tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11319524709722207302024-03-20T02:28:51.734-07:00Conversations with SelfI talk to myself. I read. And yes, I write.Len Lamberthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13394563639136301725noreply@blogger.comBlogger188125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1131952470972220730.post-10997412104304223592014-04-03T13:33:00.001-07:002014-04-03T13:33:55.994-07:00I'm back in blogosphere!Hello, my lovelies! If you are checking in - welcome! I have now moved to my new blog, My Little Writing Place. Please come and see me there, here's the link:<br />
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<a href="http://lenlambert.blogspot.co.uk/">http://lenlambert.blogspot.co.uk/</a><br />
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Hope to see you there!Len Lamberthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13394563639136301725noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1131952470972220730.post-66032228781918907372012-01-19T07:40:00.000-08:002012-01-19T07:40:25.251-08:00I've moved!Hello everyone!<br />
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I've moved to a new blog...please come and say hello. Please click <span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://lenlambert.blogspot.com/"><b> HERE</b></a>.</span> It will really make me TRULY happy if you follow me there as well!<br />
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BIG HUG to all!!!Len Lamberthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13394563639136301725noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1131952470972220730.post-39551022754627626832012-01-17T07:26:00.000-08:002012-01-17T07:26:15.157-08:00My Blog Critique is up at Laura'sHello everybody! Laura has critiqued my blog! Yay!!!! (Sorry, Laura, I can't help it, I've got to use the exclamation point, LOL!)<br />
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Please head over and see what Laura has to say about Conversations with Self, what's good about it and what I need to change from a marketing perspective.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Please click <b><a href="http://laurabwriter.blogspot.com/2012/01/blog-critique-conversations-with-self.html">HERE</a></b></span><br />
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Thanks so much, Laura!Len Lamberthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13394563639136301725noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1131952470972220730.post-64221942752443582822012-01-13T13:45:00.000-08:002012-02-17T09:01:26.835-08:00My attempt to be funnyOh my...is it really the 13th of January??? I can't believe I haven't blogged for that long!!! <br />
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Are you still there? Hope you are. I haven't disappeared. Just really didn't have anything to say since Christmas. <br />
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A friend told me awhile ago that I don't post much about my writing. I do, don't I? I don't? Really? Okay, to prove you wrong, I'm posting a writing exercise that I've done with a writer friend quite recently. I have never tried humour before and she insisted that I should. She gave me two sentences - one to be used as my beginning and the other as my ending.<br />
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Here are the two sentences:<br />
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<i>It worked a treat, stopping for tea</i><br />
<i>The thought made her itch</i><br />
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Here's what I came up with:<br />
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<div class="Body"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><b>My Nanny Knickers</b><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="Body"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: x-small;">by Len Lambert</span></div><div class="Body"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><br />
</span></div><div class="Body"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman Bold Italic';"><b>It worked a treat, stopping for tea. </b></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman Italic';"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">But it sure added at least two inches to her waistline. She starved herself to death for a week to lose weight and now probably gained twice as much as she had lost in the last seven days.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="Body"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><br />
</span></div><div class="Body"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Katie wanted to look good again for Pierce so today she bought six new pairs of G-string in different colours. She had decided to try one on and now she looked at herself in the mirror. </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman Italic';">Not bad, just a few more pounds to lose. Tummy still bulging. Hmmm. </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> Of course, she had just gulped down fish and chips at Lisa’s. Must lose more tomorrow by not eating besides carrots. That would do the same trick.</span></div><div class="Body"><br />
</div><div class="Body"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">In the drawer, she looked at her old nanny knickers which almost went up to her chest due to their size.</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">But she must admit, they were comfortable.</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">She had gathered them altogether so she could throw them away.</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">That cleared her drawer, making room for the G-strings.</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">But she needed more so she promised herself to get a few more pairs at lunchtime at work.</span></div><div class="Body"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="Body"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Katie sniffed and sneezed, this cold she couldn’t shake off for three days now. She went into the loo with all her old knickers. She blew her nose in a tissue and sneezed once more. She looked at her colourful nanny knickers. </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman Italic';">Why am I feeling so gloomy over these? They’re only knickers for Pete’s sake. </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">After a good few minutes looking at them, she folded them altogether and chucked them in the bin. Once again, she looked in the mirror and pulled a face at her reflection. She was never satisfied with her weight.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="Body"><br />
</div><div class="Body"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">When she returned into the bedroom, her six-year old daughter Emma sat on the bed, scissors in hand.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="Body"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="Body"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><i>“Mum, why are you walking around in baby knickers? Don’t you know they’re way too small for you now? You know that, don’t you?”</i><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="Body"><br />
</div><div class="Body"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">It was only then that Katie realised that she was still in her G-strings and a T-shirt, nothing else. It took a few more seconds for her to see that Emma was holding scissors! What was she doing with scissors? <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="Body"><br />
</div><div class="Body"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><i>“They’re too small for you, Mum, but too big for Barbie so I’ve got to make them smaller to fit her. You don’t mind, Mum, do you?” </i>Emma turned to look at her mother waiting for an answer but Kate just looked with mouth open, taking in what was happening. Her new G-strings were cut in small pieces on her bed!<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="Body"><br />
</div><div class="Body"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Without saying a word, she ran back to the loo and grabbed the rubbish bin under the sink. But as she crouched low, she felt the sharpness of the strings slice like a knife! But something was more important. She pulled her old nanny knickers out of the bin only to find out that they had gone all gooey with all the tissue and her own mucus stuck on each of them. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="Body"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><br />
</span></div><div class="Body"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><i>“What am I supposed to wear tomorrow?”</i></span></div><div class="Body"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><br />
</span></div><div class="Body"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">She stared at the sickening sight in front of her.</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> </span></div><div class="Body"><br />
</div><div class="Body"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman Italic';">How am I going to wear these again?<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="Body"><br />
</div><div class="Body"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman Bold Italic';"><b>The thought made her itch.</b></span><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
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I write MG and women's fiction and have never tried humour. This was honestly the first time. And I am open to all kinds of criticism, as long as it is not rude.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Tell me what you think. Have you tried writing different kinds of genre? </span></b>I'm still trying to find my voice in my writing. I know that soon, I will have to decide what to focus on. <br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">If you aren't published yet, have you found your "voice" in your writing? If you are a published author, did you try different genres before settling on one specific genre?</span></b>Len Lamberthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13394563639136301725noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1131952470972220730.post-3169922735974626532011-12-21T12:12:00.000-08:002011-12-21T14:27:35.152-08:00Happy Holidays to all!To all my friends, I will not be blogging from today until after New Year. A very Merry Christmas to those who are celebrating and the Happiest New Year. Most of all, I wish everybody peace, prosperity and health.<br />
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See you in a week or so!Len Lamberthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13394563639136301725noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1131952470972220730.post-91483049652660947772011-12-16T00:00:00.000-08:002011-12-16T00:00:18.323-08:00Deja Vu Blogfest: My imaginary friends...<div align="justify">Today is the Deja vu Blogfest Day! Hoorah!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEpJBJKuGgXRrHiILi7f2H8rbkwfGKsZGmS6WT3FjUx_3hG4YoAluM2kiZrLJfIi8WcIMyTGbROfX4UidL3ItBgtwR3jMDyy1gJYy3IYLr1Cj-i0VhjGvL_-ZWkl-Ob4uRe_DSMZ78Hgw/s1600/deja_vu+.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEpJBJKuGgXRrHiILi7f2H8rbkwfGKsZGmS6WT3FjUx_3hG4YoAluM2kiZrLJfIi8WcIMyTGbROfX4UidL3ItBgtwR3jMDyy1gJYy3IYLr1Cj-i0VhjGvL_-ZWkl-Ob4uRe_DSMZ78Hgw/s200/deja_vu+.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>I thought I'd re-post something that I wrote in year 2007, the year I started blogging. Why this one? It's because in this post, I wrote about my imaginary friends which I still find amusing to this day. This is the story behind my blog title, <i>Conversations with Self. </i><br />
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And no, I did not exaggerate the story. I did talk to imaginary friends...which worried my father.<br />
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Hope you enjoy reading it!<br />
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<i>First posted on 08 May 2007</i><br />
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I don't know why, but for some reason, I tend to reminisce a lot about my childhood these days. Last week, it was Caroline (my doll) I was reminiscing about so I wrote about broken toys and then somehow found a way to connect it to broken dreams, etc. This time, though, it's all about this part of my childhood when I had imaginary friends. If you witnessed my childhood, you would probably think I was a looney. But think...children do have imaginary friends, don't they? Or was it only me? (Widens eyes and looks around) <a href="http://www.smileycentral.com/?partner=ZSzeb001_ZNxuk101YYGB" target="_blank"><img alt="Embarrassed" border="0" height="18" src="http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/29/29_1_7.gif" width="18" /></a> Oh, no!<br />
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</div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify">Anyway, let me tell you about some of these 'friends' that people never saw...or some probably did but never knew that they were my friends. One of them was that reflection in the mirror. yes, oh, yes, call me a nutcase, but I did talk to myself in the mirror! I would really converse with the other 'self.' And she talked back to me! Only, it was also me talking, of course, who did you think it was? I used to do this very often that I overheard my Dad saying to my Mom, <em>'Don't you think we should take our daughter to a Psychiatrist?</em> <em>I am getting worried.'</em> My Mom, who was so used to seeing me talking to my toys, said nonchalantly, <em>'Oh stop that. She's just playing. Children do that all the time.'</em><br />
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</em></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify">Yes, I said <em>toys. </em>I did talk to my toys (although I didn't have much, really) - I remember talking to Caroline while she was behind that glass. What a pity. I could only talk to my doll behind a glass! (will post her story soon) I also talked to my paper dolls which I made myself. They lived in an improvised dollhouse. I used matchboxes as furniture and my dollhouse was a corrugated box, sometimes I used a cigarette carton. Ahh, a child's innovativeness. I wonder where did it all go? I don't seem to have the same creativity now that I am older. But that's another narrative. I think I can only produce rubbish now...and perhaps children? <a href="http://www.smileycentral.com/?partner=ZSzeb001_ZNxuk101YYGB" target="_blank"><img alt="Tongue Out" border="0" height="18" src="http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/29/29_1_20.gif" width="18" /></a><br />
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</div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify">Hold it. That's not all. There is something far more special than that beautiful (oh ha!) reflection in the mirror that looked like me (Har! Har Har!) and my dolls. There were lizards as well. Yes! That's right, those tiny crawling creatures with moderately elongate body and tapering tail...some might have another name for it, though. They are sometimes called <em>wall </em>or <em>house lizards</em>. Other times they are called house <em>geckos</em>. But let me just call it that. Lizard. At night, I developed this routine to converse with them before I'd fall asleep. There was one time, if I remember it right, when my Dad came home late from work. Remember that in those days, there were no mobile phones...(and telegrams came after a week, not the promised next day delivery...so if you'd send it, you'd arrive at your destination before your telegram). When Mom started to get worried, I would listen to the clicking sounds of the lizards. <em>Tsk, tsk, tsk.</em> I would close my eyes and converse with them. <em>'Is - my - fa - ther - safe?</em>' One Tsk is equivalent to a syllable. Of course, I would interpret the Tsk-Tsk to what I wanted to hear, what did you expect? Funny, huh?<br />
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</div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify">All these imaginary friends come to mind now that I am away from home. I have forgotten them a long, long time ago and never spoken to them for years - if I ever did that at my age, I would probably be in a mental institution.<a href="http://www.smileycentral.com/?partner=ZSzeb001_ZNxuk101YYGB" target="_blank"><img alt="Frown" border="0" height="18" src="http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/29/29_1_8.gif" width="18" /></a><br />
