Nour Zikra's Blog, page 5

Career Advice: Why You Should Do What You Love

I’ve been there, you know, that place where people criticize your life choices just because they don’t understand the route you are taking in life. At this point in my career, I’ve stopped listening to those critics. One, because no one other than me can decide how I want to live. Two, because most of those critics don’t seem to have reached a success higher than mine to be able to lecture me.

As you can imagine, being a writer is not easy. When I started college, I heard a bunch of stereotypical comments about being a writer, some of which sounded like the following: “You won’t make money;” “being a writer is nothing.” For some time, I listened to those critics and studied criminal justice, thinking I would do law. After a semester in that major, I decided it wasn’t for me. Let me be clear, I earned an A in my first criminal justice course and was one of the best students in the class (yes, I will brag). If I wanted, I probably could have been a lawyer, but the idea of being one made me really sad. I wanted to be free, to write what I desired, not write factual information with an unvaried sentence structure. So I quit criminal justice and took on creative writing, the career I knew in my heart I loved.

People tend to stick by what they know, stay in their safe zone. They don’t want to try something they might possibly fail at. They want to know from the minute they start a task that they are going to pass. And that is something I did not live by when I signed on to be a writer. I knew the risks. I knew that if I didn’t get lucky, I would never see my books in bookstores or on people’s bookshelves. But I took the risk anyway because I realized that doing something I loved with a chance of failure was better than doing something I hated with a 100% chance of success.

Our days, unfortunately, are numbered. We can’t live forever, despite what Twilight and Vampire Diaries might tell you. So why choose a career you’re not into just to be safe? Do you want to live a boring life and have a safe career only to realize on your deathbed that you could have done something more with your time? Sure, I could have been a lawyer, but I wouldn’t have been happy now, and if I continued down that path, I would most likely regret not following my true passion.

Of course, you could choose both a safe career and your passion, do both at the same time. That’s always an option. But you have to ask yourself if you have what it takes to pull both off. I know for sure that if I had to do law and be a writer, I would end up never writing because, as many lawyers have told me, law takes the creativity out of a person. However, I am currently working in marketing, and I get to write blogs as a career all while writing my novels. This type of career worked well with my life goal in ways other careers would never have.

So when it comes to your career, do what you love. Don’t hesitate just because your grandmother’s friend shook her head in disappointment at you and claimed her grandchild was more successful. Don’t even hesitate if your own mom was criticizing you. Heck, don’t hesitate if Santa himself came down that chimney to tell you how to shatter your hopes and dreams (not that he would…this is just an example).

 

If you haven’t yet, be sure to check out the preview of my novel Dance with the Devil right here:

5 Life-Changing Lessons to Learn from Books

As an author, I’ve discovered that the real world is just one big book. Think about it, our lives are stories. In As You Like It, William Shakespeare wrote, “All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players.” It can’t be a coincidence that all writers notice this theme about life. So what can you learn from books? Here are 5 life-changing lessons:

Your Terrible Year Is Just the Prologue of Your Amazing Story

If you’re having a horrible year, or just a horrible time in general, then don’t fret. You’re just in the prologue section of your life story, and things need to be bad before they get better. It’s just how the formula works. That’s why so many people who suffer from depression and then overcome it tell others also suffering from depression that it does get better. No matter how bad things get, even if you’re at your lowest point, just know that you are about to start an amazing journey full of adventures and amazing accomplishments. And as the protagonist of your story, you will rise and overcome the bad times.

Your Struggle Is Just the Rising Action Before the Climax

Everyone has goals and dreams, and we’re all (hopefully) working hard to make them come true. It may seem at times that your struggle isn’t getting you anywhere, but the truth is, it is just the rising action before the climax. You have to push through. Things may stand in your way, people might tell you that you won’t make it, and you might even fail a few times, but that’s just how events are in the rising action of any book. You have to get back up and try again and again until you reach the climax of the story and finally win against all the obstacles and negative comments.

