Toi Thomas's Blog, page 70

Lillian Brummet Interview: Non-fiction Author

Greetings readers, blogger, geeks, and authors. A while back, I had the pleasure to interview a wonderful author named, Lillian Brummet. A good time was truly had by all, and here’s how it went down.

Toi Thomas: Hi there Lillian! It’s so awesome to have you here at the ToiBox Blog. I’m excited to learn more about you and your work.

Lillian Brummet: I am so glad to be here – and can hardly wait to have this discussion with you. :)

Toi Thomas: So tell me, who is Lillian Brummet?

Lillian Brummet: I feel comfortable describing myself as a tenacious mid-40’s woman who doggedly goes after goals, even when there are distractions or life interruptions ranging from family to learning new skills in order to carry on to the next step. I have a passion for animals and have always adopted from rescue shelters or taken on abandoned animals as pets. I love bio-dynamic gardening, and can’t get enough of the world of writing. It is important to feel like I am making a difference so even when I am out enjoying nature I can be found picking up litter or pulling out invasive weeds.

Toi Thomas: Well Lillian, you seem to be a very passionate and compassionate person. I can’t wait to see what you have to share.

Toi Thomas: So whacha got for me today?

Lillian Brummet: Well, I am the author and co-author of 5 books to date with a 6th book coming out February 2014, and another book (the 7th) coming out this upcoming fall season. My first books are a 2-book series titled Trash Talk – It’s Easy To Be Green and they deal with all the r’s of Zero Waste (rethink, reconsider, rent, repair, reduce, reuse, repurpose, recycle, rot, resources). I have a book of about 130 poems titled Towards Understanding that tells my story of overcoming a rough childhood, moving in with myself and finding a passion and purpose in my life. The other 2 books (Jump Start For Writers and Purple Snowflake Marketing – How to Make Your Book Stand Out In A Crowd) are for people interested in learning about the world of writing. The most recent book is Rhythm and Rhyme, which will be coming out in February, is another collection of poetry.

Toi Thomas: A writer with a cause who also writes poetry, I’m very impressed.

Toi Thomas: So where’s the motivation behind Rhythm and Rhyme? 

from Amazon

Lillian Brummet: This book is a collaboration of both my more recent poetry work and also my husband and co-writer Dave’s work. He’s a musician and has written many songs for various bands he’s been in over the years and he has grown to look at this writing in a new way because song lyrics are very similar to poetry, and visa-versa. So it is really exciting to see his work reaching the public in a new way. I’m very proud of the poetry in this book that I’ve written too – it is more mature, more confident, and just as emotional as the first book I put out. The poems deal with relationships, nature, and challenges readers to think about having a purpose in life and making a difference. Some of the more emotional pieces deal with ailing parents, suicide and other more intense experiences.

Toi Thomas: This sounds like a very emotional and personal piece. This is the kind of book that seems to help people in unexpected ways.

Toi Thomas: Past, present, future, is there a rhyme or reason to your writing?

Lillian Brummet: I love this question! My office tends to be a fairly tidy but not overly immaculate place; clutter distracts and overwhelms me, so a clear area opens my mind and I can focus on the tasks at hand. I tend to write in silence, but sometimes have ambient music or nature sounds or soft classical music playing in the background; any music with a beat or lyrics will only distract me because I love music so much I can just disappear into it and time warps without anything getting accomplished. I tend to be organized – I use excel files to keep track of contacts and projects, media events etc. and perform follow ups every few months to make sure that no opportunity slips by. I’m a list-maker, so every day I write down the tasks that take priority over other things and focus on getting those done first. Any opportunities are recorded in a separate file so I can follow up on them when time allows.

Toi Thomas: I’m so giddy right now. It’s no secret that I’m a little geeky and love comic books, but I also totally geek out over organization. I love to ask this question just to see what amazing tips I can get.

Toi Thomas: What author(s) has most influenced your writing? Why or how?