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</div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify">Isn't it a universal truth that from the day we were born, we already have the need to communicate? A baby's uttering of its first word is always a milestone, a breakthrough that all mothers rejoice in. I have read somewhere that there was an experiment done by experts where they formed two groups of babies. The first group was cleaned and fed but no one ever communicated with them - verbally or otherwise. The second group was cleaned and fed...and carers communicated with these babies. After a period of time, it was discovered that the second group of babies grew faster and were healthier than the first group. This experiment only proves that we do need to communicate. It is this uniqueness that sets us apart from other creatures.<br />
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</div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify">This is most probably the reason why I am writing this piece. There is the internet now to communicate to practically everyone and anyone in the world. My friend, <em>Rosemarie</em>, was right in telling me that blogging helps. It would like to thank her for being an inspiration to create my own blogsite...(and to <em>Makis</em> for introducing Blogger to me). It sure eases boredom and makes me think. It fills my need to communicate.<br />
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</div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify">So, this time, I don't have to stand in front of the mirror or listen to the clicking sound of the house lizards (there isn't any here, anyway) or get dolls. I only have to sit down and immerse myself in the world wide web. It does help.<br />
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</div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify">PS: I will understand if you think that at an early age, I showed signs of a mental disorder - talking to lizards and all <a href="http://www.smileycentral.com/?partner=ZSzeb001_ZNxuk101YYGB" target="_blank"><img alt="Roll" border="0" height="45" src="http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/36/36_1_21.gif" style="height: 29px; width: 28px;" width="50" /></a> - but don't worry, I don't bite. Aha-ha-ha-ha!!!</div>Len Lamberthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13394563639136301725noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1131952470972220730.post-3532099688865784682011-12-13T00:00:00.000-08:002011-12-13T01:05:27.091-08:00A Chat with Author Catherine Ryan Hyde<div>I am so proud to bring to you the author who brought us Pay It Forward, a very popular, heartbreaking and yet so beautiful story of a young boy who attempts to make this world a better place. I cannot begin to tell you how awesome she is...but without much further ado, I bring to you the amazing <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Catherine Ryan Hyde.</span> </b>Pay It Forward is only one of her novels. please visit her website <a href="http://www.catherineryanhyde.com/">HERE</a> to know more about her books.</div><div><b><br />
</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTnr7yeePo3JHmMoON60_TgAAuVz4ZzxwStcTL7tJoQK3FhtAG55eh7s6tRJEh8R-Vg0KfjakA40KwqLu6bE2ntE6kOzcPqkmiENIb2JbVVm3HBb5IVvbYzlei1GERseIyXLZfrwR9TRM/s1600/Catherine+R+Hyde_Photo.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="251" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTnr7yeePo3JHmMoON60_TgAAuVz4ZzxwStcTL7tJoQK3FhtAG55eh7s6tRJEh8R-Vg0KfjakA40KwqLu6bE2ntE6kOzcPqkmiENIb2JbVVm3HBb5IVvbYzlei1GERseIyXLZfrwR9TRM/s320/Catherine+R+Hyde_Photo.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Our Chat</span></b></div><div><b><br />
</b></div><div><b>Len: I’ve seen the film, Pay It Forward, and saw how much it’s grown into a movement and a foundation. It’s amazing that a book turned into a film continues to help people. Please can you tell us how you came up with the story idea?</b></div><div class="p3"><span class="s1"><br />
</span></div><div class="p3"><b>Catherine:</b> Yes, absolutely. I used to not like this question because it was a long story and I had told it literally hundreds of times. But I found what I think is a good solution. I edited a videotaped speech where I told the story in proper detail, and I posted it on my YouTube channel. So now I’m glad you asked. Because I’ve put a lot of work into my YouTube channel, and there’s a lot out there for my readers to explore. So I’m happy to be able to give a link to that.<br />
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</div><div class="p2"><span class="s1"></span></div><div class="p3"><span class="s1"><b>The story of my inspiration for the Pay It Forward idea is here: </b></span></div><div class="p2"><span class="s1"></span></div><div class="p4"><span class="s2"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/cryanhyde">http://www.youtube.com/user/cryanhyde#p/u/18/rv2cQws_5cY</a></span><span class="s3"> </span></div><div class="p2"><span class="s1"></span></div><div class="p3"><span class="s1"><br />
<b> And the channel main page is here: </b></span></div><div class="p2"><span class="s1"></span></div><div class="p4"><span class="s2"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/cryanhyde">http://www.youtube.com/user/cryanhyde</a></span><span class="s3"> </span></div><div class="p4"><br />
I have video excerpts for most of the novels, which are little videos I made myself, with excerpts read by me. I have videos from my hiking and travel and other videos that are Pay It Forward related. I hope people will take a look around out there!</div><div class="p2"><span class="s1"></span></div><div class="p3"><span class="s1"><br />
</span></div><div class="p2"><span class="s1"><b></b></span><b>L: You’ve written so many books. Do you also have a day job?</b></div><div class="p2"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="p3"><span class="s1"><b>C: </b> I do not. Since 1998, I have managed to keep the bills paid with my writing, as well as looking after my retired mom. Although I have to admit that there are times when I am not succeeding in doing so by as comfortable a margin as I might like. But I persevere.<br />
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</span></div><div class="p2"><span class="s1"></span></div><div class="p3"><span class="s1">I also have no spouse or children. Which really does explain a big piece of how I manage to get so much done. Nobody ever tugs my sleeve while I’m writing and says, “What’s for dinner?” or “Hey, mom, look at me.” This is not to denigrate spouses and children in any way. But the singular focus helps me to be more prolific. </span></div><div class="p3"><span class="s1"><br />
</span></div><div class="p2"><span class="s1"><b></b></span><b>L: Please can you describe to us your writing day?</b></div><div class="p3"><span class="s1"><br />
</span></div><div class="p3"><span class="s1"><b>C: </b> Well. I can describe two possible days. </span></div><div class="p2"><span class="s1"></span></div><div class="p3"><span class="s1">In one, I get up, do 15 minutes of Yoga, check my email, drink a cup of tea, and start writing. Sometime around 2:30 I realize my teeth are not brushed. Sometime around 5:00 I realize I should eat. Having remedied those issues, I get back to work.</span><br />
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</span></div><div class="p2"><span class="s1"></span></div><div class="p3"><span class="s1">On other days, I still do Yoga and tea, but I spend the whole day without writing. If I have a work in progress and I have something worth getting down, I work. If not, I balance the check book and get the oil changed in the car. Because later, when I’m working, I won’t do either of those things.</span></div><div class="p3"><span class="s1"><br />
</span></div><div class="p2"><span class="s1"><b></b></span><b>L: Are you a plotter or a panster?</b></div><div class="p2"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="p3"><span class="s1"><b>C: </b>Somewhere in between, I think. I like to know where I’m going so I don’t get lost and end up nowhere. But I don’t like to hammer down where I’m going so tightly that I miss an interesting side trip. So I’m forever trying to hit that balance. </span></div><div class="p3"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="p3"><b>L: </b> <b>I find your books focus on kindness and love...have you always wanted to write this kind, which I love, of stories?</b><br />
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</b></div><div class="p5"><span class="s1"><b></b></span></div><div class="p3"><span class="s1"><b>C: </b> I think there was a time, a couple of decades ago, where my work was darker and edgier. And then, as I gradually got lighter, so did the stories. </span></div><div class="p3"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="p3"><b>L: </b> <b>In ‘When I Found You,’ it was interesting to know about guns and duck-hunting. Did you have to interview people about guns and duck-hunting?</b><br />
<b><br />
</b></div><div class="p5"><span class="s1"><b></b></span></div><div class="p3"><span class="s1"><b>C: </b> Interestingly, though I have never hunted, I know just a little bit about shotguns and hunting because I once took a hunter safety course. Even though I don’t hunt. It’s like this: There was a lottery for permits to hunt mountain lions. Very controversial. There are very few lions, and most people think they should be allowed to live. So a group of us got together and got our hunting licenses, so we could join the lottery. So one of us could hopefully win a permit which we would not use, thus saving one lion. But it all ended rather anticlimactically when the lottery was called off, which I think was for the best.</span></div><div class="p2"><span class="s1"></span></div><div class="p3"><span class="s1">I did have a friend of mine, who is a hunter, in Pennsylvania, check my work before publication.</span></div><div class="p3"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="p3"><b>L: </b> <b>In ‘Don’t Let Me Go,’ you wrote about child protective system and social services, was the research challenging to get information that’s in the book? </b><br />
<b><br />
</b></div><div class="p5"><span class="s1"><b></b></span></div><div class="p3"><span class="s1"><b>C: </b> Not too much. I was able to learn a lot online. And every case is a little bit different.</span></div><div class="p3"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="p3"><b>L: Who are your favourite authors?</b><br />
<b><br />
</b></div><div class="p5"><span class="s1"><b></b></span></div><div class="p3"><span class="s1"><b>C: </b> I read a lot of Young Adult novels (of course I write them as well) and I like Holly Schindler and David Levithan and Jerry Spinelli (who might not be well-known in the UK—I’m not sure).</span></div><div class="p2"><span class="s1"></span></div><div class="p3"><span class="s1">My favorite adult author is Jonathan Safran Foer.</span></div><div class="p3"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="p3"><b>L:</b> <b>Favourite books?</b><br />
<b><br />
</b></div><div class="p5"><span class="s1"></span></div><div class="p3"><span class="s1"><b>C: </b> My favorite “classics” from when I was young are Flowers for Algernon, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Of Mice and Men.</span><br />
<span class="s1"><br />
</span></div><div class="p2"><span class="s1"></span></div><div class="p3"><span class="s1">More recent favorites are Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close (Jonathan Safran Foer) and The Book Thief (Markus Zusak).</span></div><div class="p3"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="p3"><b>L: </b> <b>Which writing books would you recommend that would help us writers to improve more our writing?<br />
</b></div><div class="p5"><span class="s1"></span></div><div class="p3"><span class="s1"><b>C: </b>For those having trouble getting started (or not stalling) I’d recommend Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott. </span><br />
<span class="s1"><br />
</span></div><div class="p2"><span class="s1"></span></div><div class="p3"><span class="s1">In general I don’t think I’d recommend books so much as a good writing (critique) group. I know books feel much safer. Which is the problem. Writers need to get used to hearing feedback. It’s unavoidable.</span></div><br />
<b>L: Your biggest influence?</b><br />
<br />
<b>C: </b>Nature - particularly the breathtakingly beautiful vistas I see when I hike in the national parks<br />
<br />
<b>L: Greatest weakness?</b><br />
<br />
<b>C: </b>Potato chips. Otherwise, I am a fiendishly healthy eater.<br />
<br />
<b>L: Please complete this into a sentence for me: "</b><b>When I was a child, I wanted to be...."</b><br />
<br />
<b>C:</b> A cartoonist. A songwriter. An actress. A film producer. An animator. Always something creative. Just took me a while to find my niche.<br />
<br />
<br />
*******<br />
<br />
It is so nice to get to know you more. Thank you ever so much for this lovely interview. It is an honour to have you on my blog.Len Lamberthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13394563639136301725noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1131952470972220730.post-3664844280053846062011-12-08T00:00:00.000-08:002011-12-09T09:04:09.700-08:00I'm a mushy mumYou know this already...I'm a mum. And a mushy mum. I don't know why but I'm just a darn softie. You show me someone crying and my tears will fall, too. To be honest, I don't like it. But that's just the way my eyes are and the tear ducts. <br />
<br />
<i>Ok, Len, get to the point, will yah?</i><br />
<br />
So, I just have to share this photo with you. It's of my son holding a soft toy from Father Christmas at Fritton Lake Winter Wonderland. <br />
<br />
Because of his neurological condition, my boy doesn't speak and he's in a wheelchair. In Santa's Grotto, Father Christmas spoke to him, held his hand and had photos with him. He just looked around and I knew the scene would be etched in his memory forever but whether or not he understood what went on, I wouldn't have a way of knowing. All the while, I wondered if he understood any of it. When one of Santa's "Elves" gave me Santa's gift - a soft toy called Rupert Bear on the way out, I handed it to my boy. As if to answer the question in my mind - he softly got hold of the soft toy, pulled it close to his chest and pressed it against his lips. <br />
<br />
You know what? The sight of him clutching the toy made me so tearful. He loved it. In his own way I knew he enjoyed the trip. And he loved Rupert.<br />
<br />
Here's his beautiful photo. Isn't he lovely?<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi11MLglqTVdBI5s-5nrt7IjisAsJu6SYsCiSbQYj98bPfdq_EP7jKLs7HP5FWZb9d_00erldHEBtr5RQLB98123u2JJ7J2GJ5ZlwM5HPw-9EXDmyTZ5rBZeq1OH6zrPJ937lBUl8h8EI/s1600/DSCF2450.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi11MLglqTVdBI5s-5nrt7IjisAsJu6SYsCiSbQYj98bPfdq_EP7jKLs7HP5FWZb9d_00erldHEBtr5RQLB98123u2JJ7J2GJ5ZlwM5HPw-9EXDmyTZ5rBZeq1OH6zrPJ937lBUl8h8EI/s320/DSCF2450.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
And I just have to say this, the man who was Father Christmas that afternoon at Fritton Lake was the kindest Father Christmas I've met so far. If you are reading this, thank you. I've taken your kind words home with me.<br />
<br />
And thank you most especially to<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://encrypted.google.com/#hl=en&cp=12&gs_id=17&xhr=t&q=contact+a+family&tok=i4oGOzaxWVkpLlF_aoll6Q&pf=p&sclient=psy-ab&source=hp&pbx=1&oq=contact+a+fa&aq=0&aqi=g4&aql=&gs_sm=&gs_upl=&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.,cf.osb&fp=6ab35e8b92a235ce&biw=1152&bih=872"> Contact-A-Family </a></span></b>for this early Christmas family gift. (I meant to post this bit the day I posted my son's photo but needed permission first)<br />
<br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Anything exciting you're doing this for the winter/holiday/Christmas season?</span></b><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></b><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">and what makes you all mushy?</span></b>Len Lamberthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13394563639136301725noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1131952470972220730.post-78226974899484149222011-12-04T08:21:00.000-08:002011-12-04T08:21:19.977-08:00Friendship Celebration Winners!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>I'm announcing the winners today! But before I give you the results, I'd like to thank the sponsors of the books I'm giving away for their generosity and most of all, their friendship:<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://talliroland.blogspot.com/">Talli Roland</a></span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwRCVPPGsSJL4CywcswUNkBQBVwl5-4rJSrf5EKqHBeJ6OTYTyLFFXtBrZpzKe6KL-Wo9oJa017vcoXG0vgNFw8oBRrVfXMj23inM47wy7TKkSveoBVamGauWqrI8KAM1nRWnVWTUX6cA/s1600/Talli+Roland.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwRCVPPGsSJL4CywcswUNkBQBVwl5-4rJSrf5EKqHBeJ6OTYTyLFFXtBrZpzKe6KL-Wo9oJa017vcoXG0vgNFw8oBRrVfXMj23inM47wy7TKkSveoBVamGauWqrI8KAM1nRWnVWTUX6cA/s200/Talli+Roland.jpg" width="120" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://jc-martin.com/">JC Martin</a></span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2jMyUQXm7ejgXDNwNJrGKrzlte9HL8lGhGoCvFyJ_e7-fYwxi4rBr9Q9ZrT6B7TtiTEFhKGqlqCugD42UNnjwC0G_QIvn_8RMTgq7HzPnyqAhwRihtIclgVpOUflPcSJsGuVgp5ZDX3E/s1600/Jc+Martin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2jMyUQXm7ejgXDNwNJrGKrzlte9HL8lGhGoCvFyJ_e7-fYwxi4rBr9Q9ZrT6B7TtiTEFhKGqlqCugD42UNnjwC0G_QIvn_8RMTgq7HzPnyqAhwRihtIclgVpOUflPcSJsGuVgp5ZDX3E/s200/Jc+Martin.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br />
