S.S. David's Blog, page 14
February 23, 2014
If The Sky Should Fall…
(Photo credit: Flickr)
Have you ever felt an intense feeling where you can hardly breathe and nothing else matters? Where you feel taller, more beautiful, and the mountains could take a hike for all you care? Where you seem to float endlessly in the midst of continuous, uninterrupted bliss?
I felt like that when I first met my husband. I loved him with everything and I believe I could attain the impossible with him by my side…
Pass forward…. twenty-one years later.
Do I still feel like that? Do I blush when I look into his ever youthful face? Do I shiver with emotions when I stare into his brown eyes which seemed to dance with merry? Do I have the time to skip with him and steal him away from life’s endless concern?
Oh yeah…
I still do. And I consider myself fortunate! Although we have a very easy relationship, my husband knows I’m also blessed with friends who would stand by me when I need them. Why? Because I’ll do the same. I invest a lot in my relationships – not necessarily to get a healthy return but because I enjoy making people happy. And I want to use this medium to appreciate you the reader, my friends. :) I am one lucky woman to be blessed with such awesome, lovely people. So if the sky should fall, I am safe, and you are too! If the sky we look upon
Should tumble and fall
Oh and the mountains should crumble to the sea
I won’t cry, I won’t cry, no I won’t shed a tear
Just as long as you stand, stand by me
I hope this week would be peaceful, joyful and that we would achieve our goals! I intend to have a pleasant week, and I sincerely wish you the same!
Much love, always!
Filed under: Blogging, Friends, Life, Motivation Tagged: Family, Friends, Friendship, Home, Hope, Kindness, Life, Love, People, Relationships
February 17, 2014
I GOT YOU BABE!
Through the rain, the sleet, the snow
I got you babe.
Through the tempest, the hailstone and storms,
I got you babe.
Through the tough times and pain
I got you babe.
Through the laughter and moments of madness
I got you babe.
Through everything life may throw at us
I got you babe!
****
I’d always loved Cher’s voice and while the kids were screaming downstairs, (they’re on half term break) I sneaked upstairs and immersed` myself in their song, ‘I Got You Babe.’ It was nice, simple and full of love. Though Sonny (Cher’s former husband) passed away a few years ago, and they did divorced before his passing, I believe Cher and Sonny truly cared for each other. You can listen here if you want. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=80QHRTQ3Kmw
This week, I hope we’ll all find what would cheer our hearts. It would also be nice to send cheers to others. I wish you peace and joy friends. Have a fantastic week.
Much love, always!
Filed under: Friends, Life, Marriage And Family Life., Musings, Poems, Poetic Thoughts Tagged: Arts, Death, Dreams, Friendship, Home, Life, Love, Peace, People, Relationships, Romance
February 14, 2014
Avanlanche: The Fall…
(Photo credit: Krappweis)
The air was crisp and clean, the sky blue and clear. Amanda inhaled deeply, imagining the stress leaving her body. She watched her husband from the corner of her eyes: the sharp, well-shaped jaws, the bushy eyebrows, and the serious expression almost drew a chuckle but she clamped down on it.
It was their last day in Switzerland and against all odds, she had truly enjoyed herself. Now she had to confront her husband and tell him the real reason she wanted a divorce. They walked towards their cabin in silence as Amanda cleared her throat noisily. Pete gave her a quick sideways glance and opened the door.
Amanda strolled towards the sofa and sank into it, while Pete removed his gloves and boots.
‘I slept with Alex!’
Pete stood still like a statue, even the sweat on his brows froze in disbelief. He ground his teeth and approached his wife menacingly. Alex had been his friend from childhood. They were practically brothers, what a fool I’d been! He thought in anger but something held him in check, he didn’t believe it.
‘When?’ He mouthed the words and knelt in front of his wife, his eyes were incredibly dry and he looked very calm.
‘Three months ago…’ she closed her eyes briefly, ’the night we had a fight on the phone.’
‘Where?’
‘I called him and he came over to the house.’ Amanda involuntarily put her hand to her mouth as if she’d said too much.
‘We made up when I got back Amanda!’ Pete said slowly, strangely, his anger had dissipated.
