tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28710999449880388082024-03-13T22:49:02.078-07:00Ama et BemmaAma et Bemmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04713755578560939003noreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2871099944988038808.post-31520461883703976122016-04-03T05:44:00.000-07:002016-06-30T09:43:36.265-07:00Start that Idea Today|| Last Post Before Summer Hello, friends and readers!<br />
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I'm alive! I promise! </div>
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I haven't been blogging for the past few weeks. Yes, I know; that's terrible. I do have reviews that need to go up (many thanks to the authors for being so patient with me), I have guest posts to write on other book blogs. I have fun posts for here. I have stuff to share! I've just been so busy lately. </div>
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Did you ask why? Well, the reason is quite simple. I've been playing around with a new story idea. I've been allowing it to germinate in my mind. I've shared the idea aloud with my sister (who called it the best of both of my prior novels). This makes me excited. Really excited. Like I stay up all night thinking and I walk around in a daze daydreaming about my characters excited. But...</div>
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I've been delaying the writing process. I have no clue why. I think i'm scared to start something new. If I do start something, i'll end up just throwing myself into it like a crazy person. I worry that my idea may be no good. I worry that my writing abilities haven't grown over the past few months (which is a total lie. My skills have gotten better. I know it inside, and my writing reflects that). I feel this may be the case because I didn't properly research into surrounding my last book with good and kind people and resources and that my chops weren't that good. That means a host of things, but I would rather not dwell upon negatives. What I will share is that, it is very important to surround yourself with good people. Good Beta readers. Good Beta readers who will tare you to shreds if need be. Research good literary agents, (or if you're into the indie market) good editors and equally good publishers. However, before you even do that, make sure you write a good book. </div>
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But here's the thing: I know that my new idea is good; I know I can write a novel because I've done it a couple of times already. I now know how to surround myself and my books with good people, because I found some on my last book-creating journey. I know how to write a good book, because I got some of the most kind and most real feedback on my last one. Last night, I was scrolling through Facebook (which is something I actually very rarely use and very frequently deactivate), and I saw the status posted below:</div>
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I truly do apologize for not citing this. If this is your image, please leave a comment so that I can cite you. This message (God bless whomever wrote this) really points out to me that my fear is unnecessary. I need to build in order to see my goals come to fruition. I need to write despite some strangled (unnecessary) fear. This message is that I need to have the faith that I can build something (my dreams, goals etc). </div>
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Sometimes as writers, we get writers block. Sometimes we start writing and then life gets in the way. Sometimes we feel that out own ideas are too ambitious for us to complete. Personally, I have set aside stories and have titled the word documents "Come back when you're a better writer." There's no shame in doing that. You just need to make sure that you actually go back to that story. You have to make sure that you trust your skills. Funny aside, I recently had a professor tell me that my constant switching to the passive voice (and, I assume, using the second-person) is just my way of pushing the weight of a topic off from myself and, instead, flinging it into the air (not the exact words used, but that's the way i'm putting it for myself). So in this post, although I use terms like you and I use the passive voice, I am really directing everything at myself. So here are some first person mantras:</div>
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I must start the action if I want a response.</div>
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I must write (despite that quickly fading voice nagging in the back of my head) if I want to succeed. </div>
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I must start working on that idea today.</div>
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If I want something I have to go after it with every fiber of my being. </div>
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I am more than a conqueror.</div>
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What are you working on? What's your fear as a writer? Do you feel that you can relate? Let me know below :) <3</div>
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Sending Oodles of Excellence, Bravery, Hope, Ideas, Free Writing Time, Copious Cups of Tea and Joy Your Way,</div>
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Much Love,</div>
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p.s. I'll get some reviews up over the next few weeks! I'm also closed to book review requests for a while. I have some books to catch up on and I want to give my attention to the authors in my queue. I'll still, however, be open for guest-posts (on my blog and on other blogs!), and I am always looking for authors to participate in my "Dear Writers" series!</div>
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p.s.s. The blog will be down over the summer. Sorry! I'm getting started on PhD applications and my Masters thesis, and i'm also focusing on reading more African literature for these next few hot months. My email is always open for you guys!! *many hugs* </div>
Ama et Bemmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04713755578560939003noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2871099944988038808.post-82344824567150486102016-03-08T08:03:00.001-08:002016-03-08T08:09:36.406-08:0010 Reasons why your non-writing friends think you're crazy Oops, i'm a day late for my weekly posts. The past week has been the craziest most exhilarating one of my life so far. It's very exciting and it's writing related, but I dare not share anything until March 15th/16th. Oh, you're curious about what's going on? I'll just leave you hanging for another two weeks :P<br />
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In other news...<br />
I thought that I would share all the reasons why us writers are seen as crazy by our friends. I hope that you think it's as funny as I do (just laugh after every punch line). Please feel free to add your own in the comments section!!<br />
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1) You read far too many books. Actually, you probably like books more than people. Your significant other, family, and friends have slowly become resigned to this reality.<br />
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Pro-tip: Just don't take your manuscript out on dates.<br />
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2) As you write, you begin to squint into the bright light that is your laptop screen. You hunch over in your chair and you don't move for hours. You sweat profusely as you think. Your sister may poke your face to see if you're still alive. You are. Don't glare at her. Instead, smile and forcefully say that you're spending time with bae (aka manuscript).<br />
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3) You talk to to your characters (as if they're there... because they are! duhh) because it helps you figure out scenes and dialogue.<br />
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Pro-tip: You'll look less crazy if you hold up a cellphone and pretend to talk into it..that is, unless it begins to ring. If that happens, just smile and pick up the call.<br />
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4) You have copious cups of tea stacked up on your writing desk. Why are you drinking so much tea? Why does it occur while you are writing? Is there even such a thing as drinking too much tea?!<br />
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5) You've written a 300 page document. Your friends (who are mostly STEM majors...btw, y'all are amazing) write 10 page research papers and call it a day. They seriously try to figure out why you're so happy about writing. It makes no sense to them. Instead they tell you to go do a math problem... and then you cry because you hate math.<br />
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7) You send letters to people you don't know. You send a couple dozen, or a couple hundred, or a couple thousand (have any of you ever sent out more than 100 query letters?!) letters to people. You're not creepy for doing this. You are totally normal. I vibe with you on many levels.<br />
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8) You're 20-something years old, but your wrists are so messed up from typing that you have to wear double braces every so often. Most people would stop whatever's causing the pain (as my doctors insisted). I just ignored them and decided to work out my tiny wrists instead (curl soup cans while your reading a book. It will do wonders for you!).<br />
Pro-tip: Stop typing like this---><br />
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9) You spend long stretches of time in an imagined world rather than the real one.<br />
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10) You sit around plotting out how to make your characters miserable. What normal person purposely plots out road blocks for others?<br />
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Pro-tip: Just rejoice in the fact that you're not R.R. Martin.<br />
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But when it comes down to it...<br />
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so you wouldn't have it any other way.<br />
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<b>Do you have some you want to share?</b><br />
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Thanks for reading.<br />
Much Love,<br />
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p.s. This was written in good humor. I doubt that any of my non-writing family/friends think i'm crazy...or maybe they do and they're just too nice to tell me? *shrugs*<br />
p.s.s. Next week, i'll be sharing a guest post. The following week, i'll make a joyful announcement (maybe i'll wait for the following week...) and then the week after, i'll have a book review for you.<br />
p.s.s.s. I am closed to new book requests for the time being. Any authors whose books I have yet to review are still in my queue and will be read and reviewed asap :)Ama et Bemmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04713755578560939003noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2871099944988038808.post-90669760082577875672016-02-28T02:00:00.000-08:002016-02-28T02:00:16.812-08:00Interview with Heidi Angell<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Dear readers,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">today on the blog, I am pleased to introduce Heidi Angell. </span><br />
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<i style="line-height: 1.295;"><span style="color: purple; font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">"Heidi Angell is a bibliophile, lexicomaniac and wordsmith! She is the author of The Hunters Series, The Clear Angel Chronicles, and The Hell School Series. She also created Royal Prince Vince, and Creative Exercises to Inspire, </span></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="color: purple; font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">When she is not reading and writing, she can be found spending quality time with her lovely family camping, hiking, swimming, or watching movies. Learn more about her and her books at </span><span style="background-color: white; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="http://www.heidiangell.com/" style="text-decoration: none;">HeidiAngell.com</a>"</span></span></i><u></u></div>
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Some of you may remember her as one of the amazing hosts for the New Year New Books 2016 Tour, but today I want to introduce her to you as the author of "Hell School: Fresh Meat." This post is a part of the tour for her novel. The tour started on Feb 21st and will end on March 21st, and I am so glad to be a part of this event!:<span style="font-family: inherit;">Enjoy the interview!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span style="color: purple;">Ama et Bemma:</span></b> Heidi, welcome to my blog! I am so glad that you allowed me to interview you!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><span style="color: blue;">Heidi:</span></b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Hello Ama, Thank you so much for having me today! I am excited to connect with your readers. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><span style="color: purple;">A:</span></b> I bet that my readers are excited about </span></span><span style="line-height: 22.08px; white-space: pre-wrap;">connecting</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;"> with you, too! So what's your latest news? </span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: blue;"><b>H:</b></span> I am excited to announce that Hell School: Fresh Meat is available for pre-order, and will release March 18</span></span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.38; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: super; white-space: pre-wrap;">th</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.38; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. *Squee* This has been a long time coming!</span><br />
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<a name='more'></a><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; line-height: 1.38; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><span style="color: purple;">A: </span></b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.38; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I am excited about the new release f your book! That is really exciting. How did you come up with the title?</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; line-height: 1.38; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><span style="color: blue;">H:</span></b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.38; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> That was a tough one. This is the first in a four book series following my experience in high school with a stalker. I was looking for a way to encapsulate that so it is a play on High School: Freshman year…. Which was my working title for too long! Not quite as catchy, huh?</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.38; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; line-height: 1.38; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><span style="color: purple;">A</span></b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.38; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: Wow. This is your experience with a stalker? How much of the book is totally realistic to your experience?</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; line-height: 1.38; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><span style="color: blue;">H:</span></b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.38; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> It is much more realistic than I had originally intended. The pain of that realism is partly why it took me almost ten years to write the series. I did a lot of mashing up friends from school, and cut a lot of boring information out, and resisted the urge to make it scarier by separating each year from the whole of my experience. It was quite a balancing act. </span><br />
<span style="line-height: 22.08px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; line-height: 1.38; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><span style="color: purple;">A:</span></b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.38; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> That sounds really intense, and it sounds like you were really invested in the writing process. Do you see writing as a career? </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; line-height: 1.38; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><span style="color: blue;">H:</span></b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.38; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Writing, for me, is more than a career. It is my lifeblood, my passion, my calling, and yes indeed my career. The only calling I find that takes precedence is being a mother. And often those two run in direct conflict of one another! </span><br />
<span style="line-height: 22.08px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; line-height: 1.38; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><span style="color: purple;">A: </span></b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.38; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Being a mother is truly a full time job. I'm glad that you have been able to mesh writing and being a mother together. Besides the conflicts between your two jobs, what was the hardest part of writing your book? Honestly? </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; line-height: 1.38; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><span style="color: blue;">H: </span></b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.38; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Re-living the experiences. The experience of being stalked in high school shaped the person I have become. It defined me for so very long, and to this day influences choices I make. I had PTSD for years after, and just as I was beginning to adjust, I saw people treating the concept of stalking as a joke, creating memes, and demeaning women who had been stalked as being paranoid. I knew then (almost 10 years ago) that I needed to write this book. But every time I tried, the PTSD would come back, the night terrors, the fear of being alone. It was… intense. My husband knows when I am working on this series, because he will come home and the house will be locked up tight. I can’t sleep with the light off when I am working on this series. I have NO desire to watch anything even remotely scary when I am working on this series. </span><br />
<span style="line-height: 22.08px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; line-height: 1.38; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><span style="color: purple;">A:</span></b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.38; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> I'm assuming that this novel has a message then. Do you have anything specific that you want to say to your readers? </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; line-height: 1.38; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><span style="color: blue;">H:</span></b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.38; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Stalking is not something to take lightly. It is a horrible invasion. If you know someone who is experiencing a stalker, be there to support them. Help them stay safe. Help them tell those in authority over and over and over, even when it seems like no one is doing anything. Most importantly, do not trivialize what they are going through. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span style="color: purple;">A: </span></b>So what would you say is the main message of this novel? Is there a message that you want readers to grasp? </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><span style="color: blue;">H:</span></b> There is a message within this first book, as well as a greater message with the series as a whole. The message with this book is that stalking is not cute, romantic, funny, or to be taken lightly. In this book, we are in the early “harmless” stages of stalking. Some of my beta readers were expecting the story to be… creepier. The greater series theme is going to be about how to survive a stalker. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span style="color: purple;">A:</span></b> Heidi, thank you so much for sharing your story with me and my readers. I believe that you truly do have a message to get across in this novel. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>About the Book:</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; line-height: 1.2; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>High school is hard, especially when you're a freshman in a new town, surrounded by people you don't understand and who don't understand you. Sam was overwhelmed just trying to fit in. Then she is singled out with the first letter. </b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b id="docs-internal-guid-4a6f6946-25a7-f0d8-9183-7f4e7506be98"><span style="color: purple;"><br /></span></b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: purple;"><b>While some girls envy the “romantics” of this unknown admirer, Sam can tell something isn't right. Sam wanted to just blend in, but someone's eye is fixated on her. As the letters and bad poetry continue, so does the nagging in Sam's stomach telling her this is not normal. </b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: purple;"><b><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b></span></div>
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<span style="color: purple;"><b><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">When things escalate from strange to creepy, Sam's world becomes a nightmare. Twisted admiration is stalking her around every corner in the high school from hell….</span></b></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span id="docs-internal-guid-c5f0934d-2598-67a1-6548-0932e5de9044"></span></b></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-4a6f6946-25a8-6e41-0578-229d432092a2"><b><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline;">Hell School: Fresh Meat is available for pre-order on </span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/search/ref=as_li_qf_sp_sr_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&index=aps&keywords=Hell%20School%20Fresh%20Meat&linkCode=ur2&tag=anasli-20&linkId=O6WFJ6VBSZOVYXFH" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: #0563c1; font-size: 14.6667px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Amazon</span></a><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline;"> and </span><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/612442" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: #0563c1; font-size: 14.6667px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Smashwords</span></a><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline;">. </span></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></span></b></span></div>
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Ama et Bemmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04713755578560939003noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2871099944988038808.post-81750392400259625812016-02-21T02:00:00.000-08:002016-02-21T02:00:05.140-08:00Michael Forester, Author of the Epic Fantasy-Poetry "Dragonsong" | Excerpt <div style="text-align: left;">
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Hello readers,<br />
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Today on the blog, I am pleased to share an excerpt from Michael Forester's latest novel "Dragonsong." As many of you know, I am a poet, so I instantly appreciate texts that experiment with verse of give generous nods towards traditional forms and styles. "Dragonsong" is an epic fantasy written in rhyming Old English (did your inner nerd just squeal with excitement? Because I totally started smiling like crazy when I first heard about Forester's novel taking on this form).<br />