Lillian Brummet: This is an interesting question. I used to be a professional book reviewer, reviewing up to 600 books annually – I did this for 7 years and enjoyed the challenge of evaluating the publisher, printer and author of each book. I did a lot of research and learned a lot of interesting things. I’m also a voracious reader, so while I no longer do book reviews I still read constantly. Being a member of the media I get a lot of books that way too. Point being – I learn from every book I pick up, each author will have a unique expression style, they each have an interesting color palette they work with and I enjoy learning from them, being inspired by them. Even when I spot things I don’t like or don’t appreciate or mistakes that were made – I still learn from them. I’ve often felt compelled to return to book reviewing, but the schedule won’t allow it just yet – perhaps in a year or two.

Toi Thomas: That sounds really cool. I love to read, but with all the life throws at you, I can’t imagine reading 600 books in one year. I do, however, agree with you in that I learn something from every book I read.

Toi Thomas: Whose brain are you just itching to scratch?

Lillian Brummet: Does it have to be just one? (she laughs) I am a very curious person and have done a lot of interviews in my time both as a radio host and blogger, but also in the past when I worked as a staff writer. If we are talking ultimate fantasy it would have to be one of the following global heroes: Albert Schweitzer, Rachel Carson, Wangari Maathai, and David Suzuki.

Toi Thomas: I know; this question isn’t very fair, but oh well. It seems like you worked it out pretty well. Four heads to scratch isn’t too bad.

Toi Thomas: What’s your ideal reading spot for your next highly anticipated read?

Verdant Book 1 from Amazon

Lillian Brummet: I could spend my life lounging on my deck, in my yard or in nature by a rambling waterway (creek/river) or mountain lake – with a stack of books. Reading is a favorite activity and I am open to most topics and genres because I enjoy expanding my mind and trying new concepts out. I really want to get my hands on more books by Trevanian and also the second and third books of the Verdant series by Troy Denning; those will likely be the next books that I purchase.

Toi Thomas: I’ve not read any Trevanian, but this Verdant series looks interesting.

Toi Thomas: What was your favorite book or story, pre-teen years?

Lillian Brummet: The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings series J

Toi Thomas: Yeah, those are pretty good ones.

Toi Thomas: Now this is where the questions get a little kooky; are you ready?

Lillian Brummet: Definitely. Absolutely.

Toi Thomas: Alright then, here we go.

Toi Thomas: If you could only watch one movie for the rest of your life, what would it be?

Lillian Brummet: Rat Race, Old Dogs, The Saint, Lord of the Rings, The African Queen… Chronicles of Riddick… hmm – How can I pick just one? (she laughs)

Toi Thomas: I know, another hard question. I like messing with people. ;)

Toi Thomas: What makes you geek out?

Lillian Brummet: I absolutely disappear in the garden – I love getting creative, delving through garden catalogs, magazines, books… it is a huge passion of mine but one that I don’t have a lot of time for.

Toi Thomas: I think I would really enjoying gardening, but I don’t have the space, time, or money for it. I do, however, have a gardening Pinboard on Pinterest. One day I’ll have my dream garden.

Toi Thomas: When the soundtrack of your life is playing in your head, what songs express your glee and what songs bring out your rage?

Lillian Brummet: For energetic music to clean house by or to dance to: heavy metal bands or hair bands from the 70’s-80’s. For emotional connection: some of the best of songs by Eurhythmics. For creative music: Sting, Billy Joel…

Toi Thomas: I love it. I totally get down with the whole mood music thing. There’s a song for every occasion, mood, and task.

Toi Thomas: What’s the most fun experience you’ve ever had, to date?

Lillian Brummet: We invested in a 23’ RV trailer – I have really enjoyed taking this out. It is like a hotel on wheels, you can cook all your meals, a private bathroom, and best thing is you can camp almost anywhere if you need to. I like the ability of just pulling in and setting up camp – as opposed to unloading the back of the car, setting up the tent and the tarp and a privacy screen and, and, and. I really do love camping, but leisure camping trips – I’m not a fan of rushing around or keeping busy at that time.

