Laurisa White Reyes's Blog, page 100

BOOK REVIEW: UNBROKEN by Laura Hillenbrand

UNBROKEN
Laura Hillenbrand
Random Hous
Audio Book


On a May afternoon in 1943, an Army Air Forces bomber crashed into the Pacific Ocean and disappeared, leaving only a spray of debris and a slick of oil, gasoline, and blood. Then, on the ocean surface, a face appeared. It was that of a young lieutenant, the plane's bombardier, who was struggling to a life raft. So began one of the most extraordinary odysseys of the Second World War.
The lieutenant's name was Louis Zamperini. In boyhood, he'd been a cunning and incorrigible delinquent. As a teenager, he had channeled his defiance into running, discovering a prodigious talent that had carried him to the Berlin Olympics. But when war had come, the athlete had become an airman, embarking on a journey that led to his doomed flight, a tiny raft, and a drift into the unknown.
Ahead of Zamperini lay thousands of miles of open ocean, leaping sharks, a foundering raft, thirst and starvation, enemy aircraft, and, beyond, a trial even greater. His fate, whether triumph or tragedy, would be suspended on the fraying wire of his will. Unbroken is a testament to the resilience of the human mind, body, and spirit.


MY REVIEW:
I saw the movie of UNBROKEN on Christmas Day. Loved it. I was so inspired and was brought to tears. I'd heard the controversy surrounding it, but couldn't see anything wrong with the movie at all, except that maybe the truth of history is sometimes hard to swallow.
I enjoyed the film so much I decided to read the book (or listen as the case may be). Zamparini's true story of his rise to athletic fame, crash landing in the Pacific Ocean, surviving weeks on a life raft, and subsequent brutal treatment as a prisoner of war blew my mind. Hillenbrand not only tells his story with exquisite detail that makes you feel like you're right there in the raft or the camp with Louie, she fleshes out his entire world with mind boggling details about the Olympics, the World War II bombers, the Japanese attempt to take over China and so much more. And the story doesn't end there.
After the war, Hillenbrand follows Louie through his nightmares and forgotten promise to God, and finally to his redemption. The entire story from beginning to end is riveting and truly inspiring. This, above all else, is a story of faith and endurance. Every American ought to read this book.



CONTENT RATING:
Profanity:  NoneViolence:  HighSexuality:  None

3rd ANNUAL SUPER SWAG SUNDAY - COMING SOON!!!

After a short hiatus, I am thrilled to announce that the 3rd Annual SUPER SWAG SUNDAY is coming this July 20-25th!!!

What is SUPER SWAG SUNDAY? It is a week-long event where today's top Young Adult & Middle Grade authors showcase their books right here on my blog! But the best part is that every participating author will be donating SWAG to giveaway to 7, YES 7!!! winners!!! Each day, one winner will receive a PRIZE PACK containing all sorts of awesome promo goodies: book marks, stickers, posters, pins, pens, bracelets, who the heck knows??? Whatever this year's authors decide to contribute. The final day, SUPER SWAG SUNDAY, one grand prize winner will be chosen to receive the MEGA SWAG PRIZE PACK, which will also include signed copies of books and some other fantabulous stuff!!!

 If you are a YA or MG author with a book released in 2014-2015 and would like to have your book showcased, send me an email ASAP for instructions on where to send your swag. [laurisawhitereyes at yahoo dot com]. (49 spots are available. A limited number of self-published books will be accepted upon approval.)

If you are a reader and want to be notified when SUPER SWAG SUNDAY begins, be sure to follow my blog and/or subscribe to my newsletter. In the meantime, check back often for updates!

WIN FREE BOOKS & A $10 AMAZON GIFT CARD!!!

