tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68967106751573158522024-03-15T04:09:11.074-07:00Sheila's Guests and ReviewsMeet Sheila Deeth's guests and find out what Sheila's reading: Book reviews; Guest posts; Authors' musings; Publishers' ponderings...Sheila Deethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13465615546936319164noreply@blogger.comBlogger1408125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6896710675157315852.post-83446433661466829502024-01-26T10:21:00.000-08:002024-01-26T10:21:06.624-08:00Science and Faith in Harmony?<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/81xlyzrylwL._SY466_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="466" data-original-width="298" height="466" src="https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/81xlyzrylwL._SY466_.jpg" width="298" /></a></div><br />A while ago I read and reviewed Sy Garte's <i>The Works of His Hands</i>: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Works-His-Hands-Scientists-Journey/dp/0825446074/">https://www.amazon.com/Works-His-Hands-Scientists-Journey/dp/0825446074/</a> I loved it.<p></p><p><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3155866467">https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3155866467</a></p><p>Faith and science are both a big deal to me of course. Growing up Catholic in England, I was barely aware of any suggestion that they might not be in perfect harmony with each other. After all, weren't the first Western scientists Christians, believing the world consistent enough to be worth investigating because the God they believed in was consistent? Then I came to the US. Suddenly friends in church were asking how anyone could be Christian if they "believed in" evolution. What's to believe in? It's the world God made, revealed in the science that studies what God made. Luckily I was able (I know not how) to convince them that I <i>am </i>a Christian. Meanwhile I also have to convince scientist friends that I'm a scientist - math degree from Cambridge University England, post-grad studies in mathematical astronomy... it helps.</p><p>As a result, I have a growing collection of faith and science books (including my beloved <i>Five-Minute Bible Story </i>series - <a href="http://sheiladeeth.weebly.com/bible-stories.html">http://sheiladeeth.weebly.com/bible-stories.html</a> - which I really must continue writing!). But Sy Garte's book stands out - eminently readable, emotionally as well as academically convincing, endlessly fascinating...</p><p>And now he has another book coming soon. I've pre-ordered it (something I rarely do), and I'm eager to read Science and Faith in Harmony: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Science-Faith-Harmony-Contemplations-Distilled/dp/0825448158/">https://www.amazon.com/Science-Faith-Harmony-Contemplations-Distilled/dp/0825448158/</a> I know I shall love this one too.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/61R280yrjnL._SY466_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="466" data-original-width="302" height="466" src="https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/61R280yrjnL._SY466_.jpg" width="302" /></a></div><p>Meanwhile, I think I need to get myself a copy of another Sy Garte book, <i>Coming to Faith Through Dawkins</i>: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Coming-Faith-Through-Dawkins-Christianity/dp/0825448220">https://www.amazon.com/Coming-Faith-Through-Dawkins-Christianity/dp/0825448220</a>/. I LOVE Dawkins' books, except for the anti-faith bits, which sound so similar to the anti-science rants I met when I came to the states. I love how he makes science accessibly, how he uses story as well as facts, and how wonderfully he conveys his love for the subject. But, yeah, I don't love how he suddenly drops all pretense of scientific argument when he attacks faith.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/91e+9XybZ+L._SY466_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="466" data-original-width="302" height="466" src="https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/91e+9XybZ+L._SY466_.jpg" width="302" /></a></div><p>I have lots of Dawkins' books on that same bookshelf, together with faith books, faith plus science books, faith minus science books... I like books.</p><p>And I like harmony.</p><p>Science and Faith in harmony should be just the book for me!</p><p><br /></p>Sheila Deethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13465615546936319164noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6896710675157315852.post-64695660287649606152023-08-15T17:45:00.004-07:002023-08-15T17:45:37.602-07:00I won a book!<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1663198263l/60465278.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="331" height="499" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1663198263l/60465278.jpg" width="331" /></a></div><br /><span style="color: red;"><b> I won a book!</b></span><p></p><p>If you play with Goodreads often enough, you'll find the place where authors offer books to readers. And if you look at the number of copies of each title offered, and the number of people "requesting" it, you'll know you're never likely to win. Hence the exclamation mark. </p><p><span style="color: red;"><b>I won a book!</b></span></p><p>Of course, I was out of the country visiting family in the UK when I got the email. So I knew I wouldn't be around to receive the book. But, thank to the US postal service and the fact that we'd placed a hold on our mail, the book was waiting in a (rather large) basket with lots of other things when we arrived home. So...</p><p>Well, there was mail to sort (of course), washing (lots of it), dog-sitting (always a joy), catching up on emails (a nightmare), house-cleaning (ditto)... lots of things got in the way, but I did eventually find time to enjoy the fact that</p><p><span style="color: red;"><b>I'd won a book.</b></span></p><p>The book in question is <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Second-Shot-Helen-Warwick-Thriller-ebook/dp/B0BFC5JS5K/">Second Shot by Cindy Dees</a>. It's the first in a series of spy novels, with the neat twist that the protagonist is a retired female spy, trying to reconnect with her somewhat estranged children, and... dog-sitting for her son!</p><p>Okay, she had me a dog-sitting. Luckily nobody tries to shoot me while I look after the dogs.</p><p><span style="color: red;"><b>I won a book...</b></span></p><p>and, of course, according to Goodreads guidelines, I have to post reviews. So I've put one on Goodreads. You can find it here:</p><p><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5382529117">https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5382529117</a></p><p>It's a fun book, and I might have to watch out for more, especially if the protagonist keeps getting invited back to dog-sit. Of course, it's also somewhat bleak and dark in places - it's a spy story - but the humor's fun and the protagonist is very relatable. And the dog...</p><p><span style="color: red;"><b>I won a book. </b></span></p><p>Maybe one day I'll win a dog too!</p>Sheila Deethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13465615546936319164noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6896710675157315852.post-14339380149492296832022-11-01T01:40:00.010-07:002022-11-01T01:40:00.164-07:00Fiction, fact, biography, and semi-autobiography... Meet Lea Rachel<p><br /> <i>Today I'm delighted to welcome author Lea Rachel to my blog. You may have seen my review of her book, Seeking Forgiveness, yesterday: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5077271568">https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5077271568</a>. I read that the book is "semi-autobiographical," so I was eager to ask the author some questions, starting with the question about how Lea became the white mother of an adopted African American child.</i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41CFZYPfsBL._SX331_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="333" height="499" src="https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41CFZYPfsBL._SX331_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg" width="333" /></a></div><p></p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-left: .25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-indent: -.25in;"><i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--></i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><i>How difficult is it to
become qualified to adopt or foster?</i><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-left: 22.5pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I believe that fostering-to-adopt is regulated at the state
level, so what is required will differ depending on where you live. But
regardless of the state you live in, becoming certified generally takes time
and effort. Classes are required, homes have to be certified, background checks
done… It took us around two years to become certified, and then another year
and a half after that until we had a placement.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-left: .25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-indent: -.25in;"><i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--></i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><i>Did you always plan to
adopt, or did something happen that made you decide to adopt, rather than
just fostering?</i><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-left: 22.5pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">We always <i>hoped </i>to adopt, but what you discover when you
become certified to foster is that nothing can be predicted or guaranteed. Indeed,
those who work in the foster system tend to discourage people from entering
into it if their intention is adoption. The primary goal of the foster system (as
it should be) is reunification of children with their birth families. So while
adoption <i>can</i> happen, those who work in the foster system are not working
towards that goal; they are working towards birth family reunification and
adoption only happens when family reunification becomes impossible. We knew
this going in and our intention was just to foster – but then, we were blessed
with the opportunity to adopt our son.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-left: .25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-indent: -.25in;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><i>Did you know that you
might end up being an interracial family? If so, how did you feel about the
idea, and if not, how did you feel when it happened?</i><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-left: 22.5pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">When you sign up to be a foster parent they give you a very long
list (2-3 pages long) of characteristics with check-mark boxes beside them, and
you have to go through and check what you would be ok with fostering, and what
you would not be ok with. Included in the list were health defects and various
abnormalities, and to be honest, they are what gave me the biggest pause. I was
a sick child myself, in and out of the hospital for years after I was born, and
I have a bit of PTSD from the experience - when I enter a hospital now I often
get panic attacks. So I spent days agonizing over whether I should check the
boxes next to some of the most serious health conditions that a foster child
might have. Racial characteristics – African American, Hispanic, Native
American – those were easy boxes for me to check.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-left: .25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-indent: -.25in;"><i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span></i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><i>Wow! I have a friend who's
adopted brother tried to "wash" the color off his skin (many, many
years ago). Have you ever had such a problem, and if you did, how would you
deal with it?</i><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-left: 22.5pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">If anything, I have the opposite problem at home. I’ve spent so
many years telling my son he was gorgeous and that his skin was beautiful, that
he’s asked <i>me</i> if I mind being white, and don’t I wish I were Black
sometimes? It made me so happy when he asked me that!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-left: .25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-indent: -.25in;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><i>What a great job you did! I love that!</i></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-left: .25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-indent: -.25in;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><i>In the story, Rachel
questions her competence as a mother. Do you, as the author, view her as a good
mother?</i><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-left: 22.5pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">That’s a great question. The bottom line is that parenting is
hard, and any parent is going to make some mistakes and do or say some things
that they regret later. I’ve tried to portray Rachel in an honest manner, and
so this means that I do write about mistakes that she makes. However, the love Rachel
has for her son is so strong, so unflinching, and so immutable, that it helps her
overcome the mistakes and tribulations of motherhood.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-left: 22.5pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-indent: -22.5pt;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><i>I certainly viewed her as a good mother when I read the book. Though I found myself thinking often of something a friend told me, when I was agonizing too much over trying to be perfect - you only have to be good enough. And I definitely think Rachel reads as being good enough.</i></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-left: 22.5pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-indent: -22.5pt;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><i>Do you think Rachel would
feel as guilty if her son were white, or if she were non-white?</i><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-left: 27.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Another excellent question! I think the answer is no, she would
not. She is a mother so she would still feel guilty about many things – I do
think the hardest part about being a mother is never knowing if you are doing
things right and if you are making the right calls or not – but the interracial
component adds a layer of complexity to Rachel’s already thickly stratified
foundation of guilt. She will always wonder whether she handled education of
race and racial issues with her son adequately or not.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-left: .25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-indent: -.25in;"><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;"><i>The book description mentions "Born a
Crime" by Trevor Noah. Do you think that's a good comparison? </i></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-left: 27.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;">“Born a Crime” is
non-fiction, and “Seeking Forgiveness,” while containing autobiographical
elements, is fiction. So they aren’t a perfect comparison. But both are good
reads (in my opinion) both for the storytelling, and for the interesting
perspectives and experiences that they present.</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-left: .25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-indent: -22.5pt;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><i>I certainly enjoyed both books.</i></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-left: .25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-indent: -22.5pt;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><i>Going back to your book, the cover is
really striking. How did you (or your publisher) come up with it?</i><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-left: 27.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">To be honest, it was mostly the vision of the artist we hired,
Stanislav Snihur. I discussed with him the book and what the vision of the
story was, and he came up with an initial cover that was very close to what you
see now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We only had to tweak it a
little bit. I’m glad you like it – I will pass the compliment on to Stanislav!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-left: .25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-indent: -.25in;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><i>And now, a writerly question, since I love writing as well as reading. I read that you've
been writing short stories since you were a child. Did this novel grow out of
short stories, or did you have the full novel in mind when you started to
write?</i><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-left: 27.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The very first chapter of the novel poured out of me one day
unsolicited, and without purpose. Writing can be cathartic, and clearly the
morning I wrote that first chapter, I was needing to get some motherly guilt
off my chest. I put the essay, as it was then, away and didn’t reread it for
weeks. When I did finally bring it out and look at it again I was surprised to
find that it wasn’t half bad! I continued developing the characters and a book
started to take shape. I had no idea, initially, where it was headed, but after
about a third of the book was written, I had a good feeling for where it was
going to go.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-left: .25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 27.0pt; text-indent: -.25in;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><i>What are you going to
write next?</i><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-left: .25in; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Whenever I have a book coming out, I take a break from novel
writing. Instead, when I wake up in the mornings and sit down at my desk with
my cup of coffee and my open laptop, I work on shorter pieces – short stories
or essays. I am certain I will write another novel, but the genesis for that
can only come after I’ve finished promoting my current novel, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Seeking Forgiveness</i>, and have the space
to think creatively again.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-left: 0.25in; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><i>Good luck promoting Seeking Forgiveness. I hope it gets lots of sales and readers. I certainly recommend it highly, and I really enjoyed it.</i></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-left: .25in; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><i>Thank you for visiting my blog, Lea, and it was great to "e-meet" you! Meanwhile, dear readers, don't forget to visit Lea's website: </i></span><span style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><i><a href="http://www.learachel.com/main/">http://www.learachel.com/main/</a>. You can even download the first chapter of</i></span></span><i style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> Seeking Forgiveness there. Then purchase your own copy (because I'm sure you'll want to), at </i><i style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Seeking-Forgiveness-Lea-Rachel/dp/0990861627/">https://www.amazon.com/Seeking-Forgiveness-Lea-Rachel/dp/0990861627/</a></i></p><br /><p></p>Sheila Deethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13465615546936319164noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6896710675157315852.post-20366225945805119632022-10-31T11:38:00.002-07:002022-10-31T11:40:12.939-07:00A tale of motherhood<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/61jnuLJTPDL._AC_SX75_CR,0,0,75,75_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="75" data-original-width="75" height="75" src="https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/61jnuLJTPDL._AC_SX75_CR,0,0,75,75_.jpg" width="75" /></a></div>Tomorrow I shall interview author Lea Rachel on this blog. And in getting ready to "meet" her here, I thoroughly enjoyed reading her novel, <i>Seeking Forgiveness. </i>I've just posted my review at: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5077271568">https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5077271568</a><p></p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i>Seeking Forgiveness</i> is a fascinating story, told in the very convincing voice of a mother--and I'm a mom, so it's a tale I could definitely relate to. When protagonist, Rachel, muses<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“The hardest thing about being a
parent… was the worrying and doing your best but
having absolutely no idea if what you were doing was good enough,” I know what she means. And I'm sure it’s a quandary
all parents share.</p><p class="MsoNormal">But Rachel, the protagonist in this novel, is the white mother of an adopted
African American child, in white America. She struggles to choose between
living in a “poor” area with bad schools and kids that look like her son, or a
“rich” area with good schools where Miles will be the exception proving the
school is integrated. She wonders, should his culture or his education matter
more, and why it can’t be both? And she tries to teach Miles <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>to beware of how her (white) culture will
judge him.</p><p class="MsoNormal">For myself as an immigrant mom in America, I merely wondered if my kids might be get accused of shoplifting and we'd be deported because we weren't citizens yet. Of course, friends told me I didn't need to worry because such things didn't happen to people "like us," meaning white, English-speaking people.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">But this novel is not a polemic, calling readers to fix a
broken world. It’s not a fable with a moral waiting at the end. It’s not a
lesson in seeing how the other half lives. Instead, it’s a truly absorbing,
enthralling, fictional tale that holds you on the edge of your seat, and that
stays with the reader, long after the reading’s done. <i>Seeking Forgiveness</i>
holds a mirror up to motherhood, society, and hope, all while telling a captivating
tale with great characters, genuine feeling, and convincing voice. In the end,
maybe hope will win both in fiction and in life.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I was given an advance reader’s copy before I scheduled the interview, and I
offer my honest review of it here. I truly love this book! Highly recommended.<i><o:p></o:p></i></p><i></i><p></p>Sheila Deethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13465615546936319164noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6896710675157315852.post-810741574049997262022-08-14T01:14:00.058-07:002022-08-14T01:14:00.172-07:00Author or transcriber, reader or visitor, greatest or least? Meet Kathryn Elizabeth Jones<p> Today I'm delighted to welcome Kathryn Elizabeth Jones, author of "<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Walked-Jesus-Testament-Stories-Healing-ebook/dp/B0992WPL3Q/">I walked with Jesus</a>," to my blog. I very much enjoyed her short stories retelling miracles from the life of Christ - we clearly have faith and short fiction in common with each other. I loved how historical, real, and relevant Kathryn's stories felt. You can find my review here: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4904771188">https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4904771188</a>. I'd love to meet the author and chat in person, but inviting her to my blog is the next best thing, so I asked her to let me and you how she finds her audience. Here's what she told me.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/71-2nZA8qiL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="533" height="800" src="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/71-2nZA8qiL.jpg" width="533" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>Why I think my audience is beginning to find me</b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>by </b><span style="text-align: left;">Kathryn Elizabeth Jones</span></p><p><br /></p><p>One of the hardest things to do as an author, other than writing or marketing a book, is to find that</p><p>often illusive audience. It’s easier with mysteries or children’s picture books, probably because you</p><p>know who reads them; adults and teens who love sleuthing and children and their parents who love</p><p>reading.</p><p><br /></p><p>But with historical fiction, and in particular, historical fiction that is written in short-story format, and</p><p>about Jesus Christ, the find for the perfect reader becomes an even greater challenge.</p><p><br /></p><p>This isn’t because there aren’t plenty of good Christian readers out there, or because there aren’t</p><p>enough readers who want to know more about the least of these Jesus met in the scriptures.</p><p>I think it’s because most people read books to escape their life, not look inside it.</p><p><br /></p><p>For me, writing I Walked with Jesus, gave me plenty of opportunities to see who I was – and wasn’t. I</p><p>was able to look deep and see who Jesus was too. How he loved everyone. How no one was</p><p>marginalized. How no one was forgotten. It was like, “Hey, here I am. Can we talk?”</p><p>“Can we walk together?”</p><p><br /></p><p>For the most part, my readers have come to me. Usually, they come to my house, and before the visit is</p><p>through, I am offering them a book. Often, the connection is one on one, sort of like when Jesus sat </p><p>with a friend or healed them. Sometimes, my audience shows up when I least expect it or when I’ve </p><p>had a particularly difficult day. It’s like they know somehow.</p><p><br /></p><p>Sharing my book lifts my spirits. During the year that I wrote it, I had many amazing experiences that</p><p>showed me how much Jesus loves me. My eyes were opened to his great love, and I wondered many</p><p>times who was writing my book.</p><p><br /></p><p>Was I merely the transcriber?</p><p><br /></p><p>If you’re like me, and a writer, you may have wondered, “When does my knowledge of writing end and</p><p>inspiration begin? When does the muse take over? How am I transported to that place where I no longer</p><p>have to think to write?</p><p><br /></p><p>Perhaps, like me, you are grateful when it comes. Because it’s in those moments where the roughness of</p><p>the world is gone and you are transported to that ethereal place without walls or even guard rails, that</p><p>true writing begins.</p><p><br /></p><p>I can’t help but wonder if it’s because He comes.</p>Sheila Deethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13465615546936319164noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6896710675157315852.post-15276475204695572042022-04-25T02:25:00.035-07:002022-04-25T02:25:00.212-07:00Novels for a Brighter World<!--wp:image {"align":"center","id":1859,"width":600,"height":600,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"media"}-->
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter size-large is-resized"><a href="http://www.tomorrowcomesmedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/KillerOfGiants_TourGraphic-copy.jpg"><img alt="" class="wp-image-1859" height="600" src="http://www.tomorrowcomesmedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/KillerOfGiants_TourGraphic-copy.jpg" width="600" /></a></figure></div>
<!--/wp:image-->
<!--wp:paragraph-->
<p><i>Today I'm delighted to welcome author Steven L. Shrewsbury back to my blog with his new, action-packed heroic fantasy novel, Killer of Giants! I've been a reader and fan of myths and legends, swords and sorcery, and dark fantasy since childhood, so I know I will love exploring this first story of the Keltos warrior Rogan! But... is there light in the darkness? Over to you Steven</i></p><p><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><b>Novels for a Brighter World<o:p></o:p></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><b>By Steven L. Shrewsbury<o:p></o:p></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">I have in my bio that I seek after
brightness in this world wherever it may hide. I know what I meant when I said
it, but was asked recently what about this new book of mine, KILLER OF GIANTS
adds to the world’s brightness.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">It’s a book, a story, a yarn that will
take you away from the mundane stuff of everyday life. One doesn’t need to look
at social media, wonder which spoiled Hollywood celeb is sleeping with who or
slapped who…or how many people are killing each other in Asia. All the arguments
over silly political nonsense that distracts people from how much the
government is screwing us can be quelled for a while by reading KILLER OF
GIANTS. How do I know?</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">All fiction should be a form of escapism,
and allow an escape from modern reality for a while within its pages. KILLER OF
GIANTS? It’s an adventure, a story full of action, hardnosed characters, antiheroes,
and a flawed main character one can’t help but root for. In Rogan, we see a
savage man, wronged by forces he signed on to fight for, out to glean revenge
on them and to save his family from slavery. The times, a pre-flood world is
full of crass individuals like today, but they are not snarky punks with no
guts on the internet. They are flesh & blood jerks who want to see you die
and our characters must fight them or fall victim to their desires.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">What is bright about that? The desire to
strive on, the will to survive and take action while others cower…to explore
the natural instinct to react to horrid things, no matter how grandiose. It
isn’t a programed behavior exercise where sudden violence is shocking, but
perhaps the order of the day. It’s a story of courage in the face of terrible
odds and monsters, human and otherwise. Are the chimeras, demons, gorgons and mammoths
in KILLER OF GIANTS the scary ones or does that moniker belong to the people of
the tale? Perhaps one rivals the other. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">This doesn’t sound like a bright picture,
does it? But it strips away the flesh of modern timidity or folk hiding behind keyboards
and a lack of courage to show you REAL valor, from men and women, to fight on
for retribution and the rest of their lives.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">What am I after in this book? To
entertain, to tell you a story and to make you forget the world for a bit--Escapism,
the purist form of storytelling and what all have sought after for thousands of
years. Heroes, villains and monsters, devils, demons and all that…they will
make you forget who is sleeping with who and why memes are considered near to
scripture these days.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Take my hand and turn a page. Read a story
that takes you away from all of that. Amid the lines one might learn a bit
about legends and history, littered throughout the novel. Ancient
Shynar/Sumeria and its gods & demons, fabled cities and curses, basis for legends
and creatures, all wrapped up to entertain, and not insult your intelligence.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Read and garner a desire to look for more works,
not just my words, but tales from the past where these came. Breathe it in and
ignore the absurdity of a damaged, contemporary world, one that has not learned
from these tales of the past, from wars long ago...and times when one did what
had to be done, and may have been mistaken for a hero. This ideal alone, will
bring more brightness to the world, as one will look onward and upward to
greater things, and perhaps be reminded of a time when things were similar, yet
crass, but there is light at the end of the tunnel, If one bashes the walls out
a little, we can let the sunshine in, be it with sword or pen.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">So, take a look into KILLER OF GIANTS and
escape for a little while. The way might seem a bit dark at first, but in time,
it will lead on up to light. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p>
</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span></p><p><i>Thank you Steven. You answered my question wonderfully, and I do agree, the dark escapism of fiction can lead us up to light as it leads us out of the world battling in around us. I'm definitely looking forward to reading this.</i></p>
<!--/wp:paragraph-->
<!--wp:paragraph-->
<p><br /></p>
<!--/wp:paragraph-->
<!--wp:separator-->
<hr class="wp-block-separator" />
<!--/wp:separator-->
<!--wp:image {"align":"left","id":1848,"width":347,"height":512,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"media"}-->
<div class="wp-block-image"></div>
<!--/wp:image-->
<!--wp:paragraph-->
<h4 style="text-align: left;"><strong><figure class="alignleft size-large is-resized"><a href="http://www.tomorrowcomesmedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/StevenLShrewsburyAuthorPhotocropped.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" class="wp-image-1847" height="329" src="http://www.tomorrowcomesmedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/StevenLShrewsburyAuthorPhotocropped.jpg" width="270" /></a></figure>About the author: </strong> </h4><p>Award-winning author STEVEN L. SHREWSBURY lives and works in Central Illinois. He writes hardcore sword & sorcery, fantasy and horror novels. Twenty of his novels have been published, including KILLER OF GIANTS, BEYOND NIGHT, BORN OF SWORDS, WITHIN, OVERKILL, PHILISTINE, HELL BILLY, THRALL, BLOOD & STEEL, STRONGER THAN DEATH, HAWG, TORMENTOR and GODFORSAKEN. His horror/western series includes BAD MAGICK, LAST MAN SCREAMING, MOJO HAND and ALONG COME EVENING. He has collaborated with Brian Keene on the works KING OF THE BASTARDS, THRONE OF THE BASTARDS & CURSE OF THE BASTARDS and Peter Welmerink on the Viking saga BEDLAM UNLEASHED. A big fan of books, history, the occult, religion and sports, <b>he tries to seek out brightness in the world, wherever it may hide.</b></p><p>WHERE TO FIND HIM</p><p>Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/shrewsreh">https://twitter.com/shrewsreh</a></p><p><!--/wp:paragraph--><!--wp:paragraph--><!--/wp:paragraph--><!--wp:paragraph--></p><p>Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/authorstevenshrewsbury">https://www.facebook.com/authorstevenshrewsbury</a></p>
<!--/wp:paragraph-->
<!--wp:separator-->
<hr class="wp-block-separator" />
<!--/wp:separator-->
<!--wp:image {"align":"left","id":1847,"width":270,"height":329,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"media"}-->
<div class="wp-block-image"></div>
<!--/wp:image-->
<!--wp:paragraph-->
<p></p><figure class="alignleft size-large is-resized"><a href="http://www.tomorrowcomesmedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/FinalKillerOfGiants_1200.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" class="wp-image-1848" height="512" src="http://www.tomorrowcomesmedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/FinalKillerOfGiants_1200-694x1024.jpg" width="347" /></a></figure><h4 style="text-align: left;"><b>ABOUT THE BOOK</b></h4><p></p><p>In an antediluvian world, Keltos warrior Rogan emerges as the lone survivor of a battle. Slaying a Nephilim giant from Shynar, Rogan takes back the mammoth his folk gifted the kings.</p>
<!--/wp:paragraph-->
<!--wp:paragraph-->
<p>Soon, warriors are sent to recapture the mammoth and bring it to the Lord of the world, Zazaeil, a demon in human flesh, and the Nephilim giant Marduk, in the fabled city of Irem.</p>
<!--/wp:paragraph-->
<!--wp:paragraph-->
<p>After learning that his sister is to be a sacrificial bride to Marduk, Rogan journeys to Irem in the company of Elisa, a warrior herself, whose mother is a wizardess. With a horde of warriors in pursuit, they encounter many evils, monsters, and challenges to their selves and souls.</p>
<!--/wp:paragraph-->
<!--wp:paragraph-->
<p>Will the song of Rogan’s blood make him strong enough to be the Killer of Giants?</p><p>WHERE TO FIND IT</p><p><strong>Kindle: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09SGV5141">https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09SGV5141</a></strong></p><p><strong>Nook Link: <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/killer-of-giants-steven-l-shrewsbury/1141004710?ean=2940160798370">https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/killer-of-giants-steven-l-shrewsbury/1141004710?ean=2940160798370</a></strong></p><p><strong>Amazon Print: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Killer-Giants-Steven-L-Shrewsbury/dp/1736812556/">https://www.amazon.com/Killer-Giants-Steven-L-Shrewsbury/dp/1736812556/</a></strong></p><p><!--/wp:paragraph--><!--wp:paragraph--><!--/wp:paragraph--><!--wp:paragraph--><!--/wp:paragraph--><!--wp:paragraph--><!--/wp:paragraph--><!--wp:paragraph--></p><p><strong>Barnes and Noble Link: <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/killer-of-giants-steven-l-shrewsbury/1141044545?ean=9781736812556">https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/killer-of-giants-steven-l-shrewsbury/1141044545?ean=9781736812556</a></strong></p>
