Allison Bruning's Blog, page 8

The Mysterious Visitor at #SchoenbrunnVillage

Dear Diary........

This week I am starting something new on my blog. Dear Diary is a diary entry written by one of the characters in my books. It will be featured on my blog every Saturday. 

Today, I am introducing a new character to the world from the Children of the Shawnee series, Betsy Wagner. Betsy is introduced in the second book, Lies and Deceit. Lies and Deceit will be released late summer/early fall.

Betsy lives in Schoenbrunn Village located in North East Ohio. Originally from Bavaria, she and her late husband joined the Moravians at Schoenbrunn soon after it was established in 1772. Her husband passed away from cancer the following year. Betsy had spent years helping her husband in surgeries and caring for his patients. She holds enough medical expertise to have impress David Zeisberger into allowing her to replace her husband's position. 
Betsy healed Hawk Song after he passed out from blood loss and infections in his leg when he came to their village with his dead wife's body. The two eventually fell in love and married. 

In the words of Betsy Wagner........

March 20, 1773

Dear Diary, 

It's only been a few months since my beloved died of Cancer. I have visited upon his grave everyday since we buried him in God's Acre. It's been hard to live without him. My bed is so lonely. Some nights, after the boys have gone to bed, I turn over to speak to him only to realize he's never going to return to my bed. 

I have spent the past few weeks trying to busy myself so I can forget my love and move forward with my life. Yet, its hard to look upon the boys and not see their father. They all resemble him more than I! 

Today was an interesting day for me. The boys and I were dining with Jakob Novak and his family when Brother David had sent for me. I ran to the front of the village. There was a half dead Shawnee man with my good friend, Sarah Light, dead underneath his body. I knew who the man was. Sarah had married a Shawnee warrior last year by the name of Hawk Song Watching from the Sky. He is a handsome man with fine features. He arrived to our village with a gunshot wound in his hip. He was so frail from shock and blood loss I doubted he would survive. I wanted to cry for Sarah. I couldn't believe the fourteen year old girl was dead. Dead from a shot to the head. Chaos had erupted throughout the village. Everyone wanted answers. Obviously, her husband had tried to save her. But what tragedy had brought such destruction to their lives? The worst part of it all was Sarah was large with child! Brother David and Jakob Novak carried the unconscious Hawk Song to my cabin. The Shawnee awoke during surgery and tried to attack me. Thankfully, Abraham Light was there. He calmed the man down so I could finish the operation. The shot had splintered in his leg. I had found fragments in his knee, hip and leg muscle. I had to leave a portion of it in his hip joint. It had been to deep within the joint for me to pull out. I don't know if this man will ever be able to walk again. If not, what will we do with a heathen in our village? How will Brother David return him to his village? If he can't walk, won't he starve? So many questions. I pray God have mercy upon this man's soul, for Sarah and their child's sake. 

#CelebratetheSmallThings: Fun Times in El Paso, Texas

It's been awhile but I'm back to participating in the Celebrate the Small Things weekly blog hop. This week has been an exciting one for me. I spent three days in El Paso with my husband and his brother visiting family. We had a wonderful time. 
My brother-in-law taught me how to shoot a couple of guns. I used a nine and a twenty-two millimeter gun. I didn't quite like the the twenty-two. I think I want to get a nine and learn how to shoot it. All in all, I didn't do so bad with my first try at a shooting range. Here's a pic of the target. I think I killed him.

Last week, I participated in the 2016 Armchair BEA conference. I wasn't only a participate but served as a team member this year. I was hard work doing both but I absolutely loved it. 
I've had a great week with my family and working on my writing. I am currently working on the sequel to Calico. The second book of the Children of the Shawnee series is titled Lies and Deceit. It's coming along nicely. I can't wait to publish it. I'll be posting every Sunday the progress I am making every Sunday with my current writing projects. I'll also be posting announcements. 
Speaking of my blog. Now that I'm back to writing full time I have developed a daily blog schedule. Here's what will be on my blog. 
Sunday - Sunday Post (writing progress and announcements)
Monday - Lighting the Way (gifted education)

Tuesday - Historical and Cultural Post 
Wednesday - Express Yourself
Thursday - Historical and Cultural Post
Friday - Celebrate the Small Things
Saturday - Diary of..... (a diary entry from one of my characters)

The 1st Weds of the Month - Insecure Writer's Group

#ArmchairBEA: Allison's Bruning's Addicted to Books

Allison Bruning's Addicted to Books!
Books. Books. Books. I read 'em. I write 'em. I love everything to do with books! Just to have a library of books like this one....... *sigh*

When I'm not writing on my blog I'm usually writing another book, reading a book, or talking about a book. I'm a book nut.  I am a Goodreads author. I use Goodreads to record my progress in whatever I've been reading at the time. I like interacting with my fans. I love sharing interesting things I've learned about at different speaking engagements, festivals and book signings. 

