Chrystal Vaughan's Blog, page 2
September 2, 2014
Outlandish Obsession: Harmless Fun or Unhealthy Addiction?
[image error] I admit it: I've been obsessed with Outlander (the book series by Diana Gabaldon) for a _long_ time now. I read the first book about twenty years ago...you know the one, with the cover that had the broken clock, the dirk, the pearls, and the Fraser plaid? I loved it from the first moment I cracked open the pages. I bled with those characters, and cried for their losses, and grinned like a fool at their witty banter. I've held my breath in fear of what would happen to them. They've become like friends, of a sort. I know that sounds as though I, a grown woman, have embraced imaginary friendships, and maybe I have. But is it all harmless fun, or is it an unhealthy addiction?
Some may scoff (ahem, nobody's husband in THIS room, I can assure you) at the idea of a woman falling back in time through the standing stones. But hey, no one REALLY knows what they're there for, right? Anything is possible. Isn't that little bit of the unknown what keeps the magic alive in our world?
Over the years, my obsession has grown little by little. There was the first book, then others that followed, and now I have them on pre-order months before they're released. I even buy them for friends as birthday gifts. Because I should not be the only one who is crazy around here! I insist on sharing my obsession.
Now there is the television series on Starz, and I admit it, I have it on a record setting in two rooms of the house and I watch each episode more than once. I will definitely (_DEFINITELY_) need to have each season on DVD for my viewing pleasure. The actors who play these beloved characters are very good, and treat their roles with the responsibility they demand. And I'm not being facetious: these are well loved books all over the world, and these actors have important characters to represent. So far, in my opinion, they are spot on. I'm enjoying every second.
What is it about Outlander that we, the obsessed, love so much? Certainly Jamie (James Alexander Malcolm MacKenzie Fraser, to be precise) is a main component; and doesn't Sam Heughan do a splendid job of becoming the embodiment of Jamie? I certainly think so. And Claire, the sassy Sassenach, is written and portrayed in such a way that every woman sees a bit of herself in Claire...brought to life by the lovely Caitriona Balfe on the show. It's quite something, to see these characters I've loved for so long, becoming real flesh and blood people. It's absolutely my favorite night of the week!
And there's more! I've joined two Outlander knitting groups, an Outlander's Addiction group, and the Outlander Kitchen blog is never far from hand. But...have I gone too far? Am I too obsessed?
Who cares?
My need to immerse myself in the Scottish Highlands of the 1740's isn't hurting anyone. Even my poor, long-suffering, Irish husband just shakes his head and smiles a little at my foolishness. And I'm still this side of sane. Sort of. When I start wielding a claymore and chanting Scottish war cries (Tulach Ard!) then we'll worry. And then again...maybe not!
September 1, 2014
Blogging for Books: Knitting Reimagined by Nicky Epstein
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review, courtesy of Blogging for Books.
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Here's my copy; it has beautiful color photos inside and out!
I was very excited to receive my very own copy of Knitting Reimagined; I'd seen it in several knitting forums and in the knitting accessories catalogs I receive. I call it yarn porn, but I digress. The book arrived and I couldn't wait to cast on something amazing. Little did I know how terribly disappointed I would be.
I wanted to write a wonderful review for this book but I just can't. The patterns aren't something I'm every likely to make, for any reason. Some of them can be reimagined (hence the title) and made my own, but most of them are things you'd likely only see on knitwear runway models. The photo on the cover is amazingly colorful l and lovely but I would have to completely redesign it to allow for my personal taste (no fur fringe, please) and size (very limited sizes are offered).
There are bright spots, though. The photographs are well done. The book is laid out nicely, with symbols indicating the length of time needed to knit a piece and the level of complexity to the item. Page 17 has a pattern I will likely try out, without the castle motif; the general shape and color of the garment is something I may attempt, though I will have to do the math to figure it out for my size.
I can't complain too much; it's a nice book and looks great on my shelf, next to the yarn. But it's highly unlikely that I will ever crack it open again and knit something out of it. It's just not 'every day wear' friendly. I'll definitely look for other patterns by this author, as I like how the patterns are written, but I will probably never buy a pattern or a book of her patterns in the future.
I'm a book blogger; are you? Get started at Blogging for Books!
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[image error]
Here's my copy; it has beautiful color photos inside and out!
I was very excited to receive my very own copy of Knitting Reimagined; I'd seen it in several knitting forums and in the knitting accessories catalogs I receive. I call it yarn porn, but I digress. The book arrived and I couldn't wait to cast on something amazing. Little did I know how terribly disappointed I would be.
I wanted to write a wonderful review for this book but I just can't. The patterns aren't something I'm every likely to make, for any reason. Some of them can be reimagined (hence the title) and made my own, but most of them are things you'd likely only see on knitwear runway models. The photo on the cover is amazingly colorful l and lovely but I would have to completely redesign it to allow for my personal taste (no fur fringe, please) and size (very limited sizes are offered).
There are bright spots, though. The photographs are well done. The book is laid out nicely, with symbols indicating the length of time needed to knit a piece and the level of complexity to the item. Page 17 has a pattern I will likely try out, without the castle motif; the general shape and color of the garment is something I may attempt, though I will have to do the math to figure it out for my size.
I can't complain too much; it's a nice book and looks great on my shelf, next to the yarn. But it's highly unlikely that I will ever crack it open again and knit something out of it. It's just not 'every day wear' friendly. I'll definitely look for other patterns by this author, as I like how the patterns are written, but I will probably never buy a pattern or a book of her patterns in the future.
I'm a book blogger; are you? Get started at Blogging for Books!
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August 29, 2014
Author Blog Host: James Patrick and Victor Tomaszek
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Teaser: Blood Profit$-the blood of many for the profits of a few
Interview questions:
Please tell us about your latest book.
Blood Profit$ - The Lithium Conspiracy is a fictional account of the corruption that takes place in the United States and with American companies operating internationally as part of the ‘military industrial complex. Three corrupt senators keep the war going in Afghanistan because they personally own a company together with the East Coast mob to bid on and win lucrative government contracts to build roads, hospitals and schools in war-torn locations where U.S. troops are present; the company also provides mercenaries.
Their underlying motive is mining valuable lithium and harvesting the poppy fields for the mob to turn into heroin and opium. They have it as their goal to start a trumped-up war in Bolivia; Bolivia has the largest deposits of lithium.
Three courageous Gen Xers from different parts of the country, as well as opposing political backgrounds, work together to stop the profiteering. They work together to save the nation.
How much of your personality and life experiences are in your writing?
This is a work of pure fiction. I have a background in politics, but “Blood Profit$” is a work of fiction. It’s a what-if tale, which should make people of all political persuasions think.
When did you first think about writing, and what prompted you to submit your first manuscript?
I’ve had the idea for the story for several years. I told my friend and co-writer, J. Victor Tomaszek, about my ideas. We started the outlines and first draft about two years ago.
We wrote the story via email, and had many political debates along the way. I live in Denton, Texas, just outside of Dallas, and J. Victor resides in the Chicago area; “Blood Profit$” was result of several late-night emails.
Generally, how long does it take you to write a book?
Twelve to 18 months.
Do you have a set schedule for writing or do you just go with the flow?
I go with the flow.
What about your family, do they know not to bother you when you are writing - or are there constant interruptions?
Constant interruptions
What do you do to relax and recharge your batteries?
Well, I write, listen to oldies music and play with my DJ equipment. I spend time with my animals, take rides with my wife and play with the grandkids.
Where do your ideas come from?
I am a sociologist and a political commentator, so the ideas just flow freely. My ideas are a composite of experience of over 60 years and my many years in the political and business arenas where people of all types exist. I have always been somewhat of a futurist and been able to identify trends and changing mores and norms. In the trilogy, J. Victor and I show the readers the strength of the three prime characters, and we let them mature as they face good and evil.
What kind of research do you do?
I do a tremendous amount of Internet research and I’m a news junkie, which keeps me current on world events. I managed a major think tank for about five years, and that think tank tracked changes and prognosticated where elements of the economy, demographic footprints and social/political agendas might migrate.
I call upon my research processes to lead me where I need to go for the story.
Please tell us about yourself (family, hobbies, education, etc.): Married for 45 years 3 adult children and 6 grandchildren, I am a graduate of the Harvard on the Ohio, University of Louisville with a Political Science Degree.
Fill in the blank favorites –
Dessert: Ice cream
City: Barcelona
Season: Spring
Type of hero: Understated and real
Type of heroine: A very strong woman
What are some of your favorite things to do?
I love to sit and watch the animals on my alpaca ranch.
Who are some of your other favorite authors to read? Do you have a recommendation for those who are interested in reading your books?
Tom Clancy and Nelson DeMille
Among your own books, have you a favorite book? Favorite hero or heroine?
AJ represents a man of anger, who has to control his hate and is faced with the decision of taking the dark path. He tries to understand what makes others tick so he can learn from their achievements and mistakes alike. He is a humble person and not pretentious. He is full of passion, and also full of empathy and cares about others.
What book for you has been the easiest to write? The hardest? The most fun?
Blood Profit$ - The Lithium Conspiracy. J. Victor and I are working on the second Blood Profit$ book now, so I’ll say that’s the most difficult.
Which comes first, the story, the characters or the setting?
I see the whole thing visually, at one time
What is the hardest part of writing/the easiest for you?
Trying to collaborate via email with my co-author, and adjusting to his schedule and desires is a challenge, but do it.
Have you experienced writer's block---> If so, how did you work through it?
Well, when I have a block, I close my eyes and I see the characters interacting in the scenes. It unfolds like a play, then everything comes into focus.
What is the most rewarding thing about being a writer?
It’s being able to bring characters to life.
If you weren't writing, what would you be doing?
I’d continue business consulting and add more professional-speaking engagements.
Are there any words of encouragement for unpublished writers?
Let it flow naturally.
What can we expect from you in the future? How many books have you written, how many have been published?
Books two and three of the Blood Profit$ saga will be published soon. We would love the whole saga to be a possible TV series on Netflix or a major motion picture; no one has asked for the TV or movie rights, but a couple of old guys can dream.
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Five things readers want to know about you:
· I was heavily involved in politics in my younger years.
· I live on an alpaca ranch and own a bed and breakfast.
· I was a radio commentator and DJ, after overcoming a stutter as a child.
· I’ve traveled to 36 countries.
· I’ve been married to my high school sweetheart for 45 years, and we have three children and 6 grandchildren.
http://www.bloodprofits.com
https://www.facebook.com/bloodprofits
Teaser: Blood Profit$-the blood of many for the profits of a few
Interview questions:
Please tell us about your latest book.
Blood Profit$ - The Lithium Conspiracy is a fictional account of the corruption that takes place in the United States and with American companies operating internationally as part of the ‘military industrial complex. Three corrupt senators keep the war going in Afghanistan because they personally own a company together with the East Coast mob to bid on and win lucrative government contracts to build roads, hospitals and schools in war-torn locations where U.S. troops are present; the company also provides mercenaries.
Their underlying motive is mining valuable lithium and harvesting the poppy fields for the mob to turn into heroin and opium. They have it as their goal to start a trumped-up war in Bolivia; Bolivia has the largest deposits of lithium.
Three courageous Gen Xers from different parts of the country, as well as opposing political backgrounds, work together to stop the profiteering. They work together to save the nation.
How much of your personality and life experiences are in your writing?
This is a work of pure fiction. I have a background in politics, but “Blood Profit$” is a work of fiction. It’s a what-if tale, which should make people of all political persuasions think.
When did you first think about writing, and what prompted you to submit your first manuscript?
I’ve had the idea for the story for several years. I told my friend and co-writer, J. Victor Tomaszek, about my ideas. We started the outlines and first draft about two years ago.
We wrote the story via email, and had many political debates along the way. I live in Denton, Texas, just outside of Dallas, and J. Victor resides in the Chicago area; “Blood Profit$” was result of several late-night emails.
Generally, how long does it take you to write a book?
Twelve to 18 months.
Do you have a set schedule for writing or do you just go with the flow?
I go with the flow.
What about your family, do they know not to bother you when you are writing - or are there constant interruptions?
Constant interruptions
What do you do to relax and recharge your batteries?
Well, I write, listen to oldies music and play with my DJ equipment. I spend time with my animals, take rides with my wife and play with the grandkids.
Where do your ideas come from?
I am a sociologist and a political commentator, so the ideas just flow freely. My ideas are a composite of experience of over 60 years and my many years in the political and business arenas where people of all types exist. I have always been somewhat of a futurist and been able to identify trends and changing mores and norms. In the trilogy, J. Victor and I show the readers the strength of the three prime characters, and we let them mature as they face good and evil.
What kind of research do you do?
I do a tremendous amount of Internet research and I’m a news junkie, which keeps me current on world events. I managed a major think tank for about five years, and that think tank tracked changes and prognosticated where elements of the economy, demographic footprints and social/political agendas might migrate.
I call upon my research processes to lead me where I need to go for the story.