Toi Thomas: How fun. I have dreams of going RVing. Maybe one day.

Toi Thomas: Not that you can see into the future, but in your opinion, what does the future hold?

Lillian Brummet: Well, we just moved to this property 3 years ago and now in our 4th year here – so we’ve been working hard toward the future of being able to have this place where we want it. Initially we made the home as eco-friendly and energy efficient as we could afford to do, put in the garden beds and compost bins, and built a fence and a deck and a parking area for the RV. Over the next few years we will paint the interior and exterior of the home and create landscaping, ponds, fountains, more garden beds… The plan is that in 4 more years we’ll not have to do anything here except the odd maintenance job and can really enjoy what we created here.

Toi Thomas: That sounds so pleasant. I wish all that and more for you. Thank you so much for sharing with me today.

If you liked this, check out the video interview we did afterwards. Hear a sample of Lillian’s poetry and learn some of her expert tips.  http://youtu.be/225_vUEIGDc

Okay readers, blogger, geeks, and authors, that’s all for today. Be sure to follow this blog to see who will be visiting next time. For more from Lillian Brummet, check out these great links:

Website: http://Brummet.ca

Blog: http://www.consciousdiscussions.blogspot.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/lillian.brummet

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/brummet

LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/ldbrummet

Purchase links for Rhythm and Rhyme : The Brummet Store

This has been a

Thank you for taking the time to read this post. If you like it let me know and share it with others. See you next time, Toi Thomas. #thetoiboxofwords

Filed under: Interviews Tagged: author, books, interviews, life, Lillian Brummet, links, movies, music, non-fiction, poetry, process, Toi Thomas, try this, writing, youtube

A Day in My Life: Apr. ’14

You may or may not find this surprising, but as a writer I’ve never been much of a journaler (I like making up words). I’ve always kept writing, sketching, and poetry notebooks, but I’ve never really liked writing about myself. This monthly post is my attempt at rectifying that and is an opportunity for me to get a little personal, as I share a single event from my life.

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April 2014 – Grief

When you get married or make some kind of commitment to spend the rest of your life with another person, you are welcoming them into your intimate space and making them part of your family. You also become part of their intimate space and become a part of their family. Family has always been important to me. I believe that friends can come and go in your lifetime at the times they are meant to have an impact on you, but those that stick around through it all become family.

I recently lost a loved one in this physical world and am still dealing with it, but I believe in an afterlife. I don’t except everyone to share my beliefs, but I’m not going to hide them either. I believe my sister is in a better place. Even though we were only sisters by marriage, that was more than enough for me.

My husband and I have done our best to spend time with his side of the family and offer as much comfort as we can. I’m glad that we were able to take some time to be there when it mattered most. I love Eric Thomas and the whole Thomas clan, through thick and think, good times and sad.

Thank you for taking the time to read this post. If you like it let me know and share it with others. See you next time, Toi Thomas. #thetoiboxofwords

Filed under: Listography-Top5-MyLife Tagged: biography, family, grief, life, loss, social interaction, Toi Thomas

Blogdom Mar. 26-Apr. 23, ’14

(Mar.26-Apr.23, 2014)

I sincerely apologise for not having a Blogdom post to share with you all this month. As some of you may know, I’ve had some personal difficulties to overcome and am slowly getting back on track. In the hustle and bustle that is my life, at the moment, I deleted the file with all my links. After I stopped crying I decided to, at least, post something so it didn’t seem like I just forgot. I promise to return next month with loads to share.

Until then, #thetoiboxofwords

Filed under: WWWWednesday-Blogdom Tagged: blog roll, blogging, books, interviews, links, movies, news, reviews, Toi's Blogdom, trailers, try this, writing

Character Files from the ToiBox 55: Michael-Preferences

Preferences: Subject EC:B 5-Michael

Favorite Color: blue

Favorite Food: barbecue

Favorite Book or Movie: Fast and Furious

Favorite Music: all

Favorite Pastime: mechanics and engineering

Other: Likes his independence, but can’t wait to share his life with someone.

