Vashti Quiroz-Vega's Blog, page 18
March 12, 2018
Sally’s Cafe and Bookstore Update – Jack Eason, Bette A. Stevens, Vashti Quiroz-Vega, Annette Rochelle Aben and Paulette Mahurin
My novel, The Fall of Lilith’s latest review is featured at Sally’s Cafe and Bookstore along with several other Authors/ Books. Please visit Sally’s blog and check out all the wonderful books with their latest reviews. Thank you!
Smorgasbord - Variety is the spice of life
Welcome to Monday’s Edition of my Cafe and Bookstore Update, with news from authors on the shelves. The first author with a new review is Jack Eason with his historical novella Autumn 1066.
About the book
Down the centuries the British Isles has always been seen by invaders as a legitimate target for exploitation. This novella concerns the last few weeks of Anglo-Saxon occupation, ending on the 14th of October, 1066. In Autumn 1066, author Jack Eason gives a great sense of ‘place’, of detail. The reader is right ‘there’ in that poignant year, marching, shivering with September cold (as ‘…no warming fires were allowed lest ‘enemy spies would soon spot their approach.’) From the very first few lines, Eason, practising his unique drycraft, begins to weave his particular brand of magic on his reader.
Eason glamour’s with well-crafted dialogue, drawing his reader into the time and into the action…
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March 2, 2018
Haiku Friday – Tart & Sweet
Tart and Sweet are this week’s prompt words chosen by Ronovan Hester of Ronovan Writes.
Ron hosts a challenge that anyone could participate in called Ronovan Writes Weekly Haiku Poetry Prompt Challenge every Monday, and you have until Sunday to create a post featuring your haiku poem. He is an author and poet and also does author interviews and much more on his blog. Be sure to check it out. Read Ron’s Haiku Prompt Challenge Guidelines for more information.
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Your sweetness lingers
even after you’re long gone
Get out of my heart!
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UPDATE:
I’m busy writing the 2nd installment of my Fantasy Angels Series. I’m still trying to figure out a suitable title for it but I’m down to two good ones. I will be releasing this book sometime this summer. In the meantime, the first book in the series, The Fall of Lilith has gotten various awards and great reviews. I’d like to thank everyone who’s purchased a copy, read it and reviewed it.
Check out these wonderful new reviews for The Fall of Lilith:
Dark Supernatural Fantasy At Its Very Best
Fantasy Adventure Literally Of Biblical Proportions
A Well-Written Fantasy That Challenges Conventional Biblical Accounts
An Interesting Story Of Angels Fallen On Earth
The Fall Of Angels And Why They Fell
If you enjoy the review and it was helpful, please click ‘Yes’ at the bottom of the review. Thank you!
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Thank you for reading The Fall of Lilith and for taking the time to leave a review. I truly appreciate you and I’m happy you enjoyed the book.
February 23, 2018
Haiku Friday – Zen & Noise
Zen and Noise are this week’s prompt words chosen by Ronovan Hester of Ronovan Writes.
Ron hosts a challenge that anyone could participate in called Ronovan Writes Weekly Haiku Poetry Prompt Challenge every Monday, and you have until Sunday to create a post featuring your haiku poem. He is an author and poet and also does author interviews and much more on his blog. Be sure to check it out. Read Ron’s Haiku Prompt Challenge Guidelines for more information.
I struggled with this week’s prompt words, especially the word “Zen”. I tried to look for a synonym but it doesn’t have one (what?). Needless to say, I had to go way outside the box for this one. I looked up the definition for zen to find some inspiration and this is what I found.
Zen: Chinese Ch’an. Buddhism. A Mahayana movement, introduced into China in the 6th century a.d. and into Japan in the 12th century, that emphasizes enlightenment for the student by the most direct possible means, accepting formal studies and observances only when they form part of such means.
↑ The above definition might as well have been written in Mandarin or Japanese. ↑
Then the chaps at Cambridge gave me a simpler definition.
Zen: a religion that is a form of Buddhism developed in Japan. What is zen: relaxed and not worrying about things that you cannot change.