Protagonists Always Win in the End

It’s true. Protagonists always win. In one form or another, they win. If nothing is going your way and the world feels like it is crashing down on you, remind yourself that you are the protagonist of your own story, and you will win. Even in sad books, protagonists find a way to make the bad times into good times. Keep in mind that emotional and personal growth are a win in the end, even if you don’t get exactly what you hoped for.

Mistakes Make Characters Who They Are and Make Them More Exciting

Don’t let the mistakes of your past push you down. Characters who have made many mistakes tend to learn from those mistakes and rise above them. In fact, their mistakes make them exciting. For instance, a character becomes much more interesting when he realizes he was a bully in his past and ensures that no one else gets bullied. He apologizes to all the people he hurt and tries to help victims of bullying as well as bullies themselves because he knows that bullies are just people with personal problems they can’t handle on their own. This character is someone people now love. His mistakes have changed him for the better. So don’t let your mistakes destroy you. Learning from your errors and moving forward is a sign of strong character.

Even the Weak Can Be Strong

Books tell us that even weak character can be heroes. Think of Neville Longbottom from the Harry Potter series; he was a weakling, but in the end, he was a hero. Never think of yourself as too weak to fight whatever battle you face, because even the weakest of the weak can be strong. Know your weaknesses and strengths and use your talents to win.

 

What do you think of these life-changing lessons from books? Have they been helpful to you?

If you haven’t yet, be sure to check out the preview of my novel Dance with the Devil right here:

5 Ways Writers Get Their Creative Juices Flowing

When people find out I’m an author, they usually ask me the following question: “Where do you get your ideas from?” They also almost always follow that with “I can’t do what you do.” The truth is, writing is a lot of work. It is 25% imagination, 60% thinking and planning, and 15% trying to silence the inner critic that wants to tell you that you suck. So how do writers get their creative juices flowing? What goes on behind the scenes? Let us find out!

They Sleep

We all dream in our sleep, even if we can’t remember those dreams when we wake up. For many writers, dreaming is a great way to channel their subconscious creativity. They might just learn a thing or two about themselves in the process too, which is great because when writers discover who they are, they can create amazing, well-rounded characters based on themselves and those around them.

They Observe Real Life Situations



Sometimes creativity stems from observing the world around us. That is what a lot of writers do, whether they are looking for ideas or not. There are cases when writers accidentally stumble across a great idea simply by witnessing a random event. They could be watching the news and get inspired to write a tragic scene based on what they saw. Creativity isn’t always complicated, folks!

The Universe Just Gifts Them Brilliant Thoughts

This is also true. Sometimes writers just have ideas pop into their heads unexpectedly. Those are the best moments because writers just have to accept the gift and take credit for the brilliant work they didn’t exactly work on.

They Sit Down and Force the Creativity to Show Itself

Like I said earlier, writing is hard work, which is why writers don’t just lie around waiting for ideas to be handed to them (though those rare moments are nice). Instead, writers sit at their desk and think. When creativity refuses to inspire them, they think long enough, writing down different scenarios, and pick the idea they want to work on.

They Hold Creativity at Gunpoint Until It Surrenders Its Treasure

And when things go terribly wrong and the creative juices refuse to flow, writers hold creativity at gunpoint and threaten it to write the best story ever or else. Just kidding! That never works . . .

 

What do you think of this list? Do you think you have the little bit of creativity and insane amount of motivation in you that it takes to be a writer? Let me know in the comments below!

If you haven’t yet, be sure to check out the preview of my novel Dance with the Devil right here:

A Book Review: The Girl on the Train Is a Wild Thriller

I just want to start out by saying I love, love, love The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins and this book review will not do it justice no matter how much I try. I stayed up till 3:30 a.m. yesterday just to get to the ending, and I was completely satisfied. This psychological thriller is one that no one should miss out on. Hawkins’s fast-paced, first person narrative makes you read section after section without wanting to put the book down. The entire story is in present tense, which immersed me in the action as if I was experiencing it all right then and there.

