than borrow some money from our parents or relatives so that we can travel in style.

When we're insufficient of funds, I would add more classes and extend my teaching hours. I would also take extra editing projects and writing projects. I burn the midnight oil to the point my hormone gone imbalance and my doctor warns me to take it easy for the fear of hypertension.

My husband on the other hand, would also do his part by extending his working hours and take in more project. We never once take the easy way out by asking money from people just because we find it hard to pay the bills at the end of the day.

When I really couldn't take it… I would call my father… you know… just to hear his voice, to hear him ask me if everything is okay… but never to ask anything from him. I don't want him to worry about me. He deserves better than a whiny daughter who cannot stand up on her own.

I want to make my father proud… besides… each time I'm down, his voice have a rather magical effect on me. His voice never failed to remind me of words he once told me when I was a child. "I am a lion" (he's born under the sign of Leo) " And therefore, you should be a lioness. And lioness are strong and hold their own"

I can never understand… why… my cousins(yes… plural… not just one of them but a couple of them!) cannot do the same, and each time they have 'financial' issue, they'd simply call up my father and ask for money to be credited into their account! Who did they think my father is? A walking ATM machine? What rights do they have to simply ask money from my father when none of his daughters did that when they're facing financial problems?

Okay, I admit… each time my father visit me I'd go on my daddy's little girl mode and ask him to treat me with my favourite food or my favourite home-cook food. But that cannot be considered the same, can it? That is as far as it goes, and it did not involved money, and it is something he and my mother willingly give as a token of their love and affection.

Anyway… just a couple of days after my cousin asked for money from my father, her father, my uncle contacted me via sms. He was asking me if I have a Facebook account. I lied. Yes, I LIED. I said, NO. I don't have a Facebook account and when he asked me to sign up for a Facebook account, I told him that I'm not exactly IT literate. I know this tactic. He's been using it for ages. Each time he or my cousins failed to get money from my father, they'd go through me, hoping that I will persuade my father on their behalf, considering that my father hardly refuse me for I am always his little princess.

I don't mean to shut my uncle out of my life like this… but sometimes… I get tired of his family's nonsense and I am wary of listening to him asking me to help my cousins out too when nobody actually cares if I have any problems or not. Sometimes… I wish I can love and respect my uncle and my cousins the way I did when I was a little girl… but what can I say now? Not much…to me, sometimes, to be kind, you need to be cruel.

Cleffairy: Won't you agree with me that sometimes, to be kind, you need to be cruel?

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Have a blessed Easter…

Sorry for going MIA and the lack of updates. A lot of things cropped up lately and I decided to lay back and take it easy abit. I'm just so… tired and stressed up.

I had to deal with a couple of health issues last month and it duzzin help that I have lotsa dateline to meet and I can't seems to concentrate on doing it. There's too many things on my mind. I get distracted easily and I'm dying for a getaway or two.

Unfortunately for me, I won't be getting any real break until at least June or July til I'm done editing my second book and finally put an end to my third book, so I guess I'll have to live with it for now. Ah… *SIGH* But then again, busy is a good thing. It keeps me moving, motivated and gives me a sense of self-worth… it's just that I wish I have more energy to keep up with the fast pace. I really wish I'm like the Duracell Bunny and can go on and on forever.

*SIGH*

Anyway, here's wishing everyone who celebrates Easter's Day a very Happy Easter and God bless you and your loved ones.

Cleffairy: To family and friends… thank you for being a pillar of support when I need you most.

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The Scorpion Queen

Title: The Scorpion Queen

Publisher: Red Sage Publishing

Imprint: Red Sage Presents

Pub Date: 1 March 2011

ISBN: 9781603105934

Author: Alexis Ke

I'm quite a feminist in some ways, so, when it comes to reading fiction, I don't exactly sit too well with stories where the heroines are weak, mindless and submissive. I like strong female characters who hold their own. That is why I hated fairy tales when I was a child. There's much more to a story for a woman than waiting for a prince to rescue her in a locked tower or just a plain happily ever after at the end of the story.

I enjoyed Scorpion Queen very much because the heroine is one hell of a heroine. This is an adult fiction, yes, but while there's lotsa steamy scene that can make you sizzle, you may also find strength in the main female character, The Scorpion Queen.

The Scorpion Queen is highly original with dynamics in it, and if you're the kind of reader like me… one who enjoy refreshing stories with strong heroines in it, I'd recommend you The Scorpion Queen by Alexis Ke. I promise you, you'll be amazed by this book.

Book description:

Mystical, magical and mysterious.
She's every mortal's dream and every mortal's nightmare.  She will slip into your sleep and entice you, take you to heights you've never dreamed but beware, do not cross over without her call, because if you do she will …
Queen Scorpathia is tired.  Many years have gone by since she sought a mate.  Ten decades. It may be anger.  It may be fear but the time has come.  She has entered another's dream state one last time.  Now she will have to fight more than her fear of losing yet another.  She will have to fight the passion, lust and desires that are plaguing her mind, body and soul.  No one has ever given and taken as much as this warrior and no one will ever again. But will his strength and love be enough to fight the battles raging around her.  Will the powers of her land be enough to bring forth yet another day?  Only time will tell.