I love to travel, meet new people and learn new things. Next year, my husband and I plan to travel the country in an RV we're buying. We want to fulltime RV while I'm doing books signings, festivals and more. 

#ArmchairBEA: Beyond the Books

Beyond the Books
I can't believe it's the third day of ArmchairBEA already. Where has the time gone? I've had so much fun so far meeting new people and talking all about books. Today is another great topic of discussion. We're talking about transmedia. Transmedia is the when the same story is told in different medias. Hollywood has been practicing transmedia for years. Most of the films that have been released to the public are based on either graphic novels or books. Gone are the days when writers only need to focus on one art form. If you really want to be successful you have to know how to write in more than one media type. 
There are five major types of media: novels, theatre, film, television and graphic novels. Each of these forms tell the story from a different point of view. Novels allow us to experience the story from the character's point of view. We're inside their heads as they go through the entire ordeal.  Theater portrays the story from a world apart. The audience is watching the story unfold before them through a missing wall. The characters rarely know they are being watched. 



Film and television allow the viewers to experience what is happening at the same time as the characters are. The only way we get a glimpse inside their heads is if there is a voiceover. Voiceovers are rarely used because they can be used too much. Sometimes the crossover from novel to screen can be problematic. You can read more about crossovers here. 
Some shows and movies based on books have offered the novelist the change to consult on the projects. The amount of say and freedom an author has depends upon the production company.  Diana Gabaldon is a consultant for the adaptation of her Outlander series on STARZ, which gives her some control on the changes the show must make from the books. 

Author George R.R. Martin is a contributing writer for the adaptation of his Game of Thrones series. He had admitted more than once he has made major changes in the storylines from book to screen. Some of the die hard fans of his books don't like the HBO series. In fact, I was reading the other day that Outlander is beating Games of Thrones in the ratings. HBO has responded saying they are going to produce less episodes per seasons. It looks like Game of Thrones is on it's way out. 

What books do you think had good adaptations in other media forms?

#armchairBEA: Branding and Blogging.

Aesthetic Concerns II
Creating and maintaining a brand that represents what kind of writer you are is important for all authors. I have a personal logo that I use in all my books that depicts my values. 

My logo is of a mother bear with her cubs. I like it because it represents the protective nature I have over the next generation. I'm a born leader, teacher and mother. I love inspiring others to follow their dreams. The female leads in my books are strong, independent and have strong family values. Sometimes I will place my logo on an image to represent the book or series I am promoting. Such as the one below when I am promoting Calico or the Children of the Shawnee series. 


My blog is another place that represents my brand. I write historical romance. The visuals on my blog represent that. I use this banner on my social media and on my blog because I write about the 18th century. I wanted something to represent that. 

The topic I write about on my blog represent an aspect of life surrounding the life and times my characters in my current WIP or my previously published book. I also try to participate in blog hops the relate to history, books or the culture in which I am writing about. 
Branding is very important because it is the first image a reader has to make an impression about you and your work. It's hard work to create and maintain a brand but worth it. 

#ArmchairBEA: Aesthetic Concerns I

Aesthetic Concerns I
It's the second day of the ArmchairBEA. I had so much fun yesterday reading the blog posts and participating in the Twitter Party. Today's topic is about aesthetic concerns. As an author, I create works of art with my words. I build the world and characters. I can see them in my head as I write. They take on a life of their own. I love to read and write about worlds and characters that are so real the words transport me to another time and place. Creative writing can be a challenging and rewarding career. While I and the reviews may enjoy reading my stories, the reviews aren't always the first thing people see when chosing which book to read. Here's where I put on my publisher hat. I have owned and operated my own publishing company for three years. One of the most difficult things to do is to sell your authors books. Why? Because when Amazon opened up the world to self publishing the world was overwhelmed with so many books it has been hard for potential readers to find new authors to read. 
We live in a visual world. Most readers will automatically look at the cover of a book when making a decision whether or not they want to read it. If the cover catches the reader's attention then they will probably read the book's blurb, aka: the summary on the back of the book. That's why it's important for the graphic designer to create a visually enticing cover and the author to create a blurb that maintains the reader's attention. If both are accomplished then the author is likely to have a sale.
Here's the first cover of my book Elsa. The graphic artist has chosen this image because she wanted something to represent the times and the relationship between Franklin and Elsa. While I liked the cover I wasn't that impressed with it. I decided I needed a different cover to express the true relationship. Franklin has Aspergers Syndrome. He doesn't fit well into society. I don't think it shows the complexity of my characters' relationship.  