Welcome to  YA Scavenger Hunt! This bi-annual event was first organized by author Colleen Houck as a way to give readers a chance to gain access to exclusive bonus material from their favorite authors...and a chance to win some awesome prizes! At this hunt, you not only get access to exclusive content from each author, you also get a clue for the hunt. Add up the clues, and you can enter for our prize--one lucky winner will receive one signed book from each author on the hunt in my team! But play fast: this contest (and all the exclusive bonus material) will only be online for 72 hours!

And just for fun, I'm also giving away a $10 AMAZON GIFT CARD (just fill out the rafflecopter form at the very bottom of this post to be eligible to win!)

Go to the YA Scavenger Hunt page to find out all about the hunt. There are SIX GOLD TEAM--but there is also a red team, a gold team, an orange team, a red team, and an indie team for a chance to win a whole different set of signed books!
contests going on simultaneously, and you can enter one or all! I am a part of the GOLD TEAM.

If you'd like to find out more about the hunt, see links to all the authors participating, and see the full list of prizes up for grabs, go to the YA Scavenger Hunt page.
SCAVENGER HUNT PUZZLE
Directions: Below, you'll notice that I've listed my favorite number. Collect the favorite numbers of all the authors on the GOLD TEAM, and then add them up (don't worry, you can use a calculator!). 
Entry Form: Once you've added up all the numbers, make sure you fill out the form here to officially qualify for the grand prize. Only entries that have the correct number will qualify.Rules: Open internationally, anyone below the age of 18 should have a parent or guardian's permission to enter. To be eligible for the grand prize, you must submit the completed entry form by April 5th, at noon Pacific Time. Entries sent without the correct number or without contact information will not be considered.SCAVENGER HUNT POST

Today, I am hosting Sarah B. Larson on my website for the YA Scavenger Hunt! Sara's debut YA fantasy novel, DEFY, released in January of 2014 from Scholastic. Sara lives in Utah with her husband and three young children. She writes during naptime and the hours when most people are sleeping. Her  husband claims she should have a degree in "the art of multitasking." On occasion you will find her hiding in a bubble bath with a book and some Swedish Fish or some mint chocolate truffles. She is represented by Josh Adams of Adams Literary.

Find out more information by checking out the author website or find more about the author's book here!

Twitter and Instagram: @SaraBLarsonFacebook: www.facebook.com/AuthorSaraBLarsonTumblr: authorsarablarson.tumblr.com pinterest: pinterest.com/SaraBLarson

DEFY: AMAZON - http://www.amazon.com/Defy-Sara-B-Larson/dp/0545597587/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&sr=&qid=B&N - http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/defy-sara-b-larson/1115476687?ean=9780545597586The King's English - (For Signed copies of DEFY OR IGNITE) http://www.kingsenglish.com/search/apachesolr_search/IGNITE%20Sara%20B.%20LarsonBook Depository - http://www.bookdepository.com/Defy-Sara-Larson/9780545597586
IGNITE: Amazon - http://www.amazon.com/Ignite-Defy-Sara-B-Larson/dp/0545644747/ref=pd_sim_b_1?ie=UTF8&refRID=0ZVJHCHRMP90A3H5JK5MB&N - http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/ignite-sara-b-larson/1119689431?ean=9780545644747
Book Depository - http://www.bookdepository.com/Ignite-Sara-Larson/9780545644747

EXCLUSIVE CONTENT

Synopsis of DEFY: 
Alexa Hollen is a fighter. Forced to disguise herself as a boy and serve in the king's army, Alex uses her quick wit and fierce sword-fighting skills to earn a spot on the elite prince's guard. But when a powerful sorcerer sneaks into the palace in the dead of night, even Alex, who is virtually unbeatable, can't prevent him from abducting her, her fellow guard and friend Rylan, and Prince Damian, taking them through the treacherous wilds of the jungle and deep into enemy territory.

