Robin E. Mason's Blog: Robin's Book Shelf, page 200
October 24, 2014
WELCOME to my PARTY!!! DAY TWENTY-FOUR
The month of October is a special time for me:
my debut novel, my baby,
Tessa,
will be released IN PRINT on Halloween!
WHEEEEE!!!!!
DEPRESSION and SUICIDE
Seen on Facebook yesterday, “You know, in spite of the high cost of living, it's still popular.” And yet, “In 2012 (the most recent year for which full data are available), 40,600 suicides were reported, making suicide the 10th leading cause of death for Americans … In that year, someone in the country died by suicide every 12.9 minutes.” (https://www.afsp.org/understanding-su...)
I have shared a few times now, that I suffered from depression for many years of my life. I was totally unaware of it until I sought help for deep underlying issues. I was on prescription medication, and was receiving counseling. Ultimately, it was by faith that I was freed from the disease. But I know all too well much of the misunderstanding of the disease. I have recognized in my writing, that my characters tend to suffer depression, and so, I purpose to help shed light on the disease and generate awareness.
Unrecognized and untreated, depression lends to suicide. I was not personally suicidal nor was I a cutter or inclined to hurt myself, and thus far, none of my characters have been. I did, however, wonder about it countless times, how “easy” it would be to veer across the double yellow lines or slam into a tree. As a child, my insecurity was so great that I wanted to – and tried to – accidentally fall, or otherwise become injured; I so craved attention that I was willing to take it in the guise of sympathy. Almost. My fear, dread really, paralyzing dread, of being found out, accused of causing my “accident” was greater than my need for attention.
Let me clarify. I was not abused by my parents or anyone, nor were my parents raging alcoholics who neglected me or my siblings. My mother, however, suffered from some emotional problems, which were conveyed to me. And created my vast lack of self-worth.
That said, although I was not consciously suicidal, my sub-conscience teetered on the edge. My longing to “run away” is, in fact, a detached variation of suicide. For suicide is, in most simplistic terms, running away. Permanently.
I have heard and read several times that the suicide victim doesn’t really want to die. They just wanted the internal or emotional torment to end.
For today’s post, I have lifted excerpts from the following web site.
https://www.afsp.org/understanding-su...
Key Research Findings
Our effectiveness in preventing suicide ultimately depends on more fully understanding how and why suicide occurs.
What we know about the causes of suicide lags far behind our knowledge of many other life-threatening illnesses and conditions. In part, this is because the stigma surrounding suicide has limited society’s investment in suicide research. Over the last 25 years, however, we have begun to uncover and understand the complex range of factors that contribute to suicide.
Summarized below are findings from research studies that have especially contributed to our current understanding of suicide.
Mental Disorders
While nearly all mental disorders have the potential to increase the risk for suicide, studies show that the most common disorders among people who die by suicide are major depression and other mood disorders, and substance use disorders, schizophrenia and personality disorders (Bertolote & Fleischmann, 2002). … studies have consistently found that the overwhelming majority of people who die by suicide—90% or more—had a mental disorder at the time of their deaths. Often, however, these disorders had not been recognized, diagnosed, or adequately treated. … studies have also shown that about one-third of people who took their lives did not communicate their suicide intent to anyone. One of the most important conclusions from this research is the importance of teaching laypeople to recognize the symptoms of mental disorders in those they are close to, so that they can support them to get help.
Research has shown that certain symptoms in the context of depression raise the risk of suicide. These include intense anxiety, panic attacks, desperation, hopelessness, feeling that one is a burden, loss of interest and pleasure, and delusional thinking.
Previous Suicide Attempt
About 20% of people who die by suicide have made a prior suicide attempt, and clinical studies have confirmed that such prior attempts increase a person’s risk for subsequent suicide death. Suicide risk appears to be especially elevated during the days and weeks following hospitalization for a suicide attempt, especially in people with diagnoses of major depression, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia (Tidemalm, et al., 2008).
The majority of people who make a suicide attempt, however, do not ultimately die by suicide.
Family History of Suicide
Research has shown that the risk for suicide can be inherited (Juel-Nielsen & Videbech, 1970; Roy, et al., 1991; Lester, 2002).
While these studies indicate that a family history of suicide can be a risk factor for suicide, they do not suggest that a suicide in the family automatically heightens suicide risk for all family members. Family history is one among many factors that can contribute to a person’s vulnerability or resilience. As with other genetically-linked illnesses and conditions, awareness of possible risk and attention to early signs of problems in oneself or a loved one can be protective if it leads those who have lost a relative to suicide to seek timely treatment or intervention.
Medical Conditions and Pain
Patients with serious medical conditions such as cancer, HIV, lupus, and traumatic brain injury may be at increased risk for suicide. This is primarily due to psychological states such as hopelessness, helplessness, and desire for control over death. Chronic pain, insomnia and adverse effects of medications have also been cited as contributing factors. These findings point to a critical need for increased screening for mental disorders and suicidal ideation and behavior in general medical settings.
Relationship Between Environmental Stressors, Mental Disorders and Suicide Risk
One of the major challenges of suicide research is determining how mental disorders and environmental stressors interact to create a pathway to suicide. Recent research on bullying has provided important new insights into the links between environmental stressors, mental disorders and suicide risk.
Much of the current discourse on bullying and suicide posits a direct causal link between the two. Challenging this assumption, an important recent study that followed high school students for several years after graduation found that exposure to bullying had relatively few long term negative outcomes for the majority of youth. The only subgroup that showed suicidal ideation and behavior in post-high school follow-up was youth who had symptoms of depression at the time they were bullied. Bullied youth who did not have co-existing depression had significantly lower risk for later mental health problems (Klomek, et al., 2011).
Another recent long term study links exposure to prolonged bullying to the development of serious mental disorders in later life. This research, which followed a large sample of youth and their caregivers from childhood to early adulthood, found that those who were bullied through childhood and adolescence had high rates of depression and anxiety disorders in early adulthood. Those with histories of being both victims and bullies had the most adverse outcomes as young adults, with even higher rates of mood and anxiety disorders. In addition, nearly 25% of this group reported suicidal ideation or behavior as an adult. Those who were bullies but not victims showed low levels of depression or anxiety and markedly elevated rates of antisocial personality disorder (Copeland, et al., 2013).
It is important to note that existing research on bullying has looked at the outcome of attempted rather than completed suicide. However, the finding that bullying is most likely to precipitate suicidal thinking and suicide attempts in youth who are already depressed, or who have prolonged involvement as both victims and bullies, points to the role of individual vulnerability in determining the impact of environmental stressors.
Suicide Contagion
That imitative behavior (“contagion”) plays a role in suicide has long been observed. Recent studies have concluded that media coverage of suicide is connected to the increase—or decrease—in subsequent suicides, particularly among adolescents (Sisask & Värnik, 2012). High volume, prominent, repetitive coverage that glorifies, sensationalizes or romanticizes suicide has been found to be associated with an increase in suicides (Bohanna and Wang, 2012). There is also evidence that when coverage includes detailed description of specific means used, the use of that method may increase in the population as a whole (Yip, et al., 2012).
In recent years, the internet has become a particular concern because of its reach and potential to communicate information about notorious suicides and those that occur among celebrities. However, when media follows appropriate reporting recommendations, studies show that the risk of suicide contagion can be decreased. (Bohanna and Wang, 2012).
Access to Lethal Methods of Suicide
There is strong evidence that the availability and use of different methods of suicide impacts suicide rates among different groups in the population and different geographical areas of the world. In the U.S., the most common method of suicide is firearms, used in 51% of all suicides. Currently, firearms are involved in 56% of male suicides and 30% of female suicides. Among U.S. women, the most common suicide method involves poisonous substances, especially overdoses of medications. Poisoning accounts for 37% of female suicides, compared to only 12% of male suicides. Hanging or other means of suffocation are used in about 25% of both male and female suicides.
Biological Factors
Postmortem studies of the brains of people who have died by suicide have shown a number of visible differences in the brains of people who died by suicide, compare to those who died from other causes, suicide is a result of a disease of the brain (Mann & Currier, 2012). The brain systems that have been most frequently studied as factors in suicide are the serotonergic system, adrenergic system and the Hypothalamic-Pituitary Axis (HPA), which relate to mood, thinking and stress response, respectively. This research has also identified neurobiological impairments related to depression and other underlying mental disorders, as well as to acute or prolonged stressors. One of the key challenges of neurobiological studies is determining the abnormalities in genes, brain structures or brain function that differentiate depressed people who died by suicide from depressed people who died by other causes.
I close with a poem composed by Arianna Scriptsmith Schaffer, my guest from last week.
Skyscraper
I am below looking at myself on the top
And I'm above looking down for your help
I never knew it would come to this threatening drop
But I am on the edge ready to jump to the end of me
I'm out of my body tearfully begging for me to think
To use the reasoning and wisdom to turn away
And to pull away from the deathly brink
Of shadows' ownership of my soul's desires
Standing on the skyscraper of my disease
I feel that all hope had been stolen away
My pain and fear makes the enemy pleased
So that is my push to stand up again
If only I took a step back and beheld the view
Of the sun breaking through the morning mist
I would realize that God is here and true
But would I dare to look up and see the beauty? Or would I just jump off the edge?
A revolution of light could break right through
If I boldly said enough is enough! I could stand up right beside you
And I'd be filled and fear nothing in life or death
The skyscraper is a turning point in all lives
Dare to die or dare to live, the choice is up to you
Life is compiled of baby steps and long strides
And yes, even falls... But remember that we can overcome!
If you haven’t already, be sure to stop by and like my Facebook page, follow me on Twitter, on my blog! Please leave me a comment, let me know you’re here!
http://robinsnest212.wordpress.com/
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Robin-...
http://www.amazon.com/Robin-E.-Mason/...
https://twitter.com/amythyst212
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...
#depression, #suicide, #nationalsuicidepreventionhotline, #americanfoundationforsuicideprevention, #skyscraper, #ariannascriptsmithschaffer,
my debut novel, my baby,
Tessa,
will be released IN PRINT on Halloween!
WHEEEEE!!!!!
DEPRESSION and SUICIDE
Seen on Facebook yesterday, “You know, in spite of the high cost of living, it's still popular.” And yet, “In 2012 (the most recent year for which full data are available), 40,600 suicides were reported, making suicide the 10th leading cause of death for Americans … In that year, someone in the country died by suicide every 12.9 minutes.” (https://www.afsp.org/understanding-su...)
I have shared a few times now, that I suffered from depression for many years of my life. I was totally unaware of it until I sought help for deep underlying issues. I was on prescription medication, and was receiving counseling. Ultimately, it was by faith that I was freed from the disease. But I know all too well much of the misunderstanding of the disease. I have recognized in my writing, that my characters tend to suffer depression, and so, I purpose to help shed light on the disease and generate awareness.
Unrecognized and untreated, depression lends to suicide. I was not personally suicidal nor was I a cutter or inclined to hurt myself, and thus far, none of my characters have been. I did, however, wonder about it countless times, how “easy” it would be to veer across the double yellow lines or slam into a tree. As a child, my insecurity was so great that I wanted to – and tried to – accidentally fall, or otherwise become injured; I so craved attention that I was willing to take it in the guise of sympathy. Almost. My fear, dread really, paralyzing dread, of being found out, accused of causing my “accident” was greater than my need for attention.
Let me clarify. I was not abused by my parents or anyone, nor were my parents raging alcoholics who neglected me or my siblings. My mother, however, suffered from some emotional problems, which were conveyed to me. And created my vast lack of self-worth.
That said, although I was not consciously suicidal, my sub-conscience teetered on the edge. My longing to “run away” is, in fact, a detached variation of suicide. For suicide is, in most simplistic terms, running away. Permanently.
I have heard and read several times that the suicide victim doesn’t really want to die. They just wanted the internal or emotional torment to end.
For today’s post, I have lifted excerpts from the following web site.
https://www.afsp.org/understanding-su...
Key Research Findings
Our effectiveness in preventing suicide ultimately depends on more fully understanding how and why suicide occurs.
What we know about the causes of suicide lags far behind our knowledge of many other life-threatening illnesses and conditions. In part, this is because the stigma surrounding suicide has limited society’s investment in suicide research. Over the last 25 years, however, we have begun to uncover and understand the complex range of factors that contribute to suicide.
Summarized below are findings from research studies that have especially contributed to our current understanding of suicide.
Mental Disorders
While nearly all mental disorders have the potential to increase the risk for suicide, studies show that the most common disorders among people who die by suicide are major depression and other mood disorders, and substance use disorders, schizophrenia and personality disorders (Bertolote & Fleischmann, 2002). … studies have consistently found that the overwhelming majority of people who die by suicide—90% or more—had a mental disorder at the time of their deaths. Often, however, these disorders had not been recognized, diagnosed, or adequately treated. … studies have also shown that about one-third of people who took their lives did not communicate their suicide intent to anyone. One of the most important conclusions from this research is the importance of teaching laypeople to recognize the symptoms of mental disorders in those they are close to, so that they can support them to get help.
Research has shown that certain symptoms in the context of depression raise the risk of suicide. These include intense anxiety, panic attacks, desperation, hopelessness, feeling that one is a burden, loss of interest and pleasure, and delusional thinking.
Previous Suicide Attempt
About 20% of people who die by suicide have made a prior suicide attempt, and clinical studies have confirmed that such prior attempts increase a person’s risk for subsequent suicide death. Suicide risk appears to be especially elevated during the days and weeks following hospitalization for a suicide attempt, especially in people with diagnoses of major depression, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia (Tidemalm, et al., 2008).
The majority of people who make a suicide attempt, however, do not ultimately die by suicide.
Family History of Suicide
Research has shown that the risk for suicide can be inherited (Juel-Nielsen & Videbech, 1970; Roy, et al., 1991; Lester, 2002).
While these studies indicate that a family history of suicide can be a risk factor for suicide, they do not suggest that a suicide in the family automatically heightens suicide risk for all family members. Family history is one among many factors that can contribute to a person’s vulnerability or resilience. As with other genetically-linked illnesses and conditions, awareness of possible risk and attention to early signs of problems in oneself or a loved one can be protective if it leads those who have lost a relative to suicide to seek timely treatment or intervention.
Medical Conditions and Pain
Patients with serious medical conditions such as cancer, HIV, lupus, and traumatic brain injury may be at increased risk for suicide. This is primarily due to psychological states such as hopelessness, helplessness, and desire for control over death. Chronic pain, insomnia and adverse effects of medications have also been cited as contributing factors. These findings point to a critical need for increased screening for mental disorders and suicidal ideation and behavior in general medical settings.
Relationship Between Environmental Stressors, Mental Disorders and Suicide Risk
One of the major challenges of suicide research is determining how mental disorders and environmental stressors interact to create a pathway to suicide. Recent research on bullying has provided important new insights into the links between environmental stressors, mental disorders and suicide risk.
Much of the current discourse on bullying and suicide posits a direct causal link between the two. Challenging this assumption, an important recent study that followed high school students for several years after graduation found that exposure to bullying had relatively few long term negative outcomes for the majority of youth. The only subgroup that showed suicidal ideation and behavior in post-high school follow-up was youth who had symptoms of depression at the time they were bullied. Bullied youth who did not have co-existing depression had significantly lower risk for later mental health problems (Klomek, et al., 2011).
