Lavinia Thompson's Blog: Seeking reviewers! , page 22

Domestic Violence Weekly

An unusual spotlight: Chris Brown and PETA bring violence against women to light 

Domestic violence has seen an unusual spotlight in the last week.

R&B singer Chris Brown won his first Grammy award this past Sunday night. However, that was overshadowed by the third anniversary of the day he beat his ex-girlfriend, Rihanna, so badly she was hospitalized. Photos were released shortly after of the attack, showing a brutal and ferocious side to Brown.

There was much controversy from the music industry. Jack Osbourne tweeted with the hashtag "Chris Brown beats women." Miranda Lambert and others also spoke out against Brown's Grammy win. Women's groups on Twitter started a petition to take back Brown's award and to apologize to domestic violence victims for having him on the show, saying it was an insult to condone such behaviour. Some of Brown's young female fans took to Twitter after the Grammys, saying things like "Chris Brown is sexy, he can punch me out any time" and "Chris Brown can beat me if he wants."

In the past three years since the attack on Rihanna, Brown has tried to repair his reputation and music career, though it seems he can't control his rage, especially when he gets on Twitter. He posted a series of tweets after the Grammys, including one that said: "HATE ALL YOU WANT BECUZ I GOT A GRAMMY now! That's the ultimate *BLEEP* OFF!"

Just yesterday, a popular trend on Twitter was "RIP Chris Brown," following a long string of death hoaxes on the social media site. Brown's fans stood up for him, tweeting that RIP actually stood for "Really Inspiring Person." Others replied, stating that abusers are never inspiring and that he hasn't changed at all; that abusers never do change.

In one tweet that replied to this, one person said "Look: This is what a RIP (= Really Inspiring Person/ RIP Chris Brown) can do https://twitter.com/#!/vicfabrice/status/169757840217612288/photo/1)

It is a spotlight that is not usually shed upon domestic violence. In a story that didn't make such top headlines, PETA released a new ad that is stirring up some controversy. In their mission to advocate for animal welfare, PETA is exploiting violence against women by including it in their ads. It's their way of promoting veganism and stopping animal abuse. However, the ads aren't stirring up talk of animal rights. They have people discussing violence against women and the use of the issue in advertising for differing causes.

The ad can be found at (Again, warning: implies sexual violence): http://www.straight.com/article-606651/vancouver/peta-continues-promote-animal-welfare-exploiting-women

So the good news: domestic violence is seeing a spotlight and is being talked about by celebrities, getting the message out that it shouldn't be happening. People are recognizing that it's wrong to condone or even award the behaviour. The bad news: when it comes to the younger generation, there seems to be a long road ahead to getting them to understand just what domestic violence is and the severe consequences it can have on many lives.

What I think of all this…

Chris Brown is an abuser. Simple as that. He has shown it time and time again that he hasn't changed and he is unlikely to change. He has never tried to make amends for what he did to Rihanna. There has never been an apology to her and he has never tried to support the cause. He has carried on like many abusers do: as if nothing ever happened.

The fact that his young fans would say such disturbing things tells me that we are not teaching young girls enough about domestic violence and that they don't comprehend what it is and how it impacts many lives. It is an issue that still tends to hide in the closet where people won't bring it out into the open.

I commend the other celebrities who stepped forward to say something about it. That is a high profile voice that victims and survivors of domestic violence rarely have. If more and more of them raised their voices about it, more people, especially young fans, would be more aware of it. That's the key to preventing and stopping it: Awareness. Talking about it. Discussing the choices and consequences of people who choose to be abusers, man or woman. Discussing the impact it has on victims and the lucky ones who survive the horrific ordeal.

That's what this is about. Once a week, I will be posting a different story about domestic violence and discussing it here on my blog. Aside from my books, this is my attempt to raise awareness about domestic violence. I will never stop until every woman can stand to her feet and say: "Never again."

After all this…

I posted a message on my Facebook page following the Chris Brown debate I had over Twitter. I just wanted to post it here so that the same message got to everyone else.

  I'm writing because it is all part of my battle against domestic violence. I lost some Facebook fans and Twitter followers over being outspoken about Chris Brown being a woman beater, and have had many of his fans ignorantly standing up for him when he obviously hasn't changed. 

Thing is, rich or poor, famous or not, man or woman, all abusers are the same. They DON'T change. I speak the truth. I speak for those who can't speak because they are too scared to or the hands who torture them have already silenced them. They can't speak from their graves. So I write for myself, for what I've seen and heard and endured. And I write for them; for the ones like my mother, who survived, and for the many victims who didn't survive. And I speak about it. I will do so until I am dead unless domestic violence ends before then. I will speak and write about it until every victim and survivor can say "NEVER AGAIN."