The longer Alex is held captive with both Rylan and the prince, the more she realizes that she is not the only one who has been keeping dangerous secrets. And suddenly, after her own secret is revealed, Alex finds herself confronted with two men vying for her heart: the safe and steady Rylan, who has always cared for her, and the dark, intriguing Damian. With hidden foes lurking around every corner, is Alex strong enough to save herself and the kingdom she's sworn to protect?
Synopsis of IGNITE: (Spoilers for DEFY)
In the kingdom of Antion, peace has at long last been restored. Now that King Hector's reign of terror is over, the newly crowned King Damian, along with his most trusted guard, Alexa, must focus on rebuilding Antion and reclaiming the hope of their people. But the wounds of the past are no as easily mended as Alexa and Damian had hoped. And to further complicate matters, Alexa still harbors a secret love for Damian, a love she refuses to acknowledge for the sake of Antion, and for the sake of the king himself.
When new threats to the kingdom surface--including an assassination attempt on Damian--blame is cast on the once-friendly nation of Blevon. Alexa knows things are not what they seem, however, and once again the fate of her country hangs in the balance. Will Alexa be able to protect her king and find the true enemy before it's too late?
Filled with romance and treachery, magic and violence, this stunning sequel to Defy whisks readers off on another thrilling adventure.


Q&A with Alexa about her childhood: 
What do you remember of growing up in Antion—before that awful day when you lost your parents?
Well, I remember my parents and Marcel, mostly. My family and the jungle. We lived in a small village and the jungle was everywhere, a constant threat. Growing up I remember sitting behind our home, staring at the trees and vines and bushes, certain I would see a snake or a jaguar if I watched long enough. The trees were like monsters to me then, tangled, bent, and enormously tall, with vines dripping from their branches that always seemed to be reaching for me. The leaves that would fall to the ground were bigger than my father’s hands. Sometimes they were even bigger than our heads. Marcel would pick them up and toss them at me when we would play, shrieking, trying to make me think there was a huge bug on them or something, just to frighten me. 
I remember my mother singing to us at night, to drown out the sounds of the insects and the howls of monkeys and the rain on our thatched roof, which would keep me awake. I remember my father giving me my first sword, and how I’d practice for hours and hours. I would often continue training long after Marcel had given up and gone inside for the day. At first, it was because I wanted to beat him, but soon I realized that becoming skilled at using a sword and a bow and arrow brought me comfort. It let me feel like perhaps I had the power to protect myself from the things I feared. I never knew then just how true that would end up being.
Did you father ever talk about where he was from? Did he tell you about Blevon or the war? 
My father was a quiet man, and he didn’t like to talk about his own childhood much. He almost never brought up the war. Even though he trained us nearly every day, the thought of the war reaching us there, in our tiny little village, seemed impossible—at least to me. My parents tried to protect us from what was going on while simultaneously preparing us for what might come. What I knew about the war I learned mostly from listening to them talk at night when they thought I was asleep. The village was very small, as I said, and there were lots of listening ears. We kept to ourselves for the most part because the other villagers were nervous around Father. I didn’t realize until I was older that it was because he was Blevonese—because they were suspicious of him. And us. What kind of father trained his son and daughter to master a sword and any other weapon possible at such a young age? Thankfully, mine did. But no, to answer your question, I knew very little about his life. I wish now that I had asked him more about it. That is one of my greatest regrets.
You and Marcel worked hard from a young age to become the amazing fighters that you were. It sounds like there wasn’t much time for silliness. Did you ever relax and just have fun? Or play any pranks on anyone? 
We did work hard and life wasn’t easy living where we did, even without all of the extra training we did. It was a constant battle to keep the jungle at bay, just to keep our roads and homes clear from the constant vegetation that was always trying to take over, or to keep our livestock safe from predators. But we were still children, and there were plenty of times when we acted like it. I remember once, Marcel found a particularly large vine that almost looked like a snake and cut it down. He convinced me to sneak over to Tanoori’s home with him and wait for her to come outside and then throw it at her. I’d never heard her scream like that in my life. Marcel loved to scare people. That’s probably why I was so terrified of snakes, because he was always doing things like that to me, too. At least when we were younger. Things changed quickly after our parents died. He never tried to scare me again after that.
Is it difficult for you to talk about your family
Yes. I miss them. Every single day I wish things had been different. I wonder what my life would have been like if my parents had lived. Or if I’d been able to save Marcel. But I also know there’s no changing the past and it doesn’t do any good to dwell on it. I have to focus on those I love who are still alive—and *         *          *
And don't forget to enter the contest for a chance to win a ton of signed books by me, Megan Shephard, and more! To enter, you need to know that my favorite number is 111893. (I know it's big! Sorry!) Add up all the favorite numbers of the authors on the GOLD TEAM and you'll have all the secret code to enter for the grand prize!