Please tell us about yourself (family, hobbies, education, etc.): Married for 45 years 3 adult children and 6 grandchildren, I am a graduate of the Harvard on the Ohio, University of Louisville with a Political Science Degree.
Fill in the blank favorites –
Dessert: Ice cream
City: Barcelona
Season: Spring
Type of hero: Understated and real
Type of heroine: A very strong woman
What are some of your favorite things to do?
I love to sit and watch the animals on my alpaca ranch.
Who are some of your other favorite authors to read? Do you have a recommendation for those who are interested in reading your books?
Tom Clancy and Nelson DeMille
Among your own books, have you a favorite book? Favorite hero or heroine?
AJ represents a man of anger, who has to control his hate and is faced with the decision of taking the dark path. He tries to understand what makes others tick so he can learn from their achievements and mistakes alike. He is a humble person and not pretentious. He is full of passion, and also full of empathy and cares about others.
What book for you has been the easiest to write? The hardest? The most fun?
Blood Profit$ - The Lithium Conspiracy. J. Victor and I are working on the second Blood Profit$ book now, so I’ll say that’s the most difficult.
Which comes first, the story, the characters or the setting?
I see the whole thing visually, at one time
What is the hardest part of writing/the easiest for you?
Trying to collaborate via email with my co-author, and adjusting to his schedule and desires is a challenge, but do it.
Have you experienced writer's block---> If so, how did you work through it?
Well, when I have a block, I close my eyes and I see the characters interacting in the scenes. It unfolds like a play, then everything comes into focus.
What is the most rewarding thing about being a writer?
It’s being able to bring characters to life.
If you weren't writing, what would you be doing?
I’d continue business consulting and add more professional-speaking engagements.
Are there any words of encouragement for unpublished writers?
Let it flow naturally.
What can we expect from you in the future? How many books have you written, how many have been published?
Books two and three of the Blood Profit$ saga will be published soon. We would love the whole saga to be a possible TV series on Netflix or a major motion picture; no one has asked for the TV or movie rights, but a couple of old guys can dream.
[image error]
Five things readers want to know about you:
· I was heavily involved in politics in my younger years.
· I live on an alpaca ranch and own a bed and breakfast.
· I was a radio commentator and DJ, after overcoming a stutter as a child.
· I’ve traveled to 36 countries.
· I’ve been married to my high school sweetheart for 45 years, and we have three children and 6 grandchildren.
http://www.bloodprofits.com
https://www.facebook.com/bloodprofits
August 27, 2014
The Writing Path Blog Tour from IC Publishing
My friend and fellow author Sheila Lamb invited me to participate in IC Publishing's Writing Path Blog Tour. Check out Sheila's responses, and her lovely website called Fiery Arrow, by clicking here.
1. How do you start your writing projects?
This is a tough one. I have so many projects going at one time, it's difficult to pin down exactly how they begin. Usually, I'm in bed, getting ready to go to sleep, and some great idea springs into my brain and I have to leap from my covers and write it down. I'm currently working on a collection of poems for my Empire series. They are inspired by one of my passions in life, ancient history. The recent discovery of two lost Mayan cities caused me to start writing new poems for the Empire collection, usually in my head while I'm driving or trying to go to sleep.
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2. How do you continue your writing process?
This is harder than being inspired to write. Perseverance is something I struggle with; I'm guilty of having a ton of half finished writing projects languishing on my laptop or in abandoned notebooks. But I always come back to them, and they get finished eventually. I think that my brain is one of those described for creative people, the kind that gets scattered and easily bored doing the same thing. I can't write about the same thing for long periods of time, I have to shake it up. And I only write novels, stories, or poems when I'm inspired. When I'm not inspired, I still write every day but it's often a blog post, a letter, or some other bit of writing.
3. How do you finish your writing project?
With cheering, tears, and whiskey. Not really, but often with a big foolish grin on my face! Then I realize the real work begins. I think ending a novel is why I procrastinate writing them so much, in spite of the fact that I don't want to do anything else as long as I live but write books for a career. Ending a book is difficult, and the worst is yet to come: revising and editing...then marketing. I hate marketing so much. But it's a necessary evil, I suppose. I have to let people know I'm here so they'll read my books!
4. Include one challenge or additional tip that our collective communities could help with or benefit from.
Develop a thick hide and expect that your friends and family will tell you only the nice things. Research agents and publishers, try self-publishing, weigh all options. Avoid anyone who says they will publish your work for a fee. Find beta readers who will give it to you straight. Exchange reviews with other authors and give honest feedback, in a tactful manner. Above all else: READ. Read everything. Novels. Poems. Short stories. Cereal boxes. And write. Practice your descriptions. Make charts of characters and plots. Keep a journal or a blog. Carry a pad of paper and a pencil with you always. And grab yourself a copy of Stephen King's "On Writing" and then thank me later.
[image error]
1. How do you start your writing projects?
This is a tough one. I have so many projects going at one time, it's difficult to pin down exactly how they begin. Usually, I'm in bed, getting ready to go to sleep, and some great idea springs into my brain and I have to leap from my covers and write it down. I'm currently working on a collection of poems for my Empire series. They are inspired by one of my passions in life, ancient history. The recent discovery of two lost Mayan cities caused me to start writing new poems for the Empire collection, usually in my head while I'm driving or trying to go to sleep.
[image error]
2. How do you continue your writing process?
This is harder than being inspired to write. Perseverance is something I struggle with; I'm guilty of having a ton of half finished writing projects languishing on my laptop or in abandoned notebooks. But I always come back to them, and they get finished eventually. I think that my brain is one of those described for creative people, the kind that gets scattered and easily bored doing the same thing. I can't write about the same thing for long periods of time, I have to shake it up. And I only write novels, stories, or poems when I'm inspired. When I'm not inspired, I still write every day but it's often a blog post, a letter, or some other bit of writing.
3. How do you finish your writing project?
With cheering, tears, and whiskey. Not really, but often with a big foolish grin on my face! Then I realize the real work begins. I think ending a novel is why I procrastinate writing them so much, in spite of the fact that I don't want to do anything else as long as I live but write books for a career. Ending a book is difficult, and the worst is yet to come: revising and editing...then marketing. I hate marketing so much. But it's a necessary evil, I suppose. I have to let people know I'm here so they'll read my books!
4. Include one challenge or additional tip that our collective communities could help with or benefit from.
Develop a thick hide and expect that your friends and family will tell you only the nice things. Research agents and publishers, try self-publishing, weigh all options. Avoid anyone who says they will publish your work for a fee. Find beta readers who will give it to you straight. Exchange reviews with other authors and give honest feedback, in a tactful manner. Above all else: READ. Read everything. Novels. Poems. Short stories. Cereal boxes. And write. Practice your descriptions. Make charts of characters and plots. Keep a journal or a blog. Carry a pad of paper and a pencil with you always. And grab yourself a copy of Stephen King's "On Writing" and then thank me later.
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August 26, 2014
Author Blog Host: Rhea B. Woodruff
Today on the blog we have Rhea Woodruff. Take a look at her story; it's inspiring!
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Here is my interview with Rhea:
What is your book about?
When I was three months old, my mother was well aware that I did not reach the benchmarks of her other children. I did not roll over, make any effort to lie on my stomach or attempt any crawling motions so my mom knew something was not right. Her in laws insisted that I needed a medical evaluation, so we went to Duke University Hospital in New Orleans, where I went though a serious of tests. The results were devastating. They told my mother that I would not walk and would probably never be able to read. As I mentioned earlier, she knew something wasn't right . As a child, I didn't know I was developmentally delayed and would have to try harder than normal people. I need to tell this story about my life and that others like me will identify with it and how it relates to their lives to never give up and be inspired in your dreams that you may come true.
Tell us about your latest book? Are you writing anther book now?
Born Special is about my life growing up with a learning disability and being told I would not talk, read or write. I never gave up showing the doctors they were wrong and I did approve them wrong. I always had to take special classes all my life. I always got picked on and called names. I have been blessed in my life and I thank God every day for Everything he does for me. Yes, I am working on my Third memoir called Miracle Baby. Its a story about the baby I thought I would never have and about her life growing up. She just turned a year august 12,2014. She is a blessing to our family and brings everyone Joy.
When did you first think about writing? What prompted you to submit your first book?
I thought about writing all the time when I was in high school. I always read James Patterson books and some day, I thought I wanted to be like him and followed my dream as a writer and It came true. Its a wonderful feeling.
How long does it take you to write a book?
It takes me about a year to finish a book and get it organized with details to get a publisher to take it. I am looking forward to writing my third memoir now.
Do you have a set schedule for writing or you just go with the flow? Where do your ideas come from?
I always just go with the flow with writing. I never know what will I will write since I write about everything in my life that happens. I write memoirs to inspire others in my life experiences as I grow as a writer.
Please tell us about yourself! What are some of your favorite things?
Dessert is Cheesecake
City is West Virginia
Season is Summer
Type of hero is James Patterons
Color is Light blue
Sports is Soccer, Volleyball
Books is action, self help, Memoirs
Movies are Action, Romance, Life
What book for you has been the easiest to write? the hardest? the most fun?
The hardest book was my first memoir Growing up special. I had to remember all the past things when I was young and I could not do it all. It wasn't easy. The most fun and easy was born special and my next memoir miracle baby.
What is the most rewarding thing about being a writer?
I think the most rewarding thing about being a writer is seeing your work everywhere and Inspiring every readers that reads your work. Its a wonderful feeling knowing that you touched so many people with your words.
My website is www.rheabwoodruff.comI would love to hear from you on my quest book and let me know how your visit was and how you like my memoirs or if you have any questions for me.
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Here is my interview with Rhea:
What is your book about?
When I was three months old, my mother was well aware that I did not reach the benchmarks of her other children. I did not roll over, make any effort to lie on my stomach or attempt any crawling motions so my mom knew something was not right. Her in laws insisted that I needed a medical evaluation, so we went to Duke University Hospital in New Orleans, where I went though a serious of tests. The results were devastating. They told my mother that I would not walk and would probably never be able to read. As I mentioned earlier, she knew something wasn't right . As a child, I didn't know I was developmentally delayed and would have to try harder than normal people. I need to tell this story about my life and that others like me will identify with it and how it relates to their lives to never give up and be inspired in your dreams that you may come true.
Tell us about your latest book? Are you writing anther book now?
Born Special is about my life growing up with a learning disability and being told I would not talk, read or write. I never gave up showing the doctors they were wrong and I did approve them wrong. I always had to take special classes all my life. I always got picked on and called names. I have been blessed in my life and I thank God every day for Everything he does for me. Yes, I am working on my Third memoir called Miracle Baby. Its a story about the baby I thought I would never have and about her life growing up. She just turned a year august 12,2014. She is a blessing to our family and brings everyone Joy.
When did you first think about writing? What prompted you to submit your first book?
I thought about writing all the time when I was in high school. I always read James Patterson books and some day, I thought I wanted to be like him and followed my dream as a writer and It came true. Its a wonderful feeling.
How long does it take you to write a book?
It takes me about a year to finish a book and get it organized with details to get a publisher to take it. I am looking forward to writing my third memoir now.
Do you have a set schedule for writing or you just go with the flow? Where do your ideas come from?
I always just go with the flow with writing. I never know what will I will write since I write about everything in my life that happens. I write memoirs to inspire others in my life experiences as I grow as a writer.
Please tell us about yourself! What are some of your favorite things?
Dessert is Cheesecake
City is West Virginia
Season is Summer
Type of hero is James Patterons
Color is Light blue
Sports is Soccer, Volleyball
Books is action, self help, Memoirs
Movies are Action, Romance, Life
What book for you has been the easiest to write? the hardest? the most fun?
The hardest book was my first memoir Growing up special. I had to remember all the past things when I was young and I could not do it all. It wasn't easy. The most fun and easy was born special and my next memoir miracle baby.
What is the most rewarding thing about being a writer?
I think the most rewarding thing about being a writer is seeing your work everywhere and Inspiring every readers that reads your work. Its a wonderful feeling knowing that you touched so many people with your words.
My website is www.rheabwoodruff.comI would love to hear from you on my quest book and let me know how your visit was and how you like my memoirs or if you have any questions for me.
August 17, 2014
Author Blog Host: Eric James-Olson
Eric and I met by accident on Goodreads, when I blundered into his thread and hijacked it like the blithering idiot I can sometimes be. He was very gracious about it, and it was serendipitous for me because I now have a new list of books to read.
Eric is a very gifted author; his writing style strongly reminds me of Lovecraft with tones of Heinlein and Bradbury. The thing about his books that makes them so entertaining, beyond the stories themselves, is that they are all a collection of stories that interconnect in some way or another. The reader often finds themselves going, "Aha! That's where that bit goes, with that other bit I read two stories ago! Brilliant!"
It's ingenious.
Here's your chance to get to know Eric's work!
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This is the cover to The Church Peak Hotel: Revisited. This is the first of Eric's books that I read, and I'm planning to read Farmers and Cannibals next.