‘I know…’ and she began to cry, ‘for what’s worth, I had no recollection of it as such. I was wasted, very drunk.’
Pete made up his mind there and then to fight for his marriage but Amanda was not finished.
‘Three weeks later I found out I was pregnant.’
That was when Pete lost it. He picked Amanda up effortlessly and almost hurled her against the wall, she wailed on his shirt, expecting the worse, then like a China plate, he put her down gently. He hurriedly put his gloves on, wore his shoes and rushed out of the cabin.
Two hours later, there was a knock on the door, Amanda hurriedly opened it, worried sick. Standing calmly at the door were two Swiss officers, their expressions looked grim. Amanda crumpled to the floor in a faint…
………………….
NP: It wasn’t all bad news though! Pete was trapped in an avalanche but luckily, he’d survived. Amanda gave birth to twin sons… Well, when she did the DNA paternity test, Pete was the father of her sons. Their marriage survived. Pete quit his job in the City, and now had his own company. They went through months of counselling and the last time I spoke to Pete, he sounded optimistic, but he confessed that it was hard. However, he loves his wife, he’d forgiven her and was determined to give their marriage a chance to heal.
Relationships are not easy, Amanda and Pete had made up their mind to fight for their marriage and I wish them the best. To all my friends all over the world, I won’t wish you love because today is Valentine, I’m wishing you love all year round. May your hearts find peace and joy!
Much love, always!
Filed under: Child birth and Family life., Life, Marriage And Family Life., Motivation, Short Story, Valentine Tagged: Children, Faith, Forgiveness, Hope, Life, Love, Marriage, Peace, Relationships, Short story 
February 8, 2014
Avalanche
(Photo Credit: Flickr)
Pete stared at the papers in his hands and his blood froze.
Amanda, his wife of five years wanted a divorce, what a way to start the year! He sat down wearily on the bed as his mind raced to the red-head beauty who bumped into him at Mile End underground station in London – she had apologised profusely and they got talking. Within weeks, their romance blossomed. As an Investment Banker, Pete had little time to woo her but Amanda more or less took control of his life.
Within two years, they were married, and his parents were delighted. A year after marriage, Amanda was desperate for a child, he wasn’t that bothered. After all, he’s always holed up at his office in the City, slaving away to make as much money as he could. They hardly spend time together and deep down, he knew it could be the reason she wanted out. They love each other, why would Amanda think divorcing him would make her life better? The noise of his phone disrupted his reminiscing and he grunted before picking it up from the bedside table.
‘Yeah,’ Pete drawled and listened, then clicked it shut. Switzerland. He’d totally forgotten about the holiday he’d pre booked weeks earlier. Like a slow motion, hope began a painful ascent in his mind. Maybe, just maybe, time away from their usual life in London would spice things up a bit, and talk of divorce would disappear.
Half an hour later, Amanda strolled into the room, avoiding any eye contacts.
‘Shouldn’t we at least talk about this?’ Pete asked quietly, waving the papers in his hands. He couldn’t stop staring at his wife, whose hourglass figure never ceased to amaze him.
‘We’ll talk when we get to Switzerland,’ she replied. Pete laughed and said lightly, ‘Women and holidays!’
But there was something different about her. He stood up and pulled her into his arms, he was half expecting her to resist but she didn’t.
‘Is this what you want honey?’ he mumbled into her hair, rocking her as he would a day old baby.
Amanda swallowed hard, then closed her eyes. How could she back track now after realising the root of their problems? Divorce was the only way out, or so she thought…
………
NP: I was supposed to have posted this on Thursday but I was extremely busy, I would have to make this a two or three-part series. Amanda and Pete are a couple whose story touched me deeply. It’s also a true story, but as usual, I would change their names to protect their identity and add elements of fiction to it as well. I would post the next part sometimes next week, at least before Valentine’s day. Martin Luther said something that touched me: ‘There is no more lovely, friendly and charming relationship, communion or company than a good marriage.’
Call me a traditionalist, but my parents have been married for almost fifty years, they had their good, bad, and excellent times but they stuck together. Now I think they’re best of friends.