CONTINUE THE HUNT
To keep going on your quest for the hunt, you need to check out the next author! <!--td {border: 1px solid #ccc;}br {mso-data-placement:same-cell;}</style></div>--><span data-sheets-userformat="[null,null,515,[null,0],[null,2,16776960],null,null,null,null,null,null,null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,2,"http://www.juliecrossbooks.com/index...."]" style="color: #1155cc; font-family: arial,sans,sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-decoration: underline;"><a class="in-cell-link" href="https://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%..." target="_blank">http://www.juliecrossbooks.com/index.... /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a class="rcptr" data-raflid="79201e79142" data-template="" data-theme="classic" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/disp..." id="rcwidget_u3yjj8ua" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a><script src="http://laurisareyes.blogspot.com//wid...

FOOLS FOR BOOKS GIVEAWAY HOP

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Welcome to the FOOLS FOR BOOKS GIVEAWAY HOP hosted by Bookhounds and I Am a Reader!

To celebrate this favorite holiday, I will be giving away a$1000 AMAZON GIFT CARD!!!!!
APRIL FOOLS!!!!
No, really. I am giving away an AMAZON GIFT CARD, but for an amount I can actually afford. How does $10 sound? Awwww....don't be disappointed! It's free money!


All you gotta do to be eligible to win is fill out the rafflecopter below.(International OKAY, 18 years & up)And don't forget to stop by the other participating blogs for more chances to win! a Rafflecopter giveaway

WNNER OF GIVEAWAY ANNOUNCED

Congratulations to the winner of THE SPRING CLEANING GIVEAWAY HOP!


a Rafflecopter giveaway

FINDING FEMALE IN FANTASY

In the realm of fantasy literature, male protagonists have traditionally reigned supreme. That could be because the vast majority of fantasy novels were written by men. Authors like Jules Verne, Lewis Carroll, Johnathan Swift, H.G. Wells, C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkein dominated the genre all the way up to the late twentieth century when a few women fantasy authors began to emerge, such as Madeline L’Engle, Tamora Pierce, Ursula K. LeGuin, Anne McCaffrey and Marion Zimmer Bradley. Then along came Harry Potter.

The Rowling Revolution

Today the name J.K. Rowling is synonymous with success.  There isn’t a person alive in western civilization that doesn’t know about Harry Potter and his now incredibly rich and famous creator. So it may be hard to believe that in 1997 when Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone was published in the United Kingdom (The Sorcerer’s Stone in the US), Joanne Rowley’s publishers were so concerned that boys might shy away from reading a book written by a woman that they insisted she use her initials. (Since she did not actually have a middle initial, she chose ‘K’ from her grandmother’s name Kathleen). And of course, it worked. The Harry Potter franchise is the best-selling book series in history, and is cherished by both male and female readers the world over.

Rowling may not have been the first woman fantasy author, but she did do something no one else had succeeded in doing – she made it cool for boys to read books with girl heroines. Yes, Harry Potter is a boy – but he wouldn’t be worth a nickel if it weren’t for his sidekick Hermoine Granger. Hermoine is certainly not the first female fantasy heroine, but until she showed up, girls mostly read about girls, and boys mostly read about boys. Even books where there were both male and female protagonists were most often read by girls. But Harry Potter bridged that gap somehow.