Another recent long term study links exposure to prolonged bullying to the development of serious mental disorders in later life. This research, which followed a large sample of youth and their caregivers from childhood to early adulthood, found that those who were bullied through childhood and adolescence had high rates of depression and anxiety disorders in early adulthood. Those with histories of being both victims and bullies had the most adverse outcomes as young adults, with even higher rates of mood and anxiety disorders. In addition, nearly 25% of this group reported suicidal ideation or behavior as an adult. Those who were bullies but not victims showed low levels of depression or anxiety and markedly elevated rates of antisocial personality disorder (Copeland, et al., 2013).
It is important to note that existing research on bullying has looked at the outcome of attempted rather than completed suicide. However, the finding that bullying is most likely to precipitate suicidal thinking and suicide attempts in youth who are already depressed, or who have prolonged involvement as both victims and bullies, points to the role of individual vulnerability in determining the impact of environmental stressors.
Suicide Contagion
That imitative behavior (“contagion”) plays a role in suicide has long been observed. Recent studies have concluded that media coverage of suicide is connected to the increase—or decrease—in subsequent suicides, particularly among adolescents (Sisask & Värnik, 2012). High volume, prominent, repetitive coverage that glorifies, sensationalizes or romanticizes suicide has been found to be associated with an increase in suicides (Bohanna and Wang, 2012). There is also evidence that when coverage includes detailed description of specific means used, the use of that method may increase in the population as a whole (Yip, et al., 2012).
In recent years, the internet has become a particular concern because of its reach and potential to communicate information about notorious suicides and those that occur among celebrities. However, when media follows appropriate reporting recommendations, studies show that the risk of suicide contagion can be decreased. (Bohanna and Wang, 2012).
Access to Lethal Methods of Suicide
There is strong evidence that the availability and use of different methods of suicide impacts suicide rates among different groups in the population and different geographical areas of the world. In the U.S., the most common method of suicide is firearms, used in 51% of all suicides. Currently, firearms are involved in 56% of male suicides and 30% of female suicides. Among U.S. women, the most common suicide method involves poisonous substances, especially overdoses of medications. Poisoning accounts for 37% of female suicides, compared to only 12% of male suicides. Hanging or other means of suffocation are used in about 25% of both male and female suicides.
Biological Factors
Postmortem studies of the brains of people who have died by suicide have shown a number of visible differences in the brains of people who died by suicide, compare to those who died from other causes, suicide is a result of a disease of the brain (Mann & Currier, 2012). The brain systems that have been most frequently studied as factors in suicide are the serotonergic system, adrenergic system and the Hypothalamic-Pituitary Axis (HPA), which relate to mood, thinking and stress response, respectively. This research has also identified neurobiological impairments related to depression and other underlying mental disorders, as well as to acute or prolonged stressors. One of the key challenges of neurobiological studies is determining the abnormalities in genes, brain structures or brain function that differentiate depressed people who died by suicide from depressed people who died by other causes.
I close with a poem composed by Arianna Scriptsmith Schaffer, my guest from last week.
Skyscraper
I am below looking at myself on the top
And I'm above looking down for your help
I never knew it would come to this threatening drop
But I am on the edge ready to jump to the end of me
I'm out of my body tearfully begging for me to think
To use the reasoning and wisdom to turn away
And to pull away from the deathly brink
Of shadows' ownership of my soul's desires
Standing on the skyscraper of my disease
I feel that all hope had been stolen away
My pain and fear makes the enemy pleased
So that is my push to stand up again
If only I took a step back and beheld the view
Of the sun breaking through the morning mist
I would realize that God is here and true
But would I dare to look up and see the beauty? Or would I just jump off the edge?
A revolution of light could break right through
If I boldly said enough is enough! I could stand up right beside you
And I'd be filled and fear nothing in life or death
The skyscraper is a turning point in all lives
Dare to die or dare to live, the choice is up to you
Life is compiled of baby steps and long strides
And yes, even falls... But remember that we can overcome!
If you haven’t already, be sure to stop by and like my Facebook page, follow me on Twitter, on my blog! Please leave me a comment, let me know you’re here!
http://robinsnest212.wordpress.com/
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Robin-...
http://www.amazon.com/Robin-E.-Mason/...
https://twitter.com/amythyst212
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...
#depression, #suicide, #nationalsuicidepreventionhotline, #americanfoundationforsuicideprevention, #skyscraper, #ariannascriptsmithschaffer,
October 23, 2014
WELCOME to my PARTY!!! – AUTHOR INTERVIEW #3
The month of October is a special time for me:
my debut novel, my baby,
Tessa,
will be released IN PRINT on Halloween!
WHEEEEE!!!!!
I’d like to give a big welcome to Lisa Carter to my blog. Lisa, thank you for joining me today. I’m excited to have you here.
Blending Southern and Native American fiction, Lisa Carter writes “Sweet Tea with a Slice of Murder”. Her latest release is Under a Turquoise Sky. She is the author of two previous romantic suspense novels, Carolina Reckoning and Beneath A Navajo Moon; and Aloha Rose, a contemporary romance in the Quilts of Love series. She and her family make their home in North Carolina. When she isn't writing, Lisa enjoys traveling to romantic locales, teaching writing workshops, and researching her next exotic adventure. She has strong opinions on barbecue and ACC basketball. Connect with Lisa at www.lisacarterauthor.com.
Robin E. Mason: Welcome, Lisa. You’ve gone from the Deep South to Hawaii and now you’re writing in the Southwest. That’s far and wide and back again! How did that journey come about? What intrigued you about these locations?
Lisa Carter: I am a native North Carolinian. Scratch beneath the surface of the polite Southern drawl and hospitable sweet tea, there is a layer of the gothic—Southern Gothic—in our history. Family stories of lost causes, tragic love, and quirky Aunt so and so's, we've all got them. North Carolina is also home to the largest population of Native Americans east of the Mississippi. I've known various members of the Cherokee, Lumbee, Haliwa-Saponi and Coharie tribes throughout my life. I've always been fascinated by their culture. Admired their persistence and perseverance against overwhelming odds to survive and thrive. Television has reduced Americans to a mind-numbing blandness. Southerners—and Native Americans—do not fit into that cookie cutter mold. And I love that. We are unique and proud of it. When my in-laws retired to the Southwest, it wasn’t long before I began exploring the Navajo country. My Hawaiian story came about because I have college friend with Hawaiian roots whose real life story she allowed me to fictionalize.
rem: So the in-laws got you there! Methinks t’was but a matter of time, though, ‘til your own Indian roots took you west to expand your knowledge of Indian lore. I have read Beneath a Navajo Moon¸ and I loved how you wove present day with the historical element! I could identify with Erin’s struggle to please her parents and to follow her own vision. Under a Turquoise Sky promises the same sort of tangled adventure and I can’t wait to read it! Have you started on your next story? What’s it about?
LC: Vines of Entanglement releases February 2015 and this novel returns to the setting of Carolina Reckoning —Raleigh, North Carolina. Readers will have a chance to catch up on what’s been happening in the lives of Alison, Mike, and Claire who have “cameo” appearances. But the main story centers around the power of truth. “A tangled web of lies characterizes the new life Laura Mabry has built for herself and her son after the tragic death of her husband. But truth and murder lurk just around the corner when she stumbles upon the body of a young college student on the forested recreational trails of Raleigh’s Greenway. Laura’s carefully constructed world slides off its axis after she comes face to face with Detective Jon Locklear. Jon’s spent ten years trying to forget memories of Laura and the sweet scent of honeysuckle. At the top of suspect list, Laura must find the courage to face her deepest fears and unravel the lies before she and her son become the Greenway Killer’s next victims.”
rem: “A tangled web of lies…” You’ve got my attention! Tell us a little about your writing journey. What do you enjoy most about being a writer? What is the hardest aspect of being a writer?
LC: I love the power of discovery as I create characters and settings. I love how sometimes—always just when I need it—the story finds me. What’s hard is juggling all the hats an author has to wear—editing one project, writing another and perhaps marketing yet a third. Then of course, there’s always dinner to make, too.
rem: I love the way you say that, “… the story finds me.” That’s how I write, too. And so many hats!!! LOL What is your writing process? Do you follow a regular routine?
LC: I treat writing as a job. I start each day when my children leave for school in the morning. I stop when they return mid-afternoon. I try to work only Monday through Friday but of course tight deadlines sometimes require that I put in a few weekends as well.
rem: Oh, so disciplined! What do you think is significant about Christian fiction?
How has being a novelist impacted your relationship with Christ?
LC: The most significant thing to me about Christian fiction is that our stories depict realistic characters and life situations—often tragic situations. But in Christ, there is always woven in a thread of hope and redemption that no matter how tough life might be, God is enough. Enough for your past, your present and your future. Being a Christian novelist has also forced me to go deeper in my understanding of Scripture and my personal walk with Christ. And there are pieces of me in all my characters. Writing, I tell readers, is actually cheap therapy.
rem: Funny you mention therapy – I’ve said in my own bio that I began writing as self-prescribed therapy! And look where it got me! I agree, Lisa, writing fiction from a Christian perspective is not so unlike parables Jesus told. How do you hope your readers react to the stories you write? What responses to your novels have affected you the most and why?
LC: One reader recently wrote to me:
“I was reading a novel last night called Beneath a Navajo Moon by Lisa Carter. When Carter wrote it [p. 26] she probably didn't think much of it, but God used it last night. The main character Erin Dawson thought of something her dad told her. He told her in order for a person to have a happy life they needed three things: Something to look forward to; good work to do; and someone to love. That got me thinking. Then this morning I found myself in 2 Corinthians 4 - 6. Those chapters were the medicine I needed to see life clearly again.”
Another wrote of Under a Turquoise Sky:
“Definitely grittier than most Christian romantic suspense novels, Under a Turquoise Sky addresses a number of social issues and the author doesn't pull any punches. She writes with unflinching honesty laced with compassion. That's really evident in her tough-as-nails hero, Aaron. Probably one of the most amazing character arcs I have ever read. His faith journey alone is worth the read.”
It is my prayer that my novels will encourage readers to walk in beautiful obedience to the Shepherd of their souls. I pray each will discover the name by which He calls us—beloved—and fully embrace its significance. And, I hope they have as much fun reading my novels as I had writing them.
rem: Brought tears to my eyes. That’s what it’s all about, isn’t it, whether through a pages of a novel or standing next to someone in check-out at the store – our lives touching others. If you could choose to be a character in a book, who would it be and why?
LC: I am a great fan of all Catherine Palmer’s Treasures of the Heart series heroines because of the suspense, the exotic locations, and the take-your-breath romance.
rem: I have not read Catherine Palmer – now I must! You offer some great advice for writers on your website! My favourite is #2: “Glue your butt in the writing chair and write at least a 1000 words every day.” Consider my toes stepped on! What advice can you give here for others aspiring to publish a book of their own?
LC: Attend as many of the best conferences as you can afford—at least one a year. This is where the publishing gatekeepers hang out. Here you can find an agent, an editor, find a critique partner and a network of other writers to cheer you on your writing journey. And, make it your primary goal to grow as a writer—so study the craft; study marketing; study the industry.
rem: I intend to be at ACFW next year! I blogged not long ago about this incredible circle of writer friends I’ve stumbled into. I’m amazed, and thrilled, and I’m loving every minute of it! Even the “hats” that are not so comfortable!
Thank you, Lisa, for joining me today. I can’t wait to read Under a Turquoise Sky.
Beneath a Navajo Moon
Under a Turquoise Sky
http://robinsnest212.wordpress.com/
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Robin-...
http://www.amazon.com/Robin-E.-Mason/...
https://twitter.com/amythyst212
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...
#lisacarter, #carolinareckoning, #aloharose, #beneathanavajomoon, #underaturquoisesky, #Southerners, #NativeAmericans
my debut novel, my baby,
Tessa,
will be released IN PRINT on Halloween!
WHEEEEE!!!!!
I’d like to give a big welcome to Lisa Carter to my blog. Lisa, thank you for joining me today. I’m excited to have you here.
Blending Southern and Native American fiction, Lisa Carter writes “Sweet Tea with a Slice of Murder”. Her latest release is Under a Turquoise Sky. She is the author of two previous romantic suspense novels, Carolina Reckoning and Beneath A Navajo Moon; and Aloha Rose, a contemporary romance in the Quilts of Love series. She and her family make their home in North Carolina. When she isn't writing, Lisa enjoys traveling to romantic locales, teaching writing workshops, and researching her next exotic adventure. She has strong opinions on barbecue and ACC basketball. Connect with Lisa at www.lisacarterauthor.com.
Robin E. Mason: Welcome, Lisa. You’ve gone from the Deep South to Hawaii and now you’re writing in the Southwest. That’s far and wide and back again! How did that journey come about? What intrigued you about these locations?
Lisa Carter: I am a native North Carolinian. Scratch beneath the surface of the polite Southern drawl and hospitable sweet tea, there is a layer of the gothic—Southern Gothic—in our history. Family stories of lost causes, tragic love, and quirky Aunt so and so's, we've all got them. North Carolina is also home to the largest population of Native Americans east of the Mississippi. I've known various members of the Cherokee, Lumbee, Haliwa-Saponi and Coharie tribes throughout my life. I've always been fascinated by their culture. Admired their persistence and perseverance against overwhelming odds to survive and thrive. Television has reduced Americans to a mind-numbing blandness. Southerners—and Native Americans—do not fit into that cookie cutter mold. And I love that. We are unique and proud of it. When my in-laws retired to the Southwest, it wasn’t long before I began exploring the Navajo country. My Hawaiian story came about because I have college friend with Hawaiian roots whose real life story she allowed me to fictionalize.
rem: So the in-laws got you there! Methinks t’was but a matter of time, though, ‘til your own Indian roots took you west to expand your knowledge of Indian lore. I have read Beneath a Navajo Moon¸ and I loved how you wove present day with the historical element! I could identify with Erin’s struggle to please her parents and to follow her own vision. Under a Turquoise Sky promises the same sort of tangled adventure and I can’t wait to read it! Have you started on your next story? What’s it about?
LC: Vines of Entanglement releases February 2015 and this novel returns to the setting of Carolina Reckoning —Raleigh, North Carolina. Readers will have a chance to catch up on what’s been happening in the lives of Alison, Mike, and Claire who have “cameo” appearances. But the main story centers around the power of truth. “A tangled web of lies characterizes the new life Laura Mabry has built for herself and her son after the tragic death of her husband. But truth and murder lurk just around the corner when she stumbles upon the body of a young college student on the forested recreational trails of Raleigh’s Greenway. Laura’s carefully constructed world slides off its axis after she comes face to face with Detective Jon Locklear. Jon’s spent ten years trying to forget memories of Laura and the sweet scent of honeysuckle. At the top of suspect list, Laura must find the courage to face her deepest fears and unravel the lies before she and her son become the Greenway Killer’s next victims.”
rem: “A tangled web of lies…” You’ve got my attention! Tell us a little about your writing journey. What do you enjoy most about being a writer? What is the hardest aspect of being a writer?
LC: I love the power of discovery as I create characters and settings. I love how sometimes—always just when I need it—the story finds me. What’s hard is juggling all the hats an author has to wear—editing one project, writing another and perhaps marketing yet a third. Then of course, there’s always dinner to make, too.
rem: I love the way you say that, “… the story finds me.” That’s how I write, too. And so many hats!!! LOL What is your writing process? Do you follow a regular routine?