I hope you would have a peaceful, restful and enjoyable week. I intend to!
Much love, always!
Filed under: Life, Marriage And Family Life., Musings, Short Story, Valentine Tagged: Family, Friends, Life, London, Love, Marriage, Men, Relationships, Short story
February 3, 2014
The Beast
(Photo Credit: Flickr)
Laura had trouble sleeping, she watched enviously as her husband slept soundly like a baby. She closed her eyes and willed her body to relax, fifteen minutes later, it worked, and she drifted off into a fitful sleep. Claps of thunder woke her up hours later, reluctantly, she opened her eyes and listened as flashes of light competed in a show of power. However, amidst the thunderous symphony, she also detected a faint but familiar sound, she listened and froze with fright when she realised it was the voice of Anna, her fourteen year old daughter.
She turned to touch her husband, but he wasn’t there. Panicking, she leapt out of bed and slowly crept down the stairs. Someone was in her home, a stranger. Her heart in her mouth, she moved stealthily, afraid to alert the intruder. By now, Anna was howling, Laura threw caution to the wind and breezed into the kitchen, grabbed a large knife and dashed into her daughter’s room.
Ashley, her husband of eighteen mouths was lying on top of her daughter, naked waist down. Anna stopped crying when she saw her mother and Laura felt alien, as she seemed to move out of her body… Swiftly, she raised the knife above her head.
………..
Two years later, Anna walked briskly down a hallway, her heart beating with love. It was Valentines Day, and, the love of her life is in prison. Many people called her mother a beast, but she knew that it was her Step-father who was the real beast. He had repeatedly raped her, threatening to kill her mother if she uttered a single word to a living soul. As far as Anna was concerned, the death of Ashley was a welcome relief. Her mother would be out in a couple of years, and with her mother by her side, life couldn’t be better. They would live happily ever after!
………….
NP: I am a realistic writer, if you’ve read any of my books, you should know by now that I’m not afraid to tackle difficult subjects, and this was a very difficult topic for me to write. Many women are trapped in abusive relationships, where their partners are raping or had raped their daughters – it’s an ugly scenario. But it could be stopped: there are warning signs really, when your partner is unduly interested in your daughter, that leery, lustful look is often too glaring to hide, (mind you, not all Step-fathers are Ashley!) Left for me, I wish all marriages ended with ‘the happily ever after theme,’ but that would be living in a fairy tale world. Even though I don’t support what Laura did, the beast in some people cannot be tamed, they can only be stopped!
………….
Where there are beasts, there are also saints. Like Hugh Mackay would say: ‘ Nothing is perfect. Life is messy. Relationships are complex. Outcomes are uncertain. People are irrational.’
I hope you’ll all have a pleasant week. I’ll be back on Thursday with a very interesting topic in my ‘happily ever after theme!’
Much love, always!
Filed under: Marriage And Family Life., Short Story, Valentine Tagged: Children, Family, Hope, Life, Love, Marriage, Men, Relationships, Safety, Short story
February 1, 2014
Ever After?
(Photo credit: Flickr)
‘Love is composed of a single soul inhabiting two bodies.’
Aristotle.
******
Alero kneaded the dough and used her free hand to mop her sweaty brows. Her husband was away on business but she noticed the surreptitious glances threw her way by the neighbours and it saddened her. Abel is the love of her life but of recent, she had trouble believing the ‘happily ever after’ theory.
A shrill sound interrupted her sad thoughts and she walked briskly to the living room, picking up the landline phone and whispered hoarsely, her voice constricted with tears.
‘Hello.’
‘Hey darling,’ Abel, her husband of five years, said slowly on the other line, ‘are you okay? You sound awful.’
She gritted her teeth then replied carefully, trying in vain to control the turbulent emotions coursing through her, ‘when are you coming home?’
‘I’m outside the door!’
Alero dropped the phone and flew to the door, she flung it open and saw Abel kneeling down on one knee, a huge grin on his brown face.
‘Forgive me darling, I promise to love you forever!’
She didn’t know what to say.