Hermoine is my favorite heroine of all time. She is spunky, smart, courageous – and feminine. She is not a girl trying to act like a boy. She is all girl, so girls relate to her, and boys fall in love with her. Rowling hit on a truly magical formula.

The Gender Gap in Middle Grade Fantasy

Despite the huge success of Rowling’s books, the gender gap really vanished? Among the current list of popular middle grade fantasy novels, there are very few female protagonists.  Consider the following titles: Percy Jackson and the Olympians by Rick Riordan, The Ranger’s Apprentice by John Flanagan, The Bartimaeus Trilogy by Johnathan Stroud,  The Abhorson Trilogy by Garth Nix, His Dark Marterials by Robert Pullman, Eragon by Christopher Paolini, Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer….see a pattern here?

Even fantasy books written by women have mostly male protagonists:  Rowan of Rin by Emily Rhodda, Dragon Rider by Cornelia Funke, The Spiderwicke Chronicles by Holly Black, Septimus Heap by Angie Sage, and The Unnamables by Ellen Booream. And among those books with females heroines, most are paired alongside boy heroes, such as A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snickett, Fablehaven by Brandon Mull, Rick Riordan’s The Kane Chronicles, and of course, Rowling’s Harry Potter.

Writing for Boys

Traditionally, the fantasy genre is an effective lure to get boys to read. My own book, The Rock of Ivanore: Book 1 in The Celestine Chronicles (Tanglewood Press, May 2012) is a traditional fantasy adventure with a male protagonist. Marcus is an enchanter’s apprentice who tends to botch all his spells. But when he’s sent on a quest to find the Rock of Ivanore, he must search deep within himself to find the courage and the skills necessary to face the dangers and secrets he encounters along the way. I wrote The Rock of Ivanore because at the time, my then eight-year-old son was a reluctant reader. I understood firsthand how difficult it could be to get some boys to read, so I created a story that would capture the attention and imagination of these boys. Fortunately, I have daughters, too.

The second book in the series, The Last Enchanter (2013) introduces Marcus’s female counterpart, Lael. Lael is a lot like Hermoine Granger in that she is resourceful, determined and all girl. She also happens to be very adept at her weapon of choice – a sling. When Marcus leaves their village in order to protect the man who raised him, Lael insists on tagging along. Years earlier her mother was sold as a slave, and Lael is determined to find and free her. My hope is that The Celestine Chronicles will appeal to both boy and girl readers.

Bridging the Gap Once and For All

But the question remains, will boys pick up a fantasy novel where the protagonist – the only protagonist – is a girl? I don’t know the answer, but maybe we’re getting there. Fifteen years post-Harry Potter, everyone knows J.K. Rowling is a woman and no one bats an eye at it. In fact, I think it is pretty safe to say that nowadays, kids (boys and girls) don’t care if a book is written by a man or a woman. And thanks to the proliferation of male/female co-protagonists, the gap between “boy books” and “girl books” is closing.

So maybe, just maybe, in the not-too-distant future it will be cool for boys to read fantasy stories starring females heroines. Here are a few titles that just might help this prediction come true:

Tuesdays at The Castle by Jessica Day George


Dragonswood by Janet Lynn Carrey

The Chronicles of Aneador by Kristina Schram

The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making by Catherynne M. Valente

The Books of Elsewhere by Jaqueline West

Saavy by Igrid Law

[This post originally appeared as a guest post on Ellie Rollings blog.]

MEET WADE BRADFORD, author of CAMP OMIGOSH!