Here's the new cover for my book and blurnb.
All Elsa Garrett wants in life is to be Franklin’s wife. He’s asked her father for her hand and knows he has permission to ask her. Yet when and how would her boyfriend with Asperger’s Syndrome ask the question? When Franklin has a diabetic seizure all hope seems lost once Elsa learns Franklin can no longer marry her due to an obscure law in Ohio relating to his seizure. With the help of Franklin’s parents, Elsa has a plan. But will it work? Lost in a society that doesn’t understand Franklin or why she would ever choose to be with him, Elsa comes face to face with death, destruction, and misfortune as she tries to clear her boyfriend’s name. With each step towards progress Elsa falls two steps behind. One simple task shifts her entire life towards a direction she could have never imagined. Alone, pregnant, and without her Franklin, is despair all she has to look forward to in her new life, or will fate finally bring them together?

What do you think? Which cover do you think best represents my book?

#ArmchairBEA: Breaking Literary Barriers

Diversity in Contemporary Literature
     The representation of all ethnic groups and genders within literature has been a problem since the beginning of time. Much of the literature in the past was bias towards white, Anglo-Saxon, protestant characters because of the times the stories were written in. Some cultural groups, such as African and Native Americans, were depicted as barbarians because it was the acceptable viewpoint of white society to do so. We still depict some American subgroups, such as Native Americans, as certain stereotypes but this practice as been slowly changing. We've lived so long in a society that has been brainwashed by Hollywood to believe certain things about Native Americans, Hispanics, African Americans and Asians that simply aren't realistic. We accept these negative stereotypes in our media because it has always been so.


Some authors have taken a stand to bring to life characters that have challenged the normally acceptable points of view. Diana Gabaldon's Outlander series is told in the voice of a English woman from the middle of the twentieth century who is transported to 18th century Scotland. Despite being British she supports the Highlanders as they struggle to keep their culture and way of life. Her series works because it brings a fresh perspective into the lives of a culture that hasn't always been so favorably shown in media. It became so popular that STARZ decided to make her books a series. It is currently in the second season and follows the second book of her series. She published the first book in 1991 and it wasn't until 2015 that STARZ picked the series up! 


I started my writing career eight years ago. I was looking for books written from the Shawnee's perspective. I found none. Toni Morrison once said “If there's a book that you want to read, but it hasn't been written yet, then you must write it.” That's exactly how I felt. It wrote Calico (Children of the Shawnee: Book 1) in the summer of 2008. I ended up with over 700 pages. I ended it, broke the story down into a series, and had it published in 2010. It became an instant bestseller. I am currently writing the second book of the series. 

Since the release of Calico, I have published two other novels from perspectives that have been rarely heard in history. Elsa, follows a young woman in early 20th century Ohio who falls in love with a man who has Aspergers. Aspergers and Autism were not known back them. Deemed ineligible to marry under the Eugenic Laws because Franklin has a diabetic seizure and has problems in society, Elsa must fight to marry him. 




Bailey's Revenge takes place in early 18th century Ireland during the end of the Penal Laws against Ireland. It is told not from the perspective of the English but from the Irish Catholics who are at odds against the English. 

I am an author who likes to challenge the literary world with characters who make my readers think about historical situations from a different perspective. I've come under attack by readers who don't like the change of voice that I present, especially when reading Calico. Calico is told from the Shawnee people's viewpoint. I've had readers who don't like that. They know Calico's white and they want to read about a white woman rescued from the Native American savages. I'm just not keen on the idea of supporting the racial and gender stereotypes that are prevalent in our society. We need more authors to take a stand to demolish them. 