In short, the book follows the lives of three women, Rachel, Anna, and Megan, who all happen to be narrators throughout the story. However, I had the sense while reading that Rachel is the true main character. Rachel, a 32-year-old divorcee, takes the train to London every day pretending she is going to work even though she was fired for getting drunk on the job months before. While on the train, she always passes by her old house where she used to live with her ex-husband, Tom, before he had the affair that ended their marriage and sent Rachel further down a spiral. Now, Tom lives in the same house with his new wife, Anna, our second narrator, and their baby daughter, Evie. Near her old house, Rachel also always looks at house number 15, where Megan, our third narrator, happens to live with her husband, Scott. Rachel looks at Megan and Scott from afar and thinks of them as the perfect couple: totally in love, happy, and perfect, everything she used to be with Tom before she discovered she couldn’t get pregnant and became an alcoholic. When Megan goes missing and on the same night that Rachel is in the neighborhood blind-drunk, Rachel feels she needs to dig inside her brain to find the misplaced memories she believes will help her figure out what happened to Megan. And that is how our thriller begins.

What I thought was interesting about the book from the beginning is the fact that Rachel is an unreliable narrator because she is an alcoholic. While we, as readers, look at her with sympathy and pity and see that somewhere inside her head is the true, sane Rachel, we cannot help at the same time but view her the way other characters view her: disheveled, crazy, erratic, stubborn. It is those conflicting views that made me want to read to the end.

At certain points throughout the book, I kept wondering if Rachel had anything to do with Megan’s disappearance, but then Rachel would interact with a secondary character and I would immediately wonder if that person is to blame. What Hawkins does best in this book is that she shows no character is perfect; each is flawed and has his or her low moments. Several characters are even emotionally and sometimes physically abusive, which made me doubt anything they said. When you combine abusive behavior in certain characters with Rachel’s alcoholism that leads to numerous blackouts, everyone in this novel becomes untrustworthy, no matter how hard you want to trust them. Without spoiling the story for you, I want to say that it was easy for me to guess the identity of the character responsible for Megan’s disappearance a few chapters into the story, and that might be because my author-brain can sniff out hints from a mile away.

Another quality about The Girl on the Train I loved is that it takes on a specific type of thriller. It is not high on action, like people chasing each other with a chainsaw and screaming bloody-murder. In fact, this book is very calm in that aspect. What makes it a thriller is that it constantly feels like a psychological mind game that can only be solved if Rachel puts together the missing puzzle pieces of her memory, and it is not until the very end that we truly see everything come together fittingly.

I encourage all bookworms to read this great novel, especially before the movie comes out in October. It is definitely worth the read! I hope this book review convinces you to read the story, and if so, leave a comment below letting me know what you are excited most about this book.

Also, be sure to check out the preview of my novel Dance with the Devil right here:

Pokemon Go Isn’t the Evil Some Are Making It Out to Be

Pokemon Go has taken over the hearts of many people, whether they are teens, young adults, kids, or grown men and women. In fact, this game has reminded lots of adults in their early to mid-twenties of the wonderful times in their childhood when they watched the Pokemon anime, collected and traded Pokemon cards, and played the video games. And what better way to make people addicted to a game than through nostalgia? I have to admit, I am hundred percent guilty of being one of those many Pokemon Go addicts, and who could blame me? Actually, a couple of people have blamed me, saying, “You’re an adult” and “How could you play a game that puts you in danger?” Well, to those few people who think the game is evil, I am here to point out why that is not true and honestly absurd.

Does Being an Adult Stop the Fun?

Just because I’m in my early 20s doesn’t make me boring. And what if I were forty years old, does the fun stop there? When does the fun stop? When we hit 18? The idea that we shouldn’t play a game because we’re adults is really strange and leads me to wonder why so many grown people are playing Candy Crush. Is it only acceptable to have fun if we’re in private and no one can see us having fun?

These are thoughts coming out of repressed people who feel bad for having fun. In reality, we shouldn’t judge someone or look down on them for having fun. Sure, fun can go overboard sometimes, like when you want to have fun all day long, but overall, playing a game is normal. As long as you balance work and play, there’s nothing wrong.

Yes, I’m an adult, and yes, I know how to have fun.