Thank you for taking the time to read this post. If you like it let me know and share it with others. See you next time, Toi Thomas. #thetoiboxofwords

Filed under: Character Files, EC: Battleground Tagged: #thetoiboxofwords, angels, blogging, character, demons, Eternal Curse, fiction, Giovanni's Angel, meme, Michael, preferences, profile, reading, Toi Thomas, wip, writing

Mira’s Closet: 4/21/14

Mira’s no fashionista, but she definitely has her own sense of style…

And now here’s an update on just that.

First an observation:What a person wears doesn’t define them, but sometimes you can learn a lot about a person from their attire in certain situations. When someone who typically wears bright colors suddenly shows up in something dark or black, they may be trying to make a statement or come off more serious or stern than usual. For someone who wears dark clothing a lot, when they want to impress someone or seem more inviting they may try some lighter colors. But that’s just colors- what about styles. Do different styles say something about the person wearing them? I once had a friend who refused to wear jeans unless some sort of manual labor was involved. To him, denim lacked class. That’s what I like about fashion; there’s something for everyone even if everything isn’t for someone in particular, just like this blog. :)

Now here are some style tips/clips from

Click to visit.

my own personal fashion guru, trainer, and my physical inspiration for Mira.

 

Daily Dish: Date Night

I hope you enjoyed this. Also check out Tori’s new EBoutique: December 10.

For more on style and fashion check out:

Celebrity Trends at WhoWhatWear: http://www.whowhatwear.com/

Fashion Medley: http://thefashionmedley.com/ (content advisory)

A Beautiful Mess: http://www.abeautifulmess.com/

My Style Pinboard: http://pinterest.com/toinette_thomas/my-style/

Thank you for taking the time to read this post. If you like it let me know and share it with others. See you next time, Toi Thomas. #thetoiboxofwords

Filed under: Mira's Closet Tagged: accessorizing, culture, Daily Dish, Eternal Curse, fashion, Fashionplate, life, links, Tori J. Jones, try this

Sample Sunday 40

Here is approximately 100 – 150 words from a randomly selected original piece for your enjoyment. These samples can include excerpts from my all my WIPs and my Eternal Curse Series, but only as works in progress (not the final products). These samples of published and unpublished works are protected under the U.S. Copyright agreement.

It’s Like the Full Moon chapter 4 (wip)

Rebecca rushed down to the dining hall where several guest had already taken seats and began their meal. She took her time perusing through the tables taking note of the gentle people sharing her lodging. There were simple people of all types who seemed to have one thing in common, an appreciation for nature and the beauty of history. They were all there for the same tour. Just as Rebecca had settled on a cozy spot in the corner, perfect for people watching, someone called out her name. “Rebecca dear, it’s me Mr. Thornton. Surely you remember me?” asked the jolly old man as he half stood up from his chair and waved her over.

Rebecca wanted to seem cheerful. Mr. Thornton was a very nice man, but if he was there, it was likely that his son was as well. “Oh yes Mr. Thornton,” she called back forcing a smile to her face and trying not to look around suspiciously. “How could I forget you?”

Thank you for taking the time to read this post. If you like it let me know and share it with others. See you next time, Toi Thomas. #thetoiboxofwords

 

Filed under: Full Moon, Samples Tagged: contemporary fiction, drama, fiction, friends, It's Like the Full Moon, reading, romance, sample excerpt, Toi Thomas, wip

Count Your Blessings 11

Language

Having a way to communicate is valuable. Having more than one way to communicate is interesting. Communication is necessary. Language is a systematic way of communicating using gestures, sounds, words, and writing. Aside from conveying and collecting information, language teaches about the people who use it. The best way to learn about another culture is to learn their language.