#ArmchairBEA: Introducing Allison Bruning

Day 1: Introductions
I am so excited to be at the ArmchairBEA this year. This year I'm not on a participate but also serve on the prize committee for the conference. Without further ado, here are the answers to the introduction questions?
1.  What is the name you prefer to use?


2.  How long have you been a book blogger?

I'm not a book blogger. I've been an author for eight years. I am the bestselling author of Calico, Elsa and Bailey's Revenge. I also have several shorts and have been part of several anthologies. I am currently writing Lies and Deceit, the sequel of Calico. When I'm not writing, I am a PhD in Education student and a publisher. 


3.  Have you participated in ABEA before?
This is my third year participating at ABEA. I love this conference. I've made some wonderful friends each year. I'm looking forward to renewing and making more connections. 
4.  What is your favorite genre and why?
I absolutely love Historical Romance. I've been writing in this genre for eight years. I've dabbled some in Christian fiction, poetry and non-fiction but I generally lean back towards historical romance. Calico and Bailey's Revenge takes place in the 18th century. Elsa takes place in the early 20th century. I'm currently reading the Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon. I also like to read fantasy and Christian fiction. 
5.  If you could create a playlist that reflects your bookshelf, what would be the first song you choose? (You can include more than one if you want :D)
I have always been a book worm. I think this song would best describe my addiction to books and how I've always been in my life. I can't get enough books to read. I could live my entire life in a library. The more books the better!

6.  If you could choose three characters to have lunch with, who would they be and why?From MY books: Calico from Calico (Children of the Shawnee: Book 1)Mary from Bailey's Revenge (Irish Twist of Fate: Book 1)Elsa from Elsa (The Secret Heritage: Book 1)
From OTHER books:
Jenny, Jaime and Claire from the Outlander series
7. Do you have a favorite book? If you cannot choose a favorite book of all time, pick your favorite book today - just this second. Remember that favorites are allowed to change if something affects you deeply enough.

I absolutely love "The Red Tent" by Anita Diamant. It's been one of my all time favorites. The book was made into a movie in 2014. I watched it with my husband. It was amazing!

#ArmchairBEA: Getting ready for the greatest internet conference

This week is an exciting week for me. I've been a participant in Armchair BEA for two years. This year, I'm not only a participant but serve on the organizing committee for this event.  I absolutely love Armchair BEA! The internet conference is open world wide for book bloggers, vloggers and authors. I've met some great people during this conference.

The Armchair BEA conference happens each year during the annual Book Expo America conference. This year the BEA (Book Expo America) conference is happening in Chicago. I had planned on attending the Chicago event but was not able to go this year because I moved back to Texas.

There's a lot going on during Armchair BEA. Twitter parties, blogs, vlogs, and Instagram. You'll be seeing a lot more activity on my blog this week than normal. So be sure to stop back each day to see what's up at the conference.