LC: I treat writing as a job. I start each day when my children leave for school in the morning. I stop when they return mid-afternoon. I try to work only Monday through Friday but of course tight deadlines sometimes require that I put in a few weekends as well.
rem: Oh, so disciplined! What do you think is significant about Christian fiction?
How has being a novelist impacted your relationship with Christ?
LC: The most significant thing to me about Christian fiction is that our stories depict realistic characters and life situations—often tragic situations. But in Christ, there is always woven in a thread of hope and redemption that no matter how tough life might be, God is enough. Enough for your past, your present and your future. Being a Christian novelist has also forced me to go deeper in my understanding of Scripture and my personal walk with Christ. And there are pieces of me in all my characters. Writing, I tell readers, is actually cheap therapy.
rem: Funny you mention therapy – I’ve said in my own bio that I began writing as self-prescribed therapy! And look where it got me! I agree, Lisa, writing fiction from a Christian perspective is not so unlike parables Jesus told. How do you hope your readers react to the stories you write? What responses to your novels have affected you the most and why?
LC: One reader recently wrote to me:
“I was reading a novel last night called Beneath a Navajo Moon by Lisa Carter. When Carter wrote it [p. 26] she probably didn't think much of it, but God used it last night. The main character Erin Dawson thought of something her dad told her. He told her in order for a person to have a happy life they needed three things: Something to look forward to; good work to do; and someone to love. That got me thinking. Then this morning I found myself in 2 Corinthians 4 - 6. Those chapters were the medicine I needed to see life clearly again.”
Another wrote of Under a Turquoise Sky:
“Definitely grittier than most Christian romantic suspense novels, Under a Turquoise Sky addresses a number of social issues and the author doesn't pull any punches. She writes with unflinching honesty laced with compassion. That's really evident in her tough-as-nails hero, Aaron. Probably one of the most amazing character arcs I have ever read. His faith journey alone is worth the read.”
It is my prayer that my novels will encourage readers to walk in beautiful obedience to the Shepherd of their souls. I pray each will discover the name by which He calls us—beloved—and fully embrace its significance. And, I hope they have as much fun reading my novels as I had writing them.
rem: Brought tears to my eyes. That’s what it’s all about, isn’t it, whether through a pages of a novel or standing next to someone in check-out at the store – our lives touching others. If you could choose to be a character in a book, who would it be and why?
LC: I am a great fan of all Catherine Palmer’s Treasures of the Heart series heroines because of the suspense, the exotic locations, and the take-your-breath romance.
rem: I have not read Catherine Palmer – now I must! You offer some great advice for writers on your website! My favourite is #2: “Glue your butt in the writing chair and write at least a 1000 words every day.” Consider my toes stepped on! What advice can you give here for others aspiring to publish a book of their own?
LC: Attend as many of the best conferences as you can afford—at least one a year. This is where the publishing gatekeepers hang out. Here you can find an agent, an editor, find a critique partner and a network of other writers to cheer you on your writing journey. And, make it your primary goal to grow as a writer—so study the craft; study marketing; study the industry.
rem: I intend to be at ACFW next year! I blogged not long ago about this incredible circle of writer friends I’ve stumbled into. I’m amazed, and thrilled, and I’m loving every minute of it! Even the “hats” that are not so comfortable!
Thank you, Lisa, for joining me today. I can’t wait to read Under a Turquoise Sky.
Beneath a Navajo Moon
Under a Turquoise Sky
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October 22, 2014
WELCOME to my PARTY!!! DAY 22
The month of October is a special time for me:
my debut novel, my baby,
Tessa,
will be released IN PRINT on Halloween!
WHEEEEE!!!!!
PHOTO REALISM
As a child, Marni Miller was not the driven and unyielding woman encountered in Tessa. An only child, growing up in the 40’s and 50’s, Marni was further isolated by the reclusive nature and advanced age of her parents. Marni loved to listen to the stories her mother, Rose, would tell her of visiting her own grandmother in Baltimore, and the fancy dances they held. Rose taught Marni some of the dances, but rarely did they go anywhere other than the library.
At a young age, Marni picked up a pencil and started sketching.
First she drew horses, because her mother read National Velvet and Black Beauty to her frequently; Marni requested them over and over. She painted landscapes, places she imagined the horses might be, and images from her infrequent visits to her mother’s childhood home in West Virginia.
She painted her cousins, and their pets.
And because Marni’s father wouldn’t permit her to have animals, she drew him instead, and their house.
Soon after her mother died, Marni found her own baby scrapbook, and drew a striking image of herself from a tattered photo.
“Photorealism is a genre of art that encompasses painting, drawing and other graphic mediums, in which an artist studies a photograph and then attempts to reproduce the image as realistically as possible in another medium. … it is also used to refer specifically to a group of paintings and painters of the United States that began in the late 1960’s and early 1970’s.” [taken from Wikipedia.]
By the time photorealism was a recognized art form, Marni was already in New York, with her glorious career path unfolding. As a child, she knew nothing of art forms or schools of art, she just drew and painted what she saw. As she grew, and began to take classes to refine her skill, she relied on photos and existing paintings.
“As a full-fledged art movement, Photorealism evolved from Pop Art and as a counter to Abstract Expressionisms,” something Marni despised. “Photoreaslists use a photograph or several photographs to gather the information to create their paintings… The invention of photography in the nineteenth century had three effects on art: portrait and scenic artists were deemed inferior to the photograph and many turned to photography as careers; the photograph as source material and as an aid – however, they went to great lengths to deny the fact fearing that their work would be misunderstood as imitations; and through the photograph’s invention artists were open to a great deal of new experimentation. Thus, the culmination of the invention of the photograph was a break in art’s history towards the challenge facing the artist – since the earliest known cave drawings – trying to replicate the scenes they viewed.” [Wikipedia]
“By the time the Photorealists began producing their bodies of work the photograph had become the leading means of reproducing reality and abstraction was the focus of the art world… Pop Art and Photorealism were both reactionary movements stemming from the ever increasing and overwhelming abundance of photographic media, which by the mid 20th century had grown into such a massive phenomenon that it was threatening to lessen the value of imagery in art. However, whereas the Pop artists were primarily pointing out the absurdity of much of the imagery … the Photorealists were trying to reclaim and exalt the value of an image.” [Wikipedia]
“The word Photorealism was coined by Louis K. Meisel in 1969 and appeared in print for the first time in 1970 in a Whitney Museum catalogue… Louis K. Meisel, two years later, developed a five-point definition… was as follows:
1. The Photo-Realist uses the camera and photograph to gather information.
2. The Photo-Realist uses a mechanical or semimechanical means to transfer the information to the canvas.
3. The Photo-Realist must have the technical ability to make the finished work appear photographic.
4. The artist must have exhibited work as a Photo-Realist by 1972 to be considered one of the central Photo-Realists.
5. The artist must have devoted at least five years to the development and exhibition of Photo Realist work.” [Wikipedia]
“The evolution of technology has brought forth photorealistic paintings that exceed what was thought possible with paintings; these newer paintings by the photorealists are sometimes referred to as Hyperrealism. With new technology in cameras and digital equipment, artists are able to be far more precision-oriented.” [Wikipedia]
Marni was that if she was anything, precision-oriented, exacting to the minutest detail. It was this reason that she could not appreciate Cassie’s passion for Impressionism, and it was for this reason that she held such disdain for the disturbing images of Connie’s beloved Fauvism, Cubism, Dadaism and Surrealism. Marni held to an impossible standard of perfectionism, which pervades far more than art.
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https://twitter.com/amythyst212
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...
#marniart, #photorealism, #hyperrealism, #nationalvelvet, #blackbeauty, #cousins&pets
my debut novel, my baby,
Tessa,
will be released IN PRINT on Halloween!
WHEEEEE!!!!!
PHOTO REALISM
As a child, Marni Miller was not the driven and unyielding woman encountered in Tessa. An only child, growing up in the 40’s and 50’s, Marni was further isolated by the reclusive nature and advanced age of her parents. Marni loved to listen to the stories her mother, Rose, would tell her of visiting her own grandmother in Baltimore, and the fancy dances they held. Rose taught Marni some of the dances, but rarely did they go anywhere other than the library.
At a young age, Marni picked up a pencil and started sketching.
First she drew horses, because her mother read National Velvet and Black Beauty to her frequently; Marni requested them over and over. She painted landscapes, places she imagined the horses might be, and images from her infrequent visits to her mother’s childhood home in West Virginia.
She painted her cousins, and their pets.
And because Marni’s father wouldn’t permit her to have animals, she drew him instead, and their house.
Soon after her mother died, Marni found her own baby scrapbook, and drew a striking image of herself from a tattered photo.
“Photorealism is a genre of art that encompasses painting, drawing and other graphic mediums, in which an artist studies a photograph and then attempts to reproduce the image as realistically as possible in another medium. … it is also used to refer specifically to a group of paintings and painters of the United States that began in the late 1960’s and early 1970’s.” [taken from Wikipedia.]
By the time photorealism was a recognized art form, Marni was already in New York, with her glorious career path unfolding. As a child, she knew nothing of art forms or schools of art, she just drew and painted what she saw. As she grew, and began to take classes to refine her skill, she relied on photos and existing paintings.
“As a full-fledged art movement, Photorealism evolved from Pop Art and as a counter to Abstract Expressionisms,” something Marni despised. “Photoreaslists use a photograph or several photographs to gather the information to create their paintings… The invention of photography in the nineteenth century had three effects on art: portrait and scenic artists were deemed inferior to the photograph and many turned to photography as careers; the photograph as source material and as an aid – however, they went to great lengths to deny the fact fearing that their work would be misunderstood as imitations; and through the photograph’s invention artists were open to a great deal of new experimentation. Thus, the culmination of the invention of the photograph was a break in art’s history towards the challenge facing the artist – since the earliest known cave drawings – trying to replicate the scenes they viewed.” [Wikipedia]
“By the time the Photorealists began producing their bodies of work the photograph had become the leading means of reproducing reality and abstraction was the focus of the art world… Pop Art and Photorealism were both reactionary movements stemming from the ever increasing and overwhelming abundance of photographic media, which by the mid 20th century had grown into such a massive phenomenon that it was threatening to lessen the value of imagery in art. However, whereas the Pop artists were primarily pointing out the absurdity of much of the imagery … the Photorealists were trying to reclaim and exalt the value of an image.” [Wikipedia]
“The word Photorealism was coined by Louis K. Meisel in 1969 and appeared in print for the first time in 1970 in a Whitney Museum catalogue… Louis K. Meisel, two years later, developed a five-point definition… was as follows:
1. The Photo-Realist uses the camera and photograph to gather information.
2. The Photo-Realist uses a mechanical or semimechanical means to transfer the information to the canvas.
3. The Photo-Realist must have the technical ability to make the finished work appear photographic.
4. The artist must have exhibited work as a Photo-Realist by 1972 to be considered one of the central Photo-Realists.
5. The artist must have devoted at least five years to the development and exhibition of Photo Realist work.” [Wikipedia]
“The evolution of technology has brought forth photorealistic paintings that exceed what was thought possible with paintings; these newer paintings by the photorealists are sometimes referred to as Hyperrealism. With new technology in cameras and digital equipment, artists are able to be far more precision-oriented.” [Wikipedia]
Marni was that if she was anything, precision-oriented, exacting to the minutest detail. It was this reason that she could not appreciate Cassie’s passion for Impressionism, and it was for this reason that she held such disdain for the disturbing images of Connie’s beloved Fauvism, Cubism, Dadaism and Surrealism. Marni held to an impossible standard of perfectionism, which pervades far more than art.
http://robinsnest212.wordpress.com/
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Robin-...
http://www.amazon.com/Robin-E.-Mason/...
https://twitter.com/amythyst212
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...
#marniart, #photorealism, #hyperrealism, #nationalvelvet, #blackbeauty, #cousins&pets
October 21, 2014
WELCOME to my PARTY!!! – BOOK REVIEW #3
The month of October is a special time for me:
my debut novel, my baby,
Tessa,
will be released IN PRINT on Halloween!
WHEEEEE!!!!!
BOOK REVIEW – A LADY at WILLOWGROVE HALL by SARAH E. LADD
Who doesn’t have secrets? How many secrets do we keep because they would destroy us? Who can we trust with our deepest, darkest secrets?
What if the year is 1814? Aristocracy and nobility, estate tenants and servants, gentry and titles, freeholders and shopkeepers, upper class and lower class – upstairs, downstairs. Secrets could mean the difference between a secure life and a life of hardship. Of rejection and censure – shame and embarrassment. Honor and reputation was highly esteemed.
Cecily Faire has such a secret. And her secret changes her life forever. She is ripped from the life she knows, however turbulent it might have been, and taken to start a new life.
Time passes, and she sets off once again, this time with blessing and of her own volition, to embrace a promising new future. Until her past slams right into her face. Suddenly every day is filled with dread that old secrets will come tumbling out and ruin her.
Nathaniel Stanton, steward of Willowgrove Hall, has a secret of his own. And he awaits the day he can leave Willowgrove and begin a new life with no more shadows looming over him.
For her years at Rosemere School for Young Ladies, Cecily told no one her secret. She divulged nothing, not even a hint, not even to those to whom she was closest. And in so doing, she distanced herself from those she longed to be close to.
Cecily knew she could never marry, she could never reveal her secret to another. For to marry, Cecily also knew, she could keep no secrets. As the daughter of a blacksmith, she had no dowry to bring, and therefore had only her reputation to speak for her. Cecily’s secret, then, was under highest lock and key along with her heart. She resigned herself to the life of a spinster.
Nathaniel also knew his secret would be made known upon Lady Trent’s death; he knew his new life would begin on that same day. Until that time, he could grant no romantic interest, could not give his heart away. Could not allow anyone in.
Cecily and Nathaniel dance around the romance they both long for, fighting it to the bitter end, each knowing the other would reject them for certes should they ever find out the truth.
Sarah E. Ladd has brought a true-to-era story of propriety and moral character. Class lines were clearly drawn and not easily crossed, rigid societal rules of the time, lower class did not speak to upper class unless spoken to. Ms. Ladd has conveyed this in every page, every encounter, every conversation. Her descriptions vivid and strong and bright: “Anxiety wound its way around every one of Cecily’s nerves…” “With each word, the tension between them pulled harder, a battle masked behind civil, even tones.” Exquisite prose.
But more so than era-accurate, more than a neatly told romance, was Cecily’s struggle, to the very end, of seeking, desiring love, rang especially true for me. Longing for something she felt she could never have, something she had never known, echoes the struggle of every heart to know the Father’s love. Something that is there, always and in every moment, if only we can – will - reach for it. I felt Cecily’s pain, so skillfully conveyed by Ms. Ladd, and rejoiced with her in her triumph. Beautifully done, Sarah, beautifully done.
I look forward to reading The Heiress of Winterwood and The Headmistress of Rosemere.
http://robinsnest212.wordpress.com/
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Robin-...
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#bookreview, #saraheladd, #aladyatwillowgrovehall, #theheiressofwinterwood, #theheadmistressofrosemere, #regencyerafiction, #secrets
my debut novel, my baby,
Tessa,
will be released IN PRINT on Halloween!