Pokemon Go is Dangerous. You Could Get Kidnapped!

The game isn’t dangerous; people being stupid is dangerous. If you go somewhere you wouldn’t normally go, like a dark alley, because you think you can find a rare Pokemon there, then it’s your fault if something bad happens to you.

I heard on the news that a few people got robbed when someone used a lure in the game to get them into a specific isolated area. People went crazy over this news, saying how the game is unsafe. Though, the truth is, those people didn’t stop to consider that they were heading into an isolated area. It is absolutely their fault what happened to them.

Playing the game, I always make sure to go to public places around locations I normally go to, such as theme parks, a supermarket, and popular coffee shops. I don’t venture to the back of restaurant buildings or to the empty parking lot by the old abandoned church. And I almost always don’t go alone, and if I do, I make sure to look all around me and stay among others.

NEW: Local teenager hit by car while playing #PokemonGo, also 3 people locked in Pa. cemetery playing popular game. https://t.co/D7rK69Tpdb

— KDKA (@CBSPittsburgh) July 13, 2016

Again, if you make stupid real life decisions while playing the game, then that’s on you. Be smart and nothing should go wrong.

They’re Watching Our Every Move!

First of all, who are “they”? Are they the government, the illuminati, aliens, the mafia? Second of all, stop being paranoid. No one really cares too much about what you do or where you go. No one cares to track your every move. Besides, what are they going to do, report that you went to the zoo with other people that also went to the zoo and then to a restaurant to have a meal? Again, no one cares about your life. And if you don’t feel safe using the camera in Pokemon Go, you can turn it off. No need to make a fuss and start with conspiracy theories.

The Game is Making People Dependent On Technology

We have always been dependent on technology ever since we created it. Technology helps us move forward. Sure, we have taken advantage of it sometimes, but it is not a totally bad thing. And so what if we now can’t let go of our phones because we’re in search for Pikachu? This game has done more good than bad, like getting us to walk outside and interact with people in safe environments (again, if we don’t make stupid choices).

Dogs are putting their foot down. #PokemonGO pic.twitter.com/4fryGbvLiq

— TGN Gamers (@tgnTV) July 21, 2016

As an author, I am glad there is finally a game like this to get me out of the house. All day long I sit and I write, and when I finish writing, I don’t have the motivation to go walk. But this game gives me that motivation. Instead of staying on my behind all week, I now have a reason to get up, get some fresh air, and exercise. Why would anyone feel threatened by that?

Just because I hold my phone with more excitement than before doesn’t mean it’s the end of the world. Maybe, just maybe, it’s the beginning of something positively new.

 

Looking for something new to read? Here’s a preview of my book Dance with the Devil:

5 Exercises that Will Help You Defeat Writer’s Block

Writers can sometimes face challenges when it comes to coming up with story ideas, characters, and plot twists. When these challenges drag on, they become known as writer’s block. If you’re currently dealing with this problem, then be assured, you’re not alone. Every writer goes through this struggle. Heck, even I did for years! Yes, it’s true. I struggled with coming up with story ideas from my sophomore year in college to almost a year after I graduated from college. But the good news is that I’ve learned a few tricks to vanquish writer’s block. Here are 5 great exercises that will help you defeat it too:

Exercise #1: Write the First Thing That Comes to Mind and Build On It

It could be anything. Whatever pops into your mind. Here’s what just popped into my mind:

A girl wakes up in an unknown location. She doesn’t know how she got there, and she can’t remember the night before. This could be someone’s house, but it looks too much like a dungeon.

That’s a fantastic story idea right there. You can build on it and make it more exciting. Perhaps the girl was sold to slavery while she was getting drunk with her girls the night before her wedding. Now the girl has a back story and a big problem facing her. How will she get out? Will she ever get back to her fiancée?

Whatever pops into your head, write it down the way I did and keep adding to it. Then write the opening chapter, or a chapter in the middle of a story, or maybe even the last chapter. Do what you like. Make it yours. Don’t question the thoughts; just write them down.