Interview with author Eric James-Olson:
Me: Please tell us about your latest book. EJO: First of all, thanks for the interview. Much obliged.
Me: Of course! I'm honored you agreed to be on the blog. EJO: In June I published The Church Peak Hotel: Revisited. It’s the fourth book in the series pictured above. It’s not quite a novel. It’s a series of interconnected character vignettes that all connect back to the other three novels. For a better description and excerpt from the book, check out this link: http://ericjamesolson.com/free-samples-general-tsos-chicken-anyone/introduction-for-the-church-peak-hotel-revisited/ Me: How much of your personality and life experiences are in your writing? EJO: None – well, that’s my official answer at least.
Me: When did you first think about writing and what prompted you to submit your first manuscript? EJO: I was watching the Super Bowl two years ago. It was the game where the power went out in the stadium. For some reason that sparked an idea for a book. I started writing the very next day. That idea became Farmers and Cannibals
Me: Generally, how long does it take you to write a book?EJO: That’s mostly dependent on the length and the style of the piece. Longer books take longer… obviously. They require more words.
Action is quick to write; dialogue is quick to write. Description and the development of symbols, however, slows me down. Adding multiple perspectives both slows me down and, by necessity, adds length to a book.
Explanations and those little philosophical paragraphs that show up every so often in my fiction take hours to write. I’m always afraid of saying too much, giving too much away. I’m interested in creating ambiguity that can be figured out.
So, how long does it take me to write a book? I’ve written four. Two of the four took me around nine months. The other two took me about three months a piece.
Me: Do you have a set schedule for writing or do you just go with the flow? EJO: I don’t work in the summer, so during that season I just “go with the flow.” For the rest of the year, I write from about eight to nine every night. It’s just after I put my daughter to bed, and I can usually bang out about two to five pages.
Me: What about your family, do they know not to bother you when you are writing - or are there constant interruptions? EJO: My daughter isn’t quite two years old. So she doesn’t know a whole lot about boundaries or respecting other people’s space yet. Fortunately, she can’t open doors yet either. So I usually write out on my front porch or the back deck and usually, unless her mother is feeling deceptive, I’m not interrupted.
Me: What do you do to relax and recharge your batteries?
EJO: Run, walk, lift weights, tickle my daughter, chop wood, cut down trees, operate woodworking machinery, build things, paint things, cut the grass, garden, drink beer (never much though), read, read out loud to my wife (a great thing to do for anyone who writes books), go fishing, look at the stars.
Me: Where do your ideas come from? EJO: Mostly from literature; all fiction is parody.
Me: What kind of research do you do? EJO: Depends on the book. I did the most research for But the Angels Never Came. It’s a travesty parodying “The binding of Isaac” from the old testament. I read several translations and then countless interpretations from different religions and religious sects.
Me: What are some of your favorite things to do? EJO: The same stuff I do to “recharge my batteries”.
Me: Who are some of your other favorite authors to read? Do you have a recommendation for those who are interested in reading your books? EJO: I’m an English teacher and I read canonical fiction, “the classics” as they’re often called. Melville, Hemingway, Fitzgerald, Steinbeck, Frost, Doyle, Shakespeare, all those massive names in literature are what I enjoy most. I also have a particular taste for the modern dystopians: Orwell, Huxley and the like. Science fiction and humor is good too: I love Isaac Asimov and Ray Bradbury and Kurt Vonnegut. I like to think when I read. And for those interested in my books, I’d recommend going back to “the classics.” Those books survive because they made people think.
Me: Among your own books, have you a favorite book? Favorite hero or heroine? EJO: Funny question. Whichever one I just wrote: that’s my favorite. I start to feel a connection with the characters in the books I’m writing. I know. Weird. But it’s true, and that connection makes me like the book as a whole. The book I’m writing now, it’s not published. It doesn’t even have a title. But it’s my favorite. And the protagonist, Gene Holden, even though he’s a real piece of work, he’s my favorite character – right now.
Me: What book for you has been the easiest to write? The hardest? The most fun?
EJO: Just After the Fall was the easiest. For the reader, it probably seems the most complicated because it was written as a fractured narrative. It was easy though because the structure was pre-determined. I wrote a thorough outline and then just connected the dots. But the Angels Never came was somewhat easy too. Because it was a reinterpretation, the basic plot was already set. I had to follow what happened in the bible – well, and then turn those events upside down. That was the creative part but it still went really fast and smooth. Like the King of Sodom, the words “came out to meet” me. The first book was the hardest. They’re all fun.
Me: Which comes first, the story, the characters or the setting? EJO: I’m with Aristotle on this one: the plot.
Me: Have you experienced writer's block---> If so, how did you work through it?
EJO: No.
Me: What is the most rewarding thing about being a writer?
EJO: My fans.
Me: If you weren't writing, what would you be doing
EJO: Playing more chess.
Me: Are there any words of encouragement for unpublished writers?EJO: Publish. Publish now. Don’t wait for someone to publish for you. Give away books. Think big and don’t worry about getting paid or the money. Just give your fiction away. Oh, and be honest. Don’t try the gimmicks and just be honest with your readers; most people can smell bullshit pretty far off and know to avoid it. Oh, and another thing. Write another book. Then write another book. And read out-loud to your spouse or boyfriend or girlfriend or kids if you got them. Especially your kids if you got them. And not just your fiction either.
Me: What can we expect from you in the future? How many books have you written, how many have been published?EJO: The book I’m working on will take another few months to complete. I’m going the traditional route and I’m hoping to have it published by the middle of next year. Then I’m writing the fifth book of the series featuring But the Angels Never Came. That’s set for release December 2015.
Ericjamesolson.com @Ericjamesolson1 Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...
Buy links for books But the Angels Never Came: http://www.amazon.com/Angels-Never-Came-Eric-James-Olson-ebook/dp/B00H92JWO2/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1408206824&sr=1-1 Farmers and Cannibals: http://www.amazon.com/Farmers-Cannibals-Eric-James-Olson-ebook/dp/B00FJ6DONK/ref=pd_sim_kstore_1?ie=UTF8&refRID=1RNRTZSW4HP43T6KZ21Z Just After the Fall: http://www.amazon.com/Just-After-Fall-Eric-James-Olson-ebook/dp/B00J15G8G0/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1408206902&sr=1-1&keywords=just+after+the+fall The Church Peak Hotel: Revisited: http://www.amazon.com/Church-Peak-Hotel-Revisited-ebook/dp/B00L9QGHN8/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1408206944&sr=1-1&keywords=the+church+peak+hotel%3A+revisited
[image error] About Eric James-Olson: Eric James-Olson is the author of five novels and several short stories. But the Angels Never Came, Farmers and Cannibals, Just After the Fall, The Church Peak Hotel: Revisited, and Whom Cain Slew (December 2015) are novels that exist within the same fictional universe. The books can be read in any order. In addition to writing, James-Olson is a high school English teacher and an outdoor enthusiast. He lives with his wife and daughter in the hills of West Virginia.
Eric is a very gifted author; his writing style strongly reminds me of Lovecraft with tones of Heinlein and Bradbury. The thing about his books that makes them so entertaining, beyond the stories themselves, is that they are all a collection of stories that interconnect in some way or another. The reader often finds themselves going, "Aha! That's where that bit goes, with that other bit I read two stories ago! Brilliant!"
It's ingenious.
Here's your chance to get to know Eric's work!
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This is the cover to The Church Peak Hotel: Revisited. This is the first of Eric's books that I read, and I'm planning to read Farmers and Cannibals next.
Interview with author Eric James-Olson:
Me: Please tell us about your latest book. EJO: First of all, thanks for the interview. Much obliged.
Me: Of course! I'm honored you agreed to be on the blog. EJO: In June I published The Church Peak Hotel: Revisited. It’s the fourth book in the series pictured above. It’s not quite a novel. It’s a series of interconnected character vignettes that all connect back to the other three novels. For a better description and excerpt from the book, check out this link: http://ericjamesolson.com/free-samples-general-tsos-chicken-anyone/introduction-for-the-church-peak-hotel-revisited/ Me: How much of your personality and life experiences are in your writing? EJO: None – well, that’s my official answer at least.
Me: When did you first think about writing and what prompted you to submit your first manuscript? EJO: I was watching the Super Bowl two years ago. It was the game where the power went out in the stadium. For some reason that sparked an idea for a book. I started writing the very next day. That idea became Farmers and Cannibals
Me: Generally, how long does it take you to write a book?EJO: That’s mostly dependent on the length and the style of the piece. Longer books take longer… obviously. They require more words.
Action is quick to write; dialogue is quick to write. Description and the development of symbols, however, slows me down. Adding multiple perspectives both slows me down and, by necessity, adds length to a book.
Explanations and those little philosophical paragraphs that show up every so often in my fiction take hours to write. I’m always afraid of saying too much, giving too much away. I’m interested in creating ambiguity that can be figured out.
So, how long does it take me to write a book? I’ve written four. Two of the four took me around nine months. The other two took me about three months a piece.
Me: Do you have a set schedule for writing or do you just go with the flow? EJO: I don’t work in the summer, so during that season I just “go with the flow.” For the rest of the year, I write from about eight to nine every night. It’s just after I put my daughter to bed, and I can usually bang out about two to five pages.
Me: What about your family, do they know not to bother you when you are writing - or are there constant interruptions? EJO: My daughter isn’t quite two years old. So she doesn’t know a whole lot about boundaries or respecting other people’s space yet. Fortunately, she can’t open doors yet either. So I usually write out on my front porch or the back deck and usually, unless her mother is feeling deceptive, I’m not interrupted.
Me: What do you do to relax and recharge your batteries?
EJO: Run, walk, lift weights, tickle my daughter, chop wood, cut down trees, operate woodworking machinery, build things, paint things, cut the grass, garden, drink beer (never much though), read, read out loud to my wife (a great thing to do for anyone who writes books), go fishing, look at the stars.
Me: Where do your ideas come from? EJO: Mostly from literature; all fiction is parody.
Me: What kind of research do you do? EJO: Depends on the book. I did the most research for But the Angels Never Came. It’s a travesty parodying “The binding of Isaac” from the old testament. I read several translations and then countless interpretations from different religions and religious sects.
Me: What are some of your favorite things to do? EJO: The same stuff I do to “recharge my batteries”.
Me: Who are some of your other favorite authors to read? Do you have a recommendation for those who are interested in reading your books? EJO: I’m an English teacher and I read canonical fiction, “the classics” as they’re often called. Melville, Hemingway, Fitzgerald, Steinbeck, Frost, Doyle, Shakespeare, all those massive names in literature are what I enjoy most. I also have a particular taste for the modern dystopians: Orwell, Huxley and the like. Science fiction and humor is good too: I love Isaac Asimov and Ray Bradbury and Kurt Vonnegut. I like to think when I read. And for those interested in my books, I’d recommend going back to “the classics.” Those books survive because they made people think.
Me: Among your own books, have you a favorite book? Favorite hero or heroine? EJO: Funny question. Whichever one I just wrote: that’s my favorite. I start to feel a connection with the characters in the books I’m writing. I know. Weird. But it’s true, and that connection makes me like the book as a whole. The book I’m writing now, it’s not published. It doesn’t even have a title. But it’s my favorite. And the protagonist, Gene Holden, even though he’s a real piece of work, he’s my favorite character – right now.
Me: What book for you has been the easiest to write? The hardest? The most fun?
EJO: Just After the Fall was the easiest. For the reader, it probably seems the most complicated because it was written as a fractured narrative. It was easy though because the structure was pre-determined. I wrote a thorough outline and then just connected the dots. But the Angels Never came was somewhat easy too. Because it was a reinterpretation, the basic plot was already set. I had to follow what happened in the bible – well, and then turn those events upside down. That was the creative part but it still went really fast and smooth. Like the King of Sodom, the words “came out to meet” me. The first book was the hardest. They’re all fun.
Me: Which comes first, the story, the characters or the setting? EJO: I’m with Aristotle on this one: the plot.
Me: Have you experienced writer's block---> If so, how did you work through it?
EJO: No.
Me: What is the most rewarding thing about being a writer?
EJO: My fans.
Me: If you weren't writing, what would you be doing
EJO: Playing more chess.
Me: Are there any words of encouragement for unpublished writers?EJO: Publish. Publish now. Don’t wait for someone to publish for you. Give away books. Think big and don’t worry about getting paid or the money. Just give your fiction away. Oh, and be honest. Don’t try the gimmicks and just be honest with your readers; most people can smell bullshit pretty far off and know to avoid it. Oh, and another thing. Write another book. Then write another book. And read out-loud to your spouse or boyfriend or girlfriend or kids if you got them. Especially your kids if you got them. And not just your fiction either.
Me: What can we expect from you in the future? How many books have you written, how many have been published?EJO: The book I’m working on will take another few months to complete. I’m going the traditional route and I’m hoping to have it published by the middle of next year. Then I’m writing the fifth book of the series featuring But the Angels Never Came. That’s set for release December 2015.
