D.G. Kaye's Blog, page 128

Sunday Book Review – Wishful Drinking – Carrie Fisher

It was disheartening to learn that Carrie Fisher had passed and the very next day her dearly loved mom, Debbie Reynolds died after her. No doubt after watching a heartfelt special on TV, a docudrama, ‘Bright Lights’ featuring Carrie and Debbie, and their wonderful mother/daughter relationship that Debbie’s heart could never mend after the loss of her daughter.

 

I watched that documentary a week after the two passed away and then I felt compelled to read one of Carrie’s memoirs she had written 8 years before she died, Wishful Drinking. Below you will find my review:

 

Get This Book on Amazon!

 

Blurb:

 

Finally, after four hit novels, Carrie Fisher comes clean (well, sort of ) with the crazy truth that is her life in her first-ever memoir.

In Wishful Drinking, adapted from her one-woman stage show, Fisher reveals what it was really like to grow up a product of “Hollywood in-breeding,” come of age on the set of a little movie called Star Wars, and become a cultural icon and bestselling action figure at the age of nineteen.

Intimate, hilarious, and sobering, Wishful Drinking is Fisher, looking at her life as she best remembers it (what do you expect after electroshock therapy?). It’s an incredible tale: the child of Hollywood royalty — Debbie Reynolds and Eddie Fisher — homewrecked by Elizabeth Taylor, marrying (then divorcing, then dating) Paul Simon, having her likeness merchandized on everything from Princess Leia shampoo to PEZ dispensers, learning the father of her daughter forgot to tell her he was gay, and ultimately waking up one morning and finding a friend dead beside her in bed.

Wishful Drinking, the show, has been a runaway success. Entertainment Weekly declared it “drolly hysterical” and the Los Angeles Times called it a “Beverly Hills yard sale of juicy anecdotes.” This is Carrie Fisher at her best — revealing her worst. She tells her true and outrageous story of her bizarre reality with her inimitable wit, unabashed self-deprecation, and buoyant, infectious humor.

 

My 5 Star Review

 

This isn’t your average book of fairytales about a child growing up in Hollywood fame. In an era where Fisher’s parents were both becoming legends of their times, Fisher begins with stories, which let us peek into windows of her life as she bares her raw self through adulthood. She takes us into her life with her stories about her dysfunctional childhood and despite the dysfunction shares her treasured memories growing up with a mother she adored, some of the glamor, but mostly how having a stage mother left her wanting more time with her mother, and the fallout from some of the wrong choices her mother made with her choice in relationships.

 

Fisher unabashedly takes us through her own rise to fame, later diagnosed with mental illness, what broke her, what healed her, and through it all she wears her smile of courage through her humor which no doubt became her shield helping her get through some of her weakest moments.

 

I laughed at some of her quirky analogies and appreciated the candor. If you enjoy stories of becoming and overcoming and are compassionate, you’ll love this book.

On the Distinction Between “Sympathy” and “Empathy” | Merriam-Webster

 

 

Some controversy seems to prevail when it comes to distinguishing the difference between the two words – Empathy and Sympathy.

 

I came across this article on Merriam Webster’s site, offering several explanations in variance between the two emotions which are sometimes used interchangeably.

 

Words at Play

What’s the Difference Between Sympathy and Empathy?

 

Though the words appear in similar contexts, they have different meanings

What is the difference between empathy and sympathy?

For the most part, these two nouns are not used interchangeably, but often we encounter them in contexts where their nuance is diminished or perhaps not relevant, providing no obvious indication why one was chosen over the other:

In order to succeed, humanitarian efforts require a “Goldilocks” solution–just the right mix of force and charity, sympathy and structure, blind will and determined follow-up.

—Wilfred M. McClay, The Wilson Quarterly, Summer 2008

Given his rich familiarity with things European, it is not surprising that Mr. Lewis writes with sympathy and perceptiveness about Edith Wharton.

—Frank Kermode, The New York Times Book Review, 11 July 1993

He’s the good man here, as he was in “Good Morning, Vietnam” and “Dead Poets Society,” and he does a fine job of it: he shows the warmth and reticence and empathy that Dr. Sayer needs.

—Pauline Kael, The New Yorker, 11 Feb. 1991

But crying as an embodiment of empathy is, I maintain, unique to humans and has played an essential role in human evolution and the development of human cultures.

—Michael Trimble, The New York Times, 11 Nov. 2012

The difference in meaning is usually explained with some variation of the following: sympathy is when you share the feelings of another; empathy is when you understand the feelings of another but do not necessarily share them.

In general, ‘sympathy’ is when you share the feelings of another; ’empathy’ is when you understand the feelings of another but do not necessarily share them. . .