WHEEEEE!!!!!
BOOK REVIEW – A LADY at WILLOWGROVE HALL by SARAH E. LADD
Who doesn’t have secrets? How many secrets do we keep because they would destroy us? Who can we trust with our deepest, darkest secrets?
What if the year is 1814? Aristocracy and nobility, estate tenants and servants, gentry and titles, freeholders and shopkeepers, upper class and lower class – upstairs, downstairs. Secrets could mean the difference between a secure life and a life of hardship. Of rejection and censure – shame and embarrassment. Honor and reputation was highly esteemed.
Cecily Faire has such a secret. And her secret changes her life forever. She is ripped from the life she knows, however turbulent it might have been, and taken to start a new life.
Time passes, and she sets off once again, this time with blessing and of her own volition, to embrace a promising new future. Until her past slams right into her face. Suddenly every day is filled with dread that old secrets will come tumbling out and ruin her.
Nathaniel Stanton, steward of Willowgrove Hall, has a secret of his own. And he awaits the day he can leave Willowgrove and begin a new life with no more shadows looming over him.
For her years at Rosemere School for Young Ladies, Cecily told no one her secret. She divulged nothing, not even a hint, not even to those to whom she was closest. And in so doing, she distanced herself from those she longed to be close to.
Cecily knew she could never marry, she could never reveal her secret to another. For to marry, Cecily also knew, she could keep no secrets. As the daughter of a blacksmith, she had no dowry to bring, and therefore had only her reputation to speak for her. Cecily’s secret, then, was under highest lock and key along with her heart. She resigned herself to the life of a spinster.
Nathaniel also knew his secret would be made known upon Lady Trent’s death; he knew his new life would begin on that same day. Until that time, he could grant no romantic interest, could not give his heart away. Could not allow anyone in.
Cecily and Nathaniel dance around the romance they both long for, fighting it to the bitter end, each knowing the other would reject them for certes should they ever find out the truth.
Sarah E. Ladd has brought a true-to-era story of propriety and moral character. Class lines were clearly drawn and not easily crossed, rigid societal rules of the time, lower class did not speak to upper class unless spoken to. Ms. Ladd has conveyed this in every page, every encounter, every conversation. Her descriptions vivid and strong and bright: “Anxiety wound its way around every one of Cecily’s nerves…” “With each word, the tension between them pulled harder, a battle masked behind civil, even tones.” Exquisite prose.
But more so than era-accurate, more than a neatly told romance, was Cecily’s struggle, to the very end, of seeking, desiring love, rang especially true for me. Longing for something she felt she could never have, something she had never known, echoes the struggle of every heart to know the Father’s love. Something that is there, always and in every moment, if only we can – will - reach for it. I felt Cecily’s pain, so skillfully conveyed by Ms. Ladd, and rejoiced with her in her triumph. Beautifully done, Sarah, beautifully done.
I look forward to reading The Heiress of Winterwood and The Headmistress of Rosemere.
http://robinsnest212.wordpress.com/
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Robin-...
http://www.amazon.com/Robin-E.-Mason/...
https://twitter.com/amythyst212
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...
#bookreview, #saraheladd, #aladyatwillowgrovehall, #theheiressofwinterwood, #theheadmistressofrosemere, #regencyerafiction, #secrets
October 20, 2014
WELCOME to my PARTY!!! Sunday Devotional – Second Edition
Be not conformed to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. – Romans 12:2
As I was pondering on writing this, and my two previous devotional posts, it occurred to me I might have a trifecta of sorts:
Speak the truth of the Word of God in love, that you may grow up in all things into Him who is the head, Christ Jesus. – Ephesians 4:15
Death and life are in the power of the tongue.” (chapter 18, verse 21) And in Deuteronomy, chapter 30, verse 19, “… I have set before you, life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live; that you may love the Lord your God, that you may obey His voice, and that you may cling to Him, for He is your life and the length of your days; and that you may dwell in the land which the Lord swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give them.”
Be still and know that I am God. – Psalm 46:10
For isn’t that why He came? Didn’t He create us in His image to begin with? And when we as humanity walked away from that, He arranged everything to get us back. Talk about a love story. God of all creation, God of the universe, fought hell and back [literally] to win us back to Himself.
Why is it so hard then?
We make it hard. He doesn’t. He lays out exactly what we need to do to be with Him. But we allow our selfish (sinful) human nature, you know, the same nature that pervaded the Garden of Eden to dominate, dictate.
This just in: pondering the counsel to speak the Word, and making the comparison with us and Adam and Eve – they didn’t have a whole Bible or Torah full of Scripture to quote, or stand on, or study and meditate on. No, they had Him. You know, Jesus, the Word made flesh, before He was made flesh. Adam and Eve didn’t have to memorize Scripture, they talked with Him face to face, up close and personal.
That’s what I started with, 20+ years ago. Speaking the Word. And over the course of that 20+ years, it has manifest in changing my thinking, my mindset, and what I say and do. Something about out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks.
A few years ago, He ministered personally, with a vision and everything, about sitting quietly at His feet. Okay, here’s the vision. I was living in an old (1920’s) mill house. As a designer, I had a vision of what all I wanted to do to fix it up. And He gave me the vision. What I did not understand about visions and prophetic at that time, is that sometimes a vision or prophetic Word is a whisper of something to come later. The vision was a type of how my house or home would be. Not [necessarily] that exact house. So, the vision that day was this: I was looking out the window at the before yard, crab grass, uneven lawn, ant mountains – and a young billy goat jumping and frolicking about. Then it morphs into the after version, my lovely deck, pretty zoysia grass, flowers, and Jesus sitting calmly perched on the steps. And a sweet baby lamb laying quietly at His feet. In that understanding that comes [sometimes] with a vision, I knew that I was the billy goat / lamb, and the point was to sit quietly at His feet. No amount of striving aka jumping about, would bring about the fulfillment of the vision any sooner, and in fact, tends to delay the promise. When, however, we can learn to sit quietly and listen, you know Be still and know, then He speaks, and He manifests things we cannot fathom or understand.
So, for me, that was the second leg of the triangle.
I couldn’t really say when Romans 12:2 came alive to me. But it is my anchor, my signature Scripture. For that is our ultimate goal and objective as believers, to be like Him. The whole of chapter 12 is about living as Christ: living sacrifice to God, serving God with spiritual gifts, behaving like a Christian. Verse 3 goes on to say, “… that we may prove what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” Looking at verse 1, we read, “… present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is our reasonable service.” Then verse 2 begins by admonishing us to not conform to the pattern of this world.
We are set apart, we are His chosen people. He is no bouncer at the door, however, with some list of names to check off, allow in or turn away. Yes, He cautions us about being turned away, but He also says He does not desire that anyone should be turned away. Refer to the whole “you choose” bit above, in Deuteronomy.
Funny how the triangle isn’t so different from a circle, that it is continuous in its movement, just got those angles thrown in.
All the years I tried to fit some mold that was not His making, or design for me. “So, I did my best to fit in some hole, or box, or human mold. And I managed, I functioned. But I did not flourish. I did not thrive. I did not grow or blossom or bloom. My art was stifled. I was stifled.” [why now, 052314] We are not designed to fit in. We are set apart, sanctified – redeemed. We are designed to stand out, to rise up, to have dominion. Don’t forget, we’re talking spiritual realm here. As our natural mind yields to His thinking, our spirit man is transformed more and more into His likeness.
And this comes about how? By hearing the Word. By speaking the Word. By knowing and meditating on the Word.
And how do we know and hear the Word? Hear His still small voice? Be still. Be still and know – and be transformed.
Trifecta, see?
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As I was pondering on writing this, and my two previous devotional posts, it occurred to me I might have a trifecta of sorts:
Speak the truth of the Word of God in love, that you may grow up in all things into Him who is the head, Christ Jesus. – Ephesians 4:15
Death and life are in the power of the tongue.” (chapter 18, verse 21) And in Deuteronomy, chapter 30, verse 19, “… I have set before you, life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live; that you may love the Lord your God, that you may obey His voice, and that you may cling to Him, for He is your life and the length of your days; and that you may dwell in the land which the Lord swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give them.”
Be still and know that I am God. – Psalm 46:10
For isn’t that why He came? Didn’t He create us in His image to begin with? And when we as humanity walked away from that, He arranged everything to get us back. Talk about a love story. God of all creation, God of the universe, fought hell and back [literally] to win us back to Himself.
Why is it so hard then?
We make it hard. He doesn’t. He lays out exactly what we need to do to be with Him. But we allow our selfish (sinful) human nature, you know, the same nature that pervaded the Garden of Eden to dominate, dictate.
This just in: pondering the counsel to speak the Word, and making the comparison with us and Adam and Eve – they didn’t have a whole Bible or Torah full of Scripture to quote, or stand on, or study and meditate on. No, they had Him. You know, Jesus, the Word made flesh, before He was made flesh. Adam and Eve didn’t have to memorize Scripture, they talked with Him face to face, up close and personal.
That’s what I started with, 20+ years ago. Speaking the Word. And over the course of that 20+ years, it has manifest in changing my thinking, my mindset, and what I say and do. Something about out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks.
A few years ago, He ministered personally, with a vision and everything, about sitting quietly at His feet. Okay, here’s the vision. I was living in an old (1920’s) mill house. As a designer, I had a vision of what all I wanted to do to fix it up. And He gave me the vision. What I did not understand about visions and prophetic at that time, is that sometimes a vision or prophetic Word is a whisper of something to come later. The vision was a type of how my house or home would be. Not [necessarily] that exact house. So, the vision that day was this: I was looking out the window at the before yard, crab grass, uneven lawn, ant mountains – and a young billy goat jumping and frolicking about. Then it morphs into the after version, my lovely deck, pretty zoysia grass, flowers, and Jesus sitting calmly perched on the steps. And a sweet baby lamb laying quietly at His feet. In that understanding that comes [sometimes] with a vision, I knew that I was the billy goat / lamb, and the point was to sit quietly at His feet. No amount of striving aka jumping about, would bring about the fulfillment of the vision any sooner, and in fact, tends to delay the promise. When, however, we can learn to sit quietly and listen, you know Be still and know, then He speaks, and He manifests things we cannot fathom or understand.
So, for me, that was the second leg of the triangle.
I couldn’t really say when Romans 12:2 came alive to me. But it is my anchor, my signature Scripture. For that is our ultimate goal and objective as believers, to be like Him. The whole of chapter 12 is about living as Christ: living sacrifice to God, serving God with spiritual gifts, behaving like a Christian. Verse 3 goes on to say, “… that we may prove what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” Looking at verse 1, we read, “… present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is our reasonable service.” Then verse 2 begins by admonishing us to not conform to the pattern of this world.
We are set apart, we are His chosen people. He is no bouncer at the door, however, with some list of names to check off, allow in or turn away. Yes, He cautions us about being turned away, but He also says He does not desire that anyone should be turned away. Refer to the whole “you choose” bit above, in Deuteronomy.
Funny how the triangle isn’t so different from a circle, that it is continuous in its movement, just got those angles thrown in.
All the years I tried to fit some mold that was not His making, or design for me. “So, I did my best to fit in some hole, or box, or human mold. And I managed, I functioned. But I did not flourish. I did not thrive. I did not grow or blossom or bloom. My art was stifled. I was stifled.” [why now, 052314] We are not designed to fit in. We are set apart, sanctified – redeemed. We are designed to stand out, to rise up, to have dominion. Don’t forget, we’re talking spiritual realm here. As our natural mind yields to His thinking, our spirit man is transformed more and more into His likeness.
And this comes about how? By hearing the Word. By speaking the Word. By knowing and meditating on the Word.
And how do we know and hear the Word? Hear His still small voice? Be still. Be still and know – and be transformed.
Trifecta, see?
http://robinsnest212.wordpress.com/
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Robin-...
http://www.amazon.com/Robin-E.-Mason/...
https://twitter.com/amythyst212
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...
#devotional, #transformed, #livingsacrifice, #speaktheWord, #bestillandknow, #trifecta, #chosenpeople, #stillsmallvoice
October 18, 2014
¡¡¡BIENVENIDO a mi FIESTA!!! - DIA DIEZ y OCHO
La mes de octubre es un tiempo especial para mí:
mi novela de debut, mi niña
Tessa,
será lanzado IMPRIMIDA en Halloween!
WHEEEEE!!!!!
Short n sweet tonight, again.
Bienvenido querido Señor. Te adoramos, te damos la gloria, la honra, la alabanza. Buscamos tu cara, pedimos el Espíritu Santo.
Examínanos, oh Dios, examina cada uno, sondea nuestras corazones; nos pon a prueba y sondea muestras pensamientos. Fíjate si voy por mal camino, y guíanos por el camino eterno.
~ Salmos 139: 23 – 24
Nos damos en Tu mano, caminamos con el Espíritu Santo, pedimos Tu Palabra y Tu voluntad. Tomos Tuyos, querido Padre, Te amamos, te damos la honra y la gloria. En el Nombre de Jesús, Amén y Amén.
http://robinsnest212.wordpress.com/
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Robin-...
http://www.amazon.com/Robin-E.-Mason/...
https://twitter.com/amythyst212
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...
#spanish, #espanol, #Salmos, #corazon, #caminoeterno
mi novela de debut, mi niña
Tessa,
será lanzado IMPRIMIDA en Halloween!
WHEEEEE!!!!!
Short n sweet tonight, again.
Bienvenido querido Señor. Te adoramos, te damos la gloria, la honra, la alabanza. Buscamos tu cara, pedimos el Espíritu Santo.
Examínanos, oh Dios, examina cada uno, sondea nuestras corazones; nos pon a prueba y sondea muestras pensamientos. Fíjate si voy por mal camino, y guíanos por el camino eterno.
~ Salmos 139: 23 – 24
Nos damos en Tu mano, caminamos con el Espíritu Santo, pedimos Tu Palabra y Tu voluntad. Tomos Tuyos, querido Padre, Te amamos, te damos la honra y la gloria. En el Nombre de Jesús, Amén y Amén.
http://robinsnest212.wordpress.com/
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Robin-...
http://www.amazon.com/Robin-E.-Mason/...
https://twitter.com/amythyst212
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...
#spanish, #espanol, #Salmos, #corazon, #caminoeterno
October 17, 2014
WELCOME to my PARTY!!! DAY SEVENTEEN
The month of October is a special time for me:
my debut novel, my baby,
Tessa,
will be released IN PRINT on Halloween!
WHEEEEE!!!!!
DEPRESSION
I suffered from depression for many years of my life. I was totally unaware of it until I sought help for deep underlying issues. I was on prescription medication, and was receiving counseling. Ultimately, it was by faith that I was freed from the disease. But I know all too well much of the misunderstanding of the disease. I have recognized in my writing, that my characters tend to suffer depression, and so, I purpose to help shed light on the disease and generate awareness. The following is an article taken from WebMD site.
Myths and Facts About Depression
Reviewed by Michael W. Smith, MD on March 14, 2014
This tool does not provide medical advice.
© 2014 WebMD, LLC. All rights reserved.
note: the original article is a slide show, which I chose to omit
Myth: Hard Work Beats Depression
Depression affects nearly one in six people at some point in their lives, so folk remedies and half-truths about this common illness abound. One such idea: throw yourself into work and you'll feel better. For a mild case of the blues, this may indeed help, but depression is a different animal. Overworking can actually be a sign of clinical depression, especially in men.