That was easier to understand, but I still found it challenging to come up with a poem with these words. So, I pretended to be a Buddhist Monk, while writing this poem and came up with a Tanka. I hope you like it.
I leap the world’s ties
And sit among the white clouds
To hear the earth’s noise
without my usual armor
coming ‘tween me and nature
(‘I leap the world’s ties, And sit among the white clouds’ = relaxed, not worrying = Zen)
(‘To hear the earth’s noise without my usual armor coming ‘tween me and nature’= enlightenment = Zen)
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Enso Cat by Tsun Ming
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Enjoy your Friday and weekend!
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February 16, 2018
Haiku Friday – Quick & Slip
I’m sure by now most people have heard the news about the “Florida School Shooting”. For those of you who have not heard, I will give you a quick summary of what happened.
On Valentine’s Day (2-14-18) a heavily armed, 19 year old man, killed at least 17 people with an AR-15 assault rifle at his former high school in Parkland, Fl.. It isn’t known yet why he did it. We may never know his reasons, because the gunman has a history of mental illness.
Needless to say, this is a horribly sad and tragic event. The fact that it took place so close to home make it all the more disturbing for me. So many lives ended–just like that. It’s so senseless. Could this have been prevented?
If you’d like more information: The New York Times
When I wrote these poems I thought of the victims, in particular the kids and their loved ones left behind to mourn.
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Illustration by Beatriz Martin Vidal (Beatriz – DeviantArt)
Grieving
Don’t cry, I’m not dead
I have only slipped away
into the next room
You’ll see me again
And we’ll laugh at our goodbyes
But time is too slow
for those who just sit and wait
So please turn to life again
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Illustration by Beatriz Martin Vidal (Beatriz – DeviantArt)
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Quick and Slip are this week’s prompt words chosen by Ronovan Hester of Ronovan Writes.
Ron hosts a challenge that anyone could participate in called Ronovan Writes Weekly Haiku Poetry Prompt Challenge every Monday, and you have until Sunday to create a post featuring your haiku poem. He is an author and poet and also does author interviews and much more on his blog. Be sure to check it out. Read Ron’s Haiku Prompt Challenge Guidelines for more information.
February 9, 2018
Haiku Friday – Shy & Blush
Shy and Blush are this week’s prompt words chosen by Ronovan Hester of Ronovan Writes.
Ron hosts a challenge that anyone could participate in called Ronovan Writes Weekly Haiku Poetry Prompt Challenge every Monday, and you have until Sunday to create a post featuring your haiku poem. He is an author and poet and also does author interviews and much more on his blog. Be sure to check it out. Read Ron’s Haiku Prompt Challenge Guidelines for more information.
You are the reason
behind my blossoming cheeks
Your eyes tell me things
Since we met, I am
unable to stop blushing
Is it your shy smile?
Have a happy Friday!
February 1, 2018
Haiku Friday – Body & Close
Today, I’d like to share with you the first three books I’ve read and reviewed this year. And of course, my haiku poem.
“A book is a dream you hold in your hands.”
~Neil Gaiman
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When I hold a book
close to my heart it fills with
happiness and light
The first book is a poetry anthology called, “Emerging From Shadows” by Balroop Singh. I’ve had this book in my Kindle a while and I was looking forward to reading it, because I knew it would be good, since I’m a fan of Balroop’s poetry. The book did not disappoint.
Blurb:
From darkness into light, from despair onto the wider ways of hope…life oscillates between sunshine and shadows. Emerging from shadows is a choice, which lies dormant, which can be gently inspired by self-talk. Each poem in this book banks on the hope of emerging stronger, saner, positive and resilient. Each poem in this book would talk to you, revealing layers of enclosed emotions. Each poem would divulge a secret path that could lead you into the world of poise and serenity.
When turbulences hit, when shadows of life darken, when they come like unseen robbers, with muffled exterior, when they threaten to shatter your dreams, it is better to break free rather than get sucked by the vortex of emotions.
