K.C. Sprayberry's Blog, page 168

The Bearded Dude In The Puzzle

Many years ago, in the land of kings and knights, Dozer, a powerful wizard, casts a spell over Scartin, and changes him into a tiny toy wizard and puts him inside the box of a puzzle.
Centuries later, Shelly Taylor, and her two kids, Bobby and Andrea, find their lives in turmoil. They are uprooted from their home and friends and moved to a small town in Idaho. Their parents’ marriage falls apart, and to make matters worse, for some reason the kids at their schools are shunning them.
Shelly, once an advertising executive, starts cleaning houses to make ends meet.  It is in one of these old homes where the ancient puzzle is found.

As the family works on the puzzle, strange things start to happen.  An evil presence is making its way to the Taylor house, intent on making sure that puzzle never gets put together, no matter the cost, and it’s up to Bobby and Andrea to make sure that it does!
The Bearded Dude In The Puzzle
“Bobby,” Shelly knocked as she opened his bedroom door, “it’s raining.  I have to leave early today, so I’ll drop you off at school.”        “Okay, Mom.”  Bobby rolled over on his side covering his head with his blankets.        “I believe your mother wants you to arise.”  Scartin’s muffled voice came to Bobby.          Throwing his covers off Bobby sat up in bed, scratching his head, yawning.        “You look weary, young Bobby.”        The boy jumped up and locked his bedroom door.  “Ya think?” he asked trying to use his best sarcasm.  More than once, during the night, thunder had crashed, rattling the windows.  “A few times the thunder had woke me up and I find Rip Van Winkle staring down at me scaring the..the..you know what out of me.”        Scartin sat down on the chair, eyes wide with wonder.  “I think you might have been dreaming.  I didn’t see Rip here last night.”        “Ugh,” Bobby groaned.  He pushed himself off the bed and got clothes out of his drawers.  “I was talking about you.”        After a few minutes a smile lit up the wizard’s face and then a deep belly laugh escaped from deep inside.  “You are jesting.  Now I understand!”        “SHHHHH!” Bobby whispered urgently waving his hands.        Andi pounded on the bedroom door.  “Who are you talking to?”        “Uhm…nobody.  I’m singing!”  Bobby pushed Scartin toward the closet door.  “Joey and I will be here after school to work on the puzzle.  Stay hidden.”        Scartin was still smiling as he put up a hand to stop the closet door from shutting        “What?” Bobby asked.        “Rip and I don’t resemble each other very much.  He’s much shorter than I am.”         Stunned with the realization there really was a Rip Van Winkle, Bobby stuttered, “O..okay.  Dude, just stay out of sight.”

Critique Group or Beta Readers?

The general consensus is that writers are a lonely group. We work alone, pounding out stories that jump into our heads, and what the reader sees once a book is published is ours alone. That can’t be further from the truth. We do write the first draft, second, and third, however many are required to get the story right, by ourselves. But a good writer realizes that they must have a dedicated group of people willing to assist them with cleaning up their work.
The good writers, those who become authors, have a great group of people behind the scenes. Those members of a critique group, or the beta readers, see the initial book. They read it slowly, making notes about what works or doesn’t work. They’ll catch improper grammar and misspelled words, missing or incorrect punctuation. They are the unsung heroes of the writing world, people willing to assist the writer, often for nothing more than a copy of the book once it is published.
How does one go about finding these people?
Critique groups abound on the web. It’s not difficult to find them with a simple search. The problem lies in finding the right group for you, and that can take a lot of time. Do you want a group where one person posts each week and the rest critique their work before moving onto the next individual in line. These are often done a chapter at a time. You could spend years polishing your work until it’s publication ready. Most of us aren’t that patient. Check out each group. Contact the moderator if that’s possible, and interview them as to what is expected of you if you join and how the group operates. Take your time settling in with the group.
Remember, it will take months to find the right group for you. Don’t be surprised if you join and leave several groups before you find the right one. You’ll be the new kid on the block, and will have to take time to fit in. If you don’t feel as if you’re part of the group after a month or two, move on and find another group.
Beta readers are usually good friends of the writer, people they’ve known for years, but who aren’t afraid to tell him or her what they think about their book. It’s a difficult job. You can’t praise everything and say nothing is wrong. That wouldn’t be doing your job. You have the unhappy position of saying that Susie just can’t suddenly turn into Supergirl in chapter six, because someone is pushing her buttons. It’s your job to dig out bad plot points, overdone descriptions, narrative that bores the reader to tears, and then find a constructive way to tell your writer friend that this doesn’t work and why.
Treat your beta readers well. They can turn your book from a middle of the pack offering to a winner.