</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://theresamilstein.blogspot.com/">Theresa Milstein</a></span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVIxyjLUMOXTptxhigZZ4W0H66yK6ReFJ2iXehqBV5nzUUDBBVoOz3g49j1wSSmZgkSq2RbTTDKbeEUFBl4fu8rsJ1vzM3tsbnUt_7GRgcUkXUjwoFtEd6zK9_BHPLv_M31x-i38FS8xc/s1600/Theresa+Milstein.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="175" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVIxyjLUMOXTptxhigZZ4W0H66yK6ReFJ2iXehqBV5nzUUDBBVoOz3g49j1wSSmZgkSq2RbTTDKbeEUFBl4fu8rsJ1vzM3tsbnUt_7GRgcUkXUjwoFtEd6zK9_BHPLv_M31x-i38FS8xc/s200/Theresa+Milstein.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br />
</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">My sincerest thanks wrapped in a big HUG to you all!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Now the winners! </span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b>Lucky (paperback) by Alice Sebold goes to:</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #7f6000; font-size: large;"><b>L'Aussie Denise</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b><br />
</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b>The Breath of Fresh Air (paperback) by Erica James</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b>goes to:</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13; font-size: large;"><b>Sharon Mayhew</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b><br />
</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b>Build A Man (e-book) by Talli Roland</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b>goes to:</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763; font-size: large;"><b>Golden Eagle</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b><br />
</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b>The Doll (e-book) by JC Martin goes to:</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-size: large;"><b>Gemma</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b><br />
</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b>Unidentified (paperback) by Rae Mariz goes to:</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #3d85c6; font-size: large;"><b>Robyn Campbell</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b><br />
</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b>Floral Writing Set goes to:</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #674ea7; font-size: large;"><b>Cortney Pearson</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b><br />
</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-size: large;"><b>Congratulations!!!</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;">You will receive an e-mail shortly about your prize. Yayyy! to you all!!!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Wait! Before I say goodbye, have you been to JC Martin's blog? She's announced the winners to her Birthday Blow-Out! Here's the link: <a href="http://jc-martin.com/fighterwriter/2011/12/21-again-birthday-blow-out-the-results/#idc-container"> JC Martin, Fighter Writer</a>.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Have a fab Sunday, everyone!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br />
</b></div>Len Lamberthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13394563639136301725noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1131952470972220730.post-39027509835806719722011-11-20T00:00:00.000-08:002011-11-23T15:03:08.542-08:00Hello You! You're my friend...and I'm celebrating You! ❤<div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Friendship Give-aways for Thanksgiving!</span></b><br />
<i><b><br />
</b></i><br />
<i><b>"...Was my only chance at friendship here destined to be thwarted at every turn?"</b>- Sophie Mercer, Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins</i></div><div><i><br />
</i><br />
I have met a lot of wonderful people in my life, some of them became very very good friends. There were, however, many thwarted friendships as well. There had also been on-line friendships that began well...and ended up really bad. I'd like to think they are ones that are never meant to be.</div><div><br />
</div><div>Why am I mentioning the thwarted and the unpleasant ones? Because I believe life shows us these undesirable things sometimes to let us focus more on the good! It has made me appreciate more what I have! This is why, I'm celebrating all the friendships I have in my life!<br />
<br />
<b>This message is to thank all of YOU: </b>Blogger friends, fellow writers and readers out there who have always been there for me. Whether or not I have something worth reading, you are always there. I often find myself unable to write anything worthy of posting and yet you keep coming back. Again and again.<br />
<br />
So, please let me tell you.<br />
<br />
I heart ♡♡♡ you all. <br />
<br />
<b style="font-size: x-large;">I'm celebrating Friendships!! YaY!</b><br />
<br />
This Thanksgiving <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">(in the UK, we don't celebrate Thanksgiving but I'd like to join my my friends in USA and in other parts of the world who are)</span>, I'd like to take the opportunity to tell you how grateful I am for each one of you. You know who you are. I'm so glad that we crossed paths, that we are on-line buddies and that ours is the kind of friendship that has not been thwarted.<br />
<br />
As a sign of my appreciation and lurve and with the help and generosity of friends who are donating books (massive thanks!), I'm giving away:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg21lv00E_hiiVLtCa6vMCuuuxkT7MiRohcOJC-9kmZb_Bs5f-sfZ-X4lbd3T-v1CWqz3tek0xl43sBCLg65kdqYirl25DdItwifRJ9khsnukl_sOoesooQmi22PJaWTmVr3Z1OeiD4elc/s1600/DSCF2332.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg21lv00E_hiiVLtCa6vMCuuuxkT7MiRohcOJC-9kmZb_Bs5f-sfZ-X4lbd3T-v1CWqz3tek0xl43sBCLg65kdqYirl25DdItwifRJ9khsnukl_sOoesooQmi22PJaWTmVr3Z1OeiD4elc/s320/DSCF2332.JPG" width="197" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">From the Author of Lovely Bones, <b>Alice Sebold. </b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">This is her memoir.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGJTI4pcJHvXsfc0LOGqBuHCWVbE32-d9M0FzV3GWDk3Hb9wbzNdCy3R2idZAtjP-AGa3Oy5C-I4LrqytU09pU_TyDdw0dqF1C7uYKoXccI41q9BKygTmFTkmBCHBjdVEuZHovN6rc9VM/s1600/DSCF2331.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGJTI4pcJHvXsfc0LOGqBuHCWVbE32-d9M0FzV3GWDk3Hb9wbzNdCy3R2idZAtjP-AGa3Oy5C-I4LrqytU09pU_TyDdw0dqF1C7uYKoXccI41q9BKygTmFTkmBCHBjdVEuZHovN6rc9VM/s320/DSCF2331.JPG" width="204" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">A Breath of Fresh Air by <b>Erica James</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">A story of finding love again after a tragedy from</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">a Sunday Times Bestselling Author</span><br />
<br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid6J5A6v6xaA5KXMZYYpDBHPGyrBK6dp6wg-6iiyYOlhvWzm6IxPpv5Rw8Tn27VLLTrBKPozQY4LIIID10izNCgBoZfZk5hP1WBqNm6Vfy9sRDJfcvLbMeAlb-8Ah2oNi8nOvqInC-cRQ/s1600/Build+a+Man_Cover_Talli+Roland.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid6J5A6v6xaA5KXMZYYpDBHPGyrBK6dp6wg-6iiyYOlhvWzm6IxPpv5Rw8Tn27VLLTrBKPozQY4LIIID10izNCgBoZfZk5hP1WBqNm6Vfy9sRDJfcvLbMeAlb-8Ah2oNi8nOvqInC-cRQ/s320/Build+a+Man_Cover_Talli+Roland.jpg" width="210" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">An e-copy of </span><b style="font-size: medium;">Build a Man </b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">- donated by the author, </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the Bestselling Novelist </span><a href="http://talliroland.blogspot.com/"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Talli Roland</span></b></a><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">She is also the author of The Hating Game and Watching Willow Watts</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Big thanks, Talli!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div><div style="text-align: right;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTEGLwkYYjKTfb_pNb5CexIfdAc5rFSC3hSZ1uiBY0n7iYCj43e7MPoXnWzQ7gG4teiVRWy6XFCxYS6zRLUlTWBa0Du3OCLWXFHfKq8P4-MTQcRkGgtusdHfqdSx7oTJ6in5wfy1Bv6bk/s1600/The+Doll_JC+Martin.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTEGLwkYYjKTfb_pNb5CexIfdAc5rFSC3hSZ1uiBY0n7iYCj43e7MPoXnWzQ7gG4teiVRWy6XFCxYS6zRLUlTWBa0Du3OCLWXFHfKq8P4-MTQcRkGgtusdHfqdSx7oTJ6in5wfy1Bv6bk/s320/The+Doll_JC+Martin.jpeg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">An e-copy of<b> The Doll by J.C. Martin</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">A delightfully creepy novellete and a must-read for any horror-lover!</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Donated by </span><a href="http://jc-martin.com/fighterwriter/"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Author J.C. Martin</span></b></a><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Big thanks, J.C.!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_wNePFS6lyPtkx-nOYLmsehF7g9E4lLoagYnoCgYsAMU5p9B3uJfwLIVi9bCykWS_fBlUbHAySQ2c5zFGhYAOSuX1sXdhBmjZMUx2ve-V2qFcm6HRzTR0QzP8Olh9Lf7D3ioyYVUHFa0/s1600/Unidentified_RM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_wNePFS6lyPtkx-nOYLmsehF7g9E4lLoagYnoCgYsAMU5p9B3uJfwLIVi9bCykWS_fBlUbHAySQ2c5zFGhYAOSuX1sXdhBmjZMUx2ve-V2qFcm6HRzTR0QzP8Olh9Lf7D3ioyYVUHFa0/s320/Unidentified_RM.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">A YA dystopian novel by<b> Rae Mariz</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">This will be sent by mail to one of the winners <b>within the USA only</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Big thanks to my friend </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://theresamilstein.blogspot.com/"><b>Theresa Milstein</b></a> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">for this book!</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">and I also have:</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFs7o2W-S-tiPOUxyYoCpQz8tExJksiv4WmidzOR0ly6_IoW-Mz5f7dJoDP4tmNwbJk3OaCG3tNBDAgDDjnsCqJdwrREDP2WEQlIBkLtBFHIAaJZI-DVNUOE6244hrAJYeDE8L7z0oZ74/s1600/DSCF2329.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="219" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFs7o2W-S-tiPOUxyYoCpQz8tExJksiv4WmidzOR0ly6_IoW-Mz5f7dJoDP4tmNwbJk3OaCG3tNBDAgDDjnsCqJdwrREDP2WEQlIBkLtBFHIAaJZI-DVNUOE6244hrAJYeDE8L7z0oZ74/s320/DSCF2329.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">A beautiful floral Writing Set with 20 sheets of writing paper and 10 envelopes</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">plus I'm including some surprise treats inside!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>Come on, I know you want them! It's easy, you can do one, a combination or all of the following:<br />
<br />
1. share this on your Facebook wall - 1 point<br />
2. share it onTwitter - 1 point<br />
3. post a link on the side bar of your blog - 2 points<br />
4. write a blog post about it - 3 points<br />
<br />
Please leave me a comment telling me what you've done and which books above you like in order of preference...and don't forget your name and e-mail address so I can let you know if you are one of the winners!<br />
<br />
This ends on 30 November 2011, 12 midnight UK Time. Winners will be announced after 30 Nov.<br />
<br />
All giveaways, <b><u>open internationally.</u></b> The Unidentified by Rae Mariz is open within the USA.<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763;">I'd love it if you follow me but it is not necessary or a requirement to enter. Sharing the news is to let others know I'm celebrating them, too. Thank you so much for being here ❤ </span><br />
<br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">♥♥♥BIG Thanksgiving Hugs!♡♡♡</span></span></b></div><div><br />
</div>Len Lamberthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13394563639136301725noreply@blogger.com36tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1131952470972220730.post-43424987800096603822011-11-18T00:00:00.000-08:002011-11-18T10:50:55.527-08:00Don't Let Me Go by Catherine Ryan HydeAnother book review! I promise you this is worth your time. I just loved this book to bits and I really have to share it!<br />
<br />
You probably have seen the film, <i>Pay It Forward </i>which stars Kevin Spacey, Helen Hunt and Haley Joel Osment. The film was based on the novel by <b><a href="http://www.catherineryanhyde.com/">Catherine Ryan Hyde</a>.</b> I had the honour of meeting Catherine on-line after I searched for her on Facebook as soon as I began reading <i>Don't Let Me Go.</i> Let me tell you, it's not only her book I find amazing, Catherine herself is pure awesomeness! <br />
<br />
Without much further ado, let me share with you this astonishing book!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqRIcswbdEgPCjL192WYDijg1756j92GZS-Xtxt2hXfB0y1cl-HAnFMci377J44kvu5vpcgdHfn_NhXvGXjZAFy5HPwWIduel2FxGpSZ9Kll2JC_Fp1alS5RFTfWqbLP7UiurkKM-N5h0/s1600/DSCF2338.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqRIcswbdEgPCjL192WYDijg1756j92GZS-Xtxt2hXfB0y1cl-HAnFMci377J44kvu5vpcgdHfn_NhXvGXjZAFy5HPwWIduel2FxGpSZ9Kll2JC_Fp1alS5RFTfWqbLP7UiurkKM-N5h0/s400/DSCF2338.JPG" width="253" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Back cover summary:</b><br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #eeeeee;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #181818; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">Sometimes a child knows better... </span></span></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #eeeeee;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #181818; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"><br />
</span></span></i></span><i style="background-color: #eeeeee;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #181818; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;"><br />
GRACE </span></span></i><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #eeeeee;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #181818; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;">Ten-year-old Grace knows that her mum loves her, but her mum loves drugs too. And there’s only so long Grace can fend off the ‘woman from the county’ who is threatening to put her into care. Her only hope is... </span></span></i></span><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;"><i style="background-color: #eeeeee; color: #181818; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">BILLY </span></i><br />
<i style="background-color: #eeeeee; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #181818; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;">Grown-man Billy Shine hasn’t been out of his apartment for years. People scare him, and the outside world scares him even more. Day in, day out, he lives a perfectly orchestrated silent life within his four walls. Until now. . . </span></span></i></div><br />
<i style="background-color: #eeeeee; color: #181818; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">THE PLAN </span></i><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #eeeeee; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;"><i>Grace bursts into Billy’s life with a loud voice and a brave plan to get her mum clean. And it won’t be easy, because they will have to confiscate the one thing her mum holds most dear . . . they will have to kidnap Grace.</i></span><br />
<br />
<b>Why I like it:</b><br />
<br />
A heartwarming tale of friendship and love. Love in all forms. The story depicts the goodness of humanity. That in each of us lies kindness, no matter who or what we are.<br />
<br />
I loved the characters in this story. It's a feel-good book that would make you wish there was a Book 2. It's funny, soul-soothing...full of selflessness and compassion.<br />
<br />
I am particularly impressed with how the author switched point of view from an adult to a 10-year old girl. I think it's brilliant!<br />
<br />