My Review: (#ABRSC Read & Review)
“Emerging from Shadows” is a beautiful and profound collection of poems. The poems covered countless emotions both dark and bright, reflecting the many trials and tribulations as well as triumphs that a person faces throughout life. The kind of person that is strong-minded and willing to learn and grow from these experiences. I felt like an intruder as I read, because this book felt like a diary in verse.
When reading the book, I kept pausing to recite the verses out loud. So many of the lines drip from the tongue:
The dazzling rays of sun
Had to pierce through you,
To reach me, while
The moonlight was all mine.
The best books, and that includes poetry books, make us smarter. They teach us new things and make us question what we know. This book is smart without being pretentious. It is also heartfelt, honest and inspiring. I highly recommended it to all poetry lovers.
The second book is called, Emotional Beats: How To Convert Your Writing Into Palpable Feelings by Nicholas C. Rossis
Blurb:
Do You Want To Show, Not Tell, Emotions?
Because of the way our brains are wired, readers empathize more strongly if you don’t name the emotion you are trying to describe. As soon as you name an emotion, readers go into thinking mode. And when they think about an emotion, they distance themselves from feeling it.
A great way to show anger, fear, indifference, and the whole range of emotions that characterize the human experience, is through beats. These action snippets that pepper dialogue can help describe a wide range of emotions while avoiding lazy writing. The power of beats lies in their innate ability to create richer, more immediate, deeper writing.
This emotional thesaurus includes hundreds of examples that you can use for your inspiration, so that you, too, can harness this technique to easily convert your writing into palpable feelings. Use it as a feeling thesaurus and watch your writing take off!
My Review:
“Emotional Beats” is a great resource for writers. This book is meant to help and inspire us to find new ways to express emotion in our writing. It’s a wonderful book to use again and again as a reference. I bought the ebook, but I’m thinking of also buying the paperback. I found this book very useful and highly recommend it to anyone who loves to write.
The third and final book is a New Adult Romance called, “Kai” by Michelle Abbott.
Blurb:
My name is Kai Okamoto. I deal drugs. Trade escapism for cold, hard cash.
Born to a British mother and a Japanese father, I grew up poor, hungry, and alone. Hiding from the monsters at our door. The debt collectors.
I’ve worked hard to escape my past. I’m not that frightened little boy anymore. I’m wealthy, secure, and sure of myself. At least I was, until I met Lily.
Lily is a good girl. The kind of girl I should stay away from. I should, but I can’t.
I hate lying to her, but if she finds out who I am, what I do. I won’t see her for dust.
A standalone, bad boy romance, set in England.
My Review:
Kai is a young man who grew up in a very poor household with a single mom. After an encounter with a rich drug dealer, he decides to get into that life, in order to make a lot of money and give his mom the life he feels she deserves. He becomes a rich drug dealer just like he intended. Then one day he runs into an amazing young woman named Lily who turns his life upside down (in a good way). At first, Lily doesn’t trust him, but eventually he wins her trust and they fall in love. Of course, Kai does not tell her that he’s a drug dealer, because he’s afraid she would stop loving him. Their romance grows, but soon he is forced to come clean. And right when he decides to turn his life around, give up the drug business and become a man worthy of Lily, something happens that threatens to keep them apart forever. I won’t go on, because as it is, I might have said too much already. I enjoyed this book. It was a fun, quick and easy read. The story flows well and it’s engaging and well-written. I loved the characters. They seemed so genuine and I felt like I knew them. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys romance.
Body and Close are this week’s prompt words chosen by Ronovan Hester of Ronovan Writes.
Ron hosts a challenge that anyone could participate in called Ronovan Writes Weekly Haiku Poetry Prompt Challenge every Monday, and you have until Sunday to create a post featuring your haiku poem. He is an author and poet and also does author interviews and much more on his blog. Be sure to check it out. Read Ron’s Haiku Prompt Challenge Guidelines for more information.
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I hope you enjoyed!
January 26, 2018
Haiku Friday – Sing & Peace
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Sing and Peace are this week’s prompt words chosen by Ronovan Hester of Ronovan Writes.