Please continue reading

 

Source: On the Distinction Between “Sympathy” and “Empathy” | Merriam-Webster

In Between Friday Shares with Tina Frisco and Sally Cronin

 

Today I’m sharing two fabulous posts for my in-between Friday guest author features from two of my favorite authors Sally Cronin and Tina Frisco.

 

My first share is Tina Frisco’s  fabulous interview at Cathleen Townsend’s blog this week. For those of you who don’t know the enlightening and compassionate Tina, here’s a wonderful chance to get to know more about her and the great info she is sharing for writers in the interview.

 

 

Tell us about your latest published work, please.

What if vampires were not the undead, but rather the dying? What if there were two factions among vampires: the sustained and the unsustainable? And what if those factions were at war with one another over the life of a young woman who promised them a future? Vampyrie brings the myth of the vampire into the realm of possibility. Phoebe Angelina Delaney is a reluctant genius and compassionate hothead. She finds herself in a pitch-dark underground and doesn’t remember how she got there. Did she drink too much alcohol and wander off in a stupor, or was she kidnapped by a malicious element determined to make her life a living hell? Sir Michael Alan David is a vampire – an enigma, charismatic and mysterious, who weaves in and out of Phoebe’s life. Does he intend to use his title as a ruse to draw her closer to an unearthly fate, or is he a cloak-and-dagger knight in shining armor? Too many secrets have been kept for too long. Phoebe must unravel the mystery in order to survive. Two major characters from the author’s first novel, Plateau, join forces with Phoebe to battle the demons in Vampyrie.  

 

It sounds like you’ve got some unique world-building for that one. Tell us about your other books, if you would. And what project are you looking forward to next?

A third book to complete the trilogy I’ve yet to call a trilogy.

I wrote and published my first novel quickly, because I wanted to put a message of hope into the world before December 21, 2012 – a date purported to be Armageddon by many self-professed doomsday prophets. Plateau is set in a village amid mountain ranges and rivers, sequestered from the outside world. All the characters are indigenous and lead simple spiritual lives. I had no intention of writing a sequel, although many readers have said they’re looking forward to one.

Two years later, after one niece had quadruplets and another had triplets, I published a children’s book: Gabby and the Quads. A child’s moral compass develops early, and I wanted to write a book that was ethically as well as traditionally educational.

Then one day during my morning walk, I began musing about the myth of the vampire and wondered how the phenomenon could actually exist. This spurred me to write my second novel, Vampyrie, which is set in a city that harbors historical architectural secrets. I still had no intention of writing a sequel to Plateau, but thought it would be interesting to bring two of its major characters into Vampyrie – the unadulterated meets the contaminated!

Now I’m considering a third novel where the two characters from Plateau return to their village, accompanied by a few major characters from Vampyrie. I think it would be interesting to see how that plays out.

Series are supposed to be the way to go, and I like that yours is organic and story-driven, which I would consider to be good advice for anyone writing in series. Do you have any advice for us? Any basic writing philosophy or tips?

Write first, edit later. This advances the free-flow of thought and prevents stifling creativity. Remember, this is a draft. So give yourself permission to write freely.

Have a dictionary and thesaurus at hand, as well as a grammar and style guide. When reading a book, nothing irritates me more than incorrect grammar and usage. I’ll stop reading if errors are glaring and persistent.

Before writing each day, read aloud what you wrote the day before. You can also add Speak command to your Quick Access Toolbar in Word. This is how:

Next to the Quick Access Toolbar, click Customize Quick Access Toolbar.
Click More Commands.
In the Choose commands from list, select All Commands.
Scroll down to the Speak command, select it, and then click Add.
Click OK.
When you want to use the text-to-speech command, click the icon on the Quick Access Toolbar.

Don Massensio wrote a great two-part article on writing tips that many might find useful: 10 More Handy Writing Tips that I Regularly Use.

And here’s a tip I learned the hard way: Track all details in your book, e.g., character traits, eye and hair color, height, dates of significant events, weather, where people first met. Chart these on a graph or in a way that provides easy access for reference as you write. Consistency in details is just as important as correct grammar. Here’s a terrific article by Janice Wald that covers the basics: How to Make Sure You Publish Error-Free Writing.

Now there are some helpful tips–thanks so much for the links. What about the pesky detail of naming characters? My story never comes into focus until I have. How do you come up with character names?

When writing Plateau, I created a language for the characters. I really don’t know how I devised this; it just happened, as if a beneficent entity were dropping the words into my mind. When I wrote Vampyrie, I named four of the major characters after my cats! For others, I chose names I like or names I felt suited the bearing of the character. I also chose names I like for the children in Gabby and the Quads, because my niece preferred I not use the babies’ real names.

Other than character names, how do you manage world-building? Is it all thought out ahead of time, or do you make it up as you go?