<!--/wp:paragraph-->
<!--wp:separator-->
<hr class="wp-block-separator" />
<!--/wp:separator-->
<!--wp:paragraph-->
<p><strong>FIND OUT MORE. FOLLOW THE TOUR</strong></p><p><strong>4/18 Jazzy Book Reviews <a href="https://jazzybookreviews.com/">https://jazzybookreviews.com/</a> Author Interview</strong></p>
<!--/wp:paragraph-->
<!--wp:paragraph-->
<p><strong>4/19 Horror Tree <a href="https://www.horrortree.com/">https://www.horrortree.com</a> Guest Post</strong></p>
<!--/wp:paragraph-->
<!--wp:paragraph-->
<p><strong>4/20 Exquisite Corpse <a href="https://traciemcbridewriter.wordpress.com/">https://traciemcbridewriter.wordpress.com/</a> Guest Post</strong></p>
<!--/wp:paragraph-->
<!--wp:paragraph-->
<p><strong>4/20 BOOKS TO CURL UP WITH <a href="https://bookstocurlupwiith.blogspot.com/">https://bookstocurlupwiith.blogspot.com</a> Review</strong></p>
<!--/wp:paragraph-->
<!--wp:paragraph-->
<p><strong>4/21 The Write Start <a href="https://www.thewritestart.net/">https://www.thewritestart.net</a> Guest Post</strong></p>
<!--/wp:paragraph-->
<!--wp:paragraph-->
<p><strong>4/21 BookWitch <a href="https://bookwitchblog549755749.wordpress.com/">https://bookwitchblog549755749.wordpress.com/</a> Review</strong></p>
<!--/wp:paragraph-->
<!--wp:paragraph-->
<p><strong>4/22 Sapphyria's Books <a href="https://saphsbooks.blogspot.com/">https://saphsbooks.blogspot.com/</a> Guest Post</strong></p>
<!--/wp:paragraph-->
<!--wp:paragraph-->
<p><strong>4/23 BookWitch <a href="https://bookwitchblog549755749.wordpress.com/">https://bookwitchblog549755749.wordpress.com/</a> Interview</strong></p>
<!--/wp:paragraph-->
<!--wp:paragraph-->
<p><strong>4/24 Literary Underworld <a href="https://www.literaryunderworld.com/">https://www.Literaryunderworld.com</a> Guest Post</strong></p>
<!--/wp:paragraph-->
<!--wp:paragraph-->
<p><strong>4/25 Sheila's Guests and Reviews <a href="http://sheiladeeth.blogspot.com/">http://sheiladeeth.blogspot.com/</a> Guest Post</strong></p>
<!--/wp:paragraph-->
<!--wp:paragraph-->
<p><strong>Links for <em>Killer of Giants</em>:</strong></p>
<!--/wp:paragraph-->
<!--wp:paragraph-->
<p><strong>eBook Links</strong></p>
<!--/wp:paragraph-->
<!--wp:paragraph-->
<p><br /></p>
<!--/wp:paragraph-->
Sheila Deethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13465615546936319164noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6896710675157315852.post-71422236349166627722022-04-05T03:53:00.000-07:002022-04-05T03:53:00.179-07:00Who Was Barabbas and Why Might We Care?<p><i>Today I'm delighted to welcome author M.D.House to revisit my blog. He's touring the internet with the third book of his Barabbas trilogy, a series based around the world of Jesus' death and resurrection, and centering on the well-remembered figure of Barabbas. As an author of Biblical fiction myself (my Five-Minute Bible Story Series), I'm always fascinated to meet someone else with an interest in the same history and worldview. I hope you will give him a warm welcome and enjoy our conversation.</i></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMq2TqOCi66iNEYVbPmlagXPPgCdmIstIx1wZpPg8JpJ2sTV8dBlztIUSUEigsMRKHHWuAwlr8xiqk_WIzNIogyPN104huHvXZKnLhImMNwvIi9yFDgOS_GJXOruO6MOQLeKvCrSsX3IvJIbt5gfyvVWSMQizWk6EwiWAlaQfckKP3ZYgLplIr3S7r/s540/The%20Barabbas%20Legacy%20Cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="358" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMq2TqOCi66iNEYVbPmlagXPPgCdmIstIx1wZpPg8JpJ2sTV8dBlztIUSUEigsMRKHHWuAwlr8xiqk_WIzNIogyPN104huHvXZKnLhImMNwvIi9yFDgOS_GJXOruO6MOQLeKvCrSsX3IvJIbt5gfyvVWSMQizWk6EwiWAlaQfckKP3ZYgLplIr3S7r/s320/The%20Barabbas%20Legacy%20Cover.jpg" width="212" /></a></div><br /><i><br /></i><p></p><p><i>Book 3 of the Barabbas series, The
Barabbas Legacy, deals directly with major world events and travels more
broadly than the prior two volumes. What excited you most about these new
journeys?</i></p><ol start="1" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
</ol><p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; margin-left: .5in; mso-border-shadow: yes; mso-padding-alt: 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;">As I’ve journeyed with
Barabbas, his family, the apostle Paul, and the centurion Cornelius,
researching many of the places they could have traveled and the events they may
have witnessed, my desire to know the people of that time and those places has
intensified. My respect for them has also grown. How did they survive, and even
thrive, in circumstances so difficult and often desperate?</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; margin-left: .5in; mso-border-shadow: yes; mso-padding-alt: 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;"><i>I have the same longing to know - I love to remind readers that the world of the early church, and of the early Bible, was as real as our present-day world, and the people were as real as we are.</i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRhPtoOZqZNBrAGVNzAatNg0ZaZGvjX_UlRb1cuZRMAiQY9BAFtaWgokZ_ZMf6FWYEPvR5Q4P_ywT3OvkN3lfBeyBUhzSG8Fsz5XwGLEsBu9YiczqSc3s5ug3fhxfLt2kdx7rMdkAJBrQ3X22ShwacVMhPD8O1_hPiwHnon6ECA37G8LVwFp-MJzof/s4931/MD%20House(1).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4931" data-original-width="3287" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRhPtoOZqZNBrAGVNzAatNg0ZaZGvjX_UlRb1cuZRMAiQY9BAFtaWgokZ_ZMf6FWYEPvR5Q4P_ywT3OvkN3lfBeyBUhzSG8Fsz5XwGLEsBu9YiczqSc3s5ug3fhxfLt2kdx7rMdkAJBrQ3X22ShwacVMhPD8O1_hPiwHnon6ECA37G8LVwFp-MJzof/s320/MD%20House(1).JPG" width="213" /></a></i></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; margin-left: .5in; mso-border-shadow: yes; mso-padding-alt: 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; margin-left: .5in; mso-border-shadow: yes; mso-padding-alt: 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;">I remind myself that God loves
each of his children equally, aiding them in the best ways possible in all ages
of the earth. He sent his son to advocate for all of us, from our first earthly
parents, Adam and Eve, to the very last baby born before the advent of Christ’s
millennial reign.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; margin-left: .5in; mso-border-shadow: yes; mso-padding-alt: 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;"><i>You must do a fair amount of research, to get a sense of people who lived then and the world they lived in.</i> </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; margin-left: .5in; mso-border-shadow: yes; mso-padding-alt: 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;">History is written by the
victors. It is also often changed later by those in power who seek to cast a
particular light on past events, groups of people, etc. in order to promote
current political or social aims. With that in mind, I used what I consider the
most reliable of the ancient sources—the New Testament—and built frameworks
from there that made sense given some of the secular histories and our common
human nature.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; margin-left: .5in; mso-border-shadow: yes; mso-padding-alt: 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;"><o:p> <i>I know some would say the New Testament's not reliable. But it seems to pass every test anyone can throw at it. We have more evidence for Jesus than for many other historical characters.</i></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; margin-left: .5in; mso-border-shadow: yes; mso-padding-alt: 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;">Why is the New Testament
proving with every passing day (note the fantastic ongoing work of Biblical archeologists)
to be our most accurate source of historical truth? Because Jesus Christ won
the supreme victory, and he actively inspired its writing, even after his
ascension. To call him the ultimate historian is a vast understatement.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; margin-left: .5in; mso-border-shadow: yes; mso-padding-alt: 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;">P.S. If you want to learn more
about recent archeological discoveries firming up the historical foundations of
the Bible, check out Eric Metaxas’s new book, “Is Atheism Dead?” You won’t
regret it.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; margin-left: .5in; mso-border-shadow: yes; mso-padding-alt: 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; margin-left: .5in; mso-border-shadow: yes; mso-padding-alt: 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;"><o:p><i>I might do that. Thanks. </i> <i>Going back to your novel, o</i></o:p><i>ther significant Biblical figures make
appearances don't they?. How did you choose them?</i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; margin-left: .5in; mso-border-shadow: yes; mso-padding-alt: 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;">The apostle Paul continues to
play a prominent role, and that has been a personal blessing. I’ve spent a
considerable amount of time studying his epistles, trying to understand better
both what he taught and who he was. Among the other apostles, we get to know
Philip a bit, along with Thomas. We also, of course, see a number of the
apostles being martyred. Dates are hard to pin down, but between 65 and 75 AD,
the apostles may have lost half their number, which was a staggering blow. We
know others were called, as was Matthias (who replaced Judas Iscariot), but at
some point the apostleship sadly (and literally) died out.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; margin-left: .5in; mso-border-shadow: yes; mso-padding-alt: 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; margin-left: .5in; mso-border-shadow: yes; mso-padding-alt: 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;">I loved Cornelius’s new role
in <i>Legacy</i>. He’s older, he has grown
children, he’s no longer in the Roman legions, and he is a great asset to the
burgeoning Church of Christ. It was so much fun to journey with him a final
time as well.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; margin-left: .5in; mso-border-shadow: yes; mso-padding-alt: 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; margin-left: .5in; mso-border-shadow: yes; mso-padding-alt: 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;">Finally, we encounter Mary
Magdalene—and one of her daughters—in <i>Legacy</i>.
There is some evidence she moved to Armenia, which is a fascinating place to
research (and on my bucket list to visit someday). Perhaps her presence there
still lingers powerfully, as Armenia, which was the first officially Christian
country, is still almost 95% Christian. Amazing.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; margin-left: .5in; mso-border-shadow: yes; mso-padding-alt: 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; margin-left: .5in; mso-border-shadow: yes; mso-padding-alt: 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;"><i>What about the non-Biblical
historical figures?</i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; margin-left: .5in; mso-border-shadow: yes; mso-padding-alt: 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;">We see Nero’s final scenes,
and then we get the brutal year of four emperors … which must have made many
Christians believe the world had gone stark, raving mad and Christ needed to
return ASAP. The most significant figures to this story are Vespasian and his
son Titus. Vespasian was a respected general who came out on top in that
fateful year of emperor roulette. His son Titus (who also later become emperor)
engineered the final siege of Jerusalem.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; margin-left: .5in; mso-border-shadow: yes; mso-padding-alt: 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; margin-left: .5in; mso-border-shadow: yes; mso-padding-alt: 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;"><o:p> <i>I was particularly intrigued by your depiction of Nero - not at all the one-dimensional character we usually imagine. And of course, the siege of Jerusalem is thoroughly historical.</i></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; margin-left: .5in; mso-border-shadow: yes; mso-padding-alt: 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;">That event, prophesied by
Christ himself, was almost too horrific to contemplate. Jerusalem, swollen with
pilgrims to a population of nearly one million people, lost as much as 90
percent of its population, effectively ending the Jewish state for nearly two
thousand years.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; mso-border-shadow: yes; mso-padding-alt: 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p><i>What are the primary themes of this capstone of the trilogy?</i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; margin-left: .5in; mso-border-shadow: yes; mso-padding-alt: 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;">The triumphs and failures of
the early saints, in the context of the fierce maelstrom of the human
condition—which was no different then than it is now—gave backdrop to a
fascinating opportunity to explore my own strong desire for the Lord's return.
We may be tempted to focus too many of our pleadings on bringing forth the
glorious, joyous day of his coming, while slackening in our efforts to serve
others and rejoice in the challenging life we’ve been given.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; margin-left: .5in; mso-border-shadow: yes; mso-padding-alt: 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; margin-left: .5in; mso-border-shadow: yes; mso-padding-alt: 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;">We can also be tempted to
stray from the true path, and for various reasons. We may become discouraged
amid hardship or persecution. We may decide to seek joy or solace in succumbing
to our passions. Or we may allow “new, superior, modern” ideas to take root in
the soil of our souls and sap the strength of the true vine. Apostasy is a very
real danger, and it comes in many forms. The early saints struggled with it as
well. But Christ is faithful, and there is nothing in our experiences or in our
“modernity” that he doesn’t understand completely. Continued trust in him will
be well-rewarded, both now and in the next life.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; margin-left: .5in; mso-border-shadow: yes; mso-padding-alt: 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;"><i>Indeed. There are modern day saints who would attest to that too, aren't there?</i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; margin-left: .5in; mso-border-shadow: yes; mso-padding-alt: 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; margin-left: .5in; mso-border-shadow: yes; mso-padding-alt: 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;">A great example to me of
steadiness in the hope of Christ is Dietrich Bonhoeffer, the courageous German
pastor who opposed Hitler and was executed shortly before the end of World War
II. His faith was an active faith, which in the end led him to a courage he had
so often feared would elude him. His trust in God through all adversities,
diligently focused through the lens of the life and mission of Jesus Christ,
engendered in him eternal perspective and full confidence in God’s sure
promises. He wrote,</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; margin-left: .5in; mso-border-shadow: yes; mso-padding-alt: 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; margin-left: .5in; mso-border-shadow: yes; mso-padding-alt: 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;">“Mere waiting and looking on
is not Christian behavior. The Christian is called to sympathy and action, not
in the first place by his own sufferings, but by the sufferings of his
brethren, for whose sake Christ suffered.”</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; margin-left: .5in; mso-border-shadow: yes; mso-padding-alt: 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; margin-left: .5in; mso-border-shadow: yes; mso-padding-alt: 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;"><i>I like that you have women play a prominent role
in church leadership as you have imagined it among the early Christian
saints. What led you to do that?</i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; margin-left: .5in; mso-border-shadow: yes; mso-padding-alt: 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;">When Christ established his
church, he spent at least forty days training his disciples how to administer
it and help it grow. He most certainly would have made it crystal clear how
valuable each and every person—male or female, regardless of perceivable
physical attributes—was to the growth, function and purpose of the kingdom of
God.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; margin-left: .5in; mso-border-shadow: yes; mso-padding-alt: 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; margin-left: .5in; mso-border-shadow: yes; mso-padding-alt: 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;">That seems obvious to most of
us now, but most societies of the time were politically and economically
dominated by males, even if those males were often influenced by mothers,
wives, sisters, daughters, etc. (The hand that rocks the cradle rules the
world, so the saying goes.) Christ’s church was refreshingly different, with
men and women both playing prominent roles in decision-making and execution.
That was difficult for some people to accept, and persecutions arose from it, but
God values all of his children equally, and all have valuable talents that we
can only ignore at our peril.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; margin-left: .5in; mso-border-shadow: yes; mso-padding-alt: 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; mso-border-shadow: yes; mso-padding-alt: 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;"><i>What lessons can today’s readers take
away from the lives of the early saints and the men and women who led
them?</i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; margin-left: .5in; mso-border-shadow: yes; mso-padding-alt: 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;">They were real people, facing
real challenges with which each of us can identify. They were steeped in myriad
entrenched traditions and doctrines, but their souls had come from the hallowed
halls of heaven. Twinges of remembrance reverberated in their hearts when they
heard the message of the gospel, when the great atoning sacrifice of the Savior
was announced and explained to them.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; margin-left: .5in; mso-border-shadow: yes; mso-padding-alt: 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; margin-left: .5in; mso-border-shadow: yes; mso-padding-alt: 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;">Their spirits rejoiced, and
yet the vicissitudes and temptations of mortality continued to challenge them.
Satan continuously tried to beat them down and convince them it wasn’t worth
getting back up and trying to be the kind of person Christ had shown them they
could become. In their basic essence, our experiences are exactly the same.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; margin-left: .5in; mso-border-shadow: yes; mso-padding-alt: 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; margin-left: .5in; mso-border-shadow: yes; mso-padding-alt: 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;">Like us, they had ample
opportunities to learn that the primary difference between Christ and Satan is
that Satan seeks to rule over us for his own glory, while Christ leads us along
a path of self-mastery and knowledge that will bring us limitless, joyous
glory—both personal and familial—and <i>that</i>
is what Christ rejoices in.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; margin-left: .5in; mso-border-shadow: yes; mso-padding-alt: 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; margin-left: .5in; mso-border-shadow: yes; mso-padding-alt: 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;"><i>Can The Barabbas Legacy help readers
strengthen their faith in Jesus Christ?</i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; margin-left: .5in; mso-border-shadow: yes; mso-padding-alt: 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;">I certainly hope so, yes. The
entire series was written with a scriptural, spiritual foundation, designed to
point us toward the Savior and his ever-open arms. I prayed hard in crafting
the right messages, and I wasn’t disappointed. As I mentioned, this journey has
been an incredible blessing to me. The teachings of Christ are presented
throughout, in the words and actions of the various characters, and I’ve
endeavored not only to stay true to the gospel message, but to amplify it any
way I can, so that it sings in your heart the way it sings in mine.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; margin-left: .5in; mso-border-shadow: yes; mso-padding-alt: 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; margin-left: .5in; mso-border-shadow: yes; mso-padding-alt: 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;">Of course, beyond studying the
teachings of Christ, or contemplating the stories of his life and the lives of
his faithful followers, we must commune with him personally and heed his
teachings, continually. The scriptures were not designed to be explained to us
by others; only God himself can open them fully to us. But we have to seek him;
we have to ask.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; margin-left: .5in; mso-border-shadow: yes; mso-padding-alt: 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; margin-left: .5in; mso-border-shadow: yes; mso-padding-alt: 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;">We must also remember that
redemption is a life-long process. It requires a tremendous amount of work and determination.
It’s worth it, especially as we help each other and become unified in following
our Savior. Unity in Christ is our true strength, because mortal ethnicity,
native language, economic station, etc. don’t matter a whit when it comes to
accessing his promised blessings, both here and in the eternities.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; margin-left: .5in; mso-border-shadow: yes; mso-padding-alt: 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; margin-left: .5in; mso-border-shadow: yes; mso-padding-alt: 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;"><i>Thank you. I've already got a copy of your novel and I'm enjoying the read - just sorry I haven't got copies of all three, but I can attest to the fact that it's okay to start at #3.</i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; margin-left: .5in; mso-border-shadow: yes; mso-padding-alt: 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;"><i><br /></i></p><h2 style="border: none; margin-left: 0.5in; text-align: left;"><i>ABOUT THE BOOK</i></h2><div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">In this poignant capstone to The Barabbas Trilogy, the man called Barabbas—infamous former thief, murderer and prisoner turned Christian—and his wife Chanah continue their mission of spreading the gospel across the known world as cauldrons of political and military chaos boil across the Roman Empire.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">Nero is increasingly erratic, and it’s only a matter of time before the sharp knives of imperial politics finish him off. Various successors vie for position. Who will strike first, and who will come out on top?</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">Meanwhile, the rebellion in Judea has intensified, the Jewish zealots exerting great influence over the minds of the people. General Vespasian and his son Titus aim to put a permanent end to the insurrection. How many lives will ultimately be sacrificed on the great altar of Jerusalem? Can the Jewish nation survive the fulfillment of Jesus’s prophecy? What will become of the Jewish Christians and the apostles and sisters who lead them? And where will Barabbas and his family find lasting peace?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"> </span><i><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">The Barabbas</span></i><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"> <i>Legacy</i> once again brings the early years of the church into vivid detail, concluding the journey of those first saints who sacrificed everything to bring Christ’s message to the world.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"> </span><b><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">HIGHLIGHTS:</span></b><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; margin-left: 0.5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: "Noto Sans Symbols";">●<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">Final chapter in The Barabbas Trilogy, concluding Barabbas’ imagined journey bringing Christ’s message to the world<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; margin-left: 0.5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: "Noto Sans Symbols";">●<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">Triumph through adversity, which the burgeoning church of Christ experienced<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; margin-left: 0.5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: "Noto Sans Symbols";">●<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">As Christians walk through the Lenten season and celebrate Easter, this book can help reflect on sacrifices the early saints made to spread Christ’s message<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; margin-left: 0.5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: "Noto Sans Symbols";">●<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">Well-researched novel that stays true to historical context and real events associated with the Roman Empire<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; margin-left: 0.5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: "Noto Sans Symbols";">●<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">Weaves significant Biblical figures, including Paul, Peter, Luke, and others, throughout the novel alongside historical figures like Emperor Nero<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; margin-left: 0.5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: "Noto Sans Symbols";">●<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">Illustrates the important role women played in the early church leadership<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; margin-left: 0.5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><b>WHERE TO FIND IT:</b></span></p><div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"> </span><b><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">Book’s Amazon page</span></b><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">: </span><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Barabbas-Legacy-Trilogy/dp/B09MYVMJ94/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1644247519&sr=1-1"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">HERE</span></a></p></div><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">Book’s Goodreads page</span></b><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">: </span><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/59748026-the-barabbas-legacy"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">HERE</span></a></p><h2 style="text-align: left;"><i><b><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"> </span></b><b><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">ABOUT THE AUTHOR</span></b></i></h2><p class="MsoNormal"><a name="_30j0zll"></a></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">M.D. HOUSE<b> </b>is the author of <i>The Barabbas Legacy</i>, as well as the first two volumes in The Barabbas Trilogy, </span><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Was-Called-Barabbas-M-D-House/dp/1695790286"><i><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">I Was Called Barabbas</span></i></a><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"> and </span><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Pillars-Barabbas-Trilogy-M-D-House/dp/B08YHWQ166/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3SWOAABA25V0V&keywords=pillars+of+barabbas&qid=1644248104&s=books&sprefix=pillars+of+barabbas%2Cstripbooks%2C77&sr=1-1"><i><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">Pillars of Barabbas</span></i></a><i><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">.</span></i><i><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"> </span></i><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">He also authored the science-fiction novel, </span><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Patriot-Star-M-D-House/dp/1724163434/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr="><i><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">Patriot Star</span></i></a><i><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">. </span></i><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">Before beginning his second career as a writer, he worked for twenty-five years in the world of corporate finance, strategic planning, and business development. Now, Michael lives in Utah with his wife, where he spends his time writing and enjoying his children and grandchildren. Learn more about Michael and his work at </span><a href="http://www.mdhouselive.com/"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">www.mdhouselive.com</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">WHERE TO FIND HIM:</span><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-decoration-line: underline;"> </span></b></p></div><p class="MsoNormal"><a name="_gjdgxs"></a><b><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">Author’s Website: </span></b><a href="http://www.mdhouselive.com/"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">www.mdhouselive.com</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">Author’s Facebook:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;"> </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/LiteraryThunder"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">www.facebook.com/LiteraryThunder</span></a><span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">Author’s
Twitter</span></b><span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">: </span><a href="https://twitter.com/real_housemd"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">www.twitter.com/real_housemd</span></a><span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"> </span></p><h2 style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING ABOUT <i>THE BARABBAS
TRILOGY</i></span></b></h2><p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="background: white; font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-highlight: white;"><o:p> </o:p></span></i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">“From the moment I
started reading [The Barabbas Trilogy], I was drawn into early church history.
The world and the people came alive to me in amazing ways. Beautifully written,
these stories stayed on my mind and heart long after I closed the books. Highly
recommended!”</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">-<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">Tricia Goyer, bestselling author
of 80 books, including <i>From Dust and
Ashes</i></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">“I appreciate the meticulous
attention to historical detail, insights concerning political machinations
within the Roman Senate, the connections a handful of Christian missionaries
and leaders made, and the discipling of the next generation of believers by the
aging original saints. If you love historical fiction, particularly that
involving New Testament times, you will be brought closer to the lives of our
ancestors in the faith through this entertaining and speculative story of
Barabbas.”</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">-<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">Dave (Doc) Kirby, radio host, <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">WTBF-AM/FM Alabama</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="background: white; font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-highlight: white;"><o:p> </o:p></span></i><i><span style="background: white; font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-highlight: white;">“[The Barabbas Legacy] is a fitting
ending to what has been a marvelous story.”</span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo4; text-indent: -.25in;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-highlight: white;">-<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="background: white; font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-highlight: white;">Lisa
Henson, reviewer, <i>Goodreads</i> and <i>Reedsy Discovery</i> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-highlight: white;"><o:p> </o:p></span><i><span style="background: white; font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-highlight: white;">“</span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">The Barabbas Legacy concludes Barabbas’ tale that started with
curiosity and grew into a complete series. M.D. House succeeds in telling the
story of Barabbas, a rebel and </span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">murderer
turned strong follower of Jesus.<span style="background: white; mso-highlight: white;">”</span></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-highlight: white;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="background: white; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">-<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">Sarah Hinrichs<span style="background: white; mso-highlight: white;">, reviewer, <i>Chanticleer
Book Reviews</i></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-highlight: white;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p>Sheila Deethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13465615546936319164noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6896710675157315852.post-91503342681718487062021-11-01T15:57:00.068-07:002021-11-01T15:57:00.210-07:00When Nowhere Isn't Nowhere...<p> <i>Today I'm meeting </i><strong style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://mailer.prbythebook.com/link.php?M%3D68219%26N%3D617%26L%3D1047%26F%3DH&source=gmail&ust=1635274000522000&usg=AFQjCNFjUYnbYnIkPyhKDppluTva29-Aiw" href="http://mailer.prbythebook.com/link.php?M=68219&N=617&L=1047&F=H" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">Melkart Rouhana</a> </strong><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><i>o</i></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><i>n my blog, introducing his book </i><em style="font-weight: bold;">Greatness is NowHere</em></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Self improvement from the prince of positivity; consultant to the likes of Ritz-Carlton. Greatness is NOWHERE shares a roadmap that will guide you to find greatness and lead your people to ultimately unleash their potential and, in the process, impact the future of our world. Not just for business leaders; applicable to those who lead families, sports teams, volunteering and other groups. </p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><i></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrR0_5LXcAQctIdoDBQb3RqL1J6qOn9NvcUve1w5-TG_U0OMbRsGPPzSH9FfSiV0mGsXpPFiBo-t_OFa4QGIme7_rDXw8jrbmwI4mbXxvhz4nKC2LlOCmbH6qx2VcWmJwOzAHRZcYupmM/s2048/Picture+2.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1748" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrR0_5LXcAQctIdoDBQb3RqL1J6qOn9NvcUve1w5-TG_U0OMbRsGPPzSH9FfSiV0mGsXpPFiBo-t_OFa4QGIme7_rDXw8jrbmwI4mbXxvhz4nKC2LlOCmbH6qx2VcWmJwOzAHRZcYupmM/s320/Picture+2.png" width="273" /></a></i></div><i><br />I suspect my dreams of greatness may be long gone, but I'm fascinated by Melkart's background and I'm sure you will be too. So... my first question for you, Melkart, is where did you grow up, and where do you live now?</i><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-align: justify;"><b><span lang="EN">Melkart:</span></b><span lang="EN"> I grew up in </span>a beautiful Lebanese village, Beit-Mery, in Mount Lebanon overlooking Beirut floating under us like a splendid
river. Beit-Mery, deriving from
Aramaic, means “The House of The Lord”. In this village, I learned to dream big,
amongst the ruins of the old
Phoenician and Roman temples.
After studying in Switzerland, I moved to work in Qatar, United Arab Emirates,
Egypt, and USA. I currently live in Doha, Qatar with the love of my life, Nancy
and our two kids, Raphael (12) and Matteo (7). I currently travel 250+ days a
year, enabling greatness everywhere; hence my “weird” address on my business
card: everywhere! ;)<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> <i>Wow! Did you always want to be a writer?</i></o:p></p><ol start="2" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
</ol><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span lang="EN">Melkart:</span></b><span lang="EN"> I was brought up in a family of poets. Well, I leave the rest to your
interpretation! But I recall vividly roaming the country with my father Rafic
Rouhana (an author of 25 Lebanese books), witnessing his magic and learning
from him as he rocked every stage and moved people by the power of his words.