Myth: It's Not a Real Illness
Depression is a serious medical condition -- and the top cause of disability in American adults. But it's still confused with ordinary sadness. Biological evidence of the illness can be seen in brain scans, which show abnormal activity levels. Key brain chemicals that carry signals between nerves … also appear to be out of balance in depressed people.
Fact: Men Fly Under the Radar
A depressed man, his loved ones, and even his doctor may not recognize depression. That's because men are less likely than women to talk about their feelings -- and some depressed men don't appear sad or down. Instead, men may be irritable, angry, or restless. They may even lash out at others. Some men try to cope with depression through reckless behavior, drinking, or drugs.
Myth: Depression Is Just Self-Pity
Our culture admires will power and mental toughness and is quick to label anyone who falls back as a whiner. But people who have clinical depression are not lazy or simply feeling sorry for themselves. Nor can they "will" depression to go away. Depression is a medical illness -- a health problem related to changes in the brain. Like other illnesses, it usually improves with appropriate treatment.
Fact: Anyone Can Get Depressed
Poet or linebacker, shy or outgoing, anyone from any ethnic background can develop depression. The illness is twice as common in women as in men, but it may be that women are more likely to seek help. It's often first noticed in the late teens or 20s, but an episode can develop at any age. Tough personal experiences can trigger depression, or it may develop out of the blue.
Fact: It Can Sneak Up Slowly
Depression can creep up gradually, which makes it harder to identify than a sudden illness. A bad day turns into a rut and you start skipping work, school, or social occasions. One type, called dysthymia, can last for years as a chronic, low-level illness – a malaise that silently undermines your career and relationships. Or depression can become a severe, disabling condition. With treatment, many feel substantial relief in 4-6 weeks.
Myth: Help Means Drugs for Life
Despite the buzz about a "Prozac Nation," medication is only one of the tools used to lift depression. And asking for help does not mean you'll be pressured to take prescription drugs. In fact, studies suggest that "talk" therapy works as well as drugs for mild to moderate depression. Even if you do use antidepressants, it probably won’t be for life. Your doctor will help you determine the right time to stop your medication.
Myth: Depressed People Cry a Lot
Not always. Some people don't cry or even act terribly sad when they're depressed. Instead they are emotionally "blank" and may feel worthless or useless. Even without dramatic symptoms, untreated depression prevents people from living life to its fullest -- and takes a toll on families.
Fact: Family History Is Not Destiny
If depression appears in your family tree, you're more likely to get it too. But chances are you won't. People with a family history can watch for early symptoms of depression and take positive action promptly -- whether that means reducing stress, getting more exercise, counseling, or other professional treatment.
Myth: Depression Is Part of Aging
Most people navigate the challenges of aging without becoming depressed. But when it does occur, it may be overlooked. Older people may hide their sadness or have different, vague symptoms: food just doesn't taste good anymore, aches and pains worsen, or sleep patterns change. Medical problems can trigger depression in seniors -- and depression can slow recovery from a heart attack or surgery.
Fact: Depression Imitates Dementia
In seniors, depression can be the root cause of memory problems, confusion, and in some cases, delusions. Caregivers and doctors may mistake these problems for signs of dementia, or an age-related decline in memory. Getting treatment lifts the cloud for the majority of older people with depression. Psychotherapy is particularly useful for people who can't or don't want to take medication.
Myth: Talking Makes Things Worse
People were once advised not to "dwell on" problems by talking about them. Today, there's evidence that guided discussions with a professional can make things much better. Different types of psychotherapy help treat depression by addressing negative thought patterns, unconscious feelings, or relationship troubles. The first step is to talk to a mental health professional.
Fact: Positive Thinking May Help
The old advice to "accentuate the positive" has advanced into a practice that can ease depression. It’s called cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). People learn new ways of thinking and behaving. Negative "self-talk" and behavior is identified and replaced with more upbeat thoughts and a more positive mood. Used alone or with medication, CBT works for many people.
Myth: Teens Are Unhappy by Nature
Although many teens are moody, argumentative, and intrigued by "the dark side," prolongued sadness or irritability is not normal for teens. When unhappiness lasts more than two weeks, it may be a sign of depression -- which develops in about one in 11 teens. Other signs a teen may need help include: being constantly sad or irritable even with friends, taking no pleasure in favorite activities, or a sudden drop in grades.
Fact: Exercise Is Good Medicine
Very good studies now show that regular, moderately intense exercise can improve symptoms of depression and work as well as some medicines for people with mild to moderate depression. Exercising with a group or a good friend adds social support, another mood booster.
Myth: Depression Is Tough to Treat
The reality is most people who take action to lift their depression do get better. In a large study by the National Institute of Mental Health, 70% of people became symptom-free through medications -- though not always with the first medicine. Studies show the best treatment is combining medication and talk therapy.
Fact: It's Not Always Depression
Some life events cause sadness or disappointment, but do not become clinical depression. Grief is normal after a death, divorce, loss of a job, or diagnosis with a serious health problem. One clue of a need for treatment: the sadness is constant every day, most of the day. When people are weathering difficult times appropriately, they can usually be distracted or cheered up for short periods of time.
Fact: Hope for Better Days Is Real
In the depths of depression, people may think there's no hope for a better life. This hopelessness is part of the illness, not a reality. With treatment, positive thinking gradually replaces negative thoughts. Sleep and appetite improve as the depressed mood lifts. And people who've seen a counselor for talk therapy are equipped with better coping skills to deal with the stresses in life that can get you down.
http://www.webmd.com/depression/ss/sl...?
I also have asked my dear friend’s daughter, the lovely Arianna, to share from her journey.
http://youtu.be/kSZVx9m1kh8]
“I have hidden my face far away,‘cause the flesh on my skin is on display. They say healing will come if I pray, But they don’t know, they don’t know.That I’m waiting, waiting for someone to see me. I am waiting, I’m waiting for these wounds to wipe clean. I did not choose my disease, Please see the flower in the weeds.” --Jonathan Thulin “Torches”
Hello, my name is Arianna. I suffer from Bipolar (NOS). It’s been a long fight to survive what the average person can just live right through without so much as flinch, it seems. I know things I never wanted to know, due to the strong impulses that I have. This mental disease-- manic-depression has sent me for long roller coaster rides that basically destroy me from the inside out. If I had my way, these roller coasters in my emotional instability would never have existed. I hate it as much as the next person. If it was as easy as to snap a finger and say to it “begone”, don’t you think I’d have done it? I’ve had to learn that God’s grace is sufficient for me. That He goes before me, is beside me, and watches behind me.
Sometimes when God works behind the scenes to strengthen you in Him, He sends pain our way. It is the pen of pain that the Author and Finisher of our faith uses to make you more like Him. He loves us too much to not use this pen. He’s uses my disease as a way to humble myself. All of the therapy, medicine, and pushing forward could never erase my disease away...and sometimes God just says that His grace is sufficient for me. It’s been a hard war in my mind. I’m torn in two, fighting myself and it destroys me… But, everyday, I choose to rise from my bed and keep fighting. Believe me, I really grow weary of this war. But, there’s One Hope that I cling to-- the Hope that was promised-- the Hope of the time to come, when I have completely healed. It might not be on this side of heaven, but I know with all my heart that God is a God of healing… and He desires so much for me to be healed… but in His own time. This produces endurance and patience and faith, which it also requires that I have those, like a cycle that never ends.
In my dailyaudiobible, yesterday, Brian Hardin talked about the context of Jeremiah 29:11. And hearing it comforted me. Because His merciful lovingkindess[hesed] is willing to wait as long as it takes to bring me back to Him, and the hammer this Great Blacksmith uses is the suffering that humbles myself to bend a knee…
“We see in scripture that God is willing to take his time, to take a long time. He is willing to leave a whole generation wandering in the desert before they ever go into the Promised Land because the root of all of this was in them. So he is willing for them to stay 70 years in Babylon to redefine them again and bring a remnant back. To God what is 40 years? What is 70 years when he is looking at the souls of these people, understanding that 40 years of ten trillion years is less than a wisp, less than a vapor? What is 40 years when the implications are forever and ever and ever, amen? What is 40 years? What is 70 years? What is a generation of people when he is trying to rescue them for all eternity? God is willing to take as long as it takes which really isn’t harsh. It is really patient. It is really merciful. It is really loving unless you don’t believe in eternity and then yeah, it can seem harsh.
Here’s the deal. When we use the most famous verse in all the Bible, then we have to use it in its context and turn it toward ourselves properly. You have a Heavenly Father that is willing to utterly and completely disrupt you to save you. Not everything that is happening to you that makes you uncomfortable is an attack of the evil one on you. There is actually more to life than comfort which is not to say that God doesn’t bring comfort or allow us to have comfort. He does. There is more to life than that.
Our lives boil down to that very often. However comfortable we feel we are is how blessed we think we are very often that is not necessarily the case. Not everything that disrupts us or makes us uncomfortable is bad. That is just our kneejerk reaction. We go crazy trying to get back to the way things were when God may be pressing in and saying the way things were is not working and you can never go back to that place again for I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord. They are plans for good and not for disaster and that is where you were going. They are plans to give you a future and a hope and you were running from that as fast as you could to destroy yourself. So settle in. Build homes and plan to stay. Plant gardens and eat the food they produce. Marry and have children and find spouses for them so that you may have many grandchildren. Multiply. Don’t dwindle away. Work for the peace of where you are because that will determine your welfare. We’ve got some work to do so that I can actually get you to the plans that I have for you.”
--Brian Hardin [dailyaudiobible 10/16/14]
And so, if it breaks me down enough to bow before my God, I never want God to stop the insanity until He has finished His work. Perhaps the healing I shall receive down in this world may be the road to recovery rather than the complete cure of it all. And with all that said, I will trust the Lord in the process…
BIO:
Those who stand for nothing fall for anything. --Peter Marshall
Arianna is a proud authoress, artist, and musician, but the most important thing about her is; she seeks the hidden face of God with a passion. A lover of culture, art, music, and all things geeky(Whovian, Potterhead, Pegasister and Sherlockian) and Celtic, her writings are often greatly impacted by these things. She is a professed child at heart and proud to be just a girl trying to find her way around life. Homeschooled by her amazing mother and epic father, and on her senior year of high school. Hoping on going to Liberty University for college and to double major in Psychology and Theology. She dreams to become a psych-therapist, and to help teens and young adults going through what she has gone through in her own mental illness. A seeker and an experimenter, with a love for studying on psychology, theology, astronomy, meteorology, oceanography and entomology just for kicks. Along with those mentioned areas that she enjoys studying, she also has a passion for seeking out beautiful things in the world. She also hosts Soundwaves of Love Ministries which is connected with her mother’s and her ministry, LIGHT for MI, her most ardent goal in this ministry is to bring out the modern-day maidens and knights in her listeners and readers and to minister to the lonely and shattered hearts.
Every nation has an anthem. Every song begins unsung, unwritten, and silent, then all of a sudden it bursts out with melodies, choruses, and vocals! Our anthems are sung through the choices we make, the life we live, and the ways we act. Each verse is unsung until we make our choices, live our lives, and act our love, but the chorus is ever-constant, portraying the love of our King for His children and warriors, pilgriming to Heaven! --Arianna Scriptsmith
Thank you, Arianna, for sharing your story. I look forward to having you back again.
If you haven’t already, be sure to stop by and like my Facebook page, follow me on Twitter, on my blog! Please leave me a comment, let me know you’re here!
http://robinsnest212.wordpress.com/
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Robin-...
http://www.amazon.com/Robin-E.-Mason/...
https://twitter.com/amythyst212
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...
#depression, #webmd, #mythsandfacts, #ariannascriptsmith, #tenthavenuenorth, #dontstopthemadness, #inmyroom
my debut novel, my baby,
Tessa,
will be released IN PRINT on Halloween!
WHEEEEE!!!!!
DEPRESSION
I suffered from depression for many years of my life. I was totally unaware of it until I sought help for deep underlying issues. I was on prescription medication, and was receiving counseling. Ultimately, it was by faith that I was freed from the disease. But I know all too well much of the misunderstanding of the disease. I have recognized in my writing, that my characters tend to suffer depression, and so, I purpose to help shed light on the disease and generate awareness. The following is an article taken from WebMD site.
Myths and Facts About Depression
Reviewed by Michael W. Smith, MD on March 14, 2014
This tool does not provide medical advice.
© 2014 WebMD, LLC. All rights reserved.
note: the original article is a slide show, which I chose to omit
Myth: Hard Work Beats Depression
Depression affects nearly one in six people at some point in their lives, so folk remedies and half-truths about this common illness abound. One such idea: throw yourself into work and you'll feel better. For a mild case of the blues, this may indeed help, but depression is a different animal. Overworking can actually be a sign of clinical depression, especially in men.
Myth: It's Not a Real Illness
Depression is a serious medical condition -- and the top cause of disability in American adults. But it's still confused with ordinary sadness. Biological evidence of the illness can be seen in brain scans, which show abnormal activity levels. Key brain chemicals that carry signals between nerves … also appear to be out of balance in depressed people.
Fact: Men Fly Under the Radar
A depressed man, his loved ones, and even his doctor may not recognize depression. That's because men are less likely than women to talk about their feelings -- and some depressed men don't appear sad or down. Instead, men may be irritable, angry, or restless. They may even lash out at others. Some men try to cope with depression through reckless behavior, drinking, or drugs.
Myth: Depression Is Just Self-Pity
Our culture admires will power and mental toughness and is quick to label anyone who falls back as a whiner. But people who have clinical depression are not lazy or simply feeling sorry for themselves. Nor can they "will" depression to go away. Depression is a medical illness -- a health problem related to changes in the brain. Like other illnesses, it usually improves with appropriate treatment.
Fact: Anyone Can Get Depressed
Poet or linebacker, shy or outgoing, anyone from any ethnic background can develop depression. The illness is twice as common in women as in men, but it may be that women are more likely to seek help. It's often first noticed in the late teens or 20s, but an episode can develop at any age. Tough personal experiences can trigger depression, or it may develop out of the blue.
Fact: It Can Sneak Up Slowly
Depression can creep up gradually, which makes it harder to identify than a sudden illness. A bad day turns into a rut and you start skipping work, school, or social occasions. One type, called dysthymia, can last for years as a chronic, low-level illness – a malaise that silently undermines your career and relationships. Or depression can become a severe, disabling condition. With treatment, many feel substantial relief in 4-6 weeks.
Myth: Help Means Drugs for Life
Despite the buzz about a "Prozac Nation," medication is only one of the tools used to lift depression. And asking for help does not mean you'll be pressured to take prescription drugs. In fact, studies suggest that "talk" therapy works as well as drugs for mild to moderate depression. Even if you do use antidepressants, it probably won’t be for life. Your doctor will help you determine the right time to stop your medication.
Myth: Depressed People Cry a Lot
Not always. Some people don't cry or even act terribly sad when they're depressed. Instead they are emotionally "blank" and may feel worthless or useless. Even without dramatic symptoms, untreated depression prevents people from living life to its fullest -- and takes a toll on families.