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Forester has ever so kindly given us a special sneak-peak into his novel, and I hoping that you will all enjoy it as much as I have! As a poet, I know that it not only takes time but some extreme skills to pull off what Forester has done. The interwoven rhyme is not off-putting, and it gives way for ones imagination to reflect back upon older epic stories that must have been sung around hearths in the days of old. This skill should be of no surprise since Forester is a graduate of Oxford University. He, as he puts it, "was born with a pen in hand." He is an award winning author and has works already in print. You can learn more about him at the bottom of this post, but as for now, I hope that you enjoy the novel description and the excerpt!<br />
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<b><span style="background-color: yellow;"><a href="http://www.michaelforester.co.uk/blog" target="_blank">WEBSITE</a>|</span> <a href="https://twitter.com/authorforester1" style="background-color: orange;" target="_blank">TWITTER</a>| <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14620570.Michael_Forester" style="background-color: cyan;" target="_blank">GOODREADS</a>| <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Michael-Forester-1276622212371142/?fref=ts&ref=br_tf" style="background-color: magenta;" target="_blank">FB FANPAGE</a></b></div>
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About the Novel:</h3>
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<u>Genre:</u> Fantasy Poetry</div>
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<u>Word Count: </u>3,200</div>
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 27px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Rebekah, daughter of Merlin and noblewoman of Albion has been driven to madness by the murder of her lover Vidar. In her torment she bargains with the Prince of Demons to turn her into a dragon. Once transformed, she seeks to take revenge upon her father, Merlin, whom she is fooled into believing is responsible for Vidar’s death. Behind the subterfuge stands Oberon, Captain-King of Elves, who cannot foresee the devastation his jealousy and unrequited love for Rebekah will unleash upon the world of Gaia. Its salvation depends upon Merlin travelling back in time to find a pure hearted warrior, Lady Attie, who, together with Michael, seer of Albion, must take the Sleep Stone from the gates of Hell to persuade the dragon to sleep. But if they are unable to return the Stone to the mouth of Hell in time, the demon army will awaken and ransack Gaia in a war that will destroy its existence. Time is the solution to Gaia’s destiny – but only if the gods of Asgard can find a way to stop it. Dragonsong is a unique epic fantasy that explores fundamental themes of good and evil, jealously and revenge. Woven together with a gripping and powerful plot, the pattern of the language, the musicality of the form and the profound emotions invoked carry the reader to extremes of human experience and capability at both its best and worst. </span><b><u><span style="color: #4c1130; font-size: large;">Read an Excerpt Below!</span></u></b></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px; line-height: 27px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><u><span style="color: red;"></span></u></b></span></span><br />
<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><u><span style="color: red;"><br /></span></u></b></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">CVII</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The dragon came to Albion</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">as morning light did touch the land</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">and not a sound of dragonsong</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">escaped her lips as she did stand</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">upon the soil of Gaia once again.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">She stood before Arthurian Court.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The light did her illuminate.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And for her father now she sought</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">and on this thought did ruminate:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">that he his final lesson must be taught.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">CVIII</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The sun, it rose into the sky</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">and mused she, that upon this day</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">she would, her father, make comply,</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">and maybe this would take away</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">the depths of torment that her heart did feel.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">For mostly now, and oftentime,</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">of sanity was she bereft.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Her human thought, it did decline,</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">and mostly dragon heart was left.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And Merlin's death that process might now seal.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">CIX</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As sun did make the shadows long</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">did Harmony, a mighty roar</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">exude, and thus did dragonsong</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">resound within the land once more,</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">and mothers held their children to their breasts.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And those that then did walk abroad</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">fled to their homes at rapid pace.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And those who had, did take their swords</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">and hid themselves in safest place,</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">and put their breast plates close upon their chests.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">CX</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">For all did know the fearful sound</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">and all were truly terrified.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The dragonsong did now resound</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">and once again it did abide</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">in Gaia -and still worse -in Albion.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Then roar-ed Harmony in rage,</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">"Show me my father, bring him here!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">For nothing will my hate assuage</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">until I see him kneel in fear</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">and shed his blood for Vidar who is gone."</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">CXI</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">But nothing did disturb the sound</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">of wind that blew between the trees.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">No battle cry did there resound.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">No army came now, her, to seize.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Only before her rose the blinding sun.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Then with no warning, nor with sound,</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">did Merlin stand before the Court</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">and thus did occupy the ground,</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">the very place that she had sought</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">to tear him bodily as had been done …</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">CXII</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">… to Vidar, many decades past</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">as she now never could forget.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Her memory would ever last</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">and in her heart was fully set -</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">however much the dragon nature raged.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Then Merlin gently lifted up</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">his voice and to his daughter spake,</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">"My love-child, thou didst surely sup</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">a bitter drink -thy heart did break</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">and ever in this pain it is engaged.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">CXIII</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Canst thou hear me my precious child?</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Or is thy mind deluded so?</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And is thy nature now too wild</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">to take on human form and go</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">and walk with me and talk with me this day?”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The dragon stood its ground, but thought.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And deep within a tiny sound -</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">a single word it had been taught</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">replete with meaning, full profound:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">'Twas "righteousness" - a word she could not say.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">CXIV</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Her voice did growl from deep within,</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">"Why hast thou been the cause of death?</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And was my lover lost in sin</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">that thou should leave me thus bereft</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">and aching, now, into death’s arms to fly?</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And for thee now, no love I have</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">but hold thee just in deep contempt.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">But unto thee my gift I'd give</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">and then my anger would be spent.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">My father: 'tis a perfect day to die.”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #9fc5e8; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Dragonsong-Michael-Forester/dp/1785891278/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1449650935&sr=8-1&keywords=Michael+Forester+Dragonsong" target="_blank"><b>Purchase "Dragonsong" on Amazon for more!</b></a></span></div>
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<b><u><span style="line-height: 1.2; white-space: pre-wrap;">Learn More about the </span><span style="line-height: 19.2px; white-space: pre-wrap;">author</span></u></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Some are born with silver spoons in their mouths. Michael Forester was born with a pen in his hand.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Of course, it was immediately pinched by his big brother who put it on a shelf too high for him to reach. He got his own back though. He nicked his brother’s abacus and hid behind the sofa with it. Thus his accountancy and entrepreneurial career was born, but always clouded by a nagging suspicion that his true calling had something to do with writing.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">By the time he was 30 he was finally tall enough to reach the shelf, and took down the pen. This induced a bout of split personality disorder in which he oscillated between pillaging the stock market and writing books teaching others how to make incalculably vast sums of money (one was called <span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><em style="box-sizing: border-box;">Going for Growth</em></span> and the other, <span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><em style="box-sizing: border-box;">How to Make More Profit</em></span>). Unfortunately, they didn’t make incalculably vast sums of money themselves.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The millennium year saw a complete volte-face (millennia can be quite feisty like that, Michael says – still, not to worry, he’s fully prepared for the next one) in which he determined to devote his life to poetry, fiction and life writing. The first result was <em style="box-sizing: border-box;"><a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Wasnt-That-Dog-Michael-Forester/dp/1849234396/" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; outline: 0px; text-decoration: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;" target="_blank">If It Wasn’t For That Dog</a></em>, about his first year with his beloved hearing dog, Matt. (Michael has been severely deafened from the age of 30). Sold on behalf of the charity Hearing Dogs for Deaf People, the book is still in print.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Short stories followed on subjects ranging from goblins and dryads to inter-racial love in a racist age, marital breakdown to bureaucracy, nursery rhymes to Alzheimer’s disease. Not far behind came poetry from haiku to epic fantasy poems and New Age mind-body-spirit writings on subjects as diverse as self-worth and the nature of physical death.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">In 2009 he won first prize at the <a href="http://writersfestival.co.uk/" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; outline: 0px; text-decoration: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;" target="_blank">Winchester Writer’s Festival</a> in the ‘Writing can be Murder’ category. He has been short/longlisted three times in the <a href="http://www.fishpublishing.com/" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; outline: 0px; text-decoration: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;" target="_blank">Fish Writing Contest</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Eventually Michael felt ready to start his first novel, <span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><em style="box-sizing: border-box;">Vicious</em></span>, a story of Punk Rock, reincarnation and the second coming of the Messiah. It took six years to complete the manuscript which passed through five drafts and will be showcased by The Literary Consultancy in November 2015. It was followed by its sequel, <span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><em style="box-sizing: border-box;">‘Daughter of Man’</em></span>. Both volumes await publication while Michael works on the third and final volume of the trilogy, <span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><em style="box-sizing: border-box;">‘If The Dead Be Not Raised’</em></span>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Now at the venerable age of 59 (deep respect, master, deep respect) Michael divides his time between Tenerife and the UK. He numbers dryads, angels and Liberal Democrat Voters amongst his closest friends (but he acknowledges the last of these are widely considered to be mythical creatures).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Michael is now blessed with the opportunity of devoting the better part of his time to the pursuit of literary stardom. His children look on aghast as he squanders their inheritance on such profligacies as A4 printing paper and laser toner cartridges.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">They need have no concern. He plans to leave them the pen.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 27px;">Many thanks to Michael Forester for </span></span><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 27px;">allowing</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 27px;"> us to have him on the blog! <b>What do you think about "Dragonsong"? </b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 27px;">May </span></span><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 27px;">Excellence</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 27px;">, Happiness, and many Books come your way! With Much Love,</span></span></div>
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Ama et Bemmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04713755578560939003noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2871099944988038808.post-50226613957931441842016-02-14T09:30:00.000-08:002016-03-02T10:26:59.032-08:00Dear Writer, Inspiration Never comes on Schedule | Landon Roussell<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Al9z4Ggi4Z0/VsDsDkclDKI/AAAAAAAAAeg/p_7-iJkEXAs/s1600/IMG_0010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Al9z4Ggi4Z0/VsDsDkclDKI/AAAAAAAAAeg/p_7-iJkEXAs/s320/IMG_0010.jpg" width="240" /></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Preface</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;"><i><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 1.2; white-space: pre-wrap;">Dear Reader, today, on Ama et Bemma, we will be </span></span><span style="line-height: 19.2px; white-space: pre-wrap;">continuing</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 1.2; white-space: pre-wrap;"> our "Dear Writer" series with a guest post from Landon Roussel. Landon eloquently speaks to the </span></span><span style="line-height: 19.2px; white-space: pre-wrap;">bouts</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 1.2; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (or lack) of inspiration and </span></span><span style="line-height: 19.2px; white-space: pre-wrap;">persistence</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 1.2; white-space: pre-wrap;"> that a writer goes through. Being settled into the New Year, I find that such a message is important. We made goals (perhaps some were writing goals), and these goals may be not be coming to fruition the way we wanted. Reading Landon's post will let you know that the </span></span><span style="line-height: 19.2px; white-space: pre-wrap;">inspiration</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 1.2; white-space: pre-wrap;"> you seek will come gradually. Landon is the author of "On the </span></span><span style="line-height: 19.2px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Primitive</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 1.2; white-space: pre-wrap;"> way," a memoir that I will be reading and reviewing in a few months. Also, by the way, Happy Valentines day everyone. </span></span></i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: transparent; vertical-align: baseline;"><i><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 1.2; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></i></span>
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<b style="font-size: small; line-height: 1.2; white-space: pre-wrap;">Follow Landon Rousell on: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14555726.Landon_Roussel" style="background-color: #c27ba0;" target="_blank">Goodreads</a>; <a href="http://ontheprimitiveway.com/" style="background-color: #b4a7d6;" target="_blank">His Blog</a>; <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Landon-Roussel/e/B0170X3J5W" style="background-color: #d5a6bd;" target="_blank">Amazon</a>; <a href="http://twitter.com/communitasmd" style="background-color: #cfe2f3;" target="_blank">Twitter</a>; <a href="https://plus.google.com/+LandonRoussel/" style="background-color: #d9ead3;" target="_blank">Google Plus</a></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Dear Writer,</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Inspiration never comes on our own schedule. At least, not usually. I don’t think I am alone in having the frequent experience of picking up the pen to write and just not being able to craft a piece as inspiring or as insightful the first go around as I would like. Certainly publishable first drafts happen, but they are not the norm. Instead, drafting a solid work of literature is always more of a process of revising than it is simply putting words down the first time. But in persisting with the cumbersome editing process, I’ve found that simply making time to listen to my voice (either through re-reading, comments from editors or input from beta readers) will allow that much-needed inspiration to come.</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">That was my experience writing my first book. After deciding that I was going to write a book about the story of my reconciliation with my brother on the Way of St James (El Camino de Santiago), I found that even after the arduous process of getting my thoughts on paper the first time, there was still much work to be done. The story needed to be refined, deepened and fleshed out to be a more palatable and moving read. During the many rounds of reviewing my own drafts, comments from editors and input from beta readers, I would admittedly find myself tempted at times to impatience, as one naturally wants to see one’s work come to fruition. But like a fine wine, good writing must ferment in the bottle before it is opened for the public. And the patience paid off, for when I published my book last month, I released a work to the public that I am comfortable with and can stand behind. Is it perfect? Of course not, but after many rounds of editing and proof-reading, I can attest to the work as a piece of writing in which I am confident.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">There were many days when I found myself frustrated with my progress. Sometimes I would just have to put down the pen and go for a run or go to work. At first, I wanted to have the book published by August. Then when that didn’t happen, I hoped for October. Finally, I hunkered down in November with all the comments from editors, proofreaders and beta readers to finish the work. Even now, after publishing the work, I find new insights about my story, either through my own re-reading or through the thoughtful commentary of reviewers. That is okay, I believe, for the process of telling a story or expressing an idea can always be filled with new inspirations. With persistence, inspiration will come, though not necessarily on my own schedule. And if I keep working with the pen, I know that my writing will continue to mature, and so too will I.</span></span></div>
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<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>~Landon Roussel</i></span></span><br />
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<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Ama et Bemma: Landon has an amazing talk about his won story. It is, in my opinion, TEDTalk quality, and I hope you all take a moment or two to listen to it. I am quite moved by Landon's story and I am really excited to read his memoir when it arrives in my mailbox. </span></span></div>
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/EzEiFqM7ZuU" width="560"></iframe><br />
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<b>Here is his book trailer:
</b><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/HWmDRfUUvaA" width="560"></iframe>Ama et Bemmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04713755578560939003noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2871099944988038808.post-20779183344793574292016-02-07T08:00:00.000-08:002016-02-07T08:00:10.053-08:00"Five Seven Five: The Boy with Words" by C.E. Wilson || Book Review<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">65k Words| YA mixed with sci-fi, fantasy, </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">dystopian and paranormal </span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I think that I will start off this way—C.E. Wilson, <b>I need a
sequel</b> for this book to be written immediately.</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: inherit;"><i><b>White Frost lives in a rigid society and has spent her whole
life learning about the Creators and the world that they come from. Her world
has no moons, no horizons, and no bright colors. It seems dull and washed out.