CAMP OMIGOSH!by Wade BradfordSkyrocket PressAges 8 - 12
Coming June 2015!!!
Connor's summer is off to a rough start: the camp bus almost crashes, his cabin mates don't trust him, and the girls on the other side of the camp constantly outsmart him. But when he and his friends Tasha, Parker, and Kimberly investigate the mystery surrounding the "Ghost of Dead Billy," they begin a hilarious adventure that is worlds away from your typical campfire story. "A wild and zany camping adventure that will leave you begging for more. A must read for middle graders looking for something out of the ordinary."- Dorine White, author of The Awakening & Cleopatra's Legacy series

So, who the heck is Wade Bradford anyway?
Wade is many things: a professor, playwright, husband and father, comedian (well, he's funny at least), picture book author, and now middle grade book author!
Stop by Indiegogo to find out to pre-order the book and invite Wade to visit your school!  https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/camp-omigosh-a-middle-grade-novel/
In the meantime, visit with Wade right here! And be sure to check out the excerpt at the end!
INTERVIEW:

SKYROCKET PRESS: Hi Wade. So we've heard it said you write plays. Is that true?
WADE BRADFORD: I have written over thirty plays, most of which have been perfomed by schools and community theaters across the country, and even on other continents.  Some of my more popular plays are: The Actor Games, CSI: Neverland, Tomorrow's Wish, and Sleeping Beauty and the Beast. As you may have noticed from the titles, I like mash-ups. 

SP:  What is your writing process?
WADE:  It depends on the project. I usually start a play by writing in my journal, and then once I finish a scene I create a second draft of it by typing it onto the computer. For Camp Omigosh, I wrote almost the whole book on my iPad. It took me about three months to write the first six chapters. And then after that, I started writing one chapter a day.

SP:  What is your favorite writing snack?
WADE:  Chocolate Chip Mint Ice Cream.

SP:  What do you want to be when you grow up?
WADE:  A time traveling plumber.

SP:  Who is your hero?
WADE:  My wife and daughters.

SP:  If you could rewrite the ending to any book, what would it be? (write new last paragraph here)
WADE: It might be a new ending to Mockingjay. (Spoiler Alert!) "Hey, Katniss! Guess who? It's me, Primm!" The End.

SP:  What inspired you to write Camp Omigosh?
WADE:  What is the most embarrassing thing that ever happened to you?Ugh... So many to choose from.... Can't decide.... and brain... does ... not want... to... remember!

SP:  Do you believe in ghosts?
WADE:  I don't know. I haven't met any... yet.

SP:  Do you have a secret dream?
WADE:  If I told you, it wouldn't be a secret now, would it?


EXCERPT FROM CAMP OMIGOSH:
That night in my bunk, after a jump in the uber-chilly Lake Wutt-Da-Heck, I couldn’t sleep. I kept thinking about Tasha. Did she like me or hate me? I couldn't tell. She probably didn't think about me at all.
            "Hey, Parker, you awake?" I asked.
            Parker snored in response. I shined my flashlight to see if he was faking. He wasn't. He slept with his mouth wide open and a string of drool stretched from his lip to his pillow. He held his lucky golf ball in his hand.
            I clicked off my flashlight and tried to go to sleep.
            Clunk - clunk - clink - clink - clink.
            It sounded like a golf ball hitting the floor. I turned the flashlight back on.
            The golf ball sat in the middle of the room. No. It wasn't sitting. It was spinning. I could tell because the little Spalding logo kept zipping around. Then, the golf ball began to slowly roll across the floor. It was heading for the door.
            "Parker," I called to him. Then, the golf ball suddenly stopped moving, almost as if it had been startled by the sound of my voice.
            I hopped out of my bunk to grab the ball. No one else was awake. It must have been almost midnight. When my flashlight found the golf ball, it started to roll again.
            "What the heck?" I blurted, and the golf ball stopped rolling.
            Was this place really haunted? No, it couldn't be. This stupid cabin was just built lopsided. That was it.
            But then the golf ball rolled again. Faster. It tapped against the wall and then it did something truly impossible. It rolled right up the wall. It strolled along in a zig zag pattern until it reached the windowsill. I was breathless. "Wait," I whispered. The golf ball didn’t wait. It hopped out the window. I rushed across the room and spied the haunted golf ball outside rolling through the gravel. It was headed to the suspension bridge. The girl's side of camp. The next thing I knew I was doing the dumbest thing you can do, the thing that every scary movie in the world tell you not to do.  I went off on my own. I climbed through the window and I followed the runaway ball into the darkness.