At a young age, I always wanted to follow his footsteps, to inspire others, use
the power of words, speak on stage, and become an author, just like him - but
in my own way!</span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN">I </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">recall walking down
Al-Bustan Street in Beit-Mery, a beautiful Lebanese village in Mount Lebanon</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">, every week </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">with</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> one of my best
friends, Raja Touma</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">. That weekly
ritual leading us to the top of the village</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> overlooking </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Lebanon's
Mediterranean coast, </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">was one of
the best rituals I lived. We</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">debated life’s most important questions, </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">shared our dreams of </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">leaving that small village and </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">roaming the world</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">,</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> inspiring others</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> (like my father did),</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> transforming </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">individuals and </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">organizations</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">. This is when I found my calling, to enable
greatness in others… and oh my what a journey…</span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN"> <i>Wow again! So what's your educational and career background like?</i></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-align: justify;"><b>Melkart:</b> I held previous
positions such as Corporate Head of Learning & Development for Emaar
Hospitality Group and Armani Hotels & Resorts; Corporate Director of Global
Learning at The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company; Public Speaker & Consultant for
The Ritz-Carlton Leadership Center, Executive Director of Human Resources;
Manager of Human Resources & Leadership Development as well as Director of
Training and Organizational Effectiveness in the Ritz-Carlton international
arena and lead the opening countdowns for many of The Ritz-Carlton Hotels. I hold a Bachelor
of Science degree in Hotel and Tourism Management (NDU, Lebanon), Post Graduate
Diploma in International Hospitality Administration (University Cesar Ritz
UCCR, Switzerland) and a Master of Science Degree in International Hospitality
Management (UCCR & Manchester Metropolitan University, England MMU). My Master studies and thesis focused on
organizational effectiveness and transformational leadership. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN"> <i>That's a lot of traveling, and a lot of studying! How on earth did you ever find time to write? </i></span></p><ol start="5" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
</ol><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-align: justify;"><b><span lang="EN">Melkart:</span></b><span lang="EN"> I sometimes write at the end of
a day after a speech, an event, or a training workshop. At other times, I wake
up in the middle of the night with the urge to write something. The 65,000
words in my book <i>Greatness is NOWhere</i>, are written literally in every
corner of this world. I remember writing few pages in Angola, Africa,
continuing the chapter while on 40,000 feet flight en route to Paris, to
finally finish the chapter in Atlanta. The book is the outcome of this journey,
and you can see the shades of this journey in the stories permeating the pages
of the book.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><i>I love the book title. I'm guessing that means you like playing with words, same as I do.</i></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-align: justify;"><b><span lang="EN">Melkart:</span></b><span lang="EN"> The title ‘<i>Greatness is NOWhere</i>’
is playful indeed. How did you read it? Greatness is nowhere OR greatness is
NOW here? At first, we mostly see “nowhere” instead of “NOW here” because as
human beings, we are </span>wired to exaggerate the negative because it helped us survive the dark ages. We
moved beyond those days though, but we still carry this ‘shredder.’
It steels our inner peace, rips out our energy, and robs us of our dreams and
aspirations. The book will inspire
you to make the shift from greatness is nowhere to greatness in now here…and
enable you to find the best version of yourself, your team, and your
organization.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i><span lang="EN"> </span></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilJweq1KO7hZ7OCBhjEs9XYahpxmThyoh7XLqZIxzdrmKgDDm-HrNhDJ-YsIIE4F5n9vM00xF2Pr94f7FgTgKPb94DwffxzEWyJsF9aNLufDITLEmxb46mdLYESw1-IU9Fsg76nCGv9EM/s1538/Book+mockup.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1538" data-original-width="1500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilJweq1KO7hZ7OCBhjEs9XYahpxmThyoh7XLqZIxzdrmKgDDm-HrNhDJ-YsIIE4F5n9vM00xF2Pr94f7FgTgKPb94DwffxzEWyJsF9aNLufDITLEmxb46mdLYESw1-IU9Fsg76nCGv9EM/s320/Book+mockup.jpg" width="312" /></a></i></div><i><br />So who should
read Greatness is NOWhere and why?</i><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-align: justify;"><b>Melkart:</b> ‘<i>Greatness is NOWhere’</i> is founded
on one simple truth: Every human being
is versed in greatness and leadership main purpose is to unveil the best in
others. Therefore, this book is for every one of
us, who is yearning for greatness. You might argue that you are not a leader.
Well, leadership is not a title and whether you like it or not, you are a
leader and in the business of serving a cause, something, or someone. Truth is,
greatness is not exclusive to athletes, famous people or great organizations
who have left their footprints in our world. Greatness concerns every one of
us. Greatness concerns you and me. And in my book, I share 3 principles, 15
truths, and 20 tools to jazz up your culture, pep up your people, spice up your
customer experience, and ultimately unleash greatness.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i><span lang="EN"> Are there a</span>ny
particular insights or principles on how to make the shift from greatness
is nowhere to the principle it's now here?</i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-align: justify;"><b><span lang="EN">Melkart:</span></b><span lang="EN"> </span>In Greatness is NOWhere, I show that greatness is a deliberate
commitment to leave a distinct footprint in the world. I share 3 principles
that will ultimately unleash greatness. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-align: justify;"><b>Principle 1:</b> You can’t be what your culture is not<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-align: justify;">How do you promote and inspire a winning
culture; that intangible and hidden mark of distinction that literally shapes
everything you do.?<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-align: justify;"><b>Principle 2:</b> You can’t be what your people are not<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-align: justify;">How do you translate talent to performance,
surround yourself with the right, talented, and passionate colleagues, and
bring out the gold in others?<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-align: justify;"><b>Principle 3:</b> You can’t be what your investment is not<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-align: justify;">How do you bring your investment to the world,
deliberately evoke emotions in your customers and convert your customer
experience into one that chills and thrills?</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><i>So what inspired you to write this particular book?</i></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-align: justify;"><b><span lang="EN">Melkart:</span></b><span lang="EN"> I started this journey 10 years ago
when I </span>took the decision to open
my own consulting firm, with the purpose to enable greatness in individual and
organizations. Those first years were startling! I sketched the map, assembled the tools, and
embarked on this ride of greatness. Truth be told, taking the first step was
like jumping off a cliff. At first my
philosophy of greatness was
frightening; then things settled down as the parachute opened. I admit that I
worked the parachute hard, but I owe all thankfulness and appreciation to those who believed in me and gave me the platform to
share my philosophy in the form of workshops, events, and keynotes. <span lang="EN">The book is indeed the byproduct of my 10 years roaming the world,
engaging with amazing people, spreading, refining, and redefining my philosophy
of greatness. It is because of these unique encounters that <i>Greatness is
NOWhere</i> came to life. It is true what </span>the theologian, musician,
philosopher, and Nobel Prize-winning physician Albert Schweitzer once <span lang="EN">said: “</span>In everyone's life, at some time, our inner
fire goes out. It is then burst into flame by an encounter with another human
being. We should all be thankful for those people who rekindle the inner
spirit.”<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i>And did anyone particularly inspire you to a writing career?</i></p><p class="MsoListParagraph" style="line-height: normal; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;"><b>Melkart:</b> It’s an amazing story! In September 2014, I was
invited to meet Darrell Schaeffer who wanted to hire my company services. I
knew Darrell from when he was the general manager of The Ritz-Carlton, Doha
back in 2000 when I started my career at The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company. At the
beginning of the meeting, I shared with him the following story. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .5in;"><b>1999: The Beginning<o:p></o:p></b></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="line-height: normal; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;">Back in 1999, my father spent every penny he owns to
support my plan to travel to Switzerland for my postgraduate education. I can’t
grasp the depth of his love enough. Toward the end of it, I grabbed the
opportunity to join The Ritz-Carlton, Doha in the capacity of an income
auditor. Now, finance wasn’t my cup of tea, but I saw this job as a
stepping-stone to grow from within and become the learning and development
professional I always aspired to be. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;"><i>Note: As you continue reading this story, bear in mind
that Melkart is sharing it with Darrell over a cup of coffee in 2014. </i><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;"><b>August 2001: When Reality Strikes </b><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;">A few months after joining the pre-opening team, I
realized that I was way off the path to my dream. My transfer request to the HR
department was rejected. So, despite my high degree of optimism, I doubted the
choice I made and became heavy hearted, to say the least. Every time my father called;
I was embarrassed to share my status. “With all the money he invested in me, he
must think I am a manager by now,” I thought. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;"><b>January 8, 2002: The Daily Lineup </b><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;">During the pre-opening period, the 600 Ladies and
Gentlemen (as the employees are called) would come together to attend the daily
lineup. It was an open forum lead by Darrell where anyone could share ideas,
thoughts, challenges, and opportunities. Speaking of opportunities, I saw this
lineup as the perfect break to showcase my leadership and public speaking
skills and enable everyone—especially the HR team—to acknowledge that hidden
talent in the finance division (yes, me!). So, I volunteered to facilitate the
lineup, and on that 8th of January, I literally rocked the house! It was
fifteen minutes of pure inspiration. “Now, the HR team will come looking for
me,” I thought! But nothing happened, and two weeks later, I got another
transfer rejected. That was the tipping point. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;"><b>January 23, 2002: The Walk That Changed My Life </b><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;">I remember that day vividly. Lying on my bed, my tears
covering a piece of paper entitled, “Resignation.” The day after, I gathered my
strength and started my journey towards the HR department to hand in my
resignation. While walking down the corridor, I saw Darrell approaching from
the other side. I was in a desperate mood. I looked down at the grey carpet and
moved at steady pace, trying to blend with the wall. When he got close, he
stopped me, shook my hand, and said, “Hey, Melkart. Your speech a few weeks ago
was stunning. You will grow to become an amazing trainer! Hang in there,
buddy.” Those few words ignited that fire within, and instead of going down the
stairs, I recall stopping by the restrooms at the end of that corridor, tearing
up my resignation letter, wearing my smile again, and refocusing on my dream.
That was the walk that changed my life. In the next six years, I grew to become
the corporate director of global learning at The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company. That’s not the end of the story, though.
Here’s the golden nugget! Back to the 2014 meeting and after sharing my story with Darrell, he gazed at me
with a sense of peculiarity and proclaimed, “Melkart, truth be told, I have no
recollection whatsoever of that incident; our chat in the corridor.” What a
stunning lesson that is, isn’t it? That is the essence of leadership. It is
that CHOICE you make to enrich and transform people’s lives, sometimes without
even noticing that you did it…<span style="font-family: "ACaslonPro",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: #1000; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span>Every day we are faced with hundreds of choices whereby we can ignite the talent and passion of others like Darrell Schaeffer did with me and I
will forever be grateful! <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;"><i><o:p> Well, we're running out of time. Any </o:p>final words you want to share
with the community of readers?</i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-align: justify;"><b>Melkart:</b> Yes! This book is about you. Why? Because you
transform great people and enable great execution to promote great
organizations… Not only that, but truth is also, greatness is a CHOICE,<span lang="EN"> and </span>you have a voice. I invite you to choose the road to
greatness. And to do that, step up, capture your moment, raise your flag, and
sing your song. Case closed! <o:p></o:p></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">
</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;"><o:p> <i>Thank you so much Melkart. And good luck with the book!</i></o:p></p><div><br /></div>Sheila Deethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13465615546936319164noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6896710675157315852.post-19474568153645765312021-10-28T15:33:00.072-07:002021-10-28T15:33:00.199-07:00Starting a Band in Grenoble?<p> <i>Today I get to meet an author who grew up where my son went to college. Yay! </i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://mailer.prbythebook.com/link.php?M%3D68219%26N%3D617%26L%3D323%26F%3DH&source=gmail&ust=1635274000522000&usg=AFQjCNHa3JUMTiUgYq4DdECQyZR_G2hPPw" href="http://mailer.prbythebook.com/link.php?M=68219&N=617&L=323&F=H" style="color: #1155cc; font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">Olivia Swindler</a><b> </b><i>is touring the internet with her book, </i><em style="font-weight: bold;">Cynthia Starts a Band</em></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><em style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfDlgpabsoYXDbtG61CNuPhwzQ_lrKeUmImjNDEnmsAmnXJhshCI03YDWsKU1YHLg0aA8speC-tuiV-FNlFrDhFKenmh3aYutDCZi5VlkbWolIYm5QOYePszNjuXzaFD7JAhXyMJjIr8Y/s2048/Swindler+%25286%2529.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfDlgpabsoYXDbtG61CNuPhwzQ_lrKeUmImjNDEnmsAmnXJhshCI03YDWsKU1YHLg0aA8speC-tuiV-FNlFrDhFKenmh3aYutDCZi5VlkbWolIYm5QOYePszNjuXzaFD7JAhXyMJjIr8Y/s320/Swindler+%25286%2529.jpeg" width="320" /></a></em></div><em style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></em><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">An easy breezy novel, full of pop music and descriptive writing, from “Olivia in Paris.” Eleanor Quinn lives a life most young girls dream of. She’s the lead singer of a wildly successful band, dating the most beautiful man in America, and in love with her life on tour. She pours her heart into every song she writes and genuinely enjoys connecting with fans. So, when she disappears after her fiance’s fairy-tale perfect proposal on stage, the world is shocked. Worse yet, he starts telling interviewers that Eleanor is crazy — possibly even a danger to herself and those around her. As the weeks go by, the world wants to know: Who is Eleanor Quinn really?</p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><i>So Olivia, I know you grew up in Spokane Washington, but where do you live now?</i></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">
</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN">I currently
live in Grenoble, France.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN"><o:p> <i>Cool! And did you always know you wanted to be a writer?</i></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN">I always knew I wanted to be a writer. I spent
most of my childhood reading books and making up stories. <o:p></o:p></span>I remember attending a reading fair for elementary school students when I was 6 or 7 with my parents and one of the speakers talked about how he got his book published. It was the first time I realized that people got to write as a job, and ever since then, I have dreamed of being a writer.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN"><o:p> <i>I loved reading and writing as a child too. Then I became a mathematician. What about you? </i></o:p></span><i>What is your
education/career background?</i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN">I have a degree in Sport Management and a
degree in French from Washington State University. I moved to France in 2016
and currently am the Communications Coordinator for Young Life in Europe.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span lang="EN"><o:p> </o:p></span>Do you have
kids or pets?</i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN">I have a dog named Luna (after Luna Lovegood).
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN"><o:p> <i>Perfect! Do you have any favorite places to write?</i></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN">I love writing on the train. I am always
inspired by travel and people watching always gives me new character ideas!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN"><o:p> <i>Ah, the Hogwarts Express! Do you have </i></o:p></span><i>interesting writing habits or superstitions?</i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN">When I was working on <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Cynthia Starts a Band</i> I wrote 1,000 words every day. I was so
worried that if I didn’t hit that word count goal the momentum and motivation I
had for the story would disappear. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN"><o:p><i> Like... writers' block? How would you find your creative muse again?</i></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN">I normally listen to a podcast. I really like
“No Such Thing as a Fish”. The conversation is so random that I normally find
inspiration or a new idea just by listening to their conversations. I am a fun
fact nerd and for some reason learning facts really helps me to find my muse
again.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN"><o:p> <i>Cool, and then you make a story, but w</i></o:p></span><i>hat do you
think makes a good story?</i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN">I love a story that helps me to see something
from multiple viewpoints. I think good characters help bring a good story to
life.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKFAl6-TY4tcsvFOvEUf5qDWb7XX0fycTeZDG7dB-xrQ9YbNnDskc4PlFV_mV5XZva3R7u9IToJaUF18YPYU4mh19BbRdEpT5jMdtOH3y66XwJg7_6K_k8lokcaXBGZzPa5lYmB3GaRKU/s2048/FINAL+COVER+%25282%2529.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1326" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKFAl6-TY4tcsvFOvEUf5qDWb7XX0fycTeZDG7dB-xrQ9YbNnDskc4PlFV_mV5XZva3R7u9IToJaUF18YPYU4mh19BbRdEpT5jMdtOH3y66XwJg7_6K_k8lokcaXBGZzPa5lYmB3GaRKU/s320/FINAL+COVER+%25282%2529.jpeg" width="207" /></a></i></div><i><br />And what
inspired this story?</i><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN">I was inspired by a few things. Firstly, I had
always dreamed of being a professional musician. Unfortunately, I am the least
musical person I know, so getting to write and research for Eleanor’s life
helped me live out my dream through her. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN"><o:p> </o:p></span>I was also in a toxic relationship in my early
20’s and I remember how isolating that felt. I remember not having words to
explain to people what had happened and why I had dated the guy, etc. Through
this story, I hoped to give words to that experience and help create more
conversations about unhealthy relationships. I wanted to write a story that was
hopeful. I wanted the story to be about Eleanor’s healing and growth. I was so
inspired by the women who came around me and helped me to find the courage to
use my voice. Those women are also an inspiration for me.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><i>Does the story have a theme you want readers to grasp?</i></p><p class="MsoNormal">One of the important themes in the book is
women supporting women. I also wanted to write a story that reflects hope for
people starting over. I think everyone has the power to be courageous and find
their voice, and that is a major theme for Eleanor and the novel.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN"><o:p> <i>What challenges did you have writing this book?</i></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN">When my editor was reading through my book she
kept asking me to write more descriptions. When writing, I visualize
everything, and I realized that I would need to help the reader to see what was
in my head. I never appreciated the work that goes into writing descriptively.</span></p><ol start="14" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
</ol>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN">I had a hard time writing dialogue. I knew
that good dialogue would be important in developing these characters, but I
found myself having to read all of it out loud to make sure that I was writing
in a way that people would actually speak</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i>So how do you deal with that? What’s the
best writing advice you have ever received?</i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN">Just write. If you want to be a good writer,
you need to spend time each day writing. It sounds so simple, but it helped me
to develop good writing habits.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i>So, time's nearly up. Quickly, what was
your favorite book as a child?</i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN">From the
Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler </span></i><span lang="EN">and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">A Wrinkle in Time<o:p></o:p></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span lang="EN"><o:p> And w</o:p></span>hat is the
one book no writer should be without?</i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN">David
and Goliath</span></i><span lang="EN"> by Malcolm Gladwell<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN"><i>Thank you so much for visiting here, and good luck with the book!</i></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Find the Author: Website and Social Media:</span></p><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.oliviawritesabook.com/&source=gmail&ust=1635283314879000&usg=AFQjCNGTQnwZC8ONL-UOFpxl2NbAZw6iJA" href="https://www.oliviawritesabook.com/" style="color: #1155cc; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">https://www.oliviaswindler.<wbr></wbr>com/</span></a></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">FB: </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.facebook.com/olivia.swindler/&source=gmail&ust=1635283314879000&usg=AFQjCNE8MMAOD5qhPa2LL9tnqWaqhvFxtA" href="https://www.facebook.com/olivia.swindler/" style="color: #1155cc; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">@olivia.swindler</span></a></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">IG: </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.instagram.com/oliviaswindler/&source=gmail&ust=1635283314879000&usg=AFQjCNFVvm794Irn13pMbOLqrOWJ6qfwUg" href="https://www.instagram.com/oliviaswindler/" style="color: #1155cc; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">@oliviaswindler</span></a></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Twitter: </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://twitter.com/oliviaswindler&source=gmail&ust=1635283314879000&usg=AFQjCNHvrglHol2GGM3OB7MgjpV9GWbfDw" href="https://twitter.com/oliviaswindler" style="color: #1155cc; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">@oliviaswindler</span></a></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: 700; white-space: pre-wrap;">Find the book:</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Amazon: </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1631954903?pf_rd_r%3DZ62RMNMKKB34JYFPFHXZ%26pf_rd_p%3D8fe9b1d0-f378-4356-8bb8-cada7525eadd%26pd_rd_r%3D784e459b-9659-49d3-97de-d819cdcf4540%26pd_rd_w%3D934ub%26pd_rd_wg%3Df6hmf%26ref_%3Dpd_gw_unk&source=gmail&ust=1635283314879000&usg=AFQjCNHjf8woGxB8VFrUc7RxwC7IdNJrxQ" href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1631954903?pf_rd_r=Z62RMNMKKB34JYFPFHXZ&pf_rd_p=8fe9b1d0-f378-4356-8bb8-cada7525eadd&pd_rd_r=784e459b-9659-49d3-97de-d819cdcf4540&pd_rd_w=934ub&pd_rd_wg=f6hmf&ref_=pd_gw_unk" style="color: #1155cc; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">https://www.amazon.com/gp/<wbr></wbr>product/1631954903?pf_rd_r=<wbr></wbr>Z62RMNMKKB34JYFPFHXZ&pf_rd_p=<wbr></wbr>8fe9b1d0-f378-4356-8bb8-<wbr></wbr>cada7525eadd&pd_rd_r=784e459b-<wbr></wbr>9659-49d3-97de-d819cdcf4540&<wbr></wbr>pd_rd_w=934ub&pd_rd_wg=f6hmf&<wbr></wbr>ref_=pd_gw_unk</span></a></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">B&N:</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN"></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/cynthia-starts-a-band-olivia-swindler/1138805662?ean%3D9781631954917&source=gmail&ust=1635283314879000&usg=AFQjCNEfFUF_cLUt4c490EXVRwilHZZT3g" href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/cynthia-starts-a-band-olivia-swindler/1138805662?ean=9781631954917" style="color: #1155cc; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">https://www.barnesandnoble.<wbr></wbr>com/w/cynthia-starts-a-band-<wbr></wbr>olivia-swindler/1138805662?<wbr></wbr>ean=9781631954917</span></a></p><div><br /></div><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">
</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><br /><p></p>Sheila Deethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13465615546936319164noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6896710675157315852.post-52183779467275278122021-10-25T15:32:00.005-07:002021-10-25T15:43:27.306-07:00Meeting a fellow Mathematician/Author!
Meeting a fellow mathematician/author!
1
<p> <i>Today I get to welcome author Arthur Swan to my blog with his latest book, </i>the Encanto<i>. It's cool to meet a fellow mathematician/author, so... I hope you'll enjoy our conversation.</i></p><p><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghfU5io3ZZGwCvXXnrKU7_TklbYD8KLZNGJtGCkahyphenhyphen0cAFmHE2_1PEQk0i6NPumgXLjzQSNK4h0RnNUW4L23CSWobH2DphDwu6_EL_AG7ZH7uihvQAasGHlbibECqINBzw_MKmC7W4N8s/s2048/arthur_swan+%25284%2529.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghfU5io3ZZGwCvXXnrKU7_TklbYD8KLZNGJtGCkahyphenhyphen0cAFmHE2_1PEQk0i6NPumgXLjzQSNK4h0RnNUW4L23CSWobH2DphDwu6_EL_AG7ZH7uihvQAasGHlbibECqINBzw_MKmC7W4N8s/w223-h223/arthur_swan+%25284%2529.jpeg" width="223" /></a></div><p><i style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span>Where
did you grow up, and where do you live now?</i></p><p class="Body" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="Body"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I grew up in
Wilson, a small tobacco town in eastern North Carolina. I now reside in Los
Angeles.</p><p class="Body" style="text-indent: -24px;"><i>DiDid you always want to be a writer when you were a child?</i></p><p class="Body" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="Body"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>As a very young
child, I had plethora of career ambitions ranging from garbage man (the guy who
rides on the back of the truck, not the one who has to drive it) to
veterinarian. I also recall wanting to be a biologist for a few years and a
musician. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="Body"><i><o:p> I know we share a background in math and science, but what fi</o:p><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">rst inspired you to write?</span></i></p><p class="Body" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="Body"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>In fifth grade,
“volunteers” were selected to read our writing assignments aloud to the class.
I was deathly terrified. I nearly passed out the first time I stood up there in
front of the whole class, everyone staring at me as I tried to discern the slop
I passed off as handwriting. After I stuttering through the first paragraph, a
miracle happened—the kids laughed at my joke. And hearing their laughter, the
ones who weren’t paying attention suddenly perked up. It was a transformative
experience. Now the whole class was suddenly ready to hear what came next. They
wanted to be entertained. They yearned for it. And I wanted to give it to them.
After that, the writing assignments became my highest priority pieces of
homework. I learned to type them up, so I could read them more easily, which
I’m sure my teacher appreciated, as well.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="Body"><o:p> <i>I used to be asked to read in front of various elementary school classes and got hooked on storytelling then too.</i></o:p></p><p class="Body"><i>Do you have favorite places and times to write?</i></p><p class="Body"><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> I like to write
at 5:30 in the morning before doing anything else. As the sun comes up and the
days starts, I like to be writing. Then no matter how crazy things get later
on, at least I know I got some writing done.</span></p><p class="Body"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="Body"><i><o:p> </o:p><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">What
do you think makes a good story - for readers or writers?</span></i></p><p class="Body" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="Body"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>A character who
readers identify with, who must undergo a transformation.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="Body"><i><o:p> So h</o:p><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">ow does a new story idea come to you? Is it an event that sparks the plot or a character speaking to you?</span></i></p><p class="Body" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="Body"> Character. I do like the idea of starting from an event, but without a character who is changed by the event you don’t have a story.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="Body"><o:p> </o:p><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><i><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFtqo3aGbAVzwRNuLABOu8yGPwNVaLKM3prSAX5GnAHeT43HQxkSVOaiOMpMqRPSeuE7PAv1GqUZ_FifcW-Gvl6IeQd-GS6kgu3k0GUZbhBAX8xeJCisTm4tYobI5h1j39dgBWkYmHz7I/s2048/THE-ENCANTO-FULLCOVER-RGB-EBOOK+%25281%2529+%25283%2529.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1282" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFtqo3aGbAVzwRNuLABOu8yGPwNVaLKM3prSAX5GnAHeT43HQxkSVOaiOMpMqRPSeuE7PAv1GqUZ_FifcW-Gvl6IeQd-GS6kgu3k0GUZbhBAX8xeJCisTm4tYobI5h1j39dgBWkYmHz7I/s320/THE-ENCANTO-FULLCOVER-RGB-EBOOK+%25281%2529+%25283%2529.jpg" width="200" /></a></i>What
inspired this story?</i></span></p><p class="Body" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;"></p>
<p class="Body"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>All the people
in LA who lead socially isolated lives because they are so focused on their
careers, and, often, moved to LA from somewhere else, with no family or friends
or local support network. I started thinking how some isolated person’s life
could go totally off the rails with no one else even knowing. Even things that
get reported on often get boiled down of a catchy headline. Often, <span lang="SV" style="mso-ansi-language: SV;">s</span>o much is left out that people
come to the wrong conclusion. And more often the truth is even more
unbelievable than what you hear.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="Body"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Also I wanted to
write about the difference between people who can believe in something without
knowing it’s true and those who can’t.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="Body"><i><o:p> </o:p><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Is
there a message/theme in your novel that you want readers to grasp?</span></i></p><p class="Body" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="Body"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I want readers
to think about the choices they’re making, if they’re really getting where they
want to go. And to think about all the misunderstandings that occur when people
communicate, all the misperceptions and incorrect assumptions.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="Body"><o:p> </o:p><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><i>What
was your greatest challenge in writing this book?</i></span></p><p class="Body" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="Body"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Getting it done.
I thought it would be fun to write a horror suspense novel where I could play
with spooky images. Something quick and easy. But now here I am after six
years, finally launching the first installment of a quartet.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="Body"><i><o:p> Well, now you've got me thinking horror movie and a pizza on Friday nights in October. What are you most </o:p><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">likely to be doing on a Friday night?</span></i></p><p class="Body" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="Body"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Friday night
represents a transition from my day job to a relaxing weekend of writing
peppered with outdoor activities. I like to start it off with a good meal,
maybe a burrito from Aroma Coffee and Tea. Then, either read or watch a show. I
love <i>Black Mirror</i>, but sometimes it’s just too dark and too close to
reality. Right now, I’m excited about the new season of <i>Ted Lasso</i>.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="Body"><i><o:p> </o:p><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">What
do you like to do when you are not writing?</span></i></p><p class="Body" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="Body"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Read, swim, hike,
paddle board, and just sit outside and stare at the horizon.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="Body"><i><o:p> </o:p><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Who
are some of your favorite authors?</span></i></p><p class="Body" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="Body"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>James Lee Burke,
Michael Connelly, Andre Dubus III, Stephen King, Donna Tartt, John Kennedy
Toole, Kurt Vonnegut.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="Body"><i>Great list. And what</i><span dir="RTL" lang="AR-SA" style="font-family: "Arial Unicode MS", sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">’</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">s<i> the best writing
advice you have ever received?</i></span></p><p class="Body" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="Body"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“We have to
remember that the greatest triumphs and the greatest tragedies of the human
race are nothing to do with people being basically good or people being
basically evil. They<span dir="RTL"></span><span dir="RTL"></span><span dir="RTL" lang="AR-SA" style="font-family: "Arial Unicode MS",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-font-family: Arial;"><span dir="RTL"></span><span dir="RTL"></span>’</span>re
all to do with people being basically people.” - Neil Gaiman.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="Body"><i><o:p> </o:p><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">What
was your favorite book as a child?</span></i></p><p class="Body" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="Body"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><i>The Little
Prince</i>.</p><p class="Body"><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><i>What
is the one book no writer should be without?</i></span></p><p class="Body" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="Body"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><i>Writing the
Block Buster Novel</i> by Albert Zuckerman. Currently, my favorite book on
writing.</p><p class="Body" style="text-indent: 0px;"><i><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Time's running out so... back to the Encanto, is
there a character you identify with more than any of the others?</span></i></p><p class="Body" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="Body"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I identify with
every one of them. When writing, I imagine I am that character. What it would
be like if, for example, I weighed three hundred pounds? I do know what it<span dir="RTL"></span><span dir="RTL"></span><span dir="RTL" lang="AR-SA" style="font-family: "Arial Unicode MS",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-font-family: Arial;"><span dir="RTL"></span><span dir="RTL"></span>’</span>s like to want to eat
even when I know it<span dir="RTL"></span><span dir="RTL"></span><span dir="RTL" lang="AR-SA" style="font-family: "Arial Unicode MS",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-font-family: Arial;"><span dir="RTL"></span><span dir="RTL"></span>’</span>s
bad for me or I’m not hungry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When
possible, I read something by someone with that experience, or talk to them. I
have a friend who’s overweight and I’ve seen the effect on his self-image.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="Body"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Ashley is
probably the character I have the least in common with but I understand her
feeling of social isolation caused by ambition, and living in LA. I’ve seen how
isolated some people have become by their own wealth. I understand how living
with another person<span dir="RTL"></span><span dir="RTL"></span><span dir="RTL" lang="AR-SA" style="font-family: "Arial Unicode MS",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-font-family: Arial;"><span dir="RTL"></span><span dir="RTL"></span>’</span>s
family seeds this longing she had for one of her own.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="Body"><i><o:p> And finally, when</o:p><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> will LA FOG part 2 be released</span><span lang="ZH-TW" style="text-indent: -0.25in;">?</span></i></p><p class="Body" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="Body"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><i>Wayob’s
Revenge</i> is currently in the editing phase. Expect it in April or May, 2022.