Exercise #2: Write About Your Most Painful Memories

Emotions can trigger so many ideas that you can write about. Even if you don’t write nonfiction, you can use painful memories to write fiction. Believe it or not, but fiction is based on reality. So use your feelings. Talk about that moment in day camp when you made the mistake of telling the really cute Clare you had a crush on her and she proceeded to tell you how you look like a booger. Talk about eighth grade when you overheard Melissa make fun of you while you hid in a bathroom stall. Dig deep into the most painful memories and write them down. You don’t have to use your name or the names of the real people. You don’t even have to make the story 100% true if you’re writing fiction.

Exercise #3: Write a Full Scene with Just Dialogue

We communicate with dialogue and body language. We even do actions while we communicate; we sip coffee, we type on the computer, and sometimes we jump rope. But when you’re stuck in writer’s block mode, who says you have to follow the rules? Thinking of every little action can be exhausting. Remove action from your writing and just write the dialogue. Here’s how it could go:

“I don’t want you to go,” Sam said.

“But it’s getting late and mom will kill me,” Kyle said.

“Well, if you stay, I’ll let you do anything you want.”

“Really?”

“Yes, really.”

“Can we watch the neighbors making out?” Kyle said.

“OK.”

And now that you have an entire scene made up all of just dialogue, you can go back and add action. Show readers how Sam tugged on Kyle’s sleeve as he tried to get out the door. Show readers how Kyle smirked when he asked to watch the neighbors. You don’t have to think of action right away, and when you write just the dialogue, you write faster and create for yourself the skeleton of the whole story. It becomes the base, and you can build up from it.

Exercise #4: Write a Full Scene with General, Bland Descriptions

Similarly, you can write a full scene with bland descriptions and actions. They don’t have to be good; they just have to say something about what’s going on. For example:

“I don’t want you to go,” Sam said. She tugged on Kyle’s sleeve.

He shook his head. “But it’s getting late and mom will kill me,” Kyle said.

“Well, if you stay . . .” She licked her bottom lip. “I’ll let you do anything you want.”

“Really?”

“Yes, really.”

Kyle smirked. “Can we watch the neighbors making out?”

Sam crossed her arms and rolled her eyes. “OK.”

 

The descriptions here are decent. They are not bad nor amazing. I wrote them fast just to show what each character is doing. I didn’t think too much about what I wrote or how I could make it better. That is for a later time. Editing comes last. So first write your full scene with the bland descriptions. Then edit that scene, like this:

“I don’t want you to go,” Sam said. She tugged on Kyle’s sleeve, almost tearing a hole in it. This month, they only saw each other for two days what with Kyle being grounded and all. She pulled harder on his sleeve. “Come on, please?”

Kyle looked down at his watch and he shook his head. “It’s getting late and mom will kill me.”

“Well, if you stay . . .” She licked her lips together and looked him straight in the eyes. “I’ll let you do anything you want.” With the first few buttons of his shirt unbuttoned, she reached over with her hand and brushed the tips of her fingers against his chest.

“Really?”

“Yes, really.”

Kyle smirked and looked excitedly out the door. “Can we watch the neighbors making out?”

Sam crossed her arms and rolled her eyes. “OK.” This was not how she thought it would turn out.

As you can see, I took my bland scene and made it better. This is editing. However, when you start your scene, make it bland. Write generic terms. Use clichés that you know later would have to be removed. Hey, even go crazy with adverbs (quietly, slowly, playfully, happily). As long as you start out writing a bland scene with the knowledge that later you will edit it and make it better, everything is fine. Besides, you will find yourself writing faster and not dwelling on the fact that you can’t come up with ideas. Because you obviously can!

Exercise #5: Go Somewhere New and Force Yourself to Write a Scene

This is a great way to get yourself to take writing seriously. Take nothing with you other than your pen and notebook, or laptop if you prefer (just be sure to turn off all distractions), and sit somewhere new or that you don’t often go to. You can people watch and listen to music. And then start writing. The thing about going somewhere new is that you are forced to actually sit and write, as opposed to watching TV at home or cleaning that stain on your shirt that NEEDS to be dealt with immediately. When you go somewhere new, you stop making excuses for why you’re not writing because there are (I hope) no distractions around. Watching TV and cleaning your shirt can wait.