A serious author will always find ways to thank their beta readers. Members of a good critique group will find themselves getting published around the same time. These are lifelong friendships you can carry on long after you receive your book contract. Choose your partners in the revision process well. 

Developing Characters

The art of developing a character in a story is difficult to learn. So many people rely on the early in the story information dump and never truly have a memorable character. Just how does one achieve this difficult task and still plot out a great book.
First, remember that a character is more than their physical looks. For instance, he was 6’3”, dark haired with a tanned complexion, and startling green eyes. His muscles had muscles. Okay, we have the typical romance hunk ready to have every female drooling over him. What makes our sassy, intelligent heroine fall for this guy? Does he love reading the classics or is the latest spy thriller more his style? He lives in a neighborhood of older women, most well past retirement age. Does he assist them with home repairs? Carry in their groceries? Mow their lawns and weed their flower beds? What about this man will attract an intelligent woman, beyond his looks.
The same can be said for women. Don’t give us a Barbie doll look alike. Tell us what motivates her. What are her dreams? Her desires? Her plans for the future?
Now that you have an idea how to expand y our characterization, don’t stop there. Talk about their future desires, even if that person is slated to die before the end of chapter one. Don’t give away your intentions. Make your reader love the character and mourn their loss. Instead of saying, Mrs. Smith knelt before her prize winning begonias, unaware that Death’s scythe was descending upon her neck, give us a tease. Tantalize us with Mrs. Smith’s desire to win first prize at the county fair for the fifteenth time in a row. Show us how she dreams of this while her gloved hands are working to mulch her beloved flowers. Insert tiny clues that things might not be as they should, but nothing that will give away a serial killer creeping up on her from behind, determined to make her victim number ten. Perhaps make Mrs. Smith someone he doesn’t necessarily wants to kill, as he admires her, but he must in order to bring his true victim into the public eye.
A good characterization of even minor characters can intensify the action of a story. Even a favorite pet must be drawn out in a way to engage the reader, make them love or hate the animal for its foibles. Don’t rely on the standard pets. An introverted computer nerd, the girl everyone loves to tease for her often greasy hair and pimply face might own an anaconda that shares all her secrets. The head cheerleader might have an iguana rather than a purse dog her persona would suggest is her pet.
What about the football hero? What does he love to do when he’s not winning games? Could it be that he spends hours with his lonely grandpa, talking about baseball games, or teaching his relative how to navigate the internet? Do they have a common interest in online games and play together? These things make our characters three dimensional rather than giving us their looks.
Does your character have a secret they don’t want anyone to know? Maybe a weakness they’re afraid everyone will laugh about if they discovered it. Make that a pivotal point, one where someone discovers it and perhaps threatens to tell. Let your character worry, wonder, drive themselves into an ice cream binge to forget that character X has the goods and will spill them at an important moment.

The characters in our books are real. Make them human. Give them dreams, fears, and an expectation of a future. Have them jump off the page and become people the world will love.

Celebrate the Summer Solstice 2015: Summer Fun

Solstice Publishing and Summer Solstice Publishing announce an anthology to celebrate the Summer Solstice on June 20, 2015. We are accepting short stories up to 7,000 words for inclusion in our anthology: Celebrate the Summer Solstice 2015: Summer Fun.

These stories can be mystery, thriller, suspense, romance, young adult, paranormal, fantasy, sci-fi but no erotica. This will be a family oriented anthology. We want stories about relationships, between families and partners, about friendships, about having a great time during the summer months, after a long, cold winter.

Submissions open for this anthology on 3/16/2015 and close on 4/30/2015. Winners will be notified on 5/6/2015, with a publication date estimated at 6/10/2015.
Submissions will be accepted here: https://solsticepublishing.submittable.com/submit/29229. If you are submitting, you should have this in the information subject line: Celebrate Summer Solstice 2015: [title of your story].