If you don't like that I talk about the stuff you don't want to hear about, then don't listen. Unlike the page. De-friend me. In the end though, every person only has ONE voice and we are meant to use for something. This is what I am meant to use my voice for.

For those who stick with me and support this cause, thank you for listening, reading, paying attention and helping me raise awareness. It does make a difference. United we stand, divided we fall.

On that note- a small reminder. Download "She Wasn't Allowed to Giggle." It's free this week. Share it with someone who know who has been through abuse it. Read it for yourself and talk about domestic violence. Bring it to light so we can give a victim their light at the end of the tunnel. It's a small action, but it could change so much for one life. 

http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/92467

 

 

Update: Moving again and another giveaway!

So it's back to the West Coast for us. I got the reporter job out on the Sunshine Coast! It's an incredibly exciting time. One of my New Year's resolutions was to get back into my journalism career after self-publishing two books. So we're off to where ocean meets the sky and where dreams drift up amongst the billions of stars in the night sky; because you can actually see the stars in the sky out there.

It's back to packing up stuff that never really got unpacked any ways- most of my stuff is still in boxes awaiting the next move, where it's all been for the last year or so. It'll be great to finally be in our own place, unpack it all and stay in one town for a while. The gypsy life has its fun and adventure, but there comes a time to settle down. We'll see where this new chapter of my life goes.

As for the latest in my self-publishing journey…

Domestic Violence Giveaway ~ The Valentine's Day edition ~
"She Wasn't Allowed to Giggle"

 

The Domestic Violence Giveaway is back. This month, "She Wasn't Allowed to Giggle" will be free for a week again on Smashwords, starting February 15 (tomorrow) on Smashwords: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/92467

She Wasn`t Allowed to Giggle cover

 

Other writing news…

I'm also back to working on "Spellbound by the Sword," the Spellbound sequel. I'm rewriting from chapter 3 onwards and it's going well. Sales have been somewhat slow, but I plan on trying to change that when I get print copies of "Spellbound by Fire" available in print again. In the new edition of "Spellbound by Fire," including the eBooks, there is now a map of Nevermore and a glimpse into the ancient witch language Kawilan. I'm really excited about these!!

I am also going to start a weekly thing on this blog where I post about one domestic violence story that catches my eye every week, another attempt to raise awareness for the issue. I think it will be a Friday thing.

So, get your free copies of "She Wasn't Allowed to Giggle" starting tomorrow. I will post again when we are settled out on the coast (again). Happy Valentine's Day to everyone out there, and remember: if you love someone show it every day, not just one day a year because a holiday obligates you too. Love is not obligation.

 

Updates ~ West Coast bound again?

Do you ever just feel like where you're at simply isn't where you belong anymore?

When my fiancé and I returned to Alberta, we were on a mission to help my mother and see to it that her condition improved until she could go back to work. My mother had a stroke last summer and it was a struggle to be out on the West Coast so far away from her. We returned to Alberta in October to be near her.

Last week, my mother returned to work. She is on modified for now, which means that she can only do limited things and nothing too stressful. It is a huge relief knowing that my only parent will be fine.

That means that our mission here is done. For the first time, I have come to the realization that my family doesn't necessarily need me anymore. It's a very strange feeling but one that is opening some doors. A reporter job opportunity has come up back on the coast. My fiancé has stated that he misses it out there, as do I. I'll know within a few weeks if I got the job. If I do, then it's back to the West Coast for us! If not, we have a back up plan. We'll just take off the summer and hit up a bunch of writers' festivals with a bunch of my books, hopefully to end up on the West Coast where we can find jobs again and continue the next chapter.

Our wedding is this summer as well. We set the date for July 5. To most people, the date doesn't mean much, but it does to me. July 5, 2004 was when Mom's abusive ex burned down the house. Life has continued since then. Time keeps going past as if nothing ever really happened but I still remember everything. I'll never forget standing on the sidewalk before what was once the house in which we lived, crumbled to ashes, this blackened oblivion there on Main Street to finally prove what everyone knew was happening all along.