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="Body"><o:p> </o:p><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: 700; white-space: pre-wrap;">Find the author. Website and Social Media:</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://swanfall.com/&source=gmail&ust=1635283314879000&usg=AFQjCNGOilGl6rYFoF-rdEQPWD7b0qkI9Q" href="https://swanfall.com/" style="color: #1155cc; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">https://swanfall.com/</span></a></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.facebook.com/ArthurSwanAuth&source=gmail&ust=1635283314879000&usg=AFQjCNHee79vmgVYDK_-LrAnxOSWO7EClQ" href="https://www.facebook.com/ArthurSwanAuth" style="color: #1155cc; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">FB: https://www.facebook.com/<wbr></wbr>ArthurSwanAuth</span></a></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Twitter:</span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://twitter.com/ArthurSwanAuth&source=gmail&ust=1635283314879000&usg=AFQjCNGiKkk0WVYlc2MKmpuZwJw_Fkx6wg" href="https://twitter.com/ArthurSwanAuth" style="color: #1155cc; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> https://twitter.com/<wbr></wbr>ArthurSwanAuth</span></a></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">IG: </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.instagram.com/ArthurSwanAuth/&source=gmail&ust=1635283314879000&usg=AFQjCNEWdGy_RoogqZBqlvpw1wee3wjJew" href="https://www.instagram.com/ArthurSwanAuth/" style="color: #1155cc; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">https://www.instagram.com/<wbr></wbr>ArthurSwanAuth/</span></a></p><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;" /><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: 700; white-space: pre-wrap;">Find the book. Buy links:</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Amazon: </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.amazon.com/Encanto-Fog-Arthur-Swan/dp/099656053X/ref%3Dtmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding%3DUTF8%26qid%3D%26sr%3D&source=gmail&ust=1635283314879000&usg=AFQjCNFgERhoS32hEqIwuYA4jYfk87MKOA" href="https://www.amazon.com/Encanto-Fog-Arthur-Swan/dp/099656053X/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=" style="color: #1155cc; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">https://www.amazon.com/<wbr></wbr>Encanto-Fog-Arthur-Swan/dp/<wbr></wbr>099656053X/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_<wbr></wbr>0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=</span></a></p><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;" /><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">B&N:</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-encanto-arthur-swan/1139895826?ean%3D9780996560535&source=gmail&ust=1635283314879000&usg=AFQjCNFStn059Jl3tBYAZQvk5bwLgdIZVA" href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-encanto-arthur-swan/1139895826?ean=9780996560535" style="color: #1155cc; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">https://www.barnesandnoble.<wbr></wbr>com/w/the-encanto-arthur-swan/<wbr></wbr>1139895826?ean=9780996560535</span></a></p><i></i>Sheila Deethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13465615546936319164noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6896710675157315852.post-72598988637964324442021-07-06T09:42:00.002-07:002021-07-06T09:42:44.171-07:00Kings, Captives, Faeries, Warriors, Princes, and Traitors. Even Sasquatch!<h1 style="text-align: left;"><span color="var(--primary-text)" style="font-family: inherit;">NEW RELEASE! HAPPY BOOKDAY!</span></h1><h1 style="text-align: left;"><span color="var(--primary-text)" style="font-family: inherit;">FAERIES & WARRIORS!</span></h1><div><img alt="Open Photo" class="k4urcfbm bixrwtb6 datstx6m q9uorilb" src="https://scontent.fhio2-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.15752-0/p206x206/211846176_875128223350377_6954353553484414540_n.jpg?_nc_cat=108&ccb=1-3&_nc_sid=aee45a&_nc_ohc=_TPgWdYJJ2cAX8REiNl&_nc_ht=scontent.fhio2-1.fna&tp=6&oh=13253c4032c808f2fd4bbbd0cf0e0bd5&oe=60E9F1E3" style="border-radius: 4px 18px 18px; border: 0px; display: inline-block; height: 181px; max-height: 200px; max-width: 100%; min-height: 24px; object-fit: cover; width: 200px;" /></div><p><b style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><i>This series has it all: Kings, Captives, Faeries, Warriors, Princes, and Traitors. Even Sasquatch!</i></b><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span face="Amazon Ember, Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #333333;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px;"><i>How can you resist a tagline like that. I wouldn't have resisted, but this year has been so crazy with all my various hospitalizations. But I'm well now, so maybe I'll get to read it now. I've certainly enjoyed many other of Dana Pratola's books.</i></span></span></p><p><span face=""Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 14px;">Here's what the author says:</span></p><p class="MsoNormal">~~It's not your mother's Christian fiction.~~<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">God gave me a passion to write Christian Romance. These
books don’t contain explicit sex scenes, but my characters have real desires,
struggles and choices to make. A lot of the time they make the wrong ones. No
subject is prohibited, but good always triumphs and God is glorified.<o:p></o:p></p><p><span face=""Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 14px;">
</span></p><p class="MsoNormal">In my personal life, He has also blessed me with a wonderful
husband and three dynamic children, all of whom are destined to make wide,
colorful splashes in this world. We share our New Jersey home with three dogs.
I have no hobbies to speak of, unless you include writing. I don’t.</p><p><span face=""Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 14px;">WHERE TO FIND HER:</span></p><p><span face=""Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 14px;"><a href="https://www.danapratolaromance.com/">https://www.danapratolaromance.com/</a></span></p><p><span face=""Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 14px;">And here's what I've read about the book:</span></p><p><span face=""Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 14px;"><b style="font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif;"><i>This series has it all: Kings, Captives, Faeries, Warriors, Princes, and Traitors. Even Sasquatch!</i></b><br style="font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif;" /><br style="font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif;">Evangeline’s loyalty is tested even as she draws nearer to her husband, Ryor. He sent Daniel to a prison compound and although she wants to be furious, she’s found another of Queen Linda’s journals and its revelations leave no room for anger. Only more secrets.</span><br style="font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif;">When Ryor learns Daniel is being abused at Apirno, he sends him to the Faeries for safe-keeping. But he has more to worry about than Daniel, even more than Evangeline’s anger. There is a traitor in the kingdom.</span><br style="font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif;" /></span></p><div class="l60d2q6s d1544ag0 sj5x9vvc tw6a2znq l9j0dhe7 ni8dbmo4 stjgntxs qlfml3jp inkptoze e72ty7fz qttc61fc jm1wdb64 qv66sw1b ljqsnud1 g6srhlxm odn2s2vf" style="border-radius: 18px 18px 18px 4px; color: var(--always-white); font-family: inherit; max-width: 564px; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; padding: 7px 12px 8px; position: relative; word-break: break-word;"><div class="oo9gr5id" dir="auto" style="color: var(--primary-text); font-family: inherit;"><span class="pq6dq46d tbxw36s4 knj5qynh kvgmc6g5 ditlmg2l oygrvhab nvdbi5me sf5mxxl7 gl3lb2sf hhz5lgdu" style="display: inline-flex; font-family: inherit; height: 16px; margin: 0px 1px; vertical-align: middle; width: 16px;"><img alt="🎁" height="16" referrerpolicy="origin-when-cross-origin" src="https://static.xx.fbcdn.net/images/emoji.php/v9/t84/1/16/1f381.png" style="border: 0px;" width="16" /></span><span class="pq6dq46d tbxw36s4 knj5qynh kvgmc6g5 ditlmg2l oygrvhab nvdbi5me sf5mxxl7 gl3lb2sf hhz5lgdu" style="display: inline-flex; font-family: inherit; height: 16px; margin: 0px 1px; vertical-align: middle; width: 16px;"><img alt="🎈" height="16" referrerpolicy="origin-when-cross-origin" src="https://static.xx.fbcdn.net/images/emoji.php/v9/tb/1/16/1f388.png" style="border: 0px;" width="16" /></span><span class="pq6dq46d tbxw36s4 knj5qynh kvgmc6g5 ditlmg2l oygrvhab nvdbi5me sf5mxxl7 gl3lb2sf hhz5lgdu" style="display: inline-flex; font-family: inherit; height: 16px; margin: 0px 1px; vertical-align: middle; width: 16px;"><img alt="🎉" height="16" referrerpolicy="origin-when-cross-origin" src="https://static.xx.fbcdn.net/images/emoji.php/v9/t8c/1/16/1f389.png" style="border: 0px;" width="16" /></span><span class="pq6dq46d tbxw36s4 knj5qynh kvgmc6g5 ditlmg2l oygrvhab nvdbi5me sf5mxxl7 gl3lb2sf hhz5lgdu" style="display: inline-flex; font-family: inherit; height: 16px; margin: 0px 1px; vertical-align: middle; width: 16px;"><img alt="🍰" height="16" referrerpolicy="origin-when-cross-origin" src="https://static.xx.fbcdn.net/images/emoji.php/v9/t64/1/16/1f370.png" style="border: 0px;" width="16" /></span> </div><div class="oo9gr5id" dir="auto" style="color: var(--primary-text); font-family: inherit;"><br /></div><div class="oo9gr5id" dir="auto" style="color: var(--primary-text); font-family: inherit;"> Amazon: <span role="gridcell" style="font-family: inherit;"><a class="oajrlxb2 g5ia77u1 qu0x051f esr5mh6w e9989ue4 r7d6kgcz rq0escxv nhd2j8a9 nc684nl6 p7hjln8o kvgmc6g5 cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x jb3vyjys rz4wbd8a qt6c0cv9 a8nywdso i1ao9s8h oo483o9r f1sip0of lzcic4wl oo9gr5id gpro0wi8" href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0979PRWZY/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_hsch_vapi_tkin_p1_i1?fbclid=IwAR21MHqFHColmfRa19CepETkPFfTMvE0qY3t8FQSdqpT2pOPJEkdxC0QKnA" rel="nofollow noopener" role="link" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; border-color: initial; border-style: initial; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; cursor: pointer; display: inline; font-family: inherit; list-style: none; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: inherit; touch-action: manipulation;" tabindex="0" target="_blank">https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0979PRWZY/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_hsch_vapi_tkin_p1_i1</a></span> </div><div class="oo9gr5id" dir="auto" style="color: var(--primary-text); font-family: inherit;"><br /></div><div class="oo9gr5id" dir="auto" style="color: var(--primary-text); font-family: inherit;"> Everywhere Else: https://<span role="gridcell" style="font-family: inherit;"><a class="oajrlxb2 g5ia77u1 qu0x051f esr5mh6w e9989ue4 r7d6kgcz rq0escxv nhd2j8a9 nc684nl6 p7hjln8o kvgmc6g5 cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x jb3vyjys rz4wbd8a qt6c0cv9 a8nywdso i1ao9s8h oo483o9r f1sip0of lzcic4wl oo9gr5id gpro0wi8" href="https://books2read.com/u/m0KpZP?fbclid=IwAR1d4wshf9uErvPnTenQFNnb34UC4h8abu4Q2VsVUvBXKvLQPiEhltmPl9w" rel="nofollow noopener" role="link" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; border-color: initial; border-style: initial; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; cursor: pointer; display: inline; font-family: inherit; list-style: none; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: inherit; touch-action: manipulation;" tabindex="0" target="_blank">books2read.com/u/m0KpZP</a></span></div></div><div class="ay7djpcl k4urcfbm nred35xi" style="font-family: inherit; height: 1px; width: 181px;"></div><p><span face=""Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 14px;"></span></p><div class="l9j0dhe7 sf5mxxl7 soycq5t1 jk6sbkaj qmr60zad qlfml3jp inkptoze" style="border-radius: 4px 18px 18px; font-family: inherit; line-height: 0; position: relative; vertical-align: middle;"><a class="oajrlxb2 gs1a9yip g5ia77u1 mtkw9kbi tlpljxtp qensuy8j ppp5ayq2 goun2846 ccm00jje s44p3ltw mk2mc5f4 rt8b4zig n8ej3o3l agehan2d sk4xxmp2 rq0escxv nhd2j8a9 q9uorilb mg4g778l btwxx1t3 pfnyh3mw p7hjln8o kvgmc6g5 cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x tgvbjcpo hpfvmrgz jb3vyjys rz4wbd8a qt6c0cv9 a8nywdso l9j0dhe7 i1ao9s8h esuyzwwr f1sip0of du4w35lb lzcic4wl abiwlrkh p8dawk7l jk6sbkaj qmr60zad qlfml3jp inkptoze" href="https://www.facebook.com/messenger_media/?thread_id=1682777234&attachment_id=139163758303089&message_id=mid.%24cAAAAAAaEnWaAqEMrOV6dv3oBC8bb" role="link" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; align-items: stretch; background-color: white; border-bottom-color: var(--always-dark-overlay); border-left-color: var(--always-dark-overlay); border-radius: 4px 18px 18px; border-right-color: var(--always-dark-overlay); border-style: solid; border-top-color: var(--always-dark-overlay); border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #385898; cursor: pointer; display: inline-block; flex-basis: auto; flex-direction: row; flex-shrink: 0; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; list-style: none; margin: 0px; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; position: relative; text-decoration-line: none; touch-action: manipulation; user-select: none; white-space: pre-wrap; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><img alt="Open Photo" class="k4urcfbm bixrwtb6 datstx6m q9uorilb" src="https://scontent.fhio2-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.15752-0/p206x206/211846176_875128223350377_6954353553484414540_n.jpg?_nc_cat=108&ccb=1-3&_nc_sid=aee45a&_nc_ohc=_TPgWdYJJ2cAX8REiNl&_nc_ht=scontent.fhio2-1.fna&tp=6&oh=13253c4032c808f2fd4bbbd0cf0e0bd5&oe=60E9F1E3" style="border-radius: 4px 18px 18px; border: 0px; display: inline-block; height: 181px; max-height: 200px; max-width: 100%; min-height: 24px; object-fit: cover; width: 200px;" /><div class="n00je7tq arfg74bv qs9ysxi8 k77z8yql i09qtzwb n7fi1qx3 b5wmifdl hzruof5a pmk7jnqg j9ispegn kr520xx4 c5ndavph art1omkt ot9fgl3s rnr61an3" data-visualcompletion="ignore" style="background-color: var(--hover-overlay); border-radius: inherit; font-family: inherit; inset: 0px; opacity: 0; pointer-events: none; position: absolute; transition-duration: var(--fds-duration-extra-extra-short-out); transition-property: opacity; transition-timing-function: var(--fds-animation-fade-out);"></div></a></div><h3 style="text-align: left;"><br /></h3><div class="l60d2q6s d1544ag0 sj5x9vvc tw6a2znq l9j0dhe7 ni8dbmo4 stjgntxs qlfml3jp inkptoze e72ty7fz qttc61fc jm1wdb64 qv66sw1b ljqsnud1 g6srhlxm odn2s2vf" style="border-radius: 18px 18px 18px 4px; color: var(--always-white); font-family: inherit; max-width: 564px; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; padding: 7px 12px 8px; position: relative; word-break: break-word;"></div><div class="ay7djpcl k4urcfbm nred35xi" style="font-family: inherit; height: 1px; width: 181px;"></div><div class="l9j0dhe7 sf5mxxl7 soycq5t1 jk6sbkaj qmr60zad qlfml3jp inkptoze" style="border-radius: 4px 18px 18px; font-family: inherit; line-height: 0; position: relative; vertical-align: middle;"><a class="oajrlxb2 gs1a9yip g5ia77u1 mtkw9kbi tlpljxtp qensuy8j ppp5ayq2 goun2846 ccm00jje s44p3ltw mk2mc5f4 rt8b4zig n8ej3o3l agehan2d sk4xxmp2 rq0escxv nhd2j8a9 q9uorilb mg4g778l btwxx1t3 pfnyh3mw p7hjln8o kvgmc6g5 cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x tgvbjcpo hpfvmrgz jb3vyjys rz4wbd8a qt6c0cv9 a8nywdso l9j0dhe7 i1ao9s8h esuyzwwr f1sip0of du4w35lb lzcic4wl abiwlrkh p8dawk7l jk6sbkaj qmr60zad qlfml3jp inkptoze" href="https://www.facebook.com/messenger_media/?thread_id=1682777234&attachment_id=139163758303089&message_id=mid.%24cAAAAAAaEnWaAqEMrOV6dv3oBC8bb" role="link" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; align-items: stretch; background-color: white; border-bottom-color: var(--always-dark-overlay); border-left-color: var(--always-dark-overlay); border-radius: 4px 18px 18px; border-right-color: var(--always-dark-overlay); border-style: solid; border-top-color: var(--always-dark-overlay); border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #385898; cursor: pointer; display: inline-block; flex-basis: auto; flex-direction: row; flex-shrink: 0; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; list-style: none; margin: 0px; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; position: relative; text-decoration-line: none; touch-action: manipulation; user-select: none; white-space: pre-wrap; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><div class="n00je7tq arfg74bv qs9ysxi8 k77z8yql i09qtzwb n7fi1qx3 pedkr2u6 hzruof5a pmk7jnqg j9ispegn kr520xx4 akwz6i9j art1omkt ot9fgl3s rnr61an3" data-visualcompletion="ignore" style="background-color: var(--hover-overlay); border-radius: inherit; font-family: inherit; inset: 0px; opacity: 1; pointer-events: none; position: absolute; transition-duration: 0s; transition-property: opacity; transition-timing-function: var(--fds-animation-fade-out);"></div></a></div>Sheila Deethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13465615546936319164noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6896710675157315852.post-25036628806644428552021-05-07T01:21:00.051-07:002021-05-07T01:21:00.185-07:00What roles are you committed to, and what if you were really "committed"?<p> Today I get to welcome author Paoline Milana to my blog, with her book Committed. After reading a little about the book and author, I realize why this could be such a readable and important book, so look below for places where you can buy it, and please enjoy this note from the author. Thank you for visiting my blog, Paolina.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><b>SHIFTING THE SCRIPT
OF INSANITY</b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsax91PdpUqqf5mNvuTzrPYMeXlzCFPYYxSGlAftuKdjzicWg2Bofr-0k7Nz2hRi_6bVf5rqi86gdEtGCcL6ZPgsuDdtN0V10Vv2lMKCQ4D8Ag3avliSJJGKLmK1eJtVr1UJPaxq-ZPs4/s1674/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1674" data-original-width="1569" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsax91PdpUqqf5mNvuTzrPYMeXlzCFPYYxSGlAftuKdjzicWg2Bofr-0k7Nz2hRi_6bVf5rqi86gdEtGCcL6ZPgsuDdtN0V10Vv2lMKCQ4D8Ag3avliSJJGKLmK1eJtVr1UJPaxq-ZPs4/s320/1.jpg" /></a></b></div><b><br /><o:p></o:p></b><p></p><p class="MsoNormal">By Paolina Milana<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">My mom and my younger sister were both diagnosed with
paranoid schizophrenia. From the age of about ten, my life and that of my
family revolved around mental illness. In my early twenties, when my father
died, I took on the role of primary caregiver. I kept secret from the outside
world the fact that insanity had taken root in my family tree, and I was tasked
with tending its garden. As strong as I was and as much as I appeared a success
from the outside looking in, I struggled to stay sane while surrounded with
madness. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">The story I was living, the beliefs I held, the shame I felt
nearly did me in. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">I had to shift my script.
<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">The title of my book <i>COMMITTED
</i>reflects the reimagining of my world with words and beliefs that would take
on a new perspective and multi-layered meanings. For example, “committed” held
varied definitions, all of which held true: <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">1. Feeling dedication and loyalty to a cause, activity, or
job; wholeheartedly dedicated—As in, “<i>She’s
committed to her role as a caregiver.”</i><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">2. To carry out or perpetrate (a mistake, crime, or immoral
act)—As in, “<i>She committed such acts of
desperation</i>.”<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">3. Sending (someone) to be confined in a psychiatric
hospital—As in, “<i>She had her mom and
sister committed</i>.”<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">After decades of serving as caregiver to crazy, without
question, I had joined the ranks of those whom society would say needed to be
committed. The questions of “What was normal?” and “Who really could be called
crazy?” were now joined by “How did being committed to a cause or a person or a
belief have the potential to lead one to actually getting committed for
psychiatric care?” <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">I didn’t and don’t have all the answers. What I do know,
however, is that every one of us is “crazy” or has the potential for becoming
so. There will be times when we will align with what might be considered
“normal,” and times when we will fall outside of society’s accepted scope. Our
passions and commitments may blur boundaries to the point where we may be the
ones who need to be committed. And, at times, those who find themselves
clinically diagnosed, labeled as insane and actually committed could be the
sanest among us.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">The definitions we assign, the beliefs and stories we tell
ourselves, the insistence of what should be and that it can <i>only</i> be black or white: That is the insanity
and what causes us to suffer. <o:p></o:p></p><p>
</p><p class="MsoNormal">Shifting the script is when we can see and accept all sides
as part of the whole and are at peace with both the light and the dark. The
reality is that we ebb and flow along the spectrum of everything that makes us
human. Our power isn’t in being perfect but in exposing our flaws, ending the
stigma that comes with them, and no longer fearing the darkness but embracing
it. <o:p></o:p></p><p><b><span face=""PT Sans",sans-serif" style="background: white; color: #363738; font-size: 14pt; letter-spacing: 0.1pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">ABOUT THE BOOK</span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span face=""PT Sans",sans-serif" style="background: white; color: #363738; font-size: 14pt; letter-spacing: 0.1pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><a href="https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51h8DRApvzL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="324" src="https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51h8DRApvzL.jpg" /></a></span></b></div><b><span face=""PT Sans",sans-serif" style="background: white; color: #363738; font-size: 14pt; letter-spacing: 0.1pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></b><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""PT Sans", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #363738; letter-spacing: 0.1pt; text-align: left;">Los Angeles – May 2021 - Imagine keeping a
family secret about your mother’s mental illness and growing up as one of the
offspring charged with “caring for crazy.” Then, to compound the horror,
witnessing another version of schizophrenia as it consumes your younger sister
– who you practically raised yourself, thanks to your mother’s frailty. To see
Paolina Milana as an example of resilience might be the understatement of all
time. </span></p>
<p style="background: white;"><span face=""PT Sans",sans-serif" style="color: #363738; letter-spacing: 0.1pt;">As a 20-year-old, Paolina gets a chance to
escape her circumstances by attending an out-of-state school, but the madness
she tries to leave behind will not let her be as letter after letter arrives,
constantly reminding her of the insanity from which she longs to break free.
Making matters worse, the voices in her own head whispering words she’s not
sure are normal, further her fears. “<i>Please don’t make me be like Mamma,”</i> she
prays to a God she’s not sure is listening.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white;"><span face=""PT Sans",sans-serif" style="color: #363738; letter-spacing: 0.1pt;">The unexpected death of her father soon
after she returns home leaves Paolina in shock—becoming fully in charge of her
paranoid schizophrenic mother. But it isn’t until at age 27, when her younger
sister explodes in a psychotic episode, is diagnosed with paranoid
schizophrenia and must be committed, that Paolina descends into her own
despair, nearly losing herself to the darkness.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white;"><span face=""PT Sans",sans-serif" style="color: #363738; letter-spacing: 0.1pt;">Beautifully written with flourishes of
handwritten letters (in Italian) from her parents, recordings of her own inner
voices challenging her every move, and a heartbreaking slew of sticky notes
revealing the harrowing thoughts of her sister’s delusional mind, Paolina’s
epistolary memoir invites readers into her inner circle of intimate encounters
with mental illness. Poignant and impactful, <i>Committed</i> is a
story of resilience that teaches and inspires, not as a tidy narrative, but as
an authentic and rare share that speaks to the struggle of staying sane despite
being surrounded by madness.</span></p><p style="background: white;"><span face=""PT Sans",sans-serif" style="color: #363738; letter-spacing: 0.1pt;"><b>WHERE TO FIND COMMITTED</b></span></p><p style="background: white;"><span face=""PT Sans",sans-serif" style="color: #363738; letter-spacing: 0.1pt;">Available for preorder online and wherever books are sold on May 4, 2021 (She Writes Press)<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="background: white;"><span face=""PT Sans",sans-serif" style="color: #363738; letter-spacing: 0.1pt;"></span></p><p style="background: white;"><span face=""PT Sans",sans-serif" style="color: #363738; letter-spacing: 0.1pt;">Amazon: </span><span style="color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Committed-Memoir-Madness-Paolina-Milana/dp/1647420423/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=committed+by+paolina+milana&qid=1610565473&sr=8-1"><span face=""PT Sans",sans-serif" style="letter-spacing: 0.1pt;">https://www.amazon.com/Committed-Memoir-Madness-Paolina-Milana/dp/1647420423/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=committed+by+paolina+milana&qid=1610565473&sr=8-1</span></a></span></p>
<p style="background: white;"><b><span face=""PT Sans",sans-serif" style="color: #363738; letter-spacing: 0.1pt;">ABOUT THE AUTHOR<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p style="background: white;"><span face=""PT Sans",sans-serif" style="color: #363738; letter-spacing: 0.1pt;">Paolina Milana’s mission is to share stories
that celebrate the triumph of the human spirit: To unleash the power that lies
within each of us to bring about change for the better. <b><o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p style="background: white;"><span face=""PT Sans",sans-serif" style="color: #363738; letter-spacing: 0.1pt;">Milana’s professional background is rooted
in journalism where as a features writer for a major daily newspaper in the
Midwest, she told the stories of other people. Then she moved to the field of
PR/media and digital marketing as an executive in both corporate and non-profit
environments. Given her experience in an emotionally tumultuous household where
she was put in the position of caregiver to unstable family members, she is
uniquely qualified to serve as a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) for
children in foster care and as an empowerment and resiliency coach, using
storytelling to help people reimagine their lives, write their next chapters,
and become the heroes of their own journeys. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white;"><span face=""PT Sans",sans-serif" style="color: #363738; letter-spacing: 0.1pt;">Paolina has won awards for her writing,
including her first book, <i>The S Word</i>, which received the National
Indie Excellence Award. Her self-help picture book for adults, <i>Seriously!