I am now definitely a fan of Catherine Ryan Hyde!<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><b>"So I guess people figure it's not as hard to lose your mother when you never got along anyway. But they're wrong. They're dead wrong. It's always hard to lose your mother. Always. If you loved her, if you hated her. If she smothered you, if she ignored you. It doesn't matter. She's your mother. Your <i>mother</i>. That's just a very tough bond to break." </b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>- Jesse, page 233, Don't Let Me Go by Catherine Ryan Hyde</i></div><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Disclaimer: I own a copy of the book above. This is an honest review and I was not compensated for this.</b></span>Len Lamberthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13394563639136301725noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1131952470972220730.post-48116684864475173932011-11-15T12:59:00.000-08:002011-11-16T23:40:47.271-08:00String Bridge by Jessica Bell<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">A Book Review and An Interview Part 2</span></b><br />
<br />
As promised, fellow bloggers, I'm back with<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> Jessica Bell</span> </b>again. I've got 3 more questions answered by the lovely Jessica! (Thanks again, Jess!). But before that, let me tell you about her book, <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">String Bridge</span> </b>and why I like it.<br />
<br />
<b>Blurb:</b><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"><i style="background-color: #eeeeee;">Greek cuisine, smog and domestic drudgery was not the life Australian musician, Melody, was expecting when she married a Greek music promoter and settled in Athens, Greece. Keen to play in her new shoes, though, Melody trades her guitar for a 'proper' career and her music for motherhood. That is, until she can bear it no longer and plots a return to the stage--and the person she used to be. However, the obstacles she faces along the way are nothing compared to the tragedy that awaits ...</i></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0nnoWMz0rXz93SHTdLhlfhAgNSIVEuWET4V0I4mur1JNJXcGEWllxgOqi0P6jiuoy812bdJOwk2DHYxi_BOtoCFxho4ek4jGLMIvyFpHulKx_C_MxLwldBlfO5oSjumqL9sNmRsrmYCo/s1600/String+Bridge_J+Bell_Cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0nnoWMz0rXz93SHTdLhlfhAgNSIVEuWET4V0I4mur1JNJXcGEWllxgOqi0P6jiuoy812bdJOwk2DHYxi_BOtoCFxho4ek4jGLMIvyFpHulKx_C_MxLwldBlfO5oSjumqL9sNmRsrmYCo/s400/String+Bridge_J+Bell_Cover.jpg" width="252" /></a></div><br />
<b>Why I like it:</b><br />
<br />
Definitely gripping. It might be a cliche to say it's 'unputdownable' but there isn't any other way to describe it. Just amazing.<br />
<br />
With a storyline so consuming, it felt like being in some sort of a trance reading this book. I couldn't stop. It felt like being on a rollercoaster of emotions. Just when you think Melody is going to make a long-time dream come true, just when everything is all coming together - piece by piece...BANG! Everything shatters. How does Melody put all the pieces back together again? Where does she go? What is in store for her?<br />
<br />
Intense writing. Outstanding dialogue. Impressive metaphors. Jessica Bell writes beautifully. String Bridge is a powerful novel.<br />
<br />
One of my favourite parts (my ARC copy is full of markings!):<br />
<br />
<i><b>"I just want my mother's hugs. I need soothing maternal hugs without having to explain why. And even though the hugs are in the form of a gentle voice through a phone, I can still imagine these hugs - the reassuring scent of henna and coconut moisturizer - her smooth skin against my cheek as she kisses and breathes me in." </b></i> - Page 164<br />
<br />
Before I can reveal too much, I guess I must stop here. But let me tell you. This is definitely a MUST-READ.<br />
<br />
and below is the rest of the interview. Hope you all enjoy it like I did!<br />
<br />
*******<br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">A Chat with Author Jessica Bell, Part Two:</span></b><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #351c75; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The One where she talked about having children!</span></b><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #eeeeee; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<b style="background-color: #eeeeee; color: #454545;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Len: In String Bridge, Melody has a daughter...do you see yourself being a mother yourself in the near future? Do you dream of having children? </span></b><br />
<div style="color: #454545;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #eeeeee; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="color: #454545;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #eeeeee; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>Jessica: </b> Oh yes, definitely. I love kids. But I'm really not sure I'm ready, to be honest. My "career" has just started to kick off, and I'm a bit worried about putting myself into Melody's shoes! lol But you know what? I'm not getting any younger, so I think I might just have to bite the bullet. Soon.</span></div><div style="color: #454545;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #eeeeee; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="color: #454545;"><b style="background-color: #eeeeee;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Len: There's a lot of humourous lines/parts in String Bridge that really made me chuckle. For example on page 165, you wrote: <i>"Oh, how I'd love to squash someone's head between two trashcan lids. I could make music at the same time. Become a member of Stomp."</i></span></b></div><div style="color: #454545;"><b style="background-color: #eeeeee;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div><div style="color: #454545;"><b style="background-color: #eeeeee;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I think this is hilarious. Did they naturally come as you wrote the first draft?</span></b></div><div style="color: #454545;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #eeeeee; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="color: #454545;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #eeeeee; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>Jessica:</b> Nope. Usually that stuff comes in much later. These things are like extra touches. The icing on the cake, sort of thing.</span></div><div style="color: #454545;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #eeeeee; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="color: #454545;"><b style="background-color: #eeeeee;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Len: On page 213, you wrote (as Melody): <i>"Somewhere up there is us, a happy us, in some parallel universe, living the way we're supposed to be. I truly believe that the earth is our practice ground - the place where we are to test things out, to make mistakes, to discover what we believe in, what we are passionate about. Death is when we move on and go up there - to the real world; to start again, to rectify our mistakes and live a happy and fulfilling existence. There is no hell. Earth is hell. This is where we are allowed to sin. Up there, is where we no longer want to."</i></span></b></div><div id="yui_3_2_0_1_1321302529195108" style="color: #454545;"><i><b style="background-color: #eeeeee;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></i></div><div style="color: #454545;"><b style="background-color: #eeeeee;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I loved this part. It is very deep. I had to stop and think after reading this part...and then I read each word again, slowly, making every word feel like tiny morsels of food in my mouth, savouring them.</span></b></div><div style="color: #454545;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #eeeeee; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="color: #454545;"><b style="background-color: #eeeeee;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Which makes me ask this question: do you personally believe this? Do you believe in the life after death?</span></b></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #eeeeee;"><br style="color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" /></span><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #eeeeee; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>Jessica: </b> Firstly can I just say, that what I love about reading is savoring phrases. When I find things like this, I underline them and mark the page on the inside of the cover. When I find things I want to underline, the book becomes a prized possession and will never leave my bookshelf, not even into borrowing hands. That said, I am SO THRILLED, you felt like this about something in MY book!!! Did you know that that is the only thing I have ever wanted from my readers? This is the most exciting moment, I have to tell you. This is what I wanted. I wanted people to savor my words. So thank you so much, Len, thank you for savoring them!!!</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #eeeeee; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #eeeeee; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">In answer to your question, yes, I believe this. I am not a follower of any particular religion, and I don't believe in "God" the way many do. But I do believe there is something greater than us out there. And I believe there is so much more than what we experience here. I truly think the earth is our playground where we grow, learn, pick up our own shit. But I don't believe that our transitions happen chronologically. I believe it's possible we have already moved on in some other time frame. I believe we are whatever and wherever we imagine ourselves to be.</span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">****</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Jessica, thank you once again. It's such a pleasure to have you on my blog. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">And...</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Congratulations on being on the Bestselling List on Amazon!!!! </span></b><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>*****</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><br />
</b></span><br />
<i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-style: normal; line-height: 18px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;">Disclaimer: I received an ARC of the book above from the publisher for an honest review and I was not compensated for this review.</span></span></i></span></i><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>Len Lamberthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13394563639136301725noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1131952470972220730.post-31807454633413580432011-11-01T00:00:00.000-07:002011-11-01T00:03:00.128-07:00A Chat with Author Jessica Bell<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE8QSeLp1LnEsfpeeK1uyslnNVGVXUnM1ur5Yv4Vx6oiu6j8cD-E1ZXF1u5If6PM7lVlbZrbCRyUAQpkchEO5sd_Qe7V4PuC7j_2wenF3UQbSx57aDFEjTkULS5a0PXnS6VF25AYVpwHs/s1600/Jessica+Bell_Author+Photo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
<img border="0" height="163" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE8QSeLp1LnEsfpeeK1uyslnNVGVXUnM1ur5Yv4Vx6oiu6j8cD-E1ZXF1u5If6PM7lVlbZrbCRyUAQpkchEO5sd_Qe7V4PuC7j_2wenF3UQbSx57aDFEjTkULS5a0PXnS6VF25AYVpwHs/s200/Jessica+Bell_Author+Photo.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Jessica Bell</span></b>, one of my favourite people in blogosphere is launching her book, String Bridge this month! YaY! Let's do the happy dance for Jessica!<br />
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I have a bit of good news - I have Jessica on my blog today!<br />
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If you are a regular visitor to this blog, you will probably notice that some of the questions I asked Jessica were the usual questions I'd ask an author. I hope that this will not bore you - but the truth is, I really wanted to know her answers to these questions. Now, my biggest mistake was this: I did not ask her a single question about her debut novel, String Bridge!!! Arrrrrghhhh! Yes, I know, I've hit my head on the wall several times already today. Looking back, I think that the mistake was because I sent her the interview questions months before I got a copy of String Bridge. And I wanted to ask questions after reading the book. Now. I need to calm myself down. I am posting my review on String Bridge on 15th November...I'm hoping it is not too late to ask Jessica a couple more questions. If I get lucky, the answers will be posted with the book review, how's that?<br />
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I'm happy now. Hope you are, too.<br />
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Now, friends, let's have<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> Jessica!</span><br />
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<div class="p1"><span class="s1"><b>Len: What was your job before you made the decision to become a writer?</b></span></div><div class="p1"><b>Jessica Bell:</b> An English text book writer/editor for English Language Teaching materials. Still am.</div><div class="p2"><span class="s1"></span></div><div class="p1"><span class="s1"><b><br />
L: Do you write full time?</b></span></div><div class="p1"><b>JB: </b>Nope. Whenever I can fit it in!</div><div class="p2"><span class="s1"></span></div><div class="p1"><span class="s1"><b><br />
L: Who are the authors that influenced your writing?</b></span></div><div class="p1"><b>JB: </b> Marilynne Robinson</div><div class="p1"><span class="s1">Margaret Atwood</span></div><div class="p1"><span class="s1">Raymond Carver</span></div><div class="p1"><span class="s1">Gwen Harwood</span></div><div class="p1"><span class="s1">Anne Lamott</span></div><div class="p1"><span class="s1">Rebecca Miller</span></div><div class="p2"><span class="s1"></span></div><div class="p1"><span class="s1"><b><br />
L: I am really interested to know this - what are your most favourite books - the ones that you will be happy to read over and over again?</b></span></div><div class="p1"><b>JB: </b><i>Housekeeping</i>, by Marilynne Robinson is the only book I have ever read multiple times. I still find new things in it too. It’s an acquired taste, though; not for everyone. You need to read it and savor it. You can’t read this book for the story. You have to read it for the sheer brilliance of language.</div><div class="p2"><span class="s1"></span></div><div class="p1"><span class="s1"><b><br />
L: What do you look for when reading a book? Do you pick it up because of its cover or do you take friends’ recommendations when choosing one?</b></span></div><div class="p1"><b>JB: </b> I actually don’t pay much attention to covers, I think it’s the blurb which is the first thing I look at. Mind you, if the cover looks tacky and cut and pasted together in five minutes, you can forget it, unless the book was written by a friend, then there’s no chance. Might be a bit shallow, but there’re only so many hours in a day, right?</div><div class="p2"><span class="s1"></span></div><div class="p1"><span class="s1"><b><br />
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">L: (*Laughing* Because secretly, she agrees...hahahahaha!)</span></b><br />
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L: You write poetry and literary fiction (aside from being a Singer and Songwriter), do you have to switch from one to the other - I mean, from being a poet to a novelist and vice versa depending on what you are writing?</b></span></div><div class="p2"><b>JB: </b>All of my writing begins quite raw, so no, I don’t really have to switch, because the bulk of my creativity comes when I begin to embellish the content that’s already written, and I have the same system for both fiction an poetry. I write, I tweak, I color in.<span class="s1"></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><b>*Len whispers to blog readers: Have you heard all about it? Jessica did not only write a book. She also wrote and recorded a song for it...no, let me correct that, she recorded an album! Yes, all for her book, String Bridge!</b></span><br />
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</div><div class="p1"><span class="s1"><b>L: How do you deal with writer’s block?</b></span></div><div class="p1"><span class="s1"><b>JB: </b> I don’t suffer from it much because I don’t ever <i>force</i> myself to write. I really do think that writing when you <i>want</i> to is the key. The rule, that we must write every day, just doesn’t work for me. If I write every day, my creativity runs dry.</span></div><div class="p2"><span class="s1"></span></div><div class="p1"><span class="s1"><b><br />
L: Please can you tell us about the challenges you had to face on the road to publication? I’m sure a lot of our blogger friends would like to know.</b></span></div><div class="p1"><span class="s1"><b>JB:</b> Hmm … challenges … rejections, rejections, tears, tears, conflicting advice, rejections, tears, conflicting advice … need I say more?</span></div><div class="p2"><span class="s1"></span></div><div class="p1"><span class="s1"><b><br />