By Lavinia Thompson

But I'm replacing that memory now; putting something beautiful and loving in its place just to prove that there is a light at the end of the tunnel. My own story is proof that for as many women who are murdered by domestic violence every day, there are ones who escape, if only narrowly. They are the ones who go on to tell their stories and find that light. I am proud to be a survivor and I want that to reflect in my wedding: I found the love that he said I never would, that he never wanted me to. I first defied his destruction and abuse by publishing "Spellbound by Fire" and "She Wasn't Allowed to Giggle." I now defy his control by loving and being loved and I will celebrate that on a day when he thought his destruction had depleted everything. It didn't. We continued on as a family. I continued on as a young scared girl grown up to be a woman unafraid to be who she is and to follow her dreams.

And follow her dreams she did. I got my first royalty payment from Smashwords this past week. It's only a small amount but it's the start to the dream of eventually being a full-time novelist. It's a great feeling to be making some money, if only a little, from my books. It's inspiring.

It's exactly what I have always wanted to do- write books, publish them, send out a message and make money from them. Life just keeps getting better.

 

By Lavinia Thompson

Poem ~ Chase the Moon

 

A Hard Day's Night

in the hotel laundry room

folding towels in stacks high

just to see when they'll fall.

Life is a series of moments

and here we are…

dreaming of the West Coast;

memories of a billion stars in the sky

over the ocean crashing,

beach fires in the dark,

late night sex and cheap cigars;

memories,

passion…

Came back to this town;

pulled in around midnight

strung out from the road

as leaves fell from trees; late October.

Haven't felt alive since;

there's a magic this town

just doesn't have anymore.

Time to chase that moon again.

Lead me back

to the sea…

to the sea…

Search for that something more

long away from a town

that's sick of us again.

 

 

Photo by Lavinia Thompson copyright 2012

 

Domestic Violence Awareness Give away and other updates

Well, here goes my first update of 2012.

Domestic Violence Awareness Giveaway II ~ Spellbound by Fire

First- an announcement: I will be hosting a monthly giveaway for my books- a continuation of the Domestic Violence Awareness Giveaway I did last month with "She Wasn't Allowed to Giggle," except this time I will be giving away eBook copies of "Spellbound by Fire."

The Domestic Violence Awareness Giveaway II starts this Friday, Jan. 20 and runs until Jan. 27. In order to receive your free copy of "Spellbound by Fire" all you have to do is like the Facebook page. Once you've done that, message me on Facebook or email me at thompson_lavinia@yahoo.ca and let me know you've liked to page so I can send you the coupon code for Smashwords. Remember, this starts on Friday!

I am very happy with how the last Giveaway went. About 100 copies of "She Wasn't Allowed to Giggle" were downloaded, and about 300 more after that when Amazon listed it for free. It has been selling pretty steadily since. Just like last time, I am encouraging other writers who have books related to domestic violence to pitch in a free eBook as well to help raise awareness. There were a few great books that were a part of this last month and I would love to see more!

Second: I have decided to make the Domestic Violence Awareness Book Giveaway a monthly thing. That's right. Once a month, one of my books will be given away in order to help raise awareness for domestic violence. For the time being, it will alternate between "Spellbound by Fire" and "She Wasn't Allowed to Giggle." When "Spellbound by the Sword" comes out, then it will also be included.

The giveaways are a great way, I think, to help raise awareness for domestic violence and child abuse. After all, that's what I've always wanted my writing to accomplish…and here I am. I might not be a bestseller but if my books change a few lives, then they have served their purpose. That in itself is fulfilling.

Next: A new book soon ~ Abrianna

I am taking a break between "Spellbound" books to work on a shorter novella story. For the time being, the working title is "Abrianna." In short, it is about a recently divorced, bestselling author who struggles to come to terms with the fact that her 13 year marriage is over. Her adoptive son, 16 year old Max, is gay and struggling with his identity, severely bullied at school and hides it all from his parents, becoming suicidal and depressed. The story is told from the POV of both Abrianna and Max; a story of acceptance, moving on and learning to live in your own skin no matter what age you are when life's rough patches hit hard. I previously posted an excerpt from the opening scene.

That's it for now. "Abrianna" should be released in eBook in a few months. I am hoping to have "Spellbound by the Sword" written before the end of summer and to have it released before the end of the year. Then it'll be on to the third…

 

 

Excerpt: "Abrianna" opening scene

Smoke of cheap cigars, romantic flames of candlelight…midnight. The house had been too empty since he had walked out the door. Three months. It had been three months, and for the first time in 13 years Abrianna was living without the love of her life. She still didn't know what to do with herself. A cloud of tobacco-scented smoke followed her head of straight brown hair as she paced her study, cigar in between her long fingers, the oak shelves full off books, a library crawling over two of the walls in the giant room. Her dream office. Any writer would have loved it. Books about anything from crime scene investigating to how to construct a fantasy world; then at least three shelves of her work, her blood, sweat and tears, all self-published and printed. She had worked hard to get to where she was. But she was alone.