Ericjamesolson.com @Ericjamesolson1 Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...
Buy links for books But the Angels Never Came: http://www.amazon.com/Angels-Never-Came-Eric-James-Olson-ebook/dp/B00H92JWO2/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1408206824&sr=1-1 Farmers and Cannibals: http://www.amazon.com/Farmers-Cannibals-Eric-James-Olson-ebook/dp/B00FJ6DONK/ref=pd_sim_kstore_1?ie=UTF8&refRID=1RNRTZSW4HP43T6KZ21Z Just After the Fall: http://www.amazon.com/Just-After-Fall-Eric-James-Olson-ebook/dp/B00J15G8G0/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1408206902&sr=1-1&keywords=just+after+the+fall The Church Peak Hotel: Revisited: http://www.amazon.com/Church-Peak-Hotel-Revisited-ebook/dp/B00L9QGHN8/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1408206944&sr=1-1&keywords=the+church+peak+hotel%3A+revisited
[image error] About Eric James-Olson: Eric James-Olson is the author of five novels and several short stories. But the Angels Never Came, Farmers and Cannibals, Just After the Fall, The Church Peak Hotel: Revisited, and Whom Cain Slew (December 2015) are novels that exist within the same fictional universe. The books can be read in any order. In addition to writing, James-Olson is a high school English teacher and an outdoor enthusiast. He lives with his wife and daughter in the hills of West Virginia.
August 15, 2014
Blogging for Books: A Constellation of Vital Phenomena by Anthony Marra
I continue to LOVE my experience as a book blogger; I received a copy of this book free in exchange for an honest review. Let's get started!
Here's my copy; I think it has a nice cover, don't you?
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I won't lie; this was not my favorite book. Have you ever seen a book that had a gazillion positive reviews and then you were excited to read it? But then when you read it, you couldn't figure out why everyone loved it so much? This is one of those books. I'm not saying it was terrible, because it wasn't. The writing was very good...it just didn't keep my attention. I really struggled to get through it and that's saying something because I will read anything. Cereal boxes. Sports magazines, even, in a pinch. And while this book was way better than reading football stats, it's not likely to end up on my all time favorite books in the world list.
It's possible that my own ignorance on the subject led to my lackluster response. The book is set in Chechnya and opens with a young girl named Havaa hiding in the woods when soldiers come to her father's house and kill him, searching for her to do the same as well but fortunately they do not find her. Now this beginning was poignant and drew me in; I felt like I was in for a great read for the first several chapters.
Her neighbor finds her hiding in the woods with nothing but a blue suitcase. He decides to take her to a nearby hospital, run by one doctor, a woman named Sonja, and a smart alecky nurse. The doctor deals with her own demons, which become more alive to her when Havaa shows up in her hospital. The neighbor who brought her there, Akhmed, turns out to be a medical student, albeit a poor one, who offers his services to the doctor provided she agree to take in the girl. There are a few side stories and subplots between these two adult characters, which are nice and add to the story. But, that being said, here's where the story lost me somewhat.
The author tells a rich story but also infuses a great deal of history into the book. I love historical novels, but there is a bit of overkill in this story. Maybe it's just that I prefer ancient history to more modern history. Maybe it's just that I didn't understand all of the details, of which there were many threads to follow. Whatever the case, this well-written story could have used less historical detail to support its characters. The interplay between these characters is what makes the story great; the overabundance of historical detail did not support these relationships but detracted from them, in my opinion.
I would welcome a discussion about this book; maybe someone has other insights that would have made it more enjoyable for me. Have you read it? Do you have any comments to add?
Enjoy reading? Become a book blogger today!
[image error]http://www.bloggingforbooks.org/
Here's my copy; I think it has a nice cover, don't you?
[image error]
I won't lie; this was not my favorite book. Have you ever seen a book that had a gazillion positive reviews and then you were excited to read it? But then when you read it, you couldn't figure out why everyone loved it so much? This is one of those books. I'm not saying it was terrible, because it wasn't. The writing was very good...it just didn't keep my attention. I really struggled to get through it and that's saying something because I will read anything. Cereal boxes. Sports magazines, even, in a pinch. And while this book was way better than reading football stats, it's not likely to end up on my all time favorite books in the world list.
It's possible that my own ignorance on the subject led to my lackluster response. The book is set in Chechnya and opens with a young girl named Havaa hiding in the woods when soldiers come to her father's house and kill him, searching for her to do the same as well but fortunately they do not find her. Now this beginning was poignant and drew me in; I felt like I was in for a great read for the first several chapters.
Her neighbor finds her hiding in the woods with nothing but a blue suitcase. He decides to take her to a nearby hospital, run by one doctor, a woman named Sonja, and a smart alecky nurse. The doctor deals with her own demons, which become more alive to her when Havaa shows up in her hospital. The neighbor who brought her there, Akhmed, turns out to be a medical student, albeit a poor one, who offers his services to the doctor provided she agree to take in the girl. There are a few side stories and subplots between these two adult characters, which are nice and add to the story. But, that being said, here's where the story lost me somewhat.
The author tells a rich story but also infuses a great deal of history into the book. I love historical novels, but there is a bit of overkill in this story. Maybe it's just that I prefer ancient history to more modern history. Maybe it's just that I didn't understand all of the details, of which there were many threads to follow. Whatever the case, this well-written story could have used less historical detail to support its characters. The interplay between these characters is what makes the story great; the overabundance of historical detail did not support these relationships but detracted from them, in my opinion.
I would welcome a discussion about this book; maybe someone has other insights that would have made it more enjoyable for me. Have you read it? Do you have any comments to add?
Enjoy reading? Become a book blogger today!
[image error]http://www.bloggingforbooks.org/
August 13, 2014
The Goodreads Giveaway Saga
Hello fellow readers! Just dropping you a note to remind you that the Goodreads giveaway for Conspiracy of Ravens is still going strong! You've got until September 3rd for a chance to win a copy. Don't miss out!
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Goodreads Book Giveaway
Conspiracy of Ravens by Chrystal Vaughan Giveaway ends September 03, 2014.
See the giveaway details at Goodreads. Enter to win
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Goodreads Book Giveaway
Conspiracy of Ravens by Chrystal Vaughan Giveaway ends September 03, 2014. See the giveaway details at Goodreads. Enter to win
August 12, 2014
Author Host: Bernard Foong (Young)
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Synopsis: A Harem Boy Saga; A Memoir. Book 1 - INITIATION.
This provocative story is about a young man who was initiated into a clandestine sexual society. He was spirited to the Middle East, from his UK boarding school. He attended the Bahriji School (Oasis,) in The United Arab Emirates in preparation for serving in Harems for the wealthy and elite.
It is also a love story between the young man and his ‘Valet’ who served as his chaperone and mentor during the boy’s Harem service.
Author’s note:
I had a privileged and unique upbringing in Malaysia, where I was known as a "sissy boy." Following in my brothers' footsteps, I was sent to an exclusive boarding school in England. It is there that I was inducted into a clandestine organization, E.R.O.S. The Enlightened Royal Oracle Society. For four years, unbeknownst to my family, I was willingly and happily part of a Harem.
My story has been kept under wraps for close to 45 years. The correct moment has arrived for me to make known my unique education.
young@aharemboysaga.com
www.aharemboysaga.com
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Unbridled is the sequel to Initiation - A provocative story about a young man who was initiated into a clandestine sexual society. He was spirited to the Middle East, from his UK boarding school. He attended the Bahriji School (Oasis,) in The United Arab Emirates in preparation for serving in Harems for the wealthy and elite.
It is also a love story between the young man, his ‘Big Brother’ and his ‘Valet’ who served as his chaperones and mentors during the boy’s Harem services.
This book follows the teenagers’ erotic and exotic adventures and experiences at their
The author's experiences present facts that are truthful. Through these truths, which are often demonized by contemporary societies that deem such behaviors inappropriate, the author hopes to dispel condemnations and negativity which relate to his experiences.
There are 5 - 7 volumes in A Harem Boy’s Saga series.
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Synopsis
“Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage.”
Lao Tzu
Debauchery is the triquel to A Harem Boy’s Saga , a provocative story about a young man who was initiated into a clandestine sexual society through his UK boarding school. From there, he was spirited to the Middle East to attend the Bahriji (Oasis) School in The United Arab Emirates in preparation for Harem services for the wealthy elite.
It is also a love story between the young man, his ‘Big Brother,’ and his ‘Valet,’ who served as his chaperones and mentors.
This book follows the teenagers’ erotic and exotic adventures and experiences at their third Arabian Household Harem, the Quwah. There, they became confidants to a prince, assistants in an international dance club venture, “Carousel,” and apprentices and models in a controversial photography project, “Sacred Sex in Sacred Places.”
This story is an account of the author’s experiences. Through these truths, often demonized by contemporary societies that deem such behaviors inappropriate, the author hopes to dispel condemnation and negativity related to sexuality, love, and personal freedom.
A Harem Boy’s Saga is a series of seven volumes.
For further information please visit or contact:
Bernard Foong (a.k.a. Young)
www.aharemboysaga.com
young@aharemboysaga.com
Emerantia Antonia Parnall-Gilbert: Gilbert Literary Agency)
hawkspurrproductions@gmail.com
Melissa Miller: Solstice Publishing
solsticepublishing@live.com
A Harem Boy’s Saga
(A Memoir by Young) Outline of the five to seven-book series: Foreword: This series of books is a provocative, true, coming-of-age story about a Malaysian teenager nicknamed “Young” who, after being sent to a British boarding school for his formal studies, is willingly initiated into a secretive sexual society. From his UK boarding school, he is spirited to the Middle East, to prepare to serve elite, wealthy patrons in all male harems. E.R.O.S. (Enlightened Royal Oracle Society) – the organization that operates this program out of the British boarding school provides Young, fellow students and his Valet named Andy, and active recruit rarified opportunities to experience other cultures so that they may continue to grow and develop beyond the regular curriculum afforded other students at this British boarding school. E.R.O.S. recruits are introduced to an arena of international influential players, celebrities and world-renowned movers and shakers of their day. (Summer 1967 to early Spring 1968) The Hadrah (Young’s first household ‘Master’) loans his private yacht and plane to the boys for a week-long vacation to the Greek islands. The lovers learn about ancient Grecian life as they journey to Pelops (Sparta), Athens, Mykonos and Lesbos with their model companions, whom Oscar had invited along on their cruise. Young misses Oscar even before he must leave for Vienna. During their Greek island sojourn, the boys liaise with an artist, Vittorio, and an internationally known transsexual model, Bryanna, who later assists Young’s fashion career by introducing the young man to well-known clothing and accessory designers. Under Andy’s loving tutelage, the boy’s service at his 3rd Arab household, the Quwah (Sheikh ‘P’s palatial home) is a reflection of the classical Greek erastes and eromenos model of man/boy love, considered a perfect model of idealized love in many ancient cultures. Sheikh P’s political and social standing allows him and his entourage to visit many exotic locales, especially the South of France and the Mediterranean regions of Europe, where the adolescent witnesses His Highness’ many social and aristocratic endeavors. Sheikh P is an erratic, eccentric, spontaneous and spur-of-the-moment character. During the boys’ service at the prince’s household, they must mind their steps around the unpredictable patriarch. It is a dangerous game that only serves to dramatize Andy and Young’s ever-changing young lives and heighten their undying love for one another. They watch each other’s backs at every turn so they can avoid falling prey to disastrous situations. Their time spent in the company of His Highness is an explosive mine field in and of itself. At times, the boys are loaned to Aziz and Count Mario (the photographers mentioned in Books I and II) to continue work on Sacred Sex in Sacred Places; they end up in France, Spain, and Portugal, both as models and assistants to these two international photographers. Throughout their Quwah service, Andy harbored hopes that his protégé would agree to become his life partner in New Zealand after their duties at the various households and E.R.O.S. ended. Unfortunately for Andy, Young had already made up his mind to pursue a fashion career in London, which does not entail following his lover to New Zealand (where his Valet was accepted into engineering school at Trinity College, Christchurch). Young stays at Daltonbury Hall and the Bahriji (Oasis) school for another year and three months after his 6thhousehold service. He assists the next generation of freshmen as a BB and Valet, just like his BBs/Valets Nikee, Oscar and Andy had done. E.R.O.S. alumni often participated in this programme voluntarily to give back to the secret society and groom the next generation of E.R.O.S. members. Young and Andy, soul mates, reluctantly separate after four years of inseparable devotion to each other. Young is accepted into the Belfast College of Art and Technology, N. Ireland to pursue a diploma in fashion design. A year later, he moves to London to attend the Harrow College of Art and Technology. Finally, he obtains his Master degree in design at the Royal College of Art, London, and he goes on to forge a successful fashion career, both as a global fashion design professor and a known fashion designer. Foong Sr. loses most of his financial asserts during his final years of worldly existence due to poor investment choices. He dies a pauper at age 53 from a heart attack after years of stress, heavy drinking and chain smoking. The gratuities Young earned during his 4 years of Harem services help him pay for his graduate and post-graduate fashion schooling. Andy comes to terms with their alienation. He, too, suffers tremendously in the process. Eventually after a series of unfulfilled sexual relationships, he graduates with honors in engineering (specializing in bridge building) from Trinity College, New Zealand. The two men did not communicate again until Young began writing A Harem Boy’s Saga – II - Unbridled in early 2012. After much urging from Walter (Young’s life partner of 16 years), they finally reconnect. Book IV Metanoia Outline: (1968 flirts back and forth to present day) The fourth book in A Harem Boy’s Saga – IV - Metanoia is co-authored by Andy and Young after their reconnection 42 years later. Young and his ex-Valet provide personal points of view about their Arab household experiences. This joint memoir is an account of the authors’ journeys back to reality from their years spent in the surreal bubble of the E.R.O.S. educational program and protection. Book IV documents the authors’ lives after their self-imposed estrangement. It is a story of the couples’ heartaches, pains and adversities as well as their desperate attempts to locate a life partner/partners who could compare with what they had shared together. Metanoiadocuments the way Andy and Young’s self-imposed severance threw both men into years of heartache and bedlam. Both men plunged into unsavory relationships, using sex as an escape from heartache. Young often visited underground sex clubs, searching for love in all the wrong places. Years of unsatisfactory and self-destructive sexual liaisons with a variety of strangers preceded their recent reconnection. It is a story of joy, love and ultimate surrender to nature’s