Fact: Family History Is Not Destiny
If depression appears in your family tree, you're more likely to get it too. But chances are you won't. People with a family history can watch for early symptoms of depression and take positive action promptly -- whether that means reducing stress, getting more exercise, counseling, or other professional treatment.
Myth: Depression Is Part of Aging
Most people navigate the challenges of aging without becoming depressed. But when it does occur, it may be overlooked. Older people may hide their sadness or have different, vague symptoms: food just doesn't taste good anymore, aches and pains worsen, or sleep patterns change. Medical problems can trigger depression in seniors -- and depression can slow recovery from a heart attack or surgery.
Fact: Depression Imitates Dementia
In seniors, depression can be the root cause of memory problems, confusion, and in some cases, delusions. Caregivers and doctors may mistake these problems for signs of dementia, or an age-related decline in memory. Getting treatment lifts the cloud for the majority of older people with depression. Psychotherapy is particularly useful for people who can't or don't want to take medication.
Myth: Talking Makes Things Worse
People were once advised not to "dwell on" problems by talking about them. Today, there's evidence that guided discussions with a professional can make things much better. Different types of psychotherapy help treat depression by addressing negative thought patterns, unconscious feelings, or relationship troubles. The first step is to talk to a mental health professional.
Fact: Positive Thinking May Help
The old advice to "accentuate the positive" has advanced into a practice that can ease depression. It’s called cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). People learn new ways of thinking and behaving. Negative "self-talk" and behavior is identified and replaced with more upbeat thoughts and a more positive mood. Used alone or with medication, CBT works for many people.
Myth: Teens Are Unhappy by Nature
Although many teens are moody, argumentative, and intrigued by "the dark side," prolongued sadness or irritability is not normal for teens. When unhappiness lasts more than two weeks, it may be a sign of depression -- which develops in about one in 11 teens. Other signs a teen may need help include: being constantly sad or irritable even with friends, taking no pleasure in favorite activities, or a sudden drop in grades.
Fact: Exercise Is Good Medicine
Very good studies now show that regular, moderately intense exercise can improve symptoms of depression and work as well as some medicines for people with mild to moderate depression. Exercising with a group or a good friend adds social support, another mood booster.
Myth: Depression Is Tough to Treat
The reality is most people who take action to lift their depression do get better. In a large study by the National Institute of Mental Health, 70% of people became symptom-free through medications -- though not always with the first medicine. Studies show the best treatment is combining medication and talk therapy.
Fact: It's Not Always Depression
Some life events cause sadness or disappointment, but do not become clinical depression. Grief is normal after a death, divorce, loss of a job, or diagnosis with a serious health problem. One clue of a need for treatment: the sadness is constant every day, most of the day. When people are weathering difficult times appropriately, they can usually be distracted or cheered up for short periods of time.
Fact: Hope for Better Days Is Real
In the depths of depression, people may think there's no hope for a better life. This hopelessness is part of the illness, not a reality. With treatment, positive thinking gradually replaces negative thoughts. Sleep and appetite improve as the depressed mood lifts. And people who've seen a counselor for talk therapy are equipped with better coping skills to deal with the stresses in life that can get you down.
http://www.webmd.com/depression/ss/sl...?
I also have asked my dear friend’s daughter, the lovely Arianna, to share from her journey.
http://youtu.be/kSZVx9m1kh8]
“I have hidden my face far away,‘cause the flesh on my skin is on display. They say healing will come if I pray, But they don’t know, they don’t know.That I’m waiting, waiting for someone to see me. I am waiting, I’m waiting for these wounds to wipe clean. I did not choose my disease, Please see the flower in the weeds.” --Jonathan Thulin “Torches”
Hello, my name is Arianna. I suffer from Bipolar (NOS). It’s been a long fight to survive what the average person can just live right through without so much as flinch, it seems. I know things I never wanted to know, due to the strong impulses that I have. This mental disease-- manic-depression has sent me for long roller coaster rides that basically destroy me from the inside out. If I had my way, these roller coasters in my emotional instability would never have existed. I hate it as much as the next person. If it was as easy as to snap a finger and say to it “begone”, don’t you think I’d have done it? I’ve had to learn that God’s grace is sufficient for me. That He goes before me, is beside me, and watches behind me.
Sometimes when God works behind the scenes to strengthen you in Him, He sends pain our way. It is the pen of pain that the Author and Finisher of our faith uses to make you more like Him. He loves us too much to not use this pen. He’s uses my disease as a way to humble myself. All of the therapy, medicine, and pushing forward could never erase my disease away...and sometimes God just says that His grace is sufficient for me. It’s been a hard war in my mind. I’m torn in two, fighting myself and it destroys me… But, everyday, I choose to rise from my bed and keep fighting. Believe me, I really grow weary of this war. But, there’s One Hope that I cling to-- the Hope that was promised-- the Hope of the time to come, when I have completely healed. It might not be on this side of heaven, but I know with all my heart that God is a God of healing… and He desires so much for me to be healed… but in His own time. This produces endurance and patience and faith, which it also requires that I have those, like a cycle that never ends.
In my dailyaudiobible, yesterday, Brian Hardin talked about the context of Jeremiah 29:11. And hearing it comforted me. Because His merciful lovingkindess[hesed] is willing to wait as long as it takes to bring me back to Him, and the hammer this Great Blacksmith uses is the suffering that humbles myself to bend a knee…
“We see in scripture that God is willing to take his time, to take a long time. He is willing to leave a whole generation wandering in the desert before they ever go into the Promised Land because the root of all of this was in them. So he is willing for them to stay 70 years in Babylon to redefine them again and bring a remnant back. To God what is 40 years? What is 70 years when he is looking at the souls of these people, understanding that 40 years of ten trillion years is less than a wisp, less than a vapor? What is 40 years when the implications are forever and ever and ever, amen? What is 40 years? What is 70 years? What is a generation of people when he is trying to rescue them for all eternity? God is willing to take as long as it takes which really isn’t harsh. It is really patient. It is really merciful. It is really loving unless you don’t believe in eternity and then yeah, it can seem harsh.
Here’s the deal. When we use the most famous verse in all the Bible, then we have to use it in its context and turn it toward ourselves properly. You have a Heavenly Father that is willing to utterly and completely disrupt you to save you. Not everything that is happening to you that makes you uncomfortable is an attack of the evil one on you. There is actually more to life than comfort which is not to say that God doesn’t bring comfort or allow us to have comfort. He does. There is more to life than that.
Our lives boil down to that very often. However comfortable we feel we are is how blessed we think we are very often that is not necessarily the case. Not everything that disrupts us or makes us uncomfortable is bad. That is just our kneejerk reaction. We go crazy trying to get back to the way things were when God may be pressing in and saying the way things were is not working and you can never go back to that place again for I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord. They are plans for good and not for disaster and that is where you were going. They are plans to give you a future and a hope and you were running from that as fast as you could to destroy yourself. So settle in. Build homes and plan to stay. Plant gardens and eat the food they produce. Marry and have children and find spouses for them so that you may have many grandchildren. Multiply. Don’t dwindle away. Work for the peace of where you are because that will determine your welfare. We’ve got some work to do so that I can actually get you to the plans that I have for you.”
--Brian Hardin [dailyaudiobible 10/16/14]
And so, if it breaks me down enough to bow before my God, I never want God to stop the insanity until He has finished His work. Perhaps the healing I shall receive down in this world may be the road to recovery rather than the complete cure of it all. And with all that said, I will trust the Lord in the process…
BIO:
Those who stand for nothing fall for anything. --Peter Marshall
Arianna is a proud authoress, artist, and musician, but the most important thing about her is; she seeks the hidden face of God with a passion. A lover of culture, art, music, and all things geeky(Whovian, Potterhead, Pegasister and Sherlockian) and Celtic, her writings are often greatly impacted by these things. She is a professed child at heart and proud to be just a girl trying to find her way around life. Homeschooled by her amazing mother and epic father, and on her senior year of high school. Hoping on going to Liberty University for college and to double major in Psychology and Theology. She dreams to become a psych-therapist, and to help teens and young adults going through what she has gone through in her own mental illness. A seeker and an experimenter, with a love for studying on psychology, theology, astronomy, meteorology, oceanography and entomology just for kicks. Along with those mentioned areas that she enjoys studying, she also has a passion for seeking out beautiful things in the world. She also hosts Soundwaves of Love Ministries which is connected with her mother’s and her ministry, LIGHT for MI, her most ardent goal in this ministry is to bring out the modern-day maidens and knights in her listeners and readers and to minister to the lonely and shattered hearts.
Every nation has an anthem. Every song begins unsung, unwritten, and silent, then all of a sudden it bursts out with melodies, choruses, and vocals! Our anthems are sung through the choices we make, the life we live, and the ways we act. Each verse is unsung until we make our choices, live our lives, and act our love, but the chorus is ever-constant, portraying the love of our King for His children and warriors, pilgriming to Heaven! --Arianna Scriptsmith
Thank you, Arianna, for sharing your story. I look forward to having you back again.
If you haven’t already, be sure to stop by and like my Facebook page, follow me on Twitter, on my blog! Please leave me a comment, let me know you’re here!
http://robinsnest212.wordpress.com/
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http://www.amazon.com/Robin-E.-Mason/...
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#depression, #webmd, #mythsandfacts, #ariannascriptsmith, #tenthavenuenorth, #dontstopthemadness, #inmyroom
October 16, 2014
WELCOME to my PARTY!!! DAY 16
The month of October is a special time for me:
my debut novel, my baby,
Tessa,
will be released IN PRINT on Halloween!
WHEEEEE!!!!!
FAUVISM - CUBISM – DADOISM – SURREALISM
Last week I talked about Cassie’s art, IMPRESSIONISM. Today is Connie’s turn. Connie, not Cassie, was the flamboyant one, the party girl who snuck out and broke curfew. But Connie was the apple of their mother’s eye who could do no wrong, and Marni turned a blind eye, not wanting to know about her daughter’s tawdry side. Connie excelled in her music, and mastered her piano the way Marni mastered her canvas. In this, Marni was blind to Connie’s own wishes, and bestowed honor on her daughter as an artist that she just didn’t possess. Connie painted, to appease her mother, and she did own a degree of talent, especially once she started spending summers with her sister. Of course, she painted more like Cassie for the time they spent together, and that was much to Marni’s disdain.
Connie painted to placate her mother, and accomplished some pieces to her mother’s liking and standard. But Connie’s preferred artistic style was the jarring images of Frida Kahlo and Salvador Dali and Pablo Picasso.
Her favorite artists, Marcel Duchamp and Paul Gauguin.
And she painted in the same vein; these she hid from her mother.
There was the season, of course, when Connie was fourteen, and everything she said and did was for the sole purpose of flying in Marni’s face.
She painted ragged pieces, gritty, disjointed, macabre even, imitating Frida Kahlo for a season. And flaunted them at Marni.
Marni threw away the first such pieces she caught on Connie’s easel, blaming Cassie’s influence. She later burned three more paintings; Connie didn’t speak to her mother for a week, and learned to hide all of her prized paintings after that. She painted the token impressionist pieces and attempted photo realistic works, to appease Marni. But when she painted from her heart, it was Fauvism that flowed.
“Fauvism is the style of les Fauves, French for “the wild beasts,” a loose group of early twentieth-century modern artists whose works emphasized painterly qualities and strong color over the representational values of Impressionism… The paintings of the Fauves were characterized by seemingly wild brush work and strident colors, while their subject matter had a high degree of simplification and abstraction… In 1888 [Paul] Gauguin [was quoted as saying,] “How do you see these trees? They are yellow. So, put in yellow; this shadow, rather blue, paint it with ultramarine; these red leave? Put in vermilion.” [taken from Wikipedia.]
“A primary influence that led to Cubism was the representation of a three-dimensional form in the late works of Paul Cézanne, which were displayed in a retrospective at the 1907 Salon d’Automne. In Cubist artwork, objects are analyzed, broken up and reassembled in an abstracted form – instead of depicting objects from one viewpoint, the artist depicts the subject from a multitude of viewpoints to represent the subject in a greater context.” [Wikipedia]
“Dada, or Dadaism (pronounced just like it looks) was an art movement of the European avant-garde in the early 20th century… To quote Dona Budd’s The Language of Art Knowledge, “Dada was born out of negative reaction to the horrors of World War I. This international movement was begun by a group of artists and poets associated with the Cabaret Voltaire in Zurich. Dada rejected reason and logic, prizing nonsense, irrationality and intuition. The origin of the name Dada is unclear.” … The movement primarily involved visual arts, literature, poetry, art manifestoes, art theory, theatre, and graphic design.” [Wikipedia]
“Surrealism is a cultural movement that began in the early 1920’s, and is best known for its visual artworks and writings. The aim was to “resolve the previously contradictory conditions of dream and reality.” Artists painted unnerving, illogical scenes with photographic precision, created strange creatures from everyday objects and developed painting techniques that allowed the unconscious to express itself and/or an idea/concept.
Surrealist works feature the element of surprise, unexpected juxtapositions and non sequiture; however, many Surrealist artists and writers regard their work as an expression of the philosophical movement first and foremost, with the works being an artifact. Leader André Breton was explicit in his assertion that Surrealism was, above all, a revolutionary movement.
Surrealism developed out of the Dada activities during World War I and the most important center of the movement was Paris. From the 1920’s onward, the movement spread around the glove, eventually affecting the visual arts, literature, film, and music of many countries and languages, as well as political thought and practice, philosophy, and social theory.” [Wikipedia]
And here’s a little bonus!!
ARTIST INTERVIEW
I’d like to give a big welcome to Allison Walker Payne to my blog. Allison, thank you for joining me today. I’m excited to have you here.
Artist Bio: “I’m a nut for English history, Star Trek, Science Fiction, cats, dogs, cheetahs, raptors, Robert Plant, rock, Hugh Laurie, singers, dancers, musicians, artists and anyone marching to different tune.
As a cartoonist and graphic artist, I’ve done freelance work for several companies etc., including The University of Denver, SweetPea Productions, The Southwest Washington Humane Society and Tin Temple Music.
As a painter I have been in several exhibitions and galleries on the Northwest Coast. My painting “So When’s the Cat Festival?” was chosen for the Garlic Festival poster on the Long Beach Peninsula and my paintings are in several private collections.
Aren’t I marvelous?”
http://twotops.wordpress.com/
Allison and I have been friends for nearly forty years. We were in high school together, specifically high school plays and musicals. Through the wonder that is Facebook, we get to chat (IM) from time to time, and keep up with what each other is doing. I modeled one of my characters, artist Alicia Wallace Paville, and her art, after Allison. So, I found it only fitting to include her in my art series posts!
Robin E. Mason: Welcome Allison! You’re absolutely marvelous!!! Thanks for coming today! When did you start drawing and painting?
Allison: Thanks, Robin! I’ve been drawing since I could pick up a pencil. So, since Thursday. :0)
rem: I remember the actress! I was totally unaware of the artist in you! Your mother is an artist too, correct?
Allison: Yes she is! And still painting at 86. Her work is in many private collections, and she did several Garlic Festival posters before I did. She was a tough act to follow!
rem: That she may have been, but I dare say you have made your own splash. Of color! [my blog, my pun!!] Your colors are so vivid and vibrant! Where do you get your inspiration?