I’m pretty much a panster and make things up as I go. It’s as if I’m writing in sync with the Universe and collaborating with spirit. Continue Reading . . .

 

                                         

Just Sayin’ – How to be Resourceful – Seeking Resolution with Postal Issues

 

 

I’m starting a new series where I’ll be sharing about thoughts on things that perplex me, or injustices I come across that I found resolution for with tips I used or recommend to resolve annoying issues.

 

I’m sure we’ve all had our share of complaining to customer service centers over something or other through the years. I know I certainly have had my share of voicing my opinions when there’s a problem with a public or consumer service when we come across errors. And I’m sure we all know how frustrating the process can be trying to relay our issues to some rep who usually has no authority on helping and merely passes us or our message on to someone else after having to press several digits on the phone before even finding a human.

But today I’m going to share a little exchange that went on between myself and Canada Postal Service, to let you all know that there is always a way to get to the bottom of things but you have to learn to be resourceful and persistent spending some time Googling up sites where you can find the appropriate channels to direct your concerns to.

 

 

 

I don’t take lightly to my mail being put in the wrong box constantly, left on the mailroom floor, or parcel notices left in my mailbox stating they’ve tried to contact me for pickup when they haven’t and left with having to go to the post office to pick up my parcel when nobody had ever tried to contact me. And after my wonderful mailman left for another walk after a few years of great service, the nightmare began.

 

I live in a building complex where we have a mailroom to pick up our mail. The protocol is, if there is a parcel to be delivered, and if the mailman is kind and generous like my former one, he will bring it up to our door, but at the very least, he will buzz up to inform us they have a package for us, asking us to come down and get it. If we are not home and there is no answer, there is a parcel box with several locked compartments in our mailroom where the postman is to leave a key in our letter mailbox informing us there is a box to pick up. Now this sounds like a fairly smooth practice, until my wonderful mailman changed his route and we were given a temporary mailman who didn’t follow protocol.

As a writer who works at home, I don’t get out much, therefore I order many things: books, apparel, office suppliees, online and have them delivered. I would say on average, I’ll have at least one parcel delivered per week. And I don’t have the time to keep running to the post office to pick up my parcels which I paid to have delivered to my home.

Enter, the new mailman. I’d go down to pick up my mail and listen to a cacophony of jibbering from other tenants about how many mail items were put in the wrong mail slot. I’d see numerous pieces of mail sitting on a bench from tenants who picked up their mail and found items that didn’t belong to their unit, mine included. And then I received mail pick up notices for parcels I was expecting, ticked off in the box that said ‘no answer’ when I was certainly home and no attempt was made to contact me, and consequently, my parcels were taken to the pick up facility. I was livid!

Nobody knocked on my door, nor buzzed me up asking me to pick up my parcels, and I was never left a key in my mailbox to pick it up from the parcel box in the mailroom. I was also concerned that I wouldn’t receive my new passport which I was expecting because it was coming as ‘registered mail’ from the government, meaning I had to sign for it. This prompted me to take action.

I Googled up Canada Post, looking for somewhere I could contact a higher up and discuss the new shabby state of our mail system in our building. After pressing several numbers and waiting for a rep, I relayed my complaint and was told that there was nothing they could do, except create a ‘service tag’. After grilling the rep, asking him if he could check who does that route now to inform them of proper protocol for their job or at least pass me on to a supervisor, I was told my message will be passed along. I was fuming!

I wasn’t about to wait till the twelfth of never until anybody bothered replying to my issue, and I continued to search around Canada Post sites to see if I could find any contacts to any higher up supervisory positioned person who could rectify the ongoing problem. All sites led back to the ‘contact us’ same ‘create a service ticket’ for issues. And after what I went through with the first rep, I wasn’t into the runaround again. I was told he’d pass the message, and I MADE SURE to get a case number I.D.

Still fuming and searching, unsatisfied that my complaint would quite possibly linger in the ethers of unanswered cyber grievances, I came across a site for the Ombudsman for Canada Post where I clicked on and filled out forms with my complaint and made mention of the previous case I.D. number I was given with not much else. And then I’d wait for their response.

While waiting, two days later, I went to clean out my mailbox and inside I found a notice telling me I had a registered letter to pick up. And not even two feet away from where I was standing in the mailroom, I noticed on the floor was another ‘pick up’ receipt addressed to my husband. THESE WERE OUR PASSPORTS THAT WERE SUPPOSED TO BE DELIVERED AND SIGNED FOR AT OUR DOOR. I immediately went upstairs in a rage and wrote a lengthy note to the mailman, telling him how to do his job, how to deliver mail and packages, and to STOP TAKING MY PARCELS BACK TO THE DEPOT without trying to contact me, or at the very least, instructing him to at least leave me a damned parcel box key. I taped it to the opposite side of my mail box where he must insert my mail from and would have to see it.

Ironically the next day I was to receive a parcel, as I get email notifications informing me when ‘it’s on its way’, and lo and behold I actually found a parcel box key in my box, and picked up my package barely one foot across from my mail slot. That same day I received a mail response from the Ombudsman’s reply after almost two weeks of hearing nothing back. There was a lot of mumbo jumbo, auto response stuff on it and quite frankly, it pissed me off more and I decided I surrender. I thought I was chasing my tail with trying to get someone else to help, considering it’s a government issue.

Three days later, I get a phone call from my lobby. The man introduces himself as a supervisor from Canada Post sent to investigate the problems I’d written about to the Ombudsman. At first I was a bit nervous and thought what are they doing at my door? But he asked to come up and talk to me and I buzzed him up.

The supervisor was holding copies of notes and summaries I’d sent to Canada Post complain center and summaries from the Ombudsman. He went over all of my concerns and asked if I had kept the evidence packaging from the registered letter (passports) I had to SIGN FOR and pick up at the depot, the notices that were left without trying to contact me with our passports, one in my mailbox and one on the floor. Ironically, I still had those envelopes from the new passports I picked up and clear as day it stated ‘registered mail’ which I must sign for. He assured me that what I’d endured is not how Canada Post operates, and although it’s up to the postman if he wants to be nice and bring up our packages, at the very least the mailman is to buzz up to us to ask us to come down to pick up a package, not write down ‘no answer’ without making any attempts, to contact us, adding that registered mail requires a signature and must be brought up to our condo to sign for. I was told the mailman would be reprimanded and assured there would be no more mix-ups and protocol would be taking effect immediately.

 

Moral of the story?

 

Don’t just sit back and accept injustice because it’s a hassle to try and contact the right resources and it’s time-consuming and aggravating. If we all just sit back and take the sloppy services we’re given, change is never going to happen by not speaking up. We shouldn’t be complacent.
Google is our best friend to get to the heart of the matters regarding contact numbers and addresses to relay injustices and getting them rectified. Don’t become a victim of having to take what’s being served by people who aren’t doing their jobs properly.
Customer service in many fields needs to be informed of misconducts and if you feel you aren’t getting the proper resolution from first attempts, keep going until you reach the appropriate channels. There’s always a higher boss, in this case as in many other civil and governmental issues you can always contact an Ombudsman.

Sunday Book Review – Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas – Hunter S. Thompson

As a memoir writer, I try to keep up with reading different  types of memoirs. Yes, a memoir is a memoir, but every memoir writer has their own style of revealing their stories, and when it comes to Hunter Thompson, this had to be one of the raunchiest reads I’ve come across in memoir. Although the genre specification is listed as ‘nonfiction journalism’, nonetheless it’s a memoir spanning one week, and a journalistic tale of a wild ride through the Nevada desert in a time where ‘Sin city’ surely adopted its name.

 

Get this book on Amazon

 

Blurb:

This cult classic of gonzo journalism is the best chronicle of drug-soaked, addle-brained, rollicking good times ever committed to the printed page.  It is also the tale of a long weekend road trip that has gone down in the annals of American pop culture as one of the strangest journeys ever undertaken.

Now  a major motion picture from Universal, directed by Terry Gilliam and starring Johnny Depp and Benicio del Toro.

 

My 5 Star Review

This book has been touted as one of the most grotesque, yet fascinating reads of the drug decade. I found it a toxic and intoxicating, and intriguing look at the author on a reckless tirade of a drug induced journey while supposedly covering a writing assignment. Thompson takes his partner in crime, his attorney at large, literally and figuratively, with him for company in this piece of absurd Americana 1971.

Five revolting and almost unbelievable days worth of stories take us into a world of drugs, delirium and disgust, yet I couldn’t help but stay captivated while taken on the wild roller coaster ride of law-breaking pandemonium with these two characters.

This book is an education on drugs, a view inside an addict’s mind at a time where most of it could actually have happened and gone unpunished. This is no literary masterpiece, but a fascinating read and regarded as one of the most infamous reads of the drug era.

 

Guest Author Friday – Diana Wallace Peach and Kari’s Reckoning

Who Has a New Book?

 

 

I’m thrilled to welcome today’s featured author, friend and guest, Diana Wallace Peach. Diana is a dynamo author who writes and produces books at lightning speed these days. She has disciplined herself well with the time she commits to her writing, yet manages to make time to blog about all things writing on her blog Myths of the Mirror .

 

Today we’re going to get to know Diana and learn about what inspires her writing, and I’m going to be asking her about the ‘book writing break’ she is threatening to take, to find out if that can actually happen.

 

 

About Diana:

I didn’t care for reading as a child – I preferred Bonanza and Beverly Hillbillies reruns, Saturday morning cartoons and the Ed Sullivan show. Then one day, I opened a book titled The Hobbit.

Tolkien … literally changed my life.

I love to write. It’s a luxury I never expected I’d have time for – life got in the way. You know how that goes – kids, work, chores… sleep. I worked for 18 years in business where amassing coin was the all-consuming objective. It required huge amounts of time and mental energy. And for me personally, it was soul-slaying.

Then on September 11, 2001 two planes flew into the World Trade Center. I was working in Connecticut, about 2 hours from ground zero, and remember sitting in a conference room, watching the second tower fall. That tragedy initiated a process of redefinition for me, an evaluation of what was vital and important. Life felt short and precarious, and I started to wonder if it was time to do something that actually mattered.

In a moment of loving kindness, my husband suggested that I quit my job and go back to school (he still wonders what he could possibly have been thinking). I graduated with a Masters in Counseling and a mountain of debt. Oh well. I worked in Burlington, Vermont for peanuts – but, oh, they were chocolate covered! The human experience was sweet and rich. I had the pleasure of working with people who cared deeply about the challenges facing children and families, and I came to understand how the power of relationship, in all its myriad forms, can change the world. In Myths of the Mirror it is called the Belonging.

Then life got in the way again, and Randy and I made a move to the lush, wet, green wilderness of the Oregon rainforest. We live on a mountain a half-hour beyond the edge of civilization in a wonderful community where, once again, I encountered the Belonging. In another regrettable moment of loving kindness, Randy suggested that I write a book rather than work, and Myths of the Mirror poured onto the keyboard. Fast forward some years and more than a dozen books line my Amazon shelf. They have each been labors of love and I hope you enjoy them.

 

Diana’s latest book, Book IV in her Rose Shield Tetralogy:

Get this book on Amazon! 

The Blurb:

 

The epic adventure concludes as the Shiplord vies for what he desires—the throne of Ellegeance. Their power in jeopardy, influencers surrender their oaths, their loyalties fractured. Rose, a child of untrained and reckless talent, once again becomes a pawn in the quest for control.

As the Cull Tarr solidify their rule, Guardian plots rebellion. Catling and Whitt, each gifted with singular skills, seek to sway the course of the conflict. Oathbreakers, traitors, and those desperate to save Rose collide in a final battle for the realm.

Yet, a third player emerges in the deadly game. The kari, spirits of a sentient planet, command the air, water, and land. They manipulate events to satisfy their sovereign designs and care not who survives the human war.

 

About the Rose Shield Series:

The Rose Shield Series – A blend of science fiction and fantasy.

Welcome to a world of three moons, a sentient landscape, rivers of light, and tier cities that rise from the swamps like otherworld flowers. A planet of waterdragons, where humans are the aliens living among three-fingered natives with spotted skin. Where a half-blood converses with the fog and the goddess plans her final reckoning.

Follow Catling’s journey as she grows from childhood into the deadly force that shapes the future. She is the realm’s shield, an influencer, assassin, healer, mother, and avenger. And all she wants is to go home.

 

Visit Diana’s Book page to view all 4 books in The Rose Shield series HERE  and visit her Amazon author page to check out her many other books!

 

Now, let’s dig in to our interview! Welcome Diana, it’s a real treat to have you here today.

 

 

How did you come up with the name for your blog, Myths of the Mirror?

 

Myths of the Mirror was my first book and my publisher told me I needed a blog. A what? A blog. My daughter helped me set it up since I’m technologically clueless, and as a newly published author with one literary offspring, I named the blog after my baby. I probably should have named it after moi, but the name’s grown on me, so I’m sticking with it.

 

You write fantasy, fiction, where do you get your ideas for characters from? Are any taken from real life or are they all fictional?

 

There’s a scene in the movie Ghost in which Whoopi Goldberg suddenly discovers her ability to talk to the dead and her apartment is crowded with all these characters who want her to deliver messages. That’s what it’s like for me; they just pop into my head with their stories. The only book in which I based the characters on real people is The Sorcerer’s Garden. The three main characters are a version of my brothers and me (without the romantic elements, of course).

 

You speak of having a muse. Does your muse have a name, and does she nag at you in unexpected moments or must you summon her?

 

No name for the muse since she’s a changling, and she’s rather miffed at me right now because I’m taking a little writing hiatus. I told her I want her looking for the next book, either an intricate stand-alone or something epic that I can turn into a series. I assume she’s off in the woods or jumping through portals trying to roust it out. She has until the end of the summer, so I’m not worried.

 

I read on your blog, after completing your recent Rose Shield series that you were going to take a break from writing books. Do you actually believe that will happen or are you already brewing up ideas? (lol)

 

Oh, I really am taking a break, and it feels good because there are things I’ve neglected for six years that need attention – like the spouse! I’m still being creative, but in different ways, and I plan to get a hammock and indulge in plenty of reading!

 

You are such a disciplined writer, strictly abiding by your own self-imposed writing time commitments, no doubt you’ve produced many books. Can you please share your ‘secret formula’ with us by telling us what a typical writing day is like for you?

 

I’m super disciplined and intense about things I like doing, Debby. (The stuff I don’t like? I’m a procrastinator and lazy bum.) My writing routine is to start by 4:30 AM and write until 4:30 PM. No getting dressed, eating, errands, etc. Coffee and bathroom breaks only. In 12 hours, I can cough up about 3000 words.

 

Now the truth… that’s what I would like to do, and it’s easy-peasy for me to work at that intense level of focus. But… I’m also a blogger, so I make room in there to blog and blogging is Time-Consuming! I made a deal with the muse that I’d write 2,000 words a day, 5 days a week, and I’ve been able to stick to that.

 

There are many advantages and disadvantages between being traditionally published and self-publishing. I know that your earlier books were traditionally published and now you’re a self-published author. What do you think it was that made you decide to turn to self-publishing?

 

There were a host of factors that compelled me to cancel all my contracts and go indie. The most significant of them was marketing control. As a traditionally published author, I had no control over pricing and I couldn’t discount, which made promotion almost impossible.  My sales were abysmal. After the switch, which included new covers, my sales and profits increased overnight. It was the right choice, and I haven’t regretted it for a moment. It anyone is interested, I wrote a series of posts about the decision starting with: https://mythsofthemirror.com/2016/01/15/goodbye-traditional-hello-indie-part-i/

 

Can you share with us what inspired you to write the Rose Shield series and please share an excerpt with us from the last of the series, your most recent publication, Kari’s Reckoning.

 

I think life is more mysterious than our puny brains can imagine, and I like musing over possibilities. I honestly believe that our emotions define us more than our thoughts. Our emotions drive our choices, our relationships, our attitudes. I believe that we have emotional auras or energy fields that interact not only with each other but, collectively, with the world. I also believe that the planet is sentient, a living organism that seeks balance and takes corrective measures to repair itself, just like our bodies do.

 

So, what if I created a world where emotions could be manipulated by modifying the planet’s “blood.” And what if someone had the ability to shield or block that power. And what if the planet had a voice and an agenda to stop its destruction. All those elements come together in the book.

 

A short excerpt from Kari’s Reckoning: Book 4.

 

The sun peeked in the east, the sea a satin sheet of rumbling luminescence. An offshore breeze blew at Gannon’s back, the white haze of smoke bending as he stood on the ridge among the blackened trees. As he expected, the Cull Tarr had incinerated the city, yet they hadn’t stopped there. The crops and pastures and forests smoldered, a legacy of soot.

Except for a frosting of ash, the tiers looked pristine. Had they sagged and reformed? What a strange sight… if anyone had seen it. He chewed on a nail, his hand shaking. The leaden sky rested silently on the tiers, too silent, so silent he heard the crows as they fluttered their wings and alit on the promenade rails.

Men had begun searching the tiers and outer-city rubble at the bleak sunrise. At the bottom of the ridge, Parrie beckoned him with a wave. Gannon ambled down, unsure of his feet. The land smoldered, unbearably hot, red embers glowing in the crannies beneath downed trees. Enough smoke wafted through the air to hurt his lungs, and he coughed.

When Parrie finished with the last sooty man to offer a report, Gannon faced him. “Just tell me.”

The captain spat a wad of blackened phlegm and cleared his throat. “We located a score or two of survivors, maybe double the number in bodies. The rest of them are gone.”

Tragedy gathered on Gannon’s brow. “What do you mean ‘gone’? There were mostly women and children here.”

“All of them, Gannon. They’re gone.”

 

Connect with Diana:

 

Website/Blog: http://mythsofthemirror.com

Website/Books: http://dwallacepeachbooks.com

Amazon Author’s Page: https://www.amazon.com/D.-Wallace-Peach/e/B00CLKLXP8

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Myths-of-the-Mirror/187264861398982

Twitter: @dwallacepeach

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7068749.D_Wallace_Peach

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/dianapeach33/pins/

 

You can also visit Diana’s book page HERE to read snippets about all of her books.

 

Thank you so much Diana for being here today and sharing some of yourself with us. I read and loved The Sorcerer’s Garden and reviewed it HERE  I look forward to reading more of your books that await me on the big fat TBR.

When I Am Not Enough… Guest Post by Tina Frisco… Inspiration

Time for a little inspirational guidance from our compassionate and wise friend Tina Frisco.

 

Tina’s words are empowering. In this wonderful article she wrote as a feature on Chris Graham’s blog (The Story Reading Ape), Tina talks about self-love, gratitude and forgiveness.

 

When I am not Enough by Tina Frisco

 

Throughout our lives, we hear ourselves say:  ‘I’m not that good!’  ‘I’ll never make it.’  ‘I wish I could write that well.’  ‘If only I had said. . .’

Words are powerful. Energy follows thought. The words we speak to ourselves drive our subconscious minds. Diminishing thoughts tell the subconscious we are not enough.

The subconscious mind is self-serving. Its mission is to fulfill our every desire, and it sets in motion the means by which to do so. It takes our words at face value and strives to manifest what they represent. It assumes that what we think and say is what we hope and dream.

How often have we heard ourselves utter, ‘Did I say that’? Unless we’re channeling spirit, the mouth speaks what the subconscious mind thinks. If thought rests in the conscious mind, we are aware of it and can choose whether or not to give it a voice. If thought rests in the subconscious mind, we might find ourselves surprised by our own words.

Negative off-hand remarks might seem benign, yet they are potent energy viruses that infect the subconscious mind through repetition; repetition which, over time, becomes emphatic. The virulence of this self-denial is potentiated by the subterranean stream of thought that mirrors the spoken word and continues feeding the subconscious. The subconscious then compels us to speak what it believes to be our truth.

This might seem like a vicious cycle that can’t be broken; yet anything is possible, because nothing is set in stone. Even dense matter can be converted to energy.

The way out is the way in.

 

If we wish to realize our full potential, we need to become witness to ourselves. We must remain alert to and aware of all we manifest in word and deed. And we must do this without judgment.

Labels proclaim. Proclamation reinforces. Reinforcement cements. Cement imprisons.

Your mind is a powerful thing.
When you filter it with positive thoughts, your life will start to change.
Buddha

Continue Reading . . .

 

Source: When I Am Not Enough… Guest Post by Tina Frisco… | TINA FRISCO

2017 Annual Bloggers Bash Awards VOTING OPEN @bloggersbash #BloggersBash – SACHA BLACK

The annual Bloggers Bash is drawing near – June 10th in London England. The voting is now open!

 

This is the third annual Bloggers Bash and each year it gets more exciting. There are writing competitions, prizes awards, and most of all, fun. And for those who cannot attend, the gracious hosts of this event – Sacha Black, Hugh Roberts, Ali Isaac and Geoff Le Pard keep us up to date with video clips, posts and announcements as time grows nearer to the event, and most importantly after the event.

 

One of the fun things this gang has organized is Voting for your Favorite blogs and bloggers. The nomination stage has come and gone. The nominees have been selected and now it’s time to vote for your favorite blog/blogger in each of the selected categories. And I’d like to add that I was thrilled to find my name on this ballot in the category for ‘Best Pal’ blogger. So please take a moment and follow the link below Sacha’s post here and vote for your favorite bloggers, and while you’re there, I hope some of you will tick off my name and support me with your vote. I’d also like to thank all of you who initially nominated me to be considered for this prestigious nomination.

 

 

I’d also like to note here that I recently posted an article about my dilemma about if I would be going to the Bash. Since last fall I had full intentions of going to the Bash and then there was a bit of kerfuffle in my life that had my intentions pending. Well it seems that dilemma seems to have sorted itself out with my friend Zan visiting here to look after her mom and while here found out her mom’s cancer, thankfully, hadn’t spread and she has since returned home to her house which still hasn’t sold. But the universe works in mysterious ways and even though those obstacles had deterred me from booking my airfare and have now been rectified, enabling me to go to London and have a place to stay, I sadly, won’t be attending.

My husband hasn’t been well these past few weeks and there is no way I could go thousands of miles away in good conscience without worrying about him every single moment of every day so as it turns out, all those ‘Murphy-like’ delays were a blessing in disguise delaying me to book my airfare which in the end, I would have had to forfeit.

 

That said, I will live vicariously through my blogging pals to keep me updated on the fun and games. I’m disappointed that I won’t be meeting my many blogging pals in London this year and won’t be able to spend the time planned with my friends Sally Cronin, Sacha black, Sherri Matthews, Hugh Roberts and Christoph Fischer. But the good part is, there’s always next year!

2017 ANNUAL BLOGGERS BASH AWARDS VOTING OPEN @BLOGGERSBASH #BLOGGERSBASH

This is it. The waiting is finally over.

The THIRD Annual Bloggers Bash Awards 2017 are now OPEN FOR VOTING.

We had a HUGE number of nominations. Hundreds of them in fact! So thank you to everyone who took the time to nominate your fave bloggers.

Voting Closes June 2nd at 12pm. The winners will be announced on June 10th at the Bash in London. But if you can’t make it physically a winners post will go live at 5:15pm (BST) on the same day. Winners will have pingbacks to their blogs, but we all know how unreliable that is. So please make sure you check back to see if you won.

If you haven’t bought your ticket for the meet up yet, you can do so here.

TO THE VOTERS – Choose carefully, you can only vote ONCE per award. There are 10 awards, (so this is a long post). Yes, you can vote in each category, but only once in every one. . . Please continue reading and casting a vote in each category for your favorite blogs.

 

 

Source: 2017 Annual Bloggers Bash Awards VOTING OPEN @bloggersbash #BloggersBash – SACHA BLACK  

 

 

Win A £50 Amazon Gift Card And A Signed Copy Of Glimpses – Hugh’s Views & News

 

Now here’s something fun! Hugh Roberts is once again running a fun competition. Hop on over to Hugh’s blog, do the math and write up a caption and enter for a chance to win a signed copy of his book and a $50 Amazon card!

 

Win A £50 Amazon Gift Card And A Signed Copy Of Glimpses

 

Here’s a chance to win a £50 *Amazon gift card and a signed copy of my book, Glimpses, in this brand new free to enter competition.

 

All you have to do is answer a question and complete a caption to be in with a chance of winning.

 

So, here’s the question.

 

What number do you get when adding together the number of sweets in the following two photos, to the number of short stories in Glimpses? . . . Continue reading here

 

Source: Win A £50 Amazon Gift Card And A Signed Copy Of Glimpses – Hugh’s Views & News

Sunday Book Review – On Tyranny – Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century

 

These are certainly trying times for many of us politically in many parts of the world, notably, the United States of America.

 

I came across this book quite by accident while I was reading my morning emails and landing on Amazon to check something else out. This book was only published in March of this year and has already garnered over 430 reviews at the time I purchased it, and still growing, with mostly 5 star reviews.

 

If you’re at all like me, interested in the state of what’s going on in the world, and what has already been, you may well be interested in this well written, concise recounting about how fascism, communism, and nazism governments seemingly came to be and the potential for any of them to rise again.

 

The Blurb:

The Founding Fathers tried to protect us from the threat they knew, the tyranny that overcame ancient democracy. Today, our political order faces new threats, not unlike the totalitarianism of the twentieth century. We are no wiser than the Europeans who saw democracy yield to fascism, Nazism, or communism.  Our one advantage is that we might learn from their experience.

 

About the Author

 

Timothy Snyder is the Levin Professor of History at Yale University. He is the author of Bloodlands: Europe Between Hitler and Stalin and Black Earth: The Holocaust as History and Warning. Snyder is a member of the Committee on Conscience of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum and a permanent fellow of the Institute for Human Sciences in Vienna.

A few Editorial Reviews:

 

“Easily the most compelling volume among the early resistance literature. . . . A slim book that fits alongside your pocket Constitution and feels only slightly less vital. . . . Clarifying and unnerving. . . . A memorable work that is grounded in history yet imbued with the fierce urgency of what now.” —Carlos Lozada, The Washington Post

“Snyder knows this subject cold. . . . It is impossible to read aphorisms like ‘post-truth is pre-fascism’ and not feel a small child about the current state of the Republic. . . . Approach this short book the same you would a medical pamphlet warning about an infectious disease. Read it carefully and be on the lookout for symptoms.” —Daniel W. Drezner, The New York Times Book Review

 

Get this book on Amazon!

My 5 Star Review:

A Cautionary Tale

 

History has a tendency to repeat itself, and this book, although small is mighty with researched information by the author, Yale Professor, Timothy Snyder, political historian. In this book, Snyder reminds us about how easily threats to democracy can turn into an authoritarian and dictatorship government, using the Hitler and Stalin regimes to demonstrate how societies fall into fake promises of something better.

Snyder reminds that often democracy is taken for granted – a relaxed type of acceptance believing that we will never go backwards into less modern political times, but due to the current political climate, many of same circumstances of the past have manifested and gather followers and believers which have the potential to lead to diffusing democracy. Often the power of authoritarianism is freely given by surrendering our defenses and being blinded by false hopes and promises.

 

Snyder cautions:

Don’t look away from what is changing right in front of you

Beware the evils of the past, and stand out – don’t get yourself lost in a crowd as a follower

Abandoning truth is abandoning freedom

Be original, don’t follow the masses

Search for the truth

Creating alternate realities leads to fascism

Protest – be seen and heard – tyrants must feel resistance

It is not patriotic to admire foreign dictators

 

Regardless of our political preferences in parties, if we value freedom and democracy this book is a compelling read.