I think written language is the greatest blessing in this area because it allows us to document thoughts, memories, history, and so much more. Language is one of those things that allows the human animal to rise above instinct and savagery and act like a human being.

Thank you for taking the time to read this post. If you like it let me know and share it with others. See you next time, Toi Thomas. #thetoiboxofwords

Filed under: Blessings Tagged: blessings, gratitude, language, life

Posts from the Past: EC:GA The Setting

These are previous posts that have been dusted off, updated, and freshly presented to an audience that’s never seen them. These limited posts originate from the companion blogs I’ve written for the first two installments of the Eternal Curse Series (40 Days and Nights of Eternal Curse & EC: Battleground a Survival Guide).

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The majority of the story occurs at the secluded country home of Abraham and Giovanni, but there are a few other places worth mentioning. In the beginning, Mira starts out at her home in Chicago. Later in the story we learn that Abraham his from New Jersey and that he and Giovanni lived there for a short while together. Part of the story also takes place back in time, to a non-specific village in the ‘old world’. Then on top of all that, the reader even gets to visit the edge of heaven.

Abraham and Giovanni’s secluded country home exists in a made up Virginian town called Whitteltown. Whitteltown is the epitome of small town America, complete with superstitious and nosy neighbors. Their home is actually a large estate located that the end of town, off into the wilderness. The house and the surrounding acres of land where they live is called, Sinclair Manor. While this name is not something I made up, I used it simply because I liked the sound of it.

Sinclair Manor beckons to the image of an English aristocratic estate, complete with several beautiful lavish gardens and a large stately house at the center of it all. It is a very quiet, secretive, and almost magical place. The house itself is almost another character, on its own.

The reader learns that the house has quite a unique history and that it has been renovated many times to ultimately become a place that Giovanni would never want to leave, unless he just wanted to. The house serves as refuge or semi-utopia for the difficult and complicated lives that Giovanni and Abraham have lived.

Thank you for taking the time to read this post. If you like it let me know and share it with others. See you next time, Toi Thomas. #thetoiboxofwords

Filed under: EC: Giovanni's Angel, Post of Past Tagged: angels, author, blogging, book, break down, character, demons, dreams, ebook, Eternal Curse, fantasy, fiction, good vs evil, journal, life, process, profile, purpose, stories, try this, writing

Character Files from the ToiBox 54: Lilly-Preferences

Preferences: Subject EC:B 4-Lilly

Favorite Color: white

Favorite Food: fruit

Favorite Book or Movie: The Joy Luck Club

Favorite Music: rock’n roll era

Favorite Pastime: sewing

Other: Lilly has a way of bringing out the best in people. She spreads a sense of joy everywhere she goes.

Thank you for taking the time to read this post. If you like it let me know and share it with others. See you next time, Toi Thomas. #thetoiboxofwords

Filed under: Character Files, EC: Battleground Tagged: #thetoiboxofwords, angels, blogging, character, demons, Eternal Curse, fiction, Giovanni's Angel, Lilly, meme, preferences, profile, reading, Toi Thomas, wip, writing

Listography of Toi 10: Nightmares

These are the lists that tell my life story. They are in no particular order and some of them are very personal. Please be nice, and if you want to share, I’d be glad to take a look at what you have.

Worst Nightmares

-A mob of pale children in red shirts and blue pants walking towards me reaching out their hands

-Dreaming about the children I work with being dropped off at my house for me to keep forever

-My home burning down with all my memories inside

-Dreaming about any of my family members dying in any way other than peacefully in their sleep

Listograhy are books and a website dedicated to helping you write or consider your autobiography through the process of making lists.

Thank you for taking the time to read this post. If you like it let me know and share it with others. See you next time, Toi Thomas. #thetoiboxofwords

Filed under: Listography-Top5-MyLife Tagged: author, biography, life, lists, nightmares, Toi Thomas, tragedy