Are We There Yet?!,</i> and her holiday fiction novel, <i>Miracle on
Mall Drive </i>both published in late 2020. Paolina is first-generation
Sicilian, married, and lives on the edge of the Angeles National Forest in
Southern California.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white;"><b>WHERE TO FIND HER</b></p>
<p style="background: white;"><span style="color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/madness2magic/"><span face=""PT Sans",sans-serif" style="letter-spacing: 0.1pt;">https://www.facebook.com/madness2magic/</span></a></span><span face=""PT Sans",sans-serif" style="color: #363738; letter-spacing: 0.1pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white;"><span style="color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"><a href="https://twitter.com/MadnessToMagic"><span face=""PT Sans",sans-serif" style="letter-spacing: 0.1pt;">https://twitter.com/MadnessToMagic</span></a></span><span face=""PT Sans",sans-serif" style="color: #363738; letter-spacing: 0.1pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white;"><span style="color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/paolinamilana/"><span face=""PT Sans",sans-serif" style="letter-spacing: 0.1pt;">https://www.linkedin.com/in/paolinamilana/</span></a></span><span face=""PT Sans",sans-serif" style="color: #363738; letter-spacing: 0.1pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white;"><span style="color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/madness2magic/"><span face=""PT Sans",sans-serif" style="letter-spacing: 0.1pt;">https://www.instagram.com/madness2magic/</span></a></span><span face=""PT Sans",sans-serif" style="color: #363738; letter-spacing: 0.1pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white;"><span style="color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"><a href="https://madnesstomagic.com/"><span face=""PT Sans",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13.5pt; letter-spacing: 0.1pt;">https://madnesstomagic.com/</span></a></span><span face=""PT Sans",sans-serif" style="color: #363738; font-size: 13.5pt; letter-spacing: 0.1pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white;"><span face=""PT Sans",sans-serif" style="color: #363738; font-size: 13.5pt; letter-spacing: 0.1pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p><br /><p></p>Sheila Deethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13465615546936319164noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6896710675157315852.post-44162463662395701532021-03-25T10:03:00.000-07:002021-03-25T10:03:10.388-07:00Pillars of Barabbas<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/61Flt+YS+6L.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="533" height="400" src="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/61Flt+YS+6L.jpg" width="267" /></a></div><br /><br /><p></p><p><i>Today I'm delighted to welcome author M. D. House to my blog, to tell about book 2 in her Barabbas series. At this point, I'm eager to read both book 1 and book 2, as I'm sure you will be too. But first, please would you tell us a little about how and why you're writing this series?</i></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijg0at7J6jpDrMBRr7SdOsMxq5QEjpLPJ4XjPSE2NWAhEysiLGqltPo9VtISOrqwsHNJA0B3Az2rW3EOFZw3kTND1sSMzTKqCzGHOOLSAoxW5grGI-qn6zNpySeFnPGx2oZjEP7kAV61o/s2048/2020+MDH+headshot+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1365" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijg0at7J6jpDrMBRr7SdOsMxq5QEjpLPJ4XjPSE2NWAhEysiLGqltPo9VtISOrqwsHNJA0B3Az2rW3EOFZw3kTND1sSMzTKqCzGHOOLSAoxW5grGI-qn6zNpySeFnPGx2oZjEP7kAV61o/s320/2020+MDH+headshot+1.JPG" /></a></div><br /><i><br /></i><p></p><ol start="1" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; mso-border-shadow: yes; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-padding-alt: 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;"><i>By the time of Book 2 in the Barabbas series, Barabbas, the prisoner released in
exchange for Jesus, has accepted Christ and
joined himself to the body of the church. The second book, <i>Pillars of Barabbas, seeks to imagine how</i> how he continued his progress. But did you come to visualize
his path?</i></li></ol><p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; margin-left: .5in; mso-border-shadow: yes; mso-padding-alt: 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;">My original plans for Barabbas
have evolved in surprising ways. To a large degree, I, too, have been led on a
journey of discovering possibilities, seeing things I hadn’t contemplated
before.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; margin-left: .5in; mso-border-shadow: yes; mso-padding-alt: 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;">That evolution occurs as I
study the history—including the New Testament of the Bible—and continually try
to place myself in the full milieu of that time period, recognizing how similar
those people were to us. Ideas come, and the links in the chain form. It is an
incredible—and deeply fulfilling—process. The final product is astounding to
me, because it’s not what I expected.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; margin-left: .5in; mso-border-shadow: yes; mso-padding-alt: 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p><ol start="2" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="border: none;"><i>I've had the same experience working on my children's Bible stories. Which leads me to my next question: What research into the history and
politics of the time did you do?</i> </li></ol><p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; margin-left: .5in; mso-border-shadow: yes; mso-padding-alt: 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;">I’ve purchased a few books on
ancient Rome, plus New and Old Testament commentaries, and there are many
decent resources available online as well. I’ll never be accused of writing a
dissertation on the history of the time period, and I realize that much of the
scholarship isn’t perfectly harmonious, but it was good to study events and
people from various angles, even when the accounts sometimes conflicted.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; margin-left: .5in; mso-border-shadow: yes; mso-padding-alt: 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;">As we know, history is written
by the victors. It is also often changed later by those in power who seek to
cast a particular light on past events, groups of people, etc. in order to
promote current political or social aims. With that in mind, I used what I
consider the most reliable of the ancient sources—the New Testament—and built
frameworks from there that made sense given some of the secular histories and
our common human nature.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; margin-left: .5in; mso-border-shadow: yes; mso-padding-alt: 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;">My wife and I also took a trip
to Rome, and part of the reason was so that I could “feel the bones” of the
Eternal City, particularly the ancient ruins. It was everything I had hoped
for. When writing about Rome, I can now say that I’ve walked those streets and
been able to imagine how Paul, Peter, and early church members felt as they
walked the same cobbled roads, humbly carrying the greatest message the world
has ever known.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; margin-left: .5in; mso-border-shadow: yes; mso-padding-alt: 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p><ol start="3" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="border: none;"><i>Wow! I wish I could take a trip to Rome - my parents did, but I've never managed it. I love how you mention the New Testament as the most reliable source - as indeed it is, written really close to the time, by people really close to the events, and well-corroborated by other works.<br /><br />Of course, there are other significant Biblical figures who make
appearances in the novel. How did you choose them?</i></li></ol><p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; margin-left: .5in; mso-border-shadow: yes; mso-padding-alt: 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;">As in Book 1, the Apostle Paul
is most prominent, but Peter and his brother Andrew also play significant roles
in the story. Peter, of course, was the Lord’s chief apostle on the earth, and
his leadership was instrumental in the growing strength of the new church.
Barabbas interacts with Peter in both Jerusalem and Rome, while Andrew spends
time in Eastern Africa with Cornelius, who reprises his role from Book 1,
though he has retired from the Roman army to focus on building the kingdom of
God on earth. I’ve really fallen in love with Cornelius and his family and wish
I had as much courage and faith.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; margin-left: .5in; mso-border-shadow: yes; mso-padding-alt: 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;">Mary the mother of Jesus is
mentioned in Book 2, as she passes away, but her friend Joanna enters the
scene, joining another strong and influential woman—Priscilla, wife of
Aquila—in having a significant impact. It seemed fitting to cover Mary’s
passing, which resulted in a full reunion with her son Jesus. Pondering that
pulls on the heartstrings. Joanna had been a prominent supporter of Jesus
during his mortal ministry, and it was likely she continued to be a bright
light for the saints.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; margin-left: .5in; mso-border-shadow: yes; mso-padding-alt: 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;">Luke is also present, both as
Paul’s companion and on his own. What a faithful, loyal, and revered man Luke
was! Paul treasured his companionship and advice, and he was a prolific and
impactful writer.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; margin-left: .5in; mso-border-shadow: yes; mso-padding-alt: 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p><ol start="4" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="border: none;"><i>Great figures, all of them. Can you say something here about the significant non-Biblical
historical figures who appear in the story too?</i></li></ol><p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; margin-left: .5in; mso-border-shadow: yes; mso-padding-alt: 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;">Nero plays the largest role,
which makes sense given the focus on Rome. A lot has been written about Nero
(full regal name—not birth name—Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus) over
the last two millennia, much of it conflicting. I’m sure that, like all of us,
he was a complex individual with both good and bad traits. He was young—just
sixteen—when the emperorship was thrust upon him, his mother reportedly having
his adopted father, Emperor Claudius, poisoned.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; margin-left: .5in; mso-border-shadow: yes; mso-padding-alt: 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;">What would a conversation
between an apostle of Jesus Christ and the Emperor of Rome have looked like?
I’m 100% convinced that at least one conversation took place. Paul was a
well-known ‘prisoner’ who had appealed to the Emperor based on his status as a
Roman citizen, and he spent significant time in Rome with little hindrance to
his movements, building up the church and encouraging the saints. In my telling
of the story, more than one conversation takes place, and those were fascinating
to write.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; margin-left: .5in; mso-border-shadow: yes; mso-padding-alt: 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;">Another historical figure I
brought in was a known member of the Roman Senate from that time frame—Manius
Acilius Aviola. There is no known historical record of him being a Christian,
but in the story he is one, and he provides crucial support to Paul and the
saints.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; mso-border-shadow: yes; mso-padding-alt: 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p><ol start="5" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="border: none;"><i>Those conversations between Nero and Paul sound fascinating, and how logical too, to assume something of sort would have taken place. I'm growing more and more eager to read the book as you answer these questions!<br /><br />I have to confess, I've not read the first book yet. But I'm told the primary theme from Book 1 was
personal redemption. What is the primary theme of Book 2?</i></li></ol><p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; margin-left: .5in; mso-border-shadow: yes; mso-padding-alt: 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;">There are two primary themes
in Book 2: Triumph through Adversity, which the burgeoning church of Christ
surely experienced, and Every Soul is Precious, which lies at the heart of the
Savior’s message in all ages of the world.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; margin-left: .5in; mso-border-shadow: yes; mso-padding-alt: 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;">So, while the new church was
growing in numbers and influence, while faith and attendant miracles were
increasing, the purpose wasn’t to make God look good, or even powerful. The
purpose was to save souls, individual souls with unlimited, eternal potential.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; margin-left: .5in; mso-border-shadow: yes; mso-padding-alt: 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;">The primary difference between
Christ and Satan is that Satan seeks to rule over us for his own glory, while
Christ leads us along a path of self-mastery and knowledge that will bring us
limitless, joyous glory—both personal and familial—and <i>that</i> is what Christ rejoices in.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; margin-left: .5in; mso-border-shadow: yes; mso-padding-alt: 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p><ol start="6" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="border: none;"><i>How true! Why do women play such a prominent role
in church leadership as you have imagined it among the early Christian
saints?</i></li></ol><p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; margin-left: .5in; mso-border-shadow: yes; mso-padding-alt: 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;">When Christ established his
church, he spent at least forty days training his disciples how to administer
it and help it grow. He most certainly would have made it crystal clear how
valuable each and every person—male or female, regardless of perceivable
physical attributes—was to the growth, function and purpose of the kingdom of
God.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; margin-left: .5in; mso-border-shadow: yes; mso-padding-alt: 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;">That seems obvious to most of
us now, but most societies of the time were politically and economically
dominated by males, even if those males were often influenced by mothers,
wives, sisters, daughters, etc. Christ’s church was refreshingly different,
with men and women both playing prominent roles in decision-making and
execution. That was difficult for some people to accept, and persecutions arose
from it, but God values all of his children equally, and all have valuable
talents that we can only ignore at our peril.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; mso-border-shadow: yes; mso-padding-alt: 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p><ol start="7" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="border: none;"><i>Yay! And yes, that has been my conclusion too. Priscilla and Aquila being a case in point. So, what lessons can today’s readers take
away from the lives of the early saints and the men and women who led
them?</i></li></ol><p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; margin-left: .5in; mso-border-shadow: yes; mso-padding-alt: 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;">They were real people, facing
real challenges with which each of us can identify. They were steeped in myriad
entrenched traditions and doctrines, but their souls had come from the hallowed
halls of heaven. Twinges of remembrance reverberated in their hearts when they
heard the message of the gospel, when the great atoning sacrifice of the Savior
was announced and explained to them.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; margin-left: .5in; mso-border-shadow: yes; mso-padding-alt: 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;">Their spirits rejoiced, and
yet the vicissitudes and temptations of mortality continued to challenge them.
Satan continuously tried to beat them down and convince them it wasn’t worth
getting back up and trying to be the kind of person Christ had shown them they
could become. In their basic essence, our experiences are exactly the same.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; margin-left: .5in; mso-border-shadow: yes; mso-padding-alt: 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p><ol start="8" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="border: none;"><i>Can Pillars of Barabbas help readers
strengthen their faith in Jesus Christ?</i></li></ol><p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; margin-left: .5in; mso-border-shadow: yes; mso-padding-alt: 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;">I certainly hope so, yes. That
was the intent. <i>Pillars of Barabbas</i>
and <i>I Was Called Barabbas</i> were
written with a scriptural foundation. The teachings of Christ are presented
throughout, in the words and actions of the various characters, including
well-known personalities like the Apostles Peter, Paul, and Andrew, the
Centurion Cornelius, the ever-faithful Luke and Joanna, and the wise Aquila and
Priscilla.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; margin-left: .5in; mso-border-shadow: yes; mso-padding-alt: 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;">But beyond just reading about
the teachings of Christ, we must commune with him and heed those teachings,
continually. Redemption is a life-long process. It requires a tremendous amount
of work and determination. It’s worth it, especially as we help each other and
become unified in following our Savior. Unity in Christ is our true strength,
because mortal ethnicity, skin color, economic station, etc. don’t matter a
whit when it comes to accessing his promised blessings, both here and in the
eternities.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; margin-left: .5in; mso-border-shadow: yes; mso-padding-alt: 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p><ol start="9" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="border: none;"><i>And his Spirit is always there to strengthen and guide us. We love, because He first loved us. So, I'm curious, what other projects are you working on?</i></li></ol><p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; margin-left: .5in; mso-border-shadow: yes; mso-padding-alt: 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;">I’ll soon start planning Book
3, the final book of the Barabbas series. One of the major events in that book
will be the horrific Roman siege of Jerusalem by Titus, during and after which
as much as 90% of the Jewish inhabitants were killed. Christ himself had
foretold the event, but nobody had imagined something so drastically awful
could happen. There’s more research to do on what happened to the Christians in
Jerusalem. Many suggest they were warned to leave before the siege happened.
Either way, the church was already building centers of influence elsewhere,
particularly in Rome.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; margin-left: .5in; mso-border-shadow: yes; mso-padding-alt: 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;">I’ve just started working
again on the sequel to my first novel, which was soft sci-fi with a political
and religious bent, titled <i>Patriot Star</i>.
I had set that sequel aside several years ago after getting through about 60%
of the first draft, but after recently re-reading it—and having received
several requests—I’ve decided to pick it back up. Revealing the title would be
a spoiler, so I won’t … yet.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; margin-left: .5in; mso-border-shadow: yes; mso-padding-alt: 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;">For LDS Christians, I’m well
along toward completing the first draft of a story about a man born in 70-80 BC
and referred to in the Book of Mormon only as “the servant of Helaman” (which
is also the working title). Political intrigues, questions of faith in Christ,
and the horrible impacts of violent conflict will make this an intense ride
over a short period of time (~ two years). Writing this story has been
immensely enjoyable, similar to the journey Barabbas has been giving me.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; margin-left: .5in; mso-border-shadow: yes; mso-padding-alt: 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;">It’s because I have so many
projects going on now that I’ve stepped away from a lucrative business career.
It’s a risk worth taking. I love telling these stories, and I firmly hope they
aren’t just entertaining, but genuinely useful to people.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; margin-left: .5in; mso-border-shadow: yes; mso-padding-alt: 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;">I’ll be sure to keep people
updated on my projects through my website (<a href="http://www.mdhouselive.com/"><span style="color: blue;">www.mdhouselive.com</span></a>) and my Facebook page (<a href="http://www.facebook.com/LiteraryThunder"><span style="color: blue;">www.facebook.com/LiteraryThunder</span></a>). I’ll do a bit of blogging here and there as well.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; margin-left: .5in; mso-border-shadow: yes; mso-padding-alt: 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p><ol start="10" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="border: none;"><i>Where can readers purchase a copy of
Pillars of Barabbas?</i></li></ol><p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; margin-left: .5in; mso-border-shadow: yes; mso-padding-alt: 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;"><i>Pillars of Barabbas</i>
can be purchased on Amazon in both print and ebook. It will soon be available
in audiobook on the Amazon/Audible and iTunes platforms as well. (<i>Note: the number of outlets may expand</i>.)<o:p></o:p></p><p>
</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; mso-border-shadow: yes; mso-padding-alt: 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p><i>Thank you so much, and I shall definitely aim to read both books (all three when the third comes out).</i></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAawAjgWXGM6_P7zfc1G62CSrR1RRIUVB4EF5kvY5aFfDtvrbUVRmEbsedLTKQ0tV84ZWLBsn2rTV59QypF_OUUqT1Syky8l1ZIhHmuJF6JK9wCFUlxqxpPNfDOhKsIY7jt8DNjrTq9SA/s1080/Pillars+of+Barabbas+Graphic.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAawAjgWXGM6_P7zfc1G62CSrR1RRIUVB4EF5kvY5aFfDtvrbUVRmEbsedLTKQ0tV84ZWLBsn2rTV59QypF_OUUqT1Syky8l1ZIhHmuJF6JK9wCFUlxqxpPNfDOhKsIY7jt8DNjrTq9SA/s320/Pillars+of+Barabbas+Graphic.png" /></a></div><i>Meanwhile, here are some useful links:</i><p></p><ul style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><li style="margin-left: 15px;">Author’s Website: <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.mdhouselive.com&source=gmail&ust=1616776297302000&usg=AFQjCNHDwlkRimMsiFDlxQurWay9C294TQ" href="http://www.mdhouselive.com/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">www.mdhouselive.com</a></li><li style="margin-left: 15px;">Author’s Facebook: <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.facebook.com/LiteraryThunder&source=gmail&ust=1616776297302000&usg=AFQjCNE7YNpJNq5VfQzNCMy5kVRnBZvvjQ" href="http://www.facebook.com/LiteraryThunder" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">www.facebook.com/<wbr></wbr>LiteraryThunder</a></li><li style="margin-left: 15px;">Author’s Twitter:<a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.twitter.com/real_housemd&source=gmail&ust=1616776297302000&usg=AFQjCNH0KZgQZ0pNr9DiW-MlDhHaU7C5fA" href="http://www.twitter.com/real_housemd" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank"> www.twitter.com/real_housemd</a></li><li style="margin-left: 15px;">Pillars of Barabbas on Amazon: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Pillars-Barabbas-Trilogy-Book-ebook/dp/B08YJB4CHS/">https://www.amazon.com/Pillars-Barabbas-Trilogy-Book-ebook/dp/B08YJB4CHS/</a></li><li style="margin-left: 15px;">I was Called Barabbas on Amazon: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07YDZXT33">https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07YDZXT33</a></li><li style="margin-left: 15px;">Author M.D. House on Amazon: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/M-D-House/e/B07K1Q7912/">https://www.amazon.com/M-D-House/e/B07K1Q7912/</a></li></ul>Sheila Deethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13465615546936319164noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6896710675157315852.post-4125599396264741472021-02-24T01:37:00.069-08:002021-02-24T01:37:00.924-08:00How would you cope with the unexpected?<p> <i>Today I'm delighted to welcome Karen Warner Scheuler to my blog, author of </i>The Sudden Caregiver, <span style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="background: white;"><b style="color: #0b5394;">A practical and proven guide, a roadmap,
and a source of comfort for anyone who is caring for a loved one, and
especially for those for whom the role was unexpected. </b><i>You can read an excerpt below, then read on to learn more about the author and where to find the book.</i></span></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 53.05pt; margin-top: 18.95pt; mso-pagination: none; text-align: center;"><b><span lang="EN" style="color: #231f20; font-size: 17.0pt;">Introducing the Sudden Caregiver</span></b><b><span lang="EN" style="color: #231f20; font-size: 14.0pt;"> <o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 53.05pt; margin-top: 18.95pt; mso-pagination: none; text-align: center;"><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGD9vYPwPUpf3EdCFaPmxNGiENfhbnnLQ5NX-quhKntOHptTB2FArtF1nFux2zIP-12Oek-ha-7es1xKFJilqyM6ycdwpit2jp62v7xN5DKyk4fx_I5CJqsnygIH8Mt5sx-RaYv-KPNT8/s640/Sudden+Caregiver+Cover+Image.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGD9vYPwPUpf3EdCFaPmxNGiENfhbnnLQ5NX-quhKntOHptTB2FArtF1nFux2zIP-12Oek-ha-7es1xKFJilqyM6ycdwpit2jp62v7xN5DKyk4fx_I5CJqsnygIH8Mt5sx-RaYv-KPNT8/s320/Sudden+Caregiver+Cover+Image.jpeg" /></a></b></div><span style="color: #231f20; font-size: 9pt;"><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 53.05pt; margin-top: 18.95pt; mso-pagination: none; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #231f20; font-size: 9pt;"><br /></span></p>“There are only four kinds of people in the world – those who
have</span><span style="color: #231f20; font-size: 9pt;"> </span><span style="color: #231f20; font-size: 9pt;">been caregivers, those who are
caregivers, those who will be caregivers,</span><span style="color: #231f20; font-size: 9pt;">
</span><span style="color: #231f20; font-size: 9pt;">and those who will need caregivers.” </span><b style="color: #231f20; font-size: 9pt;"><i>— </i></b><i style="color: #231f20; font-size: 9pt;">Former US First Lady, </i><span style="color: #231f20; font-size: 9pt;">Rosalynn Carter</span><i style="color: #231f20; font-size: 9pt;">, from Written Testimony Before the Senate Special Committee on Aging<sup>1</sup></i><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: .2pt; margin-top: 18.45pt; mso-pagination: none;"><span lang="EN" style="color: #231f20;">This is the moment. I wake up in the
middle of the night to the ringing of my mobile in the dark. The standard-issue
hotel bedside clock reads 2:04 a.m. I answer the phone with a startled, heart
racing, “Sweetie!” In the two decades we’ve been together, Joel has never called me in the middle of the night
when either of us is on the road. He
says, “I’m still at the hospital. They just came in and told me. I have lung cancer. But it’s in
my spine.” I sit up in bed trying to get
my bearings. I have fallen asleep fully clothed, it seems, propped against the headboard, waiting
to hear from Joel who was in the ER when
we last spoke. I was certain that he would
have made it home by now, safely diagnosed with a curative regimen in
hand. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 12.25pt; margin-right: .1pt; margin-top: 1.5pt; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: 17.85pt;"><span lang="EN" style="color: #231f20;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: .1pt; margin-top: 1.5pt; mso-pagination: none;"><span lang="EN" style="color: #231f20;">My laptop, open beside me on the bed,
holds an email to my clients telling
them I <i>may </i>have to postpone the
meetings we have scheduled for later in
the week, something I have never had to do in
all the years of running my own firm. I have composed the note with much
hesitation while waiting for Joel to call. I’d fallen asleep before hitting <i>send.
<o:p></o:p></i></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 2.9pt; margin-right: 9.1pt; margin-top: .55pt; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: 18.4pt;"><span lang="EN" style="color: #231f20;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 2.9pt; margin-right: 9.1pt; margin-top: .55pt; mso-pagination: none;"><span lang="EN" style="color: #231f20;">Over the phone, Joel makes a joke or
two about lung cancer, complete with pop-culture references to the TV show <i>Breaking Bad</i>, which we’ve just binge-watched on Netflix. The
running theme of that show is that a
mild-mannered chemistry teacher, Walter White, is told he has terminal lung cancer. In the aftermath of
this diagnosis, Walter White stumbles upon formulating and selling
methamphetamine to ensure his family’s financial future. We both laugh. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 2.9pt; margin-right: 9.1pt; margin-top: .55pt; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: 18.2pt;"><span lang="EN" style="color: #231f20;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 2.9pt; margin-right: 9.1pt; margin-top: .55pt; mso-pagination: none;"><span lang="EN" style="color: #231f20;">Today, with the arc of his diagnosis
to death completed, I recall that I took in and focused on his joking banter
more than the part about lung cancer. It seemed so unlikely a diagnosis for my
non-smoking, religiously exercising, insistently supplement-taking husband. I
was almost dismissive of it. “That’s not possible,” I remember saying. I know I
sounded sure. I <i>was </i>sure. This was
some kind of false alarm, and I was so
certain of it that I persisted in wondering about whether I really had to cancel my upcoming meetings. Lung cancer
sounded serious but was it an immediate kind of serious? What about the
twenty-six people who’d traveled from all over the country to assemble in a
workshop I had committed to running that week? <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 3.0pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 21.0pt; mso-pagination: none;"><b><span lang="EN" style="color: #231f20;">The
“C” Card <o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 3.0pt; margin-right: 9.1pt; margin-top: 9.65pt; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .1pt;"><span lang="EN" style="color: #231f20;">Murmuring with Joel
about it deep into that night, I now realize I was plucking “lung cancer” from
the air and turning it into an action item, mentally rank ordering it on my
list of priorities in order to minimize it. Did it go at the top: drop all and grab
a plane? Or in the middle: finish what you came for then hightail it home? Or
perhaps, after all, this belonged at the bottom: we’ve all had bad news, even
scary medical news. But it’s never <i>really
</i>bad. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 3.0pt; margin-right: 9.1pt; margin-top: .55pt; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: 18.25pt;"><span lang="EN" style="color: #231f20;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 3.0pt; margin-right: 9.1pt; margin-top: .55pt; mso-pagination: none;"><span lang="EN" style="color: #231f20;">I wandered in and out of
sleeplessness weighing my options and then took the first flight home to
Boston. I left messages for colleagues during the cab ride and from my seat on
the plane, begging someone to cover the meeting that I had to cancel. I reached
one colleague at that early hour. I
heard myself pleading with her when she said she <i>did </i>have that day free but would rather not book it. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 12.0pt; margin-right: .1pt; margin-top: .55pt; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: 18.25pt;"><span lang="EN" style="color: #231f20;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: .1pt; margin-top: .55pt; mso-pagination: none;"><span lang="EN" style="color: #231f20;">“But Joel has <i>cancer</i>,” I whispered to her, my face pressed against the plane’s
window so that the stranger who was my seatmate would not hear my desperate whine. That was,
officially, the first time I told anyone that Joel had cancer. It felt false, a
manipulation, “playing the ‘C’ card,” as
they say. Yet in the next moment the power of its reality overcame me. To my
astonishment, I began to cry. Whatever my colleague made of all this, in any
case, she didn’t find a way to say yes. This is the moment, the first of many
moments, when I knew that life wasn’t going to yield to my well-crafted plans.