L: Any current projects that you are working on?</b></span></div><div class="p1"><span class="s1"><b>JB: </b> Yes, MUTED, which was inspired by a short story I wrote for an anthology called TINY DANCER. Here’s my current blurb:</span></div><div class="p2"><span class="s1"></span></div><div class="p1"><span class="s1">It's illegal to wear clothes. In some streets, it's also illegal to sing without accompanying instruments. Concetta, a famous Italian a cappella singer from before “the change,” now living in Arles, France, breaks these laws. As punishment, her vocal chords are brutally slashed and her eardrums surgically perforated. Unable to cope living a life without song, she resolves to drown herself in the river clothed in a dress stained with performance memories. But Concetta's suicide attempt is cut short as someone grabs her by the throat and pulls her to the surface. Is it the busking harpist, who encouraged her to feel music through vibration, acting as savior? Or a street warden on the prowl for another offender to detain?</span></div><div class="p2"><span class="s1"></span></div><div class="p2"><span class="s1"></span></div><div class="p1"><span class="s1"><b><br />
L: Thank you very much once again, Jessica. Is there anything you’d like to add or tell your friends and supporters out there?</b></span></div><div class="p2">JB: Have you crossed the String Bridge yet? Hahahahaha …<span class="s1"></span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0nnoWMz0rXz93SHTdLhlfhAgNSIVEuWET4V0I4mur1JNJXcGEWllxgOqi0P6jiuoy812bdJOwk2DHYxi_BOtoCFxho4ek4jGLMIvyFpHulKx_C_MxLwldBlfO5oSjumqL9sNmRsrmYCo/s1600/String+Bridge_J+Bell_Cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0nnoWMz0rXz93SHTdLhlfhAgNSIVEuWET4V0I4mur1JNJXcGEWllxgOqi0P6jiuoy812bdJOwk2DHYxi_BOtoCFxho4ek4jGLMIvyFpHulKx_C_MxLwldBlfO5oSjumqL9sNmRsrmYCo/s320/String+Bridge_J+Bell_Cover.jpg" width="201" /></a></div><br />
L: Yes I have! I have! And I loved it! Congratulations once again on your debut novel!<br />
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How about you, blog friends? Have you crossed the String Bridge yet? If you haven't yet, here are the links:<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #eeeeee; color: #454545; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Jessica's links:</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #eeeeee;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">String Bridge Website: </span><a href="http://www.stringbridge.com/" rel="nofollow" style="color: #234786; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px;" target="_blank">http://www.stringbridge.com/</a></span><br />
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #eeeeee;">Goodreads: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11502954-string-bridge" rel="nofollow" style="color: #234786; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px;" target="_blank">http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11502954-string-bridge</a></span><br />
<div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #eeeeee;">String Bridge Book Trailer: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rv-hRMA0kqQ" rel="nofollow" style="color: #234786; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px;" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rv-hRMA0kqQ</a></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #eeeeee;">String Bridge Merchandise: <a href="http://www.cafepress.com/janicephelps/8155170" rel="nofollow" style="color: #234786; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px;" target="_blank">http://www.cafepress.com/janicephelps/8155170</a></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #eeeeee;">website: <a href="http://www.jessicacbell.com/" rel="nofollow" style="color: #234786; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px;" target="_blank">http://www.jessicacbell.com/</a></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #eeeeee;">blog: <a href="http://thealliterativeallomorph.blogspot.com/" rel="nofollow" style="color: #234786; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px;" target="_blank">http://thealliterativeallomorph.blogspot.com/</a></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #eeeeee;">facebook: <a href="http://www.facebook.com/author.jessica.bell" rel="nofollow" style="color: #234786; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px;" target="_blank">http://www.facebook.com/author.jessica.bell</a></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #eeeeee;">Twitter: <a href="http://www.twitter.com/MsBessieBell" rel="nofollow" style="color: #234786; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px;" target="_blank">http://www.twitter.com/MsBessieBell</a></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #eeeeee;">retreat & workshop site: <a href="http://hwrw.blogspot.com/" rel="nofollow" style="color: #234786; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px;" target="_blank">http://hwrw.blogspot.com/</a></span></div></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #eeeeee;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #eeeeee; color: #454545; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;">Purchase links:</span><br />
<div id="yui_3_2_0_1_1320094977863232"><div style="color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><span id="yui_3_2_0_1_1320094977863229" style="background-color: #eeeeee; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><span id="yui_3_2_0_1_1320094977863226" style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"></span></span></div><div style="color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><span id="yui_3_2_0_1_1320094977863229" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><span id="yui_3_2_0_1_1320094977863226" style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><b style="background-color: #eeeeee;">eBook</b></span></span></div><div style="color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><div class="yiv272707277MsoNormal" style="padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span id="yui_3_2_0_1_1320094977863229" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><span id="yui_3_2_0_1_1320094977863226" style="background-color: #eeeeee; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span lang="EN-GB">Amazon.com: </span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/String-Bridge-ebook/dp/B005Y48DF6/ref=sr_1_1_title_0_main?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1319369262&sr=1-1" rel="nofollow" style="color: #234786; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px;" target="_blank"><span lang="EN-GB">http://www.amazon.com/String-Bridge-ebook/dp/B005Y48DF6/ref=sr_1_1_title_0_mains=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1319369262&sr=1-1</span></a><span lang="EN-US"></span></span></span></div><div class="yiv272707277MsoNormal" style="padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span id="yui_3_2_0_1_1320094977863229" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><span id="yui_3_2_0_1_1320094977863226" style="background-color: #eeeeee; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span lang="EN-US">Amazon UK: </span><a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/String-Bridge-ebook/dp/B005Y48DF6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1319370801&sr=8-1" rel="nofollow" style="color: #234786; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px;" target="_blank"><span lang="EN-GB">http://www.amazon.co.uk/String-Bridge-ebook/dp/B005Y48DF6/ref=sr_1_1ie=UTF8&qid=1319370801&sr=8-1</span></a><span lang="EN-US"></span></span></span></div></div><div style="color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><span id="yui_3_2_0_1_1320094977863229" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><span id="yui_3_2_0_1_1320094977863226" style="background-color: #eeeeee; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></span></div><div id="yui_3_2_0_1_1320094977863223" style="color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><span id="yui_3_2_0_1_1320094977863229" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><span id="yui_3_2_0_1_1320094977863226" style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><b style="background-color: #eeeeee;">Paperback:</b></span></span></div><div style="color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><span id="yui_3_2_0_1_1320094977863229" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><span id="yui_3_2_0_1_1320094977863226" style="background-color: #eeeeee; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Amazon.com: (Coming soon) </span></span></div><div style="color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><span id="yui_3_2_0_1_1320094977863229" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><span id="yui_3_2_0_1_1320094977863226" style="background-color: #eeeeee; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Amazon UK: (Coming soon)</span></span></div><div style="color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><span id="yui_3_2_0_1_1320094977863229" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><span id="yui_3_2_0_1_1320094977863226" style="background-color: #eeeeee; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Barnes & Noble:<br />
<a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/string-bridge-jessica-bell/1030101696" rel="nofollow" style="color: #234786; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px;" target="_blank">http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/string-bridge-jessica-bell/1030101696</a></span></span></div><div style="color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><span id="yui_3_2_0_1_1320094977863229" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><span id="yui_3_2_0_1_1320094977863226" style="background-color: #eeeeee; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><span id="yui_3_2_0_1_1320094977863229" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><span id="yui_3_2_0_1_1320094977863226" style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><b style="background-color: #eeeeee;">Soundtrack:</b></span></span></div><div style="color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><span id="yui_3_2_0_1_1320094977863229" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><span id="yui_3_2_0_1_1320094977863226" style="background-color: #eeeeee; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">iTunes:<br />
<a href="http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewAlbum?playlistId=465313522" rel="nofollow" style="color: #234786; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px;" target="_blank">http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewAlbum?playlistId=465313522</a></span></span></div><div style="color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><span id="yui_3_2_0_1_1320094977863229" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><span id="yui_3_2_0_1_1320094977863226" style="background-color: #eeeeee; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Amazon.com:<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Melody-Hill-Other-Side/dp/B005P7ARNS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1317118328&sr=8-1" rel="nofollow" style="color: #234786; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px;" target="_blank">http://www.amazon.com/Melody-Hill-Other-Side/dp/B005P7ARNS/ref=sr_1_1ie=UTF8&qid=1317118328&sr=8-1</a></span></span></div><div style="color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><span id="yui_3_2_0_1_1320094977863229" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><span id="yui_3_2_0_1_1320094977863226" style="background-color: #eeeeee; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Amazon UK:<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Melody-Hill-Other-Side/dp/B005P7G02A/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1317118484&sr=8-1" rel="nofollow" style="color: #234786; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px;" target="_blank">http://www.amazon.co.uk/Melody-Hill-Other-Side/dp/B005P7G02A/ref=sr_1_1ie=UTF8&qid=1317118484&sr=8-1</a></span></span></div><div><div style="color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><span id="yui_3_2_0_1_1320094977863229" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><span id="yui_3_2_0_1_1320094977863226" style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">******</span></span></div><div style="color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b style="font-family: arial;">Jessica's November Blog Tour:</b></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #454545; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://thealliterativeallomorph.blogspot.com/p/string-bridge-book-music-blog-tour.html">http://thealliterativeallomorph.blogspot.com/p/string-bridge-book-music-blog-tour.html</a></span><br />
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</b></span></div></div></div>Len Lamberthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13394563639136301725noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1131952470972220730.post-70980908237586146712011-10-27T00:00:00.000-07:002011-10-26T16:48:26.913-07:00Hometowns and Settings<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjay83HAvpoQLHVA76Oi2SgBnq3ZhUT2YG3IvQ9zDexRs7L1ByJqZ4SkPXOM2TgsmPsWTt0CuMPzt6LRvr-OyhZmlz_DnRvkAXvd_kZP8D4fW0T4BF7-fyep5wrCURdParM9VwVfdh5Ac/s1600/Fantgales.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjay83HAvpoQLHVA76Oi2SgBnq3ZhUT2YG3IvQ9zDexRs7L1ByJqZ4SkPXOM2TgsmPsWTt0CuMPzt6LRvr-OyhZmlz_DnRvkAXvd_kZP8D4fW0T4BF7-fyep5wrCURdParM9VwVfdh5Ac/s200/Fantgales.jpeg" width="127" /></a></div><div class="p1"><span class="Apple-style-span"><b>Does your hometown influence your writing?</b></span></div><div class="p1"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;"><br />
</span></i></div><div class="p1"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">The ever-so-adorable <b><a href="http://theresamilstein.blogspot.com/">Theresa Milstein</a></b> is with me today with a guest post to promote Fangtales. Her short story 'Allured' is included in this YA anthology. Theresa spent time thinking about setting when writing her piece, so she thought she'd share her perspective on how our hometowns shape us and frame our writing.</span></i></div><div class="p1"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;"><br />
</span></i></div><div class="p1"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">Here's Theresa:</span></i></div><div class="p1"><span class="s1"><br />
</span></div><div class="p1"><span class="s1"><i><br />
</i></span></div><div class="p1"><span class="s1"><i><br />
</i></span></div><div class="p1"><span class="s1"><i><br />
</i></span></div><div class="p1"><i>“It’s a suburb of New York City where moms drive oversize silver trucks to Starbucks and most kids play soccer whether they want to or not. It’s the kind of place where kids are trained from birth to compete. In everything. School, sports, friendship, clothes. . .you know, everything.”</i></div><div class="p1">- D.J. MacHale, Morpheus Road: The Light<br />
<br />
My blogging buddy, <a href="http://thealliterativeallomorph.blogspot.com/"><b>Jessica Bell</b></a> wrote a recent post asking the question:<br />
<br />
<i>What's the first wonderful aspect of your hometown that comes to mind when you think about it? And does it make you feel nostalgic?<br />
<br />
</i>Just <b>1</b> aspect and <b>1</b> hometown<b>?! </b> </div><div class="p4"><span class="s1">How about <b>10 </b>aspects and <b>2</b> hometowns?</span><br />
<span class="s1"><br />
</span><br />
Until age 9, I lived in New York City. This is my childhood list:</div><div class="p5"><span class="s1"></span></div><div class="p5"><span class="s1"></span></div><div class="p6"><span class="s1">Soot snow mountains</span></div><div class="p6"><span class="s1">Fire hydrant sprinklers – watching on</span></div><div class="p6"><span class="s1">X-rated movie theatre ‘round the corner</span></div><div class="p6"><span class="s1">Giant Catholic Church, opposite direction</span></div><div class="p6"><span class="s1">Friends and neighbors from everywhere in the world</span></div><div class="p6"><span class="s1">Walking everywhere and noisy elevated subway</span></div><div class="p6"><span class="s1">Dark school with caged stairways and paper towel ceilings</span></div><div class="p6"><span class="s1">Parks with cement cause scraped knees</span></div><div class="p6"><span class="s1">Crowded and noisy, horns and double-parked cars</span></div><div class="p6"><span class="s1">Independence with caution<br />
</span><br />