Wallpaper With Rejections

When I started as an author, I received many, many rejections. Some pointed out the problems my work had, others weren’t so kind. Once we were in the 2000s, a lot of rejections came in the form of no response.
Recently, I made the decision to go green with my writing. What that meant was that I was going to stop printing out every tidbit of my stories and saving them in binders. One reason was that the binders were taking up valuable office space. Another reason is that paper and ink are very expensive, and I was trimming my writing budget.
I can’t really tell if it was delight or dismay when I discovered the pile of rejections would actually cover the walls of my office and the hallway outside it. To be honest, I probably did send out a number of short stories and novels that were far from ready for publication back in my early days. I was on a high. Within months of seriously beginning my writing career, I had sold my first story. In my mind’s eye, no one would reject me.
Oh, the pain of that first rejection, although the editor who wrote it was very kind. A slew of more rejections came after that, most the usual “it’s not right for us” or “we’re not accepting this type of story right now, but try again in the future.”
There were a few editors who must have been having a bad day when they wrote the rejection. The anger coming of that paper was palpable, some even suggesting that I give up writing entirely. I have to admit that more than a few of them hurt a lot. But those didn’t stop me. I became a crusader, seeking out new publications or publishers, always searching for the right place to put my stories. Along the way, I collected quite a few stories that have never been published, because there came a point where I saw that the short story long a part of some great magazines, was rapidly vanishing. The reason for that was the internet gaining respect, publishers going green, and the magazine of yesteryear going the way of the dinosaur.
There still are a few magazines, but nothing like there were from the early part of the twentieth century through the first few years of the twenty-first century. Fledgling ezines (electronic magazines) rarely paid much more than a few dollars. In order to achieve my dream of becoming a full time writer, I turned to novels and a whole new pile of rejections, most from the Big 5 publishers.

Now that I have a very inexpensive wallpaper to save me money on redecorating my office, I’m also much wiser. My stories have gained a polish. They are strong and make their point without all the extra descriptions I once leaned on. Do I still get rejections? Sure, even the most well published author will occasionally get a rejection. But like in the beginning, I don’t let that stop me. I move forward, seeking the next story, searching for the right place for each story.

A Harem Boy's Saga Part III

Welcome back, Bernard Fong AKA Young.  What can you tell us about your current work in progress?
I’m working on A Harem Boy’s Saga - book IV – Turpitude; a memoir by Young . It’s a lengthy process since there are a lot of my young life experiences to cramp into each volume. Each book is approximately 3 months of my life, spend in service at a total of 7 different Arab Household harems.For readers who don’t know what A Harem Boy’s Saga is about, here is a synopsis:
A Harem Boy’s Saga – Book I – Initiation; a memoir by Young.
It is also a love story between the young man and his ‘Valet’ who served as his chaperone and mentor during the boy’s Harem service.
Author’s note:
I had a privileged and unique upbringing in Malaysia. Following in my brothers' footsteps, I was sent to an exclusive boarding school in England. It is there that I was inducted into a clandestine organization, E.R.O.S. The Enlightened Royal Oracle Society. For four years, unbeknown to my family, I was willingly and happily part of a Harem.
My story has been kept under wraps for close to 45 years. The correct moment has arrived for me to make known my unique education.
There are 7 books to this series.



What’s your primary method of writing?  Do you brainstorm, work from an outline, or just jot down whatever comes to mind?Writing a memoir or an autobiography is vastly different from writing a fictional novel. I’m writing about events, situations and emotional feelings that had happened, of ‘remembrance of things past.’ My outline, inspirations come from an abundance of old photographs, journals/diaries I had kept during the various periods of my life. Although in the books, I’ve changed the names and places to protect myself and those involved, the experiences and events that happened are true. The creative part of my writing are in the dialogue throughout the books. Although I am able to remember the overall gist of what was said, I had to make up the dialogue since it’s been over 40 odd years since these events/situations occurred.

Who inspired you to get into writing as a profession?An inner calling told me to document my unique education. Now, is the correct moment to tell my story. Other factors that influenced me to write are: ·                    Provide Tolerance to Sissy Boys by understanding parents/peers and the community. Anderson Cooper 360 documentary on the devastating treatment of effeminate boys influence me to tell my story.
·                    Bullying can be Avoided through Big Brother/Big Sister volunteer programs in school or outside school system. Older students acting as mentors to younger students.
·                    Gay Adolescent Tolerance – parents/child/siblings relationship issues.Support/mentorship program to all parties involved to foster understanding and acceptance of Gay kids.
·                    Provide an Alternative Educational System;Understanding Big Brother/adolescent mentorship programs in schools, BB as protector to keep younger kids from being bullied.
·                    Human Relationship Building Program;Between parents/teachers and young students on sexual topics/issues, especially when adolescent are just discovering their sexuality. They can be guided on a healthy and honest sexual journey instead of “don’t ask, don’t tell” hide it behind the closet policy.