unforeseen tyranny before finding consolation and solace in their past and current life partners. Unfortunately, Andy’s spouse of 8 years passed from AIDs-related illnesses a year and a half ago. Young’s beloved partner, Walter, continues to cherish his betrothed with unconditional love and encouragement throughout the process of writing his memoirs and in locating his beloved, long-lost ex-Valet. Metanoia is a journey of the authors’ spiritual transformation and an examination of Andy, Young and Walter’s lives as the three entities traverse into the unknown future. This book depicts another human learning curve in the art of loving. Book V, VI and VII (As yet untitled) (1968 to 1970) These three books in the final series of A Harem Boy’s Saga have yet to be formulated cohesively. The books’ contents and details will manifest as Young continues to document his experiences within his other harem households and his life after E.R.O.S. The unfolding of Young’s epic journey continues to haunt and teach the readers about the fragility and strength of one man’s dreams and aspirations. Young’s delineation is to describe the angst of finding “The Andy”in his previously failed relationships. He struggled in relationships until Walter, his current spouse, sailed into his life 16 years ago, bringing ease, laughter and joy back into his life. Their spiritual and sexual union can provide hope and inspiration to soul mates searching for their long-lost companions. The resurgence of Andy, Young’s long lost lover, will undoubtedly spear new chapters in the three men’s lives. Chapter sample: Chapter 18 No Distance between Us Tolkien Brotherhood I was accepted into the Tolkien Brotherhood because my resume stressed my interest in art and design. Mother and Father provided an impressive background on my ballet dance and dance choreography work at the Griffin Inn shows. Father’s discreet failure to mention that he was the owner of the nightclub probably helped. I was accepted on the merit of my creative talents. My parent also provided Daltonbury Hall with impressive letters of recommendations from Mrs. Koo, my former art teacher, who informed Daltonbury that I had won Junior Art competitions while under her tutelage and that I excelled in painting. I also had a glowing letter from Uncle James, an alumnus of Yates Fraternity. He wrote a personal letter to the school’s Headmaster, with whom he was friends, giving him an excellent account of my behavior and character. My grades from The Methodist Boys’ School were more than satisfactory. My whole-hearted involvement in the organization and participation of the boys’ fashion shows and the variety show dance performances were sufficient for me to be considered for acceptance into the school. The school had vacancies to be filled in the performing art dormitory when I applied. I was lucky to be given the opportunity to enroll in this prestigious institution. During the Victorian era many artists came to the Isle of Wight to capture the scenic beauty of the island. Daltonbury Hall acted as host to many well-known artists of that period, particularly artists from the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood. Painters such as John William Waterhouse, Arthur Hughes, Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema, Dante Gabriel Rossetti, together with a host of other famous Victorian painters, had been artists stationed at Daltonbury Hall. By the turn of the 20th century, the Tolkien Brotherhood had already established an artistic educational institute for boys who were aspiring artists, painters, sculptors, and designers. Many well-known artists, photographers and designers of the 20th and 21st century were alumni of the Tolkien Brotherhood at Daltonbury Hall. Tolkien Culinary Society The Culinary Society at the Tolkien Brotherhood would organize special events to educate students in the Art of Fine Dining. Since the majority of students came from wealthy, established families, this extracurricular course of study was considered part of the finishing school education for society boys. We were educated in gentlemanly etiquette in preparation for our emerging roles as society's leaders, movers and shakers. Naturally, etiquette and proper manners would be required in our social and business duties. Formal Dress A week before school closed for the Christmas holidays, Nikee suggested we attend the school's end-of-term culinary evening organized by the Culinary Society to celebrate the advent of Christmas. It was held at the Assembly Hall on a Saturday evening. Young ladies from our sister school were invited, together with staff, faculty members and their spouses. Ever since the day Uncle James and mother took me to the River Restaurant at the Savoy, I was hooked on the “Art of Fine Dining.” A sucker for British and European pomp and circumstance as well as society's dining etiquette and manners, I was glad to have the opportunity to dress up for an evening of gourmet cuisine and great dancing. I liked the fact that Nikee and I were attending a Balltogether! I had seen photos of formal functions and the attending guests’ attire, but I'd never attended a Ball and knew absolutely nothing about dressing for such an occasion. Uncle James knew there would be formal occasions at Daltonbury Hall during annual festive seasons, and the task of suiting me up fell into his hands. When I was in London, he took me to Saville Row to have me fitted for a dinner suit. Mother knew next to nothing about bespoke tailoring, and it was pointless for her to come with us. We went to Geives & Hawkes, where James had his suits made. As soon as we entered the shop, I was struck by the degree of English snobbery. A mature gentleman greeted Uncle James and me with an Edwardian air. He gave me a cursory glance, and then ignored my presence until Uncle James formally introduced us. James was a regular customer at Geives & Hawkes . The man soon understood that I was a potential client and it would be advisable for him to be polite. If I had ventured into the shop by myself, "Old Smith"would not have given me the time of day. Race and class prejudices were very much alive in England, in the sixties. I had stepped further back in time, in that shop, entering the era of the Gilded Age. With assistance and advice from Uncle James, I selected an appropriate black wool gabardine fabric for the suit. I wanted something a little trendy, yet classical in cut. We also ordered a custom-made white dress shirt, especially crafted to fit my thirteen-year-old frame. Since my favorite color is pink, Uncle James picked out a black and pink striped satin bowtie to match my ensemble. We also selected a pair of formal black patent lace-up shoes. Before I left for the Isle of Wight, I had a fitting at the shop. The clothes and shoes were hand delivered to Daltonbury Hall by Geives & Hawkes. It arrived in an elegant black box, with my full name embossed in scripted gold letters on the box cover. Inside, were soft white tissues, with Geives & Hawkes’ logo, printed in gold. The Ball was the perfect opportunity for me to shine in my gorgeous attire. The Ball Nickee looked stunningly suave! If John had been present he would have looked spiffy,too, in formal black-tie attire. Unfortunately, he left for the Middle East shortly after a month at Daltonbury Hall. The Assembly Hall was transformed into an elegant dining room for this festive occasion. The table settings were artistic and tasteful. A beautiful Christmas tree filled with Victorian antique ornaments and fairy lights was placed on the side of the entrance. It reminded me of the Singapore Raffles Hotel Christmas Party to which Mother took me when I was six years old. This venue really was an actual 19th century Victorian ballroom built in that era. The spacious domed dining hall, with its ornately painted ceilings, glowed in the soft candle light, carrying me back to an era of English aristocracy, when society's gentlewomen and gentlemen danced the Viennese Waltz. Music students from the Tolkien Brotherhood's Music Society formed an eight piece stringed orchestra, playing melodic classical music while guests, students and staff sat enjoying their dinner. Before Nikee and I entered the Hall, our names were announced to the guests who were already in the room. Although alcohol, wine and beer were served to staff and seniorsover eighteen, juniors like meknew better than to try to sneak a sip of alcohol under the watchful eyes of our Big Brothers , professors, teaching staff, and their spouses. It would be a punishable offense if we were caught. The prefects send offenders to scrub toilets and shower areas after school, or on Sundays. Long tables with place cards for each guest were beside the dessert silverware. Males and females were seated opposite each other and side by side. I was seated opposite a young lady by the name of Amelia and my immediate left and right were occupied by two other charming ladies, Georgina and Carol. They were students at Hattonfield Abbey School for Girls, our sister school on the Isle of Wight. On the left of Amelia was Nikee and to her right was a male senior student by the name of Aris, from the Yates Fraternity. This formal arrangement provided the boys with an opportunity for social conversation with the ladies, and vice-verse. In the middle of the large rectangular dining hall was a dance floor where waltz music played after desert was served. Male students had a chance to invite the females sitting next to or opposite them to dance without leaving any ladies to be wallflowers. It was un-gentlemanly to leave a lady sitting on her own; proper etiquette dictated inviting her to the floor, even if for only one dance. The Tolkien Brotherhood Dance Society had offered extracurricular ballroom dance classes for students who wanted to learn the “Art of Ballroom Dancing,” which Nikee and I had participated in prior to this evening's festivities. It was relatively easy for me to master ballroom dancing, since I already had studied ballet. I had learned the basic dance steps and took to the floor with ease and grace. Nikee also had previous experience in social dances. It was not a surprise that many female students wanted to be waltzing in Nikee's arms. With his handsome looks and charismatic personality, he had no problem finding dance partners throughout the course of the evening. Traditional Christmas formal black-tie affair or not, the Teddy Bares , an all guys band of five students from the Yates Fraternity, took center stage when the stringed orchestra retired for the evening. Popular dance music of that era (1964) was bound to make an appearance in one form or another! It was truly a delightful Christmas Ball at Daltonbury Hall. Celebration of Love It was close to midnight when I walked to my room. Nikeewas still at the celebration, dancing the night away and chatting up the female students from Hattonfield Abbey.I wanted some solitude and a chance to catch a breath of fresh, night air. It was hot and stuffy inside the Hall; I wanted to chill on my own for a while. It was the dead of winter and the night sky was beautifully lit by a full moon. Although the air was slightly chilly, it wasn't damp or cold like England usually is during the winter and early spring months. Maybe I had danced too vigorously, but coming out of the heated Hall into the refreshing night air was such a wonderful relief. It was one of those rare evenings on which peace, calmness and serenity reigned supreme. The gods had created the midnight sky with such brilliance and beauty that it seemed a shame to retire to the four walls of my dorm room. I decided to continue walking towards the boathouse by Swan Lake where I sat quietly, drinking in theenchantment of the evening. Author’s Bio Young alias Bernard Foong is, first and foremost, a sensitivist. He finds nuance in everything. To experience the world he inhabits is an adventure which is mystical, childlike and refreshing. He has a rare ability to create beauty in a unique fashion. His palettes have been material, paint, words and human experiences. By Christine Maynard (screenwriter and novelist). Bernard Foong (designer) – A brief history Born in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. At the age of 8, he was assisting his aunt and cousin, learning the art of sewing and fabrics/colors matching. He attended an exclusive private boarding school in the United Kingdom before obtaining his Diploma in Fashion Design at the Harrow College of Art & Technology in London, England. He went on to complete his Master of Design at the Royal College of Art & Design, London, England. During his college years he won several international fashion awards and was already retailing bridal and evening dresses to several well known department stores in England. Liberty of London, Selfridges, Harrods and Harvey Nichols to name a few that carried his designs. His Royal College of Art graduation wedding/evening wear collection was sold to Liberty of London and displayed in their store windows for the entire month of June that year. For four years, he worked for Liberty’s bridal department as their in-house designer until a trip to Hong Kong, while working on a freelance project for ‘Bird’s’(casual wear) company, he was recruited by the Hong Kong Polytechnic University as their Fashion professor for the next 6 years. During his stay in Hong Kong, he freelanced for numerous fashion companies. From designing casual wear, swimwear, lingerie, and fur garments, men’s wear, bridal and evening fashions to accessories (bags, shoes, and head-wear). He also participated and organized numerous fashion shows, events, functions, and presentations in the Asia Pacific region. Working for Keys Far East Hong Kong as chief lingerie designer - travelling extensively to the United States, he was soon recruited as an Associate Fashion Design/Illustration Professor to the University of Wisconsin, Madison and also lectured at the Minneapolis College of Art & Design for a couple of years. Foong was then appointed as the Fashion Development Manager by an established department store – Parkson Grand (22 stores in Malaysia and one in Shanghai, China). Producing under the label, Natural Life by Bernard Foong, he designed casual-wear collections for the Parkson Grand’s flagship store in Kuala Lumpur. After a couple of years later, he was invited by the Temasek Polytechnic, Singapore to join their design school to establish a Fashion Design department. For two years, he assisted several founding members of the design school - working on the fashion department’s teaching curriculum. The Fitzgerald Theatre Department, University of Hawaii, Manoa, Oahu, Hawaii awarded a full scholarship for Foong to complete his second Master of Art in Theatre Costuming. Now a resident on the Island of Maui, he has assisted many charity organizations in their fund raising events with his extravagant fashion and performance shows/presentations. In 2005, he and his partner, Mr. Walter Jay Bissett opened Fire Dragon Bistro Orient & Design Shop. He also designs costumes/fashions for numerous theatrical productions in Hawaii and abroad. Appointed as chief lingerie designer for Cerie International Limited – Hong Kong, his lingerie designs can be found in major department stores in Canada and the United Kingdom. He showcased the BERNARD FOONG R-T-W collections and BERNARD FOONG @ Modern Classic Ltd. (an established – Hong Kong bridal & evening wear company) collections in Hong Kong. His 2008 & 2009 bridal/evening/bridal lingerie fashion show, “Grace” & “Coming Up Roses” were premiered at Hong Kong Fashion Week in July 2007 and January 2008 respectively at the Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Center, garnering positive interest in many Asian press reviews, including a China nationwide television broadcast of his latest collection. Aika (International Opera Singer) wore several Bernard Foong special occasion dresses at her Japan & European tour in September & October 2009. Foong was the chief Creative Director for Official (Special Occasion fashion manufacturing company) Guangzhou, China producing – BERNARD FOONG Couture (specialty one-of-a-kind creations), White (RTW - Wedding/Special Occasion wear), Foxy Cute (Smart Casual/Cocktail wear), SexZ (decorative bustier) & Diva Bitch (sexual lingerie inner/outer-wear) collections. Besides working on his regular haute couture, R-T-W and lingerie collections he is a visiting consultant/advisor for: Pivot Point fashion college, Chengdu, China. Hong Kong Design Institute (fashion department), Hong Kong, SAR. Hong Kong Poly/U, Hong Kong (School of Apparel Design & Merchandising), SAR. Hong Kong Fashion Designers Association, Hong Kong. Singapore Temasek Polytechnic – School of Apparel Design & Merchandising (ADM), Singapore. Bernard is also writing his autobiography, a seven book series of Mr. Foong’s young life: A Harem Boy’s Saga: A Memoir by Young. This provocative story spanning 4 decades and 3 continents is about a boy who was sent to a very exclusive English boarding school in the 1960s where he was initiated into a clandestine sexual society and then spirited away to serve in wealthy and elite Middle Eastern harems ." A Harem Boy’s Saga series is published by Solstice Publishing and is available in print and E-books internationally. Out of his busy schedule, Bernard is also working on a mini series of three contemporary paintings for the Rathe Galleries in Dallas, Houston and soon to open gallery in Austin, Texas.