Abel stood up slowly and clasped her in a tight, warm embrace. Alero was limp in his arms, she felt nothing. Few seconds passed then she asked,
‘What exactly do you want me to forgive you for?’
‘The ‘ever after’ marriage is not a bed of roses. I have flaws my love, as you do, but we can work through it all.’
Alero now understood, and she held her husband tightly, wondering if ‘happily ever after’ is not a myth after all.
*******
In the spirit of ‘Valentine,’ I would be exploring a lot of relationships and how we could turn more towards the ‘happily ever after’ theme. Forgiveness and tolerance is the key for the success of any human relationship. Love conquers all…
Enjoy your weekend friends!
Much love, always!
Filed under: Fiction, Marriage And Family Life., Motivation, Short Story Tagged: Dreams, Family, Home, Life, Love, Marriage, Men, Relationships, Short story, Valentine
January 31, 2014
Poor, Poor Writers…
I came across this interesting and revealing article from my publisher’s website, Arrow Gate Publishing, and I know I just have to post this. Read on, and when you see a book, or any creative work for that matter, do know that a lot goes into the final work.
******
Writers And The Unpredictability Of Their Profession!
A new article by Alison Flood of theguardian.com has created divided opinions. She painted a very gloomy picture of the pittance authors make from their trade and she reveals that, ‘figures show the vast majority of authors, both traditionally and self-published, are struggling to make a living from their work.’
Astonishingly, she is right, and as a publisher dedicated to getting the right book out to readers, our roles seems interwoven. Are we taking a gamble in this unpredictable business? Or just doing it because we love the written word? The answer is simple, we love writers and their stories. It is a noble but lonely profession, where writers could hole up in a room for several months trying to put the thoughts in their heads to life.
The words of this article are not necessarily our opinion, however, it is a compelling read at the same time. Please enjoy!
******
The publishing industry has never been so sharply divided. In the week when the erotica writer Sylvia Day signed a staggering eight-figure two-book deal with St Martin’s Press, a survey reveals that 54% of traditionally-published authors and almost 80% of go-it-alone writers are making less than $1,000 (£600) a year.
More than 9,000 writers, from aspiring authors to seasoned pros, took part in the 2014 Digital Book World and Writer’s Digest Author Survey, presented at this week’s Digital Book World conference. The survey divided the 9,210 respondents into four camps: aspiring, self-published only, traditionally-published only, and hybrid (both self-published and traditionally-published). More than 65% of those who filled out the survey described themselves as aspiring authors, with 18% self-published, 8% traditionally-published and 6% saying they were pursuing hybrid careers.
Just over 77% of self-published writers make $1,000 or less a year, according to the survey, with a startlingly high 53.9% of traditionally-published authors, and 43.6% of hybrid authors, reporting their earnings are below the same threshold. A tiny proportion – 0.7% of self-published writers, 1.3% of traditionally published, and 5.7% of hybrid writers – reported making more than $100,000 a year from their writing. The profile of the typical author in the sample was “a commercial fiction writer who might also write non-fiction and who had a project in the works that might soon be ready to publish”, according to the report.
Fortunately only a minority of respondents listed making money as “extremely important” – around 20% of self-published writers, and about a quarter of traditionally-published authors. But authors’ top priority was not divorced from commercial concerns, with around 56% of self-pubbers, and almost 60% of traditional authors, judging it “extremely important” to “publish a book that people will buy”.
According to the report’s co-author and Digital Book World editorial director Jeremy Greenfield, the report confirms the finding that “authors of all stripes, but particularly self-published authors, don’t earn huge sums of money doing what they do”.
“Most authors write because they want to share something with the world or gain recognition of some sort,” Greenfield said. “There are, of course, outliers. The top 2% or so of authors make a good living and the most successful authors – including self-published authors – make a tremendous amount of money.”
“The question of money is a tricky one,” agreed Greenfield’s co-author, professor Dana Weinberg. “Publishing a book for sale is a matter of both art and commerce. I would argue that for most writers publishing is not only about money; it’s about a lot of other things including touching readers and sharing stories, but the money is important in a lot of ways.”