She was always told that love sometimes hurt, that sometimes it lasts and then sometimes it just falls apart between your hands before you can reach far enough to salvage it.

"Getting married is more like trapping yourself more than it is a promise of anything," her bitter mother had said. After five or six boyfriends who treated her badly after being abandoned by Abrianna's father, her mother was quite the man-hater, something Abrianna grew out of after meeting her ex-husband.

"I told you he was a waste of time, Abri, when will you listen to me? You're better off without men in your life," she listened to her mother rant after news of the separation got out. Abrianna was only thankful that she was 200 kilometres away when news travelled through that small town, that she could just put her face into her hand as she held the phone.

She watched out her window as cars passed by out on the city streets under a full moon lingering eerily in the dark sky. She missed him. The hurt and loneliness of him being gone still brought tears to her eyes and a wrenching feeling in her stomach like she was about to double over in pain.

She knew she was too proud to tell him the truth. That stars judged her decision to distance herself from him. After three or four of his flings with girls who claimed to like his music just to get good drunken sex, Abrianna didn't know if she could trust him, regardless of how much she loved him.

Decisions; complications, all these thoughts she didn't know what to do with. Lost; restless, always something to deal with.

Crushing the butt of her cigar in the ash tray on her desk until the smoke stopped crawling from it, Abrianna left her writing room and wandered down the dark hallway. She stepped silently down the spiral stair way, flicking on the lights in the kitchen. Black marble counter tops embraced her as she entered the room, her dark oak cupboards and stone tile floors like a background against her black fridge, stove and dishwasher. Even the coffee maker, toaster and blender were her preferred appliance colour of black. Her dream kitchen. She ran her fingers atop the marble counter of the island as she made her way to the fridge, yearning a midnight snack while not really being hungry.

Writing munchies, as she called it; having spent hours at writing until her brain was exhausted and her body was telling her she needed food, while her stomach didn't reply to the want. Restlessly, she closed the fridge door and grabbed a bag of nacho cheese chips from the top of the fridge. Chips had to have the loudest package; she swore it every time she touched one late at night as the crinkling sound bellowed throughout the large house.

She wandered into the living room aimlessly, no thought in particular in her mind anymore. Great spider plants she had grown greeted anyone who entered the room. Black leather couches sat against the backdrop of red walls that reached to the 8-foot ceiling of the first floor. The focal wall was all shelves of books and dragons; the mythical beasts she had always adored. A large dragon statue stood fearlessly in the middle of her dark oak coffee table. Her dream living room. The black lace curtains rippled slightly at the autumn breeze blowing through the window. It was still warm for fall, not unlike the Alberta season. Winters got ferociously cold, a slam of blizzards and cold snaps after summer settling into foreshadowing of frigid months.

She was standing in her dream house. It had taken years to self-publish her way to the top of the publishing world, but there she was, making $11,000 a month. She hadn't had to worry about anything financially since she was 28, when she scored her first best-seller novel, the first in her fantasy series about dragons, pirates and witches. Since then, she had stayed home to write her life away and raise her son. Now, at 35 years old, she was separated from the only man she had ever loved, in her huge house with everything she could ever dream of owning. A brand new car sat outside. Her two German Shepherd dogs, Rhiannon and Jack, followed her around the house loyally in her loneliness. The huge bay windows of the living room spied on the world outside; a world that Abrianna, with her creative immersed in her fantasy worlds, only faced when she had to.

And then there was her son. Sixteen year old Max had taken the separation hard. As strong as he tried to be, Abrianna knew he was scared; scared that Dagan would never come back, scared that Abrianna would no longer be able to take care of him. It was a fear she would only expect out of an adopted child who knew he was given up by his real parents. She wished she could take all his pain away and make it better. But she knew they both had to work through it.

Poor Max, she thought to herself, her dark eyes softening in compassion. Even with the separation aside, Max had a hard time at school. Teenagers and their parents alike didn't easily accept an openly gay 16-year old in the public school system, and Max suffered for simply being himself. Abrianna offered to switch his schools, but Max always claimed he could handle it. Something inside told Abrianna it wasn't necessarily the truth; that Max was simply trying to be a good kid for the sake of his parents.