Allison: I’m mad for color. I love the colors of Laurel Burch, Paul Gauguin and Matisse for a few. I occasionally will try to tone down my palette but it doesn’t last long.
rem: Which is exactly why it’s so fitting to have you here today! My character, Connie, is enamored of Paul Gauguin and Matisse also! Your lovely sister, Laura, (they could be twins!) is a prima ballerina. Do you dance as well?
Allison: I did take lessons back in the day but discovered, once I got into pointe shoes, that ballet HURTS. That was it for me! I was, however, the first cartoonist Dance Magazine ever published.
rem: So you got your fingers rather than your toes into the magazine! [still my blog, my pun!] You have some very interesting (and by interesting, I mean wild and crazy – weird) dreams! What is the wildest / craziest / weirdest dream you’ve had?
Allison: Oh dear. They all are! I can tell you one of the earliest dreams I can remember from childhood involved giant man-eating daisies floating in lava in our basement. And the weirdness just kept growing after that.
rem: I love reading your posts about your dreams!
rem: Tell us about “So When’s the Cat Festival.” And your gorgeous Miss ZsaZsa.
Allison: I was incredibly nervous when I was asked to do the official poster - especially coming after my mom’s stellar posters. I knew I wanted to use the two gentlemen who officiated at the Garlic Festival, resplendent in their bulbs. And I had lots of great photos from the years I attended (and worked). For example, the little girl in the big sunhat and the crowds, as well as as a wonderful photo of the gal in the bulb hat. I wanted it to have lots of color and some humor, which is where the cat came in. I had a calico at the time by the name of Pollyfish, and I got the idea of her watching the festivities from a window and wondering what the fuss over garlic was, when the obvious festival should be honoring cats. It always brings back wonderful memories of living in Ocean Park, Washington when I look it!
rem: Obviously should be honoring cat!
Allison: Oh, I almost forgot ZsaZsa (named after ZsaZsa Gabor). She’s deaf, with one blue eye and one green eye and is, I believe, a Turkish Van. Incidentally, Turkish Vans with different colored eyes are considered lucky in Turkey. I got her as a rescue about 7 years ago. Her hobbies include beating up our big orange tabby, Jake and licking lint rollers.
rem: Thanks again Allison for making my blog a little more fun today!
http://robinsnest212.wordpress.com/
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Robin-...
http://www.amazon.com/Robin-E.-Mason/...
https://twitter.com/amythyst212
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...
#fauvism, #cubism, #dadaism, #surrealism, #marcelduchamp, #paulgaugin, #pablopicasso, #salvadordali, #fridakahlo, #allisonwalkerpayne, #catfestival
my debut novel, my baby,
Tessa,
will be released IN PRINT on Halloween!
WHEEEEE!!!!!
FAUVISM - CUBISM – DADOISM – SURREALISM
Last week I talked about Cassie’s art, IMPRESSIONISM. Today is Connie’s turn. Connie, not Cassie, was the flamboyant one, the party girl who snuck out and broke curfew. But Connie was the apple of their mother’s eye who could do no wrong, and Marni turned a blind eye, not wanting to know about her daughter’s tawdry side. Connie excelled in her music, and mastered her piano the way Marni mastered her canvas. In this, Marni was blind to Connie’s own wishes, and bestowed honor on her daughter as an artist that she just didn’t possess. Connie painted, to appease her mother, and she did own a degree of talent, especially once she started spending summers with her sister. Of course, she painted more like Cassie for the time they spent together, and that was much to Marni’s disdain.
Connie painted to placate her mother, and accomplished some pieces to her mother’s liking and standard. But Connie’s preferred artistic style was the jarring images of Frida Kahlo and Salvador Dali and Pablo Picasso.
Her favorite artists, Marcel Duchamp and Paul Gauguin.
And she painted in the same vein; these she hid from her mother.
There was the season, of course, when Connie was fourteen, and everything she said and did was for the sole purpose of flying in Marni’s face.
She painted ragged pieces, gritty, disjointed, macabre even, imitating Frida Kahlo for a season. And flaunted them at Marni.
Marni threw away the first such pieces she caught on Connie’s easel, blaming Cassie’s influence. She later burned three more paintings; Connie didn’t speak to her mother for a week, and learned to hide all of her prized paintings after that. She painted the token impressionist pieces and attempted photo realistic works, to appease Marni. But when she painted from her heart, it was Fauvism that flowed.
“Fauvism is the style of les Fauves, French for “the wild beasts,” a loose group of early twentieth-century modern artists whose works emphasized painterly qualities and strong color over the representational values of Impressionism… The paintings of the Fauves were characterized by seemingly wild brush work and strident colors, while their subject matter had a high degree of simplification and abstraction… In 1888 [Paul] Gauguin [was quoted as saying,] “How do you see these trees? They are yellow. So, put in yellow; this shadow, rather blue, paint it with ultramarine; these red leave? Put in vermilion.” [taken from Wikipedia.]
“A primary influence that led to Cubism was the representation of a three-dimensional form in the late works of Paul Cézanne, which were displayed in a retrospective at the 1907 Salon d’Automne. In Cubist artwork, objects are analyzed, broken up and reassembled in an abstracted form – instead of depicting objects from one viewpoint, the artist depicts the subject from a multitude of viewpoints to represent the subject in a greater context.” [Wikipedia]
“Dada, or Dadaism (pronounced just like it looks) was an art movement of the European avant-garde in the early 20th century… To quote Dona Budd’s The Language of Art Knowledge, “Dada was born out of negative reaction to the horrors of World War I. This international movement was begun by a group of artists and poets associated with the Cabaret Voltaire in Zurich. Dada rejected reason and logic, prizing nonsense, irrationality and intuition. The origin of the name Dada is unclear.” … The movement primarily involved visual arts, literature, poetry, art manifestoes, art theory, theatre, and graphic design.” [Wikipedia]
“Surrealism is a cultural movement that began in the early 1920’s, and is best known for its visual artworks and writings. The aim was to “resolve the previously contradictory conditions of dream and reality.” Artists painted unnerving, illogical scenes with photographic precision, created strange creatures from everyday objects and developed painting techniques that allowed the unconscious to express itself and/or an idea/concept.
Surrealist works feature the element of surprise, unexpected juxtapositions and non sequiture; however, many Surrealist artists and writers regard their work as an expression of the philosophical movement first and foremost, with the works being an artifact. Leader André Breton was explicit in his assertion that Surrealism was, above all, a revolutionary movement.
Surrealism developed out of the Dada activities during World War I and the most important center of the movement was Paris. From the 1920’s onward, the movement spread around the glove, eventually affecting the visual arts, literature, film, and music of many countries and languages, as well as political thought and practice, philosophy, and social theory.” [Wikipedia]
And here’s a little bonus!!
ARTIST INTERVIEW
I’d like to give a big welcome to Allison Walker Payne to my blog. Allison, thank you for joining me today. I’m excited to have you here.
Artist Bio: “I’m a nut for English history, Star Trek, Science Fiction, cats, dogs, cheetahs, raptors, Robert Plant, rock, Hugh Laurie, singers, dancers, musicians, artists and anyone marching to different tune.
As a cartoonist and graphic artist, I’ve done freelance work for several companies etc., including The University of Denver, SweetPea Productions, The Southwest Washington Humane Society and Tin Temple Music.
As a painter I have been in several exhibitions and galleries on the Northwest Coast. My painting “So When’s the Cat Festival?” was chosen for the Garlic Festival poster on the Long Beach Peninsula and my paintings are in several private collections.
Aren’t I marvelous?”
http://twotops.wordpress.com/
Allison and I have been friends for nearly forty years. We were in high school together, specifically high school plays and musicals. Through the wonder that is Facebook, we get to chat (IM) from time to time, and keep up with what each other is doing. I modeled one of my characters, artist Alicia Wallace Paville, and her art, after Allison. So, I found it only fitting to include her in my art series posts!
Robin E. Mason: Welcome Allison! You’re absolutely marvelous!!! Thanks for coming today! When did you start drawing and painting?
Allison: Thanks, Robin! I’ve been drawing since I could pick up a pencil. So, since Thursday. :0)
rem: I remember the actress! I was totally unaware of the artist in you! Your mother is an artist too, correct?
Allison: Yes she is! And still painting at 86. Her work is in many private collections, and she did several Garlic Festival posters before I did. She was a tough act to follow!
rem: That she may have been, but I dare say you have made your own splash. Of color! [my blog, my pun!!] Your colors are so vivid and vibrant! Where do you get your inspiration?
Allison: I’m mad for color. I love the colors of Laurel Burch, Paul Gauguin and Matisse for a few. I occasionally will try to tone down my palette but it doesn’t last long.
rem: Which is exactly why it’s so fitting to have you here today! My character, Connie, is enamored of Paul Gauguin and Matisse also! Your lovely sister, Laura, (they could be twins!) is a prima ballerina. Do you dance as well?
Allison: I did take lessons back in the day but discovered, once I got into pointe shoes, that ballet HURTS. That was it for me! I was, however, the first cartoonist Dance Magazine ever published.
rem: So you got your fingers rather than your toes into the magazine! [still my blog, my pun!] You have some very interesting (and by interesting, I mean wild and crazy – weird) dreams! What is the wildest / craziest / weirdest dream you’ve had?
Allison: Oh dear. They all are! I can tell you one of the earliest dreams I can remember from childhood involved giant man-eating daisies floating in lava in our basement. And the weirdness just kept growing after that.
rem: I love reading your posts about your dreams!
rem: Tell us about “So When’s the Cat Festival.” And your gorgeous Miss ZsaZsa.
Allison: I was incredibly nervous when I was asked to do the official poster - especially coming after my mom’s stellar posters. I knew I wanted to use the two gentlemen who officiated at the Garlic Festival, resplendent in their bulbs. And I had lots of great photos from the years I attended (and worked). For example, the little girl in the big sunhat and the crowds, as well as as a wonderful photo of the gal in the bulb hat. I wanted it to have lots of color and some humor, which is where the cat came in. I had a calico at the time by the name of Pollyfish, and I got the idea of her watching the festivities from a window and wondering what the fuss over garlic was, when the obvious festival should be honoring cats. It always brings back wonderful memories of living in Ocean Park, Washington when I look it!
rem: Obviously should be honoring cat!
Allison: Oh, I almost forgot ZsaZsa (named after ZsaZsa Gabor). She’s deaf, with one blue eye and one green eye and is, I believe, a Turkish Van. Incidentally, Turkish Vans with different colored eyes are considered lucky in Turkey. I got her as a rescue about 7 years ago. Her hobbies include beating up our big orange tabby, Jake and licking lint rollers.
rem: Thanks again Allison for making my blog a little more fun today!
http://robinsnest212.wordpress.com/
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Robin-...
http://www.amazon.com/Robin-E.-Mason/...
https://twitter.com/amythyst212
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...
#fauvism, #cubism, #dadaism, #surrealism, #marcelduchamp, #paulgaugin, #pablopicasso, #salvadordali, #fridakahlo, #allisonwalkerpayne, #catfestival
October 15, 2014
WELCOME to my PARTY!!! – AUTHOR INTERVIEW #2
The month of October is a special time for me:
my debut novel, my baby,
Tessa,
will be released IN PRINT on Halloween!
WHEEEEE!!!!!
I’d like to give a big welcome to Sarah Sundin to my blog. Sarah, thank you for joining me today. I’m excited to have you here.
Sarah Sundin is the author of the Wings of the Nightingale series (With Every Letter, On Distant Shores, and In Perfect Time), the Wings of Glory series (A Distant Melody, A Memory Between Us, and Blue Skies Tomorrow), and the upcoming Waves of Freedom series (Through Waters Deep releases August 2015), all from Revell. In addition she has a novella in Where Treetops Glisten (WaterBrook, September 2014).
In 2014, On Distant Shores was a double finalist for the Golden Scroll Awards, and in 2011, Sarah received the Writer of the Year Award at the Mount Hermon Christian Writers Conference.
Sarah lives in northern California with her husband and three children, works on-call as a hospital pharmacist, and teaches Sunday school and women’s Bible studies.
She belongs to American Christian Fiction Writers, Christian Authors Network, and Advanced Writers and Speakers Association.
Robin E. Mason: Sarah, your grandfather and your great-uncle were your inspiration for your passion for World War II. Tell us a little about them.
Sarah Sundin: My grandfather served as a pharmacist’s mate (medic) in the US Navy during the war, and my great-uncle was a B-17 Flying Fortress pilot, who served both in the Pacific (his B-17 was one of twelve that were flying in to Pearl Harbor during the attack!) and in England. These two brothers were story-tellers, for which I’m eternally grateful.
rem: What an honorable heritage you have! No wonder you write the stories you do – you didn’t have a choice! wink wink Where do you find your amazing daily posts?
Sarah: When I started writing A Distant Melody back in 2001, I found I needed a way to organize all the research. To keep track of chronology, I started a simple timeline document in Word. This document is constantly growing, now to an embarrassing length (750 pages! Gasp!). When I was brainstorming publicity ideas before A Distant Melody was published, I ran an idea past a publicist—what if I posted a Today in WWII History tidbit every day? She suggested putting it on my blog, then linking to Facebook and Twitter. I honestly didn’t think anyone would be interested, but I already had the information, so why not? It only takes me a few hours each month, copying from my timeline document onto my blog and adding a picture. I’ve been doing it for five years now, and I’ve been surprised by the positive response!
rem: Perhaps you should publish that someday. I know I’d buy it! I love history, and I love your posts! I watched your video about flying on a B-17! I loved it and am totally jealous! Tell us a little about that experience.
Sarah: That was phenomenal. One of my readers volunteers with the Experimental Aircraft Association, which owns the restored B-17 Aluminum Overcast. He arranged for me to have a media flight—for free! It was a rollicking good ride. It’s a cramped and lively plane, and you have to watch your head. I was able to crawl (yes, hands and knees) into the nose compartment, and to stand right behind the pilots in the cockpit, and to gaze out the waist window over the top of a .50 caliber machine gun (unarmed).
rem: What an amazing experience for you! Here’s a fun one for readers: Tell us about Funny Dancing Fruits and Vegetables. What was it about? How old were you when you and your sister wrote it?
Sarah: It started when I was about six or eight. I hated beans, particularly green beans and lima beans. Still loathe lima beans. Nasty little things. I was trying to psyche myself into liking them, so I drew a picture of a pair of green beans dancing, with the caption, “We are green beans. We are good for you.” I repeated it with other vegetables I hated, then set it aside. My sister and I discovered it when I was in junior high and thought they were funny and cute. So we added to it, probably a hundred different fruits and vegetables, all with different dance poses. It was a lot of fun.
rem: What a fun story! I love the imagination and creativity of child’s mind! Tell us a little about your writing journey.
Sarah: Other than dancing beans and a short story about a little girl who catches a burglar with her jump-rope, I didn’t plan to be a writer. I loved science, so I majored in chemistry and then went to pharmacy school, where I met my husband. I was perfectly happy as a stay-at-home mom/on-call pharmacist. Then in 2000, I got hit hard by a story idea, and I felt compelled to write it. That book should never be published (really, really bad), but it got me started. I started attending writers’ conferences, joined a writers’ group, and learned the craft. In 2010, my first novel was published.
rem: You have six and 1/3 books out. What was your favorite to write? The most difficult?