What has been the biggest challenge for you as a writer?Staying focus to write daily especially writing a 7 volume epic saga of my adolescent teenage life. I had considered changing the book main title to The Chronicles of A Harem Boy instead of A Harem Boy’s Saga but my literary agent advised me not to.

Let’s go silly for a moment – if you could be any character from a TV series, who would it be and why?I love the BBC TV miniseries, Downton Abbey . I will like to Lady Mary. She is elegant, cool, sophisticated, worldly and stylish. Not to say I’m not all of the above but I miss the wealth I was inducted into during my young years.

Do you have a particular favorite spot to write?  How about a favorite food or drink to stoke the ingenuity?I move between my writing desk in my workroom and the lanai (balcony). It is very pleasant to sit outdoors to write, especially when living in Hawaii. The winters here (like now) are very temperate and cool. Perfect place to write and be surrounded by nature.

What sort of advice can you give to those who are just getting into this field?Stay focus. My modus operandi: the 3Ps: Perseverance, Persistence & Patience.

Two of your books are award winners. Why don’t you tell us about that.
To be honest with you, I had forgotten both my entries (I entered  A Harem Boy's saga - I -Initiation; a memoir by Young  in the 'Erotica' category and book  II - Unbridled  in the 'All Other Novels' category). It was when you reminded me that I was within the top 10 (for Unbridled) that I realize I had entered the competition. That was when I started actively soliciting supporters to vote for the books.
I checked the ranking and for some miraculous reason, Initiation was also at #8 in 'Erotica' (when I forgot all about the entry). Unfortunately  Initiation  didn't make it into the top 10 final cut when the results were announced but  Unbridled  did.
If not for you, I would have completely forgotten about the entries. Lol! Of course I was elated, not just because I came in at #8 but that I even made it into the top 10 when I had completely forgotten about both entries. Lol!
b) As for the Pinnacle Book Achievement Award, when  Initiation  (the 1st book in  A Harem Boy's Saga  series) was 1st self-published in 2013, I entered the book into theAutobiographies/Memoirs category. Again I had forgotten about the entry until the organiser contacted me to tell me I've won in the 2013 Autobiographies/Memoirs category.
I couldn't believe it! I was surprised and delighted simultaneously of my good fortune. Lol!
Hence, this is the back story. :) The point is - after I've done something, I leave it at that and move on to something else or the next thing that requires my attention. Being a writer, I'm sure you are aware that writing the next book is more important than winning  awards and competitions. Sure, it is great to be acknowledged for one's hard work but my 1st and foremost love is writing and telling my story to a larger audience. The accolades are secondary to my passion of writing or my other creative endeavours. 



Social Media Links
EmailWebsiteEmerantia Antonia Parnall-Gilbert Gilbert Literary AgencyMelissa Miller Solstice Publishing

A Harem's Boy Saga Part II

Out of Control Characters welcomes Bernard Foong AKA Young to talk about his memoirs today. Author of the A Harem Boy’s Saga, he has experiences all of us will find fascinating.
Part I: Let's Start at the Beginning...
What's your name? Bernard Foong (a.k.a. Young)

Give me your full name... Bernard Foong (a.k.a. Young)
Do you have a nickname? Young If yes, what is it and how did you come to have it? My classmates in my UK boarding school couldn’t pronounce my Chinese name Yoong, so I became Young.
What species are you? Human (Human, werewolf, etc? Or are you an alien?) I know you have some special gifts that aren’t entirely human.

Where/when were you born? I was born in 1953 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (Malaya at the time of my birth. Now it is Malaysia after it obtained its independence from the British Empire).
Okay, now...do you believe that you are good or bad or are those terms not definable? Not definable.
Part II: Tell Us More About Yourself...
How would you describe your personality?Inquisitive, smart, intelligent, creative, and full of vigor/vitality.
Would you say you're someone who can handle pressure? Yes. What’s a good example? When I was being summoned into the headmaster’s office to be told that I’m 5 boys (from a school of approximately 200) that I’ve been specially selected to enter a sexual secret society – The Enlightened Royal Oracle Society (E.R.O.S.) to be further educated in a more exclusive boarding school in the United Arad Emirates to be groomed to enter several Arab Household harems.