White obviously seeks more; She wants to be a Chosen—a person that can go into
the world of the Creators. She, too, wants this freedom. She wants to explore
the unknown, but an accident occurs that creates a whirlwind of events that
cause her to find out the truth about herself, her world, and the creators
themselves. White soon realizes that the world written for her in the
scriptures of her society have been a lie, and so much more exists outside the confines
of her society.</b></i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I grew to deeply love White and her cousin Shade. The bond
those two have is strong and Wilson’s writing is able to draw out the emotion
of that relationship very well. The other interactions and relationships that
White has with the other characters are drawn out pretty well. Wilson has a talent for making her characters more than characters...she makes them real in the minds of her readers. I can recall the
names and mannerisms of five of the characters within the book. This is a good
thing because Wilson has a slew of minor, background characters (who almost
seem like props in the novel), but she has a few characters at the forefront
that push the action along. This movement is exhilarating, and every twist and
jump that this novel takes is moved forward by the characters. Some books are
word driven, others are plot driven, but “Five Seven Five” seems to be very
heavily character driven. Although the book had a slow start (and for good
reason, as I soon found out), I was quickly hooked not by the story itself (even
though my curiosity kept my eyes racing along the sentences) but because I was invested
in White and her emotions. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>(really light spoiler)</b> “Five Seven Five” deals a lot with the
importance of imagery and color. Although I saw the importance of this in the emotional
reactions of White, I did not feel as if I saw those same things in my mind.
For instance, I still can’t visualize what White’s society looks like, nor can
I visualize how her dorm/room looks like. can't visualize what White’s society looks
like. I wish that I had more of an understanding of the visual details of the various settings. When it comes to the imagery of things (places, objects), I sense some gaps. I somehow feel
like the naivety of White could have been shown through the emotional power
that Wilson presented while still allowing there to be more vivid and detailed
imagery in the novel. This is truly one of the only faults I found with “Five
Seven Five: The Boy with Words.” I honestly did love it, and I am so wrapped up
in White’s life and enthralled by her world that I feel like I desperately need
a sequel of some sort. White, Kel, Shade, Salt, and Pepper (the main characters
we see in the text) do not feel like characters, they feel like people. A huge
part of this book was about discovery. I discovered a lot about White and her
goals and dreams. I just wish I could have discovered her world a bit more
(hence, why I need a sequel! I need her world to be fleshed out!)<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">“Five Seven Five: The Boy with Words” will grab your
attention. It will force you to read each line and flip the pages quickly. It
is a fast paced, energetic read that will leave you begging to know more. I am giving this book a <b><span style="color: #bf9000; font-size: large;">3.5 star rating</span></b>. On Goodreads and Amazon, I will be giving it a 4 since I can not give half stars on those websites. Click <span style="background-color: yellow;"><a href="http://amabemma.blogspot.com/p/book-review-policy.html" target="_blank">here</a></span> to learn more about what a 3.5 star rating means to me. </span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Blurb: </span></b></div>
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<i><span style="color: purple; font-family: inherit;"><b><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 17.12px;">When an accident threatens White Frost’s only chance of learning the truth about her rigid society, she knows that she has to take a risk. Putting her faith in someone she barely knows, White discovers a world above her own – and bigger than she could have ever imagined. It is in this strange new world that she finds out there is so much more to life than darkness and candlelight. There are colors and light that match the mysterious collections of words that have been tantalizing her for months. </span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 17.12px;">Blue skies that leak tears. Green grass that expands to a horizon she can’t comprehend.</span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 17.12px;"> Everything she’s ever wanted is right in front of her, but at what cost? Nothing is free and she begins to realize too late that all information comes at a price.</span></b></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Learn more about C.E. Wilson</span></div>
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<li style="margin-left: 15px;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/CEWilson" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;">https://www.goodreads.com/<wbr></wbr>CEWilson</span></a></li>
<li style="margin-left: 15px;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/cewilsonauthor" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;">https://www.facebook.com/<wbr></wbr>cewilsonauthor</span></a></li>
<li style="margin-left: 15px;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://twitter.com/cewilson1" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">https://twitter.com/cewilson1</a></span></li>
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<span style="color: #222222;">Interested in this novel? Buy it <a href="http://smile.amazon.com/Five-Seven-Boy-Words/dp/1517527651/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1453092334&sr=1-1&keywords=Five-Seven-Five" target="_blank">here</a>! Just so you know, this is an affiliate link which meas that if you buy this book through this link, Doctor's Without Borders (an amazing health service provided by volunteer doctors who travel around the world to heal people) will be given a percentage of money via amazon. This is a great opportunity to buy a book and give back to the community in one strike. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Also, enter this giveaway and you might win a chance to get a free book from her, as well as some other amazing author swag!</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #222222;">What C.E. is giving away:</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">1) One paperback copy of "To Nowhere" </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">2) One paperback copy of "Five Seven Five" </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">3) Bookmarks and postcards </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">4) A Mug</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a class="rcptr" data-raflid="6ac455060" data-template="" data-theme="classic" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/6ac455060/" id="rcwidget_a2823edd" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a>
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<a href="https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1444683169p5/6526617.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="C.E. Wilson" border="0" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1444683169p5/6526617.jpg" /></a><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">C.E. Wilson is currently living in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania with her husband, beautiful daughter, a chubby beagle and two cats. They are all the loves of her life. When she’s not writing young adult fantasy novels, she enjoys writing short stories on her Deviant Art page. She loves to write stories involving giants and little people (also known as GT) and she can't decide what she loves more: horror movies or shoujo manga. She has a bachelor's degree in English Education so she has a soft spot for older literature authors including John Milton, William Shakespeare, and stories such as Paradise Lost and Beowolf. On a side note, nothing helps her to write more than drinking good beer and watching The Twilight Zone.</span></span><br />
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What do you think about this novel? Would you pick it up to read it?<br />
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Many Blessings,<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: xx-small;">DISCLAIMER</span></b></div>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: xx-small; font-style: italic; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 18.48px; text-align: justify;"> I sometimes do "sponsored posts." Ama et Bemma (c) is compensated by authors, bloggers, magazines, journals, companies, individuals and publishing houses via a cash payment, gift, books, or something else of value to write it. Regardless of this, my reviews of books and other products are sincere and honest. I only recommend products or services that I believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.” I am bound by law to state this. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: xx-small; font-style: italic; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 18.48px; text-align: justify;"><b><u>This books was given to me in exchange for a free and honest review.</u></b></span>Ama et Bemmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04713755578560939003noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2871099944988038808.post-44042051230999345992016-01-31T10:30:00.000-08:002016-01-31T10:30:00.165-08:00How to be Happy<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This week, I am taking a hiatus from the book-fest that I've happily indulged in to, instead, talk about how to be happy. This is one of the more personal posts on this blog. This is a rather long post, so please bare with me!<br />
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I've been 21 for a little while now, and I'm trying to figure life out for myself. I am at a point where I know what I want (future-wsie), but I am still young enough to make personal changes in my life. I know what I want out of life, but I learn more about myself each day. Gosh, I'm still learning about what I actually like, what things I like, what type of people I like, and what type of person I want to be. I'm learning how to be a better and happier version of myself post-college. Everybody told me that college will be the best years of my life...I honestly feel like that is only true if you let it be true. I was allowing that to be my reality. I was looking back on my college days with extreme nostalgia even though I only graduated in May. Recently, for the past few months or so, I wasn't feeling as happy as I had been during my three years in college. However,<b> <i><span style="color: magenta;">I refuse to allow myself to dwell on happiness rather than experience it</span></i></b>. I may not be able to be surrounded by my friends 24/7 or have the joy of fewer responsibilities, but I should still be able to enjoy life. I was in a major funk for a few months, and I thought long and hard (and did some research!) on how to get out of it and back to my normal self (or, actually, a better self).<br />
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So, I'm sharing my with you my short guide on how to be happy. The basic rule of thumb is that <i><b><span style="color: magenta;">this is your life. Only you can make yourself happy</span></b></i> and only you can get yourself out of a funk. This year, I am going to live my year with two words: happy and adventurous. How can you choose a word? Well, get into a quiet place with few distractions, and visualize what you want from this week, this month, this year, gosh, your life. What do you see? Who do you see? Who are you with? What are you doing? How are you living? Are you happy with what you visualize? While doing this, allow a word or a phrase to pop into your mind that encapsulates the thoughts you were thinking.<br />
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With my two words in tow, I created a way to become happier. Becoming happier does not mean rainbows and sunshine each day; it means making the most out of every situation and out of every day.<br />
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<b>What do you do to be happy? What is your word for the year? Feel free to share in the comments below!</b></div>
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Much Peace, Love, and Joy.<br />
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<br />Ama et Bemmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04713755578560939003noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2871099944988038808.post-42241020968238236272016-01-27T13:32:00.002-08:002016-01-27T13:32:55.641-08:00Interview with Heather Hobbs, Author of "The Trouble with Family" || New Year New Books 2016 Tour<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OfDMyvLelac/Vqk0gWRfQJI/AAAAAAAAAd4/6iEb9jZlFuc/s1600/trouble%2Bwith%2Bfamily%2B-%2BHigh%2BResolution%2B%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OfDMyvLelac/Vqk0gWRfQJI/AAAAAAAAAd4/6iEb9jZlFuc/s400/trouble%2Bwith%2Bfamily%2B-%2BHigh%2BResolution%2B%25281%2529.jpg" width="250" /></span></a><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Today on the blog we are continuing our NYNB2016 tour (<a href="http://amabemma.blogspot.com/2016/01/new-year-new-books-2016-first-tour-stop.html" style="background-color: magenta;" target="_blank">Click here to see all the tour posts from various bloggers</a>) we are interviewing Heather Hobbs. She's the author of "The trouble with Family," which is a young adult novel that will be published on March 3rd, 2016. I am so excited to share this exclusive interview with you all prior to the release! </span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">In "The Trouble with Family" we meet Molly Anderson.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">"</span><span style="line-height: 1.72;">Molly Anderson just found out her dad is getting married to a woman she’s only met once.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Fourteen-year-old Molly had planned to spend the summer before high school reading books, eating junk food, and napping. Instead, she’s forced to spend her days juggling four new family members, a grumpy older brother, a crazy grandmother, and Max, the new boy next door. Having lost her mother in a car accident a year before, she’s not sure how many more changes she can take before she hits her breaking point.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Based on an award-winning short story, The Trouble with Family tells the tale of a girl trying to make the most of her summer, not just survive it."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: purple;"><b>Ama et Bemma: </b></span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Where are you from?</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: blue;"><b>Heather:</b></span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b> </b>I’m originally from Michigan (Ann Arbor to be exact – Go Blue!) but currently live in Colorado. My book, </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Trouble with Family</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, is set in a fictional small town in Michigan called Oak Lake.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: purple;"><b>A:</b></span>What are some day jobs that you have held? If any of them impacted your writing, share an example. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: blue;"><b>H:</b></span>All of my work experience has been book-related in some way. When I was younger I volunteered in the school library and also worked as a bookseller for Walden Books. While working on my English degree at Eastern Michigan University, I worked at Borders Books in Ann Arbor, which I absolutely loved. Between working at a bookstore and constantly reading books for my Lit classes, I was really able to expand my knowledge and interest in various genres and writing styles. After college I worked for a company that published textbooks before getting a Master's degree in Library Science from the University of Michigan. I feel lucky to currently work as an Archivist in a public library. So needless to say, I'm a big fan of reading, writing, and all things books!</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: purple;"><b>A:</b></span>What do you like to read in your free time? </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: blue;"><b>H:</b></span> I'm a big fan of Young Adult books but I also enjoy Adult Fiction, Historical Fiction, and Non-Fiction. Recently I've read: The Duff by Kody Keplinger, Outside by Nicole Sewell, Gone Baby Gone by Dennis LeHane, and The Witches: Salem by Stephanie Schiff. Basically, if it sounds interesting, I'll read it!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: purple;">A:</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> We all need a hero! Tell us about your protagonist?</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: blue;"><b>H:</b></span> Molly Anderson is a fourteen-year-old girl that lives with her dad, older brother Ben, and grandmother in a rural Michigan town. She gets the shock of her life when her widowed father announces that he's getting remarried to a woman Molly has only met once (and didn't particularly like.) Her new stepmother is also bringing along her three teenagers: Joseph, Clara, and Sam. The book takes place over the summer before Molly starts high school. I would describe her as intelligent, funny, shy, and curious.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><span style="color: purple;">A:</span></b> What was your favorite chapter (or part) to write and why?</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: blue;"><b>H: </b></span>I really enjoyed writing the interactions between Molly and her neighbor Max. Max and his family are unlike any of the other Oak Lake residents she knows. She isn't quite sure what to make of Max so I was able to have a lot of fun with that. I also loved writing all of Ben's scenes just because he's so sarcastic and (hopefully) funny.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><span style="color: purple;">A:</span></b> Is there a message in your novel that you hope readers will grasp?</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: blue;"><b>H:</b> </span>Change can be a really scary thing and Molly is dealing with one change after another. I'd like the readers take away that change can be scary but, in many cases, it can also be a really good thing; it can be something to learn from, and grow from.