 

And that is all I have for you right now. These five exercises have helped me, and I know they will help you too get rid of writer’s block once and for all. When in doubt, know that you are a writer, you just need to channel that side of you.

Looking for something new to read? Here’s a preview of my book Dance with the Devil:

Top 5 Things Writers Do When They’re Not Writing

Writers have a tough job. Not only do they have to create a reasonable, interesting world, they have to do so in writing (obviously). As Thomas Mann, a German novelist, said, “A writer is someone for whom writing is more difficult than it is for other people.” Writers have to think twice about each word they put on paper, pick only the best ideas, and tell refined stories that have been shaped and reshaped over and over and over. And even then, writers will still think their stories needs more work, but they have to stop editing at some point to get their writing published. So, what exactly do writers do when they’re not writing?

Think Endlessly About Their Work

Yes, it’s true, when writers aren’t writing, they think about their writing. They try to figure out how to enhance plot twists, what would make readers love or hate a character more, and how to turn the main character’s world upside down while maintaining a realistic story, even if it is a fiction fantasy. In other words, you could say that writers are paranoid about their stories.

 

Ask Their Friends If What They Wrote Makes Any Sense

Each writer has a unique voice and style of writing, which makes it difficult figuring out if what was written makes any sense to people other than the writer. Writers sometimes read their work a hundred times just to decide if it sounds all right. And when the words no longer make sense because they’ve stared at them so long, writers turn to friends and nag until they find out if their work is gibberish or not. So even when writers aren’t writing, they are talking about their writing.

Wonder If Their Hard Work Will Ever Pay Off

Writers are emotional people, and who could blame them? Their work doesn’t pay until the very end and only if it is accepted for publication. Which means that writers are always in a state of anxiety, wondering if all the hard work they’re putting into their writing will ever actually pay off.

Get Irritated When a Favorite Author Uses a Brilliant Plot Twist—How Come They Didn’t Think of That?

Writers have so much on their minds that it can be hard to come up with ideas sometimes (most people call this writer’s block). And when writers discover a well-delivered plot twist in a book, they often get slightly jealous of the author. They wonder why they weren’t able to think of something as great. The good news, though, is that writers get motivated when they are envious of other authors’ writing.

Go to Sleep in Hopes of Getting Inspired in a Dream

When writers no longer have the energy to sit down and plot, they take a nap in the hopes that a strange and outrageous dream will give them the inspiration they so desperately need to finish the chapter they have been stuck on.

 

Are you a writer? If so, can you relate to any of the above things writers do when they’re not writing? I would love to hear back from you! You can leave me a comment bellow.

Looking for something new to read? Check out my book Dance with the Devil. You can read the first few chapters free right here:

A Letter to The World: Pray for Peace, For All Souls

Dear world,

For the past few days, I’ve been angry and sad. The City Beautiful, my city, Orlando, has been struck with terror and pain. My fellow Orlando family (and I’m not just talking about my blood relatives) all felt the immediate hurt that came out of the shooting at Pulse nightclub this past Sunday morning. Several times throughout this week I wanted to cry and had to hold myself. I did not personally know any of the victims; however, they were people. Some of them were friends of my friends; we had mutual friends and went to the same schools, ate at the same places, went to the same theme parks. These were real people with lives ahead of them and lots of dreams. And even if they weren’t from my city, I would have grieved for them just the way I grieved for the victims of 9/11, the recent Paris massacre, and my friends and loved ones being killed in my birth country Syria. These are people. These are people’s children, people’s friends, people’s lovers. They are you and me.

It wasn’t until this morning that I realized why I felt so shaken about the Orlando shooting which happened no farther than 15 minutes away by car from where I live, at a place where lots of my friends go to. Sure, everyone living in Orlando has been shaken, but I felt a separate emotion and I couldn’t put my finger on it. Why was I so unusually angry? Here’s what I realized this morning: This wasn’t just a hate crime and a terrorist attack; this was a world crime.