Welcome to the other side of the looking
glass, the province of the sudden caregiver. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 11.95pt; margin-right: .15pt; margin-top: .55pt; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: 18.3pt;"><span lang="EN" style="color: #231f20;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: .15pt; margin-top: .55pt; mso-pagination: none;"><span lang="EN" style="color: #231f20;">On the day before I became a sudden
caregiver, I was, first, a mom planning her only daughter’s wedding. I was a
consultant designing a leadership program. I was a coach listening for what her
client <i>wasn’t </i>saying. And I was a
runner, a friend, a business owner, and a consumer of too much Starbucks
coffee. I was also a wife checking in with her husband from some six hundred
miles away. His ongoing complaints of back pain were steeped now in
frustration, which I shared. It sounded to me like the pain was shifting,
radiating, deepening. So I was also,
that day, a stern lecturer on the virtues of taking care of oneself, demanding
he call our friend, Glenn, to take him to the emergency room so they could fix
whatever was wrong once and for all, if it couldn’t wait till I got home. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: .2pt; margin-top: .55pt; mso-pagination: none;"><span style="color: #231f20;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: .2pt; margin-top: .55pt; mso-pagination: none;"><span style="color: #231f20;">I inhabited all my usual roles that
day. Caregiver was not among</span><span style="color: #231f20;"> </span><span style="color: #231f20;">them. Then,
suddenly, it was. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: center;"><b>ABOUT THE AUTHOR</b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisZh83g7ybeL5EV051slN9KcnjFU_-9bDIjcBgaBVQlqrNnIfReTOa2De55j3eNbi60iF8O6BnmieU8gOzz2DwPe0oBklBPglMOus0P42S-pLzKzbnfSG6VyhQ5UWTNK3R7LCONOqDhiI/s497/WARNER+SCHUELER+HEADSHOT+1+%25281%2529.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="497" data-original-width="481" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisZh83g7ybeL5EV051slN9KcnjFU_-9bDIjcBgaBVQlqrNnIfReTOa2De55j3eNbi60iF8O6BnmieU8gOzz2DwPe0oBklBPglMOus0P42S-pLzKzbnfSG6VyhQ5UWTNK3R7LCONOqDhiI/s320/WARNER+SCHUELER+HEADSHOT+1+%25281%2529.jpeg" /></a></div><span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;"><div><span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;"><br /></span></div>On the day Karen became a sudden caregiver, she was
a wife, a mom, a consultant and business owner, a coach, a runner, a friend,
and a consumer of too much Starbucks coffee. On that day when her late husband
was diagnosed -- out of the blue -- with stage IV cancer, Karen certainly had
no idea that she had instantaneously joined a silent army of informal, unpaid
family caregivers around the world who had also been pressed into sudden
service.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="background: white; mso-highlight: white;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="background-color: white;">With the acronym C-A-R-E (Crisis, As Normal as
Possible, Resolution, and Evolution), Warner Schueler explains each phase of
caregiving and helps the reader apply what they need for their unique
situation, including her own personal stories and stories from caregivers of
all types. The author invites readers to dive right in where they feel they
need the most help, as every caregiving situation is unique.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="background: white; mso-highlight: white;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="background-color: white;">Karen guides readers through evidence-based
strategies, drawn from the principles of positive psychology, that are designed
to help raise well-being and resilience for both the caregiver and the person
in their care. They provide direction on not only what to </span><i>do </i><span style="background-color: white;">as a caregiver but also how to </span><i>be </i><span style="background-color: white;">as a caregiver. She also discusses how to integrate the lessons
of caregiving once your role as caregiver ends.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="background-color: white;">In addition to the book and worksheet appendix,
readers can download a free </span><b>Sudden
Caregiver’s Playbook</b><span style="background-color: white;">, with helpful worksheets and activities to guide the
caregiver through each step of the journey.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="background: white; mso-highlight: white;"><o:p> </o:p></span>Karen Warner Schueler
is an executive coach who has helped hundreds of senior managers discover the
unique qualities that inform their leadership. As president of her coaching
firm, <a href="https://tangiblegroup.com/"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Tangible
Group</span></a>, she designs and delivers premiere leadership experiences for
individuals, teams, and multinational corporations. She received her Master’s
degree in Applied Positive Psychology from the University of Pennsylvania. She
is currently launching a series of learning modules for caregiver resilience. <i>The Sudden Caregiver </i>is her first book. </p><h4 style="line-height: normal; text-align: center;"><b><span lang="EN" style="background: white; mso-highlight: white;">ADVANCE
PRAISE FOR THE SUDDEN CAREGIVER</span></b></h4><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="background: white; mso-highlight: white;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">“Beautifully written and
empirically sound. I can see that it will help many caregivers of all types. I
look forward to sharing with my caregiver networks.”—</span><b style="font-size: 10pt;">Dr. Judith Moskowitz, PhD, MPH, </b><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Professor, Medical Social Sciences,
Northwestern University - Feinberg School of Medicine, and President of the
International Positive Psychology Association</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 10pt;">“Warner Schueler’s powerful and poignant
writing provides caregivers with a pragmatic plan for approaching caregiving,
and even more importantly, a strong thread of hope and meaning ‘in the face of
a hopeless situation’. Her writing offers both resources and inspiration; a
personal story in the midst of a ubiquitous experience so many endure in
isolation and silence. A must-read for anyone traveling the path of a
caregiver.”—</span><b style="font-size: 10pt;">Pam McLean, Ph.D., </b><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 10pt;">CEO,
Hudson Institute of Coaching</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="background: white; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-highlight: white;">“As a mental health clinician with
years working on the front lines of crises of all kinds and personally being
the caregiver and receiver, this book is a must-have for every bookshelf. We’ll
all be touched by caregiving and receiving at some point. I’m thankful for the
compass.” </span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 10pt;">—</span><b style="font-size: 10pt;">Andrea Kane Frank, MS, LCPC, </b><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 10pt;">Chesapeake Counseling and Consulting
and Founder, raising human•kind</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="background: white; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-highlight: white;">“In a world where a serious
illness can change a life in an instant, so many find themselves
thrust—unprepared, overwhelmed, and terrified—into the role of caregiver. In
this poignant and beautifully written book—both how-to guide and lyrical
memoir—Karen Warner Schueler offers a practical and psychological guide for
those facing what can be the toughest crisis of their lives. ‘The only way out
is through,’ she writes. And having this exceptional book will be an invaluable
asset in that difficult journey.”—<b>Glenn
Rifkin, </b><i>New York Time</i>s
contributing writer and author of <i>Future
Forward</i></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 12.0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="background: white; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-highlight: white;">“I have been centrally and peripherally
involved in 5 sudden-care experiences over the last 5 years. Along the way, I
was fortunate to have an early draft of this book. When we were struggling with
medical complexity, it gave us practical guidance. When we were discouraged, it
reminded us of our strengths. When we were facing the end, it helped us turn
‘no hope’ into hope for a peaceful end. Having sent several people to the
author for early drafts, I can say with complete confidence that practically
everybody will need this book someday.”—<b>Kathryn
Britton, </b>Principal and Writing Coach, Theano Coaching, LLC, co-editor of <i>Character Strengths Matter</i> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p>
</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 12.0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="background: white; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-highlight: white;">“<i>The
Sudden Caregiver</i> shines a light on the paradox of caregiving— that
caregiving offers moments of both grit and grace. This book will change the way
caregivers give care and it might just change the caregivers’ story for
millions around the globe. If you are a caregiver, you need this book. And so
does the world.”<b>—David J. Pollay, </b>Executive
Coach, Keynote Speaker, and Bestselling Author of <i>The Law of the Garbage Truck </i></span><span lang="EN" style="background: white; color: #666666; mso-highlight: white;"> </span></p><h4 style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 12.6667px;"><b>WHERE TO FIND THE SUDDEN CAREGIVER</b></span></span></h4><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 9.5pt;">Amazon: </span><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Sudden-Caregiver-Roadmap-Resilient-Caregiving-ebook/dp/B08VQSP3XL/ref=sr_1_1?crid=314XSADQKNDRK&dchild=1&keywords=the+sudden+caregiver+a+roadmap+for+resilient+caregiving&qid=1612926292&sprefix=the+sudden+caregiver%3A+a+r%2Caps%2C812&sr=8-1"><span style="background: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 9.5pt;">https://www.amazon.com/Sudden-Caregiver-Roadmap-Resilient-Caregiving-ebook/dp/B08VQSP3XL/ref=sr_1_1?crid=314XSADQKNDRK&dchild=1&keywords=the+sudden+caregiver+a+roadmap+for+resilient+caregiving&qid=1612926292&sprefix=the+sudden+caregiver%3A+a+r%2Caps%2C812&sr=8-1</span></a></p><p></p><h4 style="text-align: center;"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 9.5pt;"><b>WHERE TO FIND THE AUTHOR</b></span></h4>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.thesuddencaregiver.com/"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">https://www.thesuddencaregiver.com/</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.tangiblegroup.com/"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">https://www.TangibleGroup.com/</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/suddencaregiver"><span style="background: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">https://www.facebook.com/suddencaregiver</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/karenwarnertangible/"><span style="background: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">https://www.linkedin.com/in/karenwarnertangible/</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><br /><p></p>Sheila Deethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13465615546936319164noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6896710675157315852.post-59013210223715470412020-12-21T17:39:00.001-08:002020-12-21T17:39:11.853-08:00Where did 2020 go?<p>I wonder if this will work - it's meant to list the books I've read this year, a much smaller number than last year's list. I guess I've been spending more time editing... and more time reading and re-reading the news, which was time not well spent. But I'm taking Christmas off, so I hope to get some writing done too. Book 2 of Hemlock Edge, perhaps - it's nearly finished.</p><p>Anyway, here's that link, and good luck with it! If your book's in there, thank you for the read!</p><p><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/user/year_in_books/2020/2039269">https://www.goodreads.com/user/year_in_books/2020/2039269</a></p>Sheila Deethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13465615546936319164noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6896710675157315852.post-48048163772521717112020-11-29T00:14:00.051-08:002020-11-29T00:14:06.603-08:00Who was Dracula?<p></p><figure class="aligncenter size-large"><img alt="" class="wp-image-1777" src="http://www.tomorrowcomesmedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/TourGraphic_TributeInBlood.jpg" /></figure> <i>Today I'm delighted to welcome author Melodie Romeo to my blog, featuring her book release, Tribute in Blood, which promises thrills and romance immersed in a historical setting, as Vlad the Impaler returns! A thrilling read for the coming holiday season, I'm told, so I'm looking forward to reading it! Meanwhile, she's here to share some information about the famous Dracula.</i> <i>So, over to you Melodie, and thank you for visiting here:</i><p></p><h2 style="text-align: center;">Thoughts on Vlad Tepes<i> by Melodie Romeo</i></h2><div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">All
characters, even villains, are multifaceted individuals with strengths and
weaknesses, successes and failures, virtues and vices. I found the same to be
true of Vlad Tepes, history’s Dracula. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Prince Vlad
of Walachia (1431-1476) was a capable strategist and military leader who
defeated one of the greatest conquerors of his day, a pro-autonomist who
desired to raise his principality to full nation status, a shrewd politician
who knew how to play one adversary off another… but he was also a sadistic
murderer, a sociopath and psychopath, and a brutal despot with enough mental
disorders to keep a modern psychiatrist in business for years. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Maybe it
started when as a youth he and his younger brother were sent to Constantinople
as hostages. Radu was favored by the Turks, loved by the harem girls, and
nick-named “Radu the handsome,” while they merely tolerated Vlad. Who wants his
little brother getting all the attention? Perhaps it was his lust for power;
his father had been Prince of Walachia, but when he and his older brother were
killed, Vlad took it upon himself to seize control in the region which was not
a simple task. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">There were
three priorities Vlad believed he must achieve in order to rise from ruler of a
principality to king of a nation: eliminate crime, erase poverty, and establish
favorable trade contracts. He accomplished those by instituting the death
penalty for every offense, killing off all the poor people, and executing
foreign merchants. To a small degree, there was a method to his madness. That,
however, did not account for his literal thirst for blood and glee in torturing
people to death. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">All of the
Vlad stories related in <i>Tribute in Blood</i>
come from original documents dating back to the 15th century, and though instances
may have been exaggerated, historians generally consider them accurate because many
chroniclers from different countries repeated the same tales. It was during his
six-year reign (1456-1462) that Vlad perpetrated his most notorious acts of
cruelty: the impaling of the boyars, the naked children rebuilding the
fortress, the St. Bartholomew’s massacre, the utter destruction of Transylvania
in search of Dan, and his strict enforcement of the death penalty for all
offenses. In the words of a German chronicler: “he invented frightening,
terrible, unheard of tortures. He ordered that women be impaled together with
their suckling babies on the same stake. The babies fought for their lives
until they finally died. Then he had the women’s breasts cut off and put the
babies inside head first; thus he had them impaled together.” Another German
account stated: “Early in the morning he gave orders that men and women, young
and old alike, should be impaled... at the foot of the mountain. He then sat
down at a table in their midst and ate his breakfast with great pleasure.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Even the
Freudian analysis of his personality has been suggested by various Vlad
historians. It seems evident from the writings and his behavior that Dracula
hated women. And it has been professionally proposed that his fascination with
impaling could stem from his own feelings of masculine inadequacy. Whatever the
reasons, he seemed to place harsher penalties on female offenders than on
males. The story of murdering his mistress included in the novel is well
documented.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">None of this
came as a surprise to discover. Anyone who was so despicable of an excuse for a
human being as to become the inspiration for the most famous blood-sucking
vampire of them all very likely was a real-life monster. However, a few things
surprised me. First was that he only ruled for a little over six years total.
His first attempt at usurping power lasted a mere few weeks and his last seat
on the throne only a few months. It was during this final reign that most of <i>Tribute in Blood </i>takes place as my hero
and heroine orchestrate and carry out his demise. Vlad managed to kill over
100,000 people, twenty percent of his entire population, in that short a span.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">It also
struck me he only lived to be forty-five. True, the average lifespan was lower
than that at the time, but nobility and royalty usually outlived their common
counterparts. Then again, Vlad did not die of natural causes. As the Bible
says, “he who lives by the sword shall die by the sword.” Vlad was assassinated
by person or persons unknown, which was very convenient to build a plot around!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The third
thing that surprised me to learn about Vlad Dracula was that many people living
in Romania at the time and still today consider him a national hero. They seem
to sweep his brutal blood-lust under the rug while extolling the virtues of his
military victories. It is true that he turned back a Turkish invasion of
Eastern Europe in a terrifying manner that only the famed Impaler could have
pulled off, but as the heroes in my novel point out: “Mehmed only requires a
tribute of gold. Vlad demands his tribute in blood.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><i>Wow. That was fascinating Melodie! I knew he was based on a real character, but I really had no idea how awful a real character... how short a reign, how young a death... Strange facts indeed in a world where erasing poverty (by whatever means) and establishing trade might still be viewed as the road to authority. Thank you!</i></span></p></div>
<!--/wp:paragraph-->
<!--wp:image {"align":"left","id":1778,"width":482,"height":512,"sizeSlug":"large"}-->
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignleft size-large is-resized" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" class="wp-image-1778" height="320" src="http://www.tomorrowcomesmedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/MelodieRomeo-964x1024.jpg" width="301" /></figure></div>
<!--/wp:image-->
<!--wp:paragraph-->
<h2 style="text-align: left;"><strong>About the author: </strong> </h2><p>Melodie Romeo, who also writes under the pen name Edale Lane, is the author of the award winning 2019 novel, Heart of Sherwood, and the Night Flyer Trilogy. As Melodie Romeo, she has written Vlad a Novel (soon to be re-released as Tribute in Blood), Terror in Time, and others. She founded Past and Prologue Press in 2019. Both identities are qualified to write historical fiction by virtue of an MA in History and 24 years spent as a teacher, along with skill and dedication in regard to research. She is a successful author who also currently drives a tractor-trailer across the United States. A native of Vicksburg, MS, Melodie is also a musician who loves animals, gardening, and nature.</p><p><br /></p><p>Find her here: Twitter: <a href="http://ww.twitter.com/EdaleLane">@EdaleLane</a></p><!--/wp:paragraph--><!--wp:paragraph--><p>Official Site: <a href="https://pastandprologuepress.lpages.co/">https://pastandprologuepress.lpages.co/</a></p>
<!--/wp:paragraph-->
<!--wp:image {"align":"left","id":1766,"width":342,"height":512,"sizeSlug":"large"}-->
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignleft size-large is-resized" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" class="wp-image-1766" height="512" src="http://www.tomorrowcomesmedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Cover_TributeinBlood_1200X800-683x1024.jpg" width="342" /><figcaption>Landscape with old castle at night</figcaption></figure></div>
<!--/wp:image-->
<!--wp:paragraph-->
<h2 style="text-align: left;"><strong>About <em>Tribute in Blood</em>:</strong> </h2><p> Tribute in Blood, a Tale of Vlad the Impaler, by Melodie Romeo (previously released under the title, Vlad, a Novel)</p>
<!--/wp:paragraph-->
<!--wp:paragraph-->
<p>The most terrifying horrors are revealed in the pages of history.</p>
<!--/wp:paragraph-->
<!--wp:paragraph-->
<p>After killing over 100,000 people during his first reign as Prince of Walachia, Vlad has returned, ready to inflict tortuous death on anyone he chooses. Only Nicolae and Maria, drawn together through mutual tragedies both inflicted by the ruthless Prince Dracula, dare try to stop him. Can Nicolae fulfill his plan of justice and revenge while winning the heart of the lovely Maria, or will he become the Impaler’s next victim?</p>
<!--/wp:paragraph-->
<!--wp:paragraph-->
<p>With heart-stopping danger at every turn, detailed historical accuracy combined with fictional characters, and a myriad of surprises, Tribute in Blood is sure to keep you on the edge of your seat. Order this historical thriller-romance today!<strong> </strong> </p>
<!--/wp:paragraph-->
<!--wp:paragraph {"align":"center"}-->
<p class="has-text-align-center">Find it here:</p><p><strong>Kindle Version: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Tribute-Blood-Tale-Vlad-Impaler-ebook/dp/B08DK9MKRH/">https://www.amazon.com/Tribute-Blood-Tale-Vlad-Impaler-ebook/dp/B08DK9MKRH/</a></strong></p><p><strong>Amazon Print Version: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Tribute-Blood-Tale-Vlad-Impaler/dp/B08DC5YFTL/">https://www.amazon.com/Tribute-Blood-Tale-Vlad-Impaler/dp/B08DC5YFTL/</a></strong></p><p class="has-text-align-center"><!--/wp:paragraph--><!--wp:paragraph--><!--/wp:paragraph--><!--wp:paragraph--><!--/wp:paragraph--><!--wp:paragraph--></p><p><strong>Barnes and Noble Link: <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/tribute-in-blood-melodie-romeo/1137395978?ean=9798668904129">https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/tribute-in-blood-melodie-romeo/1137395978?ean=9798668904129</a></strong></p>
<!--/wp:paragraph-->
<!--wp:paragraph {"align":"center"}-->
<p class="has-text-align-center">_______________________________________________</p>
<!--/wp:paragraph-->
<!--wp:paragraph-->
<h2 style="text-align: left;"><strong>Find out more: Follow the Tour</strong></h2>
<!--/wp:paragraph-->
<!--wp:paragraph-->
<p><strong>11/25 Afshan Hashmi <a href="https://afshanhashmi.com/">https://afshanhashmi.com/</a> Guest Post</strong></p>
<!--/wp:paragraph-->
<!--wp:paragraph-->
<p><strong>11/25 Armed with a Book <a href="http://www.armedwithabook.com/">http://www.armedwithabook.com</a> Top Ten List</strong></p>
<!--/wp:paragraph-->
<!--wp:paragraph-->
<p><strong>11/25 The Literary Underworld <a href="http://www.literaryunderworld.com/">http://www.literaryunderworld.com</a> Guest Post</strong></p>
<!--/wp:paragraph-->
<!--wp:paragraph-->
<p><strong>11/26 Writergroupie.net <a href="http://writergroupie.net/">http://writergroupie.net</a> Author Interview</strong></p>
<!--/wp:paragraph-->
<!--wp:paragraph-->
<p><strong>11/27 Jazzy Book Reviews <a href="https://bookreviewsbyjasmine.blogspot.com/">https://bookreviewsbyjasmine.blogspot.com/</a> Author Interview</strong></p>
<!--/wp:paragraph-->
<!--wp:paragraph-->
<p><strong>11/27 Saphhyria's Books <a href="https://saphsbooks.blogspot.com/">https://saphsbooks.blogspot.com/</a> Guest Post</strong></p>
<!--/wp:paragraph-->
<!--wp:paragraph-->
<p><strong>11/28 Horror Tree <a href="https://www.horrortree.com/">https://www.horrortree.com/</a> Guest Post</strong></p>
<!--/wp:paragraph-->
<!--wp:paragraph-->
<p><strong>11/29 Sheila Deeth <a href="http://sheiladeeth.blogspot.com/">http://sheiladeeth.blogspot.com</a> Guest Post</strong></p>
<!--/wp:paragraph-->
<!--wp:paragraph-->
<p><strong>11/30 The Seventh Star Blog <a href="http://www.theseventhstarblog.com/">http://www.theseventhstarblog.com</a> Guest Post</strong></p>
<!--/wp:paragraph-->
<!--wp:paragraph-->
<p><strong>12/1 The Book Lover's Boudoir <a href="https://thebookloversboudoir.wordpress.com/">https://thebookloversboudoir.wordpress.com/</a> Review</strong></p>
<!--/wp:paragraph-->
<!--wp:paragraph-->
<p><strong>12/2 The Bookwyrm's Guide to the Galaxy <a href="https://bookwyrmsgalaxy.wordpress.com/">https://bookwyrmsgalaxy.wordpress.com</a> Top Ten List</strong></p>
<!--/wp:paragraph-->
<!--wp:paragraph {"align":"center"}-->
<p class="has-text-align-center">_______________________________________________</p>
<!--/wp:paragraph-->
<!--wp:paragraph-->
<p><br /></p>
<!--/wp:paragraph-->
Sheila Deethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13465615546936319164noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6896710675157315852.post-23094561349549384362020-11-10T01:30:00.028-08:002020-11-10T01:30:05.867-08:00An eternal dance since time immemorial<p><i></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://www.b00kr3vi3ws.in/2020/11/bookblitz-bewitched-by-ruchi-singh.html" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="512" data-original-width="1024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6tLCiulW1W3ODZT7EYSJKHkVN0d8B5KPMs67v504m5l3SIIIKcWdqfa4cnX1Ba8wm3LsOHUcAAf2AyLtULKAbDkMJBOyUO0bY5dj_7I4Sskm_Zm9mJPUogbPWo47WRj6K55KwtoegCF8/w640-h320/Bewitched.png" width="640" /></a></i></div><i> </i><p></p><p><i>I'm delighted to welcome author Ruchi Singh to my blog today, celebrating a bewitching romance enhanced (for me) by the delights of a different culture. </i></p>
<p> </p><h2 style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><u>Read an Excerpt from Bewitched</u></span></h2><div><br /></div><div><div>The seat had remained vacant, and it reminded her of the premiere night and Samar’s friend… no, Rudra Pratap Maurya. </div><div>Well, he was something. Full of confidence and a little too forward, which normally was the result of being born with a silver spoon. Who would know that better than she? But she wasn’t brash, quite the opposite. Would she be meeting him again today? She might. The thought incited a flutter in her heart. </div><div>Twice during her performance in the last month, she had experienced the same kind of flutter and was reminded of him. Why? She shouldn’t be thinking about another man. She had no right.</div><div>A loud noise in the living room brought her out of her troubled thoughts. Mansi was bustling around in the suite and must have dropped something. She would be busy packing their things. They had been living here for more than a month and it was almost like shifting house. </div><div>With a stifled yawn, Poorva got out of bed. Mansi was ready with her morning cup of tea when she came out of her bedroom. </div><div>“He is a womanizer, and from a gangster family to boot!” Mansi declared.</div><div>Poorva frowned and picked up the cup. “Who?”</div><div>“Rudra Pratap Maurya, or RPM as he is called in his circles. I googled him. His grandfather was rumored to be a don in Mumbai, involved in arms, drugs, and the like.”</div><div>“Rumored?”</div><div>“And this man RPM… though he doesn’t have anything illegal under his name,” Mansi went on as if she hadn’t heard her, “…last year he had hooked up with three different women.”</div><div>“Why are you telling me all this?”</div><div>“He is after you.”</div><div>“Mansi, come on!” Poorva sat in the balcony chair and yawned again.</div><div>“I saw him at the party and then yesterday, he was spinning a yarn about being there at the parking lot just like that. He must have been at the show last night. He has this glint in his eyes, full of lust when he looks at you.”</div><div>“Lust! Only?” She laughed at Mansi’s dramatic exaggeration, “Thank you. I’ll be on my guard if I meet him again.”</div><div>“If? You are meeting him in an hour.”</div><div>Amused, Poorva looked at her with raised eyebrows.</div><div>“I’ll not take this month’s salary if he is not present at today’s brunch.”</div><div>Poorva’s phone pinged bringing the bizarre conversation to an end.</div></div><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><u>About the Book:</u></b></span><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.b00kr3vi3ws.in/2020/11/bookblitz-bewitched-by-ruchi-singh.html" rel="nofollow" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="313" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaMp7jI6rGbnzOnbe7VQKewXzmwQR5t2MmaiFMkavSofuSWfKHQeeNdt70ru9dP7E5GGpwzcWtHU7TV0anBJjR0ihHGPGIAkiQm44RZMPakDGbO3Rux9eIi0rfy4J29tAw219M9bZl8Cw/s320/Bewitched+Cover.jpg" /></a></div><div><h4 style="text-align: left;">The eternal dance of attraction, lust and love has been going on since time immemorial.</h4><div><br /></div><div>The divine apsara Menaka descends to Earth at Indra’s behest to distract the sage Vishwamitra from the penance that would bring him unimaginable powers. Menaka succeeds in bewitching Vishwamitra, but her actions are destined to have dire consequences for both.</div><div><br /></div><div>Eons later, their story is set to repeat itself.</div><div><br /></div><div>Poorva has always played by society’s rules and ideas of decorum. But what happens when her own loved ones betray her in the worst way imaginable? Does she still have to remain bound by their rules?</div><div><br /></div><div>Rudra plays with power and people like they are pieces on a chessboard. He has no qualms about indulging his desires, be it money or women, but is determined not to be bound by either.</div><div><br /></div><div>What happens when these two diametrically opposite souls are brought together by fate?</div><div><br /></div><div>In the game of power, lust, greed and betrayal, some win and some lose. But are there any winners or losers in the game of love?</div><div><br /></div><div>Like Menaka and Vishwamitra, are Poorva and Rudra too destined to see their story end in tragedy? Or will the divine power prevail?</div><div><br /></div><h4 style="text-align: left;"><i>Standalone novel from the author of #Bestseller 'The Bodyguard' - Undercover Series #1</i></h4></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-size: xx-large;"><u>Book Links:</u></b></div><span style="font-size: large;"><div style="text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/55599962-bewitched" target="_blank">Goodreads</a> * <a href="https://amzn.to/2I7bNfE" target="_blank">Amazon India</a> * <a href="https://amzn.to/3l0Zro5" target="_blank">Amazon US</a></b></div></span></div><div><br /></div><h2 style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-size: xx-large;"><u>About the Author:</u></b></h2><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.b00kr3vi3ws.in/2020/11/bookblitz-bewitched-by-ruchi-singh.html" rel="nofollow" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="150" data-original-width="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMdbAv4uCItnxop_LNPOAcZ6IBAIsGwImihN5WWRIQuLbyJuj4F0_IaK3iijYvHn5B25UbBzShYxYoqHvfwRIHDSOr3aoTOV9WkfFHY6a3ImAOrXS89dNqoaMRKB_xZ8DnEzP5D6tJ0Wc/s0/12685553-150x150.jpg" /></a></div>Author of Amazon Bestseller Romantic Thriller 'The Bodyguard', Ruchi Singh is an IT Professional & Novelist, writing stories under Romance & Suspense Genre. She is a bilingual author and writes in both English & Hindi.<br /><div><br /></div><div>Winner of TOI WriteIndia Season 1, Ruchi also publishes romantic short reads under 'Hearts & Hots' collection, besides being a contributing author to many anthologies.</div><div> </div><div>A voracious reader, she loves everything—from classics to memoirs to editorials to chick-lit, but her favourite genre is ‘romantic thriller’. Besides writing and reading, her other interests include dabbling with Indian classical dance forms.</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><u>Contact the Author:</u></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><a href="http://www.ruchisingh.in/" target="_blank">Website</a> | <a href="https://iluvfiction.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Blog</a> | <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ruchisinghauthor/" target="_blank">Facebook</a> | <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/12685553.Ruchi_Singh" target="_blank">Goodreads</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/RuchiWriter" target="_blank">Twitter</a></b></span></div></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Sheila Deethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13465615546936319164noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6896710675157315852.post-88775588780080175792020-10-23T11:08:00.001-07:002020-10-23T11:08:47.731-07:00Which Millionaire? Which Hotels?<p> <a href="https://www.b00kr3vi3ws.in/2020/10/in-debt-to-her-millionaire-for.html" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="512" data-original-width="1024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmGLVGxF3RVHC-moUrh7ZVuS3IvI7w9M72HDQawNWov5jnHDSi2bHbCRAFpuygMDRqJ8TH4_GfJrY757J9zryaTa1cAChceQiPiUQfokNIPFD6VZTZWGUA2mnzjnetUzH_cSnwfMFvOJc/w640-h320/Banners.png" width="640" /></a></p><div><i>Today I'm welcome Aarti Raman with an excerpt from her novel, In Debt to her Millionaire Foe. Reading about a different "millionaire" with a different "chain of seven-star hotels" sounds like just the thing for the next few weeks... so thank you for dropping in, Aarti.