I rate this book 4 out of 5 stars, and I received this ARC from Red Sage Publishing via Netgalley. I was not compensated in any ways for writing this review.

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She patched me up when I was torn…

How many of you are actually blessed enough to have friends who will stick with you through thick or thins? I'm sure you can easily say that you're blessed with a lot of friends who will laugh with you and cry with you when you're younger, but as we grew older, not many can actually say that. As we grow older, things started to change…. people started to change.

I have a lot of friends, but I have to say, some friends are better off as enemies. I used to have fair-weather friends and they do things that doesn't exactly sit well with me.

I'm not quite sure how to say this without being too obvious, but let's just say that some so-called friends do things that even animals won't do, and they would even fuck your husband if they can just to spite you.

Some friends are ruthless even though their disposition says otherwise. They take take advantage of you whenever they can, and will do anything to ruin your happiness. Such lowlives. Yes… they are better off as enemies.

But some friends, some friends are for keep. Even though I was unlucky enough to encounter venomous snakes who have the cheeks to call themselves my friends somewhere along the road, but I was blessed enough to have real friends who not only will cry with me when the world crumbles beneath my feet, but will also be my pillar of strength when I actually have none.

A few years back… I lived in the world of darkness. Unable to trust, unable to love and unable to give. Because when I gave trust, my trust was trampled and broken mercilessly, by the ones that I love, no less.

I felt that my love was was unrequited back then and when I give, I get nothing back. I got sick, tired, and really fed up and therefore, I build a wall around myself. I was afraid to get hurt. It was pathetic, but what else can I do? I did not want to get hurt anymore. I have enough unhealed wounds.

I thought….enough is enough, and did you know what's worst? I stopped believing… I stopped having faith in God. I even blamed Him for every single bad things that happened to me. I could not see that what I've been through was actually His will and I failed to see that He's trying to show me something before it's too late.

It is sad…it was just so sad that I failed to see what God intend me to see…which is 'truth'. He was showing me the evil around me, but I refused to open my eyes and see. He was showing me who was my real friends and who was my enemies, but I stubbornly shut Him out of my heart.

I did not realize that by refusing Him, I was hurting myself even more…unable to love, unable to trust… and unable to function properly. By not believing in Him, I was just like a little bird with clipped wings, unable to fly, and vulnerable to predators around me.

But God works in mysterious ways, and I am forever grateful for that, for He sent me friends to teach me what I've forgotten. He sent me friends to remind me about love, kindness and generosity. He made me learn how to trust, how to give and how to open my heart to Him all over again through these friends.

I can name a few of these friends whom God sent to me to remind me of His existence and that all is not lost… but today, I'll just name one, because today is my friend's birthday. She's none other than Smallkucing's Mamarazzi.

Without her, I would not be here today for before I got to know her, I was actually suicidal. She stopped me from pulling the trigger that would end my life, and she made me believe in Him again. I never thought it could have been possible, but she patched me up when I was torn.

She's may be fierce and a no-nonsense kind of person on the outside, but she's nothing but pure kindness inside. She taught what I've forgotten, and she made a better person out of me.

She's God's gift to me, and perhaps, the entire world too if they are lucky enough to get to know her.

Yes… today is her birthday, and so here I am, writing this while praying that God will bless her and her family always. I am forever indebted to her, and only God could repay her kindness and generosity towards me.

Happy birthday, Mamarazzi. You're not just a friend to me, but an elder sister that I never had.

Cleffairy: I am truly blessed, for I have friends who do things that means so much to me…. and I give thanks to God for that every day.

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Frost Moon

Title: Frost Moon

SubTitle: Book One, The Skin Dancer Series

Publisher:Bell Bridge Books

Pub Date: 4 June 2010

ISBN: 9780984325689

Author: Anthony Francis

I regret picking up this book in the middle of the night where I plan to relax. This is one book you shouldn't pick up if you intend on resting or relaxing, because this book definitely will not give you that effect. It's a gripping tale that will surely get your adrenaline pumping. I could have sworn that my heart beat skipped a few beats while I was flipping tha pages.

This is a truly intriguing thriller. Highly recommended to those who love thrillers and fast-paced stories.

I rate this book 4 out of 5 stars. I received this ARC from Bell Bridge Books via Netgalley and I was not compensated in any ways for writing this. For more information on this title, please click here.

Product description:

In an alternate Atlanta where magic is practiced openly, where shapeshifters party at the urban clubs and vampires rule the southern nights like gangsters, where demure witches sip coffees at the local cafes and mysterious creatures command the dark caverns beneath the city, Dakota Frost's talents are coveted by all: She's the best magical tattoo artist in the southeast: a SkinDancer, able to bring her amazing tats to life. When a serial killer begins stalking Atlanta's tattooed elite, the police and Feds seek Dakota's help. Can she find the killer in the dark fringe of the city's magical Edgeworld? What kind of enemies and allies will she attract among the powerful outcasts and tormented loners, who see her as a threat, a seduction, an unexpected champion . . . or as delicious prey.

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