Do you get along with others? Yes!13. Who are your main enemies, people you would like to see stopped from whatever they are doing? None. Since I’m writing about my (true-story) unique harem experiences of my adolescent life. I don’t have any enemies.

How about allies? Mainly my “big-brothers”, Valets, teachers.
What is one things that you would like to see happen in the immediate future? That A Harem Boy’s Saga; a memoir by Young series will shed a positive and an enlightening light on mainstream society (worldwide).
Part III: Hypothetically...
Suppose that you could become any creature you know of. What would you pick, and why? I wouldn’t want to be any creature but myself because I had such a positive experience during my young years in harem services.

One of your enemies just complimented you. What is your response? Love him/her unconditionally.
One of your friends just insulted you. What is your response? At our unique education, we are specially selected by the secret society because of our positive and loving traits. Therefore, students and “big-brothers/Valets” would treat insults with a grain of salt and use our positivity to dissipate the negativity.
If you could change anything about yourself... I love and embrace who I am. I’m a perfect me, I don’t need to change and be somebody I’m not.
Tell me about where you grew up… My childhood until 13 years of age was spend in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. From late 13 to 26 I was educated in the United Kingdom. From 14 years on, I’ve been travelling, studying, teaching all over Europe and Asia.
Part IV: Now We Get Personal
What're your parents like? Love my nurturing mother. Did not get along with my tyrannical dad. They are both deceased.
Do you have any siblings? I have 2 blood brothers, one half-brother and a half-sister.What's your occupation? I’m a semi-retired fashion designer. I’m also an established artist. Now, I’m writing my 7 books memoirs. Do you like it? I love everything I do.
Are you seeing/dating anyone? I’m in a long-term relation. My life-partner and I have been together for 19 years.
If not, did you ever think about getting engaged or married and to whom? In my memoirs, I’ve recently reconnected with my ex-big-brother/Valet/lover. If and when we do meet up and if the circumstances and situations permit, we (my life-partner, Walter, Andy – my ex-lover “big-brother”/Valet and I may decide to have a triplet relationship.


Tell us your biggest secret. I had kept my E.R.O.S. and harem experiences a secret close to 40 odd years. Now, I’m ready to tell my story. Therefore my biggest secret (that is no longer a secret anymore). I’ve included a synopsis below of what my secret was.
Synopsis: A Harem Boy’s Saga - I – Initiation; a memoir by Young.

This provocative story is about a young man who was initiated into a clandestine sexual society. He was spirited to the Middle East, from his UK boarding school. He attended the Bahriji School (Oasis,) in The United Arab Emirates in preparation for serving in Harems for the wealthy and elite.
It is also a love story between the young man and his ‘Valet’ who served as his chaperone and mentor during the boy’s Harem service.
Author’s note:
I had a privileged and unique upbringing in Malaysia. Following in my brothers' footsteps, I was sent to an exclusive boarding school in England. It is there that I was inducted into a clandestine organization, E.R.O.S. The Enlightened Royal Oracle Society. For four years, unbeknown to my family, I was willingly and happily part of a Harem.
My story has been kept under wraps for close to 45 years. The correct moment has arrived for me to make known my unique education.
Your worst fear? One of the reason I’ve changed the actual names of people and places in my memoirs is to protect their identities so I will not be sued or have a ‘Fahwah’ put on my life because of my controversial experiences. This is not so much fear but a precaution I took to protect all the people and institutions involved. You don't have to answer this one if you don't want to.
Tell us one thing you're the most proud of and why? To be given this enlightened educational opportunity within such an opulently, wealthy and unique setting, to grow into a responsible citizen of the world. This, I’m grateful and truly proud of.




Social Media Links
EmailWebsiteErmenantia Antonia Parnall-Gilbert B Gilbert Literary AgencyMelissa Miller Solstice Publishing

A Harem Boy's Saga Part I

Out of Control Characters welcomes Bernard Foong, AKA: Young, for a 3 part posting about his series: A Harem Boy’s Saga. This is a unique look at his experiences as a young man growing up within a secret society, told in a tender way as he explores his sexuality. 
A Harem Boy Saga; A Memoir. Book 1 - INITIATION.
This provocative story is about a young man who was initiated into a clandestine sexual society. He was spirited to the Middle East, from his UK boarding school. He attended the Bahriji School (Oasis,) in The United Arab Emirates in preparation for serving in Harems for the wealthy and elite.
It is also a love story between the young man and his ‘Valet’ who served as his chaperone and mentor during the boy’s Harem service.
Author’s note:I had a privileged and unique upbringing in Malaysia, where I was known as a "sissy boy." Following in my brothers' footsteps, I was sent to an exclusive boarding school in England. It is there that I was inducted into a clandestine organization, E.R.O.S. The Enlightened Royal Oracle Society. For four years, unbeknownst to my family, I was willingly and happily part of a Harem.
My story has been kept under wraps for close to 45 years. The correct moment has arrived for me to make known my unique education.