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: purple;"><b>A:</b></span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Do you have anything specific that you want to say to your readers?</span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: blue;"><b>H:</b></span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> As far as the tone of the book, I do want to note that while the situations Molly deals with are serious, there is a lot of humor throughout the book as well. Also, </span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Trouble with Family</span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> is the first book in a series but it can be read as a standalone title. While Molly's journey will continue in future books, there isn't a huge cliffhanger. So if someone wants to read this without committing to a series, they can do that. The eBook is going to be $0.99 until March 3, when it's released so I recommend per-ordering if you'd like to save a few bucks!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: purple;"><b>A:</b></span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> A good villain is hard to write. How did you get in touch with your inner villain to write this book?</span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span style="color: blue;">H: </span></b>This story doesn't have a flat-out villain. I think what's interesting about this book is that, depending on the character, the "villain" changes. For Molly, her new stepsister Clara is certainly her nemesis. For Clara, the bad guy would be Ben. How you view yourself and how others view you can be so completely different. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: purple;"><b>A: </b></span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">What did you enjoy most about writing this book?</span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span style="color: blue;">H:</span></b> I had a great time writing this book. Writing is a passion and an escape for me. I enjoy stepping into other people's shoes and I get to do that when I write. I look forward to continuing to write about Molly and her family.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><span style="color: purple;">A:</span></b> When and why did you begin writing?</span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span style="color: blue;">H:</span></b> Before I could write I would dictate tales to my mom and she would write them down. So I've been coming up with stories since a very young age. Once I learned to write I would create short stories about all sorts of things! I can't recall a time when I haven't enjoyed writing.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span style="color: purple;">A:</span></b> What projects are you working on at the present?</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><span style="color: blue;">H:</span></b> I'm working on a novel called </span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Spark</span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> at the moment. It's a YA book that's darker in tone than</span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Trouble with Family</span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> but still focuses on real life issues that teenagers deal with. After that's finished, I'm going to get working on the second Molly Anderson book.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><span style="color: purple;">A:</span></b> What do your plans for future projects include?</span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: blue;"><b>H:</b></span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> I am planning to release the second book in the Molly Anderson series in 2017. It will be titled</span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Wooden Nickels and Elevator Passes</span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and follow Molly through her first year of high school. All of the characters from the first book will return, as well as some new faces.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><span style="color: purple;">A:</span></b> What is your preferred method to have readers get in touch with your or follow you?</span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><span style="color: blue;">H:</span></b> I'm on Goodreads (https:</span><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/heather_hobbs"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">www.goodreads.com/heather_hobbs</span></a><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">), Twitter (@HeatherHobbs01), and I have a blog (</span><a href="http://heatherhobbsblog.wordpress.com/"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">heatherhobbsblog.wordpress.com</span></a><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.) I check all three very frequently so please feel free to contact me!</span></span></div>
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Many thanks to Heather for doing this interview! I hope that you enjoyed it. Please pre-order her book online through <b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Trouble-Family-Molly-Anderson-Book-ebook/dp/B019HRROSM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1450726521&sr=8-1&keywords=the+trouble+with+family" target="_blank">Amazon</a> </b>and <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-trouble-with-family-heather-hobbs/1123150619?ean=2940152529364#productInfoTabs" target="_blank"><b>Barnes and Nobles</b></a>.<br />
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Much Love, Peace and Blessings<br />
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<script src="https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js"></script>Ama et Bemmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04713755578560939003noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2871099944988038808.post-17917335209658258642016-01-24T11:00:00.000-08:002016-03-02T10:26:22.953-08:00Dear Writer, Dream<div style="text-align: center;">
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Preface</div>
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Today on Ama et Bemma, we are privileged to continue our "Dear Writers" blog series with a guest post from author and Pastor, Chyrs Cymri. In late February, I will be reading and reviewing Cymri's novel <span style="color: #741b47;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B013YOBSJU/ref=x_gr_w_visstd_sin_t1_control_bb?ie=UTF8&tag=x_gr_w_visstd_sin_t1_control_bb-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B013YOBSJU&SubscriptionId=1MGPYB6YW3HWK55XCGG2" target="_blank">THE DRAGON THRONE</a>, </span>but I was so excited about her and what she is doing that I asked her to submit a post for our series. It is great when a writer can be frank about their craft, and are willing to share that with others. It is also eye opening for other writers to suddenly realize that they are not alone in their feelings, and that others share similar sentiments. Many thanks to Chyrs for allowing us to take a look into the heart of her faith and the heart of her craft.<br />
<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.2; white-space: pre-wrap;">Dear Writer,</span></div>
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<b id="docs-internal-guid-69965f4d-ad8e-0590-3d1b-ab252eb8b5d5" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Well, this isn’t where I thought I’d end up, is it? I had thought that the dreams I had as a teenager were dead and buried in my mid thirties. And here I am, going to be 50 next year, and my dreams have been reborn. But they’ve come back in a far different way.</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I’ve been writing since I was ten years old. And I had the (misfortune?) of winning a short story contest when I was 17. This was on the weekly Southern California science fiction radio programme called ‘Hour 25.’ The short story became the first chapter of ‘Dragons Can Only Rust,’ and the agent who was one of the judges agreed to represent the book when I finally finished it at the age of 27.</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I’ve looked back at my journals from when I finished the novel. I was miserable in my job, working for a national bank in a dysfunctional team. My dreams were to make it big, to write bestsellers and become a full time writer. And when TSR picked up the book, and released it as two books, I thought that this was it. My dreams would come true.</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The books came out. They sold… a bit. Then TSR went out of business, and bookstores shipped back their copies. My agent was no longer interested in me. Life was busy, I was in a new job and slightly less miserable, and I stopped writing. I decided that I’d never make it as a writer. My dreams had died. </span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Then, last year, a friend of mine asked, ‘Why have you stopped writing? Haven’t you seen the reviews for your books on Amazon?’ To my surprise, people had read my novels and loved them. They wrote about the inspiration the books had given them. I’ve also had emails from people to say that they started to write their own novels because of me! My dreams, I realised, had fed the dreams of others. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In the meantime, I have shifted careers, and I am now very happy and fulfilled as a full time Christian minister. And so I now view life differently. </span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">You see, God had a dream. He conceived of a world in which humans would live in love and harmony. He sent his own son, Jesus, into our world to express this dream in human form. Jesus was the ‘man for others’, always seeking to help and to heal other people. He showed the world that God’s dreams were for others--for </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">us</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I’m pulling out those books I filed away on my computer system and I’m now self publishing them. I have regained the rights to my two original books, and they are once again available. And I’m writing again. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I know that my books won’t sell by the thousands. But my dream is now for those who read them. If my book inspires them to write, or just helps them get through a bad day, then I’m happy. I am now following my dreams--a dream which is for others. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">What’s holding you back from dreaming for yourself--and others?</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~Chrys Cymri</span></div>
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Follow Chyrs on social media!<br />
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/chryscymri">https://www.facebook.com/chryscymri</a><br />
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1076161.Chrys_Cymri">https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1076161.Chrys_Cymri</a><br />
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Ama et Bemmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04713755578560939003noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2871099944988038808.post-70293320534199719432016-01-22T17:42:00.002-08:002016-01-22T18:13:58.583-08:00Tia Mitsis Guest Post: "How I Turned an Idea into a Book"<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12px;">
Hello Everyone,</div>
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I know that it quite odd to get a post from me in the middle of the week, but I wanted to keep sharing the interviews and guest posts from the authors who are participating in the New Year New Books blog tour! We will have a post this Sunday/Monday, but I really wanted to share Tia's post! </div>
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Tia is that author of "A Greek Odyssey." I hope to share more about her book in the future (and I encourage you to check it out!). As for today, we will be reading her beautiful and inspiring guest post. Enjoy!</div>
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How I turned an idea into a book</h4>
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This time last year, I was browsing the books at a book fair, looking for some great bargains. I wasn’t <span id="goog_578318868"></span>particularly thinking about writing – my first book was coming out in March 2015. I was not thinking of writing something new. As I browsed the travel section, I picked up the books about Greece. It’s my heritage, so holds a special interest. I love to go there and love to see it written about in books. All the books were either travel guides or were fictional stories set in Greece as the writer or a hero/heroine dealt with some life issue or another while on a Greek island. Where was mainland Greece (besides Athens)? Did no one want to write about the stunning locations on the mainland, many not well known to tourists who don’t venture off the beaten track?<br />
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I mused over this briefly but soon preparation for the release of ‘When Study Goes Wrong’ took over. It was published in March in paperback and then on Kindle in April. It was over, yet the marketing and promotion needed constant efforts. Despite all that, in April I somehow sat down and wrote some ideas for a travel book down. I remembered my trip to the book fair and somehow ended up with a skeleton plan for a new book. Writing another book after the exhaustion and ups and downs related to my first book was not something I wanted to do. Yet...the idea was there and by May I was starting to research locations, their history and writing chapters.<br />
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I made plans to physically visit places that I wanted to include but had not yet seen. My trip was in August and September, by which time I had written half of the book’s content and outlined the remainder of the chapters that I would write once I had visited the other areas. I had researched and written about their histories and left myself the scope to include other areas I would discover while in Greece.</div>
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In Greece, I had the unique experience of writing about areas I had not previously visited as I explored them. I took copious notes by hand as I wandered around with a pen and notebook. I took away pamphlets, spoke to locals and experienced local art, activities, food and drink. ‘A Greek Odyssey’ was born. It took shape by October, I completed my own edits in November and it was then ready for editing by the publisher. In December, the cover, back cover and final edits were completed. In January, the final design and format was approved and I am now just weeks away from the official publication of my book.</div>
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It will be 9 months since the concept was put down on paper to publication into a tangible book that I am proud to present to the world. ‘A Greek Odyssey’ is an expression of my love for Greece, my desire to highlight the hidden gems of Greece and to focus on the areas that my parents themselves come from. The Greece I introduce readers to is a Greece filled with beauty, history and scenery that needs to be seen to be believed.<br />
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How does anyone become a writer? I’ve outlined how I got from 0 words to a full book. Book writing isn’t easy, if it was, everyone would be doing it. So how do you take an idea and turn it into a book?</div>
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Firstly, it needs to be an idea that is broad enough to become a book, but not so broad that the ideas and story jump all over the place. It needs to be structured, with a clear outline to work from. This doesn’t stop you adding ideas, or changing concepts that don’t end up working for you. It simply is a guide, a fluid guide which moves and changes along with your writing.<br />
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Choosing a topic is very important. Why are you the best person to write about this topic, what other books are out there on this topic? Is your perspective new and fresh, does it lend to the knowledge and literature in the area of your choice? Do you need contributors? Who are you writing for? Do you have a clear understanding of your intended audience? All of these questions and more need to be asked before you start to write or at least when you have written some of the manuscript and have a better idea where you’re heading with it.<br />
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Then what? Do you start writing and see how far you get or start writing only once you have done all your research and outlined each chapter? This depends on your own method of writing and working. Some fully research their book before writing, others start to write and research as they go. Fictional works need the writer to know where they want to go, how each plot line and character develops is an artistic work in its intricacy. For a non-fiction book the focus is on covering topics and sub-topics, bringing in research and raising discussion points around each.<br />
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All you need is an idea and you can create from it what you want – a blog post, an article, a feature article or an entire book. It’s up to you and up to the topic you choose. My advice is to read widely and let ideas grow – you never know where an idea may take you.</div>
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<i><b>~Tia Mitsis</b></i></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">Learn more about Tia via her </span><a href="http://authortia.wix.com/tiamitsis" style="background-color: yellow;" target="_blank">website</a><span style="background-color: white;"> and</span><span style="background-color: yellow;"> <a href="https://twitter.com/tia_author" target="_blank">twitter</a></span><span style="background-color: white;">. Want to learn more about her book? Check out her amazon page! </span><br />
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Ama et Bemma:</div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">You can keep following the tour even as it winds down by heading over to our event </span><a href="http://amabemma.blogspot.com/2016/01/new-year-new-books-2016-first-tour-stop.html" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: yellow;">homepage</span> </a><span style="background-color: white;">and by entering our contest.</span></div>
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Thanks for reading!</div>