For the rest of my childhood, I lived on Long Island. If I hadn’t lived in NYC first, this list might be different. If I write it from my teen years, it would also be different. This is my childhood list:<br />
<br />
Sameness of big houses and people</div><div class="p5"><span class="s1"></span></div><div class="p6"><span class="s1">Mowing lawns and lawn pride</span></div><div class="p6"><span class="s1">Mandatory soccer</span></div><div class="p6"><span class="s1">Cars drive everywhere</span></div><div class="p6"><span class="s1">Bicycling through lazy summers</span></div><div class="p6"><span class="s1">Playing video games at the bowling alley</span></div><div class="p6"><span class="s1">Backyards with sprinklers </span></div><div class="p6"><span class="s1">Basements with toys</span></div><div class="p6"><span class="s1">Inhaling greenery from flower and vegetable gardens</span></div><div class="p6"><span class="s1">Designer jeans<br />
</span><br />
Though these places are only an hour drive apart, the contrast is great. Being a city kid and suburban kid are like two different beasts inside me. My childhood experiences help me write city and suburban characters. <br />
<br />
<b><a href="http://www.kimberleygriffithslittle.com/">Kimberley Griffiths Little </a></b>writes about life on the bayou in <i>The Healing Spell</i> and her soon-to-be-released <i>Circle of Secrets</i>. I wouldn’t have the faintest idea what that life is like there if I hadn’t been introduced to that world by her:<br />
<br />
<i>“I sit in the prow of the motorboat, worms jiggling my gut the whole way, fat and sassy on all that cake I just ate.<br />
<br />
When we get to the swamp house, I watch my daddy tie the rope around the dock piling, get my suitcases out, and set them on the scraggly lawn. Wind moans through the giant cypress trees surrounding the house, making the Spanish moss float in the air like mermaid’s hair.”</i><br />
- Kimberley Griffiths Little, Circle of Secrets<br />
<br />
Recently, I read <i>Touch Blue</i> by <b>Cynthia Lord</b> in one sitting. Because she spent time on an island in Maine, she could bring that tiny world realistically to me, as I sat in on the Charles River in Cambridge, overlooking the Boston skyline. <br />
<br />
I’ve mentioned before that I can make up anything in the world in my books, but I like my setting to be based on a place that I know. I must know the physical ground to ground my book, no matter what other fantastical elements exist. The places I’ve lived have had a profound impact on me as a person and as a writer. And knowing a place helps me bring authenticity to my pieces. But I need to take it further like other authors who know their settings enough to make them character-like – <b>Carl Hiaasen </b>and <b>Kate DiCamillo</b>, for example. <br />
<br />
Where we’ve lived is so much of who we are.<br />
<br />
In November, I’m going to post an interview with <b>Jessica Bell</b> about her upcoming book, <i>String Bridge</i>. She explains how living in Australia and Greece has influenced her writing. <br />
<br />
<i style="font-weight: bold;">Can you list aspects of your hometown?</i></div><div class="p5"><span class="s1"></span></div><div class="p4"><span class="s1"><b><i>How did where you grew up influence your writing?</i></b></span></div><div class="p4"><span class="s1"><b><i>Which books or authors do wonders with setting?</i></b></span><b><i><br />
</i></b>Links you might want to use:<br />
<span class="s1"><br />
My blog: </span><a href="http://theresamilstein.blogspot.com/">http://theresamilstein.blogspot.com/</a><br />
<br />
<b>Fangtales: </b></div><div class="p9"><span class="s1"></span></div><div class="p9"><span class="s1"></span></div><div class="p9"><b><span class="s1"></span>Barnes and Noble:</b></div><div class="p10"><span class="s3"><a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/fangtales-berni-stevens/1105876583?ean=9780956036360&itm=1&usri=fangtales">http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/fangtales-berni-stevens/1105876583?ean=9780956036360&itm=1&usri=fangtales</a><br />
</span><br />
<b>Amazon:</b><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Fangtales-Berni-Stevens/dp/0956036368/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1317157075&sr=8-1">http://www.amazon.com/Fangtales-Berni-Stevens/dp/0956036368/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1317157075&sr=8-1</a></div><div class="p9"><span class="s1"></span></div><div class="p9"><span class="s1"></span></div>Len Lamberthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13394563639136301725noreply@blogger.com34tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1131952470972220730.post-23113842872351258432011-10-24T15:54:00.000-07:002011-10-27T18:57:34.886-07:00The Healing Spell by Kimberley Griffiths Little<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigHDPkLUR0IRnLfBt10uua2-5IXWEAB2PBbDcVn7oePvLczPzkG3KMZYjcsRUmJCWwekxmXDDvXYXhGmCZtpVBAkA3EoUCHEWeGrFfnROcBpdE94IwmQwvhTxKlcCFOCzyIox5xWL1-9k/s1600/The+Healing+Spell+COVER.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigHDPkLUR0IRnLfBt10uua2-5IXWEAB2PBbDcVn7oePvLczPzkG3KMZYjcsRUmJCWwekxmXDDvXYXhGmCZtpVBAkA3EoUCHEWeGrFfnROcBpdE94IwmQwvhTxKlcCFOCzyIox5xWL1-9k/s320/The+Healing+Spell+COVER.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>I waited so long for this book to arrive on my doorstep so that when it finally did, I almost screamed in delight!<br />
<br />
Livie, the main character, did not only make me reconnect to my child-self but also helped me come to terms with the things in my past, things I can never change.<br />
<br />
The Healing Spell by Kimberley Griffiths Little helped me understand my own fears when I was an eleven year old girl. Most of all, it made me understand and love my mother more than I already do or did.<br />
<br />
This is one of the books that I highly recommend to both children and adults alike. It's an emotionally powerful book. It may not have the same effect on you but I can assure you that it is an excellent read. I am certain you will enjoy every word, every page. To me, this means I will be reading more books by Ms Little.<br />
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<br />
<br />
<b>Back cover blurb:</b><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #eeeeee;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #eeeeee; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"><i>Twelve-year-old Livie is living with a secret and it's crushing her. She knows she is responsible for her mother's coma, but she can't tell anyone. It's up to her to find a way to wake her momma up.</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #eeeeee; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"><i></i></span><br />
<div style="font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.4; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-top: 18px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><i>Stuck in the middle of three sisters, hiding a forbidden pet alligator, and afraid to disappoint her daddy, whom she loves more than anyone else, Livie struggles to find her place within her own family as she learns about the powers of faith and redemption. Livie's powerful, emotional, and sometimes humorous story will stay with readers long after the last line is read.</i></div><div style="font-family: georgia, serif; line-height: 1.4; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-top: 18px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><div style="font-size: 14px;"><i>Set in the lush bayou of Louisiana, Kimberley Griffiths Little brings Livie's story to life with power and grace.</i></div><div style="font-size: 14px;"><i><br />
</i></div><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times; font-style: normal; line-height: normal;"><i>Disclaimer: I own a copy of the book 'The Healing Spell.' This is an honest review and I was not compensated for this.</i></span></i><br />
<div style="font-size: 14px;"><i><br />
</i></div><div style="font-size: 14px;"><i><br />
</i></div></div>Len Lamberthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13394563639136301725noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1131952470972220730.post-22878260477749134072011-10-06T14:39:00.000-07:002011-10-07T01:41:25.040-07:00What are you reading?Whew. That was close! I thought I lost this blog. *Inhale. Exhale.* No, don't blame Blogger. It wasn't Blogger. It was me. I logged in using the wrong email address, hahaha!<br />
<br />
Moment of craziness over.<br />
<br />
Wow! It's finally October. Summer is gone! We had a lot of sunshine over here in England last week and before that...and yes, it was heaven for most people. Me? I had heat rash around my neck! Eeeeekkk! But no worries, it's fading away slowly, thank God.<br />
<br />
No big news about myself today but guess what? JUICY NEWS about our pals, <b>Theresa Milstein, Talli Roland, India Drummond and Jessica Bell!</b><br />
<b><br />
</b><br />
In no particular order:<br />
<br />
<b>Juicy News 1: <a href="http://theresamilstein.blogspot.com/">Author Theresa Milstein</a>'s short story "Allured"</b> is included in a YA anthology, <b>Fangtales</b> - and it is NOW AVAILABLE on Barnes and Noble and Amazon.com. Check it out! <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjay83HAvpoQLHVA76Oi2SgBnq3ZhUT2YG3IvQ9zDexRs7L1ByJqZ4SkPXOM2TgsmPsWTt0CuMPzt6LRvr-OyhZmlz_DnRvkAXvd_kZP8D4fW0T4BF7-fyep5wrCURdParM9VwVfdh5Ac/s1600/Fantgales.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjay83HAvpoQLHVA76Oi2SgBnq3ZhUT2YG3IvQ9zDexRs7L1ByJqZ4SkPXOM2TgsmPsWTt0CuMPzt6LRvr-OyhZmlz_DnRvkAXvd_kZP8D4fW0T4BF7-fyep5wrCURdParM9VwVfdh5Ac/s320/Fantgales.jpeg" width="204" /></a></div><br />
She's got a blog tour promoting Fangtales - go visit her <a href="http://theresamilstein.blogspot.com/2011/10/tales-with-bite-and-tour.html">BLOG</a> to find out more!<br />
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Theresa is also doing a guest post right here, yes, on this blog, on the <i>27th October.</i> Please don't forget the date and see us in two weeks' time.<br />
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<b>Juicy News 2: </b> Another prolific writer and talented author, <b>Talli Roland</b>, is self-publishing her latest novel, <b>Build a Man! </b> I can't wait to get my copy! What are you waiting for? Check it out! Click <a href="http://talliroland.blogspot.com/2011/10/my-next-novel-and-why-im-publishing-it.html?spref=fb">HERE</a>.<br />
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<b>Juicy News 3: </b> Let's not forget to mention that <a href="http://www.indiadrummond.com/2011/10/04/build-a-man-cover/">Author India Drummond</a> custom designed the cover for Build a Man! Look at that! How amazing! I'm so impressed! So if you have a book that you'd like custom artwork for - you know who to call.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4eri3ZKwoQiUDFdDF5WiNYXQ13kwqViAmgY8ibc_qZc4myc5RaBV3zH3hh8AE4M2GEf4Ko29KRKr-A57o82LcuMuz_2zxa4RB0H5XhJRJfTVfrg4sYq3Ycd9fFx9nUaUuXsWAaWcK9LA/s1600/Build+a+Man_Cover_Talli+Roland.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4eri3ZKwoQiUDFdDF5WiNYXQ13kwqViAmgY8ibc_qZc4myc5RaBV3zH3hh8AE4M2GEf4Ko29KRKr-A57o82LcuMuz_2zxa4RB0H5XhJRJfTVfrg4sYq3Ycd9fFx9nUaUuXsWAaWcK9LA/s320/Build+a+Man_Cover_Talli+Roland.jpg" width="210" /></a></div><br />
<b>Juicy News 4: <a href="http://thealliterativeallomorph.blogspot.com/">Author Jessica Bell</a>'s String Bridge</b>, is coming out in November! Woot, Jess!!!! Only a month away! I've read this book and I so loved it. I will be posting a review on this one soon.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBOrKyzWxnGycdMEPtmWvF4T4Mrhekn1769Pd7Mxw9erIHpgN4gXmSGZ5N3UZkPVaLQbFpMvnz_0VspeKcaGthX9EDy0LDTfGuIKzNSW9N5_dXNT7XCYmooKSgUggSoffZNvwc9eN33fY/s1600/String+Bridge_J+Bell_Cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBOrKyzWxnGycdMEPtmWvF4T4Mrhekn1769Pd7Mxw9erIHpgN4gXmSGZ5N3UZkPVaLQbFpMvnz_0VspeKcaGthX9EDy0LDTfGuIKzNSW9N5_dXNT7XCYmooKSgUggSoffZNvwc9eN33fY/s320/String+Bridge_J+Bell_Cover.jpg" width="202" /></a></div><br />
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Just want to give you the heads up, blog friends! I will see you again after a few days hopefully. Anyway, I will be over at your blogs! *HUGS*<br />
<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px;"><br />
</span></span>Len Lamberthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13394563639136301725noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1131952470972220730.post-89649537562786030082011-09-14T00:48:00.000-07:002011-10-25T14:30:54.154-07:00Watching Willow Watts Launch Day!Today is the celebratory launch of <a href="http://talliroland.blogspot.com/2011/09/yay-its-watching-willow-watts-launch.html">Talli Roland</a>'s second novel, Watching Willow Watts and I've joined the parteeeeyyy!!!!<br />
<br />
Almost 150 bloggers have joined the <b>If I could be Anyone, I'd be...</b>Websplash and this is what this is all about! Woot!<br />
<br />
So <b>who would I be?</b><br />
<br />
*Holds breath*<br />
<br />
I'd be Samantha played by Nicole Kidman in Bewitched (2005)! Why? Because she's stunning and wears pretty dresses in the film! And of course, magic! Yes! I'd like to have magical power to...to...I don't know - hmmm...turn bad people into toads? Hee hee. I'd like to be a beautiful witch with only the face of Nicole Kidman but please let me NOT be married to Darrin played by Will Ferrell?<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/6WB6Pz2pHts?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br />
<b>Now, about Willow Watts:</b><br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;"><i style="background-color: #eeeeee;">For Willow Watts, life has settled into a predictably dull routine: days behind the counter at her father's antique shop and nights watching TV, as the pension-aged residents of Britain's Ugliest Village bed down for yet another early night. But everything changes when a YouTube video of Willow's epically embarrassing Marilyn Monroe impersonation gets millions of hits after a viewer spots Marilyn's ghostly image in a frame.<br />
<br />
Instantly, Willow's town is overrun with fans flocking to see the 'new Marilyn'. Egged on by the villagers -- whose shops and businesses are cashing in -- Willow embraces her new identity, dying her hair platinum and ramming herself full of cakes to achieve Marilyn's legendary curves.<br />
<br />
But when a former flame returns seeking the old Willow, Willow must decide: can she risk her stardom and her village's newfound fortune on love, or is being Marilyn her ticket to happiness? </i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;"><i><br />
</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;"><b>The good news! You can buy a copy of <i>Willow </i>on <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B005JE2IJI/ref=s9_simh_gw_p351_d0_g351_i1?pf_rd_m=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=18ZMY03XMJQXQY16VH9W&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=467128533&pf_rd_i=468294" style="color: #351c75; text-decoration: none;">Amazon UK for £1.71</a>, or on <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Watching-Willow-Watts-ebook/dp/B005JE2IJI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1315942091&sr=8-1" style="color: #351c75; text-decoration: none;">Amazon.com for $2.99</a>. Paperback coming in November!</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;"><b><br />
</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;">And, one more <b>EXCITING</b> part of today is seeing the beautiful Talli Roland as Marilyn Monroe!!!</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/9LZ7THdcwps?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;"><b><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;"><b>Congratulations, Talli!</b></span>Len Lamberthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13394563639136301725noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1131952470972220730.post-47782036325288222042011-09-08T14:38:00.000-07:002011-09-08T14:41:21.767-07:00The Door Swung Open<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPC1i-PUE7XDd9T2JfBAufkCeXht8LMBJ-sVmrZ24C5frTnNkudeatJTDEz70g4or0iEFfJbnB-tkMwDb2nwkilnmzpYRLMqEoedZAXIKwB1C05h0TMDkm9-q-wc3Oz3Umcuwcmk_e8lA/s1600/Platform+Building+Campaigner.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPC1i-PUE7XDd9T2JfBAufkCeXht8LMBJ-sVmrZ24C5frTnNkudeatJTDEz70g4or0iEFfJbnB-tkMwDb2nwkilnmzpYRLMqEoedZAXIKwB1C05h0TMDkm9-q-wc3Oz3Umcuwcmk_e8lA/s1600/Platform+Building+Campaigner.png" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">Rachel Harrie is hosting the <a href="http://rachaelharrie.blogspot.com/2011/09/first-campaigner-challenge.html">First Campaigner Challenge. </a></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"><i><br />