Unbridled is the sequel to Initiation- A provocative story about a young man who was initiated into a clandestine sexual society. He was spirited to the Middle East, from his UK boarding school. He attended the Bahriji School (Oasis,) in The United Arab Emirates in preparation for serving in Harems for the wealthy and elite.
It is also a love story between the young man, his ‘Big Brother’ and his ‘Valet’ who served as his chaperones and mentors during the boy’s Harem services.
This book follows the teenagers’ erotic and exotic adventures and experiences at their 2nd Arab Household Harem, the Sekham. They were apprentices and models, for the household patriarch’s controversial photography project, “Sacred Sex in Sacred Places”.
The author's experiences present facts that are truthful. Through these truths, which are often demonized by contemporary societies that deem such behaviors inappropriate, the author hopes to dispel condemnations and negativity which relate to his experiences. 
There are 5 - 7 volumes in A Harem Boy’s Saga series.
“Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage.”Lao Tzu
Debauchery is the triquel to A Harem Boy’s Saga , aprovocative story about a young man who was initiated into a clandestine sexual society through his UK boarding school. From there, he was spirited to the Middle East to attend the Bahriji (Oasis) School in The United Arab Emirates in preparation for Harem services for the wealthy elite.
It is also a love story between the young man, his ‘Big Brother,’ and his ‘Valet,’ who served as his chaperones and mentors.
This book follows the teenagers’ erotic and exotic adventures and experiences at their third Arabian Household Harem, the Quwah. There, they became confidants to a prince, assistants in an international dance club venture, “Carousel,” and apprentices and models in a controversial photography project, “Sacred Sex in Sacred Places.”
This story is an account of the author’s experiences. Through these truths, often demonized by contemporary societies that deem such behaviors inappropriate, the author hopes to dispel condemnation and negativity related to sexuality, love, and personal freedom. 
A Harem Boy’s Saga is a series of seven volumes.
No Distance Between Us
An Excerpt from A Harem Boy’s Saga - I – Initiation; a memoir by Young.

It is also a love story between the young man and his ‘Valet’ who served as his chaperone and mentor during the boy’s Harem service.




Author’s note:
I had a privileged and unique upbringing in Malaysia. Following in my brothers' footsteps, I was sent to an exclusive boarding school in England. It is there that I was inducted into a clandestine organization, E.R.O.S. The Enlightened Royal Oracle Society. For four years, unbeknownst to my family, I was willingly and happily part of a Harem.
My story has been kept under wraps for close to 45 years. The correct moment has arrived for me to make known my unique education.
There are 7 books to this series.