The dream of quitting the day job to pursue writing is only a reality for a tiny fraction of writers, she continued. “Writing good books is a big time commitment, as much for many writers in the survey as a part-time job, and income gives writers something to show their family and friends for all of their effort and hard work. Some writers are looking for validation, and in the world of self-publishing, where you don’t have the prestige of being chosen by a press, the money is a tangible and rewarding substitute. While writers aren’t motivated purely by money, the money does matter on many levels. The high royalty rates in self-publishing also give writers higher expectations about their potential income.”
So too, do success stories like that of Day, who originally self-published her erotic novel Bared to You, or the author Hugh Howey, who sold hundreds of thousands of copies of his dystopian novel Wool himself on Amazon before landing a publisher. But according to Howey, the survey casts self-publishing in too gloomy a light.
“This survey does not capture the fact that self-publishing is going through a renaissance,” Howey said. “It expects a group of authors with two or three years of experience and market maturity to line up against the top 1% of authors who have had several generations’ head start. Remember that not all books that go the traditional route are counted here, just the few who get published. Meanwhile, every self-published book is tallied.”
For Howey, self-publishing plays a vital role by allowing writers to “hone” their skills. “I would say the results of this survey cloud how nearly impossible it is to make a single cent through traditional publishing (because only the top 1% who ‘make it’ are tallied). The simple fact is this: getting paid for your writing is not easy. But self-publishing is making it easier. How much easier? We don’t have sufficient data to know. But a conservative estimate would be that five to 10 times as many people are paying bills with their craft today as there was just a few years ago. And that should be celebrated.”
NP: Well done if you managed to read this article, would love to know your thoughts! Now, back light-hearted matters, Valentine is around the corner, but my husband says that everyday is supposed to be ‘lovers day,’ and I think he’s right! :) I hope you would have a great time.
Have a pleasant weekend my friends. Much love, always!
Filed under: Books, Friends, Publishers, Writers, Writing and Character Development Tagged: Arrow Gate Publishing, Arts, Authors, Fiction, Literature, Online Writing, Publishing, Short story
January 27, 2014
Waiting…
‘Infuse your life with action. Don’t wait for it to happen. Make it happen. Make your own future. Make your own hope. Make your own love. And whatever your beliefs, honor your creator, not by passively waiting for grace to come down from upon high, but by doing what you can to make grace happen… yourself, right now, right down here on Earth.’ Bradley Whitford
‘Patience is the least of my virtues,’ someone said in a film I watched years ago and I agreed. Patience, and waiting, walk hand in hand. We wait for great things to happen, we wait for bad things to go away, we wait for a lot of stuff while we should and could be doing something about it. I hate waiting, although sometimes, it’s a necessary part of life, waiting for exams, waiting to get a job, waiting to get married, waiting to give birth, waiting to succeed, waiting for this, waiting for that!
Why not just take Bradley’s advice and infuse your life with action.
Maybe, it’s time to really just move…
Or what do you think?
Enjoy the rest of this week my friends!!
Much love, always!
Filed under: Life, Motivation, Quotes Tagged: Action, Faith, Friends, Future, Hope, Life, Waiting
January 21, 2014
In Search Of Innocence
I first heard the news on TV, that a 3-year-old boy had disappeared at Edinburg overnight, (this was a few days ago) my heart was in my mouth and when the police revealed that they weren’t looking for little Mikaeel Kular anymore, my heart sank. (To some, this is stale news but I couldn’t get the face of the boy from my mind) I’m the kind of woman who believes in the impossible, miraculous acts that usually astound and even confound the most obstinate heart. However, the story of this little, innocent boy hit me hard.
You may wonder why, I am not in any way related to the Kulars, but I am a mother, who had experienced the loss of a child, although not in that way. You may read of my true story here: http://seyisandradavid.org/2012/11/14/death-and-the-angels-of-mercy/
The most disturbing aspect of the story, is this, the mother seems to be the major suspect, I don’t want to delve too much into the story of the mother or what propelled her into such an atrocious act but of that innocent boy. Someone once commented that people shouldn’t be taken on facial values (whatever that means!) and that no one should be trusted, in a way, the commenter could be right. We live in a very dangerous world but I am forever an optimist, and would remain so, even in the face of outright evil. Mikaeel must have loved his family, but something went wrong and now he is no more. Whatever the circumstances of his passing, I believe he’s at peace now, safe from harm.