INDEPENDENTLY PUBLISHED CHILDREN'S BOOK COMPETITION

MIDDLE SHELF MAGAZINE'S COMPETITIONFOR BEST INDEPENDENTLY PUBLISHEDCHILDREN & YOUNG ADULT BOOKS
http://www.shelfmediagroup.com/pages/competition-ms.html

$1500 in prizes!

$40 Entry Fee

Any independently published book for children or teens in any genre is eligible. The overall winners in each category (children, middle grade, young adult) will each receive $500 and a year's worth of full-page ads in Middle Shelf Magazine (rate card value $4,500). In addition, more than 100 books deemed by the editors as "notable" entries will be featured in the November/December issue of Middle Shelf Magazine.

"Independently Published" books include self-published books and e-books, and/or books and e-books published through small presses releasing less than 5 titles per year. The competition is open to authors worldwide; books must be in English. Any length book and any publication date is eligible.

The deadline for entry is midnight on August 1, 2015. The winners will be notified by September 4, 2015.

See website for complete details on how to submit.

SPRING CLEANING GIVEAWAY HOP

Welcome to the2015 SPRING CLEANING GIVEAWAY HOP!!!co-sponsored by I Am A Reader & Bookhounds.

Wow, have I got a great selection of books to giveaway. And it's really simple to win!Just fill out the rafflecopter form below. U.S. residents only, 18+, please.The winner will be chosen at random and announced on March 26th.
If you win, I will send you an email. You'll have 24 hours to reply.And the books will be in the mail!
Be sure to check out the other 90+ participating blogs for more chances to win!
So, what's in that box already taped up and ready to ship?

 
a Rafflecopter giveaway
 

LIVING MY DREAM

 When I was fourteen years old I wrote something in my journal that shaped the rest of my life. I wrote down a goal to publish my first novel by the time I was thirty.

From that time forward, writing was my obsession, the driving force behind nearly everything I did. I did not meet that goal. At thirty years old I was busy with two very young children, heaps of laundry and sinks full of dirty dishes. Somewhere along the line, I made a choice to be a full-time mom, and that choice took precedence over becoming the famous best-selling author I had always dreamed of becoming.ut I kept writing. In those early years I wrote articles about anything and everything - in local publications - for free. Then I became a columnist for those publications and a few others - and I got paid - a little. Then I ended up with my own newspaper column that ran in three different papers. Google revealed that I was being quoted on blogs and my words were spread abroad. It felt good to be noticed. But everything I wrote - in magazines and newspapers - was fleeting. Read once and then forgotten. That's the nature of magazines and newspapers. Tomorrow there is always something new to replace what is written today.

I yearned to write something that would last. My heart kept reaching back to that goal set long ago to be a novelist. Novels last. Some books stick in your mind and soul forever. They become a part of you. They are cherished. They are loved like part of the family. Some books I read thirty years ago still bring tears to my eyes when I tell my kids about them (and insist they read them, too.) That's what I wanted. Immortality. For my words to be remembered long after I am gone.

The truth was that during all those years of writing, I never wrote a novel because I was afraid. Afraid I wasn't good enough. Afraid I didn't have what it takes. But a funny thing happened. After thirteen years of writing all that other stuff, I got pretty good at it. And by the time I had had enough of magazines and newspapers, I had gained the experience and confidence to give novel writing a try. I was right, though. I wasn't good enough. At least not at first. My first novel sucked. But I kept writing. I never stopped writing.

When my first novel was finally published in 2012, I was forty-three years old, thirteen years overdue. But that's okay. Since then I've had three more books come out, and I'm having the time of my life.

I'm living my dream

Are you living yours? Why or why not?