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Many Blessings and Much Love,</div>
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Ama et Bemmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04713755578560939003noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2871099944988038808.post-23209511215281030352016-01-17T19:45:00.001-08:002016-01-17T19:45:46.837-08:00Author Interview: Ellie Firestone | New Year New Books 2016 Blog Tour<span style="font-family: inherit;">Hello, everyone! Today on the blog we have an interview with Ellie Firestone, the author of the children's book "Super Sporty 8: The Attack of the Pegasi." You can buy "Super Sporty 8" on Amazon (<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Super-Sporty-8-Attack-Pegasi-ebook/dp/B017T2AV1E/" target="_blank">US link</a>...<a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Super-Sporty-8-Attack-Pegasi-ebook/dp/B017T2AV1E/" target="_blank">UK link</a>). It's a 12,000 word, Children's Sci-fi novel.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>"<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sporty and her best friend, Harley, are two young horses who play basketball for Horsecitty's professional team called the Shorthorns. They're also superheroes.</span></i><span id="docs-internal-guid-014db958-5298-b8da-0325-bc10b52fbd16"><i><br /></i></span><span id="docs-internal-guid-014db958-5298-b8da-0325-bc10b52fbd16"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>In this adventure, Horsecitty's skies are visited by an unusual sight -- a flock of real live pegasi! From the start, it's clear that they're nothing but trouble -- not only can they shoot lasers from their eyes, but they're led by one of Sporty and Harley's old enemies: the evil Tombulus Mako. Hopelessly outgunned and outnumbered, Sporty and Harley must solve the mysteries of the pegasi and defeat their army before they lay waste to all of Horsecitty ... and the world!</i></span></span><span id="docs-internal-guid-014db958-5298-b8da-0325-bc10b52fbd16"><i><br /></i></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>If you like horses, if you like superheroes, if you like adventure and aliens, then you'll love Super Sporty and the rest of the Horsecitty gang."</i></span></span></blockquote>
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<span style="vertical-align: baseline;"><b style="color: black; line-height: normal; white-space: normal;"><i>Interview</i></b></span></h3>
<span style="vertical-align: baseline;">Ama et Bemma: Where are you from</span><br />
<span style="color: #6600cc; font-style: italic; line-height: 1.39453;">Ellie Firestone: I've lived in England all my life, so I suppose you'd say that's where I'm from. However, I'm half Texan (that's different to American, y'all!) so I spend a lot of time in the States as well.</span></div>
</span></span><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 1.39453;">A: What are your current projects?</span></span><br />
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<span style="vertical-align: baseline;">E: </span><span style="color: #6600cc; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline;">I'm working on the ninth book in my Super Sporty series, and I'm also working on a YA urban fantasy-ish novel called the Dreamon.</span></div>
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<span style="vertical-align: baseline;">A: If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything in your latest book?</span></div>
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<span style="vertical-align: baseline;">E: </span><span style="color: #6600cc; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline;">I like to think not, because I spent ages trying to get it just right. Of course, if I really want to change something, I can just upload a different file to CreateSpace. You gotta love Amazon sometimes.</span></div>
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<span style="vertical-align: baseline;">A: Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing? </span></div>
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<span style="color: #6600cc; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline;">E: When I get THE BLOCK. The only way I can get out of it is to sit down and force myself to think my way out of whatever situation I've gotten my characters into. And sometimes, the only way to fix things is to delete the last thirty pages and start again.</span></div>
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<span style="vertical-align: baseline;"> A: Who designed the covers? </span></div>
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<span style="color: #6600cc; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline;">E: I did :) Cover design has been a massive learning curve for me. I used to just draw pictures, scan them in, and stick words over the top (unsurprisingly, it looked absolutely terrible), but I've since read up on the ins and outs of a good cover and nowadays I can put together something that looks pretty decent.</span></div>
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<span style="vertical-align: baseline;"> A: Do you have any advice for other writers? </span></div>
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<span style="color: #6600cc; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline;">E: When it comes time to edit your book, try reading the whole thing out loud. You'd be surprised how many mistakes you catch that way</span></div>
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<span style="vertical-align: baseline;">A: We all need a hero! Tell us about your protagonist(s)? Was there a real-life inspiration behind him or her?</span></div>
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<span style="vertical-align: baseline;">E: </span><span style="color: #6600cc; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline;">In my Super Sporty series, the protagonist is a superhero horse named Sporty. Sporty is actually a real horse, who lives in Texas, and I go to see her sometimes (her owner is even kind enough to let me ride her occasionally!). As far as I know, the real Sporty can't fly. But you never know…</span></div>
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<span style="vertical-align: baseline;">A: Where did your love of books/storytelling/reading/writing/etc. come from? </span></div>
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<span style="color: #6600cc; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline;">E: I'm not really sure. My mother read to me a lot when I was little, but have a theory that a love of reading and writing is inherent in my nature.</span></div>
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<span style="vertical-align: baseline;">A: How long have you been writing? </span></div>
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<span style="color: #6600cc; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline;">E:: Since forever, it seems! I started writing before I could physically hold a pen. Instead, I dictated to my mother, and she wrote my stories down. This would have been when I was about three or four. I still occasionally find one of my old stories tucked away in a box somewhere, or underneath someone's bed.</span></div>
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<span style="vertical-align: baseline;">A: How do you feel about ebooks vs. print books and alternative vs. conventional publishing? </span></div>
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<span style="color: #6600cc; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline;">E: I think ebooks are certainly here to stay, but they will never replace print books. Both formats are brilliant, but for different reasons. Same with traditional and indie publishing. Traditional publishing certainly produces some brilliant books, and you can be sure of a certain standard of quality, but its nature means that a lot of great books get rejected, and the percentage of royalties for authors are low. Indie publishing gives authors the lion's share of the royalties, allows a lot more creative control, and also produces some great books, but it also produces a lot of, shall we say, rubbish. I think either form of publishing is a great way to produce a book (but a vanity press is a terrible idea, no matter how you slice it).</span></div>
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<span style="vertical-align: baseline;">A: What process did you go through to get your book published?</span></div>
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<span style="vertical-align: baseline;">E: </span><span style="color: #6600cc; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline;">I decided to self-publish the Super Sporty series, because I wanted to have complete creative control of it. Specifically, the illustrations and design were very important to me, and I felt that it would be better if I did them myself instead of letting a publisher or illustrator do it for me (I'm a bit of a control freak). The actual publishing started off when my computer-geek dad figuring out how to format a book for Kindle, and it just went from there.</span></div>
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<span style="vertical-align: baseline;">A: What makes your book stand out from the crowd?</span></div>
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<span style="vertical-align: baseline;">E: </span><span style="color: #6600cc; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline;">The subject matter, I think. Super Sporty is about superhero horses who play basketball, eat pizza, and fight evil aliens in order to save the world. And one of them has a pet iguana.</span></div>
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<span style="vertical-align: baseline;">A: What are some ways in which you promote your work? Do you find that these add to or detract from your writing time?</span></div>
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<span style="vertical-align: baseline;">E: </span><span style="color: #6600cc; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline;">I blog extensively, and I'm also pretty active on Twitter and Goodreads. These things do take time away from my writing (especially when I go to post a tweet, and instead end up reading the entire feed for a funny hashtag, or get sidetracked on some writer's website). I think that social media can definitely be useful, though, and it often helps me to blow off a bit of steam after an intense writing session.</span></div>
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<span style="vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: white;">Ellie, thank you for being a part of the New Year New Books Tour! Also, dear reader, you can join in on the fun of the tour as well! Enter the giveaway below, leave a comment or two, and check out the other tour hosts</span><span style="background-color: yellow;"> <a href="http://amabemma.blogspot.com/2016/01/new-year-new-books-2016-first-tour-stop.html" target="_blank">through this link!</a></span></span></div>
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<span style="vertical-align: baseline;">Learn more about Ellie on her <a href="http://www.elliefirestone.com/" style="background-color: yellow;" target="_blank">blog</a> and follow her on her social media! </span><a href="https://www.instagram.com/elliefirestone/" style="background-color: yellow; line-height: 1.39453;" target="_blank">Instagram</a><span style="line-height: 1.39453;">! </span><a href="http://twitter.com/elliefirestone1" style="background-color: yellow; line-height: 1.39453;" target="_blank">Twitter</a><span style="line-height: 1.39453;">! </span><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7957934.Ellie_Firestone" style="background-color: yellow; line-height: 1.39453;" target="_blank">Goodreads</a><span style="line-height: 1.39453;">! </span><a href="https://uk.pinterest.com/elliefirestone/" style="background-color: yellow; line-height: 1.39453;" target="_blank">Pinterest</a><span style="line-height: 1.39453;">!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Also, I have so much on my queue for this blog!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I have two more posts for the Dear Writer series, two more posts for this book tour, 4 reviews to put up, and a personal post about being in graduate school. That's about two months worth of content! Wowzers. I am currently backed up in my reviews and i'm booked all the way through mid-June (wow, just wow). I have open spots for my editing and author services programs. I am also looking into hosting a bigger free tour in the summer! I always update my sidebar with the giveaways i'm hosting, the book I am currently reading and the book I just finished. Be on the lookout for more amazing stuff from this blog! Is there anything you would like to see done on Ama et Bemma? Did you enjoy this interview? Let me know!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Peace, Love and Blessings</span></div>
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Ama et Bemmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04713755578560939003noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2871099944988038808.post-64651403566053280162016-01-11T09:53:00.002-08:002016-02-08T14:35:13.373-08:00New Year, New Books 2016: First Tour Stop!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Happy New Year and welcome to the official start of the 2016 New Year New Books Blog Tour! This tour has been under development for a bit over 2 months, yet the amount of support I have received from across the blogsphere has been overwhelming! I use to participate in many tours and I enjoyed them a lot, but I also wanted to try my hand at this as well. I wanted to create a free bi-yearly tour on top of the tours that I offer through my <a href="http://amabemma.blogspot.com/p/author-services.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: #134f5c;"><span style="background-color: #c27ba0;">Author Services</span></span></a><span style="background-color: #c27ba0;">.</span> When I started announcing my intentions on platforms like <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/16602424-ama-bemma" style="background-color: #c27ba0;" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">GoodReads</span></a>, Google+ and Facebook, so many authors and bloggers were kind enough to participate! Unfortunately, I had to turn a few away because far too many signed up, but I am confident that I will host this event again in the summer. Please keep in touch if you would like to participate! </div>
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Putting this tour together has been a lot of work, but it has also been a lot of fun and it has shown me what sorts of things I need to do to make future tours an even better success. </div>
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This tour is meant to be fun and easy on the parts of the authors and the bloggers. The tour starts today and ends on the<b> 13th of February (The date was extended to allow more bloggers to make posts!)</b>, which gives the Blog Hosts an ample amount of time to create a post. </div>
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I would encourage all of you to follow the blogs of the Blog hosts. They are all incredible people who decided to participate and they are what make this event so great. Many thanks to our hosts!</div>
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<b><span style="color: #741b47;">The Blog Hosts</span></b></h3>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.8px;">Heidi-</span></span><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: 13px;"><u><a href="http://www.heidiangell.com/#!blog/cten">http://www.heidiangell.com/#!blog/cten</a></u></span></span></div>
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Joan-<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="http://fiddlerblue.wordpress.com/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">http://fiddlerblue.<wbr></wbr>wordpress.com</a></span></div>
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Rosa-<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px;"><a href="http://rosatemple.blogspot.co.uk/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">http://rosatemple.<wbr></wbr>blogspot.co.uk/</a></span></div>
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Joshua-<a href="http://13thhr.wordpress.com/" style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px;" target="_blank">13thhr.wordpress.com</a></div>
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Melissa-<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px;"><a href="http://www.mkbrander.com/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">http://www.mkbrander.<wbr></wbr>com</a></span></div>
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Arvenig-<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px;"><a href="http://www.arvenig.it/blog/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">www.arvenig.it/blog/</a></span></div>
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Tia-<a href="http://greektravelodyssey.wordpress.com/" style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px;" target="_blank">http://greektravelodyssey.<wbr></wbr>wordpress.com/</a></div>
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Emma-<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px;"><a href="https://theemmawoods.wordpress.com/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">https://theemmawoods.<wbr></wbr>wordpress.com</a></span></div>
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Sneha-<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px;"><a href="http://dreamsonfire-electrica.blogspot.com/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">http://dreamsonfire-<wbr></wbr>electrica.blogspot.com/</a></span></div>
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Tami-<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px;"><a href="http://reviewsbypageturners.blogspot.com/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">http://<wbr></wbr>reviewsbypageturners.blogspot.<wbr></wbr>com/</a></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px; text-align: center;">
Ellie -<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px;"><a href="http://www.elliefirestone.com/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">http://www.elliefirestone.<wbr></wbr>com/</a></span></div>
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Ama et Bemma-<a href="http://amabemma.blogspot.com/" style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px;" target="_blank">amabemma.blogspot.com</a> (<wbr></wbr>tour organizer)<br />