Ron hosts a challenge that anyone could participate in called Ronovan Writes Weekly Haiku Poetry Prompt Challenge every Monday, and you have until Sunday to create a post featuring your haiku poem. He is an author and poet and also does author interviews and much more on his blog. Be sure to check it out. Read Ron’s Haiku Prompt Challenge Guidelines for more information.
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If You Wish To Sing You’ll Find A Song
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Lay aside sadness
Sing! Frighten away your ills!
Bring forth peace with song
Sing To Live
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Joy and laughter come
hastily on angels’ wings,
when you sing of peace
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“As long as we live, there is never enough singing.”
~Martin Luther King Jr.
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Happy Friday, everyone!
January 19, 2018
Haiku Friday – Press & Touch
Press and Touch are this week’s prompt words chosen by Ronovan Hester of Ronovan Writes.
Ron hosts a challenge that anyone could participate in called Ronovan Writes Weekly Haiku Poetry Prompt Challenge every Monday, and you have until Sunday to create a post featuring your haiku poem. He is an author and poet and also does author interviews and much more on his blog. Be sure to check it out. Read Ron’s Haiku Prompt Challenge Guidelines for more information.
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My inspiration for this week’s prompt words is Rogue, a member of the X-Men, which goes to show that inspiration can come from anywhere. Here’s a little background on her, for those of you who are not Marvel fans.
Rogue is part of a subspecies of humans called mutants, who are born with superhuman abilities. Rogue has the involuntary ability to absorb and sometimes also remove the memories, physical strength, and superpowers of anyone she touches. Therefore, Rogue considers her powers to be a curse. For most of her life, she limited her physical contact with others, including her on-off love interest, Gambit.
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ROGUE by Selene Regener (Selenada – DeviantART)
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The Untouchable Rogue (X-Men)
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I am much affected
for I can’t lay hands on you
My touch would kill you
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Why go on living?
Life’s a hollow word for me
without your caress
Fear leads me to shun your warmth
In decrepit gloves I touch
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Gambit & Rogue (X-Men)
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Have a happy Friday!
January 15, 2018
Book Launch: Ninja School Mum by Lizzie Chantree
Welcome, everyone! I’m very excited, because today I’m going to introduce a very talented writer and genuinely kind person: Author, Lizzie Chantree
I’m taking part in the book launch tour of her fun new book, Ninja School Mum.
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Click to purchase on Amazon
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Blurb:
Obsessive-compulsive school mum, Skye, is a lonely elite spy, who is running from her past whilst trying to protect the future of her child. She tries hard to fit in with the other parents at her son’s new school, but the only person who accepts her unconventional way of life is new mother, Thea.
Thea is feeling harassed by her sister and bored with her life, but she suspects that there is something strange about the new school mum, Skye. Thea has secrets of her own and, although the two become unlikely friends, she hesitates to tell Skye about the father of her own child.
Zack’s new business is growing faster than he could have dreamed but, suddenly, he finds himself the owner of a crumbling estate on the edge of a pretty village, and a single parent to a very demanding child. Could he make a go of things and give his daughter the life she deserved?
When three lives collide, it appears that only one of them is who they seem to be, and you never know who the person next to you in the school playground really is.
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Author Bio:
Lizzie is an award winning author, inventor and businesswoman. She founded her first company at the age of 17 and has been creating products and driving her family mad ever since.
Lizzie appeared on Sky News, ITV Lunchtime News, This Morning, The Big Breakfast, BBC’s Worldwide Radio Service, amongst others for becoming one of Fair Play London’s Female Innovators. She was also asked to be a Judge on Shell LiveWire’s Grand Ideas Award for new innovations.
Lizzie lives with her gorgeous family and a very unusual dog. In between the school run and baking cakes (or burning them!), she sits in her rooftop studio daydreaming about new characters for her novels. All of Lizzie’s books weave stories around the romantic lives of eccentric entrepreneurs and the unusual businesses they run. She is the author of: Sizzling beach read, Babe Driven: Glamorous chauffeurs with performance cars. Medical romance novel, Love’s Child: A warehouse centre for troubled children. Mystical romance, Finding Gina: A country estate and fledgling events business. Modern romance, Ninja school Mum: A tree climbing and self defence business.