I only hope we live in a world where the innocent would not pay for the sins of the wicked and like Louis Armstrong’s song, we do live in a wonderful world minus the murderers, perverts and the indescribable. Although our world is often tainted by evil, we can do our bit to make it a better place, by being our brother’s keeper – watching out for others in our own little way… endlessly searching for the innocent… helping the homeless, like the man in the picture… That way, the innocents would be safe from the onslaught of wicked people!
****
Now, on to more uplifting news. An online magazine, upcoming4me.com, recently published an article I wrote chronicling the story behind my new book ‘Cydonia,’ you would find the article here: http://upcoming4.me/news/book-news/story-behind-cydonia-by-seyi-david and my publisher, arrowgatepublishing.com also carried the same story here:
http://arrowgatepublishing.com/2014/01/10/story-behind-cydonia-by-seyi-david/
My book trailer would be out soon, and the eBook, the iBook, Kobo and other ereading devices would release ‘Cydonia’ in the coming weeks. However, if you prefer to read ‘real’ physical book, you can click on my sidebar and it would take you to the right place to buy it or better still, click on these links:
Waterstones:
http://www.waterstones.com/waterstonesweb/products/seyi+david/cydonia/10190216/
Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/Cydonia–rise-of-the-fallen–seyi-david?keyword=Cydonia%3A+rise+of+the+fallen%2C+seyi+david&store=book
Book Depository: http://www.bookdepository.co.uk/Cydonia-Seyi-David/9780957593039
Hive.co.uk: http://www.hive.co.uk/search/cydonia%3A+rise+of+the+fallen/mediatype/all/
I reckon this should do for now, you can buy ‘Cydonia’ from all fine bookshops world-wide. I don’t like long posts but I believe a bit of self promotion wouldn’t do any harm. I hope you’ll all enjoy the rest of this week, wherever you are in the world!
Much love, always!
Filed under: Blogging, Books, Current Affairs, Life Tagged: Amazon.Com, Arts, Books, Children, Cydonia: Rise of the fallen, Ebooks, Friends, Innocent, Kindness, Life, Love, Mystery, Son, Thrillers, Writing
January 14, 2014
Rich People, Poor People, All Got Dreams.
(Photo credit: Alfred Bouchard)
”Dreams are the easiest part.”
My daddy used to say that even the devil dare to dream. He wanted to usurp God Almighty but he got a mighty kicking and landed his whiffy butt on earth!
I got dreams too… The good kind.
I want to make people happy, clothe the poor, feed the hungry and make people smile. If I could, I want to wipe tears off Peoples’ faces, I want nations to love one another (that’s a tall dream, sceptics may say, after all, there has been wars from the foundation of the world). All the same, love is important, it’s beautiful and could really save the world! I want the Israelis and Palestinians to let bygones be bygones. I want South Sudan to stop their stupidity and halt the senseless war looming over their innocent citizens. I want to dine with Prince William (and ask him to buy copies of my three books!) Kate, hope you don’t mind? 
I got dreams too…
I want to stop the uneasiness clouding people when they see someone whose skin is not as pale or as dark as theirs. I want Syria to stop the bloodshed, I want Nigerians to stop their corruption, I want all religions to be devoid of hatred, in a nutshell?
I want PEACE in all nations, among all people. I want this home of ours (earth) to be a paradise. We shouldn’t forget what’s important, and aptly put, it’s that four letter word, love! Love your friends, neighbours and I believe that would ultimately make the world a better place.
I sure got tall dreams guys!
Enjoy the rest of your week and I hope you’ll all have peace wherever you are in the world!
Much love, always.
Filed under: Earth, Friends, Life, Motivation Tagged: Dreams, Faith, Family, Friends, Friendship, God, Hope, Israel, Kate, Kindness, Life, Love, Nigeria, Prince William, Religion and Spirituality, South Sudan, Syria, War