Abrianna sat on the window seat before the bay window, watching the world outside with all its bright city lights, autumn leaves in piles of neighbourhood yards, and life. Life so colourful, all the while her life was a dull grey, but neither black nor white.

 

Excerpt of something new

Well, you all know I have a few writing projects on the go right now. And you know I love sharing parts of them! So here's a bit I wrote tonight after finishing the character's profile. Enjoy!

Smoke of cheap cigars, romantic flames of candlelight…midnight. The house had been too empty since he had walked out the door. Three months. It had been three months that Abrianna was living without the love of her life for the first time in 13 years. She still didn't know what to do with herself. A cloud of tobacco-scented smoke followed her head of straight brown hair as she paced her study, the oak shelves full off books, a library crawling over two of the walls in the giant room. Her dream office. Any writer would have loved it. Books about anything from crime scene investigating to how to construct a fantasy world; then at least three shelves of her own work, her blood, sweat and tears, all self-published and printed. She had worked hard to get to where she was. But she was alone.

This is a new story I got an idea for today. Stay tuned to find out more! Peace!

 

 

Spellbound by Fire Book trailer!!!

Thanks to Michael Ribisi and Jason White, who put this together, Spellbound by Fire now has a book trailer!!!

Thanks Michael and Jason for an amazing job!

Update: New Year's resolutions and best wishes!

This will be my final blog post of 2011- but there is so much more to come in 2012.

2011 has been an experience and a half, and I would like to take the time now to thank friends, family, fellow writers and anyone else who has supported me throughout my self-publishing journey so far. It means a lot to have people who care about your dreams and ambitions.

I am working on the book marketing plan for Spellbound by Fire and plan on putting it into full force in 2012 while continuing to work on the sequel, which I want to have done by summer and published by fall.

That's one of my New Year's resolutions. My others shape up as follows:

     Market Spellbound as much as I possibly can in order to see some sales generated. Making a goal for the number of sales I want is silly- the amount of books I sell is beyond my control. But I can do what I can to sell some more books.
     Finish my other poetry book, Wildflowers Scattered, Estranged: Memoirs of a Small Town Girl. I am currently editing it and putting it together before sending it off to my editor.
     I want to, starting in 2012, have at least two books released a year. I have at least three or four I am working on at any given time that I think this should be plausible for me.
     I am going to get out of the rut I have found myself in since graduating- this silly job rut. I'm going to get a better job and one I enjoy while I wait for my books to sell enough that I can be a full-time novelist.
Of course, being a full-time novelist is the ultimate goal I want from all this. It might not happen in 2012, but I resolve to work my hardest to get to that point and do everything I can to do so.
Just be happy; a goal I am always trying to get to. These days it feels like just when I get ahead, I fall behind again- I want to end that in 2012. Enough of mediocre. It's time to be fantastic.

I am finding that this writing and self-publishing thing is a matter of working one goal at a time. Get one thing at a time done and things fall into place. I am strangely optimistic about 2012, but then again I was also optimistic about 2011 and it turned out pretty good!

So happy New Year's everybody! Party on, stay safe, don't drink and drive! I'll be celebrating with my fiancé and some friends I haven't seen since college graduation. I can't think of a better way to ring in the new year!

Things to know if you are acquainted with a writer

Something fun I found from my friend Jeff Beesler on FB, who reposted it from a friend of his.

Things you should know if you are acquainted with a writer:

1. It's not that I'm anti-social. It's just that I'm currently writing at least three books in my head. It's hard to mentally outline and talk at the same time.

2. I'm not staring at your ear because I'm a stalker with a weird fetish. You just did something that gave me an idea for my WIP.

3. I'm not talking to myself. I'm PLOTTING.

4. You mangled the spelling of that word and yes, it will eat at me FOR HOURS.

5. Please don't reference any mainstream, highly successful novels unless you know for sure that they are free of typos and weak writing. And make sure there are no adverbs in it. Otherwise, you'll set off a literary hissy fit of epic proportions.

6. James Patterson is the Antichrist. Don't ask me why. Because I'll tell you. Ad nauseum.

7. IT IS NOT A F***ING HOBBY!

8. Yes, I'm neurotic. I'm a writer, duh. When have you ever met a sane writer?

9. Meet my delicate artist ego. Stroke it. Praise it. It will purr for you. Then it will cry. Then it will accuse you of being disingenuous. Then it will tell you to go to hell. Then it will beg you to like it. Then it will be aloof. Then it will curl itself into the fetal position and suck its thumb until you stroke it again.

10. Don't ask where I get my story ideas. How the crap should I know? It's not like I have a storage locker….