LTW: Helping #Autistics Communicate with the World

Helping Autistics Communicate with the WorldShare on LinkedInShare on FacebookShare on Twitter               The issues of language development barriers within those who are on the Autism Spectrum is a topic of interest to me because I am on the spectrum and I deal with these problems on a daily basis. Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a set of developmental disorders that presents communication, behavioral and social problems to the child or adult who is affected (NIH, 2016). Autism can be hard to properly diagnose because the symptoms do not always present themselves at the same time or in the same way for everyone who has Autism. There is a wide degree of how severe Autism can affect a person from mild to severe. A high functioning Autistic, such as myself, was once recognized as someone with Asperger’s Syndrome. The term Asperger’s Syndrome was removed from the DSM V and those who were previously diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome have since been formally recognized as having high functioning Autism (Autism Research Institute, 2016).            Humans communicate their thoughts and feelings through body language, writing, and spoken word. Autism Spectrum Disorder hinders a person from understanding and communicating with the world around them. Children and adults with Autism vary in the language development deficiencies due to the severity of their Autism. Early language development of toddlers with Autism occurs more slowly and differently than their peers. The Hanen Center (2016) found Autistic children might become so easily distracted by environmental sounds due to their sensory issues that they might not hear with the adults around them are saying. Thus, they miss out on key opportunities to mimic and learn the language of their parents.            Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder learn to communicate within their native language either through not imitating the words spoken to them or through Echolalia. Echolalia occurs when a child repeats whatever someone else tells them, also known as echoing. The Autistic child may or may not echo whatever was spoken to them right away. Sometimes, Autistic children may echo something at inappropriate times. Although, not all echoes may be functional language echoing does serve it’s purpose in language acquisition and development of the Autistic child. The Hanen Centre (2016) found Autistic children who do not learn language through Echolalia experience prolonged speech delays that hinder their early language development.            Blanc (2013) claimed there are two types of children who learn language. Children who are analytical thinkers acquire language through traditional means while Gestalt Language Processors use echolalia to develop their language skills. Blanc (2013) found echolalia is important for Gestalt Language Processors because it eventually leads children to develop their own self-generated language. Although, these children may exhibit a speech delay they do eventually catch up with their peers. This means Autistic children do not have language development disorder but merely a language delay. Although the Autistic may acquire their native language skills they may still exhibit a communication delay for their entire lifetime especially in social situations.INTERACTING WITH AN AUTISIC            Autism is widely misunderstood by the public largely due to the way the autistic person is portrayed in the media. Autism and Aspergers have become associated with violent behavior or someone with a low IQ. Some Autistics are easy to identify within the public by the way they act. There are many high functioning Autistics who exhibit a command of their native language yet their communication struggles go unnoticed by their peers. Just the thought of interacting with others may cause anxiety to the Autistic, especially if they still have a communication delay. Despite understanding the written and oral language, many Autistics do not understand social communication, especially body language.            It is important for anyone who interacts with an Autistic person to understand how to effectively communicate with him or her. Here are a few suggestions:Follow the Autistic lead in the conversation rather than directing them to focus on what you want to talk about or do with them. Some Autistics have a hard time following a conversation because they can easily become fixated on the topic of their choice. Don’t become upset if this happens while you are talking to them. Remember, the Autistic doesn’t always communicate in the manner in which normal society dictates. Once you accept that their brains operate differently you will have a better time in communicating with them.Just because the Autistic doesn’t respond to your new information doesn’t always mean they don’t understand the concept. Some autistics take longer to process new information. It is not uncommon for some to respond to a conversation or get the joke hours or days after they have been told. Don’t demand a response from the Autistic. Let them come to you with the delayed response and when they do don’t criticize them for the delayed response.Don’t always assume just because the Autistic isn’t on task that they need help. Autistics are overly bombarded with sensory input on a daily basis. Sometimes, these stimulations can overwhelm the Autistic person. When overwhelmed, their working process may be delayed. Obsession isn’t uncommon with Autistics, either. If an Autistic is obsessed with something it is best to let them work through whatever it is until their project is completed. If you really want to help the Autistic do something make certain you ask them once then if they do not respond ask them a few minutes later. If they say no then do not help them.Help them understand what was said to them. Autistics have a hard time understanding social cues and situations. They tend to take everything literally. So if someone says one thing but means another they will not understand what was said isn’t the truth. This can often times lead the Autistic into social problems. The Autistic may think they understand the meaning of a conversation only to learn later they did not. If you are a friend, spouse, family member or someone else that cares about an Autistic make certain when you are in public they understand what is being said in any conversation but do so in private and not in a way that emotionally offends the Autistic.CONCLUSION            Autistics walk among us on a daily basis and are one of the most misunderstood population groups in the United States. The Autism Spectrum Disorder covers a wide range of developmental problems with a variety of common symptoms.            Autistics develop their language skills mainly through Echolalia, a repetitive process of repeating the same phrase recently heard. Echolalia is important for the Autistic, as eventually it will lead to the self-discovery of language acquisition.            Autism affects the social and verbal communication of the person affected. Understanding how to communicate with the Autistic is vital as the Autistic does not exhibit the language skills that most of their peers have already acquired. A person who cares for the Autistic needs to intervene by changing the way they communicate with the Autistic.ReferencesAutism Research Institute. (2016). DSM-V: What Changes May Mean. Retrieved from    http://www.autism.com/news_dsmVBlanc, M. (2013). Echolalia on the Spectrum: The Natural Path to Self-Generated Language.         Autism/Asperger’s Digest, Online Publication. Retrieved from   http://autismdigest.com/echolalia-on-the-spectrum/Hanen Center (2016). How Autism Affects Communication in Young Children. Retrieved from    http://www.hanen.org/Helpful-Info/Autism-Corner/How-Autism-Affects-         Communication.aspxNIH. (2016). Autism Spectrum Disorder: Communication Problems in Children. Retrieved from   https://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/autism-spectrum-disorder-communication-problems-    children