Sarah: Each one is my favorite and my most difficult. Just like each of my three children. At some point with every book, I’m insanely in love with the story and the characters and think the whole thing is a masterpiece. And at some point with every book, I’m convinced the whole thing is nothing but stinking, inane swill unfit for consumption.
rem: LOL! I’m sure every writer everywhere can identify with that sentiment! Your record, though, looks like that of a champion! What do you think is significant about Christian fiction? How has being a novelist impacted your relationship with Christ?
Sarah: Our world is a dark and depressing place. Just read the news. But Christian fiction shines light, showing God’s hope instead of the world’s despair. It also shows ordinary characters coping with extraordinary circumstances, giving us examples of courage and strength in God. Writing novels has deepened my walk with God, partly because I need His strength in this crazy business, but also when I dig into the Bible to find help for my characters.
rem: Sarah, I could not agree more, shining a light in a dark world through our writing. What do you enjoy most about being a writer? What is the hardest aspect of being a writer?
Sarah: I like almost every part. I love the research, the plotting (and I do a lot of pre-writing), the actual rough draft, and the editing. I enjoy the social media and interacting with readers and speaking. The hardest part for me is the constant switching between activities. You just into the swing of the story, and an edit arrives or an interview, and you have to drop everything and do that urgent task. Then you try to get back into the story again. And up comes another assignment. It’s odd, but it’s how the business works.
rem: Never the proverbial dull moment! You’re also a pharmacist. How does that affect your writing time? What is your writing process? Do you follow a regular routine?
Sarah: I work as a hospital pharmacist on Friday evenings, when I wouldn’t do much writing anyway. Pharmacy pays far better than writing, and we have college-age kids, so I keep the job. My writing routine is pretty set. Our youngest son is in high school, so as soon as I drop him off at school, I get to work. Since I’m not a morning person, I take care of emails and social media in the morning when I’m not creative. Then I have my quiet time, and then I write until it’s time to make dinner. In the evening I watch TV with my family, working on my laptop—busywork like interviews or blog posts.
rem: If you could choose to be a character in a book, who would it be and why?
Sarah: Oh dear. I’m pretty mean to my characters. I wouldn’t want to be one! I put them through horrible things.
rem: LOL Sarah, thank you for joining me today. I’ve enjoyed having you on my blog, and getting to know a little more about Sarah Sundin the person. Good luck with your latest release, In Perfect Time! I look forward to the Waves of Freedom series!
In Perfect Time
Book 3 in the Wings of the Nightingale Series (August 2014)
Book 1: With Every Letter; Book 2: On Distant Shores
Bold, sophisticated, and flirtatious, Army Air Force flight nurse Lt. Kay Jobson collects hearts wherever she flies, leaving men pining in airfields all across Europe. So how can ruggedly handsome C-47 pilot Lt. Roger Cooper be all but immune to her considerable charms? In fact, he seems to do everything he can to avoid her.
Still, as they cross the skies between Italy and southern France, evacuating the wounded and delivering paratroopers and supplies, every beat of their hearts draws them closer to where they don’t want to go.
Can they confront the fears and misunderstandings in their pasts?
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my debut novel, my baby,
Tessa,
will be released IN PRINT on Halloween!
WHEEEEE!!!!!
I’d like to give a big welcome to Sarah Sundin to my blog. Sarah, thank you for joining me today. I’m excited to have you here.
Sarah Sundin is the author of the Wings of the Nightingale series (With Every Letter, On Distant Shores, and In Perfect Time), the Wings of Glory series (A Distant Melody, A Memory Between Us, and Blue Skies Tomorrow), and the upcoming Waves of Freedom series (Through Waters Deep releases August 2015), all from Revell. In addition she has a novella in Where Treetops Glisten (WaterBrook, September 2014).
In 2014, On Distant Shores was a double finalist for the Golden Scroll Awards, and in 2011, Sarah received the Writer of the Year Award at the Mount Hermon Christian Writers Conference.
Sarah lives in northern California with her husband and three children, works on-call as a hospital pharmacist, and teaches Sunday school and women’s Bible studies.
She belongs to American Christian Fiction Writers, Christian Authors Network, and Advanced Writers and Speakers Association.
Robin E. Mason: Sarah, your grandfather and your great-uncle were your inspiration for your passion for World War II. Tell us a little about them.
Sarah Sundin: My grandfather served as a pharmacist’s mate (medic) in the US Navy during the war, and my great-uncle was a B-17 Flying Fortress pilot, who served both in the Pacific (his B-17 was one of twelve that were flying in to Pearl Harbor during the attack!) and in England. These two brothers were story-tellers, for which I’m eternally grateful.
rem: What an honorable heritage you have! No wonder you write the stories you do – you didn’t have a choice! wink wink Where do you find your amazing daily posts?
Sarah: When I started writing A Distant Melody back in 2001, I found I needed a way to organize all the research. To keep track of chronology, I started a simple timeline document in Word. This document is constantly growing, now to an embarrassing length (750 pages! Gasp!). When I was brainstorming publicity ideas before A Distant Melody was published, I ran an idea past a publicist—what if I posted a Today in WWII History tidbit every day? She suggested putting it on my blog, then linking to Facebook and Twitter. I honestly didn’t think anyone would be interested, but I already had the information, so why not? It only takes me a few hours each month, copying from my timeline document onto my blog and adding a picture. I’ve been doing it for five years now, and I’ve been surprised by the positive response!
rem: Perhaps you should publish that someday. I know I’d buy it! I love history, and I love your posts! I watched your video about flying on a B-17! I loved it and am totally jealous! Tell us a little about that experience.
Sarah: That was phenomenal. One of my readers volunteers with the Experimental Aircraft Association, which owns the restored B-17 Aluminum Overcast. He arranged for me to have a media flight—for free! It was a rollicking good ride. It’s a cramped and lively plane, and you have to watch your head. I was able to crawl (yes, hands and knees) into the nose compartment, and to stand right behind the pilots in the cockpit, and to gaze out the waist window over the top of a .50 caliber machine gun (unarmed).
rem: What an amazing experience for you! Here’s a fun one for readers: Tell us about Funny Dancing Fruits and Vegetables. What was it about? How old were you when you and your sister wrote it?
Sarah: It started when I was about six or eight. I hated beans, particularly green beans and lima beans. Still loathe lima beans. Nasty little things. I was trying to psyche myself into liking them, so I drew a picture of a pair of green beans dancing, with the caption, “We are green beans. We are good for you.” I repeated it with other vegetables I hated, then set it aside. My sister and I discovered it when I was in junior high and thought they were funny and cute. So we added to it, probably a hundred different fruits and vegetables, all with different dance poses. It was a lot of fun.
rem: What a fun story! I love the imagination and creativity of child’s mind! Tell us a little about your writing journey.
Sarah: Other than dancing beans and a short story about a little girl who catches a burglar with her jump-rope, I didn’t plan to be a writer. I loved science, so I majored in chemistry and then went to pharmacy school, where I met my husband. I was perfectly happy as a stay-at-home mom/on-call pharmacist. Then in 2000, I got hit hard by a story idea, and I felt compelled to write it. That book should never be published (really, really bad), but it got me started. I started attending writers’ conferences, joined a writers’ group, and learned the craft. In 2010, my first novel was published.
rem: You have six and 1/3 books out. What was your favorite to write? The most difficult?
Sarah: Each one is my favorite and my most difficult. Just like each of my three children. At some point with every book, I’m insanely in love with the story and the characters and think the whole thing is a masterpiece. And at some point with every book, I’m convinced the whole thing is nothing but stinking, inane swill unfit for consumption.
rem: LOL! I’m sure every writer everywhere can identify with that sentiment! Your record, though, looks like that of a champion! What do you think is significant about Christian fiction? How has being a novelist impacted your relationship with Christ?
Sarah: Our world is a dark and depressing place. Just read the news. But Christian fiction shines light, showing God’s hope instead of the world’s despair. It also shows ordinary characters coping with extraordinary circumstances, giving us examples of courage and strength in God. Writing novels has deepened my walk with God, partly because I need His strength in this crazy business, but also when I dig into the Bible to find help for my characters.
rem: Sarah, I could not agree more, shining a light in a dark world through our writing. What do you enjoy most about being a writer? What is the hardest aspect of being a writer?
Sarah: I like almost every part. I love the research, the plotting (and I do a lot of pre-writing), the actual rough draft, and the editing. I enjoy the social media and interacting with readers and speaking. The hardest part for me is the constant switching between activities. You just into the swing of the story, and an edit arrives or an interview, and you have to drop everything and do that urgent task. Then you try to get back into the story again. And up comes another assignment. It’s odd, but it’s how the business works.
rem: Never the proverbial dull moment! You’re also a pharmacist. How does that affect your writing time? What is your writing process? Do you follow a regular routine?
Sarah: I work as a hospital pharmacist on Friday evenings, when I wouldn’t do much writing anyway. Pharmacy pays far better than writing, and we have college-age kids, so I keep the job. My writing routine is pretty set. Our youngest son is in high school, so as soon as I drop him off at school, I get to work. Since I’m not a morning person, I take care of emails and social media in the morning when I’m not creative. Then I have my quiet time, and then I write until it’s time to make dinner. In the evening I watch TV with my family, working on my laptop—busywork like interviews or blog posts.
rem: If you could choose to be a character in a book, who would it be and why?
Sarah: Oh dear. I’m pretty mean to my characters. I wouldn’t want to be one! I put them through horrible things.
rem: LOL Sarah, thank you for joining me today. I’ve enjoyed having you on my blog, and getting to know a little more about Sarah Sundin the person. Good luck with your latest release, In Perfect Time! I look forward to the Waves of Freedom series!
In Perfect Time
Book 3 in the Wings of the Nightingale Series (August 2014)
Book 1: With Every Letter; Book 2: On Distant Shores
Bold, sophisticated, and flirtatious, Army Air Force flight nurse Lt. Kay Jobson collects hearts wherever she flies, leaving men pining in airfields all across Europe. So how can ruggedly handsome C-47 pilot Lt. Roger Cooper be all but immune to her considerable charms? In fact, he seems to do everything he can to avoid her.
Still, as they cross the skies between Italy and southern France, evacuating the wounded and delivering paratroopers and supplies, every beat of their hearts draws them closer to where they don’t want to go.
Can they confront the fears and misunderstandings in their pasts?
http://robinsnest212.wordpress.com/
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Robin-...
http://www.amazon.com/Robin-E.-Mason/...
https://twitter.com/amythyst212
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...
#sarahsundin, #inperfecttime, #wingsofthenightingaleseries, #worldwarII, #B17flyingfortress
October 14, 2014
WELCOME to my PARTY!!! – BOOK REVIEW #2
The month of October is a special time for me:
my debut novel, my baby,
Tessa,
will be released IN PRINT on Halloween!
WHEEEEE!!!!!
BOOK REVIEW – SEASONS of DARKNESS by BELINDA G. BUCHANAN
Sixteen-year-old Ethan is following in his father’s footsteps. But not career wise, and not by choice.
When life becomes a fragile balancing act between a presentable image and the darkness that torments, Everett Harrington buries himself in his work and hides his feelings – and his fears – in a bottle of scotch. But stuffing yourself in a bottle or a board room is but a temporary fix, and the demons that are hiding eventually show their ugly faces. And with Everett, they showed up as contempt for the son who once was the little boy he so adored.
Everett, apparently, had his life neatly planned out. A solid career, no female distractions, headed for financial success. Single-minded in his career path and his future, he had no room for distractions.
Natalia was more than a distraction, though, and turned everything upside down and inside out. Natalia crept into his bed and into his heart. She twisted Everett Harrington around her little finger. She held him spellbound.
Even when he saw the signs, the instability, the inconsistency, he was helpless against the grip she had on his heart. A grip that tightened and turned to a stranglehold as her sickness worsened. And that grip ultimately rendered him unfeeling, cold and uncaring. Or trying to maintain a façade that he was unfeeling, cold and uncaring.
No man is an island, though, and those neatly contained emotions sometimes burst forth in fits of rage. Everett’s target was his son Ethan.
Seasons of Darkness is Ethan’s journey through his tormented adolescent years. From his mother’s death, and years of abuse, to the realization he possesses the same rage his father does. His young life is laden with tragedy and frustration, and impossible dreams.
Belinda G. Buchanan has masterfully conveyed the misery and agony of mental illness, and its long reaching effects. The scars on the heart, the helplessness felt by loved ones. The pain and emptiness. My heart bled for Ethan, but also for his father, for the sense of despair and helplessness. Pick up a copy, you won’t be disappointed. And when you’re through with Seasons of Darkness, Ethan’s story continues in After All is Said and Done. I’ll be reading it myself.
http://robinsnest212.wordpress.com/
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Robin-...
http://www.amazon.com/Robin-E.-Mason/...
https://twitter.com/amythyst212
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...
#bookreview, #belindagbuchanan, #seasonsofdarkness, #afterallissaidanddone, #themonstersofsilvercreek, #alcoholism, #suicide
my debut novel, my baby,
Tessa,
will be released IN PRINT on Halloween!
WHEEEEE!!!!!
BOOK REVIEW – SEASONS of DARKNESS by BELINDA G. BUCHANAN
Sixteen-year-old Ethan is following in his father’s footsteps. But not career wise, and not by choice.
When life becomes a fragile balancing act between a presentable image and the darkness that torments, Everett Harrington buries himself in his work and hides his feelings – and his fears – in a bottle of scotch. But stuffing yourself in a bottle or a board room is but a temporary fix, and the demons that are hiding eventually show their ugly faces. And with Everett, they showed up as contempt for the son who once was the little boy he so adored.
Everett, apparently, had his life neatly planned out. A solid career, no female distractions, headed for financial success. Single-minded in his career path and his future, he had no room for distractions.
Natalia was more than a distraction, though, and turned everything upside down and inside out. Natalia crept into his bed and into his heart. She twisted Everett Harrington around her little finger. She held him spellbound.
Even when he saw the signs, the instability, the inconsistency, he was helpless against the grip she had on his heart. A grip that tightened and turned to a stranglehold as her sickness worsened. And that grip ultimately rendered him unfeeling, cold and uncaring. Or trying to maintain a façade that he was unfeeling, cold and uncaring.
No man is an island, though, and those neatly contained emotions sometimes burst forth in fits of rage. Everett’s target was his son Ethan.
Seasons of Darkness is Ethan’s journey through his tormented adolescent years. From his mother’s death, and years of abuse, to the realization he possesses the same rage his father does. His young life is laden with tragedy and frustration, and impossible dreams.
Belinda G. Buchanan has masterfully conveyed the misery and agony of mental illness, and its long reaching effects. The scars on the heart, the helplessness felt by loved ones. The pain and emptiness. My heart bled for Ethan, but also for his father, for the sense of despair and helplessness. Pick up a copy, you won’t be disappointed. And when you’re through with Seasons of Darkness, Ethan’s story continues in After All is Said and Done. I’ll be reading it myself.
http://robinsnest212.wordpress.com/
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Robin-...
http://www.amazon.com/Robin-E.-Mason/...
https://twitter.com/amythyst212
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...
#bookreview, #belindagbuchanan, #seasonsofdarkness, #afterallissaidanddone, #themonstersofsilvercreek, #alcoholism, #suicide
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The people I meet, the worlds I get lost in and long to return to. And the authors who create these worlds and the people who inhabit them.
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