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Q & A with author Lizzie Chantree
1- Tell us about your process of writing. Are you a plotter or a pantser?
I’m a pantser. I have a basic idea of the story and work out chapter ideas and then I make it up as I go along! The story unfolds to me as I write it. It makes the process so exciting, as I feel like I’m reading the story while I’m writing it and I can’t wait to see what will happen next in the story.
2- What’s the best way to market your book?
Networking. Making contacts and actually interacting with them. Don’t just bombard people with marketing, get to know them and tell them about yourself and your writing.
3- Do you Google yourself?
No. Ha ha! J Why would I want to do that? I’ve never thought of Googling myself. Is that a thing? I’m so out of touch! It worries me how much information is available out there, so It’s best not to look.
Ha,ha! I have googled myself on several occasions curious to see what’s out there about me. I usually find some old interview or spotlight and I read to see how much I’ve changed since. I’ve also googled my blog and book titles to get an idea where I rank on the google page. Called me weird, but it works for me.
4- What one thing would you give up to become a better writer?
Coffee. I’d find it hard because I drink so much of it while I’m writing and it makes me smile.
I find that water keeps me focused.
5- Does writing energize or exhaust you?
It energizes and excites me. I love writing, as it’s so much fun and you are able to jump into the lives of your characters and experience new things. My books are all about eccentric entrepreneurs who have unusual businesses, so I am able to see what it might be like to run them.
That great! I’m very intrigued.
6- How do you celebrate when you launch a new book?
I jump up and down a lot! J I don’t usually do too much as my family are all a bit bewildered by the whole process. It’s hard to explain the emotional attachment you have to the stories that have taken so much time and energy to write. Launching them into the world for others to read is pretty scary!
I totally get it.
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Connect with Lizzie on Social Media:
Website
Author page
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Check out all of Lizzie Chantree’s books. (Click on the image below)
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January 12, 2018
Haiku Friday – Magic & Hope
Since last year, I’ve been saying that I have a strong feeling that 2018 is going to be a great year for me. Well, so far I’ve had a great start to the new year. I mentioned earlier this week that the Rave Reviews Book Club had selected me as “Spotlight” Author for the month of January, which is amazing! It’s going great! I’m having a lot of fun in the “Spotlight”. The RRBC “Spotlight” Author Blog Tour is still going on and you can follow the line-up of blogs hosting me, here. Please visit some of these blogs and say hello.
My new release, The Fall of Lilith has received several great reviews this year, already! I’m extremely grateful to all of you who have read and reviewed the book. Thank you so much! You can read some of these wonderful reviews, here.
I have several goals for this year and two of these goals have to do with writing, so I really have to hunker down and get to work. I’m going to be ruthless about protecting my writing time this year.
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This is my “Spotlight” Author schedule for the month:
Blog Tour: 1/7/18 – 1/13/18
“Bring On The Spotlight” Radio Show: 1/18/18
“Who’s On The Shelf?” Interview: 1/25/18
“SPOTLIGHT” Support Day: 1/29/18
* I’ll announce the different events and give more details, as we get closer to the dates.
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Illustration “Dragon Writer” by Andrew Ferez (25kartinok – DeviantART)
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Some wondrous moments
appear like wishful dreams
carrying magic
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Illustration by Luis Royo (Dreams Collection)
“I believe we each make our own magic. It’s great to have hopes and dreams, but dreams only come true if we’re true to ourselves. To achieve our goals we’ve got to do more than hope. Hope works, if we do.”
~Vashti Q
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Magic and Hope are this week’s prompt words chosen by Ronovan Hester of Ronovan Writes.
Ron hosts a challenge that anyone could participate in called Ronovan Writes Weekly Haiku Poetry Prompt Challenge every Monday, and you have until Sunday to create a post featuring your haiku poem. He is an author and poet and also does author interviews and much more on his blog. Be sure to check it out. Read Ron’s Haiku Prompt Challenge Guidelines for more information.