</i></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"><i>Write a short story/flash fiction story in 200 words or less, excluding the title. It can be in any format, including a poem. Begin the story with the words, "The door swung open." These four words will be included in the word count.</i></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"><i><br />
</i></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">Here's my attempt:</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">The door swung open. Alice did not even hear it when it shut as she bowed down her head, staring at her jeans and her hands still clasped together in between her legs. She felt a hand on her shoulder. Startled, she looked up to see Adrian. His face was flustered and sweaty. He knew. He didn't have to say a thing. They just looked at each other.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">She was the one who broke the silence. "He's gone," she whispered, tears streaming down her cheeks.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">He nodded with eyes closed and sat next to her. Adrian could hold it no longer. He covered his face with his hands and sobbed. Alice wrapped an arm around him, leaned on his shoulder. And she wept, too. </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">The suffering was over. Their only child was finally at peace.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"><br />
</span></span>Len Lamberthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13394563639136301725noreply@blogger.com27tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1131952470972220730.post-56730822304005858302011-09-06T01:09:00.000-07:002011-09-06T04:12:08.203-07:00Interview with Author Amber Argyle<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRnH5ZQzaLWGj0edXDDzqSvrd1dKkuaG1FsOIn78i1s2v-Ke6Nb_OcT5gKFnTWWuKEbPMSqSwH38tZnyng-bamCfKZRaRkWUUevo6CYKzmSohX0q9J7LpAvMIQCIQifCXlntwXMVjTMMU/s1600/Amber+Argyle_Photo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRnH5ZQzaLWGj0edXDDzqSvrd1dKkuaG1FsOIn78i1s2v-Ke6Nb_OcT5gKFnTWWuKEbPMSqSwH38tZnyng-bamCfKZRaRkWUUevo6CYKzmSohX0q9J7LpAvMIQCIQifCXlntwXMVjTMMU/s320/Amber+Argyle_Photo.jpg" width="212" /></a><br />
<div class="p1" style="font: normal normal normal 16px/normal Times; line-height: 14px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b></b></div><div class="p1" style="display: inline !important; font: normal normal normal 16px/normal Times; line-height: 14px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></div>Thank you to all who have left a comment on my last post. Yes, that was a review of the enthralling novel, Witch Song. Today, I bring to you the author behind it, <b>Amber Argyle</b>!<br />
<br />
<b>What was your job before you became a writer?</b><br />
<b><br />
</b><br />
The same job I have now - a full time mom. I love being at home with my kids (most of the time). One of my favorite parts is reading them stories.<br />
<br />
<b>What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?</b><br />
<b><br />
</b><br />
Spare time? What's that? LOL With three kids, cleaning, cooking, writing, editing, and marketing; I really don't have much spare time. Although I have been doing Zumba aerobics. I'm terrible. Really, really terrible. But it's so much fun. I love it when you get an amazing workout and you don't even realize it.<br />
<br />
If I had a spare time, I'd scrapbook and play basketball.<br />
<br />
<b>Did you struggle to get published? Can you tell us your experience on getting published?</b><br />
<br />
<div class="p3" style="font: normal normal normal 16px/normal Times; line-height: 14px; margin-bottom: 13px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Long, long story. I’ll try to give the short version. Being an author meant so much to me that I didn’t pursue it for a while for fear of failing. After the birth of my very colicky baby, I desperately needed some sort of stress release and started writing January of ‘06. I was offered a publishing contract for my first book (Priestess Prophecy) fall of June of ’08. I turned that contract down because the terms were rotten. Shortly after, I found an agent who subbed Priestess. I broke up with my agent after about a year. I shelved Priestess and started circulating Witch Song. Rhemalda Publishing offered me a contract August of 2010. I’m so grateful/lucky to have such a fantastic publisher.</span></div><div class="p3" style="font: normal normal normal 16px/normal Times; line-height: 14px; margin-bottom: 13px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b><span class="s1" style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><b>Where’s your favourite place to write - is it inside your own home or do you have to go out somewhere - into the woods, by the beach or in a cafe - to find the inspiration?</b></span></b></div><div class="p3" style="font: normal normal normal 16px/normal Times; line-height: 14px; margin-bottom: 13px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6XoGRBf1NJGhF7eE6pjsrt5AXnRsaIZMolEwaFuTL88deF2AbMcxTP_CN6_j6C0LplnX2uQxVmPOvZfTCg65lDM-NZu8ApgVXV5aKwwy5QSRtt4dMJIJiBtlJZ4BgHnE4vOy29cXxhJ8/s1600/Witch+Song+Cover_Amber+Argyle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6XoGRBf1NJGhF7eE6pjsrt5AXnRsaIZMolEwaFuTL88deF2AbMcxTP_CN6_j6C0LplnX2uQxVmPOvZfTCg65lDM-NZu8ApgVXV5aKwwy5QSRtt4dMJIJiBtlJZ4BgHnE4vOy29cXxhJ8/s320/Witch+Song+Cover_Amber+Argyle.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="208" /></a><span class="s1" style="letter-spacing: 0px;">I’m trying to imagine myself writing in a café with my three kids tipping over the displays and running out into the road. It’s making me very tired. ;) I write at home, in my family room so I can keep an eye on my chillins.</span></div><div class="p3" style="font: normal normal normal 16px/normal Times; line-height: 14px; margin-bottom: 13px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b><span class="s1" style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><b>Let’s talk about your debut novel, Witch Song – how long ago was it when you began to write this novel?</b></span></b></div><div class="p3" style="font: normal normal normal 16px/normal Times; line-height: 14px; margin-bottom: 13px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="letter-spacing: 0px;">I started writing Witch Song summer of ’07. I finished the first draft in a month. I edited it pretty steadily for another 6 months. Then I worked on it off and on when the muse struck.</span></div><div class="p3" style="font: normal normal normal 16px/normal Times; line-height: 14px; margin-bottom: 13px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b><span class="s1" style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><b>Can you tell us about Witch Song? What is it about?</b></span></b></div><div class="p3" style="font: normal normal normal 16px/normal Times; line-height: 14px; margin-bottom: 13px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="letter-spacing: 0px;">My 14 year old protagonist, Brusenna, is the last Witch left. All the others are being held captive. And without the Witches to control nature, seasons are crossing hardened boundaries, seeds rot in the soil, and the heavens are sealed shut. If Brusenna doesn’t find and free the others soon, there might not be anything left to save. </span></div><div class="p3" style="font: normal normal normal 16px/normal Times; line-height: 14px; margin-bottom: 13px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b><span class="s1" style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><b>Did you have to research to write the story?</b></span></b></div><div class="p3" style="font: normal normal normal 16px/normal Times; line-height: 14px; margin-bottom: 13px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="letter-spacing: 0px;">There’s an epic sea battle near the middle of the book, so I had to do a lot of research on cannons, ships, and sailing. I also had to do a lot of research on tropical climates.</span></div><div class="p3" style="font: normal normal normal 16px/normal Times; line-height: 14px; margin-bottom: 13px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b><span class="s1" style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><b>Are you working on another novel right now?</b></span></b></div><div class="p3" style="font: normal normal normal 16px/normal Times; line-height: 14px; margin-bottom: 13px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="letter-spacing: 0px;">I’m editing Daughter of Winter, which should come out next year (finger’s crossed). I’m trying to fit in the first draft of The Forbidden Forest, but I just can’t find the time.</span></div><div class="p4" style="font: normal normal normal 16px/normal 'Times New Roman'; line-height: 14px; margin-bottom: 13px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b><span class="s3" style="font: normal normal normal 16px/normal Times; letter-spacing: 0px;"><b>What wo</b></span><span class="s1" style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><b>uld you like to read? Any favourite books? Favourite authors?</b></span></b></div><div class="p5" style="font: normal normal normal 16px/normal 'Times New Roman'; margin-bottom: 13px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="letter-spacing: 0px;">I absolutely love Shannon Hale and Kristin Cashore. Let’s face it, the girls can write an write well. I also like Brandon Mull, Tolkien, David Farland, Jessica Day George, Clare B Dunkle, Jennifer Roberson, Suzanne Collins, Clare B Dunkle, Aprilynne Pike, and Robin McKinley. I could probably go on forever.</span></div><div class="p3" style="font: normal normal normal 16px/normal Times; line-height: 14px; margin-bottom: 13px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b><span class="s1" style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><b>Do you think any of your favourite authors has influenced your writing?</b></span></b></div><div class="p3" style="font: normal normal normal 16px/normal Times; line-height: 14px; margin-bottom: 13px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Absolutely. David Farland has taught me so much about the craft of writing. When I get stuck, I read a great book and that usually propels my writing into high gear.</span></div><div class="p3" style="font: normal normal normal 16px/normal Times; line-height: 14px; margin-bottom: 13px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b><span class="s1" style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><b>Do you have any tips to share with aspiring writers out there on how to get published?</b></span></b></div><div class="p3" style="font: normal normal normal 16px/normal Times; line-height: 14px; margin-bottom: 13px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; line-height: normal;"></span><br />
<div class="p3" style="font: normal normal normal 16px/normal Times; line-height: 14px; margin-bottom: 13px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="s1" style="font-size: large; letter-spacing: 0px;">Worry more about becoming a great writer than about getting published—because being published is a byproduct of great writing. Also, improving your writing is something you can control. Being published is not (unless of course you self pub).</span></span></div><div class="p3" style="font: normal normal normal 16px/normal Times; line-height: 14px; margin-bottom: 13px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"></div><b><span class="s1" style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><b>****</b></span></b><br />
<b><span class="s1" style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><b><br />
</b></span></b><br />
<b><span class="s1" style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><b>Thank you very much, Amber. It’s been a pleasure to have you on my blog. </b></span></b></div>Len Lamberthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13394563639136301725noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1131952470972220730.post-23419755923907135952011-09-01T00:00:00.000-07:002011-08-31T16:32:28.800-07:00Witch Song by Amber Argyle<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjEq5ESepz-9cTK54qV67jUmiDS9ctYkz-jtCVH-YMNDq6_KEq817fi-rXAqueTb79kqhND3hU-BTX0_-8S3s1xsvuO0X6dl-qmLeZnOYTPViULMlMFo1Dn1-dLDtqy8iT_LwyIDxmwd0/s1600/Witch+Song+Cover_Amber+Argyle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjEq5ESepz-9cTK54qV67jUmiDS9ctYkz-jtCVH-YMNDq6_KEq817fi-rXAqueTb79kqhND3hU-BTX0_-8S3s1xsvuO0X6dl-qmLeZnOYTPViULMlMFo1Dn1-dLDtqy8iT_LwyIDxmwd0/s320/Witch+Song+Cover_Amber+Argyle.jpg" width="208" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom-color: initial; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: medium; border-left-color: initial; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: medium; border-right-color: initial; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: medium; border-top-color: initial; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: medium;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>Summary:</b> </span></i><br />
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></i><br />
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The world is changing.</span></i></div><div style="border-bottom-color: initial; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: medium; border-left-color: initial; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: medium; border-right-color: initial; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: medium; border-top-color: initial; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: medium;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></i></div><div style="border-bottom-color: initial; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: medium; border-left-color: initial; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: medium; border-right-color: initial; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: medium; border-top-color: initial; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: medium;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">For thousands of years, witch song has controlled everything from the winds to the shifting of the seasons. But not anymore. All the Witches are gone, taken captive by the dark Witch, Espen.</span></i></div><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></i><br />
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">As the last echoes of witch song fade, Espen grows stronger as winter and summer come within the space of a day. Now she’s coming for the one she missed—a shy, untrained girl of fifteen named Brusenna.</span></i><br />
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></i><br />
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Somehow, Brusenna has to succeed where every other Witch has failed. Find Espen. Fight her. Defeat her.</span></i><br />
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></i><br />
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Or there won’t be anything left to save.</span></i><br />
<div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">My thoughts:</span></b></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">This is a world where witches do not use wands. Instead, they sing. I find the beginning very slow-moving but right in the middle and throughout the end, it was full of suspense and action. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I wasn't able to connect to/with Brusenna and I feel sad about that. I wish there were more flashbacks in the story, more thoughts that would have made me feel closer to the MC. Her behaviour and reactions to things confused me at times. Nevertheless, I must say that this is a creation of an extraordinary world of magic and music.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">This is a story of love and loyalty. It ended in an unexpected way which made it even more interesting. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Amber Argyle has created an enthralling world. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">A unique story of witches. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">An impressive debut novel. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-style: normal; line-height: 18px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;">Disclaimer: I received an ARC of the book above from the publisher for an honest review and I was not compensated for this review.</span></span></i></span></i></span></span></div>Len Lamberthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13394563639136301725noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1131952470972220730.post-43476994029648285312011-08-28T08:25:00.000-07:002011-08-28T08:25:50.536-07:00The Third Writers' Platform Building CampaignHave you heard about the third Writers' Platform Building Campaign? If you haven't, this is to let you know that Rachael Harrie of <a href="http://rachaelharrie.blogspot.com/2011/08/and-so-campaign-begins-plus-campaigner.html">Rach Writes</a> is running it from 22 August to 31 October 2011. Please check it out. <br />