No matter the attacker’s motives, we can’t deny that he pledged allegiance to ISIS. ISIS who has killed lots of innocent people in Syria and Lebanon and now in France and America and possibly other places that I don’t know about. I was born in Syria and lived there till I was 11, when I moved to America. But to this day, I have friends and family there, and they have lives that go on even in the midst of a war. And yes, I do know people who lost their lives because of ISIS. A Syrian neighbor’s 11-year-old son was shot in the head while playing inside his bedroom. The attacker shot him with a sniper from far, way outside his house. And why? What did this poor kid do other than live his young life?

What did the people at Pulse nightclub do other than have fun and be themselves? Many of them were still kids. 18 and 19 and 20 years old. And no matter how big their age number is, the loss is profound. They were people. They were us. What if I went to the club that night with my friends? It could have been me that’s dead.

Whether I live in Syria or here in Orlando, there is a risk that evil will strike. And I guess the emotion that I feel that I’m not sure if others around me feel too can be summed up in this sentence: What makes some people more deserving of living good, safe lives than mere luck? I came to America at a time when others couldn’t, and I was lucky to live in a city that is home to the happiest place on earth. I was lucky. I am lucky to be far from the Syrian war when my friends and family are not. And I was lucky this past weekend yet again to be alive, because you don’t know when or where evil will strike. It’s a game of chance. No one can be certain they’ll always be safe.

And that is what has shaken me and why I decided to write a letter to the world. We need world peace, not just peace for specific countries and cities and religions. We need peace for all. Every. Single. One. Of. Us.

We need peace for all the people of the world. We need peace for people of all backgrounds and religions, or lack thereof. We need to get along as a world, as a planet. If we want to change things for the better, this world needs to get off its hind legs and do something to expel evil. I’m aware that what I’m saying isn’t a real plan, and I’m aware that the majority of people want peace, but what I’m asking all of us—world united—to do is to stick together, change how we interact with one another and how we view other countries. We are all one blood, being joined by a long ancestral line. We might not be literal brothers and sisters, but we are all long distant cousins.

I will leave this video right here so you can see for yourself:

So how about we stop acting like people divided by borders and religions and start acting like one big family? Let’s really triumph over evil. Orlando is strong, but so is the world. Let us be strong together.

Sincerely,

A girl talking from the heart

Top 5 Things Writers Are Tired of Hearing

From time to time, us writers receive some comments that drive us insane. Being the good actors we are—we are creative, after all—we put a smile on and tell everyone that we will consider their ideas. If you’re a writer, or perhaps just a curious reader, check out the following five things writers are tired of hearing. And pass on this little writer humor if you find it to be true!

WARNING: I will most likely ramble angrily in this blog.

I have some fantastic true stories you should write about.

Me writing my novel

You wouldn’t believe how many times people who love to gossip came to me with stories they wanted me to write about. I had to stop and wonder whose stories I was hearing. Their next door neighbors’ perhaps? All I know is that I definitely don’t want to write and publish those stories and ruin the lives of innocent people.

Why don’t you write a film script?

If I listened to everyone who told me to write something, I would never get anything done. Some people have told me to write children’s books, others insisted that I write a film script, and then a few who thought it would be a good idea to write a soap opera. However, when people who aren’t writers assert that they know what’s best for me to write about, I immediately put up a shield of defense, and I bet other writers do too. One, I will write whatever my heart desires. Two, I didn’t get a BA in Creative Writing so that others tell me how to do my job. Three, thanks for the advice, but I don’t write trash (no soap operas for me).

I can probably write a book if it weren’t for my busy career.

It’s nice to hear how you love writing. Though, since you haven’t actually done any writing in your life, I feel a little insulted. Are you implying that writing is an easy job that you could do without years of practice? Because, let me tell you, it’s not easy. I often sit and write for hours only to produce a single page, and I’ve been writing for a decade. So stick with your busy career and I’ll stick with mine, because I don’t think either one of us would do good if we swapped places.

You should write a story about my life; it’ll be a bestseller.