Author’s Bio


Young alias Bernard Foong is, first and foremost, a sensitivist. He finds nuance in everything. To experience the world he inhabits is an adventure which is mystical, childlike and refreshing. He has a rare ability to create beauty in a unique fashion. His palettes have been material, paint, words and human experiences.By Christine Maynard (screenwriter and novelist).
Bernard Foong (designer) – A brief history
Born in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. At the age of 8, he was assisting his aunt and cousin, learning the art of sewing and fabrics/colors matching. He attended an exclusive private boarding school in the United Kingdom before obtaining his Diploma in Fashion Design at the Harrow College of Art & Technology in London, England.  He went on to complete his Master of Design at the Royal College of Art & Design, London, England. During his college years he won several international fashion awards and was already retailing bridal and evening dresses to several well known department stores in England. Liberty of London, Selfridges, Harrods and Harvey Nichols to name a few that carried his designs. His Royal College of Art graduation wedding/evening wear collection was sold to Liberty of London and displayed in their store windows for the entire month of June that year.
For four years, he worked for Liberty’s bridal department as their in-house designer until a trip to Hong Kong, while working on a freelance project for ‘Bird’s’(casual wear) company, he was recruited by the Hong Kong Polytechnic University as their Fashion professor for the next 6 years. During his stay in Hong Kong, he freelanced for numerous fashion companies. From designing casual wear, swimwear, lingerie, and fur garments, men’s wear, bridal and evening fashions to accessories (bags, shoes, and head-wear). He also participated and organized numerous fashion shows, events, functions, and presentations in the Asia Pacific region.
Working for Keys Far East Hong Kong as chief lingerie designer - travelling extensively to the United States, he was soon  recruited as an Associate Fashion Design/Illustration Professor to the University of Wisconsin, Madison and also lectured at the Minneapolis College of Art & Design for a couple of years.
Foong was then appointed as the Fashion Development Manager by an established department store – Parkson Grand (22 stores in Malaysia and one in Shanghai, China). Producing under the label, Natural Life by Bernard Foong, he designed casual-wear collections for the Parkson Grand’s flagship store in Kuala Lumpur. After a couple of years later, he was invited by the Temasek Polytechnic, Singapore to join their design school to establish a Fashion Design department. For two years, he assisted several founding members of the design school - working on the fashion department’s teaching curriculum.
The Fitzgerald Theatre Department, University of Hawaii, Manoa, Oahu, Hawaii awarded a full scholarship for Foong to complete his second Master of Art in Theatre Costuming. Now a resident on the Island of Maui, he has assisted many charity organizations in their fund raising events with his extravagant fashion and performance shows/presentations. In 2005, he and his partner, Mr. Walter Jay Bissett opened Fire Dragon Bistro Orient & Design Shop. He also designs costumes/fashions for numerous theatrical productions in Hawaii and abroad.
 Appointed as chief lingerie designer for Cerie International Limited – Hong Kong, his lingerie designs can be found in major department stores in Canada and the United Kingdom.
He showcased the BERNARD FOONG R-T-W collections and BERNARD FOONG @ Modern Classic Ltd. (an established – Hong Kong bridal & evening wear company) collections in Hong Kong. His 2008 & 2009 bridal/evening/bridal lingerie fashion show, “Grace” & “Coming Up Roses” were premiered at Hong Kong Fashion Week in July 2007 and January 2008 respectively at the Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Center, garnering positive interest in many Asian press reviews, including a China nationwide television broadcast of his latest collection. Aika (International Opera Singer) wore several Bernard Foong special occasion dresses at her Japan & European tour in September & October 2009.
Foong was the chief Creative Director for Official (Special Occasion fashion manufacturing company) Guangzhou, China  producing – BERNARD FOONG Couture (specialty one-of-a-kind creations), White (RTW - Wedding/Special Occasion wear), Foxy Cute (Smart Casual/Cocktail wear), SexZ  (decorative bustier) & Diva Bitch (sexual lingerie inner/outer-wear) collections.
Besides working on his regular haute couture, R-T-W and lingerie collections he is a visiting consultant/advisor for:·        Pivot Point fashion college, Chengdu, China.·        Hong Kong Design Institute (fashion department), Hong Kong, SAR.·        Hong Kong Poly/U, Hong Kong (School of Apparel Design & Merchandising), SAR.·        Hong Kong Fashion Designers Association, Hong Kong.·        Singapore Temasek Polytechnic – School of Apparel Design & Merchandising (ADM), Singapore.
Bernard is also writing his autobiography, a seven book series of Mr. Foong’s young life: A Harem Boy’s Saga: A Memoir by Young. This provocative story spanning 4 decades and 3 continents is about a boy who was sent to a very exclusive English boarding school in the 1960s where he was initiated into a clandestine sexual society and then spirited away to serve in wealthy and elite Middle Eastern harems ." A Harem Boy’s Saga series is published by Solstice Publishing and is available in print and E-books internationally.
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EmailWebsiteAgent: Emma Antonia Parnall-Gilbert Gilbert Literary AgencyMelissa Miller Solstice Publishing