A Harem Boy Saga:
Provide Tolerance to Sissy Boys by understanding parents/peers and the community. Anderson Cooper 360 documentary on the devastating treatment of effeminate boys influence me to tell my story. Bullying can be Avoided through Big Brother/Big Sister volunteer programs in school or outside school system. Older students acting as mentors to younger students. Gay Adolescent Tolerance – parents/child/siblings relationship issues.Support/mentorship program to all parties involved to foster understanding and acceptance of Gay kids. Provide an Alternative Educational System;Understanding Big Brother/adolescent mentorship programs in schools, BB as protector to keep younger kids from being bullied. Human Relationship Building Program;Between parents/teachers and young students on sexual topics/issues, especially when adolescent are just discovering their sexuality. They can be guided on a healthy and honest sexual journey instead of “don’t ask, don’t tell” hide it behind the closet policy.
A Harem Boy’s saga – I – Initiation : book retail links: Print book: http://www.amazon.com/Initiation-Hare... E-book: Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KOEXWQQ Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00KOEXWQQ?*Version*=1&*entries*=0 Amazon IN: http://www.amazon.in/gp/product/B00KOEXWQQ?*Version*=1&*entries*=0 Amazon DE: http://www.amazon.de/gp/product/B00KOEXWQQ?*Version*=1&*entries*=0 Amazon FR: http://www.amazon.fr/gp/product/B00KOEXWQQ?*Version*=1&*entries*=0 Amazon ES: http://www.amazon.es/gp/product/B00KOEXWQQ?*Version*=1&*entries*=0 Amazon IT: http://www.amazon.it/gp/product/B00KOEXWQQ?*Version*=1&*entries*=0 Amazon JP: http://www.amazon.co.jp/gp/product/B00KOEXWQQ?*Version*=1&*entries*=0 Amazon BR: https://www.amazon.com.br/dp/B00KOEXWQQ Amazon MX: https://www.amazon.com.mx/dp/B00KOEXWQQ Amazon CA: http://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B00KOEXWQQ?*Version*=1&*entries*=0 Amazon AU: https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B00KOEXWQQ B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/initiation-young/1119634149?ean=2940149501014&itm=1&usri=2940149501014 Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/443362 A Harem Boy’s Saga – II – Unbridled: Print book: http://www.amazon.com/Unbridled-Harem-Boys-Saga-2/dp/1625260881/ref=sr_1_2_title_1_pap?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1406157007&sr=1-2&keywords=a+harem+boy%27s+saga E-book: Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00L8F1RYO Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00L8F1RYO?*Version*=1&*entries*=0 Amazon IN: http://www.amazon.in/gp/product/B00L8F1RYO?*Version*=1&*entries*=0 Amazon DE: http://www.amazon.de/gp/product/B00L8F1RYO?*Version*=1&*entries*=0 Amazon FR: http://www.amazon.fr/gp/product/B00L8F1RYO?*Version*=1&*entries*=0 Amazon ES: http://www.amazon.es/gp/product/B00L8F1RYO?*Version*=1&*entries*=0 Amazon IT: http://www.amazon.it/gp/product/B00L8F1RYO?*Version*=1&*entries*=0 Amazon JP: http://www.amazon.co.jp/gp/product/B00L8F1RYO?*Version*=1&*entries*=0 Amazon BR: https://www.amazon.com.br/dp/B00L8F1RYO Amazon CA: http://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B00L8F1RYO?*Version*=1&*entries*=0 Amazon MX: https://www.amazon.com.mx/dp/B00L8F1RYO Amazon AU: https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B00L8F1RYO Smashwords: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/451244 B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/unbridled-young/1119857648?ean=2940149752607&itm=1&usri=2940149752607 A Harem Boy’s Saga – III – Debauchery: will be published in a published as of mid- Aug.
A Harem Boy's Saga books website, blog, and other social sites URLs.
Website: http://www.aharemboysaga.com
Blog: http://bernardfoong.typepad.com/in_the_harem
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bfoong1
Twitter @aharemboysaga
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/haremboysaga/a-harem-boys-saga/
Cowbird: http://cowbird.com/bernard/stories/
Tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/trisf2013
Synopsis: A Harem Boy Saga; A Memoir. Book 1 - INITIATION.
This provocative story is about a young man who was initiated into a clandestine sexual society. He was spirited to the Middle East, from his UK boarding school. He attended the Bahriji School (Oasis,) in The United Arab Emirates in preparation for serving in Harems for the wealthy and elite.
It is also a love story between the young man and his ‘Valet’ who served as his chaperone and mentor during the boy’s Harem service.
Author’s note:
I had a privileged and unique upbringing in Malaysia, where I was known as a "sissy boy." Following in my brothers' footsteps, I was sent to an exclusive boarding school in England. It is there that I was inducted into a clandestine organization, E.R.O.S. The Enlightened Royal Oracle Society. For four years, unbeknownst to my family, I was willingly and happily part of a Harem.
My story has been kept under wraps for close to 45 years. The correct moment has arrived for me to make known my unique education.
young@aharemboysaga.com
www.aharemboysaga.com
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Unbridled is the sequel to Initiation - A provocative story about a young man who was initiated into a clandestine sexual society. He was spirited to the Middle East, from his UK boarding school. He attended the Bahriji School (Oasis,) in The United Arab Emirates in preparation for serving in Harems for the wealthy and elite.
It is also a love story between the young man, his ‘Big Brother’ and his ‘Valet’ who served as his chaperones and mentors during the boy’s Harem services.
This book follows the teenagers’ erotic and exotic adventures and experiences at their
The author's experiences present facts that are truthful. Through these truths, which are often demonized by contemporary societies that deem such behaviors inappropriate, the author hopes to dispel condemnations and negativity which relate to his experiences.
There are 5 - 7 volumes in A Harem Boy’s Saga series.
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Synopsis
“Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage.”
Lao Tzu
Debauchery is the triquel to A Harem Boy’s Saga , a provocative story about a young man who was initiated into a clandestine sexual society through his UK boarding school. From there, he was spirited to the Middle East to attend the Bahriji (Oasis) School in The United Arab Emirates in preparation for Harem services for the wealthy elite.
It is also a love story between the young man, his ‘Big Brother,’ and his ‘Valet,’ who served as his chaperones and mentors.
This book follows the teenagers’ erotic and exotic adventures and experiences at their third Arabian Household Harem, the Quwah. There, they became confidants to a prince, assistants in an international dance club venture, “Carousel,” and apprentices and models in a controversial photography project, “Sacred Sex in Sacred Places.”
This story is an account of the author’s experiences. Through these truths, often demonized by contemporary societies that deem such behaviors inappropriate, the author hopes to dispel condemnation and negativity related to sexuality, love, and personal freedom.
A Harem Boy’s Saga is a series of seven volumes.