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><br /><h1 style="text-align: center;">She Hates Him But She’s In Debt To Her Millionaire Foe </h1><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><u><i>Releasing on 25th October</i></u></b></span></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><u>About the Book:</u></b></span></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.b00kr3vi3ws.in/2020/10/in-debt-to-her-millionaire-for.html" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="658" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijqW2q-N0XsAu8EAeRTe2mpNAzOI_QpaRbX3donxCNKcmLJ7NLt93I5JydNSHy6IsvKplQBlzL2PMR6TtRapwMpZz8uhEq-DJSnz3q83AEjZT9bVm5nyNRemazjfcKRM8H4-13P6VITAM/s320/Picture+1.png" /></a></div><div><h4 style="text-align: left;">When the songbird owes the business tycoon...</h4><div>Former gangster, Devansh Thackeray has finally managed to carve the life he’s always aspired to.<br />Building a chain of seven-star hotels all over the world, a reputation for being an honest businessman...and all the women he could ask for.<br />Ansh’s life is perfect. Or so he thinks.<br />Because he is about to hit by a lightning bolt from the past that’ll make him question everything he’s worked so hard for. <br />And her name is Kahini Palekar. <br />Kahini’s life is a nightmare.<br />She works three jobs to pay off the loan sharks circling her. <br />But, Kahini doesn’t mind because she also gets to do the only thing she’s always wanted to do. <br />Sing.<br />Even if it is at a shady nightclub in the backstreets of Goa, the beach paradise of India. <br />Kahini’s day of reckoning arrives when Ansh arrives back in her life, right when she’s almost assaulted by the manager of the nightclub. <br />Ansh offers both salvation from her debt and a chance to sing at the most exclusive wedding of the decade. <br />But there’s just one catch.<br />Kahini hates Ansh’s living guts and blames him for the destruction of her life. <br />Even though he was the boy she once recklessly gave her heart to. <br />Can Ansh get to the bottom of the problems plaguing Kahini or will this songbird fly away again after repaying her debt to him? <br />Meet the Millionaire Foes - rising from ruin through ruthless ambition, these self-made tycoons have everything. Except, the heart of the one woman who means everything.</div><h4 style="text-align: left;">The Millionaire Foe Quartet series contains four steamy romances set around the world, each of which can be read as a standalone. </h4></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-size: xx-large;"><u>Book Links:</u></b></div><span style="font-size: large;"><div style="text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/55579112-in-debt-to-her-millionaire-foe" target="_blank">Goodreads</a> * <a href="https://amzn.to/2FTGoMZ" target="_blank">Amazon India</a> * <a href="https://amzn.to/31wcE0n" target="_blank">Amazon US</a></b></div></span></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><h2 style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Read an Excerpt from In Debt To Her Millionaire Foe (Millionaire Foe Quartet # 2)</span></h2><br /><br /><div>Ansh entered the bar when the lights had dimmed, already in a foul mood from the altercation he’d had outside Grungy’s.</div><div>The term “bar” was a loose translation for what the seedy confines really were. It was set in a shady part of Calangute Beach, where the locals lived. It was not the area the posh, firang tourists frequented. The air here smelled of brine and fish and cheap liquor.</div><div>The smell of the ocean was everywhere.</div><div>It was, after all, Goa the beach paradise of India.</div><div>And to everyone who came here, it promised nothing but a good time.</div><div>The patrons of Grungy’s, the small-time bar that operated till four in the morning during season, had that look about them. They were local men, embittered and looking for cheap thrills. And some willing victim to provide that for them.</div><div>Ansh knew the type. They resented the tourists for showing up and flinging their foreign currency around and expecting their silly demands of room temperature water and late-night cruises to be catered to.</div><div>And they really resented needing the silly tourists and their foreign currency too.</div><div>A classic catch-22.</div><div>But, tonight, these patrons, and that was a loose term too for what the customers of Grungy’s were, were not looking for foreign currency or cheap thrills.</div><div>They were all gathered on the rickety tables that the bar owner had graciously provided and murmuring amongst themselves while the poorly-named stage was being set up.</div><div>She was the main act tonight.</div><div>Ansh frowned and sank deeper into his chair while the bar-back set him up with a glass of the local feni – a local toddy made from fermented coconut water and rum. He frowned deeper when he saw the lipstick mark around the edge of the shot glass and gingerly cleaned the lip with his monogrammed handkerchief.</div><div>Places like these reminded Devansh Thackeray of his squalid past.</div><div>He couldn’t stand them anymore.</div><div>Then, the spotlight hit the stage. The band struck a chord and a woman in black walked up to the mike.</div><div>Ansh sat up straighter.</div><div>Was she going to start stripping or something? He hadn’t heard the best things about these places on the wharf and this one didn’t have a stellar reputation either.</div><div>And, what the hell was she doing here anyway?</div><div>He’d sent her plenty of funds seven years ago, deposited in the account her brother had set up for both of them when he had turned eighteen.</div><div>Kahini had enough money to keep her in style, because he’d instructed the company’s bankers to always replenish the funds in that account should the need ever arise. The need had never risen, to the best of his knowledge. Even though he knew the money would never bring back her dead brother.</div><div>So, was she doing this for kicks?</div><div>Some poor little rich kid slumming it thing that all the society madams were doing these days?</div><div>He honestly had no idea. And that ate at his insides, like the strength of the feni he’d gingerly taken a sip out of.</div><div>Ansh had come here to find out what the hell she’d been up to the last seven years. Since the last time he’d seen her and she’d flung bitter, accusing words at him.</div></div><div><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;"><u>About the Author:</u></span></b></div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.b00kr3vi3ws.in/2020/10/in-debt-to-her-millionaire-for.html" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="936" data-original-width="936" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg0UiLBTLZYnXDFcHzIDz1gy2y-3GwyP4dzPThHGX0jR5s-bpCUJEioYgRUSf3yLhrnJVLRr21JEvexW9qA5NMSin5f6w64T9nixIA5ehhZa2L_EDmMFmCr0ZXjD112ZfnueKUkhnWxzg/s320/Aaarti.png" /></a></div><div><div>Hi, I’m Aarti V Raman aka Writer Gal. I have been a former journalist, editor, and even a sometime-teacher before I plunged into my dream job. That of being a full-time writer.</div><div>In fact, my three favorite words are ‘happily ever after.’</div><div>This comes in handy as I primarily write bestselling contemporary romantic women’s fiction, which is all about living happily, after going through some hard times.</div><div>My more notable works include the Geeks of Caltech and Royals of Stellangård series, Something Old, Something New, More Than You Want, and The Perfect Fake among others. My chicklit family drama, The Worst Daughter Ever, has been picked up for screen adaptation.</div><div>I always love to hang with you, my dear reader friend. I’ve created <b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/writergalsreaderpals" target="_blank">Writer Gal’s Reader Pals</a></b> on Facebook for this reason and I hope to see you there.</div><div>If not, I’m there on all social media as @aartivraman but I’m most active on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/aartivraman" target="_blank">Instagram</a>. </div></div><div><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-size: xx-large;"><u>Aarti on the Web:</u></b></div><span style="font-size: large;"><div style="text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://aartivraman22.substack.com/" target="_blank">Newsletter</a> * <a href="https://www.facebook.com/aartivraman/" target="_blank">Facebook</a> * <a href="https://www.instagram.com/aartivraman" target="_blank">Instagram</a> * <a href="https://www.twitter.com/rt_writes " target="_blank">Twitter</a> * <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/writergalsreaderpals" target="_blank">Facebook Group</a></b></div></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Sheila Deethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13465615546936319164noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6896710675157315852.post-12686496308732946602020-10-20T01:11:00.001-07:002020-10-20T01:11:01.267-07:00Forgive and Forget, or Remember and Forgive?<p> </p>
<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfrbTDQimcVzWamKjMGgxfY7TP7i0xJ9SUv-F3Fb5Db5fGvBaKc2oSP_eVEq4-lW8djCbiDDKc41saI-Y518KPnqlJmq_RpCIuq3qXO0lYXbyTd2OOj9I64YCI1Qh_ZHJCOl6PY-nKF-0/s1024/WhatsApp+Image+2020-10-18+at+5.42.30+PM.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="512" data-original-width="1024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfrbTDQimcVzWamKjMGgxfY7TP7i0xJ9SUv-F3Fb5Db5fGvBaKc2oSP_eVEq4-lW8djCbiDDKc41saI-Y518KPnqlJmq_RpCIuq3qXO0lYXbyTd2OOj9I64YCI1Qh_ZHJCOl6PY-nKF-0/w640-h320/WhatsApp+Image+2020-10-18+at+5.42.30+PM.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><i><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div>Today I'm featuring a fascinating novel by Shilpa Suraj--Love, Scandal, and Second Chances. A tale of love, forgiving and... maybe forgetting, it's more than just romance and I'm looking forward to reading it. Plus, it's got a very cool cover!</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div><p></p><h2 style="text-align: center;">Love, Scandal, and Second Chances<br />by Shilpa Suraj</h2><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKBqI42XXMWQW5l0gcyCUqIMef5vQBVgulvtt0YKoQ1j0ZteSF2PY9LZbMeB4-iV0CTUP5edPcRjJVrhlC1MZnymyPcXt3NredlGC4oqbYxzf8UsF28qA0MHQHY9D3PX2Q9g-IdHCMTIk/s2048/Final-+Love+Scandal+and+chance.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1368" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKBqI42XXMWQW5l0gcyCUqIMef5vQBVgulvtt0YKoQ1j0ZteSF2PY9LZbMeB4-iV0CTUP5edPcRjJVrhlC1MZnymyPcXt3NredlGC4oqbYxzf8UsF28qA0MHQHY9D3PX2Q9g-IdHCMTIk/w428-h640/Final-+Love+Scandal+and+chance.jpg" width="428" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><u>About the Book:</u></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;">Arav has only ever loved one woman, Disha. But, she broke his heart to further her ambitions. </div><div style="text-align: left;">Years later, she's achieved everything she set out to but at a steep price. She wants to come home but home doesn't want her and her work won't let her.</div><div style="text-align: left;">Arav knows Disha needs his help and the boy he once was can't walk away. </div><div style="text-align: left;">But while his heart is large enough to forgive, it hasn't forgotten. </div><div style="text-align: left;">Can they overcome the bitter hurt of their shared past, face the scandalous present and find their way back to each other? Is this their second chance at love or a first chance at redemption?</div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><u>About the Author:</u></b></span><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibYaY0mtpxj7QG-g2kanrbpbmGDft69MEJvuHexs6ly-pbgFuEzNSaor8AVDg-5Zqvg0KqQ1ru4JdY3BrxKNsUDsWK3xEY9ciz4txGxRt6OH9uxsBZYyYKbJf7OHHuBTTBsAPzYoyBHhw/s1280/WhatsApp+Image+2020-10-14+at+7.47.11+PM.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibYaY0mtpxj7QG-g2kanrbpbmGDft69MEJvuHexs6ly-pbgFuEzNSaor8AVDg-5Zqvg0KqQ1ru4JdY3BrxKNsUDsWK3xEY9ciz4txGxRt6OH9uxsBZYyYKbJf7OHHuBTTBsAPzYoyBHhw/w256-h320/WhatsApp+Image+2020-10-14+at+7.47.11+PM.jpeg" width="256" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /><br />Shilpa Suraj wears many hats - corporate drone, homemaker, mother to a fabulous toddler and author.<br /><br />An avid reader with an overactive imagination, Shilpa has weaved stories in her head since she was a child. Her previous stints at Google, in an ad agency and as an entrepreneur provide colour to her present day stories, both fiction and non-fiction.</p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><u>Contact the Author:</u></b></span><br /></p><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><a href="http://shilpasuraj.com/" target="_blank">Website</a> * <a href="https://www.facebook.com/shilpasuraj/" target="_blank">Facebook</a> * <a href="https://twitter.com/shilpaauthor" target="_blank">Twitter</a> * <a href="https://www.instagram.com/shilpa.suraj/" target="_blank">Instagram</a> * <a href="http://eepurl.com/dt-Br9" target="_blank">Newsletter</a></b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></p>Sheila Deethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13465615546936319164noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6896710675157315852.post-44422124711712107102020-10-10T04:55:00.009-07:002020-10-10T04:55:00.308-07:00A Time for Wrath?<p><i> No, I don't mean politics, but wrath in the world just might be releived a little by settling down to read. And today I'm featuring "the Wrath of the Hellfires" to distract you from life's dismay. Today is the "cover reveal" and the rest of the series is featured below, with all their intriguing covers too.</i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.b00kr3vi3ws.in/2020/10/coverreveal-wrath-of-hellfires.html" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="512" data-original-width="1024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtQy17O5Vo96thf_6Oo2-4DGhG4lJAUrJW0-1Z1YW3ACF1GZ3YO95jjtWdIZPETl3a4lKiYBdRP1ObBkA1qn229kPcK3GJtOryyShaudCq48xlK14g1TWa-JdiSoC0hz_5bemIhReR_4k/w640-h320/VV4+Banner+5.png" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhte51Jt4KZtwuMhXG8A9QlK7DRTPUAGfnGY4V4yuIsmYPRo_Ms9ihzLUG4cYItJbjul-6xkVImHyaKMhwEN3oHoYYn92DFTimupon-y1eiSKrp-O5OC9aONnv0tHbRpqMOu2mJx6Zuz6s/s1500/3D+cover.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1150" data-original-width="1500" height="492" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhte51Jt4KZtwuMhXG8A9QlK7DRTPUAGfnGY4V4yuIsmYPRo_Ms9ihzLUG4cYItJbjul-6xkVImHyaKMhwEN3oHoYYn92DFTimupon-y1eiSKrp-O5OC9aONnv0tHbRpqMOu2mJx6Zuz6s/w640-h492/3D+cover.png" width="640" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;"><b>Patience is a Drawn Bow.<br />Rage, its Relentless Arrow.</b></p><p style="text-align: left;"><br />Shukracharya’s plan to break the unity of Vikramaditya’s Council has borne bitter fruit. Friends have become sworn enemies, and brother has turned against brother, setting Avanti on the path to self-destruction.<br /><br />Even as Vikramaditya prepares to counter a Huna invasion, a rebellion brews within Ujjayini, while a devious conspiracy is hatched to humiliate him. With Indra’s spies swarming the palace and Shukracharya making a bold bid to take the Halahala, the king is dangerously close to the brink of defeat.<br /><br />Alone and abandoned by those dear to him, fighting to protect his wife and his people, trying his best to keep his promise to Shiva, will the Samrat rise one last time to defend his love, his city and his honour?<br /><br />As the asura and deva forces muster in a final, desperate gamble to claim the Halahala, The Wrath of the Hellfires brings an explosive conclusion to Vikramaditya’s epic tale of action and adventure.<br /><br /><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><u>Other Books in the Series:</u></b></span><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzxuLnGwnaDgSCG_QijhGSlnT5LobiOL26DzfRifM_iSwj9zG24Usfcm1Tf31nPXubEFrQxnUZlPpvN3wVo99k8Wtr4sU_e33Ln7iEmUR34ANkQvQiXslsawRDrhLtVZFltJLpo0nsnm4/s560/vv.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="315" data-original-width="560" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzxuLnGwnaDgSCG_QijhGSlnT5LobiOL26DzfRifM_iSwj9zG24Usfcm1Tf31nPXubEFrQxnUZlPpvN3wVo99k8Wtr4sU_e33Ln7iEmUR34ANkQvQiXslsawRDrhLtVZFltJLpo0nsnm4/w640-h360/vv.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><i>Find them at:</i><div><i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Vikramaditya-Veergatha-Book-Guardians-Halahala-ebook/dp/B00QTKH7OM/">https://www.amazon.com/Vikramaditya-Veergatha-Book-Guardians-Halahala-ebook/dp/B00QTKH7OM/</a></i></div><div><br /></div><div><i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Vikramaditya-Veergatha-Book-Conspiracy-Meru-ebook/dp/B01K7MX80E/">https://www.amazon.com/Vikramaditya-Veergatha-Book-Conspiracy-Meru-ebook/dp/B01K7MX80E/</a></i></div><div><br /></div><div><i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Vikramaditya-Veergatha-Book-Vengeance-Indra-ebook/dp/B079512YXS/">https://www.amazon.com/Vikramaditya-Veergatha-Book-Vengeance-Indra-ebook/dp/B079512YXS/</a><br /></i><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><u>About the Author:</u></b></span><br /></p><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfnJH0Rcq4yjFHMW5xSHYmmwh-KL6W5JvFjDNkyBRkGMUIFpdj8ev-YZuv0tVMcw2xMZsLW1G7iBeF6ooARuasHu2FoRuDqYlLigu3yfHZpehiXmk2TyJ3LEw0q2RbMx45gm1Khe1tOBk/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img alt="" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="200" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfnJH0Rcq4yjFHMW5xSHYmmwh-KL6W5JvFjDNkyBRkGMUIFpdj8ev-YZuv0tVMcw2xMZsLW1G7iBeF6ooARuasHu2FoRuDqYlLigu3yfHZpehiXmk2TyJ3LEw0q2RbMx45gm1Khe1tOBk/" width="240" /></a></div><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><br />Shatrujeet Nath is the creator of the runaway national bestseller series Vikramaditya Veergatha, a four-book mytho-fantasy arc which comprises The Guardians of the Halahala, The Conspiracy at Meru, The Vengeance of Indra and The Wrath of the Hellfires. Described as “a new face to Indian mythology” by DNA, Shatrujeet writes for movies and web shows as well. His also the author of The Karachi Deception, an Indo-Pak spy thriller.<br /><br /></p><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><a href="http://www.facebook.com/ShatrujeetNath/" target="_blank">Facebook</a> * <a href="https://twitter.com/shatrujeet" target="_blank">Twitter</a> * <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6575108.Shatrujeet_Nath" target="_blank">Goodreads</a><br /><br /><br /><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></div></div>Sheila Deethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13465615546936319164noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6896710675157315852.post-2364540263993718382020-09-28T01:24:00.025-07:002020-09-28T10:57:17.683-07:00Spidey Senses<p><i style="background-color: #fef3f3; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; text-align: center;">Apeksha Rao is visiting my blog today with some fascinating information about authorly spidey senses... Welcome Apeksha!</i></p>
<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.b00kr3vi3ws.in/2020/09/blogtour-along-came-a-spyder.html" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="512" data-original-width="1024" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis-eIMZC6jMWJjHDGlujfbGZV2bXczN3VJdpwR7KLvVKcRJ8YflSJpnVXv65ACEP5hsfUNbBME9mONZ50x_6X8yVpjnEb37lZ_BNeVkQOllN9GIxFTVKKgdHQdfhgtkvWiMIgS2Mu-SOo/w400-h200/Book+Tour+Banner.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><u>About the Book:</u></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMdA4bXVOLo6g99uimsKLVpyHE2oJVDv0hm91ijsVZ91PpxIHQ3_1SxEqH1S12iEHDtak0Z-NvaX7anLS5HAJSuW7w8UlqrkQS5AR107JVYHVdfqfUJnpFKb5YN0HT6-AdWq7KgKyRs3I/s475/52663172._SY475_.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="298" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMdA4bXVOLo6g99uimsKLVpyHE2oJVDv0hm91ijsVZ91PpxIHQ3_1SxEqH1S12iEHDtak0Z-NvaX7anLS5HAJSuW7w8UlqrkQS5AR107JVYHVdfqfUJnpFKb5YN0HT6-AdWq7KgKyRs3I/s320/52663172._SY475_.jpg" /></a></div><div><div><h3 style="text-align: left;">Are your Spidey senses tingling?</h3><br />At 17, Samira Joshi has only one dream in life. She wants to be a spy. And why not? <br />Spying runs in the Joshi genes. <br />Her great-grandmother was famous for sticking her nose in everyone’s business. Her grandmother had a flourishing side-business of tracking down errant husbands and missing servants. Her parents are elite intelligence agents for RAW.<br />Yet, they want their only daughter to become a doctor.<br />When she sees a college friend being trapped by a pimp, Samira does some spying of her own, and discovers the existence of a secret sisterhood of teen spies — The Spyders. And, she wants in!<br />The question is, do they want her?<br /><br />To find out, read this fast-paced, gripping YA novel by brand new author, Apeksha Rao.</div></div><div><br /></div><div><i>Apeksha has brought along a surprise guest ... one angry chick! So read on to learn more:</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><p><span lang="EN-IN"><span style="color: #800180;">Tina Rane is one angry chick!<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p><span lang="EN-IN"><span style="color: #800180;">She was the very first Spyder.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p><span lang="EN-IN"><span style="color: #800180;">Col. Singh recruited her from an
orphanage, when she was seventeen.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p><span lang="EN-IN"><span style="color: #800180;">Now, she’s eighteen.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p><span lang="EN-IN"><span style="color: #800180;">She’s disciplined. She’s hardworking.
And, she is the<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>boss</i><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>of counter-surveillance.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p><span lang="EN-IN"><span style="color: #800180;">Yet, that spoilt brat AKA Samira Joshi,
managed to track her down and totally ruined her street cred.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p><span lang="EN-IN"><span style="color: #800180;">As if that wasn’t enough, the<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>pest</i><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>nearly got Tina killed!<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p><span lang="EN-IN"><span style="color: #800180;">Then, she had the cheek to call her,<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><em>“one angry chick!”</em><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p><span lang="EN-IN"><span style="color: #800180;">If she could only stomp Samira out of the
Spyders as easily as she stomped that icky cockroach out of her room, she
wouldn’t be angry at all, Tina reasoned, when Col. Singh ordered her to take
anger management lessons.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p><span lang="EN-IN"><span style="color: #800180;">Why does Tina hate Samira so much?<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p><span lang="EN-IN"><span style="color: #800180;">To find out, read<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span><span lang="EN-IN"><span style="color: #800180;"><a href="https://apeksharao.in/">Along Came A Spyder</a>.</span><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><u>Book links:</u></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/52663172-along-came-a-spyder" target="_blank">Goodreads</a> * <a href="https://amzn.to/35S8H9o" target="_blank">Amazon</a> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><h2 style="text-align: center;"><u>Advance praise for Along Came A Spyder:</u></h2><div><br /></div><h4 style="text-align: left;"><b>"A thrilling read with several nail biting moments. Will keep you hooked till the end."</b></h4><div> ~ Andaleeb Wajid, author of The Legend Of The Wolf</div><div><br /></div><h4 style="text-align: left;"><b>"A fantastic spy story, keeps you on the edge and you can't stop till you finish the book. A fantastic debut book. Look forward to reading more from the author."</b></h4><div>~ Kanchana Banerjee, author of Nobody's Child and A Forgotten Affair.</div><div><br /></div><h4 style="text-align: left;"><b>"Witty, snarky and a thorough entertainer, Along Came a Spyder is a welcome addition to India's YA genre."</b></h4><div>~ Shilpa Suraj, author of Love, Marriage and Other Disasters, Saved by Love, and, Driven by Desire</div><div><br /></div><h4 style="text-align: left;"><b>"Apeksha Rao writes a taut espionage thriller with a twist-a-minute narrative that is sure to get all readers hooked. The language is flawless, the characterization spot-on, and the plot is filled with rich details. It is the kind of story that you'd leave all your other work aside to read. Be warned!"</b></h4><div>~ Neil D'Silva, author of Haunted, Yakshini and Maya's New Husband</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><u>About the Author:</u></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-xG_qZ-WgFkYr6Um10IPDa2pxNWTtWLo6tBmsSttzAF0cjFsSRWVf8LAg7cZMvjYqY1ppmFZm3rORXQJkDi1jiDVIT-HXWTkYrZN00ZONhCs89xx6wpIJLDoRUVyjrgn7I3u8Wk-tCeo/s1010/Apeksha+Rao.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1010" data-original-width="700" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-xG_qZ-WgFkYr6Um10IPDa2pxNWTtWLo6tBmsSttzAF0cjFsSRWVf8LAg7cZMvjYqY1ppmFZm3rORXQJkDi1jiDVIT-HXWTkYrZN00ZONhCs89xx6wpIJLDoRUVyjrgn7I3u8Wk-tCeo/s320/Apeksha+Rao.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">Apeksha Rao fell in love with words very early in life. </div><div style="text-align: left;">While other kids of her age were still learning to spell, she was already reading her older brother’s books and comics. </div><div style="text-align: left;">She wrote her first story at the age of seven and submitted it to Tinkle, a very popular children’s magazine. </div><div style="text-align: left;">Writing took a backseat, as she established a thriving medical practice.</div><div style="text-align: left;">But Apeksha rekindled her love affair with words, while on maternity leave. </div><div style="text-align: left;">She would tap away at her keyboard while rocking her twin babies to sleep, as sleep deprivation stimulated her dormant creativity.</div><div style="text-align: left;">She wrote numerous short stories, that she published on her blog. </div><div style="text-align: left;">Apeksha has been lauded for her taut and gripping stories, that always come with a twist at the end.</div><div style="text-align: left;">In addition to Along Came A Spyder, she has written The Itsy Bitsy Spyder, a prequel novella to the Spyders series.</div><div style="text-align: left;">A Mumbaikar, born and bred, Apeksha comes from a family of doctors. </div><div style="text-align: left;">At the ripe age of thirty-four, she wound up her practice and moved with her family, to Bengaluru. </div><div style="text-align: left;">She is now a full-time writer. </div><div style="text-align: left;">She is also a die-hard foodie, who’s still trying to find the best vada-pav in Bengaluru.</div><div style="text-align: left;">She has twin boys, who keep her on her toes.</div><div style="text-align: left;">Apeksha’s husband is her inspiration to write, as well as her biggest critic.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><u>Apeksha on the Web:</u></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><a href="https://apeksharao.in/" target="_blank">Website</a> * <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ApekshaRaoOfficial/" target="_blank">Facebook</a> * <a href="https://twitter.com/apekshar" target="_blank">Twitter</a> * <a href="https://www.instagram.com/rao.apeksha/" target="_blank">Instagram</a></b></span></div></div></div><p></p>Sheila Deethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13465615546936319164noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6896710675157315852.post-62887539183614638042020-09-23T04:01:00.001-07:002020-09-23T04:01:01.669-07:00In a World that needs Healing... How do you find A Mother's Grace?<p><b><span lang="EN" style="color: #f1c232;">“This is a book for our times. Women are being empowered to be change agents, and have the power for exponential change...this book will leave women wanting to make a difference in small and global ways but mostly will allow them to believe they have the power to do so.</span></b><span lang="EN" style="color: #f1c232;"> “ - Michelle Moore</span></p><p><i>Today I'm delighted to welcome Michelle Moore to my blog. She's a timely visitor - she oversees the COVID 19 testing response as senior vie president for Laboratory Corporation of America. But she also the founder of Mother's Grace, a <span lang="EN" style="background: white;">nonprofit</span><span lang="EN"> organization that has
<b>raised more than $5 million for families
in acute crisis, assisting more than 6,000 mothers </b>in the state of Arizona
and throughout the world. <span style="background: white; mso-highlight: white;">Mother’s
Grace addresses the critical needs of mothers and their children in the midst
of tragic life events by helping them with housing costs, medication, meals,
housekeeping, childcare, transportation, and a host of other immediate needs.
Through mentorship and seed grants, Mother’s Grace also assists women in
starting their own nonprofits, with the goal of </span>producing a new
generation of women leaders.</span></i></p><p style="text-align: center;"><i></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-4L8iRkPRtezsoi-7-DHhqpTlOSLWbQ5fIiJ-Ei-gHIwSA7ZPYJGU53jYVgJwG_nmZ6GQlzBuWoqK7O0UfoohcN2qogmPNrGz8xUmQ2Y3kcXKJOjfS2H51QSy1y0xMdGAnyHMewT-2jA/s2048/Michelle+Headshot_large_credit_Captured+Moments.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1486" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-4L8iRkPRtezsoi-7-DHhqpTlOSLWbQ5fIiJ-Ei-gHIwSA7ZPYJGU53jYVgJwG_nmZ6GQlzBuWoqK7O0UfoohcN2qogmPNrGz8xUmQ2Y3kcXKJOjfS2H51QSy1y0xMdGAnyHMewT-2jA/s320/Michelle+Headshot_large_credit_Captured+Moments.jpg" /></a></i></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="font-style: italic;"><o:p>Michelle Moore is also the author of a very timely book. </o:p></span><i>As women everywhere are dealing with unprecedented trials
and stress in their lives, </i><b>A Mother’s
Grace: Healing the World One Woman at a Time </b><i>shares remarkable true (and
inspiring) stories from female change-makers with advice about turning
adversity into action.</i> </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">So... welcome to my blog Michelle. And thank you for being willing to talk with me. (Thank you for your book and your organization too!) Let's start with...</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><b><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">What advice would you give to
women in a crisis?</span></b><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">I
would always say find your faith. It looks different to everyone. Grace will
lead you to do the right thing versus trying to place your controlled M.O. on
everything that feels forced, difficult, and pain filled. Find people that can
support you unconditionally, a “posse” that just shows up without being asked.
You must have two to three “go-to” women that you can call and they will drop
what they are doing and come to your aid. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><b><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">This is a fearful time. What is your advice for women who are letting fear hold
them back?</span></b><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Fear
is a manifestation in your mind based on your history and experiences and your
need to control the feelings that come from sadness and anxiety. The very best
advice I have ever received on fear is to surrender and feel every bit of it.
Dr. Claire Weekes, an Australian physician says: "Face your fear, accept
it; don’t run from it.”</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><b><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"></span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbA9axZbr799xB0OFWLkU9V5kcc1cm9uMkOR4fiRmISfW70WBrQ0XtRWAD8jG4g0w0076cQTFJI5RA2PBVGUWqdBOQc5Z37CILEBiFj90PXW6fZrdavHkbTTxWj3evbLX-ZHoA_5vaVOs/s2048/cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1325" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbA9axZbr799xB0OFWLkU9V5kcc1cm9uMkOR4fiRmISfW70WBrQ0XtRWAD8jG4g0w0076cQTFJI5RA2PBVGUWqdBOQc5Z37CILEBiFj90PXW6fZrdavHkbTTxWj3evbLX-ZHoA_5vaVOs/s320/cover.jpg" /></a></b></div><b><br />In
your book <i>A Mother’s Grace</i>, you pose
the question, What is your Grace? What is grace, and how can women
call upon grace to inspire them and get them through difficult times?</b><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Grace
is that magic that comes from surrendering to God’s/the Universe’s plan for
you. So, for example, if I am in crisis and I am riddled with anxiety and
trying to figure out what I am going to do and just ruminating over and over to
the point of paralysis, grace comes when you pray/pause and reflect, let go,
and surrender to God’s plan/the forces of life’s grand plan<u>,</u> Grace is
what happens next…things happen out of the complete blue that you had no hand
in and beautiful favor in your life, the way God / destiny has planned for you.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><b><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">How can women be change agents in their own communities?</span></b><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Women
do not have to start a 501c3 to be change agents. You can bake cookies for an
assisted living facility, take homemade food to a family that is dealing with
crisis, be a sponsor, or write a lovely email to someone who is experiencing
grief. Do something. If we all did one small thing for someone once a month,
the world would be a different place. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><b><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Why did you write this book?<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">I
felt a calling and it came in a dream. I put it down 100+ times (over an
18-year span, plus being a wife, mom to 3 kids, and senior VP at a big company
- there was not a lot of spare time!) and had no belief in myself, but it was
God’s plan for me. When I released, grace came next in the form of some
unexpected support or help to get it to the next place. It is all about God and
his plan for me and nothing else.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><b><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Why did you start Mother’s Grace organization?<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Moms
are truly the backbones of their families and they need a community to lean on.