Book Pirates

“Avast ye maties.” Keehaul the varmit.” are expressions made popular by Hollywood, showing a pirates lifestyle as rebel going after the establishment. A well-known amusement park has a popular ride idealizing the pirate lifestyle that attracts millions a year. Most people feel as if they can identify with pirates.
With all things Hollywood and in amusement parks, the truth is much further from fiction than people are willing to believe. Everyone loves to cheer for the little guy, and pirates are seen as that, but there is another little guy suffering from attacks by an internet version of these criminals daily… the author.
Now, I can hear a lot of people protesting. So, you lost a few dollars in royalties. It’s not like you’re starving. Anyone can sell a book these days. Quit crying and write another book.
Okay. I get what you’re saying, but I believe you might be wrong. You see, I’m an author and I think I have a way to make you understand just what it feels like to discover a site like I did and see what they’re doing to my sales.
Imagine if you will that your income is dependent on the whim of people searching for your talent in an online marketplace. You’re in competition with thousands of others who claim to be as good as you are. You have to brand your name, so people recognize it and promote yourself every single day, no matter how you feel. You have to convince others, through reviews and a constant barrage of new work that you are the best person for the job. And you’re just starting to become known, get more jobs, earn more money.
Then imagine one day that all comes tumbling down because a website with their server in one country and based in another country hacks your information. People can now purchase your product or services and you don’t get paid for them. Think about your income cut by 10, 20, or even 50% overnight, because of this illegal company operating without a care about your lifestyle.
Can’t happen you say. Oh, but it does, and it happens every single day to authors all around the world. We are tasked with entertaining our audience with new and fresh material far faster than most other people have to change how they do their jobs. In addition to writing a book, the modern author must allot a certain amount of time each day to promoting their work and inducing sales. When pirates take our hard work and sell or give it away on a website, they are stealing from us, and they are rarely punished.
Let’s use some examples in other jobs.
Your doctor suddenly closes his office. The reason? His patients and their insurance companies have said he’s not as a doctor on the other side of town, so they’re not paying him for what he’s already provided.
Your mechanic charges a lot more than the guy down the road. You’re upset. It’s your hard earned money. So you refuse to pay and drive off, laughing at how you’re going to the cheaper mechanic and also taught this guy a lesson.
Your local grocery store charges a little more than a store in another town. You decide that since this is too expensive, you can take what you want and walk out the door without paying.
Wait a minute, you cry, people would be arrested and go to trial for doing those things. And you’re right, that’s exactly what happens when you steal from someone.
Unless you’re an author and someone creates a website and gives away your work. I can already hear the protest forming in your mind, but it’s the truth. These pirate sites operate just like this, stealing our work and selling or giving it away for little or nothing. Once they’re discovered, they fold up their tent and move on to another website, uploading books and operating in the exact same manner until they are caught again, only to repeat their actions.
Recovering the lost royalties is an exercise in futility. Imagine that you found your paycheck had one-third less pay in it, and this went on for months and months. Sometimes the amount will increase, sometimes it will decrease. Now, think about the author working hard to present you with a story you’ll love, one you’ll enjoy many more times.
Is it fair for this author to forget about all the lost sales because of pirates? Is it really fair to work hard for months or years on something, only to have a complete stranger reap the rewards?

Oh, one other thing. Many sites that offer these books for free, which is still stealing from an author, will usually give you a free gift you never expected and won’t be aware of until you’re in the hot seat financially. Have you scanned your computer for malware or phishing viruses after downloading a book from a site that sounds too good to be true. Might be a good idea to do that.

Don’t Feed The Trolls

We’ve all run across one of these people at some time in our writing career. They hang around under the bridge of our happiness, ready to knock us back a few feet. Their commentary can be on reviews, or they can appear on our Facebook fan page and Twitter. Their sole purpose in life is to make us feel bad about our writing skills, about ourselves, and to give up.
Did you hear right? A troll wants us to give up?
Well, maybe not give up writing entirely, but give up on the project we’ve labored long and hard on. They’re poking us with a stick, wanting us to blow up and tell them exactly what we think of their behavior. If you do that, you’ve made them very happy and they will continue to harangue you, poking that stick into your soft point, until you explode again.
The internet has created a monster. The troll hides behind their computer screen, daily spewing out their vitriol behind a fake name, never fearing anyone will find out who they really are. They are found on every site that offers people a way to speak out about what has been posted, be it a product or a news story. All they’re looking for is validation for their point of view.
Just what is a troll?
According to Wikipedia, a troll is a person who sows discontent on the internet by starting arguments or upsetting people by posting inflammatory, extraneous, or off-topic messages in an online community with the deliberate intent of provoking readers into an emotional response or otherwise disrupting normal on-topic discussion.
In other words, harken back to the story of the Three Billy Goats Gruff. This Norwegian folk tale has three billy goats attempting to cross a bridge, but a troll continues to threaten to “eat them up.” Internet trolls are much the same as that legendary creature. They are threatening to “eat us up” by vying for our attention and once they have it, they will continue to goad us until we respond.

Ignore the trolls. They will move onto greener pastures, where someone responds to their outrageous commentary.