For further information please visit or contact:
Bernard Foong (a.k.a. Young)
www.aharemboysaga.com
young@aharemboysaga.com
Emerantia Antonia Parnall-Gilbert: Gilbert Literary Agency)
hawkspurrproductions@gmail.com
Melissa Miller: Solstice Publishing
solsticepublishing@live.com
A Harem Boy’s Saga
(A Memoir by Young) Outline of the five to seven-book series: Foreword: This series of books is a provocative, true, coming-of-age story about a Malaysian teenager nicknamed “Young” who, after being sent to a British boarding school for his formal studies, is willingly initiated into a secretive sexual society. From his UK boarding school, he is spirited to the Middle East, to prepare to serve elite, wealthy patrons in all male harems. E.R.O.S. (Enlightened Royal Oracle Society) – the organization that operates this program out of the British boarding school provides Young, fellow students and his Valet named Andy, and active recruit rarified opportunities to experience other cultures so that they may continue to grow and develop beyond the regular curriculum afforded other students at this British boarding school. E.R.O.S. recruits are introduced to an arena of international influential players, celebrities and world-renowned movers and shakers of their day. (Summer 1967 to early Spring 1968) The Hadrah (Young’s first household ‘Master’) loans his private yacht and plane to the boys for a week-long vacation to the Greek islands. The lovers learn about ancient Grecian life as they journey to Pelops (Sparta), Athens, Mykonos and Lesbos with their model companions, whom Oscar had invited along on their cruise. Young misses Oscar even before he must leave for Vienna. During their Greek island sojourn, the boys liaise with an artist, Vittorio, and an internationally known transsexual model, Bryanna, who later assists Young’s fashion career by introducing the young man to well-known clothing and accessory designers. Under Andy’s loving tutelage, the boy’s service at his 3rd Arab household, the Quwah (Sheikh ‘P’s palatial home) is a reflection of the classical Greek erastes and eromenos model of man/boy love, considered a perfect model of idealized love in many ancient cultures. Sheikh P’s political and social standing allows him and his entourage to visit many exotic locales, especially the South of France and the Mediterranean regions of Europe, where the adolescent witnesses His Highness’ many social and aristocratic endeavors. Sheikh P is an erratic, eccentric, spontaneous and spur-of-the-moment character. During the boys’ service at the prince’s household, they must mind their steps around the unpredictable patriarch. It is a dangerous game that only serves to dramatize Andy and Young’s ever-changing young lives and heighten their undying love for one another. They watch each other’s backs at every turn so they can avoid falling prey to disastrous situations. Their time spent in the company of His Highness is an explosive mine field in and of itself. At times, the boys are loaned to Aziz and Count Mario (the photographers mentioned in Books I and II) to continue work on Sacred Sex in Sacred Places; they end up in France, Spain, and Portugal, both as models and assistants to these two international photographers. Throughout their Quwah service, Andy harbored hopes that his protégé would agree to become his life partner in New Zealand after their duties at the various households and E.R.O.S. ended. Unfortunately for Andy, Young had already made up his mind to pursue a fashion career in London, which does not entail following his lover to New Zealand (where his Valet was accepted into engineering school at Trinity College, Christchurch). Young stays at Daltonbury Hall and the Bahriji (Oasis) school for another year and three months after his 6thhousehold service. He assists the next generation of freshmen as a BB and Valet, just like his BBs/Valets Nikee, Oscar and Andy had done. E.R.O.S. alumni often participated in this programme voluntarily to give back to the secret society and groom the next generation of E.R.O.S. members. Young and Andy, soul mates, reluctantly separate after four years of inseparable devotion to each other. Young is accepted into the Belfast College of Art and Technology, N. Ireland to pursue a diploma in fashion design. A year later, he moves to London to attend the Harrow College of Art and Technology. Finally, he obtains his Master degree in design at the Royal College of Art, London, and he goes on to forge a successful fashion career, both as a global fashion design professor and a known fashion designer. Foong Sr. loses most of his financial asserts during his final years of worldly existence due to poor investment choices. He dies a pauper at age 53 from a heart attack after years of stress, heavy drinking and chain smoking. The gratuities Young earned during his 4 years of Harem services help him pay for his graduate and post-graduate fashion schooling. Andy comes to terms with their alienation. He, too, suffers tremendously in the process. Eventually after a series of unfulfilled sexual relationships, he graduates with honors in engineering (specializing in bridge building) from Trinity College, New Zealand. The two men did not communicate again until Young began writing A Harem Boy’s Saga – II - Unbridled in early 2012. After much urging from Walter (Young’s life partner of 16 years), they finally reconnect. Book IV Metanoia Outline: (1968 flirts back and forth to present day) The fourth book in A Harem Boy’s Saga – IV - Metanoia is co-authored by Andy and Young after their reconnection 42 years later. Young and his ex-Valet provide personal points of view about their Arab household experiences. This joint memoir is an account of the authors’ journeys back to reality from their years spent in the surreal bubble of the E.R.O.S. educational program and protection. Book IV documents the authors’ lives after their self-imposed estrangement. It is a story of the couples’ heartaches, pains and adversities as well as their desperate attempts to locate a life partner/partners who could compare with what they had shared together. Metanoiadocuments the way Andy and Young’s self-imposed severance threw both men into years of heartache and bedlam. Both men plunged into unsavory relationships, using sex as an escape from heartache. Young often visited underground sex clubs, searching for love in all the wrong places. Years of unsatisfactory and self-destructive sexual liaisons with a variety of strangers preceded their recent reconnection. It is a story of joy, love and ultimate surrender to nature’s unforeseen tyranny before finding consolation and solace in their past and current life partners. Unfortunately, Andy’s spouse of 8 years passed from AIDs-related illnesses a year and a half ago. Young’s beloved partner, Walter, continues to cherish his betrothed with unconditional love and encouragement throughout the process of writing his memoirs and in locating his beloved, long-lost ex-Valet. Metanoia is a journey of the authors’ spiritual transformation and an examination of Andy, Young and Walter’s lives as the three entities traverse into the unknown future. This book depicts another human learning curve in the art of loving. Book V, VI and VII (As yet untitled) (1968 to 1970) These three books in the final series of A Harem Boy’s Saga have yet to be formulated cohesively. The books’ contents and details will manifest as Young continues to document his experiences within his other harem households and his life after E.R.O.S. The unfolding of Young’s epic journey continues to haunt and teach the readers about the fragility and strength of one man’s dreams and aspirations. Young’s delineation is to describe the angst of finding “The Andy”in his previously failed relationships. He struggled in relationships until Walter, his current spouse, sailed into his life 16 years ago, bringing ease, laughter and joy back into his life. Their spiritual and sexual union can provide hope and inspiration to soul mates searching for their long-lost companions. The resurgence of Andy, Young’s long lost lover, will undoubtedly spear new chapters in the three men’s lives. Chapter sample: Chapter 18 No Distance between Us Tolkien Brotherhood I was accepted into the Tolkien Brotherhood because my resume stressed my interest in art and design. Mother and Father provided an impressive background on my ballet dance and dance choreography work at the Griffin Inn shows. Father’s discreet failure to mention that he was the owner of the nightclub probably helped. I was accepted on the merit of my creative talents. My parent also provided Daltonbury Hall with impressive letters of recommendations from Mrs. Koo, my former art teacher, who informed Daltonbury that I had won Junior Art competitions while under her tutelage and that I excelled in painting. I also had a glowing letter from Uncle James, an alumnus of Yates Fraternity. He wrote a personal letter to the school’s Headmaster, with whom he was friends, giving him an excellent account of my behavior and character. My grades from The Methodist Boys’ School were more than satisfactory. My whole-hearted involvement in the organization and participation of the boys’ fashion shows and the variety show dance performances were sufficient for me to be considered for acceptance into the school. The school had vacancies to be filled in the performing art dormitory when I applied. I was lucky to be given the opportunity to enroll in this prestigious institution. During the Victorian era many artists came to the Isle of Wight to capture the scenic beauty of the island. Daltonbury Hall acted as host to many well-known artists of that period, particularly artists from the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood. Painters such as John William Waterhouse, Arthur Hughes, Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema, Dante Gabriel Rossetti, together with a host of other famous Victorian painters, had been artists stationed at Daltonbury Hall. By the turn of the 20th century, the Tolkien Brotherhood had already established an artistic educational institute for boys who were aspiring artists, painters, sculptors, and designers. Many well-known artists, photographers and designers of the 20th and 21st century were alumni of the Tolkien Brotherhood at Daltonbury Hall. Tolkien Culinary Society The Culinary Society at the Tolkien Brotherhood would organize special events to educate students in the Art of Fine Dining. Since the majority of students came from wealthy, established families, this extracurricular course of study was considered part of the finishing school education for society boys. We were educated in gentlemanly etiquette in preparation for our emerging roles as society's leaders, movers and shakers. Naturally, etiquette and proper manners would be required in our social and business duties. Formal Dress A week before school closed for the Christmas holidays, Nikee suggested we attend the school's end-of-term culinary evening organized by the Culinary Society to celebrate the advent of Christmas. It was held at the Assembly Hall on a Saturday evening. Young ladies from our sister school were invited, together with staff, faculty members and their spouses. Ever since the day Uncle James and mother took me to the River Restaurant at the Savoy, I was hooked on the “Art of Fine Dining.” A sucker for British and European pomp and circumstance as well as society's dining etiquette and manners, I was glad to have the opportunity to dress up for an evening of gourmet cuisine and great dancing. I liked the fact that Nikee and I were attending a Balltogether! I had seen photos of formal functions and the attending guests’ attire, but I'd never attended a Ball and knew absolutely nothing about dressing for such an occasion. Uncle James knew there would be formal occasions at Daltonbury Hall during annual festive seasons, and the task of suiting me up fell into his hands. When I was in London, he took me to Saville Row to have me fitted for a dinner suit. Mother knew next to nothing about bespoke tailoring, and it was pointless for her to come with us. We went to Geives & Hawkes, where James had his suits made. As soon as we entered the shop, I was struck by the degree of English snobbery. A mature gentleman greeted Uncle James and me with an Edwardian air. He gave me a cursory glance, and then ignored my presence until Uncle James formally introduced us. James was a regular customer at Geives & Hawkes . The man soon understood that I was a potential client and it would be advisable for him to be polite. If I had ventured into the shop by myself, "Old Smith"would not have given me the time of day. Race and class prejudices were very much alive in England, in the sixties. I had stepped further back in time, in that shop, entering the era of the Gilded Age. With assistance and advice from Uncle James, I selected an appropriate black wool gabardine fabric for the suit. I wanted something a little trendy, yet classical in cut. We also ordered a custom-made white dress shirt, especially crafted to fit my thirteen-year-old frame. Since my favorite color is pink, Uncle James picked out a black and pink striped satin bowtie to match my ensemble. We also selected a pair of formal black patent lace-up shoes. Before I left for the Isle of Wight, I had a fitting at the shop. The clothes and shoes were hand delivered to Daltonbury Hall by Geives & Hawkes. It arrived in an elegant black box, with my full name embossed in scripted gold letters on the box cover. Inside, were soft white tissues, with Geives & Hawkes’ logo, printed in gold. The Ball was the perfect opportunity for me to shine in my gorgeous attire. The Ball Nickee looked stunningly suave! If John had been present he would have looked spiffy,too, in formal black-tie attire. Unfortunately, he left for the Middle East shortly after a month at Daltonbury Hall. The Assembly Hall was transformed into an elegant dining room for this festive occasion. The table settings were artistic and tasteful. A beautiful Christmas tree filled with Victorian antique ornaments and fairy lights was placed on the side of the entrance. It reminded me of the Singapore Raffles Hotel Christmas Party to which Mother took me when I was six years old. This venue really was an actual 19th century Victorian ballroom built in that era. The spacious domed dining hall, with its ornately painted ceilings, glowed in the soft candle light, carrying me back to an era of English aristocracy, when society's gentlewomen and gentlemen danced the Viennese Waltz. Music students from the Tolkien Brotherhood's Music Society formed an eight piece stringed orchestra, playing melodic classical music while guests, students and staff sat enjoying their dinner. Before Nikee and I entered the Hall, our names were announced to the guests who were already in the room. Although alcohol, wine and beer were served to staff and seniorsover eighteen, juniors like meknew better than to try to sneak a sip of alcohol under the watchful eyes of our Big Brothers , professors, teaching staff, and their spouses. It would be a punishable offense if we were caught. The prefects send offenders to scrub toilets and shower areas after school, or on Sundays. Long tables with place cards for each guest were beside the dessert silverware. Males and females were seated opposite each other and side by side. I was seated opposite a young lady by the name of Amelia and my immediate left and right were occupied by two other charming ladies, Georgina and Carol. They were students at Hattonfield Abbey School for Girls, our sister school on the Isle of Wight. On the left of Amelia was Nikee and to her right was a male senior student by the name of Aris, from the Yates Fraternity. This formal arrangement provided the boys with an opportunity for social conversation with the ladies, and vice-verse. In the middle of the large rectangular dining hall was a dance floor where waltz music played after desert was served. Male students had a chance to invite the females sitting next to or opposite them to dance without leaving any ladies to be wallflowers. It was un-gentlemanly to leave a lady sitting on her own; proper etiquette dictated inviting her to the floor, even if for only one dance. The Tolkien Brotherhood Dance Society had offered extracurricular ballroom dance classes for students who wanted to learn the “Art of Ballroom Dancing,” which Nikee and I had participated in prior to this evening's festivities. It was relatively easy for me to master ballroom dancing, since I already had studied ballet. I had learned the basic dance steps and took to the floor with ease and grace. Nikee also had previous experience in social dances. It was not a surprise that many female students wanted to be waltzing in Nikee's arms. With his handsome looks and charismatic personality, he had no problem finding dance partners throughout the course of the evening. Traditional Christmas formal black-tie affair or not, the Teddy Bares , an all guys band of five students from the Yates Fraternity, took center stage when the stringed orchestra retired for the evening. Popular dance music of that era (1964) was bound to make an appearance in one form or another! It was truly a delightful Christmas Ball at Daltonbury Hall. Celebration of Love It was close to midnight when I walked to my room. Nikeewas still at the celebration, dancing the night away and chatting up the female students from Hattonfield Abbey.I wanted some solitude and a chance to catch a breath of fresh, night air. It was hot and stuffy inside the Hall; I wanted to chill on my own for a while. It was the dead of winter and the night sky was beautifully lit by a full moon. Although the air was slightly chilly, it wasn't damp or cold like England usually is during the winter and early spring months. Maybe I had danced too vigorously, but coming out of the heated Hall into the refreshing night air was such a wonderful relief. It was one of those rare evenings on which peace, calmness and serenity reigned supreme. The gods had created the midnight sky with such brilliance and beauty that it seemed a shame to retire to the four walls of my dorm room. I decided to continue walking towards the boathouse by Swan Lake where I sat quietly, drinking in theenchantment of the evening. Author’s Bio Young alias Bernard Foong is, first and foremost, a sensitivist. He finds nuance in everything. To experience the world he inhabits is an adventure which is mystical, childlike and refreshing. He has a rare ability to create beauty in a unique fashion. His palettes have been material, paint, words and human experiences. By Christine Maynard (screenwriter and novelist). Bernard Foong (designer) – A brief history Born in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. At the age of 8, he was assisting his aunt and cousin, learning the art of sewing and fabrics/colors matching. He attended an exclusive private boarding school in the United Kingdom before obtaining his Diploma in Fashion Design at the Harrow College of Art & Technology in London, England. He went on to complete his Master of Design at the Royal College of Art & Design, London, England. During his college years he won several international fashion awards and was already retailing bridal and evening dresses to several well known department stores in England. Liberty of London, Selfridges, Harrods and Harvey Nichols to name a few that carried his designs. His Royal College of Art graduation wedding/evening wear collection was sold to Liberty of London and displayed in their store windows for the entire month of June that year. For four years, he worked for Liberty’s bridal department as their in-house designer until a trip to Hong Kong, while working on a freelance project for ‘Bird’s’(casual wear) company, he was recruited by the Hong Kong Polytechnic University as their Fashion professor for the next 6 years. During his stay in Hong Kong, he freelanced for numerous fashion companies. From designing casual wear, swimwear, lingerie, and fur garments, men’s wear, bridal and evening fashions to accessories (bags, shoes, and head-wear). He also participated and organized numerous fashion shows, events, functions, and presentations in the Asia Pacific region. Working for Keys Far East Hong Kong as chief lingerie designer - travelling extensively to the United States, he was soon recruited as an Associate Fashion Design/Illustration Professor to the University of Wisconsin, Madison and also lectured at the Minneapolis College of Art & Design for a couple of years. Foong was then appointed as the Fashion Development Manager by an established department store – Parkson Grand (22 stores in Malaysia and one in Shanghai, China). Producing under the label, Natural Life by Bernard Foong, he designed casual-wear collections for the Parkson Grand’s flagship store in Kuala Lumpur. After a couple of years later, he was invited by the Temasek Polytechnic, Singapore to join their design school to establish a Fashion Design department. For two years, he assisted several founding members of the design school - working on the fashion department’s teaching curriculum. The Fitzgerald Theatre Department, University of Hawaii, Manoa, Oahu, Hawaii awarded a full scholarship for Foong to complete his second Master of Art in Theatre Costuming. Now a resident on the Island of Maui, he has assisted many charity organizations in their fund raising events with his extravagant fashion and performance shows/presentations. In 2005, he and his partner, Mr. Walter Jay Bissett opened Fire Dragon Bistro Orient & Design Shop. He also designs costumes/fashions for numerous theatrical productions in Hawaii and abroad. Appointed as chief lingerie designer for Cerie International Limited – Hong Kong, his lingerie designs can be found in major department stores in Canada and the United Kingdom. He showcased the BERNARD FOONG R-T-W collections and BERNARD FOONG @ Modern Classic Ltd. (an established – Hong Kong bridal & evening wear company) collections in Hong Kong. His 2008 & 2009 bridal/evening/bridal lingerie fashion show, “Grace” & “Coming Up Roses” were premiered at Hong Kong Fashion Week in July 2007 and January 2008 respectively at the Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Center, garnering positive interest in many Asian press reviews, including a China nationwide television broadcast of his latest collection. Aika (International Opera Singer) wore several Bernard Foong special occasion dresses at her Japan & European tour in September & October 2009. Foong was the chief Creative Director for Official (Special Occasion fashion manufacturing company) Guangzhou, China producing – BERNARD FOONG Couture (specialty one-of-a-kind creations), White (RTW - Wedding/Special Occasion wear), Foxy Cute (Smart Casual/Cocktail wear), SexZ (decorative bustier) & Diva Bitch (sexual lingerie inner/outer-wear) collections. Besides working on his regular haute couture, R-T-W and lingerie collections he is a visiting consultant/advisor for: Pivot Point fashion college, Chengdu, China. Hong Kong Design Institute (fashion department), Hong Kong, SAR. Hong Kong Poly/U, Hong Kong (School of Apparel Design & Merchandising), SAR. Hong Kong Fashion Designers Association, Hong Kong. Singapore Temasek Polytechnic – School of Apparel Design & Merchandising (ADM), Singapore. Bernard is also writing his autobiography, a seven book series of Mr. Foong’s young life: A Harem Boy’s Saga: A Memoir by Young. This provocative story spanning 4 decades and 3 continents is about a boy who was sent to a very exclusive English boarding school in the 1960s where he was initiated into a clandestine sexual society and then spirited away to serve in wealthy and elite Middle Eastern harems ." A Harem Boy’s Saga series is published by Solstice Publishing and is available in print and E-books internationally. Out of his busy schedule, Bernard is also working on a mini series of three contemporary paintings for the Rathe Galleries in Dallas, Houston and soon to open gallery in Austin, Texas.