I was in a crisis dealing with my own cancer and child with a life-threatening
illness. I was diagnosed with cancer at the same time as two other friends
(moms my age) and they both died within a year. I could not for the life of me
figure out why I was spared. They were both such wonderful women and way more
wonderful than I. In some ways I felt like I needed to earn my spot on this
Earth and do something good with my time</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><b><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">What lessons do you have for women philanthropists who want to start their own
entities?<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Surround
yourself with women who are givers, doers, and who have no personal agenda but
to help others. Capitalize on each woman’s individual gifts and you will have
the puzzle pieces to make something beautiful. It is truly who you surround
yourself with. One lesson I learned is that you cannot do it all yourself. You
need a cohort of strong and assertive women to support and take a piece. If you
trust them and they know their “stuff,” let them run with it. No micromanaging
needed at all. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><b><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">What lessons have you learned
from your hardships?</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">I
am a glass-half-full person so during a hardship I always always look for the
“lemonade” or what I am grateful for. As
we get older, there is a wisdom that comes from the understanding that things
work out the way they are supposed to if you let them. I look back on my
deepest hurts and hardships and wish sometimes I knew what I know now--that
they all work out in the right timing, not always the way we wanted at the time
but the way it is supposed to be.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Also,
more importantly than anything, I have learned how to be there for others. I
have been through traumatic loss, horrific illness, crippling anxiety,
paralyzing worry, and monumental change and disappointment. Some days I feel
like there is nothing I can't relate to when talking with another--and more
important--“listening to another”. My presence, my consideration, and, many
times, action without being asked is the most important thing you can do for
another. It is definitely not “all about me.” I get that now, and that is the
most important lesson I think we can all learn.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><b><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">How can
we teach our children to be empathetic and giving?</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Expose
your children as young as possible. I take my kids everywhere and always have.
I took them to NOLA to help clean up after Hurricane Katrina and to Africa to
work in an orphanage. However, even more important than anything on a large
scale, is doing small things consistently in your own community. Model, model,
model. Adopt families during the holidays, have the kids work at soup kitchens,
have them give up part of their allowance to donate to their favorite charity.
Have your kids write thank you notes. This manifests gratefulness and
accountability. Keep them involved in a
spiritual community. Take them out into nature and teach them to respect it. I
think having kids be responsible for a pet teaches such compassion and
responsibility. I ask my kids this question all of the time, and they answer
that watching what I did influenced them and they all practice empathy and
giving in their own ways (I could not be more proud). Let your children
give in the way that resonates most with them and it will take on a life of its
own. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span lang="EN">Author Michelle
Moore shares how her adversity became a global movement when she survived an
aggressive form of breast cancer at the same time her son faced near fatal
complications from juvenile diabetes. Grateful to be alive, she was compelled
to make changes in her life and in the lives of others. Along with her own
personal story, Moore shares the stories of 10 women and how their lives
serendipitously came together in the most unique ways so she could continue to
grow this movement and partner with these women in quite miraculous ways. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b><span style="background: white; color: #222222; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Buy
links:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="background: white; color: #222222; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Amazon:
</span><span lang="EN"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Mothers-Grace-Healing-World-Woman/dp/0757323669/ref=sr_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=a+mother%27s+grace&qid=1595956867&sr=8-3"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #1155cc; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">https://www.amazon.com/Mothers-Grace-Healing-World-Woman/dp/0757323669/ref=sr_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=a+mother%27s+grace&qid=1595956867&sr=8-3</span></a></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="background: white; color: #222222;">B&N:</span><span lang="EN"><a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-mothers-grace-michelle-moore/1135471913?ean=9780757323669"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #1155cc; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-mothers-grace-michelle-moore/1135471913?ean=9780757323669</span></a></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="background-color: white;">Michelle is the recipient of MASK Unity’s Moms Making a
Difference Award, the highly coveted Hon-Kachina Award and the AIDS Healthcare
Foundation’s Philanthropy in Action Award. In 2019, Moore was awarded the
Phoenix Business Journal’s Outstanding Women in Business award and was granted
a State of Arizona Commendation by First Lady Angela Ducey for her
extraordinary service to the people of Arizona.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><a name="_h5r5c0pjtrd1"></a><span style="color: black; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Website and socials:</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: black; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Website: </span><span lang="EN"><a href="https://mothers-grace.org/"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #1155cc; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">https://mothers-grace.org/</span></a></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: black; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">FB: </span><span lang="EN"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/Mothers-Grace-196458780398320/"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #1155cc; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">https://www.facebook.com/Mothers-Grace-196458780398320/</span></a></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: black; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">IG: </span><span lang="EN"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/mothersgrace_/"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #1155cc; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">https://www.instagram.com/mothersgrace_/</span></a></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: black; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Twitter: </span><span lang="EN"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #1155cc; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><a href="https://twitter.com/gracefulmoms">https://twitter.com/gracefulmoms</a></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span lang="EN"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span lang="EN"></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br /></p><br /><p></p>Sheila Deethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13465615546936319164noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6896710675157315852.post-2384827012207827182020-09-19T06:05:00.014-07:002020-09-19T06:05:00.558-07:00Who is Anamika Khanna?<p> <i>Today I'm delighted to introduce author Shraddha Sahi and her book Anamika Khanna Falls in Love. But who is Anamika?</i></p>
<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0351paumJ4EVaBLsagfRHOCzddijvFSgZyj6gwD4MmUIcUS5NvnZvX1tlGcgprtiWxsXdk98N0apSNDhQ-YPtgsh_T7Gq4PvzVP3u1Jdi2QU-goBw_PTn0_MgNqPwY0tweR6j0QFhw0Y/s1024/Anamika+Khanna+Falls+in+Love+Banner.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="512" data-original-width="1024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0351paumJ4EVaBLsagfRHOCzddijvFSgZyj6gwD4MmUIcUS5NvnZvX1tlGcgprtiWxsXdk98N0apSNDhQ-YPtgsh_T7Gq4PvzVP3u1Jdi2QU-goBw_PTn0_MgNqPwY0tweR6j0QFhw0Y/w640-h320/Anamika+Khanna+Falls+in+Love+Banner.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><u>About the Book:</u></b></span><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh04M5pCeWd70MtNgD5SEYmJDd8Pqez5CMaigfvYtxWFlSAMLlDbKfpEr_YTOYp3p9D5_tjxCdXFLxvsIFlbwVZOJ95yt7fbjSLgh-TNJ4yanSXbbGyPJgt42otQQqdarJOhHB7b-FM-t4/s499/Anamika+Khanna+Falls+in+Love+Cover.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="320" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh04M5pCeWd70MtNgD5SEYmJDd8Pqez5CMaigfvYtxWFlSAMLlDbKfpEr_YTOYp3p9D5_tjxCdXFLxvsIFlbwVZOJ95yt7fbjSLgh-TNJ4yanSXbbGyPJgt42otQQqdarJOhHB7b-FM-t4/s320/Anamika+Khanna+Falls+in+Love+Cover.jpg" /></a></div><p>How far would you go in love?</p><p>A few missed calls? Liking every post of his on FB? Landing in the hospital when you fall from a tree because you wanted to see into his room? <br />Anamika Khanna is madly in love with Rahul…<br />How can someone be so blind? Why can’t she see how much I love her? Will my confession jeopardise our friendship?<br />Vikram Lobo, the bookworm has developed muscles and lost the soda bottle glass-es. But he can’t stop his heart from skipping a beat when he sees Anamika.<br />Rahul, the high society Adonis wants nothing to do with the gauche, middle class weirdo who’s following him around. Until she moves into his league…<br />Laugh out loud at Anamika’s antics and follow her on the roller coaster that is her life!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-size: xx-large;"><u>Book Links:</u></b></div><span style="font-size: large;"><div style="text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/55354240-anamika-khanna-falls-in-love" target="_blank">Goodreads</a> * <a href="https://amzn.to/32BkKFR" target="_blank">Amazon</a></b></div></span><p></p><p><br /></p><p></p><h1 style="text-align: center;"><u>Meet Anamika Khanna</u></h1><div><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">If you had a free day with no responsibilities and your only mission was to enjoy yourself, what would you do?</h3><div>I would start the day with mooning over the picture I have of Rahul. Then I’d drop in at his house pretending to want to borrow another book to read. And spend the rest of the day dreaming of the time when he realises he’s in love with me.</div><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">If you could spend the day with someone you admire (living or dead or imaginary), who would you pick?</h3><div>I’m not the very imaginative types and I hated history in school. I would want to spend the day with Rahul, far away from the disapproving eyes of his mom, though!. And yes, on this ideal day, Rahul should develop a sudden and intense dislike for his fiancee Preeti and break things off with her!</div><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">What is your idea of perfect happiness? And, what is your current state of mind?</h3><div>The sun will shine only after Rahul and I are together! Right now I’m sad that Vikky doesn’t support me in my quest. After all he’s my best friend, so why does he keep telling me I’m wrong? And why do I care he’s not happy? I should only focus on Rahul, right? Not give Vikky’s abs sidelong glances!</div><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">What do you consider to be the most overrated virtue and why? </h3><div>I hate having to have ‘ambition’! I really don’t want to work for a living. Let everyone else join the right race and be daring and motivated and read Michelle Obama’s autobiography. I just want to be loved, by Rahul, of course!</div><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">Tell us 3 things about yourself that the readers do not know about</h3><div>- I tasted my Dad’s scotch when he and Mom when for a party and put in a little water to restore the original level (just in case, though he’s not very observant!)</div><div>- I find it tough to make polite conversation, I daydream too much and lose the thread of the conversation and then the person gets miffed when I ask them to repeat the question.</div><div>- I wish I had a big brother to take care of me. Being an only child sucks!</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></div><p style="text-align: center;"><b><u><span style="font-size: x-large;">Meet the Author:</span></u></b><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWpvTddV1LCtQDDXI8tuJTG2exxYlIhxDyjSOjiSwD3EoHBlXf4N4VqZoJAD-DmzGn8PsuRFiRRPYkzV4r_h_bnbBm8MOUfH_i6o92d-0ACz8mAnLrfX4n_4DubStNveRTiGgLdt3vGVg/s1280/Shraddha+Sahi.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWpvTddV1LCtQDDXI8tuJTG2exxYlIhxDyjSOjiSwD3EoHBlXf4N4VqZoJAD-DmzGn8PsuRFiRRPYkzV4r_h_bnbBm8MOUfH_i6o92d-0ACz8mAnLrfX4n_4DubStNveRTiGgLdt3vGVg/s320/Shraddha+Sahi.jpg" /></a></div><p>Words have been the centre of Shraddha’s existence for as long as she can re-member. Fed up with her constant demand for books, her parents asked her to write her own. And so, it began!</p><p>She’s an ophthalmologist with a specialisation in Glaucoma. She juggles her profes-sional demands with her new label of tennis mom and the larger than life charac-ters that live in her mind, demanding to be manifested.</p><p>She has written A Doctor in the House (Partridge), A Great Fall (Juggernaut) and The Case of the Counterfeit Currency (Mango Books) and also has an anthology of poems (F.I.S.T) (Pothi Books)</p><p>Shraddha finds herself attracted to stories about women – strong ones, funny ones & kick ass survivors. Her self-deprecating humor tends to stay with you long after you’ve shut the book.</p><p><br /></p><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;"><u>Author Links:</u></span></b></div><span style="font-size: large;"><div style="text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/authorshraddhasahi" target="_blank">Facebook</a> * <a href="https://twitter.com/shraddhavs" target="_blank">Twitter</a> * <a href="https://instagram.com/shraddhasahi" target="_blank">Instagram</a> * <a href="https://bit.ly/3jUMCL9" target="_blank">Youtube</a></b></div></span><p></p><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Sheila Deethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13465615546936319164noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6896710675157315852.post-15521422788692224312020-09-15T16:25:00.002-07:002020-09-15T16:25:40.522-07:00What does your heart regret?<p> <i>Today I'm delighted to showcase My Heart's Regret by Shilpa Suraj, with a chance for readers to enjoy reading an excerpt too.</i></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://www.b00kr3vi3ws.in/2020/09/my-hearts-regret-by-shilpa-suraj.html" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;" target="_blank"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="512" data-original-width="1024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigbE4wNJWQYVTjTtPQe3gnkb-zYE2-5NHqgyl53xOWZnpdkagMu6CPkASLNoIq2NSOoP6dbVFuWTsAMLq5XT4NOa_V6L1rVbpFvolDcrOHNHqGJtSa7a6y-BjXzyMfJoLhpvlNHot7zKQ/s600/Banners+%25281%2529.png" width="600" /></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><div style="text-align: center;"><b><u>About the Book:</u></b></div></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9tcRAKDxsM_jAf5wH4XN2v73fJ63l-q5xSKxuVeFTuctp62zkI91murBMa4T8a9XGS5vV7ze561htkOiy0dc6z6dpFcCP47YV_iLzmLjWGSlFRSMoGYIpaF5BHCMIP5z_WLnM-DxRGyE/s2396/Final-+Heart%2527s+Regret.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2396" data-original-width="1601" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9tcRAKDxsM_jAf5wH4XN2v73fJ63l-q5xSKxuVeFTuctp62zkI91murBMa4T8a9XGS5vV7ze561htkOiy0dc6z6dpFcCP47YV_iLzmLjWGSlFRSMoGYIpaF5BHCMIP5z_WLnM-DxRGyE/s320/Final-+Heart%2527s+Regret.jpg" /></a></div><div><div>Samaira Reddy, the girl in the big house, the Bade Sahib's daughter, only wants one thing and one person...a life with her childhood sweetheart, her Rags.</div><div><br /></div><div>Raghav Cherukuri has always been known as the driver's son. And has also always loved his Sam, the girl he can never have and never forget. And so, he leaves her and his life in Hyderabad behind.</div><div>But now, Raghav is back. A Chief Officer in the Merchant Navy, he is the success he’s always wanted to be. And yet, he has failed.</div><div>Samaira is meeting the ‘perfect groom’ her family approves of…A man whom Raghav can never be.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Can it finally be their time to be together? Or has their happy-ever-after passed them by?</b></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>This novella was previously part of the anthology Something Old Something New.</i></div></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><u>Book Links:</u></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/55317301-my-heart-s-regret" target="_blank">Goodreads</a> * <a href="https://amzn.to/2Fo4eQE" target="_blank">Amazon</a></b></span></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvM8YEVnQHeOg56mPKBNxsdOPGokyMd_j4cCmPY0MthphRnBUlkAzhf1ZDIm57MxQODJ8JUmCI2ntMHjS2RVPQBq2zRsF7kwv6XIIf2oO7NcOhpaWVUbBiq4P5QDqCVnUnwuZksgFJ0DM/s1080/MHR+Quotes+2.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvM8YEVnQHeOg56mPKBNxsdOPGokyMd_j4cCmPY0MthphRnBUlkAzhf1ZDIm57MxQODJ8JUmCI2ntMHjS2RVPQBq2zRsF7kwv6XIIf2oO7NcOhpaWVUbBiq4P5QDqCVnUnwuZksgFJ0DM/w400-h400/MHR+Quotes+2.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><h1 style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><u>Read an Excerpt from My Heart's Regret:</u></h1><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">“Why did you leave?” The question shot out of her taking them both by surprise. They stared at each other, a wealth of memories flooding the space between them. Years of hurt, months of pain and a million unspoken words crowded around them.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">“Don’t.” He turned away from her, shaking his head. “Don’t do this.”</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">“Why not? You don’t think I deserve any kind of explanation?” </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">He opened the rear door of the car in response. “Are you ready to go home?” </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">“Home?” She laughed, a bitter sound that floated in the air. “Is that still home to you?”</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">“Are you ready to go back to your home?” The slight emphasis felt like a slap across her face.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">“And that’s the truth of it, isn’t it?” She watched his face for a clue to his feelings. She found none. He was as stone-faced as ever.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">“You don’t think of it as home anymore. When you left, you didn’t just leave to study and start your career. You left everything behind. Your home. Your past. Your…”</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">“Yes.” His acceptance cut her off mid-rant. “I left it all behind. The poverty. The insults. The humiliation. I left my life here behind.”</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">“Is that all you left behind?” The words sliced through the night like a knife.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Raghav just stared at her, his eyes a cauldron of bottomless emotion. On a growl of frustration, she slid down from the car and stomped towards the door he still held open. Yanking it from his hand, she slammed it shut. Then she walked around the front of the car to the passenger door and got in.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">A storm was coming. A loud rumble of thunder could be heard and the wind was picking up outside the car. It blew a lock of his unruly hair into his eyes. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">He didn’t notice but she did. Even through the tears stinging her eyes, she noticed everything about him. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Raghav continued to stand, motionless by the rear door, his tightly clenched fists the only evidence of the emotion raging inside him. The first drops of rain started to pelt down drenching him in seconds.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Finally, he moved towards where she was sitting. Leaning down, he rapped on the window to get her to put it down.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Samaira obliged, arching an eyebrow in challenge.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"> “Get out.” The words were gritted out through clenched teeth.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">“No,” she snapped the word out.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">“Go sit in the back seat.”</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">“No,” she said again as she settled more comfortably into the seat. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">“Sam, if someone sees…”</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">“Let them.” She couldn’t care less.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">“Sam, please.” The plea was quiet, but it sliced through. “For my father’s sake.”</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Her heart broke at the words. She swiped at the tear that escaped and rolled down her cheek. Without looking at him, she stepped out of the car and got into the rear seat. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Raghav slid into the driver’s seat and put the car in gear.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">They drove home in silence, each lost in their own tortured thoughts. It wasn’t long before her house loomed in front of them. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">They were almost at the gate when she spoke, “Are you happy?”</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">His hands tightened on the steering wheel. “Are you?”</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">She laughed. The mirthless sound echoed between them as Ahmed Chacha waved them through the gates. “You’re not going to answer any of my questions, are you?”</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Raghav sighed. “What’s the point of this conversation? Discussing the past is going to bring us nothing but more pain.”</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">“Alright. Let’s talk about the present. Why did you come back?”</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Raghav brought the car to a halt outside her front door. “I came back for my parents.”</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">“Never for me,” she murmured. “You left me without a second thought.”</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Raghav, who was holding her door open, froze at the soft words. She stepped out of the car and around his still form. She wasn’t going to beg him for answers anymore.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">“The thing is, Sam,” the whisper reached her through the violent noises of the stormy night, “You left me first.”</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><u>About the Author:</u></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4nW_RbfI8yUvIubOhUhNzmf2d6PrOkGxbU4WI9T07IQPA2kOnh-Ppd6u7jnmBGxRtsx7UZrEhMne5F_hxjltVRo8w9odrD106VIGZKeTPcVP378EHZ0elU_kafZX_pQ38jwSlC5Cihqw/s1280/Shilpa+Suraj.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="914" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4nW_RbfI8yUvIubOhUhNzmf2d6PrOkGxbU4WI9T07IQPA2kOnh-Ppd6u7jnmBGxRtsx7UZrEhMne5F_hxjltVRo8w9odrD106VIGZKeTPcVP378EHZ0elU_kafZX_pQ38jwSlC5Cihqw/w183-h256/Shilpa+Suraj.jpeg" width="183" /></a></div><br /><br /><br />Shilpa Suraj wears many hats - corporate drone, homemaker, mother to a fabulous toddler and author.<br /><br />An avid reader with an overactive imagination, Shilpa has weaved stories in her head since she was a child. Her previous stints at Google, in an ad agency and as an entrepreneur provide colour to her present day stories, both fiction and non-fiction.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-size: xx-large;"><u>Contact the Author:</u></b></div><span style="font-size: large;"><div style="text-align: center;"><b><a href="http://shilpasuraj.com/" target="_blank">Website</a> * <a href="https://www.facebook.com/shilpasuraj/" target="_blank">Facebook</a> * <a href="https://www.facebook.com/shilpasuraj/" target="_blank">Twitter</a> * <a href="https://www.instagram.com/shilpa.suraj/" target="_blank">Instagram</a> * <a href="http://eepurl.com/dt-Br9" target="_blank">Newsletter</a></b></div></span></div></div></div><div><br /></div>Sheila Deethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13465615546936319164noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6896710675157315852.post-28618147121880783572020-09-12T01:33:00.018-07:002020-09-12T01:33:01.160-07:00Along Came a Spider - or was that Spyder?<p> </p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.b00kr3vi3ws.in/2020/09/along-came-a-spyder-release-day.html" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="512" data-original-width="1024" height="313" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrGWh4aNEm7C_qNG0TuNSPOle1oDHViZxjtn2ATy-I1lrUi4cuJuye3kQsWF9cZlcyj_ttZW3uWvTMyLzVbcWHs7-GxtelQbHwnuEA1_hwrrORIol3nsiwoul2xWP5MjzjaVd5flixK1Y/w625-h313/Release+Day+Blitz.png" width="625" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Today I'm delighted to welcome author Apeksha Rao to my blog. She introducing her book, Along came a Spyder - an enticing title indeed - and here's what it's about.</i></div><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><u>About the Book:</u></b></span><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6plTdftTm4T8kfAPvFM6z8HLK6Cx_PVX8Z1KNQs14JoM_JVo-A3IudxrXqfEuffn4Eldszlh8ul_R9SLKBOIf5P_rLTr3ripz4e-7kz5wh3C-uT6oKheUJ_uKwqbRurvCgMjFpcNgDzo/s475/52663172._SY475_.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="298" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6plTdftTm4T8kfAPvFM6z8HLK6Cx_PVX8Z1KNQs14JoM_JVo-A3IudxrXqfEuffn4Eldszlh8ul_R9SLKBOIf5P_rLTr3ripz4e-7kz5wh3C-uT6oKheUJ_uKwqbRurvCgMjFpcNgDzo/s320/52663172._SY475_.jpg" /></a></div><div><div>At 17, Samira Joshi has only one dream in life.</div><div><br /></div><div>She wants to be a spy. And why not?</div><div><br /></div><div>Spying runs in the Joshi genes. Her great-grandmother was famous for sticking her nose in everyone’s business. Her grandmother had a flourishing side-business of tracking down errant husbands and missing servants. Her parents are elite intelligence agents for RAW. Yet, they want their only daughter to become a doctor. When she sees a college friend being trapped by a pimp, Samira does some spying of her own, and discovers the existence of a secret sisterhood of teen spies — The Spyders. And, she wants in!</div><div><br /></div><div>The question is, do they want her?</div></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-size: xx-large;"><u>Book Links:</u></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/52663172-along-came-a-spyder" target="_blank">Goodreads</a> * <a href="https://amzn.to/3bWP9lf" target="_blank">Amazon</a></b></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><h1 style="text-align: center;"><u>Read an Excerpt from Along Came a Spyder</u></h1><div><br /></div><div><div>I was being followed. I just didn’t know it. You couldn’t blame me, really. I was only sixteen at the time. For the past year, my parents had rarely been in the same place at the same time, for more than a month. So, when they whisked me off to Dubai for a family holiday, I was so excited that I forgot the basic counter-surveillance measures drilled into me by said parents. Like I said, I was only sixteen.</div><div>Yet, I was being followed, and I hadn’t realised it yet. Though I did realise that I needed to pee. I came out of the stall, washed my hands, and decided to fix my unruly hair. As I was pulling all of it up into a high ponytail, a woman came and stood next to me.</div><div>“I have something important to tell your parents.”</div><div>At first, I thought she was talking on the phone because she was speaking in Arabic, so, I didn’t respond.</div><div>“Samira Joshi, I have to talk to your parents, now.”</div><div>I turned to the woman, shocked.</div><div>“How do you know my name?” I mindlessly responded in Arabic.</div><div>“Shh! Keep your voice down, and turn back to the mirror.”</div><div>“Who are you and how do you know my name?” I asked softly, facing the mirror.</div><div>“That’s not the point. Will you do as I asked?”</div><div> “I won’t do a thing until you tell me your name!” I said, belligerently.</div><div>“My name doesn’t mean anything to you. Just do as I ask,” she insisted.</div><div>“Take off your veil, then. I want to see your face.”</div><div>The woman was heavily veiled, in a niqab that concealed her face.</div><div>“No! Just tell your parents that I want to speak to them,” snapped the woman.</div><div>“Why should I do that? My parents are not fools, to meet a total stranger. You could be leading them into some sort of trap,” I argued.</div><div>The woman leaned towards me, and hissed, “You will do as I say, otherwise your country will be reduced to a pile of rubble! Is that what you want?”</div><div>I slowly backed away from her and rushed out of the loo. As I walked to the cafe where I was supposed to meet my parents, I kept looking back, half expecting that woman to follow. I spotted them waiting at a table. Ma was reading a book or pretending to. You could never tell with her.</div><div>Baba was people-watching, his watchful eyes taking everything in, down to the last detail. This was his favourite hobby. When I was a kid, dining out was just another lesson in spycraft. I had to observe and memorise everything about the room, from the number of waitstaff to the exits and cameras, as well as the details of all the other diners — how many people at each table, what they were wearing, and their expressions. When I got older, Baba would pick a table and I had to place a listening device at that table without being caught. That’s not as difficult as it sounds. You’d be surprised at what all you can do with a timely twist of the ankle.</div><div>I knew that the moment I opened my mouth, that blank, expectant expression would turn into disapproval and disappointment, and my holiday would be ruined. I was not wrong.</div><div>“Ma.”</div><div>That’s all I needed to say. Ma’s eyes narrowed.</div><div>“Samira, you’re breathing hard and your pupils are dilated,” she announced, leaning forward to peer into my eyes, in full spy radar mode.</div><div>“What have you been up to?”</div><div>There it was, the implication that I was responsible for whatever had happened, like they were used to me messing up all the time. Normally, this was where I would get defensive and I’d lose the argument even before I spoke. Not this time. I took a deep breath and spoke as dispassionately as I could.</div></div><div><br /></div><div><div dir="ltr" trbidi="on"><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><u>About the Author:</u></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0xjDhiNNUu1E0DXuFsrZYchQpsZ8c9JIOllpxwkjr2HH7D4FdTNrVi2IVDAhUaTtHzjLDvFlUCcBxFjVDVAhdqhwhK7vD0JGlQs1VtiAJBqkZcJBIqiCXYwOPFI2dHTGWWkKwxL6tkjo/s1600/Apeksha+Rao.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1010" data-original-width="700" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0xjDhiNNUu1E0DXuFsrZYchQpsZ8c9JIOllpxwkjr2HH7D4FdTNrVi2IVDAhUaTtHzjLDvFlUCcBxFjVDVAhdqhwhK7vD0JGlQs1VtiAJBqkZcJBIqiCXYwOPFI2dHTGWWkKwxL6tkjo/s200/Apeksha+Rao.jpg" width="138" /></a></div><div><div>Apeksha Rao is a multi genre author from Bangalore.</div><div><br /></div><div>She is the author of Along Came A Spyder, which is the story of a seventeen year old girl who wants to be spy.</div><div><br /></div><div>Apeksha has written many short stories based on the same series, The Spyders, which are available on this blog.</div><div>She is a voracious reader, and a foodie.</div><div><br /></div><div>Apeksha's current works in progress: A middle grade book, a chick lit featuring a detective, and a horror novel (the writing of which is giving her sleepless nights).</div></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><u>Apeksha on the Web:</u></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><a href="https://apeksharao.in/" target="_blank">Website</a> * <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ApekshaRaoOfficial/" target="_blank">Facebook</a> * <a href="https://twitter.com/apekshar" target="_blank">Twitter</a> * <a href="https://www.instagram.com/rao.apeksha/" target="_blank">Instagram</a></b></span></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></div></div>Sheila Deethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13465615546936319164noreply@blogger.com0