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For more details, here's the link to Rachel's blog: <a href="http://rachaelharrie.blogspot.com/2011/08/and-so-campaign-begins-plus-campaigner.html">Rach Writes</a><br />
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See you there!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhghnNB6If_xXtPgHKu_AWYpYEWFNRX6PACUKVp4OnradrzbZwqOQ9KXXr01tE0fK0M_3Rd7-T1yhayHjZMV2KQk4UM0Dg3FnKQMGqMxRbSgG-8pzZr5s10QpcPAU5znpo0AW09vp0LrE8/s1600/Crusaders.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhghnNB6If_xXtPgHKu_AWYpYEWFNRX6PACUKVp4OnradrzbZwqOQ9KXXr01tE0fK0M_3Rd7-T1yhayHjZMV2KQk4UM0Dg3FnKQMGqMxRbSgG-8pzZr5s10QpcPAU5znpo0AW09vp0LrE8/s320/Crusaders.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Len Lamberthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13394563639136301725noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1131952470972220730.post-30221841814138190522011-08-12T15:56:00.000-07:002011-08-13T18:14:22.471-07:00I still believe in kindnessLately, there's been so much violence, harshness and cruelty in the world. I don't even have to tell you where. If you look around, I'm sure it's just around every corner. <br />
<br />
I'm not going to talk about the recent riots in England, although of course you can count that, too. Maybe seeing such violence, such greed, such horridness contributed to this sadness that I am feeling right now. Or maybe it's the fact that two of my best friends have recently lost a loved one (both due to ill health).<br />
<br />
I've had my share of life's harshness. Quite recently, something happened that I couldn't shake off my system. Perhaps it's because I saw the pain in my husband's eyes when he told me about it. My husband and I took our son J for a long weekend holiday. We were at the town centre walking around. (For those of you who don't know yet, my son travels in his wheelchair. He has special needs.) As we walked past a few shops, we could see a man, a woman and two children who were also looking around. As we approached them, the man looked at my husband who was pushing J's wheelchair and glowered at J, then at me. And just before they walked past, the man said out loud, making sure my husband heard him, "That's what happens when the child is half-caste."<br />
<br />
I did not hear this as I was too busy looking around. Husband told me, in a dejected voice, what was said when we got back to the hotel. "How can people be so judgmental?" I didn't know what to say to him. I tried to comfort him by saying in a nonchalant tone, "You've heard worse than that! Take no notice of them." Of course I wasn't very convincing. That night, while my two boys snored themselves to dreamland, I was awake. Thinking. Asking. <br />
<br />
For a moment, I stopped. There had been worse than that! My experiences are not as bad as the ones who have lost their homes or livelihood or even life of a loved one and although it is a small piece of this atrocity that seems to be spreading like a disease, I shouldn't be focusing on these things. I have two imaginary boxes in my head: one is labelled <i>"Forgettable Nonsense" </i> and another one is <i>"Happy Moments." </i>Immediately, I mentally put this recent experience into the <i>"Forgettable Nonsense"</i> box.<br />
<br />
I rummaged in my <i>"Happy Moments"</i> box. I needed to find memories of "kindness."<br />
<br />
I know it is there. More than this wicked behaviour.<br />
<br />
Like those strangers who help me when I struggle to open the doors while I push J's wheelchair in shops, supermarket and cafes. <br />
<br />
The lady who held J's hand and spoke to him a few days ago, even if she knew my son couldn't speak.<br />
<br />
Last week, there was a young woman who picked J's cap when he dropped it without me noticing it.<br />
<br />
Those emails I receive from friends asking how J is doing? How am I feeling? Have I gotten some sleep? Messages that let me know people care.<br />
<br />
Ahhhh, my <i>"Happy Moments" </i>box is full.<br />
<br />
I do not expect people to like my son. I understand that sometimes he may look odd to some people. I am aware that his unusual movements can make some people feel uncomfortable. This is why when people show me kindness, it means so much to me. <br />
<br />
I'd like some respect. Not pity.<br />
<br />
Suspended judgement. <br />
<br />
Plain acceptance of something that IS. <br />
<br />
When I get a little bit of any of this, coupled with a lot of kindness, I begin to forget the vicious.<br />
<br />
I see the goodness of life again.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><i><b>"Kindness is a language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see" </b></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b> - Mark Twain</b></i></div><br />
<br />
Len Lamberthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13394563639136301725noreply@blogger.com29tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1131952470972220730.post-72072995037863829712011-08-01T06:15:00.000-07:002011-08-01T06:15:58.902-07:00I have been interviewed!Yay, would you believe? I have been interviewed!<br />
<br />
Please go over at Deirdra's and have a look :)<br />
<br />
Please click <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://astorybookworld.blogspot.com/2011/08/interview-with-reader-len-l.html">HERE</a>.</span></b><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></b><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span">Not a very long post today. Just sharing with you about my interview. Hugs!</span>Len Lamberthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13394563639136301725noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1131952470972220730.post-23602935533842145372011-07-27T00:00:00.000-07:002011-07-27T18:09:14.670-07:00Wednesday Fun - I've been tagged!I have just learned that I've been tagged by <a href="http://thealliterativeallomorph.blogspot.com/2011/06/tagged-by-ted.html">Author Jessica Bell</a> last month! Yes, last month! Can you imagine how bad I am that I have not read it??? So if I have not visited your blog for awhile, forgive me. It's not only you. I have noticed quite recently that a few of my followers are 'unfollowing' me, maybe they think I've forgotten them because I have not been commenting for awhile. That's sad. Believe me, I have been trying. I am! I really am! Just can't keep up, lovelies! Eeeeeeekkkk!!!<br />
<br />
*Calming self down*<br />
<br />
*Breath in. Breath out.*<br />
<br />
Shall we continue? Jess tagged me so here's what I need to do: I have to answer the following questions and follow the instructions and tag five lovely bloggers.<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; line-height: 18px;"><b>Do you think you're hot?</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">Are you referring to my body temperature? I can assure you, it is normal. Hehehe.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><b><br />
</b></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; line-height: 18px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><b>Upload a picture of wallpaper you are using at the moment.</b></span></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; line-height: 18px;">This was taken in 2008 when husband and I went to London with our two good friends, Jemima and Orren. I loved those two days with them. This shot was taken by Orren and it reminds me so much of how much fun we all had.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQc64icpaDDzSFFnm7fF-y1i7zwX2RAzcTet7JdHm9owt6_4s5Uk-YwUhIQ1zQAo-DsUaO-OxYmoMiWYoOoGVR-mr679izSJj2FJ_nIfqPmsIOQ2BQIQZkejRHv52qUOYWhkACKRWI62g/s1600/CNV00059.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQc64icpaDDzSFFnm7fF-y1i7zwX2RAzcTet7JdHm9owt6_4s5Uk-YwUhIQ1zQAo-DsUaO-OxYmoMiWYoOoGVR-mr679izSJj2FJ_nIfqPmsIOQ2BQIQZkejRHv52qUOYWhkACKRWI62g/s320/CNV00059.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><b><br />
</b></span></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; line-height: 18px;"><b>When was the last time you ate chicken? </b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">Last week. I made chicken/pasta soup. </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; line-height: 18px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><b>The songs you listened to recently?</b></span></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; line-height: 18px;">I Finallly Found Someone by Barbra Streisand and Bryan Adams. I loved the film, Mirror Has to Faces and it was on TV a few days ago....so I thought I'd listen to the 'theme song' on youtube.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><b><br />
</b></span></b></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/LaXjRKAUyYo?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><b><br />
</b></span></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; line-height: 18px;"><b>What were you thinking as you were doing this?</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; line-height: 18px;">I need to sleep. Yes, I do. I really do. ZZZzzzzzzzzzz.<br />
<br />
<b>Do you have nicknames?</b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; line-height: 18px;"> Yes<br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; line-height: 18px;">I am called:</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; line-height: 18px;">Len by everybody<br />
Leni by family and closest friends<br />
<br />
<b>Tag five bloggers and state the reason why:</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><b><br />
</b></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><a href="http://www.theresamilstein.blogspot.com/">Theresa Milstein </a>- because she's a lovely friend. It always makes me smile when I get an email from her. She is always so kind and helpful to me, always has the answer to my questions. She's a great friend and a talented writer. I heart her! </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><a href="http://lindyloumacbookreviews.blogspot.com/">LindyLou Mac</a> - for all her book reviews which I love and look forward to reading.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><a href="http://www.glynissmy.com/">Glynis Smy</a> - she's been a blogger friend since I began blogging and I did not even realise she's always there to visit my blog, even when I had no followers!</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><a href="http://thestoryriver.com/">Lisa Stowe </a>- she believes in me and my writing and that is huge. Her words of encouragement are something I hold on to when I get really down and I feel like I write crap.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><a href="http://thealliterativeallomorph.blogspot.com/">Jessica Bell</a> - tagging you back, Jess! She's such an inspiration to me. I cannot think of anything she can't do - she writes novels, poetry, she sings (and she's got an angelic voice!) and she edits, too! Not to mention her good looks! I think when the Universe distributed talent and all things good, she was in the front row!</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">******</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large; line-height: 18px;"><b>The winner of the <a href="http://carpediem202.blogspot.com/2011/07/starring-in-movie-of-my-life-by-laurel.html">Book Give-away</a> is Ycel Zaleta!!! I will be posting/mailing the book soon! Congratulations!</b></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">******</span></span>Len Lamberthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13394563639136301725noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1131952470972220730.post-63422100065287569012011-07-25T00:00:00.000-07:002011-07-24T17:15:43.896-07:00What are you reading?Have you heard about <b>Susan Schreyer's third book in the Thea Campbell series</b>? It's out now on Smashwords!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghAMP7EbX5JkTl2APL4RGvOVJITCHIX8MVGbXMK1dp54Anxl6v49cARta_wv78pAfdr7UCKdji1f0SMyMIT_c9FacpuDPcSovsEf0rmQfpTb3Vv3Txq5vXw3eIIqTys_2htaRVSc4DubA/s1600/An+Error+in+Judgment_Susan+SchreyerCOVER.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghAMP7EbX5JkTl2APL4RGvOVJITCHIX8MVGbXMK1dp54Anxl6v49cARta_wv78pAfdr7UCKdji1f0SMyMIT_c9FacpuDPcSovsEf0rmQfpTb3Vv3Txq5vXw3eIIqTys_2htaRVSc4DubA/s320/An+Error+in+Judgment_Susan+SchreyerCOVER.jpeg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Now OUT on Smashwords!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><span itemprop="description" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"></span></span></span><br />
<h2 style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #333333; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 0.25em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><strong style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><i>Summary:</i></strong></span></h2><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;"><span itemprop="description" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">When Thea's long time friend is arrested for murdering her wealthy husband, Thea and boyfriend Paul vow to clear her. But they are caught between warring business partners jockeying for control and slighted family members turning ruthless. The investigation twists with the arrival of an old nemesis who is capable of orchestrating not only the murder but the grave danger stalking Thea and Paul.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;"> </span></i><br />
<br />
I've enjoyed the first in the series (I posted a review sometime ago) - please click <a href="http://carpediem202.blogspot.com/2011/01/death-by-dark-horse-by-susan-schreyer.html">HERE</a> to find out. If you love mystery novels and you haven't read the first two, I suggest you get them now. <b>Death by a Dark Horse</b><i> </i>(Book 1) is only $2.99 and <b>Levels of Deception</b> (Book 2) is only $0.99!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjCsfQ6LZLjUidPyv88fUeBxN-Uk3nViOjeCc9VMvRrwCj1YrRu1p1y5T-B4ran0Q6Vvi7m4qIN4GazOoYlVFZCJX_45hsuu29QQveTwVENZh5pjWCJEZP0kmvMP2bweEMKshRKk6gjAk/s1600/Levels+of+Deception_Susan+Schreyer.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjCsfQ6LZLjUidPyv88fUeBxN-Uk3nViOjeCc9VMvRrwCj1YrRu1p1y5T-B4ran0Q6Vvi7m4qIN4GazOoYlVFZCJX_45hsuu29QQveTwVENZh5pjWCJEZP0kmvMP2bweEMKshRKk6gjAk/s320/Levels+of+Deception_Susan+Schreyer.jpeg" width="238" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The 2nd in the series you shouldn't miss!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>I will be posting a review on Book 2 (above) very soon! I hope you come back for that *winks*<br />
<br />
Another book I'm currently reading is <b>Witch Song by Amber Argyle</b>. I will be posting a review in September and guess what? I'm interviewing Amber, too! I'm excited!!!! *happy dance*<br />
<br />
The book will be released on 01 September 2011. <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Amber is giving away a free copy on Goodreads, please click <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/show/8542-witch-song">HERE</a> to enter.</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6XoGRBf1NJGhF7eE6pjsrt5AXnRsaIZMolEwaFuTL88deF2AbMcxTP_CN6_j6C0LplnX2uQxVmPOvZfTCg65lDM-NZu8ApgVXV5aKwwy5QSRtt4dMJIJiBtlJZ4BgHnE4vOy29cXxhJ8/s1600/Witch+Song+Cover_Amber+Argyle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6XoGRBf1NJGhF7eE6pjsrt5AXnRsaIZMolEwaFuTL88deF2AbMcxTP_CN6_j6C0LplnX2uQxVmPOvZfTCg65lDM-NZu8ApgVXV5aKwwy5QSRtt4dMJIJiBtlJZ4BgHnE4vOy29cXxhJ8/s320/Witch+Song+Cover_Amber+Argyle.jpg" width="208" /></a></div><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><i>Summary:</i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #181818; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 19px;"><i>The world is changing. </i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #181818; line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>For thousands of years, witch song has controlled everything from the winds to the shifting of the seasons. But not anymore. All the Witches are gone, taken captive by the dark Witch, Espen.<br />
As the last echoes of witch song fade, Espen grows stronger as winter and summer come within the space of a day. Now she’s coming for the one she missed—a shy, untrained girl of fifteen named Brusenna.<br />
Somehow, Brusenna has to succeed where every other Witch has failed. Find Espen. Fight her. Defeat her. </i></span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #181818; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 19px;">It's the beginning of the week again so let me all give you the warmest ((((HUG))))) and hope that you are enjoying some sunshine! *carry on happy dancing*</span><br />
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</span></span>Len Lamberthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13394563639136301725noreply@blogger.com3