A Harem Boy Saga:
Provide Tolerance to Sissy Boys by understanding parents/peers and the community. Anderson Cooper 360 documentary on the devastating treatment of effeminate boys influence me to tell my story. Bullying can be Avoided through Big Brother/Big Sister volunteer programs in school or outside school system. Older students acting as mentors to younger students. Gay Adolescent Tolerance – parents/child/siblings relationship issues.Support/mentorship program to all parties involved to foster understanding and acceptance of Gay kids. Provide an Alternative Educational System;Understanding Big Brother/adolescent mentorship programs in schools, BB as protector to keep younger kids from being bullied. Human Relationship Building Program;Between parents/teachers and young students on sexual topics/issues, especially when adolescent are just discovering their sexuality. They can be guided on a healthy and honest sexual journey instead of “don’t ask, don’t tell” hide it behind the closet policy.
A Harem Boy’s saga – I – Initiation : book retail links: Print book: http://www.amazon.com/Initiation-Hare... E-book: Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KOEXWQQ Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00KOEXWQQ?*Version*=1&*entries*=0 Amazon IN: http://www.amazon.in/gp/product/B00KOEXWQQ?*Version*=1&*entries*=0 Amazon DE: http://www.amazon.de/gp/product/B00KOEXWQQ?*Version*=1&*entries*=0 Amazon FR: http://www.amazon.fr/gp/product/B00KOEXWQQ?*Version*=1&*entries*=0 Amazon ES: http://www.amazon.es/gp/product/B00KOEXWQQ?*Version*=1&*entries*=0 Amazon IT: http://www.amazon.it/gp/product/B00KOEXWQQ?*Version*=1&*entries*=0 Amazon JP: http://www.amazon.co.jp/gp/product/B00KOEXWQQ?*Version*=1&*entries*=0 Amazon BR: https://www.amazon.com.br/dp/B00KOEXWQQ Amazon MX: https://www.amazon.com.mx/dp/B00KOEXWQQ Amazon CA: http://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B00KOEXWQQ?*Version*=1&*entries*=0 Amazon AU: https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B00KOEXWQQ B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/initiation-young/1119634149?ean=2940149501014&itm=1&usri=2940149501014 Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/443362 A Harem Boy’s Saga – II – Unbridled: Print book: http://www.amazon.com/Unbridled-Harem-Boys-Saga-2/dp/1625260881/ref=sr_1_2_title_1_pap?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1406157007&sr=1-2&keywords=a+harem+boy%27s+saga E-book: Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00L8F1RYO Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00L8F1RYO?*Version*=1&*entries*=0 Amazon IN: http://www.amazon.in/gp/product/B00L8F1RYO?*Version*=1&*entries*=0 Amazon DE: http://www.amazon.de/gp/product/B00L8F1RYO?*Version*=1&*entries*=0 Amazon FR: http://www.amazon.fr/gp/product/B00L8F1RYO?*Version*=1&*entries*=0 Amazon ES: http://www.amazon.es/gp/product/B00L8F1RYO?*Version*=1&*entries*=0 Amazon IT: http://www.amazon.it/gp/product/B00L8F1RYO?*Version*=1&*entries*=0 Amazon JP: http://www.amazon.co.jp/gp/product/B00L8F1RYO?*Version*=1&*entries*=0 Amazon BR: https://www.amazon.com.br/dp/B00L8F1RYO Amazon CA: http://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B00L8F1RYO?*Version*=1&*entries*=0 Amazon MX: https://www.amazon.com.mx/dp/B00L8F1RYO Amazon AU: https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B00L8F1RYO Smashwords: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/451244 B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/unbridled-young/1119857648?ean=2940149752607&itm=1&usri=2940149752607 A Harem Boy’s Saga – III – Debauchery: will be published in a published as of mid- Aug.
A Harem Boy's Saga books website, blog, and other social sites URLs.
Website: http://www.aharemboysaga.com
Blog: http://bernardfoong.typepad.com/in_the_harem
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bfoong1
Twitter @aharemboysaga
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/haremboysaga/a-harem-boys-saga/
Cowbird: http://cowbird.com/bernard/stories/
Tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/trisf2013
August 6, 2014
Outlander Countdown
I could not be more excited unless the stars of the new Starz show came to my house and watched the premiere episode with me. Yes, I'm talking about Outlander. Haven't heard of Outlander? First of all, what's wrong with you?! and Second of all, let me bring you into our cult...I mean, circle.
Outlander is a new show coming out on Starz (yes, I know you know that but bear with me). It is based on the bestselling books by Diana Gabaldon, an awesome and amazing author who I really look up to as a writer. The books begin with a young woman, Claire, who is on holiday with her husband Frank in the highlands of Scotland. The two had been separated during the war, for some seven or eight years, and decided to reconnect in the place where they honeymooned. Claire is witty, attractive, and intelligent and this reader found her very charming right away. The kind of person you'd want to have as a friend and heck, I even found some of her traits extremely familiar...
Everyone knows what Stonehenge is, right? Most people anyway? What you may not know, unless you study Celtic lore as a hobby in spite of people giving you strange looks when you mutter something about woading and the lack of proper material for lasting lines, is that there are many smaller henges hanging around Scotland, Ireland, and surrounding regions. Neat huh?
According to Diana-and after so many years of reading her books, I feel I can call her Diana-these henges have a purpose not necessarily being thrown about by scholars of the henges. Claire finds one and falls through the stones back to Scotland in the 1700s. And there, she meets him: Jamie Fraser. Oh dear lord in heaven, thank you for making Diana Gabaldon a creative genius who invented a character such as Jamie.
Now, I'm not going into further detail about the books. You simply have to read them. If you need to find them, here is a link, because it's unlikely you'll find them at the library, in order and all at once without waiting: http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=Outlander%20series
Now, back to the show. There was a lot of hubbub from female fans of the books when it was announced. Who would they choose for Jamie, and only slightly less importantly, who would be Claire? I, for one, am completely satisfied over the choices made by Starz, the director Ronald D. Moore, and to some extent Diana Herself.
Now, let me get to a crucial point in my story. A few days ago, the information to watch behind the scenes footage of Outlander was listed on my Starz channel; now it is all gone. My heart beats a little faster when I discover this but I'm hopeful my numerous calls to both Starz and my cable provider will rectify the situation soon, since the premier episode airs this Saturday, August 9th.
But to soothe my poor, bruised heart over the loss of behind the scenes footage, allow me to provide you, Outlander veteran and Outlander newbie alike, with the pre-released video of the first episode. That's right. You can watch it before it airs. I'm not sure who is responsible for that, but I'd like to hug them seeing as how my Starz channel won't let me watch anything Outlander related at the moment. Without further adieu....please click here: http://www.starz.com/originals/outlander/videos/video/6dd18f29a87b4d3188e9963c7bf68e67?autoplay=true
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Stonehenge-England. Image courtesy of Wikipedia 2014.
Outlander is a new show coming out on Starz (yes, I know you know that but bear with me). It is based on the bestselling books by Diana Gabaldon, an awesome and amazing author who I really look up to as a writer. The books begin with a young woman, Claire, who is on holiday with her husband Frank in the highlands of Scotland. The two had been separated during the war, for some seven or eight years, and decided to reconnect in the place where they honeymooned. Claire is witty, attractive, and intelligent and this reader found her very charming right away. The kind of person you'd want to have as a friend and heck, I even found some of her traits extremely familiar...
Everyone knows what Stonehenge is, right? Most people anyway? What you may not know, unless you study Celtic lore as a hobby in spite of people giving you strange looks when you mutter something about woading and the lack of proper material for lasting lines, is that there are many smaller henges hanging around Scotland, Ireland, and surrounding regions. Neat huh?
According to Diana-and after so many years of reading her books, I feel I can call her Diana-these henges have a purpose not necessarily being thrown about by scholars of the henges. Claire finds one and falls through the stones back to Scotland in the 1700s. And there, she meets him: Jamie Fraser. Oh dear lord in heaven, thank you for making Diana Gabaldon a creative genius who invented a character such as Jamie.
Now, I'm not going into further detail about the books. You simply have to read them. If you need to find them, here is a link, because it's unlikely you'll find them at the library, in order and all at once without waiting: http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=Outlander%20series
Now, back to the show. There was a lot of hubbub from female fans of the books when it was announced. Who would they choose for Jamie, and only slightly less importantly, who would be Claire? I, for one, am completely satisfied over the choices made by Starz, the director Ronald D. Moore, and to some extent Diana Herself.
Now, let me get to a crucial point in my story. A few days ago, the information to watch behind the scenes footage of Outlander was listed on my Starz channel; now it is all gone. My heart beats a little faster when I discover this but I'm hopeful my numerous calls to both Starz and my cable provider will rectify the situation soon, since the premier episode airs this Saturday, August 9th.
But to soothe my poor, bruised heart over the loss of behind the scenes footage, allow me to provide you, Outlander veteran and Outlander newbie alike, with the pre-released video of the first episode. That's right. You can watch it before it airs. I'm not sure who is responsible for that, but I'd like to hug them seeing as how my Starz channel won't let me watch anything Outlander related at the moment. Without further adieu....please click here: http://www.starz.com/originals/outlander/videos/video/6dd18f29a87b4d3188e9963c7bf68e67?autoplay=true
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Stonehenge-England. Image courtesy of Wikipedia 2014.