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<span style="color: purple;">The Authors </span></h3>
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<span style="color: purple;">This page will be updated during the tour with links to the blog posts that the Blog Hosts have made! </span></h4>
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<span style="color: purple;">Click the yellow highlights to see the post!</span></h4>
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Malinda Andrews' "Through the Mountains"--Posts made by<u><a href="https://fiddlerblue.wordpress.com/2016/01/12/introducing-author-malinda-andrews-nynb-2016-tour-giveaway/" target="_blank"> <span style="background-color: yellow;">Joan</span></a>,</u> <a href="https://13thhr.wordpress.com/2016/01/22/new-year-new-books-tour-2016-featured-author-malinda-andrews/" style="background-color: yellow;" target="_blank">Josh</a><br />
Joshua Blum's "The Thirteenth Hour"--Posts by <a href="https://fiddlerblue.wordpress.com/2016/01/18/introducing-author-joshua-blum-nynb-2016-tour-giveaway/" style="background-color: yellow;" target="_blank">Joan</a><br />
Dylan Callen's "Operation Cosmic Teapot"--Posts by <a href="https://greektravelodyssey.wordpress.com/2016/01/18/operation-cosmic-teapot/" style="background-color: yellow;" target="_blank">Tia</a><br />
Christine Church's "Sand's of Time"--Posts by <a href="http://reviewsbypageturners.blogspot.com/2016/01/guest-post-christine-church.html" style="background-color: yellow;" target="_blank">Tami</a><br />
Chrys Cymri's "The Dragon Throne"-- Posts made by <a href="http://www.heidiangell.com/#!Author-Interview-Chrys-Cymri/c1c63/56940ed50cf20ee37c6e5918" style="background-color: yellow;" target="_blank">Heidi</a><br />
J.D. Cunegan's "Blood Ties"--Posts by <a href="https://greektravelodyssey.wordpress.com/2016/01/20/blood-ties/" style="background-color: yellow;" target="_blank">Tia</a><br />
Chikasmo Efobi's "Twisted in a Positive Way"--Posts by <a href="http://rosatemple.blogspot.co.uk/2016/01/new-year-new-books-tour-and-giveaway_20.html" style="background-color: yellow;" target="_blank">Rosa</a><br />
Ellie Firestone's "Super Sporty 8: The Attack of the Pegasi"--Posts made by <a href="http://amabemma.blogspot.com/2016/01/author-interview-ellie-firestone-new.html" style="background-color: yellow;" target="_blank">Ama et Bemma</a><br />
Eva Flynn's "Renegade Queen"--Posts by <a href="http://rosatemple.blogspot.co.uk/2016/01/new-year-new-books-tour-and-giveaway.html" style="background-color: yellow;" target="_blank">Rosa</a><br />
LoArna Green's "All the Darkness"--Posts by <a href="http://rosatemple.blogspot.co.uk/2016/01/new-year-new-books-tour-and-giveaway_18.html" style="background-color: yellow;" target="_blank">Rosa</a>, <a href="https://13thhr.wordpress.com/2016/01/19/new-year-new-books-blog-tour-2016-featured-author-loarna-green/" style="background-color: yellow;" target="_blank">Josh</a><br />
Tyler S. Harris' "Immortal Peace"--Posts by <a href="https://theemmawoods.wordpress.com/2016/01/21/author-highlight-tyler-s-harris/" style="background-color: yellow;" target="_blank">Emma</a><br />
Aaron Hodges's "Stormwielder"--Posts by <a href="https://theemmawoods.wordpress.com/2016/01/15/author-highlight-aaron-d-hodges/" style="background-color: yellow;" target="_blank">Emma</a><br />
Joe Jackson's "White Serpent Black Dragon"-- <span style="background-color: yellow;"><a href="https://13thhr.wordpress.com/tag/joejackson/" target="_blank">Joshua</a> </span><br />
Ruth Kaufman's "The Bride Tournament"---Posts by <a href="http://rosatemple.blogspot.co.uk/2016/01/new-year-new-books-2016-tour-and.html" style="background-color: yellow;" target="_blank">Rosa</a><br />
John Kang's "Dragonscale Lute"--Posts by <a href="https://fiddlerblue.wordpress.com/2016/01/16/introducing-author-john-kang-nynb-2016-giveaway/" style="background-color: yellow;" target="_blank">Joan</a>, <span style="background-color: yellow;">Ama et Bemma</span><br />
Sidavy Kuong's "The Dying Falcon"-- Posts by <a href="http://www.heidiangell.com/#!Author-Interview-Sidvay-Kuong/c1c63/569aa7810cf2e09925747ba3" style="background-color: yellow;" target="_blank">Heidi</a><br />
Ben Mariner's "Apocalypse Wow"--Posts by <a href="https://theemmawoods.wordpress.com/2016/01/16/author-interview-ben-mariner/" style="background-color: yellow;" target="_blank">Emma</a><br />
Assaph Mehr's "Murder in Absentia" ---Posts made by <a href="https://greektravelodyssey.wordpress.com/2016/01/13/murder-in-absentia/" style="background-color: yellow;" target="_blank">Tia</a>,<a href="https://fiddlerblue.wordpress.com/2016/01/20/introducing-author-assaph-mehr-nynb-2016-tour-giveaway/" target="_blank"> <span style="background-color: yellow;">Joan</span></a><br />
Brianna Michaels' "Passion"--Posts made by <a href="http://reviewsbypageturners.blogspot.com/2016/01/author-interview-brianna-michaels.html" style="background-color: yellow;" target="_blank">Tami</a><br />
Tia Mitsis' "A Greek Odyssey"--Posts by <a href="http://amabemma.blogspot.com/2016/01/tia-mitsis-guest-post-how-i-turned-idea.html" style="background-color: yellow;" target="_blank">Ama et Bemma</a><br />
Christie V. Powell's "The Spectra Unearthed"--Posts made by <a href="https://theemmawoods.wordpress.com/2016/01/31/author-highlight-christie-v-powell/" style="background-color: yellow;" target="_blank">Emma</a><br />
Vanishka Prusty's "Rebel"-- Posts made by <span style="background-color: yellow;"><a href="http://www.arvenig.it/blog/vanshika-prusty/" target="_blank">Arvenig</a></span><br />
Nicole Sewell's "Outside"-- Posts by <a href="https://theemmawoods.wordpress.com/2016/01/20/author-interview-nicole-sewell/" style="background-color: yellow;" target="_blank">Emma</a><br />
Rosa Temple's "Natalie's Getting Married"--Posts by <a href="http://reviewsbypageturners.blogspot.com/2016/01/excerpt-natalies-getting-married-by.html" style="background-color: yellow;" target="_blank">Tami</a></div>
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C.E. Wilson's "Five-Seven-Five"-- Posts made by <a href="http://www.elliefirestone.com/2016/01/new-year-new-books-2016-blog-tour-five.html" style="background-color: yellow;" target="_blank">Ellie</a>, <a href="http://www.heidiangell.com/#!Author-Interview-CE-Wilson/c1c63/569a9f960cf210383196de24" style="background-color: yellow;" target="_blank">Heidi</a></div>
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Emma Woods' "Beasts and Savages"-- Posts made by <a href="http://mkbrander.com/2016/01/11/emma-woods-author-interview/" style="background-color: yellow;" target="_blank">Melissa</a></div>
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<b><span style="color: #741b47; font-size: large;">The Giveaway</span></b></h4>
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<b> (more will be added on over the course of the next few days!!!)</b></h4>
<a class="rcptr" data-raflid="6ac455060" data-template="" data-theme="classic" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/6ac455060/" id="rcwidget_lgkcw07g" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a><br />
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<b><i><br /></i></b><b><i> Are you excited for the hop? Would you like to be included in future hops? Let me know in the comment section below!</i></b></div>
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Much Love, Peace and Joy,<br />
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<script src="https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js"></script>Ama et Bemmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04713755578560939003noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2871099944988038808.post-29940973461249017182015-12-28T11:21:00.006-08:002015-12-28T13:30:56.585-08:00"Writing Flash Fiction" by Carly Berg || Book Review<div dir="ltr" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: inherit; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.38; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">*In accordance with the </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 18.48px; text-align: justify;">Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising, I am letting you know that </span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;">I was paid for this review* <b>Correction</b>: I refunded Carly, and am instead doing a "fair and honest." My decision to give this book 3-stars has not </span></span><span style="line-height: 13.8px; white-space: pre-wrap;">changed</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;"> based on this. </span></span></span></i></div>
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<a href="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41N0QeipEsL._SX311_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41N0QeipEsL._SX311_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg" height="320" width="200" /></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Carly not only opens up this book by telling us why she is an authority when it comes to flash-fiction writing, but she lets other writers know that she understands what it feels like to be a new writer. The failures coupled with little success that you hope will one day become a larger success are a part of Carly’s narrative and motive for creating “Writing Flash Fiction.”</span></div>
<b id="docs-internal-guid-88b7e6ae-e9f7-5fd1-2704-1eb160a0ca1b" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The text takes on a colloquial, even conversational, tone. This is good because you feel as if you can more easily relate with the text, but all the extra asides also made me feel as if I was not listening to an authority on the subject matter, but rather a well-written blog post.I am personally not too sure about how I feel about the style of this book. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Berg spends the first few pages breaking down what flash-fiction is. As somebody with little knowledge on the genre, I felt as if I was given a complete and comprehensible understanding of the subject matter. Berg then goes on to make a point that permeates throughout the rest of her text:</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Once you get a routine going, stories happen regularly. We are creatures of habit and when your mind makes that connection between time, place, ritual, and writing, all you have to do is B.I.T.C.H. (Butt In The Chair, Honey) and stories occur. I’ve heard it takes three weeks to make a habit, which sounds about right to me. You don’t have to do it perfectly, just work at it and don’t give up. A routine followed halfway or a quarter of the way still gets you many more stories than you’d have otherwise.”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Her main point is that, although she is giving you ideas on the subject matter and is giving prompts, a writer’s job is to create a routine out of writing. I wish that she had spent time explaining how people can go about doing this. That would have added a lot of value to this book. </span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Overall, I feel that this books is good for anybody who wants to write (not just flash-fiction writers). I also think that is only really helpful to new and inexperienced writers. A lot of the information (besides the information on flash-fiction itself) is common knowledge to most writers. I can see this book being used in an introductory writing course as a supplemental text for students to use when they're figuring out how to get their ideas onto the page.Basic components of writing (plot, character, POV, setting etc) are brought up and explained. This would be great for new writers who do not know these things. Berg also has a list of resources that writers can use (websites, magazines etc) to better their craft.</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">At the end of each chapter, Berg gives her readers a list of “actions,” things they should do to enhance their flash-fiction writing skills. I feel like these are the most useful parts of her book. It summarizes what was said in the chapter and tells you what to do to improve your writing with those main points in mind. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Overall, I would consider this book to be concise and most likely helpful to new writers. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #a64d79; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: #cc0000; color: lime; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Writing-Flash-Fiction-Published-Re-Publish/dp/0692355006/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top?ie=UTF8" target="_blank">Buy it on Amazon.</a></span></div>
Ama et Bemmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04713755578560939003noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2871099944988038808.post-602076409460273642015-12-21T06:40:00.002-08:002016-01-29T07:36:18.775-08:00Elizabeth Joseph | Author Interview<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Prologue</span></b></i></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">This week we'll be sitting down with the author of<span style="color: lime;"> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Twin-Reflections-Maze-Mirrors-1/dp/1515376397/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1447787795&sr=8-1&keywords=twin+reflections" target="_blank"><span style="color: lime;">TWIN REFLECTIONS</span></a>-</span>-Elizabeth Joseph. This interview with Elizabeth causes me to nostalgically remember that I too was once a young writer. Whenever I meet young poets and novelists, I feel a strong urge to encourage them and to applaud them for taking on this world (quite literally!) of storytelling and poetry. There is nothing more exciting than to see budding, young talent. I hope that you enjoy this conversation I had with Elizabeth!</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>When and why did you begin writing?</i></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I think around the third grade, which I've noticed is the starting place for a lot of people, because that was when I really remember sticking with writing stories. I don't really remember why. The reason always seems to change based on where I am at what point in life.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>I also started writing around that age! For me, it was second grade. Great minds think alike! Anyways, what inspired you to write your first book?</i></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">So, unsurprisingly, I was inspired by a mirror maze I went to in fifth grade. After that I wanted to write a story, and started the very first draft of Twin Reflections in my local school aftercare, and then a bunch of other ideas came about. I mean, they weren't necessarily super original, but they were ideas that I wanted to write about and put together. I posted a bunch of "chapters" up on my old school blog (which is deleted now, I believe), and you can find some old sections in <a href="http://elizabookjoseph.wordpress.com/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">elizabookjoseph.wordpress.com</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><b>Who designed the covers?</b></i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">We found an editor who designed the first cover and hired a third party to do the cover art and the second was done by a colleague of my father.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>Why did you choose this title?</i></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">My dad and I were tossing out titles, trying to figure out what the book should be called. The very first one, from way back in fifth grade, was The Palace of Mirrors - and given that the current story has little to no focus on palaces of mirrors, the title was no longer relevant. He came up with Twin Reflections - which I liked a lot. It's a pun on the story, as the two main characters are twins, their experiences become a reflection of one another, and there are literal twin reflections, as they are in a mirror maze. There's many meanings to the title, and I think as you read you get to interpret the title in different ways at different points.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">TL;DR: I chose it because it was a giant pun.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>I think that when I read the novel, i'll have a lot of giggles with that pun. Quite clever. I hope you develop that idea more. So it seems like you were inspired by some puns, but were you also inspired by any authors or books?</i></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">So, so many. Way back, I loved Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson and Heroes of Olympus series's and the Secret Series by Pseudonymous Bosch. I love Philip Pullman, Tamora Pierce, and Neil Gaiman's works. When I can't read books, I read short stories or fiction on the internet, and a lot of how I write is an amalgamation of a ton of different people, especially because as I kept writing I kept learning new things and (unintentionally) emulating certain styles. I'm very impressed by people who can make something visual with just a few words. I take paragraphs and paragraphs to try for the same effect.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I read comics too, art is always an inspiration. There are lots of good quotes by good people on <a href="http://zenpencils.com/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">zenpencils.com</a>, and fantastic fantasy art by Renae Taylor and I find lots of interesting stuff on social media.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">And J.K. Rowling, of course.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Goodness. Queen Rowling, Duchess Pierce, and Sir Riordan (that's what I call them in my head, haha) are some of my favorites. I actually follow Pierce on GoodReads. She has inspired the way I write and think about female characters. You should check out her blog at some point; it's amazing. If you had to choose, which writer would you sit down and have lunch with (alive or deceased)? Why?</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">This is really hard and I have no idea who to pick. If I can pick literally any writer, either Tamora Pierce or Lin Manuel Miranda (who wrote the musical Hamilton and technically counts). Miranda because he writes really well and his work is great and Tamora Pierce because she would be a great resource from whom I could get knowledge. I'm pretty indecisive when it comes to these questions because I'm indecisive and also because there are so many options. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I take this back, I'd want to have lunch with Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and probably ruin his life once he finds out how popular Sherlock Holmes became, or lunch with someone who really needed a good meal. I give up this is too much.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>Pierce. Pierce. Pierce. I'm so glad that we both love her. Anyways, what book(s) are you reading now?</i></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">As of right now, I've started the Welcome to Night Vale novel. I've put it on break, but I am reading it, even though I'm going through it really slowly.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>What process did you go through to get your book published?</i></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Twin Reflections is self published. We found an editor who led us to through the process. Time was the main goal, we were hoping to get it out before I started high school, but that didn't quite happen; TR was released about a month into school. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>Self publishing is getting pretty big now. It's cool that you had the resources to join in on that. What did you find most useful and most challenging in learning to write and in writing this book? </i></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Plotting was really difficult because I could never stick to the frame of events I created. I couldn't figure out which ending was right until I wrote it, and that was challenging. I read lots of blogs and works by other people about writing and that helped, as well as reading any type of writing by other people and developing stronger sense of what worked and what didn't. Ultimately what was most helpful were the responses I got from those who read and picked out things in the drafts, as they pointed out everything that was wrong. Everything. My dad picked holes in the logic of the story, I kept flipping over phrases and wording, a few people picked out things that they noticed were not right and rushed, and that helped me learn about what I was doing right and wrong too. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><b>It's great that your family was involved in the process. BETA readers make all the difference sometimes. What makes your book stand out from the crowd?</b></i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Strictly speaking, there is nothing that really makes my book stand out, because different things stand out to different people. I'm Indian-American. I wrote about a sister and brother duo who don't know what race they are and who have two different perspectives on their futures, and a queen who'd be East Asian in real life. I have the perspective of a teenager who has no idea what's happening at all ever, and that influences/influenced my writing a lot - and that's evident in my characters. I think the thing about teenagers is that we never really have it all figured out, no matter what adults who have things figured out want, and I tried to reflect that in my characters - I made them as real as I know how, as I know myself and the people I surround(ed) myself with, and I think that really makes it stand out, that perspective I have. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Another thing that I've realized from talking to people is that there are a lot of kids who like to write. There are so many people who want to write things. I'm really young, but I made a thing! And there are lots of people who may look at me and say, "gosh I'm old and I can't/haven't done anything" but that isn't true. I'm really lucky that I got to create TR, and there's a lot of potential in the story that I've not yet expanded on, and there's a long ways to go from 14 to the rest of my life and lots of things to do. I guess TR really stands out because a 14-year-old wrote it, and there's a lot more to be done with it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I'd have to say that the description I give people, "two twins go into a magical mirror maze" also really makes the story stand out, but.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>So you've spoken a lot about these twins. Who are they and are there any other protagonists? Was there a real-life inspiration behind him or her?</i></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The main three are Vera, Mark, and Missena. Vera can do magic and has a lot of self doubt. Mark is mostly ordinary but optimistic. Missena is the queen of her kingdom, and got there by means that led to her have an uneasy rule.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Honestly, there wasn't any one person in my life who directly inspired any of the characters. For some characters, I wrote and later realized that the traits they had were really similar to people I knew in real life. For other characters, I modeled a certain aspect of their character on a person I knew. One character in the story, Mark, has ideals that were (unintentionally) a variation of those from someone in my life. How Vera feels and deals with what she feels was a mix of a lot of people I knew, same for Mark, same for Missena. Ultimately, I wanted to let all of the characters be real and be relatable, but also a logical extension of who they are. </span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: inherit;">That's great. It is amazing that you've grasped that characters are not just figments of the imagination, but they are as tangible as you and I. I really shouldn't be </span>surprised<span style="font-family: inherit;">, I was once a young writer too, haha. What was your favorite chapter (or part) to write and why?</span></i></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The one part that really sticks out in my mind is this one scene (I'll be really vague so I won't spoil too much) where there's a thing with the heart and stuff, but I wouldn't say that's my favorite, although I do remember constantly going back and rewriting it. I think probably (SPOILER) the interactions between the reflections and their humans was a good part for me to write. I was looking over stuff from Sailor Moon, there's one scene where something similar happens with the characters in a mirror palace, and it was really good. It was really, really focused on the characters, and I tried to live up to that. I kept going over it, and when I finally figured out who Vera and Mark really were, and what they wanted, that was something. It's those breakthroughs that I really write for, I guess. I got that breakthrough about breakthroughs while writing about breakthroughs, so :|</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"><b><i>Can you share a bit of your work with us? </i></b></span><br />
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.8px;">An excerpt from "Twin Reflections":</span></span></i></b><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">"Vera turned around. Behind her stretched an entrance that was dark gray and muggy, at odds with the cool blue sea and rocky shore before her. She turned to look behind her. The entrance disappeared. She looked around. It was on top of the cliff with spikes and sharp edges, on the cliff’s surface. She would have to climb up to get there. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Vera cursed, looking around. Everything seemed barren from what she could see when she went further up the beach. If she and Mark stayed here they wouldn’t last long. If they went back in, there was a higher chance they would come across something or someone. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Even if she did stay here, everything felt dead. There was nothing here that she could pull something from, and her own spark of magic felt dampened. If her magic couldn’t work here, then she didn’t have any way to force Mark awake. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Vera reached in the knapsack and found a very long rope. She looked at it curiously, sure she hadn’t packed this much. After all, one never knew when rope was needed, but this was much more than what she had taken from the docks…it must have been part of the illusion. Vera tied it around Mark and the other end around her waist. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">She only felt the damp of the air like a soaked cloth thrown across her face and the taste of salt on her lips from a mermaid’s kiss. Vera tried to let green flare up in her hand, but nothing happened.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: inherit; white-space: pre-wrap;">She inhaled deeply, tasting the spray from the ocean and the salt in the air. The waves foamed as they crashed against the shore, dull blue against the pale sand. Some color between red and orange flared up from her hand. For a moment, everything seemed to ripple. Vera felt like she had eaten a sugar beet. The temporary energy rush was making her feel very optimistic, and maybe that was what made her start on the cliff."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.8px;"><b><i>Learn more about Elizabeth through her blog: </i></b></span></span><a href="http://elizabookjoseph.wordpress.com/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">elizabookjoseph.wordpress.com</a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Thanks for reading!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Much Love, Peace and Blessings,</span><br />
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Ama et Bemmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04713755578560939003noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2871099944988038808.post-90391846313113511282015-12-13T13:30:00.000-08:002015-12-29T14:09:06.804-08:00Christianity and the Syrian Refugee Crisis: "I was A Stranger and You Welcomed Me"<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Dear Reader,</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">As a preface, this blog is not only a BookBlog. It is everything I want it to be. I will have an Author interview up next week (it will be sooo exciting!), but as for this week, i'll be talking social justice and Christianity. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Joseph and the pregnant Mary were not refugees trudging through the land to get to Bethlehem. (They eventually ran away due to <a href="http://biblehub.com/matthew/2-13.htm" target="_blank"><span style="color: lime;">Herod wanting to kill Jesus</span></a><span style="color: #6aa84f;">,</span> but that is after the "Christmas" story.) But, prior to Jesus' birth, when they were heading to Bethlehem, they were not in fear for their lives; they were not running away from bombs being pelted upon their homes; they were not running away from a food shortage so severe that they had to ask for for credit just to feed their children bread; they were not so desperate that they had to bring their children across the sea just for the tug of the <span style="background-color: #6fa8dc;"><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ryan-gear/jesus-was-a-refugee_b_8594676.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: #4c1130;">ocean to drag their young children and loved ones into the dark and churning watery depth</span>s</a>.</span> That was not the case. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The Bible states:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">"<span class="text Luke-2-1" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 24px;">In those days <span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-24966A" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-24966A" title="See cross-reference A">A</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span>a decree went out from <span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-24966B" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-24966B" title="See cross-reference B">B</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span>Caesar Augustus that all the world should be <span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-24966C" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-24966C" title="See cross-reference C">C</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span>registered.</span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"> </span><span class="text Luke-2-2" id="en-ESV-24967" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 24px;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">2 </span>This was the first <span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-24967D" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-24967D" title="See cross-reference D">D</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span>registration when<span class="footnote" data-fn="#fen-ESV-24967a" data-link="[<a href="#fen-ESV-24967a" title="See footnote a">a</a>]" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">[<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+2&version=ESV#fen-ESV-24967a" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #b34b2c; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: top;" title="See footnote a">a</a>]</span> Quirinius <span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-24967E" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-24967E" title="See cross-reference E">E</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span>was governor of Syria.</span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"> </span><span class="text Luke-2-3" id="en-ESV-24968" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 24px;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">3 </span>And all went to be registered, each to his own town.</span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"> </span><span class="text Luke-2-4" id="en-ESV-24969" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 24px;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">4 </span>And Joseph also went up <span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-24969F" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-24969F" title="See cross-reference F">F</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span>from Galilee, from the town of <span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-24969G" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-24969G" title="See cross-reference G">G</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span>Nazareth, to Judea, to <span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-24969H" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-24969H" title="See cross-reference H">H</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span>the city of David, which is called <span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-24969I" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-24969I" title="See cross-reference I">I</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span>Bethlehem, <span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-24969J" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-24969J" title="See cross-reference J">J</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span>because he was of the house and lineage of David,</span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"> </span><span class="text Luke-2-5" id="en-ESV-24970" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 24px;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">5 </span>to be registered with Mary, his betrothed,<span class="footnote" data-fn="#fen-ESV-24970b" data-link="[<a href="#fen-ESV-24970b" title="See footnote b">b</a>]" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">[<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+2&version=ESV#fen-ESV-24970b" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #b34b2c; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: top;" title="See footnote b">b</a>]</span> who was with child." </span></span><br />
<span class="text Luke-2-5" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Luke 2:1-5, English Standard Version (ESV)</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="text Luke-2-5" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="line-height: 24px;">For Mary and Joseph, going to </span><span style="line-height: 24px;">Bethlehem</span><span style="line-height: 24px;"> was simply a matter of a census. They were not refugees. </span></span>Some people are calling this comparison "liberal propaganda." I personally think that such a term is laughable (as an independent [haha, a Christian who isn't a republican! I must be a Unicorn. Not. There are a LOT of us] I don't really side with political parties, but the term is still ridiculous in this situation).Instead of brushing aside the inaccuracies that are being made between the Syrian refugee crisis to scripture, we should be finding what the relationships are. It has really been on my heart that this comparison is something that should be looked at. I initially wanted to be all brimstone and fire, and be like "YEAH! Mary and Joseph were refugees! Be nicer, fellow Jesus followers," but I also realized that this was not the case. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Dear people who are reading this, the Bible tells us plainly and simply what we need to do in these matters. This is one of my favorite verses in the Bible. It reminds me of what I need to be doing for others and WHY I need to do things for others. That verse is Matthew 25: 34-4, which states:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="reftext" style="background-color: #fdfeff; line-height: 14px; margin-left: 1px; margin-right: 2px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 25px; vertical-align: text-top;"><b style="text-decoration: none;">"</b></span><span class="woc" style="background-color: #fdfeff; line-height: 21px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 25px;">Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.</span><span style="background-color: #fdfeff; line-height: 21px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 25px;"> </span><span class="woc" style="background-color: #fdfeff; line-height: 21px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 25px;">For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink,<b><u><span style="color: #cc0000;"> I was a stranger and you welcomed me</span></u></b>,</span><span style="background-color: #fdfeff; line-height: 21px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 25px;"> </span><span class="woc" style="background-color: #fdfeff; line-height: 21px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 25px;">I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’</span><span class="woc" style="background-color: #fdfeff; line-height: 21px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 25px;">Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink?</span><span style="background-color: #fdfeff; line-height: 21px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 25px;"> </span><span class="woc" style="background-color: #fdfeff; line-height: 21px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 25px;">And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you?</span><span class="woc" style="background-color: #fdfeff; line-height: 21px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 25px;">And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’</span><span class="woc" style="background-color: #fdfeff; line-height: 21px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 25px;">And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers,you did it to me.’"</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="woc" style="background-color: #fdfeff; text-align: justify; text-indent: 25px;"><span style="line-height: 21px;">To me, this is what showing </span><span style="line-height: 21px;">Christian</span><span style="line-height: 21px;"> love is about. Opening our arms to people who want: to feed bread to their children; </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/humansofnewyork/photos/a.102107073196735.4429.102099916530784/1144337492307016/?type=3&theater" style="line-height: 21px;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #93c47d;"> to save our world with some crazy, awesome science</span></a><span style="line-height: 21px;">; to people who want to escape a </span><span style="line-height: 21px;">reoccurring</span><span style="line-height: 21px;"> nightmare. </span><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Corinthians+13:4-8" style="line-height: 21px;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #4c1130;">1 </span></a><span style="line-height: 21px;"><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Corinthians+13:4-8" target="_blank"><span style="color: #4c1130;">Corinthians</span></a></span><span style="line-height: 21px;"><span style="color: #4c1130;"><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Corinthians+13:4-8" target="_blank"> 13:4-8</a> </span>tells us that love is "kind" and that it "</span></span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;">bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, </span><span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-28656J" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-28656J" title="See cross-reference J">J</a>)" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="line-height: 24px;">endures all things." Can we not "endure" the influx of people who need somewhere safe? Can we not be kind enough to allow Muslim women to continue to wear their hijab without feeling like they are in fear for their life (I heard about this on NPR while on my way to work. I wish I could share a link to the podcast)? But....but... they're Muslims. Some of them are, some of them are not. But, despite their </span><span style="line-height: 24px;">religious</span><span style="line-height: 24px;"> affiliation, do I want to help bring all people to the saving knowledge if Jesus Christ? Goodness, yes! I am still trying to make my own life align with scripture (i'm not perfect), but we can not do that if these refugees are killed by hunger, bombs, and people who want to kill them. Can we not look at scripture and think of these refugees as strangers who we must welcome as God would want? Do you know what God will do if we turn our back on people?</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Matthew 25: 41-46 states:</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;">"</span><span class="woc" style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; line-height: 21px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 25px;">Then he will say to those on his left, <u><b>‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.</b></u> </span><span class="woc" style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; line-height: 21px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 25px;">For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink,</span><span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; line-height: 21px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 25px;"><u><b> </b></u></span><span class="woc" style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; line-height: 21px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 25px;"><u><b>I was a stranger and you did not welcome me,</b></u> naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’</span><span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; line-height: 21px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 25px;"> </span><span class="woc" style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; line-height: 21px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 25px;">Then they also will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?’</span><span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; line-height: 21px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 25px;"> </span><span class="woc" style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; line-height: 21px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 25px;">Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’</span><span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; line-height: 21px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 25px;"> </span><span class="woc" style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; line-height: 21px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 25px;">And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="woc" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 25px;"><span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320;"><span style="line-height: 21px;">I have no intentions of scaring you. I have no intentions of making you run for the metaphorical hills, which is actually the "exit out of this blog" option. What I want to show you is that <b>Christians have a duty to help others.</b> How can we show people the God in us when we are telling them we hate them and that we don't want them here? </span></span><span style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: lime;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/humansofnewyork/photos/pb.102099916530784.-2207520000.1449971281./1144154362325329/?type=3&theater" style="line-height: 21px;" target="_blank"><span style="color: lime;">What did this person ever do to you?</span></a> </span></span><span class="woc" style="line-height: 21px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 25px;"><span style="background-color: #cfe2f3;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/humansofnewyork/photos/pb.102099916530784.-2207520000.1449971281./1144905748916857/?type=3&theater" style="color: #6aa84f;" target="_blank">Or this person.</a> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/humansofnewyork/photos/pb.102099916530784.-2207520000.1449971283./1140842659323166/?type=3&theater" style="color: #6aa84f;" target="_blank">Or this person. </a><a href="https://www.facebook.com/humansofnewyork/photos/pb.102099916530784.-2207520000.1449971283./1141993145874784/?type=3&theater" target="_blank"><span style="color: lime;">Or this person</span></a><span style="color: #6aa84f;">.</span> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/humansofnewyork/photos/pb.102099916530784.-2207520000.1449971283./1141403659267066/?type=3&theater" target="_blank"><span style="color: #6aa84f;">Or this person.</span><span style="color: #741b47;"> </span></a></span><span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #741b47;"> </span><span style="background-color: #fdfeff;">Are any of these people undeserving of the love of Christ that was shown (and is still shown) to us ? I can only imagine the horror that our world will become if people turn their backs on people in need. Do you, like the people of the Bethlehem, not have room for another person in your town?</span></span></span><br />
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<span class="woc" style="background-color: #fdfeff; line-height: 21px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 25px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Much Peace, Love, and Blessings,</span></span><br />
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p.s. You may also like to read <span style="color: #6aa84f;"><a href="http://jonathanmerritt.religionnews.com/2015/11/17/3-facts-about-syrian-refugee-situation-that-some-christians-overlook/" target="_blank">3 facts about the Syrian refugee crisis that some Christians overlook</a>, </span>written by Jonahen MerrittAma et Bemmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04713755578560939003noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2871099944988038808.post-48595248801952607712015-12-06T06:03:00.000-08:002015-12-06T06:03:57.473-08:00Dear Writer, Patience is a Habit<br />
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Dear Writer,<br />
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Patience is a habit. This is something that we learn so quickly in our careers. Whether we're writing, sending out a copious number of queries, or waiting for an agent to tell us that they want to represent our novel, we learn to be patient.<br />
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Veronica Roth put it best: "<a href="http://veronicarothbooks.blogspot.com/2010/04/patience-is-habit-because-virtues-are.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: #a64d79;">writing+ the desire to be published=waiting.</span></a>"<br />
<a name='more'></a>I have been writing since second grade. I remember having to create a "white book" where I wrote little stories about how I love to eat eggs (which I now abhor, haha), about how I love my mom, and about flowers. <b> It was fun to write for writings sake back then, but nowadays I write because i'm not only driven to do it, but because I have something to say and I want to share it with people. </b>You want to share it with people! Maybe you read a paragraph out to your cat during your morning tea, or maybe you slip a copy in front of your teenage brother to see if he likes it; your cat likes it, so your brother should too! You stare lovingly at your sprawling collection of books and, if even for a moment, briefly think to yourself: <i>this could be me</i>. You write and wonder when it will be your time to walk into Barnes and Nobles and see your book on a shelf-- No shame, I do it all the time.<br />
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I feel something really good rising in my life. I can taste victory on my tongue. I'm not too sure what that victory will be, but I feel it because I refuse to quit. I refuse to become impatient with the writing process. I realize that <b><span style="color: purple;">success is a creature of habit</span>.</b> Instead of spending as much time watching Korean dramas on DramaFever, I write. Instead of hanging out with my friends as much as I wish I could, I write. Instead of spending time with a significant other, I write (and do homework, and workout, and go to Church, and sleep, and then write again). My success is important to me. <br />
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I have realized that I habitually have to be patient. <b>So many would-be published authors quit before their sun can ever fully rise. They quit because they're tired of waiting.</b> They've lost their zeal and patience for the publishing process. They have lost their desire for success and writing. The worse thing that can befall a writer, in my mind, is that they stop writing because 20 agents or publisher's didn't love their work. I have learnt that I have to write instead of mope about an agent rejecting me. I have to write and revise instead of being upset that my poem or short story received an honorable mention instead of a 1st place cash prize. I have to write and not worry about the people who think that i'm just some crazy woman that sends letters to strange people in the hopes that they'll like my story. I have to dream, and love life, and love books, and love people in order to write stories that mean something. I have patience with my practice (my habit/my craft) because <b><span style="color: #741b47;">I always envision that my success is rounding the corner; it is almost fully above the mountain peaks, it is dazzling and shimmering before me. </span></b>I taste success on my lips at all times, because I strive for it, desire it, and am patient for it.<br />
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I write, because <b>what else would I do with this singular and marvelous life?</b><br />
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Why do you write and what keeps you patient? Tell me in the comments.<br />
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Much Love and Peace,<br />
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<b><span style="color: red;">p.s. We still need more blog hosts for the upcoming blog tour in January!</span> <span style="color: purple;"><a href="http://amabemma.blogspot.com/2015/12/new-year-new-books-blog-tour.html" target="_blank">Click here to learn more and sign-up!</a></span></b>Ama et Bemmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04713755578560939003noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2871099944988038808.post-14012413477179940622015-12-03T08:32:00.002-08:002015-12-15T13:32:47.551-08:00New Year, New Books Blog Tour<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This year will be a year of many firsts here at Ama et Bemma. I plan on <b>hosting a free blog tour</b> for authors who want to get some more hits for their books via search engines, want more exposure, and want to (potentially!!) get some readers who will want their book! The aim is to drum up some anticipation for books that will be released in 2015; hence the tour name--New Year, New Books!<br />
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<b>Name of Tour:</b> New Year, New Books Blog Tour</div>
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<b>Dates of Tour:</b> January 4th-11th<br />
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The sign-up process is mega easy. There are three categories that can be signed up for:</div>
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<li><b>Tour Host </b> - A blogger that will pick a day and a book to talk about on their blog and social media outlets. I will provide you with a media kit! I will be the middle person between you and the author. So if you want interviews, guest posts, or just to do a promo, we can work out the logistics so that it's easy on both you and the author!</li>
<li><b>Author</b>- Hey! You're the person that has written the book (awesome!) and wants some more exposure. The <u>deadline to sign up as an author is <b>December 20th.</b></u></li>
<li><b>Influencer</b>- You're an amazing person that doesn't really have the time to make a post (or maybe you don't have a blog), but you want to be involved because you love writers and books! Maybe you have a facebook, instagram, or twitter. You could just tweet, gram, and facebook about whatever book catches your interest! </li>
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I will also be <b>giving away a $25 gift card</b> to B&N or Amazon (your choice), to anybody that signs up as an influencer or a tour host! Participants will be entered into this for a chance to win!</div>
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Get people talking about this by using the<b> hashtag #NYNB2016</b></div>
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Are you interested? Cool! Sign up below!</div>
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This should be really exciting and fun! It will give authors some exposure and give bloggers some content. It's a win win for everyone! I need at least 10 Authors and at least 20 Bloggers to make this work! Sign up and share this with your other author and blogger friends!</center>
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Have you ever participated in a blog tour, and what books are you excited for in the upcoming year? Tell me in the comments!</center>
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Much Love and Peace,</center>
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p.s. This blog is still under construction. The official launch will happen in a few more weeks!<br />
p.s.s. In the meantime, feel free to sign up for updates via the email sign-up button to the left of the blog!<br />
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<b>12/4/15 Update: We have hit wayyy over the minimum number of authors needed in just a few hours! Wow! Please feel free to keep submitting your books to be promo'd!! BUT, I need at least <u><span style="color: red;">9 more tour hosts (bloggers)</span></u> for this to go on! We also have a few influencers, but more would be great!!</b><br />
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Ama et Bemmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04713755578560939003noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2871099944988038808.post-24996400660200016412015-11-28T14:12:00.001-08:002015-11-30T18:27:10.379-08:00Under ConstructionDear reader,<br />
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You may be a current subscriber or you may have stumbled across this blog recently. As you can see, there are no posts (and all of the old posts have been reverted to drafts) for the time being. I am currently re-constructing the Ama et Bemma brand to showcase the new things that I have ventured into (or have recently recognized as being ventures).<br />
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In the next few weeks, you will see tabs for freelance writing, tutoring (online and in-person), my tea drinking adventures, and random grad school musings. I am actively trying to make this a hub for my creativity. As usual, I am still writing novels and poems. I am also going back to book reviews and freelance writing for magazines and websites.<br />
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I am more than excited about this; actually, I am ecstatic! Hopefully you will see some major changes to the content of this site, as well as some new products.<br />
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Come back in December to see the changes!<br />
To keep updated, please type your email into the box to the left (you can always opt out later)!<br />
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With Much Love and Blessings,<br />
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<br />Ama et Bemmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04713755578560939003noreply@blogger.com0