If you’re so enthusiastic about your life, why don’t you write about it and see how it turns out? I really doubt that moment you ran into your childhood enemy at the supermarket and told her to stick it where the sun don’t shine is going to make a good story. And evidently, I’m not interested in your life enough to write about it.

You know what would make you sell more books? Write something like this novel. *Insert Fifty Shades of Grey.*

Thanks, once again, for the advice. But, like I said in my second point above, I don’t write trash. If I really wanted to, I’d just put random words together and call it a day. But, being the professional that I am, I actually work really hard to make each and every scene I write the best it can be. Plus, you don’t even like reading; you just happened to read one dirty book because you’re a shallow being who only reads something if it’s trending among billions of screaming women going “OMG” on social media. So you are clearly the wrong person to tell me what to write about. Thanks, but no thanks. I will not tailor my writing to your lifestyle.

 

Well, that’s the end of my writer humor and ramble. If you’re a writer, do people say similar things to you? Let me know in the comments!

Looking for something new to read? Check out the free preview of my book Dance with the Devil right here:

10 Reasons to Get a Free Dance with the Devil eBook

My book Dance with the Devil will be FREE all day long tomorrow, Friday, June 3, 2016, in the Amazon kindle store. Meaning that you can get a Free eBook copy of my book. You can get your copy tomorrow here. Simply choose the “Kindle” edition, select where you want the eBook to be delivered (your iPad, tablet, PC, phone, etc.), then click “Buy now with 1-click” to officially get your copy. Then, you’ll find the book in your Kindle app on your device of choice. If you don’t already have the Kindle app, be sure to download it (it is free) to your tablet, computer, or wherever you prefer. For now, here are 10 reasons why you should get a free copy of my book Dance with the Devil:

It’s free! And what’s better than a free product? Get a copy for yourself, send a copy to your friends, siblings, mother, daughters, next door neighbors. It doesn’t cost you, and it could be a nice gift!
If you like reading fantasy, then this book is definitely for you. Come join the adventure and suspense. Immerse yourself in the world of Healers and Protectors, and let your world turn upside down.
Get a front seat view of the love triangle between the main character Kaylie and two amazing guys.
You get to see my early writing. I wrote Dance with the Devil when I was 17 years old and published it when I was 18. That was in 2011 when I had just started studying Creative Writing at the University of Central Florida. Since then, I’ve graduated summa cum laude, earning my Bachelor’s Degree. So when I look back today at my writing then, I feel like I get transported into the body of an 18-year-old me, and it’s both funny and exciting seeing my creative thoughts during that time.
You’ll have something to read this summer during your free time, and it won’t cost you a dime.
If you like plot twists, you’ll fall head over heels for this book. Don’t trust what anyone says or does in Dance with the Devil. Nothing is as it appears to be.
You would be helping me grow my fan base. Whether or not you end up enjoying the book I wrote years ago when I was first starting out, you would still be supporting me and my future writing endeavors. By the way, thank you in advance for the support. You rock!
If you’re into heroes, then there is nothing more heroic than the main character bringing the dead back to life.
Who doesn’t love reading about a secret underground society that the rest of the world has no clue about?
The book will keep you guessing who the real enemy is till the end.

Here’s a little summary of the book for you:

When the recent high school graduate Kaylie Gallagher loses her best friend Michael Lavern in a car accident, she finds herself entering a secret, supernatural world of Healers where her life is constantly being thrown to the edge of doom.

Kaylie is introduced to this mystical power which allows her to heal any injured creature, excluding the dead. She soon realizes that her power is a gift as well as a curse that she cannot get rid of without putting other Healers in harm’s way. Struck by the loss of someone she thought she loved as more than a friend, she soon finds that the unexpected of circumstances can lead her to the real love of her life. Yet deep down, she is still unsure of the choice she needs to make. She is trapped between facing her real feelings and bringing back what everyone thought was impossible: the dead.

So what do you say? Will you be getting my book Dance with the Devil tomorrow? Be sure to put a reminder in your calendar to get the free eBook copy!

For now, here’s a preview of the book: