Amara Cudney's Blog, page 2
September 2, 2014
Merili's Wine
Merili has been spiraling into a depression since her parents were killed and Lisa, Merili’s best friend, becomes increasingly worried. She throws a party where she introduces Dan, the hot new doctor in town, to her friend Merili. She’s thrilled with their obvious attraction to each other and sees the beginnings of a love story that she hopes will draw Merili out of her shell.
The couple’s relationship is based on sexual attraction. The drama begins when it becomes obvious that they are hiding deep secrets about themselves. Red flags riddle the romance but they choose to ignore the warning signs.
Dan was abused as a child and has been combating anger issues for many years. He was in therapy but has stopped going even though he has a restraining order against him from his last relationship. He thinks he can control his rage and continues to blame others for his problems.
Merili has been drinking since she was a young girl. She knew she drank differently from the kids in high school but she also believes that she has control. Since her parent’s death, her alcohol addiction has escalated, but not even Lisa realizes how much Merili is drinking.
They spend months planning their marriage and their move to Hawaii, a place they both love. But Merili is lonely there and feels unanchored. She begins to drink more. Dan hates it. He becomes violently abusive and their secrets begin to surface.
Merili is forced to pull out of her drunken stupor when Lisa visits the island and tells her that she’s been arrested for drunk driving and almost killing a child. For the first time in her life she is forced to face her alcoholism and discover if she has the strength and courage to be there for someone else.
Meanwhile Dan struggles with his own demons. He becomes involved with his assistant, Sarah, and struggles to overcome his anger but makes a mess of it. Now Dan has to decide what he is going to do.
Merili’s Wine is a psychological drama about addiction, recovery and love. You will laugh, cry and identify with the characters, many of them whom you will recognize.
The couple’s relationship is based on sexual attraction. The drama begins when it becomes obvious that they are hiding deep secrets about themselves. Red flags riddle the romance but they choose to ignore the warning signs.
Dan was abused as a child and has been combating anger issues for many years. He was in therapy but has stopped going even though he has a restraining order against him from his last relationship. He thinks he can control his rage and continues to blame others for his problems.
Merili has been drinking since she was a young girl. She knew she drank differently from the kids in high school but she also believes that she has control. Since her parent’s death, her alcohol addiction has escalated, but not even Lisa realizes how much Merili is drinking.
They spend months planning their marriage and their move to Hawaii, a place they both love. But Merili is lonely there and feels unanchored. She begins to drink more. Dan hates it. He becomes violently abusive and their secrets begin to surface.
Merili is forced to pull out of her drunken stupor when Lisa visits the island and tells her that she’s been arrested for drunk driving and almost killing a child. For the first time in her life she is forced to face her alcoholism and discover if she has the strength and courage to be there for someone else.
Meanwhile Dan struggles with his own demons. He becomes involved with his assistant, Sarah, and struggles to overcome his anger but makes a mess of it. Now Dan has to decide what he is going to do.
Merili’s Wine is a psychological drama about addiction, recovery and love. You will laugh, cry and identify with the characters, many of them whom you will recognize.
August 30, 2014
Merili's Wine
I'm having a party to launch my newest book, Merili's Wine August 31 at 10:30 Hawaii time -4:30 EDT on FB. Hope all can come!
May 16, 2014
The Heart of Forgiveness
Forgiving someone can be tough. Forgiving ourselves can be even toughter. In The Heart of Forgiveness, we'll explore why it can be so difficult to let go and what steps can really work to help you heal.
This weekend it will be offered on Amazon free of charge. I hope you enjoy it and that it brings you freedom.
Love,
Amara
This weekend it will be offered on Amazon free of charge. I hope you enjoy it and that it brings you freedom.
Love,
Amara
March 8, 2014
The Broken Road, Coming Back is FREE on Amazon
I am so happy to announce that The Broken Road is now available on Amazon. Starting tomorrow, Sunday, March 9, it will be free. This is a compilation of stories about alcoholism, addiction and the strength of the human spirit. I hope you love it and appreciate your support. It means the world to me.
Just one click.
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_nos...
February 24, 2014
The Broken Road Coming Back
Today, the birds woke me up. That was a wonderful thing. I've been working as a sub in the school system and I'm often up before the birds and on my way to whereever I need to go right when they start chirping.
I've been trying to set my schedule so that I'm not pulled in so many directions. I happen to be one of those people that love life and I want to be part of everything. It often gets me into big trouble. Now that I'm deep into the edit of Merili's Wine and trying to get my "platform" created, I really have very little time to do anything else.
I'm looking forward to releasing The Broken Road. It consists of several of my short stories as well some of my poetry. I am also including a big surprise for my readers and hope everyone likes it. I don't want to "tell" quite yet. I'm keeping it a secret.
These stories are about addiction and recovery. My hope is that the reader will gain a sense of what it's like to be lost in that world and what its like to get out of it. I found my inspiration in many places, but really I'm drawing from my own experiences and from those that I've heard about over the years.
It has also been inspiring for me to watch my grand daughter find her footing as a mother and a wife and a powerful person in the world. She's sober and for that I'm so grateful.
My husband suggested that I include some of my poetry and I'm glad he did. I've got quite a bit and I think you'll be surprised.
I'll keep you posted. Be well, don't ever give up on your dreams.
February 22, 2014
Whale Time
Thoughts on the whales.
Last week, I went paddling. I've even learned how to spell it thanks to that nasty red line under every misspelled word.
I got up at 6. Before the birds. I was at the beach at 7:30 and slowly the others came. Four canoes later and we were out to sea. Whales were everywhere. Our steersman would yell, let's go over there. So off we'd go paddling with all our hearts.
The problem was, that I hadn't been out with them in a few months. Some might think that paddling is a breeze. I used to. I am stunned by how difficult putting a stick into the water and making the boat go can be. It is not for the faint of heart. Tears have run down my face as steerspeople have "coached me", I've turned red with anger as they've "kidded me". I even got a prize. The "Princess prize".
Paddling on a team is hard. Its an art form that takes emotional, spiritual and physical strength. It doesn't come easy and is hard to learn.
Okay, so on that day, they wore me out. We went over here and over there so many times, I could hardly move. My arms felt like wet noodles. I was depleted.
I told the steerswoman, my favorite of the bunch, just let the whales come to us and they did. But the rest of the group, the other 3 canoes, just had to rush all over the sea. We got back to shore three hours later, I without an ounce of energy left.
Well, I spent today with a group counting whales. About forty of us gathered above the ocean on a plot of green grass. It was lovely. For the first hour. I barely made it through the other three HOURS. The point is to count "flaps", "dives", "breeches", "blows", and tell how many are adults and how many calves.
So far, I hate whale counting. I was terrible at it. The others would be calling out-Breech! Blow! Dive! I saw nothing.
I missed laying in the sand just watching the whales at my own leisurely pace. I missed feeling connected to the earth. I missed being able to hear the waves and the birds. Instead, all I heard were nasly, high pitched voices, "breech, etc."
No more whale counting for me, but I'll always paddle.
Last week, I went paddling. I've even learned how to spell it thanks to that nasty red line under every misspelled word.
I got up at 6. Before the birds. I was at the beach at 7:30 and slowly the others came. Four canoes later and we were out to sea. Whales were everywhere. Our steersman would yell, let's go over there. So off we'd go paddling with all our hearts.
The problem was, that I hadn't been out with them in a few months. Some might think that paddling is a breeze. I used to. I am stunned by how difficult putting a stick into the water and making the boat go can be. It is not for the faint of heart. Tears have run down my face as steerspeople have "coached me", I've turned red with anger as they've "kidded me". I even got a prize. The "Princess prize".
Paddling on a team is hard. Its an art form that takes emotional, spiritual and physical strength. It doesn't come easy and is hard to learn.
Okay, so on that day, they wore me out. We went over here and over there so many times, I could hardly move. My arms felt like wet noodles. I was depleted.
I told the steerswoman, my favorite of the bunch, just let the whales come to us and they did. But the rest of the group, the other 3 canoes, just had to rush all over the sea. We got back to shore three hours later, I without an ounce of energy left.
Well, I spent today with a group counting whales. About forty of us gathered above the ocean on a plot of green grass. It was lovely. For the first hour. I barely made it through the other three HOURS. The point is to count "flaps", "dives", "breeches", "blows", and tell how many are adults and how many calves.
So far, I hate whale counting. I was terrible at it. The others would be calling out-Breech! Blow! Dive! I saw nothing.
I missed laying in the sand just watching the whales at my own leisurely pace. I missed feeling connected to the earth. I missed being able to hear the waves and the birds. Instead, all I heard were nasly, high pitched voices, "breech, etc."
No more whale counting for me, but I'll always paddle.
February 17, 2014
The Broken Road
The Broken Road
The cover for "The Broken Road" is very personal to me. This is a young girl whom I've watched struggle with bad decisions, driven by her need to escape and the gut wrenching search for her own identity. She and all the women I've watched go through this process are my inspiration.
I see myself in each of them. They were me. I was angry. My emotions weretwisted into knots, my hunger for love insatiable and I was sick in the deepest parts of my soul. I was searching for something to make it all quit hurting.
I thought alcohol and drugs were the answer. I swam in that murky world for over thirty years. I finally got sober and realized that the solution was my reliance on a power greater than myself. It sounds simple but its not. I have over eighteen years of sobriety and I learn something about myself everyday. I learn how to let go of my control over my life and when I do, it is so much better.
The stories is "The Broken Road" tell a little about the journey. I hope that you, as the reader, will either relate, find hope or learn something about this crazy world of addiction.
The Inventory
Part of the twelve steps of Alcoholics Anonymous is the fourth step. This step encourages a complete and fearless moral inventory of oneself. It truly is the turning point for most people.
In my newest story, Angie is about to share her fourth step with her sponsor, Sylvia. They've been meeting in the same church every week for the seven months that Angie has been sober. On this day, Sylvia realizes that the bond she has with her sponcee is deeper than she had ever dreamed. It proves that there aren't any coincidences. Life unfolds exactly the way it is supposed to even if it changes everything you ever believed.
The cover for "The Broken Road" is very personal to me. This is a young girl whom I've watched struggle with bad decisions, driven by her need to escape and the gut wrenching search for her own identity. She and all the women I've watched go through this process are my inspiration.
I see myself in each of them. They were me. I was angry. My emotions weretwisted into knots, my hunger for love insatiable and I was sick in the deepest parts of my soul. I was searching for something to make it all quit hurting.
I thought alcohol and drugs were the answer. I swam in that murky world for over thirty years. I finally got sober and realized that the solution was my reliance on a power greater than myself. It sounds simple but its not. I have over eighteen years of sobriety and I learn something about myself everyday. I learn how to let go of my control over my life and when I do, it is so much better.
The stories is "The Broken Road" tell a little about the journey. I hope that you, as the reader, will either relate, find hope or learn something about this crazy world of addiction.
The Inventory
Part of the twelve steps of Alcoholics Anonymous is the fourth step. This step encourages a complete and fearless moral inventory of oneself. It truly is the turning point for most people.
In my newest story, Angie is about to share her fourth step with her sponsor, Sylvia. They've been meeting in the same church every week for the seven months that Angie has been sober. On this day, Sylvia realizes that the bond she has with her sponcee is deeper than she had ever dreamed. It proves that there aren't any coincidences. Life unfolds exactly the way it is supposed to even if it changes everything you ever believed.
Seeing the world through different eyes: The Broken Road
Seeing the world through different eyes: The Broken Road: The Broken Road The cover for "The Broken Road" is very personal to me. This is a young girl whom I'...
The Broken Road
The cover for "The Broken Road" is very personal to me. This is a young girl whom I've watched struggle with bad decisions, driven by her need to escape and the gut wrenching search for her own identity. She and all the women I've watched go through this process are my inspiration.
I see myself in each of them. They were me. I was angry. My emotions weretwisted into knots, my hunger for love insatiable and I was sick in the deepest parts of my soul. I was searching for something to make it all quit hurting.
I thought alcohol and drugs were the answer. I swam in that murky world for over thirty years. I finally got sober and realized that the solution was my reliance on a power greater than myself. It sounds simple but its not. I have over eighteen years of sobriety and I learn something about myself everyday. I learn how to let go of my control over my life and when I do, it is so much better.
The stories is "The Broken Road" tell a little about the journey. I hope that you, as the reader, will either relate, find hope or learn something about this crazy world of addiction.
The InventoryPart of the twelve steps of Alcoholics Anonymous is the fourth step. This step encourages a complete and fearless moral inventory of oneself. It truly is the turning point for most people.
In my newest story, Angie is about to share her fourth step with her sponsor, Sylvia. They've been meeting in the same church every week for the seven months that Angie has been sober. On this day, Sylvia realizes that the bond she has with her sponcee is deeper than she had ever dreamed. It proves that there aren't any coincidences. Life unfolds exactly the way it is supposed to even if it changes everything you ever believed.
January 2, 2014
The Girls
It was a warm summer day and I was walking behind two girls heading home from classes that day at our local community college in Albuquerque, New Mexico. I literally couldn't believe that I had gotten so lucky to hear what they were saying.The Girls is a story about their conversation. I pulled other stuff that I knew about the area and its people and painted Gabriela and Sabrina from my experiences in New Mexico.
I hope you'll enjoy my insights and interpretations.
The story is available on Amazon.com and I'd love it if you'd download it and write a few words in a review. Authors need all the support they can get and I'd really appreciate yours.
Click below to go to my page.
http://www.amazon.com/The-Girls-Amara...
